Ye Shanshan was a bit worried. “Ge, will Gong Ze agree to meet you?”
“He will. If he wants to confirm whether the drug I used caused my memory collapse, he’ll definitely meet me.”
Without witnessing it firsthand, Gong Ze wouldn’t fully believe it.
Seeing Ye Shanshan still anxious, Gong Yue kissed the corner of his lips. “Don’t worry. Even if he wants to make a move, he won’t act rashly without preparation.” He glanced at the audio file sent by Gong Ji. “I won’t take unnecessary risks.”
His life now wasn’t just his own—it was also Ye Shanshan’s.
Ye Shanshan nodded, then brought up someone else.
“Earlier, Chris gathered all the information on ‘Dumont,’ and combined with what I found, I discovered that ‘Dumont’ wasn’t a fictional person. His grandfather was a pastor with great local renown during his lifetime, and his father was a well-known doctor. Dumont himself got into medical school but was socially withdrawn and didn’t have many close relationships.
“However, I found that about eight years ago, Dumont went on a solo seaside vacation. During that trip, he joined a group for a sailing expedition, fell overboard by accident, and developed severe psychological trauma afterward. His personality also changed. What’s strange is that the identities of the people who went sailing with him were all fabricated. So I suspect Durant took on Dumont’s identity during that time.”
As he spoke, Ye Shanshan grabbed a customized black tablet and opened a program. “Ge, from the data I gathered, I found these photos.” He clicked through them one by one.
“These are pictures of Dumont during his student days and before his vacation. Over here are photos of Durant from some journals. Comparing them, their facial features have a 60% similarity, and their body shapes have over 80% similarity.”
Ye Shanshan pressed a few buttons while explaining, “All it takes is some adjustments to the nasal bone, slight modifications to the jaw joint, and a few fine tweaks, and the two would look almost identical.”
Exiting the facial comparison interface, he concluded, “So, eight years ago, when Durant supposedly died in an African tribal village, it wasn’t him who died—it was ‘Dumont.’” Ye Shanshan frowned slightly. “I just feel like he’s…” He searched for the right words.
“Like a mad scientist, the kind who doesn’t care about anything else.”
Back at the Misius Island research base, many researchers were like that. To them, human lives, ethics, laws, and morals didn’t matter.
Understanding Ye Shanshan’s concern, Gong Yue squeezed his hand. “Trust me.”
“Mm.” Ye Shanshan looked at Gong Yue’s profile, shadowed by the dim light, and blurted out, “Ge, if you’re digging a pit for someone in the front, I’ll be in the back handing you an alloy shovel!”
There was no helping it. Being the man behind the scenes came with such responsibilities!
As the movie continued, Gong Yue noticed that Ye Shanshan’s index finger was unconsciously scratching at the seat cushion, a sign of anxiety. Feeling a pang of sympathy, Gong Yue took Ye Shanshan’s hand and gently bit the tip of his finger.
Ye Shanshan, who had been brainstorming “36 Ways to Outsmart Gong Ze,” had his attention diverted by the tingling sensation on his fingertip. He immediately grabbed Gong Yue’s sleeve with his other hand and tugged. “Ge, kiss me again. I didn’t feel much from the last one. Do it properly this time—”
Before he could finish the last word, Gong Yue leaned in and sealed his lips, giving him a deep, lingering kiss. Afterward, Gong Yue asked helplessly, “You want it that much?”
Ye Shanshan simply climbed onto Gong Yue’s lap, straddling him face-to-face, his expression troubled.
“I do! I really do! It feels like we haven’t had any close contact in 300 years,” he said, resting his head on Gong Yue’s shoulder and nuzzling him. His tone was dramatic. “I’m like a flower without water, crops without fertilizer—so pitiful!”
Ye Shanshan’s tone grew increasingly pitiful as he spoke, and he felt like he should squeeze out a couple of tears to complete the act. But his emotions weren’t quite there, and no tears came. The dramatic scene abruptly stalled—could he do a retake?
His hair brushed against Gong Yue’s neck, tickling him slightly. Gong Yue adjusted his hold on Ye Shanshan, slipping a hand under his shirt and expertly teasing a sensitive spot. He leaned close to his ear and asked, “Does this help?”
“A little harder,” Ye Shanshan’s voice softened instantly, turning into a series of whimpers. After a moment, he licked Gong Yue’s ear and blew gently into it. “The other side,” he murmured, shifting restlessly, adding theatrics. “Oh, the other side is so pitiful—no one likes it.”
Gong Yue’s fingers moved to the other side, pinching another sensitive spot. “Still pitiful?”
“Not pitiful, not pitiful,” Ye Shanshan’s eyes narrowed in pleasure.
On the big screen, the movie continued to play. It showed Ye Shanshan in casual student attire, meticulously polishing a violin with an expression of devout focus. Meanwhile, the real Ye Shanshan in Gong Yue’s arms had a flushed face, slightly parted lips glistening, occasionally letting out enticing sounds.
Gong Yue shifted him off his lap, turning him to face the screen. Ye Shanshan leaned back against Gong Yue’s chest, staring at his enlarged face on the screen delivering lines. Every subtle expression seemed unfamiliar.
Meanwhile, Gong Yue’s hand continued its teasing, and a wave of shame surged through Ye Shanshan. But it was mixed with a thrill that made his heart race.
Ye Shanshan grabbed Gong Yue’s free hand, bringing it to his mouth and sucking on one of his fingers. His agile tongue swirled up and down, making him feel like he was at his limit.
—It’s over. He was about to lose control.
Even the ancients said, “What I cannot endure, I shall not endure.”
