I Want This One

The doctor prescribed some medicine for external injuries. Wen Shuang rinsed himself off briefly, then lay facedown on the bed.

The ointment was cool, and Xuan Zhe's touch was gentle. Hugging a pillow, Wen Shuang began telling him about Lin Nuan.

Xuan Zhe listened quietly without offering an opinion. Without backing, capital like Lin Nuan's was simply meat delivered into certain people's mouths. One wrong step, and she would become a plaything. Xuan Zhe was not especially sympathetic; sometimes, human nature was simply like that. He could not be anyone's savior. All he could do was ensure that his lover was never threatened or caught up in it.

The production team's investigation results came out that very evening. Wu Tan was disqualified from the show, and the truth was laid bare.

After dinner, Xuan Zhe received a call. Wen Shuang saw his expression darken after only a few words before he hung up. He guessed that Wu Tan's patron had called to plead for him.

Indeed, although Wu Tan was not particularly likable, President Zhao from his company liked him quite a bit—especially in bed. The entire PR department mobilized to write an apology letter, but its underlying message was simply "an unintentional mistake." The fans were not idiots, especially Jiang Ning's fans. They skipped right past the apology and nailed Wu Tan to the wall for a beating. Only after everyone had vented did someone remember Lin Nuan, who had been falsely accused.

Looking at the stream of apologies in the comments, Lin Nuan found it unfamiliar and novel.

Wen Shuang had several abrasions, and immediately became an emperor. Even the fruit he ate while leaning against the headboard that night was peeled personally by President Xuan.

Xuan Zhe had initially been unwilling. After all, he had never done such a thing, and deep down, he still possessed the reserve of someone raised in luxury. But what level was Wen Shuang at? All he had to do was hug a pillow and softly say, "I want some," then look at President Xuan with clear eyes, and Xuan Zhe would go pluck stars from the sky within minutes.

After finishing the fruit, Wen Shuang swiftly went to the bathroom to wash up. Wearing only a pair of briefs, he strutted past Xuan Zhe with his long bare legs, striking straight at his soul. Xuan Zhe could not understand just how much of a gentleman Wen Shuang thought he was to behave so recklessly around him.

When he came back, he was naturally pinned down.

"Pretty bold..." Xuan Zhe said in a low voice, three parts cold and seven parts teasing, clearly settling scores after the fact. Yet his movements were gentle, afraid that the abrasion on Wen Shuang's wrist would split open again. He carefully kept it fixed in place, then opened the first page of the ledger. "I told you not to stand so close to Jiang Ning. Don't let me see any so-called Shuang-Ning or Ning-Shuang. Did you take my words as nothing?"

Wen Shuang's voice was as soft as a mosquito's buzz. "I'm Jiang Ning's non-celebrity partner. How could we not talk at all?"

But Xuan Zhe did not want to reason with him about that. "And you dared stare at Lin Nuan's back."

Wen Shuang could not compromise on this. One had to respect the wisdom left behind by one's ancestors. So, using all the strength he had left, he shouted, "Cupping therapy!"

"Mm. When Lin Nuan fell, you rushed over so quickly. When you rolled down the stairs, did you think about me?"

Wen Shuang parted his lips slightly, only to hear Xuan Zhe ask again, "Ten million is enough to make you run naked around a field?"

Wen Shuang could not say a word. He only felt that the world truly had it out for him, with landmines everywhere.

Xuan Zhe leaned close to his ear and asked playfully, "I'll offer twenty million. Can we record a video? Is that grand enough for you?"

Then Wen Shuang's mind exploded with a buzz.

His boyfriend was so upright! How could he say something so filthy?!

Of course, Xuan Zhe soon made him understand that there were things even filthier.

When Wen Shuang woke up the next day, he did not even dare think back on it while lying facedown in bed.

The bedroom door was pushed open. Who else could it be besides Xuan Zhe? Wen Shuang was sulking, yet did not know what exactly he was angry about. In the end, he simply wrapped himself tighter in the blanket and played turtle.

A familiar presence appeared beside the bed, but there was no movement for a long while. Wen Shuang waited until he could no longer hold back, then tugged the blanket down a little. He saw Xuan Zhe half-crouching beside the bed, his hair not as meticulously styled as usual and slightly tousled, making him devastatingly handsome.

The moment their eyes met, Wen Shuang was captured by the tenderness in them and could not move for a moment.

