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When they returned to Huaicheng City, it was just past five in the morning.
As the car drove into Qingping Garden, Qi Xing suddenly said, "The sun is about to come out."
In the passenger seat, Ye Xingzhou opened his eyes. Through the car window, he saw a corner of the dark sky ahead revealing the first hints of dawn.
After watching quietly for a moment, he heard Qi Xing's laughter beside him: "Seeing the first beam of morning light on the first day of the new year means this year will definitely bring good fortune. I wish you prosperity!"
Ye Xingzhou picked up his phone.
Rarely having a feeling to take a landscape photo for the first time in his thirty years of life.
……
Ten minutes later, the car stopped in front of a small building in the garden, which was where Qi Xing usually stayed overnight when he came back.
The butler of Qingping Garden was waiting to greet them and inform them that Mr. Chen had not yet woken up and suggested that they rest first and join Mr. Chen for lunch later.
Qi Xing stretched lazily as he got out of the car. He was actually in good spirits as he had spent most of the journey sleeping and only switching places with Ye Xingzhou in the last hour. Although his shoulder still ached a bit, he could definitely handle another three hundred rounds with Ye Xingzhou.
So when the butler politely mentioned the accommodation arranged for Ye Xingzhou next door, Qi Xing turned back and beckoned Ye Xingzhou with his finger and leading him to his own room.
They tumbled into bed and Ye Xingzhou's tie happened to fall onto Qi Xing's face, making it a bit itchy. Qi Xing inwardly cursed this person for being overly pretentious and insisting on wearing a perfectly tailored suit even during the New Year. He opened his mouth and bit down on the tie.
With the tie in his mouth, he pulled Ye Xingzhou closer with his eyes filled with teasing.
Ye Xingzhou took the opportunity to lean down and look at him for a moment before lowering his head then pressing his tongue against Qi Xing's through the tie.
In the end, they only fought one round.
Qi Xing couldn't hold on any longer and wrapped himself in the blanket and turned over to sleep.
Ye Xingzhou lit a cigarette then quietly finished it before taking a shower and heading out to see Mr. Chen.
Mr. Chen had just woken up and was having breakfast. When he saw Ye Xingzhou come in, he invited him to sit down and asked with a smile, "Did you two drive all night back? Aren't you tired? Qi Xing must be asleep, right?”
Ye Xingzhou replied calmly, "I'm fine, I can manage."
For him, sleeping a few hours a day made no difference; as long as he wanted, he could always find a way to keep himself focused and alert.
Mr. Chen picked up the teapot and personally poured a cup of tea for him. "Did you see Qi Xing's parents over there?"
"Qi Xing had a conflict with his parents and went to his cousin's house alone. I picked him up at his cousin's place," Ye Xingzhou said.
Mr. Chen looked at him. "You said before that you were just friends. What about now?"
Ye Xingzhou answered calmly, "Whether it is or not needs to be defined by Qi Xing."
Mr. Chen said, "I thought you were the more proactive one."
"If it were just me leading him the whole way, it wouldn't be fair to either of us." Ye Xingzhou picked up the teacup and took a slow sip as his expression was steady. "Let's wait until he figures it out."
"But you won't give Qi Xing any other options," Mr. Chen saw right through him. "You never even considered giving him other choices."
Ye Xingzhou did not deny it. "I hope you understand."
It should have been a request but his tone was particularly strong, even when facing someone like Mr. Chen.
"If I said I don't understand or agree, you probably wouldn't care. Even if Qi Xing's parents insisted on opposing it, you wouldn't take it to heart, would you?"
"I don't want to reach that point."
"What if it happens?"
"I will still insist."
Ye Xingzhou's attitude was clear. Mr. Chen sighed, "If I'm being honest, I really think you, or rather your family, is too complicated and not suitable for Qi Xing."
Ye Xingzhou replied, "I can protect him."
"When Qi Xing was in middle school, his dad had just established himself in Huaicheng City’s business circle. It was a time of great pride for him. For a while, his old man got too inflated, ignoring my advice and acting recklessly, which offended quite a few people. This directly led to Qi Xing being kidnapped and missing for five whole days. The police had no leads, and in the end, I had to use my connections to get him back."
Ye Xingzhou frowned slightly as Mr. Chen continued, "Fortunately, that kid only suffered some minor injuries and was not seriously harmed. He was still carefree and forgot about it in a few days, leaving no psychological scars. But after that, his dad changed. He learned to be more family-oriented and his business methods became more low-key and gentle. Both he and his wife felt guilty towards Qi Xing and spoiled him but in some aspects, they were particularly strict, requiring him to come home on time every night. Even now, in his twenties, they still set a curfew for him. This is all because of what happened back then; once bitten, twice shy. After all, Qi Xing is their only precious son."
"As for me, I've had a decent life but my only regret is the lack of close family ties. In my old age, I only have Qi Xing as my grandson. I treat him like my own grandson. I can give him anything he wants. If he says he likes men, I support him. My only worry is that he might not meet a good partner and could be harmed by others."
Ye Xingzhou insisted, "That won't happen. I can protect him."
Still that same sentence, firm and resolute.
