《Reluctantly Willing》


 Chapter 1锛欼ntroduction

    Suddenly the doorbell rang and An Xiaoyan stood up to open the door. He had no loved ones in this city, who could it be?


    The moment when he opened the door, he regretted it.


    "Gu, Mr. Gu, what brings you here? How do you know I live here?"


    Gu Jun casually threw his suit on the sofa and scanned the space. It was a one-bedroom apartment. The sunshine shone in and the room looked very clean yet the old facade of the house could not be concealed.


    "I came to see where my enemy lives. As they say, one who knows both his own strengths and those of the enemy is invincible in battle."


    An Xiaoyan shivered when he heard the voice and said in a tone close to begging for mercy, "Mr. Gu, I will try my best to repay you. I will work hard to repay this debt."


    Gu Jun sneered. "Repay? How are you going to pay me back? What can a person with no academic qualifications and no ability do? Be a waiter or rob people? Oh, I forgot, you can murder and rob."


    Hearing the word "murder", An Xiaoyan''s pupils instantly grew. The word left a deep mark in his life which he could not erase.


    "Mr. Gu, no matter what, I''ll repay you the five million," An Xiaoyan spoke these words with the last bit of courage he had.


    "Then I''ll wait. If I can find you once, I can find you twice, so don''t think of running away!"


    "Mr. Gu, I will not escape, I will not��"


    "I know you won''t run away. I just want to discuss something with you today."


    Although Gu Jun was proposing a discussion, An Xiaoyan knew he had to agree.


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    "I''ve heard that you remained chaste in the prison. Why don''t you give me your body? Your service would worth three hundred in the red light district, but I''ll give you a thousand. Once we hit 600 transactions, you can consider the rest of the money cleared off."


    An Xiaoyan was shocked to hear the deal. He suddenly felt that his body was so cheap, "Mr. Gu, I thought you like women? Doing this will only disgust you."


    "An Xiaoyan, you disgust me everytime I see you. I don''t mind being more disgusted! And is it not in fashion to do it with men now?" An Xiaoyan retreated as Gu Jun approached him step by step.


    "I heard your parents are still looking forward to your return?"


    An Xiaoyan opened his eyes wide, "No, Mr. Gu. Please. Don''t tell them about me, don''t..."


    Gu Jun laughed and said, "Well, since you don''t want them to know, be good and get into bed. Please me and I won''t tell them anything."


    An Xiaoyan felt as if his body did not belong to him anymore. He walked to the bedside mindlessly and stood there watching Gu Jun unfasten his tie.


    "Take it off!"


    "Mr. Gu..."


    The pleading eyes did not trigger Gu Jun''s sympathy, "If you don''t take them off yourself, I can''t guarantee that your clothes are still wearable tomorrow."


    An Xiaoyan stared at Gu Jun for three seconds, his hands trembling as he unbuttoned his shirt.


    "Take off your pants, too!"


    "As expected, your body looks good. Are you sure that you managed to remain chaste in the prison, with no one violating you? I think your ''behind'' must be loose by now."


    An Xiaoyan lay on the bed on his chest and buried his head in the pillow as if he could not hear Gu Jun''s voice.


    This was Gu Jun''s first time having sex with a man. In his life, there were countless women, none of whom stayed. He was not gay. He just wanted to revenge on An Xiaoyan in the most humiliating way. This murderer killed his son!


    Gu Jun had never been in love. The way he saw it, he only did it to vent his sexual desire. He did not need love but a "tool" to vent his sexual desire.


    An Xiaoyan did not know how long Gu Jun had been going. He gritted his teeth and kept silent. The pain from his rear caused beads of cold perspiration to stream down his forehead.


    Gu Jun had no experience doing this with a man, it was his first time. An Xiaoyan frowned in pain. Only An Xiaoyan''s pain could make up for his hatred.


    An Xiaoyan, how come people like you haven''t been killed in prison! Why did you come out and continue to harm others? Everyone says you are a doctor who saves lives. Don''t you know you are a devil with hands stained in blood? Why are you still alive?


    Since you are still alive, you can gradually atone for your sins, and use your life to pay me back!


    Lost in time, An Xiaoyan could not feel the pain from his rear anymore. His body was left lying on the bed in a bizarre position that was curiously difficult not to look at.


    Gu Jun enjoyed his "masterpiece" and thought with a sneer,


    An Xiaoyan, this is the life you should have. You deserve to be reduced to sell your body and let others ride on you ''til death!

 Chapter 2锛欱ig Mistake

    "Yan Zi, there is a cesarean operation at 3 p.m. and the director said that we should learn alongside him."


    The one who spoke was Liu Cheng, one of An Xiaoyan''s university classmates. They were both fifth-year students now, less than a month before graduation.


    "Sure, let''s get ready."


    "Yan Zi, your grades are so good, and I benefit by being around you. The director takes you to the clinic and I get to tag along," Liu Cheng said happily with his arm around An Xiaoyan.


    "Liu Cheng, don''t say that, you are very capable, too."


    "You are too modest. You are the only one in the whole school who is accepted into A University to pursue a Master''s Degree. Don''t be modest. We''ll celebrate over drinks after you graduate, my treat!"


    At 3 p.m., a woman in her early twenties was rolled into the operating theatre. An Xiaoyan and Liu Cheng followed the director and observed on the side.


    "Not good. The mother has signs of massive hemorrhage. You must seal the wound in time to prevent metrorrhagia when the baby comes out."


    "All right, director!"


    The atmosphere in the operating room suddenly became tense. At this time, a nurse came in and pulled the director aside hurriedly. She told the director that there was a woman in difficult labor that required immediate surgery.


    "Xiaoyan, Liu Cheng, you two have been shadowing me for long enough. The two of you will take over and complete the rest of the operation. Just use what I''ve taught you. Don''t be nervous."


    After the director left, An Xiaoyan continued to observe the situation and asked, "Liu Cheng, do you think she''s having twins?"


    "Not likely. The patient didn''t tell us that she''s having twins. We should seal it up quickly or she might experience massive hemorrhage."


    An Xiaoyan thought it sounded reasonable as the case notes did not mention the woman having twins and they were in an emergency situation. He grasped the sewing forceps and sealed up the wound.


    The operation took the whole afternoon, both An Xiaoyan and Liucheng were tired out after the operation. They felt like a deflated balloon and slumped in their chairs.


    "Yan Zi, you are so smart. You are only 21 years old and you are going to get your Master''s Degree. Now you are also the director''s assistant."


    An Xiaoyan washed his hands with disinfectant and said, "Liu Cheng, you know my family situation. My parents are not in good health. They both look forward to seeing me tend to their health in the future. I have to work hard for their sake."


    "Alright, alright. We are going to graduate soon. The school has already sent out a notice that our graduation portrait photo shoot is scheduled next week. I''m starting to imagine how handsome you will look in your baccalaureate gown."


    "Not as handsome as you."


    "Yan Zi, just for these words, dinner''s on me."


    "If you say so. I won''t stand on ceremony."


    "Yan Zi, are you kidding? Do you think we still need to be so polite with each other?"


    They were having dinner when a phone call came in. An Xiaoyan gestured to Liu Cheng upon seeing the caller display, then turned his back to answer the phone call.


    Before Liu Cheng could chew the piece of meat that he placed in his mouth, he was dragged away by An Xiaoyan.


    "Yan Zi, what''s wrong?"


    An Xiaoyan said nothing and dragged Liu Cheng along to the hospital.


    The hospital was in chaos. Seeing the frown on the director''s face, An Xiaoyan knew that the situation was more serious than he imagined.


    "Xiaoyan, did you check for any fetus in the womb before you sealed up the wound for the mother this afternoon?"


    "Director, didn''t the case notes indicate that there is only one baby? After you took the baby out, I sealed the wound up immediately."


    The director''s face turned pale, "You know�� There was another baby in her belly. Their lives are in danger and they are in the intensive care unit now!"


    An Xiaoyan never thought that he would have made such a terrible mistake. If he had been more careful at that time, he would have checked again and not made such a mistake. Now he could only pray for the safety of both the mother and child.


    As the light above the door of the operating room changed from red to green, the doctor came out and shook his head. An Xiaoyan slumped to the ground. He looked down at his hands, as if they were stained with blood. He was a doctor. How could he become a murderer?


    Slap! A red handprint appeared on An Xiaoyan''s face. A tall man stood beside him.


    "You were the doctor who operated in the afternoon, I heard?"


    "I am."


    "You''re An Xiaoyan, aren''t you? Wait for the court''s verdict. You will pay for hurting my child!"


    The staff in the hospital watched An Xiaoyan being slapped in public, but no one came forward to help him. It was indeed An Xiaoyan''s fault, and his malpractice might bring unimaginable damage upon the hospital.


    "The director is asking for you," the nurse next to him reminded An Xiaoyan.


    An Xiaoyan''s heart was in a state of confusion. I took someone''s life�� I''m a murderer... Looking at the back view of An Xiaoyan, Liu Cheng felt a sense of sadness. This should not have been borne by An Xiaoyan.


    "Xiaoyan, though I know you didn''t mean to do this�� After all, you are so capable and still so young��"


    "Director, just say what you have in mind, I can take it."


    Hearing that, the director did not beat around the bush, "Mr. Gu, the family member of the victim, insists on making this case a criminal case to solve the problem. You must have heard about the social status of the Gu family in our city. The hospital does not want this matter to affect its reputation, so they have decided that you should take full responsibility for the matter. The hospital will have nothing to do with it."


    "Director, it''s not fair to me! The hospital can''t do this."


    "Xiaoyan, there is no other choice. You should know that someone has to take the responsibility. You are indeed very capable. But�� This is totally unexpected. Had this never happened, you would have definitely become the best doctor."


    When An Xiaoyan heard that, he felt as if he had fallen into an icy hole. How could his life be ruined just like this? But he indirectly killed two people. It was indeed his fault��

 Chapter 3锛歊ipped Apart

    An Xiaoyan looked at the person who came to visit him in jail. It had never occurred to him that his first visitor would be Gu Jun, the family of the victim.


    "Do you know why I came, murderer?"


    "Mr. Gu, I am very sorry about your child."


    Gu Jun sneered. "You think you''re off the hook just by saying sorry? What about my child? Do you know the importance of an extra heir to the Gu Family? Your mistake might very well cause me the chance for inheritance."


    "I''m sorry, Mr. Gu. I really am."


    "Oh right, I forgot the main reason why I came today. I heard that you''re about to graduate and was accepted as a master''s student at A University, correct?"


    An Xiaoyan''s eyes brightened. "Mr. Gu," he said, grasping the metal bars, "Can you help me with the paperwork for a gap year? Then I can go back to school after being released."


    "I didn''t think you''d be so na?ve. Do you think I''m a good person? I am not." With that, Gu Jun took out two pieces of paper from his bag and put them where An Xiaoyan couldn''t reach.


    "This is your bachelor''s diploma and admission letter for your master''s program. They look so nice, huh." Gu Jun caressed An Xiaoyan''s name on the paper with his right hand. His eyes were filled with hatred.


    "What would your expression be if I made these pieces of paper disappear?"


    An Xiaoyan had an idea about what Gu Jun was planning. He shook his head violently and tried to grab the papers, but Gu Jun had them completely out of his reach.


    "Someone like you doesn''t deserve to be called a university student, let alone a master''s student. You''re a murderer. You should be treated like a rat, insulted by everyone!" Gu Jun folded the two pieces of paper and let An Xiaoyan watch his admission letter be ripped apart and scattered on the ground.


    As the shreds of paper landed on the ground, An Xiaoyan''s dream flew away. He wouldn''t have a chance to go to school anymore. He was nothing now��nothing.


    Gu Jun sat in the chair, enjoying the despair on An Xiaoyan''s face. Seeing this, he actually felt happy. Revenge felt great.


    "Alright, I''m leaving now. Enjoy your time in jail, Mr. University Student."


    After Gu Jun left, An Xiaoyan returned to his cell mechanically. His future had been completely rewritten. His childhood dream of becoming a doctor would never come true.


    Fights occurred everywhere in jail. This jail was in the suburbs and filled with the evilest criminals. Gu Jun had worked hard on transferring An Xiaoyan here. An Xiaoyan, this jail will be your pathway to hell!


    The Warden was flipping through new prisoners files when he caught that An Xiaoyan was surprisingly a medical school student and suddenly got an idea. "Call that An Xiaoyan over."


    An Xiaoyan was resting in bed when he was suddenly summoned by a prison guard. He was afraid that he had done something wrong.


    "An Xiaoyan, right? Sit."


    An Xiaoyan sat down obediently, "Why did you call for me?"


    "I looked at your file. You were a medical school student?"


    "Yes."


    "So you can treat simple injuries?"


    "Yes."


    The Warden was happy. "We don''t have a prison doctor because of certain reasons. Why don''t you take the position?"


    "Warden, you know my situation. I''m afraid I can''t. I''m a murderer."


    "I know, but be patient and let me finish."


    "If you''re willing to take this job, you''ll be somewhat like an employee and can live in your own room. There are so many predators here and with you looking like this, I''m sure you don''t want to keep getting harassed. We''ll also offer you half the salary of a regular prison doctor. You''ll be imprisoned for a year and it''ll be hard for you to find a job even after getting released. It''ll be easier if you have this money."


    Hearing this, An Xiaoyan was tempted. This was indeed not a bad deal at all. He was broke. If he could earn some money, it would be easier to get by after being released.


    "Okay, I''ll do it. Thank you, Warden."


    "Don''t thank me. Just do your job well. A lot of prisoners get hurt every day."


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    An Xiaoyan didn''t realize just how tiring this job was until he actually started. The prisoners who were brought here every day all had numerous scrapes on them. Those in more serious conditions even had bloody injuries. There wasn''t a doctor before, so their old and new wounds all overlapped, making the situation worse. Some people even had festering sores and the liquid that oozed out disgusted An Xiaoyan.


    He couldn''t help but pity these criminals. Without a doctor, they might die from infections. He found comfort in that he could actually act as a doctor here and help them.


    The prison was troubled by an enduring shortage of medicine. An Xiaoyan had used every means possible to dilute the medicine, but it still wasn''t enough. He sent a request to the Warden for more medicine.


    "Xiaoyan, you know that no one pays attention to our prison. The prisoners here are either on the death roll or sentenced for life. Even what we have here was hoarded over many years."


    An Xiaoyan knew about the prison''s dilemma, but to him, those criminals were his patients. He had to do something.


    "Use a portion of my salary to buy medicine."


    The Warden didn''t think An Xiaoyan would do that. As expected, doctors were all benevolent. He found it hard to believe that An Xiaoyan was a murderer after days of observation.


    "An Xiaoyan, you have to think carefully about what kinds of people are in here. You''ve been here long enough to know that they won''t thank you for this. They might even stab you in the back!"


    "Warden, I''ve made my decision. No matter how they are in the future, I only hope that I can help them get better. They''re just patients."


    The Warden saw the decisiveness in An Xiaoyan''s eyes. He sighed and took out a pen and paper from the drawer. "Write down what you need. I''ll ask someone to buy them from the market."


    An Xiaoyan took the pen and paper, bowing deeply.


    He thought of what medicine he needed for the injuries. After writing them down, he was about to hand the paper to the Warden, but then he turned back and added one more item to the list. He thought that it would be useful.


    After the worker went out and bought the medicine, they were put in An Xiaoyan''s room.


    When the worker left, An Xiaoyan looked at the boxes of medicine, touching the medicine softly like patting a child. This was his dream. Even if it was in jail, it was worth it if he could do what he loved.


    An Xiaoyan slept well that night. It was his best night''s sleep since he came to prison. In his dream, he wore a white coat and sat in a bright room to tend to his patients. They were all smiling at him��

 Chapter 4锛歍hree Years

    Since the arrival of the medicine, more and more prisoners visited the infirmary and kept An Xiaoyan busy all day.


    At 9 p.m. in the evening, An Xiaoyan was about to close the door when he saw a teenager peeping at him.


    "Come on over."


    The teenager continued to peep at him without moving.


    "Come and tell me your problem. I''ll try my best to help you."


    Only then did the teenager come forward, and An Xiaoyan noticed something unusual in his way of walking.


    "What happened to you?" An Xiaoyan asked with concern.


    "I... My body hurts."


    "Where does it hurt?"


    The teenager blushed, "There."


    Looking at the awkward expression on the teenager''s face, An Xiaoyan understood why. Fortunately, he was prepared.


    "Take off your pants and lie here. I''ll apply some medicine for you."


    The teenager hesitated and did not move, his juggling fingers showing his unrest.


    "You will soon be well once I help you apply the medicine, otherwise it will never heal."


    The teenager finally made up his mind and lay on the bed, then slowly took off his pants.


    An Xiaoyan saw his underwear was soaked with blood and asked, "Was it consensual?"


    The teenager buried his head in the pillow and did not speak.


    "It''s alright. You only need to say what you want," An Xiaoyan knew that he should not meddle too much. Now that he was privileged to have his own room and protection of prison guards, he should not cause any trouble.


    "Brother, they, they..." The teenager burst out crying before he could finish the whole sentence. An Xiaoyan passed him some tissue.


    "It''s alright. Take your time."


    "They forced me. There were several others threatening me that if I didn''t do it, they would beat me to death."


    "Does it hurt?" An Xiaoyan gently used cotton balls to absorb the blood.


    "Yes."


    "How old are you?"


    "Eighteen."


    "What''s your name?"


    "I don''t have a name. I''ve been called Dong Zi since I was a child."


    He was only eighteen and he ended up in such a place. An Xiaoyan felt sad and wanted to save the child.


    "Go back and have a good rest tonight. I''ll think of a way to save you."


    Dong Zi was so excited that he accidentally touched his wound. He winced in pain but still had a smile on his face.


    "Thank you, brother."


    An Xiaoyan looked at the innocent smile on his face and patted his head.


    "Warden, I''m overworked every day and need an assistant."


    The Warden forced himself to calm down, "Half of your money has already been used to purchase medicine. I''m reminding you for your good. It''s really not worth it to help those people!"


    "Warden, this is not a matter of whether they are worthwhile or not. I''m a doctor. They''re all equal in my eyes."


    "Well, Xiaoyan, you''re too kind, and you''ll learn your lession if you go on like that. Forget it. I''ll transfer that kid to live here with you. As for the money, you two can decide how you want to split it."


    Dong Zi never dreamt that he could leave the nightmarish place. When he looked at An Xiaoyan smiling at the door of the infirmary, he felt that An Xioayan was the best person in the world.


    "Dong Zi, how did you end up in prison?" An Xiaoyan asked, lying in bed.


    "I used to do things for my boss, who was involved in a crime. I was still a minor, so he told me to be his scapegoat for a minor will not be sentenced with the death penalty and might even get a reduced sentence. He promised to give me money when I''m out."


    Thinking about how the boy was being exploited at such a young age, An Xiaoyan grew painfully aware that he suffered the same fate. Only that in his case, the hospital sacrificed him for their reputation.


    "How old were you when you came in?"


    "Thirteen years old."


    Thirteen years old was such a tender age, yet he spent his best years trapped in prison.


    "When would you be released?"


    "Brother, I still have two years before I can get out. What about you, brother?"


    "I still have one more year to go."


    Dong Zi looked up at An Xiaoyan as he lay on his stomach, "Brother, I will go find you when I''m out. Wait for me."


    "Sure. Right now, you can be my assistant and share half of my salary."


    Dong Zi shook his head, his eyes twinkling, "Brother, you are my benefactor. I won''t take your money. Besides, I will have a sum of money when I get out."


    An Xiaoyan did not reply, just covered Dong Zi with the quilt and said goodnight.


    A year passed in a blink. The day of An Xiaoyan''s release had finally arrived. He had packed up a few things that belonged to him and was waiting for the release notice when he saw the Warden come with a solemn face.


    "An Xiaoyan, come here."


    An Xiaoyan went over and the Warden''s words came as a rude shock.


    The Warden said he could not be released yet. An official document arrived stating that he had been convicted of intentional homicide and sentenced for another three years.


    "Warden, you are kidding, right?" If it were just another year, he could still handle it. But three more years in prison was enough to destroy his life. In three years'' time, he would be 25 years old. Who would accept someone like him who had nothing?


    "Xiaoyan, I''m not kidding. It is from the municipal office. Did you offend anyone?"


    An Xiaoyan forced himself to calm down and scanned in his mind all the people he knew. Suddenly, a name stood out.


    Gu Jun, are you still blaming me?


    Gu Jun was at home rejoicing at the thought of the facial expression on An Xiaoyan''s face.


    An Xiaoyan, you think everything will be over in just a year? This year is only a small punishment to warm you up. The next three years is going to be your real nightmare!


    [Sobbing loudy]


    The nanny next to him coaxed the child in the cradle, "Guo Guo, don''t cry, don''t cry."


    Gu Jun grabbed the baby and looked at the face resembling his, said with a laugh, "My dear son, your father is avenging your elder brother."


    As if he understood the sentence, the baby cried even louder.


    An Xiaoyan accepted the reality that he had to stay for another three years. It was supposed to be his big release day, who knew it would turn out to be the start of more suffering.


    Dong Zi looked at his brother who was sitting at the window and gazing at the sky. He knew his brother must be hurting inside.


    Why would a good man like him end up in here? He is like a saint. He deserves heaven, yet he came to hell.


    "Don''t be sad, brother. Life still goes on."


    An Xiaoyan reluctantly forced a smile, "Dong Zi, you don''t understand. I have already wasted a year, and I can''t afford to waste another three more. My parents still don''t know that I''m here yet."


    After Dong Zi heard this, he took off while An Xiaoyan was not paying attention.


    "I want to go in. I want to see the Warden."


    The guard at the door stopped the teenager from entering, "Do you think you can see the Warden as and when you wish? Who do you think you are?"


    The Warden was just coming out when he saw a teenager shouting.


    He recognized that the teenager was the one An Xiaoyan was trying to save, "What are you doing?"


    "Mr. Warden, I want to discuss something with you."


    "What is it?"


    "Can we discuss it inside?"


    The Warden gestured to the guard with his eyes, and the guard released his hand to let Dong Zi in.


    "What is it?"


    "Mr. Warden, I''m begging you to allow An Xiaoyan to call home once a month."


    The Warden slammed hard on the table and said, "How dare you! What do you think this place is, your home? It seems that you haven''t learned a thing in the past five years, and yet Xiaoyan begged me to transfer you to the infirmary!"


    Dong Zi knelt down and kowtowed incessantly, "Warden �� Brother didn''t think that he would have to stay for another three years. His family doesn''t even know he''s here. Please take pity on him. A good person like him shouldn''t even be in such a place in the first place."

 Chapter 5锛歊eleased From Prison

    Anyone could see that An Xiaoyan was one of the kindest people in the world. People like him do not let the environment change who they are. Not even the warden believed that An Xiaoyan would purposely kill anyone.


    "What kind of person do you think An Xiaoyan is?"


    Dong Zi wiped away tears. "My brother is very kind to me and to other inmates. He''s kind to everyone but himself. He always says that I''m still growing gives me all his meat."


    The warden''s heart squeezed. In all his years working in the prison, this was the first time he had seen someone like An Xiaoyan and the first time he had ever felt pained for an inmate.


    "Go back and tell An Xiaoyan that he can call his family from my office on the 15th of every month."


    "Thank you, warden! Thank you!" Dong Zi started kowtowing again.


    "Brother, the warden said you can go to his office on the 15th of every month to use his phone."


    "Dong Zi, what are you talking about?"


    "Brother, I went to beg the warden. He agreed."


    Hearing this, An Xiaoyan rebuked, "Dong Zi, don''t be so reckless in the future."


    "Brother, it''s worth it to be reckless for you."


    An Xiaoyan stared at Dong Zi gratefully. It was rare to keep one''s heart pure in prison.


    When it was finally the 15th, once he prepared Dong Zi to take over while he was away, An Xiaoyan went to the warden''s room solemnly.


    Seeing him walk in, the warden pushed the phone to An Xiaoyan. "You have half an hour, but the phone call will be recorded, so watch your language."


    An Xiaoyan nodded. He used his index finger to press the keys that formed the number that was so familiar and yet hadn''t been dialed for so long. The beeping in the phone made him so anxious that he felt like his heart had jumped to his throat.


    When the call connected, a familiar voice streamed out. Hearing it, An Xiaoyan''s tears flowed out.


    He covered his mouth, trying not to cry out.


    "Hello? Who is this? Is this Yan Zi?"


    "Dad, it''s me."


    "Mommy, it''s Yan Zi calling." Hurried footsteps sounded on the other end of the call.


    "Yan Zi, where''ve you been all year? Not even a call. Your mother and I were worried to death."


    "Dad, I''m great. I got accepted as a master''s student, remember? I''m really busy. There are so many patients every day and I''m exhausted. Thankfully, I have someone helping me."


    "Mommy, did you hear that? Our son has an assistant!"


    An Xiaoyan couldn''t hold his tears back any longer. He could hear how happy and proud his father was through the phone. "Dad, I''m too busy these days and I might not be able to go back home in a few years. I''ll go see you once I settle down."


    "Yan Zi, it''s alright. Your career is most important. Don''t worry about us. I heard that the tuition is really expensive. You didn''t ask for money for a whole year. Do you need our help?"


    An Xiaoyan tried to keep his voice steady. "No, I get paid pretty well while studying here. I can provide for myself. Dad, don''t worry."


    "Good, good. I''m farming pigs again. When you come back, we''ll have some good pork for you."


    "Sounds good."


    Once he hung up, An Xiaoyan couldn''t hold it in anymore. He slumped onto the ground and burst into tears. His dad still remembered that he liked eating meat. His parents were still waiting for him to go home.


    Hearing An Xiaoyan''s conversation, the warden felt heartbroken. He had a kid, too, and he knew how parents felt when waiting for their children. An Xiaoyan''s parents didn''t know their son was in here. He knew this was a white lie. Only those who cared about their parents would use this method.


    "Kid, don''t be sad. Come once a month."


    An Xiaoyan didn''t know how he made his way back, and as soon as he got back to the infirmary, a guard told him that he had a visitor.


    Was it Gu Jun again? Did he come to humiliate me?


    But An Xiaoyan didn''t expect that it was Liu Cheng who came.


    Liu Cheng had thought that An Xiaoyan would be released after a year of imprisonment. He had to ask around to gather that An Xiaoyan was further sentenced for three more years.


    "Yan Zi, I''m sorry. I was responsible, too, and there were mistakes with the records. You shouldn''t be the only one taking the fall." Liu Cheng was filled with guilt.


    "Don''t say that. I can take it by myself. You shouldn''t be dragged in."


    "Yan Zi, how have you been?"


    "Great. Don''t worry about me. How are the master''s studies?"


    Liu Cheng didn''t think that An Xiaoyan would ask him this so directly. He had never thought that An Xiaoyan would face it straightforward. "Yan Zi, you should have been there with me."


    "Liu Cheng, don''t come to visit me anymore. I don''t want anyone to gossip about you. I''m a murderer, after all. You have your own life."


    "Yan Zi, don''t say that. We''re best friends��best friends. I''ll treat you even better from now on. I owe you. Tell me what you need and I''ll bring it next time."


    An Xiaoyan shook his head. "Liu Cheng, you don''t need to treat me so well. I appreciate the gesture."


    With that, An Xiaoyan left, leaving Liu Cheng yelling behind.


    Liu Cheng, I''m sorry. I care about you, so I can''t let you come so often. My life is like this now. I can''t have your life derailed for me.


    At the corner, An Xiaoyan secretly pressed against the wall and watched Liu Cheng continue to yell. He didn''t go back until Liu Cheng finally gave up and left.


    Gu Jun hadn''t been here in a long time. An Xiaoyan was relieved that he was off Gu Jun''s mind and wished it could stay that way. Otherwise, he couldn''t imagine how he would end up.


    He jinxed himself, however.


    An Xiaoyan didn''t even dare to look at Gu Jun before him.


    "Didn''t think I''d come again, did you?"


    "Yeah."


    "Do you know why three more years were added to your sentence?"


    "Homicide."


    Gu Jun scoffed. "Look at this kid."


    The kid beside Gu Jun who appeared to be around two years old looked at An Xiaoyan silently.


    "Say ''daddy''."


    The kid didn''t say anything. He opened his mouth but failed to make any sound.


    "You know what? I wasn''t planning on extending your sentence, but this kid�� Other kids would start to make sounds at one year old, but he couldn''t. I have taken him to so many doctors, and they all said that my kid is intellectually challenged and that if one twin is like this, then the other one must be extremely gifted. You, you killed my smart son! You killed my heir!"


    An Xiaoyan didn''t expect this to be the case. Looking down, he said, "Mr. Gu, I don''t know how to compensate for your loss."


    "What''s your name?"


    Guo Guo looked wordlessly at the man across from him.


    "He doesn''t even talk to his own father and you think he''ll talk to you? An Xiaoyan, you think too highly of yourself!"


    "Mr. Gu, can''t you treat your kid nicely? He''s innocent."


    "He is innocent, but do you think he''d be like this if not for you?"


    "Mr. Gu, I''ll pay for my sin after I''m released. But treat him better. He''s your son."


    Gu Jun took Guo Guo out. He strode with such large steps that Guo Guo struggled to keep up until he fell on the ground with a plop.


    Gu Jun didn''t even notice until he heard the crying behind him.


    "Da��da, Daddy��hurt��"


    "What did you call me?"


    "D��daddy."


    Gu Jun was overjoyed. This kid finally knew who his dad was.


    "My dear son, how about daddy carry you out?"


    An Xiaoyan was overwhelmed by a mixture of feelings. The kid is innocent, Gu Jun. That''s your own son. He couldn''t do anything except secretly praying that Gu Jun would take his words seriously.


    Dong Zi left after his time was up. When that day came, An Xiaoyan walked him out to the gate, lightly hugged him, and secretly slipped a small bag of something into Dong Zi''s pocket.


    "Brother, remember to come find me at the address I gave you when you''re out."


    An Xiaoyan nodded and waved goodbye.


    After Dong Zi got into the car, he felt around his pocket and found the bag. He opened it and found money. There was also a line written in clean handwriting: Dong Zi, live well out there. This is your wage for helping me. It''s not much, but it''ll come in handy.


    Three years passed quickly. In spite of the privilege he had as the prison''s doctor, the prison system still made him numb.


    The day he was released, An Xiaoyan gave the dreary prison one last look and walked toward the sunlight.


    When Dong Zi was released, he was the one that saw him out. And when it was his turn, no one came to say goodbye.


    The warden stood by the window, watching An Xiaoyan leave, and prayed inwardly. God, please show this kind man a beautiful world.


    When An Xiaoyan walked to the gate of the prison, a car lit up and caught his attention. The window rolled down, and it was Liu Cheng.


    "Yan Zi, I''m here to pick you up."


    "Liu Cheng, thank you."


    "Let''s go. Your new life has begun."


    An Xiaoyan accepted. He put his few belongings into the trunk and sat in the front seat.


    "Is this your car?"


    "Yeah, bought it with a loan."


    "How''s your work?"


    "It''s pretty good. My parents chipped in and helped me open a private hospital. It''s not huge, but the profit is good." Liu Cheng didn''t know if saying this would hurt Yan Zi, but he knew Yan Zi didn''t want him to lie.


    "Oh, nice."


    "Yan Zi, what are you going to do?"


    An Xiaoyan looked outside the window. It had only been four years, but the outside world had changed a lot.


    "I don''t know. I''ll probably start with finding an apartment and a job."


    "Yan Zi, do you want to work at my place? You are definitely qualified."


    "No need. I''ve almost forgotten them all. I can''t take my chance with patients."

 Chapter 6锛歍he Meal

    "Yan Zi, if you have any difficulty, you must tell me. Don''t keep everything to yourself."


    "I''ll let you know," An Xiaoyan answered softly.


    "Yan Zi, let''s go eat. My treat." Without waiting for An Xiaoyan''s reply, Liu Cheng made a turn and arrived at an upscale western restaurant.


    This was An Xiaoyan''s first time dining in a western restaurant. When he was in college, his family''s financial situation could not him to eat in a place of this kind.


    "A medium cooked steak, a medium-well cooked steak, and a bottle of 1982 Lafite."


    The waiter took note of the orders, bowed politely and left.


    Liu Cheng booked a private room decorated in classical style and with dim yellow lights, highlighting an artistic atmosphere.


    Under the illumination of the lights, An Xiaoyan''s face looked sallow and that made Liu Cheng feel sad. An Xiaoyan was still An Xiaoyan, but the tormenting prison life had transformed him into a taciturn man. The old An Xiaoyan was a different person, one who would not stare at the rose on the table the whole time without uttering a word.


    "Do you like it?"


    An Xiaoyan came to his senses and moved his fingers to touch the rose, shaking his head.


    It was obvious that An Xiaoyan liked it. However, Liu Cheng noticed the fear in An Xiaoyan''s eyes as he shook his head. The old An Xiaoyan would not behave like this.


    "Yan Zi, let''s talk."


    "Um."


    "This restaurant has been around for a long time. It used to be my fantasy to dine here one day. Now I''m really happy that I''m able to bring you with me."


    "That''s good."


    Liu Cheng did not know how to continue the conversation. An Xiaoyan appeared to have lost interest in anything, behaving like a melancholy old man who had seen all the vicissitudes of life.


    After a while, the waiter knocked on the door with a tray. He put down the food and said, "Please enjoy your meal."


    "Try it."


    Looking at the knife and fork, An Xiaoyan was at a loss. Liu Cheng noticed his anomaly and said gently, "Follow my steps, first cut with a knife and then eat with a fork."


    An Xiaoyan nodded and imitated the steps. The chef''s skills were really good. An Xiaoyan had forgotten when was the last time he ate such delicious food. In prison, the inmates were only allowed to have meat once in days or even weeks. Their meals were mainly clear soups.


    "Ughh..." An Xiaoyan laid on the table and vomited. Surprised, Liu Cheng immediately put down his utensils and ran over, "Yan Zi, what''s wrong?"


    An Xiaoyan held on to his stomach and kept vomiting until all the meat he had eaten were purged out.


    Liu Cheng touched An Xiaoyan''s body and could feel his bony skeleton. An Xiaoyan used to be thin but never skinny.


    "Yan Zi, why are you so skinny? You don''t have any fat left." The large coat concealed his body shape, and that''s why Liu Cheng did not notice any change in his physique at first sight.


    "Maybe it''s because I haven''t had any meat in my stomach for too long, and now I suddenly eat so much that it can''t take it," An Xiaoyan reluctantly smiled and told Liu Cheng not to panic.


    "Yan Zi, I am terribly sorry. It''s all my fault. I will definitely put some weight on you for sure."


    An Xiaoyan''s cold heart felt a little warmer. At least there was still someone in the world who cared about him, unlike those dark days in the prison.


    "Liu Cheng, I''m fine. Keep eating. I''m sorry to dampen your spirits."


    "It''s my bad. Let''s go. Let''s go eat somewhere else."


    An Xiaoyan waved his hand, "No need, Liu Cheng. I just need some water."


    By looking at him, Liu Cheng knew that An Xiaoyan had led a tough life in the prison. However, he did not expect it to be so bad.


    "Did something happen to you in there? Weren''t you just fine when I last saw you? What changed?"


    Recalling everything he had been through in the past year, An Xiaoyan didn''t know where to start. Those days, like a series of endless horrible nightmares, were deeply engraved in his mind.


    "Liu Cheng, I should go," An Xiaoyan turned around and was ready to leave, but Liu Cheng immediately sprung up and grabbed hold of him.


    "Where are you going?"


    Where? He did not know, either. He just wanted to get away.


    "There''s someone I know. I''ll go and find him."


    Liu Cheng''s eyes had a tinge of dismay, "How about you go back with me? I''m living alone now. I''m a little worried about you."


    An Xiaoyan refused, not willing to receive a reward without making merit. His college friendship with Liu Cheng led to Liu Cheng''s reception during his release, it was worthwhile.


    Liu Cheng knew that he could not retain An Xiaoyan. It was without avail to try keeping a person who was determined to go.


    "This is my mobile number. Call me if you need anything."


    An Xiaoyan nodded, smiled and left.


    The city looked so charming at night. An Xiaoyan held on to Liu Cheng''s business card, which says "Director of Hua Kang Hospital".


    If it were not for the incident that happened four years ago, he should have become a good doctor in a hospital now, too.


    ��������


    Gu Jun was in his office reviewing documents when Chen Chen knocked and came in.


    "President, An Xiaoyan was picked up by someone else. He already left when we arrived."


    Gu Jun put down the document in his hand. He did not expect An Xiaoyan to have any friends left and felt that his punishment for An Xiaoyan was not enough, "Who picked him up?"


    Chen Chen was relieved that he had dug out the perosn''s information beforehand, because, with the President''s personality, he was definitely getting to the bottom of this. "It was a former college classmate of his who''s now the director of Hua Kang Hospital. His name is Liu Cheng."


    "What did they do after that?"


    "They went for a meal, and An Xiaoyan left alone after that."


    "Retrieve him," Gu Jun ordered.


    "President, really? I don''t think it''s a good idea."


    Gu Jun shot him a cold look, "He alone killed two people. I''m simply asking him to come to atone for his sins. What''s wrong with that?"


    Chen Chen nodded and proceeded to carry out the order.


    An Xiaoyan found himself still wandering on the street. Even the air he breathed gave him a sense of freedom. He looked around to see if anyone was looking for a waiter as he was desperately in need of a job to provide for himself.


    Cars drove past him, and he didn''t pay attention when someone honked behind him and kept walking until he was suddenly knocked unconscious.


    When he woke up, still vaguely feeling the pain, An Xiaoyan found himself blindfolded with his hands and feet all tied up. The surroundings were quiet.


    Then he heard footsteps approaching from afar until he sensed a person was standing right in front of him.


    "Long time no see."

 Chapter 7锛歍he Deal

    An Xiaoyan recognized the voice. His entire body trembled. This was the man that had made his life a living hell.


    "Mr. Gu��"


    Gu Jun gripped An Xiaoyan''s chin with one hand, "An Xiaoyan, it seems like I''ve left a deep impression."


    "Heard you had someone pick you up today. Seems like you''re quite popular."


    "Are you spying on me?"


    Gu Jun sat on the couch aside, "An Xiaoyan, I have the money. I can do whatever I want, and you have no choice but to do what I say."


    "Daddy, Daddy��" A child''s voice streamed in from outside the door.


    "Who let him in?" Gu Jun asked harshly, walking out the door.


    The nanny on the side bowed and apologized. "Sir, Young Master saw you downstairs and started crawling up the stairs. I couldn''t stop him."


    "Bring him down."


    "Yes, yes." The nanny hurriedly brought the young master downstairs.


    She didn''t let go of Guo Guo until they reached the bottom of the stairs. "Young Master, don''t go upstairs without permission again. Sir doesn''t like it."


    Gu Jun returned to the room and locked the door from inside. He studied the man tied onto the bed.


    "An Xiaoyan, tell me how you should atone for your crime."


    "Mr. Gu, I did my time. I''ve already been punished."


    "You think that is enough? You''re still here, alive, while my son is not."


    "Mr. Gu, you can have more children."


    Gu Jun scoffed at this. "Easy for you to say, ''I can always have children''. But do you know the chance of having a prodigy child?"


    An Xiaoyan knew the probabilities of inheritance. The chance of having a genius is less than one percent, and that requires both parents to have an IQ over 180. Otherwise, it is almost impossible unless a gene mutation happens.


    "I''m sorry." An Xiaoyan didn''t know what else to say. Maybe this is my fate.


    "How about we make a deal?"


    "What kind of deal?"


    "You pay me back five million and we call it even."


    Five million was a number far out of An Xiaoyan''s reach. How could he possibly have five million now?


    "As long as you pay me back five million within a year, we are clear."


    "Mr. Gu, you know that''s impossible!"


    "Whether it''s possible or not isn''t up to me. Whether you agree or not, this is the deal. Mr. An, find a way to get the money. I''m a businessman. If I can''t collect the profit in time, I can''t say what might happen."


    After that, An Xiaoyan was left behind with a slam of the door, his neck hurting.


    The nanny was playing with Guo Guo when Gu Jun went downstairs. The second the kid saw his father, he opened his arms and ran over for a hug.


    "Can he say anything else now?"


    The nanny blanched. "The young master is much better than before."


    "Can he speak now?"


    The nanny stammered "No".


    Looking at Guo Guo''s open arms, Gu Jun pushed him aside.


    "Daddy, Daddy��" Guo Guo wept as he sprawled on the ground. Gu Jun didn''t even look back, leaving the nanny to pick the kid up to comfort him.


    The nanny obviously pitied the young master, but what could she do? Gu Jun didn''t like him as the only word the young master was able to utter was "daddy", no matter how many times she taught him. This family was honestly frustrating.


    When An Xiaoyan woke up, he was back on the street curb again as if nothing had changed other than the soreness of his wrists from being tied up. Feeling around his pocket, he found a piece of paper.


    It was an IOU that said that An Xiaoyan owed Gu Jun five million dollars and had his fingerprint.


    He had no recollection of giving his fingerprint. Opening his hand, he saw that his forefinger was red.


    An Xiaoyan sighed. What could he do?


    As the sun went up, An Xiaoyan arrived at a ghetto where things were cheaper here. The money he earned in prison was only enough to afford the rent here.


    He quickly settled the rent with the landlord. He put down six months'' rent at once because he needed to settle down.


    He had no clue about where to find a job yet. He obviously wouldn''t be able to get in any large company for no one would want someone who had no degree and had a criminal background like him. He was left with options such as waitering at some restaurant.


    Thankfully, a small restaurant in the ghetto was looking for a waiter. Since they didn''t care about backgrounds, An Xiaoyan got the job successfully. The salary was only little above 2000 per month, but it was enough to get by.


    After work, An Xiaoyan took some food from the restaurant to eat at home. At his doorway, he saw someone standing in the hall.


    "What are you doing here?"


    "I wanted to see what you''re doing now and if you can pay up," Gu Jun said in disdain.


    "Mr. Gu, I will pay you back within a year."


    Gu Jun scoffed. "Open the door."


    "Mr. Gu��"


    In the end, An Xiaoyan opened the door and placed his food aside.


    He only had one pair of slippers. An Xiaoyan gave it to Gu Jun while he himself walked barefoot.


    The apartment was in a building that was decades old and the interior had no flooring but merely hard concrete. Gu Jun couldn''t help but notice An Xiaoyan''s slim and bare ankles.


    "Living in this kind of crappy place suits you."


    Gu Jun tapped the table, and it creaked as if it was about to collapse.


    With Gu Jun here, An Xiaoyan couldn''t do anything except stand aside and watch.


    Checking around the tiny one-bedroom, Gu Jun quickly lost interest as he toured himself.


    His phone dinged. Gu Jun opened it to read the message that just came in and said, "An Xiaoyan, I''m in a good mood today, so I won''t mess with you. Just remember to pay me."


    The moment Gu Jun walked out the door, An Xiaoyan practically collapsed. It was a cramped room, but Gu Jun''s aura had weighed down on him like a mountain.


    Sitting on the ground, An Xiaoyan felt empty inside. There was no light in his future.


    After a long while, An Xiaoyan stood up. He grabbed the food from beside the door to start cooking. Before, he had seen so many patients latch onto doctors at the end of their lives, begging to be saved. Their helplessness made An Xiaoyan feel the value of life.


    He couldn''t give up. His life was not yet to end.


    One month passed. An Xiaoyan spent the days either at work or at home. Gu Jun didn''t come back, which gave him an opportunity to relax a little. As long as Gu Jun didn''t appear, nothing would change in his life. Gu Jun was like a nightmare.

 Chapter 8锛歋trip Naked

    Gu Jun went to a social gathering where a group of people at the table toasted each other with exchanges of pleasantries. If it was not for a project he was following, Gu Jun would not wish to attend at all. Mingling among this group of middle-aged greasy men aged between 40 and 50, Gu Jun felt that his own style and character were affected.


    "Mr. Gu, Gu Group has really prospered under your guidance," a slightly fat man in his forties said to Gu Jun, holding a glass of wine.


    Gu Jun nodded in courtesy, but in his heart, he could not wait to get away from his fat ass. He felt that this kind of person was not worthy of being close to him.


    After rounds of toast, it was inevitable that a gathering like this would be taken to the red light district to continue. Gu Jun could not really sneak away at this moment, so he followed them along.


    "Mr. Gu, the gigolos in this nightclub are much better than prostitutes. Would you like to try, too?" A business partner asked.


    "Mr. Gu never touches a man, everyone knows that," another guy chimed in.


    Gu Jun did not think deep into it at first, but the question got him to wonder about the type of fun he could have with a guy.


    The pimp called in a group of young men who looked as though they were only in their twenties. The group was waiting for Gu Jun to take the first pick.


    Gu Jun''s eyes swept across the row of juveniles, each of whom was fair-skinned and had a good figure. And the semi-translucent clothes they were wearing did not do much to conceal anything under them.


    He did not know that this trade had become so open now. Gu Jun noticed a young man with brown hair, skinny and fragile. He found it curiously amusing when he pictured the young man getting riden over and crushed by a fat middle-aged man.


    But he was not a good-natured person. He felt that since the young man was out to sell his body, there was no need for him to sympathize with the young man.


    "I''ll take him," Gu Jun picked one at random.


    "Xiao Lan, go on," the pimp standing at the side knew Gu Jun was a big tycoon. Anyone who got picked would surely make a lot of money.


    The teenager named Xiao Lan catwalked towards Gu Jun and sat straight on Gu Jun''s lap.


    The rest of the gang followed to make their own picks and went to their respective rooms.


    "Do you eat grapes, sir?" Xiao Lan overtly flirted as he bent over to pick up a grape from the table and revealed some skin from his neckline.


    How could Gu Jun not know these tricks? Despite despising the tricks, he played along and ate the grape. He wanted to see the extent of how far the gigolos in the nightclub would go to please their customers.


    Seeing that Gu Jun did not reject his advancements, Xiao Lan took it that he was Gu Jun''s type. He put his hand into Gu Jun''s suit and made circular motions on Gu Jun''s chest.


    "Is it comfortable, sir?"


    Gu Jun looked at Xiao Lan who was leaning against him, wrapped his arms around Xiao Lan and carried him into his room.


    I will play with you today. Let''s see if you can take it.


    As soon as he entered the room, Gu Jun threw the man in his arms onto the big bed, pulled his tie loose, and threw his suit coat on the ground.


    "Is this your first time?"


    Xiao Lan nodded. Good-looking ones like him were reserved as virgins for the rich to play with.


    Gu Jun smiled as the game became more and more interesting.


    Xiao Lan''s clothes were not functional but purely decoration. With a slight tug from Gu Jun, the boys'' clothes were torn into pieces.


    Gu''s tanned skin tone excited Xiao Lan. To be picked by such a capable and rich person, it was no longer a dream for him to be able to leave the nightclub.


    .


    ...


    Gu Jun stretched his fingers and washed his hands in the bathroom. After adjusting his clothes, Gu Jun left the room where Xiao Lan had passed out in bed with bruises all over his body.


    Many would be dying to climb into bed with Gu Jun, and he only needed to spare a few fingers to satisfy them as he wished. Only those with fine qualities were qualified to climb into bed with him!


    Seeing that it was now 2 in the morning, Gu Jun called Chen Chen up. Not long after, a car pulled over by the door of the nightclub.


    "President, are we going straight home?"


    Gu Jun sat in the car and thought for a moment, "Go to An Xiaoyan''s."


    Chen Chen hesitated for a moment. "President, is it okay to visit Mr. An at this time?"


    "Just do as I say."


    Chen Chen dared not refute and drove in the direction of the urban village.


    "You can go. Come back to pick me up tomorrow morning."


    Chen Chen wanted to say something, but in the end, he started his car and left.


    Once he got off the car, the cool night breeze seemed to wake Gu Jun from the liquor effect a little. Gu Jun took the steps up based on his memory, stopped at a door and knocked.


    An Xiaoyan was soundly asleep. The intensive labor during the day tired him out. Each time he reached home, he would fall asleep quickly.


    The knocking sound jolted him out from his dream. He awoke in a daze.


    Who would come in the middle of the night?


    Dragging his exhausted body, An Xiaoyan opened the door. He suddenly felt awake when he saw who was standing outside.


    "Mr. Gu, what brings you here?"


    Gu Jun scanned An Xiaoyan who was dressed in thin clothes, pushed the door and went in.


    "It seems that you can sleep well. With such a heavy burden, yet you can still sleep so well."


    "Mr. Gu, I''m tired."


    Gu Jun sat on the sofa, "Only you are tired? I''m not tired? I return from a social gathering only at this hour. You''re far better off than me, already sleeping so soundly."


    An Xiaoyan could smell the liquor on Gu Jun and poured a glass of water for him. An Xiaoyan only wished to please Gu Jun by all means, in hopes that his hatred agianst him could possibly wear off.


    "An Xiaoyan, when will you pay back the money you owe me? It''s been more than a month. Or you can consider sleeping with me. Once you hit 600 times, I''ll let you off. What do you think?"


    An Xiaoyan thought Gu Jun was blurting nonsense as he was drunk, "Mr. Gu, are you serious?"


    "An Xiaoyan, do you think I have nothing better to do but to come here in the middle of the night to crack a joke?"


    Gu Jun''s serious look scared An Xiaoyan, "Mr. Gu, don''t you like women?"


    "It''s good to try something new from time to time, isn''t it? Besides, you are not in a position to bargain with me."


    "Don''t do this, Mr. Gu. I''ll pay you back the money. Don''t do this."


    "Strip naked!"


    "Mr. Gu..."


    "You would not want your parents to know about your situation right now, would you?"


    An Xiaoyan shook his head, "No, don''t tell them." He lied to his parents that he was still studying for a doctorate. They have worked so hard in the countryside to raise him, so he would not let them see his current state.


    "Then strip."


    An Xiaoyan took off his shirt, trembling, and his hand paused on the belt.


    "Keep striping."


    Gu Jun''s order felt like a gun on An Xiaoyan''s head, an order that he could not disobey...

 Chapter 9锛歁istake

    "Lay on the bed." An Xiaoyan buried his face into the pillow and bit his lips, wishing things to end quickly.


    Gu Jun''s temper hadn''t cooled down yet. As he looked at An Xiaoyan''s thin and pale body, a strong lust surged within and engulfed him.


    ��


    When it was finally over, An Xiaoyan''s body didn''t feel like his anymore. It hurt so badly that his every nerve seemed to be burning.


    Afterward, Gu Jun lit a cigarette and sat at the edge of the bed.


    The alcohol had worn off. He was fully sober now.


    Now he didn''t know how to face the consequences of his impulsive action. An Xiaoyan wasn''t like those people in the club. What Gu Jun had done had far surpassed his hatred.


    This was a mistake. Gu Jun put on his clothes. Glancing at the person lying on the bed, he turned and left.


    By the time An Xiaoyan woke up, it was already past noon. The sunlight streaming through the window shocked him. He missed work!


    Struggling to get up, the mess on his body reminded him of his pathetic night.


    Gu Jun, why did you do this? You can hit me if you hate me, but why do you have to humiliate me?


    When An Xiaoyan limped over to the restaurant, he was told that he had been fired.


    He held in his hand his salary for the past month, a thin stack of bills, and chuckled bitterly. Indeed, physical labor was worth nothing.


    That night, An Xiaoyan had a nightmare. He was in prison, curling up as a group of people beat him up. Then the people suddenly changed into Gu Jun. No matter how he dodged, Gu Jun could always reach him with a kick.


    An Xiaoyan shot up, awake and drenched in sweat.


    Lying on bed, he couldn''t fall back asleep no matter what. Reminiscing his jail life, An Xiaoyan grew more depressed.


    He had thought that he could do his time peacefully while working at the infirmary, but the reality was always much crueler.


    In his last year, the warden suddenly notified him that he couldn''t be the doctor anymore. An Xiaoyan didn''t know why. It was just like how his sentence was suddenly extended two years ago.


    "The higher-ups sent a notification that criminals can''t take up jobs in the prison anymore. You need to go back to a regular cell."


    Dong Zi had said that someone like An Xiaoyan would either get beaten or f*cked to death in jail. He looked like a good and honest person, and those people were always bullied.


    As expected, the day An Xiaoyan entered jail he had been carrying a target on his back.


    It started with some provocative words that soon evolved to physical abuse. An Xiaoyan would get carried to the infirmary covered in blood after each incident.


    The new doctor couldn''t help but gasp at An Xiaoyan''s injuries.


    Thankfully, An Xiaoyan had helped the guards before, so they protected him from rapes at least.


    However, that was all the guards could do. After all, sexual abuse is prohibited by law even in jail, whereas beating someone up was another matter.


    Even his last month prior to his release was spent in the hospital. He kept receiving new wounds before the old wounds were fully healed, and they became old wounds when there were newer ones, so did the cycle repeat.


    The next morning, An Xiaoyan left the apartment. He needed a job. He needed to survive.


    Walking on the street, suddenly there was a familiar person. An Xiaoyan heard someone calling "Brother" before he could recognize who he was.


    "How come you''re here?"


    "Brother, didn''t I tell you to come find me after you''re released? Why didn''t you come? Thankfully, I had some friends help to locate you. The city''s so big. I couldn''t find you if one of my friends didn''t happen to know your landlord."


    "Such a coincidence."


    Small world, An Xiaoyan thought, gazing at Dong Zi who''d gotten taller.


    "Brother, let''s go. We can chat."


    Dong Zi dragged An Xiaoyan away before he was able to react. Soon An Xiaoyan was taken into a warehouse. It looked shoddy from the outside, but the inside was quite clean.


    "This is the place Boss gave me to live in. How is it? Looks bad on the outside, but pretty good inside, huh?"


    Hearing the word "Boss," An Xiaoyan couldn''t help but furrow his brows. When they were in prison he had told Dong Zi to work honestly and stay away from those people. Now, it seemed that his advice went unheeded.


    "Brother, why are you so quiet?"


    An Xiaoyan snapped out of his own thoughts and managed a smile at Dong Zi.


    "I tell you, brother, I''m on my high time now. I have a bunch of people under me. They''re all older than me, but they all call me Big Brother. They''re all so polite to me because I went to jail for some years for Boss."


    "Dong Zi, leave them. Don''t hang with them anymore."


    "Brother, what are you talking about? They''re great to me. They''re not as bad as you think. Boss even promised to give me a bunch of money."


    Hearing money, An Xiaoyan was provoked. Is money all-powerful? Why can the rich just destroy people and change their lives at a whim?


    But he controlled himself. He wasn''t an impulsive 20-year-old anymore. "Dong Zi, there are many beautiful things in the world that deserve your appreciation. Money isn''t the only thing."


    Dong Zi noticed that something was wrong and quickly asked An Xiaoyan what was wrong.


    "I''m alright. I have to go now."


    "Brother, are you gonna be a doctor again? You looked really skilled in prison. You''ll be a good doctor in the future."


    "I won''t ever be a doctor again."


    Dong Zi didn''t understand. Isn''t skills matter the most for one to be a doctor? Or are they going to allow people who don''t have the skills to be a doctor?


    "Alright, I''m leaving now. Take care. Try not to get into fights. You''re still young; you''ll understand in the future."


    Before Dong Zi could reply, An Xiaoyan was already leaving the warehouse. Dong Zi hurriedly ran after him.


    "Brother, since we know where each other lives now, I can visit you or you, me every now and then. I''ll make hot pot for you someday to make up for all the meat you gave me in jail."


    Hearing this, An Xiaoyan''s lips curled into a faint smile. He remembered. An Xiaoyan had thought that Dong Zi had turned into one of those gangsters, but it seemed that he was still a kid.


    "Sounds good, I''ll test your cooking skills when I have time." Pain seized An Xiaoyan from behind after a few steps. He kept it in the entire way back, but it felt like something was flowing out with the pain being to an extreme extent. His body heated up too. An Xiaoyan knew that he was sick.


    He asked around for a small hospital in a remote area. He didn''t dare go to any of those big ones. People would probably laugh at his current state. It would be even more embarrassing if he ran into some people he knew from before.


    When the doctor saw this patient with bloodless face and lips, who couldn''t walk steadily, he quickly had him lay on the bed and take off his pants.


    "Where''s your boyfriend? Your injury is very so serious. How come you didn''t come earlier? Your boyfriend didn''t come with you either. You youngsters really need to know your limits. Going so hard when you''re infected, are you trying to kill yourself? Don''t eat anything hard to digest for a month, and I''m prescribing you with IV drip for a week. By the way, this "circle" can be really messy. Remember to wear condoms in the future. Otherwise, you won''t even know if you get infected!"


    These things were not uncommon to be seen in small hospitals. Patients who came here all because they were too ashamed to go to the bigger ones.


    "I need to go back as soon as possible. Can you give me the IV? I can do it myself at home."


    The doctor stared at him in shock. "You can''t even come to the hospital? Who''s your boyfriend? Let me call him!"


    "I don''t have a boyfriend," An Xiaoyan whispered. "I''m a med student. I know how to do this."


    The doctor sighed, probably thinking that An Xiaoyan was another poor guy trapped in a toxic relationship. "Alright. Be sure to come promptly if something like this happens again and leave those *ssholes! Your body is yours. Take care of it."

 Chapter 10锛歁obile Phone

    An Xiaoyan went back to his rented house and opened the bag full of bottles that he brought home. He wanted to inject himself according to the doctor''s instructions. However, it was difficult to do it with one hand. With the help of the landlord, he managed to do so.


    Calculating the days, he had been out of prison for two months already. When he was in prison, he used to call home once a month. After his release, he had been caught up with the daily hustle and had forgotten to call home.


    But the problem now was that he did not have a mobile phone.


    Entering the shopping mall, An Xiaoyan was dazzled by the variety of goods on display. Everything looked quite different. Before, there were not nearly as many things in the mall and there were fewer mobile phone brands too.


    He walked to a random counter and was attracted by the mobile phones with big screens over a glance .


    "Sir, would you like to try this new phone? It has huge memory storage and high performance features. It supports the latest 3G frequency too."


    An Xiaoyan really wished he could have it. He had never seen such a big screened cellphone before. The one he used to have had a keyboard. He was caught off guard when he saw the latest models on display.


    When he saw the price above, he had to suppress his desire. 4999 was a figure he could not afford.


    When the shop assistant saw An Xiaoyan glancing over to the old models on the side, he gave an obvious look of disdain. Initially, he thought his customer was a trendy young man who wanted to get the latest model. However, it turned out that this young man was a pauper.


    "Can you take this phone out and let me see it?"


    The shop assistant quipped rudely, "This kind with a keyboard has long been outdated. They were used by people more than four or five years ago. You young lad aren''t thinking of using these old models, are you? Can''t you afford to pay a few hundred dollars?"


    An Xiaoyan gave a wry smile. Indeed, he could not even afford to pay a few hundred dollars.


    "I''ll take this. Please help me set it up," said An Xiaoyan, pointing at a black phone with a small square screen.


    The shop assistant did not feel to need to say more. Standing beside An Xiaoyan was a teenager who looked about eighteen or nineteen, whose parents just bought him a big screen mobile phone and left the shop happily. An Xiaoyan was entranced at the sight of it.


    "Sir, Sir��"


    An Xiaoyan turned around, took the bag from the shop assistant and paid for it then left. The shop assistant spoke loudly to her fellow shop assistant, quipping that it was so old-fashioned for a young man in his twenties to use an old model phone.


    An Xiaoyan heard the conversation but was not bothered by it. This heavy old phone was the only hope for him to contact his family.


    Gu Jun came to the shopping mall to inspect some work. As he arrived, he saw a slender figure resembling An Xiaoyan. Chen Chen, who was sitting at the driver''s seat with a broader view, also saw An Xiaoyan.


    "Sir, do you want me to stop Mr. An?" Chen Chen had known Gu Jun well enough these past few years to be able to figure out what was on his mind. Gu Jun''s hatred for An Xiaoyan had probably become fixated in his personality. Whenever Gu Jun saw An Xiaoyan, his face would show a vicious expression. Chen Chen couldn''t say if this was a good or bad thing for Mr. An.


    "No, no need to. Go and find out what he just did."


    "Yes, sir."


    Gu Jun got out of the car and went into the mall for inspection. The mall was a property of the Gu family. The Gu family was a big family and had a huge family business. The two candidates to be the successor were Gu Jing and Gu Jun.


    Gu Jing was Gu Jun''s cousin. Despite shared family blood, they had deep hatred for each other. After all, the Gu Family only needed one master. And one of the factors that would determine who would be the successor was whether their offspring were talented and intelligent children. Only the intelligence of the next generation could guarantee the success and long-standing status of the Gu family in this city.


    After Gu Jun returned from a round of inspection, Chen Chen was done with his investigation on the matter of An Xiaoyan.


    Sitting in the car, Gu Jun pulled off his tie and asked lazily, "What did he do?"


    "Mr. An went to buy a cellphone."


    "Cellphone? What kind?"


    "An old-fashioned one with a keyboard."


    Gu Jun''s heart was full of contempt, thinking that a lowly person was suited to use a lowly phone. The thought of An Xiaoyan making a phone call using that despicable phone gave Gu Jun a peculiar sense of joy. In his heart, he felt that this was how a murderer''s life should be.


    "Sir, do we still need to keep tab on Mr. An?" Chen Chen subconsciously felt that he should ask this question. As a subordinate, he ought to guess the mood of his boss in order to keep his job.


    "Keep watching him and tell me everything. Can''t let him off easy."


    "Alright."


    An Xiaoyan returned home, took out from his pocket the new phone and SIM card he just bought, inserted the card and turned the phone on. The signal was displayed at the top of the screen. He could finally rest assured as he could now call home anytime and anywhere he wanted.


    Ring��


    An Xiaoyan felt worried and excited at the same time, similar to how he felt when he made his first phone call from prison.


    "Is it Yan Zi?"


    "Yes."


    "When will you come back?"


    An Xiaoyan recalled that he had not returned home for four years, he really needed to find time to make a trip back home. When he thought of his parents who were still working hard back at home, his heart was filled with sorrow. His parents were already in their sixties, but were still tolling because of him.


    "National Day. I''ll go back home when the hospital grants me a holiday break during that time."


    Father An smiled happily. On the other end of the phone, Father An could be heard saying excitedly, "Honey, Yan Zi said that he is coming back on National Day. It''s only more than a month away from now, so get the food ready."


    "Yan Zi, you must be very busy, why don''t you go back to work first? The telephone fee is very expensive."


    "Alright, you and Mother stay at home and wait for me to come back."


    When he hung up the phone, An Xiaoyan slumped on the ground feeling weak. His lies had snowballed, but he had no choice but to do so. His aged parents worked day and night in order to give him a chance to break free from the countryside and thrive in the big city. He could not bring himself to tell them the sad truth.


    He wondered if he should be glad that Gu Jun did not blow up the matter. At least outsiders were unaware of it.


    Life still goes on.


    He gradually felt at a loss after being rejected time and time again.


    "You are An Xiaoyan, right?"


    "Yes."


    The head of human resources looked at him with a squint.


    "You are already 25 years old and yet you come to our grocery store for a job. What kind of work have you done before?"


    Talking about serious work, waitering was probably the only experience he had.


    "Waiter? Okay, it seems that you really have no desire for material stuff. You''re in. Come to work tomorrow. Fill out a form over there first."


    Gu Jun was shocked when Chen Chen told him about it.


    "How did the like of An Xiaoyan get accepted into one of our Gu Group''s stores? Does the supervisor not know our company policy?"


    "What policy?" Chen Chen was puzzled.


    When Gu Jun was asked the question, he could not answer it since there was no agreed restraint regarding the criminal records of cashiers. As he saw it, people like An Xiaoyan are not qualified for any work. But how could he survive without a job��


    "Nevermind, let him stay. I''ll see what he''s capable of."

 Chapter 11锛欼nspection

    On the first day of work at the store, An Xiaoyan arrived very early. He changed into his uniform and waited beside the cash register.


    A moment later, the manager grabbed him. "Why are you standing here? Go unload cargo in the warehouse."


    "Sir, aren''t I the cashier?"


    "The cashier work is only part of it. Unloading and shelving run in cycles. There aren''t any permanent jobs, so everyone''s called a cashier. It sounds better."


    An Xiaoyan didn''t realize there was more to this. He walked to the warehouse and joined a bunch of people moving a big carton.


    "Hey, beanstalk."


    An Xiaoyan followed the voice and found a middle-aged man calling at him.


    "Yeah, you."


    "Can I help you?"


    "Take a break. This job won''t be done in a while."


    An Xiaoyan put down his work and sat on the side. The man took out a pack of cigarettes.


    "Wanna try?" The middle-aged man offered him one.


    An Xiaoyan waved his hand. "I don''t smoke."


    "Huh, there aren''t much like you anymore. I''m Li Gang. You?"


    "An Xiaoyan."


    Li Gang pursed his lips and exhaled a puff of smoke. "Such a pretty name, like a girl''s. Ha, look at your soft skin. How did you end up doing physical labor?"


    "It''s a long story."


    Li Gang extended a hand in an attempt to pat An Xiaoyan, but seeing the dirt on himself and An Xiaoyan''s untainted skin, he pulled his hand back. "You''re so clean and pure, I can''t bear to touch you. Work hard. You won''t get rich, but you won''t starve either. Rest while you can, or you won''t be able to once the leadership comes for inspection soon."


    "What''s with the inspections?"


    "The big boss comes to the supermarket once a month. It''s super tiring the day they come. He''ll come next week, so be careful that day."


    "Is the boss scary?" An Xiaoyan sensed something off with what Li Gang said.


    "Not scary, but if he catches any mistake, you''ll lose your job. This job''s meager, but the boss never goes easy."


    An Xiaoyan didn''t speak after this. He didn''t know if he could stay; he just wanted to seize the present.


    The inspection day came before long. The inspection team would only pick one floor to check each time. By noon, there still wasn''t any commotion on the third floor, so all the workers were relieved. It seemed that they could survive this month.


    An Xiaoyan relaxed too. He got off the unloading ladder to go eat lunch.


    Just as he was about to leave, he noticed that the girl beside him was shelving crackers but couldn''t reach the top shelf. An Xiaoyan stopped.


    "Let me help you."


    The girl turned around to find this slender young man standing behind her, she blushed instantly.


    "Thanks. Just put the crackers on this shelf up there, one by one. I''m Ye Qing. You can call me Xiao Qing."


    This task relied on height. An Xiaoyan wasn''t tall, but he was at least taller than the girl. He quickly finished shelving.


    "Let me buy you lunch."


    An Xiaoyan waved his hand. He was just helping and it was nothing.


    "It''s no big deal. The cafeteria is serving sweet and sour pork today. You know how stingy our cafeteria is. Sweet and sour pork is really rare."


    An Xiaoyan caved in to the girl''s persuasiveness and followed her. When he passed by the cash register, he saw Li Gang cleaning up his cart and nodded at him.


    Li Gang saw An Xiaoyan with the girl and the way they looked at each other. This guy was pretty skilled and got a catch so quickly, he thought.


    An Xiaoyan had just missed the rush hour of the cafeteria when he arrived. After all, the second floor was being inspected and the first floor didn''t dare to slack off either. The workers on and above the third floor were really lucky.


    "It''s that window. Let''s go."


    The girl dragged An Xiaoyan''s arm and strutted forward without waiting for a reply. An Xiaoyan felt a bit awkward. This was his first close interaction with a girl.


    "Two servings of sweet and sour pork."


    Holding the plate, An Xiaoyan randomly chose a seat and sat down. A while later, the girl sat together with him.


    After Ye Qing seated herself, she waited for An Xiaoyan to break the silence first. While she stared at him for as long as she could, An Xiaoyan didn''t do anything except eat quietly with minimum chewing sound.


    "Is it good?"


    An Xiaoyan nodded. It really was good. He''d been here for more than a week, but he hadn''t discovered anything as good yet.


    A few mouthfuls later, An Xiaoyan put down his chopsticks. Ye Qing gaped at him in amaze. Is he really a man? How come he eats less than a girl?!


    "Aren''t you going to have more?"


    "I''m done."


    Ye Qing pointed at the rice remaining in his bowl. "You call that done? You eat too little."


    An Xiaoyan shook his head, showing that he couldn''t eat any more.


    He actually wished that he could finish the food in his bowl, but he knew he couldn''t. His body was still recovering. Prison food was worse than outside food and resulted in a lack of protein and vitamins for so long that his body now had difficulty digesting too many nutrients.


    After coming out, he didn''t dare to eat or drink excessively. He could only increase his portions gradually. Otherwise, he would vomit it all up like after his dinner with Liu Cheng that first day.


    "I''ll go now."


    Ye Qing was still munching on her pork. She stared as An Xiaoyan prepared to leave.


    She quickly swallowed her food and asked, "Uh, do you have a girlfriend?"


    An Xiaoyan shook his head and left.


    At that moment, a man was sitting in a VIP room on the second floor, sipping red wine while he watched everything that happened below.


    Very good, An Xiaoyan. You already got girls flirting with you.


    After Chen Chen finished touching base with the store workers, he asked, "Sir, when are we leaving in the afternoon? I''ve finished here."


    "Do I have anything on my schedule this afternoon?"


    Chen Chen flipped open the schedule and gave him the negative answer.


    "Very good. We''ll continue inspecting the store. Didn''t you say that An Xiaoyan is working here?"


    Chen Chen nodded.


    "Find out what floor he''s on. I''ll go inspect that floor later."


    Chen Chen quickly passed down the notification. He had no power. He just needed to follow instructions and do his job.


    An Xiaoyan returned to his position. Just as he was prepared to start loading, Li Gang walked over from the other side.


    "That girl looked nice. I think you have a shot."


    An Xiaoyan didn''t care to explain. For someone like Li Gang who was still single at 40 years old, all girls were like gold. His eyes shone when he saw them. An Xiaoyan was used to this by now.


    "Look at you. You''re probably not interested, so how about you introduce her to me? Help a brother out here, old and single."


    An Xiaoyan put down his stuff. Turning around, he said seriously, "Don''t ruin her."


    "Hmph, what do you mean ''ruin''? What''s so bad about me? Being with someone like you would ruin her. You''re so thin, I bet you have no energy in bed. How can you satisfy a woman?"


    With that, Li Gang walked away angrily. An Xiaoyan didn''t say anything. After spending some time with Li Gang, he could tell that Li Gang was the type that just purely wanted a woman and nothing else.

 Chapter 12锛欳ompensation

    Once the supermarket supervisor heard that the president was staying to continue the inspection, he broke out in a cold sweat. There had never been such a situation before, today was an exception. The supervisor could not figure out why, but he had no choice but to follow behind Gu Jun.


    Sneaking a glimpse of the president''s amused face, the supervisor''s felt his heart thumping.


    Gu Jun went straight to the third floor. Once he stepped out of the elevator, the staff who were already lined up bowed and greeted. He took a glance and did not see An Xiaoyan.


    "President Gu, are you looking for someone?"


    Gu Jun ignored him and walked on with a group of people immediately followed behind.


    His eyes swept across the rows of shelves and finally spotted a slim and small figure. He sneered and walked over.


    An Xiaoyan was loading shelves with canned food. His task of the day was to fill up the shelf with canned food. Each can was big in size and required him to use his slim arms to lift it up. He had to take a short break after completing each rack before proceeding to the next.


    When Gu Jun approached, An Xiaoyan was holding a large can of food weighing at least a dozen pounds, attempting to put it on the topmost layer of the shelf. While An Xiaoyan''s hands were raised in the mid-air, he heard a familiar voice that caused his hands to tremble and the can slipped and was dropped to the ground with a loud bang. The pulp and liquid in the can were spilled all over the place, and Gu Jun''s black high-end suit did not escape the spill.


    An Xiaoyan did not know what to do. He was caught off guard when Gu Jun blurted "Here you are."


    An Xiaoyan stared at Gu Jun who was standing beside him. A group of people stood around them. An Xiaoyan was at a loss, feeling as if the time had stopped.


    "What are you doing standing there? Apologize to Mr. Gu," the supervisor was the first to come to his senses and reminded An Xiaoyan.


    An Xiaoyan climbed down from the shelf and came to Gu Jun. He lowered his head and said, "I''m sorry."


    Gu Jun hated the innocent look on An Xiaoyan, it made him feel like he was a wicked man.


    "According to the store policy, if a staff breaks or damages the goods, how should the staff compensate?"


    The supervisor responded, "According to the policy, the compensation is 20 times the item''s cost."


    "Okay, that will be it."


    An Xiaoyan breathed a sigh of relief as it was only monetary compensation. He was most afraid that Gu Jun would tell everyone that he was a murderer or embarrass him in public.


    Before he could answer, he was surprised by what he heard next, "What do you say about my clothes? The value of such high-end suit depreciates upon getting wet. Now my suit is stained with this disgusting yellow liquid, how are you going to compensate me for the loss?"


    An Xiaoyan knew that he could not afford such high-end clothes, not to mention that he still had five million dollars to repay. No, it should be less than five million dollars now. After all, Gu Jun said that he could offset his debt with sex.


    Thinking of this, An Xiaoyan felt somewhat desolate. Despite his emotional reluctance, he knew he owed Gu Jun and would serve his body at his will.


    "What should I do?"


    Gu Jun enjoyed a sense of joy as he watched An Xiaoyan''s helpless look. To him, living a life as petty as an insect was suitable for a person like An Xiaoyan.


    "Clean it up with your bare hands. I''ll be in the office on the top floor. You''d better clean it up before I leave, and come up to me after you finish."


    Gu Jun took off his suit coat and flung it to the people next to him, then swaggered out.


    The staff standing at the side shook their heads. As sympathetic as they might be, their hands were tied, plus nobody wanted to invite trouble by irritating the big boss.


    The supervisor gave an angry look at An Xiaoyan before he left and followed behind Gu Jun.


    When everyone had left, An Xiaoyan squatted down and picked up the glass fragments on the ground with his hands.


    The glass fragments pricked into the skin. Soon, his hands were stained with blood. But he ignored the wound as he did not dare to disobey anything that Gu Jun had commanded.


    Gu Jun sat in his office and looked at the surveillance video on the screen, where the red color of the blood looked strikingly bright. He savored the moment as he found the expression of An Xiaoyan very interesting.


    Chen Chen, observing the look on Gu Jun''s face from the side, went up and asked him gently, "Sir, is this too cruel? Something might go wrong if he loses too much blood."


    "Something might go wrong? He''s a grown man, not a vulnerable chick."


    Hearing Gu Jun''s reply, Chen Chen dared not say anything more and quietly dismissed himself.


    An Xiaoyan''s hands were oozing more blood. He gritted his teeth and told himself that if he persisted, he could finish it. The debris on the ground became less and less as he continued to pick it all up. When An Xiaoyan finally finished and wanted to stand up, a head rush struck him and he had to support himself by holding on to the shelf beside him.


    An Xiaoyan washed his hands and wrapped them with toilet paper before heading towards the office on the top floor.


    When he reached the stairway, a man whom he did not know came forward and held him up.


    Chen Chen could not bear to see An Xiaoyan in this state. He might not understand Mr. Gu''s pain of losing his son or Mr. Gu''s hatred, but seeing An Xiaoyan in this state pained him.


    "Are you all right? Can you still go up?"


    An Xiaoyan looked pale, but he waved and said, "It''s alright. I''ll be fine after a rest. You are?"


    "I''m Mr. Gu''s assistant, Chen Chen."


    On hearing that he was Gu Jun''s assistant, An Xiaoyan flung Chen Chen Chen''s hand away hastily and kept a distance from him.


    "Don''t be afraid, Mr. An. I won''t do anything to you."


    An Xiaoyan examined Chen Chen Chen for a while and decided that he did not have the same sense of oppression on him as Gu Jun. He let his guard down and asked, "What are you doing here?"


    "Checking up on you. Your hand��"


    An Xiaoyan hid his hand on his back, "I''m fine. I should go, or else Mr. Gu might say something again."


    Chen Chen simply wanted to know how An Xiaoyan was doing. He made up his mind and made his way down to meet An Xiaoyan. However, when he finally saw An Xiaoyan, he could not speak his mind. He admired the perseverance revealed in An Xiaoyan''s eyes. If he was in An Xiaoyan''s position, he might not be able to bear it.


    Gu Jun was waiting for An Xiaoyan to come up. A moment later, the anticipated knock on the door was heard.


    "Come in."


    An Xiaoyan pushed open the door and walked in gingerly. He stopped at five meters away from Gu Jun.


    Ever since that night, An Xiaoyan had been forcing himself to forget what had happened. The break he had during this period gave him an illusion that it was a dream, but now it seemed that he had woken up from the dream and was living in reality again.


    "Finished cleaning up? That''s pretty fast. I thought you''d take a long time."


    "Mr. Gu, what can I do for you?" asked An subordinately in a low voice.


    "Nothing much, but today I saw a very funny scene."


    An Xiaoyan carefully recalled that there was nothing funny about what happened today, except for wetting Gu Jun''s clothes.


    "Can''t remember? Let me remind you."


    Gu Jun opened a file in his computer and a big picture filled the whole screen.


    "Mr. Gu, I have nothing to do with her."


    "What are you anxious about? Did I say that the two of you had anything? Or should I say that the two of you are already in a relationship?"


    An Xiaoyan finally dared to look straight into Gu Jun''s eyes. Gu Jun saw the persistence and innocence in his eyes. He was looking forward to the day when he could remove all of this. At that time, what else would be left for An Xiaoyan in this world?


    "Mr. Gu, don''t involve innocent people. It''s entirely my fault," An Xiaoyan was anxious. He was afraid of what Gu Jun would do to that girl. That girl was so kind.


    "You''ve finally admitted it. Why is it your fault? Tell me about it," Gu Jun was very curious about what An Xiaoyan would say. In fact, he watched the video and knew that An Xiaoyan did not even know the girl''s name, but he just wanted to tease him.


    An Xiaoyan clenched his fist, "It''s me. I shouldn''t have talked to her. I shouldn''t have dined with her."


    "What else?"


    "It''s entirely my fault. I initiated it."


    "Do you mean you seduced her?" Gu Jun looked straight into An Xiaoyan''s eyes as if he wanted to see through him.


    An Xiaoyan''s eyes revealed fear followed with panic, "No, I didn''t. I don''t like her. I don''t like her at all."


    "Well, who knows whether you like her or not, or maybe you are in denial."


    "Mr. Gu, she is really innocent. Don''t involve others."


    "Well, I can let her go. What can you do to make me change my mind?"


    An Xiaoyan knew that he had made another mistake and could only swallow this silently. He asked, "Mr. Gu, what do you want me to do?"


    Actually, Gu Jun had not yet thought it through. He did that on the spur of the moment and did not expect An Xiaoyan to admit his "mistake" so quickly. Now that An Xiaoyan had confessed, Gu Jun would not waste such an opportunity.


    An Xiaoyan lowered his head. Gu Jun looked at him and an idea came to his mind, "Do it with me one time. You have nothing to lose anyway since you can use it to pay your debt."


    An Xiaoyan was even more frightened and recoiled. The last incident left a trauma in his heart. He did not want to suffer that again.


    Gu Jun saw his evasion and did not care. He had a hundred ways to make An Xiaoyan submit to him.


    "If you step back again, the woman may be in danger."

 Chapter 13锛歋iblings

    An Xiaoyan stopped moving. Seeing how obedient he was, Gu Jun ordered, "Lie on the sofa. Take your clothes off."


    Just like the first time, An Xiaoyan took off his clothes and lay down like a dead fish, waiting for Gu Jun to ravage him.


    Seeing An Xiaoyan''s thin figure, Gu Jun''s blood surged through his veins. His lust had been repressed for so long lately that he could not suppress it any longer even when faced with someone like An Xiaoyan.


    An Xiaoyan bit his lips hard. This was the most painful thing in his entire life. After each thrust, An Xiaoyan''s consciousness faded a bit. His hand, wrapped in tissues, hung from the sofa''s side. Blood dripped onto the ground.


    After Gu Jun vented all his lust, he realized that An Xiaoyan had fainted.


    An Xiaoyan''s pallor made Gu Jun realize once again what he had done. He cursed, put on his clothes, and left.


    Chen Chen had been waiting outside the door. He came over after seeing Mr. Gu.


    "Take care of things inside."


    Chen Chen didn''t know what happened inside. Soundproof boards had been installed on purpose to achieve complete insulation.


    When Chen Chen saw the scene inside, he immediately called a private doctor. This kind of thing could only be dealt with in low profile.


    An Xiaoyan lay on the sofa. A few shirts had been tossed onto him to cover his private parts. It was Chen Chen''s first time seeing him like this. An Xiaoyan had always given him a quiet yet resilient feeling. He couldn''t imagine what kind of pain An Xiaoyan had gone through. Even worse, a corner of the sofa was dyed red with blood.


    Chen Chen couldn''t describe his current emotional state. He knew how much Mr. Gu hated An Xiaoyan, but faced with this, he felt more sympathy than anything else.


    After Gu Jun saw the doctor, he left without notice. He was actually happy after seeing An Xiaoyan on the stretcher with no color in his face. He didn''t expect that An Xiaoyan was so weak mentally. The good stuff was yet to come.


    The private doctor, Zhang Zilan, checked An Xiaoyan''s injuries. It actually wasn''t serious. He was just undernourished and had lost too much blood. His behind had torn open too. Zhang Zilan applied the ointment and put on bandages for him and left after giving necessary advice.


    As a private doctor, he knew what he should and should not say.


    "He''s awake," Chen Chen said to Gu Jun, bowing his head.


    Gu Jun put down his pen. Tidying up, he walked out. They were still in the top-floor office of the supermarket. It was rare for Gu Jun to wait here.


    "Awake?"


    An Xiaoyan stared up at the ceiling without replying. He didn''t know how to face Gu Jun anymore. What was their relationship? Creditor and debtor? enemies? Or some type of f*ck buddies?


    "Mr. Gu, is this fun?"


    "Heh, how can it not be fun? I''m so happy to see you like this."


    Really? He actually thinks it''s fun? He jokes about things like this? So this is something that both lovers and enemies do?


    "Right, I have to show you something."


    An Xiaoyan turned. He had a bad feeling.


    Gu Jun turned on the laptop nearby. It showed a girl watching a video in shock. Gu Jun put the laptop in front of An Xiaoyan. After he recognized what the girl was watching, the laptop clattered to the ground.


    He pushed down the anger in him. He felt more helpless. Gu Jun, why are you doing this? I can be humiliated and lowly before you, but why do you have to humiliate me before others?


    "Imagine how that girl will think of you now."


    "Mr. Gu, let me see her," An Xiaoyan begged. "I can explain to her. Please don''t do this."


    "Okay, I''ll let her in."


    As soon as Gu Jun spoke, the two guards outside pushed a girl in who fell straight to the ground.


    "Xiaoyan��"


    When An Xiaoyan saw that the person was Ye Qing, he felt even worse. "I''m sorry that you had to see that."


    He couldn''t explain the video, because the video of him under a man was real. He didn''t know there was a camera. The angle had been set just right, perfectly avoiding Gu Jun''s face but capturing the scene of An Xiaoyan being at the bottom of a man.


    "Xiaoyan, that''s not real, right? It''s not you, right?" Ye Qing had been taken to a room without explanation and shown this video. When she had seen that An Xiaoyan was the one on the sofa, she couldn''t believe her eyes. An Xiaoyan was known for being a loving person in the supermarket, willing to help people despite his lack of words.


    An Xiaoyan didn''t know how to answer. His mind was blank. The explanation he''d prepared wouldn''t come out his mouth.


    "It''s you, isn''t it?" Ye Qing yelled at Gu Jun, "You forced him to do that, right? I hate you so-called bosses! So what that you have money? So what?!"


    No one ever dared to speak to Gu Jun like this. The young chick certainly got temper. Young people shouldn''t have such a hot temper. An Xiaoyan, don''t you like helping people? I''d like to see your reaction after someone gets punished because of you.


    "Fire them both. You don''t think of your boss as much big of a deal, do you?"


    No one dared to object. After speaking, he strode out, feeling good inside.


    After the room quieted down, An Xiaoyan pushed himself up and got hold of Ye Qing, "I''m sorry to put you through this." He knew that there was nothing he could do to help Ye Qing get her job back. He was powerless.


    Ye Qing brushed off the dust on her and propped An Xiaoyan up. "Don''t be scared. I''m not scared. It''s just a job. We''ll find another one."


    An Xiaoyan felt uncomfortable relying on a girl and broke free from Ye Qing''s grasp. "Don''t do that. It''s bad for both of us."


    "It''s okay. Your health is most important now. Where do you live? I''ll take you there."


    An Xiaoyan retreated. "Don''t follow me around. There''ll be bad karma. I''m bad luck."


    Ye Qing''s stubbornness came into play. Karma? She didn''t believe in that.


    "Hurry up. I''ll take you home."


    An Xiaoyan couldn''t change Ye Qing''s mind. He limped home, and once they were inside, Ye Qing started bustling around.


    By the time she was done, it was already night. Ye Qing bought a bag of apples. She sat across from An Xiaoyan and started cutting them.


    An Xiaoyan sat on the sofa, but his mind was somewhere else. He was spacing out.


    "An Xiaoyan, you''re a good person. I don''t believe those things. Even if it happened, I know you were forced."


    An Xiaoyan snapped back to reality. "What if I say that I did it voluntarily?"


    Ye Qing''s hands stopped. "Then you must have unspeakable troubles," she said after a long pause.


    "I think you''re the really kind-hearted type. I bet you wouldn''t voluntarily ask for that stuff. Plus, I can sense your moral integrity." Ye Qing turned around, "How about you be my big brother?"


    An Xiaoyan stared at Ye Qing in shock. How could she say these things so casually?


    "Brother Xiaoyan, don''t get me wrong. I know you don''t like me that way. I could tell from when we ate together. I won''t be delusional about it. I just wish I can be your sister. I''m an orphan and grew up with my relatives. After I became an adult, I could finally come work and not depend on them anymore��"


    An Xiaoyan didn''t know how to reply. He was an only child, so he didn''t know what it was like to have siblings. Did he deserve to have a sister now?


    Seeing that An Xiaoyan wasn''t replying, Ye Qing took it as he agreed. She went up and hugged An Xiaoyan. "Great! I have a brother now. Brother Xiaoyan, Brother Xiaoyan, Brother!"


    "Brother, eat this apple."


    Ye Qing''s smile seemed to be contagious. Her carefree smile made An Xiaoyan feel a bit better.


    When An Xiaoyan accepted the apple, Ye Qing noticed a slight curve of a smile on his lips. So Brother Xiaoyan smiles too.

 Chapter 14锛歐ork

    After being fired from the supermarket, An Xiaoyan started his job search again, but this time it was extremely difficult. When they saw his name, they looked at him in a suspicious manner and turned him down saying either there were no more openings or he was unqualified.


    At first, he thought he was unlucky. After a few days, he gradually came to realize that someone was behind it all.


    And he knew that it was Gu Jun who did it. Only Gu Jun could make everyone dodge him.


    Fortunately, Ye Qing found a job smoothly. This made An Xiaoyan feel better as he did not drag Ye Qing down.


    To celebrate finding a new job, Ye Qing went to the supermarket to buy some ingredients to cook at An Xiaoyan''s house.


    Not long after An Xiaoyan reached home, Ye Qing arrived with a large bag of groceries. He rushed over to welcome her as he did not want his bad mood to affect his sister.


    "Brother, I bought vegetables, some meat, balls and so on. Let''s have hotpot today. I even bought the seasoning for the soup base."


    "Sure," An Xiaoyan agreed and went to the kitchen to get the pot. Ye Qing''s carefree personality had injected some life into his home. Most importantly, Ye Qing would never judge him.


    The hotpot''s base soup was soon ready. Considering An Xiaoyan had a weak stomach, Ye Qing deliberately purchased clear tomato soup.


    "Brother, I was afraid you might not be used to the spice, so I brought along a bottle of chili sauce only for me. This is my seasoning. Don''t snatch it from me."


    When An Xiaoyan heard that, he chuckled and said, "Okay, that''s all yours."


    The meat and balls in the pot were soon ready. An Xiaoyan ate mostly vegetables. After eating a few pieces of meat, he said that he could not eat more and put down his chopsticks, and then watched Ye Qing eat.


    Ye Qing''s mouth was kept busy all night chewing and talking to An Xiaoyan at the same time. She talked mostly about the delicious hotpot and her job. When talking about her job, An Xiaoyan''s face suddenly looked solemn.


    "Brother, I''m sorry."


    "It''s alright. You work hard. Brother will have a way out. You don''t have to worry about it."


    Ye Qing acknowledged with an "oh" and lost her appetite. At the end of the meal, she took out some notes from her wallet and said, "Brother, take this. If you don''t have enough, let me know. Don''t stand on ceremony, that''s what brothers and sisters are for."


    Ye Qing''s action left An Xiaoyan in a loss and not know whether to cry or to laugh. He was a man. How could he ask for something from a woman, let alone his sister?


    "You are a girl, you should keep it for yourself. In case you need to buy any clothes, you can use it," An Xiaoyan put the money back into Ye Qing''s hands.


    "Brother��"


    Before Ye Qing could finish her sentence, An Xiaoyan said, "It''s getting late, you should go back now. I''ll see you out."


    The next second, Ye Qing was pushed outside the door. An Xiaoyan dragged Ye Qing downstairs and said, "Come back when you have time. Work hard and don''t think too much."


    After walking Ye Qing to the station to get on the bus, An Xiaoyan wandered back along the lighted path. The autumn wind sent a chilling breeze and made him tuck in his jacket. National Day was approaching and he did not have much time.


    The next day, An Xiaoyan still could not find a job. He pulled out all his savings from his bag, totaling 450 dollars. That''s all he had.


    He would never go to Liu Cheng if he had any other choice, and here he was, with no other choice. No matter how powerful Gu Jun was, it was impossible for him to block all avenues.


    Liu Cheng was checking accounts in his office at the hospital when his assistant told him that a person named An Xiaoyan wanted to see him but there was no appointment made.


    Once Liu Cheng heard that it was An Xiaoyan, he went downstairs to pick him up personally. As he saw the familiar figure from afar, Liu Cheng could not contain the joy in his heart. An Xiaoyan still regarded him as a friend and they were still on good terms just as they were at university.


    "Yan Zi, you finally came to see me. I told you my address the last time we met, what took you so long? I thought you had forgotten me, my friend."


    "Why would I?"


    An Xiaoyan was led up by Liu Cheng to the office via an exclusive elevator. Liu Cheng closed the door and began to talk to An Xiaoyan.


    He had been waiting for this day, a day to see Yan Zi come and visit him personally. It showed that An Xiaoyan did not blame him for what had happened.


    "Yan Zi, what brought you here today? Do you miss me?"


    An Xiaoyan did not know how and where to start. Though they were former classmates and had a good relationship, he was still a little embarrassed. They used to be on the same path, but now the gap between them had grown so much.


    "I need a job now, but I haven''t found a suitable one. I hope you can help me out."


    The smile on Liu Cheng''s face stiffened. He was aware of the news going around, saying that whoever employed a man named An Xiaoyan would be acting against the Gu Family.


    Of course, Liu Cheng knew how powerful the Gu Family was. The Liu family could not compare to them. However, in his heart, he wished to compensate An Xiaoyan, and his conscience made him unable to refuse him.


    "Sure, I''ll arrange it. Yan Zi, based on our friendship, there''s absolutely no problem in finding you a job. If you need anything, don''t hesitate to tell me. Don''t always keep it to yourself as before."


    "Thank you, Liu Cheng," An Xiaoyan solemnly thanked Liu Cheng. He swore in his heart that this would be the last time he to involve Liu Cheng in his personal matters. He would never bother him again.


    "How''s the hospital doing recently?" An Xiaoyan tried to start a conversation so as to not feel awkward.


    "As usual every day, you know, students are becoming more and more impetuous. There are not many good students recruited recently. If we can recruit students like you, the hospital will surely become more famous."


    An Xiaoyan waved his hand and said, "Liu Cheng, that''s all in the past. Time made it inevitable that in every profession the rising generation will surpass the former one. There''s bound to be good recruits."


    These words were within Liu Cheng''s expectation. An Xiaoyan had really changed a lot. He used to be quiet but would not be so pessimistic.


    "If you want, you can work here as a doctor. Yan Zi, I''m sure you can do it. I believe in you."


    An Xiaoyan shook his head helplessly, "Liu Cheng, I should go. Let me know when you have any updates. I have a phone number now," An Xiaoyan wrote down his number on a piece of paper and took off.


    Liu Cheng looked at An Xiaoyan''s back view and suddenly had an illusion. It resembled the scene when An Xiaoyan left him for the prison three years ago. He looked so desolate.


    "Director, are you looking for me?" his assistant knocked on the door and asked.


    "Do you know any opening lately?"


    "I overheard that there is a shortage of a helper to pack medication in the shop opposite the hospital."


    "Okay. In two days, someone named An Xiaoyan will be reporting to work there. You help arrange it."


    No doubt the assistant had heard of the name, An Xiaoyan. Although he did not know who An Xiaoyan was, he did not dare to disobey the order from the Gu family.


    "Director, I don''t think it''s a good idea. If the Gus finds out, they might harm our hospital."


    "Don''t you know how to change the name? Change it to An YanZi."


    Looking at the president, the assistant knew that he was determined in helping An Xiaoyan.

 Chapter 15锛欸o to Work

    "Sir, Mr. An found a job."


    "Oh, there are still people in the city who dare to go against the Gu family?" Gu Jun said, swirling a glass of wine in his hand.


    "Liu Cheng, President of the Hua Kang Hospital, helped him," Chen Chen said.


    "The Liu family is just a small family. How come they dare to do that? Does Liu Cheng owe An Xiaoyan something? Why does he help him so much?"


    "It is heard that he felt guilty about it the incident even though he was only observing the surgery back then. And the Lius isn''t the richest, but they had helped old Gu before. We can''t touch them so easily."


    Gu Jun obviously knew about this. That was why he''d said all this. "We won''t touch them now. We''ll see."


    "Yes sir."


    Gu Jun didn''t care about the insignificant Liu family at all. He didn''t care about Liu Cheng either. Anyone that made life better for An Xiaoyan was his enemy and he wouldn''t let them go easily!


    After An Xiaoyan returned home, he received a text.


    "Yan Zi, I got you a job. Come find me at the hospital tomorrow. Same place."


    An Xiaoyan read the words one by one. Warmth flared inside him. What touched him most was the help when he most needed it.


    Liu Cheng put the work uniform on the table and waited for An Xiaoyan. He could imagine An Xiaoyan''s joy when he saw the uniform.


    When An Xiaoyan finally arrived, Liu Cheng took out the clothes to give him a surprise. However, An Xiaoyan didn''t respond with any special reaction when he saw it.


    "What''s wrong? You''re not happy? Being a pharmacist is related to what you studied."


    "Liu Cheng, you can''t do this. The law says that pharmacists must have more than a bachelor''s degree."


    Seeing how An Xiaoyan followed the rules so closely, Liu Cheng was frustrated. Other people couldn''t even dream about getting something like this. It was handed to An Xiaoyan but he didn''t want it.


    "I appreciate the gesture, but I won''t do it."


    An Xiaoyan turned to leave. Liu Cheng grabbed him just as he was about to reach the door.


    "Yan Zi, don''t you know? Someone is purposely making it impossible for you to find a job. If you can''t find one, how do you plan to support yourself?"


    An Xiaoyan stiffened. Yeah, how was he going to support himself? He even promised his parents to go back during the national holiday. How could he go back if he had money?


    "Aren''t you afraid that that man will pick up on you if you help me like this?"


    "Yan Zi, I can handle it. Just listen to me this one time."


    An Xiaoyan smiled bitterly. He didn''t have any choice. At present, he was like a puppet, controlled by others. "Okay. When do I start work?"


    "How about tomorrow? I told the owner of the pharmacy. Where do you live? I''ll pick you up."


    "Okay."


    An Xiaoyan''s reaction ignited the hope within Liu Cheng again. He believed An Xiaoyan would turn back into his former self instead of being so dull and dead.


    As soon as An Xiaoyan got home, he saw Ye Qing standing outside with a bag of stuff.


    "Why did you come?" An Xiaoyan asked while opening the door.


    "To visit you. We only have each other in this big city."


    "What''s inside the bag?"


    Ye Qing put the bag behind her mysteriously. "It''s a secret. Brother, you can''t look now. Look after I''m gone."


    Ye Qing''s childishness made An Xiaoyan more curious about what was in the bag, but he obeyed and waited anyway.


    "There''s a new guy at work today," Ye Qing said excitedly. "He''s really hot. A bunch of fangirls had their eyes on him."


    "I take that you''re one of the fangirls."


    "Stop kidding, brother, He''s so hot. He would never notice someone like me." Despite her words, Ye Qing blushed. She really did like that guy because he had a unique temperament��like An Xiaoyan.


    "If you like him, then go for it."


    Ye Qing widened her eyes while her eyes sparkled. She didn''t think An Xiaoyan would say something like that. To her, An Xiaoyan was like an angel aloof that didn''t care about the desires of mortals. He would never talk about dating.


    An Xiaoyan sensed Ye Qing''s shock and thought he''d said something wrong. "If you don''t like him, you don''t need to suck up to him, of course," he hurriedly added.


    Ye Qing waved her hand quickly. "No, no, I just realized that people like you understand love too."


    An Xiaoyan lowered his eyes. He understood, but he also didn''t. He wanted to love someone properly and be happy, only that he was not in a position to have it.


    "Alright, I''ll always support you. As long as you''re happy."


    After Ye Qing left, An Xiaoyan opened the bag on the sofa. There was a suit inside.


    Brother, this is my first gift for you. It''s not expensive, but I think you''ll look good in it. I hope you''ll wear this when you find your new job.


    Feeling the soft texture of the suit, An Xiaoyan felt warm inside. This girl was really thoughtful.


    When An Xiaoyan woke up in the morning, he stared at the suit hanging by his side. After thinking for a bit, he put it on. He looked at himself in the mirror. He couldn''t believe his reflection. Could he really look like this?


    He hesitated for a bit and still took the clothes off in the end. Smoothing the wrinkles, he put it back on the hanger. It seemed like a waste to wear it at work.


    It was his first day going to work. His palms were all sweaty when he sat on the bus. He didn''t know what he was about to face or whether he could succeed. As time passed, the accident from four years ago left a deeper and deeper mark in his heart. Could he continue?


    When he reached his workplace, An Xiaoyan went to Hua Kang Hospital instead of the pharmacy. Inside, nurses and patients went to and fro. An Xiaoyan made his way to Liu Cheng''s office using his memory.


    When he reached the door, Liu Cheng was talking to a chief physician about the hospital matters. An Xiaoyan waited in the distance. When Liu Cheng finished, he looked up and saw An Xiaoyan standing at the door.


    "Yan Zi, come on in. You''ve been waiting for a while, right?"


    "No, I just got here. I saw you were busy and didn''t want to disturb you. I came to thank you. Thanks for helping me."


    Liu Cheng pressed An Xiaoyan''s shoulder to gently shoved him into the chair. Then he started talking about work.


    "Being a pharmacist isn''t hard, but you have to pay attention to detail. Arrange different medicine according to the labels and check the amount every day. Refill any medicine that runs out and that''s it."


    "Okay."


    Liu Cheng nodded. "About the salary," he continued, "I told the owner to treat you like other people. I know you. You wouldn''t want a cent more."


    This was indeed how An Xiaoyan thought. He''d wanted to ask for a lower salary since he didn''t actually qualify for this job, but he couldn''t object to Liu Cheng''s arrangement.

 Chapter 16锛欳onnections

    After changing into the uniform, An Xiaoyan walked to the designated pharmacy. There were many rows of medicines, and many of them were labeled in English. After several years without touching these things, it felt like he was separated from the world.


    Several people in the pharmacy were stacking the cart with medicine. When they saw An Xiaoyan, they came forward to greet him warmly.


    "I haven''t heard that we''re going to have a newcomer here, there''s no announcement on it," one of them said.


    "Hey, new guy, which school did you graduate from?" another man shouted.


    An Xiaoyan did not know how to answer. Should he say A University? But he did not graduate and had no certificate as proof.


    What happened four years ago was well concealed. Nobody who graduated from A University knew An Xiaoyan.


    "Certainly not as good as yours. What do I need to do?"


    The person standing opposite was obviously unhappy with the newcomer''s avoidance of the topic. But he was convinced that this newcomer''s education was certainly not as good as theirs, otherwise, he would have told them the school.


    "Familiarize yourself with the medicine on each shelf first, then you can start packing the medicine slowly."


    An Xiaoyan nodded and surveyed each row, holding a pen and paper.


    After walking through just a single row, he had written down half a page of English words in his notebook. He had a vague memory for some of the words that simply faded away through the years, but not all.


    "I don''t know some words here. Do you have a dictionary here?"


    An Xiaoyan walked up to a person who was wearing the same uniform.


    The staff was clearly impatient, "Use your phone to look it up. There is no dictionary here. After all, everyone knows these words."


    "Okay, I see. Thank you."


    An Xiaoyan returned to the shelf and looked at it again, thinking about buying a dictionary on his way home that night.


    That staff sneered at him.


    What kind of person did the company just recruit? He doesn''t even know the names of the medicine. What if he made a mistake?


    At noon break, An Xiaoyan noticed the strange atmosphere. When he walked around with his tray, everyone avoided him as if he was carrying a plague.


    He took a seat at random and ate in silence. The contemptuous look shot at him made him a little uncomfortable.


    After his meal, An Xiaoyan tried to calm himself down and went back to study the medicine. Just as he walked to the office, the door opened slightly, and the conversation inside made him stopped in his tracks.


    "Did the newcomer get in through the back door? Today he asked me for a dictionary. He said he wanted to look up the words. Gosh. It''s strange how he can be recruited without knowing the names of the medicine."


    An Xiaoyan recognized the voice. He was the man whom he asked that morning. He listened quietly as he wondered what else they would say about him.


    "Oh well, in recent years, it''s all about connections. If someone has a rich father, they can even be a director at the hospital across the street."


    Hearing this, the pen in An Xiaoyan''s hand fell to the ground by accident and rattled the people inside. They stopped gossiping immediately. And when they saw An Xiaoyan, they dispersed and returned to their own positions as if they had nothing to do with the conversation just now.


    An Xiaoyan picked up the pen from the ground, and his heart felt like it was pinned down by a stone. These people were gossiping about people even though they did not work in the same place. Did Liu Cheng know that people were talking behind his back?


    Although Liu Cheng run the hospital owned by his family, he was qualified. Even if his family did not own the hospital, he would have no difficulty being a good doctor himself.


    Just before leaving work, Liu Cheng came to the pharmacy. As soon as he entered the door, he saw An Xiaoyan staring at the medicine.


    "How do you feel about your first day?"


    An Xiaoyan put down the pen and paper in his hand and shook his head helplessly, "There are too many that I don''t know. And for those I do know, I only have a vague impression."


    "It''s okay. Take your time. These medicines have just been introduced to China in recent years. It''s normal not to know them, you just need to learn. It''s time to get off work. I''ll give you a ride home."


    An Xiaoyan did not want to bother Liu Cheng, and Liu Cheng knew it very well. Thus, he simply dragged An Xiaoyan out without giving him a chance to say "No".


    "Is it okay for you to come to the pharmacy just like this? After all, it''s not your own company."


    "Yan Zi, the majority of the medicine from our hospital comes from here. I personally am on friendly terms with the boss of this pharmacy, too. You don''t have to be so polite to me. If you have any difficulties, just tell me. There''s nothing embarrassing about it. There''s no need for it between us."


    Seeing the solemn look on Liu Cheng, An Xiaoyan nodded in acknowledgement.


    There were many cars on the road during the rush hour, and the traffic was very congested. By the time Liu Cheng drove An Xiaoyan home, it was almost dark outside.


    An Xiaoyan wanted to ask Liu Cheng to stay for dinner, but Liu Cheng refused insistently, saying that he needed to attend to something back home.


    Watching An Xiaoyan walk into the house, Liu Cheng turned around and a man was staring at him.


    "Director Liu, my master would like to invite you to come over and discuss something."


    Liu Cheng had no impression of the man standing in front of him. However, he could feel that the man knew who he was. He had a bad feeling about this.


    "Can you tell your master for me that it''s not very convenient today? Can we talk about it some other day?"


    Chen Chen frowned unknowingly, "Director Liu, don''t make things difficult for me."


    Before Liu Cheng could refuse, several bodyguards dressed in black showed up behind Chen Chen. It seemed that the other party came prepared. It was impossible for him to dodge the invitation.


    "Lead the way."


    Chen Chen nodded and gestured to a bodyguard next to him. The bodyguard searched Liu Cheng and found his car key, then went into his car. Liu Cheng had no choice but to ride with Chen Chen.


    "May I ask if I have met your master before?" Liu Cheng was not keen on entertainment. Although he enjoyed company, he would at most meet his friends in a restaurant and avoid extravagant occasions.


    "You will know it when you get there."


    Chen Chen did not answer the question. Liu Cheng had to look out of the window to kill time.


    After making several turns, the car stopped in front of a high-class club. After getting out of the car and smelling the air around, Liu Cheng''s facial expression revealed his awkwardness.


    "Is that where your master has a discussion?"


    Chen Chen did not reply, bowing to indicate that the discussion would be held inside.


    Liu Cheng followed him in. The half-naked beauty in the room glared at him from time to time with many of them leaning on him. Until he got into the elevator, he felt more at ease.


    The elevator stopped on the tenth floor. Chen Chen stopped at a door and gestured to Liu Cheng to enter the room.


    He opened the door, and it was a presidential suite. Liu Cheng went inside and saw a tall man standing in front of the landing window.


    Only a small light was turned on, the whole room looked dark and Liu Cheng could not see the man''s face.


    "Excuse me, what can I do for you?"


    Gu Jun reached out his hand and put out the cigarette in the ashtray next to him. Then he turned to Liu Cheng. But instead of directly getting to the point, he took a glass from the table, poured some wine and handed it to Liu Cheng.


    As Gu Jun''s hand stopped in mid-air, Liu Cheng politely took the wine glass.


    "Liu Cheng, right?"


    "Yes, you know me?"


    Gu Jun gave a sneer, "Come to think about it, we do have some connections."

 Chapter 17锛欸oing Again

    Hearing Gu Jun''s words, Liu Cheng felt pressured. This man definitely had some background.


    "It seems like you really don''t know me, but you should know Gu Jun, right?"


    He''s Gu Jun!


    He''s here, probably because of An Xiaoyan!


    "We didn''t meet four years ago. You seem a bit shocked to suddenly see me here today."


    "You''re the man who sent Yan Zi to jail and who won''t let him find a job now!"


    Liu Cheng''s attitude didn''t pose a threat to Gu Jun. He ignored Liu Cheng, admitting it right away.


    This was the man who had ruined Yan Zi''s entire life. This was the man who changed other people''s lives at will. Liu Cheng clenched his fist and threw him a punch.


    Gu Jun had expected this. He reached out and caught Liu Cheng''s shoulder, pinning both his arms behind his back.


    The two were at a stalemate. Sweat beaded on Liu Cheng''s forehead. His shoulder had gone numb from being in that position for too long.


    "Try not to piss me off, or else you''ll be responsible for the consequences!"


    Gu Jun let go, throwing Liu Cheng to the ground. The pain flaring in his right shoulder made Liu Cheng grit his teeth.


    "Send him away."


    With Gu Jun''s command, Liu Cheng pushed himself up and tried to stand up. However, his arms were powerless and he fell, sprawled on the floor.


    Gu Jun felt great seeing Liu Cheng like this. Your fault for pissing me off and disrupting my plan!


    In the end, Liu Cheng was helped up by Chen Chen. His arm was dislocated and he needed to take a taxi home.


    "Sir, the man has left."


    Gu Jun nodded. "Go to the pharmacy tomorrow. I''d like to see how the murderer is doing nowadays."


    "Okay. Also, there was a call from home. Apparently, the young master threw a fit late at night, wanting you to go back."


    "What''s wrong with him?" Gu Jun didn''t like his son. It was normal for him not to go home for weeks at a time.


    "The nanny said that the young master started having problems at dinner. He kept yelling while eating."


    "What did he yell?"


    "Daddy."


    Gu Jun lay on the sofa, massaging his temples while deep in thought.


    This child had been an accident. The mother��Mu Nan��had been a one-night stand that unexpectedly produced a child. The Mu Family used this chance to force him into a marriage, but before the marriage happened, the mother and son died in the hospital.


    However, this unexpected child was still his son. Gu Jun''s heart still twitched.


    "Make the preparations. I''ll go back and see the boy."


    Chen Chen had already prepared the car. Hearing this, he quickly went to drive it over.


    As the car cruised under the night sky, Chen Chen peered at Gu Jun in the rearview mirror. Gu Jun was sitting there, looking outside casually.


    Sensing Chen Chen''s gaze, he guessed that the man had something to say. "What?"


    "The young master''s health hasn''t been good. The nanny said that he was sick a few days ago. He doesn''t really eat and often has nightmares."


    "Oh, I see."


    Back at the Gu mansion, the light was still on. As soon as Gu Jun entered, he heard the child''s cries upstairs.


    The nanny saw that the master was back, so she brought Guo Guo with a tear-streaked face from the room.


    "Did the doctor come?"


    "Doctor Zhang came at night and prescribed some medicine, but it didn''t do anything."


    "I see. You can leave."


    After the nanny left, Gu Jun squatted down to look at Guo Guo whose eyes were swollen like cherries. He opened his arms to hug the kid.


    Guo Guo stared at the man before him and continued to bawl.


    "Daddy, Daddy��"


    The little boys'' teary expression warmed Gu Jun''s heart. He lifted the boy up and put him in bed.


    Gu Jun hadn''t been home in a long while and Guo Guo couldn''t recognize him anymore. He wasn''t very bright, to begin with, and didn''t receive a good education either. Now, he was even slower than other kids his age.


    Guo Guo struggled against the man''s embrace with his hands and feet. At first, Gu Jun thought that his son just wasn''t used to it, but he gradually realized that the kid didn''t remember him anymore.


    It''s only been a month and he forgot who I am? A regular four-year-old shouldn''t be like this!


    The more Gu Jun thought of this, the angrier he got. What was the use of keeping a kid like this? He was like a retard!


    Guo Guo lay on the bed, trying to find that familiar figure in his mind, but he couldn''t. He could only bawl to express his confusion. Annoyed by the crying, Gu Jun left for downstairs and shut the door behind him.


    Chen Chen could still hear the crying downstairs. Just as he was about to suggest calling the doctor, Gu Jun said, "Tell Zhang Zilan to come tomorrow and check if the kid''s IQ went down."


    The child''s cries upstairs were still piercing the silence of the night. Gu Jun took a bottle of red wine from the wine cellar, filled a glass, and started drinking alone.


    After he downed half a bottle of wine, the kid was still crying upstairs. Gu Jun slammed the glass down and strode up to the stairs.


    "Why can''t you stop the crying?"


    The nanny had piled toys and snacks before the young master, but he still wouldn''t stop crying. Faced with the furious Gu Jun, the nanny started sweating anxiously. Young Master, even if you can''t make Master like you, can you at least not annoy him?


    "If he keeps crying, give him sleeping pills," Gu Jun said, impatiant.


    Hearing this, the nanny froze. The young master was only four years old. He couldn''t take that kind of medicine! He was already weak and the pills would be fatal to both his brain and body.


    "Sir, Young Master is too young��"


    "If you don''t shut up, you don''t have to come in tomorrow." The nanny swallowed the rest of her sentence down her throat. She didn''t want to lose this well-paying job, but seeing the pitiful young master, she didn''t have the heart to do it.


    Seeing that Guo Guo wasn''t about to stop crying, Gu Jun ordered, "Get the pills."


    The nanny didn''t dare to object. She placed the young master onto the bed and went downstairs to get the pills.


    She opened the first aid kit. Opening the bottle of sleeping pills, she poured one out. Then she closed her eyes and put it back. After a while, she seemed to think of something and poured it out again.


    The nanny looked to either side of her. No one was there. Adjusting her angle to have her back to the security camera, she poured out a vitamin pill from another bottle and hid the sleeping pill in her pocket. She crushed the vitamin into powder and added water to it.


    "Watch him after he drinks it. Don''t let him bother me unless it''s an emergency."


    Gu Jun watched the nanny feed Guo Guo the solution and then went downstairs impatiently.


    The nanny didn''t relax until Gu Jun was gone. Patting the young master''s back, she said, "Young Master, go to sleep. I''ll stay by your side."


    Guo Guo seemed to understand her words. A while later, his crying subsided and he gradually fell asleep.


    Night fell; Gu Jun had emptied a bottle of wine. A smooth back and defined ribs appeared in his mind, together with An Xiaoyan''s tear-stained face. As soon as he thought of this, heat surged within him.


    It was late at night, but he couldn''t stop himself from driving to An Xiaoyan''s apartment. He parked the car and strode down the cramped hallway, coming to a shabby door.


    The knock sounded especially loud in the quiet night. An Xiaoyan blearily got up and opened the door, gazing sleepily at the guest. He still hadn''t woken up entirely. His head drooped, his eyes weren''t fully open, and his hair was sticking up. Gu Jun pushed him aside and entered.


    "Go shower!"


    The voice shocked An Xiaoyan awake. He froze when he saw the person clearly.


    "Why aren''t you showering?"


    "I showered yesterday."


    "Then go do it again."


    An Xiaoyan didn''t reply. He wordlessly got some clothes from his room and walked to the bathroom. A while later, the sound of water running came from the bathroom.


    He walked out with a towel, hair still dripping wet. Faced with Gu Jun, he continuously dried his hair, too scared to let his hands stop.


    "If you think your hair is annoying, just shave your head! Why are you so slow? Get over here!"


    An Xiaoyan finally put down the towel. He folded it and placed it on the table before sitting beside Gu Jun.


    "These books are yours?"


    Seeing the books that had been messed up on the table, An Xiaoyan quickly collected them and tossed them into his room. "I��I don''t know a lot of things. I want to pick them up."


    After Gu Jun sat down, the thick English dictionary, pharmacology books, and the neat English notes on the table caught his attention. The blue words amongst the black were especially eye-catching. He couldn''t read them, but he could still see the seriousness in them.


    He''d wanted to fulfill his lust here, but the detailed papers made Gu Jun change his mind. "Lend me some clothes. I''m taking a shower."


    An Xiaoyan lay in bed, and a hot torso was pressed close behind him. He was hyperaware of any interaction with Gu Jun.


    "Sleep. If you don''t sleep, I won''t mind making you tired."


    An Xiaoyan was covered head-to-toe in blankets. Hearing those words, he gradually fell asleep. When Gu Jun heard snores, he sat up and gazed at the sleeping face beside him. He lay down on the other side of the bed and slept peacefully.

 Chapter 18锛欸u And Liu Families

    An Xiaoyan went to the pharmacy to work just like the day before. When he tried to pull the door open, he found that it was locked.


    Only then did he notice the sign hanging on it, "Suspension of business".


    He had a bad feeling about these words. He silently prayed in his heart that nothing would happen. It must be that the boss had not arrived yet.


    An Xiaoyan stood at the door and waited. Time flew by and there was still no one in the pharmacy by noon. Occasionally, there were a few people who came by to buy medicine. However, when they saw that the door was locked, they went to another location to make their purchase.


    At 12 p.m., the employees from the shops nearby were all having their lunch break. A fruit vendor saw An Xiaoyan standing outside all morning and kindly reminded him not to wait any longer. The sun was too strong and one could get a heatstroke easily.


    "Sir, do you know why this shop hasn''t opened yet?"


    "Oh. Nobody told you? This shop is closed on the 1st of every month."


    An Xiaoyan had just worked for a day and was not familiar with his colleagues. Thus, he naturally did not know about this. Selling medicine around the hospital perimeter should be a profitable business. He wondered why the pharmacy was not opened for business.


    Despite his questions, An Xiaoyan still politely thanked the fruit vendor.


    Initially, he intended to go back home, but he changed his mind and walked to the hospital after seeing the signboard of Hua Kang Hospital.


    Since he did not need to work today, he decided to visit his benefactor, Liu Cheng.


    He went straight to the Director''s Office as usual. Before he reached the office, the director''s assistant saw An Xiaoyan and told him that the director was not in.


    In An Xiaoyan''s impression, although Liu Cheng was not a person known for being keenly hardworking, he was never absent.


    What is happening today? First the pharmacy, and then Liu Cheng��


    With his heart full of doubts, An Xiaoyan went straight home. He did not think that these two incidents were related to Gu Jun.


    Liu Cheng''s arm was dislocated by Gu Jun. He went back to his apartment. After tending to his arm, he lay down and his phone rang.


    It was Liu Lianxun.


    "Hello, Dad. It''s 3 a.m. now. Is anything wrong?"


    Liu Cheng sounded tired, and Liu Lianxun surely had noticed it. But his anger was too much to calm down. He shouted in the phone at Liu Cheng, "Come back now, I have something urgent to ask you!"


    When Liu Cheng heard that, he knew that it must be something to do with his doings. Maybe it also had something to do with Gu Jun. He put on his clothes and got up from the bed. He had no idea where Gu Jun''s bodyguard parked his car at. Now he had to take a taxi to get home.


    The road was empty at 3 p.m.. Liu Cheng stood at the intersection for half an hour without a taxi passing by. Liu Lianxun called again.


    "Have you arrived yet?"


    "Father, I haven''t got onto a taxi yet."


    Liu Lianxun was very anxious as his son did not know the seriousness of the matter and had not hurried over yet!


    "Where are you? I''ll ask Uncle Liu to pick you up."


    Liu Cheng told him the address, and soon a car stopped beside him.


    After getting on the car, Uncle Liu kindly reminded the young master that the master was in a bad mood, so he had better be careful.


    "What''s wrong with my father, asking me to go back in the middle of the night?"


    Uncle Liu answered truthfully, "I don''t know either. Master answered a phone call just now and he became like this."


    Liu Cheng thought in his heart that Gu Jun''s influence had reached them. Although his father was not a man who had full control of the city, his father was an influential person. He had never seen his father behave like this before. It seemed that this would certainly not be a good thing.


    Once they arrived at Liu Residence, Liu Lianxun was already waiting in the living room. Seeing his son, he shouted "unfilial son!"


    "Dad, what is going on here? You have to tell me."


    "Kneel down!"


    "Dad..." Liu Cheng was already 26 years old, an age that is too old to kneel. Moreover, if news spread, how would others think of him?


    "Kneel down!" Liu Lianxun used his walking stick to hit Liu Cheng on the knee. Liu Cheng fell to his knees and knelt on the ground.


    "Father, what''s wrong with you today?" It was the first time in Liu Cheng''s life that he had to suffer so many grievances in a single day. First, it was Gu Jun, and then his father.


    "Aren''t you ashamed to ask what happened? Why did you provoke Gu Jun? Even though our family had some connections with them�� You should be very clear what kind of people they are!"


    Liu Cheng was even more puzzled when he heard the second half of the sentence. He never heard about the connections his family had with Gu Family. From his dad''s tone, he could tell that it was not a minor matter.


    Gu Jia was notorious for its power and cold-bloodedness in the city. If the Gu family had their eyes on a company, that company was bound to be annexed. This was also the reason why so many family businesses were unwilling to provoke the Gu family.


    Fortunately, the Gu family did give smaller companies opportunities for development and would not kill them all.


    "What is the matter between our family and the Gu family?"


    Liu Lianxun knew it was time to tell his son. Although he was very unwilling to have any relationship with the Gu family, it was a fact. Even when the fact was well-hidden, the connection still existed.


    "It started with your grandfather."


    "Your grandfather, my father, collaborated with the Gu family at that time. It was so peaceful, but Gu Jun''s grandfather should be attracted to your grandfather''s fianc��e at that time."


    "At that time, the Gu family was not as powerful, and our Liu family was also influential. However, your grandfather was a visionary, he knew that Gu Jun''s grandfather would be able to accomplish great things in the future, thus he sacrificed his fianc��e to Gu Jun''s grandfather."


    "As expected, the Gu family made great strides afterward. However, our influence had been gradually reduced under suppression. Fortunately, at that time, Gu Jun''s grandfather held gratitude to your grandfather for his kindness and promised not to fight against our family in the future."


    After hearing that, Liu Cheng asked, "Didn''t the Gu family say that they would not go against our Liu family in the future?"


    Liu Lianxun sighed, "That''s what I worry about. Since I was a child, your grandfather had told me never to provoke the Gu family. Although it seems that our Liu family was the benefactor of the Gu family, your grandfather''s years of collaboration with the Gu family made him understand that one would not want the Gu family as his enemy. If someone from the Liu family provokes them, maybe our Liu family will be destroyed."


    "So that''s the reason why you don''t want me to provoke the Gu family?"


    "They are too powerful to do whatever they want. And we have made peace for so many years by sacrificing our profits. Do you know how worried I am when I heard that Gu Jun paid you a visit?"


    Hearing this all out, Liu Cheng knew that his father meant well for him. However, it seemed useless to say anything now that he had done what he had done.


    "In the future, stay away from Gu Jun. As far as I know, Gu Jun is like a cannibal who does not leave bones behind after killing the person. If you compete with him, there is absolutely no chance of winning. The amicable relationship between our families has almost worn off before your generation."

