After Falling in Love, the Overbearing CEO Finally Saw the Light - Chapter 13

Gu He was acutely aware that he was nothing more than He Yunqi’s plaything. In this massive room, aside from himself, there was only a hollow vastness. He found his clothes from yesterday and discovered they had been washed and hung up to dry. Fortunately, the items in his pockets had been placed quietly in a box for safekeeping rather than being thrown out.

Gu He picked up his old-fashioned flip phone. There was a crack on the screen, likely from being dropped yesterday. Holding onto a sliver of hope, he long-pressed the power button and found that it could still turn on; it even had battery left.

The advantage of these old phones was that they did not require twenty-four-hour charging and were durable. Especially for someone like him, a phone was only for making calls and sending texts; as for anything else, it was not necessary.

There were no missed calls, but several text messages were waiting, asking how he was doing and if he was being bullied.

“I was not bullied. I stayed at a friend’s house last night.”

A moment later, a reply came back: “That is good. When I am on break, I will treat you to a big meal.”

Gu He slowly pressed the T9 keypad to chat with the person on the other end. He was a man of few words, but he would always reply.

In this giant cage, he had been trapped for a week. He was not good at lying, so to avoid slipping up during a phone call, he emailed his counselor, saying he had some matters to attend to and might need to take a few days off. He mentioned that since he was delayed, he would provide a formal leave note once he returned to school. To the teachers, Gu He was a very reliable student; they did not suspect a thing and readily agreed, promising that he did not need to rush; it would not be too late to return after finishing his business.

As for how long the leave would last, he had no idea.

A Routine of Numbness

And so, he settled in. Gu He’s daily routine was very disciplined. Breakfast began with peeling an egg; the tender, springy egg white gradually revealed itself as the shell fell away, still steaming and looking quite inviting.

In a week’s time, he had not seen He Yunqi again. Was this a test?

He lived a rather leisurely life, a numb cycle of eating and sleeping. He had not forgotten his identity; his essence was merely that of a plaything waiting for his benefactor to return and toy with him.

These few days were enough to adapt to a new environment. Gu He liked lying on the sofa near the terrace, feeling the cool autumn breeze and watching the white clouds drift slowly across the sky. He could smell a faint, lingering scent of agarwood and sandalwood in the room, the same scent He Yunqi carried. There was no visible smoke from incense, so it was likely a perfume or essential oil. He did not dislike it. Instead, it gave him an odd sense of security, often causing him to drift off into a cozy, languid sleep.

In his dream, Gu He curled up on the sofa clutching a pillow. His oversized grey short-sleeved shirt had ridden up after several turns, revealing his waist and a faint pinch mark. It was the mark He Yunqi had repeatedly pressed into, right over the one Zhao Pengtai had left. Other marks had vanished, but this one was too deep; a faint circle was still visible.

He Yunqi sat by the edge of the sofa. He reached out to stroke the mark and leaned down to kiss those obedient, sleeping features. In truth, there were surveillance cameras and people reporting to him, but he still wanted to confirm the boy’s presence in person.

Most of the time, Gu He stayed quiet and alone. His personality was too introverted and his guard was high; he was the kind of child who hid his thoughts very deep.

Perhaps sensing someone approaching, Gu He frowned and opened his misty eyes. He froze. “Seventh Master?”

“There have been many things to attend to these past few days. I have been busy,” He Yunqi’s voice carried an illusory intimacy that could soothe one’s heart.

A serious operational crisis had begun a few days ago. Several investors had simultaneously withdrawn their capital, and the products scheduled for market launch were in jeopardy due to a broken capital chain. The holes in the He family’s finances were getting larger one by one. After many days of work, he had finally brought the situation under control, only to realize he had forgotten his “little thing.” If he had not shown up soon, the boy would likely hate him to death.

“Is he explaining himself to me?” Gu He wondered.

Gu He fell into a stifled silence. Now that the man was back, if he served him well and made him happy, perhaps he could propose his conditions?

“What are you thinking about?” He Yunqi pinched his chin and leaned in for a kiss, his dark eyes watching the boy’s absent-minded expression.

“Nothing.”

Gu He looked back at him. As their eyes met, He Yunqi reached out to pinch his earlobe, remaining silent, clearly waiting for the boy to speak up first.

The corners of Gu He’s mouth slumped. Finally, he spoke: “Mr. He, regarding the condition of ‘becoming a qualified lover,’ I have no experience. Therefore, I need you to clarify what I need to do to be considered ‘qualified.’ Of course, I hope you will allow me to continue my schooling and keep our relationship a secret.”

“A secret? Am I not fit to be seen in public?”

Gu He noticed He Yunqi narrowing his eyes at him. Fearing a refusal, he hurriedly added, “Just keep it a secret at school.”

He Yunqi was stunned. No one had ever discussed this issue with him so seriously before. In the past, anyone who received his “favor” could not wait to buy everything they wanted, or would directly ask for money, cars, houses, or scripts to maximize their own interests.

He Yunqi pinched the boy’s cheek with interest. “You want to go back to school? Then why did you not call me?”

Gu He looked up sharply, their eyes meeting again.

“I never restricted your freedom, baby.”

He Yunqi’s emotions were suppressed deep within his bottomless blue eyes. Occasionally, through the surveillance, he had seen the boy sitting alone in that empty room for half the day, like a listless little fox kept in a cage. Seeing the dejected curve of his nape from behind made He Yunqi want to reach out and stroke it; it was as if the boy was telling him that the little fox was unhappy.

“I am very satisfied with your performance. If you have any conditions, feel free to ask while I am in a good mood. Act spoiled occasionally, and perhaps I can give you anything you want. As for the matter of school, it was my oversight.”

Gu He’s eyes brightened at the first part of the sentence, but at the latter half, his mouth hung open, yet no sound came out.

“As long as you are well-behaved, you do not need to worry about Zhao Pengtai. Your benefactor has already been changed to me.”

Gu He was a smart man; he understood exactly what He Yunqi meant. They had not signed any formal agreement, which was proof enough that He Yunqi had total control over a “free-range” lover and was not worried at all about him running away.

He instinctively wanted to argue, but after a mental struggle, he finally compromised: “I will do my best to listen to you.”

He Yunqi looked at him with amusement. His words signaled surrender, but his expression was one of reluctance. This duplicitous look was far too tempting.

Taking the opportunity, He Yunqi teased him: “Then come over and show some initiative?”

Gu He had not actually finished his mental preparation yet. He shrank back slightly, only to be held firm.

“Do not move.”

“I have no intention of running away,” Gu He muttered, a stray lock of hair drooping over his forehead. He remained stubborn; not refusing was the basic etiquette of a qualified “lover.”

“I know,” He Yunqi laughed. “Even if you did run, I would catch you and bring you back, at least until I am tired of you.”

“Then hurry up and get tired of me,” the words nearly escaped Gu He’s lips.

He Yunqi seemed to be indulging him, as if he knew exactly what the boy was thinking. He kissed Gu He’s ear and whispered, “Then it depends on how proactive you are.”

Fine. A total beast. Communication between different species is useless.

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