Shen Yuan looked stunning in the outfit. He wasn’t showing any skin at all—everything was buttoned up and covered—but the cut of the shirt and pants was so precise that it subtly outlined the elegant line of his waist and hips. It was impossible not to think about the body hidden beneath that prim, conservative suit—how delicious it must look under all that restraint.
With his new haircut and without his glasses, Qiao Hailou almost didn’t recognize him. Then he realized, impossibly, that yes—this was still Shen Yuan.
He’d always known the kid was good-looking, but he hadn’t expected this level of good-looking.
He was like a jewel that had been dulled by dust; now that the dust had been brushed away, its shine was unsurprising yet still breathtaking.
Shen Yuan’s mannerisms were still a little stiff. Qiao Hailou understood—this kid had no idea how handsome he actually was. For whatever reason, Shen Yuan seemed to feel insecure about his looks, always trying to hide himself.
So what got into him this time? How did he suddenly know to dress himself up? Just that tiny bit of effort, and he was dazzling.
These past weeks, Qiao Hailou’s feelings had been… complicated.
At first, he’d been angry. Furious, actually.
He hadn’t been this mad in years. It was like a hunter who gets pecked in the eye by the very goose he tried to shoot.
He’d been played. Him! In business he almost never made mistakes—much less get fooled by a boy he’d treated like a little plaything. He was always the one to toy with and deceive others. And now he’d been toyed with? By a schoolboy?
Maybe it was because it was the first time in his life that someone that young—a student, no less—had tricked him. Or maybe it was because he honestly thought Shen Yuan liked him, at least a little. Turned out it had all been wishful thinking.
Then came the jealousy.
Shen Yuan had been secretly in love with his stepfather—and used him as a substitute. Thinking back now, at their first meeting, when Shen Yuan called him “uncle,” he must’ve mistaken his profile for Li Chen’s.
Qiao Hailou had known Li Chen for years. Li Chen had always been the obedient son, disciplined, uptight. When Hailou began clawing his way up in business and making a fortune, Li Chen—several years older—was still studying, quiet and unremarkable. And what kind of person was Li Chen? In Hailou’s mind, he was so mild he barely had a temper; soft-hearted to a fault; the type to walk around an ant on the sidewalk. His looks were average—nothing compared to himself.
Li Chen was boring. Average. So in what world was he better than Qiao Hailou? They were both men in their thirties or forties—so why did Shen Yuan like Li Chen and not him?
The longer he thought, the less he could accept it.
Then, slowly, he cooled off. And his interest in Shen Yuan only grew—but he still didn’t know what to do with him.
Take revenge? What was the point of picking a fight with a kid more than ten years his junior? That was just stupid… And his pride absolutely refused to believe he could lose to someone that young. Impossible.
Then what? Say he regained control of the situation—then what? Qiao Hailou wasn’t the type to act without thinking ahead. He needed a long-term plan.
What if Shen Yuan really did fall for him one day? Being adored by someone that young was nothing but trouble. A relationship only had two outcomes: break up, or get married. Marriage was never happening—not in this lifetime. So if the kid fell for him, he’d play with him for a while, get bored, break it off, and pay him generously. He was never stingy with his lovers.
And then… Shen Yuan never came to him.
Even now—it was still Qiao Hailou who couldn’t hold back and came to see him first.
Shen Yuan hadn’t even turned around yet, but he already felt that scorching gaze on his back. He resisted for a moment, then finally turned to search for the source—and saw Qiao Hailou.
Everyone else in the office had their attention on Shen Yuan; no one realized the boss had arrived yet.
Shen Yuan saw Qiao Hailou, and Qiao Hailou saw him.
It had been half a month since they last contacted each other.
Seeing each other again—both slightly changed from before—felt like a brief but unmistakable reunion.
The moment Shen Yuan met that admiring, heated gaze, his cheeks warmed. He wasn’t used to being looked at like that. But right after, his pride surged—full to the point of overflowing.
It felt amazing.
He nearly wanted to brag.
He had imagined how Qiao Hailou would react when they met again. He’d assumed that shameless old fox would be easily seduced—then he could carry out his plan: hook him, identify his weak points, and use them against him. But seeing Qiao Hailou practically staring at him in a daze made Shen Yuan’s heart beat faster, a shy flutter rising in spite of himself. Damn that man—his gaze was way too blatant.
Shen Yuan forced himself to calm down, lifted his chin a little, narrowed his eyes, and gave a small, triumphant smile—as if to say: Well? I look good, don’t I, old perv?
They stared at each other from afar.
In Shen Yuan’s eyes, Qiao Hailou saw something glimmering—like tiny shards of diamond.
Trying to reel me in again, huh, he thought. He almost laughed. The kid was arrogant and bratty in the cutest way; it stirred a sudden urge in him to tame him.