 Chapter 19锛欸ift Shoes

    Liu Cheng finally understood Gu Jun''s attitude toward him. Gu Jun already knew about the relationship between their families. This was why he was let go easy. Otherwise, Liu Cheng''s arm might be disabled by now.


    "Move back for a while and go back after the commotion is over. Stay at home and don''t go out unless you have to. I''ll have someone watch you."


    Liu Cheng was left with no room for objection. He could only nod stiffly.


    "Should I still go to the hospital?"


    "You''re not a doctor anyway, so don''t go to the hospital tomorrow. Take a nice break. The hospital will continue running without you."


    When An Xiaoyan returned home, he saw Chen Chen again at the entrance.


    At the first meeting, An Xiaoyan figured that he was Gu Jun''s assistant. Seeing him was like seeing a part of Gu Jun. An Xiaoyan trembled involuntarily.


    "Mr. An, I heard that you found a nice job."


    An Xiaoyan looked at him guardedly, "What''s wrong?"


    "I personally would love to congratulate you, but my position doesn''t allow it. Mr. Gu would like to invite you to dinner. I hope you will agree."


    The man said the invitation was for dinner, but An Xiaoyan knew it wouldn''t just be that. He couldn''t refuse either. The debt was still weighing down on him.


    "Okay. When?"


    Chen Chen was surprised that An Xiaoyan agreed so readily. He thought An Xiaoyan would ask more questions or even refuse.


    "I will pick you up at night, around six. Mr. An, please wear something decent."


    With that, Chen Chen left. An Xiaoyan went home and lay on his bed, wondering why Gu Jun wanted to see him. It was probably to humiliate him again, just like at the supermarket. Thankfully, Ye Qing was such a great girl. Other people would probably think that he was a dirty gangster.


    Knowing that there wouldn''t be a good outcome actually made him fearless. At most, he would just get f*cked again��he would just get hurt again. Gu Jun was only doing this to take revenge. If An Xiaoyan rebelled by not going, he wouldn''t be able to endure the consequences.


    Chen Chen kept his word and arrived at An Xiaoyan''s home at six o''clock sharp. He knocked on the door. When An Xiaoyan opened the door, he was still wearing regular clothes.


    "Mr. An, please get changed."


    An Xiaoyan looked at himself and remembered he should change.


    "Excuse me, do you know what Mr. Gu wants me for?"


    Chen Chen shook his head, "He only told me to pick you up. He didn''t tell me the reason. I am only following orders."


    An Xiaoyan inwardly felt that Chen Chen was speaking the truth. When they''d met alone in the supermarket, An Xiaoyan had a hunch that he wasn''t an evil person.


    "Alright. Please come in. I''ll go change."


    An Xiaoyan told Chen Chen to sit in the living room while he went to the bedroom to change. He didn''t have any proper or decent clothes. Flipping through his closet, the piece hanging in the back caught his eyes.


    "Ye Qing, thank you."


    An Xiaoyan shook the suit lightly. Then he put on the jacket and pants seriously.


    He still needed a pair of leather shoes, but unfortunately, he didn''t have any.


    Chen Chen had never seen An Xiaoyan wear such formal clothes before and his eyes brightened. An Xiaoyan was so thin that he barely managed to not get overwhelmed by the suit. His slender frame, porcelain skin, and black suit formed a mesmerizing image.


    "Your shoes."


    An Xiaoyan recoiled in embarrassment. "I don''t have shoes. These are the best ones."


    Chen Chen looked at the worn sneakers and said without thinking, "Let''s go buy a pair at the store."


    An Xiaoyan thought Chen Chen wanted him to buy a pair himself and quickly waved his hand. "No, no need. This is fine. I''ve worn this pair for a long time and I''m used to it. I won''t be used to a new pair."


    Chen Chen didn''t expect his casual remark would cause such a big reaction. He probably doesn''t want to spend the money.


    When Chen Chen had entered the apartment, he''d noticed that there wasn''t a single extra piece of furniture. The room was empty and the wall was peeling.


    "I doubt Mr. Gu will say the same."


    This trick worked. An Xiaoyan hesitated, then he went back to his room and came out again. "I don''t have much money. Can I buy a cheaper pair?"


    Chen Chen took An Xiaoyan to a mall and went to a shoe store. At the door, he found that An Xiaoyan didn''t want to go in.


    "My treat. Don''t make Mr. Gu wait."


    This worked too. An Xiaoyan''s expression was hesitant, but he still went in.


    "Find him a pair of black leather shoes with simple design."


    The employee took out a pair of shiny black shoes. She placed it before An Xiaoyan, gesturing at him to try it on.


    An Xiaoyan took off his old sneakers and gingerly stuck his feet into the leather shoes. The coldness made him shudder.


    Standing before the mirror, An Xiaoyan suddenly had the fantasy that he was an upper-class white-collar worker, that he was wearing a tailored suit to go to a job he loved.


    Reaching out to touch his pale face, he finally came back to his senses. He glanced at Chen Chen in embarrassment.


    Chen Chen didn''t disturb An Xiaoyan when he''d spaced out. He had been observing An Xiaoyan''s expression. That feeling came again.


    He knew that An Xiaoyan was thinking about the past. As a bystander, it didn''t feel good to see someone who''d had such a bright future fall into this state.


    "We''ll take this. I''ll pay with my card."


    The employee already had the machine ready. Smiling, she watched Chen Chen swipe the card and then thanked him.


    "Just keep the shoes on."


    An Xiaoyan pushed down his urge to ask for his old shoes back. He watched as the employee swept his shoes into the trash can with a broom.


    Seeing Mr. Gu''s text, Chen Chen''s eyes darkened. "Mr. An, you should be prepared," he said to An Xiaoyan in the backseat.


    "What''s wrong?" An Xiaoyan looked forward, but he couldn''t figure out where they were going.


    Chen Chen didn''t want to tell him the address in the text. He wished someone as innocent and kind as An Xiaoyan could retain his purity for a while longer.


    "Nothing. It''s just that the place we''re going is a bit lavish. Someone like you might not like it, so I thought I''d give you a heads-up."


    An Xiaoyan leaned back. Looking at the lines of headlights, his heart felt empty. Gu Jun obviously didn''t call him here to eat dinner.


    The car went down various roads and finally stopped before a glamorous building.


    Chen Chen opened the door for An Xiaoyan. "Mr. An, you can go in. Someone will take you to the place."


    An Xiaoyan was flustered by Chen Chen''s attitude. Chen Chen was too polite to him. It was more like theatric respect.


    "Okay. Thank you for today. When I have money, I''ll repay you for the shoes. I don''t have the money to do so right now."


    With that, An Xiaoyan turned around and started walking. He gradually disappeared in the night.


    Looking at the backside, Chen Chen thought, An Xiaoyan, those shoes are my gift to you.

 Chapter 20锛歅artner

    Once An Xiaoyan walked in, he knew that something was wrong. This was not a dining place at all!


    Inside was a scene of feasting and revelry. There was a huge dance floor with men and women dressed differently dancing.


    Even though An Xiaoyan did not have much life experience, he knew what kind of place it was.


    A man paid no attention to him and led him upstairs into a private room.


    An Xiaoyan calmed himself down and pushed the door open.


    In the room were a bunch of people dressed in suits and leather shoes, sitting on the sofa. There were red wine and snacks on the table and everything looked misty under the dim yellow lights.


    When the people in the room saw a stranger walking in, they looked at An Xiaoyan as if they wanted to see through him.


    "Come over," Gu Jun''s deep voice pulled him over like a magnet. When An Xiaoyan approached Gu Jun, his skin was cold and his heart was racing. He could not control his fear.


    Gu Jun patted the seat next to him, "Sit here."


    "President Gu, when did you get to know such a special thing? He looks so endearing," said a real estate developer, President Zheng.


    Zheng was famous for sleeping with men. He was a married man and father, his wife had aged and lost her charm to him. He always had fun brazenly when he was out. Many people who wanted to fawn on him would send beautiful men to him.


    "Let''s all relax today. Don''t worry about etiquette or anything like that. Let''s eat, drink and have fun."


    Since Gu Jun said so, no one held back and they started to toast each other.


    An Xiaoyan sat on the sofa but felt as if he was sitting on pins and needles. So far, he had not figured out what was on Gu Jun''s mind and the reason why he needed to be present.


    Gu Jun was not in a hurry either. He was enjoying the company of those around him and did not seem to pay any attention to An Xiaoyan beside him. He probably just wanted to wear off An Xiaoyan''s character and to let An Xiaoyan know whose territory it was.


    President Zheng was the most liberal today. Once Gu Jun told them not to hold back, President Zheng kept staring at the waiter who was pouring wine. There was a dazzle of desire in President Zheng''s eyes, just shy of going up and caressing the waiter. When everyone saw Zheng''s hungry face, they covered their mouths and giggled. Zheng seemed to be able to lift his crotch anytime.


    Everyone else''s temperament was about the same. Gu Jun rose from the sofa and came to the front of the pool table. As Gu Jun moved, a group of people opened the way for him.


    "It''s no fun to play like that. Let''s change the way we party and have a good time."


    Everyone''s interest was raised. Since Gu Jun said that he wanted to party, everyone had to play along.


    "President Gu, how should we play this? Tell us the rules."


    Gu Jun took a cue from the waiter and struck the white ball on the table. The white ball hit the black ball. The black ball rebounded several times on the pool table and finally got into the pocket.


    "Let''s compete in billiards. Each one of us will find a partner and take turns playing. Each time you enter a ball into the pocket, your partner will take off a piece of clothing. Once your partner finished stripping, you can go back first."


    Once Gu Jun finished his sentence, President Zheng twisted his fat body and grinned, "President Gu, I can just find someone who only wears a one piece."


    Everyone took a deep breath when they heard it. Whoever dared to challenge Gu Jun''s words must have lived enough.


    Instead of being angry, Gu Jun replied generously, "It is up to you. But if I look for a well-dressed one, would you dare to look for a half-naked one?"


    It was obvious that everyone had to follow his lead. Who would dare to win the game so quickly?


    "Find your own partner, and the game will start in half an hour."


    Hearing that, President Zheng''s eyes lit up, swayed his body and went to look for the manager. He had not touched anyone for a long time and could not wait to have some fun.


    The whole room was half empty as everyone went out to find a partner. An Xiaoyan was still sitting on the sofa. The rock music in the room was too loud for he to hear what Gu Jun had said.


    It was not until Gu Jun came to him that An Xiaoyan stood up at a loss.


    "Sat long enough?"


    In the voice, there was a sense of indifference and dislike. An Xiaoyan thought for a while and nodded his head.


    "Then play a game with me later."


    Before An Xiaoyan could ask what the game was, Gu Jun dragged him to the front of the pool table.


    There were many colored balls in the tripod on the table. He thought that Gu Jun wanted him to play billiards and said honestly, "Mr. Gu, I don''t know how to play."


    Gu Jun felt that it was funny when he heard it as he was not concerned whether An Xiaoyan knew how to play or not. He lowered his head and whispered to An Xiaoyan, "Who told you to play? I can''t help but admire how beautiful you look today."


    During the next ten minutes, Gu Jun went to the other side of the room and drank alone, leaving An Xiaoyan standing alone at the table. When others saw them together, they knew that the two of them had a special relationship. Thus, no one went up to An Xiaoyan to strike up a conversation.


    When the hand on the watch pointed to six, Gu Jun put down his glass and strode to the table. It was obvious that he wanted to be the first one.


    "Am I late?" A heavy panting sound came from the door. President Zheng stood at the door with a teenager who looked no more than eighteen or nineteen years old. His face was covered in sweat. You could tell that he ran his way back to be in time for the game.


    President Zheng looked at the table. Seeing that the balls were left untouched, he knew he made it in time and was relieved. He pinched the little beauty on his ass after putting his hand on the back of the little beauty. If it were not for finding a young and beautiful person, he would not let others laugh at him. He just had to endure for a while before he could show the little beauty what he''s got.


    "Everyone''s here, let''s start," Gu Jun stroke the first ball. With a "bang", all the balls scattered across the table. After many collisions, a red ball entered the pocket.


    Everyone was still looking at the balls rolling on the table, and then another red ball went into another pocket. They were going to see some fun as Gu Jun scored two goals at once.


    The green ball on the table was still rolling slowly. When it was about to stop, it seemed to have endless energy and bounced back to the corner of the table, then rolled towards the opposite pocket. Finally, it fell into the pocket accurately.


    "President Gu proved to be the best, I bet nobody can strike three pockets in a single shot," President Zheng was the first to sing his praises. In fact, it was both flattery and truth. President Zheng who had been playing billiards for more than ten years could only manage two pockets in a single stroke.


    "Is this your partner, President Gu?" a man next to him pointed to An Xiaoyan and asked. It had to be him as he was the only new face in the place, someone with his sort of look did not belong at such a place.


    "Yes, he''s my partner."

 Chapter 21锛欿neel

    "Oho, there''s actually someone who can catch President Gu''s attention?" Despite his words, President Zheng''s eyes kept darting toward An Xiaoyan. Under the light, An Xiaoyan''s face was washed in yellow. He was thin and his eyes shone subtly. People couldn''t look away from him.


    An Xiaoyan had watched quietly since Gu Jun started playing. He didn''t know what the crowd was doing. He only heard the people cheer when Gu Jun hit three balls. Then they looked at him with ambiguous eyes.


    "Kid, take it off," President Zheng urged with a smirk. If President Gu had was attracted to this guy, he must be very skilled. Even if he couldn''t get a taste of this little fox, he still wanted his fill of eye candy.


    Pretending to be pure? I like him even more, Zheng San thought. He didn''t reveal any of his preference, though. He couldn''t touch President Gu''s boy right now, but he could still try after President Gu was done playing.


    "Take off three pieces of clothing."


    An Xiaoyan looked down at his suit. It was early autumn and it wasn''t very cold yet. Other than his underwear, he only had three articles of clothing��his shirt, jacket, and pants.


    "Mr. Gu?"


    Gu Jun was enjoying the confusion and questioning in An Xiaoyan''s eyes, but his innocence still pissed Gu Jun off. In his mind, An Xiaoyan was the type that pretended to be innocent to vie for people''s pity!


    "I told you to take it off, so do it! What are you hesitating for? Don''t you see people waiting?" Gu Jun was annoyed, and his words grew harsher.


    An Xiaoyan understood what they were saying now. He looked around. There were at least a dozen people in the room who were all looking at him. He suddenly felt like a gorilla in the zoo, put on display for everyone.


    "Seriously?" An Xiaoyan tried one last time. He looked at Gu Jun, eyes full of reluctance. Emotions battled within him.


    Mr. Gu, I can bear it if you humiliate me alone. I can bear the pain you bring to me. I do all that willingly because I must make it up to you. I won''t resist no matter what you do to me. But there are so many people here. Why are you doing this? Do you want everyone to know that I''m your dog and I do whatever you tell me to do?


    Seeing that An Xiaoyan still hadn''t acted and the people were getting impatient, Gu Jun wanted to go up and pull him.


    Unexpectedly, An Xiaoyan turned around. He ran through the crowd, wanting to get to the door. He couldn''t do this. This was his bottom line. He couldn''t bear to have so many people walk over his dignity!


    He ran out of an impluse. The door was getting closer and closer. Once he got to the door, he could escape. This move was all pure instinct. He didn''t have time to think about the consequences if he wasn''t successful or what he would do if he was. He only knew that he had to run. He couldn''t stay here!


    There were only three steps left. Two, one��


    Just as An Xiaoyan touched the door handle, a huge force pulled him back and threw him onto the ground.


    When his elbow hit the ground, An Xiaoyan heard a crack. Numbness spread throughout him.


    Gu Jun stared at the person on the ground, looking down coldly. "An Xiaoyan, you''re the first person who dared to escape right in front of me."


    An Xiaoyan tried to push himself up, but his arm had no power. He could only lie on the ground.


    The others sensed that Gu Jun was angry. They circled around An Xiaoyan to watch the show.


    "Will you take it off yourself, or should I find someone to help you?" Gu Jun''s voice was like a king''s. He didn''t allow any objection.


    An Xiaoyan lay on the ground, knowing that he couldn''t escape from this now. Under the extreme tension, his mind whirred and an idea popped up. No matter if he would succeed or not, he had to try. He was already in such a pathetic state. If being a bit more pathetic could save his last shred of dignity, it would be worth it.


    "Can you help me up?" No one knew who this was directed at. No one dared to help him without Gu Jun''s permission.


    An Xiaoyan chuckled bitterly inside. "Mr. Gu, can you have someone help me up? I can''t use my arm."


    Gu Jun thought that An Xiaoyan had thought everything through. He sent a look and someone on the side propped An Xiaoyan up.


    After standing up, An Xiaoyan looked around. Different people had different expressions. He took in all the leering and despicable looks. Closing his eyes, his legs bent stiffly.


    The thud surpassed Gu Jun''s expectations. "Mr. Gu, please let me go."


    Gu Jun had thought that An Xiaoyan would beg him for something else, but all he asked was to be let go. An Xiaoyan, you''re too naive.


    "As the saying goes, men have gold on their knees, but are your knees worthy of gold? If you don''t have gold, why do you think I''ll let you go?" Gu Jun squatted and gripped An Xiaoyan''s chin. His grip didn''t seem strong, but he still distorted An Xiaoyan''s face.


    Seeing this scene, President Zheng''s palms turned clammy. Gu Jun was infamous for being sinister, but this scene still shocked him. He didn''t know what the man kneeling was to Gu Jun that Gu Jun had to torture him like this. He had to be careful from now on, lest he would end up like this too.


    An Xiaoyan hadn''t cried when he was given the one-year sentence. He knew that he could return to his life after a year. When he learned that he had three more years, he kept his tears back, because he knew that the day would finally come when he would step out of the place. An Xiaoyan had only ever cried before his parents because his parents had taught him to have a backbone. But now, he was stepped on like an ant. His so-called dignity had been crushed into nothing.


    Two lines of crystal tears rolled from his cheeks to his neck. An Xiaoyan found it hard to breathe. The coldness of the tears went straight to his heart.


    "You two, take his clothes off," Gu Jun ordered two random people. "Then bring him to my room."


    As soon as Gu Jun left the room, everyone let out a breath of relieve and started moving around.


    "You two, go," President Zheng ordered two 17- or 18-year-olds. The two the gigolos of the clubhouse. Clearly, it wasn''t a suitable job for him.


    Once the teens received the command, they naturally went to tear at An Xiaoyan''s clothes. The neat suit wrinkled under their actions. The tie also went around An Xiaoyan''s wrists to stop his struggling.


    An Xiaoyan couldn''t fight against the two. His clothes were removed one by one and his his eyes had dried up in the end. He watched as his clothes were scattered on the ground. Those were the clothes Ye Qing had given to him.


    Ye Qing, I''m sorry.

 Chapter 22锛欸igolo

    When the An Xiaoyan was sent to Gu Jun''s room, An Xiaoyan''s face turned white and his mouth was bleeding. There was only a pair of underwear on his body to hide his privates. His hands were tied behind him.


    Gu Jun walked to An Xiaoyan, took a bottle of red wine and poured it all over An Xiaoyan''s head slowly. In an instant, his body was filled with red liquid from head to toe, emitting a fragrance of wine.


    "Do you know how attractive you are now?"


    The emptiness in An Xiaoyan''s eyes changed to panic. He was afraid that Gu Jun would invade him again. The pain was akin to his heart and lungs being torn apart, he could not help but feel afraid.


    Gu Jun seemed to understand the expression in An Xiaoyan''s eyes and scorned, "Do you think I really like you? I simply want you to be tortured the way that you should be tortured."


    "Mr. Gu, if I have done something wrong, you can remind me and I will change. Don''t do this to me. Don''t��"


    "Then if I say, what you did wrong was your inadvertent mistake. Will you change it, can you change it?"


    An Xiaoyan knew that he could not change that.


    "People like you, who want to earn money, you can either sell your body or beg. Now that you have a money making opportunity to repay your debt, I think it''s quite suitable for you."


    An Xiaoyan simply forced himself to do the deed.


    "In this clubhouse, there are countless senior executives who come here for entertainment every day. A delicate and thin man like you will make a likeable gigolo if you work here. If you''re lucky to be kept by a rich man, you may even be able to make good money and achieve great success. "


    As soon as An Xiaoyan heard the word "gigolo", he shook his head vigorously like a rattle drum. But Gu Jun carried on speaking, "Don''t reject. Do you know there are many people who want to come in and be a gigolo? Now you have a rare opportunity in front of you."


    An Xiaoyan did not wait for Gu Jun to finish his sentence and then returned to the kneeling position. His hands were behind him, but he kept kowtowing. His forehead hit the wooden flooring continuously and the banging sound echoed in the empty room.


    Gu Jun did not stop An Xiaoyan, sitting askew on the sofa and watching An Xiaoyan bend up and down like a spring.


    When red streaks of blood started to surface on An Xiaoyan''s forehead, Gu Jun pulled him up and stepped on both his hands. Gu Jun''s feet were twisting and stepping as he spoke, "You know, if there''s a wound on your face, the price you fetch will be greatly discounted."


    Again, the pain ran through An Xiaoyan''s body. An Xiaoyan gritted his teeth tightly and refused to let himself make a sound. When Gu Jun''s feet were released, he asked, "Mr. Gu, can I die?"


    Gu Jun was shocked when he heard this sentence. This was the second time that An Xiaoyan said the word "die" to him.


    "Do you really wish to die?!"


    Despite the angry tone, An Xiaoyan lay motionless and said, "Mr. Gu, if I die, I will be relieved and will not feel pain anymore."


    "Are you sure you are willing to die? Didn''t you promise to go home to see your parents on National Day? You don''t want them to see your ashes, right?"


    An Xiaoyan suddenly remembered his promise. Yes, his parents were still at home waiting for him to go back. He could not die just like that. He could not��


    Inhaling a deep breath, An Xiaoyan said, "Okay, I agree to your suggestion. But�� Can I only accompany them to drink but not sell my body?"


    One who accompanies people to drink could only be regarded as a junior gigolo. Unlike a senior gigolo who could be taken out of the clubhouse, a junior gigolo would usually be only touched or kissed. Unless the junior gigolo is willing, he can sleep with the rich bosses.


    "Are you qualified to talk terms with me?"


    "I can promise you one thing."


    Gu Jun thought for a moment and had an idea, "This transaction sounds good. Why don''t you live here and move out of your house."


    Though the suggestion of living in the clubhouse seemed like a trivial matter, in actual fact, it was an insult to An Xiaoyan''s identity. Gu Jun wanted to let everyone around An Xiaoyan to know that he was a gigolo and made a living with wine and laughter.


    "Now that the conditions have been settled, hurry up and pack up. Come to work tomorrow, Gigolo Yan. I''m looking forward to your arrival. By the way, I have a dinner appointment here tomorrow evening. I''ll order for you personally. You''ll have to do your job well and wait on us."


    Gu Jun gently brushed the hair on An Xiaoyan''s forehead. He was looking forward to the day when An Xiaoyan was worn down.


    An Xiaoyan walked out of the clubhouse in a blur. It was almost dawn. His suit was crumpled and his body smelled of alcohol. On the road, only the cleaners who woke up early to clean the streets could be seen.


    The distant stars faded away, a ray of dawn appeared on the horizon, and dawn came.


    Back at the rented house, An Xiaoyan took off his suit which was stained with a mixture of unknown liquids. He felt bad in his heart as he failed Ye Qing''s good intentions. And he would have to move out the next day. Gu Jun''s intention was to embarrass him. Now that Gu Jun had achieved that, he felt so humiliated.


    After taking a shower, An Xiaoyan wrapped himself tightly in the quilt, like a silkworm pupa. The coolness of the quilt penetrated deep into his body, but he could not resist the coldness in his heart.


    When An Xiaoyan woke up, it was already dark. He stood up and looked at the time. It was 6.37 p.m., less than fifteen hours away before his move to the clubhouse.


    The landlord was frying vegetables downstairs. When he saw An Xiaoyan coming out, he greeted him warmly. An Xiaoyan nodded his head to indicate that he was busy.


    "What? You are moving out?"


    "Ok..."


    The rental contract would expire in less than a month. The landlord thought that An Xiaoyan would continue to rent the house. After all, An Xiaoyan''s two-month stay was pleasant. Thus, the landlord was planning to leave the house for him to stay.


    "Do you want to think about it? I feel that you are quite satisfied with my house," the landlord continued.


    "Well, the house is very good, but I can''t stay any longer. Thank you for taking care of me during this period. You don''t need to refund me the remaining rent. I''ll move out tomorrow morning."


    The landlord sighed, "Son, take care of yourself. I can see that you are a mature man. In the future, if you have no place to stay, come back here. I''ll rent you a house as long as it''s vacant."


    Though An Xiaoyan promised the landlord, he knew in his heart that he had no chance to come back again.


    After packing his few belongings, he folded his clothes and a piece of paper dropped on the ground.


    An Xiaoyan bent down and picked it up. When he saw the contents of the paper, he felt a tug in his heartstrings.


    He forgot when this photograph was placed in his clothes. Maybe it was inadvertently put in when he was studying in the university. Seeing it again brought back some fond memories of the good old days.


    An Xiaoyan put the photograph back into the pocket and placed the folded clothes into his bag.

 Chapter 23锛歂ight Charm

    It was a solo shot. In the picture, a youth in a short-sleeve shirt was smiling brightly in front of a Gothic building.


    This picture was taken when An Xiaoyan arrived at A University from his home. It was in front of the university''s library. When he''d printed it out, he''d framed it. Before going to jail, he''d stuffed it inside his pocket to keep it as a memory. Now, it really was a memory.


    Before leaving, An Xiaoyan still had something to do. He went to find Dong Zi for the first time.


    Dong Zi happened to be at the warehouse. Seeing An Xiaoyan, he hurriedly came out to welcome him.


    "Brother, you came just as I finished work." As he spoke, he took out an iced beer from the fridge for An Xiaoyan.


    "I need your help with something." An Xiaoyan placed the beer on the table. He didn''t feel like touching it.


    "What is it? I''ll do whatever I can."


    "I know you work in the streets. I can''t persuade you to leave the life, but I''m sure you have connections. I want to ask you to help me watch over someone."


    Dong Zi stopped drinking his beer. Since when did An Xiaoyan know about protecting someone? Was it a man or woman?


    "Sure. Brother, just tell me and I''ll do it."


    "A girl called Ye Qing. She''s a cashier at Joy Market."


    This confused Dong Zi even more. She was just a cashier. Did An Xiaoyan like her?


    "Brother, is something going on? Why do I have to protect her?"


    An Xiaoyan didn''t want Dong Zi to get involved with his private matter with Gu Jun. The fewer people who knew about it, the better.


    "She''s just a girl. If something happens, I won''t be able to protect her, but you should have more connections than me, so I have to bother you about it."


    "No, you''re not bothering. If you''re asking me for help, it means you think I''m a close friend. Don''t worry. I''ll definitely protect her."


    An Xiaoyan felt much more relieved after getting Dong Zi''s promise. Dong Zi was young, but he was still reliable.


    With the last thing taken care of, An Xiaoyan had no more concerns. Gu Jun never had any reason for doing things. He didn''t need reasons either. An Xiaoyan only had to do whatever he wanted.


    After arriving at the clubhouse in the morning, An Xiaoyan stood outside and looked up at this place that came to life at night. He would be here from now on.


    He didn''t have time to study the place yesterday. Today, he saw the words on it: Night Charm Luxurious Clubhouse.


    It was morning, so there were only workers at the clubhouse. When An Xiaoyan walked in, he looked side to side. A fashionable middle-aged man walked over as soon as he entered.


    "An Xiaoyan, right?" The man''s arrogant tone made An Xiaoyan feel like he was lower class.


    "Yes."


    "Follow me." This man was the manager in charge of the clubhouse''s workers. Everyone called him Manager Nian.


    An Xiaoyan clutched the bag in his arms. The cold sweat on his palms dampened the bag''s straps, but he didn''t care. He hugged the bag even tighter in fear that it would fall if he loosened his grip.


    Manager Nian made various turns in the hallway and took An Xiaoyan to a room. "You''ll live here from now on. Take a nap. Someone will tell you the rules at night. Don''t think about trying anything. Nothing escapes my eye."


    Mr. Gu had specifically asked for this An Xiaoyan. Manager Nian didn''t know what this quiet man had to do with Mr. Gu. All that mattered was that Mr. Gu told them to take care of him. He didn''t actually like taking in unknown people. He didn''t know if the man had any diseases. This was a high-class clubhouse, after all, not a random salon.


    When Manager Nian saw that An Xiaoyan just stood at the door without going in, he opened the door and pushed An Xiaoyan in. "We work night shifts here. Rest up now. If you fall asleep while working, you''ll have it coming!"


    An Xiaoyan was pushed into a dark room. It took a while for his eyes to get used to it. The light peeking in from the curtains reminded him that it was still day-time outside.


    Someone inside the room sensed that someone had entered, but he just turned around, not wanting to take a look.


    There were three beds lined up in the room. Two had lumps on them. An Xiaoyan crept to the wall, placed his bag at the foot of the bed, and lay down without daring to take off his clothes.


    He didn''t feel like sleeping after getting in bed. An Xiaoyan didn''t know what he would face when darkness fell. It felt like a rock was pressing down on his chest, making it hard to breathe. His heart pounded and cold sweat dripped down on forehead.


    After who-knew-how-long, An Xiaoyan was woken up by blinding light. He sat up, squinting. He was met with two bare backsides.


    The two men sensed that the person on the bed had woken up. They turned around and glanced at An Xiaoyan who''d pulled his blankets up.


    "So that was you last night." One of the men glanced at him before turning back to the mirror to put on makeup. They were used to these things. The manager just put newbies into rooms with open beds.


    "Hurry up, put on makeup and change. We need to group at 6:30," the person changing on the side reminded. "Oh right, your clothes are over there. Put on some makeup. People here like pretty faces. You can earn more if you''re pretty."


    Each word was like a needle pierced into An Xiaoyan''s heart. He started regretting the reason he chose to come here. Why did he allow Gu Jun to control him? Then his parents'' weathered faces appeared in his mind. It''s okay. It''s just drinking. I''ll just pretend it''s water.


    Gu Jun went to the VIP room very early. All the dinners in a row soured his mood. Chen Chen sensed that Gu Jun was frustrated and knew that he wasn''t interested in these dinners. However, he had to do this in his capacity as the patriarch. He couldn''t lose to Mr. Gu Jing.


    "Is everyone here?"


    "Missing one," Chen Chen said.


    "Who?"


    "The boss of Southern Real Estate."


    Gu Jun redid his tie. The main purpose of this dinner was to deal with Southern Real Estate. If he could buy this lot at a low cost, Gu Jun would have one more advantage over Gu Jing.


    The real estate industry of the Gu family seemed weaker these recent years. The price of land skyrocketing was fatal to families like the Gu family that weren''t too involved in real estate. If Old Gu wanted to choose an heir, getting a lot of land would definitely make him happy.


    "Is the contract written?"


    "Of course." Chen Chen kept the contract with him, just in case. However, there was something he still didn''t understand.

 Chapter 24锛歋erve Drinks

    "Are you thinking of asking me why I''m sure I''ll get that piece of land back?"


    Chen Chen had been figured out, so he nodded. In his opinion, Mr. Gu did not have much advantage in this competition. Everyone knew that Gu Jing had already reached an agreement with Nan Qiang, the owner of the South, that was, to give the land to Gu Jing.


    "The agreement between Nan Qiang and Gu Jing is only verbal. Nothing is impossible when the contract is not signed yet."


    It sounded reasonable, but Chen Chen knew that Nan Qiang was someone hard to please. For someone with a strong foothold in the real estate industry, he must have some means to keep his status and position.


    "We will start when he arrives, and get everything I told you ready."


    "It''s ready."


    Gu Jun was just in time. The moment he stepped into the room, Nan Qiang arrived with a big tummy.


    "Boss Nan is nearly fifty years old, yet still look as good as before," Gu Jun went forward to greet him.


    Nan Qiang nodded, indicating that he knew. In his eyes, Gu Jun was just a twenty-year-old young lad and he could not tolerate Gu Jun''s impertinence. As he was in the same social class as Old Mr. Gu, he did not feel good standing beside a younger generation.


    Next to them sat a group of people who knew that this meal had nothing to do with them. They just wanted to get close to the Gu family''s members and Nan Qiang in hopes that their attendance would be remembered. In the future, if they needed help from Gu Jun or Nan Qiang, their presence here would certainly be helpful.


    "Now that everyone is here, let''s sit down," the host, Gu Jun, spoke. Everyone was relieved and ready to sit down. However, when "wait a moment!" was heard, they were so startled that they stood up again.


    The voice came from Nan Qiang. His bald head was shining under the light and he had a straight face. He was frowning and obviously unhappy.


    "What happened to Boss Nan? You are full even before you start eating?" Gu Jun said in a bid to liven up the atmosphere.


    "Hmph, you young lad, how dare you have no respect for me. You should ask around and you will know that I, Nan Qiang, am never on the losing side. Everyone who sees me will either nod or bow. Your attitude confirmed that my visit today was a bad decision."


    When Nan Qiang was about to walk out, Gu Jun held him, "Boss Nan, what do mean by saying this? Why do you think I don''t respect you? I''ve prepared a big gift for you. Even if you don''t wish to have dinner, you should take a look at the gift. If you like it, just accept it."


    Gu Jun clapped his hands and the door of the room was pushed open. Chen Chen came in with two handsome young men and took them to the middle before leaving.


    Although Nan Qiang was nearly fifty years old, he had no scruples in bed affairs. In recent years, he especially liked young men. This also gave many people a chance to get in his good graces. Previously, Nan Qiang would accept any beautiful looking ones. However, in recent years, his standards increased. He was only interested in those who looked good physically, had good temperament and could endure his desires in bed. This led to a slight reduction in the number of people who sent him beautiful teenagers.


    "Hmph, you don''t know how many of such I have played with. What''s so special about them?" What Nan Qiang said was true. In recent years, many people had gifted him with delicate young men. At first, he felt it refreshing, but got bored after a while. He needed a violent-tempered horse. Only the feeling of taming such a horse could make him feel refreshed.


    "Boss Nan, I suggest that you eat dinner first. After dinner, you can inspect the two of them to see the difference they have from those who came before."


    Nan Qiang did not agree, yet he did not leave. Gu Jun pulled Nan Qiang and made him sit down before returning to his seat.


    "Today''s meal is on me to all my brothers. Let''s eat and drink to our hearts'' content. I''ll arrange a driver to send you back if you''re drunk."


    Since Nan Qiang had taken a seat, the rest of the people sat down too. The two young teenagers flanked Nan Qiang on each side.


    Though Gu Jun seemed to be drinking, his eyes were fixed in the direction of Nan Qiang. His mind was set on getting hold of the piece of land!


    He had already figured out Nan Qiang''s character beforehand. Since Nan Qiang liked beautiful teenagers, he would need gift them to him. When he had become fully-fledged, the Nan family would be in the bag.


    As soon as Nan Qiang saw the beauty, his majestic posture disappeared, and his fat hands would sometimes reach into the teenager''s clothes. He felt excited as he caressed the soft skin. Although he was nearly fifty years old and could not perform much in bed, he had a way to have fun.


    "You are An Xiaoyan right? Next time, I''ll just call you Xiaoyan. Go and serve drinks in Room 429," Manager Nian ordered and handed An Xiaoyan a tray. This was actually an order from President Gu.


    An Xiaoyan took the tray with both hands, but his mind was not on the wine. The clothes on his body made him feel uneasy. How could anyone who served wine wear such seductive clothes? White lace shirt and black trousers, the feminine design did not match in any way.


    "Why are you still in a daze? Hurry up. If you are late, the guests will blame me and I''ll give you a lesson."


    An Xiaoyan raised his step, carried a heavy tray and walked forward. An Xiaoyan''s unsteady footsteps made Manager Nian unhappy again. Manager Nian did not understand why President Gu would place a person, who did not even know how to handle a tray, in the clubhouse.


    The scene in the room was exactly the same as what An Xiaoyan had expected. A group of people were drinking wine and toasting each other. He silently reminded himself that as soon as he served the drinks, he would rush out and not provoke anyone.


    Gu Jun noticed An Xiaoyan''s entry. He sat and watched how An Xiaoyan would deflect this group of drunkards.


    In Night Charm Luxurious Clubhouse, all drinks were inevitably freeloaded by the guests. The higher-ups usually pretended not to know as they wanted to make their guests happy. However, An Xiaoyan was unaware of this, he simply thought that he would at most need to accompany them to drink only a few drinks.


    A thin man in a lacy jacket came in, and everyone''s focus was on him, including Nan Qiang.


    Nan Qiang had a taste of almost all the waiters in Night Charm, they were all eager to climb in bed with him and make a fortune. As a businessman, Nan Qiang hated people who wanted to take advantage of him monetarily. What he yearned for was free and challenging targets.


    "Here''s your wine." When An Xiaoyan put down the wine and was just about to leave, Nan Qiang appeared behind him.


    "Are you new here? Why haven''t I seen you before?"


    From Nan Qiang''s fat body and face, An Xiaoyan could tell that Nan Qiang was not a good person. He turned around and pretended not to hear Nan Qiang.


    "Didn''t you hear me? I am asking you a question."


    An Xiaoyan looked at Nan Qiang in the face and said firmly, "I''m just here to serve wine."


    This insistent appearance aroused Nan Qiang''s interest. Whoever meets Nan Qiang would either nod or bow and no one dared to reject him. This junior staff who served wine must be tired of living.

 Chapter 25锛欰bandoned

    "Do you know who I am? How dare you speak to me like this?"


    An Xiaoyan covered his chest with a plate and took a few steps back. "Manager Nian told me to hurry back after bringing the wine. I won''t disturb you anymore."


    With that, An Xiaoyan moved past Nan Qiang to leave the room. When he got to the door, the sound of glass shattering silenced the entire room. Everyone looked towards An Xiaoyan. Gu Jun was no exception.


    "So what about Manager Nian? He has to obey me when he sees me. You''re just a male hostess. If I tell you to stop, then you stop. Be glad you''re pretty. Otherwise, you wouldn''t still be standing there."


    Nan Qiang lunged and grabbed An Xiaoyan''s elbow, dragging him back into the VIP room. The 50-year-old was much stronger than An Xiaoyan. He couldn''t stop himself from getting pulled in.


    Nan Qiang pushed An Xiaoyan onto the sofa and took off his jacket. He was about to get onto An Xiaoyan when a figure appeared before his eyes, stopping him.


    "President Nan, what''s the hurry? You can do this guy whenever you''d like. Let''s confirm the business first."


    There was clearly another message in the words. Nan Qiang tidied up and pulled a chair over to sit in.


    Everyone gasped at this. Neither the Nan nor the Gu Family could be disrespected. Now, that these two important figures had a confrontation, they couldn''t help but get nervous. They calculated who they could help to benefit more.


    "Of course not, but this male hostess is different from the others. He was mine before. I sent him here for a punishment because he made a mistake."


    Nan Qiang''s eyes had lit up the moment An Xiaoyan walked in. Gu Jun immediately got an idea. Nan Qiang was a lustful man and would definitely want An Xiaoyan. Gu Jun only had to plan some moves and the land would be his.


    An Xiaoyan, I didn''t expect that you working as a male hostess here would help me so much.


    Nan Qiang realized that he was attracted to Gu Jun''s boy and Gu Jun wanted to negotiate with him. Young people these days�� He wasn''t afraid.


    "What do you want?"


    "President Nan, you''re wise, so I won''t say too much. You can play with him, but that newly developed land has to be mine."


    Hearing the word "land," Nan Qiang put his suit jacket back on. "President Nan, you can''t exchange a male hostess for land. Not even the most expensive gigolos in the clubhouse are worth it."


    Gu Jun expected he would say this. An Xiaoyan was nobody important. He had to provoke the competitiveness within Nan Qiang. No one in the business was content in backing off.


    "President Nan, you''re almost 50. Others are still like tigers in bed when they''re 50, but it seems like you can''t do it anymore." The provocative words pissed Nan Qiang off. Only he knew about this. How did Gu Jun know?


    Nan Qiang started to feel inadequate. He cared the most about his reputation. A few years ago, he''d even bragged that he could f*ck three or four people at once. However, starting this year, his body seemed to have fallen asleep. Nothing worked. Now, Gu Jun was about to expose him before everyone and destroy his dignity.


    "President Gu, what are you saying? I still have my skills. It''s just that business talks should be discussed in business places."


    An Xiaoyan was curled up on the sofa the entire time. Gu Jun made it sound like he was a tool��a tool that Gu Jun would use in exchange for land. Then he was pushed forward by someone. An Xiaoyan followed Nan Qiang and Gu Jun to another room.


    After the bodyguard brought the three to the room, he nodded and left. In the big room, Gu Jun loomed in the center and Nan Qiang leaned against a sofa by the door. An Xiaoyan stood in the doorway. He retreated until he was hidden in the shadows.


    "President Gu, I really do like this one and the land can be negotiable, but you have to show some sincerity."


    "Of course. President Nan never does business at a loss. I would never ask you to make an exception. If you give me the land, I promise to give the Nan family''s land proprietors 10% of the profit. You won''t get that from Gu Jing no matter what, right?"


    When Nan Qiang heard about the 10% of profits, he started thinking. The agreement he''d made with Gu Jing was that Gu Jing would increase cooperation with the Nan family after he became the patriarch of the Gu Family next year. He would make the Nan Family powerful in the business world. However, the next patriarch hadn''t been confirmed yet. Who knew if Gu Jing would go back on his words?


    Gu Jun sensed that Nan Qiang was still hesitating. He was certain that this old fox was just worried that Gu Jing might become the patriarch. This would happen next year and yet Gu Jing already used it as a negotiating chip. Did he think that Gu Jun didn''t exist?


    "President Nan, you''re smart. You know that there are a lot of variables in business, right? You and Gu Jing only have a verbal agreement. Even more, what if I become the patriarch next year? Your choice now would work against you. Plus, it won''t be hard for you to find an excuse and transfer the land, right?"


    Gu Jun''s words tempted Nan Qiang even more. No one knew what would happen in a year. The present was the most important. Gu Jing didn''t have the ability to compete against him now. So what if he didn''t give Gu Jing the land?


    An Xiaoyan didn''t know what land they were talking about, nor did he know Gu Jing. All that was in his mind was how today would end. Would Gu Jun give him to this man? If Gu Jun did, how should he escape? An Xiaoyan lowered his eyes, emanating a faint depressing aura. Nan Qiang happened to see the moment he lowered his head.


    The faint depressing aura paired with his strong personality moved Nan Qiang. This man wasn''t simple. He became even more interested.


    This difficult little fox matched his taste perfectly. Gu Jun had also worked hard to get the land. Nan Qiang would just go easy and help him.


    "Fine. The land is yours; he''s mine."


    Gu Jun smiled thinly. An Xiaoyan, I should thank you this time. If not for you, this partnership wouldn''t be settled so easily.


    "President Nan, when you get bored, just come back." With that, Gu Jun walked toward the door. Before he could leave the room, a hand grabbed his arm.


    An Xiaoyan gripped Gu Jun''s arm. His expression was hidden in the shadows, but there was pleading in his eyes.


    "You''re lucky to have President Nan like you. Serve him well and you might rise up in the ranks."


    The cold tone made An Xiaoyan shake his head furiously. He tightened his grip on Gu Jun''s clothes. "Mr. Gu, I''ll be obedient, I''ll work as the male hostess, I''m a good drinker, don''t leave me here, don''t leave me here��"


    I''m not leaving you here. You belong here! Gu Jun shoved him away and An Xiaoyan fell down. The door slammed shut with a bam.

 Chapter 26锛歄mnipotent

    An Xiaoyan sat on the ground in a daze. After a while, he stood up and saw a man standing behind him. He draped himself with his own clothes and retreated to a corner, just like a frightened deer.


    Nan Qiang''s nature was obvious, his whole face turned red with excitement. His fat hands began to take off An Xiaoyan''s clothes one by one, "Still in a daze? Hurry up. I have no patience to wait for you."


    An Xiaoyan was trembling all over. The man in front of him could not compare to Gu Jun at all. He was willing to sleep with Gu Jun because he was indebted to him. However, the fat-headed and big-eared man in front of him made him feel dirty. In a hurry, An Xao Yan took the glass ashtray on the table and used it as a protection in front of his chest. If the man were to come any nearer, he would smash it on the man.


    Nan Qiang was half naked as he watched An Xiaoyan huddled up with an ashtray in his hand.


    "The ashtray was made with safety in mind. Do you think it could hurt me?"


    Hearing this, An Xiaoyan carefully observed the ashtray in his hand and saw that it had smooth edges all around it. He looked around and found nothing could be used to resist Nan Qiang. Seeing Nan Qiang walking in a swagger towards him��


    The next day, a refreshed man walked out of the Night Charm Luxurious Clubhouse. At the same time, a half-dead man was carried out. Outsiders had no idea who was being carried out.


    Chen Chen handed the contract to Gu Jun. Gu Jun took a glance at it, sat down and raised his legs on the chair. He was obviously in a good mood.


    "The contract has been signed, and the land belongs to us now. The next step is to start building high-class housing. Mr. Gu Jing was very angry when he heard the news. Based on his temperament, I believe he will bear a grudge. During this period, I will send more people to monitor him."


    Gu Jun closed his eyes and spun his chair. This was both expected and unexpected. Anyhow, it was a good thing to be able to have the land. However, it was still unknown who will win or lose later this year. So far, Gu Jun always got what he wanted. A while later, Gu Jun still did not hear the sound of door closing, he opened his eyes and saw Chen Chen still standing at the table.


    "Why haven''t you gone yet?"


    "There''s something I don''t know whether to say or not."


    "Say it."


    "Mr. An has been sent back to the clubhouse. After having fun all night, President Nan said that he is very satisfied and will not need it anymore," Chen Chen hid most of the information. It was said that Mr. An was found in bed by the cleaner the next day. His whole body was full of wounds. Although Nan Qiang could not perform in bed, he enjoyed using violence and few people could withstand his rough play.


    "Well, I see."


    "What shall we do next?" Chen Chen was hoping to receive the instructions to bring An Xiaoyan back. Even though he knew it was wishful thinking, he still held on to the hope.


    "Leave him there and sharpen his temperament. I don''t believe that he can''t be tamed."


    Chen Chen finally left without saying a word. He knew he should not have intervened in this matter. He thought for a moment and looked at his watch, then drove to the clubhouse.


    "Drink, yes, I will drink," An Xiaoyan looked up and down a glass of wine. He could not remember how much he had drank, but he was still conscious. Only when he was drunk could he forget the humiliation of that night.


    "I didn''t expect to see such a thin person drink so much," the guests next to An Xiaoyan murmured as they watched him drinking countless glasses of wine. They enjoyed the sight and kept asking the bartender to serve more wine.


    When Chen Chen walked in, he saw An Xiaoyan in the waiter''s uniform, face flushed red and trembling, holding up a glass of wine and gulping the wine down.


    "Stop drinking and sober up," Chen Chen helped An Xiaoyan to a clean room and put him on the sofa. An Xiaoyan emitted a strong alcohol smell, which made Chen Chen frown involuntarily. He wondered how much wine he had drunk?


    An Xiaoyan drank a lot but was still conscious. He knew that Chen Chen had brought him out of the miasma.


    "Why did you drink so much? Although your job is to accompany the guests to drink, just pretending to drink a few glasses will do. There''s no need to drink so much."


    Chen Chen''s words of blame and concern reached An Xiaoyan''s ear. He leaned on the sofa with his body propped up and smiled with his face covered, "You know what, the more wine the guests ordered, the more money I''ll get."


    Chen Chen frowned and continued, "Money is not omnipotent. No matter how desperate you are for money, you cannot put your health at risk."


    An Xiaoyan laughed wildly when he heard that money was not omnipotent. This laugh made Chen Chen a little afraid. An Xiaoyan had always been a gentle, resolute and tolerant figure in his heart. Now this image changed completely.


    "Who says that money is not omnipotent? If money is not omnipotent, why did I stay in the prison for four years? If money is not omnipotent, why did Gu Jun use me to trade for money? If money is not omnipotent, why are all people so eager for money?"


    Chen Chen naturally knew the importance of money. At present, these words from An Xiaoyan made him feel bad. He knew that these words would never be said when An Xiaoyan was sober.


    "You''re drunk. Have a good rest. You''ll be alright after a sleep."


    Before Chen Chen walked out of the door, he heard a small whimper behind him and what he heard next pierced his heart. An Xiaoyan said, "Do you know how frightened I was that night? And how many times I thought of dying? But do you know why I''m still alive? At the moment before I fainted, I saw my parents. Their aged face lingered in my mind. I heard my mother say to me, ''Yan Zi, if things don''t go well outside, come home. We''re lucky to have such a talent like you in the family.'' Do you know how painful my heart was at that moment? They are my only pillar in the world."


    A tear fell on Chen Chen''s cheek as he also came from the countryside. He knew the feeling of high expectations by his parents. An Xiaoyan''s words were imprinted on his heart like a seal.


    Chen Chen turned around and An Xiaoyan had already dozed off on the sofa. He approached An Xiaoyan and took a serious look. Finally, he chose to leave. No one gave him the right to disobey Mr. Gu''s orders because of his sympathy. He could not disappoint Mr. Gu.


    Out of the clubhouse, Chen Chen drove aimlessly around the flourishing city. On the surface, the city looked incredibly busy, but not many people had their hearts'' desire. Chen Chen lit a cigarette and the air around him was instantly filled with smoke. He was a person who wanted to make a mark. Even though An Xiaoyan hated Gu Jun, Chen Chen was indirectly the cause of how everything developed by helping Gu Jun behind the scenes. If he had not helped Gu Jun make connections in the prison�� If he had not helped Gu Jun bring An Xiaoyan over�� All these things would not have happened��

 Chapter 27锛欶orced to Drink

    When An Xiaoyan woke up with a headache, he found himself in an unfamiliar room. There was a blanket over him. Thinking back to what happened yesterday, bits and pieces flooded back into his mind.


    He might have said many things to Chen Chen that he shouldn''t have said. As for what it was, he couldn''t remember. His face stung. An Xiaoyan touched it. There seemed to be something in the corners of his eyes. He suddenly remembered how he''d cried before Chen Chen yesterday.


    He sighed softly. Rolling over, he got off the sofa and took out his phone. It was September 18th, 11 a.m.


    There weren''t many people at the clubhouse in the morning. No one noticed when An Xiaoyan returned to his room. Thinking that he had to drink again at night, he took out a box of medicine from the drawer. After swallowing a few pills, he carried clean clothes into the bathroom.


    Taking off the clothes sullied by alcohol, An Xiaoyan stared at his reflection in the mirror. His eyes were sunken from the change in schedule and his skin was waxy and lifeless. Looking down, the dark purple mark at his collarbone was still there. He touched it lightly. It didn''t hurt anymore, but he could still remember how he''d been beaten up that night.


    He forced a smile, but it looked so ugly. An Xiaoyan aimed the showerhead at him, wanting to wash off the dirt. He''d never felt so dirty before.


    ��������


    After Liu Cheng was taught a lesson by Liu Lian, he''d stayed inside his home. Nothing happened on those days and Gu Jun didn''t come for him, so he gradually regained his freedom.


    "Director, Peace Maternity Hospital and some other staff say there''s a party today. They want to invite you."


    Liu Cheng looked up from his document. He''d just gotten past his dad''s "dangerous period." It probably wouldn''t be appropriate to go out like this. He weighed the pros and cons. There wasn''t anything bad about going to connect with people in the hospital. He should ask his dad.


    "Dad, should I go to another hospital''s dinner?"


    Liu Lian didn''t even care about what his son was talking about. He was already happy that his son would ask him for his opinion and no longer act impulsively.


    "Sure. I won''t interfere in your hospital matters. This is a good chance. Go see more of the world. It''ll help you with managing the hospital."


    After getting the message, Liu Cheng''s assistant went to prepare. Liu Cheng knew he had to drink during this dinner, so he took some hangover pills. This way, he wouldn''t get drunk and reveal anything.


    "Director, it''s at the Night Charm Luxurious Clubhouse."


    "Okay."


    Liu Cheng wasn''t that serious of a guy privately and his assistant wasn''t scared of him. He started chatting with the director while driving.


    "This time, the Peace Maternity Hospital really went all-out this time. They''re actually going to Night Charm for the dinner. Your average man can''t afford a place like that."


    "No, no. In the business field, the host has to take care of his reputation so people don''t criticize him later. If I''m going to host a dinner in the future, I''ll have to go somewhere at the same level as the Night Charm."


    The assistant nodded. He''d learned something.


    The car came to a stop before the Night Charm. Liu Cheng told the assistant to pick him up at night and then went in.


    Everyone in the room was an elite member of their hospitals. Many had started off as mere doctors and worked up to the director position. Very few became directors because of their families like Liu Cheng. Seeing him so young, they all felt a bit jealous.


    When Liu Cheng entered, he sensed that something was off with the atmosphere. Some of the older doctors looked upset. He quickly understood the situation.


    "Seniors, you are all brilliant figures of the medical field. I am still ignorant of many things and hope you all will guide me in the future."


    Some of the angry doctors relaxed a bit at the modest attitude. This youngster seemed quite polite.


    "Since everyone''s here, let''s sit down," said the one with the most seniority from the Peace Maternity Hospital. Everyone sat down and started eating.


    "Director Liu, you''re already so accomplished at your young age. You''ll have a bright future." The director of a small hospital raised his glass to Liu Cheng.


    Since the man was older and Liu Cheng didn''t know how to reject him, so he downed his glass to show his sincerity.


    The others saw from afar that Liu Cheng was straightforward and all raised their glasses. More than half of the group surged over instantly. They weren''t just interested in the advanced equipment in Hua Kang Hospital. They were more interested in the Liu family''s power. It was harder than before for a family to rise up. It was practically impossible to receive help from another family.


    "Director Liu, please accept my toast as well."


    "Me too! Director Liu, please don''t forget about me."


    Glass after glass went down his throat. After seven or eight glasses, Liu Cheng couldn''t take it anymore. He obviously couldn''t go against this army alone. He made an excuse and slipped to the hospital to throw up.


    On the way back, Liu Cheng thought he''d taken the same path, but after a few turns, he realized he was wrong. The place got more lavish as he went. The music and noise streamed clearly from the cracks in the door.


    Just as he was about to return, he heard from somewhere, "Drink, drink. Don''t stop."


    Liu Cheng thought that it was just a group having fun, so he paid no heed. Just as he continued walking, a shout caught his attention. If he listened closely, he could also hear things like "drink it all" and "the money''s all yours." This piqued his curiosity. Was there some event?


    He was unwilling, but his feet walked towards the source of the voice. He came to a room. The noise had come from here.


    The music inside was deafening, so no one noticed him enter. Liu Cheng saw someone with his back to him. The man was downing alcohol while the crowd stuffed money into his clothes.


    Liu Cheng despised meaningless games like these. So what if you can drink? What''s so cool about that? Drinking also harmed the body. People who used alcohol to earn money were fools. A proper job at least wouldn''t destroy their bodies.


    The man at the center of the stage was still gulping down alcohol. Seeing him like this, Liu Cheng couldn''t help but be curious as to whom he was. He moved to the side of the crowd. He only saw half a face before he was pushed aside. There were so many people jostling around. It was difficult to get a look.


    Liu Cheng moved to the fringe of the crowd, getting away from the people. When he saw half of the man''s face, he was shocked. He seemed to know that person!


    But no, he must be mistaken. How could that person be in this place? It must be someone who looked similar. Despite his thoughts, Liu Cheng''s legs still led him to keep walking. He wanted to see the man''s face clearly.

 Chapter 28锛歐illing

    After seeing the front side of the man on the stage, Liu Cheng''s legs felt heavy and he fell to his knees.


    The man on the stage was Yan Zi.


    A few generous middle-aged men beside An Xiaoyan were calling out to the bartender to refill the wine. They handed An Xiaoyan the wine, a cup at a time, and An Xiaoyan did not hesitate to gulp down the wine. The wine dripped from his mouth to his clothes, and his chest was wet.


    Cheers continued to pour in and more people crowded in front of the stage. Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, Liu Cheng walked through the crowd and grabbed An Xiaoyan. Before they could head out��


    A guest donning thick gold chain was feeling unhappy as he had spent so much money. His money would go to a waste if An Xiaoyan was pulled away.


    "Don''t be tactless, young man."


    No matter how chaotic the scene was, Liu Cheng was determined to take Yan Zi out of the place, "Anyone who wants to continue to make him drink will have to go through me."


    Upon hearing that, those who wanted to go forward and join in the fun stopped in their tracks. Though this man looked very young, his words were ruthless enough to stop them. Liu Cheng assisted An Xiaoyan out of the room.


    Liu Cheng opened the door to a suite, put An Xiaoyan down and returned to the dinner appointment. He lied to them saying that his father needed him home to attend to some urgent matters, and went off.


    Back to the suite, the figure on the bed disappeared. Liu Cheng was hoping that Yan Zi would not return to the room, so he hurriedly searched the suite. He felt at ease only when he was near the bathroom and heard the sound of water running.


    An Xiaoyan bended over beside the toilet and vomited out most of the wine he had just drunk. The feeling of a bulging stomach subsided.


    Liu Cheng leaned against the door frame and waited quietly for Yan Zi to finish vomiting. He took out a wet towel from the table and handed it to An Xiaoyan.


    "Thank you," An Xiaoyan struggled to say these two words after wiping the dirty corners of his mouth.


    After placing An Xiaoyan to sit on the bed, Liu Cheng sat down on the sofa. He was waiting for his words to give him an explanation on why he would be reduced to his state within a short period of ten days. He could quit his job at the pharmacy, but why would he work in such a place!


    An Xiaoyan closed his eyes and rested for a while. He felt much better. Although alcohol continued to penetrate his body, he was still conscious. And it was indeed true that one could train his capacity to hold his liquor through practice. He had only drank for a few days and now he was able to hold his liquor much better than before.


    "If you have any question, just ask," An Xiaoyan no longer held on to any hope. Gu Jun''s purpose was to let the people around An Xiaoyan know that he was in such a place. Now Gu Jun had done it.


    "Yan Zi, what''s the matter? Why are you here? Did Gu Jun force you?" Liu Cheng held on to An Xiaoyan''s shoulder tightly with his hands. How he wished all that he had seen were not true. People like Yan Zi should not lead such a life.


    "No, I am willing."


    Willing, he said he was willing.


    A thunderbolt shattered Liu Cheng''s hopes when Yan Zi said that he was willing.


    "There''s nothing wrong with it. I can earn a lot of money just by drinking here. I don''t have to earn little as a doctor."


    Each word pricked Liu Cheng''s heart, "But it is no joke how much harm this can do to your health. You can do this a day or two but can you do this for a year or two?"


    "Cheng, can I live till then?" An Xiaoyan looked pale and weak as he replied. This sentence was the only truth that he spoke. He knew his body better than anyone else. During his days in the prison, he was beaten up and there was inadequate medication in the prison to treat him. Coupled with inadequate nutrition, his body was not as strong as before. Three or four months after he was released, besides toiling hard at work, he had been drinking persistently, this worsened his health further.


    Liu Cheng took off his coat and wrapped it tightly around An Xiaoyan''s thin body, then murmured, "Yan Zi, you will, you will live for a long time. Don''t stay here, I will take you away."


    Liu Cheng wanted to lead An Xiaoyan outside, but could not seem to move him after a few pulls. Looking into the eyes of the person sitting on the bed, Liu Cheng felt uncomfortable. An Xiaoyan''s face was slapped with a thick layer of foundation and his eyes had a thick layer of eye shadow. He resembled those who worked at the clubhouse.


    "I won''t go. I''m doing fine here."


    "Yan Zi, do you have to argue with me at this time? Go back with me, take a bath and sleep. When you wake up tomorrow, everything will be over."


    "Cheng, you go back."


    When Liu Cheng heard "Cheng", he was stunned. An Xiaoyan never called him that. What happened? An Xiaoyan''s stubbornness made him a little impatient. An Xiaoyan used to be a righteous man who could tell right from wrong. When Liu Cheng was in the university, he would get a scolding from An Xiaoyan each time he went drinking. He could not accept such a drastic change.


    "Do you know what kind of place this is? Today they can hand you wine. Tomorrow it might be drugs. You want to be a degenerate here?!"


    "Yes, I am willing." Once again, An Xiaoyan firmly rejected Liu Cheng.


    Yan Zi, why do you have to stay in the pit of fire when I have the chance to rescue you?


    The moment when Liu Cheng left, An Xiaoyan''s shoulder drooped and his tears fell. He was not a ruthless person, and did not want things to become like this. But he had no choice as he needed money and could not escape from Gu Jun''s control.


    When an angel falls into hell, he can only live like a devil.


    A faint scent of Liu Cheng''s perfume still lingered on the coat on his body. An Xiaoyan folded up the coat carefully and hugged it in his arms like a treasure.


    Liu Cheng left the clubhouse without a coat and felt a little cold. His assistant was waiting at the door all along. As soon as Liu Cheng walked out, he opened the car door immediately.


    "Director, why did you leave so soon? How was the dinner today?"


    Liu Cheng gave a face indicating that he did not wish to answer. His assistant had never seen him like this.


    "Director, are we going back to the old house?"


    "Go back to my apartment."


    On the journey back home, Liu Cheng kept thinking of Yan Zi''s colorful face. It made him start thinking of whether Gu Jun had done something to An Xiaoyan. Otherwise, Yan Zi''s character would not have undergone such a drastic change.


    What exactly happened?


    When An Xiaoyan recomposed himself and returned to the room, many guests had already left. He did not earn much today. He went back to his own room and saw his two roommates removing their makeup. They did not talk to him and continued what they were doing.


    One of them was an ordinary waiter, while the other was a male hostess. The system of Night Charm Luxurious Clubhouse was that the more the guests spent, the more the male hostesses could earn. Likewise, if the guests were to spend less, the male hostesses would earn less. This was exactly what An Xiaoyan was worried about. He did a calculation that if he had been working as a doctor, he would have earned almost a hundred thousand dollars. And now, he would need to earn this much money within half a month so that he would not give himself away when he returned home.

 Chapter 29锛歁oved Away

    When she got to the apartment, she found the door closed shut. There were layers of dust on the steps. It felt like no one had lived here in a long while. Ye Qing called down at the landlord and the old man climbed the steps heavily.


    "Sir, where''s the guy that lives here?" Ye Qing asked loudly.


    "He moved a few days ago. Who are you?"


    "I''m his sister."


    The landlord studied this energetic little girl. He couldn''t imagine how someone as sullen as An Xiaoyan could have such a lively sister.


    "Are you Ye Qing?"


    "Yes."


    The landlord pulled a wrinkled piece of paper from his pocket. "Someone gave me this and said I should give it to a girl called Ye Qing."


    Ye Qing took the paper. There was an address scribbled on it. "Thank you, sir. I''ll go there now."


    Ye Qing took her stuff and hurried downstairs. She berated An Xiaoyan in her mind while she was on the bus. He didn''t even tell her that he was moving. She was going to yell at him when she got there.


    The bus stopped before a dilapidated building. Ye Qing felt a bit scared after getting off the bus. How come Brother moved somewhere like this? Thank god it''s daytime. It must be so scary at night.


    Ye Qing followed the address and came to a warehouse. The door was closed tightly. She stood outside the door and couldn''t figure out if someone was inside. Just as she pressed her ears to the door to listen, the door suddenly rose up. Ye Qing almost fell to the ground.


    A girl threw herself at Dong Zi as soon as he came out, scaring him. He took a few steps back. Thankfully, no one was hurt.


    "Who are you?" they asked in unison.


    "The paper told me to come here. Where''s my brother?"


    Dong Zi realized that this person was Ye Qing, the one that An Xiaoyan had told him to take care of.


    "I don''t know where Brother Yan went, but before he left, he told me to take care of you. I went to his place and gave the landlord the paper."


    Hearing that An Xiaoyan wasn''t here, Ye Qing deflated. What was this? She''d bought groceries to come cook, but her brother wasn''t here. She was so sad.


    Dong Zi hadn''t interacted with girls before and now there was a living and breathing girl before him. His senses bubbled and tingled; he couldn''t stop staring at Ye Qing.


    "Uh, I see you brought groceries. How about we eat together? I have a pot."


    "Fine, you got lucky today." Ye Qing brought her groceries in and followed Dong Zi to the sink to wash the vegetables.


    "I''m Ye Qing. What about you?" She washed the vegetables while asking about this guy. She''d never heard An Xiaoyan mention that he had friends here.


    "You can call me Dong Zi."


    Ye Qing snorted at this, which confused Dong Zi. What was wrong with his name? What was funny about it?


    "What''s your real name? Dong Zi sounds so uncultured."


    Dong Zi thought for a moment. He was an orphan and had no parents. He didn''t even know his surname. "So what? I''m an uncultured guy."


    Ye Qing stopped teasing him. She washed the vegetables diligently while mulling over where her brother went. How could someone just disappear like this?


    Dong Zi was wondering where An Xiaoyan had gone too. He hadn''t asked back then and now, he didn''t know anything.


    The two ate soundlessly. Seeing that night had fallen, Dong Zi felt that it wasn''t good to let Ye Qing leave alone. He suggested that she stay here.


    Ye Qing refused, of course. However, when she left the warehouse, she saw the mass of darkness outside and shrunk back. She studied Dong Zi from the corner of her eye. He didn''t seem like a bad guy. An Xiaoyan wouldn''t find a bad guy.


    "Fine, but don''t get any ideas about me."


    Dong Zi nodded enthusiastically to show that he wouldn''t.


    There was only one bed in the warehouse. Dong Zi changed the bedsheet and let Ye Qing sleep in the bed. He put some blankets on the ground for himself to sleep in. They''d eaten dinner too early and neither of them felt like sleeping. Ye Qing looked in Dong Zi''s direction and couldn''t help but ask him questions.


    "What''s your relationship with my brother?"


    "He''s my brother."


    "Oh, so if An Xiaoyan is a brother to both of us, so we''re siblings too, right?"


    The conversation went from An Xiaoyan''s background back to An Xiaoyan. "So we''re both orphans. Brother Xiaoyan is taking care of two orphans at once. How did you two meet?"


    Dong Zi was honest, so he told Ye Qing everything about jail. Ye Qing was completely shocked after hearing everything. An Xiaoyan had never mentioned what he''d gone through before.


    Wen Dong Zi didn''t hear a reply after he finished, he thought that Ye Qing had fallen asleep and stopped talking. In reality, Ye Qing had wrapped the blanket around her tightly so her sobs wouldn''t escape. An Xiaoyan was such a great person. How could he be treated like this?


    As she cried, she gradually fell asleep. Dong Zi also fell asleep. The autumn night returned to peace.


    In the morning, Ye Qing prepared to leave. Before leaving, she and Dong Zi discussed searching for An Xiaoyan. There must be a reason why he left, but no matter what, they had to find him.


    After Ye Qing left, Dong Zi realized that he had An Xiaoyan''s number. How could he forget about this?


    Finding the slip with the number, Dong Zi brought some coins to a phone booth. He called three times, but no one answered. Did he change his number? How come no one''s picking up?


    The sudden spark of hope was extinguished. Putting the paper in his pocket, he went back. When he got to the warehouse, he saw Boss waiting outside.


    "Boss, what''s wrong? How come you''re here?"


    Dong Zi had gone to jail in place of this guy. Now, he was the big boss of this area, but he treated Dong Zi well. They respected the code of brotherhood on the streets. He wouldn''t forget that Dong Zi had gone to jail for him.


    "Brother Dragon wants to review all the guys. Everyone has to meet him personally, so I''m just letting you know. Go meet Brother Dragon at the headquarters noon the day after tomorrow."


    "You didn''t have to tell me this personally. You could have just sent someone."


    The boss pulled Dong Zi to the side and quietly told him that if Brother Dragon asked about that case, Dong Zi should take responsibility for it. If he messed up, they''d both get punished.


    The boss had already said this so many times before. Dong Zi obviously replied that he''d done the thing and it had nothing to do with the boss.


    Hearing this, the boss was relieved. His kindness toward Dong Zi hadn''t gone to waste. He was getting better at things.


    "Then I''ll get going. Rest up. If you don''t have enough money, I''ll give you more. Do well before Brother Dragon. If he likes you, you might rise up in the ranks."

 Chapter 30锛欵mergency

    Night Charm Luxurious Clubhouse was still filled with different people singing and dancing every night. Since that night, Liu Cheng would visit Night Charm Luxurious Clubhouse every day to see An Xiaoyan.


    He did nothing, just ordered a glass of wine and watched from afar how An Xiaoyan would accompany the guests to drink. He knew that what he had done was in vain. When he was in the university, An Xiaoyan looked gentle. In fact, he was more stubborn than anyone else. Anything that he had fixed his mind on was hard to change.


    An Xiaoyan was still drinking wine on the stage. Many people flocked to the clubhouse because of him. Everyone knew that Night Charm Luxurious Clubhouse had someone in particular who was especially willing to drink. He never refused to drink as long as someone was willing to spend money.


    It was the seventh time that Liu Cheng spent his evenings at the clubhouse. He rushed over after work for seven days consecutively. He saw everything from An Xiaoyan''s first drink to the point of him getting drunk.


    This evening was especially crowded. It was said that an influential man was present. When Liu Cheng heard the news, he was worried.


    An Xiaoyan, you can''t drink any more. How long can your body withstand this kind of sacrifice?


    "Make way, make way." Several bodyguards separated the crowd, and a bald man of about forty years old emerged from behind the bodyguards.


    Liu Cheng did not know who that person was, thus he was probably not from the medical industry. Looking at the dressing of the person, he should be a business tycoon. His flamboyant entrance in Night Charm Luxurious Clubhouse meant that he was not someone to be provoked.


    Zheng San went up to the stage and his bodyguard cleared the crowd within one meter. He then raised his head and chest with his hands behind his back.


    "I heard you can drink a lot?"


    At the first sight of Zheng San, An Xiaoyan recognized that he was present on the night when Gu Jun told him to strip.


    Is he here under Gu Jun''s order to humiliate me? Or did he come on his own accord?


    "As long as your order is expensive enough, I can drink it."


    For the first time, someone dared to make such a wild remark. Zheng San reached out to touch his shiny bald head and hooked his finger with An Xiaoyan. A waiter stooped beside him and presented him with the wine menu.


    Zheng San did not even look at the menu and said, "Bring me a carton of your most expensive wine."


    When the waiter heard that, he jogged excitedly to place the order. With so many wines sold at a time, his bonus for this month would definitely be good. At the same time, he envied An Xiaoyan on the stage. If he could drink as much as An Xiaoyan, he would probably be rich by now.


    A box of Louis XIII was lifted onto the stage, and everyone was shocked.


    He is just a male hostess. He need not make such a big sacrifice. President Zheng is such a high spender.


    Looking from afar, Liu Cheng saw the label on the box read "Louis XIII, 40% concentration". To down such high concentration wine was suicidal. Judging by An Xiaoyan''s drunken appearance, he would not notice the high alcohol concentration of the wine. Liu Cheng was anxious. He had to find ways to stop An Xiaoyan as this would be life-threatening!


    Liu Cheng wanted to make his way through the crowd, but there were too many people in the room waiting to watch a good show and nobody would give way. Liu Cheng just managed to squeeze in and was ousted out again. Standing on the periphery, he watched the bottles of wine opened and lined neatly on the table.


    "As long as he finishes drinking these wines today, I, Zheng San, will give one million dollars, ok?" Zheng San shouted into the loudspeaker, and rousing cheers could be heard.


    Liu Cheng desperately made his way in again. The crowd surged forward as if they were doped. Liu Cheng watched as An Xiaoyan picked up a bottle of wine and poured it directly into his mouth. Everything around him felt as if they have disappeared at this moment and he could not hear the screams. Liu Cheng placed all his attention on the bottle of wine.


    One bottle after another, An Xiaoyan drank it without feeling as if the strong liquor had turned into plain water in his mouth.


    "Come on, come on!" By the fourth bottle, An Xiaoyan could hardly stand still and his hands began to shake. Half of the bottle of wine slipped from his mouth. Zheng San obviously did not want to be on the losing end, so he told his bodyguard to hold the wine bottle and ensure that was no spillage.


    Just after downing the fifth bottle, An Xiaoyan''s body dropped to the ground like falling leaves during autumn. No one in the room had expected that.


    Zheng San kicked An Xiaoyan with his feet and An Xiaoyan was unresponsive. With so many people watching him, Zheng San began to panic. No matter how much privilege he had, he was not allowed to create trouble in the Night Charm Luxurious Clubhouse as it was backed up by the mafia. He was just a mere businessman!


    Zheng San lowered his head and gestured hurriedly to his bodyguards. Several bodyguards responded and slipped away with Zheng San.


    A bold man under the stage went up to check on An Xiaoyan''s breathing. He stretched out his hand and retracted, then cried out with a trembling voice, "Dead!"


    As soon as the crowd heard that someone was dead, the crowd dispersed in order to shirk any responsibility with regards to this, especially those who had been asking An Xiaoyan to drink.


    A large crowd of people rushed out. Only Liu Cheng ran the opposite direction, into the room and onto the stage. In less than five minutes, the whole room was empty. Liu Cheng''s legs trembled as he stepped onto the stage. He did not believe that Yan Zi would leave like this. His hand rested on An Xiaoyan''s wrist and could not feel his pulse.


    This is not true.


    Liu Cheng forced himself to come down and pressed hard on An Xiaoyan''s wrist to feel his pulse again. The thumping heart beat was especially prominent in the quiet room. Liu Cheng closed his eyes and felt his pulse. It seemed that An Xiaoyan had a weak pulse. There was hope!


    Liu Cheng, with An Xiaoyan in his arms, ran out frantically. With his experience, he knew that An Xiaoyan would survive as long as he was treated in time.


    His assistant waited in front of the Night Charm Luxurious Clubhouse, every single day for a week.


    Director Liu used to have an image of a good man and never spent his time outside drinking. Why is he coming here every day?


    When he was deep in his thoughts, he saw his director running out of the clubhouse with a man in his arms. He quickly opened the car door for them.


    "Drive back to the hospital quickly, and inform the emergency doctor to be ready!" Liu Cheng gasped and ordered. His hand was rested on An Xiaoyan, for fear that the weak pulse would disappear if he loosened his grip for a second.


    His assistant did not know what had happened. The man in the director''s arms was dressed in fancy clothes. He could not see the face of the man and could only concentrate on driving.


    "Faster, drive faster!" Liu Cheng urged.


    The assistant saw the car''s dashboard displaying 120 yards, gritted his teeth and floored the accelerator pedal. He knew how important every second was in an emergency.


    The emergency team of Hua Kang Hospital had been waiting at the entrance for them to arrive. The assistant stepped on the accelerator when he reached the entrance and the car jerked forward. Liu Cheng, paying no mind to this, grabbed An Xiaoyan and got out of the car.


    "Perform gastric lavage on him quickly."


    As soon as the emergency doctor approached, he could smell a strong scent of liquor.


    How much wine did he drink? How could he drink himself to this state?


    Nurses and doctors rushed An Xiaoyan into the intensive care unit''s operation room and connected the medical equipment for examination. Liu Cheng was pacing up and down the corridor outside. He could even smell the alcohol from the corridor.


    The nurses from the other departments greeted Liu Cheng politely but he did not hear them at all. He had been wondering whether An Xiaoyan would survive or not. Recalling what happened at the Night Charm Luxurious Clubhouse, he clenched his fist and hit the glass.


    Gu Jun, you are so cruel. You will get your retribution one day.

 Chapter 31锛歋tomach Trouble

    When it was almost daybreak, the surgery room''s light finally turned green. When Liu Cheng saw the light change, his tense nerves relaxed immediately. Thank god you''re alive. Yan Zi, I can see you again.


    He looked through the door''s crack from afar. The person in the bed still hadn''t woken up. "How is he?" Liu Cheng asked the doctor worriedly.


    "He isn''t in danger anymore. He has gastric perforation. If he drinks alcohol again, he might die."


    "Okay, thank you." Liu Cheng grasped the doctor''s hand. He wasn''t the director anymore. He was just the patient''s friend and he couldn''t describe his feelings now that An Xiaoyan was alright. "Truly, thank you."


    The doctor was experienced, but he didn''t know what he''d done for the director to thank him like this.


    Since the patient was stabilized, the doctor went to do other work. Liu Cheng walked into the room. Looking at the person still sleeping in bed, he sat on the side and grasped his hand.


    "Yan Zi, this isn''t what I''d wanted. Half of your suffering should be mine too, but I''m so selfish. I don''t dare to admit my mistake. I can only reduce my guilt through these methods." With that, Liu Cheng pressed An Xiaoyan''s bony hand to his face, feeling the little warmth coming from An Xiaoyan.


    If God could give him another chance, he definitely wouldn''t let An Xiaoyan bear this alone. He was responsible for half of everything.


    When An Xiaoyan woke up, it was dusk. The room faced the west and the red sun entered his vision first. Am I alive again?


    Liu Cheng had gone downstairs to buy some porridge. When he came back, he didn''t even open the door before seeing An Xiaoyan staring out the window. What was he thinking about?


    "You''re awake. Are you hungry? I bought porridge. Want to eat now?" Liu Cheng opened the porridge and brought a spoon to An Xiaoyan''s mouth. He nodded, face filled with anticipation.


    An Xiaoyan hesitated but opened his mouth and obediently drank the soup. One fed while one ate. The two quietly finished half the bowl of porridge like this.


    Liu Cheng didn''t stop until An Xiaoyan shook his head, signaling that he couldn''t eat anymore. Liu Cheng pulled out a tissue to wipe An Xiaoyan''s mouth. He wasn''t worried as long as Yan Zi was willing to eat.


    "Promise me that you''ll live well. Rest up now. Ask me whatever you want after you''ve recovered. I''ll tell you now."


    An Xiaoyan shook his head. Liu Cheng understood what he meant. Yan Zi was saying that he wouldn''t die.


    Lying on the bed, An Xiaoyan kept looking at the setting sun. There was only half an hour left of the sunset and the sky had already darkened. He couldn''t remember when it started, but whenever something happened to him, he would wake up and see Liu Cheng. Liu Cheng was always the one helping him.


    Wasn''t he like the sunset? There was still light, but he would always be swallowed by darkness in the end. He couldn''t die now. He hadn''t gone back to see his parents. Maybe Gu Jun would let him go someday. Then he''d be able to live the life he wanted.


    A few days passed and An Xiaoyan could manage to speak. Finally, Liu Cheng felt that it was safe to give him some vegetables. An Xiaoyan''s stomach wasn''t well, so Liu Cheng didn''t dare to give him anything greasy. He only ordered dishes like green bean tofu soup or a baked potato.


    "When can I get discharged?"


    "Probably not so soon. You''ve just gotten surgery. You have to rest."


    Hearing this, An Xiaoyan''s eyes darkened. It would be the 11th in two days. He''d promised his parents that he''d go home. "I''m going home on the 11th."


    Liu Cheng froze. "Then I''ll take you home. With your health, you need someone taking care of you."


    "Cheng, I''m fine. I know my body. I''d just drunk too much. I''ll be fine if I rest and take medicine."


    His calmness made it seem that everything that had happened was unrelated to him. What are you bearing it for? Liu Cheng thought. "Don''t go to those places anymore. Come live with me. I can''t give you all the wealth in the world, but I can still take care of you."


    "I''m a man. I don''t need you to take care of me."


    Liu Cheng suddenly regretted his words. Why didn''t he think before speaking? A man like An Xiaoyan wouldn''t want to be taken care of. He''d been full of self-respect back in school.


    "I''m going back to get my salary. It should be enough to get me home." He hadn''t gone to Night Charm these days and they''d probably fired him.


    An Xiaoyan was about to lift the covers, but Liu Cheng placed his hand on the bed. "Don''t move. I''ll have someone help you do it. You rest first."


    An Xiaoyan didn''t return to bed, so Liu Cheng said nonchalantly, "Don''t you remember what Professor Yang said? No matter what, a doctor must take care of his own body before saving others."


    This worked. An Xiaoyan went back into bed, though he said, "That was before. I''m not a doctor anymore."


    An Xiaoyan giving up on himself was what Liu Cheng feared the most. Seeing his indifferent expression scared him. What if Yan Zi left him one day?


    "Just stay here for now. I''m here for you."


    An Xiaoyan mumbled something about how he didn''t expect five years of being classmates would give him a lifesaver before falling asleep. He was too weak right now. He''d had to rely on glucose shots before this.


    Liu Cheng took An Xiaoyan''s card. It contained the money he''d earned from working as a male hostess at the Night Charm. It totaled to 20,000 dollars. The accountant had said that no one had earned this much in such a short time. He really risked his life.


    When An Xiaoyan woke up again, he had much more energy and strength. He could sit up and chat with Liu Cheng.


    "How did I get here?"


    "I saw that you were drunk so I brought you to the hospital," Liu Cheng said.


    "Do I have stomach problems?"


    Liu Cheng knew he couldn''t hide it from An Xiaoyan. After all, An Xiaoyan had been the best med student at A University. "The doctor says you''ll be fine if you recuperate well. It''s just that you drank too much. It damaged your body. Also, did Gu Jun force you to work at Night Charm?"


    "No, I did it voluntarily. I said that already."


    "Yan Zi, listen to me this one time," Liu Cheng pleaded. "Leave him and come with me. You''ll die if you keep living like this. Think about how your parents are waiting for you. You can''t give up on yourself!"


    He knew Yan Zi well. His parents were the last shred of hope that kept Yan Zi alive.

 Chapter 32锛歐onton

    "Good, when the doctor says that you can leave the hospital, I''ll take you and we''ll drive back."


    Liu Cheng had already made up an excuse for his family, saying that he would get away for a while on National Day. Liu Lianxun did not doubt Liu Cheng as he trusted his son.


    "I bought a lot of gifts for uncle and aunty. What do you think?" Liu Cheng placed a pile of tonics around the hospital bed, including birds nest, ginseng and so on. An Xiaoyan could not accept Liu Cheng''s extravagance, and hurriedly stopped him by saying no.


    Only the thought of going home could put a smile on Yan Zi''s face. Liu Cheng said, "My visit would certainly cause them inconvenience. So if I don''t treat them well, I''m afraid I might get driven out."


    "They won''t."


    Liu Cheng asked his assistant to move all the gifts into the car. Instead of choosing, he thought it would be a better idea to give everything to them.


    At first, it was decided that he would go back on National Day. However, after giving it much thought, An Xiaoyan would not want his parents to see him in such a state as he did not want to worry them. Thus, they decided to wait until he got better before heading home.


    Two or three days later, An Xiaoyan was able to get off the bed. The nurse was vigilant and kept following behind him quietly.


    At the rooftop garden of the hospital''s inpatient area, An Xiaoyan told the nurse to get busy. He found a place to sit down and looked at the outside world through the glass window.


    Sitting on his right, an elderly couple carried a kitten in their arms and smiled. They noticed An Xiaoyan looking over and nodded at him. The old woman put the cat in his arms, "It''s very gentle. We were bored in the hospital and brought Lychee over."


    The softness and warmth made An Xiaoyan stroked the cat''s fur with his hands. Lychee gave out a lazy cry and the old woman smiled wider, "Lychee is only three years old, but I don''t know how it became so fat. It''s a little hard to hold it."


    "It''s good. It''s a ginger cat."


    "I don''t know. My son bought it for fear of our loneliness."


    An Xiaoyan stroked the cat''s fur with his hand, and a casual smile appeared on his face.


    "Young man, do you like it too? There are three kittens in my family. All are four months old and of the same breed. I can ask my son to bring one for you in the afternoon."


    "No need, I don''t have time for it."


    The old woman interrupted him, "You, young people are using ''no time'' and ''busy at work'' as excuses. You absolutely have time if you really like it."


    Liu Cheng came up to see An Xiaoyan. When he saw An Xiaoyan chatting with a group of patients and holding a cat, he could not help but smile. The two of them did not mention anything about the previous incidents. He kept thinking that one day Yan Zi would take things too hard and make his leave. Now that he had seen Yan Zi enjoying the company of others, it meant that Yan Zi did not have any suicidal thoughts.


    "What are you talking about? You look so happy?"


    "Hi, director," The nurses next to the patients chorused.


    "Yan Zi, are you feeling better today?"


    "Much better, you don''t have to worry about me, and this old lady here says that she wants to give me a cat."


    Liu Cheng patted his head and suddenly realized, "Why didn''t I think of this? You used to feed stray cats at school. I should have bought you a cat to kill time."


    The sun shone directly on An Xiaoyan and he leaned slightly to the side. When looking down, he saw a car and the person sitting in the car looked familiar.


    He took a few steps forward. When he saw the figure, his hand trembled and dropped the cat. The cat let out a loud meow. He was so frightened that he slumped on the ground. He wanted to run out the moment he got up.


    People around him were shocked.


    Is there anything so scary outside that could make him behave so?


    The old woman daringly walked forward and took a look downstairs. There was nothing unusual except for some patients who were hurrying by.


    What did he see?


    "All of you should stay here for now. It''s nothing serious. I''ll go and see what happened to him."


    After Liu Cheng gave his orders, he chased after An Xiaoyan.


    Finally, when they reached the ward, Liu Cheng stopped at the door to catch his breath. He peered through the glass panel of the door and saw An Xiaoyan sitting on his bed and hugging his quilt tightly. He was trembling all over.


    "What''s the matter, Yan Zi? What did you see?"


    "Gu Jun is coming after me, I saw him��"


    Liu Cheng had no idea what happened between Yan Zi and Gu Jun at the Night Charm Luxurious Clubhouse that made Yan Zi so afraid.


    "Don''t be afraid. I''ll protect you."


    Liu Cheng patted Yan Zi''s back. Yan Zi gradually calmed down a little, but his hands were still trembling.


    "That old lady said she wanted to give you a cat this afternoon. I''ll go and buy a cat cage and some cat food. You won''t dwell over the past once you have a pet cat. Cats are so clingy. When you sleep, they will snuggle under your quilt. And when you reach out your hand, they will lick you��"


    As An Xiaoyan listened, his body started to relax and finally fell asleep in Liu Cheng''s arms. Liu Cheng covered Yan Zi with a quilt before leaving.


    Back to the director''s office, Liu Cheng felt an overwhelming sense of anger in him and swept all the documents on his table down.


    Gu Jun, Yan Zi is such a good person, why did you ruin him?


    An Xiaoyan was awakened by a lick. He opened his eyes and saw a pair of big eyes staring at him. When he recovered from his shock, he gently lifted the kitten and put it in his arms.


    Liu Cheng came in with a big cat cage, cat litter, cat food and many other things, "This cat is from the son of the old lady you met this afternoon. It''s also a ginger cat, not afraid of strangers."


    An Xiaoyan stroked the kitten''s fur, and the kitten licked his palm cleverly. The itchy feeling caused a tingling sensation on An Xiaoyan''s back.


    "I didn''t wake you up for lunch because you were sleeping so soundly in the afternoon. Coincidentally, the stall selling wonton noodles happened to be downstairs, so I bought you a portion. It is pickle flavored, your favorite."


    Liu Cheng adjusted the bed, arranged the table, and put the wonton noodles on the table.


    An Xiaoyan tasted the noodles and savored the familiar taste. The sour taste of pickles blended into the noodles. As he was eating, the kitten meowed alongside.


    "It''s hungry," An Xiaoyan reminded.


    Liu Cheng hurried to retrieve the cat food, opened it and poured it into the cat feeding bowl. Just as he was about to pick up the kitten and put it in front of the cat pot, the kitten showed him its pitiful eyes. It sat next to the cat feeding bowl and remained motionless, staring at the wonton noodles on the table.


    An Xiaoyan said, "Put it up, it''s still young and it''s not easy for it to digest those adult cat food." After that, he took a wonton out of the lunch box and put it on the ground.


    When the kitten saw the wonton, it ate happily and scratched its head at the same time.


    Liu Cheng helplessly said, "Only you will spoil it. Give it a name."


    "Since it loves wontons so much, let''s call it Wonton."

 Chapter 33锛欴estroy

    An Xiaoyan put down his lunch. Liu Cheng sat beside him, not knowing what to do. He actually wanted to ask about what happened with Gu Jun earlier, but he didn''t know how to start. He was afraid he would cause Yan Zi to focus on bad memories.


    An Xiaoyan noticed Liu Cheng''s awkwardness. He couldn''t escape from it. He put Wonton at the bedside. As the cat ate and gradually fell asleep, An Xiaoyan said what he was thinking.


    "Back then, I thought that I could use my own power to make up for my mistakes, but now I see that it''s impossible. I don''t imagine a day where I can clear the debt to Mr. Gu either. It was my fault��my mistake that caused two deaths. If destroying my life can make up for it, then it''s worth it. If I can''t clear the debt in this life, I''ll do it with my next life."


    An Xiaoyan''s nonchalant tone made it seem like it had nothing to do with him.


    "As long as it''s within my abilities, I can take it."


    Seeing Yan Zi like this, Liu Cheng asked, "If he still makes you work as a male hostess, will you do it? If he tells you to die, would you comply?"


    "Cheng, I value my life. You know it. Mr. Gu won''t do that again either. I can be his servant in the future, but I won''t be his lackey."


    Liu Cheng understood An Xiaoyan. He just didn''t want Yan Zi to do stupid things to make up for his so-called "sin." Yan Zi had dignity. His method to "clear the debt" was just to try his hardest and reduce his offence.


    "Okay. No matter what, just remember that I''ll always be on your side."


    An Xiaoyan took Liu Cheng''s hand and thanked him.


    Liu Cheng, this life of mine is Gu Jun''s. I have to repay my debt. If possible, I''ll also repay you for your kindness.


    "When you recover, come to my hospital. I won''t worry if you''re by my side."


    An Xiaoyan couldn''t make the decision. Gu Jun controlled him completely at this point. He had to get permission before doing anything. Otherwise, it would be like before. His dignity would be trampled mercilessly.


    Liu Cheng knew what An Xiaoyan was worried about, but he wasn''t worried about Gu Jun''s control. Gu Jun, no matter what you do this time, I won''t let go.


    "Yan Zi, I''ll protect you. Just come."


    An Xiaoyan still refused deep down, but when he saw Liu Cheng''s gaze, he still nodded. What if Gu Jun really did let him go?


    When he was discharged, Liu Cheng insisted on having An Xiaoyan stay at his home. However, he couldn''t convince An Xiaoyan, so they compromised. In the future, they would eat lunch together every single day.


    An Xiaoyan rented an apartment near the hospital. He''d borrowed money from Liu Cheng earlier and promised to pay him back later. Liu Cheng agreed, but he didn''t actually care. He was satisfied so long as Yan Zi was still by his side.


    "Remember to eat breakfast and eggs every day. Eat lunch at the hospital. If you''re tired and don''t want to make dinner, we can go out to eat. Treat yourself well, alright?"


    Liu Cheng''s tone was like an old servant, temporarily making An Xiaoyan forget about Gu Jun. The kindness warmed his heart.


    "Alright, I''ll leave since you''re settled in. Oh, this phone is for you. The first number is mine. If anything happens, call me, whether it''s good or bad news."


    "Okay."


    At the door, Liu Cheng suddenly looked back and said seriously, "Yan Zi, can you hug me?"


    An Xiaoyan opened his arms without hesitation and hugged Liu Cheng. "Okay, get going. It''s getting late."


    He didn''t doubt the feelings in this relationship. Liu Cheng was his closest friend who''d financially supported him since he was released from prison.


    Satisfied, Liu Cheng went downstairs. He hadn''t moved on from that hug. It was fortunate that their relationship was still so intimate. No matter how they changed, their time at university would still be the foundation of their friendship.


    Lying in his comfortable bed, An Xiaoyan took in the fragrance of the blankets. This was no longer the cold hospital room. It didn''t smell like antiseptics either. His confidence grew. Maybe Gu Jun would forgive him and leave him alone.


    That night, he finally had a good dream. However, dreams never lasted long. They would always be shattered.


    On his first day at the hospital, Liu Cheng obviously didn''t plan on giving him a lot of work. It was just to familiarize himself with the job. He only had to check the patients'' IV drips and temperatures. It was very easy. He just had to walk around the rooms a few times.


    An Xiaoyan was very satisfied with his current life. If his life had a value, there was reason to keep living. When he changed the IV drip or took another patient''s temperature, he felt joy.


    At 3 o''clock, just as he returned to his apartment, he saw a car stopped on the side of the street. He recognized the car. It was Gu Jun''s.


    He had been happy about his new life yesterday, but he''d failed again. Maybe Gu Jun was just passing by. After all, this place was so busy. It was possible. Thinking of this, An Xiaoyan composed himself and went upstairs.


    As soon as he sat on his sofa, the doorbell rang. No, he couldn''t go out. Gu Jun would discover him.


    But the doorbell kept ringing. There was a faint voice that said, "An Xiaoyan, open up. If you don''t, I''ll break in."


    Gu Jun started kicking the door. He knew there was someone in there. He would make the man come out.


    An Xiaoyan couldn''t hide anymore. He walked over and looked out through the peephole. He slowly opened the door.


    "You finally opened the door!"


    "Mr. Gu."


    Gu Jun ignored him. He went right over to sit on the sofa and then studied the room. It was much better than the last apartment. At least, the things weren''t too shabby.


    "Liu Cheng is really willing to spend money on you."


    "No, I borrowed this money."


    Gu Jun left this alone. He gazed around the room and saw a picture on the table. Seeing the clean smile, bright sunlight, and pure youth, anger rose up out of nowhere. He dug the picture out of the frame.


    An Xiaoyan came back with water and saw this scene. "Give it back."


    "You still have such a pretty picture. Not bad. It must be important to you, right?"


    "It''s my only one. Mr. Gu, please have mercy."


    If it was another time, Gu Jun might have compassion, but he''d seen Liu Cheng come out of An Xiaoyan''s apartment today. He came to destroy it.


    An Xiaoyan stared as his only picture from university was ripped to shreds. He sprawled on the ground, picking up each shred, but the remaining bits didn''t come down as shreds. They sprinkled onto his head like dust.


    "I saw that you''re having fun with your old lover, huh. When did you get together with Liu Cheng? I''m guessing it was university, right? You must''ve been f*cked well, huh? Otherwise, why haven''t either of you moved on?"


    "Mr. Gu, Liu Cheng and I are friends. It''s not what you think!"


    This kind of beautiful friendship couldn''t be sullied like this.


    "Are you going to take it off yourself, or do you need my help?"


    An Xiaoyan quickly understood what Gu Jun meant. It was happening again. It had already happened many times, so what was once more?


    He got into bed and waited for a long while without anything happening. An Xiaoyan looked back at Gu Jun. He saw eyes filled with fury and hatred.


    Gu Jun entered him without any warning. This time was more intense than before.


    Pain. It was soul-ripping pain.


    An Xiaoyan''s body didn''t feel like his anymore. His lower body was numb. He could only feel thrust after thrust.


    However, Gu Jun didn''t seem willing to end this battle so soon. He pressed down on An Xiaoyan, touching every inch of his body.


    "An Xiaoyan, does it hurt?"


    An Xiaoyan couldn''t hear clearly anymore. He just wanted to pass out. When Gu Jun didn''t get a satisfying reply, he thrusted again. The man below him moved; the hand gripping the bed sheet loosened.


    After a long while, An Xiaoyan''s numbness passed and he gradually woke up. He pushed himself up and swept up the shreds of paper on the ground. Then, holding onto the wall, he made his way to the bathroom.


    Last time, the doctor had told him that he needed to clean up each time. Otherwise, he would get infected. With his back arched, he dug out the remnants. White and red liquid streamed out, flowing down the drain like dye.


    The next day, Liu Cheng bombarded An Xiaoyan''s phone with calls, but no one answered. Helpless, he went to the apartment and had the landlord open the door. He found Yan Zi still asleep.


    Feeling the burning forehead, Liu Cheng shook An Xiaoyan awake.


    "What''s wrong?"


    "You''re burning up. Come to my hospital. You need a doctor when you''re sick."


    An Xiaoyan''s mind cleared a bit. He knew what was wrong with him. Pulling Liu Cheng back, he recited a hospital''s address.


    The car drove into a remote place. Liu Cheng helped An Xiaoyan down from the bed. This was the hospital that he''d gone to before. Going to a big hospital would embarrass Liu Cheng. At least he knew the doctor here.


    When the doctor saw An Xiaoyan, he knew what had happened. He turned and started preparing the rubbing alcohol and swabs for his wound.


    "Huh, you didn''t come last time, but now you found your conscience. Don''t hurry out later. We need a chat. I have a lot to say to you."


    After applying the medicine, the doctor told An Xiaoyan to lie down. He dragged Liu Cheng to a private office.


    "Seriously, you need to learn how to control yourself. He''s already so badly hurt and you''re heartless enough to not even come with him."


    "I didn''t do it."


    The doctor swallowed back the insults he''d prepared. He chuckled awkwardly. "Ah, I was thinking that you don''t look like an *sshole."


    He gave some more advice before letting the two leave. Liu Cheng carried An Xiaoyan to the backseat and told him to lie down. "Was it him again?"


    An Xiaoyan buried his face into the seat and didn''t refute anything.


    "When will he let you go?!"


    "It''s okay. It''s between us. Don''t get involved, or else he might attack you."


    Gu Jun had already warned him last time, but Liu Cheng wasn''t scared. He couldn''t bear it. His Yan Zi always thought for others.


    "It''s okay. I can go to work now. Isn''t it good to be able to feed yourself?"


    Liu Cheng also hated himself a lot. He didn''t have the power to fight against Gu Jun. Otherwise, he would definitely teach Gu Jun a lesson to vent out his hatred!


    In the following days, Gu Jun became a regular visitor at An Xiaoyan''s apartment. He would come sit after work. Sometimes, he wouldn''t do anything. Sometimes, he would bring papers from his company to look over. Most times, he would just sit for a while before going. Only occasionally would he make inappropriate requests, but An Xiaoyan never refused. The earlier he could end it, the less pain would be inflicted.


    Life in the hospital was peaceful too. He would sometimes see Liu Cheng''s worry and the expression that meant he wanted to say something but didn''t. All in all, An Xiaoyan was still satisfied. The patients had good attitudes. A rare smile returned to his face these days.


    "Sir, these are the pictures you requested."


    A stack of pictures were placed on the table. Gu Jun looked over them with interest. There was a smile in four or five of them. Some smiles were for patients, but some were directed at Liu Cheng. The most obvious one was when An Xiaoyan put food in Liu Cheng''s bowl. His smile was clearly wider.


    Smiling, huh? You''re this happy, huh? You''ve been too comfortable these days!


    For most things, equilibrium is the most stable state. If anything is put out of balance, things will fall into chaos.


    For example, An Xiaoyan was preparing to go home. He''d planned everything, but he was still excited.


    He was scheduled to leave at 10 o''clock, but by the time everything was moved into the car, it was already 11. After getting into the car, he thought about Wonton. He really liked this kitty that he''d gotten half a month ago. Liu Cheng had found someone to take care of it at the hospital, but he was still worried. He insisted on going to the hospital to get Wonton. Liu Cheng couldn''t help but shake his head at this. He didn''t realize Yan Zi loved animals so much. He''d thought that it was just an interest.


    An Xiaoyan placed Wonton in the cage. Holding the cage in one hand and cat toys in the other, he walked downstairs. He stopped at the door.


    Liu Cheng had parked the car and waited for half an hour without seeing An Xiaoyan. He walked towards the hospital, but saw a bunch of people''s backs from the distance. He had a bad feeling.


    "Where are you going?" Gu Jun stopped An Xiaoyan at the entrance with Chen Chen and a bunch of bodyguards. The guards'' auras intimidated the patients and their relatives.


    "Mr. Gu, why are you here?" An Xiaoyan was genuinely afraid. Gu Jun hadn''t come for him in a few days. He''d thought that Gu Jun had let him go for now. He didn''t expect to meet him here.


    Gu Jun saw the cat curled up in the cage and fury rose up within him. How could someone like An Xiaoyan raise pets? People like An Xiaoyan were supposed to be his pet.


    "Oh, I don''t see you for a few days and you get a pet? An Xiaoyan, you''re so skilled. Not only do you have a pet, you even found a husband."


    Hearing "husband," An Xiaoyan refuted, "Mr. Gu, I don''t."


    Gu Jun put his hands in his pockets. He looked at Liu Cheng who was walking towards the building. "Isn''t that him?"


    "He''s not. I told you that he''s my friend. I don''t have feelings for him."


    "What kind of friend would risk everything to get you back from Night Charm? What kind of friend would try to kiss up to you by finding you a job? What kind of friend would bring a bunch of tonics to see his in-laws?"


    Gu Jun''s diction made An Xiaoyan''s face turn red. They were in public and Gu Jun''s voice rang out before everyone. Some people started looking over.


    "Mr. Gu, I can do whatever you want me to do. I can return to Night Charm, I can be a male hostess, but please don''t do this." Even he didn''t realize he was begging. It was subconscious.


    "I''m tired of you being a male hostess. Let me think if there are any other fun things."


    Liu Cheng walked over and punched Gu Jun. Liu Lianxun''s warning didn''t exist in his mind. He just wanted Gu Jun to get away from An Xiaoyan.


    Gu Jun moved aside and Liu Cheng tipped forward. He was about to stop when he processed everything, but Gu Jun wrapped an arm around him. "You pair of love swans make me so jealous," Gu Jun mocked.


    "Stop your bullsh*t." Liu Cheng had no physical advantages, but he still didn''t show any sign of defeat.


    "Chen Chen, take Mr. Liu away."


    After Chen Chen got the order, he had two guards take Liu Cheng away, tossing him into a car.


    "Where are you taking him? This is illegal!"


    Gu Jun didn''t care. "I don''t know what''s illegal. I only know that he''s in my way, so I won''t let him go."


    An Xiaoyan was alone now. He started sweating. He forced himself to calm down, but Gu Jun''s looming figure kept playing in his mind. Wonton woke up in the cage. It looked at An Xiaoyan through the bars and meowed.


    This caught Gu Jun''s attention. "A pet doesn''t deserve to have a pet. This cat is so unlucky. Toss it."


    He spoke carelessly as if he wanted to toss out a piece of old clothing. The guard beside him nodded and took the cage away. An Xiaoyan wanted to run after him, but when he passed by Gu Jun, the man caught his waist.


    "I''m not going to toss you. Why are you freaking out? Okay, now both man and cat are gone. It''s time to talk about the debt between us, right?"


    Wonton might have sensed its fate and started screaming loudly. The pained cries hurt An Xiaoyan''s heart.


    "I owe you 4,983,000. This card has 200,000. Now I owe you 4,780,000." An Xiaoyan handed Gu Jun the card.


    Gu Jun couldn''t process it immediately. He thought back to what he''d said and realized that An Xiaoyan had said the debt would be cleared if he was f*cked 600 times. So being f*cked twice cleared 170,000.


    "You have a great memory. You''re going home, so how about I go with you?"


    An Xiaoyan''s eyes widened. Gu Jun wanted to go home with him?

 Chapter 34锛歍ake Care

    "Want to know why?"


    Before An Xiaoyan could reply, Gu Jun continued, "I want to know how you disguise yourself in front of your parents. Aren''t you a model student? I especially want to know how you, a murderer, pretend to be a top student."


    A handful of onlookers stood around watching. Gu Jun put on his sunglasses and walked in front. The remaining bodyguards took An Xiaoyan to Gu Jun''s car.


    "Back to the villa."


    After the bodyguard received the instructions, he started the car and drove towards the villa. An Xiaoyan sat beside Gu Jun, breaking out in cold sweat. He wished to leave Gu Jun as far from him as possible. His heart felt uneasy.


    If Gu Jun exposed my lies in front of my parents, what should I do? Gu Jun would not be so kind to let me go back home.


    The more he thought about it, the more confused he was.


    Finally, he summoned up the courage and said, "Mr. Gu, can you not expose me in front of my parents?"


    An Xiaoyan''s expression resembling that of a small sheep worked well with Gu Jun. Gu Jun agreed readily. He then continued to lie in his seat with his eyes closed. After a while, he added, "You must obey me, otherwise I don''t know what will happen."


    "I will," An Xiaoyan would really keep to his word. He was afraid of Gu Jun and resisted Gu Jun in his heart. When facing Gu Jun, he forced himself to meet Gu Jun''s requirements as far as possible. Even though Gu Jun had done so many things to hurt him, he still felt that his repentance was not enough.


    Gu Jun has not returned to the villa for a long time. When the car arrived at the door, there was a woman and a child standing beside the door.


    Getting out of the car, the woman greeted with joy and respect, "Sir, you''re back."


    Gu Jun only gave a casual reply "Hmm" before going inside the villa. An Xiaoyan noticed that the nanny''s face turned sad at the moment Gu Jun passed by.


    "Daddy, Daddy" Guo Guo was chasing the tall man in front of him, but the distance between them was getting farther. Just when he wanted to take a big step forward, he accidentally tripped over the pebbles on the ground.


    "Daddy, Daddy, Pain..."


    An Xiaoyan went up and picked up the child. The child was very heavy. He felt exhausted after carrying him in his arms and walking a few steps.


    The nanny caught up with An Xiaoyan. Thinking that he was Gu Jun''s guest, the nanny took over the young master immediately, "I''m sorry to bother you, but the child is very heavy."


    "Is he Guo Guo?"


    As soon as the nurse heard that he knew the young master, the worried look on her face disappeared. She replied, "Yes, this is the young master."


    An Xiaoyan took out a paper towel from his pocket, wiped away the tears on Guo Guo''s face, took his hand and said gently, "Follow uncle, uncle will take you in."


    It was as if Guo Guo had understood An Xiaoyan''s words, he firmly grasped An Xiaoyan''s hand and followed him into the house.


    Gu Jun sat on the sofa. When he saw that An Xiaoyan came into contact with Guo Guo, he shouted loudly. "Let go!" An Xiaoyan released his hand out of reflex and Guo Guo cried.


    "Who allows you to touch him?"


    An Xiaoyan knew he had committed a taboo and apologized quickly. "Mr. Gu, I didn''t mean it. I saw him crying."


    "Take the child away, nanny."


    The nanny carried Guo Guo in her arms and hurried upstairs.


    He was fine just now. Why is he crying again?


    "If it weren''t for you, the child would not be like that. What would you like him to be? He''s already a retard!"


    An Xiaoyan said nothing. He had no right to answer as he was the one who caused Gu Jun to lose an outstanding child.


    One was standing up while the other was sitting on the sofa. A while later, Gu Jun went upstairs. An Xiaoyan was relieved. After standing for so long, he felt a little exhausted. Seeing that no one was around, he sat down on the carpet.


    The nanny looked downstairs from the crack between the door and the door frame. Although she could not hear their conversation, she could sense that the relationship between the man and Mr. Gu was not ordinary, and perhaps he could help the young master.


    The nanny went downstairs and looked around. Seeing that no one was around, she sat beside An Xiaoyan, "I want to ask you for a favor."


    "What?" The nanny seemed innocent, An Xiaoyan answered.


    "I asked the doctor before and the doctor told me that the young master''s inability to speak may be related to the environment. As long as the young master has frequent contact with more people, he will certainly be the same as other normal children."


    This was not impossible in medical theory. Many children''s autism or loneliness was related to their living environment. If they changed their environment or had frequent contact with more people, they might return to their normal state.


    "I know Mr. Gu is going out later, and he is ordering the housekeeper to pack his things. I beg you to persuade Mr. Gu to take the young master out to contact others. When the young master is home, he only gets to be with me and the housekeeper. This will be a good opportunity."


    After listening to the nanny, An Xiaoyan had mixed feelings. Emotionally, he felt that he should agree and protect the child as he had a part in what happened to the child. However, logically, he knew that he should not interfere in this matter.


    "I know you are somehow related to Mr. Gu. I beg you. I took care of Guo Guo since he was a baby and he is almost five years old. If he still doesn''t get any human contact with more people, it will be very difficult for him to recover in the future."


    The nanny''s plea reminded An Xiaoyan of himself. He used to ask Gu Jun for mercy, but Gu Jun would never give him a chance.


    But unlike him, Gu Jun was a cold-blooded animal, a ruler and a devil, and he was sympathetic. He could not bear to refuse such an appeal from the nanny.


    "Well, I can try, but I''m not sure what the result will be."


    The nanny excitedly and incoherently replied, "Okay, that''s good enough."


    Gu Jun came out of his study and saw the conversation between the nanny and An Xiaoyan on the second floor. They seemed to be engaged in a very happy conversation.


    When the nanny saw Gu Jun, she gave An Xiaoyan a final firm look before she got up and left.


    An Xiaoyan was left alone in the room again.


    Gu Jun, dressed in casual clothes, walked down the stairs, "What are the two of you talking about?"


    An Xiaoyan did not know where to start. He had not decided whether to dive straight into the topic or talk about something else first. Gu Jun added, "You can choose to not say anything. I can look at the surveillance video."


    "Can we bring Guo Guo along?"


    Gu Jun was stunned. To think that An Xiaoyan wanted to bring along his retarded son, he felt that An Xiaoyan must be crazy.


    "Who will take care of him if he falls ill along the way?"


    An Xiaoyan gritted his teeth, "If I take care of him, can we bring him along?"


    Gu Jun did not wish to accept the proposition. He did not believe that An Xiaoyan would take care of others. No matter how much he disliked Guo Guo, Guo Guo was, after all, his son. It seemed foolish of him if he were to hand his own son to his enemy.


    "As long as you bring him along, I will take care of him and ensure that he comes back safely."


    An Xiaoyan assured him so faithfully and Gu Jun''s interest was aroused. Gu Jun wanted to see how someone like An Xiaoyan, who had never taken care of a child, would take care of his son.

 Chapter 35锛欵xtra (Nanny)

    I was Mr. Gu''s nanny. To them, I didn''t have a name. I was just the nanny.


    When I was 30 years old, I''d just given birth and returned to the city to look for work. Before that, I worked at a high-class household management company. I''d been working there since I was 20 years old. After all these years, I became a senior in the company. I know what I should and shouldn''t say to my employers.


    When I first came to work, the boss told me the Gu family was looking for a wet nurse and nanny. I was the first one he thought of because by that point I was already a mother of two. I was quite experienced in taking care of kids. More importantly, the boss probably thought highly of my behavior. When I first came to the city, I didn''t know anything, so I''d angered many employers. After a while, I understood how city life worked and what I should and shouldn''t say about rich people''s matters.


    No matter how much experience I had, the boss still reminded me many times before leaving to learn how to decipher expressions. The less attention I paid to the employer''s matters, the better, because it was the Gu family this time. Everyone knew how influential they are.


    When I first got to the Gu family, I learned that it wasn''t old Gu who''d hired me. It was Gu Jun. Actually, I wished I could work at the Gu family''s old mansion, because Mr. Gu''s house was more miserable.


    At my first meeting with Gu Jun, he just glanced at me as one of his status would glance at a lower-class person. I was used to being looked at like that. After all, these families didn''t respect people like me.


    Mr. Gu wore a crisp suit with no expression on his face. Everything about him seemed like that of a mature man. He was probably the prince charming that little girls dreamed of. However, I gradually started seeing that he wasn''t a prince charming. He was a beast in disguise.


    He pushed an infant not even a month old into my arms. He just told me that the infant''s name was Guo Guo, I should call him "young master", and take care of him.


    After that, Mr. Gu didn''t return for three months. I felt less pressure when Mr. Gu wasn''t here. I could focus more on taking care of the child.


    I could tell that Mr. Gu wasn''t close to Young Master. His birth was a mystery too. There was no news that Mr. Gu was married, let alone him having a son. At first, I suspected that the child wasn''t related to Mr. Gu, but a few months later, I thought that he was looking more and more like Mr. Gu. This confirmed that he was Mr. Gu''s son. However, I knew my place. I just took care of him and kept everything in my head.


    Young Master was a good child. If I fed him baby formula once every four hours, he''d lie in his cradle and not cry. I only had to put the toys in the cradle. He would play by himself when he woke up. Seeing how nice he was, my heart filled with joy.


    Young Master grew up day by day like this. By the time he was one, still no one had mentioned his mother. It was like he''d been picked off the street.


    Other than me, Young Master, and the butler, there were only a few custodians in the house. No one knew where this kid came from. I subconsciously felt that the butler knew, but he always looked mean and unapproachable. I couldn''t ask him.


    When Young Master was almost one year old, Mr. Gu gradually came home more often. He always looked angry, but whenever he looked at Guo Guo, he would smile happily. He would play with Young Master in the garden and watch Peppa Pig with him. They were like a regular father-and-son duo.


    This didn''t last very long. One day, lightning had just begun to erupt in the sky when Mr. Gu took Young Master away. They didn''t return until nighttime.


    When they came back, Young Master''s face was pale from hunger. He kept sucking his finger as if sucking the milk bottle. I prepared the milk and had just handed it to Young Master when the butler told me the sir needed me.


    I was anxious, feeling that something was wrong. As expected, Mr. Gu''s expression was dark. He seemed so distant.


    He asked me how one-year-old kids usually are. I knew that he was suspicious of Young Master. Guo Guo was already one year old but didn''t act like it at all. When my first son was one year old, he could walk already and followed behind me, calling "Mama" in his baby voice.


    But Young Master couldn''t do anything. He just lay in his cradle and drank milk quietly like how he did when I first arrived. I''ve never seen such a quiet kid before.


    When I told Mr. Gu how regular one-year-olds are like, he lit his cigarette. His face darkened even more.


    After smoking the cigarette, Mr. Gu went upstairs to see Young Master. He was probably sleeping. I heard Mr. Gu say from afar, "Why weren''t you the one that died?!"


    Hearing this, I ran to my room in fright. I was still afraid, even after closing the door. I thought I''d heard incorrectly, but the words had been so clear. Each word dug into my ears.


    Mr. Gu had actually asked why the child wasn''t the one who''d died. Was there a secret in this? My suspicions were even clearer now. My gut told me that things weren''t so simple.


    As Young Master grew up, the difference between him and other kids grew more obvious. I tried my hardest to guide him, and Dr. Zhang Zilan came every week for a checkup, but Young Master never improved.


    At first, Mr. Gu would occasionally ask about Young Master, but when nothing happened, he stopped asking. He rarely came home either. Only Assistant Chen came sometimes to take stuff away.


    At that time, I learned that Mr. Gu had another house. The workers told me that it was a double-story building, but the specific location was unclear. This house was like a cage that imprisoned Young Master. Mr. Gu told the guards that no one could let Young Master out without his permission.


    When Young Master was two years old, he finally stood up. That day, I was more excited than when I saw my own child stand. Young Master had worked so hard. I hurriedly notified the butler to tell Mr. Gu, but Mr. Gu barely reacted to this news.


    Of course, any child could walk at this age. I had overreacted.


    Mr. Gu was truly cold to this child. He hadn''t come back in almost a year. I started pitying this poor child. He didn''t have a mother and his father didn''t love him either.


    When Young Master was two-and-a-half, Mr. Gu took him out again. Just like one-and-a-half years ago, they left early and returned late.


    This time, Mr. Gu''s expression was still dark. Young Master''s face also shone with tears. I couldn''t check him before Mr. Gu. After he left, I carried Young Master into his room and took off his clothes. A part of his leg was skinned and was still bleeding. This must be so painful for a child.


    I didn''t return to my room that night. I just sat by Young Master, accompanying him. At midnight, I heard Young Master mumbling, "Daddy, Daddy."


    He could speak! He could!


    I didn''t report to Gu Jun this time. He would find out about this improvement someday.


    After staying in the mansion for three years, I gradually learned some things about Young Master. Apparently, his mother had been pregnant with twins, but because of a something with the hospital, the mother and one twin died. It was rumored that the one who''d died was a genius while the surviving one was mentally disabled.


    The rich families all had many troubles. Who knew what other drama they had?


    Finally, I saw Mr. Gu bring a man into the house yesterday. The man didn''t seem very old. Mr. Gu pushed the man forward. It felt like they had an unusual relationship and I suddenly got an idea.


    Last time, Dr. Zhang told me that Young Master might be like this because he didn''t interact with many people. If more people interacted with him, it would be great help to recovering his intelligence.


    When the butler was organizing things upstairs, I heard Mr. Gu say that he was going out on vacation for a few days. I wanted to take a risk and have that man persuade Mr. Gu to take Young Master with.


    I calculated the timing and told the man when Mr. Gu was upstairs. After I finished, he looked hesitant and I knew there was hope. I begged him and he finally agreed.


    The moment he agreed, my heart swelled. I prayed inwardly, Young Master, you''ll be normal someday.

 Chapter 36锛欽ourney

    The nanny gratefully handed the young master''s things to An Xiaoyan, and did not forget to tell him what to pay attention to. "This is a list that I made. I hope it can help you."


    An Xiaoyan took the note. The note clearly detailed all sorts of emergencies and how to deal with them. He folded the note and kept it in his pocket, then held Guo Guo''s hand and followed behind Gu Jun.


    Gu Jun did not use the usual BMW which he used for work, but took a limousine instead. An Xiaoyan did not recognize the logo on it and looked away after taking a quick glance at it. Rich people like Gu Jun could have anything that they wanted.


    Before he went into the car, An Xiaoyan squatted down and held Guo Guo''s thin body with both hands. He said gently, "Guo Guo, listen to Uncle and don''t make things difficult for Uncle."


    Gu Jun looked out of the window and saw one of them standing while the other was squatting down. He rolled down the window and said impatiently, "What can you tell a retard? Get in quickly."


    "He''s not a retard��" An Xiaoyan murmured to himself, held on to Guo Guo tightly and took him into the car.


    Guo Guo felt sleepy once he got on the car and did not look very well. An Xiaoyan tried his best to take care of him and placed him in a comfortable position. As An Xiaoyan leaned back on the seat, he felt a little sleepy too.


    Gradually, the car drove out of the city and headed towards a small town in the south.


    When they arrived at the service area in the evening, Gu Jun had already arranged for their reception, and their hotel accommodation had been booked.


    Guo Guo was less than five years old, and his body could not withstand the bumpy journey. When it was time to get out of the car, Guo Guo was sound asleep in An Xiaoyan''s arms.


    Although Guo Guo was underdeveloped in IQ, all other aspects of his body were the same as other normal children. An Xiaoyan''s hands felt shaky after holding Guo Guo throughout the journey. He placed Guo Guo on the seat with Guo Guo''s back leaning against the seat, and then placed Guo Guo''s hands on his shoulders.


    Gu Jun looked at An Xiaoyan from afar, with his waist hunched and Guo Guo on his back. An Xiaoyan resembled those women in a TV drama, who farmed in the mountains with a child on their back. He looked ridiculously cute!


    The choice of the hotel was naturally the best. Gu Jun booked a suite. After entering the suite, An Xiaoyan still stood at the door with Guo Guo on his back. He did not know whether he should go in or not. He stood at the door for more than half an hour. An attendant in the hotel kindly reminded him that a gentleman had booked two rooms, and the other room was also on this same floor.


    An Xiaoyan looked at the waiter gratefully and followed him to a room. The attendant left after opening the door to the room for An Xiaoyan. An Xiaoyan finally felt relaxed.


    He tried to hold out in front of Gu Jun. After all, he was the one who suggested to bring this child out. He dared not show a trace of difficulty in front of Gu Jun as he was afraid that Gu Jun would send Guo Guo back home.


    Once Guo Guo touched the soft bed, he woke up confused. Looking around the unfamiliar room and An Xiaoyan, he began to cry. An Xiaoyan knew that the child was afraid as it was for a child to accept an unfamiliar environment.


    He also did not know how to coax a child and felt at a loss. Suddenly, he thought of the nanny''s note and glanced through the note quickly. The note mentioned that the young master would cry when he was hungry or needed someone to play with him.


    Along the bumpy journey, An Xiaoyan did not count the time for feeding. He quickly opened the bag to find milk powder. As soon as Guo Guo had his milk, he stopped crying and looked at An Xiaoyan with his big eyes.


    The child''s innocent eyes revealed his appearance. An Xiaoyan gently touched Guo Guo''s soft hair and said, "Uncle is hungry, be good and drink your milk. Uncle will go and find something to eat. I heard that you like to eat omurice, uncle will try to buy that for you."


    After An Xiaoyan ensured that Guo Guo lied on the bed obediently to drink his milk, he felt at ease and left the room.


    After walking out, he realized that he did not know if Gu Jun had ordered a meal for his room. As he looked at the other end of the corridor, he sighed helplessly and turned to walk towards that direction.


    Gu Jun had just taken a bath. When he heard the doorbell ring, he thought that it was meal delivery. He randomly took a bathrobe and covered his private parts, then opened the door.


    After the door opened, An Xiaoyan literally saw a picture of a man who had just emerged from a bath. Gu Jun wrapped his lower body in a bathrobe while his naked upper body revealed strong abdominal muscles. His bronzed skin indicated a healthy lifestyle. His hair was dripping wet and looked alluring.


    After taking in the view for a few seconds, An Xiaoyan gulped hard and turned his head away.


    "Why? You think I''m not in a good shape?"


    His small face flushed with embarrassment. Although they were both men, it was difficult for An Xiaoyan to look straight at a naked body.


    "We''ve both done it together, yet you are pretending to be a virgin."


    Gu Jun''s tone was obviously full of mockery, and An Xiaoyan''s face turned pale again. An Xiaoyan was not a woman, and he did not want Gu Jun to regard him as a woman.


