“Rustle, rustle…” A whispering baby voice drifted out from beneath the crack of the door.

“Shh, keep it down! Why isn’t there any sound coming from inside?”

“The handsome big brother must still be sleeping inside.”

On the large bed, Shen Yanzhou was awakened by the noise. His eyelashes fluttered slightly as he slowly opened his silver eyes. When he turned his head, he locked eyes with a pair of bloodshot black eyes that were staring at him pitifully.

Sanqianwan was still kneeling there.

The man’s upper body was bare, his hands tied behind his back with a leather belt. Dark circles hung under his eyes, and a shadow of stubble had sprouted on his chin. He looked like he hadn’t slept a wink all night, exuding a decadent, sexy vibe as if he had been thoroughly tormented.

Shen Yanzhou propped himself up on the mattress and sat up, his voice tinged with morning grumpiness. “You just knelt like that all night?”

Sanqianwan looked up, his expression incredibly aggrieved. “You didn’t tell me to get up, so I didn’t dare move.”

Shen Yanzhou looked at his wrists, which were marked with red welts from the binding. “I think you just want to ruin your legs so I will have to take care of you forever.”

“You, get up right now.”

“Master, but my legs are numb, and I can’t untie my hands…” The man looked up at him pitifully, his voice hoarse and aggrieved. “Can you help me?”

Shen Yanzhou sighed helplessly. In the end, he couldn’t bring himself to be cruel. He leaned over slightly, intending to untie the tight knot on the man’s wrists. To his complete surprise, the man who kept claiming he couldn’t untie it twisted his hands and loosened the belt all by himself.

As soon as he saw Shen Yanzhou lean in, he scooped him off the bed, forcing his legs apart to straddle his burning thighs perfectly.

Through the thin fabric of his clothes, Shen Yanzhou instantly felt the extremely dangerous heat radiating from the man. A faint flush crept to the corners of his eyes. Both embarrassed and annoyed, he tried to get up. “Wow, you actually dared to lie to me?”

“As expected, you still need to be taught a lesson!”

“Master was so cruel last night…” Instead of letting go, the man tightened his arms, forcing him down deeper and pressing him closer. He lowered his head, burying it in the crook of Shen Yanzhou’s delicate neck, greedily inhaling his scent with burning breaths.

“You used your foot to step on me there, completely winding me up, but you didn’t take responsibility for putting out the fire. You just left me out to dry all night.”

“I suffered the entire night, I am about to go crazy…”

“Couldn’t you handle it yourself?” Shen Yanzhou felt his entire body go weak from the potent Alpha pheromones overwhelming him. He glared angrily at the man before him, but his scolding came out soft and completely non-threatening.

“No, I can’t.” The man looked up and leaned closer on purpose, his warm lips brushing past Shen Yanzhou’s earlobe as he whispered into his ear.

“Next time… could you step a bit lighter?”

Shen Yanzhou bit his reddened lower lip, trying his best to maintain his usual aloof composure. He sneered, “You did something wrong and you still dare to bargain with me?”

“I am not bargaining, I am just scared…”

The man’s large hands slowly tightened around his waist.

“I am afraid that if you actually break me, you might abandon me and look for someone else to satisfy you… hmm?”

Before Shen Yanzhou could respond, a few polite and childish knocks came from outside the door, knock knock knock.

Following that was Little Watermelon’s baby-voiced, tentative question.

“Handsome big brother? Are you up yet? We heard some noises inside…”

Hearing the voice, Shen Yanzhou snapped out of it. He quickly scrambled off the man, distancing himself from this dangerous heat source. He didn’t forget to glare at him, throwing him a look that meant, I will remember this.

With his back to the door, he hurriedly adjusted his collar and quickly ran his fingers through his messy long silver hair. He took several deep breaths, barely managing to suppress the burning heat on his face.

After making sure he looked somewhat normal, he walked over and turned the doorknob.

