☾

Tan Youming and Shen Zongnian were both also working overtime. A holiday like 5/20 was for those who spend money to celebrate and those who earn it to work overtime. 

He strode confidently into Shen Zongnian’s office with swagger, casually pulling out a gift box from his pocket with a flourish, and tossed it to him, “Here.” 

A 5/20 limited edition couple’s watch. Shen Zongnian’s hand tightened. 

Tan Youming settled comfortably into the other man’s executive chair like it was his own and picked up his cup to take a big swig². His handsome face was raised with a look of high spirits, waiting expectantly for praise, “Our new product surpassed Minglong’s top-seller this quarter. This is the upgraded version, take a look.”

“…” Shen Zongnian coldly pushed it back to him. “How impressive for you.” 

“…...”

Ming-zai³ was a fiercely competitive workaholic—he went all out when he was having fun, but was also relentlessly competitive and driven when he was serious. In order to overtake Minglong in LPI on a profitable day like this, he worked overtime past midnight. Later, he was so exhausted he fell asleep in the car, and it was Shen Zongnian who ended up carrying him home on his back.

He slept soundly. Shen Zongnian felt this person was truly infuriating and pinched his calf, hard. Tan Youming mumbled, half-asleep, “……not going...need to work overtime…”

“…...make money...buy T70”

T70, the new laboratory-grade, high-magnification astronomical telescope developed by the UAC. Its primary mirror, equatorial mount, in addition to the supporting computer, drive system and astronomical equatorial platform all approached near sky-high prices. No, rather, it was currently priceless on the market.

In the dark, Shen Zongnian’s throat rolled as he swallowed hard. Pretending like he had not heard anything, he continued walking forward in silence. 

“…...I will buy it for sure.”

Shen Zongnian lowered his head. The weight on his back was incredibly light, but also incredibly heavy. After a moment of silence, in the end, he helplessly rubbed Tan Youming’s calf where he’d been pinched harshly.

Like he was soothed by the touch, Tan Youming buried his whole face into the crook of Shen Zongnian’s neck and slept even more soundly.

Translator's Notes:

“The Series B round didn’t go smoothly.” The typhoon lifted the hems of both of their trenchcoats.

Chen Wan shed his usual composed and dignified demeanor in front of younger employees and spoke frankly with Zhao Shengge, “Andrew’s got some nerves. Using his homefield advantage to make outrageous demands……”

Zhao Shengge lowered his head slightly and listened to him quietly.

Riding the same moving walkway was a pair of father and son. The little boy looked up at his father and complained, “Daddy, it was Lucas being greedy. He wanted to take my model away.” 

Chen Wan wasn't paying attention. Looking up, he continued, “He even got his eyes set on the Haishi market, pushing the export price down to a new low.”

The little boy added, “He even sent people to threaten me.”

Chen Wan remarked, “Such a voracious appetite. Once the time comes and Kexiang raises the price on the exclusive patent license, he might not be able to exit the market in time even if he wanted to.”

The little boy declared, “Once I launch my attack and destroy him, he'll see how formidable I am.”

Zhao Shengge suddenly lowered his head and let out a soft laugh. Chen Wan caught on and felt a sudden pang of embarrassment. 

He really was living backwards. All his years of struggling and establishing himself on his own, and he was acting like a child running home to complain about occurrences that couldn’t be more common at the negotiation table.

Zhao Shengge leaned down and whispered close to his ear, “No worries. You can launch an attack and destroy him, too.”

“.....” Chen Wan choked and didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. “It looks to me that you’re launching an attack to take me out first.” 

Zhao Shengge's lips twitched upward for a moment.

The two of them chatted softly all the way to the B3 Exit. Once they got into the car, they both fell silent simultaneously, sharing a look with each other.

Zhao Shengge’s gaze was deep and lingering, sweeping from Chen Wan’s brows to the bridge of his nose to his bottom lip. Chen Wan’s face heated as if scalded, but he feigned composure and looked away first. 

Zhao Shengge raised an eyebrow and didn’t look at him anymore. He turned the keys unhurriedly and slowly reached up to grip the steering wheel.

