Chapter 56

Chapter 56

The sea breeze drifted in through the balcony’s floor-to-ceiling windows; the city’s night throbbed with the same restless heat.

Xu Yan heard someone call him "guai guai" (a term of endearment often used by elders for a "good boy"), melting his heart like warm honey and making his body grow warm, as if he were melting.

Before the wine’s warmth seeped into his veins, Wen Sinian kindly gave him some time to rest and catch his breath.

He held Xu Yan in his arms on the balcony’s lounge chair, letting the soft body mold perfectly against his chest.

Now that he had him, the earlier all-consuming hunger had faded.

Still, he locked him in a vise-like grip at the waist, not allowing even an inch of escape, then gently rocked the lounge chair, swaying them both in a slow, rhythmic motion.

Even with such tenderness, Xu Yan welled up with tears.

His dress still clung to him, though it was now in tatters, his alabaster skin glowing under the moonlight.

The short, flared skirt draped down, covering his trembling thighs—and the sinful mess beneath the night’s veil.

Wen Sinian had only removed his shirt, his pants still perfectly in place, his hair tousled just enough to look devoured, his eyes heavy-lidded with desire.

With deliberate cruelty, he suddenly tilted the lounge chair backward.

Xu Yan’s back stiffened, a sweet, breathy moan slipping from his throat as his entire body flushed with heat, steaming like a fever dream. He trembled against Wen Sinian’s chest, gasping in shallow breaths.

To an outsider, they might have simply looked like two people entwined on a lounge chair.

But only Xu Yan knew just how vicious and unyielding Wen Sinian could be.

He wanted to escape, but his body only grew bonelessly pliant, sinking deeper instead of breaking free.

His breaths were laced with the scent of wine, his head hazy and weightless as he tilted it back, gazing helplessly at the man before him.

He tried to speak, but his words dissolved into another moan.

Biting his lower lip, his eyes brimming with tears, he looked utterly innocent.

This wasn’t his voice—he hadn’t meant to, he didn’t even know what was happening to him.

Wen Sinian gently pinched his chin, freeing the bitten, swollen lips before leaning down to claim them, sucking and teasing with alternating pressure.

He felt Xu Yan’s untried but eager surrender, his lips parting willingly.

As if the discomfort had truly faded, replaced by something indescribably pleasurable, a white-hot pleasure.

Xu Yan’s scalp tingled, electric shivers raced down his spine, his eyes slowly narrowing into drowsy crescents.

“Still uncomfortable?” Wen Sinian murmured against his lips.

The night breeze swept over them, the lounge chair still swaying gently.

Xu Yan wept quietly, lashes clumped with tears, and nodded.

It *was* uncomfortable—but in a different way now.

“Look at you, trembling like a leaf, baby.”

Wen Sinian’s fingers found that tiny red mole in the dark. “Feels good, doesn’t it?”

Xu Yan refused to admit it, staring at him silently, but his eyes were full of shyness, as if drowning in silent pleas.

Wen Sinian’s heart hammered like a wild thing. Unable to resist, he tightened his grip on Xu Yan’s waist and asked in a low voice, “Did it feel good?”

This time, Xu Yan could only babble half-formed denials.

Wen Sinian cupped the back of his head, claiming his mouth in a searing kiss again while lifting him with his other arm.

The movement drew out an even more broken, honeyed sob, making Wen Sinian smirk.

The plump, tender fruit had been forcibly ripened—sink his teeth into the ripened flesh, and sweet nectar would spill forth.

Now, he could finally feast like a starved man.

His therapist had repeatedly warned him—his body’s dependency was worsening. If necessary, he could resume prescription blockers, even if it risked chemical crutch. The priority was ensuring it didn’t disrupt his daily life.

Addiction warped the mind. No matter how strong-willed, no one could resist its pull—visions would plague him, clawing at him like demons.

But Wen Sinian had no intention of going back to medication.

In fact, before feeding Xu Yan the aphrodisiac-laced wine, he had drunk most of it himself.

So tonight’s loss of control was inevitable.

*

Xu Yan hadn’t eaten much for dinner, yet he still felt like he might see stars and retch multiple times.

Not that there was nothing left inside him to throw up.

He’d been sweet-talked and deceived into saying all sorts of filthy confessions, forced to call Wen Sinian “husband” countless times.

