Chapter 83#

“Let’s not see each other for a while.”#

As he pushed the door open, he unexpectedly saw a figure standing outside.

Qin Mu leaned against the car door, a cigarette between his fingers, looking at him with a half-smile. The setting sun cast a thin layer of gold on him, outlining his silhouette with remarkable clarity.

The heart that had just calmed down began to accelerate again.

He quickened his steps, walking up to Qin Mu. “Why are you here?”

Qin Mu chuckled, his gaze sweeping over Jian Yunchen’s thin clothing, his brow furrowed. In the next moment, his coat, still warm from his body, was draped over Jian Yunchen.

“Why aren’t you wearing clothes?”

The slightly loose coat settled on him. Jian Yunchen clutched it tightly, shrinking his neck and looking down at his toes. “I came out in a hurry and forgot to bring it.”

Jian Yunchen didn’t look up and asked softly, “Are you… are you here to find me?”

Qin Mu casually ruffled his hair. “Looking for you. Let’s go eat.”

Jian Yunchen blinked and obediently got into the car.

Qin Mu took a drag of his cigarette outside the car, surveying the surroundings.

There were at least four people lurking around the Jiang Corporation.

His expression darkened. He threw the cigarette on the ground and extinguished the ember with his toe.

On the way, Jian Yunchen looked at him several times, as if he wanted to say something but stopped. Qin Mu, steering the wheel, glanced at him and the corner of his lips curled. “What? Something on your mind?”

Jian Yunchen paused, his fingertips tightening. He cautiously watched Qin Mu’s expression.

“Yan Yi came to the Jiang Corporation today…”

“Oh?” Qin Mu turned his head to look at him.

“She slapped Jiang Yunhan.”

He stared intently at Qin Mu’s expression, observing his reaction to the news.

Was it shock, heartache, anger, or sadness?

Qin Mu was indeed a little surprised to hear this, but he quickly understood Jian Yunchen’s intention.

The corners of his lips turned up. “Testing me? Jian Yunchen?”

Jian Yunchen’s body stiffened imperceptibly, and he turned his head away. “No…”

Qin Mu’s hand slid over the steering wheel, his eyes fixed on the road ahead, but the corners of his mouth curved upwards with pleasure. He drawled, “Jiang Yunhan is indeed a bit innocent, but who told him to have a brother who doesn’t give him any peace of mind.”

Jian Yunchen paused, then couldn’t help but sneak another glance at him.

“Aren’t… aren’t you angry?”

The car slowed, and Qin Mu parked. He looked at Jian Yunchen, leaned over, and Jian Yunchen’s breathing hitched. He tightened his grip on the seatbelt nervously.

Qin Mu was very close, but made no further move. He leaned in, his warm breath swirling around Jian Yunchen. His Adam’s apple bobbed, and his heart began to beat faster.

Qin Mu’s arm came over, and with a “click,” the seatbelt was released.

As the click sounded, Jian Yunchen’s heart skipped a beat.

Before the faint sense of disappointment could fully surface—

Qin Mu lowered his head and kissed him.

The kiss was light and soft, more like a gentle, comforting intimacy.

As Qin Mu pulled back, Jian Yunchen reluctantly leaned forward.

A light laugh rang out, and Jian Yunchen froze. His eyes were moist, his face red, and he looked up at Qin Mu.

Qin Mu smiled and touched his cheek.

“I’m not angry. I told you, I don’t like him.”

“Do I need to repeat it a few more times?”

Jian Yunchen lowered his eyes, his eyelashes trembling finely. He pursed his lips and gently shook his head.

They got out of the car together. It was the same restaurant as last time, but their seats had subtly changed.

Jian Yunchen sat next to Qin Mu, his back straight, his head slightly bowed. He cut his steak slowly and elegantly. Qin Mu looked down at him, cut off a small piece, and brought it to his lips.

The dark sauce glistened on his lips. Jian Yunchen paused, his grip tightening on the knife and fork.

He had frequented Western restaurants for a while.

It was a part-time job.

High-end Western restaurants were particular about everything, even their waitstaff, who needed to be attractive and well-built.

Jian Yunchen, who was still in high school at the time, had worked there for a period because of his excellent appearance.

He knew that rich people valued etiquette. Even if he couldn’t tell the difference between medium-rare and medium, or taste the quality of wine, he still tried his best to learn and imitate.

Jian Yunchen was unwilling to appear foolish.

Especially in front of Qin Mu.

He looked into Qin Mu’s eyes. They lacked the usual teasing and languidness, and held only a faint, fragmented smile.

But this was in front of Qin Mu.

He thought, it didn’t matter if he appeared foolish.

Jian Yunchen parted his lips slightly and swallowed the small piece of steak.

Qin Mu curved his lips. “Is it delicious?”

He shook his head.

Qin Mu frowned. “It’s not good?”

“I can’t tell.”

He pursed his lips tightly. “I can’t tell if it’s good or not.”

“But—”

Jian Yunchen paused, his voice softening.

“You fed it to me, and I think it tastes pretty good.”

Qin Mu rubbed Jian Yunchen’s lips with his fingertip. He withdrew his hand, his gaze still on Jian Yunchen’s face. He brought his fingertip to his own lips and licked off the trace of sauce.

Jian Yunchen watched his actions, his back stiffening, his earlobes quickly turning red, spreading from his ears to the side of his neck, feeling intensely hot.

The man’s deep voice pressed against his ear. “Don’t always tease me, Jian Yunchen.”

Jian Yunchen buried his head, his heart pounding erratically as he listened to Qin Mu’s accusation.

Who exactly… was teasing whom?

After dinner, Qin Mu drove him back to the Jiang family’s entrance again.

Jian Yunchen hadn’t fully recovered from the excitement. He lingered, reluctant to get out of the car, wanting to spend a little more time with Qin Mu.

Qin Mu parked the car in an inconspicuous dark spot. Paying attention, he indeed discovered many more “eyes” in hidden places.

The number was even more than double that at the Jiang Corporation’s entrance.

His fingertips tightened, and his expression turned grim.

“What’s wrong?”

The long silence and Qin Mu’s solemn expression made Jian Yunchen a little puzzled. He turned his head and looked in the direction Qin Mu was looking— the area not reached by the streetlights was dim. It might have been his imagination, but the grass in the bushes seemed to be moving slightly.

Before he could ask, Qin Mu suddenly leaned over.

The words of resistance were pressed to his throat and quickly swallowed.

Gradually, Jian Yunchen could no longer remember what he had originally intended to ask.

After an unknown amount of time, Jian Yunchen’s hands, which had been around Qin Mu’s neck, began to lose their strength. Qin Mu slowly moved his lips away from Jian Yunchen’s, creating some distance. He reached out and gently caressed Jian Yunchen’s flushed face.

Qin Mu slowly lowered his head and touched foreheads with him. He looked into Jian Yunchen’s misty eyes, which reflected his own image.

“Jian Yunchen…”

Qin Mu softly called his name.

In the confined space, their lingering voices echoed gently, reaching Jian Yunchen’s ears. He let out a soft “Mm,” lowering his eyes, only his trembling eyelashes betraying his inner panic.

“Let’s not see each other for a while.”

They were so close that he could even hear Qin Mu’s heartbeat.

But he still couldn’t believe it, thinking he had misheard.

Jian Yunchen looked up and met Qin Mu’s eyes.

He clearly heard Qin Mu repeat: