Yan Zhenzhen suspected nothing. She hugged her father’s arm and whined, “Dad, really — what kind of people are your friends? And what kind of person is he? Just a lousy driver.”
As she spoke, Yan Zhenzhen deliberately shot Gong Ze a defiant glare.
She didn’t know Wang Liben — she didn’t even spare a glance for such a nobody. Her words were aimed at Gong Ze.
But the young lady was completely oblivious to the mood and the setting.
The moment she finished speaking, Qin Chuan was the first to look displeased. Qin Chuan’s father, who had hosted this gathering, also let his smile fade. Sang You caught the sarcasm and immediately dropped his face, ready to snap back.
Sang You had come today with the mindset of introducing his boyfriend to family. He had been worried that Gong Ze might be put in a difficult position. Seeing Gong Ze being insulted, he widened his eyes in anger.
How dare you bully my boyfriend!
But before he could open his mouth, Yan Cheng shot Yan Zhenzhen such a venomous glare that she froze.
“What kind of talk is that? Is this how I taught you at home? If you can behave, stay. If you can’t, get the hell out!”
Yan Cheng showed no intention of saving face for his daughter. He berated her without mercy.
Yan Zhenzhen was terrified of her father. The moment he yelled at her, she jolted, the color draining from her face. She didn’t dare talk back — didn’t even dare cry.
In the end, it was Qin Chuan’s father who smoothed things over.
He pulled Gong Ze into the conversation. “Enough, they’re just kids. Zhenzhen, apologize to Gong Ze and let’s move on.”
The person Yan Zhenzhen had insulted was Wang Liben — she should have apologized to him. But everyone present felt this was perfectly fine.
Hit the dog, look at the owner.
Yan Zhenzhen didn’t even want to apologize to Gong Ze. Her face pale, she opened her mouth but said nothing.
Watching them, the smile on Gong Ze’s face grew ever gentler.
“This is nice.”
The system: …Oh no.
In the end, Gong Ze smiled and said he wouldn’t hold a grudge against a little girl, and the atmosphere returned to harmony. Only Sang You found it strange. He glanced at Wang Liben, a flicker of innocent sympathy on his face.
It was a holiday.
After the pleasantries, the Qin family’s auntie came to say that the meal was ready. Everyone stopped their conversations and took their seats at the table.
Gong Ze kept his eyes on Yan Cheng the whole time.
The man was distracted. Qin Chuan’s father, both openly and subtly, tried to pry information out of Gong Ze, but Gong Ze let many openings pass, lost in thought.
Yan Cheng, for his part, showed no special fatherly devotion to Yan Zhenzhen — rather, he seemed somewhat impatient and cold toward her. Several times, his gaze drifted to Wang Liben, who could only stand off to the side like a pillar.
Gong Ze’s eyes narrowed.
What outsiders didn’t know was that Yan Cheng had a strong preference for sons over daughters. He couldn’t stand Yan Zhenzhen — she annoyed him.
But years ago, he had lost a son. Grief-stricken, he had come to value his remaining child more — even if he didn’t like her, he still gave her whatever she wanted.
Yan Cheng had always wanted to find his son. A son was the heir — the one who would carry on the family line.
Now, Yan Cheng could no longer sit still. The moment Wang Liben went to the bathroom, Yan Cheng quietly rose, pretending to be going to the bathroom himself, and followed.
When he saw Wang Liben alone, he immediately stepped forward, his expression a mix of agitation and fierce intensity. “What’s your name? Where are your parents from?”
Wang Liben looked at him warily, then lowered his head and gave his name. “I have no parents. I grew up in an orphanage. I was already three years old when I arrived there.”
Together with his young master, he harbored hatred for this man. Even though Wang Liben acted submissive, his heart was cold and ruthless.
But to his surprise, he suddenly heard a choked sob.
Wang Liben looked up in astonishment. The dignified, fierce Yan Cheng was actually trembling as he took out his wallet, pulled a photo from it, and looked at Wang Liben with moist, reddened eyes.
“Look at this photo. Do you know — my son was also three years old when he got lost. And you look exactly like I did when I was young.”
“Wang Liben — you are my son!”
With those words, Yan Cheng hugged him and pounded his back vigorously.
Wang Liben stood there dumbfounded, holding the photo, his mind completely blank.
·
At the dinner table, Qin Chuan’s father warmly drew Gong Ze into conversation, probing for information about him.
After what happened with Yan Zhenzhen, Sang You was on high alert, fiercely protecting his boyfriend.
That eight-hundred-schemed, black-hearted, scene-stealing Gong — the one who had once gone to Sang You’s room at night and cried with red eyes, saying he would never let Sang You be with anyone else —
Ever since then, Sang You had viewed Gong Ze through a ten-layer filter of affection.
“He’s so in love with me. Inside, he’s so sensitive and delicate. Even though he might be easily mistaken for a villain, my boyfriend is actually a very gentle person!”
In front of Qin Chuan and his father, Sang You looked at his boyfriend with tender pity, stroking his face. Gong Ze, with those long, narrow eyes, gazed down at him.
