By the time they got home, it was already late. On the way back, Yan Sui’an had ordered a bunch of delivery food. When Si Jin came out after washing up, he saw the table already laid out with familiar dishes.
“Hungry?”
Yan Sui’an had also taken a quick shower. After spending the whole afternoon outside, his fever had completely gone, and he looked much more energetic.
“Yeah,” Si Jin replied, sitting down across from him, quietly marveling at how good his physical condition was.
“Baby, you still have one more day off tomorrow. What do you plan to do?” Yan Sui’an looked at him with hopeful anticipation.
Si Jin actually wanted to tell him to stop calling him that, but as he gripped his fork and summoned the courage to look up and meet his eyes, he realized that saying anything wouldn’t change it. So in the end, he could only sigh in reluctant surrender.
“I already told Cheng-jie that I’ll go help out at the restaurant tomorrow.”
Yan Sui’an instantly deflated. “Why are you such a workaholic?”
Si Jin pretended not to hear. After playing all afternoon, he was starving. By the time he realized, he had already cleared most of the food in front of him. Noticing this, he glanced nervously at Yan Sui’an and was about to set down his fork and knife, when the other person suddenly pushed his own steak plate over.
“Still have room? You can have this one. I don’t like the sauce they used. They sent the wrong one.”
Si Jin froze for a moment, then obediently accepted and finished that plate too.
Later that night, after checking Yan Sui’an’s temperature and confirming that the fever was completely gone, he finally felt relieved. He went back to his own room to get the bed ready for the night.
But Yan Sui’an seemed uneasy. After showering, he came knocking and offered to help put all the unpacked luggage back in place.
Seeing the way he tried to act casual while helping, Si Jin knew full well that he was worried he might try to sneak away. After hesitating for a while, he gave in and let him in. The two of them managed to put everything back in order within an hour.
Once it was all done, Yan Sui’an finally relaxed. Just before leaving the room, his eyes lit up with excitement as he looked at Si Jin.
“Do you need anything else?” Si Jin asked, a little tense under his deep gaze.
With a straight face, Yan Sui’an leaned in slightly. “I want a goodnight kiss. Can I, baby?”
Today, he had already said so many surprising things with that cold and refined face of his that Si Jin barely even flinched anymore.
He turned his eyes slightly away and firmly shook his head. “No.”
Yan Sui’an clearly froze for a second at the rejection. “Why not?”
Si Jin blinked and said, “You were the one who taught me that if there’s something I don’t want to do, I should be brave and say no.”
The words he’d once said had come back around and smacked him in the face. Yan Sui’an looked speechless for a moment, but then laughed.
“Alright then. Goodnight, baby.”
The fact that Si Jin had remembered and followed his advice so seriously was, in its own way, quite touching.
But even after watching him obediently walk out of the room, Si Jin still felt like it wasn’t real. He had expected Yan Sui’an to cling and pester him like earlier in the day, not give up so easily.
Back in bed, the heater Yan Sui’an had turned on earlier was blowing out warm air, but somehow, Si Jin still didn’t feel warm enough.
Faintly, he recalled the feeling of being tightly embraced, how it had left him breathless but inexplicably safe.
---
When Si Jin woke up the next morning, Yan Sui’an’s room was still completely quiet. He hesitated for a moment, then, worried that Yan Sui’an might start overthinking again, left him a message saying he’d gone out to work a part-time job.
At the restaurant, his appearance caught everyone by surprise.
“First time seeing Xiao Si come in to help on a weekday instead of a weekend or holiday.”
Liu Youyi, who had been staying quiet for a while, couldn’t help joining in again. “I heard the online fiction market’s slowing down. Don’t tell me Xiao Si got laid off?”
“Can’t you watch your mouth?” Xiao Li shot him a look.
Si Jin glanced at Liu Youyi and said calmly, “I took a leave of absence. I didn’t have anything else planned, and Cheng-jie said they’re short-staffed, so I came to help out.”
“Oh, I see.”
Realizing he’d spoken out of turn, Liu Youyi rubbed his nose awkwardly and walked off.
Not long after, Peng Lu came back from lunch to start her shift. When she saw Si Jin, she walked over.
“There was a guest looking for you yesterday.”
“Who?” Si Jin had a bad feeling.
