In his sleep, Chu Shangluo felt a chill throughout his body. He wanted to get up and put on more clothes, but he couldn’t open his eyes. He could only curl up into a ball to keep warm.

However, the coldness didn’t last long. In a daze, he felt someone supporting him, and he leaned into a warm embrace.

The person held his cold hand, their touch gentle.

Chu Shangluo struggled to open his heavy eyelids, and in his blurry vision, he saw Ren Jiaoming’s unusually tender expression.

Tenderness? That didn’t match the cold and aloof Ren Jiaoming. President Chu thought he must be dreaming.

Seeing that Chu Shangluo had regained some consciousness, Ren Jiaoming brought a cold medicine to Chu Shangluo’s slightly parted lips and whispered, “I called a private doctor. Take the medicine first.”

Chu Shangluo was only briefly awake. He quickly closed his eyes again and shook his head, “Bitter… I won’t eat it.”

Ren Jiaoming looked at Chu Shangluo’s flushed cheeks and placed his hand on them, feeling the scorching heat.

He helped the drowsy Chu Shangluo sit up straight, his thumb pressing against Chu Shangluo’s hot lips. The soft touch made his finger linger a little longer.

Then he brought the pill to Chu Shangluo’s mouth. Chu Shangluo grumbled and pushed Ren Jiaoming away, but Ren Jiaoming brought a glass of warm water to Chu Shangluo’s lips.

The medicine was bitter. As soon as he tasted the water, Chu Shangluo swallowed a large mouthful, taking the medicine down.

Ren Jiaoming put down the water glass and looked at Chu Shangluo, who was leaning against him and about to fall asleep again. He couldn’t help but stare at those lips, abnormally red from the fever.

He could still feel the soft, slightly damp touch from when he had touched them.

Chu Shangluo was still subconsciously believing he was dreaming. He was still a little cold and unconsciously moved closer to the source of warmth.

His hot breath sprayed against Ren Jiaoming’s cheek. They were so close, it was as if they were about to kiss.

The atmosphere was already incredibly ambiguous.

Ren Jiaoming’s heart skipped a beat, his eyes darkening.

At first, he just wanted to lightly touch Chu Shangluo’s lips, but the moment his lips met Chu Shangluo’s, something in his blood seemed to lose control.

His eyes burned with desire, and a mere taste wasn’t enough.

He reached out and pried open Chu Shangluo’s mouth.

Chu Shangluo was just about to fall asleep when a soft thing invaded his mouth. The softness first tentatively touched his tongue, and the tingling sensation instantly spread to the top of his head. Chu Shangluo involuntarily shivered.

Then the other party’s attack became more intense. No matter how he tried to dodge or resist, the tongue in his mouth remained gentle and determined, entwining with his.

Chu Shangluo’s breathing gradually became more rapid, and just when he thought he was about to suffocate, he finally struggled to open his eyes.

Looking at the face so close to his, Chu Shangluo was slightly stunned. He even thought he was dreaming. After all, he had never tried such a deep kiss with Ren Jiaoming before. Their kisses had always been simple, just a brief touch of lips, never anything so intense. Ren Jiaoming didn’t like deep kisses.

Chu Shangluo stared at Ren Jiaoming with a dazed look, enduring the kiss that felt as though the other was invading him. Suddenly, he became clear-headed. Chu Shangluo realized, this wasn’t a dream! Ren Jiaoming was really forcing a kiss on him!

Veins bulged on Chu Shangluo’s forehead as he angrily shoved Ren Jiaoming away and forcefully wiped his mouth, shouting, “Ren Jiaoming, can you stop being disgusting?”

Ren Jiaoming’s chest heaved violently, his face flushed with a lingering, dazed red. His Adam’s apple moved, and without caring whether Chu Shangluo was furious, he grabbed the struggling hands and pinned them to the wall. With one hand holding his chin, he kissed him again. This kiss was gentle, but filled with desire.

Chu Shangluo, weak from a cold, felt his heart nearly explode with anger. The force of Ren Jiaoming’s actions made him feel as if he were being forcibly taken. Chu Shangluo’s eyes turned red as he bit down hard on something soft in his mouth. The taste of blood spread rapidly between them.

Ren Jiaoming furrowed his brow, his eyes gradually clearing. He released Chu Shangluo’s hands, and in the next moment, Chu Shangluo gathered his strength and pushed him off the bed.

The intense, passionate saliva between them shimmered as it hung at the edges of their lips, adding a touch of vivid color to the uncontrollable kiss.

“Get the hell out of here!” Chu Shangluo grabbed a water glass from the table and threw it at Ren Jiaoming. He never imagined Ren Jiaoming could be so shameless—no matter how hard he tried to push him away, Ren Jiaoming wouldn’t leave and even took advantage of him when he was sick!

Ren Jiaoming picked up the water glass from the floor and, trying to calm the agitated Chu Shangluo, said, “You’re sick, don’t be angry.” He didn’t explain the kiss to Chu Shangluo because there was no reason—he just wanted Chu Shangluo.

Chu Shangluo staggered off the bed, clenched his fists, and struck Ren Jiaoming. “I won’t feel at ease until I beat you to death! Aren’t you a clean freak? Why don’t you care about dirt now? Well, I do!”

The punch landed solidly on Ren Jiaoming’s chest, causing his face to pale slightly, but he didn’t retaliate. Chu Shangluo, clearly enraged, continued to hammer punches into Ren Jiaoming’s body without holding back. Ren Jiaoming endured every blow, not saying a word.

