Chapter 12

As summer vacation approached, Mo Yin no longer needed to go to school. He spent almost all his time with Pei Qing. When Pei Qing went to the company, he accompanied her. Mo Yin learned quickly; he could quickly handle small tasks like organizing documents. When Pei Qing saw him bored on the side, she would patiently teach him.

People who seemed to have a bad temper were actually very patient. Pei Qing taught Mo Yin very seriously. When Mo Yin didn’t understand something, Pei Qing would patiently explain it to him. His demeanor was no worse than Pei Mingshu’s.

When Mo Yin did well, Pei Qing would ruffle his hair. Mo Yin would smile and then lower his head to continue reading the documents.

In Pei’s house, they were both outsiders. It seemed natural for two lonely people to keep each other warm. This change in their relationship was just seen by others as two people of similar age getting along better.

After all, no one could have expected any special ambiguity between Mo Yin, a disabled person, and Pei Qing, who had a cold temperament.

Pei Mingshu stood with his hand in his pocket, his gaze passing casually in the direction of Mo Yin’s room.

Pei Qing had become increasingly uninhibited and often stayed late in Mo Yin’s room.

Pei Jing You once asked at the dinner table, and Pei Qing said he liked it.

At that time, Pei Mingshu’s hand holding the chopsticks paused, and his gaze glanced lightly at Pei Qing.

Pei Jingyou chuckled and didn’t say anything.

Later, Pei Jingyou and Pei Mingshu talked in the study. Pei Jingyou said, “Pei Qing seems to have a bad temper, but he’s actually very attentive. Mo Yin said Pei Qing helps him massage and move his legs every night. Thanks to Pei Qing, his leg muscles have improved a lot. Pei Qing is…”

Pei Jingyou wanted to say that Pei Qing was like his mother, but he stopped himself in front of Pei Mingshu.

Listening, Pei Mingshu’s brow slightly furrowed, then quickly smoothed out.

“Is that so?”

Pei Mingshu said, “I’ve been negligent.”

Pei Jingyou smiled, “Your mind is all on work; you don’t need to worry about these small things.”

Pei Mingshu took a sip of tea and calmly shifted the topic to Pei Jingyou’s health.

“I’m going to Heda,” Pei Qing said after hanging up the phone. He turned to Mo Yin and said, “I don’t know how long it will take. I’ll drop you off first.”

Mo Yin shook his head, “I’ll wait for you here.” He raised the folder in his hand and smiled, “I’ll help you finish these.”

Pei Qing looked at Mo Yin. Mo Yin’s smile gradually faded from his face, but a shy blush appeared on his fair skin. Pei Qing lifted his chin, and Mo Yin tilted his face up, seeming to expect something.

“Go on,” Mo Yin’s breath brushed against Pei Qing’s nose. “I’ll wait for you to go back together.”

Pei Qing left.

Mo Yin flipped through a page of documents, his gaze drifting to the safe on the right side of the desk. Pei Qing had no guard against him; he knew the password to the safe by heart.

With a lazy gaze, Mo Yin withdrew his gaze and continued to browse through the documents. The matters handled here by Pei Qing were not of high importance. Mo Yin could only see ordinary confidential documents, unable to touch the core areas.

He looked thoughtful, his fingers pointing on the document, his mind racing.

The relationship between him and Pei Qing had reached a certain level.

But it wasn’t enough.

And it wasn’t time yet…

There was a knock on the office door, and Ding Mo Hai entered.

“What does President Pei want from me?” Mo Yin pushed his wheelchair, his tone still polite but somewhat unfamiliar.

Ding Mohai smiled and led him to the private elevator without answering. When the elevator stopped on the 36th floor, Mo Yin glanced at Ding Mohai. Ding Mohai smiled, “It’s the Young Master who’s looking for you.”

Mo Yin: “Then why did you say it was Mr. Pei at first?”

Ding Mohai smiled again and chose to remain silent.

The office door opened, and Pei Mingshu stood facing Mo Yin with his back to the floor-to-ceiling window. In a light gray suit, his shoulders were like wings gathered by the action of inserting his hands into the pockets. He looked like a crane. Upon hearing the door open, he turned around, with a faint smile on his face. “You’re here.”

Mo Yin and Pei Qing were inseparable, whether at home or in the company. This Siamese twin-like state made it difficult for Pei Mingshu to find an opportunity to talk to Mo Yin alone.

