Chapter 91

Qi Xu returned to the open-plan apartment and resumed his normal life—or rather, the promise he made to Xie Huai that day: uttering those three words, “I do.” At least no chains appeared on his wrists or ankles anymore.

 

Perhaps because they were in the flat—Qi Xu’s territory—Xie Huai exercised restraint. After all, he was still a tenant here, though at night he slept in the same room as his landlord.

The plushie cat from the villa had been brought along too, clinging to Qi Xu like glue. Every morning it would leap onto their bed.

 

It particularly loved stretching out between Qi Xu and Xie Huai, its rear facing Xie Huai while its head buried in Qi Xu’s neck.

Xie Huai woke up every morning to see a tuft of fur—today was no exception. The furball even purred softly, kneading Qi Xu’s shoulder.

 

Qi Xu was roused by the pressure. Still half-asleep, he glanced at the cat, reaching out to pet it. The next moment, the cat leapt into the air and was tossed to the foot of the bed. What landed in his palm instead was a clump of hair, not particularly soft.

 

Xie Huai took the cat’s spot, nestling against Qi Xu’s neck, his warm breath tickling the skin.

Qi Xu flinched, his neck tensing. “You want to knead too?”

 

Xie Huai didn’t answer Qi Xu’s question. He burrowed under the covers, his actions clearly stating he had no intention of doing so.

Qi Xu’s mind was still foggy from sleep. It wasn’t until his pajama top was lifted and Xie Huai began rubbing against his chest that he fully woke up.

Then, in a soft whisper by his ear: “Not milk. Food.”

 

Before long, Qi Xu’s face flushed crimson as he struggled to suppress something. Suddenly, a pitiful meow sounded from the bedside. Unable to endure it any longer, he kicked Xie Huai away.

“You bastard, stop biting.”

 

Xie Huai pulled Qi Xu under the covers, and the two wrestled on the bed, knocking over the bed frame. With the outcome still undecided, they’d continue tonight.

 

Old habits die hard. Xie Huai’s oral fixation wasn’t going anywhere. Winter was manageable—clothes provided cover. But summer? A T-shirt offered no concealment.

What’s wrong with him? Qi Xu sighed in resignation. Turning to leave the bathroom, he passed the walk-in closet and spotted scratch marks on Xie Huai’s back.

Tit for tat. Evened out.

 

After washing up, the two sat down for breakfast in the dining room. Qi Xu confirmed today’s schedule before opening the private chat with Xu Yichen, who had messaged early that morning.

After reading through all his messages, she handed the phone to Xie Huai: “Xu Yichen confessed. But from what he said, it doesn’t seem like he initiated it. He’s really agonizing over whether to make a proper confession now.”

 

Xie Huai sent a voice message to the other side: “Don’t disturb my boyfriend while he’s eating breakfast.”

Xu Yichen quickly replied with a voice message: “Oh, come on. So what if you have a boyfriend? I have a girlfriend—did I ask for your opinion? Give me back my phone, Mr. Qi.”

 

Now that he was no longer single, Xu Yichen felt fearless. Though his role had shifted from pursuer to pursued, at least his 18-year streak of singledom had finally ended.

Xie Huai picked up a soup dumpling for Qi Xu, placed the phone within his reach, and let him focus on breakfast.

Qi Xu spoke while eating: “Xu Yichen must be serious, right?”

 

In their past lives, this pairing never materialized. Whether by accident or missed opportunity, the last news Xie Huai heard about Xu Yichen was Fang Qian mentioning his impending engagement.

Though they’d been mutually infatuated in their youth, fate had torn them apart. Now that they’d pledged their hearts, Xie Huai wondered if history would repeat itself—especially given how tragic their previous ending had been.

 

Xie Huai said, When he was sixteen, he suddenly told me he thought he liked someone. He couldn’t keep secrets. During a vacation, he let me know the person he liked was Fang Qian. Xu Yichen might seem carefree, but he knew high school was a crucial period. He was determined to wait until after the college entrance exams, when Fang Qian would be of age, to confess. He was overly cautious and hesitant. It was only natural that Fang Qian took the initiative.”

 

“As for whether he was serious—he was. The Xus don’t raise flighty men. And you needn’t worry about the Xus and Fangs. The two matriarchs are sworn sisters. If they knew about the two of them, they’d probably be happier than the boys themselves.”

Qixu couldn’t help but feel relieved upon hearing Xie Huai’s words. Then, realizing Xie Huai disapproved of Xu Yichen’s hesitant nature, he twisted his mouth: ” Not confessing in high school is perfectly normal. It could easily affect college entrance exams.”

Xie Huai looked at Qi Xu. Only half a year had passed since their high school days, yet the person before him seemed like a different person. The photo on his student ID hadn’t changed much, but his aura felt entirely different.

He had become more cheerful, more radiant, more…

 

Yet, perhaps not changed at all. When Xie Huai first met Qi Xu, he had always possessed this very character—bursting into his life like a vibrant sun.

