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8. Chapter 8
Inside a clothing store at the mall.
"Honey, what do you think about this one?" Yu Antong emerged from the changing room, approaching Xin Li Xuan, who was seated on a sofa in the waiting area.
Absorbed in a magazine, Xin Li Xuan responded without looking up, "Hmm, looks good."
Yu Antong snatched the magazine away, glaring, "You didn't even look!"
Xin Li Xuan looked up, slightly annoyed, "Is there a difference?"
To him, this outfit looked no different from the previous ones.
The sales assistant, maintaining her professional smile, interjected, "The designs are different. This piece has a more cinched waist, and the materials vary. If you touch it, you'll feel..."
Yu Antong, interrupting her, tossed the magazine at Xin Li Xuan, "Explaining this to him is like playing a lute to a cow. He's such a stereotypical man!"
Catching the "thrown weapon", Xin Li Xuan frowned, "Are you done shopping?"
"What shopping? I've lost the mood. Not buying anything!" An exasperated Yu Antong was about to walk away, "You've ruined it!"
Xin Li Xuan swiftly grabbed his hand, pulling Yu Antong back into his embrace. With a firm voice, he directed the sales assistant, "Pack everything he tried on."
Selling several expensive pieces at once and thinking of the forthcoming commission made the sales assistant's day. Eagerly, she responded, "Certainly, sir."
Struggling in the embrace, Yu Antong protested, "Let me go!"
Xing Lixuan held the back of Yu Antong's head, his voice deep and soothing, "Calm down."
Yu Antong's face was pressed against Xing Lixuan's dark shirt, the refreshing scent of pine clearly discernible.
Damn! The way Xing Lixuan embraced him was so damn manly!
Yu Antong's face flushed. He absolutely adored Xing Lixuan's dominating moments.
Xing Lixuan's assertive action hit just the right spot for Yu Antong, igniting the passionate heart of this submissive man.
He wrapped his arms around Xing Lixuan's waist, settling down, patiently waiting for the checkout.
The boutique was high-end and luxurious, with only a few who could afford to shop here. At the moment, they were the only customers, and the other salespeople stole glances at the stunning same-sex couple.
Once the duo exited the store, a group of female sales associates immediately huddled together.
"Did you see them? Such eye candy! It's been a while since I've seen someone so handsome!"
"I couldn’t help but sneak glances! Even when the submissive guy got angry, he looked stunning. Handsome people look good doing anything."
"Exactly! I even sneakily took a picture! When he glared, my heart melted. No wonder his partner dotes on him so much! I'd give him everything if I were in his shoes."
"The way he called him 'husband' was so delicate! Even I, a woman, can't match that. If I were a man, I’d fall for him too."
A male sales associate chimed in sarcastically, "All you see are the looks. Didn't you see the impatience on the other guy's face?"
After his comment, he was immediately ganged up on by the women.
"What do you know?! That domineering embrace was insanely sweet! No wonder you're single."
The male associate grumbled, thinking to himself, wasn't that guy just called a "straight male" too?
"The submissive one truly knows how to handle his man. Although his partner appears aloof, the moment the former throws a tantrum, the latter immediately soothes him. Their love is palpable; it reminds me of my parents."
"Absolutely, especially when he said 'Calm down.' If my boyfriend sounded that good, I swear we'd never fight."
"The way the submissive guy clung to his partner afterwards was both cute and adorable! Who wouldn't want a moody yet lovable boy? For a moment, I couldn't decide who I envied more – the domineering one for having such a partner or the cute guy for having someone so doting."
The male sales associate quietly slipped away, thinking, "Women these days are terrifying!"
Instead of walking properly, Yu Antong clung to Xing Lixuan's arm like a koala, putting most of his weight on him.
Xing Lixuan nudged him, "Stand properly. Walk straight or carry your shopping bags."
Saying this, he shifted the armful of shopping bags to present them to Yu Antong.
Yu Antong refused, "My hands are small; I can't hold them all. Darling, can you carry them for your sweetheart?"
Xing Lixuan was taken aback by the cutesy tone.
"What's with that cringe-worthy pet name?" Xing Lixuan commented, "If you don't want to carry the bags, then walk properly. No more cloying talk and definitely no whining!"
Looking at Xing Lixuan's expression, Yu Antong was instantly reminded of that meme of an old man on the subway squinting at his phone.
Was it really that unbearable? Stubborn man! Couldn't he just indulge in Yu Antong's youthful desires?
"Husband, husband, husband!" Yu Antong exclaimed, "I want to be clingy with you! If I'm not affectionate with you, should I be with another man? Would you prefer that?"
Xing Lixuan remarked, "We're in public, aren't you ashamed?"
Yu Antong countered, "What's the big deal? I'm just holding onto your arm. Look at other couples; they're way more affectionate than us."
Xing Lixuan: "..."
Indeed, comparing to other young couples in the mall clinging closely to each other, Yu Antong and Xing Lixuan's behavior seemed rather tame.
Feeling uncomfortable displaying affection in public, after buying a dishwasher on the second floor and leaving an address for delivery, Xing Lixuan quickly ushered Yu Antong home.
He wasn't ready to bear the scrutiny of onlookers.
