Chapter 22

Chapter 22

The sound of the call being disconnected echoed in Shang Huoyong's ears, his already gloomy expression darkened further. Anger flashed in his eyes, and his chest heaved noticeably.

Shang Huoyong contacted the person who was monitoring Su Tinghe and, after obtaining the exact location of the bar, drove straight over.

The bar was on University Road. When Shang Huoyong arrived, the place was packed, with loud music and chatter filling the air.

Shang Huoyong pushed through the crowd and saw Su Tinghe's head resting on a young man's shoulder by the bar.

Shang Huoyong walked over, reached out to steady Su Tinghe's head, and pulled him toward himself.

"Who are you?" the young man immediately stood up, grabbing Su Tinghe's arm as if to pull him back.

Just as Shang Huoyong was about to lose his temper, Su Tinghe, hearing the commotion, opened his bleary eyes, glanced at Shang Huoyong, and stretched out his arms, saying, "Honey, hold me."

The next second, Su Tinghe buried his head in Shang Huoyong's chest. The anger that had been simmering in Shang Huoyong suddenly cooled, and he patted Su Tinghe's back to comfort him.

Ruan Xiting, who had been fuming, was now dumbfounded, his words nearly stumbling: "Husband? You're his husband?"

Shang Huoyong held Su Tinghe, looking at the other man with the pride of a peacock: "What, didn't Su Tinghe tell you he has a husband?"

Ruan Xiting instinctively shook his head: "No." Then, as if suddenly remembering something, he said with great caution, "You claim to be his husband, but can you prove it?"

Shang Huoyong smiled, raising an eyebrow: "You haven't added him on WeChat yet, have you?"

Ruan Xiting continued to shake his head: "No."

Shang Huoyong's smile widened: "No wonder."

Feeling slighted, Ruan Xiting retorted, "We just haven't had the chance yet. His phone ran out of battery yesterday, so we couldn't add each other. But at least we know each other. I can't say the same about you and Su Tinghe."

Shang Huoyong didn't respond verbally but instead took action. He pulled out Su Tinghe's profile photo from his phone, zoomed in, and showed it to Ruan Xiting.

"Take a good look. This is our wedding photo."

In the red-background ID photo, Ruan Xiting immediately recognized Su Tinghe, and the man next to him was indeed the one Su Tinghe was currently clinging to.

Ruan Xiting's face fell, but he still tried to argue: "It could be fake."

Su Tinghe snuggled against Shang Huoyong's chest, turned around and leaned into Shang Huoyong's arms, facing Ruan Xiting with a slurred voice: "He's my husband. Didn't Ruan Xitian mention that I'm married?"

Bai Hua, who had just finished mixing a drink, came over after noticing the commotion. He glanced at Shang Huoyong and said, "He really is Su Tinghe's husband."

Ruan Xiting asked Bai Hua, "You know him?"

Bai Hua explained, "I've seen Su Tinghe's WeChat profile photo. The other person in the wedding photo is indeed him."

Ruan Xiting was at a loss for words, but in his heart, he cursed his sister Ruan Xitian for only telling him about a handsome guy but not mentioning that the handsome guy was married.

Moreover, Su Tinghe had even set his wedding photo as his profile picture. How deeply in love and devoted to his husband must he be? Ruan Xiting looked at Shang Huoyong with a mix of envy and resentment, reluctantly saying, "Then... take him home. He didn't drink much, just drank too fast. Mixed drinks can be potent and hit you hard."

Shang Huoyong politely thanked him, then wrapped his arm around Su Tinghe and walked out. Su Tinghe's mind was somewhat clear, but his body was out of control, completely leaning on Shang Huoyong as they moved toward the exit.

The bar was packed, and to prevent others from bumping into them, Shang Huoyong carefully protected Su Tinghe. Even so, when they reached the less crowded area near the entrance, Su Tinghe stumbled. Shang Huoyong simply picked him up in his arms and carried him out.

A chorus of "Wow" erupted around them, and all eyes turned toward the entrance, where a tall man was seen striding out with someone in his arms.

Those who turned around late only caught a glimpse of his back, completely unaware of what had happened. When they asked their companions, they learned that a mature, handsome man had carried a pretty young man out, and the young man had been calling him "hubby."

