The whirlwind trip to Singapore passed in a blur of meetings, strange cravings (mostly for sweet pastries Zhiyuan had never cared for before), and the constant, confusing push-and-pull between him and Yichen. Before they knew it, they were back in Shanghai, back in the cold, modern silence of Zhiyuan's mansion.
That evening, a heavy mood settled over the house. Zhiyuan had retreated to his bedroom after dinner and refused to come out, dismissing Meilin's gentle inquiries with short, irritable answers.
Downstairs, Meilin wrung her hands, talking to Yichen in a hushed voice. "He's been like this since you returned. Snapping one minute, quiet the next. Isn't he getting mood swings a lot?"
Yichen nodded, his own brow furrowed with worry. The fatigue, the nausea, the cravings, and now these rapid mood shifts… the puzzle was becoming harder to ignore. "You're right. It's more than just stress. I'll go talk to him."
Upstairs, he found Zhiyuan sitting up in bed, his laptop balanced on his knees, but he wasn't working. He was just staring at the screen, rubbing his temples as if trying to push away a persistent headache.
Yichen walked in and, without a word, gently took the laptop, closed it, and set it on the nightstand. "Hey. What's going on? Is there something bothering you?"
Zhiyuan let out a long, heavy sigh. He looked at Yichen, his expression a mix of frustration and something else something vulnerable and almost petulant. "I wanna eat egg tarts," he mumbled, the words so unexpected and childish that they hung in the air.
Yichen blinked, stunned. "That's… that's it? That's what has you locked in your room looking like the world is ending?"
Zhiyuan's ears turned pink with embarrassment. He looked away, scowling at the wall. "Forget it."
But Yichen's confusion melted into a soft, understanding smile. The great CEO, who commanded billions, was pouting over pastries. It was oddly endearing. "Okay. No problem. I'll go find some egg tarts. There's that new bakery a few blocks—"
"You stay."
The words were quiet,but they stopped Yichen in his tracks. He turned back. "What?"
Zhiyuan didn't look at him. He seemed just as surprised by his own demand. He was acting clingy, irrational, and he hated it. The embarrassment turned to self-directed anger. "Just… never mind," he muttered, his voice tight. In a flustered move, he yanked the quilt up over his head, hiding. "Leave me alone."
From under the covers, he heard Yichen chuckle. The sound was warm, not mocking. "Why are you acting like a pregnant lady with all these cravings and mood swings?" Yichen teased gently.
That did it. Zhiyuan threw the covers off, his face flushed with real anger now. "If I'm bothering you so much, then why are you still here? Go away! Don't bother with me!"
The outburst was sharp, but Yichen saw the hurt and confusion underneath it. His smile faded into a look of tender concern. He sat on the edge of the bed and leaned closer. "I'm sorry, bao bei," he said softly, the term of endearment slipping out naturally. "I didn't mean it like that. I'll go get you some tarts. Maybe that'll change your mood, huh?"
He gave Zhiyuan's covered knee a gentle pat before standing up. "I'll be back soon."
He left the room, closing the door quietly behind him. Under the quilt, Zhiyuan squeezed his eyes shut, frustrated with his own inexplicable behavior. The craving was intense, the emotions were all over the place, and the only thing that seemed to anchor him was the infuriating, comforting presence of the man he'd just yelled at. Nothing made sense anymore.
A few days later, an invitation arrived that sent a ripple of unease through Zhiyuan. It was for a dinner from Xiao Xue's father, Mr. Li. Zhiyuan's first, guilty thought was that he'd done something wrong. Xiao Xue hadn't called or texted since they'd returned from the trip. Maybe her family had found out about… about the tension, about the night he'd gone to Yichen's room. Anxiety coiled in his stomach.
Still, he went. Yichen accompanied him to the exclusive, quiet restaurant, his own senses on high alert, unsure what to expect.
To Zhiyuan's surprise, the greeting was warm, even effusive. "Zhiyuan! So good to see you looking well!" Mr. Li boomed, clapping him on the back. Madam Li offered a polite, if slightly strained, smile. Xiao Xue was there, quiet but serene.
Zhiyuan felt a wave of relief. Maybe I was overthinking, he told himself as they sat down.
The meal began with pleasant small talk—asking after his health, discussing the stable state of their joint ventures. The storm seemed to have passed.
Then, as the main course was cleared, Mr. Li cleared his throat. The atmosphere shifted.
