Chapter 23

Chapter 23

Regarding that passionate kiss...

His memory of it centers entirely on the latter part.

Jiang Jining hadn't felt fear or oppression. Swept up in the moment, it was Fu Yuze who forcibly separated them.

Yet at that time, he was utterly weak, another wave of heat washing over him. Seeing the other about to leave, he burst into tears, his feet kicking weakly.

Just calming him down had taken all of Fu Yuze's patience.

Thinking it over this way, Jiang Jining realized he was more at fault. "...It was I who overstepped first. It's not your fault."

"You can blame me." Fu Yuze finally had the chance to hold the hand he hadn't managed to grasp earlier. Seeing Jiang Jining look up at him, he took the opportunity to ask, "Why did you want to kiss me back then?"

Why did he have to bring that up again!

Jiang Jining instantly felt his hands burning.

"I wasn't feeling well then. I only felt someone caring for me so attentively by my side. If it had been Bian..."

"Alright." Fu Yuze suddenly squeezed his palm. "Never mind."

After all, they'd already kissed and touched.

He belonged to him now.

Jiang Jining's already unclear train of thought was interrupted, and now he couldn't piece it back together. He looked up and saw Fu Yuze frowning.

Is he angry?

Even someone as oblivious as Jiang Jining could sense something now.

He felt compelled to point out, "If it had been A-Han taking care of me, I would have let her hold me too."

Fu Yuze's mood immediately brightened, asking him, "Would you let her kiss you?"

Jiang Jining fell silent.

He likes boys, after all.

Bian Han is his "family" in this world, his nominal mother... how could they be intimate like that?

But Fu Yuze was clearly very pleased.

Jiang Jining, to grant his wish, softly said he wouldn't.

A perfect answer. Fu Yuze gazed at Jiang Jining's naturally lowered long lashes, his heart stirred. He reached out and gently brushed them, sharing the most objective truth: "You were very curious back then."

One person was muddled, the other remained rational.

Jiang Jining had kissed him recklessly, not even knowing how to part his lips. After the initial contact, he seemed pleasantly surprised, as if experiencing a very interesting game, purely seeking an answer.

"...Oh."

The clouds parted for Jiang Jining.

He was perfectly satisfied with this answer. Right, why hadn't he thought of that?

"Do you remember?" Fu Yuze asked him.

Jiang Jining spotted an insect and hurriedly scooped up the perfectly clean little cat. He lifted his delicate, lovely face, his bright eyes dancing. "Remember what?"

He'd never seen anyone look so beautiful after being sick.

Fu Yuze had felt this deeply these past few days, after Bian Han had repeatedly turned him away at the door.

Looking at it this way, he almost thought he had shared a languid, beautiful dream with Jiang Jining, witnessing his natural blossoming.

It was a beauty that felt almost excessive.

Fu Yuze asked patiently, "Do you remember how it felt to kiss?"

Jiang Jining, holding the cat, widened his eyes in panic, then hurriedly closed them again.

Was this an invitation?

Fu Yuze found him utterly adorable, a smile playing on his lips. He took his hands out of his pockets, bringing that same enchanting feeling to his lips once more.

This time, unlike the previous passionate intensity, it was a gentle haven.

Light nips and touches. The moment Fu Yuze tried to deepen it, Jiang Jining began to evade, clutching his clothes and whispering that they were still outside.

Fu Yuze planted a kiss on his tender red lips. "Like this?"

Why did he always have to smile...

Jiang Jining, blushing, wiped his mouth.

He made it sound as if Fu Yuze had compromised and stepped back. Being intimate in broad daylight was clearly scandalous.

He'd been confessed to in a muddled state while they were out. Now, back home, what awaited the two of them was Bian Han, dressed up and wearing full makeup, leaning against the wall. "Finally willing to come home?"

Jiang Jining placed the little cat on the cat tree, ruffling its fur haphazardly, righteously declaring he had been taking the cat for a walk.

Bian Han didn't expose him.

Seeing the luxury car parked at her doorstep, its owner pulling gift bags one after another from the back seat, his impeccable manners evident as he never arrived empty-handed, tall and poised, with an elegant demeanor and an impossibly handsome face.

"You're here."

Bian Han was polite enough.

After all, the gap in status was here, and she wasn't that much his elder. Given the debts she owed him, she had to be polite. Watching the housekeeper step forward to help with the gifts, when asked who he was, she said with an offhand 'Oh,' "Ning Zai's boyfriend. They just got together not long ago."

Jiang Jining, who was taking a drink of water, choked.