His fingertip turned cool. Wen Shuang hurriedly looked down and saw Xuan Zhe slipping a ring onto his finger.

It was an exquisite men's ring, with simple yet elegant patterns. A circle of tiny diamonds added a touch of distinction.

Wen Shuang, a grown man, had never cared for jewelry, but at that moment, he thought the ring was incredibly beautiful. He stared at it seriously and murmured, "When did you buy it?"

"Last night," Xuan Zhe answered. He interlaced their fingers and revealed an identical ring on his own hand.

It turned out that whether President Xuan was happy or angry, Assistant Cao was always the one who suffered.

Cao Nanyu had been dragged out of bed by a phone call in the middle of the night. It was nighttime in China but daytime overseas, so the luxury jewelers were still at work. Since Xuan Zhe needed it urgently, Cao Nanyu went straight to the most expensive custom designers. But even then, the fastest turnaround would take three months. No problem—he would buy an existing, one-of-a-kind limited edition from a jewelry master. If anyone could find a second pair like it in the world, he would admit defeat.

Then he had it flown over by express air freight. By nine thirty in the morning, it had been delivered to Xuan Zhe.

Cao Nanyu was dead inside, forcing out a smile. "President Xuan, please tell me a little earlier next time."

"Mm." Xuan Zhe opened the box and took a look. He was fairly satisfied and said without much sincerity, "I didn't expect it to happen so quickly either. My impromptu performance was perfect."

Cao Nanyu: ...I don't want to understand that!!!

Assistant Cao silently jumped around at the door in a frenzy to vent, then took a deep breath and returned to normal. He knew Xuan Zhe definitely would not be going to the company today, but he still had to go keep watch over things.

Sob, sob! Working people! Working souls!

"The last-minute preparation might not be that good. I had someone—"

"This one!" Before Xuan Zhe could finish, Wen Shuang interrupted him. His expression was resolute as he repeated, "I want this one."

"Why don't you ask me for more?" Xuan Zhe asked helplessly. Smiling, he picked Wen Shuang up in the blanket, knowing the young man's waist was aching terribly. Rather than make him move around, he carried him straight out of the bedroom. "Your boyfriend is very rich."

"I know." Wen Shuang rubbed the ring on his hand and leaned against Xuan Zhe's chest, listening to his steady heartbeat. For a moment, he was so content that he did not know what to do with himself.

He had lived two lives. He had found fulfillment in familial love and friendship, and now he had love as well. No matter how shitty an identity this world had given him, he felt it was simply that fortune and misfortune went hand in hand. He could accept it calmly.

Wrapped up like a mummy, Wen Shuang sat in a chair and struggled through breakfast. After gathering some strength, he took a hot bath. Only then did his rusted joints gradually loosen up, and he returned to bed to sleep with his head buried in the pillows.

Xuan Zhe had thought he would receive a round of complaints and eye-rolls from the young man. After all, he had really gone too far last night... Who would have thought that one ring would coax Wen Shuang into happiness, as though he had received a one-of-a-kind guarantee?

Wen Shuang slept at home for two days. On the third day, he was finally able to get up on schedule. The housekeeper had already simmered soup in the kitchen, and its fragrance had him swallowing wildly. He filled a bowl and sat at the dining table, intending to fill his stomach before calling Xuan Zhe. But halfway through eating, the doorbell rang.

Clear Day Manor was Xuan Zhe's private territory in the literal sense. Even someone like Cao Nanyu, his special assistant, never stayed long. Who could it be?

Wen Shuang wiped his mouth, got up, and opened the door.

Outside stood a middle-aged woman dressed exquisitely and dripping with jewelry. Her features were seductive, but too much was as bad as too little. With age, the corners of her eyes had drooped, giving her a somewhat gloomy air. There was an indescribable vulgarity about her. Her elegance was only skin-deep, like an ill-fitting garment that could only be held up by keeping her back straight.

Wen Shuang was extremely accurate at judging vulgar people. He disliked her at first glance.

Wen Shuang politely asked, "May I ask who you're looking for?"

Tang Wansu sized Wen Shuang up and down, unable to hide her contempt. She appeared to want to enter, but Wen Shuang blocked the doorway without moving aside.

Wen Shuang's sixth sense was sometimes frighteningly accurate. In any case, he was convinced that if this woman stepped into the house today, Xuan Zhe would burn Clear Day Manor down when he returned.

