Chapter 4

Li Qidong came to see me, and it was nothing more than about money.

Before he could even open his mouth, I cut him off bluntly, “No money.”

It took him a moment to respond, “Bullshit. You’ve moved into a fancy neighborhood, and you’re telling me you’ve got no money?”

As if something had just occurred to him, he smirked, a little sleazy. “Duan Chen, aren’t you afraid I’ll spill the beans about that filthy little secret of yours?”

Li Qidong knew a secret.

He knew I liked Duan Chen.

Because of this, he had me by the throat. Over the years, I had almost never refused him.

It was pathetic, really, but there wasn’t much in my life I could call my own. Duan Chen was the one thing that mattered most.

I couldn’t afford to lose him.

But today, I suddenly felt tired.

Duan Chen was already unlocking the door. Seeing that I seemed unmoved, Li Qidong grew anxious.

“Duan Chen, you think I’m disgusting because I’m gay, but do you think my son’s any different?”

Duan Chen turned to glance at him, his gaze cold and detached. I had never seen him look like that before.

Just as the door was about to close completely, Li Qidong shouted one last thing, “I’ve got my eyes on your dad, and he’s got his eyes on you. Like father, like son!”

As I stepped into the entryway, my face turned pale. I shoved past Duan Chen and rushed into the bathroom.

I dry-heaved for a long time, but nothing came out.

Maybe bad genes really are hereditary. Li Qidong’s blood runs in my veins, and no matter how much I want to, I can’t cut it out.

Duan Chen leaned against the bathroom door, watching me sit on the floor in a disheveled state. His gaze was calm.

His hand hung at his side, his fingers twitching slightly, but in the end, he didn’t move.

“Disgusting, isn’t it?” I asked him.

“He’s disgusting,” Duan Chen replied decisively, but he said nothing about me.

I looked at his hand, trembling faintly at his side, and for a moment, I almost thought he had figured something out.

I suddenly remembered a few weeks ago when Duan Chen’s mom handed me a stack of photos of girls, smiling as she said I was his best friend and would surely know his type.

I carefully sifted through them, and in the end, selfishly picked one of a glamorous woman with big, wavy curls.

Duan Chen didn’t like that type, but I knew what kind he did like.

And no matter what, it wasn’t me.

I had planned to give myself a chance to go all in, to crash and burn if I had to.

But when the moment came, I chickened out.

I met Duan Chen’s gaze and said calmly, “I’m disgusting too. Just the thought of sleeping with a brother makes me sick.”

“Duan Chen, let’s keep our distance from now on.”