Are you jealous?

There was a large stationery store by the corner of the residential complex, its entrance now packed with elementary school children fresh out of school.

Ji Huaijin had not waited long before someone hurriedly pulled open the passenger door beside him.

Cheng Yue forced his breathing to steady and turned to him with a show of composure. "What did you want me to get in for?"

He could not say whether he was afraid his coworkers would see him or simply did not want to keep someone waiting too long. Either way, the moment he stepped out of the gates, his leisurely steps had inexplicably quickened.

Ji Huaijin did not answer his question. He glanced at the wooden wine box in Cheng Yue's hand, his expression indifferent. "Seat belt."

The light ahead happened to be green. Almost the instant Cheng Yue clicked his seat belt into place, the car made a smooth turn and merged into traffic.

It was not until the second intersection that the cool, resonant voice spoke again. "Where are you going?"

Cheng Yue had not missed that earlier glance and answered instinctively, "To return something."

Silence suddenly settled over the small space. A few seconds later, Ji Huaijin gave a soft laugh. "Cheng Yue, I asked where you were going."

Not what he was going to do.

Cheng Yue realized his mistake too. His ears warmed, and he hastily gave an address before turning toward the window, trying to hide his embarrassment.

Neither of them spoke again along the way. To avoid meeting Ji Huaijin's eyes, Cheng Yue stubbornly kept his head turned, nearly putting his neck out in the process.

Fortunately, their destination was not far away, and they finally arrived just as he was reaching his limit.

Ji Huaijin parked the car smoothly. Glancing at that slender, taut neck, he reached over and grasped it. "Doesn't that get tiring?"

The movement was so sudden that Cheng Yue's body gave a sharp shudder, whether from surprise or reflex, he could not tell.

"Take your hand off!"

People bustled outside the office tower, and a casual glance would be enough to see what was happening inside the car. Perhaps it was his guilty conscience. Their contact was hardly intimate, yet he still feared someone might notice something.

Public acceptance had certainly improved considerably in the new century, but not everyone was understanding yet. Cheng Yue could face his sexuality openly, but he did not want to become the center of attention against his will.

Ji Huaijin curled his lips, unconcerned. His thumb stroked the fair, smooth skin, while his hand tightened slightly to hold Cheng Yue in that same uncomfortable position.

"If you're so scared, how did you dare get all touchy with him in public?"

It took Cheng Yue only a second to understand what he meant. Before, he had been looking out the window by choice; now, he was being forced to.

What was coming would come. I knew this bastard was petty. A moment ago, when I said I was returning the wine, he was still pretending to be perfectly civilized. Now he finally couldn't help showing his true colors.

Complaints aside, Cheng Yue did not forget to defend himself. "Don't make things up. We were keeping a perfectly normal social distance."

Neither named anyone, but both knew whom they meant.

Ji Huaijin gave an unreadable chuckle, then shifted his hand and drew Cheng Yue toward him, abruptly closing the distance between them.

Warm breath brushed his face. Cheng Yue lowered his eyes to the thin lips before him, his long lashes fluttering.

"Ji Huaijin, are you... jealous?"

A hand toyed with the loose strands over his forehead. A cool, subtle fruit scent lingered around his nose, and Cheng Yue quietly drew a deep breath.

It smelled of oranges.

"What do you think?"

It was faint, yet impossible to ignore. Cheng Yue lifted his eyes and saw himself filling those deep eyes.

Qi Su jogged all the way down from the office and spotted his extravagantly dressed friend almost immediately among the crowd of haggard office workers.

"You're only dropping something off. Did you really need to make such a production of it?"

Qi Su looked resentfully at Cheng Yue, who stood in front of a Mercedes-Benz. "Come stand over here. Don't scratch someone's car."

This was the heart of the business district, and plenty of luxury cars passed through every day. Having seen so many, he was not particularly impressed; he was simply afraid of an accidental mishap.

His friend might have done him dirty, but he could not just stand by and do nothing.

He, Qi Su, was just that kind of considerate, loving, selfless young man.

It absolutely had nothing to do with his already handsome friend standing in front of a luxury car and making all the young women keep glancing his way.

They had lived together for years, after all. Qi Su did not have to give the slightest hint for Cheng Yue to see right through his little schemes.

"If it gets damaged, you'll pay with your life."

Qi Su was admiring the luxury car when he unexpectedly met a pair of calm eyes. He froze, then forgot all about his ungrateful friend's outrageous threat to his life and hurriedly dragged Cheng Yue aside.

"Shit! Why didn't you tell me someone was inside?"

Most men loved cars, and they cared a great deal about saving face. Even if they could not afford one, that did not stop them from admiring it in private.

Cheng Yue could not be bothered to waste words on him. He shoved the wine box into Qi Su's hands and got straight to the point. "Help me return this to Cheng Yuxuan."

"Who?!"

Qi Su stared blankly at the item in his hands, then looked up at him in surprise. "Why would he give you such expensive wine?"

He did not come from a wealthy family, but he frequently made the rounds of business dinners and knew a little about wine.

More importantly, when had those two reached the point of exchanging gifts?

"There was no exchanging!"

It would take more than a moment to explain, and someone was still waiting in the car. Cheng Yue did not want to complicate matters, so he simply told Qi Su to return the wine intact.

They were both smart men. Even without Cheng Yue spelling it out, Qi Su understood what he meant.

"All right. Should I say anything?"

The golden sunset fell across the car windows, obscuring the view inside. Cheng Yue considered it for a few seconds. "Just tell him the wine is excellent, but it isn't right for me."

Some things still needed to be made clear. He hated trouble more than anything, and he hoped the headstrong young master Cheng would understand where he stood.

Having said his piece, he could put one more worry to rest. Qi Su might have the temperament of a husky, but his mind worked fast. Otherwise, he would never have risen from an obscure junior employee to a key position in the Sales Department within a few years.

Cheng Yue trusted him to handle this properly.

"All right, I'm off. I'll treat you to Little Spring Residence next time."

Little Spring Residence was a private dining restaurant that had exploded in popularity in Capital City over the past few years. It specialized in fish, and in its quaint, traditional courtyard, guests could choose to catch their own fish and have it cooked fresh or simply let the restaurant prepare their meal.

In short, its distinctive style was a refreshing change in this age of fast food.

Qi Su's eyes immediately lit up. "Why wait until next time? Let's go today."

Following up on a major project over the past two days had left him mentally and physically drained. It was the perfect chance to find somewhere peaceful to soothe his spirit.

Cheng Yue turned a deaf ear and started walking away. Refusing to give up, Qi Su followed him. "What can a lonely single guy like you do at home? You don't even have anyone to eat with. You might as well wait for me...!"

What had he just seen?!