Little Deer’s childhood had not been a happy one.
His foster father was gloomy, strict, and cold, with an excessive need for control. He wouldn’t let anyone get close to Little Deer and forbade Little Deer from leaving the villa. From toddler to teenager, Little Deer had always been alone.
“If I snuck out, I’d definitely be punished when I got back.”
It would be whippings, or the little black room.
“No one dared talk to Little Deer. Only Daddy paid attention to him, but he was often away from home…”
So Little Deer wandered the empty villa, talking to himself for amusement.
“But now Teacher is here to keep me company! That’s great!”
Little Deer excitedly led the teacher around the villa, pointing out all his favorite little nooks and chattering about how he used to sneak into the gym from one spot, how another led straight to the small garden, and how there was a place where he could secretly pick up little cakes made by the chef brother.
After he finished, he grew a bit dejected: “Too bad those paths are all blocked now, and little brother got chased away by Daddy…”
“Little Deer likes cake, huh? How about Teacher makes some for you next time?”
Shen Leyuan listened with heartache.
It wasn’t that he had a grudge against the big shot; it was just that these events were too outrageous, like a jealous, possessive foster father eliminating rivals to ensure Little Deer depended only on him.
The game continued, and soon only the last item remained: sharing a bed.
This one was simple, and there wasn’t much worry about the “plot” going too far—after all, the big shot’s leg issues meant he couldn’t do that.
…Unless he forced Little Deer to get on top and move himself.
“Teacher’s ready,” Shen Leyuan lay down on the bed. “Little Deer can start.”
“Mm-hm!”
Little Deer seemed a bit nervous and confirmed with him again: “Little Deer can do anything, right? Act naturally? Do the same things as back then?”
Shen Leyuan: “Yes, as long as it fits the situation at the time, you can do whatever. Don’t be afraid—Teacher won’t hurt you.”
Little Deer hesitated: “But back then, there were bodyguards there too…”
Shen Leyuan’s pupils dilated in shock.
Bodyguards had to stand watch? What the hell did the big shot do?
With an ominous premonition, Shen Leyuan lay back on the bed and called to Little Deer. “It’s fine—we can ignore that for now. Little Deer just focus on your task.”
Little Deer hesitated, moving slowly as he began to undress.
Shen Leyuan: !!!
He quickly stopped him: “No no no, no need to be that realistic. You don’t have to take off your clothes!”
“Okay,” Little Deer said disappointedly. He climbed onto the bed and lay down about a dozen centimeters away, turning his face to stare at him. His gaze was a little strange, a little creepy.
Shen Leyuan hesitated: “Is this how you two usually sleep?”
“Shh—” Little Deer whispered. “Little Deer’s acting seriously. Teacher, don’t interrupt!”
“Alright.” Shen Leyuan couldn’t help but smile.
Little Deer is so cute.
Sigh, but the big shot seems… Maybe I should have an open talk with him someday?
He zoned out for just a moment when a sudden weight landed on him.
A frenzied Little Deer lunged at him—the boy’s slender hands gripped his shoulders, his little face tense as he leaned in to kiss him. Excitement gleamed wildly in his eyes, like a starving wolf pinning down its prey.
Shen Leyuan jolted in alarm and struggled hard.
Wait… this is how you sleep with your dad usually???
—What a show.
In front of the monitoring room screen, Lin Yuan’s lips curved slightly upward. For once, he leaned back in his chair in a relaxed posture, enjoying the farce with pleasure.
The young man in his pupils thrashed desperately, kicking a few times before shoving the boy away. Now he sat sulking on the edge of the bed, ignoring Little Deer’s coquettish pleas of “Teacher” as if he couldn’t accept reality.
It took Shen Leyuan a good while to speak: “You said you didn’t want to sleep with Daddy—this is what you meant by ‘didn’t want to’?”
Little Deer felt utterly wronged: “Of course I didn’t want to! He never lets me kiss him!”
Shen Leyuan: …
Little Deer: “I’ve never ever ever succeeded! Not even with late-night sneak attacks!”
Shen Leyuan’s face turned ashen. He couldn’t bear to hear more.
He murmured: “So that’s how it is. Why didn’t the big shot tell me?”
Lin Yuan tsked softly.
Why tell you? What are you to me?
Some random stray ghost—who’s no different from Little Deer. You’re both anomalies. You’re lucky I haven’t restricted your freedom. And you expect me to spill everything?
You blame me for not telling, but have you ever been honest about what you’re hiding?
The murmuring voice continued from the screen.
Shen Leyuan: “You’re right—he couldn’t possibly say it. With his leg issues, pushing you away must’ve been so embarrassing for him.”
Lin Yuan: …
No, it has nothing to do with my legs.
Shen Leyuan: “His lower body is paralyzed—maybe he doesn’t even have sexual desire. And here I was suspecting him of having impure intentions toward you, thinking he’d force you.”
Lin Yuan: ???
Shen Leyuan: “Wah, I even called him an old man. I’m awful!”