Sure enough, the moment before he stepped on the gas petal, Chen Wan seized his hands. He rose swiftly, legs crossing over the center console, and straddled Zhao Shengge with both legs wrapped around his waist. He lowered his head, staring intently at his face with dark and silent eyes.

Zhao Shengge reached to steady him immediately, one large hand clamped around his waist, the other supporting his lower hip.

They couldn’t pretend anymore.

With just a single glance, dry kindling was ignited by a spark of ember. Their kiss was familiar, as if rehearsed countless times before. 

The facade of restraint and feigned composure put on in front of others was finally torn to shreds in the enclosed space. 

“Ngh……”

Chen Wan wrapped his arms around Zhao Shengge’s neck, while Zhao Shengge firmly held the back of his head in place. Their waists and abdomens pressed together, their bodies intimately close to each other; like two entangled caged beasts, exchanging and absorbing each other’s scent and warmth, becoming each other’s oxygen, as though they wouldn’t be able to live without the other. 

Zhao Shengge’s lips and tongue were as domineering and relentless as he was. Chen Wan was kissed until his cheeks were flushed crimson, his mouth unable to hold in all of his saliva, and a shimmering string of silver stretched between them when they parted. 

Chen Wan’s chest heaved as he gasped for air. He stuck out a tender pink tongue, curled it, and rolled it back into his mouth.

Zhao Shengge watched him with dark, heavy eyes.

Chen Wan averted his gaze. He shifted his waist and hips slightly, turned back again, and looked down at him. “Zhao Shengge.”

“En.” Zhao Shengge pushed aside some of his hair. 

“I used the money I earned this time to buy you a present.” 

Zhao Shengge thought he looked like a slightly smug cat. Brushing his cheek with the back of his hand, his gaze tracing over every feature inch by inch, he asked encouragingly, “What did you buy?”

Chen Wan's lips were bright red from being bitten. “The 570S.”

The custom, limited-edition super racecar.

Zhao Shengge gave him a look full of meaning for a moment and chuckled softly, “Then, you’re about to have gone on this trip for nothing.” 

The starting bid had already been driven sky high.

“I can always make more money, but,” Chen Wan sighed dreamily, “You really look so good driving a race car.” 

Not too long ago, Tan Youming had closed off the Kadoorie Hill bend for racing. While others floored the accelerator madly, Zhao Shengge cruised along unhurriedly. As he passed by the platform section, he even leisurely rolled down the car window. 

On the viewing platform, Chen Wan was being pulled into small talk by someone, a cigarette offered by the other person held between his teeth, unlit. The corners of his mouth carried a hint of unconscious tenderness and smile. The dusk sky was deep blue, and the mountain breeze billowed his shirt, highlighting his slender waist and long legs.

Chen Wan’s gaze locked on him practically the moment the car pulled over. He strode straight toward the car and removed the cigarette from his lips, bending his waist and lowering his head to lean his body on the window. His gaze darkened. 

Zhao Shengge in his racing suit and helmet was so dashing it made one weak in the knees. Chen Wan swallowed hard and said softly, “Just one more lap and then we'll head back, okay?”

It was unsafe, and…there were too many people watching. 

Zhao Shengge looked at him with an ambiguous half-smile and murmured, “I thought you would want to chat for a little longer.”  

Chen Wan gazed at him besottedly, “No, there’s nothing much to talk about.”

Zhao Shengge smiled and tilted his head. He offered very magnanimously, “It’s okay. Go ahead. I’ll wait for you.”

Chen Wan lightly shook his head. He checked the seatbelt and helmet up and down, before his infatuated gaze stuck back onto Zhao Shengge’s face. 

Having gotten what he had wanted, Zhao Shengge lovingly gave several light pats to his face and leaned close to his ear to whisper, “Chen Wan.”

“Tone down the look in your eyes a little.”

Chen Wan shifted his gaze away. He—he couldn’t hold it in. 

