Chapter 103

Their breaths mingled between their lips, tearing, chasing, like a clash and slaughter, while their tightly pressed chests rose and fell through two layers of clothing.

Pei Ji lowered his eyelids and gently yet dominantly pinned Shen Yu between his embrace and the tree trunk.

His Adam’s apple bobbed as he felt something in his chest clamoring endlessly, unsatisfied with just the exchange of lips and tongues. He deepened the kiss, wishing he could swallow Shen Yu whole, devour him down to the bones.

His five fingers tightened at the nape of Shen Yu’s neck. Shen Yu tilted his jaw up, his long, dense black lashes trembling like butterflies under the fierce kiss. His pale, cool-toned lips quickly took on a bloody tinge from the biting, turning rosy.

His features were already striking—deep brows and eyes, high nose bridge, full yet sharp lips—a face that screamed springtime allure at first glance.

But usually, his lips were pale, he was taciturn and rarely smiled, always listlessly drooping his eyelids, giving off a cold and gloomy vibe. Now, with blood coloring his lips, that sharp beauty assaulted the senses.

The alpha’s flexible tongue invaded his mouth, hot breaths surging together in a forceful assault, probing deep like a snake to lick at the inner membranes.

Shen Yu let out a muffled grunt, sweat beading on his forehead. He fought back without yielding.

Shen Yu’s kissing skills weren’t clumsy at all. Realizing this, Pei Ji frowned, his mind flashing to the image of Shen Yu being cheered and surrounded by people in some nightclub.

In the instant Pei Ji zoned out, Shen Yu seized control.

Pei Ji’s heart darkened. His breathing grew heavier, dark red swirling in his eyes. His palm clamped Shen Yu’s nape, plundering the air from his mouth.

In the distance, the icy lake clinked with shifting ice blocks, snow rustling softly.

Shen Yu’s back pressed against the tree trunk. That scorching hand at his waist slipped under his jacket, probing his lean lower back. The hot fingertip pressed into the dimple there, itchy and numbing.

Shen Yu’s waist twitched instantly, his thin muscles trembling along with it.

He cursed inwardly. In that brief moment of distraction, Pei Ji had slyly reclaimed dominance. His tongue pried open Shen Yu’s teeth again, thrusting straight in.

Endless night spread out. In this quiet corner, the secret sounds of saliva exchanging rose faintly.

The scarf around his neck was especially obstructive now. Meant for blocking wind and keeping warm, under this intense deep kiss, the thick wool felt like a python coiling around him, choking his breath.

Shen Yu’s chest heaved violently. As Pei Ji moved to continue, Shen Yu pushed against his shoulders with both hands, trying to shove him away.

But Pei Ji used clever force—one hand clamping his waist, the other his nape. Shen Yu couldn’t budge him.

Shen Yu: “……”

Damn it.

Shen Yu’s face darkened. He bent his leg and unhesitatingly kneed Pei Ji’s knee.

Pain shot through Pei Ji’s knee. Caught off guard, he grunted and staggered back two steps, his foot crunching on slick snow.

Once he pushed the man away, Shen Yu exhaled a hot breath from his chest. He hurriedly yanked off the thick wool scarf from his neck. Fresh air rushed into his lungs, and he finally felt relieved.

If some school student’s death by suffocation during a makeout session hit the Central District’s social news tomorrow, that would be utterly mortifying.

Pei Ji steadied himself. His lips pressed lightly together, still feeling the lingering warmth. He pressed his tongue against his back molars, the tip still coated with a bit of sticky fluid from Shen Yu’s mouth.

The saliva carried a very faint pheromone scent—that was the source of the sweetness.

Pei Ji quickly identified it.

Jasmine.

Pei Ji suppressed the emotions in his head. His invasive gaze fell on Shen Yu’s straight, long legs wrapped in black pants. He chuckled, “Did Baby’s legs go weak?”

Shen Yu: “……”

So this guy still remembered what he’d said before.

Kissing until legs went soft, until he couldn’t breathe, until he had no strength left even to hit the baths.

Though it had nothing to do with the kissing, Pei Ji’s mouth was spot on—three phrases, all hitting the mark.

