Chapter 1: Little Pervert

The first time Lin Jianxi laid eyes on Song Cheng’an, he knew the boy was a born troublemaker.

But he didn’t pay it much mind.

He was just a kid. What kind of waves could he make? Even if he stirred up some earth-shattering chaos, what did it have to do with Lin Jianxi?

So Lin Jianxi stayed lounging in his rocking chair, puffing on a cigarette and soaking up the sun. His husband’s suit jacket was draped over his legs, now crumpled and kicked askew underfoot, baring his pale thighs and the faint pink flush on his knees.

He squinted, his narrow eyes holding a faint, indifferent glint.

“Spit it out. Why’d you steal?”

The boy was filthy from head to toe, his bright black eyes wide. He clutched something tightly wrapped in fabric.

Lin Jianxi had no idea what was inside.

But he knew that fabric was his underwear, fresh from the wash last night.

Little pervert.

The boy was rail-thin, his collarbones jutting out sharply. He seemed nervous, his Adam’s apple bobbing relentlessly.

Lin Jianxi eyed him. “Well? Speak up.”

“…”

“How old are you?”

“If you don’t talk, I’ll call the cops.”

“Where are your parents? Give me their number.”

“…………”

Stubborn little brat.

Lin Jianxi rubbed his brow and called out, “Aunt Zhao—”

“Dead.”

The voice was so hoarse and grating it pierced the air. Lin Jianxi froze for a second before realizing it had come from the boy.

Lin Jianxi fell silent, saying nothing.

It had been a year since he’d transmigrated into this world, and life here was almost exactly like his dreams: money to burn, a loving husband, no job, total freedom to do whatever he pleased each day. The system had tasked him with playing the role of a venomous househusband, but aside from that first day, it hadn’t shown up again.

So Lin Jianxi was just living it up.

He wasn’t like before, when he’d inwardly despised everyone he met. Now he smiled at everyone before they even spoke. He had no desire to make things hard for this boy—in fact, the kid had his sympathies.

No parents to raise him properly? It wasn’t the boy’s fault if his personality turned out warped; blame the environment.

But Lin Jianxi wasn’t about to play the saint either. This kid was a pervert, stealing underwear at such a young age. What would he be like grown up?

Lin Jianxi held out his hand. “Give me the thing, and you’re free to go.”

The boy shook his head.

Lin Jianxi chuckled. “Won’t take the easy way, huh? Fine, have it the hard way.”

The boy stared at him with wide eyes.

So skinny.

Lin Jianxi was vacationing at the mountain villa with his husband. The nearby villages were all dirt poor, but he’d never seen a kid this scrawny before. Probably never had a full meal in his life.

Lin Jianxi sighed and rose from the rocking chair, intending to grab the boy an apple. But the kid recoiled like he’d seen a ghost, frantically stuffing the wrapped bundle toward his mouth with muffled, animalistic whimpers.

Lin Jianxi stared in shock.

Eating underwear?

He stood there dumbfounded for a long moment until he spotted breadcrumbs tumbling from the boy’s lips and realized the truth.

The boy was eating bread.

But why wrap it in underwear? What kind of fetish was this?

“Cough cough cough—”

The boy’s face turned purple, veins bulging on his neck. Lin Jianxi hurriedly poured a glass of water and handed it over. The boy snatched the cup and gulped it down, water spilling from the corners of his mouth and soaking his ragged shirt.

Only then did Lin Jianxi notice the shirt looked stolen too—it had a big designer logo on it.

The boy finally swallowed the bread. Lin Jianxi slumped listlessly beside him, too wary to nap.

He wanted his underwear back.

If anyone saw this kid at his place holding his underwear—and him being gay to boot—the pervert would look like him.

Lin Jianxi’s clothes hung loose and sloppy; when he was home alone, he never bothered with dressing properly, as long as the essentials were covered. Now, facing the little pervert, he tugged his collar higher where it had slipped to his chest and prodded the boy’s leg lightly with his slipper toe.

“Kid, hand over the thing, and I’ll let you go.”

The boy hid the underwear behind his back.

Lin Jianxi propped his chin on his hand. “What do you want, then?”

The boy: “Food.”

Lin Jianxi tossed him an apple, and the boy devoured it in huge bites.

Lin Jianxi fetched a banana, some strawberries, bread. He even filled a bag with rice from the kitchen before dumping the whole haul at the boy’s feet.

“Enough?”

The boy nodded.

Lin Jianxi glanced down at him. “Give me the thing, take the food, and beat it.”

The boy hesitated, then nodded.

Lin Jianxi returned to his lounger to rest. The boy stood frozen in place. As soon as Lin Jianxi lay back, he grabbed the bag and bolted—

Thud!

The bag was too heavy. Boy and food alike crashed to the ground.