“That Mr. Gu. He asked us to let him know whenever you’re working. Said he had something to talk to you about.” Peng Lu looked puzzled. “What do you think he wants?”
Si Jin had a pretty good guess but didn’t explain. He simply nodded. “Got it.”
Peng Lu asked, “Should I tell him, then?”
“Up to you. I don’t mind.”
The truth was, Si Jin didn’t know exactly what Gu Yanhe wanted. Could it be an apology for that misunderstanding the other night? That didn’t seem likely. He could only assume the worst, that Gu Yanhe still hadn’t let it go and still believed he had been trying to seduce him.
Just thinking about it made Si Jin feel sick. He used to think Gu Yanhe seemed like a well-mannered guest, but now he realized Whatever had been right all along.
The name “Whatever” came to mind again, but this time, the face that appeared wasn’t his. It was Yan Sui’an’s.
Si Jin lowered his gaze and let out a quiet sigh.
To his surprise, not even twenty minutes after Peng Lu informed Gu Yanhe that he was on shift, the man showed up at the restaurant.
Gu Yanhe, as always, wore an impeccable suit. Even for something as simple as dining out, every detail of his outfit was perfectly styled. The moment he walked in, heads turned.
“Welcome, sir. How many in your party?”
Gu Yanhe glanced briefly at the server and frowned. “I made a reservation for a private room thirty minutes ago. I specifically asked for Xiao Si to serve me.”
“Of course.”
Si Jin had just finished with a table when he was called upstairs via his earpiece.
When he entered the private room, Gu Yanhe had already taken off his coat. Hearing the door, he turned toward him, his gaze dark and unreadable.
Si Jin didn’t look at him. He simply went about the standard procedure. Once the dishes were served, he turned to leave, but Gu Yanhe finally spoke.
“Xiao Si.”
Si Jin paused, turned, and looked at him.
“About the other night,” Gu Yanhe said, standing up with a serious expression. “I owe you a proper apology. I’d been drinking at a party, and because of your attitude before, I misunderstood. I hope you won’t hold it against me.”
As he spoke, he placed a gift bag on the table and gently pushed it toward Si Jin.
“I picked this out for you. It’s not expensive, but it’s from the heart. I hope you’ll accept it and let the matter go.”
“…”
Si Jin didn’t speak for a long time. He’d be lying if he said he wasn’t surprised.
He could barely recall the details of that night anymore, but the disgust and discomfort still lingered. Even now, seeing Gu Yanhe again, he couldn’t bring himself to act friendly.
Still, he hadn’t expected such a formal apology. It didn’t seem half-hearted at all.
After a brief pause, he shook his head. “It’s alright. I’d rather not take the gift.”
Gu Yanhe hesitated for a moment, then said, “Please take it. I’ll feel guilty otherwise.”
If he hadn’t insisted, Si Jin might’ve believed he was genuinely trying to apologize. But now, looking at the complicated expression on his face, something clicked.
“Mr. Gu, is there something else you want to say?”
Gu Yanhe lowered his gaze and gave a faint smile. “It’s a little embarrassing, but yes. There’s something I’d like to ask you for help with.”
Si Jin had a vague idea of what this was about, so when Gu Yanhe laid out the situation, he didn’t react much.
“Young Master Yan tends to be very particular. I’m not sure what he told his family, but within a day, the film that was supposed to start shooting had its funding pulled. It’s made things difficult for us,” Gu Yanhe said with a smile. “I don’t have any personal conflict with him, so the only thing I can think of is what happened the other night when I offended you.”
Si Jin was caught off guard for a moment and didn’t quite understand what he meant right away.
“If it’s possible, I hope to earn your forgiveness so I can go apologize to him properly as well,” Gu Yanhe paused, then added, “Of course, even if this has nothing to do with that, I was in the wrong that night. Apologizing to you is only right.”
It took Si Jin a while to fully grasp what he was implying. He thought for a moment, then shook his head. “I’m sorry, I don’t really know what’s going on with him, but I don’t think he would…”
“Xiao Si.” Gu Yanhe gently cut him off, his voice soft but tinged with helplessness. “I’m not mistaken. He seems to care a lot about you.”
Si Jin’s heart skipped a beat. He didn’t know how to respond. In the end, he didn’t give a clear answer, only vaguely added Gu Yanhe’s contact information.
