The threads of rain swayed endlessly in the wind, and thunder raged, smashing muffled echoes between heaven and earth.

In the distance, the sycamore trees were washed to a glossy shine. The downpour was heavy, with raindrops beating down hard on the drooping sycamore leaves, cascading down their curved edges to form a smooth, continuous line of water.

Beneath the trees, the flowers were battered to pieces by the rain, trembling precariously in the air.

Within this boundless silence, Gu Qichi could only hear his own rapid heartbeat and Bo Yu’s heavy breathing.

He had teased him way too far, forcefully pushing Bo Yu right to the critical point of eruption. Just a little bit more, and he might truly go crazy.

Gu Qichi was cornered against the wall outside the hotel. His slender back was pressed against the uneven, sharp edges of a stone pillar, and between his delicate, wing-like shoulder blades and the stone rested Bo Yu’s distinct, knobby knuckles.

His head was forced to tilt up, drawing his slender, pale neck into a beautiful, taut arch. His jaw was firmly gripped by Bo Yu, forcing his mouth open. Bo Yu’s tongue showed no mercy, forcefully prying past Gu Qichi’s teeth.

Unlike the brief, superficial kiss at the banquet earlier, this kiss was filled with tyranny and an irresistible, ferocious aggression.

The aroma of wine transferred between them as they tangled together, the intoxication steaming and spreading little by little. Gu Qichi was kissed so hard that he couldn’t stop trembling; he stood on his tiptoes, teetering unsteadily.

He didn’t know how long the kiss lasted, but it was long enough that Gu Qichi couldn’t catch his breath at all. The extreme lack of oxygen and the numbness from the alcohol made his mind hazy. When Bo Yu finally let him go, his legs subconsciously gave out. If Bo Yu hadn’t been firmly gripping his waist, Gu Qichi probably would have slid right down to the floor.

(Author’s Note to Censors: Hello, they are just kissing, absolutely nothing else was done, there is no neck-below content in this chapter.)

His mouth parted as he panted softly, wishing he could inhale all the surrounding air into his lungs at once.

The area around those naturally affectionate and languid peach-blossom eyes was now stained a watery red. Invaded by the intoxication, a flush of crimson spread across his cheeks and down his neck, while a misty haze gathered in the depths of his eyes, rippling with dampness.

Bo Yu scooped him up entirely, letting him rest against his shoulder. His pale, long fingers gently massaged the back of Gu Qichi’s neck. As the soft pads of his fingers pressed against the damp nape, his gaze held an unreadable meaning.

He had a high brow bone, deep eye sockets, narrow phoenix eyes, and sharp facial contours. More than half of his face was hidden in the flickering light and shadow. His eyes were as thick and dark as spilled ink, his features cold, and his expression indifferent as he stared fixedly at Gu Qichi, who had been kissed to the point of tears in his arms.

Gu Qichi gave a silent shiver, trembling slightly in the wind, his pupils somewhat unfocused.

That trembling sensation of being targeted by a wild beast swept over him once again—it was no longer the restrained endurance Bo Yu used to show after his casual teasing.

This time, the beast let out a low, hoarse roar from its throat, its scarlet tongue licking over its fangs as it viciously eyed that pale, tender neck. The fangs would pierce the throat, and the sweet blood would burst forth to be swallowed. It would plunder everything and absolutely refuse to let its prey go, stripping away even the slightest possibility of escape.

The fingers pressing against the back of his neck quietly increased their force. Bo Yu turned his head and gently bit Gu Qichi’s earlobe.

“Gu Qichi, since you’ve said the words, you absolutely cannot go back on them.”

“Otherwise, I will let you know exactly what the consequences are for provoking me.”

After saying this, Bo Yu picked Gu Qichi up sideways into a bridal carry. His black suit jacket was draped over the young man, blocking out most of the wind and rain. Gu Qichi’s wrists were weak and sore, and his grip on the umbrella was unsteady, causing it to tilt and bump into Bo Yu’s head several times.

The man said nothing. With his heaven-defying leg proportions, his pace was urgent, yet his arms remained incredibly steady, not letting Gu Qichi feel the slightest bump or discomfort. His expensive leather shoes stepped into the puddles without any hesitation, letting out splashing sounds.

His usual languid demeanor had completely vanished. The ink-like darkness in his eyes was too thick to dissolve. Bo Yu pursed his lips, barely able to suppress the burning agitation in his heart.

The person in his arms was very light—he practically had no meat on his bones to begin with, and after starving himself on the film set for so many days, he had thinned out significantly. He felt even lighter to hold now.

In the distance, car headlights pierced the gloom, a stark weave of white and yellow light flashing across his eyes. Bo Yu narrowed his gaze slightly, his tongue unconsciously pressing against the inside of his cheek.