"Zhiyuan, my boy, there's something… something important I wanted to discuss with you."
Zhiyuan's fork stilled. Yichen, standing discreetly against the wall, tensed. "What is it, sir?" Zhiyuan asked, his voice careful.
Mr. Li exchanged a look with his wife, then with Xiao Xue, who gave a small, encouraging nod. "It's about… the engagement. My daughter, Xiao Xue… she has expressed a desire to… to break it."
The words landed like stones in the quiet room. Zhiyuan's eyes widened. He looked immediately at Xiao Xue, who met his gaze calmly, a small, apologetic smile on her lips.
"Break the engagement?" Zhiyuan repeated, stunned. "Why? Did… did something happen? Did I do something to upset her?" The guilt came rushing back.
"No, no, son!" Mr. Li said quickly, shaking his head. He chuckled, but it was a sad, proud sound. "Not at all. After the trip, she did a lot of thinking. She came to us and said… she's too young for marriage. She likes you, she respects you immensely, but she… she loves her freedom more." He spread his hands. "She's insisting on a world tour. Hiking mountains, seeing the pyramids, all that dangerous, adventurous stuff young people do these days."
Madam Li sighed, a sound full of maternal worry and reluctant acceptance. "Yes. Wants to do all that. I don't know why. But," she said, looking at her daughter with soft eyes, "I don't mind. I care about her. I care more about her happiness. If this is what she truly wants… we can't force her to marry you." She turned back to Zhiyuan, her expression genuinely regretful. "You are such a good boy. A dream husband. A dream son-in-law. It's everything I always wanted. And in a strange way, it's all thanks to you for taking her on that trip. It made her think about herself. She would always stay so quiet at home, never opening up. I was always so worried. I know I'm not a good mother, always so strict… she must have been so scared to share her thoughts with me." A tear glistened in her eye.
Zhiyuan listened, the initial shock melting into a strange, warm understanding. He looked at Xiao Xue, who was watching her mother with love in her eyes. He saw not a rejection, but a liberation.
"If that's what she wants," Zhiyuan said, his voice gentle and sincere, "then that is good. She's beautiful, intelligent, and full of life. I'm sure she'll find someone else one day who loves her the most, in the way she deserves."
Mr. Li looked at him with immense respect. "You… you are really a dream, Zhiyuan. I thought you would be furious. After holding this engagement for years, waiting for her to finish her studies… and when we decide to break it, you don't mind at all. You're a better man than I hoped for. I hope one day she opens her eyes and sees what she lost."
Xiao Xue blushed deeply, fidgeting with her napkin, looking both relieved and a little embarrassed.
"But," Mr. Li continued, leaning forward, his business instincts kicking in, "this doesn't have to affect our partnership. In fact, to show our gratitude and to make our bond even stronger family in spirit, if not by law I'd like to offer you a new deal. A very favorable one. So the end of this engagement only strengthens the ties between our companies."
The dinner, which had begun with dread, ended with a handshake on a new business alliance and the quiet, mutual release of two people from a gilded cage. As they left the restaurant, Zhiyuan felt lighter than he had in years. And from the corner of his eye, he saw Yichen finally relax his vigilant stance, a look of dawning, cautious hope in his eyes. The biggest obstacle to whatever was growing between them had just, unexpectedly, vanished.
The cool night air outside the restaurant was a sharp contrast to the heavy, emotional atmosphere inside. Zhiyuan slid into the back seat of the waiting car, a strange mixture of relief and surreal disbelief washing over him. He was free.
Yichen was about to open the front passenger door when a voice called out softly.
"Mr. Chen. Yichen."
He turned. Xiao Xue had followed them out. She stood under the restaurant's awning, a small, knowing smile on her face. Yichen glanced at Zhiyuan through the car window, gave a slight nod to indicate he'd be a moment, and closed the door. He walked over to her.
"Miss Li?"
She didn't say anything at first. Instead, she took his hand, turning it palm up. She placed a small, velvet ring box in it the one that had held her engagement ring from Zhiyuan. It felt light yet carried the weight of a broken promise.
"Return this to him, please," she said, her voice quiet but clear.
Yichen closed his fingers around the box, nodding. "I will." He hesitated, the question burning in his chest. "Don't mind me asking… but I'm confused. Why did you suddenly decide to break the engagement? I thought… I thought you loved him."
