Cen Wei’s reasoning was so solid that Chu Lai couldn’t refuse at all. Their relationship didn’t seem to be purely professional anymore, or rather, the professional agreement they had had already taken on a more personal tone due to Chu Lai’s peculiar demands.

Chu Lai let out a low “hmm” and after a two-second pause, he softly said, “You’re really good with words for a businessman.”

Cen Wei chuckled, “What’s this got to do with business?”

Chu Lai ignored him, instead opting to change the car’s music to a popular opening song from a recent hit series.

Unfortunately, the next part of the road they were driving on was brightly lit, enough for Cen Wei to notice the slight redness creeping up Chu Lai’s ears.

When Chu Lai arrived at the Cen family house, he realized that “Da Cai” had already been brought over. The little dog wasn’t shy at all, playing in Grandma Hong’s arms. When it saw Chu Lai, it jumped down to greet him.

Chu Lai looked at Cen Wei in confusion. As Cen Wei entered the house, he took off his coat and removed his tie, saying, “Did you forget we’re staying here this weekend?”

He added in a quiet voice, “I even reminded you this afternoon.”

Chu Lai checked his phone’s schedule and realized he had forgotten to set a reminder vibration.

Lowering his voice, he said, “But I didn’t bring any pajamas.”

Cen Wei: “Neither did I, but Grandma won’t let us leave. She’s definitely prepared new ones for us.”

This was like a bolt from the blue. Chu Lai’s eyes widened behind his glasses. Cen Wei smiled and said, “Don’t worry, the room is still connected to the study. I can sleep on the couch there.”

He added, “They won’t check on us while we sleep.”

Chu Lai instinctively responded, “It’s not even this strict at boarding school.”

Suppressing the urge to touch his face, Cen Wei let out a deep, low laugh that, to outsiders, would seem intimate.

Cen Jiansun became even more convinced that this marriage was a good one. Xuan Rongqing had just finished developing the wedding photos, which, although not the traditional style elders expected, still managed to convey affection even though they were taken outdoors. Cen Jiansun pondered and said, “Shouldn’t we still take some with red outfits?”

Xuan Rongqing replied, “Young people don’t like that style nowadays.”

Cen Jiansun: “But isn’t traditional attire all the rage now? Why not wear red?”

He recalled a friend’s wedding from six months ago. “When I attended Dandan’s wedding, didn’t she and her wife ride in a bridal sedan chair?”

After thinking about Cen Wei and Chu Lai’s personalities, Xuan Rongqing shook her head, “Forget it, Dad. I had to beg them just to get these photos taken.”

Cen Jiansun snorted, “Back in the day, we didn’t have the resources to take pictures, even if we wanted to. Now they have everything, and they don’t want to.”

At this point, Cen Wei came over and overheard the conversation. He glanced at Grandma Hong sitting in her rocking chair, “Then how about you and Grandma take a set of photos, Grandpa?”

Cen Jiansun wasn’t in good health, and even though the old man seemed to be in high spirits, everyone knew he had opted for conservative treatment, just counting down the days.

Grandma Hong sighed, “At my age, with white hair and all, what’s the point of taking photos? It’s something for young people.”

Chu Lai thought of his own grandmother, who still loved to doll herself up. He couldn’t help but say, “We were actually planning on dyeing our hair silver-white for the photos. You don’t even need to dye yours—you already look great.”

Cen Wei hadn’t expected Chu Lai to chime in. The young man, seated with a smile, appeared much softer, shedding his usual cold demeanor.

Grandma Hong asked excitedly, “Really?”

She touched her face, “I even put on makeup today because Lai Lai was coming over. Does it look nice?”

Cen Jiansun coughed, “It looks good.”

Grandma Hong: “I wasn’t asking you.”

The older generation in the family had a strong bond. Xuan Rongqing, sitting beside them, laughed and served Chu Lai a bowl of soup. She then asked Cen Wei, “Why were you two so late?”

Before Cen Wei could answer, Chu Lai, who had just finished responding to Grandma Hong, spoke up, “It was because of me.”

Xuan Rongqing replied, “You don’t have to keep covering for him. I know how he gets when he’s busy.”

“I heard there were some issues with the new product sample. Are you going to have to start the project from scratch?”

Cen Jiansun chimed in, “Don’t rush too much. Building a family and a career takes time.”

Cen Wei nodded, “I know, that’s why I’m slowing down a bit.”

Work wasn’t much of a topic at the dinner table. Chu Lai occasionally said a few things, but for the most part, he was listening.