Shen Yu licked his reddened lips, now glossy and vividly red. He draped the scarf over his arm and lazily glanced at Pei Ji. “Looks like your legs are softer.”

That kick hadn’t held back. Action and reaction were equal; his own knee ached a bit, let alone Pei Ji’s.

Shen Yu looked away. The sky had darkened, temperatures dropping further. They’d been out too long.

Shen Yu straightened and headed back the way they’d come.

But his wrist was suddenly gripped. Warm skin met scorching palm, followed by Pei Ji’s magnetic, gentle voice.

“Shen Yu, it’s cold out. Put the scarf back on before we go.”

Shen Yu glanced at him, his tone lilting up playfully. “Then Baby can put it on for me?”

Pei Ji’s eyes darkened. He snatched the scarf and wrapped it around Shen Yu’s neck, covering the wind-leaking skin completely.

He leaned down slightly, hot breath brushing Shen Yu’s cheek, a bit gritted. “Don’t tease so casually.”

Shen Yu’s lip corner hooked up.

Pei Ji smiled back briefly, then pulled away. He crossed the scarf at Shen Yu’s chest and tied a knot. “Let’s go.”

Snowflakes settled on their shoulders. In the serene night, the two slowly walked back. On returning to the inn, they ran into Lu Yuguang, who was just heading upstairs.

Lu Yuguang hadn’t expected that after soaking in the hot springs and planning to head to his room, a casual glance outside would show Shen Yu and Pei Ji appearing together.

The two similarly tall men stood side by side, white snowflakes dotting their clothes and hair.

From the looks of it, they’d just come back from outside?

Lu Yuguang blinked, his gaze darting between them. A subtle ominous premonition bubbled up inside. His brows furrowed slightly, his expression hesitant as he spoke. “You two……?”

Pei Ji met Lu Yuguang’s gaze and smiled, handling the sudden situation with effortless poise. His tone was casually light. “We just went for a walk.”

Lu Yuguang pursed his lips. Meeting Pei Ji’s smile always made his brain go oxygen-starved and dizzy, thoughts stalling for a moment—just like since childhood.

His mom said it was hopeless face-conning. Lu Yuguang hadn’t quite believed it, but then whenever Shen Yu smiled at him occasionally, he’d feel that same dizzy rush.

So Lu Yuguang started doubting himself.

“Heading up. You two chat.” Shen Yu yawned, glanced at them, and went upstairs.

Back in his room with nothing to do, Shen Yu tossed the scarf aside, propped his long legs on the soft bed, and idly opened his terminal to find a game.

The blue light screen had just popped up when dozens of red call notifications jumped out in a row.

The red frames flashed frantically and rapidly on the light screen like pursuing demons, lagging the old terminal for several seconds.

All the calls were from the same person, with one name—

Shen Cang.

His alpha dad.

Shen Yu lowered his eyelids, pursed his lips, and scrolled down.

The calls started two hours ago and lasted an hour and a half. Shen Cang had no patience—the longest wait was thirty seconds. An hour and a half yielded a total of 150 calls.

Whenever it came to money, he’d do this.

Shen Yu dropped his gaze. He exhaled heavily from his lungs before opening the voicemail.

The middle-aged man’s dry, raspy voice came through the terminal, choked with sobs.

“Little Yu, this really is the last time. If I can’t pay up within a week, they’ll rip out my organs and sell them—”

The voice trembled in obvious panic. “You remember when you had that high fever as a kid? You used to be an alpha, everyone else shunned you, but I was willing to take you in. These hands carried you to the clinic, Little Yu. You really gonna watch them chop off your dad’s arm?!”

After the accusatory high pitch, the voice dropped, trembling lowly.

“Kid, please, just this last time, really the last! I swear I won’t gamble anymore……”

A click—

Shen Yu bit his lower lip hard and slammed the terminal shut.

Last time?

Shen Cang had said that who knew how many times. The money Shen Yu had sent last time to pay off gambling debts? Straight back to the tables, clinking away until it was all gone.

He knew full well Shen Cang was like this, so why couldn’t he cut ties? He wanted him dead, yet he was stuck in the muck, unable to break free.

Dismay gathered in Shen Yu’s eyes. He closed them, panting harshly. That intense nausea and helplessness surged up again, nearly making him retch.