After the explanation, the 'wow' reactions grew even louder, with many people wearing knowing smiles on their faces.

Thus, another comment was added to Su Tinghe's highly popular ancient costume video: [Everyone, wash up and go to bed, your wife already has a man.]

The replies under the comment were some wailing, some chuckling, some saying the grudge of wife-stealing is unforgivable, and some saying this is for the fangirls, I knew I deserved it.

Meanwhile, the other members of the band only then realized that Su Tinghe had already been picked up, and by none other than his husband.

Seeing Ruan Xiting's despondent look, everything spoke for itself.

The lead singer and the guitarist each gave a big bear hug to comfort their teammate, while drummer Meng Meng teased sarcastically: "What's there to be sad about? You should've checked beforehand."

Ruan Xiting sighed heavily and angrily shouted, "I knew it, Ruan Xitian is unreliable, as always."

Meng Meng propped her chin with her hand: "I feel like Ruan Xitian deliberately didn't tell you."

"She's still so young, she wouldn't do that," Ruan Xiting crossed his arms, making an X sign, emphasizing, "I have morals; I don’t mess with people’s relationships."

Meng Meng gave Ruan Xiting a cool glance: "So you have morals, but no wife, Tingting, keep at it."

Ruan Xiting immediately flared up: "I said, don't call me Tingting anymore. Whoever calls me that, I’ll cut ties with them."

The lead singer and the guitarist exchanged a glance. Ruan Xiting still had the energy to fuss over a nickname, it seems the hurt wasn't too deep, and strictly speaking, Su Tinghe probably didn't even know about Ruan Xiting's feelings—it was all in his head.

Outside the bar, Shang Huoyong scooped Su Tinghe up in his arms, and Su Tinghe even snuggled into Shang Huoyong's chest.

Shang Huoyong placed Su Tinghe in the passenger seat, fastened his seatbelt, but Su Tinghe refused to let go of Shang Huoyong's neck. Shang Huoyong patiently coaxed him with a few words, and only then did Su Tinghe obediently let go.

Along the way, Su Tinghe was very well-behaved, quietly resting with his eyes closed, facing Shang Huoyong's direction. Occasionally, he would open his eyes to look at Shang Huoyong, calling out "honey," and only closing his eyes again to rest after Shang Huoyong responded. If Shang Huoyong didn't respond, Su Tinghe would keep calling "honey."

After arriving home, Shang Huoyong unfastened Su Tinghe's seatbelt and helped him out of the car, but Su Tinghe reached out insisting that Shang Huoyong carry him. Shang Huoyong knew better than to argue with a drunk, so he had to carry Su Tinghe into the villa.

Aunt Qin hadn't slept yet, waiting for the two to return. Seeing Shang Huoyong carrying Su Tinghe in, she was startled, and upon approaching, she caught a whiff of alcohol and was startled, thinking Su Tinghe had been forced to drink a lot.

Shang Huoyong explained, "He probably didn't drink much, he just can’t hold his liquor." Shang Huoyong patted Su Tinghe and asked him, "How many drinks did you have today?"

Su Tinghe tried hard to recall, counting on his fingers: "One, two, three, four... no, I only took a sip of the fourth drink, no, two sips."

Shang Huoyong had an expression of 'as expected': "Only three drinks and you're this drunk, your alcohol tolerance is something else."

Aunt Qin said with both heartache and helplessness, "He must’ve never had a drink before, that's why he's like this."

Su Tinghe shook his head, stubbornly saying to Shang Huoyong, "Not three, a bit over three, but not quite four." And to Aunt Qin, he said, "I’ve had a drink before."

Shang Huoyong went along with him: "Okay, a bit over three, more than three but not quite four."

Aunt Qin also went along with Su Tinghe: "Yes, we had a drink before, we drank on our wedding day, remember?"

Su Tinghe thought for a moment, nodded, and had no objection to their statements.

Aunt Qin quietly asked Shang Huoyong, "On the wedding day, I didn't see him get drunk, why is he so drunk today?"

"Because on the wedding day, he only drank a few sips of alcohol at the beginning, then switched to water," Shang Huoyong explained.

"No wonder," Aunt Qin understood, "I’ll whip up some honey water for him."

As soon as Shang Huoyong took Su Tinghe back to the room, Aunt Qin knocked on the door and came in, bringing a cup of warm honey water and a cup of warm milk.

