“Just iron it yourself when you get home, stop being so fussy.” Though Wei Xicheng had mercilessly snapped back, looking at the man standing in front of him, he couldn’t help but feel that at this moment, Sheng Huasen was more loyal than anyone else.
All the fake brotherhood over the past few days hadn’t been in vain. Sheng Huasen could unapologetically put down someone he disliked for Wei Xicheng’s sake and still give him face.
“Mr. Sheng…” Even with Qi Yilin’s thick skin, he couldn’t tolerate the same insult twice. “I think there’s been some kind of misunderstanding between us.”
Wei Xicheng glanced at Qi Yilin, whose face had paled slightly, and sighed inwardly, relieved to finally see that fake smile disappear.
“There isn’t” Sheng Huasen replied coldly, not even turning his head. His tone was indifferent, and he clearly had no good feelings toward the annoying man who interrupted his time alone with Wei Xicheng. “No misunderstanding. Mr. Qi, next time, please don’t eavesdrop on other people’s conversations.”
The banquet hall was brightly lit, and the corner where they stood happened to have a large window. From the reflection in the glass, Qi Yilin could clearly see himself.
Due to the angle, his reflection appeared trapped between the two men. Although he was dressed in expensive clothing, Sheng Huasen’s tone made him feel like he was sneaking into a party that wasn’t meant for him.
Despite everything that had recently happened to confirm that his dream was real, his would-be business partner now publicly siding with his opponent felt like the universe was playing a huge joke on him.
“Sheng…” The word didn’t make it out of his mouth. Qi Yilin swallowed his next words, turning instead to Wei Xicheng, “Mr. Zhu, I hope one day I can change the negative impression you have on me. I wish you both a pleasant evening.”
With a nod to Wei Xicheng, Qi Yilin turned to leave, a trace of venomous resentment flashed across his face.
Wei Xicheng felt a bit disappointed, as that trace of resentment didn’t escape his notice. Watching Qi Yilin’s retreating back, he couldn’t help but think: the so-called “fated children of destiny” really had it too easy. Under their influence, even the slightest setback could be magnified, affecting their mentality.
Thinking about this, Wei Xicheng patted Sheng Huasen on the shoulder. Ah, Old Sheng is way better. He rose to the top on his own merit.
“Shall we go?” Sheng Huasen grabbed Wei Xicheng’s hand.
They had spent a long time together today, and it was stirring something restless inside Sheng Huasen, something he couldn’t suppress.
“Go where?”
Without answering, Sheng Huasen pulled Wei Xicheng towards the exit. Wei Xicheng didn’t even notice that his hand was still being held. Even if he had noticed, they were both men—seeing each other’s privates in the bathroom wasn’t a big deal, so what was holding hands?
The goal for today had been achieved. There was no specific connection between the two so-called children of destiny. Wei Xicheng no longer had to worry about Qi Yilin using Sheng Huasen to attack the Zhu family, so his mood was excellent.
Sheng Huasen wasn’t sure what had come over him. Maybe it was the persistent, tingling sensation that had clouded his judgment and reason. All he wanted was for this moment to last forever.
“Go back to teach you Western Economics.”
“Fuck.”
“Don’t curse.”
“…Fuck.”
———————
The spacious living room was tastefully decorated—elegant and dignified, luxurious without being gaudy. Everywhere you looked, it reflected the owner’s formidable strength, but without the vulgarity of a nouveau riche.
Here and there, one could see warm and elegant little decorations, which hinted at the lady of the house’s thoughtfulness, care, and refined taste.
Wei Xicheng lounged casually on the sofa, chewing on a straw while fiddling with a game controller in his hands.
It had been half a year since he arrived in this world. The rapid rise of Shengshi was destined. In the original timeline, the Zhu family would have already shown signs of decline under the combined pressure from Qi and Shengshi.
Now, though, despite Qi offering a deal that should have been enough to sway Sheng Huasen, he hadn’t budged on collaborating with them. Instead, Shengshi had obviously favored the Zhu family, strengthening their cooperation, with their ties growing closer. The Zhu family’s economy showed no signs of faltering; if anything, it was Qi and Meng’s families that were feeling the squeeze, as the market was tightly controlled by these two giants.
“KO!”
The red character on the screen fell, signaling the end of the game. Wei Xicheng felt even happier inside.
Sheng Huasen was more like the chosen one than Qi Yilin. Over the past six months, Wei Xicheng had been following Sheng Huasen, learning about investment, and witnessing Sheng’s godlike foresight and boldness.
Almost every investment was a massive success—it was impossible not to be impressed.
Even though Wei Xicheng hadn’t necessarily gained any special skills, their relationship had grown increasingly close.
“Ding-dong~”
“Coming!” Aunt Zhang hurried to open the door. “Mr. Sheng, it’s you. The master isn’t home, but Xiao Yuan is here.”
Wei Xicheng bit the straw in his mouth. Speak of the devil—Meng Tao had just called recently, saying that for the past six months, he’d hardly seen him and was always hanging out with Sheng Huasen.
“What are you doing here?” Wei Xicheng tossed the game controller at Sheng Huasen “Wanna play a couple of rounds?”
Sheng Huasen caught the controller and sat down next to Wei Xicheng, frowning as he watched Wei’s legs swinging.
“Alright, I’ll stop.” Wei Xicheng immediately knew what was on Sheng Huasen’s mind the moment he saw that expression. His stern face looked just like the old man at home.
“KO!” The familiar sound echoed again.
“Damn,” Wei Xicheng threw the controller onto the sofa. “This is getting boring.”
Aunt Zhang stood off to the side, trying to hold back her laughter. Xiao Yuan still had a childlike temperament.
