Extra 1

The transatlantic flight landed, and Ke Mingxuan, wearing dark sunglasses, pushed the luggage cart ahead. The dedicated bodyguard, Zuo Cheng, carried a large bag filled with toys, bottles, and diapers on his back. Between them walked Bian Yiqiu, looking more handsome, tall, and vibrant than ever. Over the past two years, his time recovering in the United States had been very successful. At 35, Boss Bian had reached the most charming age for a man.

The most handsome former gangster ever was now carrying his one-year-old son around his neck. Little Ke Yichen tightly grabbed Bian Yiqiu’s hair with both hands, looking around calmly and confidently as he surveyed the country where he was meeting his parents for the first time.

As they approached the arrivals hall, Bian Yiqiu watched the bustling crowd at the exit from a distance. Suddenly, he stopped walking, and Zuo Cheng almost bumped into him from behind.

Bian Yiqiu turned his head and spoke very seriously to Zuo Cheng, “Are you sure you haven’t told anyone at the company about my return?”

Zuo Cheng lowered his voice, “No.”

Bian Yiqiu nodded with satisfaction and happily carried his son as they walked away.

Unnoticed, Zuo Cheng quietly tugged at the corner of his mouth behind him. Indeed, he hadn’t said a word, but the account used to book the boss’s tickets was always managed by the company’s CFO, Ms. Ye Zhen, so…

But everyone at Jiu’an would save face for the boss! Yes, they completely, truly, and absolutely did not “know” that Boss Bian had returned.

As a gangster boss who had been laid off twice, Bian Yiqiu had embraced a different life after leaving the country for America. His days were spent in a leisurely routine of taking his child for walks and walking the dog. No street dangers loomed, no urgent meetings at Jiu’an Group demanded his attention. He was free to focus on his relationship and properly raise his child.

Such a peaceful life was truly…

Boring him out of his mind.

Over the past two years, Jiu’an, which had been struggling under multiple challenges, experienced a significant boost in both market value and reputation after forming a mutual shareholding partnership with Ke Mingxuan’s He Sheng Media.

However, the current CEO, Madam Mei, was a cautious person. To everyone, both inside and outside the company, she had one consistent message: “Jiu’an is waiting for Young Master Qiu to return.” Because of this, instead of aggressively expanding the business, she focused on steady, solid growth, making the existing operations thrive.

Thanks to this reassurance from the person in charge, even though Bian Yiqiu had long stepped down and held no shares in Jiu’an, CFO Ye Zhen would still consult him from halfway across the globe whenever significant decisions had to be made. To everyone at Jiu’an, Bian Yiqiu would always be their boss and the true controller of Jiu’an.

In fact, shortly after Ke Yichen was born, Ye Zhen, Lao Meng, and He Xu had openly or subtly suggested more than once that he should return to take charge of the company again. However, Bian Yiqiu was far too comfortable enjoying his “corrupt” and leisurely life, ignoring their pleas every time. Naturally, this time, with his return to the country, they wouldn’t let him slip away so easily.

As for the ever-busy Ke Mingxuan, the day after his return, he was dragged to the company by the ever-alert Pei Siyuan. Bian Yiqiu mocked him mercilessly, reveling in his misfortune, and once again warned Zuo Cheng not to let anyone at the company know he was back in the country.

With that, Bian Yiqiu happily took his son to Yuellu Villa, shamelessly indulging in his laziness.

Uncle Shi, who shared a fatherly bond with him, was overjoyed. Having never married or had children, Uncle Shi had always treated Bian Yiqiu like his own son. When Bian Yiqiu came to him at the age of fourteen, he was already a gangly teenager. Ke Yichen, on the other hand, was a soft, chubby little baby. When the little one stretched out his arms and hugged Uncle Shi around the neck, the usually composed old man seemed on the verge of tearing up. Turning his head to hide his emotions, he kissed the child’s chubby cheeks again and again.

Baby Ke Yichen was an angel who never fussed around strangers. His dark eyes shifted as he watched Bian Yiqiu sitting far away in the dining area, enjoying his meal. Satisfied, the little one nestled into Uncle Shi’s arms, happily playing with the buttons on the collar of his coat.

Aunt Qin, the villa’s cook, had prepared a table full of Bian Yiqiu’s favorite dishes. With his Chinese palate fully activated, Bian Yiqiu practically wanted to eat the table itself. He dove into the feast, chopsticks flying, completely forgetting about his son for the moment.

