You, seriously-I'm crying

"I have a friend who thinks it's inappropriate for you to go around showing off photos of your little brother."

Yan Qingdu looked away from the photo, his expression composed and his tone casual.

Ye Jing’an: ??

Ye Jing’an was speechless. He felt he really must have lost his mind just now to think someone as aloof and unattainable as Yan Qingdu would covet a photo of his little brother.

How could he have thought of Yan Qingdu as that sort of person? He deserved to die!

"You're right. Whenever someone praises my little brother, I get this overwhelming urge to share."

Ye Jing’an nodded, reflecting on his behavior just now. There really had been something inappropriate about it.

"You're a true friend. That's just like you-even when pointing out that I'm acting out of line, you can't bear to criticize me directly, so you use the excuse of 'I have a friend.'"

Ye Jing’an patted Yan Qingdu’s shoulder, deeply moved. "You, seriously—I’m crying."

Yan Qingdu: ...

Yan Qingdu glanced sideways at the hand patting his shoulder, then at the deeply moved Ye Jing’an. He looked away and tipped his head back to take a sip of red wine, speechless.

Although he... really did want that photo.

It was already ten by the time Yan Qingdu got home.

When he opened the door, a warm yellow light was on in the entryway, and the living room lights were on too. It felt different from the usual dark, deserted chill.

Yan Qingdu braced himself against the wall as he stood in the entryway changing into slippers, then heard the rapid patter of slippered feet running toward him.

"You're home!"

Dressed in comfortable pajamas, Ye Yizhou stopped a step away from Yan Qingdu, a hint of happiness in his voice.

"Mm."

Yan Qingdu gave a quiet reply, then opened his arms and looked at Ye Yizhou.

Ye Yizhou's clear, lively eyes shifted slightly, then brightened further. A little joy spread across his face, and he plunged straight into Yan Qingdu's arms, wrapping both arms tightly around his lean, firm waist.

Yan Qingdu raised his arms to return the embrace. Lowering his head, he could smell the refreshing fragrance coming from Ye Yizhou.

He had heard Jiang Zeyu mention a few ways married couples interacted while showing off his relationship.

Remembering the kiss before leaving that morning, Yan Qingdu had tentatively opened his arms to embrace Ye Yizhou.

Fortunately, his partner seemed very happy.

"Did you drink?"

Ye Yizhou's nose twitched. Catching a trace of alcohol, he looked up and asked.

"Mm, a few glasses. Do I smell awful?" Yan Qingdu lowered his head, frowning slightly.

Ye Yizhou shook his head. "It's fine. The smell isn't too strong. You didn't drive yourself home, did you?"

"I hired a driver."

"Good. We don't break the law!" Ye Yizhou nodded in satisfaction, making a point of adding that reminder.

Yan Qingdu chuckled. "Mm."

"Go take a shower. I'll make you something to sober you up."

Ye Yizhou went around behind Yan Qingdu and pushed him inside.

"Can you manage?" Yan Qingdu asked, looking back uncertainly at Ye Yizhou as he walked forward.

"Who are you looking down on?"

Ye Yizhou did not like hearing that from Yan Qingdu. He raised his head proudly. "I can't cook, but you think I can't even make a glass of honey water?"

Yan Qingdu could barely suppress a laugh.

"That was narrow-minded of me." Yan Qingdu readily admitted his mistake.

"Off you go. Just wait for my honey water." Ye Yizhou waved him away, then went into the kitchen to work on the honey water.

By the time Yan Qingdu came out of the shower, Ye Yizhou was leaning against the headboard, playing on his phone, with a glass of honey water on the nightstand.

Yan Qingdu drained the honey water before lifting the covers and sitting on the bed. Ye Yizhou naturally nestled closer until their shoulders touched intimately.

"Will you come to tomorrow's banquet with me?" Yan Qingdu asked for Ye Yizhou's opinion.

Ye Yizhou shook his head with a meaningful smile.

"Hmm?"

Yan Qingdu raised an eyebrow slightly. This seemed different from what they had said at first.

"Just take this with you." Ye Yizhou suddenly took Yan Qingdu's left hand and raised his eyebrows mysteriously.

Puzzled, Yan Qingdu looked down and watched Ye Yizhou slip an exquisite ring onto his ring finger.

"Put mine on too."

Ye Yizhou took out another ring and handed it to Yan Qingdu, readily holding out his left hand to make it easier for Yan Qingdu to put the ring on him.

Once the ring was on, Ye Yizhou held his hand up before his eyes and admired it for a long time, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly in unconcealed satisfaction.

Yan Qingdu turned his head and quietly watched Ye Yizhou. His partner was very happy. Even though he had prepared the rings himself, he was still so happy, as though...

As though his partner really liked him.

"I still have some work lined up, so I don't plan on revealing my identity this soon. Tomorrow's dinner banquet is a pretty big affair, and I'm still a minor entertainer on the rise, so can we keep our marriage secret?"

Ye Yizhou leaned over and laced his fingers with Yan Qingdu's, blinking at him coaxingly.

"Work lined up? Keeping our marriage secret will make it easier for you to go on that dating show, is that it?" Yan Qingdu immediately recalled the contents of that phone call.

"Exactly!" Ye Yizhou had no justification, but he was confident anyway.

His partner's bluntness made Yan Qingdu laugh in exasperation. He asked in a mild voice, "That doesn't seem to be what you said when you coaxed me into registering our marriage that day."

"I didn't coax you."

Ye Yizhou explained with a completely serious expression, "Keeping our marriage secret from the public doesn't include your parents, my parents, or my older brother."

"So I can tell them?"

On the day they registered their marriage, Ye Yizhou had not seemed to intend to tell Ye Chongli directly.

"Of course. Especially if you tell my dad yourself-that'll really shake him up. Just thinking about it is fantastic."

Ye Yizhou could already imagine how shocked his old man would be to hear the news. His eyes curved as he broke into a sly smile.

"Did Mr. Ye upset you today?"

Seeing Ye Yizhou's wicked little devil of a smile, Yan Qingdu could more or less guess.

"I can't really blame him. Mainly, I wasn't feeling well today, so I let him get the upper hand. We can't let him get too pleased with himself. Only by dealing him a few appropriate blows will he understand how important it is to keep a low profile."

Ye Yizhou spoke with righteous conviction, his words so sincere that he seemed genuinely to have Ye Chongli's best interests at heart.

Yan Qingdu could not help remarking, "Mr. Ye is blessed to have a son like you."

"Right? I tell him that all the time too. He must have saved the galaxy in his last life to be this blessed in this one."

Ye Yizhou nodded, wholeheartedly agreeing with Yan Qingdu and offering his approval. "You really do have a discerning eye."

"Let's sleep."

Yan Qingdu lowered his head and planted a kiss on Ye Yizhou's lips, instantly silencing that chattering little mouth.

The lights went out, and the room immediately fell dark.

Ye Yizhou snuggled into Yan Qingdu's arms, hugged his waist, and said softly, "Good night."

Yan Qingdu rested his chin on Ye Yizhou's soft hair and slowly closed his eyes.

His partner was rather sweet, and a little clingy too.