Each sip of amber-colored wine seeped gradually onto the tip of his tongue.  

The sweet, fragrant taste carried a faint melancholy, just like when he had drunk it at the manor. The lingering flavor on his tongue only made his throat thirstier with every swallow.  

He couldn’t remember which glass this was anymore. Around the sixth, or perhaps the seventh?  

“You really like this wine, huh? Is it good?”  

Xinlu had just finished changing and walked out, seeing Yuri holding several bottles of wine with an amused smile. While the other boy applied a few drops of disposable eye drops for his dryness, Yuri slowly asked:  

“By the way, how are your eyes?”  

“Huh? Oh, that so-called ‘healer’ my mom called over? A complete waste of money. That guy just plucked some roadside weeds, the kind anyone could find at a street market, mashed them up, slapped them on my eyes, then muttered some spell that sounded like nonsense. I almost couldn’t hold back my laughter. My mom’s face turned pale—guess she didn’t expect the ‘great master’ she invited to pull such a ridiculous stunt.”  

“They say when people are desperate, they’ll cling to the last straw.” – Ling Xinlu remarked lightly, as if it were nothing. His tone wasn’t the least bit annoyed; on the contrary, he seemed almost pleased to see his mother’s face go pale at the farce performed by that quack who kept harassing him with all sorts of charms and potions.  

Yuri nodded. “I see.”

Just like Ling Xinlu, he didn’t truly expect these folk remedies to miraculously cure his eyes—but at the very least, they gave him some peace of mind.  

“Next month, I’ll officially start my apprenticeship. I guess that’s why my mom’s so anxious. She keeps thinking that with my eyes like this, I won’t be able to work, so she’s always sighing: ‘How can you work with your eyes like this? How can you work with your eyes like this…….’ and then crying, which really…….”  

Ling Xinlu sighed and shook his head: “More exhausting than running a full marathon.”

But work? That was the very path Fei had been complaining about lately: “This apprenticeship is killing me”, and now Ling Xinlu was about to step onto it too.  

Yuri fell into thought. ‘This is probably going to be tough.’ He considered it. If so, Ling Xinlu would need someone to support him in every way. Though Yuri had worked under Kyle for quite a while and wasn’t without experience, he still lacked professional expertise. Someone like James would handle this much better.  

‘Maybe I should suggest bringing James back? …….But if I do, Kyle would probably tear me to pieces.’

Yuri sighed inwardly.  

Either way, it would be best to advise Ling Xinlu to find someone else.  

Now that Ling Xinlu had stabilized emotionally, Yuri didn’t necessarily need to stay by his side, especially since he wasn’t the best at professional matters.  

The contract still had time left, but the two could negotiate an early termination. Or, since there wasn’t much time remaining, he could try to offer a little more support.

Yuri looked up at Ling Xinlu. The boy had just tossed the empty eye drop bottle into the trash and turned back toward the sofa when he suddenly noticed Yuri’s gaze. Their eyes met, and Ling Xinlu tilted his head slightly with a faint smile. Yuri smiled back.  

That smile was still as radiant and gentle as ever. Beautiful and utterly endearing. Sometimes, the emptiness in Ling Xinlu’s expression sent a chilling shiver down Yuri’s spine, but most of the time, he was indescribably lovely.  

That was exactly why, when Yuri thought about soon returning to Berlin – where he truly belonged – a faint melancholy welled up in his chest.  

“Is it really that good? A bottle this big, and you’ve already drunk nearly half of it.”

Ling Xinlu pointed at the wine bottle Yuri was about to refill, the one received from Ling Tangyun, now nearly half-empty. The nearly tasteless, scentless liquor bloomed with a subtle fragrance as it touched the tongue, sliding smoothly down the throat. It was that elusive aftertaste that kept Yuri reaching for glass after glass.  

“Is it alright to drink so much at once? Someone who doesn’t usually drink must really like it to……. Here, let me try.”

Ling Xinlu lightly snatched the glass Yuri had just poured. He took a sip, silently savoring the flavor. Then another, and another—before he knew it, the glass was empty. Only then did he hand it back with a brief comment: “Hm. Not bad.”

“Tastes like tomorrow morning might come with a slight headache, but stopping feels like a waste once you start……. Still, half the bottle’s gone already. Probably best to call it here. This isn’t exactly low-proof, is it?”

