Chapter 280
It wasn’t until he sat in the car that Lin Qingyang finally heard the sound of his own heartbeat pounding like it was about to leap out of his chest. What just happened?
Chu Lishu had suddenly appeared, kissed him, and even said that in front of everyone—What did that mean?!
Lin Qingyang felt his cheeks burning unnaturally. He didn’t dare glance sideways. He knew Chu Lishu was sitting right next to him, and he had never felt Lishu’s presence so strongly before. It was as if a scent that belonged solely to Lishu had drifted over. But Lin Qingyang truly didn’t dare look at him. He was so nervous he was sweating all over.
Suddenly, he felt a weight on his shoulder, making him jump in surprise. He looked down and saw Chu Lishu leaning against him, looking completely exhausted.
“Lishu…” Lin Qingyang called out hoarsely.
“I’m so tired. Let me sleep for a bit,” Chu Lishu murmured.
That low, raspy voice sent a tremble through Lin Qingyang’s chest. He shifted his shoulder slightly to better support Chu Lishu, adjusting to make him more comfortable. Maybe he had just gotten off the plane—twelve hours of flying, and he probably hadn’t adjusted to the time difference yet. That’s why he was so tired.
Lin Qingyang felt the weight of Chu Lishu’s head on his shoulder, even the soft brush of his hair against his neck. That sensation stirred something complicated in Lin Qingyang’s heart. It felt like his soul, which had been floating aimlessly for months, had finally returned to its rightful place. The restlessness he’d been carrying all this time had finally settled—yet he still couldn’t shake a faint feeling that something wasn’t right.
He stared blankly ahead. The rearview mirror happened to reflect their image, and through it, he could see Chu Lishu’s face.
His face looked unfamiliar again, yet there was something so familiar about it—as if Lin Qingyang had imagined it countless times during his days of longing, to the point that even the changes to it had been anticipated in those fantasies.
Lin Qingyang suddenly felt lost. His gaze dropped to Chu Lishu’s lips, and unconsciously, he pressed his own lips together.
They love each other. They’re together.
But that couldn’t be true, right? This was probably just Chu Lishu helping him avoid future trouble. That was the most reasonable explanation. So why was he still hoping for a different answer?
Why had his heart gone out of control the moment Chu Lishu said those words?
When they reached the apartment, Chu Lishu had already fallen asleep. He always managed to sleep peacefully when he was near Lin Qingyang. Left with no other option, Lin Qingyang carried him upstairs.
Even though Chu Lishu was taller and broader now, Lin Qingyang still had the strength to carry him home.
There were still only two bedrooms in the apartment. Lin Qingyang gently laid him on the bed and tucked him in, but didn’t lie down himself. He sat beside him quietly, watching Chu Lishu’s sleeping face, his brows furrowing deeper and deeper. Almost involuntarily, his hand reached out to touch Chu Lishu’s lips. Then, like someone possessed, he leaned down slowly—but just as he was about to make contact, Lin Qingyang suddenly jolted awake.
He was drenched in sweat, sitting up abruptly.
Realizing what he had nearly done, Lin Qingyang sat there in a daze for a long time. At last, he whispered, pale-faced, “If only it were real.”
He left the bedroom and lay down on the couch in the living room. But no matter what he did, he couldn’t fall asleep.
Just now, he had confirmed one thing.
He had fallen for Chu Lishu.
But Chu Lishu had a girlfriend.
So he couldn’t stay by Chu Lishu’s side anymore.
Lin Qingyang slowly closed his eyes and rubbed the bridge of his nose bitterly, trying to release the ache in his chest. But the more he tried, the more suffocated he felt.
Well, he thought, figuring it out only to get heartbroken immediately—that’s fast, huh.
Five years had passed since they met. So many days and nights spent glued to each other’s side. One could say Chu Lishu had been the person who accompanied him the longest in this world. Even the teaching assistant once said it was amazing that they never got tired of each other, always being together.
Yeah, why didn’t they get tired of each other? Even couples would get sick of each other seeing one another every single day, right? But not them. In fact, when Chu Lishu was gone, every day felt like a year to Lin Qingyang.
Maybe… maybe he had fallen for Chu Lishu a long, long time ago, but just never realized it. He’d always thought it was just familial affection, friendship, or the bond of a confidant.
He never imagined he would actually fall for a man. What a mess.
Meanwhile, Chu Lishu had returned to Lin Qingyang’s side, to a place filled with Lin Qingyang’s scent. Only here could he sleep peacefully. It had been so long since he’d had a good night’s sleep. But even in his dreams, he felt something was missing.
When he woke up, the person who was supposed to be in his arms was gone. The bed felt cold and empty. The sunlight streaming through the window couldn’t warm the room.
Feeling a bit irritated, Chu Lishu got up and walked out, only to spot a familiar figure busying himself in the kitchen. Usually, they didn’t eat food made by the housekeeper. Chu Lishu often cooked because his food tasted better, and Lin Qingyang always praised it. Every time he came back to the apartment, Chu Lishu would end up cooking for Lin Qingyang. Occasionally, Lin Qingyang would also make simple breakfasts.
At that moment, Lin Qingyang came out carrying a bowl of porridge. Seeing Chu Lishu awake, he smiled and said, “You didn’t eat anything last night. You must be hungry. Come eat. I have to head to school later.”
Chu Lishu was enjoying the lazy morning atmosphere, watching Lin Qingyang up close—this idiot who had almost been taken by someone else. Then he heard Lin Qingyang say he was going to school and frowned. “I just got back. You’re not going to stay with me?”
Lin Qingyang awkwardly changed the subject. “By the way, you came back so suddenly. Your classes over there haven’t finished, right? When are you going back?”
Chu Lishu’s face darkened instantly. “I just got back and you’re already eager for me to leave? Did I bother you by coming back? Or… should I not have saved you last night?”
Lin Qingyang’s steps faltered. So it was to save him last night.
He immediately smiled. “Of course you should’ve saved me. I almost got forced into a marriage.”
“As long as you know,” Chu Lishu said unhappily as he sat down. “Take the day off. Don’t go to school. Stay with me.”
Lin Qingyang hesitated. Before realizing his feelings, being close to Chu Lishu was fine. But now that he was aware of them, every act of closeness felt wrong, like a betrayal to Chu Lishu’s girlfriend. His morals wouldn’t allow it.
So after breakfast, Lin Qingyang made up an excuse that the teaching assistant needed him urgently and ran off before Chu Lishu could say a word.
Right before leaving, he caught a glimpse of Chu Lishu’s nearly furious expression, which, instinctively, made him feel a little afraid.
Drowning your sorrows in alcohol only deepens them.
Even the teaching assistant was at a loss seeing his pathetic state. “You like him this much? Then why not compete fairly with his girlfriend? I mean, you two have already… ahem… I’m pretty sure he’d be willing too.”
“I don’t even understand what I’m saying anymore… They’ve been together for years, and even though they haven’t seen each other, their feelings haven’t changed. If I did anything, wouldn’t that poor girl be the victim? Wouldn’t that make me the scum of the earth? Forget it. It never started anyway. He doesn’t know. It’s just a breakup—who can’t survive one? Just drink.”