Aunt Qin and her husband were longtime companions of Bian Yiqiu and had thoughtfully prepared a generous red envelope for Ke Yichen. When the baby beamed a dazzling smile at Aunt Qin, her heart melted instantly, and she couldn’t help thinking that the red envelope felt a bit too thin. Then, when the soft little boy kissed her cheek with his tender lips, Aunt Qin nearly wanted to dig out her heart and give it to him. By the time Bian Yiqiu finally remembered his son after finishing his meal, the elders were having such a good time playing with Ke Yichen that they didn’t want to hand him back.

At the critical moment, the little guy proved his loyalty. From the arms of the crowd, he stretched his hands toward Bian Yiqiu, let out a soft whimper, and called, “Pa…” before breaking into a gentle yawn. His big eyes blinked slowly, clearly signaling that it was nap time.

Bian Yiqiu carried his son to his bedroom and opened an app called Relax Melodies on his phone to play a lullaby. Within five minutes, it wasn’t the baby who fell asleep but Bian Yiqiu himself. Meanwhile, Young Master Chen, refreshed and full of energy, flipped over, sat up with a wiggle, and raised his chubby little legs. With a plop, he plunked himself down on Bian Yiqiu’s stomach and began bouncing up and down, gleefully yelling as though riding a horse.

Bian Yiqiu nearly coughed up his lunch.

As someone with a notorious temper and an aversion to being woken up, the groggy ex-gang forced himself to wake up. He grabbed his son’s chubby back and rolled him over, pinning the little rascal onto the bed. Then, with an evil grin, he launched a tickle attack. The once-arrogant little scamp erupted into squeals of laughter, helplessly flopping onto the bed.

Bian the babysitter had his own philosophy: When the little guy has too much energy, just play with him until he runs out of battery. Then he’ll sleep like a charm.

Ke Yichen lay on the bed, his face lit up with a dazzling smile. His bright, sparkling eyes were like polished obsidian, their slightly upturned corners resembling Ke Mingxuan’s features to a tee.

Bian Yiqiu looked down at his son’s innocent, cheerful face, and a memory of a younger Ke Mingxuan surfaced. Leaning in, he kissed his son’s forehead gently and said, “I love you.”

Those three words, which he could never bring himself to say to Ke Mingxuan, rolled off his tongue effortlessly when directed at the little one.

Ke Yichen grinned even wider, showing off his two tiny baby teeth, before grabbing his chubby little foot and trying to stuff it into his mouth.

Bian Yiqiu chuckled, pulling the small foot to his lips and planting a kiss on it. A smile tugged at his mouth as he said, “Baby, say ‘Papa.’”

The little one responded in his soft, babyish voice, “Papa…”

Bian Yiqiu continued with a grin, “And say ‘Daddy.’ Come on, Daddy.”

The word “Daddy” proved to be a bit of a challenge for the one-year-old. He blinked his big eyes and tried hard, managing a tentative, “Di…”

“No, no, it’s Daddy. Say it with me: Dad-dy,” Bian Yiqiu patiently coached, breaking the word into syllables.

“Die… die…” Ke Yichen finally said, the pronunciation not quite right but close enough.

Bian Yiqiu beamed, leaning in to plant a big kiss on his son’s soft cheek. “You’re amazing, little one. Tonight, let’s show off to your other dad.”

After exhausting themselves from their playful lesson, father and son sprawled out on the bed, forming a giant “X” shape, and dozed off together.

However, Bian Yiqiu didn’t stay asleep for long. Waking up, he carefully slid out of bed, ensuring Ke Yichen was moved to the center of the mattress to prevent any accidental tumbles. Still uneasy, he gathered a heap of pillows and blankets to create a protective barrier around the bed, satisfied only after double-checking everything.

Meanwhile, Zuo Cheng was in the living room, enjoying a bowl of tofu pudding made by Aunt Qin—but this time, it was the sweet version.

The tofu pudding, creamy and smooth, had been chilled to perfection in the fridge. Drizzled with honey syrup and topped with raisins and crushed peanuts, it was light, refreshing, and absolutely delicious.

He walked over to snatch Zuo Cheng’s bowl, but Zuo Cheng turned his back, tipped his head back, and gulped down the remaining half of the tofu pudding in one go. Finishing with a satisfied grin, he even licked his lips to savor the taste.

Furious, Bian Yiqiu raised his fist, ready to punch him.

Aunt Qin, watching the two of them bicker like schoolchildren, felt a headache coming on. “Stop it, there’s more! I’ll get another bowl for you.”

Bian Yiqiu reluctantly backed down, while Zuo Cheng shot off the sofa like a rocket and dashed upstairs to the master bedroom to join the young master.

