In the restaurant, there were two men, both exuding a mature, captivating aura. Either one alone could have drawn attention with his refined temperament. Both were strikingly handsome, yet the slightly more robust man carried a hint of indulgence in his movements, while the more refined man’s face bore a gentle warmth. Sweet, cloying pink bubbles seemed almost to fill the entire restaurant.
“Hey… what exactly did you call me over for?” Ren Qingyun squinted at them, trying to make sense of the situation, finally unable to hold back.
What did these two even mean? Yu Junqing had called early that morning, asking him to have a meal together. Ren Qingyun had thought it might be something important, but instead, he was just being dragged along to witness them shamelessly showering each other with affection.
Yu Junqing wore a smile that refused to fade. Taking the crab leg that Bo Rui handed over, he thought for a moment upon hearing Ren Qingyun’s resentful words, then flashed a mischievous grin.
“I’m just using this as an excuse to treat you to a meal. Isn’t that fine?”
“…Fine, I guess…” Ren Qingyun glared at Yu Junqing, who was happily eating the pre-peeled crab leg, while he stared at the mangled remains on his own plate, unable to find a single intact piece of meat. He felt speechless—but the crab tasted like absolute dog food, sickly sweet! Was this even fit for human consumption?
“Ah! I can’t take it anymore…” Ren Qingyun tossed the ruined crab leg onto the plate, giving up entirely. His appetite had vanished; this was pure torture.
Yu Junqing had just finished a leg, a little sauce still at the corner of his mouth. “What about Mr. Winston?” Today he had a personal reason for inviting Ren Qingyun: first, because almost no one else could even understand this matter; second, because the last time he had gone out to eat with Ren Qingyun, he had been inexplicably tormented, and he intended to get some small revenge.
Ren Qingyun was surprised by the expression on Yu Junqing’s face, blinking at Bo Rui. “Wow, your little Bai… uh, how did you let him get spoiled like this?”
Bo Rui nearly crushed the crab in his hands. What kind of words were those? You can’t spit ivory from a dog.
Yu Junqing had sharp ears; he heard the words “little Bai.” Little Bai what? He sucked in a breath, thinking: Little Bai… silly little cabbage? Little rabbit? Little human?
Bo Rui quickly rescued the crab meat, placing it neatly in Yu Junqing’s bowl. “Nothing. I spoiled him. Got a problem with that?”
Ren Qingyun almost exploded with frustration. It was obvious these two were an item. Before, Bo Rui hadn’t admitted it, but now? Their tone left no room for doubt.
Yu Junqing’s eyes carried a faint blush of shyness, remembering last night. Even now, he felt deeply embarrassed…
It turned out Bo Rui had returned home earlier. Not seeing Yu Junqing, he browsed recent news for anything about him but found nothing. Then he checked news about Director Wang’s film and discovered a small press event. Watching the livestream, he finally saw Yu Junqing on camera.
Anyone else might not have recognized him, but Bo Rui could. There was no part of Yu Junqing that he didn’t know intimately—just that chin beneath the mask was enough.
Seeing Yu Junqing appear, Bo Rui immediately drove to the location. Being alone at home felt empty; a surprise seemed better than solitude.
But the surprise wasn’t successful… only the scare was.
Bo Rui still shivered thinking about it. When he arrived, the event had ended. He saw no one, couldn’t reach anyone by phone, and didn’t know what instinct drove him. Circling nearby, he finally found Yu Junqing curled up in a dark corner, looking pitifully tearful.
Only when Bo Rui lifted him into the car did Yu Junqing realize what had happened. He fought off the sudden surge of despair in his chest, looking into Bo Rui’s eyes, which were full of excitement and joy, like a lost child suddenly found.
“Brother Rui!”
Bo Rui didn’t know what to feel exactly. In the past, he would have despised a man who cried so easily, but with Yu Junqing, he couldn’t explain it—seeing him cry made his heart ache unbearably.
“You’re such a handful, my big treasure. Buckle up, we’ll talk at home.” Bo Rui handed over sunglasses from the car seat, mindful that Yu Junqing was still a public figure.
“Okay.” Yu Junqing’s previous gloom evaporated, and a smile gradually returned. Secretly, he grabbed some tissues to wipe his nose while Bo Rui wasn’t looking.
Bo Rui ignored him; his mind focused on getting him home quickly.
Once home, Bo Rui lifted Yu Junqing and dropped him onto the bed, soft as ever. Yu Junqing rolled instinctively, and Bo Rui quickly pulled him back, warning him not to fall.
“Come here, we need to talk.” Bo Rui’s face grew serious, dimming Yu Junqing’s brief uplifted mood.
“…“ Yu Junqing protested silently, sitting on the other side of the bed, childishly. Bo Rui laughed, scolding him.
“Believe me or not, I’ll spank you—come closer.”
Reluctantly, Yu Junqing leaned in. Though he didn’t believe Bo Rui would actually do it, what if he did?
As he leaned, his long eyelashes fluttered, fingers intertwined with Bo Rui’s. His every movement betrayed his overthinking.
Tsk, karma from a past life, Bo Rui thought. He pulled Yu Junqing close; Yu Junqing collapsed into his arms.
“Hmm? Not pretending anymore?” Bo Rui teased, his voice sounding reproachful but eyes full of unwavering affection. Yu Junqing’s eyes sparkled.
“Brother Rui, you’re not mad at me?” Yu Junqing asked, looking up at the chin so near he could almost kiss it. His eyes were full of joy, leaving no trace of fear.
“Mad at what? That I fell for you? Or that you toyed with me knowing I liked you?” Bo Rui traced Yu Junqing’s trembling lips with his teeth, expressing both mild frustration and deep fondness.
