The Gloomy Overseas Student Rewards His Hubby With Some Thirst Traps - Chapter 22

Chapter 22

Snap.

In his frantic struggling, Yu Yanshuang accidentally hit the bathroom switch. The light cut out, plunging the entire room into darkness.

The next second, his flailing hands were caught by a rough, broad palm. They were easily pinned behind his back, and he was pressed forward, feeling a powerful force against his spine.

Bang!

Yu Yanshuang was slammed against the wall with a dull thud, but he didn’t feel any pain. In the darkness, it turned out that Sane’s burning, solid arm had shielded him from the impact against the cold tiles.

The arm moved up quickly, and his jaw was suddenly clamped by two fingers—likely the thumb and index finger. He was caught in the crook of Sane’s hand, forced to tilt his head back.

The rough, hard calluses on the fingers chafed his cheek painfully. Yu Yanshuang couldn’t help but frown, instinctively parting his lips. His breath mingled almost tangibly with the man’s above him. The pungent scent of vodka seemed to pour into his mouth, threatening to make him tipsy by proximity alone.

In this position, the two were pressed extremely close. The back of Yu’s shirt was being dampened by the wet fabric of Sane’s chest.

It felt like the first time they met at Rodney’s mansion, where Sane had held him from behind, and like the first time at the hotel, where Sane had pinned him to the soft bed. This time, he was being held like a prisoner in Sane’s arms, with that familiar, powerful thigh pinning his own legs so he couldn’t budge.

Yu Yanshuang let out a low whimper from the back of his throat, born of sheer terror.

“Sane! I’m Yu Yanshuang! You promised me—you have to listen to me! Do as I say! Tell me the deepest secrets in your heart!”

Yu Yanshuang reminded him in a panic, even as his phone, lying on the floor, continued to loop the recording of Sane’s promise.

Their voices overlapped—the mature man’s deep baritone and the slender boy’s clear, crisp voice—interweaving in the echoing bathroom like a vow being taken in a solemn cathedral.

Sane let out a soft chuckle. “How could I ever say something so subservient? Where did you get such a fake video, you bad boy?”

Yu Yanshuang’s eyes widened. He had planned everything so perfectly—getting Sane drunk and making him record the video. He hadn’t expected Sane to simply forget who he was! He was clearly so drunk he couldn’t stand straight, yet he was controlling him with such strength.

Wait… is this guy faking being drunk?!

“Sane! If you’re faking this to lie to me, I swear, I’ll kill you!” Yu Yanshuang suddenly remembered something and threatened fiercely: “I have photos on my phone that you’re terrified of leaking! If you dare touch me, I’ll ruin your reputation instantly!”

Sane sneered. His thumb brushed roughly across Yu Yanshuang’s lips, bruising the soft flesh. “What a wicked mouth. I didn’t drink at all; how could I be drunk?”

Okay, Sane is definitely drunk! Only a drunkard says they aren’t!

Yu Yanshuang was going out of his mind. Why was it that since the first time he gained the upper hand, he had been firmly suppressed by Sane every single time? Weren’t they supposed to be “pleasing” him? Why did Sane keep bullying him?

Yu Yanshuang felt a wave of pitiful grievance. Why…

Sane refused to let go, and he refused to look at the photos on the phone. They were at a stalemate. In the silent, dark bathroom, their breathing grew louder. Because Sane’s thumb never stopped its agitation, moving over Yu’s lips, some ambiguous, wet sounds filled the air.

In a fit of shame and rage, Yu Yanshuang bit down on Sane’s thumb.

This actually made Sane stop, but Yu Yanshuang could no longer speak to negotiate. Because Sane’s joints were so large, Yu’s lips were stretched wide, and he couldn’t control the saliva beginning to leak.

Yu Yanshuang cursed his own stupidity. He wanted to bite harder but was afraid of actually severing the finger—what if Sane couldn’t play football anymore? As soon as that thought appeared, he felt he was far too kind-hearted. Sensing Sane trying to push his finger deeper, Yu quickly spat it out.

“Hey! Sane, don’t go too far!” Yu Yanshuang shouted, though the words carried zero threat.

Sane suddenly released him. He reached out and flipped the light switch. The massive amount of near 120-proof spirits was making Sane’s ears ring. The sound of the video on the phone was starting to drown out the boy’s clear voice. Hearing his own voice irritated him. “So noisy. Turn off the video.”

