The atmosphere was already gloomy when food was still abundant, and it would only worsen once the travelers realized that their supplies would dwindle. Yan Chuan glanced at Ash who wore a similarly tense expression.
“Let’s go upstairs,” Yan Chuan mused. “From now on, let’s prepare smaller portions for each meal. Don’t mention this to them just yet.”
Ash nodded in response, indicating he understood.
However, this situation couldn’t be hidden for long. Yan Chuan was well aware that the lack of food would incite growing panic among the travelers. They also knew that if the group was smaller, they would each receive more food.
There were no surveillance cameras in the inn, and Yan Chuan had no idea who was taking the food. He decided to head upstairs with Ash. In the end, he hardly ate anything. His appetite had sunk to an all-time low, and his mood was even worse.
His soft, rosy lips pressed together in a thin line while his delicate brows furrowed, his cheeks pale. Yan Chuan walked up the stairs, lost in thought. He wasn’t paying attention to where he was going and almost collided with someone.
The tip of his nose just barely brushed against the rough, thick fabric of the stranger’s coat as he frowned and looked up.
What met his gaze was a rather handsome face. The person was tall, standing at the top of the stairs. Yan Chuan had barely avoided crashing into him.
His hair was slightly curled, meticulously swept back, revealing his striking blue eyes and prominent nose. His expression was indifferent, tinged with a hint of arrogance. It was Duncan.
Yan Chuan couldn’t understand why he was going downstairs. He was neatly dressed, flanked by two silent, obedient bodyguards. Upon seeing him, Yan Chuan furrowed his brows but was relieved he managed to sidestep.
With his mood already dampened and his mind still fixed on the food situation, Yan Chuan didn’t want to think about why Duncan was blocking their path.
“Excuse me…” the staircase was narrow, so Yan Chuan stepped aside, grabbing Ash’s hand and murmuring he was heading back to their room.
They made way, yet Duncan showed no intention of departing. His gaze lingered for a moment on the slender, pale wrist of Yan Chuan, revealing a rather blatant interest before raising an eyebrow at the hand he held with Ash.
“Thinking of going back?” Duncan slightly nodded, looking directly at Yan Chuan. “Hmm?”
Ash, who felt ignored, frowned.
[Didn’t he notice his wife is in distress? Hurry up and share everything you know with her!]
[Hmm… is he trying to stir trouble?]
[You better fill my baby up well!]
[Your wife is in such a bad mood, and you still dare to entertain thoughts like those!]
Yan Chuan, uncertain of Duncan’s intentions, merely nodded: “Mm.”
He and Duncan had hardly exchanged many words and weren’t on such familiar terms that they could greet each other easily.
It was mostly Yan Chuan who felt unfamiliar with Duncan.
But Duncan seemed piqued by curiosity and asked, “Not in a good mood?”
Yan Chuan cast a glance at Duncan’s two bodyguards standing like silent mountains behind him.
That question felt out of place; it wasn’t something Duncan could help with. Yan Chuan shook his head.
“What’s the point of asking me that?”
“We’re leaving…” Ash’s expression turned anxious. Yan Chuan tugged at him, signaling him to stay quiet.
Duncan seemed unfazed by Ash’s presence, not even glancing at him.
He casually raised his hand, and the two bodyguards stepped forward, forcefully separating Ash from Yan Chuan.
Yan Chuan was taken aback as each bodyguard took hold of an unwilling Ash, pulling him away.
In the narrow staircase, only Yan Chuan and Duncan remained.
Yan Chuan took a step back, displaying a wary expression.
“What are you doing?”
The staircase was quite cramped.
During the inn’s construction, no one had considered the prospect of “the owner being cornered,” and the stairs were steep and narrow, allowing only two people to pass simultaneously.
The space at the corner was even less ample.
Duncan approached closer, leaning slightly forward, forcing Yan Chuan to retreat until his back pressed against the cold, hard wall.
There was no way to escape now.
Staring at Duncan’s face so close, Yan Chuan hesitated, pursing his lips.
Ash was taken away by Duncan’s bodyguards; he didn’t know where they were headed. Yan Chuan found himself trapped in the narrow staircase, his back firmly pressed against the wall.
He questioned what Duncan wanted, but Duncan did not respond.
A wall lamp dimly illuminated the staircase.
The light from the old, malfunctioning fixture flickered down feebly, stretching the shadows of the two men elongated and distorted.
The figure against the wall was evidently slender and tense, stuck in a corner of the staircase.
Under the heavy light, his white profile was washed with a warm, yellow glow, outlining his delicate features.
His skin was a smooth, pale white, in stark contrast to western features, with gentle and attractive traits reminiscent of an oriental porcelain doll.
He had a full forehead, eyes that were somewhat rounded, and dark, bright irises that seemed as if they held a pool of water. His nose had a slight upward curve.
His rosy, soft lips were pressed downwards, wearing an uninspired expression.
Long, thick eyelashes fluttered gently, casting a small shadow on his fair, clean cheeks.
The young Asian proprietor looked both alert and anxious.
He was wary of this strange guest who had suddenly blocked his path, worried about where his employee might be taken, uncertain if something could go wrong.
However, he himself was cornered by a much taller man, the shadow enveloping him, trapping him.
All he could do was furrow his delicate brows, biting his lips in indecision.
At that moment, they were alone; the beautiful, slender Asian shopkeeper stood right before Duncan, his anxious expression enticed Duncan’s gaze to wander.
As a man, Duncan couldn’t resist. His eyes swept back and forth between Yan Chuan’s soft lips and the slender, pale neck, as if he could see inside through the not-thin clothing.