"When your operation is over, can we try being together?"
"We can talk about it after the operation is successful."
Jian Chenfeng once bore much expectation in his heart and had believed that they could be together. However, he gave up his life for his younger sister instead.
Jian Xin gained his heart, while they left him with nothing.
Even after losing this person, life still had to move on. But Jian Chenfeng could never smile again. He detested seeing this person, because whenever he saw her, she would remind him of the heart in her chest that once belonged to his beloved.
She was his younger sister, so Jian Chenfeng would protect her for her entire life, but the new Jian Xin seemed to have become more willful. In the past, she would often stay at home to rest because of her body. However, after gaining a healthy body, she refused to treasure it and frequently visited places of entertainment to make friends with people of dubious characters. She would wantonly squander money and act arrogant and domineering, gradually becoming an utterly different person.
Jian Chenfeng had never known that his younger sister was so thoughtless. Was she deliberately acting loose or was it innate? Jian Chenfeng couldn't help but feel that it was not worth Yumo's sacrifice. The woman he lost his life for did not hold any feelings of gratitude towards him. Instead, she enjoyed a luxurious and filthy lifestyle as though it were her right.
Jian Chenfeng controlled her spending and sent her into a school, but she would still always cause some kind of trouble and remained unchanged despite all their admonishments. Eventually, Jian Chenfeng also gave up.
Two years after Yumo passed away, Jiang Donglin and Jian Xin got married.
After she was married, Jian Xin exercised some restraint and opened a coffee shop as a pastime.
Yet, despite their many years of marriage, Jian Xin and Jiang Donglin never had any children. Jian Chenfeng thus adopted a child, named him "Jian Simo", and prepared to cultivate him into the Jian Family's future heir.
Only later did Jian Chenfeng discover that Jiang Donglin and Jian Xin slept in different rooms shortly after their marriage. Their relationship was excellent, but they were just not good together in bed. Jian Xin apparently resisted Jiang Donglin's touch, saying that it was "disgusting".
Jiang Donglin, while he was drunk, once blurted out to Jian Chenfeng, "Is it because Jian Xin has Yumo's heart that she would be so mentally conflicted towards me, his older brother?"
Jian Chenfeng gave him a punch once he said those words.
According to Jiang Donglin's logic, would he say that the reason Jian Xin's personality changed so much was also because of the heart transplanted from Yumo? Yumo was such a cheerful person, such a passionate person. Even if there were influences, shouldn't they be positive ones?
Jian Chenfeng always felt that the Yumo he knew and the one Jiang Donglin knew weren't really the same person. Why was there such a huge misunderstanding between them when they were obviously blood brothers? In Jiang Donglin's eyes, his younger brother seemed to lack any good points and was full of weak points. Every time this happened, Jian Chenfeng would wish that Yumo were his own younger brother. If it were him, even if he had to bear the infamy of incest, he would still do everything in his ability to cherish him, to love him.
Forget it, none of this was important anymore.
Yumo was already dead, and all his expectations were merely beautiful fantasies.
Regardless of his parents' opposition, Jian Chenfeng remained steadfast in his decision to adopt Jian Simo and poured what remained of his emotions into the child.
Jian Simo also did not disappoint him. At fifteen, he began to participate in company affairs; by eighteen, he could already take charge of a section by himself. The reason Jian Chenfeng adopted Jian Simo at first was because his features were forty to fifty percent similar to Yumo. Gradually, Jian Simo resembled Jian Chenfeng more and more as he grew up. They weren't similar in appearance, but their personalities bore a striking resemblance as they each sported a frozen face that easily alienated others.
Perhaps it was because he felt that he was raising him askew but, Jian Chenfeng, by the time he turned forty-five, no longer stayed so close to him. Besides having to work together, they rarely had any more interactions.
This year, Jian Xin successfully gave birth to twins using in vitro fertilization. Jian Family's father and mother immediately put their utmost efforts into raising those twins. In contrast, they had never liked Jian Simo much, because even though he was very outstanding, he was not their blood relative.
Jian Simo had believed that he would someday need to give way to Jian Xin's children and did not plan to resist. He merely concentrated on working, accumulating experience and making adequate preparations for his own future.
However, he never expected that his foster father who was always so cold to him would sign his name onto his will with zero hesitation before passing away.
The moment he stopped breathing, a serene and relieved smile appeared on Jian Chenfeng's face. Jian Simo's eyes immediately filled with tears at the sight. In his memories, his foster father had never smiled and had always been working tediously every day. He had believed that his foster father did not know how to enjoy life, but only now did he discover that in the past, he had only treated life as an unavoidable responsibility.
His happiness no longer existed in the human world.
----------------------------<3<3<3
Shang Ke opened his eyes with great effort. The light coming from above his head flickered intermittently as a shadow flitted about close by. He could hear a slightly trembling voice, but it was very faint and difficult to decipher, like it came from a distance.
Within his fuzzy mind, Shang Ke's consciousness submerged into the darkness once more...
"The operation was very successful, please do not worry Mr. Jiang."
"Don't worry? It's been a month already, how could I not worry?"
"Young Master Jiang has gone through two surgeries in a row. Inevitably, his body will be weak and show some signs of rejection. So, please don't worry too much, Mr. Jiang. Young Master Jiang will get better."
"Unn..."
Just then, Shang Ke let out a low groan and slowly opened his eyes, the brightness of the light causing him to squint.
"Yumo!" Jiang Song rushed to the bed, pleasant surprise flooding his features. "You're awake!"
After adapting to the light, Shang Ke could finally see the world. He was in a patient ward and Jiang Song, Jiang Yumo's father, was by his bedside.
