With a soft “ding,” the elevator doors opened, and Qin Mingyuan pushed Yun Pei out, heading straight to unlock the apartment door.

This was the third time Yun Pei had come to this apartment. The first two times had been chaotic and unexpected. Thinking back, he found it a bit funny in a strange way.

As Qin Mingyuan entered, he turned on the lights. The cold, hard space was instantly illuminated, and for the first time, he found the decor somewhat unappealing—too lifeless, too cold.

However, Yun Pei, who had been pushed inside by Qin Mingyuan, felt that this place had more warmth than the enormous Yun family villa.

Qin Mingyuan loosened his tie and asked if Yun Pei wanted some water. Seeing him shake his head, he suggested, “Then how about a bath? Soaking for a while will make you feel better.”

Qin Mingyuan pushed Yun Pei into the bedroom, telling him to wait a moment. After removing his suit jacket, he went into the bathroom. Soon, the sound of running water echoed.

He was preparing a bath for Yun Pei.

It took Yun Pei a moment to realize that Qin Mingyuan wanted him to use the en suite bathroom—his personal, private space.

Feeling a bit awkward, Yun Pei averted his eyes, but they landed on the large, spacious bed. Immediately, as if scalded, he looked away again.

He used to feel uncomfortable staying here, but there hadn’t been much more to it. Now that their relationship had changed, being alone together made everything feel a bit more… delicate.

When Yun Pei glanced up, his eyes fell on the painting hanging above the bed—the one he had given to Qin Mingyuan. The regal lion lay there in a dignified pose, its gaze seemingly locking with his.

He actually hung it here…

Qin Mingyuan came out of the bathroom and saw Yun Pei sitting in his wheelchair, looking up at the painting. He walked over and brushed a knuckle against Yun Pei’s cheek, “What are you staring at?”

Yun Pei snapped out of it, covering his face and turning away. He quickly denied, “Nothing, I’m just a little tired, I guess.”

Hearing that, Qin Mingyuan didn’t press, “After your bath, go to bed early. I’ll go get you some clean clothes.”

Seeing Yun Pei didn’t object, Qin Mingyuan went to the wardrobe and fetched a set of his own pajamas, along with a pair of new underwear. The size was a bit too large, but it was better than nothing.

“Make do with these.” Qin Mingyuan placed the clothes on Yun Pei’s lap, then leaned down to grip the armrest of the wheelchair, bringing his mouth close to Yun Pei’s ear. 

“Tomorrow, we’ll go buy some that fit.”

Yun Pei hadn’t thought much of it at first, but the warmth at his ear made him lower his gaze, and he accidentally saw the edge of the underwear peeking out from under the pajamas. His ears turned red as he glared at Qin Mingyuan.

Qin Mingyuan, on the other hand, was completely calm, his serious face making it hard to argue with him. 

“It’s not like you haven’t worn them before.”

He was referring to the time at the Qin family villa. Yun Pei, now both angry and embarrassed, pushed him away, steering his wheelchair toward the bathroom, refusing to engage any further with this increasingly shameless man.

Qin Mingyuan didn’t stop him. He followed Yun Pei to the bathroom door, “I’ve prepared everything you need. If you need help, just call me.”

After a pause, he added, “Or I could help you, you know.”

Yun Pei turned his head, and seeing no teasing in Qin Mingyuan’s eyes, he realized the offer was sincere, probably because Qin Mingyuan remembered how he had fallen last time. 

Yun Pei shook his head helplessly, “No, I can manage on my own.”

“Alright, take your time, no rush. I’ll use the other bathroom.” Qin Mingyuan didn’t insist. He grabbed the doorknob and closed the door for Yun Pei.

Qin Mingyuan lingered in the room for a while, listening for any sound from the bathroom. When he heard nothing but the water running, he felt reassured. He grabbed his pajamas and went to the other bathroom for a quick shower.

He finished quickly, and when he returned, the door to the bedroom bathroom was still closed. As he casually dried his hair with a towel, he sat on the edge of the bed.

Inside the bathroom, Yun Pei, soaking in the tub, heard the sounds outside. Glancing at the closed door, he returned his gaze to his legs.

The tension and embarrassment from earlier melted away as he looked at his legs—thin, frail, and shrunken from muscle atrophy. Even if there were desires, seeing his legs like this extinguished them entirely.

