Pei Qingjian: …
Pei Qingjian felt his face heat up as Lan Xingchen’s boldness left him flustered.
His eyelashes trembled; it wasn’t that he didn’t want to, but his youthful innocence hadn’t fully returned yet.
Lan Xingchen chuckled softly and released his hold.
“Anyway, since you’re under my care now, whatever I give you, you take. Don’t constantly think about refusing. I don’t like that.”
Pei Qingjian considered this for a moment. He realized it made sense—if he refused everything, Lan Xingchen’s sense of achievement as a benefactor would vanish.
If Lan Xingchen spent money, he expected things to go his way, not the other way.
“Okay.” Pei Qingjian nodded.
After all, if Lan Xingchen gave him things, he could give some back too—maybe use the money to buy Lan Xingchen a gift. That way, everything returned to its rightful owner and made both happy.
Lan Xingchen, unaware of Pei Qingjian’s thoughts, assumed his teaching had worked.
He slightly regretted not starting this lesson at lunch—he wouldn’t have had to bother calling Mr. Zhang in the afternoon.
But then he reminded himself that work still mattered. Though he was sponsoring Pei Qingjian, he hadn’t planned to let him stay home all day, watching him leave for and return from work. So the call had been worthwhile; he just didn’t know when Mr. Zhang would actually take care of Pei Qingjian.
“I’m going to change.” Lan Xingchen said calmly.
Pei Qingjian nodded.
Lan Xingchen looked at his obedient posture and suddenly thought of the two words that contrasted sharply with that demeanor: “sleep with you.”
He lowered his head and deliberately leaned close to Pei Qingjian’s cheek, teasing. “So… I’m almost out of clothes. When are you planning to come sleep with me?”
Pei Qingjian: !!!
Meeting his gaze, he felt heat rush from Lan Xingchen’s eyes straight to his cheeks.
He stammered, “As…as soon as possible.”
Once the effect wore off, he would immediately lie down and conquer the battlefield with Lan Xingchen!
The question was… when would the effect wear off?
There was no way he’d still be like this when the one-year contract ended, right?!
Lan Xingchen hadn’t expected such a reply. Just as he was about to tease him further, he noticed Pei Qingjian’s eyebrows droop.
What’s this? Unhappy? Done teasing?
He was pondering when it hit him like a jolt of clarity.
Wait—what did he just say? Sleep? Sleep!
Lan Xingchen immediately straightened up, feeling like slapping himself across the face twice.
How could he forget again?
Healing a wound only to forget the pain!
Was Pei Qingjian like everyone else? Could this kind of thing even be joked about?
Sleep… what sleep?! It wasn’t that Pei Qingjian didn’t want to sleep!
It was that he couldn’t sleep!
And yet, Pei Qingjian hadn’t argued at all—he had answered “as soon as possible”!
What kind of patience was this? What kind of generosity?
Lan Xingchen mentally smacked himself twice more.
He really deserved it! He was basically inhuman!
He opened his mouth, wanting to apologize, but worried that Pei Qingjian would realize he’d caught on to what he had been thinking. Flustered, he turned quickly and walked back to change clothes.
Seeing him return to the room, Pei Qingjian seized the moment to go into the kitchen and whip up a cold dish before Lan Xingchen came back out.
The two of them sat together at the dining table. Pei Qingjian ladled soup and handed the bowl to him.
Seeing Pei Qingjian back to his usual self, Lan Xingchen finally relaxed and began eating.
After dinner, Lan Xingchen washed the dishes, while Pei Qingjian picked up his phone and started replying to messages.
He had been busy with editing all day and hadn’t checked his inbox much. Opening it now, he saw several girls he had previously edited photos for had sent private messages, asking if he could finish the remaining photos.
MangoShakeIce: “Waaah, thank you so much for fixing the photos, they look amazing! Can you fix the rest too? We can negotiate the price!”
MangoShakeIce: “Please, please reply! I’m the one who spent 4000 on a shoot and the photographer insulted me. Do you remember me, great editor?”
MangoShakeIce: “If it’s too much trouble, could you at least do two more photos? You set the price, thanks so much!”
Seeing the keyword “4000”, Pei Qingjian remembered the post and quickly replied: “Sure, send me the rest of the photos.”
MangoShakeIce replied almost instantly: “Ahhh, okay okay, thank you!!”
Sea: “No problem.”
He gave her his editing rate and asked: “Is that okay?”
MangoShakeIce paused for a moment, then turned to her roommate. “Sis, do you know what a living Bodhisattva is?”
Roommate: “Huh?” Confused.
MangoShakeIce handed her phone over, pointing at the rate. “Isn’t this way too cheap?!”
“Did he see that I got ripped off 4000 and insulted, so he gave me a discount? Too kind!”
Excited, MangoShakeIce sent over the photos and added: “Is it too many? If it’s too much, I’ll withdraw a few.”
Sea: “Not at all.”
Sea: “If you have more photos to edit, send them to me ^_^”
Seeing his cheerful tone, MangoShakeIce felt a warm rush of joy, immediately pulling a few more photos from her computer.
Sea: “Okay, thank you for trusting me with your work. I’ll give you a discount. If you need more photos edited in the future, just contact me~”
MangoShakeIce: !!!
Damn! What kind of soft-hearted god was this?
She turned to her roommate again. “Sis, do you know what it means to face the sea with spring blossoms?”
Roommate: “Why are you grinning like that?”
MangoShakeIce laughed loudly. “Of course, because I’m facing the sea, I have spring blossoms in my heart, hahaha!”
After finishing the messages, Pei Qingjian organized the photos in order of deposit received and started working.
Lan Xingchen went to the study for a video meeting with his business partner.
After the meeting, he returned to the bedroom and headed straight to the bathroom.
