No matter how much Yu Yan tried to persuade him, Yu Chen refused to budge. The two continued arguing all the way home after work, and it didn’t stop until they got home.

Jiang Mo, confused, asked, “What’s going on?”

Yu Chen, with his back to Yu Yan, chuckled lightly, “The little one is throwing a tantrum.”

Jiang Mo, relieved, half-jokingly said, “What’s this, you’re fighting with your brother? Let mom settle it for you.”

“You two stay out of it,” Yu Lin said, removing his glasses and watching the two brothers quarrel.

“It’s not a tantrum,” Yu Yan muttered in a grumbling tone.

Yu Chen crossed his legs and leaned back on the sofa, “So you’re angry with me then?”

“I’m not angry.”

After the exchange, it almost seemed like Yu Yan was some rebellious teenager.

“So what’s going on?” Jiang Mo asked, looking at Yu Chen in confusion, but it was clear Yu Chen wasn’t planning to explain.

Yu Yan pouted, but he couldn’t let his parents know about it. The whole family was hiding things from each other, all wanting to shoulder the pressure and solve things on their own.

He made up an excuse, “Nothing, my brother went out to play without taking me.”

“I thought something serious happened. Don’t worry, if your brother won’t take you, mom will take you.” Jiang Mo took out an invitation letter from her bag and handed it to him. “Next month, there’s a charity project. They’re going to film a folk culture documentary. See if there are any suitable artists under you.”

A few names flashed through his mind, but he ultimately settled on Song Yunjing.

He Zhiyu was still in the second phase of his career, and this kind of formal event wasn’t suitable for him; Jian Ran was too introverted and couldn’t handle some of the folk activities; Cao Yuanye didn’t fit the look for this kind of documentary. Song Yunjing was the best fit—smart and lively.

After looking at the filming location, Yu Yan was surprised. “Mom, can I take Song Yunjing with me?”

“Of course, I’ll go with you too.” Jiang Mo nodded.

“Thanks, mom,” Yu Yan chuckled lightly.

Yu Lin put down the invitation and asked in confusion, “Isn’t there a charity gala in a few days? Shall we all go together?”

“It’s next week, do you have time?” Yu Chen nodded.

“We do, nothing in the evening.” Yu Lin confirmed.

Jiang Mo slapped her forehead. “I’ve been so busy with the tech exhibition I almost forgot. I need to call someone to prepare the evening gown. It’ll be too late if I wait. I’ll also have someone come to measure your sizes.”

“But we have suits at home. No need to prepare anything,” Yu Chen said nonchalantly.

“That won’t do! We need to look nice when we go out as a family. Is Xiao Yuan going? I’ll help her get ready too,” Jiang Mo said with enthusiasm, immediately picking up the phone to contact the tailor.

Yu Chen shook his head, “I asked her, but her studio has something going on, so she can’t make it.”

“Alright then. Do you have any specific requests for the dresses?”

“No.”

“Then I’ll choose according to my preferences.”

Jiang Mo’s idea of preferences was to dress both sons nicely and accept everyone’s compliments, ideally having the whole family in eye-catching matching outfits.

Seeing that the three were quickly deciding everything, Yu Yan stood nervously, too afraid to speak up.

Yu Chen noticed his unusual silence. “Xiao Yan, don’t want to go?”

“No… I mean, yes, I do.” Yu Yan shook his head.

“Then why are you frowning?” Yu Chen slapped his back lightly.

In an instant, three pairs of eyes turned to him, and Yu Yan felt like he was sitting on pins and needles.

He gritted his teeth and spoke up, “Mom, Dad, Brother, I’ve already promised Chen Ge to go with him.”

As soon as the words left his mouth, the room fell into a long silence.

“How about… we meet up at the gala?”

“I’ve already promised Chen Ge. You guys are too late to join.”

“As for the outfit, I’ll still wear the one Mom prepares.”

After a long silence, Jiang Mo was the first to speak, “Alright then, will Ah Chen come to pick you up?”

“Maybe?” Yu Yan replied uncertainly.

“Maybe?”

“He will, I’m sure he’ll come to pick me up. Don’t worry, Mom,” Yu Yan said confidently, laughing awkwardly a couple of times to cover up his embarrassment.

Yu Chen raised an eyebrow, “Why not just go with us, and greet him when we get there?”

“Brother, we already agreed on this,” Yu Yan tugged at his sleeve a few times.

Yu Chen sighed and said nothing more.

A few days later, the charity gala began. Before Yu Yan could say anything, Shen Yuchen drove over to pick him up.

Before getting into the car, Yu Yan deliberately ignored his brother’s hungry gaze. The two cars, one behind the other, headed to the venue for the gala.

Shen Yuchen glanced at the cloud patterns on Yu Yan’s sleeve and the sapphire blue tie, his eyes narrowing slightly.

Yu Yan noticed his gaze, “Brother, does it look good?”

“It looks good.” Shen Yuchen swallowed twice, casually adding, “It’s very similar to Yu Chen’s outfit.”

“Hehe, my mom had someone make it specially. You see the cloud pattern on her dress? It’s the same as the one on my sleeve.”

Yu Yan didn’t say much, but Shen Yuchen figured out that this was a set of matching outfits that Jiang Mo had specially arranged, even the suits and ties for Yu Lin were from the same series.

He gently traced his fingers, and when his gaze shifted from Yu Yan’s face, he caught sight of Yu Chen watching them both from the side.

Shen Yuchen nodded slightly, and in the next moment, Yu Chen was already walking over.

“Xiao Yan, if you see anything you like later, tell your brother,” Yu Chen naturally squeezed in between them and rested his hand on Yu Yan’s shoulder.