He’d been promised mercy if he begged, but instead, it only led to merciless escalation.

Hazy with exhaustion, he slumped sideways onto the carpet by the table, his lower half buried under blankets, only his legs exposed.

Before slipping into unconsciousness, he saw the first light of dawn breaking over the distant sea.

Morning was almost here…

Sometime later, Wen Sinian carried him from the carpet into the bathroom, still holding him close.

Exhausted from the long night, Xu Yan fell asleep without a second thought in the arms of his tormentor-turned-comforter.

The maid’s dress, barely hanging onto his waist, was finally removed completely—the white lace underneath barely recognizable from its original shape.

Not ¥5800—the original price was more than double that. Who knew it’d end up as a single-night sacrifice?

Wen Sinian tossed it into the trash with ruthless efficiency.

Hot water filled the double bathtub quickly, and he carried Xu Yan inside.

He’d only meant to clean him thoroughly, but seeing the marks—his own love bites and possessive marks littering that delicate skin—he couldn’t resist indulging a little longer, gave in to another round.

Wrapped in an oversized bath sheet, he carried Xu Yan out of the steamy bathroom as morning had fully broken.

Xu Yan remained deep in sleep, dead to the world, lost to the world.

Wen Sinian gazed at the lingering flush on his cheeks, his swollen red lips, damp lashes, and slightly puffy eyes from crying—a wave of fierce, guilty protectiveness crashing over him.

I might have gone a bit too far with him.

I kissed his eyes and cheeks, feeling tempted again.

But seeing him curled up quietly in my arms, so docile and vulnerable, I restrained myself.

I just carried him through the messy room and called the front desk to have someone come up for a basic cleanup.

The bedsheets and blankets definitely needed to be replaced, the lounge chair on the balcony needed cleaning, the floor-length mirror and carpet were a mess, and the table and sofa were also...

Might as well get everything cleaned.

Wen Sinian simply carried Xu Yan to his own room, which had stayed empty all night—clean and tidy.

He placed him on the large bed, watching as Xu Yan instinctively curled into a small ball under the covers.

Wen Sinian got into bed as well, pulling him flush against himself.

Xu Yan only made a few sleepy noises, finding a comfortable position in his arms before burying his face against his neck and going still.

Wen Sinian tipped his face up, seeing his eyes lightly closed in deep sleep. The way he had instinctively snuggled closer was immensely gratifying, so he kissed him for a good while.

Unexpectedly, the sleeping man parted his lips just a little, already trained to respond, his tongue peeking out submissively, accepting whatever was given.

What began as a light kiss deepened, Wen Sinian gently sucking on his obedient tongue.

After kissing for a long while, he finally held him close and drifted off together.

Zheng Yao and the others had rested early the night before to conserve energy for today's island-hopping excursion.

Yet early in the morning, he received a message from Wen Sinian saying he and Xu Yan wouldn’t be joining for diving, asking Zheng Yao to take care of the others and transferring him a substantial sum.

Zheng Yao blinked. From the looks of it, it seemed he’d be in charge of the group for the entire five-day trip.

When the others asked why Wen Sinian and Xu Yan weren’t joining, Zheng Yao explained that Xu Yan was under the weather and was resting in the room, while Wen Sinian had volunteered to stay behind to take care of him so they wouldn't disrupt the group’s plans.

Upon hearing this, Shen Nanli immediately announced he'd stay behind too, intending to check on Xu Yan upstairs.

No wonder his messages and calls to Xu Yan last night had gotten no response—he’d thought Xu Yan had gone to bed early, but it turned out he wasn't feeling well.

Zheng Yao had long suspected an unusual relationship between the two upstairs. If he failed to stop Shen Nanli now, he might as well kiss his life goodbye.

"Wen Ge didn’t go because he didn’t want to spoil everyone’s fun. He said he also had some work to handle, and taking care of Yan Yan was nothing," Zheng Yao explained patiently. "Let’s not waste Wen Ge’s kindness. Besides, Yan Yan’s probably still resting—you’d only be disturbing him."

Shen Nanli relented. As the only one present who knew about Xu Yan and Wen Sinian’s relationship, he actually had faith in Wen Sinian.

"Fine, I’ll visit him tonight then."

The group finally headed out from the hotel to the beach pier to board the boat.

