A sliver of morning sunlight slipped playfully through the gap in the curtains, casting a warm glow on the two sleeping figures.
Shang Yushang’s internal clock was precise as ever—at seven on the dot, he opened his eyes. After a few seconds of hazy disorientation, his gaze settled on the lover nestled in his arms.
The sunlight angled across He Changning’s face, casting a peachy-pink glow over his porcelain skin. His long eyelashes left faint shadows beneath his eyes, brows relaxed in peaceful slumber, a straight nose, and soft, plush lips glimmering invitingly. With each breath, the part of his chest left uncovered rose and fell gently, his head resting sweetly on Shang Yushang’s arm.
Shang Yushang’s eyes darkened with affection. He leaned down and brushed a kiss across those inviting lips, softly tracing their perfect shape.
Disturbed by the affection, He Changning stirred awake. The first thing he saw was a handsome face inches from his own—and the wet warmth on his lips. “Mmm…” He mumbled a protest at being kissed awake.
Shang Yushang took it as permission and deepened the kiss, as if determined to devour his lover whole.
Several minutes later, he finally released the breathless He Changning, giving his now swollen, red lips two more affectionate pecks. Smiling smugly, he said, “Morning, baby. You taste so sweet.”
If anyone from Shangshi Group or the Shang family ever witnessed their notoriously expressionless, iceberg-of-a-heir murmuring such honeyed nonsense, they’d probably think they weren’t hallucinating—but that their entire sense of reality had been corrupted and it was time to see a doctor.
Ever since they’d opened up to each other and started trying to make things work, He Changning had realized just how little he actually knew about Shang Yushang. Public rumors were even more ridiculous—they made him out to be some pure-hearted monk, uninterested in men or women. And yet, their first meeting ended with him holding his hand, their second with forehead kisses, and now he was getting hugged, kissed, groped on the regular.
Where was that cold, untouchable Shang heir? This guy in his bed was just a shameless, clingy flirt!
He Changning punched him on the shoulder. “Can you calm down in the mornings for once? Did my warnings go in one ear and out the other?”
Shang Yushang looked utterly aggrieved. “Changning, that’s not fair. I’m your man. Kissing and hugging you is normal. You can’t expect me to act like some chaste saint with a beauty like you beside me.”
He Changning squinted. “You’ve always got an excuse ready.”
Shang Yushang tightened his arms around him, pulling their bodies even closer. “Changning, I told you I’m serious about this. You can’t deny me the rights of being your man. Of course, I’ll handle all the responsibilities too. That’s why this—” he grinned, “—is my rightful benefit.”
He Changning jabbed him in the forehead. “Dream on. Just because you’re ten years older doesn’t mean you get to play mind games with me. Watch it or I’ll make you regret it.”
“I’d never dare cross you,” Shang Yushang said solemnly, “but I will cling to you, kiss you, and hug you. Sometimes I just can’t help it. Don’t worry—I’ll keep things respectful in public. But in private, you’ve got to meet me halfway, or I’ll start thinking you don’t like me or want to make this work. You promised you’d give us a try. No backing out now.”
“Hmph. You’ve got this all planned out, don’t you?”
“Heh, what can I say? My wife’s mine, and I want to enjoy the perks while still letting him keep his pride.”
He Changning rolled his eyes so hard they nearly stuck. This guy and his nonsense—he spewed it like it was gospel. Was this really the ruthless CEO everyone feared? Or had someone swapped his soul while he slept?
He decided not to bother responding anymore. He climbed out of bed, washed up, and went downstairs for breakfast—with Shang Yushang following step for step.
Breakfast was hearty and delicious. Between Shang Yushang’s prior arrangements and Aunt Qin’s care for He Changning’s health, the meal was both nutritious and indulgent. They both ended up eating a bit too much.
Afterward, they sipped tea to help digest, and Shang Yushang laid out the day’s schedule.
At 9 a.m., the wedding fashion designer arrived. They brought style samples, took precise measurements, noted down preferences, and then sent the specs off to a renowned Italian designer. The outfits would be flown back in about two weeks.
