Chapter 24

Chapter 24

You Nan woke up, opening his eyes to find someone lying beside him.

The window in the room had been left slightly ajar last night, and the morning breeze slipped in through the narrow gap in gentle gusts, stirring the edges of the white curtains. Sunlight streamed in, dappling across Yao Xianqing’s face as the swaying curtains intermittently filtered the light, creating shifting patterns of brightness and shadow. Yet, none of it diminished his striking good looks.

You Nan lay in shock for a long time, motionless, his drowsiness instantly vanishing.

He shakily tried to reach for his phone on the bedside table to check the time, but his arm ached intensely the moment he moved. Only then did You Nan notice the red marks on his wrist, evidence of how long he’d been held the night before.

He stared at the marks, so lost in thought that his eyes nearly crossed, his heart pounding uncontrollably.

Was he dreaming? He must still be half-asleep. How could he be lying next to Yao Xianqing?

He had always considered Yao Xianqing a good friend.

So many people wanted to sleep with Yao Xianqing, but he had never once entertained the idea.

You Nan knew his own place—he was the submissive type, and Yao Xianqing’s role as the protagonist’s bottom was deeply ingrained in his mind. He had only ever seen Yao Xianqing as a friend. It had never occurred to him that the protagonist’s bottom could ever take the dominant role.

And he was the one who had been “plowed” by the protagonist’s bottom.

The dazed and disoriented feeling of having slept with a close friend made You Nan cover his face, letting out a silent scream in his heart.

But what was done was done, and there was nothing he could change about it.

He couldn’t possibly reverse the roles now.

You Nan quickly came to terms with his new dynamic with Yao Xianqing.

Yao Xianqing was kind and handsome. As he recalled the sensations from last night, he realized it had actually felt quite pleasant.

You Nan’s face flushed bright red.

However, the discomfort in his body brought him back to reality.

Especially his thighs and waist—they were so sore and weak he could barely muster any strength.

Struggling, You Nan used his hands to push himself up from the bed, slipping his feet into the slippers beside it. His legs trembled unsteadily as he stood up, and after taking only one shaky step, his legs gave way entirely, and he fell to the floor with a thud.

“Ah!”

You Nan cried out in pain, his hoarse cry waking the other person in the room.

In stark contrast to You Nan’s weakness, inability to walk, and eyes red with embarrassment, Yao Xianqing, who had exerted himself all night, seemed to be in excellent spirits, looking remarkably refreshed.

The man was radiant, as if washed clean of all weariness, his demeanor indescribably vibrant.

Seeing You Nan fall, Yao Xianqing didn’t hesitate. He immediately got out of bed and picked him up from the floor. Just as he was about to ask what was wrong, the smooth, soft feel of You Nan’s skin made him realize that both of them were stark naked.

The gentle and handsome man blushed from his neck to the tips of his ears. His usually eloquent mouth seemed to have lost its voice, unable to form a single word.

He remembered what had happened last night—he had been the one to initiate it.

Yao Xianqing felt too embarrassed to face You Nan.

Last night, under the soft lighting, You Nan, drunk, had looked incredibly beautiful in his eyes.

All it took was a slight crook of his finger and a tug on his tie, and Yao Xianqing had been pulled in like a big dog, unable to resist tossing You Nan around all night.

Yao Xianqing was inexperienced; he had never been with anyone before. He had only ever heard his friends bragging about their escapades in passing.

Yao Xianqing had never liked anyone, let alone been this intimate with someone like You Nan.

His family had arranged a marriage for him, but neither he nor his fiancée, Huang Jingling, had any emotional connection. They were both treating the marriage as a duty. Yao Xianqing knew that Huang Jingling was seeing someone else on the side—she had never hidden it from him.

When he found out, Yao Xianqing hadn’t cared. His indifferent attitude had even surprised the person who told him.

Ultimately, it was because he didn’t love her that he remained unfazed by Huang Jingling’s actions.

