Chapter 75: In the therapy session, the therapist asks you to wear nothing.

He Guan went ahead and tried the experience as Lou Jun Duo had described.

Above, there was a vast therapy center.

From head to toe, from foot baths to ear cleaning, they had everything.

Besides the therapy area, the center also had a designated resting area, complete with fresh fruits, snacks, exquisite dishes, waitstaff, and chefs at their posts. However, aside from himself and Lou Jun Duo, he didn’t spot any other guests.

He Guan changed into a bathrobe and was seated on a foot massage chair.

The listening device concealed in his collar was just below his neckline. Worried about it being discovered, He Guan shifted uncomfortably.

Seizing the opportunity while Lou Jun Duo was in the restroom, He Guan struck up a conversation with the young lady tending to his feet, "With such a spacious place, why aren't there other people?"

The girl massaging his feet wore a melancholic expression. As she adjusted the water temperature, she glanced up, offering a silent smile.

He Guan asked, "You don't speak?"

She kept her head down, adding a herbal soak to the water, without reacting.

He Guan gently tapped her shoulder, motioning for her to look up.

She lifted her gaze in mild confusion.

He Guan spoke slower, repeating his question.

This time, with difficulty, she seemed to read his lips, realizing he was speaking. She pointed to her ears and shook her head.

She was hearing-impaired.

He Guan pondered the revelation.

Returning from the restroom in a fresh bathrobe, Lou Jun Duo approached with a grin, "Why didn't you wait for me, Guan?"

He Guan thought to himself that he had been waiting.

Spending so long in the restroom, one might assume constipation.

Keeping his thoughts private, He Guan responded with a faint smile, "I wanted to chat, but you were gone. Tried speaking to this lovely lady, but she seems too dedicated to her work to indulge me."

Lou Jun Duo settled into the massage chair beside him, sighing contentedly, "There's a story behind that, which I'll share later. What did you want to ask her? I'm here; you can ask me."

He Guan answered, "I was wondering why such a vast place has only the two of us. Not a soul in sight."

Feeling someone touch the sole of his foot was a bit unsettling, especially as the grip was light, tickling him.

The touch bordered on teasing.

Noticing his furrowed brow, the young lady instinctively glanced at the reclining Lou Jun Duo.

Lou Jun Duo, meanwhile, had covered his eyes with a sleep mask, unresponsive.

She resumed, applying slightly more pressure this time, offering a more standard massage.

He Guan reclined further, closing his eyes. He heard Lou Jun Duo's response, "Wondering why there's no one else? It's simple, Guan. You're the honored guest today. I cleared the place out for you."

He Guan queried, "Is this place yours?"

Lou Jun Duo quipped, "Hmm, what, can't I have a side gig? Don't rat me out to grandpa, little uncle."

The last few words dripped with exaggerated slowness and playfulness.

Playing along, He Guan laughed as if delighted, suppressing the goosebumps on his arm. He retorted, "Do I look like someone who'd tattle?"

Lou Jun Duo began, "You indeed don’t seem like... like someone I'd love to..."

He stopped after just one word, sealing his lips deliberately.

He Guan feigned deafness, closing his eyes.

Shortly, a woman approached Lou Jun Duo, wordlessly squatting to massage him.

He Guan interjected, "Weren't you going to explain to me about these women?"

Lou Jun Duo, seemingly about to drift off, was jolted awake by the question. He stretched, then settled back, murmuring, "This place... it’s a wellness center, but also kind of a charity organization..."

He Guan questioned, "Charity?"

Lou Jun Duo clarified, "Exactly as you suspect. All the staff here have disabilities."

He Guan remarked, "Impressive. But this facility doesn't look newly built."

Lou Jun Duo whispered, "Acquired it from someone else... Keep it down, Guan. I'm so tired. Aren’t you?"

He Guan chose to remain silent.

Realizing he wouldn't get more information, He Guan shifted his focus to enjoying the massage.

Noting He Guan's discomfort, the young masseuse began applying more pressure, causing some pain at certain points on his foot.

But she'd switch locations after a while and then return, ensuring the pain was bearable.

Throughout the session, He Guan broke into a sweat, feeling no trace of sleepiness.

In contrast, after a brief massage, Lou Jun Duo’s side went silent.

Just as He Guan contemplated peeking from under his eye mask, he caught a glimpse of the woman in front of Lou Dong Zang kicking the young masseuse.

A dazzling golden bracelet adorned her wrist; He Guan only had time to catch its shimmer.

The masseuse flinched, accidentally scratching He Guan's toe.

He Guan remained silent.

The pressure on his foot noticeably lightened afterward.

Soon after, the massaging hands retreated.

He Guan maintained his hand's position over the eye mask, ensuring they didn’t notice his desire to observe them.

Subsequently, he heard the two individuals depart.

To be punished when trying to work earnestly... Was the initial step seduction?

Hidden behind his eye mask, He Guan pondered for several seconds, unable to discern an answer.