Mr. Chen stared into his eyes. Ye Xingzhou wasn't wearing glasses today, which made him look different from usual. Although this man was young, the determination and resolve in his gaze were something Mr. Chen had rarely seen in others throughout his life. Thus, he was willing to support him, invest in him and introduce him to connections to help him advance further.
If there was anything wrong, it was that Ye Xingzhou's assertiveness was mixed with a hidden ruthlessness that he tried to conceal but couldn't. Mr. Chen had previously not cared, even thinking that evil had its own merits. But when it came to Qi Xing, he couldn't help but worry.
He had hoped Qi Xing could be friends with Ye Xingzhou and thinking that it would help the kid gain some skills and temper his character. If he stumbled with Ye Xingzhou, he could still be there to pick up the pieces. But it was never meant to be this ambiguous kind of friendship.
Once feelings were involved, it was not something outsiders could meddle in, even if it was him, Qi Xing's grandfather, or Qi Xing's parents; they couldn't do much.
The earlier mention of a granddaughter-in-law was just a casual joke. Someone like Ye Xingzhou was far better as an opponent than as a family member, especially as a son-in-law.
Although Qi Xing wasn't a girl, it was hardly different. But this matter was no longer something he or Qi Ronghua could oppose effectively.
"I heard that Lin Hongfei from the Lin family has bet his entire fortune and invested in that state-owned enterprise in Chongjiang City. Was that you who connected him?" Mr. Chen suddenly changed the subject.
Ye Xingzhou nodded lightly. "Yes."
"Were you doing it on purpose?" Old Chen scrutinized his expression but couldn't find any clues. "Since you said you were friends with that Teacher Lin, why would you do this?"
"In business, there are no friends. I thought Mr. Chen wouldn't ask such a question," Ye Xingzhou replied without changing his expression.
"Maybe I'm getting old but I still believe in the principle of letting people go when you can. Qi Xing's dad learned this lesson the hard way," Mr. Chen said while shaking his head slightly. "What if the target were Qi Xing's family company? Would you still think there are no friends in business?"
Ye Xingzhou replied, "I won't do anything that would upset Qi Xing."
He indeed acted without scruples and didn't know how to hold back and prioritized profit above all. But for Qi Xing, he was willing to compromise.
Mr. Chen was silent for a moment but stopped asking. "Let's have breakfast; the food is getting cold."
Ye Xingzhou said, "Qi Xing was hit on the back by his dad with a stool last night and the bruise on his shoulder is quite serious. When he wakes up, we need to call a doctor. Please also tell his dad not to do that again next time."
Mr. Chen frowned upon hearing this. He recognized that Ye Xingzhou's tone was not very polite and contained some dissatisfaction towards Qi Ronghua.
The little cooperation between the Ye Corporation and Ronghua Corporation was insignificant. His respect for Qi Ronghua was probably based on the fact that he was Qi Xing's father. If Qi Ronghua treated Qi Xing poorly, that respect would no longer exist.
However, Mr. Chen couldn't really blame anyone. He understood Qi Ronghua's frustration but if something serious happened to Qi Xing because of that, not just Ye Xingzhou, he would also have to find trouble with that old man. "After breakfast, I'll call him and let him know Qi Xing is here. I'll remind him about this matter."
Ye Xingzhou nodded. "Thank you."
Mr. Chen felt a bit uncomfortable. Ye Xingzhou was not only becoming less polite to Qi Ronghua but also increasingly so towards him. This "thank you" seemed polite but effectively placed Qi Xing entirely on his side, as if he and Qi Ronghua were the outsiders.
That brat Qi Xing, he didn't know how he ended up with someone like this. He said he found him unpleasant, yet he was easily swept away.
The cabbage they had carefully raised was ultimately eat by a pig.
Qi Xing slept until nearly noon before waking up. As soon as he moved, Ye Xingzhou also opened his eyes. Qi Xing was still a bit dazed while reaching for the phone on the bedside table to check the time, only to find it was already past eleven.
As he sat up, because he suddenly moved, he pulled the injury in his back and overworked sore waist, involuntarily letting out a cry of pain and collapsing back into bed, where Ye Xingzhou caught him.
He gasped in pain and Ye Xingzhou supported him before carefully examining his back. The bruise looked even more pronounced than last night and it seemed to have spread: "Does it hurt a lot?"
Qi Xing was on the verge of tears. "It's all your fault, you bastard."
"You were the one who realized your sexual orientation and not me. You even said coming out had nothing to do with me," Ye Xingzhou reminded him coolly.
Qi Xing immediately shut his mouth.
It was still early in the morning; would it kill him to say something nice? Well, technically, it was already noon.
Last night, this person must have been possessed by someone else. Now that the magic hour had passed, his original nature had returned.
Ye Xingzhou held him down and sent someone to call a doctor.
There were medical staff stationed in Qingping Garden and they came to check on Qi Xing before they confirmed that there were no fractures. Medical staff prescribed some medicine to promote blood circulation and reduce bruising while reminding him to avoid strenuous activities and rest more over the next few days.