Shang Ke could not determine what timeframe he had returned to. The only certainty he had was that he was alive again, back in the world where Jian Chenfeng lived.
A few days later, Shang Ke had more or less deciphered his current situation. He had gone back to the time when Jian Xin had chased after Jiang Donglin while he had run out in pursuit. Later, he was seriously injured from saving Jian Xin and was sent to the operating room for emergency treatment. However, the events this time around were a little different. He had gone after Jian Xin like before, but Jian Chenfeng made it just in time to save them. He'd arrived just before they rushed into the middle of the road and prevented the tragedy from happening.
Afterwards, they rushed him into the operating room because his condition had worsened since his head collision. After two surgeries, they successfully removed his brain tumor.
In other words, not only did Shang Ke not give his own heart to Jian Xin, but every risk regarding his brain tumor was eliminated.
All these changes happened because of Jian Chenfeng. Why was he there at that time and place? He couldn't have gone back in time as well, right? Ha, ha... well, who knows...
Knock. Knock. The door to his room gently opened and a familiar figure came into view.
"Yumo." Jian Chenfeng, with a bouquet of roses in hand, strolled over to Shang Ke's side. His eyes filled with such barely repressed emotions that he didn't even register the pain coming from his pricked fingers.
Shang Ke's smile was as bright as the sun, and it instantly warmed Jian Chenfeng's frozen heart. The once incomplete world was finally whole and beautiful again.
He placed the bouquet down and embraced Shang Ke in his arms, his grip firm but gentle.
He's alive. He's still alive!
Jian Chenfeng still couldn't believe that he had a chance to see him alive again. When he found that he had gone back to the day of Yumo's death, he had no time to think. He drove straight to the hospital and saved Yumo and Jian Xin from danger.
To prevent Yumo from giving up his life under the excuse of his brain tumor, Jian Chenfeng invited an expert neurologist to perform an operation on Yumo before he woke up.
Of course, the Jiang family consented to this decision.
The operation was successful, but he needed to wait for Yumo to wake up. Every day that passed felt like a year to him, and he feared that he would one day wake up to bad news.
Fortunately, all of this was true. Yumo was still alive and in his arms.
Jian Chenfeng thanked God for giving him a chance to make up for his life's regrets.
This time, he would not let go of him again.
"Thank you," Shang Ke said, "I heard from my father that my successful operation this time is all thanks to you."
"No thanks needed." Jian Chenfeng stared deeply at him as he continued, "I'm happy as long as you're healthy."
Shang Ke felt touched when he saw the deep feelings in this man's eyes and his heart pounded.
After a while, he disrupted the mood when he asked, "How is Jian Xin?"
Shang Ke was definitely not going to give up his heart this time. In that case, what would happen to Jian Xin's operation?
Jiang Chenfeng's face sank. "She's now abroad and just concluded her transplant the day before yesterday. It was successful."
After the success of Shang Ke's operation, Jian Chenfeng made sure to send Jian Xin out of the country as soon as possible, so that a certain someone wouldn't give his heart to her.
So, even without his heart, Jian Xin would still be okay? The system really made him work for that death of his. Shang Ke inwardly roasted the system.
"She has your brother's care so you don't have to worry about it." Jian Chenfeng specifically mentioned Jiang Donglin, so Shang Ke could give up on Jian Xin as soon as possible. Although he was Jian Xin's brother, he didn't think his sister was worth the effort, judging from his previous life's experience."
"Well, as long as she's alright." Shang Ke sat comfortably against the pillows, smiling at Jian Chenfeng with glowing eyes.
As he looked at the beautiful Shang Ke, Jian Chenfeng, who prepared himself to endure a long period of abstinence, felt his heart itch. He wished he could press Yumo under him.
But he held himself back in the end. Haste will ruin everything. Yumo just went through surgery and his body was very weak. He would be unable to endure it.
Shang Ke revealed such a seductive smile to him, but this man refrained from even touching his finger. Since when did this beast turn onto the path of innocence?
Jian Chenfeng spoke with a stern face, "Yumo, do your words from back then still count?"
"What words?"
"After your operation, we'll be together."
Shang Ke glanced at him. Is it really all right for you to change a question into a statement? He clearly did not agree.
"I won't force you." Jian Chenfeng held his hand and softly said, "I have a lifetime to wait for you."
He had already lived a lonely life without Yumo. This time, he would never let his happiness escape his grasp. In this world, no obstacle could prevent him from obtaining this man.
Shang Ke recovered quickly, and he was able to leave the hospital within half a month. He only needed to return regularly for further check-ups and consultation.
Jian Chenfeng took him back to the house where they had lived before, and father Jiang even sent them off heartily. He had never seen someone so happy to sell their son off. He was probably still in the dark about the 'affair' between him and Jian Chenfeng, otherwise, he would not be so calm.
When Shang Ke finished packing and walked out of the bedroom, he found that Jian Chenfeng had prepared a table of dishes. Shang Ke was surprised. Since when did Jian Chenfeng learn how to cook?
"Try it. It's not as good as yours, but it tastes decent." Jian Chenfeng stood by the table in his casual clothes, smiling at Shang Ke like the model of a good husband.
After Shang Ke died in the previous timeline, Jian Chenfeng found he couldn't eat the food made by others, so he learned how to cook himself. But he had no talent in that area. When he started, the food he made couldn't be eaten at all. He had lost a lot of weight in a month before managing to cook something edible, barely returning to his regular weight afterwards.
Shang Ke knew nothing about what happened, but when he tasted the food, he could taste the man's effort and intentions.
The Jian Chenfeng in his memories was always so proud and arrogant, but the current him seems to have discarded his protective shell and revealed his softest and most vulnerable parts to him.
