After Seducing and Abandoning the Untouchable Beauty - Chapter 9

“Are you chasing someone, or are you issuing a death threat? ‘Take him down within a week’?”

Zhu Xiangyi was stunned that someone would pursue another this way. “You actually said that to his face?”

Yu Weinian had one leg propped up, his elbow resting on his knee, the heel of his palm supporting his jaw, while his other hand idly swirled a wine glass.

“I couldn’t help it; I was too angry,” he said lazily. “Am I not even allowed to talk tough?”

He was chasing someone, but that didn’t mean he had no temper.

Zhu Xiangyi could understand Yu Weinian’s mindset. Where did Yu Weinian go without being pampered? Even if those he pursued initially had no interest, his high looks, wealth, and mastery of romantic flair meant that no matter how straight a man was, he wouldn’t stay stubborn for long. A pro who had sailed smoothly through the field of love, meeting a hard bone like Bai Yinqing—who spoke harshly and gave zero face—was bound to feel frustrated.

However, it was precisely Bai Yinqing’s unique reaction that had triggered Yu Weinian’s predatory instinct. Yu Weinian loved things that were hard to get.

“I feel like he’s going to be difficult to handle.” Zhu Xiangyi rubbed his chin. “You’re not going to back down in the face of difficulty, are you?”

“The words ‘back down’ don’t exist in my dictionary.” Yu Weinian extended a slender index finger and wagged it gently. “I must have him.”

Yu Weinian shifted his posture toward Hang Yue. “Find me a part-time job on campus; a student from Bai Yinqing’s major would be best. Have him deliver breakfast for me every day—it must be early enough to arrive before Bai Yinqing starts his morning self-study.”

A stack of postcards was placed on the sofa. Zhu Xiangyi leaned over to look; every single one was already filled with greetings. Zhu Xiangyi fell silent for a moment, saying in disbelief, “Even this can be pre-made?”

Yu Weinian ignored him. “Put a postcard next to the breakfast. Stuff one in every day, any one.” Anyway, he had written them in advance; the content was mostly the same.

“Holy shit, you really are something.” Zhu Xiangyi didn’t know what to say. “You send breakfast to chase someone but don’t do it yourself? You’re hiring a courier?”

“I don’t think you’re being that serious.”

“How am I not serious?” Yu Weinian complained. “But I really can’t wake up. As long as the attitude is there, it’s fine. And didn’t I say? The courier has to wake up early. Pay them whatever they want, but Bai Yinqing must not find out.”

How was Yu Weinian both attentive and inattentive at the same time? You could say he was attentive, yet he needed help sending breakfast and disguised it as his own doing just because he couldn’t wake up. But you couldn’t say he wasn’t attentive either, as his only requirement was that the person involved must not find out.

Zhu Xiangyi hooked his arm around Yu Weinian’s neck. His watch rubbed against the slender, pale side of the neck, leaving a faint red mark. He glanced at the mark, saw that Yu Weinian hadn’t noticed, and didn’t mention it. He said nonchalantly, “What if you can’t get him within a week?”

Hang Yue also looked at him.

Yu Weinian arched an eyebrow and poured a glass of wine with a cavalier air. “Then I’ll just have to switch to the next person.”

After laying his cards on the table, Yu Weinian no longer hid his intentions.

The freshmen were still in military training. Every morning, romantic bouquets of fresh flowers were delivered to the boys’ dormitory, and meticulously prepared breakfasts arrived at the room door. In the center of a ribbon-wrapped flower basket was a breakfast kept warm, accompanied by a handwritten postcard—it was as romantic as a scene from an idol drama.

When the protagonist of such high-profile courtship became himself, Bai Yinqing found it difficult to accept. He looked at the extra breakfast at the door, wondering when Yu Weinian had come. As he went downstairs, the stares—some direct, some subtle—made his expression even colder.

Reaching the first-floor lobby, he found the corner piled with flowers. A well-dressed man, upon seeing Bai Yinqing, immediately stepped forward. “Mr. Bai, these are items Mr. Yu asked me to hand over.”

The man opened the gift box in front of Bai Yinqing, revealing two rings. A ripple of “Oohs” and “Ahs” came from the side, and Bai Yinqing’s face darkened further.

As if blind to Bai Yinqing’s expression, the man introduced with a smile: “These are a pair of couple rings. The other two are with Mr. Yu…”

“Take them back,” Bai Yinqing said. “And these flowers, take them all back.”

“Mr. Yu said that if you don’t want the gifts he gives you, you can just throw them away.”

