What's Wrong with This Alpha? - Chapter 60

Chapter 60 – I’ll Just Rub it, I won’t…

“Beep!”

Jiang Wangshu took his phone away from his ear. “Why did he hang up? I haven’t finished talking.”

He looked up and smiled apologetically. “Sorry, let’s find a place to eat first. I’ll send them the location. Secretary Sheng—oh, that’s Sheng Yunze—will be here soon.”

Luo Yunshan’s expression was unnatural, and upon closer inspection, his face was pale.

Jiang Wangshu found a quiet Thai restaurant near the bar. After they sat down, Zhou Yao gave him a knowing look.

Jiang Wangshu spoke up. “I didn’t realize your childhood friend was Sheng Yunze.”

He deliberately omitted the words “white moonlight.”

A waiter poured tea for the three of them. Luo Yunshan’s gaze returned from the rooftop garden visible through the floor-to-ceiling windows.

“Our mothers were classmates in college,” Luo Yunshan explained.

Could this be some feudalistic arranged marriage nonsense? Jiang Wangshu wondered.

Fortunately, Luo Yunshan didn’t mention anything like that and quickly asked, “Did Yunze-gege go to your school?”

Wow, so he calls him Yunze-gege, Jiang Wangshu thought.

“We were in the same class at Second High School. Sheng Yunze was our League Branch Secretary,” Jiang Wangshu said. “Duan Yi was our Class President.”

Luo Yunshan’s complexion improved slightly. “Then… why was Yunze-gege in such a hurry earlier? Why did he take Duan Yi away?”

Jiang Wangshu didn’t know how to tell the young Omega, “That’s right, Duan Yi is now your sister-in-law.”

Feeling it would be cruel, he stopped himself, deciding to wait for Duan Yi to return and explain himself.

“Honestly, I have no idea either,” Jiang Wangshu said. “I’m still trying to figure out why Secretary Sheng would come to a bar.” His own worldview had been shaken today.

Zhou Yao winked at him, and Jiang Wangshu immediately understood the hint. He changed the subject, steering the conversation away from Sheng Yunze and launching into a rambling discussion about amusing news stories from China.

Luo Yunshan hadn’t been back to China in years, and Jiang Wangshu was a master of tall tales. Before long, Luo Yunshan was captivated by Jiang Wangshu’s exaggerated and outlandish news stories.

Under the flickering neon lights of the night, Duan Yi insisted on dragging Sheng Yunze to change into a new outfit before heading to the restaurant.

In an instant, the biker chick look was gone, replaced by a model student vibe.

Duan Yi himself tried on ten outfits, dissatisfied with each one. Sheng Yunze leaned against the wall, holding the clothes for him, looking every bit like a man accompanying his girlfriend on a shopping trip.

Several groups of people came and went from the store, and each couldn’t help but steal glances at Sheng Yunze.

By the time Duan Yi finally chose an understated yet sophisticated outfit, Jiang Wangshu and the others had already started eating.

Sheng Yunze’s eyes lit up when he saw Duan Yi emerge, but he offered no compliments.

Duan Yi hadn’t really dressed up for Sheng Yunze; his main goal was to outshine his rival. He couldn’t afford to lose face.

As soon as they sat down at the restaurant, Luo Yunshan’s eyes were glued to Sheng Yunze.

Duan Yi greeted him, but Luo Yunshan completely ignored him, turning to Sheng Yunze and saying, “Yunze-gege.”

Sheng Yunze lifted his eyelids slightly, scrutinizing Luo Yunshan’s face. He had absolutely no recollection of him.

Duan Yi was seething with jealousy, but he maintained a calm facade. He couldn’t let his guard down now.

Jiang Wangshu, noticing the cute bandage on Duan Yi’s face, began tapping out a secret code, “Pipipi!”

Duan Yi leaned closer. “What?”

Jiang Wangshu whispered, “They’re the real deal—childhood sweethearts! Their mothers knew each other. Do you know what kind of plot this is? It’s the ‘betrothed at birth’ trope!”

Duan Yi raised an eyebrow. “What kind of feudal garbage is that?”

Jiang Wangshu couldn’t resist poking the bandage on Duan Yi’s cheek. “Why do you have this thing on your face again?”

If Sheng Yunze hadn’t bitten me, would I even need it? Duan Yi thought. “Mind your own business.”

Looking up, Luo Yunshan spoke with flushed cheeks and teary eyes, his voice trembling with excitement. “Yunze-gege, do you remember me? We used to play together in Beijing when we were little.”

