Seeing the blond hair reminded Lin Chen of Duke Howard and that inexplicable kiss on the polo field, but those weren’t the point. He began searching for the black panther.
Unfortunately, the black panther was elusive and not there.
When the most exciting part of the opera finished, the room fell silent. A bodyguard approached to ask for permission. At that moment, the Prince of Orange turned his head with interest, meeting Lin Chen’s gaze.
Young and handsome with a calm demeanor—that was the Prince of Orange’s first impression of Lin Chen.
Noble and elegant, the epitome of the older generation—that was Lin Chen’s first impression of the Prince of Orange.
Because the eye contact was so sudden, Lin Chen momentarily forgot the rule that commoners shouldn’t look directly at nobles.
Fortunately, the Prince of Orange didn’t mind. He had only heard that his daughter and her lover were on a date nearby and had a sudden urge to see Lin Chen.
So he sent someone to invite him over.
Lin Chen snapped out of his reverie, quickly lowered his eyes, and bowed to the Prince of Orange, saying, “Your Highness.”
His back was bent at a 90-degree angle for a moment, and then Lin Chen felt two gazes fall upon him, one of which… presumably Wenzel.
The Prince of Orange said gently, “No need for such formalities.”
Lin Chen straightened up, but still kept his eyes lowered, and heard the Prince of Orange ask him, “Are you Sandy’s lover?”
This question made Lin Chen begin to feel uncertain and suspicious. Had the Prince of Orange summoned him to get rid of the male vixen around his daughter?
He felt a little uneasy.
“No, Your Highness,” Lin Chen honestly confessed. “Madam Sandy is more like a teacher and an older sister to me. She’s very kind to me but there’s no romantic relationship between us.”
The Prince of Orange asked, “Is that so?”
Lin Chen nodded solemnly, so much so that he seemed afraid the prince wouldn’t see it. “Yes, I was just a listener.”
Upon hearing this, the Prince of Orange stared at Lin Chen imposingly for a long while, then sighed softly. Perhaps it was Lin Chen’s imagination, but he actually saw the words ‘anger at his lack of ambition’ in the prince’s eyes.
It must have been an illusion.
However, the Prince Orange asked, “Don’t you want to be Sandy’s lover?”
Lin Chen: “…”
Lin Chen was instantly bewildered. So he hadn’t misread it; that was exactly what the other person meant…
“Your Highness, I don’t want to,” he honestly shook his head. “Madam Sandy and I have a very good relationship right now.”
“Why?” The Prince of Orange looked at Lin Chen with scrutiny. “Because you’re Si Ang’s lover?”
“No,” Lin Chen said, “Mr. Si Ang and I aren’t lovers either. He treats me like a younger brother just like Madam Sandy.”
“I see.” The Prince of Orange had a sharp eye; he knew this boy wasn’t lying. He had already investigated the other person’s identity.
“Yes,” Lin Chen’s gaze was frank.
The Prince of Orange sighed slightly, looking somewhat disappointed, and then sized Lin Chen up and down several more times. He was indeed still quite inexperienced.
“Very well, then you can stay with Sandy as her younger brother. As long as she’s happy.”
“Okay,” Lin Chen replied, lowering his chin.
The Prince of Orange fiddled with a pocket watch, opening and closing it repeatedly, then looking at the ten o’clock mark. “In that case,” he said, “the rumors about you should be cleared up, including those about you and that brat Si Ang. What do you think?”
Lin Chen thought for a moment and said, “Brother Ang is doing this to protect my safety.”
The Prince of Orange nodded. “Don’t worry, you’re safe.”
Lin Chen felt conflicted. He understood; his identity as the ‘younger brother’ had now been officially recognized by the Prince of Orange.
His status would undoubtedly rise in the future but he felt no joy. He knew he was insignificant in the Prince of Orange’s eyes, and merely a tool to please Madam Sandy, used when useful and discarded when not.
