In the distance, young people were gathered by the sea around a bonfire. Crackling sparks flew up, and the weak firelight mixed with the hazy moonlight to illuminate the face of the person before him.

Gu Qichi wore a loose T-shirt, which rustled in the sea breeze. He tilted his head back, his fine hair flying in the wind, a faint curve on his lips.

“Go home?”

The young man’s beautiful eyes brewed a hint of confusion as he tilted his head slightly: “Bo Yu, which home do you want to take me back to?”

His tone had already become somewhat sharp.

A not-so-smart young man grasping the right measure is straightforwardly cute, but if boundaries are crossed, a cat holding deep vigilance will not hesitate to bare its claws and deal a heavy blow to the person in front.

Only by giving one’s heart unreservedly can one perhaps gain his trust.

Bo Yu withdrew his hand, his gaze slowly moving from Gu Qichi’s tense back to those clear eyes.

Their eyes met.

The man silently lowered his voice, speaking tentatively: “I came to pick Zhaozhao up and return to East City. I happened to hear you hadn’t gone back either…”

The moonlight was hazy, and the young man’s skin was cold white, seeming to merge with the moonlight, as if he would float away with a gust of wind.

Bo Yu recalled the joke the director team made earlier—

“Is it popular for male actors to have the appetite of a bird like female actresses now? I saw Gu Qichi only ate a few bites just now. Running around the world with a child all afternoon, if it were me, I’d be hungry enough to eat three bowls of rice…”

Seeing him again in the private room last time, he discovered Gu Qichi was a picky eater. The meals prepared by the program team were mostly standardized boxed lunches, tasting average, barely enough to fill the stomach.

Not eating on time, being picky with food, no wonder he got acute gastroenteritis that time.

Bo Yu drafted many manuscripts in his mind. His brain, usually calculating stock market values, spun rapidly, yet he couldn’t find a suitable excuse.

His hair blown about by the wind, Gu Qichi raised his hand to fiddle with the stray strands, his eyes silently asking the man opposite him what exactly he wanted to say.

Bo Yu lowered his eyes, his gaze falling on the young man’s hanging hand. The wrist bone was slightly protruding, slender but not feminine. The cold white fingertips were stiff from the wind, curling uncomfortably.

“A new restaurant opened on Linjiang West Road, coincidentally near your apartment… Zhaozhao asked me to repay you. I thought you liked the porridge last time, so why not try the new dishes? Go home after eating your fill, killing two birds with one stone.”

Gu Qichi was 182cm tall, tall and slender with excellent body proportions. Usually, he wouldn’t have the illusion of being shorter than anyone, but Bo Yu was much taller than him, almost requiring him to look up.

Bo Yu had a slender figure and broad shoulders. Backlit and standing extremely close at this moment, the faint shadow he cast almost enveloped Gu Qichi completely. Gu Qichi was submerged in this shadow, inexplicably giving birth to the illusion that he was being embraced by Bo Yu.

The raised thorns receded bit by bit. Mentioning that bowl of porridge, Gu Qichi softened his attitude.

Actually, it wasn’t just a bowl of porridge.

It was the silent concern on a cold rainy night, the attentive company amidst the pungent smell of disinfectant. That bowl of porridge was piping hot and comforting, silently prying open a tiny crack in a lonely heart.

Gu Qichi lowered his brow, stray hair covering his eyes. His thumb rubbed circles on his index finger, attempting to warm himself up a bit.

It seems that sometimes, accepting others’ kindness is also a good choice?

The laughter and joy of the young people in the distance crashed onto the empty seaside, getting closer and closer, as if about to reach the two of them.

The faint light emitted by the lighthouse merged into the surging sea surface, sparkling.

Gu Qichi turned sideways unhurriedly, removing himself from that shadow, and took up the conversation: “Let’s go. I agree.”

The light was dim yellow, and the colorful beads on the door curtain made a slight sound.

Gu Qichi was relaxed, nestled in the fabric sofa like he had no bones. The blue light of the phone reflected on his face. He was messaging someone unknown, a light smile in his eyes.

It could be seen that the young man liked this place very much. Bo Yu’s choice was correct.

Seeing Gu Qichi put down his phone and walk towards him, his gaze inadvertently brushing past him, Bo Yu silently withdrew his gaze.

The last dish was served by the waiter.

On the mahogany table, the braised pork with its reddish-brown sauce was steaming, the meat tender and soft, the juice thick and flavorful. The Yangzhou fried rice was loose and plump, golden in color, fragrant and refreshing. The crystal shrimp dumplings had skin white as snow, with tender red shrimp meat wrapped inside, pink showing through the white. The stir-fried green beans were crisp and refreshing, looking appetizing. The pork rib and corn soup was thick, emerald green chopped green onions dotting the milky white surface, the thick aroma scrambling to waft out.

