Chapter 11

Chapter 11

The inside of the bar was like a spider's den, with seductive and coquettish young men everywhere. Having learned from last time, Yu Wei was much more composed when two bodyguards escorted him in, showing no surprise on his face even at the men who looked like reincarnated snake demons.

Yu Wei was taken to a private room on the third floor, the door closing behind them to shut out the flashy world outside. The light in the room was even dimmer than outside, with dark red wall lamps casting a layer of sensual ambiance over the entire space.

"Mr. Lin, the person is here."

When Yu Wei was pushed in by the two men, there were only four people in the private room. Lin Zerui had a slender young man in his arms, guiding his hands to teach him pool, with another person standing nearby for ambiance. The only one sitting alone on the sofa, looking gloomy, was the lecher who had earned himself a kick from Yu Wei.

Lin Zerui looked up at the sound, gave Yu Wei a glance, then held the young man in his arms to guide him in cleanly potting the last ball. He then stood up, lewdly pinched the young man's lower back, leaned in to whisper something that made the boy blush and shyly punch Lin Zerui's chest.

"If you're so desperate for money that you can't even afford an hourly hotel room, I can give you a handout," Yu Wei frowned in disgust. "What do you want from me? Don't tell me it's to put on a live sex show for me—I'm not interested."

Lin Zerui ignored him, put down the cue stick, walked to the sofa, and took a sip of the wine brought to his lips. "Wei Yang is here for you. Do as you wish with him."

Wei Yang looked like a venomous snake eyeing its prey in the wild, poised to lunge and bite him any second. "Don't you have anything to say to me?"

Yu Wei shot him a sidelong glance. "I'm afraid I'd make you enjoy it too much. But you should have been quite satisfied that day—no need to thank me."

"Yu Wei—" Wei Yang suddenly stood up, lunged at him, and grabbed Yu Wei by the throat. As if struck a nerve, his face twisted in fury.

The light was dim and the distance was far before, so Yu Wei hadn't seen his face clearly. Now that he was close, Yu Wei was startled. This lecher looked like he had just escaped from the morgue—pale as a ghost, like he'd been dead three days, even more eerie under the dark red lights.

"Yu Wei, you've turned me into this… don't you have anything to say?"

"What did I turn you into?" Yu Wei easily shook him off, looked him up and down, and his tone turned cold. "Take one more step forward, and my left foot is ready for you."

The lecher's face turned ashen, and he stepped back two paces. The two bodyguards who had brought Yu Wei quickly supported him to prevent him from falling. Wei Yang glared at him maliciously. "You dare?"

"What's there not to dare? If you try that again on me, it won't just be a kick. Watch out—I might just cut off that useless piece of meat and feed it to the dogs."

"Yu Wei!"

The lecher's face went from ashen to white, then from white to ashen again, like a chameleon.

"Yu Wei, you turned me into this and now you're playing innocent."

Yu Wei: "..." Turned into what exactly?

He felt like there was a communication barrier with this lecher. He talked in riddles that were completely incomprehensible. Yu Wei turned to look at Lin Zerui, who was leisurely holding the young man, and asked in confusion, "Is he crazy?"

"You could say that. He's become a eunuch now—of course he'd go crazy."

Yu Wei's head filled with question marks. "Eunuch?"

He hadn't held back with that kick, but it shouldn't have made him a eunuch.

"Just that one kick? You're too fragile. Didn't you ask for it that day? You can't pin it on me."

As soon as he spoke, the room fell silent.

"It wasn't you?" Lin Zerui studied him, seeing he didn't seem to be lying. "Then who was it?"

Lin Zerui started speaking in riddles too. Yu Wei lost patience and rolled his eyes. "He harassed me first, I kicked him in self-defense."

"It wasn't because of your kick. That night, when he left the bar, he was…" Lin Zerui paused for two seconds. "He was castrated. Physically. If he hadn't gotten timely treatment, he would have been in life-threatening danger. Yu Wei, tell me it wasn't you."

Yu Wei blinked innocently, unsure what expression to show. Should he burst out laughing or sneak a laugh to spare his face?

No wonder this lecher looked terrible—looked like a strong wind would knock him over.

So he really was castrated?

But… serves him right.

"What's his castration got to do with me? Maybe he harassed a married woman and got castrated by the husband." Yu Wei looked gleeful. "Dogs like you that are always in heat need to be neutered. Lin Zerui, you should get neutered too—neutering can prolong life, you know."

Lin Zerui's face darkened a few shades, and the lecher couldn't sit still either.

"I only spoke two sentences to you that day, and then I drank alone—I didn't meet anyone else. Yu Wei, don't pretend. It must have been your people who did this to me." The lecher, face livid, gestured to the two bodyguards behind Yu Wei. They immediately received the signal, stepped forward, and pinned Yu Wei, rendering him unable to move.

Yu Wei frowned, struggled once but couldn't shake off the hands pressing his shoulders. "Do you have any evidence?"

"No evidence. If I had evidence, you'd be locked up by now." The lecher held a bottle of strong liquor and walked over. "But I know it was you. Yu Wei, today I'm going to make you regret everything you've done."

Yu Wei felt a strange sense of danger. Not only could he not break free from the bodyguards holding him, but the lecher's approach triggered unprecedented unease. Especially the faint smell of alcohol in the air. It was different from ordinary alcohol—it carried a sense of oppression. "Mr. Lin, you said his heat period would be around these days. You won't be feeling sorry for your fiancée later, will you?"

"The 29th of last month. This month should be around the same time," Lin Zerui didn't even lift his head. "Yu Wei, you say we're like dogs in heat, huh? Then do you remember at the end of last month, when you were in heat, full of pheromones, breaking into my house, climbing into my bed, and then I threw you out? You were begging like a stray dog. That day, you were more of a dog in heat than any of us."

"What are you talking about?" Yu Wei hadn't drunk a drop of alcohol, but the thick wine smell in the air made his head fuzzy as if he were drunk, unable to catch Lin Zerui's words.

Lin Zerui pushed the person in his arms aside, stood up, grabbed Yu Wei by the hair, forcing him to look up. "Yu Wei, even if you are my fiancée, so what? I never planned to marry you. Not now, not ever. If you died here today being toyed with, I wouldn't even blink."

