The next day, Chu Lai woke up early, and Cen Wei’s sleeping face was right next to his.

It was rare for Cen Wei to wake up later than Chu Lai. Ever since they had been together, even Da Cai (the dog) had developed the habit of going out an extra time each day. If Chu Lai stayed home to rest, Cen Wei would usually be gone by the time he woke up, and Da Cai would jump onto the bed, waiting for Chu Lai to wake up before heading out. If Da Cai wasn’t around, it meant Cen Wei had taken him to work.

Even a big-time company owner like Cen Wei occasionally needed the company of the family dog, though he would righteously claim in his text messages that work was too exhausting. But it was clearly a subtle hint that Chu Lai was welcome to drop by the office to see him.

There was one time Cen Wei accidentally sent such a message to the family group chat. Grandma Hong sent several laughing emojis in response, and by the time Cen Wei realized and tried to retract the message, it was too late.

When Chu Lai finally woke up and checked his phone, there were already 99+ messages. Cen Wei was being teased by the three adults at home, completely overwhelmed and frantically tagging Chu Lai to help him out.

Chu Lai responded with an eye-rolling dog emoji and urged Cen Wei to return the dog.

Before, Chu Lai had never encountered anyone from Cen Wei’s social circle. Despite both having grown up, studied, and worked in the same city, they had never even had the chance to cross paths.

When he first met Cen Wei, he seemed distant and unattainable, more like a character from a work of fiction than someone real. But after getting closer, Chu Lai realized that some people weren’t as composed and carefree as they appeared on the surface. Cen Wei, for example, would struggle through several consecutive days of meetings, though his strong sense of responsibility kept him from complaining about work at home. At first, he didn’t even mention these things to Chu Lai, preferring to squat with Da Cai, watching the dog eat as a way to relieve stress. This sight startled Chu Lai the first time he walked in on it.

Even though they were married and living together every day, Cen Wei’s work schedule made it hard for him to keep his promise of cooking three meals a day. He often worked late and forgot to eat, while Chu Lai, having switched careers and learning new things, had a more precise schedule and could remind Cen Wei to take breaks. However, with his frequent business trips, Cen Wei sometimes came home late at night. Chu Lai, being a night owl, didn’t mind waiting up for him, but Cen Wei felt guilty about it.

His way of making up for it was through tight embraces, enough to make Chu Lai stumble backward when opening the door. Cen Wei seemed to find it amusing, inching forward step by step to pull him into his arms. Even when his scarf fell to the ground, he didn’t care. He would pick Chu Lai up, pajama-clad and all, laughing even as Chu Lai hit him. In the end, he would declare, “I’m so happy.”

How could someone say “happy” so easily?

Though Chu Lai would grumble internally, he still felt the full power of that word with each passing moment.

Now, with birds chirping outside the window, Chu Lai watched Cen Wei’s peaceful face in the morning light for a long time.

He originally wanted to lie in bed with him a little longer, but suddenly remembered he had told the master at the woodcarving studio that he would come in the morning to organize things. Among them was a gift he had been working on for Cen Wei.

Cen Wei’s birthday was on Monday, and Chu Lai had initially planned with Xuan Rong to return home on Sunday.

He had even asked Xuan Rong about how they used to celebrate Cen Wei’s birthdays. Xuan Rong sighed when he brought it up, “Before the accident, we celebrated every year. After the incident, plus his teenage years, he stopped interacting with people. You’ve seen the pictures, Lai Lai, his face was so fierce. He didn’t like grand birthdays anymore, so we just gave him red envelopes.”

“Whatever he wanted.”

Chu Lai nodded. Since they were already talking about birthdays, Xuan Rong asked him, “And what about your birthdays, Lai Lai, over the years?”

“If Grandma was around, she’d celebrate for me,” Chu Lai paused for a moment. “Once I was in college, Liu Yuan would take me out for a meal and give me a small gift.”

“Simple, but nice.”

The elder hummed in approval, “That’s good. I was worried you didn’t celebrate at all.”

Chu Lai asked, “So, even when Cen Wei returned to China, he didn’t celebrate? His colleagues at the company must know about his birthday, right?”

“Usually, the company does wish employees a happy birthday, but Cen Wei’s the boss…” Xuan Rong chuckled. “At most, he’d have a meal with Xiao Shen and the others.”