Gaining his freedom, Yu Yanshuang raised a hand to block the light until he could see the state of the bathroom. Everything on the vanity had been knocked to the floor. Sane, leaning against the counter, looked like he was having an allergic reaction—the chest exposed by his half-torn shirt was flushed red, a color that was spreading up to his neck.

Sane’s grey eyes were indeed hazy. Yu Yanshuang could tell he was severely intoxicated; he was barely standing and needed the counter for support.

Yu Yanshuang’s eyes lit up. Sane is holding on by a thread!

He knew it! His plan was right!

Right now, Sane wasn’t like he was the last time he was drunk—pliant and easy to drag around. He was probably waiting for the next wave of alcohol to hit. I need to stall for time and keep him talking.

Yu Yanshuang immediately picked up his phone, scrolled through the evidence, and showed Sane the leverage he had.

“Look! This is the photo of you holding me and forcing a kiss on me! And this is the one where you forced me to arch my chest for you to touch! You pervert! That’s why you’re here to confess tonight,” Yu Yanshuang said righteously.

He decided there was no need to show Sane the photos where he was bullying Sane. They were all more or less the same, and he didn’t want to provoke this drunkard.

Sane’s cold, defensive expression flickered. He frowned and replied, “That can’t be me. How disgusting. Why would I kiss and hold a man?”

As he spoke, he stared intently at Yu Yanshuang, not missing a single flicker of emotion. He realized he had scared the little guy last time. It was obvious Yu Yanshuang had started avoiding him, so he was surprised when the boy agreed to see him again.

He had to seize this opportunity. He had to confirm if the little guy actually had a reaction to men. To make the little guy believe he wasn’t gay, he had even taken a certain medication before drinking—one that “damaged a man’s dignity” (suppressed arousal). After all, “relieving” himself beforehand hadn’t worked; the person in front of him only had to do a little something, and he would still have an uncontrollable, violent response.

During this time, Sane had focused on Yu Yanshuang more than any hobby or any academic course. If Sane were a computer, he was currently dedicating all his processing power to Yu Yanshuang. He had even used “programs” (meds) to lock down his physical reactions, leaving only a heart that needed to beat and the surging blood waiting for Yu Yanshuang’s response.

Yu Yanshuang was incredibly frustrated. How could Sane forget everything when he was drunk? And why was his guard still so high? He hadn’t expected Sane to deny the photos. Now what? He couldn’t win a fight, and he couldn’t threaten him.

Because the bathroom was cramped compared to the room, being forced against the wall by the tall, powerful Sane made Yu Yanshuang feel claustrophobic. It felt like he would touch Sane if he moved even an inch, like he was locked in a cage.

Yu Yanshuang protested: “Not only did you kiss and hold me, you even got… hard for me! That’s exactly why you need to confess!” He crossed his arms and continued, “It’s fine if you’ve forgotten because you’re drunk. I can describe every detail to you.”

Sane curled his lip, looking down at him. “The more you talk, the more ridiculous it sounds. I don’t need to listen. Just try it yourself. I want to see exactly how you make me ‘hard.’ If you’re lying, I’ll punish you.”

Yu Yanshuang froze on the spot. Again… again?!

“A way you’ll definitely be afraid of,” Sane’s deep voice and massive physical presence closed in on Yu Yanshuang. A chill ran down Yu’s spine.

He… he… Yu Yanshuang bit his lip. He wasn’t stupid. There was no reward for proving it. He said reluctantly, “Then… then if you don’t believe me, just let me go!”

He didn’t want to touch a man’s body ever again. He said “let me go,” but he didn’t dare turn his back to open the door. His intuition told him that leaving his back exposed to Sane would lead to something terrifying.

Sane crossed his arms and lifted a leg, easily bracing it against the door. This move effectively trapped Yu Yanshuang between his legs. The two were pressed extremely close. At this distance, Yu Yanshuang had to tilt his head even further back to see Sane’s face.

Sane looked down and said, “You can’t do it, can you? Since that’s the case…”

Before he could finish, Yu Yanshuang jumped in fright, dropping his phone. Even then, he took a moment to glance down at the phone. Seeing the screen face-down, his heart ached for a second—what if the screen cracked?

Just for a second. Then he felt the burning body approaching him.

Yu Yanshuang hurriedly placed both hands on Sane’s shoulders, trying to block him while speaking rapidly: “You can’t punish me! I’ll do it! Just you watch! I’m waiting for the moment you realize how perverted you are and burst into tears!”

