Chapter 35

Chapter 35

Yu Jingmo's large, pale hand braced against the sink's edge, his knuckles white with tension, the veins standing out on the back of his hand. His upper body crowded Tian Ruan with intimidating closeness, a leg sliding between Tian Ruan's knees.

Tian Ruan tilted his head back slightly, unable to conceal his panic as he said, "Mr. Yu, please calm down."

At such close proximity, Yu Jingmo took in the young man's unease and fear, his lips parting slightly as he ordered, "Push me away."

Only then did Tian Ruan remember he had forgotten to resist. He quickly pressed both hands against Yu Jingmo's solid chest, attempting to shove him back—but Yu Jingmo didn't move.

Tian Ruan: "...Back off."

Yu Jingmo didn't comply. Instead, he inched closer, his thick, dark lashes lowering slightly. His dark eyes reflected Tian Ruan's snow-white face and crimson lips.

His lips looked moist, with a faint citrus scent—as if he had just eaten an orange.

Yu Jingmo moved in closer—

Tian Ruan's eyes widened as Yu Jingmo's handsome face came within a centimeter of his own. At the last moment, he abruptly turned his head away, collapsing against Yu Jingmo, who smelled of alcohol and cologne.

He held on tight.

Yu Jingmo froze for a moment, his scorching breath fanning across Tian Ruan's slender neck, his lips grazing the younger man's reddened ear.

"Tian Ruan..."

Both their hearts raced—not just Tian Ruan's, but Yu Jingmo's as well.

In his panic, a ridiculous thought flashed through Tian Ruan's mind: if Yu Jingmo actually took things further, it might not be so bad...

No, he was only eighteen. He couldn't let things happen so recklessly.

Suddenly, Tian Ruan jolted like a startled fish—because Yu Jingmo's hand slid down his lower back, fingers tracing lightly, threatening to slip beneath his jeans.

Gritting his teeth, Tian Ruan bit down hard on Yu Jingmo's broad shoulder.

Even through the layers of his suit and shirt, the bite was painful enough to jolt anyone into brief clarity.

Sure enough, Yu Jingmo halted his exploration, his palm still resting against Tian Ruan's lower back. With just one hand, he could envelop the young man's slender, bamboo-like frame—but in the end, he let his strength dissipate.

Seizing the opportunity, Tian Ruan broke free and shoved Yu Jingmo aside.

"Mr. Yu, I—I'll find you some medicine," Tian Ruan blurted before darting off to rummage through drawers in search of something.

What kind of medicine? Fever reducers?

Tian Ruan was so flustered he'd forgotten—there was no cure for arousal drugs. He tried recalling solutions from novels he'd read, but without exception, the characters always had to sleep with their partners to resolve the situation.

"..." This is bullshit.

Should he call Assistant Xu? No, what if Yu Jingmo attacked him? Tian Ruan wouldn't be able to stop it.

Take him to the hospital? Tian Ruan doubted he'd make it there without something happening on the way.

What about the bodyguards? Still no—the bodyguards wouldn't be able to stop him.

Amidst the chaos, Tian Ruan failed to notice the tall figure approaching from behind.

"Tian Ruan." Yu Jingmo's deep voice called out to him.

Tian Ruan jumped back like a startled rabbit, wishing he could bolt straight out the bedroom window. He wrapped himself tightly in the heavy curtains, only his head poking out, trembling as he stared at Yu Jingmo. "M-Mr. Yu, don’t you dare try anything! I believe you can handle this yourself!"

"..."

Yu Jingmo rubbed his throbbing temples, his body burning up like he was on fire. The relief he needed was right before him, but he couldn’t approach—it would only scare the other away.

"Fill the bathtub with cold water." Yu Jingmo took off his jacket and tossed it onto the coat rack, yanked off his tie, and worked his shirt buttons one-handed, seeking momentary relief from the heat.

Tian Ruan finally clicked—right, cold water could lower his temperature and surely counteract the aphrodisiac too!

He skirted around Yu Jingmo and dashed into the bathroom connected to the bedroom, locking the door behind him before turning on the tap. The water gushed into the tub at full force, threatening to overflow in under five minutes.

Tian Ruan pricked up his ears, listening for movement. Once certain he heard nothing untoward, he unlocked the door and cautiously pushed open the frosted glass bathroom door.

