They stumbled, entangled, toward the desk. It was a clumsy, desperate migration fueled by pure need. Xiaobao swept everything off the wooden surface with one frantic arm, papers and a tablet clattering to the floor.

She turned him, pressed him down onto the now-empty desk, the hard surface cool against his back. Without hesitation, she straddled him, her knees bracketing his hips, and leaned down to reclaim his mouth.

The kiss was fierce now, a raw exchange of desire. Xiaobao’s lips were pliant and demanding, her teeth nipping at his lower lip before soothing it with her tongue. Jian Wei’s hands roamed from her waist to her back, tracing the line of her spine, feeling the muscles tense and shift under his touch.

He could taste the faint sweetness of her lipstick, smell the clean, floral scent of her perfume mixed with the warmer, uniquely her scent that was driving him mad.

As though sensing a disturbance in the force, Jian Wei managed to pull his mouth away, panting. "Darling," he breathed, his voice rough with want, "don’t you think we should stop? I can come to your room later..."

Xiaobao, already hot and frenzied, her eyes dark with lust, shook her head. She peppered his cheeks with soft, quick kisses, her lips tracing the corner of his mouth as she spoke. "Don’t worry, we won’t get caught. Let’s make out some more..."

Her words were like a siren’s call making it so that he couldn’t resist her provocation. He nodded, a silent surrender, his hands settling firmly on her waist, his thumbs rubbing circles into the soft fabric of her dress. He was about to pull her down for another consuming kiss when the world shattered.

The door suddenly opened. The sound of the latch clicking, the hinge swinging, was like a gunshot in the silent room.

Not only was it Yu Xi, there was Jian Ci and of course, Eros.

Xiaobao jumped off him like a startled cat, scrambling backward so fast she almost tripped. Jian Wei felt his blood flow in reverse, then rush to his face in a wave of sheer, mortal dread.

He sat up on the desk, his shirt askew, his hair mussed, feeling like he was going to die on the spot. Yu Xi’s mouth was agape. Jian Ci’s eyebrows had shot up into his hairline.

Eros was so upeset. He could tell his granddaughter had been up to something. She had been sneaking around far too often, and whenever he asked, she brushed him off with a smile, saying he worried too much.

Yu Xi rubbed his temples, already feeling a headache forming. He turned to Jian Ci, who didn’t look nearly as surprised as the rest of them.

"You knew, didn’t you?" Yu Xi asked, his tone sharp.

Jian Ci wanted to deny it, but he couldn’t lie to his man. "Yes... yes, but I didn’t know they had gone this far."

Yu Xi’s eyes narrowed. "We will discuss this later." Jian Ci’s muscles tensed, his heart sinking.

Yu Xi turned to Xiaobao. "Let’s go."

"Brother—" Xiaobao began, but Yu Xi’s glare silenced her. She pursed her lips, then leaned forward and kissed Jian Wei’s cheek. "I will see you soon," she whispered.

Everyone: "..."

Eros’s glare fell on Jian Wei his gaze travelling down to that bulge inside his pants. Jian Wei’s entire body stiffened under the weight of it as he crossed his legs to hide his hardness. If eyes could shoot lasers, his dick would have been burnt off already.

As they left, Jian Ci instinctively followed, but Yu Xi stopped him cold. "Not you."

Jian Ci: "..."

Now he was in the doghouse, and it was all Jian Wei and Xiaobao’s fault.

Jian Ci turned to his brother, exasperated. "You really couldn’t control yourself, huh?"

Jian Wei slumped into a chair with a heavy sigh, the weight of the situation pressing down on him.

***

Yu Xi, Eros, and Xiaobao sat in the room, the tension thick enough to choke on. Eros’s face was grim, his voice sharp with anger. "How long has this been going on?"

Xiaobao shifted uncomfortably, her sweet expression faltering under his piercing gaze. "Grandpa... you didn’t like him. How was I supposed to tell you?"

Eros’s tone hardened. "How long?"

"Six... sev—" she stammered.

"Days? Weeks?" Eros pressed.

Yu Xi watched her reaction, already knowing the truth. His sister’s hesitation spoke volumes.

"Months," Xiaobao finally admitted.

"Xiaobao!" Eros roared, his voice echoing through the room.