Duan Yi’s jealousy flared. Oh, how touching. What a deep connection.

Sheng Yunze genuinely couldn’t remember who Luo Yunshan was.

His memory wasn’t poor; it was too good. Everything worth remembering, and everything that wasn’t, was meticulously organized in the memory palace within his mind.

Sheng Yunze had a large mental box dedicated to Duan Yi, filled with every trivial detail of their past—mostly old scores from Duan Yi’s middle school days when he was dating Nan Yi. Whenever he needed to settle accounts, he’d rummage through this box. This was what Duan Yi found so baffling, how could Sheng Yunze recall exactly what he’d said on a specific second of a specific minute of a specific hour last week and bring it up again?

Still, even though he couldn’t remember Luo Yunshan…

Watching Duan Yi’s jealous expression was quite satisfying.

After all, Jiang Wangshu’s earlier remark about the “ancestral peach soda washboard” was still stuck in Sheng Yunze’s mind, leaving him deeply resentful.

What do you mean Nan Yi knelt on it too? Sheng Yunze thought irritably. If I’m going to kneel, I’ll buy a brand-new one!

…He was completely missing the point.

“Oh,” Sheng Yunze said, feigning recollection with a flat expression. “I remember.”

Luo Yunshan’s eyes lit up even brighter, and he immediately began recounting childhood memories.

Sheng Yunze nodded absently, glancing at Duan Yi to see if he was jealous. Instead, he found Duan Yi huddled close to Zhou Yao, their heads nearly touching as they whispered intently.

“Duan-ge, that’s low! I asked you to help me get with my crush, and you bring over his damn white moonlight! Are you even human?!” Zhou Yao’s anger made his head spin, especially after seeing Sheng Yunze and Luo Yunshan chatting so amicably. He rolled his eyes, ready to faint.

“Are you human?!” Duan Yi retorted indignantly. “I should be asking you—what’s the meaning of bringing my boyfriend’s old flame right in front of him?”

Zhou Yao froze. “Boyfriend?”

His mouth dropped open in a perfect O. “H-h-h-he’s your boyfriend?!”

Regaining his composure, Zhou Yao exclaimed, “Sheng Yunze is an Omega? Holy shit! I thought you had a fairy-like girlfriend!”

Duan Yi sighed. “Who told you that?”

Suddenly, Zhou Yao’s heart soared. His crush’s white moonlight already had a boyfriend—could anything be more thrilling?

Though he couldn’t quite figure out how his “sister-in-law” had become his “brother-in-law,” Zhou Yao was ecstatic.

He clapped Duan Yi on the shoulder. “You’re a true bro.”

Duan Yi was exasperated. “Get lost!”

Zhou Yao, in high spirits, slung an arm around Duan Yi’s shoulder and gave him a vigorous shake. “I owe you big time today!”

“Hey!” Sheng Yunze appeared behind them, his expression dark.

Startled, Zhou Yao’s hand jerked away from Duan Yi, who stumbled sideways into Sheng Yunze’s arms.

“Had enough?” Sheng Yunze’s voice was icy.

Zhou Yao glanced innocently at Duan Yi. “Huh?”

Sheng Yunze’s voice could have frozen water. “Why not share with the rest of us? What’s so secret you need to whisper face-to-face? Why not just kiss and be done with it? No one would hear!”

“I didn’t…” Duan Yi began.

“I saw it,” Sheng Yunze cut him off coldly.

Then, as if handling a cat, he grabbed Duan Yi by the back of his collar and yanked him from the outer seat to his own side.

Luo Yunshan chuckled. “Yunze-gege, your classmates… you’re really close.”

Duan Yi flailed in protest, but Sheng Yunze pinned him down with one hand.

Jiang Wangshu tried to smooth things over. “The food’s here! Let’s eat!”

Duan Yi, who had been sitting on the outside, now found himself by the window, with Sheng Yunze on his right. He was effectively isolated.

The first dish was a shrimp pot. When the lid was lifted, a fragrant aroma filled the air. Duan Yi, who had been starving all afternoon, instantly lit up.

He completely forgot about settling the score with Sheng Yunze, urgently whispering, “I want this! I want this!”

Sheng Yunze chuckled, “Pig.”

The shrimp were large and scalding hot. Duan Yi, eager to eat, bit into the one Sheng Yunze placed in his bowl.

He immediately spat it out, sticking out his tongue and cursing inwardly, Damn, that’s hot!

