Realizing that he had been teased by Ning Zhiyuan again, Cen Zhisen’s brows twitched slightly.

Ning Zhiyuan chuckled softly, “Zhiyuan, it’s quite nice.”

“Zhiyuan.” Cen Zhisen called him.

“Hmm?” Ning Zhiyuan raised his gaze.

Cen Zhisen stared at his eyes. There were some pale yellow pollen particles on the tips of his eyelashes, only clearly visible when he turned his head to touch the sunlight. It was probably picked up while eating outside and sitting next to a potted plant, like a layer of finely crushed eyeshadow.

“Eyes,” Cen Zhisen reminded him.

Ning Zhiyuan, puzzled, asked, “What?”

Cen Zhisen reached out, using his thumb to gently wipe it away for him.

Ning Zhiyuan didn’t move, feeling Cen Zhisen’s fingers slowly and rhythmically brushing over the corner of his eye. It tickled a bit, and he glanced upward, capturing every nuance of Cen Zhisen’s expression.

Joyful, focused, like savoring a rare treasure that piqued his interest.

And he was the object that Cen Zhisen wanted to savor and admire, or perhaps—

Prey.

Cen Zhisen withdrew his hand. “You got some pollen on you, but it’s gone now.”

Ning Zhiyuan, as if he hadn’t noticed anything, looked at his wristwatch. “It’s time to get off work. I plan to go back and see dad. Want to come along?”

Cen Zhisen got up. “Let’s go.”

Ning Zhiyuan also stood up, taking his coat and overcoat from the nearby rack.

As he put on his coat, Cen Zhisen, hands in his pockets, leaned against the wall behind him, his gaze lingering on Ning Zhiyuan’s back.

Apparently, it was only now that Cen Zhisen noticed that Ning Zhiyuan was wearing a striped shirt with a light gray wool vest on top today. Although it was a very casual and academic style, perhaps due to Ning Zhiyuan’s excellent physique—his golden ratio of 184 made his upper and lower body proportions perfect, broad shoulders, narrow waist, perky butt, and long legs—such simple clothes exuded a sexy vibe on him.

Sexy.

Thinking of this word, Cen Zhisen’s gaze slightly condensed, and a somewhat viscous emotion appeared in his eyes, smoothly moving over Ning Zhiyuan’s graceful waist and hips, calm and composed.

Ning Zhiyuan, now fully dressed, turned around. He raised his jaw slightly. “Ready to go.”

Cen Zhisen hooked his lips, following him out of the office one after another.

Cen Zhisen didn’t drive over by himself; he got into Ning Zhiyuan’s car.

Considering it was the end of work hours and nearing the New Year, the traffic was intense. Ning Zhiyuan glanced at the long line of cars ahead, leaning into his seat, “Be patient.”

His tone was relaxed, showing no sign of irritation due to the traffic jam. Beside him, in the co-driver’s seat, Cen Zhisen became even more relaxed, asking, “What are your plans for the New Year?”

Ning Zhiyuan, propping his arm on the door, casually replied, “Going back to my hometown with my parents, it’s the neighboring province. Grandpa, grandma, maternal grandparents, and other relatives are all waiting to see me. We’ll leave tomorrow.”

“That sounds good,” Cen Zhisen said. “Dad is planning to take Zhe back to the south to pay respects to the ancestors. I’ll go with them, also leaving tomorrow.”

“That’s good too.” Ning Zhiyuan nodded casually.

The ancestral home of the Cen family was in the south. Now that Ning Zhe had changed his surname, he naturally had to go back to acknowledge his roots. It didn’t surprise Ning Zhiyuan.

Talking about this, he seemed to recall something and suddenly smiled.

Cen Zhisen looked at him, “What’s so funny?”

“Nothing much, just remembered something from the past,” Ning Zhiyuan turned his head, “Do you remember that one year when we went back there together? One time you played hide-and-seek with me. I hid too far away and couldn’t find my way back. Dad and the others found me almost after it got dark. If it weren’t for someone holding him back, Dad would have beaten you. That should be the only time you almost got a beating from Dad, right?”

