Wang Ning’an did not respond to Zheng Jingen’s feelings, but neither did he reject him outright. He had never expected Zheng Jingen to develop that kind of romantic feeling for him. Yet alongside the surprise came an absurd sense of of course it would be like this. Even he was confused by that thought.
That night, lying in bed, Wang Ning’an did not fall asleep at his usual hour. His thoughts were completely occupied by Zheng Jingen. Staring at the ceiling for a long time, he still could not figure out why Zheng Jingen liked him.
He had tried his best not to think about what happened that night, but after running into Zheng Jingen during the day, the memories resurfaced. When Zheng Jingen had helped him release the effects of the drug, he had not been entirely without feeling.
Wang Ning’an was unwilling to admit it, but precisely because he had felt something, he wanted to avoid facing it. Although his consciousness had been somewhat muddled at the time, he clearly knew it was Zheng Jingen helping him. He could even remember the movement of Zheng Jingen’s fingers and the mature masculine scent that belonged to another man.
Perhaps the aphrodisiac had truly robbed him of his self-control, but by the third time, the drug’s effects had already weakened considerably. He had abstained for many years; he possessed at least that much self-restraint. While Zheng Jingen had indeed insisted on helping him, Wang Ning’an had also vaguely realized something else—he had been indulging in that feeling, which was why he had allowed himself to let go.
A ringtone pulled him back to reality.
Picking up his phone, Wang Ning’an saw the caller’s name and instinctively hung up. A few seconds later, the call came again. He hung up once more. Shortly afterward, a text message arrived. It was from Zheng Jingen, saying that he had something he wanted to say and hoping Wang Ning’an would not hang up this time. Then a third call came.
This time, Wang Ning’an did not immediately reject it.
Zheng Jingen had clearly sensed hope in his hesitation and had kept the call going. When Wang Ning’an finally answered, a smile unconsciously appeared on his face.
“I’m very happy that you’re still willing to answer my call under these circumstances,” Zheng Jingen said with a smile. His voice drifted through the phone like a feather brushing lightly against Wang Ning’an’s ear.
Perhaps because that thin layer between them had finally been pierced, hearing Zheng Jingen’s voice now felt different from before. Wang Ning’an did not want to admit that he did not actually dislike Zheng Jingen. He was a heterosexual man. Even though his younger brother was with another man, he had never imagined that he himself would walk the same path.
“If you have something to say, say it. Otherwise I’m hanging up.”
Leaning against his headboard, Zheng Jingen sat beneath the soft glow of a bedside lamp. The light cast faint shadows across his profile, making him appear unexpectedly lonely.
“Ever since I was young, I knew I was different from ordinary people. While other children were playing outside, I was already learning how to control my emotions. As I grew older, I understood more and more what it meant to belong to a political family like the Zheng family. Before I understood my own feelings, I never had any expectations for the future.”
Wang Ning’an remained silent. He understood Zheng Jingen because he himself was walking the same road. For the future of Gu Corporation, he would also have to sacrifice his own happiness. Besides, he did not believe he still possessed any happiness to sacrifice.
“We don’t have a choice, do we?”
Zheng Jingen chuckled softly. “I think we do. Responsibility is important, but I want both. As long as someone is willing, it’s possible—just like our younger brothers.”
“We’re different from them. It’s not just a matter of having descendants. Don’t forget, you’re in politics. No matter how powerful our families are, the country won’t allow a homosexual man to occupy a high-ranking position. The Zheng family’s enemies certainly won’t miss such an opportunity to drag your family down. The obstacles in your way are much greater than you imagine.”
Wang Ning’an calmly pointed out the biggest problem between them.
China was not like the more open countries overseas. It appeared powerful, but it remained deeply conservative.
“What if all those problems could be solved?”
Wang Ning’an was silent for a moment. “I don’t think there’s any solution.”
“Then let’s put that issue aside for now. Hypothetically speaking, if there were no obstacles between us at all, would you accept me?”
The hypothetical was tempting, but Wang Ning’an did not answer.
Remembering what he had learned from Wu Chang a few days earlier, Zheng Jingen was not surprised by the silence.
“I heard that you once dated a woman named Lin Qing…”
“Cheng Cheng told you?” Wang Ning’an frowned.
“Sorry. I specifically asked him. Don’t worry, he doesn’t know anything about what happened between us.” Zheng Jingen hesitated before continuing. “Afterward, you never got involved with another woman. Was that because of Lin Qing’s betrayal?”
Although Zheng Jingen had reopened an old wound, Wang Ning’an did not feel angry. Lin Qing had once hurt him deeply. She was the only woman he had ever seriously considered marrying. But the hatred he once felt for her had long since faded beneath other emotions. As he had said before, Lin Qing had become nothing more than a passerby in his life. Still, it was undeniable that her betrayal had contributed to his reluctance to pursue relationships afterward. If even a girlfriend he had dated for years could betray him so easily, how could he trust a stranger?
“What exactly are you trying to say?”
At that moment, Zheng Jingen wished more than ever that he were standing in front of him.