To Qin Chuan’s father and the others, it looked like a little white rabbit standing on tiptoes to scratch the chin of a giant beast — and the giant beast was even lowering its head to accommodate.
But Sang You didn’t see it that way.
He only felt heartache, wishing he could kiss Gong Ze a hundred times.
After falling in love with Gong Ze, Sang You had gone from looking down on Gong Ze’s childhood to feeling pain for the hardships he had endured.
He felt as if everyone was out to bully his man. An unprecedented maternal instinct was practically budding within him.
“You don’t know how kind A Ze is.”
“Some outsiders who don’t understand often misunderstand A Ze. They hurt him because of his background. I won’t let those people bully A Ze.”
The young master spread his arms, shielding the devil behind him — a devil who was taller and bigger than himself, with an amused, playful smile — and earnestly said to everyone, “A Ze is a good person!”
Gong Ze said nothing, only nodding repeatedly.
Qin Chuan, who had been nearly reeled in by Gong Ze to the point of gasping: …
Yan Zhenzhen, who had witnessed with her own eyes Gong Ze knocking Qin Chuan to the ground: …
Qin Chuan’s father, looking at the man hiding behind Sang You who exuded the aura of a powerful figure, fell silent: …
After a long, quiet moment, Yan Zhenzhen said dazedly to Sang You, “Are you blind?”
The man you’re describing and the man we’re seeing — are they the same person?!
“…”
Sang You was shocked. He couldn’t understand why she was insulting him. Was this woman rabid?
The young master’s face reddened with anger. “I’ve put up with you for a long time. You’ve been targeting A Ze nonstop, making snide remarks about his background.”
Sang You hadn’t wanted to argue in front of his father’s friends, but one must protect one’s own boyfriend.
So Sang You decided not to hold back anymore.
He could endure it himself, but he couldn’t let Gong Ze suffer.
“You’re the one who’s blind.” Sang You’s chest heaved with anger. The young master shouted at her furiously, “My boyfriend is ten thousand times better than you!”
Having just been scolded by Yan Cheng, Yan Zhenzhen wanted to snap back but was afraid of her father. She could only wrinkle her nose and snort in dissatisfaction.
She muttered, not convinced, “I wasn’t wrong…”
“You— you…”
Sang You’s chest rose and fell.
The young master had never argued with anyone before. He was the type whose mind went blank when angry, whose throat tightened with emotion, whose tears came first — the type who was utterly frustrated into silence.
Seeing that Sang You was truly upset, Gong Ze stopped watching the drama. He wrapped his arms around the young master, patted his back, and shot Yan Zhenzhen a glance.
“Why get angry at her? Who’s really blind isn’t certain yet.”
Sang You gripped Gong Ze’s hand and stubbornly insisted, “But she insulted you!”
A flicker of sweetness passed through Gong Ze’s heart. He coaxed his young master, his voice low and amused. “She’s not you. She’s rude and not as pretty as you. Why would I care about anything she says?”
Sang You, whose eyes had been damp, suddenly laughed.
Gong Ze wiped his face, his fingers tenderly rubbing the hair at the nape of the young master’s neck. If Qin Chuan’s father hadn’t been present, Gong Ze would have pulled Sang You onto his lap and kissed him long ago.
Across the table, Yan Zhenzhen watched them with intense displeasure.
She envied Sang You’s looks, and she envied his love.
As for Qin Chuan, watching Gong Ze and Sang You sweetly whispering to each other made him even more painfully jealous.
Gong Ze had toyed with Qin Chuan’s heart, keeping him distracted day and night.
He had longed and waited for this meeting — and here he was, without having exchanged a single word with Gong Ze. How could Qin Chuan be satisfied?
Watching Gong Ze’s handsome profile, remembering how Gong Ze had made him inhale on a cigarette butt that Gong Ze himself had smoked — the sheer thrill of it made Qin Chuan’s entire body burn with desire, his reason turning to ash.
His eyes darkened. His courage grew.
·
Gong Ze had soothed his wife and they sat back down. At the cold, awkward table, only Qin Chuan’s father was still making polite small talk.
Wang Liben, who had gone out earlier, returned, looking deeply unsettled.
As for Yan Cheng, who had left shortly before him, he still hadn’t come back.
Just as Gong Ze was pondering this, a hand landed on his thigh and began caressing him ambiguously.
Gong Ze froze.
Then, his eyes narrowed meaningfully.
Their seating arrangement was Sang You, Gong Ze, Qin Chuan.
The touch came from his right — definitely not Sang You.
Gong Ze followed the sensation with his gaze. Qin Chuan was sitting upright, his expression perfectly normal.
But below the waist…
Gong Ze glanced down.
“This holiday, I know you young people don’t like spending time with us old folks — but a family is built through gatherings. You all…”
Qin Chuan’s father was talking on and on at the table.
Stung by the interaction between Gong Ze and Sang You, Yan Zhenzhen was clinging to Qin Chuan, whining and fussing.
Sang You, deliberately keeping his distance to avoid suspicion, hadn’t looked in Qin Chuan’s direction even once.
And under the table, Qin Chuan had taken off his pants and was propping one snow-white thigh on Gong Ze’s knee.
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