Chapter 18#
The Fetish Exposed#
Zhen Ye’s impression of that face was still frozen on the night he’d gone to the hospital to see his grandmother.
He’d been holding an umbrella, asking for directions, when he tripped over a loose tile and cut his palm. The man had helped him up and wanted to treat his wound.
Except that encounter had ended badly.
Zhen Ye, in the midst of a psychological stress response, had pushed his hand away.
Afterwards, Zhen Ye had regretted it too—regretted not accepting the man’s kindness, or asking for his contact info.
After all, that face, that refined, elegant temperament—he genuinely liked them.
Even if nothing ever developed between them, just adding an account and looking at photos in his moments would brighten his mood.
And yet here and now, this man who seemed to have walked straight out of his sexual fantasies appeared before him again.
Zhen Ye was dazed for two seconds, wondering if he was dreaming. Especially when he saw that the driver in the front seat was Housekeeper Du, he knew something was off.
Wasn’t Du Rui Housekeeper Mr. Rong’s butler?
Then the person in front of him was…
“Du Rui, wait outside.” Rong Yu suddenly instructed.
“Very well, Mr. Rong.” Du Rui complied readily.
Zhen Ye: “…?”
Mr. Rong.
So the person he’d bitten was…
Ha. Zhen Ye. You actually marked your ideal type. This is really.
— Well done!!
On one side, Zhen Ye was in a daze, chaotic fireworks exploding in his mind. On the other, Du Rui got out of the car, leaving only the two of them in the cramped space.
The air was filled with a faint woody scent, pleasant to breathe, reminiscent of the southern mountains after rain—moss growing on the roots of damp trees.
“Zhen Ye,” he called his name, his tone warm with a hint of amusement, “did you get enough to eat tonight?”
So he really had read that text message.
Zhen Ye blurted out instinctively: “I haven’t eaten yet.”
Rong Yu’s expression sobered slightly, and he called Du Rui back, asking him to bring some pastries to tide Zhen Ye over.
The lotus root crisps from Yuelai Villa could only be ordered if the head chef was in the mood, and yet here they were, a whole box passed from Rong Yu’s hands into Zhen Ye’s palm.
The bottom of the box still held warmth.
The warmth wasn’t hot, but it could seep through skin and bone, slowly spreading up to Zhen Ye’s neck and ears. He turned his face away, at a loss. The man’s casual gesture was too natural, too much like looking after someone.
As if they had known each other for a long time.
A nameless fondness arose in Zhen Ye’s heart, and he unconsciously moved a little closer. But as he shifted, the contract resting on his knee slid off.
He bent down to pick it up, and holding the contract, he suddenly snapped back to reality.
In an instant, the memory surfaced of calling Chen Kangshi the day before yesterday—the man’s furious, exasperated tone, and that line: “—You’re climbing a high branch, aren’t you?”
Now, looking at it, that unknown high branch…
Could it be this unattainable, lofty branch in front of him…?
Doubt stirring in his heart, Zhen Ye asked cautiously, “Did you get my contract from Chen Kangshi?”
Rong Yu curved the corner of his mouth.
To be precise, he’d taken it.
He lowered his gaze to straighten the blanket over his knees, his bearing and features both refined and leisurely. “Apologies—I changed the name of the client on your contract without your knowledge.”
“So now,” he turned his gaze to Zhen Ye, seeming rather pleased, “the next two years of your time belong to me.”
·
Zhen Ye had no idea his pheromones were so potent—one bite could make a man secure a three-million contract for him.
Had he known, why would he have bothered working? He should’ve just walked down the street biting alphas and turning them into ATM slaves.
Of course, this was just wild imagination; it didn’t mean that if he actually encountered such a situation, he could live with his conscience.
In his view, Mr. Rong was truly pitiful. Far from snapping out of it, he’d only doubled down, thoroughly becoming a slave to his pheromones.
His craving for him had reached the point of buying him with money!
The situation had already exceeded Zhen Ye’s imagination. He was afraid that if he didn’t stop it, Rong Yu might do something even more outrageous.
Zhen Ye: “…Can I refuse?”
Rong Yu’s deep, dark eyes narrowed slightly, and he asked in a probing tone, “You could sign with the Chen family, so why not with me? Do you have a bad impression of me?”
“…”
It wasn’t bad—it was too good.
Zhen Ye pressed his lips together, forcing his expression under control. He couldn’t exactly say, I used to have nothing better to do and projected your face into my fantasies about having an affair with you.
