07

 The car was cramped, and the air temperature had risen several degrees.

Song Yu was held on Gu Linwei's lap. Even though he was small, he was still an adult male, and his head occasionally touched the roof.

Afraid of hitting his head, he could only use his body weight to press down on the man's legs.

But whether it was because his weight was not enough or because Gu Linwei had a lot of muscles, he not only couldn't press down, but also made their bodies fit together even more tightly.

The scalding heat burned on Song Yu's soft white legs, making his whole body temperature rise several degrees.

Especially since Zhou Qiao was standing outside, leaning slightly over and staring at him.

Even though the glass couldn't see inside the car, Song Yu still felt a sense of shame at being spied on. His eyes gradually welled up with tears, and his slender white fingers pressed hard against Gu Linwei, trying to change this strange sitting posture.

But Gu Linwei had a lot of muscles, and when he tensed up, it was particularly uncomfortable. In the end, his fingers were rubbed red, but he was still firmly held by the waist.

Seeing Song Yu's nervous expression as he cared for Zhou Qiao, Gu Linwei felt a surge of jealousy, his heart aching and heavy, yet he was distracted by Song Yu's suddenly tightened legs.

Song Yu's eyelashes were already wet and sticky, his expression both frightened and aggrieved.

Gu Linwei had a feeling that if he dared to do anything rash at this moment, this handsome young man would never speak to him again.

Gu Linwei took a deep breath, one hand protecting Song Yu's head, the other completely encircling his slender waist, easily lifting him off his lap.

After a moment of dizziness, Song Yu finally sat down normally.

He looked out the window and, seeing Zhou Qiao still standing there, whispered to Gu Linwei, "Zhou Qiao probably wants to talk to me..."

His voice sounded almost like a pout.

But the purpose was for another man to be affectionate with him; Gu Linwei's brows were full of annoyance, he gave a faint "hmm," his expression as sour and cold as ever.

In 009's words, he was incredibly obnoxious and irritating, yet possessed an unapproachable physique.

Although Gu Linwei was displeased, he still obeyed. After slowly lowering the car window, he glanced coldly at Zhou Qiao: "Something wrong?"

Zhou Yun's gaze quickly swept past him, looking towards the small figure almost completely obscured inside the car.

He couldn't see anything clearly, only the boy's slightly messy light-colored hair and his pinkened fingers resting on his knees.

Aside from the occasional faint fragrance wafting from the car, there were no other strange smells.

Zhou Yun then straightened up and handed the charger to Gu Linwei: "I left it behind."

Gu Linwei took it, casually called his assistant into the car, and then quickly closed the window.

The car started rapidly and disappeared into the intersection.

Zhou Yun stood there, his expression inscrutable.

*

Song Yu hadn't said much, and Gu Linwei was now reflecting on his impulsive actions.

He was frightened, but not regretful.

The feeling of holding Song Yu in his arms was even more comfortable than he had imagined—fragrant and soft, like holding a very light marshmallow.

If only he could do other things.

Gu Linwei suppressed this thought and took the initiative to break the dull atmosphere: "Have you been at Zhou Qiao's house these past few days? Besides that one night you stayed overnight, what about the others? Did you stay overnight?"

Song Yu was so angry he almost laughed: "?"

The last person to question him like that was a policeman.

009: [Police asking like this are always part of a prostitution raid.]

Song Yu: "..."

His mind was a mess, his eyes drooping, he huddled in the corner, his voice sounding a little unhappy, and his tone seemed to be deliberately going against the other person: "I haven't gone back!"

Gu Linwei's face instantly stiffened: "Didn't I tell you to go back? You're so disobedient, what if something happens?"

Staying at Xin'an Apartment was indeed prone to trouble, not only because of Zhou Qiao, but also because of the recent murder cases that had been making headlines all over the city.

"Song Yu, are you crazy?"

Noticing the concern and slight tremor in Gu Linwei's voice, Song Yu softened his tone. "I stayed there because I was afraid to go out at night."

