Shen Yuan had nowhere left to retreat.
Because he’d been toying with Qiao Hailou, being suddenly caught made him panic for a moment. But when he was truly cornered with no way out, he calmed down instead.
Putting on an act, Shen Yuan said, “…I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Qiao Hailou let out an incredulous laugh. “You don’t know what I’m talking about? Do you take me for an idiot? You probably think you’ve hidden it well, but I can see through you at a glance. Too scared to admit it?”
Shen Yuan grit his teeth. He refused to admit anything. His heart pounded violently, terrified Qiao Hailou would expose him. He tried to act aloof while glaring at Qiao Hailou, hoping to intimidate him into staying quiet. His hands and feet were cold, and the tips of his fingers trembled uncontrollably.
“What’s the matter? Shaking because you’re scared? Afraid to hear me say it out loud? You dared to do it, but you don’t dare to hear it? Shen Yuan, you’ve been coveting your stepfather,” Qiao Hailou said mockingly.
The moment those words landed, something in Shen Yuan seemed to crack. Instead of panicking, he gave up holding back.
He took a deep breath, closed his eyes, opened them again, and looked straight at Qiao Hailou—cold-hearted and cold-blooded. “So what? …And since when is it your business? What are you angry about, Uncle Qiao?”
This was the moment when retreat was impossible. Shen Yuan didn’t just refuse to confess—he attacked instead.
“You’re the one who’s always going back on your word. No honesty at all. I told you not to follow me, yet you still tracked me home. This is my place. You came in without permission—illegal entry. I’m giving you face by telling you politely: get out. Otherwise I’ll call the police and have them drag you away.”
It was basically: I’m dirty, but you’re not clean either.
Qiao Hailou snorted. “I didn’t follow you.”
Shen Yuan was stunned. “You’re lying. How else would you have found this place?”
Qiao Hailou stepped closer, like a lion closing in on its prey. He spoke slowly, deliberately:
“Shen Yuan, male, twenty. Graduated elementary school in M County, middle school at K City No. 12, high school at K City Foreign Languages International. Moved into the Li household at fourteen when your mother remarried. Your mother, Ye Xueyao, died in a car accident when you were seventeen. Li Chen became your guardian. Currently enrolled at K University. Resides at XX Community, Building 7, Unit 2, Room 201.”
Shen Yuan shivered as Qiao Hailou recited the cold facts. His fury rose. “You investigated me??!”
Hot blood rushed to his head. Like an enraged calf, he lunged forward as if ready to fight Qiao Hailou.
But he didn’t even touch the man’s sleeve before Qiao Hailou caught his wrist, pinned him against the wall, and held him there. Shen Yuan glared up at him, eyes burning.
Qiao Hailou didn’t care. With his free hand, he pinched Shen Yuan’s chin, forcing him to look up. “Of course I’d look into my bed partner. Someone who throws himself at me—what if you have some disease? You think I just take anyone?”
Rage blazed hotter in Shen Yuan’s eyes. “You’re the one who’s diseased!”
Qiao Hailou looked both amused and irritated. He continued, “I know more than that. I know which rich kids you hang around to curry favor. The leader is Wang Sui’s son, Wang Ziqin.”
Shen Yuan’s pupils shrank at the name.
Qiao Hailou raised a brow. “Oh? So it’s Wang Ziqin who’s been bullying you.”
Shen Yuan snapped, “Mind your own business.”
Qiao Hailou gave a cold laugh, leaned down, and kissed him. Shen Yuan had tried to keep his mouth shut, but Qiao Hailou pinched him, forcing him open. At first he resisted and even wanted to bite back, but pinned as he was, he couldn’t fight. The kiss burned with both anger and fury—a wildfire consuming everything.
When they finally separated, their eyes held something different. Both were breathing hard.
A man’s desire and anger were often one and the same.
Shen Yuan especially hated Qiao Hailou’s calm, controlling expression—looking down at him like he owned him.
Qiao Hailou had never been toyed with like this before—used as someone’s substitute, and by a kid more than ten years younger than him. A snot-nosed brat! And he’d let himself be tricked—slept for free twice!
Towering over him, Qiao Hailou scoffed, “Little pervert with a daddy complex.”
Shen Yuan shot back, “Old beast who sleeps with his friend’s son.”
Qiao Hailou was furious enough to want to hit him—but his skin was too smooth and delicate, and he couldn’t bring himself to do it. He patted Shen Yuan’s cheek lightly. “You’ve got a lot of nerve insulting me. You seduced me first. You used me as your uncle’s stand-in.”
Since he’d been exposed, Shen Yuan went all in. “So what if you know? I’ve already slept with you. I didn’t lose anything.”
Qiao Hailou laughed angrily. “Oh, sure. You’re really something. You didn’t lose out? You think I did? I was just killing time.”
Shen Yuan was like a fish pinned to a chopping board, almost ready to flip out and claw him. But he couldn’t break free—Qiao Hailou pressed even harder.
