DASFAM_52

The intensity of the kiss grew heavier and heavier.

Shang Yanxiao sucked on Bai Xu's lips, prying open his teeth and advancing deep inside, unwilling to let any spot escape easily.

One hand confined the waist of the person in his arms, while the other rested on the back of his head. His fingertips threading through his hair, stroking with varying pressure—the most tender and lingering of soothing touches.

At first, Bai Xu could still hold his own against Shang Yanxiao, but as time went on he found himself increasingly powerless—

The heat rising from the bath had soaked through his clothes, clinging to his body in a wet, heavy mess, like an airless net, causing the blood throughout his body to rush uncontrollably to his head. His heartbeat and breathing rising and falling in spiraling waves.

Bai Xu pressed his palm against Shang Yanxiao's chest, caught between resistance and yielding, "Shang– Shang Yanxiao, mmh!"

Something restraining beneath the water seemed to be slipped away, only to be replaced in an instant by something far more dangerous.

Bai Xu tilted slightly backward, drawing in a sharp breath, "Mhm."

Shang Yanxiao slowly lifted his eyes, "Hm?"

The single syllable was laden with absolute dominance. He tilted his head and pressed his lips to the side of Bai Xu's neck, while the hand submerged beneath the water quietly began to move—advancing forcefully and slowly.

Bai Xu felt as though the entire bath had become a sea of fire, soaking him until his whole body seemed to be scorched.

"……"

The sound of water swayed and rippled, scattering his thoughts along with it.

No one knew how much time had passed before Bai Xu's fading consciousness gradually gathered itself back together.

His naturally soft, gentle features were veiled in mist, and he could only say in broken fragments, "Too hot."

"Take your clothes off."

Shang Yanxiao bit his ear, fingers already finding their way to the collar, tugging the zipper of the sweatshirt downward little by little.

It was an entirely ordinary action, yet in this moment it carried with it a teasing, provocative charge.

"Turn around."

"……"

Without the barrier of clothing, Bai Xu was pressed into close contact with the wall of the bath.

He shivered from the cold, "Cold."

Shang Yanxiao pressed close again, kissed the small mole on the back of his neck, and let out a low laugh, "Young Master Bai, choose one. In the water, or on the bed?"

Things had already come this far. The possibility of pulling back from the edge had long since ceased to exist.

Bai Xu let his true innermost feelings take the lead, breathing lightly in short gasps, "A- adults don't make choices."

"……"

He turned his head, meeting Shang Yanxiao's eyes, "I want both."

The moment his answer hit the water, the restraint Shang Yanxiao had held back for so long snapped all at once and turned fierce.

...

.......

Bai Xu felt like a small boat adrift on the current, swaying and rocking in the sea that Shang Yanxiao commanded, receiving wave after wave of surging tides in broken succession.

By the time the last thread of his consciousness drifted away, he seemed to catch a glimpse of the dawn light breaking through the floor-to-ceiling window.

Bai Xu's sleep was far from peaceful—a persistent, spreading soreness pervaded his entire body. When he woke again, the aching had only grown worse than before.

"…Hiss."

Bai Xu furrowed his brow and curled deeper into the covers, squeezing his eyes shut as if to hide from it all.

Before long, however, the blanket over his head was gently lifted by Shang Yanxiao, "You're awake?"

Bai Xu had no desire to respond, and turned his head to press it against the pillow.

Shang Yanxiao reached out and kneaded the tightly knitted spot between his brows, then leaned down to coax him, "A' Xu, how about eating something first before going back to sleep? Be good."

"……"

Bai Xu opened his eyes with great effort, "What time is it?"

"Six o'clock."

Shang Yanxiao stated the time, then, worried he hadn't quite registered it, added, "Six in the evening."

"……"

Bai Xu was left utterly speechless, his still-drowsy eyes fixed in a blank stare at the one responsible for all of this.

Shang Yanxiao caught his wordless little expression and found it nothing short of adorable, "Can you get up? Want me to help?"

"No need."

Too proud to accept help, Bai Xu pushed himself upright, gritting his teeth and refusing to let a single sound of pain escape.

He used to think 'body falling apart' was nothing more than an exaggerated figure of speech. Now that it was his turn, he finally understood just how fitting the description really was.

His senses gradually gathered themselves back together.

