Fu Juncheng was just considering how to dispatch the person outside the door when Xu Jiaming’s words grew increasingly explicit.
“My technique is not bad, do you want to give it a try? What is so great about that old fossil Wu Jin, he has no romance or playfulness in him at all,” Xu Jiaming chuckled. “Besides, Wu Jin merely regards you as a substitute for Xu Yaozhou anyway. I am different, I will cherish you properly.”
Without a trace, Fu Juncheng glanced at Xu Yaozhou’s increasingly darkened face, then suddenly gripped the door latch and pulled the door open just a tiny crack.
Xu Yaozhou, standing behind the door, started in surprise, his brows knitting even tighter.
Fu Juncheng lightly pressed his fingertip against his lips, making a shushing gesture at him and signaling Xu Yaozhou not to move.
Only then did Xu Yaozhou lean back against the wall.
Yet his eyes remained fixed straight on him, as if he would immediately rush forward the moment Fu Juncheng did anything foolish.
Like a small beast guarding its food.
He was actually somewhat cute.
Fu Juncheng could not help tilting his head with a small smile. Confirming that the person outside could not see Xu Yaozhou’s presence, he then aligned his gaze with Xu Jiaming’s through that crack in the door.
Leaning behind the door, he showed no intention of stepping aside: “Is Young Master Xu drunk?”
Although he phrased it thus, there was not a hint of a question in his tone.
Xu Jiaming’s field of vision was limited, he could only make out a corner of the round bed inside the room, the heavy floor-to-ceiling curtains in the distance, and that smiling face close at hand, which happened to be entirely to his liking.
In this current setting, it naturally stirred the imagination all the more.
The playful interest in Xu Jiaming’s eyes magnified: “What do you think of my proposal just now?”
Fu Juncheng let out a soft response: “Hm?”
Xu Jiaming stated: “Whether you want money or resources, I can figure out a way to get them into your hands, as long as you like them.”
Suddenly, Fu Juncheng found himself a bit baffled.
Clearly, they were all members of the Xu family, how did brothers manage to turn out worlds apart?
One was a noble son of unblemished jade, pure and flawless.
The other looked high-end and attractive enough, yet was merely a slightly greasy second-generation heir drifting aimlessly through life.
They simply had nothing in common whatsoever.
Though he was inwardly muttering complaints, Fu Juncheng kept his expression completely composed while the corners of his lips curved upward, a heavy hint of interest gleaming deep within his eyes: “That actually sounds pretty good?”
The moment those words dropped, Fu Juncheng’s peripheral vision caught Xu Yaozhou narrowing his eyes, staring at him like a thief.
A wave of unwarranted panic rippled through Fu Juncheng’s heart, and instinctively, his index finger reached up to rub the tip of his nose.
Then he wondered nonsensically, what on earth was he feeling guilty for?
Xu Jiaming did not notice the subtle shift in Fu Juncheng’s expression. His burning gaze remained fixed on Fu Juncheng’s face while, at the same time, his eyes lightly grazed the other person’s exceptionally tempting lips, the smile at the corners of his mouth expanding: “So, looking at it this way, you agree?”
“No,” Fu Juncheng replied. “I still feel like the two of us are not a good match.”
Xu Jiaming frowned, failing to understand how things were going so smoothly just a moment ago before suddenly taking a turn, and pursued: “Why are we not a match?”
Fu Juncheng drawled lazily: “After all, I am the one on top.”
Xu Jiaming blurted out in response: “It does not matter, as long as you like it.”
It was only after the words escaped his mouth that he instantly snapped back to reality, executing an abrupt 180-degree turn: “Wait, what did you say?”
Fu Juncheng was actually the one on top?
So Wu Jin…
How could that be?
Xu Jiaming’s expression grew solemn.
Tch, you really could not tell by looking.
Indeed, looks could be deceiving.
Half-believing and half-doubtful, Xu Jiaming met Fu Juncheng’s exceptionally earnest gaze during the hesitation, finding not a single trace of a guilty conscience.
After thinking for a moment, Fu Juncheng added an utterly thoughtful bonus: “However, Wu Jin cares deeply about saving face, so I advise you best not to go asking him.”
With that, Xu Jiaming watched as Fu Juncheng rather troubledly smoothed back that eye-catching grandma-grey hair, revealing his full, well-proportioned forehead, which made his brows and eyes stand out even sharper under the intoxicating, warm-toned lighting.
Xu Jiaming could not help feeling a twinge of regret.
It was rare to run into someone unconventional who also hit his exact preferences.
Yet…
What a pity.
The moment Xu Jiaming left and the door clicked shut behind him, Fu Juncheng finally could not hold it in anymore and burst into a fit of laughter, clutching his stomach.
Little punk, trying to play games with him?
He would drive them crazy!
Fu Juncheng could practically picture these second-generation heirs swapping drunken gossip tomorrow night.
With visions of everyone experiencing a sudden flash of enlightenment during a gossip session playing in his head, Fu Juncheng grinned from ear to ear, his eyes curving into slender crescents as he looked toward Xu Yaozhou: “You didn’t see Xu Jiaming’s face just now, it was hysterical! When the time comes, Wu Jin will definitely…”
Mid-sentence, meeting Xu Yaozhou’s slightly displeased face, Fu Juncheng’s laughter instantly died in his throat.
