Alcohol had dulled Gu Yan’s senses, making his reactions much slower than usual.
Yi Heng’s words circled through his mind several times before he finally understood what they meant.
He stared intently at the thin lips just inches away from him, feeling puzzled.
How else were they supposed to do the therapy?
Wasn’t the answer obvious?
Why did Yi Heng even need to ask such a simple question?
The two were standing so close that even the air between them seemed to grow heated.
Gu Yan stubbornly focused on the nearest and most convenient place where he could obtain Yi Heng’s pheromones.
It took him quite a while to bring it fully into focus.
He wanted it so badly…
He wanted to know what it tasted like…
Why wouldn’t Yi Heng come a little closer?
He was so tall. How was Gu Yan supposed to reach him?
Gu Yan began feeling a little irritated.
The skin along his neck gradually turned red, the color spreading visibly inch by inch.
The alcohol rushed straight to his head, leaving him completely unaware of what he was doing.
All he knew was that he instinctively wanted Yi Heng closer.
He hooked one leg around Yi Heng’s waist and pulled him forward.
The movement caused his already disheveled collar to fall even farther open.
He casually wrapped his arms around Yi Heng’s neck.
The hem of his shirt lifted, briefly revealing a glimpse of his pale, slender waist.
Yi Heng was caught completely off guard.
His body pitched forward uncontrollably.
He quickly braced both hands against the table to steady himself.
“Gu Yan, let go. You’re drunk.”
Yi Heng patiently coaxed him in a low voice.
Gu Yan let out a small drunken hiccup and laughed.
“I’m not drunk. I’m perfectly sober.”
As he spoke, Gu Yan’s breath brushed lightly against Yi Heng’s lips.
Yi Heng’s throat tightened, his Adam’s apple moving sharply.
No matter how strong his self-control was, he couldn’t withstand Gu Yan staring at him so openly with those glistening, watery eyes.
The small beauty mark near Gu Yan’s eye looked even more alluring against the flushed skin surrounding it, as though it possessed some irresistible power of temptation.
Yi Heng’s breathing gradually became uneven.
Reason and desire struggled fiercely within his mind.
His hands, still braced against the table, clenched tightly into fists.
Gu Yan was drunk.
But he wasn’t.
He couldn’t—
Gu Yan’s warm lips suddenly pressed directly against his.
Snap!
The last thread of Yi Heng’s restraint broke.
Gu Yan lowered his eyes and pulled Yi Heng’s neck down even farther.
What was wrong with Yi Heng today?
Why was he being so unenthusiastic about the treatment?
Gu Yan frowned in frustration.
His mind was still hazy when he suddenly extended the tip of his tongue.
Those lips were certainly beautiful.
But they hardly ever smiled.
They were always set in a straight line.
Why wouldn’t the corners lift a little?
He diligently brushed his tongue along the seam of Yi Heng’s lips, almost as though he were trying to coax them into curving upward.
He failed to notice how Yi Heng’s eyes suddenly darkened.
The emotions in his gaze became turbulent and unreadable, like a storm on the verge of breaking.
Suddenly, Gu Yan remembered something.
He pulled back slightly, creating a little distance between them.
“Yi Heng.”
Gu Yan lowered his head and murmured,
“Didn’t you ask me before whether I wanted to move into your place?”
“Can I change my mind now…?”
Yi Heng asked hoarsely,
“Why do you want to change your mind?”
The question seemed strangely difficult for Gu Yan to understand.
He remained silent for a long moment.
Then he raised his head and looked directly into Yi Heng’s eyes.
“I don’t know either.”
“I just suddenly want to change my mind.”
“Because if you asked me again now…”
“I definitely wouldn’t turn you down so quickly.”
The entire world suddenly fell silent.
Yi Heng’s eyes darkened sharply.
Finally, he could restrain himself no longer.
He firmly pushed Gu Yan back onto the table.
But just before the back of Gu Yan’s head could strike the surface, Yi Heng gently slipped his hand beneath it.
His fingers threaded through Gu Yan’s soft hair.
His other arm wrapped around Gu Yan’s waist and suddenly tightened, almost lifting him completely off the table.
The touch of the cold tabletop brought Gu Yan slightly back to his senses.
His entire body trembled.
Then another pair of warm lips suddenly pressed firmly against his own.
The intensity of the kiss caught Gu Yan completely off guard.
Within moments, his lips parted beneath the pressure.
“!!!”
He couldn’t breathe!
Yi Heng was like a conqueror claiming territory, overwhelming Gu Yan until his breathing became utterly chaotic.
