Chapter 174 Office Romance

Chapter 174: Office Romance

Lu Lin's fingers and palm covered his skin, warm and dry.

Shen Qingci's breathing was steady, his face cold and expressionless, showing no signs of abnormality, but Lu Lin could see his earlobes gradually turning red.

The redness spread from the base of his ears, bit by bit, like ink on rice paper, slowly seeping outward. His neck was as fair as jade, making that touch of red particularly striking.

"President Shen? What's wrong, President Shen?"

Lin Wei's voice carried a hint of tension.

Shen Qingci parted his lips, and a steady voice squeezed out from his throat: "Nothing, continue."

Two words, cold and crisp, without any extra syllables. Only the bob of his Adam's apple betrayed his unease.

Lu Lin's hand moved down a bit further, Shen Qingci's trousers pulled down a little, the edge hooked by his fingers, tugged slightly downward.

Shen Qingci's eyelashes trembled again.

Lu Lin's palm pressed against him, the force neither heavy nor light.

His movements were slow, sliding upward, the pads of his fingers brushing over every inch of skin, then sliding down again.

Shen Qingci's gaze still rested on the view outside the window; the sunlight was just right, the distant building outlines clear and quiet, everything the same as usual.

Only he knew that his breathing had slowed by a beat.

"The handover at the branch office is complete," Lin Wei's voice continued, steady and professional, "The rest is just some finishing work, Vice President Zhou is handling it. Also, the projects you asked me to keep an eye on are all on track..."

Shen Qingci listened, occasionally letting out an "Mm," very short, very soft, as if squeezed from his throat.

Shen Qingci's fingers gripping the phone tightened a bit more.

His body tensed for a moment, but his breathing remained steady, his face expressionless. Yet the hand holding the phone showed whitening fingertips.

The other hand rested on the armrest of the sofa, the long fingers slightly curled, his nails left faint indentations on the leather.

"That's about it." Lin Wei's voice paused. "President Shen, is there anything else you'd like to ask?"

"Not for now."

His words were cold as ever, without a trace of change. But his leg moved slightly.

It was a very light movement, just his knee drawing inward an inch.

Lu Lin immediately noticed the clear fluid on his fingers.

Shen Qingci's brow twitched almost imperceptibly.

"Then that's it for now," Lin Wei said, "I'll report to you after I land."

"Mm."

Shen Qingci hung up the phone.

The phone slipped from his fingers, fell onto the sofa, and made a dull thud.

He didn't pick it up, only lowered his eyes to look at Lu Lin's hand that was still on him.

The long fingers glistened faintly in the sunlight.

His trousers were completely undone, bunched below his hipbones, the edge pulled down to his thigh, still smeared with traces of fluid not fully wiped away.

He spoke, his voice, cold yet lower than usual:

"Can't hold back until tonight?"

Lu Lin looked up, his eyes brimming with laughter and a satisfaction he couldn't hide.

He leaned over and kissed the corner of Shen Qingci's mouth, his voice low, with a playful, coaxing tone:

"Couldn't hold back."

"And... I want to have a forbidden office romance with you, President Shen."

The office fell silent, leaving only the faint sound of traffic outside the window.

Lu Lin's fingers remained in place, his fingertips pressing against the skin that had been neglected, feeling the sticky dampness.

Shen Qingci leaned in Lu Lin's embrace, hearing the man's suggestive words, remembering how relentless the man had been yesterday, pushing him to the brink. His ears reddening, his voice cold but carrying a note of fierceness:

"Take your hand off."

Lu Lin obediently withdrew his hand, and as he withdrew, he brushed against him faintly and almost intentionally. Shen Qingci's lashes trembled almost imperceptibly, then cast him another glance at Lu Lin, who looked back at him with pretended confusion.

Lu Lin raised his hand in front of him, fingers spread, letting him see.

"Brother," his voice low, with an innocent look, "I'm all wet."

Shen Qingci cast him another glance, his gaze flat, devoid of emotion, yet it made Lu Lin's heart skip a beat.

He didn't say a word, just reached out, pulled two wet wipes from the coffee table, took Lu Lin's hand, and wiped each finger thoroughly clean.