"He's alone too, it's easy for something to happen to him."

"The police even came today."

Gu Linwei's face was still grim. "You really want to go to his place?"

Song Yu thought to himself that he certainly didn't want to go, but if he didn't, the progress bar wouldn't advance.

So he nodded.

Gu Linwei hadn't expected Song Yu to be so stubborn. Besides jealousy, a sudden pang of disappointment welled up inside him. He was like a dog that cared deeply for its owner but was afraid of being abandoned because of its possessiveness.

After a long silence, he asked, "Where do I rank in your heart?"

Song Yu was taken aback and glanced at Gu Linwei.

The other man's eyes were filled with unfathomable emotions, his lips were tightly pressed together, and

he seemed even more unapproachable than before. It was as if if he were to immediately give an unsatisfactory number, the man would do something strange again, like before.

Song Yu loosened his lightly bitten lip, the soft flesh of which was now red and mushy.

He hesitated for a long time before vaguely saying, "Very high..."

Gu Linwei paused, the obsession in his eyes instantly fading. His voice tightened, as if he cared a lot about the question: "How high?"

Song Yu didn't give a specific number, afraid that the other party would ask who was ahead of him in line, and then become unhappy. He thought for a moment and changed to a more tactful way of saying it: "If I encounter anything I can't solve, I'll call you first."

A casual sentence, yet it had the other party completely hooked.

Gu Linwei threw all his worries to the back of his mind, as if the issue of spending the night at Zhou Qiao's house was no longer important. He felt his ears burning and his heart pounding.

He was very important to Song Yu.

That's right, next, all he needed to do was defeat everyone else.

Gu Linwei took out a few photos from a bag in the back seat of the car and handed them to Song Yu.

Song Yu glanced at them, his face showing surprise. Although there were some differences, he could recognize the person in the photos as Zhou Qiao from the side profile, but she felt different from usual.

The man bent down slightly, looking down at the person lying on the ground, his toes touching the other's wrist.

He recognized the person on the ground; it was the one who whistled at him at the entrance of the residential area yesterday.

But Zhou Qiao's indifferent expression was utterly unfamiliar; Song Yu had never seen him before, and a chill ran down his spine.

"He beat this guy until he begged for mercy and moved out," Gu Linwei said calmly, staring at Song Yu's pale face. "He doesn't seem like a good person usually."

He stopped there; saying more would make him seem like a gossip.

Unfortunately, he didn't see disappointment or fear on Song Yu's face. Instead, the other quickly returned the photo to him: "Don't take pictures of other people anymore; it's not good."

Gu Linwei was stunned. He had intended to make Song Yu afraid of Zhou Qiao and distance herself from him, but instead, he was the one being scolded.

He suddenly had the thought that even the sweetest roses at home couldn't compare to the fragrance of wildflowers outside.

Was this male vixen really that good? Good at kissing?

Well, he wasn't incapable.

The man, feeling stifled, took the photo and leaned back in his chair, feigning sleep.

Song Yu could sense Gu Linwei's bad mood, but didn't know what he was angry about, and ultimately said nothing.

*

After staying at Zhou Qiao's house for three days, the progress bar had reached 60%.

Maybe the protagonist would be back soon.

Song Yu felt energized and went to Zhou Qiao's house early the next morning, planning to return after the morning.

However, this time, Zhou Qiao, who always got up early, opened the door in her pajamas. The man looked slightly tired, but his spirits were good: "Ayu, you're here so early."

Song Yu had been freeloading for several days, and this morning he brought fruit. As he handed the fruit to her, he was pleased to hear the progress bar increase another notch.

"Ayu, what do you want to eat today?" Zhou Qiao seemed to have been woken up by his knocking; he still had a coat draped over his shoulders. "Steamed dumplings, how about that?"

Song Yu remembered the taste of the fried dumplings last time, and his expression showed a hint of disgust.

Zhou Qiao immediately noticed: "What's wrong?"

Song Yu: "I don't want frozen ones."

