Chapter 38

But Owen merely smiled indulgently, holding Xin Chun and gently swaying him. "All right, thank you, my darling."

Then he even kissed him. He did not dote on a child this much.

As the two of them basked in their sweetness, Handsome Star came racing back after running around to his heart's content, spinning in a circle before pouncing beside Xin Chun's legs and acting spoiled. "Woof, woof."

Owen let go. Xin Chun lowered his head, reached out to pick the dried leaves tangled in the dog's fur, and rubbed his ears.

"Let's go back," Owen said.

"Mm."

The dog had a room specifically for sleeping. As Xin Chun took Handsome Star over, he ran into Duan Wei in the hallway. He stopped, his expression unchanged, and asked calmly, "You're not asleep yet?"

Duan Wei stared at Xin Chun with a secretive, startled, hesitant look, as though she wanted to see something in him.

"Mm, yes. I'll be going back to my room soon. Where's Owen?"

Xin Chun said, "He went to find Uncle Marcus. They have something to discuss. You didn't know?"

He admitted that he was being a little malicious.

Because Duan Wei and Marcus slept in separate rooms.

Sure enough, at the mention of this, Duan Wei's expression stiffened slightly. "I wasn't with Marcus just now."

"Oh." Xin Chun neither confirmed nor denied it, looking utterly unconcerned.

Duan Wei quickly composed herself. "Xin Chun, you and Owen work together in S City, but you seem not to have mentioned where your hometown is. Can you tell me?"

Her posture was proper, as though it were an ordinary question.

Xin Chun said, "Why do you want to know that?"

"For personal reasons," Duan Wei said.

Xin Chun said, "Jingu Town. I grew up in Jingu Town."

Duan Wei's eyes suddenly widened. She could no longer maintain her composure and lost control of her expression.

"If there's nothing else, I'll be leaving first." As though he had seen nothing, Xin Chun walked around her and took Handsome Star off to sleep.

For some reason, perhaps because she had yet to recover from the shock, Duan Wei did not stop Xin Chun from leaving.

After settling the dog, Xin Chun returned to Owen's room.

Not long after, Owen returned as well.

Seeing Xin Chun sitting obediently on the edge of the bed waiting for him, Owen's heart melted. He stepped forward and hugged him. "Such a good boy, waiting for me?"

"Mm. What did you talk about?" Xin Chun asked.

Owen said, "In two days, the family will be holding a dinner party to formally introduce you to everyone else. That day is also my birthday."

"Are you willing?"

Xin Chun held onto Owen's arm and stood up, wrapping both arms around his neck. He said softly, "I do. I'm very happy you keep me in your heart, Owen. Also, happy birthday. Do you want to unwrap your present early?"

"What present?"

"Me. Do you want me?" His voice gradually became too soft to hear, vanishing between their touching lips.

After the kiss, Xin Chun bit Owen's lower lip again. An intimate sound escaped as he tugged at it. "Mm, do you want me?"

Owen proved through his actions that he did.

After a night passed, Xin Chun lay sprawled in Owen's arms in the morning, his cheek resting against Owen's chest. The shoulder exposed outside the blanket bore many reddish marks left by Owen's affection.

There were surely even more beneath the blanket.

Clothes had been tossed all over the floor.

Owen woke first and lowered his head to kiss the darling in his arms.

Xin Chun made two soft noises, shifted his body, but did not wake. He buried his head even deeper.

Owen quietly held him and slept for a while longer.

Until Xin Chun groggily opened his eyes and asked what time it was, whether they should get up.

Owen said, "You can sleep as long as you want. Are you hungry? I'll bring breakfast upstairs."

"A little." Xin Chun rubbed his stomach.

"Wait for me." Owen kissed his cheek, got out of bed, and dressed.

Xin Chun finished breakfast in the room and did not go downstairs until close to noon. His collar could not fully conceal the marks on his neck, and William clicked his tongue when he saw them.

"I'm going home. I'll come back when the dinner party starts."

"Mm. Take care, won't see you out."

William glanced at Owen, who was feeding the dog not far away, and said, "You know other people will be invited to the dinner party too, right?"

"Such as?" Xin Chun raised an eyebrow.

William said, "For example, my cousin's classmate, the girl who grew up with him. Her father is also Uncle Marcus's friend. Her name is Catherine."

"Mm,

childhood sweethearts

, but why are you telling me this?" Xin Chun said.

Seeing that Xin Chun remained unmoved, William leaned closer and muttered in a low voice, "What childhood sweethearts? You still don't get it? Uncle Marcus wants Owen to marry Catherine."

"Catherine has also said that she likes Owen, but Owen rejected her later, so the matter was never brought up again. Catherine will be coming to this dinner party too."

"You should be careful in case she causes trouble for you."

Xin Chun stared at William.

William's skin crawled under his gaze. "What?"

Xin Chun said, "The reason you targeted me before... it wasn't because of Catherine, was it?"

"You're talking nonsense. I-I wasn't." William raised his voice.

Owen looked over.

William immediately covered his mouth and turned to run away.

Owen walked over and asked, "What happened?"

Xin Chun smiled. "Nothing. Just a little secret about William."

Owen said, "Can't I know?"

Xin Chun said, "Then I'll tell you quietly."

Xin Chun stood on tiptoe and leaned close to Owen's ear to speak.

As he left, he happened to catch sight of Duan Wei on the second floor. Her hands rested on the railing as she looked at Xin Chun with an unreadable expression.

That afternoon, Duan Wei finally found an opportunity to speak with Xin Chun alone.

"Can we talk?" Duan Wei's expression was complicated.

"Sure. What do you want to talk about?" Xin Chun agreed readily.

"Let's talk outside. We can take a walk too."

The estate was enormous and connected to part of the forest. Xin Chun and Duan Wei walked along a small path. They had said they would talk, yet neither spoke first.

Until Xin Chun stopped walking.

"What did you want to talk about? You can say it here."