After confessing, Pei Yusheng no longer had to expend endless effort hiding his feelings, yet he still moved cautiously, like a hunter with infinite patience, displaying only warmth and harmlessness so as not to scare off his prey. Only in rare, inadvertent moments would a hint of his true assertiveness and ambition slip through.
He watched as the boy in front of him froze at his words, his fair, soft cheeks visibly flushing. The icy shell around the boy began to melt, revealing his genuine emotions—like a mochi candy revealing the strawberry filling inside.
Their breaths mingled, the proximity of their faces turning the air near their lips into a warm, sweet kiss. Though they hadn’t touched, for the boy, it was the first time he had let his guard down entirely. The illusion was just as searing as reality, an invisible fire consuming all oxygen around them.
Even hearing Pei Yusheng whisper near his ear made Qi Ji blush; how could he withstand the man’s low, teasing murmur by his lips? This time, it wasn’t just the tips of his ears—Qi Ji’s whole face was bright red.
Pei Yusheng hadn’t given up on moving closer, but seeing the boy’s reaction, he didn’t want to frighten him. He stepped back slightly. The boy had turned from a white little ball to a pink one. If the car hadn’t been moving, he might have bolted.
For the remainder of the drive, Qi Ji kept his gaze fixed out the window, saying nothing, not even turning his head. Only the faint blush creeping up his neck and the delicate curve of his ear remained in Pei Yusheng’s view.
By the time they stopped for the dressing change, the boy’s face was still flushed, silent enough to make Dr. Zhao curious.
“Little Qi, are you okay? Not running a fever, right?”
Qi Ji shook his head, whispering that he was fine.
After the change, he hurriedly muttered, “I’m going to work now,” and dashed off. Pei Yusheng didn’t call after him.
A while later, Pei Yusheng received a message:
[Strawberry Emoji]: “After finishing work this afternoon, I’ll go to Grandma Yu’s, so I can only head back after that. I’ll try to get back early.”
A few minutes later, another message trickled in:
“Sorry, I left in a hurry earlier to avoid being late.”
Pei Yusheng smiled softly. Just from the multiple “typing…” indicators, he could imagine the boy struggling to send the messages. Honestly, he hadn’t expected the little one to be so shy.
Squinting, he remembered the boy’s sweet, slightly cool breath lingering on his lips from earlier, and the faint pink softness he had glimpsed. Too bad there had been no physical contact—though, as he thought, there would be time for that later.
Pei Yusheng’s patience was legendary. During his service, he never failed a single sniper mission. He always waited for the perfect moment, the lethal weakness to show itself. But this wait was different—frustration and desire pulled at him, and only the last ounce of reason restrained him. Waiting was torturous and enticing, painful yet pleasurable.
After the dressing change, Pei Yusheng returned to work. With Qi Mingyu mediating, the negotiations with Xinghai and Erik’s team went smoothly, though further discussions were needed. To show sincerity, Pei Yusheng planned to meet them personally after Erik’s afternoon seminar.
By then, it would coincide with Qi Ji finishing work.
Invited by Grandma Yu, Qi Ji went straight to her house after work. By the time he finished feeding the increasingly numerous cats, it was past eight. Pei Yusheng was still in a meeting. Not wanting to disturb him, Qi Ji planned to head back to Rose Villa alone.
From the subway station to Rose Villa was a quiet stretch. Wrapping his scarf, Qi Ji walked alone, thinking again about the events of noon.
Did he really care so much about others’ outward conditions? Why did he feel helpless against Pei Yusheng’s looks… and voice?
Lost in thought, he suddenly heard faint noises behind him.
His heightened senses made him naturally alert, but when he turned, nothing seemed amiss. The night was dark, the wind cold, rustling the grass. The street was mostly empty, the lights bright but the silence deep. Scanning carefully, he saw nothing and continued walking. Still, he didn’t relax.
When the noises came again, he used the street corner mirror to glance behind. Even with his quick reflexes, he saw nothing—only the grass swaying slightly.
Then, a flash of white caught his eye. A pair of bright blue eyes peeked out from the grass.
Qi Ji paused. A beautiful blue-eyed white cat emerged. At first glance, it seemed like a pet, but it had no collar and kept its distance, wary of him.
Qi Ji didn’t move, not wanting to frighten it. After a while, the cat approached slowly, sniffing at his pants.
Then he remembered—earlier at Grandma Yu’s, a piece of cat food had spilled on his pants. No wonder this wary cat was suddenly friendly—it smelled the food.
Qi Ji was used to being approached by cats. He carried some snacks, including a small bag of cat food he had bought earlier. He bent down to feed it, but just then, a tiny, skinny white kitten emerged from the grass.
The little kitten, no bigger than his palm, was malnourished and dull-haired. It seemed the real reason the bigger cat had approached him.
The small kitten ran straight to him, eyeing his hand. Qi Ji poured a bit of food, and the kitten licked it eagerly.
Seeing this, Qi Ji turned to the bigger cat, but it wasn’t interested in the food. Instead, it pawed at his leg and meowed urgently, trying to lead him somewhere.
Realizing there was another kitten, Qi Ji picked up the small one. The kitten, still mewing for more food, was soft but had tiny hooks on its tongue, tickling his palm.
The bigger cat ran ahead, pausing now and then to wait for him. Nearing an intersection, it suddenly darted onto the road.
Qi Ji, holding the kitten, quickened his pace and saw another white kitten in the middle of the street.
The night was dim, headlights approaching, no traffic lights. The kittens could easily be missed. The little one was too heavy for the bigger cat to carry. Estimating the distance, Qi Ji ran into the street, scooped up the other kitten, and hurried off.
Then came the roaring engine—
“Screeeech—!!”