After two bowls of tofu pudding, Uncle Shi woke from his nap and called Bian Yiqiu into the study, saying there was an important matter to discuss.

Even before entering the study, Bian Yiqiu had a hunch about what Uncle Shi wanted to talk about. However, he didn’t expect to see a pre-prepared equity transfer agreement sitting right on the desk.

Uncle Shi’s health had always been frail, and after Old Master Jiu passed away, it had deteriorated further, declining day by day.

Two years ago, under immense pressure from the Ke family, Bian Yiqiu had voluntarily resigned as CEO of Jiu’an and transferred his shares to Madam Mei and Uncle Shi. At the time, Uncle Shi reluctantly accepted some of the shares due to the grim circumstances. Now that Bian Yiqiu had returned, Uncle Shi felt it was time to return them to him.

But Bian Yiqiu wasn’t keen on taking them back. He barely had enough time to take care of his son, let alone manage a company.

Uncle Shi, however, said to him, “I’m at this age now; let me enjoy a couple of years of peace and quiet.”

With the conversation at this point, Bian Yiqiu couldn’t refuse. He signed the agreement without hesitation and solemnly promised, “I’ll take good care of Jiu’an. You can rest easy and enjoy your retirement.”

“With you at the helm, there’s nothing to worry about,” Uncle Shi said kindly. Then he added with a knowing smile, “You and Ke Mingxuan, live well together.”

Bian Yiqiu chuckled. “You don’t have to worry about that either.”

After signing the agreement, the next step was to go to the business bureau to process the equity transfer. There was no way he could shirk this responsibility now. So the next morning at breakfast, Bian Yiqiu said to Ke Mingxuan, “I need to visit the company today.”

Ke Mingxuan slid a porcelain plate with a soft-boiled egg in front of him, handed him a tuna sandwich, and then asked, “Which company?”

Bian Yiqiu took a bite of the sandwich and replied, “Which other company would it be?”

“There’s also He Sheng. Don’t forget, you’re now the second-largest shareholder of He Sheng…”

“Isn’t the second-largest shareholder of He Sheng Jiu’an?”

“…and its owner. I wasn’t finished.”

Bian Yiqiu rolled his eyes unapologetically. “I have nothing to do with Jiu’an anymore.”

“Then why are you going back?”

“Uncle Shi wants to transfer the shares back to me. I signed the agreement yesterday.”

Ke Mingxuan raised his gaze to look at him. “That’s definitely more than ‘nothing to do with it.’”

Bian Yiqiu let out a long sigh. “My days of freedom are over.”

Ke Mingxuan said, “If you don’t want to work, then don’t. It’s not like I can’t support you.”

“That’s not the issue.” Even if he did nothing, his savings and the profits from the celebrity club would allow him to live comfortably. “Jiu’an was Old Master’s and Uncle Shi’s hard work. Now that Master Jiu is gone and Uncle Shi’s health is failing, I need to give him peace of mind.”

Ke Mingxuan didn’t say more but reminded him before they left, “Don’t forget you have something in the afternoon.”

Bian Yiqiu looked confused. “What’s in the afternoon?” Then, seeing Ke Mingxuan raise his brows, he slapped his forehead in realization. “Lu Xiao’s first solo art exhibition! How could I forget such an important event?”

Ke Mingxuan suddenly felt a sour taste rising from the milk he had just drunk. “Yeah, how could you forget such an important event?”

Bian Yiqiu chuckled helplessly. “Come on, stop being jealous over something from years ago.”

“Jealousy only gets better with age.”

“Ke Mingxuan.” Bian Yiqiu called his name with a serious expression. “I feel like we’re not getting out the door today unless we have a fight first.”

“Let’s save it for tonight,” Ke Mingxuan said, glancing at his watch and turning away without giving him any leeway. As he reached the door, he looked back with a teasing smile in his peach blossom eyes. “Same rule as always—winner takes top.”

Winner takes top.

Bian Yiqiu was suddenly transported back three years ago. It was Ke Mingxuan’s cocky “winner takes top” line that had ignited a fire in him.

Like he was on adrenaline, he kept challenging this maddeningly arrogant man over and over again. Fighting before sleeping together almost became their unspoken rule. To this day, he still wasn’t sure if their relationship was born from their fights or their passion. All he knew was that whether it was a fight or something more intimate, as long as Ke Mingxuan was his opponent, it got his blood pumping like nothing else.

Unfortunately, ever since the car accident on Wuye Mountain two years ago and the subsequent assassination attempt in prison, both of them had been severely injured. It had been a long time since they’d had a good match. Thinking about it now, he kind of missed it.