“Let me ask you something.” Wei Xicheng leaned closer to Sheng Huasen, catching the faint scent of tobacco from the man. But oddly enough, he had never seen Sheng Huasen smoke.
“Speak.” Sheng Huasen held the boy’s body in place, stopping him from getting too close.
“Can we… swallow up the Qi family now?” Wei Xicheng made a biting motion with his mouth, and the sight of his small, flickering tongue made Sheng Huasen feel as if his entire body was about to ignite.
Sheng Huasen’s eyes darkened as he stared at Wei Xicheng. Over the past six months, he had deliberately gotten closer to him to find an answer about himself. But instead of finding it, he had grown increasingly accustomed to the situation, no longer fixated on that answer.
He knew every little movement Wei Xicheng made. What he didn’t realize was that when you start focusing too much on someone, even out of habit, feelings often follow.
Gradually, during all these days and nights of watching over Wei Xicheng, Sheng Huasen’s feelings for the boy stopped feeling strange and began to settle, becoming an integral part of him, blending into his soul.
His heart slowly grew peaceful, as if he had finally found his place in this world.
It was a strange thought. Something in the back of his mind told him to follow his heart.
So, he no longer contacted Eric. Everything he did, thought, and felt came purely from within him. Even the original reason he had sought out was no longer important.
The only thing that still required restraint was his feelings toward this boy who had yet to grow up.
But this person, obliviously, kept provoking him.
Sheng Huasen picked up the water glass on the table and moistened his throat.
Wei Xicheng narrowed his eyes, smiling slyly like a fox. He pushed Sheng Huasen’s hand aside and quietly pinched his throat.
Something in his palm rolled up and down a few times.
“Causing them some trouble would work too. Qi Yiming is driving me crazy—he’s must be bored out of his mind.”
“Sit properly.” Sheng Huasen wasn’t fazed at all by Wei Xicheng’s hand threatening his vulnerable throat. He pulled Wei Xicheng’s hand down forcefully. “There’s an upcoming bid in a few days, so he probably won’t have time to bother you.”
“A bid?”
Wei Xicheng sat up straight, rubbing his chin. Over the past six months, his life had been comfortable and carefree, with the only disturbance being Qi Yiming occasionally showing up to annoy him. Qi Yilin, on the other hand, rarely appeared.
When a cannon fodder character loses their usefulness, they practically become invisible, so Wei Xicheng had been quite happy—so much so that he had almost forgotten this crucial part of the plot.
After six months of hard work, Qi Yilin had finally gained the recognition of many high-ranking executives within the Qi Corporation. Even Qi Yiming acknowledged his “brother’s” capabilities, showing just how formidable Qi Yilin’s methods were.
It was this bidding event that allowed Qi Yilin to stand out once again, submitting an exceptional bid proposal and once more catching Sheng Huasen’s attention. The two companies secretly formed a partnership.
Later, Qi Yilin rose to the top alongside Shengshi, leaving no trace of the Zhu and Meng families, as the two companies ended up locked in a standoff.
However, as luck would have it, Wei Xicheng knew that the impressive proposal wasn’t originally created by Qi Yilin.
Qi Yilin had obtained the proposals from both the Meng and Zhu families, then merged and modified them, ultimately producing a bid that combined the best of both companies. This deeply impressed the man sitting beside him.
Thinking of this, Wei Xicheng shot another glare at Sheng Huasen.
Sheng Huasen sat upright, not understanding why he was once again being thrown flirtatious glances.
Over the past six months, Sheng Huasen had carefully tested Zhu Xingyuan’s intentions, but he never got a clear response.
Aunt Zhang, who had been standing nearby, had already gone to the kitchen. Now that the two were alone, with the faint scent of shampoo on the boy beside him, Sheng Huasen could feel a slight dampness in his palms and a wave of disorientation in his mind.
His heart was pounding, as if it might burst out of his chest.
He was losing control.
They were too close. So close that he could hardly resist the urge to press this person down hard onto the sofa.
“What the hell are you doing!” Wei Xicheng stared at the dazed look in the man’s eyes above him, the desire in them shocking. “Get off of me! Have you lost your mind!”
The man’s body was tall and strong, with long arms and legs, easily pinning the boy beneath him.
This was an ordinary modern world, and even though Wei Xicheng had adjusted his physical stats to the highest possible for this world’s humans, he still had no ability to resist.
Wei Xicheng was both shocked and furious.
But Sheng Huasen’s current condition clearly wasn’t right.
“Aunt Zhang!”
Responding to the call, Aunt Zhang walked in and froze at the sight in the living room.
On the wide, soft sofa, the handsome man in a sharp suit had the flushed-faced boy confined within his own space. The man’s head was buried in the boy’s neck, while the boy looked at her helplessly. The scene was so intimate it made anyone blush.
Aunt Zhang, being of an older age, felt a bit uneasy seeing such a scene. What shocked her even more was that even though both protagonists were men, the image didn’t feel out of place at all.
In fact, the feeling between them was so natural, as if they were meant to be together.
A sin, a sin. Aunt Zhang muttered a quick prayer in her heart, then hurriedly stepped forward to pull the unconscious Sheng Huasen off.
But he wouldn’t budge.
Even in his unconscious state, he still clung tightly to the boy in his arms.
“This…” Aunt Zhang looked back and forth, unsure of what to do.
Sheng Huasen didn’t seem quite right at the moment, but he was still a guest in the Zhu family’s home, not to mention Mr. Zhu’s business partner, so she couldn’t make any rash decisions.
“Aunt Zhang, go call security and have them carry him to the guest room.”
