The barrage of comments kept refreshing. The camera in the live stream couldn’t capture Chu Lai’s face, but his hand on the desk was visible.

This streamer was cautious when playing games and didn’t forget to mute his mic, so the audience couldn’t hear anything. The eerie background music of the game became the soundtrack for the lower right corner of the screen.

Unfortunately, it wasn’t even remotely scary.

[I can’t believe I’m blushing just looking at his hand.]

[How can this creepy music still feel so tender? My eyes, aaah!]

[Sorry, UP! You might as well switch to being a romance blogger in the lifestyle section. We’re all really curious about your husband being a rich CEO!]

[Did anyone notice that there are way more people in the stream today?]

[Yeah, a lot of people said they came because they heard about you.]

It’s likely the video of Chu Lai and Cen Wei escaping under an umbrella in the snow on their wedding day went viral. Soon after, users dug up Chu Lai’s live-streaming account.

Chu Lai only did niche streams on this platform, with his fanbase built up over the years. He always refused any exposure offers from the site, clearly showing no desire for fame.

However, after his encounter with Cen Wei, Chu Lai’s life was no longer peaceful. He often replayed that day and realized, based on his past thoughts, he should regret sharing a table at that BBQ joint.

But the daily hugs were too satisfying. The happiness from kissing and embracing made him look forward to the future, rather than just drifting along.

The minor changes in his previously monotonous life weren’t as disastrous as Chu Lai had imagined. The only annoyance was the flood of private messages hoping he’d switch his content.

After his legally wedded partner came back from overtime, going from cold and distant to warm and affectionate, Chu Lai stood up intending to kiss Cen Wei on the cheek. But Cen Wei, having anticipated it, tilted his head slightly, turning the cheek kiss into a direct lip kiss.

Even though it was brief, Chu Lai thought it ended quickly, but by the time he sat down, the comments were still refreshing, counting down to the kiss. Some even complained that his partner was too clingy.

[Romantic vlogs in the lifestyle section are getting boring.]

[I just noticed that the third-place guy I follow is still online. They say he’s the UP’s ex! Oh my god, why is he still watching?]

[Exes should act like they’re dead after a breakup.]

[Weren’t you all shipping them?!]

[There were rumors under the wedding video saying the UP only cared about money! As an old fan, I remember when he bought an expensive gift and even posted about it!]

Cen Wei didn’t leave after the kiss, and Chu Lai, too lazy to deal with him, continued with the game.

When the comments mentioned Shen Quanzhang, Chu Lai said nothing, but Cen Wei, standing by, looked at the screen. He realized, just as Shen Yangxu had mentioned, that he was particularly sensitive to exes due to his lack of relationship experience.

When Chu Lai played games, he focused completely, thinking Cen Wei would leave after the kiss. But the barrage of comments pointing out that his husband was still around made Chu Lai glance at him, catching Cen Wei’s gaze.

Chu Lai asked, “Aren’t you leaving?”

The cold tone was consistent with Chu Lai’s usual attitude, making it hard to detect any newlywed sweetness at first.

However, Cen Wei was used to Chu Lai’s temperament. He said, “I’m watching the live stream, is that not allowed?”

The study didn’t have extra chairs, and since Cen Wei was tall and broad, Chu Lai frowned slightly. “Aren’t you tired from working overtime? You should rest.”

Realizing his tone was a bit stiff, Chu Lai added, “You can watch the stream on your phone.”

[Hahaha, asking your partner to watch you live stream from the phone while being in the same room! Genius!]

[How did the UP even find his new partner? His ex is still hanging on, and his current love is intense. There’s something here!]

Cen Wei glanced at the comments and said, “I fell in love with him at first sight. He didn’t have to look for me.”

Chu Lai didn’t react at first, but after a few seconds, he realized Cen Wei was responding to the barrage. He pushed him aside, “Go take a shower. We’ll eat later. I’m only streaming for two hours; it’s not time yet.”

Cen Wei made a sound of acknowledgment.

