In the year that Qiao Nan turned twenty-five, he was awarded the Danqing Prize—the highest honor in the domestic art world.
The Danqing Prize carried immense prestige, and Qiao Nan was the youngest recipient in the prize’s history.
In truth, he had won numerous awards over the past three years, both large and small, but none held the weight or significance of the Danqing Prize.
As news of his victory spread, his value soared once more, and with it, a flood of public commentary arose.
But this time, most of the remarks were positive.
Over these three years, plenty of information about him had circulated online, yet he himself rarely appeared in public.
Whenever news did surface, it was either that he was staying at the villa in Nanjiang or off teaching in some remote mountain village.
His paintings mainly depicted the local customs, landscapes, and living conditions of these mountainous regions.
His surrealistic style vividly and completely conveyed his observations and feelings, delivering a more powerful impact than many written or photographic works.
Even those who didn’t understand art could grasp the meaning behind his creations.
His talent was evident to all.
Those who had doubted him as merely seeking publicity gradually fell silent in the face of his persistent daily dedication.
The waves of skepticism faded away, replaced by ever-growing support.
Qiao Nan’s attitude toward all this remained unchanged.
He continued to manage his Weibo account diligently, sharing his artwork and using the platform to help those in need.
As for the online noise and public opinion, he seldom paid them any mind.
Most of his time was spent teaching in various locations and painting, with the remainder devoted to Pei Xu.
Last year, Qiao Shi’an and his wife finally accepted reality completely and fully embraced Pei Xu.
Knowing that their only son was incapable of taking over the company, Qiao Shi’an unceremoniously shifted the heavy burden of the Qiao family business onto Pei Xu’s shoulders.
Managing two companies simultaneously, Pei Xu’s workload became more complicated and exhausting than ever before.
When Qiao Nan went off to teach, the two sometimes didn’t see each other for up to three months, only able to connect through video calls to ease the loneliness.
This time was no different.
Qiao Nan hadn’t seen him in two and a half months.
After landing, he took a taxi straight to the Platinum Court Residence.
Since Qiao Nan wasn’t at home, Pei Xu, for convenience, had simply been staying at Platinum Court.
By the time Qiao Nan arrived, it was already past eight in the evening, but Pei Xu hadn’t returned.
Qiao Nan first took a shower.
When he reached into his suitcase to find pajamas, something occurred to him, and he went to Pei Xu’s wardrobe instead, casually grabbing a shirt that a man had worn to change into.
When it was just the two of them, Pei Xu liked it when he dressed like this.
Qiao Nan was more than willing to indulge these little quirks of his.
The black shirt’s length just covered his hips, and his snow-white long legs peeked out faintly beneath the hem.
The contrast made his skin look even paler and more delicate.
The reflection in the mirror carried a hint of seductive allure.
Qiao Nan was no stranger to this side of himself—it was Pei Xu’s favorite look.
Thinking about how Pei Xu would react once he got home, his ears flushed red and warmth spread to his cheeks, yet he couldn’t help but feel a little excited.
Not only did Pei Xu crave him; he also longed for Pei Xu.
Pei Xu didn’t return home until nine o’clock, working overtime.
With Qiao Nan away in Nanjiang, work had become his way to relieve the ache of missing him.
Just as Pei Xu stepped in and was about to change his shoes, he noticed an extra pair of men’s sneakers by the entrance.
His heart skipped a beat, and he hurried toward the master bedroom.
The door was slightly ajar, and he could faintly see a small mound rising on the bed.
The person on the bed hadn’t been asleep.
Upon hearing the door open, he peeked his head out from under the covers, eyes bright, reaching out to him: “Why are you home so late?”
Pei Xu strode forward and bent down to embrace him.
They exchanged a long, passionate kiss before Pei Xu, breathing heavily, asked softly, “When did you get home? Why didn’t you let Zhao Bo pick you up?”
“Got here at eight. I thought you’d finished work,” Qiao Nan wrapped his arms around Pei Xu’s neck, rubbing his face against the hollow of his throat, greedily inhaling his scent.
“I missed you so much.”
Pei Xu’s voice grew low and husky, stirred by his intimate gestures.
“I missed you too.”
He cupped Qiao Nan’s waist and hips, lifting him up as they kissed lingeringly, moving toward the bathroom.
“Let’s take a shower first.”
Qiao Nan tilted his neck, half-closing his eyes, emitting a satisfied hum.
