Han ShaoZhou left the room and headed straight for the small private room where Mo Ming had been. It was near the end of the hallway, and he had seen Mo Ming and his friends go in there earlier.
He hadn’t expected Mo Ming to be dining in the same restaurant as him tonight.
But that wasn’t the main point right now…
Han ShaoZhou had never seen this side of Mo Ming before.
In the few seconds it took him to reach the room, various images flashed through Han ShaoZhou’s mind, but in the end, all he could focus on was that last look Mo Ming had given him—a look so cold and indifferent.
As he reached the door, Han ShaoZhou paused.
The door to the private room was open, and inside, a waitress was busy cleaning the table. She turned and, seeing Han ShaoZhou standing in the doorway, asked politely if he needed anything.
Han ShaoZhou frowned. “The people in this room—they’ve left?”
“Yes, they just left.” the waitress replied.
Han ShaoZhou turned around and headed downstairs, pulling out his phone to find Mo Ming’s contact. But just as he was about to call, he hesitated and hung up.
He stared at the name on the screen, marked as “Xiao Guai.” and his expression grew darker.
Calling directly—what would he even say?
Was he really going to ask about that look?
But doing so would make him seem as fragile as glass, easily shattered by a single glance. Yet, if he didn’t ask, the frustration in his chest would remain unresolved. That primal, almost physical irritation made it impossible to stay calm.
It wasn’t just that unfamiliar look from Mo Ming that bothered him; it was also the unease that came with the realization that there was a side of Mo Ming he knew nothing about—a soul that felt completely detached from the person he thought he knew.
Leaving the restaurant, Han ShaoZhou instructed the driver to take him straight home.
When he got back to the apartment, Mo Ming still wasn’t there.
Han ShaoZhou took a shower, then sat on the couch in his bathrobe, legs crossed, arms folded, looking every bit like a parent waiting to catch their child sneaking in late at night. His face was a picture of cold displeasure as he waited in the living room.
Tonight, he needed to assert his authority in front of Mo Ming. He couldn’t let Mo Ming get away with “challenging” him with just a glance… for now, he’d just assume that look was a challenge.
Ten minutes passed, then half an hour, then an hour…
Clearly, after leaving the restaurant, Mo Ming and his friends had gone somewhere else to continue having fun… So that idiot didn’t even realize he was angry?
As he shifted his legs restlessly, alternating between crossing them and uncrossing them, Han ShaoZhou eventually moved to the bedroom. He lay on the bed, propped up against the headboard, continuing his vigil.
He wanted to see how long it would take that guy to come back.
Finally, just as Han ShaoZhou was about to pick up his phone and call Mo Ming, he heard the sound of the apartment door opening. After a brief pause, Han ShaoZhou quickly pulled the covers over himself and lay down.
Waiting half the night for a little lover just to ask about a single look—anyone would think that was embarrassing, especially the culprit.
Han ShaoZhou was not the kind of man to be so sentimental.
He could hear faint noises outside. After a long stretch of silence, the bedroom door slowly creaked open, and the faint scent of fresh soap wafted in.
Han ShaoZhou shut his eyes tightly, doing his best to keep his breathing steady, waiting to be “woken up”… He’d already planned out how to approach the conversation, starting with why Mo Ming had walked past him in the hallway as if he were a stranger, not even saying hello. Then he could casually bring up the matter of that look, so it wouldn’t seem too deliberate.
He hoped Mo Ming had enough awareness to address tonight’s events without him having to bring them up first.
However, the little guy who entered seemed to be trying not to wake him. He crept around to the side of the bed, carefully slipped under the covers, and then—nothing.
Han ShaoZhou: “…”
Unable to stand it any longer, Han ShaoZhou pretended to turn over in his sleep, cracking his eyes open just enough to catch a glimpse of the faint light beside him. He saw that Mo Ming had his back to him, playing on his phone.
Damn it.
This guy really had no awareness!
Han ShaoZhou regretted pretending to be asleep. It would be embarrassing to suddenly ask about it now, but if he kept pretending, he might actually make himself sick with frustration.
Watching the light from the phone screen, Han ShaoZhou’s frown deepened… At a time like this, what could be more important than soothing your sugar daddy?
Han ShaoZhou slowly propped himself up on one elbow and carefully leaned over to see what Mo Ming was doing on his phone.
The screen was open to a web page with the search bar filled with the words: “Daily training for dogs.”
Han ShaoZhou: “…”
Mo Ming, sensing the heavy breathing near his ear, instinctively turned his head, nearly dropping his phone in shock.
The person he thought was sound asleep was now looming over him, silently propped up, staring at him. The faint light from the phone cast eerie shadows on Han ShaoZhou’s face, making him look particularly menacing in the quiet, dark room.
Acting on pure reflex, Mo Ming shivered, clutching his chest as he gasped. “ShaoZhou-ge, you scared me.”
Han ShaoZhou’s mouth tightened into a straight line, his face growing darker by the second as he stared at Mo Ming.
Mo Ming quickly turned off his phone and placed it on the pillow beside him. He rolled over, snuggling closer to Han ShaoZhou as he always did, his hand resting on Han ShaoZhou’s waist.