“Thank you, Your Highness,” Lin Chen said steadily.
“This is for you.” The Prince of Orange offered the gold pocket watch he held as he smiled at the boy who was more than ten years younger than his daughter.
Lin Chen was flattered and stepped forward, accepting the watch with both hands. “Thank you for the gift, Your Highness.”
The Prince of Orange said, “It’s late, you should go home now.”
Beside him, Wenzel spoke up, “Your Highness, I must take my leave.”
Lin Chen turned around and quickly bowed to him. “Your Grace, Duke.”
Wenzel ignored the young man’s flattery, bid farewell to the Prince of Orange, and rose to leave.
Lin Chen also quickly said goodbye. “Then, Your Highness, I must take my leave.”
The Prince of Orange waved.
Lin Chen left the room, watching Wenzel’s figure disappear into the distance, and hurriedly followed.
The attendant deliberately blocked his approach, but he didn’t back down, insisting on walking beside Wenzel’s tall figure: “Your Grace, thank you. I mean, last time, you kindly gave me a ride.”
“Do you remember?”
At this moment, the bystanders in the corridor had already automatically moved aside, and only the soft, melodious singing of the female opera singer flowed through the air.
Wenzel, without looking at him, said, “You should thank Joe, that was its intention.”
“Of course, I’m very grateful to Joe too,” Lin Chen said sincerely. He had caught up with him to inquire about Joe: “Where is Joe? Didn’t it come with you?”
The young man persisted, and Wenzel glanced at him out of the corner of his eye before finally answering, “In the car.”
After the handsome duke left, the attendant draped a coat over him. He still held a stylish cane, tapping it on the slightly snowy ground of the winter night, waiting for the attendant to open the car door for him.
“Your Grace, may I see it?” Lin Chen remained standing beside Wenzel.
The other man remained noncommittal. Just then, the car door opened, and a lithe figure leaped out. The light golden eyes looked at Lin Chen, but the figure first walked towards Wenzel, nuzzling his leg submissively. Its gaze, however, remained fixed on Lin Chen, displaying both restraint and passion perfectly.
Wenzel patted Joe’s head. The black panther circled around him, its tail tracing elegant, alluring arcs, but its attention remained on the young man beside him.
Wenzel bent down and got into the car, leaving Lin Chen and the black panther on the roadside, exchanging a subtle yet blatant glance.
“Joe.” The master’s call made Joe turn around immediately, though its gaze remained fixed on only one thing.
“Get in.” Wenzel emphasized.
Lin Chen snapped out of his reverie, coughing awkwardly, thus ending his lingering eye contact with Joe.
Perhaps bewitched, or perhaps he discovered that Wenzel wasn’t as cold-hearted as he’d imagined, he boldly requested, “Your Grace, my car isn’t here. Could you please give me a ride?”
Wenzel glanced sideways at the distracted Joe, then at the polite young man, and generously said, “Get in.”
Lin Chen smiled gratefully, quickly thanked him, and got into the car, sitting in the seat furthest from the Duke.
Then Joe followed. All black, it became completely invisible in the unlit car; no wonder Lin Chen hadn’t seen it that day…
The scene of their first meeting flashed through his mind. With a sigh, Lin Chen secretly stroked Joe’s fur; it still felt so smooth.
Joe, touched, immediately turned its head, its tongue slowly tracing the surface of Lin Chen’s fingers.
Lin Chen, who had only intended to steal a quick pat, couldn’t help but smile, and wanted to vigorously pet the alluring leopard.
It was truly captivating.
“Your Grace, may I play with Joe?”
Lin Chen’s voice echoed softly in the unlit car.
After a long pause.
“Mm,” Wenzel said.
With the black leopard’s master’s permission, Lin Chen could no longer resist. He tightly embraced Joe’s neck and began petting it, first kissing its face twice, then burying his face in its chest and inhaling deeply. This was the feeling; he was bubbling with pleasure.
