Chapter 53

Chapter 53

After accompanying Zhong Yuan to the repair shop to pick up his car and declining his invitation for lunch, Shen Yue returned to his spacious apartment in the city center.

Having been tossed around all night, all he wanted now was to find a quiet place to catch up on some sleep without being disturbed. When he woke up, the sun was already setting in the west. Shen Yue managed to regain a bit of energy, but the phone on his bedside table kept ringing incessantly.

With his eyes closed, he reached for the phone and answered it. However, before he could say anything, a cold, low voice came from the other end: "Shen Yue, where exactly are you?"

Like a splash of cold water, Shen Yue was jolted awake by that single question.

He brought the phone closer and, as expected, saw Wei Jinchuan's name on the screen. Instantly, a headache set in.

He said, "Where else would I be? I'm at home."

"Is that so?" Wei Jinchuan seemed to laugh, or maybe not—Shen Yue couldn’t tell over the phone. "But I went to check, and you weren’t staying at the Shen family estate yesterday. You left not long after the banquet ended."

"..."

Belatedly realizing the implication behind the word "exactly" in that first sentence, Shen Yue was now fully awake, alarm bells ringing in his head.

"Shen Yue," Wei Jinchuan rarely spoke to him in this tone. He was usually impatient, but now he seemed composed—neither angry nor making a scene. "I want the truth."

His voice was light and slow, carrying an indescribable allure.

Shen Yue opened his mouth, still unsure how to brush it off, when his body once again fell under the control of the world's will: "I..."

He fought back desperately, trying to resist that wretched external force, gritting his teeth and refusing to utter a single word.

Wei Jinchuan was like the world’s most patient hunter, not pressing him. All that could be heard from the other end was his steady, heavy breathing as he quietly waited for Shen Yue to finish.

Shit, Shen Yue thought. His throat was itching, and he was on the verge of breaking.

"It’s alright, Shen Yue. Tell me, I won’t blame you." Wei Jinchuan coaxed persuasively. He seemed a bit like a stranger—not just relying on the world’s will. Shen Yue had a feeling that, even on his own, Wei Jinchuan would easily win this battle.

He said, "I promise you, whoever you were with yesterday, I’ll only take it out on them. I won’t make things difficult for you."

"..." Shen Yue bit his tongue until it bled. The taste of blood filled his mouth, and in that moment, he finally regained a sliver of control. "I’m... at home."

Wei Jinchuan fell silent, as if pondering how Shen Yue had managed to deceive him.

But how could Shen Yue give him time to think? Seizing the opportunity while Wei Jinchuan was silent, he quickly steered the conversation: "I originally planned to rest at the estate yesterday, but a client said they were coming, so I returned to the city center. Linda knows about it—you can ask her if you don’t believe me."

As he spoke, he quickly typed a message to Linda, unafraid of Wei Jinchuan verifying it.

Wei Jinchuan was silent for a moment, seemingly left with no other choice. "Really?"

"Really," Shen Yue replied, feeling a burden lift now that he had pulled it off. "Jinchuan, why would I lie to you?"

"..." Wei Jinchuan hung up.

The moment the dial tone sounded, Shen Yue felt as if he had come back to life. But he didn’t dare let his guard down. After rummaging around, he found a concealer left behind by some ex-partner in the bathroom drawer and dabbed some on his neck.

However, Shen Yue rarely wore makeup. He was as clueless as a child in this area. The thick concealer refused to blend evenly, and the color clearly didn’t match his skin tone, making it look like scars at first glance.

With no other choice, Shen Yue hid at home for two days.

During those two days, he prayed incessantly for the marks on his body to fade. But Zhong Yuan had been in a jealous rage that day—how could the marks he left disappear so easily? Even by Monday, when Shen Yue returned to work, the incriminating marks were still there. Though much lighter, anyone with experience could tell what they were.

With no way to avoid it, Shen Yue considered taking another day off, but after hearing from Linda that a client was coming to the office, he had no choice but to wear a turtleneck.

Before leaving home, he checked his outfit repeatedly, applying concealer and pulling up his collar again and again. Only after ensuring that he wouldn't give himself away as long as his movements weren't too large did he casually make his way to the office.

Fortunately, he arrived late, and Wei Jinchuan was already at his desk. Shen Yue walked confidently into his office. As he passed by Wei Jinchuan, he felt a tangibly burning gaze on the back of his neck—so intense it felt as if it could devour his flesh, sending a shiver down his spine.

Shen Yue paused mid-step and glanced sideways at Wei Jinchuan. The latter’s gaze was direct and penetrating, as if completely unaware of his own transgression.

Or perhaps... intentionally crossing the line.

Shen Yue’s heart skipped a beat. He had managed to placate Wei Jinchuan perfectly over the phone—why was he looking at him like this?

He pursed his lips, trying hard to suppress the unease in his heart. But just as he averted his gaze, Shen Yue caught sight of Wei Jinchuan rising from his desk, walking straight toward him without glancing sideways.

