Madame Jiang was amused—boys certainly do love this stuff: "In the future, all this will belong to you, Dundun. If you like it, take it out to play."
Madame Jiang later mentioned it briefly to Lu Qin over dinner that night, but he hadn’t paid it much mind. He used to have a lot of interests and collections; he didn’t mind the little child using them, and he only found it fascinating how a father and son could share similar tastes.
Then, Lu Qin watched as the little child pulled out his battleship and gifted it to Jiang Yan.
Lu Qin was silent and decided to retract his thoughts about “shared interests.”
Who wants to have the same interests as a rival in love?
Pei Dundun slid the battleship over Jiang Yan’s blanket. "Uncle, take a look!"
Originally, he’d meant to leave it at the bedside so Jiang Yan would see it when he woke up, but he couldn’t resist showing him as soon as they met.
Jiang Yan had already slept enough but kept his eyes closed to humor him for a while. When he finally opened them, he saw the battleship he’d been missing rolling across his hand.
He hadn’t expected Dundun to give him this. It didn’t make sense; he had never mentioned the series name to Dundun. There was only one possibility: Pei Ge had probably seen the complete collection at President Lu’s house and decided to gift it to him on Dundun’s behalf.
He was genuinely touched, but he couldn’t accept it.
Lu Qin then said, “Dundun insisted on giving it to you; he held it carefully the whole way.”
Jiang Yan raised an eyebrow. Since President Lu himself had spoken, he reached over and patted Dundun on the back of his head. “Thank you, Pei Ge. This was the last piece I needed.”
Pei Dundun replied, “You’re welcome.”
Lu Qin observed their interaction, and his mindset shifted a little. Jiang Yan didn’t match the image he had of someone who would “say all sorts of nonsense around a kid.” Instead, he was cheerful and straightforward. Even if he did like Pei Rong, he was worthy of fair competition.
Of course, that didn’t mean Lu Qin would give Jiang Yan a chance.
Jiang Yan and Dundun started dismantling the model to play with it. Jiang Yan turned to Lu Qin and said, “I’ll hang out with Dundun for a bit. Pei Rong should be back from the sanatorium soon. Why don’t you go pick him up since it’s already so late?”
Lu Qin paused, then replied, “Dundun told me you have someone you like.”
Jiang Yan, caught off guard, felt a blush creep up his ears. His casual complaint to Dundun had somehow reached President Lu’s ears. He understood the implication of Lu Qin’s words and quickly clarified, “It’s not who you think.”
Jiang Yan didn’t want to be considered a rival by Lu Qin, who was as cold and dominant as a king in winter. He suddenly added, “Do you know what Pei Rong said before his surgery?”
Lu Qin’s eyes darkened, focusing intently on Jiang Yan. He was almost certain that if Jiang Yan didn’t tell him, he might never know.
“He took out a watch… the one that Dundun traded for Orange.”
Jiang Yan covered Dundun’s ears and, mimicking Pei Rong in an exaggerated tone, said, “I went through the whole pregnancy without thinking of a name, but as I lay there, I finally thought of one. If I don’t wake up, take this watch and the child and leave them on Lu family’s doorstep.”
“I told him if he said one more word, I’d have President Lu in the delivery room with him. That shut him up, and he obediently put on the oxygen mask.”
In just a few lines, Jiang Yan managed to turn Lu Qin’s attention entirely to Pei Rong, making it clear that he had always supported President Lu’s involvement in the birth. After all, it had been Pei Rong’s decision, not his. He was just a reluctant accomplice, not a willing participant.
Lu Qin’s black eyes deepened as he felt an intense surge of emotions.
To be honest, he was furious.
He couldn’t accept that Pei Rong had entertained the idea of not waking up, even if it was just in jest, nor that he’d gone so far as to make light-hearted “arrangements” for afterward. Yet all he could do was passively accept whatever happened, which went against every fiber of his controlling nature and willpower.
Jiang Yan added fuel to the fire. “The surgery was scheduled for Tuesday. He’d already checked in, but then he ran off early Monday morning.”
Seeing Lu Qin’s face turn visibly dark, Jiang Yan reached over and playfully rubbed Pei Ge’s little ear. Was this the joy of stirring trouble and deflecting blame? There really was nothing like President Lu to handle a rogue spirit.
Lu Qin stiffly turned and walked out of the guest bedroom. He didn’t dare show the slightest negative emotion toward Pei Rong in front of Dundun.
The cool night air filled his lungs as he stepped outside, his clenched fist pulling tightly at the wound on his arm, sending a numbing ache through him.
Pei Rong was actually so terrified that he slipped away before the surgery—yet even so, he faced it alone without reaching out to him.
Was he scarier to Pei Rong than the unknown, scarier even than the King of Hell himself?
Just how afraid was he? He’d find out.
***
The beautiful man stepped out of the sanatorium’s front door and walked toward the parking lot, keeping his gaze straight ahead.
Every night when he went home, even if it was only a short distance, he had to take a four-wheeler. Backing it up was a hassle, but it felt safer.
“Beep beep beep.” Lu Qin honked the horn.
Pei Rong acted as if he didn’t notice. Who wanted to sit on an electric scooter that maxed out at a speed of 20 kilometers per hour and didn’t even need a license plate or driver’s license?
He wanted a motorcycle—a flashy one!
He used to ride horses three years ago, and now with a son, how could he be demoted?
When he wanted a motorcycle, he was given an e-bike; when he wanted an e-bike, they offered him a motorcycle. It was frustrating—no matter what he asked for, he couldn’t get what he wanted.
Pei Rong couldn’t understand it at all, and suddenly, it hit him: since they’d reunited, Lu Qin had been dining and drinking for free at his manor with a membership card, staying in his villa without paying a cent, and his stocks still hadn’t gone up. Plus, he was calculating the price of every bottle of wine, and the only gift he’d given was a three-year-old watch…
He was totally losing out.
What’s more, someone’s expression was as dark as an unlicensed, uncertified black-market driver’s, with the kind of look that made you wonder if he was up to no good on a dark, windy night.
The little electric scooter didn’t even have enough legroom for Lu Qin’s long legs. He twisted the handle, pulling up next to Pei Rong with a tone as fierce as a kidnapper’s, “Get on.”
Pei Rong paused, turned, unfastened the luxury watch worth millions on his wrist, and tossed it into Lu Qin’s suit pocket.
Wherever Lu Qin planned to go with that dark look, he’d better keep a low profile if they were taking the e-bike.
Lu Qin’s heart clenched: seriously? Just because he didn’t bring the heavy motorcycle, Pei Rong was offended enough to throw away even his watch?
Was his temper really this bad? He hadn’t even lost his cool yet.
With one long stride, Pei Rong climbed onto the “black-market” bike.
President Lu is attempting a “broke” look now that his abstinence strategy has failed, huh?
After all, three years ago, President Lu was known for two things: wealth and indulgence.
It’s clear that Lu Qin is trying to shed those dominant labels and get closer to him, going from one tactic to another.
Pei Rong understood; now it was his turn to “keep a pretty boy.”
He decided to play along.
Spotting a roadside stall selling Chinese crepes, he unceremoniously directed Lu Qin, "Go buy two. Add eggs, ham, chicken strips, lettuce, and tomato sauce. And sprinkle some sesame seeds."
Lu Qin: Doesn’t he realize I’m angry???
