Chapter 58 “You know what I want to hear.”

In mid-January, the government auctioned off a piece of land for development, and Duan Zhuxian secured the usage rights on behalf of Hua Yan. A few days later, on a Saturday evening, Duan Zhuxian attended a social event, which included Wei Zhihan, who had failed in the bidding.

Duan Zhuxian did not drink any alcohol throughout the event. In the middle of the dinner, he left the bustling dining room to take a work call on the terrace outside the private room. After hanging up, he heard footsteps behind him.

“Congratulations, you won,” Wei Zhihan walked slowly to Duan Zhuxian’s side. “Not just the land, but also Jiang Yao.”

Duan Zhuxian continued checking messages on his phone. “I never competed with anyone for him. Besides, he’s not an object; the choice and initiative are all his.”

Wei Zhihan’s gaze fell on Duan Zhuxian. Duan Zhuxian’s tone and expression were indifferent, as if he didn’t take Wei Zhihan seriously at all.

As the one who lost in every aspect, Wei Zhihan, although he had already come to terms with it, still felt a bit uneasy. “Recently, I’ve seen him many times, you know that, right?”

“Stay away from him.” Duan Zhuxian suddenly looked at Wei Zhihan, and his eyes appeared cold and dark in the night.

“Sure enough, only matters related to him can stir your emotions. You haven’t changed since you were a kid.” Wei Zhihan teased as he lit a cigarette. “You often argued with him because of me, didn’t you? With your secretive nature, he probably still has no idea why you’re acting crazy.”

His words were full of probing.

Jiang Yao was a good person but also stubborn. If what Wei Zhihan said was true, and Jiang Yao, facing such a Duan Zhuxian, not only didn’t push him away but also protected and cared for him more, Wei Zhihan couldn’t imagine the extent of Jiang Yao’s indulgence towards Duan Zhuxian.

Duan Zhuxian replied, “It’s none of your business.”

With that, he turned to leave the terrace.

“Seems like I hit the mark.” Wei Zhihan gave a bitter smile. “But when he came to see me, it was actually for you.”

Duan Zhuxian paused slightly.

“He said you were planning to co-found a construction company with someone and was afraid you might suffer losses, so he sought advice from me, a professional.”

Wei Zhihan’s words came from behind, and for a moment, Duan Zhuxian’s usually calm eyes wavered.

He had always thought Jiang Yao was meeting with Wei Zhihan repeatedly to spite him.

On the night of the wedding, even though Jiang Yao was so angry that his eyes were red, he still kept Duan Zhuxian’s matters close to his heart, sulking while thinking of this bastard.

How could there be such a lovable man in this world?

The heart hidden beneath that arrogant exterior was, like its owner, warm, sincere, and pure. It was like a ray of sunlight penetrating the air, revealing every floating particle within, in stark contrast to his own dark, scheming interior.

Jiang Yao had him in his heart.

Always, no matter when.

As Duan Zhuxian stepped off the terrace, he suddenly wanted to see Jiang Yao right away, to pull him into his arms and give him a good teasing.

*

Several kilometers away, Jiang Yao was lying on the sofa, gaming with Chen Yiqi over voice chat, when he suddenly felt a strange pain in his butt.

Maybe it was from staying in the same position too long.

He sat up and continued listening to Chen Yiqi’s analysis on the other end: “So, you’re saying Duan Zhuxian usually picks you up from work, asks you out for dinner, and seems very serious about dating you, but you haven’t really responded yet?”

Jiang Yao replied with an “mm-hmm.”

In terms of romance and sweet talk, he couldn’t compare to Duan Zhuxian. He could even be considered quite inexperienced, making him appear very passive. He felt it necessary to consult his trusted advisor.

Chen Yiqi said, “Dating requires give and take. One-sided effort can easily dampen enthusiasm, especially for someone as proud and arrogant as Duan Zhuxian. He probably had to put aside his pride and build up his courage before pursuing you. Fortunately, you weren’t too difficult to win over.”

Jiang Yao paused and miscast a skill, “Get lost, who are you calling easy to pursue?”

Chen Yiqi chuckled, “Whoever gets angry is the one. Anyway, most people wouldn’t reconcile with a ten-year enemy and become a couple within a few months.”

Jiang Yao fell silent for a moment.

He seemed to have agreed too quickly. He should have played hard to get with Duan Zhuxian. After all, Duan Zhuxian had kept him at a distance with a cold shoulder for over ten years.

But then he thought, given Duan Zhuxian’s aloof nature, he probably couldn’t handle such treatment. Secretly liking him for three months before confessing was likely his limit. If he played hard to get any further, Duan Zhuxian might just move on.

Regardless, Chen Yiqi was right; it was time to reciprocate.

But Duan Zhuxian didn’t seem to enjoy entertainment activities or have any particular hobbies. He was all about work.

Such a boring man.

As for the thing he did most outside of work…

Jiang Yao lay back on the sofa, pondering for a moment. His face suddenly reddened as an idea popped into his mind.

*

At nine o’clock in the evening, Jiang Yao saw Wei Zhihan’s post on social media. It featured an excellent vintage red wine, and the location tagged was the restaurant where Duan Zhuxian was dining.

Jiang Yao immediately felt a sense of alarm, a foreboding premonition.

How could Lingbei be so small!

Without a second thought, he quickly put on his clothes and headed out.

Jiang Yao drove to the restaurant and waited by his car for about ten minutes. Then, a group of people emerged from the main entrance, with Duan Zhuxian being the most noticeable among them.

Duan Zhuxian saw him too. After exchanging a few words with the others, he walked straight towards Jiang Yao and asked, “Why are you here?”

