DASFAM_40

Half-asleep and half-awake, Shang Yanxiao sensed a faint figure sitting by the bed. A flicker of instinctive caution rose from the depths of his heart, but the call that followed quickly dispelled his defenses.

"Shang Yanxiao? Awake?"

"......"

Shang Yanxiao struggled to lift his eyelids, meeting Bai Xu's concerned gaze, "Why are you here?"

As soon as he spoke, his voice came out hoarse.

Sensing his discomfort, Bai Xu carefully stood up, poured a cup of warm water, and returned, "Have a drink? It’ll soothe your throat."

Shang Yanxiao propped himself up on his side and drank down most of the cup of warm water.

He glanced at the dense night concealed behind the gauze window, "What time is it? Why aren’t you back resting?"

Bai Xu motioned for him to lie back down, "I’m not sleepy yet. How are you feeling? I just checked your temperature, you still have a bit of a low-grade fever."

Shang Yanxiao fought off the dizziness, "It’s fine. Just a minor cold."

"A minor cold that leaves you feverish and dazed?"

Bai Xu completely dismissed his stubborn excuse, raising an eyebrow at him, "Such a tall guy, yet your constitution is quite weak. Now you’re not just a ‘sleeping’ beauty but truly a ‘sick’ beauty."

"Cough."

Shang Yanxiao was unusually flustered, though upon reflection, it made sense—

After waking up from the car accident, he had spent a long time lying in bed with little exercise, and even his three meals a day were rarely taken properly. All of this had inevitably affected his physical fitness and immunity.

"If you’re sick, don’t push yourself. Xie Qi already told me—"

Bai Xu recalled Xie Qi’s complaint, frowning as he scolded, "You were already feeling unwell last night, yet you ignored it and dragged it out, which is why it got worse today. How old are you to still be so careless?"

Shang Yanxiao caught the faint worry in his eyes and chuckled, "I wonder who insisted on being romantic and dragged me to the beach to drink in the middle of the night?"

"......"

"I was afraid you’d catch a cold, wrapping my coat around you, covering you with a blanket, taking care of you all night long. Who would’ve thought I’d be the first one to get hit?"

The memories he had struggled to 'ignore' surged back again, leaving no room for falsehood.

Feeling guilty, Bai Xu awkwardly changed the subject, "Are you hungry? Should I make you something to eat?"

Shang Yanxiao saw through it but didn’t call him out, "No, I’m quite dizzy. I’ll probably just fall asleep again soon. You should head back and rest."

Bai Xu had no intention of leaving. Instead, he leaned closer, "Where does it hurt? Your temples?"

Shang Yanxiao’s breath hitched slightly, giving an almost imperceptible nod.

The next second, Bai Xu’s hands came up, "Close your eyes."

Shang Yanxiao was taken aback, "What?"

"You, close your eyes and rest," Bai Xu repeated, signaling him, "I learned a little bit of massage technique before. Would it help if I give you a press?"

Fingertips gently settled on his throbbing temples, beginning a slow, kneading pressure. The slightly calloused pads of his fingers seemed to work magic, each press easing the intense pain.

"......"

Shang Yanxiao closed his eyes as prompted, letting the accumulated fatigue wash over him.

Yet, the less he saw, the more acutely he sensed everything around him—

The pressure of Bai Xu’s fingertips, the soft breaths that lingered close by, for a moment, it felt eerily similar to the intimacy of that impulsive kiss that night.

Shang Yanxiao heard his own gradually sinking heartbeat, growing stronger with each beat.

Time passed slowly, languidly, in the vast, quiet master bedroom.

Bai Xu secretly watched Shang Yanxiao’s expression. Just as he thought the other had drifted off to sleep and began to withdraw his hands—

Shang Yanxiao abruptly 'awoke', swiftly leaning over and pinning him beneath his body.

"......"

"......"

Facing the sudden assault, Bai Xu stared in disbelief, "Shang Yanxiao! What are you doing? Let me go!"

"Don’t move."

Shang Yanxiao let go of his dominating stance, slowly burying his head into the crook of his neck, his voice genuinely weak, "My head is very dizzy."

That said, the grip on his wrist and waist showed no signs of loosening.

The two of them were pressed tightly together.

Shang Yanxiao’s overly warm body heat seeped through the fabric, his shallow breaths brushing lightly against the neck, a strange sensation suddenly rising.

Bai Xu didn’t dare move, "Shang Yanxiao, I-I can’t breathe."

After a delay of about two or three seconds, Shang Yanxiao finally shifted to lie on his side. His palm, resting on Bai Xu’s back, patted gently, then applied slight pressure to pull the other back into his embrace.

