The next morning, Cen Zhisen was about to meet the investor from New York. When Ning Zhiyuan came to his room early in the morning, Cen Zhisen had just ordered room service for breakfast and was changing clothes.

Out of habit, Ning Zhiyuan walked over to help him button up the shirt. Cen Zhisen glanced at his reflection in the mirror. “Thanks.”

“Hmm.” Ning Zhiyuan uttered this sound from his throat, focusing on his task.

Cen Zhisen asked him, “Where are you planning to go today? You’ve been to Hawaii quite a few times, haven’t you?”

“Walking around the island,” Ning Zhiyuan said. “And you? How long will you be out?”

“I have an appointment with the other party at half-past nine. He’s staying on Lanai Island, and it might be over quickly. Do you want to come with me, and then we can explore the island?” Cen Zhisen suggested.

Ning Zhiyuan curiously asked, “You came all the way here just for a few minutes of meeting with the other party? Is this acquisition case really that important?”

Cen Zhisen mentioned a name, a Japanese energy technology company, where the major shareholder was the American he was meeting. “The founder of the company doesn’t want to sell, so I have to approach from this side. I’ve contacted him before, and his attitude is ambiguous. He will sell, but there are other interested buyers besides Cen An. I guess he wants to wait and see.”

These were things that Cen Zhisen shouldn’t have told Ning Zhiyuan, but he said it directly.

“No other alternatives?” Ning Zhiyuan asked.

“None. I just want this one,” Cen Zhisen replied.

“I see. Let’s go meet him then. Since the American took the time to meet you during his vacation, he probably leans towards selling to you. He’s posturing high, so you should also maintain a high posture. Show that you’re not desperate, and in negotiations, take the initiative to gain the upper hand. It’ll be easy,” Ning Zhiyuan advised.

Cen Zhisen smiled. “Thank you for your advice, Xiao Zhiyuan.”

“Enough of that,” Ning Zhiyuan patted his shoulder, “Let’s eat breakfast first.”

They had breakfast together in the room, and then they took a small plane to Lanai Island. Cen Zhisen went to the hotel to negotiate, while Ning Zhiyuan walked along the beach to pass the time.

The sea water continuously washed the fine sand on the shore. He took off his shoes, stood barefoot, letting the waves wash over his feet.

It was refreshing, and the sunlight was at the perfect temperature. Ning Zhiyuan squinted comfortably, enjoying this rare moment.

“Zhiyuan, turn around.”

When Cen Zhisen’s voice sounded behind him, Ning Zhiyuan, who had his hands in his pockets, turned around. The sea breeze blew his semi-long hair diagonally, and it also blew into his eyes. The sunlight was golden, so he looked like he was melting into it, emitting a glow, very unreal. His brightly colored patterned shirt added a more vivid color to this unreal scene, making him the visual center of the picture, making it impossible to look away.

In that instant, Cen Zhisen pressed the shutter.

Seeing the SLR camera in his hands, Ning Zhiyuan walked up. “You didn’t bring anything when you came out, right? Where did this come from?”

Cen Zhisen was looking at the photos he had just taken. “I bought it at the hotel shop. It’s rare to come out on vacation; I should take some pictures.”

Ning Zhiyuan also leaned over to take a look and noticed that his photography angles and compositions were quite professional. “Have you studied photography?”

“I played around with it during my school days,” Cen Zhisen raised the camera and took a few more landscape photos. “It’s been a long time since I last took pictures.”

Ning Zhiyuan asked abruptly, “Have you taken many pictures of people?”

Cen Zhisen glanced at him and said, “No, I used to only photograph sceneries.”

“Ah,” Ning Zhiyuan nodded.

Cen Zhisen smiled. “Let’s go. I rented a car. Let’s explore the island together.”

Sitting in the open-top off-road vehicle, driving along the coastline and into the mountains, Ning Zhiyuan, now in the passenger seat, became more relaxed. He asked the person beside him, “Did things go smoothly just now?”

“Not bad,” Cen Zhisen said. “Thanks to your advice.”

Ning Zhiyuan: “Congratulations then.”

Cen Zhisen couldn’t help but feel that if Ning Zhiyuan were still at Cen An, he wouldn’t need to personally intervene in these matters. Ning Zhiyuan could easily handle them.

But he also supported Ning Zhiyuan’s ambitions. No one wanted to remain inferior forever, especially someone as capable and ambitious as Ning Zhiyuan. He should be an eagle soaring in a broader sky.

