Chapter 67: Two-Faced Phoenix Man 26 Part 2

When Jiang Rang still ignored him, Lu Xiang wrapped an arm around the youth’s slender waist. His chiseled features softened, the beauty mark beneath his eye gleaming as he murmured tenderly, “I’m sorry, Jiang Jiang. I wasn’t suspecting you—I was just jealous. You’re my boyfriend, but finding your shirt on someone else’s bed… it made me uneasy.”

As the young couple teetered on the edge of sweet reconciliation right in front of him, Ji Mingyu’s lips quirked, though his eyes held no amusement. He spoke slowly. “Young Master Lu, you’re really jumping to conclusions. The Painting Studio’s Bed is just set dressing—used for holding props and letting models rest.”

With matters laid out like that, Lu Xiang seemed fully convinced. He let it drop.

Ji Mingyu and the teary-eyed Jiang Rang exchanged a quick glance behind the man’s back, then deliberately looked away with feigned indifference, leaving no trace.

It took Lu Xiang considerable effort to finally coax the youth.

The man rarely saw Jiang Rang cry or look so heartbroken.

Jiang Rang wasn’t the fragile sort on a normal day. Far from it—the young man was methodical, rarely letting emotions take over. He handled everything with calm deliberation, laying out plans unhurriedly. Even tough problems didn’t faze him; he’d analyze the root cause and get to work solving them.

Lu Xiang gently caressed the creamy, flushed cheek nestled against him, lost in thought. Had he actually made his wife cry for real this time?

Guilt gnawed at him, true enough. But beneath it, Lu Xiang sensed something more: a swell of affection laced with an oddly thrilling excitement.

Jiang Rang crying was breathtakingly beautiful.

His porcelain-pale cheeks were like silken tofu. As tears trailed down, they left delicate, intimate pink flushes in their wake.

Stunning—a sight more captivating than any stage performer.

That was only part of it, of course.

The other reason ran deeper: seeing his level-headed lover bare such raw emotion just for him felt like peeling away a mask to reveal the truest self underneath.

In that moment, their hearts seemed to draw impossibly closer.

Lu Xiang narrowed his eyes slightly, his heart nearly softening into a damp, sodden sponge. He rubbed his lover’s wrist and, as if struck by a sudden inspiration, said to Ji Mingyu, “Ji Mingyu, they all say you’re incredibly skilled at painting. Could you do a dual portrait for us?”

Ji Mingyu paused for a moment, his gaze flickering as he looked at the man. “You mean you want me to paint a dual portrait of the two of you?”

Lu Xiang nodded, his slightly curly black hair hanging like fine hooks over his forehead. “Yeah, is that convenient? I won’t skimp on the compensation, of course. I can get you that limited edition jade porcelain pen set you didn’t manage to bid on before.”

Ji Mingyu smiled faintly. “I don’t mind, but shouldn’t you ask Jiang Rang what he thinks?”

Lu Xiang turned his gaze, his eyes sparkling as he stared at the young man in his arms. The man’s lips parted slightly, revealing the sharp tips of his canines, his superior features radiating a wild, unrestrained handsomeness.

“Jiang Jiang, are you up for it?”

Though phrased as a question, the man left no room for the young man to refuse.

Even if Jiang Rang turned it down right now, if Lu Xiang took a liking to the idea, he would make it happen eventually, one way or another.

Jiang Rang had just broken out in a cold sweat moments ago, and he had no desire to argue with the man now. So he gave a small nod in agreement.

In the end, it was just a painting. How big a deal could it be?

Jiang Rang had thought about it far too simply.

It wasn’t until he found himself dazed and trapped in the man’s embrace, half-reclining on the pristine white bed, that the young man realized things had spiraled out of control.

It was the middle of the afternoon. A spring rain had fallen the day before, leaving the earth and air damp and heavy. The sunlight filtering through the glass windows seemed tinged with moisture too, sticky and melting into the space between the lovers on the bed, creating an atmosphere thick with unintended intimacy.