His previous speculation could be right. Jian Chenfeng was indeed sent back in time.
After dinner, Shang Ke went to the bathroom to shower. When he was halfway done, he suddenly opened the door and shouted to Jian Chenfeng in the living room, "Jian Chenfeng, I forgot my clothes. Could you please get them for me?"
Jian Chenfeng walked to the bathroom door with his clothes and knocked.
"The door's open." Shang Ke called out over the sound of running water.
So, is he telling him to bring it in?
Jian Chenfeng composed himself before opening the door and striding in with an unperturbed expression on his face.
Through the thin mist rising from the shower, he saw Shang Ke with his waist bent, diligently focused on... picking up soap.
Shang Ke was standing naked before him. His slender waist, full hips and plump butt swayed enticingly in front of Jian Chenfeng's eyes.
His entire body froze. In his mind's eye, he was thinking about rushing towards Yumo and pressing him up against the wall, doing unimaginable things to him.
"Thank you." Shang Ke tried to get the clothes from him but found that the other was clenching them tightly.
"Jian Chenfeng?" Shang Ke cast him a puzzled look.
But in Jian Chenfeng's eyes, Shang Ke's cheeks were red from the shower, his skin moist and eyes shining flirtatiously at him.
The images in Jian Chenfeng's head were getting more and more passionate, kneading, biting and entering... But in reality, he just opened his hands with a blank face, releasing the clothes to Shang Ke.
He stood there, eyes like those of a starving wolf, and watched Shang Ke put on his clothes before stiffly following him out of the bathroom.
Shang Ke had glimpsed at the other man's lower body through the dim light. He was already as hard as iron, but he could still endure it? Shang Ke praised him in his heart.
The bathroom seduction was a fail, but this could not discourage Shang Ke. Rather, it motivated him to keep trying. While watching TV in the living room that night, he wore a thin shirt and occasionally wandered in front of him. Or, while lying on a pillow, he pretended to unintentionally raise his legs.
Shang Ke kept covertly trying to seduce Jian Chenfeng, but it seemed to be all for naught. He completely ignored his many attempts.
"Go! Go!" The television displayed the bloody images of an army fearlessly besieging its enemies.
Jian Chenfeng sat with a straight face while Shang Ke was bent over a sofa chair, playing with the corner of his clothes in boredom.
"Brothers, for the victory of the revolution! Let's go!"
The deafening sound of gunshots rang out.
Shang Ke looked up at the screen and saw that it was full of bloody martyrs.
His interest instantly vanished like smoke. It was better to just wash up and sleep. Today was obviously not going to be a day of rolling in the sheets.
Shang Ke stood up and headed for the bedroom while he yawned.
He had not even taken a few steps out when he was pulled into a heated hug. Following which, the world spun and Shang Ke suddenly found himself pressed down on the sofa and peppered with kisses. Jian Chenfeng touched the man below him greedily, not letting off even a single piece of skin.
Jian Chenfeng picked up Shang Ke, held him by the waist and pressed him down on himself harshly.
"Ah!" The sudden penetration caused Shang Ke to curve his neck.
Following that, Jian Chenfeng started the 'revolution' he had waited two lifetimes to do. That night, the sounds of their battle continued to linger on...
When Shang Ke woke up, the man at his side was breathing evenly, sound asleep. It seemed like he hadn't slept well in a long time.
Shang Ke uncovered the blanket and slowly began to get out of bed. Who would have thought that at the slightest movement, Jian Chenfeng would wake up from his deep sleep and tightly hold on to him?
"Yumo." Jian Chenfeng raised his hand and brushed Shang Ke's forehead, his unblinking eyes fixed tightly onto him.
"Hm." Shang Ke leisurely replied, his head reclining on the soft pillow.
It wasn't a dream. This man was right before him, within his arms. They also had a wonderful night together.
Jian Chenfeng's eyes spoke of his irrepressible joy, as well as his fear that this was all a dream. As if to prove something, he kissed Shang Ke's lips and savored his taste greedily.
Suddenly, the cell phone on the bedside table rang out.
Jian Chenfeng ignored it and continued to pester the person in his arms. However, the phone rang incessantly, almost like a nagging parent.
"The phone..." Shang Ke's muffled voice could be heard through the cracks in his teeth.
Jian Chenfeng stretched out his arm, grabbed the cell phone and threw it at the wall. With a crash, the world fell quiet. The poor cell phone was broken just like that. Dead without an intact corpse.
As for Jian Chenfeng, nothing could prevent him from having passionate sex with this man now.
Everything he did last night seemed to be a dream, and it was only at this moment that he felt like it was a bit real. His breath, his heartbeat, his warmth, his lips, his skin... he yearned for it all.
He didn't even wear a condom, he only wanted to feel this person even more. The tightness of entering and the pleasure of thrusting into him made him never want to leave. Listening to the subtle pleas of the person under him, Jian Chenfeng comforted him even as he thrust into him more forcefully.
From the moment they were united, they were doomed to be inseparable.
Yumo belonged to him throughout his entire life.
They moved from bed to bathroom and from bathroom to bed, trying almost all kinds of postures and positions.
Shang Ke didn't expect Jian Chenfeng to be so energetic, and even with his added strength he could barely endure. Finally, he could only let him play to his heart's content and allow himself to sink deeper and deeper into fatigue and pleasure...
Ding-dong! Ding-dong!
The rapidly tolling doorbell resounded from outside the room.
Jian Chenfeng frowned and opened his eyes unhappily. The man in his arms was still asleep. He kissed him on the back then reluctantly withdrew from his body, put on his nightgown and walked out of the room.