Zhao Shengge’s expression seemed a bit mocking and also a little smug. He tilted his head, like he wanted to say more, but an impatient honk blared from behind. 

He’d been parked for too long and was blocking Tan Youming, who was behind, from being the Racing God of Kadoorie Hill.

He itched to stick his head out to loudly demand if he was going to move or not.

If he wasn’t, he should let him move to the front to run another two laps. Once Shen Zongnian arrived, he wouldn't even be able to run half a lap.

Tan Youming, with an unfriendly expression, picked up the walkie-talkie and barked orders into the channel, “0120, from now on, please put up a sign on the road: ‘racing curve, no loitering’.”

“Hello?” After waiting for a long time without any response from Zhuo Zhixuan or Jiang Ying, suddenly, a cold voice like that of a dark, brooding male ghost rang out over the channel. “Are you going to get out by yourself, or should I come get you?”

“Holy shit.” Tan Youming was so scared, he threw the walkie-talkie, pressed the horn furiously, floored the gas pedal, and sped away. 

Zhao Shengge snapped a picture of the rear end of the fleeing car, sent it, and only then addressed Chen Wan, who was still looking at his face, “Chen Wan.” 

“Meet me at the finish line.”

“Okay.” Chen Wan’s lashes were lowered and his demeanor demure, very obedient.

But that night, after they had finished, Chen Wan refused to let go of Zhao Shengge at all. Zhao Shengge had been about to pull out, but Chen Wan clung tight, his voice hoarse, “No…”.

Zhao Shengge studied him for a moment. Then, scooping him up like a child, he carried him, and they did it again from the bedroom to the living area, from upstairs to downstairs, once at the island counter, and once at the floor-to-ceiling windows. 

Chen Wan especially loved doing it while being carried face-to-face. Zhao Shengge's arms were extremely strong and hot, like iron chains, imprisoning him tightly.

Chen Wan took him in deeply. Every part, every inch, and every drop of Zhao Shennge was all his. Several times, Chen Wan was fucked until he wet himself, the corners of his eyes red like he'd been crying, the dignified man as he was.

Zhao Shengge cradled his face, peppering him with kisses, soothing him, “It's okay.” 

“It's okay.”

“Chen Wan, you're mine.”

“It's alright.”

“I love it all.”

Recalling these memories, Chen Wan's body heated up again.

Zhao Shengge glanced down briefly and didn't take notice. As if he were truly being considerate, he said, “If you give me the 570, Tan Youming is going to be upset again.”

Only one car was available for sale in Asia.

Chen Wan paused for a moment, pursing his lips. “I brought another gift for him.”

Zhao Shengge's phone vibrated. He glanced at it.

Hmph. News traveled fast.

Zhao Shengge straight up hung up on Shen Zongnian’s incoming call, caressing Chen Wan’s lower back as he said, “It would’ve been fine even if you didn’t get him anything.”

“...” Chen Wan chuckled. “I had to.”

Shen Zongnian wanted to buy it for Tan Youming; Chen Wan also wanted to buy it for Zhao Shengge. Who came out on top, who won the prize in the end—it all came down to their own abilities.

“Once the car arrives, I’ll have someone customize it. You can see when you have time to decide on the style.” 

Zhao Shengge did not reply right away, merely flipping the statement back to him, “Well, then, when do you have time to take a look at the newly revised agreement from the assistant?”

“......” Chen Wan looked at him helplessly. He was still not letting this go.

Before the business trip, Zhao Shengge had started their voluntary guardianship paperwork, and part of it involved the matter of personal assets. Chen Wan raised some minor objections to the joint ownership clause.

Zhao Shengge’s gaze was steady and unwavering—not forceful or aggressive, but showing no signs of compromise either. “Chen Wan.”

“Do you still want to give me gifts?”

This sentence stopped Chen Wan in his tracks.

Zhao Shengge was definitely not only talking about the car from this time. If he didn’t accept the conditions for the joint ownership, he would probably never be able to give Zhao Shengge anything from now on.

That was too horrifying! To Chen Wan, it was downright cruel!