Luo Yunshan sat diagonally across from Duan Yi, peeling his shrimp with graceful, deliberate movements that exuded an indescribable elegance.

Duan Yi suddenly felt awkward, especially when Luo Yunshan glanced at him and then at the shrimp he had bitten and tossed back into his bowl. Duan Yi could have sworn he detected a hint of mockery in Luo Yunshan’s eyes.

After peeling his shrimp, Luo Yunshan asked Sheng Yunze, “Yunze-gege, would you like one?” He offered his shrimp to Sheng Yunze.

Jiang Wangshu exclaimed, “Holy shit!” and immediately intervened. As Xiaoduan’s best wingman, he declared to Luo Yunshan, “Xiaoluo, Sheng Yunze is a bit of a germaphobe. He doesn’t eat shrimp peeled by others.”

Zhou Yao was likely annoyed at seeing his romantic rival, especially since Luo Yunshan had peeled shrimp and placed it in someone else’s bowl—someone even more handsome than him.

Unfortunately for him, Sheng Yunze ignored him completely.

Luo Yunshan’s chopsticks paused in mid-air for a few seconds before he awkwardly set them down, forcing a smile. “My apologies. I didn’t realize Yunze-gege had a thing about cleanliness.”

Duan Yi chimed in, “That’s true. Childhood friendships fade. People change as they grow up. You two haven’t seen each other in over a decade, have you?”

Luo Yunshan’s forced smile deepened. He subtly countered, “Actually, Auntie Sheng mentioned this on the phone recently. She asked me to visit her when I return to China.”

Duan Yi rested his chin on his hand, his silver bracelet sliding down his wrist with the movement, adding an unexpected touch of charm. He blinked innocently. “Really? You should let me know in advance. I’d love to host you properly.”

Luo Yunshan’s chopsticks slipped from his grip, clattering against the porcelain dish.

Jiang Wangshu: Holy shit…

He was stunned.

A master at work.

This is a true battle of wits.

“Duan-ge, what does this mean?” Luo Yunshan whispered.

“Oh, nothing much,” Duan Yi replied casually. “I just forgot to mention earlier—Sheng Yunze and I are dating. Since you’re his friend, you’re my friend too now.”

Luo Yunshan’s face turned as white as a sheet. Though he had suspected Duan Yi and Sheng Yunze’s relationship was more than just ordinary classmates, intuition was one thing, hearing it confirmed was another.

Luo Yunshan forced a smile. “I’m sorry… I didn’t know.” He glanced at Duan Yi, his voice softening. “Duan-ge, you don’t mind, do you?”

What would I mind? Duan Yi thought. Exactly! Brother minds terribly! I wish I could pack you up right now and send you packing!

This was infuriating.

“My feelings for Yunze-gege…” Luo Yunshan continued, “it’s just my own one-sided crush. Please don’t take it to heart.”

“I’m not,” Duan Yi replied, tossing a shrimp from his bowl to Sheng Yunze. “There are plenty of people with crushes on him. If I took every one to heart, I’d never get any studying done.”

Jiang Wangshu chimed in eagerly, “Exactly, Xiaoluo! We should be the ones telling you not to take it to heart. After all, the line of lovelorn souls from Second High School alone could stretch from here to the Great Wall. One more or less makes no difference. Just adjust your mindset! On the path of unrequited love, you’ll always find fellow travelers! As long as life goes on, unrequited love will never cease. Not everyone can be the special one!”

Zhou Yao’s brow twitched. He elbowed Jiang Wangshu hard, warning, “Enough already, you jerk!”

Luo Yunshan’s eyes reddened. Zhou Yao stammered, “Uh, I didn’t know my friend…”

“It’s okay,” Luo Yunshan said. “I’m feeling a bit unwell. I’ll head out.”

Before leaving, he looked directly at Sheng Yunze, his gaze lingering, hesitant, and filled with a mix of shyness and vulnerability. If Duan Yi were still the Alpha he used to be, that look alone would have made his knees buckle.

But as it happened, Luo Yunshan’s gaze landed on Sheng Yunze meticulously peeling a shrimp that Duan Yi had bitten into. After peeling it, Sheng Yunze popped it into his own mouth. Then he picked up an even larger shrimp, peeled it, and fed it to Duan Yi.

Luo Yunshan: …

What the hell happened to his supposed germaphobia?

Gritting his teeth in fury, he fled in tears.

Duan Yi clapped his hands. “Let’s get together again soon!”

Zhou Yao glared helplessly at Duan Yi, then greeted him, “Duan-ge, my revered Duan-ge, can you please stop causing me so much trouble?”