Fiancée? Marriage?

I'm Lin Zerui's fiancée?

Yu Wei's head buzzed, but he caught the key points precisely. Looking at Lin Zerui's blurry face, he oddly thought of Shi Ciyan and Lin Yuchi.

His coworkers had said the protagonists broke through societal prejudice, defied social norms, and went through countless hardships to be together. So he had assumed that homosexuality was niche and not accepted by the world.

But what was Lin Zerui talking about?

Fiancée?

Was same-sex marriage legal?

If same-sex marriage was legal, then where did "breaking through societal prejudice" come from?

With legal same-sex marriage, homosexuality wouldn't be a niche orientation.

No. Something was wrong.

But what?

Before Yu Wei could figure it out, someone grabbed his jaw, causing him pain, forcing his mouth open. The bottleneck was shoved into his mouth, followed by a spicy liquid that burned all the way down his throat and into his stomach. The heat spread from inside out, making his whole body burn, his legs go weak, and he could barely stand without the two bodyguards holding him up.

After downing the bottle, the world spun, and countless flowers seemed to fall before his eyes. Vaguely, he heard a fire alarm, and then chaos and noise around him. The two men restraining him threw him onto the sofa. Yu Wei looked at the door dazedly, seeing the two bodyguards help the staggering lecher leave, followed by Lin Zerui hurrying out.

"Can you stand?" Yu Wei looked blankly toward the source of the voice, seeing two heavily make-up faces that were unrecognizable—the two lithe young men from Lin Zerui's arms.

"Probably not. You take this side."

Yu Wei was once again lifted up and slowly carried out. They followed the crowd to the second floor.

Outside, the fire was growing, spreading to the second floor. Both staircases were already blocked, and people from upstairs were flooding down, running around like headless flies.

Suddenly, screams came from ahead. They looked over and saw Lin Zerui, who had just been intimately hugging them, now with his upper body on fire, rolling on the ground. Though it was autumn, the weather hadn't cooled yet. They were dressed thinly, especially indoors. The thin clothes couldn't withstand the fire—Lin Zerui's back was red from the burns in seconds. Nearby, a man in loose, light-colored sportswear sat in the corner, his lower half of light pants stained with blood, letting out agonized screams.

The scene descended into chaos.

The people around, like a flock of startled birds, scattered instantly, screams erupting in succession.

The two people supporting Yu Wei were jostled several times by panicked passersby, nearly falling. Suddenly, a figure blocked their path.

The newcomer had a clear goal and wasted no words, heading straight for Yu Wei in their midst. Without a word, he scooped him up and carried him against the crowd, heading further into the bar.

The two exchanged a glance and ran over to stop Shi Ciyan. "Where are you taking him? The stairs are this way."

Shi Ciyan finally glanced at the two heavily made-up individuals. "Come with me if you want to get out early."

With that, ignoring whether they would follow, he carried Yu Wei upstairs against the flow of people. This bar had seven floors in total, and at the very top was a hidden emergency staircase leading directly to the first floor.

Shi Ciyan first took Yu Wei upstairs, then descended via the emergency staircase. Footsteps followed closely behind; without looking back, Shi Ciyan knew it was those two.

The emergency exit led out to a narrow alley. About a hundred meters across the alley, a black car was parked by the roadside. Seeing them emerge, the driver’s door opened, and a middle-aged man got out, walked around to the other side, and opened the door for Shi Ciyan and Yu Wei to get in.

"Give them the money."

The driver acknowledged, got out again, and handed each of the two stunned people a check.

"For us?" The two glanced at each other, then at the amount on the checks—tons of zeros. Even at the bar, they’d never seen this many zeros.

Just relieved to have survived the fire, they just stood there, checks in hand, watching the car drive off. They burst out laughing, heads thrown back. "This crazy fortune has finally come to us!"

...

Silence filled the car.

"First take us to a hotel, then go buy some Omega suppressants."

Yu Wei reeked of alcohol, mixed with a sweet banana scent. His white shirt, soaked with liquor, clung to his skin, faintly showing the body underneath. Shi Ciyan glanced at him twice before pulling him into his arms.

He had already entered his heat cycle, and the scent-blocking patch had nearly lost its effect. In the car's cramped, enclosed space, the pheromone level shot up.

The driver, an Alpha, could also smell the pheromones. Shi Ciyan lifted his eyes and gave the driver a cold look, but the man kept his eyes on the road. "Roll down the window."

The autumn wind slipped through the window, clearing the pheromones from the air. Yu Wei’s soaked upper body shivered from the chill in the wind, instinctively pressing against the warmth next to him.

The car stopped steadily at the hotel entrance. Shi Ciyan carried Yu Wei out, and the elevator ride up was smooth with no interruptions. Yu Wei nestled obediently in his arms, slender arms looped around his neck, his face buried in his neck, his breath hot.

"You smell so good."

An Omega in heat becomes acutely sensitive to an Alpha’s pheromones. Dazed, Yu Wei rubbed against Shi Ciyan’s neck, picking up a faint apple scent through the patch.

It was very faint. Unsatisfied, Yu Wei instinctively searched for the source of the scent on his neck. Finding nothing, he bit him a few times in frustration, leaving haphazard teeth marks.

Shi Ciyan’s arm around Yu Wei’s waist tightened slightly, his gaze fixed on the slowly climbing numbers on the elevator display, a vague irritation stirring inside him.

With a ding, the elevator reached the top floor and opened slowly. Shi Ciyan strode forward. The top floor had only one room. He pushed open the door, walked in, and set Yu Wei down on the sofa.

"Change your clothes first." The shirt was damp and reeked of alcohol, making it unpleasant.

Yu Wei nodded groggily.

Shi Ciyan walked aside and called the front desk to send up a set of clothes. No sooner had he hung up than a shirt landed softly at his feet. Shi Ciyan was taken aback, then heard more rustling behind him, followed by a pair of pants dropped to the floor.

Shi Ciyan took a deep breath, spun around, and caught Yu Wei’s hand just as he was about to take off his last piece of clothing. "Don’t move."

Yu Wei, confused why he was stopped, blinked in bewilderment. "Changing clothes."

Yu Wei stood barefoot on the sofa, his fair skin making the pink of his nipples especially alluring.

