“Xingbao, I can’t take you to the movies tonight.” Fu Zhiyuan suddenly spoke, looking at Shen Nanxing with an apologetic expression. They had agreed last night to go watch the movie Shen Nanxing wanted to see, but now he was backing out. Xingbao would surely be disappointed in him.

Shen Nanxing didn’t miss the fatigue in his eyes. He smiled and said that it was fine; if they couldn’t watch it today, they could leave it for next time. However, Fu Zhiyuan felt even more guilty.

“Xingbao, you’re too soft-hearted.” Shen Nanxing blinked. “Didn’t you just say I was becoming bad?” Fu Zhiyuan shook his head, continuing, “Xingbao, how about you come with me to a dinner meeting?”

“But you’re going for business, and I can’t help with that,” Shen Nanxing said, looking at him in confusion. Fu Zhiyuan gently tapped his nose and said, “Silly, I just want to spend more time with you. Is that so bad?” He had been busy all day and hadn’t had much time to be with Xingbao.

People are always like that: when they get a little sweetness, they become greedier. This was the first time Fu Zhiyuan found work really troublesome—it was interfering with his pursuit of someone.

Shen Nanxing reluctantly agreed. “Okay, fine.”

…

Shen Nanxing followed Fu Zhiyuan to the dinner meeting. Fu Zhiyuan had also brought his assistant, and it was clear they were there for business. Shen Nanxing looked at their formal suits and then glanced at his own casual outfit, feeling out of place.

The waiter led them to a private room, and as soon as Fu Zhiyuan entered, he immediately drew the attention of everyone at the table. Shen Nanxing peered in from behind him and saw that the table was almost full. The others stood up as Fu Zhiyuan entered and greeted him.

“President Fu, you’re finally here! We’ve been waiting for you.”

Fu Zhiyuan noticed Shen Nanxing’s unease and whispered to him, “Xingbao, don’t be nervous. Just follow me.” He introduced Shen Nanxing to the group. “This is a younger member of my family, just here to hang out with me.”

Everyone was a bit puzzled. “President Fu’s nephew doesn’t look like this…”

The person sitting at the farthest right, Han Zhao, sneered. “So he’s a kid? From your family?” Fu Zhiyuan ignored the sarcastic remark and calmly nodded. His brief answer made everyone understand—he was subtly asserting his ownership.

Han Zhao, hearing this, raised his brow slightly and couldn’t help but glance at Shen Nanxing. Fu Zhiyuan seemed to notice and subtly shifted his body, blocking Han Zhao’s gaze, giving him a warning look.

Han Zhao sneered and played with his glass of wine. “Interesting.”

So precious? Really caring?

The dinner began in earnest. This dinner had been organized by Han Zhao, with the two families—Han and Fu—being business partners. The main topic of discussion was a land development project. Fu Zhiyuan had bought this land years ago, recognizing its value, and now others were trying to get a share of the pie by investing.

The people around the table were all top figures in the business world. Their words were sharp, and they had a keen insight. Whenever the conversation turned to business negotiations and fighting for interests, they exhibited exceptional shrewdness and wit, much like clever old foxes.

Despite the intense discussions, Fu Zhiyuan remained calm, handling everything effortlessly with a composed and confident demeanor. Shen Nanxing, on the other hand, was eating and listening to the professional jargon he didn’t quite understand. He thought to himself, “Seems like being the boss isn’t easy. It’s all meetings and dinners all day. So exhausting.”

This made him think of Shen Chuanqiong, who had promised to take him to a photoshoot, but then suddenly had to leave on a business trip.

Lost in his thoughts, Shen Nanxing suddenly felt a hot gaze fixed on him. He looked up and saw Han Zhao staring at him with a half-smile. What did that mean? Why was he smiling so creepily?

Shen Nanxing shot him a warning glare, trying to make him stop. However, Han Zhao’s smile only grew more mischievous. He raised his wine glass and gestured as if to toast Shen Nanxing from across the room, then drank it all in one go.

Shen Nanxing, confused, thought, “This guy must be crazy.”

Han Zhao tilted his head back to drink, and the motion inadvertently revealed a hickey on his neck. Shen Nanxing saw it clearly and wondered if he was showing off his hickey to him. What was this? He didn’t even know him, so why was he making such a display?

Quickly, Shen Nanxing looked away and focused on his potatoes.

Fu Zhiyuan, who had just finished talking business, noticed that people around him seemed distracted. He leaned closer to Shen Nanxing’s ear and whispered, “Xingbao, do you think this is boring?”

Shen Nanxing whispered back, “Who is that person across from me? He seems a bit rude.”

Han Zhao had been physically present but mentally absent all evening, mostly just drinking without speaking much. Fu Zhiyuan didn’t know about the earlier exchange between them. He gently patted Shen Nanxing’s back and gave a precise evaluation: “Don’t mind him. He’s a lunatic.”

Shen Nanxing nodded in agreement, “You’re right.”

The voices of the two weren’t loud, but they were clear enough for Han Zhao, sitting across from them, to hear. His expression instantly darkened. “I didn’t realize President Fu had the habit of badmouthing people. Aren’t you worried about setting a bad example for your little friend?” Han Zhao emphasized the word “little friend” as if implying something.

Fu Zhiyuan calmly retorted, “I’m just speaking the truth.”

Shen Nanxing didn’t expect the other person’s ears to be so sharp, especially since he had deliberately lowered his voice. Han Zhao, irritated by Fu Zhiyuan’s words, snorted coldly and stood up, heading toward the door.

Shen Nanxing stared blankly at this scene. He thought Han Zhao would be more arrogant, but instead, he left so easily after being provoked by a single sentence? Was he really that easy to offend? Just like that, he stormed off?

At that moment, Han Zhao was outside in the hallway, making a phone call to Xu Yuan.

Soon, the dinner was drawing to a close. As Shen Nanxing and Fu Zhiyuan were preparing to leave, Han Zhao returned. With a cheerful expression, he greeted Shen Nanxing, “Little one, leaving already? Want me to take you out to play?”

Fu Zhiyuan shot him a displeased look and coldly warned, “Get lost.”

Han Zhao ignored his warning, clicking his tongue and giving him a provocative look. “You’re so angry? What if you scare the little one?”

Shen Nanxing looked at Han Zhao, speechless, thinking to himself that Fu Zhiyuan was right—this person was crazy. He kept switching between anger and laughter and was calling him a little one. Did he look that young?

Fu Zhiyuan didn’t respond to Han Zhao’s antics. He just left him with a remark, “If you’re sick, take more medicine,” and pulled Shen Nanxing away.

Han Zhao was so enraged that he cursed aloud, “Fu Zhiyuan, you’re the one with the problem!” He regretted leaving the house tonight. He should have stayed in Xu Yuan’s soft bed and refused to go out. Instead, he got himself into a bad mood and had to deal with things like this. Fu Zhiyuan, that old pervert, actually liked obedient little ones. How could he even lay a finger on someone like that? He was a beast!

Fu Zhiyuan, oblivious to the fact that he had earned a new “beast” label in Han Zhao’s mind, was currently asking Shen Nanxing for a farewell hug.