You're keeping me as your sugar daddy

Yu Sheng had no idea what happened after she fell asleep, or rather, it was a memory blank after a deep sleep.

As the morning sunlight streamed through the curtains, Lu Chenyang, who had stayed up all night, worked with Bai Hua to administer the medication to Yu Sheng and then called the attending physician from Yaoguang Hospital to CIR. He was worried that Yu Sheng's leg might have been injured again during the intense struggle the previous night.

Due to the effects of the medication and physical and mental exhaustion, Yu Sheng remained fast asleep throughout the morning, carried around for various examinations, like a delicate and fragile doll. It wasn't until noon, after all the examinations were completed, that Lu Chenyang carefully carried her to the VIP ward upstairs in the CIR building and settled her in.

Gently placing the person on the bed, Lu Chenyang wearily took off his sweat-soaked coat and lay down himself. He hadn't slept all night, his eyes bloodshot like spiderwebs, but he dared not close them, afraid that the person in his arms might feel even the slightest discomfort. He carefully tucked the blankets in and leaned over, gazing intently at the sleeping Yu Sheng.

At this moment, he had shed all his arrogance, his cunning and petty nature, and his picky habits as a spoiled young master. He was obedient and quiet, even his breathing was so light. Only a sense of defenseless stillness remained. His long eyelashes cast fragile shadows under his eyes, so docile that it softened one's heart.

Lu Chenyang's gaze traced his sleeping face, his thoughts swirling. Initially, his care for Yu Sheng was a clearly defined responsibility and obligation, conducted strictly as a matter of business, with clear boundaries. Later, perhaps a touch of pity had crept in?

He used to think so. Until the concept of "pain symbiote" emerged, he began to feel confused. Why would he feel sorry for a man? And everything that happened last night shattered his self-deceptive defenses. He knew he was "abnormal," and even absurdly suspected that it was an extreme reaction to "physiological homophobia."

He was too tired. Exhausted, he gave up the analysis, carefully pulling the person into his arms, his chin resting on the soft top of their head. "Sleep for a while, just a little while..."

Yu Sheng was completely unaware of the turmoil in Lu Chenyang's heart. He was engrossed in a childish yet bizarre dream.

In his dream, he became a lame little wildcat. He was locked in a factory where there were many captured cats. He didn't want to die; he wanted to escape.

But he was too small and useless, and got tangled in the electric fence. The current crackled and surged through his body, sending waves of numbing pain through him until he lost even the strength to cry out.

But suddenly his neck tightened, as if some animal had grabbed the back of his neck. Then the electric current disappeared, and amidst the lingering pain, he felt a wet, warm, and firm embrace. He struggled to lift his head to see who had saved him, only to have a large, warm tongue swish across his entire forehead!

It's a big dog! Why do dogs always like to lick each other?

"Why did you save me?" the kitten asked warily.

"Because I'm a police dog!" The big dog proudly flicked its glossy black mane, its face radiating righteous indignation. "Punishing evil and promoting good, protecting citizens... uh, the safety of the city cats, is my duty!"

"Save me if you want to save me, why are you licking my forehead?" the kitten said with a hint of disgust, but it showed no intention of leaving the embrace.

"...Let me taste it to see if it's salty enough." The big dog licked its lips, its eyes slightly unfocused.

"Ah?! You're going to eat me?!" The kitten was terrified and tried desperately to escape. However, the majestic dog in front of it had already opened its blood-red maw, revealing its sharp white teeth, and was about to bite down.

"Ugh..." Yu Sheng woke up with a start just before "Fang" came down. Her back was pressed against a warm and firm embrace, just as reliable as the big dog in her dream.

He subconsciously raised his hand to touch his forehead; it was dry and clean, without any wet saliva. But the itchy feeling of being licked still seemed to linger.

"...Awake?" Lu Chenyang hadn't been a deep sleeper, and the moment the person in his arms moved, he instantly woke up. Seeing Yu Sheng constantly rubbing her forehead, her skin turning red, his heart tightened, and he reached out to touch it: "Do you have a fever?"

Yu Sheng dodged his touch as if startled, her eyes drifting over vaguely, her cheeks, ears, and even her neck quickly flushing red.

"What's wrong? Are you feeling unwell?" Lu Chenyang was frightened by Yu Sheng's appearance at dawn. He immediately sat up, turned Yu Sheng's shoulder, and anxiously asked, "Speak up, A-Sheng? Where does it hurt?"