Wen Sinian slept lightly, waking after just four or five hours. The person in his arms was still fast asleep, so he didn’t disturb him, enjoying the warmth of the soft, warm body against him like a human-sized marshmallow.

One hand traced circles on the smooth back while the other picked up his phone.

Zheng Yao had texted photos and videos of their boat trip—everyone laughing and having fun. Zheng Yao even vowed confidently that he’d handle everything, assuring Wen Sinian could tend to his own business.

Wen Sinian did have some work to attend to. After replying to a few messages, he absentmindedly picked up Xu Yan’s phone from the bedside table.

Seeing the matching lock screen wallpaper to his own, a small smile tugged at his lips.

He swiped open the screen and unlocked it.

Not just the passcode—cracking any app password on Xu Yan’s phone was child's play for him.

And he’d done it long ago.

Though snooping through a partner’s phone was considered a breach of trust and could damage trust if discovered, Wen Sinian never pretended to be a saint. If he wanted to look, he would.

As long as he wasn’t caught.

The old phone Xu Yan had used for years had turned up nothing, and this newer one was equally spotless.

Seeing the chat labeled "Hubby" faithfully pinned at the top, with the nickname unchanged, scrolling further revealed only group chats or normal exchanges with classmates. His conversation with Zhuang Sheng had stopped at their last meal together.

Satisfied, Wen Sinian was about to lock Xu Yan’s phone and put it back when he glanced at the small head nestled against his chest and unlocked it again.

His fingers moved quickly across the screen, and soon, a pulsing red dot appeared on his own phone’s tracking app.

Only then did he set the phone aside, pressing a kiss to Xu Yan’s hair before getting out of bed.

*

Xu Yan had never slept this long before—from six in the morning until past eight at night without waking once, so deeply that he didn’t even dream.

Opening his eyes to an unfamiliar ceiling, it took him a few dazed moments to remember where he was.

The room was dimly lit by a wall lamp. As he shifted, his eyes suddenly burned.

Not only was his entire body aching unbearably, but his legs felt as if they’d been disassembled and reassembled—repeatedly.

His hips were sore, his arms weak. After a few feeble struggles under the covers, his nose stung with the urge to cry.

The bed dipped slightly as someone sat beside him.

He was lifted effortlessly from the bedding, like a stranded fish scooped from the shore, and pulled into an embrace.

"Awake?" Wen Sinian stroked his cheek, his voice impossibly gentle. "Are you hungry?"

Xu Yan nearly flinched at the touch, legs trembling as he pushed weakly with reddened eyes. "Don’t..."

His voice came out hoarse, throat dry from a day without food or water.

Not only that, but his head felt heavy and dizzy, as if hungover despite the long sleep.

Wen Sinian didn’t let go, instead lifting him fully from the bed.

The position triggered fragmented memories—like the floor-length mirror in front of the bed, where last night he’d been held and...

Xu Yan quickly hid his face, squeezing his eyes shut, trying to ostrich his way out of the shameful recollections.

The alcohol’s effects had faded, and there was no way he could bring himself to say those "fuck me" words now.

He hadn’t expected that maid dress and the white lace underneath to have such an effect—he’d actually gone through with it with Wen Sinian...

And judging by the lingering soreness, it had been intense. So intense he’d passed out.

The realization sent a flush spreading across his body again, his breaths turning warm and uneven.

But he felt clean and comfortable now, wearing a new robe, and must have been washed carefully.

Who had bathed him? It could only have been Wen Sinian.

Hazy memories of this part flickered—a double bathtub filled with warm water...

Xu Yan silently bit his lip, wishing he could crawl into Wen Sinian’s collar and never come out.

His mind kept wandering until Wen Sinian carried him to the dining table and settled him. Only then did he realize the room’s layout was a mirror image of his own—he had been sleeping in Wen Sinian’s room.

On another table nearby sat an open laptop, displaying some unfamiliar visuals.

Wen Sinian sat him on his lap. "The food arrived ten minutes ago. It’s still warm."

Xu Yan eyed the plates heaped with food and touched his empty stomach. He was starving—all that activity had left him in desperate need of replenishment.

But being held like this on Wen Sinian’s lap made him fidget uncomfortably, which was immediately noticed.

"Does it hurt?" Wen Sinian started to turn him over. "Let me check."

