Chapter 7 - Man, thy name is self

Tonight, Bo Qin was once again working overtime.

For some reason, he was always tired. From the time he had taken on the company, other than his usual leisure activities, he was working overtime, often staying deep into the night at the office. Even for someone as tough as him, some fatigue still showed through between his brows.

The man knocked on the table, “Coffee.”

The secretary, who had been watching over the office, immediately went to serve coffee. When he delivered the coffee to the desk, Bo Qin only sipped a mouthful before his sharp eyebrows scrunched together, “Who allowed you to put in sugar.”

“S-sorry, Bo zong…”

The secretary had accompanied him in staying up for at least half the night. He had long been unable to hide his sleepiness; however, upon hearing that cold voice, his expression shook, and he began apologizing nonstop.

Bo Qin’s face was frigid as he set down his coffee, “Enough, get off work, ba.”

The secretary let out a sigh of relief and immediately began organizing his things, ignorant of his boss’s decision to fire him.

After working for him for almost a week, he still didn’t know that he didn’t take sugar with his coffee. Why did he even need such a secretary!

Other than those first few days, Xie Mu had never made any mistakes as his secretary. He had been completely different from these other people.

These thoughts had only just sprouted in the man’s heart before he beat them back. The frosty expression on his face sank, and his state of mind was in a never before experienced turmoil.

If he had not seen Xie Mu and been reminded of their past, he would not have come to his new realization. He would have remained ignorant of the fact that ever since Xie Mu’s hospitalization, his new secretaries kept coming and going, none lasting past two weeks.

Not careful enough, lacking in perception, completely unobservant.

These three sentences made up Bo Qin’s general appraisal of those secretaries.

Before, he had been too lazy to consider why he had been so picky about those secretaries. But now, thinking about it, he had had a gem, someone of outstanding ability.

Xie Mu, that type was indeed seldomly seen, a rarity.

He spun his pen as he reminisced that sunny youth’s faint smile and words, as well as that soft expression of his. When Tan Tao had pulled him away, his slender waist had swayed hastily.

Bo Qin tossed aside his pen, slightly agitated. When he casually opened up his browser, the first image that entered his sight was that of the youth’s weak expression as he looked towards the camera lens. His thin fingers faintly covered up half of his face, the look on his face surprised and confused.

The headline was worded in such a way to grab people’s attention, even intentionally adding three exclamation marks.

[Tan Tao’s same-sex lover exposed!!!]

Pa kjr Wlf Ze.

Dea la jirb vlvc’a rffw ilxf Wlf Ze.

Szmfqa ktfc lc yfv, atf wjc tjv rfivbw rffc jc fzqgfrrlbc batfg atjc mjiw bg vbmlif bc Wlf Ze’r ojmf. Ycis ktfc atja ojlg jcv qgfaas ojmf kjr vsfv gfv klat fwyjggjrrwfca kjr tf jyif ab tfjg tlw mgs yfrffmtlcuis obg Db Hlc ab rabq.

This face, this expression.

Bo Qin steadily examined this picture that was clearly not taken under normal circumstances, his lower half actually slowly starting to heat up.

In the empty office sat just Bo Qin, this one person. He extended his long fingers, slowly touching them to the youth in the photograph’s eyes, which held a sliver of panic.

“Xie Mu…”

At the strangeness in the youth’s eyes, the man gradually hooked his lips.

It looks like he had incorrectly abandoned this treasure.

[Ding! Bo Qin’s favorability: 55. You have reached the first level of favorability.]

After notifying him according to protocol, the system tacked on a sentence, [the system shop’s potent □□ is currently on sale, buy one, get two free. Would the host like to purchase the luxury bundle of lubricants?]

Appearing tranquil and sleepy, Xie Mu quirked the corner of his lips, [Buy a hundred bottles!]

The system store was miserly to the extreme; discounts, this sort of thing, could not be encountered through seeking, only by chance. He had to grasp this opportunity well.

