PTBLSI chapter 52

 

Fu Yanchuan and Qi Xi played cards the entire afternoon. Except for Fu Jinghong, they all lost until they were drunk and skipped dinner.

Fu Yanchuan didn’t go to the restaurant at noon, but he did take Qi Xi there for dinner. They only found out that Fu Zhenrong had left after arriving. Although the Fu family relied on Fu Zhenrong for power, his absence made the atmosphere feel more festive.

Dinner was eaten in a lively atmosphere. Some people were curious about Qi Xi, but no one dared to look because Fu Yanchuan wasn’t much better off than Fu Zhenrong.

As they were leaving the table, Fu Yanchuan was stopped by Fu Shengchang. He knew what Fu Shengchang wanted to say, and he didn’t want Qi Xi to hear it, so he asked Fu Jinghong to take Qi Xi out first.

Seeing the elders of the Fu family, Qi Xi was afraid that Fu Yanchuan would get beaten again and felt that each of them was terrifying.

He and Fu Jinghong walked to the corridor outside and stopped in front of a floor-to-ceiling window. They looked at the night scenery through the glass.

Fu Jinghong belonged to the faction of the Fu family that was content with the current situation. Holding a tiny portion of the group’s shares was more wealth than ordinary people could ever hope to have. Using the Fu family to do business on the side meant that even if he didn’t make the rich list, he would never lack money for the rest of his life. Even if he did badly, the Fu family would back him up.

With a life like his, when he could have whatever he wanted, he couldn’t understand why some people were dissatisfied and insisted on fighting over things. Even if you fought your way to the top of that huge group, who knows how much hair you’d lose? Wouldn’t it be better to just relax and let Fu Yanchuan earn money for everyone to enjoy?

He leaned against the wall, took a cigarette out of his mouth, looked at Qi Xi, and said, “You’re worried about Yanchuan?”

Qi Xi immediately asked back, “Who was that person just now? Will he hit Brother Yan?”

Fu Jinghong couldn’t help but laugh. “Do you think he’s someone anyone can bully? In the entire Fu family, he’s the second biggest devil. Other than his father, everyone is afraid of him.”

“Is his dad very fierce? Does he often hit him?”

“Not really. It was the first time Seventh Uncle had ever hit Yanchuan. It was also the first time I saw him so angry. It looks like you guys really pissed him off.”

Hearing “you guys,” Qi Xi felt sad again. He felt that Fu Yanchuan got hit because of him. Fu Yanchuan’s dad must really dislike him, and he didn’t like Fu Yanchuan’s dad either.

Seeing Qi Xi suddenly become depressed, Fu Jinghong didn’t know what he said wrong. He hurriedly crushed the cigarette and asked Qi Xi what was wrong. Footsteps sounded from the other end of the corridor.

He looked up and saw another troublesome person and, unwillingly, called out, “Sister Hui.”

Sister Hui was their older cousin and was enthusiastic about “fighting over things.” Her full name was Shen Jiahui—the cousin who had revealed to the He family that Fu Yanchuan was hiding a beautiful boy when he was about to get engaged to Miss He.

“Fu Jinghong, did you bully someone again?”

Shen Jiahui looked at Qi Xi and accused Fu Jinghong. Qi Xi hurriedly explained, “No, he didn’t. Nothing happened.”

“Then what’s with that expression?”

Shen Jiahui sized up Qi Xi carefully. She had never believed that Fu Yanchuan would fall in love with anyone. Even after two years with Qiao Ye, he came back. Aside from being prettier and more delicate, this one didn’t seem to have any more tricks up his sleeve than Qiao Ye did. She thought that Fu Yanchuan kept Qi Xi by his side just to provoke Fu Zhenrong and use him as an excuse to avoid marriage.

But she hadn’t expected him to be serious, even bringing Qi Xi here.

She supported Fu Yanchuan being with a man completely. She smiled at Qi Xi and said, “Our family situation is a bit complicated. Ordinary people would be scared.”

She then comforted Qi Xi again. “But you don’t need to think too much. Fu Yanchuan is second in the Fu family. Other than his father, no one dares to do anything to you. Seventh Uncle wouldn’t lower himself to deal with you either.”

Qi Xi didn’t know who she was. After hearing all that, he didn’t know how to respond. He rarely interacted with women and didn’t know what to say.

Seeing his nervousness, Shen Jiahui softened her tone. “Don’t be so nervous. Do I look that scary?”

“No,” Qi Xi answered honestly. He thought she was very pretty, but, like Fu Yanchuan, her good looks were a bit aggressive. She was also very tall, almost as tall as him. He felt a little envious. Why were all Fu family members so tall?

Shen Jiahui said again, “I’m Fu Yanchuan’s cousin. Just chatting with you.”

“Chat about what?” he asked.

Shen Jiahui suddenly leaned closer and lowered her voice. “How far have you and Fu Yanchuan gone? Have you thought about getting married?”

“Huh?”

At the word “marriage,” Qi Xi’s brain crashed. How could he and Fu Yanchuan get married?