The teaching assistant choked up too. He thought, He was willing to go that far with you, and he still had a girlfriend the whole time? Now that’s what a real jerk is. His own friend had clearly been deceived emotionally. Oh well, no use trying to talk him out of it. Breaking up was probably for the best. Maybe now one of their female classmates might actually have a shot. Still, the assistant couldn’t help but worry about his friend. After all, they’d been each other’s whole world for five years. Could a bond like that really just end?
As the assistant was thinking that, he got a “check-in” message from his wife. With no choice, he pulled Lin Qingyang into a quick selfie of them drinking together and sent it off. That ought to put her mind at ease.
The table at the barbecue stand was already full of empty bottles. The assistant had been drinking with Lin Qingyang since the afternoon. But Lin Qingyang just couldn’t get drunk—the more he drank, the more sober he became, even though he clearly wanted nothing more than to drown himself in it.
“You know, I’m actually really curious,” the assistant said. “With Chu Lishu’s looks—you know, the kind that makes women drool—and all his talents, what kind of woman could possibly keep him in a relationship this long?” He really wanted to see which poor woman had been tricked so badly. He didn’t like Chu Lishu, and honestly, he wanted to serve some cosmic justice on the guy.
Lin Qingyang froze. A moment ago, he didn’t feel drunk at all, but now… now he thought maybe he was drunk, because suddenly he felt an impulse—he wanted to see what the girlfriend looked like. The one he hadn’t seen in five years. Maybe then, he’d finally give up completely. Maybe it would help him walk away without worry. Maybe… whatever the reason, he just wanted to see her.
With that thought, Lin Qingyang stood up and left immediately.
The assistant didn’t even have time to react. He was about to start cursing when his phone rang. He picked up, and to his surprise, it was one of the female classmates.
His wife had been their classmate too, so she still kept in touch with some of the girls. She knew one of them still had feelings for Lin Qingyang. As soon as she saw the picture, she sent it to the girl. That girl had sharp eyes and immediately realized something was wrong with Lin Qingyang, so she called to ask what was going on.
Meanwhile, Lin Qingyang had already arrived back at the apartment. But Chu Lishu wasn’t there. He tried calling, but no one answered, so he went downstairs to look for him.
He hadn’t even walked through the studio door when he heard Chu Lishu’s clearly furious voice from inside. It was the first time he’d heard him this angry. It sounded like something had gone wrong at work. Since it was about business, he figured it was better not to disturb him for now.
Leaning against the wall outside, Lin Qingyang started to feel the alcohol kicking in. His head grew heavy and muddled.
Just as he was starting to drift, fragments of conversation floated out from inside.
“Anyone who plays petty tricks like this should go straight on the blacklist. People like that only bring trouble.”
“Boss, it’s not that serious, is it?”
“I’ve already said—I find gays disgusting.”
Outside, Lin Qingyang jerked as if electrocuted. The drunken haze vanished. His face turned pale.
Disgusting… gays.
“And anyone who dares set their sights on me? Even more disgusting.”
Lin Qingyang could barely stand. His whole body trembled. All that nonsense about wanting to see Chu Lishu’s girlfriend, about wondering what kind of girl would stick with him, about wanting to leave with no regrets—none of it mattered now. He… he should disappear.
With a hollow heart, Lin Qingyang turned and walked away.
Inside, Chu Lishu was still fuming.
“Boss, the rumors outside are what made them try to take advantage,” one of his subordinates explained awkwardly. It was the boss himself who had made a public confession, boldly declaring his claim over Lin Qingyang. So naturally, people assumed he was gay. That’s why no one tried sending women anymore—they sent men instead. But they hadn’t expected their boss to actually be repulsed by gay people. Except for Lin Qingyang, that is. No one knew how that contradiction came to be, but his disgust was real.
And today, the boss’s anger was off the charts. It was clearly misdirected frustration.
“Boss, your phone light just blinked. Was that Lin Qingyang trying to reach you?” one of them asked quickly, having noticed.
Chu Lishu paused and picked up his phone. Sure enough, it was a call from Lin Qingyang. He actually dared to call now?
Furious, Chu Lishu called him back, only to find the line busy. That made him even more pissed off. He reopened the monitoring software—and discovered that Lin Qingyang was actually upstairs. Without hesitation, he headed home.
When he opened the door, he didn’t see Lin Qingyang. But he did see a phone ringing loudly on the table. No wonder the line had been busy—someone had been calling nonstop. Annoyed by the noise, Chu Lishu went over to silence it, but when he glanced at the screen, he realized it was an international call. From a familiar country.
His mind flashed with suspicion. He answered but said nothing. Soon, a woman’s voice came through.
“Lin Qingyang, you finally picked up. No matter what, this time you have to listen to me. I’m sure now—I like you. I know you’ll never end up with Chu Lishu, so be with me instead. Come abroad, come to me. Don’t worry—I’ll take care of everything for you, you—”
“I’m Chu Lishu.”
The woman froze, then instantly erupted, “You—!”
“If you need something from Qingyang, he’s asleep.”
“Then how can you pick up his phone? How can you—”
“Why can’t I? What’s his is mine. Also, can you lower your voice? He’s sleeping right next to me. You’re going to wake him.”
“You—!” The woman was fuming.
“If there’s nothing else, I’m hanging up. Could you not disturb other people’s private night life? We’re tired.”
With that, Chu Lishu hung up. When she called again, he immediately added her to the blacklist.
“Ridiculous nonsense,” he muttered dismissively. But the moment he set the phone down, he saw Lin Qingyang walking out of the bedroom—dragging a suitcase.
Chu Lishu froze. His eyes locked on the suitcase. His expression turned thunderous. “What’s the meaning of this?”
Lin Qingyang hadn’t expected him to come back so suddenly. He wasn’t ready to face him. He was afraid Chu Lishu would see through him—afraid he’d be cursed by the very person he loved. As if his feelings were a betrayal of their deep bond.
Chu Lishu hated same-sex relationships. He’d surely find him disgusting too.
“I was just packing up. I forgot to tell you—I recently got an opportunity to go abroad as an exchange student.” Thankfully, a while back, when he’d been bored alone, he applied for a program. Since Chu Lishu wasn’t coming back for a few more months, he figured it’d be good to see the world a bit.
Originally, he had planned to stay. But now, this was the perfect chance. He needed time away to heal. Maybe one day, when he could face Chu Lishu calmly, they could still be brothers.
He didn’t dare meet Chu Lishu’s gaze, so he missed the look of barely restrained fury on the other’s face.
He’s leaving? Going abroad? Just like that woman said? He’s going to be with her?
She said he’d never be with me… because he doesn’t like me anymore.
So that’s why he stopped contacting me so much?
His love disappeared just like that?
Is he like the rest—ready to abandon me at any time? To betray me like all the others?
No—Lin Qingyang is different. He has to be. Maybe this is all a misunderstanding.
“What country?”
Lin Qingyang gave the name, forgetting it was the exact same country the female classmate was in. He’d completely forgotten about her.
