Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Fu Xie thought of that face and instinctively swallowed hard.

Wait, this wasn’t the time to be thinking about such things!

He began recalling the novel’s plot again. It had been so long ago, and he’d skipped over parts, so his memory was hazy—but he could still remember bits and pieces.

Because Xi Wenlun hadn’t helped Li Junyuan back then, Li had held a grudge.

Later, when Li discovered that Xi’s unattainable love was the protagonist's love interest, he seized the chance to get close to him, creating their doomed connection.

As the main villain, Xi Wenlun was initially outmaneuvered and humiliated by the main lead. After that, he kept scheming from the shadows, trying to undermine the protagonist at every turn and throwing obstacles in the way of the couple’s romance.

Suddenly, Fu Xie remembered a key detail—the reason Xi Wenlun failed to win the protagonist’s heart was because of *performance issues*!

His tense body instantly relaxed, even the raised strands of his chestnut hair drooping down. Did this mean he wouldn’t be forced to lose his innocence tonight?

Though he didn’t know why Xi was incapable yet still brought him home, it was better than being defiled by those sleazy men.

Fu Xie continued his wild train of thought when a faint noise came from outside the door. Instinctively, he clenched his fists and bolted upright in bed, gaping at the door with nerves taut.

The door opened.

Fu Xie’s heart leapt into his throat.

Xi Wenlun stepped inside. He seemed to have just returned from business drinks, his eyes slightly glazed from alcohol as he loosened his collar with knuckly fingers.

Fu Xie shuddered. Being alone with a stranger seized him with awkwardness.

He stood in the farthest corner from Xi, lips parting and closing as he tried to speak, but no sound came out.

At this moment, Fu Xie was still wearing that wrinkled tailcoat, looking utterly out of place in the cozy bedroom.

Xi frowned. “Shower first.”

Fu Xie’s eyelids twitched, but escaping Xi was a victory in itself. So he scrambled into the bathroom at top speed.

Finally, he had a moment to breathe. He lingered until his skin turned pink from the steam, nearly faint, before reluctantly wrapping himself in a swallowing bathrobe and stepping out.

Fu Xie peeked and saw that Xi had already taken off his suit jacket and undone his tie, now only in a crisp white dress shirt with the collar loosely open.

He had expected the man to do something, but Xi merely gave him a fleeting once-over before striding past him into the bathroom.

Fu Xie sagged with relief—another reprieve. That man’s aura was so intimidating, he always felt uneasy around him.

His gaze fell on the large bed in the center of the room. After a moment’s hesitation, he face-planted onto it.

It wasn’t like there was another bed for him anyway. Since he’d be sleeping here tonight, was it wrong to test it out in advance?

The cloud-like bedding was incredibly comfortable. Though he was in someone else’s home, the grueling social marathon today had left him utterly exhausted. Finally having a place to relax, sleep dragged him under instantly.

Fu Xie was too tired. He didn’t even pull up the covers before his head hit the pillow and he fell asleep.

When Xi Wenlun emerged, water still glistening on his skin, this was the scene he encountered.

Fu Xie lay splayed on the bed in an oversized bathrobe, his limbs slender, one smooth stretch of calf exposed like a fresh-peeled lotus stem, his toes blushed pink.

As Xi’s gaze traveled upward, the deep V of the bathrobe had slipped open to his chest, gaping wide and barely covering anything. The milky skin of his torso was on full display to the man standing beside the bed.

Fu Xie buried the other exquisitely beautiful half of his face into the pillow, his serene face like a dozing angel before a Madonna statue.

Xi Wenlun took an involuntary step forward, his broad shoulders looming as he braced an arm on the bed beside Fu Xie.

Sensitive to changes in his surroundings, Fu Xie's previously relaxed brows furrowed slightly, his lashes fluttering before his eyes snapped open.

Lifting his gaze, he collided with Xi Wenlun's phoenix-like eyes. His glassy eyes instantly widened in shock, and he jerked back, only for his spine to hit the headboard.

