Yu Tan sealed a new business deal with Mr. Fei, the head of the Fei family.
Several families had been competing for the same partnership, but since Yu Tan held all the power, no one expected the contract to land in the Fei family's hands so easily.
Mr. Fei couldn't help staring at the man across from him—composed, brilliant, effortlessly commanding. The very image of success.
Pride mixed with envy in his chest.
His own son, Fei Sizhen, was only two years younger than Yu Tan, yet spent his days chasing hobbies and film sets. If that boy had even a tenth of Yu Tan's talent and ambition, Mr. Fei thought, he could die happy.
Noticing the man's sigh, Yu Tan said calmly, "President Fei seems troubled."
Mr. Fei waved his hands quickly, worried about offending him. But when he saw Yu Tan's expression remain mild, he decided to speak the truth—about how his son had gone abroad to study finance only to secretly switch majors to film directing, and how that had aged him by several new wrinkles.
Yu Tan, who rarely wasted words on anyone, usually found other people not worth the effort. But this time, Mr. Fei's rambling gave him exactly the opening he needed to bring up Fei Sizhen.
"You're being too harsh," Yu Tan said, his tone smooth. "Your son is young, clever, and bold. Otherwise, he couldn't have made a name for himself in such a competitive industry. If someone like him entered finance, he'd have a brilliant future."
Mr. Fei's face lit up with surprise and joy. "You really think so?"
Yu Tan smiled faintly. His cool, pale features carried an effortless authority. "Parents always think long-term for their children. You've worked hard, President Fei. But perhaps there's a way to guide him back. Our new partnership might be the perfect chance. If your son still values his family, he'll come around."
Mr. Fei leaned forward, eager. "I'd like to hear your idea."
Across the city, Fei Sizhen was sneezing nonstop.
Hu Xiaoyu couldn't hold back a laugh as he pushed a tissue box toward him. With a subtle flick of his thumb, a thin beam of spiritual light disappeared into Fei Sizhen's body. Instantly, the sneezing stopped.
Fei Sizhen wiped his hands and excused himself to the restroom.
When he saw his flushed reflection in the mirror, he shook his head, chuckling to himself. Since when did a director like me get embarrassed this easily?
He'd met countless stunning faces in the industry, but none had ever made him lose his composure the way Hu Xiaoyu did.
At least, Hu Xiaoyu had agreed to play the second male lead in his film.
Still, Fei Sizhen couldn't stop thinking about all those ridiculous rumors.
People had told him Hu Xiaoyu was wild, strange—even a dropout. They'd said he'd chased after the Liu family's eldest son and refused to attend school.
But after meeting him, Fei Sizhen knew those stories couldn't be further from the truth.
Hu Xiaoyu was refined, well-mannered, and quick-witted—every bit the noble young man he appeared to be. Maybe a little naive, but bright and perceptive.
It wasn't hard to see why someone like Yu Tan would be drawn to him.
In all of Shencheng, no one could compare to Hu Xiaoyu—neither in looks nor temperament.
A shame, really. Yu Tan's taste was sharp enough to claim such a gem early. Otherwise…
Fei Sizhen cut off that thought with a laugh. He wouldn't dare cross someone like Yu Tan. Spending time with Hu Xiaoyu on set would be more than enough.
After their meeting, he offered to take Hu Xiaoyu to lunch.
Hu Xiaoyu wanted to hear more about the film industry, but in the end, he politely declined.
"I already have plans," he said with a smile.
The truth was, he wanted to have lunch with Yu Tan.
Yu Tan hated extreme weather—too hot or too cold. And in summer, he only ate well when Hu Xiaoyu kept him company.
Still, Hu Xiaoyu was grateful to Fei Sizhen for offering to help him find a good management team. Before leaving, he added gently, "You should try to keep your family life peaceful. Don't lose your temper too easily—it might lead to something you'll regret."
The words sounded strange, but Fei Sizhen nodded anyway.