The kiss surged like a rising tide, growing more intense with every passing moment.
Soft sounds mingled with their tangled breaths.
Everything was rapidly slipping beyond control.
Gu Yan felt as though he had been pushed underwater, unable to move or catch his breath.
He struggled to adjust, trying to follow along and accommodate the other person, yet he could never quite keep up with the overwhelming pace.
Tears gathered in his eyes, threatening to spill at any moment.
The corners of his eyes were flushed red, making him look utterly pitiful.
Just when Gu Yan felt he was about to suffocate, fresh air suddenly rushed into his lungs.
He gasped desperately, clutching the fabric at the back of Yi Heng’s neck.
“Ha… ha…”
His Omega pheromones trembled as they spread into the air.
A wave of dizziness swept over Gu Yan.
His cheeks were so red they looked as though they might bleed, and he had completely lost his sense of direction.
Yi Heng braced himself on his arms and gazed down at the person beneath him.
Gu Yan’s eyes were unfocused, and even his breathing had yet to return to normal.
A surge of heat suddenly spread from Yi Heng’s chest downward, making his lower abdomen tighten instantly.
They couldn’t continue.
His rationality had only just managed to regain a small measure of control.
Yi Heng stopped himself in time.
He reached out to wipe the moisture from the corner of Gu Yan’s mouth, then took a deep, slow breath.
How had things developed to this point?
This was no longer merely about treatment, was it?
Yi Heng wondered.
It felt as though the beast imprisoned inside him had suddenly broken free from its cage, desperate to devour the person before him.
Gu Yan’s head gradually began to ache.
He frowned deeply and shifted uncomfortably.
Yi Heng touched his forehead.
No fever.
Then it must have been the alcohol and lack of oxygen.
Still facing Gu Yan, Yi Heng lifted him into his arms.
Gu Yan’s legs wrapped around his waist like a sloth clinging to a tree.
Yi Heng exhaled, forcing himself to clear the desire from his mind.
Gu Yan had drunk too much.
But Yi Heng hadn’t touched a single drop of alcohol.
He couldn’t lose control along with him.
Looking at Gu Yan in his current state, Yi Heng couldn’t help feeling slightly amused.
On the surface, Gu Yan seemed like someone who wasn’t easy to approach or provoke.
But in private, he was actually rather shy and easily embarrassed.
Who would have thought that after getting drunk, he would become a completely different person?
Some of his actions had even been astonishingly bold.
It seemed the hangover soup Yi Heng had prepared wouldn’t be needed after all.
Gu Yan had already buried his face in the crook of Yi Heng’s neck and fallen asleep.
The faint fragrance of roses lingered around them.
Yi Heng had to summon every ounce of self-control to keep himself from sinking his canine teeth into the scent gland at the back of Gu Yan’s neck, so close to his lips.
He carried Gu Yan into the bedroom and gently laid him on the bed.
At first, Gu Yan seemed reluctant to leave the warmth of Yi Heng’s body.
But the cozy blankets soon settled him down.
Before long, he fell into a deep sleep.
Only the soft, steady sound of his breathing filled the bedroom.
A dreamless night passed.
*
The next morning, Gu Yan woke up completely sober.
He lay in bed for a long time without getting up.
Everything that had happened the previous night replayed before his eyes like a slideshow.
He remembered all of it.
Damn it…
So it was true that alcohol gave people courage!
If Gu Yan had been sober, there was absolutely no way he would have done those embarrassing things.
His cheeks turned bright red.
He almost wished he hadn’t woken up at all.
Gu Yan stared at the ceiling in disbelief.
The heaviness of his eyelids seemed to remind him just how intense the previous night’s kiss had been.
Alcohol really was dangerous!
He was never drinking again!
And even if he did, he absolutely couldn’t be around Yi Heng!
Gu Yan buried his face in his pillow and thought gloomily.
Apparently, the consequence of being single for more than twenty years was that once he became bold, even he was frightened by himself.
He had no idea how he was supposed to face Yi Heng now.
Fortunately, Yi Heng was extremely busy with work.
He had prepared breakfast early in the morning before leaving.
Gu Yan slowly crawled out of bed.
While brushing his teeth, he noticed that his lips were slightly swollen.
“…”
Don’t look.
Just don’t look!
As long as he didn’t look, he could pretend nothing had ever happened.
He would simply act as though he’d blacked out from drinking and remembered absolutely nothing.
But the more he tried to convince himself of that, the clearer Yi Heng’s deep, intense gaze during their kiss became in his mind.
Gu Yan shuddered, nearly spilling the water from his toothbrush cup.
