Shen Yuan jumped at Qiao Hailou’s sudden appearance, feeling guilty, but quickly turned it around: “Uncle Qiao, you scared me!”
Qiao Hailou scowled: “You blame me for scaring you? Who was the one breaking their promises first?”
Shen Yuan shot back: “You’ve got the nerve to call me untrustworthy? Who’s the one who repeatedly broke our plans? Huh, who?”
Suddenly, Qiao Hailou realized—Shen Yuan was deliberately retaliating for the times he had reneged on their agreements. He had even thought Shen Yuan wouldn’t dare cancel, so he’d pushed off the weekend dinner plans.
In his life, he’d only ever been stood up—but never had anyone played this kind of trick on him.
Their argument echoed through the hallway.
Hearing the sound of their voices bouncing back, Shen Yuan calmed down for a moment, glanced around, and said: “Move over, I need to get inside. We’ll talk once we’re in.”
He lowered his voice, embarrassed: “Arguing out here… everyone can hear us.”
Qiao Hailou snorted: “Since when do you care about embarrassment?”
Shen Yuan opened the door, and Qiao Hailou followed him inside.
Shen Yuan switched on the lights.
Last time, Qiao Hailou had only seen the entryway, barely noticing the interior. Now, seeing it clearly, the place was immaculate—bright windows, neat furnishings, not a speck of dust on the floor. The décor was clean, blue-and-white, giving a slightly cold feel.
Shen Yuan was in his hiking outfit, hooded jacket pulled up, the oversized hood making his face look smaller. He looked particularly pitiful.
Pouting, he coaxed: “Uncle Qiao, I was just venting earlier, okay? Don’t be mad. I didn’t mean to ignore you. I really had planned to spend Sunday with you. I even bought the set! But last night my uncle suddenly asked me to go hiking…”
Qiao Hailou almost fell for the seemingly innocent eyes for a moment.
Snapping out of it, he straightened his face: “I believe your nonsense.”
Shen Yuan grabbed his hand, pouting: “Uncle Qiao, what else could I have told my uncle? Should I have said, ‘Tomorrow I’m going on a date with Uncle Qiao’? Seriously, that’d be asking for trouble!”
At first, it sounded reasonable; on second thought, just a lame excuse. Qiao Hailou laughed at his twisted logic: “You’re usually so good with people. Couldn’t you just lie and make an excuse? Are you really that dumb to tell the truth?”
A flicker of jealousy rose in his chest: in Shen Yuan’s mind, he wasn’t as important as his “real” uncle—so why would he remember Qiao Hailou with him around?
Shen Yuan paused, gradually dropping the act. Releasing Qiao Hailou’s hand, he changed his tone, throwing up his hands: “If you already know, why are you asking?”
“Now that it’s clear, aren’t you leaving?”
“Did you think moving me to another position would make me beg you? That you could control me? Fine, I won’t do it.”
“Or did you think I was desperate to be your bedmate?”
“I’ll just hit a bar and find someone to come home with me. Do I really need you?”
Shen Yuan didn’t even know why he was acting this way. Sleeping with Qiao Hailou had been reckless enough, and that time he’d been drugged—it wasn’t something he could consciously repeat.
It was all to avoid being controlled. Whatever would make Qiao Hailou angry, he said it, feeling satisfied seeing him fume.
Qiao Hailou felt a surge of uncontrollable anger. Watching Shen Yuan’s beautifully shaped lips move rapidly, spewing one infuriating remark after another, he snapped—and grabbed him, kissing him suddenly.
Shen Yuan: “Mmm!”
The kiss hit him like an electric shock.
He didn’t resist. There wasn’t time.
All the angry words melted away in the sudden, forceful kiss. Qiao Hailou held his waist with one hand, pressed his head against him with the other to keep him from running. Shen Yuan didn’t struggle—he clung to Qiao Hailou’s shoulders. What was the point of running? He wanted to fight back. Both of them kissed each other fiercely, their hot breaths tangled, neither willing to yield.
It was like pouring fuel on fire.
After a long while, Shen Yuan was nearly out of breath.
Exhausted, he weakened, as if surrendering.
Qiao Hailou finally released him.
Shen Yuan clutched his jacket front, panting, lips flushed from the kiss, face red—maybe from oxygen loss. He glared at Qiao Hailou.
Qiao Hailou returned the glare without softening.
They stared at each other in silence for a minute.
Shen Yuan moved first.
Frowning, he reached to undo Qiao Hailou’s shirt buttons. The fabric rustled.
After unbuttoning the top one, Qiao Hailou grabbed his wrist. Half-amused, half-annoyed, he asked: “You just said you don’t need me, and now what are you doing?”
Shen Yuan replied bluntly, shameless: “You want to know what I’m doing? Better ask your standing-at-attention little brother.”
Qiao Hailou, part shameless, part proper, said: “That’s a normal reaction. Did I say I’d sleep with you? What do you take me for? Do you really think I’m someone you can call over and dismiss at will?”
Shen Yuan retorted confidently: “It’s not like I’m the only one benefiting. Didn’t you enjoy it too?”
