Twilight on the Wasteland [Reborn]

Elegant, refined gong (Ji Mu) VS flirtatious, direct shou (Si Zhuxing) When Ji Mu was nine, his mother pushed him through the gates of the Ji family estate, transforming him overnight from an illegitimate son into the Ji family's third young master. He was discreet and quiet, and worked harder than anyone else. When the Ji Corporation ran into a crisis, he turned the tide. To everyone's astonishment, he rose to become the youngest leader in the Ji family. In a wealthy family, grievances ran deep. Ji Mu kept the company afloat, only to be framed by his own relatives and sent to prison. At the darkest moment of his life, he leaned against a cold white wall in the corner. Si Zhuxing opened the door, his eyes warm and smiling. "President Ji, since you have no other choice, why not work with me? I promise I won't disappoint you." Ji Mu fell silent. Si Zhuxing helped him up and led him out of the cold, gloomy room. Si Zhuxing was his confidant at the end of the road, and the most sincere person he'd ever known. Unfortunately, blinded by hatred, he failed to protect him and ended up destroying himself as well. When Ji Mu opened his eyes again, he was back at 27, the most glorious year of his life. Reborn, Ji Mu wanted to cut ties with everyone. Si Zhuxing was the one exception. But he never expected that, when they met again, the mature, steady, gentle, elegant friend he remembered, who used to steep goji berries in his thermos, would be drinking and beating people up in a rowdy, lavish bar, hitting hard and viciously. Even less did he expect that the person he'd tried every way to get close to after being reborn would one day avoid him at all costs. At 23, Si Zhuxing was radiant and flamboyant. He didn't like working, and he didn't like Ji Mu working either. His workaholic friend had given up and confessed to him. Ji Mu had a bit of a headache. He knew how to negotiate deals, but not how to date. On a night of scattered stars and a pale moon, a narrow alley lay in half-light. Si Zhuxing blocked Ji Mu's way, pinning him within arm's reach. His smile was charming and dangerous. "I'll teach you how to fall for someone! Fall only for me!" Ji Mu's heart skipped a beat. This was genuinely dangerous. A little inner monologue: Ji Mu: Love is a kind of ability. My lover is far braver than I am. Si Zhuxing: Everything that came before, and everything that comes after, where Ji Mu is concerned, is driven by my own selfish desires. Reading Guide: 1. This is an older gong/younger shou story. In the present timeline, the gong is four years older than the shou. 2. I'm not biased toward either gong or shou. I write according to the characters' personalities and what the story needs, and I respect them as I do. 3. The romance isn't angsty. In both lifetimes, the shou saves the gong. 4. Well, they're both a little possessive, especially toward each other. My next upcoming novel. If you like it, please take a look and add it to your favorites. Thank you, sending hearts! Title: Who Needs Their Boss to Bow His Head? Self-made, dependable, fatherly gong (Zhou Chi) Cold-hearted, sharp-tongued, beautiful, laid-back shou (Xu Yufeng) 1. Zhou Chi was born into an ordinary family. After graduation, he built his own business from scratch. By 28, he'd made a name for himself in Wujang City, a bustling commercial hub, and become a highly sought-after rising star in the business world. Xu Yufeng was adopted by a wealthy family. After the Xu family lost their biological son, they took him in as a substitute to ease their grief. Later, when their real young master returned, Xu Yufeng was beaten until his hand was broken and thrown out of the Xu family. When Xu Yufeng was down and out, two stories were making headlines in Wujang City. One was a high-profile interview with the brilliant young entrepreneur Zhou Chi. The other was gossip about the Xu family's genius adopted son, who had plagiarized and assaulted someone. At dusk, in an old alley, Xu Yufeng had a painting frame on his back and was about to set up a stall at the night market when a tall, handsome man in a suit suddenly got out of a black luxury car across the road. Through the stream of traffic, Xu Yufeng stared at him and gripped his painting board, giving a self-mocking smile. When the light turned green, the man hurried over to Xu Yufeng. "Yufeng, long time no see. Do you remember me?" "Zhou Chi." The idiot he'd kissed in secret when he was seventeen. "Good." Zhou Chi breathed a sigh of relief. 2. Xu Yufeng's brow twitched as he watched Zhou Chi laze around his rented apartment after work for three days in a row. Baggy shorts, slippers, canned cola, and an idiot who laughed from the beginning to the end of every movie. Xu Yufeng couldn't understand how the hell Zhou Chi had made a name for himself in cutthroat Wujang City. They hadn't seen each other in ten years. He'd thought Zhou Chi would have matured at least a little. "Yufeng, I need an assistant. Want to come work at my company?" "No." "Don't like the salary? Name your price." Xu Yufeng gave him a lazy glance. "The thought of working for the underachiever I used to tutor makes me miserable." Zhou Chi: "..." Xu Yufeng ended up becoming Zhou Chi's assistant anyway. Whenever he traveled or worked overtime by Zhou Chi's side, he cursed himself for being too softhearted. Zhou Chi, on the other hand, was delighted. He was a star out in public, but behind closed doors, he brought tea and water to his assistant and never acted like the boss. 3. Xu Yufeng didn't smile often, but when he did, he looked especially beautiful. Zhou Chi loved seeing Xu Yufeng smile, though he couldn't say exactly why. After the company annual party, the exhausted pair returned to their place. Zhou Chi asked Xu Yufeng what gift he wanted. Xu Yufeng raised an eyebrow. "Anything I want?" Zhou Chi was a little drunk. "I'd even take a knife for you." After saying that, he watched Xu Yufeng take off his watch and suit jacket, unbutton the top two buttons of his shirt, and suddenly lean in to give him a hurried kiss. "I want you, Zhou Chi." Zhou Chi was stunned and ran out the door in a panic. When he reached the elevator, he realized that the place he'd just run from was his own home. Zhou Chi spent two hours calming down downstairs. When he went back in, he saw someone lift his coffee and smile at him. The emotional defenses he'd built up over those two hours crumbled completely. Damn it. Xu Yufeng could keep not smiling if he wanted, but when he did, he was way too much to handle. If you have nowhere to go, I'll give you a place to call home. I'll stay by your side and help you find the courage you once lost. P.S. Zhou Chi is the gong, Xu Yufeng is the shou. The blurb is told from both perspectives, though the main story is from the gong's perspective, with plenty from the shou's as well. The blurb may be revised later. A Quick Guide: 1. The writing style leans realistic, and the overall tone isn't especially lighthearted. 2. I'm a dedicated CP fan. The protagonists come first, and I respect them. 3. Yufeng has had a rough past. He's not a perfect character. 4. They're not simps. They're simply in love. 5. Yufeng is smarter, while Boss Zhou is a good person with strong social skills. 5. 1v1, happy ending, both virgins, mutual pursuit. No switching the CP. Theme: Stand by each other, never abandon one another.