Xie Huai leaned against the doorframe, looking completely pleased with himself.
“It’s for you. Unless you’ve got someone else in mind who should be on your bed.”
Qi Xu stepped into the room and pressed down on the mattress—it was ridiculously soft.
He checked the brand, then whistled inwardly. No way this bed cost less than six figures.
“You out here putting your startup money into this? Tens of thousands for a bed—what kind of return are you expecting from this investment?” Qi Xu joked, a little envious. “Huai-ge, if you’ve got money to burn, invest in me. I swear you won’t regret it.”
Xie Huai gave him a slow once-over, eyes dragging down and back up like he was appraising a product for its market value. He didn’t say a word.
The look made Qi Xu feel like he was back in a business negotiation, with Xie Huai sitting across from him, staring silently.
Back then, Qi Xu had thought he was being provoked—and so he’d refused to budge on his bottom line.
The final negotiation fell through, and they parted on a sour note. Qi Xu stood up without a word, buttoned his coat, and walked out the door—only to hear Xie Huai’s assistant calling after him.
“President Qi, it’s lunchtime. President Xie has booked a private room at Muni and would like to invite you and your team to join.”
Qi Xu declined. Just thinking about Xie Huai’s face made him feel full from rage. He was so upset that when he got back to the office, he couldn’t even eat lunch.
A few days later, when the negotiations resumed, Qi Xu sent Li Kaixing in his place and gave him strict instructions—not to give in no matter what. Drag it out if necessary, just don’t let Xie Huai get the upper hand.
And then—Xie Huai gave in. He signed the contract on the spot.
Qi Xu stared at the signed contract, even angrier than before. He was so mad, he skipped afternoon tea. That scared Li Kaixing enough to consider taking him to the hospital.
Qi Xu had a notorious sweet tooth, and the whole team enjoyed daily afternoon tea—all paid out of his own pocket.
Eventually, Qi Xu couldn’t hold it in anymore and asked, “What the hell are you looking at?”
Xie Huai replied, “Just checking where on you my investment is going.”
Qi Xu pointed to his head. “Here. My brain.”
Xie Huai reached out and ruffled his hair, like he was playing with a favorite toy he couldn’t put down, messing it up completely.
Qi Xu glared at him and snapped, “Get lost.” Only then did Xie Huai reluctantly pull his hand away.
Qi Xu resisted the urge to throw hands—mostly because the bed was ridiculously expensive. If he ever ran out of money, he figured he could probably sell the bed and bail himself out. Consider it an investment from Xie Huai that he was just… holding on to.
He glanced at Xie Huai’s room and realized the man’s bed wasn’t as big or as pricey as his own.
In this whole penthouse, his bed might actually be the most valuable thing.
One second later, that sense of pride got smashed.
He watched as Xie Huai’s people hauled in box after box of luggage—velvet cases labeled with watches and accessories. Turned out, even the apartment wasn’t the most expensive thing anymore.
If they ever got robbed, Qi Xu figured he might as well just hand over the property deed and call it a day. Sacrifice the small to save the big.
The more he looked, the more annoyed he felt. What kind of landlord is poorer than his tenant? Apparently—him.
So he took the incense burner he’d bought for ¥4500 and headed out to the balcony to light some incense.
He hadn’t really done it properly since he brought it back to the dorm, but now he could finally focus. He lit it with a ten-thousand-yuan lighter.
Which, by the way, he’d casually taken from Xie Huai’s luggage. Xie Huai had said, “Go ahead, use it for lighting incense.”
Qi Xu fiddled with the lighter. He kind of wanted to light a cigarette, felt like a waste just holding it like this.
It took them the entire afternoon to move everything in. Qi Xu seriously suspected that Xie Huai had brought his entire household over. The walk-in closet was completely filled—with clothes for all four seasons, arranged meticulously by color and shade.
This man was not playing around.
Compared to Xie Huai’s fully stocked wardrobe, Qi Xu’s own closet looked like it belonged to someone just crashing there for a few days—barely any clothes at all.
He sat on the couch, watching Lao Gao direct workers as they replaced the dining table. The new one was the exact design Xie Huai had shown him a few days ago. Back then, Qi Xu had been busy playing Snake on his phone, glanced at it, and thought, Looks fine—never imagining it would actually end up in his home.
Seriously? Just went ahead without another word?