Opening the door revealed Jian Chenfeng's secretary, Cui-something standing outside.
"What's the matter?" Jian Chenfeng asked with a dark expression.
Secretary Cui braced himself and answered, "There's an important meeting today that Director Jian needs to preside over. No one answered the phone call this morning, so I had no choice but to come personally for further instructions."
"Postpone it." Jian Chenfeng did not hesitate to say, "I will not be free for the next week."
Secretary Cui asked strangely, "Director Jian, what happened?" A workaholic director who had never taken a vacation before would suddenly be absent for a week? Was he having hormonal mood swings?
"The company's business will be handled by you for the time being. Don't disturb me unless a particularly important decision needs to be made." Jian Chenfeng's indifferent face practically said, 'Bye, I won't send you off'.
Secretary Cui tried to fight again, but he heard a slight noise coming from the room behind Jian Chenfeng.
They both looked inside simultaneously. They saw a Shang Ke in a shirt and bare legs walking through the living room like a ghost and making his way into the kitchen.
Jian Chenfeng turned around and stared at Secretary Cui. "What did you see just now?"
Secretary Cui could only withdraw his shocked gaze and prudently declare, "I saw nothing."
Fuck! The man in Director Jian's room is Jiang family's second young master, Jiang Yumo! But that wasn't the point. The point was that Young Master Jiang only wore a shirt to swagger around in Director Jian's home. But this was still not the key point! The most important thing was that Young Master Jiang's body was full of kiss marks! There was no perfect skin exposed outside the clothes. Blame him for his good eyesight, but even the inside of his thighs were clearly seen!
Young Master Jiang couldn't have brought a woman to Director Jian's house to play in the sheets, could he? So it's obvious that he's the one fucking Director Jian! Or rather, it should be that he's getting fucked by Director Jian.
Secretary Cui knew that Director Jian always had some feelings for Jiang Yumo, but he didn't expect that he would act so quickly! As soon as Yumo was discharged from the hospital, he was already being dragged to bed. Director Jian, you're so brave. Does his family know?!
Despite all of this in his mind, Secretary Cui dared not reveal his thoughts. He might end up destroyed by his current 'lust-driven' director.
"Good, you can go." Jian Chenfeng closed the door with a bang.
Secretary Cui touched his nose and left gloomily with a belly full of gossip.
"What are you doing?" Jian Chenfeng walked into the kitchen and hugged Shang Ke from behind.
"I'm a little hungry, so I'm making something to eat." It was already 3 p.m. before he knew it. He had consumed a lot of energy earlier, so he needed to refill it.
"I'll do it." Seeing Shang Ke yawning, Jian Chenfeng planned to take over.
"No." Shang Ke poked him with his elbow. "Just go and wash up. I'll be done in a moment." A certain someone's body was like a stove, emitting heat potent enough to burn a man.
Jian Chenfeng didn't insist. He hadn't tasted Shang Ke's cooking in a long time. Just thinking about it made him salivate now.
He kissed Shang Ke's face, then quickly hustled into the bathroom.
Shang Ke only made two simple lunches, but Jian Chenfeng was very satisfied. When he first took a bite, he almost cried. He had never been a sentimental man before, but the loneliness and longing he experienced during the entirety of his past life made him cherish the happiness before him.
"Yumo, live with me." Jian Chenfeng looked at Shang Ke deeply and naturally expressed his feelings. Since Yumo had not resisted having a relationship with him, it meant that he had accepted him.
"Okay." In the past, Shang Ke couldn't promise him anything. Now, he could finally give him a positive answer.
Jian Chenfeng stood up and hugged him, revealing the happiest smile of his entire life.
In the following week, they woke up and said good morning to each other, brushed their teeth and washed their faces together. They made breakfast with one another, ran in the morning, watched TV, and went shopping together. They tasted delicious food, watched movies, bathed together, had sex and watched the stars at night...
A week later, Jian Chenfeng promptly came out of the closet to his and Yumo's families.
The parents of the two families were all stupefied.
My son, who had been straight for twenty or thirty years, suddenly became bent? Couldn't you at least give us an early warning? At least give us some time to prepare! Now look at what you two have done! By the time we found out, these guys have done everything they should and shouldn't have!
"No son of mine shall be with men!" Jiang Song took a firm stance.
"Dad." Shang Ke held Jiang Song's arm and sighed. "Actually, I don't want to be with men either."
Jian Chenfeng's alert eyes immediately swept over him.
"So what's going on between you and him?" Father Jiang angrily pointed at Jian Chenfeng.
Shang Ke pulled Father Jiang's hand down and whispered in his ear, "The truth is very cruel. Since I finished the operation, I found that I had an incurable disease of 'it can only be him and no one else'. Although I suspected that he had drugged me, I couldn't find any evidence, so I had to go on living like this."
In such a tense atmosphere, Jiang Yumo even dared to joke with him!
But Jian Chenfeng was relieved, and he gazed tenderly at Shang Ke with a smile in his eyes.
Unfortunately, father Jiang's attitude was very firm. No matter how cute his son acted, he wouldn't change his mind. They had no choice. They could only pull out for today and fight the battle another day.
While the Jiang family's side was like a lone boat swept up in waves, the Jian family was like a mountain hit by an earthquake. Their coming out of the closet broke many people's minds.
"Shall we elope?" Frustrated, Jian Chenfeng suddenly proposed.
"What about your company?" Shang Ke didn't expect that Jian Chenfeng to be a romantic that would bring up elopement out of nowhere..
"It won't fall." Jian Chenfeng replied with little concern. "At worst, there'll only be a loss of hundreds of billions of dollars."