Shi Ciyan stared intently, his breathing quickening, and his suppressed pheromones started leaking out uncontrollably.

"Mm, so good~"

Yu Wei lowered his head, his nose lightly brushing against Shi Ciyan’s ear, then found the gland at the back of his neck. He reached up and tore off the annoying scent-blocking patch.

"Yu Wei!" Shi Ciyan snapped out of it, but it was too late to stop Yu Wei from biting him hard.

Both Omega and Alpha glands are fragile, especially since an Alpha’s isn’t meant to be marked. Yu Wei bit down hard, and Shi Ciyan trembled in pain, and his Alpha pheromones, now stimulated, surged out in waves.

The thick Alpha pheromones made Yu Wei’s legs go weak. He soothed the bleeding gland he had bitten, gently licking and sucking on Shi Ciyan’s neck.

Shi Ciyan closed his eyes, leaning on Yu Wei’s shoulder, letting him play with his gland, his voice hoarse, he asked, "Do you like my pheromones?"

Yu Wei, like a kitten high on catnip, was already out of his mind.

Shi Ciyan laid him down, slowly brushing aside the messy strands of hair on his forehead. Yu Wei’s pale cheeks were flushed a deep red, his eyes misty and watery, as if he were drowning, his mouth slightly open, gasping for air.

Shi Ciyan used his thumb to wipe away the tears clinging to Yu Wei’s thick, dark lashes. "You’re a hundred times more beautiful than in my dreams."

With that, a flurry of impatient kisses landed on Yu Wei’s chin, trailing down his fair, delicate neck, leaving pale pink marks.

"Mm—" Yu Wei suddenly arched his neck, drawing a perfect curve, veins faintly bulging, fragile as if a slight twist would snap it.

Shi Ciyan looked up, pinched Yu Wei’s chin, and turned his face to meet his gaze, staring at his moist, full lips, his throat dry. "Can I kiss you? If you don’t say anything, I’ll take it as a yes."

Shi Ciyan waited patiently for two seconds. Certain there was no objection, he lowered his head, his lips brushing against Yu Wei’s warm, soft ones. What started as restrained grazing turned, with Yu Wei’s enthusiastic response, into a greedy quest for more.

If Yu Wei got pregnant, as Qiu Lei had suggested, could they then naturally be together?

Only when Yu Wei’s lips were swollen did Shi Ciyan stop, shifting his focus downward, kissing along the way. Yu Wei’s breathing was rapid and heavy, soft, melodious moans escaping his lips.

"Stop kissing, it hurts."

Yu Wei went limp in Shi Ciyan’s arms, his whole body tinged with a faint pink.

Shi Ciyan held him close, gently kissing his swollen gland. "I’ll take you to the bedroom."

Yu Wei’s slender legs obediently wrapped around Shi Ciyan’s waist, his face red as he buried himself in his arms in a koala hug, letting out a muffled "Mm."

This was a presidential suite, two stories high, with two rooms upstairs, one being the master bedroom. The master bedroom was spacious, with floor-to-ceiling windows. Shi Ciyan set Yu Wei on the bed and turned to find the remote for the curtains.

He closed the curtains and turned back. Yu Wei sat quietly on the bed, the white sheets making the marks Shi Ciyan had left on his delicate skin stand out like roses blooming in snow, strikingly vivid.

Shi Ciyan didn’t pause, stripping off his shirt in one or two moves as he walked over, taking Yu Wei’s hand and placing it on his waist. "Help me take it off."

Yu Wei obediently helped him remove it, then looked up at him as if seeking praise, his gaze both innocent and seductive.

Shi Ciyan couldn’t help but curse under his breath, then kissed him again, urgently and heavily.

"Yu Wei, stay by my side, okay?"

He hadn’t expected Yu Wei to answer, but surprisingly, the person beneath him looked up with moist eyes, his voice laced with sweet moans. "I feel so awful, don’t tease me."

The moment Yu Wei finished speaking, Shi Ciyan held back no longer. He lowered his head, his teeth piercing Yu Wei’s hot gland, injecting his pheromones.

Yu Wei's body tensed the moment his teeth sank in, his toes curling, tears streaming down the corners of his eyes and disappearing at his temples.

An Omega's heat cycle lasts at least three days, and the absurd days passed in a blur. Yu Wei couldn't tell if it had been three or four days, or how many times it happened; he only remembered that whether he was conscious or not, the events were mostly the same—he'd wake up, then pass out, then wake up again, lost in the extreme sensation.

When Yu Wei first regained consciousness, the room was dim and his vision was blocked, making it hard to see the surroundings.

He was lying in bed, warmth radiating from beside him. His head was foggy, and he groggily propped himself up on the chest of the person next to him, trying to sit up. His body felt as if it had been taken apart and put back together. He managed to rise slightly, but before he could see the person's face, he collapsed again from lack of strength.

Although he didn't see who it was, he succeeded in waking the other person up.

"Baby, don't fuss," Shi Ciyan mumbled, pulling him into his arms and kissing his cheek.

His touch was rough, and Yu Wei let out an involuntary whimper, fully waking the person beside him. His voice was slightly hoarse, and he nuzzled Yu Wei's neck affectionately. "Sweetheart, you woke me up the moment you stirred."

Yu Wei's eyes had adjusted to the dim light. He looked at Shi Ciyan's familiar face and wanted to cry out, but before he could, his mouth was covered.

The air around them began to heat up. Yu Wei was kissed until his mind went fuzzy, and as he stared at the swaying chandelier, his consciousness gradually faded.

He shouldn't be doing this, but his body was all too honest—he couldn't escape, couldn't avoid it, and could only consciously give in.

When Yu Wei woke again, it was daytime. This time, unlike the previous night, he wasn't impulsive. He lay quietly in the crook of Shi Ciyan's arm, slowly removing the hand around his waist, afraid of waking him. His body was still weak but felt somewhat refreshed. It took him half an hour to get his feet on the floor. As he slowly stood up, his legs gave way and he collapsed to his knees on the carpet that had been laid beside the bed the night before—because he had complained that the hard floor hurt his feet after standing too long, and Shi Ciyan had put it there.

Yu Wei shook off the inappropriate images popping into his mind, looked around, but couldn't find his clothes.

