Running Roughshod

In high school, Guan Zuo was a bookworm who was ostracized and bullied by his entire class. Liang Qiong transferred in during his sophomore year and was loved by everyone, constantly surrounded by admirers.

Though they were in the same class, they had no connection at first. If nothing unexpected happened, they probably would have graduated without even remembering each other's names.

Back then, Guan Zuo was beset by trouble. He was withdrawn, stubborn, and refused to give in. He had a tenacious vitality and fought tooth and nail against a whole world that hated him.

But after a PE class, Guan Zuo suddenly realized that the only person those people feared, the only one who could pull him out of the mire, was Liang Qiong.

The gap between their social standings had yet to become apparent in those days, and it seemed as though Guan Zuo and Liang Qiong really could stand shoulder to shoulder.

But Guan Zuo knew his classmates had never thought more highly of him just because he could stand beside Liang Qiong. They had merely stopped making their malice so obvious out of consideration for Liang Qiong's pride.

Still, that was enough.

To survive, he pledged his loyalty to Liang Qiong and poured out his heart to him, yet when they reached a fork in the road, he fled without a moment's hesitation.

After graduating from high school, the two fell out completely.

No one was surprised by Guan Zuo's betrayal. He was vile by nature, and Liang Qiong had simply been too kind, letting himself be deceived by a petty man.

Liang Qiong said coldly, "Don't show your face in front of me again. Don't come begging me for help."

Guan Zuo was tougher than ever before as he replied, "Your help only made me fall into another abyss."

After that, Liang Qiong went abroad and did not return for years. Guan Zuo lost touch with him and stopped keeping up with his whereabouts. He only heard by chance that Liang Qiong seemed to have changed a lot, and that someone new had become exceptionally close to him.

A few more years passed, and they met again at an underground auction.

Liang Qiong sat behind a desk in a private room. In the middle of the room stood an exquisite iron cage carried in by the staff. Locked inside was the lover he had just bought.

Liang Qiong was in a video conference, his gaze fixed on the work documents in his hands the whole time.

He had become far more mature than he was as a teenager. His expression was calm, and the way he treated Guan Zuo made it seem as if he had put everything behind him.

They might as well have been old friends reuniting after years apart.

Until Guan Zuo silently crawled on his knees to Liang Qiong's feet and reached for his waist...

Liang Qiong's composure shattered in an instant. He angrily grabbed Guan Zuo's face, unmistakable disappointment in his eyes, then shut his laptop the very next second.

The meeting was cut short.

Afterward, employees speculated about the reason. They said that just before Mr. Liang disconnected from the meeting, he seemed to be demanding an explanation. Piecing together the fragments each of them had heard, they came up with two sentences:

"How did you end up like this?"

"I'm not that kind of person."

1. Happy ending. From school to adulthood, second chances at love, melodrama, kept lover, and a groveling pursuit after the breakup. No intentional turning a straight man gay.

2. Elite, wealthy, straight seme Liang Qiong x lowly, weed-like uke Guan Zuo

Theme: Work hard, live simply, and strive through hardship.