The next morning, Mu Nanqiao seemed to have something to do and left very early. He wasn’t at home when Lu Qi got up, but breakfast was ready and packed in an insulated lunch box. There was a sticky note on the metal box, with three words in strong, flowing strokes: Please forgive me.

He also drew a crying fox.

Lu Qi thought to himself that the fox was still as ugly as ever, but he carefully took the note off and folded it up.

Mu Nanqiao had cooked pumpkin and millet porridge for him, along with egg pancakes and two side dishes. After Lu Qi finished eating, he cleaned the bowl. There was no need to use the dishwasher for so few things.

He wasn’t actually angry, just too embarrassed, like a child who had been caught misbehaving.

As he was washing the dishes, there was the electronic sound of the living room door opening. It opened and closed, and then someone was changing their shoes.

Lu Qi looked over and caught sight of Mu Nanqiao, who was wearing sportswear.

Ah! Facing this person, Lu Qi couldn’t help but scratch the ground with his toes and tap the phone with wet hands. Huh? It was already past nine in the morning, so why had Mu Nanqiao just finished running?

He raised his head and asked: “Why are you still at home?”

Mu Nanqiao felt wronged. Such a big man had a pitiful look on his face as he asked dejectedly: “Baby, don’t you want to see me at home?”

Lu Qi seemed to smell the fragrance of tea in the air. He wavered for a moment, then firmed up again and gave a weak scoff, “You…..stop selling misery. Clearly it was you last night who…..who went too far!”

“En, en, it’s my fault.” Mu Nanqiao nodded sincerely, but the words he said almost made Lu Qi jump up. “I really shouldn’t have made Wife Xiao Lu stain his painting…..”

Lu Qi rushed over and covered his mouth, the foam of the dish soap rubbing against Mu Nanqiao’s face. “You shut up…..”

Mu Nanqiao immediately hugged him with a triumphant smile in his fox-like eyes. His mouth got a taste of lemon flavor.

Pulling down Lu Qi’s hand, he carried him to the dining table in his arms. He casually took out a paper towel and carefully wiped each finger and the spaces between them, then kissed it again after wiping them dry.

Lu Qi retracted his hand and turned his head: “No kissing, I haven’t cooled off yet.”

So much like a little friend. Mu Nanqiao’s heart melted, and he nuzzled Lu Qi’s cheek with the tip of his nose since he refused to kiss him. “Lu Baby, tell me why you’re angry? You secretly drew me, and even without clothes. I’m not even angry, so why are you striking back unfairly? Huh?”

In this case, Lu Qi was indeed unreasonable. He hesitated for a moment, then whispered: “Really, I’m just…..so embarrassed, ah…..”

He was caught lusting over someone, and was so embarrassed that he wanted to dig through the floor and run away overnight.

Mu Nanqiao smiled and poked the small dimple on his cheek with his finger. “Baby, I’m your boyfriend, it’s perfectly normal for you to have such thoughts about me. Why are you so shy?”

“Because…..” Lu Qi spoke quietly, “Because…..when I made this painting…..you were not my boyfriend, ah.”

His voice gradually became smaller and smaller, like the buzz of a mosquito. “I…..you suddenly saw it last night, and I felt guilty, ah…..”

It turned out to be anger due to embarrassment.

Mu Nanqiao didn’t know whether to laugh or cry, and took him off the dining table. “As long as you didn’t tell me the date, I wouldn’t have known when you painted it. Wouldn’t that be just fine?”

Lu Qi murmured: “But I would know it myself, ah……”

“So when did you start painting it?” Mu Nanqiao asked curiously.

In any case, he had already told him this much. Lu Qi abandoned himself to despair and said: “It was you who showed me your stomach muscles…..that time…..and then I had a dream about you…..”

Upon hearing this answer, Mu Nanqiao smiled even more happily. “It turns out to be that time. That’s really great, ah.”

Lu Qi looked at him doubtfully.

“Because at that time, I also wanted you.” Mu Nanqiao winked, his cunning fox-like eyes full of tenderness. “Doesn’t this count as running toward each other with open arms?”

Lu Qi: ……

It appeared so? Something seemed strange again…..

But Mu Nanqiao didn’t dwell on this anymore. Seeing that this person had been coaxed, he immediately changed the subject in a sensible manner.

“Didn’t you just ask me why I’m not at work?” Mu Nanqiao pulled him to the window and pointed downstairs. “Look, the gift for you has just arrived. I was going down to pick it up.”

Their home was on the top floor. Lu Qi was not afraid of heights, but he still couldn’t see anything when pressing against the glass. He looked around inquisitively: “What is it?”

Mu Nanqiao smiled and tugged him over for a kiss: “Go change clothes, and we’ll go down for a look.”