As soon as the door opened, four furry little heads instantly squeezed inside.

“Handsome big brother! You are finally awake!” Little Watermelon looked up with a dirty little face, his big eyes scanning Shen Yanzhou. Suddenly, he pointed at Shen Yanzhou’s face and said loudly, “Big brother, your face is so red! Do you have a fever?”

“Cough…” For once, Shen Yanzhou was at a loss for words, his eyes shifting uncomfortably. “No, it is just a bit stuffy and hot in the room.”

“Hot? It is really cold outside because a Number Eight Typhoon is blowing!” A little girl with pigtails tilted her head in confusion. Then, she grabbed Shen Yanzhou’s slightly cool fingers. “Big brother, come downstairs quickly, we saved breakfast for you!”

Shen Yanzhou had absolutely no room to refuse. Surrounded and pulled along by several small children, he was brought down to the living room and pressed onto an old sofa.

As soon as he sat down, the little girl’s gaze fell upon Shen Yanzhou’s ripped jeans. Her eyebrows furrowed in distress, and she sighed like a little adult.

“Big brother, your pants are torn like this, it must be so cold.”

With that, as if by magic, she pulled a rusty tin box from her pocket. Upon opening it, there were several spools of colorful sewing thread, a few needles, and some cartoon patches torn from who knows where.

“Let me patch them up for you, big brother!”

“No need…” Shen Yanzhou had already tried to refuse yesterday, but explanations seemed useless. “They are not ruined…”

“No way! The wind will get in!” The little girl was very stubborn. She clumsily threaded a red string, picked out the most majestic Ultraman Tiga patch, and placed it right over the most conspicuous rip on Shen Yanzhou’s thigh, raising the needle to poke down.

Children do not know their own strength. It looked like that needle would not only pierce the fabric but also poke right into Shen Yanzhou’s fair thigh.

“Careful.” Shocked, Shen Yanzhou quickly reached out and caught the little girl’s chubby hand.

Looking at the little girl’s clear, anxious eyes filled with worry, a soft chord in Shen Yanzhou’s heart was gently struck. Growing up in a family with strict rules, he had rarely experienced this kind of warm, down-to-earth affection.

“Let me do it, so you don’t poke your hand.” Shen Yanzhou sighed softly, his tone holding a gentleness and indulgence that even he did not notice.

He took the tiny sewing needle. His long silver hair fell smoothly over his shoulder, a few strands playfully brushing against his fair face. Those well-defined hands, which had signed countless contracts, were now pinching a cheap sewing needle, seriously and meticulously stitching a childish Ultraman patch onto the ripped jeans, stitch by stitch.

“That is not right, big brother, the thread is crooked!” A chubby little boy leaned on his knee, gesturing and directing him.

Normally, he never lifted a finger for chores, so this needlework was a first for him.

“Do not squirm, watch out for the needle.” Shen Yanzhou said softly, very gently blocking the chubby boy back. His eyes were filled with a mesmerizing tenderness.

Sanqianwan, who had just put on a black tank top and walked out of the bedroom, happened to witness this scene.

Standing at the top of the stairs, the man froze mid-step. Leaning against the wooden railing, his gaze locked tightly onto the silver-haired beauty on the sofa, surrounded by the little kids.

Looking at the ridiculous Ultraman stitched with red thread on Shen Yanzhou’s thigh and watching him look down with a faint smile, Sanqianwan did not find it out of place at all. Instead, he felt his heart ache with a tender ache, yet it was incredibly sweet.

“Boss, have you stared enough? Your eyes are about to fall out.”

Jiang Xu had approached at some point, carrying two cups of hot tea, and teased him relentlessly in a low whisper.

“By the way, did you guys do it last night? Is Young Master Shen that good to make you look this satisfied?”

“No… we didn’t do it.”

Not only did they not do it, but he had also knelt for the entire night.