"......"

Bai Xu leaned faintly against Shang Yanxiao’s chest, his flustered heart preventing him from looking up, "Shang Yanxiao, are-are you actually awake, or are you just delirious from the fever?"

Shang Yanxiao tossed the question back, "So, did you really drink to the point of blacking out, or are you just pretending not to remember?"

Bai Xu’s breath caught, and he didn’t respond.

"Having the audacity to act recklessly when drunk, then turning your back and acting ignorant when sober?"

Shang Yanxiao wasn’t about to let him off so easily, his hoarse voice hiding a trace of uncharacteristic reproach, "Young Master Bai, you certainly have some skill."

Bai Xu took a deep breath and retorted in a muffled voice, "And who was it ignoring whom? Third Young Master has had so many invitations these past two days, did you even have time to spare for me?"

Slowed by his illness, Shang Yanxiao’s reaction was delayed, "You care about that?"

Bai Xu immediately denied it, "I’m just stating a fact."

Shang Yanxiao lowered his head, his lips just grazing Bai Xu’s stray strands of hair, "The person I met with last night was a senior from my university days."

"She was originally working in the US, specifically on project development and operations related to healthcare. Her reputation in the industry and her own experience are both considerable."

"Queyan couldn’t break away domestically, and I couldn’t easily step out myself. I also didn’t want to keep troubling you, so I hired her with a hefty sum to assist the third branch and Juesheng with their liaison."

Since the collaboration project has started, there needs to be a reliable person in charge of oversight.

"The meeting last night was to discuss this matter, and going out today was also for project handover. Nothing else."

Even though Bai Xu didn’t press further, Shang Yanxiao still explained everything in detail, holding nothing back.

The vague sourness deep in Bai Xu’s heart suddenly dissipated. He asked offhandedly, "Why hadn’t I heard you mention it before?"

Shang Yanxiao replied, "I was planning to tell you that night, but you were drunk, so I didn’t get the chance."

Bai Xu made an almost imperceptible sound of acknowledgment.

Shang Yanxiao took over the conversation, "Now it’s your turn to answer me."

"What?"

"You really don’t remember anything at all?"

"......"

Bai Xu pretended to be clueless, "I don’t understand what you’re talking about. Let me go, I need to go back and rest."

Shang Yanxiao let out a low, knowing chuckle, leaning even closer to his ear, "Young Master Bai, do you have a habit of forcefully kissing people whenever you get drunk?"

Bai Xu’s ears flushed hot, and he instinctively retorted, "Shang Yanxiao! When did I ever forcefully kiss you? We clearly..."

"Clearly what?"

Shang Yanxiao seized on his slip, pressing directly for the answer he wanted, "You clearly remember. You remember everything perfectly, don’t you?"

Bai Xu looked up to meet his gaze, deciding to just lay it all out, "So what if I do? I, I already said I was drunk."

"Drunk?"

Shang Yanxiao’s palm on his back slowly moved upward, fingers threading through Bai Xu’s soft hair, "So, it doesn’t matter who it was, man or woman? Just do whatever you feel like while drunk."

"Then once you sober up, the moment you realize it was me, facing this face of mine, you lose all interest? So you pretend not to remember anything?"

"......"

Knowing he was in the wrong, Bai Xu swallowed slightly, "Stop twisting words and being so aggressive. Between two men, doing... that, it’s... it’s not like we lost anything."

Shang Yanxiao let out a soft 'Oh', "Young Master Bai, quite the player."

Bai Xu was speechless and tried to struggle a couple of times, "Let go."

"I told you, I’m dizzy. Don’t move."

Shang Yanxiao, using his illness as an excuse, persisted relentlessly, revealing a surprisingly childish, stubborn side, "Don’t forget, this cold was caused by you. Are you really heartless enough to leave me like this?"

Bai Xu hesitated to speak, then said, "What do you want?"

Shang Yanxiao endured another wave of dizziness, his voice dropping lower, "Stay with me a while longer, at least until I fall asleep."

The distance between them was too close.

If Bai Xu lifted his head even slightly, their gazes would inevitably meet.

Shang Yanxiao’s eyes were as deep as ever, the redness around them from his illness lending a strange wildness, as if looking too long would invite being devoured on the spot.

Thinking of this possibility, Bai Xu lowered his lashes slightly.

Shang Yanxiao’s pajama collar was open, faint, sensual veins visible on his neck, and a very fine scratch ran from the side of his neck down to his right shoulder—

Bai Xu suddenly had an unspeakable image flash in his mind.