    He knew that any further explanation would not be helpful. An Xiaoyan tilted his head sideways, "Mr. Gu, do you have any food? The child is hungry."


    As they were talking, the service staff arrived with the delivery cart and said, "Sir, this is what you''ve ordered?"


    "Come on in." Gu Jun casually replied, turned his back and walked back into the room, leaving An Xiaoyan alone at the door.


    "Excuse me, sir."


    An Xiaoyan stepped aside to make way for the delivery cart. The service staff placed the food in an orderly manner and waited for Gu Jun to sign off before leaving the room.


    The two of them were left alone again. An Xiaoyan could not decide whether to go in the room, so he chose to stand at the door to wait for Gu Jun''s reply. Before he walked over, he had thought about ordering his own meal, but he was penniless. Moreover, the money he earned through sacrificing his health was used to pay the debt he owed to Gu Jun.


    Gu Jun heard An Xiaoyan''s words but pretended not to hear them. He was only concerned about the food in front of him. He was drinking red wine while eating. An Xiaoyan stood at the door and could smell the fragrance of the rice. His stomach growled.


    Stop growling. When we get home, you''ll have food to eat.


    An Xiaoyan murmured in his heart.


    After some time, An Xiaoyan began to feel numb in his legs. Gu Jun put down his chopsticks and gracefully wiped the corner of his mouth with a paper towel, then gestured to An Xiaoyan to enter the room.


    An Xiaoyan wanted to move his legs, but found that because he had been standing for a long time, he had difficulty controlling his legs now. However, he was afraid that Gu Jun would change his mind and gritted his teeth, then struggled to walk forward with heavy steps.


    "Pick a few of these dishes and go," Gu Jun laid back on his chair and behaved as if he was giving food to a beggar.


    An Xiaoyan took a deep breath. Most of the dishes on the table had been barely touched. Gu Jun seemed to have overestimated his ability to eat. From the moment he entered the door, he saw that there was omurice on the table. Fortunately, Gu Jun hadn''t touched the omurice at all.


    After placing a few dishes on a big tray, he held the tray with one hand and protected the omurice with the other hand. An Xiaoyan made his way out of the room carefully and did not forget to close the door.


    What a stray dog! Gu Jun had never seen such a resigned person in his life.


    An Xiaoyan, I''ll see how far you can withstand it.

 Chapter 37锛欰rrive Home

    When An Xiaoyan returned home, Guo Guo had already finished the milk. He was lying on the ground, playing with his fingers. When An Xiaoyan came in, he clapped happily.


    Kids were always so happy. An Xiaoyan relaxed subconsciously when he was with children.


    "This is your food. Can you eat it yourself?"


    Guo Guo stared at him blankly. An Xiaoyan realized that he''d forgotten to bring utensils. He''d only been thinking about the food and forgot about the tools.


    "Let''s wash our hands first, okay? After your hands are clean, you can eat the tasty egg and rice."


    Guo Guo''s eyes sparkled. He motioned that he wanted to get off the bed to wash his hands. Children were so simple and innocent. The dark shadows in An Xiaoyan''s heart mostly dispelled.


    After washing his small hands, Guo Guo leaned on the table and shoved food into his mouth with his hands. A few mouthfuls later, his face was covered in sauce. An Xiaoyan couldn''t eat his own food. He had to take care of Guo Guo first.


    After Guo Guo was full, he opened his arms for a hug. An Xiaoyan took his hands and hugged him. In his eyes, this child wasn''t as useless as Gu Jun had said. He knew what he wanted.


    "Uncle will take you to a bath now. How about we sleep after bathing?"


    He filled the bathtub with water. Guo Guo jumped in with his clothes still on. A few ducks floated in the warm water. Guo Guo squeezed the ducks with interest and played in the bathtub.


    After wrestling for a long while, An Xiaoyan felt half-dead. He''d been on the highway the entire day and he didn''t eat lunch. His stomach had started grumbling long ago. His health hadn''t recovered fully yet and now, his empty stomach was in pain.


    There was still a lot of fried rice and vegetables leftover on the table. He decided to just eat it.


    The coldness of the food went from his mouth to his stomach. He was human too. He could feel pain and all sorts of emotions. Gu Jun was tormenting him time after time, eroding his hope.


    A few bites later, An Xiaoyan couldn''t eat anymore. He cleaned things up and lay down beside Guo Guo. His cold body couldn''t warm up the bed. He could only get close to Guo Guo and feel his warmth.


    The next day, when An Xiaoyan was still sleeping, he felt something grab his hand. Opening his eyes, he saw Guo Guo''s hand in front of his eyes. Seeing that An Xiaoyan had woken up, Guo Guo clapped happily.


    An Xiaoyan had thought about many things for a long while before falling asleep the night before. He had obvious dark circles under his eyes when he woke up, but he couldn''t catch up on sleep. They had to keep traveling today.


    The two packed up. Then, holding Guo Guo''s hand, An Xiaoyan led him to Gu Jun''s door.


    "When the man comes out, call him ''Daddy''," An Xiaoyan told Guo Guo while squatting. He still wished Guo Guo could get Gu Jun''s affection. Father-and-son shouldn''t have long-term hatred between them.


    When the door opened, Guo Guo obediently called out "Daddy." This sudden utterance confused Gu Jun. Then he brought Guo Guo into the room, leaving An Xiaoyan standing outside alone.


    An Xiaoyan didn''t know that when Gu Jun heard the word, he was thinking about why Guo Guo suddenly said it. Usually, this kid would never call for his dad for no reason. If he wasn''t crying, he''d be asking for a hug. Since Guo Guo had spent the night with An Xiaoyan, he knew that An Xiaoyan must have taught him something.


    After all these years, his son still wasn''t close to him. Now, he''d become close to An Xiaoyan after just one night. It made his ego plummet.


    When they set off again, An Xiaoyan couldn''t sit with Guo Guo as he''d wished. Instead, Gu Jun made the rare exception to put Guo Guo in shotgun.


    Along the way, Gu Jun kept playing with the kid with toys and snacks. An Xiaoyan was relieved. The greeting in the morning had worked. At least, Gu Jun knew to pay attention to his son now. An Xiaoyan''s tense nerves relaxed. He leaned back in his seat and fell asleep. The mental pressure and exhaustion from sitting in the car made him sleep heavily.


    "Get up. We''re here," Gu Jun called to the backseat.


    An Xiaoyan woke up with a start. He looked out the window. The chain of mountains was still so familiar. The car had just passed the city and was driving toward the town.


    The surroundings became more and more familiar. Without realizing, tears filled An Xiaoyan''s eyes. This was where he''d grown up. He hadn''t come back in more than four years and he didn''t know if his home had changed.


    Gu Jun didn''t need An Xiaoyan''s directions. He''d already checked all of An Xiaoyan''s information. The car stopped before a house. When a man in his fifties at the door saw the car stop, he hurriedly stood to the side to make way. However, the car didn''t leave. A few people got out.


    An Xiaoyan had seen his father standing by the door from the distance. The moment the car stopped, he wiped his tears away, tidied up, and slowly got out of the car.


    "Yan Zi!"


    "Dad, I''m back."


    Gu Jun also brought Guo Guo down. He had the driver take out all the things before telling him to park the car.


    Father An gaped at the man in the elegant suit and the clean little kid beside him. "Yan Zi, what''s with this?" he asked hurriedly.


    "Dad, this is my boss. He said he wants to bring his kid to experience rural life."


    Hearing that the man was the boss, Father An moved to shake his hand. His outstretched hand stood in stark contrast to that of the "boss". One was smooth from working in the office; the other was tanned from years of labor.


    "My hand''s dirty so I won''t shake it. Your kid''s around four or five, right? He looks so cute. Oh, I keep talking. Hurry on in."


    Gu Jun really didn''t want to shake his hand. The tanned hand had cracks and it made him uncomfortable. After walking into the home, Guo Guo shook away Gu Jun''s hand. He ran to An Xiaoyan and latched onto his leg.


    Gu Jun turned and this scene entered his eyes. All these years of care couldn''t compete with one day with An Xiaoyan. Hatred subconsciously surged through Gu Jun once more.

 Chapter 38锛歀ies

    Father An knew that his son would be returning home, he had already cleaned up the house and brought out the produce beforehand.


    "Um, I didn''t know you would bring along some guests. Our house is pretty small. Yan Zi, why don''t you let your boss take your room and you sleep on the floor?" Father An said to his son. Since the guest was his son''s boss, he had to host the guest well.


    Seeing that Gu Jun had no objection, An Xiaoyan went into his bedroom with Guo Guo in his arms. He pushed open the bedroom door and the interior decoration was exactly the same as that of four years ago. His books were still on the spotless small desk. On the wall was a big poster of Asten and the color of the poster had turned into wax yellow.


    "Come in, and you''ll sleep here tonight."


    Guo Guo climbed onto bed and hugged the bolster with a bear bolster cover. An Xiaoyan sat on the chair and turned the pages of the book on the table. The first page was beautifully handwritten and there was a quote, "Sometimes, people''s lives can change, but do not change. Because sometimes even if changed, only the choice of path is different but the final direction is the same".


    The next line was the date which the text was written. Memories surged into his mind. The text was written when he was in his fifth year in the university. He wrote it at home after watching the movie "The Shawshank Redemption".


    In "Redemption", everyone felt that Andy finally escaped from prison and lived a comfortable life. To An Xiaoyan, he felt that after Andy''s prison life, Andy''s bodily system would have changed, and would finally lead him to death. This thought of An Xiaoyan''s had nothing to do with the movie. In fact, no one who watched the same movie had the same thought. It was purely a thought that flashed past An Xiaoyan''s mind and he documented it.


    Four years later, An Xiaoyan read this same text again but felt differently. Take the current state of him for example, his life could possibly change but revert back to the same at the next second.


    An Xiaoyan felt a tug at his sleeve. He turned around and saw Guo Guo pulling his shirt.


    "Are you hungry? Uncle will make you some milk."


    Just as he turned around, Gu Jun leaned on the door frame and looked at him with an uncertain look.


    "The child is hungry," An Xiaoyan said that to indicate that he had no malice. When An Xiaoyan walked pass Gu Jun, Gu Jun grabbed An Xiaoyan and whispered into his ear.


    After finishing his sentence, An Xiaoyan looked fearful and bit his lips. His expression exposed his inner worries.


    "Mr. Gu, you promised me that you would not expose anything before my parents."


    Gu Jun made an indifferent gesture, "Did I expose anything? I simply told you to sleep with us. I''m so kind not to let you sleep on the floor. What''s wrong with that?"


    An Xiaoyan was speechless. Indeed, Gu Jun did not expose anything. What was An Xiaoyan worried about? Was he afraid of what Gu Jun had done to him before?


    The words "Yan Zi" broke the ice. An Xiaoyan handed Guo Guo to Gu Jun and went straight to the kitchen.


    An Xiaoyan''s mother was cutting vegetables and asked An Xiaoyan for help to start the fire. "Your boss doesn''t look like an ordinary person. Is he the director of the hospital?"


    "Ah, he''s not. But the hospital is his." An Xiaoyan was not accustomed to lying, and could not speak properly.


    "Your boss takes good care of you. Just now, he said that your bed is big and will share it with you. This kind of boss with no airs is rare. You have to work hard in the future. Don''t let him down��"


    An Xiaoyan was in no mood to listen to the last few sentences. He did not believe that Gu Jun was a good man. However, Gu Jun somehow had a way with his parents.


    "Don''t keep saying that he is good, Mom. So, what are you going to cook today?"


    Seeing that her son had returned, Mother An was more talkative. She was a little unhappy when she was interrupted. "I am making all your favorite foods. By the way, why did your lady boss not come and how can a man take care of the child alone?"


    An Xiaoyan did not know how to answer this question. It was a complicated matter. Besides, he might risk exposing the details if he were to explain further.


    He added a piece of firewood in the cooking stove, and the flames burned like the surge of emotions in his heart. He said softly, "The lady boss is no longer around."


    "It''s a pity to lose a wife when he''s so young�� His child is pitiful too��"


    Fortunately, the light from the fire shone on An Xiaoyan''s face and covered up his lies. He said countless lies ever since he stepped into the house. He had to make up new lies to cover up the old ones.


    When the food was served, Gu Jun was already sitting at the table and Father An was ransacking the cabinet. Finally, he took out a bottle of ordinary white wine.


    "There''s no good wine in the house, please don''t mind."


    "That''s alright. I don''t usually drink much and I don''t touch white wine either. Everyone is tired today. Have a good meal and sleep early."


    Gu Jun''s tired tone made everyone think that he was feeling sleepy. Even An Xiaoyan believed that Gu Jun was sparing a thought for others. But when his eyes met Gu Jun''s, he knew that Gu Jun could have a hidden agenda.


    The dishes were all home-cooked food and no delicacies. At the table, only Father An was chatting with Gu Jun. Suddenly, An Xiaoyan felt a kick from under the table. An Xiaoyan looked up and understood the expression on his parents'' face. He put down his bowl and chopsticks, then gave a smile to Gu Jun.


    Gu Jun, of course, returned a smile.


    "My son had been thoughtless since he was a child. He doesn''t know how to speak nice words. Pardon him."


    "It doesn''t matter. We don''t need to talk too much when we are at work. We pay more attention to practical ability."


    Hearing that helped to calm Father An''s nervousness. His son liked to bottle up his feelings and would not breathe a word even if he was suffering. Though Father An would tell his son to focus on work and not to miss home, in actual fact, Father An missed his son especially much during the recent years when his son was away from home.


    After the meal, Mother An urged An Xiaoyan to tidy up the bed, but An Xiaoyan insisted on clearing the dining table. Mother An had no choice but to take out the quilt from the cupboard to tidy up An Xiaoyan''s bedroom.


    The main reason why An Xiaoyan insisted on washing the dishes was because he did not want to be alone with Gu Jun. Gu Jun''s grace and understanding at the dining table were totally different from before, which made him feel very uneasy.


    It was not until An Xiaoyan washed the dishes five times that he reluctantly returned to the bedroom. Guo Guo had already fallen asleep. Gu Jun was sitting on the bed and looking at his mobile phone. When An Xiaoyan came in, he looked up.


    "Oh, you are back. I didn''t think that you were so diligent at home."


    An Xiaoyan did not answer. He took out the mat beside him and laid it on the ground. An Xiaoyan was about to take the quilt from the bed when Gu Jun grabbed his body and pressed him onto the bed.


    "Your parents said that we can sleep together."


    An Xiaoyan turned his head to the side to avoid looking at Gu Jun and said, "I''d better sleep on the floor."


    "Huh, you don''t know how many people want to sleep with me. Yet you''ve been trying to avoid me."


    Gu Jun continued, "Your parents are just next door. If anything happens between us, they can hear it very clearly over there."


    This sentence worked very well on An Xiaoyan. An Xiaoyan no longer resisted and lay quietly on the bed.


    Guo Guo fell asleep in the innermost part of the bed, An Xiaoyan lay in the middle and Gu Jun slept on the outermost side of the bed. When An Xiaoyan finally heard the snoring sound behind him, he felt more at ease and fell asleep. What Gu Jun did before made him feel uneasy for fear of what should not happen.

 Chapter 39锛歊equest

    The mountain air was so much cleaner than in the city. The sky had just started thundering and Gu Jun was woken up by birds chirping outside the window.


    He had had a dreamless sleep. He sat up, but the person beside him was still sleeping.


    An Xiaoyan was curled up in a ball. His hands covered his chest, as if protecting himself from something. Gu Jun wasn''t in the mood this morning. He put on his clothes and walked out.


    As soon as he walked out, he saw Guo Guo dressed in floral clothing, playing with the mountain goat in the yard. The scene was funny. The mountain goat had two horns on its head. Guo Guo liked touching them. The mountain goat would dodge while Guo Guo chased after it with baby steps. The boy and goat were having so much fun.


    "The boy ran out by himself in the morning. Kids are hard to control. The clothes were left behind by a relative''s kid, so I put them on for him."


    Gu Jun grunted and didn''t say anything. He walked out of the room. He was faced with endless mountains. The clouds that surrounded them made them seem more mysterious.


    Mother An sensed that Mr. Gu wasn''t very enthusiastic about his child. There seemed to be something wrong with the boy. He was very energetic when he woke up and seemed curious about regular things. A child his age should be familiar with these things, but he wouldn''t reply when she asked questions. It was like he didn''t know how to talk.


    "Can he not talk?"


    Gu Jun was upset that someone exposed it so directly. He was such a rich man, but he had a retarded son.


    He didn''t reply, so Mother An couldn''t keep asking. Yan Zi was working under him, so she couldn''t say anything.


    "There''s a temple in the back mountain. It works well. I''ll have Yan Zi bring you there today. You can pray for your child."


    When An Xiaoyan woke up, the bed was empty. Sunlight streamed through the window and landed on his face. He saw that his clothes were as they were before. He felt relieved.


    As soon as he got to the yard, Mother An went up to tell him about praying. There was a temple at the back mountain and apparently, the incense worked well. A lot of people went to the mountain during holidays too, but going alone with Gu Jun made him uncomfortable.


    "Mom, how about you go? I''ll stay home and work."


    Mother An glared at him. "What are you saying? Your boss is here and you''re not going to accompany him? Plus, the kid''s home. I have to help look after him."


    An Xiaoyan turned and went into the house helplessly. He couldn''t escape today. He couldn''t stand thinking about being alone with Gu Jun. If something happened along the way, he was at the disadvantage. He couldn''t fight back against Gu Jun.


    The sun shone down, falling onto them through the layers of leaves. An Xiaoyan walked in the front; Gu Jun followed. The two walked toward the back mountain, one after another. Along the way, cold sweat dripped down An Xiaoyan''s back. Thankfully, Gu Jun didn''t do anything inappropriate. He just walked quietly.


    Actually, Gu Jun''s eyes were trained on that small frame. The brown sweater showed off An Xiaoyan''s figure. The sweat on his neck was obvious under the sunlight. At that moment, Gu Jun got a strange feeling. He kind of missed being in bed with An Xiaoyan.


    His thoughts scared even himself. He wasn''t gay. He''d only done those things with An Xiaoyan out of revenge! It was to crush An Xiaoyan under his feet!


    When they got to an open area, they were both sweating from the sun. An Xiaoyan turned away from Gu Jun and took off his sweater. The shirt underneath was accidentally pulled up, revealing a bit of skin.


    Gu Jun saw the tight skin from behind. Paired with the hot weather, he felt some heat within.


    "If it''s too hot, take off your jacket. We''re almost there," An Xiaoyan suggested when he saw Gu Jun''s red and sweating face.


    "Hold it." Gu Jun took off his jacket and tossed it at An Xiaoyan. The manly cologne from the jacket dazed An Xiaoyan. He also felt something different.


    The temple seemed like a Buddhist temple from the outside. They could hear the wooden blocks and monks reciting scriptures. There was a monk standing outside the door. He led them inside.


    After entering, there was a row of threatening statues. The main temple was further back. There was a statue of the gentle Tathagata Buddha, the "one who has thus arrived", in the center of the main temple.


    "Sir, would you like an incense?"


    An Xiaoyan nodded. The young monk handed him a bundle of incense. "If you have a wish, then please be sincere. If you have no wishes, I wish you peace." With that, the young monk left.


    An Xiaoyan split the incenses in half. He gave half to Gu Jun. Taking his half, he faced the Buddha and closed his eyes. He''d come before, but back then, he didn''t believe in Buddhas and gods. He''d thought that he had to rely on himself for everything. Now, he suddenly felt the divine power coming from the statue.


    When one was powerless to make changes, one could only rely on gods. An Xiaoyan made a wish.


    When he opened his eyes, he felt Gu Jun beside him. He hadn''t knelt down and his incense had disappeared too.


    "I didn''t think you''d be so superstitious. If praying to these insubstantial things can make you rich, wouldn''t everyone be millionaires?"


    The spiteful words made An Xiaoyan''s expression darken. Even if he didn''t believe in it, he shouldn''t have said it out loud. "Mr. Gu, this is a place of purity."


    Gu Jun found An Xiaoyan''s seriousness funny. "If you believe, then it''s a place of purity. If not, it''s just a building."


    With that, he walked out. In his opinion, one could only reach his peak by relying on himself. Praying to gods could only make you stupider.


    Gu Jun''s departure relieved An Xiaoyan. He was afraid Gu Jun would smash the temple in anger. Thankfully, he didn''t do so. It was a rare chance, so An Xiaoyan also prayed for his parents'' health.


    He walked out and saw Gu Jun smoking under a tree. When An Xiaoyan walked over, they started walking back like before. It was noon, but the forest wasn''t as hot as before. Walking in the shade made the journey back less tortuous.


    "What did you wish for?"


    "Huh?" The normal question confused An Xiaoyan. "I��I just made an average wish."


    "Did you make any wishes for yourself?"


    Gu Jun was still staring at An Xiaoyan. The movements of his small frame shook his heart as if they were tied together. He couldn''t keep it down in the temple, but the place had restricted him. Now, they were going down the mountain road and there wasn''t anyone here. He didn''t have to suppress the urge anymore.


    An Xiaoyan hadn''t decided whether to lie or not when Gu Jun strode up and pressed him against the mountain. He pressed his lips down, sweeping his tongue across before An Xiaoyan could react. An Xiaoyan''s eyes widened. He forgot to even fight back.


    Gu Jun kissed, forgetting himself in the beautiful feeling, greedily taking in An Xiaoyan''s softness. Suddenly, he hissed. The taste of blood burst in his mouth. He reflexively let go of the person in his arms. He was faced with An Xiaoyan''s furious eyes.

 Chapter 40

    The hot breath still remained between Gu Jun''s lips. He reached out and touched the wound on his lips. His tongue licked the blood. His hands pressed on An Xiaoyan, "Well, well, now you know how to resist. You''ve progressed well from before."


    An Xiaoyan was suppressed by Gu Jun with his back leaning against a stone wall. His back was in pain due to the protrusion of the stone wall. Gu Jun''s strength was increasing and his whole body ached.


    The warm breath swept across An Xiaoyan''s earlobes, "Now I feel that you are more of a delicacy, and I can''t help but think about tasting more."


    "Mr. Gu, this is in my house."


    Gu Jun sneered, "I know it''s in your house, but if we don''t tell, who will know?"


    In the silent mountain forest came the sound of footsteps. An Xiaoyan could hear his heartbeat. However, Gu Jun gave no sign of letting go.


    The sound of footsteps became clearer, An Xiaoyan broke free and gave Gu Jun a slap. Gu Jun loosened his grip. The numbness from An Xiaoyan''s palm made him realize what he had just done.


    Although An Xiaoyan''s strength was not strong, Gu Jun had never been treated like this. The footsteps came closer, and the words "Yan Zi" drew An Xiaoyan to the voice.


    "Fourth uncle."


    "Yan Zi, when did you come back? It has been so long since fourth uncle last saw you. Did you just come back from the temple?"


    His fourth uncle''s forthright manner made him feel a little uneasy. He was unsure whether his uncle had seen the scene just now, and simply replied, "Hmm."


    "Your father talks about you every day. He must be very happy to see you back. Who is this?"


    "My boss."


    Gu Jun looked unapproachable. His nephew''s thoughts were obviously far away and he did not stay long with them. Initially, he heard two people quarrelling from up the hill. He did not expect to meet someone he knew, so he quickened his pace to see what happened.


    After his fourth uncle left, An Xiaoyan continued to stare at Gu Jun while keeping a distance of three meters away. Gu Jun touched the right side of his face and could still the constant throbbing pain.


    "The little wild cat finally showed its claws. It seems that I have given you too much freedom during this period. Don''t think I didn''t punish you recently means that I have forgiven you. An Xiaoyan, you must always remember that you are a murderer. If you don''t remember, I can help you to remember."


    Gu Jun''s voice came from behind. An Xiaoyan paused. He did not doubt Gu Jun''s words as Gu Jun always had this ability. He was wrong in thinking that the absence of Gu Jun getting touchy with him these days meant that he would not do it in future.


    "In the evening, we are still sleeping together."


    When An Xiaoyan heard this, he ran down the hill like a madman. It was in his home. What could he do if he was found out?


    An Xiaoyan''s back looked smaller as he ran further, and finally looked like a dot entering his home from afar. Gu Jun calmly strolled down the hill. He enjoyed looking at how fearful An Xiaoyan was. Akin to hunting, a hunter would ride a horse and bring along a fierce hound to chase after the panicky deer in the woods. The deer scurried in the woods while the hunter rode his horse and sing triumphant songs.


    As soon as he got home, An Xiaoyan went back to his bedroom and closed the door to catch a breath. Gu Jun must be mad. He was also mad. Why did he come back? He knew it would turn out like this. He should have chosen not to come home.


    A knock on the door could be heard. An Xiaoyan did not know who was outside. In case it was Gu Jun, he dared not open the door.


    "Daddy, Daddy��" A tender voice of a child came from the outside. An Xiaoyan''s heart melted. The child was innocent.


    He calmed down and opened the door to carry Guo Guo in his arms, "Daddy, daddy��"


    "I''m not your daddy, call me uncle."


    Guo Guo shook his head and continued to call him daddy. An Xiaoyan put the child on the ground and said solemnly, "Listen, I''m not your daddy. The man who is coming back later is your daddy. It''s not good for the both of us if you call me daddy in front of him."


    Before An Xiaoyan could finish his sentence, he was interrupted. "Of course, it''s not good for the two of you. No matter how retarded my son is, he still a young master. No matter how talented you, An Xiaoyan, are, the label of a murderer will accompany you for life."


    That night, An Xiaoyan leaned against the door from the moment he entered the room, facing Gu Jun from the farthest distance.


    "Do you want to lie here by yourself or want me to hold you down?" Gu Jun sat at the bedside and looked at An Xiaoyan. Gu Jun always takes the initiative and did not believe that An Xiaoyan would reject him.


    "Can you not do that? My parents are next door. The room is not soundproof."


    Hearing that the room was not sound-proof, Gu Jun felt more energetic and took off his clothes, leaving only a last piece of shirt. He slowly walked towards An Xiaoyan and the height difference made An Xiaoyan feel oppressed. "Isn''t that more exciting? As long as you don''t make any noise, no one will notice it."


    "Mr. Gu, torture me when we get back. It''s really not possible here." An Xiaoyan could not see how bad his facial expression looked. He was frowning and his grieving eyes were pitiable.


    But this kind of pity was an invitation in Gu Jun''s eyes, "Otherwise, use your mouth. As long as I am comfortable, everyone will be fine tonight."


    This was something that An Xiaoyan had never experienced before. When he had to lie on the bed, he just had to bear the pain of his body and the hurt in his heart. Now that he had to take the initiative, he could not bring himself to do it.


    Gu Jun ignored An Xiaoyan''s reaction and took off his pants. He forced An Xiaoyan to kneel down, pressed his hand on An Xiaoyan''s head and stuffed his thing into An Xiaoyan''s mouth.


    With his teeth tightly closed, An Xiaoyan refused to accept it. Gu Jun squeezed his jaw with one hand and forced open his mouth with all his strength.


    "Remember, don''t use your teeth. If it hurts me, this time next year will be your parents'' death anniversary."


    "Don''t be like a dead fish. Lick it. You just keep in this position and see how long you can hold it out."


    Time seemed to stand still. An Xiaoyan''s tongue, mouth and body seemed to have lost its sensation. His mechanical repetition of movements made his knees hurt on the cold floor.


    "Did you do this on purpose?"


    After a sudden strong kick at his numbed body, An Xiaoyan curled up on the floor. His chest felt as if a big stone was pressing on him.


    "Are you pretending again? If I don''t give you any pain today, you won''t know who you are. You can''t repay all that you owed me even if you die!"


    Gu Jun went to An Xiaoyan and turned him over. A sharp pain penetrated him. The feeling of tearing and bleeding rushed to the top of his head, and the constant pushing gave him a suicidal thought.


    Meanwhile, the door creaked open.

 Chapter 41

    When Father An saw the two squirming against each other while naked, he froze. This must be a dream. Yan Zi had been so obedient since childhood. This was impossible.


    Just as he turned around, Gu Jun called out at him.


    ��I��m dreaming,�� Father An said dazedly. ��Dreams are so realistic. I can even hear voices.��


    In less than a minute, Gu Jun had already put on his pants and was sitting on the bed, fully clothed and lighting a cigarette. ��You aren��t dreaming. This is your son.��


    Mother An heard noises, so she came over from the other room. When she saw the man on the ground, her face paled. Her first reaction was to cover the mess on An Xiaoyan��s upper body with a shirt.


    ��What��s going on? Aren��t you an official? How can you do this?�� Mother An��s voice was choked, but she still maintained her image.


    ��Who said bosses can��t do this? Your son voluntarily climbed into my bed. Ask him if you don��t trust me.��


    An Xiaoyan was woken up by a basin of cold water. The first thing he saw was the LED light hanging over his head and a familiar face.


    ��Mom����


    ��You still call me ��Mom��? Tell me, what��s your relationship with him?��


    This woke An Xiaoyan entirely. He looked at his body with difficulty and felt the intense pain coming from behind him. Tears spilled out of his eyes.


    ��I��m sorry, I��m sorry����


    ��Tell me, how did you get your job?��


    An Xiaoyan didn��t know what his parents thought of him now. In this isolated mountain village, no one had ever mentioned the word ��gay�� before. A girl would be gossiped about if a girl lost her virginity before getting married, let alone him doing something like this.


    When Mother An didn��t an answer, she shook him forcefully. ��Answer me! Are you still my son?��


    ��I don��t have a job.��


    Mother An froze. Tears streamed down her face too. ��I don��t have a son like you. Your dad and I worked so hard to put you in school so you can have a good life, not to do this. Don��t you feel sorry towards us?��


    When a lie was covered with a hazy veil, it looked beautiful from afar. But the moment the veil was lifted, the cruel truth would be more painful.


    An Xiaoyan looked around the room. Gu Jun sat on the bed, his father leaned against the door, and his mother knelt beside him. The light made everything seem like a dream, but it was only a dream. It was time to wake up. He had no need to keep lying.


    ��Everything is real.�� These words stabbed his heart. An Xiaoyan didn��t know how he said it aloud. It was just meaningless to keep hiding it.


    ��Go. Don��t come back.�� Father An��s strong body suddenly felt fragile. An Xiaoyan pushed himself up. He put his clothes on and kowtowed three times with his weak body. Then he limped outside.


    ��You too. I��ll pretend nothing happened these days.��


    Gu Jun brought the sleeping child on the bed. He called his driver and walked out too.


    ��If you��re not an official, if you��re not rich, I��ll definitely break your dirty leg.��


    ��Then thank god I��m rich.��


    When everyone left, the room quieted down. Father An slumped in a chair, still in disbelief. How could his Yan Zi turn into this?


    ��Should I chase them back? The child��s still hurt.�� Mother An couldn��t recover either, but Yan Zi was still her son. He was a piece of her. She was hateful, but her heart still hurt.


    ��Why chase him back? Just say he died in a car accident. The An family doesn��t have a son like him!��


    Mother An knew people gossiped cruelly in the village. She couldn��t accept that her son did those things with a man. She could only cry in a corner. What kind of karma was this?


    An Xiaoyan walked down the road. The pain in his body dug into his heart and his tears still flowed. He only had a thin shirt on his back. He had to stop and rest against a tree every few steps. He should��ve known what kind of person Gu Jun was. He shouldn��t have come back.


    What was the point of living? He didn��t have a home anymore. He had nothing anymore. His parents had gone easy on him by letting him go instead of beating him to death��


    He took one step, two steps, three steps, and then fell to the ground with a thud.


    Gu Jun��s car drove down the moonlit path. Gu Jun sat in the backseat. When he saw An Xiaoyan lying beside the road, he didn��t tell the driver to stop. They whooshed past.


    When they really passed him by, the exhilaration of revenge was drowned by worry. It was night. What if there was a robber? There might be coyotes or wolves in the mountain too. What if he was eaten?


    The more Gu Jun thought, the more restless he felt. What was he worried about?


    The image of An Xiaoyan alone on the mountain kept appearing before his eyes. The figure under the sun had made him lose his mind. When rings of light shone on An Xiaoyan��s body, he actually wanted to hug that thin frame.


    ��Turn around.��


    The driver couldn��t process this. Was his boss serious? This was a one-way street. Making a U-turn was so dangerous.


    ��Don��t tell me you don��t know how to turn around.��


    The driver gulped. He��d only driven in the big city. It was his first time driving on a rural path and it was nighttime too. He��d be lying if he said he wasn��t scared, but he also knew Gu Jun��s temper. If he didn��t turn around, he��d be fired.


    While he was still debating, Gu Jun spoke again. ��Get off. I��ll drive. You wait on the road with the Young Master.��


    Before the driver could react, he was already holding the kid and standing on the side of the road. He watched as the two headlights drove into the distance. The light cut open the darkness, ripping the horizon apart.


    An Xiaoyan��s expressions of sadness, forbearing, and resilience flashed past Gu Jun��s mind. Cursing under his breath, he floored the gas.


    A burst of emotions suddenly bloomed within him, making Gu Jun even more annoyed. He��d never worried about anyone in his 29 years of life. He��d never felt this kind of anxiety. An Xiaoyan, you better be okay. Otherwise, I��ll punish you after you wake up.


    The headlights shone on the body beside the road. Gu Jun ran toward him without even waiting for the car to fully stop.


    Under the yellow light, it was as if An Xiaoyan��s face had a layer of gold. Gu Jun pushed aside the hair on An Xiaoyan��s forehead. He wrapped the man in a jacket and carried him onto the backseat.


    After he started the engine, Gu Jun floored the gas pedal again. While driving, he peered at the man in the backseat from the rearview mirror. The nerve inside Gu Jun��s heart started pulsing again. An Xiaoyan belonged to only him.


    Chen Chen had already received Gu Jun��s order. He went to the city closest to An Xiaoyan��s home. Gu Jun had a company there. They didn��t have to worry about somewhere to stay.


    In the evening, a dirty black business vehicle cruised to the agreed-on location. Chen Chen was just about to open the door when Gu Jun got out with someone in his arms.

 Chapter 42

    ��Mr. Gu.��


    Gu Jun ignored him and went straight into the hotel lobby, then to the room that had already been prepared.


    ��What��s the matter?��


    The driver didn��t know what had happened. He simply described everything he knew. After Chen Chen heard everything, he knew it would not be so simple. ��What happened at Mr. An��s house?��


    ��I don��t know. I��m only responsible for driving. I��m not there for the rest of the time. Mr. Gu won��t let me go with him.��


    After a while, Gu Jun came out and lit a cigarette, then asked the driver to send the young master back to the villa. His child had a hard time during the journey back and he did not have the energy to take care of a child.


    Chen Chen followed Gu Jun to the room. The door to the bathroom was opened. An Xiaoyan lay in the bathtub, eyes closed, hands on both sides of the bathtub, pale and lifeless.


    ��Did everything go well?��


    Gu Jun sat down on the sofa and said with a serious tone, ��I seem to have done something wrong.��


    Chen Chen did not know what he was talking about. He started narrating all the recent events that happened in A City, one at a time. ��Old Mr. Gu announced that he would elect the next chairman of the Gu family in a year��s time. Either you or Mr. Gu Jing would be elected.��


    ��Hmm,�� Gu Jun gave an absent reply.


    ��People from the Finance Department have already made a calculation on this matter. If Gu Jing is elected, it will do a lot of harm to our company. Our company recently collaborated with Stars Entertainment Company. If we want to have a share in the entertainment industry, this collaboration project will be affected by the choice of heir.��


    Sheng Kong Group, a company founded by Gu Jun, was a personal property separated from his family. Now the power of the Gu family��s businesses still remained in the hands of Old Mr. Gu. The heir who ruled had always been the one who had founded his own company and survived under the oppression of other powerful families.


    ��What has Gu Jing been up to recently?��


    ��Gu Jing approached the Gao family recently. I bet he still bears a grudge that we seized the land from Southern Real Estate. Now he is trying to please the people from the Gao family, probably plotting to give us a heavy blow in the real estate industry.��


    Gu Jun despised people who formed an alliance through marriage. What��s the use of depending on women?


    After Chen Chen was done speaking, he passed by the bathroom when he was about to leave. When he saw the person lying inside, he pretended not to see anything. Gu Jun stopped him with a sentence.


    ��Do you think I��m cruel?��


    ��Mr. Gu, you have only done what you feel you should do. There is nothing cruel and heartless about it. There is something that I don��t know whether to say or not. I don��t think Mr. An should bear so much harm.��


    ��If he doesn��t suffer, who should suffer? Do you know how much I have lost?��


    ��Sorry, I overstepped.�� Chen Chen bowed before he retreated. As an outsider, he had no rights to comment.


    After a day��s rest in the hotel, Gu Jun rushed back to the company. It was time for the closing of the year. Many things could not be delayed.


    After getting off the plane, An Xiaoyan still did not wake up. He relied on a drip for two days to stay alive and looked pale. Chen Chen felt that he was carrying cotton on his back. Never had he seen a man so light.


    ��Take him back to the villa.��


    Chen Chen was stunned for a moment. Gu Jun never allowed outsiders into the villa. Inside the villa lived the young master and several servants. Gu Jun would usually stay outside for entertainment purposes.


    As soon as Chen Chen put An Xiaoyan on the bed, An Xiaoyan woke up and looked at the ceiling in a daze.


    ��You are awake. I��m going to order some food. You haven��t eaten in two days.��


    ��Where is this?�� A hoarse voice asked. Chen Chen poured a glass of water and handed it over.


    ��This is Mr. Gu��s villa.��


    It was Gu Jun again. Why did these two words always appear in his life? Since Gu Jun hated him so much, why must he bring him back? Gu Jun should have thrown him directly at the roadside. To him, it was better to be eaten by wolves than to suffer here.


    Chen Chen sat by for a while, he could feel that An Xiaoyan seemed different from before. He could not explain the feeling. An Xiaoyan somehow looked more melancholy.


    ��You should be happy that you got to go home.�� Chen Chen randomly changed a topic. The sadness in An Xiaoyan��s eyes made him feel as if he had said something wrong.


    ��Do you know how it feels to have every pillar collapse?��


    Chen Chen didn��t know the meaning behind this. Everyone living in the world needed support. Sometimes the support was their loved ones, sometimes family members or friends. In short, there must be something good worthwhile for them to live on.


    ��Then build a new pillar.��


    No, there won��t be any new pillars. There will never be any.��


    ��I want to eat apples. Can you peel an apple for me?��


    Chen Chen went to the living room. There was a fruit platter on the table. It seemed that the cleaning aunty came by every day. He took one apple in his hand and took a knife from the cabinet, then went back to the room to peel it.


    ��Well, I��m not very skilled. Please bear with me.�� Chen Chen��s impression of An Xiaoyan was good. Indeed, An Xiaoyan did something wrong, but he had already been punished. From a fair perspective, he still found this person likeable.


    ��Nevermind. I don��t need it to look that good either. Do you know what he meant by bringing me back?��


    ��I really don��t know. Don��t think too much about it. Although Mr. Gu is obstinate and violent, he always acts calmly and decisively. Mr. Gu is the most powerful person in the industry.��


    ��Hmm���� An Xiaoyan never believed that Gu Jun was a calm person. If he were calm, he would not ignore An Xiaoyan��s feelings and allow those things to happen in front of An Xiaoyan��s parents. If he were calm, he would let An Xiaoyan go. No, what right do I have to order Gu Jun? I have been a clown all this time. I do what Gu Jun says, just like in a circus.


    Chen Chen had planned to accompany An Xiaoyan until Gu Jun returned. However, when the meal arrived, the company called to say that something had cropped up and that he had to rush back to attend to it. ��I can��t accompany you for dinner. Something came up at the company. I have peeled the apple. Remember to eat it.��


    ��Thank you.��


    After Chen Chen left, An Xiaoyan kept staring at the knife on the table, an ordinary fruit knife, with a brand-new shiny face.


    An Xiaoyan held up the fruit knife on the table and ran his index finger across the blade. It was a very sharp knife with a sharp edge. If handled carelessly, one would definitely get hurt and bleed.


    From the moment he left the An family��s home, An Xiaoyan had nothing left to be nostalgic about. Gu Jun not only destroyed the only pillar of strength in his life, but also took Liu Cheng away. As for Ye Qing, he had entrusted her to Dong Zi. He was sure Dong Zi would take good care of her. After much deliberation, the most pathetic one was his ginger cat, Wonton. He only managed to spend half a month with it, and it was disposed of even before they could establish a relationship.


    The moment the knife touched his wrist, he shrank back in fear. In the past, his teacher said that this type of wrist cutting was painful. One had to cut his wrist deep enough to die. Sometimes, even if the cut was deep enough, the person might not even die. And, the person had to endure the extreme pain and cold from losing blood before dying. He could not withstand this type of pain and fear.


    After hesitating for a long time, An Xiaoyan put down the knife and put it under the bedstead.


    Gu Jun jumped in excitement at the thought of An Xiaoyan��s desperate expression. He finally had his revenge and made An Xiaoyan��s life worse than death.


    Back at the villa, when Gu Jun saw An Xiaoyan, a sudden image of An Xiaoyan��s silhouette under the sun flashed in his mind.


    He pressed An Xiaoyan��s head and kissed him roughly. Before his tongue reached into An Xiaoyan��s mouth, he was kicked in his stomach.


    ��Is it not disgusting enough?��


    Disgusting, An Xiaoyan had no right to say that he was disgusting!


    Gu Jun strangled An Xiaoyan��s neck and shouted, ��You feel disgusted?!��


    ��Everything is disgusting. Your expression, your body, your touch makes me disgusted. Since you don��t like men, why torture each other?��


    Gu Jun felt as if he was drenched with a bucket of cold water. ��I��m disgusting, right? Do you want me to show you what is really disgusting?��


    Giving no chance to An Xiaoyan to reply, he dragged An Xiaoyan into the car and pushed him in, then drove him to a place where nightmares were real


    Stopping at the door of Night Charm Luxurious Clubhouse, Gu Jun pulled An Xiaoyan out of the car. An Xiaoyan grabbed the handle of the car and did not want to get out. This place was the beginning of his nightmare; he would never want to go back again. He knew very clearly what Gu Jun was capable of doing to him. If Gu Jun were to throw him back into the clubhouse out of anger, his desire to live on would disappear again.


    ��Come down!��


    ��Are you going to throw me here again?�� An Xiaoyan shouted.


    ��Oh, you think too much. I only want to take you to meet a person, an old flame of yours.��


    An Xiaoyan did not know what Gu Jun meant. He never had an old flame.


    He dragged and pulled An Xiaoyan into Night Charm Luxurious Clubhouse. Everyone knew Gu Jun in the clubhouse. Seeing that Gu Jun had brought someone with him, everyone made way for him. An Xiaoyan was unable to break free.


    ��Get in.�� Gu Jun pushed him into the elevator and pressed down the button for basement third floor. ��Today you will see what disgusting really is and how many clean people there are in the world!��

 Chapter 43

    Level B3 was dim and damp. Noise came from the various rooms. Different from the above-ground environment, it felt eerie and wet here. The upper levels were about lust and richness. Here, it was filled with rot.


    An Xiaoyan was pushed forward by Gu Jun. Strange cries occasionally came from the rooms on either side. He looked back at Gu Jun and saw his eyes shining in the darkness. He was like a beast. An Xiaoyan randomly pulled aside a curtain. Seeing the scene inside through a slit, his hand shot back as if he��d been shocked by electricity.


    ��What is this place?��


    ��A disgusting place.��


    ��I want to go upstairs!��


    Before An Xiaoyan could walk forward, Gu Jun grabbed him, yanking his arm bag. Gu Jun��s cufflinks flashed.


    ��Let go!��


    ��You��re the first person who dares to talk to me like this. The main show hasn��t started yet.��


    An Xiaoyan guessed something. He grabbed Gu Jun��s suit jacket. ��What exactly did you do? If you did something, I won��t forgive you.��


    Gu Jun was unmoved. ��Okay, I��d like to see how that goes.��


    He continued dragging An Xiaoyan forward. The further they went, the louder the moans became. An Xiaoyan��s heart jumped in his chest. He had a feeling this had something to do with him.


    They stopped before a room. The panting inside was obvious. Through the crack in the door, he could make out a large bed.


    ��Go in.��


    An Xiaoyan reached out to open the door, but his hand stopped an inch away from the door. There was a huge secret hidden behind it. He wanted to unveil it, but he��d rather be left in the dark.


    He seemed to hesitate for a century. Then, taking a deep breath, he opened the door softly. The old door creaked and then he could see everything inside.


    When he saw the scene, tears streamed uncontrollably out of An Xiaoyan��s eyes. His eyes widened in horror.


    The people on the bed weren��t affected by the man at the door. They continued moving. The old bed seemed to teeter into An Xiaoyan��s heart.


    ��Gu Jun, why don��t you get run over by a car? Why are you still alive? Why did you do this to him?��


    An Xiaoyan punched Gu Jun��s muscular chest, but the chest was like a steel board. It didn��t budge.


    ��He chose this.��


    An Xiaoyan went to pull the men away. He smacked the ones that he couldn��t pull away with a stool. However, those men kept thrusting like zombies.


    ��Just give up. They��re all regulars that haven��t touched someone in a long time. They finally saved up the money to have some fun. They won��t give up so easily. Plus, they have a lot of diseases.��


    ��Liu Cheng, get up. Come with me.��


    The man lying on the bed just glanced up at the voice and then continued staring into space.


    ��You have a way, don��t you? Make them leave.��


    Gu Jun brought some muscular men from the outside and pulled away the people around Liu Cheng. An Xiaoyan fell to Liu Cheng��s side. He took off his jacket and wrapped it around Liu Cheng. He hugged his friend while calling out his name. What was this? It had only been a few months. How did this happen? An Xiaoyan hugged Liu Cheng��s body that was covered in sweat and a disgusting smell. He wanted to know what had happened.


    Liu Cheng seemed to have heard someone calling for him in the endless darkness. He saw a shred of light in the distance. He ran toward it with all his might and jumped out of the darkness. Seeing An Xiaoyan��s familiar face, he moved his lips and said weakly, ��Yan Zi, you��re here.��


    ��Yes, I��m here. What happened? Come home with me.��


    ��Yan Zi, we can��t leave anymore.�� Liu Cheng rose beside An Xiaoyan and shook his hand away. He pulled some clothes from the ground and put them on. Then he walked out the room. When he passed by Gu Jun, he said, ��Happy now?�� and left. An Xiaoyan, still dazed, was left alone.


    He started to run after Liu Cheng, but Gu Jun stopped him. ��He deserves it. What are you getting involved for?��


    ��Gu Jun, what did you do to him? Why do you have to involve the people around me? He��s different from me.��


    ��How is he different? Finish the show before leaving.��


    An Xiaoyan moved to chase after Liu Cheng, but a bunch of guards surrounded him right away. They blocked Liu Cheng and he disappeared from sight. An Xiaoyan squatted down and buried his face in his hands. He��d dragged Liu Cheng into this. It was alright if he was punished for the crime. Why did two people have to be hurt at once?


    ��I know you can save him from here. Tell me. What must I do?��


    Gu Jun smirked. ��If you take the initiative for once, I��ll take him out of here. You should know how fierce the men here are. With his body, he��ll be ruined very quickly.��


    ��F*ck off.�� An Xiaoyan tried to slap him, but Gu Jun caught his hand.


    ��You should fix your temper. You can show your claws sometimes but not every day.��


    ��If I do it, will you really take him out of here?�� An Xiaoyan asked cautiously. This was hell. If sacrificing himself again could save Liu Cheng, then it was okay. He��d caused this in the first place.


    ��I keep my word.��


    An Xiaoyan stood up and wiped away his tears. ��Okay. Take him away. I want to see him leave with my own eyes and I��ll satisfy your request.��


    Gu Jun snapped his finger. The guard beside him nodded and left.


    ��How do you want to say goodbye to your old friend? You want to make small talk with him or something?��


    This question was just a test. An Xiaoyan took a deep breath. ��I just want to see from afar.��


    Liu Cheng must not want An Xiaoyan to see his pathetic state. It was humiliating and he knew Liu Cheng. This was why he wanted to protect Liu Cheng��s last bit of dignity.


    The Night Charm��s sign glowed in the darkness. An Xiaoyan sat in the car. Through the window, he saw some people drag Liu Cheng out. Those were the Night Charm��s security guards. They were called security guards, but security guards were just there to prevent fights from happening. Mos of these people were from gangs.


    An Xiaoyan pressed against the window, staring at Liu Cheng. He watched Liu Cheng stand up and tidy his clothes. His messy hair fluttered in the night wind.


    His backside grew smaller and smaller. The moment Liu Cheng was about to disappear from his sight, Liu Cheng turned around and glanced at the black car in the distance. An Xiaoyan hurriedly rolled up the window to block their vision. He didn��t know that that would be their last time seeing each other.


    ��He��s gone. Why are you still looking?��


    An Xiaoyan snapped back to reality. Gritting his teeth, he asked, ��What did you do to him?��


    Gu Jun acted as if this was none of his business. ��He caused this for himself. It has nothing to do with me. But it��s partly because of you. The one who should die the most is you. You hurt them all.��


    An Xiaoyan froze. Yes, he��d caused all this. He didn��t know how many people he��d harmed with his own hands.


    The one who should die the most is you. The one who should die the most. Yes, he deserved to die. If he died, none of this would have happened. Before, he was afraid of dying, because he still had his parents. Now, he didn��t have family or friends. What was the point of living?

 Chapter 44

    With his last hope dashed, he was like a living dead man without direction and without knowing where to go.


    The clock on the wall showed that it was already 8 p.m. He would lose the chance if he did not act immediately. An Xiaoyan cruelly bit his finger, and dew-like blood oozed out.


    He drew a paper towel from the box and wrote on it using his blood. After writing a word, his finger stopped bleeding. An Xiaoyan bit his finger hard again. It was so painful that he took a deep breath, and red blood started oozing out again. After he finished writing a sentence, he picked up the paper towel and blew it dry, then placed it on the table. Next, he held on to the wall and walked out of the house.


    Walking into the bathroom, he sat in the bathtub. An Xiaoyan aimed at his left chest, closed his eyes, and ruthlessly stabbed himself.


    The knife penetrated deeply, and a liquid flowed out of An Xiaoyan��s mouth. His body slowly slid downwards.


    Gu Jun, although I have only one life and it��s worthless, this is the only thing I can do for you.


    If you still don��t forgive me, I��ll never have a chance to repay you in this life.


    Next life, if I can meet you again, I will repay it.


    I only hope you can take good care of Guo Guo.


    Before he lost his consciousness, he felt as if he was in heaven, surrounded by light.


    The night in the villa was as quiet as usual, and the quietness was broken by the voice of a child.


    After Guo Guo was brought home, he was all alone and felt bored. As children tend to be hyperactive at night, when Guo Guo was being put in bed, he could not fall asleep. When he heard some noise outside, he thought that his father was back.


    His short legs climbed up the stairs and he went upstairs. He smelled a strange smell, which he had never smelled before. He followed the scent and found An Xiaoyan lying quietly in the bathtub.


    ��Daddy, Daddy���� Guo Guo reached out and patted An Xiaoyan��s body, but he did not move. He would not move when he is asleep. Is he asleep?


    The red liquid in the bathtub was so beautiful. Guo Guo could not help dipping a little into his mouth. He cried immediately after the first taste.


    The nanny was about to lie down when she heard the child crying and rushed up to the second floor. When she saw the young master��s face full of blood and the person lying in the bathtub, she almost fainted. Isn��t this the man I saw the last time? How did Mr. Gu��s friend end up like this?


    The nanny��s hands shivered as she dialed 120. She stood in the living room on the first floor with Guo Guo in her arms, waiting anxiously for the ambulance to come. Why is Mr. An here? You are such a good man, please don��t die.


    Soon the siren from 120 came from a distance. Medical staff carried An Xiaoyan from the bathtub to the stretcher and rushed to the hospital.


    The nanny held Guo Guo tightly and covered the child��s eyes so that he could not see the bloody scene.


    ��Are any of his family members coming along?�� asked a little nurse.


    The nanny looked at the child in her arms and thought about An Xiaoyan, then made her own decision to get into the ambulance with Guo Guo.


    ��


    Gu Jun stood in the office and smashed everything that could be smashed. An Xiaoyan, are you a fool? I told you to die, and you really go and die. Don��t you have any backbone?


    If you die, who will pay the debt, who will atone!


    With the car key in hand, Gu Jun drove out of the garage to the hospital, but when he was about to turn, he went in the opposite direction.


    Opening the door of the room, a bloody smell surged out, as if announcing the last death.


    He had no courage to enter the bathroom.


    Gu Jun hated An Xiaoyan very much, but still could not accept the news that An Xiaoyan was dying.


    Maybe he was deceiving me. He probably just wanted to be free and me to forgive to him. If this is just an excuse, An Xiaoyan may have gone too far.


    What suicide? It��s just a reason he used.


    When he finally opened the bathroom door and saw a layer of blood in the bathtub, Gu Jun was stunned. An Xiaoyan is really dying.


    Gu Jun had never felt so desperate. These bloodstains are definitely not his. Maybe they are chicken blood or cat and dog blood.


    He went near the bathtub, dipped his finger in a spot of blood that was about to coagulate, put it near his nose and sniffed it gently.


    It was a feeling of familiarity, the smell of An Xiaoyan.


    Liquid flowed out from the corners of his eyes and across his cheeks, then finally onto his chest.


    It was tears. Why did he shed tears? He could free himself once An Xiaoyan was dead. He would not have any more hatred. But why did he tear up?


    An Xiaoyan was dying, he was leaving, and no one would accompany him to hate.


    After staying in the bathtub for almost half a day, Gu Jun wiped the corners of his eyes and returned to the bedroom again. An oxidized yellow apple was sitting quietly on the table with a lunch box labeled with the ��Feast of the World�� logo next to it. It looked like no one had touched the table. There was a piece of paper on the table. The line of dark red handwriting was very striking.


    ��Mr. Gu, I��m dead. Now I can at least pay off half of it. ��


    After reading the letter written in blood, Gu Jun drove madly to the hospital.


    There was no day and night at the hospital. At any time, a patient��s life can be hanging by a thread. When Gu Jun arrived, he saw the nanny sitting on the bench. Guo Guo was running around in the corridor, tugging the nurse��s trousers from time to time.


    ��Chen Chen, bring a sum of cash and a red envelope with you, then come straight to the First Hospital. I am waiting outside the emergency room.��


    Chen Chen had no idea what had happened and had to follow suit. He took the money and drove to the designated location. As soon as he got off the elevator and turned into the corridor, he saw Gu Jun holding his head with both hands, facing the ground.


    ��Mr. Gu, what��s the purpose of the cash?��


    ��Go to the doctors and nurses in the emergency department and tell them to save the person inside at all costs.��


    Gu Jun still maintained his posture after Chen Chen returned from his task.


    ��Mr. Gu, is the man inside Mr. An?��


    Gu Jun nodded numbly. Chen Chen��s heart sank and sat next to him.


    ��What happened?��


    ��I don��t know. It was the nanny who called and said that there was blood in the bathtub and they are in the hospital.��


    ��He committed suicide?��


    Gu Jun nodded with difficulty. He was unwilling to admit this fact, but this was the reality. No matter how much he tormented An Xiaoyan before, An Xiaoyan had never given up hope to live. An Xiaoyan said that he would not die and Gu Jun would not allow him to. Before he knew it, An Xiaoyan broke his promise.


    ��As far as I know, Mr. An is someone who values his life. He will not give up his life easily.��


    ��But he still gave up. He even said that he could pay off half of his debts when he is dead. Don��t you think it��s ridiculous for him to pay off a debt just by stabbing himself with a fruit knife?��


    ��Fruit knife? Is it an orange colored knife with a long handle?��


    ��How do you know?��


    ��When I was the villa, Mr. An told me that he wanted to eat an apple and asked me to peel one for him.��


    Gu Jun��s world suddenly collapsed. An Xiaoyan had already planned it. He wanted to die. When did he have such an idea? Is it after returning from the An family��s home?


    Why did you die without my permission?

 Chapter 45

    The surgery room��s light didn��t change from red to green until it was close to dawn. The moment it turned green, Gu Jun was at the door, waiting for the results. Chen Chen stood behind him, also waiting anxiously.


    ��The patient is no longer in danger, but he��s too weak. He will stay in the ICU for now. You can visit him when he��s moved to the regular room.��


    ��Okay, as long as he��s alive,�� Chen Chen said. ��Thank you, doctor.�� He knew that Gu Jun didn��t want An Xiaoyan to die.


    The nurse nodded and walked away. Gu Jun was still pressed against the door. Through the glass, he looked at An Xiaoyan sleeping on the bed.


    An Xiaoyan still had the oxygen mask on and all sorts of tubes had been stuck in his arm. They wrapped around him like a personal prison.


    The doctor took off his surgical scrubs and went over to Gu Jun. ��Thankfully, the knife only penetrated his ribs. If it had hit his heart, not even the most skillful surgeon could do anything about it. You should feel fortunate that his heart is more to the left. If it were in the typical position, his artery would��ve been stabbed.��


    He��s alive. When Gu Jun heard this, the pressure on him was lifted.


    Chen Chen went to support him. ��Someone earlier said he��s An Xiaoyan��s friend, but I stopped him,�� he said. ��Should I let him come now?��


    Dong Zi had put in so much effort this time. Thankfully, he��d met one of Brother Dragon��s friends who had a lot of connections. This helped him finally get news about An Xiaoyan. However, he didn��t think he��d receive news that An Xiaoyan had attempted suicide. His brother was such a good person. How could he attempt suicide? He had to get to the bottom of this!


    ��Who are you?��


    ��I��m An Xiaoyan��s brother.��


    Gu Jun never knew that An Xiaoyan had a brother. Just as he was about to speak, Dong Zi stopped him. ��Why did he attempt suicide? He��s so optimistic. He wouldn��t kill himself so easily! Is it because of you?��


    It was indeed because of him. He��d always said that someone like An Xiaoyan should go die. Now, he really did go die.


    When Dong Zi didn��t get an answer, he guessed that it must be because of this man. ��He��s suffered enough.��


    Gu Jun lifted Dong Zi up. ��Have I not suffered enough? Does my heart not hurt? Do you know what it means for me to lose a smart kid?��


    It dawned on Dong Zi. This was the relative of the person his brother had accidentally killed four years ago. ��But you can��t play with his life! Will you feel better if he dies?��


    It was hard to believe, but if An Xiaoyan died, Gu Jun might really be heartbroken.


    Gu Jun wanted to go in to see An Xiaoyan, but Dong Zi stopped him. ��You want to kill him again?��


    He didn��t know. Maybe he just wanted to see the electrocardiogram to be sure that An Xiaoyan was still alive.


    ��One of you come over. I have something to say.��


    Gu Jun voluntarily followed the doctor to his office. When the doctor closed the door, he held the report and asked, ��Who are you to him? Boyfriend?��


    Gu Jun didn��t deny it. He wanted to know what the doctor would say.


    ��I��ll be straightforward. When we did the full-body checkup, it showed that the patient��s anus has a big tear. It��s probably an old wound that never healed and caused this injury. I need to know what you think. Would you like to choose a surgery? Otherwise, if there��s an infection, it can affect his injury.��


    The doctor��s words made Gu Jun think back on all his actions. He seemed to have never cared about An Xiaoyan��s body. He��d never worried about such things. Each time, he only cared about his own pleasure.


    ��You caused these injuries, right? Remember to use some lube next time and don��t be so aggressive. If this continues, his body will really have some problems.��


    No wonder An Xiaoyan always seemed too thin. He��d given it too hard.


    ��Doctor, can I go in?�� The guy who called himself An Xiaoyan��s brother wasn��t going to let him in, so he had to turn to the doctor. Right now, he really wanted to see An Xiaoyan and confirm that he was alright.


    When he walked into the patient��s room and saw the quiet man on the bed, Gu Jun felt troubled.


    He quietly sat on a stool and started talking to An Xiaoyan in his mind.


    An Xiaoyan, you attempted suicide. You must be happy, right? You finally escaped my control. No, he should be mocking An Xiaoyan. He should mock this coward for not knowing anything except hiding in death!


    As he insulted An Xiaoyan, Gu Jun ran out of things to say. In the beginning, he hated An Xiaoyan. Whenever he saw the man, he would think of the mistake and want An Xiaoyan to go to hell. Later, he hated Liu Cheng for treating An Xiaoyan like a lover. Each time, Gu Jun said that someone like him should either go sell himself or beg and An Xiaoyan had really done that. He knelt before Gu Jun, begging, and worked at the Night Charm.


    But now, Gu Jun discovered that he didn��t hate these things anymore. Instead, he hated how weak An Xiaoyan was. How could he kill himself just because Gu Jun told him to?


    The man in bed didn��t know anything. He slept on. Without realizing, Gu Jun started caressing An Xiaoyan��s face. Xiaoyan, what am I supposed to do?


    When Gu Jun left the room, Dong Zi was gone. Chen Chen said he left and would come back when An Xiaoyan was awake.


    ��When did the doctor say he��d wake up?��


    ��The anesthesia has just passed. He��ll need three hours.��


    ��Okay.��


    For the first time, Gu Jun was unclear about what was in his heart. He knew he hated An Xiaoyan, but this hatred had other feelings within it!


    ��He��s awake.��


    An Xiaoyan finally woke up, but Gu Jun didn��t know how to face him. He was basically the murderer who had pushed An Xiaoyan into hell.


    ��Go check it out first. I need a moment.�� Thousands of thoughts flew past his mind, but none of them pointed the way to him.


    The man in the bed was awake. As soon as Chen Chen entered, he looked over with dull eyes.


    ��Mr. An, you��re awake?��


    An Xiaoyan couldn��t believe that he was still alive. Wasn��t he dreaming? He��d clearly aimed at his artery while stabbing. God really liked playing with him. Did he even lose the right to choose to die?


    ��If I��d have known that you��d use the fruit knife to kill yourself, I definitely wouldn��t have taken it out.��


    A weak yet resolute voice said, ��When Gu Jun��s here, please tell him that if he wishes for me to die, I��ll really kill myself.��


    An Xiaoyan��s face was expressionless. The calm expression and voice made it seem that he was talking about someone else��s matters.


    ��You can tell him personally when Mr. Gu comes. However, he doesn��t seem to really want you to die.��


    An Xiaoyan didn��t believe him. Didn��t Gu Jun expose his lie before his parents to humiliate him, make him lose all support, and drive him to die? He��d accomplished it.


    He didn��t want to live anymore. His body was so dirty and weak since his time in the prison. What was the point of living? Anyway, didn��t Gu Jun say that he could either sell himself or go beg? Now, no one would even want him. Instead of going onto a bridge and begging for change, it would be better to just die.


    Chen Chen watched An Xiaoyan from the side. He suddenly felt that An Xiaoyan was pitiful. The resilience and strength from before was completely gone. Now, he was like a thousand-year-old mummy. His appearance was the same, but inside, his body was withered and dead.

 Chapter 46

    ��You can��t eat solids yet. Here��s some specially made liquid food for you, have some.��


    An Xiaoyan took his eyes off the window and said indifferently, ��Don��t waste your energy on me anymore. Although I don��t understand why you saved me, I��ve lived enough. Don��t waste your money either. I��ll leave later.��


    ��It was the nanny who saved you. She��s outside with the young master now.��


    An Xiaoyan propped himself up and was about to go out, but Chen Chen stepped forward and laid him on the bed.


    ��Let go.��


    Both of them refused to budge. The voice of a child came from the door. Guo Guo ran in and climbed onto the bed. He shouted at An Xiaoyan in a loud voice, ��Daddy.��


    ��Not Daddy, I��m Uncle.�� When An Xiaoyan saw the child, his heart softened. Guo Guo��s tender voice made him give up the struggle and he went back onto the bed again.


    ��Uncle! Uncle!��


    ��You��re a good boy, you know how to call uncle already.�� An Xiaoyan struggled to raise his right hand to touch Guo Guo��s soft hair, and Chen Chen retreated to allow them time to be alone. He could see that An Xiaoyan really liked the young master. Only when facing Guo Guo, could he be willing to lay down his armor and face him with his most authentic self.


    ��This is the bed, this is the quilt, you will learn slowly.��


    Guo Guo did not fully understand what he was told. He continued looking at An Xiaoyan and nodded. He then grabbed the quilt and began to roll on the bed.


    ��Uncle Daddy.��


    ��No, it��s Daddy and Uncle.��


    Guo Guo repeated, ��Daddy and Uncle.��


    Gu Jun saw through the window at the door and the heartwarming scene hit the softest part of his heart.


    When Guo Guo was tired of playing and fell asleep in the ward, Gu Jun threw his cigarette into the garbage can, calmed down and made up his mind to enter the ward. The VIP ward was very large and the orange leaves of the ginkgo trees were clearly visible outside the window sill.


    The first glance at the door revealed An Xiaoyan staring at the ginkgo tree outside the window. Despite donning the hospital clothes, he exuded a sense of beauty with his straight nose and white lips.


    ��Woken up?��


    The voice stimulated An Xiaoyan��s body like an electric current. He shook his head in horror, lifted the quilt from the bed with his legs, and knelt down on the floor.


    ��Mr. Gu, I only ask for you to let me live for one more day. Tomorrow I will knife myself again. The last time round, the knife was not stabbed accurately. This time, I will make sure that I stab myself accurately and deeply. I will never wake up again.��


    Upon hearing those words, Gu Jun��s anger rushed from his feet to his head, and he shouted, ��Who told you to die?! Did I tell you to die?!��


    An Xiaoyan trembled and laughed bitterly. Yes, Gu Jun can��t give up so easily. How could he let me die so easily? Then he said, ��Okay, I can sell my body. The debt that I owe you, I��ll pay it back with the money that I earn selling my body. Once I��m able to get out of bed, I��ll go.��


    A slap hit An Xiaoyan on the face. The burning pain made him dizzy. Gu Jun said, ��Why do you want to do this? Did I tell you to do that? How dare you directly violate my orders!��


    ��Mr. Gu, I know you are mocking me. I don��t have the right and purpose to live. You don��t have to test me anymore.��


    ��I shouldn��t have saved you. Should��ve let you die!��


    After Gu Jun left angrily, An Xiaoyan held on to the window with the support of the bed. The night was thick and the leaves of the ginkgo tree outside the window were brushed by the wind.


    Seeing Gu Jun��s angry face, Chen Chen knew that something must have happened again. After Gu Jun had been sitting down for a while, Chen Chen began to ask what had happened.


    ��He actually hates me so much. He said he would sell himself in two days�� time. Why did he say that? I told him I don��t need him to die. Why must he anger me?��


    ��What did you do?��


    This sentence woke Gu Jun up. Gu Jun responded, ��I, I hit him. When I saw his indifferent look, I got angry and couldn��t control myself.��


    Gu Jun looked at his hand. There was still a little scarlet on it. It was the mark left by that slap.


    After An Xiaoyan was slapped, the wound that had just healed on his chest cracked open again, and liquid was flowing out from the corner of his mouth slowly. The basic instinct before death made him reach out for the bed bell. But in the final vision before he lost his consciousness, the bed bell seemed to be drifting farther away from him until he could not see it anymore. The moment before he fell unconscious, he heard someone yelling for the doctor, but he was tired and wanted to fall asleep.


    When he was a kid, there were always cartoons showing the characters escaping from earth in a spaceship. Now he really wished to escape.


    The wound finally closed again and An Xiaoyan insisted on being discharged. A group of nurses advised him to wait for a few more days. However, he was determined to get out of bed.


    He had difficulty getting out of bed and insisted on leaving. Gu Jun took him in his arms and carried him out of the ward in the presence of everyone.


    ��Mr. Gu, let me down. I can walk by myself.��


    ��It will take forever for you to walk out on your own.��


    After germination, it will grow rapidly. Even if it is under control, it cannot be stopped. The more restrained, the greater the desire.


    Lying in Gu Jun��s arms, An Xiaoyan did not understand why he did this. Was it out of pity for me? Or does he wish to continue torturing me? Where is he going to take me? Forget it, it��s the same everywhere.


    Gu Jun took him to the car, deliberately lowered the car seat and let An Xiaoyan lie on it. He ensured that everything was fine before driving.


    The traffic lights on the road were constantly changing, just like Gu Jun��s mood. He wanted to take care of An Xiaoyan and his body. Seeing An Xiaoyan appear so weak, his heart ached. But he did not know how to express all of this.


    After some time, An Xiaoyan felt very cold. Gu Jun carried him out.


    It was Gu Jun��s villa, his nightmare place.


    ��Mr. Gu, let me down. I don��t deserve to live here. I have a rented house.��


    Gu Jun��s actions were never questioned. He took An Xiaoyan into the guest room on the second floor and put him on the bed.


    Guo Guo was playing with toys in the living room. When he saw An Xiaoyan, he dropped the toys and went upstairs with open arms to embrace An Xiaoyan.


    ��Uncle Daddy, Uncle Daddy����


    The babysitter quickly pulled Guo Guo back and sat at the side.


    ��An Xiaoyan, don��t leave, live here, this is your home.��


    The commanding tone forced An Xiaoyan not to retort, ��Okay, I��m not leaving.��


    He could not go against Gu Jun��s orders and there was nothing wrong about obeying.


    ��Uncle and Daddy����


    Guo Guo climbed onto the bed again, smiled at An Xiaoyan, and boldly embraced his body, rubbing against his chest.


    ��Play����


    The inarticulately spoken words sounded like a surprise to An Xiaoyan. He pulled Guo Guo to his side and said, ��Okay, Uncle will play with you. What do you want to play with?��


    Guo Guo took out a small train and handed it to An Xiaoyan. He took it and said to Guo Guo, ��This is huo che.��


    ��Guo ze.��


    ��It��s huo che.��


    ��Guo che.��


    ��Huo che.��


    ��Huo che.��


    An Xiaoyan had been living in the villa for two days. Gu Jun had not been home during these two days, leaving An Xiaoyan and Guo Guo, together with a few servants, in the villa. It was as if the servants had agreed beforehand, none of the servants appeared within An Xiaoyan��s sight. The nanny was the only one who would appear periodically to make milk for Guo Guo.


    ��Mr. An, you take care of people so well, the young master can depend on you in the future.�� the nanny meant every word she said. Since the young master came home, he not only became lively, but also spoke. He became curious about many things, and was especially close to Mr. An.


    ��He��s still a child. He��ll learn as long as you teach him slowly.��


    The nanny could not gauge his mood and asked, ��Mr. An, why did you�� a few days ago?��


    She did not complete her sentence but An Xiaoyan knew what she was asking. He replied, ��I��ve lived enough. Maybe death is a kind of relief, but now it seems that I can��t be relieved.��


    ��Mr. An, it��s good to be alive. You see, young master likes you so much. There��s always a lot of happiness when you��re around him.��


    An Xiaoyan did not reply. He just sat quietly and looked at Guo Guo who was playing with the small train at the other side of the room.


    If he could teach Guo Guo and make Guo Guo become a normal child, could his sin be reduced?


    Winter was approaching, the plane trees outside the window had already withered, and the cold wind was whistling.


    Gu Jun returned home to see An Xiaoyan looking out the window, staring at the last leaf on the plane tree. An Xiaoyan looked like a fairy, quiet and beautiful. This made Gu Jun stand in the doorway feeling fascinated.


    Ever since An Xiaoyan committed suicide, Gu Jun knew what it was like to be fearful. He feared that one day he might suddenly see the body of An Xiaoyan. He did not know what kind of feeling this was. He hated it, but was reluctant to part with it.


    Guo Guo shouted and greeted Gu Jun, holding a small train in his hand. He grinned and said, ��Huo che, huo che.��


    This was the first time that he heard words from his son in his presence. Gu Jun squatted down, looked at his son, who bore a striking resemblance to himself, and touched his head. ��Hmm, huo che. Daddy will buy you a box of toy huo che, alright?��


    Guo Guo raised his head and kissed Gu Jun on the face. It was the first time Gu Jun did not resent baby saliva on his face.


    An Xiaoyan heard Gu Jun��s voice and curled up to make himself less noticeable.


    But Gu Jun naturally chose to sit beside him, pick up the remote, and turn on the TV.


    ��Do you need me to do anything?��


    ��What do you want to do?��


    ��I will do anything. Even sleeping.�� He wanted to take off his clothes after he spoke.


    This extremely submissive manner did not arouse Gu Jun��s sexual desire. He only held An Xiaoyan in his arms and smelled him.


    Everything was the same, yet everything seemed to be different.


    ��You just need to stay at home, accompany Guo Guo or watch TV by yourself. Don��t go out.��


    ��Okay.�� Now his personal rights were under Gu Jun��s control and he obediently submitted to Gu Jun. Anyway, he was half dead. He would obey all that Gu Jun told him to do. After all, he had nothing left.


    ��That��s good.�� You��re not going to die. That��s good. I don��t want to withstand that fear anymore. As long as An Xiaoyan is trapped, he will not die.

 Chapter 47

    Gu Jun didn��t leave at night. An Xiaoyan sat at the dinner table, not knowing what to do.


    ��This is Mr. An��s dinner.�� The nanny placed the food down and left.


    ��How long will I stay here for?��


    Gu Jun put down his utensils. Hearing this, his heart clenched. Did An Xiaoyan hate him this much��to the point of being unwilling to be with him?


    ��Don��t go. Stay here forever.��


    He thought An Xiaoyan would protest, but his expression didn��t change. ��Okay. I won��t go.��


    Reassured, Gu Jun watched An Xiaoyan eat the pork porridge quietly. The two just sat there like that.


    ��Go wash up.��


    An Xiaoyan obediently went to the bathroom upstairs. When he went into the room with still-dripping hair, Gu Jun was already in bed.


    Gu Jun patted the bed, motioning for him to come. An Xiaoyan took off his towel without hesitation and sprawled onto the bed, naked. He waited for a long while, but nothing happened.


    Gu Jun straightened his body. ��Face me and sleep.��


    ��You won��t do it?�� His body had value now.


    Gu Jun wanted to say something, but he pushed it down. ��You haven��t recovered yet. Sleep.��


    Confirming that Gu Jun wasn��t moving, An Xiaoyan gradually dozed off. His health made him tired all the time.


    When steady breathing came from beside Gu Jun, he pushed himself up and lifted An Xiaoyan��s longish hair. He studied An Xiaoyan��s features seriously. His sickness hadn��t reduced his beauty at all. For some reason, Gu Jun��s heart started pounding.


    It was like electricity surged from his head to toe. He reached out to hug An Xiaoyan, resting his chin against the other��s head.


    When An Xiaoyan woke up the next day, no one was beside him. However, there was still a lump under the blanket.


    An Xiaoyan lifted the blanket. ��Hey!�� someone cried.


    Guo Guo, clad in pajamas, emerged from the blanket. An Xiaoyan almost fell onto the ground in fright. Seeing An Xiaoyan, Guo Guo laughed happily and used his stubby arms to take off his clothes.


    An Xiaoyan looked down subconsciously. In panic, he covered his lower half with the blanket, face reddening. He��d forgotten that he wasn��t wearing clothes. Thankfully, Guo Guo was still young and didn��t know anything. Otherwise, it would be quite awkward.


    ��


    As soon as Gu Jun got to the company, Chen Chen handed him a document. ��There��s an event at night. You have to go.��


    ��What kind?��


    ��The old man��s dinner. Apparently, he wants to investigate. Mr. Gu Jing is also going.��


    Gu Jun tugged down his tie in frustration. ��Got it. Prepare a gift. You��re going with me.��


    Gu Mansion


    The old man was almost 60 years old, but the core resources were still in his hands. One had to get his recognition to get the inheritance. This was why Gu Jun had to go back.


    By the time he arrived, everyone was there in the main hall. Old Gu glanced at his son with an upset expression. How could he be late for an event like this?


    ��I said seven o��clock. What time is it now?��


    Gu Jun ignored him. He sat on the couch and saw that Gu Jing had a girl beside him.


    Old Gu huffed. He��d raised his son, so he knew Gu Jun��s personality. ��This is Jing Er��s girlfriend, Gao Shan from the Gao family.��


    Gu Jun already knew about this. He looked down on those who relied on women.


    ��Alright, everyone��s here. Let��s start dinner.��


    Old Gu only called them back for appearances. One was his son and the other was his nephew. He only did this to show that he had no bias. Anyone could inherit his position if they had the abilities.


    When they��d eaten for a while, Gu Jing took a glass of wine and walked to Gu Jun.


    ��I heard that your enemy committed suicide?��


    ��What��s it to you? I don��t think it has anything to do with you, right?��


    Gu Jing smiled. ��It doesn��t, but recently, I heard that you have him living in your home now. That��s rare.��


    Gu Jun ignored him. After eating, he went straight to his car and left. There were lights outside the window. Thinking of the person waiting for him at home, he actually felt anticipation.


    The moment a smile appeared on his face, it froze. What was he anticipating? Seeing An Xiaoyan?


    The car parked beside a bridge for a long while. Gu Jun got out of the car and lit a cigarette. He gazed at the strings of light and rippling water across from him.


    After calming down, he seemed to understand something. A sliver of his heart had been filled by An Xiaoyan. The roaring waves flowed into his heart as well. They were unable to be settled, like his emotions that day he learned An Xiaoyan had committed suicide.


    The breeze felt chilly on his face.


    He touched his face and felt cold liquid. It was like at the hospital. His heart must really be moved.


    It was almost one a.m. when he returned to the mansion. Just as Gu Jun changed his shoes, he saw a small figure at the stairs on the second floor.


    His heart was filled instantly.


    ��Why aren��t you sleeping?��


    ��I can��t sleep,�� An Xiaoyan answered honestly.


    ��Let��s drink.��


    ��Okay.��


    Gu Jun took a bottle of whisky from the wine cellar and poured a glass for An Xiaoyan.


    An Xiaoyan clutched the glass and downed it without hesitation. He��d drunk so much at the Night Charm. His drinking abilities had improved too. However, he felt a bit dizzy after just one glass. He still wasn��t used to hard liquor like whiskey.


    Gu Jun didn��t drink at all. When he saw An Xiaoyan get sleepy, he put down his glass and brought An Xiaoyan to bed.


    ��An Xiaoyan?�� Gu Jun murmured.


    An Xiaoyan blearily opened an eye and said something like, ��Gu Jun, is it going to take a long time before I can repay everything?��


    Gu Jun stroked his cheek and lowered his head to kiss him. It was just a light touch and then he recoiled back. He touched his lips. He��d never thought a man��s skin could be so soft and sweet.


    The night was long. Gu Jun couldn��t fall asleep at all. After thinking for a long while, he sent a message to Chen Chen.


    Chen Chen saw Gu Jun��s message as soon as he woke up. Gu Jun told him to buy a lot of medical books and send them to the mansion.


    Are these for An Xiaoyan?


    ��


    ��Uncle! Uncle!�� Guo Guo exclaimed while pointing at the TV. There was an ice cream advertisement. ��Eat! Eat!��


    ��Guo Guo wants this?��


    Guo Guo nodded and looked at An Xiaoyan in anticipation.


    ��Uncle can��t go out right now. I don��t have money either. How about we wait for Daddy to come back and you ask him?��


    Kids always had strong desires. Guo Guo shook his head and tried dragging An Xiaoyan outside.


    ��Guo Guo, Daddy will be back soon. I can��t go out.��


    Guo Guo stopped. His big clear eyes shone with tears.


    Seeing that the tears were about to spill out, An Xiaoyan squatted down to comfort him. ��Uncle doesn��t have money. I can��t buy anything even if we go out, so let��s not eat it today, alright?��


    Guo Guo shook his head. He let go of An Xiaoyan��s hand and climbed upstairs. He handed An Xiaoyan a folded bill a while later.


    He really was thoughtful. An Xiaoyan took the money and hugged Guo Guo.


    ��Okay, Uncle will go buy it. You stay home and wait. You��ll have ice cream in a little bit.��


    Guo Guo climbed onto the sofa and obediently waited for An Xiaoyan to come back.


    It was starting to get cold outside. An Xiaoyan pulled his clothes tightly around him. This was a residential area and he didn��t know where he could find a store.


    He walked aimlessly and after a while, he reached the entrance of the neighborhood. A kind old man told him there was a store about a kilometer away.


    Thanking the man profusely, he walked to the store. As soon as he arrived, his phone rang.


    Liu Cheng had given him this phone. Seeing it, he thought of Liu Cheng and he felt heavy. The SIM card belonged to him previously. The other phone had broken after getting tossed into the wine at the Night Charm. Thankfully, the SIM card still worked.


    He hadn��t had a phone for a long while, so Dong Zi couldn��t reach him.


    ��Hello, Brother? You there? Bad news!�� Dong Zi��s panicking voice streamed over.


    ��Where are you?�� An Xiaoyan asked calmly. ��I��ll go there right now.��


    ��The warehouse. Hurry over.��


    An Xiaoyan was about to pay for the ice cream, but he couldn��t bother now. He took the money and hurried toward Dong Zi��s warehouse.


    He��d already lost Liu Cheng. He couldn��t lose anyone else. This was also a chance to make Dong Zi take Ye Qing away. An Xiaoyan was a demon. Anyone who touched him would get his bad luck.


    Guo Guo had given him a fifty. An Xiaoyan walked to a busier place and took a taxi to the warehouse.


    As soon as he got to the warehouse, Dong Zi rushed over. ��Brother, something happened to Ye Qing.��


    When he entered the warehouse, he saw Ye Qing sitting dazedly on the bed. Her eyes were empty. Her previous energy was gone.


    ��There��s a guy in her supermarket. They��d gotten along well, but yesterday, she came back and kept crying. I don��t know what happened. Nothing I say works.��


    She was probably hurt from love. An Xiaoyan took Dong Zi to the door and said, ��Take Ye Qing away. Don��t stay here anymore.��


    ��Is it because of that guy from the hospital? I should��ve beaten him up!��


    ��No, it��s because of Ye Qing. A change of scenery can help her recover. I can��t do much except wish you two will be okay.��


    Dong Zi was still too young. He really thought that An Xiaoyan was saying this for Ye Qing. He swore that he would protect Ye Qing.


    ��Remember to keep in touch.��


    ��Brother, you��re the one who should contact us. You don��t know how worried we were when we couldn��t hear from you for so long. You can��t abandon us again.��


    ��Okay.��


    ��Brother, live well. No matter what, nothing��s more important than your life. If you have trouble, tell me.��


    ��Okay.��


    Despite his words, An Xiaoyan didn��t know if this would be their last meeting. Even if they were just passersby in his life, they��d left the best memories for him.


    This was enough. Keeping the warmth in his heart was enough.


    When everything was settled, An Xiaoyan finally remembered what he��d promised. He��d been out here for more than three hours. He had to hurry back, or else Guo Guo would get upset.


    The more worried he was, the more difficult things were.


    He only had ten dollars left of the fifty that he used to come. He could only walk back.


    It took more than three hours to walk from the city to the house. There weren��t many drivers on the wintry road.


    As he walked, it started snowing. Snowflakes fell down on him. An Xiaoyan stopped walking and looked up at the sky. The snowflakes were so beautiful under the light, falling down one after another.


    A gust of wind blew over. He pulled his coat tighter while the snowflakes landed on his shoulder.


    The snow grew heavier. Gu Jun gazed at the whiteness in the distance. When he passed by a flower shop, he impulsively bought a bouquet of red silk-cotton flowers.


    The florist patiently explained to him that he should give these flowers to someone he liked, especially if it was his first time giving them flowers. They weren��t as bold as roses, but they represented newly-bloomed love.


    Gu Jun couldn��t wait to give them to An Xiaoyan. He could already imagine An Xiaoyan��s smile when he gave him the flowers.

 Chapter 48

    The moment the door opened, the whole villa was filled with Guo Guo��s cries. He had seen the advertisement countless times in the afternoon, but he did not receive his ice cream.


    ��Ice cream�� Ice cream���� Guo Guo repeated.


    ��Where is An Xiaoyan?��


    The Nanny came out of the kitchen and shook her head. She saw Gu Jun holding a bouquet of flowers, seemingly in a good mood.


    ��Where is he?��


    ��I don��t know.��


    Gu Jun��s gentle face changed instantly. He went to the room on the second floor and opened the door without finding anyone inside.


    Disappointment, resentment, discontent.


    He made up his mind to buy a bouquet of flowers, but An Xiaoyan was gone.


    Why should he be so sentimental? He said he would not let An Xiaoyan go and An Xiaoyan gave his promise. Why did he go?


    Isn��t life good here in the villa? How dare you leave the villa without my permission?


    Gu Jun threw the flowers on the ground and stepped on them vigorously. The orange flowers of Kapok fell from the branches and its leaves were instantly ground into mud-like form.


    Just when he was about to call Chen Chen to get An Xiaoyan back, he was stunned by the person standing at the door.


    Frozen hair, snowflakes covered body, red cheeks, and an ice cream��


    ��Where have you been?��


    An Xiaoyan first put the ice cream into Guo Guo��s hand and told the nanny to take the child away, then faced Gu Jun alone.


    ��To buy ice cream.��


    He was prepared for a punishment. After all, he went out on his own, defying Gu Jun��s order.


    An Xiaoyan was trying to control his frozen hands, take off his heavy coat, sweep off the snow on his clothes, and take off his sweater. When his hands were on his sweater, Gu Jun went forward to press against him.


    ��Sorry, I didn��t obey and stay here.��


    Gu Jun looked at An Xiaoyan��s frozen red lips, and his heart ached. ��It��s alright. Next time, if you wish to go out, just let me know. I��ll get someone to go with you.��


    ��I���� What he wanted to say was that he did not deserve it and that he would never go out again.


    ��Don��t apologize. You did right.��


    This sentence made An Xiaoyan feel at a loss. He would rather Gu Jun sleep with him or beat him up, which might make him feel better. Instead, what Gu Jun did made him feel weak.


    ��An Xiaoyan, raise your head and look at me.��


    Since this was an order, An Xiaoyan obediently raised his head. Just when their eyes met, a big figure appeared right in front of An Xiaoyan��s face.


    There was a warm breath on his lips, and his eyes could not help staring. An Xiaoyan wanted to push aside the great oppression, but Gu Jun held him firmly and refused to let him go.


    No usual violence and no aggression, their lips simply stuck together with no further action.


    Gu Jun held the person in his arms tightly. He wanted to warm this cold body up with his own heat.


    When An Xiaoyan was about to suffocate, Gu Jun let go of him. At that moment, his brain was blank.


    Why kiss me?


    Kissing was something that lovers do. Why did they not just stick to the usual biting? This kiss shocked him and made his heart beat faster. The winter cold disappeared with the kiss.


    It was as if Gu Jun��s little secret was exposed, he let go of An Xiaoyan and ran out of the room. He could not resist the temptation. It was such a wonderful feeling.


    Hearing the slam at the door, An Xiaoyan knew Gu Jun was still angry. The kiss must be a punishment for me.


    Gu Jun went to the bridge across the river again. It was snowing heavily outside. Nobody would be out at this temperature, but An Xiaoyan went out to buy an ice cream for Guo Guo in this extreme cold.


    The water below the bridge began to freeze. Winter was really approaching.


    After smoking a cigarette, Gu Jun was prepared to go back to the villa. A phone call came and all his joy was instantly extinguished.


    An Xiaoyan, how dare you to deceive me!


    Tightly wrapped in the quilt, An Xiaoyan still felt cold. He felt as if he had fallen into an ice hole, feeling very cold, but the heat inside his heart made it unbearable for him.


    Before he fell asleep, the quilt was lifted. Gu Jun saw An Xiaoyan curled up and went forward to pull down his pants, with no regards whether he was awake or not.


    Pain��


    It was so painful even in the dream, really painful, like a knife stabbed into the heart.


    The pain thoroughly awakened him, and An Xiaoyan was not at all surprised when he saw the person who was pressing against him.


    Sure enough, it was the real Gu Jun. That kiss was only a small punishment. The main punishment just happened. He did not resist, biting his lips hard, waiting for the end of it.


    ��Does it hurt?�� Gu Jun��s deep voice came.


    With a hard push, An Xiaoyan whimpered.


    My pain can only be alleviated when you feel pain. I feel tormented when I torment you. Let��s be in pain together.


    ��You shouldn��t lie to me. Why did you go out to meet others in private?��


    Gu Jun��s mind was full of the content which Chen Chen had reported.


    Mr. An went out to a warehouse in a village at the city. He met the man who was present in the hospital the last time.


    The two of them gave each other a hug before leaving.


    Mr. An seemed reluctant to go.


    What rights do you have to be kind to others? You still owe me a debt that you haven��t finished repaying. Why don��t you please me instead?


    Thinking of this, Gu Jun exerted more strength and pressed hard on An Xiaoyan��s right arm. The amount of strength seemed enough to break the whole arm.


    Immense pain could be felt from from An Xiaoyan��s arm. He wanted to move away a little, but how could his strength compare to Gu Jun��s? His arm did not move at all. At last, he gave in and lay like a dead fish.


    Disable the arm if you want. Anyway, it��s useless to keep it.


    After it was over, Gu Jun did not leave like usual, but lay beside An Xiaoyan, touching An Xiaoyan��s body as if it were a treasure. An Xiaoyan, if you use a little gentleness that you have for others on me, I would not hate you so much.


    An Xiaoyan��s arm felt as if it were disabled. He tried to life his right arm, but no matter how hard he tried, he could not. It felt as if his arm were a thousand kilograms in weight.


    There was a bottle with Kapok in it, on the table. No flowers were left, leaving only a few broken leaves on the stalk. No one knew who placed it there.


    Guo Guo recalled the fragrance of the ice cream he ate yesterday, knocked on the door and shouted, ��Uncle, ice cream!��.


    An Xiaoyan stared at the door. After a long time, the voice faded and became softer.


    He could not help but open the door and let Guo Guo in.


    ��Ice cream�� Ice cream����


    An Xiaoyan squatted down with the pain behind him and consoled Guo Guo, ��There is no more. Guo Guo, be good. You can��t eat too much ice cream, you��ll fall sick.��


    Guo Guo shook his head and took An Xiaoyan��s hand. Guo Guo looked like he was about to cry.


    Coincidentally, Guo Guo was pulling An Xiaoyan��s right arm. His right arm was dislocated, swinging around like a swing.


    Guo Guo found it interesting and continued to swing An Xiaoyan��s arm around. Guo Guo pulled it to and fro a few times, and An Xiaoyan broke out in cold sweat.


    ��Guo Guo, how about watching cartoons? Uncle is ill. I can��t play with you today.��


    An Xiaoyan pulled himself up and went downstairs. He turned on the TV and switched to the cartoon channel. After Guo Guo settled down, An Xiaoyan breathed a sigh of relief.


    Ever since Guo Guo stuck to An Xiaoyan every day, the babysitter would only come by during meal times. After all, she could clearly feel that Guo Guo had really changed a lot, he became happier and talked a lot more. Seeing the young master��s healthy growth, she felt relieved.


    But Mr. An seemed to getting more haggard.

 Chapter 49

    ��It��s almost New Year��s. You have to go back for the first shareholders meeting, so you should prepare for it.��


    ��Okay,�� Gu Jun answered while flipping through the documents. He wasn��t very interested in the position of the Gu family��s head. It was useless to him. Once he became the head, he would have a lot of responsibilities. Most of his time would get taken up, and he could achieve the same status with his own abilities.


    However, if Gu Jing got this position, there would be no place for him in this city.


    ��Also, the medical books that you had me buy have arrived. They have both English and the corresponding Chinese versions. They��re the most esteemed books on the market.��


    Gu Jun thought a bit. ��Have people send them back to the house. Oh, don��t let An Xiaoyan see.��


    Chen Chen nodded. Gu Jun really was hurt this time. This batch of books had cost a lot of money.


    An Xiaoyan never dreamed that Gu Jun would ask about his relationship with Dnog Zi, so he replied honestly.


    ��We��re just friends. We met in prison. I guess we��re prison mates.��


    They��d known each other since four years ago and lived together for so long. Gu Jun continued asking about the man without changing his expression. ��Did you do it with him?��


    An Xiaoyan froze. Realizing what Gu Jun met, he shook his head. ��He was released a year later. We��re just friends, really. There��s nothing more.��


    ��Really?��


    An Xiaoyan nodded.


    ��Then why did you hug?��


    ��Because he��s leaving.��


    This was the truth. Gu Jun had already checked. ��Come. I��ll show you something.��


    An Xiaoyan had never been to the library on the second floor. The only room he��d been to in this house was the one he slept in. He didn��t even know where Gu Jun��s bedroom was.


    The library was very big and the shelves of books emitted a nice fragrance. Gu Jun brought him to a shelf. Pointing at the books, he said, ��You can read these. You can come here when I��m not home. I��ll calibrate your fingerprint to the lock later. There are some other books too. That side is literature. This side is economics.��


    An Xiaoyan stared at the books. Dissection, biology, pathology��these were books from his university days, as well as some English ones.


    ��This is your reward for speaking the truth and not liking anyone else.��


    He��d planned on letting An Xiaoyan use the library if he said that he hadn��t had sex or liked anyone else. If he said anything else, Gu Jun didn��t mind making things hard for him.


    Fortunately, he got the answer he wanted. If he��d gotten anything else, he might not be able to handle it.


    An Xiaoyan realized that Gu Jun did all this so he couldn��t like anyone else. He couldn��t have feelings for anyone else.


    Gu Jun waited for An Xiaoyan to thank him, but was only asked, ��Why?��


    ��No special reason.��


    ��Oh, okay.��


    ��Xiaoyan, don��t go out anymore. Just stay here and read.��


    ��Okay.��


    ��If you��re tired, you can play on the laptop. There are a lot of games on it.��


    ��Okay.��


    Gu Jun looked at An Xiaoyan, who was wearing uncomfortable clothes, and suddenly felt a bit of pity. He walked over and realized that something was off with An Xiaoyan��s right arm.


    ��What��s wrong? Your right arm.��


    ��I fell when going downstairs,�� An Xiaoyan lied. ��It was an accident.��


    ��Be more careful in the future.��


    The gentle tone confused An Xiaoyan. Was Gu Jun being caring? No, he couldn��t. Gu Jun hated him so much. He was probably just worried that An Xiaoyan would damage the stairs.


    ��I��ll take you out tomorrow.��


    An Xiaoyan shook his head. ��No, I��ll just stay here.��


    ��I��m giving you permission this time.��


    ��It��s okay. I don��t need to go out.��


    Should Gu Jun be satisfied or hurt? He really didn��t want to restrict An Xiaoyan��s freedom. He just wanted An Xiaoyan to tell him before doing anything. He wanted to hear about the good, the bad, the happy, and the unhappy.


    ��I won��t go to work tomorrow afternoon. I��ll come get you.��


    I��ll come get you. I��ll come get you? What did Gu Jun mean? Was it because An Xiaoyan��s injury had healed and Gu Jun wanted to take him to the Night Charm to work as a male hostess? Or make him kneel on the bridge and beg for money?


    But he still said, ��Okay.��


    This was the only way to keep Gu Jun from getting angry��to keep himself from getting hurt too badly.


    The ��okay�� sounded like a plead to Gu Jun. An Xiaoyan agreed and countless chirping birds flew out of his heart.


    After An Xiaoyan got out of the car, he looked at the empty mall in confusion.


    ��Choose whatever you like.��


    ��I don��t like anything.�� He didn��t recognize these brands. He couldn��t afford them either.


    ��It��s okay. Tell the truth. If you like something, try it on.��


    The salesperson enthusiastically pushed a bunch of clothes on An Xiaoyan, moving him around like a puppet.


    ��This, this, and this. Take it all.��


    The salesperson was totally excited. She��d met a rich man today who was generous with money. She started calculating how big of a bonus she could earn this month.


    ��Sir, hurry and try it on. It��s our new style for the season. Your skin is pale, so this light-colored sweater suits you.��


    An Xiaoyan held the sweater and glanced at Gu Jun. He didn��t go into the fitting room until Gu Jun nodded at him.


    Gu Jun picked up a magazine from the table. He kept flipping the pages, but he didn��t register a single word. He was imagining how An Xiaoyan would look in these clothes. He must look great.


    He waited a long time, but no one came out. Gu Jun started getting worried, but he felt like he shouldn��t just barge in. Five more minutes later, he couldn��t take it anymore and went to knock on the door.


    ��Uh, just a bit longer.��


    Gu Jun was reassured after hearing from him. He continued to wait, but the salesperson got worried. It had been enough time to try on ten pieces of clothing, let alone one.


    ��Open up!��


    When there wasn��t a reply, Gu Jun started pounding on the door. Was An Xiaoyan not even willing to try on some clothes? Gu Jun had nicely taken him out to buy clothes. Why couldn��t An Xiaoyan understand this?


    ��If you don��t come out, I��m going to kick the door in.��


    The salesperson was terrified. They��d seemed like a loving couple earlier, but now they were like enemies.


    With a click, the door opened. An Xiaoyan only poked his head out. Gu Jun saw his bare shoulder and stepped into the fitting room, closing the door.


    ��What��s wrong?��


    An Xiaoyan hung his head and said helplessly, ��My arms don��t have strength. I can��t put it on.��


    Gu Jun finally noticed his hanging right arm. His upper body was bare of clothing.


    An Xiaoyan��s arm still hadn��t healed. He should��ve told me. Why does he keep it to himself?


    ��I��ll have Zhang Zilan take a look when we go back. I��ll help you put it on today.��


    By the time An Xiaoyan understood what he meant, Gu Jun��s hands were already wandering across him. Gu Jun lifted his right arm and slowly passed it through the sleeve. He even remembered to help An Xiaoyan straighten the clothes at the end.


    When the salesperson saw An Xiaoyan walk out, her eyes brightened. If An Xiaoyan had a bit more meat, he could be a model. His pale skin suited this style perfectly too.


    ��Looks great.��


    ��No, Mr. Gu. It doesn��t look great and it��s too expensive.�� An Xiaoyan had looked at the price tag when he got the sweater. It was four digits. He didn��t have a cent to his name now. How could he buy it?


    Gu Jun lowered his eyes to hide his faint sadness. ��It��s not expensive as long as it looks good.��


    An Xiaoyan insisted on taking it off, but Gu Jun pressed down on his shoulder. ��If I tell you to wear it, you wear it. If I say it looks good, it looks good, got it?��


    An Xiaoyan didn��t refuse this time. He stopped struggling and smoothed the clothes. ��It looks good.��


    After a pause, Gu Jun said, ��Pick out some more.��


    ��Okay.��


    In the end, An Xiaoyan chose a few pieces. When Gu Jun saw An Xiaoyan in the new clothes and a new temperament, his mood lightened.


    As soon as An Xiaoyan got home, he put the clothes in his room and then searched every room for Gu Jun. Finally, he found Gu Jun in his room, freshly showered.


    He was drying his hair when An Xiaoyan went to his side. An Xiaoyan dropped to his knees and tried to take Gu Jun��s towel. He didn��t even touch it before Gu Jun stopped him.


    ��What are you doing?��


    ��Paying you back.��


    Gu Jun remembered that he��d said that An Xiaoyan could pay his debt with sex. Was he trying to use this method now?


    ��I��ll help you. Those clothes today����


    An Xiaoyan, why do you interpret everything as me wanting to f*ck you and make you pay me back? You don��t owe me money. You owe me a person, your body, and your heart.


    ��No need. No need today. Go rest.��


    Gu Jun avoided An Xiaoyan. He took out some clothes from the closet and went downstairs. He didn��t want to face An Xiaoyan like this, but if he didn��t imprison An Xiaoyan like this, Gu Jun had no chance to see him.


    Left alone, An Xiaoyan kept kneeling on the ground. Did Gu Jun not even give him the chance to repent now? It wasn��t bad though. He owed so much. This was just a bit more.


    Gu Jun drove aimlessly through the city and arrived at the Night Charm. It was still filled with music and revelry. When he entered, the hostess on the side went to welcome him.


    ��Get me a drink.��


    Gu Jun sat in the room alone. The screen played a song, but he��d never thought love songs could be so sad.


    After he finished the glass, the door opened. Gu Jun glanced over and saw the man he��d stolen from Gu Jing.


    ��President Gu, why are you drinking sadly here alone? Want to drink together?��


    Gu Jun didn��t reply, so Nan Qiang sat down anyway.


    ��You��re busy recently, huh? You haven��t come to have fun in a long time. It seems that your company is really busy.��


    ��And you aren��t busy? It��s almost the end of the year. President Nan, if you have anything to say, just say it. I don��t like beating around the bush.��


    Nan Qiang stopped pretending. He picked up his glass and clinked it against Gu Jun��s. Smiling, he said, ��The boy you brought last time was quite good. He could really take it and didn��t make a single sound in bed. I thought I could move on after playing with him once, but it��s been so long, and I still think he was great. I��ve never met anyone else who��s so obedient.��


    Gu Jun��s eyes hardened. Thankfully, Nan Qiang couldn��t have sex. If he��d really touched An Xiaoyan, the man wouldn��t be standing here right now.


    ��What, you want to try again?��


    Back in the day, Gu Jun wouldn��t pass up this chance to levy a debt on someone. Now, he wouldn��t allow anyone else to touch An Xiaoyan.


    His words were casual, but his tone showed that he wouldn��t allow it.


    ��That��s not nice. We��re partners, after all.��


    ��If we��re not partners, you wouldn��t be sitting here right now.��


    Nan Qiang vaguely felt that Gu Jun seemed to care about that man, but it might be his mind playing tricks. Who would care about a prostitute? Since he wasn��t getting his way, he didn��t have to stay here anymore. He would meet many people in the future. There was no need to get caught up on this one.

 Chapter 50

    Early this morning, Gu Jun looked cold. There was only An Xiaoyan in the house. He went and stood beside Gu Jun.


    Smelling the alcohol emanating from Gu Jun��s body, An Xiaoyan could not stop himself from frowning, but he quickly shed the expression.


    During his days in Night Charm Luxurious Nightclub, he used to be the same, returning home daily reeking of alcohol. He was not qualified to detest the current state of Gu Jun.


    Although he drank a lot of wine, Gu Jun��s mind was still sober. He leaned on An Xiaoyan and wanted to ask him how painful it was when he spent the night with Nan Qiang at the Night Charm Luxurious Clubhouse.


    How much did he endure that a person like Nan Qiang, who was known to have low boredom threshold and fond of cycling through partners, would reminisce the feeling.


    He bit his tongue and could not bring himself to say a single word.


    It was obvious that he was the one who pushed An Xiaoyan into the pit of fire. If he were to ask that question, it would be like pouring salt over the wound.


    After Gu Jun closed his eyes and leaned on An Xiaoyan for a while, he could feel the stiffness of An Xiaoyan��s body. Gu Jun said something indirectly.


    ��Are you afraid of pain?��


    Pain? Who is not afraid of pain? That type of heartbreaking feeling makes living worse than death.


    Looking at the An Xiaoyan��s expression, Gu Jun knew the answer.


    ��Then how did you survive that night at Night Charm Luxurious Clubhouse?��


    It felt like a wound which was scarred and healed, but was torn open and bleeding again.


    An Xiaoyan did not answer, but pushed Gu Jun aside and knelt on the floor.


    Without any dignity, his forehead touched the ground and a muffled sound shook Gu Jun��s heart.


    ��Get up. In the future, you are not allowed to kneel without my permission. Get up!�� An Xiaoyan, why do you want to see yourself lighter than dust? Why do you kneel so easily?


    At Gu Jun��s command, An Xiaoyan stood up.


    ��Don��t throw me in there again. I can do anything, as long as you don��t give me to that man again.�� That night he saw a fat man, rubbing his body vigorously, as if to rub off a layer of his skin.


    The physical pain was so severe that he had to bite on his lips hard throughout the ordeal. In the end, his mouth was covered with blood.


    I won��t throw you in there again. I won��t let you experience that kind of pain again.


    ��Don��t kneel on the floor so casually in the future.�� The floor is cold, not good for your knees. But he could not bring himself to say it out loud.


    ��Okay.�� An Xiaoyan paused for a moment and then added, ��I��ll only kneel again when Mr. Gu asks me to kneel.��


    Gu Jun had a feeling of helplessness. An Xiaoyan was so obedient at all times. He preferred that An Xiaoyan had a little temper, cried and expressed his real thoughts.


    ��I��m going to bed.��


    An Xiaoyan walked him upstairs. After the door was closed, An Xiaoyan was about to leave when Gu Jun came out of the room again.


    ��I��ll sleep in your room.��


    Lying in An Xiaoyan��s bed, Gu Jun deeply inhaled the scent coming from the quilt. It was the smell of An Xiaoyan. The familiar smell relaxed Gu Jun��s nerves and he gradually fell asleep.


    Only by making sure that An Xiaoyan was by his side could he feel at ease.


    An Xiaoyan glanced at the person in bed, closed the door gently, and went downstairs to sit in the living room on the first floor.


    Just as he sat down, Guo Guo came down from the other side of the stairs and skipped to sit beside him.


    ��Guo Guo, you��ve woken up so early.��


    The nanny came panting and put on the young master��s sweater. ��He woke up early in the morning and called out to you. He wasn��t even properly dressed before he got out of bed. I couldn��t catch up with him.��


    Guo Guo hugged An Xiaoyan��s waist and rolled all over him. No matter how hard the nanny persuaded Guo Guo, he would not listen.


    ��Guo Guo, let��s go and eat breakfast.��


    Guo Guo nodded and pulled An Xiaoyan to the dining room. An Xiaoyan��s feet were just about to touch the floor when Guo Guo slipped his slippers under his feet.


    ��Such a good boy.�� An Xiaoyan smoothed Guo Guo��s hair that stood up, and his mood was elevated. No one had ever done this for him, and this person was only a child.


    With slippers on his feet, An Xiaoyan opened his arms and tried to carry Guo Guo. It was only a dozen steps from the living room to the dining room. However, An Xiaoyan was panting so hard, as if he had just fought a battle.


    It was as if Guo Guo had discovered something new, as soon as An Xiaoyan put him down, he opened his arms and asked to be carried again.


    ��Eat your breakfast first. After eating, Uncle will play with you.��


    The nanny brought the breakfast out to the dining room. She gave Guo Guo some bread, milk and steamed buns. Yet, in front of An Xiaoyan was a bowl of meat porridge.


    ��This is what Mr. Gu had ordered.��


    Initially, he thought that it was simply a bowl of plain porridge, but it tasted so flavorful in his mouth. After stirring the porridge with a spoon, he found many pieces of pork at the bottom of the bowl.


    ��Mr. Gu told me to make some blood-enriching but light food. I made this porridge in the morning, it��s good for your health.��


    An Xiaoyan stared at the porridge and did not understand what Gu Jun meant. He had been living off Gu Jun, and wondered why did Gu Jun had to care about him?


    While he was still deep in thought, a spoon reached into his bowl. He looked up and saw Guo Guo eating his porridge.


    ��You can��t eat this. Children can��t eat this. Guo Guo, you can only eat this when you are older.��


    Guo Guo sat obediently and drank his milk.


    Gu Jun woke up and came downstairs. He saw two people lying on their stomachs on the floor of the living room, and was unsure of what they were doing.


    As he got closer, he saw that both An Xiaoyan and Guo Guo were playing with a jigsaw puzzle.


    The picture was a big duck with a big mouth. It looked really comical.


    Gu Jun picked up Guo Guo and put him on the sofa. An Xiaoyan slowly rose to his feet and stood next to Gu Jun with his head bowed.


    ��I��m sorry.��


    Gu Jun was puzzled by the unexpected apology. Before he could figure out the reason, An Xiaoyan went on.


    ��I shouldn��t have put the child on the floor.��


    ��An Xiaoyan.�� Gu Jun looked at An Xiaoyan who looked like he wished to bury himself.


    ��Hmm.��


    ��I��ll send someone to carpet the floor.��


    ��Great, then the young master can play on the floor.��


    ��Call him Guo Guo from now on, not young master.�� An Xiaoyan kept a low posture at all times, even bowing several times when he met the servants. Gu Jun wanted An Xiaoyan to raise his head and lift his chest, but in doing so, An Xiaoyan would feel that he was humiliated.


    Soon renovation workers laid a furry carpet on the first floor, which was as soft as cotton.


    The villa was furnished with floor heaters. Heat was steaming up from under the floor. The whole house felt warm and comfortable.


    An Xiaoyan was playing on the ground with Guo Guo in his arms. Gu Jun looked down at the duo from the second floor and saw the ankle of An Xiaoyan. He had a sudden revelation that there was nothing wrong with this.


    At least, An Xiaoyan was by his side, and he could see him at any time he wished.


    ��


    ��Are we sure we want to do that?�� Gao Shan asked with uncertainty.


    ��There��s nothing wrong with overthrowing Gu Jun. Besides, once I become the head of the Gu family, you will be the mistress of the Gu family.��


    Gao Shan felt that it sounded quite reasonable. In business, everything is competitive and very unforgiving. Besides, sooner or later, she would be part of the Gu family too, it would be reasonable for her to make use of the power from her family.


    ��I will tell my dad about this tomorrow. My dad knows many people from the media industry. Once this is uploaded online, I��m sure Gu Jun��s reputation will be tarnished.��


    Gu Jing embraced Gao Shan in his arms, though his eyes appeared somewhat grim.


    Gu Jun, finally, I��ve something that I can hold against you.

 Chapter 51

    ��Mr. Gu, there is some bad news floating around on the Internet. Did you see?�� Chen Chen asked worriedly.


    The Internet was ubiquitous nowadays. A spark could give way fire and if people added some tinder, it could grow into an inferno.


    Every day, the first thing Gu Jun did when he arrived at the office was to check the day��s economics news.


    He usually didn��t bother with the entertainment pages, but when his mouse glided past one, the picture in the center caught his attention. It was a picture of him and An Xiaoyan at the clothes store. He was helping to smooth An Xiaoyan��s shirt.


    The headline was: ��Night Club Prostitute Gets With Rich Man, Books Entire Mall.��


    Someone had purposely taken this photo. The angle focused on An Xiaoyan while only a bit of Gu Jun��s face was visible. Those who weren��t close to Gu Jun wouldn��t realize that it was him.


    There were all types of comments under the article.


    Prostitutes have such high status now. What can us poor people do?


    Shameless prostitute! Expose him!


    ��


    Everyone on the internet was talking about this and people quickly found all of An Xiaoyan��s information. He was convicted of murder four years ago, worked as a male hostess at the Night Charm, f*cked by 50-year-old men, seduced rich men, sold himself for money, and attempted suicide.


    There were horrible titles that made many people curious what An Xiaoyan was like in real life.


    ��Hire people to comment on these articles. Do everything possible to find the one responsible for this!�� Gu Jun clenched his fists when he saw this news. He tried to find a way to solve this while a sliver of fear crept into his heart.


    The news was right. An Xiaoyan had indeed done these things. Reading the comments, Gu Jun knew that it wouldn��t be so easy to resolve. It seemed that someone wanted to ruin his reputation, but because of his status, they couldn��t do it directly.


    Thinking of An Xiaoyan, Gu Jun felt fear. What would An Xiaoyan think if he learned of this? Would he try to kill himself again?


    The only thought he had now was that he couldn��t let An Xiaoyan know about this. Thankfully, An Xiaoyan stayed in the mansion. Gu Jun told him he could use the computer in the library, but he never used it.


    Without realizing, the servants in the mansion started looking at him oddly, but no one ever told him why.


    Since no one talked, he had no need to ask.


    The nanny observed An Xiaoyan for many days. Mr. An��s expression was always blank as if nothing had to do with him. She felt like An Xiaoyan wasn��t like how the news described him. After interacting with him for these days, she genuinely felt like Mr. An was a kind and patient man. He had no temper at all.


    One day, she couldn��t take it anymore and asked, ��Mr. An, did you hear the news?��


    ��What news?�� An Xiaoyan was confused.


    ��The news about you.��


    The nanny hesitated, but she still handed him her phone. An Xiaoyan didn��t say anything after seeing the bold headline. He returned the phone and went to the balcony alone.


    He looked into the endless cars and crowds in the distance.


    To be honest, the news didn��t anger him at all. He didn��t feel any ripple of emotions, because it was all true. If someone said those things to him, he would admit it directly. There was no point in hiding it. It was alright even if the entire world knew.


    Gu Jun subconsciously knew that An Xiaoyan would find out one day. There was no way to completely isolate him. Even the best lies and disguises would be exposed in the light of day.


    After he returned from work, he saw An Xiaoyan sitting quietly on the sofa, watching TV. The entertainment news was reporting on An Xiaoyan who��d swept the entire web by storm a few days ago. They analyzed the one picture, coming up with all types of stories. They even mentioned that his sugar daddy was a business magnate. He was apparently the heir of a big family in A City.


    It was clear that only Gu Jun and Gu Jing fit these qualifications. The media didn��t go further either. It quickly moved to the next news.


    ��You know everything?�� Gu Jun didn��t think that the news would spread so quickly. He��d hired people to dispel the rumors, but many people watched the news. They continued to spread rumors and moved beyond his control.


    ��Yes.��


    The indifferent tone stabbed Gu Jun��s heart. An Xiaoyan, why don��t you care? This is about your reputation. How could he go outside if so many people knew about him?


    But soon, Gu Jun started mocking himself. He��d already destroyed An Xiaoyan��s dignity and reputation. He didn��t let An Xiaoyan outside either.


    ��I want to go outside.��


    He chose to go out while he was in the spotlight. Gu Jun was incredulous.


    ��I want to end my lease on the apartment. If I don��t, I��ll keep wasting money. Mr. Gu, you probably won��t let me live there, so I��ll just stop renting it. In the future����


    An Xiaoyan was cut off. Gu Jun hugged him tightly, embracing his weak body. His thin frame supported the entire world.


    ��In the future, when you get annoyed of me and don��t want to take care of a failure like me, just kick me out. I won��t stay here. If you tell me to leave, I��ll leave.�� Gu Jun must have already known about the news and was waiting to see him get humiliated.


    I won��t kick you out. I��m more than happy that you��re living here. I��m willing to keep you by my side for my entire life.


    Gu Jun wanted to tell An Xiaoyan that he didn��t hate him anymore, but he knew that An Xiaoyan wouldn��t believe him. An Xiaoyan might just kneel down or take off his clothes like before.


    ��After a while, alright? Go after a while.�� After a while, when people forgot about An Xiaoyan, forgot what he looked like, he could go outside safely.


    ��I��ll have Chen Chen go with you at that time.��


    ��Thank you.�� The two words carried many meanings. An Xiaoyan knew that the man just didn��t want him to embarrass Gu Jun. After all, he was with Gu Jun. His appearance must have tainted his name.


    After lying there for a long time, An Xiaoyan��s shoulder grew sore. A child��s voice streamed from upstairs and Gu Jun finally let go.


    ��Daddy�� Daddy����


    Gu Jun used to dislike this child. He always thought that An Xiaoyan��s mistake caused him to have this idiot son. Now, he subconsciously started liking Guo Guo.


    Children were so innocent and cute. They weren��t calculating like adults.


    He��d never interacted with this child seriously. Because of An Xiaoyan, Gu Jun also started getting to know Guo Guo. He actually had no flaws other than not being able to talk. He could understand everything that the adults said.


    ��Uncle���� Guo Guo ran to An Xiaoyan and clutched his leg to ask for a hug. He still wasn��t over the last time An Xiaoyan had hugged him. That feeling had been great. He��d been so tall and could see so much.


    ��Yaya, yaya����


    He couldn��t form words, but An Xiaoyan knew what he wanted. He wanted a hug and get lifted up again. However, Gu Jun was beside him and he couldn��t do it. He could do it naturally when Gu Jun wasn��t here, but now, Gu Jun was staring at him. He was worried that Gu Jun would think he was trying to win over Guo Guo.


    ��Let Daddy hug you.��


    ��Ngg���� Guo Guo shook his head unwillingly. Uncle smelled nice but Daddy had a bad smell. He didn��t want it.


    An Xiaoyan pulled Guo Guo to face Gu Jun. Finally, Guo Guo opened his arms to ask for a hug.


    ��It��s okay. You hug him.��


    There wasn��t any discomfort or resentment. Gu Jun wanted Guo Guo to get closer to An Xiaoyan. His son was truly different from before. Ever since he started living with An Xiaoyan, Guo Guo had become much livelier and smarter. In one month, he��d learned the words that he couldn��t learn in three years.


    ��No, no. It��s better if he��s closer to you. I��m a criminal. Children shouldn��t be with someone like me.��


    ��It��s okay.��


    Since Gu Jun said so, An Xiaoyan didn��t fight him anymore. He picked Guo Guo up and raised him over his head. Sunlight streamed through the window, casting An Xiaoyan and Guo Guo��s shadows on the carpet. Gu Jun was dazed. An Xiaoyan was now bathed in sunlight like an angel.


    He walked over to the sunlight and took Guo Guo away from An Xiaoyan. He still hadn��t recovered fully. Doing this must be tiring.


    ��Look after the kid from now on. Think of it as��redemption.��


    ��Okay.�� As expected, Gu Jun was just giving him another way to redeem himself. He was still a sinner. Even if he attempted suicide, he would still be in debt as long as he was alive.

 Chapter 52

    More than ten days have passed, and the news on the Internet was still viral and there was no sign of stopping.


    Gu Jun looked at the comments on the internet and was so angry that he dumped all the documents away. Hiring the online ghostwriters yielded no results.


    ��Mr. Gu, it seems that the other party has influential backing. We don��t have any media people. This is very disadvantageous to us.��


    ��At all costs, within ten days, this news must be suppressed.��


    Chen Chen was stunned upon hearing that. Even after hiring so many online ghostwriters, the news was not suppressed. How could the news disappear in ten days�� time?


    ��I��ll try my best.��


    If it was just a temporary rumor, people would just laugh and forget about it. Once a rumor lingered too long, everyone would come to know about it. Even when it was over, An Xiaoyan would probably be criticized and scolded by passersby. He did not wish to see that happen.


    ��


    ��Someone has started to intervene in this matter. Do we need to do more to resist it?�� asked the assistant. The news on the Internet had been somewhat suppressed, for the time being. As long as the other party is willing to spend a large sum of money, they will most certainly guide the news.


    ��No, there��s no need to. Gu Jun won��t be able to suppress it.��


    The suppression of news was only temporary. The rebound would be the best part of the game.


    Ten days later, Gu Jun opened the web pages. At first glance, he saw An Xiaoyan was still on the cover page. Suddenly, he felt a sense of powerlessness. He still had no means to suppress the news even after spending a fortune. He simply had no connections in the media industry to do so.


    Scrolling through the comments, he saw a few newly uploaded photos. He clicked them to see, and saw pictures of An Xiaoyan drinking at Night Charm Luxurious Nightclub.


    On a grandstand, An Xiaoyan stood on it and drank liquor, with a huge crowd looking on. There were many other pictures of An Xiaoyan wearing sexy clothes, accompanying the guests to drink.


    It never occurred to him that an unintentional consequence of that endeavor would lead to such an outcome today. If he had known beforehand, he would not have let An Xiaoyan go to Night Charm Luxurious Nightclub.


    He had mocked An Xiaoyan countless times, now he finally had a chance to mock himself. He even hated himself a little, for pushing An Xiaoyan into a pit of fire.


    If things were to go on like this, there may be no chance to salvage it all.


    Old Mr. Gu never thought that his son would come home. He used to call and urge him to come back home, but now he appeared voluntarily, which actually surprised him.


    Since the founding of the Sheng Kong Group, Gu Jun had moved out of the house and lived independently. He was not fond of this rich family at all. In the past, when old Mrs. Gu was around, she would be the one who treated him with a sincere heart. Now, the house was full of snobbish people who had no skills other than finding ways to accumulate wealth.


    Old Mr. Gu glanced at his son and snorted as he continued to flip the newspaper in his hand.


    Gu Jun was not too bothered. He simply sat on the sofa and said what he wanted. ��Can you help me with one thing?��


    Things were fine before he opened his mouth. After he spoke, his tone made Old Mr. Gu angry and he glared at him; the reason being that he had the same attitude even when asking for help. After years of dealing in business, he learned to maintain his composure even when he was angry.


    ��If its business related, I can��t help you. Many family members and shareholders are all looking at you and Gu Jing. Even if you��re my own son, the competition is still fair, and I won��t act hastily.��


    He did not finish what he intended to say. After all, Gu Jun was his own son. He had a partiality for Gu Jun. If it was a trivial matter, it was not impossible for him to use his own people to help Gu Jun out in secret as he wanted to give Gu Jun a warning.


    Gu Jun knew exactly what his father meant. He never thought of relying on his father��s wealth to get ahead. Gu Jing��s father, Gu Jun��s second uncle, died young. If he and Gu Jing competed based on their father��s wealth, Gu Jing would most certainly lose.


    ��Help me suppress a piece of news.��


    This matter was neither too big, nor too small. If his father wanted to deal with it, it could easily be done.


    Gu Jun continued talking when he saw that Old Mr. Gu kept quiet, ��You must have heard about the news, about someone named An Xiaoyan, which became the talk of the town. The person in the picture is not me. You should know that this type of news is not good for me. Why don��t you send someone to remove this news?��


    Old Mr. Gu knew very well what was really going on even though he was unwilling to read the contents of the newspaper.


