“Little Deer?”
Shen Leyuan jumped in fright and coaxed him in a negotiating tone, “Can you go out first?”
Little Deer ignored him, biting his finger neurotically as he sank into his own world. “What punishment should it be? I’ve never punished anyone before… Teacher is my teacher, so I can punish him… Right, I can!”
With that, his smile grew brighter and brighter. He pounced toward Shen Leyuan.
In just a short day, Shen Leyuan had already come to deeply understand his preferences. Thinking he was about to force another kiss, he hurriedly covered his mouth with his hand—only to feel intense pain from the back of it as the boy latched on.
“Punishment…”
The boy panted as he murmured, “Teacher, you have to be good. You have to be good—”
The man beneath him struggled fiercely. Little Deer visibly grew agitated, biting down even harder while shrilly demanding, “Why aren’t you being good?! Why?! Little Deer was good and took his punishment!”
They were too close, and his voice was too loud. Shen Leyuan’s mind went blank from the shock.
The space under the bed was far too cramped, leaving no room for escape. Blood trickled down the back of his hand. Every time he managed to push Little Deer away even slightly, he saw the boy’s blood-red lips and those teary, misty eyes.
“Why won’t you be good and obedient?” Little Deer cried, his body trembling as if utterly broken. “You admitted your mistake—why won’t you accept the punishment? Why?!”
He didn’t look like an abuser at all. Instead, he seemed like the one who’d suffered some tremendous grievance.
Shen Leyuan’s heart jolted. Unconsciously, the strength in his hand relaxed.
Just like soothing a student in his class before, he pulled Little Deer into his arms and patted the boy’s slender back, softening his voice. “Because the punishment has to match the mistake. You can’t just punish randomly.”
The embrace was warm, the voice by his ear gentle. Little Deer gradually calmed, staring at him in a daze. “It has to match the mistake?”
“Yeah.”
“You can’t punish randomly?”
“Yeah.”
Little Deer sniffled as he asked, “Then what can you punish Teacher for hurting Little Deer? Can I—”
Shen Leyuan’s scalp prickled as he cut him off. “No!”
Teacher and student absolutely cannot!
“Oh…”
Lin Shilu wilted and went back to gnawing on the back of his hand. This time, his movements were gentler—more like licking and kissing than biting. His soft, wet tongue flicked lightly, sweeping all the remaining blood from the wound straight into his stomach.
“So what can I punish you for?” he asked.
Shen Leyuan shivered at the licking, getting the eerie feeling that the boy wanted to chew him up and swallow him whole… It had to be an illusion, right…?
He swallowed hard. “How about we talk about it outside?”
Little Deer shook his head. “No!”
Shen Leyuan said, “We’ll have a little quiz later on yesterday’s lessons. Don’t you want a perfect score? Don’t you want Teacher’s reward?”
A clear flicker of temptation crossed the boy’s face.
Shen Leyuan played pitiful. “Teacher hurts so much… I’m about to pass out from the pain. If I faint, I won’t be able to prepare Little Deer’s gift.”
Little Deer widened his eyes. “Is Teacher really that fragile?”
Shen Leyuan clutched his forehead dramatically. “I feel awful. I can’t take it—I’m gonna faint, I’m fainting right now!”
Little Deer panicked and scrambled backward. “I’ll go get medicine for Teacher!”
The space under the bed fell quiet.
Lingering fear thudded in Shen Leyuan’s chest. He closed his eyes, replaying the boy’s manic frenzy. Amid his heaving breaths, dizziness truly set in.
This silly sweet dimwit masochist doesn’t seem all that sweet…
Not the sweet-on-the-outside-black-on-the-inside type either.
Just straight-up mentally ill. The kind that needs hospitalization and meds.
After hiding under the bed for a few minutes, he crawled out feebly, feeling like this one day had been more thrilling than his entire previous life combined.
His upper body had just emerged when he looked up and saw two pairs of feet.
One pair in black leather shoes on the fluffy carpet—bodyguard. The other in gray slippers on a wheelchair footrest—big boss.
Shen Leyuan: …
God, you really trying to kill me?
This thrill is way too much!
Lin Yuan silently looked down at the young man.
His hair disheveled, eyes faintly red-rimmed, the flesh on the back of his hand torn open and oozing blood. Who knew what other marks hid beneath his clothes.
Before he could get a better look, that head—along with half the body—zipped back under the bed.
Silence filled the room.
No sound from under the bed either.
A few minutes later, the young man must have psyched himself up. He crawled out from the other side of the bed, acting as if nothing had happened. “When did you arrive?”
Lin Yuan’s gaze landed on his earlobe. “Before you woke up.”
So… he heard everything?
The red flush between the stray strands of hair deepened rapidly. Shen Leyuan didn’t dare imagine what the big boss thought of him now. He chuckled dryly. “I tend to act dumb right after waking up in the morning.”
The man said coolly, “I can tell.”
Shen Leyuan: …
What a cold joke. Paired with the boss’s eyes, it’s even colder.
In the original story, this creepy dad had insane control issues. Aside from the protagonist top who fucked Little Deer, he’d later killed several other tops one after another—including bodyguards—and even a classmate Little Deer had a crush on, despite no sexual involvement.
[Little Deer glanced toward the bed. The familiar corpse stared back with lifeless eyes, its rigid limbs specially processed and posed as if holding a bouquet of flowers.
“Like this gift?” Lin Yuan asked.]
All because Little Deer said he liked his new friend. The boss turned the kid into a doll.
Like a silent threat. Or a twisted confession: You can’t like anyone else. You can only like me.
