He didn’t know if it was because the experience in the Painting Studio last time had left too profound an impression, but Jiang Rang couldn’t come back to his senses for quite a while.
His mind had been stimulated to an excessively bloated state, causing even simple physical desires to fail in satisfying that black-hole-like emptiness in his heart.
Greed could never be fully fed.
Occasionally recalling those vivid, ethereal scenes where he wielded great power, the youth would even feel threads of itchiness stirring in his heart.
He couldn’t deny it—he was somewhat addicted.
Ji Mingyu was a guy who knew exactly how to play the game; he always maintained a neither too close nor too distant, neither hot nor cold attitude toward Jiang Rang.
After that day, the man would occasionally send the youth some messages.
They were very simple messages, even abrupt ones.
The content was often disjointed and without context, and he didn’t seem to expect Jiang Rang to reply at all.
Sometimes, Ji Mingyu would toss over a photo of certain people from a rich kid clique meeting with misfortune, his words calm and measured, like casual banter or a faint malicious sneer.
Other times, he would casually bring up Lu Xiang in an offhand tone, half-smiling as he praised Jiang Rang’s clever tactics for having the other man completely enthralled, while casually reminding the youth not to play with fire over his affair with the neighbor mister—he had already handled several incidents that could have exposed it.
Ji Mingyu’s attitude toward Jiang Rang’s messy affairs was far too nonchalant and composed; he didn’t even seem to think the things the youth had done were all that subversive to social ethics.
Jiang Rang, for his part, went from initially ignoring them to gradually responding with a bit of interest in a sentence or two.
Their dynamic was neither proper nor improper—like rats and snakes skulking in the sewers, a true case of kindred spirits.
As their relationship twisted further, Ji Mingyu would occasionally invite the youth back to the Painting Studio again.
But his attitude was no longer threatening; he seemed to lack the energy for that shameless, boring game of “you wouldn’t want your boyfriend to find out about those things of yours, would you?” Instead, he would just ask in a natural, lazy tone if Jiang Rang wanted to come play.
Everyone understood what he meant, and Jiang Rang couldn’t resist the temptation—he went a few times.
Deep down, the youth knew full well that Ji Mingyu would likely use some hypnotic tricks, but the man didn’t hide it at all. He even made it clear to Jiang Rang that this stuff wasn’t like the rumors of mind control, after all—Ji Mingyu wasn’t some professional.
These little gimmicks even circulated widely in upper society, as stress-relief games for those noble madams and misters.
If you wanted to play, then play; it had no impact on real life. Everyone had a filthy well in their heart—it was just a way to vent pressure.
It was the same principle as physical release.
Time flew by, and around mid-January, S University announced winter break.
Lu Xiang wanted to take Jiang Rang back to Huajing, and Jiang Rang did want to step through the Lu Family’s door as soon as possible, but the timing simply wasn’t right.
Never mind their current neither-hot-nor-cold “resentful couple” status—just considering what Ji Mingyu had mentioned, the Lu Family’s threshold was sky-high. They treated Lu Xiang like their one and only precious heir and would never allow him to bring home some man of unclear origins.
If the Lu Family ever decided to investigate, all of Jiang Rang’s scandals from childhood to now would be impossible to cover up.
Jiang Rang had always known this clearly: if he wanted to enter the Lu Family, there was no way he could start with the elders.
Tricking one Lu Xiang was tough enough, let alone those old foxes—they’d probably see right through him with a single glance, stripping him down to his underwear.
So, his only option was to work from Lu Xiang’s side.
Once the timing was ripe, he just needed to find an opportunity to trick the man into getting their marriage certificate first, turning raw rice into cooked rice—what could the Lu Family do then?
After all, this society might claim to have open-minded attitudes, but in reality, the government maintained social stability through policies that made marriage easy and divorce hard. Even if the family had connections reaching to the heavens, as long as Jiang Rang refused to agree to a divorce, he could drag it out in court for years.
And once his marriage to Lu Xiang was official, even if the Lu Family was loath to accept it, they’d have to cover it up and wouldn’t skimp on the benefits for Jiang Rang. He could ride those coattails straight to the top.
Of course, if Lu Xiang became dead set on being with him and went public with the marriage, taking over the Lu Family would be just a matter of time.
It wasn’t that Jiang Rang looked down on Lu Xiang, but Eldest Young Master Lu’s temperament really wasn’t suited for a decision-maker role.
