Chapter 88: Offer of Intimacy Rejected

Chapter 88: Offering Himself and Getting Rejected

Under the blanket, a warm, dry palm enveloped the boy's slender hand, sliding into his palm, prying open his fingers, slipping between them, and finally interlocking their fingers.

Du Yang nervously squeezed his eyes shut the moment the large hand covered his.

With his eyes closed, his senses heightened. With every move of that large hand, Du Yang's heart pounded like a drum.

Their fingers locked tightly, Du Yang’s breath quickened, a blend of nerves and sweetness washing over him. He loved the feeling of holding hands like this.

Being Fu Yan’s bed warmer, being kept by him—that wasn’t so bad either.

He really, truly liked Fu Yan.

Fu Yan helped him deal with Du Debao.

When Lu Yu badmouthed him, Fu Yan firmly stood by his side.

Even when Grandma wanted to claim him, Fu Yan had thought ahead and insisted on a DNA test.

Fu Yan also gave him spending money, even though Du Yang didn’t need it now—Grandma had already given him a ton that afternoon.

He had already gotten way more than a mere bed warmer should.

"Yangyang, you're nervous," Fu Yan said softly.

Du Yang whipped his head around, opened his eyes, and met Fu Yan’s gaze. The room was lit only by the small nightstand lamp, too dim to see clearly but just enough to read each other’s expressions.

A faint, helpless smile touched Fu Yan’s eyes. "Yangyang, you're gripping really tightly."

Du Yang snapped out of it, loosened his grip, and pulled his hand back. "I... I didn’t realize I was nervous."

"Mm, something bothering you?"

Fu Yan rolled onto his side to face the boy, not touching him anymore.

Du Yang hesitated, then shook his head, rolling onto his side to face Fu Yan too.

Sooner or later, he and Fu Yan would take the final step. At Fu Yan’s age, his urges must be hard to hold back, yet Fu Yan had never made a move. Du Yang couldn’t keep being oblivious.

In the middle of his tangled thoughts, Fu Yan spoke again. "Now I get why you don’t like Lu Yu."

He bullied Du Yang since they were kids, sent him away, and stole the fourteen years of life and identity that should have been Du Yang’s.

"Brother, do you hate Lu Yu?" Du Yang asked carefully. Their eyes met for a second before he looked away.

In his past life, he had gotten used to repeated disappointments and growing numb. In this life, although he knew he shouldn't expect anything from Fu Yan, his heart couldn't help but harbor a tiny, inappropriate hope.

He hoped Fu Yan would hate the same people he hated.

But the moment he asked, he was scared of the answer.

He was afraid of disappointment.

"Yangyang, look at me."

Fu Yan reached out, gently lifted the boy’s chin, making him meet his eyes. Then his voice turned gentle but serious.

"Before, I didn’t hate or like Lu Yu."

Fu Yan went on, "But since Yangyang hates Lu Yu, I hate him too."

Whoever his beloved disliked, he disliked too.

Even though Fu Yan had spent over a decade chanting sutras and burning incense with a mind as still as water, he could be possessive too.

If he didn’t want it, he wouldn’t take it. But if he did, he would pour all his favor onto what was his. As for what unimportant people thought, it had nothing to do with him.

Fu Yan’s words moved the boy deeply. His lips parted, but no sound came out. He showed his feelings through action instead.

The next second, the boy lunged into Fu Yan’s arms, sliding smoothly against him.

How could Fu Yan miss such a rare chance of the boy taking the initiative? He naturally wrapped an arm around the boy’s slender back and slid his other arm under the boy’s neck as a pillow.

But what followed wasn’t the tender moment he had pictured.

The boy in his arms was clutching the front of his pajamas. The muscles on his body were slightly tense, even trembling faintly. He buried his face in Fu Yan’s neck and spoke in a muffled, nasal tone.

"You can kiss me." Du Yang didn’t even notice his voice shaking. "And you can... go all the way..."

The rest was too embarrassing to say out loud. Fu Yan should understand.

"Do what?" Fu Yan felt exasperated inside but pretended not to get it and asked again.