Shen Jiahui looked at Qi Xi for a moment, thinking he wouldn’t dare consider marriage. She told him, “Be bolder. Fu Yanchuan has never brought anyone here before. You can’t marry domestically, but he has plenty of assets abroad. You can marry abroad. If he dies, you can inherit a lot of his assets.”

Fu Jinghong, who was standing nearby, felt his scalp go numb. Shen Jiahui had always tried to drive a wedge between Fu Yanchuan and Fu Zhenrong, hoping they would fight and she would benefit. But saying something this excessive—he was afraid Fu Yanchuan would hear it. Then, before he could gain anything, Fu Yanchuan would deal with him first.

Qi Xi’s mind was completely blank. He stared at Shen Jiahui. “What are you saying? How could Brother Yan die?”

“I’m talking about you marrying him. Why is that your focus?”

“But why would I marry Brother Yan?”

Shen Jiahui was speechless. She examined Qi Xi for a long while. “You don’t want to marry him? Did Fu Yanchuan tell you that he doesn’t want to get married? Someone like him definitely wouldn’t want to marry. Tell me, and I’ll help you talk to him.”

“No, you misunderstood.”

Qi Xi explained, “Brother Yan and I are friends.”

“Friends?”

Shen Jiahui was also stunned. No one would believe that Fu Yanchuan brought a friend to a family gathering, let alone share the same room and hand out red envelopes. But Qi Xi’s reaction left her confused.

After a moment of thought, Qi Xi lowered his gaze and said, “Not just that. I’m also his—”

In the end, he still couldn’t bring himself to say in front of others that he was the stand-in Fu Yanchuan had found.

Shen Jiahui stared at Qi Xi’s face and suddenly understood something. She asked him, “Do you know Qiao Ye?”

At that moment, Qi Xi wasn’t sure if it was cleverness or instinct, but he immediately knew who Qiao Ye was. He asked Shen Jiahui, “Is he the person Brother Yan likes?”

Hearing that name, Fu Jinghong also grew tense. No one knew what had happened during those two years. For years, no one in the Fu family had dared to mention Qiao Ye in front of Fu Yanchuan.

Qi Xi continued, “Can you tell me about Qiao Ye? Did Brother Yan like him a lot?”

Shen Jiahui was uncertain about what Fu Yanchuan was really thinking. Was bringing Qi Xi here still just a way to anger Fu Zhenrong? Was he actually just playing around with Qi Xi? Or was he deliberately finding someone who resembled Qiao Ye a little?

She asked Qi Xi, “Do you really want to know?”

After being asked that way, Qi Xi suddenly didn’t want to know anymore. He looked at Shen Jiahui without answering.

Shen Jiahui felt that this kid was really easy to read. No matter what Fu Yanchuan was thinking, Qi Xi definitely liked Fu Yanchuan.

She said deliberately, “Then tell me first—do you like Fu Yanchuan? Do you want to marry him?”

Qi Xi was stunned again. How did the conversation suddenly jump from liking to marriage? He had never thought about that.

Seeing Qi Xi’s reaction, Shen Jiahui smiled and spoke to him seriously. “Fu Yanchuan doesn’t like Qiao Ye, and that was many years ago. Back then, they were only teenagers. What kind of liking could that have been? Don’t think too much about it. Fu Yanchuan must like you. If you like him too, then you have to hold on tight. If you like someone, you have to try every possible way to get them. Understand?”

Qi Xi was stunned again and nodded unconsciously at Shen Jiahui.

Fu Jinghong thought his cousin was something else. He didn’t believe that Fu Yanchuan would fight Fu Zhenrong over love.

But as soon as he thought that, he remembered Fu Yanchuan’s behavior in the card room, and then he thought of Fu Yuejiang. Back then, he had been such a bastard—so arrogant—yet after Qin Hui died, he became like that. Suddenly, it felt like maybe it wasn’t impossible after all.

Fu Yanchuan arrived and saw Shen Jiahui talking to Qi Xi. His first reaction was to break them apart, so he quickly stepped between them and glared at her. “Sister Hui, what are you doing here?”

Shen Jiahui leisurely took in Fu Yanchuan’s expression before replying, “I was just chatting with Qi Xi. Why are you so nervous? What do you think I said to him?”

As she spoke, she turned to Qi Xi and asked, “We were chatting happily, right?”

Qi Xi looked at Fu Yanchuan as if his brain couldn’t keep up and nodded. Shen Jiahui said goodbye. “I’ll be going first. Qi Xi, don’t forget what I told you. See you next time.”

After Shen Jiahui left, Fu Yanchuan didn’t dare ask Qi Xi directly for fear that he had heard something unpleasant. He turned his gaze to Fu Jinghong, questioning him with his eyes.

Seeing how tense Fu Yanchuan looked, Fu Jinghong felt even more convinced that love was magical. Not wanting to get dragged in, he shrugged. “Just casual chatting. Wishing you two a good night’s sleep!”

Only Qi Xi and Fu Yanchuan remained in the corridor. Qi Xi was still thinking about what Shen Jiahui had said. He reached out and hugged Fu Yanchuan. “Brother Yan, it’s cold here.”