The last time only the two of them had spoken face to face seemed to be on his birthday. Pei Mingshu thought so, feeling somewhat incredulous.

When Mo Yin first returned to the Pei family, he took care of him a bit more. As a result, their relationship became closer. But unconsciously, they hadn’t spoken for several months.

The moment Mo Yin entered the office, he lowered his head, looking evasive. Pei Mingshu’s expression was slightly startled, and the prepared opening remarks stuck on his lips.

The atmosphere became inexplicably awkward.

Pei Mingshu stood still for a moment, withdrew his hand from his pocket, and took a few steps forward.

Mo Yin sat in the wheelchair, head down. Pei Mingshu saw the two strands of hair on the top of his head and sighed softly, reaching out to touch Mo Yin’s hair, whispering, “Let’s talk.”

Pei Mingshu pushed his wheelchair to the edge of the sofa and hesitated to reach out to hug Mo Yin. His arm just touched Mo Yin’s back when Mo Yin blocked it.

Mo Yin’s expression was unfamiliar, tinged with caution, and his eyes seemed a bit flustered.

“Let’s talk on the sofa,” Pei Mingshu said softly.

“No need,” Mo Yin still blocked his hand, lowering his head, his tone somewhat stiff. “Let’s just talk like this.”

Pei Mingshu’s hand rested on Mo Yin’s back for a long time before slowly withdrawing.

He respected Mo Yin’s wishes, although he thought it would be better for both of them to sit on the sofa.

“How have you been lately?”

A very mundane opening remark, and Mo Yin’s response was equally dry, distant, and closed off. His heart seemed tightly shut. “Fine.”

Pei Mingshu found it strange.

Even if Mo Yin and Pei Qing were getting along, why did Mo Yin’s attitude towards him suddenly change like this? He thought that since the day he brought back Mo Yin’s parents’ ashes and portraits, Mo Yin had opened up to him. Even if there wasn’t any special closeness between them like with Pei Qing, it shouldn’t have been like this.

Pushing aside his doubts for now, Pei Mingshu started with a business, “I neglected it before. There are a few good physical therapists here. You can choose…”

He wanted to hand over the folder on the table, but Mo Yin scooted his wheelchair aside, saying, “No need.”

Pei Mingshu suddenly noticed that Mo Yin’s hands had been on the wheelchair all along, as if ready to leave at any moment.

Being alone with him in a room made him feel uncomfortable.

Pei Mingshu quickly realized this and felt puzzled. At the same time, he furrowed his brows slightly.

After a moment of silence, Pei Mingshu said, “Physical therapists would be more professional.” Seeing Mo Yin with his head down and not moving, he said gently, “Don’t be too emotional.”

Mo Yin’s fingers suddenly clenched, causing the wheelchair to tremble slightly, emitting a faint sound.

Pei Mingshu whispered, “I didn’t mean anything else.”

Mo Yin remained silent, but after a while, he raised his head again. There was a complex and unspoken part in his eyes as he looked at Pei Mingshu. His lips moved as if he had many things to say, but in the end, he simply refused in a concise manner, “I don’t want it.”

Pei Mingshu temporarily ignored analyzing the meaning in Mo Yin’s eyes, gently persuading, “Don’t joke about your own body.”

“I don’t want others to see me.”

Mo Yin’s tone became stiff again, and his eyes gradually reddened. Through gritted teeth, he said, “I don’t want others to see my legs.”

Pei Mingshu was shaken. After a moment, he stood up, and Mo Yin had already turned his face away. Pei Mingshu embraced his shoulders, bending down slightly, and apologized in a very gentle tone, “Xiao Yin, I’m sorry. I didn’t consider it well.”

Mo Yin’s body stiffened in his embrace. Pei Mingshu’s hand gently stroked his back. Gradually, Mo Yin stopped tensing up and leaning on Pei Mingshu’s chest, raising his arms to rest on Pei Mingshu’s forearms.

Pei Mingshu comforted him softly, “If you don’t want it, then forget it. I won’t mention it again in the future.”

“Shall we chat on the sofa for a while?” Pei Mingshu lowered his gaze.

