Thanks to Du Zhe acting as a go-between, the dinner among the three of them went very smoothly.

Du Zhe had an outgoing personality and knew exactly how to keep a conversation lively. Whenever Gu Zhan and Chris discussed potential cooperation, he always managed to chime in at just the right moment with a few helpful words.

In short, Chris was very interested in the partnership Gu Zhan proposed.

However, Gu Zhan also learned that several Chinese e-commerce platforms had already approached Brand C, including the Fu Group.

That explained why he kept running into Fu Yan lately—he was clearly the one handling negotiations with Brand C.

Gu Zhan had expected as much.

The Fu Group’s e-commerce platform had been aggressively expanding its international business throughout the second half of the year. They had already secured exclusive rights to several foreign brands and were now looking for a major name like Brand C to elevate their international profile.

What he hadn’t expected was that Fu Yan would be the one in charge.

Since the Fu Group’s international division directly competed with Slungshot’s core business, it seemed inevitable that they would be seeing a lot more of each other.

━━━━⊱⋆⊰━━━━

A few days later, Fu Yan sent him an invitation.

The Fu Group was hosting a fashion gala.

Officially, it was a showcase for the winter collections of the foreign brands they had recently signed.

Gu Zhan was on the guest list.

But he didn’t really want to go.

He admitted it—he was avoiding Fu Yan.

Every encounter since their reunion had left him feeling uncomfortable.

He wanted nothing more than to keep his distance.

Then, on the day of the event, Du Zhe called him.

“Brother Zhan, come with me tonight.”

“It’s a paired-entry event. You wouldn’t leave me all alone, would you?”

Ever since dropping his polished public persona around Gu Zhan, Du Zhe had become increasingly shameless—like a spoiled child.

Unfortunately, Gu Zhan was particularly vulnerable to that kind of behavior.

Whenever Du Zhe spoke to him in that tone, he found it difficult to refuse.

Hearing the silence on the other end, Du Zhe sensed hesitation and quickly added:

“Besides, Chris got an invitation too. Fu Yan has already met with him several times these past few days. If you don’t hurry up, Brand C might end up in Fu Yan’s hands. Wouldn’t that be infuriating?”

Gu Zhan laughed.

“Maybe. But this is a fashion gala. It’s already almost five o’clock, and it’ll take two hours to get there. I’m wearing a casual suit today. Standing next to an international supermodel like you, I’d only drag down your image.”

“That’s not a problem.”

Du Zhe grinned.

“I just finished an interview. My stylist is working on me in the car right now. I’ll swing by Slungshot to pick you up.”

“As for you, Brother Zhan, you barely need any styling. Just run a hand through your hair and you’re already devastatingly handsome.”

Gu Zhan burst out laughing.

“Brother Zhan, I’ll have someone bring a tuxedo from the studio. Send me your measurements. You and the suit can meet at the venue.”

“Fine.”

After some thought, Gu Zhan agreed.

The gala was being held at the Fu Group’s luxury resort.

For the first time in over a year, Gu Zhan returned to the place.

Memories he had buried resurfaced immediately.

The towering oak trees.

The star-filled sky.

And Fu Yan.

Back then, Fu Yan had probably just begun developing feelings for him.

Everything had still been new.

The attraction.

The affection.

The excitement.

All of it had been at its peak.

Unfortunately, those precious things had gradually worn away during the course of their relationship until nothing remained.

After parking, several people from Du Zhe’s studio hurried over.

Du Zhe handed him a garment bag.

“Brother Zhan, just change in the back seat. There’s a curtain.”

“Okay.”

Everyone else left the car except Du Zhe.

With a teasing smile, he added,

“Of course, if you decide not to close the curtain, I won’t complain.”

Gu Zhan laughed and cursed lightly.

“You little brat. Your courage keeps growing. Now you even dare joke with me?”

“Hahaha!”

Du Zhe scratched his nose and obediently turned around.

Truthfully, he hadn’t intended to peek.

But changing clothes inevitably created movement.

The seven-seat business van swayed slightly.

The parking garage was dim.

The interior light cast Gu Zhan’s silhouette onto the curtain.

Sitting in the front seat, Du Zhe casually glanced at the rearview mirror overhead.

The shadowy outline was tantalizing.

Those legs are ridiculously long...

A few moments later, the curtain was pulled aside.

Du Zhe immediately snapped out of his wandering thoughts.

Following Gu Zhan out of the vehicle, he asked eagerly,

“Brother Zhan, let me see.”

Gu Zhan smoothed his jacket and spread his arms.

“How is it?”

“Perfect.”

Du Zhe stared openly.

“You look incredible.”

“Then let’s go.”

The two walked side by side toward the banquet hall.

Not far away, inside another vehicle, Fu Yan slammed his fist against the steering wheel.

He desperately wanted to swear.

What exactly were those two doing in there?

Everyone else had gotten out.

Why were they the only two left in the car?

And why had the vehicle been shaking?

He refused to let his imagination continue.

Leaning back against the seat, he spent several minutes calming himself before finally stepping out and heading toward the gala.

He was the host tonight.

No matter how irritated he was, he couldn’t afford to lose control.

The banquet was being held on a vast open-air lawn.

The venue sparkled with lights.