Lin Yuan’s voice cut in right on cue. “Little Deer likes you a lot.”
The novel line bleeding into reality sent a chill down Shen Leyuan’s spine. He deflected tactfully, “Little Deer is a pure, adorable child. He has eyes that spot beauty everywhere.”
He loves everyone equally. I’m just one insignificant speck.
Please spare me!
Lin Yuan fell into a subtle silence.
Fearing the man was weighing his life’s worth, Shen Leyuan hurriedly changed the subject. “Didn’t you say full checkup? I’ll head to the hospital now?”
Lin Yuan gave him a cool glance. “Follow.”
Follow… where?
Shen Leyuan trailed quietly behind him like a mouse, his mind flipping between Little Deer’s frenzy and tears, the boss’s bedroom kinks from the novel, his bank balance, and the massive breach-of-contract fee.
Staying might get me killed.
But quitting and leaving… will I even survive that?
The man ahead stopped abruptly. Shen Leyuan bumped into the bodyguard’s solid back, his nose stinging with tears.
The bodyguard didn’t even glance back, let alone flinch.
Like a cold, emotionless machine.
Lost in a whirlwind of worries, he skirted around the bodyguard—then froze. The glass-walled room ahead was packed with every medical gadget imaginable.
MRI, ECG, ultrasound, CT scanner—seen and unseen devices crammed in. Not even a small hospital had this full a setup.
When I get checked, the boss won’t watch from outside the glass wall, right?
He glanced instinctively at Lin Yuan, meeting icy eyes that made his heart quiver. He instantly dismissed the thought.
No way. This setup’s probably for Little Deer.
Creepy dad, raising the kid himself, obsessed with controlling every inch of his body. Doesn’t want doctors seeing under his clothes, so equips the house with all this. Totally normal…
Like hell it is!
Certain kinks were tolerable in fiction, but in reality? Disgusting.
Shen Leyuan prayed fervently that none of it had happened yet.
The results printed out, landing in Lin Yuan’s hand.
Even knowing he was fine, Shen Leyuan tensed up—afraid of being turned into a bedside doll for Little Deer, or steaming guts in a dog’s belly.
Can’t stay here. Gotta quit. Must quit!
The report showed everything normal.
The bodyguard handed over a check. “Mr. Shen, you’ve been through a fright. This is compensation.”
Pretty hefty amount…
Shen Leyuan tore his glued-to-the-zeros gaze away and refused stiffly. “Misunderstanding cleared is enough. Don’t worry, I’m relieved too. No need for the check—a teacher can’t accept gifts.”
He asked cautiously, “Just to confirm… can the resignation penalty be paid in installments?”
Lin Yuan’s eyelid twitched. The young man’s fidgety expression fell right into his view.
“Resignation?” he asked amiably.
It was like the all-clear results had softened the boss’s mood. Shen Leyuan wasn’t sure if it was his imagination, but he mustered courage. “I don’t think I’m cut out to be Little Deer’s teacher. He needs someone more professional.”
His main reasons for leaving: mortal danger, and honestly, he wasn’t equipped to teach the kid.
Lin Yuan lowered his gaze, neither agreeing nor refusing. He drawled leisurely, “A month ago, you begged me for this job. Said no matter what Little Deer was like, you’d accept him.”
Shen Leyuan blanked. The original host knew about Little Deer?
Knew he was a walking mental hazard and still…?
This is getting more fucked up… Flower Market plot turned real, every angle’s a crime.
Lin Yuan continued slowly, “Three days ago, you came to the villa, took the million in advance pay, and assured me you’d prepared fully and would satisfy me.”
Shen Leyuan’s focus snapped to “million.” He looked at the boss with speechless bitterness, mouth flooding with regret. Ten thousand deposit, million advance salary. Got money to burn?
As if to rub more salt in, the boss kept reminiscing. “Yesterday, you said you’d dedicate your life to education, that quitting was impossible, and even asked for a free full-body checkup.”
“You think—” Lin Yuan raised his eyes, chuckling lightly, “—I’m some even-tempered philanthropist?”
He had strikingly handsome features, time brewing that handsomeness into rich, aged wine. Usually too brooding and aloof to admire, but now with a faint smile, the mature man’s charm spilled from his eyes and brows.
Shen Leyuan didn’t dare admire it. The smile felt edged with razor chill. He laughed dryly. “You’re so humorous.”
The smile vanished like a flash in the pan. Cold disdain crept into Lin Yuan’s brows and eyes, like he’d order the bodyguard to drag Shen Leyuan out and feed him to the dogs any second.
Shen Leyuan grew uneasy, heart pounding to his throat.
“Teacher—”
Rapid, joyful footsteps approached. Little Deer flew into the young man’s arms, whining aggrievedly, “Why weren’t you in the room? I couldn’t find you to give you your medicine!”
Shen Leyuan instinctively glanced at the boss.
The man’s lip curve hardened, eyes darkening abruptly. Following that gaze downward, Shen Leyuan saw Little Deer’s arms around his waist.
He shoved Little Deer away at once. “What did Teacher say yesterday? No random hugs or kisses.”
“Okay.” Little Deer pouted reluctantly, but lit up fast, showing him what was in his hand. “Teacher, Teacher, want some medicine? Little Deer can apply it for you!”
“No, no need.” Shen Leyuan refused awkwardly, glancing at the boss again. “Today, I…”
Lin Yuan’s gaze lingered on Little Deer’s arm, his slim waist, tracing inch by inch. As if suddenly bored, uninterested in punishing the errant employee, he said offhandedly, “Everything as usual.”