But You Nan was an exception.

At first, Yao Xianqing had only paid attention to You Nan because he was Qi Yuwen’s wife. Qi Yuwen treated You Nan poorly, and Yao Xianqing couldn’t help but keep an eye on him.

But by the time Yao Xianqing realized he was paying too much attention to You Nan, it was already too late to look away.

His initial feelings of guilt and desire to compensate You Nan had gradually taken a different turn.

And now, things had naturally progressed to this point.

Pushing aside his jumbled thoughts, Yao Xianqing focused his attention entirely on You Nan.

He looked at him with concern, worried about his well-being.

He had heard that the first time could be very uncomfortable, and if not handled properly, it could lead to infection or illness.

At this thought, Yao Xianqing quickly laid You Nan back on the bed and covered him with the blanket. “Wait here for me,” he said.

After hurriedly dressing himself, he leaned over the bed, his deep and bright eyes fixed intently on You Nan. His voice was tense with worry. “Xiao Nan, are you feeling unwell anywhere?”

You Nan was too embarrassed to admit that his entire body felt as if it had been run over by a truck.

He couldn’t bring himself to say it.

Instead, he buried his face in the pillow, avoiding Yao Xianqing’s gaze.

But the more he avoided, the more Yao Xianqing thought he was in pain. The man pulled him out from under the covers. “Don’t smother yourself. If you’re upset, you can hit me.”

Yao Xianqing assumed that You Nan, now sober, regretted what had happened between them.

He was prepared to accept any punishment You Nan might give him.

But before taking any hits, Yao Xianqing felt he had to explain something. In a rush, he confessed his actions from the previous night.

“But I should tell you—last night, after you were worn out and passed out, I carried you to the bath. I remember... I finished inside, but when I cleaned you, there was nothing inside. It was completely clean.”

Yao Xianqing looked worried. “Let me call in sick for you and take you to get checked out at the hospital.”

You Nan knew a thing or two about these matters, and he grew anxious upon hearing this.

How could there be nothing?

He instinctively reached down to check, only stopping when his hand was halfway there.

Could this be the work of System 007’s cheat?

After all, System 007’s power was related to giving birth. For that to happen, there had to be some setup first.

You Nan blinked. He neither agreed nor disagreed with Yao Xianqing’s suggestion.

After a night of chaos, his throat was dry and hoarse, and he barely had the strength to speak. He was extremely thirsty, so he grabbed Yao Xianqing's arm, wanting the man to get him some water.

But his voice was so soft when he spoke that it sounded incredibly tender to Yao Xianqing, "I want some water."

Just four simple words, and the protagonist from the original world was completely captivated.

Yao Xianqing sprang up like an eager young man, "I'll go get you water right away."

After saying this, the man went out. Only when he turned around did You Nan notice that there seemed to be some marks on his neck, left by his own scratches.

You Nan bit his lip, his face burning hot with embarrassment.

As Yao Xianqing opened the door, 007 wandered in from the living room. It walked lightly to the bed, leaped up gracefully, and nuzzled close to You Nan. Its round, bright cat eyes scanned him, and You Nan actually detected a look of satisfaction in them.

Feeling shy, You Nan pushed the kitten away, not wanting it near him. But 007 wasn’t your average cat—the more humans tried to avoid it, the more excited it became.

Especially since its golden finger had finally been used once last night.

It was thrilled.

From the moment the bedroom door closed yesterday until now, it hadn't been able to sleep. It had run around the living room a hundred or two hundred times, yet still couldn't burn off all its energy.

007 chuckled and crept closer, but no matter which side it tried to approach from, You Nan turned his face away, not wanting to look at it.

Undeterred, 007 patiently swished its tail, moving from the pillow to the other side, edging into You Nan's line of sight to make its presence known.

You Nan didn't have much energy. After playing with 007 for a while, he buried his face in the pillow, giving up.

The little kitten proudly flicked its tail.

