Choose… choose underwear?!
Ye Mingxuan’s head buzzed, going completely blank.
“Mingxuan, is something wrong?”
“No!”
Ye Mingxuan scurried to the walk-in closet, pulling open a drawer. Inside, it was divided into small compartments, each underwear piece having its designated spot.
He wasn’t unfamiliar with seeing Tan Sizhe in just his boxers—sharing a bedroom meant he’d seen everything. But before, Tan Sizhe’s underwear had been almost exclusively black. Why did this drawer suddenly hold such a variety of styles?
Black, green, blue—the absence of red was Tan Sizhe’s last stubborn stand.
Ye Mingxuan pulled open the lower drawer. The intricate patterns dazzled his eyes.
But Tan Sizhe was still waiting for him in the bathroom. Ye Mingxuan held his breath, carefully picked through the pile, and finally selected a light blue pair printed with tiny polo players. Grabbing them, he realized they were surprisingly large.
Countless lewd images flashed through Ye Mingxuan’s mind. He shook his head as if facing a formidable enemy, banishing the inappropriate thoughts. Carrying the item to the bathroom doorway, he announced, “Sir, I’ve got the pants.”
The sound of a body moving in water came from inside. Tan Sizhe: “Come in and put it on the stool.”
“Oh.” Ye Mingxuan pushed open the door and entered, his behavior impeccably proper. Even when Tan Sizhe stared straight at him, he didn’t look away.
“Sir, I’ve placed it here.”
“Just leaving like that?”
“Is there anything else, sir?”
The bathtub was large, fragrant soap bubbles floating on the water. Tan Sizhe’s upper body was above the surface, overhead lights casting a bright glow on his chest.
He turned sideways, leaning lazily against the tub’s edge. Tilting his head back slightly, his long lashes resembled feather fans, casting a shadow beneath his eyes. “Seems like some foam got in my eye. Could you take a look?”
Hearing this, Ye Mingxuan approached with concern. “Really? Does it hurt?”
Tan Sizhe kept his head tilted back, motionless. When Ye Mingxuan reached him, cupping his face as he bent down, a triumphant smile flashed in Tan Sizhe’s eyes. He swiftly pressed a kiss to Ye Mingxuan’s lips. !!! Ye Mingxuan staggered back two steps, his expression dazed, his lips stinging from the sudden peck.
His eyes blinked, and his cheeks instantly flushed with a bashful crimson, as if drunk, slightly tipsy.
Tan Sizhe watched Ye Mingxuan. Today, he wore a long-sleeved crew-neck T-shirt, his baby bump forming a soft curve beneath the cotton fabric. Though he was thoroughly aroused inside and out, Ye Mingxuan wore this innocent, naive expression. Tan Sizhe’s eyes darkened, and he was instantly aroused.
“Sir, I… I’ll be leaving now.” Ye Mingxuan had no idea what Tan Sizhe was doing underwater. His eyes were misty, his voice trembling slightly. “If you need anything else, just call me.”
Tan Sizhe’s voice was hoarse: “Mm.”
Ye Mingxuan felt an inexplicable heat in the bathroom, almost scorching his skin. He hurriedly left the space and shut the door.
A cool breeze from the balcony stirred the sheer curtains, flowing into the room with a soothing comfort. Ye Mingxuan climbed onto the bed, leaning against the headboard as he ate strawberries.
He had no idea what Tan Sizhe was doing in there. The sound of rushing water echoed for half an hour. Ye Mingxuan’s cheeks were puffed out, his eyes darting toward the bathroom door every so often.
After another long while, the bathroom door opened. Tan Sizhe emerged in a bathrobe, his freshly washed skin as pale as jade. His eyes were dark and bright, and he carried an air of languid weariness. Ye Mingxuan forgot the half-strawberry in his hand, staring blankly at him.
Tan Sizhe dried the damp ends of his hair, approaching with a smile. “What’s wrong? Disappointed I covered everything I should?”