“Mhm…” Yu Junqing murmured, arms draping over Bo Rui’s neck, lips slightly parted, body shivering from the intense warmth surging through him.
“Tsk, you really are…” Bo Rui licked the remaining silver thread at Yu Junqing’s lips, eyes betraying complete surrender.
“Brother Rui,” Yu Junqing whispered, relying on him, unable to hide his happiness.
“Alright, fine. You’ve got me wrapped around your finger. Smile like that, I might devour you later—take it easy.” Bo Rui teased, noticing the faint remnants of their previous intimacy, lifting Yu Junqing slightly away.
Yu Junqing pouted but soon peeked downward mischievously, amused and plotting in equal measure.
“You little teaser.” Bo Rui lightly spanked him, confirming the hand’s perfect feel.
Yu Junqing blushed but wasn’t upset.
“Don’t think looking at me like that makes me forget the serious matter. Tell me, what really happened?” Bo Rui’s gaze was sharp. Yu Junqing, knowing he was seen through, whispered the truth.
“I had seen a few times they said it was a mental problem—mild depression.”
Depression? Bo Rui was surprised but unsurprised—this explained Yu Junqing’s sudden moods.
“Not honest.” Bo Rui positioned him across his lap, holding his chin firmly. “Look me in the eyes and say it again.”
Yu Junqing’s guilty glance betrayed him; Bo Rui radiated the unmistakable aura of someone who would not tolerate lies. He pouted.
“Severe at first, but I got treatment—now it’s mild.”
Bo Rui softened, letting go of nitpicking the nuances; mild or severe, he would pamper him until no trace of depression remained.
“You’re still naughty… Fine, I’ll remember. Come here.” Bo Rui kissed him, releasing the little liar.
Yu Junqing hadn’t expected Bo Rui to stop questioning, surprised yet a bit disappointed, tasting lingering affection on his lips. He licked it, suddenly feeling a twinge of unhappiness.
“You really won’t ask anymore?” he asked, a hint of grievance in his voice.
Bo Rui knew trouble was brewing. If this was mild depression, he would be livid.
“Mhm, no hiding it from me anymore. Little trickster, huh?” Bo Rui smiled at Yu Junqing’s pout, noting his exceptional acting talent; such a delicate face could play endless roles, yet reveal nothing of his masculine aura.
Amused, Yu Junqing nestled against Bo Rui’s chest, listening to his heartbeat, before timidly sharing:
“When I first joined the company, maybe because I looked young, Xu Zong noticed me. I turned the tables, and he blocked my resources.”
Recounting these despairing moments, Yu Junqing felt no lingering despair, kissing Bo Rui’s chin and tightening his embrace.
“I had no resources; it was tough. As a newcomer, it’s hard to get noticed. I refused shortcuts and sank into despondency.”
His voice was light, drifting, tinged with loneliness.
At his lowest, Xu Zong almost trapped him into breaching a contract with a crushing penalty. Fortunately, a kind stranger intervened, helping him escape the trap.
Yet Yu Junqing’s life didn’t improve immediately. He had to fight alone, often pleading for roles, handling his own makeup, leaving indelible scars in his heart.
“So, that’s when you realized you had depression?” Bo Rui asked, holding Yu Junqing’s hands, voice low and full of concern.
“Yes.” Yu Junqing nodded.
He had been lucky: when recognition came, he skyrocketed to fame, often waking from dreams, fearing it wasn’t real.
He realized his mental health was fragile and sought therapy.
“How treated?” Bo Rui asked, concern evident.
“No treatment. I gave up.” Yu Junqing lifted his chin, proud and stubborn.
Bo Rui clenched his other fist, silently reminding himself: this was his treasure, not just a playful nuisance.
Yu Junqing truly gave up treatment. As an actor, he needed to immerse himself fully, and depression made that impossible.
“It matters because you get into character,” Yu Junqing explained playfully, noticing Bo Rui’s face change briefly.
“So, what happened today?” Bo Rui asked, setting aside past matters for the most pressing question.
“…I wanted to surprise you today! But couldn’t.” Yu Junqing complained loudly, frustrated his efforts had been thwarted by work and meddling reporters.
Bo Rui concluded that his treasure might just be slightly moody rather than depressed, perhaps more tsundere than anything.
Yu Junqing fell silent, shyly blushing. Last night’s heart-to-heart had led to both of them wearing pajamas to sleep, skipping the serious matters entirely.
Bo Rui pondered the loss of privilege, now needing to balance comfort with Yu Junqing’s feelings.
Yu Junqing nibbled crab, embarrassed. His true nature had been revealed last night during a flare-up, forcing him into pajamas—so unfair!
Their mental wavelengths aligned. On the surface, they merely exchanged glances, continuing their respective meals, making Ren Qingyun’s blood boil, wanting to storm in.
Unrestrained, Yu Junqing leaned to Bo Rui’s ear mischievously.
“Ren Qingyun’s staying in our suite, right? I know his UK number—shall we give him the address?”
Bo Rui smirked, biting Yu Junqing’s ear.
“What? Did Ren Qingyun offend you? Didn’t I ask him to take good care of you?”
Yu Junqing feigned innocence: “No, I just feel he’s single while we’re together. Poor guy—everyone in love should be paired up!” Hiding his true curiosity, he wondered what kind of man had left such exaggerated marks on Ren Qingyun—and secretly wanted Bo Rui to surpass him.
Bo Rui could sense his treasure’s secret scheming. Normally a little muddle-headed, he clearly remembered grudges.
No wonder Third Brother had asked if he liked his treasure, warning him to pay attention. Their treasure was no innocent rabbit; he had steel teeth, indeed.
Ren Qingyun remained speechless… these two were utterly absorbed in each other. Was there any room left for anyone else?