The night streets were bleak and desolate.

Chu Shangluo had his hands tucked into his pockets, silently gazing at Ren Jiaoming, who stood before him with a calm, gentle expression. He didn’t want to go with Ren Jiaoming, but he had promised Fan Mo. The thought of Fan Mo still waiting for him made him feel a bit guilty.

The night wind grew stronger, scattering fallen leaves in all directions. Chu Shangluo’s cheeks, already flushed from drinking, turned even redder under the chilly wind.

Ren Jiaoming took off his scarf and gently wrapped it around Chu Shangluo’s exposed neck. His hand brushed lightly against Chu Shangluo’s cold cheek as he asked, “It’s cold out here. Shall we get in the car?”

Chu Shangluo stepped back to avoid his touch, yanked the scarf off, and tossed it back at him. “Let’s go.”

Ren Jiaoming held the scarf, a flicker of disappointment flashing in his eyes. But he quickly composed himself, walking ahead to open the passenger door for Chu Shangluo.

Chu Shangluo glanced at him, then slowly got into the car. Ren Jiaoming entered from the other side.

Leaning lazily against the seat, Chu Shangluo pulled out a cigarette, placed it between his lips, and lit it. He took a deep drag, exhaling a thin cloud of smoke. His slightly drunken eyes, half-lidded, were filled with a chilling indifference.

Ren Jiaoming, watching him smoke as if no one else were around, shifted closer and reached across him to grab the seatbelt on the other side. His movement was so intimate it almost resembled an embrace.

As Ren Jiaoming leaned in, his face inches from Chu Shangluo’s, Chu Shangluo exhaled a puff of smoke and said coolly, “I’m just going to see Fan Mo for a moment and then I’m leaving. I’m not celebrating your birthday.”

Ren Jiaoming lowered his eyes, slowly fastening the seatbelt as if deliberately prolonging the closeness between them.

He was so close that his lips nearly brushed against Chu Shangluo’s. Knowing how much Ren Jiaoming hated smoke, Chu Shangluo deliberately blew several puffs toward him.

Yet Ren Jiaoming didn’t flinch. In fact, he leaned even closer.

Annoyed, Chu Shangluo turned his head toward the window, cursing, “Can you hurry the hell up?”

Before he looked away, Ren Jiaoming’s gaze had already settled on Chu Shangluo’s slightly parted, reddened lips. When he turned, his pale, slender neck was fully exposed under the soft light.

The top few buttons of Chu’s shirt were undone, and with each breath, his chest faintly heaved, revealing a glimpse of bare skin beneath the loose collar.

Ren Jiaoming’s eyes darkened slightly, a heat rising that hadn’t been there before.

Perhaps it was the alcohol, but Chu Shangluo seemed lost in a melancholic haze as he gazed out the window at the empty streets.

He took another drag of his cigarette, murmuring softly, “I’m only going to see Fan Mo. This has nothing to do with you. I just understand how it feels to expect someone to celebrate your birthday, only to be let down.”

Flicking the ash from his cigarette, he continued, “Fan Mo’s a good kid. That kind of disappointment feels terrible—he shouldn’t have to experience it.”

Chu Shangluo had felt it too many times himself.

When he was younger, he longed for his parents and older brother to gather and celebrate his birthday together, but there was always someone missing.

Even a few months ago, he had hoped Ren Jiaoming would cook for him and spend the day with him. But after accidentally ruining the roses Ren Jiaoming had cared for, he was sent home alone, left to drink his way through a lonely 27th birthday.

That disappointment, that loneliness—he had experienced it far too many times.

Ren Jiaoming’s eyes softened as the fleeting desire gave way to a deeper ache.

He looked at Chu Shangluo’s calm face, a face too accustomed to disappointment, and felt a sharp pain in his chest.

Remembering how he had treated Chu Shangluo on his last birthday, Ren’s heart clenched with guilt.

Taking his hand gently, Ren Jiaoming said with genuine sincerity, “Give me a chance. I want to be there for every one of your birthdays.”

Chu Shangluo took a drag from his cigarette and shrugged off Ren Jiaoming’s hand. “It’s too late, Ren Jiaoming.”

