Chapter 51 – Yin’s Overzealous Courtship

At first, Wei Lai thought that when Chu Yin mentioned “cheating,” he was secretly sneaking out to eat delicious food behind his back. Feeling guilty, he missed his first chance to explain. Later, he gradually realized what Chu Yin had misunderstood, but it was too late—his mouth was tightly sealed by Chu Yin, making it impossible to form a coherent explanation.

As mentioned earlier, Room 6188 was themed around an ancient, sleazy merchant “taming” a fiery courtesan who sold her art but not her body, so the bed was hung with many small props.

Naturally, Chu Yin used all these props on Wei Lai, yet he cried as if he were the one being bullied. Cold tears pattered onto Wei Lai’s neck as Chu Yin spoke in a trembling, soft voice, his movements domineering and fierce, “You… are mine, Wei Lai… I won’t give you to anyone.”

“It’s too late. I gave you a chance to leave me before… You agreed… Now you can never leave… Even if you die… your ashes will be mixed with mine…”

“I… love you,” Chu Yin whispered shakily, kissing Wei Lai’s fingers before biting a ring of teeth marks into the third knuckle of his middle finger. “I love you so much.”

Wei Lai experienced Crybaby Yin’s yandere¹A Japanese character archetype from anime and manga. The term describes someone whose romantic affection becomes a dangerous, possessive, and even violent obsession. mode for the first time and was thoroughly satisfied, both physically and mentally. He thought, I fucking love you to death too, okay? But what came out of his mouth was: “Ding ling wu wu ding ding ding!”

Wei Lai was gagged with a hollow silver bell painted with mandarin ducks playing in water, jingling “ding-ding-dang-dang” in rhythm with Chu Yin’s movements. Amidst the crisp chimes, Wei Lai faintly heard a buzzing vibration. At first, he thought it was a new prop, but after a while, he realized it was his phone ringing.

His order of crayfish had arrived! Arrived! The bright red, glistening, fragrant, delicious crayfish!

Wei Lai kicked Chu Yin, signaling him to go fetch it. Chu Yin grabbed his foot, his expression dark as he said coldly, “He’s here, isn’t he? Hmph, today I’ll make sure he sees exactly whose man you are!”

Wei Lai: “…”

Chu Yin combed his sweat-damp hair back with his fingers, leaving two strands hanging in front of his forehead, adding a touch of sensual allure. He picked up a towel from the floor and loosely wrapped it around his waist, deliberately emphasizing his abs and impressive package.

Fully prepared, Chu Yin flung the door open with fiery determination.

Contrary to the young, fair-skinned vixen he had imagined in his mind, the delivery guy at the door looked like a cross between Song Xiaobao and Wang Baoqiang. Dressed in Ele.me’s blue uniform, he glanced at Chu Yin, clearly startled, his body stiffening and his chrysanthemum clenching. “…Hello, your delivery is here…”

One second later, Chu Yin slammed the door shut.

Delivery guy: “…?”

Two seconds later, the door cracked open slightly, and a beautifully boned hand reached out. “…Give it to me.”

Chu Yin brought the crayfish inside and removed the bell from Wei Lai’s mouth. Wei Lai flexed his sore jaw and said, “…I didn’t cheat. I was just hungry. What the hell are you doing? Look how scared you made that delivery guy.”

Chu Yin ignored him, silently unpacking the crayfish. Instantly, the rich, mouthwatering aroma filled the air, teasing Wei Lai’s nose.

Still tied to the swing, Wei Lai swayed excitedly. “Yin Yin, untie me~”

Chu Yin pretended not to hear, putting on gloves and picking up a plump, vibrant crayfish. He peeled off the head, sucked the juices with exaggerated relish, and deliberately glanced at Wei Lai.

Wei Lai: “…” I feel bullied.

“I want some too.”

Chu Yin peeled a crayfish and held it to Wei Lai’s lips. Wei Lai eagerly snatched it with his mouth, feeling like life was nearly perfect.

“Untie me. I want to peel them myself. Crayfish peeled by someone else have no soul!”

Chu Yin continued peeling crayfish, dipping the firm meat into the shiny oil, wolfing them down one after another like a whirlwind. He even checked his phone at one point, and after that one bite, Wei Lai could only watch longingly as Chu Yin ate.

Wei Lai swallowed hard, growing desperate. “Hey, aren’t you on a diet?! Untie me!”

Chu Yin asked, “Why did you change your phone password?”

Wei Lai: “…How did you know I changed it?”

Chu Yin pursed his lips. “Right now, I’m asking the questions. Don’t answer with another question.”

Wei Lai rolled his eyes. “Don’t tell me all this drama is because I changed my password… It was your birthday before, right? It’s still your birthday, just the year is at the end now instead of the beginning. I changed it casually—how was I supposed to know you’d try to unlock my phone?”

Chu Yin peeled another crayfish and fed it to Wei Lai, who shamelessly ate it.

Chu Yin pressed, “That day at the café, you met a woman. Who was she?”

Wei Lai tensed, shocked. “…You had someone follow me?”