In front of the screen, the supposedly paralyzed old man with no sexual desire expressionlessly shut it off.
He really shouldn’t pay attention to Shen Leyuan.
Wasn’t monitoring Shen Leyuan just asking for self-torment?
The room fell quiet, especially eerie after turning off the big screen. Lin Yuan tried to empty his mind, but images kept jumping in: a bloody face, a waist covered in scars.
He had intended to warn Shen Leyuan, but at the time, he’d wanted to…
Forget it.
Call it even.
“Sir.”
The bodyguard knocked and entered, his expression uneasy: “Mr. Shen added me.”
It was that blushing guy.
The Lin Family banned “office romances,” so when Shen Leyuan quit, he’d been thrilled, thinking they could reconnect later. But then the police report happened, and Mr. Shen had cursed at the boss…
The bodyguard worried Shen Leyuan would be punished—and that he’d get caught in the crossfire.
Lin Yuan frowned: “Accept.”
The bodyguard lowered his head to operate his phone, then his face grew odd: “He’s asking what you like.”
Lin Yuan pondered: “Reply to him.”
“How?”
“Chat with him the same way you do with others.”
…
Shen Leyuan waited grimly for the bodyguard’s reply. A good while later, the response came: I don’t know, followed by: [You trying to apologize to the boss?]
[Yeah yeah, help a guy out QAQ]
He’d picked up that little emoticon from his students to build rapport.
The bodyguard replied quickly: [I don’t know him that well. Can’t just say stuff like that.]
[Okay, rephrase: Do you think throwing myself at his mercy would get Mr. Lin’s forgiveness?]
[Villa prohibits nudity. Half-nudity’s out too.]
Shen Leyuan sighed and rolled over. He figured as much—or rather, he felt nothing would work. His mistakes were too grave; the big shot probably hadn’t kicked him out only out of pity.
So much debt… I really shouldn’t have quit…
He rummaged through the plot in his mind and murmured to himself: “Does the big shot like roses?”
He sent that out.
The blushing guy was curious too and relayed it while sneaking peeks at his boss’s face.
Lin Yuan’s face darkened completely, squeezing three words through gritted teeth: “Don’t like.”
Shen Leyuan was surprised. No way—the brooch is a rose.
If he doesn’t like them, why fiddle with one in his palm all day?
Seeing he wouldn’t get useful info from the bodyguard, he politely ended the chat. Lying on his back, he draped his phone over his face and sighed.
What to do… I’ve never screwed up this bad before…
On the other side, the bodyguard set down his phone and probed: “Should I keep talking to Mr. Shen?”
Lin Yuan said casually: “Keep going.”
The bodyguard kept a straight face as he left but couldn’t help grinning and pumping his fist outside the door.
Office romances were banned, sure—but neither he nor Mr. Shen might stay at the Lin Family forever. They had each other’s contacts, saw each other often… How could sparks not fly?
A voice came from inside: “Wait.”
The bodyguard gripped his phone anxiously.
The boss wouldn’t go back on his word and make me delete Mr. Shen, right? No way. Not that far.
Lin Yuan: “Give me the number… Never mind, give me the phone.”
Bodyguard: …
Better if he’d just made me delete him!!!
But he didn’t dare say or ask anything. He could only obediently delete all his colleagues from the work account, pretending it didn’t hurt at all, and hand over the phone.
The screen showed only the pinned copper coin profile pic left. Lin Yuan flipped through it a few times and set the phone by his pillow.
Personally contacting Shen Leyuan was a decision he’d thought through deeply.
Just as Little Deer had some inexplicable pull on people, so did Shen Leyuan. In just over a month, he’d hooked a bodyguard—who might sink deeper and do something irreversible.
He had more experience than the bodyguard and could resist seduction, so he had to handle this himself.
The night deepened with no new messages.
On the screen, the young man sat at his desk under a lamp, writing something—lesson plans for tomorrow or a love letter, who knew.
3:30 a.m.
Footsteps approached outside the door, then receded. Lin Yuan picked up the envelope slipped through the crack, his lip quirking briefly before flattening.
Not lesson plans or a love letter—the young man had written a self-criticism.
Only the most naive youth would think such a thing showed sincerity, spending seven hours from 8 p.m. to 3:30 a.m. while still recovering from injury and illness, producing just a few thin sheets.
Fine, let’s see it.
He leisurely opened the envelope. The first thing that caught his eye was a little stick-figure kneeling on the ground, wide noodle-like tears streaming as it wailed “I was wrong!” Then came the formal content.
[Dear Mr. Lin:
Greetings.
Reflecting on my various errors at work this time, I feel deep shame and regret. I resolve to conduct a profound self-reflection and examine the mistakes I made.]
[First, I let prejudice blind me, forming a grave misunderstanding of your character and acting…]
[Second, I acted willfully, calling the police based solely on my subjective assumptions…]
[Third, I…]
[In short, I was blind to true worth, couldn’t tell good from bad, an ungrateful wretch, short-sighted fool, biting the hand that feeds. You are noble and upright, talented and virtuous, clear-sighted, benevolent and generous… If you forgive me, I am willing to make any compensation.]
