Chapter 918

At Fu Wenxi's Residence Li Jingyu sat obediently by her side, gently massaging her calves. The police had finished their investigation and left. By now, Bai Heming was probably still nursing his swollen eyes at the police station. Meanwhile, Bai Yu was eagerly pouring water for Fu Wenxi, practically ready to stand beside her and fan her if needed. "Both of you… tone it down a little, will you?" Fu Wenxi couldn't take it anymore, rubbing her temples in exasperation. "Wenxi-jie, you were so cool back there! Do you need a girlfriend?" Bai Yu shamelessly began competing with Li Jingyu for her attention. Fu Wenxi leaned back on the sofa, speechless. Li Jingyu glared at Bai Yu, his expression darkening. "Do I look like I’ve gone soft to you?" Bai Yu, both timid and bold, retorted, "Let’s make this a fair fight." "Go take a look at yourself in the bathroom mirror first. A fair fight against me? You think you stand a chance?" Li Jingyu acted like a petulant child, refusing to back down. "No way!" Bai Yu huffed. Their bickering gave Fu Wenxi a headache. "So noisy." Instantly, both of them quieted down, like scolded puppies. Amused by their antics, Fu Wenxi was about to say something when Li Jingyu’s phone rang. It was a call from Li Sicheng. "Come home, there's something we need to discuss." Li Sicheng's voice was low and serious. Li Jingyu frowned. Was something wrong at home? "Got it. I'll be right there." Hanging up, Li Jingyu pressed a kiss to Fu Wenxi's forehead. "Take care of yourself. Call me if anything comes up. I need to head home for a bit." Fu Wenxi nodded. "I'll protect Sister Wenxi!" Bai Yu blurted out, barely able to contain her excitement as she saw Li Jingyu preparing to leave. Li Jingyu shot her a warning glare before striding out without another word. The moment Bai Yu realized she’d be alone with Fu Wenxi, she practically vibrated with joy. "Sister Wenxi, it’s going to rain soon... I’m scared of thunder. Can we sleep together?" "..." Fu Wenxi pressed a hand against Bai Yu’s forehead, pushing her back slightly. "No. I sleep alone. Thanks." "But I’m really scared," Bai Yu whimpered, her eyes wide and pleading. Fu Wenxi arched a brow. "Aren’t we supposed to be rivals? Since when do rivals share a bed?" "Rivals? Who said that?" Bai Yu shook her head vehemently. "I wouldn’t give someone like Li Jingyu a second glance. He might look tall and imposing, but he’s actually childish, hot-tempered, and terrifying—like a ticking time bomb." Fu Wenxi studied Bai Yu, lips quirking. Though the girl wasn’t wrong, the words inexplicably irked her. "Only I get to badmouth my man. Got it, little girl?" Bai Yu froze, her ears turning bright red. All she’d heard was "little girl." The rest of the threat might as well have been background noise. Fu Wenxi stood up and glanced at the time. "I'm exhausted. You should get some rest early." Bai Yu nodded vigorously, looking utterly obedient. ... Pinebrook, Pearl Restaurant. Pei Chuan was hosting a dinner to introduce his significant other. "It's pouring outside, and those lightning strikes are downright terrifying," Madeleine murmured, seated by the floor-to-ceiling windows. The restaurant was perched high up in the Pearl Tower, making the storm feel unnervingly close. Beckett squeezed her hand. "Pei Chuan insisted on this location." "But the view is spectacular," Madeleine said with a soft laugh. "Who knew Pei Chuan had such a romantic streak? His partner must be incredibly lucky." It was hard to believe—Pei Chuan, who usually came across as rough around the edges, turned out to be so attentive to his loved one. He’d rush home after work just to pick them up, as if he couldn’t bear to be apart for even a moment. "I heard Pei Chuan plans to have his partner join Zhongcheng as his personal assistant," Madeleine mused, her voice tinged with envy. "That means they’ll be together 24/7. How perfect." Beckett took a deep breath, his lips twitching slightly. "And when Pei Chuan goes home to fetch his