With his ears burning red, he walked into the dining room.
The moment he saw the dining table, his anxiety only grew worse.
He wished he could travel back to the previous night and slap himself twice.
Or perhaps find a crack in the ground and disappear into it right now.
Just as he was eating breakfast, the doorbell suddenly rang.
Gu Yan went to open the door.
However, the people standing outside were several complete strangers.
“Who are you?”
“We’re from the moving company.”
“?”
“President Yi sent us here.”
“???”
Gu Yan had absolutely no idea what was going on, so he immediately took out his phone and messaged Yi Heng.
Yi Heng: [Didn’t you say you regretted your decision and wanted to move in with me?]
“Uh…”
Gu Yan was speechless.
He suddenly remembered everything he had said the previous night.
Yi Heng had actually taken his drunken words seriously!
Damn it!
Gu Yan covered his face with his hands.
How had he never realized he was so good at getting himself into trouble?
One of the movers politely asked,
“Excuse me, may we begin?”
Gu Yan helplessly waved his hand, giving in to his fate.
The words he had spoken last night were like water already spilled.
There was no taking them back now.
“Actually, I don’t really have that many things for you to mo…ve.”
Gu Yan felt there was still a chance to salvage the situation.
After all, he hadn’t genuinely intended to live at Yi Heng’s place permanently.
Bringing a few simple changes of clothes should have been enough.
But before he could finish, the movers marched into his bedroom and swiftly lifted his beanbag sofa.
Then they carefully packed all the photo albums and books from his shelves into boxes they had prepared in advance.
They didn’t even overlook the toothbrush cup, toothbrush, or towels in the bathroom.
At an astonishing speed, they removed practically everything that could be carried out of Gu Yan’s apartment.
Before long, the entire place looked like a newly furnished apartment waiting for someone to move in.
Apart from the large pieces of furniture, almost nothing remained.
Professional movers really were on another level!
Gu Yan silently finished the rest of his breakfast.
He watched as the workers packed up the surrounding belongings and carried them downstairs.
Just then, his phone rang.
The caller was one of the people Gu Yan had assigned to investigate the previous incident.
“Hello? Have you found anything?”
“Yes. We’ve spotted a suspicious person near the repair shop.”
“After comparing photographs, we believe it’s the same person who drove the car before.”
Gu Yan’s expression changed slightly.
He quickly swallowed the last two mouthfuls of food and put on his coat.
“Follow him.”
“Don’t let him escape this time.”
“I’m coming over now.”
There were certain questions Gu Yan needed to ask personally before he could feel reassured.
The person on the other end acknowledged his instructions.
Then he added,
“There’s one more thing we discovered while investigating. I think I should report it to you.”
Gu Yan replied,
“Go ahead.”
“The cash flow problems at Gu Chengjing’s company have been resolved.”
“According to our preliminary estimate, approximately fifty million yuan was injected into the company.”
Gu Yan’s heart jolted.
He paused for a moment before replying,
“All right. Understood.”
After hanging up, Gu Yan watched the numbers above the elevator doors change continuously.
He recalled the incident before his exams, when Gu Chengjing had come to the university to confront him.
At that time, Gu Chengjing’s attitude had changed completely after receiving a phone call.
Presumably, someone had helped him fill the company’s financial shortfall that very day.
But who could it have been?
Someone capable of producing fifty million yuan at once certainly wasn’t an ordinary businessman.
They might not even be someone Gu Chengjing could normally come into contact with.
Could this be connected to the mastermind behind the people following Yi Heng?
Because the two incidents had occurred close together, Gu Yan naturally began linking them in his mind.
But before long, he dismissed the theory.
Unless Yi Heng had also been the one secretly interfering with the Gu family’s cash flow in the first place, he couldn’t see how the two matters could possibly be related.
*
By the time Gu Yan arrived at the repair shop, the people he had sent were still closely following the suspicious individual.
The man was extremely cautious.
To prevent the surveillance cameras from capturing his face, he deliberately wore a mask and a hat.
He even wore gloves to avoid leaving fingerprints.
Fortunately, an older security guard had noticed something suspicious and alerted Gu Yan’s people.
Gu Yan observed that the man kept circling the same Camry from the previous incident, though he couldn’t tell what he was doing.
He asked suspiciously,
“Could he be trying to drive the car away?”
The security guard immediately objected.
“Impossible!”
“Every vehicle here is registered by its license plate.”
“Once a vehicle has been designated for scrapping, it isn’t allowed to leave.”
Gu Yan considered this for a moment.
Then he turned to his two subordinates.
