The Sickly Beauty is Too Good at Seducing - Chapter 32

Whether it was Shen Congbai’s imagination or not, after he locked eyes with Feng Yu, the aura emanating from the man seemed to become even more volatile. Shen Congbai, startled by the bloodshot intensity in Feng Yu’s eyes, instinctively turned his head away to avoid the gaze. He had no idea that in others’ eyes, this subtle movement looked like a solid admission of guilt.

The fury in Feng Yu’s chest reached a peak after that flinch. He strode toward Shen Que, whom he had just knocked to the ground. Feng Yu’s knee bent slightly as if to strike, but Shen Que lay there with absolutely no intention of dodging. Instead, Shen Que slowly turned his head, and in a corner hidden from Shen Congbai’s view, he curled his lips into a smirk, mouthing silently: Useless.

Yet, at the very moment Feng Yu raised his leg, Shen Congbai scrambled out of the car. He threw himself in front of Shen Que, his face filled with a flash of terror.

Feng Yu’s movement froze. His face went cold as he slowly retracted his leg. His eyes widened slightly as he grit his teeth. “Shen Congbai, you’re actually still protecting him?”

Last night, he cried so bitterly for the Shen family, and today he’s in Shen Que’s car, bullied until his eyelids are swollen like that, yet he still stupidly runs out to shield him.

Shen Congbai felt inexplicably guilty. He retracted the hand he’d used to block for Shen Que and murmured awkwardly, “I… I just…”

His fingertips curled. He knew he should be happy to see Shen Que in such a pathetic state, but for some reason, he had stood in front of him to intercept the blow.

Seeing that the boy couldn’t find words, a hint of impatience flashed across Feng Yu’s features. He reached out and grabbed Shen Congbai’s arm, intending to pull him back.

Shen Congbai stumbled. Just as he was about to be pulled up, a pair of strong, unyielding arms wrapped around his back. Shen Que slowly climbed onto Shen Congbai’s spine like a serpent that had been lurking for a long time. He leaned in and flicked his tongue near Shen Congbai’s ear, whispering: “Is Wuwu going to leave Brother alone?”

Having said that, his deep eyes flickered upward to meet Feng Yu’s gaze. A thick scent of gunpowder instantly saturated the air.

Feng Yu spoke up at the right moment: “Shen Congbai, have you forgotten how he lied to you before?”

Shen Congbai snapped to his senses. He suddenly turned and gave Shen Que a deep look, a realization dawning in his eyes. He was far too used to relying on Shen Que; even knowing the affection was a lie, he still sought out those final moments of pleasure like a moth to a flame.

He bit his lip and pulled himself away from Shen Que’s embrace.

Shen Que was stunned, instinctively wanting to chase after him, but a single, indifferent glance from Shen Congbai pinned him to the spot.

With Feng Yu’s help, Shen Congbai slowly stood up. Most of his face was hidden by his bangs; one could only see his tightly pursed lips and a cold, detached profile. It was inexplicably heart-wrenching.

He didn’t notice the panic on Shen Que’s face. He looked up at the sky; the winter sun was like a massive lightbulb it looked warm, but the light it shed lacked any actual temperature. It was so piercingly bright he could barely keep his eyes open. He lowered his gaze and said softly, “Let’s go back.”

Feng Yu gave a slight nod and followed closely behind him, his broad shoulders almost entirely shielding the boy’s frame. This scene fell entirely into the eyes of Shen Que, who remained half-lying on the ground.

Shen Que stood up as if the person who had been too weak to rise a moment ago wasn’t him at all. He strode forward, wanting to grab Shen Congbai’s wrist, but he was blocked by a sidestep from Feng Yu.

Shen Que’s gaze grew colder. “The matters between Wuwu and me are not for an outsider like you to meddle in.”

Feng Yu let out a mocking laugh, looking at him with disdain. “Then I’d like to ask the Eldest Young Master of the Shen family in what capacity are you approaching him?”

He intentionally slowed his pace. “Or do I need to remind you again? You aren’t blood-related. Right now, you aren’t even friends. How are you qualified to call me an outsider?”

Shen Que’s jaw tightened. “And what about you? The ex-boyfriend who’s shamelessly begging for a title? A man discarded by Wuwu has the nerve to speak in front of me?”

The argument behind him grew more intense, but Shen Congbai didn’t react. He kept his eyes down and walked toward Feng Yu’s home.

The two men behind him watched his retreating back and grit their teeth. Neither dared to follow immediately; they could only glare at each other with increasing ferocity.

No one knew who threw the first punch, but in the next instant, the two were locked in a brutal scuffle, fists hitting flesh without mercy.

Feng Yu used his tongue to press against his cheek where he’d been hit. His throat let out a beast-like pant as he mocked: “I beat you like that and he didn’t even look back once. Why are you still shamelessly pestering him?”

Shen Que’s eyes were fixed on the window where the light had just turned on. His eyes were bloodshot, his fists clenched until the knuckles groaned. Wuwu has too many people in his eyes. Once these eyesores are gone, he’ll be obedient and stay by my side again.

Shen Que released the hand clutching his injured abdomen and slowly straightened his torso. His mood hadn’t wavered because of Feng Yu’s words. His tone was flat: “Is that so? But when you tried to hit me just now, it seemed he stood in front to protect me.”

