“Chairman Jiang, Young President Qiao of Qiao Real Estate heard you were in Beijing and wants to see you. I told him you were still in a meeting, but he insisted on waiting in the reception room. What do you think...?” The secretary spoke with a strained expression, stealing a glance at her chairman’s face.
The man in charge of the Jiang Group, who was actually a few years younger than the secretary herself, sat behind the desk flipping through the financial reports of a subsidiary. Without looking up, he asked, “Qiao Song? What is he here for this time?”
“He said there’s a piece of land he wants to develop jointly with our company.” As the secretary finished, even she felt it was likely just an excuse.
Everyone in the company knew that Young President Qiao had been pursuing their chairman for years. Over the past two years, Qiao Real Estate had shifted its investment focus from Nancheng to Beijing, but whenever Chairman Jiang came to inspect the subsidiary’s work, Qiao Song would show up under the guise of cooperation to corner him.
Jiang Yuan glanced at the ring on his finger and said indifferently, “Show President Qiao in.”
The secretary breathed a secret sigh of relief and hurried out to fetch him. Although Chairman Jiang didn't care for the man, the employees of these subsidiaries didn't dare make decisions on their own. After all, the Jiang Group still had ongoing projects with Qiao Real Estate in Beijing; they couldn't exactly kick a business partner out.
Jiang Yuan rubbed his temples, feeling a surge of irritation.
Years ago, Jiang Kunbo had used Jiang Yuan’s engagement as a bargaining chip to sign several massive cooperation projects with Qiao Song.
After Jiang Kunbo was imprisoned, Jiang Yuan had approached Qiao Song, expressing his desire to terminate the contracts. Since the land was in Qiao’s hands, the Jiang Group was the only one truly profiting. However, Qiao Song had refused the proposal, insisting on fulfilling the terms.
At that time, Jiang Yuan had just become the Chairman of the Jiang Group, facing both internal turmoil and external threats. After having the finance department calculate the breach of contract penalties, he had no choice but to abandon the plan for unilateral termination.
Over the years, the real estate projects of the Jiang and Qiao families in Beijing had become almost inextricably linked. Even if Jiang Yuan refused to see Qiao Song privately, they would inevitably cross paths at social functions.
While Qiao Song hadn't been overly aggressive, he had never shown any intention of giving up, which was beyond exhausting.
Jiang Yuan set down his documents, deciding it was time to settle the matter between them once and for all.
Led by the secretary, a silent and somber man walked in.
Jiang Yuan placed his hands on his knees, fingers interlaced, and said calmly, “Sit.”
Qiao Song looked at Jiang Yuan in surprise, momentarily unable to believe his ears.
For years, Jiang Yuan hadn't given him a second glance regardless of the occasion. It had been a long time since they had shared a proper word.
Jiang Yuan had the secretary bring Qiao Song a cup of coffee. Once the office door was closed again, he got straight to the point. “Xie Chengnan and I have already registered our marriage abroad.”
Qiao Song froze for a moment. His silence became absolute once he caught sight of the ring on Jiang Yuan’s hand.
“I don’t understand what you’re still holding onto.” Jiang Yuan’s expression was placid, his tone cold. “You should know exactly how I feel about you by now. Stop wasting your time on me. It’s unnecessary for you, and I don’t need it. That’s all I have to say. Goodbye.”
Qiao Song looked at the young man before him. The features were still familiar, yet he felt increasingly like a stranger. He suddenly remembered those first two years when he had been the person closest to him.
He had laughed with him, indulged his wildness, and through him, fulfilled the youthful recklessness he himself had never possessed.
He had accompanied Jiang Yuan from the age of seventeen to nineteen, only to watch him meet Xie Chengnan, fall in love with Xie Chengnan, and finally entrust his entire life to that man.
From this day forward, his obsession no longer held any meaning.
As his car drove away from the Jiang Group building, Qiao Song took one last look through the window toward Jiang Yuan’s direction, silently placing a period at the end of those years of madness.
Jiang Yuan buried himself in work, finishing the remaining two days' worth of tasks in a single day. He had his secretary change his flight to the next morning to rush back to Nancheng.
When the plane landed in Nancheng, they were caught in a crowd at the exit. Police cars were cordoning off the area outside; it was unclear what had happened.
Just as Jiang Yuan was about to ask his secretary to look into the situation, he heard two girls nearby chatting while snacking on melon seeds.