Movements slow, from the base to the tip, every inch wiped meticulously.

Lu Lin's eyes darkened. He watched Shen Qingci's downcast, focused, gentle expression as he wiped his fingers.

The fingers that held the tissue were long, fair, with distinct knuckles, finer and thinner than his own hand, as if sculpted from the finest white jade.

The tissue was tossed into the trash bin. Shen Qingci bent his head to straighten his clothes, his bearing elegant, nothing like someone who had just been through such an act.

Lu Lin sat beside him, watching him methodically straighten his clothes, as if he were a mortal who had pulled a celestial being down from heaven, left his own marks on him, pious yet unable to resist the temptation to desecrate.

Shen Qingci finished adjusting his clothes and reached for the coffee cup on the table. The moment his fingertips touched the rim, a hand reached out and pushed the cup further away.

"It's cold," Lu Lin's voice murmured against his ear, slightly raspy with exaggerated seduction, "Let me get you a fresh cup, big brother."

He stood up, walked toward the coffee machine behind the desk, his posture upright, impeccably dressed—a world apart from the man moments ago.

Shen Qingci leaned back on the sofa, watching his retreating figure. Sunlight streamed in from the floor-to-ceiling windows, falling on that tall body, making the white shirt slightly translucent.

The outline of his shoulder blades was faintly visible, his waist was cinched tight, and below, long legs wrapped in suit pants.

When he walked, his spine was straight, but his steps carried a touch of casual nonchalance.

The little dog had grown up handsome.

Shen Qingci propped his chin slightly with his hand, his gaze following Lu Lin's movements.

The coffee machine hummed, and a rich aroma slowly filled the air.

Shen Qingci looked away, picked up his phone from between the sofa cushions, and opened his chat with Lu Lin.

The last message was still the one that Lu Lin had sent.

“I need to think it over carefully! Brother, you’ve already promised me, don’t go back on your word~”

He stared at it for a few seconds, then locked the screen and set the phone aside.

He turned his gaze back to Lu Lin, his fingers tapping lightly on his thigh: He had already given himself to this man; what else was there to hold back?

Lu Lin walked over with a cup of coffee, sat down beside him, and handed the cup to him.

The temperature was just right—neither too hot nor too cold.

Shen Qingci took a sip. The rich bitterness melted on his tongue, followed by a slight sourness, and the aftertaste was faintly sweet. It was different from what he usually drank, but surprisingly good.

“You changed the beans?” he asked.

Lu Lin nodded, his eyes bright and full of anticipation. “They arrived last week. I thought you’d like them, so I saved them.”

Shen Qingci took another sip but said nothing. Lu Lin also didn’t say anything more. He just leaned against him, one hand resting on his waist, his thumb gently stroking the fabric.

Halfway through his coffee, Shen Qingci suddenly spoke up: “Did you know that Chu Yinzhan has a fiancée?”

Lu Lin’s hand paused. “Yes.”

“When did you find out?”

“When Feng Yuetian first got in touch with him.” His voice was calm. “I needed to make sure everyone around you was safe.”

Shen Qingci glanced at him, then set the coffee cup down and looked out the window.

Lu Lin watched him, feeling a sudden tightness in his chest. He tightened his arm, pulling him closer into his arms, and rested his chin on top of Shen Qingci’s head.

“Brother,” he said softly, “I’m not Chu Yinzhan. I don’t have a fiancée. I have only you, and I want only you.”

Shen Qingci didn’t move or speak. Sunlight fell on them, enveloping them in a warm, golden glow.

After a long moment, Shen Qingci suddenly spoke:

“I know.”

Lu Lin lowered his head and buried his face in the hollow of Shen Qingci’s neck. His eyelashes pressed against the warm skin, trembling slightly.

Shen Qingci didn’t push him away; instead, he raised a hand and gently patted the back of his head.

The gesture was light, carrying a hint of reassurance—like calming a spooked large dog.

Lu Lin let out a muffled laugh against his neck, nuzzled in, and held him tighter. In a low voice, he whispered, “Brother, I love you.”