After the interview ended, Mo Ming quickly turned to find Han Shao Zhou.
“Ge.” Mo Ming called softly as he opened the closet door, but before he could react, a hand reached out, grabbed his shirt, and pulled him inside.
“Mm…” The wardrobe creaked under the strain as Mo Ming practically toppled onto Han Shao Zhou. It took him a moment to catch his breath and raise his head. “Ge, you need to get out of here. The wardrobe’s about to collapse.”
If it broke, they’d have to pay for it.
Han Shao Zhou’s hand remained pressed against Mo Ming’s waist as he smiled mischievously. “This is the second time you’ve hidden me like I’m some secret lover.”
Mo Ming pouted softly, “Who told you to show up uninvited every time?”
Han Shao Zhou playfully pinched him. “So, you don’t want to see me?”
Mo Ming bit his lip and looked at Han Shao Zhou. “…I do.”
Satisfied with the answer, Han Shao Zhou pulled him closer, holding him until their noses almost touched. He then spoke with a gentle, serious tone, “From now on, you don’t have to worry about anything at home. Just focus on doing what you love.”
Mo Ming blinked, unsure where this was coming from.
“I mean, ever since I got back to Chuanhai, I’ve been the one cooking most of the time. And when it comes to taking care of someone, I’ve been doing more of that too.” He paused, adding, “I’m not really the type who likes being taken care of…”
Mo Ming tilted his head slightly. “Ge, why are you saying all this out of the blue?”
“It’s nothing, just talking.” Han Shao Zhou thought for a moment before adding, “But I have to say, you’re really good at cooking. It tastes like something from a high-end restaurant.”
Mo Ming smiled. “Then should I keep cooking for you, Ge?”
“But didn’t you say you don’t like taking care of others?”
Mo Ming kissed Han Shao Zhou gently and whispered, “Ge is different…”
That simple statement hit Han Shao Zhou hard. He held Mo Ming close all night, unable to get enough of him. Even though Mo Ming wasn’t sore or tired, being teased all night was still exhausting. But he wasn’t upset at all. When he left the room in the morning, he still gave Han Shao Zhou a deep and passionate goodbye kiss.
Han Shao Zhou waited for Mo Ming to message him to let him know it was safe to leave the room, but his assistant texted him first. After some thought, he decided to leave immediately.
The hotel was big enough that avoiding people wasn’t too hard.
But as soon as the elevator doors opened on the first floor, Han Shao Zhou was startled to see a familiar face.
“Wen Ci?”
The encounter was so unexpected that Wen Ci was momentarily stunned, too. The man standing before him was dressed in a tailored, slim-fit, smoke-gray business suit. His tall, well-built frame exuded an air of elegance and professionalism. Quickly regaining his composure, Wen Ci spoke softly, “Ge, if you were coming here, you should’ve let me know first. It wouldn’t look good if a colleague saw you.”
Wen Ci’s words reminded Han Shao Zhou of Mo Ming’s warnings. He rubbed his brow and smiled, “I’m just here on a business trip, so I stayed over for the night. But I’m busy, so I need to go.”
Wen Ci noticed the ring on Han Shao Zhou’s left hand, and his expression froze.
As the bus slowly made its way to the amusement park, the atmosphere inside was lively with chatter and laughter. Morning light filtered through the windows, but Wen Ci felt slightly dizzy, a prickling sensation of discomfort spreading through his body.
The same ring, worn on the same finger…
Could it really be what he was thinking?
He glanced at the person seated diagonally in front of him, his hand resting on his knee clenched tightly.
How could it be…
It was impossible…
When the bus arrived at the amusement park, everyone disembarked and followed the staff toward the indoor area. Wen Ci hung back, calling out to Mo Ming.
Mo Ming stopped and turned to look at him.
Wen Ci asked Shen Xixi, who had been waiting for him, to go ahead, then walked over to Mo Ming. The group had moved ahead, and someone turned back to call them, to which Wen Ci smiled and replied that they would catch up soon.
It was clear that Wen Ci wanted to talk to him, so Mo Ming waited patiently, his gaze calm as Wen Ci approached.
“Is there something you need?” Mo Ming asked.
Wen Ci’s expression remained gentle. “I just wanted to ask about your relationship with Ge.”
Mo Ming frowned slightly.
“Don’t get me wrong, I’ve known Ge for many years.” Wen Ci explained. “My father’s turning fifty next month, and it’s only natural to send Ge an invitation to the birthday celebration. If you’re with Ge, I think I should suggest that my family prepare an invitation for you as well.”