It was just doing it one more time. Compared to a “scary unknown punishment,” Yu Yanshuang knew which to choose.

His hands slid down. Sane’s shirt was already torn open by him. The man’s body was so hot that Yu Yanshuang felt like his palms were resting on iron blocks filled with lava.

The texture feels different from last time. Is Sane nervous?

Sane’s whole body was tense, making his muscles feel like stone. Yu Yanshuang steeled his heart and reached for the spot most likely to provoke a reaction.

Perhaps because he was too nervous, his grip was a bit heavy, and his fingertips were stiff. Last time, Sane had been full of shame and rage, and Yu Yanshuang’s mind had been filled with mischief. But this time, Sane was looking down at him with cold, merciless scrutiny. The only flush on his body was from the alcohol; there wasn’t a hint of shame on his face. Instead, because of the shadows cast by the lights, he looked full of raw, naked aggression.

Yu Yanshuang was so scared his hands were shaking. Sane was mostly soaked, making every contour of his body visible. Thus, Yu Yanshuang could easily tell if Sane was affected by his actions.

He lowered his lashes and glanced down several times. His heart grew more frantic, and his movements became rougher.

Sane’s voice was icy: “You’re lying.”

Yu Yanshuang parted his reddened lips in shock. How can this be?

He looked up at Sane. Sane’s face didn’t have a trace of that “innocent” look from before. Instead, Yu Yanshuang felt like a little servant working hard to please his master. A high-and-mighty master who wouldn’t grant a shred of pity to this poor little servant trying to prove himself.

Fearful that Sane would actually punish him, the “servant” desperately wanted to prove his ability. He steeled himself and went for the area that should have a reaction. He knew what it was supposed to be like—after all, he had been terrified last time—but now it was completely different.

Yu Yanshuang completely panicked. He even started trying to undo Sane’s belt.

Sane finally raised a hand and grabbed both of Yu Yanshuang’s wrists. Using only a fraction of his strength, he pinned the slender wrists together against the wall with one hand.

Yu Yanshuang was forced to arch his chest, even having to stand on his tiptoes to be slightly more comfortable. His voice began to tremble: “It’s not right… it’s not right… it must be the alcohol!”

“Don’t they say men can’t… perform when they’ve been drinking?” Yu Yanshuang tried to explain.

Even though the medication kept Sane physically calm, wicked, uncontrollable, and wild thoughts were surging up in his mind. Specifically, he had already seen the snow-white body beneath Yu Yanshuang’s clothes. Even though Yu was bundled up today, it couldn’t stop Sane’s memories.

He leaned down, mesmerized, bringing his face close to Yu Yanshuang’s, wanting to be near him. The height difference was so great he had to bend his back. The muscles in his back bulged like a fierce lion’s, but his gaze was like a cold, venomous snake—lingering, sticky, and damp against Yu’s face.

Yu Yanshuang turned his head away in fear, exposing his pale neck where the artery was pulsing rapidly. Blue veins wound across the extremely fair skin, the contrast against his black hoodie making Sane want to bury his face there and bite down.

If only Yu Yanshuang were an Omega from those novels. He would pour his pheromones into that soft cavity in the neck until it was overflowing and saturated with his scent. Sane suppressed the impulse in his body, but his grip on Yu’s wrists tightened uncontrollably.

Yu’s wrists hurt terribly. His eyes reddened with fear as he whispered, “Brother Sane, Brother Sane, let me go… please let me go!”

The large, broad fingers loosened slightly.

The next second, they tightened even further, gripping the fragile wrists with a ferocity that seemed determined to meld the two people into one. The thin shoulders shook with terror. His uncut black hair clung obediently to his cheeks. He looked so small and pitiful.

But Sane knew where the softest parts of this “bad boy” were. The waist was incredibly soft and sensitive. Last time, when he held him on his lap, the soft curves had been squeezed against his hard thighs.

Sane’s breathing grew heavier. Yu Yanshuang’s earlobes were also soft—round, small, and white as jade. They were making Sane lose his mind.

And he was indeed losing it.

His other hand reached out and pinched them without hesitation. His gaze fell darkly on Yu Yanshuang’s swollen, red lips. He imagined if the places he had never touched would become equally red and swollen from his rough handling.

Even though Yu Yanshuang was wearing a thick black hoodie today, being held and touched by a man through the clothes still felt incredibly shameful.