Ye Mingxuan was stunned by Tan Sizhe’s confident question. His throat made a gulp sound as he swallowed the crumbs, his ears flushing slightly. “N-no…”
Tan Sizhe climbed into bed, lying close to him. Warm body heat radiated through the fabric. “Really?”
Ye Mingxuan closed his eyes and shook his head vigorously. Hearing the other man’s soft “Oh,” he felt a damp sensation on his fingertips the next second.
He opened his eyes to find Tan Sizhe had taken the other half of the strawberry with his teeth.
Ye Mingxuan looked up in confusion: “Sir, this is something I’ve already eaten…”
Tan Sizze leaned back lazily: “You’ve already eaten my saliva. Why care about this?”
Ye Mingxuan’s head buzzed. He couldn’t speak in the face of such blunt words.
Seeing his little wife’s cheeks flush as red as apples, Tan Sizhe stopped teasing him and got down to business: “Mingxuan, I’ll be going on a business trip these next few days.”
Ye Mingxuan froze, a wave of sourness flooding his heart like being soaked in lemon juice. “Just a few days?”
Tan Sizhe nodded. “Yes, I’m leaving tomorrow. If you need anything, just tell Aunt Fu.”
Ye Mingxuan nodded quietly. Since his pregnancy began, Tan Sizhe had come home every day. This was the first time he’d been away on business during this period.
It would be a lie to say he wasn’t disappointed, but Ye Mingxuan knew he couldn’t interfere with Tan Sizhe’s work.
“I’m leaving tomorrow. Don’t you have anything to say?”
Ye Mingxuan turned his head. Tan Sizhe tapped the bowl in his hand, then tapped his own mouth.
A little bird chirped past outside the window, playing a cheerful tune on Ye Mingxuan’s heart. He picked up a strawberry and fed it to Tan Sizhe’s mouth.
He swallowed it in one bite, a smile playing at the corners of his mouth as he looked at Ye Mingxuan contentedly. “Come on, let’s go downstairs to eat.”
“Mm.” Ye Mingxuan watched Tan Sizhe get out of bed, suddenly feeling an eerie familiarity in their actions.
Handing him clothes while he showered, feeding him, squeezing together in bed—wasn’t this exactly like the listener submissions they received on their radio show?!
According to Xu Liang’s logic, this was behavior of someone who disliked the other person. Was the gentleman doing this because he disliked him?
Ye Mingxuan shook his head. Impossible, impossible. The gentleman wouldn’t do that.
Could it be… Ye Mingxuan’s heart skipped a beat.
Was the gentleman trying to get closer to him?
The mere thought sent a herd of deer stampeding through his chest, every cell in his body boiling over. He couldn’t settle down, tossing and turning long into the night.
Tan Sizhe lay beside him for an hour. Seeing Ye Mingxuan hadn’t crawled on top of him, he knew the other hadn’t fallen asleep. “Why aren’t you sleeping?” he asked.
Ye Mingxuan gasped, unsure how Tan Sizhe had noticed his sleeplessness. He burrowed deeper under the covers. “I’m about to sleep.”
Tan Sizhe turned his head, his eyes unusually bright in the dim night. He leaned closer and embraced Ye Mingxuan. “Sleep. I’m not leaving. If you miss me, we can start tomorrow.”
“…” The night hid Ye Mingxuan’s blush. He gave a slight nod and closed his eyes.
The woody scent of the man’s cologne was refreshing. Breathing in the familiar fragrance, drowsiness gradually washed over Ye Mingxuan, and soon he drifted off to sleep.
When he woke the next morning, Tan Sizhe was gone. The other side of the bed lay empty, its warmth long since vanished.
Ye Mingxuan lay on his side, staring at Tan Sizhe’s pillow for a long while, a faint trace of disappointment flickering in his eyes.
It’s okay, the master will be back in a few days, Ye Mingxuan reassured himself, quickly gathering his spirits to get up.
