Wen Qi was silent for a moment, feeling that Pei Yanchu had really lost his mind.

The eldest son of the Pei family, rushing to warm someone’s bed, like a little maid from the old times. Wen Qi suppressed the strange thoughts, turned his gaze away, and said, “Let’s go, we’re leaving.”

The two reached the entrance, and Wen Qi opened his phone, preparing to order a ride. On the gilded tray on the console table by the door, there were car keys. Pei Yanchu glanced at them and asked, “Don’t you have car keys? Why not drive?”

Wen Qi didn’t look up, still focusing on his phone as he replied, “The company car. I don’t know how to drive.”

Pei Yanchu snatched his phone and tapped to cancel the ride, smiling, “Then don’t take a taxi, I’ll drive.”

Wen Qi looked at him in confusion, “Didn’t you say you had amnesia?”

“Having amnesia doesn’t affect it. Driving is a basic life skill. I have an electronic driver’s license on my phone, so of course, I can drive.” Pei Yanchu returned the phone to him, his tone firm. “It’s like how learning to swim gives you muscle memory—when you get in the water, it just triggers automatically.”

Wen Qi sized him up with a meaningful look.

Pei Yanchu felt awkward under his gaze and asked, “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” Wen Qi replied, “It just reminded me of when I took swimming lessons in high school. After class, when I went to change, I found that my school uniform in the locker had been swapped for a girls’ school skirt.”

Pei Yanchu was stunned, “That really happened? What did you do?”

“I told the teacher, and the teacher helped me buy a new uniform from the school store.”

Pei Yanchu sighed in relief, but his sharp brows furrowed again as he asked, “So, do you know who did it?”

Wen Qi said calmly, “You.”

Pei Yanchu was stunned and thought he had misheard. After realizing it, he almost jumped up. “It wasn’t me! I mean, I don’t think it was me.”

Wen Qi countered, “Aren’t you the one who has amnesia? How can you even think it wasn’t you?”

“Even though I have amnesia and can’t remember the past, my personality hasn’t changed!” Pei Yanchu tried to explain, “Swapping clothes is too sleazy. How could I do something like that?”

Wen Qi took the car keys from the tray, tossed them lightly in the air, and gave Pei Yanchu a teasing look. His tone was slow and deliberate, “Sorry, but in my eyes, you’re just the kind of person who would do something sleazy.”

He raised his hand, and the car keys flew through the air. Pei Yanchu caught them swiftly, anxiously saying, “Wait, explain clearly, how am I sleazy? After I woke up, I specially searched for news about myself. No rumors or scandalous reports, I’m still a pure virgin!”

Wen Qi looked at him with an odd expression. “You woke up and searched for your own scandals?”

“Yeah, what if I had a wife? If she came to the hospital looking for me, and I wouldn’t recognize her because of my amnesia, she’d be so heartbroken. I had to prepare for that.”

Pei Yanchu sighed again, “After the car accident news, a lot of friends sent me messages. I asked them if I had a beautiful wife. They asked me if I had knocked my brain out.”

He somewhat smugly bragged, “I heard from old friends that I’ve always kept myself clean, and my virginity is still intact.”

Wen Qi opened the door and walked out, saying, “Whether you’re a virgin or not has nothing to do with being sleazy.”

Pei Yanchu followed him into the elevator, refusing to let it go until he got an answer. “Then tell me how I’m sleazy? Maybe there’s some misunderstanding between us?”

As the elevator doors closed and the two descended, Wen Qi casually replied, “Like throwing away the love letters and chocolates from my drawer, causing me to be hung up on forums by girls, being scolded wherever I went. Or when you knew how much the physics teacher emphasized class discipline and punished the harshest, yet you purposely kicked my chair in class to talk to me, flirted with other students, and caused trouble. What else… let me think—”

He paused for a moment, then added, “Oh, when we were in the same exam room, you hid my pencil case, then generously offered to lend me a pen. After the results came out, you hid my perfect score exam paper… There’s a lot more. It’s not exactly sleazy, just childish.”

Pei Yanchu broke into a cold sweat, “This… I… you… Wait, how do you know it was me who hid it?”