Chu Shangluo was 183 cm tall and had considerable strength, even though his fever made it hard to gather enough energy. But every punch he threw at Ren Jiaoming was real. Soon, Chu Shangluo ran out of strength. He panted heavily and glared at Ren Jiaoming.

Ren Jiaoming reached out and placed a hand on his back, calming him while guiding him back to the bed. “Are you calm now?”

“Ren Jiaoming, get the hell out! If you can understand human words, then get the hell out now. I can’t help but get angry every time I see you!” Chu Shangluo’s breathing was rapid, his face was ashen. He grabbed something and threw it at Ren Jiaoming.

Ren Jiaoming didn’t dodge, and the object immediately left a bright red mark on his forehead, blood trickling down. Chu Shangluo frowned, coldly pointing towards the door, gritting his teeth, “Get, out!”

Ren Jiaoming silently picked up the phone from the floor, placed it on the table, and turned to leave. In the dark night, his figure seemed a bit lonely. He stopped outside the door, wiped the blood from his forehead without much concern. What concerned him was the disgust and rejection in Chu Shangluo’s eyes.

Ren Jiaoming sighed. In the dark, his beautiful eyes were full of frustration for the first time. He leaned against the railing, somewhat lost in thought. Then he heard the sound of a lighter from inside the room, followed by the scent of smoke seeping out. He lowered his eyes and took out a cigarette from his pocket. It was the same cigarette that Chu Shangluo had discarded earlier, the only one he had. He lit it with the lighter, took a drag, and the light flickered in his eyes before fading. The bitterness spread in his mouth, but it also wove pain and a sense of despair. So this was the taste Chu Shangluo was addicted to.

Ren Jiaoming extinguished the cigarette and felt the cold wind in his eyes. Now he knew, he loved Chu Shangluo more than he had think.

Inside the room, Chu Shangluo’s heart felt like it was about to explode. He thought that if Ren Jiaoming bothered him for one more day, he might die sooner. How could he have been so foolish to fall for Ren Jiaoming in the first place? When they were together, Ren Jiaoming never allowed him to be happy, and now that they were no longer together, Ren Jiaoming still wouldn’t let him be at peace.

Chu Shangluo was pacing angrily. He was so frustrated, his chest felt tight, and if he didn’t release it somehow, he thought he might explode. He had decided that since Ren Jiaoming hadn’t left, he wouldn’t sit still. He searched through the room but couldn’t find anything convenient to throw. In the end, Mr. Chu grabbed a basin of cold water from the washbasin, opened the door, and splashed it at Ren Jiaoming.

Ren Jiaoming was caught off guard, drenched in water. Chu Shangluo threw the basin onto the floor, took a deep drag of his cigarette, and said, “Do you know what ‘spilled water can’t be retrieved’ means? Our relationship is like this basin of water. Once it’s spilled, it can’t be taken back.”

“Also,” Chu Shangluo exhaled smoke, speaking slowly, “You can be with the son of the man who killed your father, but I can’t. There’s a life between us. After you die, you can face your father, but I can’t face mine.”

Ren Jiaoming stared at the wet ground, water dripping from his clothes. The cold wind blew, and he felt chilled from head to toe.

Chu Shangluo felt a bit of relief. He slammed the door shut and lay on the bed. Just as he closed his eyes, Ren Jiaoming’s lonely figure outside the door flashed in his mind. Chu Shangluo irritably flicked the cigarette away, his heart aching as if it were being pulled apart.

He exhaled forcefully, as if releasing the pain he had been holding inside.

Why was there still heartache? Chu Shangluo knew the reason, but he didn’t want to think about it too deeply. It was over, and that was that. There were too many complications between him and Ren Jiaoming. Besides, life wasn’t all about love. Before the age of 27, he hadn’t experienced it, but this year, at 27, he had briefly experienced it, and it had hurt him deeply. He didn’t want it anymore. Compared to love, there were more important things for him to focus on.

When the door opened again, Chu Shangluo thought it was Ren Jiaoming not willing to give up, ready to shout angrily. But when he saw who it was, he realized it was his personal doctor. The doctor hooked him up to an IV and said, “It’s too cold in here. How can you sleep like this?”

“I’m fine, it’s not that cold. I just accidentally got splashed with cold water today.”

“Either way, you need to take care of yourself. Your lifestyle is poor. You look healthy and strong, but your foundation is weak.”

Chu Shangluo didn’t want to listen to the doctor’s nagging. He yawned and shooed him away. Fortunately, this brief interruption had lifted his mood a little.

It was already midnight, and the world outside was quiet. Chu Shangluo couldn’t keep his eyes open any longer, his consciousness fading in and out. Then, it seemed the door was pushed open again, and he felt someone take his hand, which had grown cold from the IV. That person held his hand tightly, continuously holding it. In his sleep, Chu Shangluo realized who it might be. He forced himself to open his eyes, but his eyelids kept fighting with his consciousness. By the time he managed to fully open his eyes, it was already late in the night.

He noticed the IV needle had been removed, but there was no blood return this time. On the table, there was a steaming hot breakfast. Chu Shangluo touched the back of his hand where the needle had been, paused for a moment, and then received a message from an unfamiliar number:

“Mr. Chu, the day after tomorrow is my birthday. No one has ever celebrated it with me. Will you come? It’s Fan Mo.”

Chu Shangluo thought about it—no matter what happened between him and Ren Jiaoming, Fan Mo was innocent. He was about to agree to Fan Mo’s invitation when he suddenly remembered that the day after tomorrow was also Lu Wen’s birthday, and he had already promised to spend it with Lu Wen.