The scent of alcohol hit him immediately—the crisp scent had turned heady, permeating every corner of the bedroom, thickest by the bathroom door.

Tian Ruan turned his head and saw Yu Jingmo leaning against the wall, his belt hanging loose, shirt hanging open, the cut of his abs just visible beneath a sheen of sweat from the heat.

"..." Tian Ruan froze, staring dumbly at Yu Jingmo.

Yu Jingmo ground out, "Is the water ready?"

"It’s ready," Tian Ruan replied hoarsely, awkwardly averting his gaze.

It was too much—like some scholar getting led astray by a fox demon, except the fox before him was male.

Yu Jingmo braced a hand against the bathroom doorframe, his dark eyes locked onto Tian Ruan’s flushed face. "Help me."

"?" Tian Ruan lifted his head in confusion.

"Help me undo the belt."

Tian Ruan looked down again, his eyes landing on the black leather belt around Yu Jingmo’s trousers. He reached out, fumbling with the clasp—this buckle that looked simple but was weirdly complicated. Was Yu Jingmo afraid someone would forcibly remove his pants??

Yu Jingmo’s throat bobbed as he watched, his voice strained. "Can’t do it?"

Tian Ruan’s ears burned red, whether from anger or embarrassment. "Almost there."

After much struggle, he finally managed to undo it with a soft rustle.

As he pulled the belt free, its weight made Tian Ruan’s heart skip—why was he standing so damn close?

He instinctively took a step back.

Yu Jingmo stepped forward instead, his chest rising and falling slightly, his voice a low rumble. "Help me."

Trapped in the doorway, Tian Ruan’s alarm bells rang loudly. Panicked, he said, "I did what you asked!"

Yu Jingmo pressed his lips together. His normally frozen face was flushed, deceptively calm while his eyes dark with barely leashed hunger, as if a beast lurked beneath, ready to break free.

"Not enough..." Yu Jingmo advanced step by step, his voice soft. "Just...help me. Please."

Tian Ruan felt his ears burn at the whisper, his thoughts short-circuiting. He could only repeat, "Mr. Yu, calm down."

Yu Jingmo raised a hand, his fingertips a breath away from Tian Ruan’s cheek—close enough to see him flinch. He lowered his hand and said, "Get out."

Despite his words, Yu Jingmo didn’t budge an inch.

Tian Ruan glanced around frantically before slipping past Yu Jingmo’s right side like a shot.

The steamy tension in the bathroom dissipated instantly, leaving only the ridiculous aftermath of the young man’s hasty retreat. Yu Jingmo pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to clear his head—naturally, to no avail. So he sank into the bathtub.

As his body gradually submerged in the icy water, until it covered his head, suffocation and the alternating burn and chill assaulted him one after another.

On one side lay lustful fantasies; on the other, harsh reality.

Caught between these two states, Yu Jingmo slowly resurfaced. When he opened his slanted, phoenix eyes, they were icy and sharp.

In the bedroom, Tian Ruan felt like his face was on fire, his thoughts in disarray. It took him a while to process: Yu Jingmo had been drugged and was now soaking in a cold bath to cool down...

What if the cold water didn’t work?

No, it had to. As the lead alpha in the original story, a little drugging wouldn’t take him down.

Yeah, he’d manage.

But what if he didn’t?

What if Yu Jingmo hurt from holding back?

"..." Tian Ruan wrestled with the thought but ultimately decided to check on him in the bathroom.

He walked up to the frosted-glass bathroom door, took a deep breath, waiting for his flushed face to cool and his heart to steady—knock, knock—he knocked lightly.

"Mr. Yu, are you okay?" Tian Ruan asked softly.

Only the faint sound of water came from inside, nothing else.

"Mr. Yu?"

Still no response.

Tian Ruan panicked—had Yu Jingmo passed out and slipped under? Without hesitation, he pushed inside.

In the spacious bathroom, inside the snow-white bathtub large enough for two, Yu Jingmo sat still wearing his pants and dress shirt, his eyes closed, brows slightly furrowed. The soaked white shirt turned translucent in the water, faintly revealing his skin, the lines of his muscles tangled messily with the folds of the fabric.