Zhou Qiao's lips stiffened for a moment, but he quickly recovered: "How about plain noodles then?"

Song Yu nodded in satisfaction.

Zhou Qiao quickly put on an apron and prepared the ingredients. Song Yu, who had gotten up so early, didn't come out of the kitchen to help. He was about to chop some cabbage leaves when he accidentally got oil on his fingers.

Song Yu hated that sticky feeling, so he immediately abandoned the cabbage leaves and looked around for something to wash off the oil.

His gaze fell on the dish soap in the corner.

Just as he was about to reach for it, Song Yu felt a tightening around his waist, and his gaze slowly drifted upwards.

The feeling of weightlessness made him shrank his shoulders, his voice trembling slightly: "...What's wrong?"

"You can't wash your hands here." Staring at Song Yu's pink and white fingers, Zhou Qiao grabbed his waist and easily carried him out of the kitchen.

Song Yu was a little embarrassed. He had thought that since it was such a short distance from the kitchen to the bathroom, being carried... he should just let it go. But the other person held him up rather high, his hot breath hitting the back of his neck.

That was a very sensitive spot for Song Yu; the thin layer of soft flesh was scalded pink, and with each breath, his back would involuntarily arch, his lower back bumping against the man's bones.

It turned red after just a few bumps.

Song Yu felt like a child, and his lower back hurt, so he suggested, "Um... I can walk by myself."

Zhou Qiao's tone was clearly pleased: "I want to carry you."

"You've carried me so many times these past few days..."

Song Yu muttered softly, not noticing the slightly cold expression on the man's face behind him.

When they reached the bathroom, Song Yu was finally put down, his lower back having been bumped countless times. He didn't mind and prepared to wash his hands and sit on the sofa to wait for breakfast.

However, Zhou Qiao even offered to wash his hands for him.

His hands emerged from behind him, the man's chin resting on his shoulder, his entire chest pressed tightly against his back.

The man's slender fingers meticulously scrubbed the grease off Song Yu's fingertips, taking two or three minutes to wash even a small patch.

Song Yu's legs ached from standing, his fingertips reddened, and he reluctantly urged, "That's enough..."

Only then did Zhou Qiao pull out a tissue to gently wipe away the water stains before letting go.

Song Yu felt a surge of freedom, wishing he could push Zhou Qiao into the kitchen the next second.

But Zhou Qiao refused to leave for a long time, his eyes fixed on Song Yu's face.

Song Yu: "?"

Soon, Song Yu realized that the other man was staring at... his mouth.

Song Yu wasn't stupid enough not to guess what the other man wanted to do, but remembering the feeling of being kissed so hard yesterday that his saliva was overflowing and his tongue ached, he decided to pretend he didn't understand.

"I'm hungry, go cook." He felt a chill run down his spine from Zhou Qiao's gentle gaze. He tried to walk to the living room, but was blocked by this tall, solid wall of people.

"It'll be ready soon." Seeing Song Yu's evasive behavior, Zhou Qiao became increasingly certain that Zhou Yun had done something, but Zhou Yun's emotions had been fluctuating greatly these past few days, and his body had been in a state of constant excitement. He couldn't guess what the other man had done.

The cunning man maintained his refined appearance and began to plan how to lure his prey into the trap step by step: "Ayu, I just washed your hands."

So... so... Song Yu looked over in surprise, a bad premonition rising in his heart.

"I want a reward."

"..."

Sure enough.

Song Yu wanted to argue, but subconsciously felt that he couldn't win against Zhou Qiao.

Moreover, Zhou Qiao had faint dark circles under his eyes, as if he hadn't slept well, perhaps because he was frightened by the murder case these past few days.

When you feel sorry for someone, if they are deliberately faking it, you will be devoured by them.

Just like now, Song Yu was engaged in a protracted battle with Zhou Qiao.

His fingers were still held in Zhou Qiao's palm, the other occasionally pinching the soft flesh on his fingertips. He'd squeeze them, making a small bulge, staring at the faint fingerprints.