Wen Ci smiled slightly. “It would be nice if you could come together with Ge.”
“Thank you.” Mo Ming replied politely. “But there’s no need. It’s your family’s event, and it wouldn’t be appropriate for me to attend.”
“Why not? If you and Ge are in a serious relationship, then of course we’re all in the same circle.”
Mo Ming was about to respond, but Wen Ci quickly continued, smiling, “After all, both of you are wearing matching rings. Your relationship must be strong.”
“I’m not going.” Mo Ming repeated, his tone still polite.
Wen Ci’s smile remained, but his eyes were unreadable. “Alright, then.”
Even though Mo Ming hadn’t denied anything, how could Wen Ci be sure that Mo Ming wasn’t just trying to mess with his head?
Rings… don’t necessarily mean anything.
The morning’s theme was still the escape room, a timed team challenge. After their strong performance in yesterday’s game, Mo Ming and Wen Ci were naturally pushed to the front by their teammates.
But this time, Mo Ming hardly had a chance to contribute. Wen Ci dominated, solving puzzles with such speed that it left everyone else in awe. The team’s initial admiration gradually turned into doubt…
Wen Ci didn’t notice anything was wrong until after the recording when the director quietly pulled him aside and gently suggested that his speed in solving the puzzles was making the game lose its suspenseful, challenging feel. They had only shared the answers with him beforehand to avoid the game getting stuck, not to make it a solo show.
“Maybe you were just a little too eager…” the director said, still being patient. “It’s just a game, so there’s no need to be so competitive. Try to give the other members a chance to shine…”
The director’s words, though tactful, made Wen Ci’s face burn with embarrassment. He only now realized that he had been driven by an emotion he couldn’t control all morning.
He knew exactly why. And that made him despise himself even more. He hated being compared to someone else, but now he was doing it to himself.
After lunch, everyone took a break for about an hour. On the bus to the amusement park, the production team explained the rules for the afternoon’s game.
The game’s theme was “Treasure Hunt.” The nine participants would be divided into three teams and search a specific section of the amusement park, avoiding capture by NPCs while using five keywords—gold, wood, water, fire, and earth—to find hidden clue cards. These clue cards would lead them to the final treasure chest.
When they arrived at the amusement park, the nine participants were evenly divided into three teams by drawing lots.
Mo Ming, Wen Ci, and Shen Xixi ended up on the same team.
The game was set to start in about thirty minutes, giving everyone time to prepare.
Wen Ci grew anxious when he realized that no one from the production team had pulled him aside to share any clues. According to the usual practice, at least one person on each team should have been briefed on most of the clues to guide the team in the right direction.
Using the excuse of needing the restroom, Wen Ci left the lounge to find someone from the production team, leaving Shen Xixi behind. She didn’t want to talk to Mo Ming, and Mo Ming, not wanting to be a bother, focused on studying the map of the amusement park provided by the production team.
Wen Ci made his way to the office building where the control room was set up and found the director in the hallway.
The director explained that the afternoon’s treasure hunt was much simpler than the escape room challenge. It focused on teamwork and interactions with the NPCs, so the production team wouldn’t be giving any members clues beforehand.
“This game is more about physical ability than brainpower.” the director reassured Wen Ci. “It’s designed so that any of you could complete it on your own, so there’s no need to worry about getting stuck.”
With that, Wen Ci had no choice but to accept it, though he still felt uneasy. It wasn’t that he doubted his own abilities; he just didn’t want to fall behind the others.
With the game about to start, Wen Ci returned, but as soon as he exited the office building, he ran into Han Shao Zhou, who was being led by a staff member.
Han Shao Zhou’s dark eyebrows curved with a smile, and he looked like he was in a great mood. He noticed Wen Ci and frowned slightly before casually greeting him.
Wen Ci hesitated for half a second before smiling. “Ge, what are you doing here?”
The staff member leading Han Shao Zhou gave Wen Ci and Han Shao Zhou a knowing look before discreetly informing Han Shao Zhou of the control room’s location and leaving them alone.
“Just passing by, so I thought I’d take a look.” Han Shao Zhou said. “You guys haven’t started yet?”
“Almost.”
“Perfect timing.” Han Shao Zhou said, smiling with one hand in his pocket. “You go ahead. I’ll head up.”
Wen Ci was about to say something, but Han Shao Zhou had already started walking.
A tightness suddenly gripped Wen Ci’s chest, making it hard to breathe. It dawned on him that Han Shao Zhou wasn’t there for him… Time had passed, and he could no longer read Han Shao Zhou’s actions with the instincts he once had.