“Lin Qingyang, my exchange is over,” Chu Lishu said, controlling his rage. “I’m staying. Are you still leaving?”
“This was decided ahead of time,” Lin Qingyang replied with difficulty.
“Did you really go for an exchange, or is it because of someone?” Chu Lishu asked again.
Lin Qingyang’s heart skipped a beat. “Of course it’s for the exchange.”
He lied.
Chu Lishu closed his eyes briefly and let out a cold laugh. “Fine. If you want to go, then go.”
With that, Chu Lishu turned around and walked away. He could feel a violent surge of killing intent rising inside him. He didn’t know what he might do. He needed to calm down and think things through. After all, Lin Qingyang didn’t know what he was thinking—everything was just Lin Qingyang’s own emotional ups and downs. It had nothing to do with him. What was he to Lin Qingyang anyway? Did he need to wag his tail and beg, plead for him to stay? Impossible. Absolutely impossible. He could choose to care about Lin Qingyang, or he could treat him like thin air.
Lin Qingyang watched Chu Lishu leave, a strange tightness clogging his chest. He felt like Chu Lishu was angry, but his own heart was already riddled with wounds, too exhausted to care about anything else.
To avoid complications, Lin Qingyang called his professor that very night, even considering leaving earlier than planned.
The professor helped make arrangements and confirmed that Lin Qingyang could leave the next day.
The professor even joked that it wasn’t an exchange—it was an escape.
And wasn’t it exactly that? Escaping a disaster that could ruin him completely.
Lin Qingyang sent a message to Chu Lishu, informing him of his departure. He didn’t dare to call. He admitted that he was fleeing in panic—it felt strange, but he really had no other choice.
But he didn’t get any reply from Chu Lishu. Instead, when he went downstairs, he saw Chu Lishu’s car. Chu Lishu was leaning against the car door, head bowed, wearing sunglasses.
Lin Qingyang stood frozen for a moment, gripping his suitcase. His first reaction slipped out without thinking.
“Did you put on sunscreen?”
Chu Lishu paused slightly, then lifted his head to look at Lin Qingyang and said in a deep voice, “Get in. I’ll take you.”
Lin Qingyang gave a quiet “mm” in response. He didn’t dwell on it. Who knew when they’d see each other again? Let this last part of the journey be a small mercy, a gift.
He got into the car, trying to appear calm, but his heart was already bitter and aching. He secretly glanced at Chu Lishu through the rearview mirror. But Chu Lishu kept his sunglasses on the whole time, hiding his face completely. Still, Lin Qingyang couldn’t bring himself to look away.
Unbeknownst to him, the man behind the sunglasses had caught every one of his glances in the corner of his eye.
And he said he didn’t want to be with him.
Chu Lishu knew it—Lin Qingyang was just that weak.
He was obviously madly in love with him.
He knew it.
So he would give Lin Qingyang one last chance. If Lin Qingyang didn’t leave, then he would pretend none of this ever happened.
At the airport.
Lin Qingyang held his luggage and forced a smile as he said goodbye.
Chu Lishu spoke again, subtly hinting, “You’re really leaving? We’ve never been apart for this long.”
Chu Lishu slowly took off his sunglasses. A trace of sadness appeared in his eyes, and it instantly tugged at Lin Qingyang’s heart. But Lin Qingyang didn’t dare relax even a little. He suddenly realized that he had absolutely no defenses left when it came to Chu Lishu. As long as Chu Lishu showed the slightest sign of wanting him to stay—even if he didn’t say anything—it would be nearly impossible for Lin Qingyang to say no.
So Chu Lishu’s influence on him had become this terrifying? Then he had to go. If his feelings were exposed… if Lin Qingyang couldn’t handle it…
“I’ll be back soon,” Lin Qingyang said with a forced smile. “We’ll keep in touch over the phone.”
Chu Lishu’s smile didn’t change, but his eyes had already gone cold. Lin Qingyang, however, no longer dared to meet his gaze.
“What if I say I want you to stay?” Chu Lishu asked, his tone still carrying the pretense of a cousin giving advice, offering one last chance.
“I have to go.” Lin Qingyang’s head lowered further and further. In the end, he didn’t even look at Chu Lishu and simply turned around. “Time’s tight. I’m heading in first. You should go back now. Bye.”
The moment Lin Qingyang turned away, he had no idea everything behind him had changed.
Chu Lishu—or rather, Yuan Ran—shed the mask of Chu Lishu. Red slowly flooded Yuan Ran’s eyes, as if tearing apart the illusion of peace.
He was still the same tyrant who let those who obeyed him live, and destroyed those who defied him—just playing a little game of disguise.
Could just anyone play with his emotions? Absolutely not.
In truth, ever since Yuan Ran learned that Lin Qingyang had almost been forced into a political marriage, he had rushed back overnight. At that moment, he already had his answer: he couldn’t let Lin Qingyang be with anyone else. Not just because Lin Qingyang was the only person in this world he truly acknowledged—but because he wanted all of Lin Qingyang’s attention, all of his concern and love.
He had truly fallen for Lin Qingyang.
He had once been someone who never believed in love. And now, he was starting to believe in this vague and ephemeral thing called romance. It was laughable—truly laughable. Like a battle-hardened tiger suddenly rolling over and exposing its soft underbelly to the danger it didn’t even fully understand.
But he compromised. Even though Lin Qingyang was a man, even though he once believed he could never accept being with a man—he still wanted to try, for Lin Qingyang.
Lin Qingyang had no idea what kind of decision Yuan Ran had made for him. Just turning his back and walking away was a devastating blow.
Yuan Ran’s eyes were almost entirely red as he began walking slowly after Lin Qingyang’s retreating figure. If he caught him, Lin Qingyang would never be free again.
But Yuan Ran had only taken a few steps before a group of bodyguards blocked his way.
He didn’t care who they were or what they wanted. He was ready to fight. No one could stop him now.
But in the next second, one of the bodyguards held up a tablet. On the screen was a woman dressed in all black, with a black hat—video calling.
Yuan Ran stopped walking.
“Madam Yuan.”
“You should call me Mother. You’re my son—Yuan Ting.”
“Get lost,” Yuan Ran said without a trace of courtesy.
“I advise you to give up. If Lin Qingyang hadn’t chosen to go abroad on his own, I would’ve made him disappear anyway.”
Yuan Ran suddenly laughed. “What did you say? You were going to make who disappear?”
“I’ve already heard about the… inappropriate relationship between you two. I absolutely will not allow my son to have any further ties to the Lin family. If you don’t want him to end up dead abroad for no reason, you’d better cut contact and come back obediently—as my son.”
“You think you can threaten me?”
“I know you’re doing well now, but you’ve already offended the Lin family. If the Yuan family also turns against you, the entire top ten elite families will follow. No one wants another powerful enemy. Someone like you—young, ambitious, and rising fast—should be snuffed out before you fully emerge. So no, you don’t have a choice.”
Yuan Ran listened, then suddenly laughed again. It felt like history was repeating itself—fate circling back. He looked at the crowd in the distance—Lin Qingyang’s figure had long since disappeared.
