“What’s wrong? You seem a little off today.”
Huo Zongzhu was actually trying to gauge Jiang Luo’s attitude, curious why he had come to his company twice to ask whether he liked men—or liked him.
“Nothing, just a bit tired.”
Jiang Luo walked further into the house.
Huo Zongzhu glanced at Jiang Luo’s figure, then back at the car.
Lao Si had just gotten out and was standing by the vehicle, shrugging and spreading his hands as if to say he knew nothing.
Huo Zongzhu’s look told him to scram.
Inside, Jiang Luo didn’t even put on slippers. Barefoot, he went straight to the living room, flopped onto the sofa, and leaned back, looking exhausted and drained.
Huo Zongzhu followed, sitting beside him, concern written all over his face: “What’s going on? Talk to me.”
“Nothing.”
Jiang Luo curled into the sofa and inched closer to Huo Zongzhu, leaning half his upper body against him like they always did when chatting.
Huo Zongzhu’s expression softened. He figured Jiang Luo hadn’t noticed anything, otherwise he wouldn’t get that close.
He breathed a silent sigh of relief.
Jiang Luo also relaxed inwardly, thinking: Well, at least Huo Zongzhu doesn’t have a girlfriend, isn’t married, has no family or kids. It’s just him and me. We live together, we can even sit close like this.
He rested his head against Huo Zongzhu—at least for now, Huo Zongzhu was his.
Yeah.
Jiang Luo thought: I like men, I like Huo Zongzhu… but how could I expect him to feel the same? Men who like men are rare.
Life was never 100% perfect. Even the moon had its flaws, its dim spots.
This life had already been good to him. He had what he should have; the rest couldn’t be forced.
He let himself think lightly, not overanalyzing.
He just… felt a little, tiny bit sad.
Well… maybe more than a tiny bit.
He thought maybe human feelings were always like this, easily anxious, easily worried.
He hadn’t understood it in the past, but now he understood a little.
“Let’s go back to Su City,” he suddenly said.
“June’s here. Su City should be even prettier now.”
“Let’s go see it.”
Huo Zongzhu looked down at him.
“Alright.”
On the way back, Jiang Luo sat in the passenger seat. Being alone with Huo Zongzhu and watching the scenery outside slowly calmed his mind.
Being with Huo Zongzhu, he thought: This life, having someone I like, having fallen for Huo Zongzhu, I’m already lucky.
Huo Zongzhu wasn’t just the one he liked now—he was a friend, an ally he could fully trust, someone who had given him so much.
The name Huo Zongzhu carried immense meaning.
Loving him felt natural, logical, and emotionally thrilling.
So why demand more?
Jiang Luo relaxed, thinking: Like Wang Chuang said, I can ‘cook’ him.
If one day isn’t enough, cook a few more.
If a month isn’t enough, keep going for a few more months.
Who knows? Maybe one day, he’d finally be ‘cooked’ right into his arms.
He chuckled quietly to himself.
Giving up completely? Impossible. Absolutely impossible.
Huo Zongzhu could treat him like a friend, like a son, bought a house to live with him, gave him a factory—he still had a chance.
Yes! A chance!
By the way, the last time they were chatting, what kind of woman did Huo Zongzhu say he liked?
Pretty?
Jiang Luo puffed up his chest in silent confidence. Surely no woman could compare to his face.
He was so handsome, Huo Zongzhu would eventually like him.
By the time they reached Su City that evening, it was past nine. Huo Zongzhu drove toward Pingjiang Road, glanced at his watch, wanting to take Jiang Luo to the old residence to greet his mother first.
Jiang Luo said: “Mom’s probably asleep. Let’s go tomorrow morning.”
“And can you stay in your bedroom at home? If not, we can stay at that small courtyard house.”
So they parked, walked into the alley on Pingjiang Road, and headed to Huo Zongzhu’s guest courtyard.
As soon as they entered and locked the door, Jiang Luo jumped onto Huo Zongzhu’s back.
“Daddy, let’s sleep together.”
Huo Zongzhu laughed, carrying him inside: “There’s only one bed anyway.”
Jiang Luo deliberately lowered his head close to Huo Zongzhu’s ear, faces almost touching: “Mm.”
Huo Zongzhu couldn’t help but smile, patted Jiang Luo’s rear with the back of his hand.