But if Han Shao Zhou wasn’t here for him, then who?
Could it really be…
“By the way.” Han Shao Zhou suddenly stopped and turned back, “Don’t let anyone else know I’m here. Just act like you didn’t see me.”
He had just planned to drop by and watch Mo Ming at work from the control room without anyone from the production team knowing he was there. He didn’t want Mo Ming to find out he had come unannounced again… running into Wen Ci here was purely by chance.
If Mo Ming found out, that pretty face of his would probably start pouting and looking all wronged again.
Since he was planning to bring Mo Ming home soon, he figured he should be more considerate of his feelings for now.
“Got it. Oh, and…” Wen Ci smiled bitterly, “Maybe it’s because I’m still not used to being on camera, but I feel like I’m messing everything up. Now that I know you’re going to the control room, I’m even more nervous.”
“You don’t need to feel pressured. I’m just watching.”
“Yeah, I guess I really shouldn’t worry. Besides, I’m teamed up with Mo Ming for this game. Ge, you wouldn’t believe it…” Wen Ci smiled. “Mo Ming is incredibly impressive.”
Han Shao Zhou’s lips curled into a smile. “I know.”
“…”
Wen Ci continued to smile. “So, I just need to follow his lead, and everything will work out. But…”
He hesitated, looking conflicted. “Mo Ming doesn’t seem to like me very much. I don’t know if there’s some misunderstanding between us.”
“He wouldn’t dislike you. He’s a good person. Even if he doesn’t talk much, he’s actually very gentle and kind to everyone.” Han Shao Zhou didn’t hesitate to defend Mo Ming. “Since I’ve been with him, I’ve never seen him lose his temper. He’s definitely not the type to dislike someone easily. You might be the one misunderstanding him…”
“…”
Wen Ci never imagined that he would finally confirm Han Shao Zhou’s relationship with Mo Ming directly from Han Shao Zhou himself.
The shock left him breathless.
It wasn’t just what Han Shao Zhou said; it was the way he said it—completely open, natural, and with a tone that suggested he had always been this way. It was nothing like what Wen Ci and his family had thought.
Han Shao Zhou genuinely trusted Mo Ming.
“Maybe you’re right, and I’m just overthinking it.” Wen Ci forced himself to maintain his expression. “I thought he saw me as a rival and was planning to find a chance to explain that I’m just an old friend of yours. I wanted to let him know that there’s nothing between us so that he wouldn’t target me. But if you say so, then I’ll just trust him completely in the game.”
Han Shao Zhou nodded, recalling Mo Ming’s behavior at the restaurant with Wen Ci. “If he gets jealous or anything, just bear with him.”
“Of course, Ge. We’ve known each other for so many years.”
With that, Wen Ci walked up to Han Shao Zhou, lifted his hand, and gently brushed his thumb across Han Shao Zhou’s lips.
They were so close that their breaths mingled. Han Shao Zhou instinctively took half a step back.
Even during the five or six years when he had pursued Wen Ci so desperately, they had never been this close.
Seeing the brief flicker of confusion in Han Shao Zhou’s eyes, Wen Ci smiled softly and said, “There was something on Ge’s lips, but it’s gone now.”
Han Shao Zhou instinctively wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and smiled, “Oh, really? I didn’t even notice.”
“Well, Ge, I should get back to Mo Ming now.” Wen Ci smiled with squinted eyes. “And remember, if I mess up during the game, you can’t make fun of me later.”
“I won’t.” Han Shao Zhou smiled back. “Don’t underestimate yourself. You’re very capable.”
“Thank you.” Wen Ci smiled, his gaze warm yet complicated. “I thought that in Ge’s eyes, I was already a failure.”
Han Shao Zhou sensed that the atmosphere had shifted into something strange and frowned. “I never thought that.”
Wen Ci smiled, said his goodbyes, and left.
Han Shao Zhou watched Wen Ci’s figure disappear into the distance, feeling a sense of relief. He was glad that Mo Ming hadn’t seen that earlier interaction; otherwise, the little guy would have definitely gotten jealous.
Just having a meal with Wen Ci at the restaurant had made Mo Ming react so strongly. If he had seen Wen Ci touch his lips, who knows what kind of face he would have made.
But since they were all friends, he couldn’t avoid seeing Wen Ci in the future. If even a single meeting made Mo Ming throw a tantrum, he would have to find a way to cure that jealousy of his.
Author’s Notes
There’s still one more chapter before dawn~