He really had walked away without hesitation.
Maybe it really was destiny.
“What are you laughing at?” Madam Yuan asked, annoyed.
“Do you know what kind of fate I have?”
“What?”
“You’ll find out soon. And also… my name is Yuan Ran.”
He once brought down an entire country’s regime in two years. Taking down the ten elite families? Was that supposed to be hard?
Three days later, the Yuan family lost all surveillance over Yuan Ran. His studio was emptied out, his subordinates had all gone abroad. His movements were hidden; no one knew where he had gone. So the only thing left to do was monitor Lin Qingyang overseas. But even around Lin Qingyang, they couldn’t find any trace of Yuan Ran.
At first, Lin Qingyang thought he couldn’t reach Chu Lishu because he was still angry. But when no one from the studio could be contacted—not even the assistant or the bodyguards—it became strange. They said the boss had given them time off and to occasionally check on the apartment, but that was it.
Lin Qingyang started leaving daily messages for Chu Lishu, hoping for a reply. But he had no idea everything he sent was being monitored.
And just like that, fifteen days passed with no contact. Lin Qingyang grew anxious and decided to return to China himself to search. He submitted a request to the university, which would take a few days to process.
That day, the school was holding a masquerade ball in collaboration with another institution. His roommate insisted he attend. Lin Qingyang had no interest, but he couldn’t resist the enthusiastic persuasion of his foreign roommate and eventually went.
At the ball, he unexpectedly ran into a female classmate. It turned out that after some digging, she found out they were in the same country—even if in different cities—so she had come all the way to find Lin Qingyang.
“We were at least old classmates. When are you going to take me off your block list?”
“Huh? What?” Lin Qingyang was naturally confused.
The female classmate immediately let her imagination run wild. “I know—it must’ve been that bastard Chu Lishu. It was him!”
Just as Lin Qingyang was about to complain, music began to play in the ballroom. A female classmate excitedly said, “Lin Qingyang, let’s dance! I’m inviting you.”
“I-I don’t know how to.”
“It’s fine, you just need to sway. I’ll teach you. Come on, give me your hand.” She had already extended her hand in invitation.
But Lin Qingyang still wanted to refuse. He knew that once he compromised on certain things, it would give others hope.
Just as he was caught in hesitation, a man dressed in a black suit and black shirt suddenly stepped forward and made a gesture of invitation. Lin Qingyang thought he was inviting the girl and was about to breathe a sigh of relief—until the man spoke in a foreign language, inviting him instead.
Lin Qingyang stared in disbelief. The man wore a mask, so only his mouth was visible, but the shape looked oddly familiar. Lin Qingyang froze in shock, and the man took the chance to pull him firmly into the dance floor.
Lin Qingyang was forced to dance the female steps. Yes, he actually knew how to dance—he had learned with Chu Lishu. Back then, Chu Lishu had been shorter and danced the female steps.
He wanted to take a closer look at the man’s face, but once the ball officially started, the lighting became erratic and ever-changing. He couldn’t see clearly at all, so he had no choice but to keep dancing awkwardly.
In foreign countries, it wasn’t strange for two men to dance together. No one would instantly jump to the conclusion that they were gay, so the two of them didn’t look out of place on the dance floor.
The man’s voice in that earlier foreign sentence also sounded a bit familiar, but it was too deep and too short for Lin Qingyang to recognize right away.
“Thanks for just now,” Lin Qingyang said awkwardly.
But the man clearly didn’t want to talk.
Was it just a random invitation?
Lin Qingyang felt confused. As the dance ended, the lights suddenly dimmed again. The host announced, “A wonderful moment—enjoy it.”
Everyone around them fell silent, and declarations of affection in different languages filled the ballroom. Before Lin Qingyang could react, he was suddenly pulled into an embrace by the man in front of him.
Startled, he tried to resist—but was abruptly kissed.
His anger erupted like a volcano. Lin Qingyang hadn’t expected to be taken advantage of by a man, especially abroad. He was just about to fight back when a strange, familiar feeling flashed through his mind. But he had kissed Chu Lishu so few times that he couldn’t recall clearly. The sensation of being kissed and touched overwhelmed him, and he struggled desperately. The man carried him out of the dance floor, but didn’t go far. He pinned Lin Qingyang against a wall in the corner of the hall and kissed him fiercely.
Lin Qingyang was stunned. He worked out regularly—how could he be so completely powerless? It felt as though the other man had effortlessly suppressed all his strength.
By the time the lights slowly brightened again, Lin Qingyang was already weak from lack of oxygen. The man let go and left.
Lin Qingyang didn’t even have the strength to raise his hand and punch him. All he could do was gasp for breath, furious and breathless. He wanted to chase after the man, but he had already vanished.
When the female classmate came looking for him, Lin Qingyang had no energy left to respond. He stormed back to the dorm, brushing and rinsing his mouth like a madman. His eyes were red with fury. If he ever caught that scumbag, he’d make him pay.
Lin Qingyang lived off-campus in a flat he shared with a foreign roommate. Their unit was on the third floor, with separate bedrooms and a shared living room. He had chosen that place because it had a large floor-to-ceiling window with a beautiful view of the canal.
At night, the starry sky reflected on the water, and the surrounding decorative lights made it all the more breathtaking.
He usually sat on the carpet by the window, drank a little wine, then went to sleep. That mild buzz helped keep his mind from overthinking at night.
But this time, he was so angry he downed several gulps of wine before finally preparing to sleep.
That night, he had a strange dream. That kind of dream. And it felt unbelievably real—kissing, comforting, hugging. In the dreamlike haze, he saw Chu Lishu’s face.
When he woke up, aside from the embarrassing state of his pants, everything else felt like a dream. He figured he just missed Chu Lishu too much, and that’s why he had such a ridiculous dream.
Even though Lin Qingyang kept warning himself not to have such dreams again—it felt shameless—he still dreamed the same way on the second night, and the third. The dreams only grew more intense.
One time when he woke, he even felt a burning sensation on the skin of his thigh.
Another dream was even more absurd. Chu Lishu clearly disliked same-sex affection, so how could he dream of him… using his mouth?
But Lin Qingyang had almost no experience in this area. He didn’t know what was happening.
He felt like the dreams were driving him insane. They were too vivid. He woke up every day feeling exhausted.
His return-to-campus report kept getting delayed, but he couldn’t take it anymore. The dreams were wearing him down. He wandered through the day in a daze, just wanting to leave. He blamed everything on worrying too much about Chu Lishu. He thought that once they reunited, he would be fine again. With no news, he had no choice but to go inquire in person. But the staff kept brushing him off, telling him to just wait.
Lin Qingyang thought, maybe he should just buy a plane ticket and leave.
He bought a ticket for the next day. That night, he was too anxious to sleep. He lay in bed with his eyes shut, forcing himself to wait out the night. Suddenly, there was a sound at the door.
His roommate? Couldn’t be—it wasn’t like him. Though they hadn’t seen each other in days, the guy was still polite.
A thief?
Lin Qingyang prepared to fight back. Luckily, there was a wine bottle on the cabinet beside his bed. He could grab it quickly.
