In his past life, Gu Panqiu had always been blessed with absurdly good luck in love. On his eighteenth birthday, he came out to the world without a hint of hesitation. By the time he turned twenty, a wealthy socialite had offered him two hundred million1 CNY 200,000,000 is approximately US $28,083,800. a year to become her one and only nightingale.
He had met all kinds of admirers since then, from the arrogant to the adoring. Experience had sharpened his eyes, and he could read a person at a glance.
In his eyes, Zhang Yiming had simply taken back something he had once given away. Seeing the shoes still looked pretty new, he repackaged them in a new box and passed them off as a gift to the naive young Yang Chen.
Oblivious, Yang Chen carefully snapped a few photos, added a pretty filter, and posted it on Moments: “A surprise from Brother Mingming! I love it so much!”
Zhang Yiming instantly hit the like button and left a kiss emoji in the comments.
Watching this, Gu Panqiu felt so nauseated that he had to take a gulp of water just to steady himself.
Meanwhile, Cui Hang came out in search of his cat, only to find Yang Chen beaming as he tried on a new pair of shoes. He plopped down beside Gu Panqiu to join in the fun.
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With that, he lifted the cat from Gu Panqiu’s arms. But the little feline let out a soft meow, flicked its tail, and leapt back onto Gu Panqiu’s lap, curling up contentedly.
Cui Hang looked at Gu Panqiu and commented, “Qiuqiu, you really are like a Disney prince. Both little kids and animals can’t help but like you.”
No sooner had he said that than Fu Yue emerged from his room, hand in hand with Jiujiu, who was dressed in his dinosaur pajamas.
The kitten, McGonagall, leaped off Gu Panqiu’s lap and padded over to Fu Yue, rubbing against the cuff of his wide-legged pants and letting out a friendly meow.
Cui Hang clicked his tongue a few times at the scene and turned to Gu Panqiu. “How strange. I get why kids and kittens are drawn to your gentleness. But CEO Fu’s usually so cold… and yet he somehow fits perfectly with little ones and animals too.”
Gu Panqiu laughed, scooping up a little Jiujiu who had scampered over. “Who knows, maybe Fu Yue sneaks around at night, feeding cats and kids when we’re not looking!”
Pinching Jiujiu’s plump cheek, Gu Panqiu questioned, “So what did you play with Uncle Sharky today?”
“We played dentist!” Jiujiu piped up. “Uncle used a cotton swab and a flashlight to pretend he was the dentist checking my toofies!”
“Cotton swab?” Gu Panqiu blinked in surprise. “He even had props?”
“Mm-hmm!” Jiujiu nodded earnestly, his babyish voice soft and sweet. “Uncle even had the little bottles dentists use!”
Gu Panqiu chuckled under his breath. It was hilarious… yet oddly fishy.
Last time, Fu Yue had tried brushing Jiujiu’s teeth himself; now it was a full-on dentist game, props and all. For some reason, this man was taking it very seriously.
He had already wondered why Fu Yue joined the show, but now he had a dozen more questions.
“Do you have a cavity?” Gu Panqiu cupped Jiujiu’s tiny face and pecked his cheek. “If you eat too much candy, the dentist will come and drill your toofies! Zzzzzzz!”
Jiujiu gasped and covered his eyes with both hands. “Nooo, Daddy! Don’t say that! Waaaah!”
Fu Yue popped open a bottle of champagne, filling the room with a celebratory fizz. Shen Yao busied himself blowing up a handful of balloons, while Li Zhu laid out the food on the table. “Dinner’s ready, guys!”
“Alright, no more dieting for me tonight! Let’s celebrate together!”
All the 5041 guests gathered around the table, savoring Gu Panqiu’s signature dishes as laughter and chatter filled the room. Meanwhile, far away in Prosperity Gardens, Fu Yan cradled a bowl of strawberries, watching the second episode of 5041 with his mother.
Madam Ye Yun watched with keen interest as her son went on a date with Gu Panqiu. To her surprise, Fu Yue turned out to be surprisingly good at this whole dating thing.
On the screen, Fu Yue held little Jiujiu in his arms, and they both turned their faces to the side at the same moment. The resemblance in their side profiles made Mrs. Ye, who was nibbling on cookies, chuckle without meaning to.
Perhaps it was because she was Fu Yue’s mother and remembered him so vividly as a child—the resemblance hit her all the more.