“If we’d attended the same high school, I would have confessed to you.”

Qi Xu paused, propping his chin up. “You really wanted to start dating early? Weren’t you afraid it would affect my studies?”

 

Xie Huai replied, “As your boyfriend, I’d help you make up for it.”

Qixu recalled how Xie Huai had highlighted key points for his final exams. He could easily imagine how relentless this person would be about pushing him to study if they attended the same high school.

Fortunately, they were already in college.

 

After breakfast, Xie Huai drove Qi Xu to Yunrui, with Chen Wei and Lao Gao following behind in their car.

Just as Qi Xu unbuckled his seatbelt, Xie Huai grabbed the back of his neck and pulled him in.

Qi Xu chuckled, looking at Xie Huai in his sharp suit. He tilted his head and kissed him lightly.

Xie Huai wasn’t satisfied, and they ended up sharing a lingering goodbye kiss before work.

Unfortunately, Li Kaixing and Zhong Aiming witnessed the couple kissing in the car.

Only after Qi Xu got out and the Maybach drove away did Li Kaixing hurry over: “Boss, why are you back at the company?”

The Shen family scandal continued to rage outside, with every reporter eager to interview Qi Xu, the central figure.

For days he remained out of sight. Some journalists, hoping to cash in on the news, trekked all the way to M City only to find that Xie Huai, with foresight, had bought out all reporting rights.

 

In the end, reporters could only latch onto the Shen family’s concealment of the baby swap, fueling widespread public discontent toward the family.

Online, the only photos of Qi Xu were those background images on Q University’s freshman military training public account.

 

Li Kaixing assumed Qi Xu would be working from home during this period, but to his surprise, he returned to the company within days.

 

The intricacies of the kidnapping remained unknown to ordinary people, who couldn’t have imagined how many others would be implicated when the Shen family’s baby swap was exposed.

Qi Xu followed them into the elevator: “Where else would the boss go if not back to the company?”

 

Wow, that makes perfect sense. Li Kaixing asked with gossipy curiosity, “So you’ve been staying with Xie Shao these past few days?”

Xie Huai’s face had been frequently visible during video conferences. Even Su Kehao, who joined late, knew the boss had a boyfriend and they were deeply in love.

Qi Xu hummed in acknowledgment: “Hiding out at his place.”

 

Qi Xu’s sudden appearance at Yunrui after so long away immediately drew attention. Everyone had seen the boss before, but no one had seen the boss replaced by a lookalike.

Li Kaixing, who was usually all fun and games at the office, suddenly turned serious and announced to everyone: You can admire the boss’s good looks, but no photos. If I find out anyone posted pictures online, or if reporters show up at the company entrance tomorrow, don’t blame me for calling you in for a talk.”

Qi Xu patted his shoulder and said, “It’s not that serious. Appearing in public means photos are inevitable.”

 

He then turned to the employees: “Just make sure to say nice things about me when you’re interviewed—call me the most generous boss, the most humane boss. Give Yunrui some publicity too.”

The employees had been with Yunrui since its founding, considered founding members. Over the past year, they knew Yunrui’s benefits were unmatched by any other company. They didn’t want to lose their jobs.

 

They chimed in one after another.

“Don’t worry, boss. We won’t say a word outside. Those reporters are like zombies. I sure don’t want Yunrui swarmed by them.”

“It’s almost New Year’s. I just want to finish this shift peacefully and then relax during the holiday.”

 

“I’m counting on the company’s year-end bonus—I’ve got better things to worry about.”

Qi Xu smiled. “Rest assured, the annual awards will be generous. Everyone, stay tuned.”

The employees couldn’t help but cheer at Qi Xu’s words. Ordinary folks like them cared little for the affairs of the wealthy elite; year-end bonuses and holidays were what truly mattered to them.

 

Before entering his office, Qi Xu instructed Li Kaixing to gather all the senior managers.

Besides Su Kehao, a new marketing manager had recently been hired. Yunrui was growing rapidly, and its two-story office space had become too restrictive.

“After the New Year, I plan to lease the upper floor from Chuangzhi. If you have any thoughts, feel free to share them.”

 

Li Kaixing had assumed Qi Xu summoned them to discuss project updates, but instead, he immediately brought up buying property. What a relief to have such a financially secure boss.

“No objections whatsoever. Isn’t Chuangzhi’s bankruptcy a boon for us? Their collapse fuels our growth. General Manager He even said goodbye to me the other day—he’s jumped ship to the big factory next door. He hasn’t even settled into his new position yet.”

 

Zhong Aiming knew the inside story of Chuangzhi’s bankruptcy but kept quiet, only saying, “Chuangzhi went under without paying the overdue rent, and some employees’ salaries are still unpaid. The matter hasn’t been resolved yet. I’m worried someone might come upstairs to cause trouble.”