Bai Yinqing walked toward the trash can without hesitation. The man didn’t stop him. “Oh, and there’s also a birthday card Mr. Yu wrote for you personally.” The man didn’t read the contents, but Bai Yinqing stopped in his tracks.

Bai Yinqing turned around mechanically. The man handed him the postcard. He saw the full content.

—Student Bai, Happy Birthday. I originally intended to give this birthday gift to you in person yesterday. But you made me too angry yesterday, so I delayed it until today. A week late, but happy 18th birthday.

A noticeable crease was pressed into a corner of the smooth, white postcard. Bai Yinqing stared at the content, his expression inscrutable.

“Mr. Bai?”

Bai Yinqing temporarily put away the gift box and the postcard. “Tell him I will return them to him.”

“And these flowers, get rid of them.”

The man smiled and nodded. Only after Bai Yinqing left did he breathe a sigh of relief. Initially, seeing Bai Yinqing’s foul expression, he thought the boy would actually throw away the expensive rings. But everything was within Yu Weinian’s expectations. Bai Yinqing indeed took the rings and proposed to return them. This way, Bai Yinqing would definitely contact Yu Weinian on his own initiative. Yu Weinian’s goal was achieved.

During the noon break, Bai Yinqing messaged Yu Weinian.

Bai Yinqing: “Take your rings back.”

Yu Weinian: “Sure, but I can’t go to pick them up right now. I’ll trouble Student Bai to make a trip; I’ll wait for you here.”

He sent a restaurant location.

Bai Yinqing was about to call a courier when he saw another new message from Yu Weinian: “Student Bai, if it’s not you personally, I won’t show up. If you plan to call a courier, just throw them away.”

Yu Weinian: “It doesn’t matter to me, I’ll just be very sad.”

Then, he sent several exaggerated crying emojis.

The exquisite packaging on the desk gave Bai Yinqing an increasing headache. He wondered if Yu Weinian had written the birthday card himself; the handwriting was unexpectedly beautiful. The script was upright and elegant, with a free-spirited flair and distinct personal character.

Bai Yinqing suddenly remembered that Yu Weinian’s second Master’s degree at A-University seemed to be in Calligraphy. It was hard to believe that a playboy like Yu Weinian would settle down to practice calligraphy. Aside from his frivolous private life, one had to admit he indeed wrote with a fine hand.

Bai Yinqing put the card in a drawer. Looking at the two rings, he pondered for a long time before putting them in his pocket and heading to Yu Weinian’s appointment.

This was a newly opened Thai restaurant. A massive floor-to-ceiling window separated the interior from the garden. From the lighting to the decor, Thai elements were everywhere, bringing an exotic atmosphere.

Yu Weinian sat by the window, elbows on the table, hands interlaced with his cheek resting on the back of his hand, watching the natural water landscape outside. He wore a gold and black silk shirt, draped in a layer of magnificent golden luster. A sash at his waist accentuated his slender frame, and the black V-neck collar made his collarbones appear even whiter.

No matter how much Bai Yinqing objected to Yu Weinian, he had to admit that Yu Weinian was born with a fine face. Yu Weinian suddenly turned his head and gave a shallow smile.

Bai Yinqing walked over and placed the gift box from his pocket on the table. “Don’t send me things in the future,” he said. “Especially those flowers.”

“So you don’t like flowers.”

Yu Weinian sat in his chair. Although he was looking up, his calm and lazy demeanor made it feel as if he were the one looking down. He propped his head on one hand and blinked slowly at Bai Yinqing. “I can agree to your request, but what about you? Can you agree to mine?”

“Have a meal with me, okay?”

One meal in exchange for Bai Yinqing’s future peace. As Yu Weinian expected, Bai Yinqing sat down.

The waiter brought the menu. Yu Weinian was in a good mood, the corners of his lips curving. “Why aren’t you looking at the menu?” He pushed the menu over. “You order.”

Slender, well-proportioned fingers gripped a corner of the menu, with two diamond-encrusted rings on the base of his fingers.

Bai Yinqing looked up, his gaze suddenly halting on the side of Yu Weinian’s neck. Yu Weinian’s shirt was loose, and because of the motion of passing the menu, one side of the V-neck naturally slid down, revealing a glaring red mark that crashed into Bai Yinqing’s vision.

Bai Yinqing: “Your neck…”

The restaurant music was a bit loud, and Yu Weinian didn’t hear clearly. He put down the menu. “What?”

The red mark was covered by the collar again. Bai Yinqing withdrew his gaze, his eyes carrying a hint of mockery. “Nothing.”

“Alright.” Yu Weinian was used to Bai Yinqing’s coldness and didn’t care. Instead, he propped his chin with interest and said righteously, “Bai Yinqing, please order quickly, I’m hungry.”