But in the next moment, he was stunned. The person was getting on his bed—like he knew exactly where everything was, even in the pitch-black room.
A terrifying possibility echoed in Lin Qingyang’s mind. A wave of disgust crawled over him, and his stomach churned.
He couldn’t see anything. He could only hold his breath and wait. If it really was what he thought—it had to be him—then he would…
Lin Qingyang quietly grabbed the bottle, waiting for the moment the person climbed on top of him to strike.
The man indeed lifted the blanket. The bed creaked. Lin Qingyang could feel him hovering just above. The pressure was suffocating.
Rage surged through him, and Lin Qingyang swung the bottle.
But in the next instant, his wrist was effortlessly caught. The bottle tipped over. He had forgotten to seal it, and red wine spilled everywhere.
Seeing that didn’t work, Lin Qingyang immediately tried to headbutt the man.
But even that was easily dodged. The man tossed the bottle aside and grabbed Lin Qingyang’s jaw. The moment he tilted his head, he kissed him.
It was the same kiss from the ballroom—the same familiarity, as if it had always been this person.
Even the Chu Lishu in his dreams felt the same.
Lin Qingyang was both furious and faint. He could only resist instinctively.
“You bastard, who the hell are you?!”
He had to see for himself. There was a small night light beside him. As he struggled, he fumbled for it. Just as the man leaned in again, he finally switched the light on.
A faint glow, but enough to reveal the truth.
For a moment, the man didn’t react. Lin Qingyang was stunned.
He stared at the person above him—so familiar, the same face he had dreamed about night after night—now clearly illuminated before him.
He reached out in disbelief. When his fingers touched that face, his eyes turned red. “Lishu.”
“I go by Yuan Ran now,” the man said coldly from above.
Lin Qingyang didn’t care. “You’re Chu Lishu. You were the one at the ball… All those nights weren’t dreams. It was you. You did this to me—”
“So what? You’re mine. I can do whatever I want to you. Don’t forget—your life belongs to me.” Yuan Ran cut him off.
Lin Qingyang clenched his teeth to hold back tears, shouting angrily, “What the hell are you doing? Are you crazy?!”
Suddenly, Yuan Ran’s expression shifted. Lin Qingyang had unknowingly touched upon the word he couldn’t tolerate most. His face twisted with fury, startling Lin Qingyang.
Yuan Ran grabbed his jaw again. “You’re right—I am crazy. But I wouldn’t be if it weren’t for you. Lin Qingyang, once you’re mine, you can’t take it back without my permission. I told you—wherever I am, you must be too. Who said you could leave?”
Before Lin Qingyang could respond, he heard the sound of clothes rustling.
He panicked. What was wrong with Chu Lishu? He didn’t understand—how had things turned out like this? Even if he liked Chu Lishu, it shouldn’t be like this.
“You—you think this is okay? You disappeared without a word, then suddenly showed up and… attacked me in the middle of the night. What are you doing? Do you like me or not? Don’t you have a girlfriend? Don’t you hate gay people? What are you even—”
Suddenly, Yuan Ran’s actions made Lin Qingyang cry out in fear.
“Lishu, I’m scared, please don’t be like this. Can we just talk calmly? I’m scared, I’m really scared.” Lin Qingyang finally couldn’t bear the emotional turmoil and pressure anymore. Unable to hold it in, he broke down crying in Yuan Ran’s arms.
When Yuan Ran was enraged, nothing and no one could stop him—this was something the former Prime Minister had once said. He said that when the Emperor was furious, crying was the most useless thing to do—it only made the death more miserable. The best way to survive was to obey.
But Lin Qingyang refused to obey. Lin Qingyang cried.
He had violated the two things Yuan Ran despised the most.
Yet Yuan Ran couldn’t go through with it.
After Lin Qingyang left, Yuan Ran felt as though he had turned back into that tyrant from the past. While planning to destroy the ten major aristocratic families, he also traveled abroad—because he wanted to personally retrieve his prey.
When he saw that Lin Qingyang wasn’t with any female classmates, that he was simply studying quietly, and still contacted him every day, Yuan Ran’s anger eased a little.
But he was still angry. He didn’t want to see Lin Qingyang, wanting instead to punish him for his mistake. Who told him he could just leave whenever he pleased?
But when he found out that a female classmate had come looking for him, he couldn’t help himself—he rushed into the dance and pulled Lin Qingyang away.
When they met again, even Yuan Ran couldn’t imagine that he would lose control like that and kiss him.
He felt conflicted. He wanted Lin Qingyang, but he didn’t want to let things go so easily, so he came up with a compromise—he swapped out Lin Qingyang’s roommate and came to “enjoy his prey” every night.
Seeing Lin Qingyang murmur his name in a daze, Yuan Ran felt reassured that he hadn’t done anything wrong.
No one could betray him again. No one could abandon him again. No one.
But now, he had finally bullied him to the point of tears—he should have been tasting the sweetness of revenge, yet he felt nothing.
Yuan Ran paused, suddenly jolted awake by the realization. His actions were no different from that scumbag’s.
Almost like suffering from trauma, Yuan Ran backed away, flustered. After a brief moment of panic, he got up, picked up Lin Qingyang, and carried him to his own room.
After all, Lin Qingyang’s bed was no longer usable.
But the moment Lin Qingyang lay down, he curled up under the blanket and started crying softly.
Yuan Ran felt suffocated watching him. He still sat by the bed, and before long, he could hear the muffled voice coming from under the blanket.
“Why do you hug me when you already have a girlfriend?”
“Why do you hate men but still hug me?”
“What do you even take me for?”
Yuan Ran stayed silent for a long time, eventually defeated by that voice full of resentment and grievance. He realized he really couldn’t face Lin Qingyang. The moment he did, the moment Lin Qingyang cried and pleaded, he had no defense at all.
He used to think Lin Qingyang was as insignificant to him as air. He was an emperor—even if he wasn’t one now—he would never bow his head to anyone in his bones.
But he had forgotten—air was something essential for someone to stay alive.
The tyrant lowered his head and began to stammer through his explanation.
“I—I lied to you. I don’t have a girlfriend. I never did. Otherwise, how could I not have seen her for five years?”
Suddenly, the blanket moved.
“I do hate men—but you’re different. You mean something different to me.”
The person under the blanket slowly came out.
“What do you take me for, Lin Qingyang? What do you think I am to you? How could you just leave me so easily? How could you abandon me, leave me all alone, with no sunlight? Some people really do go crazy.”
Lin Qingyang’s tear-reddened eyes met Yuan Ran’s deep ones. There seemed to be countless stories in those eyes—and a lot of sorrow too.
Lin Qingyang wanted to soothe that sorrow.
“Everything you said—is it true?”
Yuan Ran nodded.
Lin Qingyang suddenly found it all laughable. He had exiled himself, tormented himself for so long over this, when they should have—
Lin Qingyang burst into both tears and laughter, then suddenly threw off the blanket and lunged at Yuan Ran.