For the Jiu’an Group, the past two years without Bian Yiqiu at the helm had been tough. Everyone had been eagerly waiting for their boss to return, yet they had to act like they didn’t know anything. The restraint was killing them.

As Bian Yiqiu’s bodyguard, driver, assistant, and part-time caretaker, Zuo Cheng deeply understood his colleagues’ sentiments. The moment he learned that Bian Yiqiu would be visiting the office today, he wasted no time sharing the exciting news in their “Four Musketeers” group chat.

So, when Bian Yiqiu stepped out of the elevator in a casual leather jacket and jeans, holding his baby son who was dressed in a matching parent-child outfit, he was met with an overwhelming reception.

Twenty tall men, all over 1.8 meters, with buzz cuts and black suits, stood in two neat rows stretching from the reception desk to the elevator. The moment he appeared, they bowed in unison at a sixty-degree angle and shouted, “Welcome back, Boss!”

Bian Yiqiu wanted nothing more than to step right back into the elevator.

What kind of cliché nonsense was this, straight out of some low-budget gangster movie? Hadn’t they cleaned up their act years ago? Why were they still pretending to be part of the underworld?

Bian Yiqiu was speechless, but the young master Chen, was thrilled. Clapping his little hands in excitement, he let out a couple of incoherent “ah-ah” sounds, expressing his elation. Bian Yiqiu mused that the kid was probably trying to say “At ease” and couldn’t help but think this little one had a bright future ahead.

The morning passed quickly. At noon, Bian Yiqiu took his little rascal to the military compound. He drove his flashy and ostentatious Maybach, whose license plate was already registered. The shiny car slipped past the heavily guarded gates, and the straight-as-a-javelin sentry saluted crisply without even glancing sideways.

Bian Yiqiu had assumed that during the busy daylight hours, Commander Ke would be out handling important matters. However, upon entering the house, he didn’t see Feng Shuxian but instead found Commander Ke sitting on the sofa reading a newspaper.

Ke Yichen excitedly called out, “grandpa!” while kicking his legs furiously, signaling that he wanted to be let down. Bian Yiqiu bent down to place his son on the floor, watching as the toddler wobbled his way toward his grandpa.

Commander Ke’s expression didn’t look any friendlier when he saw Bian Yiqiu. It didn’t matter if it had been two years or twenty—he would likely never regard Bian Yiqiu kindly. However, when his gaze shifted to his grandson, his demeanor softened immediately. Putting down the newspaper, he reached out to scoop up the little one who had toddled over to him.

Bian Yiqiu was well aware that Commander Ke didn’t like him. Considering the past, the feeling was mutual. If it weren’t for Ke Mingxuan, he wouldn’t have set foot in the Ke family home in this lifetime.

Once his son was safely handed off, Bian Yiqiu stood by the door, not even bothering to change his shoes, ready to leave. Just then, Feng Shuxian came downstairs.

“Xiao Bian, you’re here? What brings you by at this hour? Have you eaten yet?”

“I’ve already eaten,” Bian Yiqiu replied, his tone noticeably more relaxed around Feng Shuxian. “Mingxuan and I have something to take care of this afternoon, so I need to head out.”

“Why are you leaving so soon? Come in and sit for a while—” Feng Shuxian’s invitation was cut short by a cold snort from Commander Ke. Her words trailed off awkwardly, unsure of how to continue.

Bian Yiqiu quickly said, “No need, I have to head out immediately. It’s going to be late tonight, so I’ll pick up Chenchen tomorrow.”

“Don’t worry about it. Let Chenchen stay here for a few days if you’re busy—I’ve been missing him anyway,” Feng Shuxian said warmly as she walked him to the door. “Mingxuan’s dad is just a stubborn old man, don’t take it to heart. When you have time, come back with Mingxuan for dinner.”

“It’s fine, I’ve only got one heart; it’s not too much to carry. Thanks, Auntie.” Bian Yiqiu had long since made peace with his “grudge” against Commander Ke. After all, he was in a relationship with Ke Mingxuan, not his father. Whether or not the old man approved was entirely irrelevant to him.

Besides, seeing the old man displeased actually made him quite happy.

When Bian Yiqiu got into the car, he even chuckled to himself. Seeing this, Zuo Cheng glanced at him through the rearview mirror, finding it rather unusual. It wasn’t every day someone came back from a visit to the Ke family in such high spirits.

On the way, Bian Yiqiu called Ke Mingxuan, and they arranged to meet at the gallery.