 

Su Kehao found Zhong Aiming’s concerns valid: “The fallout is indeed problematic. Chuangzhi is currently embroiled in lawsuits, and their employees occasionally cause disturbances downstairs. The lower floors are leased, but the upper floors sit empty. If we don’t rent them, we’ll have to relocate our branch to another high-rise elsewhere. Staying within the same industrial park would be manageable, but moving to a different one would be troublesome.”

 

The Marketing Manager, the most senior present with extensive professional experience, countered: “Leasing the upper floors would require hiring a large number of staff. Given the post-holiday hiring surge, and since Chuangzhi and Yunrui are similar companies, I don’t foresee any trouble. We’ll open recruitment, and the new hires will likely be employees laid off by Chuangzhi.”

 

Li Kaixing nodded in agreement: “The post-holiday period is indeed a hiring surge. Many of my classmates quit before the holidays and are job hunting now.”

After several executives voiced their opinions, the decision to lease the space was finalized.

Li Kaixing even made bold declarations about helping Yunrui grow stronger and larger, sounding like he was pledging allegiance to some secret society.

 

Zhong Aiming eventually escorted him out, tapping his head with a document, while Su Kehao and the marketing manager tried to calm him down.

Qi Xu leaned back in his chair, his expression relaxed, completely free from the oppression he had felt at Shen’s in his previous life.

Yunrui was entirely his own creation—built from nothing, growing step by step. The sense of fulfillment was unlike anything he had ever known.

 

He even found himself anticipating Yunrui’s growth and expansion, brimming with hope for the future.

After seeing off several executives, Qi Xu’s office—which hadn’t welcomed a single visitor in weeks—received an unexpected guest.

The receptionist made an internal call to the assistant’s office, announcing a Mr. Shen had arrived.

 

Upon hearing the name, the assistant immediately entered Qi Xu’s office to report the visit. Without lifting his head, Qi Xu declined to see him.

Shen Fengkai took a seat in the reception area’s waiting zone. Having appeared frequently on television news in recent days, employees passing by recognized him and couldn’t help but glance his way.

 

Upon learning of this, Qi Xu summoned Shen Fengkai inside.

The Shen family had sent Qi Xu numerous messages, all of which had gone unanswered without exception.

With Qi Xu once again being hidden away by Xie Huai, they had no other recourse. They had even visited the Xie residence several times, yet failed to uncover the address even when both Elder Xie and Elder Shen were away on vacation.

 

When Shen Fengkai entered the office, Qi Xu gathered the documents on his desk, adopting a welcoming posture. “Mr. Shen, isn’t it a bit impolite to drop by unannounced? I recall Yunrui and the Shen Corporation don’t have any business dealings, do they?”

 

Shen Fengkai felt undeniably conflicted by Qi Xu’s current attitude—uncomfortable, yet also convinced it was justified, that his family owed him an apology.

 

“My apologies. I know it’s abrupt to disturb you like this. I just wanted to see you.”

 

After witnessing the perilous scene at the kidnapping villa, Shen Fengkai hadn’t seen Qi Xu again.

Shen Fengkai truthfully recounted the kidnapping incident to his parents. The harrowing tale left them pale with fear and deep concern.

 

Qi Xu remarked, “Now that you’ve seen everything, can we leave?”

Shen Fengkai, unusually restrained and even gentle, replied, “Shen Corporation will hold a shareholders’ meeting soon. Would you like to attend? Grandfather mentioned transferring the shares to you. You could fully take over Shen Corporation, and I’d follow your lead.”

 

Hearing this, Qi Xu got goosebumps. The Shen Fengkai who had fought him tooth and nail in his past life was now willingly handing over the Shen Corporation.

In his past life, he would have gladly taken it. But now, the Shen Corporation was nothing but a hot potato waiting for him to take the fall.

 

“Shen Fengkai, I realize you truly don’t understand human speech. I’ve said it countless times: Shen Corporation holds less appeal to me than a plate of sweet-and-sour spare ribs. What would I possibly want with it? And please, stop interfering in my life. My life is only miserable when you’re in it.”

 

Shen Fengkai’s heart ached dully. Before him stood his own younger brother—a brother he’d never treated properly, a brother who’d nearly met an untimely end.

“Since you don’t want us to bother you, we won’t. But if you ever face hardship, remember we’re family. If we can help, we will.”

Qi Xu stared at him coldly, saying nothing. Shen Fengkai was inexplicably reminded of Xie Huai’s earlier words: It was your Shen family who abandoned him.

Yes. They had pushed Qi Xu further and further away with their own hands. So far that when they finally wanted him back, they discovered he was already protected by those who loved him.

After leaving, Shen Fengkai called Zeng Yun. His tone was flat: “Mom, we inflicted irreversible damage on him. No amount of compensation can make up for what we did to him.”

Zeng Yun cried over the phone, “If we had revealed the truth about the switch the day Xiao Xu returned to the Shen family, would things have turned out this way?”

Shen Fengkai fell silent for two seconds. “There are no ifs, and there are no do-overs.”