The attendant also looked over, his eyes suddenly brightening a few degrees. “Director Ye, please come in. Our boss has been asking about you these past few days. Should I let him know you’re here?”
“No need. I just came to eat,” Ye Linyuan said. “Please choose a quieter private room.”
“Oh, okay.”
The private room was peaceful, with a breathtaking night view by the riverside. After Ye Linyuan ordered the dishes, they were quickly served, along with a bottle of wine that had already been decanted.
“Thank you, but I don’t need it. I’ll just have juice,” he replied.
The attendant poured him a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice.
Tong Sui took the juice and, upon raising his eyes, he saw those pitch-black orbs staring at him. “You dislike the taste of alcohol?”
“I don’t dislike it, I just have a low tolerance.”
Tong Sui thought to himself that after finishing a glass, he would likely feel dazed and struggle to listen to Ye Linyuan.
Ye Linyuan took a small sip from his wine glass. His long fingers held the stem delicately, causing the rich liquid to swirl slightly.
“What type of pheromone do you like?”
Tong Sui replied, “I don’t know.”
He hadn’t grown up in the ABO world like they did, so he didn’t have specific preferences when it came to scent. His sensitivity to pheromones was low; to him, the differences in smell weren’t very pronounced, and he couldn’t discern what he particularly liked.
Moreover, his feelings for Ye Linyuan had nothing to do with pheromones.
The lights outside cast reflections into his dark eyes, illuminating his somber expression. Suddenly, Ye Linyuan spoke up unexpectedly, “What does he smell like?”
Tong Sui was puzzled. “Who?”
“Never mind, I misspoke.” Ye Linyuan downed the remainder of his wine.
After dinner, they returned to the apartment.
Tong Sui sat down at the table and pulled out a book. The two were sitting very close, and he could smell a faint hint of alcohol on Ye Linyuan.
Under the cover of night, Ye Linyuan’s voice was deeper than usual, laced with a hint of laziness and casualness.
Tong Sui listened quietly as Ye Linyuan shared today’s lessons, then, as usual, presented him with a test paper to complete.
Holding the pen, Tong Sui couldn’t help but turn to look at him.
Ye Linyuan’s expression was calm; while others might not notice his inner turmoil, Tong Sui could tell he was in a bad mood.
“Ye Linyuan, what have you been thinking about since earlier? Do you have something to say?” Tong Sui asked.
“Nothing,” Ye Linyuan replied, rubbing his forehead, his profile appearing somewhat indifferent. “It’s getting late; once you’re done, I’ll call a cab to take you home.”
“I don’t want to leave today,” Tong Sui said, putting down the pen and gripping his shoulder. “Look at me and tell me again what you’re thinking.”
He didn’t believe Ye Linyuan would let him go so easily without even touching him once from beginning to end.
Ye Linyuan’s gaze scrutinized him as it slowly moved over his brow, eyes, nose, and lips.
Finally, he spoke in a husky voice, “Tong Sui, do you really like me?”
Tong Sui paused for a second and nodded.
Ye Linyuan stood up, his dark eyes swirling like a vortex, possessing some mysterious allure. “Wait for me.”
After he finished speaking, he pushed the door open and stepped out.
When he heard the gentle click of the door closing, Tong Sui picked up the glass of water on the table and took a large gulp.
What was going on with him…? Everything had been fine just this afternoon.
The study had excellent soundproofing, and Tong Sui sat inside, unaware of what was happening outside.
His gaze could only rest on the problems before him.
He distractedly worked through the questions, reaching the last one when the door to the study opened again.
A wave of moist air swept in from behind him.
Tong Sui turned his head.
Ye Linyuan’s inky hair was dripping with water, not yet dried, and he had changed into a different outfit.
His eyes were incredibly deep, resembling the night sky hidden behind clouds.
He approached and claimed Tong Sui’s lips in an intense kiss.
The familiar sensations surged over him, causing Tong Sui’s heart to race uncontrollably as he clung to the hem of Ye Linyuan’s clothes, awkwardly attempting to respond.
Gradually, a sweet, spicy fragrance of alcohol filled the air, emanating increasingly from Ye Linyuan, growing denser by the second.
Ye Linyuan caressed Tong Sui’s cheek. “Rum, do you like it?”
The unique and strong scent of high-concentration alcohol ignited a burning heat within Tong Sui, spicy yet deceitfully sweet, seeping into him layer by layer.
It made one feel lax and unwittingly ensnared.
Just the aroma of the liquor left Tong Sui feeling as though he was on the verge of inebriation, as if he had been soaked in a tub of hot water—dizzy and hazily nodding.
In the next moment, powerful arms lifted him to sit atop the table.
Papers and pens clattered down.
Ye Linyuan held him tightly in his arms, leaning close to Tong Sui’s ear, whispering heavily, “You should say it, you like me.”
The scent of rum bombarded him, and the water dripping from Ye Linyuan’s hair mixed with the warmth, splashing onto Tong Sui’s face.
Tong Sui felt the heat spread across his cheeks, all the way to his ears, turning crimson.
He slowly lowered his chin, brushing against the side of Ye Linyuan’s neck and placing a gentle kiss on that skin.
“I… I like you.”
As soon as Tong Sui’s words fell, he could clearly feel the person in front of him pause for a moment—as if the calm before a storm.
Ye Linyuan, harboring a night’s worth of negative emotions, transformed them into a torrent of fervent affection that collided with Tong Sui’s lips as they kissed.
At first, Tong Sui tried to respond, but soon he was swept back into this swamp of passion.
Outside, the hustle and bustle continued, lights shimmering beautifully.
Yet in the secluded study, under the dim light’s glow, the two entwined figures seemed insignificantly small against the vastness of the night, yet they were each other’s everything.
Ye Linyuan relinquished his hold on Tong Sui’s lips.