Chapter 34 Part 2

Yun Qi was genuinely happy for him. So many promises from back then had gone unfulfilled, but this one had come true. Yu Jin stood at the top now, and that was worth celebrating, whether Yun Qi was by his side or not.

“Boss Ye and the others were fighting over you like it was real. I bet some of them knew it was just for show, but Boss Wu looked genuinely spooked. When Eidis stepped up behind you, he scooted his chair back like a foot. I wanted to laugh so bad but couldn’t—nearly burst holding it in, haha…” Liu Yushu let out a hearty laugh that echoed down the hallway, not holding back at all.

Yun Qi chuckled along weakly. That moment had startled him too, but he had to admit it secretly thrilled him. He loved when Yu Jin staked his claim like that. It had always been the same—even back when they duo queued, if someone flirted with Yun Qi, Yu Jin would chase them right out of tower range. Yun Qi would talk him down, but deep down, it felt damn good.

He loved Yu Jin—loved his petty side, his jealousy, the way his hormones kicked into overdrive, those unintentional teases. He loved it when Yu Jin grabbed his neck. Nothing had changed in all these years.

Yun Qi craved violence. Beneath that obedient exterior lurked a heart that yearned for it.

When his Intimacy Starvation Syndrome peaked, only violence could soothe it. He’d accidentally hurt himself countless nights because of it. That single grab from Yu Jin was enough to set him off. If they actually went all the way…

Yun Qi’s thoughts drifted far away, his ears burning crimson where Liu Yushu couldn’t see. They were almost at the door now. Liu Yushu pushed it open and bumped into a figure, freezing for a second before nodding and slipping inside.

Yun Qi had spotted him too. He looked up at Yu Jin by the door, and it felt like all his fantasies had been caught red-handed. His expression flickered with guilt as he hastily looked away. The tension in his mind snapped taut; shame flooded him, and he just wanted to escape Yu Jin’s scrutiny.

But as he gripped the doorframe to duck inside, Yu Jin seized his wrist before he could. The string in Yun Qi’s head broke. Heart pounding with guilt, he glanced up. Yu Jin stared down at him, their gazes locking in a push-pull. Yun Qi muttered, “What…?”

Yu Jin didn’t answer. He just held Yun Qi’s wrist and stared at him right there in the doorway for what felt like forever, until Yun Qi’s legs nearly gave out. Then he yanked him out into the hall.

Caught off guard, Yun Qi stumbled after him, glancing back once before matching Yu Jin’s stride. It wasn’t until they rounded the corner that Yu Jin shoved him against the wall in the empty corridor.

Yu Jin spun him around, pinning him face-first against the wall. Yun Qi’s heart raced in terror. Yu Jin wrenched his arms behind his back with brutal force, locking his wrists with one hand while the other gripped Yun Qi’s chin. He growled fiercely, “How did you get in here?”

The intensity terrified Yun Qi. He struggled against the grip, hyper-aware that anyone could walk by any second. His cheek pressed against the cold wall in a humiliating pose, the sharp scent of alcohol hitting him. “Are you actually drunk?” he asked worriedly.

Yu Jin squeezed his face harder. Whatever he’d overheard inside—or maybe someone had slipped him something—had shattered his usual distance. Now he held Yun Qi in this intimate lock without a second thought.

“Let me go…”

“I’m asking you a question,” Yu Jin said coldly. “Answer me. How did you get in here?”

Yun Qi had no idea what he intended to do. He yearned for intimate contact with Yu Jin, but not in a place or position where they could be caught at any moment. Glancing back, he shot Yu Jin a fierce glare—only for the man pressed so close to notice immediately. Yu Jin turned his face toward him, his dark eyes darkening further. “Want to try glaring at me again?”

Yun Qi chalked it up to the alcohol and stopped struggling. Given Yu Jin’s inexplicable stubbornness tonight, what was the point of arguing with a drunk? He probably wouldn’t even remember this tomorrow. Treating him like a sulky child, Yun Qi replied slowly, “You bought me.”

Yu Jin stepped forward aggressively. Yun Qi’s knees pressed against the wall as the footsteps drew nearer, sending chills down his spine. Was this really some private spot? He liked Yu Jin—obsessively so. If Yu Jin booked a room right now and tossed him onto a hotel bed, Yun Qi wouldn’t resist for a second. But here? He still had some pride. His feet shuffled in panic as he warned, “Someone’s coming…”

Yu Jin ignored him completely. He kept Yun Qi’s hands pinned, his voice low and rough. “You begged me so pitifully to buy you, promising you could give me anything. Now that you’re in, you want to brush me off and pretend you don’t know me? What, burn the bridge after crossing the river—use me and toss me aside?”

The thought of Yun Qi’s behavior that evening made his blood boil.

Fine, pretending not to know him was one thing. But showing hesitation when others extended olive branches? Looking like he might run off with someone else?

“I didn’t,” Yun Qi said. How had he taken it so seriously? But when he glanced back at Yu Jin’s terrifyingly stormy expression, he didn’t dare fan the flames. He explained hurriedly, “There were so many people—and all of them big shots. I was just going through the motions. Deep down, I still want to go with you. You gave me this chance; I know that. How could I forget my promise? I’ll join KRO. I swear it.”

