Chapter 2

Chapter 2

You couldn’t really blame Qi Jing for imagining things—after all, the book suggested that Bo Chengyan might have some unmentioned condition.

What if something actually happened to him?

More specifically, what would happen to his tuition fees?

Qi Jing looked up at him, dressed in his pajamas, his neck and chest a pale porcelain-white, like a china doll.

His pupils were a light brown, his gaze intense, reflecting the man’s slightly furrowed brows.

"Alright, I know," came his low voice.

Bo Chengyan considered having Lin Se examine his physical condition—how many years had it been since he last had auditory hallucinations?

Qi Jing played the perfect little bird, staring up at him without blinking.

Bo Chengyan rubbed his temples, took off his wristwatch, but the moment he turned around, the kid had circled back.

Still watching him.

Really now...

Against his will, the corner of his lips twitched upward. Qi Jing was someone he had picked up during a flood relief awards ceremony.

Like a white kitten drenched in muddy water.

Pathetic.

Given his poor reputation outside, colleagues kept sending him people—men and women, far too many.

When word got out that Mr. Bo had brought home a fifteen-year-old kid, no one found it strange.

A thoroughly bad reputation at least kept unnecessary trouble at bay.

Bo Chengyan did have legal guardianship of Qi Jing, but it wasn’t registered under his name. All things considered, he had even left the boy an inheritance.

A good kid deserved it.

"There’s a banquet this afternoon. I won’t be back. Go upstairs."

The man waved toward the door, rubbing his temples again, clearly convinced something was wrong with him.

But he didn’t dwell on it.

"What kind of banquet?" Qi Jing’s gaze was clear and direct, completely innocent.

He even took a step forward.

Bo Chengyan stood by the entrance, glancing down at him—exactly as expected.

A child's mind, harboring unrealistic fantasies about adults.

"Just an ordinary one."

Qi Jing’s expression froze, a flash of real unhappiness crossing his face. An ordinary banquet? What did that even mean?

Anxiety gnawed at him. He was just a disposable canary, not even given a name—what if the man brought someone new back from the banquet?

Like triggering some self-defense mechanism,

the boy immediately wrapped his arms around him again, hugging his waist, whispering, "Mr. Bo, don’t get interested in anyone else…"

But at the same time—

[Times are tough these days, boss. Don’t make me compete for my position, okay? I’m counting on you for next year’s tuition…]

His tone was completely miserable.

The man instantly grabbed his chin. Qi Jing was still young, his skin fair and delicate—two years of care had made him docile and well-behaved.

What was that voice just now?

But it didn’t end there.

Qi Jing obediently tilted his head up, all too familiar with this pose—the way you'd examine a pet.

He tended to zone out.

[So sleepy… had to wake up at eight… wrap this up already so I can go back to bed, so tired…]

Pure teenage thoughts, much more lighthearted in tone.

Bo Chengyan’s prolonged frown finally drew a confused reaction. The boy’s eyes welled up with reflex tears.

He looked up warily.

"What’s wrong, Mr. Bo?"

[Are you done yet? You're gonna leave fingerprints.]

The man let go like he'd been burned, automatically checking the spot on his chin—and sure enough, there was already a red mark.

The boy stood there, waiting obediently.

Like a cat.

Bo Chengyan lingered by the entrance, an uncharacteristic pause lasting several minutes.

Qi Jing’s eyes were still shiny with tears, looking genuinely hurt—but in reality—

[Why isn’t he leaving yet?]

Bo Chengyan had never believed in the supernatural. His mind had long been calm as still water, yet now it was strangely unsettled.

He should be seeing Lin Se for a checkup, not…

"…Come with me, Xiao Jing."

*

Qi Jing froze. In the two years Bo Chengyan had raised him, he'd hardly ever been let out. Even school was handled by private car, and his watch had GPS and an emergency call function.

The level of control was stifling.

Like he was raising a child.