Hot tears pooled in those black eyes that usually sparkled with mischief, rolling down to his temples and disappearing into his soft hair. The emotions of fear and humiliation intertwined. He couldn’t escape; he could only cry helplessly.

Sane unconsciously softened his voice, coaxing him in a low tone: “Bad boy, why are you crying? It’s just my turn now. Let’s see who the gay one really is.”

Despite the coaxing, his large hand wasn’t satisfied. It slipped wickedly beneath the hem of the hoodie.

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Yu Yanshuang’s pleas for mercy suddenly stopped. Sane stared coldly at his face, not missing a single reaction. He couldn’t help but remember the first time he saw Yu Yanshuang. It was the start of sophomore year. Yu was carrying a backpack with a cold, distant face. He looked unapproachable, but his eyes were vacant and unfocused. He hadn’t even noticed Sane when they passed.

It was the same now. The difference was that at this moment, even though Yu Yanshuang was dazed, his black eyes only held Sane’s reflection.

The next second, Sane clearly saw Yu’s tears falling more frequently. The trembling eyelashes squeezed out a large tear with every blink. Sane frowned, seeing Yu’s expression turn very strange, as if he were enduring something.

Is it that disgusting?

Was a simple touch enough to make him feel that disgusted?

Because it hurt too much, Yu Yanshuang instinctively bent his body to hide, but in doing so, he delivered himself right into Sane’s embrace. The mature man’s body completely enveloped the black-haired youth. From behind, one could only see the trembling black hair. The youth’s head rested on the broad shoulder, his face buried in the solid chest, silently weeping. They looked like they were in a tender embrace.

Yu Yanshuang gritted his teeth against the pain and tried to remind him: “Sane, enough! Have you forgotten your faith? It’s not too late to stop!”

Sane’s expression shifted from fascination with Yu’s face to something increasingly grim. If just now it was Yu Yanshuang urgently trying to prove Sane was gay by touching places he never wanted to touch again, now it was Sane urgently trying to prove Yu Yanshuang was gay by ignoring the infinite pity rising in his heart and pushing further.

Sane’s voice was firm: “Faith? Who told you to provoke me first? Every photo you showed me violates my faith. What about you? Do you have a faith?”

Yu Yanshuang’s mind went blank. This was a territory he had never entered, and it felt terrifyingly foreign. His chin was tilted high, his slender neck looking like a dying swan crying for help.

“Little guy, do you like men? If you don’t, why did you take so many intimate photos of us?” Sane’s handsome face drew close to Yu’s, trying to force him to make eye contact. His voice was gentle, but his hand continued to test Yu’s boundaries.

The expensive black CK waistband had become loose because Yu Yanshuang didn’t have the money to buy new ones.

“Sane, I don’t like men! I only took those photos to disgust you! I hate you! I actually loathe you!!”

Accompanying Yu Yanshuang’s terrified voice, Sane didn’t even need strength. With a gentle hook of his finger, there was a gap large enough for him to enter. This statement made Sane even angrier. He didn’t realize how much strength he was using; he was nearly crushing Yu’s wrist.

Yu Yanshuang’s eyes widened. Before he could adapt to the strange sensation, it was followed by even more pain! Impossible… impossible! Do gay people actually like this?

He began to kick Sane’s thighs in pain, but he ignored the hardness of the bone. Instead, his struggling only caused him more pain. Yu Yanshuang finally began to howl in agony: “Let me go, let me go! Sane, are you sick?!”

Sane instinctively pulled him into his arms. Feeling the hot tears against his chest, he allowed Yu to beat his back with his fists while still trying to prove his point.

What’s going on… what’s going on…

Would a real straight man react like this? Was something wrong with Yu Yanshuang?

Sane was out of control. Even though he knew this action would expose his orientation, he pityingly kissed away the tears falling from Yu’s eyes.

“Yu Yanshuang, what is going on?” Sane kissed the tears, whispering, “Can you just not… perform?”

Yu Yanshuang couldn’t push Sane away; hitting Sane’s back only made his own palms hurt. Right now, his lips hurt, his chest hurt, further down hurt, and his heart ached. He was “dirty” now. He couldn’t even find a girlfriend anymore.

Realizing that Sane was actually “eating” his tears, the intimacy of the action terrified him. In a total breakdown, Yu Yanshuang raised his hand and swung it hard against Sane’s approaching face.

Slap.