“Can you find a way to bring him over here?”
“I have a few questions I’d like to ask him.”
The two men answered without the slightest hesitation.
“Of course.”
Gu Yan waited inside the security office.
To avoid getting involved, the security guard tactfully excused himself and went to the restroom.
Within a few minutes, Gu Yan saw his two subordinates bringing over a middle-aged man.
One covered the man’s mouth while the other restrained his arms, forcing him into the room.
As soon as the door closed, the frightened man immediately began shouting.
“What are you doing?”
“What do you want from me?”
“How dare you grab someone in broad daylight! I’m calling the police!”
Gu Yan didn’t waste time arguing with him.
He simply held up a photograph on his phone.
“Remember this?”
“That’s you, isn’t it?”
The photograph was a surveillance screenshot from the day the man had driven the Camry to follow Yi Heng.
His clothing and appearance were almost identical to what he was wearing today.
The man’s hat and mask had already been removed.
His expression was panicked and guilty, but he still tried to deny everything.
“That’s not me!”
“I don’t know that person!”
“You’ve got the wrong man!”
“Then why were you circling that Camry?”
Gu Yan put away his phone and looked at him calmly.
“If you tell the truth now, we can still discuss this reasonably.”
“Otherwise, we can continue this conversation at the police station.”
Using fake license plates was already illegal.
Combined with the previous stalking incident, the police would quickly uncover the truth if they became involved.
Hearing this, the man grew even more frightened.
He nervously looked around, seemingly searching for an opportunity to escape.
Gu Yan slipped both hands into his jacket pockets and slowly approached him.
“Stop struggling.”
“I’ve already investigated everything about you.”
“I know where you live, who you associate with, and your position in society.”
“You’d better cooperate with me.”
“Unless you want to take a gamble.”
“If I lose, it doesn’t matter. I’ll simply learn the truth a little later.”
“But what happens if you lose?”
The man stared into Gu Yan’s eyes in terror.
His lips trembled slightly.
Gu Yan was certain that this man couldn’t afford to take such a gamble.
Otherwise, after the previous incident, he would have disappeared into the vast crowd without a trace.
He wouldn’t have returned to the repair shop as though something was still weighing heavily on his mind.
The standoff continued for quite some time.
Finally, the man lowered his head and gave in.
“All right, I’ll talk.”
“What do you want to know?”
Gu Yan’s eyes immediately brightened.
He went straight to the point.
“Who ordered you to do it?”
The man had dark, tanned skin.
As he struggled to think, the muscles in his face twitched a couple of times.
“I don’t know either.”
“Why would he tell me something like that?”
“I only ever spoke to him over the phone, and sometimes we exchanged text messages.”
“Judging by his voice, he sounded like a young man in his twenties.”
Gu Yan immediately pressed further.
“Do you have his contact information?”
The man shook his head.
“No.”
“After the attempt to follow him failed, I tried contacting him again, but I couldn’t reach him.”
“He originally promised to pay me two hundred thousand yuan.”
“But he broke his word!”
“I only received the fifty-thousand-yuan deposit.”
As he spoke, the man wiped his eyes.
Tears seemed to be gathering in his cloudy gaze.
“If my daughter hadn’t been sick and desperately needed money to save her life, I would never have done something like this!”
“We agreed from the beginning that he’d pay me the full two hundred thousand yuan, whether the job succeeded or failed.”
“But… but…”
“Please, I’m begging you! Let me go!”
Gu Yan normally didn’t know what to do when he saw a girl crying.
Now, faced with a grown man in tears, he felt even more helpless.
Fortunately, his two subordinates were more experienced in dealing with situations like this.
One of them spoke reassuringly.
“Sir, please calm down.”
“We’re not going to make things difficult for you.”
“We just want to ask a few questions.”
“As long as you answer honestly, you’ll be free to leave.”
The man sniffled and spoke between sobs.
“I really don’t know who the person behind this is.”
“He was extremely careful.”
“Every time he contacted me, he used a different phone number.”
“And he never revealed any personal information about himself.”
Gu Yan rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
“Try to think carefully.”
“Is there any detail you might have forgotten?”
“Perhaps something distinctive about his voice?”
“Something distinctive?”
The man frowned helplessly.
He racked his brain for a long time.
Suddenly, he seemed to remember something.
“That’s right!”
“I think there’s a mole on his left wrist!”
“Back then, to prove he was serious about hiring me, he took a photograph of himself holding a stack of cash and sent it to me.”
“If the hand shown in that photograph really belongs to him, then there’s definitely a mole on his left wrist!”
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