Chapter 11.2

Duan Zhuxian: “Hmm?”

“If you can be offended repeatedly, it means you haven’t accumulated enough capital to fight back yet. It’s definitely not a good idea to confront someone head-on when you know their fist is strong. Controlled anger is a spark, a driving force, but if it erupts at the wrong time, it becomes impulsive and loses its value as an emotional release.”

“Knowing that the other person has a strong fist and still baring your teeth to face up to them, that’s a fool’s errand.”

Under the lingering glow of the sunset, the youth was sharp and fierce, his eyes blazing, yet his expression was serious.

Duan Zhuxian stared at those soft lips, the words that came out a bit rough, but they rolled into his heart like precious pearls, dispelling his doubts about his usual restraint.

After a while, Duan Zhuxian nodded, “You’re right.”

Before reaching adulthood, in those days of being surrounded by wolves and oppressed by the Duan family, Jiang Yao appeared again and again, tearing open suffocating gaps in the most unintentional way, letting fresh air flow into his chest and calming the turmoil in his heart.

Unexpectedly, now he stood at a higher position, looking down on the group of disorganized people in the Duan family, and he could still have such a precious experience.

Standing on the stairs, Duan Zhuxian slipped his hand into his pocket and felt the metal warmed by his body temperature.

It was the keychain.

“If you’re really worried about me falling, you could come to the bathroom and help me.”

Duan Zhuxian looked down at Jiang Yao deeply, lifted his hand to remove the tie from his neck, and slowly clenched it in his palm.

Jiang Yao’s challenging expression suddenly froze, a faint blush creeping up his ears, and his eyes starting to dodge.

Finally, he said in a cool voice: “You might as well fall to your death.”

*

The next day was Saturday, and Jiang Yao, having some rare free time, stayed up late. Close to midnight, he finally finished revising a library design draft and sent it to a senior he had met during his second degree in architecture in his undergraduate studies.

This senior was young and promising. She planned to create a website for architecture enthusiasts to share their work, inviting many like-minded friends to contribute, including him, a half-baked architect who only had an architecture certificate but not much practical experience.

Opposite, in the West Fifth District, it was lunchtime, and Jiang Yao soon received a reply.

The senior asked whether transportation and load-bearing issues should be taken into consideration in his design plan, which uses a large area of reflection glass curtainwall as support.

Jiang Yao decided to video call her and explain his ideas face to face.

After clearing up the confusion, the senior repeatedly marvelled at how ingenious his concept was, and once again couldn’t help but persuade: “With such talent and a degree from B University as a foundation, are you really not considering switching to architecture? Why not come to A country for further studies?”

Upon hearing her words, Jiang Yao’s face showed a ripple of emotion.

A few seconds later, he laughed nonchalantly as if it didn’t matter, and leaned back in his chair with an air of arrogance: “No thanks, I have family assets waiting for me to inherit.”

His senior rolled her eyes, “I’ll compete with you rich people!”

After the lively chat ended, Jiang Yao took out his portfolio from the folder and felt a sudden impulse in his heart…

Half an hour later, he stretched lazily and decided to go downstairs for a walk to loosen his muscles.

The spiraling staircase had new ground sensor lights added; they lit up wherever he stepped, making each step feel like stepping on a musical note, relaxing and soothing his mood.

As he reached the landing of the staircase, he was already prepared to face the darkness, but to his surprise, the first floor was brightly lit.

And even brighter than the lights were the living room and dining room junction.

Duan Zhuxian was standing there, bare-chested, and talking on the phone. The muscles on his back and arms flexed and tensed with the movements of holding the phone, forming powerful lines under the bright light.

Jiang Yao nearly stepped into thin air, his body crashing into a nearby object, momentarily stunned. Then, he stared wide-eyed in disbelief.

“Who are you trying to scare by not wearing clothes here?”

He loudly condemned the uncivilized behavior, then walked forcefully towards the living room in his slippers, making a ‘pat pat’ sound to cover up the sudden strong beating of his heart.

“It’s a habit after taking a shower.”