Fu Yuze let out a soft chuckle.

The living room was filled with grand gifts.

The housekeeper served tea and went to tidy the rooms.

Jiang Jining squatted on the balcony, continuing to prepare cat treats, listening as Bian Han chatted with Fu Yuze, talking about all kinds of nonsense about him. Given their past connection, they probably didn't know each other very well.

After finishing all the grooming tasks, Jiang Jining went over to join them, spotting a familiar logo.

It's a bag from Yunzhi!

"I just picked it up this morning. The box next to it is also for you, you can take it all." Fu Yuze had his eyes on his new kitten at all times.

Bian Han asked, confused, "What is that?"

"My new clothes."

Jiang Jining wasn't really in the mood to try anything on right then and there, so he didn't open it.

He opened the large box Fu Yuze mentioned and dug through, pulling out one, two, three, four... ornately carved wooden boxes of different sizes.

He opened them all, one by one—

They were hairpins made of various materials.

Crafted using ancient techniques, exquisite and lifelike, mostly made from rare woods, pure gold, and high-grade jadeite.

Bian Han just watched as her boy opened one and set it aside, lingering a little longer on the ones he liked. When he ran out of space, he casually placed the items on the floor.

This little spendthrift.

Bian Han asked the cheerful buyer, "Where did you get these?"

What a joke.

These are probably one-of-a-kind pieces.

True one-of-a-kinds are rare; one or two of these aren't inferior to the gold crown and jade set Jiang Jining has tucked away.

"Had a friend collect them." Fu Yuze picked up the fresh tea the housekeeper had poured, answering Bian Han's question directly: "Most are from auction houses, along with private collections and old shops."

"Bride price?" Bian Han asked, resting her head on her hand.

Jiang Jining's hand paused, and he looked right at Fu Yuze. Seeing that he wasn't angry or refuting it, just looking all nervous, Fu Yuze's eyes immediately crinkled with amusement as he said, "That would be too little."

So mean.

Jiang Jining finally saw it.

These two were just having fun at his expense.

Bian Han had urgent work and turned down the lunch reservation Fu Yuze had made at Shishu, but she let Jiang Jining go, instructing him to be home before 7:30 p.m.

A joyous occasion—

At 3:40 p.m. on July 26th.

Fu Yuze got Jiang Jining's permission to enter the backyard.

Jiang Jining didn't like being disturbed while swimming; he was in the zone. Fu Yuze knew his role perfectly: to lend a hand when Jiang Jining was about to get out of the pool and to hold his hand.

After about two-thirds of the time had passed, Fu Yuze went to the kitchen to make soup.

Jiang Jining practiced alone for a while longer.

When he got out of the water, the weather suddenly changed, and the wind picked up.

The moment he got out, the wind hit him, making him shiver. Before he could feel too uncomfortable, someone wrapped him in a large towel. "Cold?"

Jiang Jining mumbled an affirmative, nodded, his bright eyes peeking out, and naturally snuggled into his embrace for warmth.

It was only a few steps to the shower room.

Fu Yuze picked up Jiang Jining, who was wrapped up like a silkworm cocoon. The latter protested, "I can walk myself."

Jiang Jining clung to him, craning his neck to look for his shoes.

When he found them, Fu Yuze used his foot to neatly flip one of the slippers over. With a *plop*, as skillfully as if he were flipping a wok, he said with great seriousness, "What if your feet get dirty from stepping on the ground?"

Jiang Jining was simply dumbfounded.

He's so bad!

But at the sight of the scattered shoes, he leaned on Fu Yuze's shoulder and laughed softly.

When Aunt Tao came over to pick up the shoes, Fu Yuze was washing Jiang Jining's hair. Jiang Jining was dangling his bare, fair feet, saying it wasn't too hot.

"Should I take over?"

Aunt Tao mentioned the timer in the kitchen had gone off.

Fu Yuze seemingly generously gave up his spot, but actually watched for a while before leaving.

Aunt Tao found the two of them quite amusing and spoke to Jiang Jining with a smile: "It's good now. As soon as we see the sir entering the backyard, we guess you two are together."

Jiang Jining blinked but didn't deny it.

The kiss was an accident.

But he had tacitly allowed a second one to happen...

Bian Han had earnestly explained that in modern society, a kiss doesn't necessarily mean you have to take responsibility, but he still wanted to give it a try.

Jiang Jining didn't want to be kissed without understanding.

So he'd follow the rules here.

Dating... seems like it could be fun too.

After having an early dinner, Jiang Jining once again understood Bian Han's well-intentioned efforts and logically proposed going home.