As the two had collaborated in several worlds already, the system directly placed the order. It offhandedly threw out a sentence, stating, [there’s a limit of two bottles per person.]

[I just knew it, so stingy. How could you guys allow people to make their purchases freely?] The youth on the bed blinked open his eyes, sitting dazedly for a bit before cautiously maneuvering himself off the bed.

From start to finish, he took not one glance at the hidden mini cameras on the ceiling.

He went into the kitchen, carefully selecting the best bitter melon before frying the gourd with practiced ease. Setting the plate onto the table, he looked satisfied at the table laden with dishes, gently smiling like a man wholeheartedly devoted to taking care of his lover.

[Tao Tao must be so touched.]

The system watched silently as his host knocked on Tan Tao’s door. It looked on as the handsome man’s long and narrow eyes flashed with pain upon seeing the table set with ‘his favorite foods.’

As a person who disliked eating bitter melon, torment was no longer adequate enough to describe what he had to go through. Three meals a day, every day, he had to eat it, finishing it bite by bite with a forced expression of delight.

Worst of all, Tan Tao could not ignore how all of his so-called favorite foods were actually all of Bo Qin’s favorites.

Xie Mu may call out his name, but in his eyes, he saw Bo Qin.

Conceited and not believing himself any worse than Bo Qin, this was undoubtedly a sort of humiliation for tan Tao.

He still had to smile as he swallowed down this humiliation mouthful by mouthful.

After eating, the youth routinely helped his lover with his tie, but this time, he took out a brand-new one.

Tan Tao preferred flashy colors, feeling no goodwill towards dark and dreary colors that ruined people’s moods. Upon seeing the pure black tie in Xie Mu’s hand, he immediately knew that it was not one he had bought himself.

“Where did this tie come from?”

“I finally retrieved my card, ma, so I decided to buy you a tie. During this long period, it was always you taking care of me, so I also wanted to buy you something.” Xie Mu’s eyes held a limpidness that belonged solely to the youth. He pursed his lips in bashfulness and anticipation, pretty pupils gazing up at Tan Tao.

He asked, “Does it look nice?”

Tan Tao looked fixedly at the young man’s smiling face. At that moment, all the bitterness– of all the bitter melon he had eaten, of only being able to look but not touch– vanished.

He showed a gentle smile, “Looks nice.”

“I really like it.”

Xie Mu also smiled happily as if he himself had been praised. He sweetly leaned up to drop a kiss onto the man’s cheek.

The kiss was light as a feather, airily floating onto his heart. His lover opened his mouth, not waiting for Tan Tao to bask in the feeling.

“I knew you would like it. I spent so long picking it out. I specifically chose black, your favorite color.”

“Also! I remembered that you like coffee without sugar, right> Next time I pour coffee for you, I’ll remember not to add sugar!”

Tan Tao’s smile stiffened on his face.

“Alright, go on and do your business. In the afternoon, I’ll buy some flowers for the tabletop. Come back earlier, ya.”

The youth completely missed his lover’s strange demeanor as he lightly patted the creases of his clothing before pushing Tan Tao out the door.

“Be safe on the road.”

His lover’s lively and caring voice was close. Tan Tao numbly moved his two legs, getting into the car step by step.

Sitting in the car, he watched as the house’s door closed, then slammed his fist down. Somehow, a small knife shard had been placed onto the surface, fresh blood quickly flowing down the side of Tan Tao’s hand.

His gaze was malicious and insidious as he gazed upon the field of red. It was like he did not feel the pain; both of his hands clenched tightly.

Bo Qin, Bo Qin.

This was all his fault. If not for Bo Qin, Xie Mu would’ve already been his long ago.

Author’s note:

I’m starting to get excited, heiheheiheihei~

Look at my new cover, good-looking, right! As good-looking as author-jun!

So, here’s the question, Tao Tao and Bo zong, who helped who wear a green hat, ne!

Mua~

Translator’s note:

I’ve started adding in the author’s notes, so please look forward to them!