Chapter 35: A Close Encounter

“Your husband won’t show up during the day; he only comes at night,” Shan Qi remarked. “Otherwise, I wouldn’t be out here so late.”
Yan Chuan chose to believe Shan Qi’s words for now.
Contestants were only allowed to view their own scripts, and he couldn’t gauge the truth from Shan Qi’s expression.
But Yan Chuan had another question.
He hesitated, “Really only at night? Isn’t it possible to fulfill the condition of ‘being discreet’ during the day?”
Her husband was right next door. The walls of Apartment 13 were paper-thin, and no matter how careful he was, his husband could overhear.
It wouldn’t just be a mess; it would be a disaster.
Yan Chuan looked at Shan Qi.
Shan Qi was calm. “I don’t know either.”
“But we can try it out.”
Try it out?
That meant not only when her husband was at work during the day but also now.
His so-called “husband” was still next door, using a flashlight to fix the plumbing. Meanwhile, he was here, getting cozy with a neighbor who came knocking at night—his clandestine lover?
That was just too much.
Shan Qi continued to stare at him, his eyes surveying Yan Chuan from above, allowing him to see the toned muscles on his arms and abdomen, the damp tank top clinging to his body, radiating a scent of overflowing hormones.
Yan Chuan hesitated and averted his gaze.
The kitchen was brightly lit, and Shan Qi stood with his back to the light, his eyes nearly golden in hue. He watched Yan Chuan without blinking, like a predator waiting patiently for its prey to let down its guard.
Cool and dangerous.
Yan Chuan pressed his lips together, expressing his disapproval. “Not now.”
He stepped aside slightly, trying to break the strange atmosphere. “He could come back anytime.”
To emphasize his words, Yan Chuan pointed at the wall, hoping to dissuade Shan Qi from this idea.
But Shan Qi didn’t even glance in that direction, appearing uninterested in the identity of her husband, who was the legitimate spouse of an escape reality show boss.
He carelessly set something aside and walked directly in front of Yan Chuan, leaning slightly forward. “Are you really that scared?”
The warm breath was almost unbearable close, prompting Yan Chuan to back away a step.
Shan Qi’s long, curled eyelashes fluttered, casting a shadow over his face. The tightness of his pale lips revealed his tension.
Shan Qi leaned closer, and to maintain some distance, Yan Chuan found himself almost backed against the wall.
To avoid being cornered without an escape, Yan Chuan stopped him in time.
He reached out, creating a bit of space between them. “Don’t move.”
His delicate fingers landed on Shan Qi’s forearm, and a light pressure made Shan Qi stop.
Yan Chuan’s delicate brows furrowed as he lowered his voice. “What’s there to be afraid of? He’s the boss in the escape reality show; he needs to keep playing his role. If he finds out, his persona will crumble.”
Of course, he had more unsaid thoughts.
What if her husband discovered their relationship? It wouldn’t just ruin his persona or deduct points; it would mean that the moody and obsessive boss discovered his gentle and considerate wife’s betrayal, especially with one of her lovers in the house…
Yan Chuan shuddered at the thought and began to push Shan Qi’s hand away a bit more forcefully.
With the donations from the live-stream, he only had just over a thousand points, which wouldn’t be enough to buy a revival item.
“Doing it would fit your character,” Shan Qi’s voice suddenly echoed in his ear, equally low and slightly hoarse. “Did you forget? I’m a little gangster, and you’re the flirtatious wife.”
“This is the perfect time; he’s not here. How would he know what we’re doing?”
Yan Chuan looked at him in confusion.
“Seeking thrills is human nature,” Shan Qi said gravely, a smile creeping onto his lips. “So, are you in?”
Yan Chuan felt Shan Qi was analyzing the situation based on their characters, showing no hint of levity in the matter.
But looking into Shan Qi’s eyes gave him chills, making him feel that no matter what he said, he was being pressed to complete this “exciting” task.
“I…”
Before Yan Chuan could finish, Shan Qi had already grabbed his wrist.
This position was indeed a bit dangerous, with Shan Qi standing very close. His lowered head made his high nose almost brush against Yan Chuan’s cheek.
Yan Chuan caught a faint scent reminiscent of absinth—bitter, yet light, it drifted into his nostrils almost ethereally.
He slowly realized how close they were now.
The other person’s breath was encroaching, assertive and strong, which made the space feel constricted.
“Just one kiss,” Shan Qi murmured, his eyes downcast, while the light shaped shadows around his profile.
Instinctively, Yan Chuan wanted to escape this fixation, but Shan Qi was much taller and stronger, acting as a wall blocking his way. Yan Chuan didn’t dare make much noise, fearing it would alert her husband next door.
His gaze had nowhere to rest and fell on Shan Qi’s prominent nose and his well-defined jawline.
One kiss.
One kiss wasn’t much. When they were in the bathroom, to complete Shan Qi’s task, he had kissed him before, after all—he had initiated it.
At that time, he could rationalize it under the terms of “character” and “task,” and there hadn’t been anyone else around to know what they had done in the public shower.
But now… Yan Chuan glanced towards her husband’s direction. The reasons were valid, but would they really not get caught in the act?
If her husband caught him “cheating,” would that not lead to an immediate task failure?
How bold was Shan Qi!
“It’s too dangerous…” Before Yan Chuan could finish, Shan Qi pressed a finger to his lips.