“I waited for you for a long time.”

The waiter saw that Bai Yinqing had no interest in ordering and spoke up perceptively: “Sir, curry crab, steamed lemon fish, pineapple fried rice, and salt and pepper lobster are our signature dishes…”

Bai Yinqing closed the menu. “Those, then.”

After ordering, he repeated, “Don’t send things to my dorm anymore.”

Yu Weinian made a shushing gesture. “We don’t talk about that while eating.”

“Yu Weinian,” Bai Yinqing said. “Is playing with me very fun?”

“See, you’re misunderstanding me again.” Yu Weinian lowered his arm, putting on a sad expression. “I am seriously pursuing you, yet you think I’m playing with you.”

Yu Weinian’s expression was extremely pitiful, as if he had suffered a great injustice. Yet the red dot on his neck was exceptionally ambiguous; because his skin was so white, other colors stood out starkly.

Bai Yinqing let out a mocking smirk. Truly ridiculous. Claiming to pursue him, yet coming to see him with a mark left by someone else.

During the wait for the food, Yu Weinian enthusiastically searched for topics, but Bai Yinqing wasn’t a talkative person and only responded occasionally. But Yu Weinian didn’t care; today’s highlight wasn’t the conversation.

When the dishes arrived, Bai Yinqing only moved his chopsticks perfunctorily. He had no interest in Thai food, nor in having lunch with Yu Weinian. Yu Weinian was the same, spending the whole time watching Bai Yinqing eat. After a few symbolic bites, Bai Yinqing put down his chopsticks. “I have military training this afternoon; I’m going back to school.”

“Military training is still a while away. Student Bai, you just don’t want to eat with me.” Yu Weinian knew the truth but insisted on pointing it out. He put down his chopsticks. “Do you hate me that much?”

Bai Yinqing didn’t answer, saying instead, “Stop sending me things in the future.”

“I’m a man of my word,” Yu Weinian shifted the topic. “But only you are full; I am not. Since you say you’re in a hurry to get back to training, how about you feed me?”

“Feed me one bite, and I’ll let you go, and I won’t continue sending flowers.”

Yu Weinian originally wanted Bai Yinqing to feed him for the whole meal, but seeing Bai Yinqing’s face suddenly turn cold, he knew that was unrealistic and settled for the next best thing—just one bite.

Bai Yinqing underestimated the level of Yu Weinian’s thick skin. He looked at Yu Weinian’s face silently for a long time before finally picking up a clean spoon to scoop some seafood soup. He clearly hadn’t done such a thing before; his movements were very clumsy.

Yu Weinian didn’t mind. Instead, he slowly stood up, leaned over, and took the initiative to reach for the spoon with his lips.

Warm breath fell on the back of his hand. Bai Yinqing instinctively tried to dodge, but his wrist was suddenly grabbed. The unexpected physical contact made Bai Yinqing’s body stiffen. Immediately after, Yu Weinian leaned in, his V-neck collar opening wide, forcing a large expanse of snow-white skin into Bai Yinqing’s vision.

The necklace pendant dangled naturally, brushing against Bai Yinqing’s wrist bone now and then, carrying Yu Weinian’s body temperature. Yu Weinian stared into Bai Yinqing’s eyes and slowly took the spoon into his mouth.

Yu Weinian was too pale, making the red mark exceptionally obvious. The red spot that was barely covered by the collar was now presented clearly—it was flushed red and not very large. It looked like it had been rubbed gently, or kissed repeatedly by lips.

Bai Yinqing remained motionless, his expression cold. After Yu Weinian finished the sip of seafood soup, his eyes curved. “Bai Yinqing, happy 18th birthday.”

Bai Yinqing froze.

He was about to pull his hand back, but Yu Weinian suddenly yanked his hand back. The abrupt move caused the dining table to clatter and shake; utensils collided, and soup spilled out, soaking the tablecloth.

Yu Weinian pressed his face into Bai Yinqing’s palm.

Bai Yinqing’s palm temperature was on the cool side, but when Yu Weinian pressed his face against it, it created a heat akin to burning. His face turned livid, and he warned in a cold voice: “Yu Weinian!”

Yu Weinian acted as if he hadn’t heard.

Bai Yinqing was forced to stand up. He pressed one hand on Yu Weinian’s shoulder while trying to pull his hand back. To his surprise, it was this very move that allowed Yu Weinian to lay his face into the palm of his hand.

The cheek resting in the large hand flushed a crimson hue. Stripped of his usual flippant look, the current Yu Weinian, with his thick eyelashes lowered, was as beautiful as a fragile doll and looked unexpectedly obedient.