Cen Zhisen replied, “Wasn’t it because you intentionally hid? Were you hoping to see Dad beat me?”

Ning Zhiyuan was slightly surprised, “You actually knew? Why didn’t you say anything back then?”

“Saying it wouldn’t have helped. Who would have thought that a five or six-year-old kid could be so scheming? Even if I said it, Dad wouldn’t have believed it,” Cen Zhisen shook his head. “Forget it, I consider myself unlucky.”

“Sorry, I was ignorant when I was a child, impulsive and wild. You should have let me win.” Ning Zhiyuan apologized insincerely.

The childish jealousy and provocations back then, which were born out of envy, now seemed like a person who had always been clear-minded, avoiding him while respecting him. He, in turn, was hurt by Cen Zhisen’s indifference, leading to increased troubles and eventually forming a vicious cycle.

But now, trying to recall, was like piecing together a puzzle.

The memories of childhood had long faded, and in his impression, there was only the endless rain in the small town during autumn. Water splashed on the damp bluestone road, where he hid on one side, watching his brother’s hurried steps running to the other side, anxiously searching for his figure.

In the rainy dusk, the last glow of the setting sun was only a faint remnant, blurred between the frowning brows of his brother when he turned his head. In that gloomy memory, it was the only bright spot.

Cen Zhisen’s eyes gained a meaningful depth. “Ignorant and impulsive?”

Ning Zhiyuan raised the corner of his lips. “Probably.”

Cen Zhisen appraised him from top to bottom, smiling, “Indeed quite wild.”

What he said was obviously different from what Ning Zhiyuan understood.

In that nightclub that night, it wasn’t just Ning Zhiyuan who glimpsed the true nature of the other.

Ning Zhiyuan also smiled.

The convoy started to move slowly. Ning Zhiyuan didn’t say anything more; he just pressed the accelerator again.

By the time they returned to the Cen family, it was already past 7 in the evening. Besides Cen Shengli and Xu Lan, their second uncle was also present.

Ning Zhiyuan wasn’t interested in interacting much with the Cen family members. After sitting down, he gave a nod as a greeting.

However, it seemed that the second uncle didn’t have the time to bother him today. His attention was focused on Cen Shengli, as he was here to borrow money.

“Big brother, if you don’t help me this time, I’ll really go bankrupt…”

Most uncles and aunts in the Cen family were involved in Cen An’s affairs, but this second uncle was in real estate, relying on Cen An. In the past few years, when the real estate market was good, he made a fortune. His business expanded significantly, but in recent years, real estate became difficult. Unsold new houses, a broken funding chain, debt pressure from the bank, and last month, a major safety incident occurred in a key project under his company, causing a collapse in the company’s reputation. Now, he was at the end of his rope.

Today, this second uncle came asking for a turnover capital of 20 billion yuan, explicitly asking Cen Shengli to put up the money first and then help him guarantee more loans from the bank. He didn’t beat around the bush.

Ning Zhiyuan ate his meal, treating the second uncle’s words like a comedy routine, providing some entertainment.

Cen Shengli remained silent throughout. When the second uncle changed the topic, he unexpectedly shifted the blame onto Ning Zhiyuan.

“Big brother, don’t say you can’t come up with this money. You don’t even need to borrow from Cen An. You have the money yourself. You have so many assets in your name. Just sell some casually, twenty billion in cash is a piece of cake for you. It’s not even a drop in the ocean. Didn’t you want to give this kid so much money before? He has no blood relation to you. We’re at least real brothers. I’m not asking you for it; I’m just borrowing. As long as you help me out of this urgent situation, and the suspended project resumes, we can continue borrowing from the bank to get through this. Why won’t you help me?”

Cen Shengli frowned, and Cen Zhisen spoke first, “Second uncle, Zhiyuan didn’t ask for it.”

The second uncle sneered, “He didn’t ask for it? You didn’t even hesitate to invest in his fund. You two have such a deep brotherhood; it’s moving.”