It felt just like the aftermath of a morning tryst.

Slightly musky, dizzying, sweet.

In that instant, amid the familiar scene and intimate embrace, Jiang Rang could barely suppress the flood of memories from the times he’d shared this very same bed with another man.

Ji Mingyu had held him like this too, after they’d sated their desires.

The elegant man with the long earrings was intensely dominant in bed. He seemed to have an endless supply of energy for Jiang Rang, as if he wanted to burrow right into the young man’s body and become one with him.

At first, Jiang Rang hadn’t cared for such fervent passion, but Ji Mingyu had a strikingly beautiful and alluring face, and he was skilled at soothing him afterward. In time, Jiang Rang had grown accustomed to losing himself in those intense sensory pleasures.

The young man tried desperately to shove those images from his mind, but the more he suppressed them, the redder his ears grew, his face flushing like molten honey.

Behind him was his boyfriend, blissfully unaware of his infidelity. In front of him was the man he’d cheated with.

And that man was now calmly sketching a portrait of him and his boyfriend with gentle pleasure.

Every time Ji Mingyu lifted his eyes and met Jiang Rang’s, they sparked like embers hiding forbidden desire. The silver earrings quivered, nearly scattering flecks of gold.

Clearly, he was thinking of their illicit kisses and taboo lust too.

Jiang Rang could bear it no longer. Shame burned through him, urging him to escape this sea of sin.

But his boyfriend behind him simply rested his head gently against the curve of his neck, planting a tender kiss there. Broad hands settled on his waist, stroking soothingly.

Lu Xiang murmured softly, “Jiang Jiang, what’s wrong?”

What’s wrong?

How could he even ask? They were just posing intimately. If he weren’t feeling guilty, he could stay like this for hours without issue.

But could he tell Lu Xiang that?

No—not only could he not say it, he had to endure the increasingly absurd memories swirling in his head.

Amid the tangle of real and imagined sensations, his heart pounded wildly, his tongue flicking nervously against his palate.

His face was turned toward Ji Mingyu, so when Jiang Rang showed such an expression, the man’s beautiful blue eyes darkened instantly, as if drowned in thick black silt.

This was disastrous…

Every second felt like a mosquito bite gnawing at his sanity—tiny pricks of pain and itchiness driving him to the brink of madness.

“Lu Xiang…”

Unable to hold back, Jiang Rang spoke up, his voice faintly hoarse. “I-I’m thirsty. Could you get me a milk tea?”

“And some cake.”

Trusting him completely, Lu Xiang rose and released his hold. “Does Jiang Jiang want anything else? We could go together, or I could have someone bring it over.”

But Jiang Rang lifted his eyes, widening his downcast gaze slightly, his tone carrying a hint of petulance. “I don’t want to move. I want something you get for me yourself… You don’t want to?”

So unfairly adorable… Was he acting spoiled?

Lu Xiang felt a bit dazed for a moment.

Jiang Rang had always been the picture of gentle courtesy, but this sudden display pulled them right back to the fiery early days of their romance. The man’s heart melted completely, leaving him utterly defenseless.

He quickly gave in to the young man’s request, his voice softening as he said, “Alright, alright. I’ll head out right now and bring it back to you in no time.”

The man’s dark, slightly wavy hair framed his sharp peach-blossom eyes, now overflowing with fragments of tender warmth.

The door clicked shut, and the hurried footsteps faded away. Jiang Rang finally exhaled in relief.

But Ji Mingyu was still pretending to paint with intense focus, as if lost in his work.

Jiang Rang parted his lips to speak, only to meet the man’s suddenly lifted gaze—a sharp, warning glare.

It was a clear signal of caution.

The young man caught on instantly, his eyes darting toward the painting studio door.

A transparent glass panel on the door offered a clear view of most of the room from outside.