Today was the day he’d promised Yu Sen he’d go see his performance. Ye Mingxuan had nearly forgotten, only remembering when he saw the calendar. He hurriedly ordered a bouquet of flowers.
He knew he should live as he normally did, but today, no matter what he did, it felt off. He couldn’t shake the feeling that something was missing.
He searched the living room for his keys for ages before realizing they were in his pocket all along. He meant to add a spoonful of sugar to his soy milk but accidentally added salt instead, only noticing the mistake after finishing it. He watched TV for ages, only to realize he’d been rewatching the previous episode.
Ye Mingxuan drifted through the entire day in a haze. After the ordered flowers arrived, he splashed water on his face and hurried out.
At the Phoenix Grand Theatre, Yu Sen stepped offstage after rehearsal. Ye Yufan handed him a water cup: “Brother Yu Sen, drink up!”
Yu Sen smiled as he took it: “Thanks, Yufan.”
Ye Yufan chuckled and followed behind Yu Sen, tentatively asking, “Brother Yu Sen, have you heard anything lately about…”
Yu Sen turned back: “Hm? I’ve been pretty busy lately, haven’t heard much. Why?”
Ye Yufan: “Nothing, nothing.” Seeing that Yu Sen was unaware of what had happened between him and Ye Mingxuan in the oil painting class, Ye Yufan breathed a sigh of relief.
Today was a good day. He intended to properly cultivate his relationship with Yu Sen.
Yu Sen glanced at the time and said cheerfully, “I’ll go to the entrance to meet Mingxuan. You rest here for a bit.”
Ye Yufan, who had been smiling, looked up in shock: “What? You invited Ye Mingxuan too?”
Yu Sen replied matter-of-factly: “Yeah. Last time at the hot spring resort, we didn’t get to enjoy ourselves enough. Since we’re all meeting up today, after I finish class, let’s all get together.”
Ye Yufan: “But…”
Yu Sen couldn’t wait any longer and started running: “I’ll head over first. Feel free to look around.”
Ye Mingxuan had been waiting at the entrance for a moment. Seeing Yu Sen emerge from inside, he greeted him while presenting the flowers: “Brother Yu Sen, I wish you a successful performance.”
Yu Sen accepted them: “Thanks, Mingxuan. Honestly, just coming is enough. You didn’t need to bring flowers.”
“Yufan’s inside. Let me take you in.”
He reached out to take Ye Mingxuan’s arm, but Ye Mingxuan withdrew his hand: “No need, Brother Yu Sen. I’ll just go straight to the audience seats.”
Yu Sen: “Not coming backstage?”
Ye Mingxuan: “No, I won’t.” He didn’t want any confrontation with Ye Yufan. If he could avoid it, he would.
Yu Sen looked at Ye Mingxuan. After several months apart, Mingxuan had filled out a bit, looking like a rosy dumpling—beautiful and fair-skinned. Seeing him made a butterfly flutter in Yu Sen’s heart.
“Alright then. Your seat is in the center of the first row. It’s written on the ticket.”
“Yeah, go ahead, Yu Sen. I’ll be fine on my own.”
Stepping inside, Ye Mingxuan’s thoughts scattered as he took in the familiar decor of the Phoenix Theatre.
He glanced up at the top-tier box seats, remembering the time Tan Sizhe had brought him here. Ye Mingxuan flushed slightly, then lowered his head to find his seat.
As the time approached, the theater lights dimmed, and the stage gradually illuminated. Yu Sen’s symphony orchestra took the stage. Ye Mingxuan saw Yu Sen in his tuxedo, standing at his designated spot playing the violin. For a moment, he felt dazed, as if transported back to that day in the box with Tan Sizhe.
Perhaps he’d thought of Tan Sizhe too often today. His phone buzzed in his pocket. Ye Mingxuan’s first thought was that it was Tan Sizhe messaging him. He quickly pulled it out to check—and indeed it was!