Fu Yanchuan immediately pulled him into his arms and held him tightly. “Let’s go back to the room.”

Back in the room, Qi Xi was still listless. After waiting for him to finish showering, Fu Yanchuan pulled him over and pressed him down onto the chaise lounge by the window.

Qi Xi faced the night scenery outside the window. Fu Yanchuan leaned in and asked, “What did you hear?”

Qi Xi was embarrassed to admit that he had been thinking about marrying Fu Yanchuan. Quickly shaking his head to hide his guilt, he wrapped his arms and legs around Fu Yanchuan and said, “Brother Yan, I like you.”

The sudden confession made Fu Yanchuan’s heart beat rapidly. Qi Xi had said he liked him many times before, but this was the first time he had said it so directly—clearly saying “I” and “you.”

He hugged him tighter and continued, “I really, really like you—more than I like Xie Hui, just a little more! I really like you.”

“Mhm.”

Beneath Fu Yanchuan’s calm exterior, his heart pounded wildly. He lifted Qi Xi’s face, convinced that Shen Jiahui had said something bad and that Qi Xi had become uneasy and confessed to him because of it. He made a resolute promise to Qi Xi.

“Xi Xi, no matter what anyone tells you, don’t believe it.”

Qi Xi’s eyes widened in surprise. Don’t believe it?

Fu Yanchuan didn’t give him a chance to ask again. He pressed his lips against Qi Xi’s and kissed him. In an instant, Qi Xi forgot what he had wanted to ask and collapsed back onto the chaise lounge. Fu Yanchuan lifted his pajama top and leaned in close to ask, “Do you remember what I said last time?”

“What?”

Qi Xi squinted and opened the eyes he had just closed. Fu Yanchuan propped himself up and untied the drawstring of his pajama pants. “This time, use my hand, okay?”

Qi Xi instantly remembered last time, and his face flushed red. He thought Fu Yanchuan was letting him use his hand—when, in fact, Fu Yanchuan had already helped him like this many times. He nodded gently, and Fu Yanchuan leaned down to kiss him again.

They were pressed very close together. The chaise lounge wasn’t spacious enough, so they were crowded together tightly. As he was being kissed, all his senses gathered there.

Noticing his tension, Fu Yanchuan pulled away from his lips to coax him. “Don’t be afraid. Didn’t you say it was a roasted sweet potato?”

Qi Xi remembered that exactly and immediately turned his face away, hiding it against the backrest. “Don’t say that again! I never said that!”

Fu Yanchuan quietly laughed and leaned down to kiss his ear. “You didn’t say it—I did. Turn back and look at me, okay?”

Several seconds later, Qi Xi finally turned back around. Fu Yanchuan immediately kissed him, lifted him up, and switched positions with him. Fu Yanchuan leaned back against the chair while Qi Xi lay on his lap.

“Brother Yan!”

Qi Xi looked down. Fu Yanchuan’s bathrobe was half-open, and Qi Xi gripped his shoulder tightly. Using his other hand, Fu Yanchuan pushed Qi Xi’s face up and kissed him, saying, “Xi Xi, look at me.”

Qi Xi looked at him, but his body’s reaction told him exactly what Fu Yanchuan was doing. He unconsciously arched his back, and Fu Yanchuan gently stroked and pressed him back down.

He lay against Fu Yanchuan’s shoulder, finally understanding what he meant by “using my hand.” The heat made him tremble, and his breathing grew heavier unconsciously. Fu Yanchuan’s hand was much larger than his own, encompassing him. He bit down on Fu Yanchuan’s neck.

Fu Yanchuan paused slightly, his lips brushing Qi Xi’s ear as he asked, “Nervous?”

“Mhm.” He answered with a nasal sound. Fu Yanchuan coaxed him, “Then, Xi Xi, come kiss me, okay?”

After a long while, he gave another soft, nasal sound. Following Fu Yanchuan’s lead, he gently sucked the spot he had bitten, curling his tongue over it and tracing it forward along the base of the ear until he reached Fu Yanchuan’s lips.

Fu Yanchuan smiled faintly at him. He complained unhappily, “Don’t laugh.”

“I won’t.”

Looking straight at Qi Xi, Fu Yanchuan said, “Tongue. Stick it out.”

Qi Xi, who had been staring into Fu Yanchuan’s eyes, closed his eyes, leaned forward, and stuck out the tip of his tongue. Fu Yanchuan sucked on it, but he seemed dissatisfied. He held his tongue and said, “Xi Xi, you’re the one kissing me.”

“Mhm.”

Qi Xi responded with a soft nasal sound. He hugged Fu Yanchuan tightly and finally pushed his tongue into his mouth. At that moment, Fu Yanchuan’s hand began to move. Startled, Qi Xi tried to escape, but Fu Yanchuan pressed him down firmly with his other hand. He easily caught Qi Xi’s tongue again and refused to let go, leaving him nowhere to run.

The winter night was pitch black. The reflection of the two on the chair appeared on the glass of the floor-to-ceiling window. Under the dim, warm light, they clung to each other as if they were the only two people in the world.

 

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