Reluctantly, Qi Xing lay on the bed. Ye Xingzhou poured the medicine into his palm, rubbed it and helped him massage it in. The contrasting sensations made Qi Xing continuously grunt but sometimes complaining that Ye Xingzhou was pressing too hard and other times saying he wasn't applying enough pressure.
He was quite difficult to please.
His appearance combined with those words was enough to spark the imagination but the pungent smell of the ointment quickly dispelled any ambiguous thoughts.
Ye Xingzhou's hand moved gently over Qi Xing's shoulder while watching him enjoy the moment with his eyes half-closed and he suddenly thought of a cat he had raised when he was a child.
It was a wild cat, very beautiful.
At that time, he was still in the orphanage and the wild cat often climbed over the wall to find him for food. When it was hungry, it would do everything it could to act cute and be affectionate, even lying on the ground with its belly exposed for him to pet. But once it was full, it would immediately turn its back and leave with an air of superiority.
Occasionally, when it was in a good mood, the wild cat would bring him small birds or mice as gifts, sometimes climbing onto him and rolling around, dirtying and tearing his already few clothes, which it found amusing.
Later, the cat was killed by other children in the orphanage. He buried the cat himself then devised a plan to make the other child fall from the second floor and break a leg.
That was the first time he didn't suppress the evil in his nature.
From that day on, no one in the orphanage dared to touch his things and he never raised another cat.
Qi Xing sensed something and turned to look at him. "What are you thinking about?"
Ye Xingzhou increased the pressure of his massage and pressed down hard. Qi Xing inhaled sharply then glared at him. "Are you doing this on purpose as revenge?"
Ye Xingzhou released his hand and reminded him, "Now that you know it hurts, you should pay attention and don't keep getting yourself hurt."
Qi Xing retorted, "It's my dad who hit me with that. What can I do? Should I fight back?"
Ye Xingzhou replied, "You could dodge. If you can't dodge, you can run. Don't be foolish and think you should just stand there and let him hit you."
"I just couldn't dodge or run away. If I did run, I would have been hit in more places. I'm not stupid enough to just stand there waiting for him. Do you really think I’m that foolish?" Qi Xing muttered a couple of complaints then found it pointless and lay back down.
Ye Xingzhou didn't say anything more and just quietly finished applying the medicine and gently patted his waist. "Go wash up and have lunch."
Qi Xing buried his head in his phone, clearly not wanting to talk to him.
Ye Xingzhou got up and went to wash his hands first.
When he returned, he found Qi Xing lying there in a daze and no longer playing on his phone. Ye Xingzhou sat down beside him then pinched his face to make him look at him. "Are you angry?"
Qi Xing irritably swatted his hand away. Under Ye Xingzhou's persistent gaze, he finally said unhappily, "Young Master Ye, you're so fierce. I'm the one who got hurt but you're still scolding me with that stern face."
Ye Xingzhou asked, "Am I fierce?"
Qi Xing replied, "Aren't you?"
"Is it fierce just because I said a couple of things to you?" Ye Xingzhou laughed. "Young Master Qi, what do you think of having this attitude called is? It's called spoiled by affection. Have you ever seen what I look like when I'm really fierce?"
Qi Xing's face turned red. "You're the one who's spoiled by affection. Stop talking nonsense."
Ye Xingzhou asked, "If it's not spoiled by affection, then what is it?"
Qi Xing was stumped.
It seemed he really couldn't stand Ye Xingzhou speaking harshly to him anymore. If someone else said things he didn't want to hear, he would definitely roll his eyes and retort, "Mind your own business and not mine." and then go and do his business.
Even if it was his parents saying it, he could let it go in one ear and out the other. But with Ye Xingzhou, it was different.
After a long pause, he finally mumbled, "Then say something nice. This time I'll let it slide, so I won't hold it against you."
Ye Xingzhou didn't remind him that this behavior was no longer just being spoiled by affection; it was pushing boundaries. "What nice thing?"
Qi Xing replied, "You think of something yourself."
Ye Xingzhou looked at him and did not speak immediately.
The only ones he could indulge like this, besides that wild cat from back then, were Qi Xing.
Even during the time when he had the best relationship with Lin Zhinian, their interactions were always cautious. No one could make him feel anger or joy like Qi Xing and making him feel he could still regain his empathy as a human.
What he wanted to protect was always this kind of Qi Xing.
Qi Xing had no idea about his complex emotions and thought he was being ignored. He angrily turned his head away but Ye Xingzhou finally spoke, "If you want to be spoiled, go ahead. It's up to you."
Qi Xing asked, "Is that your idea of a nice thing?"
Well, it was indeed a bit nicer than before.
Ye Xingzhou suddenly leaned down and got close then rubbed his nose against Qi Xing's. Before Qi Xing could react, he stood up and reminded him again, "Your grandpa sent someone to urge you. Hurry up and get up."
After saying that, he turned to grab his clothes. Qi Xing stared blankly for a moment and unconsciously followed Ye Xingzhou's figure with his gaze. It took him a while to come back to his senses and press a hand against his chest.
His heart was racing so fast.
Damn it, Ye Xingzhou was such a rule-breaker.
Where did he learn this...