Fu Yan had yet another new toy snake, but before he could chase after the dog that had snatched it away, Jiujiu appeared. He immediately jumped to his feet and cheered, “Jiujiu is so cute!”
A few seconds later, he sank down beside the dog, crestfallen. “Even Big Bro’s never hugged me that gently!”
Ye Yun ignored the little drama king and turned to her husband. “Fu Hong, doesn’t Jiujiu look just like Fu Yue when he was young?”
Light brown hair, matching brown eyes, and a high-bridged nose.
While Fu Yue had a more striking and chiseled look as a boy, Jiujiu took after his daddy, with large, round eyes that radiated innocence and charm.
Seeing them side by side, the uncanny resemblance became even more striking.
“Fu Hong, could it be… that Jiujiu is your long-lost grandson?” Ye Yun teased half-jokingly, but Fu Hong froze, staring at her in shock.
“What?”
Fu Yan had stopped paying attention to his parents. The moment Jiujiu said “Brother Yanyan,” he had been completely enchanted. Now, he was pressing his cheek against the TV, as if he could hug the little boy through the glass.
After exchanging glances with Ye Yun, Fu Hong pointed at his son. “…Didn’t this kid say he wanted Jiujiu for a child bride? Isn’t that… even illegal?”
Ye Yun laughed, eyes twinkling. “Haha, honey, you’re focused on the weirdest things.”
Knowing his son well, Fu Hong was aware that Fu Yue always had a reason for everything he did. If he suddenly wanted to join the show, something was definitely up.
At first, when he watched Fu Yue dote on little Jiujiu, he had thought his son might have a crush on Gu Panqiu. But his wife gave him a new perspective.
“Let’s just watch and see,” Fu Hong said to Ye Yun, leaning back with a knowing smile. “It’s their business, so we’ll let Fu Yue handle it himself.”
Ye Yun nodded, a teasing smile tugging at her lips. “Jiujiu really is such a sweet little thing.”
The newest 5041 episode welcomed Lu Yao of boy group Right and Fu Yue, the prince of showbiz, as new guests. Instantly, it sent the show’s popularity shooting through the roof.
Even before the episode aired, rumors swirled that Lu Yao had signed on just for Fu Yue.
But in this episode, the usually laid-back and beautiful salted fish, Gu Panqiu, seemed to show a flicker of interest in Fu Yue. On the beach obstacle course, Fu Yue stood out with his skills, and for his first date, he did not choose Lu Yao. Instead, he picked the low-profile, overlooked Gu Panqiu.
Beneath his stoic exterior, Fu Yue’s heart burned fiercely. His interactions with Gu Panqiu were charged with undeniable chemistry, full of flirtatious tension that left viewers swooning. The two quickly amassed a legion of new CP fans, captivated by the spark between them.
“Qiuqiu, wifey! Stop teasing me, I beg you!”
“What’s wrong with our Lu Yao? Waaaahhh! Don’t be sad, Yaoyao! Come here, Mummy’s got you! You’re nothing like Gu Panqiu, who always plays mind games. He knows he’s allergic to pineapple but still eats it! Ew, gross!”
“So what? So what?! Qiuqiu, forget your ex already! Fu Yue is way better!”
“OMG, Lu Yao, the ace of the hottest boy group, actually likes his boss?! How are Right fans holding up?”
“Damn it, I got totally tricked by stoic CEO Fu! I’m obsessed with the “never-takes-off-his-jacket Fu × seductive Qiuqiu” couple!”
“That scene of Fu Yue letting Qiuqiu rest his head on his shoulder on the helicopter got me right in the feels! Fu Yue, be honest, are you falling for Qiuqiu?”
“Oh my god, the part where CEO Fu’s helping Qiuqiu apply medicine… my nose is bleeding like crazy! They’re both so neatly dressed, and yet… why am I thinking such naughty thoughts? Ahhh, I’m shipping them so hard I can’t even!”
“Sorry, Teacher Shen, I’ve given up shipping you with Qiuqiu. I’m all in on the Moon couple2 月球cp (yuèqiú couple): The fans call the Fu Yue × Gu Panqiu pairing the Moon couple. It’s a play on the last syllables of their names. 越 (yuè) and 秋 (qiū) together sound similar to 月球 (yuèqiú), which means “moon” in Chinese. now! Guys, let’s start a Super Topic and spam it! What are we waiting for?”
The hashtag #MoonCouple# shot up to fourth place on Weibo’s trending list—without a single dime of promotion—and the entry had everything you could imagine.