Zhao Shengge pulled out both hard and soft tactics. Lifting him up slightly, he stroked his back and coaxed gently, “Chen Wan, I’ve been reasonable enough with you.”

He hadn’t even factored in the shares from Minglong yet. 

“At the very least, you have to be fair in return.”

His tone was warm and gentlemanly, as if he were really magnanimous and had made all sorts of compromises and concessions. 

Chen Wan didn’t speak, so Zhao Shengge pressed on, “Those have nothing to do with the Zhao family, nor anything to do with Minglong. They’re my personal assets—a part of me.”

Chen Wan pursed his lips, and Zhao Shengge continued on the offensive, “If you don’t want them, do you not want me either?”

As expected, Chen Wan immediately furrowed his brows.

The man Zhao Shengge was really rotten from the outside to his core. He asked in a low voice, “Do you want me, Chen Wan?”

Chen Wan immediately wound both arms tightly around his neck and clung to him. “I do. I want you.” 

Zhao Shengge did not return the embrace. He pushed him away lightly, needing to finish what he had to say first, “Then, you can’t just want a part of me.”

Chen Wan’s dark eyes fixed on him intently. 

Zhao Shengge gently but firmly shook his head at the calm yet frenzied look in the gaze. Slowly, he said, “It doesn’t work that way, Chen Wan.”

He was so calm it bordered on being ruthless, as he said, “If you want me, you have to want all of me.” 

After a moment of standstill, Chen Wan sighed internally and completely abandoned all of his principles, “I want you. I want all of you.” 

Getting him to relent wasn’t easy. Chen Wan was stubborn, and the two of them had already been engaged in a semi-covert exchange of push and pull for a good while; in the end, it was Zhao Shengge who emerged victorious. 

He breathed an inward sigh of relief and no longer stopped Chen Wan from shifting closer to kiss him. 

Chen Wan’s round and full bottom kept rubbing against Zhao Shengge’s lower body. Zhao Shengge’s breaths were uneven, yet he leisurely wiped away the sweat on his face, clicked his tongue, and smiled, “Chen Wan.”

“You really do like doing it in the car.”

Chen Wan licked his Cupid's bow, lost in passion, and thought, why else would I buy this Cullinan?

He only wanted it for its high ground clearance and spacious interior, good for doing ‘things’ in. 

At Chen Wan’s puppy-like licks against his lips, Zhao Shengge finally parted his own lips, guiding him in. He gave him his own tongue, indulgently allowing him to suck as he pleased, hands sliding downward to undo his belt. 

Zhao Shengge’s hands had been handling guns from childhood, and his fingertips were calloused. 

Chen Wan became wet down there, moaning from pleasure for a good while. His clothes were completely disshelved, his pants nowhere to be found, while Zhao Shengge still remained impeccably dressed.

Chen Wan made a mess of Zhao Shengge’s suit pants and shirt, almost like he was about to die on him. When Chen Wan went to unbuckle Zhao Shengge’s belt, his hand was grabbed. 

Confusion and disappointment flickered for a moment across Chen Wan’s expression, and Zhao Shengge immediately drew him into his arms, very tightly. He firmly held onto the back of his head and said with his lips pressed against his forehead, “You’re too tired.”

To make it back in time for the Mid Autumn Festival, Chen Wan had taken connecting overnight flights. With Zhao Shengge’s pent up longing and desire from these past days, he had to admit he’d have a hard time controlling himself; Chen Wan would also probably struggle to bear it, so he absolutely couldn’t initiate anything.  

Chen Wan dragged both hands across his face. He smiled a little helplessly, “I look pretty haggard, don’t I?”

Zhao Shengge lightly brushed his hair that had grown slightly longer and admired it for a moment. Tilting his head like he hadn’t understood, he said, “You look very handsome."

Chen Wan laughed and cradled his face using both hands, saying gently, “You’re the good-looking one. You’re the best-looking.” “.....”

“Chen Wan,” Zhao Shengge scrutinized him. He mused, “You really do love this face.”

He recalled that he had already praised this face many times already. 