Then he remembered: he had taken off his clothes in the living room and never brought them to the bedroom. He tiptoed out of the bedroom, glanced back. Shi Ciyan was still sleeping soundly, in the same position as when he got out of bed, with no sign of waking.

Yu Wei breathed a sigh of relief, quietly closed the door, and left. As he closed the door and turned around, he took in the two-story villa—the hallway, the small balcony, the stairs, the living room, the sofa, the kitchen, the dining table—everywhere held memories. And all his memories were explicit scenes, with him as the active party, always wanting more.

The chaotic memories made Yu Wei cover his face in embarrassment. He quickly went downstairs, picked up the clothes scattered on the floor, and put them on without caring which way was front or back.

It was all Lin Zerui and Lecher's fault for forcing him to drink fake alcohol. Remembering what they said that day, Yu Wei suspected they had put something in his drink. He would definitely settle this score.

After getting dressed, Yu Wei didn't even dare look back. He kept his head down, strode to the door, and left.

On the way out, Yu Wei didn't encounter anyone. The downstairs lobby had only a few people and staff. Yu Wei stood by the roadside and hailed a car. Just as he sat down, he suddenly remembered something. "Sir, hold on a minute," he said.

He quickly got out of the car, feeling discomfort in his rear, which made him a bit awkward. He went straight to the front desk. "I want to settle the bill for the top-floor presidential suite."

He figured Shi Ciyan probably couldn't afford the room charges and might end up staying to work as a cleaner.

"Stayed for four days. How will you pay?"

Four days? During those four days, he had been like a spirit sucking the life out of someone, probably draining Shi Ciyan dry. "Add one more day. Check out tomorrow."

After paying the room fee, Yu Wei went straight home. He was too exhausted these days and needed a good rest.

When Yu Wei arrived home, only his mother, Bai Sijia, was there. Seeing him, she burst into tears, hugging him and laughing and crying at the same time. Yu Wei had vanished from the fire scene, and now it was already the fourth day. No matter how hard they searched, they couldn't find even a trace of him.

The bar where Yu Wei had last been seen had caught fire. The police ruled it an accidental fire. Thanks to timely rescue, no one died, but Lin Hao's only son, Lin Zerui, had fallen down the stairs in the chaos and fell into the sea of flames. He came out with half his upper body burned and was still in the hospital. Only Yu Wei had disappeared without a trace from that fire. The Yu family was so worried they couldn't sleep at night, even spending a fortune to hire detectives to find him—to no avail. If it had been a kidnapping, they hadn't received any calls.

And now he had suddenly appeared back home. Bai Sijia's eyes were swollen from crying. Yu Wei, exhausted and weak, comforted her for half an hour. His father, Yu Cheng, and his half-brother, Yu Song, arrived one after another, crying even harder, as if they were at a funeral. For a moment, Yu Wei felt an urge to join them in crying.

His family asked all sorts of questions, but Yu Wei brushed them off with a few casual words, refusing to mention anything about what had happened over the past few days.

Obviously. What could he say?

Could he say that he had slept with the protagonist of this world? Or that he had been positioned and re-positioned like a BJD doll, for four days?

Exhausted, Yu Wei returned to his bedroom, threw himself onto the bed, and let out a long sigh. He had been conscious sometimes, hazy at others. But the memories stayed in his mind, impossible to forget.

He had lived two lifetimes and had never even held a girl's hand. And now he had been…

The root of it all was Lecher and Lin Zerui. They had plied him with alcohol, or maybe drugged him, just to get revenge. As for what revenge, Yu Wei thought Lecher was utterly ridiculous. He had been castrated, but instead of going after the person who did it, he stubbornly insisted that Yu Wei had ordered it. Unbelievable.

Recalling that day, he remembered being helped out by the two guys Lin Zerui had with him. He didn't remember what happened in between. The next time he woke up, he was straddling Shi Ciyan's lap, seemingly bewitched, seducing him. Then came the bedroom; the rest was too shameful for Yu Wei to recall. But he always remembered that he had initiated it. As the protagonist, Shi Ciyan was naturally into men. With Yu Wei's seduction, Shi Ciyan couldn't hold back, and they ended up spending four absurd days.

Yu Wei forced back his tears, took a deep breath, and after rationalizing Shi Ciyan's actions, began to comfort himself.

He was a grown man; being slept with once was no big deal.—No, being slept with several times was no big deal. He'd just consider it as being bitten by a dog.

Yu Wei covered his face, regained a bit of strength lying in bed, then got up and walked into the bathroom. The bathtub was already filled with water at just the right temperature. Yu Wei stepped in, and the warm water slowly covered his whole body. He leaned back, closed his eyes. The bathtub in the master bathroom of the presidential suite seemed much larger than his own.

That day, straddling Shi Ciyan's waist, gripping the edge of the bathtub, taking the initiative…

Water overflowed from the tub, flooding the floor. The sound of running water mingled with their heavy breathing.

Yu Wei suddenly opened his eyes, stared at the calm water surface, and immediately tears broke free.

He soaked in the bath for a whole hour, but the bruises and marks on his body remained.

All because of Lin Zerui and Lecher.

Yu Wei stayed in his room all morning. At noon, the housekeeper called him down for lunch. Today, the table was laden with many dishes, quite a feast.

At the table, Bai Sijia tried to strike up a conversation, but Yu Wei was listless, so she gave up.

"Is Lin Zerui in the hospital?" Yu Wei asked before leaving, just as lunch was ending.

Bai Sijia frowned. "Why are you still thinking about him? He's the one who called you to the bar and put you in danger, and he didn't care about your safety. Why do you still care about him?" She continued, "He's in the city center hospital. He only came out of the ICU yesterday. Severe burns—he'll probably be disfigured."

Yu Wei thought to himself, serves him right, but he still wanted to see the joke in person.

So in the afternoon, he drove to the city center hospital and directly called Lin Hao to ask for the room number. When Lin Hao heard his voice, he paused, then expressed concern, saying how worried he had been, and then went on about how serious Lin Zerui's condition was, trying to make Yu Wei feel sorry.

Yu Wei rolled his eyes, gave a perfunctory reply, and walked toward the ward.

