Chapter 1

Chapter 1

*Plop—*

The summer-night lake held the day's accumulated heat.

As his entire body submerged in it, his senses dulled significantly, drowning out all extraneous noise.

In the dreamlike water, he felt as if a lifetime had passed.

Under the shimmering moonlight, one could glimpse snow-white skin and dark hair intertwined beneath the surface. Moments later, a pale hand released its grip on the pebble-lined wall and turned to sink deeper.

The water’s surface grew still.

No more ripples or traces remained.

…

One second, two seconds… ten seconds…

Three minutes and forty seconds.

A face of breathtaking beauty broke the surface, tilting up.

Hair like a waterfall, skin as fine and flawless as white porcelain—beautiful in a way that blurred gender lines. At the outer corner of his phoenix eyes rested a faint red mole, while his thick, long lashes glistened with tiny droplets.

This scene was like fine porcelain adorned with night dew—ethereal and stunning.

Jiang Jining paddled the water gently with his hands, keeping himself afloat as he breathed. With his back to the shore, he gazed at the distant neon-lit skyscrapers and countless twinkling lights, his clear eyes clouded with despondency and gloom.

Still…

Not right.

In an instant, he closed his eyes and dove back underwater, slipping through the water like a fish as he swiftly turned and swam toward the shore.

*Splash…*

His hands touched the stone ledge.

The gaps between the pebbles were wide, many of them coated in dust and sharp fragments that stung his palms at the slightest touch. Just as he tried to climb out, the weight of his waterlogged clothes became impossible to ignore.

A wave of melancholy washed over Jiang Jining—he had miscalculated.

The lake was too deep to touch bottom. If he failed to get out in one attempt, he would surely choke on water.

As his strength faltered… his hand flailed to the side and grabbed a shoe!

In that split second, his hand brushed hastily over the shoe’s surface. Jiang Jining squeezed his eyes shut, resigned to falling back into the water, hoping only to use a bit of finesse to avoid scraping himself on the stones.

Just then—

A pair of hands steadied his arms.

!

Jiang Jining’s reaction was quick.

With a stable support to lean on, climbing ashore became effortless.

Before he could fully process it, his bare feet had already left the water, and he was standing on solid ground.

Was it really that easy?

The lake’s surface shimmered with a faint glow, adding a painterly, almost sensual quality to the scene.

Jiang Jining lifted his head…

And found himself face-to-face with strikingly handsome features, close enough to touch.

The darkness had dyed the other’s eyes a deep, mysterious shade—pitch-black yet holding a hazy, shadowy depth, tinged with curiosity and puzzlement.

This person had helped him up.

Jiang Jining was naturally wary of strangers. Under normal circumstances, he would have taken a step back and walked away without a word.

But this time, he found himself momentarily dazed.

The other seemed equally caught off guard.

Late at night, Jiang Jining felt an innate unease around anyone other than himself. As he released his grip, it suddenly dawned on him—what he had grabbed earlier… was clearly this person’s shoe.

At that thought.

Jiang Jining’s delicate brows furrowed slightly.

His two pale hands clasped and unclasped, then rubbed against the hem of his clothes. Without a word, he lowered his head to search for the shoe he had lost.

If not for the quiet of the night, no one would have been able to catch that soft, faint whisper of “Thank you.”

“It was nothing.”

Fu Yuze slowly slipped his hands into his pockets.

He had witnessed the entire “jumping into the river” incident and wasn’t foolish enough to mistake a skilled swimmer doing laps for someone attempting suicide. So he asked, “Did you lose something?”

Jiang Jining shook his head, put on his shoes, and resolutely turned to leave.

In that case.

Fu Yuze naturally felt at ease as well.

But out of the corner of his eye, he noticed the other’s silk shirt and trousers were completely soaked. After a moment’s thought, he picked up the thin jacket that had been left neglected on a decorative rock. “Wait a moment.”

Sensing someone approaching, Jiang Jining turned around, placing his hands behind his back and taking half a step to the side, eyeing the person before him as if facing a formidable enemy.

As a result.

The jacket fell to the ground.

A silent awkwardness spread between the two.

Fu Yuze picked it up, lightly brushing off a couple of fallen leaves that had stuck to it. “You chose such a secluded spot to jump into the river. Walking around drenched like this will only draw more attention.”

Jiang Jining glanced down at himself briefly.

A breeze blew past.

He instinctively wrapped his arms around himself.

At that moment, a jacket was draped over his head.

It was considerably larger than him, covering all the parts he wanted to hide, with the added effect of giving him a few seconds to collect himself privately.

Jiang Jining let out a soft sigh of relief.

Most importantly...

He didn't feel the slightest disgust.

