The night was as dark as ink.
A light breeze stirred the pure white gauze curtains, causing the swaying tassels to part and reveal the two figures within.
Yu Yanzhuo kept his eyelids lowered, his golden eyes half-hidden by long, dark lashes as he silently watched the figure before him.
The man was kneeling on the soft carpet, his back slightly straightened. As he bowed his head, his fringe fell forward, obscuring most of his face. Only a glimpse of his crimson ears and the strained tendons of his slender neck were visible through the dark hair.
The corners of Yu Yanzhuo’s lips curled up. He reached out and gently stroked the man’s hair, his fingers leisurely kneading the soft strands. His voice was low and slow, the end of his sentence trailing off with a slight hook.
“Good job.”
As the words fell, the man’s body trembled imperceptibly. Yu Yanzhuo felt the man’s hands tighten slightly before, as if making a final resolution, he lowered his body even further.
“Very obedient,” Yu Yanzhuo chuckled.
Shi Jingyan felt his skin grow even hotter at the sound of those words. That laughing praise felt like a tiny electric current brushing past his eardrums, sending a numbing shiver through his entire body.
He closed his eyes tight, his lashes trembling with tension. His heart thundered violently in his chest, sounding even louder than it had in the car a few hours prior.
A few hours earlier.
When Yu Yanzhuo had made that offer, Shi Jingyan had truly been stunned for several seconds. He instinctively wanted to ask what he meant by “taking something,” but the moment he met those eyes, the words died in his throat.
It was, of course, something they both understood perfectly.
His lips trembled slightly. He wanted to say something to refuse, yet he did not open his mouth. The condition was incredibly tempting.
Even though he might have been able to overcome the crisis through his own coordination and communication, it would be exhausting and time-consuming. Furthermore, he had no idea what Shi Yuyang would do next; he could only endure such passive attacks.
And Yu Yanzhuo had offered a way out.
His eyes flickered, but a faint, lingering resistance in his heart kept him from responding for a long time.
Yu Yanzhuo watched him quietly, then suddenly held up his slender fingers in front of him.
“Three.”
He tucked one finger down, a smile on his lips.
“Two.”
Another finger went down. His voice was magnetic and captivating.
Shi Jingyan knew the man was going to say something. He knew he should refuse, even if it meant spending much more energy to deal with Shi Yuyang’s schemes. At least then, he would not be so easily toyed with by this incubus.
“One.”
As the final count fell, Shi Jingyan ultimately failed to speak. He only pursed his lips and stared at the man’s dazzlingly beautiful face as it broke into a sudden smile.
He heard Yu Yanzhuo’s voice from right beside his ear, sounding like the enchanting whispers and sighs of a legendary monster.
“The time for you to refuse has passed. This was your own choice.”
The organs in his chest hammered urgently against flesh and bone. Shi Jingyan held his breath. In that instant, rising from his heart alongside the confusion toward the unknown was a flash of emotion so swift it was almost impossible to catch, something that could perhaps be called relief.
It was fleeting.
The time seemed to be right. Yu Yanzhuo looked down at Shi Jingyan’s tightly closed, trembling lashes and his now-reddened lips.
It would look better if it were painted with another color.
The moment this thought crossed his mind, Yu Yanzhuo applied slight pressure with his knuckles on the top of the man’s head. Shi Jingyan snapped his eyes open at the sudden movement, immediately feeling something.
“Mm!”
He scrambled backward and slumped onto the floor, instinctively raising a hand to wipe the corner of his mouth, only to smear a sticky sensation across his skin.
Shi Jingyan froze. His already flushed face grew even hotter. He tried to wipe it away forcefully, only to be scooped up and pressed onto the bed in the next second.
Yu Yanzhuo used his knee to part the other man’s legs, propping his elbows on either side of the man’s face as he reached out to pinch his chin.
“You’ve improved quite a bit. Have you been practicing on your own?” He smiled brilliantly.
Shi Jingyan’s body was stiff. It took him a long while to find his voice. “How could that be possible?”
Moreover, who could he possibly practice with?
Yu Yanzhuo laughed. He unbuttoned his shirt with one hand, his movements unhurried, while reaching toward the small cabinet by the head of the bed. The drawer was pulled open, and his fingers felt around inside for a moment before pulling out two items.
When Shi Jingyan saw what he was holding, he froze for a moment.
“I did not put those there,” Shi Jingyan said, his pace quickening slightly.
“I know,” Yu Yanzhuo laughed at the man’s flustered expression. “I put them there.”
He had placed them in the cabinet while waiting for Shi Jingyan to return earlier. It was quite amusing that Shi Jingyan had not noticed them for so long.
Shi Jingyan stared with wide, disbelieving eyes. A strange sense of shame welled up from his heart. Meanwhile, Yu Yanzhuo had already opened the bottle of liquid on his own, squeezing some out. His already fair and beautiful fingers looked even more alluring as the liquid dripped onto them, exuding an indescribable sensuality.
That hand did not hesitate for a second. Shi Jingyan’s entire body went rigid.
The cold sensation and the fear of the unknown made him instinctively push back. “Wait, do not”
But Yu Yanzhuo had no intention of waiting. On the contrary, his eyes brightened at the man’s slightly raspy, trembling voice. He leaned halfway down and whispered, “Say more. I like listening to it.”
