Chapter 87

Chapter 87

The soundtrack faded, and the scene on stage transitioned.

The VIP box fell quiet again. No need for whispered conversation; Qin You also pulled away and turned to Yan Tingshen’s face.

Yan Tingshen withdrew his gaze. "Nothing."

The performance moved on to another hookup scene. Qin You rose from the sofa, not sticking around any longer.

Yan Tingshen glanced at the hand before him, then looked up at Qin You’s expression before reaching out to grasp it, standing up as well.

Perhaps it was also an intermission.

The VIP box to the left finally quieted down.

But just as the two reached the door, Qin You opening it, they heard playful banter, followed by a muffled thump.

This time, it was even closer.

Qin You had already pulled the door open—

Only to stop dead at the sight of a flushed couple outside, their footsteps halting.

Under the dim, warm glow of the small lamp, the couple leaned against the wall by the door, completely wrapped up in each other.

Yan Tingshen looked at them, then at Qin You, whose face betrayed nothing.

Qin You hadn’t expected to walk in on this. Casually, he pulled Yan Tingshen closer, wrapping an arm around his waist to swap places.

Caught off guard, Yan Tingshen said nothing for a beat.

Only then did the couple notice the disturbance.

They stared blankly, as if unable to comprehend why anyone would leave at the same time as them—and why it was two men who had come to the play together.

The woman let out a small gasp, immediately pushing her partner away before finally taking in the faces of the two figures in the doorway.

Her eyes darted wildly between them in shock, and she instinctively covered her mouth with her hand, leaving only her wide eyes visible.

"Still staring—"

Qin You ignored the fuss behind them. As he and Yan Tingshen left the theater, he glanced up at the flurries dancing in the air.

Stepping away from the dim, cramped VIP box, the winter chill hit them full force.

No longer confined to its lingering warmth between them, the cool air dispersed any remaining heat.

Yan Tingshen’s gaze shifted to the opposite side. "There’s a lake over there."

"Then what are we waiting for?"

Qin You slipped their hands into his coat pocket. "Let’s go."

Yan Tingshen’s arm stiffened a little as he was pulled forward, a step behind before following along.

He stared at the fabric-covered pocket, hyper-aware of Qin You’s dry, warm palm enveloping his completely.

Qin You glanced at him. "Cold? Huh?"

Yan Tingshen took a step closer. "I'm not cold."

The Lunar New Year had passed, and the weather seemed to be gradually warming.

The snow today wasn’t swirling like it had before the New Year, and the wind was softened by the lakeside greenery.

"We can stop here."

The snowy ground was slippery, so Qin You didn’t follow Yan Tingshen all the way to the frozen lake’s edge. "Be careful."

Yan Tingshen replied, "Mm."

The night was late, and only a few distant figures lingered by the lake, all far away.

The light dusting of snow hadn’t been cleared, leaving behind two sets of footprints side by side.

They strolled down the long street and through the covered walkway.

Noticing the pavilion up the steps, Qin You raised an eyebrow. "Want to rest for a bit?"

This was likely a purpose-built observation deck—the spacious pavilion was divided into several sections, all facing the lake.

Yan Tingshen had no objections. "Alright."

They headed to one of the covered benches.

Just as Qin You was about to sit, Yan Tingshen stopped him and brushed the snow off the seat.

Qin You chuckled. "You’re this considerate?"

Yan Tingshen glanced at him. "You just got over being sick. Your body is still weak—don’t take it lightly."

Qin You held back a sigh.

Both times he got sick, it had been due to the effects of medication, forcing him to cool down artificially—nothing to do with his physical condition. But since the last incident wasn’t something he could bring up, he had to let it go.

Once the snow was cleared, they sat down together.

Qin You looked out at the lake, the woods, and the snowy scenery beyond.

After taking in the view, he glanced at Yan Tingshen beside him.

There were no passersby around, and the surroundings were utterly silent.

No interruptions, no worries pressing on him—

Qin You suddenly smiled.

If he overlooked the fact that he was still tied to the Qin family.

If he ignored Yan Tingshen’s identity as the CEO of Junmin.

Setting those aside, it seemed his luck wasn’t too bad—he’d found a lover, checking off one of his earlier goals.

Beyond that, he could also push his duties aside for now. With one less burden, he felt considerably lighter.

Moments like this were rare.

Yan Tingshen asked, "What are you thinking about that’s making you so happy?"

Qin You smiled as he looked back at the scenery: "I was thinking, the last time we saw snow together was in Shanyun."

Yan Tingshen also followed Qin You's line of sight, his gaze softening too.

That's right.

The last time they saw snow was in Shanyun.

Back then, Qin You had been ill, only catching a glimpse of the snow before leaving in a hurry.

At that time, neither he nor Qin You could have imagined that their second time watching the snow would be like this.

And this time, no one would interrupt them.

The lamplight cast a quiet glow. Everything was still.

After some time passed, Qin You glanced over and noticed the snow dusting Yan Tingshen's hair. He reached out and gently brushed it away.

