Tang Chen was utterly stunned.
The tough-guy image his Brother Zong had always had in his mind collapsed on the spot.
His Brother Zong had actually—actually—
Actually asked him to help buy butt masks?
Was this still the upright, dignified Brother Zong he knew?
Was he sure someone had not impersonated him?
Wait.
Tang Chen took a deep breath and activated the brain he had not used in a long time.
Something felt off.
His Brother Zong’s image had not exactly shattered overnight.
Tang Chen recalled the King-tier rank in the QQ zone that his brother had somehow achieved without him knowing, along with certain “techniques” he had once accidentally witnessed. He fell into deep contemplation.
If he were being honest, his Brother Zong’s persona had been cracking for quite a while.
He just had not taken it seriously before.
“What are you thinking about? I am talking to you.”
Madam Tang’s smack snapped Tang Chen back to reality.
Seeing the look of disdain on his mother’s face, Tang Chen felt a little wronged.
Hmph. If I were not being considerate of your age and the fact that you cannot handle this kind of information, I would blurt out this explosive news right now!
Let you explode with me!
Ugh, so frustrating.
With no one to share this gossip with, he felt like he was going to suffocate.
After muddling through his mother’s questioning and enjoying New Year’s Eve dinner, Tang Chen immediately dove back into his room.
Since he could not say it out loud—
Then he would pick the best one for Brother Zong!
Tsk. He was practically a divine little brother.
Was he not just too good to his Brother Zong?
With the packed food in hand, Zong Cheng booked the earliest available flight. Even sitting in first class, his excitement refused to settle.
He kept turning his phone over and over in his hand, wanting to send Yin Chen a message—yet hesitating.
He wanted to give Yin Chen a surprise.
His restless behavior caught the attention of the person beside him, who leaned over to strike up a conversation.
“Ni hao, ni ye shi yao fei qu XXX de ma?”
Zong Cheng, whose mind was full of Yin Chen, was pulled back to reality by the oddly pronounced Mandarin. He turned his head.
Blond hair. Blue eyes.
Muscles bulging beneath his clothes.
Of course. It was Lunar New Year’s Eve. What Chinese person would be flying at this hour?
Clearly a foreigner.
Understanding dawned on him. He replied in fluent English.
The moment he finished speaking, he noticed that instead of looking pleased, the other man seemed slightly dejected.
Zong Cheng blinked.
What was that about?
Was English not his native language?
They stared at each other. Then the big man let out a heavy sigh, turned away—
And fell asleep.
Soon, soft snores filled the air.
Zong Cheng slowly typed a question mark in his mind.
If that was the case, why had he tried to chat in the first place?
The plane cruised steadily through the sky as night gradually fell.
Aside from the foreigner’s snores, the cabin was silent.
Quiet—so quiet it did not feel like New Year’s Eve at all.
Staring out the window, Zong Cheng tried to glimpse the city lights below.
The villa was so large.
Would Yin Chen feel lonely?
He pondered seriously.
Beside him, Brian slept for barely twenty minutes before blinking awake in boredom.
Damn it, he thought. Why was this so dull?
Why had his new little buddy not messaged him yet?
He wanted to practice Chinese with him!
After tossing and turning, Brian locked his gaze back onto the man beside him.
He hesitated.
Fine. Even if it was in English, he wanted someone to talk to.
He made up his mind and started chatting.
“Friend, today is China’s most important holiday, right? Why are you on a plane?”
Hm?
Was he not done talking earlier?
Zong Cheng looked at him suspiciously.
Brian returned the look with an expression that clearly said, I really want to talk, so let us talk.
Message received.
Zong Cheng immediately displayed the large bag beside him.
“Yes. That is why, on the most important day of the year, I am going to see the most important person.”
There was a faint hint of bragging in his tone.
They did not know each other anyway.
Might as well show off.
If you had a boyfriend, was that not exactly what you were supposed to do?
Brian glanced at the bag and let out a “wow,” giving him a thumbs-up.
“You are going to see your sweetheart? That is so romantic! She must be a wonderful girl.”
Zong Cheng blinked.
True. Most people would assume his partner was a woman.
But—
His confidence surged.
“No. He is a man.”
Brian froze.
Wait?
Was China not supposed to be conservative?
Seeing him stunned, Zong Cheng suddenly felt as though he had bulk-purchased courage by the truckload.
“He is a man. And he is the most outstanding man in my heart. I like him very much.”
“Ohhhh~”
Brian snapped back to reality and raised another thumbs-up.
“You are very brave! You two must be a very well-matched pair!”
Though—
How did he randomly strike up a conversation and still end up meeting someone taken?
Brian, single since birth, sank into contemplation.
But learning Chinese was still more interesting!
“Thank you.”
Zong Cheng felt satisfied.
Very satisfied.