"See which one he wants to drink, give him a sip before bed, at least his stomach will feel better."

Shang Huoyong took it and asked Qin Auntie to rest first. He walked to the bedside and asked Su Tinghe, "Would you like honey water or milk?"

"Milk," Su Tinghe replied, but after taking a few sips, he refused to drink any more.

"Why aren't you drinking?" Shang Huoyong continued to hold the milk to Su Tinghe's lips, but Su Tinghe turned his face away, unwilling to drink.

"Drinking is tiring. Why don't you feed me?" Su Tinghe said.

"Not like that," Shang Huoyong waved the milk in front of Su Tinghe and said, "I am feeding you right now."

"Feed me with this," Su Tinghe pointed at Shang Huoyong's lips with his index finger.

"Where did you learn that?" Shang Huoyong stiffened suddenly.

Su Tinghe touched Shang Huoyong's lower lip, tilting his head innocently: "That's how they do it on TV."

Shang Huoyong put down the milk, grabbed Su Tinghe's mischievous hand, and lectured: "Cut down on those cheesy dramas."

Su Tinghe tried to pull his hand out of Shang Huoyong's grip but couldn't, and said somewhat unhappily: "TV dramas aren't cheesy."

Shang Huoyong changed his approach and continued to lecture: "Stop watching those brainless dramas."

"TV dramas are fun, they're not brainless," Su Tinghe argued with Shang Huoyong, then pouted unhappily, "Are you going to feed me or not?"

Even though Su Tinghe was drunk, Shang Huoyong wasn't about to indulge him, especially not in such intimate matters.

Shang Huoyong said sternly: "Drink it yourself or don't."

Su Tinghe became even more unhappy, pouting and complaining: "You're being mean."

Considering that Su Tinghe was drunk, Shang Huoyong softened his tone and came up with a compromise: "I'll get you a straw so you can sip it. Want that?"

Su Tinghe replied: "Yes."

But by the time Shang Huoyong got back with a straw, Su Tinghe had already drunk most of the milk.

Shang Huoyong was at a loss for words. He tore off the straw's wrapper, stuck it in the milk, and held it to Su Tinghe's mouth, watching as Su Tinghe put the straw in his mouth before letting go.

Su Tinghe bit the straw and slowly drank all the milk in the cup. He handed the cup back to Shang Huoyong, watched as Shang Huoyong put it away, and then said, "Come here for a sec, okay?"

Shang Huoyong stood by the bed, looking at Su Tinghe who was sitting crookedly on the bed, and asked, "What is it?"

Su Tinghe didn't answer, his soft voice saying, "Lean down."

Shang Huoyong reluctantly leaned down, and Su Tinghe reached up and pulled Shang Huoyong's neck down, slightly tilting his head up, and kissed Shang Huoyong.

Shang Huoyong's eyes widened in shock, but before he could push Su Tinghe away, Su Tinghe had already left his lips and let go of his hands.

Shang Huoyong straightened up abruptly, furious: "What are you doing?"

"You wouldn't feed me, so now your lips taste like milk," Su Tinghe said unafraid.

"You!" Shang Huoyong's chest heaved violently, his nostrils flaring with heavy breaths, but he could do nothing about Su Tinghe.

"Get undressed and go to bed," Shang Huoyong said irritably.

"No," Su Tinghe sniffed his clothes, "They stink. I need a shower."

Shang Huoyong helped Su Tinghe to the bathroom, got his pajamas ready, turned on the hot water, and left him to wash up.

After finishing filling the tub with hot water and turning around, Shang Huoyong saw that Su Tinghe had already stripped off his pants. A vein was pulsing at Shang Huoyong's temple as he tried to suppress a surge of inexplicable anger. Barely keeping his eyes from wandering downward, he muttered, "The water's ready, wash yourself," and bolted out of the room.

Su Tinghe looked puzzled as Shang Huoyong rushed out the door, his wide eyes filled with confusion. Then he slowly peeled off his shirt and stepped into the bathtub.

As the hot water enveloped his body, Su Tinghe's mind cleared briefly, then grew foggy again, even starting to drift off.

Shang Huoyong waited outside the bathroom for what felt like ages, concerned that something might have happened to Su Tinghe inside. He couldn’t help but call out, “Are you done washing?”