He had spent most of his past life working for the Jian family, but this time around, he only wished to do whatever he wanted.
"In that case, let's elope." The two men promptly cooperated and ran off together.
The next day they packed their bags and flew to the other side of the world.
By the time the two families reacted, they couldn't even find a trace of them.
The Jian family truly suspected that Jiang Yumo, who was a man of poor behavior, had corrupted their mature and stable son, while the Jiang family believed that the sly and sophisticated Jian Chenfeng had seduced their simple-minded son.
The two families fought a bitter war of words. Meanwhile, the two people in question selfishly enjoyed themselves.
This situation lasted until Jian Chenfeng's company fell into a major crisis about a month later due to a leakage of secrets, and the two families finally calmed down.
"Shouldn't you go back and take a look?" Shang Ke asked as he browsed the web while lying on the enormous bed of their sea-view suite.
"It's okay." Jian Chenfeng sat comfortably on the sofa with his coffee. "My father has been too overconfident and aggressive in recent years. This crisis is just what he needs to calm down."
"He's your father. Is it really okay to do something like this to him?"
"As his son, I have an obligation to let him face the truth so he doesn't pay a greater price for it in the future." Jian Chenfeng took a sip of coffee and said in a relaxed voice.
Shang Ke quietly lit a candle for Jian Chenfeng's father.
"Huh?" Just then, Shang Ke received an email from Jiang Donglin.
"What's the matter?" Jian Chenfeng put down his cup and went to Shang Ke's side.
"My brother and Jian Xin returned home yesterday." Shang Ke looked up at Jian Chenfeng. "Do you think we should go back?"
Jian Chenfeng threw the tablet away from Shang Ke's hand and bowed his head to kiss him passionately.
Regarding Jian Xin, Jian Chenfeng was still not at ease. Who knew if Yumo would feel like thunder had struck the ground before him when he sees her and his feelings for her become hot and passionate? He must guard against the unexpected and try to delay their meeting time as long as possible. Preferably forever.
After kissing Shang Ke till he was dazed, Jian Chenfeng said in a low voice, "Why don't we go to Antarctica tomorrow and see the penguins?"
Shang Ke thought to himself, '...Excuse me?'
In the end, Jian Chenfeng took Shang Ke to Antarctica and the plane traveled for dozens of hours. On the cruise ship, they passed through the Drake passage and encountered a huge wave over six meters high. The sea water poured into the windows, causing great mayhem. It was truly a shocking event; he almost thought he was going to die again.
Floating ice spread across the sea and the distant snowy mountains seemed to join with the white clouds. A group of gulls flew by with the cool breeze, the air cold and refreshing. Shang Ke and Jian Chenfeng reached Melchior Island and took countless pictures, then went to with other travelers. It was the gathering place of penguins and one of the main purposes of their trip — penguin watching.
On the snowy glaciers, there were plump penguins everywhere. Some hid in the snow, lay on the rocks, or waddled into the sea... Shang Ke found an opportunity to take a photo with them and they also cooperated with him, but whenever Jian Chenfeng got close, the mob of penguins would immediately attack him. Shang Ke wondered if the penguins mistook Jian Chenfeng for a large gull? Gulls were egg thieves, so the penguins could never see eye to eye with them.
Shang Ke could only express 12% of sympathy for the innocent Jian Chenfeng. As a result, Jian Chenfeng sought several hours of 'comfort' in his body, on the grounds that he had suffered a traumatic experience.
Later, they went to Port Lockroy, Petermann Island, Paradise Bay and other places, taking images of their precious memories of the blue sky, snowy mountains and the pure sea.
After playing around outside, Jian Chenfeng's face was sun-burned while Shang Ke was still glowing with a radiance that could even turn lesbians bi. The gap was even more obvious when he stood beside Jian Chenfeng and his red face. A certain someone gained another traumatic experience in his heart.
When they arrived at the hotel, Shang Ke gave Jian Chenfeng a refreshing moisturizing mask for his face.
Jian Chenfeng refused until Shang Ke threatened him, "If you leave even a bit of a scar on your face, I will find another lover!"
This threat was so vicious that Jian Chenfeng immediately obeyed.
It didn't matter to him. He was the one in control regarding bed matters. When Shang Ke gets on the bed later, hmph... There were two green fires in Jian Chenfeng's eyes.
That night, Shang Ke was eaten thoroughly by a hungry wolf from inside out. He couldn't leave the hotel for three days.
After Jian Chenfeng's face returned to its former glory, the two finally embarked on the flight back to China. They had been travelling for a month since Jiang Donglin and Jian Xin returned home.
As soon as they arrived in China, Secretary Cui stormed into Jian Chenfeng's house and threw all his affairs to him. He said resentfully, "I'm fed up with this. I want to take a vacation!"
"Will three times the bonus calm your grumpy mood?" Jian Chenfeng asked seriously.
Secretary Cui bluntly stated with his fingers splayed out in front of him, "At least five times."
"Deal." Jian Chenfeng agreed, "From tomorrow, overtime with me."
Oh, no! Secretary Cui appeared thunder-struck. Could he get another chance to choose?
Jian Chenfeng took over the company's affairs once more. He first had to resolve the remaining problems caused by the leakage of secrets and the mistakes of his father's decision-making.
Shang Ke had nothing much to do with his free time. He gave Jian Chenfeng a love meal package every day and even appeased the haggard Secretary Cui with his delicious cooking. The poor secretary always seemed to be on the verge of a mental breakdown...
The Jian Chenfeng in work mode, under the double nourishment of delicious food and lust, was not only inexhaustible, he was more energetic as well; his muscles even seemed to be much stronger than before.
