Like this kind of commanding tone, Li Ran truly didn’t dare to disobey his brother.
It was the first time he had ever locked his bedroom door from the inside, but less than three minutes later, Chi Mo’s oppressive pressure assaulted his defenses. He definitely couldn’t refuse to open it.
…What an inauspicious start.
However, Chi Mo’s tone sounded calm as usual, which eased Li Ran’s heart a bit.
Just as he twisted open the lock and slowly pulled the door open a crack, a large hand thrust in without a word, forcing its way through the gap. Then, amid Li Ran’s slightly changed expression of panicked confusion, Chi Mo expressionlessly twisted his arm and pinned him against the door.
Li Ran trembled as he said, “Bro… mmph!”
Smack!
A single sentence was cut off by a heavy slap on his butt, abruptly interrupted and turned into a muffled whimper as he bit his lip to endure it.
It hurt, but not that much—far lighter than the last time when things had been exposed after going to the Qing Bar with Qi Zhi and Chi Mo had laid him across his lap to beat him. But to say it didn’t hurt at all would be a lie; Chi Mo’s strikes still carried weight. With each slap, Li Ran felt like the struck area no longer belonged to him, his heart fluttering in fear.
He was like a cat whose tail had been stepped on—his fur standing on end all over, his tailbone tensing and twitching, half his face almost pressed against the door panel, unable to turn around.
Li Ran cried out, “Bro… guh!”
Another heavy slap.
Li Ran didn’t dare make another sound. With his mouth pursed pitifully, he twisted half his face backward to cautiously peek at his brother’s expression.
Chi Mo stood with his back to the light, most of his face shrouded in shadow, which made Li Ran’s heart race.
One of his arms was effortlessly bound behind his back by Chi Mo. He had instinctively tried to struggle earlier, but aside from his wrist burning and surely turning red, he earned two more merciless heavy slaps as a warning. Li Ran didn’t dare move again, hoping to let the matter drop.
His other hand was luckier, still free for now. Li Ran didn’t want his chest and cheek pressed against the cold door, so he splayed his fingers against it and pushed hard, creating some space.
Until the third slap landed.
There was another crisp smack, so loud it stung. Li Ran felt the pain and numbness, finally unable to hold back. His free hand left the door to shield his butt, his voice already choked with sobs. “Bro, don’t hit me anymore. Why are you hitting me…?”
“Hand. Move it,” Chi Mo said.
Li Ran whined, “I…”
Chi Mo’s face was expressionless. “Move it. It’ll hurt more if I hit your hand.”
Li Ran’s hands had longer fingers than many boys’, slender and pretty, with thin palms and prominent veins and blood vessels. But compared to Chi Mo’s, they seemed overly delicate and small—easily engulfed in one grip.
Even if he strained to spread his fingers, he could barely cover and save one cheek. But Chi Mo’s palm could cover both with one strike. Chi Mo’s gaze was dark and serious, not joking at all. He gave Li Ran time to regret it, waiting for him to move his hand himself.
A strike of the same force on soft, quivering flesh wasn’t as painful, but on the thin, bony back of the hand, it would hurt far more.
Li Ran was afraid of pain. That hand, which had seemed ready to face death, truly staged a mutiny and betrayed his butt. His body, experienced from past beatings, unconsciously arched his waist slightly.
As if proactively welcoming Chi Mo’s slaps in hopes of quickly extinguishing his brother’s anger.
…This was the pose a cat took when smacked at the base of its tail.
The house was warm with underfloor heating, as comfortable as a spring day. The pajamas Li Ran wore were ones Chi Mo had personally picked—navy blue, perfect for lounging at home. Not too thick or thin; with the heating, they were enough to prevent catching a cold.
He didn’t know exactly when it had started, but Chi Mo personally handled all of Li Ran’s clothes inside and out. He no longer had to worry about his daily outfits or three meals a day.
Chi Mo had never found a set of pajamas so obnoxious before. Deep down, he wanted to tear them to shreds, turning the hateful fabric into rags in his hands.
Then they would hang loosely and raggedly on Li Ran—failing to cover what should be covered and exposing what shouldn’t. Li Ran wouldn’t be able to shield himself with his hands, his expression bewildered from the shock, hiding in the closet and curling up in the corner. When found, he might even beg with reddened eyes for mercy, calling “Bro” while pleading to evoke his pity.
Chi Mo fantasized about this seriously. If it didn’t happen, it proved that psychologist—who always yelled about locking Li Ran up—had some use after all. It would be the result of him enduring day by day like a year, following medical advice and restraining his beastly urges. Everyone happy.
…If it did happen, he absolutely wouldn’t let Li Ran go.
Originally, he had just planned to put on a show to warn the kid—a few slaps and done. But now, Chi Mo’s eyes suddenly darkened, mixing in personal desires. He let his palm, already tingling hot and numb, continue slapping Li Ran’s butt. But the last shred of conscience tugged at his reason, lightening the force considerably. “Why did you hide after I came back?”
