Behind the administration building, a wide lawn gleamed with life under the sunlight, lush and green. Fu Zhiyuan’s gaze was fixed on the horizon, his expression deep and enigmatic. Shen Nanxing looked at Fu Zhiyuan’s tall and straight silhouette, quietly approaching him from behind.

“How come you’re at Jingda?” His voice held a hint of surprise and curiosity.

Fu Zhiyuan slowly turned around, his eyes locking on Shen Nanxing’s awkward face. He smiled slightly, his voice deep and magnetic. “Xingbao, are you shy?”

“Stop saying that,” Shen Nanxing quickly interrupted, not missing the playful glint in Fu Zhiyuan’s eyes. Great, he had definitely seen through him.

Fu Zhiyuan’s mind flashed to the image of Shen Nanxing in women’s clothing, and a trace of admiration appeared in his gaze. He praised Shen Nanxing in a low, pleasant tone, “Xingbao, you’re very beautiful.”

Shen Nanxing felt even more awkward from the compliment. He lowered his gaze, unwilling to meet Fu Zhiyuan’s eyes, and replied, “I’m a man. How can you describe me as beautiful?”

Fu Zhiyuan smiled indulgently. “You’re a man, but you still wore women’s clothes, didn’t you?” His gaze lowered, sweeping over Shen Nanxing’s straight legs, and there was a trace of regret in his eyes.

Shen Nanxing, teased like that, felt his ears growing hot. He stammered, “It was for the play. I didn’t want to wear it.” Shen Nanxing pouted, glaring at him in dissatisfaction. His light brown eyes were filled with displeasure, glaring straight at Fu Zhiyuan as though silently protesting.

Fu Zhiyuan noticed this and sighed softly, his hand instinctively reaching out to ruffle Shen Nanxing’s hair. “Xingbao, I wasn’t mocking you. I just honestly think you’re beautiful.”

Shen Nanxing took a step back. “You can’t tell my brother about this.”

Fu Zhiyuan raised an eyebrow, pretending to ponder for a moment. “Alright.” He hadn’t planned on telling anyone about this. Besides, too many people had already seen Shen Nanxing in women’s clothing, and he didn’t want anyone else to see it—even in photos. He wanted to keep Xingbao to himself, only letting him wear women’s clothes for his eyes only. Thinking about this made Fu Zhiyuan feel as if his blood were boiling.

Shen Nanxing, relieved that Fu Zhiyuan had agreed, sighed and muttered, “Whoever lies is a little dog.”

Fu Zhiyuan smiled indulgently. “Okay.” What should he do? He was starting to want to be Xingbao’s little dog.

“Do you have other things to do? Should I take you home?” Fu Zhiyuan’s gaze lingered on Shen Nanxing, his tone tinged with concern.

Shen Nanxing shook his head. “There’s a club dinner tonight, so I won’t be going back for now.”

Hearing this, Fu Zhiyuan furrowed his brow. “Have you told your brother?”

“I didn’t have time to tell him yet,” Shen Nanxing answered awkwardly. He had been in such a rush to get here that he almost forgot about it.

“Then tell your brother first, and I’ll take you there afterward,” Fu Zhiyuan said with a firm yet gentle tone.

“Isn’t that too much trouble?” Shen Nanxing hesitated.

To ease Shen Nanxing’s concerns, Fu Zhiyuan said with a calm expression, “I’m here today on behalf of your brother to watch your performance, so it’s my responsibility to ensure your safety.”

Shen Nanxing looked at him in surprise. He hadn’t expected that his brother and Fu Zhiyuan’s relationship had gotten this close, for his brother to ask a friend to come watch his performance. Speaking of which, was Fu Zhiyuan usually this free? Fu Zhiyuan’s assistant, who was being sent back to the office to work overtime: “He’s free now, but I’m about to collapse!”

After Shen Nanxing sent a message to Shen Chuanqiong, he turned to Fu Zhiyuan and said, “Then I’ll leave it to you.”

Fu Zhiyuan drove Shen Nanxing to the dinner location. Along the way, Fu Zhiyuan kept reminding him not to drink, not to stay out too late, and to call him after the dinner so he could pick him up. Shen Nanxing, sitting in the passenger seat, couldn’t help but laugh at Fu Zhiyuan’s incessant warnings.

“You look just like my dad when you talk like that,” Shen Nanxing remarked.

Fu Zhiyuan’s face stiffened. “Do I look that old?” He was only twenty-five, just five or six years older than Xingbao—he didn’t think he looked that old.

Shen Nanxing’s comment made Fu Zhiyuan feel a bit insecure. Shen Nanxing burst out laughing at his reaction. “Don’t misunderstand, I’m not saying you’re old, but you were nagging just like my dad. He does that too—repeats things like no drinking when going out, and you have to be home before ten.”

After Shen Nanxing explained, Fu Zhiyuan’s mood didn’t improve much. He cleared his throat and tried to change the topic. “Xingbao, did you remember what I just told you?”

Shen Nanxing laughed so hard that tears almost came out. “I remember, I remember.”

Seeing that Shen Nanxing had listened, Fu Zhiyuan relaxed a little. After they got out of the car, Shen Nanxing thanked Fu Zhiyuan and made a waving gesture. Xie Ling was already waiting outside the restaurant, looking at him curiously as he got out of a luxury car.

“Young master, who was the person who just dropped you off?” Xie Ling asked. Ever since she found out Shen Nanxing was the young master of the Shen Group, she often liked to call him that, saying that he should always be pampered and loved. Although she could only see a blurry figure from a distance, with her keen observation, she knew that the man was definitely not ordinary.

Shen Nanxing casually replied, “Just an older brother.”

Fu Zhiyuan was a friend of his brother, so it wasn’t wrong to introduce him this way, right?

Xie Ling immediately became interested and asked, “What kind of older brother? A real brother or a ‘special’ brother?”

Shen Nanxing sighed helplessly, “You have quite an imagination. He’s my brother’s friend. He just gave me a ride.”

“I understand, I understand.” Xie Ling nodded repeatedly but secretly muttered to herself, “An explanation is a cover-up. Even if you don’t say it, I know your relationship isn’t simple.”

The two of them entered the private room together, finding that most of the club members had already arrived. As the host for the evening, Su Lin warmly greeted everyone, “Feel free to order whatever you want today, don’t hold back.”

Cheers erupted from the group. “President, you’re so generous!”

An hour passed, and the atmosphere was lively.

Shen Nanxing chose a seat by the window and enjoyed the night view outside. “Huh, why haven’t Senior Fu and Senior Xia arrived yet?” Fu Chengyu and Xia Zimu were the main characters, and they were the ones everyone wanted to thank the most. With the gathering about to start and no sign of them, someone couldn’t help but ask.

Xie Ling, who had just finished greeting another table of guests, overheard and quickly explained, “Fu Chengyu should be on his way, but Xia Zimu has something to do tonight and won’t be able to make it.”