Chapter 30

Chapter 30

The bondage girl finished binding Jiang Zao's hand: "All done—how does it feel?"

Jiang Zao raised his hand.

This shop used a heavy-duty style of red rope, securing each finger with a ring that crisscrossed downward into a diamond pattern.

The braided knots were beautifully crafted and secure, yet they did not dig into the skin. There weren’t many knots on the palm—most were on the back of the hand—but it did slightly restrict flexibility, making bending his fingers inconvenient.

"Wow, that’s amazing," Jiang Zao said. "But isn’t it tied a little too tight?"

"Oh, sorry! I usually tie up my pup like this, and since she struggles, I might’ve gotten used to pulling it tighter," the bondage girl explained, showing Jiang Zao a photo of her "pup" on her phone.

In the picture was a blindfolded long-haired girl, clothes disheveled, her entire body wrapped in red ropes, hands bound behind her back, kneeling in front of a pair of high heels.

Jiang Zao froze, processed it, then commented: "A real... *little dog*."

The bondage girl giggled: "Isn’t she adorable~?"

"Oh, right! Here’s your freebie," the shop assistant said, pulling out a box from the counter and placing it in Jiang Zao’s hands.

Jiang Zao looked down at the box in his hand.

Ah, the adult world.

Nothing but condoms.

The girls waved goodbye to Jiang Zao and Cheng Jiamin: "Bye-bye~ Come play again sometime!"

Jiang Zao held the box of condoms, unsure where to put it. Cheng Jiamin had a bag, but it was already stuffed with freebies, so he just shoved it into his pocket for now.

"Boss, wanna check out that place over there? They’ve got bunnies and beefcakes," Cheng Jiamin said, pointing at another shop.

This exhibition hall specialized in adult toys, its decor decked out in decadent taboos.

Black and pink lace crisscrossed, covering the side walls and ceiling, adorned with all kinds of whips, toys, and scents.

Jiang Zao looked up at the accessories hanging from the ceiling and remarked to Cheng Jiamin: "This shop feels like sensory overload."

"Ooh, this guy knows what's up," a staff member chimed in. Each shop had its own unique charm, and this time, it was a male employee dressed in a bunny outfit who approached them.

He was even wearing a headset mic, and as soon as he spoke, the beefcakes and bunny girls nearby all swarmed over.

Jiang Zao—

"—!"

"Need me to introduce our products, big bro~?" The bunny boy winked at Jiang Zao. "Hmm, with skin this baby-faced, maybe I should call you kiddo instead."

Jiang Zao, now somewhat accustomed to being teased in this venue, sighed: "Whatever floats your boat."

"Wanna check out our scents?" The bunny boy led Jiang Zao and Cheng Jiamin to a wall lined with various fragrances.

"Our scents have all kinds of functions, and we’ve also got these gorgeous accessories," the bunny boy explained. "Men can use these too—see this little pearl? It snaps right here and won’t hurt your skin."

He demonstrated by placing the accessory on his own chest: "Look, this one even has a little cap—see it? It opens like this, so your boyfriend can’t suck on it. A great training aid, don’t you think?"

Jiang Zao was completely floored. "We also have—"

Cheng Jiamin cut in first: "Thanks, thanks, but this really can't be written, we get it, no need for introductions, thank you."

The Honey Rabbit staffer covered his mouth and laughed: "True, our industry really struggles with approvals."

Jiang Zao and Cheng Jiamin checked out some of the most established stores.

Tech really reshapes everything.

"Little Boss, I need to head back to our booth now. Want to come with me?" Cheng Jiamin said.

Jiang Zao: "I’ll go back with you. I haven’t even checked out our company’s booth yet."

Honey Rabbit was a high-end brand with diverse product lines—they source everything, unlike the specialized shops they had seen earlier.

"Little Boss, you're back," Qi Yiran greeted Jiang Zao from behind the cashier.

"Yeah," Jiang Zao walked over and, seeing the crowd, asked, "I just took a look at this year’s exhibition products—mostly designed clothes and vibrators. Didn’t we release any new accessories or tools this year?"