Bai Xu glanced around the suite he was in. Though the layout was nearly identical to before, he still noticed the difference, "We changed rooms?"

Shang Yanxiao pressed the service bell to order a meal before answering, "Mm. The sheets and bedding over there were completely ruined."

His voice was perfectly steady—as if the latter half of that sentence were the most ordinary thing in the world.

Hazy fragments of the night before surfaced in Bai Xu's mind, and his face instantly burned with heat—

The two of them had gone from the bath to the bed, one thing leading to another, not even pausing to dry off properly. Though the hotel had individually wrapped protection, it seemed they had only used it once before abandoning it entirely.

One thing after another—naturally, the sheets and bedding hadn't stood a chance of staying clean.

Shang Yanxiao continued, "You were sleeping deeply this afternoon, so I took the liberty of booking a new suite."

Bai Xu let out a small breath of air in acknowledgment.

Shang Yanxiao caught a glimpse of the red marks on his collarbone and was in a fine mood, "I've already given you a quick clean-up. Before we eat, would you like to go to the bathroom to rinse your mouth?"

Seeing him looking so thoroughly satisfied and at ease, Bai Xu felt a flicker of irritation, and answered again with nothing more than a huff.

Shang Yanxiao knew he had been a little rough on that matter, and let Bai Xu's temper run its course, "Alright, shall I carry you over then?"

Bai Xu's voice still carried a faint trace of hoarseness, yet he remained stubbornly unbending, "No need, I can manage on my own."

Enduring the aching soreness that radiated through his entire body with every movement, he slowly made his way to the edge of the bed. The moment his feet touched the wooden floor, that heavy, boneless weakness traveled straight up through him.

"……"

Bai Xu went silent and stopped moving altogether.

This was absolutely not a matter of being incapable—it was simply that this body's constitution was far too poor!

Shang Yanxiao read the awkward, frozen moment on his face and scooped him up effortlessly into his arms, rising to his feet and heading toward the bathroom.

Bai Xu flushed with embarrassed indignation, "Put me down."

Shang Yanxiao gave a light laugh, "Young Master Bai, you don't always have to be so competitive."

"......"

Bai Xu caught sight of the upward curve at the corner of his mouth and, without stopping to think, opened his mouth and bit down hard on Shang Yanxiao's shoulder in pure venting frustration.

Shang Yanxiao winced in pain, yet his hold didn't loosen one bit, "—Hiss!"

Bai Xu hadn't drawn blood, but he had bitten down hard enough to leave a deep teeth mark before finally releasing, and with barely contained fury he lashed out, "Shang Yanxiao, you bastard!"

He usually carried himself with such a proper, composed air—so how could he have been so ruthless in bed last night?

So much for friends with benefits and mutual convenience! What utter nonsense! He had gotten the short end of this deal entirely!

Shang Yanxiao set him down gently in front of the vanity, then glanced at the new addition to his shoulder in the mirror, "Young Master Bai, were you born in the year of the dog? That's quite a bite."

Bai Xu ignored him and picked up the mouthwash on his own.

Shang Yanxiao was in no hurry, waiting for him to finish washing up before saying, "Why such a temper? Surely you got something out of last night too? Weren't you the one clinging to me and asking for more?"

"……"

These things naturally came down to compatibility—and whatever was meant to be felt had certainly been felt.

Bai Xu thought back to the first two or three rounds of the night before and couldn't help the heat that rose in his chest.

He cleared his throat with a muffled cough and changed the subject at random, "No wonder you told me not to book the forest activity in advance when we arrived yesterday. You had it all planned out from the start, didn't you?"

Shang Yanxiao simply replied, "If you're interested, rest well tonight and going tomorrow won't be too late."

The words had barely fallen when the doorbell rang.

The butler's voice came through, "Good evening, this is your in-room dining service."

Bai Xu directed Shang Yanxiao as a matter of course, "You go get the door. I can't show my face out there right now."

Just thinking about the traces they had left behind in the other room made Bai Xu feel so mortified that he had absolutely no desire to let a third person see him in his current state of dishevelment.

Shang Yanxiao saw right through his little thoughts, "Alright."

...

The lavish dinner filled the room with an enticing aroma.