Xu Yan panicked and clung to his neck. "No, don’t look..."

Wen Sinian steadied his waist. "I just want to check if you’re hurt. Don’t worry, I won’t do anything."

Xu Yan didn’t believe that for a second—he’d fallen for that line last night.

"No, no..." Xu Yan deliberately softened his voice. "I’m so hungry... I want to eat..."

Wen Sinian relented for now. "What do you want?"

Xu Yan looked over the table hesitantly.

He was terrified that after eating, Wen Sinian would insist on checking him. Delaying it as long as possible was his only option.

Wen Sinian filled a glass with water, helped him take a few sips, dabbed his mouth, then brushed his cheek. "If you don’t like any of this, we can go out to eat. Sound good?"

"Is there still good food outside at this hour?"

"There are a few restaurants by the beach nearby, and a night market too. Do you want Cantonese, seafood, or Western?"

Xu Yan felt even hungrier now. But if they went out, wouldn’t they return much later?

Maybe if they came back late enough, they could just go straight to bed without anything else happening.

His plan seemed perfect. He nodded. "I want to try everything."

Wen Sinian picked him up and carried him back to his room to get dressed.

The room had already been cleaned, with no sign of last night’s mess left behind.

"It’s so late—Nan Li and the rest still aren’t back?"

"Raise your arms," Wen Sinian said as he dressed him in a shirt. "No, they’re probably still out eating."

Xu Yan felt a twinge of worry. "When they saw neither of us came downstairs this morning, did they ask anything?"

"Spread your legs," Wen Sinian was already pulling shorts onto him, then suddenly noticed they wouldn’t cover the marks on his thighs. He quickly swapped them for a pair of long pants without looking up. "No."

Xu Yan was skeptical. As Wen Sinian helped him off the bed to put on shoes, he lifted a foot and asked, "Nan Li didn’t ask either?"

Wen Sinian tied his shoelaces, then took his hand and helped him off the bed.

"He messaged you."

They returned to Wen Sinian’s room, where Xu Yan checked his phone. Sure enough, there were multiple messages starting from last night.

Shen Nanli had first asked if he was asleep last night. Getting no reply, he messaged again this morning and afternoon, asking if he was feeling better and if he needed any medicine or food brought back.

Xu Yan paused to carefully phrase his reply, not wanting to worry him. The reply was immediate.

Shen Nanli: *There you are! If you hadn’t replied, I was about to come back to the hotel to see if Wen Sinian had done something to you.*

Xu Yan: ...

It was the truth, but he didn’t dare tell Shen Nanli what had actually happened.

Xu Yan: *I’m fine. Just slept the whole day and only saw your messages now.*

Shen Nanli: *Feeling better? Want to join us? We’re still at dinner—probably gonna be a while.*

Xu Yan glanced back at Wen Sinian, who was changing clothes without the slightest concern that he was still standing there. He quickly turned away, face burning as he typed.

Xu Yan: *No, we’ll just eat nearby. You guys have fun.*

Shen Nanli: *Alright. If you’re feeling better tomorrow, come out with us. I’ll bring you something good when I get back.*

Xu Yan replied with a sticker and put his phone away.

Arms encircled his waist from behind, and Wen Sinian turned his face and kissed him deeply.

After the intimacy they’d shared, touch now felt inevitable.

He only wanted to cling to him every second, never apart.

Xu Yan came up for air and pushed lightly at his chest.

Wen Sinian released him, eyes dark with desire for them to simply stay holed up in the room for five days straight.

"Does it hurt to walk?" he asked softly.

Xu Yan took a few steps and grimaced. "A little..."

Wen Sinian: "Want to stay and rest at the hotel?"

Xu Yan quickly said, "I want to go out. I haven’t even left the hotel yet."

He’d spent an entire day and night in the room—some vacation this was.

Wen Sinian chuckled as he watched him waddle slowly.

A full day’s rest had clearly helped.

They could pick up where they left off tonight.

Clueless about Wen Sinian’s thoughts while staring at his back, Xu Yan reached the entrance first. Spotting several fancy shopping bags on the cabinet, he asked curiously, "What’s this?"

Wen Sinian stopped him from opening them, instead slipping an arm around his waist and brushing a kiss against his lips.

"Bought them for you. We’ll look when we get back."