“I don’t think it’s that strong.”

Yuri tilted his head slightly. Even after drinking nearly half the bottle, he still didn’t feel drunk, perhaps this was light enough for casual sipping.  

His gaze drifted through the wine glass toward Ling Xinlu.  

“I heard you’re about to take over the wine division?”  

“Probably. Did my big bro tell you that?”  

Ling Xinlu suddenly grinned, the faint creases at the corners of his eyes hinting at a sly amusement. His smile deepened, laced with a probing question:  

“When he found out I was taking it……. did he say anything?”  

“Nothing special. Just: ‘Ling Xinlu will definitely do well.’”  

“Oh, really?” – Ling Xinlu scoffed with a laugh.  

“Your eldest brother probably isn’t too pleased either. Rumor has it the Old Master cut his share much more than expected, pissing off both the third and fourth brothers. But well, Fei already handles another division—wine was never your eldest brother’s to begin with, so he couldn’t be bothered to fight for it.” – Yuri recalled Ling Tangyun’s distant gaze earlier. It hadn’t looked irritated, but it wasn’t exactly pleasant either.  

“Still, compared to the entire Ling clan fortune, the wine division isn’t that significant.”  

Yuri chose his words carefully. Though the wine business involved massive cash flow, weighed against the family’s other holdings, he didn’t think it warranted such a fuss.  

Ling Xinlu seemed to be growing bored with the wine Yuri had chosen, pushing it aside to reach for his own can of beer. When he heard Yuri’s remark, he raised an eyebrow and let out a sharp laugh:  “Ha!”

“It’s not that simple. It’s not just about the wine.”  

Then, muttering to himself: “You must already know, right?”, Ling Xinlu cracked open the beer and took a deep swig before continuing:  

“The Ling clan deals in many things……. things not meant to be spoken of openly. Most of it flows through the wine trade.”  

Ling Xinlu even playfully winked as if signaling: ‘That’s a secret, you know?’, though in reality the underground world knew it as clearly as broad daylight. Precisely because of this that Ling Tangyun and his brothers considered this a piece of prey not easily swallowed.

“Of course, my father won’t hand it all over at once. I’ll dip my toes in slowly first. If he decides I can’t handle it, he can take it back anytime.”  

Ling Xinlu smirked, his voice laced with sarcasm: “After all, I’m his beautiful and so precious son—of course he’ll carve out a fortune big enough for me to squander recklessly for the rest of my life and still not run dry.”  

Yuri didn’t respond, silently watching Ling Xinlu instead.  

The things that drifted along with the wine.  

The staggering sums of money changing hands—they were a double-edged sword. A colossal fortune, or an unimaginable disaster.  

How they were handled depended entirely on Ling Xinlu’s skill. Whether they became a blessing or a curse, whether he could truly manage that immense wealth…….  

“He’ll probably do just fine. Because ever since he was a child, no matter what was entrusted to him, he always exceeded expectations.”

Suddenly recalling Ling Tangyun’s whispered words, after a moment of contemplation, he shook his head and came to that conclusion. Perhaps after understanding the weight of this responsibility, and simultaneously recognizing his younger brother’s capabilities. This must have been the carefully considered conclusion Ling Tangyun had reached. Probably their father – Ling Houlong – had also arrived at the same decision after similar deliberations.

“But this type of liquor is quite strong. Doesn’t seem like it when drinking, but afterwards your stomach burns like fire. You still alright?”

Ling Xinlu, who had been sipping his beer, suddenly tilted his head and pointed at the liquor bottle in Yuri’s hand. Yuri, lost in thought, took a moment before looking up: “Huh?” And after another pause, he nodded: “Yeah.”

“I’m fine.”

Though he felt a slight burning in his stomach, that was normal when drinking liquor – he didn’t find it particularly strong or hotter than usual. Seeing this, Ling Xinlu said: “Is that so?” with a curious tilt of his head, then added: “If you say so” before resuming his beer.

“But drinking on an empty stomach isn’t good either……. Wait a bit, I’ll go get some snacks.”

“Huh? No, no need.”

“It’s nothing. I’m tired of just drinking beer anyway……. Let’s see, Mr. Gable prefers vegetarian food so how about a vegetable salad with tofu?”

