Gazing down at Shi Jun, Gu Xiulin felt his throat burn as if scorched by a blazing fire, and he swallowed hard. He had never expected Shi Jun to provoke him so audaciously, a realization that left him both startled and utterly exhilarated.
Unable to control himself, he wrapped his arms tightly around Shi Jun, drawing him into a fierce embrace. A burning intensity gleamed in his dark eyes, fully igniting his deepest desires and possessiveness. In that split second, he abandoned all remnants of rationality, willingly sweeping them both into an indescribable storm of passion. Once lit, the fierce ecstasy burned like wildfire, completely impossible to extinguish.
When the morning sun eventually cast its golden beams through the window, Gu Xiulin slowly opened his eyes. He glanced over at his side, a soft chuckle escaping his lips at the sight of Shi Jun half-reclining against the edge of the mattress, sound asleep and looking incredibly sweet.
In the warm glow of dawn, Shi Jun’s features radiated an irresistible sense of pure, tranquil innocence. Gazing at his sleeping posture, an indescribable wave of indulgence and protectiveness surged through Gu Xiulin’s chest. He reached out with absolute tenderness, lightly stroking Shi Jun’s hair before gently drawing him into his arms as if guarding a precious, delicate creature.
Sensing the movement, Shi Jun’s brows knit together slightly, though he didn’t wake up immediately. Gu Xiulin rested his hand against Shi Jun’s bare back, his heart skipping a beat at the radiant warmth radiating from his skin. His thoughts drifted unchecked over Shi Jun’s frame, unable to suppress the sudden, intense yearning for a deeper intimacy.
Leaning down, Gu Xiulin pressed his lips close to Shi Jun’s ear, whispering softly, “Shi Jun, you really are my heart-stealing little darling.”
Shi Jun’s frame shuddered slightly, but his eyes remained closed. Delighted by the reaction, Gu Xiulin darted his tongue out to lightly tease Shi Jun’s earlobe, deliberately stoking the embers of desire. As his touch grew increasingly uninhibited, his own pulse accelerated. He could feel Shi Jun’s skin growing scalding hot under his palms, as if an invisible fire was burning between them.
Suddenly, Shi Jun rolled over, cleanly evading his advances. A faint wave of disappointment washed over Gu Xiulin.
Slowly blinking his eyes open, Shi Jun muttered groppily, “You absolute beast. My body is completely exhausted from what we did last night.”
“I’m sorry, sweetheart,” Gu Xiulin replied apologetically, a brilliant smile on his face. “Let me rub your back for you.”
And so…
A month passed by in peaceful harmony.
Shi Jun glanced down at his ringing phone, an amused eyebrow arching slightly when he saw the caller ID: Shi Wen. After a brief hesitation, he ultimately pressed the answer key.
Listening to the voice on the other end, Shi Jun replied with a flat, detached tone, “Shi Wen, have you forgotten? I no longer have any connection to the Shi family. Why should I care whether he lives or dies?”
“Brother, don’t talk like that,” Shi Wen’s voice sounded noticeably anxious. “Father still keeps you in his thoughts.”
“Is that so? I remember clearly that when the old man kicked me out, his voice sounded exceptionally robust. He didn’t seem ill at all,” Shi Jun remarked, his voice dripping with irony. “Don’t tell me you poisoned him just to seize the Shi Corporation?”
“How can you think of me that way?” Shi Wen replied, his tone laced with helplessness. “Father wants to see you regarding his inheritance.”
Shi Jun offered no reply. He quietly listened to the end of the call, hung up, and immediately began packing his things to leave.
“What’s wrong?” Gu Xiulin asked, instantly picking up on the subtle change in his lover’s expression.
“Shi Yong is dying. They want me back,” Shi Jun answered without looking up. His face held absolutely no grief or sorrow for a dying relative; instead, his expression was filled with an expectant, playful amusement.
“I’ll accompany you,” Gu Xiulin declared.
After a brief preparation, the two arrived at the Shi family estate early in the afternoon.
“You’re finally here,” Shi Wen muttered, his gaze locking onto Shi Jun with undisguised resentment.
Standing right beside him, a man named Li Li firmly grasped Shi Wen’s hand, his eyes similarly overflowing with animosity as he glared at Shi Jun. Clearly, Li Li had already learned exactly what Shi Jun had done to Shi Wen. However, Shi Jun didn’t care about their glares in the slightest.
The moment Li Li’s gaze drifted to the man standing right behind Shi Jun, his pupils contracted sharply. He recognized that face instantly it was the crown prince of the illustrious Gu family, a business titan who held massive sway in the commercial world, controlling a vast conglomerate with influence spanning countless industries. Li Li had seen him numerous times in news reports and high-profile business galas.
Why on earth is he here? Confusion swirled violently in Li Li’s mind.
The heir of the Gu empire seemed completely out of place in this room, and his mere presence caused the tension in the atmosphere to skyrocket, turning it profoundly bizarre. Li Li immediately began calculating what kind of relationship could possibly exist between the Gu family’s crown prince and Shi Jun.
“Where is the old man?” Shi Jun asked calmly, casually brushing past them with a face as serene as still water, his voice flat and indifferent.
“Father is upstairs,” Shi Wen replied as he led the way up the staircase. He added in an apparently casual tone, “The doctor said he might not survive the night. He wants to see you one last time before he passes. By the way… who is this?”
Before Shi Jun could offer an answer, Gu Xiulin spoke up smoothly, his calm voice carrying an absolute, unyielding weight. “I am Shi Jun’s boyfriend.”
He stared directly into Li Li’s eyes, his expression completely open yet radiating a fierce protectiveness, as if announcing his absolute stance to Li Li and everyone else in the room.
Li Li’s heart hammered wildly as a turbulent storm of emotions churned within his chest. He had never imagined that Shi Jun could secure a boyfriend of such staggering social standing. Gu Xiulin not only held an irreplaceable position in the financial world, but his presence today was an explicit declaration of absolute support for Shi Jun.
As they neared the bedroom door, Li Li leaned in and whispered Gu Xiulin’s true identity to Shi Wen.
Shi Wen’s footsteps faltered instantly. His gaze darted from Li Li over to Gu Xiulin, a wave of complex, indescribable emotion flashing through his eyes. He had never dreamed that Shi Jun would manage to cling to such a powerful titan after being cast out of the family. Gu Xiulin’s sheer status posed a massive threat to him; he understood the terrifying influence and allure of a man of that caliber.
Unable to contain his bitterness, Shi Wen sneered sarcastically, “Shi Jun, you really do have incredible luck. The moment you walk out the door, you manage to cross paths with such a grand figure.”
Shi Jun swept a detached, chilling glance across Shi Wen’s frame. He replied with icy indifference, “Shi Wen, doesn’t someone seem perfectly fine with your shattered, broken body as well?”
The words struck like a sudden bolt of lightning out of a clear sky, causing Shi Wen’s face to drain of all color instantly. A volatile mix of pure rage and agony flared in his eyes, his deepest, most painful wound ruthlessly exposed by Shi Jun’s casual remark.