Jiang Xu raised an eyebrow, scanning his sexually frustrated face, and burst out laughing gleefully. “No? Then what is with this look like your soul has flown away? Young Master Shen did not even let you touch him?”

The man finally brought himself to look away from Shen Yanzhou, casting a cold, sidelong glance at Jiang Xu.

He did not take the hot tea Jiang Xu offered. Instead, he casually fished a half-empty pack of Marlboros out of Jiang Xu’s pocket, bit a cigarette between his lips, grabbed the black leather jacket hanging on the back of the chair, slung it over his shoulder with one hand, and jerked his chin toward the door. “Let’s talk outside.”

He pushed open the iron door.

Leaning his back against the graffiti-covered wall, the man crossed his long legs casually, lowered his head, shielded a lighter with his hands, and lit the cigarette.

He took a deep drag and then tilted his head back, letting the gray-white smoke drift freely into the gale. He looked completely reckless and lazy, regaining the wild edge of his past life spent living on the edge.

“What’s the situation outside?” he asked.

“Young Master Shen called it perfectly.” Jiang Xu also lit a cigarette. “That useless second master of the Huo family took the contract with Young Master Shen’s signature and swaggered down to the pier to claim the cargo. In the end, he was detained on the spot by the Maritime Department. If the old man of the Huo family hadn’t swallowed his pride and spent a fortune to bail him out, he would be doing hard labor in Stanley Prison right now.”

Sanqianwan bit the cigarette filter. “A useless trust fund baby.”

“Useless as he is, even a cornered rat will bite.” Jiang Xu said seriously. “Huo Tian has become the laughingstock of high society now. Consumed by rage and embarrassment, he is frantically tracking us down. Ignoring the Number Eight Typhoon, he sent all his lackeys into the Kowloon Walled City, declaring he will leave no stone unturned to find Young Master Shen and his brother.”

“Leave no stone unturned?” Sanqianwan’s narrow eyes tilted up slightly.

He casually stubbed out the half-smoked cigarette against the rusty railing, a highly dangerous look in his eyes. “Does he really think the Kowloon Walled City is his family’s backyard?”

“Pass the word to the brothers.” The man casually brushed the ash off his hand. “If those outside dogs dare to bark around these days and take a single step into our territory, don’t waste words. Just break their legs and throw them into Victoria Harbour to feed the fish.”

“Got it, I’ve already had the guys block off the main access routes.” Jiang Xu nodded, but then his brows furrowed again. “But boss, an idiot like Huo Tian is nothing to worry about. The real trouble is Fu Sihan.”

“According to our plan, he has already reached an agreement with Shen Xiuming.”

“If the intelligence is correct, the cargo is expected to reach international waters in half a month.”

“Half a month.” Sanqianwan muttered, mulling over the timeframe.

“Boss.” Jiang Xu looked at him with concern. “If Young Master Shen cannot safely return to the Shen Corporation headquarters to take back control in half a month, do you think those old geezers in the Shen family will officially push Shen Xiuming into the top spot?”

Sanqianwan did not speak right away. He turned his head and quietly watched Shen Yanzhou inside through the windowpane covered in condensation.

That noble, beautiful person was clumsily yet gently biting off the red thread. Even though he was in a place that reeked of mold and decay, he was as beautiful as a beam of light.

Extremely complex emotions surged in Sanqianwan’s eyes.

He was a selfish madman. He had even darkly fantasized that if Shen Yanzhou truly lost everything, could he stay in this tiny, run-down room forever, belonging to him alone?

But he couldn’t do it.

Shen Yanzhou belonged at the peak of Victoria Peak, never meant to be kept like a pet in a dark, muddy swamp.

He simply could not bring himself to destroy his dreams and freedom.

“Half a month… that is enough.” The man patted Jiang Xu’s shoulder. “Tell the smugglers in the black market to get our boat ready. According to the original plan, we must intercept Fu Sihan’s cargo no matter what.”

Jiang Xu nodded repeatedly.