“I do love it,” Chen Wan caressed his features, sighing with feeling, “Zhao Shengge, you don’t realize how handsome you are.”

Zhao Shengge raised his chin. “But there will come a day when it will no longer be handsome.”

Chen Wan startled, then hurriedly said, “That won’t happen. As long as the face is on your person, it will always be good-looking.”

Zhao Shengge said nothing.

Chen Wan elaborated anxiously, “I didn’t fall for you because of your face. I fell for this face only because of you.” There were many beautiful faces in the world, but his heart would never move for anyone else. 

Zhao Shengge regarded him for several moments before he turned his face away and gave a light scoff, unclear if he’d taken in Chen Wan’s words.

Chen Wan smiled, cupping his face with both hands to gently turn it toward him. His gaze was deep and sincere, “Believe me, Zhao Shengge.” 

Zhao Shengge was still as impassive as ever, making Chen Wan slightly at a loss for what to do with him.

“Zhao Shengge, did you…miss me?”

This was the longest he’d been away for a business trip since he and Zhao Shengge had gotten together. But the moment the words left his mouth, Chen Wan felt a bit speechless and silly for asking such a cliche question. 

Zhao Shengge watched him quietly. Chen Wan laughed embarrassedly. “I was just asking—”

Zhao Shengge’s hand moved from his back to his wrist. With a single motion, he took his fingers and pressed them against his phone to unlock it. The screen lit up, and he tapped into the smart bracelet’s monitoring interface before handing it to Chen Wan.

Chen Wan exclaimed in surprise, “When did you record it?”

Zhao Shengge's tone was impassive, righteously matter-of-fact, “While you were sleeping.”

“......” Chen Wan felt embarrassed now. “Ah, it’s alright, I don’t need to look.”

 “Look,” Zhao Shengge coaxed, playing with the hair at the back of his neck. “Go ahead. It's okay. I know you don't like prying into others' privacy, so I’m asking you to look.”

“......” Chen Wan took the phone with both hands, cradling it, closely scanning each line like examining a new toy.

Zhao Shengge’s hand returned to his back again, steadily supporting him and patiently, indulgently encouraging him to take his time to read.

After only a moment of reading, Chen Wan's ears began to flush red.

Last month, Zhao Shengge spent an average of four hours per day watching him sleep. With the time difference between them, he didn’t know where Zhao Shengge, who attended to countless affairs daily, found the time for those four hours. 

Practically every day, he would monitor his heart rate, body temperature, blood oxygen, and stress levels every eight hours. He compiled the data into charts and sent it to Monica. 

At the same time, the memo files annotated that Chen Wan forgot to take his medication on two separate occasions on the evenings of September 2nd and 11th, under such big red markings that it would be hard to miss even if one wanted to.

During thirteen of those days, the monitoring system showed frequent accessing of the audio records, with the highest number of playbacks occurring as many as thirty-two times.

The record log further marked in red, “8th, Blake, 7 sentences. 13th, Felix, Shengluo Lake.” 

……

Chen Wan's interactions with other men during business engagements—the content of the conversations, the whereabouts, quotations, and number of sentences and words exchanged—were all meticulously categorized and documented.

Even Chen Wan was a little shocked.

He'd given the smart bracelet to Zhao Shengge as a statement of his resolve; except for when showering, using the bathroom, or during negotiations and meetings that involved trade secrets, he kept the bracelet turned on at all times. Yet Zhao Shengge’s application and use of this surveillance bracelet far exceeded his imagination. 

Even in Chen Wan's sixteen years of being madly, secretly in love with Zhao Shengge, he had never reached this level. 

At this, Chen Wan finally seemed to realize with clarity that the phrase “lifetime imprisonment” was no simple joke. Zhao Shengge always followed through on his promises.

How could he be even more twisted and perverted than I am, Chen Wan mused silently.

He didn’t realize he had unconsciously mumbled it out loud in a low voice.

But even if he had whispered it softly, Zhao Shengge still heard him. Without changing his expression, he countered in a matter-of-fact tone, “Just because I missed you, I’m a pervert?”

