[Free] The Years We Missed

Chapter 10

Zi Yu lowered his head, absently tracing circles on Tian Xu Ning’s chest with his finger to hide his embarrassment.

Tian Xu Ning didn’t let him off. He reached out, pinched Zi Yu’s chin, and lifted his face so their eyes met, asking again,

“Is that so?”

Zi Yu’s face flushed. After a few seconds, he finally gave a small nod.

Tian Xu Ning laughed, leaned down and gave his lips a quick bite, then couldn’t help cursing under his breath,

“Damn it. If I’d known, I would’ve found someone to do a PR pairing ages ago. Wouldn’t have had to wait until now.”

Zi Yu hesitated for a moment before finally speaking his truth,

“I… I really thought you were in a relationship. I only planned to come and take a look at you, just secretly.”

“Take a look? Then why sneak a peek instead of looking me straight in the eye?” Tian Xu Ning raised a brow. “Afraid I’d hit you?”

Zi Yu pouted and shot back defiantly,

“I was afraid I wouldn’t be able to hold myself back, afraid I’d turn into the third party and steal you away. Satisfied now?”

Tian Xu Ning laughed again. He caught Zi Yu’s restless hand that had been wandering all over him.

“Behave. Stop messing around.”

Zi Yu had a bad habit, one he still hadn’t kicked even after four years. Whenever Tian Xu Ning told him not to do something, he absolutely had to do it.

So after being stopped, Zi Yu shook his hand free and started poking him over and over, at his chest, at his abdomen, then even arrogantly reached up and pinched his n****e.

Tian Xu Ning sucked in a sharp breath and cursed under his breath,

“Damn it. I’ve been holding it in for four years. If you don’t want me to f**k you to death, behave yourself.”

Zi Yu refused to back down and shot back immediately,

“I’ve been holding it in for four years too. Who’s going to f**k who to death is still up in the air. Besides, I’m younger than you.”

Provoked to that extent, if Tian Xu Ning still didn’t react, he wouldn’t be a man anymore. Fine, so the kid thought he was old. Then he’d show him exactly what the older, the tougher really meant.

After another round of chaos, the room finally fell into silence.

This time, Zi Yu was truly exhausted and fell asleep in Tian Xu Ning’s arms.

As for Tian Xu Ning, he couldn’t fall asleep at all. He simply lay there, quietly watching the young man sleeping in his arms. Zi Yu’s face was peaceful, long lashes still damp, his head buried against Xu Ning’s chest like a small kitten.

The innocence and recklessness of his youth had long since faded. Now, Zi Yu carried the calm, alluring aura of a grown man, an irresistible charm that made it hard for anyone to look away.

If the Zi Yu of the past had made Tian Xu Ning fall in love at first sight, then the Zi Yu of the present left him unable to stop, wanting only to claim him forever, to keep him for himself alone.

The phone on the bedside table suddenly vibrated, its screen flashing to life. In the dead silence of the night, the ringtone sounded unnervingly loud.

Zi Yu frowned slightly, his lashes trembling as if he were about to wake.

Tian Xu Ning quickly leaned over, muted the sound, then gently patted Zi Yu’s shoulder and whispered into his ear,

“Go back to sleep. Be good.”

Zi Yu slowly relaxed, his breathing evening out once more. Only after making sure he was truly asleep did Tian Xu Ning carefully withdraw the arm from beneath his head, every movement so cautious it barely made a sound.

He got out of bed, casually slipped on Zi Yu’s sleep shirt, picked up the phone, and walked out of the room.

As soon as the call ended, Tian Xu Ning glanced at the screen and realized it was his manager. He immediately called back.

Chen Ran’s hurried voice came through the line,

“There’s a bit of trouble on Zhao Si Qi’s side. They need us to step in and help.”

Tian Xu Ning glanced at his watch, just past midnight. He then looked toward the bedroom, where the door was left slightly ajar, warm yellow light spilling out. His brows knit unconsciously.

“In the middle of the night and this urgent? Why didn’t they give us a heads-up?”

A weary sigh came from the other end of the line, and then Chen Ran’s voice lowered, carrying a hint of helplessness,

“It’s like this… some unpleasant rumors broke out on her side tonight, so her team wants to put out some other news to divert attention.”

Tian Xu Ning fell silent for a few seconds. Despite his reluctance, he was someone who valued keeping his word. Since it had been agreed upon beforehand, it was only right to follow through. At last, he asked in a low voice,

“What do you need me to do? Will it take long?”

Chen Ran let out a breath of relief, his tone noticeably lighter,

“You just need to show up briefly outside her apartment complex. The paparazzi are already waiting, getting a few photos will be enough. Once that’s done, you can head back before dawn.”

Hearing Chen Ran say he could be back before dawn, Tian Xu Ning didn’t dwell on it any further. He said,

“Alright, I’ll go. I’ll call you when I’m close.”

After hanging up, he returned to the bedroom. Zi Yu was still lying there, unmoving, his breathing steady. The calm, composed look on his sleeping face softened Tian Xu Ning’s heart, filling it with an unexpected sense of peace.

He reached out to brush his fingers over Zi Yu’s long lashes, then gently traced the bridge of his nose, before carefully pulling the blanket up to cover him.

He truly couldn’t bear to wake Zi Yu. Thinking that he wouldn’t be gone long, and that Zi Yu might not even be awake by the time he returned, he decided not to disturb him.

So he quietly changed his clothes, moving as lightly as possible, and then slipped out of the apartment without a sound.