After he left, Chu Lai breathed a sigh of relief. By the time his stream ended, he had passed the new game checkpoint that fixed the bug.

Chu Lai’s streaming style didn’t usually involve chatting with fans. But since today’s comments touched on his marriage with Cen Wei, he considered it for a moment and decided to add, “It’s not like what’s being said online.”

The Cen family’s Lianxin Umbrella brand was the most well-known in the umbrella industry, and their wedding had brought significant benefits. However, wild headlines like “Famous CEO Becomes a Third Party for Love” also surfaced.

Some even speculated that Chu Lai ditched his ordinary boyfriend in favor of the rich CEO. The most outrageous claims said the powerful CEO forced his way into stealing his employee’s partner. Liu Yuan even sent a bunch of articles to Chu Lai, angry and vowing to gather alumni to clear his name, as if Chu Lai were some kind of celebrity.

When Chu Lai mentioned this out of the blue, fans who thought he’d end the stream were all left with question marks.

The young man in the lower right corner of the video seemed to raise his voice, his fingers unconsciously tapping on the desk. “There are a lot of false rumors online about me and my husband. I see some of you are curious, so I’ll briefly explain.”

Chu Lai wasn’t a talkative person. As a child, when the teacher called on him to answer a question, he could stand there in silence for a long time, making the teacher more embarrassed than him.

Chu Lai said, “I met my ex in college. We dated for three years, and yes, money was a factor in our breakup. He still owed me rent.”

“When he was in grad school, he occasionally stayed at my rented place, and I covered some of his living expenses.”

“After all, I was already working, and he was still a student.”

Since being with Cen Wei, Chu Lai hadn’t thought much about Shen Quanzhang.

His voice in the stream was as calm as water. “You all know that maintaining a relationship requires a lot of time, energy, and yes, money. I used to think I’d spend the rest of my life with him.”

“But he cheated on me.”

Many of Chu Lai’s long-time fans had been with him for years. Some who started watching in middle school were now in college themselves.

The barrage was filled with support for him.

[What the heck! I never knew it was because of cheating!]

[I knew it!! The UP is a really decent guy, and he doesn’t talk about his private life much. I always thought his relationship was stable.]

[Third-place guy, what’s your deal…?]

[So unfair! He gets cheated on and still gets accused of being a gold digger? Is it against the law to find someone better after a breakup?!]

Outside, the sky had darkened. In the bathroom, Cen Wei was drying his hair, his phone on the sink, showing Chu Lai’s stream.

The soundproofing in the study was good, so he couldn’t hear Chu Lai, but now his voice echoed in the bathroom through the phone.

The young man continued, “I met my husband the same day I broke up with my ex.”

“He’s a good person, very gentle. We get along well in all aspects.”

Chu Lai wasn’t great at complimenting people, and sometimes he was too lazy to speak up. Cen Wei, who always tried to get a compliment from him, often found himself teased by Chu Lai’s understated remarks.

Someone who never liked discussing personal matters was now sharing the story of how they met in a live stream. These few compliments were words that even Cen Wei rarely heard in person.

Chu Lai said, “I think I’m lucky to have found someone who fills all the gaps in my life.”

Too bad his serious tone didn’t match the fans’ mood. Some had already shared the viral wedding video with others who hadn’t seen it, while others were curious if the rumor that his current partner was his ex’s boss was true.

The barrage flooded in so quickly that Chu Lai couldn’t help but notice.

“Stop spamming; I’ve seen it,” Chu Lai sighed. “It’s true, I didn’t expect it either.”

[Hahaha, what a satisfying turn of events!]

[Amazing, marrying the cheating ex’s boss! I’m getting secondhand joy from this!]

With the key points covered, Chu Lai didn’t plan to continue. After ending the stream, he finally let out a breath.

But before he could fully relax, his chair suddenly spun uncontrollably, almost knocking him off, only for him to land directly into someone’s arms.

Looking up, Chu Lai saw the other half with his half-dried hair. “How old are you?”

Cen Wei leaned in closer, “The big streamer is off work now?”

Chu Lai: “Mm.”