While Lin Chen was frantically petting the black leopard, Joe was also inhaling the scent and pheromones of the young man it had been longing for. It remembered that Lin Chen didn’t like it licking it, but its tongue couldn’t resist, and gently brushed against the young man’s fair neck, collecting his unique scent and pheromones.
Humans have lost the ability to identify their own kind by smell, but for animals, scent is crucial. Ignoring Lin Chen’s embarrassment, Joe pressed his nose directly and enthusiastically against a spot on Lin Chen’s body rich in sweat glands.
Out of the corner of his eye, Wenzel saw Joe’s entire head buried in Lin Chen’s clothes like a pervert.
He paused for a few seconds, then silently looked away.
While playing with Joe, Lin Chen realized he had unknowingly been pushed next to Wenzel, and Joe had taken the spot near the car door. His muscular upper body resting on Wenzel’s lap—it was too heavy.
Considering the comfort of his legs, Lin Chen carefully moved a little closer. If he angered the Duke later, he’d make Joe take the blame.
Finally, Joe had enough space, now only his head resting on Lin Chen’s lap, looking quite comfortable.
But when Lin Chen looked to the other side, his heart pounded with fear. Oh no, he and the Duke were practically pressed together.
The Duke seemed to be resting with his eyes closed, oblivious to Lin Chen’s presence. Since the Duke didn’t say anything, Lin Chen was happy to remain nonchalant.
He sat there contentedly, stroking the black panther with both hands.
Suddenly, Lin Chen felt a weight on his shoulder, and a cool scent wafted into his nostrils. Turning his head, he saw that the Duke had fallen asleep with his head resting on Lin Chen’s shoulder.
Looking closely at Wenzel from this angle at his still superior and handsome profile even in the dim light, Lin Chen remained silent, lost in thought for what seemed like an eternity, before casually shifting his gaze and continuing to stroke the black panther.
The two of them, one on his shoulder, the other on his lap, pressed Lin Chen down so he dared not move, afraid of disturbing the two gentlemen’s peaceful sleep.
Lin Chen recognized the driver as the same one from last time, thinking that the other should remember his address. No need to say anything, right?
However, upon reaching the intersection, he watched helplessly as the driver drove past.
He opened his mouth but ultimately no sound came out. Oh well, he wanted to spend more time with Joe anyway.
The car eventually drove into Howard’s mansion, which was more like a castle than an estate.
What puzzled Lin Chen was that the vast mansion was completely dark. Their car moved silently through the castle’s interior like a ghost.
The expansive courtyards and intricate gardens illuminated by the hazy moonlight revealed lush vegetation and towering buildings. With its thousand-year history, a solemn and imposing aura was palpable.
Standing there, Lin Chen suddenly realized he had stepped into the heart of the Howard family, a dynasty that had ruled for millennia, and that his reason for visiting was utterly casual—he’d hitched a ride and hadn’t had time to get out…
Lin Chen had imagined a retinue of butlers and servants coming out to greet him, but nothing happened. The driver simply stopped the car, remaining silent—clearly a well-trained professional.
“Your Grace,” Lin Chen called softly, not wanting to sit idly in the car.
No response. He raised his voice, “Your Grace, we’ve arrived.”
Wenzel’s eyelashes fluttered. He opened his eyes, sat up from Lin Chen’s shoulder, and his grey-blue eyes were no longer sleepy.
He stared blankly at the young man who had somehow moved so close to him, his mind blank for a few seconds. Finally, he rubbed his temples, which ached from being interrupted from his sleep, and warned, “Don’t disturb me next time I’m sleeping.”
The words of explanation swirled in his throat, but Lin Chen readily apologized, “I’m sorry, Your Grace, it won’t happen again.”
A servant opened the car door, and Wenzel got out. At that moment, the black panther also got up, stretched, and tugged at Lin Chen’s clothes, gesturing for him to get out.
Lin Chen was stunned. Shouldn’t the Duke have a driver take him home?