Chu Yin: “No! I just happened to be buying cat food across the street!”

Wei Lai: “…”

Wei Lai couldn’t tell Chu Yin the truth, but if he made up a lie, Chu Yin would dig deeper, and if his family background came to light, it would be disastrous.

His hesitation made Chu Yin’s eyes redden. “Are you… on a blind date with her?”

Wei Lai: “???”

Chu Yin sniffled. “Is it or not? Don’t lie to me!”

Wei Lai once again realized the vast chasm between their thought processes. He sighed, “No. You’re driving me crazy. She’s my college classmate. I asked her to help find your birth parents.”

Chu Yin froze. “Did she find them?”

Wei Lai deflected, “No. If she had, wouldn’t I have told you?”

Chu Yin made a small noise, his hands trembling as he fed Wei Lai another crayfish.

Chu Yin: “Also… just now, a woman with a kid who looks a lot like you came looking for you. I didn’t open the door. I sent you the photo, but you didn’t reply.”

Wei Lai thought for a moment. “Probably my little brother. The woman’s my stepmom.”

After answering, Wei Lai eagerly waited for Chu Yin to feed him more crayfish, but no more came.

Wei Lai craned his neck to look at the takeout box—only bright red chili oil remained, the glorious crayfish all gone.

Wei Lai was stunned. “No more crayfish?”

Chu Yin admitted honestly, “None left.”

Wei Lai felt as if struck by lightning, his expression blank.

At this moment, the emotions Wei Lai had suppressed for weeks reached a breaking point, crashing over his fragile heart like an avalanche. His sorrow surged like a river, as if witnessing Taylor Swift marrying Yue Yunpeng, Shen Teng and Han Hong holding hands while singing Burn My Calories at a street stall, or TFboys reuniting only to dance the yangge with rouged cheeks in front of Tiananmen Square.

The mountains are hard to cross—who pities the lost traveler?

The crayfish came, only to vanish into Crybaby’s belly!

A tragedy so cruel it angered heaven and earth—how could this be borne?!

Madam Wei, the middle-aged gay man who hadn’t lost his temper in ten years, erupted like a volcano.

Chu Yin sensed the dark aura around Wei Lai and tiptoed forward to untie him. But Wei Lai suddenly twisted, causing the swing to swing back violently.

Wei Lai swung wildly, yelling, “Chu Yin, I’m furious!!!”

Chu Yin: “…”

The swing hung in the center of the room. Wei Lai rode it like a battle rooster, swooping down at blinding speed. Chu Yin couldn’t even catch him.

Wei Lai: “You don’t trust me at all!!! After all these years, you still don’t!!! I might as well carve your name on my heart and shove it back in!!!”

Chu Yin flailed. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry! Stop swinging! I was wrong! I got fat and scared!!! Wei Lai!”

Wei Lai was sitting naked on a swing, spinning around the room like a windmill, looking downright demonic: “Don’t call me! Laozi won’t stop! Everyone is a baby, and Madam Wei is still a Madam! This bitch doted on you, Crybaby Yin, for so many years, only to end up with you finishing all my spicy crayfish!!! I’m fucking starving!!! Laozi has never eaten so many damn vegetables and fruits in his life! I’m pissed, from now on, I’m not Wei Lai—I’m Empress Wei, and you can’t fucking coax me back!!!”

Wei Lai cursed and grumbled, his long bare legs dangling from the swing seat as he dashed around in circles, completely out of control.

Chu Yin chased after him for a bit before his towel slipped off. After a brief moment of confusion, he continued his naked pursuit.

Thus, Wei Lai raced ahead, head forward and legs kicking as he dashed around, while Chu Yin stretched his arms out behind him, chasing after him with frantic energy.

After several laps, Wei Lai’s flying speed gradually slowed. Chu Yin, trailing behind the swing, finally seized the opportunity to pounce like a cat ambushing a hen, barely managing to cling onto the swing so he could speak to Wei Lai.

Chu Yin, drenched in sweat, gasped, “Stop—I just ordered Haidilao for you, it’ll be here soon.”

Wei Lai, full of suspicion, asked, “Really?”

Chu Yin pulled out his phone and showed Wei Lai the order.

An entire row of meat dishes filled the screen.

Chu Yin said awkwardly, “Well… eating spicy crayfish right after doing it will make your ass hurt. I’ve been through it before, and I don’t want you to suffer. Wei Lai, stop yelling at me.”

Wei Lai: “So what kind of broth did you order?”

Chu Yin: “…Tomato. I think tomato tastes good.”

Wei Lai scolded furiously: “You traitor among Chengdu people!!!”

Chu Yin knew he was in the wrong and didn’t dare provoke the current Aisin-Gioro·Empress Wei, so he had no choice but to compromise. “Fine, split pot! Split pot, is that okay?!”

Wei Lai, having successfully reclaimed his dominance as a landlord, was very satisfied. “Deal.”

• 1
  A Japanese character archetype from anime and manga. The term describes someone whose romantic affection becomes a dangerous, possessive, and even violent obsession.