This question went on for more than half the night.
It wasn’t until the boy, exhausted, snuggled straight into his arms that Pei Yusheng finally let him go to sleep peacefully.
He slept soundly, and the next morning, Pei Yusheng woke up refreshed, even the sleep monitor showing a pleasing sea of green.
The other occupant of the bed, however, wasn’t in quite as good a state. Qi Ji, who was usually an early riser, slept until well past mid-morning this time, only stirring once close to noon. After having a little porridge that Pei Yusheng brought him, the boy dozed off again, still groggy.
Knowing the child must be utterly exhausted from the drinking and last night’s exertions, Pei Yusheng didn’t rush him, letting him rest. Once Qi Ji was asleep again, Pei Yusheng received a message from He Xiu, requesting a meeting.
The boy was sleeping soundly, so Pei Yusheng didn’t disturb him, leaving a note on the bedside table reminding him to eat when he woke.
After putting everything in order, he stepped out.
He Xiu didn’t invite Pei Yusheng to the martial arts club this time, but to an old-style teahouse by the Pujiang river. From the private rooms, the windows offered a direct view of the river.
The place was tranquil, exquisitely furnished, with chessboards on the tables—a perfect spot for cultivating oneself.
Yet right now, neither of the two had the mood for chess.
Pei Yusheng arrived to find He Xiu already waiting. Seeing him enter, He Xiu glanced up and said calmly, “Second Young Master, you’re here. Please, sit.”
Pei Yusheng took his seat, and a server quietly straightened his inverted teacup and filled it.
The aroma of Mingqian Longjing tea wafted gently, refreshing in the summer river breeze.
Pei Yusheng looked across at He Xiu.
He had heard of He Xiu long ago: former captain of the Wolf Special Forces, the first to win all awards in the military district—a legendary figure. Even years later, when Pei Yusheng enlisted, stories of him were still circulating.
Not only was he personally outstanding, but He Xiu’s team command and combat skills were formidable. During his three years as captain, the Wolf squad was an unshakable legend—no other team wanted to face them in exercises or competitions.
It wasn’t until Pei Yusheng joined, alongside Wen Chuming, that their dominance was broken.
He Xiu’s military career was also extraordinary—he even retired for four years before being rehired with honors, returning more composed and gradually advancing to command positions, continuing to excel.
Pei Yusheng’s eldest uncle also had high regard for He Xiu, hoping to cultivate him. When Pei Yusheng once handled matters to free himself from his father’s control, he had encountered He Xiu’s records while assessing the Pei family’s resources.
Besides his decisive and strong action style, many said He Xiu was steady and unsmiling. Pei Yusheng had never associated such a figure with the image of a neighborly older brother—until he saw him smile and scoop Qi Ji into his arms.
In their interactions afterward, He Xiu was particularly attentive to Qi Ji. Pei Yusheng knew very well that He Xiu’s presence was an unmitigated blessing for Qi Ji—without him, Qi Ji’s turbulent childhood would have been far worse.
So Pei Yusheng didn’t oppose any of He Xiu’s requests this time. Whatever He Xiu said, he would listen.
He Xiu, meanwhile, was no longer as agitated as when he first heard the news, wanting to resolve things on the ring. After seeing Qi Ji’s reaction yesterday, he had reconsidered.
He sipped his tea, gesturing the server away, leaving just the two of them. His tone was calm, as if catching up with an old friend.
“Second Young Master, Qiqi has told me about your relationship. Honestly, I was surprised.”
Although He Xiu and Qi Ji weren’t related by blood, he had always treated him as a younger brother. “I can tell he really likes you.”
“Thank you,” Pei Yusheng replied. “I appreciate you giving me this opportunity today.”
He Xiu smiled lightly. “No need to thank me. I just wanted to discuss Qiqi.”
He continued evenly, “Being together is about feelings; mutual affection is necessary to move forward.”
Pei Yusheng listened quietly.
Then He Xiu said, “But some things can’t be solved by feelings alone.”
