Outside the window, rows of lights came on, and the surging river shimmered in the moonlight.
Nan Qing walked through the corridor, her shoes making a soft sound on the floor. The man leaning against the window turned his face, his thin lips curving slightly.
His handsome profile was reflected in the glass window, and even his dark eyes were softened by the moonlight.
A deep, shimmering light emanated from his eyes. Nan Qing, caught in his gaze, paused slightly, a sensation like a tiny, ticklish insect crawling across her heart.
Are you leaving?
Huo Yuzhou got up and took his coat for him. "Let's go."
The moment their arms touched, the man's knuckles brushed against the back of his hand unintentionally.
Like a dragonfly skimming the water, or like a tiny brush made of feathers gently gliding across the surface.
Nan Qing took a deep breath, and with a burst of energy, he suddenly grabbed Huo Yuzhou's hand.
Then, little by little, slide your finger down.
They were tucked between the man's fingers.
Huo Yuzhou's movements were stiff, and a dark fire flashed in his eyes.
But the handsome boy who was holding his hand looked up at him seriously and started reasoning with him.
"Honey, we signed an agreement."
Huo Yuzhou's apple bobbed, his dark gaze falling on those soft, red lips, watching them open and close, the tip of their wet, red tongue faintly flashing across their lips.
He struggled to look away before gently cupping the boy's fingers in his large hand again and softly responding.
The restaurant wasn't crowded, and same-sex couples were not uncommon.
Even though the lighting was dim, Nan Qing still felt her cheeks burning as she walked hand in hand with Huo Yuzhou down the corridor.
The light and shadow from the tree branches drooped down, lingering on the two people's clothes and casting small, mottled patches of light.
The breeze blowing from the river dispelled the sweltering heat. Nan Qing hesitated for a long time before finally speaking slowly.
" Huo Yuzhou..."
Huo Yuzhou held his fingers and gently replied, " Baby."
The moonlight was lovely tonight, and Huo Yuzhou, still in a state of inexplicable excitement, turned his head slightly and saw the handsome boy holding his hand looking somewhat conflicted, as if he had something to say but didn't know how to express it.
Huo Yuzhou paused for a moment, then quickly said considerately:
" Bai Ruanruan came over just now when you left."
Nan Qing suddenly looked up, "And then?"
Huo Yuzhou lowered his phoenix eyes and spoke slowly.
"Then he said, without the Bai Family's previous support, I wouldn't be who I am today."
Nan Qing frowned, somewhat irritated.
"How could he say that? You made your way in the world through your own abilities. Who does he think he is to judge you? He's gone too far!"
In the evening breeze by the river, the tall man sighed almost imperceptibly.
Huo Yuzhou rarely showed weakness in front of others. Whether he was the boy who was sponsored by the Bai Family in the past or the villainous boss who now dominates the world, Huo Yuzhou was always in control and always had victory in his grasp.
His helpless sigh made Nan Qing feel very uncomfortable.
It also reminds Nan Qing of the ending of the storyline, where the main characters, the top and the bottom, live happily ever after, while Huo Yuzhou suffers a tragic fate of being manipulated and losing everything.
Nan Qing felt as if her heart had been violently slashed by a sharp blade, and she subconsciously pursed her lips.
But the man holding his hand tightly smiled at him, a smile that tugged at the heartstrings.
"It's nothing. It's true that I received financial assistance from the Bai Family back then, so it's no wonder they've brought it up several times."
Nan Qing was filled with righteous indignation, "You're so outstanding, you would have achieved great things even without them. They're just showing off how much they've done for you so that they want you to repay them, they've gone too far!"
Admittedly, he encouraged Bai's father to sponsor Huo Yuzhou for a mission, but Huo Yuzhou did not receive any preferential treatment after arriving at the Bai Family.
He didn't even hide the fact that he bullied Huo Yuzhou from anyone in the Bai Family, but no one ever stood up for Huo Yuzhou. After all, he was just a poor boy who was being sponsored, so it was fine to bully him.
