Chapter 19

Chapter 19

The messages on the throwaway account and the person standing before him had Xu Yan’s mind in a complete mess, but he had no time to reply to them for now.

With two adorable little dragon horns on his helmet, he tilted his head up, his pink lips parting slightly, his expression innocent and surprised.

“S-senior…” His voice was soft, almost carried away by the wind. “Did you place this order?”

Wen Sinian’s gaze lingered on him, sweeping from top to bottom, his eyes lowered.

“Yeah.”

They had met at the shop before. Xu Yan wondered if he didn’t remember that he worked part-time there.

“Alright,” Xu Yan decided to focus on doing his job properly. He offered a professional, rehearsed smile. “Ten cups in total, here you go~”

Unexpectedly, the man opposite him didn’t reach out to take them. Instead, he took half a step back, pushing the door open wider.

“Come in.”

Wen Sinian turned and walked toward the living room.

Xu Yan thought for a moment—in for a penny, in for a pound. He picked up the coffee and followed inside.

The villa’s courtyard was spacious and clean, with a redwood swing tucked in one corner.

Standing outside the living room door, Xu Yan glanced down at his shoes.

“No need to change,” came the voice from inside.

“Okay.”

Xu Yan tiptoed in, walking softly.

Once inside the living room, he turned his head to look around.

The interior wasn’t laid out like a normal villa—it had been redesigned and remodeled. The overall decor was a simple industrial style. The center of the first floor was sunken, with an open space housing seven or eight work desks, each equipped with multiple computer monitors. The data cables on the floor were neatly organized. The second floor had a railing with glass doors separating two offices, and further inside were a few more rooms that looked like bedrooms.

On the wall nearby hung a stylish black logo with a strong design aesthetic—Astra Game.

So this must be his studio.

“Is no one else here?” Xu Yan asked.

Ten cups of coffee—he must have ordered them for the whole team.

Wen Sinian replied, “They went out for lunch.”

Meaning, right now, the villa only had the two of them.

Xu Yan looked around and saw that the desks were cluttered with various spare parts and scattered reference books, leaving no extra space.

Wen Sinian stood in the living room, apparently busy as he typed a message on his phone.

Xu Yan stole a glance at him, his gaze eventually landing on his phone.

No phone case. The black glass back was shattered into pieces, clearly from being dropped. It was surprising it still worked in such a state.

Xu Yan frowned. What a coincidence—Year had just told him his phone was broken too.

Noticing Wen Sinian looking up at him, Xu Yan quickly asked, “Where should I put the coffee?”

“Just got back from a competition. It’s a bit messy,” Wen Sinian said. “Anywhere’s fine.”

Xu Yan didn’t dare to be too casual. Spotting a large fridge in the kitchen area, he offered, “They’re still cold. Should I put them in the fridge for now?”

Wen Sinian: “Thanks.”

Xu Yan smiled faintly. Customer service came first.

Carrying the coffee to the fridge, he pulled open the door and paused momentarily.

Inside were several layers of glass bottles filled with water. The top shelf even had a small, delicate pink bag—its contents unknown—but there was nothing else.

He recalled Lin Xingxian’s words: the rich kid was picky, even drinking only this one brand of water. It seemed to be true.

Xu Yan pressed his lips together and carefully took the coffee out of the bag, placing each cup inside the fridge.

“It’s best to drink them before the ice melts,” Xu Yan said, still working, he added helpfully. “Otherwise, the taste might be affected. There are two cups without ice—I’ll leave them on the counter, is that okay?”

A deep, cool voice suddenly appeared right behind him.

“Okay.”

Xu Yan hadn’t heard any footsteps, nor did he know how long Wen Sinian had been standing there. The voice gave him such a start that his body jerked reflexively, and the coffee in his hand nearly slipped to the ground.

In his panic, he grabbed the cup but let out a small gasp.

An arm suddenly reached around from behind him. The strong inner side of the forearm lightly grazed his waist, while a large, long-fingered hand swiftly and firmly covered his own from behind.

Long fingers slipped between his delicate fingers, gripping the coffee cup—and at the same time, capturing his much smaller hand tightly in their grasp.

The cup didn’t fall, but the brown liquid inside sloshed wildly, spilling over the rim and splashing onto both of them, soaking their clasped hands in sticky wetness.

