DSF Chapter 145

Sun Tianjiao opened his eyes, intending to find a rope to end this miserable life.

Unfortunately, there was no rope, nor was there a beam to hang it on.

What’s terrifying wasn’t waking up in a strange environment, but the fact that he remembered everything that happened before he went to bed last night.

He had no fragments, no amnesia, no confusion. His memory had never been this good in his life.

The previous night, the bed sheets had been personally changed by Bian Shu.

Sun Tianjiao had foolishly grinned, clutching a wad of tissue, repeatedly snuggling into Bian Shu’s arms.

Every so often, Bian Shu would pause to soothe him and stuff another tissue into his hand, then wait for the next clumsy embrace.

“I fucking…”

Sun Tianjiao grabbed his neck with his hand, trying to see if he could strangle himself directly and end this tragic life. He squeezed himself so hard that his face turned red, unable to breathe, his eyes bulging. The next second, the door was suddenly pushed open, and Bian Shu appeared at the doorway.

Bian Shu: “…”

Sun Tianjiao: “…”

They remained silent for a few seconds. Sun Tianjiao’s fingers stiffly released his neck, slowly shrinking into the blanket. The flush on his face quickly subsided, leaving only a few red fingerprints on his neck.

Help!

Is there a rift in time and space that can whisk him away from this world right now?

After a brief calm, Bian Shu said slowly, “Actually, you can say you’ve forgotten everything that happened last night.”

Sun Tianjiao’s mouth twitched.

Damn it, I was just about to say that.

Bian Shu raised an eyebrow with interest. “But judging by your expression, you probably haven’t forgotten.”

Sun Tianjiao: “…”

No, not at all!

Listen to me!

I’ve had a performative personality since I was a kid. Me strangling myself has nothing to do with what happened last night. It’s purely acting out of addiction.

Bian Shu didn’t press him further. “I’m heading to the office soon. I just wanted to let you know breakfast is on the table, heat the milk in the microwave if you want.”

Sun Tianjiao, panicking, blurted out, “No, wait! What am I supposed to do here in your home alone?”

In his haste, he scrambled out from under the covers, but then immediately dove back in, realizing his predicament.

Sun Tianjiao: “.”

Bian Shu helplessly looked away. “I didn’t undress you. You were unruly when drunk and wriggled out of your clothes yourself.”

Under the covers, Sun Tianjiao awkwardly used his toes to pull his pants over and, in a cunning manner, pulled his pants up while huddled in his body.

He believed Bian Shu’s words, otherwise, his pants wouldn’t be rolled up in the blanket.

But that didn’t exactly make him feel any better.

Starting today, in front of Bian Shu, he was already a dead man walking.

“Your bedding and bed, I’ll have someone wash them for you.” After hesitating for a while, Sun Tianjiao finally managed to utter something relatively unimportant.

In fact, he knew that Bian Shu’s house definitely had a regular cleaning lady.

But he didn’t know what else to say, so he could only be polite.

Bian Shu raised an eyebrow, looking completely unsurprised. “Sure.”

Sun Tianjiao: “!”

Bro, isn’t this a bit too much?

Bian Shu: “This way, I’ll get to see you again.”

Sun Tianjiao: “?”

Anger turned into embarrassment again.

Sun Tianjiao’s entire chest was heating up.

Bian Shu raised his hand, glanced at his watch, furrowed his brows slightly, and finally just put the watch down. “Want to come with me to the office for a bit?”

Sun Tianjiao was taken aback. “Huh?”

Bian Shu: “You didn’t want to be alone at my place, right?”

Sun Tianjiao: “That’s true… but…”

Bian Shu: “I’ll be waiting for you in the living room. You should know where the bathroom is, no need to be embarrassed, it’s all cleaned by the maid.”

Sun Tianjiao swallowed hard, his hands nervously tightening around his waistband under the covers.

Bian Shu was unlike anyone he had ever met, always exuding a confident, calm composure in his speech. This was probably due to his self-confidence, believing that his suggestions would generally be accepted. Moreover, his gaze was forthright and natural, free of any sly thoughts, granting his counterpart equal respect and making it hard for anyone to refuse him. This must be what they call the aura of a boss.

Sun Tianjiao got dressed and got out of bed, lowering his head like a thief who had stolen Bian Shu’s treasure, sneaking into the guest room bathroom silently.