“As for the pencil case, there were cameras in the exam room. After the exam, I talked to the teacher, and the teacher promised to check the footage—then it just disappeared. Even when I asked, the teacher told me not to worry and to focus on my studies.”

Wen Qi turned his head to look at him with a faint smile. “So, what kind of background do you think I had that made the teacher afraid to show me the footage?”

Pei Yanchu felt uneasy, “Well, maybe it was some other student with a background…”

Wen Qi asked, “So you want to make sure it wasn’t you?”

“I know that I have amnesia now, and my words don’t hold much credibility,” Pei Yanchu said seriously. “But even if the old me did some of the things you mentioned, that was the past me’s mistake, and has nothing to do with the current me with amnesia. I promise, the current me will definitely not do such childish things anymore!” He spoke with righteous determination, wanting to draw a clear line between himself and his past self.

Wen Qi sneered lightly. “You’ve already done it. What’s the use of swearing to change now? It’s too late.”

Ding— The elevator reached the underground parking lot, and the doors slid open. Wen Qi put on his mask and stepped out first.

Pei Yanchu hurried after him, a bit anxious. “Why aren’t you answering me?”

Wen Qi replied, “Don’t block my view, I’m looking for the car.”

Pei Yanchu had no choice but to move aside, feeling a bit aggrieved.

Wen Qi walked around and, following his memory, found his dusty car in a corner. It was a silver, practical sedan—standard, not flashy. He pressed the car key, and the vehicle’s lights flashed, with two beeps sounding. Wen Qi opened the passenger door and said, “This car hasn’t been moved in over half a year. Let’s get it washed first.”

Pei Yanchu responded, got into the driver’s seat, and started the engine to warm it up. As he glanced at the fuel gauge, adjusting the seat, he half-jokingly said, “So now you’re okay with me driving? You trust my driving skills this much?”

Wen Qi raised an eyebrow and replied, “You drove a sports car into the campus in high school. I heard it was your 18th birthday gift. Half the building came out to see that custom-made sports car.”

“Did you go out to look?” Pei Yanchu asked.

“No.” Wen Qi replied coldly, “What does it have to do with me?”

Pei Yanchu clicked his tongue in dissatisfaction. “That sports car I drove must’ve looked amazing. How could you not even take a look?”

Wen Qi rubbed his temples. “Why do you keep asking? Can you even drive or not?”

“Of course I can drive,” Pei Yanchu said. “I just needed to get familiar with the car first. I couldn’t find the button for the ventilation.”

Wen Qi fell silent for a moment before reaching over and pressing the exterior circulation ventilation button on the central control panel.

Pei Yanchu exclaimed, “Ah, it’s here.”

Wen Qi had felt indifferent a moment ago, but now he was really starting to worry about his personal safety. He asked, “Do you still remember which one is the accelerator and which one is the brake?”

Pei Yanchu confidently replied, “Of course I remember, don’t worry.”

Wen Qi stared at him with a difficult expression, clearly not trusting him. He turned his gaze forward, let out a light sigh, and muttered, “Well, whatever. I bought life accident insurance.”

If there were no accidents, Pei Yanchu would be the biggest accident in Wen Qi’s life.

“I’m not ready to die with you just yet.” Pei Yanchu leaned his arm on the steering wheel and chuckled softly, saying, “So don’t worry, your life accident insurance won’t be needed now, and it won’t be needed in the future.”

The car started, driving smoothly out of the underground parking lot and onto the main road. The speed was surprisingly steady. The phone showing the route was mounted on the dashboard, with a gentle AI voice guiding them to their destination.

Pei Yanchu’s gaze was focused on the road ahead, his face composed, the light smile gone. His sharp jawline and high nose gave him a calm and serious demeanor, making him appear particularly mature. People often say that one’s driving skills reveal their personality…

Wen Qi withdrew his gaze, not thinking too much about it.

“Little Qi, you said this car is provided by the company.” Pei Yanchu initiated the conversation. “Why didn’t they provide you with a driver?”

Wen Qi had almost gotten used to Pei Yanchu calling him “Little Qi.” His expression didn’t change as he replied, “I’m in a profit-sharing agreement with the company. I haven’t had work for a while now, and the company thinks I’m dead, so how could they assign a driver to me?”