Ning Zhiyuan lowered his head to look at his phone, as if messaging someone, and suddenly chuckled.

Cen Zhisen noticed and asked, “Who are you chatting with?”

“That kid who was with your old classmate,” Ning Zhiyuan said, “asking me about relationship problems.”

“He’s consulting you about relationship issues?” Cen Zhisen was slightly surprised. Whether it was the person or the matter, it sounded strange and absurd.

“Yeah,” Ning Zhiyuan quickly typed, “the kid is quite amusing. I chat with him sometimes.”

“What did he ask you?” Cen Zhisen, unusually curious, inquired.

“He asked me how to pursue a man, how to pursue your old classmate,” Ning Zhiyuan replied.

Cen Zhisen turned his head to look at him, and their eyes met. “Pursue a man?”

Ning Zhiyuan smiled, opening his lips slightly. “Yes, pursue a man.”

Cen Zhisen pulled the car over to the side and turned to look at him. “Zhiyuan, do you know how to pursue a man?”

Their car was parked under the sparse branches by the roadside. Sunlight filtered through, creating dappled shadows that danced in Ning Zhiyuan’s smiling eyes. “Your old classmate told me that they’re in a romantic relationship now. I think they’re just playing around with each other. I said a few words to the kid to brush him off. It shouldn’t be considered leading him astray.”

Cen Zhisen reached out. “Let me see your phone.”

Ning Zhiyuan handed over his phone calmly, without a hint of guilt.

Cen Zhisen scrolled through the chat records.

Ning Zhiyuan’s gaze lingered on his face, thinking that his elder brother was also an expert in matters of the heart, adept at handling things, and not easily hooked. It seemed he had met his match.

“Being both proactive and nonchalant,” Cen Zhisen read the message Ning Zhiyuan sent, his eyes filled with a playful look. “Not rushing, but not distant. Offering sweetness while keeping the suspense?

Ning Zhiyuan: “Is there a problem?”

Cen Zhisen sneered and continued to read, “Playing hard to get, wanting to catch by letting go. Retreating to advance, attacking the heart as a priority. Zhiyuan, is this how you do business and love affairs?”

“It doesn’t seem much different,” Ning Zhiyuan thought for a moment and said, “Human nature is inherently like this.”

“And this last sentence?” Cen Zhisen asked, “Finding a more elegant rival to stimulate him, ensuring a catch? Is this from your personal experience? Have you used these tactics on several men?”

Seeing a faint gleam in his eyes, Ning Zhiyuan remained silent for a moment before answering, “Only one bastard.”

Their eyes silently entwined for a moment. Suddenly, Cen Zhisen released his seatbelt, reached over, and grabbed Ning Zhiyuan’s wrist, pressing him into the seat, leaning over.

Lifting his eyelids, Ning Zhiyuan looked at him. At this moment, Cen Zhisen was truly oppressive. With a slightly furrowed brow, he showed a few traces of the restrained nature he had been trying hard to conceal. His breath was heavier than before, carrying a hint of danger.

“Zhiyuan, are you using these tactics on me?” Cen Zhisen asked, his voice low.

His hand, from the side of Ning Zhiyuan’s face, continued to stroke down to his neck, then slipped into the collar of his shirt, moving from his shoulder to his collarbone with great force, as if trying to crush him.

However, doing only these things only made Ning Zhiyuan increasingly dissatisfied. He felt a bit uncomfortable from the pinching, realizing he had tilted his head, he caught Cen Zhisen’s hand, “Ge, stop.”

Cen Zhisen’s hand stopped, staring intently at Ning Zhiyuan without withdrawing.

He could continue, if the other party weren’t Ning Zhiyuan, he rarely considered the other’s thoughts. It was precisely because the person next to him was Ning Zhiyuan that he tried hard to restrain himself, not wanting to use these intense methods.

Due to his previous actions, one of the buttons on Ning Zhiyuan’s shirt had popped open. Cen Zhisen’s hand stopped at his collarbone, changing from forcefully kneading to gently stroking.

Then he lowered his head, on Ning Zhiyuan’s collarbone, at the spot where he had seen marks left by someone else the last time, and he kissed it.

Ning Zhiyuan turned his head, yielding.

Before him were increasingly delicate light and shadows, with the floating strands of sunlight in the air seemingly vivid and clear, creating a moment of trance.

In the quiet morning valley, there was only the sound of the wind and occasional insect chirps, as well as the heartbeat, whether it was his or Cen Zhisen’s was indistinguishable.