The bathroom was spotless, free of any dust and even fragrant. The toiletries were all there, mostly unopened.

Sun Tianjiao felt terrible because using them meant they would need to be opened. But he had no alternatives.

He reluctantly used the expensive-looking facial cleanser, shampoo, and towel, washed up, and then, as if trying to make amends, meticulously dried and neatly arranged them back in place.

Half an hour had passed by the time he finished tidying up.

When he came out, he found Bian Shu already working on the sofa with a notebook.

Bian Shu was very focused when he worked, with his head down, jaw slightly tense, eyes rarely blinking, and his fingers lightly sliding on the touchpad, quickly skimming through documents. It was charming. Even if it was the same sex, it was definitely something to be appreciated.

In the past, Sun Tianjiao mostly felt envy and a little jealousy towards peers who were better than him.

It was not easy for him to appreciate this attitude. But perhaps because of the huge gap between him and Bian Shu’s family background, he had never thought of surpassing Bian Shu, so at this moment, he found him charming.

And because of this, knowing that Bian Shu liked him, he didn’t seem to reject it much.

Of course, he knew how complicated it would be for two men to be together, and he also knew how complicated the class difference between him and Bian Shu was.

It would be too troublesome to be together, with too many things to deal with and solve.

Even Sun Tianjiao, who was strong and organized, didn’t want to get involved in such troubles.

But that didn’t stop him from liking that Bian Shu liked him.

Sun Tianjiao absentmindedly watched for a while, and Bian Shu suddenly raised his eyes, raised his chin, and gestured towards the dining table.

Sun Tianjiao pursed his lips, stepped on the floor, and walked towards the dining table.

The cup of milk was warm, obviously already prepared by Bian Shu. There was also a plate with a simple sandwich on it, just the kind pressed out by a sandwich maker.

Sun Tianjiao was still surprised that Bian Shu, such a busy boss, still had the mood to make breakfast.

Bian Shu soon explained, “It’s a sandwich press Bian Ning got recently for fun. I don’t usually have time to cook, but the taste should be decent. Try it.”

Sun Tianjiao: “Ah… thank you.”

It appeared he had gone out of his way to cook for him. He couldn’t help but praise Bian Shu again internally.

No, it wasn’t just about being a good person anymore.
It should be a good man.

Sun Tianjiao rambled on in his mind, pulled a chair over, and ate with his head down.

He had drunk too much yesterday and vomited everything, so his stomach was empty and he was hungry.

Even a simple sandwich tasted like a feast in his mouth.

Sun Tianjiao quickly finished the sandwich and milk, feeling much better in his stomach. He picked up the plate and glass, intending to wash the dishes.

Bian Shu closed his notebook, stood up from the sofa, and said, “The maid will take care of it. I’m a bit late, let’s go.”

Sun Tianjiao almost knelt again.

Turns out, he wasted Bian Shu’s time by dawdling while washing up and eating.

How terrifying.

Time is money for such people.

Sun Tianjiao dared not delay any longer, quickly placed the plates in the sink, wiped his mouth with a tissue, and said, “I’m ready.”

Bian Shu looked at him for a few seconds with a smile in his eyes, didn’t say anything, and casually picked up the car keys.

It was still Bian Shu who drove, with Sun Tianjiao in the passenger seat.

While sitting in the car, Sun Tianjiao’s brain started to think.

Actually, he didn’t need to go to Bian Shu’s company.

What’s the point?

Although he was curious to see how Bian Shu’s company operated, considering their current relationship, maybe it was better to…

“Maybe just drop me off at the subway entrance? I still have some things to do at the club…”

“Our conversation from yesterday wasn’t finished. I have a meeting soon, but we can continue talking after that.”

Sun Tianjiao: “…”

Fine.

Then he had no reason to leave.

He had to quickly think about how to respond to Bian Shu.

Bian Shu’s family was in real estate, so almost all the office buildings in the CBD area belonged to his company. Each department occupied one floor, and the higher the floor, the higher its status and importance within the company. The office building wasn’t much different from others. Underground, there were various restaurants and supermarkets, and you needed an employee card to use the elevators on the ground floor.

Bian Shu took Sun Tianjiao in, they took the elevator, and went all the way to the top floor. The top floor was basically Bian Shu’s activity area, and the heads of other branch offices only came here when they needed to report things in person. So it was decorated more warmly and less rigidly. Sun Tianjiao felt like he had entered a finely decorated café.