Yan Tingshen instinctively raised his hand, grabbing Qin You's wrist, then catching himself and letting go. Instead, he brushed off the thin layer of snow from Qin You's shoulder.

When their eyes met, Qin You was still smiling. Yan Tingshen froze.

Their breath formed white puffs in the air, mingling before fading.

Yan Tingshen's hand lingered on Qin You's shoulder, his pulse pounding in his ears. Warmth crept across his face, accustomed to the cold.

Qin You's hand slid to the back of Yan Tingshen's head, fingers tangling in his hair—

But before he could lean in, Yan Tingshen's hand curved around his neck. His lips parted slightly, bridging the gap between them and kissing him.

Qin You tightened his grip on the back of Yan Tingshen's head.

In the quiet night, even the softest sounds between them seemed amplified.

Only when the kiss finally broke, reluctantly, did Qin You loosen his hold, his thumb brushing Yan Tingshen's lower lip. Under the streetlight's glow from above, he noticed Yan Tingshen's flushed ears.

Yan Tingshen averted his gaze, his voice steady: "What are you looking at?"

Qin You chuckled, tweaking his ear but letting it go. "It's getting colder at night. We should head back."

Yan Tingshen kept his face neutral as he stood. "Alright."

Qin You rose as well.

Just then, the driver sent a message asking for their location. After checking, they walked back together at a leisurely pace.

Their hands, that had been linked the whole time, remained just as tightly joined on the way back.

Xiang Haifeng waited by the car. Spotting the two figures approaching in the distance, he barely suppressed an eye-roll at the sight—best not to look too closely. As he opened the car door, he asked, "Director Qin, heading back to Zeshui Bay, or...?"

Qin You replied, "To Cangyuan."

Xiang Haifeng nodded. "Got it."

Qin You turned to Yan Tingshen. "I'll drop you off first."

Yan Tingshen paused for a moment.

Hearing Qin You's words, his face stayed blank: "Alright."

With that, he got into the car, pulled out his phone, and fired off a few texts.

Qin You noticed his actions: "Got more paperwork today?"

Yan Tingshen instinctively turned his dark phone screen facedown, pursed his lips, and turned to the window: "No big deal."

Qin You remembered something else: "You mentioned before that there were contracts to sign the other day. Still not done?"

Yan Tingshen paused again: "Finished."

Seeing he didn’t elaborate, Qin You didn’t press further: "Working over the holidays? Don’t overdo it."

Yan Tingshen finally looked back at him: "Mm."

The car started up as they talked and came to a stop while they chatted.

Qin You got out to walk Yan Tingshen into the courtyard. When an unfamiliar servant answered the door, he didn’t think much of it, accompanying him all the way upstairs before saying, "Then I—"

At the same time, Yan Tingshen spoke: "Tonight, you—"

Qin You looked at him and smiled: "You first."

Yan Tingshen repeated: "Stay here tonight."

He continued, "It’s late. It’ll take you half an hour to go back."

Qin You checked his watch and didn’t refuse: "Sure."

He casually handed his coat and gloves to a nearby servant, went to the adjacent room to shower, and only upon coming out did he see the usual butler.

"Mr. Qin." The butler, looking rushed, stopped upon seeing him and greeted him. "The master’s waiting for you in his room."

Qin You nodded and continued toward Yan Tingshen’s bedroom. As he entered, his peripheral vision caught the butler’s retreating figure. He remarked to Yan Tingshen, "Did he hurry back just now? Why come back on his day off?"

"No."

Yan Tingshen fell silent for a moment before changing the subject. "That play—still wanna see it?"

Qin You glanced at him and played along: "A Night to Remember? No thanks."

"Choose something else," Yan Tingshen said. "At home."

Qin You smiled: "All set up?"

Yan Tingshen replied, "Mm."

When Qin You didn’t object, he took his hand and turned toward the home cinema. "How about Field Town?"

Qin You asked, "What’s it about?"

Yan Tingshen answered succinctly: "Nothing weird."

Qin You laughed softly.

They chatted while entering the room.

The butler entered with the servants close behind.

He opened the bottle of red wine and placed it on the table, explaining to them, "Red wine helps fight off the chill and helps you sleep better. Enjoy."

The servants then placed the wine glasses and other accessories, adjusted the playback, and left with the butler after pouring the wine.

The door closed behind them.

Qin You and Yan Tingshen sat on the sofa, began the performance, and the lights gradually dimmed.

Yan Tingshen handed him a wine glass. "Take a sip. To ward off the cold."

"Ward off the cold?"

Qin You reached for it, clinking glasses with him with a smile. "Then let's make it a toast instead."

A toast.

Yan Tingshen glanced at Qin You’s smiling lips, lowered his gaze briefly, then looked up again, his tone completely serious.

He said, "To everlasting love and never parting."

With that, he raised his glass as well.

Clink—

Qin You hesitated briefly.

He looked at the two glasses touching, and his smile slowly widened.

"Alright."

He echoed Yan Tingshen's words. "Everlasting love and never parting."

As the words lingered,

they drank together.