Lin Hening was dumbfounded by the little devil’s move.
Without hesitation, he hit “Decline.”
He picked up a hairdryer and started drying his hair, but before it was even halfway dry, his phone buzzed again.
An Nian. Again. ??
What’s the deal? What’s the deal??
After lurking in the shadows for so long, is he finally making a move?
Ha! Dream on!
This guy is way too full of himself, thinking he’s more important than he really is.
Lin Hening rejected the request again, tossed his phone aside, and continued drying his thick, jet-black hair while humming a tune. It was so dense that even his scalp wasn’t visible—drying it completely took some effort.
He could already imagine An Nian taking a screenshot of the rejection and sending it to Xia Zhile with a pitiful “Waaah waaah waaah”. Then, boom! He’d instantly become the cold-hearted, petty vinegar jar in Xia Zhile’s eyes, once again painted as the villain who bullies the innocent junior.
Lin Hening put on a face mask.
Screw them. Gotta treat myself right first!
Later, while lying in bed and scrolling on his phone, he was shocked to see seven or eight new friend requests—all from An Nian.
That little devil was relentless.
Request message: [Mr. Lin, I don’t mean anything else by this.]
Request message: [You’re senior’s boyfriend. I just want to be friends with you too.]
Lin Hening nearly laughed his face mask off.
Damn, this guy’s got skills. He didn’t even need to twist words—just forward this exact screenshot to Xia Zhile, and that whole submissive, pitiful act would make Xia Zhile’s heart ache for him in an instant!
Lin Hening normally wouldn’t bother with people like this, but this was different. The little devil had the audacity to parade right in front of his face. If he just ignored it, wouldn’t that make it look like he was backing down? Like he was afraid of An Nian?
Lin Hening clicked “Accept.”
Alright, let’s see what kind of tricks you’ve got. Anyway, I’ve been having trouble sleeping lately—might as well get a free chat partner.
The moment the request was approved, An Nian sent a cutesy emoji.
Lin Hening realized he had overestimated his patience. Just one emoji from this little devil and he already felt sick.
An Nian: [Mr. Lin, I heard you and senior had a big fight because the cat went missing. I’m really worried about you two.]
Heard? Heard from who? Of course, it was Xia Zhile.
An Nian: [Senior has been in a bad mood lately, so he might have spoken harshly. He didn’t mean it. We had breakfast together a couple of days ago, and he looked so exhausted.]
Oh? Look at you, all heartbroken over him.
An Nian: [Mr. Lin, you’re such a kind and understanding person. I know you won’t really be mad at him.]
Was “gentle and intellectual” what Xia Zhile really meant, or did he actually mean “spoiled and willful”?
Lin Hening sent a message:
[Whether I’m gentle or wild, whether I’m delicate and clingy or capable of knocking out a kid with one punch—that’s my business. I know my own temper, and Xia Zhile does too. You don’t need to play psychologist and analyze me according to your own wishful thinking. And as for my relationship with Xia Zhile, the last thing we need is a self-appointed, unqualified relationship mediator like you meddling in it. Got it?]
An Nian replied:
[I’m sorry.]
[Mr. Lin, I didn’t mean any harm, really.]
[Please don’t be mad.]
Lin Hening wanted to immediately block and delete him, but he suddenly realized that such a decisive move didn’t quite suit the current situation.
It would be like arguing with someone online, dropping a final insult, and then blocking them instantly—seems pretty cowardly, like running away in defeat.
Just as he was pondering, a work call came in, interrupting his train of thought. By the time he remembered An Nian again, several hours had already passed. The last thing in their chat history was An Nian’s apologetic sticker.
Might as well keep him around—let’s see what other tricks he tries to pull.
The next morning, a weekend, Lin Hening was still half-asleep when his phone rang, waking him up. It was Xia Zhile, calling to say he was on his way over.
For a brief moment, Lin Hening had the illusion that they had never argued at all.
