TYMRHBDES Chapter 113

Mu Jianian’s heart clenched, his throat suddenly dry.

The person in the bathtub slowly lifted his eyes, his wet, slightly red eyes meeting Mu Jianian’s gaze.

His rosy lips parted and closed: “Where’s the camera this time?”

“Mu Jianian, how do you plan to film this time?”

A flicker of regret crossed Mu Jianian’s eyes. “Bao Bao…”

“I’m not your Bao Bao.”

Jiang Luoluo’s voice was calm, his gaze drifting from Mu Jianian’s face to the water’s surface.

His voice was barely a whisper, his eyelashes fluttering like a butterfly caught in a web, struggling to break free.

“Mu Jianian, I’m your lover. My task is to please you. I’ve memorized that.”

“How long until you finally let me go?”

“How am I supposed to know? How many videos of me do you really have? Were you still secretly filming me while I was with you?”

He fought to keep his voice steady, to prevent it from trembling.

“There has to be a limit, Mu Jianian.”

“You can’t expect me to keep shamelessly accompanying you like this, like a prostitute at your beck and call, even after you’re married with children…”

Mu Jianian gripped the edge of the bathtub, his fingertips turning white from the force.

“Mu Jianian, I…” Jiang Luoluo’s voice choked. “I know I wronged you before. I know I was wrong…”

“I apologize. I’m sorry…”

He lay in the bathtub, slowly closing his eyes. Water droplets clinging to his collarbones reflected the light, shimmering like mermaid tears.

“So you can do whatever you want to me. I won’t resist.”

“But please, I beg you, set a limit…”

“Otherwise, I might not be able to hold on…”

Mu Jianian stared at the man in the bathtub for a long moment before finally forcing out a strained “Alright.”

“Until New Year’s. On New Year’s Day, I’ll give you all the photos and videos…”

“Don’t worry, I won’t take any more photos of you, and I won’t show them to anyone else…”

Jiang Luoluo whispered, “Thank you.”

Then he asked, “Can you leave now? I want to take a shower.”

“Or perhaps you’d prefer to do it here?”

The soft voice held no emotion, as if stating something as mundane as eating or drinking water.

“Can I clean up first? I’ve been sitting on the floor for too long and gotten myself dirty…”

Mu Jianian didn’t know how he’d managed to stumble out of the bathroom.

He stood on the balcony, a conflicted mix of regret and remorse flashing in his eyes.

He’d chosen the wrong way to meet him, and he’d chosen the wrong way to keep him.

His Bao Bao seemed to have truly taken everything between them as a transaction.

The cigarette between his fingers burned, sending white smoke that the wind carried away in rings.

The crimson tip of the cigarette glowed dimly in the endless darkness. Mu Jianian sat on the balcony, his long fingers pressing against his forehead.

He’d always known Jiang Luoluo was timid…

He’d still managed to scare him.

It was fortunate he didn’t know his true feelings, or he’d have run even faster.

After more than ten minutes, a sound came from the bathroom.

Mu Jianian stubbed out his cigarette and hurried over.

Jiang Luoluo emerged from the bathroom wrapped in a dark gray towel. Mu Jianian realized he’d forgotten to bring him pajamas and quickly grabbed one of his own shirts.

The person wrapped in the towel remained silent, his pale face tilted up as he asked softly, “Is there any point in getting dressed?”

“No matter how neatly I dress, won’t I just have to take it off later anyway?”

“Didn’t you bring me here for that?”

Mu Jianian’s throat felt tight. “No.”

He gently pulled Jiang Luoluo into his arms and kissed his forehead.

“Alright, put this on.”

Mu Jianian’s shirt was a bit long, just covering his butt when he put it on.

His fair, straight legs were exposed in the warm yellow lamplight, creating an indescribably ambiguous atmosphere.

Jiang Luoluo glanced at himself in the mirror and lowered his eyes.

He slowly climbed into bed.

When Mu Jianian finished washing up and came out, the person in bed seemed to have already fallen asleep.

Feeling insecure, Jiang Luoluo curled up, hiding himself under the covers, leaving only half of his fluffy head visible.

The mattress dipped slightly, followed by a faint, cool tobacco scent that wafted over.

An arm reached around from behind, pulling Jiang Luoluo into an embrace.

The other’s head rested in the crook of his neck, the familiar scent permeating every pore.

Mu Jianian held him tightly, whispering, “Bao Bao…”

But the person in his arms remained stiff, his entire body radiating resistance.

There was no other reaction.

The lights went out.

Even breathing came from behind, and Mu Jianian seemed to have fallen asleep.

Only then did Jiang Luoluo’s body relax. Clutching the corner of the blanket, he slowly drifted off to sleep.

He had a dreamless night.

When the alarm rang, a small, white, soft hand emerged from under the covers, expertly groping for the phone and pressing the side button.

The phone’s vibration stopped, and the arm retreated back under the covers.

The person with closed eyes remained in the same sleeping position, even burrowing further into Mu Jianian’s embrace.

It seemed the brief interruption hadn’t disturbed their slumber in the slightest, and they were asleep again.

Mu Jianian had been awake for a while, watching the person peacefully sleeping in his arms. His heart was a mix of emotions.

His elegant phoenix eyes traced the contours of their face again and again, as if burning with a heat that threatened to physically consume their skin, inch by inch.

He reached out and pinched the small cheek resting against his chest.