Bai Yinqing was dazed for a moment before snapping back to reality. He pinched Yu Weinian’s face from below, seeing a large expanse of red erupting on his neck, spreading at an alarming speed.

“Are you allergic to seafood?”

The five fingers gripping the cheek meat tightened involuntarily. Bai Yinqing saw red marks being pinched onto Yu Weinian’s cheek. Perhaps the pinch was a bit heavy, as Yu Weinian let out two dissatisfied hums.

No wonder. No wonder Yu Weinian basically hadn’t moved his chopsticks and only watched him eat. He originally thought Yu Weinian was playing some trick, but it turned out that most of the dishes he ordered were seafood, and Yu Weinian was allergic to seafood and naturally couldn’t touch it.

“If you can’t eat seafood, why didn’t you say so?”

“I wanted to say happy birthday to you in person… you finally agreed to eat with me…” Yu Weinian seemed to be getting a bit muddled but still answered seriously and incoherently. “I didn’t want to spoil your fun.”

As Yu Weinian spoke, his cheeks were still restrained, making his speech somewhat slurred. The airflow and breath between his words fell on the side of Bai Yinqing’s fingers; the warm, moist breath soaked his fingertips.

Did Yu Weinian call him over specifically to say happy birthday to him in person?

Bai Yinqing didn’t speak. As Yu Weinian tried to turn his head, he forced Yu Weinian’s face straight again. The natural height difference meant Yu Weinian had to tilt his face up to look directly at Bai Yinqing.

The allergy made Yu Weinian’s breathing rapid, and his tear ducts uncontrollably secreted tears, blurring his vision. He couldn’t see Bai Yinqing’s expression clearly, but he could guess that Bai Yinqing was likely angry right now.

“It’s fine, you have allergy medicine…”

When Yu Weinian staged this “bitter meat” plot, he had naturally thought of this. First, his allergic reaction was not severe; his body just heated up and his skin turned red, like having drunk too much. It just looked scary. Even without medicine, the flush and heat would fade after a while. Not to mention, he knew Bai Yinqing had the habit of carrying allergy medicine.

The discomfort, dizziness, and blurred consciousness Yu Weinian showed now were all an act. He used the allergy to actively broadcast signals of being weak, pitiful, and in need of protection. He leaned weakly against Bai Yinqing while his other hand familiarly reached into Bai Yinqing’s pocket.

“It’ll be fine as long as I take the medicine.” He found a suitable reason for his actions.

Through the thin lining of the pocket, the sensation of warm, delicate fingertips felt as if they were pressed against the base of his thigh.

Yu Weinian noticed Bai Yinqing’s muscles stiffen as if he were at a loss. He imperceptibly arched an eyebrow and boldly reached further in. Just as his fingertips touched the hard plastic medicine pack, his wrist was seized.

Yu Weinian was practically yanked out and forced to sit on the edge of the dining table. His legs dangled in the air as he gripped Bai Yinqing’s hem tightly. Because of the allergy, his whole body was covered in a thick, beautiful flush; his breathing was labored and the corners of his eyes were wet and red as he looked at Bai Yinqing through the misty water.

The luxurious chandelier cast deep shadows over Bai Yinqing’s face. His eyes were black and heavy, his gaze cold, like a ruthless predator.

“What are you doing?”

Yu Weinian tried to move his wrist, only to find that Bai Yinqing was restraining him so he couldn’t move at all. It was only then that he realized they not only had a size difference but also a massive disparity in strength.

His heart skipped a beat, but he remained dedicated to playing the incoherent patient: “I’m looking for allergy medicine… I remember you carry it with you.”

Yu Weinian tried to struggle again but was counter-restrained by the back of his neck. His slender neck was easily held by the large hand. The ambiguous red mark on the back of his neck was also coincidentally covered by Bai Yinqing’s index finger.

He didn’t know if it was an illusion brought by the allergy, but Bai Yinqing’s palm was very hot, and the gaze surveying him carried an equally fiery temperature.

“Yu Weinian.” There was no expression left on Bai Yinqing’s face. “That isn’t allergy medicine.”

Not allergy medicine? Yu Weinian subconsciously asked, “Then what is it?”

Bai Yinqing stared at him without answering. His lowered eyes were filled with a thick, dark color, licking over him like something tangible. The strange silence was inexplicably unsettling. Suddenly, the corner of Bai Yinqing’s lips quirked, but it wasn’t a smile. This subtle change in expression made goosebumps erupt on Yu Weinian’s skin instantly, giving him an instinctive sense of crisis that his game had gone too far.