Chapter 18

When Gu Chen opened his eyes again, he had returned to ten years ago. He and Gu Xiu had just come out of the mountains and entered university. This time, he would stay farther away from those plot characters.

He was not as likable as Gu Xiu. He accepted his fate.

He would no longer fawn over or please anyone. He would just bury himself in hard work and forge himself into the thickest thigh to lean on.

Much later, the accomplished President Gu was interviewed on television.

Reporter: What motivated you to start your business, President Gu?

Gu Chen: "No one liked me, no one appreciated me, so I could only work hard on my own."

The plot characters: "...Bullshit!"

Chapter 18

The atmosphere suddenly froze. It was as though time had stopped at that instant. After a long while, Wenren Yan finally came back to his senses. He had never expected Ao Qingyuan to be so bold, much less that Ao Qingyuan would beat him to the punch with something so much like a confession.

"What's wrong?" Ao Qingyuan had impulsively blurted out what he wanted to say. Instead, he gradually calmed down. His previously tangled thoughts immediately became clear. "I like you. Do you like me?"

"Of course I do." Wenren Yan was not someone who hid his feelings. Hearing that, he immediately admitted it. "If I didn't like you, why would I join this production and act opposite you?"

Ao Qingyuan clenched his fists excitedly. He felt like he should say something, but he did not know what to say.

Wenren Yan had always been quick-witted and eloquent in front of major clients. Yet even his mind seemed to short-circuit now, leaving him unsure what to say.

The two stared at each other for quite a while. Then Ao Qingyuan suddenly chuckled. "Why do I feel like we both look a little stupid right now?"

"A little." Wenren Yan smiled as well, his gaze falling on the lavish brunch. "Let's eat first."

Ao Qingyuan made a sound of acknowledgment, cut into the steak, and took a bite. His eyes lit up. "Not bad."

"It's all right." Wenren Yan raised his glass in a toast. "Still a little worse than a Michelin chef."

Ao Qingyuan could not hold back his laughter. He clinked glasses with Wenren Yan. "You're very confident in your cooking."

That was called having an accurate understanding of himself." Wenren Yan raised a brow. "I know what people like about me, so I have to make an effort to show it off. Let the person I like see it."

Ao Qingyuan immediately said, "No need to show it off. Just standing here, I like everything about you, from the tips of your hair to your heels."

"You're quite good at talking." Wenren Yan smiled. "Sweet talk just rolls right off your tongue. How come I never noticed before?"

"It's better that you didn't." Ao Qingyuan tipped his chin at Wenren Yan. "I only figured it out naturally with you. I'm not like this at all around anyone else."

His tone carried a matter-of-fact bluntness, along with the showy pride of someone asking to be praised.

Wenren Yan: "..."

Wenren Yan suddenly realized that Ao Qingyuan was particularly good at this sort of thing. At least, those words had made his heart bloom with joy.

"So I'm the most special one?" Wenren Yan asked with a smile.

Ao Qingyuan shook his head and corrected him. "You're the one I like most."

Wenren Yan only smiled without speaking.

After brunch, Ao Qingyuan voluntarily took on the task of washing the dishes. Wenren Yan leaned against the kitchen doorway and said with a smile, "There's a dishwasher. You can just put them in there."

"Dishwashers are too troublesome." Ao Qingyuan shook his head. Besides, he hated the noise a dishwasher made while it was running. "And using one doesn't have any sense of ritual."

When two people were together, one should cook and the other should wash the dishes. Replacing that with a machine made it meaningless.

Wenren Yan smiled, then changed the subject. "When you have time, may I invite you to my home as a guest?"

Ao Qingyuan's dishwashing motion paused slightly. He turned to look at Wenren Yan, his expression carrying a hint of hesitation and surprise. "Your home?"

Wenren Yan nodded. "My home."

"If I remember correctly," Ao Qingyuan blinked, looking slightly at a loss, "you should still be living with your parents right now, shouldn't you?"

Wenren Yan continued nodding. "You remember correctly."

Ao Qingyuan was a little tongue-tied, so surprised that he did not know where to put his hands and feet. "So you mean you want to take me to meet your parents?"

Wenren Yan raised a brow. "I do have that intention. But I'll respect what you want."

"Isn't this too fast?" Ao Qingyuan could not help exclaiming. "We only just confessed to each other."

Wenren Yan smiled. "But I've been plotting this for a long time."

Ao Qingyuan thought about it, then confirmed once more, "So Uncle and Auntie already know I exist?"

Wenren Yan nodded.

Ao Qingyuan could not believe it. "When did you tell them? Wait, we haven't even been together for a day, and you already told your parents about me beforehand?"

Wenren Yan explained, "My parents have known about my orientation for a long time. I never hid it from them. It was just that I was busy studying and working before, and never had any desire to date. This time, I finally have the chance to let them know who I like."

Ao Qingyuan's thoughts were a little chaotic. "Then did you ever consider what would happen if I didn't like you?"

Wenren Yan had simply laid it all out before his parents. Wasn't that confidence a little over the top? What if he had rejected him?

Wenren Yan smiled. "Then I'd keep trying. I'm so outstanding—how could you possibly not like me?"

Wenren Yan paused, his smile filled with certainty. "I'll make sure you understand that you won't meet anyone more outstanding than me. Nor will you meet anyone who loves you more than I do. And you certainly won't meet anyone who understands you better than I do."

Ao Qingyuan was left speechless. He was so embarrassed that even the tips of his ears turned red. He cleared his throat and deliberately changed the subject. "But I haven't had a chance to tell my family that we're together yet. They don't even know I like men. My agent doesn't know either."

"It's fine. Take it slowly." Wenren Yan's smile was gentle, and his eyes were full of tenderness. "We have a lifetime to take things slow."