The intoxication that night had been too heavy; their relentless kisses were mixed with a struggle for control over each other.

At the most intense moment, his fingers had lost their restraint, scratching and leaving this ambiguous mark on Shang Yanxiao.

"......"

The sound of their close, intermingling breaths drifted between them, their body temperatures unknowingly rising.

Indescribable emotions quietly surfaced, like wildly growing vines, completely entangling the two of them together.

In his memory, that tingling sensation from being teased came flooding back, and he found himself unexpectedly craving it again.

Bai Xu felt his mind was in a jumble and couldn’t help calling out, "Shang Yanxiao."

Shang Yanxiao realized something clearly, his voice hoarse from fever, "Drunk again, aren’t you?"

Reason shattered instantly, and desire, multiplied, took over.

The restraint upheld for over twenty years gradually blurred. Almost simultaneously, both of them moved, their lips met in a tangle, their embrace tightened.

They attacked, they teased each other's nerves.

As if determined to win even in this situation, neither was willing to be the one to yield.

It was a fierce desire to compete, it was the freedom of lust, it was a fatal seduction. Once their lips met, they indulged without restraint.

The scorching tension in the air slowly seeped into their very cores. In the end, Bai Xu was the first to yield. Taking advantage of Shang Yanxiao's unguarded moment, he turned away as if to escape.

Only to be forcibly pulled back into the other's embrace the next second.

Bai Xu tried to pull back from the brink, "Enough, that's enough."

"......"

Shang Yanxiao's eyes were completely inflamed with feverish heat. He didn't reply. Instead, he locked onto the small brown mole at the nape of the person in his arms and bit down on it, forcefully, and savagely.

"Hmph."

Bai Xu gasped in pain, but soon, the sound of pain shifted in tone.

Shang Yanxiao had him completely in his grasp, his actions overly bold and direct, "Turn around."

The embrace carried a startling, scalding heat, as if threatening to consume them both.

Bai Xu's mind was a chaotic mess, letting him do as he pleased, "Shang Yanxiao, you bastard."

Shang Yanxiao agreed readily, "Hmm, I am."

...

When he woke up again, the sound of raindrops pattered outside the window.

Still drowsy, Bai Xu burrowed into the soft bedding, lazily turning over. His forehead suddenly touched a patch of warmth, and the scent lingering around his nose was crisp and fresh.

Someone chuckled softly by his ear, coaxing gently, "Awake?"

"......"

Bai Xu belatedly regained full consciousness. Opening his eyes, he met Shang Yanxiao’s gaze.

Scenes from before they fell asleep last night abruptly surfaced in his mind. Bai Xu’s face flushed red instantly, "Shang Yanxiao! You—!"

Shang Yanxiao saw through his mix of embarrassment and shyness, and responded, "Hmm, good morning."

"......"

Good morning my foot.

A rare vulgar thought popped into Bai Xu’s head, his eyes sharp as knives.

Shang Yanxiao handled it effortlessly, "You said it yourself, two grown men, helping each other out a bit, no harm done."

Bai Xu felt a complex mix of emotions but couldn’t find the words to refute it.

Now that it had happened, arguing over who made the first move or who crossed the line first last night was pointless. Fortunately, things had indeed only gone as far as 'helping each other out'.

Nothing beyond that had happened... yet.

Even so, the moment Bai Xu recalled last night's events, he still felt he had come out at a disadvantage, which inexplicably irked him.

Shang Yanxiao took in his every expression, "You fell asleep pretty quickly last night. I had to give you a simple rinse. You..."

Bai Xu cut him off, "Alright, you can stop talking."

With that, he smoothly wrapped the blanket around himself and turned his back to Shang Yanxiao, "You go out first."

Shang Yanxiao hadn’t expected to be kicked out of his own bedroom. He was helpless for a few seconds but complied, "Alright. Get ready and come downstairs for breakfast."

"......"

Bai Xu didn’t say a word, leaving only a sulky back of his head for Shang Yanxiao.

Suppressing a laugh, Shang Yanxiao got up and quickly walked out of the bedroom, "Don’t hide for too long. Remember to come downstairs to eat."

Only after the door closed did Bai Xu sit up on the bed, "Tch."

The sudden movement pulled at his neck, and an unexpected soreness radiated from the nape.

Bai Xu carefully reached back to feel, his fingertips vaguely sensing a swollen, raised bite mark. Remembering what happened, he couldn’t hold back a silent curse:

Usually, he acts all prim and proper like a young master from a respectable family?

But in bed, isn’t it the same—biting and gnawing? What a bastard!

—Swoosh!

Warm water poured down.