Tang Wansu immediately frowned fiercely. When she spoke, she was sharp and vicious. "You're nothing more than one of Xuan Zhe's kept lovers, and you dare block my way?"

Wen Shuang seriously corrected her. "Not a lover. A boyfriend."

"Boyfriend?" Tang Wansu sneered. "Do you know who Xuan Zhe is? You think he'd let you be his boyfriend? I'm Xuan Zhe's mother. Move aside now!"

The moment she said that, Wen Shuang guessed her identity. Xuan Zhe's mother was called Ran Yao. She had lived abroad for years and had never returned. Xuan Zhe had once shown Wen Shuang a photo of Ran Yao. The woman in it resembled Xuan Zhe around the eyes and brows by ninety percent. When she did not smile, she looked cool, noble, and aloof; when she smiled, everything around her became mere background. She was a true beauty, with both face and bone structure of the highest order.

The woman before him could not compare.

"Mrs. Tang, is it?" Wen Shuang spoke softly. There was not a trace of anger or shame on his face, as if nothing Tang Wansu said could possibly matter to him. Wen Shuang had always ignored nonsense. That composure unexpectedly resonated with Xuan Zhe's own disdain for Tang Wansu.

Hearing Wen Shuang accurately call her by her surname and seeing his manner, Tang Wansu was both startled and furious. Before coming here, she had not considered Wen Shuang worth noticing. She had watched the program Wen Shuang appeared on. He was merely a good-looking young man; who knew what had caught Xuan Zhe's attention? He had brought him home and kept him like a pet for two days. With just a few words from her, the other man should have been trembling in fear.

But reality was the complete opposite of her imagination.

Tang Wansu did not dare imagine how much Xuan Zhe had told Wen Shuang. Otherwise, how could he know all this so well?

With a focused look, Tang Wansu spotted the ring on Wen Shuang's hand. One small mark on it was exceptionally eye-catching: the exclusive logo of a jewelry design master, who produced only a few finished pieces each year, impossible to obtain even with vast sums of money. Tang Wansu had always wanted one, but Xuan Zhong was too chauvinistic to ask favors or pull strings for her. Over the years, Xuan Zhong had retained only a small shareholding in the company, while all real power rested in Xuan Zhe's hands. Tang Wansu looked like the matriarch of the Xuan Household, but in reality, she owned only a few pieces of truly expensive jewelry. How old was Wen Shuang? How could a newcomer who had just entered the entertainment industry afford such luxury? Whose handiwork this was needed no explanation.

It seemed that everyone could trample on her. First Ran Yao, and now Wen Shuang.

Tang Wansu had originally planned to treat Wen Shuang like an unsophisticated bumpkin. She would explain the stakes, offer him some money, and turn him into her informant. Then she might at least obtain some useful information and no longer be restrained by Xuan Zhe at every turn. A check for two million was in her bag, but at that moment, Tang Wansu could not bring herself to take it out.

Xuan Zhe had used a one-of-a-kind ring to announce Wen Shuang's status, and Wen Shuang's clear, deep eyes showed that he was not someone who could be fooled with a few words.

Tang Wansu had arrived full of confidence and high spirits. She never imagined that their first confrontation would leave her in such a sorry state.

Tang Wansu wanted to say something else when several security guards suddenly hurried over. They had long recognized Wen Shuang and had received instructions from President Xuan. The older guard led a pale-faced newcomer over. As soon as he approached, he cast Tang Wansu a wary glance, then apologized to Wen Shuang. "I'm sorry, Mr. Wen. The new guy doesn't understand the rules. He disturbed you."

Before Wen Shuang could speak, Tang Wansu reacted like a cat whose tail had been stepped on. The elegance she had been forcing herself to maintain was torn apart, revealing an unmistakably petty air. "What do you mean by this? My husband is Xuan Zhe's biological father! By that logic, I'm Xuan Zhe's mother!"

That was exactly how she had fooled the new security guard earlier.

Even the old residence could not compare to Clear Day Manor. Tang Wansu had looked around all the way here, her eyes red with jealousy. She had been thinking about how she would thoroughly lecture Xuan Zhong once she returned.

"You should leave first," Wen Shuang said, still polite. "Because Xuan Zhe will be back soon."

He had been very sleepy these past few days. Since it had been his first time in that regard, he had also been running a slight fever. Even when Xuan Zhe went to the company, he worried endlessly and would return around noon every day.