He felt his heart sinking into a dark, damp swamp, darkness and cold closing in from all sides, entwining his sluggishly beating heart.

Moments later, Shen Yu’s emotions barely settled. He took deep breaths, lowered his lashes, and added the number to the blacklist again. Out of sight, out of mind.

The ceiling light bathed down quietly, the room falling silent once more.

Shen Yu licked his dry lips, belatedly feeling a slight sting.

He’d bitten too hard earlier—must’ve nicked somewhere. His lower lip prickled. Shen Yu frowned, got up, and went to the mirror. The spot on his lower lip was broken skin.

The mirror reflected his face clearly, like water.

Shen Yu cupped water to wash his face. The slightly messy hair on his forehead got wet, water trickling down along his dark, curly lashes.

He braced his hands on the sink edges, staring at his reflection. Suddenly remembering something, he opened his mouth and stuck out his tongue toward the mirror.

During the kiss with Pei Ji, they’d vied for dominance, nipping and biting while stealing each other’s mouth heat.

Lips at most got sucked, fading after a while with no trace.

But the exposed half of his tongue was a sorry sight—the tip red, some spots slightly swollen, the back half in his mouth even more vividly mottled.

Shen Yu frowned and tentatively touched his tongue with a fingertip, wincing involuntarily.

Knock knock knock—three rhythmic knocks at the door.

Shen Yu licked his lips and went to open it. It was Lu Yuguang.

Arms crossed, leaning on the doorframe, he raised a brow in confusion. “Something up?”

Shen Yu’s hair was still damp from washing his face, black tips dripping water onto his shoulder, wetting a patch of fabric. The air carried a cool, wet scent.

Lu Yuguang squeezed into the room, eyeing him hesitantly. His lips parted and closed for ages without a word.

Lu Yuguang wouldn’t speak first, and neither would Shen Yu. But given the context, this was probably about Pei Ji. He uncrossed his arms, went aside, and poured Lu Yuguang a glass of water.

Lu Yuguang stared at the glass, his mind in turmoil—like a haloed little angel and a horned devil on his shoulders yelling at each other.

He wasn’t dumb, just straightforward. The vibe between Shen Yu and Pei Ji earlier? Anyone with eyes could tell something was off.

Lu Yuguang even wondered if he’d fallen for Gu Yang’s trap. Why else had he not gotten a single moment alone with Pei Ji on this trip, while Pei Ji and Shen Yu kept pairing up?

Probably not… right?

But that wasn’t the point. More importantly, treating Shen Yu as a friend now, he worried more about Shen Yu getting hurt if Pei Ji let him down than Shen Yu being his love rival.

The Central District’s elite youth mingled in one big circle, splintered into countless small ones by family interests, future politics, and personal hobbies. Layers divided the circles, hard to merge—let alone merge downward.

The gap between them was too vast, not something a few words could bridge.

He’d already privately considered Shen Yu a friend. Suddenly anxious, he temporarily shoved aside his childhood infatuation with Pei Ji.

Lu Yuguang pursed his lips, sneaking a glance at Shen Yu, probing cautiously. “Shen Yu, what were you and Pei Ji just doing? Didn’t you say you weren’t interested in him?”

Shen Yu knew Lu Yuguang’s feelings for Pei Ji. Truth be told, looking back on everything with Pei Ji, he still felt a bit dazed.

After the pleasure and ease of their time together faded, it felt like plummeting from a skyscraper straight to the ground, yanking him back into the swamp of reality. Once he realized this gap, Lu Yuguang felt dazed. But then he realized he could drag Pei Ji down too, and a strange, neurotic thrill of substitution bubbled up inside him.

How interesting.

The tall, long-legged man leaned against the kitchen island, his black hair tousled and messy over his brows. A faint, cool arc tugged at his lips. “It’s simple. I’ve got some interest now.”

Seeing that smile on Shen Yu’s lips, Lu Yuguang couldn’t help but see it as a happy grin, no matter how he looked at it.

In that instant, Lu Yuguang felt like the sky had fallen. He desperately wanted to grab Shen Yu’s shoulders and yell to snap him out of it.

But saying it outright like that—wouldn’t it hurt his feelings too much?