Lu Xiao, after graduating, had gone straight to Qinghe Art Studio. His current solo exhibition was being hosted under the studio’s name. While Lu Xiao wasn’t yet widely known, many visitors came because of the studio’s reputation. Additionally, his “mother-in-law,” Xia Qinghe, had leveraged her connections to invite several influential figures from Z City’s art scene to show their support. By the time Bian Yiqiu arrived, the gallery was already packed.

As someone who never even graduated from kindergarten, Bian Yiqiu had no clue what constituted “art.” After staring at Lu Xiao’s paintings for a while, all he could conclude was: They look nice. But if you asked him what specifically made them nice, he’d be at a loss. The only reason he showed up today was because of his personal connection with Lu Xiao—after all, that little heartthrob had held a special place in his heart for years. Although looking back now, he had to admit he’d been quite self-indulgent back then.

Ke Mingxuan hadn’t arrived yet, and Lu Xiao was busy mingling with the so-called artists under Xia Qinghe’s guidance, leaving Bian Yiqiu to wander the gallery on his own.

While admiring one of the few landscape paintings he could understand, Bian Yiqiu suddenly felt a gaze fixed on him.

Logically speaking, at an art exhibition, people should be focused on the artwork, not on him. What was the deal with someone staring at him? Was it because he was just too handsome?

Feeling a bit narcissistic, Bian Yiqiu touched his chin and followed the gaze. He was just about to strike a cool and smug pose when he unexpectedly found that the person staring at him was a man in his fifties or sixties. Instantly, all his enthusiasm vanished. He pursed his lips and turned his head back with disinterest.

But to his surprise, two minutes later, the old man walked over—and started a conversation.

The old man chuckled twice. “You really have a good sense of humor, sir.”

Bian Yiqiu, however, remained serious and replied, “I’m not joking. It really looks delicious.” He even pretended to lick his lips to play along.

The old man was momentarily taken aback by the unexpected response, but then he smiled, clearly amused by Bian Yiqiu’s cheeky attitude. It wasn’t every day that someone could make a simple painting discussion so entertaining.

The old man didn’t pursue the egg yolk issue further, his gaze now fixed on Bian Yiqiu with an intensity that seemed a little too eager. “You look quite like a late friend of mine…”

Bian Yiqiu couldn’t help but feel a little frustrated by the usual pick-up lines. “By ‘late friend,’ you mean someone who’s dead?”

The man’s expression faltered for a moment, but before he could respond, a familiar voice called out from behind him.

“Bian Yiqiu.”

Bian Yiqiu turned around, clearly irritated by the delay. “Young Master Ke, I’ve already made my second round.” His tone made it clear he wasn’t happy about the tardiness.

The man, slightly flustered by his own outburst, quickly released Bian Yiqiu’s arm, his face a mix of awkwardness and anticipation. “You’re surnamed Bian?”

Bian Yiqiu and Ke Mingxuan both furrowed their brows in confusion. The man seemed to realize his mistake, quickly loosening his grip and nervously asked, “Do you know someone named Bian Ying?”

Bian Yiqiu paused for a brief moment, a flicker of recognition crossing his face, but he quickly regained his composure, replying in a polite but distant tone, “I don’t know them.”

Ke Mingxuan glanced at him, then turned to the man. “Let’s go greet Lu Xiao.”

The two turned and walked away, but the man remained rooted to the spot, staring at Bian Yiqiu’s retreating figure for a long time. It wasn’t until someone approached and asked, “Professor Chi, should we head back now?”

That evening, while having dinner with Chu Yi and Lu Xiao, Bian Yiqiu had a few more drinks than usual. On the way home, he suddenly mentioned wanting to visit his mother.

Ke Mingxuan responded, noting that the cemetery would be closed at this hour and suggested they go the next day.

Bian Yiqiu didn’t press the matter further and fell silent.

The two of them walked side by side on the street, with Luo Cheng and Ke Mingxian’s driver following behind them in a car.

After walking for a while, Bian Yiqiu said, “It’s been thirty years.”

Ke Mingxian still said nothing, but he knew Bian Yiqiu was referring to Bian Ying’s death, which had occurred thirty years ago.

He took his hand out of his pocket and held Bian Yiqiu’s hand, then tucked both their hands into his own pocket.

The coat pocket was large, and it wasn’t cramped at all for both of their hands to fit.

It was once again late autumn, and the evening wind blew with a slight chill. Bian Yiqiu’s tolerance for alcohol, as always, was poor, and his head felt dizzy. Even though Ke Mingxian was holding his hand like this, he didn’t feel awkward.

The Junlin Tianxia building was not far ahead, still arrogantly towering in the city’s most prosperous and expensive CBD district. step by step, they moved calmly and steadily, walking towards home.