When the sky brightened and the birds chirped, Chen Jinxuan woke up from his slumber. An arm circled around his waist, caging him within the owner’s embrace. He could hear someone’s steady breathing beside his ear, and he could feel a source of heat on his back.

He savoured the reassuring warmth for a moment, breathing in the remaining scent of the shampoo that they shared. It smelt the same and yet different.

Feeling a bit numb, Chen Jinxuan tried to move Fang Yaowei’s arm. However, the embrace tightened instead. Fang Yaowei muttered, “Jin-ge, don’t move…”

Clearly Fang Yaowei was still half-asleep, and this blunder was not intentional, but the two words felt like a curse to Chen Jinxuan that spurred the growth of prickly vines in his heart. Chen Jinxuan felt a squeeze in his chest and the pain lingered for a long time before it subsided and turned numb instead.

Chen Jinxuan turned around and examined Fang Yaowei’s sleeping face. This face that he had kissed countless times, this face that he had thought of through days and nights had become so… so excruciating for him to see.

“Yaowei, wake up.”

“Mn… Five more minutes…”

“Wake up.”

Fang Yaowei’s eyelashes fluttered as he slowly opened his eyes. After adjusting to the brightness in the room, Fang Yaowei stared back at Chen Jinxuan and beamed. “Xuan-ge, good morning.”

Chen Jinxuan pressed his lips together, smiling. “Good morning, lil pup.”

“I know it is supposed to be a cutesy name, but lil pup sounds like an insult somehow.”

“You know it is not.”

“Of course. I know Xuan-ge loves me the most.” Fang Yaowei grinned wide, revealing a row of white teeth. He snuggled close into Chen Jinxuan’s neck, breathing in the scent of his beloved.

Chen Jinxuan’s smile dissipated as he circled his arms around Fang Yaowei.

“Xuan-ge, I snapped your necklace. I will have it repaired today and return it to you.” Fang Yaowei said apologetically. “I am sorry…”

“It is no big deal. Don’t worry about it.” Chen Jinxuan replied casually. “It’s nothing big.”

Fang Yaowei slithered his hands to Chen Jinxuan’s waist and gave it a massage. “Was I too… much?”

“…I don’t want to talk about it.”

A muffled chuckle came from Fang Yaowei. He rubbed his face against Chen Jinxuan’s neck. He could still recall how madly in love they were last night. He could still taste the sweetness of their zeal. Like a squashed passion fruit, they wrung out their affection for each other to the very last drop.

“Xuan-ge, you are mine and I am yours.” Fang Yaowei kissed Chen Jinxuan’s neck, making a small and alluring ‘pop’.

Chen Jinxuan pulled away from Fang Yaowei and sat up on the bed. He reached for his phone on the small drawer next to the bed. There were three messages and two missed calls from Chen Ling. Ah, Chen Jinxuan recalled. He set his phone on silent after the call from Chen Zhuoheng yesterday.

He clicked one of the messages and it was filled with words in caps lock.

‘DAD WANTS ME TO BE AN INTERN IN YOUR COMPANY. HELP’

He clicked the second message, and it was filled with, ‘I lost control. Sorry not sorry for the caps lock. I know you don’t want this either.’

He clicked the last message, and it was written, ‘I don’t want to work for you. Call me back and let’s discuss a plan to avoid this. Dad wants you to come back home for lunch tomorrow.’

Chen Jinxuan mulled over the last line and gradually, a frown showed up on his face. He had guessed that his father probably wanted to lecture him about work under the pretence of a family lunch. What he did not understand was his father’s excessive concern over the heir of Hongming Equity Firm.

“What is it?” Fang Yaowei sat up and peeked into his phone. “Chen Ling?”

A moment later, Chen Jinxuan’s phone rang. Chen Jinxuan picked it up and heard a young woman’s voice speaking, “Jin-ge, pick me up from the dorm.”

It was Chen Ling.

“You have your bicycle. It’s only three kilometres away.”

“My friend broke it.” Chen Ling replied almost immediately as if she had expected Chen Jinxuan’s response.

“You can’t even make a decent lie?” Chen Jinxuan could not help but smile, helpless against his younger sister.

“Come on. What is so hard about picking me up? Let me take some of your pictures. Again.” Contrary to her previous firm tone, Chen Ling raised her tone and said in a pleading manner. “Give me some allowance, will you?”

Sighing, Chen Jinxuan went down from the bed, dragging the blanket along. “You take my photos and sell them online, don’t you?”

“Yes.”

Chen Jinxuan’s tug came to a cease. Fang Yaowei clung to the blanket as he looked at Chen Jinxuan with his almond shaped eyes, playful and piteous. Chen Jinxuan tugged a few times in futility, so he could only let go of his grip and let his body go bare.