She knew her son’s personality well. He wasn’t one to seek out lively celebrations, but he didn’t shy away from socializing occasionally. Once, Shen Yangxu even asked Xuan Rong if they should throw a big party for Cen Wei’s 30th birthday, but she said the family wasn’t going to get involved.

The vice president, who had thrown a grand 30th birthday party the year before, was a little disappointed and asked Chu Lai about it later that evening.

Chu Lai replied, “On Monday, I’m going to his company for an event. After that, we’ll go for a stroll.”

At the time, he hadn’t realized that Cen Wei would be joining them. Now that he thought back, he remembered how Xuan Rong had hinted about plane tickets—it was likely that Cen Wei had mentioned his plans to her earlier.

Chu Lai quietly got out of bed, changed clothes, and left without waking Cen Wei. Since Xuan Rong had gone hiking early in the morning, the house was empty. Chu Lai headed to the woodcarving studio.

The morning in the woodcarving town was peaceful, with an old man carrying flowers on a shoulder pole, walking by on the street. The breakfast shop diagonally across was already packed with people. The studio where Chu Lai was learning had opened early as well. He went in, familiar with the routine, found his spot, and began packing up the birthday gift he had finished yesterday.

An apprentice, who had arrived early, saw Chu Lai and asked, “Why so early today?”

Chu Lai replied, “I’m leaving in the afternoon, so I came to pack up first.”

The other person nodded, their gaze falling on the wooden carving Chu Lai was packing up. Having seen Chu Lai working on it over the past few days, they curiously asked, “Is it a gift?”

Chu Lai nodded but didn’t say much. Soon, his phone rang, and it was Cen Wei calling.

As Chu Lai packed the item into a small box, he heard the sleepy voice of the man on the other end of the line, “Lai Lai, where did you go?”

It had been less than twenty minutes. Chu Lai glanced at the time, thinking, Was I that noisy?

As if reading his mind, Cen Wei added, “I woke up right after you left.”

Chu Lai replied, “I’m at the studio next door.”

“So diligent? Then I should…”

“You should sleep a little more. If I’m not mistaken, you pulled an all-nighter on Friday, didn’t you?”

The long “Mmm” from Cen Wei sounded like he was still half-asleep, and Chu Lai could easily picture what he looked like right now.

This wasn’t the first time this had happened on a weekend morning. If Chu Lai woke up early to walk the dog, Da Cai would jump onto the bed and step all over Cen Wei, as if scolding the human for staying in bed too long. Eventually, Cen Wei would pin him down with a pillow and, mimicking Cen Jianxun’s tone, scold, “Xiao Baga, you’re a dog, not a cat.” Da Cai would then whimper softly. But by the time Chu Lai pushed open the door, everything would be calm again, with Cen Wei peacefully cuddling a black Shiba Inu. The only sign of the earlier chaos was the light-colored pillowcase covered in dog fur.

“Are you coming back?” Cen Wei asked.

“Yes.”

“I’ll wait for you.”

Chu Lai chuckled, getting the feeling that he was talking to a child.

He brought the birthday gift back to the guesthouse room, placed it directly into the suitcase, and found that Cen Wei had indeed fallen asleep again. Since Chu Lai wasn’t tired, he decided to go over the event plan for Monday one more time.

When Cen Wei woke up again, he found Chu Lai lying beside him. “Did I dream that I called you?” he asked.

“You called me. You even asked if I loved you,” Chu Lai replied.

That sentence sounded like a lie, and Chu Lai thought it was obvious. But to his surprise, Cen Wei actually considered it for a moment. “Would you ask something like that?” Chu Lai questioned.

“Yes.”

Chu Lai closed his eyes and sighed, “Were you always like this?”

“I thought I was dreaming. Did you go out this morning?”

“Yeah, we’re heading back home this afternoon, so I went to pack up my stuff from the studio. Otherwise, I would have forgotten.”

Since meeting Chu Lai, Cen Wei had rarely been apart from him for such a long time. He probably worked overtime too hard, to the point that even Shen Yangxu couldn’t help but comment. But in reality, for Cen Wei, going home alone to sleep felt so boring that he might as well keep working.