Duan Yi retorted, “Aren’t you grateful? Without my dashing charm and boundless charisma, do you think you could have poached someone from under Sheng Yunze’s nose? You owe me a meal.”

Zhou Yao reluctantly promised to make it up next time and hurried after Luo Yunshan’s retreating figure.

Jiang Wangshu put on an act of answering a phone call, muttering “uh-huh” and “yeah” for a while before excusing himself and slipping away like a greased pig.

Neither Duan Yi nor Sheng Yunze had eaten much during the meal. Now, only the two of them remained at the table, silent.

Duan Yi huffed, resolving to settle the score with Sheng Yunze after finishing his meal.

But the food was too delicious, and he ended up stuffed.

By the time Duan Yi remembered his plan, he was slumped over the table, too full to move.

Sheng Yunze laughed unrestrainedly, making Duan Yi feel utterly humiliated. His face flushed crimson.

“What the hell are you laughing at?” Duan Yi snapped. “Never seen anyone get stuffed before?”

Sheng Yunze stopped mocking him. As the waiter cleared the table, he propped his head on his hand and watched Duan Yi with amusement. “Who was it who said they’d just have one more bite—the very last one?”

Duan Yi mumbled weakly, “Wasting… food… is… shameful…”

Sheng Yunze chuckled. “Still eyeing my plate? You’re drooling from across the table.”

Duan Yi silently retorted, It just looks tastier when you’re eating it. That’s why I wanted some.

Sheng Yunze pulled out a pack of digestive tablets. Ever since he started raising pigs, these had become an essential part of his travel kit.

Duan Yi stubbornly refused. “I can’t even swallow another bite!”

“It’s sweet,” Sheng Yunze said, chewing a piece himself to prove he wasn’t lying to Duan Yi.

Duan Yi reluctantly put a piece in his mouth and slumped back on the sofa, grumbling, “Why didn’t you say anything earlier?”

“To whom? That guy?”

“Your childhood sweetheart!” Duan Yi retorted.

“I don’t know him,” Sheng Yunze replied.

“Stop talking nonsense. You’re just trying to get out of paying me.”

“I’m not lying,” Sheng Yunze said calmly. “Even jealousy has its limits. Why don’t you mention your own childhood sweetheart, Nan Yi? Weren’t you two sweethearts in your first love?”

Duan Yi: …

Duan Yi suddenly changed the subject. “Wow, the weather’s great today!”

“It’s nighttime,” Sheng Yunze snapped.

Abandoning his usual arrogance, Duan Yi looked sincerely at Sheng Yunze. “Let’s make a truce. No bringing up the past, no holding grudges. Let’s just let each other go and not torture each other until we’re old and gray, okay?”

“No,” Sheng Yunze replied.

Yet he made no further mention of childhood sweethearts or first loves.

Sheng Yunze’s attention had shifted to something new and intriguing—namely, Duan Yi’s body. He rarely took his eyes off Duan Yi anyway.

“Show me your stomach,” Sheng Yunze ordered.

Duan Yi clutched his abdomen. “What kind of weird request is that? No way!”

Sheng Yunze dragged him closer. Duan Yi screamed, “I’m gonna die! I’m gonna throw up! Don’t touch me!”

It was clear Sheng Yunze was bluffing. When he really wanted to do something, he acted swiftly. He ripped open Duan Yi’s jacket to reveal a white hoodie with a kangaroo pocket, soft and warm, perfect for slipping his hands into.

Sheng Yunze shoved his hand into the pocket and poked Duan Yi’s stomach.

“You’ve gained weight,” he remarked casually.

Duan Yi’s face flushed crimson. “I haven’t!” he insisted stubbornly. “I just ate too much and feel a little bloated. It’ll go away once I digest it!”

Truthfully, he wasn’t particularly bloated. Duan Yi’s abdomen remained flat most of the time.

Occasionally, faint abdominal muscles would appear—evidence of his more frequent basketball games.

Other times, it would be soft and smooth—during his “hibernation” periods. Duan Yi was notoriously lazy in winter, preferring to sit rather than stand, and lie down rather than sit.

The slight bulge now was undoubtedly due to overeating.

“Let me see,” Sheng Yunze said, brooking no argument as he lifted Duan Yi’s white hoodie.

Duan Yi grabbed his wrist. “No!” he protested, blinking innocently. “I want to maintain a heroic image in your heart.”

Sheng Yunze retorted without missing a beat, “I don’t like heroic pigs. I prefer little piggies.”