Its golden finger had been used on You Nan last night and had succeeded. Now, the beginnings of a tiny life were already forming in You Nan's belly.

007 didn't treat You Nan as an outsider and bluntly shared the news that he was carrying Yao Xianqing's child.

You Nan, with his head buried, was baffled: "...???"

He hurriedly lifted his face, so flustered that his words tripped over each other. His already hoarse voice almost gave out, "Did—did you use your golden finger?"

007 twitched its whiskers and replied proudly, "Yes, indeed!"

You Nan was stunned. To be honest, he hadn't fully wrapped his head around the idea of "a boy giving birth."

Even if his ability to adapt was super strong, what about what Yao Xianqing had just told him about his body?

But as he looked at this young, adorable, fluffy, seemingly clueless kitten, the questions he wanted to ask caught in his throat.

You Nan's face was flushed, and his lips were red and swollen from being kissed and bitten.

Tears welled up in his eyes, making him look utterly distressed.

007's tail slowed its wagging. Seeing You Nan's expression wasn't quite right, it puffed out its chest and moved closer, asking with concern and confusion, "You Nan, what's wrong?"

You Nan mumbled into the pillow, "After using this golden finger, does it... will it... be absorbed by the body..."

The sentence stammered, skipping over key parts, and the last few words were so soft they were almost inaudible.

He was too embarrassed to let the kitten hear.

But 007's ears were too good—it heard every word You Nan said.

The little kitten instantly understood what You Nan meant. It let out an "awooo" and quickly opened its built-in function dictionary, searching for information related to its golden finger. It found the answer soon enough.

007 dug into the text, carefully reading and analyzing, then gave You Nan a straight answer.

"Yes, it will be gone."

007 looked down at You Nan's belly. Remembering the precautions it had just glimpsed, the kitten's tone became hesitant, as if feeling a bit guilty toward You Nan, "It's just that you’ll have to be careful from now on."

"This golden finger is quite powerful—it ensures that every time you have sex, you'll get pregnant."

What?!

You Nan thought he was hearing things. Otherwise, how could he be hearing something so ridiculous?

"A hundred percent chance?" You Nan whispered to confirm.

007 also confirmed again, though its voice was small and full of guilt, "Yup."

You Nan lay on the bed, not wanting to speak anymore. He was ready to shut everyone out.

There was now a tiny life developing inside him. If someone had told him this a year ago, he wouldn't have believed it.

You Nan touched his unchanged belly with a complicated expression. After a while, he asked, "Girls go through a lot of pain when giving birth. Will it hurt when I deliver this one?"

This time, 007 puffed out its chest proudly. Its golden finger had a flaw, but it could guarantee You Nan's physical safety in this regard.

"It won't!" the kitten said loudly.

It racked its brain to come up with a relatable analogy, "From what I read in the description, it should be as simple as taking a dump. Quick and you won’t feel a thing."

You Nan: "..."

That works too.

Girls really go through so much hardship giving birth—it's a huge ordeal.

Hearing this, You Nan felt a bit relieved.

He didn't have any particular affection for the child in his belly. If 007 had said it would be painful, he might have considered getting rid of the baby before it was born.

He’d rather not have this golden finger.

As Yao Xianqing approached the door with a glass of water, he heard You Nan and the kitten murmuring inside. He was too far away to make out the specifics.

You Nan's murmuring and the kitten's melodious meows blended harmoniously, as if they were truly communicating.

Yao Xianqing felt much more at ease. He gently knocked on the door, interrupting the conversation between the human and the cat.

The unmarried man exuded a newly domestic air, "Are you done talking? I'm coming in."

As soon as the kitten heard his voice, it immediately jumped off the bed, making way for Yao Xianqing.

Yao Xianqing helped You Nan sit up and carefully fed him water, "The water in the bottle was still hot. I cooled it down outside for a bit. I hope you didn't have to wait too long."

