Chapter Thirty-Four

It was another weekend. With no plans, Yi Xiaoyu was indulging in his usual habit of sleeping in, while You Yige, who woke up early, carefully lifted the covers and prepared to get out of bed.

Yi Xiaoyu stirred, but didn’t open his eyes, mumbling sleepily, “Fatty, why are you up so early?”

“Nature calls,” You Yige whispered, then bent down and kissed Yi Xiaoyu’s cheek. “I’ll come back and cuddle my wife again.”

You Yige, still in his pajamas, left the bedroom. Before he went, he quietly slipped Yi Xiaoyu’s laptop from the bedside table.

He went to the study, locked the door behind him, then booted up the computer, entering the password he’d set using his own birthday. He began searching for the information he needed.

Finally, he found the document he was looking for. Overjoyed, he wiped the cold sweat from his face, which had broken out from the tension, and dialed Yi Yu’s number.

“Xiao Yu, wake up and turn on your computer.”

Yi Yu sounded half-asleep, his voice groggy. “Brother You, what’s going on? It’s the weekend—I was going to sleep in.”

“Don’t sleep,” You Yige kept his voice low, as if afraid to disturb anyone in the bedroom. “The thing you mentioned last time, I found it on your brother’s computer. I’m sending it to your email now.”

“Really?” Yi Yu’s voice instantly perked up. “Okay, I’m getting up and turning it on!”

After finishing everything, You Yige breathed a sigh of relief, just about to close the laptop when a QQ message icon began to flash in the lower right corner of the screen.

It was Yi Xiaoyu’s QQ. He’d logged in last night and forgotten to log out before shutting down the computer.

Staring at the flashing icon, You Yige’s curiosity got the better of him. His hand, almost of its own accord, clicked the mouse.

The screen popped open to a chat window with Wen Ming.

The latest message was from just moments ago.

Xiaoyu, tonight there’s a performance at the Music Theatre. I remember your idol from college was performing. A friend gave me two tickets—let’s go together.

Without a sound, You Yige deleted the message, muttering a curse under his breath.

Driven by curiosity, he began scrolling through Yi Xiaoyu and Wen Ming’s past chat history.

Most were work-related, and it seemed only when Wen Ming brought up stocks and finance did Yi Xiaoyu respond with anything more than a terse reply.

Suddenly, You Yige came across several photographs—sent by Wen Ming to Yi Xiaoyu. They were pictures from their university days.

One showed them both in school uniforms; Wen Ming had caught Yi Xiaoyu off guard and lifted him around the waist, Yi Xiaoyu’s face twisted in surprise, the moment captured by a classmate.

There were also photos from dates, accompanied by Wen Ming’s caption: I still go to that restaurant often, still order the same dish from the photo, but somehow it never tastes like it did back then.

He ended with a bitter yet helpless smiley face.

Yi Xiaoyu hadn’t replied to any of these, but You Yige knew he must have seen them.

He quietly closed the computer, didn’t return to the bedroom immediately, but went to the bathroom to call Xiao Zhou, instructing him to get two tickets for tonight’s show at the Music Theatre.

On the phone, You Yige sensed something was wrong with Xiao Zhou’s voice and asked what had happened. Xiao Zhou hesitated for a long time before almost sobbing, told him that Xiao You was missing.

You Yige merely grunted, then hung up.

Back in the bedroom, he climbed into bed and wrapped Yi Xiaoyu tightly in his arms. Yi Xiaoyu tried to pry the hand clamped around his waist, his voice rough, “Fatty, you’re squeezing me.”

You Yige rolled on top of him, nuzzling Yi Xiaoyu’s face with his nose. Yi Xiaoyu opened his eyes, half amused, half helpless. “Why are you acting like Brother Cong?”

Without a word, You Yige kissed Yi Xiaoyu’s neck, his hand slowly slipping inside Yi Xiaoyu’s pajama pants beneath the covers.

He couldn’t describe the anxiety in his heart. He had never considered himself a man prone to insecurity, but when Wen Ming appeared, when Yi Xiaoyu first uttered the word “divorce,” he suddenly realized that the bond—or rather the love—between himself and Yi Xiaoyu was not as strong and unbreakable as he had believed.

Understanding the true purpose behind their marriage, You Yige found himself at a loss for ways to strengthen their relationship. He kept accommodating Yi Xiaoyu, pampering him as much as he could, but that nagging sense of insecurity still hovered over his heart.

With Wen Ming’s arrival, he gradually understood.

Yi Xiaoyu was simply too outstanding. His exceptional leadership in the workplace had made him an extremely independent and self-reliant man. He wouldn’t be swept away by a man’s pampering like some women might, nor would he ever actively depend on others. If he wished, he could make a decisive choice in a complicated relationship, or resolutely abandon a love to pursue something new.

“Don’t mess around so early,” Yi Xiaoyu mumbled, eyes half open. “I’m still sleepy.”

You Yige kissed him gently, murmuring, “I won’t do anything else, just want to cuddle.”

Two hours later, Xiao Zhou called You Yige to say the tickets had sold out days ago, and even scalpers couldn’t get any.

“Go find You Hanze,” You Yige replied impatiently. “He’s been having tea with the theatre owner lately—tell him to get two tickets.”

(Ha Qian: The big brother’s CP is about to surface, the one mentioned throughout the story.)