The conversation had already been going on for an hour.
Shi Jingyan looked at the man across from him with a flat expression, nodding slightly when the man looked over to indicate he was listening. As an established landmark, Boxi Shopping Mall naturally had its advantages, even if it could not rank among the top tier in an era filled with new competitors. However, the platform and exposure it provided, along with relatively low commission rates and rent, were perfectly suited for “Basu,” a brand that had only recently started.
The man in front of him, Mr. Sun, had taken the initiative to contact him a few days ago and arranged to meet here. Yet, his attitude was far from sincere. Perhaps because he felt that Basu was merely a startup and Shi Jingyan looked quite young, he had decided to put on airs. They had been sitting here for nearly an hour, and this middle-aged man had rambled on from the hardships of his early entrepreneurial days to the impulsiveness of people in today’s changing environment, without showing any intention of getting down to business.
Shi Jingyan had expected this to some extent before coming. Negotiating a partnership outside the office and making a point to come here suggested that Mr. Sun’s sincerity was lacking. Shi Jingyan reached up and tugged at his collar, his movements carrying a hint of irritability that was rare for him. The brand needed this opportunity, but this man was still posturing and dropping hints about raising the price on the spot, which made him feel slightly frustrated.
Suddenly, a shadow caught the corner of his eye. In the cool-toned lobby of Yunding and the uniform dark colors surrounding them, this shadow was strikingly bright, like a vivid splash of color against ink. Shi Jingyan glanced over.
The man wore a pale pink casual suit. This was a color that demanded a lot from the wearer; on anyone without exceptional looks or a perfect physique, it would be nothing short of a visual disaster. Yet, he was so handsome that it was impossible to look away. He had a slender build, a waistline perfectly accentuated by the cinched trousers, a small patch of chest exposed beneath a white V-neck, and that face. It was a face that would make anyone’s heart skip a beat.
Why was this person here?
Yu Yanzhuo walked to the table. He ignored the middle-aged man, who sat dazed by his sudden arrival, and looked straight at Shi Jingyan.
“Come out with me.”
The seamless, dark terrazzo floor was as polished as a mirror, reflecting the soft light from the long LED strips overhead. A timed fragrance system emitted a faint, elegant mist. The sink area featured a solid wall of black marble, with brass faucets glinting coldly. A large mirror embedded in the wall reflected the empty hall of the restroom and the stall door that had just closed in the corner.
The moment the door shut, Yu Yanzhuo moved with lightning speed to lock it and pin the man in front of him against the door. He buried his face in the crook of the other man’s neck. That cloyingly sweet scent instantly filled his nostrils; while it provided some relief, it only made the hunger grow more intense.
“What are you doing? I am negotiating a partnership,” Shi Jingyan said. He felt the hot breath against his neck, and his breathing instantly became ragged, yet he kept his voice steady as he spoke. At the same time, he tried to push away Yu Yanzhuo’s hand that was pressing against him.
Yu Yanzhuo ignored him. He raised his hand and easily pinned the resisting hand against the door. His other hand did not stop; lacking the patience to undo the difficult buttons one by one, he simply grabbed the hem of the shirt and yanked it up. His voice was very low.
“Hold it up yourself.”
Hearing this, Shi Jingyan’s body stiffened. “What are you doing? We are outside!” His voice carried a rare note of tension. Even in a restroom stall, someone could walk in at any moment and hear them.
“Do you have to ask that question every single time?” Yu Yanzhuo looked up at him. His golden eyes were incredibly bright, making Shi Jingyan’s heart tremble. “You should know exactly what I am going to do.”
As those words were spoken, images from the past began to resurface in his mind at an inopportune moment. Shi Jingyan’s entire body tensed up. Yu Yanzhuo’s cool palm had already reached his chest, giving it a wicked, firm squeeze. Shi Jingyan hissed in pain. Yu Yanzhuo’s other hand slid downward as he leaned in close to his ear.
“Why is your body so hot? Are you looking forward to this?”
As soon as he finished speaking, he felt the temperature beneath his hand rise further. Shi Jingyan turned his head and kept his voice low. “Let me go. I do not have time for your nonsense right now.” Especially in such a semi-public environment, he did not even dare to speak too loudly, fearing that someone passing by might realize what was happening.