The boy stood dumbfounded but quickly adjusted his expression, his face lighting up. "Really? I’ll be right there!"

Qi Jing bounded upstairs like an excited deer, while his mind raced—what was going on?

Distracted, he nearly stumbled on the steps, but just caught the railing. He shot a flustered glance backward.

Bao Chengyan was still watching him.

"Didn’t fall."

His cheeks burned.

"Hm."

He changed upstairs. Qi Jing’s wardrobe was extensive—everything from casual to black-tie.

He just never expected to wear them.

His fingers hovered over a simple navy suit before he reconsidered. What if it wasn’t a serious event? There might be a crowd of pretty faces.

What if he blended into the background?

Qi Jing picked a slightly flashier white outfit, pinned on a brooch, and adjusted his bangs.

His skin looked fine in the morning, though the ends of his hair were still slightly curly—just how it grew.

Fifteen minutes passed.

The young man took the elevator downstairs and approached Bao Chengyan, smiling softly. "All set, sir."

The car ride made Qi Jing sleepy instantly. Truthfully, they barely spent time together—after all, the original novel emphasized "mutual chastity," meaning male virtue had to be preserved for the protagonist, while also setting up a future misunderstanding.

His head nodded forward, little by little, until it rested against the window.

"Does he always nap like this?"

The driver answered softly from the front, "Xiao Jing always conks out in the car. Maybe it’s just the car. Should I roll down the window, sir?"

A lingering spring chill hung in the air outside, the bare branches still showing no green buds, making the air faintly misty.

He was already asleep.

He didn’t stir.

The driver waited briefly before a calm voice came from the back seat.

"Leave it. Just keep it smooth."

By the time they arrived, Qi Jing stirred blearily. Bao Chengyan loomed over him, and his breath caught. "S-Sir, I—"

*Snick.*

He hadn’t buckled his seatbelt. He startled, seeing the other man undo it for him.

"Move out."

Qi Jing stepped out and looked up at their destination—The Yuan Sheng Club?

The name rang a faint bell.

Clouds blanketed the sky, even in the morning, with not a ray of sun.

Hardly ever leaving home, Qi Jing wasn’t familiar with the place. Playing his part as the "pet," he reached out and latched onto Bao Chengyan’s hand.

[One, two, three…]

Bao Chengyan confused: "Well?"

Qi Jing gaped up at him, confused. "Huh…?"

[Three seconds… Why wasn’t he shaking him off?]

Bao Chengyan quirked a brow, studied that delicate face, and led him inside.

The party was standard fare, all handshakes and name-dropping.

But the venue? That raised eyebrows.

Inside, suited men—new money and old—each with an arm ornament, to varying degrees.

The moment Qi Jing entered, all eyes swiveled to him.

The stares spoke volumes.

Bao Chengyan seemed to still be watching him. Remembering his place, Qi Jing dropped his hand like a hot coal.

"Don’t mind me, sir. I’ll manage."

A beat passed. Bao Chengyan still detecting no protest. "Go on."

Qi Jing slipped into a corner, casually eyeing the other "plus-ones" around. Quite a few were attractive.

Men and women alike.

All little birds like him?

Nice.

Heh. He relaxed without realizing it.

Though inexperienced, this was far better than the mountains. His mood lifted inexplicably.

Catching his reflection in a mirrored wall, he saw pale skin, sharp features, dark hair contrasting vividly against his complexion.

Like a BJD doll.

Pretty.

Qi Jing reassured himself—his position was secure. Bao Chengyan would meet the protagonist in college, meaning during his freshman year. The big boss would surely give him a payout.

Then he’d pick a good major, take the civil service exam, and land a steady 9-to-5 job.

Perfect.

The corners of his lips curled slightly.

But then he popped a piece of chocolate into his mouth—only to grimace at the bitterness.

Frowning, he looked around for water.

Just then, a man oozing honeyed words extended a hand toward him—adorned with rings, manicured nails, all glittering.

