Qi Liangqin's "cold fairy" image might only come to fruition after completing the already established plot. But for now, that didn't really matter. With his current looks and physique, finding a partner that suited his preferences shouldn't be a problem. He was only physically infatuated with Yan Bozong. He treated it as nothing more than acting, and he refused to allow himself to fall too deeply into it.
In the novel, this meal took place in the hospital.
Madam Yan,the matriarch, had fallen ill and had been in the hospital for some time. That's why Yan Bozong—who had been out of town—came back. Her illness wasn't anything too serious, but she firmly believed it was because of Qi Liangqin and Yan Songwei's marriage that it had worsened.
The old lady had been a widow since her youth. Not only did she raise two sons, but she also built up a vast fortune from nothing. A woman like her, with so much ambition and strength, was still no different from other elderly women. Now that she was aging, all she wanted was to spend time with her grandchildren. Unfortunately, neither of her sons gave her peace of mind. One had been married for years and still had no children, and the other had married a "sassy, flamboyant" man.
In the novel, the old lady's descriptions of Qi Liangqin were blunt and cutting, making anyone who heard them feel uncomfortable. As a powerful woman, her disdain for Qi Liangqin was straightforward and sharp. Every time she brought up how her second son had married Qi Liangqin, she'd often say, "Look at the person you've married" and "Don't know what kind of flashy thing bewitched him."
Qi Liangqin had left the house but suddenly realized he didn't know where the Provincial Hospital was. Standing under the phoenix tree, he pulled out his map and started searching for directions.
It was a bit far, and he needed to change buses. After waiting for about five minutes, the 52 bus finally arrived, and he quickly got on. The bus was surprisingly empty, with only two or three passengers on board.
Such a rare occurrence, but Qi Liangqin didn't mind. He paid his fare and casually chose a seat.
He loved taking the bus over the subway, because on the bus, he could enjoy the scenery outside. This city, which was still unfamiliar to him, had some beautiful sights. It reminded him of Nanjing, with French plane trees shading the streets.
Then, he noticed the bus had stopped in front of a small bus station.
He'd gotten on the wrong bus.
Flustered, he quickly got off the bus and stood in the sun for a few minutes, feeling embarrassed, before catching another bus. This time, he made sure to pay close attention to every stop, making sure to get off at the right place.
After walking 800 meters, he finally reached the Provincial Hospital. Following his map, he ended up getting lost again. Just as he was about to ask for directions, his phone rang.
It was Yan Songwei.
"Have you arrived yet?"
"Uh..." Qi Liangqin felt rushed. "I should be close. I got lost, let me ask someone."
"Where are you now?"
Qi Liangqin looked up and saw a Wanda cinema across the street. "I'm right across from the Wanda Cinema."
"I see you."
Qi Liangqin froze. After a moment, a Land Rover pulled up in front of him. A young man with pale skin and slicked-back hair leaned out from the driver's side.
"Aren't you getting in? We can't park here."
Qi Liangqin, somewhat confused, looked through the reflective glass and saw Yan Bozong in the driver's seat. Only then did he realize what had happened. Yan Songwei had become impatient.
"Qi Liangqin!"
Realizing that there was no way to avoid it now, Qi Liangqin quickly ran over, opened the back door, and sat inside.
The man who had called his name was Yan Songwei. Despite being touted as a "male version of Pan Jinlian," Qi Liangqin's husband was no Wu Dalang. Although he wasn't as handsome as Yan Bozong, he could still be considered a decent-looking guy.
"How did you get lost? Didn't you take a taxi?"
"Taxis are a bit expensive. I usually take the bus..."
Yan Songwei gave him a strange look, but then Yan Bozong asked, "Aren't there a few cars sitting idle at home?"
"He doesn't know how to drive," Yan Songwei said disdainfully, then suddenly seemed to remember something. "Oh, right, brother, let me introduce you—this is Liangqin."
Qi Liangqin nervously grinned at Yan Bozong, but to his surprise, Yan Bozong didn't even look at him. He simply responded with a curt "Mm," and said, "We've met."
Qi Liangqin's face instantly heated up with embarrassment. He glanced at the rearview mirror, where Yan Bozong's sharp features were reflected.
He found Yan Bozong's facial features incredibly attractive—there was a kind of restrained sensuality about them. Even his eyebrows were perfectly shaped, as if tailored to his exact taste.
Qi Liangqin had a habit: whenever he saw a handsome guy, he would get excited and feel as if the other person was looking at him, too. Whenever he passed by a good-looking man on the street, his heart would race, and he would lower his head, feeling both eager to be noticed and afraid of actually being seen. He would walk past them with conflicting emotions, then turn around wistfully, wondering if the man had noticed him at all.