Lu Xiang had been pampered his whole life, but were people really fawning over Lu Xiang himself?
No—it was his status.
What truly commanded awe, pursuit, and fear was the real powerbroker behind the Lu Family, the boundless authority and wealth.
Once that true pillar collapsed and the heir couldn’t hold it together, even the mightiest lion could be torn apart and devoured by a swarm of ants.
In the end, Lu Xiang returned to Huajing alone; the words Jiang Rang had once said, along with his resistant attitude, had ultimately exerted a massive influence on him.
Because he wanted to show the young man his sincerity, the Eldest Young Master had reined in nearly all of his usual temper.
But Huajing was simply too far from S City, and Jiang Rang was now essentially being kept by his side through half-coercion. Naturally, he wouldn’t report his every move like he had during their passionate early days of romance.
More often than not, Lu Xiang would send a message, only for Jiang Rang to leave him on read for half the day.
Calls went unanswered just as frequently.
Not to mention any caring or affectionate check-ins.
Lu Xiang had been enduring it all. He was always so free-spirited by nature, but when it came to the young man, he was utterly at a loss.
He didn’t want to force Jiang Rang to put on a fake smile for him. He kept telling himself he could wait—as long as Jiang Rang stayed by his side, he could wait forever.
When he kept hitting a wall with Jiang Rang and got no response in return, Lu Xiang had no choice but to find another way.
The Art Institute was recruiting models, and Jiang Rang had applied for the sake of earning credits. By chance, he ended up under Ji Mingyu’s supervision.
In truth, it wasn’t entirely chance—Ji Mingyu had personally tipped Lu Xiang off about the opportunity.
In Lu Xiang’s eyes, Ji Mingyu was the picture of a family-groomed heir: methodical, outstanding in looks, but otherwise as lifeless and thoughtless as an empty bottle. Deep down, he was rigid and dull. The only reason he fit into their circle was because the Lu and Ji Families were longtime allies with deep ties.
That was precisely why Lu Xiang had asked Ji Mingyu—who was stuck in S City on business—to keep an eye on the young man for him.
He didn’t trust anyone else. Perhaps all men deep in love grew this paranoid.
No matter how mild and aloof Jiang Rang seemed toward others, Lu Xiang always sensed a lecherous, predatory glint in the eyes of anyone who got too close to his boyfriend.
Amid that cesspool of filth, only Ji Mingyu seemed relatively normal.
Ji Mingyu and Jiang Rang knew each other, but their interactions were coldly distant, as if neither thought much of the other.
Even so, Lu Xiang had tested the waters several times before finally feeling at ease.
~~~
The lights were dim and hazy, occasionally grazing the flushed faces of men and women, wrapping them in eerie, surreal wisps of smoke.
The air reeked of drunken lust.
Gorgeous highball glasses brimmed with vividly colored liquors, swaying seductively under the flirtatious glow, radiating a decadent, wanton beauty.
A man with an enviably perfect figure lounged against the bar.
He had a refined, exquisite face. Silver snake-shaped earrings dangled and swayed against his neck, their shadows accentuating the silky sheen of his jade-like skin, smooth as the finest mutton-fat jade.
His slender fingers gripped the stem of a glass like the neck of a lithe serpent—neither too tight nor too loose, and the faint flush at his knuckles lent it an air of subtle intimacy.
He took a casual sip of the blood-red liquor. Ji Mingyu’s narrow fox eyes glimmered with a veiled blue sheen as he lazily watched a young man in the dance pool locked in a wild kiss with another guy. Meanwhile, his other hand tapped idly at his phone screen.
The young man was stunningly handsome. The moment his slightly downturned black eyes met yours, they seemed to brim with radiant sincerity—but that refined, superior face was marred by vulgar lust and corruption.
He was like a plump, alluring peach. But pierce that hypocritical skin, and you’d find pus and maggots crawling inside.
Perhaps sensing the gaze, the beautiful young man slowly opened his eyes.
He didn’t release the man’s lips, his honeyed tongue still teasing and entwining with the stranger’s, but his watery eyes turned toward Ji Mingyu, shimmering like moonlight.
Ji Mingyu narrowed his eyes. After a long moment, he gave a slight nod, a mocking half-smile on his lips as he raised his phone—like some kind of signal.
Jiang Rang’s gaze dropped instantly. As if suddenly bored, he gripped the man’s arm possessively and shoved him away without ceremony.