You Nan felt much better after drinking the water. His throat moistened, and his voice grew stronger, "Thank you."

After You Nan finished drinking, Yao Xianqing wanted to help him get dressed. But You Nan clutched the blanket, refusing to let him. What happened last night was one thing, but now they had no official relationship. If he let Yao Xianqing see him like this again, he would die of shame.

You Nan insisted repeatedly that Yao Xianqing leave so he could do it himself.

The relationship between the two of them had grown much closer, and Yao Xianqing doted on him excessively.

A faint smile lingered at the corner of the man's lips, his tone laced with fondness. He backed toward the doorway, easing the door shut. "Alright, alright, I’ll go, I’ll go. But if you feel unwell or need any help, remember to call for me."

You Nan nodded hurriedly, letting out a sigh of relief only after the door closed.

He definitely didn’t want that.

So, You Nan managed to dress himself, though it was a struggle, relying on his own efforts.

.

From that day onward, aside from work, Yao Xianqing began to reflect on his relationship with You Nan.

You Nan hadn’t said anything, but Yao Xianqing’s upbringing forbade him from being an irresponsible person.

It was Yao Xianqing’s first time doing such a thing with someone, and You Nan’s first as well. Qi Yuwen had never made a move on him.

This surprised Yao Xianqing while also filling him with an inexpressible delight.

Yao Xianqing carefully recalled every meeting and every interaction he had with You Nan.

Only then did he realize that he remembered everything, down to the smallest details.

After brooding on it by himself for a few days, Yao Xianqing came to a realization.

If it had been someone else with him that night instead of You Nan, he would have left immediately.

It wasn’t that he was seeking thrills; rather, if the person was You Nan, he would accept it.

Now that they had already been intimate, and he understood his own feelings for You Nan—and You Nan didn’t seem to reject him—he knew he had to commit to You Nan completely.

The first step was to pave the way for them to be together.

Once Yao Xianqing made up his mind, he took immediate action.

That same day after work, he went home and came straight out and told his elders.

"Mom, Dad, I want to break off my engagement with Huang Jingling. I’ve already met someone I’m in love with."

Instead of first explaining his feelings to You Nan, Yao Xianqing chose to handle this hurdle with his family on his own.

He wanted to blaze the trail before welcoming his beloved.

This was the first time Yao Xianqing had mentioned calling off the engagement at home, and his parents and elders were all shocked.

Grandpa Yao’s face fell, his tone sharp.

"You’re treating marriage as a joke! You and Jingling were engaged early last year. Both families are already preparing for your wedding next year—the venue and wedding planners are booked, just waiting for the date. And now you want to call it off? Have you considered how the Huang family will feel?"

"They only have one daughter," Grandpa Yao frowned deeply. "You absolutely cannot string her along!"

Yao Xianqing stood his ground. "Precisely because they only have one daughter, I must break off the engagement."

Thinking of You Nan, Yao Xianqing’s gaze softened unconsciously. "I’ve already found someone I love, and I know my own character. You’ve always taught me to take responsibility. I can’t marry an innocent girl while loving someone else in my heart. That would be a betrayal too."

After all, Qi Yuwen’s situation was still right before their eyes.

Yao Xianqing naturally learned from that example and wasn’t about to repeat it.

"Huang Jingling has her own pride. If she found out after marriage that I love someone else, she would still want a divorce. So what’s the point of going through the motions of marriage?"

Yao Xianqing was clear-eyed, his eyes sharp and profound. "It’s better to resolve this before anything happens. I’ll talk to Huang Jingling directly regarding the Huang family. I won’t let the broken engagement affect the cooperation between our two families."

The Yao family still weren’t convinced after hearing him out.

The Huang family were old friends they had worked with for years; the two families knew each other very well and visited each other during holidays.

The children of both families had grown up under the watchful eyes of both sets of parents.

However, perhaps because the children had many things to learn from a young age, Yao Xianqing and Huang Jingling rarely saw each other and had a distant relationship.