Pei Yanchu’s expression stiffened. He gripped the steering wheel tighter, glancing at him between driving. His voice turned deep: “Don’t say such things about dying.”

Wen Qi didn’t mind at all and looked at him with a bit of surprise. Pei Yanchu, however, looked serious, his face hard with a frosty expression, seeming like he was genuinely upset.

“Are you afraid that if I’m gone, you won’t be able to find anywhere to go?” Wen Qi chuckled, his tone light, “Don’t worry, this house is mine. I can rent it to you for one or two years at the lowest price.”

Pei Yanchu pressed his lips into a thin line and turned the steering wheel. The phone navigation started to speak: “You have deviated from the route, recalculating…”

Wen Qi asked, “Where to?”

The silver car turned off the expressway, signaling before stopping at a parking spot by the roadside. Pei Yanchu turned off the misguiding navigation and turned to him, calling, “Wen Qi.”

His tone was serious, and it made Wen Qi feel a strange sense of discomfort.

Pei Yanchu continued, “To me, you were part of my past. You can prove that I exist, that I didn’t just suddenly appear in this world. At least, before I regain my memory, I need you.”

Wen Qi raised an eyebrow, teasing, “So, after you regain your memory, my existence won’t matter, right?”

Pei Yanchu replied, “Didn’t you just mention our past? Maybe there was some misunderstanding. Once I regain my memory, I can explain some things.”

Wen Qi didn’t expect Pei Yanchu to care about this, and he was momentarily speechless. He shifted his gaze and said, “Let’s go. We’re almost at the car wash appointment.”

Pei Yanchu didn’t say anything else and turned the navigation back on. The atmosphere inside the car grew tense and quiet, with no one speaking.

Wen Qi faintly sensed that Pei Yanchu was upset, and he felt a little unsure. How come he wasn’t upset no matter how much he was insulted or punished, but as soon as he said a few words, he got angry? Was it because his parents were gone, and his friends had disappeared due to family restrictions, so he was particularly sensitive to his presence? Maybe it was the “lost bird” syndrome—seeing the first person they encounter as a support…

Wen Qi’s mind was a mix of emotions. When they arrived at the car wash, the staff took the car keys, and the two of them headed to a nearby French restaurant for a meal. It was a small, well-known place. Since it was a last-minute reservation, there were no private rooms available, but fortunately, the public area was empty.

As soft, melodious piano music played in the background, the waiter guided them to a table by the window and handed them the menu. Wen Qi casually flipped through the pages, uninterested, and closed it, saying, “You order. It’s on me.”

Pei Yanchu responded, “Of course, I worked so hard last night, so it’s only right that you pay.”

The waiter in a tuxedo, who was about to hand Pei Yanchu another menu, slightly trembled his wrist, but kept his professional demeanor, calmly placing the menu on the table.

Wen Qi: …

If it weren’t for the waiter still being there, Wen Qi really wanted to slap the menu onto Pei Yanchu’s chest and make him explain himself clearly.

What did he do last night that made it so hard? Pei Yanchu didn’t seem to think there was anything wrong with what he said, casually flipping through the menu, pointing to one dish after another, while the waiter nodded and recorded the items. Wen Qi noticed there were quite a few items being ordered and reminded, “Just order for yourself. I only need one pasta.”

Pei Yanchu replied, “What I’m ordering is for me.”

Wen Qi’s lips twitched. … He could really eat a lot. Was he trying to control his appetite at home yesterday, afraid of being kicked out?

Pei Yanchu quickly finished ordering and asked Wen Qi what flavor pasta he wanted, then handed the menu back to the waiter. After the waiter left, Wen Qi casually asked, “You’re pretty skilled at ordering, huh?”

Pei Yanchu replied, “As soon as I see the menu, I have an instinct telling me which dishes are good. If you don’t believe me, you’ll find out later.”

Before long, the waiter came with a small cart, starting to serve the dishes. He placed sliced buttered bread as an appetizer, followed by a sizzling stone-grilled ribeye steak. The ribeye was sizzling on the marble plate, with the oil crackling and a savory aroma filling the air, garnished with green rosemary leaves. The masked chef was grilling it right there, holding a knife and fork, cutting the steak into evenly sized pieces.