In his usual social circle, there were no handsome men. The closest he had ever gotten to "handsome" in his life was brushing past attractive strangers on the street. But now, he was sitting in the same car as one.
"You've met before?" Yan Songwei asked in surprise.
"At home," Yan Bozong replied as he started the car. Yan Songwei turned to look at Qi Liangqin, who quickly explained, "We ran into each other last night... I was exercising..."
His face grew redder as he muttered, "Jumping around, clapping, and stuff..."
The latter half of his sentence was so quiet that the people in the front seats probably didn't hear it. Yan Songwei didn't ask further and instead pointed at a building ahead, speaking to Yan Bozong.
Sitting in the back, Qi Liangqin took a deep breath to calm his emotions and steady his breathing.
He couldn't help but steal another glance at the rearview mirror, studying Yan Bozong's face again. It was purely out of curiosity—he wanted to see for himself what the novel had described so vividly.
The first time he saw him, it was only a brief glimpse, and now, despite tossing and turning all night, Yan Bozong's face had already blurred in his memory.
Yan Bozong didn't have the kind of meticulously combed-back businessman's hairstyle. His short black hair was sleek and neat. His complexion wasn't dark, but it wasn't particularly fair either—at least compared to Yan Songwei beside him, who was noticeably lighter.
He had a strikingly handsome and chiseled face, with a broad forehead, thick eyebrows, and deep, authoritative eyes. Like all handsome men, he had a straight and well-defined nose.
His lips were what gave him that restrained, almost ascetic allure. In the shifting light and shadows as the car moved, they appeared alternately illuminated and darkened, exuding a kind of distant, icy sensuality.
He wore a casual suit with a dress shirt underneath, the top button undone. His long, slender fingers rested lightly on the steering wheel.
In the novel, Qi Liangqin had a fixation with hands, and he was particularly obsessed with Yan Bozong's elegant and captivating fingers. He had indulged in many lewd fantasies about them.
Yan Bozong's hands were only in Qi Liangqin's sight for a short while, but they made his heart race. He quickly rolled down the window and turned his head to look outside. The wind rushed in, cooling his flushed cheeks and messing up his hair.
For a brief moment, he indulged in a bit of vanity, wondering if he looked like a movie protagonist with his hair tousled by the wind.
With a face like this, and such deep affection, why wouldn't Yan Bozong like him?
But love itself seemed to be without reason. Why does someone love you? Why does someone just not? It all felt predestined—just like how in idol dramas, the male lead never falls for the rich, elegant woman but always ends up loving the plain, penniless Cinderella.
Maybe it was because Yan Bozong didn't like someone as flirtatious and cunning as Qi Liangqin. Or maybe it was simply a more straightforward truth: straight men were toxic.
Outside, it suddenly started to drizzle. The raindrops pattered against the car window, sliding down and leaving faint trails. Qi Liangqin closed the window. By now, they had almost arrived at the hospital.
Madam Yan wasn't even sixty yet. The novel referred to her as "Old Madam Yan," likely because the author needed to create the image of a domineering, traditional matriarch—a staple in aristocratic family dramas.
Her skin was fair, and despite being hospitalized, she wore heavy makeup. However, her outdated curled hairstyle added a touch of age to her appearance.
She completely ignored Qi Liangqin, focusing solely on chatting with Yan Bozong, who had just returned from abroad.
Yan Songwei sat beside them, playing on his phone, while Qi Liangqin stood awkwardly by the window, grinning foolishly.
He was unfamiliar with these three people. And nothing made him more anxious than dealing with strangers. He didn't even know what to do with his hands—he had just slipped them into his pockets when he noticed Madam Yan glancing at him. Startled, he quickly pulled them out and let them hang stiffly at his sides.
"It's about time to eat, isn't it?" Yan Songwei said. "It's already eleven. I skipped breakfast."
"You skipped breakfast again?" Madam Yan frowned. "I thought after getting married, someone would at least make sure you eat three proper meals a day."
As she spoke, she shot a sharp look at Qi Liangqin, clearly blaming him for not fulfilling his "wifely" duties.
Qi Liangqin just kept smiling awkwardly, but his clueless grin only seemed to irritate Madam Yan further.
"Why bring him here?" she snapped. "Just to upset me?"
Yan Songwei chuckled awkwardly and quickly said, "I'm busy with work. I brought him so he could take care of you. He doesn't have much to do at home anyway." Then, turning to Qi Liangqin, he added, "Liangqin, go get lunch. We'll eat here."
