---

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7

He Yu is a meticulous person, always striving for perfection and avoiding waste. When helping me move, he had a harder time letting go of things than I did.

The new house wasn’t close, and we didn’t finish settling in until dusk. The sky outside was thick with clouds, and almost instantly, large raindrops began to fall. Soon, it was pouring heavily, with the rain beating down in torrents.

I had forgotten to check the weather forecast, and the downpour was expected to last for the next eight hours.

Stopping He Yu as he grabbed his car keys to leave, I said, “Ah Yu, you’ve done enough today. Stay here tonight, it’s not safe to drive in such heavy rain.”

He glanced at the downpour outside, nodded, and calmly agreed, “Alright.”

The system immediately warned me, “Sleeping is fine, but no crawling into the male lead’s bed at night, got it?”

I sighed, “System, I know you’re anxious, but calm down.”

“Who’s the one crawling into bed during rainy nights anyway? Isn’t it your male lead?”

As a CEO with a tragic backstory, He Yu had a painful childhood. He was part of the “fake young master” trope, where at the age of five, after his biological mother passed away, his true identity was revealed.

When the prestigious He family in Haishi found out he was the housekeeper’s son, they quickly threw him into an orphanage they owned, without any hesitation.

Children can be brutally simple and direct in their cruelty, sometimes more so than adults.

The young master, once born with a silver spoon in his mouth, suddenly fell from grace, becoming a moon reflected in water, easily disrupted and trampled upon. Everyone wanted to kick him while he was down, as if that could vent their own frustrations with life.

On a stormy night, young He Yu was locked in a rundown warehouse by a gang of orphanage bullies, led by a chubby kid. He was shivering from the cold, his face pale and his lips blue.

I wrapped him in my coat, holding him close to warm him up.

Since then, He Yu has had a psychological aversion to thunderstorms.

As a child, he refused to admit it, but as he grew older, he became less embarrassed. Whenever it rained, he’d sneak into my bed at night, clinging to me and even whining, “Ah Jin, hold me, I’m scared.”

Even after I took him away from the rainy Haishi to the dry, rain-scarce Beicheng, the fear never completely left him.

---

8

That night, amidst the flashes of lightning and booming thunder, the door creaked open.

The bed dipped as someone climbed onto it, and soon a warm body pressed against my back.

I stiffened, thinking of subtly moving away, but before I could, an arm snaked around my waist, pulling me close. He Yu’s hot breath tickled the back of my neck, sending shivers down my spine.

“Ah Jin, I know you’re still awake.”

His voice was soft and pitiful. “Just this once, please don’t push me away again, okay?”

He Yu had always been handsome, even as a child, but as he grew into a man, his features developed in ways that made my heart race. He was the epitome of my ideal type, from his appearance to his demeanor.

When we were around eighteen or nineteen, young and full of energy, He Yu’s constant clinging was almost unbearable for me. I’ve always been gay, and having him around, hugging and rubbing against me, was more temptation than I could handle.

I had to lie, keeping a straight face as I said, “Ah Yu, one day we’ll both get married and have families. You can’t rely on me like this forever. I can throw you a lifeline and pull you from the abyss, but you can’t let it tie you down for life, understand?”

After that, he stopped sneaking into my bed during stormy nights, growing more and more emotionally reserved and difficult to read.

I sighed, calling on the system. “System, cut me some slack. He Yu helped me all day with the move, even made the bed. If I kick him out now, that’s just heartless.”

The system snorted. “You’re fooling no one. I can see that smirk you’re hiding.”

“Fine, considering the male lead’s about to meet the female lead, I’ll let it slide this time.”

The system had been on high alert since it detected He Yu’s absurd 99% affection rating for me, constantly on guard to prevent any inappropriate closeness. It knew exactly what kind of person I was before I ended up in this novel, and it was terrified I’d cross the line and take advantage of him.

Leaning back against He Yu’s firm chest, I couldn’t resist pushing slightly against him with my elbow.

I was rewarded with a suppressed, hoarse groan.

Wow, he really has been working out.

Back when we were in school, he was so thin that I had to chase off the bullies demanding protection money. But now, with his broad shoulders, narrow waist, and solid muscle, he’s practically the perfect specimen.

It’s a pity that I can look but not touch. What sweet torture this is.

“Mm, sleep,” I said. “Just this once.”

After all, I won’t have many more chances to take advantage of him. The female lead, Shi Qing, will appear soon, and that will be the end of it.

She has a tragic backstory—her father’s a gambler, her mother an alcoholic, leaving her with a fractured life. She works hard to support herself, and when she meets He Yu at his birthday party, they fall in love at first sight.

The system assured me that male and female leads have an innate attraction. Once they lock eyes, sparks will fly.

He Yu’s current high affection for me is probably just a small glitch. As long as I maintain my distance, the plot will correct itself, and the straight-man trope will stay on track.

---

9

When that day finally arrived, I realized the system wasn’t wrong.

He Yu’s birthday party wasn’t really for celebrating—it was more of a business networking event for the upper echelons of Beicheng. Deals were made amidst toasts and small talk.

Shi Qing, dressed as a waitress in a white shirt and black skirt, was serving champagne to the guests. Even standing there, she drew curious stares from all around.

She had a slim, delicate figure, pure and elegant like a lotus flower. Though she looked fragile, her demeanor was resilient. Truly beautiful and captivating.