"Hiss." Fu Xie squinted one eye, suddenly realizing his current predicament. He lowered his head helplessly before stealing glances at Xi Wenlun.

Why had this man approached him without a word? What did he plan to do to him?

A delayed surge of panic washed over Fu Xie. Though he had escaped the original tragic fate, that didn’t mean the path he’d chosen now was safe!

Xi Wenlun didn’t bother with words, reaching out to grip Fu Xie’s soft, smooth cheeks, forcing him to tilt his head up and meet his gaze.

Fu Xie’s dewy peach-blossom eyes flickered uneasily, avoiding Xi Wenlun’s icy stare.

The open collar of his bathrobe remained loose, the gaping robe exposing bare skin beneath.

Something dark flashed in Xi Wenlun’s eyes.

This man’s toes were pink, his knees were pink, even his elbows were pink.

And even…

Fu Xie remained completely lost as Xi Wenlun continued holding his face motionless, his gaze inscrutable.

Just what was he planning…? Couldn’t he give a clear answer?

Like a fish on the cutting board, the most agonizing moment was the second before the blade fell. Fu Xie, fully aware of his predicament, prayed for quick mercy.

He closed his eyes, resigning himself to whatever came next. At least it was with a handsome man, not some ugly bastard! As a virgin, he wasn’t losing out!

Even with this mental reassurance, the fear of an unfamiliar presence still made him tremble slightly.

The grip on his chin loosened, and Fu Xie blinked in confusion, only to see Xi Wenlun standing before him with his arms crossed.

The slight pressure had left faint red marks on his jaw, accentuating Fu Xie’s innocent, pitiful expression.

Truthfully, Xi Wenlun found this Little Beauty troublesome. From their first meeting, those peach-blossom eyes had awakened something primal in him with just a glance.

Frowning, Xi Wenlun reined in his unexplained impulses—after all, he had brought this man home on a whim.

He had first ordered a thorough investigation into Fu Xie’s background, learning that he was nineteen, a talent signed to Yansheng Entertainment, still in university, with both parents alive and a spotless background.

Yet his commercial photos told a different story—flamboyant, exaggerated styling, often adorned with heavy makeup, projecting a wild image.

Noticing how Fu Xie, who had been bold during their first encounter, now shrank like a scared rabbit, Xi Wenlun couldn’t help but smirk.

Though Yansheng had potential, there were countless promising companies out there. As the most coveted backer in the nation, the Xi Group had no reason to get involved.

But if this man could cure his private condition, everything would be different.

Even if Li Junyuan had deep ties to the Li family, Xi Wenlun had still claimed Fu Xie for himself.

Lowering his eyelids, Xi Wenlun said, "Sleep."

With that, he got up, opened the door, and left the bedroom.

Fu Xie watched him leave in disbelief—Huh? Just like that? He’s gone?

Then again, not only was his chastity safe, but he also got to be alone again!

Fu Xie was thrilled. The discomfort from interacting with a stranger instantly vanished, and he did an excited fish-flop on the bed.

He pulled out his phone and began scrolling through the messages left by the original owner, familiarizing himself with the current situation.

From this, he learned that the original owner, like him, was a sophomore in college, working part-time as a small-time idol and commercial model for Yansheng Company. They even majored in the same subject, but the original owner had dropped out after blowing up at his parents over Li Junyuan to pursue a career in the entertainment industry.

Fu Xie let out a relieved sigh—at least it wasn’t a full withdrawal. Otherwise, all that effort for the college entrance exam would’ve been wasted.

He opened the original owner’s chat history. Unsurprisingly, Li Junyuan was pinned as the top chat, while conversations with his parents dated back months.

The rest of the contacts were mostly randos—mostly classmates or fellow artists he’d met through work.

Fu Xie pursed his lips. The original owner’s lack of friends actually gave him a better chance to adapt to this identity.

He curled up under the covers and buried his head.