If not for the parents’ desire to strengthen ties between the families, this match would never have happened.

Their own child wanting to break off the engagement—Grandpa and Grandma Yao couldn’t bring themselves to say such a thing to their old friends.

The engagement had been decided by the older generation back when neither child had someone they liked; everything was arranged by the parents and elders, and neither had objected.

Who would have thought someone else would suddenly come into the picture? The wedding was almost settled, and now, just like that, their child had a change of heart and wanted to call it off.

"You can say these things to us, but the Huang family might not be willing to listen."

Grandma Yao still adored her grandson. She sighed, while Grandpa Yao, stern-faced, wanted to scold his suddenly defiant eldest grandson but was stopped by a look from Grandma Yao.

Grandma Yao looked at the tall, grown-up young man before her and nodded affectionately. "Since you’ve already made up your mind, go and give it a try. If Huang Jingling is willing and has no objections, then it’s fine. If she’s unwilling, you can work it out with her properly."

"Mom!" No one knew how Huang Jingling would react, but Yao Xianqing’s father was unhappy. He had a good relationship with the Huang family and was concerned about face. How could they back out of something that had already been decided?

But as soon as he called out to his mother, his wife "hmph"-ed beside him.

Yao Xianqing’s father swallowed the words he was about to say.

In this whole family, Yao Xianqing’s father was in no position to object to what Yao Xianqing had just said.

Before marriage, Yao Xianqing’s father had a crush on someone, but that person had married early. He longed for her, remaining unmarried until later, when his family arranged for him to be with Yao’s mother.

The two married first and fell in love later, enjoying a period of sweetness after Yao Xianqing was born.

But later, when Yao’s father’s past was revealed, Yao’s mother was furious and full of resentment; they nearly divorced.

It was only after Yao’s father admitted his mistake and apologized sincerely that he managed to win his dear wife back.

Now that his wife was on their son’s side, he couldn’t say a word against it. Otherwise, he’d end up sleeping on the couch that night.

With Grandma Yao and Yao’s mother in agreement, it meant the entire Yao family was in agreement. The opinions of the two men didn’t matter.

Yao Xianqing smiled, and said sweetly that Grandma and Mom were so good to him and loved him so much.

His shamelessly cute act earned him sharp glares from his grandfather and father, but with two shields behind him, he wasn’t afraid at all.

With the family matter resolved smoothly, Yao Xianqing immediately drove over to talk with Huang Jingling.

A few days later, You Nan overheard colleagues in the office chatting about wealthy families’ drama.

"Did you hear? The Huang and Yao families called off their engagement."

"Ah? Weren’t they engaged a long time ago? I heard the wedding was supposed to be either this year or next."

The Yao and Huang families were two local wealthy households often covered on local financial channels. Even girls who loved watching dramas on TV knew about them.

You Nan was enjoying the afternoon tea provided by the company—pomelo, yogurt, and a small pack of candy.

He peeled the pomelo and placed the skin on a tissue spread across the desk. Hearing this suddenly, he was stunned.

Having lived a stable life for so long, he had almost forgotten about Yao Xianqing's engagement in their social circle.

You Nan concealed his shock and didn't join the discussion, simply eating a small piece of pomelo.

However, hearing about Yao Xianqing's engagement from others didn't upset him.

Perhaps it was because Yao Xianqing had now called off the engagement, leaving him single, just like himself.

Before You Nan could finish the piece of pomelo, their department manager arrived. Standing at the door, the manager called out, "You Nan, is the report you were working on yesterday ready? If it is, bring it to the manager's office now."

You Nan quickly responded. He cleaned up the pomelo peel on his desk, took the report he had just finished printing that morning, and went to find Zhao Jin.

Unbeknownst to him, as soon as he left the office, the colleagues who had been gossiping earlier shifted their topic to him.