Gu Qichi needed to eat more. With him by his side, he absolutely couldn’t allow him to be this reckless with his body anymore—skipping meals and binge drinking. All these bad habits needed to be strictly corrected.

The moment he was tossed into the Maybach, the umbrella was taken from his hands. Aside from the cuffs of his trousers, the rest of Gu Qichi’s body was warm and dry.

He turned his head, his intoxication making him hazy and his eyes misted over with water vapor, as he slightly propped himself up to watch Bo Yu close the umbrella.

Bo Yu’s hands were beautiful—pale, long, with distinct joints, yet bearing rough calluses that sparked a scalding heat against his back.

The umbrella ribs were made of metal, cold to the touch, the frame sturdy. Numerous water droplets rolled down the umbrella, carving transparent, winding trails across the black canopy. Once the umbrella was completely retracted, the droplets snapped off like broken pearl necklaces, pattering with soft sounds.

Bo Yu’s fingertips were dampened by the rain, the cold white skin tinged with a hint of red. He turned his head, looked at Gu Qichi in the corner, and beckoned him over.

“Gu Qichi. Come here.”

The young man who was called looked blank and a bit dazed, but he still sluggishly shuffled over. Their legs pressed together, inevitably colliding and rubbing against each other. Bo Yu took Gu Qichi’s hand into his own, gripping it firmly, and then interlaced their fingers together.

The slight chill of the rain and the warmth of his skin were branded together. Gu Qichi was held so tightly that he could even feel a faint ache in his knuckles.

The young man leaned in closer. His clear eyes unconsciously revealed a trace of attachment and trust. His nose bridge was high, the tip slightly flushed pink. His lips were full, but visibly swollen; not only that, but there were several tiny, fine cuts on them.

They were all bitten into him by Bo Yu just moments ago.

The car doors closed. Inside the tight, confined space, Bai Heng had long since tactfully raised the privacy partition for the Maybach’s backseat. He stared straight ahead, silently chanting the Mantra of Purifying the Heart to himself.

A smart and capable assistant knew exactly when to sensibly play dead.

Bai Heng quietly glanced at the rearview mirror, catching a glimpse of the blurry figures drawing closer together, then casually withdrew his gaze as the smile on his lips gradually widened.

Now that the ‘Boss’s Wife’ was here to soothe Bo Yu, the CEO’s mood would improve, which meant his quarterly bonus was definitely secured.

Gu Qichi spoke softly, his voice a little hoarse. Because of his movements, their intertwined hands were pulled upward, exposing more of his open chest.

“Bo Yu, I’m so hot.”

His shirt had two buttons undone, the tie hanging crookedly around his collar, revealing a stretch of thin collarbone. Faint blue veins lay dormant beneath his cold, pale skin, trailing downward like blooming vines. A beam of light from above perfectly hit the hollow of his collarbone, casting a thin shadow.

Bo Yu’s eyes darkened. He used one hand to smooth out the wrinkles on his shirt, his voice low and hoarse: “Don’t move around, or you’ll catch a cold.”

“If you get sick, you’ll have to take medicine. If it gets more serious, you’ll be put on an IV drip. Don’t you hate going to the hospital…”

Hearing this threat, Gu Qichi’s brows furrowed. His eyelashes fluttered, and his expression showed a hint of pain.

He hated the hospital. He hated the smell of disinfectant, hated the bitter liquid medicines, and even more, he hated the sharp pain of a needle piercing his skin and sliding into his blue veins.

Memories shattered into scattered fragments, swirling in his mind with mottled, broken flashes of light. Suddenly, a small memory fragment broke free from the tunnel of his past, crashing into his neural pathways. The memories he had intentionally buried tore through the soil, churning up from the dark, deep mire to reveal their sickening exterior.

Everyone knew Gu Qichi’s health was poor. He was thin, his frame delicate. When he was very young, his protruding bones jutted against his clothes, making him look rather frightening.

But few people knew that Gu Qichi had a fear of needles, and that his weak constitution was an ailment left over from his childhood—

It happened when Gu Qichi was about eight years old. Gu Yuning’s biological father had been forced out of his job. Unemployed. At first, things weren’t too bad; the man still had some drive, struggling at the bottom, trying to find a better-paying job, but no one was willing to hire him.

He was getting old. His back hunched more by the day, his movements grew sluggish, and even his reaction time slowed down. Compared to the strong, agile young men, he simply had no competitive edge.

But the man had a high ego. He refused to do dirty, exhausting manual labor, and he especially refused to live off a meager salary. Day by day, he lounged around at home, doing absolutely nothing. When Gu Qichi’s foster mother tried to persuade him, not only did it have no effect, but she would be verbally abused and beaten by him.

