Chapter 20

By the time Duan Baisui went downstairs, it was already close to eight.
At this hour, Zuo Nian should have reached the airport.
“Morning, young master,” Aunt Liu greeted him from the stairs.
“Morning,” Duan Baisui replied.
He walked into the living room, shrugged on the coat that had just been dry‑cleaned and delivered, and prepared to head out.
Aunt Liu called after him, “Aren’t you eating breakfast?”
“No,” he said.
“Please eat a little,” she urged gently. “Mr. Zuo made breakfast today. He said he’d be away for a while, and asked me to remind you: you must eat on time.”
Duan Baisui stopped. Turning back, he asked, “What did he make?”
…
Luo Yin had followed Duan Baisui for a while now.
His impression of Duan Baisui had always been: arrogant, cold, refined, and never placing anyone in his eyes.
Every hallmark of a top‑tier Alpha was displayed to the fullest on him.
And he had more than enough to support that kind of disdain.
Yet today, the boss who usually looked at people as if through his nostrils was sitting in his office, staring at his computer while eating rabbit‑shaped buns.
On the desk sat a pink Peppa‑Pig thermos as well.
For a second, Luo Yin almost thought he’d walked into the wrong office.
Thankfully, his professionalism kept him from making a spectacle of himself.
He placed a stack of documents on the desk and said evenly, “Young President Duan, these need your review and signature.”
“Mm,” Duan Baisui answered without looking up.
See? No matter how many rabbit buns he ate, he was still that cold Alpha. He wasn’t going to become cute!
“Also,” Luo Yin added, “Chairman Duan is at the company today. He said there’s a meeting at nine‑thirty.”
“Okay.”
Luo Yin stole another glance.
Custard filling?
Wasn’t that the kind of thing you bought to coax little kids?
“Anything else?” Duan Baisui gave him a sidelong look.
“No, it’s just…” Luo Yin blurted, “Do you need a cup of coffee? I see you’re only eating buns. It might be a little dry—”
Ah!
What was he saying?
Dry?
He’d just told his boss that his buns were a little dry!
Luo Yin closed his eyes and thought, I’m dead.
“No,” Duan Baisui said, tone flat. “The one at home also cooked porridge. It’s in the thermos.”
Luo Yin’s heart finally dropped back into his stomach. “Mr. Zuo is very thoughtful.”
Duan Baisui’s expression softened. “Mm.”
Wait.
Was the boss… showing off?
After Luo Yin left, Duan Baisui opened the thermos.
He’d never kept regular meal times. When work got busy, replacing meals with coffee was routine.
This morning, after Zuo Nian left, he’d gone back to sleep and woke up late. As usual, he’d planned to just brew a coffee at the office and call it breakfast.
But Aunt Liu’s words made him remember Zuo Nian bustling around the kitchen.
Not wanting to waste his effort, Duan Baisui had Aunt Liu pack it into the thermos for him to bring to the office.
The thermos was Zuo Nian’s, too. He used to bring soup to the shop.
Eating a breakfast Zuo Nian had made with his own hands, using Zuo Nian’s lunch container, Duan Baisui couldn’t stop himself from missing him.
Had he boarded yet?
Why hadn’t he even left a message?
He’d clearly kissed him in secret before leaving this morning, and now he’d gone silent, leaving not a word behind.
Duan Baisui pulled out his phone and opened his chat with Zuo Nian.
Scrolling up, he realized they barely talked at all.
The most recent messages were still that “bed photo” misunderstanding.
They truly communicated too little.
The screen dimmed, then lit up again.
His fingers hesitated, then typed: Boarded yet?
Less than a minute later, Zuo Nian replied.
Zuo Nian: Not yet. The flight is at ten. Gege, are you at the company? Did you eat breakfast?
Duan Baisui: I’m here.
After a moment, he took a photo of the thermos and sent it, typing: Slept in. Brought it to the company to eat.
Zuo Nian: That’s Nian‑nian’s.
Duan Baisui: I’m not allowed to use it?
Zuo Nian: Of course you are. I’m just surprised. I thought Gege wouldn’t like something this childish.
