Chapter 161: Overnight Stay

Chapter 161: Overnight Stay

"Lying to you, Sky City isn't short of other hotels."

Seeing the fluctuating expressions on Xing Yuan's face, as if genuinely contemplating whether to let him stay at his place, Lu Yan smiled, finally taking pity and sparing the man further embarrassment. He tossed the keys to the valet attendant, his hair tousled by the night breeze, exuding a disheveled yet languid charm:

"Go in, I've already reserved our spots."

The swarming wanderers outside hadn't dispersed yet, and Lu Yan had assumed that everyone in Sky City would be staying indoors. However, these upper-class individuals continued their hedonistic lives, undeterred. The interior hall was serene, with a musician playing violin melodies at the center of a round stage. The elegant tunes flowed gently into their ears, forming a stark contrast to Devil City's turmoil.

They sat by the window, where artistic plates held minuscule portions of foie gras and steak. Lu Yan barely tasted the food, each bite feeling like he was chewing on precious life itself.

Was it God or the devil who came up with the idea of using life as currency?

Initially tense, Xing Yuan gradually calmed down. Loosening his tie with his distinctively jointed fingers, he wondered why he was acting like a bashful bride on a blind date when he was supposed to be the sugar daddy. It was just a matter of taking control: "Do you have a job now?"

Lu Yan interlaced his fingers, resting his elbows casually on the table. The crystal chandelier's light cascaded over him, making his features appear even more stunning. In response, he said seriously, "Yes."

Xing Yuan asked with a forced smile, "Companion chatting?"

Leaning back into his chair, Lu Yan denied it with a grin, "No, chatting with you."

A single word made all the difference, and it couldn't be denied—he knew how to flirt.

Xing Yuan took a sip from the champagne glass beside him, barely suppressing the unusual feelings stirring within. He didn't want Lu Yan to feel too triumphant, so he maintained a cool demeanor, seemingly indifferent as if he was merely asking out of politeness: "What are your plans for the future?"

Lu Yan replied, "Relying on my brother."

Xing Yuan didn't expect such an unconventional answer, his brows furrowing, "Relying on your brother?"

Lu Yan nodded, "Didn't you say you'd introduce him to work? From now on, I'll depend on him. Don't worry, he's a college student, hardworking and capable of anything. You can command him as you please."

Xing Yuan realized he might have encountered a freeloading scoundrel. His eyes narrowed as he openly scrutinized Lu Yan from head to toe across the table, eventually concluding—

The other party certainly had the capital to freeload.

Adjusting his posture subtly, Xing Yuan's long legs were encased in pure black uniform trousers, the edges of his shoes slightly cool. Accidentally brushing against Lu Yan's ankle, he withdrew immediately, like a dragonfly skimming water. He chuckled derisively, asking without revealing his emotions, "Is this your plan?"

Lu Yan asked with interest, "What do you think of this plan?"

Xing Yuan was blunt, "Not good."

As soon as he spoke, he felt someone lightly touch his ankle under the table. The sensation of the shoe against his skin was cold and rough. Looking up at Lu Yan, who was focused on cutting his steak, Xing Yuan couldn't help but smirk—show-off.

The meal was expensive, and Xing Yuan didn't intend to let Lu Yan pay. He excused himself to use the restroom, heading straight to the front desk to settle the bill, only to be informed that it had already been paid.

"The gentleman dining with you has already settled the bill in advance."

Hearing this, Xing Yuan glanced subconsciously at Lu Yan sitting by the window, putting away the bank card bound to his life value. Returning to his seat, he unabashedly observed the other party, his gaze lingering like that of a cold-blooded predator lurking in the jungle: "Where do you plan to stay tonight?"

Lu Yan put down his knife and fork, checking the time on his wristwatch, "It's early. I'll send you home first, then find a hotel."

He really planned to stay outside?

The other party was so upright it was almost unbelievable, leaving Xing Yuan unsure how to respond. He didn't bother lifting his eyelids, replying lackadaisically, "Suit yourself."

Xing Yuan lived in the central district of Sky City. As Lu Yan drove, patrol teams could be seen everywhere along the roadside. Whenever a wanderer managed to sneak in, they were immediately eliminated.

"Swish!"

The faint sound of a silenced gun did little to disrupt the city's nighttime festivities. This city in the clouds remained brightly lit, with well-dressed people sitting in high-end establishments, watching through beautiful transparent windows as the wanderers were obliterated. The warm, yellowish lights illuminated their faces, yet revealed the coldness in their eyes.

Many people begged on the streets. Their clothes weren't ragged, but the white patches on their heads betrayed their poverty. Whenever the patrol teams spotted them, they would chase them away with guns, driving them elsewhere.

