Chapter 24#
Yan Heqing walked over to the base of the wall and hid himself in the shadows.
Ahead of him, Lu Muchi’s black eyes were icy, coldly sizing up Feng Zhixian.
The man who had driven Yan Heqing home last time.
He had already checked his background.
Feng Zhixian, the youngest son of the Feng family—real estate business, a family with a bit of money.
Lu Muchi’s gaze was dark and unreadable. As for why he’d looked into Feng Zhixian, he had found himself a perfectly good reason.
Yan Heqing was his possession. No one else was allowed to touch him.
Feng Zhixian was also sizing up Lu Muchi. He’d gone back to the bar to ask questions; the manager only said that Xie Yunjie had booked the venue the night before, and knew nothing else. But he’d also dropped a bombshell.
“Xiao Yan resigned.”
Feng Zhixian had gone home and slept for an entire day. As soon as he woke up, he came looking for Yan Heqing.
And ran straight into Lu Muchi at the entrance of the apartment building.
Custom tailoring. A Patek Philippe. A man who absolutely did not belong in a place like this.
Feng Zhixian almost immediately confirmed it—Lu Muchi was here for the same reason he was: to find Yan Heqing.
What was their relationship? Was the person who’d come to pick Yan Heqing up last time him?
“He’s not here.” Lu Muchi spoke first. He took out a cigarette and irritably bit it between his lips. “But you’d better stop coming to look for him.”
Feng Zhixian sneered. “And why would I?”
“Because—” Lu Muchi flicked the lighter open. A pale blue flame rose, carrying the scent of tobacco. “He’s mine.”
Feng Zhixian’s expression shifted. Just as expected. He clenched his fists unwillingly. “You… you two are dating?”
Hearing the word dating, Lu Muchi exhaled a smoke ring. “What else would it be?”
Feng Zhixian ground his back teeth. If it were anyone else, he wouldn’t care whether they were dating or married—if he liked someone, he’d snatch them. But Lu Muchi was clearly rich and powerful, far more well-connected than him. He could only give up.
No wonder Yan Heqing was so good at darts. Turns out his boyfriend was some rich young master.
Feng Zhixian turned and left.
Lu Muchi stood there smoking, thinking of the unopened boxes of cat food piled outside Yan Heqing’s door. His emotions were nowhere near as calm as he appeared.
If Yan Heqing had just gone along with him from the start, listened to him, he would’ve gotten bored after a few days.
But now…
His interest in Yan Heqing was only growing.
Feng Zhixian circled the complex several times without finding the exit. “Fuck!” He slammed the steering wheel and simply stopped driving.
Resting his forehead against the wheel, Feng Zhixian felt miserable for the first time in his life. He closed his eyes, wishing he could just pass out on the spot.
Tap tap.
In his haze, there was a sound of knocking on the window.
Already full of pent-up anger, Feng Zhixian sat up abruptly, rolled down the window, and started cursing—“Knock your—”
He cut off mid-sentence.
His engine might as well have stalled.
His face lit up in wild joy. “Xiao Yan!”
Under the night sky, Yan Heqing stood quietly outside the car, backlit, holding a paper cup.
Feng Zhixian excitedly moved to get out, but Yan Heqing handed him the cup first. “The coffee I owe you.”
Feng Zhixian froze. He tugged at the corner of his mouth and forced a smile. “What does that mean?”
“Don’t come looking for me anymore.” Yan Heqing was concise. “I won’t like you.”
Feng Zhixian’s face instantly darkened. “Because of your boyfriend?”
Unable to help himself, he confessed. “I really like you. I’ve never liked anyone this much in my life. Can’t you give me one chance?”
Yan Heqing neither affirmed nor denied it. He only said calmly, “At the bar, you challenged me to a game of darts.”
Feng Zhixian didn’t understand. “What?”
“If I lost, I had to kiss you.” Yan Heqing’s expression remained flat.
Feng Zhixian’s heart thudded heavily. Guilt clearly crept in. “That was just playing around… I’m used to joking like that, it wasn’t—”
He couldn’t finish.
Yan Heqing waited for him to stop before saying his final line. “Sorry. I never play around.”
Then he added, “Drive forward about ten meters and turn left—that’s the exit.”
Feng Zhixian stared at Yan Heqing, wanting to say more, but Yan Heqing had already turned and walked away.
*
In the dark stairwell, the lights turned on floor by floor. Near the third floor, Yan Heqing stopped.
