36

"Sure."

Jiang Yuanye didn’t hesitate at all and straightforwardly took off the shirt he was wearing, revealing the defined muscle lines of his upper body.

From an outsider’s perspective, those muscles weren’t as bulky or swollen as those of gym enthusiasts. Instead, they were covered with a thin layer, lean but not weak, firm yet not overly strong.

When he undressed, the bulging veins along his forearms were clearly visible, along with a hidden but undeniable sense of strength.

Zhou Chaosheng: "What about the pants?"

Jiang Yuanye raised an eyebrow: "The pants too?"

"Mm."

"...Alright then."

Jiang Yuanye decisively took off his pants as well, leaving only a pair of triangle briefs.

Zhou Chaosheng: "..."

To Jiang Yuanye, this was no different from those days in college when he would openly undress in the communal showers with other guys. If the mood struck, he might even take off his underwear to compare sizes.

"What do you think?"

As he spoke, he even spun around in a full circle, showing himself off from all angles to Zhou Chaosheng.

Underneath the triangle briefs was a pair of straight, long legs. They weren’t as slender as a woman’s, but the skin was even fairer, with less hair. Fine capillaries were faintly visible beneath the firm skin, and the clear lines ran from the calves to the ankles. The protruding bones revealed his body’s perfect weight, neither too heavy nor too light.

The only flaw was the scars, some from burns, some from whippings that coiled around his body like pythons, shocking to behold.

Zhou Chaosheng fell silent.

In those ten or so seconds of silence, his gaze unintentionally landed on the bulge at the front of Jiang Yuanye’s briefs and the firm curve of his backside.

Zhou Chaosheng: "..."

For the first time, he realized that Jiang Yuanye’s bottom line could sink to such a degree.

He stripped without hesitation.

Snapping back to his senses, Zhou Chaosheng quickly looked away, feeling both embarrassed and annoyed. "That’s enough. Put your clothes back on!"

Behind him, where Zhou Chaosheng couldn’t see, Jiang Yuanye stared at the back of his head for a long moment, puzzled. Then, running a hand through his hair, he muttered with a mix of frustration and amusement, "What? Why are you annoyed? Weren’t you the one who asked me to strip?"

Zhou Chaosheng closed his mouth and decided that if he talked to Jiang Yuanye again, he’d consider himself a fool.

When Zhou Chaosheng stayed silent, Jiang Yuanye reached out and tapped him lightly on the back. "Why aren’t you saying anything?"

Zhou Chaosheng: "..."

Still refusing to speak.

When Jiang Yuanye realized Zhou Chaosheng was genuinely upset, a strange thought suddenly popped into his head, that kind of “my girlfriend is throwing a tantrum” scenario often mentioned online.

That thought was quickly smothered before it could take root.

With a short laugh, Jiang Yuanye put his clothes and pants back on. Then, he walked around the wheelchair and squatted in front of Zhou Chaosheng.

Under Zhou Chaosheng’s unhappy gaze, Jiang Yuanye crossed his hands on the armrest, tilted his head up, and looked at him with eyes glistening with moisture, as if teasing yet coaxing. He softly said, "Alright, I’m done teasing you..."

"Will you talk to me now?"

The last syllable was sweet and sticky, as if dipped in a jar of honey and wrapped in a soft cloud, gently poking at Zhou Chaosheng’s heart.

Zhou Chaosheng widened his eyes in shock.

He had never seen Jiang Yuanye like this before...

No, he had never even imagined Jiang Yuanye acting this way!

This completely shattered his perception of Jiang Yuanye.

—

After finishing his shower, Zhou Chaosheng’s head was still in a hazy state. His whole mind felt unfocused, and he didn’t even notice that Jiang Yuanye had helped dry his body, dressed him, handed him warm water, shoved his toiletries into his hands, and urged him to quickly finish up and go to bed.

Now, Jiang Yuanye was pushing him into the bedroom.

Looking at the familiar setup, Zhou Chaosheng couldn’t help but feel a sense of unreality.

Jiang Yuanye said, “Wait here,” and left the room.

Five minutes later, he returned, holding a glass of water in his left hand and a transparent bag in his right.

“You…” Zhou Chaosheng wanted to say something but stopped.

“Hmm?” Jiang Yuanye casually sat on the sofa connected to the bed, lowering his head as he started unboxing the medicine. While opening the boxes, he said, “What’s wrong?”

Zhou Chaosheng was silent for a moment, watching as Jiang Yuanye carefully opened each box, read the instructions, and confirmed the dosage before handing the warm glass of water to him.

“Two pills at a time. After you take them, I’ll help you apply the medicine.”

Zhou Chaosheng took the glass, holding it with both hands. The warmth spread to his palms.

Looking at Jiang Yuanye’s long, lowered eyelashes, Zhou Chaosheng couldn’t hold back the question that had been swirling in his mind.

“Why… why are you being so good to me?”