Lowering his head, Yun Pei submerged half his face in the water, lazily splashing around. The ripples distorted the view of his legs, blurring them from sight.

His lungs began to feel strained, so he surfaced, taking a deep breath and wiping the water from his face. He braced his hands on the edge of the tub, ready to get out.

It wasn’t until the sound of a blow dryer drifted out from the bathroom that Qin Mingyuan relaxed. Tossing aside the now-damp towel, he went to put it away.

Not long after, Yun Pei emerged. His freshly blown hair was soft and fluffy, his face tinged pink from the hot water. He wore the loose-fitting pajamas, the neckline too large, exposing his collarbone, while the sleeves swallowed most of his hands.

As Qin Mingyuan looked up, their eyes met. Yun Pei maneuvered his wheelchair closer, and Qin Mingyuan caught a whiff of the familiar scent of body wash—his own.

Without a word, Qin Mingyuan leaned over and scooped him up. The sudden movement startled Yun Pei, who let out a small yelp and instinctively wrapped his arms around Qin Mingyuan’s neck.

Qin Mingyuan bounced him lightly in his arms, “You need to eat more; you’re as light as a feather.”

“Not everyone can be as strong as you…” Yun Pei muttered under his breath. He couldn’t help but think that if someone used Qin Mingyuan as a model for a painting, it would turn out perfect.

“What’s going on in that head of yours? Your face is all red.” Qin Mingyuan gave him another little bounce, then kissed his cheek, checking his temperature. 

“You’re not thinking any naughty thoughts, are you?”

Yun Pei glanced up, quickly denying, “No. I’m just tired. Let me down.”

They had left the office around eight, gone for dinner, spent time traveling, and now even bathed. It was already close to eleven. It was indeed time for bed. Since Yun Pei had barely slept last night and only napped for a few hours today, Qin Mingyuan didn’t push him further. He bent down to gently lay Yun Pei on the bed and pulled a thin blanket over him.

After turning on the bedside lamp, Qin Mingyuan walked over to switch off the main light, plunging the room into a soft, dim glow.

As Yun Pei lay in the bed, surrounded by Qin Mingyuan’s scent, he couldn’t help but feel a bit tense. His fingers gripped the smooth fabric of the blanket tightly.

Qin Mingyuan didn’t notice Yun Pei’s subtle movements. He walked over and effortlessly scooped Yun Pei up again, shifting him to the side before climbing into bed himself.

Yun Pei hadn’t fully processed the sudden relocation when Qin Mingyuan’s arm slid around him, pulling him into a warm embrace.

“Sleep,” Qin Mingyuan said, gently patting his back before leaning down to add, “Need me to tell you a bedtime story?”

Yun Pei looked up, frowning slightly at the suggestion. 

He poked at Qin Mingyuan’s firm chest, “I’m not a kid.”

Qin Mingyuan caught his hand and kissed his fingertips, staring into Yun Pei’s eyes under the dim light. 

“Then will you tell me a bedtime story?”

Knowing that Qin Mingyuan was teasing, Yun Pei didn’t want to engage further. 

He buried his face into Qin Mingyuan’s chest, “Just sleep.”

Qin Mingyuan’s lips curved into a smile as he held Yun Pei close, gently patting his back. He became serious again and said, “Why don’t you move in with me? We can live together.”

Now that he had brought Yun Pei back, he didn’t want to let him leave. He didn’t want Yun Pei returning to that cold house, surrounded by people who made him unhappy.

Curled up in Qin Mingyuan’s arms, Yun Pei looked up and met his gaze. After a moment, he replied softly, “Actually, I’ve been thinking about buying my own place lately.”

He had stayed in that so-called home for so long only to remind them of his mother. He wanted to ensure that Huo Lijuan never forgot her role as a mistress, that Yun Haowei remembered his betrayal, and that Yun Yuexian couldn’t enjoy peace.

The more they ridiculed him, the more satisfaction he felt, knowing they cared. They couldn’t touch him and could only vent their frustration through words.

He watched them sneer and mock, viewing them like clowns in a performance.

Yun Pei once thought he could spend his whole life in that villa, becoming a constant thorn in their hearts, making sure no one was ever truly happy.

But after spending time with Qin Mingyuan, his mindset began to change. The happiness and relaxation he found were things he could never get from antagonizing those people.