This time, Mo Yin didn’t refuse. Pei Mingshu lifted him from the wheelchair and placed him on the sofa. When he put Mo Yin down, Mo Yin’s arm slid slowly from his shoulder, seeming reluctant to leave. But as soon as he settled down, Pei Mingshu looked at Mo Yin again and found him calm, without any lingering attachment.

Like a true elder brother, Pei Mingshu asked about Mo Yin’s final exam results in college. When he heard that Mo Yin had scored all A’s, a faint smile appeared on his face. “You’ve been coming to the company every day recently. Aren’t you bored?”

“Not bored,” Mo Yin chose his words carefully. “I have things to do.”

Pei Mingshu nodded with one leg crossed over the other. “Learn more. You can also come to the company to work in the future.”

Mo Yin shook his head, and Pei Mingshu asked, “Don’t want to go to the company?” Mo Yin glanced at him. “I just feel very bored alone at home.” He lowered his head, his voice gradually fading. “…It’s really boring.”

Pei Mingshu reached out and touched his hair. “Whenever I have time, I’ll take you out.”

Suddenly, Pei Mingshu seemed genuinely interested. “There’s nothing much this afternoon. Shall I take you out for a walk?”

Mo Yin said, “I have to wait for Pei Qing.”

Pei Mingshu smiled. “There’s a lot of work at Heda. He should be busy until late tonight.”

Mo Yin hesitated, but Pei Mingshu continued, “Is there anywhere special you want to go?”

Before getting out of the car, Mo Yin softly said, “No elevator.” Pei Mingshu said, “It’s okay, I’ll carry you.”

Pei Mingshu’s shoulders were as broad as Pei Qing’s, emitting a faint scent, a more mature male fragrance.

Pei Mingshu held Mo Yin’s legs, which were still as weak as before, but with some elasticity in the skin. His fingers sank into them when pressed.

It was summer, and there was a smell of garbage in the stairwell. Pei Mingshu went up to the third floor as usual, and Mo Yin took out the keys to open the door.

As the door opened, Pei Mingshu didn’t put Mo Yin down but said, “Can you show me around?”

The house wasn’t big. Mo Yin guided Pei Mingshu on his back. The room of Mo’s father and mother hadn’t been opened for a long time. When opened, dust floated in the air, but the furnishings inside were still as neat as when the owners left.

Next was Mo Yin’s room.

It was smaller than the master bedroom. When the door opened, the thick dust on the windows obscured the sunlight, making the layout inside barely visible. Pei Mingshu surveyed the room, the bed and desk against the wall, and books piled on the floor in a thick bundle.

Pei Mingshu asked, “Why are all the books on the floor?”

“They were supposed to be sold.”

“But in the end, you didn’t sell them,” Mo Yin smiled. “I couldn’t bear to.”

Pei Mingshu went over and reached out, Mo Yin’s arm pressing against his shoulder. “There’s dust.”

“It’s okay.”

Pei Mingshu opened the book. The top one was a math workbook. Inside, the handwriting was elegant and neat. He flipped through a few pages and suddenly saw a small airplane drawn next to one of the questions. He paused, then closed the book.

The living room was relatively clean. Pei Mingshu asked Mo Yin to sit down and went to wash his hands. When he returned, he asked, “Do you want me to call someone to clean up?”

Mo Yin shook his head, his expression somewhat stubborn. “I don’t want anyone else to come here.”

Pei Mingshu’s expression softened. He went over and touched Mo Yin’s hair. Squatting down, he said, “Or, should I help you clean?”

Mo Yin looked somewhat incredulous, which made Pei Mingshu laugh. He straightened up and began to take off his coat.

When he rolled up his sleeves, Mo Yin grabbed his arm.

Mo Yin’s hands always felt cold, as if he were unwell. “Don’t.”

“Why?” Pei Mingshu’s expression was playful. “Do you think I can’t do it?”

“Don’t worry,” Pei Mingshu said, pulling Mo Yin’s hand with his other hand. “I’m very capable.”

There were no cleaning tools at home, so Pei Mingshu made a call and had someone send them over. Mo Yin looked uneasy on the sofa. “Forget it. I just sometimes come to sit here. No need to clean.”

“With so much dust, you’ll get sick sitting here.”

“It’s okay, I’m used to it.”

The sound of knocking came from the door. Pei Mingshu touched Mo Yin’s hair. “Wait here.”