Another detail struck him as odd.

While He Guan was on a floor designated for foot baths, the floor was covered in an expensive carpet, seemingly impervious to water splashes.

After his foot massage, with warmth in his lower extremities, he lay back pondering the reason.

The audacity to use a carpet suggested the clientele, as Lou Jun Duo had mentioned, was indeed sparse.

He speculated the wellness center didn't surpass six floors.

Having descended from the thirty-second floor, He Guan surmised the wellness center was somewhere between the twenty-sixth and the thirty-second floors.

The elevator certainly went beyond the thirty-second floor. Above, there might be hotel rooms or other secrets.

As for the so-called "charity organization"...

What a load of nonsense.

Only a child would believe that.

Having read the original work, He Guan couldn’t be deceived by such simple tricks from Lou Jun Duo.

At the time of the novel's serialization, the hosting website permitted darker, more risqué content. The protagonist, the dominant figure, rose to prominence through such narratives.

That protagonist was Lou Jun Duo.

The same Lou Jun Duo who, after running away from home, was deemed rebellious by his grandfather and subsequently left to his own devices, only to plunge into nefarious affairs.

It's not to say one should stereotype characters. After all, by the novel's end, Lou Jun Duo did renounce a portion of his illicit empire for the sake of family and life.

But a leopard can't change its spots. The author even contemplated a sequel—

Due to reader demand in the comment section, desiring a deeper dive into the protagonist's dark ventures.

The author even promised to detail his entire journey in this darker world, as many readers found it thrilling.

This spoke volumes about the era the novel was set in.

It also suggested that, until the novel's conclusion, Lou Jun Duo had never truly reformed.

Calculating from when He Guan arrived here, only a third of the book had transpired.

As for whether the sequel was ever written, He Guan was uncertain.

By then, he was already "gone".

He Guan relaxed in the massage chair, lost in thought, only to be awakened by the stirring Lou Jun who called out from beside him, "Guan?"

He Guan replied, "…Yes?"

Pretending to have just awakened, he forgot about the eye mask on his face. As he sleepily tried to remove it, his raven-black hair, tousled from lying down and rising, looked incredibly soft.

So vulnerable.

Lou Jun leaned closer.

Casually, He Guan pulled on the elastic cord that hung behind his ear.

The cord was stretchy and was pulled taut as the other approached.

Feigning a slip, He Guan suddenly let go. The recoil sent the cord flying several centimeters, hitting Lou Jun's nose.

A muted thud.

As expected, Lou Jun was startled and leaned back, holding onto his chair.

Pretending ignorance, He Guan mumbled, "What happened? Did my cord hit you? I'm still drowsy from waking up…"

Whether it was something meant for him or a search for a listening device on him, he couldn't let Lou Jun succeed.

Holding his nose, Lou Jun hesitated before replying, "…No, no. I just bumped myself."

Removing his eye mask, He Guan sat up, "Where did you bump? Need me to check?"

Lou Jun replied, "No need, no need... You can go ahead, after your foot massage today, head back first."

As Lou Jun finished speaking, someone approached from the direction of the hallway, slightly bowed, signaling He Guan to lift his foot for a wipe.

He Guan didn't decline. After his foot was cleaned, he stood up and said, "Jun, thank you. I feel much better."

Lou Jun responded, "Don't thank me just yet. There's more. After today's session, you might feel discomfort for a day or two. I'll invite you again in a couple of days."

He Guan raised an eyebrow, "More?"

Lou Jun joked, "You didn't think I'd keep such a vast place running for nothing, did you? You'll be quite busy in the coming days. I'll keep asking you to come out."

He Guan chuckled, "I look forward to it. I'll be leaving now. I've been tense these days, and now that I've relaxed, all I want is to go home and sleep."

Covering his face, Lou Jun waved him goodbye.

He Guan promptly followed the attendant out.

*

After He Guan's departure, he met up with Chi Yu at his own residence.

After discussing, they unanimously decided to let Chi Yu stay over at the house.

Chi Yu was being followed.

He Guan handed her the listening device he had taken into the spa that day and sketched out a rough map of the spa. He left her in a guest room and retired to the master bedroom to sleep.

Over the next few weeks, He Guan was sporadically called out by Lou Jun multiple times, averaging every two to three days. It started with foot baths, followed by acupuncture, then ear cleaning, and even hair and nail care.

During this period, there weren't any therapists trying to flirt with him, unlike the first time.

Of course, He Guan shared all this with Chi Yu.

Chi Yu remarked, "We've been suspecting there's a full-fledged illicit industry chain there. If you hadn't declined the first time, there might have been further advances..."

He Guan, at that moment nibbling on a watermelon on the couch, handed her a piece upon hearing this, asking, "Understood. Want some?"

Taking a bite, Chi Yu, seeing his glowing complexion, commented, "Who would believe you're a man whose lover has gone missing?"