"N-nothing...it's nothing." Yu Sheng rarely showed an embarrassed expression. She turned her face away and said in a voice as soft as a mosquito's buzz, "It's just...I had a strange dream. I was licked by a big dog...it felt pretty real."

Lu Chenyang had no interest in investigating the big dog. He directly called Bai Hua over and carefully re-examined the dog. Only after confirming that everything was alright did he finally feel relieved.

After the two ate some lunch at the CIR cafeteria, seeing that Yu Sheng seemed to have recovered well and her complexion was rosier, Lu Chenyang carefully asked, "Sheng... can you tell me... what exactly happened last night?"

Yu Sheng flinched almost imperceptibly. Lu Chenyang saw this and felt a surge of self-reproach and heartache.

“...It’s my dad.” Yu Sheng bit his lower lip, staring at the pattern on the floor, his voice dry. “He...called me and said he would be back in China soon...shortly after hanging up, he sent me a message…” He paused, took a deep breath, “He said...he hoped I would consider going abroad with him and taking over his businesses overseas.”

"So...you're afraid?" Lu Chenyang's voice softened even more.

“…Yes.” Yu Sheng nodded vigorously, admitting it without hesitation. But the next second, as if seized by a terrible thought, he suddenly looked up and grabbed Lu Chenyang's arm, his eyes instantly filled with immense helplessness and fear, his voice trembling: “He said he wanted me to consider it…but he won’t give me a chance to refuse! He…he…”

"Don't be afraid! Don't be afraid!" Lu Chenyang immediately pulled his trembling body into a tight embrace, his palm gently stroking his tense back. His voice was steady and strong, "Asheng, you've grown up! He can't force you to do anything like before! And I'll be with you! So, don't be afraid, trust me, okay?"

Lu Chenyang's voice and embrace always had a timely soothing effect. Yu Sheng nodded sullenly, without making a sound.

According to Bai Hua's doctor's orders, Yu Sheng needs to stay in CIR for at least a week for observation. Apart from Lu Chenyang and Lan Zhong, he is isolated from all external contact, and even going downstairs for fresh air is strictly prohibited.

Yu Sheng understood Bai Hua's professional considerations, but being confined to the ward all day was really stifling. Especially with Lu Chenyang, his "personal caregiver" and "prison guard," never leaving his side, he couldn't help but ask, "Don't you have any work commitments?" The other party always casually replied, "On leave."

Taking medicine, sleeping, getting checked, sleeping, rehabilitation training, sleeping... the cycle repeated endlessly. When she got really bored, she would drag Lu Chenyang to watch the TV series and movies he acted in, and she even watched all the variety shows. From time to time, she would complain, "This variety show looks a bit low-budget."

Finally, the Second Young Master Yu, who was being "tamed" in the "cage" to the point of madness, could no longer bear it and strongly demanded to be "let out for fresh air." He felt that he was already much better and cooperated obediently every day, but the meticulous Dr. Bai and the equally impartial "prison guard" Lu just wouldn't approve his "release application."

Even his best trick—putting on a pair of pitiful, big eyes that were practically dripping with tiny pearls—only earned him a cold, ruthless "hold it back, this trick won't work" from Lu.

Fortunately, the trailer for "Shattered Light" was released at the right time, providing him with a rare moment of entertainment. Wu Luoyu was originally scheduled for a December release, and five months of editing and post-production was just the right amount of time for a commercial film. Unfortunately, it clashed with a crime thriller by a renowned director and had to be released at the same time, forcing him to move it to the end of October.

That evening, Yu Sheng excitedly pulled Lu Chenyang to snuggle on the sofa and watch the trailer on the projector. This was the first time the two had worked together. Although Yu Sheng had initially complained about Wu Luoyu arranging for him to play an "ugly" supporting role, now that he thought about it, he really should give Director Wu a big red envelope.

The one-minute-and-forty-five-second trailer unfolds from the perspective of the female protagonist, Qi Jia, with the hollow sound of a piano intertwined with the ringing of the school bell. This is followed by the male protagonist, Qi Luo's, nightmare and a blurry silhouette of the killer flashing by. The monologue, the background music, and the cold color palette create a palpable atmosphere of suspense.