Having gone hungry for an entire day, Bai Xu put his pride aside on this matter and filled his stomach in no time at all.

Unfortunately, the fatigue and soreness throughout his body had yet to subside. After a quick rinse of his mouth, he flopped back onto the bed in a state of complete surrender.

Shang Yanxiao tidied up and brought a warm towel from the bathroom, "A' Xu, roll over."

Bai Xu had gradually grown accustomed to that intimate form of address. He turned his head to look at him, "What for?"

Shang Yanxiao sat down on the edge of the bed, "I'll put the warm towel on you, then give you a rub-down. You'll sleep better tonight."

Bai Xu could see the sincerity in his eyes and didn't turn down this considerate service being offered to him, "Then you'd better do a proper job of it."

Shang Yanxiao gave a soft laugh, "Alright."

The warm towel pressed against his lower back where the soreness was worst, and Shang Yanxiao's fingertips worked through it slowly, kneading bit by bit. The gentle heat made it easy to let go of all tension.

Bai Xu finally let out a long, contented sigh.

Seeing this, Shang Yanxiao massaged him with even greater care, without a word of complaint.

This continued for over half an hour before Bai Xu felt the built-up soreness finally ease. He rolled over, and for the first time a look of genuine satisfaction came over his face, "Alright, that's enough. Thank you for your hard work, Third Young Master."

Shang Yanxiao set the towel on the nightstand and leaned in to ask, "Not angry anymore?"

Bai Xu refused to admit it, "I wasn't angry to begin with. We agreed, friends with benefits help each other out."

"…Friends with… benefits?"

Shang Yanxiao fixed his gaze on Bai Xu, deliberately putting a little extra weight on those two words.

This heartless one—even now, he was still holding onto that label without any intention of changing it.

Bai Xu sensed his subtle shift in mood and added, "We agreed on it during the bet last time, each of us grants the other one request. You wanted to come hiking and off-roading, and I'd say I've kept you company through that, haven't I?"

Though looking at it now, the 'hiking and off-roading' seemed more like an excuse than anything else.

Shang Yanxiao gave a slight nod, "Mm, so has Young Master Bai already thought of what request he'd like to make of me?"

Bai Xu's gaze landed on the bite mark still swollen on Shang Yanxiao's shoulder, and something stirred in his mind, "As a matter of fact… there is one."

Shang Yanxiao asked, "What is it?"

Bai Xu leaned closer to Shang Yanxiao, reached up and hooked a finger under his chin, "Next time, I want to be on top."

"……"

Shang Yanxiao said nothing, raised an eyebrow, and stated flatly, "No. Pick a different request."

Bai Xu tightened his grip on his chin, "Shang Yanxiao, can't you take a little challenge?"

Shang Yanxiao closed his hand around Bai Xu's wrist and said without a trace of guilt, "Mm, I can't."

"……"

How could he admit to that so readily?

Bai Xu felt like he had thrown a punch straight into cotton—so infuriated he wanted to pull back, but Shang Yanxiao was faster, pressing him back down onto the bed, "Anything else, I can agree to. Just not that."

Bai Xu tilted his chin up, refusing to back down, "That's my one request."

"Even if I agreed, A' Xu…" Shang Yanxiao laughed despite himself, "Are you sure you could manage being on top?"

Bai Xu let out a cold huff, "Who do you think you're looking down on? Last night I lost the upper hand first, so I- I was simply letting you have your way. Got it?"

Shang Yanxiao teased him, "Mm, understood. Even if the sky were falling, our Young Master Bai's mouth could hold it up."

Bai Xu was speechless.

Shang Yanxiao studied him for a moment, then suddenly changed his tune, "Alright then, I'll let you be on top."

"Hm?"

Bai Xu froze for a moment, and an odd sensation washed over him, as if a pie had inexplicably fallen from the sky.

Shang Yanxiao held back a laugh, lowered his head and nipped at his ear, "What I meant by being on top is letting you…"

The voice dropped to an intimate murmur, slipping into his ear with ease, effortlessly shattering the small fantasy Bai Xu had just allowed himself to entertain.

"……"

Bai Xu's ears burned. Too indignant to bear it, he shoved Shang Yanxiao away with force, wrapped himself in the blanket and rolled to the far side of the bed, "I'm sleeping!"

