Pei Xu worked overtime and didn’t return home until 7 PM.
Following his usual routine, as he opened the door and changed his shoes, he noticed that the pair of slippers by the shoe cabinet had been moved from where he left them that morning.
Staring at the shifted slippers, Pei Xu narrowed his eyes slightly.
He set down his briefcase, loosened his tie, and walked quietly into the apartment, carefully observing any changes.
The remote control for the living room TV had been touched, and the throw pillows on the sofa were out of place. If one looked closely, there were even a few faint footprints on the deep velvet carpet—clearly, someone had sat here and watched TV.
The security in this building was excellent, and the lock showed no signs of tampering…
A vague guess floated up in his mind.
Pei Xu turned on his heel and walked toward the master bedroom.
The door to the master bedroom was closed.
He grasped the handle and twisted it open gently.
Cold air rushed out to meet him, and a faint scent lingered in the chilled room.
It was a fragrance he knew well—his usual body wash.
But it also carried a slightly different undertone… because another person’s scent had blended into it.
Pei Xu’s gaze locked onto the slightly raised blanket on the bed.
For a moment, he even held his breath.
After a long pause, his Adam’s apple moved with a slow swallow as he walked step by step toward the bed, gazing down at the sleeping figure.
Qiao Nan was curled up under the blanket, only the back of his fluffy head visible.
He had always been a restless sleeper.
The blanket had been bunched and pressed under his body, barely covering half of him.
With the air conditioner turned up high, he must’ve felt cold.
Curled up sideways like a shrimp, his whole face was buried in the quilt, only leaving the graceful curve of his neck exposed.
In the dim light, his pale skin contrasted sharply with his dark hair—so white, it seemed to glow; so black, it deepened the shadows.
Pei Xu’s gaze was drawn to that exposed patch of snow-white skin.
He stared at it for a long time before, almost against his will, reaching out a hand—
The skin he touched was slightly cool to the touch, smooth and delicate.
Pei Xu felt as if he were touching cold jade.
The icy surface was gradually warmed by the heat of his fingers, becoming damp and seeming almost to melt, as if it might absorb him whole.
Caught in the strange sensation, his fingers involuntarily traced the elegant curve of Qiao Nan’s spine downward, as if sketching a masterpiece, outlining the beautiful lines of his shoulders and neck.
Every part of Qiao Nan was exquisitely formed.
Pei Xu had drawn him countless times, but never had it felt so vivid, so intense, so captivating as this moment.
His breathing grew heavier, his ears filled with the rapid pounding of his own heart.
Thump.
Thump.
The sound pounded like war drums, like a warning bell.
But at this moment, Pei Xu didn’t want to heed any warnings.
He propped one knee on the bed and leaned down, getting extremely close to Qiao Nan.
If Qiao Nan had been awake, he would’ve been able to feel the burning heat of Pei Xu’s breath.
“Nan Nan?”
Pei Xu turned his face gently and whispered to him.
Qiao Nan was deeply asleep.
He only frowned and gave a soft hum in response, not waking up.
The storm in Pei Xu’s eyes grew fiercer.
Bracing himself with one hand beside Qiao Nan’s body, he slipped the other under Qiao Nan’s neck, palm cupping the delicate curve of his nape.
His fingers spread wide, fully enveloping that fragile area, assuming a posture of complete control.
Qiao Nan was entirely covered by him, shrouded in his shadow.
And yet he continued to sleep peacefully, completely unaware.
That absolute sense of dominance stirred something dark deep within Pei Xu.
Blood rushed through his veins.
He trembled slightly with excitement.
He called again, his voice low, hot with desire, like a spark sliding through a narrow throat and bursting from between his clenched teeth, eager to burn the person before him to ashes and fuse them into his own bones and blood.
This kind of extreme desire made his entire body tremble.
The sides of his temples throbbed, and terrifying veins bulged from his neck.
He bent down uncontrollably, wanting to kiss him—but just as he was about to make contact, he stopped abruptly.
There was less than one centimeter of distance between them.
Just a little closer, and he could soothe the longing raging in his chest.
Just a little closer… and Qiao Nan would realize that the “perfect older brother” he trusted and relied on was in fact nothing more than a vile, despicable man.
He would struggle.
He would cry.
He would flee in terror.
The drifting cold air slipped into his clothes, turning the steamy heat into cold sweat.
Pei Xu’s back was soaked with the icy sweat; his shirt clung to his skin, the chill seeping into every inch of his limbs and bones.
As the storm abruptly subsided, he carefully controlled his breathing, bracing his arms to slowly move away.
He didn’t even dare to look again at the sleeping person.
He fled the bedroom in a panic.
***
Qiao Nan slowly opened his eyes, still dazed, to the sound of a gentle voice calling him.
Once he saw who it was, he sat up in shock, looking annoyed.
“When did you get back? How did I fall asleep?!”
“Not even half an hour ago,” Pei Xu replied with a warm smile.
“Don’t go back to sleep. Get up and eat something, or you won’t be able to sleep tonight.”
Realizing his plan to surprise him had failed, Qiao Nan pouted.
“Oh.”
He tossed off the blanket, jumped out of bed with his long bare legs, and went to the laundry room to look for clothes.