This situation lasted for a while before getting worse. Not only did the man hit and curse at them over the slightest thing, but he also developed a vile drinking habit.

In the small apartment of just over forty square meters, empty liquor bottles were scattered everywhere—metal cans, green glass bottles, and even fragments of shattered glass strewn across the floor in a devastating mess.

Gu Qichi was young at the time. Returning from elementary school, he stood at the door hesitating for a long time. His long eyelashes drooped, hiding his fear. Finally, mustering his courage, he shakily turned the doorknob.

As soon as he entered, a liquor bottle smashed right at his feet. His mother wasn’t home. Gu Qichi silently stared at the shattered glass on the floor, pursing his lips.

Cursing and yelling rang endlessly in his ears. The man was dead drunk, and the entire house reeked of a foul odor—the smell of alcohol mixed with fermenting garbage, choking to inhale.

“Damn it, you little bastard, why aren’t you going to buy me alcohol?!”

Hearing this, Gu Qichi’s fingertips curled inward. His legs went weak, and he took a step back. But this action somehow triggered one of the man’s sensitive nerves, and he stumbled unsteadily out of the bedroom.

Outside, dark ink-like clouds rolled across the gloomy sky. A fierce gale was blowing, rustling the leaves violently. A sudden streak of lightning tore across the horizon, ripping heaven and earth apart with a long, jagged fissure, followed by a booming crash of thunder. Gu Qichi clenched his fists, staring at the man in front of him without saying a word.

His hair, unwashed for God knows how many days, sat like a messy bird’s nest on his head. The overgrown, greasy strands clumped together, obscuring his terrifying gaze, but his bloodshot eyes could still be vaguely seen through the swaying gaps.

The wound on his arm still throbbed with pain. Gu Qichi’s heart jumped, and he turned around and ran.

He was too familiar with that look. Every time the man had that look in his eyes, he was guaranteed to be beaten.

Outside the door, the wind howled. The rain, caught in the wind, splashed against his face, leaving streaks of water.

His chest ached dully. Gu Qichi gasped for air in large mouthfuls, barely able to endure such an intense sprinting speed. A coppery, sweet taste of blood gradually welled up his throat. It hurt so much.

But he was still too slow. His soft, jet-black hair was viciously yanked from behind. The man’s five fingers caged his head, pulling hard from the roots, sending a terrifying jolt of pain tearing across his scalp.

He was kicked repeatedly in the calves and back.

“You little bastard, you dare run?!”

“I provide for your food and drink, I raised you this big, and you won’t even let me order you around for a second? You little mutt! Little mutt!”

Those filthy curses and kicks rained down on Gu Qichi bit by bit, hurting him so much his heart practically stopped. Every hair on his body stood on end as he curled himself into the tightest ball he could manage.

It was the fetal position of a baby sleeping in a mother’s womb—back slightly arched, allowing him to protect himself from injury to the greatest extent possible.

In the pouring rain, the man dragged Gu Qichi all the way to a shallow ditch in front of the house. He looked down at him from above, his eyes filled with an indescribable malice.

Gu Qichi hugged his leg, shivering and crying, shaking his head in almost a begging manner: “Dad, no, Dad I’m begging you. I’ll go buy you alcohol, don’t throw me in, Dad I’m begging you…”

His heart-wrenching cries tore out one after another, ripping his throat until he was almost entirely hoarse, but it was to no avail.

The person he called “Father” kicked him straight into the water. The current rushed over his head. Gu Qichi struggled to climb up, all four limbs thrashing wildly, but he only sank deeper. Stagnant, foul-smelling water flooded his nasal cavity. His face went pale as he slowly sank until the water surface closed over his head, making it impossible to ever glimpse the light again.

And his father just stood on the bank, coldly watching him struggle like an evil demon from the depths of hell. A bolt of lightning struck, the snow-white flash illuminating the sky. The last thing Gu Qichi saw before losing consciousness was his hideous, sinister smile.

Fortunately, Gu Qichi’s “mother” returned in time that day, and the enthusiastic neighbors jumped into the water to rescue him, barely saving his life.

Though Gu Qichi was saved, soaking in the water for so long, combined with the numerous wounds on his body, resulted in a high fever that lasted for four or five days. It left him with a lingering root illness, causing his physical health to decline sharply. During that time, Gu Qichi lay in a hospital bed, receiving IV drips every single day.

He lowered his eyes, watching time and time again as the nurses pierced his veins with sharp needles, while his “father” simply stared at him fixedly. The dense, stinging pain spread along his nerve endings all the way to his cerebral cortex.

Gu Qichi trembled slightly all over. Not for any other reason, but because he read a message from the other man’s eyes—

He had genuinely wanted him to drown in that stream of water.