In the open space outside, a van was parked beside the square. It was the time for work and school, and nobody had stopped to watch, so Lu Qi easily saw the extremely cool motorcycle.

This vehicle had obviously been modified based on the original. The all-carbon body reflected no light, and it was decorated with bright golden medal strips on the streamlined part of the body, making the expensive vehicle look very futuristic.

It was like a futuristic machine driving out of a black hole, full of the forceful aesthetics of cold, hard metal.

No young man could resist being drawn to it. Lu Qi was not an exception. He felt like there was a little rabbit jumping around in his heart, and his bright eyes couldn’t look away.

Mu Nanqiao began to get jealous of this iron lump, and said sourly: “Baby, when will you look at me like this?”

Before he finished speaking, Lu Qi kissed him on the cheek with a mwah and asked uncertainly: “This…..is mine?”

“If I said no, then your kiss would be in vain.” Mu Nanqiao smiled and rubbed his head. “Go try it out.”

Lu Qi cheered, and the little deer ran toward the motorcycle with joy.

By the time all the procedures were completed, half a month had passed before Lu Qi could ride his motorcycle on the road. When they were completed that afternoon, Lu Qi went to the racetrack to train again with his new bike.

Meng Li walked around the vehicle with raised eyebrows: “Not bad, it’s top-notch in every aspect. There would be no problem taking it to a competition. How much did it cost you?”

Lu Qi: …..

He only knew that the price of the base model was 400,000. He checked this himself, as Mu Nanqiao never said. Lu Qi had never thought of buying a motorcycle before, and he couldn’t help but think that his dad’s two big gold bracelets might not be enough to redeem him.

Seeing that Lu Qi was at a loss, Meng Li clicked his tongue and asked pensively: “A gift from your boyfriend?”

“En.” Lu Qi nodded. He became obviously happy when his boyfriend was mentioned, with relaxed features and a smile.

Meng Li suddenly felt a sense of frustration.

He had shaved recently and specially matched his clothes. He was still very confident in his appearance, and used to be the one on his team who had the most female fans.

But Lu Qi didn’t seem to pay him any attention at all. When they spent time together, he only talked to him about motorcycle-related things and didn’t contact him privately at all.

During these days, he had gradually realized that Lu Qi was not a young master from a wealthy family, but that his boyfriend was probably the rich one and doted on him. Meng Li once suspected that Lu Qi was “kept” by a rich young master.

Now, seeing that Lu Qi was smiling so happily after being given a motorcycle, he couldn’t help but inform him, “I’m telling you, the base model of this bike costs 400,000, but after being modified to what it is now, it’s at least a million.”

Lu Qi: “Wow! So expensive!”

Meng Li paused for a moment and looked back at Lu Qi. Without waiting for Lu Qi to react further, he said a bit impatiently: “If he gave you such an expensive thing, he will inevitably try to get something more valuable from your body. If he gets tired of you one day, how will you pay him back for this?”

Lu Qi: ……

The smile on the perpetually gentle young man’s face gradually faded, and he frowned at him.

“Mr. Meng, you have crossed the line.” Lu Qi’s tone was harsh. He was obviously angry, and said very seriously, “Even if I dismantled it and sold it, I may not be able to get a million. What could he be after, my looks?”

He said softly: “My boyfriend is better-looking than me.”

Meng Li: ……

Really? He didn’t believe it.

Lu Qi didn’t intend to explain it to him anymore, so he waved his hand and said: “It ends here. Thank you for your instruction over the past month and a half. Starting tomorrow, I won’t be here. You can contact Assistant Zhang to be paid your balance.”

Meng Li hadn’t expected Lu Qi’s reaction to be so big, and asked in confusion: “What did I say wrong? When you accepted such an expensive gift from him, didn’t you think about the consequences?”

Lu Qi got on the motorcycle and braced his long legs on the ground. He was wearing a professional racing suit today, which made his waist more slender, his legs longer, and his gentle features sharper.

“If you insist on making it clear to me, I’ll tell you something else.” With a calm expression, Lu Qi said unhurriedly: “He gives me gifts. Whether it is a bowl with free shipping for 9 yuan or a million-yuan motorcycle, I like them all. I also like the handwritten cards and sticky notes he sends. They make me happy, and I want to smile when I see them. Is this because there is gold on the cards?”

Seeing that Meng Li could say nothing, Lu Qi continued: “You said he has a motive for giving me the bike. Then all he needed to do was deliver it. I would be incredibly happy, and I might agree to anything when I’m happy. Then wouldn’t his goal be achieved?”

“But he also gave me you as a gift.” Lu Qi curled his lips, showing his dislike for him as a coach for the first time. “Because he knows motorcycles are dangerous, and wants me to know how to avoid danger. He didn’t do it just to make me giddy with happiness, but really did it for my own good.”