Ling Xinlu set down his beer can and stood up decisively.

Yuri watched Ling Xinlu’s retreating back heading toward the kitchen, then refilled his freshly emptied glass with more liquor.

Ling Xinlu’s life had unfolded just like that. Only a few years ago, he would have been certain his career would take root at UNHRDO, never imagining he’d lay hands on the clan legacy! Though the possibility might have crossed his mind, he likely dismissed it as improbable. Yet now, he stood at the threshold of this preordained path meticulously laid before him.

Come to think of it, his own life wasn’t much different.

He never expected to join T&R, never thought he’d work in intelligence, certainly never imagined he’d return to T&R, and ultimately, never dreamed he’d find himself in his current position.

Everyone’s the same. Every single person.

No one can ever know what lies waiting just ahead.

Yuri’s gaze remained fixed on Ling Xinlu’s retreating figure.

Ah, that’s right, just one year ago, how could he have known he’d be living alongside someone so utterly endearing? Just as he couldn’t know where he’d be a year from now.

Only one thing was certain: He would taste tranquility beneath the water’s surface until death claimed him. That alone could be called a complete life, and he found that more than satisfactory.

If only Ling Xinlu could have something that certain too.

Though the future ahead remained hazy and unpredictable, there was one thing he could foresee with absolute certainty.

Yuri whispered a silent prayer. The liquor’s fumes made his eyelids grow heavy and sting with unshed tears.

“——Mr. Gable……. Mr. Gable?”

Someone seemed to be calling his name.

It took a long while for that familiar name to vaguely take shape in his consciousness as his own. Yet even when he realized it, Yuri still didn’t respond. Not because he couldn’t, but because he simply had no desire to answer. That name belonged to some distant world, utterly disconnected from him.

“——Oh god……. Didn’t I say just half a bottle? And now it’s completely empty?……. Mr. Gable? Mr. Gable? Hey, Yuri Gable?……. Are your eyes open, or are you still asleep?”

That deep, muffled voice sounded as if it came from another world—ah, yes, like an echo from behind a veil of mist.

And he himself was on this side of the clouds. No, within the clouds. A cloudburst over tropical seas.

So hot. Perhaps because he was inside the cloud, the stifling steam enveloped him, making the heat unbearable. Soon, the air grew so oppressive it was hard to breathe, and his breaths came quicker.

Not exactly uncomfortable. But too hot, too stifling, too exhausting.

Yes, exhausted. That restless, aching fatigue, as if a heavy weight pressed down on him, dragging his body deeper. Yet what choked him most was the heat.

A surge of fire rose from his gut. Like swallowing an ember. So hot. He could feel beads of sweat rolling down his nape.

Yuri sighed: “Too hot, too hot…….”, his fragmented murmurs melted into the scorching breath escaping his lips.

“——I told you so. That liquor is extremely strong—who told you not to listen and down the entire bottle in one go? Just wait a bit, you’ll feel better soon.”

From somewhere beyond the clouds, a clicking tongue echoed. “Soon—” whenever that might be, for now the stifling heat remained. He groaned, his face contorted. Beads of sweat continued to trickle down his back, his body, his face.

“——Good grief……. Are you burning up? …….Let me see…….”

The voice just clicked tongue already vanished somewhere.

Returning to the suffocating heat engulfing his body, Yuri let out a whimper and rolled onto his side. His cheek pressed against the floor, the fleeting coolness offering momentary salvation. But almost immediately, even the floor beneath him grew warm. He turned again, pressing his face against a cooler spot on the surface. Hands, arms, stomach—all clung desperately to the floor. Each time the wood warmed beneath him, he simply rolled to another spot, repeating the same futile motion over and over.

“——Ha really though, really is one spectacle huh……. Grilling squid huh? Lie still already.”

One sound “Hmph” burst out with a helpless smile, then that person came near and squatted right beside Yuri. That person turned Yuri’s body, lying pressed down on the floor, to lie face up again, then began unbuttoning each shirt button from top down.

Skin flesh exposed, air touched. Feeling hot and oppressive seemed eased a little bit. Right, if only stripped off all clothes right from the start and…….

But only for a moment, then that air also no longer eased the body burning up.