"Hey, is You Nan quite familiar with Mr. Zhao? I heard from someone in HR that Mr. Zhao personally requested to keep You Nan at the company."

"I'm not sure, I haven't paid much attention to him, but Mr. Zhao does seem to like calling You Nan in for one-on-one updates."

A girl, as if struck by a sudden realization, exclaimed, "Ah! I remember! I have a friend who worked with You Nan at the same hotel before. There was a rumor about him there, saying he likes men!"

"Whoa!!!" Everyone was shocked.

Someone urgently asked, "Then, our boss Zhao isn't also..." like men, right?

"Enough! Stop talking! If Mr. Zhao hears this, we're dead meat!" A senior colleague in the department shouted, and everyone immediately scattered.

They were all scared of Zhao Jin.

Zhao Jin was very skilled at managing his subordinates and held high prestige among them. He appeared refined and gentle, but his methods were sharp and perceptive, keeping both superiors and subordinates in line.

People in the company fled at the sight of him like mice seeing a cat, not daring to look him in the eye.

Meanwhile, You Nan took the report to Zhao Jin.

He knocked on the door, and a muffled "Come in" came from inside.

You Nan pushed the door open and entered.

He placed the report on the man's desk. "Mr. Zhao, the document you requested is ready."

Zhao Jin grunted in acknowledgment, set down the file he was holding, and took the report. "Have a seat."

This wasn't You Nan's first time here. Zhao Jin treated him politely, and You Nan knew it was only because of Yao Xianqing that he received slightly better treatment than others.

You Nan was self-aware and didn't take Zhao Jin's courtesy too seriously.

He sat on the nearby sofa, occupying only a small space, waiting to hear Zhao Jin's feedback on his work.

But what came first was something else.

"Have you heard about Yao Xianqing calling off his engagement with his fiancée?" Zhao Jin suddenly asked.

You Nan's heart skipped a beat, but he nodded calmly. "I just heard about it."

A faint smile hung on Zhao Jin's lips, his gaze seemingly not fixed on You Nan.

"Yao Xianqing's engagement with Huang Jingling was arranged by their families. In fact, there wasn't much feeling between the two of them. People are saying Huang Jingling called off the engagement because she was dissatisfied with Yao Xianqing, and everyone is criticizing him. Yao Xianqing's reputation isn't looking good among outsiders right now."

You Nan remained silent, sensing that Zhao Jin was intentionally telling him this.

Subconsciously, You Nan reached out and gripped the clothes in front of him, his movements showing a hint of nervousness and concern for Yao Xianqing.

Zhao Jin's gaze seemed fixed on the report, but the corner of his eye was watching the other person in his office.

Zhao Jin keenly noticed You Nan's small gesture.

"However, from what I know, it was actually Yao Xianqing who proposed calling off the engagement first," Zhao Jin continued. "Yao Xianqing said he met someone he likes and didn't want to hold back Huang Jingling. But if he were the one to propose breaking off the engagement, the Huang family would lose face, so he discussed it with Huang Jingling, and the cancellation ended up being initiated by the woman."

Zhao Jin sighed insincerely, as if sighing for his good friend.

The man lifted his eyelids, his gaze fixed directly on You Nan, who was lowering his eyes to look at the ground not far away. "Who knows who he likes."

"Yao Xianqing is willing to sacrifice his reputation and still keeps it hidden for that person. He's really sacrificed too much."

You Nan pressed his lips together and stayed silent. Zhao Jin didn't miss the flicker of shock and struggle that passed over his face.

Zhao Jin's heart jumped—his suspicion was confirmed.

His grip on the report tightened uncontrollably, leaving two deep creases on the neat paper.

It was You Nan.

Zhao Jin's intuition was accurate. At this moment, he was absolutely certain that the person who made Yao Xianqing disregard everything was You Nan.

Zhao Jin's expression darkened, his gaze almost burning as he stared at You Nan.

