After that day, Huo Youqing was annoyed for a long time. He felt he must have lost his mind to have kissed Dai Yixin. He had finally gotten rid of him, so even if they met again, it should’ve been as calm as water, not like… this.
The sweetness on his tongue and the lingering electric feeling seemed to still remain.
Huo Youqing shook his head, trying to dispel the chaotic thoughts from his mind.
The internal phone rang.
“President Huo, President Dai from RS Group would like to invite you to dinner tonight,” his assistant reported the time and place.
Without even thinking, Huo Youqing refused. “Tell him I’m busy tonight.”
“Understood, President Huo.”
The call ended.
But not long after, his work phone buzzed with a text message, signed by none other than Dai Yixin. They had exchanged business cards before, so it wasn’t surprising that Dai Yixin had his number.
Glancing at the message, Huo Youqing saw that Dai Yixin used a work-related matter to invite him.
It wasn’t unusual for business partners to invite him to dinner—sometimes discussing matters over a meal was easier than in the office—but this time, the invitation came from Dai Yixin.
Politely, but coldly, Huo Youqing declined.
Dai Yixin didn’t push further, and their conversation ended peacefully.
As long as he treated it with cold indifference and acted like nothing had happened that night, their relationship would remain strictly professional.
That’s what Huo Youqing thought as he exhaled deeply.
But sometimes, things are like boiling water. Even if you put a lid on it, steam still escapes through the cracks.
The next morning, the person who had been refused dinner showed up at the company. The project wasn’t large enough to require a CEO’s involvement, let alone have them personally oversee every detail, making the whole thing seem rather odd.
However, since neither of the leaders had spoken, the staff beneath them didn’t dare say much either.
Huo Youqing remained silent because his cousin was about to return from a business trip. He had already spoken to his cousin on the phone and told him that once his cousin was back, Huo Youqing would no longer be in charge of the project. His cousin readily agreed, and Huo Youqing immediately made his second request—he wanted to take a vacation.
Their company didn’t have a heavy overtime culture, but since joining, Huo Youqing had accumulated a full month of unused annual leave.
So, on the second day after his cousin returned, Huo Youqing handed over all his work and left the country with his suitcase. He didn’t have any particular destination in mind. Wherever he traveled, he would first go to the airport, check the upcoming flights, and embark on a spontaneous journey.
He had his experience from his twenty-seven years of life to thank for his lack of fear in traveling alone. What he didn’t expect was that, when he returned from his vacation, both his cousin and Dai Yixin came to pick him up.
His cousin introduced them, saying, “Youyou, do you remember Yixin? You two got along really well when you were eighteen. I didn’t expect Yixin to start his own business, and now he’s so accomplished.”
Huo Youqing glanced at Dai Yixin, who had a faint smile on his face, and immediately realized that his gullible cousin had probably been won over during the month he was gone.
He didn’t say anything at first, but his cousin noticed the strange atmosphere and was about to speak when Dai Yixin interjected, “Let’s get in the car first. Youyou must be tired after the long trip.”
“Right, right, let’s get in the car.” His cousin, while a bit naïve, knew his younger cousin well. Noticing that Huo Youqing seemed unhappy, he quickly grabbed Huo Youqing’s suitcase and patted him on the shoulder in an attempt to placate him, “I brought back a photo of that sculpture you liked last time.”
At this, his cousin shot Dai Yixin a grateful look.
If it weren’t for Dai Yixin, he wouldn’t have even been able to get a ticket to that auction. Moreover, Dai Yixin didn’t ask for any credit for helping out, proving himself to be reliable.
His cousin thought the look was subtle, but Huo Youqing, who was feeling particularly sensitive, noticed it immediately. First, he glared at his cousin, then shot a cold look at Dai Yixin.
Dai Yixin caught the glance, lowered his gaze slightly, and after a few seconds, lightly touched his nose with his long fingers, as if feeling guilty.
Perhaps because his good mood from the vacation had been mostly ruined, Huo Youqing, for the first time, felt a strong urge to smoke once he got in the car. He usually tried not to smoke around others, but today he couldn’t hold back. Taking out his cigarettes, he waved them at the two people in the front, “You don’t mind if I smoke, do you?”
Dai Yixin was driving, and his cousin was in the passenger seat, chatting with him.
His cousin was about to say he didn’t mind, but then remembered there was someone else in the car, so he turned to look at Dai Yixin.
Dai Yixin glanced at the cigarette in Huo Youqing’s hand through the rearview mirror, hesitated for a moment, then said, “It’s fine.”
Upon hearing this, Huo Youqing lit the cigarette and rolled down the window. He faced the outside as he smoked slowly and deeply. Perhaps because he looked so good, even when smoking out the window, someone in the next lane tried to strike up a conversation.
“Hey handsome, want to be friends?”
Someone in the neighboring lane handed over a business card.
Huo Youqing’s cousin, already accustomed to this kind of attention, was about to tell the person not to do anything so dangerous on the road, when suddenly, the car they were in accelerated. If it weren’t for his seatbelt, he would’ve been thrown forward.
Cousin: “?”
He looked at Dai Yixin, who seemed to have mistaken the gas pedal for the brake.
Dai Yixin pursed his lips and, with a hint of guilt, said, “Sorry, I saw the light turning red and got a bit anxious. Are you both okay?”
The cousin turned to check on Huo Youqing in the back seat, only to find him with the faintest smile, as if he were holding back laughter.
