After finishing his confession plan, Chen Zemian looked at Zheng Huaiyu expectantly and asked, “What do you think?”
Zheng Huaiyu turned his eyes slightly, studying Chen Zemian for two seconds. “Do you want the truth?”
“Of course,” Chen Zemian replied.
Zheng Huaiyu frowned. “The truth is a bit hard to hear.”
Assuming there was a flaw in the plan, Chen Zemian urged, “Just tell me already.”
Zheng Huaiyu said tactfully, “I’ll prepare some extra condoms for you in the car.”
The implication was obvious. Chen Zemian wanted to pretend he didn’t understand.
But unfortunately, he did.
“…”
So that’s what he meant. It really was hard to hear—and not pleasant at all.
Chen Zemian coughed lightly into his fist. “I mean the whole plan. Is this confession formal enough?”
“It’s enough. It’s formal enough for a proposal,” Zheng Huaiyu said as he stood, folding his arms and leaning against the car door. “But is it really necessary to go this far? Didn’t Lu Zhuonian already confess to you?”
Chen Zemian slumped against the steering wheel and said dejectedly, “He did. But when he told me he liked me, I didn’t think it through properly. I didn’t react well, and he took it back.”
Zheng Huaiyu lowered his gaze. “Can a confession even be withdrawn?”
Chen Zemian said, a little embarrassed, “Apparently, yes.”
Zheng Huaiyu sat in the passenger seat. “So if he doesn’t accept your confession, are you going to take it back too?”
Chen Zemian had never considered the possibility of Lu Zhuonian rejecting him. The question stunned him. “No way.”
Zheng Huaiyu drummed his fingers lightly on his leg. “I mean, just in case.”
Chen Zemian thought for a moment. “Then I’ll take it back. We can still be friends. We’ve basically been dating for a while now, anyway.”
Zheng Huaiyu scowled. “So you do know you two are dating.”
Chen Zemian grinned. “It’s like a trial relationship.”
He had originally thought love would be difficult. But after spending time with Lu Zhuonian, he found it wasn’t that hard.
It didn’t feel much different from friendship, and it was easy to maintain.
There were none of the messy entanglements he’d imagined. They discussed everything, and had never even quarreled.
One of them was extremely restrained, the other extremely indulgent; one followed the rules, the other acted on impulse; one was calm and composed, the other willful and reckless.
They were polar opposites in personality, yet they somehow tolerated—and even appreciated—each other’s quirks.
In short, it felt just right. Especially good.
No wonder so many people were gay.
“It’s not that being gay is easy,” Zheng Huaiyu muttered, pinching Chen Zemian’s cheek. “You’re just too easy to reel in. Lu really got a bargain.”
Chen Zemian looked up, confused. “Huh?”
Zheng Huaiyu gave him a sideways glance. “You didn’t know? From the very first day he met you, Lu Zhuonian’s been fishing. He’s had an agenda from the start.”
Chen Zemian tried to recall. “The first time we met… was that the day we went to the shooting range?”
Zheng Huaiyu shook his head. “He was already fishing at the charity dinner. The one where Xiao Qiwu invited you for a drink—I was there too.”
Chen Zemian was stunned. “Huh?”
Zheng Huaiyu raised an eyebrow. “Are you surprised I was there, or surprised he started reeling you in that early?”
Chen Zemian was very surprised.
Because not only had he failed to notice Zheng Huaiyu at the event, he hadn’t seen any sign that Lu Zhuonian was trying to hook him.
If Zheng Huaiyu hadn’t brought it up, Chen Zemian would’ve completely forgotten what happened that night.
And even with the reminder, he couldn’t recall what Lu Zhuonian had said.
He only remembered that Xiao Qiwu insisted on him drinking, Lu Zhuonian came over and knocked the glass away, and then the two of them went upstairs together to meet Mr. Tang.
The only vivid memory from that night was punching Mr. Tang’s godson—and calling Xue Zhengwei “Commissar” all night.