“Uncle, you’ve got it wrong. It’s not me investing money to help him; it’s him helping me with investments. We’re business partners,” Cen Zhisen coldly reminded him, “And, I only invested 120 million, far from the 20 billion you’re asking for.”

“Enough,” Cen Shengli interrupted them, gesturing at the second uncle. “Talk about your own matters, don’t involve unrelated people.”

The second uncle looked a bit embarrassed, realizing that bringing up Ning Zhiyuan was futile. He redirected the conversation, continuing to complain to Cen Shengli.

Ning Zhiyuan remained silent from start to finish, not changing his expression. He ate calmly, as if the person being discussed wasn’t him.

Cen Zhisen glanced at him but said no more.

After dinner, with the sky completely dark, and the rare good weather tonight, Ning Zhiyuan stood alone in the small garden outside, looking at the night view.

He touched his pocket, thinking about smoking, but suddenly remembered Cen Zhisen’s advice last time to smoke less. He abandoned the idea—this pack of cigarettes in his pocket had been there for almost a month. Apart from occasions requiring socializing, he hadn’t touched it.

When his mind was a bit unsettled, Cen Zhisen also came out from inside, asking him, “Isn’t it cold standing here?”

“It’s okay,” Ning Zhiyuan looked behind him. The study’s direction was still lit, “That second uncle hasn’t left yet?”

“Not that quickly,” Cen Zhisen replied.

Ning Zhiyuan smiled, “Dad must be annoyed.”

It wasn’t because Cen Shengli didn’t have the money or was unwilling to spend it. To him, 20 billion was indeed nothing significant. But this second uncle’s company was like a black hole, throwing 20 billion in would barely make a sound—lending him money was akin to throwing good money after bad.

Cen Zhisen said, “Regardless, Dad can’t just sit idly. We still need to figure out a way to help him. After all, he’s Dad’s own brother.”

Looking up at the night sky, completely dark with not a single star, no matter how dazzling the city lights were, they couldn’t blend into the night.

After a while, Ning Zhiyuan said, “Dad helps him because he’s his own brother. What about you? Why do you help me?”

With this question, Ning Zhiyuan’s gaze returned to Cen Zhisen.

Cen Zhisen calmly met his gaze, “Why do you think I help you?”

They looked at each other, eyes carrying a sense of testing and probing.

Cen Zhisen had no intention of saying.

Even if not for anything else, he would have originally helped Ning Zhiyuan, but he wouldn’t mix personal motives like he is doing now.

The shrewdest hunters don’t easily reveal their targets, especially when the prey they have in mind is so unique. Those undisclosed subtle movements, what steps they will take, even he himself has not made a final decision.

When Ning Zhiyuan asked the question “Do you like men?” with drunken eyes that night, he had already realized that he had developed feelings for this man who had been his younger brother for twenty-seven years.

Cen Zhisen never thought of himself as a morally upright person, but Ning Zhiyuan was indeed special. Not because they were once brothers, but because he had not been a good older brother, and he felt guilty towards Ning Zhiyuan. Once emotions like guilt were mixed into this kind of sentiment, even he became somewhat indecisive.

So he was hesitating whether to reveal his true self in front of Ning Zhiyuan.

Ning Zhiyuan smiled again, “I can’t fathom your thoughts.”

No longer continuing this topic, he lowered his gaze and played with the lighter he had been holding in his hand since a while ago, deliberately taking his time.

A soft sound, and the flame leapt up, dancing in his eyes.

Cen Zhisen watched, reaching out to cover Ning Zhiyuan’s hand with his own, using his thumb to gently rub the surface of the lighter.

The metallic sensation transmitted between the touching fingertips.

The cluster of flames flickered gently in the night breeze, and Ning Zhiyuan kept his eyes on it, allowing Cen Zhisen’s palm to stroke his hand.

While Cen Zhisen looked at him, he observed the subtle expression on his face, lost in thought.

In the silent darkness, only the sound of the wind remained.

Until the flame extinguished, Cen Zhisen’s hand withdrew, and only then did Ning Zhiyuan lift his eyes, calmly asking the person in front of him, “I’m going back. Are you coming?”