    ��If you are just out having fun with the people from the nightclub, I can turn a blind eye to it. But if you are truly interested, I��ll break your legs. Go and take a look and see which successor has a vague relationship with a man? Do you still want to have children?��


    ��I already have a child.��


    ��Huhh, you call that a child? I haven��t even seen him once. I heard that he can��t even speak well. How would you let a simpleton take over your business? You should learn from Gu Jing and find a girl from a family of equal social status. It may even do our business some good.��


    Once he heard that, Gu Jun knew his plea was a success. After all, his father would not want to see his son lose at the starting line because of the scandal.


    ��Um.��


    ��Alright, go home. Refrain from indulging yourself during these critical times. If you really want to have fun, find someone reliable. Why find a man?��


    After leaving the Gu family��s old house, Gu Jun felt a mix of emotions


    What if, in the future, An Xiaoyan can accept me? Thinking halfway, Gu Jun dropped the idea as he knew that An Xiaoyan would not accept him.


    Once Old Mr. Gu stepped in, the matter was resolved. Within a few days, An Xiaoyan��s news disappeared from the Internet. Another wave of news about minor celebrities was hyped up in its place. The things people talked about after dinner gradually had nothing to do with An Xiaoyan anymore.


    ��Jing, you must already know that the news has been suppressed,�� Gao Shan said angrily. In order to make the news of An Xiaoyan big, she had pleaded with her father for a long time and even promised that Gu Jing would become the head of the family.


    Gu Jing was not shocked that the news was suppressed. Sooner or later, the news would pass. However, he was curious why Gu Jun would ask his father to suppress the news.


    Regarding this enemy, Gu Jun did not seem to be treating him with the attitude he should take toward an enemy. After all, no matter how big the news was, the one on the losing end would be An Xiaoyan.


    The best is yet to come.


    ��


    ��An Xiaoyan?��


    ��Um.��


    ��You can go out now.��


    ��Okay.��


    ��Tomorrow Chen Chen will take you to where you want to go.��


    ��Thank you.��


    ��But you must come back.��


    ��I won��t run away.��


    With An Xiaoyan��s promise, Gu Jun felt more relaxed. He embraced An Xiaoyan and inhaled his fragrance. He seemed to understand why Guo Guo loved to stick around An Xiaoyan. It was because An Xiaoyan was like a ripened apple, exuding fragrance.


    After enjoying his scent for some time, Gu Jun��s body involuntarily warmed up and An Xiaoyan could feel something hard leaning against his waist.


    As a man, he naturally knew what it was.


    ��Do you want to do it?��


    Gu Jun did not wish to agree, but it had been more than half a month since he had last relieved himself, and his sexual desires were becoming more prominent. Moreover, An Xiaoyan was particularly gentle today, which gave him an illusion that they were a couple who had been together for many years, lying on the bed together.


    An Xiaoyan took off his coat, trousers and lay naked on the bed, waiting to be violated.


    Gu Jun saw An Xiaoyan��s smooth back, picked him up and held him in his arms.


    He wanted to look at An Xiaoyan and let An Xiaoyan look at him. They were no longer their usual front-to-back position.


    ��Don��t do that, Mr. Gu.��


    ��It doesn��t matter, Xiaoyan. This seems good.��


    ��Since Mr. Gu says it��s good, it is good.��


    This was the first time they saw each other face to face. Gu Jun had always wanted to see the expression of An Xiaoyan, but the fact was it was not as he wished. An Xiaoyan kept his eyes closed, his teeth bit his upper lip, and his eyebrows frowned, as if he was in great suffering.


    It is clearly a beautiful thing, yet An Xiaoyan must display a an expression of torment.


    Unknowingly, Gu Jun��s movement slowed down, and An Xiaoyan��s frown was slightly eased. By the end of everything, An Xiaoyan was already unconscious.


    Only then did Gu Jun realize that An Xiaoyan had been holding his body up so as to not fall down.


    Suddenly he remembered that there was one night when An Xiaoyan, much like in this moment, endured silently, saying nothing but simply bearing it.


    The bed sheets had been contaminated with unknown liquids, and the whole room smelled rotten. Gu Jun carried the person lying on the bed into the bathtub.


    Gu Jun got someone to renovate the whole bathroom with warm colours. Each time he stepped into this bathroom, he could vividly remember the scene when An Xiaoyan was lying in the bathtub filled with blood.


    Initially, the two of them had no intersection in their lives. However, an accident caused their emotions to germinate. When hatred faded away in the heart, another wonderful feeling arose spontaneously.


    After cleaning An Xiaoyan up, Gu Jun returned to his room with An Xiaoyan in his arms.


    For many days, as long as Gu Jun chose to rest in the villa, he would sleep in An Xiaoyan��s room. An Xiaoyan was aware of this and he would lie in bed voluntarily to wait for Gu Jun��s arrival. The master bedroom next door had been neglected for a long time.


    When he woke up, the sun was already out. An Xiaoyan got up in a hurry, and a pain in his waist stopped him in his tracks. There was no sticky feeling remaining, but the hot painful sensation still lingered.


    Looking around carefully, he found that it was not his own room, and he guessed that it must be Gu Jun��s room.


    That��s true. The bed was so dirty yesterday. Gu Jun wouldn��t want to sleep on it.


    Chen Chen had been waiting for a long time. Once he saw An Xiaoyan walking down the stairs with small steps, he hurried up to the stairs.


    ��Are you all right?�� He had a good impression of An Xiaoyan. Gu Jun asked him to take a day off to drive An Xiaoyan around for a day. He somehow felt that Gu Jun��s attitude towards An Xiaoyan had changed.


    It was not a bad thing that the hatred was slowly fading away.


    An Xiaoyan shook his head. ��I��m alright. Sorry to delay you, this will be a short trip and we can return soon.��


    An Xiaoyan cautiously took a seat in the front passenger��s seat, adjusted himself to a slightly less painful posture and gave him the address.


    They reached the destination very quickly and An Xiaoyan told the landlord that he wished to check the place out. Although a little unhappy, the landlord went to retrieve the key.


    There was a layer of dust in the room. He had nothing to take away. He packed up a few things and was ready to leave when he saw the picture frame on the table.


    It was an empty photo frame as the picture inside the frame had been torn off by Gu Jun. He no longer had a photograph of himself in the university. What evidence did he have of his university education to show others? Having a certification was just a dream.


    Chen Chen noticed that An Xiaoyan had been staring at the empty photo frame on the table for a long time. He guessed that there must have been a photograph in the photo frame before. ��Where��s the picture?��


    An Xiaoyan recomposed himself and said, ��There was never a photograph in it.��


    When he walked down the stairs, with each step he a hot painful sensation behind him, as well as liquid flowing out. Fortunately, he was wearing a pair of gray trousers today, which could conceal the unsightly situation.


    He took one small step at a time. Just as he had finished going down the stairs, Chen Chen stood behind him and held him up.


    ��What happened to you? Have you fallen sick?��


    An Xiaoyan waved his hand, indicating that he was alright, but Chen Chen knew very clearly that there was a problem. After getting in the car, Chen Chen wanted to drive An Xiaoyan to the hospital, but An Xiaoyan tried to stop him.


    ��You give me a reason for not going to the hospital.��


    ��Mr. Gu said that I need to hurry back.��


    ��I will report this to Mr. Gu, don��t worry about that. Your health is most important.��


    ��I��m not going.��


    Like a stubborn donkey, An Xiaoyan refused to budge. Finally, Chen Chen stepped on the accelerator and drove straight to the nearest hospital.


    ��Don��t go.�� He did not want to be laughed at by so many people in the eyes of the public. During his internship in a big hospital, every such patient would be judged.


    ��If I really have to go, can I choose the hospital myself?��


    Chen Chen sighed and turned around to drive in a remote direction.

 Chapter 53

    An Xiaoyan got off at the hospital. He looked back and saw the red on the seat. The smell of blood spread through the car.


    Face beet red, he apologized continuously to Chen Chen. He��d dirtied such an expensive car. It must cost a lot to wash it.


    ��Don��t worry. Mr. Gu has an annual card. Washing it once or ten times is all the same price.�� It actually wasn��t the truth. Chen Chen just said this so An Xiaoyan wouldn��t feel bad. He sympathized with and understood An Xiaoyan.


    After the doctor saw An Xiaoyan, he was confused. How come this man was back? Didn��t he say he would be careful? Why did he come again?


    This was the small hospital An Xiaoyan had gone to in the past. It was in a remote place, but it didn��t make him feel awkward. The doctors here were accustomed to these types of diseases and wouldn��t be judgmental.


    ��There are a lot of people today. Go wait in the next room.��


    An Xiaoyan went into the neighboring room. There were some old men waiting in chairs. An Xiaoyan stood quietly behind them while Chen Chen stood beside him.


    Looking at the cold sweat beading on An Xiaoyan��s forehead, Chen Chen suggested, ����How about you sit and wait? It��ll be a while before it��s your turn.��


    An Xiaoyan shook his head. Chen Chen got an idea. He got closer to An Xiaoyan, letting the man lean against him. This could reduce some of the pain.


    An hour later, it was finally An Xiaoyan��s turn.


    The doctor took off An Xiaoyan��s pants. Seeing the dampened clothes, he almost swore out loud. What kind of disgusting man only let An Xiaoyan come when he was bleeding this badly? Was it only a problem if he bled out?


    The doctor put in a lot of effort to clean all the blood. After spraying on the blood-clotting medicine, he told An Xiaoyan to stay put and wait for the wound to stop bleeding. Then he rolled his sleeves up and walked out.


    ��Are you even f*cking human?!�� he yelled at Chen Chen. All his manners as a doctor were forgotten now.


    ��Doctor, please calm down. I didn��t do this.�� A bunch of ��what the f*cks�� ran past the doctor��s mind. The man before had said it wasn��t him. This man said it wasn��t him. When would the perpetrator arrive?


    ��Do you know the man who did it?��


    Chen Chen nodded.


    ��Good, that��s enough. Follow me.��


    The doctor went on and on for half an hour. Finally, he returned to the patient��s room while staring at his form. Chen Chen was still processing the conversation.


    He wasn��t gay and wasn��t very familiar with the things between men. However, the doctor��s words still shocked him.


    An Xiaoyan needed to rest for half a month to heal completely. Some people had naturally tighter anuses, so it wouldn��t hurt as badly. For people like An Xiaoyan, if he didn��t have lube or enough foreplay, it would hurt him no matter how gentle the action was.


    Mr. Gu had been too cruel to injure him like this.


    When they came out of the hospital, Chen Chen had An Xiaoyan lie down in the backseat. Before they got to the house, An Xiaoyan told him to stop the car.


    ��What��s wrong?��


    ��Guo Guo told me last time that he wants to eat ice cream. It��s on the way, so I��ll go buy him one. Otherwise, I don��t know the next time I can come out. Kids always get hung up on these things.��


    Chen Chen froze. He was about to open the door and get out the car when An Xiaoyan stopped him. He turned and dug out some wrinkly bills to hand to him.


    This was the money that the landlord had given to him. Liu Cheng had given this money to him back then. An Xiaoyan didn��t know when he would have the chance to repay him.


    ��No need. I have money.�� Chen Chen raised his wallet. He took a bill out and bought an ice cream. He thought for a moment and bought another one.


    ��This is for you. I don��t know what flavor you like. I just chose a random one.��


    ��Thank you.�� An Xiaoyan accepted it and then stuffed money into Chen Chen��s hand. ��This is the money for mine. I can��t spend yours.��


    After sending An Xiaoyan into the house, Chen Chen drove to the company. He recounted what had happened in the hospital and Gu Jun��s brows furrowed. He didn��t know about any of this.


    ��Does the doctor have any suggestions?��


    ��He said that it��s best if he doesn��t do it for half a month to one month. You should buy some supplements for Mr. An as well. If he continues to lack nutrients, his body will collapse. Men aren��t supposed to be on the bottom.��


    Gu Jun thought about this. The last time An Xiaoyan had attempted suicide, the doctor had given him some precautions. He��d thought that it would be alright if he just went slower. It seemed that he hadn��t thought enough. Some people were naturally fragile.


    ��Tell Zhang Zilan about this. Hand this over to him. He must heal An Xiaoyan.��


    ��Yes. Mr. Gu, I want to know if you still hate Mr. An?��


    Gu Jun hesitated for a long while before saying slowly, ��At the very least, I want him to be okay. You can say this is liking someone.��


    In all these years, it was Chen Chen��s first time hearing Gu Jun say those words. Gu Jun had always been strict with himself. Whether it was in work or life, he wouldn��t use anything he didn��t like or eat what he didn��t like.


    ��If you like someone, you should treat him well.��


    ��Do you think An Xiaoyan would accept it? He��d think that this is a new punishment. I don��t know how to treat him. Even more, I don��t know how to express my feelings. Maybe he��ll feel it with time.��


    He was right. When the person hurt had a mark carved into his heart, even time couldn��t make the deep scar go away.


    ��Uncle, ice cream��!��


    ��Yes, ice cream. Does Guo Guo like it?��


    ��Likey.��


    An Xiaoyan gave one to Guo Guo. Then he sprawled on the sofa. His behind was still in pain.


    When Guo Guo saw An Xiaoyan like this, he also sprawled on the sofa. He held the ice cream in his small hands and licked it with a lot of effort.


    It was winter, but the indoors wasn��t cold at all. Eating ice cream had another feel to it.


    After finishing it, Guo Guo lay on An Xiaoyan and wiped the cream on his hands onto An Xiaoyan��s face.


    ��Uncle, play����


    ��Uncle is sick today and can��t play with Guo Guo. How about Guo Guo watches TV? Uncle will play with Guo Guo when I��m better.��


    Guo Guo obediently turned on the TV and started watching happily. He was actually a smart kid. He could remember a lot of things after An Xiaoyan taught him once. A few days ago, An Xiaoyan had taught him how to turn on the TV. Now, Guo Guo turns it on himself to watch cartoons when he was bored.


    At the moment, the TV was showing some kids riding the carousel. Then the scene changed and the kids were screaming while riding a rollercoaster.


    Guo Guo watched intently. Then he grabbed An Xiaoyan��s hand and said, ��Uncle car, horsey, fly, fly.��


    An Xiaoyan knew that Guo Guo wanted to go out and play too. He��d been raised in the house and must feel very jealous at this scene. ��Guo Guo, Uncle can��t go out. When Daddy comes back, he can take you.��


    He had to no confidence in these words. He was worried Gu Jun would find an excuse to reject him. After all, Gu Jun never liked this child.


    ��Okay.�� Guo Guo started watching the cartoon intently again.


    Seeing how intent Guo Guo was, An Xiaoyan couldn��t help but be a bit jealous. If he were a child, he wouldn��t have so many concerns and worries. He would be happy every day.


    Gu Jun didn��t come at night. Instead, Zhang Zilan came. An Xiaoyan put a blanket over Guo Guo, who was sleeping on the sofa, and moved to Zhang Zilan��s side.


    ��Just stay there and don��t move. Mr. Gu said you��re sick and told me to come check.��


    ��I��m not sick.��


    Chen Chen had already reported on An Xiaoyan��s situation. He already got the medicine and only needed to rest. Zhang Zilan only came to get some things straight.


    ��This is a bottle of lube. When Mr. Gu wants to enter you in the future, tell him to use it. It will hurt less. And if you��re in pain, you should tell him. Don��t keep it in.��


    The rest of his words were useless and An Xiaoyan didn��t listen. He put the bottle on the table. He would bear it no matter how much it hurt. This bottle was meaningless to him. He wouldn��t take the initiative to tell Gu Jun to use it either.


    Gu Jun didn��t really want to go home, possibly because of An Xiaoyan being hurt. He didn��t know how to face An Xiaoyan. He��d always been so domineering. If he wasn��t so stubborn, An Xiaoyan wouldn��t be hurt.


    ��Uncle, Daddy����


    ��Daddy will be back soon.��


    ��Uncle���� Guo Guo tugged the corner of his shirt. An Xiaoyan was helpless too. He knew Guo Guo wanted to go out.


    Guo Guo would turn on the TV at a set time every day. He would watch the kids ride the carousel and rollercoaster on the screen. Whenever he finished, he would run to An Xiaoyan and ask when his daddy would come back.


    ��Daddy will definitely come back. Let��s wait patiently for a few days. Just a few more days.��


    He kept repeating it, but Guo Guo started bawling. He drummed An Xiaoyan��s chest with his small fists. Kids had limited patience. Gu Jun hadn��t come home in so many days and no words could comfort him.


    ��Horsey, car��Daddy���� Huge teardrops flowed out of Guo Guo��s wide eyes. An Xiaoyan��s heart went out for him, but he couldn��t do anything. Gu Jun just wouldn��t come back.


    Suddenly, he glanced at the phone on the table. He could call Gu Jun, but Gu Jun probably wouldn��t waste time on these small matters.


    Guo Guo��s cries grew louder and An Xiaoyan��s heart really broke. He would just do it. Even if he was rejected, he would just take off his clothes again and lay in bed. But what if Gu Jun accepted? Plus, Gu Jun told him to take care of Guo Guo, so he should try his best. His sin could only be diminished if he performed his punishment well.


    ��Guo Guo, don��t cry. When Dr. Zhang comes, I��ll call Daddy and have him take you out to play. How about that?��


    When Guo Guo heard this, he finally smiled. He grabbed the remote control and rolled around on the carpet.


    It had been half a month and his body had mostly recovered. Zhang Zilan came every three days to ask about his injury. He would come today.


    Zhang Zilan came promptly at three o��clock. He was about to leave after asking about his situation, but An Xiaoyan stopped him after hesitating.


    ��Something wrong?��


    Thinking about Guo Guo��s tear-streaked face, An Xiaoyan nodded.


    ��Do you have Mr. Gu��s phone number? I have something to tell him.��


    Zhang Zilan found it strange. An Xiaoyan had lived here for so many days, but he didn��t even have Gu Jun��s contact information? This meant that he��d stayed alone with Guo Guo for so many days without knowing anything about the outside world.


    ��Okay.�� Zhang Zilan entered the number into An Xiaoyan��s phone and left. This wasn��t a big deal, but judging from An Xiaoyan��s expression, he must have something urgent to take care of.

 Chapter 54

    An Xiaoyan stared at the number on the screen of his phone and hesitated. He did not have the courage to press the dial button. However, he knew that if he did not make the phone call, Guo Guo would suffer for another day.


    He made up his mind and pressed on the dial button, and the ringtone could be heard.


    The mobile phone on the table started ringing, and the display showed an unfamiliar number. Gu Jun stared at it for a long time before answering it.


    There was a faint ��hello�� on the other end of the line.


    Gu Jun could still recognize that the voice was An Xiaoyan��s, even though it was very faint.


    His heart began to thump, as if it were about to jump out, but he still pretended to be calm and asked the reason why he called.


    ��Mr. Gu, Guo Guo wishes to go out and play, would you allow?��


    Gu Jun restrained himself from replying ��Sure, of course��, and said, ��I��ll be coming back in the afternoon. We��ll discuss this matter after I get back.��


    ��Okay.��


    After hanging up the phone, Gu Jun carefully stored An Xiaoyan��s mobile phone number by typing the words ��Yan Yan�� in the contacts of his mobile phone. Before he saved the contact, he felt that it seemed a bit inappropriate and changed it to ��An Xiaoyan�� instead.


    An Xiaoyan put down the phone and looked at Guo Guo beside him. Seeing Guo Guo��s face filled with anticipation made his heart ache.


    It was because he was useless. If he had pleaded Gu Jun on the phone, maybe there could still be a glimmer of hope. Now, it seemed that there was no chance at all.


    ��It��s all my fault, Guo Guo. Uncle will play jigsaw puzzles with you, okay? Let��s not go out. It��s too cold outside and we might freeze into a snowman.��


    Obviously, Guo Guo did not believe An Xiaoyan��s words and shook his head firmly.


    In the afternoon, after Gu Jun finished his work in the office, he drove back home alone. Along the way, lights and paintings of Santa Claus were everywhere.


    Unknowingly, a brand new year was approaching.


    Because the phone call he received today, Gu Jun came home early. An Xiaoyan was feeding Guo Guo apples at the table. All the food was prepared by the servants and brought over to the dining table. It was obvious that Guo Guo did not enjoy eating sour food. However, An Xiaoyan coaxed Guo Guo to eat them as he was concerned about Guo Guo not getting enough vitamins in his diet, and not too much foods which are high in sugar. A balanced and nutritious diet was essential to a child.


    ��What plans to you have with regards to bringing Guo Guo out to play?�� Gu Jun sat down and asked directly. An Xiaoyan was shocked. He thought Gu Jun would not agree. After all, Gu Jun��s tone during the phone call did not sound too friendly.


    ��Mr. Gu, are you agreeing?�� An Xiaoyan asked.


    ��Hmm.��


    ��I was thinking of letting Guo Guo go to the amusement park. He should have some contact with other children.�� An Xiaoyan��s voice sounded softer as he finished his sentence, with no confidence at all.


    From the birth of Guo Guo to the present, Gu Jun had accompanied Guo Guo only a handful of times. Usually, when the nanny saw him return home, she would hurry to take the child away for fear of Guo Guo disturbing him. He also had no concept of how to be a father. Now he felt that he really did owe Guo Guo a lot.


    ��I can spare a day.��


    ��Thank you.��


    Gu Jun waited in anticipation for more words from An Xiaoyan, but did not hear a sound after waiting for some time.


    ��Do you wish to go too?��


    An Xiaoyan shook his head in panic. How could he go out? Gu Jun said he would not let him go out. He did not dare to make excessive demands too, he only wanted to stay at home quietly.


    ��Tell me the truth, do you feel like going?��


    Of course, he wanted to go. Growing up in the countryside, he never went to those places and visited the cinema only once when Liu Cheng invited him for a movie during his birthday. At that time, he planned to reward himself when he earned enough money in future.


    But in front of Gu Jun, he would not say that he wanted to go.


    Seeing An Xiaoyan shake his head, Gu Junxin��s heart sank for a moment. How he hoped that An Xiaoyan would say that he wanted to go. This would be a good reason for him to take An Xiaoyan out. Now, he did not even have a chance.


    Christmas songs soon permeated the air. It was said that the amusement park would have ice-sculpted castles on Christmas Day, and there were many entertainment programs slated for Christmas. That was why many people would visit on Christmas Day every year. Although there were only a limited number of tickets available, it was absolutely no problem for Gu Jun to snag a few.


    At dinner time, Guo Guo was in a state of excitement, gulping down the rice in his bowl, hoping to leave earlier. Gu Jun��s mind was elsewhere while eating, staring at An Xiaoyan from time to time. He wanted to ask again if An Xiaoyan would go. There were actually three tickets in his coat��s pocket.


    After dinner, the sky started to turn dark. An Xiaoyan put a cotton jacket on Guo Guo and wrapped him up like a dumpling. While adjusting Guo Guo��s clothes, he reminded Guo Guo not to touch the icy cold things, and that he must remember to say something if he felt cold.


    When they were about to leave, Gu Jun held Guo Guo��s hands, but Guo Guo was reluctant to leave and hugged An Xiaoyan.


    ��Guo Guo, be a good boy, Daddy will take you out to play.��


    Guo Guo held on to An Xiaoyan��s hand and sulked, ��Uncle, Uncle, go.��


    Gu Jun never thought that his son would create such a great opportunity for him!


    ��An Xiaoyan, come along with us. You can take care of Guo Guo if you go. Otherwise, I��m afraid I can��t take care of him alone.��


    After Gu Jun said so, he had no reason to refuse. An Xiaoyan casually replied with a ��hmm��, and went upstairs to change his clothes.


    The three of them headed to the amusement park. When they arrived at the park, it was brightly lit with colorful lights flashing.


    As soon as Guo Guo got out of the car, a Mickey Mouse came up to him and gave him a fluorescent balloon. He had never seen these things before. He held the balloon and flicked it, then laughed as the balloon rebounded.


    The majority of the people at the amusement park were parents and their children. It was rare to see two men, like Gu Jun and An Xiaoyan, bringing a child with them.


    After handing in the tickets while queuing up, they realized that the scene outside was just the tip of the iceberg.


    Upon entering the gate, a large castle ice sculpture stood before them. Under the ice sculpture, there were yellow lights shining. It looked just like a real castle and its color was as brilliant as gold.


    An Xiaoyan was unknowingly immersed as such a scene could only be seen at this time.


    Guo Guo was curious and walked up to hug an ice pillar. As soon as his hands touched the pillar, the cold feeling made him quickly retract his hand. Seeing that, An Xiaoyan quickly used his bigger hands to cup Guo Guo��s small hands in order to transfer some heat to him.


    After the castle, there was a real amusement park and they spotted the merry-go-round first. Guo Guo rushed towards the merry-go-round and was stopped by a staff. He was told to wait for the next round.


    These wooden horses were exactly the same as those Guo Guo saw on the TV. He was bouncing up and down and those people in the queue could not help but smile when they saw how happy he was.


    ��The child can sit on the small horse on the inside, and the accompanying adult can sit on the big horse on the outside. For those children who are accompanied by parents, they can share a big horse.�� the staff with headphones shouted.


    ��Guo Guo, do you want a big or small horse?�� Gu Jun asked.


    Guo Guo pointed at the big horses on the outside.


    ��Do you want Uncle to accompany you, or do you want me to accompany you?��


    ��Daddy.�� In fact, Guo Guo preferred Uncle to his daddy. Uncle was very gentle, and his father kept a straight face, which was scary to him. But he was told that he must like his father the most and choose to be with him whenever possible.


    Gu Jun��s heart was full of a father��s love. He went to the stage of the merry-go-round with Guo Guo and sat on the big horse.


    When the music was about to play, An Xiaoyan stood aside without the intention of entering. Gu Jun called him in.


    ��Did I pay money for the tickets for you to stand aside and watch?��


    Coincidentally, there was an empty horse just in front of them. Gu Jun settled Guo Guo and took An Xiaoyan to the horse.


    ��Sit properly.��


    In fact, Gu Jun wanted to sit with An Xiaoyan so that he could be close to him, and his intention would not seem too obvious. However, the staff clearly indicated that no two adults were allowed to sit together and there was no one else to take care of Guo Guo.


    After making sure that everyone was seated, the rotating disc moved up slowly and the music box in the middle streamed out music.


    ��With gorgeous appearance and brilliant lights.��


    ��I am a merry-go-round horse in heaven.��


    ��Just to satisfy a child��s dreams.��


    ��Climb onto my back and I��ll take you to soar.��


    ��


    After the wooden horse��s speed increased, the ups and downs of the jolt made An Xiaoyan hold the rod tightly for fear that a release of his hand would throw him out. An Xiaoyan was glad to be sitting in front of Gu Jun. Otherwise, Gu Jun might be angry if he saw this expression. He felt so useless that he was afraid to even sit on a wooden horse.


    ��Wow�� Wowwwww!�� the wooden horse��s movements gave Guo Guo a pleasant surprise. At each movement of the wooden horse, Guo Guo would give a shout as if he had found a treasure.


    Gu Jun held Guo Guo tightly, but his eyes were always staring at the figure in front of him. From his angle, he could only see that An Xiaoyan had lowered his head and his body was moving up and down.


    A bang of fireworks set off in the distance, illuminating the whole sky. Everyone looked at the fireworks, and An Xiaoyan was no exception.


    Gu Jun happened to see An Xiaoyan��s face from the side. The streaks of hair on An Xiaoyan��s forehead were very obvious under the light. His high nose bridge and fair skin looked dazzling at this very moment.


    Gu Jun took out his mobile phone from his pocket, turned on his camera and captured the beautiful moment. Fortunately, the fireworks lasted a long time and An Xiaoyan kept his face sideways.


    ��Rotating Wooden Horse.��


    ��No wings.��


    ��But I can fly with you everywhere.��


    ��When the music stops, you will leave.��


    ��That��s all I can do.��


    ��Oh�� Oh�� Oh�� Oh����


    The music gradually stopped and the rotating disc came to a stop. ��Well, this round is over. You��re welcome to take it again.��


    Gu Jun came down from the wooden horse with Guo Guo in his arms and led Guo Guo off the rotating disc of the merry-go-round. An Xiaoyan followed behind them.


    As they continued walking, they saw a snack shop.


    Every stall was covered with colorful flashing lights. It was a beautiful sight. In front of a small stall, there was a person dressed as Santa Claus giving out glow sticks.


    ��Merry Christmas, come little child, this glow stick is for you.��


    After receiving the fluorescent balloon, Guo Guo received a glow stick. As Guo Guo walked on, a burst of aroma piqued his attraction.


    ��Sweets, sweets.��


    Gu Jun and An Xiaoyan both saw a cart, decorated with colored cotton candy, which sold colored cotton candy.


    An Xiaoyan had only seen white and pink cotton candy before. This was his first time seeing multi-colored cotton candy. He was curious and stretched his neck to take a closer look. However, the thought of Gu Jun standing right beside him made him retract his neck.


    ��Boss, how much are these?��


    The lady boss was very friendly and said, ��These are ten dollars for two, but since today is Christmas, you buy two and get one for free. You pay ten dollars and get three.��


    ��Give us three.��


    He handed one to Guo Guo and another to An Xiaoyan. Gu Jun did not give An Xiaoyan a chance to speak and stuffed one into his hands.


    ��Since we buy two and get one for free, it will be a waste if you don��t eat it.��


    An Xiaoyan looked down at the colored cotton candy in his hand and licked it with his tongue.


    It was very sweet, far sweeter than he thought. It had been a long time since he last ate something so sweet.


    ��Thank you.��


    Gu Jun could sense from An Xiaoyan��s tone that these were his genuine feelings, and he was no longer replying mechanically like usual. To Gu Jun, the cotton candy he ate today was the sweetest.

 Chapter 55

    Cotton candy took a long time to eat. The amusement park probably realized this, so they set up a glass room beside the food stall. The glass room was filled with gentle colorful light. People could rest there to recharge and continue playing.


    Gu Jun chose a room with few people. After getting seated, he ordered some hot drinks.


    They hadn��t felt anything while playing outside, but after coming in, they realized their hands were numb from the cold. The heat was turned up indoors. They quickly warmed up.


    Gu Jun ordered warm milk for Guo Guo, hot milk tea for An Xiaoyan, and mocha for himself.


    An Xiaoyan clutched the mug. The warmth traveled through his palm. He could tell that this cup of tea must be very expensive from just a whiff.


    Guo Guo��s face was red from the cold. He picked up the warm milk and started drinking. White liquid was all around his mouth. An Xiaoyan quickly put down his mug and took out a tissue to wipe Guo Guo��s face.


    Judging from Gu Jun��s expression, he probably didn��t want to talk about money today. Thankfully, An Xiaoyan had some money after getting his rent returned. He could pay for today. He already owed too much.


    After the hot drinks, they all started warming up. They sat there, looking outside, when there was suddenly a commotion.


    ��It��s snowing! Look, it��s snowing!��


    ��Hey, it really is snowing.��


    Small snowflakes floated down from the sky. The table of girls beside them pressed against the window to look outside.


    ��Did you know that making a wish at the Oriental Eye is the best when it��s snowing?��


    ��Really? Don��t lie to us.��


    The girl who spoke earlier continued, ��Even if it��s not true, imagine how romantic it is. Two people hugging at the highest point of the Oriential Eye, a blanket of snow falling down beside them, and then they make wish to love forever.��


    ��Oh my, stop daydreaming. You need a boyfriend first. Who��s gonna make a wish with you?��


    The group of girls chattered while gathering their stuff to head to the Oriental Eye.


    An Xiaoyan looked in the direction of the surging crowd and saw a round and flashing disc in the distance. It was a huge Ferris wheel! It was too far away, so he didn��t notice it earlier.


    Gu Jun obviously knew about the Oriental Eye. It was a famous attraction in A City. It was a big Ferris wheel constructed beside the bridge crossing the river. The tossing waves were right below it.


    ��Daddy, circle!�� Guo Guo said while pointing at the Ferris wheel. He could only say a few words.


    Gu Jun had already become interested after hearing the girls�� discussion. It wasn��t too late now. They could ride the Ferris wheel and go home. More importantly, he wanted to make a beautiful wish at the top of the Ferris wheel.


    ��Let��s go now.��


    An Xiaoyan obediently cleaned up their stuff and led Guo Guo outside.


    They saw the heavy snow from inside the glass building, but it stopped snowing a bit after they walked out. The ground was covered in a layer of white. It crunched under their feet.


    Because of the sudden snow, many people headed towards the Oriental Eye. By the time An Xiaoyan��s group arrived, there was already a long line. However, the snow stopped quickly, so a lot of people changed their minds. After all, you could ride the Ferris wheel at any time, but it wasn��t meaningful without the snow.


    Only one-third of the people were still in line. They stood and waited in the back.


    The Ferris wheel could fit around 100 people at a time. One round took half an hour. After waiting for a round, An Xiaoyan��s group could go on.


    ��How many people?��


    ��Three,�� Gu Jun replied.


    ��I��m not going,�� An Xiaoyan corrected. ��Just these two.��


    The worker didn��t know what to do. It was normal for a couple to get into a fight, but what was with these two? They even had a kid.


    ��So how many exactly?�� The Ferris wheel had four-person cars in the twelve, three, six, and nine o��clock directions. The others were all two-person cars. They had to determine the number of riders to arrange the seats.


    ��Three.��


    ��Mr. Gu���� An Xiaoyan only came to take care of Guo Guo. Somewhere like the Ferris wheel wasn��t his place.


    Gu Jun held onto An Xiaoyan with one hand while hugging Guo Guo with the other and walked in. He was afraid An Xiaoyan would run away.


    This car could fit four people. Gu Jun��s trio could fit as well.


    After telling them the safety precautions, the worker had them go in. He closed the door and started asking the next couple. The Ferris wheel��s decoration was pretty. It was sky-blue while the lights up top were dark yellow, making the atmosphere warm. On the walls, colorful paint said: whenever the Ferris wheel makes a turn, the world will have another kissing couple. It��s said that those who look up at the Ferris wheel are looking up at happiness.


    ��Daddy, Daddy!�� Guo Guo pressed against the window and looked down. A big ship happened to cruise by on the river. All sorts of lights flashed on it and the ship��s whistle was especially loud. Guo Guo had been attracted to the sound.


    The Ferris wheel spun slowly. The river and ship grew smaller and smaller. Soft music flowed out of the speaker, making it very relaxing.


    An Xiaoyan rested his chin in his hands and looked down at the city lights. It had a quiet feeling.


    Gu Jun couldn��t suppress the urge anymore. He took out his phone again and snapped a picture. An Xiaoyan turned towards him just as he finished.


    Feeling like he was caught red-handed, Gu Jun didn��t relax until An Xiaoyan picked Guo Guo up so he could see the view from a higher point.


    An Xiaoyan didn��t think much about Gu Jun pointing his phone at him. He just thought Gu Jun needed his phone for something.


    The Ferris wheel got higher and higher. When they were almost at the highest point, it started snowing again. This time, they weren��t watching the snow fall from above. Instead, the snow was falling below them.


    It was heavier but slower this time. Snowflakes fluttered down like goose feathers.


    ��Make a wish later,�� Gu Jun reminded.


    They soon reached the top. The amusement park set off fireworks. They were very high, exploding right beside An Xiaoyan��s group.


    Whenever the six o��clock direction reached the highest point, the park would use fireworks to signify that it was halfway over. It also enhanced the mood.


    An Xiaoyan closed his eyes and made a wish. I wish I can repay Mr. Gu��s debt quickly so he can forgive me.


    Gu Jun also closed his eyes. He wished that he could be happy with An Xiaoyan.


    Everyone said that making wishes at the top of the Ferris wheel worked the best because it was the closest spot to heaven.


    Gu Jun opened his eyes after making the wish. He saw An Xiaoyan with his hands together and head lowered, making a wish seriously. On the side, Guo Guo stared at them with eyes widened in confusion.


    After they passed the highest point, the fireworks stopped.


    When they got off the Ferris wheel, An Xiaoyan turned around to look at it. He kind of understood where the name Oriental Eye came from now.


    At the highest spot, they could see the entire city. It was like a huge eye looking down at the earth.


    They took the amusement park��s bus back to where they came from. When Gu Jun went to get the car, Guo Guo fell asleep in An Xiaoyan��s arms. It was 11 o��clock. Guo Guo must have gotten tired from playing so much.


    Even in his sleep, Guo Guo still licked his lips as if savoring the sweetness of the cotton candy from earlier.


    It was already midnight when they got home. An Xiaoyan took Guo Guo to his room. He reached the other side of the house. When he saw the light still on in the library, he pressed his finger to the sensor and knocked.


    Gu Jun thought that An Xiaoyan was here to tell him to sleep earlier. He happily put down his work.


    ��Umm��I didn��t read the books in the library yet. You told me to look before, but I felt that the things are really expensive. I was scared I��d break something, so I only came once.��


    ��If you think it��s troublesome, I can move the books to your room.��


    An Xiaoyan thought that Gu Jun was angry, so he hurriedly waved his hand. ��No, I��ll come in the future.��


    Gu Jun was actually speaking the truth. He thought that An Xiaoyan would feel repressed in here. He really did want to build a small library in An Xiaoyan��s room.


    ��Also, for the ticket and food from the amusement park, this is the only money I have now. I can only give this much for now.��


    Gu Jun looked at the thin bills on the table. It probably wasn��t even 1000. He pushed it back.


    ��No need. Just think of it as your reward for taking care of Guo Guo. If you really want to pay, when will you pay back the five million from before?��


    An Xiaoyan lowered his head and stuffed the money into his pocket. ��Mr. Gu, can I go out and work?�� he asked softly. ��I��m just asking. I can work here too. Mopping, washing clothes, making food��I can do it all.��


    Gu Jun��s good mood had soured. He thought that An Xiaoyan thanking him in the amusement park could mend their relationship, but it hadn��t changed at all. An Xiaoyan was still like before.


    ��If you want to compete with the servants, then sure. I can fire one and let you do the work.��


    ��No need!�� An Xiaoyan hurriedly answered. ��I won��t go out to work. I��ll just stay here.�� He didn��t want to take someone else��s job. If someone had to lose their job for him, he would rather not work.


    ��If you have nothing else, go back now.��


    ��Okay.�� An Xiaoyan was about to leave when he turned back and added, ��Goodnight, Mr. Gu.��


    Unbeknownst to him, his words moved Gu Jun��s heart again. An Xiaoyan still cared about him. If he wanted An Xiaoyan to stay here, he could really let An Xiaoyan try some work. Staying indoors all day was probably really boring.


    After An Xiaoyan returned to his room, he lay in bed but couldn��t fall asleep.


    He was suddenly disappointed in everything. He didn��t know when he could make up for his sin or when he could leave here. He��d prepared to stay here for a long time, but it still hurt to be told this.


    It snowed heavily that night, as if welcoming the new year.


    In the morning, An Xiaoyan was woken up by chirps outside his window. The chirping birds jumped around on the branch of the Chinese parasol tree.


    When he went downstairs, Guo Guo was already up and playing with toys on the ground. Other than the sound of toys crashing, the room was very quiet, just like the snow outside.


    The quieter a place was, the more it reflected the storm outside.

 Chapter 56

    ��It��s so soon, that An Xiaoyan is on the news again. He��s really the leading character in the entertainment headlines.��


    ��Exactly, exactly�� But it is a skill to be able to hook up with the big boss, why don��t you try?��


    ��Gosh, I don��t want to. It��s better to keep a stagnant wage than to sell one��s ass.��


    ������


    This time, it could either be that there is someone behind this, or it��s simply the work of the paparazzi. Photographs of An Xiaoyan and Gu Jun at the amusement park were shot and appeared on the news headlines once again.


    The An Xiaoyan saga became the object of people��s gossip once again.


    This time, the other party apparently had no scruples and even photographed Gu Jun��s face. Now, the whole Sheng Kong Group knew that their big boss had been hooking up with a man and even brought along his child.


    But Gu Jun was not the first to get angry.


    ��Ask the unfilial son to come back now!�� Old Mr. Gu was so angry that he wanted to throw his crutches out. His son had always made him worry. The last time they met, he had already warned Gu Jun not to go overboard when he went out to have fun. Now, the whole business circle was aware that Gu Jun had brought along a man.


    Although it was not uncommon to play with men, the older shareholders simply could not accept two men together. If the person was a family man with children, and he would occasionally play with men for entertainment purposes, it was still acceptable. However, Gu Jun was unmarried and had a retard son. He would become a laughing stock once the news spread.


    Gu Jun returned to Gu family��s old house. Old Mr. Gu could not be angrier. Once he saw Gu Jun, he used his crutches to hit him on his body.


    ��Why do I have a good-for-nothing son like you?! Don��t you know that this is a critical time? This time, there will be many shareholders who will sway their votes to the other side!��


    ��It��s no big deal! Why don��t you just let Gu Jing be the successor? I don��t care about that position.��


    Old Mr. Gu hit Gu Jun another time with his crutches. Gu Jun did not shy away, but stared hard at old Mr. Gu. Regarding this matter, Gu Jun need not do anything as old Mr. Gu would handle it. Afterall, unlike the previous news, it must be dealt with as soon as possible. Otherwise, Gu Jun would lose his chance as the successor once the news was cemented in everyone��s heart.


    Obviously, this was not the outcome that old Mr. Gu wanted. Even if Gu Jun failed to be the successor in the end, old Mr. Gu would still want to send him to the board of directors.


    Both father and son looked at each other for a while, then old Mr. Gu sighed and said slowly, ��The media has been notified, and someone will be cleaning this mess up. Now, let me ask you. What exactly is the relationship between you and that An Xiaoyan?��


    ��You don��t know your relationship with him?��


    ��Even if he accidentally killed Mu Nan and your unborn child, you two should just be enemies. Yet you took him and Guo Guo to the amusement park. What does that mean?��


    ��He is taking care of Guo Guo now. I took Guo Guo out to play and I can��t take care of Guo Guo on my own, so I brought him along. What��s wrong with that?�� Gu Jun answered so casually as if he were talking about something that had nothing to do with him.


    ��Don��t you have enough servants at home? Must you bring along an enemy? Since he is your enemy, why do you have to place him by your side to take care of your child? What if he mistreats your child?��


    Old Mr. Gu Jun��s questioning tone made Gu Jun a little uncomfortable, but it was not the right time for him to explain his feelings. This matter had been made a big deal. Once old Mr. Gu knew Gu Jun��s thoughts about An Xiaoyan, old Mr. Gu would definitely use his means to stop Gu Jun from seeing An Xiaoyan again.


    ��Isn��t it a better choice to put him next to my child for redemption of his sin? I want him to pay for his sin. You don��t need to bother about this. I know what I��m doing and when to stop.��


    ��From now on, you��ll stay at home. I��ll arrange a blind date for you. If there��s a suitable match, get married right away.��


    Undoubtedly, marriage was the best way to dispel those older shareholders�� doubts. Once Gu Jun was married, those rumors would naturally come to an end.


    ��You don��t have to mind my matters!��


    When Gu Jun was about to leave, he turned around and was blocked by a group of bodyguards. It seemed that old Mr. Gu was serious about keeping Gu Jun at home!


    ��As long as you go on the blind date, I will not pursue your relationship with An Xiaoyan, nor will I do anything to him. Since you let him take care of Guo Guo, let it be.��


    As the saying goes: ��The older, the wiser.�� Old Mr. Gu had already sensed that his son had an unusual relationship with An Xiaoyan. In fact, he did not wish to be involved with the younger generation. As someone who was capable of breaking or making his son��s future, he chose to find ways to help him out.


    Gu Jun was not that stubborn. Now that his father had given him a choice, if he were to resist further, the one who ended up suffering would absolutely be An Xiaoyan. He had no doubt that his father was capable of making An Xiaoyan disappear from this world to stop the rumors.


    Xiaoyan, if you knew my good intentions, you would forgive me.


    ��


    ��Jing, your move was so brilliant. You simply let the news out to the paparazzi and the outcome is amazing,�� Gao Shan said happily while lying on Gu Jing��s chest.


    ��I��m just playing the same old trick. Those older shareholders must be worried now.��


    He had never thought of slandering Gu Jun to tarnish his reputation in this way. In fact, he only wanted to play a little trick on Gu Jun. You only have yourself to blame, Gu Jun.


    In a pink room, Gu Jun looked coldly at the woman sitting on the opposite side, dressed glamorously and wearing a strong perfume.


    This lady was the first blind date that old Mr. Gu had arranged for him, said to be the only daughter of an electric tycoon.


    ��Are you Gu Jun?�� The woman took a good look at Gu Jun with an arrogant face. Her clothes were branded. Though her physical appearance was decent, her gaze looked a little scary.


    ��Yes.��


    ��I heard that you are the heir apparent of the Gu family?��


    ��You��re not wrong if you understand it that way.��


    ��How confident are you that you��ll become the successor?��


    ��To tell you the truth, I don��t wish to become the successor.��


    With a loud bang, the woman slammed the cup on the table and said, ��No aspiration and you think of marrying me, who do you think you are? You must be after my family��s money!�� After that, she took her bag and left angrily.


    Gu Jun was not angry at all. He slowly picked up the red wine on the table and drank it. It was a rare and precious wine, thus it would be a waste not to drink.


    In fact, there was nothing wrong with this kind of brainless, arrogant and rich woman.


    But there would always be non-defective products.


    ��Hello, I��m Xiu Yijian.��


    ��Gu Jun.��


    Xiu Yijian extended her right hand, and Gu Jun also extended his hand to hold half of her right hand in return.


    ��It is rare to be able to come close to such a young boss.��


    Though it sounded like praise, Gun Jun felt that this woman was different from the others. At least she could maintain her composure and her temperament seemed good too.


    ��Unexpectedly, I am old enough to be eligible for blind dates.��


    ��Miss Xiu, you��re still very young, there��s no need to hurry.��


    Xiu Yijian covered her mouth and smiled. ��Mr. Gu is really humorous. I��m already 28 years old, considered to be an old spinster.��


    ��As long as you look young.��


    This was Gu Jun��s longest conversation so far. It was because Xiu Yijian did not behave like the other women who asked about the finances or drone on about their families. She only chatted about their personal likes and dislikes, and this made Gu Jun feel comfortable chatting with her.


    This was the first time Gu Jun did not feel disgusted during an entire meal.


    ��Mr. Gu, may I ask a bold question?��


    ��Miss Xiu, please.��


    ��What is the relationship between you and An Xiaoyan?��


    This simple question made Gu Jun hesitate for a moment. Xiu Yijian did not interrupt him after seeing that he hesitated. Instead, she waited quietly.


    What is the relationship between them?


    Gu Jun did not have any suitable words to describe how he felt, as it was too complex to describe in just a few words. Though Xiu Yijian looked kind on the surface, she might have a hidden agenda.


    After thinking for a long time, Gu Jun answered, ��Miss Xiu, I��m sorry I can��t answer this question.��


    ��It doesn��t matter. Everyone has their own difficulties. You didn��t answer the question for the sake of answering. I have a good impression of you.��


    Xiu Yijian was telling the truth, and she had no intention of asking anything more. She was well aware that Gu Jun had a child with Mu Nan as she had investigated him in secret.


    ��Thank you, Miss Xiu.��


    After the meal, Gu Jun had a feeling that Xiu Yijian was not as simple as she seemed.


    ��Help me check on someone, called Xiu Yijian.��


    There was nothing special about the information found. Xiu Yijian was the only daughter of an ordinary businessman��s family. Her father had some connections with Mr. Gu, thus she was listed as one of the matchmaking candidates. She furthered her studies in the United States and studied design. Currently, she worked as a director of a design company. Her way of dealing with things and people had received praise from people around her.


    Such a simple background made Gu Jun a little worried. For such a young lady to achieve the position of a director, she must be capable in her ways. It was only a temporary measure to promise old Mr. Gu to go on a blind date and he could not bring himself to be engaged if told.


    For so many days, he had been living in the old house. Without the orders of old Mr. Gu, those bodyguards would not retreat.


    Lying on a big luxury bed, Gu Jun looked at the pendulum clock on the wall and wondered what An Xiaoyan was doing. It is so late now, he must have gone to bed. Or maybe he is still awake, sitting on the sofa and watching TV.


    By his impression, the most common things that An Xiaoyan did were playing with Guo Guo and watching TV on the sofa.


    An Xiaoyan��s melancholy eyes and thin body frame flashed in his mind. The more he thought of it, the more he could not fall asleep. He turned on his mobile phone and scrolled through his photo album, then opened up two of the photos to view.


    They were photos of An Xiaoyan. One of the photos a side shot of An Xiaoyan looking afar. There was light shining on his face and his eyes seemed to reflect the beautiful colors. It gave people a sense of peace with some amazing feeling mixed in.


    In the other photo, An Xiaoyan had both hands on a chair and looking afar too. However, An Xiaoyan looked more joyful in this photo.


    Looking back and forth at the two photos, Gu Jun felt that he could look at them enough. Why did I not see the good in An Xiaoyan before?


    He was reluctant to look back on the past. At that time, he seemed a bit of a jerk. Now, he is still a jerk.


    If there were Casanovas in the world, Gu Jun would certainly pay a lot of money to consult him on how to redeem himself after hurting a person so deeply.


    ��One day apart seemed like three years�� was how Gu Jun felt at the moment.


    He had to find a way to end this. Only by keeping An Xiaoyan by his side could he feel at ease.

 Chapter 57

    The next time Gu Jun returned to the house was after the New Year. He��d obviously made a compromise to come back quickly. He��d given in to Old Mr. Gu by trying to interact with Xiu Yijian.


    An Xiaoyan never asked about where Gu Jun went or what he did. He didn��t suspect anything when Gu Jun didn��t come home for a few days. He had no need to ask about Gu Jun��s private life.


    When he suddenly saw Gu Jun appear at the door, he was a bit shocked.


    ��I��m back.�� This was like what a husband would say to his wife when he came back home after a long time. This was what Gu Jun thought. He didn��t expect An Xiaoyan to react.


    Indeed, An Xiaoyan didn��t do anything.


    But when Gu Jun saw An Xiaoyan, he felt reassured. An Xiaoyan, you��re still here. That��s good.


    ��What did you do while I was gone?��


    It was a typical question, but to An Xiaoyan, it sounded like an interrogation. Gu Jun was asking if he��d done anything wrong or went out alone, going against his word.


    ��I didn��t do anything. I didn��t go out either.��


    Gu Jun nodded. He changed his clothes and when he went downstairs again, Guo Guo was there too.


    When Guo Guo saw Gu Jun, he greeted his daddy and continued playing with toys.


    ��Mr. Gu, there��s something I want to discuss with you.��


    ��About work? You can stay home for now and we��ll see when the opportunity comes.��


    Clearly, An Xiaoyan wasn��t asking about this. Gu Jun had already rejected him. What was the point of talking about it again?


    ��I won��t go work. It��s about Guo Guo.��


    ��What is it?��


    ��Guo Guo should go to school. If he has a professional teacher��s guidance, he��ll be able to talk like a regular kid soon.��


    Gu Jun had never thought about this because he never thought his retard son could improve one day. He��d already prepared to take care of this kid for life.


    This was good news.


    Gu Jun leaned back in the sofa and gazed at An Xiaoyan, standing to the side. ��What do you think?�� he asked. ��Any opinions on choosing a school?��


    He waited for a long time without a reply. Still patient, Gu Jun said, ��It��s okay. Tell me what you��re thinking.��


    An Xiaoyan took a deep breath. The risk was worth it for Guo Guo, even if he said something wrong.


    ��I think that Guo Guo should go to a regular kindergarten. If he interacts with more kids, he should be able to catch up more quickly. Of course, it��ll be better if you can send him to a bilingual or elite school.��


    An Xiaoyan lost confidence at the end. Gu Jun didn��t place importance on this child, so he wasn��t sure if Gu Jun was willing to spend the money to send Guo Guo to an expensive school.


    An Xiaoyan was thinking about money. Gu Jun was thinking about An Xiaoyan��s feelings.


    He truly felt that An Xiaoyan put a lot of effort into this kid. Guo Guo was currently building a Gundam robot in the living room. There were papers beside him. He was absorbedly following each step as if accomplishing something great. This was something Gu Jun wouldn��t have seen before. Back in the day, Guo Guo could only cry and make a fuss.


    ��Do you like this child?��


    Frightened, An Xiaoyan answered in panic, ��No, I��m only treating him nicely because I am a sinner. I can only lessen my sin by taking care of him. This way, Mr. Gu won��t hate me so much.��


    He actually did like Guo Guo. After interacting with Guo Guo for some time, this little kid gave him some comfort when he was lonely. Guo Guo was the reason he kept going when he wanted to give up.


    But he couldn��t say he liked Guo Guo. If he did, Gu Jun would think he was kissing up to Guo Guo and take advantage of him. The child was so pure and kind. He shouldn��t become a weapon between An Xiaoyan and Gu Jun.


    Like him, hundreds of emotions battled inside Gu Jun. He wished An Xiaoyan said he liked Guo Guo. Then he could use this chance to further their relationship.


    ��I��ll think about the school and let you know.�� Gu Jun was powerless. Whenever An Xiaoyan acted like this, his temper would disappear. It was like hitting soft cotton.


    ��Thank you.�� An Xiaoyan bowed. He didn��t think Gu Jun would agree so easily.


    ��Go upstairs!��


    An Xiaoyan followed behind Gu Jun. He didn��t know what was happening, but Gu Jun told him to go upstairs, so he did.


    As soon as he entered Gu Jun��s room, he was pressed against the wall and surrounded by forceful kisses everywhere.


    Gu Jun couldn��t take it anymore. He hadn��t seen An Xiaoyan in days and he missed the guy so badly. He missed An Xiaoyan��s familiar scent and the feeling of riding him.


    In the lapse when Gu Jun let go, An Xiaoyan panted out, ��Mr. Gu, I��I��ll go shower first.��


    He was about to leave, Gu Jun grabbed him. He didn��t mind. He wouldn��t mind even if An Xiaoyan had come out of a dumpster.


    As always, it was filled with violence and pain. An Xiaoyan bit his lips and turned away so Gu Jun couldn��t see. He��d tossed the lube Zhang Zilan had given him. He didn��t dream for Gu Jun to use it. Gu Jun must want him to be in pain.


    After fulfilling his desires from the past few days, Gu Jun hugged An Xiaoyan in satisfaction. This was truly living. It was real when they were together.


    ��Mr. Gu, it��s time for Guo Guo to eat. I have to go feed him.��


    ��Okay.�� Gu Jun was in a much better mood after getting his fill.


    When An Xiaoyan left, Gu Jun��s phone rang on the table. His good mood disappeared immediately.


    ��


    ��Ms. Xiu, why did you want to meet up and eat?�� Gu Jun said with a terse smile. He��d only been with An Xiaoyan for less than a day and he was dragged out on a date with a girl he��d already seen. He wasn��t happy.


    Xiu Yijian ignored Gu Jun��s unhappiness. ��Since you agreed to try it, I think we should contact each other more. This way, we can develop feelings.��


    F*ck your feelings! Of course, Gu Jun couldn��t say it out loud.


    ��I think Ms. Xiu must have misunderstood. I said we can try it, but I didn��t say what kind of relationship. Maybe we��re just friends.��


    His words were very coincidental. Xiu Yijian��s smile remained. She was unmoved.


    ��I think you know the consequences if you don��t pretend to date me. Old Mr. Gu won��t let you go.��


    Gu Jun grasped his glass. ��What do you want? Do you really want to marry me?��


    ��Why not?��


    ��You should know that I have a son. You want to be a stepmother that badly?��


    ��I don��t need any special skills to be the stepmother of a retard son.��


    ��Who are you calling a retard?�� Gu Jun was truly angry. Even if Guo Guo wasn��t smart, only Gu Jun could say that. An outsider had no right!


    ��Mr. Gu, it��s best if you understand your situation. It��s not good for either of us to make a scene.��


    Those words woke Gu Jun up. He couldn��t help but laugh at himself. What power did he have? He liked someone, but he couldn��t say it. Instead, he had to date a woman to hide it.


    Even if An Xiaoyan didn��t hate him anymore, Gu Jun still had no chance to hold onto him.


    ��What do you want?��


    Xiu Yijian said some things and walked away, leaving Gu Jun alone in the glitzy restaurant.


    She wanted status��the status to enter the Gu family.


    So many people dreamed of entering the Gu family. Unfortunately, Gu Jun couldn��t give it to her. He wasn��t willing to.


    Xiu Yijian sat in her car and let out a long breath. It was indeed unhealthy to be with someone as suffocating as Gu Jun. After composing herself, she told the driver to start the car.


    She turned on her phone. Looking at the deadline on the screen, she grew anxious again.


    There were less than three months.


    The phone displayed the registration time for an international arts competition. She approached Gu Jun to get the chance to enter the competition. If she could enter, she would definitely win something!


    The Xiu family was only a regular business family. They weren��t magnates like the Gu family. The company she worked for wasn��t bad, but they couldn��t get a spot. Now, she could only get a spot by relying on the Gu family.


    If she could be engaged to Gu Jun, she could bring up the design competition. Old Mr. Gu was impatient, so he would accept. It didn��t matter if Gu Jun liked her or not. She didn��t have to act gentle before him.


    Gu Jun stayed in the restaurant for a long while before going home. By then, An Xiaoyan was already sleeping. There were Gundam toys littered all over the living room. He suddenly got a strange idea and put all the toys into the box like a little kid.


    When he cleaned everything up, he crept into An Xiaoyan��s room and hugged the man.


    ��An Xiaoyan, I like you, you know?��


    His voice was so soft that even he couldn��t hear it. He was afraid��afraid that An Xiaoyan would hear.


    He was afraid, even though An Xiaoyan was asleep.


    ��An Xiaoyan, I��m afraid right now. I��m afraid I can��t protect you. If I��m strong enough, I won��t have to worry. Whatever, you don��t understand. Sleep well. Goodnight.��

 Chapter 58

    ��These are the best kindergartens in the city. Their students are all members of the nobility. Lessons will start in the morning and end in the afternoon. The teachers in the kindergartens are all graduates from famous universities, including many foreigners. They pay great attention to the children��s education, and are quality-oriented. If young master goes to one of these kindergartens, he will develop well.��


    ��Hmm, I will take them back and take a look first.��


    Before, Guo Guo could barely speak, but now Gu Jun had to consider putting him in a school. Chen Chen knew that Gu Jun had not gotten used to the idea yet.


    Gu Jun carefully looked at the profile of several kindergartens and the information looked very similar. Thus, he decided to let An Xiaoyan make the choice instead.


    When these school profiles were placed in front of An Xiaoyan, An Xiaoyan was in disbelief that Gu Jun was actually considering a school for Guo Guo. Gu Jun had taken a brief look at the profiles of all the schools and felt that they were generally quite good. In the past, the kindergarten that he went to had only one TV, and the teachers did not teach the students seriously. His teachers would let the students sit around the TV in a circle and watch TV. It can be said that he had learned nothing at that time.


    ��Which do you think is best?��


    With regards to Guo Guo��s education, An Xiaoyan naturally dare not be negligent and looked at the profiles of several schools carefully. Finally, he chose one named ��Xuesi International Kindergarten��.


    This kindergarten had a distinguishing feature. It paid great attention to the children��s weaknesses, trained the children��s weaknesses, and developed them in a balanced way. Although other parents may pay more attention to the development of their children��s strengths, Guo Guo was different from the other children. At his age, Guo Guo was still unable to express himself well and needed to communicate more with people.


    ��In the following days, I will be communicating with the school to let Guo Guo try it out for a few days this semester. Once he completes his trial lessons and has adapted to the school, he can start attending classes formally next semester.��


    Hearing this, An Xiaoyan felt as if all the blood in his body was surging within him. Finally, Guo Guo would be normal one day, or may even be smarter than those normal children.


    ��Thank you very much, Mr. Gu.��


    ��But you will be responsible for bringing him to school and fetching him home from school every single day.��


    An Xiaoyan��s smile gradually stiffened. The school was at least ten kilometers away from the villa. How could he bring Guo Guo to school or pick him up?


    ��Mr. Gu, I really can��t. Walking on foot to school will take too long, and a child will not be able to withstand the long journey.��


    The next sentence from Gu Jun surprised An Xiaoyan even more. ��In a few days, you can go and learn how to drive, and you��ll be responsible for Guo Guo��s transportation to school.��


    ��What about the fees for the driving lessons?��


    An Xiaoyan had only less than 3000 dollars in total. ��Um, if you do not mind, Sir, you can find another person to be the driver. I really do not know anything.��


    It was precisely because An Xiaoyan did not know many things that Gu Jun told An Xiaoyan to learn how to drive. Gu Jun wanted to let An Xiaoyan learn many more things gradually.


    If hating a person was to make him degenerate, then liking a person would be to make him improve.


    ��I will pay for your driving lessons at the driving school. You will have to get your driver��s license within a month so that you can bring Guo Guo to school next year.��


    ��Okay, I will try my best.�� If he could make up for his sin as a driver, it would be better than doing nothing at all.


    After settling the matters of the school, An Xiaoyan became more enthusiastic in teaching Guo Guo how to speak. Every single day, he would draw many pictures on paper and teach Guo Guo how to recognize the drawn objects and practice speaking. He wanted Guo Guo not to be ostracized by other children at the school.


    Time flew by, and the time for Guo Guo to go to school had finally come. Chen Chen came to pick them up to go to the kindergarten. After dropping Guo Guo off at the kindergarten, Chen Chen drove An Xiaoyan to the driving school.


    Arriving at the gate of the kindergarten, An Xiaoyan carried Guo Guo out of the car, arranged his small school bag, and reminded Guo Guo again, ��If you do not know how to say it, just shake your head. But if you know how, try your best to say it. Remember not to have any conflicts with the other children.��


    After watching Guo Guo enter the kindergarten, An Xiaoyan returned to the car.


    As it was inconvenient to speak in the presence of a child, after Guo Guo left the car, Chen Chen said, ��Mr. An, Mr. Gu personally arranged for you to learn how to drive. He is really good to you.�� He did not complete the second half of the sentence. Gu Jun��s offences to An Xiaoyan were too heavy. Even if time could erase the pain, there would still be traces of the pain left behind.


    ��Well, he wants me to be a driver.��


    ��That is pretty good.��


    An Xiaoyan did not reply and looked at the scenery outside. It had been a long time since he had stepped out of the empty villa. He had been staying in the villa daily.


    The festive atmosphere of the New Year on the street was very strong, and it would be New Year��s Day in over a month��s time.


    During every festive season, An Xiaoyan would miss his family twice as much as usual and would think of his parents. He had not celebrated the New Year with his parents for four years already, and this year would be the fifth consecutive year. Inexplicable sadness poured into his heart, his eyes felt wet and something seemed to be flowing out of his eyes.


    He turned away and wiped his tears with his sleeve. He continued to look out, not wanting Chen Chen to see his embarrassment.


    When they arrived at the driving school, Chen Chen led him straight to a room.


    ��This is Instructor Li. He will be your personal driving instructor until you get your driver��s license.��


    ��Hello.��


    The instructor looked affable. He said nothing and took An Xiaoyan to a car and let him have a feel for it.


    A month later, An Xiaoyan successfully got his driver��s license. When he saw his photo printed on the driver��s license, it felt incredible.


    When he was still in college, he had no extra money to learn how to drive due to his family��s financial background. Thinking of this, An Xiaoyan grinned bitterly. He could not have imagined that he got his driver��s license because his enemy paid for it. This would be considered a strange news if reported.


    Guo Guo also successfully completed his trial lessons at the kindergarten. Both Guo Guo and An Xiaoyan had very little interaction time between each other during this month. Once Guo Guo reached home, he ran straight into the arms of An Xiaoyan and greeted him loudly, ��Uncle An!��


    ��Guo Guo is such a good boy. Did you learn a lot of things in school?��


    ��Uncle, the teacher is very good. He teaches me a lot of things in school.��


    Guo Guo had made great progress in his speech development. He was able to express himself much better than before and was able to speak in complete sentences. Before, he had taught for a long time but could only speak simple words.


    Nearing the end of the year, everyone in the company was busier with work and Gu Jun did not return to the villa at all. Without Gu Jun, the atmosphere in the villa was not as stifling. The servants would be having their day off on the 28th of December because Gu Jun would always return to the old house every year on that day.


    Although Gu Jun had become independent, as long as he was still a member of the Gu Family, he had to go back to the old house on this day. It was an old Gu family house rule.


    It was Zhang Zilan��s last check-up for the year and he also brought along an instrument to check the EEG of Guo Guo.


    An Xiaoyan stood beside him. His body had been recovering well as Gu Jun had not been home for so long. Every day, he was fed with delicious and nutritious food and drink, thus his body naturally recovered quickly.


    Zhang Zilan noticed that An Xiaoyan looked at the EEG instrument from time to time and asked curiously, ��No one has ever been curious about this thing, but you are quite interested in it.��


    An Xiaoyan nodded, but did not speak.


    Usually, after saying this, the other party would naturally not look at it anymore, but An Xiaoyan��s eyes were still fixated on it.


    Zhang Zilan turned his head and saw An Xiaoyan looking at the instrument attentively.


    It was an eager look, as if to see through the whole screen.


    ��Can you understand it?��


    An Xiaoyan hesitated and nodded.


    Although he had not touched these things for several years, when he saw the instrument again, something in his brain seemed to be thriving. The English symbols and wave images felt so familiar to him.


    Zhang Zilan was a little curious about this person. The first time he saw An Xiaoyan, he was covered in blood. Subsequently, he saw An Xiaoyan was injured in the rear. And now, this same person was proficient in medical knowledge.


    This person gave him a strange feeling. Although he did not know much about the relationship between An Xiaoyan and Gu Jun, from the appearance of An Xiaoyan, he knew that An Xiaoyan was someone who would not act against Gu Jun.


    ��Did you study medicine before?��


    An Xiaoyan replied with a ��Hmm�� and shook his head again. He added, ��I only know a little, and I have no certification or experience to speak of.��


    ��Hmm.�� Zhang Zilan was a little sad to hear this answer. As a family doctor, the saddest thing was that he had no one to discuss his medical skills and share ideas with, unlike those doctors working in big hospitals.


    ��Young master��s brain waves are generally recovering well, much better than the check-up that I did for him in the beginning of the year. According to this development trend, it will not take more than six months for him to be the same as a normal child. This is considered a medical anecdote. Before, I had done much research but could not find a solution. Now, young master has unexpectedly made such good progress.��


    ��Maybe it is related to the environment.�� There were similar cases in medical history. Many people, who had been diagnosed with incurable diseases in hospitals, had gradually returned to normal due to optimism or other unknowable factors. An Xiaoyan had learned about such cases from his teachers during his internship in the hospital.


    ��It is possible. I will check on him again next year.�� After that, Zhang Zilan packed all the medical equipment and put it in a box. Finally before he left, he wished An Xiaoyan a happy New Year.


    ��Happy New Year.��


    After getting on the car, Zhang Zilan still wondered about the relationship between An Xiaoyan and Gu Jun. He felt that their relationship had changed somewhat. He used to see An Xiaoyan looking half dead, but looking at An Xiaoyan now, he could tell that Gu Jun seemed to cherish An Xiaoyan more than before.


    The festive atmosphere of New Year��s Day was really getting stronger.


    Gu Jun felt like he was set free after his last meeting of the year as he had been tired out recently. Everyone else had been working hard before going on their annual leave, as they wanted to finish their work on hand and go home comfortably to have a good celebration with their family.


    Seeing that it was still early, Gu Jun drove to a 4S shop.


    He did not have a great desire for cars. Very often, he would buy luxury cars just for the sake of a status symbol. After all, when discussing about business deals, people would usually drive their Rolls Royce and Lamborghini. It would not appear good on him if he were to drive an ordinary car.


    But today was different. He wanted to choose a gift, a unique gift.


    Looking at Gu Jun��s dressing, the salesman knew that he was an eligible bachelor, thus did not dare to be negligent and hurried over to enquire on his interest.


    ��Sir, what kind of car do you want to see? Here are the latest series. There is a showroom that displays the cars. You can try it out.��


    Gu Jun took a casual look and had a brief impression of the cars. This time, he did not need a luxury car, but a practical one.

 Chapter 59

    ��Is there a more subtle style?��


    ��Sir, this is the newest series from Benz. The color is very subtle and the automatic system is the most advanced. More importantly, it uses����


    The saleswoman kept talking, but Gu Jun wasn��t paying attention at all. He saw a car in the distance.


    It obviously wasn��t a high class car. At most, it was a medium-to-low brand, but it had a familiar feeling.


    A white car with a sleek design lay there quietly, just like how An Xiaoyan lay on bed quietly. It was very similar. The car strummed Gu Jun��s heartstrings. An Xiaoyan never gave off a high-class feeling, but something in his bones demanded respect.


    ��Show me that car.��


    The saleswoman followed Gu Jun��s finger. It was a Honda. This brand was low-class compared to the others in the store. If someone with Gu Jun��s status bought this kind of car, he was probably gifting it.


    ��This is a Honda. The market price is 380,000. It��s not very expensive, but its quality-price ratio is quite high.��


    Gu Jun nodded. He handed over a gold card without any hesitation.


    ��Excuse me, is it under your name or?��


    ��Under An Xiaoyan��s name. This is his ID.�� He��d naturally taken An Xiaoyan��s ID card when he registered for driving school last time.


    ��Okay. Sir, we will do the paperwork for you now. You can fetch the car in ten days,�� the saleswoman said with a professional smile. Inside, she was thinking about the person named An Xiaoyan. The news earlier had caused an uproar. This rich man looked like the picture on the web too. Did she really meet him?


    So it was all real. That An Xiaoyan got a sugar daddy!


    Ten days was just the right timing.


    Gu Jun didn��t have to go to the company after the 25th of the 12th lunar month. An Xiaoyan wasn��t used to having him at home all day. He felt extremely uncomfortable.


    However, Gu Jun was very comfortable. It was comforting to have An Xiaoyan beside him. He could also put his work aside for now. He relaxed.


    Looking at An Xiaoyan wiping the table with a tissue, he couldn��t help but smile.


    ��Come here.��


    An Xiaoyan put down the ragged tissue and walked to Gu Jun��s side. The pressure made it hard for him to breathe. ��Mr. Gu, what is it?��


    Gu Jun patted the sofa for him to sit down.


    ��How��s driving? Can you drive on the road now?�� Gu Jun very naturally rested his hand on An Xiaoyan��s shoulder. When his hand landed, he could clearly feel An Xiaoyan tense.


    ��I should be fine on the road.��


    ��Okay.��


    It was silent again.


    Gu Jun tried to find a topic, but An Xiaoyan kept his head lowered, twisting his hands together. Gu Jun didn��t know what to ask.


    ��I have to go to the old house on the 28th. You��ll be alone again.��


    ��I will take care of the home.��


    Gu Jun wished he could take An Xiaoyan home and announce that this was the man he liked. In reality, they couldn��t even count as an affair.


    Seeing the smooth little face, he couldn��t help but move up and kiss it. As he kissed, his hands involuntarily reached into An Xiaoyan��s shirt, feeling the warmth inside.


    He pressed down on An Xiaoyan��s body. They filled the sofa just right.


    Gu Jun kissed deeply as if sketching the contours of a treasure. He was about to continue, but he was interrupted!


    ��Daddy, you��re crushing Uncle An!�� a childish voice called from upstairs.


    Gu Jun stopped. He straightened An Xiaoyan��s clothes and walked to Guo Guo. Behind him, An Xiaoyan reddened. What if Guo Guo got a bad impression after seeing something like this?


    However, he couldn��t refuse Gu Jun.


    ��Daddy wasn��t crushing Uncle An. We��re just playing a game.��


    ��Let me play with Daddy!�� With that, Guo Guo tugged at his clothes and pounced on Gu Jun.


    Gu Jun was caught between laughing and crying. ��This is a game for adults. Kids can��t play it. You can play it when you grow up.��


    Kids were easy to placate. Guo Guo nodded. He was distracted by a toy on the side and instantly forgot about everything.


    ��Mr. Gu�� Can we not do it in front of the kid? He��s still young,�� An Xiaoyan said softly. Guo Guo was too young. An Xiaoyan couldn��t bear to let him see these dark things.


    ��Sure.��


    The straightforward answer relieved An Xiaoyan. He felt like Gu Jun was a bit different nowadays. Gu Jun didn��t seem to punish him as much and would sometimes agree with things easily.


    If this continued, they wouldn��t be like before.


    However, reality was always crueler than one could imagine. Something people thought had passed quickly actually had strong aftershocks.


    At noon, the entire mansion felt dead. Everything was sleeping.


    An Xiaoyan was thirsty, so he went downstairs to get water. Outside the kitchen, the whispering inside stopped him.


    ��I��m telling you, when I was sweeping upstairs earlier, I accidentally saw something I shouldn��t have seen.��


    Another maid said, ��What is it? Tell me. Stop teasing.��


    ��I saw Mr. Gu pressing that An Xiaoyan on the sofa. Mr. Gu��s hands were all the way in his shirt. An Xiaoyan didn��t even fight back.��


    ��You don��t know, he does that job, so he��s obviously easy. Didn��t the news make an uproar earlier? Mr. Gu even took him shopping. That mall was all name brands!��


    ��Yeah, and didn��t they go to the amusement park too? They brought Young Master along. I think he��s a male fox. He wants to win Young Master over to get a higher status!��


    ��Hey, this is a rooster that can��t lay eggs. I heard that the miss of the Xiu family is dating Mr. Gu. When they get together, there��ll be no place for him. Who��s he pretending for every day? He��s favored by the sir, so he just stays here for free. What kind of man is like him? What a failure!��


    ��Yeah! If my man is like this, I��d rather kill myself!��


    ��Your man isn��t as lucky as him, not having to work anymore at such a young age!��


    An Xiaoyan couldn��t listen to the rest. He wasn��t thirsty either. He turned and went back.


    The different feelings he��d accumulated were all gone now. Back in his room, his mind kept replaying the servants�� conversation.


    Male fox, favored by a man, getting a higher status��


    So this was how other people saw him.


    It wasn��t completely wrong. Everyone knew about the amusement park. He was like a window of a man, whom everyone could see through.


    No wonder the driving teacher always looked at him strangely. Thinking back, it was probably mockery. If he walked down the street now, would people recognize and whisper about him?


    His heart hurt. It was as if all the old scars were opened up again. He didn��t want to care, but he was still humiliated to have so many people know and gossip about him.


    There was that Ms. Xiu too. She should be with Gu Jun. He shouldn��t be getting in their way.


    Maybe Gu Jun would tell him to leave in a few days and stop being a freeloader. Maybe he��d be told to move out and continue repaying his debt.


    All his days in the mansion felt repetitive. It was as if his days had no difference.


    ��


    ��Miss, this is the invitation from the Gu family.�� When the butler saw Xiu Yijian, he handed over the invitation.


    ��Okay.�� She interacted with the Gu family often these days. Dinners and such were common.


    When she opened the invitation, she was incredulous. Old Mr. Gu had personally written to invite her to eat the New Year��s Eve dinner with the Gu family.


    This meal wasn��t for anyone. If they decided to eat this dinner, it meant that they agreed with the wedding. This meant that the rest of her life would be given away. She didn��t like Gu Jun. She did this just to participate in the international design competition.


    ��What did the person say when giving the invitation?��


    ��Just that you should consider it carefully.��


    She indeed had to consider it.


    Was it worth it to exchange the rest of her life for a chance? After ruminating, Xiu Yijian decided to go. Going only represented her intentions. If Gu Jun didn��t agree, they still couldn��t proceed.


    ��Tell them I��ll go.��


    Gu Jun was cold and cruel on the surface, but people like him treasured relationships even more. If he liked anyone, he wouldn��t let go.


    Xiu Yijian thought for a long while and suddenly remembered that there was a man in Gu Jun��s home. She��d seen a lot of gays while studying overseas. It was possible that Gu Jun liked a man.


    She would have to see as she went.

 Chapter 60

    On the 28th of December, all the servants went back to their own homes and Gu Jun had to return to the old house. He had never returned home with Guo Guo before. This year, Guo Guo had learned to speak and looked no different from other normal children. Once old Mr. Gu learned about this, he requested Gu Jun to bring the grandson along to the family home.


    On the one hand, he wanted to see the child. On the other hand, if Gu Jun brought a child back home, the rest of the family members would see it and would greatly help Gu Jun��s chances of being the successor.


    Old Mr. Gu would make use of anything at all costs to increase Gu Jun��s chances, including the child.


    Because of the absence of Guo Guo and the fact that the nanny went back home, An Xiaoyan was left all alone in the villa with the doorkeeper.


    ��I will be back on the third day of the New Year.��


    ��Okay.��


    There was only one word in his reply. Gu Jun was hoping that An Xiaoyan could say a few more words, ��Do you have anything else to say?��


    An Xiaoyan squatted down and arranged Guo Guo��s suit. ��When you see Grandpa, you must greet Grandpa with a hello, understand?��


    ��Yes, I understand! Daddy told me that already! Hello, Grandpa.��


    ��Guo Guo is such a good boy.��


    An Xiaoyan stood up and resumed his usual demeanor. It seemed that since a few days ago, An Xiaoyan had changed somewhat. The slightly melted iceberg felt even colder now.


    Gu Jun was sure An Xiaoyan would not add anything else, thus carried Guo Guo in his arms and board the car.


    The car slowly drove out of the villa. Guo Guo waved goodbye to An Xiaoyan while Gu Jun also looked back at An Xiaoyan, who was standing at the door. It was New Year��s Day, but An Xiaoyan was left all alone by himself. Gu Jun felt it was necessary for them to return home early this year.


    After Gu Jun left, the servants left too. The whole villa felt chilly. The doorkeeper lived in a small house near the main gate of the villa, and would not cross the yard to the villa if nothing unusual happened.


    An Xiaoyan opened the refrigerator, and it was full of fresh vegetables and fruits. They should have been prepared by the nanny before she left for the holiday.


    In this empty house, the only person who was good to him was the nanny.


    Seeing that the time was still early after he awoke from his nap, An Xiaoyan went upstairs and walked one round. He hesitated when he passed by the study. Finally, he verified his fingerprints on the digital lock.


    Unexpectedly, the door to the study unlocked. He always thought that Gu Jun would��ve removed his fingerprints from the system after he got angry the last time.


    The study was still spotless. An Xiaoyan went to the column of medical books. He brushed his finger over the books and randomly pulled one out, then started to read it earnestly.


    Before, there were people around the house, thus he did not dare to enter the study. Now that he was all alone at home, he did not have to worry about people gossiping behind his back.


    Attracted by the content of the book, An Xiaoyan sat on the floor and read through the book, page by page. When he looked up again, he realized that it was dark outside.


    He massaged his sore neck after bowing his head for a long time. He returned the book to the shelf and went downstairs to cook.


    There were so many ingredients in the refrigerator, but he only chose the simplest: he saut��ed some vegetables, made scrambled eggs with capsicum and saut��ed long beans, then ate a simple meal.


    Lying on the bed at night, the whole house looked dark. Strong winds were howling outside and the branches of the sycamore trees outside of the window were swaying from side to side. His heart felt empty.


    An Xiaoyan sat up and turned on the bedside lamp, then sat quietly.


    What��s the point?


    The other person who also had difficulty falling asleep was Gu Jun.


    This year he definitely felt more welcomed as he returned home.


    As they entered the door of the old house, Guo Guo greeted his grandfather and old Mr. Gu��s heart was filled with joy. It was considered a blessing to be able to have a healthy grandson in his lifetime.


    ��My lovely grandson!��


    Old Mr. Gu carried Guo Guo in his arms and rubbed Guo Guo��s head and face with his face. Guo Guo��s little face was pricked with faint marks, and he reacted, ��Grandpa, it hurts.��


    Old Mr. Gu realized that his beard had been rubbing against the Guo Guo��s skin. ��Oops, it is Grandpa��s fault. Come in quickly.��


    Gu Jun followed old Mr. Gu into the house, and Guo Guo was still in old Mr. Gu��s arms.


    This was the first time Gu Jun arrived back in the old house so early, mainly because Guo Guo had been clamoring to come early. In previous years, Gu Jun was basically always the last to arrive.


    The night of the 28th was a family feast for every small family in the Gu family, and the night on the 30th was a family feast for everyone to gather together.


    Gu Jing, because his parents died many years ago, also spent the New Year with old Mr. Gu, that was to say, he and Gu Jun had to eat together twice, and pretended to be in harmony.


    After dinner, Guo Guo was taken away by the servant. Due to the senior Mr. Gu��s old age, he retreated to his room early, leaving Gu Jun and Gu Jing sitting in the dining room.


    ��Some time ago, the news of you and a man spread like wildfire. It must have affected your reputation and you have heard much unpleasant gossip.�� After Gu Jing finished speaking, he cut a piece of beef and chewed it slowly.


    Gu Jun apparently was not bothered with this kind of hypocritical concern. He said angrily, ��No matter how bad it sounds, it has nothing to do with you.��


    ��It really has nothing to do with me. It is natural for a young man like you to have some fun. Things will get better as time passes.��


    Gu Jing was three years older than Gu Jun. This year, Gu Jing turned thirty-two years old but spoke in a senior manner, which made Gu Jun very uncomfortable.


    ��I��m full. Take your time here.��


    Looking at Gu Jun��s backside as he walked upstairs, Gu Jing was really taking his time in his meal and told the housekeeper to bring out another portion of steak, then started to savor it slowly.


    This year, there is going to be a good show.


    Back in the room, Guo Guo had already fallen asleep on the small bed. Gu Jun held Guo Guo in his arms and adjusted him inwards, then laid down beside him.


    The truth was that it was the first time he had ever tried to accompany his son to sleep. His son exuded a fragrant scent of milk and Gu Jun pulled up the quilt for his son.


    After lying on the bed for a long time, he was still not sleepy. Gu Jun recalled that when he first met An Xiaoyan four years ago, An Xiaoyan was still a young student with an innocent face. If he had been more lenient at that time, An Xiaoyan would not have become like this now.


    Nevertheless, at that time, he was only twenty-five years old. He was in his prime and happened to have a child by accident. Then, he recalled Mu Nan, the girl with dimples on both sides when she smiled.


    He and Mu Nan had no deep feelings for each other and she got pregnant by accident. Mu Nan��s parents had emigrated abroad since the death of their daughter, and now they no longer stayed in contact with Gu Jun.


    If I had been more mature at that time, I would not have hated An Xiaoyan so much.


    Looking at the time, it was 2 a.m. Gu Jun��s mobile phone had the contact number of An Xiaoyan. He yearned to call An Xiaoyan and hear his voice. Eventually, he held back his yearning. After all it was almost New Year��s Day, and he decided to let An Xiaoyan have a good night��s rest.


    In the twinkling of an eye, it was the last day of the year, a day where the Gu family��s old house would be bustling with noise and excitement.


    Early in the morning, people from every branch of the Gu family made their way to the Gu family��s old house to join in the excitement. The Gu family rose in social class a decade ago and was very powerful by the present day. It was no wonder many people would want to make friends or claim ties of kinship with them. Fortunately, most of the people who were present were cousins and dared not have any bad intentions in mind. They simply wanted to have a meal and leave after their children received their red packets.


    A meal that was supposed to be simple was a bit unusual this year.


    ��Hello, Uncle Gu!��


    ��Here comes Miss Gao. Come in, please. This year you will get a big red packet.�� Gao Shan was Gu Jing��s fianc��e and old Mr. Gu was cordial towards her. After all, he had to be cordial in the presence of so many people.


    ��Hello, Uncle.��


    Hearing this familiar voice, Gu Jun turned his head and saw Xiu Yijian.


    ��Gu Jun, come here quickly. Miss Xiu is here, come and welcome her.��


    Gu Jun looked reluctant as he walked over, and his heart was full of doubt. He and Xiu Yijian were not even considered friends now. He wondered why she was invited over for dinner. It might be his father who had orchestrated something behind his back.


    ��Hey!�� Xiu Yijian still had a dignified and solemn look, and no one could find any flaw on her.


    ��Why are you here?��


    ��Didn��t your family invite me?�� Xiu Yijian answered naturally.


    ��I didn��t invite you.��


    ��It doesn��t matter who invited me. It seems that someone wants me to be here. As long as we cooperate with each other, it will only do us good.��


    Gu Jun did not plan to cooperate with her. He hummed and went upstairs. When did Gu Jun ever have to put up with anything?


    Because of the addition of two more women, this year��s dinner seemed very lively. Gu Jing was cooperating with Gao Shan and chatting up with the elders. In contrast, Gu Jun was hiding upstairs and appeared immature.


    ��Daddy, why are we here? There are many people downstairs and lots of delicious food.�� Guo Guo stared at Gu Jun with his big eyes and his face was full of curiosity.


    Gu Jun placed his child on his leg and said, ��The people downstairs are all wearing masks. You can��t go down without wearing a mask.��


    The child naturally could not understand the implied meaning and continued to ask, ��Why didn��t Grandpa give us masks so that we could go down and play?��


    ��Only bad people wear masks. Good people don��t need masks.��


    ��Then I am a good man, so is my father, and so is Uncle An.��


    ��Guo Guo, do you like Uncle An?��


    ��Yes.��


    Gu Jun kissed Guo Guo��s chubby little face. Why did I not find this son so obedient before?


    ��Mr. Gu, young master, old Mr. Gu has requested that the both of you be present downstairs. The guests are all here.�� The servant��s voice came from outside the door.


    ��Dad, we don��t have masks. Why did Grandpa ask us to go downstairs?��


    Gu Jun squatted down and covered Guo Guo��s face. ��Daddy will put on an invisible mask for you, so you can go downstairs.��


    ��Wow, that��s great. I will also put on one for to Daddy too.�� Guo Guo held out his small hands and covered Gu Jun��s face like Gu Jun had just done. The father and son went downstairs hand in hand.


    The group of people downstairs had their eyes focused on Gu Jun and his child.


    As soon as he entered the crowd, Gu Jun was surrounded by relatives and Guo Guo had no place to stand.


    ��I will help you to take care of the child first. Come and look for us over there when you��re done.�� Xiu Yijian took Guo Guo to a place where there were fewer people.


    Gu Jun did not want to let others touch his child, but given the current situation, it was inconvenient to keep his child by his side. Fortunately, Xiu Yijian was standing nearby where he could see his child easily. This relieved part of his worries.


    ��You must be the young master. I haven��t had the chance to see you before and finally see you today. You are indeed a smart boy, and Gu Jun really does have a good son!�� It was a distant cousin of Gu Jun who spoke. As for their blood relationship, it had long been unclear. The flattery in this remark was so obvious that no one else commented but laughed awkwardly. Everyone knew that Gu Jun��s son was previously behaving like a retard.


    ��Thank you for your good words. My child is naturally good.�� Seeing that Gu Jun was not angry, the people around him started to sing the praises of the child. Gu Jun did not pay much attention to the praises and his eyes were always unknowingly looking in the direction of Guo Guo. In public, Xiu Yijian would not be so foolish to do anything to Guo Guo. However, he was worried that she would say something that did not sound nice to Guo Guo.

 Chapter 61

    ��You��re Guo Guo, right?��


    Guo Guo looked at the woman cautiously and nodded. Uncle An told him not to talk to strangers. They were all bad people.


    This person had pulled him over. He wanted to run away, but the person was too strong. He couldn��t escape at all.


    Xiu Yijian took a small cake from the table and placed it before Guo Guo. ��For you.��


    Guo Guo shook his head.


    Sensing the distance between them, Xiu Yijian maintained her smile and good temper. ��What, do you think I��m a bad person?��


    Guo Guo still shook his head. It was rumored that Gu Jun��s son was an idiot, but after seeing him with her own eyes, she realized things were different. This kid was just like other kids. In fact, he was more cautious.


    ��Whatever. If you want it, get it yourself.��


    Hearing this, Guo Guo reached for the platter of fruits before him. He took a piece of watermelon and put it in his mouth.


    Cold wind blew outside but the house was as warm as spring. Even the watermelons were put on ice. Guo Guo chewed and then spat the watermelon out. It was too cold!


    At home, An Xiaoyan took care of Guo Guo. Baby teeth couldn��t take the cold. It was okay before, but Guo Guo had started growing new teeth. An Xiaoyan never let him eat cold things. It was his first time today and he couldn��t help but spit it out.


    Xiu Yijian quickly wiped his mouth with a tissue. The people beside her saw this and started whispering.


    ��That��s the girl Old Mr. Gu introduced to Gu Jun, right? She seems like she��ll be a good wife.��


    ��So what? She��ll just be a stepmother. Who knows if the kid will like her?��


    ��No, that��s not right. This kid has never had a mother. If she marries into the family, who else will the kid be close to? In my opinion, she��s hit jackpot.��


    A group of gossipy women discussed this. When Gu Jun heard the murmurs in the crowd, he immediately left the person with his glass raised and went to check it out.


    ��Daddy, cold!�� Guo Guo said, pointing at his mouth.


    ��Come, Daddy will blow it for you.�� Gu Jun blew at Guo Guo��s small mouth to warm it up.


    Watching from the side, Xiu Yijian was confused. Didn��t they all say Gu Jun didn��t like his son? It didn��t look like it at all! He loved his son!


    When Guo Guo��s mouth wasn��t cold anymore, Gu Jun led him upstairs. While leaving, he glanced at Xiu Yijian. She couldn��t have forced the child to eat, but she didn��t even stop him. This pissed Gu Jun off. If An Xiaoyan was here, it wouldn��t have happened.


    Gu Jun froze. He always thought of An Xiaoyan at random moments.


    ��Guo Guo, let��s call Uncle An.��


    ��Okay,�� Guo Guo said happily. He hadn��t seen Uncle An in two days.


    With this excuse, Gu Jun could finally call An Xiaoyan without shame. He dug out his phone and called without hesitation. The beeps made Gu Jun anxious. Finally, the long-anticipated voice streamed out.


    ��Mr. Gu��what��s wrong?��


    ��Uncle An!�� Guo Guo yelled from the side.


    ��Ah, Guo Guo is here too.��


    ��Guo Guo ate a piece of watermelon that was too cold. What should I do?��


    ��Oh��it��s not that bad. Just give him hot water and don��t eat anything cold again.��


    ��Okay.��


    Silence followed. An Xiaoyan didn��t hang up.


    When Guo Guo didn��t hear any more sounds, he leaned on Gu Jun��s arm and exclaimed, ��Hello? Where��d he go?��


    ��I��m here.��


    Those words assured Gu Jun greatly. He feared that An Xiaoyan wouldn��t be by his side one day. He would be so lonely.


    ��Mr. Gu, is there anything else?��


    ��How are you at home?��


    ��Good.��


    Silence again.


    ��I��ll hang up then.��


    ��Okay.��


    The call ended, but Gu Jun was still immersed in it. Hugging Guo Guo, he said, ��Let��s go home the day after tomorrow. Then we can see Uncle An.��


    ��Okay!��


    On the other end of the call, An Xiaoyan couldn��t recover for quite a while. He couldn��t believe it when he heard the ringtone and saw the caller ID. Today was the last day of the year. He didn��t know why Gu Jun called. Was he going to mock An Xiaoyan or insult him like before?


    After accepting the call, he was stunned. Gu Jun wasn��t cold like before. Guo Guo��s addition to the call made it seem like a regular conversation.


    They weren��t from the same world. Thinking of this, An Xiaoyan forgot about the phone call.


    ��


    After the banquet started, everyone sat around the long table in order. Old Mr. Gu sat at the very front. Gu Jun and Gu Jing were on either side of him. Guo Guo sat in a highchair beside Gu Jun. After that was Gao Shan and Xiu Yijian.


    Seeing Xiu Yijian there, Gu Jun ignored her. He would treat her like a regular person. Before, he��d thought that this woman was different from the others. Now, there seemed to be no difference.


    First, Old Mr. Gu spoke. ��Today is the last dinner of the year. It��s also my last year in this position. Next year, there will be a new heir. No matter who it is, I hope he will further develop the Gu name! Now, let me wish everyone a happy new year!��


    The people all clapped. Old Mr. Gu sat down and the servants started serving the food.


    Since it was a family dinner, they had to reinforce their image. All the dishes were made with attention to detail. There obviously were things like abalone and bird��s nest. The families who weren��t very well off wouldn��t have the chance to eat this usually. If they brought their kids today, their kids were very lucky.


    Usually, Guo Guo ate the healthy meals that An Xiaoyan prepared. They weren��t made with precious ingredients, but they paid attention to health and nutrients. Guo Guo suddenly didn��t want to eat all this fish and meat. He turned around and hugged Gu Jun��s arm, staring at him imploringly.


    Gu Jun was happy seeing the chubby face. How come he never realized how nice it was for kids to act spoiled?


    He waved at the servant behind him and ordered the kitchen to cook a bowl of thin chicken soup. Then Gu Jun chose some lighter vegetable dishes for Guo Guo.


    After a few rounds of drinking, people were mostly done eating. Old Mr. Gu started talking again.


    ��My nephew, Gu Jing, is engaged with Gao Shan of the Gao family. We will soon choose a good day for the wedding. I hope you all will attend.��


    Since he said this, there was no reason to not go. Everyone said that they would definitely attend.


    ��I��m sure everyone knows about the scandal from earlier. My disappointing son was misled and tricked by a man. Thankfully, he is back on the right path now and has met Ms. Xiu. It��s their fate.��


    In his seat, Gu Jun sipped from his wine glass. He realized this was Old Mr. Gu��s motive. He publicly announced his thing with Xiu Yijian so he had no other choice.


    ��Everyone has made some mistakes when they were young. This nephew of mine is so much better than the other families��. We��re so proud and happy. How many pieces of news are actually true?��


    The speaker was the second uncle that had talked to Gu Jun earlier. He really knew how to go with the flow. The others all made similar comments. They quickly moved on from the fact that Gu Jun had a male sugar baby.


    ��I��m not going to marry you,�� Gu Jun whispered to Xiu Yijian. He added, ��You won��t have the chance even if you want to be the stepmother.��


    In Gu Jun��s arms, Guo Guo asked curiously, ��What��s a stepmother?��


    ��The porridge before you,�� Gu Jun explained. ��Drink it up. If it gets cold, you could get sick.��


    Guo Guo knew what getting sick meant, so he quickly started eating the porridge with his spoon.


    ��Mr. Gu, this isn��t for us to decide. If you like someone, we can live our own lives after the marriage and find some time to get divorced.��


    Gu Jun didn��t respond. Could he really give up everything in exchange for An Xiaoyan? Could he give up his wealth and status?


    He wasn��t sure.


    The last event was getting the red packets. It was Guo Guo��s first time here and he��d kowtowed to Old Mr. Gu obediently three times, so he got a thick packet. The others gave him a lot too. After a round, he could barely hold onto them all. This made the other kids jealous.


    Guo Guo had no concept of money. He only knew he could buy ice cream with it, but Uncle An said he couldn��t eat cold things anymore. He would just save it up to ride the horsey.


    ��Daddy, ride horsey later!�� Guo Guo gave the red packets all to Gu Jun. Seeing all the red packets and the fact that the kid wasn��t greedy, Gu Jun��s affection for Guo Guo grew some more.


    They did what they had to do and the other families left. Gu Jun picked Guo Guo up and was about to sleep. He��d prepared a gift for An Xiaoyan at home. He didn��t give it personally, but the thought was there.


    An Xiaoyan stared at the red packet from the old security guard in confusion. What was this? He had nothing to do with the guard. Why was he getting a red packet? He was old already too.


    ��You��re a junior and you must be lonely here by yourself. It��s New Years. You should celebrate. It��s not much, but just keep it. Put it under your pillow for the tradition.��


    The old man was persuasive and in the end, An Xiaoyan accepted it. He didn��t have anything to give in return. He could only thank the man and profusely wish him a happy new year.


    When the man left, An Xiaoyan opened the red packet and counted the bills. It was 2000 in total. It was the biggest red packet he��d ever received in his life.


    The old man gazed at the light in the mansion from afar. Mr. Gu had put a lot of thought into this to have him give An Xiaoyan the red packet.


    An Xiaoyan got into bed early. There were fireworks in the distance, but it seemed to have nothing to do with him. It was just a regular day.


    He put the old guard��s red packet under his pillow. When he was a kid, he would carefully save the red packets from the adults every year. He wouldn��t dare to spend it until days after the New Year. He saved it like a treasure.


    It was nine o��clock. There were three hours before the New Year. He was 26 years old. The prime of his life was about to pass. All that remained was ash.


    Lying in bed, he was about fall asleep when his phone rang on the table. It was an unknown number. He couldn��t imagine who would call him at this time. Dong Zi? Probably not.

 Chapter 62

    After pressing the answer button, he heard an intermittent voice saying, ��Yan Zi�� Yan Zi����


    ��Liu Cheng! Is that you?�� An Xiaoyan was very excited to hear from Liu Cheng as he had no news of Liu Cheng since he was last seen in Night Charm Luxurious Clubhouse.


    ��Yan Zi, please come, I��m feeling so miserable�� Really very miserable����


    ��Where are you?��


    ��I am�� am in a small room.��


    An Xiaoyan heard a voice that sounded weak and was fading out, it made him very anxious and worried. Liu Cheng will be fine. ��You tell me the address. I will go and find you.��


    An Xiaoyan couldn��t care less about anything else as he needed to find Liu Cheng. He felt that he was the one who caused Liu Cheng to be in his current state. If he did not make the trip, his conscience would haunt him .


    After a while, Liu Cheng gave An Xiaoyan an address. An Xiaoyan put on his clothes, placed all his money in his pocket and looked at the red packet. He hesitated and finally stuffed the red packet into his pocket.


    An Xiaoyan patted the doorkeeper��s room door and shouted, ��Uncle, I need to go out. Please open the door.��


    The doorkeeper looked out of the window and shook his head. ��You can��t go out. Mr. Gu gave his orders before he left.��


    ��I have to go.�� He was really afraid that if he delayed another minute, something would happen to Liu Cheng.


    ��Well, I really can��t do that. Unless Mr. Gu agrees, otherwise I will be blamed for letting you out.��


    Since things had developed to this stage, An Xiaoyan hadn��t much of a choice. He turned on his mobile phone, searched for Gu Jun��s number and dialed out.


    This was the second time An Xiaoyan called him. Gu Jun was surprised when he saw the phone number. He specifically found a quiet place to answer the phone call.


    ��Mr. Gu, I need to go out.��


    ��Where to?�� Gu Jun knew that An Xiaoyan must be feeling very bored in his house during the festive period, but he could not walk away without any reason.


    A reason must be given to Gu Jun. An Xiaoyan calmed down and said slowly, ��I heard that the amusement park will set off fireworks, and I want to see it.��


    The Oriental Eye will set off fireworks every year at the countdown time, which is also a highlight of the annual New Year in A City. It was not impossible for An Xiaoyan to go there.


    ��Come back after you see it.��


    ��I will.��


    Gu Jun waited for a long time and did not hear any ��Happy New Year��, and took the initiative to say, ��An Xiaoyan.��


    ��Huh?��


    ��Happy New Year.��


    ��Thank you.�� Just after saying this, An Xiaoyan gestured to the gatekeeper to show that Gu Jun had agreed to let him go out, and left with his mobile phone.


    Gu Jun put down his mobile phone gloomily. He thought An Xiaoyan would also say Happy New Year to him, just like ordinary relatives and friends would. It was just a few words that he was asking for, but he was left a little disappointed. Did An Xiaoyan really have nothing to say at all? On second thought, since An Xiaoyan was going to The Oriental Eye to see the fireworks, he would probably recall the scene where they sat in the Ferris Wheel together.


    On New Year��s Eve, many people were out on the road to play and set off fireworks. After a long walk, An Xiaoyan finally managed to hail a taxi. As soon as he got in the taxi, An Xiaoyan wrapped his coat tightly and told the taxi driver the address.


    An Xiaoyan thought it would be a high rising residential area, but when he got to the place, he was somewhat at a loss.


    This was a particularly deserted residential area and the houses seemed to be built ages ago. As many people had returned home during the New Year, there were not many people around, but a few children were playing with fireworks in the open space, which added a little joy to the quiet community.


    He went to the address that Liu Cheng had given him. As soon as he got to the door, he smelled a scent of decay and he felt somewhat confused. It was the scent a decaying corpse.


    He forced himself to stay calm, telling himself that he had seen corpses in school before. And since Liu Cheng was still able to make a call to him just now, everything should be alright.


    Knock, knock, knock�� The knocking sounds echoed in the corridor and could be heard very clearly. But after waiting for a long time, no one answered the door, and this made An Xiaoyan very worried.


    Trembling, he pulled out his mobile phone and dialed Liu Cheng��s number. However, no one answered.


    An Xiaoyan rushed downstairs in a frenzy, found a security guard and told him to go upstairs to open the door.


    ��That household on the third floor, I only saw him once shortly after he moved in. He��s tall and thin. How are you related to him?��


    ��I��m his friend. I��m here to celebrate the New Year with him today.��


    An Xiaoyan took money out of his pocket, pulled out some red colored notes and stuffed it into the hands of the security guard. ��Sorry to trouble you.��


    Now that he had accepted the money, the security guard took a bunch of keys and went upstairs. When they reached the third floor, the overwhelming smell of decay made the security guard cover his nose.


    ��What��s this smell? Could it be that somebody has died?!��


    ��No, it can��t be. You open the door. I��ll go in and have a look.��


    The security guard did not wish to stay for a moment longer. It would be considered bad luck if something bad happened during the New Year.


    As soon as the door was opened, there was an overwhelming foulness. The security guard covered his nose and hurried downstairs. An Xiaoyan hurriedly turned on the light and saw the tragic scene inside.


    The room was full of used paper towels and smelly clothes. The unfinished instant noodle boxes on the table had grown moldy. An Xiaoyan controlled the nauseating feeling and walked around the living room, then walked deeper into the house. Opening a door, he saw someone on the bed.


    ��Liu Cheng!��


    The man on the bed did not answer.


    An Xiaoyan rushed over and saw the familiar face. As soon as his fingers touched Liu Cheng��s body, the man��s heat made him withdraw his hand. Liu Cheng was running a high fever.


    An Xiaoyan was about to turn around and dial 120 when someone grabbed the corner of his shirt. ��Don��t go, there��s medicine in the cabinet over there. You can bring it over for me. I��ll be fine after I take it.��


    Now that it was New Year��s Day, help from 120 might not arrive promptly. An Xiaoyan took out the medicine from the cabinet and poured out a few pills. He found a bottle of mineral water that had not been opened on the table next to him, and gave Liu Cheng the medicine.


    After taking the medicine, Liu Cheng��s body did not feel as hot as before. He felt better and said, ��Yan Zi, you are here. That is good.��


    ��I��m here. Have you eaten yet?��


    Liu Cheng did not look very well. An Xiaoyan went downstairs to buy some noodles, then came back to sit at the bedside to feed Liu Cheng.


    ��Eat slowly. If it��s not enough, I will go and buy more.��


    Liu Cheng nodded and began to chew and swallow slowly. It took nearly an hour to finish eating the bowl of noodles.


    An Xiaoyan was clearing up the bowl and chopsticks when he heard a voice behind him saying, ��Yan Zi, don��t go, will you? Stay here with me.��


    He promised Gu Jun that he would go back, but seeing Liu Cheng in this state, he knew that Liu Cheng needed someone to care for him, he was left in a dilemma.


    ��Yan Zi����


    The weak voice was attacking An Xiaoyan��s conscience. After all, Liu Cheng was his benefactor. When he was in prison, only Liu Cheng had visited him. After his release, Liu Cheng went against Gu Jun to help him. He felt that it was he who had caused Liu Cheng to suffer and become who he was today. He had the responsibility to take care of Liu Cheng.


    ��Alright, I won��t go. I will clean the house and take you to the shower later.��


    ��Yan Zi, I hope you mean what you said.��


    ��Yes, I mean it. You lie down and rest for a while. I will come over to call you when it��s time to shower.�� Hearing the promise from An Xiaoyan, Liu Cheng felt at ease. He dared not tell An Xiaoyan the truth. He just wanted to enjoy the last bit of warmth. At least in this world, there was someone who cared about him.


    To pacify Liu Cheng, An Xiaoyan began to clean the room and clear out all the garbage. He also threw the dirty clothes into the washing machine. The smell of decay came from the pile of garbage in the house.


    He did not know what happened after Liu Cheng left the Night Charm Luxurious Clubhouse, but no matter what had happened, he would take good care of Liu Cheng, at least until he recovered.


    He briefly cleaned up the bathroom. Fortunately, after he found a bottle of air freshener and sprayed it around, the smell of decay in the room dissipated.


    Returning to the bedroom again, Liu Cheng had just woken up from a nap and stared at him.


    Loud banging sounds from the fireworks came from outside. It had passed midnight. The fireworks were a way by which people celebrate the New Year.


    ��Happy New Year.�� An Xiaoyan sat by the bed and looked at the weak man in the bed.


    ��Happy New Year.�� Liu Cheng barely showed a smile with a sickly face.


    ��Let me take you to a bath. The water is ready.��


    Liu Cheng struggled to get up from bed. ��No, I can bathe on my own.��


    ��You still have a fever, can you manage?��


    ��It doesn��t matter. I��m weak, but I��m still a man. If I need to, I��ll call you.��


    An Xiaoyan thought it sounded reasonable and agreed. He was mopping the floor in the living room and listening attentively to the movements in the bathroom.


    Liu Cheng took off his smelly clothes and soaked himself in the water. When he made the phone call, he did not expect that Yan Zi would really come.


    He was banished from the Liu family after he came out of the Night Charm Luxurious Clubhouse. Well, who could accept such a son, so shameless and so lascivious?


    He helped An Xiaoyan rent a house previously but was terminated early. Now that he was ill and time was running out, to have his best friend by his side was considered a great joy in life.


    After bathing, Liu Cheng wore the clothes that An Xiaoyan put on the cabinet and stepped out. An Xiaoyan looked at him and said, ��Good, you look no different from before.��


    ��Really?�� Liu Cheng knew that it would not be the same anymore. He could not go back to where he was before. He felt that he deserved all this and that all this suffering was his karma for what he had done. It should be sufficient to make up for all his mistakes.


    After Liu Cheng came out from the bathroom, he sat down on the sofa with An Xiaoyan. An Xiaoyan had taken out a can of Coke, which had not expired, from the refrigerator and they drank it together.


    The Spring Festival Gala on TV had not started broadcasting yet. The host��s voice echoed in the empty room.


    Liu Cheng was feeling sleepy. An Xiaoyan called out to him but did not hear any reply. An Xiaoyan took him back to the bedroom and placed him on the bed, then he awakened somewhat.


    ��I��m afraid of the cold. Let��s sleep together.��


    An Xiaoyan hesitated for a moment, took off some clothes and went into bed. As soon as he was on the bed, Liu Cheng��s hand lightly covered his hand, and he did not resist.


    Liu Cheng liked playing basketball very much when he was studying at university. After every basketball match, Liu Cheng would be sweaty and he leaned an An Xiaoyan��s body. Then he would gulp down iced soda. Sometimes he would run around the field crazily. Those places and events were their best memories growing up.


    Somehow, this slumber felt very comfortable.

 Chapter 63

    The next morning, An Xiaoyan was woken up by fireworks downstairs. He got up and placed the arm hugging him to the side. He touched Liu Cheng��s forehead. It wasn��t as hot as before.


    He went downstairs to buy breakfast. Along the way, the young people all pointed at him as if noticing someone important.


    A seven or eight-year-old child with his parent pointed at An Xiaoyan and said, ��Mom, look. Is that the murderer from the news? He even went to jail!��


    The adult quickly picked up the kid and went toward the other direction. An Xiaoyan put on a hat, wanting to cover his face. It had been late last night, so the people in the store couldn��t see him clearly. They could see him clearly now and all pointed at him.


    He still had to buy breakfast. He still had to get yelled at by everyone. Liu Cheng still needed him.


    He shouldn��t care or worry.


    After buying breakfast, An Xiaoyan went back. Liu Cheng was sitting in bed. His color looked better.


    ��It��s the soup bun you like and eggs. You need nutrients when you��re sick.�� An Xiaoyan peeled the egg and gave it to Liu Cheng.


    ��Yan Zi, you��re great.��


    ��It��s okay. No need to be so formal. Don��t we always buy food for each other?��


    An Xiaoyan actually wanted to ask what exactly happened to Liu Cheng, but he didn��t know how to. It was like how Liu Cheng didn��t know what to ask when he saw how miserable An Xiaoyan had been.


    ��Has Gu Jun forgiven you?��


    ��Yes, he has. Otherwise, how can I come out?�� Sometimes, white lies could warm a person��s heart.


    The weight on Liu Cheng was lifted. If Gu Jun forgave Yan Zi, his sin would be diminished.


    ��Do you have plans?��


    ��I��ll go find a temporary job. I don��t have much money, after all. The money I have now is the rent you helped pay for me before.��


    ��When did you return the apartment?��


    ��Recently. I thought that I didn��t need it and I might not live there in the future. It��ll be a waste to keep renting it, so I stopped. Your fever has just died down. You��re not well yet. Sleep and when you wake up, I��ll accompany you for whatever you want to do.��


    Hearing this, Liu Cheng was sure that An Xiaoyan wouldn��t go anywhere. He obediently went to sleep. Ever since he got sick, he��d grown weak and listless. He was a doctor, so he knew these symptoms. All he could do was drag his life out.


    On the first day of the new year, everyone went to go visit their family and friends. An Xiaoyan looked down from the window to see a mass of people walking around with stuff. He missed how they celebrated at home. There would always be a lot of people snacking and chatting at home.


    Why didn��t Liu Cheng go home?


    From what An Xiaoyan remembered, Liu Cheng wasn��t the type to not care about family. His family was right in A City and he was the only son. There was no reason why he wouldn��t go home.


    Thankfully, it was a big city. The supermarkets were open even during the holiday.


    After Liu Cheng woke up, he was much more energetic. Other than being a bit thinner than before, he hadn��t changed much. This reassured An Xiaoyan greatly.


    ��Is there anywhere you want to go? We can walk outside,�� An Xiaoyan suggested. With Liu Cheng��s current state, it would be better if he got some fresh air. If An Xiaoyan wore a mask, no one would recognize him.


    ��Let��s go buy some groceries. We can make a big feast tonight. I��m sorry for making you see how pathetic I was yesterday.��


    ��Haven��t you seen me when I was humiliated too?��


    Yes, they were both such pathetic and humiliated people. When Liu Cheng had first come out of the Night Charm, he��d wished he could chop Gu Jun into pieces. After thinking for a long while, he gave up in the end. He didn��t have the courage to go against Gu Jun. He didn��t want the entire Liu family to be affected. Everything about An Xiaoyan had been because of him too. However, faced with Yan Zi, he couldn��t say anything.


    He was afraid that if he did, everything would be over.


    ��Let��s go out now. There won��t be any fresh vegetables if we go late.�� With that, An Xiaoyan dragged Liu Cheng out the door.


    When An Xiaoyan��s hand touched him, he shrunk back as if hiding from something.


    ��What��s wrong?��


    ��Nothing. Let��s go. You pulling me makes me feel like a little girl.��


    The half-serious joke let An Xiaoyan see the old Liu Cheng. It was the Liu Cheng that would occasionally make those kind of jokes to him.


    After putting on his mask, An Xiaoyan walked to the supermarket with Liu Cheng. It was New Years, so the market was very festive. There were red lanterns everywhere, as well as big discount signs. There were more products than usual too.


    ��How about I make chicken soup for you? Look at you. You��ve lost a lot of weight, haven��t you?�� An Xiaoyan asked for Liu Cheng��s opinion while choosing a hen from the shelf.


    ��Sure.��


    It was just like old friends meeting after many years. Even time couldn��t erase their past. This was how An Xiaoyan felt towards Liu Cheng. No matter how Liu Cheng turned out, An Xiaoyan would remember the favors. He would remember how Liu Cheng comforted him during his loneliest moments in prison and gave him money when he was at his lowest point in life.


    ��I don��t really eat rice these days. Let��s eat some steamed buns. Also, there aren��t many utensils at home. Let��s buy some new chopsticks and such.��


    When An Xiaoyan was cleaning the kitchen, he��d seen some plates and bowls. He hadn��t thought much about them though. They��d been stacked there for a long while. It would take a lot of time to wash and disinfect them. Buying some new ones wouldn��t waste a lot of money.


    At checkout, An Xiaoyan fought to pay first. He used the red packet money from the old guard. He made sure to tell Liu Cheng that these were his savings from working.


    After buying the groceries and going home, An Xiaoyan was responsible for cooking. He told Liu Cheng to rest.


    It was fortunate that Gu Jun hadn��t slept with him in days. He didn��t have any injuries on his body. The last few days, he��d been home alone and had eaten normally. He��d built up some health. Otherwise, he would be exhausted from doing all this.


    While cooking, An Xiaoyan started worrying about the future.


    Before leaving, Gu Jun had said that he��d come back on the third. This meant that he had to leave the morning after the next at the latest.


    But if he went back, what would Liu Cheng do? He was sick and often had fevers. He needed someone to take care of him.


    An Xiaoyan had taken the first step, but he didn��t know how to take the next. If Gu Jun knew he came out alone, the consequences would probably be very grave.


    Trying to forget about the bad things, An Xiaoyan focused on cooking.


    He made chicken soup, bamboo shoots and meat, braised vegetables, and sliced meat in oil. After setting the three dishes and soup onto the table, An Xiaoyan woke Liu Cheng up from the sofa and had him wash his hands before eating.


    ��How come you fell asleep again?�� An Xiaoyan didn��t understand. Liu Cheng seemed very tired. He could fall asleep easily whenever he lied down.


    ��I��m sorry. I��m too tired these days.��


    An Xiaoyan went to clean up the kitchen. When he came out, he saw the dishes on the table had been split cleanly in halves.


    ��What��s wrong?��


    ��You remember how you always ate really little during freshman year? At that time, I thought that a man can��t eat that little. After that, I always split the food after I bought it and said that you have to finish it. You can��t waste it. Now, I just think that we should both eat a half. Eat our fill without wasting anything.��


    Happy memories always brought warmth. An Xiaoyan thought that Liu Cheng really wanted him to eat more. ��Then you have to eat it all. Otherwise, I refuse.��


    The two competed over who could eat the fastest, just like kids. After finishing, An Xiaoyan went to wash the dishes, but Liu Cheng stopped him. He insisted that those who cooked shouldn��t wash the dishes.


    Seeing Liu Cheng��s ruddy face, An Xiaoyan let go, assured, and allowed Liu Cheng to wash the dishes.


    As soon as he turned around, Liu Cheng��s joy turned to worry. He didn��t know how long these days could last. A person��s life was very short��short enough that he only had time to make one friend.


    After washing the dishes earnestly, Liu Cheng put their dishes away separately.


    Just like yesterday, the two sat on the sofa and watched TV. The entire room was dark. Only the TV had light. The two on the sofa continued to chat.


    ��Why aren��t you going home? What about Uncle and Auntie?��


    ��They say that they don��t have a son like me,�� An Xiaoyan replied honestly. Then he asked, ��What about you? Why are you hiding here?��


    ��Same as you.��


    The TV was replaying the New Year��s Gala from yesterday. The festive performances stood in stark contrast with the loneliness in the room.


    ��To be honest, I feel lucky to have met you.�� It felt awkward for a man to say this, but An Xiaoyan couldn��t help it. After all, he didn��t know when he would get another chance to say it.


    ��Me too,�� Liu Cheng said honestly. ��If you were a girl, I��d definitely marry you.��


    ��It��s late. Let��s sleep.��


    When An Xiaoyan helped Liu Cheng into the room, he felt that his friend was burning again. He took the medicine out the drawer. The bottle said it was simple fever medicine. An Xiaoyan felt like something was wrong, but he couldn��t pinpoint it.


    ��Let��s sleep together,�� Liu Cheng managed to say.


    The first time he was here, An Xiaoyan agreed to sleep together because he thought that Liu Cheng needed someone to take care of him. Now, the request confused him.


    ��I��ll be next door. Call me if you need me.��


    It wasn��t right for two men to sleep together. An Xiaoyan didn��t understand Liu Cheng��s request.


    Liu Cheng��s eyes darkened instantly. ��Yan Zi, I won��t do anything. If I had any other thoughts, I��d have told you long ago. I see you as my best friend. Nothing more.��


    Since Liu Cheng said this, An Xiaoyan didn��t refuse him anymore. He took off his clothes and laid down.


    ��You like men?�� An Xiaoyan asked, unable to suppress the question. Because of his family situation, An Xiaoyan didn��t have the money to date in university, but Liu Cheng was different. He had a good family, he was attractive, could play basketball, and was Prince Charming to a lot of girls. Even with these good conditions, Liu Cheng didn��t get a girlfriend during their five years of university. Many girls gave him love letters, but Liu Cheng threw them all away.


    ��I don��t know. To be honest, I was just happy to go to class, eat, and exercise with you every day. I never thought about getting a girlfriend. I thought that you��d be really lonely if I found someone.��


    These were genuine words. He didn��t think about spending his entire life with An Xiaoyan. He��d just wanted to stay by An Xiaoyan��s side. Perhaps he was too young back then and thought this would be better.

 Chapter 64

    ��Yan Zi, if I say that I like you now, will you be with me?��


    The sudden confession left An Xiaoyan in disbelief. He always thought Liu Cheng only liked women.


    Liu Cheng did not know why he said it so frankly. He simply followed his heart. If he did not say it out now, there might be no more chance for him to do so. To him, even a few months of being a couple with An Xiaoyan would be enough for him.


    ��Liu Cheng, do not joke about such things. Didn��t you just say that you regarded me as your best friend?��


    ��Now that society is so open, it is not uncommon for men to be together. Since the law has not yet stipulated against it, no one will judge us. Now, I really want to be with you.��


    An Xiaoyan��s heart throbbed in his chest as if it would pop out in the next second.


    It would be a lie if he said was not moved. He had been friends with Liu Cheng from 17 years old to 26 years old, and these nine years of accumulated friendship could be said to be as thick as a city wall.


    ��We are not suitable for each other.��


    Liu Cheng expected to hear this, as he knew that An Xiaoyan would not agree to it.


    ��Then, tomorrow, will you be my boyfriend for just a day?��


    With a begging tone, An Xiaoyan was a little moved. Since it was just for a day, there was nothing wrong with that idea. After a day, they could be good friends once again.


    ��Only for one day.��


    Having been promised, Liu Cheng embraced An Xiaoyan from behind.


    Although short-lived, even if the moment of beauty would quickly wither, it was all worth it.


    As he heard the breathing sound next to him, An Xiaoyan opened his eyes in the dark and felt that he should not have been so impulsive.


    He still needed to repay his debts to Gu Jun and take care of Guo Guo. Why did he promise Liu Cheng so hastily?


    But he knew in his heart that every word from Liu Cheng had touched him. In the deepest place in his heart, he longed to love and be loved, instead of just paying back Gu Jun and being lonely again.


    When he awoke in the morning, Liu Cheng was still embracing him, just like an ordinary couple would do.


    ��Good morning.��


    An Xiaoyan responded after a few seconds later and said, ��Good morning.��


    It was two simple words, but as soon as An Xiaoyan said it, Liu Cheng��s face lit up with a smile.


    ��What are we going to do today? Are we going on a date?��


    Remembering last night��s agreement, An Xiaoyan nodded, ��You can decide what you want to do.��


    He looked exactly like a thoughtful boyfriend. The depressed feeling in Liu Cheng��s heart was quickly swept away. ��Let��s take the Ferris Wheel.��


    These words evoked An Xiaoyan��s memories between him and Gu Jun. He recalled the scene of the three of them in The Oriental Eye last Christmas.


    ��Are you sure your body can manage? You just had a fever last night. What if you go out and fall sick again?��


    ��That is alright. I will just wear thicker clothes. Besides, you are around. You will be there to take care of me, so what��s there to be afraid of?��


    They packed up some items to bring out with them. An Xiaoyan wrapped Liu Cheng up like a ball before he would let Liu Cheng step out. At the moment of their departure, Liu Cheng involuntarily took An Xiaoyan��s hand.


    Feeling something in his hand, An Xiaoyan did not refuse. Looking back at Liu Cheng he clasped his hand voluntarily.


    ��


    On the second day of the New Year��s celebrations, Gu Jun had eaten his breakfast and thought about finding an excuse to go back to the villa. He was looking forward to going back with the thought that someone was waiting for him at home.


    Guo Guo became familiar with the old house, and ran up and down like a happy rabbit.


    ��Guo Guo, do you want to go home to see Uncle An?��


    ��Yes, Daddy, you said that we are going home today.��


    ��What a good son of mine.�� Sometimes this son could really help him out.


    Old Mr. Gu looked at his son who had packed his luggage to go, he was feeling unhappy. But he could not help it as his grandson wanted to go home. As children tend to feel uncomfortable at unfamiliar places, he had no choice but to let them go.


    Before leaving, Guo Guo told his grandfather that he would return to visit him again, and this made his grandfather very happy. In fact, this time, his grandfather was very satisfied with Guo Guo. If Miss Xiu could get engaged with Gu Jun, old Mr. Gu would really be very satisfied.


    ��Be careful on your way home. If you have time during the weekends, do come back with Guo Guo. It is not like you do not have a family.��


    These words were unimportant to Gu Jun and he did not take them to heart.


    Driving through the street on the second day of the lunar New Year, there was a traffic jam as it was a good day to visit relatives and friends. The traffic jam was severe.