Only now did a smile finally reach Ye Mingxuan’s lips. He opened WeChat to find Tan Sizhe had sent a photo: [Finally got to eat.]
Ye Mingxuan tapped it open. The picture showed a simple Chinese meal. He hurriedly replied: [Just got off the plane?]
Sizhe: [Nope, arrived at noon. Just been a bit busy. Only now got a chance to message you. Have you eaten?]
Ye Mingxuan: [Already ate. Aunt Fu made me red date and lotus seed soup today. So delicious.]
Sizhe: [Okay. If you don’t have plans tonight, get some rest early. Don’t stay up too late.]
Ye Mingxuan felt a sweet, syrupy warmth surge through him: 【Mm, you too, sir.】
He tapped his phone screen to turn off the light, the smile lingering in his eyes as he looked up at the stage.
Yu Sen played his violin, glancing at Ye Mingxuan and mistaking his expression for a smile directed at him. He played with even greater rapture.
Ye Yufan sat bored backstage playing games when Hu Xiang suddenly bombarded him with messages:
【Yufan! Look at this photo! Ye Mingxuan and Qi Lin are moving stuff together, laughing and chatting!】
Ye Yufan’s heart skipped a beat. He hurriedly opened the photo Hu Xiang mentioned and exploded upon seeing it: “Ye Mingxuan!”
Ye Mingxuan had no idea what was happening. He’d stepped away to use the restroom. After washing and drying his hands, he leaned against the sink, flipping through his chat history with Tan Sizhe, smiling foolishly.
“Ye Mingxuan!” Ye Yufan burst in, startling him.
He straightened up and tucked his phone into his pocket. “What are you doing?”
Ye Yufan shoved the phone in his face. “What is this?!”
Ye Mingxuan: “…A photo.”
“I know they’re photos! I’m asking what you’re doing?! Are you buttering him up like this to become Qi Lin’s apprentice?!”
He tried to leave, but Ye Yufan blocked him. “Ye Mingxuan! I won’t let you get away with this. Don’t even think about it! A scumbag like you wants to be Qi Lin’s disciple? You don’t know your own place!”
Ye Mingxuan’s foot, already lifted, retracted. Clenching his fists, he blurted out, provoked by Ye Yufan: “I don’t know if I can become Master Qi’s disciple, but I know you won’t get the chance.”
Ye Yufan was stunned. He never expected Ye Mingxuan to speak to him like this. Over the past few encounters, he had to face a harsh truth—Ye Mingxuan was transforming.
From some unknown moment, Ye Mingxuan had emerged like a butterfly breaking free from its cocoon, gradually unfurling beautiful wings and transforming into something enviable.
But why? He was clearly just the son of a servant. The son of a servant should remain a servant—spending his entire life entertaining him, enduring his torment.
Ye Mingxuan’s transformation began when he married Tan Sizhe.
He had arranged for Ye Mingxuan to take his place in the marriage precisely so Ye Mingxuan would endure the suffering meant for him. Yet Ye Mingxuan lived so comfortably in the Tan household!
She ate better than him, dressed better than him, learned piano and painting, and even conceived the Tan family’s heir! How dare she?!
Ye Yufan gritted his teeth. “Ye Mingxuan, are you feeling smug?”
“Do you think marrying Tan Sizhe truly made you Mrs. Tan? That you’ll finally live a good life?”
Ye Mingxuan stiffened. “What do you mean?”
Ye Yufan curled his lips, arms crossed as he stepped closer. “You probably don’t know this yet, but Tan Sizhe has been keeping a mistress behind your back. He’s been sneaking off for secret trysts—my mother and I have caught him several times!”
Boom—
Seeing Ye Mingxuan’s face turn ashen in an instant, Ye Yufan felt an immense sense of satisfaction: “When I said Tan Sizhe was kind to you, it was just compensation. The truth is, you mean nothing to him. He’s deeply in love with his mistress, while you’re merely a pawn he uses to navigate this arranged marriage!”