Fang Yaowei bit his lower lip as he smiled playfully. His eyes narrowed as he looked at the marks he placed on Chen Jinxuan’s back. Instantly, his heart was filled with bliss. He had never felt so content before. He felt he had reached the heights of happiness with Chen Jinxuan and all of his efforts had not gone naught. He felt as if he and Chen Jinxuan had stepped into another level of intimacy.

“You are not even trying to cover it up, Chen Ling.” From the floor, Chen Jinxuan picked up Fang Yaowei’s white oversized shirt that he wore yesterday only to be stripped by Fang Yaowei. After that, he walked into the bathroom.

“I have to take advantage of my handsome brother. Come on, it’s just like any other photos that promote bikes except it’s not the bike that is in focus, it is my brother.”

“I will pick you up if you stop this.”

“Pay me to stop.” A giggle came from the other end of the phone. “Lunch is at twelve sharp! See you later. I will wait by my dorm.”

The phone was hung up. Chen Jinxuan shook his head as he sighed helplessly and set his phone down at the edge of the sink in the bathroom. He went into the shower and took a quick rinse.

When Chen Jinxuan came out of the bathroom, fully dressed in his suit last night, he saw Fang Yaowei had already bathed and dressed in his casual hoodie and sweatpants. In addition to that, Fang Yaowei had made egg toasts for both of them.

Chen Jinxuan sat down and let Fang Yaowei serve two toasts for him. Fang Yaowei took a bite of the toast and mouth-fed Chen Jinxuan, pushing the crispy toast into Chen Jinxuan’s mouth. When their breathing became ragged, Fang Yaowei pulled away and licked the crumbs off Chen Jinxuan’s lips. “I will drive you over.”

“Drive me to my condominium. I need to change my attire. It’s a family lunch after all.”

“Alright.” Fang Yaowei said as he poured a cup of coffee for Chen Jinxuan. Then, he sat next to Chen Jinxuan and ate his own toast. 

The both of them ate in silence and after the quick breakfast, Chen Jinxuan went to get his briefcase he had left on the sofa the previous night. He took out a file where the agreement he had signed was and handed it to Fang Yaowei.

“Give this a read and tell me what you think about the financial plan. I think adjustment might be needed for the execution of the construction. The recruitment plan.”

“For the executive apartment project? Is the plan not fixed yet from Liumin Equity Firm?”

“The agreement is signed but the financial plan is still a draft. The attachment is at the back. An addendum will be signed after it is fixed. Director Xie from Liumin Equity Firm has not said yes to it. Have a look and make alterations you deem necessary.”

Fang Yaowei flipped the printed documents to the attachment and to the financial section. He took a few minutes reviewing it. It did not take long for him to point out unnecessary expenses. “The size of the apartment is not large enough to need this many internal members. Each of the investors will put their people in this project too, so we don’t need to cover too much of the recruiting process. I will have a thorough read today and make a separate draft. I will deliver it to you tomorrow, alright?”

Chen Jinxuan took a sip of his coffee and replied, “No need. Just finalise it as you see fit. You are the director for the finance department. We have already applied for a loan at the bank, and it is in the process.”

Fang Yaowei smiled sheepishly as he threw glances at Chen Jinxuan. Although Chen Jinxuan was born with exceptional good looks, Fang Yaowei fancied the calm look Chen Jinxuan had when taking decisions best. The calm demeanour and the resolute decision… It would baffle anyone if they knew how this CEO moaned in bed.

“Will you stay overnight tomorrow?”

Chen Jinxuan turned to look at Fang Yaowei whose eyes were overwhelmed with expectations. Chen Jinxuan was supposed to be happy, but at the thought of his father, he hesitated and shook his head.

Fang Yaowei smiled gently. “Let’s go. I will drive you back.”

Chen Jinxuan was dropped off at the lobby of the building. He went straight to the twelfth floor and entered his condominium. 

Chen Jinxuan took another shower. He let his hair loose and swept them to the side. To complement his black v-neck long-sleeved shirt and a pair of denim jeans, he put on a simple metal earring on his left ear. Next, he habitually raised his hands to fasten his usual necklace, and only then did he recall that the chain had been snapped by Fang Yaowei.

Chen Jinxuan opened the drawer he used to collect accessories and let the necklace join the rest of his necklaces.

He quickly gathered some of the documents he figured his father would like to see from his study room and he saw a red flash drive labelled ‘February’ lying in the deepest part of the drawer. Chen Jinxuan subconsciously clenched his teeth.