Lu Muchi was squatting outside his door, a whole row of cat food cans opened. Hearing footsteps, he didn’t even look up, just bit down on his cigarette and said slowly, “I was just passing by today. Take me to feed the cats. Once we’re done, I’ll leave.”
Yan Heqing turned around and went downstairs.
Lu Muchi picked up a box of cat food and followed him at a measured distance.
In truth, he hated cats.
He’d once been scratched by Lin Fengzhi’s cat—ungrateful thing. He fed it meat, and it bit him instead.
But Lu Muchi really wanted to see Yan Heqing feeding the cats again, just like that night.
The sky was pitch-dark. The boy’s silhouette was dyed by dim streetlights—hazy, unreal. He walked deeper into the complex and stopped beside the trash bins.
“One, two, three…” he called softly.
Lu Muchi was still wondering what “one, two, three” meant when he heard faint rustling sounds. Several stray cats darted out.
Those cats were named One, Two, and Three.
Yan Heqing didn’t turn around. “Feed them.”
Lu Muchi stared at him intently. “Looking at the person you’re talking to is basic courtesy.”
Yan Heqing didn’t respond. He crouched down and gently stroked a kitten’s head.
From Lu Muchi’s angle, he could only see the back of Yan Heqing’s head. Almost urgently, he took a few quick steps to his side.
He looked down. The boy’s brows were faint and light, just like the weak streetlight overhead.
Yan Heqing still wasn’t smiling.
Lu Muchi couldn’t help asking, “Are you incapable of smiling?”
Yan Heqing lifted his head. Their eyes met. There was genuine confusion in his gaze. “Facing you—who could smile?”
Lu Muchi’s eye twitched hard several times. More than Yan Heqing’s words, it was his attitude that infuriated him.
Yan Heqing truly didn’t understand—who could smile at him?
Lu Muchi’s anger surged violently. He didn’t know whether Yan Heqing had dimples, but he knew Yan Heqing had a real talent for provoking him—just a few words could ignite his rage.
Lu Muchi suddenly flung the box aside. The cans clattered all over the ground. More cats rushed out of the darkness, all charging toward the food.
Even the cat Yan Heqing had been petting ran off.
Lu Muchi bent down and grabbed Yan Heqing by the shoulder, yanking him up violently. He sneered darkly. “Have I been too gentle with you, that you think you can ignore me?”
His other hand clamped hard around Yan Heqing’s chin, forcing him to look up.
“Hmm? Or is it because there’s another man in your eyes—Feng Zhixian?”
Lu Muchi leaned close to that clean, beautiful ear, his voice dripping with malice. “What, is he that good in bed? Screwed you so well you enjoyed it?”
There was a crushing pain in his jaw, but worse was where Lu Muchi touched him—the skin felt sticky and disgusting, like a virus spreading, rotting him from the inside out.
Yan Heqing frowned tightly. He clenched his fist, lifted it with clear intent, and swung hard at Lu Muchi’s nose.
Lu Muchi hadn’t expected him to fight back. He didn’t dodge. The punch landed squarely. He groaned in pain, staggered back, and grabbed his nose. A warm flow immediately soaked his fingers.
His nose was bleeding.
Looking at the blood on his hand, Lu Muchi laughed in fury. “You actually dared to hit me?”
Clear thumbprints were visible on Yan Heqing’s chin. His face was pale, but when he met Lu Muchi’s gaze, it was sharper than a blade. “Just returning the courtesy.”
Lu Muchi pressed his tongue to the corner of his mouth, wiping his lips with his thumb—more blood smeared there.
“Good. Very good.”
His shoulders shook violently as he laughed, eerily frightening. He suddenly strode toward Yan Heqing, intending to hoist him up and leave.
This action appeared frequently in the original story.
No matter where they were—as long as Lin Fengzhi wasn’t around—Lu Muchi treated Yan Heqing like a dog. In a good mood, he’d toss him a bit of sweetness. In a bad mood, he’d beat and scold him whenever he pleased.
When desire struck, place didn’t matter either—he’d just sling Yan Heqing over his shoulder and go.
Yan Heqing’s eyes darkened slightly. The moment Lu Muchi grabbed his shoulder again, he spoke coldly.
“Am I really that much like him?”
Lu Muchi was planning to carry Yan Heqing back to that crappy apartment and fuck him to death—but with that single sentence, all his desire vanished instantly.
He froze in front of Yan Heqing.
He knew?
Yan Heqing knew he liked Lin Fengzhi?
Lu Muchi stared at him in shock, blood still smeared under his nose. His stiff expression was almost ridiculous.