A rustling sound came from the bathroom, and Su Tinghe replied, “Almost.”

Shang Huoyong called out from outside the door, “Get dressed before coming out.”

Su Tinghe toweled himself off, reached for his pajamas, but his foot slipped, and he let out a yelp.

Shang Huoyong's heart clenched outside the door, and without thinking, he rushed in. “What happened?”

When he opened the door, he saw a fair, slender body with a hint of pink. A towel was barely hanging on around his waist, threatening to slip off. Su Tinghe was holding onto the sink, preventing himself from falling to the ground.

Shang Huoyong’s throat tightened, his Adam's apple bobbing slightly. His words came out strained, “Get dressed and come out.” After saying this, Shang Huoyong walked out again and gently closed the door.

When Su Tinghe emerged from the bathroom, he was already in his pajamas, but his top was buttoned all wrong, a complete mess.

Without a word, Shang Huoyong fixed Su Tinghe's buttons, led him to the bed, and tucked him in.

Out of the blue, after lying down, Su Tinghe suddenly said, “Husband, I want to tell you a secret.”

Shang Huoyong didn't take it seriously and casually responded, “What secret?”

Su Tinghe whispered, “Bring your ear closer.”

Having been tricked once before, Shang Huoyong was reluctant to comply, but Su Tinghe's eyes were bright, staring at him persistently, as if he really was about to reveal a shocking secret.

Shang Huoyong took a deep breath twice, then leaned his ear closer, only to hear Su Tinghe say, “Actually, I'm not Su Tinghe.”

What a big secret!

Shang Huoyong was almost amused by Su Tinghe's antics, casually agreeing, “Okay, you're not Su Tinghe, and actually, I'm not Shang Huoyong either.”

Seeing that Shang Huoyong didn't believe him, Su Tinghe got a bit anxious and emphasized, “I'm telling the truth.”

Shang Huoyong retorted, “Then who are you?”

Su Tinghe obediently replied, “I am Su Tinghe.”

Shang Huoyong looked at Su Tinghe with a gaze full of pity for a fool, “Go to sleep now.”

Seeing that Shang Huoyong still didn't believe him, Su Tinghe anxiously took his hand out from under the blanket and gestured, “What I mean is, I'm not that Su Tinghe, but I'm also called Su Tinghe.”

Clearly, under the influence of alcohol, Su Tinghe was starting to ramble incoherently. Shang Huoyong tucked Su Tinghe's hand back under the blanket, patted him gently, and said, “I understand, you're not that Su Tinghe, you're another Su Tinghe, right?”

Su Tinghe nodded like a chicken pecking at rice, and Shang Huoyong coaxed, “Now close your eyes and sleep.”

Su Tinghe obediently closed his eyes, and Shang Huoyong's world finally returned to peace.

The world with Su Tinghe in it was indeed no longer so empty and quiet, but sometimes it was really noisy.

Shang Huoyong looked at the sleeping Su Tinghe, rubbed his lips, and thought of the fleeting kiss from earlier.

In two lifetimes, this was the first time the two had been so intimate.

According to the reports from those surveilling Su Tinghe, there has been no intimate contact between Su Tinghe and Shang Yizhi recently.

Since their marriage, Su Tinghe's various behaviors have increasingly puzzled Shang Huoyong. The person who colluded with Shang Yizhi in the previous life suddenly started seducing him in this one.

This defies logic.

Even more baffling is that while Shang Huoyong was taking a shower, he couldn't help but recall the sight of Su Tinghe's body he had just seen.

Agitated, Shang Huoyong had to take a cold shower to calm himself down.

But lying in bed with his eyes closed, Shang Huoyong's mind once again conjured the scene of Su Tinghe leaning heavily on the sink, looking back at him. Su Tinghe's pale, delicate body, flushed pink from the shower, was covered in a mist of water, with the towel loosely hanging, as if it might fall off at any moment.

Shang Huoyong opened his eyes, staring at the dark ceiling, attempting to erase Su Tinghe from his mind. Once he managed to do so, he closed his eyes again to try to sleep, but Su Tinghe returned to his mind once more.

Shang Huoyong kept opening and closing his eyes, restlessly tossing and turning in bed, until he finally fell into a fitful sleep late into the night.