Shi Jingyan’s ears were deep red as he clenched his teeth, raising his arm to block his eyes, desperately trying to shield himself from Yu Yanzhuo’s gaze.
Everything returned to silence.
Yu Yanzhuo reached out and grasped the still-shivering wrist of the person beneath him. Those once well-defined fingers were now curled weakly, with something clinging to the knuckles.
He extended the tip of his tongue to lick it off, causing Shi Jingyan to shudder once more. Just moments ago, he had held this very hand, using a semi-forced strength to make Shi Jingyan do it himself.
Yu Yanzhuo’s fingers brushed past as he stood up from the bed. He was still perfectly dressed, while the other man appeared disheveled and miserable. Even the bedsheets, which used to be arranged without a single wrinkle, were now a tangled mess, stained with varying shades of color.
Yu Yanzhuo leaned down to lightly brush his fingers, still damp with liquid, against the man’s collarbone. He had not intended to hold back today, but
With just his fingers, Shi Jingyan had already reached his limit.
Although it was entirely possible for an incubus to adjust the man’s state to be more suitable, Yu Yanzhuo suddenly felt that using such “cheating” methods was boring. Besides, the current situation was quite pleasant to look at.
Shi Jingyan’s breathing finally leveled out. He forced his eyes open to look at Yu Yanzhuo standing by the bed.
Seeing that the man’s clothes were not even slightly wrinkled, that intense sense of shame swept over him again. He instinctively pulled the blanket over himself, as if that would make him look more decent.
Yu Yanzhuo watched his movements with a grin. “Why bother hiding? I have already seen everything.”
Shi Jingyan paused, then somewhat self-destructively threw the blanket aside and managed to prop himself up on the bed.
“Why did you?” He hesitated. He wanted to ask something, but the final words felt stuck in his mouth.
Yu Yanzhuo, however, understood his meaning and held out his right hand toward him.
“What do you think? You are like this with just fingers. If we were to”
Before he could finish, Shi Jingyan interrupted him with several coughs. He raised his hand to brush back his fringe, his movements appearing rushed and flustered.
Yu Yanzhuo stopped teasing him. He went to the bathroom to wash his hands, then walked to the door, making a move to press the handle.
Shi Jingyan looked at him. “Are you going back?”
Yu Yanzhuo glanced at him. “Otherwise? Did you want me to stay here and keep you company all night?”
Shi Jingyan was choked for words. “I did not say that.”
Yu Yanzhuo laughed, pressed the door handle, and waved his hand over his shoulder. “Then I will be going, baby.”
Before Shi Jingyan could speak again, the man’s figure disappeared out the door.
Shi Jingyan was stunned. He realized he had not even asked about the matter with Shi Yuyang.
Better not to ask, he thought. Otherwise, it always feels a bit strange.
He shook his head, clearing the strange sense of deja vu from his mind. He got out of bed to take a shower, but his gaze fell on his hand.
His fingertips still seemed to be stained with something. Not long ago, this hand had been covered by another warm palm and moved. The words from that moment still echoed in his ears.
“Do it yourself. Grip your fingers a bit tighter.”
Shi Jingyan pursed his lips and hurried into the bathroom. The sound of rushing water finally drowned out the low, raspy voice in his head.
The following morning.
“Yes, I understand.”
Shi Jingyan’s tone was flat. In contrast, the person on the other end of the line was apologetic and flattering.
“Regarding the previous error in supply coordination, we have strictly disciplined the responsible parties. President Shi, please believe in our sincerity for a long-term cooperation with your company. All previously agreed-upon supplies will be restored immediately. As for the price, we will lower it by an additional two percent on top of the original discount as compensation. What do you think?”
“What are the conditions?”
Shi Jingyan listened quietly to the fawning tone before suddenly speaking, his voice devoid of emotion.
“There are no conditions!” the supplier replied immediately. “President Shi, I will be direct. Rest assured, from now on, your company will always be our priority client for raw material supplies! Our Research and Development department is ready to cooperate with any special requirements you may have!”
Shi Jingyan turned his gaze out the window. It was a clear day with a vast view. The most prominent and eye-catching building in the core CBD district stood silently, looking down upon everything around it.
“You are too kind, President Wang,” he responded calmly. “I will have the supply chain director contact you regarding the details. I hope our communication will be smoother in the future.”
“Definitely, definitely! I will not disturb you any longer then!”
The supplier agreed repeatedly, waiting for Shi Jingyan to hang up first.
When the call ended and the screen jumped back to the lock interface, Shi Jingyan stared fixedly at the display. This was the fourth call today.
The previous calls had been no exception, all were apologies and declarations of sincere cooperation.
According to the information from his assistant, the raw material supply chain that had been monopolized and blocked had completely returned to normal. All the suppliers Shi Jingyan had contacted yesterday had called personally to apologize and propose compensation plans through price reductions.
Among those who called, some had even cautiously and tentatively asked if Shi Jingyan was acquainted with a certain person of high status, requesting future favors.
A pair of playfully smiling golden eyes flashed through his mind. Shi Jingyan gripped his phone slightly tighter.
Yu Yanzhuo had done all of this.