The moment he said it, he clearly felt the boy shrink back even more, nearly curling into a ball.

He had meant to tease his kid a little.

But the next second, Du Yang reached behind and grabbed the hand Fu Yan had resting on his back.

He guided the hand down to the edge of his pants, hooking a finger under the waistband and tugging it open.

"Yangyang..." Fu Yan’s voice grew slightly husky, filled with restraint and suppressed hunger. He pressed Du Yang’s hand back and put it over his own chest.

Fu Yan hugged the boy tightly, wishing he could melt him into his bones, make them one.

He was an animal, but he wouldn’t act like one when Du Yang was this anxious.

The whole reunion with Grandma was already enough to shake Du Yang up.

Right now, he didn’t want anything else. He just wanted his kid to sleep well tonight.

Besides, he hadn’t even confessed properly yet. He had messed up last time; this time around, he had to do it right.

"Yangyang, just sleep. Don’t overthink it." Fu Yan loosened his hug a little so Du Yang would be more comfortable.

Du Yang had finally gathered his courage, only to be turned down by Fu Yan.

Fu Yan didn’t kiss him or push further. He just pressed a kiss to his forehead, then held him and lay still, as if he were really asleep.

Du Yang’s emotions seesawed wildly. After a long while of calming down, he finally realized Fu Yan really wasn’t going to do anything tonight, and only then did he fall asleep peacefully.

Fu Yan didn’t sleep soundly. He was worried Du Yang might be plagued by nightmares again during the night.

He had noticed in the past few days that as long as Du Yang wasn’t emotionally stirred up, he usually didn’t get nightmares.

But given what happened today, he couldn’t afford to let his guard down.

Half-asleep, Fu Yan heard Du Yang's sleep-talking.

"Grandma... sob..."

"No..."

Fu Yan instantly woke up. The young man in his arms was facing away from him, his back arched, a thin layer of sweat on his forehead, tears still welling at the corners of his eyes, not yet falling.

"Yangyang..." Fu Yan called softly, propping himself up on one elbow near the young man's ear.

"Sob... Fu Yan, no..."

Du Yang suddenly twitched, opened his eyes, and muttered again in his sleep, "Fu Yan, no... sob..."

The voice was very soft, but it was a wail of endless despair.

Fu Yan's heart tightened, as if someone were squeezing it, and his throat constricted.

"Yangyang, I'm here."

Fu Yan whispered again by Du Yang's ear. The young man seemed to have heard him, and turned to press tightly into Fu Yan's arms, holding him close.

"Yangyang, don't be afraid. Fu Yan is here, right beside you."

After a moment, the young man in his arms seemed to come to his senses, "I'm sorry, I can't help it. I fell asleep."

Du Yang didn't want to have nightmares anymore. The first couple times, Fu Yan would be patient, but over time, he'd get annoyed.

"Don't say sorry." Fu Yan lowered his head and kissed the young man's forehead. "I'm so glad I'm here when you need me, Yangyang."

"I'll never be annoyed with you, Yangyang. I'm really happy to be with you."

"Yangyang doesn't need to think about anything. Just sleep peacefully."

Fu Yan's voice was almost hypnotic. Du Yang, not struggling with insomnia, quickly fell back asleep.

Some people slept; others didn't.

In the early hours, two posts appeared on A University's campus forum.

"A University's campus heartthrob is being kept by the head of the Fu family in Haicheng."

"A University's campus heartthrob cross-dresses as a woman in live streams to seduce rich men."

The posts detailed how A University's campus heartthrob Du Yang seduced the chairman of Fu Corporation, offered himself up to be kept, and even included photos of Du Yang and Fu Yan walking together on campus.

Another post featured a video of Du Yang dancing in a black-and-white fluffy skirt, along with live-stream clips from F, Ji Zichu, and some big-spending fans supporting him.

Both posts centered on that poor bastard Du Yang, using every trick to seduce wealthy men and being kept by them.

Such explosive gossip, even in the early hours, didn't stop night-owl college students from gobbling up the gossip.

Within just a few hours, the posts blew up on the campus forum.

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