After eventually falling asleep, Shang Huoyong got up from bed as soon as the alarm sounded, with a grim expression, and went to the bathroom.

Before drifting off, Su Tinghe had indeed vanished from Shang Huoyong's thoughts; but after falling asleep, Su Tinghe appeared in Shang Huoyong's dream, and in the dream, the towel draped around Su Tinghe's waist slipped off.

When the alarm sounded, the dream was at a pivotal moment, and Shang Huoyong was torn between gratitude and resentment towards the alarm.

At breakfast, Aunt Qin observed Shang Huoyong's foul mood and asked with concern, "Did young master Su make a scene last night after drinking?"

Shang Huoyong gritted his teeth, "He was a handful!"

Aunt Qin continued, "Did young master Su drink honey water or milk last night?"

Shang Huoyong continued to grit his teeth, "Milk."

Aunt Qin was relieved, "That's good, it helps prevent stomach pain at night." She then cast Shang Huoyong a peculiar glance, hesitating before speaking, "Mr. Shang, you look like..."

"Just say it," Shang Huoyong glanced at Aunt Qin, his tone full of dissatisfaction, "What's wrong with me? I didn't sleep well because of him."

Encouraged, Aunt Qin blurted out her guess, "You seem to be suffering from sexual frustration."

"What?!" Shang Huoyong's coffee sloshed onto the table.

Aunt Qin quickly attempted to calm Shang Huoyong down, "Don't get upset, Mr. Shang, I was just talking nonsense, don't take it seriously." As she spoke, she fetched tissues to mop up the spilled coffee.

Shang Huoyong looked down and saw coffee splatters on the cuffs of his white shirt, which were increasingly irritating. He said to Aunt Qin, "I'm going to change my clothes," then got up and went upstairs to the wardrobe.

The white shirt he had changed out of was hurled into the laundry basket. The stains seemed to remind Shang Huoyong of the bizarre and secretive dream he had the previous night.

Su Tinghe was far too crafty, and Shang Huoyong was determined to prevent such occurrences.

All day, from the driver to Assistant Song to the staff, everyone could sense Shang Huoyong's foul mood. Even when Su Tinghe arrived with lunch, Shang Huoyong remained unsmiling.

Actually, after waking up, Su Tinghe didn't want to see Shang Huoyong for a while. Thinking about everything that happened last night, Su Tinghe sighed deeply, feeling he had lost all dignity across both lifetimes due to his lack of restraint.

But then Su Tinghe suddenly recalled that before falling asleep last night, he had revealed his life's secret to Shang Huoyong. Although Shang Huoyong didn't believe it at the time, there was no guarantee that he wouldn't notice something was off later.

Su Tinghe's heart was in turmoil, and he planned to use the opportunity of delivering lunch to gauge Shang Huoyong's attitude.

Arriving at the company and seeing Shang Huoyong, Su Tinghe noticed that Shang Huoyong's expression was slightly cold and stiff, clearly less warm than usual.

Su Tinghe cautiously asked, "Did I do or say anything inappropriate last night?"

Shang Huoyong unexpectedly thought of the fleeting kiss and retorted, "Which thing? Which sentence? In my view, everything was quite inappropriate."

"Well... like this," Su Tinghe hesitated, speaking slowly, "I was drunk, so what I said shouldn't be taken seriously."

Shang Huoyong sneered, "So, that kiss wasn't real either?"

Su Tinghe's cheeks flushed slightly as she murmured softly, "That's different. Of course, that was real."

Shang Huoyong's expression lightened slightly, and he said indifferently, "Oh."

The two lapsed into silence for a moment, with only the faint sound of chewing in the office.

Su Tinghe asked seemingly offhandedly, "Honey, did I let slip a secret yesterday?"

"Hmm," Shang Huoyong took a sip of soup, "You said you weren't Su Tinghe."

Su Tinghe chuckled dryly twice and said, "I am Su Tinghe; I've never changed my name."

Shang Huoyong replied, "I thought so too. If you're not Su Tinghe, then what are you, a ghost?"

Su Tinghe felt a bit guilty but still dared to continue asking, "What if I were a ghost, would you be scared?"

"Terrified, scared out of my wits, absolutely petrified," Shang Huoyong muttered expressionlessly. "I told you to cut down on those silly dramas. One minute you're talking about having a baby, the next you're turning into a ghost. What else do you want to do next?"