A man in love was an extreme hazard to single dogs. Secretary Cui wanted to avenge society several times. For the first time, he found his boss severely detestable. What happened to the cold and ruthless director of the past?
"Take Young Master Jiang home for dinner in a few days." After the company's crisis was over and they were back on track, Jian Chenfeng's father called his son.
"Alright, father." Jian Chenfeng calmly accepted his father's change of attitude.
Before taking Shang Ke home, he decided to introduce him to his friends.
"Chief, really?" Song Qianxing didn't look convinced. "Even if you like men, why pick Jiang Yumo?"
Although the Jiang family was rich and had some small assets, there was still a gap between them and their circle. Of course, this didn't mean that they couldn't interact with each other, but Jiang Yumo's style was too garish. Anyone with a bit of sight and pride would not be willing to deal with him.
However, they never expected that the Jian Chenfeng who was usually so difficult to please would fall in love with the most unseemly playboy young master they'd ever seen.
"Brother." Qiu Jun placed his hand on Jian Chenfeng's shoulder, trying to give him heartfelt advice. "First off, I don't have any opinions about gay people, but could you at least choose a more decent one? Jiang Yumo's kind... isn't even qualified to warm your bed."
Jian Chenfeng glanced at him with cold eyes. "I don't want to hear any demeaning words about him from you, or we will end our friendship."
"Alright, alright." Qiu Jun raised his hands in surrender. Jian Chenfeng was determined right now. Not only did he fall for a man who had such bad behavior, but he was serious about it too.
The others had the same thoughts. They exchanged helpless looks and thought about whether they should properly 'entertain' Young Master Jiang later. It would be better if that Jiang Yumo could reveal his 'true self' before Jian Chenfeng.
As they thought about it, the door of the room was suddenly pushed open.
Everyone looked towards the sound, and felt as if the room was bathed in light at the sight of him walking in. He was wearing a white casual suit with a black shirt under, possessing a slender body and a gentle temperament. There seemed to be a unique rhythm to his steps as he walked. Although 'bright and beautiful' was mostly used to describe women, it didn't seem wrong to use it on this man.
Was this the rumoured alcoholic and rich playboy Young Master Jiang Yumo? Shit! Isn't the gap way too big?! They thought they would see a chicken with a weak spirit, or an arrogant and unconventional person, or a hypocritical and shallow second-generation man who's only slightly better than the first two.
But this man here, be it in appearance or temperament, could be regarded as a dragon and phoenix among men. He was neither a 'weak chicken' nor an 'unconventional person', let alone a second-generation man. They even felt it was difficult to remain straight if they interacted with him for too long. At least appearance-wise, they no longer doubted Jian Chenfeng's eyes.
Jian Chenfeng walked over to Shang Ke and grabbed him by the waist. He smiled as he said, "This is my lover, Jiang Yumo."
Then he introduced the others to Shang Ke — Song Qianxing, Qiu Jun, Wang Xiao and Zhou Du, all of whom were his childhood and family friends.
The four stood up to greet him, the scrutiny in their eyes clear to see on their seemingly friendly appearance.
Before Shang Ke came in, he had already guessed what impression these people had of him, so he didn't care what they thought and looked back at them generously.
The way to communicate feelings was always through eating and entertainment.
Qiu Jun suggested playing a few billiard games, and several others responded immediately. They warmly invited Shang Ke, the 'new guy', to start first.
"Can you play?" Jian Chenfeng asked quietly.
"I can play a bit." Shang Ke replied.
What is... 'I can play a bit'?
Soon, Jian Chenfeng understood.
With a quick start, he potted a hole with every stroke and completed his one-man show flawlessly.
Indeed, he can 'play a bit'. It stunned everyone who was prepared to watch him make a fool of himself.
Although they lost, the four people weren't discouraged and transferred to the poker area.
However, they were doomed to be disappointed. Shang Ke was proficient in magic and had an extraordinary memory. After a few games, all the players lost. At last, only Jian Chenfeng was left, but it would be a great mistake to rely on him to save the situation. He and Shang Ke went back and forth, winning and losing, game after game, round after round, as if they would never end. They even exchanged heated eye contact from time to time.
Motherfucker! How was this playing cards? They were just showing off their love!
Four people were battered with blood.
At this point, they no longer desired to make Shang Ke look bad, and only wished to rescue their own faces.
After eating, they went to their exclusive entertainment room and proposed to play a few war games in high spirits.
Their taste in games instantly changed Shang Ke's impression of them. Who would have thought a group of young men with an average age over 25 and a high status would yell, fight and jostle each other over games like hot-blooded teenagers? Was that really okay?
Shang Ke glanced at Jian Chenfeng with a meaningful gaze, 'So I had always thought wrongly; you were actually this kind of 'child-like' person.'
Jian Chenfeng accepted it solemnly and replied in kind, 'In this respect, I am definitely not the same as them.'
In fact, only Qiu Jun and Zhou Du really took part in the games, but in order to form a 2vs2 situation, they dragged Jian Chenfeng into the fray.
Jian Chenfeng had never played such games before. When Qiu Jun and the others had him team up with Shang Ke, he could clearly see their true motives.
Qiu Jun and Zhou Du were itching to torment someone, namely Shang Ke, and though they felt embarrassed, they were equally afraid that they still wouldn't win. Playing billiards and card games could still go awry, but thanks to his hacking ability, Shang Ke was absolutely confident in his ability to calculate. When he was learning how to hack in the training space, he had to practice with all kinds of war games to improve his hand speed.
As you could imagine, there wouldn't be a worst performance, only a worse one. Jian Chenfeng, this pig teammate, didn't even have a chance to drag his feet when Shang Ke took care of their opponents on his own.