Yu Jingmo’s hair was also drenched. Because it was naturally coarse and unruly, he had raked it back, letting strands fall carelessly over his brows, adding to his carelessly tousled look.

His tightly pressed lips seemed to be enduring something. One hand gripped the edge of the bathtub, the other submerged in the water. His suit pants were unbuttoned.

Tian Ruan: "..."

Anyone who saw this would describe the scene in the bathtub as unbearably erotic.

But right now, only Tian Ruan was witnessing it. His mind whirred uselessly, completely shorted out. He could only stammer out, "Mr. Yu?"

"Come here," Yu Jingmo opened his eyes, his tone commanding.

Tian Ruan moved on autopilot.

His wrist was seized, the world spun—splash! With a yelp, Tian Ruan tumbled into the bathtub, instinctively grabbing onto Yu Jingmo, his legs straddling either side of Yu Jingmo’s thighs.

Water sloshed over the edges until the tub settled at a level just enough to accommodate two grown men.

Just as Tian Ruan tried to scramble out, vise-like arms wrapped around him, pressing him against Yu Jingmo’s broad chest—half his cheek against the wet shirt, the other half against solid pectorals.

The scent of alcohol on Yu Jingmo had been washed away, leaving only the dampness and a whisper of his natural scent—if Tian Ruan wasn’t mistaken, that had to be it. Unlike perfumes or body wash, this was something uniquely Yu Jingmo’s.

To his shame, Tian Ruan realized—he liked this scent.

Yu Jingmo's lips grazed the young man's cheek and ear, teeth hovering near skin before pulling away, as he restrained himself and said, "Help me."

A decade-dominating business mogul would still hold his partner in his arms, pleading in a deep voice, over and over, for help. This fact struck Tian Ruan like a thunderbolt, sending his mind reeling and spirit floating, lost to time and space—he didn’t even realize he had muttered a "yes."

It seemed like an instinctive answer.

Yu Jingmo released him, his dark eyes burning like wildfire on an icy plain, the corners of his lips curling slightly. "Do you know how?"

Tian Ruan shook his head blankly.

Yu Jingmo took his hand and pressed it against himself.

Like a kitten pawing at milk, Tian Ruan gradually ventured into dangerous territory.

Yu Jingmo asked in a low voice, "Are you an adult?"

Tian Ruan’s mind was filled with unprintable action sequences, barely able to grasp the simplest meaning, so he answered honestly, "Yes."

He forgot about his other identity—right now, he was just himself.

And Yu Jingmo knew it all.

"Then... we can do something bad." Yu Jingmo guided him like a patient teacher, leading him through life's deepest lesson—love's physical language.

Though this was just the primer.

Tian Ruan saw the full scope of the question—clearly an advanced-level question, with cryptic instructions and an exceptionally complex solving process. As a top student, he had rarely encountered such a challenge.

Tian Ruan hit a wall.

Yu Jingmo held his hand, guiding him through the steps—slow at first, then faster, from the surface to the depths. Unsurprisingly, Tian Ruan learned quickly. Once he grasped the rhythm and formula, his ears burned red as he fumbled through the solution.

His fingers were like pens, inscribing answers across the expansive parchment, gradually finding his stride.

Yu Jingmo kneaded the soft nape of Tian Ruan’s neck, praising in a low voice, "Good boy..."

Tian Ruan finished the problem in a daze, looking at Yu Jingmo with eyes brighter than the bathwater.

Yu Jingmo pulled him into his arms and answered for him, "Let me help you."

Tian Ruan: "..."

Bathwater sloshed again and again onto the floor, chasing tile grooves toward the drain.

Outside the window, the city’s windows winked out, leaving only a few still glowing—perhaps from work, play, or homework, working through equations.

Tian Ruan lay against Yu Jingmo’s chest, not daring to look at him or speak. At some point, his clothes had disappeared, and his skin burned with unfamiliar heat. Every emotion dissolved into bone-deep fatigue.

Tian Ruan closed his eyes, completely drained, his wrists throbbing through his dreams.

He had never pulled an all-nighter for such a difficult problem—it was a first in his life.

Tian Ruan's steady breaths against Yu Jingmo’s chest. Bundled in a towel, Yu Jingmo carried him out of the bathroom, laid him on the bed, and drew the warm comforter around them before drifting off to sleep.