I Was Forced into the Limelight After Pairing with a Top Star - Chapter 6

Lin Wang knocked twice. When there was no movement inside, he raised an eyebrow and pushed the door open.

The light in the room was very dim. The dark crimson-patterned curtains were drawn tightly together, making it impossible for Lin Wang to see the layout of the room at first. He had to grope through the darkness. A faint scent, similar to some kind of floral fragrance, wafted over. Lin Wang sniffed, closed the door behind him, and finally spotted a sofa in the corner. Chi Yuan was leaning against it, fiddling with his phone.

From Lin Wang’s perspective, Chi Yuan’s entire state was one of lazy relaxation, as if he had just woken up.

“I am here.” Because the environment was so quiet, Lin Wang deliberately lowered his voice. After speaking, he stood in place, waiting for Chi Yuan’s instructions.

Chi Yuan did not look up. His gaze remained fixed on the screen, his dark pupils reflecting a tiny bit of light. From Lin Wang’s angle, he could only see the man’s fair chin and a glimpse of his tight jawline.

Lin Wang had a clear understanding of his position. Chi Yuan had given him explicit instructions through that written contract. Every line of text conveyed the same message: for this year, every action Lin Wang took was subject to Chi Yuan’s permission.

Therefore, Lin Wang could only continue to stand there with his arms at his sides, watching the distant, silent Chi Yuan, who acted as if he had not even noticed him.

The air conditioning in the room was running non-stop. Lin Wang rubbed his fingers together. He was only wearing a short-sleeved shirt, and his exposed skin soon became cold. While pressing his arms against his body for warmth, he recalled the wardrobe Chi Yuan had prepared for him; it seemed to contain only short-sleeved T-shirts.

Even when Lin Wang’s mind wandered, his eyes remained focused, looking as though he were being attentive and diligent. This was a trick he used to fool people he was too lazy to socialize with.

However, the skill he had refined in the social arena failed him today. Chi Yuan suddenly put down his phone and turned his head as if he could see right through Lin Wang’s thoughts. Those beautiful eyes, which Lin Wang had praised in his heart several times, looked at him without any emotion.

Being stared at by a man six years his junior made an inexplicable sense of guilt rise in Lin Wang’s heart. His hand, resting against his leg, quickly brushed against the fabric of his trousers. He took a light breath, hooked the corner of his mouth in a nonchalant smile, and nodded at Chi Yuan as a greeting.

Chi Yuan did not respond to his friendly gesture. His posture against the sofa was lazy but not relaxed. This made it impossible for Lin Wang to fully relax his own back; he could only tighten his shoulders slightly, maintaining a decent but uncomfortable posture.

Self-identity is slowly eroded by small, insignificant details. At first, the pain is so mild that Lin Wang could not even perceive it.

The room was too dark. His sense of sight was minimized, causing his other senses to be amplified by his subconscious. Lin Wang could clearly hear the thin, sharp tick of the second hand from the wall clock behind him. It felt as if it were grabbing his ears, sternly and effectively emphasizing the passage of time.

Standing there began to feel like an unsettling punishment.

Eyes can express many emotions before a physical touch occurs: avoidance, helplessness, indifference, cowardice, and oppression. Those accustomed to manipulation love to use their gaze as an appetizer, causing the victim to shift from calm to restless until they lose their hard-won rationality and become passive prey.

Chi Yuan stared coldly into Lin Wang’s eyes. Accompanied by the repetitive ticking of the clock, his gaze moved extremely slowly down to the corners of Lin Wang’s smiling mouth, capturing the slight roll of his Adam’s apple, before finally returning to those steady eyes.

The curve of Lin Wang’s mouth gradually vanished. It had been a long time since he had been in such a passive position, being scrutinized from head to toe. He was not used to it. Fortunately, Lin Wang considered himself thick-skinned. If Chi Yuan wanted to look, he would let him.

Lin Wang relaxed his arms slightly. Ignoring the strange sensation rooted deep in his heart, he opened himself up, ready to accept Chi Yuan’s scrutiny.

“Come here.”

Those two simple, effective words lightly broke Lin Wang’s composure. In the long-silent room, Chi Yuan’s captivating voice had a cold, hard texture like ice.

His recently relaxed body tensed up again. Understanding that he was at the other man’s mercy, Lin Wang said nothing. He stepped through the darkness and walked to stand opposite Chi Yuan. This feeling of being suspended in emotional limbo felt familiar to him.