After each sound defeat, no matter how graceful his friends were, they were still rather depressed.
So, in the evening, Shang Ke mixed four drinks for them in person and told them with a smile, "I had a good time today so I was a bit complacent. If there was any disrespect, please forgive me."
Shang Ke was seldom so high profile. The reason he made such a big show this time was to fight for Jian Chenfeng's face and to change his image in their hearts. Since he had finally achieved his goal, he couldn't carry on with his act.
There was a flash of surprise in the eyes of the four people, and they soon understood Shang Ke's words. He knew how they thought of him, so he tried his best to gain their approval.
Shang Ke added, "You are some of Chenfeng's only friends. I really want to spend my whole life with him, so I sincerely hope I can receive your blessings. That's why he brought me here today to meet you guys. Because he cherishes you all, he was even more careful about it."
Finally, the four friends agreed to put aside their previous misgivings about him. They raised their glasses to touch his in acceptance.
"I say Chief," Qiu Jun whispered in Jian Chenfeng's ear. "I have to admire you. Your eyes are really sharp! Such a man is definitely first class."
Jian Chenfeng sipped his red wine as he sat languidly behind Shang Ke, quietly staring at the side of his face. His eyes were so gentle that they seemed to overflow with love.
A few days later, Jian Chenfeng came home fully refreshed. After the meal, he would formally establish his relationship with Yumo and there would be no more worries.
When he walked into the spacious living room of the Jian family's old home, he saw his parents, Yumo's parents, Jiang Donglin and Jian Xin seated around them.
Jian Chenfeng stood by and scrutinized Shang Ke's expression, watching as he greeted everyone naturally. There was no special change when he looked at Jian Xin, and he was finally a little relieved.
This was the first time that Jian Chenfeng's parents had a close encounter with Shang Ke, and their impression of him wasn't bad. At least his appearance, temperament and speech were all nice. They also thought through things. Their daughter and the Jiang family's eldest son were together, while their eldest son fell for the youngest son. Marriage between the two families was a set deal. As for heirs, it wasn't a big problem for the Jian family. With how advanced technology is nowadays, isn't having a child a simple thing?
The most important thing was that they couldn't change Jian Chenfeng's decision at all because he broke free of the nest long ago. They could only hope that they would break up after several years and then build their own separate families.
Unfortunately, he would have to shatter his parents' wishful thoughts. Jian Chenfeng had spent half his life verifying his feelings for Jiang Yumo, and there was no possibility of breaking up.
The Jian family ate together in good order and harmony.
"Jiang... Second brother. " After eating, Shang Ke was relaxing in the yard when he suddenly heard the voice of Jian Xin behind him.
He turned around and smiled at her, "Jian Xin, why are you out? Where's elder brother?"
Jian Xin lowered her head and whispered, "I wanted to thank you and apologize to you myself. I misunderstood you before."
"No, it's fine. As long as you're healthy."
Jian Xin looked at his gentle smile and felt inexplicably sour in her heart. This man almost gave his life for her. If Donglin had not told her the truth, she might have never known how deeply he felt for her.
But she just didn't understand why he was with her brother when he loved her so much. Did her brother force him? She knew her brother's character very well. Once he had decided on something, he would go after it and never let it go. Jiang Yumo was definitely not her brother's opponent.
Thinking of this, Jian Xin hesitated. "Brother Jiang, if you don't want to, I could help you get rid of..."
"Get rid of what?" Jian Chenfeng appeared at Shang Ke's side like a ghost and stared at Jian Xin with gloomy eyes. Before he could even deal with his sister, she was already running around and making trouble.
Jian Xin's face turned pale, and she hurriedly made up a reason to flee. For some reason, ever since her operation was successful, her brother's attitude towards her had grown cold; as if she had done something unforgivable.
In Jian Chenfeng's memory, Jian Xin had indeed done something unforgivable. Not only did she get Yumo's heart, but she didn't cherish it properly and played around freely after her recovery. In this life, he planned to marry Jian Xin to Jiang Donglin as soon as possible, so he could control her and not let her repeat the same mistakes.
Shang Ke looked at Jian Chenfeng strangely. Didn't he love his sister very much before? Why did he treat her like an enemy now?
"Do you still..." Jian Chenfeng spoke out with difficulty.
Shang Ke suddenly understood that this guy still fretted over his 'lingering feelings' for Jian Xin. After all, to complete the task in the beginning, he shaped himself into a saint, willing to give her his heart. No one would think that such a person could easily let go of his 'deep-seated' feelings for her.
Shang Ke hugged Jian Chenfeng's waist and smiled, "I have only one heart. Since I didn't give it to Jian Xin, I can only give it to you."
His words dazzled Jian Chenfeng and swept all his worries away, filling him with overwhelming joy.
He finally set aside the last of his worries, pain and regret. All of these had been resolved at this moment.
The two men formally began a harmonious and happy husband-husband life. There were various postures performed on the bed, the business was well-coordinated and they enjoyed a rich and colorful entertainment.
Shang Ke's talents were gradually revealed, and it broke many people's glasses. The once unschooled playboy had become a highly praised young talent; his relationship with Jian Chenfeng changed from being viewed as unfavorable to one that drew much envy. He was called 'the perfect lover', which caused a lot of single men to consider finding a suitable gay man to fall in love with.
However, most of them ended up with nothing because they treated Shang Ke as the ideal existence. One could easily predict the outcome; a stand-in could never compete with the real thing. Summarily, all they did was stoke Jian Chenfeng's jealousy.
With Shang Ke's consent, Jian Chenfeng adopted a boy, Jian Simo, three years later. He knew that Jian Xin would have two children in the future, and this time he planned on training one of them to manage the company with Jian Simo.
