EIP 25

Seeing Zhou Jun’s fluctuating expression, Yong Jin stood up and approached him, unexpectedly starting to help him change out of his clothes. Zhou Jun was wearing a suit today, and the sharp-eyed Yong Jin had noticed a long strand of brown hair stuck on his shoulder. He loosened his grip, letting the hair fall. He pulled at Zhou Jun’s bow tie and said, “Actually, our last encounter was purely by chance.” Zhou Jun didn’t quite understand what he meant, so he listened as Yong Jin continued, “But the chance meeting wasn’t after your ambush. It was before you got out of that woman’s car.”

Zhou Jun’s shoulders quivered slightly. Yong Jin roughly yanked off his vest, tearing open his shirt. Buttons scattered, and one struck Zhou Jun’s chin, causing a bit of pain. His upper body was left bare, illuminated only by the dim light of the floor lamp. He looked at Yong Jin, who didn’t meet his gaze. Or rather, his eyes briefly lingered on Zhou Jun’s chest before moving downward. His hand unfastened Zhou Jun’s belt, then tugged down the zipper of his pants, revealing the silk trousers beneath. As if recalling something, he let out a soft sigh, “Almost forgot about this.”

Yong Jin’s hand slipped into Zhou Jun’s pants pocket, retrieving a crumpled stack of handkerchiefs. With a gentle shake, ashes scattered into the air, swirling and slowly drifting down. The dirt and grime fell onto both their black shoes and the ground beside them. Zhou Jun felt Yong Jin wrap his arms around his back, his right hand gliding from Zhou Jun’s earlobe down to his shoulder, finally settling around his waist.

With the loss of its belt and the absence of a zipper and buttons, the suit pants hung lifelessly, sagging to the ground. Yong Jin crouched down, unconcerned about the vulnerability of his posture. He instructed Zhou Jun to lift his feet and completely remove the pants. Zhou Jun’s lips pressed together, but he complied. As Yong Jin reached for his shoelaces, Zhou Jun kicked off his shoes in a hurry and pulled off his socks.

In a moment of resolve, Yong Jin stripped off the only remaining silk trousers he had. Zhou Jun stood entirely bare, revealing a man’s body, slender and flexible, yet imbued with strength. Yong Jin’s hand moved up from Zhou Jun’s calf, and he retrieved a pair of stockings from the drawer. He guided Zhou Jun’s hands to rest on his shoulders as he helped him put them on.

The ring he wore was something Yong Jin had just taught him to use in the car. In this room, there was no one else, just the two of them. A light sheen of sweat formed on Zhou Jun’s body, he felt a mixture of tension and vulnerability.

Perhaps feeling that standing was inconvenient, Yong Jin held Zhou Jun by the waist and settled him against the low cabinet nearby. Zhou Jun’s eyes gradually filled with intense emotions, prompting him to cooperate and lift his leg as the stockings slowly slid up.

The suspender stockings and cheongsam fit him perfectly. Yong Jin fastened the last button, and only then did he step back to admire Zhou Jun, like a satisfied artist appraising a finished piece, his demeanor one of pleasure. Zhou Jun’s fingertips were cold, the ring cooler than the warmth of his hand. He rested a hand on Yong Jin’s shoulder, occasionally allowing his fingertips to linger on the warm side of Yong Jin’s neck.

But Yong Jin didn’t shy away at all, he focused intently on dressing him, allowing Zhou Jun’s hand to wander near his sensitive areas. Zhou Jun, seated on the low cabinet, suddenly spoke up, “You really are a madman.” Yong Jin took Zhou Jun’s hand, which was caressing his neck, and kissed the fingertips. “Whatever you want, just ask me directly. Anything I can give you, I will.”

Zhou Jun suddenly laughed, unable to stop. He reached out and wrapped his arms around Yong Jin’s waist, sighing softly against his lips, “What do you think I want?” Yong Jin leaned in slightly, trying to kiss him, but Zhou Jun turned his face away, just as Yong Jin had done to him before. He desired it, yet he wouldn’t give in. Zhou Jun tightened his grip around Yong Jin’s waist. “I don’t want your things. I just want you to stay away from me and my family. Are you willing to do that?”