Yu Sheng's character, Gao Qiu, doesn't have many scenes; he only appears briefly in the trailer. But he watches with great interest. Of course, he's not watching himself, but Lu Chenyang: the youthful innocence in his school uniform, the dignified presence in his police uniform, the decisiveness of his car chase in the rain... How can this man be so handsome? Yu Sheng smacks his lips, feeling incredibly satisfied with his own judgment.

The trailer had just ended when Lu Chenyang's phone rang. It was his manager, Brother Cheng. He didn't try to hide it from Yu Sheng and answered directly, "Hello, Brother Cheng."

Because Lu Chenyang did not deliberately lower the volume, and the room was quiet, the conversation was clearly audible.

"Chenyang, have you seen the video on the official Weibo account of 'Shattered Light'? What are your thoughts?"

"I watched it. The trailer was well-edited."

"Hey, did your internet go down? I wasn't talking about the trailer, I was referring to the behind-the-scenes footage of 'Shattered Light' that was released this afternoon!"

"Behind-the-scenes footage? I haven't seen it yet," Lu Chenyang replied truthfully.

The voice on the other end of the phone was rapid-fire, with the impatient tone typical of an agent: "Listen to me first, then go see for yourself. The official Weibo account has released a lot of behind-the-scenes footage to hype it up, with lots of interactions and scenes between you and Yu Sheng! Hmm... the netizens' reaction has been incredibly enthusiastic, and I think Director Wu is also trying to generate buzz for the two of you. Plus, that car accident thing was trending before, so the buzz is still there. Here's what I'm thinking: the opportunity's been presented to us, might as well take advantage of it and help generate some buzz, okay?"

The agent, seemingly anticipating Lu Chenyang's reaction, preemptively cut him off, "Chenyang, don't rush to refuse! Yu Sheng might be even more interested than we are! Although you have a great fan base and plenty of resources, you're still a ways off from being a top-tier star. Who is Yu Sheng? He controls two major financial institutions: Xinghua Media and Dongyao Bank! To be honest, if he's interested in you, being with him... you won't lose out. Make him happy, and you can easily run a business together—a win-win situation, a sure-fire deal! This will also make it easier to refuse President Chen. Dragging this out isn't a solution."

Lu Chenyang's face darkened when his agent casually mentioned "that car accident incident." It was a criminal case classified as premeditated murder! And in his mouth, it had become a hot topic of entertainment to gain attention? What was even more grating was the agent's attitude towards Yu Sheng, as if Yu Sheng was a piece of fat meat waiting to be sold, and Lu Chenyang was a starving dog waiting for him to grab and gnaw on.

Not only was their behavior unseemly, but it was also utterly disrespectful. Lu Chenyang knew, of course, that this was the norm in the entertainment industry, but he could never agree with it, much less get used to it. "Sorry, Brother Cheng, I disagree," he said coldly, and hung up the phone.

Yu Sheng listened quietly the whole time, and at this moment she felt Lu Chenyang's gaze. His eyes were slightly lowered and unfocused, and the coldness he had shown when he hung up the phone was gone. Instead, it revealed a hint of timid guilt and apology.

Yu Sheng chuckled at his cautious demeanor. "Why are you looking at me like that? Want to apologize?" He deliberately dragged out his words, pretending to think. "Alright, this young master is magnanimous and accepts your apology."

Lu Chenyang sighed and said dejectedly, "I'm sorry. Brother Cheng was a bit... well, you know, this industry... sometimes it's like that."

Yu Sheng raised her hand and patted his drooping head, leaned closer, and teased him with a mischievous smile: "Actually, I think what your manager said makes a lot of sense. With such a powerful backer like me, don't you really want to cling to me? If you make me happy, I can not only shower you with gold coins, but also with resources."

Unexpectedly, Lu Chenyang suddenly raised his head, his gaze meeting Yu Sheng's. The earnestness and frankness in his eyes made Yu Sheng's heart skip a beat. He spoke clearly and firmly, "I'm trying to make you happy, just to make you happy. I don't want to cling to you," he paused, his gaze intense, "If I could, I'd rather... let you cling to me."

This guy... how can he say sweet nothings so seriously? Does he even realize how... tempting he looks to commit a crime?

Yu Sheng was stunned by this direct question, instantly falling into his own pink fantasy bubble, until Lu Chenyang called him and he snapped back to reality. "Huh? You... what did you just say?" He felt his ears burning.