Everything seemed perfect until they discovered something wrong with Shang Ke's body seven years later.
The first time he fainted, Jian Chenfeng had just finished a meeting and was ready to have dinner with Shang Ke. When he pushed open the office door and saw the unconscious Shang Ke lying on the ground, his heart had almost stopped.
After rushing him to the hospital, the doctor told them that although the operation on his brain tumor was successful several years ago, there was still a risk of relapse. It was a miracle that his symptoms only appeared today.
"How can it be treated?" Jian Chenfeng asked.
The doctor replied, "At present, it can only be controlled by drugs or through other auxiliary means."
"Is his life in danger? What symptoms usually appear? What do I need to pay attention to?"
"He could experience sudden headaches, fevers, fainting, hearing loss in the left ear and vision loss in the left eye. In serious cases, hemiplegia could occur in the left foot and the left hand, making it impossible to walk normally. However, as long as we pay attention to his diet and he exercises properly, this situation could slow down."
Jian Chenfeng didn't know how he got out of the medical room, but his brain was blank and his chest felt as if a huge stone was pressing down on it. A flood of fear rushed over and almost drowned him.
He stood at the door of the ward, his legs heavy as lead.
"Father?" Jian Simo looked at the grim-faced Jian Chenfeng and his eyes filled with worry.
The older man clenched his fist and pushed the door open.
Walking into the ward, he saw his lover leaning against the pillow and smiling gently as usual. With tears welling up in his eyes, Jian Chenfeng slowly stepped to his bedside, held him in his arms and greedily drunk in the familiar smell.
He was seeking comfort from his lover. It was clearly Shang Ke who was ill, but Jian Chenfeng felt unwell from head to toe.
Seeing Jian Chenfeng's appearance, Shang Ke guessed that his situation was not very optimistic.
Isn't this supposed to be a 'journey of happiness'? Why is it that he could live in peace and contentment, but still couldn't avoid bad luck?
"Don't feel bad." Shang Ke said, "The doctor didn't say my life was at risk. As long as I take good care of myself, it should not hinder my daily activities."
Jian Chenfeng just held onto him silently. He could never be like Yumo, so indifferent to death. Because he lost him once before, he feared even more. Without Yumo with him, he may not have the courage to live another lonely life.
"Yumo, don't leave me." Jian Chenfeng was like a wounded beast, leaning helplessly in his arms.
"Okay, I won't leave." Shang Ke closed his eyes and hid his sadness.
Over the next few days, Jian Chenfeng gradually handed his work over to Jian Simo, affording himself more time with Shang Ke.
Shang Ke, who studied medicine himself, had a lot of experience in conditioning his body. With proper exercise, his illness was less severe than he thought. Except for the occasional headache, he was almost the same as a normal person.
Jian Chenfeng treated him like a fragile product, keeping him by his side without letting him leave his sight. Later, he took him to foreign countries for several tests, and the test results were almost all the same. There weren't any effective treatment plans, only a reliance on drugs and other aids could alleviate the symptoms.
Under Jian Chenfeng's growing apprehension, five years passed.
Once Jian Simo could take care of himself, Jian Chenfeng put aside all his affairs to take Shang Ke on a trip.
The couple entered their middle ages with feelings as deep as ever and lived a harmonious life. Every time they did it, Jian Chenfeng was more considerate than before, stretching out the foreplay in his reluctance to hurt his lover.
Years passed, and they traveled all over the world, taking pictures plentiful enough to cover a villa. They made a photo album, leaving behind many experiences and anecdotes. Of course, there was no shortage of romantic lines.
The two didn't completely neglect the company during their travels. They investigated the market, gathered intelligence, and expanded the company's business around the world. When Jian Chenfeng was at the age of forty-seven, the Jian family business had more than tripled, and the Jiang family soared too.
Shang Ke's title as the 'Perfect Lover' had spread from home to abroad, and he even became the cover of world famous magazines several times.
When Shang Ke was forty-six, hemiplegia occurred in his left limbs and he could only walk with crutches. The next year, he was blind in his left eye and the hearing in his left ear declined.
After an unknown number of fainting spells, Jian Chenfeng took him back to their motherland and lived in a villa atop a secluded hill. Every day, they would watch the sun rise and set, take walks in the forest, grow flowers and play chess...
Shang Ke comfortably lay down on the deck chair, observing the beautiful scenery of the sunset. Time did not leave behind too many traces on his face. He was just as elegant as ever, only paler than before, and he also gained the unique charm of a mature man.
He smiled at Jian Chenfeng and said, "If we have a next life, let's imagine a bit about how to pass our old years even better."
"As long as I have you, anything is good." Jian Chenfeng spoke contently, devoid of any additional desires.
"You can't be so dreary." Shang Ke jabbed his arm. "Tell me, do you have a wish that's out of this world?"
Jian Chenfeng thought a bit, then replied, "Hm, I wish we can have an immortal body that will not break, so that we can go anywhere and make love until we're old."
Shang Ke pointed at him, his face full of smiles.
"What about you? What kind of old years do you want?" Jian Chenfeng asked in reply.
"I wish," Shang Ke slowly exhaled and said, "For your desires to come true."
A day later, Jian Simo came to the villa with a car full of health care products.
He opened the door and saw two elderly's leaning against the chair, asleep, so he picked up a blanket and tiptoed up to them.
The two appeared serene, with a smile on their faces. Just looking at them would make someone feel happy.
Jian Simo shook the blanket open and gently covered them.
The moment his fingers touched their bodies, his movements turned stiff.
"Father?"
Jian Simo's voice trembled and tears flowed from his eyes...