Pei Mingshu had actually done cleaning tasks before, especially after Yue Xiyun fell seriously ill. She started to become difficult, not wanting to see servants or even her husband. In the end, she didn’t even want to see doctors or nurses, only allowing Pei Mingshu to approach her.

The patient’s room was often messy, but Pei Mingshu, although young, still took on the task of taking care of his mother, including cleaning the room.

Mo Yin’s room was just dusty. After opening the window for ventilation, and sweeping and mopping the floor, Pei Mingshu picked up each book from the floor and flicked the dust off in the air, then assembled the bookshelf he had ordered and neatly placed the books on it.

When he finished, he had broken out in a thin layer of sweat. Mo Yin sat on the sofa, gripping the edge of it, looking at him hesitantly.

Pei Mingshu went over and squatted down, saying, “The room is cleaned up. Do you want to come in and take a look?”

Mo Yin shook his head, his brows slightly furrowed, looking visibly uncomfortable.

“What’s wrong?” Pei Mingshu asked.

Mo Yin lowered his head, his jet-black hair revealing the tips of his ears, which were bright red. His voice was so low it was almost inaudible.

“I need to use the bathroom…”

—

The negotiations with Heda unexpectedly dragged on. Pei Qing accompanied them until evening, but in the end, they couldn’t reach an agreement. Getting two competing companies to cooperate was not a simple matter. Pei Qing endured it, but once he returned to the car, his impatience showed. He sighed lightly and put on his earphones.

“Are you still at the company?”

“Yes.”

“I’ll be back soon.”

“Okay.”

Mo Yin hung up the phone and looked at Pei Mingshu.

Pei Mingshu almost hung up at the same time. Before Mo Yin could speak, he said, “Let’s go back to the company.”

Mo Yin replied with a soft “Okay.”

Pei Mingshu squatted down in front of him.

Mo Yin leaned over, and as Pei Mingshu’s hand reached back, it hesitated slightly when it touched Mo Yin’s thigh.

About five minutes after Mo Yin returned to the company, Pei Qing arrived. His expression didn’t look too good. “Let’s go back,” he said, closing the file. “Didn’t go smoothly?”

“It’s okay.”

Pei Qing pushed Mo Yin’s wheelchair. “Heda lacks sincerity. It seems they’re just dragging it out, so the chance of cooperation is still slim.”

“Is that so?”

As they discussed, they descended to the underground parking lot. Pei Qing pushed Mo Yin out, but then he noticed a car starting up in the space next to theirs, his expression indifferent as he withdrew his gaze.

Pei Mingshu quietly watched Pei Qing and Mo Yin through the car window, memories of the afternoon replaying in his mind.

“I need to use the bathroom.”

Mo Yin was on the verge of tears, his gaze both ashamed and sad, his handsome face on the verge of collapse.

Suddenly, Pei Mingshu remembered the words he heard outside Pei Qing’s office restroom that day. His mind stirred, and without much hesitation, he immediately hugged Mo Yin face to face.

Mo Yin’s arms wrapped around him urgently, holding him tightly, his forehead against his shoulder, feeling a bit warm.

“It’s okay, I’ll help you.”

Pei Mingshu’s hand stroked down from the back of Mo Yin’s head, comforting him as they walked to the bathroom.

That was the first time he saw Mo Yin’s lower body.

Slender, pale, scarred, there was a sense of desolation as if he had been abused. Mo Yin looked even more pitiful in his arms than he had imagined. His touch was warm and soft, his skin delicate and beautiful, sinking into his palm.

Mo Yin seemed like he was crying, yet also like he wasn’t. Pei Mingshu helped him put on his pants, holding him and comforting him in a low voice for a long time. Mo Yin leaned against him, his voice low, as if choked up. “Don’t tell Pei Qing,” he pleaded at the end. Pei Mingshu’s hand paused, feeling a mix of indescribable emotions, but he quickly agreed.

Outside the car window, Pei Qing seemed to be talking to Mo Yin with his head bowed, and Mo Yin was also looking down. Then, as if by chance, he lifted his face and glanced in Pei Mingshu’s direction.

Pei Mingshu was slightly startled.

Mo Yin quickly looked away.

Through the one-way car window, it wasn’t really an eye contact, more like a coincidence.

Yet, Pei Mingshu’s heart was filled with a strange emotion, something with a slightly inappropriate flavor.