Tang Jing didn’t move, either paralyzed by the shock or too scared to act. Just as he was trying to turn his eyes and force himself to leave, the girl who was peeing with her leg up suddenly turned around.
It was then that Tang Jing saw her face clearly for the first time. His pupils contracted sharply.
As the coffee cup fell from his hand, he thought, Why does this girl look so much like Cheng Yue…
Cheng Yue, having just pulled his leg away from the urinal, turned and saw Tang Jing standing at the restroom door.
He swallowed nervously.
The two of them stood still, locked in a stare.
Tang Jing’s mouth trembled as he asked, “You… Who are you…”
Cheng Yue awkwardly touched his nose after lowering his skirt. It seemed that Tang Jing didn’t recognize him?
When footsteps of another person were heard at the restroom entrance, neither of them reacted.
“Oh, Cheng Yue, you and your uncle are having quite the fun,” Duan Changsheng said as he pushed Tang Jing aside, looking with interest at Cheng Yue in his dress.
Tang Jing stared at Duan Changsheng with widened eyes, unwilling to give up.
“What’s wrong?” Duan Changsheng squinted his eyes, then suddenly realized, “You didn’t recognize that this is Cheng Yue, did you?”
Tang Jing: “……”
Tang Jing glanced again at the girl in the long dress, his heart sinking as he bent down to pick up the cup from the floor. He left the restroom, stepping out with the same foot as the cup.
Cheng Yue breathed a sigh of relief after Tang Jing left. He wasn’t sure how to explain things to Tang Jing.
However, seeing Duan Changsheng standing at the restroom door with his arms crossed and a malicious smile, Cheng Yue suddenly felt a chill run down his back.
“Quite cute,” Duan Changsheng said as he walked towards Cheng Yue and pinched his cheek. “Did your uncle make you wear this?”
“No…” Cheng Yue retreated a step. “I like wearing it myself.”
“Tsk,” Duan Changsheng smiled. “Why put on an act with me? Ji Xu might seem serious on the outside, but inside he’s not quite the reserved type.”
Cheng Yue’s face turned red from embarrassment.
“So, you call him ‘uncle’ in bed too?” Duan Changsheng suddenly leaned closer to Cheng Yue and whispered, “What do you call him on the bed?”
“Just ‘uncle’…” Cheng Yue felt a bit awkward. “What… does that have to do with you?”
“Still ‘uncle’?” Duan Changsheng smiled knowingly. “Your efficiency isn’t very good. You’re so bold with me, but why haven’t you managed to get him yet? If you don’t tighten your grip, someone else might snatch him away. Don’t come crying later.”
Cheng Yue’s face turned pale at his words. He pinched the edge of his skirt and bypassed Duan Changsheng to leave the restroom.
When Cheng Yue entered Ji Xu’s office, Ji Xu was discussing something with a young man.
Cheng Yue remembered what Duan Changsheng had said in the restroom and suddenly felt a sense of crisis that he hadn’t felt in a long time.
But along with that, he also experienced a territorial sense he had never felt before.
He wasn’t afraid of losing Ji Xu because he knew that as long as he worked hard enough, Ji Xu would stay by his side.
He just wanted to keep Ji Xu within his territory, where no one else could touch him.
Just as Duan Changsheng had said, he wanted to keep him close.
“Okay, you can go out now,” Ji Xu said calmly, then turned to Cheng Yue as he entered and smiled. “Are you hungry?”
“Not really…” Cheng Yue touched his stomach.
“I still have some work to do,” Ji Xu pointed to the sofa in front of him. “There’s a small blanket in the cabinet behind you. If you’re tired, you can take a nap. I’ll call you when it’s time to leave.”
“Hmm,” Cheng Yue nodded.
Cheng Yue sat on the sofa so he could easily watch Ji Xu work. Feeling a bit drowsy, he leaned back slightly and fell asleep without realizing it.
When he woke up, he saw Ji Xu squatting in front of him.
“What are you doing…” Cheng Yue rubbed his eyes, his voice still nasally from sleep.
“Just watching you sleep so peacefully,” Ji Xu said, feeling unexpectedly soft-hearted. “Let’s go home.”
Cheng Yue tried to adjust his messy hair but, being just awake and a bit disoriented, ended up making it worse.
Ji Xu found it amusing and reached out to help him fix his disheveled hair. “Don’t wear it.”
Cheng Yue nodded and let Ji Xu lead him out of the office.
Standing in the elevator, Cheng Yue suddenly remembered that there was no one left in the office. He looked up at Ji Xu and asked, “What time is it?”
Ji Xu glanced at his watch. “Just past 11.”
“I slept that long?” Cheng Yue was surprised.
“Next time, don’t play those games,” Ji Xu touched Cheng Yue’s forehead. “I have a feeling you might be coming down with a fever.”