In the past, when Gu Qichi was still young, he didn’t understand why his dad hated him so much, beating and scolding him constantly. No matter how well-behaved he was, how obedient he acted, or how good his grades were, the man was never willing to show him a shred of kindness.

It wasn’t until he was sixteen, when his and Gu Yuning’s true parentage was exposed and the truth came to light, that Gu Qichi finally understood. His “dad” was indeed a good dad—just not his dad. He was Gu Yuning’s dad.

He had always hoped that Gu Qichi would die a quiet, unnoticed death. Only then could Gu Yuning’s identity remain hidden forever, never to be exposed, allowing his real son to enjoy the wealth and glory of the Gu family in perpetuity.

After all, dead men tell no tales.

The alcohol paralyzed his brain, causing Gu Qichi’s dimensions of memory to become chaotic. In his dazed state, he shrank back from Bo Yu a few inches, tears silently sliding from the corners of his eyes.

“Don’t give me a shot. I don’t want it.”

He struggled, trying to forcefully pry away the hand Bo Yu was holding him with, nearly hitting his head in the process.

Bo Yu was quick on his feet. He reached out to block Gu Qichi’s head, pulling him into his arms, feeling somewhat at a loss as he looked at the tears on his face.

“We won’t go to the hospital, and there won’t be any shots. Stop crying.”

“Okay?”

His tone held a gentleness that even he himself found hard to notice.

Bo Yu’s words comforted Gu Qichi, letting his emotions gradually stabilize.

Bo Yu gently squeezed his fingertips, his gaze heavy. Exerting force in his arms, he pulled the young man completely against him.

His hands were locked around Gu Qichi’s waist. The young man, eyes half-closed, sat obediently on his lap. His eyelashes fluttered, only able to make out the blurry silhouette of the person in front of him.

“Who are you?” Gu Qichi lowered his head and asked.

This posture made him a half-head taller than Bo Yu, casting a faint shadow over him.

Bo Yu let go of the hand he was holding. The pads of his fingers gently caressed Gu Qichi’s pale face, wiping away every trace of the tears there.

“I am Bo Yu.”

Hearing this name, Gu Qichi seemed to recall something happy. The haze on his face completely dissipated, and his amber eyes rippled with a gentle, watery light, sparkling under the fragmented city lights like twinkling stars.

The loose strands of hair by his ears swayed with his movements, revealing a translucent, pale earlobe tinged with pink. Gu Qichi followed his words, speaking slowly, syllable by syllable: “Bo Yu.”

“Bo Yu.”

“Bo Yu.”

He called it out three times in a row, and Bo Yu humored him, responding to him time and time again.

Gu Qichi just leaned into the crook of his arm, wrapping his arms around his shoulders, remaining quietly silent.

The car drove down the road at a fast but steady pace. Fine threads of rain hit the car windows, winding into a painting. The neon lights and bustling nightlife outside reflected blurry light and shadows—red, white, yellow, and blue light spots bloomed, weaving and overlapping together.

The two of them sat very close. Gu Qichi seemed to be too sleepy, his head resting crookedly on Bo Yu’s shoulder.

His eyelashes drooped, casting a faint shadow over his face. The corners of his eyes were stained a watery red, his whole body flushed a pale pink from the fumes of the alcohol.

He was quiet and peaceful, beautiful like a porcelain doll.

His breathing was long and even. Bo Yu’s Adam’s apple bobbed up and down. His gaze was deep, dark and lightless as he simply watched Gu Qichi sleep.

It’s fine if he sleeps for a while first.

Bo Yu looked out the window, his five fingers pressing against the glass, leaving a large, slender handprint on the fogged-up surface before casually withdrawing his gaze.

He rubbed his thumb against the condensation gathered on his palm, trying to use the slight chill to suppress his current restlessness.

Seeming to sleep uncomfortably, Gu Qichi rolled restlessly in his arms. Bo Yu’s fingers paused slightly before he straightened Gu Qichi’s head, finding a more comfortable position for him.

Let him sleep a bit longer while he can, because tonight, there won’t be any sleep.

Afraid of waking Gu Qichi, Bo Yu spoke softly, his tone deep and hoarse: “Bai Heng, how much longer until we get back?”

Hearing Bo Yu’s question, Bai Heng appropriately resumed his status as a living human. He checked the traffic and estimated the time.

Bai Heng: “Boss Bo, it’ll be about another forty minutes.”

Forty minutes…

That was simply too long…

Bo Yu let out a dissatisfied “tsk”, just about to tell Bai Heng to speed up, when the person in his arms suddenly woke up.

Gu Qichi’s black hair was slightly messed up from sleeping, with a few loose strands poking his eyelids uncomfortably. He brushed the hair away from his forehead, revealing a smooth, full brow. His thin wrists tensed into beautiful, lean muscle lines as he asked blankly:

“Bo Yu, where are we going?”