“Just passing by, thought I’d pick you up,” Jiang Yao paused, his gaze drifting elsewhere before casually asking, “I saw Wei Zhihan’s post. It looks like he was dining here too. Did you run into him?”

Duan Zhuxian nodded, “Yes, we were at the same dinner.”

Jiang Yao: “…”

Duan Zhuxian also drove here. When they returned to their residence, the two entered the private underground garage one after the other.

Jiang Yao got out of his car, and noticed that Duan Zhuxian was still sitting in his own car. At the same time, his mobile phone lit up and received a message from Duan Zhuxian: [Come into my car.]

He climbed into the passenger seat next to Duan Zhuxian, closed the door, and turned to look at the man beside him. In the dim car light, it was impossible to discern Duan Zhuxian’s emotions.

Jiang Yao hesitated for a moment, then decided he was too lazy to guess anymore, so he went straight to the point: “Did Wei Zhihan say something to you?”

Duan Zhuxian replied, “He did. Something about you.”

Jiang Yao frowned, just as he suspected.

While he was thinking of a countermeasure, a pair of large hands wrapped around his waist, pulling him from his seat. He was suddenly sitting on Duan Zhuxian’s lap. And the narrow space made him unable to resist.

Jiang Yao instinctively placed his hands on the seat back for support and looked down at Duan Zhuxian. “Use your own judgment and don’t listen to his nonsense.”

“Based on my judgment, he’s not talking nonsense.”

The two of them sitting together in a normal-sized seat was really cramped. As Duan Zhuxian spoke, he slowly and methodically removed Jiang Yao’s bulky coat, which was taking up space.

Jiang Yao was at a loss for words.

Why is this person so stubborn?

He didn’t know what Wei Zhihan had said, and Duan Zhuxian, being so enigmatic, refused to clarify, making it impossible for him to explain accurately.

The car’s heater was turned up high, and after taking off his down jacket, Jiang Yao was left with only his pajamas on his upper body.

As if he had found evidence, Duan Zhuxian raised his eyebrow, “Didn’t you say you were just passing by? Why didn’t you even change out of your pajamas?”

Caught red-handed, Jiang Yao’s gaze flickered, and his ears turned slightly red. He muttered, “I lied, okay? I was worried he might cause trouble in front of you, so I came to check.”

Duan Zhuxian responded with a “hmm,” not surprised.

Jiang Yao was straightforward and transparent, always showing his emotions on his face, making him a terrible liar. So, Duan Zhuxian had seen through him from the start.

The thin clothing couldn’t hide someone’s mischievous intentions, and Jiang Yao didn’t put up much resistance.

After a while, Duan Zhuxian looked surprised, “You came prepared?”

Jiang Yao tensed up, and his face flushed as red as a beet.

Before coming to find Duan Zhuxian, he had indeed spent a long time in the bathroom, but he couldn’t bring himself to say the words “prepared.”

Looking into Duan Zhuxian’s increasingly interested eyes, Jiang Yao grabbed Duan Zhuxian’s wrist in frustration and bit down on his pale lips.

The air inside the car quickly became thick with tension.

To better accommodate the two of them, the seat was reclined very low, leaving enough space for them to kiss passionately.

The little fox ornament on the dashboard began to shake violently.

The underground garage was large and well-lit, creating the illusion of daylight. However, Duan Zhuxian mischievously turned off the car lights, making it feel as if they were hiding and doing something naughty in broad daylight.

The more confined the space, the more their senses were heightened.

Although this was their own territory, they were still in a car, and cars are not typically private spaces.

This realization added an unprecedented sense of tension, especially for someone like Jiang Yao, who cared deeply about appearances.

Every time his eyes lost focus, he would look through the misty air at the bright space outside. He always felt as if someone might pass by the car window any second, making his heart race.

At first, Duan Zhuxian gently tousled his hair, kissed him, and whispered sweet nothings in his ear. He was especially gentle, his touches uncharacteristically careful, as if treating a rare treasure. And he planted a series of fine, delicate kisses along Jiang Yao’s trembling spine and shoulders, making his heart itch and his scalp tingle.

But slowly, Jiang Yao began to sense that something was off.

It was as if Duan Zhuxian had taken control of time inside the car, making it stretch endlessly, with each second feeling both distinct and drawn out.

Gentleness gradually gave way to dominance, transforming into a strange and terrifying possessiveness that surrounded him completely, swallowing him whole.

It forced him to focus all his senses on him, his vision, his smell, and his touch.

For the first time, Jiang Yao realized clearly that Duan Zhuxian had a possessive desire for him.

At first, Jiang Yao held onto the principle that a man should never admit defeat.

But later, he ended up calling Duan Zhuxian a beast, a madman, a pervert, and every name he could think of until his voice became hoarse.

To be precise, the more passionately he cursed, the more excited Duan Zhuxian became, and his lips and tongue fiercely marking his Adam’s apple.

When he could no longer curse and paused to catch his breath, a pair of lips pressed against his earlobe, leaving behind a burning whisper: “Baby, you know what I want to hear most.”

Duan Zhuxian’s voice was low and seductive, like the song of a siren, tempting Jiang Yao with the promise that he would get what he desired if he just did as he was told.

Jiang Yao’s whole body trembled, his already flushed cheeks growing even hotter with a sheen of sweat.

“Husband…”

The lips that had been kissed until they were wet and red finally parted slightly, as if begging for mercy.

Immediately after, he felt something.

After realizing what it was, his misty peach blossom eyes widened.

Duan Zhuxian was a liar!

Jiang Yao couldn’t help but start cursing again, but soon, his angry words were replaced by another more urgent and fragmented voice.