Duan Zhuxian hung up the phone and turned around, blocking Jiang Yao’s imposing footsteps from afar.

The frontal impact was even greater.

Jiang Yao slowly averted his eyes, silently taking a detour, heading towards the refrigerator near Duan Zhuxian.

Forget it, there’s no need to stoop to his level.

Usually, this person was wrapped up so tightly that not even a drop of water can leak out. It’s as if missing a single button would cost him his life, as if he’s about to become a monk, pretending to be more serious than a saint, completely hiding the fact that he’s an exhibitionist.

He truly embodied the phrase “a beast in human clothing.”

Seeing Jiang Yao’s evasive behavior, Duan Zhuxian appeared somewhat surprised.

It was the first time he had seen Jiang Yao choose to avoid rather than launch an attack.

Duan Zhuxian watched with interest as his gaze swept over the back of Jiang Yao’s head, which was filled with the word “nervous,” and landed on his slightly reddened earlobes. He continued to observe until Jiang Yao took a bottle of mineral water from the refrigerator, unscrewing it and drinking it gulp by gulp.

It’s easy to imagine what that beautiful and proud face looks like now.

Young Master Jiang has always been high-spirited, able to take it as well as dish it out, yet his face has turned red twice in one evening.

His face has become so thin-skinned.

Duan Zhuxian was somewhat surprised; he thought that when Jiang Yao faced him, aside from showing off and fighting fiercely, there would be no other reaction.

“I didn’t expect you to still be up at this hour.”

Between teasing and offering a reasonable explanation, Duan Zhuxian chose the latter.

Jiang Yao didn’t say a word.

Huh, it seemed like he was the one to blame.

After two minutes, probably after calming himself down, Jiang Yao turned around with the bottle of mineral water in his hand and said to the half-naked man, “Fine, I can understand you have strange habits. After all, for a hypocrite like you, occasionally you need to shed your skin and let your hypocritical soul breathe.”

Upon hearing this, Duan Zhuxian’s lips curled into a vivid smile.

It was rare to see him smile so vividly. His usually deep and mysterious black eyes seemed to open up, as if there were waves swaying in the depths, exuding a strangely charming aura that didn’t match his usual self.

Jiang Yao seemed to have his thoughts hooked away for a second, then came back to his senses and asked unhappily, “What are you laughing at?”

Duan Zhuxian was about to be spoiled by Jiang Yao’s cuteness, but he still maintained a serious tone and said, “I’m delighted. It’s rare for you to come up with such eloquent rhetorical phrases.”

Jiang Yao: “…”

He suspected that Duan Zhuxian had an itchy mouth and wouldn’t feel comfortable unless he provoked him every day. But then again, he didn’t hold back on provoking Duan Zhuxian either.

They were always at odds with each other, like two opposing forces. Whether it was during peaceful coexistence or after their relationship broke down, it was like an echo in an empty valley – there was always a back and forth.

Except for that one time ten years ago when he unilaterally and cautiously extended an olive branch of friendship to Duan Zhuxian, only to be coldly rejected, causing their evenly matched relationship to severely lose its balance for the first time.

The one who takes the initiative is always the loser.

This is the lesson he learned from Duan Zhuxian.

Jiang Yao angrily threw the water bottle, his gaze drifting unintentionally and once again sweeping over to the next room.

Duan Zhuxian stood under the cold white light, like a sculpture that emits light, as if it didn’t cost a thing, exuding the mature hormones of a man.

A few droplets of water fell from his hair tips onto his collarbone, then followed the contours of his chest, slowly snaking along the lines of his abdominal muscles, and gradually disappearing into the semi-loose waistband of his black sleep pants.

That night, in the dim light, he didn’t get a good look at Duan Zhuxian’s physique.

Someone who doesn’t seem extraordinary on the surface turns out to have a great figure when they take off their clothes.

Very provocative.

That was Jiang Yao’s assessment in his mind.

Unable to resist, he stole another glance.

[Author’s Note]

A little provocation is good. How can we manage without it? Who agrees, who disagrees!