The fabric of the jacket was of high quality, without a trace of the odd sweat or perfume scents of passersby. Instead, it carried a subtle scent of natural agarwood... and perhaps stone leaf? Or white sandalwood?

Jiang Jining gripped the jacket, almost imperceptibly taking a few extra seconds to identify the scent.

Of all the people he'd met, hardly anyone smelled like this.

Incense.

Not perfume.

Made from a blend of at least seven traditional spices, meticulously preserved and of exceptional quality. Typically, such incense wasn't used to scent clothes—this person must burn incense regularly at home, and the scent had lingered on the jacket.

The cost of such spices was extremely high.

It would be difficult to fake.

Far from putting Jiang Jining at ease, the familiar scent made him scrutinize the man more closely.

He pulled the jacket down with both hands.

Revealing a pretty, unblemished face.

After a few seconds of eye contact, Jiang Jining tried his best to ignore the man's handsome features, noticing instead the undone button on his light gray shirt and the well-defined, bony hand hanging at his side, adorned with an agarwood bracelet paired with a black-and-gold cord...

The source of the fragrance became clear.

Jiang Jining was remarkably at ease in this quiet atmosphere, wordless and self-possessed—a kind of natural gift.

In just ten minutes of acquaintance,

Fu Yuze had seen him space out no fewer than three times.

It was unclear whether he was slow to react or simply overthinking, but despite his guarded demeanor, his emotions were flat, devoid of extreme joy or anger.

Even when jumping into the river.

He probably just thought of it and did it.

“No need to return it to me.”

Fu Yuze was no saint—he, too, could appreciate beautiful people and things.

Before leaving, his eyes lingered on Jiang Jining a moment longer. By the time Jiang Jining looked back, he had already turned and walked away.

Normally, he wouldn't have gotten involved.

But today was special—

Half a kilometer away was one of Jingzhou’s top-tier private banquet restaurants, built around a lake, with a century-old reputation favored by local elites. Today, his beloved nephew was celebrating his first birthday there.

With the complex traffic in the city center and work demands piling up, driving himself would have been inconvenient. Wanting a bit of peace, Fu Yuze took a shortcut along the lakeside to attend the banquet.

As luck would have it,

he saw someone sitting by the lake, lost in thought.

The location was so close, the occasion so auspicious.

Fu Yuze didn’t want a tragedy unfolding right before his eyes.

He had intended to jump in and save the person, but under the shifting light and shadows, a pale, jade-like hand emerged from the water, covered in dust, and grabbed his foot—a scene both eerie and unsettling.

So he pulled the person up.

An unavoidable glance revealed Jiang Jining’s entire appearance.

It turned out to be a boy.

*

After walking away, Fu Yuze didn’t dwell on it further. He checked his watch.

Forty minutes left.

Plenty of time to walk there.

However, he still needed to set aside time to prepare a gift, so he had to hurry.

As soon as Fu Yuze stepped into the restaurant courtyard, the manager in charge of reception scurried over. “Mr. Fu, I was just about to contact you... Did you walk here?”

“Yes.” Fu Yuze checked the time and asked directly about the preparation area. “Are all the ingredients ready?”

The manager nodded and immediately led the way. “Right this way, please.”

Entering the restaurant’s backyard preparation area,

Fu Yuze disinfected his hands, changed into chef’s attire, and inspected the quality of the ingredients.

He whipped the mixture in stages, skillfully stirring it, then piped the finished cheese filling into molds and placed them in a freezer at minus twenty degrees Celsius. Twenty minutes later, he took them out.

He poured the prepared low-sugar glaze over them.

A child’s palm-sized, lifelike coconut pumpkin mousse was nestled among several plump, playful star-shaped mousses.

With everything done, there were five minutes left before the banquet began.

Fu Yuze placed the dessert in the freezer, removed his chef’s attire, and instructed the staff, “Take this out three minutes before serving.”

The server replied, “Understood.”

Fu Yuze changed back into his clothes and entered the family banquet hall. As soon as he stepped in, he naturally became the center of attention and conversation. He exchanged greetings with the elders as he passed by, scanning the crowd until his eyes landed on a fluffy little head.

The little one straightened his small body.

Blinking his eyes, he stared intently at Fu Yuze.

“Who’s here?”

The man holding the child was dressed in formal attire, with strong bone structure. Behind silver-rimmed narrow glasses, his eyes were deep-set, warm, and affectionate—especially when he looked down at his son, his gaze filled with tenderness.

The tiny child kicked his short legs, stretched out his arms, and leaned toward Fu Yuze.

Fu Yuze scooped the child up without a word.