Slowly, he started to feel that watching them rage and become hysterical was no longer amusing. Facing them began to feel exhausting, irritating.

Especially after that time at the art exhibition. While looking at his mother’s paintings, he began to wonder if his hatred had turned him into someone his mother would never want him to be.

The darkness that bound his thoughts was something he could never escape from, no matter how many bright and cheerful paintings he created. He was the one who had locked himself in that darkness.

It had been so many years. Perhaps it was time to let go and truly start living for himself, rather than wasting his life on people who didn’t matter.

So recently, he had started looking for a place. It didn’t need to be big, but he wanted to decorate it the way his mother liked—warm, cozy.

However, before he could put his plans into action, he had accidentally overheard that phone call from Huo Lijuan.

If his mother had merely been betrayed, maybe he could eventually let it go. But if she had been deliberately murdered, there was no way he could let that go.

Yun Pei didn’t say anything more, but Qin Mingyuan seemed to understand. He didn’t press for details, only saying, “If you buy a house, I’ll move in with you.”

Yun Pei’s dark thoughts were disrupted by the sudden change in the topic. He felt a bit speechless, “What’s the difference?”

“The difference is, if you move in, I’ll take care of you. If I move in, you take care of me.” Qin Mingyuan squeezed his hand. 

“Fair, right?”

“You’re the president of Qin Corporation, the heir of the biggest conglomerate in A City, and you’re seriously asking me to take care of you?” Yun Pei was amused by Qin Mingyuan’s words. 

He pretended to be unwilling and pushed him away, turning his head, “Not happening.”

Qin Mingyuan wrapped his arm around Yun Pei’s waist, pulling him back, and gave him a playful pinch. Leaning close to Yun Pei’s ear, he asked, “So, will you take care of me or not?”

Yun Pei burst into laughter, trying to push him away as he struggled to escape Qin Mingyuan’s grip. 

“Let go of me!”

But Qin Mingyuan didn’t let go so easily. With a swift movement, he flipped his body over, pinning Yun Pei beneath him, hovering over him.

Yun Pei, pushing against Qin Mingyuan’s chest but unable to break free, grew frustrated and called out, “Qin Mingyuan!”

When Qin Mingyuan finally stopped, Yun Pei glared at him, only to realize that they were much closer than before, and their position had become… rather compromising.

Qin Mingyuan paused as well, feeling their breaths mingling. Suddenly, he had the urge to kiss Yun Pei.

And so, he did, without giving Yun Pei a chance to react. He lowered his head and captured Yun Pei’s still slightly panting lips.

Yun Pei froze for a moment but soon wrapped his arms around Qin Mingyuan’s neck, opening his mouth and letting Qin Mingyuan deepen the kiss. He, too, relished this feeling of intimacy.

The kiss was perfect—the atmosphere and the setting were just right. Qin Mingyuan, a healthy and normal man, couldn’t help but have other thoughts.

His kiss grew more passionate, his breathing becoming ragged. The air between them seemed to heat up as his hand slid down to Yun Pei’s slim waist. The person beneath him trembled but didn’t resist.

Yun Pei’s compliance only made Qin Mingyuan bolder. His kisses traveled from Yun Pei’s lips to his cheek, then down to the spot behind his ear, his breath hot against Yun Pei’s skin, sending shivers through him.

Qin Mingyuan’s hand, as if charged with electricity, slid over Yun Pei’s waist and touched the loose waistband of his pajama pants…

“No…” Yun Pei suddenly snapped back to reality, shoving the now completely lost-in-the-moment Qin Mingyuan aside. He turned his head, panting, his eyes downcast, trying to hide his embarrassment.

Being interrupted like that didn’t feel great. Qin Mingyuan clenched his fists, suppressing his frustration, and pulled his hand back, not blaming Yun Pei for stopping halfway.

“It’s okay…” Qin Mingyuan placed a gentle kiss on Yun Pei’s neck as he tidied his messy hair. 

“I can wait until you’re ready.”

After patting Yun Pei’s head to calm him, Qin Mingyuan got up and went to the bathroom.

Yun Pei watched the door close and slowly curled his still-warm body into a ball. Lying on the bed, he felt himself cooling down bit by bit.

It wasn’t that he wasn’t willing… He was just afraid that Qin Mingyuan wouldn’t like what he saw…