Xiao Xue's smile turned softer, a little sad, but filled with genuine affection. She looked down at their hands for a moment before meeting his gaze again. "You're right. I do love him." She saw the confusion deepen in Yichen's eyes and continued. "That's exactly why I'm breaking the engagement."
Yichen just stared, completely lost.
She took a small step closer, her voice dropping to a whisper meant only for him. "I've known Zhiyuan for years. I've never seen him so unguarded around anyone. Not even around me. He's always perfect, always calculated, always… built like a fortress." She paused, her eyes earnest. "But with you… he's different. He's relaxed. He gets annoyed, he gets flustered, he gets scared… he feels. Without you, he's so stiff, so guarded, scared all the time. But with you… he's just Zhiyuan. I thought the perfect, cold CEO was who he was. But I was wrong. That's just a person he created to guard himself. And he must be so, so tired of it."
Her words struck Yichen with the force of a revelation. He stood frozen, the ring box suddenly feeling like the most precious thing in the world.
"He deserves someone he can be with," Xiao Xue said, her voice firm with conviction. "Not just someone he's supposed to be with." She gave his hand, the one holding the box, a final, firm squeeze. "Please. Take care of him. He trusts you more than anyone."
With one last warm, understanding smile, she turned and walked back into the restaurant, leaving Yichen standing alone under the city lights.
He looked down at the velvet box in his hand, then back at the car, where Zhiyuan was waiting. A storm of emotions awe, humility, fear, and a fierce, protective love swept through him. Xiao Xue hadn't just given back a ring. She had handed him a responsibility, a truth, and a blessing all at once. Taking a deep, steadying breath, he walked back to the car, his heart full and his purpose clearer than ever.
The first four weeks back in Shanghai passed in a strange, new rhythm. Zhiyuan's mood swings and odd cravings became almost routine, and Yichen, to his own surprise, found himself not just tolerating it, but enjoying the role of caretaker. Bringing him specific foods, calming his sudden irritability, and just being there it felt right, in a way his life never had before.
One afternoon, Zhiyuan was in a lengthy board meeting. Yichen stood guard outside the conference room, his gaze automatically sweeping the environment. His eyes drifted to the large window that offered a view of the busy street and the office building directly across the road.
A glint. A subtle shift of shadow in a window on the fifth floor of the opposing building. It was too still, too focused. It wasn't someone working. It was someone watching.
His guard instincts snapped to full alert. He kept his expression neutral but didn't take his eyes off that window for the rest of the meeting.
Later, in Zhiyuan's private office, Yichen pretended to look out the window while Zhiyuan signed documents. There it was again the same figure, slightly more visible now, silhouetted against the glass, binoculars or a scope clearly trained on their building. They weren't just watching they were waiting.
After finishing his work, Zhiyuan, driven by his unresolved suspicions, led Yichen to his father's old office. The room was still a dusty time capsule. Zhiyuan began meticulously searching through drawers again.
"What exactly are you looking for?" Yichen asked, his own eyes constantly flicking to the window that faced the same suspect building.
"There has to be something in this office," Zhiyuan muttered, frustration edging his voice. "A document, a drive, a safe combination… something. That's the only reason someone would keep breaking in here."
Yichen nodded in agreement, but his focus was split. He moved to stand slightly in front of the window, trying to shield Zhiyuan from view without being obvious. He peered across the street.
The figure in the window was no longer just watching. They were moving with purpose, raising something the posture was unmistakable. Shoulders squaring, arms coming up in a stable position.
"GET DOWN!"
Yichen didn't shout. He moved. In one fluid, powerful motion, he spun away from the window, lunged at Zhiyuan, and wrapped his arms around him. He used his own momentum to propel them both across the room, away from the line of sight, and slammed Zhiyuan against the solid interior wall next to the bookcase, his own body covering Zhiyuan's completely.
Thump.
The air left Zhiyuan's lungs in a rush from the impact. He was pinned between the cold wall and Yichen's warm, hard chest.
"What… what happened?" Zhiyuan gasped, his eyes wide with shock, trying to look around Yichen's shoulder.
Yichen didn't loosen his hold. His eyes were still fixed on the window across the street. The figure had frozen, then ducked back, clearly alerted that their target had suddenly vanished. A moment later, the shadow was gone.
The immediate threat had passed, but Yichen didn't move. Zhiyuan was pressed flush against him, his breath coming in quick, confused puffs against Yichen's neck. Yichen could feel the frantic beat of Zhiyuan's heart through their clothes. He looked down. Zhiyuan had tilted his head back to look up at him, his expression a mix of fear, confusion, and innocent curiosity.