Ren Jiaoming’s face paled, his eyes filled with a mix of pain and regret. Chu Shangluo, cold and indifferent, continued smoking, “No more talking. Let’s go.”

The car slowly started moving, and an oppressive silence filled the air. Chu Shangluo finished his cigarette, crossed his arms, and drunkenly leaned back in his seat, refusing to engage with Ren Jiaoming.

Ren Jiaoming kept glancing at Chu Shangluo, but all he received was Chu Shangluo’s distant figure. Now, he was finally experiencing the feeling that Chu Shangluo had once felt when Ren Jiaoming had treated him the same way.

Chu Shangluo, already in a bad mood from drinking, thought about how, in the more than half a year since he had met Ren Jiaoming, there had been few moments when he felt genuinely happy. There had been moments of happiness, but those were all things he had imagined—he often fantasized about a beautiful future with Ren Jiaoming, but in the end, it was just a shattered dream.

In a drunken haze, Chu Shangluo fell asleep and had a dream. In the dream, Wen Yan and Ren Jiaoming were sitting on the beach. Wen Yan smiled at Ren Jiaoming and said, “Look, Chu Shangluo is such a fool. He opens his heart to you, but he doesn’t even realize that you’re just after the antique store. In reality, he’s just my substitute, right?”

In the dream, Chu Shangluo hid in the distance, listening secretly, shaking with anger, but he didn’t have the courage to step forward and confront the two men. Suddenly, Ren Jiaoming saw him, and his cold gaze seemed to offer a hint of pity, as if saying, “Chu Shangluo, you’re really pathetic.”

Chu Shangluo suddenly woke up, anger jolting him awake. His fists were clenched tightly, his hands turning white from the pressure. His chest rose and fell violently—this was definitely the angriest dream he had ever had in his life.

Ren Jiaoming’s voice came from above, “Did you have a nightmare?”

Chu Shangluo was stunned and only then realized he was leaning on Ren Jiaoming’s shoulder. He immediately sat up straight, looking out the window at the familiar streets, a surge of anger rising to his head. “Since we’re already at your place, why didn’t you wake me up?”

“I wanted you to sleep a little longer,” Ren Jiaoming replied, noticing the noticeable change in Chu Shangluo’s mood after waking up. He softened his tone, trying not to provoke him further.

Chu Shangluo snorted coldly and opened the car door to get out.

Ren Jiaoming paused for a moment, then quickly gathered his emotions and followed Chu Shangluo, walking at a quick pace to catch up.

Fan Mo had been waiting at the door for a while. As soon as he saw Chu Shangluo, he eagerly waved his hands.

Fan Mo was far more pleasant to look at than Ren Jiaoming, and Chu Shangluo finally showed a hint of a smile. He walked up to Fan Mo and asked, “How long have you been waiting?”

“As long as President Chu can come, I don’t mind waiting,” Fan Mo winked at him. “President Chu, how about the little chickens I gave you? Did you manage to keep them alive?”

Chu Shangluo pulled his hand back and slapped the stack of money from his wallet into Fan Mo’s hands. “I didn’t bring you a gift, so go buy something to eat.”

Fan Mo tried to put the money back into Chu Shangluo’s hand. “President Chu, are you looking down on me? I’m not short of money now!”

Ren Jiaoming watched from the side as the two interacted.

Chu Shangluo’s expression darkened. “Take it. I’m leaving!”

If it had been another younger member of the Chu family, they would have been scared to shrink back, but Fan Mo, who had been through the rough world since childhood, had long figured out that Chu Shangluo had a tough exterior but a soft heart. He glanced at Ren Jiaoming and then quickly took the money. With a sly grin, he grabbed Chu Shangluo’s arm. “President Chu, come in and sit for a bit. Have a meal with me.”

Chu Shangluo had no intention of going inside, especially after seeing that Fan Mo was wearing shoe covers. The man looked much tidier than before, clearly influenced by Ren Jiaoming’s obsession with cleanliness.

