Song Yi quietly replayed Gu Xingchuan’s words in his mind: “To be his man?”

Gu Xingchuan’s expression was serious, not a hint of joking in his demeanor. Song Yi was stunned for a moment, and for the first time, he seriously considered the possibility of having Gu Xingchuan as his boyfriend.

He had always believed that when looking for a partner, it should be someone gentle and considerate, someone stable and calm, leading an ordinary, peaceful life. But Gu Xingchuan was the complete opposite of the type of partner Song Yi had imagined. Gu Xingchuan was independent, rebellious, fearless, and completely out of place in a crowd. He looked down on everyone and had an air of superiority.

Gu Xingchuan didn’t meet any of Song Yi’s criteria for a partner but there was something uniquely special about the way Gu Xingchuan made him feel.

Song Yi’s previous relationships, whether with a beta or an omega, involved partners who admired and relied on him as he played the role of the perfect lover, without any flaws progressing in a predictable, steady way, only to end without much fanfare.

One ex had once confided after their breakup that being in a relationship with Song Yi felt like dating a virtual AI. He remembered their birthday, gave thoughtful little gifts from time to time, and could create surprises but… it never felt like love. That’s why, after they broke up, everyone had such strong feelings of resentment toward him.

He was so good, yet he never truly belonged to anyone.

Gu Xingchuan, however, was different. With his friends, family, or lovers, Song Yi could deal with relationships rationally, weighing each one but when it came to Gu Xingchuan, he felt a surge of emotions—anger, laughter, gratitude, and even resentment.

No one had ever made him feel like this.

It was a new experience, and every day spent with him felt like riding a roller coaster in an amusement park. One moment, he was soaring high into the clouds, and the next, he was crashing down. Every moment was unpredictable, thrilling, and exciting.

Putting aside the issue of social standing, Gu Xingchuan seemed like the perfect boyfriend—straightforward, genuine, playful, and full of excitement. When they were together, Song Yi often felt happy.

Thinking of these, Song Yi took a deep breath as Gu Xingchuan looked down at him, his dark eyes locked on his, unblinking, the angle of his jaw slightly lifted, clearly waiting for his response.

Song Yi’s heart stirred, and a smile tugged at his lips. “This is negotiable.”

As soon as the words left his mouth, Gu Xingchuan’s eyes brightened with an eager, predatory gleam, the kind a hunting dog gets when it spots its prey.

He lunged forward, pulling Song Yi into a tight embrace and pinning him against the door. Lowering his head, he gently licked Song Yi’s warm lower lip, an emotion he was desperately trying to hold back.

Song Yi instinctively pushed back with one hand, but Gu Xingchuan caught it, intertwining their fingers with force, their pulses racing in unison as the joints of their fingers creaked from the pressure.

“Negotiate my ass. It’s settled.”

Song Yi could feel the tension in his arm muscles. Clearing his throat, he said seriously. “We can try for a month. During this time, either of us can call it off at any moment. If, after a month, neither of us has any objections, we can consider being in a formal relationship.”

He was willing to break free from his usual standards, taking a bold, impulsive step. It was an opportunity for him—and for the little “bottle cap” growing inside him—to have a father.

Gu Xingchuan raised an eyebrow, narrowing his eyes in displeasure, and pinched Song Yi’s cheek, shaking his head. “Are you conducting a job interview?”

Song Yi pried his hand away and said seriously. “At the same time, we need to set some ground rules.”

“Ground rules?” Gu Xingchuan raised an eyebrow.

Song Yi glanced at him, his voice clear and steady. “First, we’ll split the costs evenly—no exceptions.”

Gu Xingchuan snorted dismissively.

“Second, if we decide to break up, we need to notify each other in advance.”

“Third, we must use protection when we sleep together.”

Song Yi calmly finished. “These three points are a start; I’ll add more if necessary.”

Gu Xingchuan’s breath quickened, brushing across Song Yi’s face. His eyes narrowed into slits, his lashes dark and curved. The earlier excitement vanished, and after a moment of silence, he growled. “Fine, you’ve got your rules. But I’ve got mine too.”

