Gu Shuning was stunned when she saw Zhou Yi. She clearly hadn’t expected to see him upon opening the door.

As the two of them locked eyes in silence, Liang Xianzhang appeared with a hat and scarf. Zhou Yi glanced back at him, then turned his gaze back to Gu Shuning.

Because the gap in the door was wide, Gu Shuning seemed to have noticed Liang Xianzhang as well. She saw him retreat from the door with an emotionless expression, almost as if he didn’t know Zhou Yi. Then, with a soft “click,” he closed the door.

Zhou Yi was confused by his actions and turned to Liang Xianzhang, who was standing in front of him. “Just now… was that Shang Yichen’s white moonlight?”

Liang Xianzhang put the hat on his head and adjusted the scarf around his neck, nodding slightly to acknowledge he understood.

“I met him yesterday, but he didn’t seem to recognize me. Could it be that he has face blindness?” Zhou Yi asked, puzzled.

Liang Xianzhang calmly adjusted his scarf and reached out to pinch Zhou Yi’s cheek. “It’s possible. Now that you’re ready, let’s go.”

Zhou Yi didn’t think much of it. He simply decided to be more cautious the next time he went out, preferably avoiding any encounters with Shang Yichen.

If they crossed paths, it would be awkward. Additionally, Shang Yichen had warned him that if Gu Shuning returned and he interfered with their lives, or failed to disappear cleanly, all the money Shang Yichen had given him would be taken back.

Zhou Yi didn’t get much money from him in the first place, and the idea of Shang Yichen demanding it back made him uneasy. For the sake of the little money he had left, he was determined to avoid Shang Yichen altogether.

However, fate had other plans. On Friday night, as he and Liang Xianzhang entered the apartment elevator, Zhou Yi swiped his card and pressed the floor button.

Just as the elevator door was half closing, a hand slipped between the doors, and a familiar voice called out, “Wait…”

Zhou Yi instantly recognized Shang Yichen’s voice. Having spent enough time with him, he knew it well.

Seeing the elevator door reopen and realizing there was no place to hide, Zhou Yi quickly threw himself into Liang Xianzhang’s arms, burying his face against his chest.

When the door opened fully, Shang Yichen saw the two of them embracing. Initially, he felt embarrassed. If he had known, he would have waited for another elevator.

But soon, his embarrassment turned to surprise as he recognized the other person in the elevator—Liang Xianzhang. It wasn’t surprising, of course; Liang Xianzhang was well-known in business circles and frequently appeared in news about finance and investments. Few people in that world didn’t recognize him.

What caught Shang Yichen off guard, however, was realizing that someone so influential and wealthy was living in the same building as him—and was holding someone Zhou Yi appeared to have a close relationship with.

Zhou Yi, who had a petite frame, wore a furry hat that gave him an inexplicably familiar look. As Shang Yichen focused, he even noticed a faint mint scent in the air, one that seemed eerily familiar. But where had he smelled it before?

“Are you coming in?” Liang Xianzhang’s voice interrupted his thoughts, cool and emotionless.

Shang Yichen snapped back to reality, realizing he had been blocking the elevator door with his hand, preventing it from functioning. Embarrassed, he mumbled, “Sorry, I’ll come in now.”

Liang Xianzhang gave him a cold, silent glance, making no move to respond.

Shang Yichen gritted his teeth and entered the elevator. As he tried to swipe his card to select his floor, he noticed that Liang Xianzhang’s floor was already lit.

It was then that Shang Yichen realized: there were two households per floor, meaning Liang Xianzhang lived directly across from him.

This was an unbelievable coincidence. Standing beside him in the elevator, Shang Yichen glanced at Liang Xianzhang, who was still expressionless. Despite hearing that Liang Xianzhang was notoriously difficult to deal with, Shang Yichen now understood firsthand that the man wasn’t just hard to get along with—he was downright imposing. Even in silence, there was an overwhelming presence.

Shang Yichen, still reflecting on what had just happened, feared he had made a misstep. Having just stopped the elevator and made Liang Xianzhang angry, he couldn’t help but feel he had unintentionally offended him. After all, Liang Xianzhang was not someone he could afford to upset.

After a few moments of internal deliberation, Shang Yichen decided to apologize. He turned to Liang Xianzhang and spoke in a gentle voice, “Mr. Liang, I’m sorry about what happened just now…”

Liang Xianzhang nodded indifferently, his gaze fixed ahead, his mind wholly focused on Zhou Yi. He had no energy to spare for Shang Yichen.

When Zhou Yi had thrown himself into his arms moments ago, Liang Xianzhang had felt a surge of happiness. At first, he thought it was just Zhou Yi acting like a spoiled child.

Although they had spent nearly every moment together in recent days—eating, living, and sleeping side by side—Zhou Yi still held an unspoken shyness. Except when completely asleep, curling up in Liang Xianzhang’s embrace, he was reserved.

Zhou Yi almost never initiated any intimate contact. He would only accept kisses and hugs, his face flushed with modesty, his eyes eager yet restrained.

Liang Xianzhang knew that Zhou Yi was emotionally guarded, a result of past pain that prevented him from expressing his inner feelings, from being affectionate or asking for things he wanted.