    ��Daddy, daddy, flower, flower����


    Guo Guo pointed out of the window and shouted out. Gu Jun turned around and saw the flower shop he visited the last time.


    Last time, he bought kapok and An Xiaoyan was not at home. Fortunately, An Xiaoyan came back at last. Otherwise, he would really go mad.


    Like being addicted to drugs, once you are hooked, you can��t give it up even if you try hard to conceal your addiction on the surface.


    ��Shall we go and buy flowers for Uncle An?��


    ��Yes!�� Guo Guo shouted happily, waving his small hand.


    Gu Jun took advantage of the flow of the traffic, crossed the lanes, parked the car at the roadside, and walked into the flower shop with Guo Guo in his arms.


    It was still the same sales girl who sold him the flowers the last time.


    ��Sir, you look familiar. It is not the first time you have been here.�� For deserted places like theirs, they needed a strong memory in order to attract more customers.


    ��Yes, I bought flowers from this shop the last time.��


    ��This must be your son, he looks so cute. What do you want to buy this time?��


    ��Just the kapok that I bought the last time, do you still have it now?�� Gu Jun chose kapok again for a reason. Kapok was given to his favorite person for the first time but was not successfully gifted, so he wished to give it a try again this time.


    It could be considered compensation.


    It could also be considered a fresh start.


    ��Of course, but you should not gift the same thing the second time.��


    ��That is alright. Please wrap it up.��


    The florist did not say anything else. She turned into the shop and began to wrap the flowers. Guo Guo was surprised to see so many beautiful flowers. He walked into the shop with small steps and finally stopped in front of a sunflower.


    ��Daddy����


    ��Guo Guo, you want this flower?��


    ��Yes, give this to Uncle An.��


    Gu Jun��s gentleness was thoroughly triggered by Guo Guo��s thoughtfulness. ��Pick one yourself and we will give our flowers to Uncle An together.��


    When Guo Guo heard that, he picked a sunflower with a serious look.


    Gu Jun never thought that he could be so gentle. In the past, he was always hot-tempered. Now that he had someone he liked and his child was becoming normal, he felt that everything was good.


    It would be even better if An Xiaoyan could sense his thoughts and accept him.


    However, regarding this matter, he could not rush it.


    ��It is ready, sir, your two bunches of flowers.�� The young lady handed the kapok flowers to Gu Jun and the sunflower to Guo Guo. Guo Guo was hugging the flower in his arms.


    ��Sir, take care.��


    Back in the car, the traffic had eased a lot. Guo Guo sat in the back seat and his small face was almost as big as the sunflower. With his head bowed, his whole face was covered by the sunflower.


    When they returned to the villa, Gu Jun was full of anxiety. He anticipated that An Xiaoyan would be very surprised to see them return home so early and would be happy to receive the flowers. In his heart, he regretted having to leave An Xiaoyan all alone at home.


    Opening the door, there was no light inside and the toys on the ground were packed neatly.


    ��Quick, go upstairs to find Uncle An and give him the flowers.��


    Guo Guo obediently climbed the stairs with the flowers in his arms and went straight to An Xiaoyan��s room. When he saw that An Xiaoyan was not in the room, he went into Gu Jun��s bedroom. There was still no one there. Finally, he went back to his own bedroom.


    Why is Uncle An not at home?


    ��Daddy, Uncle An is not at home.��


    Gu Jun firmly believed that An Xiaoyan would not leave as An Xiaoyan had promised him. The only place which Guo Guo could not access was the study. To think that An Xiaoyan must be sitting in the study, reading a book, Gu Jun��s mood improved.


    ��Daddy will go and find him. You stay here, don��t go.��


    Holding the kapok in his hand, Gu Jun verified his fingerprint and opened the door of the study, then scanned through each of row of bookshelves.


    When he came to the medical books, his heart was thumping so hard as if it was in his throat, and it felt as if he was going to make a confession.


    But the greater the hope, the greater the disappointment.


    Gu Jun checked the whole study thoroughly and did not find An Xiaoyan.


    He told himself that perhaps An Xiaoyan was somewhere else as he believed that since An Xiaoyan had made a promise to him, he would certainly not leave.


    But after he searched the whole villa, he still did not find An Xiaoyan.


    Guo Guo pulled Gu Jun��s clothes. Is Uncle An playing hide-and-seek? Why is he missing?


    Gu Jun held the kapok tightly in his hand and stood in a daze. At first, he felt at a loss and sad. Then, his emotions morphed into anger. An Xiaoyan, you made a promise!


    Turning on his mobile phone, Gu Jun dialed the number of An Xiaoyan, but it showed that it was not in the service area. Gu Jun changed the number and continued to call.


    ��Find the whereabouts of An Xiaoyan at the fastest speed. I want to see him in person if he is alive, and I want to see his body even if he is dead!��


    Chen Chen was so stunned to hear the news. An Xiaoyan is missing!


    He knew that the way Gu Jun treated An Xiaoyan was not the same as before. Hearing the anxiety and anger in Gu Jun��s voice over the phone, he knew that this was not a simple matter.


    The kapok flowers after being tossed and turned, were less bright than before, and the sunflower in Guo Guo��s hand almost had its stem broken.


    The bright orange color of the kapok flowers made it look like they were mocking him.


    Gu Jun knelt on the ground and his heart felt empty. An Xiaoyan would not like him. He just wanted to pay off what he owed him. The day when he finally paid off all his debts, he would leave. At that time, they would have nothing to do with each other.


    Gu Jun, what are you longing for? Between you and An Xiaoyan, what kind of love is there?


    Guo Guo stood beside him, looking at the wilting flowers, tugging Gu Jun and saying, ��Daddy, the flowers are going to wither, let��s give them some water!��


    Gu Jun did not reply. Guo Guo ran to the table and raised his leg to reach for the cup on the table.


    But the cup was too close to the inside of the table. He could not reach it. As he stood on his tiptoes, he managed to touch the cup. But his hands shook and the cup rolled down the table.


    With a bang, the glass broke into pieces.


    ��Daddy����


    Gu Jun looked at the flowers in his hands and Guo Guo��s grieving face. His anger surged as he threw the flowers into the garbage can. He ignored Guo Guo��s fear and went straight upstairs to his study. Faced with a shelf of medical books, Gu Jun felt his kindness was completely disregarded.


    Gu Jun kicked hard on the bookshelf till the whole bookshelf fell to the ground. He still felt just as angry even after all the books fell from the shelf and were scattered all over the floor.


    An Xiaoyan, when I get you back, I will lock you up, so you can��t run away again!

 Chapter 65

    It was New Year��s and everyone was home for the holiday. It was very difficult to find someone in this large city.


    Gu Jun called after only two hours to ask if he was found. Chen Chen could only answer honestly that he didn��t.


    ��You must find him today!��


    Gu Jun put down his phone. He shouldn��t have agreed to let An Xiaoyan watch fireworks at the Oriental Eye. An Xiaoyan was a murderer. He didn��t have the right to see those beautiful fireworks. Why should he have a good New Year��s?


    Gu Jun was in a bad mood and didn��t have the will to take care of Guo Guo. Guo Guo hadn��t eaten since they came back that night. He cried loudly, but Gu Jun ignored him. When he got annoyed, he locked Guo Guo in the boy��s room.


    His good disposition had disappeared. He didn��t even have the patience to take care of his son.


    Gu Jun��s heart hurt as if a dagger had been stabbed into it. He didn��t know what he��d been anticipating before. He and An Xiaoyan were impossible.


    He still saved the two pictures on his phone. When he looked at them now, they were still very beautiful. He wanted to delete them, but he couldn��t bring himself to it.


    He thought back to the lively An Xiaoyan he��d first met, then the wan and sallow An Xiaoyan, the An Xiaoyan who��d given up, the An Xiaoyan who seemed more alive�� It was like a movie.


    ��


    An Xiaoyan accompanied Liu Cheng to the amusement park. After they bought two tickets and walked in, the first thing they saw was the carousel.


    ��Let��s ride it,�� Liu Cheng suggested.


    ��Sure.��


    ��Actually, I bought two tickets in uni and wanted to invite you, but it was summer and you went home before I could tell you. I had to come alone.��


    An Xiaoyan didn��t know about any of this. Liu Cheng seemed like a careless guy. He didn��t think that Liu Cheng would be so thoughtful.


    ��I��m sorry.��


    ��It��s okay. You��re here with me now, aren��t you?��


    The two sat beside each other on the carousel. They spun and spun. If only time could pause on this moment.


    But music always came to a stop.


    The Ferris wheel in the distance was eye-catching. Holding An Xiaoyan��s hand, Liu Cheng exclaimed, ��That��s the Oriental Eye up front!��


    An Xiaoyan didn��t tell Liu Cheng that he��d already been here. It wasn��t necessary.


    ��Let��s go ride the Ferris wheel.��


    Like a regular couple, the two sat onto the Ferris wheel. The wall still had the same words painted on it. Whenever the Ferris wheel makes a turn, the world will have another kissing couple. It��s said that those who look up at the Ferris wheel are looking up at happiness.


    It was the afternoon so there weren��t fireworks, but they weren��t lacking in romance.


    ��Let��s make a wish at the highest spot,�� Liu Cheng said earnestly to An Xiaoyan.


    ��Okay. I��ll remember that.��


    The Ferris wheel climbed slowly. When it was almost at the top, Liu Cheng called, ��Yan Zi.�� The moment An Xiaoyan turned his head, something soft covered his lips. When he saw Liu Cheng��s face, he was completely shocked.


    It was just a simple kiss, but by the time An Xiaoyan processed everything, Liu Cheng had already let go.


    An Xiaoyan turned around. He touched his lips lightly. They were soft.


    ��That��s my wish. I accomplished it now.��


    The kiss was just a kiss. There wasn��t any lust mixed in and An Xiaoyan didn��t say anything. The round quickly ended and the two walked out from the gate.


    It was worth it to accomplish this goal in the last moments of his life. ��Yan Zi, I��m happy today. Thank you.��


    ��I��m happy too. How are you holding up? How about we go back?��


    ��No need. Remember the wonton noodles in the old campus neighborhood? Let��s eat there tonight.��


    An Xiaoyan hadn��t eaten it in a long time. He hadn��t had the chance.


    The two took a taxi to A University��s old campus. Thankfully, the wonton noodle shop hadn��t moved. However, they forgot that it was the holiday and no one was there. They smiled awkwardly at each other.


    ��Let��s buy some noodles. I��ll cook for you.��


    ��Okay. You cook the noodles. I��ll wash the vegetables,�� Liu Cheng said happily.


    When night fell, they returned to Liu Cheng��s apartment. An Xiaoyan turned on the stove and put the wontons and noodles into the pot to boil. When the wontons were almost done, Liu Cheng put the washed vegetables in. Two bowls of wonton noodles soon appeared on the table.


    They started eating by themselves. Halfway through, Liu Cheng suddenly acted like a kid and wanted An Xiaoyan to feed him.


    An Xiaoyan didn��t refuse him. He twirled a few noodles around his chopsticks. Just as he was about to feed Liu Cheng, the door was kicked open.


    His hand stopped in mid-air. The two stared at the furious Gu Jun in the doorway.


    ��An Xiaoyan, you��re living well with your lover, huh!��


    An Xiaoyan froze. ��Mr. Gu���� he replied weakly. Then he fed Liu Cheng the noodles.


    This seemed to set off the bomb. Gu Jun exploded. Why would An Xiaoyan abandon him for this man? Why were they living a couple life here?


    ��Tell me, what��s your relationship with him!��


    An Xiaoyan didn��t think Gu Jun would find them so quickly. Wasn��t he coming back tomorrow?


    He was lifted up by the collar and pressed against the wall. ��Tell me, what��s your relationship with him!�� Gu Jun was like a crazy lion that wanted to see through his prey.


    ��He��s my boyfriend.��


    He��d promised Liu Cheng. It was only today. He couldn��t break his promise.


    It was like a bolt in the blue for Gu Jun. He was ripped apart and his heart was bleeding. He never thought he��d hear those words from An Xiaoyan.


    Gu Jun was like the third party that had forced himself into this relationship.


    ��Gu Jun, didn��t you forgive him already? Why are you here again? We don��t welcome you.��


    Gu Jun let go of An Xiaoyan and stared at Liu Cheng. He was the one who An Xiaoyan had fed. An Xiaoyan had fed him with his own hands.


    His palm descended from the sky but didn��t land on Liu Cheng��s face. There was a sharp crack and An Xiaoyan��s face burned. The slap was very powerful.


    ��I see. You��re protecting him so much. Why are you protecting him? What��s so good about him?��


    Liu Cheng hurriedly checked An Xiaoyan��s face. He went to the freezer to get some ice for him. This scene was very ironic. Gu Jun felt his right hand burning in pain.


    ��Tell me. Did you escape because of him? Did you plot for a long time for a chance to escape? Was the Oriental Eye all fake?!��


    An Xiaoyan clutched his face. ��Mr. Gu, this has nothing to do with Liu Cheng,�� he forced out. ��I ran out on my own.��


    ��Gu Jun, he��s already paid enough. What more do you want from him?�� Liu Cheng didn��t fear Gu Jun anymore. He didn��t have much time left anyway.


    ��Pay! Can you pay it all?�� With that, Gu Jun dragged An Xiaoyan out.


    ��Mr. Gu, can I say something?��


    ��You want to speak to your lover? What right do you have?��


    An Xiaoyan looked back at Liu Cheng. He bit the hand grabbing him and ran back while Gu Jun was in pain.


    ��Liu Cheng, take care of yourself. Take medicine when you��re sick.��


    Finally, he went to hug Liu Cheng. Just as he touched Liu Cheng��s body, Gu Jun grabbed him from the back.


    He pulled An Xiaoyan down the stairs and stuffed him into the car. Liu Cheng was left shocked in the room.


    Once inside the car, Gu Jun stuffed the man into the backseat, put down the back, and started ripping off An Xiaoyan��s clothes.


    An Xiaoyan didn��t protest. He knew Gu Jun was angry.


    In the lapse between kisses, An Xiaoyan panted out, ��Mr. Gu, I didn��t escape. Liu Cheng��s sick. I came to see him�� I really planned on going back tomorrow����


    Gu Jun couldn��t hear anything. His mind kept replaying, I��m his boyfriend.


    Then what am I? An Xiaoyan, do you want me to dig my heart out for you? How can you be so cruel?!


    It was wilder than any other time. When Gu Jun finally rested against An Xiaoyan, he��d already fainted and his lower body was ravaged.


    After driving to the mansion, the door opened and the cold air woke An Xiaoyan up.


    ��Get out!��


    An Xiaoyan pulled up his pants. As soon as his feet touched the ground, he fell over.


    Gu Jun pretended not to see. He dragged An Xiaoyan toward the mansion. Cold air snaked into his unbuttoned coat. His entire body was numb.


    He was tossed onto the bed with a thump. An Xiaoyan��s elbow hit the side of the bed. He clenched his jaw against the pain.


    ��An Xiaoyan, I won��t let you escape again. In the future, you��ll stay here obediently!��


    Gu Jun reached over and stripped An Xiaoyan. He scraped his finger against the smooth skin. He��d thought that if he treated An Xiaoyan genuinely, An Xiaoyan would understand his feelings one day.


    When he thought about An Xiaoyan with another man, his heart practically bled. An Xiaoyan, you��re crueler than anyone else. You cause emotional pain. It hurts more than getting sliced by a knife.


    When he entered, he didn��t use lube and An Xiaoyan let out a muffled grunt.


    ��Does it hurt? If it does, tell me.��


    An Xiaoyan bit his lips and didn��t make a sound.


    An Xiaoyan, if you��re hurt, I won��t be hurt�� Gu Jun thrusted powerfully and entered completely.


    An Xiaoyan didn��t know when he fainted. When he woke up, his body was covered in bruises. Guo Guo was sprawled by the door, watching him.


    ��Uncle, I��m hungry.��


    An Xiaoyan covered his body, not wanting Guo Guo to see this. ��Where��s Daddy?�� he rasped out.


    ��Don��t know. Guo Guo��s hungry. Guo Guo hasn��t eaten all day���� He burst into tears as he spoke, tears streaming down his face.


    ��Guo Guo, don��t cry. Go play with toys downstairs. Uncle will put on clothes and then make food, okay?��


    Hearing that he could eat soon, Guo Guo obediently went downstairs to play and wait for An Xiaoyan.


    An Xiaoyan pushed himself up. Every step was like thousands of needles stabbing his nerves. It hurt really badly.


    He made a simple bowl of egg noodles with much difficulty. Just as he was about to hand it to Guo Guo, Gu Jun burst through the door. He walked over and knocked the hot bowl of noodles to the floor.

 Chapter 66

    ��Eat! Eating again! You only care about eating!��


    Gu Jun knew that this was a chain reaction. He was taking his discontentment with An Xiaoyan out on Guo Guo. So what if he can talk? He knows nothing. He is but a retard son!


    ��Mr. Gu, Guo Guo is hungry. I will cook it again.��


    Before An Xiaoyan could turn around, Gu Jun dragged him upstairs.


    Every step, like a mermaid walking on land, made him tremble in pain. Despite that, Gu Jun was not bothered and still strode forward.


    After being dragged into the room, Gu Jun let go of his hand and An Xiaoyan fell to the ground, looking very miserable.


    Several photographs fell from above him. An Xiaoyan picked them up and looked at the photographs. They were photographs of him and Liu Cheng kissing him on the Ferris Wheel.


    ��Is this real?��


    When Chen Chen investigated and found out that An Xiaoyan and Liu Cheng were sitting on the Ferris Wheel, Gu Jun curiously took a look at the video as he wanted to know what the two of them would be doing.


    The moment when the two men��s lips touched each other in the video, Gu Jun went hysterical. He felt that An Xiaoyan had betrayed him by letting another man kiss him!


    ��It��s real.��


    Gu Jun tore up the photographs and the torn paper fell like snowflakes from above him. How can you like other men? What is so good about Liu Cheng? What about me?


    The more Gu Jun thought about it, the angrier he became. He reached out and grabbed something from his side and threw it. Before An Xiaoyan could react, it was too late.


    The solid mahogany bench made its mark directly on An Xiaoyan��s right leg, and a pool of blood could be seen on the floor.


    Gu Jun put the bench right up on the floor and asked again, ��An Xiaoyan, how do you feel about Liu Cheng?��


    An Xiaoyan wanted to answer, but the pain on his body did not allow him to open his mouth to speak. Once he opened his gritted teeth, his whole body felt as if it was torn apart.


    Without hearing a satisfactory answer, Gu Jun went out angrily. He was waiting for the moment when An Xiaoyan gave up.


    ��Daddy, I am hungry�� So hungry����


    ��Get lost!�� With a loud roar, Guo Guo was so frightened that he burst into tears. He picked up the sunflower he had bought in the morning from the floor and went upstairs with the flowers in his arms.


    Opening the door, Guo Guo saw An Xiaoyan lying on the floor. Guo Guo put the sunflower into An Xiaoyan��s hand and said, ��Uncle An, I will give you the flower. Could you please cook for me? Uncle An�� Guo Guo is hungry. Guo Guo has no food to eat����


    Guo Guo��s voice went hoarse after crying too much and the person lying on the ground was still motionless. He looked at the pool of blood next to him and cried even louder.


    ��Uncle An, get up, we��re going to have dinner����


    ��Uncle An����


    ��Uncle����


    After shouting for a long time, Guo Guo became tired and eventually fell asleep beside An Xiaoyan, holding the big sunflower in his hand.


    Gu Jun did not know where he was going from the moment he went out. He wanted to surprise An Xiaoyan, but An Xiaoyan unexpectedly gave him a shock instead.


    Driving around the city, he finally came to the bridge across the river. He stood on the bridge and looked at the dazzling Oriental Eye opposite him.


    There were good memories of him and An Xiaoyan there, but also the bad memories of today.


    An Xiaoyan was in pain, but his heart felt even more painful. He could not stand the way An Xiaoyan treated the other man.


    ��Check on the current situation of Liu Cheng, the more detailed the better.��


    Though Chen Chen agreed to check, he was feeling a little worried about An Xiaoyan. He was afraid that Gu Jun would do something foolish on impulse as he was well aware of Gu Jun��s violent temper.


    ��Mr. Gu, how is Mr. An doing?��


    ��Do not mention him in front of me.��


    Hearing Gu Jun��s impatience, Chen Chen still said what was on his mind, ��There must be a reason for Mr. An to do so. Before things are made clear, let��s investigate first.��


    Gu Jun hung up the phone before Chen Chen had finished saying that. Now that the photographs were taken, and he had seen the photographs with his own eyes, what more was there to be made clear?


    The wind was blowing slowly. It was not as cold as the third nine-day period after the winter solstice. The ice on the river had already melted and the ships were busy sailing underneath.


    The last time he came here was when An Xiaoyan tried to commit suicide, he was particularly afraid of losing this precious thing.


    Commit suicide!


    Gu Jun seemed to have thought of something and went back in a frenzy. He recalled seeing a pool of blood before he left the villa. Though he hated An Xiaoyan being with another man, he did not wish to see An Xiaoyan dead.


    When he returned home, Zhang Zilan had also arrived. Zhang Zilan brought along his medical kit and went upstairs where the smell of blood was overwhelming at the corridor.


    Again��


    Gu Jun recalled in his mind that when An Xiaoyan committed suicide, the whole house smelled bloody. He hated An Xiaoyan, but he never thought of letting him die.


    Opening the door, there was a pool of blood on the floor. Guo Guo was lying beside An Xiaoyan with a sunflower in his hand. Zhang Zilan went forward to check on An Xiaoyan. His leg was bleeding because of a cut from the bench which was thrown at him.


    ��Send him to the hospital as soon as possible. You carry him on your back. I will hold the young master in my arms.��


    Without saying anything, Gu Jun carried An Xiaoyan from the floor and ran downstairs, totally ignoring the blood stains on his high-end suit.


    The hospital was still as busy as usual. After the check-up, there was nothing major with Guo Guo. As Guo Guo had not eaten for a day, his blood sugar was low and the doctor prescribed some glucose for him. An Xiaoyan��s situation was more serious.


    His leg was fractured and the ligaments on his calf joints were ruptured. Worst of all, he had already missed the ideal treatment window. Even if he were to be operated now, his ligaments could not be restored to their original state.


    Gu Jun did not think it would be so serious. He was so angry at that time, but did not mean to inflict so much harm.


    Zhang Zilan sat down with Gu Jun at the corridor. After hesitating for a long time, he finally opened his mouth and said, ��Just now, the doctor told me that he had torn his anus and might have to stay in bed for a long time. I gave him a bottle of lubricant before. Did he not let you use it?��


    Gu Jun shook his head. He was not aware of that as An Xiaoyan said nothing about it and kept everything to himself.


    ��His body really can��t stand anymore of such torture and suffering. If he is not well taken care of, his body will be drained.��


    Zhang Zilan��s words still echoed in his mind: ��will be drained.�� That was true. Ever since An Xiaoyan came to the villa, his health had never been good and his face always looked pale and malnourished.


    Give it another chance, it would be the last.


    When An Xiaoyan woke up, he was overwhelmed by the smell of the hospital disinfectant solution. The pain on his leg had subsided a lot. Under the dim light, a bright spot in the distance seemed to be flickering.


    Gu Jun put out the cigarette in his hand and pushed open the floor-to-ceiling window to enter the ward. He went in and sat by the bed.


    For a long time, neither of them spoke.


    An Xiaoyan tried not to look at Gu Jun��s eyes, but glanced away.


    ��Do you want water?��


    An Xiaoyan shook his head as he was not thirsty. He wondered what Gu Jun was doing here. Does he not hate me?


    ��Are you in pain? If it hurts, I��ll ask the doctor to prescribe some painkillers for you.��


    An Xiaoyan remained silent and shook his head.


    Unable to hold back the doubts in his heart, Gu Jun said, ��Look at me, An Xiaoyan. Turn around.��


    It was a commanding tone once again. An Xiaoyan turned his head obediently and his face was ashen.


    ��Do you like Liu Cheng? Tell me the truth.��


    ��Mr. Gu, do you want to hear the truth?��


    ��Yes, I want to hear the truth.�� Even though he was emotionally bruised all over, he still wanted to know who An Xiaoyan had in mind.


    ��No, I do not like him, he is just my best friend.��


    Suddenly the heavy burden on his shoulders was discharged. Gu Jun was a little happy. An Xiaoyan said that he did not like Liu Cheng and he believed An Xiaoyan.


    Gu Jun was really delighted to hear that. He hugged An Xiaoyan��s thin body with the thought that An Xiaoyan was still his.


    ��Mr. Gu, I will not like anybody. I am not qualified.��


    ��No, you can like.�� You can like me, even if only a little, I will be satisfied.


    ��Then why did you lie to me yesterday? Since you don��t like him, why did you say you were his boyfriend?��


    ��I was his boyfriend for just a day. It is a promise I made to him.��


    Gu Jun knew that An Xiaoyan was a man of his word and felt that it must be Liu Cheng who made him said so. Even if you lie and say that you liked me, I will treat you doubly well.


    Gu Jun loosened his grip on An Xiaoyan and looked at his pale face and dark eye circles. He could not help but kiss An Xiaoyan on the lips. He wanted to erase Liu Cheng��s traces on An Xiaoyan. An Xiaoyan, you belong to me alone.


    Not knowing why, he could not help but kiss An Xiaoyan madly. Not until An Xiaoyan started coughing did he let go of An Xiaoyan. Seeing An Xiaoyan��s suffocating face, he handed An Xiaoyan a glass of water.


    ��You stay here and get well. I will see you again tomorrow.��


    Feeling ashamed as if he was being peeped at, Gu Jun fled from the ward. At that moment, he almost wanted to tell An Xiaoyan that his body, heart and every part of him belonged to him.


    It was already dawn after he fell asleep for a short while. From yesterday to today, it seemed like a century had passed.


    An Xiaoyan was awake after being rubbed hard by someone. Opening his eyes, he saw a pair of big eyes staring at him.


    ��Uncle, Uncle����


    Guo Guo happily embraced An Xiaoyan by the bed, and wanted to climb onto the bed even before taking off his shoes.


    ��How did Guo Guo come? Did Daddy bring you here?��


    ��No, the doctor said that the angel had sent me here. There. I still have traces left behind by the angel on my head.��


    An Xiaoyan looked at the marks on Guo Guo��s head. They were pinholes left behind by the intravenous drip. ��Why did the angel put Guo Guo here?��


    ��The angel says that if Guo Guo obediently put the big bottle into the body, Guo Guo will receive magical powers and will not fall sick anymore.��


    Looking at Guo Guo��s happy appearance, An Xiaoyan could not help feeling a little sad as he knew that he had implicated Guo Guo. Guo Guo must have annoyed Gu Jun, thus landed himself in the hospital.


    ��Uncle, Daddy was so angry that day, but now Daddy is so gentle again. I��ll go and get you something.��


    As soon as Guo Guo finished speaking, he ran out on his short legs and came back with a handful of flowers, ��This is for you, Uncle.��


    It was orange kapok flowers, just like what he saw in Gu Jun��s house before, but last time there were no flowers and only broken branches and leaves. This time, there were very beautiful flowers emitting a light fragrance.


    ��Thank you Guo Guo. You are the best.��


    Gu Jun, standing outside the door, secretly looked at An Xiaoyan, who was playing with Guo Guo inside. The regret in his heart surfaced on his mind once again. He should not have been so reckless.


    There was no medicine for regret in this world, and what we have done cannot be changed.


    ��


    ��Why do I have to date that woman?!��


    Once Gu Jun finished his sentence, he was angry that he almost threw out his mobile phone. Unexpectedly, old Mr. Gu did not let go of this matter and had been asking Gu Jun to go on dinner dates with Xiu Yijian. He completely had no intention of getting along with her.


    ��If you do not go, I will not let the man in your house off.��


    Old Mr. Gu was holding on to Gu Jun��s weakness. Gu Jun suddenly understood the meaning behind ��hiding a mistress in a love nest��. It was a treasure that he did not want anyone to touch.


    But he had no ability to guard this treasure.

 Chapter 67

    ��Guo Guo, it��s all my fault. I was angry, so I didn��t give you food. I��ll take you to eat a big meal. How about that?��


    Guo Guo��s large eyes shone. He��d already forgotten about Gu Jun getting angry at him. ��Daddy?�� he asked sweetly. ��Will Uncle An go? Uncle An likes eating big meals too.��


    ��Uncle An can��t go. He��s sick and needs to rest in the hospital. We��ll go again after he gets better.��


    ��Okay!��


    Xiu Yijian went to the movie theater to wait as planned. She was surprised to see Gu Jun holding Guo Guo��s hand. This time, she was sure that the child was important to Gu Jun.


    ��Greet Aunt Xiu.��


    ��Hi, Aunt Xiu.��


    Xiu Yijian didn��t dare to reveal her feelings in front of this cute kid. She squatted down to greet Guo Guo. The three went into the theater together.


    Old Mr. Gu had bought the movie tickets personally. The tickets were for a couple seats in the last row. Most people would think this was a great opportunity, but Guo Guo��s unexpected appearance ruined everything.


    Gu Jun put Guo Guo in the middle to separate him and Xiu Yijian. He couldn��t help but find this funny as well.


    ��Daddy, pretty flower,�� Guo Guo said, pointing at a bouquet in the center of the screen. ��Uncle An likes flowers too.��


    Now basically the third wheel, Xiu Yijian��s good mood was destroyed. She didn��t want to come in the first. After coming, she had to deal with a chatty kid too. Couldn��t she watch the movie in peace?


    Gu Jun looked at Xiu Yijian, so she replied with a big polite smile.


    A while later, Guo Guo said loudly, ��Daddy, let��s come watch with Uncle An next time. Let��s watch big dinos. Guo Guo doesn��t get this.��


    Thankfully, there weren��t many people present. It was a romance movie too. In this romantic atmosphere, the various couples in attendance were all in their own worlds. No one cared about what was happening with Gu Jun.


    Two torturous hours finally passed. When they walked out the theater, Xiu Yijian burned with fiery impatience. If not for the spot in the competition, she definitely wouldn��t suffer that kid��s presence for so long. He was too noisy.


    Ever since Guo Guo learned how to speak properly, he would start screaming whenever he saw something. His childish nature was revealed in full. The quiet personality from before had utterly vanished.


    ��Daddy, big dino!�� Guo Guo said, pointing at a poster on the wall as they walked out.


    Gu Jun glanced over. On Labor Day, the theater would show Dinosaur Zoo, an American sci-fi movie. Guo Guo was at the age where he��d be interested in these things. Gu Jun decided that he��d bring An Xiaoyan and Guo Guo to watch it together.


    ��Okay, Daddy will take you to watch it.��


    It was like Xiu Yijian was merely a fly on the wall.


    After the movie, it was time for dinner. Old Mr. Gu had reserved a rotating restaurant at the highest floor. They could see the nighttime view of the entire city.


    Guo Guo pressed against the glass, exclaiming, ��Daddy, circle. Circle!��


    Xiu Yijian looked over. The Oriental Eye was brilliant under the distant night sky. Gu Jun naturally saw it as well. Seeing the Oriental Eye, he thought about Liu Cheng kissing An Xiaoyan.


    ��Guo Guo, stop looking and come eat.��


    This was a western restaurant. Guo Guo had never eaten these things before, so his eyes glowed with curiosity. Gu Jun really felt that An Xiaoyan raised his son well. He was completely different from before.


    ��Guo Guo, order whatever you want to eat.�� Smiling, Xiu Yijian gave Guo Guo the menu.


    Guo Guo had never seen these things before. Being a kid, he chose the most eye-catching items.


    ��Guo Guo, Daddy will go out for a bit. Chat with Aunt Xiu. Remember not to make her mad!��


    Guo Guo nodded obediently. Holding the juice that the waitress had given him, he gazed at Xiu Yijian.


    ��Auntie, why are you eating with my daddy?��


    ��Because I want to be with your daddy. Does Guo Guo accept that?��


    Guo Guo cocked his head and thought for a bit. Confused, he said, ��But Daddy has Uncle An. Why does he still need you?��


    It was natural for Xiu Yijian to misunderstand a child��s words. ��Uncle An is an uncle. He can��t be with your dad. Other people will judge your dad.��


    ��Oh,�� Guo Guo uttered, but he still didn��t understand. It was great for Uncle An to be with Daddy. Uncle An cooked food and played with him.


    Gu Jun returned to see the two ignoring each other. For some reason, he felt happy. As long as Guo Guo didn��t like Xiu Yijian, Old Mr. Gu wouldn��t be able to do anything, no matter how powerful he was.


    The food was soon served. Gu Jun personally cut the meat and put it on Guo Guo��s plate. A few bites later, Guo Guo started only eating the vegetables and fruits.


    ��Why isn��t Guo Guo eating meat? Does it not taste good?��


    ��Uncle An said that I��m still too little. I can only eat a little bit of meat. When I get bigger, I can eat more.��


    It was An Xiaoyan again. Xiu Yijian couldn��t help but suspect that An Xiaoyan and Gu Jun had something going on. Otherwise, how could he hand his son to his enemy?


    The meal ended without much action. Gu Jun was about to bring Guo Guo away directly. Before leaving, he told Xiu Yijian, ��You should know what to say to Old Mr. Gu, right?��


    Seeing the father and son��s backs, Xiu Yijian felt that it was a mistake to agree to the blind date. He clearly didn��t care about her. However, she was quite curious about An Xiaoyan.


    ��How about we go visit Uncle An?��


    ��Okay!�� Guo Guo yelled. He really liked Uncle An, but how come Uncle An was laying in bed and not playing with him?


    As soon as they got to the hospital, Guo Guo pounced on An Xiaoyan. Gu Jun��s phone rang at that time.


    ��I found some information on Liu Cheng. The situation isn��t good.��


    ��Come to the hospital. We��ll talk face to face.��


    Chen Chen drove to the hospital and showed all the information to Gu Jun.


    ��Earlier, you wanted someone to punish him, so we found someone to beat him up. However, the situation is more serious than we imagined.��


    When Gu Jun had seen that Liu Cheng wanted to go home with An Xiaoyan, he took Liu Cheng away and had a gang beat him up. They��d just wanted to teach him a lesson, but the underworld was darker than they��d thought.


    ��There was someone called Blackie among the people we hired. He likes to play with boys. We handed Liu Cheng to him and he just played with him. Then he found some bros and��gang raped Liu Cheng. He couldn��t recover from that. By the time we found out, he��d already been in the Night Charm for a long time.��


    Gu Jun knew that Liu Cheng went to the Night Charm after that, but he didn��t know the reason. He��d always thought that Liu Cheng went there for his own reasons. Thinking about how he��d brought An Xiaoyan to the Night Charm to see Liu Cheng��s pathetic state, he suddenly felt stupid.


    ��Also, Liu Cheng caught AIDS. After he returned home, the Liu Family somehow heard about what he��d done and disowned him. According to the illegal hospital that Liu Cheng visited, the disease is already in effect. He probably won��t live for much longer.��


    The shock that this news brought was beyond his imagination. He seemed to understand something.


    At the end of someone��s life, they always wanted to fulfil their lifelong wish. Liu Cheng��s wish was An Xiaoyan.


    Everything made sense now.


    An Xiaoyan must have gone out to help Liu Cheng, while Liu Cheng had An Xiaoyan pretend to be his temporary boyfriend. They went to the Oriental Eye together��


    Sitting in the chair, Gu Jun buried his face in his hands. Had it truly come to that? Once again, Gu Jun felt apologetic towards An Xiaoyan, but he couldn��t change anything.


    ��Don��t let An Xiaoyan know about this.��


    ��Okay.��


    Gu Jun returned to the patient��s room. An Xiaoyan was playing with Guo Guo, who��d climbed onto the bed. Guo Guo talked about today��s movie and dinner. An Xiaoyan listened attentively and reacted occasionally.


    ��Guo Guo, Uncle Chen wants to take you out to eat. How about you go with Uncle Chen?��


    ��But Uncle An will be bored by himself.��


    Gu Jun picked Guo Guo up from bed. ��Then help pick something for Uncle An too, okay?��


    When he heard ��Uncle An,�� Guo Guo happily ran out to find Chen Chen.


    Only two people remained in the room. Gu Jun closed the door. Hearing the click, An Xiaoyan flinched involuntarily.


    Perhaps because he noticed the subtle reflex, Gu Jun chose a chair further away to sit down in.


    ��An Xiaoyan, don��t hate me,�� Gu Jun said after thinking for a long time. He didn��t know how to tell An Xiaoyan about Liu Cheng. If An Xiaoyan knew, he would be very sad.


    ��Mr. Gu, I don��t hate you.��


    ��I was too harsh before. I��m sorry. After you heal, I won��t hit you or use force against you anymore.��


    These words had a different kind of emotion to them. An Xiaoyan raised his head, surprised that Gu Jun would say something like that.


    ��I have a gift for you.��


    Gu Jun took a key out of his suit jacket��s pocket. Walking to the bed, he pressed it into An Xiaoyan��s hands.


    An Xiaoyan opened his hands and saw car keys. ��So I��ll drive Guo Guo to school in the future?��


    ��No, the car is yours.��


    An Xiaoyan��s hand shook as if he were holding a hot potato. The key dropped onto the bed, standing in stark contrast to the white sheets. ��Mr. Gu, I haven��t repaid my debt yet����


    ��It��s okay. You already owe so much. This bit won��t matter.��


    ��Mr. Gu, you know that I don��t have the money or right����


    ��An Xiaoyan, don��t resist!�� Gu Jun interrupted.


    ��Okay, Mr. Gu. I will keep it.��


    Seeing An Xiaoyan put the key in his pocket, Gu Jun suddenly felt happy, like a kid who��d received a lollipop. It was like he found his first love.


    ��Recover well. When you��re healed, you can go out. I won��t restrict your freedom, as long as you don��t go find other men or women.��


    ��Mr. Gu, I��ll just stay home.��


    An Xiaoyan had experienced too much. Whenever he snuck out, he would be punished by Mr. Gu. He��d been conditioned to be afraid now. The fear stopped him from going out anymore.

 Chapter 68

    The New Year��s celebrations were over in the blink of an eye. At the end of February, the spring wind had begun to blow over the northern city.


    It was a sunny day when An Xiaoyan was discharged from the hospital. His legs were still bandaged, but the doctor said that as long as he rested well at home, he would be able to remove the bandage after a month.


    When he was discharged from the hospital, Gu Jun came to pick him up.


    An Xiaoyan looked at Gu Jun, who was standing by the door of the ward, in disbelief. He wondered why Gu Jun would come to pick up the man whom he hated so much.


    ��Can you walk on your own?��


    An Xiaoyan limped forward, leaning on his crutches, and said, ��Yes, I won��t bother Mr. Gu.��


    Gu Jun followed behind An Xiaoyan and watched the figure in front of him bouncing up and down as he tried to walk. He strode forward and swiftly picked An Xiaoyan up off the ground.


    ��Mr. Gu, let me down. I can walk on my own.��


    ��I have to rush back to the company, so do not waste my time.��


    Gu Jun wasn��t embarrassed by their conspicuous appearance at the corridor. If he could, he would hold onto An Xiaoyan openly in public.


    Just as he exited of the hospital, he came face to face with Xiu Yijian.


    Gu Jun, holding An Xiaoyan in his arms, made Xiu Yijian ponder secretly. ��Mr. Gu, it is such a coincidence to meet you here.��


    Xiu Yijian came to the hospital to retrieve some medical examination results from last year. The scene before her was quite unexpected.


    With regards to Xiu Yijian, Gu Jun used to have a good impression of her. However, his opinion of her had soured quite a bit. He did not say much to her, but simply nodded and went off.


    ��Gu Jun, I did not expect that you��d have such a gentle side.��


    The woman spoke to him as he was walking away. Gu Jun stopped and said, ��If Miss Xiu has nothing important to say, go and get busy. You��ll come across many people in this hospital.��


    An Xiaoyan blushed in Gu Jun��s arms. Miss Xiu was supposed to be Gu Jun��s beauty. He had a feeling that he was getting in the way of Gu Jun��s happiness.


    Back at the villa, Gu Jun put a row of documents beside An Xiaoyan. ��This is the plan for Guo Guo��s education for the first half of the year. You should take a look at it. When your legs are well, you can take him to school and assume full responsibility for his studies.��


    ��Yes, Mr. Gu, I will read through it thoroughly.��


    Just when Gu Jun was about to leave, Gu Jun remembered one thing. Zhang Zilan told him that when An Xiaoyan looked at the medical equipment, he had an eager look on face.


    ��I specifically made a bookshelf in your room. When you are free, you��re welcome to take a look at those medical books upstairs.��


    Before An Xiaoyan could answer, Gu Jun had gone somewhere else in the villa.


    By now, the servants had all returned to the villa to work. Once Gu Jun had left, the nanny came downstairs with Guo Guo.


    ��Guo Guo told me that you were injured. I was so frightened and worried. Look at your leg; it��s all plastered! Your injury must be quite serious. What happened?��


    ��On New Year��s Day, I accidentally fell down the stairs and tore a ligament.��


    ��Gosh, you have to be more careful in the future. As the saying goes, ��A broken ligament takes a hundred days to heal.�� Mr. An, you have to take good care of yourself. Guo Guo kept on telling me that you can��t play with him in your current state.��


    An Xiaoyan bent down and touched Guo Guo��s head. ��When Uncle��s legs are well, Uncle will be able to play with Guo Guo again.��


    Looking at the harmony between the two, the nanny could not help but feel that Mr. An is Guo Guo��s guardian angel. If not for Mr. An, Guo Guo could not have developed so healthily. I must make some nutritious stew rib soup for Mr. An to drink.


    ��


    Gu Jun looked at the golden invitation card in his hand, and the name on it. He really did not wish to go.


    So what if his cousin is getting married? It��s none of his business. He��s not the one getting married. What would be the point of attending?


    Although he��d rather not, on the wedding day, Gu Jun obediently took the gifts with him and attended the wedding.


    During the New Year��s dinner, old Mr. Gu had already told him about it. This wedding was very grand, held at the only five-star hotel in A City.


    Behind the hotel was a lawn dedicated to weddings.


    Gu Jun naturally brought Guo Guo along, mainly because old Mr. Gu assigned Guo Guo to be a flower boy. On one hand, he wanted Guo Guo to be a flower boy; on the other hand, he wanted to take advantage of this good opportunity for people from other families to see his grandson.


    Thinking of this, Gu Jun thought it was funny. If Gu Jing knew about this, he would probably be very angry, as his wedding would become a subtle stage for the family��s power struggle.


    ��Daddy, why do I have to dress like this?�� Guo Guo sported a unique hair style, and held on to a pink bow around his neck. He had never been dressed up like this.


    ��Later on, when Uncle gets married, you will walk in front of them with these flowers in your hand.��


    ��What is ��getting married��?��


    ��That means two people living together.��


    Guo Guo looked up with his innocent face and thought for a while, but he did not seem to understand what marriage is.


    ��Why didn��t Uncle An come?��


    ��Did you want Uncle An to come?��


    ��Yes.��


    Listening from the driver��s seat, Chen Chen was very happy to hear the conversation between the duo. Mr. Gu was finally becoming closer to his son.


    The car stopped at the hotel��s entrance. Gu Jun got out of the car with Guo Guo in his arms. Gu Jing and Gao Shan were greeting the guests at the entrance, dressed in their wedding attire.


    ��Welcome, welcome! Please come in. Guo Guo, you are here too,�� Gu Jing said politely.


    ��Hmm,�� Gu Jun hummed indifferently. He took Guo Guo��s hand, and walked in.


    The wedding was very grand, and Gu Jun looked quite dazzling with the child in his arms. During the New Year��s festivities, only his family and friends had met Guo Guo. Today, there were many businessmen at the wedding. The Gu family would be making a pivotal decision when choosing a new head of the family in March. Thus, many businessmen attended the wedding in order to observe the current situation.


    With a glance, Nan Qiang saw Gu Jun in the crowd. He barreled over with his heavy body.


    ��Oh, who is this kid? He looks so smart.��


    The newspaper had already reported on Gu Jun and his son, and made Gu Jun��s identity very clear. It was way too obvious for Nan Qiang to pretend not to know anything.


    ��My son, Gu Yuqi. His nickname is Guo Guo.��


    ��It is surprising that the second young master of the Gu family is still so young yet already has a kid.��


    This ��old fox spirit�� didn��t have anything genuinely positive to say. Everyone in their circle knew that Gu Jun had a child out of wedlock. Nan Qiang walked over specifically to emphasize his shortcomings. Gu Jun feared that the old man may bear a grudge as Gu Jun previously rejected his proposition regarding An Xiaoyan.


    Nan Qiang saw that Gu Jun had no intention of speaking up, yet he was in no hurry. After all, the realization of good things was usually preceded by rough goings.


    Many people arrived at the wedding venue one after another and the hall was crowded. Since Gu Jing was the main character, Gu Jun felt that there was no need for him to steal the limelight. He simply sat down and fed Guo Guo throughout the event.


    Nan Qiang came all the way back with his wine glass in hand. Coincidentally, the servant also came at the same time to ready Guo Guo for his duties as the flower boy.


    ��Gu second young master, remember the proposition I raised previously? Do not reject me so decisively. After all, we are still business partners. The Nan family works like an arm of your family.��


    ��Boss Nan, you had better not meddle in my affairs.��


    Nan Qiang looked in one direction and said, ��If you were the current CEO of the Gu Group, I would not say a word. But look. Now, the older cousin seems to be more popular than you.��


    In the distance, many partners could be seen circling around Gu Jing, chatting and laughing with him. It suddenly seemed a little empty and quiet around Gu Jun.


    ��Boss Nan, it is still too early to tell.��


    Nan Qiang took a sip of wine and whispered in Gu Jun��s ear, ��The wise man doesn��t tell a secret. The money is dead and the people are alive. As long as you give An Xiaoyan to me, you can be sure that the Nan family will give you our full support.��


    That was probably the reason why Nan Qiang came up to him in the first place. Gu Jun always had this thought: If one day, he was split between being the chairman of the Gu family on one hand, and being with An Xiaoyan on the other hand, which would he choose?


    Abandoning the wealth and power, he may have no more capital, yet he could not bring himself to abandon An Xiaoyan either.


    In life, you can��t have it both ways.


    ��Boss Nan, you had better not touch my people. After all, we are still business partners.��


    Soon, the wedding ceremony began and Gu Jun sat in the first row. During the low-tempo wedding march, Gao Shan��s father stepped out onto the red carpet with Gao Shan, and Guo Guo walked in front of them with a bunch of Gardenia flowers.


    Gu Jun��s eyes were fixated on his son. Guo Guo��s determined small eyes looked as if he were completing a mysterious task and his little lips were rising involuntarily. It was not a bad idea to bring along this little ��steam bun.��


    After dinner, Gu Jun went straight home with Guo Guo. In fact, he was still a little worried about An Xiaoyan.


    Before, he was indeed heavy-handed when dealing with An Xiaoyan.


    Guo Guo had been tired out today. Once he made it home, the nanny bathed him and put him to bed. Gu Jun gently opened An Xiaoyan��s bedroom door and saw An Xiaoyan lying in bed with a book in his right hand.


    The scene he saw was like a beautiful painting, quiet, serene and beautiful.


    Gu Jun carefully pulled out the book from An Xiaoyan��s hand. As soon as the book was taken away, the person in the bed woke up.


    ��Pardon me, Mr. Gu. I��m sorry that I fell asleep.��


    ��That is alright, An Xiaoyan. There is no need to apologize for this kind of thing in the future.��


    Gu Jun randomly opened a page to take a look, the pages inside the book were very clean, without any wrinkles. He could tell that the owner took good care of the book.


    But somehow he felt that there seemed to be something missing.


    Gu Jun recalled that in the house rented by An Xiaoyan, he had seen a book with beautiful fonts on it. This book was too plain; too impersonal.


    As he sat at his bedside, he noticed that An Xiaoyan was struggling to sit up.


    Gu Jun pressed down An Xiaoyan��s shoulder while he was struggling to get up, and said, ��It��s alright. Lie down.��


    Gu Jun��s appearance and actions confused An Xiaoyan. Gu Jun had not been so gentle to him before.


    ��Mr. Gu, there is no need to do that. If I do something wrong, you can hit me. I am not afraid of pain.��


    Somehow, Gu Jun felt a touch of sadness and heartache.


    ��There is a pen in the study. Write whatever you want on the books. I said before that you can read all of them.��


    ��Okay, thank you.��


    In every exchange between the two, Gu Jun would always be the one who begin and end the conversation. An Xiaoyan would never mention any topic.


    Gu Jun took great courage to say this sentence, ��I will not hit you, really, you do not have to be so afraid of me anymore.��


    ��If I make a mistake, I should be beaten. Mr. Gu is not wrong to beat me. It was I who made a mistake first.��


    ��An Xiaoyan, I am sincere and I really mean every word of it. Besides, you can finish reading all these books whenever you��re free.��


    Everyone needs to have some sort of goal before they can appreciate life. If one doesn��t work towards anything, one will lose the hope of life.


    ��Okay.��


    There was a little bunch of kapok blossoms on the windowsill, which had given to An Xiaoyan by Guo Guo in the hospital. The nanny would cut the roots of the flowers and change the water every day and the flowers looked especially dazzling now. From a distance, the flowers looked like an orange fire.


    ��In the future, I will often ask the servants to buy flowers. This room is lacking personality.��

 Chapter 69

    The peaceful days never lasted long. The mansion soon had an uninvited guest.


    Guo Guo was playing with toys in the living room when a woman with a big suitcase prepared to come in. He knew this person. Tossing down his toy car, Guo Guo lay on the sofa and stared at the newcomer with wide eyes.


    Xiu Yijian felt awkward about getting stared at. This kid was too smart.


    ��Hi Auntie. Why are you here? Did Daddy invite you?��


    Xiu Yijian lugged her suitcase in with difficulty. ��Yeah,�� she replied patiently. ��Auntie will live with Guo Guo soon. Aren��t you happy?��


    Guo Guo didn��t answer. He climbed the stairs with his short legs and entered An Xiaoyan��s room.


    An Xiaoyan heard the commotion below, but he couldn��t move or go downstairs. He didn��t know what was going on.


    ��Uncle An, an auntie says she��s coming to live with us.��


    ��Which auntie?��


    ��The one that ate dinner with Daddy before.��


    Miss Xiu.


    An Xiaoyan didn��t know where he could go. When Gu Jun got married, he would probably get kicked out. With all his debt, he had no reason to keep living.


    ��Uncle!��


    Guo Guo��s voice dragged him back to reality. As soon as he raised his head, he saw Xiu Yijian at the doorway.


    ��You��re treated quite well. Oh, where��s the second bedroom?�� She wasn��t shameless enough to move directly into the master bedroom. She��d only come per Old Mr. Gu��s orders.


    ��This is the second bedroom.��


    ��Then what about guest rooms?��


    ��I don��t know. You can ask the servants.��


    Xiu Yijian went downstairs. She walked through the mansion before she saw a servant pruning the bushes in the garden. The house was so big, but there was no one other than An Xiaoyan and Guo Guo. It was too strange!


    ��Uncle, why is she living with us?��


    ��Because she wants to marry your dad.��


    Guo Guo shook his head. ��Like Uncle Gu Jing and Aunt Gao?��


    ��Yes. This way, you��ll have someone to take care of you.��


    Guo Guo rubbed his head against An Xiaoyan. ��But Guo Guo likes Uncle An. You should marry Daddy so you can take care of me.��


    An Xiaoyan didn��t expect Guo Guo to say something like this. ��Guo Guo, don��t say these kinds of things anymore,�� he said, slightly strictly. ��Otherwise, I��ll get angry. Your dad will be mad too.��


    ��But Guo Guo likes Uncle An.��


    Guo Guo hugged An Xiaoyan with his chubby arms as if the man would disappear the next second. Seeing the little guy in his arms, An Xiaoyan��s heart warmed up.


    He��d be lying if he said he wasn��t touched or happy. He��d witnessed Guo Guo��s development. In the beginning, he had been chronically frightened and unable to talk. Now, he was lively and innocent. An Xiaoyan practically saw Guo Guo as his own child.


    There was suddenly a reason to keep living. Even if he lost everything, he still had Guo Guo. The kid would still like him.


    If the day really came when even Guo Guo found him useless, he could leave then.


    When Gu Jun got home, he smelled a unique fragrance in the air. He��d spent plenty of time at the brothel, so he was familiar. It was the smell of a woman��s perfume.


    There were many different scents out in public, so one wouldn��t really notice. Here, he could smell it clearly.


    The mansion didn��t have any women who weren��t servants, but servants wouldn��t use perfume. So who could it be? Could it be An Xiaoyan��s lover?


    Picking up his pace, he climbed the stairs and entered An Xiaoyan��s room. The smell of perfume suddenly dissipated. The scent of cotton flowers filled the entire room.


    ��A woman came?��


    An Xiaoyan nodded and pointed to the neighboring room. Gu Jun opened the master bedroom��s door and saw Xiu Yijian playing on her phone while sitting on the sofa.


    ��Why are you��?��


    ��Old Mr. Gu told me to come.��


    ��Get out!��


    ��Gu Jun, if I walk out, Old Mr. Gu will be notified within the hour. For the good of both of us, how about you consider where I can stay tonight?��


    Gu Jun calmed down. ��The house only has two rooms. How about you sleep on the sofa in the living room?��


    Xiu Yijian was about to protest when Gu Jun opened his wardrobe and took some clothes out.


    ��I��m not that cruel to women. You can stay here, but don��t use perfume. If I smell it, I��ll have the servants spray the air with purifiers 100 times every day!��


    Xiu Yijian listened with wide eyes. She couldn��t say anything, but she wondered where Gu Jun was taking these clothes. He wouldn��t go stay at the office, would he?


    Gu Jun walked directly to An Xiaoyan��s room.


    ��That woman��s staying next door. I��m staying here.��


    An Xiaoyan nudged, voluntarily giving up most of the bed for Gu Jun. This was Gu Jun��s home. He could stay wherever he wanted to.


    Thankfully, the second bedroom wasn��t much smaller than the master bedroom. It had its own bathroom as well, so Gu Jun took a shower. When he came out, An Xiaoyan was still lying in bed with his eyes open.


    An Xiaoyan had been lying in bed all day. Gu Jun didn��t know how he did it. If he had to lie in bed all day, he��d probably go crazy.


    As if he��d predicted something, An Xiaoyan had already taken off all his clothes except the innermost thermal wear.


    Gu Jun lifted the blankets and lay down beside An Xiaoyan. It was quite early and he actually wanted to talk to An Xiaoyan. Men were creatures that thought with their lower bodies, but he wasn��t sh*tty enough to do something like that to an injured person. He couldn��t bear to.


    Seeing that Gu Jun wasn��t doing anything, An Xiaoyan said, ��Mr. Gu, Miss Xiu is next door. You should go see her.��


    To Gu Jun, it felt like An Xiaoyan was jealous. He wanted to tease the other. ��I can sleep here too. The bed is soft. I can sleep well.��


    Since Gu Jun clearly wasn��t going to move, An Xiaoyan continued, ��Miss Xiu will get worried.��


    Gu Jun turned around to stare at An Xiaoyan. ��An Xiaoyan, do you think I��d date Xiu Yijian?��


    ��I��think so.��


    ��What if I say I won��t?��


    A person��s heart was very small. It could only fit one person. Life is very short. It��s only long enough to love one person wholeheartedly.


    ��Then Mr. Gu will love someone else. Guo Guo is still a child. He needs someone to take care of him.��


    ��I think you��re doing a good job.��


    ��Mr. Gu, you must be joking. I��m just repaying my debt.��


    Gu Jun studied An Xiaoyan��s expression for a long while. His indifferent expression didn��t waver.


    Gu Jun had wanted to express his feelings countless times, but he could never say it aloud. He was afraid that if he did, he would have no chance at all.


    ��Sleep. There��s work tomorrow.��


    ��Okay.�� An Xiaoyan reached to turn off the light. His legs were weak so he couldn��t reach the switch. While he was trying hard, the large hand behind him turned off the light. Then his body was picked up and moved over on the bed.


    That night, the two lay beside each other without any intention of sleeping. Hearing the unsteady breathing next to him, Gu Jun��s blood heated up. He��d never thought that sleeping so peacefully could be such a pleasure.


    Next door, Xiu Yijian also couldn��t fall asleep.


    Old Mr. Gu had told her to come, so she��d come, but she wasn��t wanted at all. She had to register for the international May design competition soon. If she couldn��t do it by then, all her efforts would be in vain.


    She would try for one more month. If there was still no progress, she would give up. It was clear that Gu Jun didn��t like women.


    Guo Guo was always the one to wake up the earliest. Xiu Yijian had finally fallen asleep at midnight, but she was woken up by loud knocking early in the morning. The child��s voice outside passed through the door.


    ��Daddy, wake up! Daddy!��


    Guo Guo just took a look at the second bedroom and then crept downstairs. Uncle An was still sick. He had to rest.


    The nanny following behind him couldn��t help but chuckle. The young master never yelled like this before. What was different today?


    However, she��d snuck a glance at the woman who��d come yesterday. It was obvious that the woman wanted to enter into the family.


    After living with the rich family for so many years, she understood everything. To be honest, she liked An Xiaoyan. This man was good in every way. If he could be with Mr. Gu, there would be someone to take care of the young master too.


    The nanny wasn��t a conservative person. She was fine with two men being together. Plus, Mr. Gu already had a son, so there was no worry regarding an heir. The most important thing was that she could clearly see An Xiaoyan��s love for Guo Guo. She already had children, so she knew if the feelings were genuine or not. She didn��t know what misunderstanding existed between Mr. An and Mr. Gu. Mr. An always flinched when he saw Mr. Gu, but she still felt they suited each other.


    Gu Jun had a dreamless night. When he woke up and checked his phone, it was already nine. It was too late for work, so he decided to keep sleeping. It wasn��t like the company would go bankrupt without him.


    It was An Xiaoyan��s first time sleeping in, too. Before, his biological clock would wake him up at seven. Today, it was almost ten when he woke up.


    More importantly, Gu Jun was still beside him.


    ��Mr. Gu, Mr. Gu.�� An Xiaoyan carefully poked Gu Jun��s arm.


    After dozing off again, Gu Jun was woken up again. He opened his eyes to see An Xiaoyan with messy hair.


    ��Mr. Gu, I didn��t set an alarm. It��s my fault that you��re late.��


    Gu Jun looked at the old phone in An Xiaoyan��s hands. He grabbed it, opened it, and then returned it.


    ��It��s okay. I��m not going to work today.��


    ��Oh. Miss Xiu is here. Mr. Gu should accompany her.��


    Gu Jun��s clothes were next door. He��d only taken his pajamas last night. He walked to the master bedroom and knocked. The door opened, revealing Xiu Yijian with dark circles under her eyes. She looked at the spirited Gu Jun.


    ��It seems that Mr. Gu has slept well.��


    ��Yes. Did you not sleep well?��


    Seeing the stark contrast, Xiu Yijian didn��t want to stay here a second longer. She couldn��t stand this cold man or that annoying kid anymore. However, she was still logical. She composed herself and went downstairs.


    Guo Guo was playing with a puzzle. He looked at Aunt Xiu curiously.


    ��Auntie, what��s wrong? Why does your face look like a bitter melon?��


    Xiu Yijian ignored him. This father and son duo just wanted to piss her off!


    ��Where did your dad sleep last night?�� she asked tenderly.


    Guo Guo didn��t have much guile yet. ��With Uncle An, of course,�� he replied proudly.


    ��Does your dad sleep with Uncle An often?��


    ��Yeah. I sleep with Uncle An too. He smells nice, so Daddy likes him. I like him too.��


    Xiu Yijian instantly thought that she��d discovered something incredible. So Gu Jun likes this kind of smell��

 Chapter 70

    Xiu Yijian still lived in Gu Jun��s villa and Gu Jun treated her like a ghost. An Xiaoyan had been resting at home for half a month. When he came downstairs with his crutches, he happened to meet Xiu Yijian, who was having her afternoon tea.


    He had no intention of communicating with Xiu Yijian. Just as he was turning around to go upstairs, Xiu Yijian stopped him.


    ��You are An Xiaoyan, am I right?��


    ��Hmm.�� An Xiaoyan turned around and nodded.


    ��I think we have something to talk about.��


    ��Miss Xiu, if there��s anything you wish to talk about, you can wait for Mr. Gu to come back and talk to him. There��s no use in discussing it with me.��


    Xiu Yijian ignored this excuse. She felt that since it was impossible to engage with Gu Jun, An Xiaoyan could be her foot in the door.


    ��An Xiaoyan, Gu Jun likes you, did you know that?��


    An Xiaoyan had already taken a few steps but stopped in his tracks upon hearing that. He replied softly, ��Miss Xiu, you must be joking. Mr. Gu likes you. He��s never gone to the movies or dined with others, nor had he ever taken the young master out for others to see.��


    What he meant was that if Gu Jun did not like her, he would not have done these things. Gu Jun never liked to waste his time on trivialities.


    ��How do you know all this?��


    ��The young master told me so when he came home.��


    Xiu Yijian sneered. ��Looks like that child is really close to you. Did you know that when we went to the movies and had dinner together, it was old Mr. Gu who arranged it all? And, Gu Jun brought along Guo Guo and made him sit in between us. Do you think that you can really call it a date when someone brings along a child?��


    An Xiaoyan did not know much about dating. In his opinion, Gu Jun��s willingness to entrust Guo Guo to someone said a lot; this person must be a very trusted.


    ��I don��t understand such things, Miss Xiu. Since you live here now, Mr. Gu must like you very much.��


    Xiu Yijian could not help but shout, ��If he likes me, why would he sleep in your room every day?��


    An Xiaoyan stiffened up for a while, and he did not know why either.


    ��If you have something to ask, you can wait for Mr. Gu to come back and ask him. I��ll go upstairs.��


    Behind him, he heard Xiu Yijian blurt out, ��An Xiaoyan, whether you believe it or not, Gu Jun must like you.��


    Back in the room, An Xiaoyan could not calm himself down for a long time, and Xiu Yijian��s words lingered in his mind.


    Gu Jun likes you, did you know that?


    He did not know, and he did not believe it either.


    He felt that he was just Gu Jun��s enemy and Gu Jun did not like him, but the recent gentleness from Gu Jun was perplexing. Perhaps it was simply a shred of sympathy, looking at his leg. Maybe Gu Jun had broken his leg once, thus he felt some empathy.


    When Gu Jun returned home, the nanny secretly told him that Miss Xiu had spoken to Mr. An today, and did not know what they talked about. Miss Xiu��s voice was very loud.


    Gu Jun realized that he was negligent. When a man and a woman lived in the same house, something like this was inevitable. It was not that he did not believe in An Xiaoyan, but he was afraid that Xiu Yijian might steer the conversation a certain way in order to learn what she wants.


    Retrieving the surveillance videos from the study, the conversation between the two could be heard very clearly.


    ��Gu Jun likes you, did you know?��


    His secret, which had been hidden for a long time, was exposed by others, and his difficult words were so casually spoken out by a woman.


    But when An Xiaoyan said that Xiu Yijian was the one Gu Jun liked, Gu Jun was unhappy. He was a little glad that he had not already confessed it.


    Turning off the surveillance video, he swiveled his chair to face the garden behind him. The workers were mowing the lawn.


    Gu Jun realized that he had never let An Xiaoyan go to the back of the villa.


    Now that Xiu Yijian had seen through him, Gu Jun had no intention to hide it. He continued to sleep in An Xiaoyan��s every day. The two of them simply shared the pure cotton-padded quilt and slept together, and Gu Jun had no intention of doing anything else.


    ��An Xiaoyan, don��t talk to Xiu Yijian even when you��re obviously not busy. Don��t listen to what she says.��


    ��Hmm, I know. Rest assured, Mr. Gu, I will not come in close contact with her.�� An Xiaoyan thought that Gu Jun was worried that he would say too much to Xiu Yijian. After all, I am living under the same roof as them. If anything were to happen between me and Xiu Yijian, it would not be good, especially since Gu Jun likes Xiu Yijian.


    ��If Mr. Gu feels that I��m in the way, I can move out or live with the servants.��


    Gu Jun turned around and hugged him from behind. ��No, it��s good for you to live here.��


    One day, when An Xiaoyan saw Xiu Yijian sitting downstairs, he hurriedly turned his back and went upstairs. Xiu Yijian hurriedly went upstairs and stopped him.


    ��An Xiaoyan, why are you avoiding me these days? Did Gu Jun say anything to you?��


    ��No, Mr. Gu didn��t say anything. I just don��t think it��s appropriate for us to talk.��


    ��What��s wrong? What could happen in broad daylight?��


    ��Miss Xiu, please respect yourself.�� After An Xiaoyan finished this sentence, and before he went upstairs, Xiu Yijian pulled him back.


    Although he was a man, he had been ill for majority of the year, thus his strength was similar to that of a girl. Now that he was being pulled back by Xiu Yijian, he could not move a single step forward at all.


    ��The reason why I am standing here to talk to you today is because I have something to ask of you, and I hope you will agree.��


    An Xiaoyan stood motionless as Gu Jun had told him to ignore this woman.


    ��I do not meddle in anything related to Mr. Gu. Miss Xiu, if you have something to say, you should wait until you see Mr. Gu this evening.��


    Xiu Yijian��s face bore a lovely expression. Her hands were tightly pulling on An Xiaoyan��s arm, and tears were about to flow. ��An Xiaoyan, I know you are a good man. If you don��t help me with this, I won��t be able to stay in the Xiu family any longer. Please pity me.��


    The words sounded very pitiful and An Xiaoyan was a little moved. However, with the thought of Gu Jun warning him not to come in close contact with this woman, he still firmly refused.


    With regards to emotions, a woman is the most sensitive. Though An Xiaoyan may appear indifferent, his eyes were full of sympathy, revealing his true feelings in his heart.


    When Xiu Yijian lifted her skirt and was about to kneel down, An Xiaoyan grabbed her.


    ��Miss Xiu, don��t do that.��


    ��An Xiaoyan, what I ask of you is just your words. As long as you say it out, it does not matter whether Gu Jun agrees or not.��


    Tears were rolling in her eyes, and An Xiaoyan could not withstand the sight of it and he said, ��I will try.��


    As soon as she heard An Xiaoyan��s promise, Xiu Yijian��s facial expression changed immediately. She wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes and restored her usual dignified look.


    An Xiaoyan spent the whole afternoon thinking about how to tell Gu Jun about it. He was afraid that Gu Jun would be angry after he knew that he had came in contact with Xiu Yijian.


    All afternoon, his nerves were all tensed up, afraid that he would miss out Gu Jun when he came home.


    However, when Gu Jun finally came back from work, An Xiaoyan did not know where to start.


    During dinner in the evening, Gu Jun sat in the master��s seat. An Xiaoyan and Guo Guo sat on the right hand side of Gu Jun while Xiu Yijian sat on his left hand side.


    Xiu Yijian kept staring at An Xiaoyan, but An Xiaoyan kept on dodging her stares. She knew that An Xiaoyan would not be able to speak in a timely manner, but she was not in a hurry.


    Gu Jun watched An Xiaoyan bow his head while eating his dinner and feeding Guo Guo from time to time. He took the initiative to put a prawn in his bowl.


    An Xiaoyan thought that Gu Jun wanted him to give the prawn to Guo Guo. After peeling the prawn with his own hands, he placed the prawn outside of Guo Guo��s mouth.


    Just when Guo Guo opened his mouth and was ready to eat the prawn, Gu Jun pulled An Xiaoyan��s hand over and said to Guo Guo, ��Peel it yourself and eat.��


    Guo Guo said angrily, ��Daddy is bad1�� In spite of that, his little hand reached out to take a prawn from the plate and mimicked the way the adults peel and eat their prawns.


    ��Next time, after you��ve peeled the prawns, you eat them. You don��t have to spoil him.��


    ��Okay.�� An Xiaoyan obediently ate the prawn. Across from them, Xiu Yijian felt that the three of them had neglected her and was in a bad mood.


    But the better Gu Jun treated An Xiaoyan, the greater her hope was.


    After dinner, the nanny took Guo Guo for a walk in the garden, while An Xiaoyan went upstairs to continue reading the medical books and Gu Jun went to his study.


    Recently, the more he read, the more memories were brought back in his mind. Whenever Gu Jun saw him reading, he would not say anything, but would casually flip some pages. This gave him great assurance that he could continue reading.


    There were several veterinary books on the shelf too. He was unsure who placed those books on the shelf.


    An Xiaoyan was curious. Opening the first page of the book, he saw a ginger cat, very small in size. He recalled his ginger cat, named wonton, which he adopted in the hospital.


    Thinking of his ginger cat, he thought of Liu Cheng, wondering about his current situation. Upon his return to the villa, he attempted to call Liu Cheng on his mobile phone secretly. However, he could not get in touch with Liu Cheng, despite his numerous calls.


    While deep in thought, he did not notice that there was someone behind him.


    Gu Jun was observing the facial expression of An Xiaoyan from behind. He hesitated as he did not wish to interrupt the beauty of An Xiaoyan in his natural habitat, an image that he was addicted to.


    ��What are you thinking about?��


    An Xiaoyan said gently, ��Nothing, nothing important.��


    ��In the future, if there��s anything you wish to tell me about, don��t hide your feelings inside you. Just tell me directly.�� Gu Jun was worried that An Xiaoyan would always bottle up his feelings and suffocate himself emotionally one day.


    ��Okay, I was thinking about the ginger cat just now.�� An Xiaoyan thought Gu Jun was commanding him to answer truthfully. He dared not mention the two words ��Liu Cheng��, afraid that if he were to say those words, Gu Jun may punish him.


    ��Which one?��


    ��The one in the hospital.��


    Gu Jun recalled that he had abandoned it. ��Did you like it?��


    An Xiaoyan kept silent.


    ��An Xiaoyan, look at me, tell me the truth.��


    An Xiaoyan looked at him obediently and nodded slightly.


    Unexpectedly, there was no anger and Gu Jun simply said, ��In two days�� time, I��ll have someone bring one over. It would be fun for Guo Guo to play with a cat at his age.��


    ��Thank you, Mr. Gu.��


    Gu Jun took out his pajamas from the wardrobe and went into the bathroom. Since Xiu Yijian would not be leaving anytime soon, he had moved everything next door to An Xiaoyan��s room and made the bold move to openly stay in An Xiaoyan��s room.


    Gu Jun did not have a habit of soaking himself in a bath tub, except when he wanted to relax after a tiresome day. Usually, he would just take a quick shower.


    In the middle of his bath, the bathroom door opened. An Xiaoyan stood at the door and held onto the wall. His upper body was naked and he was wrapped in a bath towel.


    ��What are you doing in here?�� He hadn��t forgotten that An Xiaoyan��s leg was still injured and could not get wet.


    An Xiaoyan bit his lip and took a long time before he said, ��I have come to give you a rubdown.��


    Gu Jun��s heart felt so sweet, as if he had just eaten honey. It was An Xiaoyan��s first time taking an initiative. However, in consideration of An Xiaoyan��s health, Gu Jun said in a relaxed tone, ��Wait ��til your legs are better as your legs can��t get wet now. Go.��


    The door closed slowly. Gu Jun did not see the disappointment in An Xiaoyan��s eyes. An Xiaoyan closed the door and sat on the bed. Is using my body the only way I can make a request?

 Chapter 71

    In the bathroom, Gu Jun was ecstatic. An Xiaoyan had never taken the initiative like this before. Did he finally perceive Gu Jun��s true feelings and understand him? Thousands of thoughts sped through his mind. He quickly rinsed himself off and walked out with a towel around him.


    Under the room��s warm lights, An Xiaoyan waited quietly in bed. As soon as Gu Jun came out, he shot up.


    ��What��s wrong?�� Gu Jun asked good-naturedly.


    Instead of replying, An Xiaoyan hugged him, getting onto his tiptoes to kiss Gu Jun.


    Gu Jun��s mind went blank. An Xiaoyan had never done this before. Heat surged through him. Gu Jun flipped around and pressed An Xiaoyan onto the bed. All his longing that he��d recently repressed spewed out the moment An Xiaoyan��s soft lips touched his.


    ��Xiaoyan����


    Gu Jun was still clear-minded. He didn��t forget that An Xiaoyan��s leg hadn��t healed yet. He nudged An Xiaoyan��s leg to the side and then kissed him again.


    Halfway through, Gu Jun suddenly stopped. An Xiaoyan thought that Gu Jun changed his mind. He was about to get up when Gu Jun took a small bottle out of the bedside drawer. He dug a bit out and slowly applied it to An Xiaoyan.


    Zhang Zilan and the doctor��s warnings were carved in his mind. He wanted An Xiaoyan by his side for his entire life. What he felt was not just temporary lust.


    An Xiaoyan felt something cool inside him. Gu Jun was much gentler than before.


    Gu Jun had never been this tender.


    After everything, Gu Jun followed the doctor��s instructions and carefully cleaned An Xiaoyan up. To make sure An Xiaoyan didn��t feel uncomfortable, he even applied some ointment.


    An Xiaoyan didn��t move at all during this process. He lay quietly in Gu Jun��s arms, allowing himself to be positioned by the larger man.


    For the first time, Gu Jun realized how tired An Xiaoyan was. Before, he had always neglected An Xiaoyan after the deed. Thinking back, he felt like he��d been such an *sshole!


    After cleaning up, An Xiaoyan gradually recovered from his fatigue. He tried hard to open his eyes, and met Gu Jun��s gaze.


    ��Want to eat something?��


    An Xiaoyan shook his head, but Gu Jun still had the servants downstairs bring a spread of sliced fruit up to him. He used a toothpick to feed An Xiaoyan.


    ��Eat some.��


    An Xiaoyan obediently opened his mouth and ate a strawberry. It was sour and sweet, and very fresh too.


    ��I��m happy today.�� Gu Jun put the plate on the drawer. He carefully hugged An Xiaoyan, burying his head in his chest.


    An Xiaoyan felt like it was the right time. Since Gu Jun was in a good mood, he could probably mention Xiu Yijian.


    ��Mr. Gu, I need to ask something of you.��


    Even though he knew An Xiaoyan had an ulterior motive, Gu Jun was still in a good mood, so he nodded for An Xiaoyan to speak.


    ��Miss Xiu wishes to participate in a design competition. She needs a spot.��


    Gu Jun��s brows suddenly furrowed. Seeing this, An Xiaoyan hurriedly apologized. ��Mr. Gu, I��m sorry. I only mentioned it. You don��t have to worry about it.��


    Seeing how scared An Xiaoyan was, Gu Jun knew that he��d scared the man. He wasn��t actually angry. He just now understood why Xiu Yijian was trying to get close to him. It seemed that this woman wanted to get married just for that spot.


    ��It��s okay, but I��m not in charge. It��s not of much use to tell me. This is with the company. I have my own company now, so I can��t do anything unless I��m the head of the Gu Group.��


    Gu Jun didn��t originally plan on saying all this to An Xiaoyan, but An Xiaoyan listened attentively.


    ��In the future, tell me if you need anything. Don��t ask other people and don��t do what you just did.��


    ��Mr. Gu, I��m sorry.��


    Gu Jun continued hugging him. He knew that Xiu Yijian must have begged An Xiaoyan to do this. An Xiaoyan was so kind that the woman could easily convince him to stick his neck out for her.


    ��Don��t apologize. You did nothing wrong.��


    Gu Jun wasn��t aggressive like before. This reminded An Xiaoyan of how Xiu Yijian had mentioned that Gu Jun likes him. This thought lingered for a second before he rejected it. He was more like a f*ck buddy now.


    At night, Gu Jun noticed the man beside him twisting and turning. He turned on the bedside light. ��What��s wrong?��


    ��I can��t sleep.��


    ��Does it hurt?��


    An Xiaoyan nodded softly. Gu Jun reached out to pull down An Xiaoyan��s pants, but An Xiaoyan refused to let him. ��Mr. Gu, it��s useless. I��m disturbing your sleep. I��ll go sleep on the sofa downstairs.��


    With that, he got up to leave, but Gu Jun pressed him down. Holding An Xiaoyan down with one hand, he took off the man��s pants with the other. There was some blood.


    He took out the ointment from the drawer. After applying it, Gu Jun had An Xiaoyan lie obediently on his stomach.


    After all this, the two didn��t feel like sleeping anymore. Gu Jun lay beside An Xiaoyan, studying his pained expression.


    ��How did you get through it before?��


    ��It won��t hurt in a few days. It��s just for a while.��


    It was clearly a lie, but Gu Jun didn��t expose him. Thinking of the doctor��s words, he held An Xiaoyan��s waist with his large hands and started massaging softly.


    The Chinese parasol tree outside rustled in the wind. The two inside were sprawled on the bed. The light shone on them and the shadows on the floor moved slowly.


    With Gu Jun��s massaging, An Xiaoyan gradually relaxed. The pain wasn��t as sharp anymore. After a while, he fell asleep, breathing steadily.


    Gu Jun looked at the clock on the wall. It was already three o��clock. He put on the blankets, turned off the light, and slept as well.


    Unsurprisingly, he didn��t go to work the next day either. When he woke up, he suddenly could relate to the phrase from history textbooks, ��From then on, the emperor never went to the imperial court in the morning.��


    Who would want to work if he had such a beauty in his arms?


    An Xiaoyan was tired out from yesterday and was still sleeping. Gu Jun went to the master bedroom and knocked on the door. Xiu Yijian was working on a design inside.


    Closing the door, Gu Jun sat on the sofa. After confirming that there was no perfume, he finally relaxed.


    ��If you want that spot in the design competition, you��ve found the wrong person. I can��t help.��


    ��If even you can��t help, then I doubt anyone else in the Gu Group can,�� Xiu Yijian remarked, unconvinced.


    ��It seems that you haven��t done enough research about the Gu Group. I don��t mind, but don��t get any ideas about An Xiaoyan. He��s a simple man.��


    Gu Jun was obviously protecting An Xiaoyan, so Xiu Yijian didn��t hold back. ��Aren��t you afraid of those old guys from your family knowing about you and An Xiaoyan? Without me as your shield, it��ll probably be hard for you too.��


    ��Xiu Yijian, don��t test me.��


    Xiu Yijian immediately squatted down after Gu Jun left. Her palms were sweaty, but she still had to bide her time until opportunity presents itself.


    ��


    ��Daddy, let��s go swim with Uncle An.��


    There was a big garden behind the mansion. It contained a gym and swimming pool. Ever since his nanny had first brought him there, Guo Guo couldn��t forget about the pool. A lot of kids were scared of water, but Guo Guo loved it.


    ��Sure, but we have to see if Uncle An agrees.��


    Guo Guo climbed upstairs and went to An Xiaoyan��s room. Hugging the man��s leg, he said, ��Uncle, let��s go swim.��


    ��Guo Guo can go by himself. I won��t go. I can��t swim.��


    Upset, Guo Guo said, ��Guo Guo can��t either, but there��s a teacher. Uncle, hurry and learn so you can play in the water with Guo Guo and swim with the duckies.��


    An Xiaoyan couldn��t say no to the kid. He brought Guo Guo downstairs to ask for Gu Jun��s opinion.


    Gu Jun obviously agreed. He couldn��t wait for An Xiaoyan to go out and stop being cooped up inside the house.


    ��How��s your leg?��


    ��It��s alright.��


    ��Does your behind still hurt?��


    Being asked so directly, An Xiaoyan��s face turned red. He shook his head. Gu Jun hadn��t touched him after that night and he��d applied ointment. He healed very quickly.


    ��Uncle, where do you hurt?�� Guo Guo asked curiously after he heard the word.


    ��No, I��m not hurting.��


    ��Uncle, when we get the big yellow ducky later, Guo Guo will give you one. It��s super big. Guo Guo can lay on it without it sinking.��


    An Xiaoyan nodded cooperatively. Seeing their interaction, Gu Jun felt warmer inside. He had to hurry and find a chance to express his feelings. He didn��t want to drag it out for any longer.


    The swimming pool was behind the garden. It was very big. The shallow end was 1.5 meters and the deep end was two meters.


    It was early spring and it was still a bit cold outside, but it was more than 70 degrees inside.


    In the changing room, An Xiaoyan first helped Guo Guo put on his swim trunks and cap. Then he put the boy in a small pool.


    Gu Jun had recently built this pool just for the kid to play in. The water was only 30 centimeters deep and many small ducks floated on the surface. Guo Guo had fun playing by himself.


    Gu Jun had purposely made sure no one else would come today. Thankfully, Xiu Yijian was at work. He just wanted to enjoy his three-person-world.


    Without Guo Guo, it was just the two of them. An Xiaoyan didn��t have swimwear, so he just stood to the side, waiting for Gu Jun��s orders.


    ��The cabinet has your swimsuit. The servants just brought it over.��


    Gu Jun had actually wanted to take An Xiaoyan swimming long ago. He��d ordered the swimwear quite some time ago.


    ��Thank you, Mr. Gu.��


    An Xiaoyan turned away from Gu Jun and took off his shirt. Behind him, Gu Jun secretly peered at him. When he bent over to take off his pants, Gu Jun saw An Xiaoyan��s delicate frame and smooth skin. He swallowed heavily and looked away.


    ��Uncle, come play!�� Guo Guo climbed out of the water and hustled over to An Xiaoyan. He hugged An Xiaoyan, letting the water on him wet An Xiaoyan��s body.


    ��Okay, Uncle will take Guo Guo to play in the water.�� With that, An Xiaoyan glanced at Gu Jun for permission. Gu Jun nodded.


    Slender legs slowly slipped into the water. Finally, only the upper body was still visible. An Xiaoyan held Guo Guo with one hand while holding onto the pool with the other. He carefully placed Guo Guo into the water.


    Guo Guo had a special obsession with water. He slapped the water, creating tall walls of water.


    ��Ducky, big ducky����


    Guo Guo pointed at the big yellow duck floating in the water. He splashed in the water, trying to go over.


    Gu Jun had already gotten in. He stood behind An Xiaoyan. They were in the one meter area and the water was only up to their waist.


    ��Mr. Gu, take him. I��ll go pull the duck over.��


    Gu Jun took Guo Guo. An Xiaoyan started striding towards the big yellow duck. Every step set off ripples on the water surface. The rings flowed out and also flowed into Gu Jun��s heart.


    ��Daddy, why are you always looking at Uncle An? Oh, I know. Daddy wants to be with Uncle An, right?��


    Kids didn��t have any other motives. Guo Guo didn��t even know what being with someone meant, but Gu Jun nodded.


    ��How about if we make Uncle An your daddy too?��


    ��Okay, then Guo Guo will have two daddies.��


    It was fortunate that An Xiaoyan was far away and the water was noisy in the pool, so he couldn��t hear what had just happened.

 Chapter 72

    Humans are always greedy, the more you get, the more you desire.


    Gu Jun was no exception. He looked at An Xiaoyan, who was by his side, and felt that since he had his body, he wanted his heart too.


    ��Guo Guo, the big yellow duck is back. Are you going to play on it?�� An Xiaoyan led the big yellow duck and tied it to the side of the swimming pool.


    ��Uncle, watch me climb.�� Guo Guo broke away from Gu Jun��s embrace, hugged the tail of the big yellow duck and climbed up.


    The big yellow duck was about two meters long, with a flat area in the middle of it. Guo Guo could just lie on the belly of the big yellow duck and paddle in the water.


    ��I��ll go swimming in the deep water first. You stay here with Guo Guo.��


    An Xiaoyan nodded and watched Gu Jun leap from the pool to the ground, and walked over to the deep end. Gu Jun jumped in with a loud splash.


    The water temperature was just right. Even if one could not swim, it felt very comfortable in the pool.


    Suddenly, there were many smaller size ��big yellow duck�� floating in the water. An Xiaoyan wondered why, and Guo Guo giggled at him.


    Looking at the actions of Guo Guo, An Xiaoyan finally realized that the head of the duck could be opened. There were many yellow ducks of different sizes hidden in the duck��s head. Guo Guo took the ducks out and put them on the water.


    Thinking of the word ��duck��, An Xiaoyan recalled that not too long ago, many people on the internet were calling him a ��gigolo��. They were all ducks; people who would simply believe what they are told. This memory dampened his mood a bit.


    ��Uncle, paddle.��


    An Xiaoyan put his thoughts aside, carried Guo Guo and played with him on the surface of the water. Although Guo Guo was taught several swimming lessons by the teacher, he was too young to learn how to float on water. However, he still had a good time.


    Tired of playing, Guo Guo went ashore and went to the smaller pool nearby to play with the water. An Xiaoyan stayed in the 1.5 meter pool and wandered back and forth.


    Out of curiosity, he suddenly immersed himself in full under the water, trying to feel what it felt like to be completely immersed in it.


    But just after being immersed in the water for ten seconds, a pair of big hands pulled him out. He opened his eyes and saw Gu Jun��s nervous face.


    Gu Jun looked over from the other side of the pool but he did not see anyone in the pool. He looked around for a while and still could not find anyone.


    He was afraid, afraid that An Xiaoyan would choose an extreme way to end his life. He jumped right into the pool and saw a man underwater, and then pulled him up with one hand.


    An Xiaoyan was confused why Gu Jun looked so afraid. ��An Xiaoyan, don��t kill yourself.��


    ��Mr. Gu, I just wanted to feel the water. I did not try to kill myself.��


    Gu Jun��s shoulder suddenly relaxed. It��s good that you didn��t try to kill yourself.


    Looking at Guo Guo playing happily in the small pool, he took An Xiaoyan to the deep pool.


    When they reached the side of the pool, An Xiaoyan retreated. He could not swim in a 2m deep pool. If Gu Jun were to throw him in, he would surely drown.


    ��Mr. Gu, I��m wrong. I shouldn��t have gone underwater to play.��


    His hair was still dripping wet. Gu Jun looked at An Xiaoyan��s wet face and hugged his waist. ��Don��t be afraid, I��ll support you from below.��


    At all times, I am your guardian. Standing behind you, protecting you.


    There was a big splash in the pool, and the loud splash caught Guo Guo��s attention, but he just took one glance and continued playing alone again.


    An Xiaoyan��s body was completely surrounded by water and his waist was propped up. At this moment, An Xiaoyan felt like a fish swimming in the water.


    Only when Gu Jun could not hold it anymore and needed to take a breath would he carry An Xiaoyan up. After that, he would return underwater to drag An Xiaoyan forward. With some swift moves, they soon reached the end of the 50 meter swimming pool.


    The moment when the both of them came out of the water, they were each inadvertently looking straight into the other��s eyes.


    An Xiaoyan leaned on the staircase, propped himself up, wiped the water off his face, and said a ��thank you�� to Gu Jun.


    ��Do you feel comfortable?��


    An Xiaoyan nodded his head. His body felt really light underwater. The buoyancy of the water and Gu Jun��s support made him float effortlessly.


    Although he only supported him for a distance of 50 meters, Gu Jun was fatigued. He went ashore and sat on the ground. The two men chatted on and off.


    ��In the future, when I��m not around, you can come here. You can bring Guo Guo along too. If you want to learn swimming, I will tell the swimming instructor to come over here.��


    ��Thank you.��


    An Xiaoyan looked at Guo Guo in the distance, but in his mind, he was wondering why Gu Jun treated him this way. Shouldn��t he hit me or force himself on me?


    ��In two days�� time, go to the hospital and have a follow up examination of your legs.��


    ��No, there��s no need to as my legs are well already.��


    ��It is alright. Just check to see if there��s anything wrong.��


    After a while, An Xiaoyan said, ��Mr. Gu, you don��t have to treat me like that. Just treat me like how you treated me before, I��m not worth it.��


    Sorrow poured into Gu Jun��s heart. He said, ��An Xiaoyan, don��t ask the reason, just enjoy it.��


    Someday, I��ll openly confess my feelings to you. Then, you will understand.


    Guo Guo was tired of playing and shouted ��uncle��. An Xiaoyan walked over and picked him up.


    Gu Jun knew that his son relied on An Xiaoyan a lot, but he did not think that the reliance was so strong that his son would totally ignored his presence even though he was right beside him.


    ��That��s all for today.��


    ��Okay.�� Guo Guo lied on An Xiaoyan��s body and the three of them went into the house to change their clothes.


    When they came out, the sun had just set, like a holy light, hovering over the three of them.


    ��


    February passed quickly, and March arrived. Guo Guo was ready to attend school. The company began to resume its business and Gu Jun was gradually getting busier.


    On the first day of school, An Xiaoyan did not forget his task. He got up early to prepare Guo Guo��s little school bag.


    Gu Jun went downstairs and saw An Xiaoyan sitting quietly in his home clothes. He called up the kindergarten to tell them that Guo Guo would not be attending school today.


    ��Why is Guo Guo not attending school today?��


    ��Today is the first day anyway. There won��t be anything important. Let��s go, you��ll drive me out.��


    Guo Guo was finally ready to go to school. Upon hearing this sentence, his small face revealed his disappointment.


    ��Guo Guo, I will bring you ice cream when I come home later. Be good and stay at home,�� Gu Jun said.


    When Guo Guo heard the words ��ice cream��, his little face brightened up immediately and went to the toy pile to continue playing with the toys.


    ��Go to the garage and get the car.��


    An Xiaoyan took the elevator downstairs to the ground floor, pressed the remote key in his hand, and a white car rang not far away.


    The white Honda was parked at the back of the garage, not noticeable against the backdrop of a pool of luxury cars.


    An Xiaoyan sat in the car, started the engine, put it in gear, and drove the car out of the garage carefully.


    When he reached the main door of the villa, Gu Jun stood waiting for him.


    As soon as the car stopped, Gu Jun naturally sat in the front passenger��s seat, but An Xiaoyan was not at ease. As long as Gu Jun was around him, he was inexplicably nervous. He did not even know where to put his hand on the steering wheel.


    ��Let��s go.�� Gu Jun set the GPS. Once An Xiaoyan heard the order, he stepped on the accelerator with a sigh.


    An Xiaoyan drove slowly. Fortunately, there were not many cars on the road today. As it was the first time An Xiaoyan drove on a road, he was afraid of accidentally colliding with another person��s car, and he kept avoiding cars during the journey. At the end of it all, a half an hour��s drive was dragged out to more than an hour.


    Fortunately, Gu Jun was not in a hurry. It was inevitable for new drivers to behave this way on the road. Gu Jun was the same way when he first started.


    Finally, he stopped at the entrance of a shopping mall. An Xiaoyan looked in the mirror and reversed the car. After trying several times, he still could not park the car right in the middle of the parking spot. He had a feeling that it was slightly narrower than the one he had practiced on before.


    ��Get out of the car.��


    An Xiaoyan got out of the car obediently and Gu Jun moved from the passenger��s seat into the driver��s seat. After looking into the mirror, he made some turns to the left and right, and soon the car was parked.


    An Xiaoyan thought Gu Jun would start scolding him, but after Gu Jun got out of the car, he only said, ��Drive more often and you will become more skillful.��


    Gu Jun had brought him to a mall before, but that was last winter. Now, in retrospect, it seemed to be a very distant memory.


    This mall which they visited today was a new place.


    This was a place which Gu Jun frequently visited. However, he had never brought anyone here before, not even any over the girls whom he��d dated.


    Leading An Xiaoyan, they made some left and right turns, and finally stopped in front of a small shop. Although it was a small shop, it looked beautiful inside, with a bright style. Several hair stylists were blow drying and cutting hair for their clients; they looked very skillful.


    ��Mr. Gu, you are here!�� a man who looked like thirty or forty years old said to Gu Jun.


    This hair salon was a place that Gu Jun often visited, but it was not really a high-end place. When Gu Jun first started his business, he found this place by accident. Although it was a small shop, the hair stylists were skillful and friendly, enough to measure up to the more famous hair salons.


    Most importantly, he would feel relaxed here as they would not lavish him with flattery like those hair stylists he met elsewhere.


    ��Is this gentleman going to have a haircut too?��


    ��Hmm, you take a look at him and give him a suitable hairstyle.��


    One winter had already passed and An Xiaoyan hadn��t had a haircut. His bangs were long enough to cover his eyebrows. Before, he had been staying at home, thus did not pay attention to his appearance.


    An Xiaoyan guessed the reason why Gu Jun brought him here today was because he was responsible for bringing Guo Guo to school, so he must not disgrace Guo Guo or Gu Jun.


    Gu Jun watched An Xiaoyan sit on the chair, picked the chair next to An Xiaoyan, and sat down. ��As for me, the usual hairstyle.��


    With the snapping sound of the scissors, hair fell by the inches on the floor. Gu Jun��s eyes were constantly fixed on An Xiaoyan, who was seated next to him. However, An Xiaoyan��s head was bowed the whole time and he could not see An Xiaoyan��s expression at all.


    He hoped that An Xiaoyan would live a good and high-quality life. Thus, when he saw An Xiaoyan coming downstairs with his messy hair and casual clothes, he had a sudden urge to change An Xiaoyan��s appearance.


    At home, An Xiaoyan had always worn the two same sets of clothes: one grey, one brown, each totally lacking vitality. As for the clothes which he bought for An Xiaoyan last year, An Xiaoyan neatly folded them and kept them in the wardrobe.


    Every time Gu Jun opened the wardrobe, he would see that the wardrobe was empty on one side, and on the other side, he saw a neat array of formalwear and casual clothes.


    Gu Jun had a simple trim to his hair, and was soon done with his haircut. The hairstylist next to him was meticulously designing a hairstyle for An Xiaoyan.


    ��Do you think this is alright?�� The hair stylist asked An Xiaoyan for advice.


    A lot of hair had been cut and there were some bangs in front of his forehead. He looked refreshed and handsome.


    ��Dye his hair.�� Gu Jun suggested.


    The hairstylist had the same idea. An Xiao Yan, a fair-skinned man, would look more trendy if his hair was dyed light brown.


    ��How long will it take?�� An Xiaoyan asked in a low voice.


    ��About four or five hours.��


    He felt that the time taken was too long. Gu Jun��s time had always been precious, and today was Monday, he did not want to delay Gu Jun��s work time.


    ��Mr. Gu, I don��t need these. It��s good to just cut my hair.��


    ��That��s alright. You can go ahead with the hair dye.��


    Having been instructed, the hair stylist went on to pick out the color, and prepared for it. He could see that Gu Jun was very interested in this man. In the past, Gu Jun came alone, came in a hurry and left in a hurry. They knew that Gu Jun was the big boss of a company. Thus, it was rare to see him spending such a sum of time here.


    ��������������


    ��How about this shade of dark brown?��


    An Xiaoyan took a look, Gu Jun also went over to take a look, ��Okay, use this then.��


    From beginning to the end, An Xiaoyan did not have the right to speak. He quietly watched the hairstylist move around on his head, and then he could see the light color on his hair.


    Gu Jun sat looking at the haircut magazine and went out to make a phone call from time to time.


    When everything was done and the hair dryer was put down, Gu Jun felt that An Xiaoyan had transformed into someone else.


    He knew that An Xiaoyan had good skin and good looks, but had never been so dressed up before. Now after some tidying up of his appearance, he would surely attract the attention of others, a far cry from his previous self.


    ��Mr. Gu��Mr. Gu, do I look too ugly? How about cutting it all out?��


    ��No, Xiaoyan, you look good.��


    Gu Jun had no idea when he started to call An Xiaoyan ��Xiaoyan��. He felt that addressing An Xiaoyan this way represented a closer relationship between the two of them. Liu Cheng called An Xiaoyan ��Yanzi��, so he would call him ��Xiaoyan��, his one and only ��Xiaoyan��.


    An Xiaoyan looked into the mirror and touched his hair. His hair really seemed to look different now.

 Chapter 73

    When the two came out, it was already noon. Time for lunch.


    ��Anything you want to eat?��


    ��No. Mr. Gu, you can order what you��d like. I��m okay with everything.��


    ��What did you like to eat before?��


    What did ��before�� mean? During university, in jail, or after he left jail?


    ��Not much.��


    Gu Jun knew that An Xiaoyan had something on his mind. One day, he would make a smile reappear on An Xiaoyan��s face.


    Chen Chen was buried in work at the office. It was Monday but his boss didn��t come to work, tiring him, the assistant, out. He didn��t know what was with Gu Jun these days. He would be late occasionally and sometimes not even notify him before disappearing.


    What did you want to eat the most when you first started working?


    The random message confused Chen Chen. He read it carefully many times. Gu Jun really had sent it. He didn��t know what the point was, but he still thought back carefully.


    When he��d first started working, his salary had been low. He��d just graduated from university too, so there was a lot that he wanted to eat. He��d probably wanted to eat fish and meat the most.


    Seeing the ��fish and meat�� on his phone, Gu Jun was annoyed. An Xiaoyan ate very little back at home. He had to put a lot of food on An Xiaoyan��s plate and made sure he ate it all. Gorging on meat wasn��t very possible.


    In the end, Gu Jun had no choice, and brought An Xiaoyan to a restaurant that he often went to. It was a high-class restaurant. Many rich people chose to eat there.


    It was lunch time, so there were a lot of people. Thankfully, there were still seats.


    Gu Jun brought An Xiaoyan toward the room upstairs. Many of the people knew Gu Jun. An Xiaoyan followed behind him. His hair was different and his temperament was different than what the rumors online suggested, but a lot of people still pointed at him.


    ��Ignore them.�� Gu Jun instinctively held An Xiaoyan��s waist and pushed him up the stairs.


    Just as they reached the second floor, two familiar people walked over from the other side of the hall. The four saw each other and all stopped.


    An Xiaoyan didn��t know the man and woman across from him. The man had his arm around the woman��s waist. They were either dating or married.


    ��It��s so rare to see you. Oh, you brought An Xiaoyan for a meal?�� Gu Jing��s words were mocking.


    Gu Jun protectively put An Xiaoyan behind him. ��You seem to be in a good mood too.��


    ��How about we eat together?��


    Gu Jun was about to refuse when Gao Shan took the lead. ��Gu Jun, that won��t be good. You should let Xiaoyan meet his sister-in-law.��


    Gu Jun really didn��t want An Xiaoyan to face the rivalries within the circle of wealthy families, but it seemed that they couldn��t escape it today.


    ��Fine. Let��s eat together.��


    Gu Jing and Gao Shan walked in front; Gu Jun followed behind. After the two entered, he whispered in An Xiaoyan��s ear telling him to not worry about anything and just eat lunch.


    Gu Jing had just gotten married to Gao Shan and also received the Gao family��s support. He was practically glowing.


    ��An Xiaoyan seems different from before,�� Gao Shan said with an ambiguous smile.


    An Xiaoyan noticed the mockery in her voice, but he didn��t say anything. He kept his head lowered.


    Gu Jun grasped An Xiaoyan��s hand under the table. He wanted to remind An Xiaoyan that there was nothing to worry about. He was there.


    The dishes were served one by one. The four hadn��t eaten, so they ate first. Gao Shan placed food directly onto Gu Jing��s plate, her smile never faltering.


    Despite the smile, Gu Jing felt pity inside. He knew what kind of person he was. He would do anything to get what he wanted. If Gao Shan was with him, she was definitely at a disadvantage.


    No matter how bad Gu Jun was, at least he was genuine towards An Xiaoyan.


    After they ate their fill, the conversation returned to the previous topic.


    ��Gu Jun, I heard that you were with Miss Xiu earlier and she even stayed in your home. How come this An Xiaoyan is still here?��


    ��None of your business.��


    Actually, Gu Jing��s words resonated with An Xiaoyan. He suddenly asked himself why he was still in the Gu��s home.


    ��An Xiaoyan drives Guo Guo to school now. What, I can��t hire a driver?��


    Sudden laughter filled the entire room. Covering her mouth, Gao Shan said, ��This is my first time hearing somebody hire a murderer and enemy as a driver. Gu Jun, no offense, but you��re really open-minded. You��re not even scared that you might get killed one day.��


    The sound of glass cut her off. The room fell silent as a low masculine voice slowly uttered, ��How dare you speak of him like that?��


    ��Gu Jun, I��m telling the truth. I know you don��t like to hear it, but you can��t forget his identity. You��re not living in the Gu home anymore, but you��re still part of the family. At the very least, you can��t embarrass the family. You don��t even know how bad the rumors were.��


    Gu Jun couldn��t bear to keep listening. He grabbed An Xiaoyan and ran out of the room, not stopping to catch a breath until they were outside, under the sunlight.


    An Xiaoyan had been dragged out, so he was even more out of breath. Seeing the red face and unsteady breathing, Gu Jun hugged An Xiaoyan tightly. Laughing, he said, ��I��m sorry for making you feel bad.��


    ��Mr. Gu, I don��t mind. Don��t worry. I��ll drive Guo Guo to school nicely every day.��


    He was like an angel who smiled beautifully even when his wings were wet with blood. However, Gu Jun��s heart was the one that hurt. If he were stronger, An Xiaoyan wouldn��t have to suffer and be gossiped about.


    ��Mr. Gu, let��s go home,�� An Xiaoyan suggested softly. ��Guo Guo must be worried.��


    Gu Jun let go of An Xiaoyan. Concealing his expression, he drove back.


    Along the way, they passed by a hamburger restaurant. He stopped to buy a hamburger and fries. He always saw young people eating this, so he thought that An Xiaoyan would like it too. After all, An Xiaoyan was four years younger.


    A steamy and delicious-tasting hamburger was stuffed into An Xiaoyan��s lap. He couldn��t believe it. Somehow, Gu Jun��s care made him feel unsettled.


    ��Eat. I saw that you didn��t eat much earlier. Eat more.�� Gu Jun looked forward. ��You can only work when you��re full. This way, people won��t say that I mistreat people.��


    ��Thank you, Mr. Gu.��


    An Xiaoyan sat in his seat and chewed on the hamburger. He��d never eaten this stuff before. He liked the sour and sweet taste and even carefully licked the salad dressing on the wrapper. He glanced at Gu Jun while licking. He was relieved when he was sure Gu Jun wasn��t looking.


    His tongue licked at the remnants on the wrapper as well as Gu Jun��s heart. He didn��t expect that An Xiaoyan would like this taste. He couldn��t help but smile.


    After finishing, An Xiaoyan folded the wrapper neatly and placed it on his leg. At a red light, Gu Jun reached over and tossed the wrapper on the dashboard. His entire body seemed to be shocked by electricity when his hand brushed the man��s pants. It was numb and tingling.


    ��Are you full?��


    An Xiaoyan nodded in response.


    A long silence followed. Gu Jun kind of missed the person from last year who would fight back, point and yell at him, and even use his fists and feet when in panic. He was different from this zombie who only said, ��yes,����okay,�� and ��thank you.��


    ��An Xiaoyan, would you hit me if I give you the chance?��


    ��Mr. Gu, there��s no need to test me like this. I won��t.��


    No matter what, everything was a test or challenge.


    He didn��t want An Xiaoyan like this. A feeling of endless guilt ballooned in Gu Jun��s heart. If he were given another year, he wished that he could turn An Xiaoyan back to how he��d been. The four years in jail hadn��t destroyed him, but that one year of hatred had thrown him into a bottomless abyss.


    ��Mr. Gu, the light is green. Let��s go.��


    Gu Jun snapped back to reality. He drove the car into the traffic.


    Home wasn��t as quiet as he��d expected. Xiu Yijian sat on the sofa while Guo Guo lay on the tatami nearby, watching TV. When An Xiaoyan returned, he hurried over to latch onto An Xiaoyan��s leg and ask for a hug.


    ��Where did you go?�� Xiu Yijian asked.


    Gu Jun��s head hurt whenever he saw this woman. She was like a fly that wouldn��t get swatted away. He couldn��t explain it to Old Mr. Gu if he forced her away, but seeing her everywhere was so annoying.


    ��None of your business.��


    ��I��m just asking. Why are you angry?��


    An Xiaoyan thought about what Gu Jing had said and reported honestly, ��Got a haircut for me.��


    ��Bring the kid upstairs!�� Gu Jun was upset. An Xiaoyan wasn��t Xiu Yijian��s servant. Why did he have to tell her everything?


    ��Daddy meanie,�� Guo Guo said, pouting. Tugging An Xiaoyan��s hand, he went upstairs. ��Hmph, Uncle An, Daddy is mean. Let��s ignore him.��


    Children knew clearly what was right and what was wrong. This was why they spoke without thinking.


    ��Guo Guo is really brave with his words.��


    Gu Jun didn��t know if this was a praise or insult. Either way, it made him uncomfortable.


    ��It still has nothing to do with you. When are you leaving? You can��t keep staying in my house.��


    ��I��ll stay until Old Mr. Gu thinks we��re a thing and don��t need to be restricted by proximity.��


    ��So you want to stay here your entire life!��


    Looking at the back side of the duo going up the stairs, Xiu Yijian wanted to say, I don��t want to stay here and see an emotionless guy, a dead fish, and annoying kid all day.


    ��Uncle An, I heard a servant say at noon that the auntie wants to be my stepmom. Is that true?��


    ��Yes. When she gets together with your dad, you��ll have a little brother or sister too.��


    Tears rolled out of wide innocent eyes. An Xiaoyan didn��t know what to do. Guo Guo had always been obedient. It was rare for him to start crying like this.


    ��Don��t cry. Tell me what��s wrong,�� An Xiaoyan comforted while wiping Guo Guo��s chubby cheeks with a tissue.

 Chapter 74

    ��Uncle, you are lying. If I have stepmother, Uncle will not want Guo Guo anymore and Uncle will be leaving too.��


    ��Who did you hear that from? Uncle is not leaving.��


    ��But those uncles and aunts who mow the lawn say that when I have a stepmother, Uncle will leave.��


    He would indeed leave this place, but only if Gu Jun let him go.


    ��Uncle will not leave. Uncle will always be by Guo Guo��s side. Guo Guo, you don��t need to worry����


    Guo Guo gradually stopped tearing. His sobs were gradually covered up by the sound of his breathing as he fell asleep in An Xiaoyan��s arms.


    The dried up tear marks were still on Guo Guo��s face. Seeing that, An Xiaoyan sighed. He took off Guo Guo��s shoes and put him in bed. As soon as he placed Guo Guo on the bed, Gu Jun opened the door and entered the room.


    Seeing the little man asleep in bed, he waved to An Xiaoyan and turned to walk to the study.


    With two fewer rows of bookshelves, the study looked a little empty. Gu Jun sat on a chair facing the window and looked at the budding sycamore trees outside.


    He had thought about giving up the competition with Gu Jing. He was not particularly interested in that position, but now he had to give it a try.


    He could survive in a crack, but what about An Xiaoyan and Guo Guo? If he wanted to build a family of three, he needed to make sufficient preparations. At least, he could not let An Xiaoyan and Guo Guo suffer any injustice.


    Chen Chen came to the villa in a hurry. When he saw Xiu Yijian in the living room, he smiled politely and went upstairs. Gu Jun asked him to come over, saying that there was something urgent to discuss.


    ��As you can see, I��m now competing with Gu Jing. What are my odds in winning?��


    Before, Gu Jun totally had no intention in competing and Chen Chen thought Gu Jun had already given up, but today, his attitude gave off the impression that he was determined to do so.


    ��Based on the present situation, less than 30 percent����


    Riding on the news of his marriage with the Gao family, he received great help from the in-laws and made his ambitions very clear. Naturally, many entrepreneurs would come forward to forge an alliance with him. In contrast, Gu Jun did not make any effort within the past year. His sluggish attitude led many people to look down upon him.


    ��But now you have the advantage of having an heir.��


    ��So what if I have an heir? When Gu Jing was not married, it was very beneficial. But now that Gu Jing is married, they may soon have their own children.��


    Chen Chen was aware of this too. After thinking for a moment, he thought and said, ��Nan Qiang��s vote has not been made known yet. He seems to be interested in cooperating with us, but it��s not a clear vote yet.��


    At the mention of Nan Qiang, Gu Jun remembered what happened and said, ��That old lecher, I will not cooperate with him.��


    ��But����


    ��No way! There is no but!��


    Gu Jun puffed on his cigarette and frowned. Chen Chen could only change the subject. ��If we join in the competition now, there is another way. That is to find something that can hold against Mr. Gu Jing. Once we find it, it will be very beneficial.��


    ��You go and investigate in secret first. By the way, come over tomorrow and follow me to a certain location.��


    Chen Chen was confused, but he came the next day obediently.


    So Gu Jun was sure to be away from the office for two days?


    Chen Chen was baffled when they reached a pet shop. Gu Jun pulled Chen Chen in.


    ��What kind of pet do you want, cat or dog, two handsome boys?��


    ��Cat,�� replied Gu Jun.


    ��All right, this way, please.�� The pet shop worker led the two of them to the back of the shop. The countless cages along the corridor were kittens and puppies in different colors.


    Chen Chen looked at many animals drooping their heads, looking half-dead and half-alive. He was a little scared. Seeing his scared expression, the pet shop staff patiently explained, ��These animals were sent here as they are sick. They are currently on medication and drip. After some time, they will be well again.��


    Chen Chen��s heart was more settled after hearing that. He was worried that these small animals were being used for experiments.


    Walking through the corridor, they came to a small room. The temperature inside the room was noticebly much higher than outside. Upon entering the room, a stream of hot air rushed to their face.


    ��Sir, this is a kitten born just a year ago and is now over three months old. It is suitable for adoption. We are a regular pet hospital, as long as the cats are pure bred, we will find out its exact breed then give it the necessary vaccinations. Thus, you do not need to worry about ear mites or ringworms on the cat. We have already given it a proper checkup. That is to say, you can take it home and keep it as a pet right away.��


    Chen Chen could not guess what Gu Jun was thinking, so he had to say, ��Let us take a look first.��


    ��Alright.��


    ��Are we going to buy a cat? Who is it for?


    ��It is for An Xiaoyan. Come and help me see what he will like.��


    Chen Chen was a little overwhelmed. He always thought that Gu Jun would not like cats. Otherwise, why would Gu Jun throw An Xiaoyan��s ginger cat away?


    ��Mr. Gu, are you serious?��


    ��Hmm,�� Gu Jun answered, looking intently at the kitten in the cage.


    Sometimes, these acts of goodwill do not necessarily have the desired effect. If he were to take the cat back, it may remind An Xiaoyan of the fate of his last one.


    ��Well, Mr. Gu, you��d better consult Mr. An first to see what kind of breed he likes and whether he has time to keep it.��


    Gu Jun pondered for a moment and thought what Chen Chen said made sense. He was too rash and acted in disregard of An Xiaoyan��s opinion as he simply assumed that he would like it.


    ��Okay. You can make your way back to the company. I��ll bring him here.��


    ��How are you going back?��


    ��The distance between the company and this shop is not that far. You can hire a taxi and I will reimburse you later. I will drive your car.��


    The car was driven away. Chen Chen could not help but feel that Gu Jun was really ��poisoned�� by An Xiaoyan.


    Two hours later, the pet shop staff was surprised to see the same man who had just visited a while ago with another man.


    ��Sir, have you decided on which cat to get?��


    ��An Xiaoyan, which one do you like?��


    A group of kittens were meowing and crying in their cages. An Xiaoyan��s heart melted. He really liked these furry things.


    But An Xiaoyan was confused. Doesn��t Gu Jun hate these creatures? If not, he wouldn��t have thrown the little ginger cat away.


    ��I don��t know, Mr. Gu, what do you mean? I don��t understand.��


    ��Have a cat, as I told you before.��


    ��It is alright, I did not put it in my heart.��


    You did not put it in your heart, but I put it at the top of my heart.


    ��Choose one you like. Treat it as a pet for Guo Guo.��


    An Xiaoyan was relieved to hear that and carefully looked through the cats to make a selection. The kittens looked the same. He felt that Guo Guo would like a cat to be more domineering. After all, boys were more playful.


    ��Let��s take this one.��


    ��This is a ragdoll cat, very suitable for young people to buy, and its fur is more beautiful than others. When it grows up, it will be very good-looking.��


    However, Gu Jun still had the yellow ginger cat on his mind.


    ��How about the same breed as the yellow ginger cat you had the last time? Would you like to try that breed?��


    ��No, that��s fine.�� An Xiaoyan did not want to recall that episode. The scream of the ginger cat in the cage and its innocent eyes were something that he would never forget.


    Gu Jun put his hands on An Xiaoyan��s body and let him face himself. ��An Xiaoyan, I did wrong the last time. Now, you choose one that you are happy with and really like.��


    Gu Jun��s words seemed to be forcing him to choose a ginger cat.


    ��Okay, then I��ll take a yellow ginger cat.��


    A smile gradually surfaced on Gu Jun��s face. He felt that An Xiaoyan must have forgiven him, at least a little.


    ��Take the most expensive one in the shop.�� Gu Jun said to the pet shop staff beside him.


    The pet shop staff picked out the best looking and carefully put it in An Xiaoyan��s arms. ��Cats are very obedient. Let it get close to people when it is young, and naturally, it will be close to people when it grows up.��


    Holding the soft cuddly thing in his arms, An Xiaoyan couldn��t resist the urge to reach out and touch it. It felt very pleasant.


    Gu Jun saw the subconscious smile on An Xiaoyan��s face and asked the pet shop staff to pick the essential items for taking care of a cat. He was watching An Xiaoyan, who was standing beside him.


    ��Mr. Gu, the cost of owning a cat is a bit high����


    ��That��s alright. You just have to take good care of it. Money is not a problem.��


    The pet shop staff packed a big pack of cat litter, cat food, and cat climbing shelves all at once. They had never seen such a generous customer before, someone who did not even calculate the cost of each item when making their purchase. This little ginger cat was also lucky.


    ��When do we need to come again next time?�� An Xiaoyan asked earnestly, holding the cat in his arms.


    ��If the cat is sick, come here quickly. And during normal days, do bring it here for a physical examination once a month. Also, give it a name when you get home. This way, the cat will recognize the owner.��


    The kitten��s white paws felt soft in An Xiaoyan��s hand. It was very obedient.


    ��You give it a name.��


    ��It is alright. Mr. Gu can give it a name.��


    ��Let��s call it Wonton. Wasn��t that the name of your cat last time?��


    It felt as if Gu Jun were saying it unintentionally, but obviously he was not.


    Gu Jun thought for a long time before he remembered the name of the kitten. He wanted to let An Xiaoyan to see how he��s changed.


    ��Mr. Gu, is that a good name?��


    ��There��s nothing wrong with it. It��s a compensation for what happened before. Now you must take good care of it.��


    When the kitten reached home, it was very timid and afraid to move about. An Xiaoyan put it on the carpet and it curled up in a ball. Its orange fur stood in stark contrast to the brown carpet.


    ��Uncle, kitten.��


    Guo Guo went straight to hold the kitten and rub his face against its fur. The kitten curled tighter into a ball.


    ��No, the kitten is still young���� An Xiaoyan hurried up and told Guo Guo to loosen his hold on the kitten. ��The kitten is only a few months old. When the kitten grows up and has gotten used to Guo Guo, Guo Guo can play with it.��


    ��Let��s wait for the kitten to grow up together.��


    ��Hmm.�� Guo Guo put the kitten on the sofa and leaned in front of the kitten and said, ��Little kitten, you must grow up soon, so that Guo Guo can play with you.��


    But unexpectedly, there was someone in the villa who was allergic to cats.


    Xiu Yijian came back from work and looked at the cat��s fur scattered all over the carpet. Immediately, she felt unwell. Guo Guo took his plush toys to the kitten and let the kitten sleep on them.


    ��Where did this cat come from?��


    Guo Guo carefully picked up the cat and said, ��Uncle brought it back and let me play with it. Aunty, would you like to play with it too?��


    The innocent face of the child took Xiu Yijian off guard, so she went upstairs.

 Chapter 75

    Xiu Yijian hurriedly packed up her belongings. She couldn��t stand living here anymore. What kind of crappy place was this? Everyone just tried to piss her off!


    ��Auntie, are you leaving?�� Guo Guo asked the furious Xiu Yijian, still clutching the cat.


    ��Are you blind? Just take care of your cat!��


    When she got to the door, she happened to run into Gu Jun and An Xiaoyan who��d just returned. After bringing the cat here, Gu Jun brought An Xiaoyan to the pool. An Xiaoyan��s hair was still dripping wet. His head was lowered so Xiu Yijian couldn��t see his expression.


    ��You��re leaving?��


    Xiu Yijian had been here for so long that they were used to her now. She was just an extra person at mealtimes. Gu Jun didn��t care, but he didn��t understand why she was leaving now.


    ��I��m leaving. I don��t want to stay here anymore.��


    ��Just don��t say I forced you to leave.��


    Xiu Yijian stared hard at Gu Jun and then started to pull her suitcase away. She��d only taken a step when An Xiaoyan grabbed her.


    ��Miss Xiu, you should stay. If there��s something wrong, just say it. Mr. Gu won��t ignore the problem.�� In An Xiaoyan��s opinion, Xiu Yijian was Gu Jun��s best marriage candidate. At the very least, she treated Guo Guo well.


    An Xiaoyan��s care seemed fake to Xiu Yijian. ��You still can��t tell?��


    ��Miss Xiu, what do you mean?��


    Xiu Yijian shook An Xiaoyan��s hand away. ��I told you that he likes you, okay?��


    ��Miss Xiu, don��t joke. Mr. Gu likes you.��


    Seeing An Xiaoyan��s behavior, Gu Jun separated them and dragged An Xiaoyan into the house. Xiu Yijian was left outside.


    ��Mr. Gu, Mr. Gu, Miss Xiu is leaving���� An Xiaoyan said, looking behind to Xiu Yijian who was getting further away.


    ��What does that have to do with me?!�� Gu Jun cared more about An Xiaoyan��s feelings. Why did An Xiaoyan keep pushing him out? Couldn��t he try to keep Gu Jun around him or believe him just once?


    With a thud, Gu Jun pressed An Xiaoyan against the wall. The door was already locked. In the large room, their breathing was abnormally clear.


    ��What��s wrong?��


    ��You don��t feel anything at all?��


    ��Mr. Gu, feel����


    He couldn��t finish. The second part of his sentence was stopped by Gu Jun��s kiss. The weight of his body successfully trapped An Xiaoyan under him.


    Hiss��


    His lip was bitten and it hurt. An Xiaoyan��s arm weakened against Gu Jun.


    ��An Xiaoyan, you really don��t understand?��


    ��Mr. Gu, are you talking about what Miss Xiu said?��


    ��An Xiaoyan, I know you don��t believe her.�� With that, he grabbed An Xiaoyan��s right hand and stuffed it onto his right chest. ��Feel it.��


    An Xiaoyan��s right hand was pressed against Gu Jun��s heart. Under the silent atmosphere, he could feel it pounding.


    ��Do you feel that? It��s only that fast when I��m around you.��


    ��Mr. Gu, you��re too nervous.��


    Gu Jun stopped An Xiaoyan��s hand before it shrunk back. ��No, it��s only that fast around the one I like. So do you believe me now?��


    An Xiaoyan��s head shook like a paddle. He couldn��t believe it. This was all fake and unreal.


    ��An Xiaoyan, I like you so much. Just believe me.��


    Gu Jun��s hot breath hit An Xiaoyan��s pale and fearful face. His glasses fogged up from the steam. Fat teardrops fell down. Gu Jun didn��t know what to do. An Xiaoyan only cried when he was disappointed. Why was he crying now?


    ��Don��t cry. Did I scare you?��


    An Xiaoyan cried in Gu Jun��s arms for a while. The cries gradually grew softer. Finally, he went limp in Gu Jun��s arms.


    Steady breaths sounded.


    He��d fallen asleep.


    Gu Jun brought An Xiaoyan to the bed and put on the blankets. He sat on the bedside and studied An Xiaoyan��s sleeping figure while thinking back on his actions.


    Had he been too impatient?


    It was like a string that was pulled taut every second of the day. If someone suddenly cut it, the sudden moment of relaxation would be hard to take.


    An Xiaoyan was probably like that. It was hard to imagine one��s enemy suddenly becoming his lover. Probably no one could accept that.


    Gu Jun had to admit that he was too impatient, but he really didn��t want An Xiaoyan to fear him so much. An Xiaoyan flinched no matter what and never dared to look at him straight-on. He wished An Xiaoyan could stand beside him, hold onto his shoulder, and playfully say, ��This is my boyfriend.��


    Right now, they were barely closer than acquaintances.


    The man on the bed furrowed his brows. Gu Jun caressed the wrinkles on the forehead, wanting to erase them.


    Oh, when would he be able to capture An Xiaoyan��s heart? It always felt so hard. If he searched for the reason, it was because he��d been too over-the-top before, even forcing An Xiaoyan to the point of suicide.


    ��Daddy���� Guo Guo sprawled at the door, looking at the people inside.


    Gu Jun walked over. He brought Guo Guo out of the room and closed the door.


    ��What��s wrong?��


    ��Hungry. Wanna eat.��


    Gu Jun checked the time. It was almost seven. Time passed really quickly.


    ��Tell the nanny to cook dinner. I��ll watch TV with you.��


    ��Okay.��


    Gu Jun holed up on the couch with Guo Guo. The cat was beside him too. Guo Guo focused on the TV.