His words remained calm, yet each carried the weight of a thousand pounds: “Qiqi’s parents have passed. Some things may be hard to hear, but aside from me, no one can ask for him. Today, boldly, as his elder brother, I want to ask you something.”
He Xiu leaned slightly forward, one palm on the table, his eyes sharp as a hawk’s.
“Second Young Master, you come from a wealthy, influential background. Normally, you’d be expected to marry someone from a similar family—good for you, good for the Pei family. But unfortunately, Qiqi doesn’t meet those conditions. His family isn’t wealthy, he can’t contribute to the Pei family, and most importantly”—He Xiu pressed his fingers on the table, veins taut, radiating contained strength—“he’s not a girl.”
He Xiu spoke slowly, deliberately: “Among the three greatest unfilial acts, leaving no heir is the gravest.”
The tea rippled slightly in the cup, the air around them thick with invisible pressure. Pei Yusheng listened quietly, fully aware that the last sentence reflected not He Xiu’s view, but the Pei family’s.
“Brother He,” Pei Yusheng replied calmly, “you know my eldest uncle and have handled news about Wen Chuming and me. You also know my relationship with my father.”
On this deeply private family matter, Pei Yusheng held nothing back.
“With him around, I do not intend to become another father. I have never planned to let anyone divert Qi Ji’s attention, so I won’t euphemistically talk about adoption either.”
“With Mingyu in the Qi family, I can provide the best resources for his child. As for the Pei family, there’s my eldest uncle’s son, two sisters, and my younger uncle’s two sons. We have no shortage of heirs.”
He Xiu frowned, about to say more, but Pei Yusheng pressed the service bell.
“Bring a tablet,” he said.
He Xiu’s confusion deepened, unsure what he was doing. Soon, a server brought a brand-new tablet and handed it over.
Once alone again, Pei Yusheng pulled up several verified websites and slid the tablet toward He Xiu.
“Brother He, Qiqi and I do come from different backgrounds. You, as his elder brother, have concerns—understandable. There are things I haven’t told Qiqi yet, but you can witness them first.”
The tablet contained official, notarized information; Pei Yusheng hadn’t tampered with anything, and He Xiu’s brows furrowed as he looked at the screen.
But when he fully took in the content, his pupils contracted sharply.
Qi Ji slept for a long time, until the sun dipped low and the floor-to-ceiling windows revealed a splendid purplish sunset. Only then did he wake.
The fruit wine had been of excellent quality, causing no hangover, though Qi Ji still felt slightly dizzy. His mind was blank; for a moment, he barely realized where he was.
Seeing the familiar room and the clock by the bedside, Qi Ji finally realized he had slept the entire day through.
Qi Ji raised a hand to rub his throbbing temple. He only remembered that he had gotten drunk last night, but the events afterward were hazy. Seeing the freshly changed sheets and the soft bedding beneath him, he vaguely recalled some of what had happened after he got home.
But those memories barely surfaced before turning his face crimson, making him too embarrassed to dwell on them.
Before his racing heart could settle, the bedroom door opened.
“Qiqi, you’re awake?” Pei Yusheng walked in, holding a bowl of porridge. “Perfect timing, come eat something.”
Seeing Pei Yusheng, Qi Ji’s thoughts went back to the dinner table last night.
“Sir,” he said, recalling Pei Yusheng’s words about leaving, “you and Brother Xiu… did you go to the martial arts club last night?”
“No,” Pei Yusheng replied, taking a seat on the chair by the bed. “You were drunk yesterday. We were worried about you, so we came back first.”
Qi Ji was a little stunned. Thinking about the martial arts club now, something felt off.
He remembered only hearing their voices when he was drunk and hadn’t thought much at the time. Now, in retrospect, it seemed like He Xiu had been angry. And the atmosphere when they met last night had been tense.
Worried, Qi Ji asked, “Where’s Brother Xiu now?”
“He’s at the Pujiang Hotel. He said to let you rest properly and that he’ll take you out tomorrow.”