The little boy blinked his long lashes, nestling comfortably against his shoulder, then poked Fu Yuze's cheek with a plump finger. Delighted by the little dent it made, he giggled, "...Hoo-hoo!"

Fu Yuze's lips quirked in a faint smile, but his expression hardened when he looked at his older brother. "What, is 'uncle' too hard for him to learn?"

"Don't put the kid on the spot."

Fu Huaisheng took a freshly brewed cup of tea from a server's tray and placed it before his brother. "You'd better not let Mom and Dad hear that. They get upset just seeing you hold Xingxing these days. Mind your words."

Fu Yuze raised a brow but said nothing, turning his attention back to playing with his little nephew.

The reason was simple.

Not long ago, he had come clean to his family about his true orientation.

The Fu elders had never paid it much mind before.

After their first grandson arrived, they truly began to appreciate the joys of having grandchildren. They stopped traveling abroad so readily, delegated much of the business to their two sons, and seemed inclined to retire early and dote on their grandson.

Who could have predicted so many coincidences?

The couple next door to the Fu family estate had only one son, two years younger than Fu Yuze. Reluctantly agreeing to an arranged marriage, he unexpectedly fell head over heels and got married within two months.

And just two months ago, the happy news arrived: they had welcomed a beautiful pair of dragon-phoenix twins.

The Fu elders were jolted into realization.

Their younger son was already twenty-five.

He'd never even had a girlfriend, not once since he was a kid!

Fu Yuze and Fu Huaisheng were three years apart. The latter had studied abroad and returned. He and his wife, having known each other for years, were keen on their alone time, and had their son Xingxing in their fifth year of marriage.

Little Star was the apple of everyone's eye.

He was also particularly attached to his uncle.

After "mama" and "papa," the second word he learned to say was "huhu."

Naturally, this became the catalyst.

Fu Yuze doted on his nephew but confessed he had no plans to marry or have children in this lifetime.

Merely stating he liked boys wasn't enough; he even admitted it was an innate orientation with no possibility of change.

The elders were struck speechless.

The two had tried to reassure each other: their son hadn't brought a man home yet, there was still a chance for him to come to his senses. But every time they saw Fu Yuze with Xingxing, the sight was quite powerful.

Neither side would back down.

The family of three descended into alternating cycles of cold war and heated clashes.

Things still weren't resolved.

Not wanting to stir up more trouble, Fu Yuze lifted the little bean from his lap and handed him back to his brother. "The new restaurant project is massive. I'll head out soon. As for the group's business, I'll have Secretary Jin contact you directly."

Fu Huaisheng laughed and scolded, "You really know how to delegate, don't you?"

Despite his words, Fu Yuze stayed until the banquet was more than halfway through.

When the dessert course arrived, a server circled the large round table and placed an exquisite chilled dessert before the little birthday boy of the evening. "This was prepared by Mr. Fu Yuze for the young master."

The cover was lifted.

Fu Huaisheng and his wife, Ji Huan, both smiled.

It was adorable.

"Dada..."

Drawn to the cake, Xingxing grabbed his father's hand and sat up, his little hands reaching. "Xingxing eat..."

"Little Uncle made it so pretty for you."

Ji Huan knew Fu Yuze was meticulous. She picked up a gold spoon, scooped a portion of the pumpkin mousse without disturbing the adorable "star" design, and let her son take a big bite.

Xingxing smacked his lips, his two plump little hands gripping the table edge, clamoring for more.

"I'll take over."

Fu Huaisheng took over the task of feeding the little one.

Ji Huan turned to Fu Yuze with a smile. "Only things you make can get Xingxing to ask for more every single time."

This comment sparked conversation among the extended family:

"I heard Yuze is opening a new restaurant?"

"Yes, he was the head chef at the three-star restaurant under the Fu Group before. It was so popular, many couldn't even get a reservation. He's won all sorts of gold awards and topped lists domestically and internationally."

"Whenever our master chef here competes, it makes the local papers. People will definitely come flocking!"

"Dear, getting that Michelin star is a sure thing now, right?"

An elder sought confirmation.

Fu Yuze, busy dealing with work, managed a smiling "Mhm" in response.

The head of the family took a sip of tea and remarked offhandedly, "He's been picky since he was a kid, always complaining the family chefs' food was bad. Not very tall but had the biggest airs. Over the years, he's managed to run off four or five chefs. The opening date isn't even set yet. Probably just messing around on his own."

Hearing this, Fu Yuze nodded, accepting the "lesson."

No reaction?

Old Master Fu glanced at his son once, then again, and once more. Gritting his teeth, he couldn't bring himself to say anything too harsh, only letting out a light hum.