He sensed that as soon as the words left his mouth, Yong Jin’s body tensed instantly. Yet, Zhou Jun didn’t pay it any mind and said flatly, “Yong Jin, who exactly are you trying to put on a show for?” He never believed that Yong Jin had any genuine feelings for him. From the day he left the Yong residence and before he got out of the car with Zhou Yan, he understood that Yong Jin’s approach had never been sincere from the beginning.So, whatever deep-seated feelings there might be, he had no desire to play along.

Zhou Jun noticed Yong Jin’s lips quivering slightly, as if he wanted to say something, but in the end, he bit the words back, swallowing them little by little. The heavy weight in Yong Jin’s eyes felt like a lock, firmly lodged in Zhou Jun’s heart.

He knew Yong Jin was investigating him. He picked up the pile of ash and saw through Yong Jin’s suspicions. These were not things a rich playboy should want to know, yet he happened to want to know them. Yong Jin was simply questioning his identity, whether he belonged to the underground, had ties with Chongqing, or was connected to Yan’an. In truth, he was nothing at all, but he would never admit that. Everyone had their secrets, and no one would easily expose themselves for others to see.

Yong Jin offers him a gun, a ring, and crafts the illusion that he would give his life for him if only he asked. He kisses his fingers with deep affection, claiming he can give him anything he desires. Whether it is just another trap, only heaven knows. He plays his part just as convincingly in front of Zhou Yan as he does here. Once the heart is won, the value increases beyond measure.

The second young master of the Zhou family is nothing more than a pawn. No matter how fiercely his elder brother resists, Zhou Jun serves as a perfect tool to keep the Zhou family in check. Yong Jin speaks of the gun, but who can say if it even holds bullets? He calls the ring poisonous, but perhaps it is entirely harmless. Yet if Zhou Jun were to truly use either against him, it might be his own life on the line. As someone well-versed in seduction, he knows all too well how a man’s honeyed words can lead to heaven or hell, spinning circles around anyone who listens.

He had always been the one to charm others. How could he be so easily swayed by Yong Jin? Yet, time and time again, as the ring slid onto his finger, he felt as if he were blinded by grease. Zhou Jun furrowed his brows, the irony still evident on his face. He forcefully pushed Yong Jin away, the ring he had just received flying onto Yong Jin’s body.

Zhou Jun said, “Major Yong, if you have the time to seduce me, you might as well do something more productive and take the right path.” Beneath his words lay a sense of disdain. Yong Jin’s expression darkened even further, his brows knitting together as if a storm were brewing. The tension between them escalated, swords drawn in a silent standoff.

Yong Jin was furious. He couldn’t understand why Zhou Jun had once confessed his feelings in his arms, only to now turn hostile and stab at his heart with a metaphorical knife.

Just as the atmosphere reached its breaking point, the sudden ring of a phone cut through the tension. Zhou Jun looked away. His heart was pounding, and a trace of fear rose within him. Turning to answer the call, he felt oddly relieved that Yong Jin didn’t follow. The caller was Miss Wen, her voice sharp as she demanded to know what was going on.

Zhou Jun still felt the weight of Yong Jin’s gaze on his back as he listened to the voice on the other end. Considering Miss Wen’s family background, he had to exercise patience and comfort her with a gentle tone. Switching to German to accommodate the listener, he sweet-talked her, finally managing to appease her. However, just as the conversation seemed to smooth out, a gunshot shattered the phone next to him, sending fragments flying.

Startled by the sudden explosion, Zhou Jun collapsed onto the nearby sofa as his legs gave out. His face stung with pain, and when he wiped it, his fingers came away smeared with blood. Shards from the shattered phone had sliced into his hands and feet, and fragments had left scratches across his face. Still in shock, he looked up at the shooter. The man was seething with fury, yet his smile remained. His gaze was like a blade, sharp and cold, cutting straight through him.

Gun in hand, Yong Jin slowly closed the distance between them, his voice dripping with a false gentleness: “Jun Jun, we still have unfinished business. How could you just go and answer the phone?”

Zhou Jun felt a shiver creep up his spine, terror gripping him as he realized the gravity of the situation. In that moment, regret washed over him for throwing away the ring. Unarmed and clad only in that damned cheongsam, he felt utterly vulnerable. The weight of Yong Jin’s intent pressing down on him like a dark cloud.