Although it was Bian Shu’s personal area, there were still employees here. The secretary department and human resources department were on the top floor because Bian Shu often needed to find them, so he just brought them closer.

As Sun Tianjiao walked around, he received countless curious looks, with everyone wondering about his relationship with Bian Shu. These speculative glances made him feel both guilty and relieved. Relieved because as long as he didn’t say anything, no one could know the answer, guilty because he and Bian Shu didn’t have any substantial relationship yet.

Sun Tianjiao’s gaze wandered around, finally landing with curiosity on a fish tank with beautiful and glamorous tropical fish inside.

Bian Shu chuckled. “I really have to go to the meeting now. Feel free to wander around, if you need anything, just ask my assistant, he’s right outside my office.”

Sun Tianjiao lightly bit his lip, his eyes flickering lightly as he said, “Um… what time was your meeting supposed to start?”

Bian Shu: “Nine thirty.”

Sun Tianjiao took out his phone and checked. Wow, it was already ten thirty.

He was an entire hour late. This scenario felt like something out of a drama—the kind where, at a crucial moment, the CEO would rush out of a high-level meeting because of a call from a ‘little fairy,’ leaving everyone in the room shocked.

There would definitely be a few bystanders exclaiming, “Whose call is so important?!”

“The CEO has never been so concerned about anyone!”

“So he also has days when he’s moved by love!”

Sun Tianjiao shuddered at the thought, his body breaking out in goosebumps.

But at the same time, he couldn’t help but enjoy the thrill of the drama.

As the ‘little fairy’ himself, it was indeed quite exhilarating.

Bian Shu was adept at probing into people’s hearts.

Looking at Sun Tianjiao’s expression, he could roughly guess what Sun Tianjiao was thinking.

A fleeting smile flashed in Bian Shu’s eyes, then he calmed down and said, “I thought you’d feel guilty, but you seem rather pleased?”

Sun Tianjiao immediately controlled his expression, innocently blinking his eyes. “Who’s pleased?”

Bian Shu lightly tapped Sun Tianjiao’s forehead with the thin meeting agenda in his hand and whispered, “Let’s go.”

This unexpected tap felt like it hit Sun Tianjiao’s heart. He was caught off guard and stirred.

In the world of adults, there wasn’t much testing each other’s boundaries. It was this mutual understanding of ambiguity that made people unable to resist indulging in it.

He knew that Bian Shu liked him, and Bian Shu knew that he didn’t dislike him. In this delicate balance with only one layer of window paper left, Bian Shu took the initiative to bump into the paper, causing a tremendous impact on Sun Tianjiao’s world.

Since the unforgettable failure of his online romance, Sun Tianjiao viewed love with indifference. He didn’t actively pursue it, instead, he focused all his energy on making money. It had been years since he had felt anything resembling affection.

That tap seemed to have opened some floodgate, and the curiosity and expectations for love that had been suppressed for years surged up.

Damn.

Sun Tianjiao asked himself, was he attracted to Bian Shu as a person or to his money?

After asking, he felt foolish. As adults, of course, he liked everything.

After Bian Shu left, Sun Tianjiao stayed in Bian Shu’s spacious office, using his hand to cool his face. It had been a long time since he felt this kind of fluttering feeling. No wonder the ratings for silly CEO dramas were so high. There must be a reason behind it.

As he was lost in thought, the office door was pushed open. The assistant came in, cautiously glanced at Sun Tianjiao, smiled friendly, and raised the paper bag in his hand. “I’m here to deliver some documents for Mr. Bian.”

Sun Tianjiao quickly stepped back, giving most of the space to the assistant.

Assistant: “No need, I’ll leave right away.”

Sun Tianjiao: “Don’t be polite, I’m leaving soon too.”

The assistant placed the documents on Bian Shu’s desk: “You’re a friend of Mr. Bian’s?”

Sun Tianjiao vaguely replied, “Ah… sort of.”

The assistant nodded thoughtfully, clearly interested in Sun Tianjiao. He knew Bian Shu’s social circle well, but he hadn’t seen this person before.

Sun Tianjiao couldn’t help but worry. “Your boss delayed a meeting for an hour, there wasn’t any problem, was there?”

The assistant looked puzzled. “Ah, no, it’s quite normal. Usually, meetings start half an hour to an hour late.”

Sun Tianjiao: “…”

So there was no dramatic “little fairy” script.