Jiang Yuanye poured two pills into his palm, stretched his hand out in front of Zhou Chaosheng, and smiled. “You’re my partner. If I’m not good to you, who else would I be good to?”

The wheelchair separated them, leaving a small distance between them. Even so, Zhou Chaosheng could still clearly catch the faint milk scent coming from Jiang Yuanye, just like the warm milk he drank every night before bed.

It was subtle, sweet, and rich.

In a daze, the scent seemed to suddenly rush over him.

Zhou Chaosheng blinked and found that Jiang Yuanye had turned his wheelchair halfway around. In the next moment, he was met with a pair of amber eyes.

“What’s wrong with you tonight? You’ve spaced out so many times. You’re slow to respond when I call you, and you didn’t even take the medicine when I handed it to you. What’s going on?”

Jiang Yuanye leaned his hand on the right armrest of the wheelchair, his foot hooked against the lower frame, sitting in a lazy posture with one eyebrow raised, looking at him.

It was an ordinary action, but when Jiang Yuanye did it, it felt as though he was enclosing Zhou Chaosheng entirely within the wheelchair.

Zhou Chaosheng shifted uncomfortably, trying to press his back against the cushion to distance himself from Jiang Yuanye’s presence.

But the moment Jiang Yuanye noticed his movement, he leaned in slightly, closing the gap.

“Why aren’t you talking again?”

“Don’t get so close to me.”

“Oh.”

Jiang Yuanye obediently moved back, then opened his palm again and handed the medicine to Zhou Chaosheng. “Hurry up and take it. Afterward, I still need to help you apply the ointment.”

Zhou Chaosheng took the pills, staring at the oval-shaped tablets for a few seconds before raising his arm to toss them into his mouth, swallowing them down with the warm water.

His throat moved as he swallowed. Slowly, Zhou Chaosheng said, “Done.”

“Good boy.”

Not only did Jiang Yuanye praise him, but he also suddenly reached out to ruffle Zhou Chaosheng’s hair. He only stopped after thoroughly messing it up. Laughing, he used a tone reserved for coaxing children:

“Baby, you’re so obedient.”

Zhou Chaosheng: “…”

His eyebrows twitched. Several times, he wanted to say something, but it was as though his voice was stuck in his throat. His whole body felt numb, completely stunned by Jiang Yuanye.

“…Just go. I can apply the medicine myself.”

After having his fun and seeing Zhou Chaosheng’s shocked and incredulous expression, Jiang Yuanye was satisfied. He got up decisively. “Alright, then I’ll leave.”

Zhou Chaosheng didn’t have the energy to argue with him anymore. He let out a faint “Mm” and turned his head away as though avoiding the plague, not sparing Jiang Yuanye another glance.

Jiang Yuanye chuckled. Suddenly, a mischievous thought arose. He walked a few steps toward the door but then turned back. Leaning down, he rested his hand on the armrest, leaned in, and gave Zhou Chaosheng a quick kiss on the cheek.

It was just a light touch, then he pulled away.

Before Zhou Chaosheng could react, Jiang Yuanye left behind a single line.

“Goodnight kiss.”

After saying this, Jiang Yuanye didn’t linger at all. He turned and left, his footsteps swift as though carried by the wind. Within seconds, he disappeared around the corner by the bedroom door.

As for Zhou Chaosheng, who had been unexpectedly kissed on the cheek:

He stared blankly at his bed, expressionless.

Half a minute later, he raised his hand and fiercely wiped his cheek. Once wasn’t enough, he wiped it again and again, over ten times. In the end, even the sleeve of his pajama top was used to rub his face.

He only stopped when the skin on his cheek began to feel warm from the friction.

Confusion flickered in his mind, mixed with a trace of incomprehension.

He thought to himself, Does Jiang Yuanye hate me that much…?

Hate me enough to disgust me

That he actually kissed me twice in one day.

If it were him, even once would have been his limit.

Zhou Chaosheng lowered his eyelashes, his gaze falling on the scattered pile of medicine Jiang Yuanye had unboxed. In his pale, light-colored eyes, a faint trace of complexity emerged, so subtle it was nearly imperceptible.

Why can Jiang Yuanye slip into this role so easily…?

From his initial awkwardness and discomfort to now touching him and kissing him without a change in expression.

He furrowed his brows slightly.

He wondered if maybe he should consider signing up for a class.

If this continued, the other person might actually achieve his goal of making him “sickened by this memory for the rest of his life.”

—

The next day, Zhou Chaosheng took an early morning flight to Kyoto to attend an emergency meeting.

At 2 a.m. the previous night, he had suddenly received a piece of news, the U.S. Department of Commerce, citing "national security concerns," had added his company, Huajie, to the so-called "Entity List," imposing "trade restrictions" on its imports and exports.

Being placed on the "Entity List" meant that Huajie would no longer be able to engage in any commercial transactions with the United States.

Anyone with a discerning eye could see this was blatant suppression.

If this issue wasn’t resolved properly, Huajie’s legal and economic rights would suffer greatly, potentially impacting the security and stability of global industrial and supply chains.