“I’m fine,” Cheng Yue touched his own head. “It’s probably just the wig.”
Once they were in the parking lot, a sudden gust of wind made Cheng Yue sneeze.
Ji Xu rubbed his arm and took off his coat to cover him. “Hurry and get in the car.”
After putting on Ji Xu’s warm coat, Cheng Yue hopped and skipped to the car, opening the door and sitting inside.
The weather had been quite chilly lately, and sometimes Cheng Yue had to use a blanket to sleep. The wind had made him feel cold all over.
Cheng Yue thought wearing a skirt was not very protective.
When they got home and after taking a shower, Ji Xu finished telling Cheng Yue a bedtime story. He then pinched Cheng Yue’s arm, which was sticking out from the blanket. “We need to go to Song Yi’s place tomorrow. Get up early.”
“Hmm,” Cheng Yue, already feeling sleepy, turned his head and buried his face against Ji Xu’s arm, falling asleep immediately.
Ji Xu looked at his half-visible face and playfully pinched it with his fingers.
Cheng Yue didn’t respond at all, only snuggling closer.
Ji Xu, feeling soft-hearted, embraced Cheng Yue and soon fell asleep himself.
The next morning, after breakfast, Ji Xu and Cheng Yue drove to Song Yi’s studio.
When they arrived, Ji Xu was, as usual, stopped outside the office door. Cheng Yue waved at Ji Xu before following Song Yi into the office.
“How have you been lately?” Song Yi asked with a smile, handing Cheng Yue a small cake. “You look quite happy.”
Cheng Yue nodded, took a fork, and cut a small piece of cake to eat.
“Do you like this flavor?” Song Yi asked, bringing out another small cake. “This one is chestnut flavor, a new option from the little cake shop.”
“I have strawberry,” Cheng Yue said.
“I heard you participated in a competition a few days ago?” Song Yi asked with a smile. “Did you win any awards?”
“No,” Cheng Yue sighed and then smiled. “But I did gain a mentor.”
“Oh, you have a mentor now?” Song Yi looked surprised.
The two chatted aimlessly until they had finished the cake and even had a cup of fruit tea. Only then did Cheng Yue stand up to take his leave.
“From now on, there’s no need to come over here,” Song Yi said with a smile, handing Cheng Yue a paper bag. “I’m giving you two cakes. Remember to think of me.”
Cheng Yue was taken aback, staring at Song Yi in disbelief.
Does this mean… his illness has gotten better?
“You’re fine now,” Song Yi said, stretching the final syllable of “fine” long, “so keep up the good work.”
As Cheng Yue realized what Song Yi meant, his face lit up with a smile. After receiving the paper bag from Song Yi, he bowed earnestly and thanked her.
After leaving the office, Cheng Yue saw Ji Xu standing up from the sofa when he heard the noise. He immediately rushed over to him, causing the small cakes in the paper bag to jingle.
Ji Xu quickly caught him and was about to speak when he heard Cheng Yue laughing.
Ji Xu frowned but couldn’t help but join in the laughter. “What’s so funny?”
“Auntie Song said I don’t need to come over here anymore,” Cheng Yue said, hugging Ji Xu’s neck and looking up at him, his smile showing off his cute dimples.
“You’re so amazing,” Ji Xu said, smiling as well. “Here’s a reward for you.”
Cheng Yue: “……”
Hearing the word “reward” made Cheng Yue reflexively think of dresses.
But this time, Ji Xu didn’t buy him a dress. Instead, he took Cheng Yue to an ice cream shop and let him buy as much as he wanted.
Ji Xu usually restricted the amount of ice cream Cheng Yue could have, so this was like a long-awaited treat.
When Cheng Yue praised Ji Xu for this, Ji Xu playfully slapped him, but Cheng Yue was still very happy.
It wasn’t just about the ice cream—it was because he was better now and Ji Xu didn’t have to worry about him anymore.
When Cheng Yue and Ji Xu got home, Cheng Yue’s phone rang.
His phone was practically a decoration, like a moldy firecracker with little use, and it rarely rang.
He was a bit surprised to see that the call was from his master.
He quickly answered.
“Hello? Master.”
As soon as Cheng Yue called out, he heard his master, Qi Kang, rattle off at least a hundred words, as if setting off firecrackers.
The call ended so quickly it was almost as if an old person in their seventies or eighties had done it at high speed.
“What did he say?” Ji Xu asked, noticing the phone call ended abruptly after Cheng Yue said “Hello, Master” and seemed puzzled.
“Master asked me to take those few old paintings to the place we visited last time, where we saw that man,” Cheng Yue explained, “He said that man is my senior brother and I should consult him. Also, he said I could hang my old paintings there to be sold…”
Cheng Yue recounted the important points.
Though he only remembered a few key phrases.
“Old paintings?” Ji Xu flicked Cheng Yue’s ear. “How do you speak of them like that?”
