By the time Yun Pei woke up, it was already past nine, and by the time they both finished breakfast, it was almost ten.

Yun Pei had originally wanted to help clear the dishes, but Qin Mingyuan refused, saying that the sink was too high for him to comfortably reach. So, Yun Pei could only obediently sit on the side, watching Qin Mingyuan wash the dishes.

There weren’t many plates, and they weren’t greasy either, so it didn’t take long. After cleaning up, Qin Mingyuan glanced at the time. “Wait here for a bit. I’ll go get dressed, and then I’ll take you home.”

“No need to trouble yourself. I’ve already delayed your work schedule. I’ll just call my driver to pick me up,” Yun Pei replied, thinking that if Qin Mingyuan drove him back, by the time he returned to the company, it would likely be noon.

“Waiting for your driver will take just as long. Just wait.” Qin Mingyuan rolled down his sleeves and added, “I can’t let the person who took care of me all night go home by himself.”

Yun Pei had initially wanted to argue, thinking it would save him some time, but after hearing Qin Mingyuan’s reasoning, he swallowed his words. Maybe Qin Mingyuan didn’t want to owe too many favors, and if he kept insisting, it would seem rude.

Seeing Yun Pei fall silent, Qin Mingyuan turned and went to his room. He tied his tie, put on his coat, and selected a watch to wear, even styling his hair neatly.

On his way out of the bedroom, he caught a glimpse of the ring on the bedside table. The ruby gemstone gleamed vividly, and a memory flashed in his mind of how it had looked on those slender, pale fingers.

He stood still for a moment, then decided against it. Given their current relationship, giving such a gift would indeed be inappropriate.

Just as he was about to head out, he saw Yun Pei wheeling himself over. “What’s wrong?” Qin Mingyuan asked.

“I almost forgot,” Yun Pei said, stopping at the doorway and looking up at him. “The doctor left your oral medication on the bedside table. You haven’t taken it yet this morning. You should take it now, and don’t forget to bring a dose with you to the office.”

Qin Mingyuan had already noticed the medication on the table, but since he felt refreshed and perfectly fine, he hadn’t thought it was necessary to take it. “I’m feeling much better. No need for the medicine.”

“You need to take it,” Yun Pei insisted firmly this time. “I promised the doctor I’d make sure you took your meds. Even if you think you’re fine, you should take it to consolidate your recovery. At least for today.”

He looked strong and healthy now, but what if there was still some lingering virus in his body? If he got sick again, it would only cause more trouble later.

Qin Mingyuan, blocked at the door by Yun Pei’s wheelchair, met his gaze. Yun Pei’s eyes were fixed on him, and it seemed like he wouldn’t let him leave for work until he took the medicine.

After a few moments of silent eye contact, the powerful President Qin finally gave in and went to get the medicine.

When he came back out, he swallowed the pills under Yun Pei’s watchful eye. With a rare hint of helplessness, he even joked, “Do I need to open my mouth to show you?”

Realizing that he had been a bit overbearing, Yun Pei’s expression softened, but he avoided eye contact, his earlobes turning slightly red.

Qin Mingyuan, having finished his water, couldn’t help but smile to himself. It had been years since anyone had cared whether he took his medicine or not.

His thumb rubbed the rim of the cup, and he felt oddly comforted by the experience.

Yun Pei draped his coat over the armrest of his wheelchair. Though a bit embarrassed, before they left, he reminded Qin Mingyuan once more not to forget his medicine.

In response, Qin Mingyuan showed him the bag in his hand, indicating that he hadn’t forgotten.

With nothing more to say, they headed out and took the elevator down to the underground parking lot.

Being lifted into the car by Qin Mingyuan had become almost routine. After sitting down, Yun Pei fastened his seatbelt, completely comfortable with the situation now.

Qin Mingyuan’s car had a new UV-blocking film, so even the summer sunlight wasn’t too harsh. As they hit the road, Qin Mingyuan glanced at the passenger seat and saw Yun Pei yawning. “If you’re tired, go ahead and sleep for a bit. I’ll wake you when we arrive.”

Covering his mouth with his hand, his eyes slightly teary from the yawn, Yun Pei shook his head. “I’m fine.”

The night before, Yun Pei had stayed up watching over him, afraid that his fever might return. He had helped Qin Mingyuan wipe his body several times and only allowed himself to rest on the sofa near dawn.

He had meant to just lie down for a bit and check on him again, but he was so exhausted that he fell into a deep sleep. He didn’t even notice when he was moved elsewhere in the morning.

Qin Mingyuan didn’t push the matter. He figured that after driving for a while, Yun Pei might fall asleep on his own.

Yun Pei seemed to be thinking the same. He’d once slept so deeply in Qin Mingyuan’s car that he had no recollection of it. Not wanting to give the impression that he was treating Qin Mingyuan like a chauffeur, he started a conversation. “Are you sure your body is alright now?”

“Yeah,” Qin Mingyuan responded with a nod. “I don’t get sick often. When I do, it might seem a bit alarming, but I recover quickly.”

Given his workload, if his health weren’t good, he wouldn’t be able to handle it. He didn’t have the luxury of falling ill frequently, so even with his busy schedule, he made sure to find an hour each day to exercise.

Judging by his energetic state this morning—he even made breakfast—it seemed he wasn’t pushing himself. Meanwhile, Yun Pei had slept like a log in Qin Mingyuan’s bed, feeling a bit guilty. He rubbed his nose and continued the conversation. “Even though you’re feeling better, you should still take today’s medicine. If the illness comes back, you’ll find it troublesome.”