    ��Guo Guo, do you think Daddy likes Uncle An?��


    ��Of course.��


    ��Why?��


    ��Because you only sleep in the same bed with someone you like.��


    Gu Jun frowned slightly. Who said these things to a kid? ��Guo Guo, don��t say these things in the future. Sleeping in the same bed doesn��t mean anything.��


    ��No, Auntie Xiu said so. She said that Daddy likes Uncle An, so you sleep with Uncle An every day. You sleep with me because you like me too, but Daddy likes Uncle An more now. That��s why you spend more time with Uncle An.��


    All the ��liking�� confused Gu Jun, but he felt that Guo Guo did make sense.


    ��Daddy will start pursuing Uncle An from now on. You have to help me, or else Uncle An will leave.��


    ��I want to help Uncle An!��


    The kid��s determined tone made Gu Jun feel helpless. He could only see as he went.


    Dinner was done cooking, but An Xiaoyan still hadn��t come down. Gu Jun sat at the table but kept looking upstairs.


    ��Daddy, I��ll go call Uncle An.��


    Before Guo Guo could move, Gu Jun stopped him. ��Don��t move. Eat your food. Finish this glass of milk before I��m back.��


    Gu Jun carried the dinner plate and crept upstairs. He hesitated at the door, but he still pushed it open. He thought that An Xiaoyan was still sleeping, but An Xiaoyan was sitting up in his bed, which startled him.


    ��Uh, here��s your dinner.��


    The powerful aura was completely gone. Only caution remained.


    An Xiaoyan had been sitting for a long time. He��d thought about many things. From their first meeting at the hospital four years ago to now, too many things had happened. He couldn��t remember most of it, but the feelings within him revolved around pain, especially recollecting what has happened in the bedroom.


    Now that Gu Jun said all this, he felt like he was in a black hole. He couldn��t feel any support under him.


    ��Mr. Gu, I know you were kidding today. From today on, I��ll be even more careful. I won��t anger you or Guo Guo. I won��t anger anyone in the Gu family.��


    With that, he moved the blankets to get off bed. As soon as his hand touched the blanket, Gu Jun pressed down on him.


    ��An Xiaoyan, I��m being serious.��


    ��Mr. Gu.��


    Gu Jun lifted An Xiaoyan��s clothes and touched the smooth skin. He could only express his love to An Xiaoyan like this. Words were so powerless.


    ��Mr. Gu, wait. I��ll take the clothes off. Don��t dirty them.��


    Gu Jun stopped An Xiaoyan��s movements. He grabbed An Xiaoyan��s hand and dragged it down until it touched something hard and hot. A warm breath continued to blow against An Xiaoyan��s face.


    ��I get turned on just by looking at you.��


    ��That��s normal. Mr. Gu, anyone would be like that.��


    ��No, An Xiaoyan. Only you.��


    ��Mr. Gu, I��m not gay.��


    ��I��m not either, but I became that way after I met you. Don��t move. Let me hug you like this for a while.��


    An Xiaoyan stiffened. Every cell in him was nervous, fearing what Gu Jun would do next. After a long while, the heat on Gu Jun cooled. An Xiaoyan��s body relaxed as well.


    ��Let��s eat.��


    An Xiaoyan looked at Gu Jun. He was about to accept the food when Gu Jun brought a spoon to his lips.


    ��Mr. Gu.��


    ��Eat.��


    If this happened when he was still sick, An Xiaoyan wouldn��t suspect anything. He��d just think that Gu Jun was pitying him and giving him a brief respite from his torment. However, the ambiguity had cleared now and An Xiaoyan didn��t know what it really meant.


    ��Is it good?��


    Gu Jun had specially brought over porridge. Though it was porridge, it actually had a thick broth made out of a hen, crab, and lobsters. It didn��t look like much, but it was rich and flavorful.


    The bowl of porridge was quickly emptied. After An Xiaoyan consumed it obediently, Gu Jun smiled. He took out a tissue and carefully wiped An Xiaoyan��s mouth.


    ��Rest now or read a book. I��ll go down now.��


    He was really so gentle��gentle to the point that An Xiaoyan couldn��t believe this was Gu Jun. Was this real?


    Gu Jun sat in the library. His mood improved while thinking of An Xiaoyan��s actions. He��d expressed the feelings that he��d always kept hidden. No matter what, his burden had lifted.


    The night sky was covered with stars. The stars in the sky sparkled. His heart sparkled too.


    Things were never as simple as one imagined. Gu Jun had only taken the first step. There were still many things for him to do.

 Chapter 76

    ��Mr. Gu, this is a list of companies which are on friendly terms with Gu Jing. This is really unfavorable to us.��


    Flipping through just a few pages, Gu Jun had a rough estimate of how powerful Gu Jing��s influence had become. ��Only Nan Qiang is still hesitant.��


    ��This Nan Qiang is really strange. He��s a real estate tycoon who is usually decisive. This time, he seems to be waiting for something.��


    ��What��s your take on this?��


    Chen Chen handed another form to Gu Jun. ��I have carried out an extensive data analysis over the last two days. Our advantage over Mr. Gu Jing is that you have created the Sheng Kong Group on your own, while Mr. Gu Jing relies entirely on the external forces of the Gu family.��


    Gu Jun nodded. Electing a new leader was to bring new blood to the enterprise, not more decay and decline.


    For the sake of An Xiaoyan, he would seize this opportunity.


    If he��s victorious, no one will dare to gossip behind An Xiaoyan��s back and he could go out openly with An Xiaoyan, even holding hands.


    ��We must seize this opportunity.��


    Chen Chen nodded. However, it was easier said than done. There were some people who supported Gu Jun, but they were small enterprises that could not compete with the larger ones.


    ��Let me say something you may not want to hear. If Nan Qiang had made an offer and we can accept it, our chances will increase.��


    ��For now, we��re not going to discuss this.��


    ��What progress have you make in digging up dirt against Gu Jing?��


    ��Mr. Gu Jing really wants that position, and he��s surely used some questionable means to attain it. We have found some leads. Do you intend to use those things against Mr. Gu Jing?��


    ��I will only use them if I have no other choice. After all that he has done to me, I will show him that I am not a pushover.��


    ��Alright, Mr. Gu. If there is nothing else, I��ll go and get busy.��


    After Chen Chen left, Gu Jun went to the balcony and lit a cigarette. He took a quick puff and the smoke filled the balcony.


    It was the second time he struggled with his thoughts, whether to choose to cooperate with Nan Qiang or to abandon An Xiaoyan.


    A long time ago, he had thought about this problem before, but did not think that this day would come so soon.


    When interests and feelings were entangled, he really did not know what to do.


    Gu Group��s board meeting would be held in mid-April, less than a month from now. How could he turn the tables on Gu Jing in less than 20 days?


    ��


    ��Why is the old chap, Nan Qiang, not making any move?��


    ��There are rumors that he had a personal dispute with Gu Jun, so it is not easy for us to win him over.��


    Gu Jing tossed the pen in his hand. Nan Qiang, being a cunning and difficult person, had no issue biding his time. He must be waiting for some incentive from Gu Jun. Forbidden fruit always tastes the sweetest.


    ��Watch him closely. We can��t miss any chance.��


    ��Yes sir.�� The assistant nodded and went out.


    Now that he had the support of about two-thirds of the players in the industry, he wondered if these people would stick to him and vote for him in the end. It seems that he would have to grease their palms until the votes were in.


    Gao Shan waited for the assistant to leave before walking into the office. She stood behind Gu Jing and massaged his shoulder.


    ��How is it?��


    ��Everything is going according to plan.��


    ��I heard something today.��


    Gu Jing leaned against his chair with his eyes closed his eyes and said, ��Tell me about it.��


    ��I heard that Xiu Yijian has moved out of Gu Jun��s house. I don��t know whether she was asked to leave or moved out on her own initiative. In short, she��s not living in Gu Jun��s house anymore.��


    ��Didn��t she stay at Gu Jun��s house for only a month? Why did she leave so soon? I thought Old Mr. Gu really liked her?��


    ��I��m curious too, but it��s rumored that she was angered and left.��


    These words might have an alternate meaning.


    Gu Jun��s family consisted only of Gu Jun and his half-retard son, and An Xiaoyan too. It would not be Gu Jun or Guo Guo who made Xiu Yijian angry. Since she wanted to marry into the Gu family, she must have gotten along with the two of them, so the one who angered her must be An Xiaoyan.


    ��How did that An Xiaoyan anger her?��


    ��It is said that Gu Jun has been protecting An Xiaoyan, always taking An Xiaoyan��s side.��


    Women are easily moved to jealousy. Gu Jing thought there was something different about this lady, Xiu Yijian. But it seemed that she was no different from other women; she even became jealous of a man.


    ��Gu Jun, Gu Jun, I did not expect that you fall into the hands of a man.��


    ��


    An Xiaoyan used to go downstairs or read books when Gu Jun was not at home, but now he spent all day by himself in the room, looking out of the window and thinking.


    The cold spell of late spring came again, and the new branches of the sycamore tree were frozen again. The little buds were completely invisible.


    Guo Guo came upstairs with Wonton in his arms. He watched Uncle An sitting by the side of the bed and stuffed the kitten into his arms.


    ��Uncle. Why haven��t come down these past few days? Daddy said you will accompany me to school, but Uncle hasn��t lately.��


    An Xiaoyan squatted down and touched Guo Guo��s soft hair. ��Guo Guo, it��s Uncle��s fault. Uncle didn��t take care of you. Tomorrow, Uncle will bring you to school, alright?��


    ��Then Uncle must make your words count.��


    ��Certainly.��


    After getting a promise from An Xiaoyan, Guo Guo happily embraced the ginger cat and brought it downstairs to play, leaving behind lots of cat fur on the floor.


    An Xiaoyan carefully cleaned up the floor and sat by the side of the bed again.


    He couldn��t concentrate when he had something on his mind, and he couldn��t get anything done.


    Gu Jun seemed to be very busy these days and he was hardly seen at home. In fact, this was better for An Xiaoyan as he did not wish to see Gu Jun, as he��d rather avoid the awkwardness.


    Why did Gu Jun say that he liked him?


    Maybe he had forgiven him? Or had he found a new way to toy with him?


    Give hope, and finally destroy everything. Gu Jun is best at it. Everything is but a joke.


    As soon as An Xiaoyan was lying in bed and getting ready to sleep, the door of the bedroom suddenly opened. The light from the corridor shone into the bedroom, and a black figure came in while holding the wall for support. What followed was an overwhelming smell of alcohol in the room.


    An Xiaoyan quickly got up to support the person. It was Gu Jun. He fell on top of An Xiaoyan, pressing his whole body against him. Smelling the familiar scent, Gu Jun rested on An Xiaoyan��s shoulder at ease.


    ��Xiaoyan, what do you think I should do?��


    A murmuring voice was heard and An Xiaoyan could not understand what Gu Jun meant. He quickly helped Gu Jun up, supporting most of his weight.


    ��Help me to soak in the bathtub.��


    An Xiaoyan turned on the light and dragged Gu Jun��s heavy body to the bathroom. After that, he filled the bathtub with water and dragged Gu Jun into the bathtub.


    The warm water soaked Gu Jun��s skin and warmed his heart.


    He had never felt so powerless. In the past, he really thought he was somebody; he was the second young master of a big and powerful family. In actual fact, he was only a normal business man with no capital, who could do nothing.


    What Nan Qiang said to him at the drinking table would never be forgotten.


    ��Though you live with a man and it all looks sweet and loving, when Gu Jing becomes the chairman, there is no place for you in A City.��


    He understood all that was said. This is what drove him to compete. However, it felt different when being reminded by someone else.


    ��If you allow me to play with An Xiaoyan for another day, I will not only help you, but we will be good partners in the future. What do you think? Gu Jun, people should always be flexible. You like him to be clean? Be assured as I can��t even perform the act even if I wanted to. This is just to satisfy my selfish desire.��


    ��Besides, if you become the chairman, glory and wealth will be in your hands. By then, you can be with An Xiaoyan openly. Is this not a win-win situation?��


    Each word spoken was like a gem and made Gu Jun feel a little moved. This time he felt powerless again. Just like when An Xiaoyan was mocked by countless people and scolded on the Internet, he could not change this predicament.


    ��Get up, Mr. Gu. Don��t soak too long.�� Gu Jun stayed in the bathroom, and An Xiaoyan dared not sleep. Seeing that more than half an hour had passed, An Xiaoyan stood at the bathroom and attempted to coax him gently.


    ��Come in and help me get dressed.��


    An Xiaoyan hesitated for a moment, took Gu Jun��s clothes from his wardrobe, and went in.


    ��Um, I won��t make a habit of touching your things.��


    Gu Jun waved his hand and stood up from the bathtub. He did not smell of alcohol that much anymore and reached out for a bathrobe to cover his lower body.


    ��Come here and help me put it on.��


    When An Xiaoyan stretched out his hand, Gu Jun held it. An Xiaoyan was not his servant and he did not need to do this. Even though he knew An Xiaoyan would do it without hesitation, he rejected him.


    ��In future, if I ask you to do this again, remember to reject me.��


    Gu Jun took his clothes and quickly them on. By the time Gu Jun walked out of the bathroom, An Xiaoyan was sitting by the side of the bed and looking at him.


    ��Go and sleep.��


    ��The bedroom next door is now empty����


    Hearing that, Gu Jun turned his body and pressed against An Xiaoyan��s, then asked, ��You really want me to go?��


    ���� No.��


    An Xiaoyan just wanted to remind Gu Jun that if he did not like being here, he could go back to his own bedroom.


    ��I will stay here in the future.��


    ��Okay, I won��t say that again.��


    The fully tamed animal had long lost its ferocity. An Xiaoyan was like a kitten that had its nails filed, who looked very pitiful.


    After a long time, the two of them were still feeling sleepy.


    Gu Jun held An Xiaoyan��s hand from under the quilt and buried his head in An Xiaoyan��s collarbone, then he said, ��Every time you do it with me, is it painful?��


    ��No.�� No expression could be detected from the soft reply.


    ��Then do you feel comfortable?��


    Never once did An Xiaoyan feel comfortable. His body was so sensitive that every little pain could be felt, and he had been enduring quietly.


    ��I don��t know what comfort is.��


    ��Never mind, I��ll help you feel comfortable today.��


    ��Mr. Gu, don��t do this.��


    Gu Jun��s body pressed against An Xiaoyan��s, and a sense of oppression overcame him. He could not help but feel afraid.


    Aware of the panic in the eyes of the person under him, Gu Jun went back to lie on his side and embraced An Xiaoyan tightly, his hands were moving uncontrollably under An Xiaoyan��s clothes, and they were creeping downwards.

 Chapter 77

    ��Don��t touch that��don��t����


    Gu Jun pretended he couldn��t hear the tiny mosquito-like voice. He grasped An Xiaoyan��s member and started moving.


    He��d never done this before. An Xiaoyan was his first.


    Gu Jun could only see the side of An Xiaoyan��s face��the tightly shut eyes, pink cheeks, and the trembling eyelashes that were like a butterfly��s wings as it danced in the air.


    ��Mr. Gu���� The voice contained a tinge of seduction. Gu Jun was attracted too, but he still kept it down.


    As his hand became covered in sticky white liquid, and An Xiaoyan panted for breath with a red face, Gu Jun finally let go. As soon as he let go, An Xiaoyan started incessantly apologizing. It was as if he had done something wrong.


    ��Just answer me this. Did it feel good?��


    An Xiaoyan was still breathing hard. ��Mr. Gu, go wash up. I couldn��t keep it in and made you dirty.��


    A sigh rose up from deep within Gu Jun. He walked into the bathroom and washed his hands. Then he splashed cold water on his face. The chilliness pulled him back into reality.


    He slammed his right hand against the glass. It now had an additional mark, like a snowflake.


    ��I��m going next door. Rest up.��


    He was escaping from An Xiaoyan and reality. He lay onto the large bed that he hadn��t visited in a long time. It was a different room, different scene, and different mindset.


    After Xiu Yijian had left, he��d remodeled the entire home. He wasn��t used to it yet.


    Each of them tossed and turned in their respective bed.


    When Gu Jun came downstairs the next day, An Xiaoyan was feeding Guo Guo porridge. He glanced at Gu Jun and then looked away.


    ��Daddy, long time no see.��


    Gu Jun picked Guo Guo up and kissed his pink cheeks. ��My baby boy, did you miss me?��


    ��Yeah. Uncle An said he��s taking me to school today.��


    ��Okay. Then eat quickly and go get your backpack upstairs.��


    Guo Guo was provoked by this sentence. He ran upstairs to get the backpack before he finished eating. This way, only An Xiaoyan and Gu Jun remained in the dining room.


    ��I��m sorry about yesterday.��


    An Xiaoyan��s hand stopped stirring the porridge momentarily. ��Don��t worry. I moved on from it.��


    Gu Jun was scared that An Xiaoyan would be angry. He��d acted on his own accord.


    ��I��ll go drive Guo Guo after I finish eating. He��s been whining about it these few days.��


    ��Wait. I need to give you something.��


    Gu Jun went upstairs to give An Xiaoyan something. It was a classy suit. Its color was great and it must be very expensive. This regular thing was like a poisonous snake to An Xiaoyan. He instinctively refused it. Thankfully, Gu Jun reacted quickly and caught the suit.


    ��What��s wrong?��


    ��I have clothes.�� He grew nostalgic at the item. Ye Qing had bought him a suit with her own money. It looked nice, but what use was there? It would just turn to rags in Gu Jun��s hands.


    ��The kindergarten is for the wealthy and esteemed. I��m afraid they��ll look down on you.��


    It was a perfect excuse. An Xiaoyan couldn��t refuse him.


    ��Okay. I��ll put it on.��


    ��Uncle An, let��s hurry!�� Guo Guo had his frog backpack on. He got his little hat and water bottle and was ready to go.


    An Xiaoyan put the fruit box that he��d prepared into Guo Guo��s backpack. The nanny had prepared this when his leg had been injured. The nanny had told him everything to pay attention to.


    ��Mr. Gu, we��re leaving.��


    ��Okay. Change your clothes first.��


    Clutching the clothes, An Xiaoyan returned to the room. As soon as he closed the door, he leaned against the wall and squatted down. He buried his face into the clothes, feeling chilled inside.


    What was Gu Jun doing?


    Gu Jun said he liked An Xiaoyan, but the things he brought over kept bringing up bad memories. Which was the real him? Compared to this, An Xiaoyan preferred the aggressive but straightforward man.


    He put the clothes on, one by one. When he went downstairs, Gu Jun was impressed and shocked.


    This was the true An Xiaoyan. He walked down the stairs in the sharp suit. Someone like him shouldn��t be restricted inside this mansion.


    ��Mr. Gu, I��m leaving.��


    ��Bye Daddy.��


    ��Guo Guo, you better listen to Uncle An so he doesn��t worry about you.��


    The man and child walked towards the sun as if moving towards hope itself.


    There was a clump of BMWs and Benzes at the entrance of Xuesi International Kindergarten. To make it easier for the parents to drop off and pick up their kids, the school specially constructed a large parking lot at the entrance. Every student had their own spot.


    Compared to all the flash cars, the Honda was a poor man��s car.


    Guo Guo sat in the backseat. He grabbed An Xiaoyan��s hair and clothes.


    ��Guo Guo, let go of Uncle. I can��t move.��


    Guo Guo obediently let go. ��Uncle, that spot is ours.��


    An Xiaoyan saw the place that Guo Guo had pointed at. There was a clear empty spot between all the expensive cars.


    ��Guo Guo, don��t worry. I��ll drive there now.��


    There weren��t enough parking spots. An Xiaoyan got a bit nervous at the tiny space between the two cars. Gu Jun had parked last time. Now, he had to face the world alone.


    He reversed and inched in. He was basically in but suddenly heard a scrape.


    An Xiaoyan picked Guo Guo up. There was a three-centimeter-long scratch on the BMW beside them. He hadn��t felt it when he was reversing, but it might have been too cramped in the end, so he accidentally scratched it.


    He had to pay for this, obviously, but he had to bring Guo Guo in first.


    The entire path there was filled with parents and their kids. They were all dressed in suits. An Xiaoyan and Guo Guo quickly drowned in the sea of people.


    The kindergarten went from nine in the morning to four in the afternoon. The parents only had to come before four to pick their kid up. The students all ate lunch at school.


    An Xiaoyan brought Guo Guo to the entrance. Their teachers would come to lead the students inside. An Xiaoyan reminded Guo Guo to listen to his teacher and then left.


    As expected, the owner of the BMW was already waiting for him when he returned.


    A woman in a leather jacket, heavy makeup, a purse, wavy hair, who smelled strongly of perfume stood beside An Xiaoyan��s Honda.


    ��You scratched my car, right?��


    An Xiaoyan didn��t deny it.


    The woman started yelling. ��Do you know how much money my car costs? I just bought it last month. Do you know how expensive it is for a paint job?�� As she spoke, she glanced at An Xiaoyan��s car. ��It��s just a crappy hundred-thousand-something Honda. You probably sold your home for your kid��s education. If you can��t afford the school, just go somewhere else. Don��t kill yourself, pretending to be rich.��


    An Xiaoyan didn��t care about the insults in her voice. He just wanted to find a solution.


    ��Madam, what do you think I should do?��


    ��It��ll be a few ten thousand for a paint job. I��ll fix it up too. You should feel lucky to have gone against me today. How about 50 thousand? Give it to me now and there won��t be any more issues.��


    An Xiaoyan clenched his fists tightly and bit his lip. ��I��m sorry. I don��t have money.��


    ��You��re kidding, right? Your clothes must have cost tens of thousands. They look new too. How about you give it to a pawn shop?��


    ��Madam, the suit was given by the master. I��m just an average driver.��


    The woman tossed her hair. The fragrance spread through the air and An Xiaoyan held his breath subconsciously.


    ��I don��t believe you. Call your master over. He can pay for it, right?��


    Should he call Gu Jun? An Xiaoyan had made a mistake today. Judging from the woman��s attitude, she wouldn��t let it go unless he paid.


    If he called him, he would only make trouble for Gu Jun and owe the man more. When could he finally become free?


    ��Hurry up and call. Don��t waste my time. If you��re not willing to call, I��ll call the police over.��


    The police would only make things worse. Plus, he had a criminal record.


    ��Okay, I��ll call him. Please wait.��


    An Xiaoyan took out his old phone and found Gu Jun��s number. As soon as he dialed the number, he heard a mechanical voice.


    ��I��m sorry, I forgot to pay the phone bill. Can I borrow your phone?�� An Xiaoyan asked awkwardly.


    His pathetic image made the woman furrow her brows, but she still handed the phone over. ��Be careful,�� she made sure to say. ��This is the newest edition. Can you afford it if you break it?��


    An Xiaoyan dialed the number again. The call went through, but the other end hung up halfway through. He tried again, but it happened again.


    ��Are you a scammer?�� The woman was clearly annoyed, thinking that this man was trying to buy time.


    ��No, I really can��t call. How about I try again, or put my card in your phone? He should pick up if I use my number.��


    A crisp slap landed on An Xiaoyan��s face. ��If you can��t afford it, then you can��t afford it,�� the woman huffed. ��Why are you talking about your master? This is how the society is. Money can do anything. You can��t pay, but your clothes look valuable. I can��t do anything with your car and I don��t like it either. I can give your clothes to my men though.��


    Before An Xiaoyan could process her words, a few men with sunglasses appeared from behind the woman. They went up to tear off An Xiaoyan��s clothes.


    ��Go away! Don��t touch me! Go away!��


    His voice was useless against the group��s violent strength.


    ��If I see you again, I��ll definitely humiliate you. What��s wrong with people these days?!��


    The woman drove the BMW away with her men. An Xiaoyan hugged himself and curled up beside the Honda. It was almost noon and there weren��t many cars in the parking lot. The sun beat down, but An Xiaoyan still felt cold.


    He kept getting bullied because he wasn��t powerful enough. Why did he take Guo Guo to school? He clearly couldn��t drive well enough.


    All the failures made him doubt himself. He couldn��t even be a driver now.


    Thankfully, only his suit had been taken. Anyone on the street could embarrass him like this. What was so special about the rich?

 Chapter 78

    Gu Jun looked at the two missed calls on his mobile phone. Each call was from the same number. He had setup the call settings on his mobile phone so that phone calls with phone numbers not in his contact list would automatically be hung up on. Previously, he had received many phone calls which were incorrectly dialed. However, he had not experienced two consecutive missed calls from an unfamiliar number like today.


    Could it be An Xiaoyan?


    But An Xiaoyan has his own mobile phone number. Why would he use someone else��s?


    Suddenly, Gu Jun came to realize the possible reason behind this. Gu Jun searched for An Xiaoyan��s phone number and started to dial it. He heard ��Hello, the phone number you just dialed is not available����


    After that, he dialed his villa��s number and the nanny said that Mr. An had not returned home yet.


    It was almost one o��clock in the afternoon.


    ��Chen Chen!��


    Chen Chen, who was standing at the door, heard his name and hurried in.


    ��Add minutes to this phone��s plan as soon as possible.��


    An Xiaoyan had spent such a long period of time at the villa, even if he had the money, he had no chance to add minutes to his cellular plan at all. By this morning, there were no more minutes on his phone.


    An Xiaoyan would only call him when something urgent happened.


    The ring tone of the broken mobile phone was very conspicuous in the huge car park. It was as if Gu Jun would be able to hear the ringtone from his end.


    An Xiaoyan broke down after taking a glance at the caller id of the phone call. What is it, Gu Jun?


    Trembling and pressing the answer button, Gu Jun��s anxious voice was heard.


    ��Xiaoyan, where are you?��


    There was no answer��


    ��Xiaoyan, I will come over now. You have not made it home yet, right?��


    ��Xiaoyan, say something.�� Gu Jun was so frightened, but An Xiaoyan remained silent.


    The voice of pleading finally became a threat.


    ��An Xiaoyan, if you don��t say where you are, I��ll use all my strength to drill you till you cannot get out of bed. Quick, say where you are now!��


    This is the real Gu Jun. When the situation is critical, he will curse and swear at me, and even threaten me.


    ��I��m at the kindergarten��s parking lot.��


    Gu Jun grabbed the car keys and drove straight to the car park. The outcome turned out better than he thought. At least he did not hear An Xiaoyan saying that he was at the top floor of a building or in an abandoned factory.


    Looking from the outside of the car park, he could see a few cars parked sparsely throughout it. The white car on the lot was particularly eye-catching, and Gu Jun recognized it at a glance. It was the Honda he��d bought for An Xiaoyan.


    Gu Jun stepped on the accelerator, braked sharply as he approached, then jumped out of the car. He saw An Xiaoyan sitting on the ground with his head low.


    ��Xiaoyan!��


    An Xiaoyan looked up and took but a single glance at the man. His eyes were filled with helplessness.


    ��What happened?��


    An Xiaoyan shook his head, and tears streamed down his face.


    Gu Jun took off his suit coat and wrapped An Xiaoyan��s body, picking him up off the pavement.


    ��Stop crying. What the hell is going on!?�� Gu Jun asked angrily. After being shouted at, An Xiaoyan wiped away his tears. Why does a grown man like me have to cry? He did not know when he started to hate this cowardly temperament of his.


    ��I scraped someone else��s car accidentally.��


    ��That is why they took your clothes?!��


    An Xiaoyan did not reply and Gu Jun gradually calmed down.


    In fact, the worst thing was that he did not answer his phone. Had he paid more attention to his mobile phone, maybe all these might not have happened?


    The root of the problem was that he was not careful enough. Otherwise, An Xiaoyan would not have gone out without money and been bullied by others.


    ��Let us go back first. I��ll get someone to retrieve the car later.��


    Being able to create trouble in A City like this, this person must be someone of considerable power and influence. He must find out who that person was!


    Back home, An Xiaoyan was thrown into the bathroom while Gu Jun stood outside the bathroom waiting.


    If he had not dressed An Xiaoyan so well, all this might not have happened. Gu Jun felt vexed.


    The car park had surveillance cameras installed. Gu Jun found someone to bribe the security guards in order to retrieve the surveillance videos. On the screen, a woman pointed at An Xiaoyan and verbally abused him.


    An Xiaoyan did not rebuke her, instead he kept apologizing continuously.


    ��Who is this woman?��


    Chen Chen looked at some of the information in his hand. ��It��s the mistress of the chairman of the Oriental Enterprise. It��s said that she came from a nightclub and has her own way of treating others.��


    It was no wonder it turned out like this. Normal people would simply ask for compensation and close the case, not take someone��s clothes away. Only a woman from such a place would do that.


    ��I have to add something important. This woman is not important but we cannot afford to offend the Oriental Enterprise as we have plenty of cooperation projects with them.��


    Gu Jun slammed his fist hard on the table. Even as a part of the Gu family, he had to act against his own will. There were so many people he could not lay his hands on, whom he had to be considerate of. He was thinking that if he were to clinch the supreme position, no one would dare to even move an inch without consulting him!


    ��


    ��But I cannot let her off just like that. You should already know how I feel about An Xiaoyan. You should also understand that my heart aches for him. He is after all an adult man, yet he has not a single cent with him when he is out. He has to do everything carefully and is afraid of offending people. Things are not that bad if he stays in the villa as no one will disrespect him. But when he is out of my sight, many people will judge him.��


    Chen Chen fully understood how Gu Jun felt, but there was still no way to solve the problem. In this society, you have nothing when you have no rights.


    ��We must give this matter further thought and discuss it later before we make any decision.��


    ��What is the progress of your investigation on Gu Jing?��


    ��We found out something big.Gu Jing seems to be trying to win over the support and votes of some businessmen using the Gu Group��s stock. That is, he promised them that once he is elected as the chairman, these businessmen will stand to receive some percentage of the stock.��


    Gu Jun gave a sneer. If a man like him really took the leadership role of the Gu Group, he would probably lose the whole business.


    ��Get the evidence ready.��


    ��Are we going to use it? If we were to play this card rashly, the people who matter may think that we are deliberately distorting and fabricating the facts. If Mr. Gu Jing��s final vote count is greater than ours, the evidence will not help at all.��


    Gu Jun knew the probable outcome and only wanted to keep the evidence safely for the time being. If he could get the support of Nan Qiang, the situation could possibly be reversed.


    There are more than ten days left. Let��s wait a little longer.


    ��


    After the incident at the car park that day, Gu Jun did not let An Xiaoyan bring Guo Guo to school anymore. He was worried about what would happen if An Xiaoyan were to meet that woman again.


    Gu Jun took out a stack of cards from his wallet. These were all the cards that he had accumulated over the years. Most of them were gold cards, and some of them were ordinary credit cards.


    Gu Jun chose one credit card, walked into An Xiaoyan��s room and sat down opposite him.


    ��Am I useless? I can��t even handle a woman and anyone can tread me under his or her feet. The worst thing is that I can��t even bring Guo Guo to school now.��


    ��No, you just haven��t found the outlet to use your talent yet.�� Gu Jun comforted him.


    Being so humiliated by a woman had hit An Xiaoyan so hard that he began to doubt his own abilities.


    ��Mr. Gu, I don��t know if I can still repay all that I owe you with what I am, and what I have.��


    ��Let��s not talk about this now. Here, you take this.�� Gu Jun had long felt that An Xiaoyan do not owe him anymore. From the beginning to end, what An Xiaoyan owed him were two lives and he had already paid them off after he committed suicide. During this period, An Xiaoyan teaching Guo Guo could also be considered as part of the repayment.


    ��Mr. Gu, I don��t need this. I owed you five million dollars before and I didn��t pay you back. All the expenses that I have incurred while eating and living in your house, together with the expensive suit����


    ��Stop that! Keep this properly. If you really need anything, don��t be reluctant to pay with this. I don��t want to see you down and out again just because you have no money.�� In the end, Gu Jun did not believe that he could say such a thing.


    If feelings could be used to repay, Gu Jun felt that as long as An Xiaoyan had less guilt, An Xiaoyan would have finished repaying in full.


    ��Keep it well. Next time, when you are wish to go out, let Chen Chen drive you there. If you meet someone like this again, you must call me. I have bought you a new mobile phone and it will be delivered tomorrow.��


    Like a canary, he was confined in this ��cage��.


    ��Meow����


    Wonton scurried in from the door and jumped on An Xiaoyan. The ginger cat was born to eat and had grown a lot bigger than before. It felt plump to the touch and loved to be close to people. It always got close to An Xiaoyan.


    ��The cat is well cared for.��


    An Xiaoyan smoothed Wonton��s fur and nodded his head.


    ��Do you want to go out to work? You can pick any job and I can find someone to help you.�� Gu Jun really did not want to see An Xiaoyan��s decadent appearance. Why can��t he be as energetic as he was when we first met?


    ��No, no need.��


    ��Okay. Then you can learn at home, and forget about the past.��


    He would always remember the past. How could he forget his past?


    Gu Jun came to the study. It was already warm in April. The buds of the sycamore trees which had been frozen before began to grow again, and new leaves were also sprouting out. The delicate green patch was an endearing sight.


    It seemed that the flower shop had not been delivering flowers to the villa for a long time. Gu Jun had forgotten to ask the servants to change the flowers.


    He always remembered the orange fire, and kapok was the emotional connection between him and An Xiaoyan.


    In the back garden, the servant was tending the lawn, shoveling out the winter hay and planting new grass. Flowers and trees were beginning to bud and everything was beginning to recover. However, his relationship with An Xiaoyan was still as cold as winter snow.


    The days in the villa were always very boring. Gu Jun had asked someone to deliver a new mobile phone. Unfortunately, An Xiaoyan did not know how to use it and left it on the table instead.


    Someone had placed flowers in the vase on the windowsill, and the room was filled with a light fragrance.


    An Xiaoyan seemed to be too lazy to read those books on the book shelves. He only flipped through some books on veterinarians. Maybe due to the presence of Wonton, he enjoyed reading information on animals.


    Every time Wonton lay in his arms and looked at the pictures of the sick cats on the book, it would whimper, as if to show pity for its sick brethren.


    ��You, too, seem to be compassionate and know how to sympathize with your poor companions.��


    ��Meow����


    After reading the book many times, An Xiaoyan could remember almost all the information in the book. However, he laughed at himself. So what if I can remember the information? Would I open a pet shop in the future?

 Chapter 79

    ��There��s an anonymous vote beforehand on the tenth of April,�� Chen Chen read the email out loud. ��This is a new policy that the old man thought of.��


    Whatever Old Mr. Gu says is the rule, but the anonymous vote doesn��t make sense. One voting round was enough to decide the winner. What was the point of this?


    Chen Chen didn��t understand, but Gu Jun sure did. He knew that his father was still biased and wanted to give his son this opportunity.


    If someone tried to bribe the voters, the vote would be biased towards him. If anything happened, it would help him figure out his game plan.


    ��Just let them vote, then. Only Gu Jing and I will know the results anyway.��


    ��Okay. The day after tomorrow is the Tomb-Sweeping Day. Will it be the same as before?��


    ��Yes.��


    Every Tomb-Sweeping Day, Gu Jun would go visit his mother��s tomb. She had died more than ten years ago, but Gu Jun still remembered his kind mother.


    He still felt regretful about her death. He��d been studying in America then. By the time he��d made it back, his mother had already died. It had been many years, but he still hasn��t forgiven himself. If Old Mr. Gu had told him beforehand, he might have been able to see her one last time.


    The Tomb-Sweeping Day was in the rainy season.


    Spring had arrived and the landscape was verdant. However, the spring rain still had a chilly feeling.


    Standing before the gravestone, Gu Jun stared at the woman��s picture. He put the lilies on the ground.


    ��Mom, it��s been so many years, but I finally met someone I like. You��ll bless me from heaven, right?��


    Unlike the princesses of most rich families, Old Mrs. Gu was a lady of elegance and class. She��d read every day. She didn��t fit in with the power-grabbing atmosphere of the family. However, she��d told Gu Jun many times that no matter what he did, he should follow his heart. There were many things in life that he would have no control over, but he couldn��t forget his ambitions, no matter the gravity of their consequences.


    He didn��t apply this in terms of business, but he remembered it clearly for relationships.


    ��If An Xiaoyan agrees to be with me someday, I��ll take him to see you. He��s such a good person. You��ll definitely like him.��


    At the other end of the cemetery, An Xiaoyan was also standing in front of a gravestone.


    An Xiaoyan knew that the woman he��d killed with his own hands was called Mu Nan. This was his first time participating in the Tomb-Sweeping Day after he was released from prison, so he came to see her.


    No matter what, this woman had died because of him.


    After Gu Jun left in the morning, An Xiaoyan left shortly thereafter. Using the bit of money he had left over, he bought a bouquet from a florist shop and took a taxi to the cemetery.


    A City only had one cemetery. He didn��t know where Mu Nan was buried, so he had to look one by one.


    He searched the rows of gravestones. Thankfully, they were arranged according to the time of death. Considering the time period in which Mu Nan had passed away, An Xiaoyan narrowed the range and then looked at each gravestone.


    Fortunately, Gu Jun was at the back of the cemetery while An Xiaoyan was at the front. They didn��t see each other.


    Mu Nan��s parents had gone to America after her death. Since she had been born in A City, her ashes were divided. One part was taken to America, while the other was here.


    Standing before Mu Nan��s gravestone, An Xiaoyan looked at the young woman and his heart was in pain.


    He felt apologetic to her. If it wasn��t for him, Gu Jun would have a pair of twins and a caring wife now. The family would be happy. It was his mistake that caused this disaster.


    ��I don��t know you, but this is all because of me. I��m very sorry about your death. I will visit you every year from now on.��


    He put down the chrysanthemums. Pulling his jacket tightly around him, he walked out of the cemetery. As soon as he walked out, a car behind him honked. He looked back and saw Gu Jun sitting in it.


    ��Get in!��


    An Xiaoyan didn��t think Gu Jun would be here. He thought Gu Jun had just gone out normally.


    ��What are you here for?��


    ��To see an old friend.��


    ��Mu Nan?��


    Gu Jun had gone to Mu Nan��s gravestone after visiting his mother��s. He found it strange that there was a bouquet there already. This had never happened before. Mu Nan��s parents had taken half of her ashes away. This meant that they would never return.


    Since he met An Xiaoyan here, everything made sense.


    ��Did you put the flowers there?��


    There was no point in hiding it. An Xiaoyan nodded.


    ��Oh. If only you hadn��t made that mistake back then.��


    ��Mr. Gu, it has already happened. I can��t change anything. I can only visit her every year.��


    It was rare for Gu Jun not to be angry when they talked about this. An Xiaoyan couldn��t believe it. Before, Gu Jun would always be furious when they mentioned it and could barely suppress his urge to kill An Xiaoyan.


    Now, it was like they were talking about something unrelated to them.


    Gu Jun had actually forgiven An Xiaoyan long ago. He had to thank An Xiaoyan too. If it wasn��t for him, Gu Jun wouldn��t have seen his own heart clearly. He would have married a random person��a woman, even if it wasn��t Mu Nan. He would just marry any random person that he didn��t absolutely dislike.


    ��It��s been a while since we��ve taken Guo Guo out. Let��s go to the park after the weather gets better.��


    ��But people will recognize me���� An Xiaoyan said worriedly. He wanted to accompany Guo Guo out too, but the New Year��s ordeal had been so significant. It would be bad if people recognized him.


    ��It��s okay. They won��t recognize you. It��s been so long. No one remembers.��


    The tomb-sweeping hadn��t affected Gu Jun��s mood at all. An Xiaoyan��s answer made him much happier too. He wanted An Xiaoyan to slowly forget the bad things.


    ��


    April tenth arrived quickly. At ten o��clock, there would be a vote in the top level conference room of the Gu Group headquarters. All the voters were stockholders or representatives of the Gu Group. The number of shares they had would determine the weight of their vote. This meant that the more shares one had, the more powerful their vote was.


    Gu Jun arrived just in time. When he entered, it was already filled with people. He didn��t care. He found his spot and sat down. Gu Jing was right across from him. When he sat down, Gu Jing glanced at him, eyes filled with provocation.


    Old Mr. Gu started talking from his seat. ��This preliminary vote is to illustrate the balance of power between the two sides. You will just choose between the two heirs. The results will be publicized after the true heir is chosen. This is like an alarm. As the head of the Gu Group, one must always be alert and improve. The business world is full of intrigue. One cannot be too kind but must have one��s own bottom line����


    He blabbed on, but Gu Jun didn��t even listen. He was thinking about taking An Xiaoyan and Guo Guo camping in the forest tomorrow. He had to calculate what to bring, the schedule, and how to get there. He wasn��t in the mood for this meeting at all.


    ��Finally, it is time for the vote.��


    The anonymous ballot box was in the center. All the stockholders lined up and walked over.


    Gu Jun sat on the side and watched. Nan Qiang walked over and smiled at Gu Jun as he tossed his ballot in. After everyone sat in their respective seats, Gu Jun and Gu Jing were called out. According to the rules, they had to wait for the results independently.


    They were the only ones in the conference room. Gu Jun lit a cigarette and sat on the sofa, waiting.


    ��You seem relaxed. You��re that confident?�� Gu Jing also lit a cigarette and sat beside Gu Jun.


    ��If I want this position, you have no chance.��


    ��You can��t say that. I admit that you��re more skilled in business, but you can��t be overly proud either. The early bird gets the worm. You should know this.��


    The results were out. Their respective secretaries handed the count to them. Gu Jun took a glance and burned it with his lighter.


    Gu Jun smoked the entire way back home. The car was filled with smoke. Chen Chen looked at him through the rearview mirror.


    Gu Jun hadn��t been a good mood since he came out of the Gu Group building. Chen Chen was worried, but he didn��t know what to say.


    ��Mr. Gu, are we going back to the mansion?��


    Gu Jun snuffed his cigarette. ��Find a quiet bar and drink with me.��


    ��Okay.��


    Chen Chen felt fortunate that he was single. If he had someone, getting ordered around by Gu Jun would cause him to get dumped.


    Chen Chen found a quiet bar. The environment was nice and the entire building was pretty quiet. The bartender made drinks at the counter while the guests all drank and chatted quietly. It wasn��t opulent like the Night Charm.


    It was daytime, so there weren��t many people. Gu Jun found an empty corner and sat down. Chen Chen ordered two regular drinks and carried them over.


    ��We haven��t sat down and chatted for years.��


    Hearing that, Chen Chen relaxed. The last time Gu Jun had done this, he��d only been an assistant. Six or seven years had passed. He��d watched Gu Jun develop step by step to his current status now.


    ��Yes, it��s been a long time. Time really flies.��


    ��I suddenly feel like a failure.��


    ��Why? Because of the vote results?��


    ��I��ve never treated you like an outsider. It says that I only have 30%. Gu Jing has already won over 70% of the people. I don��t feel good. I don��t want all my efforts to be ruined like this.��


    He wasn��t satisfied, but he didn��t want to beg. Regardless of whether he fell into poverty or succeeded, people could only beg him and not the other way around. To him, this was a man��s dignity.


    ��Many of the stockholders have partnerships with us. Gu Jing must have put in a lot of effort.��


    ��He��s just crafty and has the Gao Family for support. What��s he scared of?�� After speaking, Gu Jun angrily drank some wine. The coldness filled him, making him feel better.


    ��Should we work with Nan Qiang?�� Chen Chen asked cautiously.


    Gu Jun seemed to understand Nan Qiang��s mysterious smile earlier. It was reminding him to cooperate. It seemed that Nan Qiang had already known the results and just wanted Gu Jun to take the initiative.


    ��I can��t do that.�� He��d promised An Xiaoyan to not hurt him anymore. An Xiaoyan��s terrified eyes still remained in his mind.


    Chen Chen couldn��t say anything. Only Gu Jun could decide. Did he want power or the beauty? He could only choose one.


    The music in the bar was very soothing. There were occasional murmurs too. Gu Jun watched the bottle of wine sparkle under the light, thinking about this and that.


    Just then, his phone rang.


    Nan Qiang.


    Gu Jun walked to the bathroom and accepted the call. A deep voice came from the other end.


    ��I wonder if you��re satisfied with today��s results.��


    His voice was filled with provocation, but Gu Jun repressed his anger. ��You already knew the result, right?��


    ��It��s not like I didn��t remind you earlier. This is your last chance. Tomorrow is the last day. If you agree to my request, we��re still partners. It��s not hard to let you turn the tide. But if you still won��t cooperate, let me just say that it��s not that important who becomes the heir. Since I��m willing to work with you, don��t act so brashly on your own accord. It won��t help you at all.��


    Gu Jun knew that Nan Qiang was speaking the truth, but he couldn��t do it. He couldn��t break his promise so easily.

 Chapter 80

    Gu Jun said that he would think about it and put down the phone. His resolve began to waver


    Nan Qiang was right. He could not just look at the moment; he had to think about An Xiaoyan��s future.


    If he could really protect An Xiaoyan for a lifetime, it may be worthwhile to be cruel just this once.


    By the time Gu Jun returned, it had been more than half an hour. In not even a few dozen minutes, he had made several important decisions.


    ��You go and help me decorate the main bedroom of the villa. Make it a perfect backdrop for a confession. I want it to look the best it can possibly be.��


    ��If you want to confess to An Xiaoyan, you should not do it in the villa. If he happens to see it, he will not be surprised.��


    ��Just do as I said. On the day before the final shareholders�� meeting, An Xiaoyan will not be there, so you can get someone to decorate. Be it roses or colored lights, as long as it looks nice, just use it. I��ll reimburse you the money after that. Make sure it looks romantic.��


    ��Okay, I��ll finish it on time, and then I��ll have to address the sister-in-law.��


    Only Gu Jun knew that the word ��sister-in-law�� would be hard-won. An Xiaoyan must forgive me this time.


    ��


    When Gu Jun returned to the villa, it was already evening. Gu Jun went to take a bath first to ensure that there was no smell of alcohol on his body before he stepped into the bedroom.


    ��Still awake?��


    An Xiaoyan sat by the side of the bed, holding a book about the growth of kittens, while Wonton was curled up into a ball resembling the Eight Diagram and lying on the bed.


    After putting Wonton on the floor, An Xiaoyan put the book back on the shelf and stood beside it.


    ��Cats always shed their fur. Don��t keep it on the bed.��


    ��Okay, I��ll make sure not to do that anymore.��


    Gu Jun lay beside An Xiaoyan and flipped through the book that An Xiaoyan had put down. ��Tomorrow, we will be going to the Forest Park. Have you packed the things you want to bring along?��


    ��Yes, it��s all packed up.��


    ��Xiaoyan, don��t be so timid.��


    You are always neither friendly nor aloof. I can��t understand you at all. There is no way for me to get close to your heart.


    ��I won��t hurt you, rest assured. Sleep. Tomorrow will be a very tiring day.��


    After hearing Gu Jun��s words, An Xiaoyan��s tense nerves relaxed and he carefully covered himself with the quilt.


    The two of them gradually fell asleep. Gu Jun did not force him to do anything against his wishes and his vigilance decreased day by day.


    A City��s Forest Park covered a large area and had a natural wetland in it. In early April, the weather was gradually turning hotter and many people had made their way down to the park for a walk.


    Gu Jun stopped his car and took the supplies out of the trunk. There was a family tent, pots and pans, etc. They found their spot.


    In the Forest Park, there was a special place for cooking over a fire, which was not allowed in other places. If the fire were to spread, the consequences would be unimaginable.


    ��Daddy, let Guo Guo hold the small stool.��


    Gu Jun placed the three small plastic stools into Guo Guo��s hands and let him hug the stools in his arms.


    An Xiaoyan followed closely with a pile of food and a small pet carrier on his back. Wonton was inside the pet carrier staring out into the outside world with its big eyes.


    Initially, they did not plan to bring Wonton along, but Guo Guo refused to let go of it. Thus, they had to bring it along with the cat leash and some cans of food.


    ��Mr. Gu, let me carry the tent.�� An Xiaoyan grabbed over the tent once he met Gu Jun. Maybe because he was guilty or��


    ��I will do it. There are already so many things in your hand.��


    There weren��t too many people in the Forest Park. Most of them were parents who brought their children. Every family chose to gather under a big tree.


    An Xiaoyan picked a tree not too far away, which was full of branches and leaves. Every good site nearby had already been taken.


    Stepping their pace up to the tree, someone appeared out of nowhere and knocked down An Xiaoyan. Everything in An Xiaoyan��s hands had scattered everywhere. Wonton let out a meow after it was accidentally pressed upon by An Xiaoyan.


    ��Are you blind? If you are blind, don��t run around!��


    Loud swearing could be heard and a strong pungent smell was in the air.


    An Xiaoyan looked up. She was the same woman with the big wavy hair whom he��d seen before.


    ��Gosh, I��m so unlucky. The last time, I took your clothes, so what should it be this time? Don��t come to such a place if you have no money.��


    Tightly biting his lower lip, An Xiaoyan picked up the things off the ground. He held Wonton in his arms and combed its fur so that it would not be afraid.


    After being pacified by An Xiaoyan, the kitten lay on An Xiaoyan��s shoulder with a pitiful look.


    ��What breed is this cat? Why haven��t I seen one like it before? Precious, bring your puppy here.��


    A fat boy walked over with a big dog. An Xiaoyan was not afraid, but Wonton went straight into An Xiaoyan��s clothes to hide.


    Gu Jun looked from afar and sensed that something was not right. He hurried over and saw An Xiaoyan holding the cat, with everything else placed at his feet.


    He recognized this woman. She was the same woman whom An Xiaoyan had encountered at the kindergarten.


    ��You are? Gu Jun, why are you here?��


    ��I can��t bring my child here?��


    She was only a mistress who had given birth to a son but behaved as if she were in power. Gu Jun��s disgust for this woman was directly reflected on his face.


    ��And this is your driver?��


    ��You don��t need to care about who he is!��


    ��I don��t wish to care who he is, but I notice that he looks like the man who was on the news last year. Is his surname An, the male vixen who bewitches others?��


    Gu Jun grabbed the woman��s hand. ��Who did you refer to as the male vixen?��


    ��Who else could it be?��


    An Xiaoyan gave Wonton to Guo Guo, walked to Gu Jun and whispered, ��Let it go. We are out here today to have a good time.��


    Gu Jun loosened his grip on the woman and warned her, ��I��d better not see you again.��


    ��Hmph! He��s only a man who depends on his powerful family; what��s there to show off? Precious, let��s go.�� The fat boy nodded and led the dog to follow the woman toward another direction.


    ��Are you alright? Anything wrong?��


    An Xiaoyan shook his head and picked up the things on the ground. ��Come on, let��s get over there quickly or it will be too late to cook lunch.��


    So indifferent, so calm�� An Xiaoyan had always been like this. No matter how big a storm in his heart, it would not even cause half a ripple.


    If he had great power, no one would dare to compete with him in A City. And who would dare to bully An Xiaoyan?


    The final decision had been made.


    Gu Jun put up a tent under the shade of a tree and put on a cat leash on Wonton. Wonton started to walk around carefully on the ground while Guo Guo played with it. An Xiaoyan was setting up a shelf for the cooking supplies.


    The entire Forest Park was peaceful, and every family was enjoying the spring breeze.


    With only a small pot, An Xiaoyan fried vegetables and then cooked rice. He was accustomed to doing such chores and had no feelings about it. However, Gu Jun, who was looking on from the side, felt heartache seeing that.


    Though they were both men, Gu Jun managed his business while An Xiaoyan cooked at home. This arrangement was not by choice.


    ��Daddy, it smells so good!��


    Guo Guo carried Wonton and looked at the vegetables in the small pot. His saliva was almost dripping out of his mouth.


    ��Guo Guo, come here. Don��t disturb Uncle An.��


    ��Alright.�� Guo Guo went into the tent with the kitten in his arms. Wonton sat on the mat to cool itself while Gu Jun placed Guo Guo on his chest.


    ��Daddy is going to tell you something and you have to answer me seriously.��


    ��Okay.��


    Gu Jun looked at An Xiaoyan, who was cooking seriously, and let Guo Guo face himself. ��Would you like it if Uncle An became Daddy An?��


    ��Of course.��


    ��Then you will not have a mother in the future. If you look at other people��s family, it consists of a father and a mother. But, from now on, our family will consist of two fathers and this will not change.��


    ��What��s the difference between a mother and a father?�� Guo Guo never had an idea of what a mother was supposed to be. His world consisted mostly of men. Thus, in his eyes, a mother and a father were the same.


    ��It��s no different, just different from others. You have to accept the difference.��


    ��Okay, I accept. When will Daddy marry Uncle An? Uncle Gu Jing had married not long ago.��


    ��It will happen after some time.��


    This son of his was too good and Gu Jun was really glad to have such a son. With a boy like him, he did not have to worry much.


    With his son��s permission, Gu Jun looked at An Xiaoyan in the distance. For the first time in his life, he felt an urgent need to be with another person.


    ��It��s time to eat.�� An Xiaoyan brought the food to the tent.


    ��Don��t bother, I��ll go and bring the rest of the food over.��


    It was this kind of concern that made An Xiaoyan feel at a loss for what to do.


    ��That��s alright. It will be ready in a minute.��


    He would rather be the one who suffered in the end.


    Guo Guo held a small bowl and handed it to An Xiaoyan. ��Uncle An, come and eat your meal. Later on, we will take a nap together.��


    An Xiaoyan took a look at Gu Jun and sat down to eat.


    The spring breeze was blowing and many mandarin ducks were swimming in the river not too far away. It was a very pleasant view. Many families already had their meals and were playing on the grass. Those who brought along their pets were playing happily playing with them.


    Gu Jun had a warm feeling in the bottom of his heart. It would be so good if An Xiaoyan could accompany him for his entire life.


    After Guo Guo finished eating and played with Wonton for a while, he felt tired. He slept in the tent while An Xiaoyan packed up the cooking utensils he��d just used.


    An Xiaoyan was like a nanny, serving them. Gu Jun��s intention was to let An Xiaoyan enjoy himself, but it was different from what he had imagined.


    ��Come in and have a rest. It��s hot at noon.��


    An Xiaoyan put all the pots, bowls and ladles into his luggage bag and sat in the tent with a fan to cool Guo Guo. Wonton was lying in the tent and licking its paws.


    In the eyes of outsiders, this was an image of family harmony.


    ��In two days�� time, you need to make a trip out. I need your help to do something for me.��


    ��Okay, Mr. Gu, you just need to tell me what to do in advance.��


    Gu Jun did not dare to look at An Xiaoyan��s expression and looked away.


    Sometimes, it was a kind of love. Sometimes, it was a kind of reluctance. But now it was a kind of helplessness.


    Even if he loved An Xiaoyan, he had to put their future into consideration.


    ��No matter what happens in the future, you must trust me, and never hate me.��


    Gu Jun said this to An Xiaoyan for the second time. An Xiaoyan did not know what was going to happen. Perhaps it was a very unfavorable thing for him. However, he had already experienced so much torment, what��s a little more?


    ��Mr. Gu, I will never hate you.��


    With no idea of what was going to happen, An Xiaoyan could say the sentence so easily. However, Gu Jun knew that if An Xiaoyan were to know what was being arranged, he would not easily forgive him.


    Like himself, it took so much time for him to let it go.

 Chapter 81

    In the park, many people were taking a walk along the river, which glittered under the setting sun. Guo Guo was very lively after his nap. An Xiaoyan packed everything up and put it all in the car. Then the three followed the crowd to the riverside.


    Most of the early spring flowers had wilted. Only some unfamiliar flowers were still blooming. They walked down the cobblestone road. The firm surface under their feet was very noticeable.


    Guo Guo insisted on pulling An Xiaoyan to the front. There was a bridge, but only two people could pass at once. Gu Jun voluntarily stepped back and walked behind them.


    When An Xiaoyan was about to reach the end, there was no one in front of him. Gu Jun took out his phone and took a picture.


    It wasn��t staged. He��d just taken an off-handed picture, but the effect was great. In the picture, a large hand held a small hand, bathed in the setting sun��s light.


    After walking around, the sky gradually darkened. They returned to where they first entered and took the same way back.


    It was a three-person-camp, but An Xiaoyan basically did everything. After they returned to the mansion and ate dinner, An Xiaoyan got into bed and fell asleep immediately. Even Guo Guo was still hyped up.


    Gu Jun walked into the library and called Nan Qiang.


    ��I agree to your conditions, but you must promise to not touch him!��


    ��Gu Second Young Master, don��t worry. I��m just playing around. I��m too old to be like you.��


    Gu Jun aggressively puffed his cigarette. ��What time?��


    ��How about the night before the meeting? You know that people think better when they feel good.��


    Gu Jun had planned on this too. He could confess after the results were out.


    ��When should I go get him?��


    ��You can go to Hotel Royal Duke after the meeting. I��ll have someone bring him down.��


    ��Make sure he can wake up the next day.��


    ��President Gu, I know he��s yours. I won��t be that harsh either. Let��s just get this clear. Wait for the good show. With my support, Gu Jing won��t get anywhere.��


    The call ended. Gu Jun set down his phone weakly and slumped onto the carpet, blanking out.


    He spread his hands and looked at his fingers. Was this worth it? Closing his eyes, he felt like his heart was torn. Tonight will probably be another sleepless night.


    When the short hand pointed to three o��clock, Gu Jun took a bottle of red wine from the cellar and started drinking alone. The wine made him feel much better.


    The entire mansion was silent. After drinking, Gu Jun entered An Xiaoyan��s room. He could hear him breathing. The glow of the moonlight made is so he could see An Xiaoyan��s face clearly.


    ��I really didn��t do it on purpose. I have no choice. I want you to be with me my entire life. If I don��t have money or power, would you still be with me? I just want to protect you.��


    As he spoke, he became choked up. Before, he��d been an iron wall��cold blooded and cruel. But facing An Xiaoyan, all the walls around his heart had collapsed. He didn��t know what to do. He��d never felt so vulnerable.


    After sitting there for more than ten minutes, the man in the bed was still deep in sleep. Gu Jun lowered himself and kissed An Xiaoyan��s right cheek softly.


    If liking someone meant putting him at the tip of one��s heart and not daring to touch him lest the perfection was destroyed, then Gu Jun was exactly like this. His violence towards An Xiaoyan and cruelty in bed were just a type of venting. Now, he really didn��t dare to touch An Xiaoyan anymore. He was like a porcelain doll��fragile and so beautiful.


    In his dream, An Xiaoyan felt someone speaking beside him. He followed the voice, but he couldn��t find the source or hear the content clearly.


    It was probably a dream. He wouldn��t remember when he woke up.


    Sunlight streamed through the curtains and shone on his face. The brightness woke An Xiaoyan up. He subconsciously looked at the pillow beside him. There weren��t any marks. Gu Jun hadn��t come yesterday, but he felt like something was on his right hand. He touched it, but he didn��t feel anything.


    A new driver drove Guo Guo to school now, so An Xiaoyan put the car keys Gu Jun had given him in the drawer. When he opened the drawer, a breeze lifted the slip of paper inside it.


    It was the IOU Gu Jun had given him before. The bright red thumbprint had faded now. There was also an explanation he��d added himself. It was the money he��d earned as a hostess at the Night Charm.


    The bank card next to it was from Gu Jun too. An Xiaoyan didn��t know if there was money on it. After all, he already owed so much. Spending more money would just increase his debt.


    It was still a huge number. He probably couldn��t pay it back even if he spent his entire life in the mansion.


    Why exactly did Gu Jun keep a useless man like him here for so long?


    He always overlooked Gu Jun��s confessions automatically. It was definitely a big joke. He couldn��t believe it.


    ��Mr. An, come sunbathe. The weather is really nice today.��


    The nanny��s voice rang out from the first floor. She wasn��t really responsible for Guo Guo��s life anymore and just helped the servants. She still had the same salary, but her workload was much lighter. Her attitude towards An Xiaoyan was obviously great too.


    An Xiaoyan didn��t have anything to do, so he went downstairs. The weather was indeed good.


    He could still enjoy the sunlight now, but he would be so terrified of it in the future.


    The nanny had bought groceries from the supermarket. She planned to make them into mustard greens for a pork dish. After An Xiaoyan came down, she started chatting while working.


    ��Mr. An, Young Master is like a regular kid now. I��m so happy to see him like this.��


    ��Yes, Guo Guo has always been smart.��


    ��I realized that your color looks much better than when you first came last winter. You��re more fashionable too. It makes me happy to see. Now, Mr. Gu��s entire family is doing so well. Before, I could have never dreamed of this. I remember that Young Master kept crying when he was little and Mr. Gu even wanted to give him sleeping pills. Ah, let��s move on. Ever since Mr. An came, Young Master��s luck came too. You��re his lucky charm.��


    The nanny praised him with clear happiness in her face. An Xiaoyan didn��t know how to reply. He could only help with the cooking.


    The sunlight fell on An Xiaoyan. The nanny couldn��t help but think that he was so handsome and had a nice temperament too. She liked An Xiaoyan more and more.


    Of the entire staff, only the nanny didn��t look down on him. She would often chat with him. To An Xiaoyan, she was like family now.


    He no longer had any relatives. His family had abandoned him. No, he��d lied to them first.


    A person��s life can change easily.


    ��I��ll go up now.��


    The nanny wanted to keep talking, but she sensed that An Xiaoyan was in a bad mood, so she didn��t say anything. Mr. An was always depressed and anyone could tell that he had something on his mind. It seemed to have gotten worse recently.


    He returned to his room and got on the sofa. The TV was reporting the economic news.


    ��A City��s business family, the Gu Family, will hold the next board meeting in two days to choose an heir from the two candidates. This is a large event that will shake up the families of A City. How will A City develop now? Let us wait and see����


    An Xiaoyan changed the channel. He leaned back in his sofa. This was probably why Gu Jun has been so busy.


    ��


    ��Young Master Gu, our boss had us come get the man.�� Two bodyguards appeared in Gu Jun��s line of sight. They looked determined.


    ��How do you plan on taking him?��


    ��However you want is ok, but you must hand him over.��


    Gu Jun agreed weakly. What must be done would be done. It felt like a part of him was getting sliced off. He hurt when An Xiaoyan was in pain.


    At dinner, Gu Jun purposely gave An Xiaoyan a cup of milk. There was white powder in the bottom of the cup.


    He didn��t want An Xiaoyan to be taken away before him. The powder contained some pain relief medicine. He hoped An Xiaoyan wouldn��t suffer too much.


    ��Uncle, are you going to drink milk with me today?�� Guo Guo asked happily, seeing the two cups of milk. It was lonely drinking by himself. Now, Uncle An would drink too!


    ��What��s this?��


    ��For you.��


    Gu Jun had never had An Xiaoyan drink this before. It was indeed strange, but he didn��t hesitate at all. He drank all the milk in one shot, not giving Gu Jun a chance to regret it.


    ��Let��s eat.��


    The food smelled great, but eating it was like chewing cardboard. Gu Jun kept glancing at An Xiaoyan, but the man was as quiet as usual. He helped Guo Guo get food and didn��t do anything abnormal.


    ��You aren��t going to ask me why I gave you milk?�� Gu Jun couldn��t help but ask. If someone else had done it, would An Xiaoyan still drink it in one shot?


    ��If Mr. Gu did it, there must be a reason.��


    Gu Jun had added drugs to the powder. An Xiaoyan would fall asleep within the hour and then Gu Jun would bring him to Nan Qiang as planned.


    An Xiaoyan went to his room after he finished eating. The people who��d set up the room had come as well.


    Gu Jun checked his watch. He walked to An Xiaoyan��s room. The man was in bed and seemed to be asleep.


    ��Xiaoyan, Xiaoyan����


    There was no reply. The sleeping An Xiaoyan was like an animal ready for anyone to butcher.


    ��Don��t hate me. Please don��t hate me.�� The corners of Gu Jun��s eyes felt cold. He lowered himself and pressed his lips softly against An Xiaoyan��s. Then he let go.


    When he carried An Xiaoyan down, the two bodyguards had already been waiting for a long while. They took An Xiaoyan from Gu Jun and left the house.


    ��Daddy!�� a bright voice called from upstairs.


    ��Guo Guo!�� Gu Jun wiped his expression away and went upstairs to pick Guo Guo up.


    ��How come Uncle An left?��


    ��He has to do something. He��ll be back tomorrow and you can call him Daddy An then.��


    ��Really? Daddy An, Daddy An! It sounds so nice. Daddy, are you going to marry Uncle An? Can I carry a flower and walk in front of you two?��


    His voice was so childish and innocent. Gu Jun never thought that he was a sentimental person, but his heart couldn��t help but twist.


    ��Yes, Guo Guo will be able to carry a flower and walk before us.��


    ��Yay!��


    After comforting Guo Guo, Gu Jun went to An Xiaoyan��s room. The smell was familiar.


    The books on the shelf were organized. An Xiaoyan didn��t have many things��just some clothes and a phone on the bed.


    This was his second time feeling so heartbroken. The pain was comparable to when An Xiaoyan had attempted suicide.


    The drug��s effect didn��t last long. When An Xiaoyan woke up, there were a bunch of chandeliers above him. The Gu family��s home was very minimalistic. This wasn��t Gu Jun��s home.


    He couldn��t move anymore. Gu Jun had made him drink a cup of milk. He couldn��t remember anything that happened afterward.


    His arms seemed to be tied up by something. His legs were too. With great difficulty, An Xiaoyan managed to turn around, and was completely terrified at what he saw.

 Chapter 82

    ��Little Beauty, we meet again! You don��t know how hard I��ve tried to get you back. If I knew that the last time, I would not have returned you so easily.��


    Nan Qiang��s fat body completely blocked An Xiaoyan��s field of view. His greasy face made him sick.


    ��Is Gu Jun the one who sent me here?�� An Xiaoyan asked in horror.


    ��What do you think? If he didn��t let you go, how would you be here?��


    Gu Jun said before that he wouldn��t let him be hurt again. He also personally promised not to let this man touch him again. So now, what is it?


    ��He��s really serious about you, but I��m a businessman. I value my interests. It��s not a bad deal to trade you for the position of chairman. Besides, you��re only mine for the night.��


    Two lines of tears flowed out of his dazed eyes. The tears were flowing unconsciously, and An Xiaoyan did not know why he was crying.


    Gu Jun had been such a cold person for a long time. He has always been so cruel and selfish. He is a businessman after all. How could I have believed him?


    So when Gu Jun said that he liked him, it was all fake. Initially, he did not believe it, now it seemed clear that it was a complete lie and Gu Jun was simply toying with him. Gu Jun must have known that he would not reject the glass of milk and had personally brought him into this man��s hands.


    What else do I live for in this world?


    I can��t die by biting my own tongue and I can��t move my hands and feet. Even if I want to die, I have no means to.


    ��Just one night. Gu Jun really treasures you a lot. He has rejected me so many times before he finally agreed. You can rest assured that when he becomes the chairman, he will take good care of you.��


    After Nan Qiang finished speaking, his ��pig trotters�� began to wander on An Xiaoyan��s body. Soon afterwards, a scream rang through the house.


    Gu Jun lay awake in bed, as if he could hear An Xiaoyan��s painful voice. His ears were buzzing and he could not fall asleep. He got up and touched his forehead; perspiration was running down his face.


    The clock on the wall was ticking and Gu Jun��s heart was thumping.


    It was finally dawn. Gu Jun regained his composure, put on his suit and tie, and went to the master bedroom next door to have a peek at the decorations in advance.


    The room smelled of roses and the big bed in the middle was covered with them. The windowsill was covered with striking red and orange kapok flowers.


    An Xiaoyan, wait for me.


    Finally, the Gu Group��s meeting to elect the new chairman had begun. Gu Jun came to the conference room early and had a glance at it. Nan Qiang had yet to arrive.


    Sitting in the seat, everything looked peaceful on the surface, but his calm demeanor hid great angst directly under the surface.


    He pinched his left hand hard with his right hand, forcing himself to calm down.


    Gu Jun looked at everyone who entered through the door. When Nan Qiang came in, a big smile flashed on his face. The moment that they made eye contact, Gu Jun looked away. Looking at Nan Qiang reminded him of An Xiaoyan��s suffering.


    ��For today��s formal election, you must make full use of your vote in hand to select the successor who will lead the Gu Group to great prosperity!��


    Looking at the continuous votes being cast, Gu Jun��s heart was racing. He had only 30% of the votes at the anonymous ballot. He wondered if he could turn the tables on Gu Jing this time. If he failed, he would not let Nan Qiang off.


    The final result of the votes would be made public.


    After waiting for a full hour, old Mr. Gu took a watch in his hand and came to the seat of the host.


    ��Now that the results are in, we will publish them in five minutes. Please get the media ready.��


    The reporters standing behind had already set up their flashlights. Once the results were announced, they would need to inform the public immediately.


    Gu Jing took a look at Gu Jun and gave him a smug look. Last time, he had surpassed Gu Jun so much that he felt it would be impossible for Gu Jun to turn the tables. Even if Nan Qiang voted for Gu Jun, it would also be difficult to change the overall outcome from a single vote.


    ��Okay, let me announce the final result. The support rate for the successor is as high as 58 percent.�� This meant that 42% of the shareholders had supported the losing candidate. Everyone was anxious to know the result.


    Gu Jun looked in the direction of Nan Qiang. Nan Qiang gave a thumbs up and made a winning gesture. A voice sounded beside his ear, ��Gu Jun, with 58% support, is the new chairman!��


    The endless applause echoed in the hall. The magnesia lamp in the distance was flashing the whole time. Gu Jun was in a trance at this moment.


    He snagged the position, and Gu Jing, sitting opposite him, looked on in disbelief.


    ��The results of the last vote will now be made public too. During the last round of voting, Gu Jun had 31% and Gu Jing had 69%. Therefore, the previous results are not necessarily accurate. Gu Jun is my son and Gu Jing is my nephew. I have never thought of favoring either side. The most capable candidate would lead the Gu family. Of course, I am very happy that Gu Jun has been elected. This is the decision of all the shareholders and I did not cast a vote.��


    Everyone was conveying their congratulations in the hall, and Gu Jun felt like he was in a dream.


    ��Chairman Gu, I hope our cooperation will continue in the future!��


    ��Yes, yes, under your leadership, the Gu family will surely become a business legend!��


    ������


    A group of passionate flatterers gathered around Gu Jing as he stood in the distance with jealousy written all over his face. He was a clear winner during the first round, and promised everyone the rewards if he were to be elected as the new chairman. Why did everyone change their votes? Gu Jun must have done something in private.


    No amount of excitement could compare to An Xiaoyan. Gu Jun pushed aside the crowd and ran madly. The media behind him carried cameras with them to catch up with him.


    ��Mr. Gu, tell us what you think.��


    ��Chairman Gu, how did you get elected? Can you share some experiences?��


    ��As far as we know, you didn��t care about this position before, and Mr. Gu Jing paid more attention to it. How did you reverse the situation?��


    ��Mr. Gu, Mr. Gu ����


    ��Get lost!�� A loud roar scared the reporters away. No one had ever been so angry after being elected as chairman.


    ��I am solely responsible for the chairman��s affairs. Please ask me what you want to know,�� Chen Chen said as he stood in front of the reporters. He could tell that Gu Jun was in a hurry, so he rushed out to help Gu Jun stop the reporters.


    Sure enough, the attention of the media vultures had been diverted to Chen Chen. Gu Jun took the opportunity to walk out the door. At this moment, Gu Jing also squeezed through the crowd of media people and followed behind Gu Jun. Gu Jun must have something urgent to do and Gu Jing could not wait to find out. It was all or nothing. How could I fail and Gu Jun win?!


    An Xiaoyan, please be fine. As long as you are fine, I will do anything for you. Yes, flowers. I must buy a bouquet of flowers for Xiaoyan. Maybe seeing the flowers will make him less angry.


    From the garage, Gu Jun dashed straight to the Royal Duke Hotel. When he was driving, a car followed closely behind him.


    Looking at the car ahead, Gu Jing thought to himself, ��I��d like to see what you��re going to do!��

 Chapter 83

    Gu Jun was focused on reaching the Hotel Royal Duke. He didn��t notice if anyone was following him. When he passed a flower shop, he hurriedly got out of the car. There was still the same girl behind the counter.


    ��Sir, what kind of flower would you like this time?��


    ��I��m going to confess,�� Gu Jun said, voice a little choked up. ��Give me the best flowers you have.��


    ��For confessions, red roses are better. Wait a moment. I��ll go wrap it up now. How many would you like?��


    ��Doesn��t matter.�� Gu Jun wasn��t in the mood to think about this. He just wanted to see An Xiaoyan. ��Wrap it up as fast as possible. I��m in a hurry.��


    ��Okay.��


    The worker decided to wrap up 66 roses and add some baby��s breath for embellishment. After she wrapped it up, the bouquet was very beautiful. There were large red flowers and blue baby��s breath.


    Gu Jun held it but it felt unrealistic. He��d just hit An Xiaoyan when he was down and now he was going to confess. Would An Xiaoyan agree?


    ��Have a nice day.��


    Gu Jun walked out with the flowers. He shuddered when the wind hit him. He took a deep breath, inhaling the fragrance of the roses.


    Two hundred meters behind him was Gu Jing. He was confused. He didn��t think that Gu Jun was in a hurry for a bouquet of flowers. It seemed that things were more complicated than he��d thought.


    Gu Jun placed the flowers in the front passenger��s seat. He floored the gas and continued driving. The two cars sped down the road.


    It was blinding. When An Xiaoyan opened his eyes, the sunlight forced him to close them again.


    ��Sir, you should get up,�� someone said.


    An Xiaoyan saw someone that looked like a hotel worker beside him. Since he��d woken up, the worker closed the door and left.


    Everything that had happened flowed through his mind. An Xiaoyan was wrapped up in blankets. Merely moving his hands brought bone-piercing pain.


    It was all clear. Gu Jun had tossed him here.


    An Xiaoyan pushed himself up and lifted his clothes. His body was covered in bruises. The little bit of hope completely vanished. Gu Jun had been so nice to him before, but it had all been to give him to Nan Qiang. Gu Jun would do anything to achieve his goals.


    He slowly put his clothes on and walked out while leaning on the wall. Some of the scratches on his body were bleeding. Blood would seep out with every step. Now, he was clear how insignificant he was compared to power and wealth. This kind of life was meaningless.


    No one stopped him. When An Xiaoyan walked out of the Hotel Royal Duke, a black car drove over from the distance.


    From afar, Gu Jun saw someone walk out. The man swayed as if every step were difficult. He instantly recognized An Xiaoyan.


    Gu Jun received the position as the chairman of the Gu Group, but he wasn��t happy at all. He wouldn��t have had the chance to win if it wasn��t for An Xiaoyan.


    He parked on the side of the road. Taking a deep breath, he stopped for a long while before making up his mind. He walked out with the flowers.


    An Xiaoyan took one step after another. The immense pain forced him to bow down. He was like a 70-year-old man. Gu Jun approached him with the bouquet of roses.


    From now on, no one can stop me. We don��t have to care about people��s judgment. I can sweep away all obstacles.


    ��Xiaoyan����


    Hearing the familiar voice, An Xiaoyan looked up. Gu Jun was so brilliant under the sun. Holding the flowers, he was like a prince from the storybooks.


    ��I want to say����


    Before he could finish, Gu Jun was hit without any alert. The roses scattered on the ground. The boom shook his eardrums.


    Red liquid started flowing on the ground like a creek. It intertwined with the roses. He couldn��t tell them apart.


    ��Xiaoyan!�� Gu Jun yelled. He hugged the person on the ground tightly.


    ��Get an ambulance! Ambulance!��


    The ground was covered in blood. Gu Jun hugged An Xiaoyan, getting blood on himself. He looked back and met Gu Jing��s resentful eyes.


    ��Xiaoyan, keep it up. The doctor��s here soon.��


    Even though Gu Jun had made the worst mistake, An Xiaoyan still used all his might to push him away when Gu Jing��s car came.


    Perhaps, this was his end. He would use his life to pay back everything he owed. It had hurt a lot when the car crashed into him. It seemed that his life was inseparable from pain.


    The ambulance siren approached. Gu Jun hugged An Xiaoyan to stop the wound, but blood still kept flowing out. He pressed down on An Xiaoyan��s pulse. He forced himself to keep calm and feel the pulse.


    ��Xiaoyan, don��t die. I even bought you flowers. I like you. I really like you. Please push through. Oh, right, I forgive you. I forgave you long ago. Can you forgive me now? It��s my mistake.��


    His nails dug into the flesh. An Xiaoyan started growing pale. He vaguely heard Gu Jun say he forgave him and he said, ��Okay.��


    His voice was weak, but Gu Jun still heard it. He hugged An Xiaoyan tightly, wanting to send his warmth into the cold body.


    ��Hurry, don��t move. We��ll carry him up.�� The doctor on the ambulance carried An Xiaoyan in. The door closed and Gu Jun watched him get taken away.


    Gu Jing had already driven away in fear. Looking at the ambulance driving away, Gu Jun thought, Gu Jing, you will pay for this.


    By the time Gu Jun got to the hospital, the surgery had already started. Sitting in the hallway, Gu Jun felt like a failure. An Xiaoyan hadn��t felt any happiness in the year they were together. Most of the time was actually spent in the hospital.


    ��Who��s the relative of the patient just brought in from the ambulance?�� the doctor called to the hallway.


    Gu Jun snapped out of his thoughts. Raising his hand, he said, ��I am.��


    ��Come in.��


    After going into the office, the doctor gave Gu Jun some scans.


    ��The patient��s right leg is a bit serious. He must undergo surgery immediately. However, the leg seems to have been injured before. He��ll be a bit lame after the surgery.��


    ��Anything else?��


    ��Not sure about any other injuries right now. It��s just that the car ran straight into the right leg.��


    Gu Jun thought about how he��d accidentally broken An Xiaoyan��s leg during New Year��s. If he hadn��t done so then, we wouldn��t have this problem now.


    ��Doctor, anything is fine as long as he won��t die.�� His choked voice echoed through the office. Gu Jun never imagined that he would ever plead in such a way.


    ��Okay, we��ll try our best. Go pay for the hospital stay and surgery now.��


    Gu Jun continued to sit in the hallway. He called Chen Chen.


    ��Come to the hospital right now and bring enough money. Also, buy a bouquet of roses when you pass by a flower shop.��


    ��Mr. Gu, did something happen?��


    ��Just come,�� Gu Jun said softly. He didn��t have the courage to say it out loud.


    When Chen Chen hurried to the hospital, Gu Jun was still sitting there. The surgery room��s light was still red.


    ��What��s wrong? You didn��t even go to the press conference. Did something happen?��


    ��I f*cking��ah, sit down.��


    Chen Chen sat down. He took out the credit card and put it on the side with roses.


    ��When An Xiaoyan wakes up, I won��t ever let go of him.��


    Chen Chen never imagined that Gu Jun would sacrifice An Xiaoyan to win over Nan Qiang or that Gu Jing would try to run Gu Jun over.


    ��Reveal all the information you found before. Gu Jing wants power, but I won��t let him have it. He hurt An Xiaoyan, so I��ll take away the thing he wants the most.��


    Gu Jun had thought a lot after An Xiaoyan��s car accident. He��d worried too much before and had always been indecisive. Thinking about all the things he��d done, he realized that the bad karma he��d planted before was biting him now.


    ��The roses are so pretty, but the blood on An Xiaoyan is redder than the roses. I couldn��t even confess before he pushed me out of the way. If he didn��t push me, I��d be lying in there now. This is the first time I feel that karma is real. An Xiaoyan has truly repaid everything he owed to me.��


    Chen Chen didn��t speak. He quietly listened to Gu Jun mutter to himself.


    Love could really change someone. He��d known Gu Jun for so many years, but Gu Jun had never been so sentimental.


    Gu Jun subconsciously reached for a cigarette, but he stopped when he realized it was a hospital. A while later, he thanked Chen Chen.


    ��Why are you thanking me? These are my duties.��


    ��I��ll give you a raise in a few days. You��ve been with me for so long. You know me pretty well.��


    ��If you didn��t decide to hire me, I wouldn��t be here today.��


    At midnight, the surgery room��s light finally turned green. The doctor walked out and Gu Jun went to ask about the situation.


    ��The patient will survive, but the right leg will be a bit lame after it heals. I put ointment on the other places. He��ll be fine after he rests.��


    ��When can I see him?��


    ��You can visit him after he��s transferred to a regular patient��s room.��


    ��Thank you, doctor. Thanks.��


    An Xiaoyan lay on the bed quietly with an oxygen mask. Gu Jun walked in with the roses. He put the flowers on the windowsill.


    ��I��m going to say what I didn��t have time to say before. An Xiaoyan, I want to be with you. Can you be Guo Guo��s father?��


    The man on the bed didn��t answer. Gu Jun produced a box and took out the small ring inside. He slipped it on An Xiaoyan��s right ring finger.


    ��I had someone make it just for you. I��d wanted to propose after seeing you today. No one will stop us now. I��d already fallen for you at the Oriental Eye, but I didn��t say anything because I had too many worries. Please don��t mind. I really do love you. I��ve destroyed the IOU. You don��t owe me anything now.��


    After seeing the ring on his finger for a while, Gu Jun felt it was wrong. He gently removed it.


    He didn��t know when An Xiaoyan would wake up. Gu Jun rested against the bed. He didn��t dare sleep. He was afraid he would wake up and An Xiaoyan would be gone.


    Now, he realized that love between the same gender could be so painful and impressionable too.

 Chapter 84

    The medicine made An Xiaoyan drowsy and he slept for more than ten hours. When he awoke, he saw someone��s head just beside him.


    An Xiaoyan inched away and Gu Jun awoke with a fright. Seeing that An Xiaoyan was awake, he was surprised and then delighted.


    ��You��re awake. Are you hungry? I will go and buy something for you to eat.��


    The overzealous look on Gu Jun made An Xiaoyan sick. With a low and weak voice, An Xiaoyan said, ��Get lost!��


    ��Xiaoyan����


    ��Did you hear me? I asked you to get lost!�� As the voice became weaker, An Xiaoyan raised his head and a couple streams of tears were flowing down his cheeks.


    ��Mr. Gu, please let me go. I really can��t live like this. Even if I am hit by a car, it will be better than being tortured here. I really can��t take it anymore.��


    Gu Jun held An Xiaoyan��s face and wiped his tears with his hands. ��Xiaoyan, don��t do that. I really like you. I have already forgiven you and I have also discarded the IOU between us.��


    The words of forgiveness that he heard the moment before he was unconscious echoed in his head, and it turned out to be true. He waited for a long time and these words of forgiveness finally came.


    ��Mr. Gu, have you really forgiven me?��


    ��Yes, it is true. You no longer owe me anything.��


    ��Haha, haha, haha���� An Xiaoyan��s eyes were full of tears, but he laughed. ��You have forgiven me, you have forgiven me, you have forgiven me����


    An Xiaoyan was laughing like a mad man. Gu Jun looked at An Xiaoyan��s insane appearance and used the back of his hand to knock him unconscious.


    He understood the reason why An Xiaoyan cried and laughed. An Xiaoyan must have never thought that one day he could be forgiven by Gu Jun as he was ready to spend his entire life paying him back.


    An Xiaoyan really lost it.


    When An Xiaoyan woke up again, he returned to his usual calm self. He sat on the bed and looked out the window.


    In mid-April, the leaves outside had already filled out the branches, and the roses were leaning against the windowsill. There were red and green roses. They looked really beautiful.


    Gu Jun dared not go into the ward again. He asked Chen Chen to go in and talk to An Xiaoyan instead.


    ��What Mr. Gu said is true. Now you owe him nothing, and Mr. Gu really likes you.��


    An Xiaoyan seemed to have resigned himself to the facts, and said gently, ��I owed him a lot before, so I was willing to take care of Guo Guo and other things around him, but I was reluctantly willing. Now that Mr. Gu has said that he has forgiven me, I can leave the villa after I am discharged from the hospital. He has his own life to lead. He will marry a wife and have a happy family.��


    ��Mr. Gu really likes you. I��ve been working for him for so many years and have never seen him so serious about someone.��


    ��Don��t go on. When I can leave the hospital, I will leave this place and live the life I want.��


    The day when an imprisoned canary can leave its cage, it will not hesitate to spread its wings and soar. Even if it was given the finest food and material wealth, the bird would always desire freedom.


    Chen Chen told Gu Jun what An Xiaoyan had said. Gu Jun took a puffed a cigarette and the smoke ring disappeared in the air. Gu Jun said, ��I cannot use force anymore. You help me come up with an idea.��


    ��How about you try to win him back?��


    ��I will not restrict his freedom anymore. Even if I lock him up in the villa, he will not fall in love with me.��


    Chen Chen agreed that Gu Jun had tormented the man for so long that it was unrealistic to expect An Xiaoyan to develop feelings for Gu Jun right away, so letting go first was a good option.


    ��I will not go to the ward to see him, as that would just make him sad. You help him attend to his needs.��


    ��Mr. Gu, you really do love him.��


    ��Really? You think so?��


    Gu Jun turned around and looked out at the scenery in the city. He hurt An Xiaoyan so much. What kind of love was that?


    Guo Guo waited at home for a long time but Uncle An did not come home. He took the initiative to look for Uncle An and the nanny had no choice but to call Mr. Gu.


    ��Bring Guo Guo to the hospital.��


    An Xiaoyan liked Guo Guo so much. If Guo Guo begs him to stay, he will not ignore Guo Guo. He dropped that idea almost immediately.


    If An Xiaoyan knew that he had made use of Guo Guo to make him stay, his image in An Xiaoyan��s heart would appear evil again.


    ��Daddy, where is Uncle An?��


    ��Uncle An is sick. He is sleeping now. Do not disturb him, Guo Guo.��


    ��Then, Guo Guo shall wait for Uncle An here.�� Guo Guo sat on the chair obediently and looked at the ward from time to time for fear of missing anything.


    After sitting for a while, Guo Guo could not stay idle any longer and lay flat on the floor outside the ward to continue looking inside the ward. Coincidentally, their eyes met.


    ��Uncle����


    An Xiaoyan waved to Guo Guo and signaled Guo Guo to come in.


    Guo Guo opened the door, happily climbed onto the bed, and got into An Xiaoyan��s arms.


    ��Daddy said that you��re sleeping and told me not to bother you. Why are you not at home these days, Uncle? There are a lot of flowers in Daddy��s room. The flowers smell so good. I snuck in on my own and no one knows about it.�� After that, Guo Guo took out a flower petal as small as a teardrop from his pocket. It was a dried rose petal. ��This is what I smuggled out from daddy��s room. Isn��t it beautiful?��


    An Xiaoyan would not hold the petal. He just wanted to escape from this place. These five years were the most painful years his life. How many years do you have in your life? You can never turn back time.


    ��Uncle, get well soon. Let us go home together.��


    ��Guo Guo, Uncle will not be going back to your house. Your daddy will get married and someone will take care of you. Even if this does not happen, the nanny will take care of you.��


    Guo Guo did not understand what it meant. After playing for a while, he felt tired and dozed off on the bed beside An Xiaoyan��s.


    Gu Jun hadn��t appeared for an entire month, and An Xiaoyan was leading a peaceful life while recovering in the hospital.


    All the medicines used were the best and the bandage on his leg was finally removed. After An Xiaoyan was allowed to walk on his own, he was ready to leave.


    The moment his right foot touched the ground, he felt something was wrong.


    After taking two steps carefully, he felt that his footsteps were shaky.


    One leg was long and the other leg was short. He walked like a duck, swaying from side to side.


    Am I disabled?


    An Xiaoyan soon accepted the fact. It was not bad after all. At least he didn��t hurt his head and there was no discomfort in other parts of his body.


    People usually die in a car accident while he only became crippled. In a way, he was worse off than some, better off than many.


    The discharge formalities were handled by Chen Chen. Gu Jun hid from An Xiaoyan for the whole month as he was afraid that An Xiaoyan would berate him if they met. He was even more afraid of hearing An Xiaoyan say that he would not want to see him for the rest of his life.


    ��Mr. An has been discharged from hospital. Would you like to see him?��


    Gu Jun shook his head resolutely.


    ��After he leaves, do you want someone to watch him?��


    ��I don��t know.�� He wanted to approach An Xiaoyan, but An Xiaoyan did not want to see him.


    An Xiaoyan��s thin body limped out of the hospital and Gu Jun looked at him from afar with mixed feelings in his heart. If I don��t say it today, I do not know when I will get another chance.


    Before Chen Chen could respond, he heard a bang and Gu Jun threw on a windbreaker and walked toward An Xiaoyan.


    An Xiaoyan stopped and looked at the person in front of him.


    ��You regretted forgiving me, don��t you?��


    Gu Jun shook his head. ��I really like you. Do not treat me like this. I do not mind you treating me like just an ordinary person. We were fine before this.��


    An Xiaoyan sneered. ��Before that, it was because I owed you Gu Jun. I owe you so much. What can I pay you back with? I can only try to please you so that you do not hate me so much!��


    ��Why did you push me away when the car drove towards me? You should have just let it hit me head-on.�� If I was hit by the car at that time, would your heart ache for me?


    ��Mr. Gu, I do not know.�� It was out of instinct that he pushed Gu Jun aside with all his strength, and he did not know why either.


    Warm sunshine bathed An Xiaoyan and he had never felt so warm and comfortable before. His shackles were broken, and he no longer had to live with those burdens.


    ��If you miss me one day, come to the villa to see me.��


    ��Do not ask anyone to watch me.��


    Gu Jun did not think that An Xiaoyan��s disdain was so deep. Gu Jun did not intend to have anyone watch him. He only hoped to look at An Xiaoyan from afar.


    As he was just discharged from the hospital, his body had not fully recovered. Walking for just a while would quickly tire him. He had no money with him as all his things were at the villa.


    From now on, he was a normal person and could lead a normal life again.


    Gu Jun drove his car closely behind An Xiaoyan. He noticed An Xiaoyan was walking in the direction of the villa, thus he parked his car beside the road.


    ��Get in, I will drive you back.��


    An Xiaoyan was not moved.


    ��It will take you forever if you choose to go on like this.��


    An Xiaoyan wrapped himself tightly with his clothes and sat in the car, glancing out the window.


    ��Do you want to work for my company? Or have Zhang Zilan find you a job?�� Gu Jun was still trying hard, hoping that he could reverse the situation.


    ��No, thank you. I will take my things and leave.��


    Having forgiven An Xiaoyan, there was no chance to retain him anymore. Now An Xiaoyan was a free man.


    ��So what are you going to do in the future?��


    ��I will think about it.��


    ��At least tell me where you intend to go����


    An Xiaoyan did not answer. He had no obligation to reply to that question. It was time to let go.


    Back in the villa, An Xiaoyan went to his room and packed his few clothes in a big bag, as well as his old broken mobile phone.


    When he came downstairs, Gu Jun stood at the foot of the staircase with Wonton in his arms.


    ��Take the cat with you.��


    Gu Jun knew that An Xiaoyan would not take anything that was not his. He only wished that when An Xiaoyan saw Wonton, he would think of him.


    ��No, this is Mr. Gu��s cat.��


    ��He likes you. Next time, find a partner to accompany you.�� When I am not around you, you will not be lonely with a cat.


    ��Meow���� Wonton begged with its longing eyes and Gu Jun took the opportunity to put the cat in An Xiaoyan��s arms.


    ��Xiaoyan, I have really fallen for you and my love for you will never change.��


    The last bit of love I am giving you is to let you go. This was something that Gu Jun had been telling himself lately. He had ways to keep An Xiaoyan by his side. But what was the point? An Xiaoyan��s heart would never be his.


    An Xiaoyan walked out, he gradually grew smaller in the distance, and finally disappeared from sight.


    When An Xiaoyan��s shadow disappeared, Gu Jun burst into tears.


    He wondered what he was trying to achieve with all that he had done. He had hurt An Xiaoyan so deeply yet loved An Xiaoyan so much. However, finally, he had to watch An Xiaoyan leave his side.


    Guo Guo came down the other side of the stairs and saw his father kneeling on the floor and crying.


    ��Daddy, what is wrong? Don��t cry, don��t cry.��


    ��Guo Guo, Daddy��s heart really hurts.��


    ��It won��t hurt anymore after Guo Guo blows on your heart for you.�� After saying that, Guo Guo stood on tiptoe and blew at Gu Jun��s heart.


    ��Why hasn��t Uncle An come back yet?��


    ��Uncle An will never come back.��

 Chapter 85

    ��Daddy, you lied!�� Guo Guo said, pouting. ��You said you��d marry Uncle An.��


    ��Daddy wasn��t able to get Uncle An��s heart.��


    Guo Guo seemed to sense the seriousness of the matter. He ran forward with his short legs while calling for his uncle.


    ��Guo Guo, come back.��


    Guo Guo looked back, his expression grim. ��Daddy doesn��t want Uncle An. Uncle An doesn��t want Guo Guo.��


    ��No, I didn��t say that I don��t want him. Uncle An went on vacation. He��s always busy at home, so he went out to relax. He��ll be back in a bit.��


    Guo Guo wiped away his tears. ��Really?��


    ��Yes, really.��


    ��Then we have to wait together for Uncle An to get back.��


    ��Okay.��


    ��


    Carrying the little luggage he had, An Xiaoyan arrived at the bus station. He had nothing now. He just wished he could start over.


    He had a few hundred dollars in his pocket. The money was for emergencies; it was his last bit of savings.


    ��I want to buy a ticket.��


    The worker glanced at An Xiaoyan. ��To where?��


    ��B City.��


    ��One hundred and eight.��


    After paying, An Xiaoyan tightened his clothes around him. He prepared to leave when a crazed woman came in. She was dressed elegantly, but her expression wasn��t good. A few bodyguards followed her.


    ��An Xiaoyan, I finally found you. Save me, please save me.��


    An Xiaoyan recognized the woman after seeing her face clearly��Gao Shan.


    ��What��s wrong?��


    ��Gu Jun took revenge on Gu Jing. Now, Gu Jing is fired and no one wants to take him. He��s going to prison soon because of the car accident too.��


    An Xiaoyan understood that Gu Jing had tried to run over Gu Jun, but what did this have to do with him?


    ��I can��t help you. I have nothing to do with Gu Jun now.��


    Gao Shan still didn��t give up. ��Go talk to Gu Jun. Tell him that I was the one that decided to give stocks to the supporters. It has nothing to do with Gu Jing.��


    Right now, Gao Shan was completely different from the proud woman at the meal. An Xiaoyan didn��t understand the company��s matters and he didn��t plan on getting involved.


    ��You can tell Gu Jun yourself.�� With that, he started making his way to the bus station.


    ��An Xiaoyan, Gu Jun likes you so much. If you ask him, he��ll definitely let Gu Jing go!��


    Likes you. Why did everyone say that Gu Jun liked him? If Gu Jun did, why would he hurt him like this? He felt lucky that he��d pushed Gu Jun. If Gu Jing hadn��t run him over, he might still be under Gu Jun��s control.��


    An Xiaoyan turned around. ��Thank Gu Jing for me. Thank him for the accident.��


    Limping forward, An Xiaoyan gave his ticket to the worker and didn��t look back.


    None of this had anything to do with him now.


    ��You didn��t think I��d come, right?�� Gu Jun asked Gu Jing, who was in a prison uniform while playing on his phone.


    ��You used me. You bribed people. I clearly had more supporters, so you must have done something. Otherwise, the stockholders wouldn��t suddenly turn on me.��


    ��Do you know how much I paid to get rid of you? If you didn��t use stocks to tempt those old guys, they would��ve voted for me anyway. You��ve been relying on the Gu family all these years. What can you do?!��


    ��I can do a lot. I have capital. Otherwise, why would they choose me? Otherwise, how could I have bribed them?��


    Gu Jun relaxed. ��I didn��t come today to argue with you. I just wanted to see how pathetic you look now. Do you know that I��ve decorated my entire home with roses for a confession? But you destroyed it all. If you didn��t pull those tricks, An Xiaoyan would accept me. It��s all because of you!��


    ��Gu Jun, you actually fell in love with your rival. This is hilarious����


    Gu Jun wasn��t in the mood to listen to Gu Jing��s complaints. He��d already talked to the police station to give Gu Jing at least a year or two. The Gu family was at a high point now. No one would dare try to get him out.


    This is the price you should pay!


    The sunlight was so warm, but without An Xiaoyan, his heart was still cold.


    Gu Jun printed out all of An Xiaoyan��s pictures and placed them beside his bed. He only had three pictures. It wasn��t enough.


    ��


    After getting off the bus, An Xiaoyan felt the humid air. He��d only gone a bit south, but the air was different.


    ��Brother!�� The two at the podium waved at An Xiaoyan.


    ��You guys are here.��


    Dong Zi hurriedly took An Xiaoyan��s suitcase. When Ye Qing saw Wonton, she happily went to hug it. The three started walking. Dong Zi and Ye Qing noticed An Xiaoyan��s leg wasn��t normal, but they didn��t ask.


    ��It��s been half a year. Brother, you��re finally here.��


    An Xiaoyan had called Dong Zi before getting on the train. He��d purposely memorized Dong Zi��s number. Evidently, it was necessary, because after he��d met Liu Cheng, Gu Jun had deleted all his contacts.


    ��Now that you��re here, you won��t leave, right?�� Dong Zi asked tentatively. He was afraid An Xiaoyan would leave again in a few days.


    ��I won��t. How are you two?��


    Dong Zi blushed. ��We��re going to get married!��


    ��That��s good. I didn��t think you two would become a couple.��


    ��We opened a restaurant,�� Ye Qing said shyly. ��Business is quite good. We can go over and I can make some food for us to talk over.��


    Dong Zi��s restaurant was in the ghetto. This was where people from outside the city lived and worked. The restaurant was a small business, but they could make good money. Dong Zi was naturally talkative, so he was familiar with everyone who came through.


    ��I��ll go prepare some dishes. You two talk.�� Ye Qing stuffed the cat back into An Xiaoyan��s arms. She turned and went into the kitchen.


    ��How have the past six months been?��


    ��Not bad. I just want to make some money now.�� An Xiaoyan pet Wonton as he talked. Wonton was very smart. It just laid there and slept.


    ��I know some people here. If you need a job, I can ask around.��


    An Xiaoyan refused politely. He wanted to find a place by himself and have some quiet time. Too many things had happened these years. His will to fight had been ground away.


    Dong Zi didn��t dare to say anything. He just said, ��Okay, just settle down here and think about the other stuff later.��


    The dishes came quickly. They were all typical home-cooked dishes. An Xiaoyan was genuinely happy for Ye Qing and Dong Zi to be leading such a good life. He��d told them to leave before so he wouldn��t drag them down.


    ��We have some savings from this half year and we��re prepared to get married. When we get enough money, we��ll buy a home too.��


    ��That��s good. If you two work well, you��ll have a great future.��


    Ye Qing took a bottle of wine from the cabinet. An Xiaoyan waved his hand. His body was still too weak and he couldn��t drink wine. Thankfully, Dong Zi didn��t force him. He started drinking by himself.


    Dong Zi was completely different from last time. His youthful spirit and vigor had faded. He was a true 20-year-old now.


    ��Brother, what are your plans?�� Ye Qing asked. She got a small bowl for the cat.


    ��I��m just here to see you two. I��ll leave in a few days.��


    ��You��re leaving so soon! Why won��t you stay a few more days?��


    ��I have my own plans.��


    An Xiaoyan lay in bed at night. Wonton was purring on his chest, but he couldn��t fall asleep.


    Who would hire a disabled man like him? The easiest job would be a cashier at a supermarket or a dishwasher at a restaurant. First, he had to find a home. If he had somewhere to live, Wonton wouldn��t suffer with him.


    After he��d left Gu Jun, his heart was at ease, but his life had grown harder.


    It was uncomfortable to stay in that position, so An Xiaoyan moved. Wonton��s purrs stopped. It raised its little head to look at An Xiaoyan. Then it changed its position and continued sleeping.


    Cats didn��t understand a man��s worries!


    ��Wonton, you don��t have high-class cat food and cans to eat now. You only have leftovers. Can you still sleep?��


    Wonton seemed to understand. It arched up and looked at An Xiaoyan with resentment.


    ��I shouldn��t have given in and taken you out. If you stayed at the Gu home, you��d still be a rich cat. You won��t have to worry about food. Now that you��re out here with me, you��ll have it rough. You don��t even eat the food I give you. Your fat is going to disappear. What a pity.��


    Wonton walked to An Xiaoyan and licked his face, leaving sticky saliva behind. It was some kind of comfort. An Xiaoyan settled in and put Wonton on his chest. ��Okay, let��s sleep.��


    Wonton was a lazy cat. It quickly fell asleep, but An Xiaoyan hadn��t fallen asleep yet. He thought of Guo Guo. After all, he��d watched Guo Guo grow up and the kid clung to him. Now that he��d left, Guo Guo probably cried a lot.


    However, Gu Jun could probably take good care of him. He didn��t really understand what Gao Shan had said, but Gu Jun was apparently powerful. He didn��t understand the conflicts between rich families.


    On that, two separate people were sleepless in their respective beds.


    Gu Jun lay in An Xiaoyan��s room. For some reason, An Xiaoyan��s scent faded after he left; the more it faded, the more Gu Jun missed him.


    He missed how An Xiaoyan lay in bed and that calm expression. Before, Gu Jun would never confess that he was gay. Now, he wanted the entire world to know.


    He couldn��t sleep after An Xiaoyan left. His heart felt empty, as if something were missing.


    He turned on the light. It was three in the morning. He hadn��t slept in days, but his brain was still on overdrive.


    He��d finished all the sleeping pills in the drawer. When he opened the drawer, he happened to see the card that he��d given to An Xiaoyan. It was still lying there.


    An Xiaoyan didn��t have money and he��d taken Wonton away by himself. Would he run into bad people? What if they went hungry? What if they��re cold?


    A strange kind of worry overtook him.

 Chapter 86

    Chen Chen had been awoken at three o��clock in the morning, but when he heard the matter described to him on the phone, he immediately turned over and got out of bed. He then drove directly to Gu Jun��s villa.


    When he arrived, Gu Jun was sitting alone in the living room, drinking.


    ��If I were to ask him to come back now, do you think he would want to see me?��


    ��As far as I know, Mr. An is a man of character. He will probably not come back.��


    Sigh�� ��I shouldn��t have let him go, but I had to.�� Gu Jun downed the remaining wine. ��I regret letting him go. Without him, my heart can never calm down; it��s always racing. No matter what I see these days, my mind is full of him. My heart aches at the thought of him.��


    Chen Chen looked at Gu Jun��s pained expression and knew that Gu Jun��s heart must really be aching a lot, as he lost someone he loved dearly. Moreover, it must have taken a lot of courage to let An Xiaoyan go.


    ��He is really cruel. After I said that I��ve forgiven him, he would not say a word and didn��t look back. He used to say I��m cruel. I think he��s the cruel one.��


    ��What are you going to do next?��


    ��I want to win him back at all costs.��


    Gu Jun did not remember the gibberish he spouted after that. The alcohol made him fall asleep quickly.


    Falling deeply in love and getting hurt in the end��


    Now that it was decided, the first thing to do was to determine where An Xiaoyan was. He could not be contacted on his phone; he seemed to have disappeared from the face of the earth.


    ��Now, try every means to find out where he is. You must do it in secret and not let him find out.�� Chen Chen went off to work on it immediately.


    Just after his mind was made, Gu Jun��s mobile phone rang. It was old Mr. Gu.


    ��What��s the matter?��


    ��Do you think you can do whatever you want after becoming chairman? You should count the number of days you haven��t come into the office. Do I have to remind you of everything? Don��t you know that there are a lot of people waiting for you at the company?!!��


    ��Got it.��


    Gu Jun changed his clothes and prepared to go to the office. When he went to the garage to retrieve his car, he saw that the Honda parked deep inside was peeling. It was a car which he had personally bought for An Xiaoyan, but was only used a couple of times.


    It was Gu Jun first time coming into the office as the Gu Group��s chairman. As he entered the door, two rows of employees bowed and shouted, ��Welcome, Chairman!�� What followed next was the Gu Group��s first management meeting.


    Many of the top executives who were previously bribed by Gu Jing felt so nervous they broke out in cold sweat. They were afraid to give themselves away.


    Sitting in the chairman��s seat right at the front, Gu Jun��s fierce eyes swept across the room. Though seated in a meeting room, his mind was thinking of An Xiaoyan, whom he had abandoned in exchange for this seat. It could be said that An Xiaoyan had given him a push into this seat. Had it not been for An Xiaoyan, he would have ended up in Gu Jing��s current position.


    ��Now that I��m the chairman, the company��s rules have to be changed. Before, I heard that some people had taken bribes and were promised Gu Group shares once their votes were cast. I want to know when did our shares become so cheap?��


    None of the people spoke.


    Gu Jun was not in a hurry. He knocked on the table with his pen in hand, and his voice echoed in the meeting room.


    ��If you don��t want to admit it on your own initiative, sooner or later I will look into it. I haven��t been around lately and the company cannot live without me?��


    Still, no one spoke up. Chen Chen, as an assistant, had been typing non-stop on his computer. Gu Jun was in a bad mood today.


    ��Whether I am in the office or not, you must remember that you work hard for your own sake. If you don��t work hard, your salary will drop!��


    After speaking, Gu Jun went left abruptly while Chen Chen packed his things and followed behind.


    Many people in the room wiped their sweat and felt more relaxed. ��What do you think the chairman meant?��


    ��What did he mean? As the saying goes, ��A new broom sweeps clean��; he is trying to remind us to work hard.��


    Sigh�� ��Well, he is after all the chairman of the board and the largest shareholder. We cannot do much. Just work hard.��


    Those who were not bribed by Gu Jing had left, leaving the rest of the people behind who had broken out in cold sweat. In ancient times, when you took the side of the wrong prince, you risked getting yourself killed. Their current situation wasn��t too different.


    It was the first time Gu Jun entered his chairman��s office. He started smoking as soon as he entered, and the whole office was like a cloud.


    ��Chen Chen, my thoughts are often far away and I always feel that something is missing. I��m just so lost and down.��


    ��You don��t have to be too nervous, the company��s business will slowly get on the right track. However, we need to pay some attention to the Sheng Kong group as we have just signed a contract with Stars Entertainment Company.��


    ��Okay, I��ll attend to it within the next few days. And�� Any news on An Xiaoyan?��


    Chen Chen answered honestly, ��There is no news and no record of the use of Mr. An��s identity card. Either he has been staying in A City, or he has already left by coach.��


    Not surprisingly, if An Xiaoyan wanted to leave, he would leave completely. He would not leave behind any trace as he was very meticulous.


    ��Continue looking into it and update me once there��s any news.�� As Gu Jun put out the cigarette in the ashtray, the Secretary reminded him that a lady outside was looking for him, saying that it was an important matter.


    ��I��ll leave you be. I��ll try my best to find out about An Xiaoyan.��


    Xiu Yijian walked in and the smell of her perfume was overwhelming. Gu Jun subconsciously held his breath as he was very much not a fan of ladies�� perfume. Even when the scent was not too strong, he could not stand it. No one had a scent like An Xiaoyan.


    ��I hear you��ve been looking for An Xiaoyan recently. He��s gone.��


    ��You don��t need to meddle in this. Just worry about your own life.��


    ��Gu Jun, you��ve liked him for a long time, right? But you have never told him about it, otherwise he would not have denied it.��


    Gu Jun sneered. ��Why do you need to meddle in my household matters as an outsider? There is no place for you to talk about it here!��


    Xiu Yijian was stung by Gu Jun��s mockery. He��d been like this since they first met. ��What if I tell where An Xiaoyan is?��


    ��Do you really know?!��


    ��I know which coach he got into, at least.��


    This was a clue. There were many people in the bus station, and the ticket sales worked in a haphazard fashion. It was impossible to investigate where An Xiaoyan went.


    ��What do you want?�� Gu Jun��s tone eased slightly.


    ��You should know the quota for that international design competition.��


    ��I can make a recommendation to the committee, but the choice is theirs. It��s naive of you to think that just my word will make you place.��


    When Xiu Yijian heard the word ��recommendation��, she felt so excited. ��I just need that recommendation, and I will prove myself for the rest of it.��


    Xiu Yijian knew where An Xiaoyan went because she happened to run into Gao Shan driving madly on the road that day. She heard a little about what had happened to Gu Jing. In business, many cheat or outwit the other. In fact, she was glad that Gu Jun was elected as the new chairman. It was better than Gu Jing being elected, someone whom she was not familiar with. She took a little notice and finally found that An Xiaoyan got on a coach and left.


    ��Tell me, where is he? I��ll give you what you want.��


    ��He went to B City, but I��m not sure if he��s still there.��


    B City was not far from A City. It was slightly south, not as economically developed as A City. As far as he knew, An Xiaoyan had no one to rely on there. Why would he go there?


    No, he does have people to depend on. Maybe Liu Cheng told him to come over? Maybe a classmate is there?


    Ten thousand possibilities surfaced in Gu Jun��s mind, with each situation full of unknown factors. It felt as if An Xiaoyan could elope with someone else in the next second.


    ��Tomorrow you can go to the design department. I��ll inform them in advance. And you are not allowed to tell anyone about it.��


    Xiu Yijian left right away to achieve her goal. Gu Jun was ready to go straight to B City, along with Chen Chen.


    When they reached B City, they got out of the car and the air felt a little humid. How could they find An Xiaoyan in such a big city?


    ��Let��s go to the Public Security Bureau first and ask someone to see if An Xiaoyan has ever been here. We��ll write down all the information about the people around him and verify our clues one by one.��


    After Chen Chen wrote it all down, he could not understand why Gu Jun was so anxious to come to B City. In fact, it would make no difference had he just waited at home.


    Gu Jun answered, ��Every time I come to a place where An Xiaoyan has been, I feel closer to him.��


    Spring in the south was warmer. The fragrance of flowers on all sides infused the air. Gu Jun lay in the hotel room, waiting for the news of An Xiaoyan.


    A day without his news�� He would wait for another day. A week without his news, he would wait for another week. One day, he will find An Xiaoyan.


    ��


    ��Brother, you��re leaving so soon. You��ve only been here for two days!�� Dong Zi said as he pouted.


    ��I��ve troubled the two of you long enough. You are a couple now; the two of you should lead a good life together,�� said An Xiaoyan as he put his clothes back into a big bag, hugging Wonton in his arms.


    After resting for only two days, they had to be on the road again. Wonton was tired out and rested its head on An Xiaoyan��s arm, dozing off for a nap.


    ��Brother, if you really want to go, we will not stop you, but you must accept this little token of ours.�� Ye Qing stuffed a small paper parcel in An Xiaoyan��s bag. From the outline of it, it looked like a bag of money.


    ��What are you doing!�� An Xiaoyan had one hand holding Wonton and the other hand rejecting their charity. Wonton changed its posture and meowed to express its dissatisfaction.


    ��Brother, you need some money with you when you are out alone.��


    An Xiaoyan insisted on rejecting their money, ��The two of you are going to buy a house soon. You should save this money and not spend it indiscriminately.��


    ��Think of it as your commission as a matchmaker. Brother, if I hadn��t known you, I wouldn��t have met Ye Qing and we would have never been together.�� Dong Zi stuffed the money into An Xiaoyan��s bag. He knew that An Xiaoyan had no money on him and he wanted to help An Xiaoyan out as much as he could.


    ��Now you can��t go anywhere without money. Take it, Brother. You don��t have to worry about your livelihood if you have some money with you.��


    It was all about money. As the saying goes, ��Men die in pursuit of wealth; birds die in pursuit of food��; having no money would likely mean that he might starve someday in the future.


    An Xiaoyan took a deep breath and hugged them. ��Alright, thank you. I��ll come back to visit the two of you when I have time.��


    Before, he always thought it would be good to own a small house of his own somewhere and spend his life peacefully, but now, he just wanted to wander away from the world.


    He had no skills and no plans for his future. Thus, he could only live a day at a time.

 Chapter 87 - Veterinarian

    Translator: Larbre Studio  Editor: Larbre Studio


    If he went south of B City, he would really be in the south. He��d lived in the north his entire life and had never seen the sea. He wanted to experience a different life on the island.


    He bought bus tickets again and boarded one to a seaside city. After getting off, An Xiaoyan went straight to the pier. It was already getting dark. He wanted to reach the island before night.


    ��Those buying tickets, prepare your ID card beforehand,�� the worker in the front yelled. ��This is the last ferry for today.��


    They needed ID cards. An Xiaoyan had been riding buses these days because he didn��t want to leave any trace. If he used his ID card, he would expose himself.


    This was a large pier. The ferries were heavily regulated. This meant that if he wanted to go to the island, he��d have to use his ID card.


    But actually, what was he scared of? Gu Jun said that he��d already forgiven him. It was okay if Gu Jun found him after all. They��d already become strangers.


    An Xiaoyan handed his ID card over without hesitation. The worker glanced at him. ��Watch your cat. Don��t let it pee on the ferry.��


    An Xiaoyan took his ID back and nodded.


    The island seemed close, but the ferry actually took a lot of time.


    The night breeze blew softly. Many people enjoyed the moon on the deck. The end of the ship also created some waves. An Xiaoyan got a bit seasick right as he got on. The ferry shook too violently. Suppressing his urge to throw up, An Xiaoyan hugged Wonton tightly and sat in his seat.


    The city lights grew further and further away. This meant that the flourishing cityscape would disappear. The neon lights were like a symbol. They symbolized the life that An Xiaoyan had bid farewell to.


    After sitting for a while, An Xiaoyan��s seasickness faded a bit. He brought Wonton with him to the deck. Seeing the couples made him seem lonely.


    ��Wonton, you��re going to live a hard life with me now. Shrimp, fish��you gotta say bye-bye to those high-class cans now.��


    Wonton seemed to understand An Xiaoyan��s words. It struggled free from his arms and landed on the deck. The group of girls nearby all came to look at the pretty orange tabby. They took out sausages to feed it too.


    ��Wonton, come back.��


    Wonton looked at the sausage and then at An Xiaoyan. It lowered its head to pick up the sausage and returned to An Xiaoyan��s side.


    An Xiaoyan squatted to pet Wonton��s head. Wonton put the sausage in An Xiaoyan��s hand.


    ��You eat it. You haven��t eaten good food these days. Just don��t go to the bathroom here.��


    After getting its owner��s permission, Wonton gobbled it up. Getting full, it lay inside An Xiaoyan��s arms like an old man.


    The island grew closer and closer. A while later, the ferry landed.


    The moment he stepped foot on the ground, An Xiaoyan looked back at the mainland. Goodbye.


    An Xiaoyan planned to look for a hotel first. Then he would find a suitable place to rent.


    The island was nowhere as lively as the big mainland cities. It was only eight, but many stores were already closed.


    An Xiaoyan asked around and found the busiest street. He got a single room and the man and his feline friend went in. As soon as they entered, the cat ran into the bathroom. An Xiaoyan let it play around. He took out the money. There were 20,000 dollars.


    Ah, they were too thoughtful.


    Just as An Xiaoyan fell asleep, Wonton climbed onto An Xiaoyan��s chest and walked around. This was strange. It was usually very obedient.


    An Xiaoyan put the cat under the blankets, but it poked its head out again. This was a bit unusual. Thinking that Wonton wasn��t used to the new environment, An Xiaoyan didn��t think much about it. A while later, he heard vomiting.


    Wonton was throwing up on the side of the bed. It vomited all the sausage that it had eaten at night. After that, it started vomiting bile.


    An Xiaoyan hurriedly put on his clothes. Carrying the limp cat, he went to the front desk.


    ��Is there a pet store nearby?��


    ��Yes, but it��s probably closed now.��


    Seeing how Wonton was breathing with difficulty, An Xiaoyan said, ��It��s ok. Going to check is better than just sitting here.��


    The staff warm-heartedly gave him directions. An Xiaoyan carried the cat to the pet store.


    As expected, the store had been closed for a long time. An Xiaoyan stood outside and called for a long while without any reply.


    Wonton was breathing heavily now. This little thing had only been with An Xiaoyan for a few months, but he felt that he could vent to Wonton. The cat wouldn��t extend its claws, no matter what. This was a sign of trust.


    His shouting woke up the family next door. After they calmed down, he noticed a phone number on the pet store��s door. He took out his phone and called. The phone rang; An Xiaoyan��s heart pounded.


    ��Hello?�� said the voice on the other end.


    ��Wonton��s sick and needs a doctor. Please come right now.��


    ��Cat or dog?��


    ��An orange tabby.��


    Ji Lin didn��t really want to work at night, but he placed importance on these small lives. ��Okay, wait a minute. I��ll be there as soon as possible.��


    ��Thank you. Thank you.��


    After hanging up, the night was even more silent. An Xiaoyan sat outside the pet store with his cat. He seemed so small.


    ��It��s all my fault. If I didn��t take you away, you��d be at Gu Jun��s house. You won��t be in a state where you can��t even find a doctor at midnight.��


    Wonton did its best to purr as if comforting An Xiaoyan.


    Within 20 minutes, a moped drove over from the distance and stopped at the pet store��s entrance.


    ��When you get in, put the cat on the table.�� Ji Lin opened the door and turned on all the lights. As soon as the lights turned on, the countless animals woke up. Cat and dog yowls filled the room.


    ��Boxer, don��t bark. It sounds so bad.��


    ��Snowy, go to sleep. You want another shot?��


    ��Cutie, your owner will take you back tomorrow.��


    An Xiaoyan��s first impression of Ji Lin was that he really loved animals. Otherwise, the dogs and cats wouldn��t be so excited when they saw Ji Lin, and they wouldn��t quiet down at his words. They seemed to have been trained.


    ��Did it eat anything recently?�� Ji Lin asked, patting Wonton��s stomach.


    ��Sausages.��


    ��Anything else?��


    ��No.��


    ��I mean, what did he eat yesterday and the day before?��


    An Xiaoyan thought back. ��Some leftovers.��


    ��What did he eat before that? Around half a month ago?��


    ��Half a month ago, he only ate cat food.��


    ��Okay, no big deal. Just get some medicine later. You can put him here tonight.��


    Hearing that it was okay, An Xiaoyan relaxed. He was really afraid that Wonton would die. ��What��s wrong with it?��


    ��Pets can��t always eat human food. There are a lot of seasonings and pigments. This cat is clearly used to eating cat food. Now, its standard of living has suddenly gone down. It��ll definitely get sick. Its stomach can��t take it.��


    So An Xiaoyan had hurt it. ��How much is your cat food?��


    ��It��s one or two hundred for a bag. A bag lasts half a month. It��s the staple food. You also need to add other food.��


    An Xiaoyan stopped speaking. He didn��t have much money. Raising a cat was expensive, but he didn��t want to abandon Wonton either. He was in a difficult state.


    Ji Lin had interacted with many pet owners before. Seeing An Xiaoyan��s expression, he immediately understood what was wrong.


    ��Did you run away from home or something? The cat seems healthy. It must have eaten well in the past.��


    ��It��s nothing. To be honest, I don��t have much money. I can��t buy such high quality cat food.��


    Everyone had sympathy, but one couldn��t use it all the time. There were many people that couldn��t afford the vet. Ji Lin didn��t say anything else. The cat was still doing the IV drop and lying on the bed with a tilted head. An Xiaoyan sat on the side quietly.


    Ji Lin wasn��t busy, so he checked the animal patients from the day. He glanced at An Xiaoyan every now and then. He looked attractive and had a good temperament. He might be some young master.


    ��The IV drop is 350. Come pay now.��


    An Xiaoyan dug out 400 from his pocket and signed his name on the bill.


    ��Just wait. When the IV is done, you can go home.��


    ��Okay.��


    The light was on, so a lot of the animals didn��t sleep. They stared at An Xiaoyan with wide eyes. Wonton was sleeping, so it probably wouldn��t notice that he was peeking at the other animals. An Xiaoyan quietly circled the pet store and his mood improved. He��d read some books about animals at Gu Jun��s house and had some knowledge about them.


    Ji Lin kept staring at An Xiaoyan. This guy was strange. He seemed to really like these animals.


    ��You look like you just graduated from university. It must be hard to raise a cat, right?��


    An Xiaoyan turned around. ��I��m 26 already.��


    He totally looked to be around 22 or 23 years old. How could he be 26? Ji Lin wanted to lecture him and act like an older brother, but An Xiaoyan was actually older than him.


    ��Where do you work?��


    ��Currently unemployed.��


    Ji Lin stopped asking. How could someone who looked so poised be unemployed? Apparently, he didn��t know how to judge people.


    The two stopped talking for the night. After Wonton finished the IV drop, An Xiaoyan brought the cat back to the hotel. Ji Lin didn��t say anything else. He closed the store and went straight home.


    After the busy night, Wonton reverted to its lively state the next day. An Xiaoyan poured out some cat food for Wonton. He decided that even if it��s harder for him, he couldn��t let Wonton get sick again. After all, the hospital fee was more expensive.


    In the morning, the seaside city��s style was obvious. The scent of the sea filled the air. The island was a good vacation spot. The view was pretty, but there weren��t many people. The pressure for finding work wasn��t that high either.


    An Xiaoyan had wanted to apply for a job at a restaurant, but he somehow ended up as the front desk clerk of a hotel. Thankfully, the work was easy and the salary was quite high. It was enough for a man and his cat.


    After finding a job, An Xiaoyan started looking for a room near his work. He would take any room as long as it had a small balcony.


    This place wasn��t as developed as the big city. Most of the buildings were small residences. The highest was only six stories.


    After running around the whole day, An Xiaoyan finally found a place. It had one room and one bathroom. The room was spacious and had a small balcony. It only cost 1000 per month, but the landlord requested that he helps take care of the flowers on the rooftop.


    It was typical for old buildings to plant things on the roof It was common in the city too. When An Xiaoyan reached the top, he was surprised. It was filled with cockscombs, tuberoses, and a small frame wrapped in grapevines.