Chu Lai was always satisfied with Cen Wei’s broad chest, so he curled up comfortably in his embrace, soaking in the scent of body wash. Like cradling a child, Cen Wei held him tight and smiled, “Am I your other half?”

Chu Lai remained silent for two seconds before biting down on Cen Wei’s collarbone. The man was still in his loosely tied bathrobe, letting out a muffled groan from the bite.

Feeling a bit wronged, Cen Wei asked, “Why bite me?”

Chu Lai responded, “For watching my stream in the bathroom.”

Cen Wei: “You said it was okay to watch from there.”

Chu Lai had no comeback for that. Cen Wei carried him from the study to the bedroom, walking around, and said, “Don’t mind the stuff online.”

The person in his arms lazily asked, “Is ‘CEO becomes third party for love’ a good description?”

Cen Wei: “But I didn’t do that.”

He thought about it and realized how exaggerated it all sounded. Their relationship had come together through a mix of timing, chance, and circumstances. If anything had gone differently, they wouldn’t have had the chance to be cuddling together now.

Thinking of this, Cen Wei held Chu Lai even tighter. Chu Lai complained, “Don’t squeeze me any more. My face is going to get squished.”

Cen Wei: “Wasn’t this what you wanted?”

Chu Lai: “What?”

Cen Wei: “This is what you asked for at the beginning.”

Just as Chu Lai was about to reply, there was a knock at the door. Grandma Hong came to call them for dinner, but the door wasn’t closed properly, so when she knocked, it swung open, and she caught sight of the two of them hugging.

Grandma instinctively adjusted her glasses, letting out a teasing “Oh my.”

Chu Lai quickly jumped out of Cen Wei’s arms, but his poor physical condition nearly caused him to fall. Fortunately, Cen Wei caught him in time.

Grandma even covered her eyes, “Oh dear, grandma interrupted something.”

Seeing that Cen Wei hadn’t properly fastened his robe, Chu Lai tugged it closed for him. Grandma chuckled, “No need to cover up. You just got married; this is normal.”

Her comments were amusing, and just as Chu Lai was about to explain, Cen Wei walked over to send her out, saying, “We’ll come down to eat soon.”

Grandma was still surprised, “So fast?”

Chu Lai thought: How did things turn out like this?

Cen Wei, at a loss for words, chose to escort Grandma downstairs.

It seemed there was seafood soup brewing today, with a rich aroma wafting through the house. Given that Grandma had come upstairs to call them, it was clear she had personally made it.

After sending the elder downstairs, Cen Wei came back and carefully closed the door. “Sorry, that was my fault.”

He was always quick to apologize, leaving Chu Lai no choice but to hurry him to change clothes. “Let’s go eat.”

In Chu Lai’s email, there was still an invitation from Liu Yuan about a class reunion. The time and location had all been arranged.

Next month was the Lunar New Year, and it wasn’t uncommon for people to gather in S City during the holiday.

Such events had never been on Chu Lai’s radar. He could go shopping alone or visit a mummy exhibition by himself, but he had no hesitation in refusing such occasions.

Liu Yuan was terrible at lying, and Chu Lai really wanted to ask why Cen Wei went through such elaborate measures. Was there something more to it?

But since the other party danced around the subject, Chu Lai didn’t bother to ask further and replied with his agreement.

An invitation from the production team of Paper Umbrella Town was also on Chu Lai’s mind, so after dinner, while walking the dog with Cen Wei, he brought it up.

The dog needed some socializing too, sniffing around with a Pomeranian up ahead. Still watching the dogs, Cen Wei asked, “Do you want to try it?”

Because Chu Lai had pointed out the bugs during his stream, the issues with the wood material and umbrella structure had been fixed. The development team had even expressed their thanks to Chu Lai in the patch notes and extended an invitation for him to do a collaboration video, as they would soon be working with Lianxin Umbrella Co.

Chu Lai asked, “Was this your idea?”

It was cold outside, and Chu Lai still wasn’t a fan of heavy coats. He wore a scarf knitted by Grandma, which was clearly a matching set with Cen Wei’s.