Shang Yanxiao watched the half of his head still peeking out from the covers, and once again couldn't hold back a smile, "Rest well. I won't bother you tonight."

...

The following day, Bai Xu woke naturally and felt his energy fully restored.

The two of them made sure to enjoy the forest activities the hotel had arranged before setting off on the return journey, nearly four hours of driving before the car finally crossed back into N City territory.

Bai Xu looked out at the sky, which had grown dark once again, and couldn't help asking, "You've been driving this long. Aren't you tired?"

Shang Yanxiao answered, "Not tired."

They had stopped briefly at a petrol station earlier for twenty minutes, and he was feeling fine now.

Bai Xu thought for a moment, "Once the Eaglet Cinema project is officially signed, I'll find the time to get my driver's license."

Shang Yanxiao used the red light to coast to a stop, "Don't you have Chen Yufei?"

Bai Xu blurted out, "I can't keep troubling him all the time. In case the two of us go out together again in the future, I could at least…"

Before he could finish, Shang Yanxiao let out a quiet laugh.

Bai Xu caught himself and changed course, "What I mean is, it'd be more convenient for me to get around on my own in the future."

"Mm, I know."

Shang Yanxiao responded, then added deliberately, "Young Master Bai isn't worried about me driving alone and wearing myself out."

"……"

Bai Xu pretended not to hear, fixing his gaze on the traffic light outside the window that was about to turn green, "You can go now."

Shang Yanxiao confirmed the green light ahead and pressed down on the accelerator.

But the car had barely moved two seconds when a frantic blaring of horns suddenly erupted from the turning lane on the left!

Beep! Beep! Beep!

Shang Yanxiao caught a glimpse of the van hurtling toward them in his peripheral vision. His heart clenched as though seized by an invisible hand, and on pure instinct he wrenched the steering wheel hard to swerve out of the way!

—Bang!

In an instant, a violent crash reverberated across the entire intersection, and even bystanders on the street let out screams of panic.

...

8 PM. City Center Hospital.

Xie Qi and Chen Yufei, having received the news, rushed into the emergency department one after the other. The former reached out on the spot to stop a passing nurse, "Excuse me, I'd like to ask—"

The sharper-eyed Chen Yufei spotted Shang Yanxiao first and quickly cut in, "Xie Qi, Third Young Master is over here!"

At that moment, beside the bed at the far right of the emergency hall, two traffic police officers in uniform were gathered around Shang Yanxiao, asking him something.

Xie Qi and Chen Yufei exchanged a glance and strode over quickly, "Third Young Master! What's the situation?"

Shang Yanxiao turned to look at them, his expression drawn tight with unrelenting gravity.

The lead officer handed Shang Yanxiao the accident record, "Shang Yanxiao, please sign here to confirm. Once the accident assessment report is ready, we'll notify you as soon as possible."

"Thank you."

Shang Yanxiao took the record from the officers and swiftly signed his English name.

After watching the two officers leave, a flicker of unease crossed Xie Qi's brow, "Third Young Master, just now your signature…"

Shang Yanxiao knew what he was worried about and said with resignation, "I'm one of the parties involved in the accident. There's no avoiding a real identity check from the police."

Chen Yufei looked around, "Third Young Master, where is Young Master Bai? How did the accident happen all of a sudden?"

At the mention of Bai Xu, the self-reproach and frustration on Shang Yanxiao's face deepened visibly, "I was driving normally after the light turned green at the intersection. It was the other vehicle that suddenly charged out from the side lane and ran the red light."

Although he had managed to swerve away from the other vehicle's fatal trajectory, Shang Yanxiao's car had still struck a lamppost at the intersection, leaving the right-side door and window severely damaged.

Shang Yanxiao, in the driver's seat, had suffered only a minor scrape on his arm. Bai Xu, however, sitting in the passenger seat, had nowhere to dodge and was struck by the shattering glass, leaving a new laceration on his forehead that required stitches.

"He was taken by the nurses for a brain scan as soon as the stitches were done."

Since the moment it happened, Shang Yanxiao's heart had not stopped racing, his palms drenched in cold sweat without end. It was only the presence of police and medical staff that had kept him gripping onto his composure with every last bit of restraint.

As the three of them were talking, a nurse returned, wheeling Bai Xu back.