“I already showered when I got back.”
“Then shower with me again.”
Pei Xu bit down on his throat, pinned him against the bathroom wall, and turned on the shower casually.
A brief separation made their reunion all the sweeter.
They tumbled from the bathroom to the bed, reckless and uninhibited with no one else around, as if they wanted to merge into one being.
Afterward, as they tidied up, Qiao Nan nestled in an armchair watching Pei Xu skillfully pull a brand-new mattress cover from the cabinet.
Blushing deeply, the warmth spreading from his cheeks to his neck, he asked, “Why did you prepare so many mattress covers?”
Pei Xu teased him with a glance.
“Nan Nan can’t control himself, so I prepare extras just in case.”
“It’s clearly because you’re too fierce, every time like this,” Qiao Nan retorted, face red but lacking strong conviction.
Pei Xu was indeed intense, every encounter overwhelming and out of control—but that sense of complete submission made Qiao Nan tremble and brought him joy.
Because only Pei Xu saw the other side of him—a wild beast reserved just for him.
After re-making the bed, Pei Xu scooped Qiao Nan up from the chair and, lowering his head, kissed his ear.
“Nan Nan likes it, doesn’t he? You were crying and begging me just now…”
Qiao Nan scrambled to cover his mouth, face burning crimson.
“You’re not allowed to say that.”
No matter how cooperative he was during, afterward he always got shy.
Especially since his pale skin flushed so easily, the faintest blush creeping from the corners of his eyes to his chest made it impossible not to linger on him.
Pei Xu bit his ear again before laying him back down on the bed.
“How long are you resting at home this time?”
Pei Xu asked as he lay down beside him, tucking the blanket around Qiao Nan.
Qiao Nan turned over and clung to him, nuzzling against his bare chest.
“At least half a year.”
“That long?” Pei Xu sounded surprised.
“Mm,” Qiao Nan kissed his chin.
“I miss home.”
The truth was, Pei Xu had gotten busier and busier.
Every time Qiao Nan went off to teach, Pei Xu would often work late into the night to come see him.
More than once, he’d arrived at midnight and left again before dawn.
The rare occasions he stayed longer were squeezed out of his hectic schedule, putting in extra hours beforehand to take a rare break.
Qiao Nan didn’t want him to suffer so much, though he truly missed him too.
Pei Xu gently stroked the back of his neck and thought for a moment before speaking.
“A few days ago, I talked to my parents on the phone. Mom wants us to have a wedding banquet. Since they’ve accepted us, our relationship is practically semi-public. Almost all our close relatives and friends already know. Qiao Shi’an and his wife still have traditional views. After thinking it over, they feel that since we’ve decided to be together, we should make it official with a ceremony. Though we can’t get a legal marriage certificate, the ceremony must be held. It’s not just Zhou Ruo—Qiao Shi’an has mentioned it openly and privately at least twice. But you’ve been traveling a lot recently, and I worried that announcing the wedding might cause another media storm, so I kept it from you.”
Qiao Nan rested his arm on Pei Xu’s chest, blinking.
“Do you want it?”
Pei Xu pressed his hand to the back of Qiao Nan’s neck, flipped them over in an instant, and changed their positions.
“I’ve already asked the wedding planner to prepare three proposals for you to choose from.”
Qiao Nan hooked his arms around Pei Xu’s neck and lifted his face to kiss him boldly.
“I’ll design the wedding rings.”
Smack.
Pei Xu bit his lip, murmuring a muffled response.
No one knew how long Pei Xu had been secretly preparing for the wedding.
The moment Qiao Nan picked a plan, the venue and date were already booked, and invitations had been sent out.
The date was set for a month later.
Qiao Nan rushed to finish crafting the wedding rings he had designed himself just in time.
The wedding was held at the Wuzhou Hotel, which was entirely reserved for the occasion, but only a few close family and friends were invited.
Though not grand in scale, every detail was personally decided by the two of them.
Journalists and paparazzi who caught wind of the event staked out the hotel, even attempting to sneak inside to take photos, but they were thwarted by tight security.
In the hotel’s second-floor hall, Qiao Nan and Pei Xu wore matching white suits, floral pins reading “Groom” on their chests.
Amid the solemn wedding march, they walked down the red carpet, exchanged vows, and placed rings on each other’s fingers.
The simple platinum bands were designed and handcrafted by Qiao Nan himself.
On the silver-white surfaces, the first letters of their names were abstractly encircled by the Big Dipper constellation.