Qi Xu thought to himself, Forget it. This house is part Xie Huai’s now anyway. Though he did wonder—if Xie Huai ever moved out, who would the appliances, the table, and the bed belong to?
His five-person friend group chat was buzzing. Xu Yichen, having heard about the harassment incident, sent a special message to check in on him.
Qi Xu replied briefly, but Xu Yichen complained that his texting speed was like a senior citizen’s and called him directly.
First thing out of his mouth: “Qi Xu, you never saw me as a real brother.”
Like Qi Xu had ghosted him after a one-night stand or something.
Qi Xu chuckled lazily from the couch. “C’mon, Young Master Xu, one bottle of Macallan is enough to seal our brotherhood for life.”
“Oh yeah? Then how many more bottles would I need to buy to extend our friendship a few more lifetimes? I think you’re just trying to con me out of my liquor,” Xu Yichen shot back. “Seriously though, why didn’t you tell me something that big happened? What, is Xie Huai your only ‘brother’ now? I could’ve helped too, you know.”
“Next time someone harasses me, I’ll call you first…” Before Qi Xu could finish, his ear was pinched, and he sucked in a sharp breath.
He leaned back and looked up—only to see Xie Huai looming behind the couch, pinching his earlobe again. That sunny face from earlier turned dark in an instant.
From clear skies to thunderstorm.
Qi Xu suddenly went silent. On the other end of the line, Xu Yichen panicked. “What’s wrong? Who’s bothering you?”
With a sigh, Qi Xu held up the phone to the “offender.”
Xie Huai looked at the phone and said in a low voice, “None of your business.”
The moment Xu Yichen heard that voice, he started shouting, “Unbelievable! You two are off scheming again behind my back! Send me your address right now—if I find you, you’re both dead meat!”
Qi Xu burst out laughing. “Don’t forget the housewarming gift. We’re still missing a few things around here.”
He glanced at Xie Huai, who caught his look and smoothly added, “We’re short on Chardonnay.”
Xu Yichen swore under his breath—“You two are conspiring to rob me blind”—and hung up.
Qi Xu put down his phone, the lingering sensation on his earlobe impossible to ignore. He said, “Keep touching, and I’ll start charging you.”
A Ferrari key landed on his lap. That was… a different kind of payment.
Qi Xu immediately sat up from the couch, half-kneeling, and offered his other ear. “Please—go ahead.”
Good thing his ears weren’t one of his sensitive spots. Otherwise, he’d never be able to make this kind of money.
Xie Huai raised a brow. “Don’t you have a shred of self-respect?”
Qi Xu twirled the car key. “In front of Young Master Xie, I’ve never had any pride. Just don’t forget I said I’d cling to your leg one day. When I do…”
His position put him slightly above Xie Huai, creating a subtle air of dominance—but not intentionally. It was more like he was baring his neck, exposing something fragile and vulnerable to an enemy.
Xie Huai’s eyes drifted to that pale strip of skin. He reached out and gently pressed a thumb to the side of Qi Xu’s neck—a motion that could easily turn suffocating.
Qi Xu didn’t say anything. He looked at Xie Huai with a hint of confusion but didn’t resist. His Adam’s apple bobbed slightly, grazing across Xie Huai’s thumb.
That reaction clearly pleased Xie Huai. He curled his lips and pulled Qi Xu closer, their breaths mingling in the short space between them.
“Never said you couldn’t cling to me,” he murmured. “You’re the only one who can.”
Qi Xu could hear the ticking of Xie Huai’s watch—tick, tick, tick—but something else was even louder. His own heartbeat, thudding wildly out of rhythm.
Just then, Chen Wei and Lao Gao entered the room, hauling in large potted plants. The moment they saw the two young masters tangled on the couch, they froze, quickly set down the plants, and did an about-face. Both stood at attention like soldiers, eyes fixed firmly on the doorframe.
Qi Xu brushed Xie Huai’s hand off his neck, got up, slipped on his shoes, and walked out to the balcony. He picked up the lighter and lit another stick of incense.
His mood was… complicated. He started to roll his prayer beads, breathing in the sandalwood scent, hoping it would help him calm down.
Only thing missing was chanting a mantra for peace of mind.
Hearing footsteps, Chen Wei and Lao Gao turned around. One young master was lighting incense on the balcony; the other was watching them with a cold, unreadable stare.