Just as Shen Yue was about to close his office door, Wei Jinchuan quickly slipped through the gap. Before Shen Yue could question him, he produced a document and said, "I have a question."

"..." Shen Yue bit back his words and shifted his gaze to the document. "What is it?"

Shen Yue was not short, but Wei Jinchuan was even taller, allowing him to easily see Shen Yue’s exposed neck and the shocking red marks that should have been hidden beneath his collar.

The marks were already faint, barely noticeable unless one looked closely. But Shen Yue’s skin was exceptionally fair—like smooth snow or fine porcelain. Its purity evoked both a desire to protect and an urge to tarnish. As a result, any mark stood out starkly. The red traces on Shen Yue’s neck resembled vivid blooms in the snow—not just embellishments, but bold declarations.

Wei Jinchuan stared intently at the spot, his vision blurring until he could see nothing else.

Shen Yue had lied to him.

As expected... he knew it. Shen Yue was never one to behave. The moment he took his eyes off him, he would end up in another man’s bed, unable to stay idle for even a day.

...He had been far too soft with Shen Yue before.

Should he confront him? It was pointless. Shen Yue wouldn’t reveal the other man’s identity—it would only tip him off. He didn’t want to hurt Shen Yue, but this person kept crossing his boundaries. Only harsh consequences would teach him a lesson.

Wei Jinchuan took a deep breath, trying his best to calm himself. But his voice shook, unable to hide that he was not okay: "Why are you suddenly wearing such a high-collared shirt?"

His voice trembled, sounding neither like casual small talk nor a genuine inquiry. Shen Yue found it strange but felt even more guilty. He had already prepared an excuse: "It’s autumn now. It’s a bit chilly."

Wei Jinchuan let out an "oh," not mentioning that the temperature was forecast to reach 28 degrees today.

He asked nonchalantly, "How did the client meeting go? It didn’t affect future collaborations, did it?"

"With me handling it, what could go wrong?" Shen Yue feigned nonchalance. "Why are you suddenly so concerned about my company’s affairs?"

Wei Jinchuan wanted to say he had always cared. It was just that Shen Yue had hired him but left him as a mere decoration, just for show, without giving him any real opportunities.

In the time it took to exchange these few words, Shen Yue had already met Wei Jinchuan's gaze, preventing him from seeing the red marks on his neck again.

However, the front of the shirt collar was now perfectly visible. Wei Jinchuan’s eyes lingered on the tightly covered area. Despite not wanting to, he couldn’t help but imagine whether there were marks left by another man beneath it.

Shen Yue, Shen Yue, Shen Yue...

Wei Jinchuan’s gaze felt as if it could burn a hole through Shen Yue’s clothes. Afraid of raising suspicion, he finally forced himself to look away. "There are so many mosquitoes in the city center."

Shen Yue asked curiously, "Mosquitoes?"

"Yes, you’ve been bitten quite a bit on your neck. Doesn’t it itch?"

As he spoke, he reached out and tugged at Shen Yue’s collar.

The action was so abrupt that Shen Yue didn’t have time to react. By the time he realized what was happening, the skin at the front of his neck was exposed, revealing the faint red hickeys Wei Jinchuan had expected to see.

Despite being mentally prepared, Wei Jinchuan still felt a stabbing pain in his chest when he saw those marks.

Shen Yue, startled and uncertain, was about to reach out to block him, but Wei Jinchuan abruptly exerted force. The buttons of the expensive custom-made shirt popped off and scattered across the floor, revealing a large expanse of pale, delicate skin.

His skin was covered densely with marks of various sizes; an indistinct handprint even lingered on his waist. Despite Wei Jinchuan’s meager life experience, he could easily imagine what his body had endured not long ago.

As the shirt was torn apart, Shen Yue felt a chill on his upper body. He instinctively tried to reclaim his clothing from Wei Jinchuan and frowned, saying, "You..."

He uttered a single "You," but before anger could properly set in, his words caught in his throat the moment his eyes met Wei Jinchuan’s.

Was Wei Jinchuan... crying again?

Shen Yue’s mind went blank momentarily. His brain short-circuited as he watched the tears teetering on the brink of Wei Jinchuan’s reddened eyes. With just one blink, they fell like broken strings of pearls.

He couldn’t recall how many times Wei Jinchuan had cried in front of him, but each time, Shen Yue’s heart felt as if it were being tightly clenched by an invisible hand, filling every inch of his chest with a dense, suffocating ache that left him at a loss.

...Had Wei Jinchuan always been so prone to crying?

The words that had risen to his throat remained unspoken. Shen Yue watched as Wei Jinchuan hastily wiped his tears with the back of his hand and silently handed him a tissue.

He sighed and said, "You’re the one who ruined my clothes. Why are you crying?"

"Shen Yue," Wei Jinchuan sniffled, still feeling deeply ashamed about crying in front of others but unable to hold back, "I won’t like you anymore either. I’ll just hate you, okay?"

If he hated Shen Yue, he could disregard his feelings, lock him forcefully in a room, cut him off from everyone else, and make him dependent solely on himself.