“No, I was surprised too,” replied Cen Wei, still keeping an eye on the dog. You’d never guess he used to be scared of dogs. “From a business perspective, it makes sense for them to organize such events.”

“What’s your collaboration about?” Chu Lai asked before drawing out his response with a long “Ooh… commercial secrets.”

Though Chu Lai worked for a large company, his job was highly replaceable, and the mid-thirties career crisis was a very real thing. Promotions were hard to come by, and salary increases were modest, but the benefits and team atmosphere were decent. Decision-making on projects was not something that concerned him.

A gentle breeze blew through the lively dog park. The residents of this area were mostly wealthy, and some had received invitations to their wedding. When they saw the two standing together, they greeted them.

Since the wedding, rumors had spread, and even though Chu Lai wasn’t particularly sensitive, he could feel the occasional, subtle gazes.

“There are no secrets when it comes to you,” Cen Wei said as he took Chu Lai’s hand. Finding the gloves a bit cumbersome, he muttered about how wearing gloves for a simple dog walk was unnecessary.

Chu Lai allowed him to remove his gloves. Holding his hand in his large palm, Cen Wei said, “Just some collaborative activities. The game was never that popular, but I’ve noticed you don’t seem to enjoy playing big, mainstream games?”

Chu Lai nodded, leaning a bit toward Cen Wei but still subconsciously straightening up.

Though they were no longer in a marriage of convenience, Cen Wei naturally pulled him closer, preventing Chu Lai’s instinctive avoidance of intimacy.

Chu Lai thought about it for a moment and said, “It might be a kind of ‘popularity phobia.’”

Recalling the shows, movies, and comics he liked, none of them were particularly mainstream. He wasn’t sure how to explain the feeling. “If too many people like it, it just loses its appeal.”

Although Cen Wei’s interests were broad, he wasn’t as familiar with niche topics as Chu Lai. He chuckled and said, “Did you know that the head of this game studio is your classmate?”

Chu Lai nodded. “Liu Yuan told me.”

He didn’t seem particularly excited. Even in school, he hadn’t been close with classmates.

“I remember he was already into these things back in school,” Chu Lai said. Even though there were group activities in college, it wasn’t as mandatory as high school, and once he graduated, he barely remembered his classmates’ names. “I guess what you study in university doesn’t always dictate what you do later.”

“He found me first, and then I told him you were Laic. He was really surprised,” Cen Wei added with a laugh.

Chu Lai, looking a bit tired, probably because of how harsh Cen Wei had been the previous night, still had red circles under his eyes. Xuan Rongqing even brought him some of her eye patches.

Normally indifferent, Chu Lai looked particularly alluring with a hint of red, just enough to ignite desire. It was like now, with the cold winter breeze, and all Cen Wei had to do was glance at the lingering flush on his face, and he couldn’t help but recall inappropriate scenes that weren’t suitable for this moment.

Oblivious to this, Chu Lai focused on watching the dogs, currently running with a French bulldog. “He mentioned it in the email. I added him on WeChat this afternoon.”

“You hadn’t added your university classmates on WeChat before?” laughed Cen Wei.

Chu Lai couldn’t be bothered to explain that he had been added to a reunion group, thinking it was probably all set up by the person next to him. He hummed in agreement. “I figured I wouldn’t need to stay in touch anyway.”

His social circle was incredibly small. It seemed Chu Lai preferred this tight space, but his aloofness made it hard for most people to get close to him.

“Does it feel forced?” Cen Wei asked.

“What?” Chu Lai replied.

As they stood there, their silhouettes from behind looked perfectly matched. Even passersby who had heard the gossip couldn’t associate them with those wild online rumors.

Sometimes, whether two people were in love or not, you could tell just from the atmosphere they shared.

“Wasn’t there an invitation for you to make an appearance? But our Chu Lai doesn’t show his face when he streams,” teased Cen Wei.

“You forgot? My face has already been exposed thanks to the wedding,” Chu Lai said, not exactly complaining, though he kicked a small stone in frustration.