Yu Yanzhuo looked at him and suddenly laughed. “Anxious to go back and talk business with that petty boss?”
Shi Jingyan felt a bit unnerved by his gaze and frowned. “What else? I am not as idle as you are all day long.”
“That is simple then.” Yu Yanzhuo raised an eyebrow. His other hand moved down slowly and covered the leather belt at the waist. With a click, the sound of the buckle sliding was exceptionally clear. Shi Jingyan’s eyes widened suddenly.
“Give me a blowjob, and I will give you a better partnership opportunity than that small mall. How about it?”
This lunatic.
Shi Jingyan instinctively tried to back away, but his spine was already pressed firmly against the door; there was nowhere to retreat. At the same time, as he tried to look away, his gaze inevitably swept downward, freezing at a point below the man’s waist.
This shameless incubus!
He looked up at Yu Yanzhuo’s face, a reprimand about to burst from his lips, but the words caught in his throat the moment he met those eyes. The golden eyes burned with a scorching light, reflecting Shi Jingyan’s dazed face. In that single moment of eye contact, his mind went blank, and his limbs began to turn weak, leaving him almost unable to stand.
Shi Jingyan’s chest heaved violently as he tried to resist with his remaining willpower. However, the man in front of him had already reached up from his half-bare waist, slowly sliding his hand up to his shoulder. The golden eyes were thick with desire, and their owner spoke. His voice, rich, dangerous, and possessing an irresistible dominance, entered through the ears and flowed into every limb. Shi Jingyan felt his logic crumbling as his body surrendered first.
He said, “Kneel, baby.”
Reason only returned much later.
Shi Jingyan held onto the handrail on the wall, barely managing to stand upright. His knees felt a dull ache; having knelt for so long, they were likely bruised. Meanwhile, the malicious perpetrator looked thoroughly satisfied and watched his disheveled state with great interest. He reached out to brush away the sweat-dampened hair on Shi Jingyan’s forehead. His cool fingertips slid down the side of the face, finally coming to rest at the corner of the mouth.
Yu Yanzhuo’s thumb slowly and deliberately rubbed across the lips that had turned bright red from the intense activity, looking as though he had not quite had enough. “Your technique is terrible. You need to practice more, baby.”
The way Yu Yanzhuo said “baby” was different from his usual tone; his voice naturally dropped, and he drew out the ending with a lazy, raspy quality that was full of mockery and intimacy. It made the heart tremble.
Shi Jingyan turned his face away to avoid his gaze, not wanting to look into those eyes. “Do not call me that.” His throat still hurt a little. It was then that he realized he had been delayed here with Yu Yanzhuo for a long time. This is bad.
Shi Jingyan raised his hand to hide his expression and wiped his mouth hard with the back of his hand. He did not have time to worry about the state of his trousers after they had touched the floor. Although the cleaning standards at Yunding were usually so high that a white cloth would come away spotless, Shi Jingyan had a slight case of mysophobia.
Enduring the discomfort in his mouth and on his body, Shi Jingyan quickly unlocked the door and pushed it open, striding toward the sink. Yu Yanzhuo followed him unhurriedly, leaning against the side with his arms crossed. He watched as Shi Jingyan wiped his lips with water, rinsed his mouth, and then walked toward the exit.
“Still going back?” Yu Yanzhuo followed him, still wearing a cheerful smile. “It has been so long that the man has probably left. If it were me, I would not wait for a business partner who left in the middle of a meeting for this long.”
Shi Jingyan ignored him. He walked into the lobby and looked into the distance; the seats where he and Mr. Sun had been sitting were now empty. He stood still, his temples throbbing as fatigue washed over him. Although the probability of success had not been high given the man’s attitude, having things ruined for a reason like this gave Shi Jingyan a headache.
Yu Yanzhuo stood behind him, looking in the same direction, and smiled knowingly. “See, I told you so.” He then spoke leisurely, “However, I keep my word. You do not have to worry.”
Keeping his word referred to what he had said earlier, giving Shi Jingyan a better partnership opportunity. Shi Jingyan had guessed early on that Yu Yanzhuo’s family background was not simple; although he did not know the specifics, they would not be inferior to Boxi Shopping Mall.
