TUMZ Chapter 27
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Zhuang Hanxue had always been someone who did things based on his innate pursuit of happiness.
In this world, happiness was all that mattered.
If work didn’t bring him joy, then he wouldn’t work.
If marriage to a woman didn’t make him happy, then he wouldn’t get married.
If inheriting the family fortune didn’t bring him happiness, then he would leave home.
As long as he could support himself, he considered it as supporting his entire family.
See? So easy.
After leaving home, he had only taken a few thousand yuan with him. He hadn’t even packed anything, walking away light and carefree. Over the years, the only thing he had gained was a small dog named Doudou, his half-family.
When the money ran out, his old friends and women drifted away.
He never turned anyone away, nor did he try to make them stay. Everything was left to fate.
Later, even if women were initially drawn to him because of his looks, they would eventually be driven away by his lack of ambition.
He had once had a girlfriend who, exasperated, tried to set him straight:
"I want to spend my life with you. How can you be so hopeless, like mud that can't be shaped into anything?"
"Can't you just try a little harder for me?"
"You don’t have a house or a car—fine. But with the way you are, I can’t see any future at all. How am I supposed to build a life with you? How am I supposed to tell my family we’re getting married?"
At the time, he had been living at her place. He was surprised and said, "Huh? I never said I wanted to marry you."
That same night, he was thrown out.
First, he was kicked out. Then, his belongings were tossed out one by one. He spent the whole night downstairs, picking up his things.
Then, three or four years passed.
He remained single, staying home playing video games. He didn’t even bother meeting new people, let alone thinking about romance.
Dating? It took time, effort, and was a thankless task. What a hassle.
At his age, anyone interested in dating him would definitely be looking toward marriage. That was only natural. He figured he shouldn’t go around ruining good women’s lives.
Until he met Qiu Zheyan.
He remembered their first time gaming together—Qiu Zheyan had barely acknowledged him. From start to finish, it was Zhuang Hanxue who kept initiating conversation, while Qiu Zheyan hardly spoke through the mic.
It wasn’t until the very end, when they won, that he cheered, "Wow, we won! You’re amazing!!! I love you so much!!!"
"I’m so touched—this is my first win this week. I haven’t won in years, boohoohoo."
"Gege, please, just a few more rounds with me?"
"Are you a streamer? Your skills are amazing!"
"Look, I might be bad at the game, but I’m obedient! I won’t compete with you, I promise. I’m just a walking resource scanner—I’ll stay quiet and be a good healer."
"Okay? Okay? Okay?"
Qiu Zheyan finally gave in and turned on his mic. "Can you stop being so noisy?"
Zhuang Hanxue shamelessly replied, "Gege, you finally spoke! Your voice is so nice! You must be a handsome and kind-hearted guy. Won’t you carry me in the game?"
At first, Qiu Zheyan wasn’t willing to play with him, but every time Zhuang Hanxue logged in, he immediately sought him out. Eventually, Qiu Zheyan got so annoyed that he had no choice but to give in and team up with him.
Later on, Qiu Zheyan accused him of being the one who started the flirting, but Zhuang Hanxue had no recollection of it.
Qiu Zheyan sighed and said, "Do you really not remember? You used to shower me with sweet talk every time. Saying things like you were waiting all day for me to log in, that you didn’t want to game with anyone else but me, that you liked me, loved me. Later, when I traveled to your city to meet you, you even said, ‘If only I had a wife like you.’ You said being with me made you happy, that you wanted to spend all your time with me. You said so much—I remember all of it. But you probably just moved on and forgot. Meanwhile, I was left constantly thinking about you, unable to eat or sleep, comforting myself by saying you were just a clueless straight guy with no filter."
"Then one day, when you mentioned your older brother, I asked about your opinion on homosexuality. You didn’t seem opposed to it. That’s when I finally gathered the courage to pursue you."
"When I offered you that job, I had ulterior motives. I thought, if you had no interest in me at all, you’d refuse. But if you accepted, it meant you had at least a little interest. And if that was the case, then I was determined to win you over."
But looking back now, why had he really quit his job and moved in with Qiu Zheyan just because of a single suggestion?
It wasn’t like he had been completely oblivious to Qiu Zheyan’s feelings.
After all, no one treats another person so unconditionally without a reason.
What kind of man would spend every weekend traveling two hours just to see another man, have a meal, chat for a bit, play a couple of games, and then take the last bus back, spending another two hours on the road?
He had noticed Qiu Zheyan’s feelings—he had just chosen to ignore them.
So why had he agreed?
Thinking back now, it was probably because… he was too lonely.
Yes, he didn’t want to get married, didn’t want kids, didn’t want to be a corporate boss—but he did want companionship.
Maybe everyone thought he was heartless.
But he felt lonely too.
Especially after turning thirty, the loneliness became unbearable.
It scared him. He often lay awake at night, thinking that he might end up dying alone, in some forgotten corner of the world, with no one even noticing his absence.
His parents didn’t love him. His older brother had his own family. His sister despised him. All the women from his past had left him.
No one would ever love him.
No one would ever love a useless man like him.