And decided to politely ask in return.
“What about you? Why are you flying here at this time? Important business, or just to experience the festive atmosphere?”
!
Brian’s eyes lit up.
Now that topic woke him right up.
“I found a new job! I am coming to start work!”
He beamed.
What kind of job required starting on Lunar New Year’s Eve?
Zong Cheng was stunned.
But seeing the man’s excited expression, he swallowed his doubts.
Well, if he did not celebrate the holiday, it probably did not matter.
Brian continued enthusiastically.
“My employer is also an extremely outstanding person! And a super nice guy! He even found me a Chinese language partner! My partner is amazing—absolutely the best language buddy in the world!”
?
Something about that sounded off.
Zong Cheng spoke slowly.
“Your employer must be very outstanding. But I still think my boyfriend is more outstanding.”
Brian’s bragging momentum faltered halfway. He stared back.
“No. I think my employer is very, very outstanding.”
Zong Cheng refused to yield.
“Then my boyfriend is super, super, super outstanding.”
They glared at each other for a moment, both huffing before turning away.
Brian and Zong Cheng simultaneously rolled their eyes.
Obviously his employer/boyfriend was more outstanding.
City lights gradually came into view as the plane descended and landed smoothly.
Zong Cheng hurriedly packed up and checked his reflection in the mirror.
Okay. Still handsome.
Beside him, Brian checked whether his little buddy had sent any new messages.
Unfortunately not.
His buddy was probably immersed in the beautiful holiday.
With a sigh, Brian slung his bag over his shoulder and headed for the exit—only to find himself shoulder-to-shoulder with Zong Cheng.
Their eyes clashed again, sparks practically flying, as they squeezed out together.
They boarded the airport shuttle to the taxi stand.
Both reached out to hail a cab at the same time.
One taxi pulled up.
Zong Cheng’s long legs carried him forward first. He gave the driver an address.
Behind him, Brian heard it—and froze.
That address sounded oddly familiar.
Before he could think further, Zong Cheng’s taxi had already driven off.
Brian quickly flagged down another cab and jumped in.
“Zhui! Gei wo zhui shang qianmian de che!”
The driver glanced at his massive build and felt his heart skip.
Then he processed the broken Mandarin.
His foot instinctively pressed the gas, but his heart pounded wildly.
What was this?
He had only come out driving tonight because holiday fares were higher.
Had he stumbled into something dangerous?
Was this some international assassination chase?
Who was in the car ahead?
A political figure? Someone else important?
What was this foreign giant? A secret agent? Special forces?
A thousand-mile pursuit?
A series of dramatic scenarios flashed through the driver’s mind. His fingers quietly tapped his phone, sending a coded message to a drivers’ group chat they used for emergencies.
Several other drivers on night shifts saw it.
“Holy crap? Someone’s in trouble on New Year’s?”
“Whose car is that?”
“Does not matter. Call the police!”
Someone called.
Police cars sped over immediately.
Seeing them, the driver felt half relieved.
He kept driving as if nothing was wrong.
Brian was still lamenting how the car ahead had vanished when sirens suddenly blared beside him.
The driver slammed on the brakes.
Brian’s large frame lurched forward.
“Officer! Over here! Quickly! It is him! He got in and immediately told me to chase a car with plate number XXXX! I suspect both of them are suspicious!”
The driver scrambled out and reported rapidly.
The officers exchanged looks.
One patrol car stayed. The other sped ahead in pursuit.
Brian was hauled into the police car, still dazed.
“Ni men zhua wo gan shenme? Wo mei you zuo huai shi!”
“We will talk after you come with us and give a statement.”
The officers eyed his muscles warily.
Meanwhile, the pursuing patrol contacted the driver carrying Zong Cheng.
The driver heard that his passenger might be suspicious—
His imagination instantly exploded.
No wonder that bag looked so strange!
What was inside?
Was that the issue?
The more he thought, the more terrified he became. He abruptly pulled over and bolted out of the car without a word.
Zong Cheng blinked.
What just happened?
Was the driver in that much of a hurry to use the restroom?
He checked the time.
Less than half an hour to midnight.
Would he still make it?
Anxiety gripped him.
Suddenly, a police car pulled up beside him.
Zong Cheng froze.
Was that driver some kind of criminal?
Before he could process further, he was taken away.
Fifteen minutes later—
Yin Chen was lounging on the sofa, sipping soda and playing a game, when he received a rather unusual call.
After listening, an astonished expression spread across his face.
“Brian and Zong Cheng? So you are telling me that my newly hired bodyguard and my newly appointed boyfriend are both waiting at the station for me to bail them out?”
This New Year was truly something else.
Who would have thought?
Right at the end of the year, he got to experience something completely unprecedented.
Yin Chen slowly raised a thumbs-up.
Impressive.