Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Shen Mo invited him to bathe with him.

What an honor…

Jiang Yao turned, pondering for a few seconds. Once certain Shen Mo hadn’t changed his mind, he hung his soaked vest on a nearby rack and began unbuttoning his shirt.

Jiang Yao had an excellent physique—lean but not scrawny, with all the right proportions. His milky-white skin, drenched in hot water, resembled a cup of snowy yogurt, or perhaps strawberry-flavored yogurt.

It made one want to taste it.

Shen Mo retrieved the wooden tray floating nearby and poured himself another glass of wine. “Butler Jiang has a good figure too.”

Jiang Yao was in the middle of taking off his trousers, which were a bit difficult to remove when wet. He looked up with a smile, unbuckled his belt, and bent down to pull them off.

Shen Mo drained the entire glass of red wine, inevitably swallowing some hot spring water. The faint sulfur taste left his mouth parched and tingling as he watched Jiang Yao struggle with his trousers.

Bending over so deeply, the waterline reached just below Jiang Yao’s chin. Shen Mo swallowed hard, then swept his hand across the water’s surface. The ripples surged, and the waterline suddenly rose past Jiang Yao’s chin to his lips, gushing into his mouth.

“Cough! Cough, cough, cough!” Jiang Yao choked, hacking violently. The abrupt movement tangled his trousers around his feet, and he slipped, falling back into the water. “M-Mr.—”

His cry was swallowed by the water as he thrashed, desperately trying to kick free of his trousers. In his panic, he frantically grabbed an arm extended toward him.

Shen Mo pulled him up, his palm gliding down Jiang Yao’s back to his slender waist, as if coated in soap. “So smooth.”

Jiang Yao nearly fell back in again.

System: “Host, what’s wrong?”

“Nothing.” Jiang Yao shook his head, letting most of his weight rest against Shen Mo as he steadied himself. Their skin pressed together, melding like two intertwining silk ribbons.

Jiang Yao: “Mr. Shen.”

Shen Mo: “…Hm.”

“Wait a second,” Jiang Yao flushed, his expression awkward. “My trousers… they’re still stuck. Could you…?”

“What?” Shen Mo asked, then—still pressed chest-to-chest—he braced one hand on Jiang Yao’s shoulder and the other on his bent elbow, pushing them apart.

The warm, silken sensation faded as Jiang Yao straightened, lowering his head, too embarrassed to meet Shen Mo’s gaze. He hesitated, as if wanting to make a request, but then glanced down and saw something even more humiliating. He quickly looked up, staring at the night sky above the open-air hot spring.

His butler, like a swan craning its neck in courtship. Shen Mo’s gaze lingered between Jiang Yao’s throat and the rippling water, where something played peek-a-boo in the waves.

Finally, Jiang Yao spoke: “…Please, I think I’ve got a cramp. Mr. Shen, could you help me take them off…?”

[Bastard!]

[Slut!]

[Who are you putting on this act for?]

[Just take him right here. You asked for this, throwing yourself at me like a whore…]

Shen Mo’s inner voice was a torrent of vicious curses. A pent-up, seething malice surged within him, and the moment Jiang Yao spoke, he wanted nothing more than to unleash it all on him!

Yet, the man merely grunted assent. In all his impressions—even in the novel’s portrayal of Shen Mo—he had never once let slip a crude or improper word.

But today, Jiang Yao had heard enough.

And it wasn’t just words. Jiang Yao could even peer into Shen Mo’s fantasies—like how, as Shen Mo hoisted him up effortlessly by the waist to remove the trousers tangled around his ankles, his movements were gentle, but his mind pictured using those very trousers to bind Jiang Yao’s wrists and ankles.

Pressing him into the hot spring rocks, forcing him to kneel, and then…

“Ahem.” Jiang Yao coughed twice, interrupting Shen Mo.

Shen Mo set him down smoothly. “Be careful.”

“Thank you, Mr. Shen.” Jiang Yao smiled. Shen Mo nodded, retreating to lean against the rocks, shutting his eyes in feigned meditation. A man of remarkable restraint—visibly aroused, yet wouldn’t even look at him.

Jiang Yao smirked.

But suddenly, the interrupted images flooded back.

Shen Mo’s fantasies were graphic and shameless, unvarnished and visceral. Jiang Yao stared at him openly, amused as he raked his eyes over Shen Mo.

A man like this, when aroused, was just as ordinary as any other—like a teenager who couldn’t take the mildest provocation. A touch that barely qualified as an embrace had provoked such an intense reaction.

As if sensing something, Shen Mo abruptly opened his eyes. The hungry gleam in them hadn’t yet faded, boring straight into Jiang Yao.

Jiang Yao startled. “What’s wrong, Mr. Shen?”

“Why are you staring?” Shen Mo’s voice was hoarse.

Jiang Yao swam closer, lifting a hand to press against Shen Mo’s forehead in concern. “Are you feeling unwell? You look flushed…”

Time to make an excuse and leave. The heat in Shen Mo’s gaze was overwhelming. Jiang Yao figured now would be the perfect time to call over the protagonist bottom.

“What do you plan to do?” Shen Mo rasped.

Jiang Yao: “I’ll fetch your robe. You might’ve soaked for too long.”

With that, he stood, water streaming off his body. Shen Mo’s robe was slung over a rack by the pool, placed farther away to avoid splashes.

Jiang Yao hesitated for a second, then picked up the towel Shen Mo had used earlier. He dried his hands, arms, and shoulders, shaking off excess water to avoid dampening Mr. Shen’s robe.