“It’s not what I said,” Cheng Yue quickly retorted. He didn’t catch all the details, but he definitely heard “old paintings.”
“Alright, go take a shower,” Ji Xu patted him on the backside and pushed him toward the bathroom.
The next morning, after Ji Xu left for work, Cheng Yue carried his proud creations to his senior brother’s studio.
His senior brother, Chang Ye, was someone Cheng Yue had seen from a distance with Ji Xu before. He remembered him as a rather serious and melancholy middle-aged man.
But Cheng Yue found him quite amusing this time.
He didn’t seem like a forty-something who was aloof but rather like… a lively little chick in a vegetable garden.
As the weather got colder, Cheng Yue noticed Ji Xu was working longer hours at the office. Although Ji Xu always set aside time to be with him each day, he came home later and later.
Cheng Yue, who had been frequenting Chang Ye’s studio, found himself having dinner alone more often. To avoid this, he began to go to Ji Xu’s company every day, eat dinner with him, and then return home to wait for Ji Xu to finish work.
Ji Xu was so busy but he wouldn’t enter the bedroom without first washing his hair, taking a shower, and changing clothes. But one night, he came back and simply lay down on the bed.
Cheng Yue was shocked when he found him like that. He quickly undressed Ji Xu, cleaned him up, and then went to sleep in the bedroom.
He worried Ji Xu might disinfect the entire house the next day…
After taking a shower that day, Cheng Yue sat cross-legged on the sofa with a serious and solemn expression.
He held a card in his hand, tapping it lightly on his knee.
The card contained 120,000.
One of the paintings he had left at Chang Ye’s studio had been sold…
He hadn’t expected any of them to sell, and he was skeptical about the 120,000 price. He thought his paintings could sell for a few hundred or a thousand at most, just lucky.
He was worried that Chang Ye had bought it himself to encourage him.
But this was what Chang Ye said.
“That green painting reminded one of my old customers of their first love. Originally, she wanted to buy it for 200 yuan, but knowing you’re Master’s closed-door disciple, she added a bit more. I told her about the 100,000 auction price of your first painting, and she was thrilled, thinking she got a bargain.”
Cheng Yue was stunned when he received the news. The painting Chang Ye called “green” was actually a large, fat aloe vera given to him by Duan Changsheng.
The painting wasn’t called “green,” but “Tang Jing.”
Aloe vera sold for 120,000…
The previous painting sold for 100,000 was purely for charity. The bosses, under the media spotlight, had to hold up the sign no matter what appeared on it.
Moreover, there was a set amount for donations to the Nanshan Welfare Institute. His unremarkable painting was auctioned for the lowest price among all the items.
However, for a newcomer, this lowest price stood out.
Cheng Yue’s hand holding the card was trembling. This felt like a whole bucket of dog poop had been dumped on him.
He was overwhelmed with the smell of money.
After receiving this news, he couldn’t stop shaking. 120,000 used to be an insignificant number to him.
But today, it felt like the excitement of dancing to “Little Apple” with the aunties in the neighborhood.
An excitement so intense it didn’t matter if he got stepped on by the aunties.
Cheng Yue glanced at the clock on the wall—it was already past 11.
Ji Xu would be home soon.
When the door was pushed open, Cheng Yue jumped up from the sofa and ran to the entrance.
Ji Xu, carrying a bag and looking startled at Cheng Yue’s sudden appearance, smiled and asked, “Why aren’t you asleep yet?”
Cheng Yue didn’t answer. Instead, he handed the card to Ji Xu with shining eyes.
“What’s this?” Ji Xu looked at the card in his hand.
“My painting was sold,” Cheng Yue said, his whole body, even his teeth, radiating pride.
“You’re amazing,” Ji Xu praised without reservation.
“This…” Cheng Yue bit his lip, mustering his courage, and pushed the card into Ji Xu’s palm. “For you!”
“You’re trying to…” Ji Xu looked at the card, puzzled for a moment, then chuckled softly. “Are you trying to keep me?”
Cheng Yue’s heart softened at Ji Xu’s whispered laugh.
Ji Xu rarely made such jokes, giving Cheng Yue the courage to boldly grasp his arm.
“What’s wrong, Boss Cheng?” Ji Xu continued to smile, his eyes narrowing.
Ji Xu was completely filled with Cheng Yue’s unreserved dependence and affection.
“I want to…” Cheng Yue, nervously swallowing, stammered, “Can I… can I…”
Kiss you.
These words felt like they were stuck in his throat, impossible to say.
Cheng Yue felt uncomfortable, gripping Ji Xu’s arm more tightly.
“You…” Ji Xu started to ask but was abruptly pulled down by Cheng Yue. Before he could react, his lips were met with something soft and warm.
Ji Xu’s eyes widened in surprise.