Only Lin Zerui was in the ward. If Lin Hao hadn't told him, Yu Wei wouldn't have recognized him. With his face completely wrapped in bandages, only two eyes were visible—no way to see his full appearance.

"Aren't you supposed to be missing?" Lin Zerui asked as soon as Yu Wei entered.

"Yeah, but I came back. Disappointed?"

Yu Wei walked in, sat on the chair beside the bed, and crossed his legs lazily.

"Have you been marked?" Lin Zerui's voice suddenly turned sharp. "Who was it? Yu Wei, who marked you?"

Yu Wei didn't want to listen to his nonsense. But Lin Zerui wouldn't let it go. "Yu Wei, last month you went after me, and this time who did you go after? You're my fiancée—our engagement is still on, and you let someone else mark you? Yu Wei… how dare you cheat on me!"

The more Lin Zerui spoke, the more agitated he became. If it weren't for his bandaged body restricting his movement, Yu Wei thought he would jump up and strangle him.

But fortunately, he was sick now.

"So what if I cheated on you?" Yu Wei raised his chin disdainfully. "I did cheat on you—and not just once."

Lin Zerui's exposed eyes turned bloodshot with rage. "Yu Wei, you're a slut who's been used. I won't want you. I don't take seconds."

"Heh, as if I'd want you either. Of course, I wouldn't dare—you're like a dog in heat, ready to screw a stranger anytime. I'm afraid you might have some disease." Having provoked him enough, Yu Wei felt much better, his gloomy mood lifting.

He patted his pants and stood up. "I heard you were pushed down the stairs in the crowd and fell into the fire. It's your retribution. After all the shady things you've done, and that day you made me drink fake alcohol. Did you drug my drink? Lin Zerui, you're such a lowlife."

Lin Zerui was taken aback. "Do I even need to drug you? That bottle of wine would've done it." After all, Yu Wei's heat was coming up; with a bit of Alpha pheromones, Yu Wei would go into heat. "It might've been Wei Yang. After all, you really screwed him over."

"I harmed him? Wasn't it just karma for messing with a married woman? And you might have been deliberately pushed as well. People who do shady stuff get what they deserve."

Yu Wei cussed him out and walked out of the ward. He had wanted to retaliate, but Lin Zerui was in poor condition now, so he'd let him heal first. Once he got out, Yu Wei had plenty of ways to get back at him. He would never let Lin Zerui off. Lin Zerui had caused him to lose his virginity, and he would make him pay the price—at the very least, make sure he can never have kids.

Yu Wei rested at home for a week. The marks on his body had mostly faded as he got himself together, but his mood remained low and his appetite was poor. His mom, Bai Sijia, kept looking at him like she wanted to say something but held back.

A week later, Yu Wei got a message from Shi Ciyan for the first time. He was lying in bed scrolling through videos, having a good time, when a message suddenly popped up, scaring him so bad he almost chucked his phone.

Yu Wei turned his phone over on the bed. He had to wait a while for his heart to stop racing before he opened it again.

"Can we meet this weekend?"

This time, the phone slipped out of his hand and he flung it to the foot of the bed. He sat up cross-legged, staring at the phone in a panic, unable to calm his emotions for a long time.

He hadn't even talked to Yu Song lately; he had deliberately been avoiding Shi Ciyan. He didn't expect Shi Ciyan to reach out first.

He'd been slept with, or he'd slept with someone—either way, he treated it like a dog bite. But the problem was Shi Ciyan's identity. He was the main lead, and his love interest was Lin Yuchi. Yu Wei had even less idea how to face that.

If Lin Yuchi found out that his CP had been slept with by Yu Wei, would he wipe out the entire Yu Corporation?

Yu Wei thought it was possible.

So the best way to handle this was to ice it out. He didn't know how to face Shi Ciyan.

Yu Wei pretended not to see it, read it, and didn't reply.

Shi Ciyan sent him a message every few days. At first, Yu Wei would be startled, but after a few times, he got used to it.

He rested at home for a month before finally going back to work. Lately he'd been sleeping a ton, had no appetite, and lost a lot of weight.

On Thursday afternoon, Yu Wei got off work. Wang Youguang had something to do and went home early, so Yu Wei drove himself. He grabbed his keys and headed to the parking garage. Just as he opened the car door, a warm palm gripped his wrist.

A slightly annoyed voice came from behind. "Brother Yuwei, I sent you so many messages. You never answered."

"Oh, yeah? My WeChat got hacked and I couldn't recover it." Yu Wei didn't dare turn around. He closed his eyes tightly and started talking nonsense. "I don't use that account anymore."

"Is that so? Then let me add your new one. It'll be convenient to find you later." Shi Ciyan pressed his luck, not giving him any chance to get away.

"I haven't set up a new WeChat yet."

The guy behind him was quiet for a long time, then sighed. "Let's talk."

Yu Wei didn't want to talk, but since he was right there, he had no choice but to agree.

Shi Ciyan got into the passenger seat, eyes locked on Yu Wei. Yu Wei felt super uncomfortable, staring straight ahead.

He parked in front of a café and took Shi Ciyan inside, picking a seat by the window.

"What do you want?"

"Brother Yuwei, what happened at the end of last month?" Shi Ciyan lowered his head, stirring his coffee. "Last month I got a job at a bar. Then that day there was a fire at the bar. While I was escaping, I saw you being taken out of a private room by two people. I figured I knew you, so I grabbed you and ran out of the fire. I didn't know your address and didn't have Yu Song's contact info, so I had no choice but to take you to a hotel. That day I had some drinks with customers, and when I woke up again, it was several days later. I totally forgot what happened. But I remember taking you back, and when I woke up, you were gone. I was worried about you."

Shi Ciyan finished speaking slowly, then looked up at Yu Wei cautiously. "Brother, I didn't do anything wrong, did I? You've been ignoring me these past few days. I've been worrying that I might have done something to upset you."

Yu Wei: "………………"

So he'd been hiding for nothing?

Yu Wei had never been through anything like this before. He didn't know if the top had any recollection afterward, but seeing Shi Ciyan's innocent look, he was probably telling the truth. Shi Ciyan had blacked out and forgotten everything.

"Actually, nothing happened. That day I drank, woke up, and went home."

