You'll Never Leave Me in This Life

The two of them stared at each other.

Lin Cheng was the first to break the silence. He put down his phone, raised a hand, and waved at him. "Good morning, Mr. Song."

Song Mingzhou: "..."

Song Mingzhou raised his hand too. "Good morning, Brother Lin Cheng."

Lin Cheng nodded and pointed at the dining table. "There's breakfast on the table. President Duan told me to make sure you eat."

Song Mingzhou looked over. Sure enough, there was breakfast.

"Where's my brother? Has he already left?" Though he knew Duan Xun was not there, he still looked around, trying to find that familiar figure.

Lin Cheng nodded. "President Duan will be back later. Eat breakfast first. I'll heat it up for you."

Song Mingzhou withdrew his gaze. "All right, I'll go wash up first."

It was already noon. What breakfast? If he was going to eat, it should be lunch. He had not expected to sleep this late.

Song Mingzhou drifted back to the bathroom in a daze. Standing before the mirror, he pulled open his bathrobe. Not only was his whole body covered in marks—at the very least, everything below his neck was marked.

Damn it.

That bastard Duan.

He had some conscience, knowing not to leave marks on his neck, but clearly not much. Everywhere else was covered in marks!!

Song Mingzhou got himself a hot towel and was about to apply it when Lin Cheng knocked on the door. "Mr. Song, there's something else President Duan left for you."

"What is it? Just leave it there."

"No. President Duan instructed me to give it to you as soon as you got up."

"..."

Song Mingzhou had no choice but to get dressed again and open the door. Lin Cheng held a bag in his hand, his expression somewhat strange. "Sorry, I forgot just now. Here."

Song Mingzhou took it. "Thank you."

He shut the door.

When he opened it, he found all kinds of ointments inside, including ones for fading marks...

Some conscience, but still not much.

Song Mingzhou pouted and carried the bag of medicine into the bathroom. He fussed around inside for over an hour before finally coming out, breathless.

Lin Cheng stared blankly at the breakfast, which had gone cold again. Should he heat it up once more?

It was already afternoon.

Song Mingzhou walked out looking listless and drained, his face a little pale.

Lin Cheng glanced at the dining table and hesitated. Song Mingzhou knew what he meant and simply waved a hand. "Don't heat it up. I'm not eating. When is he coming back?"

Lin Cheng raised his wrist and checked his watch. "Soon."

Speak of the devil, and he appeared.

The doorbell rang outside. Lin Cheng hurried to open the door, and Duan Xun came in carrying bags, bringing a wave of heat in with him.

Lin Cheng took his bags, mask, and hat.

"You can leave."

"Yes." Lin Cheng smoothly changed his shoes and left.

Song Mingzhou gave a resentful little snort. "Where did you go?" His expression could not have been more aggrieved. Duan Xun had been so rough with him last night, and then he woke up in the morning to find him gone.

How was that any different from a scumbag?

That bastard Duan.

Duan Xun was amused by the complaints in his heart, the corners of his lips curling up despite himself. He came over and hugged him. "What's wrong? Are you angry?"

"No." It was impossible for him to be angry. Heh.

Duan Xun kissed the tip of his nose. "Don't be angry. Last night was my fault. I'll take you out for something delicious tonight. We'll rest properly today, and I'll tell you some good news too, all right?"

Song Mingzhou pressed his lips together without speaking.

His mind raced. Going out for dinner? Did that count as a date? After all, they had never truly gone out alone to eat together.

Duan Xun was too famous. He would definitely be recognized if they went out, and the risk was too high.

Could they go out now?

"We can." Duan Xun answered him directly. "I've already found a place. Lin Cheng will arrange everything. No one will recognize us."

Song Mingzhou: ????

What the hell again?

Duan Xun smiled and took his hand, leading him to the dining table. "You didn't eat this morning. You must be hungry after sleeping so long. I bought lunch, so we'll eat at home."

Song Mingzhou wanted to maintain some dignity and say he was not hungry, but before the words could leave his mouth, his stomach growled at the smell of the food.

Fine.

He awkwardly leaned closer. "What did you buy?"

Duan Xun opened the bags one by one. There were many food containers—chicken, duck, fish, meat, vegetables, and soup. None of the portions were large, but together there was quite a lot.

"This... why did you buy so many different things? Are we pigs?" Song Mingzhou stared in astonishment. He had not looked closely just now.

Duan Xun rubbed his hair, grinning from ear to ear. "It's not much. You can have a bite of each, so you can try more flavors."

Song Mingzhou blinked, already a little impatient to dig in.

He really was hungry.

Duan Xun helped him sit down, picked up a bite with his chopsticks, and held it to his mouth. Song Mingzhou did not think anything of it and simply opened his mouth to eat.

In his world, he had been a bona fide young master. People often served him meals. He did not particularly like it, but after so many years, the habit had been etched into his instincts.

Song Mingzhou pointed at the soup. "I want some soup."

Duan Xun said, "All right."

He set down his chopsticks, served Song Mingzhou some soup, then scooped up a spoonful and gently blew on it before bringing it to his lips.

A handsome, smiling face suddenly loomed close before him. Song Mingzhou gave a startled shudder before realizing that he was not at home.

He was dazed for a moment, then turned his head away in embarrassment. "I'll do it myself."

Duan Xun did not force him to drink it. He only said, "All right, but drink this spoonful first. Be good."

"..."

Like a little baby. It was inexplicably embarrassing.

But Song Mingzhou obediently drank it anyway. His sugar daddy was personally feeding him soup; he could not be so tactless. He still had to play his part.

After lunch, the two of them curled up together in front of the floor-to-ceiling windows and read.

Something suddenly occurred to Song Mingzhou. He lifted his head from his book and asked Duan Xun, "Right, brother, you said you had good news to tell me. What is it?"

He put on just the right amount of curiosity and obedience. Duan Xun's breathing faltered under his gaze, and he had to forcibly look away to suppress the urge to kiss him.

He lowered his head and turned a page, speaking as if it were nothing. "Oh, it's nothing much. You still have one episode of that variety show to film next week. I'll go with you."

"Oh."

"What???" Song Mingzhou's eyes widened, all traces of drowsiness vanishing. He asked again uncertainly, "Do you mean you'll accompany me there, or film it with me?"

Duan Xun touched the tip of his nose. "Film it with you."

"???"

[Little 7! Get out here! Was there a part like this in the original plot?? Did Duan Xun later film that variety show with the original host?]

527 was stunned too. It frantically flipped through the original plot novel it had received, looking utterly confused. [No. In the original plot, Duan Xun was injured, his leg was broken, and he could barely walk. How could he possibly film anything?]

[Then what's going on now? How can he film it with me? Is this real or not?]

[Um...] After thinking it over, 527 carefully told him, [Host, do you remember that voice from before? It was a notification from above. While completing your missions, you also changed certain minor details, so the subsequent missions changed accordingly.]

A spark of realization flashed through Song Mingzhou's mind. [So the main storyline changed too. Duan Xun's leg wasn't broken, so his story changed as well?]

[That's right.]

Song Mingzhou suddenly smiled. That meant Duan Xun's tragic ending could be changed too. He would not have to meet that fate. He might even have a good ending.

If that was the case, then when he left later, Duan Xun would not...

"Song Mingzhou." Duan Xun's low voice interrupted his wandering thoughts. Song Mingzhou turned his head in confusion. Duan Xun's expression was indistinct beneath the sunlight, and his voice seemed to come through a layer of mist.

"Song Mingzhou, don't even think about leaving me in this life. Do you understand?"