Inside the conference room, discussions about how to address the issue were in full swing.

Zhou Chaosheng sat upright in the middle of the long rectangular table, resting his chin on his hand, listening as some of the more short-tempered executives cursed the U.S., accusing them of pointless sanctions born out of boredom.

To his left, a slightly balding executive slapped the table and said, “I’ll tell you what, this is just jealousy over our superior technology! Look at the companies they sanction every time. Aren’t they always the top in their respective industries?”

An entirely bald executive on his right immediately echoed, “Exactly! Our company doesn’t rely on upstream technologies or integrated production resources. We have complete control over both drone hardware and software. Since they can’t surpass us, they resort to these underhanded tactics.”

As soon as he finished, others nodded in agreement, condemning the actions with fervor.

Zhou Chaosheng remained silent, listening without offering any opinions. The others didn’t seem surprised by his silence, as though there had been some prior understanding to refrain from seeking his input.

Though Zhou Chaosheng didn’t say much, he wasn’t shocked by the U.S.’s actions.

Four years ago, China’s Ministry of Commerce and BIS had already added Kirin to the "Entity List," affecting its 34 subsidiaries across 23 countries and regions. They had further tightened restrictions on Kirin’s ability to source chips externally from third-party manufacturers like Qualcomm and MediaTek. Not long after, outlets like Reuters reported that the U.S. government was considering adding China’s largest semiconductor foundry, SMIC, to the trade blacklist.

If Kirin was the pinnacle of the smartphone industry, then Huajie was the leader in the global drone market.

In the drone market, there wasn’t yet a brand that could surpass Huajie.

Huajie’s dominance stemmed from its internationally leading technologies, including flight control systems, gimbal systems, obstacle avoidance algorithms, visual algorithms, image transmission technology, and more.

The company’s head of technology adjusted his glasses calmly and said, “Their disdain for us isn’t new. Does everyone still remember three years ago when they falsely accused our drones of collecting user data and transmitting it to Chinese servers to spy on U.S. users and domestic information? At the time, they demanded we stop selling Huajie products entirely and destroy all drones we had produced. And yet, in the end? They still failed.”

Hearing this, the initially tense atmosphere suddenly eased. Someone added with a chuckle, “Exactly, there’s nothing to fear. If they want to compete, let them bring it on.”

Another person cracked a light-hearted joke: “Even if they suppress us with policies, it won’t stop 90% of government departments in all 50 states from using drones we manufacture.”

As soon as he said that, the heavy mood in the room lifted entirely, and the group burst into hearty laughter.

—

After the meeting ended, Zhou Chaosheng asked the tech expert, Liu Yan, to stay behind.

In the vast conference room, only Wiesen, Zhou Chaosheng, and Liu Yan remained.

Liu Yan, who had been eloquent and confident during the meeting, suddenly became hesitant and stumbled over his words in Zhou Chaosheng’s presence.

“President Zhou, is there something you need from me?”

Zhou Chaosheng replied gently, “Don’t be nervous. I just thought what you said during the meeting was excellent.”

Liu Yan was flattered. “Thank you, President Zhou. I was just speaking from the heart.”

Zhou Chaosheng fixed his gaze on him, exuding an air of focus and sincerity that made others instinctively trust his words. “Do you have any good solutions in mind for this situation?”

Liu Yan froze for a moment, realizing this was a test from Zhou Chaosheng. After only a few seconds of thought, he gave a clear and well-organized response to the question.

After listening, Zhou Chaosheng nodded in satisfaction. “Good. I’ll leave this matter entirely in your hands.”

Liu Yan’s eyes widened slightly, clearly surprised. “Me?”

Zhou Chaosheng countered calmly, “Do you think you’re capable?”

Hearing this, Liu Yan quickly set aside his initial surprise and returned to his composed demeanor. He replied earnestly, “Yes, President Zhou. I’m confident I can handle it. I won’t let the company down!”

Zhou Chaosheng smiled faintly and said, “Good, I’m looking forward to your performance.”

The boss’s smile felt like a gentle spring breeze, brushing softly and filling Liu Yan with an unparalleled sense of encouragement and support.

For some reason, Liu Yan suddenly felt inexplicably motivated. “Got it, President Zhou! I will absolutely live up to your expectations!”

After Liu Yan left, Wiesen, standing behind Zhou Chaosheng, couldn’t help but comment, “I didn’t expect that even after losing your memory, your ability to convince people is still so strong…”

Zhou Chaosheng: “...”

“Your bonus for this month is gone.”

Wiesen was horrified. “No, boss! I was wrong! I won’t say anything again…”

Just as Wiesen was about to launch into a lengthy plea, a knock at the door interrupted them.

“President Zhou, President Zhao and President Gu arrived at the company half an hour ago and are now waiting for you in the lounge.”

Zhou Chaosheng lifted his gaze and responded coolly, “Got it, I’ll head over now.”

Next