The crisp sound of the slap echoed in the bathroom. It was harder than any strike before, carrying with it endless grievance. Sane didn’t feel the pain, but he was stunned into silence. No one had ever slapped his face before.

As soon as he did it, Yu Yanshuang regretted it. Crap, crap, is Sane actually going to kill me now?

Sane let go and took a step back. This allowed Yu to finally catch his breath; he had almost forgotten to breathe out of fear. He tightened the drawstring on his pants, tying a double knot as if this final defensive line would keep him safe.

Yu Yanshuang looked up and immediately shouted at Sane: “You’re the one who can’t perform! Didn’t you want to try? Are you clear now? Who’s the gay one?!”

Sane felt a sense of defeat unlike any he had ever known.

When he discovered he was attracted to the same sex at twelve, he couldn’t tell anyone. He became obsessed with boxing—a violent sport of flesh against bone. Boxing allowed him to vent his inner rage. He beat person after person until they were bruised, bloody, and missing teeth. He suffered his own injuries too—broken ribs, a period of near-blindness—but it allowed him to calmly accept the fact that he was a “traitor to his faith.”

From that day on, Sane never bowed his head in prayer when the priest spoke. He would simply think about what kind of boy he would fall for while everyone else hummed their devout chants. Various men threw themselves at him, but Sane drove them away with disgust, which led to his reputation as a homophobe.

This pleased Sane’s father greatly. His father would speak with hatred about how disgusting gay people were and relentlessly suppressed LGBTQ+ marches.

That Governor is a disgusting gay man? Replace him. That officer touched a man in the ranks? Replace him. His own son is gay? It was obvious what the result would be.

Sane knew he had to plan for himself. While his father was still in his prime, Sane, even as a novice who hadn’t mastered the family business, began his ambitious plan to erode his father’s commercial, political, and military empires. Now, at only 20, he was already an equal match for his 43-year-old father. His father was getting old; it was time for him to step down.

Sane had never known failure. Whatever he planned to get, he got.

Yu Yanshuang watched as Sane’s gaze grew colder, the emotions in his eyes swirling more intensely. He instinctively glanced down at his “most important area” to confirm its safety. Realizing it was safe, Yu guessed he had misinterpreted what the “desire” in Sane’s eyes was.

Without a word, Sane pulled open the bathroom door. The carving of The Rape of Proserpina flashed by before Sane roughly ripped it off and threw it into the trash can.

Thump!

The expensive replica, which a master craftsman had rushed to finish in hours, was discarded like garbage.

Yu Yanshuang’s heart pounded. He couldn’t understand the source of Sane’s anger. Was it because he failed to prove his theory and felt embarrassed? But he didn’t dare provoke Sane further. He desperately wanted to shower and wash himself clean, but he didn’t even dare to do that.

Yu Yanshuang bent down to pick up his phone, barely making a sound. Then he slowly walked out. He saw Sane sitting broadly in a leather chair, his thick arms resting on his thighs. Even though the living room was spacious, Sane was an unignorable mass of shadow.

Even though he was soaked and the red flush was spreading up his face, his sharp eyes remained fixed on Yu, never wavering for a second. His clothes were messy and wrinkled, but his aura hadn’t diminished—if anything, it was even stronger.

Yu Yanshuang froze, clutching his phone, not knowing what to say. He really couldn’t tell if Sane was drunk or not. Walking out of the bathroom felt like being rescued.

“Still not leaving?” Sane said coldly.

Yu Yanshuang felt as if he had been granted a divine pardon. He strode toward the door to freedom. As he passed Sane, he whispered one last thing: “I am not a disgusting gay man.”

Seeing Sane reach out toward him, Yu almost screamed. He snatched his backpack off the floor and bolted.

Bang.

The door slammed shut, cutting off this incredibly unpleasant “confession.”

Sane’s dorm became as quiet as if nothing had happened. He pulled up the recorded video and watched Yu Yanshuang’s expression over and over, as if trying to find a different emotion. Regardless of Yu’s motive for approaching him, the boy had kissed him, hugged him, and even sat obediently in his lap.

How could he have no reaction to a man? Or was it that he loathed Sane so much that he had zero response? Sane’s expression grew increasingly dark.

…

Yu Yanshuang ran all the way back to his dorm. It was after 10 PM. Many students at parties hadn’t returned, and the ones grinding in the library weren’t back yet, so the path was mostly empty. He didn’t care if anyone saw him in his disheveled state.