Shang Yanxiao was at his side in an instant, crouching down in front of him, "How is it?"

The nurse said, "Just a mild concussion. The doctor recommends rest at home. Avoid strenuous activity and don't overexert yourself. The laceration on the forehead will need regular dressing changes."

Shang Yanxiao was still uneasy, "No need for in-patient observation?"

Bai Xu pushed back, "Am I made of glass? I feel perfectly fine. I don't even need this wheelchair."

Shang Yanxiao held down a heavy swell of emotion, "How can you call this nothing? It's all my fault for not being careful enough."

"That's enough."

Bai Xu cut off Shang Yanxiao's worry in a gentle voice, the corners of his mouth curving slightly, "Yanxiao, I really am fine. Right now I just want to go home and lie down."

With that, he turned to look at the other two, "Xie Qi, go settle the bill for me first. Brother Chen, you drove here, right? We'll head back now."

Shang Yanxiao's car had become an accident vehicle and had already been towed away by the police. It would be a couple more days before it could be retrieved for repairs.

Seeing how things stood, Shang Yanxiao had no choice but to relent, "Then let's head back first."

...

The night was thick and dark as ink.

The entire ride home, Shang Yanxiao's expression never once lifted.

Bai Xu watched as the car pulled into his garage, then turned to Xie Qi and Chen Yufei in the front seats, "You two head back. I want to have a word with Third Young Master."

Xie Qi and Chen Yufei read the room without needing to be told twice and got out of the car without delay.

Thud.

The door shut, and once again it was just the two of them in an enclosed space.

"Shang Yanxiao…"

"I'm sorry…"

They both spoke at almost the same moment, and both stopped at the same time.

Shang Yanxiao drew a long breath, working to steady himself, "Today I didn't react well enough, and that's why this happened."

In the dim light, Bai Xu could easily make out the emotions Shang Yanxiao was trying to conceal—

Guilt and self-reproach were tangled together in his eyes, and deep within them something stirred that had never been there before— fear.

Bai Xu became all the more certain of what he sensed, and simply reached out and took his hand, "Shang Yanxiao, listen to me."

The man's palm was unusually cold, and carried with it a faint trembling that was barely perceptible.

An ache rose in Bai Xu's chest without warning, "This accident was nothing more than an unforeseen circumstance, and the police have already determined the other party was at fault. The blame does not lie with you."

Shang Yanxiao said nothing in response. Only silently, with great restraint, closed his hand around Bai Xu's and refused to let go.

After quite a long while, he finally murmured, his voice rough and low, "Just like last time. The fault wasn't on our side."

Bai Xu had known he would draw a connection to the previous accident, and offered his comfort in silence.

"……"

Shang Yanxiao's throat moved in a small, quiet way, carrying with it a helplessness that was almost drained of all strength, "I thought I had already moved past it."

It had been over ten months since the accident that had claimed the third branch, overseas.

Shang Yenxiao thought he had already walked out of the shadow left by that car accident, but only today did he realize that was not the case.

He felt a deep, instinctive rejection of sharp siren sounds, a fear of the violent crash between two cars. That sudden halt in breathing, the tightening of his heart, made it completely impossible for him to maintain any semblance of rational composure!

Shang Yenxiao mocked himself, "I only realized today that I seem to be a coward."

"A' Xu, when I saw your forehead covered in blood, leaning against the seat without moving, my very first reaction was that I didn't dare to touch you."

If Bai Xu hadn't reacted to his own pain first, Shang Yenxiao feared his own heart would have burst on the spot!

"......"

Bai Xu listened to this rare outpouring of his innermost feelings, and his heartache deepened all the more.

Thinking of those brief, fractured few seconds, Shang Yenxiao couldn't help but lean forward and pull Bai Xu into his arms, "Thank goodness you're alright."

Otherwise, he would never have been able to forgive himself.

Bai Xu did not refuse this tight embrace. He reached up and patted Shang Yenxiao on the head, "Mm, not only am I alright, you are too. This really was just an accident, nothing more."

Shang Yenxiao turned his head, feeling the warmth of his breath, and murmured the words back, "Just an accident."

Bai Xu continued to soothe him in his own way, "Right, since you didn't agree to the request I made yesterday, that one doesn't count anymore. Can I make a new one now?"