Having finished discussing business, Sanqianwan pushed open the iron door and went back inside.

The kids who were originally surrounding the sofa had already scattered.

The little girl with pigtails held the pocket money Shen Yanzhou gave her, joyfully running to the kitchen to find something to eat.

However, the chubby little boy, who was usually the loudest and most gluttonous, was crouching all alone next to a pile of old newspapers in the corner.

The little fellow held his knees, his small head slumped, shoulders twitching as he silently cried. He radiated a deeply pitiful sense of dejection.

Standing not far away, Shen Yanzhou looked at the shivering figure in the corner. Stepping lightly, he walked over and squatted down beside the pile of old newspapers, gently placing his fingers on the chubby boy’s twitching shoulder.

“Why are you hiding here crying all by yourself?”

The chubby boy looked up, his face, which was usually full of smiles, covered in tear stains. His eyes were red as he sobbed softly, “Handsome big brother… today, today is my birthday.”

Shen Yanzhou pulled out a few tissues to wipe away the tears and snort bubbles from his face. “Shouldn’t you be happy on your birthday? Do you want some cake?”

The chubby boy shook his head, his small hands clutching the faded corner of his shirt tightly as his voice grew lower. “But… today is also the anniversary of my mom’s death.”

“When she gave birth to me, she died in labor. My dad said I was a jinx who killed her, so he drank and beat me every day… later he died too.”

The chubby boy buried his head in his knees. “I don’t want a birthday… I am a bad kid.”

Shen Yanzhou opened his arms and pulled the sobbing little kid into his embrace, gently resting his chin against his soft hair while his long fingers stroked his back over and over.

“I lost my mom and dad too, so am I a jinx as well?”

The chubby boy lifted his tear-filled eyes, looking in astonishment at the handsome brother before him who looked like he had everything.

“And I had to watch them disappear right before my eyes. They were on a boat while my brother and I were on the shore.”

The greatest pain is being forced to watch your loved ones die right in front of you while being completely powerless, only able to see them again over and over in nightmares.

Sanqianwan, who had been quietly watching them from the doorway, clenched his fists tightly at his sides upon hearing these words.

Shen Yanzhou withdrew his gaze and looked down at the chubby boy in his arms, the pads of his fingers gently rubbing his plump cheeks. “But later, I understood.”

“Grownups risk their lives to bring you into this world, and it isn’t so you can hide in a corner and cry on your birthday. She traded her life for you to see this world. Living well, eating your fill, and growing up strong is the best way to repay her.”

“To her, your birth was a gift.”

The chubby boy stared blankly at Shen Yanzhou, then threw his short, chubby arms around Shen Yanzhou’s neck and burst into loud wails once again.

Shen Yanzhou let the little guy wipe his tears and snot all over him, patiently patting his back. Only when the child’s crying quieted down into small hiccups did he stand up and call out to Sanqianwan, who was eavesdropping nearby.

“Why are you hiding? Did you hear that? Today is his birthday.”

Sanqianwan walked up to him, his voice deep and raspy. “I heard.”

“What are you standing around for?” Shen Yanzhou said calmly. “Go figure out a way to get him a birthday cake, and take the clothes we bought yesterday to the clinic for Shen Xici to change into.”

The man nodded.

Almost at the same time, the encrypted phone in Shen Yanzhou’s pocket suddenly vibrated.

It was a text message, and the sender was Shen Xici.

The only contact on his phone.

[Bro, I just got the latest update from our informant. Fu Sihan and Shen Xiuming have reached an agreement. They are expected to reach international waters in half a month.]

Shen Yanzhou’s silver, phoenix-like eyes narrowed slightly. As expected, these two hyenas couldn’t wait any longer.

His fingers tapped quickly across the screen, replying calmly.

[Contact our people. No matter what, we must intercept Fu Sihan’s cargo. Under no circumstances can this shipment leave international waters.]

Once sent, Shen Yanzhou slipped the phone back into his pocket.