She flinched but held her ground. "Grandpa, you can’t blame me. Do you know how long it took me to lure him? If you scare him away, I won’t forgive you."

"You—" Eros began, but his words faltered in frustration.

"I am an adult," Xiaobao insisted, her chin lifted defiantly. "I can make my own decisions."

Eros turned to Yu Xi, his voice heavy with exasperation. "Do you hear what she’s saying?"

Yu Xi sighed, his shoulders slumping. "Let me talk to her." He gave a subtle nod, a silent gesture for her to follow.

Feeling dejected, Xiaobao obeyed, trailing behind him. She couldn’t understand why they were making such a big deal out of this.

Yu Xi led her outside to the pool deck. The night air was cool, the water shimmering under the lights. Xiaobao slipped off her shoes and sat at the edge, dipping her feet into the pool, ripples spreading outward.

Yu Xi hesitated, then removed his shoes as well, rolling up his pants before sitting beside her. Silence stretched between them, heavy and drawn out.

Finally, Xiaobao broke it, her voice trembling. "Brother... you are really disappointed in me this time."

"Yes," Yu Xi said quietly. "I am."

She hadn’t expected him to say it outright. Tears welled in her eyes, though they refused to fall.

"I’m disappointed," Yu Xi continued, "because you didn’t tell me?"

Xiaobao’s voice was small, almost fragile. "I didn’t want you to be mad at him, so I just... kept it from you."

Yu Xi sighed, his expression softening as he reached out to stroke her hair. "We are family," he said gently. "No matter how much we might dislike your choices, we will support you at the end of the day. There’s no need to hide this from us."

Xiaobao’s lips trembled. "But Grandpa will give him a hard time, and he might break up with me. Brother, you don’t understand—I have liked him for years. You don’t know what it’s like—"

She stopped abruptly, realizing her mistake. Yu Xi had spent years in love with Jian Ci so of course he knew what it was like.

Yu Xi’s gaze was steady. "Grandpa didn’t like Jian Ci either, but he got over it for my sake. What makes you think he wouldn’t accept Jian Wei eventually?"

Xiaobao’s defiance faltered. She lowered her head, guilt washing over her. "I am sorry I hid it from you."

Yu Xi’s hand rested reassuringly on her shoulder. "It’s okay. I just want you to be happy. If Jian Wei makes you happy, then as your brother, I will accept him."

Her eyes widened, hope flickering. "Really?"

Yu Xi nodded. Xiaobao threw her arms around him, hugging him tightly. "Thank you, brother."

Yu Xi ruffled her hair with a faint smile. "You still have to be punished by Grandpa, though. Adult or not, I can’t save you from that."

Xiaobao groaned dramatically. "Noooo!" she wailed.

True to his word, Eros punished Xiaobao. He whisked her away to the family home under the guise of a vacation, but everyone knew it was retribution for her secrecy. For a full month, Jian Wei was denied the chance to see her, and the distance gnawed at him.

As for Jian Ci, he didn’t escape punishment either. Yu Xi left with Eros, spending the month away, and Jian Ci was left restless and miserable. The two brothers were stuck together, bickering endlessly over the situation.

Neither could reach Yu Xi or Xiaobao, and to make matters worse, both of them were subjected to the relentless display of dog food from Jian Rui and Stannis, who seemed to take great delight in flaunting their happiness.

The month dragged on, each day heavier than the last. By the time Eros finally returned with his grandchildren, Jian Wei and Jian Ci were waiting expectantly, their patience worn thin.

It was safe to say Jian Ci had learned his lesson. He never dared to hide anything from Yu Xi again. The moment he saw him, Jian Ci rushed forward, hugging him so tightly it was as though he feared Yu Xi might vanish again.

"Little Xi," Jian Ci whispered desperately, his voice breaking. "I was wrong. Don’t leave me again, please."

Yu Xi blinked, caught between exasperation and affection. "..." He sighed, patting Jian Ci’s back. "Alright. Now stop crying."

But Jian Ci only clung tighter, his relief overwhelming, his vow silently etched into his heart: never again.

AN: Thank you so much everyone for being with me on this journey. Pictures will be up on Instagram @blnovelking by tomorrow.

I hope to see you at Stole from the Devil in Black. There are four new updates there. I appreciate you all so much and you are the reason why I continue this journey. Love you all.