"Oh, okay." Shi Ciyan nodded sadly. "Brother Yuwei, you've been avoiding me these days."

Yu Wei: "...I haven't been avoiding you. My WeChat account was hacked."

Shi Ciyan: "Oh, okay. Then when Brother Yuwei gets his WeChat back or opens a new account, I'll add you again."

Yu Wei had no choice but to reluctantly agree.

After that, Yu Wei and Shi Ciyan fell into an awkward silence. Yu Wei awkwardly raised the coffee cup to his lips, but just as he was about to take a sip, his stomach churned and a wave of nausea hit him.

"I need to go to the restroom." Yu Wei covered his mouth and rushed toward the restroom. Once inside, he leaned over the sink and started dry heaving. "Brother Yuwei, are you okay?"

Shi Ciyan followed Yu Wei, kindly patting his back.

Counting the time, it had been nearly a month since the incident.

Could he be pregnant?

Shi Ciyan stared at Yu Wei's pale face, carefully supporting Yu Wei's waist, letting him lean against him to stand steady. "Brother Yuwei, you're not in good condition."

Yu Wei felt weak all over. Leaning on Shi Ciyan inexplicably gave him a sense of security. The fresh apple scent on him also soothed his stomach, making the nausea subside.

Shi Ciyan wrapped his arms around Yu Wei from behind, placing his hands on his sides and gently rubbing his belly, like coaxing a child. "It won't feel so bad if I rub it," he said softly.

It really didn't feel bad anymore, but suddenly Yu Wei's mind flashed to those days when Shi Ciyan had held his hand and rubbed his belly like that. Yu Wei immediately stood up and put distance between them. "Sorry."

His reaction was too strong, and Shi Ciyan sensed something was wrong.

"Brother Yuwei, you're still avoiding me and have a problem with me," Shi Ciyan said with a hurt expression. "It's nothing for you to lean on me when you're feeling bad."

Yu Wei smiled reluctantly.

How could it be nothing?

Shi Ciyan didn't remember those days, but Yu Wei had a deep memory of his broad palms. He remembered those hands leaving clear, visible marks on his thighs and lower back time and again.

Those marks had only just faded. Not to mention leaning on Shi Ciyan and letting him rub his belly—now, even seeing Shi Ciyan made Yu Wei feel embarrassed.

But Shi Ciyan had forgotten, and couldn't empathize with Yu Wei.

Yu Wei shook his head helplessly. "I'm just not used to people touching me. Sorry."

Yu Wei was feeling unwell, so Shi Ciyan offered to take him home first. Yu Wei wanted to refuse, but he kept feeling nauseous, and he was afraid of an accident on the road—after all, he had died once before and was more careful about his life than others.

Shi Ciyan drove very steadily. Along the way, Yu Wei didn't feel any discomfort. It seemed that only when Shi Ciyan was around did he not feel so bad.

They parked in front of a suburban villa. Recently, Yu Wei had been in poor condition, so he had discussed with his family about moving out to find a quiet place to rest for a while. He had moved to the suburbs, where he spent time watering flowers and growing vegetables in the yard. Other than being far from the company, there was nothing wrong with it.

Shi Ciyan saw him to the door, parked the car, and said goodbye. "Brother Yuwei, rest well."

Yu Wei nodded. "Alright. You go back."

Shi Ciyan: "You go in first. I'll wait until you're inside before I leave."

Yu Wei: "..." Their current state was like a newly dating couple, reluctant to part, both urging the other to go first, neither willing to let the other see their back.

But they weren't a couple. Yu Wei spun around and took two steps, then suddenly stopped and turned back to ask, "How are you getting back?"

Shi Ciyan smiled warmly. "I'll call a ride."

Yu Wei just said 'Oh' and turned to go back into the house. His bedroom was on the second floor, and from his second-floor window, he could see Shi Ciyan's back as he waited for a ride.

It was already autumn. Outside, the autumn wind was chilly, the sky was overcast, and without the sun, it felt kind of gloomy, like it could rain any second.

Sure enough, right as Yu Wei was thinking it might rain, the sound of rain started pattering outside. Yu Wei looked at where Shi Ciyan was standing—he was still there, his hands crossed over his head, trying to shield himself from the sudden rain.

Yu Wei turned and went to take a shower. Shi Ciyan had been waiting by the road for a while. Getting a little wet wouldn't be a big deal for him, and it had been nearly ten minutes; the ride he called should've shown up by now.

After a nice, warm shower, Yu Wei came out, drying his hair and glancing out the window, and suddenly froze.

No one was on the curb, but there was a person standing under a big tree nearby, seemingly using the tree's leaves for cover, trying to stay as dry as possible. But in reality, it was almost useless; he was still soaked, like a drowned rat.

Yu Wei frowned. Didn't he call a ride? Why was he still there?

Yu Wei stood by the window for a while, then sighed, resigned. He put down the towel, threw a coat over his pajamas, grabbed an umbrella from the entryway, slipped on his slippers, opened the door, and stepped out.

It was about thirty meters from Yu Wei's front door to the road. The weather, which had been mild a moment ago, was now blowing a cold wind mixed with rain, making Yu Wei shiver.

Shi Ciyan, under the tree, heard the noise and turned around. Seeing Yu Wei in just thin pajamas with a coat thrown over, he frowned, saying, "Why did you come out? Go back inside. It's cold today. You'll catch a cold."

Shi Ciyan figured Yu Wei might come out, but he didn't expect him to come out so lightly dressed.

Yu Wei ignored him and asked instead, "Didn't you call a ride?" He looked around—no car, not even a shadow. "Where's the ride you called?"

Shi Ciyan sighed and urged him back. "Go back inside. The driver said it was too far and it was raining, so they canceled. I'll just find another one and reorder."

"I'll go back after you get a ride. You call first." Yu Wei stepped over to Shi Ciyan and pulled him under the umbrella. "Go ahead and call."

Shi Ciyan was at a loss for words. He had deliberately not called a ride earlier, just to see if Yu Wei would soften. Now that Yu Wei had actually softened and come out to keep him company, Shi Ciyan was instead a little unhappy.

Plus, in this heavy rain, he really couldn't get a ride now.

But he couldn't let Yu Wei keep waiting with him.