His home wasn’t far; a short ride would be enough.
After confirming that no one was offering to take him home, Lin Chen had no choice but to get out of the car and quickly catch up with Wenzel. He respectfully asked, “Your Grace, could you arrange for a driver to take me home?”
He wanted to say it wasn’t far, and only about ten minutes.
Wenzel seemed grumpy upon waking, and his tone impatient as he said, “We’ll talk about it tomorrow.”
Lin Chen: “…”
Looks like he’ll be staying here tonight. Good thing, he can pet Joe a little longer.
However, in this huge mansion, no one came out to greet him. He didn’t know where he should sleep, so he could only follow Wenzel.
Watching the other man enter a bedroom and close the door, he shrugged and turned to push open the door next door. It was a place similar to a lounge with everything one would need, and Lin Chen unceremoniously occupied it.
Joe also followed in, effortlessly sprawling out on a half-person-high platform.
Lin Chen realized, could this not be Joe’s room?
After looking around again, it really might be.
Next door, Wenzel returned to his bedroom, immediately taking off his clothes, trying to quickly fall asleep, still feeling drowsy from the car ride.
Wenzel usually had trouble falling asleep, and although he thought he’d be in good shape today lying in his familiar bed, he couldn’t sleep as usual.
Tormented by insomnia, the Duke considered for a moment, then silently connected with Joe in the next room. Instantly, Joe’s senses surged through him; he was incredibly happy, enjoying the comfort of being embraced and caressed with a contented purr escaping his throat.
Just moments before, Wenzel had been unable to lie comfortably, but now his soul seemed to have entered Joe’s body, playing and rolling around on the bed with Lin Chen, childish but joyful.
During this time, Lin Chen broke out in a light sweat, and his herbal scent growing stronger, his breath seeming to whisper in Wenzel’s ear, “Baby.”
A good night’s sleep followed.
The next morning, Howard’s mansion seemed to come alive. Groups of servants worked methodically, creating a sense of dissonance for Lin Chen upon waking to a crowd of people.
The leader was Butler Amber, who smiled broadly at Lin Chen and bowed deeply. “Honorable guest, I am Butler Amber, Duke Howard’s butler. Please accept my sincere apologies for not being able to entertain you promptly last night.”
“It’s alright, it was my fault for disturbing you,” Lin Chen replied with a flawless smile.
Servants brought in trays of clothes, shoes, socks, and toiletries—the service couldn’t be more thoughtful.
Lin Chen changed without ceremony. Upon exiting, he saw Amber again, and Joe, who had been missing since early morning. Joe seemed to have just returned from the fields, and was covered in dew and bits of grass.
Amber exclaimed, “Lord Joe!”
Lin Chen blinked and echoed, “Good morning, Lord Joe.”
The black panther glanced at the strangely-spoken young man, seemingly accusing him of mischief, then turned, hooked its tail, and led him forward.
Lin Chen followed, his destination a table laden with sumptuous food. At one end sat Wenzel, the esteemed Duke, dressed casually in a loose, dark sweater. With blond hair, blue eyes, and a strikingly handsome nose, he was a picture-perfect figure, exceptionally pleasing to the eye.
Lin Chen respectfully greeted, “Good morning, Your Grace.”
Wenzel looked up. Lin Chen was already dressed in the attire he had the butler prepared, fitting him perfectly as he had imagined. He nodded gently, “Good morning, please sit.”
Lin Chen glanced around. There were only two chairs at the table, one under the Duke’s seat and the other beside him. He sat down suspiciously. The distance seemed like he wanted to discuss something with him.
Yes, as a career-oriented person, Lin Chen’s first thought wasn’t about romance—that was impossible. Wenzel, with his status, could have had his way with anyone else; there was no reason for him to be involved.
So it must be something serious. Lin Chen ate while simultaneously listening intently.