Yu Yan nodded, “Thanks, Brother, but I have my own money, I can buy it myself.”

“Buying it yourself isn’t the same as me gifting it to you.”

“Alright then, thanks, Brother.” Since it was for charity, and their family wasn’t lacking in money, Yu Yan didn’t argue with him about it.

During the auction, Yu Yan didn’t sit with the family, but instead sat in the back row with Shen Yuchen.

The seating arrangements for the auction were unclear, but the view from here was pretty good.

Most of the items in the auction catalog were jewelry, with a few antiques. None of them were priceless treasures, mostly worth around seven figures.

At the end of the catalog was a watch encrusted with 128 diamonds. It looked quite expensive, and more importantly, it was stated that there were only a few in the world.

Yu Yan nudged the person next to him with his elbow, “Chen Ge, can this kind of watch still be used? It looks like it’s from many years ago, and the dial seems complicated.”

Shen Yuchen glanced at the name in the catalog and explained briefly, “It can still be used. It has a lot of functions, like showing the date, moon phases, and the Wanli era.”

“That’s so high-end,” Yu Yan nodded, pretending to understand, then asked a key question, “Do you like it?”

Shen Yuchen raised his brow slightly, a barely noticeable smile appearing at the corner of his lips, “I like it, I like it a lot. It’s just a shame that there are only a few in the world, even if I wanted to buy it, I couldn’t.”

“I’ll buy it for you,” Yu Yan blurted out.

Shen Yuchen shook his head slightly, “It’s too expensive. Forget it.”

“As long as you like it, it’s not expensive.”

“I can buy it myself.”

Yu Yan countered with what Yu Chen had said half an hour ago, “Buying it yourself isn’t the same as me gifting it to you. This is my intention.”

Shen Yuchen swallowed twice, finally saying only two words, “Forget it.”

“It can’t be forgotten. Didn’t you say you didn’t like that watch from last New Year? It’s a good chance to give you a new one.”

“How do you know I don’t like it?” Shen Yuchen restrained his smile and lightly tapped the armrest with his fingers.

“You only wore it once, and I’ve never seen you wear it again.”

When Yu Yan gives gifts to close people, he doesn’t intentionally look at the price. Last winter, he gave scarves to everyone in the family and to Shen Yuchen. Yu Yan never thought the scarf was something to be embarrassed about, and everyone who received it wore it through the entire winter.

So Yu Yan could only think that Shen Yuchen didn’t like that brand or style.

“I don’t dislike it, it’s just…”

“Just what?” Yu Yan pressed.

Shen Yuchen smiled, “I don’t like wearing the same thing as others. You can just say I’m eccentric.”

He had only given that brand’s watch to his brother and Shen Yuchen. He Zhi Yu also had a watch from that brand, but it was given by the brand itself.

The three watches weren’t the same model, but they were from the same series, and the design wasn’t too different. No wonder Shen Yuchen didn’t wear it.

Yu Yan suddenly understood, “Then next time, I’ll give you a different one.”

“It’s fine, you don’t need to go out of your way for me.” Shen Yuchen feigned indifference.

Yu Yan said “It’s no trouble” while his attention was already drawn to the auction.

His dad had bid on an ancient painting, which should be hung in the study.

After the painting, it was the watch, and Yu Yan had already raised his paddle.

Just as the host finished introducing it, he was about to raise his paddle when his hand was suddenly stopped.

The heating in the venue was strong, but Shen Yuchen’s fingertips were icy, pressing against the space between his thumb and index finger. The touch was distinct.

Yu Yan was puzzled, looking at him for confirmation.

Shen Yuchen whispered, “Don’t bid.”

“Why?”

Shen Yuchen looked into his dark eyes, feeling a slight shift in his heart.

If Yu Chen knew that Yu Yan spent a large sum to bid on this watch for him, he would undoubtedly take Yu Yan away from Minghua.

It was still too early, and there were too many uncertainties. Shen Yuchen didn’t want to take the risk.

Shen Yuchen softly explained, “The donations from each family are pretty similar; it’s a kind of unwritten understanding. This is the last item being auctioned, and if other families don’t get it, the media’s reports might not be pleasant.”

“Is it really that particular? Then why not just donate directly?”

“It’s not contradictory. In business, face is important.”

Yu Yan suddenly understood, “I see now.”

As soon as the words left his mouth, the watch was already won by the owner of another company.

Yu Yan’s dad had bid on an ancient painting, and Shen Yuchen had bid on a box of wine. The prices were indeed not far apart.

After the auction ended, it seemed like Shen Yuchen’s attention was still on the watch. The hand resting on Yu Yan’s hand didn’t move, and their skin was pressed closely together, even generating a thin layer of sweat.

Yu Yan froze for a moment, his hand holding the paddle seemed frozen, not moving for a long time.

It wasn’t until the staff brought over the bill for Shen Yuchen to sign that he finally moved his hand.

A gust of wind brushed across the back of his hand, a cool sensation, and the little warmth that remained quickly faded.

Yu Yan felt a bit uncomfortable, his fingertips lightly curling a couple of times.

“Are they still going to be delivered to the house?”

“Mm, you want to come over and taste some wine?” Shen Yuchen raised an eyebrow slightly.

“I can’t really tell what’s what. I can only say if it’s sweet, sour, or bitter. I can’t drink the sour or bitter ones, they have to be mixed with Sprite.”

Shen Yuchen gave a light hum, “Next time, I’ll make you a sweet one.”

“Can you mix drinks, bro?” Yu Yan blinked a couple of times.

“Just a little.”

“That’s still pretty impressive. I have to try it!”