Only when the area turned a deep red would he slowly release the pressure,

as if finding a fun toy.

Realizing this, Song Yu knew the other had plenty of patience to play with him. He pouted, finally tilting his head back helplessly: "Just a little kiss."

"And no biting." It was

like a handout.

But Zhou Qiao relished it, cupping the boy's cheeks and kissing him with a devout and gentle touch.

It felt like a subtle electric current running through his lips; Song Yu's soft flesh felt numb and itchy from Zhou Qiao's touch, making him want to lick his lips.

And the other seemed to be waiting for that moment when he opened his mouth.

Like a patient cheetah, the movements were swift and fierce, leaving the other defenseless.

...

When he was carried to the sofa, Song Yu was completely dizzy. He'd only said a little kiss, but it lasted a very long time...and the other even bit him.

The boy's demeanor was languid, his eyes carrying a hint of spring, the allure at the corners of his eyes reaching its peak.

If any other man were present, they wouldn't be able to help but remark on Zhou Qiao's remarkable self-control.

Zhou Qiao certainly could.

His life had been steeped in patience, but when it came to Song Yu, his possessiveness was second to none.

*

Soon, Song Yu ate a steaming bowl of plain noodles, the flavor milder than the ones he'd had before, more to his liking.

After the meal, Zhou Qiao, as usual, cleared the table and went to the kitchen to wash the dishes.

Song Yu glanced at the table; it was only nine o'clock.

And the progress bar hadn't even increased.

He planned to stay until one o'clock in the afternoon before heading back.

In just one morning, Zhou Qiao found various reasons to demand rewards from him.

He wanted a reward for washing the dishes, and he wanted a reward for massaging his legs.

Song Yu was kissed three times, each time for over half an hour, his lips swollen beyond recognition.

Sometimes Zhou Qiao would deliberately avoid consuming his saliva, letting it slowly wet his chin, and while wiping his face, he would tease him, saying he was made of water.

Exhausted from the kisses and forced to listen to these embarrassing words, Song Yu was too lazy to be angry. After his chin was wiped clean, he whinefully stretched out his arms, "I want to sleep."

Zhou Qiao naturally picked him up and tucked him into the blankets, adding another thin blanket. He left

a kiss on the boy's forehead before leaving.

Song Yu fell asleep almost immediately upon hitting the pillow, not knowing how long he slept. He heard noises from the balcony, seemingly an argument.

Why was Zhou Qiao arguing all by himself…

He closed his eyes again, falling into a deep sleep.

A minute later, two equally tall men with the same face entered the bedroom, one after the other.

Their gazes were fixed on the small bundle on the bed.

"The bed's too small," Zhou Yun spoke first after a brief silence.

Zhou Qiao glanced at him coldly, saying nothing.

Zhou Yun narrowed his eyes, his expression darkening. "Brother, aren't you going too far? I didn't kiss him like that."

It seemed that every extra word Zhou Yun uttered made Zhou Qiao's face grow colder. He showed no pretense in front of his only remaining family member.

Stripped of his sanctimonious facade, he was even more unapproachable than Zhou Yun.

"Get out after you've looked," Zhou Qiao slowly uttered after a long pause.

"Haven't you looked enough?"

Zhou Qiao narrowed his eyes. "Do you want him to wake up and see two Zhou Qiaos?"

Zhou Yun was also displeased. "Why can it only be Zhou Qiao?"

The atmosphere cooled, and only the boy's even breathing filled the room. He slept peacefully, completely unaware that a pair of twin brothers were arguing over who was allowed to stand openly beside him.

"What do you mean?" Zhou Qiao's tone was already cold, carrying a hint of warning.

Zhou Yun naturally understood, but the obsession and possessiveness in his eyes were no less than his brother's: "Brother, when you were little, you would always share half of your things with me."

Zhou Qiao said coldly: "Song Yu is a person."

"I know." Zhou Yun stared at Song Yu for a few seconds, and then, the second half of the sentence came out from his slightly ruthless thin lips.

"If you can't share... then you can only steal it.

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