Bai Xu closed his eyes, letting his thoughts run wild. The events of the past two or three days had exceeded his initial expectations and slipped beyond his control.

He admitted he admired Shang Yanxiao’s looks and respected his abilities. As they spent more time together, 'Shang Yanxiao' had gradually evolved from a mere character in a book into someone three-dimensional and vivid.

If this were the real world, Bai Xu would likely have let their relationship develop naturally from the heart. Unfortunately, this wasn’t the real world, and he still couldn’t find a true sense of belonging here.

Because he knew the fates of most characters in the book in advance, Bai Xu had firmly told himself from the start:

Stay objective, keep a distance, remain detached.

Just as he had decided from the beginning that he would leave the Shang family, just as he and Shang Yanxiao were destined not to become lovers.

Whether it was desire or fondness.

Since he had already acted impulsively, he might as well enjoy the present pleasure.

But no matter what, they could only go as far as the most superficial stage. They absolutely must not take it any further.

The sound of running water stopped.

Bai Xu, having barely managed to convince himself and steady his mind, changed into a loose T-shirt and steadily walked downstairs.

...

At the dining table, the combined brunch was abundant.

The butler, having taken over from the maid, placed the final soup tureen in front of Bai Xu, then turned his gaze to Shang Yanxiao at the head of the table, "Mr. Shang, how are you feeling? Has the fever subsided?"

Shang Yanxiao glanced at Bai Xu, his words carrying an implied meaning, "Thanks to Bai Xu’s care last night, I sweated quite a bit. The fever is gone now."

"......"

Bai Xu, who had just barely steadied his emotions, felt cracks reappear at these words. He turned his head, silently threatening with his eyes.

The corner of Shang Yanxiao’s mouth twitched slightly. He dismissed the butler, "Go to the kitchen and prepare some vegetable porridge for me."

Understanding, the butler retreated.

Shang Yanxiao recalled something he hadn’t had the chance to ask about last night, "Bai Xu, what did you discuss with Second Young Master Chu that night? Did he just want to have a simple meal with you?"

"Not really."

Bai Xu scooped a spoonful of the rich soup, glad for the change of topic, "He talked to me about two projects."

Shang Yanxiao pressed further, "What projects?"

Bai Xu answered truthfully, "One is his friend’s film and television company. They plan to invite me to become a shareholder. The equity split is straightforward; I’d just wait for profit dividends every year."

The investment terms weren’t harsh, relying mainly on networking.

Considering his own situation, Bai Xu planned to take the share as a side venture.

Shang Yanxiao didn’t interfere with his decision, "And the other one? Second Young Master Chu probably wouldn’t have just these small projects in hand."

"Of course not. The other project is huge."

Bai Xu didn’t beat around the bush, explaining all the details related to the 'Eaglet Cinema' project to Shang Yanxiao.

Finally, he summed it up, "By the way, weren’t you planning to have the third branch establish its own separate venture? This is a great opportunity."

Shang Yanxiao understood the project's value, but he also guessed the competitive pressure and difficulty involved.

He didn’t answer immediately, instead asking Bai Xu, "And you? What do you think?"

Bai Xu was taken aback, "What?"

Shang Yanxiao met his gaze, "Second Young Master Chu sees us as a family and asked for our opinion together, but I know you don’t want to be tied to the Shang Group."

"You are yourself. You don’t need any connection to the Shang Group or the third branch. Just being able to step in and help with Juesheng is already more than enough for me."

"......"

A sudden warmth spread through Bai Xu’s heart.

Shang Yanxiao’s serious expression held no trace of jest, only complete respect for his wishes, "Bai Xu, speaking just for yourself, do you want to try for this project?"

Bai Xu snapped back to reality and replied helplessly, "What good is just wanting? I don’t have the capital."

No matter how suitable the project, no matter how much he wanted to pursue it, it required sufficient capital to support and operate.

Shang Yanxiao seemed to have already considered this point, "If you want to, what about we cooperate?"

Bai Xu was stunned, "What?"

Shang Yanxiao stated decisively, "Zhouye Investments can give you original shares. If we secure this project in the future, we can further divide profits based on the investment return rate."

They say blessings sometimes fall from the sky. Here, Shang Yanxiao was practically placing the 'blessing' right in front of him.

Bai Xu couldn’t believe it, "You’re so sure I can..."

Shang Yanxiao answered first, "Yes, I believe in your abilities. I’m also willing to invest in both talent and shares upfront. Young Master Bai, it’s just a matter of whether you dare to accept?"

Suppressing the turmoil in his heart, Bai Xu tried to analyze Shang Yanxiao’s motives, "Shang Yanxiao, is it because of what happened yesterday that you’re... doing this?"