As the meal drew to a close, Wenzel put down his cutlery, picked up the hot tea that a servant had just brought him, and took a sip.
“Lin Chen, I want to discuss a deal with you.”
“Now for the important matter.”
Lin Chen remained calm as if he had expected it. He put down his cutlery and wiped his mouth. “My lord, what is the deal?”
Wenzel’s expression was pleasant as he looked at the young man eight years his junior.
That morning, he had carefully reviewed the man’s entire file. Simple background, clean resume—he was fairly satisfied.
“I want you to be my lover,” Wenzel said.
Lin Chen’s fingers, which were gripping his napkin, paused. He immediately smiled and said, “Your Grace, are you joking with me?”
Wenzel glanced at him and continued, “Not a lover in the true sense. You don’t need to provide sexual services.”
Lin Chen was even more confused. What did he have that warranted?
No need for sexual services, yet he could obtain the status of Duke Howard’s lover, wasn’t that a perfect deal?
Or did the Duke have some indescribable fetish? Lin Chen looked at him warily.
Wenzel easily saw through Lin Chen’s thoughts and patiently said, “I do have some special requests.”
Lin Chen looked at him with an “I knew it” expression. There’s no such thing as a free lunch, and that’s an unchanging truth.
Suddenly, his expression changed. Looking at the breakfast he had already eaten, he wondered, “Will I be able to get away unscathed?”
Wenzel didn’t seem to mind Lin Chen’s changing expressions and said, “Perhaps you’ve heard of touch deprivation?”
He calmly explained, “I suffer from this condition. It means I have a certain degree of fascination with other people’s skin. It flares up every night, getting worse as the night goes on, and even makes it difficult to sleep.”
Fascination, with skin?
Lin Chen had heard of this rare condition. Wasn’t that skin hunger?
This kind of trope often appeared in fictional works. Lin Chen had always thought it was just something authors made up to make characters more appealing. He never expected it to actually exist in real life.
Looking at Wenzel’s perfect face, he sighed inwardly. Who would have thought such an outstanding person would suffer from this problem?
“As expected, God opens a window and closes a door. No one is perfect,” Lin Chen sighed, puzzled. “Then why did you choose me?”
There are plenty of people better than him; he wasn’t so narcissistic as to think he was irreplaceable.
Wenzel replied, “Besides that, I also suffer from mysophobia and don’t like being close to others.”
Lin Chen: “…”
This is… skin hunger plus mysophobia. God is truly ruthless.
He took a sip of warm water, expressing deep sympathy: “It’s such a pity that such a coincidence exists in the world.”
He added, “I’m so sorry I can’t solve your problem.”
“No need to apologize, you can,” Wenzel said. “I don’t mind you getting close so you can help me solve my problem.”
Lin Chen: “…”
Wenzel: “In return, I’ll pay you a certain amount each month, or whatever gifts you want—luxury cars, mansions, connections—anything is possible.”
“You should know that the benefits of being my mistress are immeasurable.”
“What Madam Sandy and Si Ang can give you, I can give you as well, and even more.”
Hearing this, Lin Chen held his breath, a shameful thrill rising within him.
Putting everything else aside, he didn’t have to provide sexual services, yet he could enjoy Wenzel’s aura—wasn’t this like a pie falling from the sky?
Being a human therapy device was easier than many jobs.
However, the other party was Wenzel, surnamed Howard, who had a blood feud with his brother Ang’s family. He needed to think carefully.
Shouldn’t one have at least a basic bottom line?
Seeing Lin Chen still hesitating, Wenzel said, “And Joe, don’t you like it?”
After throwing out his trump card, he calmly began to drink his tea.
Lin Chen: “…”
If Lin Chen had only been slightly tempted before, hearing this, even his DNA was stirred. He could resist any temptation but Joe’s allure was too great to resist.
Lin Chen engaged in a mental battle. Reason told him that this job was somewhat dangerous, dangerous in every way.