Lu Chenyang's ears also blushed slightly. He looked away uncomfortably, lowered his voice, and mumbled with a hint of embarrassment, "...I mean, what Brother Cheng meant...is that he wants me...um, to climb up to you, and then...and then you...to take care of me..." He almost squeezed the last few words out between his teeth, nearly choking himself.

"Pfft—hahahahahaha..." Yu Sheng froze for a second, then burst into a deafening laugh, almost rolling off the sofa. Lu Chenyang watched him laugh so hard he was doubled over, his eyes crinkling with laughter, and he also started grinning like an idiot.

Although Yu Sheng had been cooperating well during the many days of repressive treatment and often smiled, he knew best that it was just a performance to keep him, Bai Hua, and Lan Zhong from worrying. At night, he still suffered from painful nightmares and incessant muttering.

This was the first time in days that he had seen Yu Sheng laugh so heartily. As for the little bit of face he had just lost... it was worth it to make her smile.

Having laughed enough, Yu Sheng leaned softly against Lu Chenyang's shoulder, rubbing her abs that were clenched from laughing, and still couldn't resist teasing him: "Then... how about Officer Lu takes care of me? What do you say?"

"Hmph." Lu Chenyang gave a deliberately disdainful snort, but there was a smile in his eyes. "I can't afford to take care of you. It's too expensive."

She's picky about food, picky about clothes, and picky about what to sleep in. Just thinking about it makes Lu Chenyang angry—not really angry, but utterly baffled. Yu Sheng had thrown away his perfectly good bed in the master bedroom and had a new one delivered. Later, when he looked it up, he found the mattress alone was worth $170,000 USD. He almost fainted when he saw that number.

"Why don't you hurry up and go to work instead of wasting money watching me all day? I thought you'd switched careers to become a prison guard. Do you want me to pay you a salary?" Yu Sheng's words were partly joking and partly serious. He genuinely didn't want Lu Chenyang taking care of him 24/7. Although he wanted to enjoy it, he was more worried about tiring Lu Chenyang out and getting annoyed by him. Most importantly, he didn't want to interfere with Lu Chenyang's work. He knew how serious Lu Chenyang was about his job. It wasn't unusual for him to wrap up filming one night and go straight to the next day's set in the early hours of the morning.

“It’s okay if we don’t get paid,” Lu Chenyang replied, half-jokingly and half-seriously. “I still have some savings. Even if we don’t work for a year, we can manage if we live frugally.”

"Oh? How exactly do you 'save money'?" Yu Sheng raised an eyebrow.

“Hmm…” Lu Chenyang deliberately dragged out his words, a mischievous glint in his eyes, “At the very least… we can’t hold shows at home anymore.”

The two joked and laughed until late at night, eventually snuggling under the covers to watch the behind-the-scenes compilation of "Shattered Light".

Agent Cheng was right; there were indeed many scenes of the two interacting: going over the script together, sharing lunch, chatting and drinking coffee... The most eye-catching scene was the one where Gao Qiu died: Lu Chenyang carried Yu Sheng, who was covered in "blood," and walked out of the dark alley step by step. The camera zoomed out, accompanied by a sad emotional background music, which brought the atmosphere of "deeply tragic love" and "separation by life and death" to the extreme.

Looking at the comments section, some were discussing the movie's suspense and the director, while others were obsessed with the actors' looks, especially Lu Chenyang. The rest of the comments and bullet screens were completely engulfed in the CP fans' carnival, with screams and shouts of "I'm shipping them!" rising and falling. The scene was once out of control, and the screen was filled with "yellow trash" that made Yu Sheng's face slightly flushed, not to mention the thin-skinned Lu Chenyang.

Of course, there are also sporadic shouts and insults from solo stans and haters trying to generate buzz.

Yu Sheng was engrossed in watching, giggling under the covers, and still wanted to click into the "Chen Yu Luo Yan" CP super topic to see the even more exciting scene. But as soon as she raised her phone, Lu Chenyang slapped it down and ruthlessly confiscated it.

Officer Lu was impartial and incorruptible, while Prisoner Yu tried every trick in the book to persuade him, but to no avail. He could only angrily roll over to the edge of the bed and protest with the back of his head.

Throughout the entire night, Lu Chenyang didn't mention the CEO Chen from the phone call, and Yu Sheng didn't ask him either. Both of them pretended not to hear the cryptic remark from their agent.