Ironically, it had been Chu Lai who originally suffered from ‘hug deprivation,’ but now it seemed like the condition had worsened in Cen Wei, reaching a late stage.

Still, something felt off to him. Why had Chu Lai chosen to go out early in the morning instead of waiting until they could pack together?

It was already close to ten. Their flight was in the afternoon, and it seemed like Cen Wei had come all this way just to sleep in a different place, essentially a change of scenery, like an experience in flying.

He lay in bed, turning to face Chu Lai. It was clear he had figured something out, but before he could say anything, Chu Lai covered his eyes with his hand, “Stop guessing.”

“Is it what I think it is?” Cen Wei asked.

“What do you think? Can you just pretend you don’t know?”

That was a tall order. Cen Wei scooted closer to Chu Lai, even when pushed away, continuing to edge forward. Eventually, they ended up tangled together, and Cen Wei asked, “Do you have anything else to do? Like saying goodbye to the woodcarving master?”

Chu Lai buried his face in his shoulder. “I’ve already said goodbye.”

“Do you want me to go see them?”

“I came here to see you.”

“You came in the middle of the night, slept for a bit, and now you’re leaving. Aren’t you tired? I would have gotten home by the afternoon anyway.”

Cen Wei pulled him close, “I told you, I missed you. Do you want me to say it again, Lai Lai?”

Chu Lai was pressed against his chest, unable to speak, while Cen Wei kept repeating, I missed Lai Lai so much.

In the end, the plan to stroll around the woodcarving town before heading to the airport fell through completely. Instead, they stayed tangled up until it was time for their flight, which they ended up missing.

Chu Lai dozed off in the bathtub. Outside the window was a dense old tree, and from his room on the top floor of the guesthouse, he could see a bird’s nest in the branches.

Early spring brought the perfect weather for going out, for flowers to bloom, and for falling in love.

Yet, Chu Lai felt like he had turned into a lump of clay. Fortunately, he had finished the birthday gift for Cen Wei yesterday. But, barring any surprises, he would probably be “unwrapped” again on Cen Wei’s actual birthday, which seemed far too frequent.

His face was still wet, and he didn’t even have the energy to glare at anyone. He said to Cen Wei, “Who’s turning thirty here? You or me?”

Having just rebooked their tickets, Cen Wei glanced at the cat lounging on the eaves outside the window. “I can’t wait to see what gift you’ve prepared for me.”

“Don’t bother me. I feel like I could sleep until evening.”

“Am I really that much of a bother?”

Chu Lai was just talking casually. He found a comfortable spot in Cen Wei’s embrace. “Not at all. I’m very satisfied.”

The way he said it sounded like he was being perfunctory. As if wanting to say something more, Cen Wei opened his mouth, only for Chu Lai to immediately cover it with his hand. “That’s enough.”

His muttering sounded cute: “Why are we always taking turns resting? This is so unfair.”

“We’ll go get gifts for Grandma and Grandpa tonight. For now, you can carry me to bed.”

/

This particular Monday was one that many employees of Cen Corporation had been looking forward to.

Today marked the official launch of the first collaboration event for the subsidiary brand “Zhu Xian.” After two weeks of online hype, fans were eager for more material. Little did they know, even the internal employees hadn’t been given a sneak peek at the event details by the end of last week.

When the team from the game company responsible for “Zhisan Town” arrived, Vice President Shen Yangxu of Cen Corporation’s umbrella division was there to greet them.

The event materials were kept strictly confidential throughout, and not a single detail was leaked, even from the pop-up store selected for the event.

Chu Lai didn’t leave the house with Cen Wei that morning. They had already discussed everything and agreed to follow the planned schedule. However, it was rare for them to cross paths professionally, and Cen Wei seemed reluctant, glancing back every few steps as he left the house.

When Grandma Hong returned from her morning Tai Chi routine to eat breakfast, she found Chu Lai leisurely eating a scallion bun at the dining table. He looked nothing like the suit-clad figure that had just left for work.

“Doesn’t Lai Lai need to wear formal clothes?” Grandma Hong asked.

Everyone knew Chu Lai was now a live-streaming host. The elderly members of the family were quite up-to-date with trends and would even gather to watch his live streams when they received notifications.

Chu Lai shook his head, “If I dressed like that, I’d look like an insurance salesman.”