“Did my clothes finish drying? I’ll change—yours are way too big.”
As he spoke, he fussed with the sleeves of the oversized shirt, rolling them up in frustration.
Pei Xu’s gaze lingered momentarily on the pale, long legs before he quickly averted his eyes and retrieved a brand-new set of loungewear from the wardrobe.
“I got this ready for you.”
“Now that’s more like it.”
Qiao Nan immediately brightened up and, without caring whether Pei Xu had left the room, began changing right there.
Before he could start unbuttoning the shirt, Pei Xu turned and left.
When Qiao Nan came out dressed, he saw Pei Xu in the kitchen wearing an apron, busy cooking.
Pei Xu stood at 188 cm, his gym-toned muscles lean yet defined.
Broad shoulders and a narrow waist gave him a perfect V-shaped torso.
From Qiao Nan’s angle, he could even see the faint outline of back muscles under the thin shirt—a mature man’s distinct strength and allure.
My brother is seriously sexy.
Qiao Nan rested his chin on his hands, openly admiring the view.
As an art student, he had drawn countless human figures, but none compared to the perfection of Pei Xu.
He gestured with his hands, eyes lighting up.
“Bro, you should be my life-drawing model next time.”
Pei Xu paused slightly at that, gave a soft “Mm,” but didn’t follow the topic.
“What made you come over so suddenly?”
“If the mountain won’t come to me, then I must go to the mountain. Where else can you find such a thoughtful, adorable little brother like me?”
Qiao Nan muttered resentfully, “And yet some people still don’t know how to appreciate it. Did you forget what day it is?”
Next Friday is his birthday!
But this time Pei Xu hadn’t mentioned anything, while in previous years, he’d always had a gift ready early.
Pei Xu plated the last dish and, catching the genuine hurt in Qiao Nan’s eyes, his own eyes softened with a hint of a smile.
“I already got your gift. It just hasn’t arrived yet. I’ll give it to you on your birthday.”
Realizing he hadn’t forgotten, Qiao Nan’s resentment vanished instantly.
He eagerly chased after him, asking, “What is it? What gift?!”
“If I told you now, it wouldn’t be a surprise.”
Pei Xu turned to take off his apron.
“But if you don’t tell me, I’ll be obsessing over it all week!”
Qiao Nan quickly stepped forward to untie the apron for him.
Seeing Pei Xu still unwilling to talk, he wrapped his arms around his waist like a giant koala, snuggling against his back and whining:
“Come on, tell me~ or I won’t be able to sleep tonight!”
Pei Xu’s waist was a sensitive spot.
Having the person he longed for clinging to him so closely, their bodies pressed together—it was overwhelming.
Thankfully, Qiao Nan couldn’t see his expression.
Pei Xu closed his eyes to banish the thoughts swirling in his mind.
He patted Qiao Nan’s hand and kept his voice steady.
“Let go first.”
“Nope, not until you tell me.”
Qiao Nan rubbed against his back like a spoiled child.
A tingling sensation climbed up Pei Xu’s spine.
He sighed silently and coaxed him, “If you don’t let go, how am I supposed to show you?”
Only then did Qiao Nan obediently release him, sticking close like a puppy, looking up at him with sparkling eyes full of expectation.
Pei Xu had no choice but to pull up a photo from his phone and show it to him.
“It’s Lai Ying’s Wildfire.”
Lai Ying was one of the most renowned contemporary hyperrealist oil painters.
Realism in modern painting—especially in oils—was often neglected, but Lai Ying had gained fame with his breathtakingly realistic piece Spring Shoots Breaking Ground.
His works were incredibly detailed, nearly photographic, and even those unfamiliar with oil painting could feel their raw, gripping power.
Because of his distinctive style, Lai Ying was often controversial in the art world, but he also gained a massive following.
His paintings were rare and highly valued at auctions.
Qiao Nan was one of those followers.
The Wildfire that Pei Xu showed him was a brand-new piece by Lai Ying.
As soon as it debuted, speculations about its final auction price began flying.
Qiao Nan had been eagerly preparing to bid on it—until news broke that it wouldn’t go to auction and had already been sold privately.
Qiao Nan had been disappointed for days.
And now—it was in Pei Xu’s hands.
Qiao Nan practically jumped for joy.
“Bro, I love you SO much!!!”
He hugged Pei Xu tightly, nuzzling his neck like a kitten.
“I forgive you!”
He held up two fingers together solemnly and declared, “I swear I’ll never be mad at you again!”
Hearing his unreserved declaration of love, Pei Xu’s heartbeat paused for a moment.
When it resumed, it was filled with an unspeakable bitterness.
The “love” Qiao Nan spoke of… and the love he yearned for… were never the same thing.
Pei Xu lowered his eyes, hiding all emotions, and gently patted Qiao Nan’s back.
“Sit down and eat.”
At this moment, Qiao Nan was perfectly obedient.
If Pei Xu pointed east, he wouldn’t go west.
He let go immediately and sat sweetly at the dining table, even serving Pei Xu a bowl of rice with enthusiasm.
For a moment, it felt like things had returned to how they used to be—before Pei Xu moved out of the Qiao household.