Couldn’t let him think he’d succeeded.
Just as Shen Yuan was about to call out to him—
Qiao Hailou lifted a finger to his lips and gave a soft “shh,” shaking his head.
Shen Yuan blinked, confused, as Qiao Hailou… turned and walked away.
Shen Yuan: “……”
He just left??
Back in his office, Bai Lu grumbled, “Where did you disappear to? The meeting’s about to start.”
Qiao Hailou still had a smile tugging at his lips. “Sorry, sorry. Coming.”
Bai Lu had worked with him for years and knew him well. “Why do you look so pleased? What were you doing?”
Qiao Hailou thought for a moment, then said, “Mm… I ran into this adorable little stray cat recently. Fed him a few times. I was thinking of taking him home, but he’s really disobedient. I checked on him again today—still adorable.”
Bai Lu was bewildered. “A cat? You want a cat? If you want a cute, obedient one, just adopt a proper breed. They’re all pretty and well-behaved.”
Qiao Hailou shook his head, smiling. “You don’t get it. I’m waiting for him to come to me.”
He would. Shen Yuan absolutely would.
When the meeting ended, Qiao Hailou checked his phone and saw a message from Shen Yuan:
Qiao-shushu, let’s sit down and have a proper talk.
The prey had taken the bait.
Qiao Hailou replied: After work. Seven o’clock. Parking lot, Zone D. Rolls-Royce Phantom.
He didn’t have to wait long.
A soft tap on the window—Shen Yuan stood outside. He unlocked the door, and Shen Yuan slid into the passenger seat.
Qiao Hailou didn’t speak first. He only glanced at him—up close, the kid looked even better—but he refused to let Shen Yuan notice that he liked this look, so he deliberately avoided staring.
Shen Yuan leaned close, suddenly docile, smiling sweetly. “Qiao-shushu, are you still mad? Why are you being so petty?”
Too fake. Obviously fake.
Fake to the point of being funny.
Hailou’s stern expression collapsed. “You’ve got some nerve smiling. You’ve even got the face to come find me.”
Shen Yuan shamelessly said, “Well, you said you were waiting for me to come to you, didn’t you? So here I am.”
“But I still don’t really get what’s going on between us.”
“Qiao-shushu, do you still want to keep having an improper man-to-man relationship with me or not?”
Qiao Hailou caught the faint scent of cologne on him. How could someone with such an innocent face say something that indecent? Clearly, he wasn’t scared at all. In all this time, this kid hadn’t reflected on his lies one bit.
Qiao Hailou narrowed his eyes. “What do you want?”
Shen Yuan shifted suddenly, climbing onto his lap, hands on his shoulders, staring him down. “Of course I can’t bear to lose Qiao-shushu.”
Hailou wrapped an arm around his waist, laughing. “Do you think I’m stupid, you little brat?”
“I didn’t lie to you,” Shen Yuan insisted. “You never asked why I wanted to meet you in the first place. If you had, I would’ve told you. I’m very honest. But now you already know.”
“You think I’d willingly be a stand-in?” Hailou asked.
Shen Yuan said, “Don’t put it like that, Qiao-shushu. We both got what we wanted. I keep you company when you’re bored, and you happen to look like the person I like. We’re just having fun. You don’t have to take it seriously or be responsible. Isn’t that perfect?”
The nonsense flowed out smooth as silk. Qiao Hailou was half amused, half annoyed. “You really know how to take advantage. You think I can’t find anyone else? Think I’m so old I need you to keep me company?”
Shen Yuan mumbled, “I didn’t mean that…”
“If you don’t want to play with me, I can’t force you,” he added pitifully. “I’m just a nobody.”
“But I really do like you, Qiao-shushu. Especially in bed. We’re perfect together there. After sleeping with you, I don’t even want to try anyone else.”
Hailou raised an eyebrow. Any man would feel secretly pleased being complimented like that.
He tried to keep a straight face.
Not moved yet? Shen Yuan felt he’d already thrown away every shred of dignity he had. Testing the tiger, he leaned closer and kissed Qiao Hailou lightly on the cheek.
“Qiao-shushu?”
Another kiss. “Qiao-shushu? Qiao-shushu…”
“Don’t be mad… Don’t bother with someone as clueless and ungrateful as me.”
To Qiao Hailou, the kid felt like a little cat pushing its fluffy head against his chest, begging for affection—soft paws kneading at his heart. He was charmed to death—and also determined not to give in too easily.
How could Shen Yuan be so blatantly insincere? Not even pretending anymore.
But then Shen Yuan rubbed against him again. And kissed him. And despite trying, Hailou still reacted physically.
Shen Yuan noticed immediately. He grinned, pretending to be innocent. “Qiao-shushu, does your car shake a lot when you do it in here?”
Tch, he thought smugly. This old man was way too easy. One tug and he bit the hook.