Song Yi nodded, recognizing the fairness of the situation. “What are your terms?”

Gu Xingchuan gritted his teeth and raised one finger, waving it in front of Song Yi’s face. “First, you can’t have any flirtations, whether with the same sex or the opposite sex. Understand?”

Song Yi furrowed his brows. “You can’t interfere with my normal social interactions. I’ll make sure to keep things in proper boundaries.”

“Yeah, sure you will,” Gu Xingchuan said, clearly not buying it. “You always attract attention. I won’t interfere with your normal socializing, but you will take me with you. As for people like Zhou Moquan or Cheng Song, the less you see them, the better.”

“Are you serious?” Song Yi rolled his eyes.

Gu Xingchuan grabbed his chin, forcing him to look at him, then declared confidently. “I’m not reasonable, so the second rule is, you have to listen to me from now on.”

Song Yi laughed, the corner of his mouth curving upward. “Even the president’s words are ignored sometimes. You think your orders are some sort of imperial decree?”

Gu Xingchuan’s tone was firm as he stared directly at him. “When it comes to you, my words are law. Big things, small things—everything goes through me.”

Song Yi couldn’t help but think he had a bit of a power trip. Why not take the civil service exam if he liked to boss people around so much? “Fine. What’s the third rule?”

Gu Xingchuan paused, then released his grip on Song Yi’s chin, his cool fingers tracing his neck as he said angrily. “When you’re with me, stop being so damn rational. I want to know everything about you. And stop with all these ‘three rules’ and ‘four rules’—it’s really annoying.”

Song Yi heard the heavy annoyance in his voice but pretended not to notice, agreeing easily. “No problem with that.”

Gu Xingchuan shot him a look, then bent down, his hand sliding under Song Yi’s knee to lift him up. In an instant, Song Yi was half-draped over the table. Gu Xingchuan pressed against him, quickly undoing the buttons of his shirt. Within seconds, Song Yi’s chest was exposed to the cool air.

Song Yi raised his hand to adjust his collar, trying to appear reserved, like a virtuous woman facing a bully. “Don’t do anything. I don’t want to tonight.”

Gu Xingchuan sniffed his neck and ran his tongue over it, much like a dog licking a bone. “Why not? I’m your boyfriend now.”

“I’m really tired today,” Song Yi said, half-joking, trying to maintain some dignity after just saying “never again” in the bathroom, it had only been ten minutes. At least he could save some face. “My legs hurt from walking all day. I need to rest.”

Gu Xingchuan looked up, annoyed. “Why didn’t you say that earlier?”

“You didn’t ask,” Song Yi huffed.

Gu Xingchuan straightened up and walked over to the wardrobe. He pulled out a suitcase, crouching down with his back to Song Yi, rummaging through it.

Taking the opportunity, Song Yi quickly jumped off the table and buttoned his shirt.

“Sit on the bed,” Gu Xingchuan said, holding a small brown bottle in his hand.

Song Yi glanced at it before sitting on the edge of the bed. Gu Xingchuan crouched beside him, unscrewing the bottle, tapping it gently in his palm. A faint scent of lavender filled the air.

“Your boyfriend brought some essential oil. Let me give you a massage.”

He said this as he rolled up Song Yi’s pajama pants, his long, strong fingers covered in essential oil as he gently massaged his calf.

Song Yi was momentarily stunned, lightly inhaling the sweet scent of lavender. He could feel a bit of warmth spreading through him.

“Your legs are still quite stiff.” Gu Xingchuan clicked his tongue. Song Yi’s legs were long and straight, with smooth, graceful lines that were strong and elegant, just looking at them made one’s blood rush.

Song Yi hummed softly, half-closing his eyes to enjoy the thoughtful attention from Mr. Gu.

Gu Xingchuan raised his eyes and glanced at his neck, teasingly asking. “How’s your flexibility?”

Song Yi quickly realized what kind of dirty thoughts were running through Gu Xingchuan’s head. Without even opening his eyes, he coldly responded. “You can try and find out.”

Gu Xingchuan smirked, then suddenly grabbed his thigh, squeezing it angrily while glaring at him.

