Chapter 42

"You agreed?"

Hearing that, Song Nian's eyes suddenly lit up, as if the whole night sky were twinkling.

"Mm, let's go."

Li Yanchuan closed his laptop and pushed his wheelchair out of the room.

"Yay! Wait for me, I'll go change clothes!"

Afraid that the man might change his mind, Song Nian rushed back to the bedroom like a rabbit.

But he had no idea that the employees on the other side of the screen, facing this abruptly ended meeting, exchanged glances and didn't dare to make a sound.

Although the audio had been turned off, the camera was still on. Even though only the area below the chin was visible, everyone had seen Song Nian clinging to the man's arm and acting sweet.

The scene, the gestures—tsk-tsk-tsk.

Everyone automatically filled in the blanks and commented in unison:

The one at home for Boss Li—turns out to be a demanding little tease.

Good-looking and good at acting cute. Look what he's done to our Boss Li.

Completely unaware that his reputation had changed, Song Nian, after changing clothes, rushed back all in a rush. Just as he was about to head downstairs with the man, he noticed that Li Yanchuan didn't seem to be planning to change, so he quickly stopped him.

"Wait, you're wearing that?"

"Is that not okay?"

Hearing this, Li Yanchuan looked down at his black shirt and looked confused.

It's not that you can't wear it, but it isn't suitable—too formal!

Words couldn't explain it clearly, so he took action instead. Song Nian pulled a plain T-shirt from the man's wardrobe and helped him change into it.

The moment the shirt buttons were suddenly undone, exposing his chest and stomach, Li Yanchuan's mind went blank for a moment.

"What are you doing!"

He immediately grabbed the hand that was about to pull off his shirt, asking in an urgent, embarrassed voice.

"I'm changing your clothes for you!"

He hadn't thought much of it at first, but at that reaction, Song Nian suddenly felt a pang of guilt.

Especially when his gaze drifted down and caught a glimpse of the man's nearly perfect physique, his face reddened.

—Why look at "daddy types" online when there's a real one right here, with an even better body!

He had to admit, even in a wheelchair, Li Yanchuan's physique was still stunning. His solid, firm chest was practically bursting out, making one want to bury his face in it.

How that shirt even buttoned up is a mystery—hiding such a perfect body underneath.

Without thinking, Song Nian swallowed hard.

Under such a direct gaze, Li Yanchuan would usually find it disgusting, but for some reason, with Song Nian, he didn't sense any malice.

However, even without malice, this look still seemed a little strange.

It felt… especially hot…?

Before the man could voice his doubts, Song Nian blurted out honestly what was on his mind:

"Babe, you have a great body."

Through all the time they'd been together, he had already figured him out—when to joke around and when to be honest, so as not to trigger his paranoia.

Sure enough, at these words, Li Yanchuan's retort died in his throat.

He pursed his lips, clearly caught off guard for a moment, and then his face turned red.

Not just the tips of his ears turning pink, but his entire face instantly flushed a deep crimson.

Before he could utter an angry, embarrassed scolding, the other's rapid-fire answer cut him off.

"What's wrong with me admiring a hot body? I like your current physique. If you won't show me, I'll just look online!"

Song Nian said, bold and unapologetic even when he knew he was wrong.

"You—!"

The moment he recalled the indescribable photos he had stumbled upon on the man's phone, Li Yanchuan's words caught in his throat. After a moment's hesitation, he kept quiet.

If this topic continued, he'd feel like he was the one being a creep. Knowing when to stop, Song Nian cleared his throat awkwardly, acting like nothing happened, and continued with his task.

He stripped off the man's shirt, pulled the plain long-sleeve over his head without another word, and then hurriedly pushed him into the elevator:

"Let's go, or we'll be late."

In his smooth and swift series of movements, he failed to notice the shadow that passed over Li Yanchuan's face.

Ever since being confined to a wheelchair, he hadn't been able to maintain his decade-long fitness routine, let alone walk normally. Over time, his legs faced another crisis.

Muscle atrophy.

Ugly and detestable changes, but utterly unstoppable.

Whenever he stared at his lifeless legs, Li Yanchuan would often have the illusion that they were wasting away before his eyes.

Though that hadn't actually happened yet, it did nothing to calm his anxiety. The insecurity spread to his entire body, making him lose confidence in his whole physique.

His leg condition was like a swamp, slowly consuming him from the legs up, dragging him into an abyss.

But one sentence from Song Nian lifted the shadow hanging over him.

He had said, "You've got a great body, and I like your physique."

It was like a warm hand reaching out to someone sinking in a swamp.

From beginning to end, Song Nian was always such an amazing person, using his sincerity and fervor to unconsciously dissolve his emotional knots and break the chains he'd tied himself.

At this thought, a tender look softened Li Yanchuan's expression.

————

Since Song Nian couldn't drive, the chauffeur dropped them off at their destination.

Getting out first to open the doors for them, the chauffeur looked around and asked with uncertainty, "Mr. Song, are you sure this is the right place?"