Bo Yu looked down at him and said flatly, “Home.”

Gu Qichi shrank back, his five fingers tightly gripping Bo Yu’s shirt, shaking his head frantically: “No, I don’t want to go home.”

Bo Yu’s breath caught. His gaze turned slightly dark as he gripped his wrist tightly. “Gu Qichi, it’s too late to go back on your word now.”

Gu Qichi was still shaking his head, murmuring softly as if possessed by some inner demon: “Don’t go home. I don’t want to go home, he’ll hit me…”

“I’m not going home. I hate going home. I hate Zhou Yuan…”

Zhou Yuan…

Gu Qichi’s former foster father, and Gu Yuning’s biological father.

Sensing something was deeply wrong with Gu Qichi’s words, Bo Yu sat him upright, meeting his gaze. His brows were furrowed tight, his expression dark, looking like a storm was about to break.

“Gu Qichi, explain clearly. Who hit you?”

Those beautiful amber pupils reflected his image. Tears silently accumulated in his eye sockets, until a massive, round drop slowly fell.

Gu Qichi felt like his head was splitting open, as if he had touched something he shouldn’t have. The sharp pain at his nerve endings tortured him until he nearly lost his reason, his lips turning stark white.

Enduring the pain, he answered: “Zhou Yuan. It was Zhou Yuan. He pushed me into the water and hit me. He wanted me to die. He wanted to kill me…”

“Bo Yu, it hurts so much. I don’t want to go home…”

Bo Yu’s face turned unimaginably ugly. He had previously only known that Gu Yuning’s biological parents hadn’t treated Gu Qichi well, but he never expected that Zhou Yuan had dared to abuse Gu Qichi like this.

Thinking back to what Bai Heng had investigated regarding Gu Qichi’s life before the age of sixteen—which had been barely passable as ‘stable’—it turned out it was all a scam.

The Gu family must have secretly pulled some strings to cover up what Zhou Yuan had done to Gu Qichi.

“Where does it hurt? Gu Qichi, where did he hit you?”

Gu Qichi shook his head, only continuously crying out that it hurt.

Helpless, Bo Yu hugged him to his chest, gently patting his back with extremely light force, as if coaxing a newborn baby.

“It doesn’t hurt anymore, and we aren’t going home either, okay?”

“I’ll help you hit him back, so Zhou Yuan never dares to touch you again, okay?”

A comforting kiss landed on his forehead, carrying a reassuring scent.

Gu Qichi nodded, resting his chin on Bo Yu’s shoulder. “Okay. You help me beat him away.”

Just as his voice fell, he lifted his eyelids, looking around groggily. In his peripheral vision, Gu Qichi accidentally caught sight of Bo Yu’s bobbing Adam’s apple once more.

And that faintly visible red mole.

He had been craving it for a long time.

Bo Yu was still earnestly comforting him. Gu Qichi had worn cologne tonight, and the faint, sweet scent of cherry liqueur floated faintly in the air—sweet to the point of being cloying, yet not the least bit repulsive.

Gu Qichi just had that kind of magic. It felt like anything associated with him would instantly be covered in a magical filter.

Making people unable to tear themselves away from him.

Gu Qichi leaned forward slightly, his expression serious. He tugged at Bo Yu’s sleeve, and taking advantage of the moment the other man turned his head, he leaned in fast, precise, and ruthless, and took a bite.

That red mole became even more vibrantly red in response to its owner’s emotions, looking exceptionally striking against the cold, pale skin.

Seeing Bo Yu pinch the back of his neck, a tingling numbness shot all the way up his tailbone. Growing bold, Gu Qichi leaned into his ear and whispered something softly…

Bai Heng was concentrating intensely on driving when he suddenly heard his CEO yell out in exasperated exasperation: “Stop the car!”

The Maybach slammed to a halt, the brakes engaging. Bai Heng, confused and just about to turn around to see what was going on, was met with Bo Yu’s freezing, dark glare sweeping over him.

“Go to the nearest convenience store.”

---

The night was already very deep, yet the rain showed no signs of stopping, pattering loudly against the roofs.

Fang Zhizhi was incredibly sleepy. Bored out of her mind, she sat behind the cash register, propping up her chin with her hand, her head dipping lower and lower.

Just as she was about to smash her face into the glass counter, a rustling noise came from outside the door, jolting Fang Zhizhi awake.

Between the blurred lights and shadows, she could only make out a pitch-black figure.

Thinking of all the recent news incidents involving young girls being kidnapped—especially since this time of night was prime time for accidents—Fang Zhizhi silently swallowed. Her sleepiness was mostly chased away. There was no one else around; if something really happened, she was screwed.

