[What is going on?]
[Did that big spender just buy everything?]
[I hate rich people. I hate rich people. I hate rich people.]
Shi Jingyan’s pupils trembled slightly. He composed himself and spoke, “Thank you to this viewer for the purchase. Thank you very much for your support of our brand.”
At that moment, a message appeared.
[Host, Add Me On WeChat]: Host, your shirt buttons are not fastened properly.
Shi Jingyan looked down and saw that his collar was indeed a bit messy. He had been so focused on the teleprompter and the comments that he had completely failed to notice his own image on the screen.
He reached out to smooth his collar and explained casually, “Apologies, the livestream room is a bit hot. I did not notice just now.”
The voice of the operator came through his earpiece, directing the backend to restock the inventory. Shi Jingyan continued, “The new product inventory has been updated. Friends who still need items can add them to their carts, or let me know if there is a specific part of the explanation you would like to hear.”
As soon as he finished speaking, the displayed inventory count dropped by more than half again.
[Host, Add Me On WeChat]: If it is that hot, unbutton the second button too.
“…”
Shi Jingyan stared at that comment.
[????] [Wait, this scene feels a bit familiar.] [I feel like I have seen this in certain unprofessional livestream rooms.]
Shi Jingyan’s brow twitched violently. His voice turned heavy. “To this viewer, we are a professional sales livestream room.”
[Host, Add Me On WeChat]: Can I not make a request after buying so many things from you? [Host, Add Me On WeChat]: Did the host not say it was hot? I am just looking out for the host.
Other commenters, never ones to pass up a chance to cause trouble, began to follow suit.
[The big spender bought so many products, the host should just give in!] [Seconded. This request from the benefactor is not over the top, and it is actually quite thoughtful. (Mouth-covering laughter emoji)] [This is great entertainment. I placed an order too. Host, hurry up and unbutton it!] [If the host does it, I will place two orders.] [First time watching a sales stream. Why is it so dramatic? I love it. Followed.]
The real-time viewer count had risen to three thousand. Comments flashed before his eyes, most of them heckling him, but the product inventory was indeed decreasing further.
The staff members on the side exchanged glances. An assistant leaned in and whispered into Shi Jingyan’s ear.
“Director Shi, normally the people behind such large purchases are not simple. We just checked; this account has no previous spending level. It seems they have currently only spent money on our brand.”
The implication was clear: this might be a major client worth maintaining contact with. They did not know who was behind the account, but anyone who could spend so freely was definitely someone significant. In the end, their brand was a startup only two years old; maintaining a relationship was certainly better than causing offense.
Shi Jingyan remained silent.
In the early stages of his business, he had encountered moments during social engagements and negotiations where he felt he had no choice. In such times, stubbornly clinging to things that did not affect the big picture was not a wise move.
Although he did not understand why this generous viewer would make such a request, it faintly reminded Shi Jingyan of a very wicked person.
He let out a sigh, his brow furrowed. He reached up and quickly unbuttoned the second button. He instinctively pulled his collar inward to cover the exposed skin, but as he leaned forward, a slight hint of the contours of his chest could still be seen.
[The big spender has good taste.] [Does no one else find the host’s reluctant expression quite enjoyable?] [Everyone, do not switch apps. I know it is hard, but that is an order.]
Shi Jingyan glanced at the comments which were flying by following his action. Even the total transaction volume had risen slightly because of it. Among them, one exceptionally prominent comment came from that same person.
[Host, Add Me On WeChat]: Very good.
VIP Lounge.
A boy sat to the side with his lips pursed and his hands clasped over his knees. He glanced at the person beside him once, then again. The expression on his face shifted repeatedly until he finally could not help himself. He leaned toward the person next to him, his voice soft and light.
“Brother Yan, is your phone really that interesting? I wanted to chat with you.”
Yu Yanzhuo sat with his long legs crossed, leaning lazily to one side. Hearing this, he lifted his gaze from his phone screen to look at the boy. “What do you want to talk about?”