[—Self-critic: The Foolish Little Shen]
Indeed, like a language teacher.
Lin Yuan tsked lightly, slipping the thin pages back into the envelope and into his drawer. The pent-up frustration in his chest finally eased a bit.
But then furtive footsteps sounded outside again, casting a shadow over his improved mood.
Even with round-the-clock surveillance of Shen Leyuan, thinking he understood the young man well, he’d never guessed his next move right—in fact, it was always the opposite.
As he pondered, another envelope slid under the door. Lin Yuan frowned, reluctant to pick it up. The sigh from outside intensified his sense of foreboding, making him suspect Shen Leyuan’s intentions even more.
What’s this about now? How’s he planning to piss me off next?
His face darkened as he flung open the door.
“Can’t sleep at night,” he seized the initiative. “Still pondering which insult you missed?”
Shen Leyuan hadn’t expected him right there. His cheeks flushed beet red, and he stammered: “N-no, that’s not it. I came to…”
He took a deep breath and bowed at a perfect ninety degrees.
“I’m sorry!!!”
Lin Yuan sneered: “Learned that from the Japanese?”
Such an ugly phrase—but I deserve it. Shen Leyuan felt mortified.
He didn’t dare look up. In his line of sight were legs covered by silk pajamas—slender and sturdy, not at all like… Before he could dwell, an arm intruded.
Seeing the big shot reaching for the envelope, he hurried to help.
Lin Yuan’s movement froze. He slowly wheeled back and asked gravely: “Am I that disabled?”
Suspected me of no sexual desire before, now thinks my limbs are too weak?
Shen Leyuan froze in panic.
Before, he’d seen the big shot as a creepy foster dad, a psycho, a murderer—every move shrouded in dark clouds. Now the clouds had parted, revealing all the knives he’d thrown, each one hitting bullseyes.
He felt… so guilty. And a little heartbroken.
Lin Yuan rubbed his brow, feeling he might be delirious from fatigue.
Why get mad at a cat?
He took the envelope, opened it. Inside was a parental needs form.
Under academics, it asked whether to follow the standard curriculum, prepare alternative materials, or have him compile content for the employer’s review before teaching.
For Little Deer’s playmate, it inquired what to prepare for the new companion, if they needed to study with Little Deer, and if romantic signs appeared between them, whether to stop it or let it run its course.
There were also physical, psychological, physiological… and all sorts of other issues, covered comprehensively.
Lin Yuan looked over it unhurriedly and had the young man fetch him a pen.
The drawer didn’t just have pens—it also held an envelope. Shen Leyuan’s gaze lingered on it, his cheeks heating up.
He read the self-criticism. Does that mean he forgives me?
Lin Yuan lowered his eyes to fill out the form. The pen scratched lightly across the paper. When he reached the playmate section, he paused and pondered. “Have him learn with Little Deer. Be stricter then.”
But Shen Leyuan hesitated instead. He said tactfully, “Given Little Deer’s situation, wouldn’t a same-age playmate be inappropriate?”
Everyone wants a piece of him—won’t some young guy turn into a pervert on the spot?
Lin Yuan’s face was full of cold indifference. “Lack of self-control is their own problem. They should reflect on it and overcome it.”
Shen Leyuan fell silent.
Lin Yuan lifted his eyes to him. “Secretly condemning me?”
Shen Leyuan felt utterly wronged. “How could I? I admit I was misled by the primacy effect and my biases, made a mistake. But now that I know better, I won’t… And besides…”
And besides, punishing Little Deer with the little black room and the whip—that’s real, right?
He suspected there was more to it, but it wasn’t convenient to argue now. He could only mutter softly, “You never tell me anything.”
He had begged for the truth openly and subtly so many times, but Lin Yuan had never responded!
Not once! Never!!!
Lin Yuan saw through his thoughts at a glance and sneered. “You say you misunderstood me because of biases, misled by the primacy effect into doing something wrong. So tell me—”
He pinched the young man’s chin, forcing the dejected someone to meet his eyes.
“What kind of biases? What first impression?”
Shen Leyuan: !!!
His pupils quaked. He didn’t dare make a sound.
Can I say it’s biases from the novel, the character setup, and the plot’s first impressions? Can I? Can I?
No.
Amid the tension of his heart pounding like war drums, he babbled an excuse. “I… I have this resentment of the rich, so I got jealous… You’re so handsome and wealthy, mature and steady, a real catch…”
“Whatever.” Lin Yuan released him, exhaustion plain in his brows and eyes. “Get out.”
A bunch of lies. No point listening.
Shen Leyuan backed away, backed away again, then bolted the moment he was out of the big shot’s sight.
Lin Yuan collapsed wearily onto the bed. The young man’s voice echoed in his mind, irritating him until his brows furrowed and frost chilled his face.
Handsome, rich, mature and steady, a real catch. Nice words.
Did I tell you to answer my question? Did I tell you to seduce me?
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