Xu Yaozhou even bit his lip with a hint of reproach, his tone helpless and cornered: “Brother…”
Fu Juncheng snapped straight up. The person who had been all smiles just a moment ago lost all sound, his expression turning blank as he furrowed his brows: “What is wrong?”
Xu Yaozhou hesitated before voicing: “You and Wu Jin, he…”
Xu Yaozhou trailed off with that unfinished sentence, but Fu Juncheng caught on immediately.
Seeing this kid look so wronged, could it be that…
He was jealous?
Right!
That had to be it!
When he spoke ill of Wu Jin last time, this kid was not happy either and had secretly sulked with him.
Other people could be brushed aside, since Fu Juncheng never cared to meddle in extraneous matters anyway.
Yet it just had to be Xu Yaozhou.
Carrying the mindset of an elderly father, the more Fu Juncheng thought about it, the more worried he became, terrified that Xu Yaozhou might blindly trust Wu Jin and repeat the same tragic path.
Rather than doing nothing, he might as well go all out. Fu Juncheng simply stated: “Even though Wu Jin treats you well for now, you must never fall for his tricks.”
Never expecting Fu Juncheng to suddenly blurt out such a remark, Xu Yaozhou froze.
Fu Juncheng continued: “Let me put it this way for you, Wu Jin has some violent tendencies, and he is quite perverted in bed. He loves playing that whole confinement game, and I think you deserve better.”
As he spoke, Fu Juncheng figured that revealing a tiny bit of the original novel’s plot shouldn’t matter, right?
After all, guiding the beauty shou back onto the right path early on was what truly mattered!
He watched as Xu Yaozhou stood stunned for a long while. As Fu Juncheng’s words trailed off, his pupils dilated in shock, and it took him quite a while to pull his wits back together.
His very first reaction was to take a large step forward, grip Fu Juncheng’s wrists tightly, and inspect him up and down multiple times, his voice trembling imperceptibly: “Brother, you…”
Fu Juncheng: “?”
Fu Juncheng, completely clueless, let Xu Yaozhou maneuver him however he pleased.
Xu Yaozhou lowered his gaze, his eyes silently darkening: “Then, on Brother’s body, are there any injuries?”
Fu Juncheng: “???”
Injuries?
What injuries?
Dawning realization hit Fu Juncheng. Grasping the implication behind Xu Yaozhou’s words, his face instantly felt as though it were on fire, and he hastily stammered: “Of course not!”
Perhaps reacting too strongly, Xu Yaozhou paused the hand holding him, a suspicious look crossing his eyes.
Their gazes locked, and Fu Juncheng’s heart skipped a beat.
No, he had to nip this budding tragic romance right in the cradle!
Let him misunderstand if he must, as long as nobody died, it was fine.
Clearing his throat a few times, Fu Juncheng mumbled vaguely: “Wu Jin certainly wanted to do that sort of thing…”
Xu Yaozhou was clearly dumbfounded for a second.
Under Xu Yaozhou’s chillingly cool gaze, Fu Juncheng’s voice grew softer and softer: “But I didn’t let him.”
Xu Yaozhou: “…”
Fu Juncheng: “You see, I am not a fan of being too rough.”
Xu Yaozhou: “…”
Fu Juncheng: “It is still better when things are a bit more gentle.”
Xu Yaozhou: “…”
After a brief, quiet silence, Xu Yaozhou suddenly released his grip, switching to gently tugging at the sleeve of his shirt.
He could hear his own voice tightening, as though desperately suppressing something: “Brother, stop liking Wu Jin.”
Fu Juncheng: “Hm?”
Xu Yaozhou: “I…”
Before Xu Yaozhou could finish his sentence, with a sharp snap, the surroundings plunged into complete darkness.
“What the heck!”
The situation arrived so abruptly that Fu Juncheng was startled, instinctively wrapping his arms around Xu Yaozhou’s forearm.
Xu Yaozhou’s entire body stiffened slightly for just the blink of an eye before returning to his usual posture.
He lowered his eyelids slightly, concealing his obscure and unfathomable gaze within the blurred, hazy night.
After a fleeting moment of silence, Xu Yaozhou imperceptibly leaned closer to Fu Juncheng’s side, letting Fu Juncheng hold onto him even tighter.
“It looks like there is a blackout,” Xu Yaozhou said.
Fu Juncheng nodded, replying with a single syllable after a moment: “Oh.”
Xu Yaozhou thoughtfully studied the vague, indistinct silhouette of the person beside him and asked softly, as though terrified of startling the other person: “Is Brother afraid of the dark?”
“Of course not!” Fu Juncheng answered without a second’s hesitation.
As soon as the words left his mouth, he realized how much they sounded like a weak excuse.
Utterly contradicting his own words.
Not cool at all.
Hesitating for a few seconds, Fu Juncheng puffed out his chest and stated righteously:
“I am just afraid of ghosts.”