Of course, Shang Huoyong wouldn't buy into such far-fetched ideas like reincarnation or world-hopping. Su Tinghe felt both relieved and unwilling. "Nothing else."

Just after speaking, Su Tinghe suddenly remembered the man she met yesterday. "Actually, there's something else. I met a guy yesterday who's looking to produce a TV drama, but he has no money, and I have money. I want to fund him to make the TV drama. What do you think?"

Shang Huoyong asked puzzledly, "Invest in a TV drama?"

Su Tinghe recalled, "He mentioned he's short twenty million. I think it's not much money, just doing a good turn."

Shang Huoyong asked casually, "What's the show called?"

"It's called 'Yu Lin Ling,' I think," Su Tinghe responded, taking out her phone and flipping through the chat records with that man. "Here's the project proposal he sent me."

Shang Huoyong took Su Tinghe's phone, briefly browsed through the story plot and character introductions, then looked at Su Tinghe with a suspicious gaze. "What made you think of investing in this show?"

Su Tinghe explained, "He wanted me to play the young prince in it, but I can't act, and he persuaded me, but I didn't want to. However, listening to his story was quite interesting. Then he got a call, and someone wanted to withdraw funding. He had no money, I have money, so I figured since I can't act, I might as well fund him."

Shang Huoyong didn't believe it. "Is it that simple?"

"Otherwise? Do you need a reason to spend money?" Su Tinghe was puzzled, then cautiously asked, "Honey, are we broke?"

Shang Huoyong suppressed his doubts, saying calmly, "Twenty million is chump change. I'm just worried you might get scammed."

Su Tinghe took it seriously. "That's why I'm asking you. That guy, whether he's a director or something, said if I really invest, he would invite me to help select actors. Sounds interesting."

In her previous world, Su Tinghe had seen scripts, listened to storytelling, and watched operas, but she had never been involved in making a drama. The thought of participating in the production of a period drama in this world excited her just thinking about it.

Shang Huoyong thought for a moment, then said in a deep voice, "If you want to invest, go for it. I'll have someone with you when you sign the contract."

"Honey, you're really too good," Su Tinghe smiled, her eyes curving as she looked at Shang Huoyong.

A faint smile appeared on Shang Huoyong's face, half-smiling, half-serious, as he began to doubt Su Tinghe's identity.

If he was reborn, could Su Tinghe also be reborn?

In this way, Su Tinghe's recent unusual behavior could now be explained.

Moreover, "Yu Lin Ling" is a typical example of a small investment yielding big returns. With a low budget and almost zero promotion, this TV series became a phenomenal hit in its previous incarnation, making a huge profit and propelling two unknown actors to stardom.

Although the TV series production team had limited funds, the presentation of the show clearly showed great effort and care.

What an incredible coincidence! In its previous run, the biggest investor was his cousin Shang Yizhi.

In this life, the investor has become Su Tinghe.

After lunch, Su Tinghe stayed in the lounge of Shang Huoyong's office to catch some rest, but Su Tinghe could sense that Shang Huoyong seemed preoccupied, and the atmosphere around him was palpably tense.

Su Tinghe asked Shang Huoyong what was wrong, and Shang Huoyong turned the tables: "It's all because someone got drunk and caused a scene, keeping me up all night."

Su Tinghe didn't dare to ask further and instead offered, "Then lie down right away, and I'll give you a head massage."

Shang Huoyong was skeptical: "You actually know how to massage?"

Su Tinghe urged, "Just try it, you'll see."

Su Tinghe placed a pillow at the foot of the bed and had Shang Huoyong lie down with his head there, then sat on a chair beside him, massaging the acupoints on Shang Huoyong's head.

Su Tinghe's massage skills weren't particularly outstanding, but they were decent enough. In his previous life, Su Tinghe's mother often suffered from headaches, and Su Tinghe had learned some massage techniques, which now came in handy for Shang Huoyong.

Shang Huoyong initially didn't believe Su Tinghe could massage, but as Su Tinghe's soft fingertips pressed against his scalp, a slight tingling sensation spread through his body like a gentle wave, and before he knew it, Shang Huoyong gradually fell asleep.

When Shang Huoyong woke up, he found Su Tinghe curled up beside him, fast asleep.