Pei Yusheng scooped a spoonful of porridge at a perfect temperature and held it to Qi Ji’s lips.
Embarrassed, Qi Ji quickly took the bowl. “I can do it myself.”
After a bite, he couldn’t help but ask, “Did you go meet Brother Xiu today?”
He noticed the note by the bedside.
Pei Yusheng didn’t insist and, once Qi Ji had a firm hold of the bowl, said, “Yes, I talked with Brother He for a bit.”
“Brother He?” Qi Ji blinked.
Yesterday it had been “Captain He,” so why the sudden change to “Brother”? In just a day, the title had shifted.
“What did you talk about?” he asked.
“About my eldest uncle and your future,” Pei Yusheng replied. “I told him about your plans to continue studying, and he was very pleased.”
Parents always think that continuing one’s studies is the best thing for a child. With Qi Ji’s parents gone, He Xiu had taken on that expectation.
Seeing the two converse so amicably, Qi Ji relaxed a little, though he still had one lingering concern. “You said you were going to the club yesterday—did you go today?”
“No,” Pei Yusheng said. “Brother He was mainly concerned about you.”
“I’m fine,” Qi Ji replied.
Pei Yusheng ruffled his hair. “If you’re fine, he’s happy.”
The next day, Qi Ji spent the whole day with He Xiu in S City. By ten at night, he had to send He Xiu to the airport.
He Xiu’s schedule was tight; a three-day holiday was actually quite long, but in reality, Qi Ji only had one full day to accompany him. He felt guilty for having slept through most of yesterday.
He Xiu, however, said it didn’t matter. His trip to S City wasn’t purely leisure—he had some business to handle, so Qi Ji’s rest wasn’t wasted.
He patted the boy’s shoulder. “As long as you’re well, I’m happy.”
The words mirrored exactly what Pei Yusheng had said last night.
Over the day, Qi Ji also noticed that He Xiu’s previous wariness toward Pei Yusheng had eased; his impression of him seemed much more favorable.
Although he didn’t know the exact content of their conversation, seeing them get along so smoothly eased his mind.
He Xiu’s flight was at midnight, and before boarding, he didn’t say much, only repeatedly urging Qi Ji not to overwork himself—health was most important.
He said, “We don’t need the overtime pay. The same goes for your studies later. Don’t waste your time worrying about money—take care of your health and do whatever you want.”
Qi Ji obediently nodded. “Okay.”
He Xiu patted his head again. “No shortage of money, understand? Take care of yourself.”
Qi Ji was a bit puzzled by the repeated mentions of money. Why did Brother Xiu always talk about it?
He knew that He Xiu had always found ways to slip him extra money. On this trip, He Xiu had given Qimingyu a red envelope of 100,000 yuan as a reward for going to college. He had wanted to give more to Qi Ji, but after multiple refusals, he relented.
But today, leaving again, why did Brother Xiu keep saying there was no shortage of money? Qi Ji wondered if it was because of the debts he owed before.
He didn’t know that “no shortage of money” was literal—Qi Ji truly had no financial worries in this life.
Though he still had that small question unsaid, he felt relieved to have finally clarified his relationship with Brother Xiu.
After leaving the airport, Qi Ji saw the man who had come to pick him up.
He recounted sending He Xiu off, and Pei Yusheng smiled. “Brother He was right. You should take care of yourself.”
Qi Ji wrinkled his nose and protested. “Who’s supposed to go to bed early?”
Pei Yusheng wrapped an arm around his waist and lightly pinched his cheek. “With you here, I can go to bed early.”
“I’ll rest as soon as we get home,” Qi Ji promised.
“Good.”
Pei Yusheng smiled, kissed his forehead, and asked, “Still feeling the effects of the other day’s drink? Any headache?”
“No,” Qi Ji shook his head. “It’s fine. My constitution is good; a little alcohol doesn’t bother me.”
Hearing this, Pei Yusheng’s smile deepened, and his light-colored eyes sparkled with a hint of delight.
“Oh?”