Bian Shu, such a serious person, was actually habitually late!

The assistant explained with a smile, “Generally, the higher the position, the less punctual they are for meetings. It’s not just Mr. Bian; other executives tend to arrive late too. Being on time is really only expected from the lower levels.”

Sun Tianjiao: “Haha.”

That’s very different from his industry.

In his field, dealing with ‘father-level’ clients, despite many years in the industry, he’d never dared to be late to a meeting.

What a painful realization!

After the assistant left, Sun Tianjiao sighed.

He started by sitting obediently on the sofa in Bian Shu’s office, but later felt bored and began taking photos of the cityscape through the floor-to-ceiling windows.

He took several pictures of the urban scenery and casually posted them on his social media.

It wasn’t until lunchtime that Bian Shu returned. By then, Sun Tianjiao had already started remotely managing some club matters on his phone.

It wasn’t anything major, just his meticulous nature dictating that he be informed of everything his subordinates did.

Bian Shu: “Are you bored?”

Sun Tianjiao put away his phone. “Hmm… not really.”

Knowing that Bian Shu’s meeting times were quite flexible, he didn’t feel as guilty anymore.

Bian Shu: “Want to grab lunch together?”

Sun Tianjiao cleared his throat, lightly rubbing the screen of his phone with his fingers. “I’m not hungry.”

Bian Shu understood. “You want to discuss business first.”

Sun Tianjiao nodded.

Once again, he marveled at Bian Shu’s remarkable perceptiveness. Without even saying anything, Bian Shu immediately understood his thoughts. Chatting with intelligent people sure saved a lot of trouble.

Bian Shu set the documents aside and sat directly beside Sun Tianjiao, tilting his head to look at him. “I don’t want to pressure you. If you hadn’t asked yesterday, I probably wouldn’t have said anything for a while. But since you did, I don’t want to beat around the bush. I really like you.”

Sun Tianjiao couldn’t fathom it. “What’s there to like about me? I’m full of flaws. Are you here to undergo tribulations?”

Bian Shu chuckled and shook his head. “Do you really think you’re full of flaws?”

“…” Sun Tianjiao awkwardly averted his gaze.

Well, maybe not.

He was quite narcissistic. How could he belittle himself like that? Not boasting was already good enough.

Bian Shu took a deep breath and slowly said, “You don’t seem to dislike me, so would you consider being with me?”

Sun Tianjiao: “Isn’t that too straightforward?”

Bian Shu: “With our intelligence, is it interesting to pretend not to understand?”

“I can’t argue with that,” Sun Tianjiao admitted.

Bian Shu raised his hand and lightly placed it on Sun Tianjiao’s shoulder, a bit intimate but not crossing any lines. “Stop refuting. Trying won’t hurt, and being in a relationship with me should be pretty good.”

Sun Tianjiao lowered his head slightly, looking at the hand on his shoulder. He felt a surreal sense of disbelief, but at the same time, a hint of sweet surprise welled up in his heart.

Since graduating from university, he had worked hard, focused on making money, and put his love life on hold. Because his relationships with classmates in college weren’t great, he didn’t even have a chance for romance, let alone experience the joy of hormones surging.

Being liked by Bian Shu was undoubtedly a happy thing.

That was Bian Shu.

The outstanding, capable, and interesting Bian Shu.

Who knows how many socialites had their eyes on him, but now, he effortlessly belonged to Sun Tianjiao.

For a moment, Sun Tianjiao forgot himself and blurted out, “Then let’s give it a try.”

He didn’t even realize that, with that sentence, many things in his peaceful life would change.

At least, at that moment, he felt pretty good.

As for the rest, well, since they were both adults, if it didn’t turn out well, they could just part ways. He wouldn’t lose out.

Bian Shu’s expression shifted slightly as he lightly rubbed Sun Tianjiao’s shoulder. “Okay, but since we’re trying, we should take it seriously and not treat it as a casual fling.”

Sun Tianjiao was puzzled. “Am I that kind of person?”

–

Sun Tianjiao now had the legitimate status to come and go from Bian Shu’s home and company, although it hadn’t been exposed publicly yet.

The process of trying with Bian Shu, rather than being a romantic affair, was more like learning from Bian Shu.