You Nan sensed his stare and looked up at the man behind the desk. Zhao Jin had already concealed his expression, returning to his usual refined and gentle demeanor, not giving anything away.

The man gestured for You Nan to come closer and said gently, "Well, I can't interfere in his matters anyway. By the way, You Nan, come here. The data in this section, and here... these areas might need a bit more attention from you."

Zhao Jin had a good attitude toward people, pointing out each issue. His gentle tone didn't pressure You Nan.

The man encouraged him, "This report is for a new project you're responsible for. It might be a bit challenging, but it's urgent. Since you're already working on it, I'll keep you on it."

Zhao Jin said, "Once you complete it and the project is implemented, the company will give you a corresponding bonus. You might have to work overtime these next few days, though."

Zhao Jin smiled at him.

You Nan nodded and agreed without any suspicion. "Okay, I'll get started right away."

You Nan was serious and responsible about his work. He took the file from Zhao Jin and returned to his desk to continue working.

Zhao Jin watched his retreating figure, pulled out a cigarette pack from his drawer, lit a cigarette, took a drag, and narrowed his eyes.

Yao Xianqing's failed engagement with Huang Jingling should have been a good thing for him.

But if Yao Xianqing broke it off with Huang Jingling for someone else, that complicated things.

Fortunately, the person involved was right under his nose.

Nothing would get past him.

In the afternoon, Yao Xianqing came to pick You Nan up from work. He didn't wait at the entrance but instead entered the office building and waited in Zhao Jin's office.

Yao Xianqing had picked a good spot, allowing him to see You Nan still busy at work from the office.

The man checked his watch, his brow furrowed with a mix of nervousness and impatience—that antsy feeling a guy gets waiting for his crush who's running late.

"It's already past clock-out time. Why is he still working?"

Yao Xianqing held back but couldn't resist asking.

Zhao Jin kept up his polite smile. "You Nan is serious and responsible about his work. That's a good thing. You should be happy."

Yao Xianqing shot him a glance.

Zhao Jin pretended not to notice his resentful look and added, "Speaking of which, I should thank you. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't have met You Nan, let alone managed to bring him over to work for me. I really scored big."

Hearing this, Yao Xianqing felt both a pang of heartache and pride.

You Nan's competence meant he was capable, but being too capable also meant a never-ending pile of work. Yao Xianqing hated to see him working so hard.

He sighed. "I'm having some regrets now."

Zhao Jin: "Hmm?"

As the office was clearing out, Yao Xianqing couldn't sit still any longer. He stood up and said while walking, "I should have had him work at my company. At least there, he wouldn't be overworked like this."

Zhao Jin let out a "hey," but before he could say anything, he saw Yao Xianqing walk over to You Nan on his own, checking on him with concern.

Zhao Jin's face fell.

His eyes couldn't help but size You Nan up, trying to find any threatening qualities in him.

But after searching for a long time, he found nothing.

You Nan was shorter than him, not as manly, and looked kinda scrawny, without much muscle.

He couldn't understand why Yao Xianqing had taken a liking to him.

Zhao Jin was totally baffled.

You Nan was deeply focused on his work, especially as quitting time approached, his efficiency even higher. He didn't even notice that his colleagues had left, his attention entirely on the task Zhao Jin had assigned him.

It wasn't until a large hand suddenly covered his eyes that You Nan was startled, letting out a little "ah," finally snapped out of his zone.

He quickly grabbed the hand and pulled it down, turning to see Yao Xianqing's gentle and handsome face.

At the sight of Yao Xianqing, the words Zhao Jin had said to him earlier surfaced in his mind, and his voice got quiet. "Why are you here?"

Yao Xianqing could hear the happiness in You Nan's voice.

The man dragged over a chair from a nearby workstation and sat beside You Nan. "I came to take you home."

You Nan tried to suppress a smile but failed, his eyes crinkling into happy crescents, his bright smile reminding Yao Xianqing of their second meeting.

That day, stuck in traffic, he had caught a glimpse of You Nan's back on the roadside.