“That definitely wasn’t the beginning.”
Zheng Huaiyu concluded firmly, then stepped out of the car with elegance. Before leaving, he pointed back at Chen Zemian. “Think carefully. When exactly did your Mr. Lu start casting his net?”
Chen Zemian sat frozen for two seconds, mind blank. He couldn’t remember at all.
He had always believed that Lu Zhuonian’s feelings for him had developed after he started treating his illness.
Could it have been earlier? As early as the charity dinner?
No wonder Lu Zhuonian acted so strangely around Xiao Qiwu. After Xiao Qiwu bought him a villa, Lu Zhuonian immediately countered by getting him the best apartment in the building. Chen Zemian had thought it was competition—but now…
Lu Zhuonian was competing with Xiao Qiwu!
Once you notice a thread, it unravels everything. The past suddenly shimmered with unspoken, ambiguous colors.
Chen Zemian remembered playing cards with Xiao Kesong once, when he accidentally brushed Lu Zhuonian’s hand twice in a row. At the time, Lu Zhuonian had said, “You’re doing it on purpose.”
Shit—he wasn’t trying to seduce him back then!
Chen Zemian banged his head lightly against the steering wheel. His ears were burning red.
Looking back now, Lu Zhuonian’s extraordinary self-control around him had long been evident.
But he hadn’t noticed it at all.
Lu Zhuonian had turned gay way too early. As the male lead, hadn’t he hesitated even once before switching teams?
Chen Zemian’s worldview was once again thrown into turmoil. He drove home dazedly. When he saw Lu Zhuonian, he hesitated, unsure how to ask when exactly he had started seducing him.
Noticing Chen Zemian’s evasive gaze, Lu Zhuonian asked, “What’s wrong?”
Chen Zemian felt too embarrassed to explain, so he changed the subject. “Didn’t you say you were feeling unwell earlier? How are you now?”
“I’m fine,” Lu Zhuonian replied.
Even though he wanted to keep Chen Zemian close at all times, Lu Zhuonian never took advantage of his illness. Whenever he could exercise restraint, he always put self-control first.
He had always been dignified and proud. Even when sick, he was a patient with decorum.
By contrast, Chen Zemian had been acting out of character recently—restless at night, sleepless, showing up at Lu Zhuonian’s place for three nights straight doing all sorts of undignified things.
On the fourth day, Lu Zhuonian couldn’t help asking what was going on and suggested a hospital check-up.
Chen Zemian had his own theory: either the sexual addiction was contagious, or the health-preserving soup he drank at night had too much tonic in it.
He suspected the soup, but after drinking it again two days later, the effects weren’t the same.
Unbeknownst to him, the supplementary ingredients in the soup changed weekly. This week, the deer antler had been swapped for saffron, which helped cool the blood, relieve stasis, and soothe the nerves.
The decoction’s cooling effect was excellent. Chen Zemian finally enjoyed a few peaceful nights.
But when the night grew quiet, daytime troubles returned.
Early that morning, Lu Zizhen sent someone to deliver an invitation—asking Chen Zemian to attend a small gathering at the Lu residence.
Fidgeting, Chen Zemian followed Lu Zhuonian and asked, “What does your dad want to talk to me about?”
Lu Zhuonian sat on the sofa, flipping a page of his book. “I don’t know.”
Chen Zemian started pacing anxiously. After ruling out all other possibilities, he reached a conclusion. “Did he find out about… us?”
Lu Zhuonian looked up, eyes calm. “What exactly is going on between us?”
Chen Zemian rushed over and lowered his voice. “Obviously, we’ve been sleeping together!”
Seeing that Chen Zemian still hadn’t grasped the key point, Lu Zhuonian closed his book and asked, “Chen Zemian, what do you think our relationship is right now?”