Sun Tianjiao always considered himself a hardworking and outstanding individual since childhood, but being with Bian Shu made him realize the vastness of human knowledge and the terrifying capacity of the human brain. Growing up under elite education, the gap between children like him and ordinary people was significant.

Of course, Bian Ning was an exception.

Bian Shu possessed a powerful allure that made people reluctant to leave once they got close.

Sun Tianjiao never believed in simple attraction to a person; it wasn’t about liking superficial traits. People were made up of various external factors.

Bian Shu’s knowledge, demeanor, personality, family background, profession—every aspect of him was a reason Sun Tianjiao couldn’t take his eyes off him.

Sometimes, when Sun Tianjiao was overwhelmed with club matters, a few words of advice from Bian Shu could quickly calm him down and lead him to find better, more suitable solutions.

The charm Bian Shu exuded was too formidable, leaving people defenseless.

Sun Tianjiao had no doubt that his feelings had shifted from mere fondness to genuine affection for Bian Shu.

Though to this day, they hadn’t engaged in any overt physical intimacy.

Because here came the little light bulb, Bian Ning.

Once again, the young lady failed her exams and sought refuge at Bian Shu’s home to escape her parents.

Luckily, Sun Tianjiao was there to occasionally supervise her studies and teach her some study methods.

And this was something only Sun Tianjiao could do; even Bian Shu couldn’t.

For one, Bian Shu was impatient with Bian Ning’s procrastination and lacked the patience to teach her.

Secondly, due to the lack of a sibling-like atmosphere in their family since childhood, Bian Ning didn’t always heed Bian Shu’s words.

Actually, Sun Tianjiao had a bit of selfishness.

After all, he had developed feelings for Bian Shu and didn’t want to let go. Dealing with Bian Shu’s family was inevitable.

Bian Ning, and Bian Shu’s parents.

Sun Tianjiao couldn’t help feeling a bit nervous, fearing he wasn’t good enough and would be looked down upon by Bian Shu’s family.

So, he thought of building a good relationship with Bian Ning first, or helping her improve her grades. If Bian Shu’s parents were happy, perhaps they would be more accepting.

He never thought he would one day secretly worry about such things.

Sun Tianjiao was still pondering how to explain his relationship with Bian Shu to Bian Ning, but surprisingly, Bian Ning’s acceptance was exceptionally good.

Sun Tianjiao: “Don’t you find this strange?”

Bian Ning casually swiveled in her chair, fiddling with the fuzz on her hair tie, and nonchalantly replied, “What’s strange about it? My brother has always liked men. I figured it out the day he brought you home. He doesn’t just bring anyone home.”

Sun Tianjiao couldn’t help but chuckle, “Are all kids these days this open, or is it just our unique universal beauty here?”

Bian Ning straightened up, speaking earnestly, “What kids? I’m not a kid. I’m telling you, are you looking down on a younger, academically inferior student like me?”

Sun Tianjiao was slightly taken aback, “What?”

He didn’t think he had called Bian Ning a kid so many times to deserve such a strong reaction.

At the same time, a hint of panic flashed across Bian Ning’s face.

But she quickly turned her head, pretending to be calm as she chewed on the pen cap, stopped fidgeting with her legs and hair tie, and stared straight at the questions on the test paper.

Sun Tianjiao couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off.

Bian Ning’s level of acceptance towards him was abnormally high.

In theory, when a younger sister finds out her older brother is in a relationship with another man, her first reaction shouldn’t be one of happiness and excitement.

But he felt that Bian Ning still liked him quite a bit, even though she never said it out loud.

This kind of blunt attitude was quite typical for teenage girls nowadays, perfectly in line with their mindset.

Moreover, sometimes Bian Ning didn’t necessarily listen to what Bian Shu said, but she would often comply with what he said, albeit reluctantly at times.

That was strange.

Were they really that close?

Sun Tianjiao usually tutored Bian Ning in her studies, partly out of consideration for Bian Shu’s face.

He couldn’t always let Bian Shu teach him things; occasionally, he had to help this headache-inducing young lady make progress.

But every time he came to tutor Bian Ning, she would always sigh, as if to say, “You owe me for this.”

What did he owe her?

Bian Ning chewed on her pen cap for a moment, then pointed at the question in front of her, “How do you do this?”

Sun Tianjiao snapped back to reality, glanced at the math problem, “After all these years since graduation, I can’t possibly know how to do everything. I’m here to teach you how to summarize and study. You didn’t develop good study habits when you were young, so now you have to put in the effort.”