That way, everything would become simpler.

An inexplicable panic seized Shen Yue’s heart, as if gripped tightly by an invisible hand. "What?"

"Since you don’t like me anyway," Wei Jinchuan pressed his hand against him, leaning down to plant meticulous kisses over the marks while pinching them lightly, "we’ll be even if neither of us likes the other."

He was on the verge of losing control. Originally, he only wanted revenge on the men who had defiled Shen Yue, but now, he found himself wanting revenge on Shen Yue even more.

If this continued, he feared he might do something he shouldn’t.

Shen Yue, held tightly in his embrace, felt his lower back pressed against the office desk. His bare upper body was trapped, with no room to retreat or push away.

All he could do was endure the tingling, itchy sensations spreading across his skin, tears welling in the corners of his eyes. "Stop moving around... just talk properly."

Wei Jinchuan’s messy hair nuzzled against his exposed upper body, the prickly yet ticklish sensation starkly contrasting with the comforting kisses he planted. Shen Yue had never experienced anything like this and was on the brink of succumbing.

"I’ve been trying to talk properly all along," Wei Jinchuan licked his smooth navel, causing the person in his arms to tremble, "I tried, but you wouldn’t listen. Shen Yue, I’m really afraid I’ll end up hating you."

Unaware of the deeper meaning behind the word "hate," Shen Yue pushed weakly at Wei Jinchuan’s head.

He had never known Wei Jinchuan to be so skilled at this—just a few kisses had left his waist and legs weak. If it weren’t for the sturdy desk behind him and Wei Jinchuan holding him firmly in front, Shen Yue had no doubt he would have collapsed to the floor.

He tried to kick out, hoping to stop Wei Jinchuan’s mischief, but the latter was prepared. Taking a half-hearted kick to his chest, Wei Jinchuan seized the slender ankle, rolled up Shen Yue’s pant leg, clasped the porcelain-like skin in his palm, and pulled hard.

—Shen Yue lost his balance entirely, sliding off the edge of the desk.

"Stop!" Wei Jinchuan caught him, and Shen Yue collapsed entirely onto the man four years his junior, leaving him utterly humiliated. "Wei Jinchuan... I told you to stop!"

"Why?" Wei Jinchuan scooped him up and gently laid him on the sofa. "Don’t you like it? Shen Yue, admit it—your body can’t resist me."

"..." Shen Yue had no retort and closed his eyes.

"Open your eyes," Wei Jinchuan didn’t touch his eyelids. With just a word, Shen Yue’s eyes obediently opened. "Shen Yue, be good. I’ll let you choose."

He reached out, gently stroking Shen Yue’s trembling lips while bracing himself against the soft sofa. Shen Yue felt himself sinking deeper.

"Do you prefer here, on the sofa you usually use to meet clients and discuss business?"

His hand moved upward, making slow circles as it slowly caressed Shen Yue’s face. "Or inside, on the bed you use for naps?"

Shen Yue shook his head slightly. The overwhelming force of fate had only revealed the tip of the iceberg, and he realized how laughable his earlier self-righteous resistance had been.

His strength was nothing but a mayfly trying to shake a tree.

"I think the bed would be better," Wei Jinchuan answered for him when he received no reply. "It’s bigger, more comfortable, and more private. No one will find out."

Shen Yue turned his head away, resigned.

"But here is more thrilling, isn’t it?" Wei Jinchuan chuckled, his gaze burning with an intensity entirely different from before.

Shen Yue’s eyes widened.

"It’s fine, Shen Yue. I locked the door. Your office is safe; no one will discover us." Sensing his reluctance, Wei Jinchuan pressed a gentle kiss to Shen Yue’s ear.

Shen Yue felt like cursing but couldn’t find the words.

"Shen Yue, please don’t hate me, okay?"

Wei Jinchuan was crying again, his body hovering slightly above Shen Yue’s. Crystal tears fell onto Shen Yue’s face, temples, and clothes. He kissed Shen Yue devoutly, like a penitent worshipping a deity. "Don’t blame me. Blame yourself. I really didn’t want to force you. I warned you, but you wouldn’t listen—not at all. I don’t want to use the Wei family against you or your lovers, Shen Yue. I have no other choice. Please don’t hate me, okay?"

Don’t dislike him, don’t ignore him, and don’t subject him to the cold shoulder or disappearances like before. That kind of punishment was too heavy. Wei Jinchuan had experienced it once and couldn’t bear to go through it again.

He had issued threats and harsh words earlier, but in the end, he hadn’t done anything to Shen Yue beyond kissing him repeatedly. Finally exhausted, he simply held him close.

The embrace lasted an indeterminate amount of time. Perhaps his repentance had some effect, or perhaps Shen Yue ultimately couldn’t escape the control of fate. Wei Jinchuan felt a light, almost imperceptible hug in return.

—So faint that, had he not been on edge, he might have missed it.

"Wei Jinchuan," he heard Shen Yue’s voice, slightly hoarse yet gentle, as if soothing him, "let’s make our relationship public."

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