After they finished eating, he followed Gu Yanhe downstairs, distracted by what had just been said. As they turned a corner, Gu Yanhe suddenly came to a stop.
“Young Master Yan,” Gu Yanhe said, clearly surprised.
Yan Sui’an saw the two of them standing together, and his face immediately darkened. “What are you doing with him again?”
Si Jin had been drunk that night, but Yan Sui’an had been completely sober. He couldn’t forget the sight of Gu Yanhe holding Si Jin in his arms in that alleyway. Just thinking about it made his fists clench.
Watching the scene unfold, Si Jin could sense the tension in the air and instinctively turned to Yan Sui’an.
“Mr. Gu just came here to eat.”
Yan Sui’an frowned, clearly displeased. “Is this the only restaurant in the whole city? And you have the nerve to show your face here?”
A flicker of discomfort crossed Gu Yanhe’s expression, but luckily, there were no servers or customers nearby. He said, “Young Master Yan, I came today specifically to apologize to Xiao Si. He…”
“What did you just call him?” Yan Sui’an narrowed his eyes slightly, a cold gleam flashing through his long pupils.
Si Jin looked between them, unsure of what to do. He turned to Yan Sui’an and said, “Mr. Gu already apologized. He has something he wants to talk to you about.”
“I don’t want to talk to him,” Yan Sui’an said flatly, not sparing Gu Yanhe another glance. He draped an arm over Si Jin’s shoulder. “I ordered your favorite dishes. Stop wasting time here. Let’s go upstairs and eat.”
Si Jin wanted to say he wasn’t hungry, but when he saw the unhappy look on Yan Sui’an’s face, he couldn’t bring himself to refuse.
Watching them, Gu Yanhe gave a polite nod. “In that case, I won’t bother you further.”
Yan Sui’an ignored him, wrapped his arm around Si Jin, and led him upstairs. Once they entered the private room, he closed the door behind them and blocked Si Jin inside.
“What did you say to him?”
His brows were furrowed, but unlike when he spoke to Gu Yanhe, there was a hint of grievance in his tone.
Si Jin hesitated, then told him everything Gu Yanhe had just said.
After listening, Yan Sui’an’s expression turned sour. He stayed silent for a long time.
Seeing his reaction, Si Jin realized Gu Yanhe hadn’t been lying. But he wasn’t sure if this was something he should be involved in, so he hesitated and didn’t speak again.
The room fell into a long silence. Yan Sui’an stared at him for a while, then let out a low sigh like the air had gone out of him. “You really don’t care about any of this, do you?”
Si Jin didn’t know what he meant this time, but he couldn’t stand seeing him look so upset. “That’s not true. I really do appreciate what you did.”
Though he had thought fairly well of Gu Yanhe at first, after what happened, that good impression was gone. He genuinely felt grateful to Yan Sui’an for what he did. Otherwise, who knew how Gu Yanhe might’ve acted once he realized what was really going on. His apology earlier probably wouldn’t have been so sincere.
Yan Sui’an looked at him, his voice a little softer. “Do you think I overreacted?”
Not sure what he was thinking, Si Jin gave it some thought, then shook his head. “No, not at all.”
“You really think just an apology is enough? The way he was thinking about you that night was disgusting.” Yan Sui’an lowered his eyes and leaned in closer.
Si Jin was still not used to this kind of proximity. He frowned and pressed a hand to Yan Sui’an’s shoulder, gently pushing back.
“Don’t get so close. I can hear you just fine.”
A faint smile flickered in Yan Sui’an’s eyes. “Then answer me.”
“This is enough,” Si Jin said, biting his lip, looking a little conflicted. “He’s only here on a business trip anyway. We probably won’t run into him again.”
“Is that so?” Yan Sui’an murmured, as if thinking something over. “He’d better not come back to Haicheng.”
His tone had an odd edge, but before Si Jin could ask more, someone knocked on the door. It was another server bringing in food.
Even though nothing had happened, Si Jin instinctively shoved Yan Sui’an aside and slipped past him. Seeing someone come in made his heart race.
It was Liu Youyi who entered with the food. He glanced at Si Jin, a bit curious.