Bright, driven, full of life.

You Nan said softly, "You don't have to. You just got off work too, and you must be tired. I can take the subway home."

His eyes shone bright with joy as he spoke to Yao Xianqing. "You've seen my new place, right? The subway station is right at the entrance of the complex!"

"This place is really great—good location, and I love the decor. All the furniture is new. The rent isn't expensive either..."

You Nan didn't realize he had been rambling on with Yao Xianqing. He talked, and Yao Xianqing listened, listening intently to every word. You Nan felt appreciated, and his work pace slowed down.

Now, in front of Yao Xianqing, You Nan couldn't control his emotions. Perhaps it was because of what happened between them or the knowledge that they would have a child together.

Whenever he saw Yao Xianqing, he couldn't help but feel happy.

Yao Xianqing chatted with You Nan for a while.

He was an excellent listener and conversationalist.

He responded to everything the person he loved said, never letting You Nan's comments go unanswered.

Yao Xianqing's phone rang. He picked it up and saw it was his mother calling.

"Son, when are you coming back?" Ms. Yao's voice was accompanied by a noisy background, with people bustling around. "Remember, you’re having dinner at their house today. Come back early—I’ll send you the location later."

Yao Xianqing hadn't known about this arrangement beforehand; it was a last-minute thing.

Ms. Yao was in a hurry too, as she still had to get dressed up. "Alright, son, I won’t keep you."

"Oh! Right," Ms. Yao suddenly remembered something. "Did you go see Zhao Jin after work? Perfect, his family is coming over tonight too. If you’re together, just come over together?"

Yao Xianqing didn't try to hide the call from You Nan.

He had thought it through—he and You Nan were going to live together, and the fewer secrets between them, the better.

It was better to put everything out there early and let You Nan gradually get to know his family.

So, Yao Xianqing didn't lower his voice when answering his mother's call, allowing You Nan to clearly hear what Ms. Yao said.

Hearing that Yao Xianqing had to leave so soon after arriving, You Nan's spirits visibly dropped.

He still had to work overtime tonight and had no idea when he’d get to leave. With most colleagues gone and Yao Xianqing about to leave, he would be all by himself.

Yao Xianqing was also bummed by the last-minute change of plans, but he quickly came up with an idea.

As soon as he hung up, he saw Zhao Jin approaching and decided to make a case to his boyfriend's boss.

"Zhao Jin, could you do me a favor and let You Nan wrap it up tomorrow? Let him leave early today so I can give him a ride before heading to dinner."

Zhao Jin glanced at You Nan, who remained silent but whose expression clearly showed he wanted to go with Yao Xianqing.

Zhao Jin narrowed his eyes. He remembered that the two hadn't been this close before.

Something must have happened to bring them closer.

But it never occurred to Zhao Jin that the person he liked had gotten involved with someone he looked down on due to a drunken mistake.

Zhao Jin pretended to hesitate. "I was actually thinking the same thing..." but this project of ours is quite urgent.

Before Zhao Jin could finish his sentence, Yao Xianqing—usually patient and mild-mannered—suddenly showed a side of himself Zhao Jin had never seen.

Yao Xianqing immediately caught Zhao Jin's attempt to stall and jumped in.

"That's great. Thank you."

Yao Xianqing's response cut Zhao Jin's act short. He grabbed You Nan's wrist, said a quick goodbye, and left without looking back.

Zhao Jin stood in place watching them leave.

He had used work to detain You Nan today and arranged a dinner to get Yao Xianqing to go with him, yet Yao Xianqing still clearly prioritized You Nan in his heart—not giving him any respect at all.

Zhao Jin’s initial three parts attention and caution toward You Nan suddenly rose to seven parts.

What else was there about You Nan that he hadn’t noticed yet, something that attracted Yao Xianqing so much?

At first, Yao Xianqing was holding onto You Nan’s sleeve, but later he took the other’