He's Really So Hard to Pursue - Chapter 10.2

Jiang Yi’s breath hitched. He wanted to speak, but he was conquered by the “Master Support” who was far too good with his hands. His breathing grew heavy, and his gasps intensified.

“After the marriage, he didn’t break things off with that man. We only found out the truth much later.” As he spoke, he leaned down slightly. “Do you know what my mother did?”

Jiang Yi had guessed. Otherwise, Jiang Yanci wouldn’t have such a young brother.

“That’s right. Instead of cutting her losses and getting a divorce, she actually went through IVF for a second child.” A streak of malice surfaced in Jiang Yanci as he tightened his grip, watching Jiang Yi’s eyes turn dangerous before the man flipped over, pinning him to the bed. Jiang Yanci spread his hands: “If she had just divorced him, I would have taken care of her, made sure she lived a better life than my father. But she didn’t. Not only did she refuse, she conspired with my father to break my hand just to force me back.”

He laughed mockingly: “I had just won the championship. My professional career didn’t have to end so early.”

But she wanted him back to help raise her son. Fearing he would settle in Shanghai, she orchestrated this move to force him home.

“It’s not funny.” Jiang Yi didn’t like that laugh. He reached out, holding Jiang Yanci’s waist to lift him higher: “You can still call it off.”

“Call it off?” Jiang Yanci sneered. “I’ve rehearsed these scenes in my head countless times since the moment I sought you out. Now that I finally have the chance to sleep with you, do you think I’ll back down?”

He added: “I haven’t been with any other men before.”

Jiang Yi smiled: “Neither have I.”

Good. Both were clean.

Jiang Yi opened the nightstand drawer and pulled out a fresh pack of protection. Jiang Yanci raised his hand slightly, hooking Jiang Yi’s head down for a deep kiss.

“I don’t plan on just ‘being’ with you like this. Think of me as a scumbag who just wants to sleep with you and test out Manager Jiang’s ‘live-fire’ skills. No pressure, as long as it feels good.”

Jiang Yi’s hand paused briefly as he tore the packaging, then he kissed back even harder and more intensely.

He laughed self-deprecatingly. “I had just won the championship. My professional career shouldn’t have had to end so soon.”

She did it just to force him back to help raise her son. Terrified that he’d settle down in Shanghai for good, she’d orchestrated this whole scheme to drag him home.

“It’s not funny.” Jiang Yi didn’t care for that laugh. He reached out, gripping Jiang Yanci’s waist and lifting him higher. “You can still call this off.”

“Call it off?” Jiang Yanci sneered. “I’d already played these scenes out in my head a thousand times before I ever came looking for you. Now that I finally have the chance to sleep with you, do you really think I’m backing down?”

He added, “I haven’t been with any other men before.”

Jiang Yi gave a slight smile. “Neither have I.”

Perfect. Both were clean.

Jiang Yi pulled open the nightstand drawer and took out an unopened pack of protection.

Jiang Yanci reached up slightly, hooking his arm around Jiang Yi’s neck to pull him into a deep kiss. “I’m not planning on ‘getting together’ with you properly. Just think of me as a scumbag who purely wants to sleep with you and see what Boss Jiang’s skills are like in a live-fire exercise. Don’t overthink it; as long as it feels good, we’re good.”

Jiang Yi’s hands paused for a split second as he tore the packaging, then he kissed back even harder and more intensely.

The summer rain pounded harder and harder outside, drowning out any sound from the room. Gradually, the noise inside grew even louder than the rain…

In the dead of night, amidst the downpour and a heavy heart-to-heart, everything seemed to fall into place. It was a perfect setup for a game where the heart stayed on the sidelines and the bodies did the talking.

Jiang Yanci wasn’t one to stifle himself, and Jiang Yi seemed to love hearing his voice; every move was designed to draw a sound out of him, refusing to let him hide a single breath.

Exhausting. It was truly exhausting.

Boss Jiang’s stamina was on another level.

Jiang Yanci felt like his back was about to snap. It wasn’t until the sky outside began to pale toward dawn that Boss Jiang finally called it quits.

After such a visceral release, both men had momentarily forgotten their troubles.

Jiang Yanci lay sprawled on the bed, drifting in and out of consciousness. He felt Jiang Yi helping him clean up, but halfway through, a burning body pressed against him once more.

The sun was technically up, but the Boss and the Landlord decided that sleep could wait.

Meanwhile, Xiao Zhao, who lived nearby, received a message just as she finished breakfast and was getting ready for work.

[Jiang Yi: No need to come in this morning. Something came up. Shop’s closed.]

Xiao Zhao stared at the message, bewildered.

[Xiao Zhao: Boss, is the afternoon appointment still on? Can you finish your business by then?]

Jiang Yi leaned back against the headboard shirtless, wearing only a pair of loose pajama pants.

Beside him, Jiang Yanci was sleeping soundly on his stomach, his brow furrowing occasionally as if he were dreaming.

Jiang Yanci’s words before falling asleep echoed in his ears: “With skills like that, being ‘friends with benefits’ is a total steal for me.”

Jiang Yi instinctively reached for his cigarettes, but seeing the smooth, fair curve of Jiang Yanci’s back out of the corner of his eye, he paused. He tucked the cigarette back in and tossed the pack into the drawer.

[Jiang Yi: I’ll be done. 3:00 PM.]

Relieved, Xiao Zhao re-confirmed the time with the afternoon client. Since she didn’t have to go in early, the girl crawled back into bed to scroll through her phone and catch some more Z’s.