Two hours later, that part of the wedding prep was done. He Changning collapsed onto the couch in exhaustion. Shang Yushang massaged his shoulders. “Tired?”
“Not exactly tired… just… it’s all so much. Kind of overwhelming.”
“A wedding isn’t something to take lightly. If you’re tired, rest a bit.”
“No, there’s not much time left. Grandma’s working so hard for us, and she’s not young anymore. This little effort is nothing in comparison.”
“Alright then, next stop—food. Then we’ll go pick out the jewelry.”
“Jewelry? We’re both men. Why do we need jewelry?”
“There are some things that are still necessary.”
So after a delicious meal, He Changning found himself being dragged off to pick out accessories.
The Shang Group’s department store had everything—including a luxury jewelry wing, of course.
They headed straight for the jewelry section. Shang Yushang picked out a few cufflinks for him—diamond, jade, and other materials—each with a six-figure price tag. He Changning smacked his lips in disbelief. This man… spending like water and not even blinking.
Shang Yushang picked out two imported Swiss watches—the couple’s edition. The only difference between them was that He Changning’s had a slightly smaller dial, better suited to his slender wrist. He also selected several sets of necklaces and bracelets, including platinum and jade pendants—all designed for men.
You had to admit: Shang Yushang had impeccable taste. Price aside, everything he picked matched He Changning’s temperament and status perfectly. Changning didn’t usually wear accessories and wasn’t planning to let him buy anything extravagant, but Shang Yushang’s reasoning was airtight. He said Grandma had specifically instructed him to do this and insisted the pieces suited Changning’s skin tone and personality.
“As a husband, buying jewelry for his wife is not only a gesture of love but a duty to be done properly,” he said with such earnestness that Changning had nothing left to argue. His face was stuck in a pained, constipated-looking grimace the whole time—which only caused the poor salesgirl to keep messing up, likely unsure if she was terrified or just stunned speechless.
They also grabbed a few smaller accessories—tie clips and the like. At one point, Shang Yushang even teasingly asked if Changning wanted an earring, saying that if he ever decided to get his ears pierced, they’d be ready. But when he saw how tight-lipped Changning got, he dropped the idea.
After a full afternoon of shopping, they finally left the mall. He Changning glanced back at Xiao Wu, who was trailing behind them buried under a mountain of shopping bags, and couldn’t help but let out an unkind snicker.
Xiao Wu’s face remained stoic, but internally, he was weeping. Why did he have to be the third wheel during his young master’s wedding shopping spree—and end up as unpaid labor on top of it? He had no say in anything, and yet had to quietly and loyally serve both of them like some silent servant of fate. What did he do to deserve this?
Back in the car, He Changning finally relaxed, only to remember something. “Yushang, I think we forgot the wedding rings.”
Shang Yushang pulled him close to rest against his chest. “They’re coming in a few days. They’re custom-made.”
“When did you order them?”
“Right after we first met.”
He Changning was stunned. He hadn’t expected Shang Yushang to be taking this marriage so seriously—or taking him so seriously. It would be a lie to say he wasn’t moved. And it made him realize—this guy had real confidence. Back then, Changning didn’t even have any real feelings for him. He had agreed to the marriage only because it was contractual. He had planned to go through with it, then walk away clean. But Shang Yushang had already taken on the role of a husband, quietly preparing everything in advance. That kind of care deserved to be treasured.
In the following days, the two of them were run ragged with wedding prep. They returned to the old estate to visit the family elders and check in on the setup of the marital home. When asked for their opinions, both men replied with a smile that Grandma had the final say.
They had decided on a traditional Chinese ceremony. The wedding venue had been chosen—a five-star hotel under the Shang Group banner. Shang Yushang’s older cousin was personally appointed by Grandma to oversee the food and drinks.
The wedding photographer was Hu Fang, grandson of one of Grandma’s longtime friends. Despite being a freelance artist, he was highly sought-after and only agreed to this gig thanks to their grandmothers’ decades-long bond.