A chill ran down Chen Wei’s spine. Under that oppressive gaze, he and Lao Gao quietly put the plants in place and slipped out as fast as possible.
Half an hour later, security called to report that someone had delivered a housewarming gift. Xie Huai happened to be in the living room and told them to bring it up.
Soon, several people in chef’s uniforms showed up, carrying in boxes of ingredients.
Qi Xu got up from the couch and asked Xie Huai, “You hired them?”
“It’s from Xu Yichen,” Xie Huai replied.
Right after he spoke, Xu Yichen walked in with Fang Qian and Jiang Zimu in tow.
The moment they entered, the trio casually changed into indoor slippers like they were used to the place, hands full of housewarming gifts. Qi Xu immediately spotted the bottle of Chardonnay in Xu Yichen’s hand.
Xu Yichen set down his stuff and immediately launched into exploration mode. “So the two of you really have been hiding a secret home! I’m moving in today. Let’s live together like one big happy family—just the three of us.”
Qi Xu placed a few cups of hot tea on the table. “Sorry, but in this ‘happy family,’ you’re sleeping on the couch.”
Still not giving up, Xu Yichen pressed on. “Why can’t I just sleep with you? Your bed’s big enough to do cartwheels on.”
Xie Huai shot that down immediately: “You can rent the bathroom. Twenty grand a month.”
Xu Yichen wandered into the guest room next, spotting the minimalist decor that clearly screamed Xie Huai. “You’re heartless. I might as well just rent a place downstairs.”
Fang Qian cupped her tea, warming her hands as she followed along with growing curiosity. “Did you guys just move in today?”
Qi Xu said, “Yeah, you caught us at the perfect time.”
Jiang Zimu headed straight for the floor-to-ceiling windows, opened the door, and stepped out onto the balcony.
The three of them spent a full twenty minutes snooping around the place before finally regrouping in the living room like a courtroom trial, facing off with Qi Xu and Xie Huai.
Qi Xu had curled up on the sofa in the most comfortable position he could find, while Xie Huai sat cross-legged beside him, a laptop resting on his legs.
The three friends surrounded them in a semi-circle. Xu Yichen began the interrogation in mock seriousness. “So whose house is this?”
Qi Xu raised his hand. “Mine.”
Xu Yichen clutched his chest dramatically and looked at Xie Huai with pain in his eyes. “Our poor Huai really did marry in.”
Xie Huai paused his typing, gave him a glance, and said nothing.
Qi Xu figured “marrying in” was a bit too much of a downgrade, so he explained, “He’s renting. We’re landlord and tenant.”
Fang Qian glanced at the way their legs were practically tangled together and suddenly had doubts about that “landlord-tenant” label.
She’d mostly let go of that idea after the start-of-term party, but now, seeing Xie Huai here as a so-called renter, it all started making a strange kind of sense.
After all, this was Xie Huai. Who could get him to lower himself to renting a place? If it was Qi Xu… well, that didn’t seem so crazy anymore.
Jiang Zimu asked sincerely, “Is he the kind that actually pays rent?”
Qi Xu laughed. “Is there any other kind of tenant? What am I, running a charity? Unless… Huai-ge pays with his body?”
Pfft! Xu Yichen spewed fruit tea all over the place, his face turning red. The brand-new carpet was instantly ruined.
Xie Huai frowned. “Disgusting. Clean that up. Or get out.”
And so, for the first time in his life, Young Master Xu found himself vacuuming a friend’s rug.
Grumbling, he said, “I did bring a gift, you know. This is how you treat a guest?”
No one paid him any attention. The dining table was already set, covered with dishes the chefs had prepared.
All the cooks were staff from the Xu family’s Michelin-starred restaurant. After finishing the meal, they professionally cleaned the kitchen and left without a trace.
The weather had just started turning cool with the arrival of fall, and the evening chill was noticeable. On the table, a pot of braised lamb simmered steadily. Beside it, a bubbling seafood hotpot steamed, warming the room. There was also a dish of sweet-and-sour spare ribs, added last-minute at Xie Huai’s request after he grabbed fresh ribs from the fridge.
Xie Huai brought out freshly washed glasses from the cabinet and set one in front of each person. Qi Xu took the Chardonnay Xu Yichen had brought and began to open it.