Although Su Tinghe was thin, his face was youthfully plump, and even lying on his side, the flesh on his cheeks looked as bouncy as jelly.

Shang Huoyong watched Su Tinghe for a while, feeling a complex mix of emotions. He didn't hate Su Tinghe as much as he did when he first came back to life, but he still couldn't say he liked him. Shang Huoyong told himself this.

After Su Tinghe woke up, he didn't see Shang Huoyong. He waited until he was sure no one was outside before leaving.

Su Tinghe had an afternoon meeting with the director he’d met the day before, and Shang Huoyong had Assistant Song accompany him.

On the way, Su Tinghe asked Assistant Song, "Has Shang Huoyong been very busy with work recently?"

Assistant Song immediately tensed up, thinking Su Tinghe was questioning the misunderstanding from the weekend night, and quickly defended Shang Huoyong's innocence: "Mr. Shang is completely innocent—he truly had no idea. It was Mr. Wang, the one we dined with, who had ulterior motives, but our Mr. Shang is upright and unyielding."

Su Tinghe wasn’t actually questioning Shang Huoyong’s innocence. After the incident, he had checked the night service, and it was indeed a completely legitimate service. Shang Huoyong's reaction that day also seemed genuinely unaware.

However, something else was now gnawing at Su Tinghe.

They’d been married for a while now, but Shang Huoyong had never shared a bed with him. Last night, he’d been so forward, yet Shang Huoyong hadn’t even wanted to kiss him.

In his previous life, Su Tinghe's mother had told him that intimacy was very important, and no man would dislike it unless there was only one possibility.

Previously, Shang Huoyong had told him that it required preparation, otherwise, he would feel pain and get hurt, but Shang Huoyong was too busy with work to prepare.

However, the phone was a good thing. Su Tinghe searched online and found that some people said it didn’t require special preparation, but work could indeed affect one's appetite.

Su Tinghe cut off Assistant Song’s string of idioms and repeated his question: "I'm asking if you guys are usually busy with work?"

Assistant Song's eyes darted around as he answered, "Not busy, not at all. Mr. Shang has pushed back all non-essential long-distance business trips and declined unimportant dinner invitations. He comes home on time every day to have dinner with you."

"Hmm..." Su Tinghe nodded thoughtfully, letting out a quiet sigh.

But Assistant Song noticed that Su Tinghe's expression didn't lighten up upon hearing his words; instead, he seemed even more downcast.

Downcast!

Assistant Song was suddenly hit with panic. Were they fighting? Mr. Shang seemed in a bad mood today. He was sure he hadn’t said anything wrong, but he still felt like he’d messed up.

Su Tinghe had his doubts but couldn’t be sure. What if Shang Huoyong really couldn’t perform? What would he do then?

Honestly, Su Tinghe had imagined marrying a cheating husband but never one who couldn’t perform.

When they arrived at the café for the meeting, the middle-aged man, Zhang Shijing, was already waiting. Seeing Su Tinghe with someone else, he looked a little nervous.

He introduced himself as Zhang Shijing, the director of the series, explaining that it was adapted from his daughter’s novel.

Assistant Song went through the documents Zhang Shijing had brought and found everything in order. Mr. Shang had sent him to make sure Su Tinghe wasn’t being scammed. As for how Su Tinghe spent his money, the amount wasn’t an issue.

It’s great to have money!

But Shang Huoyong had told Assistant Song to bring back a copy of the project materials.

Zhang Shijing had been worried about funding, but unexpectedly, while the right actor hadn’t been found, the funding had come through.

Zhang Shijing was so moved he almost cried and eagerly invited Su Tinghe to help audition actors another day. The financier might not want to act, but he could definitely pick the actors. Who knows, watching the auditions might inspire him to act himself.

With the deal done and the info in hand, Assistant Song had to head back to the office. Zhang Shijing, though, kept Su Tinghe talking about the filming schedule and the show’s commercial potential.

Su Tinghe was distracted and wanted to put off the discussion. He glanced toward the bar and spotted a familiar face making coffee.

Su Tinghe blurted out, "Old Bai... Bai Hua!"

Bai Hua looked up, just as surprised to see Su Tinghe.

Su Tinghe asked, "Why so many jobs? Are you broke?"

Bai Hua, not wanting to get into it, joked, "Yeah, I’m pretty broke."

