Chapter 35: The Incompetent and Malicious Ex-Boyfriend
Shen Ci was the type of person who could be persuaded by reason but never cowed by force.
He took a deep breath, the gaze he leveled at Pei Ye turning cold, even carrying a trace of grim resolution.
“If you want one of my hands, then come and take it”.
It was just a hand; it wouldn’t kill him. Once the mission was over and he returned to the real world, he would be a whole man again.
Pei Ye’s expression darkened. He hadn’t expected Shen Ci to be so unyielding, preferring to lose a limb rather than compromise his chastity for his boyfriend.
He stood up. His tall frame loomed over Shen Ci with a crushing sense of oppression, the faint scent of tobacco mixed with a chilled, woody fragrance enveloping the younger man.
Shen Ci instinctively retreated, only for Pei Ye to seize him by the wrist. The man’s hand was slightly cold, his thumb stroking the delicate skin of the wrist with an ambiguous, lingering touch.
Overcome with disgust, Shen Ci couldn’t help but throw a punch, but Pei Ye caught it effortlessly. The pressure Pei Ye applied to Shen Ci’s fist was so great it felt as if his fingers were about to be crushed.
Shen Ci’s punch was fueled by humiliated fury, but he was no match for Pei Ye’s raw strength. Pei Ye released Shen Ci’s wrist and wrapped his other arm around the boy’s waist, slamming him ruthlessly against the wall behind him.
With a muffled thud, the back of Shen Ci’s head hit the wall so hard his vision blurred behind a veil of physiological tears. He had no doubt a massive lump was already forming.
Pei Ye’s face was inches away, the dim light outlining his sharp jawline. His shirt collar remained buttoned to the very top, and his breath—a mix of tobacco and cold fragrance—hit Shen Ci’s face with suffocating intensity.
He pinned Shen Ci’s hands down firmly.
“Stubborn, are we?” Pei Ye’s voice was pressed low, vibrating with an irritated, somber edge. “I’d like to see exactly how unyielding you really are”.
Shen Ci struggled, twisting his waist, his back pressed against the freezing wall while the man’s scorching body heat radiated from the front. This sense of being caged made him feel incredibly sick.
“Let me go! Pei Ye, don’t take this too far!” His voice trembled, but he kept his chin up and shouted.
Looking at the boy’s reddened eyes, Pei Ye’s provoked anger suddenly and strangely dissipated, replaced by an even deeper sense of intrigue.
He lowered his head until his nose nearly brushed Shen Ci’s forehead, his tone abruptly softening into something taunting. “You’re clearly terrified, so why bother acting so tough?”
Shen Ci turned his head away, unwilling to meet those overly direct eyes, though his eyelashes trembled uncontrollably. He might be unyielding, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t afraid.
After all, when had a law-abiding citizen like him ever encountered such a lawless thug? A perverted, lawless thug at that. It was truly hard not to be scared.
“Pleasing me isn’t difficult,” Pei Ye murmured, his breath fanning across Shen Ci’s ear with a scorching heat. “It doesn’t have to be anything too outrageous”.
Pei Ye paused for a second before continuing, “I’ve never kissed anyone before. I want to try it with you. Consider it your apology—for kicking my door and making me unhappy”.
Shen Ci snapped his head back around. A kiss? And he called that not outrageous?
He felt a surge of humiliation rush to his head. “What makes you think I’d—”
“The fact that you’re in my hands, and that you can’t leave this room without my permission,” Pei Ye interrupted, his fingers pinching Shen Ci’s chin to force him to look up. “It’s just a kiss, not like I’m taking you to bed”.
“Impossible”.
The moment the words left Shen Ci’s mouth, the door was suddenly pushed open from the outside.
Wu Mu froze for a moment upon entering the room. His pupils constricted slightly when he saw Shen Ci pinned against the wall by Pei Ye. Then, as if realizing something, his gaze darkened.
“What are you two doing?”
A flash of displeasure crossed Pei Ye’s eyes at being interrupted; he had no hobby for “performing” in public. He released Shen Ci and adjusted his collar. “You certainly timed that well”.