Qiao Hailou suppressed his smile, straightened his face like a tiger waking from slumber, revealing claws. Shen Yuan froze in fear, completely overpowered.
Qiao Hailou wasn’t easily intimidated. Thirty-some years of navigating every kind of scene, both legal and underground, weren’t going to let a kid scare him.
He said lightly: “Is that how you speak to your uncle? Always so disrespectful… never had anyone correct you?”
A dark aura seemed to spill out.
Shen Yuan’s instinct told him to stop. He immediately softened, stammering: “S-s-sorry, Uncle Qiao… I was wrong.”
This time, Qiao Hailou didn’t let him off gently. He pushed him onto the bed. Shen Yuan panicked, looked at him, tried to escape—Qiao Hailou held his waist. Shen Yuan struggled, bluffing weakly: “W-what are you doing?! You—you said you wouldn’t force me! Uncle Qiao… Uncle Qiao… I was wrong, I’m bad, please don’t be mad.”
Qiao Hailou caught him like a chick, pinned him down, and then…
Spanked him.
Shen Yuan froze for a few seconds.
It wasn’t until the sting in his backside hit him that he realized he’d been spanked.
How many years had it been since anyone had spanked him?
Half embarrassed, half in pain, Shen Yuan’s face turned bright red. Seeing how fierce Qiao Hailou looked, he didn’t dare talk back.
Listening to the “smack, smack” of flesh, he endured, thinking it would stop after a couple of hits—but it went on for seven or eight more!
Grumbling, Shen Yuan said, “Uncle Qiao, that really hurts! I already said I was wrong, okay? I’m a grown-up now, and you’re spanking me… it’s so embarrassing! I was wrong, I know I was wrong.”
Qiao Hailou sneered: “Now you start talking sweetly? You only call me ‘Uncle Qiao’ when you want something. You say you’re wrong—but what exactly are you wrong about?”
Shen Yuan stammered: “I…I didn’t keep my word, I stood you up…”
Qiao Hailou smacked him again: “Is that what this is about?”
Shen Yuan continued sulkily: “I’m disrespectful, always talking back to you…”
Qiao Hailou finally felt a rare sense of satisfaction, raising his eyebrows: “Anything else?”
Shen Yuan looked back at him with teary eyes: “Uncle, I really know I was wrong.”
He reached behind him through his pants, patting his sore bottom pitifully: “Uncle Qiao, my butt hurts so much, it must be all red! Don’t you feel bad for me? Please don’t spank me anymore… help rub it, Uncle Qiao…”
This shameless little brat! Qiao Hailou fumed, but thought, “Fine, I’ll rub it for you.”
Both of them, dripping with sweat, enjoyed themselves for another round.
Qiao Hailou thought this little brat was finally tamed, and Shen Yuan thought that old man had been thoroughly handled as well.
A temporary truce, for now.
Shen Yuan frowned: “Now everything’s a mess… I’ll have to wash the sheets tomorrow.”
Qiao Hailou bent down, fishing a pack of cigarettes from the pants tossed at the edge of the bed, but didn’t find a lighter. He asked Shen Yuan, “Got a lighter?”
Shen Yuan only had the one his uncle had given him. He dug it out and handed it over: “Here.”
Qiao Hailou glanced at the brand: “You bought this yourself?”
Shen Yuan honestly answered: “My uncle gave it to me.”
Qiao Hailou felt a little annoyed at himself, lit a cigarette, and mocked: “What a cheap brand. Next time I’ll get you something better.”
Shen Yuan grumbled inwardly—no matter what Qiao Hailou gave, it wouldn’t compare to the one his uncle got from the street stall. But his butt still hurt, so he didn’t dare argue. He murmured in his mind, then said: “Don’t smoke in my room. It’ll get all smoky—I never smoke in my own place.”
Qiao Hailou got up, cigarette in mouth, picked up his pants and put them on, leaving the belt loosely hanging without buckling it.
Shen Yuan glanced at him, seeing smoke curling over the tattoo on his right shoulder.
His hair was still damp, sweat beads clinging to his temples and neck, catching the soft light in a subtle, alluring way.
So mature. So manly.
So handsome. Both desirable and confident.
Shen Yuan was stunned, reluctant to look away.
Qiao Hailou turned back, seeing him staring blankly, and smiled: “What are you looking at?”
Shen Yuan snapped out of it, heart racing: “N-nothing.”
This old man still had some undeniable charm.
Qiao Hailou asked: “You’re going to my nephew’s engagement banquet, right? I remember you two are close.”
Shen Yuan nodded. He was close to Qiao Jun, who had sent him the invitation a few days ago. Plus, the Qiao and Li families had connections. Uncle would go with Li Lin, he said, “Yeah, I’ll go. But I haven’t seen Qiao Jun’s girlfriend yet…”
Qiao Hailou was about to respond when the doorbell rang.
Their conversation was interrupted, both pausing.
At this hour… who could it be?
A familiar male voice drifted from outside the door: “A-Ben, you home? It’s Uncle.”
Qiao Hailou: “…”
Shen Yuan: “!!!”