Chen Zemian knew exactly what Lu Zhuonian wanted to hear. But the car he’d ordered hadn’t arrived yet, and his confession plan wasn’t ready, so he said, “Don’t worry. I’m working on it.”
Lu Zhuonian replied flatly, “Why would I be worried?”
What kind of tone was that?
Chen Zemian leaned in and kissed his chin.
Lu Zhuonian’s fingers paused mid-page. “What are you doing?”
Chen Zemian kissed the corner of his mouth. “Don’t be mad.”
Lu Zhuonian wasn’t angry.
He was used to Chen Zemian’s evasiveness. He also knew the man was unpredictable and inconsistent, so he never pressured him to make things clear.
No matter how difficult a problem is to figure out, there will always come a day when the answer becomes clear.
They still had plenty of time.
Lu Zhuonian had already made it through Chen Zemian’s most blunt and unfiltered phase. Now, Chen Zemian would willingly sit in his arms, kiss him, and coax him with sweet words. The progress could only be described as astonishing.
Lu Zhuonian held Chen Zemian’s lower back with one hand and gave him a light kiss on the lips. “Think about it—have I ever been truly angry with you?”
In Chen Zemian’s memory, Lu Zhuonian seemed to be unhappy quite often. But now that he was asked to recall an actual instance of anger, he couldn’t pinpoint a single one.
“Then you’re the most magnanimous,” Chen Zemian concluded.
He felt he was being magnanimous too. He didn’t even remember the moments when Lu Zhuonian had been upset. Planning a confession while managing Lu Zhuonian’s emotions—this really wasn’t easy.
Being in love was indeed more complicated than being friends.
Homosexuality wasn’t as simple as he had imagined, either.
Chen Zemian wrapped an arm around Lu Zhuonian’s neck and teased, “Just wait. Good things always come late.”
Lu Zhuonian looked at him, not particularly convinced. “And what kind of ‘good things’ can you come up with?”
Chen Zemian grinned mysteriously. “You’ll find out soon enough. Don’t worry—it’ll be something you’ll never forget.”
At those words, Lu Zhuonian’s heart sank halfway.
What was more terrifying than Chen Zemian lacking ideas was when he suddenly had one. No one could predict where his next move would lead, and past experience had already proven that such surprises were… double-edged.
Lu Zhuonian had a strong premonition: he would indeed remember it for the rest of his life—but whether it would be a fond memory or a traumatic one was still up in the air.
He recalled that the last time Chen Zemian had a “bright idea” was when he tried to help him find his shoes.
Lu Zhuonian sighed and rubbed his forehead in advance.
Chen Zemian, displeased, asked, “What kind of attitude is that?”
“Headache,” Lu Zhuonian replied flatly.
“Just you wait and see.” Chen Zemian huffed, standing up abruptly. “I’m going upstairs to change. You hurry too—don’t keep your father waiting.”
*****
When they arrived at the Lu residence, it was still the same flower hall.
Tea and pastries were arranged on the table, ready for the guests’ enjoyment.
The butler gestured politely. “Please wait here for a moment, Mr. Chen.” He then turned to Lu Zhuonian. “Young Master, Mr. Lu said to find him in the study when you arrive.”
Lu Zhuonian gave Chen Zemian a glance.
Chen Zemian looked up with a rose almond pastry stuffed in his mouth. “Go ahead, don’t worry about me.”
Lu Zhuonian reached out to wipe the crumbs from the corner of his lips, left a handkerchief with him, and reminded him to wipe his mouth after eating.
Chen Zemian nodded and watched Lu Zhuonian leave before lowering his head to continue eating snacks.
The servants of the Lu household were seasoned in reading faces. Seeing how attentively Young Master Lu treated Chen Zemian, none dared to show any neglect. They observed discreetly, swiftly replenishing the emptied snacks. A few who were more well-informed even brought in a Starbucks coffee ten minutes later.
Compared to the relaxed atmosphere in the flower hall, the study upstairs was filled with a heavier air.