Pei Yanchu took the most tender piece and placed it onto Wen Qi’s plate. “Try it.”

The pasta Wen Qi ordered hadn’t arrived yet, so he used this as a starter and tried a bite with his silver fork. The outside was crispy while the inside was tender, the meat fresh and flavorful without being greasy. Even though Wen Qi wasn’t particularly interested in food, he nodded approvingly, “It’s good.”

The waiter continued to bring other dishes, such as foie gras shaped like pearls with a white creamy surface, crab legs served on a golden egg custard, and a caviar cake with clearly visible fish roe on top. With each new dish that arrived, Wen Qi’s plate of pasta gradually filled with various side dishes.

Wen Qi asked in confusion, “Are these on the menu?” He had eaten at this restaurant a few times before and didn’t remember seeing these dishes.

Pei Yanchu replied, “Yes, they’re all on the menu.” Then he asked, “Do you like the creamy lemon shrimp? I saw you ate two of them, want me to order another plate?”

Wen Qi looked down and was slightly startled when he saw the two shrimp tails in his plate. With all the various small servings, it looked like a lot of food, especially when combined with the empty plate of tomato bacon pasta. Had he eaten so much today?

“No need,” Wen Qi said, a bit uncomfortable, “I’ve had enough.”

Pei Yanchu didn’t try to convince him, just smiled and said, “Alright,” and continued eating.

Wen Qi relaxed and began scrolling through his phone. Xu Qianjun had messaged him saying he was free recently and asked when they could meet.

Wen Qi: [Tonight works.]

Xu Qianjun: [Should I come to your place, or should we meet outside?]

Wen Qi: [I’m out with Pei Dog for dinner. I’m going to buy some daily necessities in the afternoon. If you’re free tonight, you can come to my apartment.]

Xu Qianjun: [Sounds like you two are getting along peacefully.]

Xu Qianjun: [But then again, Little Qi, you have a good temper, and Pei Yanchu has amnesia, so it’s probably hard for you two to argue.]

Hard to argue? They really didn’t argue much. Wen Qi didn’t control his temper and ended up acting like a high schooler, resorting to physical force…

Wen Qi fell silent, replying vaguely: [I’m not that good-tempered.]

Xu Qianjun: [You’re not good-tempered? I’ve never seen you argue with anyone except for Pei Yanchu.]

Xu Qianjun: [By the way, I heard someone saw Pei Yanchu being taken to the hospital, and now there are rumors that he’s self-destructive and being kept by someone. Do you want to clear that up?]

Wen Qi: …?

“This isn’t Mr. Pei, is it?”

A voice suddenly sounded.

Wen Qi looked up and saw the man standing at the table. The man was about thirty or forty years old, dressed in a sharp suit, with a look of surprise behind his silver-rimmed glasses, though his tone carried a hint of schadenfreude. “I saw the news about the car accident. Mr. Pei, you’ve been discharged from the hospital? That’s great. Money is just an external thing, nothing is more important than your health…”

Pei Yanchu also turned his gaze toward him and asked, “Who are you?”

“We met at a banquet earlier this year. It was understandable that Mr. Pei didn’t recognize me back then, but now’s the perfect time to reintroduce myself. I currently run a company called…” The man, who introduced himself as Mr. Wu, didn’t seem to know about Pei Yanchu’s memory loss and rambled on about his company’s main business.

Pei Yanchu quietly listened and then sincerely said, “Sorry, I’ve never heard of it.”

Mr. Wu’s words suddenly halted, and the smile on his face faltered a little.

Wen Qi slightly lifted the corner of his lips in a subtle smile.

“No worries, haha,” Mr. Wu forced a smile. “I heard that Mr. Pei has some free time recently. Are you interested in coming to work at my company? The salary is negotiable…”

Pei Yanchu chuckled lightly and looked at Wen Qi. “Thank you for the offer, but it’s not necessary. I already have an employer.”

When Mr. Wu entered and saw Pei Yanchu, he immediately walked over without stopping, finally looking at Wen Qi. The moment he saw Wen Qi’s face, a flash of surprise passed across his face. But upon realizing that Wen Qi’s face was unfamiliar, he dismissed him as someone without a significant background and began to scrutinize him. “Who is this?”