Just like countless weekend mornings before, he was lazing in bed while the ever-diligent Xia Zhile had already woken up early. He would always call with breakfast in hand, waking Lin Hening up in the process. Lin Hening would grumble that he was lucky not to have morning temper, to which Xia Zhile would laugh, hug him, and say,
“Our baby has a bad temper but always tolerates me. Why? Because baby loves me, and I love baby.”
When Xia Zhile arrived, he was carrying a thermos box in both hands, smiling as if spring had arrived.
“Baby!”
Lin Hening felt his heart soften.
Just like before, he asked, “What did you bring?”
“I made some wontons. Eat them before they get soggy!”
Xia Zhile had grown up with hardships, so he could cook and do housework well—especially when it came to making soups. In contrast, Lin Hening, a rich young master, had never lifted a finger in the kitchen.
Since knowing Xia Zhile, he had never once cooked for him. He used to think it didn’t matter—after all, store-bought food prepared by professional chefs was just as good. Why embarrass himself with his own clumsy skills? But now, looking at it differently, home-cooked food and takeout carried completely different meanings. Love should be mutual. He couldn’t just keep taking and taking, treating Xia Zhile’s care as something he was entitled to.
Lin Hening took a sip of the wonton soup.
Seeing that the tension from their last argument had eased, Xia Zhile let out a relieved breath and started making casual small talk.
“Baby, has someone been talking to you about something…”
Lin Hening looked up. “What?”
“Nothing, nothing.” Xia Zhile quickly changed the subject, his previously anxious expression visibly relaxing.
But Lin Hening was sharp. “You’re hiding something.”
“I’m not! I was just scared you were still mad at me. I didn’t even dare call you. I couldn’t eat or sleep well. Look, I’ve lost weight! Everyone who sees me says I look haggard.”
Lin Hening: “An Nian told you that?”
Xia Zhile’s expression froze on the spot, his whole body tensing up. “Did that van owner tell you?”
Lin Hening was confused. “What does Gu Fei have to do with this?”
Xia Zhile was stunned.
The worst thing is when silence suddenly fills the air.
Lin Hening laughed. Well, wasn’t this a classic case of accidentally admitting to something? Dr. Xia had played himself.
Lin Hening only needed a few seconds to piece everything together. Thanks to An Nian’s “unintentional” remarks, he now knew that a few days ago, Xia Zhile and An Nian had breakfast together and had a conversation—one that Gu Fei had witnessed firsthand.
So just now, Xia Zhile had been nervously fishing for information. What he didn’t expect was that An Nian had stabbed him in the back.
Xia Zhile quickly tried to turn the tables: “What does An Nian have to do with this?”
Not too slow after all. Dr. Xia’s brain was still working fine.
But suddenly, Lin Hening lost his appetite.
They were supposed to be lovers who shared everything with each other, yet here they were, playing a game of Mr. & Mrs. Smith first thing in the morning. It was almost ironic.
Xia Zhile wasn’t stupid. He knew better than to dwell on such a sensitive topic. Instead, he smiled and said, “I have good news for you.”
Lin Hening barely reacted, showing zero enthusiasm.
Xia Zhile felt a little deflated and didn’t continue.
Normally, at this point, Lin Hening would have taken photos with Xia Zhile—pictures of them together, a close-up of their interlocked fingers, an artsy shot of two bowls of wontons, and even a photo of Xia Zhile wearing an apron while washing the dishes. He’d compile them into a nine-grid post, add some over-the-top, sappy captions, and post them on social media—just to drive that little gremlin An Nian insane with jealousy.
Lin Hening rested his chin on his hand, lost in thought.
Damn, I’m really too kind.
Xia Zhile said that since winter was coming, he wanted to buy a new down jacket and asked Lin Hening to go shopping with him.
Lin Hening replied, “I have plans with a friend.”
Xia Zhile instantly felt annoyed. First, Lin Hening didn’t react to his good news, and now, he was straight-up ditching him when he wanted to go out together.