Xuan Rong passed him a cup of soy milk and teased, “Why say that? So many people complimented you in the wedding photos.”

His mom had originally thought that by giving up her ticket and letting Cen Wei buy new ones, the two would end up flying home together on Saturday. Little did she know, both of them missed the flight and ended up taking the same one as her.

When asked why she had returned earlier while the two of them came home so late, Chu Lai didn’t answer, and Cen Wei smoothly deflected, calling it a “date.” In reality, he had been stepped on several times.

“My designer friend even asked me if Lai Lai would be willing to model for them,” Xuan Rong said with a smile.

Chu Lai chuckled, “Mom, you’re too good at flattering people.”

“Maybe Cen Wei needs to learn from me. Did he upset you? Didn’t you two come back together?”

Embarrassed to admit it, Chu Lai couldn’t bring himself to speak. He thought to himself that Cen Wei was kind of a pervert—what sex drive issue? That was just a scam.

Thinking back, that fleeting glance outside the bar was nothing but a misreport of his preferences. And, of course, Cen Wei feigned innocence, claiming he didn’t know either.

On Sunday, when he returned home behind Chu Lai’s back, he even had the nerve to ask, “Didn’t you enjoy it too, Lai Lai?”

Chu Lai could only be grateful that his voice was still intact for today’s live stream, or else he would have been mercilessly teased by his viewers.

Sensing that Chu Lai didn’t want to talk about it, Xuan Rong seemed to catch on as well.

She smiled, checked the time, and said, “You’d better hurry if you want to make it to the office by 10:30. You’ll have enough time as long as there’s no traffic.”

Grandma Hong, still sipping her porridge, remarked, “What’s the rush? It’s all family business.”

Chu Lai shook his head, “It’s also my classmate’s company.”

Grandma sighed, “Young people these days are so impressive. They’re starting businesses and doing so well for themselves.”

Next to her, Grandpa Cen quipped, “I started my own business too.”

No one paid him much attention. Chu Lai chimed in, “Grandpa, you’re amazing.”

The old man beamed with pride, and as Chu Lai prepared to leave, he stuffed two movie tickets into his hands. “Do you remember Grandpa Zeng, who came over for dinner last time? His grandson is an actor, and he sent us these tickets. I haven’t heard of you and Cen Wei going to the movies together, so how about seeing one after work today?”

Chu Lai also pulled out a card tucked between the tickets without saying a word, simply looking at Grandpa Cen.

The old man quickly explained, “It’s for a restaurant I invested in recently. They’re trying something new.”

His hint was clear. Chu Lai knew what it meant—it was a nudge to make sure he gave Cen Wei a proper birthday celebration.

The weeklong trip to the woodcarving town had been both an inspection and a cover for Chu Lai to work on his gift for Cen Wei. Doing it at home in the workshop would’ve made it too easy for him to discover, but with his mom along, he was able to avoid suspicion—though in the end, Cen Wei still found out.

Judging by how the big boss had glanced back repeatedly on his way to work, it was obvious he had a sense of what was going on.

When Chu Lai arrived at Cen Corporation’s umbrella division, he was surprised to find that the person greeting him was none other than the boss himself. The receptionist had seen Chu Lai before but hadn’t really remembered him.

After all, he’d only visited twice before, and both times were during peak hours when the office was bustling. Having Cen Wei personally meet him wasn’t considered a big deal—just not what people expected during regular work hours.

The company’s delivery chat group quickly became a hotbed of gossip.

“I swear, did President Cen just go downstairs to pick up his wife?”

“I totally regret not riding the elevator a few more times earlier. Some people have seen him waiting at the elevator.”

“Who’s stalking live streams just to ship this CP…?”

“Totally indifferent when the partner arrives, but makes a big deal when the wife shows up—if that’s not true love, I don’t know what is.”

“I’m on site. Lai Lai doesn’t look nearly as photogenic in person but still super delicate.”

The internal group chat was buzzing with idle chatter. As soon as Chu Lai walked in and saw Cen Wei, his first instinct was to frown.

The man, ever the professional, extended his hand, “Hello, Mr. Chu. I’m Cen Wei.”

Chu Lai played along with his act, “Hello, Mr. Cen.”

Anyone who didn’t know better would’ve thought they were strangers.