Qi Yiran: "Right, most of the auxiliary tools are from early this year. We didn’t design much in the first half. We’re planning to push the proposal next year or around December, developing things like candles and such."

Jiang Zao nodded.

"Oh, by the way, Little Boss, there’s one more thing I wanted to mention," Qi Yiran pointed at the display board. "The sample text did way better than expected, so we’re planning to make it a universal template. But Lu Yan, the writer we contacted last time, still hasn’t replied to our messages."

Jiang Zao: "No reply at all? Did she not see it, or...?"

"I think her inbox is probably swamped, but she still hasn’t responded," Qi Yiran took out an iPad to show Jiang Zao. "She even updated her Weibo a few days ago with a short but steamy little story."

Jiang Zao took the tablet and finished reading the update, amazed by the writer’s ability to push boundaries without getting flagged: "That’s some quality writing."

He told Qi Yiran: "Maybe her inbox is just flooded, or maybe she doesn’t respond to company accounts in general."

After thinking for a moment, Jiang Zao said, "I’ll try DMing her myself."

"Are you going to use your personal account, Little Boss?" Qi Yiran asked.

"Yeah, at least to show sincerity," Jiang Zao said. "Our company really does need good copy, and my writing isn’t great—not very narrative-driven. If a professional could handle it, we wouldn’t have to brainstorm stories together."

Qi Yiran nodded: "Got it, Little Boss. Fingers crossed."

The morning shift flew by quickly.

By noon, Qi Yiran and a few other employees had gone back to the company to grab some supplies, leaving only one HQ assistant, Jiang Zao, and Cheng Jiamin at the branch booth.

During the slow period, Cheng Jiamin tidied up the messy displays.

"Jiamin, are you hungry? I’ll make a quick food run," Jiang Zao said.

"A little. Conventions always work up an appetite. Thank god tomorrow’s our day off," Cheng Jiamin leaned against the wall, rubbing her stomach. "Little Boss, is it okay for you to go alone? Want me to come with?"

"No need, you stay and hold down the fort. I’ll be right back," Jiang Zao smiled.

There weren’t many food options near the convention center. After a quick search, Jiang Zao spotted a McDonald’s just half a mile away.

As he stepped outside, a gust tossed his hair. Compared to the packed, warm interior, it was noticeably colder outside.

Jiang Zao pulled his coat tighter. He had considered taking a taxi, but seeing the traffic jam around the square, he knew that wasn’t happening.

The McDonald’s app showed a 50-minute wait time.

Jiang Zao consoled himself, thinking it was just a few hundred meters away, so he might as well walk.

During the lunch rush and with many events happening nearby recently, Mickey D's had become the go-to spot for workers on their lunch break.

Qian Shiyan and Zhou Yuchi walked into McDonald's.

There were still many orders ahead in the queue. Seeing the crowd, Qian Shiyan said to Zhou Yuchi, "How about we go back and order takeout instead? It's not like we have to eat here. Who knows how long this line will take?"

Zhou Yuchi listlessly lowered his eyes, his expression distant. Wearing a trench coat and carrying a laptop bag, his face blank, he looked indifferent and somewhat detached.

However, he soon spotted a familiar figure. His gaze lingered for a few seconds before he spoke, "No, let's stay here."

Qian Shiyan followed his line of sight and immediately noticed Jiang Zao standing not far ahead. "Hey, isn't that Jiang Zao?"

Hearing his name called, Jiang Zao flinched slightly before hesitantly turning around. To his surprise, he saw Qian Shiyan and Zhou Yuchi walking toward him.

Holy crap.

"Jiang Zao, long time no see," Qian Shiyan greeted him warmly.

Jiang Zao responded politely, "Hello, it has been a while."

After speaking, he glanced briefly at the 'mad dog' standing beside Qian Shiyan.

Zhou Yuchi, tall and striking, stood there casually, casually staring at him. His expression was faintly lazy and tired, but his gaze was oddly intense, as if quietly waiting for Jiang Zao to greet him.

Jiang Zao pursed his lips, unsure what his deal was, and simply muttered, "...Hello to you too."