Wen Qi wasn’t interested in talking to strangers. He ignored Mr. Wu and directly looked at Pei Yanchu, casually asking, “Have you finished eating?”

Pei Yanchu nodded. “I’m done.”

“Then let’s settle the bill and go,” Wen Qi waved at the waiter, then lifted his long black lashes and looked at the man who was still standing and not leaving. Politely, he asked, “Is there something else you need?”

His eyes were bright, like clear glass, his lips pale red, and when he spoke, his voice was cool and soothing, like a mountain stream, crisp and clear, resonating in the heart. It made one imagine how that cold voice would soften and become tender when in a more intimate situation.

Mr. Wu’s gaze became increasingly lascivious, his eyes running over Wen Qi’s face as he asked, “I’ll pay for this meal. How about we become friends?”

Pei Yanchu’s expression darkened.

The waiter came over and, bowing slightly, placed the small leather board with the bill on the table. “The total is 26,498.”

Before the waiter could finish, Mr. Wu, who was about to take out his card from his wallet, suddenly froze, and with a shocked tone, interrupted, “26,498? The most I’ve ever spent here when I brought someone was only three or four thousand. How did they manage to rack up over 20,000?”

The waiter smiled. “The caviar cake you ordered is priced at 6,888. The top layer is made with the freshest sturgeon caviar, airlifted this morning, and the cake base uses the finest king crab legs from the northern waters of Norway. Each king crab leg costs 3,200.”

Wen Qi: …?

The caviar cake served earlier was a small square, about the size of a palm. Pei Yanchu pushed it in front of him. He hadn’t tried it before, so out of curiosity, he took a silver spoon and tasted it. Before he knew it, he had finished it all. The crab meat base was delicate and sweet, paired with the fresh salty sturgeon caviar, the flavors were rich and layered, and it really tasted good. But he hadn’t expected that this single dish alone cost 6,888.

Pei Yanchu was the one ordering, so he couldn’t possibly be unaware of the prices. Was he taking advantage of the situation and planning to overcharge Mr. Wu?

Mr. Wu couldn’t believe it, grabbing the bill and examining the details. The waiter then explained the prices of the other dishes, each more expensive than the last, with ingredients even more luxurious and methods even more exquisite.

Mr. Wu doubted, “Are these dishes really on the menu? I’ve never seen them before.”

“This type of dish uses rare ingredients and is in limited supply, not available for public sale. Ordinary customers who don’t meet a certain spending threshold won’t know about these dishes. Mr. Pei is a VIP guest at our restaurant, so Mr. Pei and his friends have access to our hidden menu.”

The waiter then looked at Pei Yanchu again, with a polite and respectful smile on his face: “The payment has already been deducted from your account. Thank you for dining with us.”

Mr. Wu didn’t say anything more and turned to leave, his back hurried and showing a hint of embarrassment. Pei Yanchu, intrigued, asked the waiter, “When did I top up my account? How much is left?”

The waiter replied, “You are friends with our restaurant’s owner. When the restaurant opened, you topped up 880,000, and the owner generously added an additional 200,000 to your account. You currently have about 460,000 remaining.”

Pei Yanchu nodded and asked, “Can the money be refunded?”

The waiter, whose smile had been professionally trained, clearly faltered. Perhaps he had never encountered such a request before, and his lips trembled slightly: “T-that would probably require approval from our boss…”

“Forget it. My financial accounts are frozen, and they’re still under surveillance. Refunding it would probably bring more trouble, so I’ll just leave it,” Pei Yanchu sighed, shaking his head. “No choice, I’ll just spend it here.”

He looked at Wen Qi and, with a helpless tone, invited, “How about we come here more often to eat together?”

Wen Qi: …

The waiter, seeming to fear Pei Yanchu might bring up the refund again, quickly disappeared, leaving the space for just the two of them.

Pei Yanchu stroked his chin and continued, “Do you think I’ve topped up money in other places too, and haven’t used it all?”

Wen Qi hadn’t expected the random restaurant he picked would be one where Pei Yanchu had topped up. His expression became complex, looking at him with an indescribable glance, and he slowly said, “Hard to say. After all, you have a lot of friends…”

Pei Yanchu raised an eyebrow. “Really?”