Lin Jianxi padded over barefoot, snatched the underwear from the boy’s grasp, and yawned. “Aunt Zhao, take him out—and the food too.”

~~~

Lin Jianxi loved to sleep.

The old injury on his leg had come with him into this world. Too much movement made it ache, so lying down was better.

And once he lay down, drowsiness hit fast.

In his hazy half-sleep, he felt someone kissing his lips.

Lin Jianxi knew who it was: his husband, Gu Heng.

He didn’t stir, letting the man kiss him and occasionally kissing back. There was a faint scent of alcohol on his husband’s breath—probably from some banquet or other. As Lin Jianxi pondered this, something cold pressed against his neck. He cracked his eyes open slightly.

Lin Jianxi: “What’s that?”

Gu Heng had an air of refined elegance about him, every gesture polished by his aristocratic upbringing. Overall, Lin Jianxi was quite satisfied with his husband and happy to be intimate with him.

Gu Heng dangled the black card in front of his eyes with a smile. “Handing over my paycheck.”

Lin Jianxi let out a soft laugh. “Nah, I suck at managing money.”

“No need. Buy whatever you want.”

“Then just leave it on the side table.”

Lin Jianxi sat up in bed. “What do you want to eat? I’ll make it.”

Gu Heng caught his hand, tracing a small scar on it. “Don’t. That cut from last time hasn’t healed yet.”

“Fine.”

Lin Jianxi slipped into his slippers and headed to the living room, with Gu Heng trailing behind. He curled up on the sofa, and Gu Heng leaned in to nibble at his neck. Lin Jianxi shoved his head aside.

“Go eat if you’re hungry.” Lin Jianxi lit a cigarette. “Life’s pretty rough for the kids around here.”

Gu Heng peeled an orange beside him. “Polarization, I guess. Things are decent around the villa, but the scenery here’s nice. Could invest some money to spruce it up.”

Lin Jianxi: “That money won’t end up in the kids’ stomachs.”

Gu Heng looked at him. “You’re acting a bit off today.”

“Am I?” Through the haze of smoke, his eyelids drooped half-closed as he propped his feet on Gu Heng’s lap. “My knee hurts.”

Gu Heng sighed. “Just how did you get that injury anyway? We’ve seen so many doctors, and none of them could do a thing.”

Lin Jianxi said, “No worries. Isn’t there you? I can lie around all day without it hurting too much.”

“Mr. Lin—” Aunt Zhao came running. “That kid’s back again!”

Lin Jianxi glanced at Gu Heng. “Forgot to mention, today…”

Before he could finish, the kid burst in, clutching a rusty knife and glaring at Gu Heng like a feral wolf cub.

Gu Heng let out a chuckle. “Want to kill me?”

“…?”

Lin Jianxi raised an eyebrow. “You know him?”

Gu Heng ignored him. He rose from the sofa and planted himself in front of the kid. “What do you think you can do? Your parents died because they weren’t strong enough.”

Lin Jianxi stayed curled up on the sofa, blowing lazy smoke rings. He was in a good mood, his eyes crinkled with amusement as he watched the scene unfold.

Slap!

Gu Heng’s hand cracked across the boy’s face. The kid hit the floor hard, his bones thudding dully against the tiles.

A pair of eyes peered over Gu Heng’s shoulder, locked on Lin Jianxi with burning intensity.

Eyes brimming with hatred—and the faintest trace of a mocking smile.

Lin Jianxi froze, cigarette dangling from his lips.

This kid’s gaze…

Gu Heng kicked the boy again. Lin Jianxi finally snapped out of his daze. He stubbed out his cigarette and tossed it aside. “Gu Heng, have you lost your mind?”

He crossed the room in a few strides and grabbed Gu Heng by the collar. “You’re getting rough with a child?”

He glanced down at the kid, who had passed out. The oversized clothes draped over an alarmingly skinny frame. He looked utterly pitiful.

Gu Heng tilted his head and exhaled sharply. “Stay out of it. Go rest.”

“Stay out of it?” Lin Jianxi laughed, though there was no humor in it. “Look at him now. Those blows of yours could kill him. Gu Heng, what kind of grudge could a kid this small possibly have against you? You’re the one who needs to back off.”

“…”

Lin Jianxi snapped, “Get out and cool your head.”

Gu Heng swore under his breath and stormed off. Lin Jianxi had a pretty good idea what was going on. The kid was probably the child of a business rival—parents dead under suspicious circumstances, and Gu Heng just might have had a hand in it. Lin Jianxi wanted no part in that mess, but he drew the line at watching his husband brutalize a child.

He had the boy moved to a guest room and stationed a burly male nanny to watch over him. Then he called the family doctor. After a thorough checkup, the doctor prescribed some nutritional supplements and medication. Lin Jianxi sat by the bedside, watching as the boy’s face was gently cleaned.

The kid was actually pretty good-looking.

What a shame he was such a little freak. With a face like that, who knew how many lovers he’d trick when he grew up.

Lin Jianxi noticed a red cord around the boy’s neck. He followed it to a wooden plaque engraved with three characters: Song Cheng’an.

~~~

Lin Jianxi returned to their room, and Gu Heng sat up in bed, opening his mouth to speak. Lin Jianxi shoved him back down, straddling his hips and delivering a light slap to his mouth. “Do you know you’re in the wrong?”

Gu Heng caught his hand and kissed it. “I’m wrong. Totally wrong.”

Lin Jianxi rolled off to the side, but before he could settle, Gu Heng pulled him close and started undoing his clothes.

Lin Jianxi muttered, “Not in the mood.”

For all his words, he didn’t put up much resistance. Afterward, he lit a cigarette and blew a stream of smoke into Gu Heng’s face. In the dim room, his eyes gleamed brightly—strikingly beautiful, edged with ice.

Gu Heng fed him a slice of apple. “You really are a treasure.”

Lin Jianxi ignored him and drifted off to sleep in a haze. The next morning, Gu Heng murmured in his ear, “I want to keep him.”

Lin Jianxi didn’t open his eyes. “Hm?”

Gu Heng said, “Song Cheng’an.”

Lin Jianxi’s eyes flew open, instantly alert.

~~~

This was my second year locked away in here.

I escaped from the basement and stole some bread.

If I held it in my hand, they’d spot it right away. So I grabbed a scrap of cloth from the floor and wrapped the bread in it. That should hide it, right?

…

They still found me.

…

He seems to treasure that cloth a lot. Maybe I can use it to blackmail him into feeding me for good.

He’s so handsome. Is he some kind of god?

…

He’s that man’s lover.

He used to abuse me without end, day and night.

The way he looks at me is full of contempt.

He even laughed while I was getting beaten.

He’s just like that man.

…

One day, I’ll drag you both down to hell.

…

He really is gorgeous.