Chen Wan gave another embarrassed laugh. “No…no.” Zhao Shengge brushed his cheek with featherlight strokes, his gaze holding a strange, calm gentleness. “Chen Wan.”

Chen Wan shuddered, his body tightening for a moment.

Zhao Shengge stared down at him intently through a half-lidded gaze. “You should be thanking me that I don’t ask you to keep all the permissions open every moment of the day.” 

“...” Chen Wan put down the phone. Circling his arms around Zhao Shengge’s neck, his eyes crinkled into crescents, he said, “Oh? Then, thank you, Zhao Shengge.”  

“You’re welcome.” But Zhao Shennge didn’t smile. He drew Chen Wan into his embrace, flushed chest against chest. After a moment, he said softly, “If you have to ask that question, that means I didn’t do a good enough job.” 

Just missing Chen Wan was useless. If Chen Wan could not feel his longing, then all his longing was for nothing.

If the person being loved couldn't feel the love, then it couldn’t be truly love.

His tone was very serious and sincere, completely different from his previous self-righteousness spying on Chen Wan or his surly, sarcastic manner earlier.

Chen Wan immediately grabbed his collar and said helplessly, “Ah, I was really just being sappy and romantic for this once. Don't compete with me over this, too.”

He’s so intense and competitive.

It's unreasonable and bizarre.

Zhao Shengge shifted him up in his arms. Watching him quietly with a lowered gaze, he again began to use that serious and upright tone to utter words that made one embarrassed, “I’m in the middle of pursuing you.”

Chen Wan was at a bit of a loss. He turned his head to the side and smiled, “You’ve been pursuing me for too long. It’s enough already.”

“Not enough,” Zhao Shengge thought his lips looked dry and unscrewed a bottle of mineral water, feeding sips to Chen Wan. “Mr. Chen, please have some self-awareness as the party being wooed.”

“......”

When he finished feeding him water, Zhao Shengge pressed Chen Wan’s head back onto his shoulder. “Sleep for a while.”

Chen Wan buried his face into the crook of his neck. “Aren’t we heading back?” 

The sound of the rain and thunder was getting louder outside.

“No rush.” Zhao Shengge laid the driver’s seat flat, cradling Chen Wan to let him sleep on top of his body. “The traffic at the main road of the airport will be jammed for a while.”

Zhao Shengge adjusted the temperature, draped his coat over the two of them, and wrapped both arms tightly around Chen Wan. His hands rested firmly on Chen Wan’s lower back, as though there was nothing more important in the world than letting Chen Wan catch his sleep.

“Sleep well.” Zhao Shengge’s embrace was seamless and airtight, like a lone ark in an era of chaos. The noise of the rain and wind faded into the distance. Chen Wan’s heart settled, so very warm and full from being held and cradled.

“The rain is so heavy.” He was actually getting drowsy.

“Mn.” Zhao Shengge settled into a rhythm patting his back, murmuring in a low tone, “We might not get to see the moon for this year’s Mid Autumn Festival.”

The weather station issued a warning that the red rain period would likely continue for a week.

He didn’t want to disappoint Chen Wan. He rushed all the way to make it back for the Mid Autumn Festival. If he couldn’t even see the moon, that would be an awful shame.

Other things Zhao Shengge could work to make possible, but this, it seemed, was beyond even him.

“It’s alright.” Chen Wan listened to his heartbeats, eyes drooping with sleep, and languidly said, “I already have a moon.”

Forever suspended high in his life, unswayed by cloud or sun, shining luminous and clear.

☆ヾ(*´・∀・)ﾉヾ(・∀・`*)ﾉ☆

Translator's Notes:

¹ Here, the team members refer to Chen Wan as 陈工. It is a respectful address for an engineer or technologist.  Beyond than the fact that this form of address is a bit unnatural in English, thus warranting a translation note, this is also noteworthy because Chen Wan mentioned in the main novel that he’d always been more interested in the engineering side of things, but to build his company from the ground up, he’d never been able to devote as much time to his actual passion before Kexiang’s collaboration with Minglong.