Yu Jin leaned in close to his ear, his tone laced with displeasure. “Not because I reminded you that you don’t have any other options? You’ve been getting all this flattery the past couple days—gotten too big for your britches. Ready to slip my leash and find a better perch?”

Yun Qi’s wrists ached; Yu Jin’s grip was iron-tight. He advanced relentlessly, showing no mercy. It was impossible to tell if the alcohol had truly clouded his judgment. He reeked of booze, but his eyes looked clear—not the eyes of a drunk. Yun Qi couldn’t read him at all.

“I swear I didn’t. You saw it yourself—so many people there. Did you want me to publicly slap the bosses in the face? And as for pretending not to know you… wasn’t that to keep you out of trouble? Last week… you weren’t exactly thrilled about it.”

“When was I not thrilled?” Yu Jin shot back without thinking. He released his grip and spun Yun Qi around to face him. A throatful of harsh words died on his lips the moment he met those eyes—wide and pitiful, like a kicked puppy on the verge of tears. Yun Qi was getting better at this; the red at the corners of his eyes made it look like he might cry any second. And damn it, Yu Jin fell for it every time. For a moment, he didn’t know who to be mad at. “I just want you to remember—you’re the one I bought. The contract’s still in my hands. If you want to fly off to some other branch, you’ll need my permission first.”

Yun Qi dropped his gaze, avoiding eye contact. He bit his lip, looking all aggrieved and stubbornly defiant.

Just moments ago, he’d been fantasizing about all sorts of intimacies with Yu Jin. Now here he was, getting grilled like this. Yu Jin was his buyer, after all—the man who’d shelled out thirty million for him. Against him, Yun Qi could only seethe in silence, mad at himself instead.

“Unhappy now?” Yu Jin could tell exactly what was going through his head from that expression.

Yun Qi stared down at his pinched fingertips, his tone utterly perfunctory. “No. You’re my buyer. Whatever you say goes.”

Thudding footsteps echoed down the hall as a stranger passed by. Yu Jin stepped aside to let him through. The man glanced at the pair of them before hurrying past in the narrow space between. Yu Jin leaned against the wall, staring at Yun Qi. They stood there in rigid silence. Time dragged on, but Yun Qi’s petulant expression was just like the one he’d worn back when he’d been coquettishly nestled in Yu Jin’s arms.

Times had changed, yet it still stirred his heart to chaos.

Yu Jin’s gaze grew deeper, like a murky pool of water impossible to see through. A single stone had been dropped in, and with every stir, it only grew more clouded.

~~~

By the time they returned, the banquet table was in full swing, lively with chatter amid swirling cigarette smoke and the enticing aroma of hot dishes.

Yu Jin led the way back into the private room, with Yun Qi close behind. He headed straight for Liu Yushu’s spot, drawing stares from the group.

Yu Jin grabbed his jacket from the back of his chair and addressed the crowd. “Everyone, enjoy yourselves. We’re heading out.”

Ye Tan let out a protesting “Hey!” and grabbed Yu Jin’s arm, gesturing at the lavish spread on the table. “Heading out? Why? We barely touched all this food, and we’ve only cracked a few bottles. What’s the rush?”

Yu Jin shrugged into his coat and bent to zip it up, his face half-hidden in the upturned collar. “I’ve got too much on my plate. Unlike you all, I can’t just cut loose and have fun.”

“And what about him?” One of the leaders lifted his chin toward Yun Qi. “You’re really not going to let us steal him away?”

Yu Jin walked back over and rested a hand on the back of Ye Tan’s chair. “As I said before, I bought him in. The contract’s still in my hands. Feel free to give him a hard time, sweet-talk him—whatever. Just see if what he says at the end holds any weight.”

His words suggested they could try to steal him away, coax him, or even trick him—but Yun Qi’s decision was the one that counted.

“Hey, Yu Jin,” someone said, “KRO’s already so stacked. You can even solo a whole team of five. Why cling so tight to Ziwei Star? Just hand him over to us…”

“No chance,” Yu Jin replied flatly. “I haven’t touched a keyboard in years. My skills are rusty. He’ll have to hold down a lane for me.”

Yun Qi looked up at those words. Yu Jin’s eyes were calm, yet profoundly deep. The statement struck him right in the heart. He remembered it—and Yu Jin had brought it up in front of everyone, that promise forgotten from three years ago…

“Let’s go.” Yu Jin waved goodbye and strode out of the private room.

He came in with flair and left the same way. No one could figure out his real aim. If he’d just come to mooch a meal, he hadn’t even stuck around for it or touched his drink much. He’d simply declared Ziwei Star’s status and bounced.

With Yu Jin gone, the vibe in the room chilled noticeably.

The leaders all turned to Yun Qi, burning with curiosity about his connection to Yu Jin. Seeing they couldn’t sweet-talk the guy into anything, they gave up and waved everyone on. “Alright, eat up. What are you all gawking at? Dig in.”

Yun Qi had zero appetite to begin with, and Yu Jin’s departure killed it entirely. He couldn’t tune into the boisterous chatter at the table. He just sat there, waiting for the meal to wrap up.