“Anything is fine. I just wanted to talk to you.”
The boy leaned closer and grabbed Yu Yanzhuo’s arm, rubbing against him in a way that was half-flattering and half-intimate. His gaze accidentally fell on Yu Yanzhuo’s glowing phone screen.
“Brother Yan, are you watching a livestream?” His voice rose in surprise.
Even more surprising was seeing Yu Yanzhuo’s profile picture sitting at the very top of the gift leaderboard. Yu Yanzhuo shook his phone indifferently and gave a light chuckle. “Yes, it is very interesting.”
The boy stared at the cold-faced man in the center of the screen. He was indeed quite attractive. He curled his lip, his tone sounding a bit sour. “Brother Yan, do you like this type? He looks very cold and hard to approach.”
Yu Yanzhuo’s brow arched playfully. “On the contrary, I think he is very easy to approach.”
While they were talking, there seemed to be some movement on the screen. A new host walked into the center to take over for Shi Jingyan. Shi Jingyan appeared relieved as he stood up and left the camera’s view.
A change in personnel?
Yu Yanzhuo did not respond to the boy’s jealous complaints and sent a final comment.
[Host, Add Me On WeChat]: Where is the host from just now?]
The young man in the center of the screen saw the comment and gave a standard smile. “The host from just now was a substitute. I will continue the process for everyone until the end today.”
A substitute. No wonder.
Yu Yanzhuo did not think Shi Jingyan, being the owner, would actually sit there and do a proper livestream. It was likely that something had happened to the employee responsible for the stream, so he had stepped in temporarily.
Yu Yanzhuo did not know much about how small and medium-sized enterprises operated. In a company like Huanya, any employee who caused such a mess would be punished along with their supervisor, leading to dismissals or demotions.
Shi Jingyan seemed like an unsympathetic person, yet his temper was surprisingly good. Since Shi Jingyan was gone, Yu Yanzhuo simply exited the livestream room. He turned off the screen, shoved the phone back into his pocket, and looked at the boy. “It is about time. I will send you back.”
The boy was reluctant. After all, the chance to spend an evening with Yu Yanzhuo was hard to get. He did not know how long it would be until the next time. He gathered his courage and held Yu Yanzhuo’s arm tightly, his voice soft and ambiguous. “Brother Yan, I do not want to go back. Can I stay?”
Yu Yanzhuo glanced at him, his gaze slowly moving down from his face, and then he smiled brilliantly. “No.”
He reached out and lightly hooked his finger under the boy’s chin, his voice low. “You are not the scent I like.”
Besides, he had things to do shortly.
Shi Jingyan sat on a round stool by the coffee table. Hearing a sound at the bedroom door, he watched as the person slowly walked in and closed the door behind him, letting out a tired sigh.
Yu Yanzhuo spoke out in a haunting tone. “Very tired?”
A split second after hearing his voice, a thud came from the doorway. Shi Jingyan hissed in pain. He had instinctively backed up and hit his head on the door. The pain made his already throbbing temples feel even tighter.
The figure not far away sat there leisurely as if this were his own home. Yu Yanzhuo watched with amusement as Shi Jingyan wordlessly placed the items in his hand on a nearby shelf. Shi Jingyan glanced at the open window and said coldly, “I locked the window from the inside before I left this morning.”
Yu Yanzhuo tilted his head. “Oh, and so?”
Being a species different from humans, picking a lock was not a difficult task. Shi Jingyan realized this as well and did not pursue the topic. He asked coldly, “Why do you always come through the window?”
Yu Yanzhuo laughed. “Because it feels like we are having an affair.”
Shi Jingyan’s body jolted. He suddenly looked up at him, his voice lowered with indignation. “Who is having an affair with you?”
The red-haired man shrugged. “Did I say it was you?”
Shi Jingyan did not bother with his unreasonable arguments, knowing he was powerless. He turned and walked straight into the bathroom, locking the door behind him. He searched the surroundings, then grabbed a stool and wedged it against the door.