In that instant, his watery eyes turned cold and ruthless. He wiped his pretty, blood-red lips with his knuckles and flashed the man a casual smile. “That’s enough for now. I like your taste. Next time, try a different flavor of candy—I don’t care for mint.”
The man’s soul seemed half-stolen already. His eyes glazed over as he stared at the young man in a daze. Seeing him turn to leave, the man rasped out, “Mr. Jiang… what flavor do you like?”
Jiang Rang just smiled without answering.
The man was flushed beet-red with nerves. Despite his tall, muscular build, he somehow seemed shorter in the young man’s presence.
His voice trembled. “Mr. Jiang, do you have a boyfriend? If not, could I…”
Jiang Rang furrowed his brow in mock annoyance. His flushed, dewy cheeks against the pink hoodie made him look innocently debauched.
The youth’s pale fingers pointed at the man with the long earrings who was glancing their way from a distance. He smiled brightly and said, “Sorry about that—my boyfriend’s over there.”
The man froze on the spot, his face draining of color in an instant.
Jiang Rang flashed him a smile before turning and sauntering slowly over to Ji Mingyu’s side.
“What now?” The youth’s tone carried a hint of impatience.
Ji Mingyu stared at the dazed man for a long moment, then casually took a final sip of his drink. In a lazy drawl, he said, “What else could it be? It’s your guy again, coming around to ask questions.”
He said it with a smile, the silver earrings at his ears swaying gently. “Like he’s afraid you’re cheating or something.”
Jiang Rang shot him a glance and held out his beautifully veined palm. “Phone.”
Ji Mingyu chuckled softly and handed over his phone. With a laugh, he added, “Jiang Rang, you’re not even pretending around me anymore?”
Jiang Rang rubbed his forehead, unlocked the phone with his fingerprint, and said without a care, “Pretending what? We’ve been fooling around for ages now. You’re the only one still clinging to that pure-and-innocent act.”
Ji Mingyu lowered his gaze to watch the youth’s slender white fingers typing out a message.
“He just stepped out to buy something.”
Attached was a photo of the youth apparently caught on a sneaky snap while heading to the store.
Ji Mingyu let out a burst of laughter. It took him a good while to turn his eyes away. He scanned the chaotic dance floor idly, his voice light. “Don’t slander me like that. I really am pure.”
After sending the message, Jiang Rang casually ordered a drink with low alcohol content and downed half of it in one go. Only then did he free up his beautifully arched lips to mumble, “Didn’t you have a first love? You dated and didn’t do anything?”
Ji Mingyu made a soft “Mm” sound. The man’s fingers unconsciously brushed his earrings. After a long pause, he said flatly, “Just a kiss.”
Suddenly seized by curiosity, Jiang Rang narrowed his eyes at the man. “What, from the look on your face—are you still hung up on him?”
Ji Mingyu arched a brow at him. His refined, handsome features took on a strange, shadowy haze under the flickering lights. Out of nowhere, the man asked, “Jiang Rang, let me ask you something. If your first love turned out great and came chasing after you years later, would you say yes?”
The youth’s brows furrowed slightly in that instant. He tossed back the pink liquor in his highball glass in one gulp. After a long moment, his eyes—now tinged with the flush of alcohol—filled with annoyance and fear.
“Impossible,” he said. “Someone with a twisted mind like that—who knows what he’s thinking.”
“You seem to really dislike your first love,” the man observed in a low, hollow voice.
Jiang Rang didn’t answer. Ji Mingyu’s fingers tightened slightly. He glanced sideways, only to see the youth’s lips slowly curving into a smile.
Oblivious or indifferent to the question, Jiang Rang’s tone brimmed with excitement. “Guess who I just spotted?”
He didn’t wait for Ji Mingyu’s reply.
Jiang Rang laughed. The dim lighting split the handsome youth’s features into rising and falling contours, like wild tangles of weeds and vines overgrown at night, with serpents slithering among them—eerie and breathtakingly beautiful.
He said, “Ji Mingyu, I saw Chen Ming.”
“Guess what—if he sees me kissing someone else, will he go blab to Lu Xiang?”
The youth leaned in close, his soft voice whispering by the man’s ear, where the silver earrings danced like flickering snake shadows. “You’re going to have to back me up on this.”
![How Should an Ordinary Person Role-Play? [Quick Transmigration]](https://i3.wp.com/dobynovels.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/qck.jpg?resize=151,215 "How Should an Ordinary Person Role-Play? [Quick Transmigration]")