Once inside his dorm, he threw on several locks before finally exhaling. He leaned his forehead against the door, panting heavily, while his mind replayed everything that happened in the bathroom.

“Yu?”

A sudden voice made Yu Yanshuang nearly jump out of his skin. He looked back in terror and saw it was Garcia. He instantly collapsed into a heap on the floor.

Garcia asked curiously, “Why do you look like this?”

Yu Yanshuang paused, clutching his collar. “Got into a fight. You know, those Chinese international students don’t like me.”

When he first arrived, Yu Yanshuang was guarded against everyone. Garcia didn’t know what he had been through until he happened to see several rich Chinese students mocking Yu. They had ended up in a brawl. Garcia didn’t know what they were saying because they used Chinese, but he saw the expression on Yu’s face—he was so angry that even though he was outnumbered, he kept getting back up to fight. The students had been scared by his desperation, and Garcia had stepped in to remind them that brawling would get them expelled.

Garcia looked him over. He didn’t see any wounds, except his lips looked a bit red and swollen.

Yu Yanshuang waved him off. “I ran fast.”

When he caught his breath and looked at Garcia, he froze. He pointed at Garcia’s neck. “Who… who tried to choke you? Who did it?! Let’s get them!”

Garcia, fresh out of the shower, immediately draped a towel around his neck to hide the marks. His breathing grew heavy. He stood there stiffly for a long time before forcing a smile. “It’s nothing, Yu. I have something very important to tell you.” He sat on his bed and signaled for Yu to sit.

Yu Yanshuang breathed out. He was dirty and didn’t want to touch his bed, so he dragged the wooden stool from the desk over. As he moved, Garcia secretly pulled out his phone and dialed Rodney.

Over the past week on the cruise ship, Garcia had seen how corrupt, decadent, and absurd the privileged class could be. And… Rodney clearly hadn’t given up on Yu Yanshuang. Rich playboys like him never stop until they get what they want.

Rodney hadn’t explained why he didn’t just move in himself, but instead wanted Garcia to tell Yu Yanshuang how “terrifying” Sane was. Driving a wedge…

Garcia easily guessed why Rodney had left that dinner. Because Sane had forbidden Rodney from hitting on Yu Yanshuang. Garcia knew Yu was straight and that Rodney would never succeed, but Rodney was convinced Yu liked him. His proof was the day in the dorm when Yu had purposely said his cup was touched. Garcia didn’t dare tell Rodney that he and Yu had planned that to scam him for money.

For Garcia, the good news was that this cruise trip had secured his tuition and living expenses for the whole year. The bad news was that it had shattered his values. Being leashed like a dog, mocked by rich heirs, and used as a clown to entertain socialites—Garcia had wanted to leave after the first day. But Rodney said if he helped him, Rodney would provide resources and connections to make him an international designer. He hadn’t hesitated to say yes. He hadn’t even asked what the task was.

Then Rodney told him to find out the nature of Yu and Sane’s relationship, monitor their every move, and badmouth Sane to Yu. Garcia told himself he wouldn’t lie—Sane was someone you didn’t mess with. He had to balance it perfectly. Rodney was listening on the other end, and if he messed up, he’d face consequences.

Yu Yanshuang sat on the stool and took a deep breath. “Garcia, even though I’m not happy about you liking me, I wouldn’t have adapted to life abroad this fast without you.” He clasped his hands and asked seriously, “Who hit you? We’ll go jump them tonight. Just in case—do you have a gun?”

This was America; things could escalate to a shootout. He didn’t have time to wonder if Sane was really drunk. Last time Sane was drunk, he was sometimes normal and sometimes not. Maybe Sane just had “good drunk manners”—he stayed calm rather than going crazy, but his memory would still be gone. He turned his focus to Garcia. Garcia had helped him, and he had never repaid the favor.

Garcia looked stunned and let out a dry laugh. If I wasn’t gay, Yu and I could be friends. But he loved this Chinese boy; they could never be just friends. Even knowing he would never be loved back, he was uncontrollably attracted to him. But after today, Garcia knew it was over. He was going to lose Yu Yanshuang, even though he never had him.

Garcia rubbed his knees awkwardly. I’m sorry, Yu…

Yu Yanshuang noticed Garcia’s face was a bit puffy. This wasn’t the Garcia who loved to dress up and groom himself. Garcia wouldn’t let himself look like this. He realized Garcia was wearing long-sleeved pajamas that covered everything. When they first moved in, Garcia wore things that were “transparently sexy”—back then, Yu was very repulsed by him.