With this thought, Fang Zhizhi shakily picked up her phone and pulled a bottle of pepper spray from her bag, silently typing ‘110’ (Police) into her dial pad just in case.

In front of the supermarket door hung a curtain of five-colored beads. The boss lady had brought it back from a trip to Thailand, supposedly hand-woven and guaranteed to never fade. Intrigued, she bought it and hung it on the door to test that claim.

Fang Zhizhi had originally mocked it, thinking the whole “never fades” thing was just a sales pitch to scam people into buying.

She didn’t expect that after hanging here for two or three years, battered by wind and rain every day, it not only didn’t fade a bit, but actually seemed to grow more vibrant.

It left Fang Zhizhi speechless.

A breeze blew past, and the bead curtain was gently lifted, the beads clinking together with a crisp sound.

The first thing to enter her vision was a cold, pale hand gripping a massive black umbrella. The umbrella had an unrecognizable pattern on it and looked incredibly expensive at first glance.

Looking further up, the man who entered closed the umbrella. The sturdy metal ribs made a loud clack, and it was placed upside down by the door.

His hair was slightly messy, with raindrops dripping from the back of his neck. He had narrow phoenix eyes, a high nose bridge, and intensely oppressive facial features, yet his lips were vividly red—the only bright color on his cold, pale face.

Fang Zhizhi’s breath hitched. She glanced at the phone wallpaper of her newest celebrity crush, Gu Qichi, coughed lightly, and started daydreaming about a Cinderella-marries-a-billionaire storyline, calculating her odds of successfully asking for this guy’s WeChat.

Her eyes were glued tightly to Bo Yu, shifting with his every movement.

She watched Bo Yu walk closer. His long legs were wrapped in crisp black suit fabric; he had broad shoulders, a narrow waist, and an absolutely superb physique.

Fang Zhizhi’s heart began to pound uncontrollably.

Fuck.

To actually see a man like this in an ordinary little convenience store… had she accumulated enough good karma over the past two days?

Bo Yu stopped at the shelf in front of the cash register. His gaze was deep as he quickly scanned the top, located what he wanted, and then bent down.

Seeing clearly what Bo Yu was trying to buy, Fang Zhizhi pouted and instantly killed any thoughts of hitting on him.

But her eyes gained a hint of mischievous curiosity, wanting to see exactly what size the guy was buying.

The top shelf was extra small, below that was small, then medium.

The second to last shelf was large.

Fang Zhizhi watched as the man’s well-defined hand moved down inch by inch. The muscle lines of his arm were smooth and defined, slightly stretching his shirt, until he finally stopped at the very bottom shelf.

MAX.

Because it had gone ignored by customers for so long, the boxes even had a layer of dust on them, looking a bit old.

The supermarket’s fluorescent lights were bright, almost burning the eyes.

Bo Yu arched his back, his eyes lowered. His knobby hand reached toward the bottom shelf. His brow furrowed slightly when his fingertips touched the dust on the boxes, but he proceeded to grab all of them anyway.

Holy shit.

Fang Zhizhi’s mouth hung wide open as she stared blankly at the completely emptied bottom shelf.

A cold, pale fingertip tapped against the checkout counter—exactly twice, no more, no less—snapping Fang Zhizhi back to reality.

Slightly dazed, she raised her head and met Bo Yu’s gaze.

Bo Yu’s Adam’s apple bobbed as he asked flatly: “Aside from the ones in my hand, do you have any more of this size in stock?”

Fang Zhizhi was absolutely dumbfounded. Even someone as experienced as her was stunned into silence for a long time.

The man in front of her looked displeased. His brows furrowed slightly as he pursed his lips and asked again: “You don’t?”

Waking as if from a dream, Fang Zhizhi shook her head and stammered her reply: “Yes, we do. In the back. How many do you want?”

“I’ll get them for you.”

Bo Yu glanced at the pink chewing gum displayed by the register, withdrew his gaze, and said flatly: “I’ll take them all.”

Fang Zhizhi: …

Fang Zhizhi: ?

Holy shit.

You’ve gotta be kidding me.

Bro, are you stocking up wholesale here???

Until the transaction was completely rung up, Fang Zhizhi just kept her mouth open, staring blankly at the fully-loaded Bo Yu with a twitching mouth.

For a moment, she didn’t know whether to feel grateful that she was a single dog, or worried for Bo Yu’s partner.

But doing the math, both realities were pretty tragic.

Fang Zhizhi silently mourned for Bo Yu’s partner. Tonight, I wish you sweet dreams.

Afterward, she picked up her phone and started admiring the photos in her album.