“Mm. A few of your closest friends are in hotel management, some are in restaurant franchises, some run clubs, and they invest in various industries. It makes sense that you’d support them,” Wen Qi replied, his expression growing more curious. He suddenly realized that the mall they were heading to later was also part of a business owned by one of Pei Yanchu’s friends. He heard that the staff of luxury brands in that mall would bring the latest seasonal outfits to Pei Yanchu’s residence, allowing him to choose.

It seemed that wherever Pei Yanchu went, he was easily recognized. He might even be greeted by the manager upon entering.

As Wen Qi was thinking about this, Pei Yanchu suddenly asked, “You seem to know so much about my good friends. Does that mean you’re secretly keeping an eye on me?”

Wen Qi’s long lashes fluttered slightly. He slowly raised his gaze and met Pei Yanchu’s deep, meaningful eyes.

“Don’t get full of yourself,” Wen Qi replied, “Xu Qianjun… Shui Shui is your childhood friend’s brother. Sometimes, he talks about your matters.”

“Alright,” Pei Yanchu said with a hint of regret. “I thought…”

Wen Qi thought he was about to bring up the word “crush” again, and he couldn’t take it anymore, interrupting sharply, “I don’t like you. I have no feelings for you.”

Pei Yanchu’s expression stiffened for a moment before quickly returning to normal, smiling nonchalantly. “I know. You’ve said it many times since we met.” He lowered his eyes to look at Wen Qi, his voice involuntarily softening as he continued the sentence he hadn’t finished: “I just thought… now that I’ve grown up, achieved worldly success, taken control of a company, made progress in my career, and reached the top, my friends are no longer just reckless young men. They say birds of a feather flock together, people are divided by their groups. Maybe it could prove I’m not as bad as I thought, and you might change your opinion of the old, immature me. You might even listen to things about me now.”

Wen Qi curled his fingers slightly, momentarily silent.

“But those are things of the past. Now, I’m no different from bankrupt. That Mr. Wu was so polite, but didn’t treat me as anything special, did he?” Pei Yanchu lightly changed the topic. “Weren’t you going to take me shopping for clothes? Let’s not go to some expensive mall. It would be embarrassing if someone recognizes me. I don’t remember who’s who anymore. Right now, you’re my only employer, and I don’t need expensive clothes to show off at work. Ordinary ones will do.”

Wen Qi responded, “Who says you don’t need to show off anymore?”

Pei Yanchu was momentarily stunned.

“You’re mine now, and you represent my face.” Wen Qi’s tone was calm. “There are plenty of malls, let’s just go to one where no one knows you.”

“Are you going to buy me expensive ones?” Pei Yanchu laughed. “Just to be clear, I can’t afford them. Will you reimburse me?”

Wen Qi gave a light hum. “I’ll reimburse you.”

Pei Yanchu couldn’t help but sigh. “No wonder so many people are willing to be kept. Who can resist the pleasure of being corrupted by money…”

Wen Qi shot him a light glance.

Pei Yanchu quickly corrected himself, “Luckily, we have a pure employer-employee relationship, with no physical transactions!”

Wen Qi then recalled what Xu Qianjun had just messaged about and thought for a moment. “By the way, I’ve heard rumors that people are saying you’re being kept by me.”

Pei Yanchu asked nervously, “Do we need to clarify that?”

Wen Qi narrowed his eyes slightly, his gaze inching over Pei Yanchu’s figure, his slender fingers tapping the table. He no longer felt the initial discomfort when hearing the word “kept”. In fact, because of certain things, other thoughts began to arise.

Under Wen Qi’s probing gaze, Pei Yanchu instinctively straightened his back. His features were striking, with a hint of innocent vulnerability. The white sweatshirt accentuated his broad shoulders, and compared to the mature man in the financial report wearing a suit, he exuded a more youthful, college-student-like charm, with a clean and refreshing presence. His mouth, as in Wen Qi’s memories, still didn’t speak any sweet words, but his face and figure were impeccable, flawless.

The idea of “keeping” Pei Yanchu, the once untouchable heir of the Pei family now fallen into disarray, didn’t seem like a bad deal.

“No need to explain,” Wen Qi’s voice was lazy, carrying a hint of amusement. “Let them talk.”