The collaboration event mostly involved an online live interview. “Zhisan Town,” a recently popular single-player game, had made a splash in its genre thanks to its mix of puzzle-solving and folk customs. The collaboration with Cen Corporation’s umbrella division was highly anticipated, and the live stream host asked questions centered on the three parties involved.

What surprised everyone was the peculiar seating arrangement.

The game’s representative was a university classmate of Chu Lai’s. Due to some unexpected events at the last class reunion, the two hadn’t had the chance to chat much. Today, before the live stream, they exchanged a few words, with Chu Lai requesting to sit next to him.

So, the seating ended up with Cen Wei, the game’s representative, and then Chu Lai, which left fans entering the live stream a bit puzzled.

[Why is the game rep acting as a third wheel?!]

[I got into this because of the double workshop live stream on the first day of the New Year. These two are so perfect together, but what’s going on here?]

[Aren’t they married? Why are they avoiding each other like this? It’s not like they’re in the entertainment industry, so there’s no need for all this.]

[Shipping real couples doesn’t hurt anyone…]

[What’s wrong with shipping real couples?!]

The first few rounds of the event went smoothly, with Cen Wei introducing the “Zhu Xian” brand and the game’s representative explaining their development direction. Chu Lai, being just an amateur live streamer currently transitioning careers, didn’t have much to say.

He blended into the crowd easily, but when put in front of the camera, he still stood out. He had a certain quiet presence even amid all the hustle and bustle.

All the while, Cen Wei couldn’t stop looking at him, which made their classmate in the center feel completely out of place.

Chu Lai, for his part, seemed oblivious. When the host asked about how he had pointed out the game’s mistake, he simply gestured towards Cen Wei, “He was next to me at the time.”

His tone was calm, and his demeanor gave off the same quietness he had while streaming games. New viewers found him almost robotic, while long-time fans recognized his signature style—it matched his unique face perfectly.

[Stop pretending you don’t know each other! You look so fed up with life!]

[Didn’t Laic leave his job? Why does he still have such a strong wage-slave vibe? I can’t imagine him being with an elite guy.]

Internally, Cen Wei was laughing, though his expression couldn’t quite hide it. Gone was the cold, distant persona he had shown during the earlier interviews.

Their classmate couldn’t help but sigh. What was wrong with these two? At that last reunion, they had been so over-the-top affectionate, but now they were acting like this… Still, the collaboration was unaffected. With the pop-up shop opening this weekend, they could elevate the event to the next level.

The game company had come mainly to sign a contract with Chu Lai, hoping he would continue streaming the game’s series. As classmates, Chu Lai had no reason to refuse.

After a team lunch with the collaborators, the game representatives left, and Chu Lai prepared to head home as well.

In the restaurant’s private room, only Chu Lai and Cen Wei remained. Reaching out, Cen Wei grabbed his hand, “You’ve been ignoring me all morning, Lai Lai.”

“Is this what you call ignoring? I’ve been helping you with your work, Mr. Cen.”

He still tried to maintain the composed demeanor they had before the live stream, completely unaware that their eye contact had been frequent enough to make their classmate uncomfortable.

“Work’s over now,” said Cen Wei.

He clasped Chu Lai’s hand naturally, their fingers interlocking, his gaze full of warmth, and his eyebrows soft, a far cry from the coldness he had shown in front of the camera.

Chu Lai had seen his indulgent side before. Wincing slightly as his waist ached faintly, he tried to pull his hand away but failed.

In a suit, Cen Wei looked striking. His height and physique were imposing, and when accompanied by assistants and staff in similarly sharp attire, his presence was even more captivating. Liu Yuan had once witnessed it and said that Chu Lai’s husband had a certain mafia boss flair. Afterward, he expressed concern for Chu Lai’s well-being, though at the time, Chu Lai hadn’t thought it necessary.

Now, he was starting to have his own doubts.

But Cen Wei refused to let go, calling out again, “Lai Lai.”

Chu Lai reached out and pinched his face, “Stop calling me that. Don’t you have a meeting this afternoon? I’m heading out.”

“You won’t wait for me to finish?”

“I’ve got things to do.”

“Going to check on the tutoring center?” Cen Wei asked knowingly.