Lu Yuguang hesitated, then had a flash of inspiration. He could just subtly let Shen Yu know. Clearing his throat, he asked, “Shen Yu, you free next week?”

Shen Yu poured himself a glass of water and took a sip, his slender fingers idly spinning the glass. He was a bit surprised that Lu Yuguang hadn’t kept pressing about Pei Ji. “What’s up?” he asked flatly.

Lu Yuguang mimicked him, leaning against the island and tilting his head up to look. He caught the shadow of Shen Yu’s lashes falling over his eyes, shifting as they fluttered.

Something stirred in Lu Yuguang’s heart. “Next week, my friend is throwing a themed costume party. Wanna come?”

Shen Yu licked his lips and raised a brow. “Next week?”

Lu Yuguang nodded eagerly.

Shen Yu thought for a moment. “We’ll talk about it next week.”

It wasn’t urgent anyway, so Lu Yuguang didn’t push. They chatted about heading back down the mountain tomorrow, and then Lu Yuguang yawned his way back to his room.

The next day, the group checked out a cryogenic photography exhibit during the daytime. They only learned during the visit that Gu Yang had organized it. But he truly had no talent for photography—his political savvy was sky-high, so his photo skills were rock-bottom.

Staring at those warped holographic photos, the three of them couldn’t hold back their laughter. Lu Yuguang laughed so hard he nearly passed out, and Gu Yang, uncharacteristically losing his cool, kicked him. In truth, the mental battlefield had long been a total mess.

After the exhibit, it was time to head down the mountain. The snow had stopped, and the wind whistled through the lonely blue sky as snowbirds flew back. The cable car descended steadily.

Several cars waited by the roadside. One luxury vehicle was painted jet black, its taillights and headlights echoing each other, with sleek, opulent lines. The tinted privacy glass separated the interior from the outside world.

Shen Yu narrowed his eyes. The style looked more and more familiar the longer he stared.

Midway, Lu Yuguang got a notification email about a family meeting. He said his goodbyes and headed off to the main house first.

By the time they returned to school, night had fallen. Shen Yu opened the car door and stepped out, then paused as if remembering something.

He stood by the open door, leaning in slightly. One hand braced the top of the doorframe, the other rested lightly on the roof. His long lashes lowered as he gazed at the man inside.

“Pei Ji.”

A partition separated the driver’s seat from the back, creating two independent spaces. The driver and personal assistant sat up front, unable to see the rear. They both subtly glanced at the rearview mirror.

Pei Ji lounged in the back seat, his toned limbs stretched out, legs crossed. His gaze had been fixed on Shen Yu the whole time. When Shen Yu turned back, their eyes met instantly.

Shen Yu looked good today—or rather, he always did, but today’s style was especially different. A black shirt and slacks hugged his slim waist, the fabric pulling taut into a beautiful curve as he bent over, hinting at the lines beneath.

The shirt’s collar hung open rebelliously, a few buttons undone. As he leaned in, it revealed his straight, sharp collarbone—

Pei Ji licked his lips, watching Shen Yu draw closer, bringing a wave of rich fragrance. His eyes darkened.

Shen Yu parted his lips, his voice cool and teasing. “Need a goodbye kiss?”

Their gazes locked. Pei Ji narrowed his eyes. “Can it involve tongue?”

Shen Yu: “…Can’t a goodbye kiss be a little romantic?”

Pei Ji couldn’t hold back a laugh. In the next second, he reached out, gripped the back of Shen Yu’s neck, and pressed their lips together.

Soft, warm lips brushed and parted.

With that, they parted ways. Shen Yu straightened up and walked off.

Silence fell over the space again. The interior lights cast shadows across Pei Ji’s face, outlining his deep, handsome features.

Just then, Gu Yang’s comm request came in. Pei Ji touched his lips and answered.

The moment it connected, before they could get to business, Gu Yang heard Pei Ji’s voice and shivered. “Brother Pei, can you not laugh so creepily?”

Pei Ji touched the corner of his mouth, puzzled. “Was I laughing?”

Gu Yang: “…”

Meanwhile, Shen Yu headed toward the dorms when his terminal buzzed with a message.

He glanced down, and his steps halted.

It was from Pei Weixi.

“Meet up?”