“Mm!” The cold tone made Li Ran shiver. He actually disobeyed, lying without thinking. “…I-I didn’t hide.”
The slap that had lightened grew heavy again. Chi Mo scolded coldly, “Is lying what good kids do? Did I ever teach you to lie?”
“No…” Li Ran immediately shook his head and corrected himself. “Mm, I hid.”
Chi Mo: “Do you know you were wrong?”
Li Ran: “I know.”
Chi Mo: “Will you hide again?”
“No, I won’t!” Li Ran’s head shook like a rattle, and he quickly said so.
“I got up early this morning to go to the company and earn money to support the family. I was afraid you’d feel awkward seeing me when you woke up, so I gave you time to adjust. Is this how you repay me?”
“S-Sorry…”
When Li Ran had fled upstairs, he had kicked off one shoe without looking back, showing how determined he was.
Barefoot without socks, his snow-white feet stepped on the floor. With every sentence Chi Mo said, a slap followed. Li Ran flinched with each one, answering tremulously while his toes curled pitifully.
It was like a proper young master being toyed with in a bandit’s den by a beast in gentleman’s clothing. The long-abstinent bandit leader grew more addicted and itchy, wanting to go further, more overboard.
Chi Mo “settled personal scores” by asking a few questions utterly unrelated to the matter, satisfying his hand’s itch. Realizing he had to stop or he really wouldn’t be able to, his jaw clenched tight. He bit his tongue hard, tasting blood, then hoisted Li Ran up fiercely and strode toward the bed.
Li Ran could no longer feel the numb pain; his eyes were teary from the spanking. His vision suddenly spun, startling him.
The sudden loss of ground beneath him elicited a cry, and he flailed wildly, clutching Chi Mo’s neck like a lifeline.
“—Bro!”
Chi Mo’s momentum was fierce, as if he meant to toss him onto the bed and do the things he’d dreamed of. But the chord of treating a treasure gently far outweighed momentary indulgence. He supported Li Ran’s waist and set him down carefully, without a hint of jostling.
Then Chi Mo left without looking back.
Li Ran was still dazed and didn’t catch his brother’s retreating figure before the man had vanished from the bedroom—like fleeing in panic. A weak, belated question drifted from his mouth. “…Bro? What’s wrong with you?”
The already long-gone Chi Mo naturally didn’t hear. The entire second floor fell silent.
Li Ran scratched his cheek, sitting bewildered on the bed’s edge, unable to figure it out. Then both hands went to his butt, rubbing it gently, pouting with full grievance as he soothed it.
It must be swollen after such a beating.
The next moment, Chi Mo returned.
Li Ran quickly pulled his hands away, continuing to sit aggrieved on the bed’s edge, glaring at his brother with accusatory eyes full of resentment.
He never used to dare look at him like this after a beating.
Chi Mo avoided his eyes. The tall figure approached and stopped at the bedside, half-squatting down.
Then Li Ran noticed he held the shoe he’d lost while fleeing. Silently, Chi Mo grasped Li Ran’s slender ankle and gently slipped the shoe on.
“I have to go back to the company. Be good at home,” Chi Mo said, standing and looking down. “Don’t leave the house today.”
What had happened was glossed over without another word. Li Ran could only nod obediently. “…Okay.”
“I’ll have Auntie come make you some lunch to tide you over, but don’t eat too much since you just woke up.” Chi Mo gently brushed Li Ran’s cheek with his knuckles. “Be good.”
After he left, Li Ran stared blankly at the door Chi Mo had thoughtfully closed behind him. Then he stared even longer at the slippers Chi Mo had tenderly put on him. Finally, he flopped sideways onto the bed, burying himself deep in the soft pillows and blankets. He didn’t move for a long time.
The bedding carried the dry, comforting scent of winter sunlight after prolonged exposure.
Chi Mo’s meaning couldn’t have been clearer.
The kiss was because he loved Li Ran, but since Li Ran was straight, it was Chi Mo’s own issue. After sobering up, Li Ran felt awkward, so Chi Mo wouldn’t force him—he could give him time to recover. But Li Ran wasn’t allowed to hide from him.
If he didn’t hide, they could get along harmoniously. But if he did, his butt would suffer.
Li Ran muffled himself in the bedding, his hand rubbing the sore spot again.
Downstairs, Black Impermanence had slept his fill and began meowing as he dashed about wildly. He hadn’t made a peep while Li Ran was getting beaten, but now he was playing catch-up, running everywhere.
Hei Ge opened his mouth and let out a long, howling wail—not a normal meow, but an eerie awoo-awoo that sounded like a crying child at night, sharp and scary. The guy wanted to mount his “male wife” again, endlessly challenging the void.
He couldn’t get the real thing, but he didn’t mind the exhaustion.
The White Cat stayed silent the whole time. Li Ran lay there listening intently, silently counting the time. Sure enough, a few minutes later, she hissed impatiently at Hei Ge, baring her teeth—probably even landing a couple of cat punches. The Black Cat’s meows immediately weakened into reluctant, low grumbles of submission.