Chu Lai knew how to hit his weak spots. Despite pretending to be indifferent, some people were secretly envious of his position as a tutor. Yesterday, after they got off the plane, Cen Wei had even told Xuan Rong that he had a “date” with Chu Lai.

Chu Lai hadn’t expected him to have rented a room styled like a high school classroom—it was completely out of the blue.

“No,” Chu Lai replied with a hint of sarcasm, “I’m visiting the Ji family with Mom.”

With that, he pulled Chu Lai closer, seating him on his lap. The traditional-style private room had a rock garden and trickling water, with the sound of an ancient zither playing softly. Chu Lai tapped Cen Wei’s hand, “Mr. Cen, you’re going to be late.”

“My attendance record is flawless.”

That remark hit a sore spot for Chu Lai, whose own record had been docked multiple times. Feeling the injustice, he stomped on Cen Wei’s expensive handmade shoes with his canvas sneakers.

Despite the footprint left behind, the perpetrator remained indifferent. Chu Lai brushed his fingers across Cen Wei’s face, checking the time. “I really have to go.”

“See you tonight.”

Cen Wei didn’t insist, mentally noting that he’d have to leave work early to pick him up from the Ji family’s house later.

During the afternoon meeting, though everything seemed normal on the surface, those who knew him well could sense something different.

One of the department managers asked the vice president, “What’s going on? Isn’t Mr. Chu here for a collaboration? Why does President Cen seem upset?”

Having spent the day standing close to Chu Lai, Shen Yangxu had his own thoughts. On the day of their wedding, the couple had left early, so many guests didn’t get a chance to talk to Chu Lai.

He seemed too young, making Cen Wei appear older in comparison. But it was mostly due to their styles of dress—Cen Wei wasn’t old. At thirty, he was in his prime, as long as he didn’t slick his hair back.

“Probably in a rush to leave early for a birthday celebration,” Shen Yangxu speculated.

After the meeting, he walked out with Cen Wei and mentioned, “I left your birthday gift on your desk.”

“Thanks,” replied Cen Wei.

They had known each other for years, and birthdays had always been simple affairs for them. “Not going on a date today?” Shen teased.

“Of course I am.”

Shen waggled his eyebrows, “Hope you have a fun birthday night.”

Handing off the report to his secretary, Cen Wei grabbed the jacket he had worn to lunch and prepared to leave. As he reached into his pocket for his keys, he found a folded piece of paper. Taking it out, he saw it was for a 7 p.m. movie.

Shen glanced at it, “Isn’t that the film that just came out today? My wife loves that actress.”

“Did you only buy one ticket for your date?”

Recalling how Chu Lai had sat in his lap during lunch, Cen realized that he must have slipped the ticket into his pocket at that moment.

Unable to suppress a smile, he didn’t bother answering Shen’s question and hurried off.

The March wind was still a bit chilly as Chu Lai arrived at the mall and waited outside the cinema on the top floor.

He had also bought a small cupcake. Just as Cen arrived, he spotted Chu Lai standing off to the side.

Sneaking up from behind, he covered Chu Lai’s eyes with his hands, only for Chu Lai to react indifferently, “How childish.”

Letting go, Cen laughed, “Won’t you play along?”

“I’ve been too cooperative with you, that’s why my back hurts so much.”

Handing over the gift bag at his feet, Chu Lai said, “Happy birthday.”

Nodding solemnly as if acknowledging his sin of causing Chu Lai’s back pain, Cen said, “I thought you weren’t going to celebrate for me.”

“Open it when we get home.”

“Why do I have to wait until we get home?”

“Because it’s part of your punishment,” Chu Lai replied, lips still tasting faintly of strawberries and his mouth smudged with whipped cream.

The man in the tan trench coat leaned down slightly, brushing the cream from Chu Lai’s lips before quickly giving him a peck. “This feels more like a reward than a punishment.”

“Thanks for spending my birthday with me, Lai Lai.”

In response, Chu Lai smeared more cream on his face. “We’ll celebrate from now on, and we’ll do it at home, with lots of people around.”

“Of course.”

“Grandpa’s birthday, Grandma’s birthday, Mom’s birthday, Da Cai’s birthday, and my birthday all need to be celebrated.”

Laughing, Cen asked, “What kind of celebration does Da Cai get?”

“You get to decide the new standard, Daddy Da Cai.”