“You can go. We don’t need service here,” Yan Sui’an said as he sat down, not even checking whether Liu Youyi had left. He pushed a glass of pale orange drink toward Si Jin. “Orange soda water. I ordered it just for you.”
He patted the seat next to him with his slender fingers. Si Jin got the message and, after a brief pause, sat down.
When he looked up, Liu Youyi was just walking out the door. As he turned, his eyes clearly held curiosity he couldn’t quite hide.
Noticing Si Jin’s gaze, Yan Sui’an perked up. “Is that the greasy guy who doesn’t know how to talk properly?”
“Mm.”
Si Jin nodded, then suddenly remembered something from earlier. He spoke belatedly. “So you’re the one who asked Pei Luo to come by last time?”
When they’d run into each other before, Yan Sui’an had claimed not to know Pei Luo well. But now that he realized Yan Sui’an was Whatever, it all made sense. No wonder Pei Luo had targeted Liu Youyi so deliberately that day, even ordering special food for Si Jin. He’d been friendly with everyone except Liu Youyi.
Yan Sui’an gave a light cough, looking a bit guilty.
"Back then I really was angry, and Pei Luo just happened to be free, so I asked him to come over and hang out."
Si Jin frowned slightly, but couldn’t really bring himself to get angry.
"How many things are you still keeping from me?"
Yan Sui’an was about to say “nothing else,” but suddenly thought of something. His long, narrow eyes lowered slightly, and he hesitated.
Noticing the change in his expression, Si Jin immediately knew it wasn’t going to be that simple.
After a long silence, Yan Sui’an was just about to speak, but Si Jin turned his head away. "Forget it if you don’t want to say."
"It’s not that I don’t want to." Yan Sui’an chuckled softly. He thought Si Jin’s expression was a little cute, but remembering that Si Jin still hadn’t fully accepted him, he hesitated. If Si Jin heard more, it might just make him feel worse.
The private room was quiet for a while before Yan Sui’an finally said, in a joking tone, "If I told you we actually met a long time ago, would you believe me?"
Si Jin took small sips of his sparkling water, the cold clinging to his lips. Hearing that, he looked puzzled.
"When?"
"You’ve already forgotten." Yan Sui’an tested the waters. "I went to Yucheng before. When you were in high school, after evening self-study, I asked you to go get late-night snacks. You turned me down."
The more Si Jin listened, the more confused he got. "You’re not joking?"
He searched his memory but couldn’t recall anything like that.
"You were really cute back then. Wearing your school uniform, skinny and small, with a mushroom haircut."
Hearing Yan Sui’an’s description, Si Jin’s face slowly turned red.
That really had been what he looked like. Si Zhiyi thought there was no need to buy new clothes during puberty growth spurts, and since his brain was working overtime, his hair grew fast too. Haircuts were expensive, and usually only when his older sister came back from town did she give him a quick trim.
That period wasn’t exactly a fond memory. Now that Yan Sui’an brought it up, it just made him feel embarrassed.
"You... how do you remember so clearly?" He frowned slightly, clearly uneasy, then suddenly realized something. "So when you saw that picture in fangxin, you recognized me?"
Yan Sui’an had been waiting for a chance to explain. Seeing Si Jin bring it up on his own, he finally breathed a sigh of relief.
"Of course. I’ve only ever liked you."
Si Jin’s mind was a mess. He couldn’t tell if what Yan Sui’an was saying was true.
"Why do you like me? I always thought we met through Fangxin."
Ever since he found out that Yan Sui’an was Whatever, this question had lingered in his mind. He just couldn’t figure it out why Yan Sui’an was so drawn to him, and so overwhelmingly affectionate. Now that he finally had the chance to ask, he instinctively looked up at the strikingly handsome face in front of him, full of doubt.
Yan Sui’an’s cheeks flushed slightly. "Because you’re interesting."
That answer made Si Jin even more convinced he was joking.
All his life, classmates and coworkers had said he was stiff and boring. He didn’t know anything about trends or pop culture, and usually just sat silently during conversations, unable to join in.
But now Yan Sui’an was saying he was interesting.
He couldn’t help but want to laugh. Shaking his head, he noticed Yan Sui’an frown, clearly sensing the disbelief and wanting to say something more, but just then the quiet of the private room was broken by the soft buzzing of an incoming call.