And then, Qiu Zheyan appeared.
Qiu Zheyan told him he didn’t need to work hard, didn’t need to worry about life’s burdens. He created a little paradise just for him, a place where he could escape reality, where he could keep being a carefree slacker.
He was so lonely that even if the person offering him warmth was a man, he had agreed without hesitation.
Even if he thought relationships between men were doomed to fail, if it could ease his loneliness for even a little while, wasn’t that good enough?
Many things happened after that.
And now, he found himself back at the starting point—for Qiu Zheyan.
Qiu Zheyan kissed him and asked, "Zhuang Hanxue, why did you go this far for me?"
He was stunned for a long time. Untangling the mess of thoughts in his mind, he softly said, "Because…"
Qiu Zheyan’s voice was as gentle as ever, filled with deep affection as he coaxed, "Because what?"
Zhuang Hanxue didn’t answer. Instead, he leaned in and kissed him.
Qiu Zheyan was caught off guard by the tender kiss and didn’t press further. That kiss, in itself, was already half an answer.
Soft yet urgent, like a spark igniting a wildfire, setting their blood ablaze.
They hadn’t seen each other for over half a month, let alone been intimate.
Desire surged between them.
Qiu Zheyan asked, "Where do you miss me the most?"
Zhuang Hanxue whispered, "Everywhere."
As the belt was undone, the metal buckle clinked together with a crisp jingling sound.
Qiu Zheyan grabbed Zhuang Hanxue’s hand, inhaling sharply before asking in a restrained voice, “Are we really doing this here? Won’t they suspect anything? Maybe we should wait. I’ll book a hotel, and you can sneak over later.”
Zhuang Hanxue replied, “No, we need the hotel, but we also need this now.”
Qiu Zheyan hesitated. “What if someone comes in?”
Zhuang Hanxue dismissed his concern. “What are you afraid of? I locked the door outside. No one’s coming in. Hurry up.”
Qiu Zheyan, frustrated, kissed him fiercely. “Stop rushing me. I can’t go any faster.”
Qiu Zheyan hesitated again. “They’re still waiting in the office.”
Zhuang Hanxue didn’t care, acting recklessly. “Let them wait. I’m the big boss. I make the decisions.”
Qiu Zheyan chuckled and kissed the tip of his nose. “Alright, whatever you say.”
—
In the meeting room.
The two remaining people exchanged glances.
One glanced at his watch. “It’s been over twenty minutes. Are they still not back?”
The other awkwardly nodded. “Seems like it…”
Outside, someone rushed past, shouting, “Damn it, the men’s restroom door is broken! It won’t open!”
They waited a few more minutes.
Then Qiu Zheyan returned.
Meanwhile, Zhuang Hanxue’s assistant received a call. Boss Zhuang had left a message: “I have something else to take care of. Give the documents to their people, and tell them to come back once they’ve made up their minds.”
The assistant: “……”
What kind of chaotic, nonsensical business was this?
Rumors had long said that the Zhuang family’s second young master was unreliable, but this was on another level—leaving in the middle of a business deal?
Qiu Zheyan led his subordinates out.
One of them cautiously asked, “Boss Qiu, is it just me, or does that President Zhuang look a lot like Mr. Zhuang? Are they brothers?”
Qiu Zheyan coughed lightly and replied tactfully, “Let’s not talk about this. Don’t mention it to anyone at the company, or the deal might fall through.”
The subordinate was stunned. Even though Boss Qiu had never explicitly confirmed it, everyone had already sensed that his friend Mr. Zhuang shared an unusual relationship with him. This realization shattered the hearts of the female employees in the company.
There had been rumors that Boss Qiu was financially supporting Mr. Zhuang, but later, that seemed not to be the case.
Now, looking at things… perhaps Boss Qiu was the one being financially supported?
—
Qiu Zheyan had originally planned to return home that day.
But on impulse, he changed his plans and stayed behind. He sent his assistant back while he booked a hotel.
Since money was tight, he usually wouldn’t splurge. If it were just him, he’d pick a cheap, budget hotel.
But Zhuang Hanxue might come stay the night. And cheap hotels had poor soundproofing—too awkward.
So, gritting his teeth, he booked a high-end five-star hotel for the night. 3,000 yuan—enough to cover a whole month’s rent for their tiny apartment.
But he didn’t care. He wanted Zhuang Hanxue too much. A rushed session in the men’s restroom wasn’t nearly enough.
He needed a whole night.
After making all the arrangements, he showered, then sent Zhuang Hanxue the hotel address and room number:
[I booked a room. When are you coming?]
Now all he had to do was wait for Zhuang Hanxue to show up!
Zhuang Hanxue’s reply came quickly:
[Huh? Why did you book such an expensive hotel? That hotel is owned by my family! You should hurry and see if you can get a refund.]
Qiu Zheyan: “……”
Zhuang Hanxue, in a panic, sent another message:
[Baby, I really want to see you, I swear! But I totally forgot—my dad’s back in town. My mom is making me go see him, so I can’t make it tonight. I promise I’ll come find you when I’m free. Kiss kiss =3=]
Qiu Zheyan: [………………]
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