"It's hard to get a ride on a rainy day. Go back. I'm already wet, it's fine. You just showered; if you get cold again, you'll get sick."

Yu Wei stubbornly stayed with him for a few minutes, shivering from the cold. "Forget it. Come back with me and wait inside."

Author's Note:

----------------------

Please, reviewer, let this pass. I feel bad you're working late. Have mercy—I've revised this so many times.

"Don't worry. There's no one else home." Yu Wei came over and handed him a towel. "Dry off quick, don't catch a cold."

Shi Ciyan thanked him, took the towel, and wiped his still-dripping hair. "My clothes are wet. If I sit, I'll get the sofa dirty."

This villa was decorated mostly in beige. A month ago, he'd suggested moving out. Seeing how down he was, Yu's parents let him stay in this standalone villa, away from the hustle and bustle, with a good environment, conducive to relaxing.

This villa was decorated according to his preferences, mainly light colors. The sofa and the fluffy carpet underfoot were both off-white.

"It's okay, come over and sit."

Shi Ciyan looked down at his feet. Yu Wei followed his gaze and saw a circle of water stains on the floor where Shi Ciyan was standing.

"Did you get a ride?"

Shi Ciyan shook his head. "No driver has accepted the order yet."

Outside, the rain was getting heavier. It was far away, and no one was willing to take his order.

"You probably won't be able to leave anytime soon," Yu Wei thought for a moment and said, "Take off your clothes. Go take a shower. I'll dry your clothes and bring them to you."

Seeing him frozen in place without reacting, Yu Wei urged, "Go quickly."

This villa had many rooms. Yu Wei led him to the room on the left of the master bedroom. Although he didn't like having people around to serve him, the villa was too big and cleaning it himself was troublesome, so he hired a housekeeping service every week. Therefore, every room was clean without a speck of dust, even if it had been unoccupied for a long time.

"Go to the bathroom, take off your clothes, and hand them to me."

After Shi Ciyan went in, Yu Wei waited at the door for two minutes. Then the bathroom door behind him opened, and a well-proportioned muscular arm reached out. Yu Wei turned his head and froze at the sight of the arm. Suddenly, an image flashed through his mind of legs being draped over that arm and lifted to the shoulder.

"Are you gone?" Not receiving a response for a long time, Shi Ciyan grabbed the edge of the door, revealed half his face, and innocently blinked at the stunned Yu Wei.

Yu Wei snapped back to reality, snatched the clothes from his hand, turned around, and strode out.

He stuffed the clothes into the dryer in one go, staring out the window in a daze. A whole month had passed, but those unsightly memories seemed like they happened yesterday, exceptionally clear. Even though the marks on his body had long since disappeared, whenever he saw him coming closer, Yu Wei inexplicably felt a strange sensation in his body—wanting to get closer, feeling especially at ease when smelling that fresh scent on him.

After waiting about twenty minutes, Yu Wei took out the already dried clothes and went upstairs. The sound of running water was still coming from the bathroom. Yu Wei knocked twice on the bathroom door. "The clothes are dry. I'll leave them at the door..."

The sound of running water stopped abruptly, and the next second the bathroom door opened. As the door opened, hot air rushed out from the bathroom, carrying a fresh green apple fragrance into his nose.

"Your clothes." Yu Wei handed him the clothes and had just walked to the door when suddenly a sound of something falling came from the bathroom. Yu Wei stopped in his tracks, returned to the bathroom door, and knocked. "What's wrong?"

There was silence inside.

Yu Wei knocked twice more, raising his voice to shout, "Shi Ciyan—are you okay?"

"I'm fine."

Shi Ciyan's voice sounded flustered. Yu Wei couldn't help frowning, grabbed the door handle, and instinctively pushed the door. "Open the door. What happened..."

He gave a gentle push, and the bedroom door swung open in front of him. The bathroom was misty, and the apple fragrance in the air made him feel very comfortable. Shi Ciyan stood in the middle, with only a towel wrapped around his waist. Un-dried water droplets trickled down the contours of his muscles.

Yu Wei followed the dripping water, his gaze sweeping over his chest muscles, then moving to his firm abs. He opened his mouth to speak, but the words got stuck in his throat.

Shi Ciyan had broad shoulders and a narrow waist, with lean muscles just right—not exaggerated and not a trace of excess fat. If those things hadn't happened last month, Yu Wei might have admired his perfect physique wholeheartedly and sincerely praised him.

But now Yu Wei's cheeks flushed bright red. He quickly turned his head away, somewhat incoherent. "Why did you close the door and put on clothes."

Shi Ciyan acted as if he hadn't heard, taking two steps forward. "What?"

Yu Wei looked like he was facing a formidable enemy. "You... don't come over."

He realized what he had just said, and his face felt so hot it was about to burn. Earlier, he had been thinking in his mind whether to first ask why he didn't close the door or why he didn't put on clothes, but in his nervousness, he said the wrong thing.

"Why didn't you close the door?"

Shi Ciyan looked innocent. "I didn't expect you to barge in."

Yu Wei turned to glare at him. Shi Ciyan had made such a big noise in the bathroom, and when asked, he didn't respond—how could Yu Wei not be worried? Besides, he hadn't intended to barge in; he just gave the door handle a casual twist, and the door opened by itself. Could he be blamed for that?

Yu Wei took a deep breath. "Then why aren't you wearing clothes?"

Shi Ciyan pointed at the floor. Yu Wei looked over—the bathroom floor was wet from the recent shower, and the clothes he had dried not long ago were lying silently in the puddle.

"The shelf just fell over. I got startled and didn't hold onto the clothes in my hand, so they dropped. Two or three bottles broke. I'm sorry."

Yu Wei was momentarily at a loss for words: “…Then you’re such a scaredy-cat. I’ll grab you some clothes.”

Yu Wei went to his own bedroom and rummaged through all his clothes but couldn’t find anything that fit Shi Ciyan. Not to mention that his own build wasn’t as sturdy as Shi Ciyan’s, his frame was much smaller, and his height was a whole other story. His clothes were mostly suits, all custom-made, and Shi Ciyan couldn’t fit into them at all. The only thing he could wear was his loose loungewear.

“This will have to do for now.”

