Ten minutes later, the distinctive sound of moving trucks approaching broke the peaceful silence of the villa. Tòumíng looked out the window to see Ài Fēng's convoy pulling up, the sleek white vehicles looking almost out of place against the luxury backdrop of Guanlan Lake.
Ài Fēng stepped out of the lead truck, still wearing that perfectly tailored crop top and silk skirt, his hair still defying gravity despite the drive. He paused when he saw the villa, his expression flickering with something, surprise, maybe jealousy, before settling back into his usual composed smile.
"Well, well," he called out as Tòumíng opened the front door. "Moving up in the world, I see! This is quite the upgrade from Prefecture Zing Residence!"
"Yeah, we got lucky with the rental," Tòumíng said, trying to keep his explanation vague.
The movers began unloading, carrying boxes and furniture toward the entrance, but Tòumíng stopped them before they could bring everything inside.
"Actually, we don't need most of the furniture," he said. "The villa came furnished. Just bring in the clothes, kitchen utensils, and personal items. You can leave the couch, the bed frame, all that stuff."
Ài Fēng's perfectly sculpted eyebrows rose. "Came furnished? How convenient. Must be an expensive rental to include high-end furniture."
"We worked something out with the landlord," Měi Nán said smoothly, appearing at Tòumíng's side. "Very accommodating guy. Really eager to make us happy."
The emphasis on "worked something out" made Ài Fēng's eyes narrow slightly, but he didn't press.
The movers adjusted their approach, sorting through boxes to identify which items were actually needed. It made the process significantly faster, no heavy furniture to maneuver up stairs, no need to figure out placement in rooms that were already perfectly decorated.
Forty minutes later, they were essentially done. Boxes of clothes, kitchen items, and personal belongings were stacked neatly in the designated rooms, the movers wiping sweat from their foreheads despite the villa's excellent climate control.
Ài Fēng supervised the final checks, ensuring nothing was left in the trucks, and then approached Tòumíng with that smile that somehow managed to be both friendly and predatory.
"So," he said, stepping closer into Tòumíng's personal space in a way that was becoming familiar and uncomfortable. "Do you need me to help you set up any furniture in the bedroom? Privately?" His voice dropped on the last word, loaded with implication, his hand reaching out to trail along Tòumíng's arm. "I'm very good with my hands. Very thorough. I could help you... arrange things."
Tòumíng's brain processed this at face value, an offer to help with furniture assembly.
"Nah, I'm fine," he said honestly. "The bedroom already has everything set up. The bed's there, the closet's built-in, don't really need to arrange anything."
Ài Fēng's eye twitched. Just a small spasm, barely noticeable, but his smile faltered for a fraction of a second before he forced it back into place.
"Right. Of course. How silly of me." His voice had taken on an edge, something sharp underneath the sweetness.
He turned abruptly and started directing his movers to pack up with increased urgency, his movements quick and precise, his usual languid grace replaced by something more clipped.
"All finished then!" he announced, louder than necessary. "Everything's moved in! Job complete!"
Měi Nán appeared from the kitchen where he'd been organizing utensils, a smug smile playing at his lips. "Leaving so soon? We thought you'd want to stick around, maybe enjoy the lake view? Or do you need to rush off for the money?"
The jab was deliberate, pointed. implying that Ài Fēng was just here for the paycheck, that his earlier flirtation had failed, that he'd lost this particular battle.
Ài Fēng's smile became razor-sharp. "Some of us actually run legitimate businesses, bestie. Unlike certain people who just... coast by on looks and luck." His eyes flicked to Tòumíng, then back to Měi Nán. "I'll bill you later. Standard rates plus... inconvenience fees for the short notice and distance."
"Oh, inconvenience fees?" Měi Nán's voice dripped with false sympathy. "How entrepreneurial of you. Charging extra because things didn't go quite as planned?"
"Professional standard practice," Ài Fēng shot back. "You should try developing some professional standards yourself. Might help with client retention."
They stared at each other for a long moment, the air crackling with passive-aggressive energy that made the movers exchange uncomfortable glances.
Finally, Ài Fēng broke eye contact, turning toward Tòumíng with one last attempt at maintaining composure. "It was lovely seeing you again, Tòumíng. I'm sure we'll be in touch soon. After all, quality moving services require follow-up visits to ensure customer satisfaction."
Before Tòumíng could respond that he didn't need follow-up visits, Ài Fēng was already walking toward his truck, his crew scrambling to follow.
The convoy pulled away with perhaps more speed than was strictly necessary, expensive vehicles disappearing down the curved road toward the main gate.
Měi Nán stood in the doorway, arms crossed, looking extraordinarily pleased with himself. "That went well."
"Did it?" Tòumíng asked. "He seemed kind of mad."
"Oh, he's furious. Absolutely seething. It's beautiful." Měi Nán's grin widened. "He came here planning to flirt his way into undermining our 'relationship,' got completely shut down, and had to leave empty-handed. This is the best day."
Tòumíng was about to respond when Měi Nán's expression shifted to something more neutral, almost businesslike.
"Anyway," he said, checking his phone, "I should probably head out too. I have my actual apartment to check on, some clients to message back, real life responsibilities and all that."
"Oh." The word came out before Tòumíng could stop it, carrying more disappointment than he'd intended. "Right. Yeah, of course."
"I'll crash here sometimes though," Měi Nán added quickly. "The pool alone is worth the commute. Plus you'll probably need help figuring out how to live like a rich person without looking like a complete fraud."
"Thanks for the vote of confidence."
"Anytime, babe." Měi Nán grabbed his designer bag. when had he even brought that? and headed for the door. "Text me if Háo Héng tries anything sketchy. Or if you get lonely in this giant house all by yourself. Or if you just want company. Whatever."
Then he was gone, calling a cab on his phone as he walked down the front path toward the gate.
Tòumíng stood in the massive, empty villa, surrounded by boxes of his belongings that looked tiny and insignificant in the vast space.
"You're sad," Cupid observed, his tone teasing.
"I'm not sad."
"You literally just made a sad sound when he said he was leaving."
"I didn't make a sound—"
"You absolutely did. A little disappointed 'oh' like a puppy watching its owner leave."
"Shut up."
"You miss him already and he's been gone for thirty seconds."
"I said shut up!" Tòumíng walked toward the kitchen, trying to ignore Cupid's laughter echoing in his chest.
He had a villa to organize. Boxes to unpack. A new life to figure out.
He definitely wasn't sad that Měi Nán had left.
Definitely not.