The tranquility was broken by a bumpy Jeep driving past on the mountain road. The people in the car dropped the windows when passing by them, whistling with a strong English accent, teasing them, “Hey guys, this place is not deserted. Find another place for your romance.”

Neither of them paid any attention, and the other car drove away. Cen Zhisen finally let Ning Zhiyuan go, and his lips reluctantly touched the deep red marks he had created a few times, lifting his head.

In Ning Zhiyuan’s eyes, there was calmness, meeting his gaze.

Cen Zhisen’s breathing gradually stabilized, hoarsely asking, “How does it feel?”

His fingers touched the place he had kissed, and Ning Zhiyuan asked softly, “Ge, why do you have such thoughts about me?”

Cen Zhisen looked at him, also asking himself the same question, probably without an answer.

The transformation of feelings might be just a thought away, like opening a Pandora’s box by himself. All those evil desires poured out, but he didn’t want to close it again.

“Isn’t it awkward?” Ning Zhiyuan asked the same question that Tang Shujie asked last night.

Cen Zhisen asked him instead, “Does my intimacy make you feel awkward?”

“A bit unexpected,” Ning Zhiyuan honestly replied.

“But you don’t reject it?”

“If I reject you, will you give up?”

“No,” Cen Zhisen said, “Zhiyuan, the words ‘give up’ are not in my dictionary.”

“You are quite overbearing,” Ning Zhiyuan laughed. “Are you saying I can only accept it?”

Cen Zhisen raised his hand, helping him button up the button that had come undone, covering up the ambiguous marks below, “I’ve always been used to following instincts, so it won’t be awkward. If you don’t accept it now, take your time. No hurry.”

Ning Zhiyuan stared at his movements, suddenly thinking that Cen Zhisen’s appearance and tone might easily make others fall for him.

He wondered what it would be like to fall for Cen Zhisen.

Unfortunately, he really didn’t know how to love.

After that, they continued their journey, stopping at scenic spots for a chat and taking a few photos before moving on.

Lunch was at a casual outdoor restaurant they found on the way. While Cen Zhisen ordered, Ning Zhiyuan picked up the camera and flipped through the photos. Most of them were landscapes, but there were a few of him taken by Cen Zhisen, interspersed among them.

He had no idea when these pictures were taken; he completely didn’t notice.

As he flipped through these photos, his mood became somewhat complicated.

He rarely took pictures, especially such single portraits.

He also didn’t know that in Cen Zhisen’s eyes, he looked like this—seemingly free-spirited but even the smile at the corner of his mouth appeared fake.

He raised the camera, aiming the lens at Cen Zhisen sitting opposite him.

Cen Zhisen looked up, and Ning Zhiyuan also saw him through the lens.

More three-dimensional contours, deeper brows and eyes, more enchanting gaze.

Cen Zhisen quietly met his gaze.

One inside the lens, the other outside the lens, scrutinizing each other.

Ning Zhiyuan’s face was mostly covered by the camera, and all Cen Zhisen could see were his slightly lowered eyes, overly focused.

Ning Zhiyuan switched to video mode, recording Cen Zhisen for the first time, capturing every nuance of his expression—bewilderment, exploration, scrutiny, then a smile, a shallow smile drawn from the corner of his mouth, to the joyful smile in his eyes.

All because of him.

Ning Zhiyuan thought that what Cen Zhisen called “take your time” might also be a way of playing certain tactics on him.

It’s just that the difference between them was; one of them was straightforward, and the other was hypocritical.

The ordered food had arrived, and Ning Zhiyuan stopped shooting, putting down the camera.

Cen Zhisen took it, looked at what he had just recorded, lost in thought.

“Delete it later,” he said.

“Then you should also delete those photos you took of me,” Ning Zhiyuan said without blinking.

“Forget it,” Cen Zhisen also put down the camera. “Don’t you envy others for having a whole album? Why delete them?”

Ning Zhiyuan was slightly stunned. Cen Zhisen asked him, “Don’t you envy it? You mentioned it last time, the Ning family has a whole album documenting the growth of Cen Zhe.”

“…I’m in my twenties now, what is there to envy?” Ning Zhiyuan said. He was just a bit surprised. He couldn’t remember clearly what he had said that night when he was drunk, but Cen Zhisen actually remembered.

“It’s never too late,” Cen Zhisen said, “As long as you start, it’s never too late. It’s only too late if you never start.”

“Alright,” Ning Zhiyuan had to admit that he was indeed touched a bit. He smiled again, “You convinced me.”

Cen Zhisen nodded, “Let’s eat.”