From the beginning, Liang Xianzhang had understood that this couldn’t be rushed. He had promised himself to be patient. He believed that, with enough care and time, Zhou Yi would eventually embrace him willingly, coaxing his affection out little by little. Liang Xianzhang had imagined that it would take a year or more, but to his surprise, just a week into their time together, Zhou Yi had spontaneously thrown himself into his arms in the elevator.

But before Liang Xianzhang could enjoy the moment, the elevator doors opened, revealing Shang Yichen’s face. That fleeting happiness vanished in an instant. It was clear now—Zhou Yi hadn’t thrown himself into his arms out of affection, but to avoid Shang Yichen.

Liang Xianzhang wasn’t sure how to feel. All he knew was that Shang Yichen’s presence was more infuriating than ever. Not only had he blocked the elevator door, but now he was attempting to engage in a conversation with him.

Feeling Zhou Yi stiffen in his arms, clearly anxious about being seen, Liang Xianzhang acted instinctively. He lifted Zhou Yi up, holding him close while adjusting the furry hat, ensuring not a strand of hair was exposed.

Shang Yichen, watching this, immediately sensed that the person in Liang Xianzhang’s arms wasn’t just a mere companion but someone very important.

The more he looked, the more familiar the person in Liang Xianzhang’s arms seemed. It was almost as though he’d seen him before.

Perhaps noticing the way Shang Yichen’s gaze lingered too long, Liang Xianzhang moved swiftly, placing his hand protectively on the back of Zhou Yi’s head, shielding him from prying eyes.

Shang Yichen, realizing the subtle warning, quickly shifted his gaze, feeling a sudden discomfort.

Liang Xianzhang, as if recalling something, momentarily allowed a flicker of darkness to pass through his otherwise emotionless eyes. He turned to Shang Yichen and said flatly, “This is my partner.”

The words, spoken with such certainty, were clear. Shang Yichen, seeing the way Liang Xianzhang held Zhou Yi like his most prized possession, understood the message. He forced a smile and replied, “You two are a perfect match. You look very affectionate.”

Liang Xianzhang’s expression remained neutral, but the slight curl of his lips betrayed his satisfaction. “We have a strong relationship, always together, and kiss whenever we can…”

A sharp bite on his shoulder made Liang Xianzhang halt mid-sentence, suppressing the rest of his words. He smiled inwardly, realizing that if he continued, a mark of Zhou Yi’s affection would likely appear on his skin, leaving a reminder of their playful intimacy.

There was too much boasting in Liang Xianzhang’s words, and Shang Yichen could clearly tell where the conversation was headed. He responded with forced enthusiasm, “You two are so loving…”

Liang Xianzhang reached out and gently touched Zhou Yi’s back in his arms, a small smile tugging at his lips as he spoke meaningfully to Shang Yichen, “Mr. Shang doesn’t have a partner yet, does he?”

The word “partner” made Shang Yichen’s brow twitch, and for a split second, Zhou Yi’s face flashed through his mind. He quickly pushed the thought aside and answered, trying to maintain composure, “I don’t have a partner yet…”

“Then it seems you need to hurry,” Liang Xianzhang said slowly, but his words hit with force. “After all, Alphas don’t have much of an advantage in the marriage market as they get older.”

Shang Yichen felt a strange sensation in his chest, as if he’d just been scolded by Liang Xianzhang. He managed a dry smile. “Fate can’t be rushed. It seems like you two are getting married soon. I wonder if I might have the pleasure of joining you for a drink at your wedding, Mr. Liang.”

Liang Xianzhang’s lips curled into a rare, genuine smile, as though he found the idea amusing. He glanced briefly at Shang Yichen. “I will definitely invite you, Mr. Shang, to our wedding.”

Shang Yichen had spoken casually, not expecting to actually be invited. Seeing this, he quickly added, “I’ll make sure to prepare a big gift for you both when the time comes.”

As the elevator reached their floor, Liang Xianzhang walked in, still holding Zhou Yi. Shang Yichen followed, sneaking a glance at the person in his arms. Zhou Yi still seemed strangely familiar to him.

Once the apartment door closed behind them, Zhou Yi immediately raised his head, breathing a sigh of relief. His eyes narrowed, and he shot Liang Xianzhang a look. Without asking, he knew that Liang Xianzhang had been deliberately provoking Shang Yichen.

Zhou Yi pinched Liang Xianzhang’s ear, grumbling, “You’re so bad. What if he figures something out?”

Liang Xianzhang smiled and leaned in to kiss him gently. “Just like I said before, tell him I seduced you, and you were forced…”

Zhou Yi covered his lips with his hand and responded irritably, “This is so annoying. Why do we have to live in the same building as him, on the same floor, right across the street? It was easy to sneak around before, but now that we live here, I’m too scared to even go out.”

Zhou Yi sighed deeply, his chin resting on Liang Xianzhang’s shoulder.

Liang Xianzhang tilted his head, brushing a kiss across his face. His voice was calm and deep as he spoke. “How about we move somewhere else? A place without him.”

Zhou Yi glanced around the apartment, clearly conflicted. “Actually, this place isn’t so bad. We’re already familiar with it…”

Liang Xianzhang’s voice softened with patience. “If we stay here, we’re bound to run into him eventually. Don’t you want to avoid seeing him? If we move, we won’t have to worry about that anymore. Otherwise, incidents like today will keep happening.”

Zhou Yi’s heart shifted at his words. Thinking back to the scene in the elevator, he hesitated for a moment, then nodded in agreement. “Okay, then… where are we going to move to?”