Just as he finished, a burning body pressed against him from behind. Jiang Yao shuddered. “Mr. Shen!”

A kiss landed on his ear, trailing down to his neck, searing his skin with heat. “That’s my towel.”

Jiang Yao froze. “Y-Yes… but I didn’t have anything else to dry off with. I just wanted to wipe myself before handling your robe.”

Using Shen Mo’s towel to dry himself was like a pet willingly offering itself to be marked by its owner. The idea sparked something feral in Shen Mo. He barely registered how he’d left the water, how he’d wrapped his arms around Jiang Yao, or how his lips had found the back of Jiang Yao’s neck while his hands explored the two points that had taunted him countless times before.

Then came Jiang Yao’s shuddering gasp.

“Mr. Shen, you’re drunk…” Jiang Yao struggled weakly. “Please let go.”

Shen Mo: [This token resistance—what else could it mean but an invitation?]

His embrace tightened like a constricting python, his hands wandering boldly. Jiang Yao’s breathing hitched. He sighed inwardly—this had gone way past his expectations. With others, he might’ve gone with the flow, but Shen Mo was this world’s main lead!

System: [Now you realize the consequences? You really… tsk.]

Jiang Yao: [If I’d known Shen Mo was into me, why would I have wasted time on Fu Xiaoen?]

The system sputtered: [I thought you were admitting a mistake! What kind of regret is that?! Just—just cool it! If you and Shen Mo get together, this inner world will collapse!]

*Knock knock.* The bamboo door separating the hot spring area rattled. “Is anyone there?”

It’s Fu Xiaoen!

Jiang Yao: “Mr. Fu… mmm!”

His lips were muffled. Shen Mo didn't want anyone to disturb them tonight, but Fu Xiaoen was oblivious. He couldn’t detect Jiang Yao’s uneven breathing or the heavy atmosphere. “Butler Jiang? Is that you? Butler Jiang!”

Shen Mo pushed Jiang Yao away, and Jiang Yao immediately responded, “Mr. Fu, it’s so late. Is something the matter?”

“It really is you!” Fu Xiaoen exclaimed excitedly, rattling the bamboo door outside. “I heard the villa has a hot spring, and I’ve been wanting to come. Let’s take a dip together!”

“Just a moment.” Jiang Yao smiled, tossing the towel around his waist before turning to help Shen Mo into his robe—only to find the latter had submerged himself again.

Shen Mo rubbed his temples. “Get him out of here.”

His sister’s husband, that deadbeat who walked out on his family. If it weren’t for Ian needing him, Shen Mo wouldn’t give Fu Xiaoen the time of day.

Jiang Yao: “Understood.”

Shen Mo: “Put on the robe.”

“Alright.” Jiang Yao slipped into the robe and went to open the door. Before he could speak, Fu Xiaoen barreled in like an overeager puppy. “Hot spring, here I come!”

*Splash!*

A huge wave erupted as Fu Xiaoen plunged into the water.

After wiping the water from his face, Fu Xiaoen finally saw Shen Mo’s darkened expression. “Holy shit—! Y-you… why are you here?”

System: […Well, this mess might actually move the romance forward.]

Shen Mo gave Jiang Yao a pointed look, silently ordering him to get rid of the intruder. Jiang Yao blinked innocently. “Oh, right. There are freshly baked cookies in the kitchen. I’ll go check and have someone bring them over.”

With that, he made his exit, leaving the uncomfortable duo—Shen Mo and Fu Xiaoen—alone.

And he took Shen Mo’s robe and the towel he’d used before soaking with him.

Shen Mo: “…”

Fu Xiaoen: “…”

*What are you looking at, deadbeat dad?!* Fu Xiaoen rolled his eyes at Shen Mo, spreading his arms wide to show off his machismo. He wouldn’t back down, no matter what.

Shen Mo’s final thought reached Jiang Yao’s ears: [Trying to pick a fight?]

Jiang Yao nearly laughed. He sent a servant to deliver the cookies and grab a fresh robe for Shen Mo, along with a message that he wasn’t feeling well and had gone back to rest.

Then, still wearing the robe, he walked back to the staff quarters.

Jing Yan, who had returned at some point smelling like a distillery, turned his head at the sound of the door. He was met with an unusual sight—Jiang Yao, only wearing a robe, damp and carrying the faint scent of sulfur.

That post-soak warmth.

Jiang Yao was surprised to see Jing Yan. “Mr. Jing Yan, long time no see. I heard you got your heart broken. Been drinking?”

A breakup?

Right. He hadn’t shown himself around Jiang Yao for days—ever since, after Jiang Yao agreed to a date, he waited eagerly at a bar… only for a supermodel from Shen Mo's blind date to show up instead.

Meaning Jiang Yao had passed along the concert tickets, rejecting his date request.

Jing Yan thought he had gotten over it by now. But that illusion shattered the moment he set eyes on Jiang Yao again.

“Butler Jiang, I… have something to tell you…”

Jiang Yao closed the door and stepped into the living room, giving Jing Yan an encouraging look. “Alright, what is it?”

This was the perfect chance to confess!

Jing Yan’s breathing grew shallow from nervousness. Under Jiang Yao’s gentle, encouraging look, he worked up his nerve and met his eyes. “I—I—”

[He’s about to confess,] Jiang Yao mused to the system. [Think he’ll do something if I reject him?]

System: [Must you be so mean?]

Jiang Yao chuckled. [And why not? Like I’d actually accept?]

System: [Fair point.]

“Butler Jiang, I—I—I-I-I—” he stammered.