He got up early, went out of his way to put on a smile, acting like a damn bootlicker just to make amends— for what?
How long was this cold war over An Nian going to last? Was there no end to this?!
Speaking of An Nian—if it were him, he’d definitely blink those big, sparkly apricot eyes and eagerly ask, “What’s the good news? Tell me, tell me!” Then, he’d happily take Xia Zhile’s arm and say, “Sure, let’s go!”—only to realize he had crossed a line, quickly let go, and apologize with a blushing face.
Now that’s how a boyfriend should react.
As Xia Zhile stepped out the door, he gave Lin Hening one last chance. “You’re really not coming with me?”
Lin Hening glanced at Xia Zhile’s soft, delicate features.
Lately, he had been getting tailed by someone. It didn’t feel like a coincidence—whoever it was, they weren’t up to anything good. If he had someone like Jian Xiaoxi or… Gu Fei with him, that’d be one thing. But Xia Zhile? A gentle, bookish doctor? Not a chance. Too risky.
He stayed home all weekend, then headed to work early Monday morning.
His car was still in for inspection, so he couldn’t get it back yet. His assistant, Xiao Wei, had even called last night, offering to drive him in his second-hand, tiny electric car—if Lin Hening didn’t mind.
Lin Hening, of course, didn’t mind. A ride was a ride—no need to be picky.
But after standing by the roadside for what felt like forever, he finally got a call from Xiao Wei:
“My brother took my car out yesterday and didn’t charge it. Now I’m stranded in the middle of the road with a dead battery—completely stuck, man. Feels worse than being constipated.”
Lin Hening, now officially resigned to his fate, teamed up with Xiao Wei in mutual frustration to roast the younger brother they had never met. All while begrudgingly heading toward the subway station.
While waiting at a crosswalk, Lin Hening suddenly had a feeling—an instinct.
He turned around.
At the intersection, a crowd had gathered, all waiting for the pedestrian light.
When the light turned green, he stepped forward with the rest, moving across the street. But mid-step, something hit his arm—a kid on roller skates, who immediately went flying and landed flat on his back.
Lin Hening instinctively bent down to help the kid up—
Only to be grabbed by the collar and yanked into an alley.
His first reaction? Combat mode.
Two seconds later, he had his attacker pinned.
A man—medium build, slim frame, dressed in a black puffer jacket with a hat and mask.
The same guy who had been following him for days.
Wait.
What the hell—
Wang Tu?!
Lin Hening was stunned.
Wang Tu took the chance to break free, rubbing his arm with a twisted expression. “An Nian is mine! He’s mine!”
Lin Hening: “…”
Okay, okay, fine. He’s all yours. No one’s fighting you for that damn gremlin.
Still confused, he asked, “Why the hell are you coming after me?”
Shouldn’t he be fighting Xia Zhile instead? Yanking each other’s hair like middle school girls?
Wang Tu snapped, “Who else should I go after?! You seduced Xiao Nian! You stole him from me!”
Lin Hening: “Huh?”
Wang Tu ranted, “Don’t think I don’t see through your little tricks! Xiao Nian’s new lover is you! But to protect you, he’s pretending to flirt with his high school senior—that’s all just a cover-up! A distraction! You two are the real couple!”
Lin Hening: “Hah??”
Wang Tu continued, “The proof is clear! Xiao Nian always talks about you with his colleagues! He uses the same shampoo as you! He wears the same brand of clothes! And—
“You two added each other on WeChat, didn’t you?! If you were really love rivals, you wouldn’t have done that! Prove it! Show me your WeChat friend list if you dare!”
Lin Hening: “…Hah.”
Wang Tu: “No need to look so shocked. Of course I figured it out. You live in the most high-end neighborhood in Yunzou, you’re rich, good-looking, and have a respectable job. With conditions like yours, do you really think Xiao Nian would ignore you to go mess around with that flashy-on-the-outside, rotten-on-the-inside Xia? Xiao Nian’s not blind!”
Lin Hening: “…”