Pei Qingjian checked the time and finished editing the last photo of the evening.
He picked up his phone and opened his WeChat, scrolling back into the chat with Lan Xingchen.
All twenty-two red packets Lan Xingchen sent were still unclaimed.
Not that he didn’t want to claim them—he just couldn’t bring himself to.
Pei Qingjian quietly stared at them, scrolling back and forth, finally breaking into a small smile.
He smiled for a long moment, then carefully started from the first red packet, looking through them again.
“If you don’t claim them soon, after 24 hours they’ll expire.”
Suddenly, Lan Xingchen’s voice sounded in his ear.
Pei Qingjian jumped and looked up to see Lan Xingchen in a bathrobe, drying his hair, eyes fixed on him.
Pei Qingjian: …
When did he come out?
Didn’t see him just now, laughing secretly, did he?!
Lan Xingchen raised an eyebrow. “What are you looking at? Claim the red packets.”
“I’ll do it later,” Pei Qingjian said softly.
Lan Xingchen: …
“You’re not planning to wait 24 hours for the system to refund them to me automatically, are you?” Lan Xingchen asked suspiciously.
Pei Qingjian shook his head.
He stepped forward from the bed. Lan Xingchen looked up, seeing him lift his arms and pick up the towel he was using to dry his hair.
“I’ll help you dry it.” Pei Qingjian said as he started gently drying his hair.
Lan Xingchen froze, briefly transported to a distant memory.
He was little back then. His mother was still alive, drying his wet hair after his baths.
But that was a long time ago.
He blinked, looking down at Pei Qingjian’s feet standing on the bed.
So white, so clean, nails rounded and lightly pink, like unwrinkled petals.
He lifted his gaze, seeing Pei Qingjian’s delicate chin and fair cheeks.
Lan Xingchen reached out, wrapping his arms around Pei Qingjian’s legs and lifting him off the bed.
Pei Qingjian was startled by Lan Xingchen’s sudden movement, instinctively lowering his gaze, confused.
Lan Xingchen’s lips curved slightly, his beautiful eyes narrowing just a little. “Why suddenly helping me dry my hair? Trying to please me?”
Pei Qingjian didn’t argue, just softly murmured “Mm” and nodded.
He had thought it through—though he couldn’t sleep with Lan Xingchen right now, he could still do some things before bed, like helping dry his hair.
Lan Xingchen hadn’t expected such a straightforward acknowledgment and asked, puzzled, “Why try to please me?”
Pei Qingjian blinked, thinking the question a little silly. “Who are you?”
Lan Xingchen: ???
“What’s our relationship?”
Lan Xingchen: …
“Isn’t it normal for me to try to please you?”
Lan Xingchen: …That makes sense.
Lan Xingchen shifted, holding him as he turned halfway around, sitting down at the edge of the bed, naturally letting Pei Qingjian settle on his lap. “Go ahead, dry it.”
Pei Qingjian felt the closeness between them and the warmth of Lan Xingchen’s legs, and for a moment was completely flustered.
It was his first time sitting in someone else’s lap, perched on their legs.
Being this close made his heartbeat skip.
After a few seconds, he calmed himself and raised his hands to continue drying Lan Xingchen’s hair.
Leaning close, he faintly caught a hint of Lan Xingchen’s scent—like a blend of flowers and lemon, fresh and natural.
Curious, Pei Qingjian brought his nose closer to Lan Xingchen’s neck.
Lan Xingchen straightened immediately, his back tense. “What are you doing?”
“You smell nice,” Pei Qingjian admitted.
Lan Xingchen raised an arm and sniffed. “Do I? Probably just the shower gel.”
He let his arm fall naturally, no longer supporting himself on the bed, resting it on Pei Qingjian’s legs instead.
Pei Qingjian felt a sudden heat against his thighs and instinctively looked up at Lan Xingchen.
Lan Xingchen was about to withdraw his hand, but seeing Pei Qingjian’s gaze, he paused, leaving it there.
Their eyes met, and for a brief moment, everything was still.
After a moment, Lan Xingchen realized: wait, why be embarrassed? He was Pei Qingjian’s sugar daddy, after all.
One hand resting on Pei Qingjian’s leg, the other around his waist—that was completely normal.
It was a sugar daddy’s rightful privilege.
Thinking that, Lan Xingchen reached out with his other hand, confidently wrapping it around Pei Qingjian’s waist.
Pei Qingjian: ???!!!
Pei Qingjian looked at him, silently asking with his eyes what was going on.
“Who am I?” Lan Xingchen asked, calm and steady.
“What’s our relationship?” he added, smug.
“So, me doing this… any problem?” Lan Xingchen asked proudly.
Pei Qingjian: …
He understood.
Given their relationship, if the drug effect hadn’t worn off, they’d already be far beyond just hugging. So just holding him like this—no big deal.
He nodded, continuing to dry Lan Xingchen’s hair without fuss.
Lan Xingchen was satisfied.
He lightly tested the firmness of his hold around Pei Qingjian’s waist. “Your waist is pretty slim.”
Pei Qingjian: …
Lan Xingchen pinched lightly, as if measuring its width.
Pei Qingjian couldn’t help it—he nestled closer into his arms. “What are you doing?”
Lan Xingchen looked at how he pressed into him and thought: You’re the one hiding.
“Why are you hiding?” he countered.
Pei Qingjian wriggled slightly away from the embrace. “I’m ticklish.”
“Ticklish?” Lan Xingchen looked intrigued and reached to press his waist again.
Pei Qingjian squealed, grabbing at his hands while wriggling further into his lap, his hips brushing against Lan Xingchen’s thighs. He was squirming, but felt Lan Xingchen pause mid-movement.