A grand runway stretched through the center, surrounded by dining tables.

Guests sat according to assigned place cards and were served Michelin-star French cuisine.

Gu Zhan was seated beside Du Zhe.

He was very pleased with the arrangement.

Across from Du Zhe sat Chris.

That meant another opportunity to discuss cooperation.

Shortly after they sat down, a waiter quietly removed the nameplate from the seat beside Gu Zhan.

He paid it little attention and continued chatting with Chris.

Chris was a Chinese designer in his late thirties.

Not particularly tall, he wore shoulder-length hair tied into a small knot and always dressed impeccably.

He also adored wine.

Every time Gu Zhan dined with him, Chris insisted on drinking until they were pleasantly tipsy—while Chris himself usually ended up completely drunk.

Now he lifted another glass.

“President Gu, try this wine. The finish lingers beautifully. It reminds me of Château Margaux.”

He closed his eyes in enjoyment.

Smiling, Gu Zhan clinked glasses.

“If Chris recommends it, then I have to try it.”

Just as he raised the glass—

Someone beside him gently lowered his arm.

At the same time, a waiter delivered a separate dish.

Fu Yan sat down next to him with a smile.

“Drinking on an empty stomach isn’t good for you.”

He nodded toward the bowl.

“Have some plain noodles first.”

Gu Zhan looked at the noodles.

Then at Fu Yan.

The man’s smile was warm and elegant, yet Gu Zhan sensed suppressed tension beneath it.

Chris, who knew little about their history, watched them with obvious amusement.

Keeping his face expressionless, Gu Zhan turned toward Du Zhe.

“Weren’t you saying in the car that you were starving?”

Du Zhe froze briefly before immediately understanding.

“Oh, right.”

He shot Fu Yan a glare.

“I’m starving.”

He promptly took the bowl.

“Brother Zhan, I’ll eat it.”

Then he gave Fu Yan a particularly smug look.

Under the table, Fu Yan’s hand tightened into a fist.

Yet he maintained a cultivated smile.

Turning to Chris, he smoothly changed the subject.

“Mr. Chris, I’ve been busy tonight. I hope the food is to your liking.”

“It’s excellent.”

Chris raised his glass.

Fu Yan clinked it.

Although Fu Yan kept trying to keep the conversation going, the atmosphere around the table noticeably cooled.

It wasn’t that Gu Zhan refused to speak.

He simply refused to speak to Fu Yan.

Both men focused their attention on Chris instead.

Through careful conversational maneuvering, they politely ignored each other.

Chris found it fascinating.

Watching them compete was more entertaining than any show.

Several rounds of drinks later, the next course arrived.

As a waiter passed by Gu Zhan, he accidentally spilled a dish of risotto covered in sauce.

It splashed down Gu Zhan’s shirt and trousers.

Fortunately it wasn’t hot.

Unfortunately, his entire outfit was ruined.

The waiter apologized repeatedly.

Du Zhe reacted immediately, grabbing a napkin and reaching toward Gu Zhan’s chest.

Before he could touch him—

Someone grabbed his wrist.

Fu Yan.

He might not be six-foot-four like a professional model, but he certainly wasn’t weaker.

And tonight he had accumulated quite a bit of frustration.

Without changing expression, he squeezed Du Zhe’s wrist hard enough to hurt.

“No need.”

His voice was cold.

“I’ll take President Gu somewhere to change.”

The tone allowed no argument.

Given his current appearance, Gu Zhan did stand out awkwardly among the elegantly dressed guests.

So he agreed.

The two left the banquet grounds in silence.

After a brief call with the estate manager, a resort shuttle arrived to pick them up.

Under the moonlight, the vehicle wound up the mountain roads.

The cold wind carried a chill.

Glancing at Gu Zhan’s stained clothing, Fu Yan removed his suit jacket and draped it over him.

Gu Zhan looked at him briefly.

He neither thanked him nor rejected it.

Five minutes later, they arrived.

Fu Yan led him toward a brightly lit glass house.

Gu Zhan recognized it instantly.

This was the place where they had stayed together the night they came to visit Fu Yan’s grandmother.

As Fu Yan entered the security code, he noticed Gu Zhan hesitate.

“I have a few spare outfits inside.”

He paused.

“They’ve been worn before. I hope you don’t mind.”

Gu Zhan said nothing and followed him inside.

Outwardly, he appeared calm.

Internally, he was anything but.

He barely dared look at the large bed.

Or the camel-hair carpet beneath it.

Because the moment his eyes landed on them, vivid memories surfaced.

Entwined bodies.

Burning skin.

Hands gripping.

Breathless pleas.

A whole year had passed.

So why did everything still feel so vivid?

He could still remember the pressure of those legs wrapped around his waist.

The unbearable heat of that body.

The flushed face beneath him.

The soft, helpless sounds of surrender.

But things had changed.

The impeccably dressed Fu Yan standing before him was no longer the same person.

After rummaging through the wardrobe, Fu Yan selected a suit and tossed it onto the bed.

“How about this one?”

Gu Zhan glanced at it.

Then lifted his cool gaze toward Fu Yan.

Seeing that Fu Yan still hadn’t moved, he finally spoke.

“President Fu…”

“Aren’t you going to give me some privacy?”