But his emotions wouldn’t allow him to give up this rare opportunity. The value that both Joe and Wenzel themselves could bring was beyond imagination.
Lin Chen always called himself a lazy bum but he never lacked drive and the courage to try new things. Finally, he calmly asked, “How long is the contract?”
Once the humanoid therapy device worked, he’d eventually have to go back to normal. No matter how much Wenzel offered, he couldn’t earn it forever.
Wenzel considered for a moment and replied, “Let’s sign a two-year contract first.”
This period wasn’t too long or too short. Lin Chen considered it for a moment and nodded, “Okay.”
Wenzel said, “Have you thought it through? Although you won’t need to provide sexual services, I will still undress you, touch you, and restrict your interactions with others.”
He demanded matter-of-factly, “Lin Chen, I won’t allow you to have other lovers during the contract period, and correspondingly, I won’t either.”
Lin Chen hesitated for a moment. That’s just how the illness was; touching was inevitable. “I’ve thought it through.”
As for lovers, he smiled, “Don’t worry, I’m clean.
“Good.” Wenzel continued, “During the contract period, I need you to be available at any time. Can you do that?”
Lin Chen: “Anytime except during class.”
“Of course, it won’t affect your studies.” Wenzel nodded, appearing very gentlemanly. “Then, let’s talk about your expectations for compensation.”
Lin Chen thought for a moment and said, “Two million per month, is that okay?”
Lin Chen was well-versed in the art of bargaining. He quoted a high price right away, waiting for Wenzel to haggle. Even if it was cut in half, it would still be one million, which was already an astronomical sum for ordinary people. He was satisfied.
“Sure.” Wenzel agreed very readily.
Lin Chen’s goodwill towards his new boss increased dramatically, and his smile brightened considerably. “Thank you for your generosity. Can we settle accounts weekly?”
If he receives 500,000 a week, that’s nearly 100,000 a day.
Wentzer was very generous, smiling, “Sure, what else do you want? I’ll draft the contract.”
Lin Chen thought carefully for a moment, then added several more clauses: “During the contract period, you cannot restrict my personal freedom, you cannot interfere with my freedom to make ordinary friends, and…” He went on and on, “I have many side incomes, which you might look down on, but they’re one of my pleasures in life.”
Wentzer said, “Side incomes, like?”
Lin Chen: “I’m Madam Sandy’s gardening consultant, Mr. Si Ang’s companion beast assistant, and I occasionally take on some odd jobs online, which earns me a decent amount.”
If Wenzer hadn’t included Joe as an add-on, he probably wouldn’t have signed this contract, which was essentially selling his body.
Wenzel said in a deep voice, “I don’t want to interfere with your side income, but I have veto power when it comes to choosing employers.”
“…” Lin Chen stammered, “Whom do you want to veto?”
Wenzel said, “Don’t serve employers below the rank of Duke; it’s beneath you.”
Lin Chen: “…”
Difficult to judge. He said good-naturedly, “Let’s leave the existing customers alone. From now on, we’ll follow your standards, okay?”
Wenzel nodded reluctantly, then asked, “Have you finished eating?”
Lin Chen: “Yes, I have. What are your orders?”
Wenzel took a sip of tea: “Inspect the goods.”
No problem, Lin Chen maintained his smile: “Okay, since we haven’t signed a contract yet, it’s a non-employment relationship. I won’t offer free inspections. Is charging a fee acceptable, Your Grace?”
“I’ll pay you a week’s wages.” Wenzel generously offered, finding Lin Chen very agreeable. This was exactly the kind of clean and efficient business relationship he needed.
After exchanging contact information and exchanging a week’s payment, Wenzel thought for a moment and said, “Lin Chen, I like you very much. Here’s a piece of advice for you.”
“Don’t let your feelings get involved with me.”
Lin Chen looked at the 500,000 Blue Star Coins that had arrived in his account and smiled brightly: “Don’t worry, how could I let feelings taint our deal?”