Shang Yenxiao loosened the embrace, "What?"

Bai Xu fixed his gaze on the lingering trace of low spirits in Shang Yenxiao's eyes, reached out and smoothed the crease between his brows, "Shang Yenxiao, promise me you'll have the courage to look forward."

Whether it was the Shang Queyan of the past, or the Shang Yenxiao of this moment, neither should let that car accident completely trap the life that still lay ahead.

Bai Xu knew that some truths and answers needed time.

He wasn't asking Shang Yenxiao to let go of everything, but hoping he could find the courage to face whatever lay unknown ahead.

Bai Xu said, "Even your younger brother managed to do it. You, as the older brother, can't afford to lose to him."

Shang Yenxiao understood what Bai Xu meant, "Mm."

The two shared a smile, and the heavy atmosphere finally eased a little.

Bai Xu set aside that moment of seriousness and went back to his whining, "Alright, my head is a little dizzy, let's hurry and get out of the car. You have to let this 'patient' get some proper rest."

Shang Yenxiao promptly agreed, "Okay."

...

Although a mild concussion wasn't serious, Bai Xu still fell into a deep sleep after taking his medicine.

Shang Yenxiao carefully tucked the blanket around him, then quietly slipped out of the room and called for Xie Qi.

Xie Qi hadn't gone to sleep yet. The very first thing he said upon seeing Shang Yenxiao was, "Third Young Master, do you want me to secretly look further into the driver who caused the accident?"

"Mm."

Shang Yenxiao nodded. He had a vague sense of unease lingering in his heart.

Even if it truly was just an accident, he still needed to investigate it thoroughly for his own peace of mind.

Xie Qi acknowledged this with appropriate discretion, then brought up another pressing matter, "Third Young Master, the private detective sent word yesterday. They've already tracked down Chelkin's whereabouts!"

Shang Yenxiao pressed for details, "Where?"

"An underground black-market casino on a remote island."

Xie Qi went back into the room and brought out the surveillance footage recorded on his tablet to show Shang Yenxiao, "They've concluded that Chelkin must have lost quite a lot of money at the casino over these past two months. If he shows up again in the near future, they'll be able to catch him!"

"I took it upon myself to send them more money to continue the investigation and have them go after Chelkin."

Gamblers were the most money-hungry of all. As long as they threw enough money at him, they should be able to pry quite a bit out of him, including information on that mysterious man who had deposited a large sum into the Libo Bank under his name.

Shang Yenxiao's eyes darkened, "Tell them to hurry up and investigate!"

Xie Qi then asked, "Should we inform the Old Master about this?"

Shang Yenxiao thought of the old Shang patriarch far away in China, and his emotions stirred inexplicably for a brief moment, "Wait until everything is clear before saying anything. No need to give the Old Master extra things to worry about."

"Alright."

...

Five days later, Zhouye Investment and Eaglet Industries formally signed the full commission construction contract. The stitched wound on Bai Xu's forehead gradually healed, and he followed the doctor's instructions diligently, making regular trips to the hospital to have his dressing changed.

The hospital corridor was busy with people coming and going.

The moment Bai Xu stepped out of the treatment room, he spotted Shang Yenxiao waiting outside.

"All done?"

"Mm, it was just a simple dressing change. You really didn't have to come all the way here with me," Bai Xu smiled, his gaze drifting to Shang Yenxiao's arm, "How is the scrape on your arm?"

"It's starting to scab over."

Shang Yenxiao was indifferent about his own minor injury, "Are you hungry? Want me to take you to grab something to eat?"

Bai Xu didn't refuse, "Sure. I've been really craving Chinese food these past two days, northeastern cuisine specifically. I wonder if N City has any?"

Hearing what he wanted, Shang Yenxiao said, "Let me check."

"Mm."

Shang Yenxiao had just taken out his phone when WeChat suddenly flashed with an incoming call notification from Shang Queyan.

"......"

Shang Yenxiao's brow furrowed involuntarily, and a vague sense of unease welled up inside him.

Bai Xu caught a glimpse of the caller ID as well, "Take it first."

Shang Yenxiao nodded and answered the call in front of Bai Xu, "Hello?"

The next second, Shang Queyan on the other end of the line spoke up in a frantic rush, "Brother, something happened to Grandfather!"

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