Qin Mingyuan glanced at him but didn’t argue, nodding in agreement.

Yun Pei yawned again and leaned back in his seat, his eyelids growing heavy. His routine was usually very regular. He did most of his painting during the day and went to bed early, so pulling an all-nighter like this was hard on him. He shook his head slightly and added, “You can’t just rely on being healthy and ignore a little cold. You really suffered this time.”

Qin Mingyuan noticed the little movements out of the corner of his eye. The usually quiet Yun Pei, trying to stay awake, had turned into a chatterbox. Qin Mingyuan’s lips curved slightly, his eyes filled with amusement. “Hmm.”

“If you ever feel unwell again, you should take medicine right away.”

“Hmm.”

“If you’d fainted at the banquet, who knows what kind of rumors would’ve spread.”

“Hmm.”

“By the way, there were reporters outside the hotel yesterday, right? Did they manage to take any pictures when I helped you out?”

“They wouldn’t dare.”

“That’s good. I was in such a rush yesterday, I completely forgot about it. But we should still be careful. Even though you’re not a public figure, there are probably plenty of people interested in your personal life.”

“Hmm.”

The more Yun Pei talked, the more he felt something was off. Qin Mingyuan, though usually not very talkative, wasn’t usually this silent either. Was he brushing him off? Was he talking too much?

He glanced over at the man beside him, only to find Qin Mingyuan’s lips curved into a faint smile. Yun Pei blinked in surprise.

Qin Mingyuan, aware of Yun Pei’s gaze, didn’t turn to look at him. As he made a turn, he said, “If you’re tired, just sleep. You don’t have to force a conversation.”

Caught in the act, Yun Pei lowered his eyes, his ears reddening again. Giving up the struggle, he adjusted his seat and pulled his coat over himself.

“I’ll sleep then,” he muttered, curling up slightly and covering half his face with the coat. He peeked at Qin Mingyuan with sleepy eyes before closing them, murmuring, “But it’s not like I think of you as my driver…”

Qin Mingyuan glanced over at him, a soft chuckle escaping his lips. His usually stern face softened, and the mole at the corner of his eye added a touch of allure. He reached over to adjust the air conditioning, his voice low and gentle. “Sleep.”

Compared to when they first met, Yun Pei had indeed become much livelier.

…

As expected, Yun Pei slept all the way until they arrived at the gate of his home, still not showing any signs of waking up. He slept very quietly, maintaining the same position the whole time, half of his face buried in his coat, seemingly unbothered by his breathing being obstructed.

When Qin Mingyuan stopped the car at the gate of the Yun Family villa, he turned and saw that Yun Pei’s cheeks were flushed from sleep. He reached over and gently pulled the coat down a bit, exposing his nose and mouth.

Yun Pei’s lips were slightly parted as he breathed, his lips more rosy than usual, soft and plump, with a beautiful shape. They looked quite inviting.

Before he realized it, Qin Mingyuan’s fingers lightly brushed against them, feeling the warmth of Yun Pei’s breath on his fingertips. Snapping back to reality, he withdrew his hand without a word.

He curled his fingers into a fist and turned his gaze toward the window, resting his chin on his hand.

Hearing a slight rustling behind him, Qin Mingyuan turned his head. Yun Pei, perhaps uncomfortable from sleeping too long in one position, frowned slightly and stirred. His eyelids fluttered open, and their eyes met.

For a moment, neither of them spoke.

It took Yun Pei a couple of seconds to fully wake up, his eyes widening as he took in his surroundings. He glanced outside the window on his side, confirming that they were indeed at the Yun Family villa.

“Why didn’t you wake me up?” Yun Pei asked in a hoarse, just-woken voice. He pushed the coat aside and rubbed his eyes, adjusting the seat back to its upright position. “Did I make you wait too long?”

“No, I just stopped,” Qin Mingyuan replied, noticing how Yun Pei had rubbed his eyes red. He reached over to unbuckle Yun Pei’s seatbelt, the click of the release sounding loud in the silence. “You should catch up on sleep when you get home.”

Yun Pei nodded, putting the seatbelt away. By the time he looked up, Qin Mingyuan had already stepped out of the car to retrieve his wheelchair from the back.

As soon as the door opened, the outside heat rushed in. Yun Pei loosened his shirt collar slightly, feeling stifled after being confined in formal wear all night. He couldn’t wait to go home, take a shower, and change into something more comfortable.

Qin Mingyuan opened the passenger door, having already set up the wheelchair outside. Just as Yun Pei was about to move himself, Qin Mingyuan effortlessly lifted him out of the car and into the chair, just like last time.

“You should head back. It’s too hot out here,” Yun Pei said, looking up at Qin Mingyuan. The sunlight was glaring, and he raised a hand to shield his eyes, feeling the heat just from looking at the man in his suit.

“Alright.” Qin Mingyuan nodded, closing the passenger door. Before getting back into the car, he paused for a moment and added, “Thanks for yesterday.”

Yun Pei blinked in surprise, then shook his head. If anyone should be thanking someone, it should be him. Lately, he had been troubling Qin Mingyuan with a lot of things.

Qin Mingyuan wasn’t one for unnecessary sentimentality. After expressing his thanks, he nodded briefly and got back into the car.

He drove forward a bit, turned the car around, and glanced out the window. Yun Pei was still sitting there, watching him leave. The blazing sunlight bathed Yun Pei, his pale skin almost glowing. He looked much more radiant than the first time they met, back when he had been trapped in darkness.

This is how he should be.

As the car drove off, Qin Mingyuan redirected his gaze forward. Yes, Yun Pei should always be this bright and full of life.