The Little Prince Failed to Seduce and Got Hooked Instead - Chapter 6

The weekend arrived with an overcast sky and a light, misty drizzle a classic London mood. Shen Yanci’s car pulled up before the ancient and magnificent edifice of the Royal Library.

Today, he wore a dark gray turtleneck sweater paired with a black cashmere overcoat. Compared to his usual sharp suits, he appeared less aggressive and more refined, though his gaze remained calm and unreadable.

He couldn’t quite explain to himself why he felt compelled to come. Project data? His team could handle that perfectly well. Understanding British culture? He would rather watch a football match or a documentary. Yet, as if driven by some inexplicable force, he had come anyway. Perhaps, he told himself, I just want to see what new tricks the Little Prince will pull.

Arthur was already waiting at the entrance. Seeing the car, he immediately jogged over under a long-handled black umbrella, his joy impossible to hide. He was also dressed casually in khaki trousers and a warm white cable-knit sweater that made his skin look even fairer. His soft hair fell across his forehead, making him look like a particularly handsome university student from next door.

“Mr. Shen! You’re quite punctual!” Arthur’s voice carried the damp freshness of the rainy day, and his eyes were sparkling. “I’m sorry to trouble you to come out in this rain. Please, come in!”

Shen Yanci nodded and stepped out of the car, naturally taking the umbrella from Arthur’s hand to hold it over them both. The umbrella wasn’t particularly large; with two tall, long-legged men squeezed beneath it, the distance between them vanished instantly, their arms brushing against one another as they walked. Arthur seemed quite pleased with this proximity, a soft curve playing on his lips as he led Shen Yanci into the library.

Upon entering, Shen Yanci was momentarily stunned. It was vast and silent. High vaulted ceilings looked down upon massive bookshelves that stretched as far as the eye could see, standing like silent giants. The air was thick with the scent of old paper, leather, and wood ancient and solemn. The only sounds were the faint echoes of their footsteps and the occasional rustle of a page from afar.

They both instinctively lowered their voices.

“The historical documents related to the project are mostly in this section,” Arthur whispered, leaning in so close that his warm breath ghosted over Shen Yanci’s ear. “Some of the older archives are on the top shelves; we’ll need a ladder.”

Shen Yanci gave a quiet “Mmh,” his eyes sweeping over the shelves that required one to crane their neck to see the top. Arthur was clearly familiar with the layout, guiding him through the labyrinthine shelves before stopping in a relatively secluded area. The shelves here were taller, the light dimmer, with only a few wall lamps casting a soft, yellow glow.

“Here, these few rows should be it,” Arthur pointed upward. “I remember there are several volumes of original records regarding nineteenth-century energy acts. They should be useful to you.”

As he spoke, he moved toward the wall where an old, wooden rolling ladder stood. “I’ll go up and look. Mr. Shen, could you help steady it for me from below?”

Arthur turned back, his gaze pure and innocent, as if he truly were just an enthusiastic helper. Shen Yanci looked at the somewhat rickety-looking ladder and frowned. “Are you sure this ladder is safe?” This prince is delicate; he shouldn’t take a fall.

“Don’t worry! I climbed this all the time as a kid. I’m an expert!” Arthur patted his chest, projecting an “I’ve got this” attitude, and began to scramble up the ladder.

Shen Yanci could only stand below and watch. Arthur was indeed quite nimble, reaching the top shelves quickly. He began searching volume by volume, muttering the titles to himself. From below, Shen Yanci had a clear view of his straight legs in the khaki trousers and the way his back tensed slightly with his movements.

After a moment, Arthur pulled out a thick, heavy tome and handed it down excitedly. “Found it! This is the one!”

Shen Yanci reached out to take it. The book was heavy. At the moment of the hand-off, Arthur suddenly let out a small “Oops!” His body swayed violently with the motion of passing the book, and the ladder beneath him gave a sharp, agonizing creak, shaking precariously.

Shen Yanci’s heart leaped into his throat! He ignored the book, instinctively stepping forward to firmly grip both sides of the shaking ladder. His arm muscles tensed with the effort.

“Be careful!” he hissed, his voice low but carrying a trace of unmistakable tension.

At the top of the ladder, Arthur seemed startled as well. He looked down at the man, his face a bit pale as he patted his chest. “That scared me, the ladder seems a bit unstable…”

He began to descend cautiously. However, the way he descended, was entirely wrong. His movements were slow, lingering and hesitant.

Worse still, halfway down, as if “still shaken,” he didn’t seek the next rung with his foot first. Instead, his waist and abdomen softened and dipped inward, his hips arching back and so, those khaki-clad, pert curves made solid, lingering contact with Shen Yanci’s chest and abdomen as he slid down!

One rung. Two rungs.

With every step, that soft, elastic contact was transmitted clearly to Shen Yanci through the thin fabric of his sweater and coat. It was slow. Deliberate. A rhythmic friction.

Shen Yanci froze entirely. His hands were still clamped tightly to the edges of the ladder, his knuckles white from the force. He could feel the heat of Arthur’s body, almost able to imagine the form beneath the fabric. His nose was filled with the faint scent of Arthur’s shampoo mixed with the smell of old books.

His breath hitched, and then, uncontrollably, it grew rapid. The blood seemed to rush to his head with a “whoosh” before surging violently downward.

This is absolutely, 100% on purpose! What unstable ladder? This is his own self-directed play!

Shen Yanci gritted his teeth, feeling his pulse throb in his temples. He wanted to let go and yank the little bastard off the ladder, yet his body felt nailed to the spot, unable to move. His grip on the ladder even tightened instinctively, as if afraid the person above would actually fall.

Arthur finally, slowly, reached the ground. He turned around, his cheeks flushed though whether from the earlier “scare” or something else was unknown. He patted his hands together, his eyes flickering and avoiding Shen Yanci’s gaze, though his tone was faux-casual.

“Alright, safe landing! That really gave me a fright, thank you, Mr. Shen. You held it very steady.”

Shen Yanci slowly released his grip on the ladder, his palms aching from the pressure. He took a deep breath, trying to suppress the drum-like thudding in his chest and the fire flickering in his veins. He looked at Arthur the look of a culprit trying to act calm while his gray-blue eyes darted away guiltily.

Ultimately, he just gave Arthur a heavy, unreadable look, leaned down to pick up the thick book that had fallen to the floor, and said in a slightly raspy voice:

“If the book is found, let’s go.”

He turned first and walked toward the reading area, his pace slightly faster than usual.

Arthur followed behind him. Looking at the man’s somewhat stiff back, he secretly stuck out his tongue and touched his own burning face, yet the corners of his mouth arched upward uncontrollably.

Successful contact. Hehe.