It was a family rule.

Even Uncle Lu and Aunt Tao couldn't really persuade him to stay.

Fu Yuze still needed to inspect the evening service at Shishu, so he took the opportunity to drive Jiang Jining back.

Along the way, Jiang Jining's watch kept chiming and ringing. Seeing it was messages from Ji Huan, he kept replying.

They arrived at Bian Han's doorstep.

The housekeeper happened to be about to finish her shift. "Xiao Jiang, you're back."

"I'm leaving now." After saying this to Fu Yuze, Jiang Jining wanted to get out of the car but was met with a complaint: "So perfunctory?"

Jiang Jining was still thinking about what to do when a voice, neither too loud nor too soft, came from behind: "Ning Zai."

Bian Han was home too!

Jiang Jining glanced at the slender figure in the entryway, his hesitation gone. He withdrew his hand and said earnestly and firmly, "Goodbye."

That wasn't perfunctory anymore.

"..."

Fu Yuze realized he was the one with separation anxiety. He touched Jiang Jining's hair, finding the texture addictive. "Want me to pick you up tomorrow morning?"

Jiang Jining thought of his earlier chat with Ji Huan and said, "I think I have something going on tomorrow."

Fu Yuze didn't press further.

He'd kept Jiang Jining a bit too long. With a nod to Bian Han, who wasn't far off, he said softly to Jiang Jining, "Go on."

The taillights disappeared into the distance.

Bian Han watched Jiang Jining walk in with light steps and smiled. "You're not mad I made you come home so early, are you?"

Jiang Jining immediately shook his head.

This excuse worked like a charm.

Fu Yuze wouldn't force him, but Uncle Lu and Aunt Tao would try to keep him. Refusing was an art, and with the rules Bian Han had set, he didn't have to worry about any of that.

The night grew late.

After washing up, Jiang Jining returned to bed and continued replying to Ji Huan—she basically wanted to meet up to see how the two pieces she'd sent looked on him. The location was set at Yunzhi's main studio, where she asked him to try on the fabric samples again, compare the colors and make adjustments, and refine the details.

Jiang Jining quickly agreed.

After replying to that,

Fu Yuze called again.

Gently yet pointedly, he asked about Jiang Jining's plans for the next day.

Jiang Jining listed them off.

Fu Yuze was still concerned about his feelings: "Do you find it annoying, having to report everything to me?"

Jiang Jining thought for a moment and said, "It's fine. I usually don't have much going on... This is the first time someone has made plans with me, and I'm happy to tell you about it."

A deep, happy laugh came through the phone, accompanied by the sound of a car horn. Jiang Jining asked, "You're not home yet?"

"I went back to the office for an impromptu meeting."

Fu Yuze didn't want to hang up.

Jiang Jining usually spoke slowly and gently; even his casual words felt like a recharge. Yet, he worried about keeping him up with sleepiness. "Alright, sleep early, baby."

Jiang Jining's mind buzzed, turning into a muddled mess. He mumbled an "mm" in confusion, neither hanging up nor continuing.

Fu Yuze chuckled and asked, "Shy?"

Jiang Jining whispered quickly, "No," and said he was hanging up. Face burning, he ended the call and habitually put his phone back in the drawer. After a moment's thought, he placed it on the wireless charger on the nightstand.

The door was knocked twice. Bian Han asked, "Are you asleep, kiddo?"

"Not yet."

Jiang Jining sat up again.

"How do you feel?"

Bian Han sat on the edge of the bed, crossing her legs.

She asked him about his date like a good friend would.

"It's been good." Jiang Jining didn't mince words and even explained why it was good.

These two are so adorable.

Bian Han was also getting more and more engrossed as she listened.

"He's one of a kind." Bian Han gazed intently at her beautiful child and said, "I met a returnee friend at noon and accidentally learned she had dated Fu Yuze's cousin. We briefly discussed the Fu family tree, and it's far, far better than I'd imagined."

For double verification, Bian Han had called Bian Jiacheng's dedicated line an hour earlier to check Fu Yuze's "personal background."

Aside from the Fu family being a leading capital name in Jingzhou,

a century-old family, prosperous and enduring, with generations living in harmony and a thriving lineage.

The entire family is closely knit.

Most importantly—

An old family portrait of the Fu family spanning five generations showed, without exception, legitimate wives and proper matches. It could be said that among Jingzhou's capital circle's famously devoted lovers, the Fu family accounted for about two-thirds.

Some things Bian Han didn't dare say outright.