Finally, Lu Qi asked: “Mr. Meng, do you think I am a fool?”

Meng Li shook his head, lost. 

Lu Qi blinked: “But I think you’re one.”

Meng Li: ……

For Lu Qi, this was a very harsh criticism. He felt a little embarrassed after saying it, but had no regrets. 

“As for what you said will happen after we break up……” Lu Qi said very firmly, “We will not break up. I like him, and I want to be with him for the rest of my life.”

This innocent confession was like a child playing house. When they grew up, many people no longer believed in “forever.” Meng Li wanted to laugh at his naivete, but when he saw those clean, clear eyes, he suddenly couldn’t say anything.

To be able to receive such warm love, a lifetime didn’t seem that long anymore.

The atmosphere was awkward between the two.

Lu Qi came to his senses and gave Meng Li a suspicious look. After a moment, he said warily: “Why do you keep driving a wedge between me and my boyfriend? You don’t like him, do you?!”

If Lin Yuan were here, he would definitely sigh and say that it felt like deja vu.

In any case, in the eyes of this little deer, the trees and flowers in the forest were also treasures, and he just didn’t know how good he was.

Meng Li couldn’t endure it anymore: “I’ve never met your boyfriend, okay? I’m…..”

A low, cold male voice floated with the wind, cutting off what Meng Li didn’t finish. That man said a word that Meng Li hadn’t heard before. It sounded like Russian. 

But the gloom on Lu Qi’s face instantly vanished. He raised a hand and said: “Why are you here?”

Expecting him to be Lu Qi’s boyfriend, Meng Li turned around to give him a hostile look, but didn’t foresee that he would have to raise his head slightly to look at him. His imposing manner suddenly dropped down a notch.

And the other party didn’t even look at him. He walked two steps over on long legs, and the flapping corners of his dark windbreaker didn’t even touch him. 

But even just passing by, the other party’s face was as good as any star’s. That leisurely yet threatening aura made a person want to automatically retreat.

Meng Li just wanted to find a crack in the ground and burrow into it. His employment contract and work handover were all handled through Assistant Zhang, and he never met with the boss behind him.

He had thought that Lu Qi’s boyfriend was a rich second-generation fool, but was slapped in the face by his own assumptions.

Mu Nanqiao held a bouquet of lilies in his arms. Lu Qi suddenly thought of something, and his eyes lit up. He asked quickly: “Is Auntie back?”

Pink perfume lilies were Aunt Talia’s favorite kind of flower, and it was this type that Mu Chuanbai had given her last time.

“You guessed right,” Mu Nanqiao said with a smile. “My mom will arrive in Shanghai in about an hour. Do you want to pick her up together?”

Needless to day, Lu Qi would definitely go. Only, although riding a motorcycle was cool, the flowers may be damaged by the strong breeze. So he lifted his long legs and dismounted again to stand beside Mu Nanqiao and take the bouquet.

He smiled slyly, like a kitten that had stolen a fish. With a little self-satisfaction at taking advantage, he said with a smile: “I’ll give them to Auntie for you.”

The flowers had originally been prepared for Lu Qi, so Mu Nanqiao naturally had no objections. He just patted Lu Qi on the back and said warmly: “I’ll take them first, you go change clothes.”

Lu Qi agreed and walked away briskly.

Only Meng Li was left in the venue, embarrassed and at a loss. He wanted to quietly walk away, but Mu Nanqiao made the first move.

When he passed by him again, Mu Nanqiao stopped. His voice was as frigid as the cold wind. “Although I feel that your poaching behavior is unprofessional, for the sake of you getting him to say ‘for the rest of my life,’ I’ll save you some face and pay the balance of the tuition fee. Don’t appear in front of him in the future.”

. . . . . . .

Even up until this potential love rival was eliminated by Mu Nanqiao, Lu Qi didn’t understand his intentions. Sitting in Mu Nanqiao’s passenger seat, he continued to ask: “Why did Auntie suddenly come back? Is her work in Russia finished?”

Mu Nanqiao tapped the steering wheel with his fingers. A hint of deep meaning flashed through his fox-like eyes, but his expression didn’t change.

“My mom is going to compete in a domestic talk show.” He said: “She came back this time mainly to prepare for it.”

“Wow…..” Lu Qi sighed at Talia’s greatness and casually asked: “Which show is it?”

Mu Nanqiao: “Art Stars: International Edition.”

Lu Qi nodded. When he thought about it, he felt that the name of this program was familiar. After some consideration, he sighed.

“This…..it seems that my mom loves watching this show…..”

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Chapter Forty-Four << Table of Contents >> Chapter Forty-Six