“Or is it because of ‘Owen’ that you won’t agree?” Rong Yu asked out of nowhere.
Zhen Ye: !
He tensed. “How do you know about Owen?”
“You were running a fever that day, calling his name the whole time,” Rong Yu glanced at him sidelong, half-smiling. “Calling it at me.”
“…”
Well. The fetish was exposed.
In a desperate attempt to quickly cover up the fact that he’d been using the other man as a substitute, Zhen Ye avoided Rong Yu’s gaze and made up a story: “Owen and I are just… friends.”
“Just friends?”
“Yes.” Zhen Ye sat up straight, emphasizing, “A completely normal friendship.”
Rong Yu had already turned half his body around, leaning lazily against the leather backrest. His posture seemed casual, but his words advanced step by step: “When did you meet? When you were studying in France?”
“…Something like that.”
Zhen Ye answered, then suddenly realized what was happening and frowned. “You investigated me?”
Rong Yu replied, “I wanted to see you, so I made some inquiries.”
He certainly knew how to talk. Just like that, it sounded like he’d asked out of concern.
But Zhen Ye didn’t like being pried into.
Even though he could tell Rong Yu’s intentions weren’t malicious, he couldn’t control his anxious reaction, and the muscles in his limbs tensed slightly.
Rong Yu’s gaze shifted, observing the subtle change, and he calmly lowered the car window.
Fresh cold air rushed in, and Zhen Ye unconsciously let out a relieved breath, feeling much better.
Rong Yu switched to a gentler tone and told him, “Zhen Ye, I want you to stay with me, but I don’t like forcing people. If you’re unwilling, I’ll still pay off all your debts and give you five million, so you can live freely.”
He paused, his eyes deep. “As long as you report on your life to me regularly.”
“Also, Lawyer Qu is right outside.” Rong Yu inclined his chin toward the window. “If you agree, we can tear up the contract in your hand right now and draft a new gift agreement instead. What do you think?”
Such generous terms. Such a gentlemanly concession.
Zhen Ye bit his lip, emotionally overwhelmed.
It felt like being hit in the head by a five-million lottery ticket overnight—dazed, surreal. The other party’s attitude was so lenient that Zhen Ye almost wanted to say, Why don’t you just rape me, then? Otherwise, I can’t feel at ease taking this money.
But thinking it over, that wasn’t right either. A person shouldn’t take AND grab—that was wrong. I’m a moral person! …Am I?
Reason and morality fought fiercely, and finally the moral little person punched the rational little person into submission. Zhen Ye said to Rong Yu:
“I’m sorry, but knowing that you’re under the influence of my pheromones, I can’t accept your terms.”
Then he hesitated, and did what he should have done before. He scooted forward another ten centimeters, tentatively, then suddenly wrapped his arms around this alpha, whose frame was a full size larger than his.
He nuzzled his chin against him like a friendly rabbit, releasing his omega’s calming pheromones.
The scent of bergamot mixed with the spiciness of ginger, wrapping warmly around Rong Yu.
“You only came out to find me because you crave my pheromones. Once they’ve evaporated from your blood, you’ll return to normal.”
But at that moment, a hand suddenly gripped his chin, forcing him to tilt his face up.
Zhen Ye looked up in surprise, meeting Rong Yu’s pitch-black pupils, his heart skipping a beat without warning.
He heard the alpha ask slowly:
“You’re afraid I’ll change my mind, aren’t you?”
“…”
The panic that flickered across his face couldn’t escape the alpha’s eyes.
The distance closed until their breaths were audible. The alpha’s strong, powerful arm swept across his slender waist, securing him in place, not allowing him to flee.
Rong Yu leaned in close, his thin lips hovering beside Zhen Ye’s burning red ear as he offered in a light, drifting tone, “Then I’ll allow you to bite me once a week, to extend the shelf life.”
The tone was coaxing, yet carried a quiet insistence that brooked no refusal.
Zhen Ye’s face felt like it was on fire. Between ragged breaths, his heartbeat slammed against his chest again and again. Those eyes were darker than the night outside the window—one more look and he’d sink into them, his breathing thrown into complete chaos.
Yet the other party managed the distance just right. The moment he sensed Zhen Ye’s struggle, he withdrew his arm, his features turning gentle once more. Rong Yu’s long fingers combed through the omega’s soft brown hair, looking down at him:
“So, what do you say—will you come with me or not?”