Bian Ning whispered, “If you…”

If you had been a better mentor to me, you would have taught me some study methods by now.

Sun Tianjiao innocently smiled, “If I what?”

Bian Ning pouted, “It’s nothing.”

Sun Tianjiao furrowed his brows in confusion, pushed the answer sheet towards Bian Ning, “If you don’t know how to do it, figure it out yourself and then summarize.”

Bian Ning: “I’ll go to the bathroom first.”

With that, she pushed her chair back and hurried off to the restroom.

Sun Tianjiao sighed and lazily leaned back on the sofa, closing his eyes to rest.

Bian Shu hadn’t come back yet. What should he have for dinner?

He felt like having fish. There seemed to be a big yellow croaker in the fridge.

Hmm… Bian Shu’s cooking was delicious. Maybe he should wait for the CEO to come back and cook dinner tonight!

As he leisurely contemplated, Bian Ning’s phone vibrated on the table.

It was a QQ notification.

He subconsciously glanced at it, not meaning to invade Bian Ning’s privacy.

But because he was close and had good eyesight, he still saw it clearly.

The person’s name was ” Tianyuan Family Little Xiuluo. ”

Xiuluo.

Sword Three.

Those who had played this game were sensitive to the in-game terms.

Sun Tianjiao’s heart stirred.

Did Bian Ning also play Sword Three?

There were countless players of Sword Three, so it wasn’t surprising if Bian Ning played too.

But Sun Tianjiao couldn’t shake the feeling that there was something off, causing his mood to suddenly plummet.

He didn’t ignore this sensitive physical reaction; he lifted his gaze and silently stared at the blank wall, his brain spinning rapidly.

What a coincidence.

He also played Sword Three.

It seemed like he had mentioned to Bian Shu before that he had been scammed in the game.

Did Bian Shu know that Bian Ning played this game too?

Bian Shu should know.

Because when he mentioned it to Bian Shu, Bian Shu didn’t react too surprised, but instead asked for his game ID.

Why would Bian Shu ask for his game ID?

At the time, he was just trying to get closer, complaining about his failed relationship experience. His ID was totally insignificant, and he even felt embarrassed about his emo nickname.

Sun Tianjiao’s eyelashes trembled gently, casting faint shadows on the off-white wall.

As the sky gradually darkened, the hazy sunset slowly swept across the floor, inch by inch retreating and slipping out of the window.

He intentionally left work early today to come home to Bian Shu and Bian Ning for the weekend.

He knew Bian Ning had failed an exam and was under pressure from her family, so he tried to stay home as much as possible to help ease the tension.

With him around, Bian Shu wouldn’t have time to discipline his sister.

And then—

The more time he spent at home, the more he realized that he had never seen Bian Ning play Sword Three even once.

Not even once.

But that didn’t make sense.

If Bian Ning could still chat with a netizen named ” Tianyuan Family Little Xiuluo,” it meant she hadn’t completely quit the game.

Or had the two of them become friends in real life?

No, that couldn’t be it.

Bian Ning wasn’t stupid, but her grades never improved, so there must have been something distracting her.

He was still convinced that Bian Ning wasn’t in a romantic relationship because you couldn’t hide that sort of thing, it would show on your face.

So what was distracting Bian Ning?

Idol chasing, novels, games?

Sun Tianjiao deduced based on Bian Ning’s daily behavior and speech that she didn’t seem to chase idols much, even if she had some favorites, she wasn’t obsessed.

After all, with her background, it was too easy for her to meet celebrities, and the entertainment industry held no illusions or novelty for her.

What about novels?

Bian Ning did have a few romance novels in her room, but she wasn’t really someone who enjoyed reading.

Her studies were already a struggle, and she had said herself that she couldn’t be bothered to read another word.

But Bian Ning attended a prestigious school, not a typical public school focused solely on exams.

She should have had plenty of time to pursue her own interests, and the school encouraged them to develop hobbies.

So what was Bian Ning doing? Playing games?

Then why had he never seen her play in front of him?

What was the source of Bian Ning’s familiarity and trust in him?

Was it from his relationship with Bian Shu?

Or was it from a few tutoring sessions?

Why was Bian Ning surprised and acting like a chuuni when they first met?

Even though it was their first meeting, with Bian Shu drunk and distressed, Bian Ning could still act coquettish and ask him questions.