“If you want to be with me, stop messing around with Shen Li. Have you seen how you talk to him? All that clingy, cutesy nonsense is disgusting. Aren’t you an omega? Are you actually gay?”

Song Yi ignored him and lay back on the bed. Traveling had been exhausting, and all he wanted now was to sleep.

Gu Xingchuan continued massaging him, grumbling unhappily as he spoke for a while. Eventually, he looked up and saw that Song Yi had fallen asleep, his long breaths soft, his chest gently rising and falling.

The breeze gently blew through the window, causing the sheer curtains to flutter. Occasionally, the sound of passing cars could be heard outside, creating a calm and cozy atmosphere.

Gu Xingchuan stood up and went to the bathroom, washing his hands carefully before returning to the bed. He gently adjusted Song Yi’s position making sure he was properly tucked in, then took off his glasses and gently straightened the blankets.

Song Yi wasn’t sleeping soundly, tossing and turning like a little animal, his breath weak. Gu Xingchuan watched him for a moment, then reached out and pulled him into his arms, wrapping around his shoulder and holding him close, like a koala. He leaned down and kissed Song Yi’s earlobe, lowering his voice to whisper. “Be good and be my little darling.”

When morning came, and the daylight flooded the room, Song Yi woke up, yawning. Gu Xingchuan was already dressed in a dark gray tracksuit, sitting on the edge of the bed, putting on his sneakers. From behind, he looked like a sunny, handsome college student.

After Song Yi finished washing up, they went downstairs together. He went to the hotel’s business center to make an international call to Song Jie. She had been discharged from the hospital and was now resting at a confinement center, taking care of her body. She had sent a few pictures of the baby to Song Yi.

The little one, just born, had a red face and wrinkled skin, looking a bit scrunched up, but now it had opened its eyes, with thick eyebrows and big eyes, looking like a healthy baby.

Song Yi carefully saved the photos, remembering what the prenatal education had said—that one should look at beautiful babies to have a beautiful one.

But… with his and Gu Xingchuan’s genes, any combination would likely result in a cute child, right?

After the call, Gu Xingchuan was waiting outside the hotel, leaning against a red mountain bike. He waved at Song Yi from a distance. “There’s a bike race around the desert today. Come cheer for your boyfriend.”

He was already handsome, with a strikingly good appearance, red lips, white teeth, and wearing a smart, athletic outfit. He stood tall, confident, and full of energy, exuding a carefree, cool vibe.

There were people all around causing Song Yi’s face flushed as he quickly walked over.

The crowd waiting to watch the race glanced at Gu Xingchuan and then at Song Yi. Any lingering thoughts they had were quickly dismissed.

“What made you decide to ride a bike?” Song Yi asked, trying to act casual.

Gu Xingchuan opened a bottle of mineral water, took a sip, and nodded toward a direction. Song Yi turned and saw Shen Li and Zhou Moquan a few meters away. Zhou Moquan was already jogging in place to warm up.

“They followed us yesterday and are staying in the same hotel,” Gu Xingchuan explained.

Song Yi was taken aback. Why were they tagging along instead of enjoying their honeymoon?

Gu Xingchuan shot him a glance and stretched his wrist. “I signed up yesterday. I wasn’t going to participate, planned on having breakfast with you instead. But then I saw them, and now I have to win.”

Song Yi responded with a simple “oh” and glanced back at Shen Li and Zhou Moquan, who were also watching them. He sighed inwardly, then turned back to Gu Xingchuan and quietly said. “I’ll be here waiting for you. It’s okay if you lose.”

Gu Xingchuan raised an eyebrow, his confidence unwavering. “Your boyfriend doesn’t lose.”

Just then, Shen Li approached with two bottles of mineral water, handing one to Song Yi with a smile. “The race will take at least an hour. You didn’t bring water, did you?”

Song Yi took the water bottle and politely said. “Thank you.”

Shen Li didn’t dare get too close to Song Yi. Holding the water bottle with both hands, he quietly said. “If I could ride a bike, I’d want to race with them too. It sounds so cool!”

Gu Xingchuan froze, turned his neck, and stared at him intently. “You can’t ride a bike?”

=^_^=