Shang Yanxiao countered, "Do you think I’m someone who acts on emotion? Someone who gets carried away by a momentary impulse and plays with the company’s interests for the sake of love?"

Obviously not.

Bai Xu knew the answer, yet he still felt somewhat hesitant.

Nothing good in the world comes for free, especially not such a tempting offer.

Shang Yanxiao saw his hesitation and elaborated further, "Bai Xu, setting aside our marriage alliance, right now I genuinely need a business partner who can resonate on the same frequency. My intuition tells me—"

"You can."

"......"

"I'm willing to bet on that intuition, but I don't mean to force you. The choice is in your hands. As for the Eaglet project, even without you, I would still approach Second Young Master Chu for cooperation."

Ripples stirred in Bai Xu's eyes, the resolve he had just made beginning to show signs of wavering.

For a moment, he couldn't tell if it was due to Shang Yanxiao's trust or the project's inherent challenge being too enticing.

Bai Xu instinctively cleared his throat, pressing the question once more, "Shang Yanxiao, you're not letting your emotions cloud your judgment, right? This cooperation doesn't involve personal feelings, right?"

Shang Yanxiao chose his words selectively, "One thing is one thing."

Bai Xu nodded thoughtfully, "I, I'll think about it some more."

"Alright."

With the serious matter temporarily concluded, Bai Xu finally focused on the delicious food in front of him.

Footsteps sounded again as the butler brought over a steaming bowl of vegetable porridge, "Mr. Shang, enjoy."

Shang Yanxiao gave a slight nod, not in a hurry to pick up the spoon.

Bai Xu noticed his gaze, "What's wrong?"

Shang Yanxiao shook his head, signaling for him to continue eating.

Bai Xu didn't press further either, contentedly finishing an entire plate of pasta before putting down his chopsticks with satisfaction.

Shang Yanxiao asked, "Full?"

Bai Xu picked up a wet wipe nearby, "En, the pasta today was really good."

Shang Yanxiao stirred the still-too-hot vegetable porridge and broached a new subject, "Since you're full, shall we talk about personal matters now?"

"......"

Bai Xu understood instantly, hiding behind a sip of water to mumble, "What's there to talk about? Didn't we already say neither of us lost out?"

Shang Yanxiao didn't let him off the hook, "Are you saying you still want to pretend nothing happened and just move on?"

That was indeed Bai Xu's thought, "Isn't that okay?"

Shang Yanxiao narrowed his eyes slightly, "Of course not. You weren't drunk last night."

Bai Xu was left speechless, letting out an imperceptible sigh.

He wasn’t the type to be coy when faced with an issue. Realizing this topic was unavoidable, he took a deep breath and decisively seized the initiative.

"Shang Yanxiao, I'm not looking for a relationship right now."

"......"

"If you're planning to cooperate with me, then it's even more impossible for us to become lovers. Otherwise, if we break up, things will get even messier between us."

"......"

"I admit, your presence is very attractive to me."

Otherwise, he wouldn't have thought about kissing while drunk, nor been tempted into mutual relief while sober.

Shang Yanxiao pressed further, "So?"

Meeting his intense, almost coercive gaze, Bai Xu steeled himself and tried to appear nonchalant, "So, let's not pursue any specific label. Living under the same roof, if the need arises, we can just... like last night..."

Shang Yanxiao clenched his jaw almost imperceptibly, supplying the blunt term for him, "Friends with benefits?"

"Um... yeah?"

Bai Xu's response was a bit weak, then he quickly added, "If you're not willing, then forget it. It's not a big deal anyway. We'll just get along as usual. I promise I won't drink in front of you again, won't act recklessly."

Shang Yanxiao let out a low, ambiguous chuckle. His gaze, locked on Bai Xu, gradually deepened with a hint of danger.

Sensing something was off, Bai Xu pushed his chair back, ready to make a quick exit. "I'm full, I'm heading upstairs first. Take your time!"

With that, his steps up the stairs were swift, almost ruthlessly so.

"......"

The butler witnessed the increasingly strange atmosphere at the dining table. Unfortunately, he didn't understand Chinese and couldn't grasp what the two gentlemen had discussed.

Seeing the untouched vegetable porridge, the butler asked uncertainly, "Mr. Shang? Will you still have the porridge?"

Shang Yanxiao tossed the spoon back into the bowl, feeling an unprecedented surge of irritation that made his teeth clench, "Eat what? I've already lost my appetite."

Friends with benefits?

How could this young master come up with such an idea!

–

TL: Muji

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