Lu Yan couldn't help but be surprised, "There are beggars in Sky City?"

Xing Yuan found the question silly, "Why can't Sky City have beggars? They're no different from the beggars in Devil City; they just have a pass."

Many people worked tirelessly to accumulate a hundred years of life, solely to beg in Sky City. There were enough wealthy people here that a casual tip could sustain them for several months, and there was no risk to their lives. It was far better than Devil City.

This behavior could be understood as an investment by some "wealthy" beggars.

Lu Yan turned his head to look out the car window, feeling that the world shouldn't be this way. But the scenery rushed past, like fleeting streaks of light, eventually becoming distorted reflections.

Xing Yuan noticed his unusual silence and asked abruptly, "What are you thinking about?"

Lu Yan shifted his gaze, smiling slowly, "Nothing much. I was wondering how much I could earn if I squatted by the roadside begging."

Xing Yuan was speechless.

With a face made for freeloading, he actually wanted to become a beggar?!

Xing Yuan scoffed, "You're truly ambitious."

As they spoke, the car arrived near the Starry Sky Building. This area was clearly for top-tier rich people, with three layers of security checks upon entry, making it heavily guarded. Besides the patrolling soldiers on duty, countless miniature scanning drones flew overhead, preventing any wanderers from sneaking in and causing safety hazards.

Lu Yan slowly parked the car downstairs, confirming the navigation location, "We're at your place."

He felt that today's meal was worth it. He had obtained two residence permits and an apartment for free, plus a stable job for Xiao Zhao. Where else could one find such a cost-effective deal? Nowhere.

Xing Yuan also felt it was nowhere to be found. He opened the car door and got out, uttering coldly, "Get out, come upstairs with me."

Damn it, the more he thought about it, the more he felt he was at a loss. He had hired a handsome online lover, but he hadn't even touched him yet. All he had seen was his abs through video calls. He had been taken advantage of for a centrally located apartment, one that was in demand but not easily available. He felt like a complete fool.

In short, Xing Yuan was now extremely psychologically imbalanced.

Although Lu Yan didn't understand the reason, he still got out of the car and went upstairs with the other party. He originally thought he would just see him to the door, but after Xing Yuan entered the house, he directly threw a pair of new slippers at him: "Come in."

Lu Yan belatedly realized something and, leaning against the door frame, asked in surprise, "You wouldn't be inviting me in for tea, would you?"

Xing Yuan raised his eyebrows faintly. "What, you don’t want to?"

Lu Yan deliberately didn’t answer, as if pondering something.

Xing Yuan sneered. "This is downtown; a night at a nearby hotel costs at least thirty years of time. If you want to stay there, go ahead."

After saying this, he turned around and went straight into the house. Sure enough, the sound of the door closing and shoes being changed could be heard from behind. There was no way Lu Yan, that miser, would go crazy and stay at such an expensive hotel.

There were many guest rooms in Xing Yuan’s home. He casually took a few pieces of unworn clothing from the wardrobe and threw them on the sofa: "You can stay in any of the rooms on the right. Choose whichever one you like."

Lu Yan looked around. This large apartment was at least two hundred square meters and came with two big terraces. It seemed endless at first glance. "Which room do you live in?"

Xing Yuan took off his jacket and walked straight into the master bedroom on the left, answering his question with action: "The patrols are very strict around here. If you’re not careful, you’ll be caught by the patrol team. You’d better not wander around and just sleep honestly in your room."

Lu Yan pretended not to hear his warning. "Don’t worry, I’m the most honest person."

Their relationship was ambiguous and awkward, with a half-transparent paper between them. One was too shy to pierce through it, while the other was just getting by day by day, leading to a somewhat strange atmosphere.

Lu Yan randomly chose a guest room. He cut off the tags on the clothes, threw them in the washing machine to dry, and by the time he got out of the shower, they were almost ready to wear. He pulled back the covers and lazily fell onto the bed. Through the floor-to-ceiling windows, he saw a sea of neon lights and thought to himself that it was no wonder so many people were desperate to get into Sky City. The life of the rich was truly sinful.

It was only nine o’clock in the evening. Lu Yan was used to working all night and couldn’t sleep at this hour. The same went for Xing Yuan. The two of them tossed and turned in their respective rooms, feeling empty and bored.

Late at night was when wanderers were most alert and energetic. Forcing them to sleep was akin to torture.

Xing Yuan opened his eyes in the darkness, a flash of crimson light passing through his pupils, identical to the blood moon outside. Unable to sleep, he got up to catch some air on the living room balcony. But to his surprise, a familiar figure sat on the wicker chair outside. It was none other than Lu Yan, who had secretly come out for a smoke in the middle of the night.