He Guan swallowed the last bite, threw the rind into the trash, and interjected before she could continue, "My improved appearance isn't my doing. It's all thanks to Lou Jun's therapies. Once I find my wife, I'll be sure to express my gratitude, maybe even send him a banner of appreciation."

Chi Yu glanced at him, "That might be a fresh perspective."

He Guan: "Huh?"

Chi Yu: "He clearly has ulterior motives. But what does he truly want from you?"

He Guan: "I'm not sure. Haven't figured it out."

Since arriving, He Guan had essentially ended his romantic narrative with Lou Jun, not believing the latter was attempting to seduce him.

Chi Yu: "Throughout these encounters, have you noticed anything else?"

He Guan thought for a moment, "Each time I go, I feel sleepier than the last."

Chi Yu: "Sleepy?"

He Guan: "I'm not sure if it's related, but the therapists seem professional. Initially, I wasn't too sleepy, but gradually I felt more tired. The last time, during the head therapy and ear cleaning session, I almost dozed off. Not sure if it's related to the scent they use."

Chi Yu: "What scent?"

He Guan: "How can I describe it? How about we visit a perfume counter?"

Chi Yu: "No need. I'll bring some for you. Incense or perfume?"

He Guan: "Incense... or maybe essential oils? I didn't notice any perfumes, just incense sticks, though I'm not sure if they were being burned."

Chi Yu: "Alright."

The next evening, Chi Yu visited his home with a gift box, bringing along a trunk full of different scents for He Guan to identify by smell.

He Guan eventually pinpointed a scent that seemed familiar, inquiring, "What is this?"

Chi Yu responded, "Lavender oil."

He Guan remarked, "It's similar to this, but not quite the same."

Chi Yu questioned, "Did the scent make you feel sleepy, or were you already tired?"

He Guan replied, "The former."

Chi Yu pondered, "…Indeed, that's suspicious."

Chi Yu relayed their discussion's findings, receiving a response from higher-ups near midnight.

For He Guan's next visit, it'd be best if he could bring back a sample, regardless of the quantity.

He Guan tapped his temple, "Alright… I'll have to think this through…"

Upon entering the spa, He Guan was required to change into a bathrobe before leaving his room.

When departing the spa, He Guan would take a bath, then return to his room to retrieve his clothes.

Chi Yu advised, "Even a tiny sample will do, but more is preferable."

He Guan responded, "Understood."

On his spa day, He Guan discovered that just changing into a bathrobe wasn’t the end of the procedure.

Standing at the door to the massage room, he pointed to himself and incredulously asked the attendant, "What did you say? Say that again?"

The attendant repeated the request verbatim, "The masseuse requests that you wear nothing."

He Guan probed, "Not even underwear?"

The attendant shook his head unequivocally, "No."

After a moment's thought, he compassionately elaborated, "She's our best masseuse. You're in good hands. Clothing can hinder the massage process, especially on the lower body. As you know, even a thin fabric can affect the tactile experience, especially given the density of nerves in the buttock area. So..."

Interrupting, He Guan said, "…Stop, stop. I'll take them off."

He bent slightly, gripped the edge of his underwear, and slid them off.

As he did, the muscles in his calves tensed, momentarily obscured by the dark fabric.

Swiftly, his underwear pooled around his feet, covering the pale blue veins on the top of his foot.

In front of the attendant, He Guan tossed his underwear into the trash bin before being allowed to proceed.

Upon entering the room, he first scanned the interior and indeed found an unlit incense stick in an incense burner.

Unsure if it was the root cause of his drowsiness, he discreetly ground a bit and, under the pretense of scratching his head, rubbed it into his hair.

He had applied a bit of damp adhesive there.

Just a tiny amount, of course.

He Guan wasn't ready to go bald.

After these preparations, he walked back to the massage table and looked towards a small partitioned area inside the room.

The masseuse was inside, occupied with something unknown.

Although He Guan's footsteps were deliberately loud enough to be heard inside, the masseuse didn't come out.

He Guan loosened the sash of his bathrobe and lay face down on the table.

The attendant's request wasn't out of line, and He Guan could comply.

It's common for many massage therapies to require clients to be unclothed.

Although Lou Jun's spa seemed overly extravagant, He Guan found the therapists proficient over the days. The acupuncturist he encountered earlier was notably skilled, so having clientele was justifiable.

Lying on the table, he boredly peered through the hole for resting one's head, counting the fine patterns on the carpet below.

Two minutes later, the door behind him opened.

The masseuse remained silent — He Guan had grown used to this during his days at the spa; they seemed mute or simply chose not to speak.

Whether truly mute or just reserved, they rarely uttered words.

The masseuse approached He Guan, picking up massage oil from a movable tray, warming it between his hands.

Pausing for a brief moment, he gently placed his warmed palm on the back of He Guan's neck.

He Guan...

He Guan nearly jumped up!

Those hands...

Were they Lou Dongzang's?