Xu Yan’s heart was still racing. The heat against the back of his hand was overwhelming, and the coffee had left his palm and fingers unpleasantly sticky.

He tried to pull his hand free, but after two tugs, it didn’t move. Instead, he watched as the veins on the back of that pale hand stood out more, like a net forming a cage.

His heartbeat raced uncontrollably, pounding in his chest.

Coffee dripped down their intertwined fingers, sliding along the noticeably different arms before finally falling to the floor.

Silence fell between them.

*Plink—*

*Plink—*

Xu Yan held his breath. Seeing no sign of the hand letting go, he couldn’t help but say something. “I—I’ve got it.”

The grip remained for two more seconds before slowly loosening, the arm withdrawing from his side.

A few fingers accidentally brushed against the soft skin at his waist—just for a brief instant—but it was enough to make Xu Yan stiffen and instinctively edge away.

This cup of coffee was ruined. Though it hadn’t fallen, most had spilled out—some on them both, the rest on the ground.

Xu Yan turned to see that the man behind him was still standing extremely close—so close that if he raised his head, his little dragon horns might poke Wen Sinian’s chin.

He inched back subtly, putting space between himself and the other man, his thin back almost flush against the fridge door.

"Sorry, I didn’t mean to," Xu Yan murmured apologetically. "You got too close just now, and your voice startled me, that’s why the coffee spilled."

Wen Sinian’s gaze darkened, as if he couldn’t care less about the unfortunate coffee.

"You’re soaked."

Xu Yan glanced down. His dark brown uniform, when wet, would leave a big dark blotch. His chest had been splashed quite a bit, the damp fabric sticking to his skin beneath, even showing the faint movement of his slender chest with each breath.

The wet clothes clinging to him were seriously uncomfortable. Xu Yan tugged at his collar, pulling the fabric away from his skin, and shot a glance at the man opposite him.

Wen Sinian was wearing a white top and black pants. Though most of the coffee had ended up on Xu Yan, a few splashes on Wen Sinian’s white shirt stood out like a sore thumb.

"Don’t worry about mine—it’ll dry and blend right in," Xu Yan said with concern. "But can the stains on your clothes be washed out?"

He didn’t recognize the brand Wen Sinian was wearing, but he was sure it was expensive.

Was he gonna have to foot the bill?

The thousand bucks for the lighter repair was already killing him…

At the thought, Xu Yan’s face twisted in dismay. He first wiped away the remaining coffee from his hands, then grabbed a few tissues and offered them up nervously.

Wen Sinian ignored them, his gaze lowered. "Probably not."

Xu Yan froze. "Ah… then what should we do?"

Wen Sinian took another half-step closer, closing the distance Xu Yan had deliberately created. He loomed over him, all imposing height, his stare heavy and unrelenting.

His tone was calm, but his eyes bore down heavily. "What does your store policy say should be done?"

Xu Yan peered up, biting his lip. "You’re not actually gonna report me…?"

They were roommates, for crying out loud! How’d this turn into a whole store policy thing?

If the boss stayed in the dark, the matter could be settled privately. But if the manager learned that on his first delivery, he had spilled a customer’s coffee and stained their expensive clothes, he’d be totally screwed.

Wen Sinian’s gaze slid down from the ridiculously cute helmet, past the soft strands of hair clinging to his forehead, his shiny, doe-like eyes, the delicate bridge of his nose, and finally settled on his lips, which glowed pink and soft.

They were beautifully shaped—full and plump, with a small, pouty dip in the center of his upper lip that looked tender and soft, as if begging to be nipped at.

His lower lip had been lightly bitten by his teeth, now stained red.

That kicked-puppy look was downright lethal.

Wen Sinian asked, "How do I report you?"

Xu Yan’s stomach dropped. Was he really planning to report him…?

"H-Here, let me clean it up."

His small hands, clutching the tissues, hesitantly stretched forward. His soft, pink fingertips were gently wrapped in the white tissue as he carefully dabbed at the stains on Wen Sinian’s clothes. He dabbed hard at the wet spots first to absorb most of the liquid, then moved in small, slow circles.

From the chest, down to the waist.

Through the thin fabric, he could feel the hard, heated planes of well-trained muscles—the defined ridges of his chest and abs, packed with raw power and endurance.

Xu Yan paid no attention to anything else, focused solely on making up for his mistake while tiptoeing around the customer’s mood. "I’m really sorry. This is literally my first delivery, so I’m kinda freaking out."