The skin was soft and plump, slipping through his fingers with the slightest squeeze.

He then touched their lips. The sleeping person stirred, annoyed by the disturbance, and buried their head deeper into his chest.

Warm breath seeped through the thin pajamas, causing Mu Jianian’s throat to bob and his heart to race.

He couldn’t help but lean closer.

In the end, he simply lowered his head to kiss the top of the person’s head, then threw off the covers and left the room.

As the door clicked shut, Jiang Luoluo slowly opened his eyes.

He gazed at the unfamiliar ceiling, a look of confusion on his face.

After a moment, he gave up and buried his head in the quilt.

He was so confused, he didn’t know what to do.

At the end of the month, Jiang Luoluo received news that Li Chuan was returning to China.

Li Chuan wailed about how long it had been since he’d eaten Chinese food and insisted that Jiang Luoluo prepare a feast to welcome him back.

Jiang Luoluo laughed and agreed.

Over the past few years, Jiang Luoluo hadn’t made many new friends.

After entering university, his old drinking buddies had vanished. He didn’t know many of his new classmates, except for his roommates, with whom he interacted more often.

But his roommates were all straight men obsessed with video games, and being gay himself, Jiang Luoluo had to consciously keep his distance from them.

The person he stayed in touch with the most, the one he could talk to most easily, was Li Chuan.

Mu Jianian had been busy lately, leaving Jiang Luoluo with more free time. He hadn’t been to the small apartment in days.

After class, he lay on his dorm bed, pressing his laptop against his pillow, biting on his pen, and searching his phone for highly-rated local specialties.

“Luo Luo, here.”

A bottle of ice-cold cola was handed to him. Jiang Luoluo smiled and took it. “Thanks, Boss~”

“What’s there to thank? We’re brothers!”

The boss popped the can open with a “hiss,” gulped down a few mouthfuls, and finally got to the point. “Luo Luo, you’re actually that close to President Mu!”

Jiang Luoluo’s eyes remained fixed on the screen, her voice soft. “We’re not that close. Just high school classmates.”

“I saw how he treats you! Half a month ago, when you locked yourself in the bathroom because you were upset, you had no idea how worried he was…”

“He’s nothing like the calm and reserved image of the new business elite in the newspapers!”

“Anyone who didn’t know better would think his wife had been kidnapped!”

Jiang Luoluo hummed in agreement, offering a perfunctory explanation: “He’s just a very helpful person.”

“Hey, the day I received my offer from Tuozhou Technology, I thought I was dreaming! To think I’d one day join President Mu’s business empire! I’ve really made it!”

Jiang Luoluo turned with a smile. “Then let’s wish our Boss great success and a meteoric rise!”

Boss grinned and scratched his head, his eyes shining with admiration. “Luo Luo, can you tell me more about President Mu? You have no idea how many magazines he’s been featured in, I’ve collected. He’s a true legend!”

“He never went to college. He started his own business right after high school and reached heights that others take 30 years to achieve in just three years! He’s a true business genius!”

“Luo Luo, what kind of person was he in high school? Was he also very smart? And why didn’t he take the college entrance exam?”

The barrage of questions left Jiang Luoluo momentarily stunned.

Just then, his phone rang. Jiang Luoluo glanced apologetically at his Boss.

The Boss mouthed, “Take care of it,” and continued calling people to play games.

The moment Jiang Luoluo answered the phone, Li Chuan’s boisterous voice boomed from the earpiece: “Luo Luo! Guess where your Brother Chuan is!”

Jiang Luoluo set down his pen, his eyes curving with amusement. “You wouldn’t be downstairs at our dorm building, would you?”

The person on the other end burst into laughter before hanging up.

Jiang Luoluo was puzzled but still glanced out the window. Below, besides a few couples locked in affectionate embraces, there was no one else.

He picked up his pen again and jotted down a few highly-rated restaurants. Just then, his phone rang again.

“Brother Chuan!” Jiang Luoluo answered.

Li Chuan’s cheerful voice rang out, “Alright! Your Brother Chuan is downstairs right now!”

A loud whistle pierced the air from outside the window, followed by Li Chuan’s distinctive voice, drawn out in a long, teasing tone:

“Jiang—Luo—Luo————————”

A student on the balcony of the neighboring dorm exclaimed, “Holy shit! Is someone about to confess their feelings?”

Jiang Luoluo’s eyes lit up. He hastily stuffed his notebook into his backpack, his voice filled with excitement.

“Brother Chuan! Wait for me!!”

He clutched his backpack and clattered down the stairs, only to be enveloped in a warm embrace from Li Chuan as soon as he reached the bottom.

Li Chuan had gotten a bit darker from the sun and lost some weight. When he grinned, his wheat-toned skin radiated a healthy, vibrant glow.

He patted Jiang Luoluo on the shoulder. “Kiddo! Why haven’t you grown taller yet?”

As he spoke, he held his chin level with Jiang Luoluo’s head, comparing their heights.

Jiang Luoluo’s eyes curved into crescents as he laughed. Mimicking Li Chuan’s casual posture, he slung an arm around his shoulders, though it looked a bit strained.

“Let’s go! I’ll take you to eat something delicious!”

Not far away, a female freshman engrossed in a passionate embrace with her boyfriend snapped a photo of their backs and posted it on the school forum:

“Waaaaah! I’m shipping them so hard!!!!”

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