The moment the rings slipped onto their fingers, Qiao Nan felt a long, enduring peace settle in his heart.
Their hands intertwined tightly, the bright silver wedding bands on their ring fingers catching the light.
Pei Xu looked at them for a long moment, then lowered his head to kiss the ring.
In a voice meant only for Qiao Nan, he said, “I want you now.”
Qiao Nan’s face flushed lightly; he pressed his lips into a thin line, silent, but squeezed Pei Xu’s hand firmly, his fingertips brushing over the back of his hand in a subtle, wordless reply.
Pei Xu’s eyes darkened further.
After enduring round after round of toasts and well-wishes from family and friends, Qiao Nan enlisted Qian Chuan and Xiao Rang—several boisterous friends—as a shield to sneak out through the staff passage with Pei Xu.
In a deserted alley behind the hotel, they kissed again.
Qiao Nan hung entirely on him, arms wrapped tightly around Pei Xu’s neck.
Pei Xu could clearly feel the faint chill of the ring on his finger.
That clear sensation made a flood of emotion surge even more fiercely in Pei Xu’s eyes.
He returned it with equal passion, barely catching his breath before finally stopping.
Pinching Qiao Nan’s earlobe, he restrained himself.
“Wait a little longer. There’s one more thing we haven’t finished.”
“What?”
Qiao Nan looked up in confusion, eyes misty.
“Come with me.”
Pei Xu drove him to the notary office.
The lawyer, having been notified in advance, was already waiting.
Qiao Nan studied the documents handed to him, his expression shifting slightly.
“Advance guardian?”
“Yeah. The guardianship agreement covers medical decisions, all asset management…”
After Pei Xu explained the terms, Qiao Nan carefully signed his name, solemn as if completing a marriage registration.
This agreement, drafted by professional lawyers, covered nearly all the rights granted by legal marriage.
Looking over the meticulous clauses, a smile touched the corners of Qiao Nan’s eyes and brows.
Through this, Pei Xu had legally bound them together.
Qiao Nan picked up his pen and carefully signed next to Pei Xu’s name.
They left the notary office without returning to the hotel.
The day’s itinerary had been arranged entirely by Pei Xu, and Qiao Nan followed along somewhat cluelessly as Pei Xu drove them straight to the airport.
“Where are we going?”
Pei Xu gave him a meaningful glance.
“Honeymoon.”
When the private jet touched down, Qiao Nan looked at the secluded seaside villa and felt a trace of unease.
He eyed Pei Xu warily.
“Is anyone else here?”
Such a huge villa couldn’t possibly be just the two of them, right?
Pei Xu loosened his tie and said, “No one else.”
He took Qiao Nan’s hand and led him inside.
“This is a private island I bought last year.
The scenery here is beautiful.
There’s a yacht, a deep diving area, and a seaside boardwalk…
Every morning, the butler delivers fresh ingredients, and no one will disturb us.”
Qiao Nan’s eyes roamed the surroundings as he asked slowly, “How long are we staying here?”
Pei Xu lifted him up, voice low and impatient.
“I took half a month off.”
Afterward, when Qiao Nan regained full clarity, he was certain that Pei Xu had planned this long ago.
He had spent a fortune buying this island just to satisfy certain private, unspoken desires.
This island, brimming with pristine natural beauty, seemed to unlock something within Pei Xu, releasing a primal wildness.
When Qiao Nan looked into his deep eyes, he caught a fleeting glimpse of those secret desires.
His body trembled like a fragile leaf, yet his limbs wrapped around Pei Xu like supple vines, clinging tightly and inseparably.
Reason and instinct both feared it, but his heart yearned for more intimacy and possession.
Willingly surrendering to Pei Xu’s control.
Panting, he clung tightly to Pei Xu’s neck, his voice soft, calling sometimes “Pei Xu,” sometimes “Brother.”
Pei Xu kissed his eyes and cheeks repeatedly, then nipped at his lips.
His arms held Qiao Nan’s soft body captive as he bit his ear fiercely, whispering hoarsely, “I really want to keep you locked up forever…”
“Then lock me up.”
Qiao Nan’s body shivered, entwining himself around Pei Xu like a sacrifice, opening his lips for a deeper kiss.
“My death.”
His voice broke into fragments, utterly lost in the vortex Pei Xu created.
Pei Xu’s craving for him was pathological—and how could Qiao Nan be any different?
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