“Was it Rodney? He said his bed…”

Garcia interrupted quickly, “No, it wasn’t. It was my fault. When I was on the cruise…” He paused, his face turning grey. “I hooked up with another rich guy. He liked… bondage. I’m not hurt, I just didn’t want to scare you.”

Yu Yanshuang breathed a sigh of relief, though the memory of the pain in the bathroom made him think Garcia’s marks must hurt more. He frowned in confusion. “Do all you gay people like pain?”

“Uh… of course not. Why would you say that? Men can find pleasure in different ways, for example…”

Yu quickly interrupted: “Okay, okay, I don’t want the details. What did you want to tell me?”

Garcia took a deep breath, his hands trembling. He looked conflicted for a few seconds.

Buzz…

His phone vibrated. He gritted his teeth and began, as Rodney required: “I wasn’t trying to pry into your relationship with Sane. But I heard some bad things about him. I overheard them from Rodney. For your safety, I think I should tell you.”

“First, I have to ask: how did you meet Sane? Did you offend him?” Garcia asked.

Oh, I offended him deeply…

Yu Yanshuang had a million questions about Sane he couldn’t figure out. He wanted to ask Garcia, but he didn’t dare. He found it strange—why was everyone suddenly coming to him with “info” on Sane? Why was Sane’s reputation so clean before that no one mentioned his secrets?

Garcia saw the hesitation and knew they weren’t close enough to share secrets.

Buzz…

Garcia clutched his stomach as if in pain, biting his lip until it nearly bled. Yu Yanshuang looked lost. “What’s wrong? Garcia? Your phone keeps ringing.”

Garcia spoke quickly: “Right, someone’s looking for me. But your situation is more urgent. If you don’t want to tell me about you and Sane, that’s fine.” He took a long breath and said with a trembling voice, “Yu, Sane is very vengeful. I heard his favorite method is to lift you up to the heavens before dragging you down to hell. Do you know Ike?”

Yu Yanshuang blinked. That’s it? He thought it would be something big. It turned out no one had a secret as terrifying as the one he held.

Was being “vengeful” supposed to be a big deal? Besides, Sane couldn’t get revenge on him. He had bullied Sane like that, and Sane couldn’t even bring himself to hit him that day. Even today, Sane only touched him because he was drunk and wanted to prove he was gay. When it came to revenge, Yu clearly had more tricks; he was only suppressed by Sane because of the strength and height difference.

Pity I didn’t film it today. Otherwise, wouldn’t that be solid evidence to threaten him? He was so into touching a man. Yu gripped his phone.

Garcia said hurriedly, “Don’t be too nervous. Ike is gay—you aren’t. Ike tried to sneak a photo of Sane showering. Sane was prepared and kicked him down four flights of stairs. He broke his leg, and because he didn’t rest well, he can’t play sports anymore.”

Yu Yanshuang wasn’t nervous. He asked calmly, “Then why was Sane ‘merciful’ enough to let Ike stay in school? Ike is my colleague; I know him.”

“If he were expelled, it would be a mercy. But being kept here…” Garcia whispered, “Ike has to stay if he wants his degree, and he’s constantly bullied by Sane’s fans. On top of that, an athlete trying to graduate from UChicago on academics alone is a pipe dream. Isn’t it crueler to crush Ike’s hope like that?” He added self-mockingly, “People like us, when we run into the privileged… what can we do?”

Yu Yanshuang was confused. “Then why did the news say Ike was using drugs?”

Garcia said, “Sane’s reputation is vital to the Bass family. How could they let a scandal about him and a gay man leak? Don’t you know? Half of the media and advertising companies in the US belong to the Basses. And now Sane controls those companies.”

Yu Yanshuang’s face went pale. So that’s it… that’s why Sane’s reputation is so good.

He had to wonder: did Sane ever actually worry about the photos? They probably would have been deleted before he could even post them. So why did Sane act so obediently under his threats?

Yu Yanshuang felt like he was finally touching the truth. Garcia saw him swaying and felt a pang of pity, but he steeled himself and said: “Yu, I heard Sane is looking for someone who is selling information about him.”

He grabbed Yu’s shoulders and asked with concern, “Are you the ‘little rat’ Sane is trying to catch?”