And then,

A sudden icy chill spread across his face. Unable to suppress it, Yuri startled and curled inward, but gradually relaxed after all those moments of pained whimpering.

The cold compress pressed to his face felt like a lifeline.

“Ah, so cool……. So nice…….”

His lips moved faintly in a murmur, and a soft chuckle seemed to answer him.

“——Feeling grateful now, are you? Of course you should be. I rarely accept help from others, let alone wait on them like this. You ought to thank me properly.”

The voice brimmed with arrogant condescension, yet couldn’t quite conceal its underlying care. The cloth lifted from his face and began wiping down his feverish body.

From his neck down to his chest, then gradually to his stomach. Each time the damp cloth passed over him, the cool water seeped into his skin before evaporating, carrying away the heat in soothing waves. It was as if it were quenching some deep, stifling thirst.

“Ah……. so nice……. A little more……. Here too. Here too.”

His body only cooled for the brief moment the cloth touched him before the heat returned, so he shifted slightly, pressing each part of himself closer to the compress. The voice attending to him let out a quiet, exasperated laugh: “Hmph.”

“——You’re really ordering me around like a servant now. Fine, fine. I’ll take good care of you.”

The voice muttered humorously without showing any sign of annoyance, continuing to wipe Yuri’s body. When the cloth grew warm, it would disappear and return with a fresh coolness.

Gradually, the stifling heat within him began to subside. The mugginess and scorching sensation remained, but it was far more bearable than before.

His body relaxed limply, muscles going slack. Like this, he might just sink into a deep sleep.

“——Feeling better?”

“Mm, better.”

“——You still feel pretty warm. But it must be better than earlier…….”

The voice suddenly murmured as if talking to itself. A cool, soft sensation touched his cheek—the back of a hand.

As if testing his temperature, the back of the hand pressed against Yuri’s cheek before muttering: “Still too hot”, while gently stroking his heated skin.

That soothing coolness felt so familiar, so comforting.

So Yuri turned his head, nuzzling his other cheek into that hand. A sigh of relief escaped him.

Suddenly, the voice paused briefly. The hand stilled. But undeterred, Yuri continued pressing his burning cheek against it. Even as the hand gradually warmed, its softness remained a comfort.

“——You like that, huh?”

For some reason, the voice seemed to lower. Perhaps gentler, yet slightly furrowed.

But the back of the hand didn’t pull away. On the contrary, it began softly stroking Yuri’s cheek and forehead. Those light and tender caresses.

So soothing. Languid. Comfortable. Though the lingering heat still clung to his body, even that warmth had transformed into a comforting, enveloping sensation.

“——Mr. Gable……. Are you high right now?”

Suddenly, the voice muttered as if in disbelief. A click of the tongue followed.

High. Though each word registered clearly, his muddled mind couldn’t grasp their meaning. He only felt his breath quicken within the pleasant, sweltering haze wrapping around him.

“——Just a few strokes on your cheek, a little wiping down, and you’re already like this……. Good grief. Is there something wrong with this liquor?”

“——Tsk” – The voice clicked its tongue again. After a long pause, no more words came. As if pondering what to do—or perhaps staring down intently.

Finding the hand against his cheek unbearably pleasant, Yuri let out a weary sigh and nuzzled his nose into the palm. A soothing fragrance drifted up. A familiar scent. And so, lightly, he pressed his lips to that palm, along with a warm exhale.

Instinctively, the hand twitched slightly. But it didn’t withdraw, remaining right where it was. A brief, delicate hesitation.

Then it melted into a softly spoken voice. A whisper by his ear:

“——I told you before, I hate serving others.”

When was that? Someone seemed to have said those words. The memory surfaced vividly, making Yuri suddenly break into a cheerful laugh. The gaze upon him seemed to linger on the smile that briefly touched his lips.

“——But then again, I’ve received so much from Mr. Gable that I figured I ought to repay you a little.”

That phrasing sounded familiar too. When had it happened? Who had said it?—The hazy memories flickered at the edge of recall before slipping away again.

As he struggled to remember, this soothing sensation made everything else feel unimportant, so Yuri stopped trying. Then, close to his ear, a voice that husky yet gentle whispered:

“——So……. consider yourself lucky.”