Lowering his head to meet Chu Lai’s eyes, Cen Wei gently asked, “Sorry, does it feel like too much?”

Their dog ran over after playing for a while, spinning around its owners a few times before getting called back by its dog friends to continue their game.

Chu Lai shook his head, remembering what Cen Jianzun had said to him at lunch earlier. Meeting Cen Wei’s gaze, he asked, “Do you think I should give it a try?”

He was uncertain, having accepted the class reunion invitation partly because of Cen Wei’s involvement but unsure about accepting this half-work, half-social invitation.

“What do you really want?” asked Cen Wei.

The park was lively, with kids reluctant to end their holiday running around, gasping in awe as the dogs played.

Chu Lai looked down at his shoes and then at the dogs running in the distance.

“I don’t know,” he admitted.

“Then let’s wait. I remember their project will start after the new year. For now, everyone’s focused on the holiday,” said Cen Wei.

That was true. Even the company group chat was buzzing with people planning their vacation, talking about when they’d head home and how hard it was to get tickets.

Having grown up, worked, and fallen in love in S City, Chu Lai had no concept of returning home for the holidays. After being alone for so long, holidays were just regular days to him. He’d call Yu Ruimei to say he was eating well when in reality, he couldn’t be bothered to cook, just frying up some frozen food to get by.

But now, someone who used to barely care about their own life was beginning to look forward to the holiday season.

“Let’s deal with it after the new year, then,” Chu Lai nodded.

Dacai, having had his fill of fun, came back to them, drinking plenty of water. Squatting down, Chu Lai petted the dog.

When Xuan Rongqing came back from playing badminton outside, she saw Chu Lai spacing out and asked Cen Wei, who was sitting on the sofa watching TV with Grandma, “What’s wrong with Chu Lai? Is something on his mind?”

Remembering the marks on Chu Lai’s wrists during dinner, she glanced at Cen Wei again. “Stop bullying him. You’re older; can’t you control yourself?”

“It’s work that’s bothering him,” replied Cen Wei.

Suspicious of his tone, Xuan Rongqing said, “Why do you seem happy about it?”

“I’m not,” said Cen Wei, feeling wronged.

“Did something happen?” asked Xuan Rongqing.

On the surface, Chu Lai didn’t seem clingy, but after observing for a long time, Cen Wei realized he was more attached to the dog. After the dog finished drinking, Chu Lai wiped its mouth and then carried it around.

It was like he was telling the dog, “You’re my only one.” What used to amuse Cen Wei now made him a little jealous, thinking the dog was too clueless.

Not taking his eyes off Chu Lai, he said, “It seems like he’s considering a new career path.”

Sometimes, Chu Lai worked late into the night, and even Xuan Rongqing felt that young people these days were under too much pressure. After all, with no parents to rely on, it was a miracle that he had grown up healthy and well.

“You’re a few years older than him; you should help out more,” said Xuan Rongqing, before sighing. “You treat overtime like a hobby. It’s unbearable.”

Mothers could be brutally honest when complaining. When Chu Lai finished playing with the dog and washing his hands, Xuan Rongqing pulled him aside for a chat.

Sitting on the sofa, Cen Wei couldn’t stop smiling, not at all upset about being lectured. Grandma Hong, wearing her reading glasses, was watching videos of handsome guys. She suddenly asked, “Are you and Chu Lai going on a honeymoon?”

“What?” asked a confused Cen Wei, turning just in time to see a video of a man showing off his abs on Grandma’s large-screen phone. His mouth twitched as he replied, “We haven’t talked about it yet. We both have limited time off.”

Grandma sighed, “I noticed Chu Lai doesn’t seem happy going to work. He’s not very expressive, so it’s hard to tell, but I’ve seen it.”

Thinking that few people enjoy going to work, especially since Grandma was spot on, Cen Wei asked with a smile, “How can you tell, Grandma?”

Nowadays, short videos were all driven by algorithms. One moment, the muscular man was over, and the next, it was a guy in an apron cooking. Unable to watch any longer, Cen Wei saw Grandma happily sharing the video with Chu Lai.