“What I’m saying is this: you don’t trust women, and I don’t want to spend the rest of my life politely coexisting with a woman I barely know. More importantly, I have feelings for you. We can spend our lives together, and I can promise you one thing—I will never betray you.”
Wang Ning’an had to admire his persistence.
“You’re really that confident?”
“Everything depends on effort. I’ve always believed that there are no obstacles that can’t be overcome—only people who aren’t willing to try.”
He had to admit that those words struck him deeply. They also stirred up old memories. Back when he had been drowning in debt, facing the collapse of his company and the betrayal of a trusted friend, that had been exactly how he thought. It was that belief—that no obstacle was truly insurmountable—that had allowed him to endure.
Later, after discovering that he was Gu Shouzhuo’s grandson, many things that had once been impossible suddenly became attainable. Gradually, he forgot the mindset that had once sustained him. Now, living within a great family like the Gu family, he had actually resigned himself to fate, preparing to follow the path his grandfather had laid out for him, just as his grandfather had once followed his own.
“You know,” Zheng Jingen said softly, “I’ve always envied Cheng Cheng. He lives more freely than most people in the world. Even with responsibilities on his shoulders, he faces every day happily. Whenever I see him, I end up thinking about myself. What is the purpose of my life? Is it only for the honor of the Zheng family? I think you understand how I feel.”
If he had never met Wang Ning’an, perhaps he would have continued living that way. But since he had met him, Zheng Jingen knew that if he simply gave up, he would regret it forever.
“I’ve never thought about being with a man,” Wang Ning’an said.
“I never thought about it either,” Zheng Jingen replied. “So why not give it a try?”
There was unmistakable pleasure in his voice. He could tell Wang Ning’an had already begun to relent.
“If it turns out we’re not suitable for each other…”
“I absolutely won’t cling to you.”
“I can agree to give it a try. But I have one condition.”
Wang Ning’an had never tried building a life together with another man. Yet when he imagined that man being Zheng Jingen, he found himself oddly looking forward to it.
“Go ahead.”
“I don’t want anyone else to know about our relationship. And there’s another issue. If we do get together, how are you going to handle your grandfather and mine? We’ve both established our careers. They’ll definitely start pushing us to settle down.”
Zheng Jingen smiled.
“I agree to your condition. But I think Cheng Cheng should know. With their help, the resistance we face might be smaller. The reason old men have time to worry about their grandchildren’s marriages is because they’re too idle. If we keep them busy enough, they won’t have time to think about it. In fact, I’ve already come up with an excuse.”
“James’s medical team plans to come to China soon to collaborate with Gu Corporation’s research division. Your grandfather is the primary leader of the Gu research team, so having him personally involved would be perfect. Two authorities in the same field coming together will definitely have endless things to discuss.”
“Sounds like you already expected me to agree and prepared all this in advance.”
Although Wang Ning’an felt as though he was being led around by the nose, he was not annoyed. Having someone who understood the way he thought was not necessarily a bad thing.
“When you care about someone, even if there’s no connection between you, you can’t help thinking about them.”
Once again, Zheng Jingen regretted that they were not speaking face-to-face.
For the first time that night, Wang Ning’an smiled.
Unfortunately, Zheng Jingen could not see it.
Just like that, the two decisively entered into a relationship.
When Wang Cheng found out, he was completely dumbfounded. His two older brothers had gotten together without him knowing. Was heaven playing a joke on him? One was the Zheng family’s rising political star. The other was the sole heir to Gu Corporation. Both carried the weight of their families’ expectations. Yet they had ended up dating each other. If Grandfather Zheng and Grandfather Gu ever found out, it would be nothing short of a magnitude-twelve earthquake.
Wang Cheng actually asked Chu Yifeng to pinch him just to prove he was dreaming.
Chu Yifeng immediately complied.
Wang Cheng yelped in pain.
Definitely not a dream.
“Are you planning to break them up?” Chu Yifeng asked.
“Of course not!”
Although he found it unbelievable, Wang Cheng could never bring himself to separate a loving couple. Besides, both men were his brothers. If he could be with Chu Yifeng, then they could be together too.
Scratching his head, Wang Cheng groaned.
“What I’m worried about now is how to keep this from Grandfather Zheng and Grandfather Gu. They absolutely cannot find out. And Grandfather’s still arranging blind dates for my brother lately. Somehow this feels even harder than when we got together.”
“That’s inevitable,” Chu Yifeng said.
Neither Zheng Jingen nor Wang Ning’an was in a position where they could simply live however they pleased.
“Do you have any ideas?” Wang Cheng asked in frustration.
“I do.”
“What idea?”
“Have your brother do the same thing you did and have a child.”
“…”
Wang Cheng blinked.
“Which one of them is having the child?”
Chu Yifeng laughed.
Instantly understanding, Wang Cheng let out a wicked grin.
At that exact moment, while dining together elsewhere, Wang Ning’an and Zheng Jingen both sneezed simultaneously.
The two men stared at each other.
Although they had officially become a couple, the road ahead was still long. There would likely be arguments and misunderstandings along the way. But as long as their hearts remained firm, there was nothing to fear.
Futile Devices Scans 
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