He spared a light, mocking glance for Feng Yu. “Why don’t you guess why I was the one who came back with him?”

When Shen Congbai finished washing up and stepped out of the bathroom in his slippers, he happened to run into Feng Yu returning while clutching his face.

Instinctively, Shen Congbai ran to the window and looked down. He saw Shen Que leaning against the car window, head down, using the back of his hand to wipe the corner of his mouth leaving a smear of crimson.

Shen Congbai’s fingers tightened on the windowsill. Before he could act, a hot body pressed against his back, and a faint scent of blood reached his nose.

His heart tightened. Ignoring their close proximity, he placed his palms on Feng Yu’s chest, feeling around frantically. “Are you hurt anywhere?”

His eyes darted all over. He felt Feng Yu’s arms, then his abdomen, using very little pressure for fear of poking a wound. He was as light as a butterfly, his touch causing a wave of itching.

Feng Yu turned his head slightly. A large, purplish-red bruise was prominent on his jaw. The proportions of his handsome face were strangely broken, like a crack in a statue. Even to an amateur like Shen Congbai, it looked exceptionally tragic.

A flash of anger appeared in his eyes. “How can Shen Que be so excessive, hitting you like this!”

He had always loved beautiful things. When he had shamelessly pursued Feng Yu back then, it was largely because that face was so breathtaking.

Shen Congbai tentatively tapped near the injury. Hearing Feng Yu’s hiss of pain, his gaze grew more worried. “Will it leave a scar?”

Feng Yu brought his face even closer, silently pulling the curtains shut and blocking out the view below. “Probably not. It’s just swollen.”

He asked with feigned nonchalance, “Why did you come back with Shen Que?”

With his mind full of this marred, handsome face, Shen Congbai replied offhandedly, “I ran into him while looking for a job.”

Feng Yu narrowed his eyes. “Looking for a job?”

“I had nothing to do at home anyway, so I wanted to find something to do.” Shen Congbai’s eyes darted around; he didn’t dare look Feng Yu in the eye.

Intuition told him that if he told Feng Yu he was saving money to leave, he’d definitely never make it out of Kyoto.

Sure enough, he soon heard Feng Yu say, “I happen to be short an assistant. Why don’t you consider working for me?”

Shen Congbai paused and shot him a surprised look. Seeing that Feng Yu’s expression didn’t look fake, he bit his lip and refused: “I can support myself.”

He lowered his eyes, his long, thick lashes casting a shadow. Shen Congbai didn’t want to owe Feng Yu anything else, especially now that he’d left the Shen family; he needed to be self-reliant for the days ahead.

Feng Yu saw through his thoughts. His palms tightened as he began to entice the boy: “I know you can be self-reliant, but we are friends. Friends helping each other is perfectly normal.”

Shen Congbai’s gaze shifted. “But…”

Looking at the puffed-out cheek from the boy’s inner conflict, Feng Yu narrowed his eyes like a wolf king waiting for its prey to enter the den. He began to peel back the rabbit’s fur, waiting for it to reveal its softest flesh. “You’ve never worked before; you don’t know how sinister society can be. If you run into a black-hearted boss, it’s one thing to waste your time and not get paid I’m more afraid of people with bad intentions. Like that job you found this morning, making you dress like that to serve guests.”

He used one hand to pinch the fabric at Shen Congbai’s waist. His Adam’s apple rolled imperceptibly, his voice turning husky. “If it were that friend of yours, Tu Zhi, asking you to help at his company, would you be this conflicted?”

Shen Congbai didn’t know why the topic had turned back to Tu Zhi. He frowned. “That’s different…”

“How is it different?” Feng Yu raised an eyebrow. “Or do you really still harbor ‘indecent’ thoughts about me?”

Shen Congbai’s face turned scarlet instantly. He hurriedly reached out to cover the man’s mouth. “I don’t! Don’t talk nonsense!”

Feng Yu looked playful. Under Shen Congbai’s disbelieving eyes, he lightly extended his tongue, leaving a damp trail against the boy’s palm.

Shen Congbai felt as if he’d been stung by a bee. He yanked his hand away, turning his face to the side. Only a beet-red earlobe was left for the man to maliciously toy with using his warm breath.

Shen Congbai’s hand, hidden behind his back, clenched slightly. His eyelashes fluttered as he pleaded in a thin voice, “Get away from me.”

Feng Yu’s fingertips moved. Seeing Shen Congbai like this always reminded him of the newborn kitten at a friend’s house, head-heavy and small. When someone approached, it loved to tilt its head up and stare with wide eyes; its round face and long fur made one’s hands itch to tease it.

“Mm?”

Acting as if he hadn’t heard the plea, Feng Yu remained relentless. His long arms encircled the young man’s entire waist. His leaning chest forced Shen Congbai to retreat, but his path was blocked by that arm, forcing his waist into an unspeakable curve.

Shen Congbai was pushed so far that tears nearly spilled from his eyes. He hurriedly retracted the hand that was blocking the man, propping it between them to force some distance. He pleaded piteously, “I know! I promise to go, okay?”

Having obtained the answer he wanted, Feng Yu finally showed mercy and stepped back. However, his hands remained as if grown onto Shen Congbai, locking the boy within the small space beneath him.

Shen Congbai couldn’t break free. Once the heat on his face finally receded, he looked up with a glare, only to crash straight into Feng Yu’s clear, amber beast-like eyes.