Yan Heqing coughed softly a few times. “I already know. You and my younger brother grew up together.”
“You like Lin Fengzhi.”
He lifted his gaze coldly. “But you’re cowardly. You’re timid. You don’t dare confess—so you found me to be his substitute.”
“Shut up!” Hitting a raw nerve, Lu Muchi completely lost control. He instinctively raised his hand to slap Yan Heqing. “Say one more fucking—”
Yan Heqing didn’t dodge. He calmly looked at him. Lu Muchi’s palm stopped less than a centimeter from Yan Heqing’s face.
He ground his teeth hard. “Fuck.”
He couldn’t bring himself to do it.
Lu Muchi’s hand slid down, gripping Yan Heqing’s collar instead. He lowered his voice. “I’m warning you. If you dare let Lin Fengzhi know, I’ll cancel your student status.”
Yan Heqing’s body trembled slightly.
Lu Muchi’s eyes lit up sharply.
Found it—his weakness. His studies.
At first, he’d only been testing. A top student like Yan Heqing—top three in his major—surely valued his education. Turns out he was right.
Feeling like he’d regained the upper hand, Lu Muchi’s mood improved. He snorted coldly. “I mean what I say.”
Yan Heqing knew very well that Lu Muchi could do it. At this point in the original story, Lu Muchi had already prepared his expulsion paperwork.
Disdain filled Yan Heqing’s eyes. “Don’t worry. Something this disgusting and filthy—I’d never tell Fengzhi.”
Lu Muchi’s expression shifted through several shades. He ground his teeth. “I may be disgusting, but sooner or later, you’ll be disgusting right along with me.”
He released Yan Heqing and stepped back, his dark eyes narrowing. “Yan Heqing, don’t think I’ll go easy on you just because you’re Zhizhi’s biological brother. My patience is limited. You’d better figure things out yourself—don’t force my hand.”
Lu Muchi left.
Yan Heqing didn’t look back at all. He lowered his gaze, crouched down, and picked up a can of cat food at his feet—this one hadn’t been opened yet. He hooked a finger through the pull tab.
Click.
He peeled the lid open and added the can to the cats’ feast.
*
At the same time, Lin Fengzhi was writing in his diary.
Under the desk lamp sat the delicate little Ultraman figurine. Lin Fengzhi took a Polaroid photo and carefully pasted it onto today’s diary page.
*[I never knew I liked Ultraman when I was little! He—Yan Heqing—gave me an Ultraman figure today, and we even ate hot pot together.
The hot pot was so delicious! Baby cuttlefish, blueberry juice—everything was amazing!
Yan Heqing must really love me, right? He remembers every habit and preference I have.
Today ended like this—another happy day. A day of missing Uncle Lu Lin!]*
The door creaked open softly. Lin Fengyi walked in with a glass of milk. “What are you doing? Smiling so happily.”
Lin Fengzhi quickly hid the diary, stuffing it into the drawer in a flurry. “Nothing.” He turned around, saw the milk, and his whole face scrunched up. “Milk again…”
“A glass before bed helps you sleep.” Lin Fengyi set it down with a smile. “It’s still a bit hot. Drink it later.”
“We’ll see,” Lin Fengzhi muttered.
Leaning against the desk, Lin Fengyi avoided his gaze and finally asked his real question. “You went to see that guy named Yan today?”
“He has a name. It’s Yan Heqing,” Lin Fengzhi immediately corrected.
His sudden protectiveness made Lin Fengyi uneasy. He worried that Yan Heqing might’ve gone back on his word and shown Lin Fengzhi those videos of him kissing men, ruining his image as a good older brother.
“Alright—Yan Heqing.” Lin Fengyi probed carefully. “What… did you talk about?”
“A lot. Food, drinks.” Lin Fengzhi paused, suddenly leaned forward, grabbed the Ultraman figure, and waved it proudly. “And this! He gave me an Ultraman! He said I liked Ultraman when I was little.”
Seeing no abnormal reaction, Lin Fengyi finally relaxed. It seemed Yan Heqing had kept his mouth shut—good, at least he knew his place.
Still, a hint of sourness crept in. “A single figurine makes you this happy? I remember you liked Transformers as a kid. Maybe he just made that up to fool you.”
“What would he gain from lying to me?” Lin Fengzhi didn’t care at all, fiddling with Ultraman. “Besides, even if he lied, I still got a gift.”