The chopsticks were scalded with boiling water by Bo Yu in advance, and the porcelain white bowl was filled with distinct grains of rice beforehand. The stomach that had been mistreated for a day finally protested under the temptation of the food aroma, clamoring with hunger. Gu Qichi took the porcelain bowl, the smile in his eyes surfacing bit by bit.

Having such a dinner in the slightly cool chill, piping hot and fragrant, made one feel warm all over.

Bo Yu narrowed his eyes, the smile in his eyes very faint, the corners of his lips still a straight line. If one didn’t look closely, one wouldn’t be able to tell he was happy at all.

These were dishes he carefully selected after deliberating, specifically avoiding ingredients the young man disliked based on his observations last time.

Gu Qichi was very quiet when eating. He had excellent upbringing, making no noise, yet eating with relish.

Watching him for a while, Bo Yu picked up his chopsticks with satisfaction and began to eat.

After that banquet last time, Bo Yu really wanted to try what it felt like to eat alone with Gu Qichi, wondering if he could also be like him, undistracted and fully devoted to the delicious food.

Today could be considered a wish fulfilled.

President Bo was very satisfied and ate a bit more than usual.

Glimpsing out of the corner of his eye that Gu Qichi’s bowl was nearly empty, Bo Yu was quick with his hands and eyes, picking up the soup bowl by his hand.

The porcelain spoon scooped up the thick white flavorful soup. The ribs were stewed until soft and falling off the bone, the corn sweet and clear. He passed it into Gu Qichi’s hands.

Bo Yu: “Blew in the wind by the sea for so long, drink a bowl of soup to warm up.”

Gu Qichi put down the bowl in his hand, took the soup Bo Yu handed over, didn’t rush to drink it first, but propped up his chin with his left hand, staring straightforwardly at the man in front of him.

“Bo Yu.”

There were fragmented starlight in his eyes, his pupils reflecting his own image. His fingertips touched the hot bowl wall, gently colliding and tapping, each tap landing on Bo Yu’s heart.

Bo Yu responded: “I’m here.” Then he saw Gu Qichi smile, his full wo can (lying silkworm) puffing up, the smile somewhat mischievous.

Gu Qichi: “You are somewhat different from what I imagined. I originally thought you would take me to some high-end restaurant full of flowers and candles, or to eat some Japanese raw seafood.”

His gaze slowly swept over the layout of this restaurant from top to bottom. The standard was also very high, with finely carved artificial mountains outside, water tinkling, famous landscape paintings hanging in the private room, elegant decorations, and expensive red solid wood tables. It was much better than sitting facing each other over half-cold, half-cooked steaks in front of a white classical round table in a Western restaurant with swaying wine glasses, flickering candlelight, and faint violin sounds.

Compared to that cold and impersonal elegance, Gu Qichi preferred a place like this, full of warmth.

It would give him a warm feeling of being cared for.

He lifted the bowl; the pork rib soup was just the right temperature. The chef controlled the heat very well, boiling it until fragrant and thick. The savory soup mixed with the sweetness of the corn, the mellow aroma spreading on the tip of the tongue, leaving a fragrance in the mouth. The warm soup slid into the stomach, effortlessly relieving the day’s fatigue.

Bo Yu was right. After blowing in the wind by the sea for so long, he indeed needed a bowl of soup.

Sipping the soup in the bowl little by little, Gu Qichi became much more lively. His hair was blown up by the sea breeze and hadn’t returned to its original state yet. His whole body was plated with a layer of warm and soft light, his nose bridge high and straight, his lips vermilion.

After eating and drinking his fill, Gu Qichi put down the bowl, put away that lazy look, and straightened up. His beautiful spine protruded slightly, the lines neat and smooth, making people unable to look away.

Everyone is an adult. It’s better to speak openly about things as soon as possible. Gu Qichi didn’t like endless, entangled troubles.

Frankly speaking, if Bo Yu hadn’t accidentally intruded that night, he might have been found by the people sent by Gu Yuning to frame him, and then repeated the original ending. That scene was what he least wanted to see.

Although he was tossed around quite hard by Bo Yu, it must be said that Gu Qichi felt very good, and didn’t even mind reminiscing about the pleasure that numbed him from his tailbone all the way to his cerebral cortex that day.

Unfortunately, he now only wanted to break away from the Gu family as soon as possible, and pull Gu Yuning into the quagmire along the way, so he could appreciate the look of him weeping bitter tears.

He had absolutely no interest in developing any relationship with Bo Yu.

Thinking of this, Gu Qichi leaned forward slightly, revealing confusion in his eyes.

He actually couldn’t figure out what exactly Bo Yu was thinking.

Compensation? Testing?

Or did he want to devour him like that night.

The great beauty paused, a gleam flashing in the corner of his eye, landing lightly on Bo Yu, sliding down from his face seemingly unintentionally—

The exquisitely lined Adam’s apple, the eight-pack abs looming under the suit, and a certain not-so-subtle place.

“Is there a hotel nearby?”

The great beauty pointedly asked.

__

Author’s Note:

Bo Yu: Had dinner with wifey today! Yay!