In other words, Huo Yuzhou did receive some money from the Bai Family during his teenage years, but he also worked tirelessly for the Bai Family day and night; even working odd jobs wouldn't have been this miserable.
The Bai Family is shameless. They keep using past favors to get the Huo Group to help them, and now Bai Ruanruan has surpassed them and is coming to their door again.
Like a swarm of blood-sucking leeches, once they stick to you, you can't shake them off.
The man's deep voice drifted through the air.
"Young Master Bai said he hopes I can help him get the spokesperson for the Gu Family's new business line."
" Xingchen and I have a very good relationship, but business is like war. Business is business, and I can't just make decisions for Xingchen without any reason and arbitrarily recommend spokespeople for him."
Nan Qing stopped in her tracks, raised her beautiful face to look at Huo Yuzhou, her long eyelashes fluttering.
" Huo Yuzhou, don't you think Bai Ruanruan is manipulating you?"
The handsome man seemed somewhat confused.
"Yeah?"
Nan Qing leaned closer and whispered something to him, trying to brainwash him.
"Don't you think so? The Bai Family has always only wanted to take advantage of you. You've already given them enough; even a fraction of it would repay the Bai Family's support over the years. But they're never satisfied."
Huo Yuzhou nodded, agreeing with him, "Yes, that makes sense."
Nan Qing continued to fan the flames,
"Now that you've paid back everything you owe the Bai Family, why would Bai Ruanruan still bother you? You don't owe her anything."
"He even said things like 'funding' or 'support,' which is clearly another attempt to manipulate you into doing things for him. He's just using you as a tool to climb the social ladder."
Huo Yuzhou seemed to be persuaded by him.
"That's right, that's correct."
In the soft night breeze, he clasped his slender, delicate fingers together, as if receiving instruction, sincerely seeking guidance from Nan Qing.
" Baby, I'm sorry, I don't have any family or many friends, so I have no experience in handling these kinds of interpersonal relationships. I'll have to trouble you for help."
"So what do you think I should do in this situation?"
Nan Qing's eyes lit up after her initial brainwashing attempt was a resounding success. She leaned closer and whispered something sinister to him.
"It's better not to help them."
" Bai Ruanruan such a wicked person, you're already being kind by not kicking him when he's down. You could have just let him fend for himself."
"We should stay far away from them and not let them disrupt our lives."
The man's large hand patted his head, his deep, magnetic voice carrying a hint of amusement, as if the boy was receiving a lesson.
"Okay, honey, I understand."
Long, slender fingers cradled the boy's soft cheek, while rough fingertips gently brushed against his face, as if someone had finally awakened from a daze, and sighed sincerely:
" Baby, thank goodness you were there to help me."
"Otherwise, my husband really wouldn't know what to do."
Bright streetlights pierced the night, and along the riverbank where a gentle breeze blew, a tall man cupped the boy's face and placed a very light kiss on his forehead.
Warm lips landed on cool skin, the light and soft touch like a dragonfly skimming the water, while a large, hot hand cupped his cheek, almost burning his skin.
The contrast between cold and heat, the lingering breath on her face—this familiar yet strange feeling made Nan Qing tremble almost, and her ears turned red as if they were about to bleed.
He tugged at Huo Yuzhou's sleeve, suppressing the burning sensation on his face, and spoke in a low voice.
"You're welcome."
He seemed a little awkward, and even the words he spoke were somewhat difficult to utter.
"Even a day as husband and wife is worth a hundred days of kindness. We've shared a bed, so it's nothing."
"If you need anything, just ask me anytime."
Huo Yuzhou smiled and nuzzled the soft flesh of his cheek, then intertwined their fingers again.
In a corner unnoticed by anyone, Huo Yuzhou's phone screen flashed coldly as a message popped up.
"Okay, it's broken."