Duan Baisui: It’s not childish.
How could it be childish?
It was as cute as Zuo Nian.
Zuo Nian: Gege, Nian‑nian just asked Dad. This trip will be seven days. Gege has to take good care of yourself. Nian‑nian will miss you so, so much. I’m already missing you now.
He was always saying sweet things—without even realizing he was doing it.
Duan Baisui’s lips wouldn’t stop curving up as he replied: Tell me early when you’re coming back. I’ll pick you up.
Zuo Nian: Okay~
After finishing the porridge, Duan Baisui tidied up his desk.
Just then, Luo Yin knocked and came in. “Young President Duan, it’s time for the meeting.”
“I know.”
Chairman Duan was present for today’s meeting.
Each department delivered their year‑end summaries and discussed next year’s planning and adjustments.
Chairman Duan didn’t raise many objections, but as the meeting neared its end, he made a point of saying this:
Every artist had value. Don’t treat small‑time actors like they’re nothing. The entertainment industry changed in the blink of an eye—some people exploded overnight, some vanished just as quickly. Who could guarantee that top stars would never fade, and that “nobodies” would never have their day?
Think long‑term. Stop helping cover up rotten things.
Xingyu had been around for years. The traffic kings, film emperors, and award‑winning queens it produced could hold up half the industry.
The company’s contract splits were fair, and it never forced artists to go drinking or sell themselves for resources.
That was why so many actors renewed long‑term contracts, and why Xingyu’s reputation had always been solid.
This scandal had truly infuriated Chairman Duan. He felt the higher‑ups who’d insisted on protecting Rong Jin were brain‑dead—and that they’d banded together to “bully” his son.
Fortunately, though young, Duan Baisui was clear about right and wrong. He hadn’t been led by the nose, which brought Duan Yan a measure of comfort.
After the meeting, Duan Yan stopped him. “Come home for dinner tonight. Your Xiao‑ba has been nagging me about you nonstop these past couple of days.”
“Okay,” Duan Baisui replied.
“And don’t forget to bring Nian‑nian with you.”
“Zuo Nian went back to America with them today,” Duan Baisui said.
“Today? Ah—right, today,” Duan Yan sighed. “I’m getting old. My memory’s getting worse.”
It was rare to hear him admit it.
After dinner at the manor with his two fathers, it was already late.
Heavy snow was still falling outside, and Xu Yi and Duan Yan didn’t let him leave.
Duan Baisui stayed in his old room.
He’d had a little alcohol with his father that night. Not much, but his head felt hazy.
He lay face‑down on the big bed and didn’t feel like moving.
The room was so quiet that the only sound was the clock’s steady tick‑tick.
His outstretched hand touched the pillow Zuo Nian had used last time.
The realization sparked a rush of images in his mind.
His fingers slowly tightened around the corner of the pillow, veins standing out on the back of his hand.
In the end, he couldn’t help himself.
He pulled the soft pillow close and buried his face into it.
He had to admit it—tonight, he missed Zuo Nian like he’d lost his mind.
He even wanted to find Zuo Nian’s scent on the pillow, to soothe the emptiness and restlessness clawing inside him.
He’d never been like this before.
He was becoming strange.
Zuo Nian had been gone for three days now.
At first, Duan Baisui thought he was being dramatic because of the alcohol.
Only now did he realize the truth: he genuinely wasn’t used to it.
Every time he stepped into the house, he instinctively searched for Zuo Nian.
He felt like Zuo Nian should be napping on the sofa, playing with the kitten in the nursery, or talking to A‑Beibei in the bedroom.
But he wasn’t.
At night, Duan Baisui dragged Zuo Nian’s quilt and pajamas close and held them against himself.
But Zuo Nian’s scent was fading day by day.
In agitation, he bought huge quantities of green‑grape soft candy online.
He wanted to cover the whole room with it.
He wanted the entire place to be filled with Zuo Nian’s scent.
When that crazy thought surfaced, he finally realized what was happening.
His susceptible period was here.
In the past, at times like this, he would feel repulsed by Omegas.
He refused to let anyone with an unfamiliar scent come close and try to soothe him.