*

When he woke up the next day, he was nestled comfortably in Lu Chenyang's warm embrace, just like always. He didn't know if he'd snuggled there himself in the middle of the night, drawn by the warmth, or if someone had forcefully pulled him back. He didn't have time to ponder it, because today was a day to celebrate—he had finally received Bai Hua's "pardon" and could go home!

The concept of "home" was vague and cold to Yu Sheng in the past. In the old house, there was his father who terrified him and his estranged sister. Later, his sister moved away, and then he was thrown onto a small island that made him wish he were dead. Finally, he was rescued by Brother Lan. After that, he only had two places to sleep: a hotel and a place to stay with strangers.

Only Lu Chenyang's three-bedroom apartment was a place he would want to return to after being away for a long time. The moment the door opened, he was like a little animal returning to its nest, plunging into the sofa, greedily breathing in the familiar scent in the air, feeling that unparalleled comfort, safety, relaxation, and peace.

This must be what "home" feels like. It's so nice.

As soon as Lu Chenyang entered the door, he went straight into the kitchen. Young Master Yu had ordered spicy chicken, but Officer Lu ruthlessly rejected it, citing his recent discharge from the hospital and his still-healing leg injury. Seeing how pitiful he looked with such longing eyes, Officer Lu reluctantly relented and agreed to make a modified version, "Chicken Spicy," which involved painstakingly searching for chili peppers among the chicken pieces.

Finally finding some free time, Yu Sheng eagerly grabbed her phone, ready to enjoy the excitement of the CP (couple) supertopic. Just as her finger was about to tap the Weibo icon, a phone call came in unexpectedly!

Yu Sheng's heart instinctively clenched, and all her muscles tensed instantly. A huge shadow of fear descended upon her once again, fearing that it was that source of all evil again. Fortunately, it was Lan Zhong.

He breathed a sigh of relief and answered the phone readily: "Hello, what's up?"

Lan Zhong's cheerful voice came from the other end of the phone: "Ah Sheng, Lao Bai told me you were discharged from the hospital today. It's a pity I'm not in Beijing. I'll celebrate with you when I get back."

"Alright, Mr. Lan, let's skip this formality. Let's get straight to the point," Yu Sheng teased with a smile as she lay on the sofa.

Lan Zhong coughed and cleared his throat. "Okay, let's get down to business. My mom just called and said that Yu Zhengcheng was attacked in the US, but it has nothing to do with Dong Yao. It seems the investigation is only targeting him personally." Lan Zhong was obviously gloating, smacking his lips. "I wonder which kind person tripped him up at this critical moment. Although this kind of investigation is just a mosquito bite for Yu Zhengcheng, it won't hurt or itch, but it should be able to hold him back for a while before he can come back."

This was absolutely fantastic news! A surge of joy welled up in Yu Sheng's heart, and he almost immediately wanted to share the news with Lu Chenyang. However, just as he reached the door, he abruptly stopped in his tracks.

In the kitchen, Lu Chenyang was talking on the phone with his back to the door. His tall and slender figure, under the bright midday sun, inexplicably exuded an indescribable frailty and heaviness.

His shoulders slumped slightly, his head hung low, and one hand rested limply on the edge of the cold metal stove. Although the sunlight outside the window was bright and golden, Lu Chenyang seemed shrouded in an invisible, heavy cloud, blocking out all warmth and light.

Yu Sheng's heart clenched instantly, and she heard Lu Chenyang's tired and suppressed voice:

“I know… Brother Cheng! I’ve said it many times, I don’t agree! If President Chen still doesn’t budge… I’ll go talk to him myself.”

Something seemed to be said on the other end of the phone, and Lu Chenyang's body swayed almost imperceptibly. His voice was hoarse with disbelief, "Is...the contract still has three years left...being sidelined?...President Chen...did he really say that?"

He sighed deeply, a sigh that seemed to drain all his strength. The veins on the back of his hand, which was supporting him on the stove, were bulging. He looked utterly exhausted, as if he had been pushed to the edge of a cliff.

“…Brother Cheng…you know,” his voice lowered, “my family is still in the hospital…the medical expenses are not a small amount…I understand what you mean, but as for President Chen…I really…” He choked up, finally letting out a weak compromise, “…Okay, fine. Let’s talk in person in a few days.”