The screech of tires tore through the night, a massive black shape hurtling toward them, followed immediately by the sickening sound of metal grinding against metal and a dull, resonant crash.
“Bang!”
Qi Ji heard the white cat let out a frantic meow. He sprinted to the safety of the roadside and looked back, finally seeing the scene behind him.
It wasn’t just the speeding sports car in the middle of the road—a black vehicle had barreled in, blocking it with its body. It had effectively shielded Qi Ji from the out-of-control car.
The move was extremely dangerous, especially against a speeding sports car. Even the most skilled driver couldn’t guarantee a safe maneuver. Though the black car appeared to be an SUV, it was still forced several meters aside, leaving a stark white scrape across the asphalt.
Qi Ji didn’t expect anyone to come to his aid. When he got a clear view of the black car, he froze.
It was a Mercedes G-Class.
Could it be… Mr. Pei?
Qi Ji’s first thought was Pei Yusheng, but then he hesitated—wasn’t Pei still in a meeting?
Before Qi Ji could check the license plate, someone had already stepped out of the car.
It wasn’t Pei Yusheng, but another young, handsome, tall man. He glanced at the sports car, then walked directly toward Qi Ji.
“You’re okay?” he asked with concern.
Qi Ji froze completely.
Though the night was dark, the streetlights were bright enough to make out the man’s features—it was Wen Chuming.
From the sports car, a young man in leather pants with striking blue hair got out, cursing violently.
“Are you out of your mind? Looking to die?”
Wen Chuming’s expression remained calm, slightly cold. “Sir, the city speed limit is sixty kilometers. You’re overspeeding.”
The blue-haired youth sneered, “Who cares? I’ll drive however fast I want!”
Wen Chuming chuckled lightly. “If your mom doesn’t care, maybe your dad should.”
Qi Ji blinked. Wen Chuming had always seemed refined and gentle, yet here he was—so sharp and cutting in his words.
The blue-haired man hesitated, then realized he had been insulted, rage flooding his expression. He swung a punch: “You—”
But his entire body was only good for yelling; his punches were sloppy, his gaze weak.
He had no idea that the young man he was attacking was actually a former special forces operative.
With a crisp snap, Wen Chuming twisted the attacking hand, eliciting a blood-curdling scream from the blue-haired youth.
“Ahhh—!!”
Wen Chuming efficiently flipped the arm behind his back, pushing the youth’s torso so he collapsed onto his own car, clutching the door to avoid falling.
Then, without delay, Wen Chuming pulled out his phone and dialed.
“Hello, Minghu District Traffic Police? There’s a speeding collision on the southern section of Minghu Road,” he said, lightly touching his fingers to his nose, then added, “The speeding driver is also suspected of drunk driving…”
At the words “drunk driving,” the blue-haired youth’s bloodshot eyes flared. He lunged to snatch the phone, but his judgment was clouded by alcohol, repeatedly provoking someone clearly out of his league. Wen Chuming didn’t even move his feet, effortlessly blocking him.
With a swift grip on a pressure point near the shoulder and neck, the youth’s body went limp, knees hitting the ground with a “thud.” This time, he couldn’t even scream.
After a brief exchange with the traffic police, Wen Chuming hung up, confirming the blue-haired man was incapacitated.
He then turned to Qi Ji, softening his voice: “Did I scare you?”
Unlike his ruthless efficiency with the youth, his tone now was smooth and gentle.
Qi Ji paused, shaking his head. “I’m fine… thank you.”
He realized something—Wen Chuming didn’t actually know him. He had truly treated Qi Ji as a frightened stranger, soothing him naturally.
“That’s alright. The speeding driver is fully at fault. Next time you cross the street, just be careful,” Wen Chuming said, his voice calm and reassuring.
Qi Ji nodded, holding the two kittens tightly. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome,” Wen Chuming replied with a gentle smile.
He glanced at the kittens in Qi Ji’s arms. “But next time, don’t bring so many cats alone, little one.”
Qi Ji froze.
“Little one?”
Seeing the boy’s wide-eyed surprise, Wen Chuming smiled again and lightly ruffled his soft hair, his motion entirely natural, like coaxing a child.
“Why are you out here alone at night? Are your guardians nearby? I can go with you to find them.”
The dim lighting made it hard to discern his age. Qi Ji knew he could easily be mistaken for a minor. He was about to explain when Wen Chuming’s expression shifted, furrowing his brow.
“Huh?” he muttered, thinking. “You look so familiar… oh, you’re—”
Qi Ji pressed his lips together.
Had Wen Chuming remembered Mr. Pei?
Unexpectedly, Wen Chuming said, “You’re He Dui’s younger brother?”
Qi Ji blinked. That wasn’t wrong.
Before he could clarify, Wen Chuming’s gaze shifted behind him, eyes cooling instantly.
“Step out.”
His aura changed dramatically from the gentle protector to a commanding presence. Even the blue-haired youth, still on the ground, shivered at the tone.
Qi Ji looked back to see a young man emerging from the shadows of the trees.
Plain-looking, unfamiliar to Qi Ji.
Wen Chuming, however, relaxed his stance slightly, confused. “Aren’t you… with Da Pei? What are you doing here?”
Da Pei?
Qi Ji’s eyes widened—he meant Mr. Pei?
The young man bowed slightly. “I’ve come to take Master Qi back.”
“Master Qi?” Wen Chuming looked at Qi Ji. “Huh, aren’t you surnamed He?”
Qi Ji hadn’t expected anyone to come for him. He explained simply: “Xiu-ge and I aren’t related by blood; we’ve known each other since childhood.”
Wen Chuming nodded, understanding. Then he paused, realizing something else. “Surname Qi… you’re Qi Ji?”
Qi Ji nodded. Wen Chuming’s eyes widened. “Then you’re Da Pei’s… dream lover?”