Discovered

After breakfast, Su Ran strolled around the courtyard. He wasn’t heading anywhere in particular, just waiting for the evening when Zhou Mingyu would take him to the theater. In the morning, he had taken care of the flowers, and in the afternoon, he read books in his room—engaging novels that made him laugh and cry, occasionally drawing sideways glances from Zhou Yuanzhe. Su Ran felt a bit embarrassed when their eyes met, feeling silly about how engrossed he got in his books.

It was only when Zhou Mingyu’s maid came over to tell him that Zhou Mingyu was waiting at the gate did Su Ran close his book. He stood up, went over to the wardrobe, and after considering his options, chose an outfit. He didn’t bother hiding from Zhou Yuanzhe; ever since he entered the Zhou residence, he had slept without clothes.

After closing the wardrobe, Su Ran slipped into the long robe. Meanwhile, Zhou Yuanzhe’s attention wasn’t on his book anymore but had unwittingly drifted towards Su Ran, sweeping over his body. Once Su Ran was dressed, he looked up to find Zhou Yuanzhe quickly averting his gaze back to his book.

Su Ran took a few steps towards him, “I’m off then.”

Zhou Yuanzhe responded coolly. Only when he heard Su Ran’s footsteps did he look up again, watching his figure until he left the room.

Outside, Su Ran made his way to the front gate where Zhou Mingyu awaited him, dressed sharply in a stylish western suit, his hair neatly combed and exuding a pleasant fragrance, unlike the usual incense they used. It was intriguingly different.

“You smell really nice,” Su Ran commented curiously.

Zhou Mingyu seemed pleased by the compliment. He twirled around Su Ran and said, “I’m wearing perfume.” He then took out a small transparent bottle from his pocket, dabbed a little on Su Ran’s wrist, and placed the bottle in his palm, “Here, it’s for you.”

Su Ran wanted to refuse, aware of the guards at the gate and how intimate their actions might appear…

He sniffed his wrist, “It really smells nice.” As Zhou Mingyu began pulling him out the door, he added, “Let’s go, or we’ll miss the start of the play.”

They approached a black car parked outside, Zhou Mingyu’s usual ride. He managed the family’s businesses with considerable flair, though his reputation was somewhat marred by rumors. Once inside the car, Zhou Mingyu grabbed Su Ran’s hand and began to play with it, causing Su Ran to glance nervously at the driver in front.

“Don’t worry, Xiao Liu is one of us,” Zhou Mingyu reassured, noticing Su Ran’s anxious look. He then leaned in and kissed Su Ran’s forehead, smiling, “See, Xiao Liu won’t even dare to look.”

At that moment, the driver, Xiao Liu, was indeed focused strictly on the road, his mind reeling with shock.

Was his boss… involved with… someone?

Once they arrived at the theater, the staff, recognizing Zhou Mingyu, hurriedly welcomed them with great enthusiasm. “Sir, you’ve arrived! Please, this way upstairs.” Zhou Mingyu tipped the attendant generously, who then beamed at him like he was a godsend.

Up in the private booth on the second floor, they had a perfect view of the stage. Zhou Mingyu pulled a chair up close to Su Ran. It was clear that Zhou Mingyu intended to stay close; it wasn’t their first outing together, especially given Zhou Yuanzhe’s efforts to bring them together almost daily.

The play started, one of Su Ran’s favorites, “The Peony Pavilion.” He was absorbed, leaning eagerly against the window sill.

In the meantime, Zhou Ji’an had arrived downstairs with a friend who had just returned from studying abroad and was eager to catch the play. Uninterested in the performance, Zhou Ji’an was slow to follow his friend’s excited pace to their seats.

Back upstairs, as Su Ran was immersed in the play, Zhou Mingyu snuck another kiss and whispered, “You smell even better than the perfume.”

As the play concluded, the audience began to throw their tips towards the stage. Su Ran turned to Zhou Mingyu, who handed him everything he had prepared for the occasion. As Su Ran reached for more, Zhou Mingyu pulled him into an embrace.

Just then, Zhou Ji’an, who had risen to stretch his legs, caught sight of them from below. The sight of Su Ran being pulled into an embrace by Zhou Mingyu sent a ripple of realization through him.

“What are you looking at, Ji’an?” his friend asked, following his gaze only to see the now empty window.

Zhou Ji’an collected himself, maintaining his composure, “Nothing.”

His friend suggested they grab a drink, but Zhou Ji’an paused, spotting the two descending the stairs, still caught up in the excitement of the play.

“Not today, some other time,” Zhou Ji’an declined.

Su Ran and Zhou Mingyu got into the car, and as night deepened, the darkness ensured that no one outside could see inside. Zhou Mingyu leaned close to Su Ran’s ear, his hand moving up his leg, whispering, “Ranran, come over to my place later.”