Seeing the little one about to lick the plate, Fu Huaisheng caught both his paws. "Launching a brand involves many considerations, and opening a star-rated restaurant is no different. Yuze is meticulous and thorough. It's normal he can't disclose every detail of the progress."

The moment he finished speaking.

Fu Yuze's phone vibrated.

Ji Huan said with a laugh, "Your phone's been buzzing non-stop. Got more work? You should go ahead."

Since the eldest daughter-in-law had spoken,

the elders seated at the head of the table relaxed their furrowed brows, not wanting to cause a scene.

Before leaving, Fu Yuze pinched his nephew's chubby cheek. "I'm heading out. Make sure to eat up at home."

Fu Huaisheng said to his son, "Give him a flying kiss."

Little Star covered his mouth with his small hands, made two kissing noises, then splayed his five chubby little fingers and waved them back and forth. He looked to his dad for praise, as if to show he had performed the ultimate send-off gesture.

Amidst the chorus of adoring, high-pitched voices from the elders, Fu Yuze departed.

He retraced his steps, staying on the line as he scheduled a time and discussed the restaurant's progress inspection with the person in charge.

The night was quiet.

Every sound seemed amplified.

From behind a patch of grass not far away came rustling noises. A flashlight beam flickered on and off, swaying unsteadily, accompanied by two figures moving furtively, crouching low, trying to search through the grass and ground for something.

Fu Yuze stopped in his tracks.

?

"That pretty sister..."

"No, no, brother! Are you sure it still has any charge left?"

"Yes, I made sure it was fully charged before I left."

The clear voice was exceptionally pleasant.

The tones and cadence of the words, polished by a natural timbre, were like the gentle, murmuring storytelling in an old-fashioned teahouse after rain.

The other voice sounded clearly a child's:

"Then if you didn't put it on silent, why can't you get through... It must have been picked up or stolen. By the way, brother, did you meet anyone when you were here?"

Meet anyone...

Jiang Jining's searching fingers paused.

He seemed to have something to say, but his gaze traveled a distance—

to Fu Yuze standing there with one hand in his pocket.

Their eyes met.

Jiang Jining blinked as if to confirm.

Fu Yuze looked at the delicate face flickering under the streetlight, confirming it was him again. He'd hardly ever seen anyone else who looked like that.

This time, he was the one who walked over first.

"Haven't found it yet?"

"...A ghost! Aahhh!"

The chubby, innocent-looking child was terrified.

Turning around, he couldn't see the face. The newcomer's six-foot-three frame was gigantic to him, scaring the little fatty so much he fell backwards onto the ground.

Jiang Jining: "..."

Fu Yuze purposely didn't look at Jiang Jining.

He hauled the little fatty to his feet and asked, "What are you shouting about?"

"I..."

The little fatty was very scared.

He looked at Jiang Jining as if pleading for help.

Jiang Jining pulled the child back. "Don't scare him. We just met... I lost something and asked him to help me look for it."

Fu Yuze asked matter-of-factly, "Asked a child for help?"

Jiang Jining fell silent.

He had no choice. He didn't trust any adults.

Only this little fatty, wearing a student uniform with a small red scarf, carrying a backpack, sitting at the convenience store entrance, holding a grilled corn sausage in each hand.

When he went over to talk, the child just stared at him dumbly, the corn sausage falling from his mouth.

In exchange, Jiang Jining promised that once the lost item was found, he would have money to buy him another grilled sausage.

The little fatty was very enthusiastic.

Fu Yuze, who had both the ability and the patience, asked: "What did you lose?"

"So you two know each other!" The little fatty broke Jiang Jining's silence, shaking both their hands. "He's really handsome! Doesn't seem like a bad person."

Fu Yuze smiled.

Such a superficial way to identify bad people?

Jiang Jining remained silent, frowning slightly. He took the little fatty's hand and gave him a slight shake of the head.

Unfortunately, the little fatty missed the hint. He patted the grass roots and dry mud off himself, looked up, and said, "Brother lost the latest model Apple Watch, a black one. He doesn't even have a phone, so he doesn't know how to get home!"

Jiang Jining: "..."

The child's words were a bit exaggerated.

For safety's sake, he should explain, but after over an hour of searching, he was at a loss.

Fu Yuze focused on the key point: "Can't get home?"

The little fatty shook Jiang Jining's hand. "Say it! It's not shameful to seek help when you're lost, brother."

Jiang Jining: "..." It clearly is very shameful.

Fu Yuze: "Afraid to say, or don't want to say?"

"I don't remember." Jiang Jining gave up resisting. He should extend some trust. Interacting with others was a new challenge. He raised his eyes: "My mind isn't very good. I don't go out often."

Fu Yuze: "..."

That really didn't sound like a lie.