Chapter 12
Author: Mr. Big Horn
Su Jinxin wanted to say something, but Yan Zhen leaned in and swallowed his words with a kiss. “Your time with me costs money, you know. If I leave you home and don’t check on you, wouldn’t I be losing out?”
This was, of course, a joke. The real reason Yan Zhen made the daily commute was that he couldn’t bear to be away from Su Jinxin. Every extra moment together was precious, and he worried about Su Jinxin sleeping alone and having nightmares.
Su Jinxin took it seriously, his face turning bright red. “I… I’m not charging these days. You’ve taken me in while I’m hurt; how could I…”
“I’m just teasing you,” Yan Zhen reassured him, patting his back. “Don’t take it to heart. I just don’t want you to feel lonely in such a big house.”
Su Jinxin’s face grew even redder. He lowered his eyes and softly said, “Oh.”
Heart-meltingly cute.
Yan Zhen couldn’t resist teasing him further. “Why has our little money-grubber suddenly changed?”
“Well, I…” Su Jinxin glanced at Yan Zhen, then quickly looked down again. “I’m not that obsessed with money…”
“Oh, really?”
“Really.”
“Then why…” Yan Zhen slowly approached, trapping him underneath. “Are you not teasing me for free now? I’ve been wondering why you’ve been so well-behaved lately, even holding hands and not cuddling up to me at night…”
Yan Zhen wasn’t sure if Su Jinxin’s meticulousness came from a sense of duty or a clear understanding that money paid was a service rendered. He always knew how to please Yan Zhen, making him lose control despite his usually disciplined nature. These days, Su Jinxin had been too well-behaved. Although Yan Zhen knew he was recovering from an injury, he still felt a bit itchy for more.
It was just a casual remark, but Su Jinxin’s eyes immediately filled with tears. “You said it wasn’t appropriate… I, I…” He reached out in a fluster to unbuckle Yan Zhen’s belt.
Yan Zhen, startled by his seriousness, quickly grabbed his hands and kissed them, gently patting his back. “I was just joking. Why do you take everything so seriously? We’ve been together for so long, do you think I’d really hold this against you? Am I that kind of person?”
Su Jinxin looked at him, eyes and nose red. “You’re not really mad?”
Yan Zhen regretted his words deeply and felt a pang of guilt. “Other than that one time when you didn’t eat properly, when have I ever been truly mad at you? I was just worried you’d be bored at home. Really.”
Su Jinxin still seemed unsure and hurriedly said, “I can actually do it, just not kneeling or certain positions. If you want…”
“Stop overthinking.” Yan Zhen kissed away his words. “Just focus on getting better.”
“…Okay.” Su Jinxin finally calmed down, hugging Yan Zhen’s neck. “Mr. Yan, I…”
“Hmm?”
“No, it’s nothing.”
Halfway through his sentence, he swallowed his words. But his arms around Yan Zhen tightened.
Yan Zhen couldn’t shake his jealousy and ended up photographing a few sketches, asking someone to investigate.
A week later, with the merger successfully concluded, the investigation still yielded no answers.
With more free time, Yan Zhen found himself increasingly distracted. He couldn’t focus on work, restless and fidgety at his desk, unable to stop thinking about the sketches.
His assistant, fed up with his inefficiency, threw a cold glare and remarked, “Please don’t lower our work standards,” pushing him to go home. Yan Zhen had checked Su Jinxin’s schedule and knew his boyfriend would be returning in a few days. Feeling anxious, he decided to leave early.
He got home around two or three in the afternoon.
Hastily dropping his things, he asked the housekeeper about Su Jinxin’s whereabouts and learned he was in the studio. Yan Zhen rushed over.
He opened the door to find Su Jinxin asleep on a chaise lounge, a half-used pencil in hand, and his sketchbook fallen to the floor. Not wanting to wake him, Yan Zhen removed his shoes and tiptoed over. Glancing at the sketchbook, he saw a familiar figure. Yan Zhen hesitated but flipped through a few pages, recognizing a side profile.
It was very familiar.
Almost like…
Yan Zhen’s heart skipped a beat.
He turned a few more pages, seeing various angles, poses, and expressions. It looked like…
Yan Zhen touched his face.
…But it seemed overly handsome and charming. He hesitated to believe it.
Flipping a few more pages, he found a sketch from a particularly intimate angle: the figure leaning over, sweat on his hair, a slightly furrowed brow, and a mix of desire, control, and possessiveness in his expression, exuding an intense allure that almost made the viewer hear his gasping breaths in climax.
Enough.
Yan Zhen closed the sketchbook, trying to calm his racing heart.
No wonder they couldn’t find anything.
Even if he was slow to realize, he now knew who had made him jealous.
Su Jinxin remained in his sweet dreams.
Unaware that his secret was fully exposed, he slept peacefully, his head tilted, eyes closed, and emitting gentle snores. His long eyelashes fluttered like butterfly wings with each breath. Sunlight filtered through the sheer curtains, casting a delicate golden glow over him. His features—corners of his eyes, eyebrows, nose, and hair—were bathed in a warm honey hue, making him look like an angel fallen to earth.
Yan Zhen, already aroused by the erotic sketches, felt an even stronger urge seeing Su Jinxin so defenseless. He wanted to devour him whole.
However, Yan Zhen was a well-educated man who knew how to savor beauty.
Facing such a delectable sight, he wouldn’t waste it like the pig demon devouring a ginseng fruit.