Möbius ring

The ring's design was very simple.

A Möbius ring in pure platinum.

Its only distinctive feature was a deep fancy blue diamond set at its center.

As deep blue as a galaxy, brilliant and dazzling.

Wu Jiangyuan gently rubbed the ring with his fingers, then his fingertips suddenly paused.

He picked up the ring and looked. Three letters were engraved inside.

-WJY

They were his initials.

Clearly, this was custom-made.

He hesitated, then slipped the ring onto his ring finger.

A perfect fit.

Wu Jiangyuan remembered his last discussion with Pei Jinghe about rings.

Hadn't they agreed to just buy any old ring and make do?

When had this guy commissioned a custom one?

Judging by the craftsmanship of the ring and the blue diamond, it couldn't possibly have been completed in such a short time. It would have taken at least a month.

That meant Pei Jinghe had already been preparing it before they discussed the matter.

And...

How did Pei Jinghe know his ring size?

Wu Jiangyuan took the ring off and returned it to the box, muttering in puzzlement, "What the heck?"

They weren't even a real couple. Why make such a big production of it?

Before he went to sleep, Jia Xin'an even made a point of calling him.

She carefully reminded him not to forget or be late for their marriage registration tomorrow.

It took considerable persuasion for Wu Jiangyuan to talk her out of coming along.

It was just getting a marriage certificate. Did they need that many people?

Wu Jiangyuan lay on his stomach on the bed, staring blankly at his chat window with Pei Jinghe.

Should he message this guy and ask what was going on?

After thinking it over, he decided against it.

Asking in person would probably be better.

Barring any surprises, he would be losing sleep again tonight.

The next day.

Wu Jiangyuan slept until noon.

And it was Jia Xin'an's call that woke him.

"Yuanyuan, do you really not need Mom to come with you?"

With his eyes half-closed and his head buried in his pillow, Wu Jiangyuan gave a languid hum. "Mom, don't worry."

Jia Xin'an said, "From the sound of your voice, are you still asleep?"

Wu Jiangyuan said, "I'm meeting Pei Jinghe in the afternoon. There's no rush."

Jia Xin'an said, "Are you coming home after getting the certificate? I'll prepare food for you two ahead of time."

Wu Jiangyuan said, "No need. I have to move."

Jia Xin'an exclaimed, "Oh! You're moving in with Xiao He already? Do you need help?"

"No, no." Wu Jiangyuan closed his eyes and mumbled groggily, "I just need to bring myself..."

He hadn't managed to fall asleep until nearly four last night, and he was still terribly sleepy.

Jia Xin'an was still giving him reminders, but he could no longer make out what she was saying. He didn't even remember when the call ended.

Until his phone's notifications rang out insistently, a bombardment from a certain someone.

"Ding-dong... ding-dong... ding-dong-"

Now thoroughly roused by the noise, Wu Jiangyuan opened his eyes and looked at the culprit.

Dai Lan.

You little blond brat.

He answered the call. "What's the rush? Racing off to your next life?"

"Wu Jiangyuan, you finally answered! Hurry up and open the door. I'm right outside your place! You locked the door from inside. The code won't open it."

Dai Lan sounded very urgent.

Puzzled, Wu Jiangyuan climbed out of bed and went to open the door.

He was greeted by Dai Lan's half-dead face.

His clothes were rumpled, and his usually immaculate hair was as messy as a bird's nest. His eyes were red, and he looked like a pitiful little puppy by the roadside.

The moment Dai Lan saw him, he completely broke down. He buried his head in Wu Jiangyuan's shoulder and said, on the verge of tears but unable to cry,

"Jiangtang'er, I have nowhere to go. Let me have some peace and quiet here."

Wu Jiangyuan frowned slightly, smelling the alcohol that had yet to dissipate from him.

He caught him by the back of his collar and pulled him up. "You weren't drinking all night, were you?"

"No." Dai Lan looked conflicted, as though he wanted to say something but held back.

Seeing that he seemed to have something to say, Wu Jiangyuan asked, "What do you want to say?"

Dai Lan opened his mouth, then closed it again.

His expression grew even more conflicted.