“That international fugitive is pretty pathetic. Of all the places to flee, he had to come here and walk right into the trap.”
“It just shows he didn't do his homework before running. He didn't know our Skynet system covers every single transportation route now. I heard the surveillance cameras flagged him the moment he stepped off the plane, and the police were notified immediately.”
“I heard my aunt at the Public Security Bureau say a while ago that their capture rate after solving a case is incredibly high now. Unless the person flees the country in advance, there’s nowhere to hide.”
“No wonder public security has been so much better these past two years. You barely even see pickpockets anymore.”
Hearing this, the corners of Jiang Yuan’s mouth curled up slightly, a secret sense of pride swelling in his heart.
Small robots began directing the flow of travelers. After getting into his car, Jiang Yuan told his secretary to take the rest of the staff back to the Jiang Group while he diverted his route to Nanyuan Technology.
He had been away on business for nearly a month. The longing that had accumulated day by day finally erupted the moment he returned, urging him to drop everything and go hug his Mr. Xie.
There were three soft knocks on the office door.
“Come in.” Xie Chengnan didn't look up; he was reviewing a new project proposal.
Someone entered. The sound of shoes tapping against the floor tiles drew closer, finally stopping right beside him.
Xie Chengnan frowned with displeasure. Just as he looked up to reprimand the intruder, he saw the face he had been dreaming of day and night.
“Didn't you say you were coming back tomorrow?” Xie Chengnan asked in surprise.
“It’s a surprise.” Jiang Yuan’s eyes curved into crescents, looking like a child waiting for a parent’s praise. He tilted his head. “Aren't you supposed to excitedly pull me into a hug?”
President Xie let out a low laugh. Not only did he pull him into a hug, but he also hoisted him up by the backside and spun him around. Chairman Jiang was startled, instinctively wrapping his long legs around the other man's waist to keep from falling.
The secretary, carrying coffee, silently retracted the foot she had just stepped into the room with. She smoothly locked the door from the outside and sat back at her desk to cancel the president’s entire afternoon schedule—all in one fluid, practiced motion.
Jiang Yuan buried his face in the crook of Xie Chengnan’s neck and complained, “I’ve lost all my dignity, and it’s all your fault.”
Xie Chengnan gave his backside a playful swat and teased, “Now you know how to be embarrassed? Why didn't you think of that when you were flirting just now?”
“We haven't seen each other for almost a month,” Jiang Yuan said righteously. “A hug is normal, but I didn't tell you to hold me like this!”
President Xie nodded. “Mhm, a hug is normal. Then a kiss is normal, too.” Having said that, he pressed the man against the wall and kissed him until the world spun.
Young bodies were always prone to passion. Jiang Yuan was soon stirred by the kiss, letting out soft, nasal hums. Those hums set President Xie ablaze, and he moved to carry him into the lounge.
Young Master Jiang pulled back slightly and patted President Xie’s face, smiling like a little fox. “Hey, have we ever played on your desk before?”
With fire in his eyes, President Xie didn't say a word. He turned around and pinned the man down onto a pile of documents.
Jiang Yuan laughed and tried to push him away with his feet. “I was just kidding! Get off, get off, you’re going to get your documents dirty.”
Xie Chengnan leaned down to kiss him, but Jiang Yuan held him back with his hands.
“Baby.” Xie Chengnan stopped, his eyes narrowing dangerously. “Be good. Don't provoke me.”
Young Master Jiang lifted his chin, looking smug and utterly begging to be teased, as if saying, *What are you going to do about it?*
President Xie, who had been starved for nearly a month, yanked off his tie and bound the man’s hands. Then, under Young Master Jiang’s wide-eyed, incredulous gaze, he completed a "triple play" involving the desk, the executive chair, and the floor-to-ceiling window.
With his desires wickedly restrained, Jiang Yuan went from cursing him as a bastard and an old beast to tearfully calling him "Gege" and "Good Husband."
Afterward, two ruined ties were tossed into the trash to destroy the evidence. With tears still clinging to the corners of his eyes, Young Master Jiang was lifted from the messy desk and tucked into a clean, soft bed.
A sliver of the bright midday sun leaked through a gap in the curtains, illuminating this isolated island of two, temporarily cut off from the outside world.
In the dim bedroom, the reunited lovers shared a tender, lingering kiss before finally falling into a deep sleep in each other's arms.