Wasn’t she worried about this stranger?

At the time, Bian Ning said, “You’re an F university genius, can’t you even do high school math problems?”

Sun Tianjiao closed his eyes, furrowing his brows tightly.

Crossing his legs and arching his back, he took a deep breath, massaging his temples with his fingers, and finally, his dry eyes felt a bit more comfortable.

In his mind, a jumble of chaotic fragments came together like puzzle pieces, naturally and seamlessly fitting into place.

With each piece he put together, the next deduction became clearer.

Tang Keqing was a master’s student from the University of Pennsylvania.

Tang Keqing mentioned she and Bian Shu were alumni from the same school, which likely meant Bian Shu attended the University of Pennsylvania.

Sun Tianjiao suspected that he might have been a student at the Wharton School of Business there.

Thinking of this, Sun Tianjiao suddenly became very calm.

He opened his eyes, picked up his phone, already holding an answer in his heart, and logged into LinkedIn to search for Bian Shu.

Actually, Bian Shu’s resume was very easy to find, after all, he was the boss of such a big company.

But Sun Tianjiao had never thought of checking before.

He only knew that Bian Shu was very outstanding, knew everything, but he had never connected Bian Shu with someone from his memories.

And then, he easily found Bian Shu’s profile.

Wharton School of Business.

Looking at the graduation date, calculating Bian Ning’s age, all the details automatically pieced together.

Six years ago, Bian Ning was in fifth grade, while Bian Shu was studying at the Wharton School of Business, a college senior busy with his thesis.

And then everything just happened so naturally.

Why was he so easily attracted to Bian Shu?

Why did he fall in love with Bian Shu in just half a year, and even wholeheartedly try to please Bian Shu’s parents?

This wasn’t hard to understand.

Because once, he was also captivated by Bian Shu like that.

Back then, he easily fell in love with Bian Shu.

Turns out, his taste never changed.

The ultimate gentleness, strong mentality, profound knowledge, and the power to help people build dreams.

He had always liked that.

Did Bian Shu know who he was?

He must know.

Otherwise, he couldn’t explain why Bian Shu helped him solve the contract issue after just one meeting.

For him, he signed a contract with Chen’s nephew and even taught him how to play golf.

And then, it was the irresistible closeness.

He had always approached him as his former self, but never told him.

So what exactly was Bian Shu’s feeling towards him?

A flutter of seeing an old love?

The satisfaction of seeing him fooled?

The achievement of grabbing what he couldn’t get back then?

Sun Tianjiao took a deep breath, his chest feeling heavy, like a stone weighing him down.

Bian Ning came out of the bathroom, her hands still wet.

She lazily shook her hand while walking towards the kitchen, preparing to drink some orange juice.

Sun Tianjiao suddenly spoke, “Xiao Ning.”

Bian Ning stiffened all over, as if she had been acupunctured, awkwardly frozen in place.

Then, she suddenly came to her senses, turned around, and looked at Sun Tianjiao with a bewildered and incredulous expression.

But soon, she reacted again, foolishly saying, “What?”

Sun Tianjiao didn’t need her to explain anything anymore.

Just now, Bian Ning’s physical reaction had already explained everything.

Sun Tianjiao nodded slowly, his tone somewhat weary, “So you know who I am too.”

Bian Shu knew, Bian Ning knew, and he was the only one kept in the dark.

If he hadn’t accidentally found out, this matter might have been kept from him for a lifetime.

Back then, he tore up his TOEFL score of 115, gave up on studying abroad, stopped pursuing further education, and instead entered the workforce to earn money like crazy.

At that time, all his classmates talked behind his back, using him as a topic of discussion, lamenting that because of his average family background, he couldn’t study abroad and had completely ruined his path to success. His education would become his lifelong shortcoming, and he would be crushed in the workplace.

Some people expressed regret in front of him, but their words were full of boasting.

His parents also didn’t encourage him to go abroad because it was difficult to get a scholarship from the top universities he dreamed of, and going to an ordinary school would be meaningless.

He had already prepared himself to work hard for several years while studying, but then suddenly discovered that his goddess was fake, and his last hope was shattered. So, he listened to his parents and went straight to work.

The most miserable heartbreak in his life was caused by Bian Shu.

He manipulated the game that they had played together for years, altering the trajectory of his life. In order to quickly establish himself in the workplace, he somewhat deceptively signed Yan Yibing to Zero, and then drove away Yan Yibing’s best friend.