So now here he was, living in Xi Wenlun’s house. But could he still go to school?

Don’t CEOs usually keep people locked up and restrict their movements?

As he was spiraling, a message from Li Junyuan popped up: *Remember to behave.*

Though Fu Xie, as an introvert, wouldn’t dare talk back face-to-face, the moment he switched to online mode, he turned bold. He snapped back: *What if I don’t?*

This out-of-character response left Li Junyuan on read.

A few minutes later, the other replied: *Then you’ll be sent to accompany President Zhu. If Xi Wenlun hadn’t claimed you first, you’d belong to him tonight.*

Fu Xie jolted awake. *President Zhu*—that creep who forced the original owner into those disgusting orgies!

Li Junyuan was still the same trashy ML from that trashy BL novel.

He recalled the gruesome description of the original owner’s fate: *Fu Xie’s lower body torn open, blood gushing out, his cheeks sunken, his face deathly pale as he was used up till he died on the bed, surrounded by vomit and excrement.*

Fu Xie gasped, yanking out two hairs in distress. Though he’d dodged President Zhu today, who could guarantee that Xi Wenlun, with his ice-king act, didn’t have some twisted ideas of his own?

He sighed deeply. Playing the doomed side character was tough.

Fu Xie fretted about these chaotic thoughts, but exhaustion eventually overtook him. Nestled in the comfortable bed, he drifted off to sleep without realizing it.

The next morning, the butler politely woke him from his deep slumber.

“Young Master Fu, the master requests your presence in the study after breakfast.”

Fu Xie never expected to be addressed as “Young Master” one day—it felt oddly novel.

Having spent a night in the villa, he was no longer as tense as when he first arrived. Now that he’d encountered the classic CEO-novel butler and assistants, he felt like he’d gained some life experience.

Though he still couldn’t bring himself to make eye contact with any of them.

Bleary-eyed, Fu Xie ate the breakfast served by the maid. There seemed to be a new girl among the staff—she looked nervous and accidentally sent a vase crashing while cleaning.

She couldn’t react in time, watching helplessly as the vase teetered toward the floor.

Fu Xie steadied the vase with a quick grab and asked, “Are you okay?”

The young maid stared at his charming smile before coming to her senses and taking the vase. “I’m fine, thank you.”

After freshening up, Fu Xie was escorted to the study.

Xi Wenlun sat waiting for him, a document already placed on the desk.

He slid the document toward Fu Xie. “Take a look.”

Fu Xie picked it up and gave it a quick scan, realizing it was a contract.

Xi Wenlun said, “Name your terms. If everything seems acceptable, sign at the bottom.”

Fu Xie blinked and carefully read through the clauses.

When he saw the figure of thirty million, his eyes gleamed instantly.

“So I just have to enter a contractual relationship with you for a year, all expenses covered by you, and I get thirty million at the end?” Fu Xie recapped.

Xi Wenlun replied, “Yes.”

Fu Xie’s jaw dropped. The offer was incredibly generous. He had barely escaped a near-fatal situation, only to walk straight into paradise.

Yet, a nagging unease stirred within him. Was this luck too good to be true?

He asked softly, “What about the breach clause?”

Sure enough, Xi Wenlun nodded. “There is one.”

“If either party breaches the contract, the violating party owes the other party a penalty ten times the original amount.”

Fu Xie’s mouth fell open in an “O.” Even selling himself into slavery wouldn’t cover a single installment of that penalty, let alone tenfold.

“What if I refuse…”

Xi Wenlun finally met his gaze properly. “Planning to go back?”

Fu Xie shook his head like a rattle-drum immediately, meeting Xi Wenlun’s impassive stare.

Well, facing one man beat dealing with a mob!

Finally, gritting his teeth, he declared, “I agree!” Then he grabbed the pen and signed his name with a flourishing signature even he couldn’t quite recognize.

Holding his breath, he waited anxiously, hoping he wouldn’t be subjected to some weird roleplay scenario right then and there.