"Oh," Su Tinghe said, realizing he’d hit a nerve and feeling embarrassed. He glanced at Bai Hua’s hands, busy with latte art, and said, "You’re really talented—calligraphy, mixing drinks, and now coffee?"

After finishing the coffee, Bai Hua handed it to a waiter and turned to Su Tinghe, "Want a cup?"

Su Tinghe frowned slightly and shook his head, "I don’t like coffee; it’s too bitter."

"I’ll add more milk; it won’t be bitter then. Want to try?" Bai Hua offered.

Though coffee is bitter, the latte art was indeed beautiful, reminiscent of the tea art from his previous world. After some thought, Su Tinghe said, "Alright, one cup then."

Bai Hua made Su Tinghe a latte with extra milk and even drew a heart on top. Su Tinghe took a sip and found it much less bitter than before, with a rich milk flavor.

Seeing that Su Tinghe seemed in good spirits today, Bai Hua recalled how drunk Su Tinghe had been the previous night, carried away by his husband, and asked with concern, "Did you get home alright yesterday?"

"It was okay," Su Tinghe showed a hint of embarrassment, "just did some things and said some words I normally wouldn’t."

Bai Hua suddenly laughed heartily and teased, "Did you manage to pin your husband down?"

Su Tinghe's face stiffened abruptly, and Bai Hua was shocked, "I actually guessed it right."

Su Tinghe didn’t answer directly but instead asked, "When can you finish work? I have a question for you."

Bai Hua checked the time and replied, "Wait for about ten minutes; it’s almost time for my shift to end, and I’ll be off soon."

Su Tinghe nodded and said "Okay," then quietly sat down near the bar, sipping coffee while thinking about how to bring up the issue of his husband possibly being impotent with Bai Hua later.

Su Tinghe didn't have any friends around to talk to or chat with, and now that he was facing a dilemma, there was no one to discuss it with. Bai Hua was already one of the closer peers in his life.

After Bai Hua finished his shift, he went over to Su Tinghe and sat down beside him. Su Tinghe hesitated and said, "Actually, it's not my problem, but a friend of mine..."

Bai Hua gave a look that said "I understand" and gestured for him to continue.

Su Tinghe was mortified but continued, "My friend is married, but his husband hasn't been intimate with him. Why do you think that is? Could it be that his husband is impotent?"

The amount of information in Su Tinghe's statement was overwhelming. Bai Hua thought about Su Tinghe's husband, whom he had seen yesterday, who didn't seem at all like someone who was impotent. On the contrary, he seemed to have a strong possessiveness over Su Tinghe.

Bai Hua comforted him, "Could it be that you're overthinking it?"

Su Tinghe hadn't yet realized that Bai Hua was saying "you" instead of "your friend." "My friend's husband hugs him every night when they sleep, but he doesn't do anything. Is that normal?"

Bai Hua, being single and inexperienced, thought it did sound quite abnormal. He suggested, "Why don't you try seducing your husband?"

Su Tinghe felt even more distressed and, despite his shame, said, "I've tried seducing him. I even stood naked before him, but he remained unmoved. He just said he was busy with work and was afraid of not being prepared enough, which might hurt me."

At this point of sadness, a few tears even fell from Su Tinghe's eyes. Bai Hua was startled and quickly handed him a tissue.

"Seduction needs to be subtle, not so direct. What you did was too straightforward, so of course it didn't work. If nothing works, try again tonight."

Su Tinghe asked, "How should I try?"

Bai Hua scratched his head, "I don't know either."

The two looked at each other and finally decided to seek help from the omnipotent phone. They successfully found a post titled "Little Tricks to Ignite Your Partner's Desire"—

1. During a face-to-face meal, gently brush his leg with your foot.

2. While sipping your drink, nibble on the straw and occasionally glance at him.

3. Pretend to forget your towel when showering and call him to bring it to you.

4. Wear his shirt and nothing else.

5. When he hugs you from behind, squirm slightly and press against him.

Bai Hua pointed at the phone and said, "These are great. Give them all a shot."

Su Tinghe emphasized, "It's not about me, it's my friend."

Bai Hua stared at Su Tinghe and said, "Sure, it's your friend."

Su Tinghe lowered his head and confessed sheepishly, "Alright, it's me."