Su Ran frowned, “It’s late. I should head back.”

As Zhou Mingyu’s hand ventured further, he whispered, “It’s okay to return a bit late. Zhou Yuanzhe might even be pleased you stayed longer at my place.”

Smiling, he breathed hotly into Su Ran’s ear, “Besides, you didn’t let me touch you at all at the theater. You slapped my hand away every time I tried.”

His voice was low, tinged with a hint of grievance, making Su Ran nearly die of embarrassment. He glanced at the driver, thankful that he seemed focused on driving, hopefully not overhearing.

“Who wants to do anything with you in a public theater…” Su Ran started to protest but stopped as the heat from Zhou Mingyu’s breath made his ears burn, “That was in public.”

Zhou Mingyu’s smile widened seeing Su Ran’s shy reaction. He grabbed Su Ran’s hand and placed it on himself, “Feel that? If you help me take care of it now, we don’t need to go to my place.”

Su Ran’s hand retracted as if burned, his face flushed red, and he stammered without forming a complete sentence.

He had experienced Zhou Mingyu’s clinginess before and, feeling helpless, finally relented.

•

Zhou Ji’an also arrived home but didn’t go to his own courtyard. Instead, he headed directly to Zhou Mingyu’s. The night was fully dark now, and he couldn’t believe Zhou Mingyu would dare keep Su Ran so late. On the way back, he saw a maid from Zhou Yuanzhe’s courtyard and indirectly learned that Su Ran hadn’t returned yet.

Zhou Ji’an was confused about his feelings, feeling a burning chaos in his chest. He had never been so agitated. Unintentionally, he found himself at Zhou Mingyu’s courtyard, which was unusually unguarded.

His heartbeat accelerated as he approached the warmly lit window. The curtain was drawn, but a sliver was left open, revealing a gap.

Peering inside, he froze, numbness spreading from his fingertips throughout his body, his blood seeming to boil in reverse.

Inside, the room was fully lit, every detail of Su Ran visible. Su Ran had pleaded with Zhou Mingyu to turn off the light, but he hadn’t listened.

Now, Su Ran sat spread open on a table, like a delicacy waiting to be savored. His hands, resting on the glossy varnished surface, slipped occasionally, either from the smoothness or from sweat, leaving behind many handprints.

The deep red of the table contrasted sharply against his pale skin, creating a strikingly vivid image. Su Ran’s neck arched back, his hair damp with sweat, beads of moisture rolling down his glistening body, his toes curled, biting his lip to stay quiet.

After a while, his body trembled intensely before finally relaxing. Zhou Mingyu licked his way up from Su Ran’s tender stomach, savoring the sweat on his skin, moving over his neck to his lips, kissing him deeply, nearly overwhelming him.

Zhou Mingyu’s hand supported his neck, lingering before letting go. His eyes burned intensely as he stared at Su Ran, breathing heavily, “It’s time for me to have some real fun.”

With that, he wrapped his arms around Su Ran’s waist and lifted him, pressing their bodies together, Zhou Mingyu sitting on a stool with Su Ran in his lap, kissing him deeply.

Su Ran, overwhelmed, shrank slightly. After a moment, Zhou Mingyu stopped kissing him, but his gaze remained fixed, his hand slowly moving toward that intimate spot.

Su Ran stiffened, his pupils shrinking. He looked at Zhou Mingyu, only to see him smile, “Ranran, when can I enjoy this?”

“You’re indecent!” Su Ran glared at him.

Zhou Mingyu was about to respond when suddenly they heard a noise outside. A flower pot from the windowsill crashed to the ground.

Both startled, they stopped immediately. Su Ran’s face went pale, trembling, “Someone’s outside…”

Zhou Mingyu quickly covered Su Ran with a robe, comforting him, “Don’t worry, stay here. I’ll check.”

He set Su Ran on the table and hurriedly dressed. As he left, Su Ran, engulfed in fear, grabbed Zhou Mingyu’s sleeve. If they were discovered, it would be disastrous.

Zhou Mingyu smoothed his hair, whispering reassuringly, “Don’t worry, worst case, we silence them.”

With a sinister flash in his eyes, Zhou Mingyu strode outside where Zhou Ji’an stood, his heartbeat still unsteady from what he’d witnessed. The scenes replayed in his mind, leaving him unable to calm down.

He stared at the broken flower pot, his stand firm as he faced the door.

When Zhou Mingyu emerged and saw Zhou Ji’an standing by the window, his step faltered. The light framed Zhou Ji’an’s stern face, his gaze dark and piercing.

Zhou Mingyu’s heart skipped, but he quickly composed himself. Knowing his brother was heavily involved in politics and typically indifferent to family affairs, he wasn’t overly concerned about exposure, as no one would dare speak out. But Zhou Ji’an’s presence was indeed daunting.