The impact wasn’t much, but it made Yuan Ran lose his balance. He was stunned for a second, then wrapped one arm around Lin Qingyang, feeling the weight in his arms—so real, so grounding.
“I love you, Chu Lishu. Let’s be together, okay? No more pretending to be brothers. Let’s be lovers. Okay?”
See, it really was simple, Lin Qingyang thought. As long as there weren’t so many obstacles, he was willing to confess first, to take the initiative.
For a moment, Yuan Ran was lost in thought, and suddenly, the three prophecies about him echoed in his ears.
In his previous life, he truly had nothing left.
In this life, had he really gained everything?
“Chu Lishu, you’ve already taken advantage of me. You’re not just playing around, right? Are you—what are you even—”
“I love you. I never thought I could love someone. But Qingyang, I love you. I really do. I can’t be without you anymore.”
Yuan Ran held Lin Qingyang tightly, as if he were holding on to the only thing that mattered.
That empty heart of his was finally filled.
But just as they were getting emotional, just as they were about to kiss, Yuan Ran’s phone suddenly rang. There were only a few people who could reach Yuan Ran, and he had instructed them not to call at night unless it was an emergency. So now, he had no choice but to pause and take the call.
The moment he heard the voice, Yuan Ran’s expression turned cold. He said directly, “I’ll be there right away.”
He hung up, then looked at Lin Qingyang.
Lin Qingyang was a little dazed, but suddenly leaned in and gave Yuan Ran a quick kiss. Then, biting his lip and blushing, he said, “Lishu, go ahead. I’ll wait here for you.”
Yuan Ran nodded, but then complained with a bit of frustration, “I go by Yuan Ran now. Remember to call me Yuan Ran.”
Lin Qingyang didn’t quite get it, but still obediently agreed.
Then Yuan Ran put a silver bracelet on him. It looked like an electronic device, but also like an elegant piece of jewelry. It fit well, except—why did it have two little bells hanging from it?
“What is this?”
“This is a product I developed. It’s called Silver Rainbow. It can track your location so I can always find you. Without my device, most people can’t take it off. Things are dangerous lately—keep it on at all times,” Yuan Ran explained while putting one on himself. His also had bells, but Lin Qingyang noticed they didn’t ring.
Yuan Ran saw him curiously fiddling with the bells, so he brought his own wrist close. The two bracelets connected, and when he pulled gently, a thin silver wire extended—turns out it had been hidden inside.
As the wire stretched out, the bells finally jingled—crisp and pleasant. But what was the point? It had nothing to do with tracking, right?
Lin Qingyang wanted to ask, but Yuan Ran was already letting go. He really was in a hurry. Once he finished with the Silver Rainbow, he rushed out.
Lin Qingyang didn’t know where Yuan Ran had gone, so he obediently stayed behind and waited.
He didn’t bother with school applications, continued attending classes. When he ran into his former roommate, he gave him a hard time—why didn’t he say anything before moving out? It had scared him.
The roommate apologized, saying the offer he got was just too good to pass up. He had moved out in a rush, and since his wife was angry lately, he had gone back home to spend time with her and simply forgot to say anything.
Lin Qingyang got through the day with ease. When he got home, Yuan Ran wasn’t back yet. He realized he had forgotten to get his contact info and felt a little disappointed.
The second day, the third day—Yuan Ran still hadn’t returned. At first, Lin Qingyang was annoyed, but then worry took over. Until one day, when he returned home and found a new phone waiting in the apartment. Just as he walked in, the phone rang—it was a call from Yuan Ran.
“Are you okay?” Lin Qingyang asked quickly.
This time, Yuan Ran finally had time to explain. He was currently in another country.
In just a month, he had taken down three families, merged with three others, and caused the fragile ties between the top ten powerful families to completely unravel. Back then, Madam Yuan had planned to go all out and target Lin Qingyang. That kind of family would do anything, so naturally, Yuan Ran couldn’t risk Lin Qingyang. He left enough people to protect him and left to divert attention himself.
Lin Qingyang became even more worried, but Yuan Ran just laughed and said, “Don’t worry. Everything will be completely fine soon.”
After the call, Lin Qingyang went online to check the news. As Yuan Ran had said, the domestic business world had been turned upside down. The financial press even called it the dawn of a new era.
Naturally, the gossip about Yuan Ran exploded. Some said he was originally a child of the Yuan family who had been mistakenly taken in by the Lin family. In the end, he didn’t belong in either, so he went independent. Some claimed he was out for revenge, others that he wanted to prove himself. Still others sourly said his success was just riding the wave of the times, and that the fall of the top families was inevitable anyway.
Regardless of the rumors, Yuan Ran had become a bombshell in the domestic stock market. Everyone watched him with fear and caution, waiting for his next shocking move.
A few days later, yet another family was taken down.
The media went wild. Aside from the Lin and Yuan families, one more family decided to propose a marriage alliance. Their most precious eldest daughter had originally been set to marry into foreign royalty, but now they were willing to unite with Yuan Ran, offering their entire family in exchange. The benefits were irresistible—beauty, wealth, the whole package. Who could refuse?
Even the entertainment news featured photos of a pair of elegant figures touring the Eiffel Tower together.
The photos had been taken just yesterday—on the same day Lin Qingyang had tried to contact Yuan Ran and gotten no response. So he had been with someone else.
Though Lin Qingyang trusted that Yuan Ran wouldn’t do that, he couldn’t help feeling uneasy. What if Yuan Ran thought marrying a woman was the proper path? After all, it would just be a business marriage. He didn’t need to be emotionally involved. But if that were the case, wouldn’t he, Lin Qingyang, be nothing more than a kept lover?
Frustrated, Lin Qingyang tried calling again—still no answer.
His former roommate happened to be in the same class and, seeing how down he looked, invited him out for drinks.
Lin Qingyang didn’t know if he had developed the bad habit of drowning his sorrows in alcohol, but since he’d only be alone at home anyway, he figured—might as well drink.
Lin Qingyang had already fallen asleep sprawled across the table, and even his roommate couldn’t hold out any longer. Left with no choice, he called his own wife for help. After hanging up and enduring a good scolding from her—
“Hey, you should call too. Tell your wife to come pick you up. We good men should always call our wives when we’re too drunk to move. Oh—right—I forgot, you don’t have a wife.” His roommate laughed wildly, spouting nonsense.
In a daze, Lin Qingyang pulled out his phone. Ignoring the many missed calls on the screen, he dialed Yuan Ran directly. “I do have a wife. I’ll prove it to you.”
This time, the call connected quickly. Lin Qingyang kept saying “hello” over and over again.
“You’re drunk. No wonder,” Yuan Ran’s voice was sharp and unfriendly—so much so that even the dazed roommate next to Lin Qingyang shuddered. But Lin Qingyang, completely wasted, didn’t care at all.
Inside the car, Yuan Ran’s subordinates sat stiffly, not daring to make a sound as they watched their boss’s face darken further by the second. They’d been on edge ever since he landed and couldn’t get through on the phone. How could he not be pissed?
The car was so quiet, they could hear the voice from the other end of the call.
Then came a drunken male voice, slurred and loud: “Wife, come pick me up—I can’t walk anymore.”