It wasn't that he was gullible—it was just that when Hu Xiaoyu spoke, his beautiful fox eyes carried a quiet certainty that made you want to believe him.
When Hu Xiaoyu returned home, the first thing he did was ask Uncle Hong where Yu Tan was.
The Yu residence was enormous—it wasn't easy to find anyone there.
Uncle Hong smiled. "The young master's in his study. Perfect timing—go call him down for lunch."
Hu Xiaoyu went to knock.
No answer.
He wasn't surprised. He cracked the door open, peeked inside, and whispered, "Yu Tan, can I come in?"
Yu Tan was reading emails. Without looking up, he waved absently toward the door.
Hu Xiaoyu beamed, trotted in, and went straight to him. He caught Yu Tan's hand and rubbed it against his cheek. "It's lunchtime."
Yu Tan hummed faintly, eyes still on the screen.
A few minutes later, he closed the laptop, pulled Hu Xiaoyu into his lap, and murmured, "So you do remember to come home."
Hu Xiaoyu curled up comfortably, talking excitedly about his meeting with Fei Sizhen—how fun it had been, how interesting, how nice Fei Sizhen was.
But as he went on, every "Sizhen" that came out of his mouth darkened Yu Tan's mood further.
Finally, Yu Tan leaned down and silenced him with a hard kiss.
That night, Hu Xiaoyu appeared at Yu Tan's bedroom door with a blanket and pillow in his arms—both belonging to Yu Tan.
After their "deep exchange," he'd obediently returned to his own room. He'd wanted to stay, but Yu Tan had said he wouldn't be able to control himself.
And Hu Xiaoyu—whose waist still ached—didn't dare test that.
Still, he'd snuck off with Yu Tan's blanket and pillow. They carried his scent, something only Hu Xiaoyu could sense, and it helped him sleep.
When he opened the door now, Yu Tan closed his laptop, already expecting him.
"What brings you here?" he asked, amused.
Hu Xiaoyu padded over, set his things neatly on the bed, and crawled in. "My back doesn't hurt anymore."
He'd felt Yu Tan's desire earlier that day during their kiss—and truth be told, he missed that feeling too.
But when Yu Tan stood still, he frowned. "Don't you like it?"
Yu Tan's gaze was unreadable. "So whatever I like, you'll do?"
Hu Xiaoyu nodded, untying his robe and adding seriously, "I have already taken a bath. No need to wash again."
Yu Tan stepped closer, towering over him. "Then I like it when you don't go film that movie."
Hu Xiaoyu gripped the blanket. "That one's not negotiable. Anything else, yes—but not that."
Yu Tan's voice went cold. "There is nothing else. I'm not in the mood tonight."
Hu Xiaoyu could tell he was angry. But he really had to take that role.
He sighed softly. "Alright then."
Fox spirits tended toward extremes—either obsessive or detached.
Hu Xiaoyu belonged to the latter. He loved being with Yu Tan, but if Yu Tan didn't want it, he wouldn't push.
Whatever his benefactor wanted—that was law.
He climbed out of bed, hugged his pillow and blanket, and left quietly.
Yu Tan watched the entire time, expression unreadable. When the door clicked shut, a low, humorless laugh slipped from his lips.
"Filming a movie?" he murmured darkly. "Dream on."
Back in his room, Hu Xiaoyu felt like he'd forgotten something.
Ah, —his pajamas.
But that didn't matter. Wrapped in the blanket that smelled faintly of Yu Tan, he soon fell asleep.
The rest was good for healing.
By the time filming started, he thought, he'd be fully recovered.
In the middle of the night, though, he woke to find himself pinned down.
His blanket was on the floor, his wrists held above his head, his skin cooled against the air.
In the darkness, his fox eyes shimmered faint green.
When he saw the face above him, he whispered, half-asleep, "Yu Tan… can't sleep again?"
He must've forgotten to give Yu Tan his nightly dose of spiritual energy. Still, with the green jade around, everything should've been fine—shouldn't it?