But…

Jiang Yi had handled Xiao Zhao. He had not handled his nephew, Jiang Xi.

Jiang Xi stood at the shop entrance, knocking several times to no avail. He tried calling his uncle—no answer. Then he called Xiao Zhao.

“The Boss said something came up this morning; the shop won’t open until the afternoon,” Xiao Zhao said, the sound of her crunching on an ice pop coming through the phone. “Are you playing hooky again?”

“No, I just got back from the hospital. I was going to grab a free lunch at the shop before heading to school.”

“Then just let yourself in. You know where the key is. I’m off this morning, so I’m definitely not coming over to open up for you.”

A worker’s soul is a sacred thing, and that soul dictates that if you aren’t required to be at your post, you stay as far away as possible. Since she didn’t have to be there until the afternoon, she was going to arrive exactly on the dot. Not a minute sooner.

Under Xiao Zhao’s direction, Jiang Xi found the key, raised the rolling shutter, and pushed through the glass door inside.

The shop was bright. He spotted the shoes by the door and perked up—Aha! His big brother was here.

Jiang Xi ran excitedly to the second floor. Seeing the guest room door open, he called out, “Big brother…”

The room was empty, but the phone and other gear were all there. It didn’t look like he’d left.

Jiang Xi stood there, confused. Then, he heard movement coming from the master bedroom across the small second-floor lounge.

Jiang Xi: “…”

Didn’t Xiao Zhao say his uncle was busy? Was his uncle’s idea of “busy” just sleeping in?!

Jiang Xi rubbed his neck and turned around stiffly. Through a crack in the door, someone was getting dressed.

“You’re like a dog,” came his big brother’s voice.

Holy crap. His big brother slept in his uncle’s room last night. This was massive news!

“Sorry,” came his uncle’s voice.

“Let me apply some ointment for you?” another voice followed.

Jiang Xi rubbed his earlobe. Applying ointment? The “biting” must have been pretty serious.

Right then, the master bedroom door swung wide open.

Jiang Yanci’s eyes twitched violently, and he let out a loud, visceral curse.

Jiang Yi was fast, reaching behind him to slam the bedroom door shut.

Only then did Jiang Yanci look at the two of them. Thank God they were fully dressed—no indecent exposure to traumatize the youth.

Jiang Yi’s face was slightly darkened. He pushed Jiang Yanci back behind him and stepped out to talk to Jiang Xi. “What are you doing here?”

“I just got back from the hospital. Came to scrounge a meal,” Jiang Xi said blankly. “Uncle, why was Big Brother sleeping in your room?”

Hearing this, Jiang Yi’s expression soured even further. “Where’s your mom?”

Jiang Fang was supposed to be on the night shift at the hospital. It turned out Jiang Xi had gone instead.

“She didn’t go gambling,” Jiang Xi explained quickly. “She’s just been sleeping at the hospital. I didn’t feel right about it, so I went to keep watch.”

Jiang Yi’s expression softened a fraction.

Suddenly, Jiang Xi’s blank look vanished, replaced by his usual mischievous grin. He nudged his uncle suggestively. “Uncle, did Big Brother finally catch you?”

Jiang Yi gave him a cold sideways glance. “None of your business.”

“Of course it’s my business! If you land Big Brother, he’ll definitely take my job search seriously after graduation. I’ll be a shoe-in for the pro-gaming scene!”

“Uncle, for the sake of your nephew’s future career, just make a sacrifice. Sell yourself a bit. Once I start making the big bucks, I’ll buy you back from Big Brother’s clutches.”

Jiang Yi’s face went even colder. “Gee, thanks.”

Jiang Xi didn’t even think before firing back, “Don’t mention it, it’s the least I could—Oof! Uncle, why’d you kick me?”

“Get lost and go to school,” Jiang Yi said flatly.

Jiang Xi finally realized his uncle was actually annoyed and didn’t want to talk about it. He backed away slowly, turned at the top of the stairs, and bolted down two steps at a time. Halfway down, he poked his head back up. “I still don’t get it. There are two beds; why did Big Brother have to sleep in your room, in your bed?”

Jiang Yi wasn’t actually going to chase him. “Your brother’s hand is hurt. He can’t move it.”

The lightbulb finally went off for Jiang Xi. “Oh, now I get it! I heard from Xiao Zhao. Uncle, how’s Big Brother’s hand doing?”

“It’s fine. Just needs regular check-ups,” Jiang Yi said curtly.

Jiang Xi regained his cheeky grin. “My uncle isn’t an animal; he definitely wouldn’t take advantage of someone while they’re down. Uncle, I’m heading to school. I’ll go back to the hospital tonight.”

Jiang Yi frowned. “I’ll go tonight. You stay home and get some sleep.”

Jiang Xi pursed his lips. “Then I’ll come help you mind the shop in case any customers come by to make appointments.”

Knowing the boy could be stubborn, Jiang Yi conceded. “Do whatever you want.”

Jiang Xi grabbed his backpack and sprinted off.

Only then did Jiang Yanci walk out of the room. He was clearly holding back a laugh, his eyes dancing with amusement. “Your nephew’s assessment of you is a bit off. He clearly doesn’t know you that well.”

He was referring to the “my uncle isn’t an animal” comment.

Jiang Yi: “…”

He walked over concernedly. “How’s your hand?”

Jiang Yanci shook his head. “It’s fine. You were pretty wild last night, but you were actually quite gentle and considerate with my hand.”

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