“You didn’t say anything, so I thought you were asleep.” Mo Ming murmured, burying his face in Han ShaoZhou’s collar like a little koala hugging him. “You gave me a real fright just now… It was like something out of a horror movie…”
Han ShaoZhou: “…”
Looking at the person in his arms, so affectionate and obedient as usual, it was clear that Mo Ming hadn’t given tonight’s events a second thought.
The frustration burning in his chest only grew stronger.
Whether intentional or not, Han ShaoZhou couldn’t tolerate how carelessly Mo Ming was toying with his emotions. That one glance had broken down his defenses, throwing him into a fit of irrational anger and frustration. And now, Mo Ming was acting as if nothing had happened, snuggling up to him as if everything was fine… Did he really think Han ShaoZhou was some kind of dog to be trained?
The inexplicable anger swelled like a snowball, growing larger and larger in the silence of the night. After what felt like an eternity, Han ShaoZhou suddenly pushed away the hand that was wrapped around his waist.
He turned on the bedside lamp, threw off the covers, and got out of bed.
Mo Ming, still half-asleep, rubbed his eyes and slowly sat up, drowsily asking, “ShaoZhou-ge, where are you going?”
Han ShaoZhou didn’t respond as he quickly dressed by the bed.
Mo Ming, gradually noticing that something was off, asked cautiously, “ShaoZhou-ge, what’s wrong? Did something happen?”
Han ShaoZhou turned to face him, about to say something, but then he saw Mo Ming sitting lazily on the bed. The covers had slipped down to his waist, and his loose sleep shirt had a couple of buttons undone, revealing a pale shoulder and collarbone. His hair was tousled, sticking up in a few places, and his eyes were half-closed with sleep, blinking at him in confusion.
Looking at Mo Ming, who seemed so soft and vulnerable, Han ShaoZhou’s anger melted away, leaving him with a heavy sigh of frustration.
Damn it, he really had lost his edge…
Han ShaoZhou closed his eyes tightly, then opened them, staring intently at Mo Ming.
“There’s something I need to say.” Han ShaoZhou began, his tone calm but serious. “If you’re tired of being with me, you can leave at any time. I don’t like forcing anyone to stay.”
Mo Ming, realizing the gravity of the situation, straightened up slightly, his smile becoming a little strained. “ShaoZhou-ge, why are you saying something like that all of a sudden? What happened?”
“If you want to break up, we can do it right now.”
Mo Ming immediately shook his head vigorously.
Seeing Mo Ming’s panicked reaction, much of Han ShaoZhou’s frustration subsided, but that cold look Mo Ming had given him earlier still lingered in his mind. He didn’t believe that just a bit of fear would be enough to teach Mo Ming a lesson.
The future was long, and if Mo Ming kept giving him that look every now and then, it might take years off his life…
Mo Ming crawled down to the foot of the bed, reaching out to gently tug on Han ShaoZhou’s sleeve. Tilting his head, he smiled up at Han ShaoZhou, trying to look as endearing as possible. “ShaoZhou-ge, don’t go, okay? Let’s take a bath together…”
Han ShaoZhou narrowed his eyes slightly.
This guy sure knew how to play his cards right, trying to win him over by appealing to his preferences. Where did he learn this cunning behavior?
From that “Daily training for dogs” website?
“No, I’m not in the mood.” Han ShaoZhou replied, his jaw tight. “You should reflect on your actions. Once you’ve thought things through, I’ll come back. Otherwise, there’s no point in continuing this relationship.”
“ShaoZhou-ge, I—”
But before Mo Ming could say anything, Han ShaoZhou turned and left the room without looking back.
Once outside the apartment, Han ShaoZhou took a deep breath… Even though he hadn’t asked anything, he felt oddly relieved.
That guy might have a knack for getting under his skin, but Han ShaoZhou knew exactly how to push Mo Ming’s buttons too.
Managing this kind of relationship was just like running a business—it required strategy and efficiency… He didn’t have time to waste on trivial matters.
“Take me to a hotel.” Han ShaoZhou instructed the driver as he got into the car.
This time, he was serious. He couldn’t let Mo Ming sweet-talk him into coming back, or he’d be setting a bad precedent for the future. He’d been too lenient before; this time, he needed to be firm.
At least three days—he would give Mo Ming the cold shoulder for at least three days.
Just then, his phone buzzed with a message.
It was from Mo Ming…
[Xiao Guai]: I’ve reflected on my actions [Sad face]
[Xiao Guai]: Really [Puppy eyes]
Han ShaoZhou stared at the screen, the corners of his mouth curling up.
He knew it. Mo Ming wouldn’t be able to handle even three minutes, let alone three days.
His phone buzzed again with more messages.
[Xiao Guai]: I’m bleeding [Sad face]
[Xiao Guai]: A lot [Sad face]
[Xiao Guai]: I think I’m going to die [Sad face]
[Xiao Guai]: Help me, hubby [Image]
A picture of a blood-stained tissue appeared in the chat. Han ShaoZhou’s head buzzed, and he shouted at the driver, “Quick! Turn around, go back!”
The apartment was eerily quiet…
Mo Ming was curled up on the living room sofa, knees pulled to his chest, holding his head back slightly. One of his nostrils was stuffed with a wad of tissue, and the coffee table in front of him was littered with bloodied tissues.
He held his phone in front of him, calmly continuing to send messages.
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