A sheet of paper made an uncomfortable rustling sound as it was picked up. Lin Wang looked down at Chi Yuan’s hand. The back of the hand was very white, and the neatly trimmed nails were a pale pink. His long-fingered hand held a blank sheet of manuscript paper, giving off an indescribable sense of purity.

Lin Wang was staring a bit too intently. Chi Yuan let him look. At the moment Lin Wang was most lost in thought, Chi Yuan flicked his finger against the paper with a sharp “thwack.”

Aside from the clock, this was the second sound produced by an object in the room.

Lin Wang’s breathing tightened instantly. He watched as Chi Yuan let go, and the manuscript paper fluttered down onto the low glass coffee table in front of them.

Chi Yuan picked up a pen from the side. The veins on the back of his hand showed just the right amount of tension. He tossed it lightly; the tip of the pen hit the paper, creating a sharp, piercing sound in the quiet space.

Lin Wang frowned slightly. This third sound filled him with an inexplicable sense of resistance.

Chi Yuan leaned forward slightly, his body pressed against the sofa, his dark eyes staring straight at Lin Wang. He was patient, looking him up and down until Lin Wang began to feel restless. Only then did he lazily look down.

“Sit down.”

Lin Wang’s expression was hard to describe. He first looked at the tiny glass coffee table, which seemed more like a piece of art than a functional piece of furniture, and then at the small sheet of paper covering half of it. The corners of his mouth twitched unpleasantly as anger from being toyed with bubbled up in his chest.

Lin Wang took a deep breath and managed to restrain himself.

He had not come here to enjoy himself. No money in the world is free; this was the price he had to pay. So far, Lin Wang felt he was prepared and could accept it.

The coffee table was the type meant for a fruit plate or snacks; it was very small and very low. It was placed so close to the sofa that Chi Yuan could touch it by just reaching out. In fact, Chi Yuan’s knees were resting against the edge of the table.

Lin Wang stared at it for a few seconds, took a difficult breath, and finally chose to sit sideways to avoid his legs clashing with Chi Yuan’s long legs.

A man standing over 180 centimeters tall was now squeezed onto this tiny piece of paper on a low table that was not even as high as his shins. The entire scene was indescribably ridiculous and humiliating.

Artistic objects were often useless. Fearing he might shatter the glass table, Lin Wang had to tighten his thigh muscles, straighten his back, and plant his feet firmly on the ground. He supported his weight in an awkward, miserable posture. At his age, being in such a position made the tips of his ears feel hot and his heart fill with shame. However, he comforted himself with the thought that at least Chi Yuan had not made him kneel on the floor.

Just as Lin Wang’s heart began to settle, Chi Yuan suddenly raised a leg and pressed it against the bottom of the table, giving it a light shove. Lin Wang’s body immediately spun a small turn, and his knees were pressed together against Chi Yuan’s legs.

There were rollers under the coffee table. Because of the thick carpet in front of the sofa, Lin Wang had not noticed them when he sat down.

Chi Yuan’s face remained expressionless. His phoenix eyes were long and narrow, with double eyelids that tilted upward, making his cold, abstinent face appear both forbidden and alluring.

The emotions in his eyes were now hidden deep, as if he were restraining something. He stared directly at Lin Wang, and after a while, Lin Wang subconsciously began to tense up along with him.

The two were now face-to-face with almost no distance between them. Chi Yuan’s left knee was squeezed between Lin Wang’s two knees. It was a dangerous position that left Lin Wang completely passive.

Lin Wang was used to being the one in control and did not like this feeling. In fact, everything that had happened since he entered the door had precisely poked at every nerve of his discomfort.

But it was bearable.

Lin Wang’s brow twitched. He decided to simply spread his legs wide, resting his hands on the remaining surface of the table. He leaned his back slightly, as open and composed as he had been at the door.

Chi Yuan once again bypassed Lin Wang’s actions. He leaned down and took the black water-based pen that had just fallen near Lin Wang’s hand. His fingertips brushed against Lin Wang’s wrist; it was light and cold. Lin Wang’s fingers curled imperceptibly, his eyes following Chi Yuan’s movements.

Until now, Lin Wang had not realized that, aside from his first “I am here,” he had not been able to say a single word. It was as if an invisible thread had been attached to his body from the moment he entered, forcing his every move to follow a prearranged script.

Buzz, Buzz.

The phone rang abruptly. Lin Wang’s highly alert heart tightened. He looked at Chi Yuan.