Lin Fengzhi had just showered; he smelled faintly of body wash. His black hair was soft and fluffy. Lin Fengyi couldn’t resist ruffling it. “If you like them, I’ll buy you every Ultraman tomorrow.”
“No.” Lin Fengzhi shook his head. “I don’t even like them anymore.”
He left the rest unsaid.
Unless it was Lu Lin who bought it—then he’d accept it.
If Lu Lin gave him anything—doesn’t matter if it’s Ultraman, Transformers, a pen, or a scrap of paper—as long as it was from Lu Lin, he’d be the happiest person in the world.
Lin Fengzhi’s heartbeat grew louder. He pinched the figurine lightly and asked casually, “Second Brother, I heard that your friend surnamed Xie is getting married?”
“Friend surnamed Xie?” Lin Fengyi thought for a moment. “Xie Yunjie? Yeah, this Saturday.”
Lin Fengzhi’s mind spun quickly. Xie Yunjie was Lu Lin’s good friend—Lu Lin would definitely attend his wedding. Lin Fengzhi immediately dropped Ultraman, scooted over, twisted around, and looked up at Lin Fengyi with sparkling eyes. “Second Brother, take me with you! I want to see the bride!”
Lin Fengyi teased him. “What, your heart’s fluttering—thinking of getting married yourself?”
Lin Fengzhi’s eyes darted around.
Marriage—he did want it.
Just not with a woman.
If he were to get married, it would only be with Lu Lin.
Just imagining his wedding with Lu Lin made Lin Fengzhi so excited his toes curled.
“I’m going anyway,” he insisted.
“Alright.” Lin Fengyi rubbed his hair again, eyes full of indulgence. “I’ll take you.”
*
Lu Lin received a WeChat notification.
His private contacts were few—Xie Yunjie, Chu Ziyu, the Lu family.
And one more: 52 Hertz.
He opened WeChat. It was the small group chat with Xie and Chu.
Chu Ziyu: “Hey Lao Xie, when and where’s your wedding again?”
Xie Yunjie: “Saturday at two, Songhua Niangchun.”
Chu Ziyu: “Oh, that’s a nice hotel. Their sweet rice wine dumplings are great! You guys booked your honeymoon yet? If not, I’ll gift you a month-long trip—anywhere you want.”
Xie Yunjie: “Tsk. It’s not like we’re marrying for love. Neither of us wants the hassle. The wedding’s just for show—forget the honeymoon.”
Chu Ziyu: “Oof, I can see my own future… sigh. President Lu @Lu Lin—what’s going on with you and that little bartender? Are you just playing around, or are you serious?”
He didn’t know that nothing had happened in the private room that night.
Lu Lin didn’t reply. He exited the group.
The next chat was with 52 Hertz. They’d added each other for half a month, but the conversation was still empty.
Lu Lin opened Yan Heqing’s Moments.
Just like his own—blank.
He put his phone down and returned to his proposal.
It was Lu Group’s latest charity project.
The theme park Lu Group had invested 35 billion yuan into in the capital had been completed for several months. Trial operations were over; the official opening was scheduled for after the New Year.
To build a world-class fantasy children’s park, the PR department submitted a plan: on opening day, invite children from orphanages across the country to visit the park.
For the capital, the proposed orphanage was Happy Blue Sky Orphanage.
Lu Lin made a call. “Cancel all my appointments tomorrow afternoon. Change it to Rainbow Bridge Orphanage.”
*
Thunder rumbled.
Heavy rain had been pouring since early morning. Yan Heqing emerged from the subway holding an umbrella. The sky and ground blended together—he could barely see the road.
By the time he reached the café, both pant legs were soaked through.
Yan Heqing was once again the first to arrive. He changed into his uniform, cleaned the shop, and soon the other male clerk and Zhang Qing arrived one after the other.
“Rain in winter is basically a biological weapon,” the male clerk complained, shivering. “Coming to work in this weather—the boss should raise our pay.”
Zhang Qing curled her lips and ignored him. Wiping rain from her face, she greeted Yan Heqing with a smile. “Morning, Xiao Yan.”
She’d been annoyed by the rain, but the moment she walked in and saw Yan Heqing quietly wiping cups, her mood instantly improved.
High-quality handsome guys really were vitamins.
Yan Heqing smiled faintly. “Good morning.”
As soon as the words left his mouth, his phone rang.
It was a WeChat message from Rainbow Bridge Orphanage.
[Your application has been approved. Please bring your ID and student card to the orphanage at 2 p.m. this afternoon to discuss details.]