He shifted slightly, feeling the obvious presence beneath him, and tilted his head, breathless. “Ge, can you…” He hesitated, his disheveled clothes exposing his shoulder, the lines of his neck begging to be kissed, and his reddened eyes shimmering like an otherworldly enchantress.
After some thought, he decided to be subtle. “Ge, can you indulge in some daylight romance?”
“Of course.”
The movie’s pacing was slow and deliberate, and Gong Yue had always been patient in such matters. But Ye Shanshan quickly lost his composure. He guided Gong Yue’s hand to his waist, where it met dampness. “Look, I’m so desperate I’m crying,” he said urgently.
His tone was filled with impatience.
Gong Yue’s fingers moved slightly, feeling the slick warmth. He pressed lightly, eliciting a whimper from Ye Shanshan. Removing the fabric covering the white lock of his waist, the moisture quickly soaked into Gong Yue’s trousers. He chuckled, “Shanshan, you’ve made a mess.”
Ye Shanshan noticed it too and felt embarrassed. But his quick wit prevailed, and he professionally offered a solution. “Ge, if you plug it, it won’t leak.”
By the time the movie ended, Ye Shanshan had been teased to tears in the chair. Tear streaks adorned the corners of his eyes, and his lashes were damp. In the dim light of the home theater, he looked at Gong Yue’s slightly obscured face, his voice nasal. “This chair has to go.”
“Alright,” Gong Yue replied briefly, preoccupied with something else.
Ye Shanshan struggled to keep his thoughts coherent despite the overwhelming sensations. “You have to throw it out yourself,” he said, biting his lip. After the wave of emotions subsided, he continued, his voice trembling. “It’s all wet. No one else can know.”
“Alright.”
When the movie ended and the screen went dark, the room was plunged into complete darkness.
They couldn’t see each other, but their connection was undeniable. Ye Shanshan felt himself sinking into the moment.
Having resolved the issue that had been weighing on his mind, Ye Shanshan clung to Gong Yue and murmured, “Gong Yue, I like you the most.”
He rarely called Gong Yue by his full name, but at that moment, it sounded like the sweetest confession.
After a brief pause, Gong Yue intensified his actions, swift and forceful, but his voice remained gentle. “I like you too.”
When Gong Yue carried him out of the theater, Ye Shanshan was so exhausted he could barely keep his eyes open. Resting his ear against Gong Yue’s chest, he listened to the still-quickened heartbeat and reminded him,
“That chair.”
“Mm.” Gong Yue noted how Ye Shanshan’s exposed skin had turned pink, his lips slightly chapped, and his eyes swollen from crying. He softened his tone. “I’ll take care of it. Sleep.”
Hearing this, Ye Shanshan gave up his insistence, leaning against Gong Yue’s chest and falling asleep quickly.
—As for his earlier worry about Gong Yue wanting to meet Gong Ze, Ye Shanshan had completely forgotten about it. With extraordinary measures, his attention had once again been effortlessly diverted.
—–
Gong Ze’s response came quickly, and by evening, they had already agreed on a time and place to meet.
“The day after tomorrow morning at Queen’s Riding Club?” Ye Shanshan, weak and languid, lay sprawled diagonally across the bed, reading the reply from Gong Ze’s secretary. Half-awake, his eyes were half-closed, and his hair stuck out in all directions.
Turning over to lie on his stomach, Ye Shanshan’s loose collar slipped down, revealing slightly swollen sensitive spots and a series of shallow and deep kiss marks. Propping his chin up with one hand, his voice was a little hoarse. “Ge, I can’t help but feel worried.”
Gong Yue was busy handling some urgent documents. His gaze lingered momentarily on the skin exposed beneath Ye Shanshan’s collar, his restraint evident. “Shanshan, fix your clothes.” Noticing his uncovered legs, he added, “And put on your pants.”
Ye Shanshan glanced down, pretending to “just notice” his state of undress. However, he had no intention of complying. Instead, he provocatively stretched out his fair, long legs, a tantalizing sight. “Ge, your thoughts aren’t very pure,” he accused, his tone righteous and firm.
Gong Yue’s pen paused mid-signature. He looked at Ye Shanshan, who wore an expression that screamed, I’m the epitome of justice, and calmly pointed out, “Back in the bedroom, you asked for it again.”
Feigning ignorance of Gong Yue’s implication, Ye Shanshan pulled his collar even lower until nearly his entire chest was exposed. He stopped only when it seemed like there was nothing left to reveal. Looking at Gong Yue, he bit his lower lip lightly, the contrast of red against his pale skin stunning. His eyes glimmered as if holding ripples of water.
“Sigh, I just wish His Majesty would look at me a little more. That would be enough.”
Gong Yue pinched the bridge of his nose twice, ultimately setting down his pen. He walked to the bed, loosening his tie as he approached. Before Ye Shanshan could react, Gong Yue leaned down, scooped him up effortlessly, and sat him on the edge of the bed. Holding the back of Ye Shanshan’s head with one hand, Gong Yue leaned in and kissed him fiercely.
The kiss was intense and lasted a while before Gong Yue finally pulled away from Ye Shanshan’s lips, his voice low and commanding. “Is that enough?”
Ye Shanshan, dazed from the kiss, stared blankly at the man standing before him. Then, noticing the moisture lingering on Gong Yue’s lips, he thought Gong Yue looked impossibly handsome at that moment. Excitement surged through him, and he immediately shook his head, his arms wrapping around Gong Yue without hesitation.
“Of course not! More, more!”
[mfn]If you enjoy my translations, feel free to support me by leaving a comment below or sending me a ko-fi. Thank you, and happy reading! -TL: Ysiad ❤️[/mfn]