Chi Yuan lifted his eyelids, his gaze landing on Lin Wang’s face with an unreadable expression. His voice was faint. “Answer it.”

The phone was by Chi Yuan’s left leg. When Lin Wang reached forward, his legs spread even wider. The moment he picked up the phone, Chi Yuan suddenly raised a leg and stepped onto the tiny table as if he were annoyed by the lack of space.

Lin Wang’s body stiffened. He looked up at the nonchalant Chi Yuan, his finger already pressing the answer button.

“Hello? Chi Yuan?” On the phone was a gentle, kind female voice that sounded somewhat older.

Lin Wang slowly sat upright again. His expression was subtle and his Adam’s apple rolled slightly, but his voice remained steady and deep, even carrying a hint of a smile. “Hello, Chi Yuan is not available. If you have a message, I can convey it to him.”

Qu Hua paused, hiding her inner surprise at hearing a stranger answer Chi Yuan’s private phone. She asked gently, “I appreciate that. May I ask who you are?”

Out of respect for the contract, Lin Wang kept his left hand by his side. The muscles in his pale, thin arm were so tense they were clearly outlined. As time passed, the veins on the back of his hand began to bulge. His fingernails dug into the glass surface of the table, slipping several times.

“I am his partner.” Lin Wang’s lips moved slightly. His back arched, and his eyes, which were gradually turning red, looked at Chi Yuan, who was looking down and reading the manuscript paper. Lin Wang waited for a signal, not even daring to breathe heavily.

The silence on the other end of the line was undoubtedly his greatest source of shame. Lin Wang took a light breath, frowning as he smiled. “I will have him call you back. He is not currently…”

Lin Wang gritted his teeth hard. Sweat broke out on his forehead. He clenched his palm into a tight fist and used his tensed thighs to support his body. His voice became hoarse. “My apologies, he is not here right now.”

“How should I address you?”

“Lin Wang.”

“Mr. Lin, if you are not busy, I would like to speak with you.”

Lin Wang took a deep breath. His vision became slightly blurred due to the voice in his ear and Chi Yuan’s gaze. He looked up and met Chi Yuan’s bottomless eyes. That mouth, which was so red that it constantly reminded Lin Wang of its texture, unhurriedly uttered two silent words.

“Continue.”

Lin Wang’s throat made a gulping sound. His overstimulated brain could not immediately tell if Chi Yuan meant he wanted to continue what he was doing or if he wanted Lin Wang to continue the call. Gripping the phone tightly, Lin Wang closed his eyes hard. His breathing was so unstable that his hand began to shake as if he had Parkinson’s disease.

He began to regret how easily he had sat on that table. In fact, he should not have entered this room at this time at all. Meanwhile, he continued to answer Qu Hua’s probing questions with professional, airtight responses.

“Mr. Lin, I am Chi Yuan’s private doctor. You may call me Doctor Qu.”

“Doctor Qu.” At some point, Lin Wang raised his hand to his face, pressing firmly against his brow and forehead where sweat was beginning to bead. His breathing became more frequent as his chest heaved.

“When did you arrive at the villa?”

“Not long ago.”

Lin Wang gradually lost the courage to look at Chi Yuan. Doctor Qu’s voice in his ear became unclear. Every response he gave was based on instinct. It felt as though another sense had enveloped him, allowing him to feel Chi Yuan’s naked, silent gaze even when he turned his head away.

Like a murderer observing the scene of a crime, Chi Yuan was relishing Lin Wang’s misery with great interest and no mercy.

Qu Hua’s voice was gentle and patient, as if they were just chatting. “Mr. Lin, has Chi Yuan ever done anything that made you feel uncomfortable?”

Uncomfortable behavior.

Lin Wang’s gaze flickered. What counted as uncomfortable behavior? Since he entered the door, every inch of his body felt as though it did not belong to him. Did that count?

After a long time, so long that Qu Hua had to repeat “Mr. Lin?” twice, Lin Wang licked his dry lips. He watched Chi Yuan change his sitting position. Suppressing the shame that made his neck feel as though it were on fire, he said hoarsely, “No.”

Qu Hua was silent for a few seconds before she asked seriously, “Mr. Lin, is Chi Yuan right there with you?”

Chi Yuan raised his left leg and stepped against the bottom of the table once more. Lin Wang’s body was forced to spin around, turning his back to Chi Yuan. His eyes caught a glimpse of the carpet. The battle-hardened Lin Wang could no longer bear to look; he closed his eyes tightly, his ears burning so hot they felt as though they might catch fire.