Meanwhile, Lu Yao’s mum fans went completely berserk, and Jiujiu’s mum fans were not holding back either. As the two sides clashed and brawled online, they somehow propelled the #MoonCouple# hashtag all the way to the top spot.
As the night deepened, everyone raised their glasses to Qiuqiu, but Fu Yue, who was clad in all black, slipped out of the villa unnoticed.
Not far away, in a sleek black car, the masked Dora rolled down her window. “Boss, just say the word, who do you need me to silence?”
“Yourself.” Fu Yue handed Dora the sample he had taken of Jiujiu. “My sample’s already with Dr. Shen. Keep this under wraps; ensure the result is accurate and fast.”
Miss Dora nodded solemnly. “Don’t worry, CEO Fu! I would never lose your son!”
The black Porsche sped off, its engine’s echo thinning into the night. Fu Yue lingered at the villa entrance, a cigarette smoldering between his fingers.
Moments ago, everyone had been celebrating Gu Panqiu’s successful contract termination; no doubt the revelry was still going strong.
But because of Jiujiu and Qiuqiu, his thoughts were a tangled mess. Hence, he needed a moment to himself, a chance to sort through his thoughts in solitude.
Lately, Gu Panqiu had changed. It was almost beyond what he could imagine.
Could a person really change that much?
Just then, Gu Panqiu drifted stealthily behind Fu Yue, rising on his toes to tap his left shoulder.
Fu Yue turned his gaze to the right. Sure enough, there stood Qiuqiu—the little fox himself—grinning from ear to ear.
He gave Gu Panqiu’s curls a rough tousle. “You’re impossibly childish.”
Gu Panqiu blinked at him. “How’d you know it was me so fast?”
“Your omega pheromones gave you away,” Fu Yue answered, snuffing out his cigarette. “Stupid.”
Gu Panqiu’s smile faltered as he looked at him, aggrieved. He had had quite a bit to drink, and when he spoke, the faint scent of cedar mingled with the warmth of alcohol in the air.
“I’ll have you know, I’m the smartest omega there is, but you still call me stupid.”
Noticing that Gu Panqiu had only stepped out in a sweater, Fu Yue silently wrapped his scarf around the younger man’s neck.
“It’s cold. Be careful not to catch a cold, or else you won’t be able to sing if your throat gets sore.” Fu Yue warned, catching the sharp tang of alcohol on him. “Just how much did you drink? You reek of it.”
Gu Panqiu’s cheeks were pale with a flush of pink. He looked up at Fu Yue with a bright, mischievous smile. “Boss… why would you lend me money?”
Fu Yue paused, caught off guard by the question. Before he could respond, the fragrant Gu Panqiu leaned against his shoulder. “You must’ve seen my superstar-level talent!”
It was only then that Fu Yue realized Gu Panqiu seemed to be drunk.
Drunk Qiuqiu was brimming with confidence, yet his eyes carried a loneliness that Fu Yue could not quite place.
Gu Panqiu batted his eyelashes, snuggling against Fu Yue with an innocent pout. “Big Brother, I’m so tired. I don’t want to walk anymore.”
Fu Yue studied him for a moment, then scooped up the soft bundle of curls into his arms.
Don’t want to walk? Then you don’t have to.
His body was suddenly lifted off the ground. “Big Brother, I feel dizzy!”
Fu Yue’s lips curved into a smirk. “I just want you to be a good boy for me.”
And behave he did—Qiuqiu nestled obediently in his arms, perfectly content and still.
Gu Panqiu drawled lazily, “You know, when I was little, I often dreamed of having the coolest brother ever! Someone who’d play with me, hug me, cook for me…”
Fu Yue’s gaze darkened at that, though he could not tell exactly what kind of brother Gu Panqiu was hoping for.
Yet, even as he found himself ensnared in this gentle trap, he felt an undeniable fascination growing for the person in his arms.
Taking advantage of Gu Panqiu’s drunken haze, Fu Yue half-joked, “Are you really… Gu Panqiu?”
It was a whimsical question, sparked by his lingering curiosity.
The drunken figure in his arms hummed softly for a moment, eyes still closed. “Yeah… why wouldn’t I be?”
And with that, the little drunk leaned his head against Fu Yue, drifting off to sleep in his embrace.
The author has something to say:
The wealthy lady wanted Qiuqiu to be a nightingale rather than a lark. Nightingales, after all, sang only at night.
Fu Yue: ?
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