He’s the kind of person who can be quite carefree at times, but when it comes to someone he cares about, he can’t stand any ambiguity.

Bian Ning weakly asked, “Sun Tianjiao, how…?”

Sun Tianjiao tilted his head and looked at her, sighing, “I mean, if that account belonged to you back then, you should’ve called me ‘Master’, right?”

Bian Ning suddenly bit her lip, her round eyes slightly red.

She could tell that Sun Tianjiao was a little angry.

Originally, she was in the right in this matter. Clearly, Sun Tianjiao was the one who A-ranked the game and kicked her, his disciple, out. But why did she suddenly start feeling guilty?

“Scumbag Master,” Bian Ning murmured softly.

“Am I a scumbag?” Sun Tianjiao found it amusing, unexpectedly raising his eyebrows.

Bian Ning swallowed hard, her wet fingers, which had already dried, now had a thin layer of sweat on them.

“Originally, I told you my brother helped me with the account. It wasn’t a catfishing scam, but you didn’t believe me and still A-ranked the game. Just because I was in fifth grade, I felt bad for a long time. Now, there might even be posts about it on 818.”

Sun Tianjiao leaned back on the sofa, looking up at the sky.

Back then, he indeed didn’t believe her, but now he did.

It was a misunderstanding at the time, after all. He had initially assumed that his disciple was a female high school genius studying abroad, and he never considered the possibility of siblings sharing an account.

But that wasn’t the point. The point was that he couldn’t get over this hurdle in his heart.

These siblings had always deceived him with their godly skills, fooling him, an ordinary player with his eyes closed.

Initially, Sun Tianjiao had approached him not because he was smitten with him at first sight, but because he was “Tianjiang Attracts Wealth” in the game.

He had fallen into the same trap twice.

Sun Tianjiao: “Work on your homework, I’m going out for a bit.”

He took a deep breath, got up, grabbed his laptop, and slung his backpack over his shoulder.

Actually, he realized that the only important thing to leave at Bian Shu’s place was his laptop. Everything else was just material possessions.

He hadn’t even had the chance to shift the focus of his life to Bian Shu’s place yet.

Thank goodness.

Bian Ning immediately grabbed his arm. “Where are you going? Are you angry? Don’t be angry. I didn’t mean to hide it from you.”

Sun Tianjiao looked at Bian Ning’s anxious expression and felt a bit guilty.

He patted Bian Ning’s head. “I’m not angry with you. I just A-ranked without distinguishing right from wrong back then. Sorry. Mainly, it’s because I’ve been busy with work after graduation and haven’t had much time to play.”

Bian Ning: “Why are you speaking so politely? I don’t blame you anymore. We’re practically family now that you’re with my brother, right?”

Sun Tianjiao asked back, “You didn’t intentionally hide it from me, what about your brother?”

Bian Ning froze.

Sun Tianjiao said calmly, looking at Bian Ning, he felt that if he looked in the mirror, he might see the most serious and upright appearance he had ever had in his life.

“You’re almost seventeen. You shouldn’t be clueless about love. Even you know I might not accept it, so why hide it? When I was immersed in the surprise of being noticed by the big boss, what was Bian Shu thinking? When I was being stupid enough to prepare holiday gifts for him, what was Bian Shu thinking? When I sneaked to his bedside at night and whispered in his ear how much I fucking loved him, what was Bian Shu thinking?”

Bian Ning: “He… he loves you too!”

Sun Tianjiao: “Ah, right. But I need to figure things out before I can say it.”

Bian Ning’s face was full of worry and panic. Bian Shu hadn’t come back yet. Maybe she could throw a tantrum, make a scene, and force Sun Tianjiao to stay. But she knew that wouldn’t solve anything.

Sun Tianjiao couldn’t forgive himself for being kept in the dark about this.

This was something she couldn’t explain. The only person who could resolve the situation and appease Sun Tianjiao was Bian Shu himself.

Bian Ning: “I… I’ll call my brother!”

She rushed to the coffee table, picked up her phone, and wanted to call Bian Shu.

But when she saw the QQ message, she froze.

She immediately looked at Sun Tianjiao, tears about to fall.

“You…”

Sun Tianjiao sighed. “Hey, hey, don’t cry, don’t blame yourself. This has nothing to do with you. I’ll talk to your brother.”

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