He used to comply with Ren Jiaoming’s obsession with cleanliness, wearing shoe covers and disinfecting things, but now, he didn’t want to compromise anymore.

Fan Mo noticed that Chu Shangluo’s gaze lingered on the shoe covers with clear disdain. He immediately glanced at Ren Jiaoming, who was standing nearby. Ren Jiaoming placed a hand on Chu Shangluo’s waist and guided him toward the house. “Come inside, if you don’t want to wear them, then don’t.”

Fan Mo, in sync with Ren Jiaoming, feigned sympathy. Chu Shangluo had been standing outside for too long and was indeed cold, so he reluctantly entered the house. Fan Mo led him inside, leaving a dark footprint on the spotless floor. Ren Jiaoming frowned as he noticed the stain and immediately turned around to close the door.

Fan Mo led Chu Shangluo to the sofa. “Sit down, President Chu! I’ll go get the food. My brother made it early today, he worked all day, and I’m afraid it’ll get cold, so I’ll heat it in the microwave.”

Chu Shangluo stared at the plastic cover on the sofa but didn’t sit. The next moment, Ren Jiaoming removed the cover, took hold of Chu Shangluo’s wrist, as if afraid he would run away. “Sit down. What would you like to drink?”

“I don’t want anything to drink. I’ll sit for a while, then I’ll leave. Don’t bother with the food, I’m not eating.” Chu Shangluo sat down, every word showing his resistance to Ren Jiaoming.

Ren Jiaoming was silent for a moment, then turned and walked into the kitchen. Chu Shangluo, drunk and tired, leaned lazily on the sofa, crossing his legs, staring at the tidy living room. He hadn’t visited Ren Jiaoming’s home many times. The first few times, Ren Jiaoming wouldn’t even let him inside, and when he finally got in, there were so many rules. No matter where he sat, he had to be separated by plastic covers. This was the first time Ren Jiaoming had so proactively invited him inside. Now, Chu Shangluo had a feeling that no matter how much he messed around on the sofa or tossed things around the living room, Ren Jiaoming wouldn’t say anything.

But Chu Shangluo didn’t have the urge to try it. Ren Jiaoming’s concessions meant nothing to him, and they wouldn’t soften his heart. The aroma of food wafted in, and soon the table was filled with various dishes.

Fan Mo grabbed Chu Shangluo’s arm. “My brother made these specially for you, President Chu, try them, they taste great.”

Ren Jiaoming stood by the table, looking at Chu Shangluo with expectation. Although Chu Shangluo was easily moved, he wasn’t going to soften for just anything. Seeing the whole table of food, it was clear that these two brothers had conspired. In the end, whether it was Ren Jiaoming’s birthday or Fan Mo’s, it was just a way for Ren Jiaoming to try to please him and calm him down.

Chu Shangluo suddenly shook off Fan Mo’s hand. “You and Ren Jiaoming are brothers. I don’t care if you side with him, but don’t try to play matchmaker for us. Fan Mo, if you try to set me up with him again, consider me having never known you, you heartless bastard.”

Fan Mo was stunned, realizing that Chu Shangluo was really angry. In fact, he wasn’t on Ren Jiaoming’s side; he knew his brother was wrong. He just wanted him to properly apologize to Chu Shangluo. He hurriedly said, “President Chu, I didn’t mean it, I—”

Ren Jiaoming interrupted, “Fan Mo, go back to your room.”

Fan Mo shot one last frustrated glance at Chu Shangluo before heading upstairs.

Chu Shangluo didn’t want to stay even for another minute. He stood up and walked toward the door. Ren Jiaoming wrapped his arms around him from behind.

Feeling the man’s arms tightening around him, Chu Shangluo closed his eyes, his voice cold. “Before, I couldn’t have your cooking, but that doesn’t mean now that you cook for me, the past damage is gone. And it’s not that you cooked, so I’ll eat it. I’m not interested. What the hell is wrong with you?”

Ren Jiaoming took a deep breath, holding Chu Shangluo tighter, unwilling to let go. He understood all the reasoning, but he couldn’t let go of Chu Shangluo. And he wasn’t planning to. Chu Shangluo could only be his.