    The landlord had said that the people before promised they would water the plants but neglected to do so. He would check whenever he was back from a business trip. If the plants weren��t taken care of, he would kick the people out.


    This was a true idyllic life. He could take care of these plants while working without worry.

 Chapter 88 - Meet Again

    Translator: Larbre Studio  Editor: Larbre Studio


    ��Meow���� Wonton seemed to have made a new discovery and played carefully in the grass on the balcony. When An Xiaoyan finally paid attention to it, it had turned from a ginger cat to a black cat, with its claws and body covered of dirt.


    ��Wonton, I��ll give you a bath this evening!��


    Wonton jumped out at once and dropped a little grasshopper from his mouth into An Xiaoyan��s hand.


    An Xiaoyan did not mind. After taking it, he threw it back into the grass and carried Wonton downstairs.


    The rented house was on the sixth floor. It was inevitable that it would feel a little hot in the summer. Fortunately, it did not bother An Xiaoyan at all. He placed Wonton down and started to clean the house.


    Every step taken by Wonton would leave behind a dirty paw print on the clean floor, thus An Xiaoyan had no choice but to throw it into the bathroom.


    After mopping the floor, An Xiaoyan placed Wonton in a basin of water and bathed it.


    Cats were not born to love water and Wonton was no exception. However, it must have known that it would smell good after a wash, as it did not struggle and allowed An Xiaoyan to ��serve�� it.


    An Xiaoyan looked at its unwilling face and smiled casually. His actions were gentle. When Guo Guo was young, he had always bathed Guo Guo and the boy would always have this expression. No matter how unwilling Guo Guo was, he would endure silently.


    After all, he watched Guo Guo grow up. Although they had only spent one year together, his feelings for Guo Guo were real. He would never marry in this life, let alone have his own children.


    The brief unpleasantness lasted only a few seconds. An Xiaoyan found a hairdryer from the cabinet and dried Wonton��s fur, then continued to clean the place up.


    When evening came, An Xiaoyan was tired out and the place finally looked like home. Wonton was lying on the sofa, moving from time to time and then going back to sleep.


    The balcony was not big. After An Xiaoyan finished packing up the place, he laid on the balcony��s floor to enjoy the cold breeze. From where he was, he could see the coastline and some stars far away.


    Sitting in the balcony alone, he thought a lot. He felt that the life he was leading now was what he wanted. He had no desire or wants, and had a job to support him.


    With Wonton accompanying him, he was not too lonely.


    When it dies, I will just bury it here.


    Hopefully the cat makes it another 40 years or so. By then, I should have saved enough money to buy a grave for it.


    ��


    As soon as Gu Jun arrived in B City, Chen Chen was informed that An Xiaoyan��s identity card had been used in a coastal city.


    After waiting for so long, there was finally news of An Xiaoyan. Gu Jun was so excited that he secretly wiped away his tears. He had always regarded himself as a man of the highest position, but since meeting An Xiaoyan, he had become a little girl, always feeling lovesick.


    ��Tomorrow we��ll go there, without any delay.��


    Chen Chen knew that Gu Jun was determined to find An Xiaoyan. However, Gu Jun might not be able to fulfill his wish at the moment.


    ��Old Mr. Gu wants you to go back and get engaged to Miss Xiu.��


    ��When did that come up?��


    ��This morning����


    Huh? What engagement? He had already given Xiu Yijian what she wanted. In short, they had nothing to do with each other now.


    ��Just say that I don��t want to go back for the time being and will discuss my engagement sometime later. If he asks for the reason, just say that since I have just accepted the chairman��s job, I am devoting all my time to it.��


    Gu Jun took a deep breath when he arrived at the dock of the coastal city. He felt that the air was filled with the scent of An Xiaoyan.


    ��Computer records show that An Xiaoyan took a boat from here the day before yesterday. He must have gone to the island.��


    ��Then let��s go as soon as possible.��


    The same boat left the port. Gu Jun had no idea what to expect and was feeling nervous on board. He did not know what to say when he would finally face An Xiaoyan.


    ��Chen Chen, if you are An Xiaoyan�� Now, you try to imagine you are in his position, and then listen to what I have to say and see if it is appropriate.��


    ��Alright.��


    ��An Xiaoyan, I��m very sorry for what I did before. Can you forgive me? No, can you forget those unpleasant things and stay with me? It��s still not right.��


    Chen Chen could understand Gu Jun��s thoughts and it was really tough to decide what to say.


    ��Mr. Gu, I think you can just act according to circumstances later. Mr. An is not the kind of person who will regard you as an enemy when he sees you. As long as you make your point clear, it will do.��


    Gu Jun took out a cigarette from his pocket and stopped before he lit it up. He remembered that smoking was not allowed on board a ship.


    ��I��m afraid he might treat me like a stranger.��


    Chen Chen also considered this possible as An Xiaoyan may feel that he has nothing to do with Gu Jun anymore.


    After getting off the boat, the scenery was really beautiful. There were only a few people on the distant beach, which was no worse than the famous foreign beaches Gu Jun used to go to.


    ��Let��s ask one family at a time. I��ll book a hotel for you first.��


    Gu Jun did not reject the idea. He was prepared to accept that finding An Xiaoyan was akin to finding a needle in a haystack. It would definitely take some time.


    ��I inquired. This is a famous hotel with a unique style.��


    ��Let��s book it then.��


    Two men went inside the hotel and Gu Jun asked for two rooms.


    An Xiaoyan was looking down at the room record when he heard a voice and froze. The voice sounded very familiar.


    Looking up at the moment, it was indeed someone familiar, but also someone he never wanted to see again.


    Gu Jun��s mood at the moment was akin to bumping into an old friend in a distant land. He thought it would take a lot of effort to find An Xiaoyan. In the end, the person he wanted to meet was right in front of him.


    ��What kind of rooms do you want?�� An Xiaoyan tried to calm down and look normal.


    ��Two business rooms.��


    ��Two identity cards, please.��


    Gu Jun and Chen Chen were asked to hand over their respective identity cards. Chen Chen handed his over directly while Gu Jun was nervous as he handed his over. Gu Jun stared at An Xiaoyan for about ten seconds before he let go of his identity card.


    Gu Jun��s hands could not stop shaking. Seeing Gu Jun again, An Xiaoyan still felt fearful. He keyed in the information into the computer and then put the room card on the desk.


    ��Take care.��


    Except for some minor mistakes, An Xiaoyan performed as if he were serving strangers. After Gu Jun left, An Xiaoyan wiped his sweat away and continued to sit upright.


    As soon as he entered the elevator, Gu Jun looked at the room card in his hand and said, ��He still hasn��t forgiven me.��


    ��It may not be possible for him to forgive within such a short time. Let��s wait and see.��


    After work, An Xiaoyan made sure that there was no one behind him while he was walking on the road, then he made his way to the vegetable market to buy vegetables and head home.


    In the narrow stairs, the sound of footsteps was very clear. An Xiaoyan suddenly stopped to check and did not hear anything. It seemed that he was just being oversensitive. Gu Jun, a busy man, may have come here for business. After all, Chen Chen was with him.


    Now Gu Jun, who was on the fourth floor, took a deep breath. He was almost scared to death. Fortunately, he reacted fast. Standing on tiptoe, An Xiaoyan continued to walk up. Right when he opened the door, a man jumped out from behind.


    ��Xiaoyan����


    What��s coming will come and you��ll just have to face it when it does. An Xiaoyan put the vegetables on the floor, turned around and said coldly, ��Mr. Gu, we have nothing to do with each other now.��


    ��I know, but I really miss you and can��t sleep well. I��ve come to see you.��


    ��Then you can go back now. I��m busy.��


    Wonton heard a voice in the room, jumped out of the room and lay at An Xiaoyan��s feet.


    ��Xiaoyan, even if we can��t be lovers, we can still be friends.��


    ��Mr. Gu, I��m a little receptionist. How can I be a friend of a big boss? I��ll call the police if you don��t get out of here.��


    In fact, the calling the police would not do Gu Jun any harm. Gu Jun just didn��t want to see their relationship worsen. Squatting down and touching Wonton, he said, ��I��ll leave now and I��ll be in the hotel for a few days. If there is anything, you can come and look for me.��


    As the sound of footsteps gradually faded away, An Xiaoyan closed the door and sat behind it, while Wonton lay beside him.


    Yesterday, he clearly thought that this would be a stable life now. Why did Gu Jun have to find me? It is impossible between us.


    An Xiaoyan��s mood was totally spoiled. He made some simple food to eat and lay in bed. Wonton noticed that he was in a bad mood and did not throw a tantrum but lay obediently at the side of the bed.


    ��Wonton, if he said that liked and loved me, why did he hurt me so much? If he hadn��t sent me to Nan Qiang, I might consider making friends with him, but now nothing is possible.��


    ��Meow����


    Sigh�� ��You��re a lazy glutton. What do you know?��


    At night, An Xiaoyan had many dreams. They included Gu Jun taking him to the amusement park to play�� Handing him a cup of milk tea�� Buying clothes�� Getting their hair cut�� Accompanying Guo Guo�� And in the end, he was awakened by the last scene of Gu Jun��s big face.


    It was dawn and only 5 a.m. Since An Xiaoyan was awake, he decided to get up. He took the sprinkler and went upstairs to water the plants. The morning dew rolled on the leaves. The distant sunset shone on the coastline and merged with the sea.


    Gu Jun sat at the door of a breakfast shop, looking at the figure on the sixth floor not far away, and every movement touched his heart.


    ��Go and buy a house and a car here. Then, go back to A City and bring the company��s documents here. I��ll live here for the time being. By the way, don��t check out of the hotel room yet.��


    Chen Chen was instructed to buy the earliest air ticket and prepare to return to A City.


    ��Have you finished your meal, sir?��


    ��Give me another basket of steamed buns.��


    Gu Jun would never eat at a street food stall. However, he did so very comfortably today, all to see that man from afar.


    He knew that if he were to disrupt An Xiaoyan��s life, An Xiaoyan would start to avoid him. Thus, he just needed to look from afar. It didn��t matter as long he had a chance to be closer to him.


    It was 6 a.m. when An Xiaoyan finished watering the plants. He fed Wonton and took a bath, then went downstairs to buy breakfast.


    Having lived here for two or three days, An Xiaoyan started to become familiar with the surrounding area. There were several breakfast shops across the street. First, he went to buy vegetables and came back just in time to buy breakfast. He would be working the evening shift today, thus had plenty of time in the day.


    Seeing An Xiaoyan coming down from the stairs, Gu Jun retreated. He did not want An Xiaoyan to think that he was waiting for him.


    After coming back from buying the vegetables, he saw that Wonton had just finished eating its cat food and was rolling on the sofa. Since he had some free time today, he planned to take Wonton to the vet for a review.


    Ji Lin had a deep impression of An Xiaoyan. When he saw that An Xiaoyan came again with the cat in his arms, he was wondering what had happened.


    ��I��m here for its review.��


    Ji Lin saw Wonton staring at him and gave it a checkup.


    ��Everything is normal. Just pay more attention to its diet and don��t let it eat anything else.��


    An Xiaoyan nodded. There were a total of three men in the pet hospital. Besides Ji Lin, two others were documenting the cases of the treated animals.


    ��Ji Lin, shall we go to the beach next Monday? Let��s barbecue some fish!�� A doctor said as he examined a cat.


    ��Sure, but you guys have to carry the ingredients this time. I am always the one who carries the ingredients; aren��t the two of you embarrassed to accept my kindness all the time?��


    When An Xiaoyan was ready to go, these words made him stop in his tracks. The first time he saw the beach, he was attracted to it. If he could make a trip there, he would be very satisfied. As he was not very familiar with the place, he dared not go alone. Moreover, he had never been to a beach before.


    ��Why haven��t you left yet? Your cat is fine. If there��s anything urgent, just give me a call,�� Jilin looked up and said to An Xiaoyan.


    ��No, it��s�� Can you take me with you to the beach?��


    It was the first time someone would take the initiative to ask to go to the beach. The little doctor next to Ji Lin gave a sly smile and said, ��Ji Lin, we will go to the back and check on the other pets. You two have a good chat.��


    ��Why do you want to go there?��


    ��I wish to go and play as I haven��t been there before.��


    Jilin finally understood why and thought An Xiaoyan was most likely a non-swimmer and was curious about going to the beach. ��Sure, since I am so kind. I��ll send you a message later on what to bring.��


    An Xiaoyan nodded gratefully and then asked, ��Wonton is at home alone and I��m worried. Can it go too? You can rest assured that it��s not afraid of water. When I bathe him, he never throws a tantrum.��


    Again, it was the first time Ji Lin had heard of someone bringing a cat to the beach. Jin Lin replied, ��Okay, but you must let us bathe him and check for worms when we are back from the beach, just in case it gets infected at the seaside.��


    ��Sure.��


    This person is still really strange. Two days ago, he looked like he was starving. But now, he looks so generous.


    When An Xiaoyan went back to work again, he paid special attention to his surroundings. After not seeing Gu Jun for a day, he felt at ease and kept telling himself that it was pure coincidence that he had run Gu Jun.

 Chapter 89

    Translator: Larbre Studio  Editor: Larbre Studio


    On Monday in the early morning, An Xiaoyan took his luggage and went to the pet store to wait. There weren��t many people at the store on Mondays. Sometimes, when there weren��t appointments, they would choose to go out and relax a bit.


    When Ji Lin arrived, he saw the small frame standing obediently at the door. He couldn��t help but think that this guy was too extreme. He was so serious about everything. He was 26 years old, but he was as honest as a student.


    The other two were called Da Zhou and Lin Nian. They were all professional veterinarians. Ji Lin was the owner of the store and hospital. The three were like brothers after working together for so long.


    ��Did you bring everything?��


    An Xiaoyan took off the bag with Wonton in it and then took a big backpack off of his shoulders. There was black pepper, pepper and all sorts of spices in it.


    ��Wow, you really know how to order people around,�� Lin Nian teased.


    ��No way! Plus, I brought the barbecue sticks. Didn��t you see?��


    When An Xiaoyan first heard about a barbecue by the sea, An Xiaoyan had been confused. There were places other than the beach to barbecue around here, but judging from how familiar the three acted, they probably had a plan.


    ��This is An Xiaoyan. His cat is our patient.��


    After they all became familiar, they departed. Da Zhou had driven his car. The group fit in comfortably.


    When they got on, Ji Lin wanted to sit in the front, but Da Zhou forced him to the backseat. He had to sit with An Xiaoyan.


    ��There aren��t many people at the beach here. There are even fewer on Mondays. There are only tourists during the summers, but we��re going to the natural beach. It��s on the far side of the island. There are some reefs and stuff. It has rocks and sand. It��s really pretty.��


    An Xiaoyan imagined the scene and found it magical. He thought this kind of image only existed on TV.


    Around an hour later, they found a spot in the parking lot. The three men and one cat got out of the car. They started walking toward the sea.


    The waves crashing against the beach and cliff echoed in An Xiaoyan��s ears. Ji Lin found a patch of shade and put the things under the tree. The shade was by the cliff. He could look down and see the surging waves.


    An Xiaoyan put his backpack down and dug out Wonton. He��d bought a cat leash just for this.


    Seeing the cat, Da Zhou and Lin Nian burst into laughter. Clutching his stomach, Da Zhou said, ��An Xiaoyan, you��re so funny. You really love your cat.��


    Wonton shrunk into An Xiaoyan��s arms after it was laughed at.


    ��Do we go down first?�� An Xiaoyan asked, hugging his cat.


    ��We��ll have fun first and buy some things to grill. It��s all rock here, so we don��t have to worry about fires. Da Zhou, you two set up the rack. Xiaoyan and I will go down.��


    Ji Lin put his hand on An Xiaoyan��s shoulder and pushed him toward the beach. An Xiaoyan wasn��t really used to having something on his shoulder. By the time he got used to it, they were already at the beach.


    There weren��t many people. They were scattered across the beach. There were some coconut trees. Many people lay in the shade.


    ��What will we do about your cat? We can��t keep watching it when we go play.��


    ��It��s okay. I��ll just sit by the sea. If you want to swim, just go.��


    When Ji Lin heard this, he stopped caring about An Xiaoyan and splashed into the water. An Xiaoyan found a rock in the back and sat down in the shade. Wonton sat obediently on the beach. With the sea breeze brushing past his face, An Xiaoyan relaxed as well.


    Below, Ji Lin had started swimming. His body was sometimes covered by waves and sometimes revealed again.


    The beach was very primitive. The waves would sometimes bring up seashells. There were also some hermit crabs running down the beach. Wonton stared at the speedy crabs in the distance. It pounced and grabbed a crab with its claws. Holding it in its mouth, it came to An Xiaoyan.


    An Xiaoyan held the crab in his hand and said, ��Go play, but don��t go far.��


    Getting its owner��s permission, Wonton started running up and down the beach. There were many creatures on the beach. It chased after all of them.


    The tide rose and fell. The water sometimes reached An Xiaoyan��s feet and sometimes was far away. This place was really free.


    ��An Xiaoyan, come down!�� Ji Lin called from the water. ��Tell Da Zhou to look after your cat!��


    Da Zhou and Lin Nian had finished setting up the grill. When Da Zhou heard Ji Lin��s words, he grabbed Wonton and told An Xiaoyan to go down.


    ��My clothes?��


    ��Take them off and put it on the rocks. The sun��s bright. Your body will dry quickly.��


    An Xiaoyan looked at the people on the beach and checked again, ��Take them off here?��


    ��Do you live under a rock or something? The beauties on the beach all wear bikinis. So what if you��re wearing boxers? You��ll still be taking advantage of them.�� Da Zhou was a loud guy and spoke straightforwardly.


    ��Alright.��


    An Xiaoyan walked to the front of a rock. He made sure no one was around and then carefully took off his clothes. He folded them and put them on the rock. Then he limped forward.


    He was cautious before strangers, but Ji Lin had healed Wonton before. He never asked about An Xiaoyan��s leg, as if he walked like a normal person, so he let his guard down.


    Someone who didn��t mock others couldn��t be a bad person.


    The water first went past his ankles, then his knees. Finally, his lower half was in the water. It was cool. He didn��t feel hot even with the sun beating down.


    ��An Xiaoyan, swim over!�� Ji Lin waved from the distance.


    Putting his head into the water, An Xiaoyan imagined that he was a fish. The floatation of the water lifted his body. He suddenly remembered Gu Jun holding him up from the bottom. It was Gu Jun who��d taught him how to swim.


    He suddenly crashed into something. An Xiaoyan was hanging on Ji Lin. ��I admit you��re attractive, but you don��t have to jump into my arms.��


    ��It was an accident.�� An Xiaoyan wiped the water on his face.


    ��You��re a pretty good swimmer. Seems like you had a good teacher.��


    The casual words felt awkward to An Xiaoyan. ��Let��s swim for a bit. I��m worried about leaving Wonton on the beach.��


    ��Sure, we��ll just swim back and forth. We��ll get to land first and then come back. When we��re tired, we can have a barbecue.��


    There was a man on the reef. He wore swim trunks, revealing his muscular upper body. He watched the two swimming figures while gripping the rock tightly.


    Gu Jun admitted that he was jealous. He��d taught An Xiaoyan how to swim so they could swim together one day. Why was he swimming with a stranger now? Plus, why was An Xiaoyan��s cat in another man��s arms? He didn��t hear An Xiaoyan mention that he had relatives here. Were they classmates?


    Da Zhou and Lin Nian didn��t know how to swim. They could only play barefoot on the beach and occasionally step in the water. Da Zhou also yanked up some grass to tease Wonton with.


    Wonton went wherever the grass went.


    ��Lin Nian, look how dumb this cat is. It doesn��t know anything.��


    Before he got a reply, a tall figure grabbed the cat. Someone was actually stealing a cat so publicly. It wasn��t even a rare breed. Probably only the cat��s fat was a bit valuable.


    ��What��s wrong with you? Give the cat back!��


    Gu Jun took off his shades. He held Wonton, not planning on letting go. ��This is my cat. Right, Wonton?��


    Meow


    Was An Xiaoyan a cat-napper? Da Zhou didn��t think so. He looked really honest.


    ��Ji Lin, get back here.��


    Gu Jun brought Wonton to a coconut tree. He lay on the chair and drank coconut juice. He wanted An Xiaoyan to notice him. What was he doing with a man in the sea?!


    Since Ji Lin was called back, An Xiaoyan also went to the beach. ��What��s wrong?��


    ��Someone stole the cat. He��s laying right there.�� Da Zhou pointed into the distance.


    An Xiaoyan recognized him immediately. The man was extremely familiar. ��You guys start grilling. I��ll be back.��


    An Xiaoyan hurried toward Gu Jun. He��d thought that Gu Jun had left. It seemed that he was too na?ve.


    Gu Jun ate a slice of watermelon from his plate, but under his sunglasses, his eyes were fixated on the incoming man.


    ��My cat.��


    ��I saw them put your cat under the sun, so I brought it over.��


    ��Thanks.�� An Xiaoyan went to take Wonton, but when he turned, Gu Jun pulled him back.


    ��An Xiaoyan, come back. Don��t stay here anymore. If you like the beach, I can take you to Hawaii.��


    An Xiaoyan furrowed his brows. ��Let go!��


    ��Xiaoyan, come back. Don��t you know how my heart hurts? You can yell at me, but don��t be so cold. We can still be friends.��


    ��Mr. Gu, you said you��ve forgiven me.��


    Gu Jun was rendered speechless. Was An Xiaoyan telling him that they couldn��t even meet anymore?


    An Xiaoyan shook Gu Jun��s hands away and brought the orange tabby back to the barbecue. He was very heartless. He didn��t show any intention of looking back.


    The moment he turned away, An Xiaoyan was actually in pain too. He really wanted to ask about Guo Guo, but once he did, everything would change. He had to be heartless to himself and reiterate that none of this was related to him anymore.


    He returned to the rock from before. Ji Lin had started grilling. An Xiaoyan put on his clothes. Placing Wonton on the side, he went to help.


    ��Where did the food come from?��


    ��They sell it here��fish, meat, seafood and all that,�� Ji Lin said. ��We just bought some. Lin Nian is amazing at grilling.��


    ��Okay. Calculate how much it costs and I��ll pay you back.��


    While the other two were focused on grilling, Ji Lin asked softly, ��Who was that guy? He��s covered in name brands. He looks rich.��


    ��Nobody.��


    Ji Lin��s gossipy side showed. ��Oh, oh. You��re hiding something. Hurry and say if he��s your ex or something.��


    An Xiaoyan reddened. His face was as red as a lobster. ��No,�� he refuted. ��I just went to get the cat back.��


    ��Oh, really.��


    Before An Xiaoyan could speak, Gu Jun came over and sat beside An Xiaoyan. ��The food seems nice. I��ll pay and treat you all.��


    ��Sure.��


    ��No!��


    Ji Lin glanced at An Xiaoyan. ��Why not? You don��t want free lunch?�� Anyone could see that these two were being strange.


    ��Then I won��t hold back.��


    Gu Jun grabbed a raw fish and started grilling it. He turned it at times and sprinkled on spices. A while later, the tasty fragrance was everywhere.


    ��Hey, bro, you seem skilled at this.��


    ��I often went camping in America, so I learned. I didn��t really study it. I guess it��s just that practice makes perfect.��


    After he finished grilling, Gu Jun handed a skewer straight to An Xiaoyan. ��Eat it. Just eat all the meat and leave the other stuff. Be careful not to get stuff caught in your throat.��

 Chapter 90 - Strange

    Translator: Larbre Studio  Editor: Larbre Studio


    An Xiaoyan did not answer. Gu Jun��s behaviour surprised him somewhat. Where is Gu Jun, who used to be violent and cruel?


    ��Eat it quickly. It��s not as delicious when it gets cold.��


    ��Gee. The acidic smell of love!�� Da Zhou muttered.


    ��If you have the ability, you should find someone to spoil you.��


    An Xiaoyan took the fish and nibbled at it. Wonton smelled the fragrance of the fish and kept meowing, and staring at the fish with its big eyes.


    ��You can only take one bite, or you might fall ill.��


    He tore a piece of meat from the fish��s belly and threw it to Wonton. Wonton ate in large mouthfuls.


    ��To tell you the truth, I thought you may like An Xiaoyan.�� Da Zhou whispered in Ji Lin��s ear.


    ��Bullshit, I��m straight,�� Ji Lin had never entertained such a thought. He just felt that An Xiaoyan was good-looking, and in appreciation of his beauty, he took better care of him. ��Don��t talk nonsense. He already has someone, how could you compare him to us, wanderers? Besides, look at the rich man over there. That guy��s outfit is more expensive than my car. Stop joking about this.��


    Honestly, Ji Lin had never entertained such a thought. In fact, he was glad that he hadn��t. Even if he did like An Xiaoyan, there would be no way that he could compete with that other guy.


    The three of them intentionally went to one side and left some space for Gu Jun and An Xiaoyan.


    ��Do you like chicken wings? Let��s barbecue some chicken wings. This squid looks good too.��


    In the eyes of outsiders, the two of them were definitely good friends even if they were not lovers. But in the eyes of An Xiaoyan, that wasn��t the case. Gu Jun must have done all these with a purpose.


    ��What are you doing here?��


    ��I��m just here to see you and see if you��re doing okay.�� With one hand, he was still flipping the chicken wings, and the fragrance permeated the air again.


    ��Gu Jun, I beg you, please don��t.��


    Gu Jun did not reply and went on barbecuing. After a while, he heard sobs.


    When he looked up, An Xiaoyan was already full of tears.


    ��Why are you treating me this way? Before, you treated me so cruelly. I begged you and you refused to let me go. Now, you say that you are here to see if I am doing okay. Can you understand how I feel? You proclaimed that you like me, but why are you driving me to the brink? Do I have to love an enemy? I have planned to be single all my life. Anyway, I have no family and friends.��


    It took an enormous amount of courage to say these words. Gu Jun listened to these words quietly and put the cooked meat that he was holding on a plate.


    ��I understand it now. I��ll leave right away. You remember to eat the meat while it��s hot. It��s not so delicious when it gets cold.��


    When he walked to Ji Lin, he did not forget to say, ��I have placed a sum of money in the store. Next time, when you guys come for a barbecue again, you don��t have to pay. It��s my treat to all of you.��


    After saying those words, An Xiaoyan felt good. After eating the food which Gu Jun barbecued, he sat on the reef with Wonton in his arms.


    The afternoon weather did not feel as hot as in the morning, and the summer heat had already dissipated, which made it more pleasant than noon.


    Ji Lin and the others did not dare to go forward and ask what had happened. They simply looked at the back view of An Xiaoyan.


    ��There seems to be a great emotional dispute between them.�� Da Zhou took a bite of the barbecued squid and expressed his opinion.


    ��Let��s not stick our noses in. Go and ask how much money the rich man placed at the store,�� Ji Lin instructed Lin Nian. ��Somehow, I have a feeling that it is not a small sum.��


    Lin Nian came back soon after he left, and gestured with his ten fingers.


    ��One hundred?�� Da Zhou guessed.


    Lin Nian shook his head.


    ��One thousand? If not, ten thousand. It can��t be more than that. How costly can a meal of seafood cost?��


    Lin Nian put down his hands and said, ��It��s one hundred thousand.��


    One hundred thousand dollars for a seafood meal?! This person seemed too generous. Ji Lin lamented, ��This amount is enough to have a lifetime of seafood. Being rich must be so nice.��


    An Xiaoyan sat on the reef and stretched his feet into the ocean water, looking out into the distance.


    He felt so useless to cry in front of so many people. But he could not help it, and the grievances he had suffered were vented out all at once.


    Wonton stood on the reef and beneath the surface of the water lay a small sea hare. It wanted to grasp it with its claws but did not want to go into the water. He could only look at it with his claws touching the surface of the water.


    An Xiaoyan reached out to pick up the sea hare and put it on the reef. Wonton hit it directly with its claws.


    Gu Jun was also feeling melancholy. He sat in the car and recalled his behavior over the past few days. It all did seem a little impulsive.


    The initial loss made him feel uneasy and panicked. After he finally found An Xiaoyan, he was too eager to approach the man, which proved to be counterproductive. An Xiaoyan��s hostility to him was still there. It was akin to facing a tortoise. The closer you get to it, the more frightened it is. Finally, it can only retreat into its shell and behave indifferently towards you.


    Fortunately, the day could still be considered fruitful since he was able to determine that those people had no connections to An Xiaoyan.


    ��Chen Chen, how is the company doing?��


    ��Everything is normal, but old Mr. Gu seems to be a little dissatisfied. After all, recently, you have been making up excuses and saying that you are on a business trip. He thinks that you are trying to avoid Miss Xiu and are ignoring your work.��


    ��Don��t worry about that for now. Is Guo Guo doing fine?��


    ��Young Master is doing well. The nanny said that he has been asking for Mr. An every day.��


    He was neither a qualified father nor a qualified lover.


    In the past, he was filled with boundless enthusiasm, and many things were done according to his wishes. Recalling the year he had spent with An Xiaoyan, his temper was much more restrained, as if he had grown up overnight.


    A house had already been purchased here, and now as long as An Xiaoyan does not leave, he could be here to accompany him.


    Initially, they planned to go home before dark, but since An Xiaoyan was in a bad mood, Ji Lin decided to take An Xiaoyan to enjoy the sea breeze to make him feel better.


    It was his first time walking on the beach at night and many small animals had crawled up onto the beach. This side of the beach was a semi-natural ecosystem. Those little creatures were not afraid of people.


    ��What do you do for work?��


    ��I��m working at the front desk for a hotel.��


    Ji Lin nodded and said, ��Do you want to consider coming to work at our hospital? We are currently short-handed with just the three of us. You can be in charge of documenting the cases of the sick little animals and their meals. As for your salary, I will not pay you less than the hotel front desk. Moreover, you have so much love for animals, this job won��t be any worse than your job in the hotel.��


    An Xiaoyan quickly refused the job offer as he was not professionally trained. What would he do if something happened to the animals?


    ��I know your apprehension. But you just need to help bathe the animals, sell some kibble and so on. There are all simple things. As long as you are willing to learn, you��ll be able to master the job within a year. After all, no one is self-taught.��


    An Xiaoyan was a little moved as leaving the hotel��s front desk would mean he could avoid bumping into Gu Jun. Besides, being with animals would probably make him happier.


    ��Come on, you can see how busy the three of us are. In fact, I was about to look for an apprentice.��


    After some hesitation, An Xiaoyan agreed.


    Everything seemed to be on track again.


    On the first day of work at the pet hospital, An Xiaoyan got up very early, watered the flowers, and hurried to the hospital.


    However, the pet hospital was not open yet and he had to wait outside. Da Zhou was the first to arrive and he opened the door, and then went to wash his hands.


    ��You should come and wash your hands too. Many pets here are sick and it��s easy to infect them if we don��t wash our hands. Just last week, we��d sent away a batch and now we are expecting a new batch of sick pets again.��


    Subsequently, Ji Lin and Lin Nian arrived and Ji Lin gave An Xiaoyan a key to the main door.


    Although it was a Tuesday, it was quite busy. First, a little female cat was brought in and had a B-ultrasound to find that she was pregnant. Fortunately, the owner was very happy. Da Zhou used the instruments to perform a checkup on the cat while An Xiaoyan pressed down the cat��s leg and Lin Nian document the case at the side.


    ��She is already two weeks pregnant. During this period of time, try not to take it out and let it wander around. It would be bad if she were to be frightened. Come back again for a review in two weeks�� time.��


    After paying the fees, the owner went away happily with the kitten in his arms.


    The whole morning was filled with people who brought along their pets and An Xiaoyan, a new worker, was tired out. One moment, he had to help out with the checkups, another moment he had to help document the cases. Some came specially to buy cat equipment.


    ��In the afternoon, people from the rescue group will come over. If there are customers, Da Zhou and I will take care of them. Lin Nian and Xiaoyan will take care of the cats from the rescue group.��


    At noon, they ordered takeout. An Xiaoyan ate slowly as usual, and ate very little at that. Da Zhou reminded him, ��Quick, eat more. In the afternoon, we will be busy like hell.��


    When the afternoon came, An Xiaoyan was glad that he had listened to the words of Da Zhou.


    The rescue group drove over with a car full of pets. There were about a dozen cats and more than ten dogs.


    ��What happened to these animals?��


    ��These are stray cats and dogs, as well as abandoned ones. We will do our best to check them every Tuesday afternoon, free of charge. There are still many people who do not cherish animals in this society.��


    The cats and dogs from the rescue group were usually kept in the yard. They follow people around constantly. An Xiaoyan used to be afraid of being scratched by the cats, but he was no longer scared of this anymore.


    ��Usually after we bathe them, they will be put in an adoption drive the next day. People who are qualified will be able to adopt them for free. But most of the time, people still feel that the animals from these rescue groups are not clean, and many people will prefer to go to the pet shops to buy the breed they most desire instead of adopting a pet.��


    An Xiaoyan could not help but sigh. If these people chose to adopt instead of buying, they would be helping to give a dog or a cat a warm home. Moreover, buying a pet costs a lot of money.


    The bathtub in the pet hospital was large and could pack a lot of animals at a time, but cats generally do not like to bathe. When they bathe the dogs, An Xiaoyan and Lin Nian would bathe one at a time.


    An Xiaoyan took a dog out from its cage. Lin Nian said that it was a little Kirky dog and it looked very lovely. An Xiaoyan put the dog under the shower head and it moved about excitedly, causing him to become completely soaked.


    ��Bathe the dog with the bath lotion. There��s a big hair dryer over there. Just blow it dry inside the bathtub.��


    An Xiaoyan bathed one after another, and his whole waist could not straighten up after washing several animals.


    Lin Nian knew that An Xiaoyan had not gotten used to it as it was his first time bathing the animals. With concern, he suggested, ��Later on, when you bathe the cat, you can place it directly in a tub instead of using the bathtub.��


    It was the kitten��s turn to bathe. Initially, An Xiaoyan was afraid that the cat might scratch him. In fact, it turned out that he had over thought it. Although the kitten was afraid of water, the water temperature made it feel very comfortable. Moreover, after so many days without bathing, the cat seemed to know that it would be clean after a bath and let An Xiaoyan clean it up. Besides, with the rubber gloves on, An Xiaoyan was even less worried about being scratched.


    They operated like a production line in a factory, with one person bathing the animals while the other would blow them dry. Three hours had passed until all the animals had been bathed.


    ��Later, we��ll have to help them to remove ear mites. Get Da Zhou here, this is his job.��


    An Xiaoyan took off his gloves and he felt as if his waist was going to be broken. He went to the front and called for Da Zhou.


    Seeing that there were not many customers left, Ji Lin chatted with An Xiaoyan, ��Are you tired out? Before you were here, the three of us would bathe the whole batch of animals. By the time we��d be finished, we��d feel as if we had bathed half our life away.��


    ��It��s indeed very tiring, but we did a good deed. Um�� Won��t bathing them for free increase our expenses?��


    ��In fact, these things do not cost much money. Veterinarians are also doctors. We feel that saving lives and treating injuries are our duties.��


    This remark reached An Xiaoyan��s ears, but it touched his heart.


    During his internship in his school days, a cardiologist once told him that many people in the world were after money and profit, but did they ever think that such a life was precious? With such a money-driven system and high medical costs, many people did not die of sickness, but poverty.


    ��In the future, I��ll bathe all of them. These animals are rather pitiful.��


    ��Okay, time��s up, you are off duty now. You can clock out while the rest of us will finish up the pending work. The professional stuff, you can��t be of any help.��


    An Xiaoyan packed up his things and left, not forgetting to look back at the lovely animals.

 Chapter 91 - Adoption

    Translator: Larbre Studio  Editor: Larbre Studio


    Gu Jun returned from the beach and went to his hotel. He��d lived there for a few days without seeing An Xiaoyan at the front desk. When he asked, he learned that An Xiaoyan had actually quit. He thought that it was highly possible that An Xiaoyan didn��t want to see him.


    Gu Jun began stalking him again. He started driving in the morning to keep his eyes on An Xiaoyan. Finally, he stopped at a pet store. The three that he��d seen at the beach eventually appeared.


    After today��s stalking, he now knows that An Xiaoyan works at the pet store. A car full of pets had stopped by the place, so he was probably very tired.


    When An Xiaoyan got out of work, his expression didn��t look good. Gu Jun suppressed his urge to rush up to him. He��d started stalking him again, but he hadn��t discovered anything. An Xiaoyan went straight home.


    Ji Lin was putting ointment on an animal. When he heard someone calling outside, he paused the procedure and went out.


    ��It��s you.��


    ��It��s me.��


    Ji Lin didn��t have a good impression of this man. ��What are you here for?��


    ��An Xiaoyan didn��t look good when he got off work. I want to know what happened.��


    Ji Lin couldn��t reveal his employees�� privacy, so he just said, ��It��s nothing. He��s just tired.��


    ��How much salary do you give him?��


    ��What are you to him? Why are you asking about everything?��


    ��I��m his fianc��.�� Gu Jun had also learned how to lie without reddening at all.


    ��But you guys don��t seem like it. You were arguing yesterday.��


    ��It��s normal for a couple to have some conflicts. I just want to know why he��s unhappy.��


    Ji Lin studied Gu Jun. Someone so rich probably wouldn��t want anything from An Xiaoyan. ��He just saw that so many pets don��t get adopted and probably became sad.��


    Gu Jun thought for a moment and took out a card. ��This is my reimbursement for the hospital. You can expand or raise salaries. I don��t care, but you must spend the money to these ends.��


    Ji Lin held the card. Even after Gu Jun had left, he still couldn��t process it. Rich people really threw away money like dirt!


    Gu Jun knew that An Xiaoyan was kind. If he could reach the most fragile part of An Xiaoyan��s heart, he would definitely be accepted.


    ��Go to some animal shelters.��


    Animal shelters were usually in the suburbs. It was already five o��clock now. Why go there?


    The driver didn��t dare ask. This boss gave him such a high salary. He didn��t want to lose his job just because of a question.


    The closest shelter was more than an hour away in a village yard. Gu Jun opened the door and walked in. All the cats and dogs surprised him.


    Seeing them, the woman asked, ��Are you two here to adopt an animal?��


    ��Do you have any that are hard to raise?��


    ��Yes. Are you sure you want to adopt the disabled ones?�� Someone had come to adopt these dogs before, but it was revealed that they wanted them for their meat. The woman had experienced it before, so now she was careful.


    ��Yes. The ones that are easy to raise will get adopted, but the others might be left here their entire lives. They��ll give you a burden. My significant other likes animals. We already have a cat. Let me show you some pictures.��


    Gu Jun had purposely saved many cute pictures of Wonton. Some were of it sleeping with all limbs in the air. Others were of it spacing off or being curious about its owner.


    ��If you don��t trust me, I can leave my number and address. You can come visit whenever you wish.��


    The woman still didn��t fully trust him. However, the animals were truly a burden. It was a good thing if someone was willing to adopt them.


    ��Come with me.��


    Gu Jun followed her in. As they reached the kennel, he could see that many animals were in cages. They were all close to dying and looked listless.


    ��The ones here are all old. We don��t want them to be bullied by the stronger ones, so we keep them here. If you really wish to adopt them, you can take this litter of cats.��


    Gu Jun glanced at them. They seemed to be of some pure breed. ��What��s wrong with them?��


    ��An old cat gave birth to them and they have defects. Two are lame, one is blind, and another is a runt. It��s too costly for me to keep them.��


    ��It��s okay as long as they don��t have a fatal disease. They can have some defects but still be easy to raise.��


    Perhaps because she could see that Gu Jun really wanted to adopt the animals, the woman was very grateful. It was better for these cats to find a new owner than to struggle here.


    ��


    As soon as An Xiaoyan opened the door, Wonton pounced on him like usual. He felt bad about Wonton��s excitement. He had to work to feed himself. He couldn��t stay home with Wonton every day.


    The animals at the shelter appeared in his mind again. If he had enough money, he would adopt as many as he could. However, it was already hard for him to take care of Wonton now.


    The animals at the shelter weren��t that hard to take care of. They weren��t picky about cat food either. It was just another responsibility.


    After the meal, An Xiaoyan brought Wonton to the balcony to stargaze. It was a clear night, so the stars twinkled in the sky. Wonton had gained weight again. An Xiaoyan guessed that he was around five pounds now. He��d bring it to the pet store to get weighed tomorrow. He felt that being too fat was bad.


    Knock, knock, knock��


    Only Gu Jun knew he lived here and had some sort of reason to stop by. Was he here again?


    Putting Wonton on the sofa, An Xiaoyan went to the door. He didn��t see anyone through the peephole. He was about to go back, but he heard something outside the door.


    He opened the door reflexively. There was no one there, but there was a box covered with a cloth. Lifting the cloth, he saw five kittens.


    Meow, one of the bigger ones called.


    Hearing a familiar call, Wonton ran out and looked at the kittens in the box.


    The kittens were so small and were at his door. If he didn��t take care of them, they��d probably starve to death.


    ��Wonton, these are your brothers and sisters. Daddy will take care of them. You can��t bully them. You have to act like an older brother.��


    Wonton meowed and An Xiaoyan brought the kittens in.


    When Gu Jun heard the door close, he walked out of the fifth floor. He saw that the box was gone, so he walked downstairs, satisfied. He knew that An Xiaoyan wouldn��t ignore those kittens. This was a good chance for Gu Jun to approach him.


    Three of the five kittens had defects, but An Xiaoyan didn��t mind. He wanted to go out and buy some goat milk for them.


    ��Wonton, watch your siblings. Don��t let them run out.��


    Wonton sat obediently and stared at the five kittens. It was like an older brother.


    An Xiaoyan bought goat milk from the supermarket and some syringes from a pharmacy. He then hurried home to feed the kittens.


    When he returned, Wonton was still watching the kittens like an older brother. An Xiaoyan rewarded him some beef jerky.


    He��d only read those veterinarian books before because he was bored, but they were actually useful now. Two of the cats wouldn��t even open their eyes. An Xiaoyan first wiped their faces clean with a towel and then started feeding them, one by one.


    ��You��re the biggest one, so you can be First Dumpling. And then we have Second Dumpling, Third Dumpling, Fourth Dumpling, and Fifth Dumpling. You must all stay together and grow up healthily. I don��t have money, but I��ll scrimp and save to take care of you all.��


    Thankfully, the five kittens all ate well. An Xiaoyan was less worried after seeing them drink their fill and sleep.


    Before sleeping, An Xiaoyan fed them again. The biggest one was probably a British Shorthair. It was a bit lame, but it drank milk very well. Its small mouth kept sucking at the syringe.


    The next day, An Xiaoyan got home to see another big box at the door. It was filled with cat food, litter, cans, and many toys.


    It seemed that someone wanted him to take these kittens. The cat food was the same that Wonton ate before. An Xiaoyan knew that Gu Jun had bought these things, but he still accepted it. The kittens would need them when they grew up. With his current salary, he couldn��t afford these good things at all.


    He��d hurried back at noon to feed the kittens. It��d been an hour and they were hungry again. The kittens seemed to remember who��d fed them. When they saw An Xiaoyan, they tried to run out of the box.


    ��Don��t worry. I��ll prepare your food now.��


    There were five extra kittens now, but An Xiaoyan didn��t neglect Wonton. He opened a can of wet food to reward Wonton and then started preparing the powdered milk.


    Meow. One started and the other cats all followed. The room was filled with meows.


    ��Stop calling. You��re so loud.�� Despite his words, An Xiaoyan��s expression was one of happiness.


    When Gu Jun saw that the things outside the door were gone again, he felt reassured. He couldn��t force feelings. He had to take it slowly.


    At bedtime, An Xiaoyan went to feed them. The smallest one only drank a few drops of milk. An Xiaoyan thought that it had eaten too much in the afternoon, so he didn��t think too much.


    In his sleep, he felt something stepping on his chest. It was getting stronger too. Finally, he woke up from it.


    Wonton was on his chest. When he woke up, it meowed.


    ��Be good. I need to sleep.�� An Xiaoyan put Wonton to the side. ��Sleep here.��


    An Xiaoyan flipped over to keep sleeping, but Wonton started meowing again. It swatted his back too.


    Wonton had never acted like this before. An Xiaoyan turned on the light. Wonton jumped down and went toward the living room.


    Meow, meow.


    Wonton went to the kittens�� box. An Xiaoyan looked inside. The other four were sleeping, but the smallest kept trying to climb out. An Xiaoyan reached over and it licked his hand. It was hungry.


    An Xiaoyan hurriedly made milk, but Fifth Dumpling stopped eating after a little bit. Its appetite was only half that of the others.


    It had health problems and was the smallest, so it probably needed many small portions.


    Of the five kittens, the oldest one was more than a month old while the youngest was probably half a month old. He couldn��t feed them the same way.


    By the time An Xiaoyan cleaned everything up, it was three o��clock. Wonton stayed behind An Xiaoyan.


    He scooped it up and let it sleep on the bed. An Xiaoyan was grateful to Wonton. If not for Wonton, the kitten would be hungry the entire night.


    It started storming in the morning. When An Xiaoyan checked the kittens, he saw the smallest was a bit off. It seemed listless, but it had already eaten at night.

 Chapter 92 - Thank You

    Translator: Larbre Studio  Editor: Larbre Studio


    An Xiaoyan placed the syringe at Fifth Dumpling��s mouth but it did not open its mouth to eat. It must have fallen ill.


    Without eating his breakfast, he rushed to the pet hospital with the kitten in his arms. As soon as he stepped out, thunderstorms and torrential rains spread all over the road. If he were to go out now, not only would he get wet, but the kitten would get wet as well.


    There was quite a distance between the place he stayed and the hospital, and hailing a taxi at this time was not easy. An Xiaoyan could only hope that the rain would subside a little so that he could hurry out.


    When Gu Jun went out in the morning, the rain was not as strong, but as soon as he stopped the car, a heavy downpour occurred.


    An Xiaoyan stood downstairs in a building opposite Gu Jun��s, pacing back and forth. He seemed to be holding something in his clothes and looked very anxious.


    ��Drive the car next to the man across the street.��


    An Xiaoyan waited for a long time and there was not a single car in sight. The cat seemed to have lost its warmth. He was afraid that if he were to wait another second, the kitten would leave him forever. It was cruel to see the cat leave this world before it even had a chance to grow up.


    A car parked across the street drove towards him. He waved his hand and the car stopped beside him. Without any hesitation, he pulled the car door open and went in.


    ��Go to the vet as soon as possible.��


    The driver drove forward. When An Xiaoyan calmed down a little, he turned and saw Gu Jun sitting next to him.


    ��Dry your hair or you��ll catch a cold.��


    The familiar voice made him fix his eyes on Gu Jun. His hand did not reach over to pick up the towel and his eyes were filled with doubt. Why is Gu Jun here, by chance or by design?


    When he needed help the most, Gu Jun was the first one there.


    ��Wipe yourself dry quickly.�� Gu Jun stuffed the towel into his hand; An Xiaoyan was in the passenger seat, dripping wet from head to toe. Helplessly, he lifted up the towel in his hand and wiped the hair on his forehead.


    The car quickly pulled to the side of the road, but as it was raining heavily today, the traffic was not smooth. Seeing that the animal hospital��s door had not yet opened, An Xiaoyan looked at the kitten in his arms at a loss.


    ��Do we wait here, or look for other pet hospitals?��


    ��Wait here, I��ll call Ji Lin.��


    Ji Lin was still stuck in the traffic due to the rain. After hearing An Xiaoyan��s description of the kitten��s condition, he told An Xiaoyan to go into the pet hospital and put the kitten in the incubator.


    ��Don��t get out first.�� Gu Jun went down with his umbrella and opened the car door on the side of An Xiaoyan. He sheltered An Xiaoyan with his umbrella and placed his hand on An Xiaoyan��s waist involuntarily to support him.


    After placing Fifth Dumpling in the incubator, An Xiaoyan sat down and waited for Ji Lin and the rest, hoping that one of them could arrive soon.


    ��Don��t worry, the kitten will be alright. It will be treated once they arrive,�� Gu Jun comforted him.


    An Xiaoyan cowered and nodded. He could not imagine how he would react if the kitten met its death.


    Fortunately, the rain outside had subsided a little and Ji Lin arrived soon after. He looked at the kitten in the incubator and gave it an injection after the diagnosis and treatment.


    ��The kitten is too weak. Let it stay here for observation first. It rained so heavily today that I did not intend to open for business today, but I had to rush down because of your phone call.��


    An Xiaoyan was embarrassed and apologized.


    Ji Lin looked at Gu Jun��s half-wet shoulder and thought that this man was really persistent.


    ��Xiaoyan, if there��s nothing else, I��m getting out of here. You can leave when the kitten is out of danger.��


    Gu Jun stood up and was about to leave. An Xiaoyan looked at the broad figure and softly said, ��Thank you.��


    After he completed his step, Gu Jun turned his head sideways and replied, ��You��re welcome, I ought to.�� On the surface, Gu Jun appeared so calm, but in the bottom of his heart, he was feeling so warm. After putting in so much hard work, he felt that all was worthwhile when he heard that ��thank you�� from An Xiaoyan.


    After Gu Jun left, Ji Lin��s gossip-heart came up again. ��That��s really your pursuer?��


    ��No.�� An Xiaoyan denied it.


    ��Gee, he cares about you so much and you think I can��t tell?��


    An Xiaoyan refused to admit it and went to check on the kitten every few minutes to make sure that it was not dead before feeling at ease. ��Don��t ask so many questions. I really have nothing to do with him.��


    Gu Jun said that he was his fiance and An Xiaoyan refused to admit that. This pair is rather interesting.


    It was raining cats and dogs in the morning, but just after noon, the sun came out. Fifth Dumpling woke up and mewed softly. An Xiaoyan went over to feed it.


    ��Where did this cat come from? I dare say your house is a cat��s nest.��


    ��There are six cats in my house now. Besides Wonton, there are five small ones.��


    Ji Lin was stunned when he heard that, as it was no easy feat to take care of six kittens.


    ��I take care of them willingly. Besides, if I don��t, these kittens would die. Not to mention anything else, as long as they are white and chubby, I��ll be satisfied just by looking at them.��


    Okay, mister, as long as you are happy. Anyway, Gu Jun is so rich that it��s not difficult to keep a house full of kittens.


    After this shock, An Xiaoyan would pay extra attention to the kittens from time to time. Every time he went home, he would check the kittens first to ensure that they were doing fine before doing anything else.


    Bang bang bang�� There was a knock at the door.


    From the peephole, An Xiaoyan saw Gu Jun standing outside the door. He really should be grateful for what Gu Jun had done for Fifth Dumpling.


    After opening the door, Gu Jun put a small box which he was holding on the ground. A puppy jumped out of the box and startled An Xiaoyan.


    ��This?��


    ��It is a dog from the rescue group. No one adopted it, so I sent it here.��


    An Xiaoyan put the dog back into the box and placed it outside the door. Then, he blocked the door frame with his body and said with a hint of anger, ��Gu Jun, I��m not running an animal shelter here. You keep sending wayward cats and dogs over here; I can��t afford to keep them all!��


    ��Why aren��t you addressing me as Mr. Gu like before?�� The focus of this question was not on the animals at all. An Xiaoyan did not know how to answer it for a moment.


    ��Xiaoyan, I just want to do my part. You used to keep Wonton and took such good care of it, so I was thinking if these animals were to be kept by you, they would also be well taken care of. Money is not a problem. I��ll pay for all that is needed. You just have to take care of them.��


    He could not find anything wrong with that statement. Gu Jun was sure that he would not give up raising these animals, thus he sent them over.


    ��In the future, if you have any other animals, just put them at the door. You don��t have to come in.��


    ��Since I��ve come in today, would you treat me to a meal?��


    An Xiaoyan put the puppy in the living room. The whole living room was bustling with noise and excitement. Five kittens had already gone running around the floor, while the puppy was getting familiar with the new environment and jumping on the sofa. Only Wonton was being a cool customer, lying alone on the sofa.


    Although Gu Jun entered the house, he did not dare to freely move around as he might get himself kicked out if he spoke too much and said the wrong thing. He could only accompany the kittens and puppy in the living room.


    In the kitchen, An Xiaoyan did not change the menu just because there was an additional person, and was still making the usual simple dishes.


    Soon, a portion of sweet and sour rib, tomato and egg soup and roasted eggplant were served.


    After the dishes were placed on the table, An Xiaoyan arranged two sets of bowls and chopsticks on the table.


    It was very quiet as nobody spoke. The food was delicious. When he was in the villa, An Xiaoyan often cooked. At that time, he did not feel anything special about the food. However, this time, he suddenly felt that this food was much better than anything else he had eaten before.


    ��You can leave after eating.��


    In this way, Gu Jun was chased out. Though he was not satisfied with the outcome, he agreed to leave.


    ��When I come around next time, I��ll bring you the dog��s necessities.��


    Nearing the entrance, when Gu Jun pushed open the door, behind him came a voice, saying, ��Gu Jun. Don��t ever come again.��


    When the door was closed, An Xiaoyan sat on the sofa with Wonton in his arms. He was confused. Why did he promise to take these animals in? It was he who gave Gu Jun a chance, but now he asked him not to come again.


    As Gu Jun reached downstairs, his mobile phone rang and he saw old Mr. Gu��s name on the screen.


    ��Come back quickly. You can��t be away from the company for such a long time even you are on a business trip. If you insist on not returning, how will you explain it to the board of directors when you eventually do come back?��


    ��Alright, I got it.��


    Looking back at the building: Xiaoyan, I��m going home first, and I��ll come back again to see you.


    Chen Chen had been presiding over the overall situation of the company. Gu Jun��s workload was lightened when he returned. The reason why old Mr. Gu hurried Gu Jun back home was because of his marriage.


    A man should be independent at the age of 30 and Gu Jun was already 30 years old. Though he had a child, he was still an eligible bachelor. Many women were dying to get in line to marry into the Gu family.


    Early in the morning, when Gu Jun had just arrived at the office, old Mr. Gu was already waiting at the door of the office.


    ��You are finally willing to come back?�� Old Mr. Gu had always had an imposing build, and he��d been a well-known figure in the business for many years. His sense of authority could not be underestimated.


    ��What��s so urgent?��


    ��Miss Xiu has recently been awarded a place in that international competition and she could be considered talented. I want the two of you to get engaged. The sooner this gets settled, the sooner I��ll have peace of mind.��


    Gu Jun impatiently refused as he was not interested in that woman. ��I am now in the ascendant stage of my career. Do you think I have the heart to do this now?��


    Old Mr. Gu had long guessed that Gu Jun would use this excuse. ��You don��t have to worry about anything. I��ll arrange it entirely. You just have to be present.��


    ��That��s not right.��


    ��What��s wrong? I��ll bring Guo Guo to my old house to stay. After you are engaged, I��ll send him back to you. I finally have a grandson in my old age; he is so precious to me.��


    After old Mr. Gu left, Gu Jun was filled with anger. Old Mr. Gu was using his son as a threat. If he refused to get engaged, Guo Guo would have to continue to stay in the old house.


    What a cruel move!


    Gu Jun went straight to the old house after work that night. Not surprisingly, he saw Guo Guo playing in the living room. When Guo Guo saw Gu Jun, he ran to him.


    ��Daddy, Grandpa said you��d come to see me today. You really came!��


    Gu Jun embraced Guo Guo, kissed his cheek and put him on the sofa. Gu Jun��s absence over the past few days had given the old man an opportunity.


    ��Has anyone bullied you here?��


    Guo Guo shook his head. ��But there��s still no Uncle An. Daddy, you said that Uncle An has gone traveling, but it��s been almost a month now! Why hasn��t Uncle An come back yet?��


    ��He will be back soon. When he comes back, we will all live together.��


    ��Yes, yes! Daddy, you said that we will be going to the movies together.��


    Gu Jun had already forgotten but Guo Guo remembered. When he first watched a movie with Xiu Yijian, he told Guo Guo that they will take Uncle An to watch a movie in the future. Now that the movie had already been released, the man they wish to watch the movie with was not present.


    ��Daddy will take you there in two days.��


    ��Great!��


    ��Daddy, where is Wonton?��


    ��Wonton and An Xiaoyan have gone traveling together. When Uncle An comes back, Wonton will come back with him.��


    Guo Guo was fully convinced and hadn��t a shred of doubt. His big eyes were looking forward to An Xiaoyan��s return.


    The summer heat was ramping up. Walking outside, Gu Jun felt as if he were being baked in an oven. Gu Jun remembered that An Xiaoyan lived on the sixth floor with no air conditioner. He must be very hot.


    He dialed the telephone number of an air-conditioning company and asked them to go over to An Xiaoyan��s house to install an air conditioner.


    He was enjoying the happiness brought by money, while An Xiaoyan was suffering on the other side.

 Chapter 93 - Engagement

    Translator: Larbre Studio  Editor: Larbre Studio


    ��Sir, we will go install the air conditioner at four o��clock. Please be present.��


    An Xiaoyan was confused. He didn��t buy any air conditioner.


    Ji Lin seemed to understand it all. ��You can leave early,�� he said. ��We��re here. Don��t want to hold you back.��


    ��Sure. I��ll go home and see what��s happening.��


    When An Xiaoyan reached home around four o��clock, there was a big truck outside the building. A worker got out and asked, ��Are you Mr. An Xiaoyan?��


    ��Yes.��


    The worker started unloading the truck.


    ��You live on the sixth floor. We��ll go install it now. Please open the door.��


    An Xiaoyan was confused, but he still opened the door. As soon as he opened the door, six cats and one dog surrounded him.


    ��Hurry on in. There��ll be a stranger later.�� As soon as he herded the pets into the bedroom, the workers came in with the stuff.


    ��Here are two air conditioning units and a fridge. Please sign here.��


    ��I never ordered these things. What��s going on? This must be a mistake.��


    The worker checked the receiver��s name and address. ��No mistake. We��ll hurry and install it now. We must finish the job today.��


    An Xiaoyan gave them space. He thought for a moment. Someone else must have bought it. Gu Jun was the most likely candidate.


    ��What��s the name of the buyer?��


    As the worker took the unit out of the box, he said, ��We don��t know either. We just come over to install it after he pays.��


    He first installed the air conditioning inside the room. The pets that had been chased into the bedroom now sat obediently on the bed to watch the worker.


    At first, only An Xiaoyan had stared at him. Now, there was a crowd watching him. The worker felt a bit uncomfortable.


    ��Can you get them to the living room?��


    An Xiaoyan thought they were in the way, so he picked up three kittens and led the rest out.


    Summer days were still hot in the afternoon. An Xiaoyan turned on the fan. The dog was the first to go sit in front of it.


    ��Yippy, let the cats get the fan first.��


    An Xiaoyan nudged the dog to the side and lined the five kittens up in a row. Wonton sprawled in the back of the group.


    It was difficult for one man, one dog, and six cats to share a small fan. An Xiaoyan sat furthest back and could only get a bit of wind. His back was soon soaked in sweat.


    He thought about how the animals were covered in fur. They were probably much hotter.


    Half an hour later, the worker called for An Xiaoyan. He said the air conditioner was installed and they could go in to enjoy it. He would continue installing the one in the living room.


    ��Let��s go get air conditioning inside.��


    The worker had already let it run on for a bit. The cool air hit them as soon as they entered. First Dumpling lay down onto the ground, showing its stomach. It spread out to get as much coolness as possible. The six cats jumped onto the bed and scattered about. They took up the entire bed.


    After adjusting the temperature to 78 degrees Fahrenheit, An Xiaoyan closed the door and went to watch the worker in the living room.


    ��You really love your pets. You let them get the air conditioning while you��re sweating out here.��


    ��They have too much fur. They were just outside for a moment and started panting. It��s really hot this summer.��


    ��It��s alright now. In ten days, you won��t be able to live without air conditioning. You��ll see then.��


    He��d finished installing the air conditioner in the living room. Only the fridge remained. Thankfully, the living room cooled down too.


    After the worker installed everything, An Xiaoyan signed his name and the man left.


    He turned off the air conditioner in the living room. He didn��t know how much electricity he would waste by keeping it on. The furry friends were rolling around on his bed. When An Xiaoyan came in, they immediately became obedient again.


    The days gradually grew hotter. An Xiaoyan put all the cat and dog beds into his room. This way, they could always get air conditioning.


    After cleaning up, An Xiaoyan called Gu Jun.


    ��Xiaoyan, what��s wrong?��


    ��Thank you for the air conditioning.��


    There was a low chuckle. ��No problem. Don��t try to save electricity. It��ll be bad if it��s too hot.��


    An Xiaoyan didn��t say much, but Gu Jun was still overjoyed. However, the joy only lasted a few seconds because Old Mr. Gu wanted him to try on clothes for the engagement.


    As soon as Gu Jun got out of the car, he saw Xiu Yijian and Guo Guo sitting inside.


    ��Daddy, you��re here.��


    Gu Jun sat beside Guo Guo. He was still cold to Xiu Yijian. ��I��m not going to marry you. I don��t have to keep repeating this, right?��


    Xiu Yijian didn��t care. ��You��re not in charge. Do you see the people across from us? They��re all bodyguards. If you try to walk out today, they��ll capture you without hesitation.��


    Old Mr. Gu was being cruel. He actually did this to force him to get married.


    ��Sir, Miss, we��re ready. Would you like to start now?��


    It was just an engagement��not marriage. They weren��t going to get a certificate or anything.


    ��Let��s hurry. I need to go back.��


    Xiu Yijian put down her magazine and went to change into the dress. Guo Guo was also led away by workers. Gu Jun accepted the suit. He felt uncomfortable in this place.


    Now, he could only give in and take Guo Guo back home. He had to keep Guo Guo by his side all the time now. He couldn��t let Old Mr. Gu use Guo Guo again.


    Old Mr. Gu would definitely control the engagement pictures. For as long as they��d been talking, he wouldn��t leak them.


    Gu Jun had to hurry up and follow An Xiaoyan. Otherwise, they would grow further and further apart.


    The three didn��t focus on the photoshoot. Only Guo Guo found it interesting. He laughed at the camera. Gu Jun didn��t look at the pictures. After changing his clothes, he brought Guo Guo into the car and drove back home.


    ��Daddy, are you getting married to Aunt Xiu? Didn��t you say you��ll marry Uncle An?��


    ��Daddy is going to marry Uncle An. I��m just taking pictures with Aunt Xiu. It doesn��t mean anything.��


    ��But they all say that you��re going to be together with Aunt Xiu. They didn��t even mention Uncle An. Daddy, are you lying? It��s been so long and Uncle An still isn��t back.��


    Teardrops rolled down Guo Guo��s face. Gu Jun hurriedly wiped the boy��s cheeks. ��Then Daddy will take you to see Uncle An in a few days, alright?��


    ��Really? Daddy, don��t lie or you��ll be a meanie.��


    ��Okay. I won��t lie to you.��


    After they returned home, the nanny personally came out to welcome them. The Young Master had been gone for about half a month. She was worried the entire time. Nothing bad would happen at the old mansion, but she was still worried they would be too strict. After all, there were many people there.��


    ��Young Master.��


    Guo Guo waved and walked to the nanny. He didn��t have a bad temper.


    ��How was Guo Guo taken away?��


    The nanny thought Gu Jun was blaming her. She lowered her head and said fearfully, ��Old Mr. Gu came personally to take him away. We��re just servants, so we couldn��t say anything.��


    ��Okay. Organize Guo Guo��s things. I��m taking him out in a few days.��


    ��Sure.��


    Since he had the engagement photoshoot pictures, Gu Jun didn��t get any more orders from Old Mr. Gu. He was very angry at Old Mr. Gu. He��d already retired, but he was still disturbing Gu Jun��s life. Wasn��t he being too overbearing? However, there were still a lot of his men in the company. Gu Jun couldn��t do anything rashly.


    He planned to visit the island in three days, but before leaving, Chen Chen said Stars Entertainment had successfully negotiated with Sheng Kong. They should go thank Stars Entertainment and also supervise their work. Gu Jun had to push his plans back a day.


    Sheng Kong was Gu Jun��s company. It had nothing to do with the Gu Group. He��d also transferred most of his assets to Sheng Kong during the vote. This was basically his personal treasury.


    It was his first time visiting Stars Entertainment. Entertainment companies were very fashionable and had a different aura from typical companies. They didn��t have the solemn atmosphere. Gu Jun relaxed after entering.


    He said he��d come to supervise, but it was just to see if the partnership was going as planned. As he chatted in the main hall, he saw someone in the distance that looked familiar. He seemed to have seen the man before.


    ��Who is that?��


    The representative said that he was Asten, the top star of Stars Entertainment. He��d gone from nothing to a VIP celebrity in seven years. He��d won many awards. Apparently, he��d started off as a singer but successfully entered the film industry.


    ��Asten, come over here.��


    When the man heard, he walked over to Gu Jun. As he got closer, Gu Jun found him even more familiar. He��d seen this person��s poster on An Xiaoyan��s wall at home. An Xiaoyan liked him. If Gu Jun got him an autograph, An Xiaoyan would probably be super happy.


    ��I have a friend who��s a loyal fan. Can I get a signed picture?��


    Asten was very willing. He took out a poster that had just come out. Signing his name with a marker, he handed it to Gu Jun.


    Gu Jun treasured everything related to An Xiaoyan.


    Seeing how careful Gu Jun was, the representative couldn��t help but gossip. ��It��s for your girlfriend, right? Girls all love Asten now. We��re lucky to be able to sign him.��


    ��It indeed is for my significant other. He really likes Asten. This will be it for today. I hope we work well together.��


    Gu Jun was in a good mood. The other company��s representative nodded. He��d completed his task today.


    Thinking back to An Xiaoyan��s interests, Gu Jun actually remembered some things. An Xiaoyan mostly stayed in his room and read or slept. He didn��t touch anything else. He had a good relationship with Guo Guo, but that wasn��t a hobby or interest.


    Gu Jun felt like he��d held An Xiaoyan back too much.


    He finally found a day to go to the island. Gu Jun brought Guo Guo along.


    ��Greet Uncle An when you see him later.��


    ��Okay.��


    ��Also, if Uncle An asks if you want to go back, say no. Say you want to be with Uncle An.��


    Guo Guo had a look of disdain. ��Daddy, I would do that even if you didn��t tell me. Don��t worry.��


    ��Hey, I��m just worried you��d say the wrong thing. If you mess up, Uncle An will force you back home.��


    This time, Guo Guo understood. He listened to Gu Jun carefully.


    His son was completely different now. Under his care, Guo Guo had been like an idiot. Now that An Xiaoyan took care of him, he was so smart. Gu Jun even wondered if this was really his son.

 Chapter 94 - Gentle

    Translator: Larbre Studio  Editor: Larbre Studio


    When they arrived at An Xiaoyan��s apartment building, it was 6 p.m. Guo Guo was wearing a sunshade hat and perspired heavily. The heat in the north is dry and hot. When one gets out of the car, the bone-dry air blows against you and you start to perspire all the time.


    ��Daddy, is it here?��


    ��Yes, on the sixth floor, climb up by yourself. I��ll help you to carry your things.��


    Guo Guo, who was dressed like a dignified young man, walked up the stairs. By the fourth floor, he was soaking wet, as if he had just walked out of a sauna.


    ��My dear son, there are only two more levels. You must persevere.��


    Guo Guo once again began to ascend the stairs with his small legs. When he reached An Xiaoyan��s apartment door, he was dripping with sweat.


    Yet again, a knock at the door. What��s the matter these days? There are always visitors coming.


    Looking through the peephole, An Xiaoyan saw no one. He was mentally prepared to receive some animals again. As he opened the door, a soaking wet child wearing a hat was standing at the door.


    ��Uncle An!�� Guo Guo embraced An Xiaoyan immediately, and regardless of his dirty and smelly body, they embraced for a moment or two. An Xiaoyan was stained wet too.


    ��Guo Guo, why are you here? Who sent you here?��


    ��Daddy, of course!��


    Looking down, he saw Gu Jun climbing up the stairs with a big suitcase in his hand, and he was nearly soaked with sweat as well.


    ��Guo Guo said that he misses you, so I took him here to see you.��


    ��Uncle, it��s so hot here.��


    With the presence of a child, An Xiaoyan felt it would not be very nice to drive Gu Jun away, thus he had to let the both of them in.


    ��The both of you should go and take a bath first. After that, you can go into my room and enjoy the cool air from the air conditioner. The weather is really hot here.��


    Gu Jun did not stand on ceremony either. He took out his and Guo Guo��s clothes from the suitcase and went straight to the bathroom to take a shower with Guo Guo in his arms.


    The little fur kids in the bedroom heard the commotion outside and made a lot of noise. The sound of Yippy scratching on the door was very loud.


    As soon as An Xiaoyan opened the door, all the fur kids fell backwards.


    ��It��s hot outside. Get in quickly, or else nobody will be allowed to sleep in the apartment tonight.��


    When chased back into the room, the kittens and dog lay in the air-conditioned room to enjoy the ��cool�� summer.


    Gu Jun first bathed Guo Guo, put on his clothes and let him go out of the bathroom, then bathed himself.


    When he got into the bedroom, he could hardly bear to look straight at the scene in front of him.


    A five-year-old child mingled with a group consisting of a dog and a bunch of cats, and the group of animals rolled on the bed.


    When he first brought the kittens to An Xiaoyan, they were still very small, but now they��re all grown up, with brighter fur and fatter bodies. The only thing that had not changed was Wonton. After all, it already had a large frame, so it couldn��t get much fatter.


    ��You have a good time here. Be careful not to get scratched by the animals. I��ll go and look for your Uncle An.��


    An Xiaoyan rummaged through the refrigerator for ingredients when Gu Jun suddenly came over. He wanted to make something delicious, but unfortunately, there were not many ingredients left at home.


    ��What are you doing?��


    The sudden question shocked An Xiaoyan and he shut the refrigerator door.


    ��There are no ingredients at home and I��m going out to buy some ingredients now. You can stay here with Guo Guo.�� As he had put on his shoes and was about to leave, Gu Jun stopped him and said, ��I��ll go with you. Those cats and the dog are enough to keep him occupied. You can lock the door from outside when we go. I��ll go and let him know.��


    Guo Guo did not pay much attention to Gu Jun��s words and only focused his attention on playing with the animals. With so many small animals, Uncle An is so fortunate. He has so many friends to play with him.


    When they went out, the sky was already turning dark. The nightlife on the island was rather lively. As it was too hot during the day, in the evening, many people came out to eat supper and enjoy the cool breeze.


    An Xiaoyan walked side by side with Gu Jun. The chairs of the restaurant across the street had been set up, and a bunch of savory dishes were being barbecued. The distant fragrance made him swallow his saliva unconsciously. An Xiaoyan would usually cook for himself to save money.


    Gu Jun��s eyes were constantly looking at An Xiaoyan, and naturally saw his yearning for food. ��Let��s come back here later to buy something nice. Back at home, I hardly take Guo Guo to dine out.��


    ��Okay.��


    Though that was what Gu Jun said, in his heart, he was thinking he would not be letting that little boy eat.


    There was nothing good left to buy at the market at this hour. Thus, they went straight to the supermarket nearby.


    Fortunately, the food in the supermarket was relatively fresh. An Xiaoyan bought some marbled meat as he intended to roast it. He also bought a lot of shrimp, fruits, and vegetables. He would cook whatever Guo Guo liked to eat.


    When An Xiaoyan thought of Guo Guo, his heart felt warm. Though he had not seen Guo Guo for more than a month, Guo Guo still loved hanging around him.


    ��Let��s buy some snacks.��


    Children just love snacks. An Xiaoyan bought potato chips and biscuits in the snack section, while Gu Jun bought some milk.


    Never before had the two of them been so tacit and harmonious.


    When An Xiaoyan was about to take out his money at the register, Gu Jun took out his card and the cashier swiped it directly without giving An Xiaoyan a chance to pay.


    ��Since we have come to your place for dinner, we should not let you spend your money on the supplies. Treat it as compensation for our sudden visit.��


    Gu Jun had really changed. He��d never uttered the word ��compensation�� before.


    Back at the barbecue stand, Gu Jun told the boss that he wanted three kilograms of crayfish, ten strands of roast squid and twenty strands of roast mutton to take away.


    ��No need to order so much. We have already bought so much ingredients and Guo Guo does not eat much either.��


    The silly boy did not understand his intentions yet. An Xiaoyan, such a sensitive person, was very insensitive to relationships. Gu Jun lowered his head and whispered in his ear, ��Actually, I bought them for you to eat.��


    He was as gentle as the hero of an idol drama and at that moment, An Xiaoyan seemed to have forgotten that Gu Jun was his enemy.


    Back at home, Guo Guo was still playing with the kittens. The five kittens had all grown up and First Dumpling was the furriest among all them. Guo Guo liked First Dumpling the most and kept carrying it back and forth, trying his best to amuse it.


    ��You may go into the room as the kitchen is very warm now. When the food is ready, just come to the living room for dinner.�� An Xiaoyan turned on the air conditioner in the living room and went into the kitchen.


    An Xiaoyan��s concern swept away the gloominess in Gu Jun��s heart. All the unpleasantness before had been thrown out. Being in this small apartment of two adults, a child, and a pack of pets felt really nice.


    ��Daddy, the dog is hungry.��


    Gu Jun found the dog food in the apartment and poured it into a small bowl. Yippy had a good time eating while the other kittens started mewing. He laid out a row of cat bowls and filled them up with cat food one by one.


    Seven small tails lined up in a row and the scene looked very interesting. Gu Jun snapped some photos as a memento.


    Soon after, dinner was ready. Before the rice was scooped out from the rice cooker, all the dishes were laid out on the dining table. An Xiaoyan called Guo Guo to wash his hands.


    ��Uncle An, I like those cats. Can I stay here for a few more days?��


    ��Guo Guo, you have to go to school. You can��t play truant.��


    ��Daddy agreed, anyway, it��s all play in school now. I like it here.��


    Guo Guo was still young, thus it was normal for him not to like the rules and regulations in the school. When he was as young as Guo Guo, he was rolling in the mud. ��Alright. But you must study hard next semester.��


    ��I will.��


    An Xiaoyan helped Guo Guo wash his hands, and Gu Jun had placed the barbecue skewers he had bought on the dining table.


    It was the first time Guo Guo had eaten these kinds of food and he was immediately attracted by the fragrance. He could not help but salivate. As soon as he reached out his hand and was about to take some for himself, Gu Jun grabbed his little hand.


    ��Don��t eat too much. It��s all for your Uncle An.��


    ��Dad, I can eat!�� Guo Guo reached out and grabbed a skewer of barbecued meat, and then gnawed at it. An Xiaoyan helped Guo Guo peel the crayfish.


    Just as An Xiaoyan put a crayfish in Guo Guo��s bowl, Gu Jun placed a crayfish in An Xiaoyan��s bowl. They both continued like this.


    Guo Guo ate some barbecued meat and all the rice in his small bowl. After that, he ran to the bedroom and continued to play with the kittens, leaving Gu Jun and An Xiaoyan at the dining table.


    Both of them had the same thought before, which was to feed Guo Guo first. By the time Guo Guo had left the table, the two men still hadn��t eaten much.


    ��Eat the food quickly. The food��s not as good when it��s cold.�� Gu Jun put a piece of braised meat in An Xiaoyan��s bowl.


    Somehow, An Xiaoyan felt no discomfort in this kind of situation. His disgust towards Gu Jun at the beginning had disappeared without a trace.


    ��You should eat fast too. I��ll peel the crayfish myself.��


    The two adult men did not neglect the rice. First, they finished eating the crayfish, then they ate the rice, and finally they finished the vegetables.


    ��There are five skewers of squid and three skewers of barbecued meat. Let��s take four each and finish it up.��


    It felt good to live a ��civilian�� life with An Xiaoyan and it was definitely an experience for Gu Jun. In A City, he was the CEO of the company and had to be mindful of his image no matter what he did. He had to eat at high class restaurants, not the street food stalls. As for leftovers: they were a no-go. With An Xiaoyan, he could feel at ease when he went to buy barbecued meat and he could even finish all the dishes on the table.


    After dinner, as An Xiaoyan was about to go and wash the dishes, Gu Jun stopped him and said, ��Go and accompany Guo Guo, I��ll wash the dishes.��


    ��Do you know how to wash them?��


    ��Yes.��


    After much hesitation, An Xiaoyan went back to his room to accompany Guo Guo. He treated Guo Guo as if he were his own child. As he did not know how much longer he would be able to accompany Guo Guo; he just wanted to do his best to make Guo Guo remember him a little more.


    ��Uncle, Daddy told me that you like small animals very much, and Guo Guo likes them very much too. Wonton still remembers me.��


    An Xiaoyan touched Guo Guo��s head and said, ��If Guo Guo likes animals, you can ask your Daddy to let you have some pets at home.��


    ��Uncle, why don��t you come back with us? When you come back, you can take all these pets back with you.��


    An Xiaoyan choked and did not know how to answer. He could not tell the truth to this child. Yet within such a short time, he could not come up with a good answer.


    ��Um�� Uncle can��t go back for the time being. I still have some work to do.��


    ��Then�� After Uncle has finished all his work, he can come back right?��


    ��Well�� Guo Guo, you should not be bothered with this. You can play with Wonton while I go and find your father.��


    Gu Jun was washing the dishes carefully in the kitchen. Through his entire adult life, he had never done any housework.


    ��When are you and Guo Guo going back?��


    Gu Jun placed the clean dishes back properly, and said casually, ��Probably after some time. Guo Guo hasn��t seen you for so long, he must miss you very much.��


    An Xiaoyan said helplessly, ��We all have jobs to do and are adults. We can��t be so impulsive anymore.��


    ��I know. I��ll stay for a few days and leave. Anyway, there��s nothing urgent at the company right now. By the way, there��s a rolled-up paper in my bag for you.��


    ��Keep it for yourself. I can��t accept any of your stuff anymore.��


    Gu Jun tidied up the dishes and chopsticks and retrieved the poster by himself. After An Xiaoyan came out from his bath, Gu Jun placed the poster in his hand and said, ��Take a look at it.��


    He opened the rolled-up paper slowly and a large poster was revealed. The image of the person printed on the poster looked very familiar to him. It was Asten, once his favorite star. When Asten first became famous during An Xiaoyan��s high school days, he had already thought that Asten was a potential star, and by now he had already transformed into a superstar.


    Feelings from his young age were buried deep in his body, and now they had been summoned. Initially, he thought that all these things could be forgotten, but he was wrong. What he used to like�� As long as he saw the familiar memories again, he could still feel the same.


    ��Keep it, it��s hard to get.��


    Although this was only a poster, it meant more than money to him as it represented his youth.


    An Xiaoyan took the poster, rolled it up and put it in the cupboard.


    When it was time to sleep at night, trouble came.


    There was a double bed in the bedroom. An Xiaoyan felt that Gu Jun and Guo Guo were guests and let them sleep in his bedroom while he sleeps in the living room. However, Gu Jun insisted against it.


    In fact, the three of them could fit on the double bed, but Gu Jun was aware of An Xiaoyan��s misgivings.

 Chapter 95 - Movie

    Translator: Larbre Studio  Editor: Larbre Studio


    ��How about Guo Guo sleeps in the middle and we sleep on either side?�� Gu Jun suggested. ��This way, we won��t touch while sleeping.��


    This was a compromise. An Xiaoyan didn��t say anything. He turned his back to Gu Jun and started sleeping.


    Only Guo Guo snored that night. The two on either side didn��t feel like sleeping.


    An Xiaoyan thought back to today and realized that he had let many things slide. For example, he��d voluntarily suggested that Gu Jun stay before Gu Jun had even said anything. He��d also accepted Gu Jun��s gift as if it were normal. He��d acted strangely.


    Gu Jun turned and looked in An Xiaoyan��s direction. ��Guo Guo said that he came to watch a movie with you.��


    After An Xiaoyan heard, he agreed.


    Gu Jun glanced at the moonlight streaming in from the window. ��Guo Guo really likes you.��


    ��I know. I like him too.��


    ��Can I get closer to you?��


    There was no reply. There were rustles and Gu Jun turned as well. Whenever he got an inch closer to An Xiaoyan, he would get pushed even further away.


    The next day was Wednesday��An Xiaoyan��s off day.


    As soon as Guo Guo woke up, he wanted to go to the movies. An Xiaoyan prepared breakfast and promised to take him after they ate.


    The trio went out again.


    Guo Guo held both his dad and Uncle An��s hands. The three walked under the sunlight to the theater.


    It wasn��t the weekend, so there weren��t many people. The upcoming screenings still had a lot of tickets.


    ��Guo Guo, what do you want to watch?��


    ��That one.��


    Guo Guo pointed at an animation. It was Dinosaur Zoo. It was a foreign movie, but it had a Chinese version.


    Gu Jun might not be interested in this kind of movie, An Xiaoyan asked for his opinion.


    ��Guo Guo has wanted to see this for a long time, so let��s watch it. I��ll go get two buckets of popcorn.��


    After getting their tickets, they still had 20 minutes until the movie started. An Xiaoyan brought Guo Guo to the waiting area.


    A while later, Gu Jun came back with two buckets of popcorn. ��Wait. There are still three cups of soda.��


    After getting the drinks, Gu Jun explained, ��If you buy a large bucket of popcorn, they give a small for free. I��d wanted to buy two larges, but then I felt like one large and one small is enough.��


    Guo Guo naturally took the small. This meant that Gu Jun and An Xiaoyan would share the large bucket.


    After checking their tickets, the three went to the center of the theater. Guo Guo was going to sit in the center, but he wanted to sit on the side so his uncle and dad could eat the popcorn. An Xiaoyan ended up in the middle.


    The movie soon started. An Xiaoyan was very interested, just like Guo Guo. Gu Jun sat on the side and thought about An Xiaoyan. He wasn��t that interested in the movie.


    The movie was basically about a dinosaur egg that was lost in the wilderness. After it was born, it searched for its family and finally returned to the dinosaur paradise.


    At the climax, the dinosaur was bullied by some other dinosaurs. An Xiaoyan seemed totally into it. Gu Jun carefully put a kernel to his lips. A second later, An Xiaoyan ate it.


    Immersed in the movie, An Xiaoyan wasn��t even aware of what just occurred. Gu Jun kept feeding him. After the climax, An Xiaoyan relaxed. When he felt the popcorn in his mouth, he realized that something had happened.


    His face instantly turned beet-red. He didn��t know when Gu Jun started feeding him, but his mouth felt salty. He must have eaten a lot.


    Looking back at the bucket, he saw that it now was half empty. An Xiaoyan wanted to bury himself in a hole.


    He stole some glances at Gu Jun. The man was staring at the screen. Things should be fine.


    Overall, the movie was spectacular. An Xiaoyan was satisfied after watching it. Guo Guo was still young, so he just found it fun.


    It was already noon as they exited the theater. Guo Guo cried that he was hungry. The theater was on the fourth floor and there were restaurants on the third floor. An Xiaoyan suggested that they eat here. Going home to make food would take too long.


    Before coming out in the morning, he��d made sure to fill up the cats�� bowls. It was okay to go home a bit later.


    The most common restaurants in food centers were hot pot joints and buffets. Gu Jun chose a buffet. An Xiaoyan naturally had no complaints.


    To outsiders, they were a family of three. There was nothing happier than watching a movie and then eating lunch.


    After spending a year with Gu Jun, an Xiaoyan had experienced many firsts. For example, he��d taken care of kids, gone camping, and driven for the first time.


    He thought a lot after leaving Gu Jun. Now, he suddenly had another thought. If Gu Jun wouldn��t marry and was truly willing to be with him, he could move past the obstacles in his heart. They might really work out.


    The hatred had faded with time. He wished that Gu Jun could truly treat him well and see him as a man and significant other, instead of a lover or bed-warmer. As for Guo Guo, he needed a family. Before Gu Jun finds someone better, An Xiaoyan could fill in.


    It was early in the afternoon by the time the trio finished their lunch. It was time for Guo Guo to take a nap, so the three went back.


    An Xiaoyan put Guo Guo on the bed and softly closed the door. Gu Jun was playing with Yippy in the living room. He tossed the ball and Yippy would bring it back, tail wagging.


    ��Gu Jun, let��s talk.��


    An Xiaoyan��s expression was a bit strange. Gu Jun put down the ball and placed Yippy on his leg. He waited for An Xiaoyan to talk.


    ��What��s your attitude towards me now?��


    ��I still want you to be with me,�� Gu Jun answered without hesitation.


    This was expected. ��If it��s for Guo Guo, I can be your friend,�� he replied indifferently.


    Friends were better than strangers. Gu Jun let go of Yippy. He stood up and hugged An Xiaoyan.


    There was the familiar body and scent. It was the first time An Xiaoyan dared to touch him after leaving.


    ��Let��s first hug as friends.��


    An Xiaoyan didn��t know if this was a friendly hug. No friend would wrap his arms around the other��s waist so tightly, but he didn��t object. Gu Jun had once been so violent. Faced with such a gentle Gu Jun, he could accept it.


    Gu Jun didn��t let go until a long while later, but his eyes were still fixed on An Xiaoyan. He felt that An Xiaoyan had lowered his guard.


    At dinner, the two worked together to feed Guo Guo. After showering, they let Guo Guo watch TV and play with the cats in the bedroom.


    Gu Jun and An Xiaoyan sat at the dining table. There were some appetizers that Gu Jun had bought. He also produced a bottle of alcohol. He poured a bit for An Xiaoyan and a glass for himself.


    ��Your body isn��t well, so just drink a little. Today, forget about all our past conflicts. Pretend we��re just normal friends. In other words, let��s be like bros.��


    The alcohol was baijiu. The proof wasn��t very high, but the fragrance was strong. It must be a very high quality bottle.


    The two just ate and drank. Whenever they touched glasses, An Xiaoyan just sipped while Gu Jun emptied his glass. By the time An Xiaoyan finished one glass, Gu Jun was already red.


    ��Xiaoyan, I��m telling you, your words today made me really happy. Even if it��s for Guo Guo, I��m still happy. As long as you don��t hate me anymore,�� Gu Jun said suddenly. He drank another cup. ��Actually, you��re so pretty. If I wasn��t an *sshole, you wouldn��t be in this state. Whenever I think back, I feel like I was so stupid back then. I ruined you.��


    Gu Jun said a lot of things. By the end, he was slurring, but An Xiaoyan wasn��t drunk at all. He helped bring Gu Jun to bed and washed him a bit with hot water. Just as he was about to leave, Gu Jun suddenly said, ��Xiaoyan, come back to sleep. The sofa is too small.��


    With a small smile, An Xiaoyan took a shower and obediently slept on the other side of the bed.


    Tomorrow was a new day.


    When Gu Jun woke up, his head was in pain. He only remembered that he��d drunk a lot and said a lot. He couldn��t remember what exactly he��d said.


    Guo Guo had long woken up. He was playing in the living room with six cats and a dog around him.


    Seeing him, Guo Guo said happily, ��Daddy, Uncle An said that there��s something on the fridge that you have to look at!��


    Gu Jun went to the fridge. There was a post-it note on it. Guo Guo has already eaten. Your breakfast is in the pot. I��m going to work. ��Xiaoyan.


    He tore the post-it off and went to the kitchen. There was pumpkin porridge, three steamed buns, and a small dish of vegetables. It was still warm to the touch.


    The warmth traveled to Gu Jun��s heart. He suddenly found it enjoyable to be taken care of.


    There was a new toothbrush in the bathroom. Gu Jun still smelled like alcohol. After showering, he wrapped himself in a towel and went to eat breakfast.


    ��Son, when did Uncle An get up?��


    ��I don��t know exactly, but earlier than Daddy. Daddy is so lazy.��


    Gu Jun ate some porridge. ��How can you say that about your dad? Even if I didn��t raise you, I still created you.��


    He didn��t have anything to do after breakfast. An Xiaoyan probably wouldn��t come back at noon, so he decided to bring him lunch. Otherwise, he��d just waste the time away at home.


    The Second Young Master obviously didn��t know how to cook, but he had money so he could buy it. The hospital had four people, so he would treat them all. This way, that Ji Lin would know they were on a different level.


    ��Son, let��s go send lunch to Uncle An.��


    ��We��re going to see Uncle An?��


    ��Yeah. It��s already ten o��clock. Let��s hurry and go!��


    Gu Jun had the driver come. The group ordered takeout from a restaurant and went to the animal hospital.


    Da Zhou was ordering food when Gu Jun went in with his food. ��Xiaoyan, Guo Guo and I brought lunch for you.��


    An Xiaoyan was giving a cat a checkup. When he heard Gu Jun��s voice, he thought he was hallucinating.


    Lin Nian went over from the front and grinned at An Xiaoyan. ��Come eat. We have a feast.��


    Usually, they ate box lunches or noodles. It was all simple food. Gu Jun had ordered the trademark dishes from a restaurant and covered the sole table in the building with the plates.


    ��I thought that you��d all eat, so I bought the large portions. Plus, you��re all working hard.��


    Excluding An Xiaoyan, the other three didn��t mind. They started eating without holding back. This made An Xiaoyan uncomfortable. He and Gu Jun were friends and today was only the first day. Wasn��t this too much?


    Ji Lin put a crab in An Xiaoyan��s bowl. ��Hurry and eat, or else that fatty Da Zhou will empty everything.��


    An Xiaoyan glanced at Gu Jun before putting on his gloves to eat.


    The king crabs had a lot of roe. An Xiaoyan picked some out with his chopsticks and put it to Guo Guo��s mouth. Guo Guo ate it without hesitation.


    ��Did Guo Guo eat?��


    Guo Guo nodded. ��I ate with Daddy before coming. Uncle, you don��t have to worry. Daddy said that Uncle likes eating big crabs. I chose it just for you.��


    The kid��s voice made all the adults laugh. Sitting beside An Xiaoyan, Ji Lin prodded him with his elbow. ��The kid��s not bad. The adult��s not bad either. How come you don��t get it?��


    An Xiaoyan muttered at him to shut up and continued eating.


    The meal ended happily. When Gu Jun left, An Xiaoyan saw him out to his car. The moment the car turned on, An Xiaoyan smiled gratefully at Gu Jun.


    Under the warm summer sun, Gu Jun saw An Xiaoyan shine.


    If this shine could last forever, it would be perfect. In reality, nothing was perfect. He could only behold this beauty in the moment.

 Chapter 96 - Dissipate

    Translator: Larbre Studio  Editor: Larbre Studio


    Having already been on the island for two days, Gu Jun needed to return to A City. The company had many things waiting for him to deal with. It was not easy for him to spare a day or two.


    When they were about to leave, Guo Guo was reluctant to part with Uncle An as they��d only spent a few days together before having to part again.


    ��Daddy will bring you here some other time. Uncle An needs to work.��


    Guo Guo held on to Wonton and refused to let go. ��Daddy, let��s take Wonton back. Uncle already has six animals here with him. I only want one. When we get home, the kitty can accompany me to play.��


    It was Gu Jun who let An Xiaoyan take the cat with him, thus it would not be appropriate to bring it home now. Besides, he was always busy with his work and could not take care of a cat at home wholeheartedly like An Xiaoyan could.


    Finally, An Xiaoyan stuffed Fifth Dumpling into the arms of Guo Guo. He heard people from the pet hospital saying that it would be good for a kitten to grow up with its owner, and Fifth Dumpling was the youngest among all the kittens, so it would definitely grow up closer with Guo Guo.


    Gu Jun looked at the kitten in his son��s arms. He knew that An Xiaoyan had let his guard down to be able to trust him with this little life.


    Back in A City, something unexpected happened.


    Old Mr. Gu directly told Gu Jun to get engaged with Xiu Yijian, and it would be better if they could get married immediately.


    This was equivalent to forced marriage in disguise. Gu Jun thought that as long as he compromised, there would be nothing more, but in actual fact, things would not develop in accordance with his intentions at all.


    He compromised to take the engagement photos, and in exchange was today��s engagement dinner.


    After Gu Jun sent Guo Guo back to the villa, he went straight to the Gu family��s old house. He wanted to make things clear.


    Old Mr. Gu seemed to be expecting Gu Jun to come back. The man sat upright in the living room with his face expressionless.


    ��Why did you spread news of the engagement?��


    ��The both of you have already taken the engagement photos, shouldn��t you get engaged? You��re already 30 years old this year, marrying a woman and finally having children of your own to add to our Gu Family�� Isn��t it the right thing to do?��


    Gu Jun was really angry. So this is what the old man thinks! ��I already have a child. Guo Guo can become my successor.��


    Old Mr. Gu knocked on the ground with a crutch and said with a straight face, ��Nonsense! Although Guo Guo is much better than before, in case his ability and learning are insufficient and he cannot take on the responsibility, it is better to have another son! ��


    Gu Jun could not hold it back anymore, ��Two sons? Do you want another person to compete with Guo Guo for the inheritance? Just like Gu Jing, who would��ve rather destroy me when he could not have what he wanted! Do you think that is alright? Do you want to see the two brothers at each other��s throats when the time comes?��


    ��What do you know? It��s called survival of the fittest. Gu Jing did not have the capability and made the wrong move; he deserved to be imprisoned.��


    Those words sent a chill through Gu Jun��s heart. In the eyes of his so-called father, they were simply tools to manage the company. He did not want to see his children hurting each other. As for Guo Guo, he felt that this son was enough. He would inherit the company if he had the ability. If he had no ability, he could do as he pleased.


    ��After so many years, I have finally seen through you. If you want a Gu to marry a young lady so much, why don��t you marry one? After all, you��ve had no one to accompany you for so many years.��


    After that, Gu Jun did not look back, and left the old house.


    When he got in the car, Chen Chen immediately noticed that Gu Jun was in a bad mood. He thought that Gu Jun must have had a disagreement with An Xiaoyan and probed, ��How are things progressing between you with Mr. An?��


    Gu Jun pressed his temple and relaxed his eyebrows. ��Not bad. He said that we can be friends now.��


    Chen Chen knew that Gu Jun must be upset over the matter with old Mr. Gu. He did hear about the engagement, but at the end of the day, he is an outsider and can do nothing.


    There were still a lot of old Mr. Gu��s people in the company who appeared to be retired, but still knew everything about the company. This annoyed Gu Jun the most. He felt just like a puppet, manipulated by Mr. Gu.


    He was still too young. Usually, it would take several years for every chairman of the board to receive his real rights. This was an undeniable aspect of the daily struggles between the rich and powerful. The interests always outweighed family ties.


    Almost immediately after Gu Jun had fallen out with his father, A City��s media outlets were reporting on the engagement of the chairman of the Gu Group and the beauty designer Xiu Yijian. All entertainment channels were broadcasting this headline live throughout the city.


    After getting out of the car, before Gu Jun could even take a single step, a crowd of reporters rushed in front of the office.


    ��Mr. Gu, you used to be so low-key about marriage. Why are you now getting engaged so suddenly?��


    ��We hear that the woman��s father is just an ordinary businessman, in stark contrast to the status of the Gu Family. How did the two of you get to know each other?��


    ��Mr. Gu, are the two of you really in love? Are you getting married because she is pregnant?��


    ��You already have a son and what about the man you were rumored to be with? Are you still in contact with him? Or are you marrying a mistress?��


    These questions annoyed and perplexed Gu Jun. Now, he was no longer in the mood to go back to the office, and only wished to get back into the car and let Chen Chen drive him away from this place.


    Needless to say, this was all the hard work of old Mr. Gu. Truly, businessmen were best at coercing and luring.


    ��Where are you going, sir?��


    Where was he going? He had no idea either. In this big city, he felt as if he had no foothold and did not even have a place to relax.


    Unconsciously, he recalled the happiness he had felt with An Xiaoyan the day before, which was a kind of haven away from complicated work and endless interpersonal relationships. Over there, no one knew that he was the high-ranking chairman of the Gu Group. He was just an ordinary person, who could go to the street food stall to eat a meal at ease, or go for a walk in the street.


    ��Go to the river-crossing bridge in the suburbs.��


    A City had a river passing by, and a total of four cross-river bridges were built beside the river: two in the suburbs and two through the middle of the city. The busiest was the Oriental Eye. Over there, one could see the beauty of the whole city.


    It took 40 minutes to drive to the outskirts of the river bridge, and Chen Chen parked at the edge of the bridge across the river. The two of them got out of the car and enjoyed the breeze by the riverside.


    On the opposite side were a dense green patch and the shadows of several small villages, in sharp contrast to the city on this side.


    This road was only used by people who wanted to leave the city, so there were very few people on the road.


    Gu Jun stood by the side of the bridge. Looking at the distant Oriental Eye, he felt a little sad. Even though he got the chairman position, he still had to do things against his own will.


    Just now, so many reporters were questioning him about the engagement. Shouldn��t an engagement be a blessing? Why did I feel so distressed? This scene seems so familiar. When An Xiaoyan made headlines, he seemed to be like this too.


    Being detested and questioned by countless people, every day getting strange looks from people on the street.


    Gu Jun was only a little different. He at the top of the city��s social class and no one dared to question or ridicule him. But behind his back, he was sure that there were countless people who detested him.


    ��Chen Chen, do you think I��m useless?��


    ��Mr. Gu, I have witnessed your abilities.��


    ��No, I am referring to relationships. Unless I give up this superior position and become an ordinary person, it is impossible to be with An Xiaoyan at all. It seems like a very difficult thing to achieve and everyone is against it.��


    The more you get, the more you are tied down. Chen Chen suggested, ��Why don��t you talk to Miss Xiu? As long as she doesn��t agree to get married, it will be impossible for the marriage to happen.��


    These wise words woke Gu Jun up from his dejection. How could Gu Jun not have thought of it before? Besides, he could tell from Xiu Yijian��s attitude that it was impossible for them to be together.


    He had saved Xiu Yijian��s number on his mobile phone. The call was answered shortly after he pressed the button.


    ��I have something to talk to you about. Would you like to have a meal with me?��


    ��Gu Jun, I don��t think we have much to talk about.��


    ��You must come!�� After that, Gu Jun hung up the phone and sent the address of the restaurant directly to Xiu Yijian. He drove to the restaurant himself.


    On the other side, Xiu Yijian looked at the phone call which had been hung up quickly. Gu Jun, you are already late.


    Gu Jun was sitting in a specially picked restaurant. Beside him was a waiter who was playing the piano and music flowed from the keys.


    Xiu Yijian soon arrived at the place. As soon as she sat down, Gu Jun told her directly to disagree to the engagement.


    ��It��s already made known all over the city. It is impossible to cancel it now. Most importantly, I already agreed to get engaged.��


    ��Why did you agree? The chance to participate in the design competition has already been given to you. Logically, we should have nothing to do with each other now.��


    Xiu Yijian sneered, ��But the work I submitted this year has not been examined. I just need a firm foothold in the Gu Group, and next year, my chances will be high. Moreover, your father has promised us a sum of money, with which we can expand our family business, Xiu Group. It��s a win-win deal for me.


    ��Then you are taking marriage as a joke. Don��t you have anyone you like?��


    ��After marriage, we can go our separate ways, and you and An Xiaoyan can be together. Although the state has tacitly approved, the two of you still can��t get a marriage certificate. Do you think it will last forever? Whether you choose to be together with him or not, it doesn��t matter to me. It��s just a piece of paper between us.��


    The way she put it was so easy, ��just a piece of paper�� kind of relationship. But this piece of paper was weighing him down and making him feel breathless. He did not want An Xiaoyan to live in the dark without legal status. How would that be any different than having a mistress?


    ��Xiu Yijian, I thought you were at least a sensible person, but I didn��t know you were the most conniving woman in town!��


    Xiu replied indifferently, ��Gu Jun, in fact, this is not necessarily bad, as you can keep your position. Is it worth it to do so much for one person?��


    Finally, before the meal even started, each of them said what they had to say and left. Gu Jun went home and sat in his room alone.


    As long as he did not get married, he would stand a chance. Should he hold the engagement banquet first, and then grasp the rights of the board of directors in his own hands? This way, he would have all the power.


    For the first 30 years of his life, he had been single and no one urged him to get married. Now, he finally found someone he liked but had yet to capture An Xiaoyan��s heart. He had mishandled the matter.


    All this strife built up unprecedented pressure and fear within Gu Jun.


    At night, when Gu Jun had just entered the living room, he noticed that a group of people were moving things in the living room. Guo Guo was holding Fifth Dumpling on the sofa and looking curiously at them.


    ��Daddy, they said they were going to install something.��


    ��Install what?��


    ��I don��t know. They have already installed the things upstairs.��


    Looking at the size of the box, Gu Jun had a bad feeling. After going upstairs, the workers were not in the master bedroom, but in the room where An Xiaoyan lived. As he reached the door of the room, he heard the sound of an electric drill.


    Boxes were brought into the room one at a time. When Gu Jun entered the room, he fell to his knees and knelt directly on the ground.


    This was An Xiaoyan��s room. He dared not touch anything for fear that An Xiaoyan��s smell would dissipate. Now, everything inside was gone.


    The bookshelf was gone and the wardrobe was in the corridor. The quilt on the bed had also been taken away. The workers were nailing his engagement photos onto the wall.


    Pure black suit, white wedding dress, and a smiling Guo Guo��


    ��Get out of here, all of you!�� Gu Jun roared with his face red in anger. Why did they have to destroy his favorite things? ��Take down all these pictures for me!��


    One of the bold workers said, ��Isn��t that what you told us to install? Why do we have to take it down now?��


    ��Restore this place to its original state. I��ll give you three times the pay!��


    At three times the pay, the workers rushed to take it apart without asking why.


    A bit more than an hour late, the engagement photos were gone. Seeing that the room was restored, Gu Jun went into the room and touched the bookshelf lightly with his hand, but found that the feeling was gone.


    The smell of An Xiaoyan had dissipated completely.


    The master bedroom next door remained unchanged, as before. Gu Jun knew it must have been a deliberate act to destroy everything that belonged to An Xiaoyan around him, but the other party did not know that his heart now belonged to An Xiaoyan.

 Chapter 97

    ��Daddy, so many pictures. Daddy is on top. Daddy, look. That��s me,�� Guo Guo said, pointing at the pictures.


    Gu Jun had collected the pictures in the living room after taking them down. He obviously didn��t want to keep them. He prepared to burn them all.


    The nanny hid behind and watched. Earlier, the mass of people falling to the ground had terrified her. When Gu Jun called her, she finally understood what had happened.


    ��Burn this all. Don��t leave anything behind. Also, notify the guards. Don��t let anyone in without my permission. Anyone who wishes to enter needs to ask me first.��


    The nanny hurriedly dragged all the pictures to the back of the mansion. She��d seen the pictures. It was the woman who��d lived here during New Year��s. Mr. An hadn��t returned in a month and the woman wanted to take advantage of the time. However, since Mr. Gu wanted to burn these things, it meant that he definitely didn��t like the woman.


    When would Mr. An return? When he��s not here, the home doesn��t seem like a home.


    ��Daddy, you��re on TV!�� Guo Guo exclaimed excitedly.


    ��Today, the Gu Group announced the new chairman Gu Jun��s marriage with Xiu Yijian. It is the hottest topic of the new year. The Gu Family is truly a wealthy family. Xiu Yijian must be an unmatched beauty to be able to catch the eye of Gu Jun!��


    Halfway through the host��s sentence, Gu Jun switched it to the cartoon channel and told Guo Guo to watch it by himself.


    His phone buzzed. Gu Jun swiped it open and saw An Xiaoyan��s message.


    Fifth Dumpling needs to get a flea shot at the vet in a few days. Don��t forget.


    The few words scattered the dark clouds in Gu Jun��s heart. Got it, he replied seriously.


    The engagement was on June 15th. It was less than ten days away.


    When An Xiaoyan received Gu Jun��s reply, his worries disappeared. He thought something had happened, so he sent a random message to Gu Jun. Judging from the reply, he��d worried for nothing.


    Meow, Wonton called as it rubbed against An Xiaoyan��s leg.


    The other four cats began meowing too. The dog wagged its tail beside An Xiaoyan too. They��d all grown up now and liked playing outside. An Xiaoyan would take them out for a walk after work every day. If he was late like today, they would remind him like this.


    There was a small park nearby. An Xiaoyan went there every time. It was a powerful sight to see five cats and one dog. When people saw them, they either stayed far away or came up to pet the animals.


    There was a patch of grass in the center of the park. An Xiaoyan would sit on the bench and watch the animals roll around on the ground. He had to wash them all afterward.


    The cats and the dog were having fun while obediently surrounding their owner. An Xiaoyan was also enjoying the sight.


    On a bench in the near distance, there were two entangled figures. A slightly smaller man rested his head against another man��s shoulder. In his youth, he��d fantasized about sitting on a bench with someone and pouring his heart out.


    Something hit him, shocking him out of his thoughts. He looked down and saw Yippy rubbing against him.


    Things were good now too. He had cats and a dog accompanying him. He didn��t need love anymore.


    It was getting late, so An Xiaoyan got up and called to the distance. Wonton and Yippy brought the kittens over. An Xiaoyan picked up the leash and the smallest cat, Fourth Dumpling, and started going home.


    After cleaning everything up, he lay on the bed, facing the air conditioning across from him. For the first time, he felt that this apartment would be better with two people.


    It wouldn��t be quiet like this. It felt like something was missing from his life. He didn��t have the motivation to do anything.


    The next day at work, Ji Lin also realized that An Xiaoyan was spacing out. When he wasn��t working, he would sit there and think about something. It looked like he was having heavy thoughts.


    ��Are you thinking about your lover?�� Ji Lin grinned.


    An Xiaoyan shook his head. ��No way. Life just feels a bit empty now.��


    ��Empty my *ss. When we wash the animals at the shelter for free next week, you won��t feel empty anymore. If you really do, we can get a pretty girl or boy to have fun with tonight.��


    ��Hey! What are you saying? Am I that type of person?��


    Ji Lin was unmoved. ��Look at your sallow face. It��s obvious you haven��t had sex in a long time and your blood circulation is bad.��


    ��If you don��t have sex and your blood isn��t circulating well, you��ll be weak and redden easily,�� An Xiaoyan refuted.


    ��Oh, I guess you��re a professional!��


    An Xiaoyan ignored him and continued working.


    In the afternoon, something unpleasant happened.


    ��Ji Lin, someone called for the boss,�� Da Zhou called from outside.


    Ji Lin put down his work and went outside. He saw two kittens in a box. ��What��s going on?��


    ��Ask her.��


    ��They��re from our cat house,�� a fashionable woman said as she took off her sunglasses. ��These two don��t look healthy, so I want to put them here for now. Please advertise them to your customers.��


    It was the first time Ji Lin experienced something like this since opening his store. He��d only been here for half a year and hadn��t gotten to know many people. How come his store became a place to collect and sell cats?


    ��I��m sorry. We��re a hospital and we only cure animals. We don��t sell them. Please take them back.��


    The woman clearly was unwilling. ��Isn��t our partnership perfect?�� she exclaimed. ��Countless people come here every day. You can definitely find a home for them. I won��t say how much money. Just 200 dollars for a cat is enough. They��re already one year old and no one��s buying them. Do you want me to keep losing money?��


    Ji Lin didn��t change his mind. This had nothing to do with him. He couldn��t voluntarily adopt these two cats either. Judging from the woman��s attitude, whether or not he adopts them, she still won��t be bringing them back.


    ��Take these cats back. Raising two cats doesn��t take much money. Plus, this really is a hospital. We don��t sell cats.��


    ��Then these two cats are sick. Take care of them.�� With that, the woman put on her sunglasses and walked away. Da Zhou tried to move the box of cats out, but when he got out, the woman was already gone.


    ��What kind of person is she?�� Da Zhou complained. ��People like her do things solely for money. We��re not a shelter! If all cat houses do this, we��ll go bankrupt!��


    Ji Lin looked at the skinny and frightened kittens inside the box. They weren��t treated well in the cat house and didn��t live well. This was why they brought them over.


    An Xiaoyan witnessed all this. He walked to the two cats. As soon as he reached in, the two cats shrunk back. He kept his hand there and one of the cats cautiously licked his thumb.


    When the soft thing scraped past his finger, An Xiaoyan��s heart trembled. He seemed to see the hunger in the cat��s eyes.


    ��What breed are these two?��


    Ji Lin checked again. One was probably a Scottish Fold while the other was a mix. He��d be able to see after they were fattened and matured.


    ��Treat them. I��ll pay for it.��


    Da Zhou was incredulous. ��Xiaoyan, did you win the jackpot or something? Why do you need so many cats? Don��t you already have that orange one?��


    An Xiaoyan took the cat out and hugged it carefully. ��I think that they��re too pitiful.��


    Da Zhou wanted to keep talking, but Lin Nian grabbed him and shook his head. ��Xiaoyan, I��ll help you.��


    ��What��s with you guys? Are we really a shelter?��


    ��Don��t you see Xiaoyan��s eyes?�� Ji Lin explained. ��That guy really loves cats. When he looks at cats, he can��t tear his eyes away.��


    Da Zhou didn��t understand. ��But his salary isn��t that high. He��ll need to scrimp to raise three cats.��


    An Xiaoyan put the two cats into a basin. One of the cats didn��t dare move. After washing them, he poured cat food in front of them. They didn��t dare eat it.


    ��Xiaoyan, put them in a cage and we��ll go out. They probably don��t dare to eat with us here.��


    An Xiaoyan followed Lin Nian out and watched the security camera from the computer. The two cats waited until no one was around before timidly approaching the cat food. They didn��t show any fear when they ate. They gobbled it up as if they were afraid that they��d have no food after this meal.


    ��I��ll take them back after work. I have a few cats at home, so they should feel welcomed.��


    When Da Zhou heard ��a few cats,�� he asked, ��So that Wonton we saw last time is only one of the members of your family?��


    An Xiaoyan nodded. ��I have five cats and a dog.��


    Da Zhou wasn��t the only one who was shocked. Even Lin Nian and Ji Lin were surprised. ��Do you want to open a cat house? You��re raising that many? That Wonton is nice. He��s probably a purebred British Shorthair. What about the others?��


    ��Found them. I don��t know what breed either.��


    ��Xiaoyan, if you really love animals, you actually can open a cat house,�� Lin Nian chimed in. ��If you can��t sell them, you can raise them too.��


    An Xiaoyan had never thought about this. He just simply loved animals. He��d never thought about selling the babies for money.


    After work, the two cats had already eaten and drunk their fill. They were sleeping together. An Xiaoyan wrapped them in a jacket and brought them home.


    The Scottish Fold was the most special, so he named it Seventh Dumpling. The unknown one would be Sixth Dumpling. When he made enough money, he could probably have enough for a serving of dumplings.


    When he opened the door, he was welcomed by the five cats and the dog as usual. An Xiaoyan placed the two new cats in the cat bed.


    ��From now on, they��ll be members of the family. They��re the oldest, so don��t bully them.��


    There were new members now. The cats stared at the two guys. Wonton was only a few months old, but he��d eaten well since birth, so he was bigger than the one-year-olds.


    Sixth and Seventh Dumpling woke up to see the other cats staring at them. They shrunk back reflexively. After a long while, they were sure that the other cats weren��t aggressive and began moving around in their new home.


    ��Please hurry and grow up. This way, you can protect yourselves.��

 Chapter 98

    There were no hiccups in the preparations for the engagement. All preparatory activities were going as planned and Gu Jun had gradually accepted the fact that he was getting engaged. However, he left everything to be managed by Chen Chen as he did not want to be involved in it. Every single day, he spent his time outside of work accompanying Guo Guo and Fifth Dumpling at the villa.


    He wanted to wait until after his engagement to see An Xiaoyan, but what the security guard reported to him next surprised him.


    At the main gate, a familiar figure with a big bag was looking inside.


    An Xiaoyan had intentionally asked for a week��s leave. Bearing in mind that he had not seen Fifth Dumpling or Guo Guo for some time and had nothing urgent on the island to attend to, he made a special trip down. He brought along a pile of his ��fur kids�� too. Once he stepped into the house, the cats and dog jumped out of his bag.


    Gu Jun could hardly imagine how An Xiaoyan could have brought these cats and a dog from thousands of kilometers away.


    Why didn��t he cherish such a persistent and resolute person?


    The Big Dumpling Army and Yippy were overjoyed to come to such a huge place. Yippy still remembered Guo Guo and lay directly on Guo Guo��s lap.


    ��Why are you here?��


    ��I kept thinking of Guo Guo and Fifth Dumpling and can��t get them off my mind, so I thought of coming over to see how things are going.��


    Gu Jun embraced An Xiaoyan tightly. The familiar scent was back. He wanted to fill every corner of the house with the smell of An Xiaoyan.


    An Xiaoyan had summoned all of his courage to get on the boat and leave the island. In fact, he did not know whether it was the right thing to do. He clearly wanted to leave this place full of sorrows, but now he took the initiative to come back. He was still so spineless.


    But he had no regrets about it. The current situation was different from before. If Gu Jun dared to behave the same as before, it would mean that they were really incompatible. In that case, he would never come back again.


    It was Gu Jun��s last hope, but also An Xiaoyan��s last hope.


    ��Okay, this time, you can decide how long you want to stay and go wherever you wish to go.��


    ��I have asked for a week��s leave, so I��ll only stay for 5 days before I leave.��


    Five days later happened to be June 15, the day of Gu Jun��s engagement. An Xiaoyan would not ask. He was still afraid and his fear could only be concealed by superficial joy.


    With so many additional members in the family, the house suddenly started to become lively once more. When the nanny was cooking, she saw Ann Xiaoyan and thought she was seeing things.


    After she was sure that she wasn��t mistaken, she intentionally cooked a few more dishes to celebrate Mr. An��s return.


    ��Xiaoyan, do you have any plans for your return this time?�� Gu Jun was feeling a bit guilty when he spoke. Now that the news of his engagement filled the city, he did not want An Xiaoyan to go anywhere too crowded.


    ��No, I have no plans. I only wish to come back and see how things are going. I will be leaving in a few days�� time.��


    ��Okay, just tell the nanny what you need and she��ll help you get it.��


    An Xiaoyan nodded. Although there were bad memories in this house, it felt much better stepping into the house now. At least, he did not feel as oppressive as before.


    After dinner, Guo Guo was sleeping in the arms of the nanny. The pets were sleeping in the nest prepared for them. After An Xiaoyan took a bath, he went to the original bedroom he used to stay in and Gu Jun was already lying in his bed.


    ��Gu Jun, why are you here?��


    ��I will sleep on this side. I feel more comfortable sleeping with you. Don��t worry. I am not going to do anything.��


    Now that they were friends and An Xiaoyan was in Gu Jun��s house, it would not be polite of An Xiaoyan to shoo Gu Jun out of his bedroom. Thus, he could only lie on the other side obediently.


    It was as if his body had recognized the bed; he fell asleep in it very quickly. Gu Jun inched his way towards An Xiaoyan. Finally, the two of them were leaning against each other and Gu Jun carefully embraced An Xiaoyan.


    For the next four days, An Xiaoyan��s routine consisted of quietly staying in the villa, helping the nanny cook, reciting poems to Guo Guo, and bathing his pets.


    On the fifth morning, Gu Jun said that he would take Guo Guo to a dinner party, and An Xiaoyan had no doubt about it. He helped Guo Guo dress up and saw them off to the door with Wonton in his arms.


    Seeing An Xiaoyan��s figure at the gate getting smaller as the car departed, Gu Jun felt oppressed again. It was a big lie, but he could not tell the truth.


    The engagement would be held in the famous hotel, Han Lin Hotel, in A City. On the car, Gu Jun reminded Guo Guo that he need not do anything at the venue, he could eat anything that he liked, and not to talk to others.


    Marriages of the rich and powerful were usually done out of the public eye. The engagement scene had tight security and all the media were not allowed to enter. Thus, Gu Jun felt at ease to bring Guo Guo along.


    This was more extravagant than Gu Jing��s wedding. People with and without connections were present to join in on the fun.


    When old Mr. Gu saw his young and promising son enter the venue, he was naturally smiling happily. In fact, he was already mentally prepared to see Gu Jun absent today, but unexpectedly, he came by his own free will.


    Xiu Yijian was upstairs in the hotel. First, the people in the shopping mall greeted each other, and then the engagement ceremony began.


    Naturally, Nan Qiang was the first person who would dare approach Gu Jun. ��Chairman Gu is not only successful in your career but has a beautiful fianc��e. It can be said that you are the epitome of a successful family man. Now that you are going to get married, you won��t fancy those old rotten flowers and weeds from the past anymore. To tell you the truth, I really envy you, Chairman Gu. It is right to do what��s age appropriate. When you reach my age, you will have a different experience.��


    ��Boss Nan, you are too kind.�� The cups touched and made a clinking sound, but the two of them were each harboring bad intentions in secret.


    ��Chairman Gu, you��ve chosen the right time to get married. People like us didn��t choose the right time, that��s why we couldn��t become a talented person like you!�� Seeing another sycophant, Gu Jun just gave a perfunctory response.


    After a while, a man in his fifties came over with a cup. Gu Jun did not have an impression of who this person was.


    ��Chairman Gu, please pardon my little girl if there is anything not good enough about her. My little girl has been spoiled by me since childhood. Fortunately, Chairman Gu did not mind and has agreed to marry my little girl. It is considered a great honor for my family. With the help of old Mr. Gu��s fund, the Xiu family��s business is doing very well and we have attained higher social standing.��


    It was but a small family, and Gu Jun did not pay much attention to it. He did not have a favorable impression of Xiu Yijian��s father at all.


    After Gu Jun downed the cup of wine in his glass, he stood in the middle of the hall and looked at the splendid place.


    Maybe when he could finally give all this up, he could really be with An Xiaoyan.


    The engagement ceremony officially began after everyone was almost done with their conventional greetings. The Pipeline Orchestra was playing some music, creating an elegant atmosphere in the hall.


    ��


    No one in Gu Jun��s villa knew about his engagement as he had intentionally kept it a secret. An Xiaoyan did not have any suspicions during his brief stay in the villa either. After all, Gu Jun was usually busy.


    While the nanny was preparing lunch, An Xiaoyan went to help out and the two of them were chatting together.


    ��Mr. An, why were you absent some time ago? Did you have something going on?��


    ��Yes, indeed I had something to attend to, but I will come back more often to pay a visit. Maybe, I��ll just find a job here.��


    The nanny was overjoyed to hear that. ��Actually, when I first saw you, I could tell that you were a very nice person, and you are very compatible with Mr. Gu as well.��


    For the first time, someone said this right in An Xiaoyan��s face. He blushed from his face to his neck and replied, ��You must be joking, we are just friends.��


    The nanny could tell that An Xiaoyan was embarrassed and continued to joke, ��A friend can also become a boyfriend.��


    At noon, An Xiaoyan was alone, and the nanny did not intend to cook too much. She planned to cook a seafood soup, then make a red stewed hot chicken, and then stir-fried some bamboo shoots with dried tofu.


    After they��d both prepared the necessary ingredients, the nanny wanted to start cooking when An Xiaoyan suggested that he try it himself.


    The nanny had witnessed An Xiaoyan��s culinary skills before. He was as good as her, so she acted as his assistant and allowed him to take over.


    The seafood soup was a soup stewed with shrimps, oysters, and crabs. Then the shrimp meat was fished out and cut into cubes and eggs were beaten before being added to the soup. Chopped scallions and coriander were added last. As soon as the pot of soup was ready, the fragrance of the soup permeated the air. The red stewed hot chicken and fried bamboo shoots with dried tofu were not as complicated, and he just needed to follow the usual steps.


    After cooking the meal, An Xiaoyan was tired out. After all, preparing a meal in the Gu family residence was not as casual as preparing his own meal at home. He took more than an hour just preparing the soup.


    Since Gu Jun was not at home, An Xiaoyan told the nanny to sit down and eat with him.


    The nanny took a sip of the soup and gave a thumbs up. Although the soup was made under her guidance, it was much better than hers. ��Mr. An, I think you could open a restaurant!��


    An Xiaoyan smiled and said, ��I just cook my own meals to satisfy my appetite. It��s far the standard of being able to open a restaurant.��


    After the meal, the nanny took the initiative to wash the dishes. An Xiaoyan was lying on the sofa, playing with the Big Dumpling Army with a cat stick. Fifth Dumpling lived a comfortable life in Gu Jun��s house, thus it had grown up a lot and even caught up with the growth of the other kittens. It looked about the same size as Fourth Dumpling. Sixth Dumpling and Seventh Dumpling had also begun to grow from a skinny kitten to a size more akin to a fat middle-aged uncle.


    In order to prevent the kittens from scratching the sofa and destroying the furniture, An Xiaoyan had clipped the kitten��s claws. With their claws cut, even if the kittens wanted to show off their sharp claws, they could not.


    At noon, when the sun was hot, An Xiaoyan was lying on the sofa. There was a lot of noise outside, thus he had to go upstairs to take his nap. The coach ticket back to the island had already been purchased. He would be waking up at 5 a.m. tomorrow morning to catch the first bus to the coach station.


    In less than twenty hours, An Xiaoyan would be leaving. Though he felt a little reluctant to leave, there was no reason for him to stay here. Besides, Ji Lin was still waiting for him to return.


    He would consider coming back for another visit after he managed to save a little more money. With a plan in mind, An Xiaoyan felt at ease and lay in his bed. When he was about to doze off, his mobile phone suddenly rang.


    An Xiaoyan opened his eyes in a daze and did not know whose number it was. The caller display showed that it was a number from A City.