Wu Mu’s brow furrowed. Before he could speak, Shen Ci acted as if he had found his savior and scrambled to Wu Mu’s side, grabbing onto his arm with both hands.
“Mr. Wu, save me…”
Shen Ci wasn’t stupid. Seeing Pei Ye’s attitude toward Wu Mu, he immediately guessed they were friends. He could only try to seek help from Wu Mu; after all, who would want to lose a hand for no reason?
Through the fabric of his clothes, Wu Mu could almost feel the heat of Shen Ci’s body against his arm. His expression became somewhat unreadable.
He stared at the arm Shen Ci was clutching before his gaze slowly traveled up to Shen Ci’s panicked, fearful face. “What’s going on here?”
Pei Ye’s expression turned completely cold when he saw Shen Ci run to Wu Mu and take the initiative to grab his arm. He looked as if he had been personally offended, his gaze turning sinister.
“I accidentally went into the wrong room. Boss Pei said I have to leave a hand behind if I want to go”. Shen Ci didn’t mention the “pleasing” part; it was too embarrassing.
“You two know each other?” Pei Ye’s voice was icy, his narrow eyes squinting. Those who knew him well knew he was in a foul mood.
Wu Mu hesitated for a heartbeat before reaching out and gently patting Shen Ci’s hand in a comforting gesture. “We do. He’s an employee at Hello. Why are you making things difficult for him?”
Pei Ye pressed his tongue against his canine tooth and let out a low, derisive snort. “I’m making things difficult?” He raised an eyebrow at Wu Mu. “I’ve taken a liking to him”.
Wu Mu’s brow twitched, but his face remained calm. “As far as I know, he already has a boyfriend”.
“Which is why I gave him two choices: either have an affair with me, or leave a hand behind”.
Pei Ye’s lips curled into a mocking smile as he stared straight at Shen Ci. “I didn’t expect him to be such a tough nut to crack”.
Wu Mu couldn’t help but frown. He stepped forward, unobtrusively shielding Shen Ci. “You can find whatever kind of person you want. Give me some face and stop troubling him”.
Pei Ye looked at him in surprise. “You’re pleading for him?”
His voice turned even colder. “You haven’t taken a liking to him too, have you?”
Pei Ye knew Wu Mu well—a selfish, cold-blooded capitalist. Why would he ever plead for a mere “employee”? Besides, what kind of good person would be friends with someone like Pei Ye?
Wu Mu lowered his eyes, his hand hanging at his side curling slightly, but his voice remained steady. “No”.
Pei Ye snorted, though it was unclear if he believed him. “Sit down and talk”.
There was no point in all three of them just standing there.
Wu Mu glanced at Shen Ci. “It’s fine. Go sit over there”.
Shen Ci sat next to Wu Mu on a lounge chair opposite Pei Ye.
Pei Ye’s gaze flickered between the two of them.
Wu Mu looked up and met his gaze calmly. “Pei Ye, it’s not convenient for him to be here while we talk business. Let him leave first”.
Pei Ye let out a short, defiant laugh. “Convenient? Why wouldn’t it be? It’s dinner time anyway. We can all eat together, and then we’ll have our private chat later”.
“I’ve already eaten, and I have things to do,” Shen Ci interjected quickly.
Pei Ye’s face darkened.
Wu Mu’s voice softened slightly. “Since you’ve already eaten, I won’t keep you. You can go”.
Shen Ci’s heart finally settled back into his chest.
He was now overflowing with gratitude toward Wu Mu. He had previously disliked the man for subtly threatening him into becoming a host, but now he felt Wu Mu was a truly righteous person worth knowing.
Translator’s Note: In Chinese culture, “eating soft but not hard” (吃軟不吃硬) is a common idiom meaning someone can be coaxed or reasoned with but will become stubborn and defiant if you try to force them. Shen Ci is the perfect example of this! Also, Wu Mu is stepping up here, showing that there’s more to him than just being a cold boss. Pei Ye, however, is a real wild card. Thanks for reading!
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