They were all screenshots of Gu Qichi from I Take My Dad to Travel. Every single one was a casual screenshot she took—no editing used at all, yet still so beautiful they could casually be used as wallpapers.

How could someone this beautiful exist in this world?!!

Fang Zhizhi scrolled through I Take My Dad to Travel again and started screaming: “Ahhhhhhhhhhh cub! My Qichi cub! My Zhaozhao baby! Mommy loves you!”

Wait…

In I Take My Dad to Travel, that man who only had half of his body in the frame… why did he look a little familiar?

Like she had seen him somewhere before?

Unable to figure it out, Fang Zhizhi decided to toss the thought to the back of her mind and continue devouring what little content she had of Gu Qichi.

“My Qichi baby, when are you going on another variety show? Mommy is going to die without you!”

…

Inside the car, Bai Heng took advantage of Bo Yu’s absence to secretly glance back at the peacefully sleeping Gu Qichi.

He let out a silent sigh.

He had followed Bo Yu for so many years and had never seen anyone dare to act wildly in front of Bo Yu, let alone provoke Bo Yu with no regard for the immensity of heaven and earth.

But not only did Gu Qichi do it, he was now sleeping soundly here—sleeping through the dark heavens and earth, completely unbothered by the thunder outside.

Let alone punishing him, Bo Yu couldn’t even bear to touch him roughly.

Seeing Bo Yu’s figure slowly walking out of the convenience store, Bai Heng quickly retracted his gaze and sat up straight in the driver’s seat.

He silently lamented: Bo Yu has really fallen this time, fallen completely and utterly.

Lost down to the very ground.

When the car door opened, Bo Yu tossed the plastic bag he was carrying onto the passenger seat, then turned and got into the back, pulling Gu Qichi into his arms.

He shot a glance at Bai Heng, his tone neither heavy nor light: “Drive steadily. Don’t bump him awake.”

Bai Heng agreed. As he was re-buckling his seatbelt, he accidentally caught a glimpse of the contents of the plastic bag.

It was bulging, almost overflowing.

…

…………

He was wrong. Bo Yu was still Bo Yu; he was still that madman.

It wasn’t that he couldn’t bear to punish Gu Qichi; it was just that the time hadn’t come yet. Bo Yu was saving it all up.

A boss truly is a boss. Bai Heng silently swallowed, restarted the car, and drove toward the Bo residence.

Gu Qichi slept very deeply, feeling as though he had slept for a long time. In his dreams, there were bizarre, absurd memories of things he had never seen before.

Sensing that these memories might be related to him, Gu Qichi chased after them desperately in his dream, trying to figure out what it was that he had forgotten.

Unfortunately, he failed completely.

His body suddenly lifted into the air. The feeling of weightlessness jolted him awake.

In his line of sight were Bo Yu’s refined jawline and cold Adam’s apple. From his side came the sound of a car door shutting.

Gu Qichi looked toward the sound, only to see Bai Heng closing the car door and following behind him and Bo Yu.

“Gu Qichi. Look at me.”

“Don’t look at anyone else.”

Bo Yu’s voice, neither cold nor warm, came from above his head, barely drawing Gu Qichi’s gaze back.

Bai Heng followed behind them, his heart pounding in fear at Bo Yu’s warning glance. He silently stepped a few paces further back, carrying an entire plastic bag while secretly cursing Bo Yu’s overbearing possessiveness.

Bo Yu didn’t take Gu Qichi back to the main family estate, but rather to a villa where he usually lived.

A’ci had also been settled here by him.

Honestly speaking, Bo Yu really was like a wild beast in certain regards. He possessed the sharp insight and observation of an animal, the murderous thrill when tormenting prey, and an incredibly intense sense of territory.

He absolutely never allowed people he didn’t know to step into his territory, especially Bo Yu’s own bedroom. He always cleaned it personally; the cleaning auntie had never been granted permission to enter.

Bai Heng placed the plastic bag down in the living room. Taking a brief look around the luxurious layout, he silently condemned Bo Yu as a capitalistic tycoon devoid of humanity on behalf of the ordinary working class.

He then watched Bo Yu carry Gu Qichi upstairs to the second floor.

The corridor wound all the way to the room at the very end—

Bo Yu’s own bedroom.

Bai Heng raised an eyebrow, made his hand into a fist, and coughed lightly against his lips, before silently backing out the front door.

If he wasn’t wrong, Boss Bo was going to have a wonderful night tonight.

The night he had dreamed of.

Thoughtfully straightening the umbrella that had been casually tossed by the door, Bai Heng took one last look around and left completely.

When Gu Qichi was carried upstairs by Bo Yu, his arm hung limply down. The blue veins on his slender arm wound along his pale skin, his wrist bone protruding slightly, while a flush of pink bloomed across his cold, white skin.