His chest rose and fell rapidly. “You old bastard! If that’s the case, we’re done. So what are you still doing here? Let me go!”
He claimed he wasn’t scared, but he was. Clearly he wasn’t Qiao Hailou’s match physically. The man obviously trained; if he used force, Shen Yuan knew he’d lose. Was he planning to—what—rape him in a fit of anger?
Shen Yuan regretted everything. He’d brought a wolf into his house.
Qiao Hailou watched the fear flicker across Shen Yuan’s face and asked with a laugh, “What do you think I want to do? You’re not seriously thinking I’d rape you, are you?”
Shen Yuan froze.
Qiao Hailou pressed one hand to Shen Yuan’s waist. Even through the clothing, the touch felt searing. The man was wild—dangerously so—and Shen Yuan felt heat building low in his body.
Qiao Hailou smiled. “Are you scared… or excited?”
Shen Yuan lifted his face, flushed red, eyes bright—caught somewhere between anger, shame, disgust, confusion, and want. It was impossible to tell where one emotion ended and another began.
Qiao Hailou slowly stroked his cheek, down along his jawline, fingers trailing to his neck and the bump of his Adam’s apple.
“When have I ever forced you? I don’t like unwilling partners.”
“Kid, I’m complimenting you—you’re gutsy. Teasing an elder at your age.”
“You think you get to call all the shots? You decide we sleep together, so we do? You decide it ends, so it ends? You think I’m some saintly do-gooder who exists to accommodate you?”
“This started because of you. And it’s not your place to declare it over.”
“It’s too late.”
Shen Yuan’s bravado nearly collapsed.
Truthfully, he’d been scared from the moment he opened the door and saw Qiao Hailou. Scared he’d tell his uncle about those filthy, unspeakable feelings. He never thought he could actually be with his uncle—but if his uncle found out, he’d never have the face to stay by his side again.
So he tried bluffing—but it didn’t work.
Qiao Hailou wasn’t squeezing his throat; he was squeezing the one secret Shen Yuan couldn’t let anyone know.
But what did Qiao Hailou want?
He kissed the trembling boy—irritating yet pitiful. “Don’t be scared, little thing.”
“I won’t hurt you.”
“Just keep being my lover until I get tired of you.”
“You said I couldn’t understand you. You’re alone, no parents, no one to rely on. So let me protect you. As long as you’re mine, I’ll protect you.”
“I’ll take care of Wang Ziqin.”
Then he released Shen Yuan and even smoothed out his rumpled collar.
Shen Yuan calmed down little by little. “You say you don’t want unwilling partners. You think threatening me like this makes me willing?”
“Baby, you think too poorly of me. I’m not going to tell your beloved uncle any of this.” Qiao Hailou clicked his tongue. Completely unbothered. “No need to rush. I’ll wait for you to come to me.”
Shen Yuan ground his teeth.
“At the end of the month, come report to work at my company. I’ll be waiting.”
“You’re that sure I’ll go??”
Qiao Hailou stared at his bright, stubborn eyes—so vivid, like sunlight on a lone tree in the desert. “You’ll go. You’re not someone who gives in easily.”
Then he stepped away, and Shen Yuan finally felt like he could breathe.
At the door, Qiao Hailou paused. “Little thing, I heard Li Chen calling you ‘Ah Ben’ earlier. That your nickname?”
He laughed. “Pretty cute, Ah Ben.”
Shen Yuan flushed. “Get out already!”
Qiao Hailou laughed several more times on purpose before finally leaving. Shen Yuan slammed the door hard.
He slid down against it, furious, shaken, still rattled.
That scoundrel Qiao Hailou was too much! He’d set a trap right in front of him, told him to jump in, and acted like it was perfectly normal—treating him like a fool!
That scheming old fox! Shen Yuan cursed inwardly. But Qiao Hailou wasn’t wrong about one thing: he wasn’t planning to surrender that easily.
Qiao Hailou had leverage over him. He couldn’t escape that. Running wouldn’t change the fact that Qiao Hailou held his secret.
There was only one solution… find Qiao Hailou’s weakness and threaten him back.
If both sides had leverage, it’d cancel out.
So he really couldn’t run. He had to get closer instead—stick to Qiao Hailou to find cracks and soft spots.
Being young had its advantages. Qiao Hailou looked down on him because of his age—good. Underestimation meant openings. He’d use that. He’d go soften up to Qiao Hailou, pretend he’d been tamed. He’d been pretending to be weak and obedient since he was little. He’d fooled so many people; he refused to believe he couldn’t handle one Qiao Hailou.
A week later.
From his rich-kid acquaintances, Shen Yuan heard that Wang Ziqin had gotten into trouble and been beaten by his father—so badly he ended up in the hospital. And apparently his dad planned to send him abroad as punishment.
Shen Yuan asked with exaggerated concern, “Huh? Young Master Wang got beaten that badly? How bad? …Oh? That bad?? Wow, I’m so worried about him.”