"Remember that restaurant I told you about? Ronghua Zhai—been around for a hundred years. Their food's great, but you have to wait in line, and they don't do delivery. The rain's stopped, so hurry up and get there."
"Oh," Qi Liangqin quickly agreed, seizing the chance to escape. He sighed in relief as he stepped out.
But after walking a few steps, he suddenly realized—he had no idea where Ronghua Zhai was.
He wanted to go back and ask Yan Songwei, but hesitated. Instead, he pulled out his phone and searched for it himself.
Back in the hospital room, Madam Yan took a sip of water. The conversation had died down, leaving an awkward silence—the kind that often lingers between an aging mother and her grown children. She glanced at the time.
"Wasn't he supposed to get food? Why isn't he back yet?"
"There's always a line. Maybe it's crowded," Yan Songwei replied, but he still called Qi Liangqin.
On the other end, Qi Liangqin's voice sounded flustered.
"Uh… I haven't found it yet. I think it's inside a residential complex? I've been circling around. Hold on, I'll ask someone…"
Qi Liangqin was hopeless with directions. And his mild social anxiety meant he wouldn't ask for help unless he had no other choice.
Yan Bozong turned to look at Yan Songwei. "What's wrong?"
Yan Songwei scowled and stood up. "He got lost again."
For a moment, Yan Bozong looked like he was about to laugh. His lips twitched slightly, but he quickly masked his amusement with a neutral expression.
"Some people just have no sense of direction," he said calmly. "And yet you still sent him."
"I didn't realize he was this hopeless." Yan Songwei sighed. "Fine, I'll go find him."
"I'll go," Yan Bozong said, standing up. "I left a pillow in the car for Mom anyway."
After waiting for about half an hour, Madam Yan's expression darkened. She scoffed, "Look at the kind of person you've found—no education, no job, and can't even handle a simple task. What else does he know besides being shameless in bed?"
Yan Songwei felt a bit awkward hearing such blunt words and said sheepishly, "Isn't it enough that he looks good? Our family isn't short on money. He used to be a waiter at a restaurant—should I really have him keep doing that?"
Unexpectedly, Madam Yan became even more annoyed, her voice filled with disappointment. "Look at the kind of person you've chosen."
"Uh, I'll go check if he's back." Yan Songwei quickly made his escape, stepping outside to smoke a cigarette while dialing Qi Liangqin's number.
"I'm in the elevator—almost there."
Qi Liangqin stuffed his phone back into his pocket and gave Yan Bozong a quick smile. He had run into him at the hospital entrance.
Madam Yan's hospital room was on the 20th floor—a spacious, quiet, and luxurious suite with a great view. However, the hospital was bustling, and the elevator was especially packed this time. It stopped at almost every floor, and more and more people squeezed in. Feeling hot and stifled, Qi Liangqin shuffled little by little toward the corner until he found himself pressed against someone behind him. His heel accidentally stepped on the person's foot.
"Sorr—" He turned around hastily to apologize, only to realize that the person behind him was none other than Yan Bozong. The words got stuck in his throat, and for some reason, he suddenly felt embarrassed.
"It's fine," Yan Bozong said in a low voice.
That deep voice, coupled with their height
difference, meant that Yan Bozong's mouth was positioned right by his ear. The warm breath brushed against his skin, moist and tantalizing, making his voice sound even more alluring.
The person in front shifted slightly,forcing Qi Liangqin to lean back instinctively-straight into Yan Bozong's chest.
His back felt unbearably sensitive; even through the layers of fabric, he could clearly perceive the firm contours of the man's chest. Yan
Bozong's breath seemed even hotter now. Qi Liangqin was sure his ears must be burning red, and Yan Bozong had likely already noticed. But he couldn't care about that anymore-his
heartbeat was thundering in his ears, drowning out everything else.
He felt both flustered and exhilarated, with nowhere to escape. At that moment, he keenly noticed that Yan Bozong had deliberately steadied his breathing.
That warm, rhythmic breath suddenly slowed down. The heat that had felt so dominant just moments ago seemed to dissipate in an instant.
Yan Bozong's gaze inadvertently landed on Qi Liangqin's flushed ears, and something clicked in his mind. Perhaps he had just realized that the man in front of him was his brother's lover- a man, a gay man. And because of that
realization, those burning red ears made him aware that he should maintain a certain distance.
Qi Liangqin lowered his head, exposing a
slender, pale neck. The contrast made his ears look even redder. His earlobes were soft, clean, and so vividly flushed-carrying a shade of desire. They looked unbearably sensitive, the kind that, if taken between one's lips, would surely make the person in front of him tremble uncontrollably.