But he did not want to cooperate with this man. It was not out of a sense of moral superiority; Shi Jingyan simply felt uneasy. His self-control, which he took pride in, collapsed whenever he encountered Yu Yanzhuo. Despite being treated so maliciously, he found himself unable to feel any resentment. All of this gave him a strong sense of losing control. This man was too dangerous and terrifying.
Shi Jingyan steadied himself and did not look back at Yu Yanzhuo. “I am going back.” He turned to walk in another direction, but after only a few steps, a figure suddenly appeared. It blocked him directly.
Shi Jingyan looked at him. It was Shi Yuyang. They had met again. Over the past two years, after leaving the Shi family to focus on his own affairs, he had never run into Shi Yuyang. Yet, in just a short span of time, he had already crossed paths with him twice.
Shi Yuyang’s gaze landed on Shi Jingyan. He did not look much different from before, except for his lips, which were noticeably redder, and the slight wrinkles in his clothes where they had been handled. Shi Yuyang’s expression remained normal, but his fists clenched so tightly that his nails dug into his palms.
Yu Yanzhuo, who had been watching the scene from behind, finally walked over. His gaze swept over the two men standing in silent confrontation, and he caught a glimpse of Shi Yuyang’s clenched hands. “Is there something wrong?” he asked, looking at Shi Yuyang.
Shi Yuyang’s expression stiffened momentarily before he forced a smile and looked at Yu Yanzhuo. “Young Master Yu, you were gone for quite a while. I was going to look for you.”
Before Yu Yanzhuo could speak, Shi Jingyan suddenly froze. Young Master Yu? Yu Yanzhuo, the crown prince of Huanya? He certainly recognized that name. In the original plot, that was the unattainable top-tier conglomerate. It was also the direct reason he had met such a miserable end.
In an instant, the atmosphere among the three became strange. Shi Yuyang stood across from Shi Jingyan, while Yu Yanzhuo was half a step behind Shi Jingyan’s side. While Shi Jingyan was still reeling from the shock of a name he had never expected to hear, a lazy voice came from beside him.
“Why were you looking for me? Just go back to your meal.” Yu Yanzhuo dismissed Shi Yuyang’s words, his tone somewhat dismissive.
“Because you were gone for a long time, I was worried that something might have happened,” Shi Yuyang forced a smile, trying to explain.
Something did happen, but it was a pleasant thing.
Yu Yanzhuo chuckled, not intending to waste any more words. “It is about time; I will head back first. Manager Shi, please suit yourself.”
He walked to Shi Jingyan’s side and naturally placed his hand on his shoulder. It was an ambiguous gesture that pulled him into a half-embrace as he leaned toward his ear. “Let us go. I will take you back.”
The other two were both stunned. Shi Yuyang stared at the hand Yu Yanzhuo had wrapped around Shi Jingyan’s shoulder. Even though he tried his best to restrain himself, his eyes overflowed with shock and resentment. When did this fake catch Young Master Yu’s eye? On the way here, he had tried to test him, and based on Young Master Yu’s reaction, he had seemed completely uninterested. What trick did he use this time? He had spent a great deal of money to make a reservation here in advance, hoping to get closer to Yu Yanzhuo during the meal, ideally to get his contact information so there would be a chance for future interaction. And now Yu Yanzhuo was going to take him back? Why?
While Shi Yuyang stared intently, Shi Jingyan felt something entirely different. He certainly noticed Shi Yuyang’s blatant, venomous gaze, but more than that, his attention was focused on the hand on his shoulder. It was happening again. Shi Jingyan had always disliked physical contact. Back in high school, if a classmate was playing around and tried to put an arm around him from behind, he would sense it and dodge, purely out of long-standing physical habit. Yet, when Yu Yanzhuo’s hand landed on him, his body seemed frozen in place. Not only that, he even felt the skin that was touched begin to warm up, accompanied by a slight itch. It was as if he were craving this person’s touch.
Even though this man was one of the perpetrators who caused his tragic ending in the original plot. It must be another of his incubus-like spells. Shi Jingyan pursed his lips and pushed the absurd thought from his mind, lowering his voice.
“I can go back by myself.”
Yu Yanzhuo laughed. “But I want to take you back.”
After saying that, he seemed to lose the patience to linger. He used his hand to pull Shi Jingyan closer to him and walked straight toward the exit. He passed Shi Yuyang, who was blocking the way, without giving him another glance.