What they talked about most was his marriage. He was enthusiastically eating, which made Cen Wei want to laugh. Seeing this, Xuan Rongqing leaned in and asked Cen Wei, “Is Lai Lai in a bad mood today?”

Cen Wei was impressed by her perceptiveness. Chu Lai wasn’t someone who usually showed his emotions, yet Xuan Rongqing could still tell something was off.

However, he couldn’t exactly mention the issue with Chu Lai’s ex, so he took the blame. “I made him mad.”

Xuan Rongqing remembered the time he came home late one night. “The most important thing in a relationship is communication. Don’t avoid problems.”

Cen Wei nodded.

Since they were staying here for the weekend, they had brought the dog along as well. After dinner, Chu Lai even played a game of chess with Cen Jiansun.

Chu Lai wasn’t much of a talker, but the old man loved to chat. He even managed to get out the story of how, as a child, Chu Lai almost arrived late to school because he stopped to watch people playing chess on the roadside.

Being the workaholic that he was, Cen Wei couldn’t continue working. So, he sat on the couch helping Grandma Hong roll yarn.

The grandma, wearing her reading glasses, was watching a popular idol drama for middle-aged people. The lines were so cheesy that Cen Wei felt goosebumps just from hearing them as background noise.

From where he was sitting, he could see Chu Lai playing chess with his grandpa. He would glance over from time to time, and Xuan Rongqing, who was knitting with him, noticed it too.

Grandma Hong asked, “Have you met Lai Lai’s mom? How is she?”

Everyone knew about Chu Lai’s family situation, and the elders felt for him. If it weren’t for Xuan Rongqing’s insistence, Chu Lai wouldn’t have invited anyone from his side of the family to the wedding. The only one left was his remarried mother.

There were few relatives on his father’s side. Even when Chu Lai’s grandmother was raising him, they stayed away from others, afraid people might think they were asking for money.

After a while, they completely lost contact.

Cen Wei said, “She’s fine.”

His handsome features briefly clouded over as he thought of the extracurricular books he had seen in Yu Ruimei’s living room and the name of the child Chu Lai had mentioned. He furrowed his brows.

The next second, a ball of yarn lightly bonked his forehead. Grandma Hong said, “If she’s fine, then why are you frowning?”

Cen Wei hissed in pain. Even though his grandma had white hair and used to work on a farm, she still had enough strength to knock some sense into her grandson.

The supposed CEO in his late twenties could only tell the truth. “Lai Lai… his mom remarried and had another kid. It must make him feel sad.”

But not a single braised chicken claw was saved for Cen Wei.

Thinking of this, Cen Wei smiled to himself. He’s still such a kid.

The old woman knitting a sweater sighed, “That’s true, but that’s her freedom. Women need to think about their own futures.”

She tapped Xuan Rongqing on the head in the same manner, “You too.”

Xuan Rongqing: …

She shot a glance at Cen Wei, but he didn’t help her out. “Mom, I’m almost thirty.”

Grandma Hong: “Exactly. Your son’s already moved on and chosen to get married. You should consider dating too.”

“Back then, Lao Sun and I didn’t have time for romance, but now? Now’s the best time. There are so many places you could go.”

Since the topic had shifted, Cen Wei casually turned his attention back to watching Chu Lai play chess.

It had been a while since Chu Lai played chess, and he looked a bit stressed. Cen Wei thought that his grandpa was winning, but upon closer inspection, he realized that Chu Lai was the one who was a step ahead.

The old man grumbled, “This kid’s trying to let me win. Do I look like someone who can’t handle losing?”

The housekeeper, sitting nearby, chimed in, “You definitely were when you were younger.”

The two old men, though a decade apart in age, clearly weren’t from the same generation as the younger ones. Yet, they were having a great time.

Chu Lai, wearing a light green and pale yellow sweater under his jacket, looked even more like a student. His sleeves were oversized, and they slid down his wrists, revealing a small mole on his right wrist.

Unexpectedly, Chu Lai was playing chess with his left hand.

Maybe it was because Cen Wei was staring too intently, but the young man playing chess glanced up slightly and asked, “What?”

Chu Lai hadn’t played chess in a long time, and being relentlessly pursued, even the calmest person would develop a competitive streak. His tone naturally came off a bit sharper.

Realizing this, he was about to say something, but Cen Wei asked, “Are you left-handed?”

Chu Lai: “Just for chess. I’ve trained myself to use my right hand for everything else.”

His tone was somewhat grumpy, but he quickly got back into the game.