"Uh-huh, that's right."

Song Nian nodded affirmatively, helped Li Yanchuan out of the car, then waved at the chauffeur, indicating that the road ahead was too narrow for the car and they would go on by themselves.

Once at the roadside, Li Yanchuan frowned, wearing the same expression as the chauffeur.

It wasn't his fault, really—the scene before him was nothing like what he had imagined.

He had guessed they were going out for a late-night snack, but he never expected it to be a place like this.

What greeted his eyes was a lively, bustling night market street, backed by a river that stretched along the bank like the flowing water, with no end in sight.

Smoky food stalls, loud shouts and blaring speakers, and a slightly dirtier and messier ground compared to upscale venues—this was the standard for a typical night market street, but it hardly matched Li Yanchuan's style.

If he had worn the black shirt from the meeting, he would have been even more out of place.

"This is where you're bringing me?"

He shot a cold glance and made as if to turn his wheelchair and leave.

"Don't rush, we haven't reached the destination yet."

But Song Nian wouldn't let him back out. He forcefully took over the wheelchair and pushed him toward a certain spot without explanation.

At this hour, the night market wasn't too crowded, but it wasn't empty either. The overhead lighting was decent, and occasionally there were blindingly bright bulbs in front of stalls that made it hard to keep your eyes open.

Everything about the surrounding environment—the choking smoke, the glaring lights—made Li Yanchuan uncomfortable.

He clenched his fists, pressed his lips together tightly, and his eyes in the shadows were unreadable.

Instead of crossing the main street, they avoided the crowd and took a small path behind the street, where there were fewer people and they were completely in the shadows.

Their final destination was a barbecue restaurant.

Located in the middle-to-back section of the night market street, the stall was clean and hygienic, filled with mouthwatering aromas, and the food under the lights looked mouth-watering.

The tables in the dining area were arranged along the river, each one with a white camping canopy, adding a touch of ambiance.

"Here we are!"

After arriving, Song Nian pushed him straight to the corner spot and helped him sit down.

Whether by coincidence or not, the table height was just right for Li Yanchuan in his wheelchair.

"Song Nian, I need an explanation."

Squinting as he surveyed the noisy surroundings, Li Yanchuan finally fixed his gaze on the person across from him, his tone low and unreadable.

If it weren't for the person in front of him, he would never tolerate this—not even for a second.

He didn't want to be exposed to others' stares, let alone in a crowded, messy, chaotic place like this.

Seeing his bad mood, Song Nian shifted closer and sat down beside him.

"Honey, don't be upset yet."

He spoke softly, placing a hand over Li Yanchuan's.

"I just think you should get out and walk around a bit. Staying cooped up at home isn't good for your health."

Not just physical health, but mental health too.

Remembering how Li Yanchuan had barely avoided turning dark, Song Nian decided to keep an eye on his mental state to prevent him from going to extremes again.

He knew Li Yanchuan stayed home because he didn't want to face others' stares—those probing, judging looks were an insult to him.

So, after Li Yanchuan refused his invitation to go out, he changed his approach and decided to take it step by step.

If he didn't want to be seen by others, how about going out at night?

If he didn't want to have a barbecue with a group, how about just the two of them?

He had considered fancier restaurants with better privacy, but Song Nian felt that one shouldn't always live so isolated, like a flower on a high mountain, detached from the world. Sometimes, one needs a little taste of everyday life.

After much thought, he bravely made this move.

"Don't be nervous, honey. See? We're no different from anyone else. No one here will look at you strangely."

He softened his tone, gently soothing him.

Only then did Li Yanchuan notice that the spot they had chosen was exactly in the shadows behind the light, as if the moonlight had cast an invisibility cloak, hiding them in darkness.

But this darkness wasn't lonely or cold—it was precisely at the boundary between light and shadow. With a simple reach of the hand, one could step back into warmth.

The other customers were all focused on their own food, and no one cast any strange glances their way.

This made him feel a little more at ease.

"Honey, just pretend no one else is here, okay? Only I'm by your side."

Seeing his expression soften, Song Nian continued coaxingly.

Just as he was about to say more, the owner suddenly came to their table.

"Little Song, you're here! How about it? I reserved this spot just as you asked, raised the table, and wiped it down six or seven times. Is it okay?"

The owner was a middle-aged woman in her forties, plump and with a face that radiated warmth and friendliness.

She chuckled as she set down a plate of skewers, then turned her gaze to Li Yanchuan and gave him a thorough once-over.

Feeling her stare, Li Yanchuan tensed up, his fists clenched, instinctively wanting to hide his wheelchair and useless legs.

Hostility couldn't help but seep out, like a beast about to attack.

Seeing this, Song Nian quickly hugged his arm, interlacing their fingers, gently soothing him.

The warmth of his chest and palm transferred his body heat, calming the hostility within. Li Yanchuan was startled, and his shoulders relaxed slightly.

"Oh my, Little Song, is this the husband you're always talking about? He's really handsome!"

The owner said with a hearty laugh.