After a heavy dinner and minimal exercise from shopping, Xing Lixuan immediately started working out in their home gym, showing an admirable level of discipline.
Yu Antong began searching online for reviews of the restaurant they had dined at earlier. It was strange how such a place, with good food and location, was on the brink of bankruptcy.
bidige.com
He considered buying the place. Cooking was his only outstanding skill, and if he wanted to earn, it would be through culinary arts.
While having a wealthy husband was comforting, having his own money was reassuring, especially when his husband was not always around.
He searched for "Sangyu's Restaurant" and was flooded with information.
Upon closer inspection, Yu Antong realized the restaurant was owned by a top male celebrity named Sangyu.
Initially, due to Sangyu's massive fan base, the restaurant was thriving. However, rumors recently surfaced about Sangyu's romantic relationship.
Fans were open to their idol dating, even if it was with another man, especially since same-sex marriage was legalized.
But wait! The man was the CEO of Sangyu's management company?
A powerful CEO and a superstar? Quite the match, and not bad for public relations.
The real shocker: The CEO was already married! He had a wife!
This changed the narrative to infidelity and breaking up a family. Ethics were in question!
When the news broke, Sangyu's agency prioritized its reputation. The CEO apologized for giving into temptation and betraying his family, then terminated Sangyu's contract, pledging to change his ways and seeking his wife's forgiveness.
In the end, his wife forgave him, and he returned to his family.
With the CEO's influence and resources, online sentiment was manipulated, leading netizens to direct their anger at Sangyu.
Boycott the mistress, demand a complete ban on Sang Yu online.
After the incident, Sang Yu made only one statement, claiming he had no idea his boss was married, believing he was single.
Loyal fans defended him, but they were no match for the power of big capital; anyone speaking in his defense was labeled deluded or morally bankrupt.
It's unbelievable! How could you not know he was married?
Even if some fans believed him, they couldn't stand against the tide of public opinion.
The ultimate outcome? The boss seemed to emerge unscathed, while Sang Yu faced a complete online ban.
Yu An Tong wasn't comfortable with the whole thing. It takes two to tango. If Sang Yu was rightfully boycotted for being the "third party", why did the boss escape blame?
Yu An Tong wasn't interested in the gossip but was intrigued by Sang Yu's catering company.
Unlike regular restaurant owners, Sang Yu was a celebrity with a massive fan base. He not only had three restaurants but also a small food processing plant.
Restaurants have their limits in terms of customer capacity and average spending. However, this food factory could produce a lot of vacuum-packed goods, making it easier for fans to purchase, with wider appeal and lower costs.
Now with Sang Yu facing an online boycott, his products were no longer selling. Amidst the scandal, many businesses broke contracts with him, saddling him with substantial penalties.
To cover these penalties, Sang Yu had to sell his three restaurants and the food processing plant.
The restaurants were relatively easy to offload, but no one wanted the plant.
Small catering businesses usually outsource and don't need a factory. Larger companies have their factories and weren't interested in Sang Yu's mid-sized plant.
To avoid getting stuck with the plant, Sang Yu bundled it with the restaurants. If you wanted the restaurants, you had to take the factory as well.
Many businesses that coveted his restaurant locations weren't willing to pay extra for a seemingly useless factory, hence the hesitancy.
However, what others saw as a burden, Yu An Tong saw as a treasure!
Before his transmigration, the sauces he formulated sold like hotcakes. Now, he still wanted to earn through that avenue, making his factory indispensable.
Yu An Tong checked the price: 76 million.
This price included all the furnishings and utensils in the restaurants. A little renovation, and they would be ready for business—a reasonable deal.
Yu An Tong took note of the contact details, planning to initiate the purchase tomorrow. But then he remembered—he was broke!
Forget 76 million; he couldn't even muster 6 million.
He could scrape together 600 though.
But 600 might just cover the startup costs for a pancake stall.
Yu An Tong, aspiring to be a sophisticated gentleman, wasn't interested in selling pancakes.
Heading to the gym, he saw Xin Li Xuan lifting weights. "Honey, could you…"
The man was dressed in a sports tank top and shorts, his muscles bulging and well-defined, each line distinct.
He had been working out for a while, and sweat trickled down his cheeks, darkening his tank top.
Xing Lixuan stopped his exercise upon seeing Yu Antong approach, wiped his sweat with a white towel, and asked, "What is it?"
Yu Antong's mouth felt parched as he stared, momentarily forgetting why he had come to see Xing Lixuan in the first place.
He swallowed hard, rushed over to wrap his arms around Xing Lixuan's waist, and kissed his chiseled chin, saying, "Husband, you're so sexy! I think I'm falling head over heels for you!"
Xing Lixuan replied, "Move away, I need to shower."
Enveloped by Xing Lixuan's masculine scent, Yu Antong looked up at him, his eyes shimmering with anticipation, "Can you delay the shower, just a bit, my love? Here, I..."
Yu Antong whispered the rest of his sentence into Xing Lixuan's ear, causing a heated sensation throughout the latter's body.
Accustomed to his reserved and serious demeanor, Xing Lixuan had never encountered someone as straightforward and vivacious as Yu Antong.
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