"What a coincidence running into you here," Qian Shiyan continued chatty. "Zhou and I are helping our professor today as guides at the neurology exhibition nearby. Are you here for work too?"

"Ah... yes. Just out on a work errand," Jiang Zao replied. "I'm buying lunch for my colleagues."

Qian Shiyan, never knowing when to stop, added, "Out on an errand, huh? Must be busy. There are a lot of events around here lately. I saw an expo going on over there—something about sex culture. Have you heard of it?"

Jiang Zao: "……………"

He’d done more than just hear about it.

Qian Shiyan was genuinely happy to see Jiang Zao. He found the young man sweet and polite, so he wanted to chat.

But then he suddenly noticed the red string tied around Jiang Zao's left wrist. "Hey, what's that—"

Jiang Zao froze, suddenly realizing he hadn't removed the woven bracelet from the expo.

Oh no!!!

What should he do?!

Before Qian Shiyan could finish his question, Zhou Yuchi cut him off with a jab.

"Tsk." Zhou Yuchi raised his elbow and jabbed it unceremoniously into Qian Shiyan's side, frowning in displeasure. "Go get the food," he said impatiently.

Qian Shiyan let out an "Oh" and didn't press further, leaving first to place their order.

Now, only Jiang Zao and Zhou Yuchi remained.

Though the place was bustling with people and noise, standing next to Zhou Yuchi felt like a bubble of silence had formed, drowning out half the noise around them.

Jiang Zao's brief relief vanished instantly.

He was grateful that Zhou Yuchi had driven Qian Shiyan away—otherwise, he really wouldn’t have known how to explain in front of a stranger.

But the one standing in front of him now wasn’t exactly a good guy either.

Jiang Zao hid his hand in his sleeve, trying to undo the knot. Whoever tied this was an expert—completely unmovable.

His knuckles turned pink with frustration, making it hard to even clench his fist properly. He could only manage a weak, half-hearted grip.

His face grew hot as he stammered, "This… my colleague gave it to me to keep warm…"

Zhou Yuchi acted as though he believed every word Jiang Zao said. "Hmm. A half-knitted glove."

Jiang Zao: "……"

Jiang Zao wasn’t sure why he felt so awkward—maybe it was because he’d run into Zhou Yuchi’s colleague today, making him uneasy.

Just then, a waiter approached.

"Sorry, sorry, we're completely full right now. Would you mind waiting outside for a bit?"

And so, Jiang Zao and Zhou Yuchi were shuffled outside.

Once outside, the noise instantly muffled, sealed behind the door.

The sudden open space felt hollow, the cold air rushing in, making Zhou Yuchi's presence all the more palpable.

Jiang Zao didn’t speak to Zhou Yuchi. The two of them stood against the wall outside like misbehaving students.

Zhou Yuchi leaned back casually, opening a pack of chocolate-flavored Pocky and dangling one from his lips like a cigarette.

His lips were thin, the lazy way he held the Pocky radiating a lazy sex appeal, carrying a hint of oud and ambergris.

Zhou Yuchi lifted the pack, giving it a little shake to offer Jiang Zao a stick.

The one in his mouth was already half-bitten, his slight tilt forward as if he might close the distance any moment.

Jiang Zao suddenly remembered the "Pocky Kiss" game he’d seen at the adult products expo earlier—where the final contestants ended up in a heated kiss.

Unbidden, suggestive images flooded his mind. Feeling foolish, he turned his head away and refused, "No."

Zhou Yuchi glanced at the packaging, then back at him. "It’s your favorite flavor."

The man’s slightly tousled bangs fell over his brow, a faint breeze lifting a few strands along with a hint of oud and ambergris.

This whole display grated on Jiang Zao.

He bit his lip, his ears and neck burning pink as he muttered stubbornly, "I hate you."

A random outburst, yet Zhou Yuchi didn’t bat an eye.

Biting off the long stick of Pocky, he leaned in slightly, his dark eyes gleaming, lips curling faintly. His voice wasn’t loud, but every word came through crystal clear: "Back to hating me?"