    His mobile phone number was never leaked. An Xiaoyan casually cancelled the call, but when he was about to turn around and continue to nap, his mobile phone rang again.


    It was still the same number displayed on the screen of his mobile phone. After An Xiaoyan thought for half a second, he pressed on the answer button.


    A quiet and pleasant male voice could be heard saying, ��Mr. An Xiaoyan, I have a will here with me.��

 Chapter 99

    Hearing the word ��will��, An Xiaoyan��s sleepiness was instantly chased away. He hurriedly asked what was happening. How could there be a will?


    The other just told him to meet at the Starbucks on Xiangyang Road to talk about it in person.


    An Xiaoyan felt unsettled. If it was a will, could it be his parents? He immediately refuted that idea. His parents were both from rural areas and weren��t very educated. They definitely wouldn��t write a will.


    None of the hypotheses were useful. An Xiaoyan changed his clothes, notified the nanny, and walked out with his wallet.


    The other had said two o��clock. When An Xiaoyan arrived, he still had ten minutes. He ordered a cappuccino and sat in a seat near the window.


    At two o��clock sharp, a suited man who looked like an elite walked into the caf��. He stood at the door and scanned the caf��. He then opened the folder in his hands and looked up. Finally, his eyes fixed onto An Xiaoyan.


    He first ordered something at the counter, then he moved and sat down in front of An Xiaoyan.


    He wore a pair of gold-rimmed glasses and his tie was very neat. He gave off a serious aura. Extending a hand, he said, ��Hello, I am Mr. Xia. You can call me Xiao Xia.��


    ��Hello, I am An Xiaoyan. You can call me Xiaoyan.�� An Xiaoyan extended his right hand. They shook hands politely and let go quickly.


    ��Can you tell me what��s wrong? On the phone, there was mention of a will, but I don��t really understand.��


    Mr. Xia opened the thick document envelope and took out a piece of paper.


    ��I am Liu Cheng��s personal lawyer. He arranged this before his death. You can look at his will.��


    The paper was placed before An Xiaoyan, but he was still thinking about the previous words. Liu Cheng��s will. Liu Cheng died? That was impossible. Liu Cheng was alright! They��d met during New Year��s. It had only been four months.


    ��I know this is unbelievable to you. I understand your feelings as well, but can you please carefully read the will?��


    Bearing the tremors of his heart, An Xiaoyan picked up the paper with trembling hands.


    After I die, all of the property under my name will be inherited by my good friend, An Xiaoyan. This includes 60 percent of Hua Kang Hospital��s shares and a house in the southern region.


    If the heir refuses to inherit it, forces of law may be used.


    The words were written simply on the paper. An Xiaoyan could recognize Liu Cheng��s handwriting. He didn��t care about the property at all. He only wanted to know what had happened in these four months.


    ��Mr. Xia, you are Liu Cheng��s personal lawyer. Please tell me everything about what happened to him and how he died.��


    Mr. Xia didn��t try to explain. He took out a small envelope. On it was written, For An Xiaoyan.


    Opening it carefully, An Xiaoyan took a piece of paper out.


    Xiaoyan, if you��re reading this, it most likely means that I��m no longer alive. This day came sooner than I thought. I got the idea to write this will the moment Gu Jun took you away. I came down with an incurable disease. Do you still remember seeing me at the Night Charm? I was like someone who had sex with countless people. God didn��t bless me either. When I came out, I discovered that I had AIDS.


    At first, I wanted to take revenge on society. I wasn��t even 30 years old. Why should my life be ruined? I hated Gu Jun. He was the one who did this to me, but what use is hatred? The disease is already in me. Slowly, I became logical, but I don��t know when I got it. I might��ve had sex with many carriers. After all, the Night Charm is really messy. I know AIDS can stay dormant from two to ten years, but if you have sex with many people with AIDS, the time can be decreased greatly. At first, I thought that if I took medicine, I could live another one or two decades, but I was too na?ve.


    Ten days before the new year, I suddenly fell sick. I was just cleaning the house, but a cool breeze made me sick. I know my own body. I quickly bought a lot of cup-noodles, snacks, and water. When the sickness would get really bad, I might spend the whole day in bed.


    But on New Year��s Eve, I had a serious fever. I subconsciously called you for help. When I learned of my sickness, I went home. I thought that I could confess to my parents. After all, they aren��t that conservative. But in reality, they disowned me and said that they don��t have a son like me.


    I didn��t dare go to Hua Kang Hospital again. I didn��t contact the other bros either. I was afraid they��d know that I have AIDS and then judge me like I��m contagious.


    Thankfully, you came. I lied, saying that I just had a fever. You believed me and took care of me wholeheartedly. You weren��t any different from before. At that time, I thought that you were the best person to me in the world. I was happy in the few days that I was with you. It��s probably the most fortunate thing before my death��to be with my soulmate.


    I don��t know if saying ��I like you�� was genuine. Thinking back, I don��t understand myself either. I just wanted to be loved by you. At that time, I was scared. I kept dreaming that you would turn into a monster.


    I didn��t expect that Gu Jun would come. He came just in time, destroying all the warmth we had. I just watched as he took you away, but I couldn��t do anything because I knew that I couldn��t keep you. I have no way of keeping you. I really didn��t want you to see how ugly I was before dying. It would be embarrassing.


    The last thing you told me��to take care of myself��made me, a man, cry. No matter the situation, you always think of me. After thinking for a long while, I hurried to write the will and wait for death to come to end everything.


    There are two people I can��t forgive in this world. The first is Gu Jun, because he��s too cruel and hurt you too deeply. The second is myself, because I also hurt you indirectly.


    Liu Cheng


    By the end, An Xiaoyan didn��t know what to think. He would have never imagined that Liu Cheng would get AIDS and die. They��d been friends for nine years. Now, it��s all gone. If Gu Jun hadn��t taken revenge back then, Liu Cheng wouldn��t have died. Gu Jun had to know how dirty the Night Charm was.


    So many humiliating memories replayed in An Xiaoyan��s mind, making him dizzy. He felt a bit better after drinking some of the cold coffee. Why did he think that Gu Jun was a good person?


    His attitude toward Gu Jun had changed a lot over the past month, but Liu Cheng��s letter seemed to revert him to his original disposition. Now, there were two angels fighting in his heart. Should Gu Jun��s care remain? Or was the original Gu Jun his true self?


    He tried to keep his tears from falling, but his heart felt like it was being shredded with daggers. He folded the letter and put it back neatly.


    Sitting across from him, the lawyer handed a tissue to An Xiaoyan. ��I��m sorry for your loss.��


    ��Where are his ashes?��


    ��Most of his ashes are buried. I can wrap up what remains into two bags and bring them to you next time. He wants you two bring one to his parents because he feels safer with you doing it. The other bag is for you. In addition, he has another letter. He said that you should open it after you��ve moved on from everything, including his death.��


    ��So it��s for when I see everything through?��


    ��There��s no hard rule, but that��s what Mr. Liu Cheng told me. You should open it after you move on.��


    The envelope was very beautiful. It was decorated with dried flowers and the envelope was sealed shut. An Xiaoyan decided to put it away. He hadn��t moved on yet. When he reached that state, maybe he��d understand naturally.


    Mr. Xia had done everything he had to. He cleaned up and was prepared to leave. Before leaving, he said that if the properties weren��t signed to An Xiaoyan��s name this year, they would be transferred automatically.


    Liu Cheng was dying, but he��d still given all his material wealth to An Xiaoyan. But what use was there? He��d been poor before. As long as he didn��t starve, it was alright.


    He got another cup of coffee. He felt that he��d been in the air conditioned room for too long and it was cold. If he��d known about this, he would��ve taken Wonton along. At least the soft fur wouldn��t make him so cold.


    In the morning, he��d still been thinking about living with Gu Jun. Now, he didn��t even have the courage to look Gu Jun in the eye. He��d indirectly killed An Xiaoyan��s best friend. How could he move past this?


    The sun had set to the west. An Xiaoyan took Liu Cheng��s ashes and went to the cemetery that Mr. Xia had mentioned.


    The cemetery was the biggest one in A City. It was four or five o��clock, so the temperature was a bit chilly. When An Xiaoyan arrived, not many people were there. He searched the rows. An Xiaoyan remembered that Mu Nan had been here, so he quickly found Liu Cheng.


    The tombstone was very new. An Xiaoyan sat on the concrete and stared blankly at the picture.


    It looked unrealistic. He��d been a lively man before. How could this happen?


    An Xiaoyan curled up and tears spilled down like a fountain. He couldn��t keep it in anymore. He��d told himself not to cry. It was embarrassing to cry before Liu Cheng, but when he saw the tombstone and the new flower wreath around it, he couldn��t help it anymore.


    He��d lost so many things after meeting Gu Jun. First, his parents. Now, he lost his best friend. His friends and family were the most important things of his life, but they��d been taken from him just like this.


    ��I��ll give the things to your parents. I��ll keep your part too. Ah Cheng, tell me what I should do now.��


    The sky darkened gradually. An Xiaoyan wiped his tears and patted the dust off. He walked out of the cemetery.


    He didn��t know where to go now. He obviously couldn��t go back to Gu Jun. He didn��t know how to face everything. He decided to just walk around.


    The driver took An Xiaoyan to the busiest mall. An Xiaoyan circled the top floor. Thankfully, he��d brought his credit card, so he could buy whatever he wanted to eat. He didn��t have to scrimp and save like before, hesitating before buying anything.


    He��d been out for so long. Guo Guo and Gu Jun had probably gone home. It was time for dinner, but they hadn��t contacted him yet. It seemed that he didn��t really matter.


    What exactly was he anticipating?

 Chapter 100

    There was a gourmet food court on the fourth floor. As it was dinner time, there were many people going in and out. An Xiaoyan saw a hot pot restaurant with instant-boiled mutton and went straight in.


    Sitting at the table, he ordered the spiciest hot pot and a lot of meat, and decided he��d treat himself better.


    When the meat was served, An Xiaoyan placed it directly into the spiciest hot pot and ate it once it was cooked. On the side was a bowl of vinegar, which he used to dip the meat in. It tasted spicy and sour at the same time.


    The spicy and sour taste overwhelmed the numbness and sadness in his heart. The sensory stimulation made him feel much better.


    He ate five plates full of meat. As soon as the fifth plate was finished, An Xiaoyan ran straight to the toilet and vomited. His stomach was not strong and could not handle such stimulating food.


    The customers sitting next to him were casting strange looks at An Xiaoyan, but he did not care. After vomiting, he placed some noodles in the hot pot. After eating enough, he paid up and left.


    Evenings in the summer were the coolest time. An Xiaoyan walked aimlessly in the square and saw a group of girls near him screaming. An Xiaoyan looked in the direction of their gaze and saw a wedding was being broadcasted on the screen of a tall building opposite the square.


    At first, he thought it was broadcasting a TV series in the open-air, in which the male lead was proposing to the female lead.


    Since he had nothing to do, he sat down on a long bench at the square to watch the soap opera.


    After watching for a while, he noticed something strange. He seemed to have spotted Gu Jun��s figure on the screen!


    The camera panned and the next scene was the hall. He thought he had a blurry vision. Why is Gu Jun everywhere at any time?


    Looking again for a while, he saw Gu Jun again. This time he was sure it was not a mistake. He could see the headline.


    Gu Jun, a young chairman, is engaged to a rich heiress.


    Through the whole spectacle, An Xiaoyan sat on the long bench and watched the process unfold: From Gu Jun exchanging greetings with the businessmen in the living room, to the engagement ceremony itself.


    Guo Guo was holding up Xiu Yijian��s dress behind the couple while Gu Jun took her hand and walked up to the stage together.


    And those engagement vows, how perfect they sounded, wiped out the last spark in An Xiaoyan��s heart.


    The final spark of hope was extinguished, and An Xiaoyan felt deeply deceived.


    Since Gu Jun is planning to get married, why did he deceive me into thinking that I have the right to be loved?


    Perhaps Gu Jun thought of two-timing? On one hand, he has a beautiful wife, and on the other hand, he can get along with me sweetly. This way, he can have the best of both worlds without ruining his marriage.


    Men are all the same. An Xiaoyan is also a man, and he knows that.


    If he did not happen to see the video, how would��ve Gu Jun tried to deceive him? Would he have come clean only when Xiu Yijian moved into the villa? Or made up an excuse to keep him at a distance as a ��mistress��?


    From beginning to end, he was the biggest fool.


    The screen was repeating the video again and An Xiaoyan had no intention of re-watching the video. Without any hesitation, he went back to the villa.


    It would be better for him to make everything clear. After all, they were people from two different worlds. Friends? Lies.


    Upon returning to the villa, he could see that Gu Jun and Guo Guo were not back yet. An Xiaoyan packed up his things and put the dog and cats in the big bag he had brought along.


    As soon as he stepped out, Gu Jun came back from the outside. When their eyes met, Gu Jun was smiling and about to greet him happily.


    ��I��m leaving.�� An Xiaoyan tried to calm down his tone as much as possible.


    ��Is it not tomorrow��s ticket that you bought? Why are you leaving today?��


    ��I have something to attend to. I gotta go.�� An Xiaoyan carried his big bag, weighing about fifty kilograms, the cats and the dog inside the bag were peering out to look at Gu Jun.


    Gu Jun pulled An Xiaoyan back. ��Let me see you off. Where are you going?��


    ��No, no need.�� An Xiaoyan shook Gu Jun��s hand off.


    Guo Guo climbed down from the car, with a small rose wreath on his head, and said to An Xiaoyan, ��Uncle An, look at the wreath that Aunty gave me, is it very beautiful?��


    Gu Jun��s facial expression changed and hurried Guo Guo to get into the house.


    ��The wreath was given to me at a dinner party, and Guo Guo felt that it looked good on him, so I brought it back.��


    ��Hmm.��


    Gu Jun could perceive An Xiaoyan��s feelings of alienation. He was obviously fine before we left. How did he change so much now? If An Xiaoyan did not like him, why would he come from a thousand miles away?


    ��Xiaoyan, what��s the matter? Is there something going on that needs your immediate attention?��


    An Xiaoyan did not reply but went straight ahead. Honestly, he was very disappointed with Gu Jun. He was so disappointed to see that even though Gu Jun had made a mistake, he had the cheek to ask him what had happened.


    Gu Jun was also unhappy with An Xiaoyan��s indifferent attitude. It was tough on him to attend the engagement without An Xiaoyan��s knowledge. He was also tired of pretending to be in a loving relationship with Xiu Yijian.


    Gu Jun shouted a few times but An Xiaoyan still did not look back. Gu Jun was anxious and went straight up to him, then held him back. The two of them tugged at each other and the big bag of pets fell to the ground. The cats and dog in the bag were scattered all over the ground, landing on the grass patch in a mess.


    ��What are you doing?!��


    Gu Jun was stunned by the loud roar. In his impression, An Xiaoyan would only roar at him when he was very angry.


    ��I don��t want you to go. Don��t you see it?��


    ��Why can��t I go? I��m not going to wait for someone to say that I am involved in someone else��s marriage!��


    Gu Jun did not respond in time to understand what he meant, ��What on earth are you talking about?��


    ��I��m a fool. Everyone knows about it, and I am the only one who doesn��t know. Why are you pestering me even though you��re already engaged?��


    An Xiaoyan��s words were like a thunderbolt out of a clear blue sky. How did An Xiaoyan know about it? He had never mentioned anything about his engagement in the villa. ��Xiaoyan, you must be mistaken. I absolutely did not.��


    ��So what did you do today?��


    ��I simply took Guo Guo out for a meal, and that��s it.��


    An Xiaoyan put the cats and dog back into his bag. Seeing that An Xiaoyan still insisted on leaving, Gu Jun forcefully blocked his way.


    ��Move away!�� An Xiaoyan stared at Gu Jun and said.


    Seeing An Xiaoyan looked so determined to leave, it seemed that he really knew something about the engagement. ��Xiaoyan, to tell the truth, I am really engaged, but I absolutely did not wish to. I have my reasons.��


    Lies, deception.


    He could tolerate everything about Gu Jun, but not deception.


    ��I��m leaving and will never come back. I am also not coming to visit Guo Guo anymore. That is your child.��


    Every single word stunned Gu Jun. He already said that he was helpless, but why did An Xiaoyan not understand him? A man with a little mind.


    However, in the face of emotions and relationships, there was no mind to speak of.


    Gu Jun completely lost his sense of reason when he saw An Xiaoyan insist on leaving. He dragged An Xiaoyan back into the house and threw him on the sofa. Back in the spacious and air-conditioned place, the pets scurried out to find a comfortable place to lie down.


    ��What are you doing?��


    Gu Jun��s eyes were red with anger. He untied his tie and tied An Xiaoyan��s hands up. He answered, ��F*uk you!��


    ��Get out, Gu Jun! Let me go!��


    Gu Jun did not stop. Instead, he unbuckled his belt and took off his trousers. An Xiaoyan felt as if he��d been warped back to the past, when Gu Jun did not hesitate to f*ck him directly.


    It was still as painful as before and Gu Jun did not have any pity for him. An Xiaoyan looked at the lamp on the ceiling. The lamp was really bright. Gu Jun had never changed. He is still so violent.


    When it was over, Gu Jun carried him upstairs. Gu Jun was so angry just now that he could not control himself.


    Why can��t An Xiaoyan understand his mood? He was in a difficult situation whereby it was impossible for him to achieve the best of both worlds.


    He lost control again. Every time he lost control, it had to end in this way.


    An Xiaoyan lay on the bed with half of his fair back exposed and red scratches could be seen all over his back. Under the light, the left side of An Xiaoyan��s face looked very beautiful. Gu Jun covered up the quilt and went out.


    The consequence of a moment��s impulse was that he did not know how to face An Xiaoyan now.


    Chen Chen called to say that old Mr. Gu had booked the screens of the whole city��s high-rise buildings. As long as there was a display screen, the morning engagement video would be played from 8 p.m onwards.


    Gu Jun was totally unaware of this. Old Mr. Gu did that with the fear that Gu Jun might go back on his word. He knew that as long as Gu Jun did not register his marriage, Gu Jun would have a way to turn it around.


    Moreover, old Mr. Gu also knew that An Xiaoyan had returned, and he was afraid that the two of them would rekindle their relationship.


    It was all because he had overlooked these possibilities. Gu Jun stood on the balcony smoking, and the cigarette ash fell into the ashtray. We have finally become friends, but now there will be no chance to progress at all.


    When An Xiaoyan woke up, he first remembered the scene of last night. Although it was very painful, he endured the pain and put on his clothes. When he walked down the stairs of only twenty steps, he took ten minutes to get to the last step.


    There was no one around. An Xiaoyan carried his bag from the living room and thought of leaving with his pets, but he could not withstand the pain. He could only manage to carry the one with the smallest size, Fifth Dumpling. The remaining animals looked at their owner with longing eyes.


    An Xiaoyan said with much reluctance, ��I really can��t take all of you along. In the future, if you can��t live here any longer, you can leave and go wandering around.��


    ��Meow, meow! Bow wow!��


    An Xiaoyan turned around each step he took and finally walked out of Gu Jun��s villa like a lame duck.


    Gu Jun on the second floor looked at the scene, but could not go downstairs to stop him from leaving. If he forcefully made An Xiaoyan stay, what difference would it be from how he used to ��imprison�� An Xiaoyan? He��d already been wrong last night, he could not afford to make another mistake.


    He sent someone to follow An Xiaoyan so that he could get him back no matter where he fled to.


    An Xiaoyan did not leave A City. He rented a small house because he had to pass Liu Cheng��s ashes to his parents. It would not be an easy task.


    When this matter is settled, he would really have nothing left to cling on to. Love and hate, it doesn��t matter anymore.


    Liu Cheng��s letter to him was still in his bag, but he still felt that it was not the time to open it. Even though he had accepted the unpleasant facts, he still felt that it should not be opened now.


    The first thing he did after renting a house was to go to the pharmacy to buy medicine. He took off his underwear and saw blood stains on it. The most important thing was to stay healthy so as to fulfill Liu Cheng��s wishes.


    Fifth Dumpling seemed to know that its master was unhappy and lay on the side of An Xiaoyan, wagging its tail.


    He was back at the beginning.

 Chapter 101

    Gu Jun waited at home. The days passed, but there was no significant news regarding An Xiaoyan. The spy said that An Xiaoyan stayed in an apartment in the north. He basically stayed indoors all day and occasionally went outside to throw out the garbage. It was unknown what he was doing.


    He��d wait a bit longer. An Xiaoyan must hate him now. They could talk after they��d both calmed down.


    One day, two days��An Xiaoyan didn��t go out for five days in a row, but the spy said that An Xiaoyan hadn��t thrown out the garbage in two days.


    Garbage meant that the person was still alive. Gu Jun was clear what the absence of garbage meant.


    When he reached the bottom of the apartment, he looked at the old building and went up without hesitation.


    He knocked like a landlord and An Xiaoyan opened the door quickly. The moment the door opened, Gu Jun slipped inside.


    ��What are you doing here? Leave!��


    An Xiaoyan��s tone was still unfriendly, but Gu Jun thought that it had improved a lot. At least, it wasn��t ��get the f*ck out.��


    ��I think we need to talk.��


    ��There��s nothing to talk about.��


    Gu Jun didn��t give up. ��Can��t you just listen to my explanation?��


    The atmosphere grew tense. After a long while, An Xiaoyan said, ��Why don��t you consider it from my perspective?��


    ��I am. That��s why I didn��t want you to know. The old man is forcing me to get married. What can I do?��


    An Xiaoyan stopped speaking. He felt like his words were useless.


    ��Go. I have things to do.��


    Gu Jun didn��t want to be in An Xiaoyan��s way. He said, ��Contact me after you think it through,�� and left.


    He��d wanted to give An Xiaoyan a chance, but he was still the one that got hurt.


    After a few days, An Xiaoyan was sure that his health was okay and went to the Liu family according to the address from Liu Cheng.


    The Liu family was a large family. They had a house in the wealthy district. An Xiaoyan stood outside the door for a long while before ringing the bell.


    A servant opened the door. Seeing An Xiaoyan, she inquired about his business there. Upon learning that he was here to give something, she had him wait in the living room.


    A while later, a fifty-something-year-old man walked downstairs. He looked similar to Liu Cheng. As soon as he arrived, An Xiaoyan hurriedly stood up.


    He��d seen so much now, so he wasn��t intimidated.


    ��What are you here for?��


    ��There��s something important to give you.��


    ��What?�� Liu Lianxun thought back but couldn��t remember anything about this man. He didn��t reject him directly though.


    ��These are Liu Cheng��s ashes. He passed away on the 14th. His lawyer gave it to me.��


    At the mention of Liu Cheng, Liu Lianxun��s expression changed. He waved his hand to make An Xiaoyan leave.


    ��In his will, he asks that you please take it.��


    Liu Lianxun tossed away the thing that An Xiaoyan gave him. ��I don��t have an immoral son like him. You��re probably no good either.��


    ��Uncle, Liu Cheng is a good person. You must��ve misunderstood him.��


    ��Misunderstood? He personally told me he has AIDS. How would he get that disease if he didn��t mess around?��


    He was right and An Xiaoyan didn��t know how to refute him. Liu Lianxun��s aura was too powerful. An Xiaoyan had no confidence.


    This stalemate wouldn��t do. An Xiaoyan placed the ashes on the table. ��Uncle, he��s already passed away. Just take it for the memory.��


    When An Xiaoyan walked out of the Liu family home, he felt that the sun was blinding. If he were to suddenly pass away, he didn��t even have friends to go and notify his parents.


    As soon as An Xiaoyan left, Liu Lianxun collapsed onto the sofa. He stared incredulously at the box on the table.


    Cold sweat beaded on his forehead. He couldn��t believe that his only child had died.


    Last time he saw him, Liu Cheng had confessed that he��d contracted AIDS and he��d yelled at his son. He didn��t regret it until Liu Cheng left. Later, he��d asked many doctors. They said that AIDS had a dormant period. If he took medicine and had routine checkups, he could live a few decades without any problems.


    Without any problems? All that remained were ashes now.


    ��


    The next morning, An Xiaoyan took Fifth Dumpling on the way back to the island. He didn��t know that all his actions were under Gu Jun��s surveillance.


    He first rode the train and then the ferry. Before leaving, he��d had Ji Lin help water the plants in his apartment. Ji Lin was reliable, so it should have no problems.


    When he put his things down, An Xiaoyan went to the rooftop and ran into the landlord.


    ��A few days ago, a fellow came to help you, but I was back, so I told him to go back. You��ve taken good care of the flowers. You��re the first one who kept his promise.��


    An Xiaoyan replied politely, but the landlord stuffed some vegetables into his hands. These were freshly picked. If he didn��t eat them, they��d go bad. There were also some tomatoes and cucumbers.


    After thanking the landlord, An Xiaoyan went downstairs to clean up.


    He hadn��t been back in a dozen days, so there was a moldy smell. He opened the windows for circulation. Fifth Dumpling jumped around on the windowsill. This scared An Xiaoyan, so he tossed it into the bedroom.


    Meow.


    ��I know you��re lonely, but you still have me. I have you too. We can accompany each other.��


    Fifth Dumpling knew that it couldn��t live a rich life with its owner, but this life seemed good enough.


    When he returned to work, Ji Lin immediately noticed that something was wrong. It had taken a while for An Xiaoyan to finally seem alive, but now his eyes carried a story again.


    ��How come you were gone for so long? Did something happen?��


    An Xiaoyan shook his head. He put on gloves to take a cat��s temperature. He didn��t want to talk about Gu Jun. His heart was like dead ashes now. No spark would ignite it.


    Ji Lin could tell there was definitely a problem and it was something big. An Xiaoyan was very similar to how he was the first time they met.


    ��Uh, if you��re not in the mood, you can go home and come tomorrow. You��re so busy today.��


    ��I��m okay. I��ll focus on the work.��


    He was still stubborn, so Ji Lin didn��t ask more questions. After taking the cat��s temperature, An Xiaoyan wiped its face with a towel. ��What kind of store has the lowest expenses?�� he asked Ji Lin. ��I think it��s better if I work alone. I can��t keep staying here. You should hire a professional.��


    ��I think you��re fine,�� Ji Lin said loudly. ��You��re skilled.��


    They moved on from this. The main point was that An Xiaoyan felt apologetic to Ji Lin. The average salary on the island was less than 3000 dollars, but he earned 4000 each month. Ji Lin was biased. An Xiaoyan didn��t like owing people and Ji Lin��s actions clearly gave him emotional pressure.


    Since he��d decided to leave the pet store, An Xiaoyan started thinking about which kind of store had the lowest costs. He didn��t have big aspirations. He just wanted to do something he liked.


    The island was beautiful. This was one of the reasons why he didn��t want to leave. The air was fresh and this haven was tucked away from the loud crowds of the mainland. This all proved that it was a suitable place to live.


    More importantly, this place bore good memories of him with Gu Jun.


    He thought back to the man who wore crocodile-skin swim shorts and grilled barbecue for him at the sea, the man who held the umbrella and drove him to the pet store in the rain. Now, the memories were like a sand castle washed away by the sea with the tide. After the many tides, not even a ghost of the original structure could be seen.


    July came. Many cicadas called from the tree outside the window. They sang the songs of summer, but people grew annoyed when listening.


    An Xiaoyan had the day off. It was too hot, so he killed time by reading indoors.


    No one disturbed him these days. He was more familiar with the island too. He knew that there was a large bookstore about 500 meters from the pet store. The furnishing was classic. He could also order a drink on the second floor and sit there the entire afternoon. He went there often. Turning on the air conditioning for the entire day at home was a luxury, so he would bring Fifth Dumpling there. Fifth Dumpling was obedient. It would sit in a chair beside An Xiaoyan and enjoy the cool air conditioning.


    Many girls saw Fifth Dumpling and couldn��t help but come pet it. Fifth Dumpling didn��t care either. It would close its eyes and let them touch it.


    As time went on, the bookstore knew that every Thursday afternoon, a thin man with a limp would bring his cream-colored cat, order lemon tea, and sit there the entire afternoon. The girl who worked there would quietly organize the shelves when she saw An Xiaoyan reading silently, fearing that she would disturb the man immersed in the sea of books.


    When the sun set and the sea breeze awoke, the man would set his book down. He would sometimes choose some books from the shelf and pay at the front. Then he would bring his cat outside the bookstore.


    He was like the wind. He would leave just as he came.


    By the time July had passed, the workers of the bookstore all had good impressions of An Xiaoyan. But to him, all that mattered was that Gu Jun still hadn��t come.

 Chapter 102

    August arrived in a hurry. The heat of summer had mostly dissipated and autumn was coming. An unexpected visitor was here.


    An Xiaoyan had just returned from work when Gu Jun came to his door. It was a usual Tuesday. He bathed the cats and dogs at work all afternoon and could not straighten his back.


    After not seeing Gu Jun for more than a month, Gu Jun looked haggard. However, An Xiaoyan did not show him any sympathy and ignored him.


    ��Xiaoyan, it��s settled. Come back home with me. I know you must have feelings for me. Otherwise, you would have gone far and would not have stayed here.��


    An Xiaoyan stopped and turned to ask, ��How did you settle it?��


    ��I��ve blocked the news, and after so long, the engagement news has long been forgotten. I shouldn��t have deceived you. Will you forgive me?


    Just a simple blockade of information, shouldn��t it be a very simple matter for the chairman of the Gu group?


    ��Gu Jun, what else are you hiding from me? I hope you will tell me everything.�� An Xiaoyan��s eyes were bloodshot, and he looked straight at Gu Jun.


    Gu Jun felt ashamed for a while. For such a long time, he tried to cancel his engagement, but old Mr. Gu kept him in check, even restricting him from going out. His excuse for leaving this time was to completely break it off with An Xiaoyan. If he did not marry Xiu Yijian, he would be under the yoke of old Mr. Gu all his life.


    Another way was to give up all the rights and wealth in his hands and leave with An Xiaoyan. However, he had lived lavishly all his life. How could he give up his comfortable place in life so easily? This would definitely be the last option.


    ��Xiaoyan, there��s one last thing that I��ve hidden from you. Previously at Hotel Royal Duke, Nan Qiang said that as long as I allowed him to toy with you for a night, he would guarantee that I will regain the chairman��s position.��


    A slap echoed in the corridor and Gu Jun was slapped in the face. An Xiaoyan��s palm felt painful too. For the sake of power, he was regarded as a plaything and given to others casually. Though he owed Gu Jun, he was not so cheap as to be sent around like a prostitute.


    ��Leave and don��t come looking for me again. We��re not even friends now. If you come again, I��ll call the police and say that you are disturbing the residents.��


    The sound of the door closing was also loud. A door stood between the two men��s hearts.


    An Xiaoyan huddled on the sofa with Fifth Dumpling in his arms. His heart really hurt. Why should he be treated like this? Maybe from the very beginning, they did not belong to the same world.


    Gu Jun knelt outside the house. He did not regret telling An Xiaoyan about his deal with Nan Qiang as he did not want to lie to him anymore.


    Gu Jun��s mobile phone rang. He received a message from old Mr. Gu asking when he would be back and that the wedding invitation had been picked out. They were awaiting his return so he could take a look. Gu Jun deleted the message immediately and leaned against An Xiaoyan��s door, then casually sat on the floor. Recalling all that had happened in the past six months, he felt that he was no longer the same person as before.


    When he was young and vigorous, he��d started the Sheng Kong Group on his own in order to rid himself of his filial bondage. Now everything seemed different from his original intentions. He traded An Xiaoyan for the position of a chairman and would compromise others in order to maintain his own interests. When did he become such a person?


    Sitting on the cement floor at the door, Gu Jun thought all night. The next day, he patted the dust on his body and made a major decision.


    Chen Chen was shocked when he got the news. Gu Jun asked him to take Guo Guo to the island, fired all the servants and take everything out from his safe.


    When he met Gu Jun on the island, he looked more haggard than before and the house he bought previously was in a mess.


    Guo Guo had settled in the house while the cats and the dog, together with the luggage, were consigned and still on its way. It looked like Gu Jun was moving out.


    ��Mr. Gu, what happened? Old Mr. Gu is still waiting for you to go back.��


    ��I��m not going back anymore. You help me to make a calculation on how many personal assets I have, the sooner the better. There may be a hard battle to fight next, you get ready for it.��


    Chen Chen still did not understand what had happened, so he nodded his head and promised, ��I will first calculate how much your immovable properties and funds are worth.��


    ��You only need to count my personal assets. As for the Sheng Kong Group, auction it secretly.��


    This left Chen Chen in disbelief. ��Mr. Gu, the Sheng Kong Group is your effort. Is it worthwhile to sell it like this?��


    Gu Jun shook his head and told Chen Chen to do it. He had made up his mind.


    After all of the instructions had been relayed, Gu Jun opened the curtain. The sunlight shone through and he threw out his phone card. A line was drawn.


    It was a long overdue decision that he should have made a long time ago. Had he confessed directly to old Mr. Gu previously, maybe the outcome would have been better.


    While Chen Chen was calculating Gu Jun��s personal assets and taking care of Guo Guo, Gu Jun went to An Xiaoyan��s residence.


    An Xiaoyan happened to come home from work when Gu Jun stood at the door and waited. Gu Jun smiled awkwardly as he saw An Xiaoyan. However, An Xiaoyan pretended not to see anything and opened the door.


    ��I made a decision. From now on, I will only acknowledge you. Whether it is Xiu Yijian or someone else, they have nothing to do with us.��


    An Xiaoyan was unmoved. Who doesn��t know how to make a verbal promise? Gu Jun once said that he liked him, but in the end, he married someone else.


    ��Go. If you stay a minute longer, I��ll call the police.��


    Gu Jun knew that An Xiaoyan meant what he said, and added, ��Xiaoyan, you will learn of my actions in time to come. Now, just don��t hate me so much.��


    In fact, Gu Jun had already anticipated An Xiaoyan��s indifferent reaction and was unsurprised. When he had made up his mind to give up everything, he felt numb.


    When Gu Jun just reached the fifth floor, he heard the door open upstairs. An Xiaoyan stood in front of him in slippers and asked expressionlessly, ��Did you know Liu Cheng is dead?��


    Gu Jun waited for two seconds and then shook his head. He did not have much contact with Liu Cheng. How could a young man like him die so easily?


    ��Did you know that before his death, he had no family or friends around him? If it were you, could you bear it?��


    ��It��s you who caused his death, it��s you!��


    After An Xiaoyan had said these words, he dragged his slippers upstairs and closed the door again. Gu Jun stood stunned on the fifth floor. He finally understood what An Xiaoyan meant.


    What��s lost will never return.


    By the time a weary Gu Jun finally made it home, all the had consignments arrived. The pets occupied the living room and the luggage was already packed by the moving company.


    Chen Chen placed all the data sheets in front of Gu Jun. The Sheng Kong Group��s shares had been sold out secretly, and Gu Jun��s assets had been cleaned up.


    ��Your immovable properties include the villa in A City, five cars, six sets of real estate, some foreign securities, the rest are in the bank��s financial products and deposits.��


    ��Okay, I want to compete with the Gu Group.��


    ��Aren��t you part of the Gu Group?��


    ��Chen Chen, you��ve been with me for so many years and know quite a lot about the Gu Group. You should also know about the power in old Mr. Gu��s hands. I plan to leave the Gu family completely, even if it means that I have to become a pauper in the future.��


    When he was elected as the chairman of the Gu Group, he needed to sign a work agreement which stated that as long he must accomplish a certain amount of achievements before he could obtain personal freedom. In the past, he thought he could accomplish everything easily and get what he wanted �C Love and career to be both fruitful. In fact, he could not do both. On the other hand, he had underestimated the board of directors. The entirety of his burdens had accumulated together and made him unable to lift his head at all.


    ��Do you really want to do that?��


    ��Do you know what woke me up? It��s a slap in the face from An Xiaoyan. He��s such a kind man yet he was so decisive in slapping me. I can finally see my inner self clearly now. When a storm really comes, I must be the first to stand up and face it, instead of hiding under the thatched hut. I��ll give you your salary for this year in advance. When the lawsuit begins, there may be no money left. And, remember to lodge an appeal.��


    Old Mr. Gu was in slight disbelief when he received the appeal letter. He knew the character of his son very well. How could his son be willing to fight the whole Gu Group? What was wrong with marrying Xiu Yijian? Did An Xiaoyan really charm him?


    Let��s see if he can move forward with nothing to his name.


    ��Reject the appeal. Reply saying that the legal measures will be skipped but compensation must be made accordingly.��


    The faxed documents soon arrived. The cost of breaking a contract was made up of a countless number of zeroes. Chen Chen counted them several times before he could see clearly. What was more; Gu Jun did not have that much money.


    ��You are short of twenty million dollars.��


    Why was it so unfortunate that he was short of this sum of money? Old Mr. Gu had most probably cut him some slack and calculated the amount of money according to the amount of assets he had.


    ��When is the date of payment?��


    ��September 15th. If it is not paid before September 15th, the contract will still stand, and you will have to marry Xiu Yijian immediately and pay 100 million dollars in compensation.��


    ��Alright, I got it.��


    There was still a long time to go before September 15. Old Mr. Gu was pushing his son into a corner. He would not allow his son to be with a man, so he had to force him to obey.


    Twenty million dollars was not a small sum, and no one would dare to lend him such a large sum of money. He had offended quite a number of people in the business circle and did not have any childhood buddies. As for Chen Chen, the salary that he received was too little as compared to the amount of hard work he had put in all these years.


    Visiting the island again, Guo Guo remembered this place as the place he had seen Uncle An. ��Daddy, when are we going to see Uncle An? I miss him so much.��


    Gu Jun touched his son��s face. ��Guo Guo, you must remember, at all times, other than your daddy, Uncle An is the closest person to you. You can look for him if something happens.��


    ��Hmm, Daddy you said before that Uncle An is the closest person to Guo Guo. But Daddy�� Uncle An lives there. Why aren��t we going there?�� Guo Guo was referring to the green roof not far away. It was indeed the place where An Xiaoyan lived. When he bought this small house, his intention was to be able to see An Xiaoyan watering the plants at the roof garden.


    ��We will visit him after some time.��


    ��No, Guo Guo is going now. Fifth Dumpling was taken away by Uncle. Guo Guo is going to see Fifth Dumpling.��


    ��Son, Uncle An is very busy now, we can��t go over.��


    ��Hmph, Daddy is a liar!�� Guo Guo dragged Gu Jun��s hand to go outside. Gu Jun had no choice but to follow him.

 Chapter 103

    Guo Guo remembered the way, so he quickly climbed to the sixth floor and knocked on An Xiaoyan��s door. When An Xiaoyan opened the door and saw Guo Guo, he didn��t know if he should let the kid in or not. Gu Jun stood about a meter away.


    ��Uncle, we��re here to visit you. Where��s Fifth Dumpling?��


    Being called ��Uncle�� melted An Xiaoyan��s heart. He forgot prior sentiments and let Guo Guo in. However, he was still cold to Gu Jun.


    The door closed. Gu Jun didn��t try going in and rested against the door. He��d bring Guo Guo home after he finished playing. Gu Jun��s contacts in his phone were empty. He only remembered An Xiaoyan��s number. If someone had 20 million, they would invest it. It wasn��t likely for him to be able to borrow it.


    Logging into his chat app, he looked through his closer friends. They were all logged on, so Gu Jun sent them messages.


    Bro, I��m a bit broke these days. Lend me some money.


    The other replied quickly. Gu Jun, your old man is really strict. If he finds out, I��m dead!


    What did he say?


    He said anyone who lends you money is going against the Gu family. Your family is so powerful. No one would dare to offend them.


    He also chatted with some closer business acquaintances, but the results were all the same. Gu Jun sighed. He was being pushed into a corner now that he was vulnerable. If he wanted to borrow money before, it would have been no problem. However, the old man would have had other solutions. It was just a contract and would definitely have loopholes. Otherwise, how could he be forced to be the chairman?


    Gu Jun stopped thinking about this. He decided to ask bit by bit. If this didn��t work, he would think of another plan.


    After Guo Guo entered the room, he hung onto An Xiaoyan without even taking off his shoes. ��How come you don��t let Daddy in? He came in last time.��


    ��He doesn��t want to come in.��


    ��Uncle, are you fighting with Daddy? I��ve seen it on TV. If two people fight, one will go outside and the other stays inside.��


    ��Kid, what do you know?�� An Xiaoyan took a bottle of milk from the fridge. ��Guo Guo, if Uncle isn��t here anymore, live well with your dad. Act like I never existed.��


    ��What do you mean? Are you leaving us?��


    An Xiaoyan couldn��t explain it. He would still be here for now and leave when he saw a better opportunity. Staying here forever wouldn��t work. The warmth he treasured before no longer existed.


    ��Uncle, I��m hungry. Let��s eat.��


    An Xiaoyan went to prepare the food. Guo Guo played with Fifth Dumpling on the sofa. Fifth Dumpling was very big now. It was basically the size of First Dumpling when he had first got it. The grayish color made people want to squeeze it.


    After An Xiaoyan finished cooking, he saw Guo Guo kiss Fifth Dumpling��s forehead. He was a bit envious. Guo Guo had so many pets accompanying him since childhood.


    ��Uncle, why did you take Fifth Dumpling away?��


    ��I love them all, but I could only take one away at that time. Plus, it��s better if your dad takes care of those cats and the dog. They won��t have such a great life with me.��


    Guo Guo seemed to understand, but also couldn��t understand.


    After eating, Guo Guo said that he��d go home with his dad. When they opened the door, Gu Jun was sitting on the ground. He leaned against the wall and the casual pose was a depressing sight. An Xiaoyan saw the sadness in a single glance.


    ��Wake your dad up. I��ll give you some things to take back.��


    An Xiaoyan walked in and wrapped up the leftovers. He filled another bowl with rice and put it in the bag for Gu Jun to take home. He didn��t know if Gu Jun would mind this, but he didn��t want to feel guilty.


    Gu Jun got up and dusted himself off. His eyes weren��t fully open as he wasn��t fully awake yet. An Xiaoyan shoved the food into his hands for him to take away.


    Guo Guo was the one who had wanted to come. Gu Jun knew that An Xiaoyan hated him now, so he didn��t say anything else.


    The father and son walked downstairs hand in hand. An Xiaoyan leaned over the balcony and watched their figures fade under the lit road, disappearing under the starry sky.


    After Gu Jun returned home and helped Guo Guo get settled, he put the leftovers into a bowl to eat. In the living room, Chen Chen was tapping away on his keyboard, calculating something. After Gu Jun finished eating, he took out two bottles of beer. He gave Chen Chen one and they started chatting.


    ��I went to see An Xiaoyan today. Guo Guo insisted on going. I waited for two or three hours in the hallway without daring to go in. He didn��t tell me to go in either.��


    ��Then the food?��


    ��He told me to take it back. I guess he felt bad because Guo Guo ate but I didn��t.�� Gu Jun gulped down some beer. The beer made his heart feel cold. It was uncomfortable.


    ��Earlier, I calculated the value of your property. How come the Honda in the garage isn��t included?��


    ��I bought it for An Xiaoyan. It��s his, even though he only used it once or twice.��


    ��Then what about the remaining 20 million?��


    ��I don��t know. There are still a few days before September 15th. We��ll see then.��


    After Chen Chen calculated everything, he went to sleep. Gu Jun was satisfied with this assistant. He��d hired Chen Chen after he returned from America to start his company. Chen Chen had just graduated then. He��d been in his early twenties and was young and vibrant. His grades weren��t that great, but he caught Gu Jun��s eye. Gu Jun thought he was very capable. Six or seven years had passed and Chen Chen really hadn��t disappointed him. He was Gu Jun��s right hand man now. He��d supported Gu Jun all these years, whether in his career or his relationships.


    After this is all over, Chen Chen would probably want his own life instead of continuing to labor for him.


    The next morning, Gu Jun looked at Chen Chen��s accounts. It listed all his property. He read it carefully and didn��t see this house or his private belongings. He didn��t know if this was good or bad. He calculated the value of his personal belongings and house. It was around 18 million. He was still missing a couple million.


    This 18 million also meant that he would have nothing. He would have to rent an apartment and find a new job. Taking care of Guo Guo would be a problem too.


    After Chen Chen woke up, Gu Jun told him all this. Chen Chen was shocked after hearing it.


    ��If you don��t have all this, you��ll start over again. It��ll be so hard. And what will happen to Guo Guo? You can��t give him the life of a normal kid.��


    ��I��ve thought of all this, but I��ve decided to risk it. I can��t get married. This is my bottom line. If An Xiaoyan agrees to be with me, that��ll be ideal. If he doesn��t, I can still be an average man.��


    ��I can help pay for the remaining two million. We aren��t boss and worker now. We��re friends. I know you��ve taken care of me all these years and given me a high salary. I have my own house. I don��t need all this money.��


    ��Thank you. The last thing is that you can go where you want and do what you want after all this. Take these properties back. After paying them, mail back the contract I signed when becoming the chairman. For the address, put An Xiaoyan��s home. I��ll probably move away after selling this house. I don��t know where I��ll go, but I��ll try to be as close to An Xiaoyan as possible.��


    This years-old partnership suddenly ended. It was quite hard to handle. Gu Jun gave some of his more expensive suits, watches, and cufflinks to Chen Chen to sell in the second-hand market of A City. Even if he couldn��t sell the stuff for a high price, it would still add up.


    The house was sold quickly. The new owner told Gu Jun to move out in two days. Looking around the house that he��d just started living in, he began to start packing.


    There wasn��t much. He��d sold the house with the furniture, so he��d made some money compared to when he bought it. People always said that if you had a house, you��d have a home. Now that he was in this situation, he really felt it. Without his house, he would wander aimlessly as if floating in the ocean.


    He��d found a new place to stay. It was on the third floor of a small building. There were two bedrooms and one living room. The rent was 1500 dollars per month.


    Gu Jun only had around 10,000 dollars now. He didn��t keep any of his cards. He paid three months rent right away.


    He didn��t hire a moving company for the move. He began moving the stuff up by himself. The cats and the dog were the most troublesome. They��d all grown up and also needed boxes of food. Thankfully, he��d bought pet equipment in bulk before. Otherwise, he wouldn��t be able to afford it now.


    Guo Guo wasn��t used to the cramped new home. Gu Jun took him to the balcony and pointed at the sea in the distance. ��Do you see that? We��re facing the sea. This is a seaside house. Other places don��t have this.��


    ��Daddy, then this place isn��t any worse than before!��


    ��Of course!�� Gu Jun said, pretending to be proud. It was good that Guo Guo didn��t understand. He wouldn��t feel that his life had been turned upside down.


    The new bedrooms were very small and only fit one bed inside. Only the main bedroom had air conditioning. It was already nearing autumn, but it was still hot sometimes. Gu Jun and Guo Guo slept in one bed. The pets slept at their feet, filling up the room. If he wanted to open the door, he had to move Yippy away first.


    Gu Jun didn��t know how to cook, so he had to buy food at a restaurant even though he knew it wasn��t very sanitary. The most important thing now was that he had to find a job.


    He applied to many companies online. It wasn��t that hard to find a job at his age. The main problem was the salary. After applying, he looked at his empty wardrobe. He asked the landlord where the wholesale market was and took Guo Guo there.


    The wholesale market was at the edge of the city. Gu Jun took Guo Guo on many different buses to get there.


    When he entered, he saw the stray dogs eating stuff between the two rows of stalls. People came to and fro. There were many aunties in vibrant clothes picking and choosing.


    Gu Jun looked in disgust but still bore the smell and went in.


    The clothes were cheap and of low quality. Gu Jun chose some. Guo Guo��s clothes were still all there and could last until the end of this year. He could buy more next year. He could wear low quality clothes, but his son couldn��t.


    He went back as soon as he bought some shirts. One of them was black. Gu Jun prepared to wash it, but the dye spilled into the water immediately. Thankfully, he��d only bought one black shirt. He knew the quality was bad, but he didn��t expect it would be this bad.


    His applications quickly had results. A pretty big company saw Gu Jun��s experience and was willing to hire him. However, the trial period was a month. The salary was 5000 dollars for the trial period. Afterward, his salary would be at least 10,000. If he wanted to become an official employee, he had to have client resources and keep the clients.


    Ten thousand dollars could only buy insignificant things before. Now, it was quite a high amount. With this money, he could keep him and his son alive.


    Twenty-five-year-old Gu Jun would never be willing to do these things. Now, it wasn��t as scary as he��d thought. As he��d grown up, his mindset had changed a lot. An Xiaoyan had often been penniless. Now, he was in the same state and could understand An Xiaoyan.


    Gu Jun had kept some suits. They were old styles, but this small city probably couldn��t tell. He put on a random one and prepared for the interview.


    Guo Guo could only stay home. Gu Jun told him to stay home and wait for Daddy to come back. Gu Jun specifically locked the door from the outside. Leaving Guo Guo home alone was something he didn��t like.


    The interview was very successful. The other told Gu Jun to come to work on Monday. On his way home, he saw a restaurant selling food. He went and bought some duck.


    He��d eaten duck in high-class restaurants many times, but he��d never eaten from a roadside restaurant. This was slightly comforting. He could treat this as a new experience.

 Chapter 104

    The joy of passing the interview turned into worry when he got home. If he were to go to work, what should he do to settle Guo Guo?


    He would not be able to go home at noon and no one was able to help to cook lunch for Guo Guo.


    As it was such a major family issue, Gu Jun intended to have a serious discussion with Guo Guo.


    ��Son, Daddy will be going to work in a few days. What will you do when Daddy is at work?��


    Guo Guo answered directly, ��When Daddy goes to work, I��ll stay at home. Isn��t that the same as before?��


    Gu Jun shook his head. ��It��s different now. There��s no nanny to cook for you anymore. You��ll have to stay at home alone.��


    ��Then what shall I do? No one will play with Guo Guo.��


    Hearing that, Gu Jun felt a little sad. In these five years since Guo Guo��s birth, Guo Guo only enjoyed good times for less than a year. ��Normal�� family relations were a recent thing.


    ��Son, Daddy will go to work at noon every day and I will order lunch from the restaurant next door to be delivered to you. Remember that there will be an uncle or aunty with a yellow hat delivering your meal to you daily. Daddy will place a stool at the door, and you can stand on the stool to look through the peephole. When you see the right person, you can open the door.��


    ��When will Daddy come back?��


    ��Daddy will come back right after work, and you can wait for me at home. In September, Daddy will send you to school so that you can play with other children every day.��


    Guo Guo was not aware of any crisis. He nodded and grinned as he thought it was a fun thing to try out.


    The time came for Gu Jun to go work and Guo Guo was left at home. He told Guo Guo to give the Big Dumpling Army some cat and dog food and reminded him to remember to eat his lunch at noon.


    This had been the case for the week and Gu Jun could not stay home even on weekends. He had to wear a suit and meet clients. Just like when he first started the Sheng Kong Group. To him, it felt as if he had gone back in time.


    An Xiaoyan was looking at the animal inspection records in the pet hospital. Da Zhou, who was standing beside him, whispered, ��Xiaoyan, the rich man who was following you around before, I saw him running around to meet clients a few days ago.��


    ��It��s impossible. He��s a chairman, why would he run around and meet clients?��


    Da Zhou knew that his eyesight was good and was certain that he was not mistaken. However, he did not dare to reaffirm his statement. After all, the 100,000 dollars seafood treat was real and he went to eat there again just last week.


    On the weekend, Gu Jun was signing a deal with a client and hurried to call the restaurant at noon to order lunch. While he was placing his order halfway through, the client rushed him over. Gu Jun quickly rushed through his order of the remaining dishes and hung up the phone.


    Guo Guo was waiting for his meal at home. There was a TV in the living room, thus on normal days, he would lie on the sofa and watch TV with a cat in his arms. At 3 p.m., his lunch had still not arrived while Wonton had already eaten two meals and fell asleep happily. Guo Guo opened the door secretly and peeped outside, but there was no one there.


    ��Daddy, Daddy, why hasn��t the food arrived yet?�� Guo Guo said to Wonton.


    The clock hand turned another round again. It was 4 p.m. and Guo Guo was famished. As he knew where Uncle An��s home was, he decided to make his way to Uncle An��s home.


    After opening the door, Guo Guo stepped onto the street and walked on, according to his memory. Half an hour later, he stood downstairs at An Xiaoyan��s house and happen to bump into An Xiaoyan who had just come back from grocery shopping.


    ��Uncle, hungry! Guo Guo is very hungry.��


    When An Xiaoyan heard the familiar voice, he quickly put down the ingredients in his hand and asked what was wrong. When he heard that Guo Guo had not eaten his lunch, he carried Guo Guo in his arms and went upstairs to cook.


    Tears flowed down from the corner of Guo Guo��s eyes. Seeing that, An Xiaoyan��s heart ached for him. After he settled Guo Guo somewhere in the house, he used the leftover rice from yesterday to make egg and ham fried rice. When the fried rice was served, Guo Guo used a small spoon to eat his food. An Xiaoyan proceeded to the kitchen to cook dinner with the ingredients he had just bought.


    ��Where��s your father? Nobody is at home to cook for you?��


    ��Daddy is not at home, there is no one else at home either. Every day at noon, someone will deliver lunch to me, but that person did not come today.��


    An Xiaoyan did not think much about it. He thought that maybe the nanny was just careless. Fortunately, Guo Guo knows where I stay, or else he would have to go hungry all day.


    Seeing that there was still a lot of food left, An Xiaoyan asked about Gu Jun, ��What does your father eat when he comes back from work every day?��


    ��Daddy always buys dinner and eats with me every day, but Daddy has been coming back late lately and Guo Guo feels so hungry each time.��


    An Xiaoyan looked at the leftover food on the table. A few days ago, when he��d visited the supermarket, he saw a thermal lunchbox and bought it for some reason. Now it happened to come in handy.


    ��Uncle will bathe you and take you home.��


    Guo Guo said happily, ��Okay.��


    An Xiaoyan held Guo Guo in one hand and lunch box in the other hand. When they left home, the last ray of sunshine before dusk shone on them.


    Guo Guo took An Xiaoyan to his home, but they reached the door only to realize that they had no keys.


    The small building looked old. An Xiaoyan felt that Gu Jun would not be living here. After repeated confirmation from Guo Guo to make sure that he wasn��t mistaken, the two of them sat on a deck chair downstairs to wait for Gu Jun to return home.


    Evenings during autumn were a bit colder than usual. An Xiaoyan took off his coat and wrapped it around Guo Guo. There were some crickets in the grass chirping and behind him were some birds singing on the willows.


    ��Guo Guo, don��t run around on your own next time. You are only five years old. What if you get abducted? Your Daddy would be sad. I would be sad too.��


    ��Uncle, I get it. But today I was just too hungry.��


    An Xiaoyan stroked Guo Guo��s hair and replied, ��I know.��


    Guo Guo lay his head on An Xiaoyan��s knee and suddenly asked, ��Uncle, can I call you Daddy?��


    An Xiaoyan was a little surprised, ��Gu Jun is your father.��


    ��But I think you are also my father, just as good as my father.��


    ��That��s still not the same.��


    As the sky grew darker, Guo Guo fell asleep on An Xiaoyan. A lot of small insects were flying around the street lamp.


    By the time there were few people on the street, Gu Jun appeared with a suit coat in his hand, smelling strongly of liquor.


    When Gu Jun made it to the stoop of his home, he saw An Xiaoyan holding Guo Guo, who was soundly asleep.


    Gu Jun was still conscious. Even though he drank quite a lot of wine tonight, the majority of it was vomited out already.


    ��Why are you here?��


    ��Let��s talk upstairs. Guo Guo is asleep.��


    Passing through the narrow corridor, Gu Jun took out a key from his pocket and inserted it into the keyhole. He hesitated as he felt so embarrassed to let An Xiaoyan see him in this sorry state.


    ��Open the door. My hands are sore.��


    When the door was opened, an unknown smell overwhelmed them. An Xiaoyan put Guo Guo on the bed and handed Gu Jun the lunch box in his hand.


    ��If you haven��t had your dinner, eat some. It��s still hot.��


    Gu Jun had been drinking with his clients all evening and he hadn��t eaten much. The only food he��d eaten had all been vomited along with the alcohol.


    ��I��ll help you clean up the house first. You can go and eat your dinner.��


    This not only gave Gu Jun to excuse himself from the awkward situation but also allowed An Xiaoyan to avoid embarrassment.


    The dirty clothes and garbage in the house were mixed together. Gu Jun did not know how to pack these things as he had not done it before.


    Gu Jun opened the lunch box and looked at the red-roasted chicken wings, boiled tofu, fried meat slices and sesame rice at the bottom. His heart felt uneasy.


    He subtly glanced at An Xiaoyan, who was collecting the dirty clothes on the floor into the basin. Men like An Xiaoyan who can cook and do housework are really rare. Gu Jun had previously checked the news on the gay circle on the Internet secretly. Many gays often feel that the other party was very suitable until they move in to live together. They would usually find that one of them was unwilling to share the housework and their differences grew more apparent before they��d eventually split up.


    Share.


    It is not God��s arrangement for the same sex to be together. To violate the normal law, one of the parties naturally had to give up his identity.


    Dinner was delicious. Gu Jun went to take a bath after his meal. The smell of sweat and alcohol on his body were mixed together. It was unbearably pungent.


    When Gu Jun came out of the shower, An Xiaoyan had tidied up the living room and was mopping the floor.


    ��Xiaoyan, thank you for everything you��ve done for us today.��


    ��You live here? Why is Guo Guo here alone? Shouldn��t he be back in A City?��


    Gu Jun did not know how to say that he had become a poor man, or that he had nothing now. Besides, he was worried that he might be despised by An Xiaoyan if he were to say it.


    ��Xiaoyan, everything is alright. I was careless today.��


    Gu Jun��s eyes clearly were hiding something. An Xiaoyan did not expose his lies but listened to him quietly.


    ��Since you��ve finished eating, I��m leaving. I��ve stuffed the clothes in the washing machine. When the clothes are clean, take them out to dry. Next time, if you are not free, you can send Guo Guo to the pet hospital. At least, it will be safer for him to be by my side. I don��t want to hear about him going missing one day.��


    ��Thank you, Xiaoyan. Thank you very much.��


    The man who used to despise everything, now for the sake of his child, spoke humbly. Gu Jun, where is the arrogant you?


    After An Xiaoyan left, Gu Jun realized that An Xiaoyan had accepted Guo Guo once again. At least he would not ignore Guo Guo. This was considered an improvement.


    Walking under the streetlamp, his shadow changed from long to short. An Xiaoyan knew that he could not bring himself to be completely cruel. Now he could only be cruel to Gu Jun, but he loved Guo Guo dearly. Everything concerns only Gu Jun. It has nothing to do with the child.


    The next day, when Gu Jun was about to go to work, An Xiaoyan stood downstairs. When Gu Jun saw An Xiaoyan, he hurried upstairs to bring Guo Guo down.


    ��Son, from today on, you will be with Uncle An when Daddy goes to work. Do not mess around and you must listen to Uncle An, otherwise, Daddy will make you stay at home alone next time.��


    Guo Guo nodded and ran quickly to An Xiaoyan, hugging his thigh.


    An Xiaoyan stretched out his right hand and led Guo Guo to the pet hospital.


    There was a kind of tacit understanding between the two of them without saying. One did not ask the reason while the other did not answer.


    Ji Lin had been notified in advance that Guo Guo would be coming in. Guo Guo sat obediently and looked at the kittens and puppies from time to time. Seeing how obedient Guo Guo was, both Da Zhou and Lin Nian rushed to store next door to buy ice cream for the boy.


    At noon, they had lunch together. An Xiaoyan ordered an extra portion and fed Guo Guo beside him. In fact, Guo Guo knew how to eat on his own using the small spoon.


    Da Zhou joked, ��Xiaoyan, this is not your son right? Because you couldn��t afford to keep him, you gave him to a wealthy family, and now you are taking him back.��


    Lin Nian and Ji Lin rolled their eyes at Da Zhou. Da Zhou was obviously a straight man of iron and steel. His girlfriend watched TV dramas on wealthy families every day and this had made him nervous.


    ��Stop letting your imagination runs wild. There��s really nothing going on. I just happen to like this kid, so I brought him here. Moreover, I was worried about him being home alone.��


    After all was made clear, that Da Zhou winked at him, and no one in the room cared.

 Chapter 105

    Chen Chen brought the cash to the Gu Group��s building. He was now the full representative of Gu Jun to exterminate the contract.


    Arriving at the chairman��s office, Chen Chen explained everything. None of the others had imagined this would happen.


    Gu Jun had taken this position in April. It was only August, but he��d rather breach the contract than stay.


    Half of the board was left behind by Old Mr. Gu. They didn��t have their own opinions. Old Mr. Gu was the leader. They had to get his permission to vote.


    Gu Jun had planned everything. While Chen Chen submitted the request to quit, he hurried to explain everything to Old Mr. Gu at the Gu house.


    By the time Chen Chen made it to the old house, Old Mr. Gu had already received the request. Now, he stood on a redwood chair, waiting for Chen Chen.


    ��Sit,�� the authoritative yet casual voice commanded. Chen Chen carefully sat somewhere further from Old Mr. Gu. ��I heard that Gu Jun wants to leave the Gu Group. It��s not impossible. Did you bring the fine?��


    Chen Chen handed Old Mr. Gu the property list. He��d already filled in the two million while doing the form.


    The data analysis and property plan were all present. All the properties were written clearly. After Old Mr. Gu read carefully, he realized that his son was a bit more skilled than he��d thought. When he��d created the chairman contract back in the day, he��d done it to prevent his descendants from escaping and emptying out the family��s wealth for their own desires. He didn��t think that his son would be the first to break the rule.


    ��You��ve taken care of everything.��


    ��Sir, Mr. Gu told me to tell you that his future glory and humiliation all have nothing to do with the Gu family.��


    ��Nothing to do with the Gu family! I spent so much to cultivate him and he��s going to labor like a regular worker now? I want him to be respected and powerful and take the Gu Group to the top!�� Old Mr. Gu��s voice trembled.


    Chen Chen was covered in cold sweat. Old Mr. Gu had been the chairman for more than 40 years. He obviously had the might for this position.


    ��You��d have to ask Mr. Gu about this. I��ve said everything that he told me. Please return the contract now.��


    In the beginning, Old Mr. Gu didn��t want to go to court because he thought Gu Jun couldn��t find the money and would surrender. He��d really underestimated Gu Jun.


    ��Are you sure he won��t regret this? You should know that Gu Jing is in jail, but if Gu Jun leaves, I��ll be able to bail him out to become the heir. By then, one would be in heaven while the other will be in hell.��


    Chen Chen��s eyes darkened. Raising his head, he looked straight at Old Mr. Gu. ��I��m sure Mr. Gu won��t regret it. Perhaps he thinks that this is his best choice.��


    Old Mr. Gu didn��t think so. Gu Jun would have a hard life now. He would know in a few years. Gu Jun was just doing this because he didn��t want to get married. He wanted a happily ever after with An Xiaoyan, but how many people could actually find true love?


    The contract was in the safe. Chen Chen hurried away after he got it, afraid that Old Mr. Gu would change his mind.


    Chen Chen mailed the contract to the address that Gu Jun had provided. He��d finished his mission. Just then, his phone rang. His last paycheck had arrived.


    Old Mr. Gu personally went to the city jail. The jail had already been notified by the officials. Old Mr. Gu walked in with his cane, tapping on the smooth ground.


    It had only been four months, but Gu Jing was already unrecognizable. His eye sockets sunk in and he��d lost weight. His face was sallow and his eyes looked menacing.


    ��Are you here to laugh at me?�� The darkness of the jail had infected Gu Jing. He acted like everyone was out to get him.


    ��I��m here to tell you good news.��


    Gu Jing��s eyes were guarded. Other than Gao Shan, no one had come to visit him all this time. He was marked with bad luck, so no one wanted to get close to him.


    ��What good news? Can I leave early? Did Gu Jun get in trouble?��


    ��Both.��


    Old Mr. Gu��s seriousness didn��t seem fake. Gu Jing grasped the bars and pressed his face forward. His eyes were bloodshot. ��Really?��


    ��Really. Soon, you can return to the Gu Group as the chairman and enjoy unparalleled authority. However, you must sign the contract first.��


    Gu Jing grabbed the pen and signed the contract without even reading it. Then he yelled, ��Let me out! I can finally leave! The chairman position is mine!��


    Old Mr. Gu was satisfied that Gu Jing had no hesitation. Taking the contract, he said, ��Your time will be up in a few days. Then you can return to the Gu Group. I will announce this publicly. Please wait patiently for a few days.��


    ��I��m the chairman of the Gu Group now?��


    ��Yes, you now have the highest power!��


    I��m the chairman now, Gu Jing thought. I have the power. Gu Jun would forever be under his feet. He was now the one on top.


    A moment before, he��d been sitting in jail, staring at the cold wall. Now, he was standing at the top of the food chain again. The huge difference made him inexplicably happy.


    Seeing him like this, Old Mr. Gu just thought that he was overly-happy and didn��t think much about it.


    Since Gu Jing was now the chairman, he would be in charge of everything. Compared to Gu Jun, Gu Jing��s biggest weakness was that he wouldn��t look into the future. He only cared about the short-term benefits. This was the main reason why he��d failed.


    Ever since Gu Jing was thrown in jail, Gao Shan was too scared to go out. She didn��t want to run into people she knew and have them say that she married a criminal. Even the Gao family as a whole was looked down on. Father Gao had worked hard for his daughter. After knowing that it had all been futile, he��d disowned her in anger.


    Now that Gu Jing was back, he would take revenge on everyone who��d mocked him before.


    Gao Shan was now five months pregnant. Seeing Gu Jing return, her tears flowed. She hadn��t waited for nothing.


    Gu Jing went home powerfully. Earlier, the servants wouldn��t work hard. They were harsh to the Gao Shan too. She was just a spoiled princess and only knew how to spend money. She didn��t know how to run a home. After she��d been rejected by An Xiaoyan, she didn��t know how to deal with anything.


    ��Jing, you��re back?��


    ��I��m the chairman of the Gu Group now. I��m going to make those disloyal liars and mockers all pay! Where��s Gu Jun? Wasn��t he the chairman? Why isn��t he doing it anymore? If he doesn��t have the skills, why did he take the position? Did he think that he��s powerful just because he got chosen?��


    Gu Jing yelled in the living room. Gao Shan stood to the side, a bit scared of this version of Gu Jing.


    She always knew that Gu Jing was an ambitious guy who was jealous of Gu Jun. Before, the jealousy was only jealousy. He wouldn��t hurt anyone. Judging by his tone now, something bad might happen soon.


    ��Gu Jing, look at our baby. He��s five months old now. It wasn��t very obvious when I went to see you before, but it��s bigger now.��


    Gao Shan��s words couldn��t get Gu Jing��s attention. He didn��t seem to hear her. He kept reading the things Old Mr. Gu had sent him about being the chairman.


    He turned around powerfully and said to Gao Shan, ��I��m the chairman now. Our child will be the chairman in the future. My child��s child will also be the chairman. This way, no one can steal the position from our family. Gu Jun��s retard son has no chance. I, Gu Jing, am the final choice.��


    The paper listed the shareholders. Looking at the names, Gu Jing said to Gao Shan, ��Look at this Zhang Guo. I told him clearly that if he voted for me, I would give him shares. He didn��t vote for me, but I��ve returned to the position now. I should punish him, right? Oh yes, yes, and this Li Fa�� I��d negotiated everything with him. If they��d all voted for me, I wouldn��t be in jail. If I can��t live well, they can��t either.��


    Gao Shan was scared. Judging from Gu Jing��s words, he wanted to take revenge. Gao Shan called out to him many times, but he didn��t reply. He kept mumbling about this person or that. Scared, Gao Shan urged him upstairs.


    This couldn��t be Gu Jing. She��d married Gu Jing and she knew what kind of person he was. He wasn��t this scary.


    At the shareholder meeting on Monday, Old Mr. Gu personally led Gu Jing into the room.


    The moment he entered the room, some people paled from terror while others were shocked. Gu Jing hadn��t returned to the company in such a long time. People started gossiping that he wasn��t a shareholder anymore. Now that he was back, things seemed to be even more dangerous.


    Those who��d voted for Gu Jing but then backed out felt like their hearts would jump out of their throats.


    ��I will announce something now. Gu Jun had voluntarily quit. The current chairman will be my nephew, Gu Jing. I hope he will lead the Gu Group to a more brilliant tomorrow.��


    The people applauded and Old Mr. Gu left after the announcement. He��d retired on the surface. This meant that he couldn��t appear at the office every day.


    Next, Gu Jing began to speak. ��Fellow shareholders, I, Gu Jing, am back now. You better be careful.��


    They��d been nervous when Gu Jun had become the chairman. Now that it was Gu Jing, they were also nervous, afraid that something would go wrong.


    The work which had piled up from Gu Jun only took Gu Jing a day to complete. He stood at the top of the city and looked down at the people who were the size of ants. His shallow heart was satisfied.


    Those people would get it now. It��s your fault for looking down at me and mocking me.


    ��


    The contract was mailed to An Xiaoyan but it was made out to Gu Jun. When An Xiaoyan saw that it had been mailed from A City, he didn��t understand why it was here. He didn��t pry into Gu Jun��s private matters though. He decided to have Guo Guo bring it back at night.


    When Guo Guo gave Gu Jun the document, he relaxed completely. His contract had been mailed back without any changes.


    Lifting Guo Guo up by his arms, Gu Jun twirled in the living room, making Guo Guo laugh loudly.


    ��Son, your dad��s gonna have a new life now.��


    ��Daddy, haven��t we always been living like this?��


    ��It��s different,�� Gu Jun said seriously.


    It was different. He wasn��t weighed down by anything now. He didn��t have to marry Xiu Yijian and wouldn��t be repressed by the shareholders or Old Mr. Gu. He and Guo Guo were truly free now. He would use his life to love the person he wanted to and try his entire life to keep An Xiaoyan by his side.


    Work was hard and he had to use public transportation since he didn��t have a driver anymore. He was also a single father. However, he was happy.


    He didn��t know anything about the changes within the Gu Group. He had no reason to find out.

 Chapter 106

    A month��s probation period was soon over. Gu Jun��s hard work during this period was fruitful. Coincidentally, the company lacked a manager and Gu Jun was placed in the business manager position due to his excellent abilities. During the first month, he did not dare to take any leave at all for fear of being laid off. Now that he had signed a three-year work contract, he could take leave and rest for a while.


    Saturdays and Sundays were the busiest days at the pet hospital. Gu Jun had already registered Guo Guo at a local kindergarten and classes would begin next Monday. This week, he planned to meet An Xiaoyan.


    Gu Jun had just received his pay for the probation period and he now felt less anxious. He went to buy some fruit and wore a matching outfit with his son, which he bought from a street stall for 35 dollars. After that, Gu Jun took Guo Guo by the hand and strolled to the pet hospital with Yippy.


    Two people and a dog appeared intimidating. Standing at the door, Da Zhou saw Gu Jun across the street. He hurried to the back and shouted to An Xiaoyan to ask him to come over.


    When An Xiaoyan walked to the counter, Gu Jun had just arrived at the door.


    ��I��ve brought along some fruit for all of you. Eat some.��


    An Xiaoyan took a look at Gu Jun. Gu Jun appeared one shade darker and was dressed in ordinary clothes. The temperament of Gu Jun became more easy-going than before.


    Da Zhou volunteered, ��I am going to the back to wash the fruit. Lin Nian, come and help me.��


    Lin Nian put down the work at hand and joined Da Zhou. Seeing that something was up, Ji Lin hurried to follow them, leaving Guo Guo, An Xiaoyan and Gu Jun together.


    Gu Jun initiated the topic first. ��I��m staying in this town. I��m not going back to A City. What about you?��


    ��I don��t know. It depends.��


    ��One day, if you plan to leave this place, remember to tell me. Don��t hide it from me.��


    An Xiaoyan did not answer and Guo Guo was lying on An Xiaoyan. It took quite some time for Da Zhou to come back with the fruit. The three of them acquiesced that Gu Jun and An Xiaoyan were one family, thus they did not stand on ceremony and helped themselves to the food which Gu Jun had brought over.


    ��This grape is very sweet. When I wash it, I see a foreign label. Is it imported?�� As Da Zhou spoke, he was about to feed An Xiaoyan a grape. Just as the grape touched An Xiaoyan��s mouth, Gu Jun took the grape and handed it to An Xiaoyan.


    After An Xiaoyan took it, he peeled it and stuffed it into Guo Guo��s mouth.


    ��Daddy, it��s sweet.��


    Gu Jun was not angry, and handed a few more grapes to An Xiaoyan.


    The expensive fruits were deliberately chosen as Gu Jun never hesitated when he had to spend on An Xiaoyan.


    After eating the fruits, Gu Jun did not stay. When he was about to leave for home with Yippy, An Xiaoyan offered to bathe Yippy.


    Yippy had not bathed for a month. Although it was dirty, Gu Jun had no time to bathe it.


    ��Alright, let me help you.��


    Da Zhou and the other two had a tacit understanding to stay up front and none of them went out back. When Guo Guo was about to run to find his uncle, Lin Nian pulled him back, ��Your father and mother are talking about love. Don��t mess things up!��


    Gu Jun followed behind An Xiaoyan, and the two men went to the bathtub and put Yippy in it. First, they cleaned the dog��s hair with a brush and then bathed it.


    The two of them brushed Yippy on one side each and bathe the dog with a pet-specific bath lotion. Finally, they blew the dog dry.


    After bathing, Yippy felt especially happy, shaking its head and licking An Xiaoyan with its tongue.


    Gu Jun wanted to pay for Yippy��s bath, but An Xiaoyan did not accept, saying that it was just to return a favor for the fruit he had treated them to. In fact, Ji Lin also felt that washing a dog was no trouble at all since they had eaten Gu Jun��s expensive fruit.


    September was here and Guo Guo went to a kindergarten, which was just behind the pet hospital, to study. The kindergarten closes at 4 p.m. every day, while Gu Jun couldn��t leave the company until 5 p.m. Guo Guo told Gu Jun that he would go and look for Uncle An after school, and let Uncle An bring him home.


    So the daily routine went as follows: At 3:50 p.m, An Xiaoyan would put down his work and pick Guo Guo up before returning to the pet hospital. Then, at around 5 p.m, he would bring Guo Guo back to Gu Jun��s home. Usually, Gu Jun would come home from work around the time that Guo Guo and An Xiaoyan would get there. Sometimes Gu Jun would be late, while sometimes he would be early. Whoever who got there first would wait downstairs for a while.


    An Xiaoyan and Gu Jun seemed to be perfect collaborators. They support the growth of Guo Guo together.


    A fax was sent to An Xiaoyan��s home again. The sender was Chen Chen, and the recipient was Gu Jun.


    When he handed the document to Gu Jun, Gu Jun opened it on the spot. Just when he was about to leave, Gu Jun grabbed him and handed the document to him to read.


    The document detailed that the Gu Group wants Gu Jun to return and resume the chairman��s position. All previous funds paid for breaking the contract would be returned. On top of that, an additional 10 million dollars of compensation would be paid. If Gu Jun did not return, they would ask the court to decide.


    ��What happened?��


    ��Do you want me to go back?��


    An Xiaoyan did not quite understand what this meant. Isn��t Gu Jun the chairman of the Gu Group?


    ��Gu Jun, what do you mean? I hope you can make it clear.��


    Gu Jun grabbed An Xiaoyan��s hand tighter. ��Xiaoyan, if I made it clear, would you forgive me?��


    About five hundred meters in front of the pet hospital, at Maple Leaf Bookstore, An Xiaoyan took Gu Jun to the snack cafe on the third floor.


    This was the only time An Xiaoyan came to this bookstore without Fifth Dumpling, but with a tall handsome man. The cashier and librarian next to him kept staring at them as they watched them go up to the third floor.


    ��What��s the matter? Say it.��


    ��My engagement with Xiu Yijian has been cancelled. Henceforth, I have nothing to do with her. No, I mean, I had nothing to do with her before either. She came close to me just to get a place in that international competition.��


    ��If it��s cancelled, so be it.��


    ��No, I mean I��m not going to do any of these stupid things anymore. This time, going back to A City, I hope you can join me too, willingly.��


    Gu Jun still did not reveal that he had resigned as a chairman with all his assets. He did not want An Xiaoyan to think he wanted to get some credit.


    ��Think it over. In my opinion, this is very important to you and me.��


    ��Is that all?��


    Gu Jun nodded and An Xiaoyan went off straight away.


    Looking at the empty seat opposite, Gu Jun wondered when the time would come where he could sit opposite An Xiaoyan with the both of them chatting and laughing together.


    Gu Jun planned to return to A City on the 11th as it was a public holiday and he did not need to apply for leave. He could even bring Guo Guo along with him.


    As he did not make things clear, he did not pin his hopes on An Xiaoyan joining him in his return to A City. He started to pack his luggage and bought the coach ticket to A City.


    It was too expensive to fly back by plane. Gu Jun bought a train ticket and a sleeper. It took him ten hours to get to A City.


    After getting off the coach and arriving in A City, the dry air made his face feel a little irritated. Gu Jun walked out of the station with Guo Guo in his arms, and Chen Chen was there to meet them.


    ��You��re still here. I thought you had left.��


    ��I found a good job at another company. Although the salary is not high, it is an easy job, so I will be staying here for a little bit. My mother wants me to go home for a blind date during the Chinese New Year. I will probably wait until I find someone before I change my job.��


    Now that they were no longer superiors and subordinates, they felt less restrained. As Guo Guo had already fallen asleep in Gu Jun��s arms, the two men continued chatting.


    ��How did you send that document to An Xiaoyan?��


    Chen Chen looked into the rear-view mirror and said, ��Why didn��t you remember to give me your address after moving, so that I could send you the document?��


    Gu Jun laughed. Before, he had a selfish thought, thinking that using An Xiaoyan as the contact point would allow him to contact An Xiaoyan more often. Chen Chen had probably guessed it too. Thus, he sent the documents to An Xiaoyan.


    ��Did something happen?��


    Chen Chen briefly told Gu Jun the whole story and the main point was that Gu Jing had gone mad.


    Since becoming the nominal chairman of the board, Gu Jing thought he had great rights and hated those who did not vote for him before. Prison had always been a place whereby people kill without blinking an eye. The inmates inside were more or less part of a secret society. Gu Jing talked to the ��brothers�� about his position and was ��advised�� by them. It aroused deep hatred in his heart.


    Moreover, after old Mr. Gu fished him out from jail, he could not adapt himself to society and only wanted revenge. The first day he took office, everything seemed normal. However, as time went by, Gu Jing shut himself up in his office every day, always thinking about how to take revenge on those people. He even thought of ways to put those people in prison to have a taste of what prison life was like.


    Besides shutting himself in his office daily, Gu Jing never stepped out of his office during working hours and did not allow anyone to disturb him. Once, there was a document that required his signature and the little secretary went into his office to ask for his signature and was shooed out of the room. She was so frightened as she saw a piece of paper on the floor with the word ��Die��.


    After the little secretary told others what she saw, word eventually spread to the ears of old Mr. Gu. The old man installed surveillance cameras in the office secretly, and found that Gu Jing was plotting how he��d imprison or kill his enemies. It was obviously abnormal. A psychologist was invited to talk to Gu Jing, only to find out that Gu Jing had a tendency to kill people and his brain was abnormal. Gao Shan also agreed that Gu Jing had a problem and Gu Jing was finally diagnosed with schizophrenia.


    After listening to the whole story, Gu Jun sighed and shrieked. A normal man is now schizophrenic.


    Gu Jun booked a hotel room by himself. The agreed date of the negotiation was October 3rd; that would be the day after tomorrow. Gu Jun planned to take Guo Guo to the famous snack street in A City, and then have a good rest. He placed the cats and dog at a pet boarding house. Although it would cost a lot of money to put the animals there for so many days, he had no choice but to do that as he had no idea how long would this negotiation take.


    Even with the court��s ruling, old Mr. Gu had no advantage over Gu Jun at all. It was purely a formality. The reason why Gu Jun came back was to tell them that even without Gu Group, he could do very well.


    An Xiaoyan did not take holiday leave on National Day. Many people do not usually have time to bring their pets for vaccination, thus they could only come during the holidays. A few days ago, Gu Jun said that he would be returning to A City. He should already be back by now.


    Is there any possibility that he did not go back?


    After work, An Xiaoyan went to Gu Jun��s house. He knocked on the door on the third floor but did not get any response. After a while, he knocked again. They must have gone back.


    Feeling a little disheartened, An Xiaoyan appeared lifeless as he walked back home. Recalling the document Gu Jun had shown him before, it detailed that the Gu Group hoped Gu Jun would return. That was to say, Gu Jun was no longer the chairman anymore. Wasn��t everything fine for the past few months?


    There must be some strife within the company. An Xiaoyan went home to pack up his things and hurried to A City. He had a feeling that things were not as simple as he had imagined.


    Though it was the first time An Xiaoyan booked a flight and it cost nearly 2000 dollars, he did not hesitate. Fifth Dumpling was unable to fly with him, thus he left it under the care of Ji Lin since Ji Lin was always at the hospital lately


    .


    When the plane took off, he felt weightlessness and closed his eyes as he dared not look out of the window. When the plane stabilized, he opened his eyes to see the white clouds outside and the green fields below.


    Gu Jun is so rich. He will never live in that broken house with nobody to cook for them. In Gu Jun��s villa, there were seven or eight servants. Gu Jun also has no bad habits of gambling, drinking or other bad habits. Gu Jun must have willingly given away his money.


    With a heavy heart, An Xiaoyan was eager to learn the facts.

 Chapter 107 - Worth It

    Chapter 107: Worth It


    October third, ten o��clock a.m, Hanlin Hotel in A City


    Gu Jun brought Guo Guo here. Hanlin Hotel was known for its food. Guo Guo hadn��t eaten anything good recently. Thankfully, An Xiaoyan cooked often, so Guo Guo was still chubby and cute.


    When Gu Jun walked into the VIP room on the third floor, he found people sitting there already.


    Old Mr. Gu was sitting the furthest in. Gao Shan, Xiu Yijian, and a few assistants were also there.


    ��You��re here? Sit down.��


    Gu Jun walked Guo Guo to the side and sat down. He didn��t try to be polite and immediately put some food on Guo Guo��s plate.


    ��Eat first. We have to talk about some things. If you can��t reach a dish, let me know.��


    None of the others had started eating. Gu Jun didn��t feel shy about this. After all, he who had nothing, had nothing to fear.


    ��Gu Jun, you probably know a bit of what we��ll say today. What thoughts do you have?��


    Gu Jun peeled an emperor crab for Guo Guo. ��No thoughts. I think I��m living well now. There��s no need for me to compete for that position.��


    ��Gu Jun, come back,�� Gao Shan urged. ��You��re raising a kid by yourself and you don��t have a high-paying job. How can you give Guo Guo a good life? How can our type of family let our kids live like a civilian?��


    Gu Jun didn��t reply. What was the big deal about wealthy families? Wasn��t money accumulated bit by bit? He had a businessman��s mind. He might have the capital to start his own company in a few years.


    ��You all were the ones who forced me into this state and now you want me back. What does this mean? I don��t think it��s needed.��


    ��Nonsense,�� Old Mr. Gu refuted. ��We didn��t force you at all. You voluntarily became the chairman.��


    Guo Guo had eaten a lot. He wiped his mouth and didn��t want Gu Jun to keep giving him food. He focused on the bird��s nest soup before him.


    ��Then what was the thing with Xiu Yijian? I refused to take wedding pictures, so you imprisoned my son. You really worked so hard for my marriage.��


    Guo Guo was beside him, so he didn��t yell. The soup was almost done and he didn��t think there was any point in continuing to talk, so he picked up his son and left.


    ��Daddy, why were you angry at Grandpa?��


    ��Your grandpa did something bad and can��t be forgiven, so I was angry. Don��t mind it. Are you full now?��


    ��Yeah, I��m full.��


    Gu Jun smiled. ��That��s good. I��ll take you to the swimming pool. I didn��t teach you how to swim last year. How about I teach you this year?��


    ��Yay!�� Guo Guo exclaimed.


    Gu Jun wasn��t angry anymore. On the other hand, Old Mr. Gu was pissed. He��d already lowered himself so much, but he��d still been rejected. If Gu Jing wasn��t a failure, he wouldn��t let Gu Jun go. He��d wanted to teach Gu Jun a lesson, but it seemed that he hadn��t changed much.


    ��Since he won��t agree, we can only go to court. Go notify the city��s court.��


    Gao Shan was a bit worried. The old man��s perspective didn��t make sense at all and rashly using the law wasn��t that good. However, she had no power. Gu Jing was resting in the hospital and she was pregnant. She needed the old man for a source of income.


    Seeing this, Xiu Yijian sneered inwardly. This was Old Mr. Gu��s last struggle.


    ��


    City swimming pool


    ��Sir, it��s 100 dollars for both of you. If you didn��t bring swimsuits, you can buy one over there,�� the worker kindly reminded.


    Gu Jun��s salary was around 20,000 dollars after becoming an official employee. He decided he had enough money. He��d brought a lot to A City too, so he spent a few hundred on swimwear and brought Guo Guo to the pool.


    ��Daddy, so many ducks.��


    There were many kids in the shallow end with floaties. Many colorful balls and ducks floated on the water too.


    ��Yeah. When I make money in the future, I can build a swimming pool again. By then, you can swim with Daddy Yan. Isn��t that great? Son, when I get with Uncle An in the future, you can call him Daddy Yan.��


    ��Yay! Daddy Yan, Daddy Yan!��


    After playing in the pool for an afternoon, Gu Jun swam by himself for a few laps and then brought Guo Guo back to the hotel.


    As soon as he sat down in the hotel, his phone buzzed. Chen Chen texted him that An Xiaoyan had come back.


    Gu Jun stared at the words for a long time. After confirming that it was right, he fell onto the bed and started laughing. He was sure that An Xiaoyan cared about him. Otherwise, he wouldn��t return to that place time and time again.


    As he laughed, tears suddenly flowing down his face. The man lay on the big bed in the hotel room and started crying while covering his eyes.


    ��Daddy, why are you crying?��


    Wiping his eyes, Gu Jun said, ��Daddy��s happy. Daddy��s really happy. Your Daddy Yan is coming.��


    The day he��d waited for so long was finally here. Gu Jun thought that everything that happened before was worth it.


    During his trial period, he��d passed out flyers under the August sun. He��d sat on so many buses to meet clients, running around in low quality clothes. He��d raised Guo Guo, six cats, and a dog all by himself. No matter how busy he was, he��d always walk the dog outside. He had to pretend to be strong in front of his son. This way, when his son grew up, he could tell Guo Guo that he��d survived the hard times.


    An Xiaoyan called Chen Chen as soon as he got off the plane. The delivery slip before had his number on it.


    Chen Chen answered quickly. After An Xiaoyan explained himself, Chen Chen quickly went to pick him up. It seemed that everything would soon be over.


    To avoid suspicion, Chen Chen purposely took An Xiaoyan to another hotel. After arranging everything, they ordered two beers to drink from the hotel��s bar.


    ��Do you know what happened to Gu Jun?��


    ��I know.�� An Xiaoyan drank some beer to calm himself. ��Can you tell me everything?��


    The bar was very peaceful. Slow music played while the bartender made drinks at the bar.


    An Xiaoyan listened to Chen Chen start with Gu Jun planning to sell his properties. Finally, he said that Gu Jun had sold all his private property, even his houses, so he could only rent an apartment.


    An Xiaoyan listened quietly. It was so long ago, but it sounded so recent.


    ��Do you remember the Honda you drove before?��


    An Xiaoyan grunted. Gu Jun had told him to drive, but he unfortunately didn��t use it much.


    ��He bought it just for you. It��s under your name. He sold all his cars except that one. He said it��s because it��s for you.��


    Chen Chen patted An Xiaoyan��s shoulder before leaving. An Xiaoyan got a cup of soda and sat at the bar alone.


    Gu Jun would rather become poor than marry. He just wishes you can forgive him. It��s hard for him to raise the kid alone. He knows you hate him. He wouldn��t want you to know how many hardships he��s experienced.


    Chen Chen��s words rang in his mind. When Da Zhou had told him how different Gu Jun was, he didn��t really believe it. He realized that Gu Jun had already given everything up at that time.


    In the end, Chen Chen told him that there would a trial at the city��s court tomorrow. He could decide to go or not. Chen Chen just wished he could face his feelings.


    The trial started at ten o��clock in the morning. Both representatives arrived on time. Old Mr. Gu had hired a lawyer just for this. Gu Jun only brought Guo Guo with and told the kid to listen in the back.


    The presiding judge read Old Mr. Gu��s appeal. As expected, it wrote that Gu Jun was now the only living heir of the Gu Group and he must take the position of chairman. Otherwise, he would go against his father and damage the family��s interests.


    The Gu Group was so powerful in A City that even the mayor had to respect it. Since inheritances were a family matter, the judge had to listen to both sides before deciding.


    ��As the sole heir of the Gu Group,�� Old Mr. Gu��s lawyer said, ��Gu Jun must take up the responsibility of the family��s fate. He had been the chairman of the Gu Group before, but he��d violated the contract. If he comes back, he can be forgiven.��


    The lawyer was completely lying. Gu Jun produced his contract. The stamp that terminated the contract had gone into effect. After the judge looked at it, he said that Gu Jun hadn��t broken the contract. It was a normal termination.


    ��Judge, you understand the Gu family��s situation. We can��t not have an heir. If our fortune goes to an outsider, it��ll be troublesome to A City��s economic growth too.��


    The profit that the Gu Group brought to A City was hard to ignore. It had also attracted many talents, improving A City��s innovation and economy. If the Gu Group fell, it would be disastrous for A City.


    The judge and the officers discussed the matter for a while. The judge then said, ��Let��s adjourn for 30 minutes and continue afterward.��


    Old Mr. Gu��s people relaxed. Threatening the future of A City put pressure on the court. Old Mr. Gu would do everything to reach his goal.


    Gu Jun walked to the jury. Only Chen Chen and Guo Guo sat on his side. The other side was a big group. There was a stark contrast. As soon as he sat down, Guo Guo handed him a bottle, cutely telling his dad to drink.


    ��An Xiaoyan learned of everything yesterday,�� Chen Chen said. ��I told him about today��s trial too. If he��s forgiven you, he should be here today.��


    Gu Jun looked to the door. No one walked in or out. He was already happy that An Xiaoyan came to A City. He didn��t dream about An Xiaoyan coming to court.


    ��I won��t give in no matter what.�� Gu Jun opened the bottle and sat on the bench, looking up at the brown ceiling. Old Mr. Gu��s side was chattering. Gu Jun was at an advantage now, so Old Mr. Gu couldn��t do anything to him.


    An Xiaoyan had debated in the hotel until ten o��clock. Then, gritting his teeth, he got a taxi to the courthouse. After arriving, he looked at the national symbol hanging on the building and the somber aura. He sat on the steps.


    What was Gu Jun doing now? They were probably debating intensely. Gu Jun didn��t have money now. What if he couldn��t afford a lawyer? In An Xiaoyan��s opinion, returning to the Gu Group was good. At least his life would be good, but Gu Jun had already given it up once.


    While he was sitting there, a group passed by him. They were all in a hurry with a serious expression. Looking at the mass�� backs, he thought that the tall steps led to a sacred place.


    No matter how many times you succeeded or failed, your supporters would always stand behind you, supporting you quietly. He wondered if Gu Jun had that many people behind him.


    Another small group passed by An Xiaoyan. Looking at them enter, he stood up, dusted himself off, and started climbing the steps.


    This was his last decision. Whether it was right or wrong, it was the path he had chosen.


    The steps were made of smooth stone. Walking on it was comfortable. After An Xiaoyan asked for the courtroom, he stood outside the door.


    He couldn��t hear anything through the closed door. Pushing it forcefully, he saw a mass of people. Thankfully, he��d worn a shirt with a hood today. Covering his face with the hood, he crept in and sat in the back row on Gu Jun��s side.


    ��Mr. Gu Jun, you know how important this inheritance is. You are also better at running the Gu Group, but you keep rejecting it. You even quit once. Can you tell me why?��

 Chapter 108 - Final Chapter

    Chapter 108: Final Chapter


    Gu Jun took a deep breath. At the end of the 30-minute break, he looked back and An Xiaoyan was nowhere in sight. Maybe he might not come today. It did not matter. Gu Jun would be satisfied with himself today if he were to be able to express what was in his heart.


    ��I used to hate a person and I hated him so much that I wished he could die to make up for his sin. I beat him, scolded him, insulted him, and did everything I could to humiliate him. Because at that time, my heart was fearful and I thought that only by making him fearful of me can I hide my insecurities.


    ��But I have experienced many things in the process. I don��t know why but I like that person very much. I want to see him laugh and give him the best things. At this time, I found that the foolish things that I had done had left indelible traces in that person��s body and mind. I tried to get close to him and give him a little warmth, but my attempts all failed.


    ��If that was the end, maybe there wouldn��t be so many things happening now. After that, I thought of a lot of ways to treat him well. I went to his city and squatted at the breakfast shop every day to see him more. I bought a house from which I could just see him watering the plants on the roof. I was thinking, even if I could only accompany him this way for a lifetime, it is not out of the question. The fact is that people do not always get what they want. But it was my fault for being too rash as I was eager to see results.


    ��I became the chairman of Gu Group. This position did not give me a sense of superiority. Instead, it made me feel constrained because I was no longer the person who could do what I wanted to do. I had to take care of the company because it is the Gu family��s magnum opus. On top of that, I had to listen to other people��s arrangements and put the next generation into consideration.


    ��Although the state does not have laws allowing homosexuals to marry, the whole society has generally accepted homosexuality. In developed areas, it is very common for a man to be with another man. However, my family can��t accept it. They think that I can��t have children with a man, so they try hard to obstruct us.��


    The chief judge interrupted Gu Jun, ��Your data shows that you have a son.��


    ��Gu Jun nodded, ��I have a son, and I love him very much, but my family does not acknowledge him. My son��s mental development was slow when he was a child and he spoke at a later age than his peers. Now he has gradually become normal. I think one day, he will go to school and fall in love like a normal child. However, Old Mr. Gu feels that my child would be a fool in the future. He forced me to marry a woman and even used my child to threaten me to get engaged. I obeyed and got engaged for the sake of my child. After that, I was asked to attend the engagement banquet. There was no way out. All of the Gu Group��s senior staff were under the control of Old Mr. Gu, and I was in a passive situation.


    ��Now, I finally understand that money and a career can come back to you while love will never come back, so those things are no longer important to me. What I need is a person to accompany me. We will go to the supermarket to buy food in the evening, and raise cats and dogs together. We can also share the same hobbies and live happily together. Even though that person hasn��t accepted me yet, I��m ready.��


    Gu Jun bowed to show that he had finished speaking, and the judge nodded to let him sit down.


    An Xiaoyan, who was sitting at the far end and wearing a hat, heard these words. A sensation like a series of electric currents passed through his body from head to toe, making him feel numb all over.


    He was really surprised to hear such a promise in public.


    Gu Jun had to do so many things against his own will. He only wished Gu Jun would not betray him. In fact, Gu Jun had given up too much for him.


    There are many ways to express your love when you love someone. Some would sacrifice a lot while others would give things up. Things which were sacrificed were clearly seen while things which you have given up were usually left unseen unless one intentionally finds out the truth.


    An Xiaoyan was a person who had sacrificed a lot and gave himself a reason to accept Gu Jun while Gu Jun gave up his glory and wealth to be with An Xiaoyan forever.


    These words came from the heart and many people in the court were moved. The judge turned to Old Mr. Gu and asked him what he thought.


    The representative conveyed Old Mr. Gu��s thoughts saying that as long as Gu Jun could marry Xiu Yijian, he would agree to all conditions. He could forget about Gu Jun��s past with An Xiaoyan, but he could not tolerate a man marrying into the Gu family.


    Gu Jun turned around and sneered at Old Mr. Gu. ��After all this, you still can��t see what I really want. What I want is simply a happy relationship and I don��t care about anything else.��


    The moment when he turned back, he glanced from the corner of his eye and caught a glimpse of a thin man sitting at the far end whose figure resembled that of An Xiaoyan. Gu Jun thought he had made a mistake and looked back again. This time, the seat was empty.


    Having revealed the differences between the two sides, things would naturally be resolved. Finally, the chief judge proposed that Old Mr. Gu to agree to the fact that his son, Gu Jun, was with a man, so that their relationship could be eased and the interests of the company could be safeguarded. The state clearly recognizes that homosexuals also have relevant rights, and others cannot insult them. This also meant that what Gu Jun did was not wrong.


    Hearing that, Old Mr. Gu��s blood pressure almost shot up again. The older generation had a rigid idea that a man should marry a woman and carry on the family line.


    The lawyer beside Old Mr. Gu advised him to listen to the chief judge��s proposed arrangement. After all, Gu Jun was willing to come forward to reconcile now, and if this fell through, he might not even come again next time.


    Old Mr. Gu took a hypertension pill and felt better. He had no choice but to give up.


    At last, Old Mr. Gu agreed to the proposal. However, he did not wait to hear the final verdict and left angrily with his crutch.


    Since Old Mr. Gu had agreed to all the conditions, Mr. Gu added a clause to the contract stating that non-corporate personnel would not be able to participate in the company��s top management ruling, which meant that Old Mr. Gu had no rights in the company.


    Finally, after he signed in agreement to the final verdict, Gu Jun looked at it and saw that it stated that all his assets would be returned to him. This made him feel that these recent months had been a dream.


    A few days ago, he was still a poor man, and now he was the chairman of the Gu Group again, with tens of billions of assets.


    Chen Chen was happy for Gu Jun, who had restored his glory as the elite of the society.


    ��I think I saw An Xiaoyan just now, but once I turned my head around again, he was gone. Is it true that he was here?��


    Chen Chen did not notice An Xiaoyan��s presence, but Gu Jun had a feeling that the man he saw was him and was sure that he must be nearby.


    ��Help me make arrangements to take back all my previous assets and bring Guo Guo back to the villa.��


    Chen Chen nodded and went back with Guo Guo while Gu Jun left the court only after everyone was dismissed from the courtroom.


    It happened to be a sunny day outside, and beside the court was a small park. Gu Jun suddenly feel like taking a stroll there.


    As he turned right along the path, he saw An Xiaoyan sitting on the bench beside the road wearing a hooded sweater. Their eyes met.


    Gu Jun stopped walking and looked at An Xiaoyan while An Xiaoyan looked back at Gu Jun. Each of them looked at the other quietly with neither of them having the intention to take the first step forward.


    An Xiaoyan��s clothes were exactly what Gu Jun saw inside the courtroom. He knew that when he was making his case to the chief judge, An Xiaoyan was right there, watching him from behind his back.


    Ginkgo trees were planted on both sides of the path. It was autumn and the leaves began to turn yellow. When the wind blew, many fruits hanging on the tree were colliding with each other while the leaves rustled near them.


    At this moment, it felt as if the world was left with just the two of them.


    Gu Jun walked slowly to sit beside An Xiaoyan, who wrapped himself tightly with his sweater and had no intention of leaving.


    A cloud drifted past and blocked the sun while the wind blew again. It was chilly.


    ��Was that you just now?��


    ��I heard what you said.�� An Xiaoyan answered, and casually put his hand in his pocket.


    ��Can you forgive me?��


    An Xiaoyan turned his face and looked into Gu Jun��s eyes. At all times, a person��s eyes do not lie and the love and hatred of the person would truly be reflected in it. At this moment, Gu Jun��s eyes were full of love and anticipation. He had made a decision, and did not care what would happen in the future as the present was what he wanted.


    ��Gu Jun, I am a little cold.��


    Gu Jun hesitated for a moment and put his hand into An Xiaoyan��s pocket. His big hand held An Xiaoyan��s small hand. His warmth passed to the other man through the palm of his hand. An Xiaoyan��s hand tightened unconsciously, his head slightly tilted and leaned against Gu Jun��s shoulder.


    They clasped their hands and the most beautiful image of autumn was painted.


    In the evening, Gu Jun came to the river crossing bridge with An Xiaoyan. The Oriental Eye opposite the bridge was turning slowly. Standing on the bridge, they could clearly see every cabin of the Ferris Wheel and several people who were inside the cabin were shouting with their mouths open.


    The river continued to flow beneath them. Gu Jun was still holding on to An Xiaoyan��s hand. When the two of them leaned on the railing to look down, Gu Jun��s hand moved to An Xiaoyan��s shoulder and he held An Xiaoyan tightly in his arms.


    An Xiaoyan remembered the letter Liu Cheng had given him, saying that when he had accepted everything in his life, he could open it. He felt that it was the right time now.


    He took the letter with him everywhere he went. When he took it out from the middle layer of his clothes, the design on it had already faded.


    He did not avoid Gu Jun and tore open the seal directly. There was a piece of paper in it. After reading the letter, An Xiaoyan tore it up into pieces.


    Fragments of the letter were like snowflakes flying in the sky as the wind blew, finally falling into the river, drifting with the waves.


    Gu Jun did not look at the content on the paper. As Liu Cheng��s death was somewhat related to him, he should really bear part of the responsibility. Now that Liu Cheng had passed away, there was no need to be calculative regarding that man anymore.


    An Xiaoyan leaned close on Gu Jun��s shoulders. Now that they were both very happy, there was no need to think about the past.


    Love and hate were relative. When two persons got together, the amount of hate and love they had for each other would be relative.


    The last letter from Liu Cheng said: ��Yan Zi, there��s been something on my mind for a long time. I have been very guilty, but I have never dared to tell you. Now that you have accepted everything in your life, I can rest assured to tell you about it. Years ago, during the operation, I saw the other child in the stomach of the pregnant woman. The child was likely a stillborn and was very small. But because I was jealous of you, I did not tell you. I did not know this would create such a big impact on you and I feel very guilty for all that has happened to you. However, God has punished me, and we are even now.


    Those inheritances I left to you are my compensation for your suffering. Can we still be best friends?


    May you find love in your life�� Kindhearted people should always be treated with kindness.��

 Chapter 109

    Chapter 109: Chapter 108


    After An Xiaoyan moved back from the island, he opened a cat shelter in A City. The work was quite stable. Gu Jun started planning their new life.


    An Xiaoyan was woken up in the early morning. Gu Jun handed him the clothes he��d prepared. He said they��d do something mysterious today.


    ��There��s something going on today?��


    Gu Jun shot him a meaningful glance. ��Something really important.��


    ��What?�� An Xiaoyan had just woken up and his brain wasn��t working yet.


    ��Hurry and put on your clothes. You��ll see when you get there.��


    Gu Jun had prepared a khaki-colored hoodie, brown linen pants, and white sneakers. When An Xiaoyan put it all on, he seemed to have gone back to his student days.


    Gu Jun didn��t wear his usual suits. He put on a brown hoodie and black pants. When they stood together, they seemed to be university bros.


    ��I found someone to make this for us. It��s couple wear,�� Gu Jun made sure to say. He waited for An Xiaoyan��s praise.


    An Xiaoyan stared at their hoodies for a long while before seeing the detail. The khaki-colored hoodie had a small cat made out of black thread. Gu Jun��s black hoodie had a khaki-colored husky.


    Gu Jun knew that An Xiaoyan probably wouldn��t agree with boldly wearing couple clothes and holding hands on the street. Imagining the scene was scary.


    ��This way, it isn��t that obvious. Look, my picture is Yippy. Yours is Wonton.��


    An Xiaoyan looked carefully. It was true. Gu Jun��s detailed care warmed his heart.


    ��If we��re going out like this, are we going on a date?��


    Hearing this, Gu Jun grew lively. ��Xiaoyan, just think of it as a date.��


    Taking the Honda out of the garage, Gu Jun had An Xiaoyan sit shotgun and started driving toward the city. The roadside scene kept changing. An Xiaoyan seemed to know where they were going.


    When the car stopped, he realized his guess was right. It was the familiar gate and street.


    ��Let��s go.�� Pulling An Xiaoyan��s hand, Gu Jun walked in. The words A University shone under the sun.


    ��I didn��t think that it��d be you who��d bring me back here after so many years.�� An Xiaoyan looked at the familiar lotus pond and the Chinese parasol trees on either side. He couldn��t help but feel emotional.


    ��I thought that I should bring you back here. It��s your alma mater, after all.��


    The two walked in from the gate. The two stone lions before the library were still guarding the entrance. Students hurried to and fro.


    A University was a few hundred acres. They couldn��t walk through the entire thing. There were bicycles for students on the side, so Gu Jun scanned the QR code and unlocked a two-person bike.


    ��Get on. Let��s go.��


    Smiling, An Xiaoyan planted himself on the backseat. The late autumn breeze was chilly, but there was someone steering and blocking the wind for him.


    They rode from the east of the campus to the landmark in the center. It was a statue of a flying youth. Gu Jun stopped the bike and pulled An Xiaoyan to stand under the statue. A photographer and tripod appeared out of nowhere.


    ��Remember to say ��cheese�� later!�� Gu Jun called, backing out of the scene.


    After the photographer set up the tripod, he began to adjust the focus. ��I��ll tell you when I start taking pictures,�� he said. ��There won��t be a flash. Just smile or pose.��


    An Xiaoyan was somehow brought here and then somehow getting his picture taken, but he was happy to be back. It was like he��d taken out the knife stabbed into his heart and the pain was disappearing slowly.


    ��I��ll just pose as I wish?��


    ��Sure. I��ll keep taking pictures and print the one that looks the best.��


    The photographer quickly got into the professional state. After he started, An Xiaoyan stood before the statue doing the peace sign and rabbit ears. His smile grew wider and wider.


    After the set, the photographer said he had to check the photos first. An Xiaoyan discovered that Gu Jun had disappeared. He might have gone to the bathroom, so An Xiaoyan waited on a nearby bench. The picture that Gu Jun had torn had been taken in A University. Now, Gu Jun had brought him here and erased the bad memory.


    A while later, Gu Jun appeared with two ice cream cones, out of breath. He��d jogged over so the ice cream wouldn��t melt.


    ��I saw a student eating it, so I went over to buy some. I bought vanilla just for you.��


    It was around ten degrees Celsius, so eating ice cream made him really cold. An Xiaoyan let out his hot breath as he licked the ice cream.


    Seeing him like this, Gu Jun laughed loudly. ��If it��s too cold, then stop eating. I��ll eat it for you.��


    An Xiaoyan hurriedly protected his cone. ��It��s good. This feeling is nice. You should know the feeling of willingly getting tortured but still wanting to eat it.��


    ��Fine, I won��t steal it from you. I��ll go look at the pictures. Rest a bit after eating.��


    The photographer handed Gu Jun the camera. Gu Jun checked each picture in order. Most had a sweet smile. One was funnier. An Xiaoyan faced the statues with his fists raised as if it was his enemy.


    ��Should we take some pictures together?��


    ��Sure. Walk forward a bit. It��s more open there.��


    They continued to ride their bikes forward. This time, An Xiaoyan insisted on sitting in the front. He said it would be more exciting.


    ��Ride in the front after you get bigger. It��s really tiring.��


    An Xiaoyan��s stubbornness rose up out of nowhere. He insisted on trying. ��Don��t look down on me. I��m a man too.��


    When he actually took the front seat, An Xiaoyan discovered it wasn��t as easy as he��d thought. He didn��t have to pedal hard in the back. The front was different. Each cycle took all his strength.


    After pedaling for a while, An Xiaoyan couldn��t feel his legs anymore. He hurriedly stopped to rest. Breathing heavily, he complained, ��It must be because you��re too fat. I��m not even 120 pounds, but you��re more than 140 pounds. We have like 30 pounds difference of fat between us.��


    ��Now you know why I told you to sit in the back, right?��


    After changing their position, they continued riding. In the end, they came to a patch of woods. There was a small path created by treading students.


    There weren��t many people around now. Gu Jun boldly held An Xiaoyan��s hand and walked into the woods. A while later, the photographer drove the car over too.


    ��You really want to take pictures?��


    ��Of course. I even thought of a name for the photoshoot. It��ll be called My Wife��s University.��


    ��Gu Jun, you��re so shameless. You weren��t like this when I first met you.��


    ��Xiaoyan, don��t be angry. If you don��t like it, we can change the name.�� They��d both put the past behind them, but Gu Jun was still afraid that An Xiaoyan would back out. He never hesitated to apologize when faced with An Xiaoyan��s questions.


    Seeing how sad Gu Jun looked, An Xiaoyan flicked his forehead. ��I��m not petty like that. Hurry and take the pictures. When the students get out of class later, they��ll all crowd around like you��re an ape at the zoo.��


    ��Would two male apes be so attractive?�� Gu Jun mumbled while touching his forehead.


    The shoot was mostly successful. An Xiaoyan was energetic the entire time and added more fun to the photoshoot.


    The last step was a bit hard. The photographer suggested a kiss for the finale and had them discuss how to do it.


    ��Tell me your idea.�� Gu Jun handed the control to An Xiaoyan.


    ��Make it simpler. I feel like there are countless eyes watching us.��


    ��No way. Don��t you see everyone minding their own business?��


    An Xiaoyan looked around. There were students passing by with their backpacks. ��Should I be more aggressive?��


    Gu Jun smirked. ��Sure. I��ll follow your orders today.��


    Seeing his clients�� pose, the photographer was surprised. Wiping the sweat on his forehead, he asked, ��Are you sure you want to do this?��


    ��Hurry up,�� Gu Jun said.


    ��Uh, sure. Mr. An, maintain your aggression. Young Master Gu, make your expression a bit more pitiful.��


    In the camera, Gu Jun rested against a tree while An Xiaoyan performed a kabe-don. He wasn��t tall enough, so Gu Jun had to bend his knees.


    ��Am I manly like this?��


    ��Of course. If you��re taller and more muscular than me, I won��t be able to keep you down.��


    An Xiaoyan imagined that if he were taller and more muscular than Gu Jun, he��d really look like an ape. ��I think the picture will look nice.��


    The photographer was already taking pictures. Gu Jun didn��t reply. He looked lovingly up at An Xiaoyan at a 45 degree angle. A while later, a crowd started screaming.


    ��So hot! Kiss! Kiss!��


    Gu Jun looked over An Xiaoyan��s shoulder and saw a group of girls passing by. When they saw this, they started yelling like fangirls.


    An Xiaoyan didn��t hesitate. He kissed Gu Jun, eliciting a bunch of screams again.


    The feeling was different. Before, Gu Jun was the one who kissed. This time, An Xiaoyan did it. The moment their lips touched, he felt like his heart was about to jump out. Blood shot to his head and his hand subconsciously pressed onto Gu Jun.


    ��Okay!�� The photographer ruined the mood. An Xiaoyan unwillingly let go of Gu Jun. He was still in the moment.


    The girls were still watching them. Their kiss had been seen, so An Xiaoyan��s satisfaction transformed into awkwardness. He pulled Gu Jun and ran into the forest.


    They ran until they couldn��t catch their breath. As soon as they stopped, they started laughing.


    ��There will be a headline tomorrow,�� An Xiaoyan said while sitting on a bench. ��Like, two men kiss publicly in A University, catching the attention of female students.��


    ��They should be honored if they got a picture.��


    ��Where should we go next?��


    ��What do you think a 20-year-old should do?�� Gu Jun asked in return.


    ��Let��s go to the amusement park.��

 Chapter 110 [END]

    Chapter 110: Chapter 109


    The last time they��d visited the amusement park was last Christmas Eve, when many stations were closed as their operation hours were over. This time, the two of them were going to play with real excitement.


    Once they entered, they totally ignored the carousel and rushed towards the roller coaster.


    There were a lot of people in line. An Xiaoyan pulled Gu Jun to wait in line. Many of those lined up were young couples and the two of them did not look any different from them.


    ��Have you ever ridden one before?��


    Gu Jun looked at the winding slides of the roller coaster in front of him and answered honestly, ��I haven��t ridden a roller coaster before. Nobody��s ever done this with me.��


    ��So we��re the same. I��ve never ridden one before either. I think I might throw up after being tossed up and down.��


    This was really a problem. Just when they entered the amusement park, they saw someone vomiting into the waste bin. ��How about we don��t put ourselves through this? Since we are here for pleasure, why put ourselves through this?��


    An Xiaoyan blocked Gu Jun��s legs which were about to leave and said, ��Let��s try it.��


    ��I just don��t want to see you feel uncomfortable.�� It was not easy for the two of them to be out to play. If they were to feel uncomfortable later, their losses would outweigh their gains.


    ��It��s alright. I might just get used to it?��


    Unable to withstand the unceasing coaxing and pestering, Gu Jun agreed to take the ride with him.


    When the roller coaster was about to start moving, Gu Jun kept holding on to An Xiaoyan��s hand and reminded him, ��If you are afraid, hold my hand tight, and if you dare not look down, close your eyes.��


    While Gu Jun was still worried about whether An Xiaoyan could adapt to the rollercoaster, a sudden loud shout of ��Ahhhhh�� could be heard among the crowd.


    ��That��s so scary!�� Gu Jun was shocked after being tossed and turned. He grasped An Xiaoyan��s hand and closed his eyes. On the contrary, An Xiaoyan was calm and opened his eyes to look down while enjoying the excitement.


    Finally, the roller coaster stopped moving. Gu Jun felt as if his whole body had been tossed inside out. As soon as he stepped out, he ran straight to the waste bin and vomited. Only after everything in his stomach was forced out, did he feel much better.


    It was so embarrassing to lose face in front of one��s own wife. Had Gu Jun known that it was so exciting, he would not have taken the ride.


    ��It��s not that scary. The seat is very safe anyway,�� An Xiaoyan comforted him.


    Gu Jun now had a fear of exciting activities like riding a roller coaster. Taking Gu Jun��s fear and health into consideration, An Xiaoyan chose the subsequent rides with care, such as bumper cars.


    Their tickets were full-day tickets. Seeing that it was about time for a meal, the two of them went for lunch.


    They went back to the same snack street as before. Now that it was autumn, many businesses were setting up stalls along the street. The scent of mutton kebabs could be smelled from afar.


    Gu Jun smelled the fragrance and his appetite was suddenly increased. He bought a large plate of meat skewers and brought them to An Xiaoyan.


    ��Let��s eat. I��ll buy more after we��ve finished eating.��


    ��Can you finish so much of it?��


    ��You��re eating too.�� Gu Jun picked out a piece of lean meat and handed it to An Xiaoyan.


    After eating the kebab, they went to the milk tea shop next door and bought a double milk tea with two straws in it, They bent their heads close to each other and started drinking together.


    ��This big cup is really worth it. Sure enough, the amusement park is a good place for couples,�� Gu Jun said, holding half a cup of milk tea.


    ��Are there boat rides at the river over there?��


    After passing the milk tea to An Xiaoyan, Gu Jun went down to the small pier to inquire about the situation first.


    One was allowed to row a boat on the river and the boat could be operated by two people rotating pedals. It would cost 100 dollars for two hours.


    After buying the tickets, Gu Jun pulled An Xiaoyan onto a boat full of pink cartoon characters. The river was long and there were not many people. Thus, it felt as if there were only the two of them enjoying their world alone.


    As An Xiaoyan was curious about this kind of boat, he tried hard to exert enough strength to make the boat go forward. Instead, he made the boat turn a full circle at the same spot.


    Gu Jun looked at his wife��s hard work and could not help but laugh. ��You can��t do that. If I don��t paddle hard, you can only make a turn no matter how hard you try. We need to maintain the same momentum and frequency in our paddling.��


    Paddling together, the boat soon moved away from the dock and came to the middle of the river.


    The river is a circular one. As the boat was within the vicinity of the amusement park, they did not have to worry about the boat rowing out of range.


    Sometime between two and three in the afternoon, the sun was shining on them and An Xiaoyan lay in his chair and looked at the distant Oriental Eye. Gu Jun took a picture of the scene with his mobile phone.


    This time he was not so lucky. An Xiaoyan snatched his mobile phone and looked at the photograph of his lying posture then took a picture of him too.


    ��Now this is the best kind of life to lead. I really don��t understand how I spent these last few decades,�� Gu Jun leaned back on his chair and said.


    ��I also have this feeling. This kind of simple life is the best.��


    ��It should be said that the time without a kid around is better. If he had come today, we would be busy waiting on him. Sometimes, we have to live in a world with just the two of us.��


    After tiring of paddling, they let the boat float on the river by itself, and from time to time, other boats would glide past them.


    An Xiaoyan looked sideways at Gu Jun. He leaned over and kissed Gu Jun on the face.


    Two hours passed quickly. When they got off the boat, Gu Jun held An Xiaoyan��s body and left the dock together.


    ��What else do you wish to do? Can you dance? Gu Jun asked.


    An Xiaoyan shook his head. ��Can you?��


    ��I can��t either. We��re even. Let��s go. I��ll take you to a good place.��


    An Xiaoyan thought Gu Jun was behaving a little wildly today. The loud noise shook his body. ��What are we doing here?��


    Gu Jun did not answer and led An Xiaoyan inside. After making a turn, the noise of the music became softer and many small dance machines filled the whole hall.


    After going to the front desk to exchange for a hundred coins, Gu Jun pulled An Xiaoyan into a dancing machine and inserted the coins. The music began to play.


    ��I don��t know how to play.��


    ��I haven��t played before either. We just need to step on the buttons below. The rules are simple.��


    Gu Jun chose a slightly relaxed song and started to jump when prompted. An Xiaoyan��s interest was gradually piqued and he started to join in.


    After dancing to two songs, Gu Jun began to choose some rock and roll music. The little beast inside An Xiaoyan broke free and he released his energy on the dancing machine.


    ��Gu Jun, carry on.��


    Gu Jun sat on the ground, waved his hand and said no. With an older body, he could not withstand dancing for too long.


    ��Then I will dance by myself.��


    The music sounded again. An Xiaoyan watched the tips and danced seriously. Occasionally, there were some mistakes, but he tried to keep it perfect. Under the light, An Xiaoyan could be seen perspiring, but he still danced hard.


    When An Xiaoyan could not hold it any longer, he leaned against the wall and sat down. Gu Jun handed him a bottle of ice cola and wiped the sweat on his face with a paper towel.


    ��Tiring, but it��s quite fun to play. How did you find this fun place?��


    ��I came here by chance but was not interested to try it. I happen to remember it today.��


    ��It��s a good place to play and relax when you��re free.��


    A hundred coins were spent and the sky was dark outside. A day of play and fun was over.


    Having had enough rest in the dance hall, they were ready to go back.


    Back at the car, Gu Jun volunteered to let An Xiaoyan take the driver��s seat. It was rush hour after work and the road was a little congested.


    When they passed by the flower shop, Gu Jun asked An Xiaoyan to stop the car and took him to the flower shop.


    The young girl in the flower shop had an impression of Gu Jun. She looked at him and asked, ��Sir, what flowers do you need this time?�� The girl noticed that Gu Jun was holding a man��s hand. They must be lovers.


    ��Xiaoyan, what do you like?��


    ��If you want to buy it for me, I think anything is good.��


    Gu Jun looked around the flower shop. There were beautiful roses, pure white lilies, purple baby��s breath, pale yellow platycodon grandiflorum, and kapok like an orange fire.


    ��Can kapok be matched with roses?��


    ��Yes, kapok goes well with red roses.��


    ��Then match it and try to make it as bright as possible.�� Gu Jun sat down with An Xiaoyan and waited. The little girl went to wrap the flowers.


    An Xiaoyan sat down for a while, and a wave of fatigue overwhelmed him. From morning until now, his brain had been in a state of high excitement, once rested, he felt very tired. At first, he could still sit up and open his eyes. But after a while, he leaned on Gu Jun instead.


    The flowers were wrapped and Gu Jun woke An Xiaoyan up. Gu Jun picked up a pen and wrote on the greeting card next to the flowers, ��To my love: I wish you a lifetime of happiness.�� After writing, the card was inserted into the center of the bouquet and placed into An Xiaoyan��s arms.


    ��Hold it well. This is the first time I have officially given you flowers.��


    ��Thank you, Gu Jun.��


    ��Thank you. Hold it tight. I��ll take over driving later. You must be tired out today.��


    An Xiaoyan did not insist on driving and held the flowers and sat in the front passenger��s seat. The rush hour was not yet over and the road was still very congested. They had to wait for two rounds of traffic lights before they could pass through.


    Leaning on the seat, An Xiaoyan buried his head in the flowers and fell asleep again.


    Turning his head and looking at An Xiaoyan, who was sound asleep, Gu Jun��s heart calmed down and An Xiaoyan��s soft breathing was all that could be heard in the car.


    The outside world was still a scene of feasts and revelry, but his life had become peaceful. In his opinion, An Xiaoyan was the best doctor, not by exquisite medical skills, but because of a kind and tolerant heart. An Xiaoyan��s kindness made him wake up from his stubbornness and arrogance, understand the most important thing in life, and his patience with Guo Guo had helped Guo Guo grow up healthily.


    An Xiaoyan was not a doctor, but healed a family.


    When the car stopped, An Xiaoyan was awakened. He asked with a confused look, ��Gu Jun, have we made it home yet?��


    ��Yes, we��re home. Come out now.��


    The flowers were still held firmly in his hand. An Xiaoyan rubbed his eyes and followed Gu Jun into the house. The fragrance of the roses which permeated the air spread the smell of love, just like the smell of lovers being together.