They picked a few scenic locations for the shoot, and from preparation to completion, it took three full days. The results were said to be excellent—though the process wasn’t easy. Hu Fang had very high standards. And since Shang Yushang was famously expressionless, that created some difficulty. But all it took was one look from He Changning for the required emotions to appear on his face. Hu Fang watched this play out with a mix of awe and suspicion, as though something profound had clicked in his mind. Still, the shoot went smoothly.
Everything for the wedding was progressing in an orderly, efficient fashion. Busy days passed quickly, and before they knew it, there were only a few days left until the big day.
During all this, Shang Yushang and He Changning had put the matter with the Yin family on hold.
But over at the Yin household, things were far from calm—they were in total panic.
That night, when both He Changning and Aunt Qin had mysteriously vanished, none of the morning staff noticed anything wrong at first. But when Yin Hao woke up from his drunken stupor and was informed the people he had arranged for were gone without a trace, his face went pale. His mind went completely blank.
Yin Zhiyuan, having returned from a night out, exhausted and hungover, freshened up and went down for breakfast. Normally, Aunt Qin would have been in the kitchen by now, but today, she was nowhere to be found.
His mother and wife were away visiting relatives. So that morning, it was just him and Yin Hao at the table.
Yin Hao looked completely out of it, stirring his untouched bowl of porridge in a daze.
Yin Zhiyuan finally asked, “What’s wrong, Yin Hao? Why aren’t you eating?”
Snapping out of his daze, Yin Hao muttered, “I just don’t have an appetite.”
“You should still try to eat something. Your health will suffer otherwise.” He paused. “Changning’s wedding is just around the corner. Do your best not to provoke him right now. Also, has the funding from Shangshi come through? If so, start moving forward on the municipal development project. We cannot afford mistakes with that.”
Yin Hao’s face turned even uglier. His heart pounded with fear, anxiety, and confusion. What the hell had happened last night? Did Dao-ge succeed? Why had everyone disappeared? The phone wasn’t connecting, and not only was He Changning missing, but Aunt Qin had also vanished. Three living, breathing people had just disappeared. How? And why did no one seem to know anything?
If Shang Yushang ever found out, it wouldn’t matter what happened to Changning—he was as good as dead. What made it worse was that Dao-ge had vanished too. It was like the man had fallen off the face of the earth. No matter how many people he contacted, there was zero information. The uncertainty was eating him alive. He couldn’t eat. He couldn’t focus. The construction project? Completely forgotten.
After breakfast, Yin Zhiyuan casually asked one of the staff, “Why didn’t Aunt Qin come down to cook today?”
“She wasn’t here this morning,” the housekeeper replied.
“Go check on her—make sure she’s not sick. If she is, tell the young master to take her to the hospital. And bring her some food while you’re at it.” He gave instructions carefully—he dared not mistreat He Changning in the slightest.
Then came the bombshell.
Yin Hao clenched his fists, face pale and trembling. “Dad… He Changning and Aunt Qin are… gone.”
Yin Zhiyuan froze. “What do you mean, ‘gone’?”
“They’re gone. I don’t know where they are.”
His father’s expression darkened. “What happened? What did you do?”
Yin Hao, already a wreck, realized that hiding it any longer would be pointless. Maybe his father could help. So, he confessed everything he had planned over the past few days.
Yin Zhiyuan took a full minute to process it all. Then he stood up and smacked Yin Hao hard across the face. “You idiot! Do you even understand what you’ve done?!”
Yin Hao staggered, stunned, but didn’t dare talk back. He knew he’d messed up—badly. He couldn’t fix it. His only hope was for his father to handle the fallout.
But what could Yin Zhiyuan do? People didn’t just vanish into thin air—yet that was exactly what had happened. Even the scumbag who carried out the job had disappeared. How was he supposed to find anyone now?
If the Shang family learned that He Changning had vanished under suspicious circumstances, not only would the Yin family face financial ruin, but they themselves would be the first sacrifices to Shang Yushang’s fury.
Father and son sat in the living room, helpless. They called the two women still out visiting and were told they were already on their way home.
The next morning, the entire Yin household of five sat in the living room, staring at one another in silence, dread hanging heavy in the air.