In that instant, the subordinates all wished they could jump out of the car. They didn’t even dare gasp.
Yuan Ran froze for a second, his face stiff. He frowned slightly. “What did you just call me?”
“My wife—my wife… Lishu… no wait—Yuan Ran, come pick me up.”
The subordinates didn’t really know the relationship between these two, so when they heard those words, they weren’t even sure whether to start crossing themselves.
Then they heard the boss speaking in an even deeper voice, “I’ll be right there. Stay where you are and don’t move.” But the tremble at the end of his words revealed that their boss wasn’t entirely composed.
Boss, he just called you his wife. Why are you getting so worked up?
The car quickly reached the location marked by the Silver Rainbow’s GPS. The boss got out of the car, and the rest of the passengers immediately shifted to the front or back vehicles—cramming together if they had to. Anything was better than pretending to be a statue.
Once Yuan Ran brought the person back, he was worried that Lin Qingyang might feel sick, so he immediately had his men buy some hangover medicine nearby and made him take it first. Chu Lishu looked at Lin Qingyang, who he had placed on the bed, and couldn’t help but reach out to pinch his nose, demanding, “What the hell were you thinking? I wasn’t even around and you dared to go drinking alone? What if someone picked you up—what would you have done then?”
Lin Qingyang had trouble breathing and quickly turned his head away.
Yuan Ran was visibly annoyed and didn’t hesitate to lower his head and kiss Lin Qingyang.
The kiss deepened, and as Lin Qingyang began to feel breathless, he slowly opened his eyes. “Lishu… Yuan Ran?”
“Mhm, it’s me.”
“You still remember to come back? Don’t you need to be with the young lady?” Lin Qingyang drunkenly pushed him away.
Yuan Ran slowly lifted his head and met his eyes, affectionately rubbing their noses together. “I saw the news. So you got angry and went drinking? Do you not trust me at all?”
Lin Qingyang looked a little embarrassed but still admitted, “Yeah. I was just upset.”
“But the photo was fake. I wasn’t even there.”
“What?”
“A statement was already released earlier. You can check it later. How could I possibly abandon you to marry someone else? As if they’d even deserve it.”
Lin Qingyang finally felt at ease. “So, you came back this time…”
“I’m not leaving again. I’ve already set everything in motion. I don’t need to hide anymore, and I don’t want to. Qingyang, I missed you. I missed you so much.” Yuan Ran was almost intoxicated by the scent of Lin Qingyang, like a man possessed.
He didn’t even know why it had gotten so intense. It hadn’t been this bad before. But ever since he confessed, it was like an addiction he couldn’t control. All he wanted was to finish everything and rush back to see his Qingyang.
“Qingyang, are you awake? Let’s try it, okay? I—”
Before Yuan Ran could finish, Lin Qingyang reached out and wrapped his arms around him, pulling him down. The scorching kiss seemed to spread over his entire body.
“Lishu… Yuan Ran…”
“Qingyang…”
Yuan Ran thought he would need time to get over that emotional hurdle, but the moment Lin Qingyang took the initiative and embraced him, he suddenly realized that just these five years in this world were enough—enough for this version of Lin Qingyang to heal that wound inside him.
With almost no hesitation, he claimed Lin Qingyang for his own—awkwardly, nervously, tenderly, and with overwhelming passion.
Yuan Ran felt as if he had stepped into a strange new world, a beautiful dream, a place he never wanted to leave. He had never imagined that such a thing could bring so much happiness. It wasn’t just physical pleasure—it felt like his very soul had been elevated.
Maybe, he had come to this world just for Lin Qingyang—for this very moment of being together. This single moment was enough to make up for all the pain from his past life.
As long as Lin Qingyang was in his arms, as long as Lin Qingyang held him tight, as long as he accepted every part of him, as long as this was the Lin Qingyang in front of him—that was all that mattered.
On the bed, on the table, on the carpet, in front of the floor-to-ceiling windows where they could see the Milky Way reflected in the canal, where Lin Qingyang’s nervous and alluring voice echoed, where they tasted the sweetest of sensations—
The reflection in the glass made everything seem even more perfect.
The redness at the corners of Lin Qingyang’s eyes, the reflections in his gaze—it made Yuan Ran wish time would freeze right then and there.
As morning sunlight poured in, Lin Qingyang finally passed out completely during the last round, and Chu Lishu slowly came to a stop. His eyes were a bit dazed, but the moment he saw the sunlight shift onto Lin Qingyang’s face, he understood. This was what his master meant.
As long as Lin Qingyang existed, the curse on him would never take hold.
This person was the light that had broken into his dark world.
In this life, he would never be alone again.
Lin Qingyang slept for an entire day. Yuan Ran stayed by his side the whole time, taking care of business matters in between.
Forces back home were searching for him all over the world. Yuan Ran, holding the unconscious Lin Qingyang, moved to a safer estate—one he had recently purchased, equipped with top-tier security systems.
In the chaotic two weeks that followed, neither the Lin family nor the Yuan family would disturb them again.
And when those two weeks ended, when the entire domestic commercial empire had reshuffled, only two names remained on the new blueprint.
Originally, it should’ve been just one person. But when the group’s shareholding structure was released, the majority stake belonged to two individuals.
One was Yuan Ran, the business genius who built an empire.
The other was Lin Qingyang, the abandoned son of the Lin family.
Meanwhile, Lin Qingyang, living in the estate, had no idea he had suddenly become a mega-rich tycoon overnight. The only thought occupying his mind was—
Why couldn’t Yuan Ran just tone it down a little?
The estate was so huge, with so many different spots, yet two weeks later, Lin Qingyang found that he couldn’t sit calmly in any one of them. Because no matter where he went, that guy had already made sure he’d blush just remembering what they’d done there.
Let’s not even talk about the pool or the fountains. But why did the estate need horses? Why was there a little boat on the small lake? And what the hell was the deal with the treehouse?
Lin Qingyang finally understood why the estate didn’t require much staff—it was all high-tech security systems instead. It was all to fulfill a certain someone’s wild fantasies of doing it anywhere and everywhere.
Why did he ever think Chu Lishu was a reserved child? That had to be the biggest illusion in the world.
A month later, Lin Qingyang could barely walk straight when he finally left the estate. But Yuan Ran still carried him off to register their marriage.
The wedding was held on a private island, but from the moment they boarded the plane, Lin Qingyang had a bad feeling.
After the blissful wedding ceremony, all the guests left.
And Lin Qingyang ended up staying on that island for half a year.
A six-month honeymoon—too much to bear, and too many tears to cry.
He missed the cute, innocent cousin he used to have. Sob sob sob…
In the palace, inside the empress’s private art studio— It was filled with art supplies from all over the world, some of which the emperor had made personally for him. It was his favorite place to spend his free time.
But all the palace staff knew: if the emperor went in there, they needed to stay far away. Otherwise, they might witness an extremely embarrassed and furious empress.
A newly arrived palace attendant wasn’t careful about keeping their distance. In a daze, they happened to overhear the heavy sound coming from the pearwood desk—followed shortly by Chief Steward Hai of the empress, who immediately took the newcomer away and gave them a stern lecture.