And there, reflected on that glass, was a grim face twisted with suspicion and brooding darkness.

Lu Xiang had lingered there in silence for a good while before finally walking away.

Jiang Rang’s wrist nearly buckled under his elbow from the scare. He scrambled to his feet and rubbed at his tense muscles.

The pen in Ji Mingyu’s hand had stilled. The man stepped forward to stand before the young man, his striking face curved in a faint smile that seemed almost indifferent.

He murmured softly to the young man, “That scared?”

Jiang Rang shot him a peeved glare. “Aren’t you?”

Ji Mingyu said nothing.

After a long pause, the man gave a slight nod and rested his hands on the shoulders of the young man perched on the bed’s edge.

They were so close their breaths tangled like sly little serpents.

Ji Mingyu’s long earring dangled low, its cool silver chain brushing and swaying against the young man’s flawless, jade-like cheek, drawing his gaze like a deliberate tease.

The man let out a low chuckle at the sight, then veered off-topic. “He’s gone. Want a kiss?”

Jiang Rang arched a brow at him. They were perfectly in tune on the bed—once accustomed to each other, a single glance revealed the other’s intentions.

And right now, the flames already kindled were on the verge of consuming them both.

Jiang Rang couldn’t hold back. He yanked the man’s earring, forcing his waist to arch down further, while his other hand seized the thin collar. He leaned in and claimed his lips in a fierce, biting kiss.

They kissed with desperate heat, twisting and turning, as if each needed the other’s love to make them whole.

In his daze, Jiang Rang realized he must be losing his mind too—terrified of discovery, of getting caught, yet always succumbing to the temptation.

But for all his recklessness, the young man still clung to a shred of reason.

When Ji Mingyu’s hand began sliding downward beyond his control, he suddenly clamped down on the man’s slender wrist and eased it away.

His foggy eyes cleared bit by bit. Jiang Rang gently shoved the man back, his breaths coming in ragged gasps.

“Ji Mingyu, hold on. I actually came here today to talk to you about something.”

Ji Mingyu raked a hand through his hair in rare frustration, combing back the strands from his forehead with forced restraint. His voice was thick and hoarse. “What?”

Jiang Rang tilted up his flushed, flower-bright face and gave a soft laugh. “You know I’ve always wanted to marry into the Lu Family, but I’m not up to the task alone. So I need your help.”

Ji Mingyu went rigid, his eyes locking onto the young man’s. He rasped suddenly, “How do you want me to help you?”

Jiang Rang steadied his breathing, a glint of madness flashing in his eyes. “I want you to help me stage a kidnapping. Force him to marry me and tie the knot as soon as possible. I know you can pull it off.”

Ji Mingyu froze on the spot, blurting out in disbelief, “Jiang Rang, do you even realize what you’re asking? What the hell are you thinking? You believe marrying him will hand you the Lu Family’s money and power on a platter?”

“You could just wait until graduation—”

“Graduation?” The young man sneered. “Wait around until his family brushes me off like some street beggar?”

Jiang Rang met his gaze, his scarlet eyes blazing with raw ambition. “He likes me now, throws money my way—but that doesn’t mean he’ll keep liking me forever, keep playing the sucker.”

“I need to lock him down while his feelings are at their peak.”

Ji Mingyu didn’t budge, his face lowered so shadows veiled his eyes, hiding whatever he felt.

He murmured low, “But Jiang Rang, marrying into that family means no more freedom. A clan like theirs would never tolerate you betraying or toying with their heir.”

Jiang Rang burst into sudden laughter.

Outside, the deep crimson sunset fell across his profile, casting a hazy blood-red streak.

In that oppressive glow, the young man curved his lips in a smile that wasn’t quite one. “Ji Mingyu, I trust you can make it happen without them ever finding out. Right?”

“We get along so well. If that day ever comes, when we’ve completely devoured the Lu Family—”

“You’ll be my next husband.”