A rustling sound came from the corner.

Thick, pink meat pads pressed silently against the floor. A’ci had long since caught Gu Qichi’s scent, and the Silver Shaded cat silently jumped down from a high place, following closely behind the two of them step by step.

“Meow~”

“Meow~”

The sweet, cloying meows rang endlessly through the quiet space. A’ci jumped up, extending her paws to reach for Gu Qichi’s hanging arm.

Silver Shaded cat hair flew everywhere, sticking all over Bo Yu.

Gu Qichi’s head was resting on Bo Yu’s shoulder. Before he even had time to see A’ci clearly, he was placed onto a large bed.

The mattress was soft. The young man with cold, pale skin sank into the dark, deep black bedsheets, looking like a flawless angel falling into darkness—a breathtaking, thrilling kind of beauty.

The only imperfection was that, while Bo Yu went downstairs to grab things, A’ci leaped out from under the bed, hopped onto the mattress, and stood firmly on guard beside Gu Qichi.

The Silver Shaded cat’s blue-tinted eyes stared intently at Gu Qichi. Her round body rolled back and forth on the bed, meowing non-stop to express how much she missed her owner.

She hadn’t seen Gu Qichi for over half a month.

When Bo Yu walked into the room carrying his things, his eyes happened to clash with A’ci’s.

One man, one cat. At some point, the atmosphere between them had become intensely hostile.

Bo Yu let out a languid laugh, his lips curling into a thin arc. His tongue pressed against his inner cheek as he approached the edge of the bed.

The tall man cast a shallow shadow over the bed, perfectly shrouding the young man on it.

Bo Yu bent down, picked A’ci up by the scruff of her neck, and lifted her off the bed to face him eye-to-eye.

His eyes were dark, as thick as churning ocean waves, as he spoke with unreadable meaning:

“I’ve fed you well and housed you for so long, A’ci. Give me some face and be a good girl. Go play outside, don’t disturb us…”

“Hmm?”

His voice was low and hoarse, the trailing note carrying an extra touch of magnetism.

The Silver Shaded cat was tossed out. The door silently shut, and with a click, Bo Yu locked it.

Gu Qichi propped himself up slightly. Feeling dizzy, his waist went soft, and he nearly fell back down. Thankfully, he was caught by Bo Yu, who wrapped an arm around his waist.

He had a very deep, woody scent on him—sandalwood mixed with orange peel—that was somewhat alluring.

The hair at the back of his head was gently grasped and pulled down. Following the pull, Gu Qichi tilted his head up slightly. His amber eyes were a misty haze, his eyelashes damp with tears and clumped together, making him look exceptionally pitiful.

Yet Bo Yu could no longer hold back his intentions. He only wanted Gu Qichi’s emotional fluctuations to be greater, and preferably, controlled by him.

His voice struck against Gu Qichi’s ear, his Adam’s apple rolling up and down, accompanied by the sound of him swallowing: “Gu Qichi, who am I?”

Bo Yu asked him.

Outside the window, the night was thick and boundless. Without the neon lights of the city center, only a few street lamps could faintly be seen emitting a weak glow in the rain.

The evening breeze blew past. The sound of rain mixed with the rustling of beaten leaves filled the night, creating a noisy backdrop.

Gu Qichi tilted his head up, kissed Bo Yu’s jawline, and then answered: “Bo Yu.”

“You are Bo Yu.”

Having received the answer he wanted, Bo Yu bit down on his lips, pressing against his waist. The blue veins bulged on his smooth, muscular arms, clearly indicating his endurance had reached its absolute limit.

No one knew better than Bo Yu what was written in that agreement contract.

[During the term of this agreement, neither party shall act against Mr. Gu Qichi’s wishes, nor engage in any behavior detrimental to his physical or mental health.]

But they weren’t married yet. Furthermore, he wasn’t going against Gu Qichi’s wishes.

It was Gu Qichi who had taken the initiative to provoke him.

His breath gradually grew hotter. Pulling back slightly, he coaxed him with a hoarse voice: “Gu Qichi, we’re married. What should you call me?”

What should he call him?

Gu Qichi’s mind was a chaotic mess. He thought about it for quite a while, letting Bo Yu repeatedly knead the skin at the back of his neck like a cat, before shakily opening his mouth:

“Hubby…”

His tone carried a hint of confusion and probing.

He actually wasn’t entirely sure what Bo Yu wanted to hear, but his intuition told him that this was the exact word Bo Yu wanted.

…

Tonight was stretched out to be very long. Every minute, every second, was dragged out infinitely by the pattering sound of the rain.

The only thing that could be heard was the meowing of the Silver Shaded cat outside the door.

Cat claws scratching against the wood.

Over and over again, without a moment’s rest.