"And I didn’t expect it to be you who placed the order."

"I even brought it inside for you and put it in the fridge…"

The more he wiped, the tenser the muscles under his touch grew. By the time he reached the edge of Wen Sinian’s black sweatpants, Xu Yan felt the heat of the tensed muscles beneath the fabric burn his fingers even through the paper.

His voice was soft, downright begging, his big eyes blinking slowly as he tilted his head up slightly, the dorky little dragon horns on his helmet turning him into a walking anime.

The distance between them abruptly closed, their breath mixing in the scant space between them.

"Let me make you another coffee, okay? You won’t snitch on me… right?"

Before he could get a response, his wrist got snatched up and pulled back slightly.

That big hand clamped down like a vice, while the slender wrist in its grasp looked fragile, the thin skin barely covering delicate bones.

With just a little pressure, the soft flesh beneath his fingers dipped slightly, and faint red marks began to form.

Unable to resist, Wen Sinian gave a light squeeze—and sure enough, a tiny, hurt noise escaped Xu Yan’s lips.

His pupils slit like a predator’s.

*So sensitive.*

Xu Yan tried to pull his hand back, but it was impossible to break free. He flinched on reflex, only to hear the man in front of him suddenly call his name.

"Xu Yan."

He couldn’t bring himself to meet those eyes, his gaze darting away. "Mm…?"

Wen Sinian didn’t tighten his grip further. Before letting go, his thumb brushed lightly over Xu Yan’s wrist bone a couple of times, the tingling itch making Xu Yan almost want to scratch at it.

"Are you scared of me?"

Xu Yan froze.

That question felt familiar, as if someone had asked him the same thing before.

"N-No," he answered.

(He was terrified.)

Wen Sinian leaned down slightly, the sheer force of his aura piercing through the air and pinning Xu Yan in place, rendering him unable to move.

Xu Yan wanted to retreat further, but his back was already pressed tightly against the cold refrigerator door—nowhere left to escape.

Behind him felt like an ice cellar, while in front of him, the heat was nearly suffocating.

He didn’t dare look up, his eyes fixed instead on the other man’s collarbones.

They were sharp and well-defined, the hollows between them casting clear shadows—strikingly attractive.

But then a hand gripped the little dragon horns on his helmet, forcing his head up.

Wen Sinian looked down at him. "Have I ever bullied you?"

Xu Yan’s long lashes fluttered nervously, his voice barely a whisper. "No…"

(*You’re bullying me right now.*)

"So you hate me?"

Xu Yan drew himself up defensively and quickly explained, "No, that's not it..."

To show he wasn’t afraid or resentful, he spoke a little faster, "By the way, I asked the lighter shop clerk just the other day. She said the parts haven’t arrived yet, but she’ll notify me when they do. I haven't forgotten about it..."

Wen Sinian: "I know."

The clerk had been keeping him informed on the progress, though truthfully, he couldn't care less about it.

After speaking, he suddenly raised his hand, the veins on his forearm tensing as if poised to strike.

Xu Yan instantly gasped sharply, held his breath in his chest as he leaned his upper body back desperately, his hips pushed slightly forward in response.

He explained that it wasn’t intentional and that he knew Wen Sinian’s clothes were expensive.

They were in Wen Sinian's domain, and coincidentally, no one else was around—the entire villa held only the two of them.

Tears welled up at the corners of Xu Yan’s eyes, the rims reddening, before he suddenly pressed both hands tightly over his face, his voice quavering with fear.

"Don’t... don’t hit me..."

No one here could save him.

Yet instead of pain, what followed was a sharp *pop* near his ear, followed by a blast of cold air surging toward him.

Peeking through his fingers, he saw that hand reach into the fridge, pulling out a newly made coffee along with a pink bag from the top shelf.

He thought he heard a dark chuckle above him, and when he looked up, he met a pair of icy, penetrating eyes.

Only now, those eyes seemed to carry a hint of something else—languidly looking down, reflecting only his own figure.

"Not hitting you."

The chilled coffee cup was brought close, pressing lightly against his soft cheek, leaving the delicate skin damp.

Then the looming figure leaned in on the other side, warm breath brushing his ear as a low, ominous voice, laced with faint amusement, murmured like a wicked curse:

"Eating you."