A cozy breakfast

Huo Chuyun said nothing. He simply picked up the cigarette, brought it to his lips, and took a deep drag. The white smoke he exhaled seemed like the unspoken sorrow in his heart, spreading through the air.

"Can you locate the IP address of whoever's operating behind the scenes?"

All the results indicated that the person lurking in the shadows was helping Huo Corporation. Huo Corporation had no shortage of collaborative projects in Country A, but if they could land one, why not?

Who would complain about having too much money? Besides, he no longer had only himself to support. There was also a pampered little darling at home to provide for.

"The tech department traced the IP address. It's Apartment 1501, Building A, Block 13, XX Apartments..."

As he went on, Lin Yufan's voice grew quieter and quieter, because that very morning, he had picked up Young Master Lu from that apartment and taken him to President Huo's home.

At this, Huo Chuyun's slightly furrowed brows slowly relaxed. A few chuckles rumbled out of his chest as he instructed, "Have the tech department conceal the IP address properly."

Baby, what else is there about you that I don't know?

Huo Chuyun caught movement on the bed out of the corner of his eye and quickly stubbed out his cigarette. "Since the person in charge in Country A wants to work with Huo Corporation, keep following up. Make sure you secure more favorable terms for us."

Thinking of how Lin Yufan really had been run off his feet lately, Huo Chuyun said in an excellent mood, "Yufan, you've done well. Your bonus this month will be tripled."

"Thank you, President Huo." At the thought of the approaching payday and the triple bonus he would soon receive, Lin Yufan was instantly fired up.

By the time Lu Xingchen woke up, it was the next morning. No one else was in bed. His whole body felt clean and fresh, the duvet cover and sheets had been replaced, and he had been changed into comfortable pajamas.

"Aaah..."

Like a lazy cat, Lu Xingchen stretched comfortably. Sunlight reflected through the clear glass onto the bed like a gauzy veil of gold.

Lu Xingchen twitched his nose, catching the delicious aroma of breakfast, and happily rolled over in the cozy warmth of the covers.

Hearing the movement from the kitchen, Huo Chuyun came into the bedroom and found Lu Xingchen nestled in bed, gazing lazily at him and gushing, "Brother Chu, you look so handsome today."

"Sweet talker." Huo Chuyun chuckled and knelt on the bed with one knee. His warm hand slipped beneath the covers to gently massage Lu Xingchen's waist. He kissed Lu Xingchen's lips and asked softly, "Does your back still hurt?"

"Not anymore." Lu Xingchen shook his head, abruptly threw back the covers, and launched himself into Huo Chuyun's arms. His legs nimbly wound around Huo Chuyun's lean, muscular waist, and his arms wrapped tightly around his neck.

After a moment's thought, Lu Xingchen wheedled, "My back doesn't hurt, but my butt does. Brother Chu, carry me over for breakfast."

Huo Chuyun supported Lu Xingchen effortlessly with one hand. "All right. I made your favorite noodles with tomato and egg gravy."

"Really?" Lu Xingchen asked in delighted surprise, his eyes shining.

"Yes, and milk too."

Happy that Huo Chuyun cared about his preferences, Lu Xingchen lowered his head and nuzzled against his neck like a little animal, then suddenly stopped.

Puzzled, Huo Chuyun gave him a little bounce in his arms. "What's wrong?"

"Brother Chu, have you been smoking?" Lu Xingchen asked in a muffled voice.

"Do you have a little pig's nose? I even showered, and you can still smell it." Huo Chuyun chuckled. "You don't like me smoking?"

Huo Chuyun gently set Lu Xingchen on a stool. Looking at the appetizing noodles with tomato and egg gravy in front of him, Lu Xingchen nodded honestly. "Smoking is bad for your health, and I really don't like the smell either. It's too overpowering."

"Then I won't smoke anymore." Huo Chuyun set the hot milk in front of Lu Xingchen and said it casually.

Lu Xingchen knew Huo Chuyun did not make promises lightly. Since he had said it, he would definitely follow through.

"Brother Chu, falling in love is nothing remarkable. Staying in love is what's remarkable. We definitely won't break up, but if we want our love to last, we need healthy bodies first."

Huo Chuyun had no idea what filled Lu Xingchen's little head. How could even the sweet nothings he tossed out so casually sound so lovely?

"I won't smoke anymore. I'm three years older than you, baby, so I need to take care of myself. I can't have you running off with some other handsome old man when I'm old." Huo Chuyun took a small plate of pickles out of the refrigerator.

"I wouldn't run off with anyone else. You're the only one for me," Lu Xingchen protested. He tasted a pickle and took a hearty slurp of noodles. "Brother Chu, did you buy these or pickle them yourself?"

"I pickled them myself. Back when I was studying abroad, the white-people food wasn't good, so I cooked for myself. That's how I developed my cooking skills," Huo Chuyun explained.

"Brother Chu, you've worked so hard." The noodles instantly seemed less delicious to Lu Xingchen, and he looked at Huo Chuyun with an aching heart.

Because Old Master Huo had entrusted Huo Corporation to Huo Chuyun, he had taken over the company's business while continuing his studies abroad. He had even had to give up the acting career he loved. Just thinking about it hurt.

It was bad enough that the Huo family did nothing to help him, but Huo Chuyun also had to clean up the messes Huo Junchi made back home.

When Huo Chuyun refused to get involved, his own mother would bombard him with calls, cursing him venomously and accusing him of disregarding the bond between brothers.

When Lu Xingchen had read that part, he had nearly ground his back teeth to pieces.

However, the book had barely mentioned Huo Chuyun's maternal grandparents, the Song family.

So Lu Xingchen really had not expected Director Song, Song Zhiyan, to be Huo Chuyun's second maternal aunt. Song Zhiyan looked like a capable, confident career woman.

According to Brother Fei, Director Song's younger sister, Huo Chuyun's Younger Aunt, had now taken over Song Corporation. However he looked at it, she did not seem incompetent.

How was Huo Chuyun's own mother so unlike the Song family? It was as if a lovesick-brain virus had eaten away at her mind. She had eyes only for Huo Chuyun's cheating father.

To win Huo Zhiyuan's love, she could coexist peacefully with his mistress and her son. She could even attack her own son with a knife for the mistress's son.

No matter how he looked at it, it was abnormal. Still, it fit Shitty Author's ridiculous tricks. To write Huo Chuyun to death, the Shitty Author could not allow too many normal people around him.

Lu Xingchen noticed that, perhaps because he had transmigrated into the book, this world seemed to be starting to become normal.

Even Lu Yichen's universal appeal had become fairly useless. The netizens who had originally sided overwhelmingly with Lu Yichen were no longer blind, and all the NPCs who had reacted to the sight of Lu Yichen like dogs spotting a bone had regained their intelligence too.

Lu Xingchen attributed these phenomena to the butterfly effect. Even a small pebble could send ripples across a lake, let alone an unexpected variable like him.

Huo Chuyun had grown used to Lu Xingchen feeling sorry for him anytime, anywhere. Warmth filled his heart, and he could not help wondering whether he really seemed that fragile in Lu Xingchen's eyes.

Seeing that Lu Xingchen had not spoken for quite a while, he looked up and studied his animated expression. What mischievous idea was he coming up with now? Thinking of the topics still trending on Weibo, Huo Chuyun nearly failed to hold back his laughter.

Impotence and premature ejaculation, unusual fetishes, picking his nose and flicking the boogers at other people, being afraid to return to the country because of toenail fungus-those really did sound like things only Lu Xingchen could come up with.