Should I really start working out for this? he wondered. Find a personal trainer?

Grandma replied, “He takes forever to put his shoes on in the morning. I saw him tying and untying his laces several times.”

Realizing he had failed as a boyfriend, noticing less than Grandma, but finding Chu Lai all the more adorable, he couldn’t help but laugh.

“You’re better now, more approachable than before. Oh, back then you had such a gloomy face, like everyone owed you something.”

Grandma continued to watch her videos, complaining as she went, “Don’t tell me you didn’t have a gloomy face. You’d smile, but it never reached your eyes. For Chu Lai to fall for you, he must have great mental resilience.”

Cen Wei: …

It seemed his already meager household standing had taken another hit since getting married.

The next day, both had to work, so Chu Lai didn’t stay up late gaming, even forbidding Cen Wei from sharing the same bed.

Three days after their wedding, Cen Wei was sleeping in the guest room. When he returned from his morning run, his wife had already left.

The elders woke up early, and Grandma was outside pushing Grandpa in his wheelchair. The old man gave a sly grin as he saw the returning Cen Wei. “Serves you right for not controlling yourself. Chu Lai left ages ago.”

Drinking a sip of water, Cen Wei said, “Why are you like this?”

Grandpa laughed heartily, “I’m on Chu Lai’s side.”

The Cen house was a bit far from Chu Lai’s company, and he had woken up from a dream about his father early that morning.

Xuan Rongqing loved to cook, especially exploring different breakfast dishes. Seeing that Chu Lai had woken up at a decent time, she made him a lavish meal and had the driver take him to work.

The Cen family’s cars were all quite flashy, so Chu Lai had the driver drop him off outside the company complex, walking in slowly.

When his team members saw him arriving early—unusual for someone who usually cut it close or was late—they were surprised.

In the past few days, the wedding video that had gone viral had topped the trending charts multiple times across various platforms. The entire company recognized Chu Lai’s back from the video, and after the morning meeting, someone couldn’t help but ask.

“It’s you, right? The runaway groom from the video?”

“If the wedding favors were that fancy, I should’ve just given a token gift and gone to the event.”

Chu Lai was a bit exasperated. “How can you say that?”

The team was pretty laid-back with each other, so someone asked, “So, what’s it like marrying a big CEO?”

Chu Lai said a few things, but many others in the office were curious. By lunchtime, when he treated his team to a meal, people from other departments couldn’t resist asking, “Is the stuff online true?”

The team was hesitant to bring it up, as they knew Chu Lai’s personality and how reserved and self-controlled he seemed. The idea that he was a gold digger didn’t fit at all.

Everyone’s salary was enough to support themselves, and Chu Lai’s material desires were minimal—his phone was still the same one he had bought when he first started working.

Before Chu Lai could respond, an intern said, “Of course not. It’s all rumors.”

“Yeah, who’s the one actually being a gold digger here?”

The person asking looked awkward. “People in the elevator were all talking about it this morning. Haven’t you noticed how many people have been watching this side?”

Others had noticed too.

Chu Lai felt frustrated. He just wanted a normal life, but the online posts kept surfacing. Though he had addressed it briefly in his stream last night, it wasn’t enough to shift the overall narrative.

The atmosphere during lunch grew tense, but Chu Lai shook his head. “I don’t like discussing my private life, but I’m ready to quit.”

“What? Quit?”

“That’s too sudden!”

Chu Lai replied, “The whole ‘we got married because of love at first sight’ story was a lie. Actually, I caught my ex kissing someone else.”

“And that’s the day I met my current husband.”

He wore glasses, and though he didn’t have the suave aura of the groom in the viral video, there was still a distance that made him hard to approach.

Those who had worked with him knew how meticulous he was. No matter how urgent things got, he never panicked. Having such a colleague made the workplace comfortable.

“So it was cheating?”

“Why were you the one accused of being a gold digger?”

“Was it your ex who spread the rumors?”

“What a terrible person!”