Inside the room, Lin Qingyang was slumped over the table.
As his clothes brushed against the surface, the painting on the desk inevitably became smudged.
Lin Qingyang pressed his lips together. A hand reached out from behind him, lifting his chin and forcing him to look ahead. On the tall easel before him hung all kinds of Western-style paintings. The lifelike portraits seemed to leap off the canvas—scene after scene of Chu Lishu, smiling gently and serenely.
Lin Qingyang’s eyes welled up with tears, but then an irritating voice came from behind.
“Yangyang really still prefers Chu Lishu, huh? You’ve drawn so many of him.”
“Yuan Ran, can you not? It’s all your fault—you’re basically…” Lin Qingyang suddenly couldn’t finish his sentence. He could only press his lips together again. The studio had been designed for good lighting, so the soundproofing wasn’t great.
“How is it all my fault? The face is different, the name is different—it’s clearly not the same.” Yuan Ran picked up Lin Qingyang from behind and carried him straight to the soft couch. Ever since Yuan Ran had placed those lounging couches in nearly every entertainment palace, he had made it clear to everyone that this was a move from the heart of an emperor. All the palace staff knew it, and how could Lin Qingyang not know? Yet the man had sweet-talked him into believing he was just concerned about him getting tired and needing rest. Lin Qingyang had actually believed him. As expected, not a single word from this bastard could be trusted.
“Yuan Ran, hurry up and stop. Don’t drag this out endlessly.” Lin Qingyang had resisted so many times that he no longer gave in so easily.
But suddenly, Yuan Ran stopped. He simply held Lin Qingyang in his arms as they lay down. With that devastatingly handsome face, he gazed at Lin Qingyang and sighed softly. “You being angry really makes me feel uneasy.”
Lin Qingyang was practically nose-to-nose with him. At such close distance, even the beauty trap lost none of its effect—his resistance instantly dropped.
“What are you talking about? Don’t think you can fool me. That trick doesn’t work anymore,” Lin Qingyang said with difficulty.
“You forgot, didn’t you? The one you originally fell for was Chu Lishu.”
“I already told you—they’re both you!”
“But last night, in your dreams, you kept calling out Chu Lishu’s name. I heard it all. You called it over ten times.” Yuan Ran looked downcast as he said, “Sometimes, I wonder if I shouldn’t have restored my face. That way, you could’ve stayed in love with Chu Lishu. I know it’s a lot to ask, suddenly changing to someone else.”
Yuan Ran spoke with such heartfelt emotion that Lin Qingyang was left stunned. So that was why he’d been in such high spirits all morning?
He’d called Chu Lishu’s name in his sleep? That was strange. He couldn’t remember dreaming at all.
Yuan Ran buried his face in Lin Qingyang’s shoulder, his voice hoarse and aggrieved. “Give me just a little more love, won’t you? Sometimes I really wonder—do you spend so much time in the studio because you miss him? Look how many paintings you’ve made of him.”
Lin Qingyang was dazed. It was true—he had painted Chu Lishu more often over the years. “Don’t think that way. To me, they’re both you. I’ve never treated you differently.”
“But during that time with the Dreaming Pill, you were the one who took the initiative with Chu Lishu—not like with the later Yuan Ran.”
Lin Qingyang’s lips twitched. “Don’t you think saying this is borderline dissociative?”
Yuan Ran sighed. “Forget it. I won’t mess with you anymore. Go back to painting, I…”
“Tsk,” Lin Qingyang clicked his tongue. He just couldn’t handle Yuan Ran acting like this. And leaving things half-finished like this—was he trying to kill him?
He quickly pushed Yuan Ran down and said, “Fine! Since I made you upset, I’ll apologize, okay?”
“Who knows what you really think inside?” Yuan Ran complained again.
Lin Qingyang was speechless. “Then what do you want?”
When Lin Qingyang ended up on top, a sly smirk flickered across Yuan Ran’s lips. Forcing Lin Qingyang to take the initiative was always his greatest pleasure.
The silver rainbow bracelet jingled lightly. Yuan Ran’s joy reached its peak. The red seal marks of the Crown Prince once again covered his entire body—more beautiful than any nearby painting. A masterpiece, one that belonged solely to Yuan Ran.
“Yangyang, you’re amazing.”
“Bastard! I just remembered—weren’t you the one who told me you were afraid I’d get bored of you and forget what you looked like as Lishu? You made me paint more portraits of Lishu as an excuse! You even said if I forgot, I’d be punished! You—!”
“Yangyang, you’re adorable. I love you.”
“You and your ‘Lishu, Lishu, Lishu’! Fine, I’ll just call you Lishu from now on—I won’t call you Yuan Ran anymore!”
“Sure, that works. I’m still me, anyway.”
“Ugh…”
“Lishu—”
“Yangyang, wrong again. Come on, one more. When will you finally get it right? I told you to call me Yuan Ran.”
Lin Qingyang slumped weakly against a coconut tree. Behind him was a deep blue ocean and a beautiful beach—but he had no energy to enjoy it. When would this utterly shameless life finally end?
Looking at the seal marks all over his body, he really couldn’t understand why Yuan Ran had such a bizarre hobby. He even hand-carved the stamps himself—dragon-shaped ones, no less. Couldn’t he just buy props like everyone else?
The silver rainbow bracelet had been tied up, and Lin Qingyang couldn’t escape. All he could do was let Yuan Ran torment him.
Worse yet, Yuan Ran always called out his name when he was in a daze, and he could only respond instinctively.
Which meant—he often said the wrong name.
There was really nothing he could do. After all, he had lived with Chu Lishu for five years. That name had become second nature.
Lin Qingyang showed a bit of frustration and grievance, but Yuan Ran saw right through him.
“Yangyang, I’m not doing this on purpose. Have you ever thought about why I insist you call me by the right name?”
“Huh?” Lin Qingyang was immediately distracted. But since something was still going on, he could only follow the rhythm instinctively while his mind hazily tried to process it.
“It’s because I look completely different now. My personality’s changed a lot, too. You once said you fell for me without even realizing it, way back then. I’m afraid you only loved that version of Chu Lishu, not the current Yuan Ran. I’m really scared, so I need you to realize—right now, the one holding you, your husband, is Yuan Ran. Do you understand?”
Lin Qingyang was moved—but he still felt like something was a little off. However, when he saw Yuan Ran’s downcast, disappointed expression, any doubts disappeared.
“I… I was wrong. I’ll listen to you.”
“To make sure you remember it well, mistakes still deserve punishment. Next time, we’ll try a different one.”
Lin Qingyang hummed in agreement but couldn’t help muttering, “Why do I have a feeling that you’ll keep using this reason to bully me forever?”
“Be good. We’re married—how could I bully you?” Yuan Ran said, embracing Lin Qingyang gently.
“Well, yeah… I love you, Lishu—no, wait, Yuan Ran.”
“I love you too, Yangyang. Oops—wrong again. How about your punishment be that you take the lead this time?”
—The End—
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