Duan Yi’s ears burned crimson, his body trembling with anger.

As Sheng Yunze spoke, he began to lift Duan Yi’s shirt. Duan Yi’s strength was no match for his, and a strip of his waist was easily exposed.

Sitting in Sheng Yunze’s lap, with the latter’s chin resting on his shoulder and body leaning slightly forward, Sheng Yunze remarked, “You look quite pregnant like this.”

Duan Yi: …Fuck.

He was truly losing it, burning with frustration.

“Can you just stop?” Duan Yi struggled to free himself, finally managing to rip his shirt off. “Why are you always thinking about this stuff? What happened to your image?”

“Gone.” Unable to tease Duan Yi’s small belly, Sheng Yunze calmly pinched his cheek. “Give me a kiss.”

Duan Yi: “There’s still your tooth mark on my face. No way, unless you promise not to bite me.”

“Can’t.” Sheng Yunze stated flatly, then pressed a firm kiss to Duan Yi’s lips—a quick, hard peck followed by a nip at his lower lip. Duan Yi hissed in pain. “When do you turn eighteen?”

Duan Yi silently averted his gaze.

Sheng Yunze assessed his face. “Even when you’re eighteen, you’ll still look like a middle schooler.”

A vein popped on Duan Yi’s forehead. “Who are you calling a middle schooler?!”

“You look like a middle schooler. I’d feel guilty if I bullied you.”

“Fuck, is this my fault now?” Duan Yi stared in disbelief.

Sheng Yunze replied matter-of-factly, “Of course it’s your fault.”

He pinched Duan Yi’s cheek, seemingly enjoying it, and slid his hand down to his collar, as if tempted to slip it inside.

Sheng Yunze was filled with curiosity about Duan Yi’s body, wanting to touch every part, see every part, and study every part.

As his hand continued its exploration, he pulled Duan Yi into his lap, leaving him straddling his thighs in a half-dead state. “Stop messing with me,” Duan Yi groaned. “I’m stuffed. I’ll throw up on you in a minute.”

“You wouldn’t dare,” Sheng Yunze threatened.

Duan Yi muttered, “Why are you so overbearing…”

He rested his head on Sheng Yunze’s shoulder and asked, “What were you doing at the bar today?”

Sheng Yunze’s hand froze. “Looking for someone.”

Duan Yi eyed him suspiciously. “Why were you running? Who were those black-suited guys chasing you? Did you piss off some gangsters?”

His expression shifted through a kaleidoscope of emotions as his mind immediately conjured up a melodramatic scene, a mafia boss pursuing his runaway lover, perhaps…

Sheng Yunze: “Xu Liang used to buy Omega inducers at this bar. Back then, a guy called Brother Long got arrested, and now someone named Tiger Brother is selling them. I asked him for inducers and recorded the conversation.”

Duan Yi stared at him in disbelief.

Sheng Yunze: “I alerted the police beforehand.”

Duan Yi: “…Damn, that’s impressive.”

Sheng Yunze: “Was it really that difficult?”

Duan Yi: “It takes a lot of courage… and luck.”

He didn’t know if it was truly difficult, but anyone who dared to pull off something so audacious, causing such a commotion, definitely needed both courage and luck. Only Sheng Yunze could pull something like that off.

Sheng Yunze: “When the police take Tiger Brother away, they’ll investigate his transaction records. They can trace Xu Liang’s purchase history from there.”

Duan Yi: “You did this for me?”

Sheng Yunze: “Do you think I was trying to save the world?”

Duan Yi chuckled and let out a milky burp. “Ah, I’m just too charming.”

Sheng Yunze patted his waist. “But I’ll need your cooperation on Monday.”

Duan Yi: “What kind of cooperation?”

Sheng Yunze: “I won’t accept Xu Liang’s expulsion. I want him to go straight to jail.”

He changed the subject. “Still feeling full?”

Duan Yi nodded slightly. “A little.”

Sheng Yunze smiled brightly, like spring sunshine. “I’ll rub it for you.”

Duan Yi: “…Ge, your smile is kind of scary.”

Sheng Yunze placed his cold hand on Duan Yi’s warm abdomen and began slowly massaging it in a clockwise motion. He buried his face in Duan Yi’s shoulder and neck, like a cat seeking comfort. “Recharging.”

Whenever Sheng Yunze was restless or in a bad mood, he would often hug Duan Yi silently like this. It left Duan Yi feeling disoriented, with a bizarre delusion that he might actually be pregnant.