Yu Wei waited in the living room for a while. When Shi Ciyan came out after changing, Yu Wei couldn’t hold back and burst out laughing, the sound strikingly loud in the quiet room.

The second time he looked, Yu Wei bit his lower lip to suppress his laughter.

“Go ahead and laugh if you want.” Shi Ciyan awkwardly tugged at the hem of the top, pulling it down. “It’s still a bit small.”

This time Yu Wei couldn’t help it. He collapsed onto the couch, holding his stomach, and laughed for a full thirty minutes.

He thought his clothes would be small on Shi Ciyan, but not this small. The loose black wide-leg trousers became cropped pants on Shi Ciyan, and the top just barely revealed his belly button, leaving half of his firm abdomen exposed.

When Yu Wei had laughed enough, he wiped the tears from the corners of his eyes. “Pretty stylish.”

Shi Ciyan: “…”

“Where are your clothes? Give them to me, I’ll wash them.”

Shi Ciyan refused. “I can do it myself.”

Yu Wei didn’t insist. He pointed to the washing machine and curled up on the couch to order a ride for Shi Ciyan. Even with a surge price, no one picked up the order. It was already hard to get a ride in the suburbs, let alone on a rainy day.

“Shi Ciyan, does your school do evening room checks?”

“No room checks.”

Yu Wei was silent for two seconds. It would take at least an hour for Shi Ciyan to wash and dry his clothes. It was already late, and the rain outside was pouring down with no sign of stopping.

Even with extra money, no one would want to come to these suburbs.

“Then stay here tonight. Leave tomorrow morning when the rain stops.”

Shi Ciyan looked up, surprised.

Yu Wei felt a bit uncomfortable under his gaze. “I can’t get a ride. Are you going to run back? And in these clothes? I have plenty of rooms here, you can stay comfortably.” He paused, then asked, “Are you hungry?”

He had originally planned to eat dinner after work before heading home, but he ran into Shi Ciyan and forgot about eating, coming straight back. He hadn’t felt well at lunch and hadn’t eaten anything, and now he had missed dinner too. His stomach started growling in protest.

Shi Ciyan: “I haven’t had dinner either.” He had no classes in the afternoon and had come straight to wait for Yu Wei, forgetting to eat.

“I have instant noodles. What flavor do you want?” Yu Wei stood up and stretched. “I’ve got all kinds.”

Shi Ciyan frowned slightly. “You usually eat this stuff?”

“I can’t cook, so instant noodles it is. Takeout is hard to get delivered out here too.” In his previous life, he had joined a private company right after graduation, working overtime a lot. He ate three meals a day at the office and rarely ate at home. Besides, he was too busy and too exhausted after work to cook, so when he was hungry, he’d just make instant noodles.

“Instant noodles aren’t healthy if you eat them too often.” Shi Ciyan followed him into the kitchen, which was spotlessly clean. “Do you have any ingredients at home?”

“I do have ingredients. But do you know how to cook?”

Every time Yu Wei’s mother came over, she brought a bunch of stuff and filled the fridge to the brim before leaving.

Shi Ciyan didn’t say yes or no. He said, “I can learn.”

Yu Wei: “…I asked if you know how, and you say you can learn. You make it sound like a job interview.”

Shi Ciyan searched through the kitchen for a while. “There’s noodles. Let’s keep it simple today. I’ll make some noodles.”

Yu Wei waved his hand. “Do whatever you want. Just don’t blow up my kitchen.”

Shi Ciyan smiled. “I won’t. You wait in the living room.”

Yu Wei didn’t expect much from him. He glanced at the kitchen occasionally to make sure everything was fine, then relaxed and curled up on the couch to watch TV.

Surprisingly, in just twenty minutes, Shi Ciyan came out with two bowls of noodles. They looked good—topped with a few slices of greens, a fried egg, and some ham. For the instant-noodle prince, it was a feast.

“Try it quickly. I looked up a recipe to season it. I don’t know if it tastes good.”

Yu Wei took a sip of the broth and his eyes lit up. “Pretty good.”

The noodles were delicious. In the past, a small bowl like this would be gone in two bites, but lately he had lost his appetite. No matter how hungry he was, the smell of food made him nauseous before he even ate much. So Yu Wei couldn’t even get through a third of the bowl and set it down.

After the meal, Shi Ciyan insisted on washing the dishes, so Yu Wei let him and went back to his room to work. He worked till 10:30.

He went out to set Shi Ciyan up in the guest room, then went downstairs for a glass of hot water.

He’d been having terrible insomnia lately, needing melatonin every night just to get to sleep. Today, Yu Wei hesitated when he saw the melatonin on the table.

With someone in the house, he didn't dare fall into a deep sleep. After debating for a bit, he decided to skip it and instead had a glass of warm milk to help him sleep.

The guest room light was already off. Yu Wei guessed Shi Ciyan was asleep, so he tiptoed back to his bedroom, climbed into bed, and lay there for a while, feeling like something was off.

The door.

Yu Wei stared at the bedroom door in the dark, as if someone would barge in any second.

Knowing he was being paranoid, Yu Wei still got up, felt his way to the door, and with a click, locked it. He never used to lock the door when he slept, but today, for some reason, he felt creeped out without it.

After locking the door, he lay back down. The closed room gave Yu Wei a secure feeling. He closed his eyes and tried to force himself to sleep.

In the middle of the night, thunder and lightning raged outside. The sky would flash bright as day, then a low rumble would roll in from the distance. Shi Ciyan woke up and opened his eyes, left the guest room, and stood out in the hallway, staring at the closed bedroom door for a long while.

Suddenly, a blinding flash of lightning split the darkness, illuminating the entire hallway. Shi Ciyan grabbed the door handle and tried to push open the master bedroom door. It didn’t move an inch. He tried again, pushing harder, but the door still wouldn’t budge.

Locked from the inside...?

Shi Ciyan: “…”

Locking the door in his own home? Who’s he trying to keep out?

Author’s note:

----------------------

1. Letting a wolf into the house, good thing Weiwei was smart enough to lock the door. Otherwise… I’d be fighting with the review team for three days and nights again~

2. Will the boiling water ‘cooking’ method really fail? Nonono, the villain has plenty of tricks and muscle.

3. The author shamelessly begs for nutrient solution~