When it was time for bed, lights out, Jiang Luo deliberately slept without pajamas, just underwear, crawling under the covers and draping his arms and legs over Huo Zongzhu, pressing close.
Huo Zongzhu, exhausted from driving, had his eyes closed. Feeling Jiang Luo’s limbs stretching over him, he wasn’t surprised—he smiled softly, reached out over the blanket to hold Jiang Luo’s arm, and murmured: “Sleep.”
Jiang Luo closed his eyes.
Sleeping close like this felt satisfying.
Huo Zongzhu’s scent filled the air, and Jiang Luo felt completely safe.
With love in his heart, intimacy was a delightful thing.
Jiang Luo didn’t sleep, though.
His attention and senses were fixed on Huo Zongzhu, his mind repeating: I like him. I like him. I like him.
Liking someone felt so strange—he stayed awake almost all night. By morning, he woke early, wide-eyed, staring at the side profile of the man beside him.
He watched his lightly closed lashes, straight nose, full lips.
The more he looked, the more he liked him, the happier he felt. He couldn’t resist leaning over, pressing a light kiss on his cheek through a thin layer of paper.
Afterward, he laughed, hugging Huo Zongzhu, leaning on his shoulder, grinning foolishly.
When Huo Zongzhu woke, Jiang Luo was the same as last night—hands and legs draped over him, body pressed close, arms in a hugging posture.
Huo Zongzhu, eyes closed, fully awake for a moment, placed his hand over Jiang Luo’s arm, lightly patted it: “Awake?”
Jiang Luo didn’t move: “Let me lie a little longer.”
“Hungry?”
Huo Zongzhu opened his eyes, looking down to see Jiang Luo curled in his arms.
Such intimacy made him chuckle: “Treating yourself like a son… or a little pet?”
Jiang Luo: “Mwah~~”
Huo Zongzhu stifled a laugh.
He stayed lying down, lifted the arm under the blanket that Jiang Luo was pressing on, hugged the boy, checked his watch.
Jiang Luo softly said: “Daddy, stay a bit longer.”
“Mm.”
Huo Zongzhu closed his eyes, continued lying there, holding Jiang Luo.
This closeness reassured Huo Zongzhu. Jiang Luo hadn’t noticed anything; otherwise, he wouldn’t be like this.
Jiang Luo was satisfied too—today he could sleep hugging him; one day, sleeping together would be just a matter of routine.
Once he experiences how good I am…
Jiang Luo thought confidently: It’s just that Huo Dad spoiled me. He’s already so used to me—so one day, he’ll like me. Hmph.
He instinctively rubbed his face lightly against Huo Zongzhu’s shoulder.
Huo Zongzhu tilted his head, brushing his lips against the top of Jiang Luo’s head as if planting a light kiss.
They stayed like that, lying together until nine, nine-thirty, ten… ten-thirty, Huo Zongzhu checked the time and asked if Jiang Luo wanted to get up. Jiang Luo snuggled into him: “Mm~” refusing, and they stayed until eleven-twenty.
At noon, at the old residence, Huo Zongzhu’s mother, having finished lunch, was sweeping under the eaves. Jiang Luo’s voice rang out: “Mom~ Mom~ is there any leftover food?”
Huo Zongzhu followed closely behind.
Mother: ?
She exclaimed, “Why are you back? Yes, yes, of course there is!”
She hugged Jiang Luo, quickly put down the broom, and called to Aunt Zhao inside: “Don’t put away the dishes, just heat them up.”
She looked at Jiang Luo’s still-slinged arm: “Better?”
“Almost.”
Jiang Luo bent to pet the white cat at his feet.
At the table, he deliberately stretched a leg to touch Huo Zongzhu’s.
Huo Zongzhu noticed, glanced under the table, saw it was deliberate, and silently smiled, saying nothing, letting Jiang Luo do as he pleased.
Jiang Luo quietly swiveled his leg, smug inside: See? It works. Sooner or later, he’ll like me.
In the afternoon, Huo Zongzhu took Jiang Luo for a walk along Pingjiang Road.
June in Pingjiang looked a little different than the two times he had seen it before: the riverside trees were lush and green.
More people were out, pairs of young couples walking the stone-paved street.
Jiang Luo walked close to Huo Zongzhu, pretending they were just another couple in the crowd.
Seeing a young man buying cakes for a girl, Jiang Luo bought one too, sharing it with Huo Zongzhu.