In that moment, with the adrenaline still singing in his veins and Zhiyuan so close and safe in his arms, Yichen wanted nothing more than to stay like this. The lie came to his lips easily, a excuse to prolong the contact.
"I saw something," Yichen murmured, his voice low and tense, not entirely faking the residual fear. He didn't look away from Zhiyuan's face. "Across the street. In the window. I think… I think someone was aiming a gun towards you. Stay like this. Don't move."
He held him tighter, savoring the feel of Zhiyuan relaxing slightly against him, trusting his word, his life literally in Yichen's hands. It was a terrifying thought, and yet, in the quiet, dusty office, it felt like the most natural place in the world for them to be.
Yichen held Zhiyuan close in the office room, with Zhiyuan's back pressed against the solid interior wall next to the bookcase. He had just wanted a cute moment, but he was unaware that his knee was pressing against Zhiyuan's crotch, making Zhiyuan's body heat up with arousal. Yichen's breath ghosted over his neck, his chest pressed firmly against him it was too much for Zhiyuan. Zhiyuan gripped Yichen's shirt, burying his face in Yichen's chest, and whispered, "Please move your knee."
Yichen looked down and realized he was pressing against Zhiyuan's crotch, which now showed a huge bulge straining against the fabric. Yichen blushed, glancing down at Zhiyuan, who was burying his face deeper into Yichen's chest with embarrassment. Yichen decided to tease him he couldn't hold himself back and leaned down to kiss Zhiyuan. But Zhiyuan pushed him away with embarrassment and said, "You'll make my situation more hard."
Yichen chuckled and said, "Then will you let me kiss you if I take care of your naughty cock?"
Zhiyuan blushed and nodded with embarrassment. Yichen smirked and knelt down in front of Zhiyuan on his knees. Zhiyuan widened his eyes and asked, "What are you doing?"
Yichen said, "Taking care of my baby."
Zhiyuan blushed, covering his mouth with the back of his hand while looking down at Yichen, who used his mouth to pull Zhiyuan's pant trousers zipper down. Zhiyuan flinched when he felt the cold air as Yichen tugged his pants along with his boxers down, exposing his hard cock. Zhiyuan's free hand found its way to Yichen's hair, gripping it gently as Yichen teasingly licked the tip of his cock. Zhiyuan's whole body flinched, and he said, "Don't tease me." But Yichen didn't stop, making Zhiyuan beg for more. Finally, Yichen took Zhiyuan's cock in his mouth, sucking it deep, making Zhiyuan's head fall back against the wall with overwhelming pleasure.
Yichen's lips wrapped firmly around Zhiyuan's throbbing cock, sliding down the length with deliberate slowness, his tongue pressing flat against the underside as he took him deeper. Zhiyuan's head thumped back against the wall, a muffled groan escaping his lips as his fingers tightened in Yichen's hair, not pulling away but holding on like a lifeline. The dusty office air felt thicker now, charged with the scent of arousal and the faint mustiness of old books from the nearby bookcase.
Yichen hummed around the shaft, the vibration sending jolts through Zhiyuan's body, making his hips buck involuntarily. He pulled back just enough to swirl his tongue over the sensitive head, tasting the salty bead of pre-cum that had gathered there, before plunging down again, sucking with a steady rhythm that had Zhiyuan's knees weakening. "'Y-Yichen," Zhiyuan whimpered, his voice breaking, face still flushed crimson as he peeked down through half-lidded eyes. The protectiveness in Yichen's gaze hadn't faded it burned hotter now, mixed with raw hunger, as if shielding Zhiyuan from the outside world only amplified this intimate claim.
"Quiet," Yichen murmured against the slick skin, his breath hot as he released the cock with a wet pop, only to lick a long stripe from base to tip. "We can't let anyone hear. Not with that threat still out there." His hands gripped Zhiyuan's thighs, thumbs digging into the soft flesh, holding him steady against the wall. Zhiyuan nodded frantically, biting his lip to stifle another moan, but when Yichen's mouth engulfed him once more deeper this time, throat relaxing to take nearly all of him Zhiyuan's control shattered. His free hand clamped over his own mouth, eyes squeezing shut as waves of pleasure rolled through him.