Offering him a glass of wine.

Blue, with a gradient effect.

"You're Qi Jing, right?" Jiang Xiuyuan wasn't dressed all that formally—his top was even made of sheer black mesh, with a lip piercing and blue contact lenses.

Like some kind of ethereal creature.

The boy nodded sincerely. "Yes, that's me."

"But I can't drink, sorry."

Qi Jing added earnestly before asking in return, "Then what's your name?"

His tone was guileless.

Perhaps due to his voice still maturing, even when Qi Jing spoke calmly, it came off as... childishly sweet to older ears.

At least, that's how Jiang Xiuyuan perceived it. He felt completely overshadowed and shot back, "Is this how you flirt with President Bao?"

"Show off what?" Qi Jing didn’t quite understand and asked curiously.

Having grown up in the mountains, he had endless curiosity.

"..."

Jiang Xiuyuan paused briefly before rolling his eyes. "Your looks."

Qi Jing thought about it, then nodded. "Right. In our line of work, showing off is necessary."

A second or two passed.

"I get it now."

Jiang Xiuyuan turned beet red, nearly losing control of his voice. "What do you mean 'our line of work'? What exactly do you get?"

A few glances turned their way.

Figures mingled in the crowd.

Bao Chengyan simply sat on a nearby sofa, watching impassively from a distance.

Someone beside him fawned, "President Bao, what made you bring your sweetheart out today?"

"Just leaving him there on his own?"

"Never seen you let him out before. Mind if I have a little feel?"

Under the dim, flickering lights, a cold gaze swept over.

"Chen Zhuo."

The other man immediately clammed up, his expression turning awkward as he murmured, "That... that Jiang Xiuyuan, didn’t he try to hit on you before?"

"Aren’t you worried he’ll spread rumors?"

Chen Zhuo swirled his wine glass with a smirk, seeing right through the situation. The kid had walked in without a trace of fear, completely at ease—utterly naive.

Probably hadn’t even been kissed before.

This guy really—

Had a thing for keeping pets.

This was Qi Jing’s first time chatting with someone at a place like this. He listened intently but easily got distracted—that lip piercing kept moving around.

"Are you even listening to me?!"

Jiang Xiuyuan rolled his eyes, fluttering his hand in irritation.

"Your lip piercing is really pretty."

"...Really?"

Qi Jing hadn’t seen many things like this before, so he nodded, instantly giving Jiang Xiuyuan an ego boost.

"Such a hick... This is from the glAD series—"

Mid-sentence, he caught sight of the boy’s spring season custom outfit and the five-figure brooch pinned to his chest, nearly losing his train of thought.

And the kid was still gazing up at him with interest.

Forced to change approach, Jiang Xiuyuan scoffed, "At best, you’re just a sugar baby. Do you really think someone like President Bao would ever be serious about you?"

This Qi Jing had practically become infamous, yet few in the circle had actually seen him or spoken to him.

Not to mention the GPS tracker he supposedly wore, and the two or three bodyguards rumored to shadow him constantly.

So pampered.

Must be really something.

Jiang Xiuyuan preened like a peacock, perhaps flattered by the boy’s earlier genuine praise, his tone getting away from him.

They were definitely drawing attention now.

Qi Jing paused, then realized—was Bao Chengyan testing his devotion by bringing him here?

Excellent.

He’d been practicing for this moment.

The boy pressed his lips together, surveying the room—just enough witnesses.

Meanwhile—

Chen Zhuo asked curiously, "You’re just letting him get bullied like this?"

"Having a lover's quarrel? Testing him? Haha."

There was no response from beside him—only the movement of someone rising.

Chen Zhuo’s smile drained away as he checked his watch. Only fifteen minutes.

So vigilant.

And yet his family’s old man still wanted to marry off his sister to this guy... Seriously, what were they thinking?

The young man made his way over as well, just to see what would happen.