After finishing this, he walked toward the shower area. Just as he took off his shirt, he suddenly felt something was wrong and turned around. Yu Yanzhuo was leaning against the door with his hands in his pockets, staring at him calmly. Upon meeting his gaze, he seemed puzzled and tilted his chin up.
“Continue.”
“…”
Satisfied with Shi Jingyan’s frozen expression, Yu Yanzhuo laughed in a good mood. Every time he saw Shi Jingyan look like that, he felt a great deal of pleasure.
“I need to shower,” Shi Jingyan said, frowning.
Yu Yanzhuo nodded.
“Get out,” Shi Jingyan gritted his teeth.
Yu Yanzhuo shook his head.
Calling the police was out of the question; the phone would fly away at a speed the naked eye could not catch. Last time it had landed on the carpet unharmed, but in this bathroom surrounded by tiles, Shi Jingyan did not want to take a day off tomorrow to get a new phone.
He pursed his lips and ignored Yu Yanzhuo. He pulled the frosted door of the shower area shut, barely managing to block out that gaze.
Yu Yanzhuo remained standing where he was. He quietly watched the blurred shadow behind the frosted door. After the sound of rustling clothes, the sound of water followed.
To be honest, succubi did not have much interest in the human body. As succubi, they already possessed the most perfect forms, while human bodies came in all shapes and sizes, which were truly unappealing to them. By comparison, the most attractive thing was naturally the scent.
The fragrance of shampoo and body wash filled the bathroom, melting into a more lingering aroma with the rising steam. Yu Yanzhuo cared only about the scent belonging exclusively to that man mixed within it.
The scent today was not as sweet, perhaps because of exhaustion or a bad mood, but it happened to smell elegant and fresh. It was that familiar, slight feeling of hunger again.
In the past twenty-three years, Yu Yanzhuo had never felt hungry because of any human’s scent. At this moment, although the feeling was not intense, its presence was undeniable, stirring a light itch.
After a while, the water stopped. Shi Jingyan opened the door and was stunned when he saw Yu Yanzhuo. To be honest, he had been anxious during the entire shower, fearing Yu Yanzhuo would burst in at any moment. He simply appeared calm on the surface. But this succubus had actually stayed there honestly for such a long time.
After seeing him again at the club last time, Shi Jingyan had gone back and specifically searched for information about succubi. The existence of succubi in the human world did not seem to be common knowledge. Only a few humans who had actually had contact with them had posted comments online, but the replies were mostly mocking them for having delusions or making up stories. No one really believed them.
The information circulating online about succubi was still based on movies and comics. Evil spirits, supernatural entities, tempting humans through carnal ways, often wearing revealing clothing, and never hesitating to show off their perfect bodies.
Shi Jingyan glanced at the man in front of him, noting his collar open to his chest and his tight-fitting undershirt. This part was indeed correct. He silently tightened the belt of his bathrobe and grabbed a nearby towel to dry his hair.
The most terrifying thing was the ability of a succubus to bewitch the heart. Given his personality, he should have long ago felt a desperate need to avoid this succubus, perhaps feeling extreme disgust or other negative emotions upon seeing him.
But he did not. Not only did he not feel that way, but he also had to admit that when he saw that figure and that breathtaking face, his breath would hitch slightly.
Yu Yanzhuo quietly watched Shi Jingyan as he dried his hair until it was half-dry. When Shi Jingyan stopped, his movements faltered. He seemed hesitant and cast an imperceptible glance toward Yu Yanzhuo before hanging the towel back in its place and walking toward him.
“Move. I am going out.”
Yu Yanzhuo raised an eyebrow and did not move aside. Instead, he gave him a light glance and slowly looked down. Seeing this, Shi Jingyan reached out to go past Yu Yanzhuo to pull the door behind him.
In the next second, his reaching hand stopped in mid-air. Yu Yanzhuo had gripped his wrist.