wife, he even stops by that dessert shop near the office to buy her a little cake. So sweet," Madeleine gushed, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "Buying a cake counts as romantic now?" Beckett scoffed. "Fine. Starting tomorrow, I’ll get you one too." Madeleine wrapped her arms around his. "It *is* romantic! He even bought her a bouquet of flowers." For days, Pei Chuan kept up the same routine. "Ding..." The elevator doors slid open. Pei Chuan stepped out, followed closely by a tall figure who seemed intent on staying hidden in the shadows. The dim lighting made it hard to see clearly, but Madeleine stood up eagerly, her face brightening. "Pei Chuan! And... uh, sis-in-law? Over here!" Beckett had already caught sight of the scene. He pressed a hand to his forehead, rubbing his temples in exasperation. Damn it... Just as he'd feared. As the two approached, Madeleine's greeting died in her throat. Her outstretched hand froze mid-air, and she hesitated before forcing out a nervous laugh. "Oh... Gu Yun? Uh... Pei Chuan, where's your wife?" Pei Chuan bit back a smirk and laced his fingers through Gu Yun's. Gu Yun, on the other hand, looked thoroughly miserable, his head bowed so low it might as well have been buried in his chest. He'd told Pei Chuan not to make a big deal out of this—just keep their marriage quiet, under the radar. But no. Pei Chuan had to announce it to the world, short of taking out a newspaper ad. All because he wanted to give Gu Yun a "sense of security." Well, mission accomplished. Now he just felt excruciatingly awkward. He wished the ground would open up and swallow him whole. What must Beckett think of him now? And Madeleine? Watching Pei Chuan grasp Gu Yun's hand, Madeleine let out a bewildered hiccup—utterly stunned. It took her a long moment to snap out of it before she turned to Beckett. "Uh... Brother Pei Chuan, you never mentioned his... preferences. This is so awkward." Beckett's expression darkened. "You think I knew? He kept it well hidden." Pei Chuan, still holding Gu Yun's hand, sat down with a smile. "Maddy, let me introduce you. This is my partner. We got our marriage certificate a while ago." Madeleine's mouth opened and closed awkwardly, but she quickly recovered and beamed at Gu Yun. "That's wonderful! We were already like family, and now we’re even closer—double the ties!" Beckett remained silent, his mood icy as he glared at Pei Chuan. Gu Yun was terrified of Beckett—afraid he’d look down on him, afraid he’d think he had corrupted Pei Chuan. "When did this happen?" Beckett’s voice was low and measured. "The moment I first saw him, though I didn’t understand it back then," Pei Chuan admitted freely, unashamed of his love at first sight—the very reason he had teased Gu Yun so much. Not fully grasping his own feelings, he had nearly let the chance slip away. Luckily, it wasn’t too late. "Mr. Beach, it was me..." Gu Yun spoke softly, ready to shoulder all the blame. But Beckett cut him off first. "So you’re the one who seduced my brother. You’ve got some nerve." Beckett gritted his teeth and turned to Gu Yun. "Did he threaten you or force you? Don't be afraid of him—I'm here." Gu Yun froze, stunned that Beckett would acknowledge him as a brother at all. After stammering for a long moment, Gu Yun lowered his head, his ears burning red. "I was the one who started it..." "It was me." Pei Chuan tightened his grip on Gu Yun's hand. "I'm the one to blame here." "I knew my orientation when I was eighteen. I came out to my mom, but she made me keep it a secret because if Stanton ever found out, he’d disown me," Gu Yun murmured. Beckett fell silent, saying nothing. Sensing the tension, Madeleine signaled the waiter to pour more wine. "Come on, this is a day worth celebrating. Let me toast with everyone." "If he ever treats you badly, just tell me. I can still throw a punch if I need to," Beckett said, locking eyes with Gu Yun. "This has nothing to do with Stanton. I’ll always be your brother—your family."