Sheng Yunze suddenly sighed dramatically, feigning melancholy. “I’m not feeling well.”

Duan Yi groaned in exasperation. “Why are you in a bad mood again?”

Sheng Yunze asked, “Duan Yi, when did you start liking me?”

Duan Yi blushed. “I… I…” He couldn’t pinpoint when his feelings for Sheng Yunze had begun. Was it in a parallel universe? Or during their third year of high school? After a moment’s hesitation, he whispered, “Third year.”

Sheng Yunze: “Weren’t you going to ask me who I liked in junior high?”

Duan Yi remembered, but Sheng Yunze’s expression made him uneasy. “It’s not really a big deal if I don’t know…”

Knowing only made it harder. If only I didn’t know.

Yet the thought of Sheng Yunze having liked someone else stuck in his heart like a thorn, causing him pain every time he thought about it.

“Do you remember when we took the high school entrance exam and everyone went to Attached Middle School?” Sheng Yunze asked.

Duan Yi nodded.

“Weren’t you taking the test on the third floor of the science building that day? There was a huge flowering tree nearby, and you were wearing a Cai He uniform with a Doraemon T-shirt underneath.”

Duan Yi’s eyes widened slightly.

“I saw you there.”

Duan Yi’s heart pounded violently. Combining this with Sheng Yunze’s earlier question, he felt his heart might soon achieve the lunar feat of jumping all the way to the moon.

“That… the person you liked was me… it was me… huh?”

Sheng Yunze hummed in acknowledgment, then abruptly changed the subject. “But back then, you were dating Nan Yi.”

A massive stone lodged itself in Duan Yi’s heart.

His mind went blank for so long that he couldn’t regain his composure.

Third year of junior high? That’s so early.

Did Sheng Yunze know about me that far back?

Unfamiliar memories suddenly surfaced in Duan Yi’s mind, flashing by so quickly he couldn’t quite grasp them.

Seeing his words had hit their mark, Sheng Yunze reverted to his usual teasing tone. “I told you, I’m in a bad mood.”

Duan Yi wasn’t just in a bad mood; his heart ached with a sense of inadequacy, as if nothing he could do would ever measure up to Sheng Yunze. “I didn’t know back then… Nan Yi and I… he said…”

He stammered, unable to explain himself clearly. Later, he realized explanations were pointless anyway.

Duan Yi’s relationship with Nan Yi had started when Nan Yi proposed it. Duan Yi didn’t care who he dated and wasn’t particularly fond of Nan Yi. He’d only agreed half-heartedly, figuring rejecting him would mean losing a friend.

The relationship hadn’t felt much different from their friendship, and their breakup was equally cliché. Duan Yi had felt embarrassed at the time but never considered getting back together.

If it were Sheng Yunze…

Duan Yi couldn’t even imagine breaking up with Sheng Yunze. If Sheng Yunze ever tried to break up with him, Duan Yi would tie him up and force him into a “domineering CEO” captivity scenario.

Sheng Yunze was so wealthy; if he dared to break up with Duan Yi, he would be ruined.

Duan Yi was determined to make sure Sheng Yunze couldn’t succeed in anything, forcing him to crawl back and reconcile.

The thought sent Duan Yi into a panic, and he even considered resorting to desperate measures, his own twisted thoughts startling him.

“Stay with me,” Sheng Yunze said. “I’m not in a good mood.”

This time, Duan Yi didn’t hesitate. He did whatever Sheng Yunze asked, following him back to the hotel.

Sheng Yunze claimed he just wanted to hold Duan Yi while he slept because he was upset. Duan Yi didn’t think much of it and awkwardly recounted his past with Nan Yi, sparing no detail, before swearing he would never rekindle that relationship.

But as Sheng Yunze held him, his gaze unwavering and his words sincere, he asked, “Aren’t you hot? Maybe you should take off a layer of pajamas.”

Duan Yi was swayed by his earnest expression. Sheng Yunze promised, “I’ll just hold you. I won’t do anything else.”

Okay, he seems serious.

Then, “I’ll just hold you and won’t do anything else” morphed into “I’ll just look, I promise I won’t touch” and finally into “I’ll just touch, I swear I won’t go inside”…

The next morning, Duan Yi woke up covered in kiss marks, his legs so weak he could barely stand.

He dropped to his knees right then and there.

Goddamn it.

Duan Yi was so frustrated he wanted to punch the bed.

Why the hell did he believe the bullshit promises of a seventeen-year-old high school boy in bed?!