Si Jin froze for a second before reaching for his phone.
During work, they always had to keep their phones on silent so they wouldn’t disturb guests while serving.
"It’s my second sister." He glanced at Yan Sui’an, and seeing him nod, got up and stepped out of the room.
Outside, he picked up the call. A worried voice came through immediately.
"Si Jin, are you busy?"
"No." Si Jin found a quiet private room. "What’s wrong?"
There was background noise on Si Shumei’s end. It sounded like she was on a long-distance bus. "I won’t be able to make it to Haicheng for a few days. The family just called and said Big Sis hurt her back while moving goods. I’m not sure how serious it is. I have to go back and check."
Hearing that, Si Jin’s heart tightened. "Who told you?"
"Si Lele called and said it. Didn’t explain clearly and just hung up. I just got on the bus. I’ll update you when I get there. Don’t worry too much. It probably isn’t anything big."
Si Lele was the youngest in the family, still in middle school, spoiled endlessly by Li Meihua. He never took anyone in the family seriously. Before the new year, he got into a fight and hurt his arm, then insisted on going to their grandmother’s place just to play video games freely.
Si Jin had never liked this little brother, and now he couldn’t help but feel suspicious.
"Could he be joking?"
Given Si Lele’s personality, it was very possible he was making things up.
Si Shumei paused for a moment, then sighed. "Probably not. Who would joke about something like that? I’m guessing Dad’s still upset about the last argument and doesn’t want to talk to me, so he had Si Lele pass the message."
Si Jin still felt uneasy.
"Well, if it’s nothing serious, that’s good. I was about to head to Haicheng anyway. I’ll swing by and check on Big Sis before I go. Who knows when I’ll be back next."
She seemed calm about it. Si Jin didn’t stop her. "Let me know if anything comes up."
"I will."
After hanging up, Si Jin still felt like something was off.
But he couldn’t put his finger on it. Just as he turned to head back, he heard the soft ding of a WeChat notification. Thinking it was from his second sister, he instinctively opened it.
Aunt Feng: [Good afternoon, Xiaojin. Someone brought over some bird’s nest and I’ve mailed it to you both. Make sure to remind Sui’an to check for it. This child still isn’t replying to my messages.]
Si Jin was momentarily stunned and replied with a simple, “Okay.”
But as usual, Aunt Feng didn’t stop there.
Aunt Feng: [I saw Sui’an’s Moments post yesterday saying he went out. Did you go with him?]
Si Jin paused, suddenly feeling a little nervous. He opened Yan Sui’an’s Moments. Thankfully, the post only included a photo of the lakeshore taken from a boat, and a selfie in the sunlight. Sui’an was wearing sunglasses and a sunhat, showing only the lower half of his face. The caption was just a little sun emoji.
Aunt Feng: [He didn’t look very well in the picture. He really needs to take better care of himself. I worry so much. You young people push yourselves too hard, your schedules are all over the place. His lips even looked pale. He seemed so tired. I’ll send you both more things to help with your health.]
Si Jin thought for a moment, then decided to explain on Sui’an’s behalf. [He had a bit of a fever that day, that’s why. You don’t need to worry, Auntie. He’s feeling much better today.]
As soon as the message was sent, his phone blew up.
Aunt Feng: [He had a fever? I knew it. I told him to dress warmer with the changing weather, but he never listens.]
Aunt Feng: [I can’t even be there to take care of him. He doesn’t like the housekeeper or the nanny either. I’m so worried.]
"……"
Si Jin let out a breath, thinking he’d said too much. He probably shouldn’t have mentioned it at all.
After replying a few more times to calm Aunt Feng down, he finally relaxed, pushed the door open, and went back to the private room. But the moment he saw Yan Sui’an looking up at him, he suddenly remembered something important.
Aunt Feng cared so much about Yan Sui’an. Just hearing he had a fever made her worry for a long time. She often urged him to find a nice girlfriend and settle down. If she ever found out that her most treasured child liked men, would she be able to accept it?
In Si Jin’s experience, homosexuality was something many people reacted strongly to. No matter how he looked at it, it seemed like very few elders could truly accept it. Especially someone like Aunt Feng, who had talked so many times about wanting to see her son married.
With that thought, his emotions grew complicated again.
Try Google for the ending~ 🌸