Xing Yuan raised his eyebrows slightly. "What are you doing here?"

Seeing Xing Yuan, Lu Yan looked slightly surprised. He then stood up from the chair, flicked the ashes off his cigarette with a snap of his fingers, and the white mist in the air blurred his handsome features. His loose white shirt, blown by the wind, clung to his body, outlining smooth lines: "Nothing, I couldn’t sleep in the middle of the night, so I came out for a smoke. Do you mind?"

Xing Yuan spoke casually. "Not at all."

He wore a loose black silk robe, which was slightly open at the neckline due to its smooth fabric, making his skin look particularly fair. His muscular chest was barely visible, revealing an excellent physique.

A sudden thought popped into Lu Yan’s head: The other party’s figure wasn’t bad.

Perhaps because his gaze was too obvious, Xing Yuan frowned. "What are you looking at?"

Lu Yan didn’t answer. With his long fingers holding the cigarette, he pointed at Xing Yuan’s neckline from a distance. "Fix your clothes."

Xing Yuan always seemed three degrees warmer than others, regardless of what he wore. When Lu Yan pointed this out, he belatedly realized something and subconsciously pulled his clothes together, appearing somewhat embarrassed and helpless. He warned him in a low voice, "Look again, and I’ll gouge out your eyes!"

Lu Yan stared at his red ears with a smile that wasn’t quite a smile. "You want to gouge out my eyes for one look? You’ve looked at me so many times, how many eyes do you have to gouge out?"

Xing Yuan gritted his teeth. "I paid for it!"

Lu Yan could drive someone to madness with his words. "I also paid. That meal today was on me."

"You!"

Xing Yuan was furious and grabbed him over. "Do you have any shame?!"

How much did that meal cost? How much money had he transferred to Lu Yan?! Was there any comparison between the two?!

Because of this action, they suddenly found themselves very close. Xing Yuan could even smell the faint scent of smoke on Lu Yan. The latter put out the cigarette butt and, lowering his eyes, saw that Xing Yuan’s robe had once again come undone. They both froze for a moment.

The night was indeed silent. They could even hear each other’s heartbeats.

Their body temperatures were indeed scorching hot, and the thin clothes did little to block the heat.

After an unknown amount of time, Xing Yuan’s Adam’s apple moved, and he suddenly spoke in a hoarse voice. "Hey, am I at a disadvantage here?"

Lu Yan told the truth. "Seems like it."

As soon as he said this, he felt the hand gripping his collar tighten. Xing Yuan suddenly realized that the person in front of him was his kept man and his prey. There was no need to be polite, and he could do as he pleased.

Xing Yuan licked his lips expressionlessly. "I’ll find you a job better than your brother’s. Interested?"

Hearing this, Lu Yan sighed. He knew he had indeed entered the tiger’s den today and politely declined. "I’m pretty useless, I might not be suitable for work."

Xing Yuan curled his lips coldly. "Is that so? Then this job is perfect for you."

Just perfect for a freeloader like you.

Lu Yan was like a cunning fox, refusing to take the bait. "I’ve already troubled you a lot. It’s embarrassing. Leave this job for someone who needs it more."

After saying this, he tried to slip back to his room, but Xing Yuan pulled him back. His back hit the balcony door, feeling the icy coldness. In his ear, he heard the man’s deep voice word by word:

"Lu Yan, when have you ever heard of a free lunch in this world?"

Lu Yan blurted out instinctively. "Then what do you…?"

What do you want?

Before he could finish the second half of his sentence, a cool, calloused hand suddenly slipped under his shirt. The person’s fingertips traced along his waistline, finally pinching his abs, seemingly quite satisfied.

Lu Yan: "…"

Lu Yan instantly understood. The other party wanted physical compensation.

Although it was a bit difficult, it wasn’t entirely impossible. After all, Xing Yuan was a one-in-a-million hunk. If he touched him, he could touch him back. By rounding up or down, it would be considered even.

After much deliberation, Lu Yan finally made a decision. He held Xing Yuan’s wrist and slowly pulled his hand out from under his shirt. Facing the other’s dark and dangerous gaze, he directly flipped his body, pinning the man against the wall, and whispered,

"Let’s make one thing clear. I’m going to be on top."

Xing Yuan slowly typed out a question mark. "?"

Before he could utter a word, in the next moment the sash of his robe was undone by someone's touch. A warm, slender hand pressed against his waist, the beautiful fingertips of his companion wandering and igniting sensations, causing his body to stiffen instantly with a burning, panicked response.

Lu Yan stealthily approached Xing Yuan's side, casually clasping his hand and pressing it against his own chest, and in a low, amused tone, he inquired, "Is this more satisfying than watching a video?"

Xing Yuan's face turned a deep red: "……"

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