Zhou Mingyu approached, “Big brother.”

The next second, he received a fierce slap across his face, “Beast!”

Zhou Mingyu didn’t dodge, touching his cheek with his tongue, and looked at the furious Zhou Ji’an with a smirk, “Big brother, it’s only natural. The third brother isn’t good to him. Better he’s with me, I can treat him well.”

Another slap followed. Zhou Ji’an snapped, “You have the nerve to say that!”

Zhou Mingyu tensed but maintained his smile, not minding the stinging pain on his face, “Of course. If it weren’t for our old-fashioned father pushing these farcical marriages, Su Ran and I might have already met and fallen in love elsewhere. Blame him for meddling, at the end of the day, Su Ran and I are the real victims here.”

“And what if this gets out? You might be fine, but what about him?” Zhou Ji’an’s voice shook slightly, his body trembling.

“Don’t worry, big brother, I’ll protect him,” Zhou Mingyu said, his tone serious for once, revealing his genuine fear of Zhou Ji’an, especially when he was this stern.

As they faced off, Su Ran peered out from behind the curtain, worried. His robe was hastily put on, not properly fastened, revealing marks on his pale skin.

Their eyes met through the window, Su Ran’s heart pounding. He hadn’t expected Zhou Ji’an, the eldest of the Zhou family, to be outside. Frightened, he quickly closed the curtain.

Zhou Ji’an, his mind clouded with a persistent haunting image, turned and left without another word.

Zhou Mingyu watched him leave, exhaling deeply, relieved to have handled the situation. When he returned inside, he found Su Ran quietly crying. He immediately went to him, holding his wrists, gently wiping away his tears.

“It’s over now, Ranran. Big brother has left,” Zhou Mingyu comforted him.

Su Ran’s eyes were red as he looked at Zhou Mingyu, “What now? He saw everything.”

“Don’t worry, big brother won’t talk. He keeps his mouth shut,” Zhou Mingyu assured him.

“Really?” Su Ran asked.

“Really. Don’t cry, baby, you know how it upsets me,” Zhou Mingyu held him close.

Used to his sweet talk, Su Ran pushed him away, “I’m going home.”

“Wait a moment,” Zhou Mingyu quickly fixed the buttons on Su Ran’s robe, then leaned down to kiss his lips, hissing afterward.

“You can’t even control yourself,” Su Ran scolded softly, then softened his tone, “Apply some ointment, it’s late, I really need to go.”

With that, Su Ran hurried away into the deep night, lantern in hand, running all the way home.

Upon reaching his courtyard, he found no lights on. Fortunately, the door was left unlocked for him.

He entered, the lantern providing just enough light without drawing attention. He took it to the bedside where Zhou Yuanzhe lay, his breathing steady, evidently asleep.

Relieved, Su Ran began to undress quietly when suddenly Zhou Yuanzhe’s cold voice startled him, “Why are you back so late?”

Startled, Su Ran looked at Zhou Yuanzhe, his eyes wide in the dim light, a chill running down his spine.

“I stayed a while at Second Young Master’s after the play, we talked about the show. Today’s performance was captivating,” Su Ran whispered.

Zhou Yuanzhe remained silent, the air thick with tension. Just as Su Ran continued to undress, Zhou Yuanzhe spoke in a low voice, “You two really get along well, couldn’t bear to part after the show.”

Unsure of Zhou Yuanzhe’s mood, his tone somewhat sarcastic, Su Ran replied, “The play was really good…”

Zhou Yuanzhe then propped himself up, lighting the lamp by the bed which instantly brightened the room.

Now undressed, Zhou Yuanzhe saw Su Ran, “What are you waiting for? Aren’t you going to sleep?”

Confused by his actions—saying it’s time for bed but then lighting the lamp—Su Ran was indeed tired and decided not to think further, taking off his trousers.

He had just climbed into bed when Zhou Yuanzhe said, “Wait.”

Su Ran paused as Zhou Yuanzhe’s hand touched his back, “What’s this red mark?”

Su Ran’s heart skipped, and he met Zhou Yuanzhe’s intense, almost menacing gaze, fear creeping into his heart.

“It… it might be a bug bite, it was itchy, and I scratched,” Su Ran stammered.

Zhou Yuanzhe’s gaze remained cold, his hand unknowingly tightening on the blanket, “Really? It wasn’t Zhou Mingyu?”

“Of course not,” Su Ran shook his head vigorously, his smile stiff, “Even if it was, you’d be happy, right? After all, the seduction was successful…”

But Zhou Yuanzhe’s expression darkened further, his eyes bloodshot as he coldly stated, “Without my permission, you are not to let him touch you.”

Confused, Su Ran nodded.

After all, what was done was done.