Lu Zizhen sat upright, his gaze sharp as he looked at Lu Zhuonian standing in the center of the study. “The school reports say you haven’t attended classes for over two weeks.”
Lu Zhuonian was slightly exasperated. “If I don’t go to class, do you really need to bother Chen Zemian about it?”
“He’s a professional in this field,” Lu Zizhen replied thoughtfully. “I’ve heard he also has a keen eye for finance. The two stocks he picked for Mr. Zheng’s son have both performed exceptionally.”
Lu Zhuonian: “…”
Lu Zizhen frowned slightly, clearly puzzled. “Other people’s children seem to improve when they’re around him. But you… you’re an exception.”
“The coursework isn’t falling behind,” Lu Zhuonian said mildly. “There’s no need to worry.”
Lu Zizhen’s expression eased slightly. “For now, just focus on your studies. Don’t get too caught up in love affairs.”
Lu Zhuonian’s face remained composed, offering no further comment.
Lu Zizhen continued, “Speaking as someone who’s been through it, I can tell you—when you’re my age and you look back, you might not even remember what he looked like.”
“No,” Lu Zhuonian interrupted, his tone steady. “No matter when—whether he’s still with me or not—I’ll remember what he looks like.”
Lu Zizhen was slightly taken aback. “Are you sure?”
“I’m sure,” Lu Zhuonian replied. “Because he’s not just someone I like.”
Lu Zizhen looked up sharply.
Lu Zhuonian continued, “He’s my antidote.”
Those few words stunned Lu Zizhen into silence.
After a long pause, he let out a sigh of helplessness and rubbed his temple. A splitting headache crept in. He reached into the drawer and pulled out a box of cigars.
Lu Zhuonian silently took one, clipped the end, and handed it to him.
But before Lu Zizhen could take a puff, he heard Lu Zhuonian remind calmly, “Don’t go near Chen Zemian after smoking. He has asthma.”
Lu Zhuonian then stepped back a few paces, stood by the window, and opened it wide. “Better if you change clothes, too.”
Lu Zizhen put the cigar back into the box. “Forget it.”
“Even better,” Lu Zhuonian said with a slight nod.
After a moment, Lu Zizhen looked at his son and couldn’t help asking, “Zhuonian… you care so much about him now, but what if—one day—he stops loving you?”
Lu Zhuonian answered calmly, “He’ll die.”
Lu Zizhen: “…”
*****
Meanwhile, Chen Zemian was still in the flower hall, snacking and casually feeding the koi in the garden pond with the breeze at his back.
Then he heard a voice: “Mr. Chen.”
It was Lu Zizhen.
Chen Zemian stood up quickly. “Mr. Lu.”
“There’s no other reason I invited you over today.” Lu Zizhen gestured for him to sit down. Then he took out a blank check and placed it on the table. “Zhuonian has agreed to study abroad. You left this check behind last time.”
Chen Zemian looked uneasy. “I really can’t accept this…”
Lu Zizhen calmly sipped his tea. “I just chatted with Zhuonian for a bit. Sorry to keep you waiting.”
Chen Zemian glanced around. “Where’s Mr. Lu?”
“He went to see his mother,” Lu Zizhen said. “She’s not in good health. When she heard he was in a relationship, she worried he might bully you, so she called him over to talk.”
Chen Zemian instinctively opened his mouth to clarify, “Mr. Lu and I—”
Before he could finish, Lu Zizhen picked up the check and, with practiced ease, wrote a long string of numbers on it.
“You may refuse a thank-you gift, but you can’t reject a meeting gift,” he said, setting down the pen. “Zhuonian is very particular. It’s fate that the two of you found each other.”
Chen Zemian’s eyes went wide. He couldn’t even count how many digits there were—only a long line of 1s stood out.
Lu Zizhen gently placed the check in Chen Zemian’s hand. “This represents one in a billion. You must accept it.”
*****
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