Cen Wei continued to watch from the side, seeing Chu Lai narrowly win. His grandfather nearly threw a tantrum, “What’s going on, Lai Lai? Don’t you know you’re supposed to respect your elders? Can’t you let Grandpa win just once?”

The victor slowly began cleaning up the chess pieces. The indoor heating was a bit high, making Chu Lai’s face flush red.

He replied, “But you also need to love the young.”

He was already twenty-five, yet here he was still being called “young,” which made the corners of Cen Wei’s mouth curl up in amusement. As a result, he was kicked under the table.

Looking at Chu Lai, Cen Wei heard him say, “Don’t laugh.”

The words were laced with affectionate complaint, and Cen Wei’s heart suddenly started racing. Afraid of giving himself away, he quickly stood up and went to play with the dog.

Xuan Rongqing, observing from the side, remarked in surprise, “I never thought Ah Wei would get along with a dog.”

Grandma Hong sighed, “I’ve said before that people can change. It looks like he really likes Lai Lai.”

Xuan Rongqing nodded, “Well, they’re married now. Of course, he likes him.”

Any doubts she had before were now completely gone.

After another round of chess with the housekeeper, which Chu Lai also won, the old man finally shooed him away, and Chu Lai went outside with Cen Wei to walk the dog.

The villa area was large, with high-end amenities like supermarkets and convenience stores, and the fountains were like artistic masterpieces.

At this time of night, a few people were still walking around. Some recognized Cen Wei and greeted him. Upon seeing the man beside him holding the dog, they would ask about him.

The Cen family had been living here for years, and many of the neighbors were business owners as well. The younger generation often played together.

There wasn’t much need for explanations. Cen Wei would introduce them—

“This is my spouse.”

“We’re already registered. The wedding? Not yet.”

“Did you get the invitation? Great, we’ll see you there.”

“He works at another company.”

“Mm-hmm.”

Chu Lai felt embarrassed to even lift his head. These introductions often came with a few compliments, and who knows how many times Cen Wei had referred to him as his spouse. By the time they started heading back, Chu Lai quietly exhaled.

Cen Wei said, “Sorry about that. A lot of people around here know me.”

Just as he finished speaking, someone in the distance spotted him and shouted—

“Cen Wei!”

A group of people, likely returning from a gathering, approached. The man with the buzz cut who called out saw the young man beside him holding a dog and exclaimed, “Is this your spouse?”

Cen Wei nodded.

The man didn’t need an introduction and extended his hand to Chu Lai, introducing himself, “Hi, I’m Yuan Chen.”

Someone nearby laughed and added, “He and Cen Wei are rivals.”

“What kind of situation is this?”

“Is Chu Lai’s spouse even an adult? He looks so young.”

“You didn’t get the invitation?”

“My mom showed it to me. New Year’s wedding, right?”

…

Chu Lai stared at the hand stretched out towards him, then looked at the man with the lip ring. He seemed flamboyant and flashy, and his aura did match the impression Chu Lai had from briefly meeting Mr. Shen.

Seeing that Chu Lai was staring for longer than usual, Cen Wei stepped forward, saying, “Don’t scare him.”

Yuan Chen laughed, “I knew you liked this type.”

He didn’t stay long, just patted Cen Wei on the shoulder, “See you at the wedding.”

After he left, Chu Lai asked, “What type am I?”

Cen Wei thought he would ask something else, but this was the question that came out instead.

After a long silence, unsure how to explain, Chu Lai let out a soft laugh. He didn’t press further, taking the dog and walking ahead.

The fountain was nearby, its statues grand and magnificent, yet under the light, their expressions held a touch of compassion.

The fountain’s music was on shuffle, and at that moment, some fast-paced concerto from who knows which century began playing, almost in sync with the rhythm of Cen Wei’s heartbeat.

“You are who you are.”

Cen Wei stepped forward and said. Chu Lai asked, “Is that your all-purpose answer?”

Cen Wei replied, “What answer are you hoping for?”

He turned the question back on him.

Chu Lai shook his head, “I don’t know either.”

He lowered his head, looking at his elongated shadow. The puppy stepped right on the shadow’s head.

Chu Lai smiled and said, “There’s no such thing as lasting love. I just want a hug.”

His voice sounded so melancholic that it made Cen Wei think of how choked up Chu Lai had been when speaking to Shen Quanzhang. He realized that the calm demeanor Chu Lai had shown at the bar that day was merely a facade.

Chu Lai had been deeply hurt.

So deeply that even someone like Cen Wei, who had been a bystander, was dragged into the vortex, falling in alongside him.