Watching the scene, Xu Yichen leaned toward Fang Qian and whispered, “Why do I feel like this is a gender-flipped domestic setup? Like, he’s the housewife, and Huai’s the breadwinner. Is this my problem, or theirs?”
Fang Qian rolled her eyes at him. “Why don’t you go ask them who’s the ‘wife’ in the relationship?”
Xu Yichen gave an awkward laugh. “You trying to get me killed? If I really asked, Qi Xu would probably punch me straight down the stairs.”
Fang Qian replied, “Then just keep your eyes open and your mouth shut.”
With that order, Xu Yichen did exactly that—he simply observed, not saying another word.
The five of them gathered around the table, diving into dinner with cheerful chatter.
Qi Xu munched on ribs while listening to the gossip about people in their circle: one young heir rebelled against an arranged marriage, ran off with his girlfriend, and got caught when his credit card was flagged while buying train tickets. The great escape ended before it even began.
Another notorious playboy inherited the family business, managed to lose almost eighty million, and shocked his paralyzed father into a miraculous recovery—only to be chased around the house with a cane.
Qi Xu listened and laughed, occasionally clinking glasses with the others.
The only thing that didn’t come up was the shift of power in the Shen family. Though it was major news in their circles, no one brought it up.
Shen Zhuohai had been stripped of power by the old man. Shen Zeyu had taken a medical leave from school. Only Shen Fengkai had managed to climb into the general manager seat. Now, the whole Shen family seemed to be running on fumes.
The three of them were using this get-together as an excuse to check on Qi Xu, and thankfully, he seemed completely unaffected. He’d even moved to a new place—though he wasn’t living alone.
In short, Qi Xu’s life was looking up, just as they had hoped.
Qi Xu was sharp enough to know what was on their minds—especially Jiang Zimu, who probably didn’t coordinate his lines with the others and had secretly asked Qi Xu if he was really doing okay before dinner.
Some things just couldn’t be hidden once you grew up. Jiang the Great Master, indeed.
Qi Xu raised his glass to them with a smile. “Thanks for coming to our little housewarming. It’s a bit last-minute today, so this doesn’t really count as the real deal. Next time, I’ll host you all properly. And of course, big thanks to Young Master Xu for sponsoring tonight’s feast.”
Everyone raised their glasses to toast him, and Xu Yichen couldn’t help thinking, Why does this feel more and more like a wedding banquet? And I’m the one footing the bill.
After everyone had eaten and drunk their fill, Jiang Zimu—clearly drunk—didn’t cause a scene, but instead pulled out a sketchbook from his backpack and sat quietly on the couch, staring at Qi Xu.
Qi Xu felt like teasing him and asked, “What are you up to?”
Jiang Zimu answered earnestly, “Xu-ge, I want to draw.”
After all this time, that obsession was still there. Clearly, he really did want to draw.
Qi Xu was in a good mood tonight and said, “Alright. How do you want to draw me?”
Under the influence of alcohol, Jiang Zimu moved slowly. He put down his sketchbook and walked over to Qi Xu.
“Whoa, whoa—hey?” Qi Xu leaned back as Jiang Zimu’s hand reached right toward his face, clearly trying to feel the shape of his features.
Master Jiang gets bold when he’s drunk, Qi Xu thought, quickly shoving a throw pillow into his hands before he could make contact.
Jiang Zimu hugged the pillow and said, “Xu-ge, your head is so square. Perfect for outlining.”
Qi Xu: “……”
Xie Huai walked out of the kitchen just in time to catch this scene in the living room. As he approached, he heard Jiang Zimu say, “Take your shirt off, Xu-ge. I want to see your muscle structure.”
Qi Xu watched in horror as Jiang Zimu unzipped the pillow, pulling out the cover and the stuffing.
It was the second time that night Qi Xu was completely speechless. That’s not taking off a shirt. If that pillow were me, I’d be skinned alive right now—muscles, bones, and all.
Qi Xu quietly scooted backward. As he stood up, his eyes met Xie Huai’s.
Xie Huai narrowed his eyes. “Taking off what shirt?”
Jiang Zimu heard Xie Huai’s voice and picked up a second pillow from the couch. “Huai-ge, you take off your shirt too. I need a comparison.”
Qi Xu pointed with a smirk. “There, he’s about to strip your shirt now, Huai-ge. Looks like your muscles don’t measure up to mine. You better work out more.”
Xie Huai: “……”
