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Bonus chapter! Thank you to Fray for the donation! ^^
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The two of them continued in this manner—one feeding, the other eating—appearing harmonious yet undeniably intimate.
If anyone were to walk in and see this scene, they would never believe the two were in a "father-son" relationship. They looked more like a newly established couple.
From their posture to Ren Yanqing's gaze, nothing about it was innocent.
From the moment Ruan Qing started eating, Ren Yanqing's gaze never left him for even a second. His eyes were filled with an intense, almost predatory dominance, as if he wanted to devour Ruan Qing whole.
That was not the look of a human, nor was it the look one should have for their supposed "son."
But when Ruan Qing looked up at him, Ren Yanqing's expression softened into one of gentleness, betraying no hint of his earlier intensity.
However, this feigned tenderness grew thinner and thinner as time passed, until eventually, Ren Yanqing's gaze became almost entirely unrestrained.
And it was impossible to hide.
After feeding Ruan Qing, Ren Yanqing could no longer control himself. He reached out, hooked Ruan Qing's chin with his fingers, and gently but firmly turned his face toward him.
Ruan Qing, suddenly forced to look up, blinked in confusion. With his mouth still full of food, he couldn't speak, so he tilted his head slightly, silently asking Ren Yanqing what was wrong.
"Is it good?" Ren Yanqing's voice was hoarse, his eyes fixed on Ruan Qing's red lips, sending a shiver down one's spine.
Ruan Qing, seemingly oblivious to the meaning behind Ren Yanqing's gaze, nodded obediently and let out a soft "Mmm."
But before he could even utter the words "It's good," Ren Yanqing leaned down and kissed him.
"Mmm..." Ruan Qing's eyes widened in shock, his pupils contracting. Instinctively, he tried to push Ren Yanqing away.
But his strength was no match for Ren Yanqing's. No matter how hard he struggled, he couldn't break free from Ren Yanqing's grip.
The chopsticks had already fallen to the floor. Ren Yanqing held Ruan Qing tightly, one arm around his waist, the other gripping his delicate, jade-like chin, as he aggressively deepened the kiss.
Ruan Qing, pale and trembling, could only endure everything Ren Yanqing was forcing upon him, looking small and pitiful.
But this did nothing to evoke any pity or sympathy from Ren Yanqing. Instead, he tightened his hold on Ruan Qing, his dominance unyielding and absolute.
After a few moments, Ren Yanqing seemed unsatisfied with merely pressing their lips together. He tightened his grip on Ruan Qing's chin, forcing his mouth open, and then slid his tongue inside.
Ruan Qing's long lashes fluttered, his slender frame trembling with helplessness. He couldn't push Ren Yanqing away, nor could he even clench his teeth. All he could do was clutch at Ren Yanqing's clothes, crumpling the fabric in his hands.
His delicate fingers, gripping so tightly, had already turned white at the tips.
The sight of his vulnerability was enough to stir both pity and a darker, more insatiable desire.
The kiss lasted for a long time, until the food in Ruan Qing's mouth was taken away, and until he could no longer catch his breath.
Ren Yanqing watched the person who was struggling to breathe, swallowed the food in his mouth, and then used his thumb to wipe the corner of Ruan Qing's lips. His voice was hoarse as he spoke, "It really does taste good."
Ruan Qing clutched the front of Ren Yanqing's clothes, trying to steady his breathing. When he finally managed to calm down, he looked up at Ren Yanqing, his beautiful eyes filled with shock and resistance. "You... how could you..."
"Why not?" Ren Yanqing replied as if it were the most natural thing in the world, as if this were all perfectly normal. "We are, after all, the closest people in this world."
Because they were, in fact, the same person.
No one was more suitable for him than himself, and no one could be more fitting for him than himself.
They were destined to belong to each other, and nothing could separate them—not even death.
Ren Yanqing was immensely grateful that he had once split himself into three, leaving an empty shell as a contingency. Otherwise, the young man's soul would have had nowhere to reside.
Ruan Qing opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out.
His mind was in chaos. He felt that this was wrong, but he couldn't pinpoint exactly why.
Just as Ruan Qing was feeling lost, a sudden memory flashed into his mind—a memory of being kidnapped.
The memory came abruptly and eerily, but Ruan Qing didn't dwell on it. Instead, he looked at Ren Yanqing and instinctively asked a question.
"Why... why didn't you come to save me back then?"
Ren Yanqing's hand, which had been reaching for a new pair of chopsticks, froze mid-air. "I..."
Before Ren Yanqing could answer, a voice came from the direction of the door.
"Because he wanted you to die."
As the voice rang out, the warm and harmonious atmosphere of the Ren family villa instantly transformed, shifting into the room of Mingya Building.
Though the decor was equally luxurious, it was clearly a different place.
Both Ruan Qing and Ren Yanqing turned their heads toward the source of the voice.
Standing at the door were five figures—the same five who had been involved in the kidnapping. The one who had spoken was Xu He.
Xu He looked at the person held in Ren Yanqing's arms, his eyes filled with darkness and malice. He let out a light laugh and said to Ruan Qing, "You still don't know, do you? We made countless calls back then, and he didn't answer a single one."
Xu He's smile grew even brighter as his gaze shifted from Ruan Qing to the stiff-faced Ren Yanqing. "We even threatened to cut off your hand, and he just blocked us immediately."
After saying this, Xu He looked directly into Ruan Qing's eyes, his face wearing a strange smile as he repeated his initial statement once more.
"Because... he wants you dead."
Ruan Qing's eyes widened, his beautiful pupils filled with disbelief. He turned to Ren Yanqing, his voice trembling slightly, "Is... is what he said true?"
Ruan Qing's memories had also returned when the villa turned back into the small apartment, and he naturally recalled everything that had happened before. Tears were already welling up in his eyes, on the verge of falling at any moment. He looked so fragile, as if he might shatter the next second.
Yet, he stubbornly kept his gaze fixed on Ren Yanqing, waiting for his answer, wanting to hear it directly from him.
"No," Ren Yanqing's thin lips pressed together tightly as he spoke in a deep voice, "I was busy at the time, so... I didn't answer the phone."
Upon hearing this, Xu He burst into laughter, his voice filled with mockery. Then, with a wave of his hand, a transparent screen appeared in the air.
On the screen was a replay of Ren Yanqing's cold and heartless demeanor when he had answered the phone that day. His expression was devoid of any warmth, and anyone could see that he had no intention of saving Ruan Qing.
Anyone could see that he wanted Ruan Qing to die.
Ruan Qing's face grew even paler, his delicate features now filled with confusion and helplessness, like a puppy that had been abandoned. It was heartbreaking just to look at him.