Indeed, Huo Youqing was holding back a laugh. Such a blatant display of jealousy was so obvious it was amusing. His earlier irritation had mostly melted away with the cigarette smoke. As a result, when he found out he’d be dining with Dai Yixin, he didn’t throw a fit.
His cousin had booked the restaurant, hoping to rekindle their friendship. Ever since he took over the family business, he understood that more friends meant more opportunities. Of course, all of this hinged on Huo Youqing’s willingness. If he didn’t want to rebuild their friendship, his cousin wouldn’t push him.
Now that he saw the faint smile on Huo Youqing’s face, the cousin finally relaxed a bit.
During the meal, alcohol was served, but only the cousin drank. Dai Yixin had to drive, and Huo Youqing declined, saying he was too tired. By the end of the meal, the cousin was thoroughly drunk, so Huo Youqing had no choice but to sit in the front seat, leaving the back for his cousin.
“Shall we drop your cousin off first?” Dai Yixin asked quietly from the driver’s seat.
Huo Youqing nodded.
The lively atmosphere from the meal had turned into an awkward tension. It was their first time seeing each other since that kiss, and while having his cousin with them had made things less uncomfortable, now that he was passed out in the back seat, the silence was heavy.
Huo Youqing input his cousin’s address into the GPS and closed his eyes, pretending to sleep.
Suddenly, he heard Dai Yixin’s voice.
“That night…”
Huo Youqing’s eyes shot open, and he checked the back seat to make sure his cousin was still asleep before glaring at Dai Yixin. “What do you want to say?”
Dai Yixin gave him a brief glance, then said, “That… was my first kiss.”
Huo Youqing was taken aback.
So what?
Did Dai Yixin want him to take responsibility?
Since when did Dai Yixin become so innocent?
There was no way Huo Youqing believed in Dai Yixin’s innocence, not after the distasteful love letters Dai Yixin had written, no matter the time or place.
Taking a deep breath, Huo Youqing said, “If I offended you, I apologize.”
There was no response for a long moment. Frowning, Huo Youqing looked over and saw Dai Yixin gripping the steering wheel tightly, lips pressed together.
Finally, Dai Yixin said, “I don’t want an apology.”
“Then what do you want?” Huo Youqing asked coldly. “It was just a kiss. I’m not going to take responsibility for it.”
“Scumbag.”
The person in the back seat, his cousin, suddenly sat up. Drunk and unable to recognize anyone, he heard what sounded like a line from a soap opera and slurred out a comment.
Huo Youqing immediately froze, not even daring to turn around and look at his cousin. For some reason, he really didn’t want his cousin or anyone else to know about his situation with Dai Yixin.
Luckily, his cousin, who was totally drunk, only sat up to say two words before slumping back down.
In the ensuing silence, Dai Yixin’s voice sounded dry. “I just want you to give me a chance to pursue you. At the very least, stop avoiding me.”
“How am I avoiding you?” As soon as he said this, Huo Youqing realized it was the wrong thing to say. He took a few deep breaths, trying to steady his emotions and not overreact to every word or gesture from Dai Yixin.
His mood soured again. Without even asking for Dai Yixin’s opinion, he pulled out a cigarette, but before he could light it, his wrist was grabbed.
At some point, the car had stopped. In the dim light, Dai Yixin’s amber eyes shone brightly, his high cheekbones and deep-set eyes making his already striking appearance even more stunning. Even Huo Youqing couldn’t deny Dai Yixin’s beauty.
“Smoking is bad for you, Youyou. Quit it.”
Huo Youqing paused. “No.”
He pulled his wrist away and lit the cigarette, though this time he didn’t deliberately blow the smoke in Dai Yixin’s direction. As the car window rolled down, he smoked his second cigarette of the night, his mind in turmoil.
Suddenly, the cigarette was snatched from his hand.
A beat later, he turned to see Dai Yixin holding the cigarette, not only taking a drag but then leaning in close. The limited space in the car and his seatbelt made it hard for Huo Youqing to move.
As Dai Yixin kissed him, Huo Youqing’s mind went blank for a moment. Their lips and tongues entwined, and the taste of the faint smoke mixed with the sweetness of dessert they had both eaten earlier.
When Huo Youqing came to his senses, he immediately tried to resist, but the seatbelt restricted his movement. His thoughts raced—why was Dai Yixin’s kissing technique so much better now? It was absurd, even in a different timeline, how well their bodies seemed to know each other.
Without realizing it, Huo Youqing went from struggling to cooperating. As memories of the past resurfaced, he became unwilling to be the one losing. After all, he had more years of experience in this timeline, so how was it that Dai Yixin still managed to take control?
Determined to reverse the situation, he grabbed the back of Dai Yixin’s head with one hand and tried to undo his seatbelt with the other.
Sensing Huo Youqing’s intent, Dai Yixin seemed to realize that neither of them wanted to be the submissive one, leading to an intense kiss, where at times Huo Youqing dominated and at times he was dominated. However, whether in terms of strength or physique, Huo Youqing was no match for Dai Yixin. Frustrated as Dai Yixin once again took the lead, he snapped, “Do you still want your chance or not?”
At these words, Dai Yixin obediently stopped, allowing Huo Youqing to pin him against the car window. He even parted his lips slightly, submissively. Huo Youqing felt a lot more satisfied and leaned in to press a light kiss on his lips before kissing him more deeply.
“Oh my God!”
A loud exclamation suddenly pierced the air.
Huo Youqing froze.
“What are you two doing?!”
His cousin, now seemingly sober, voiced the question from the depths of his soul.