Cen Wei asked, “What about a long-lasting hug?”

Chu Lai laughed, choosing to dodge the question. “Wouldn’t that mean sticking together while walking? That’s terrifying.”

It hadn’t even crossed Cen Wei’s mind. He looked over at Chu Lai.

Next week was Christmas, and the villa’s property management had already set the festive mood. Even though it was just the community’s public area, it had the feeling of a luxurious street, with colorful lights overhead.

Under the lights, the teasing in Cen Wei’s gaze was obvious. Chu Lai thought of the moment he had turned around after speaking with Shen Quanzhang, seeing him standing there. At that instant, Chu Lai had really wanted to run over and hug Cen Wei.

What Shen Quanzhang couldn’t give, neither could Cen Wei.

The only difference was that being with Cen Wei was far more comfortable; he wouldn’t make Chu Lai feel bad.

Chu Lai looked away, jogging ahead with the dog.

Surprised that Chu Lai had suddenly run off, Cen Wei chased after him, “Why are you running?”

Chu Lai: “Why are you chasing me?”

Cen Wei: “Because you ran.”

Their conversation was nonsensical. After running a few hundred meters, Chu Lai was out of breath, and the dog was tired too.

It was a pretty amusing scene. Holding the dog in his arms, Cen Wei said, “Let’s head back home.”

Chu Lai nodded in agreement.

Yuan Chen was standing on a balcony, holding his phone with the camera zoomed in to the max.

Shen Ke, on the other end, sighed, “Looks like even domestic phone cameras are pretty good.”

Yuan Chen said, “I heard that even fan site photographers use this one. Did you see them?”

Shen Ke sighed again, “It’s terrifying that Cen Wei would play a game of ‘chase and catch’ with someone.”

Yuan Chen was still holding the wedding invitation that had been sent to their house, with both of their names on it—Cen Wei and Chu Lai.

He muttered, “Chu… Lai? This is the first time I’ve heard that name.”

On the other end of the video call, Shen Ke’s boyfriend made a noise of surprise. Shen Ke said, “Why does that name sound so familiar?”

After a moment of thinking, he remembered. “I heard it the day I broke up with Cen Wei.”

Yuan Chen: “What?”

Shen Ke: “The table next to us was also breaking up, and I heard that name. It was quite memorable.”

Back then, Shen Ke had stormed off in a huff, catching a glimpse of Chu Lai as he passed by.

After a long silence, Shen Ke said, “I can’t believe they ended up getting married.”

Hearing the story, Yuan Chen found it quite amusing. “So he just didn’t like you from the start, and you were the one pushing it.”

After saying this, he worried that Shen Ke might block him, so he quickly added, “But I will always love you.”

Shen Ke didn’t mind much and asked, “Do you think I could attend his wedding?”

Yuan Chen: “Sure, why not? We’re married now too. We’re practically family. Do you think this Mr. Chu would invite his ex-boyfriend?”

Shen Ke: “Based on what I heard that day, his ex was quite something. Why would he invite him?”

/

After taking a shower, Chu Lai was on the phone with Liu Yuan, who asked him the same question.

Chu Lai replied, “Why would I invite him?”

Liu Yuan: “Why not? Make him give you some wedding money. If he gets married someday, he can invite you too.”

Liu Yuan laughed, “Although I doubt he’ll ever have that day.”

Chu Lai stood by the window, drying his hair. Just then, Cen Wei came in from outside. Seeing the window still open, he closed it and reminded Chu Lai, “Don’t catch a cold.”

Liu Yuan overheard and chuckled, “Your husband is so considerate.”

Chu Lai: “He’s not my husband.”

He reflexively denied it. Cen Wei glanced at him, and Liu Yuan’s laughter became even more suggestive, “Are you two really not planning to try things out?”

“With how tightly you were hugging him the other day, that’s not something just anyone can handle.”

His friend sighed, clearly reminiscing about something, “If you miss your chance, you might have to start paying for hugs. Let me tell you, male escorts can be pretty heartless. They’ll even trick you into taking out online loans.”

Chu Lai: “It’s not like I’d ever go that far.”

Even though he lowered his voice, Cen Wei still overheard.

After a few more words with Liu Yuan, Chu Lai hung up.

When he turned around, he noticed that Cen Wei was standing nearby, looking thoughtful. He asked, “What’s up?”

Cen Wei asked, “How much do male escorts charge?”

Chu Lai was silent for a few seconds before responding, “Is your company going bankrupt?”