Yichen worked him relentlessly, bobbing his head with increasing speed, one hand sliding up to fondle Zhiyuan's balls, rolling them gently between his fingers. The teasing edge lingered in every flick of his tongue, every deliberate pause that left Zhiyuan gasping and pleading with soft, embarrassed whispers. "Please... don't stop," Zhiyuan breathed, his body trembling, the earlier fear from the gun sighting melting into this overwhelming need. Yichen's own arousal strained against his pants, but he focused solely on Zhiyuan, drawing out the tension until Zhiyuan's hips stuttered, his grip in Yichen's hair turning desperate.
With a final, deep suck, Yichen pushed him over the edge. Zhiyuan's cock pulsed in his mouth, hot spurts of cum flooding across his tongue as Zhiyuan arched against the wall, a choked cry muffled behind his hand. Yichen swallowed every drop, milking him through the aftershocks with gentle laps, until Zhiyuan slumped, boneless and panting. Slowly, Yichen rose, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand, his eyes locking onto Zhiyuan's dazed ones. He pulled him into a tender kiss, sharing the lingering taste, his arms wrapping protectively around Zhiyuan's waist once more.
"'That's my Bao Bei" Yichen whispered against his lips, voice husky with affection.
Back at the mansion, the night was deep and quiet. In the master bedroom, Zhiyuan had finally fallen into a restless sleep, exhausted by the day's tension and his own unpredictable body. Yichen stood by the bed for a long time, watching the slow rise and fall of his chest. In the moonlight filtering through the window, Zhiyuan looked peaceful, the usual lines of stress smoothed away.
A wave of overwhelming tenderness washed over Yichen. He leaned down, his movement silent and slow, and pressed a soft, lingering kiss to Zhiyuan's forehead. It was a gesture of protection, of a promise he'd made in that dark room. He brushed a strand of hair from his face before turning and slipping out of the room.
Once in the hall, the softness vanished from his face. He pulled out his secure phone and dialed.
"The building across from Liang Group. The fifth-floor window. Did you check the footage?" he asked, his voice a low, cold command.
"Yes, sir. We have it. We tracked the person after he left. He's not being very careful. He's currently right in front of us. Outside a convenience store on Maple Street. He's having a smoke."
A predatory glint entered Yichen's eyes. "Good. Keep eyes on him. Don't let him spot you. I'm on my way."
Fifteen minutes later, Yichen's black motorcycle pulled up a block away from the brightly lit convenience store. He saw his man, leaning against a car, who gave a subtle nod towards the storefront.
There, under the harsh fluorescent light, leaning against the wall, was the man. Even from a distance, Yichen recognized him. He wasn't a random thug. He was one of the quiet, unobtrusive attendants who often accompanied Aunt Ruifen to public events a driver, or a supposed "assistant." Guo Lian.
As Yichen watched, the man finished his cigarette, tossed it aside, and began walking not towards a car, but down a narrow, dark alley beside the store.
Perfect.
Yichen signaled to his two men. They moved like shadows, converging from different directions as Yichen strode straight into the alley. The man, Guo Lian, heard footsteps and turned, but it was too late.
Yichen didn't waste time with questions. The moment he was within reach, his fist connected with the man's gut in a brutal, silencing blow. Guo Lian doubled over with a pained grunt. Yichen's men grabbed his arms, pinning him against the damp brick wall.
"What were you doing in that building today?" Yichen demanded, his voice a deadly whisper in the dark alley. "Who were you aiming at?"
Guo Lian, gasping for air, shook his head. "I… I was just doing what my ma'am told me to do! Just watching! That's all!"
"Watching with a sniper rifle?" Yichen growled, shoving him harder against the wall. "Who is your 'ma'am'? Liang Ruifen?"
The man's eyes widened in fear, but he clamped his mouth shut, loyal to a fault.
Yichen had seen enough. He stepped back, his expression icy. He looked at his men. "Take him to the warehouse. Make him comfortable. He doesn't leave until he tells us everything. Who he works for, what his orders were, and what Ruifen is planning."
His men nodded. "Understood." They efficiently gagged the struggling man, threw a dark hood over his head, and dragged him towards a waiting van that had pulled up silently at the alley's mouth.
Yichen watched the van disappear into the night. He stood alone in the dark alley, the city's noises distant. He had a direct link to the snake now. Soon, she would have no more shadows to hide in. And he would have all the answers he needed to protect Zhiyuan, once and for all.