At a little past five in the morning, Cheng Yue stealthily dragged his suitcase past his dozing colleague at the gate and dashed out of the residential complex through the least crowded South Gate.
After seven or eight days away from home, he found a thin layer of dust covering the dining table. Another exhausting deep clean awaited him.
Once everything was tidied up, the balcony was hung full of freshly washed clothes and sheets. Cheng Yue changed into a simple T-shirt and loose shorts, put on a face mask, and sprawled on the sofa, hovering on the edge of sleep.
The company was fairly considerate. Not only had the team-building trip counted as paid leave, but they had also given everyone an extra day off to recover before returning to work.
He had agreed yesterday to go out with Ji Huaijin today, so Cheng Yue started getting ready at five in the afternoon. He suspected this would be more than an ordinary dinner party.
He picked an outfit that was stylish without making him look older: a dark green vintage-print shirt paired with black wide-leg trousers, a fine necklace with a ring pendant around his neck. He even splurged on the look by bringing out his most expensive Gucci belt.
Finally, he dug out a pair of sunglasses and put them on. Just before leaving, he rummaged through his suitcase for an unusually shaped decorative piece and slipped it into a bag.
Don't ask why he was wearing sunglasses at night. It was called fashion.
Before he even got into the car, his fragrance drifted inside.
Ji Huaijin's gaze darkened as he looked at Cheng Yue's Adam's apple, its pale skin made even more striking by his clothes.
"What are you carrying?"
Cheng Yue fastened his seat belt, rolling