Having been woken up, Wu Jiangyuan didn't have much patience. "Looking at you, you must have just come back from fooling around with some Omega, right?"

Up close, he saw that two buttons were missing from Dai Lan's collar, and there were small, scattered red marks on his neck.

Dai Lan stared at him in shock. Noticing his gaze, he clapped a hand over his neck. "I didn't have a one-night stand!"

"This is an allergic reaction."

Wu Jiangyuan raised an eyebrow, his expression clearly saying, Do I look like I believe you?

Dai Lan looked resolute. "It's an allergic reaction!"

"Fine, fine, an allergic reaction. Then go to the hospital. Why come to my place?"

Dai Lan's shoulders slumped, and he wilted. "I don't need the hospital. It'll be better in a few days."

Utterly listless, he pointed inside Wu Jiangyuan's home. "Can I go in first? I'm so tired right now."

Wu Jiangyuan stepped aside for him. Once inside, Dai Lan immediately collapsed onto the couch, looking neither dead nor alive.

Wu Jiangyuan walked over and nudged his calf with his foot. "What's actually wrong with you?"

"I'm fine." Dai Lan's voice was muffled. "I'm sleepy. Can I sleep here?"

"Suit yourself." Wu Jiangyuan swept his gaze over him with a hint of distaste. "You're going to sleep without showering?"

"I'll shower." Dai Lan abruptly sat up. "I'll shower right now!"

That remark seemed to have touched a nerve, and he rushed toward the bathroom as he spoke.

Wu Jiangyuan watched his retreating figure thoughtfully.

Had someone beaten this kid up?

Why did his legs keep trembling every few steps?

Dai Lan took an unprecedentedly long shower.

So long that Wu Jiangyuan nearly fell asleep again sitting in the living room.

Only when the sound of bottles falling came from the bathroom did Wu Jiangyuan snap awake.

He stood up, walked over, and knocked.

"Dai Lan, are you giving birth in there?"

Half a minute after he spoke, Dai Lan opened the door, his cheeks and eyes flushed red.

Wrapped tightly in a bathrobe, he said in a slightly hoarse voice, "Sorry, I broke your things. I'll pay for them."

With that, he went around Wu Jiangyuan and lay down in the living room.

Wu Jiangyuan's brows drew tightly together. Something was wrong. Very wrong.

He walked over and touched Dai Lan's forehead. "You don't have a fever, do you?"

The touch really did reveal something wrong. Dai Lan's forehead was burning hot.

He really had a fever.

Dai Lan seemed not to have realized it yet. "Huh? It's fine. I'll be better after some sleep."

As he spoke, he closed his eyes and rolled over with his back to Wu Jiangyuan. He really did seem extremely sleepy.

Wu Jiangyuan looked him over from above, his gaze stopping on Dai Lan's exposed nape.

And he still claimed they weren't hickeys. They were so obvious. He wasn't an idiot.

But this was his first time seeing Dai Lan like this. If he'd simply had a one-night stand with some Omega, surely he wouldn't be in this state?

He looked like an abandoned young widower. Clearly, something was weighing on his mind.

Wu Jiangyuan took out his household first-aid kit, found some fever medicine for him, and poured a glass of water as well.

He pulled him up. "Take this."

Dai Lan obediently opened his mouth.

After Dai Lan took the medicine, Wu Jiangyuan said, "I have something to do this afternoon, so I'll be going out. You'll have to manage on your own."

Dai Lan answered, "Don't worry. I won't mess up your place this time."

Wu Jiangyuan folded his arms, still a little unused to seeing him so listless. "Get some sleep. I'll be back after I get the certificate."

"Oh." Dai Lan lay down on his side.

A few seconds later, he slowly sat up again.

Turning to look at him, he asked in puzzlement, "What certificate are you getting?"

Wu Jiangyuan answered calmly, "A marriage certificate."

Dai Lan: "?"

His eyes gradually widened, and he asked uncertainly, "You mean your arranged marriage to that heir of the Pei family?"

Wu Jiangyuan said, "Yes."

After a long silence, Dai Lan swore vehemently.

"Fuck!"