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Bonus chapter! Thank you to JustSomeOne for the donation! ^^
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The night had long deepened, the vast sea shrouded in oppressive darkness, lifeless and suffocating, with only the ship's lights piercing weakly through the gloom.
Against the boundless ocean, that faint illumination seemed pitifully small—like a lone torch in the depths of a forest, on the verge of being swallowed by the void at any moment.
Yet however meager the ship's glow, it still faintly revealed the nearby waters, the waves shimmering with a dull sheen.
Suddenly, the water began rippling in eerie, concentric circles, as though something... was stirring beneath the surface.
None of the passengers aboard noticed. They were still engrossed in discussions about the shipwide inspection, their gazes turned inward, oblivious to the anomaly outside.
Even Ruan Qing remained unaware.
At this moment, he had neither the opportunity nor the presence of mind to observe such things—trapped as he was in an impossible dilemma.
Under Lin Zhiyan's watchful eyes, he could do nothing. Absolutely nothing.
Any attempt would only waste his character points without achieving his goal.
He wasn't even certain he could force the floor-to-ceiling window open within mere seconds.
Unless...
Just as Ruan Qing reached a decision, the System's subdued voice resonated in his mind:
[Impossible.]
As if reading his thoughts, the System quietly explained: [He's not human.]
[You wouldn't even get a chance to knock him out.]
The System's tone left no room for doubt—Ruan Qing's plan had zero possibility of success.
Ruan Qing's lashes fluttered slightly. His lips pressed together as he stood frozen, delicate features etched with helplessness and conflict, his entire being radiating fragility.
Yet Lin Zhiyan's gaze never wavered. He simply watched with that same detached calm, waiting for Ruan Qing's choice—
Waiting for an outcome everyone already knew was inevitable.
Ruan Qing's slender fingers clenched until his knuckles paled. Finally, he closed his eyes... and took a stiff step toward the seated Lin Zhiyan.
His movements were rigid, agonizingly slow, as though those few meters stretched into an endless distance.
Lin Zhiyan didn't rush him. A faint smile curved his lips as he observed the approaching figure, his dark eyes alight with unmistakable pleasure, an indescribable emotion spreading through his chest—
The thrill of anticipation.
No matter how slowly Ruan Qing moved, those few meters eventually disappeared. He now stood before Lin Zhiyan.
Lin Zhiyan had already turned his chair to face Ruan Qing the moment he approached the desk. With a slight lift of his chin, he commanded, "Sit."
Just like before, it was a single word—"sit"—and just like before, there was no extra chair. But this time, the meaning was unmistakable.
Ruan Qing stood rigidly in place. After a few seconds of hesitation, he stiffly lowered himself onto Lin Zhiyan's lap.
The chair had armrests on either side, forcing Ruan Qing to press his legs together, perching only on the very edge of Lin Zhiyan's knees.
So lightly that he barely rested any weight on him at all.
Lin Zhiyan leaned forward slightly, wrapping an arm around Ruan Qing's slender waist and unceremoniously pulling him flush against his chest.
A flicker of panic crossed Ruan Qing's delicate features. He instinctively tensed to push away—but then, as if remembering his current predicament, he stilled. Instead, he obediently settled against Lin Zhiyan's chest, allowing himself to be held.
Their position was as intimate as lovers.
Lin Zhiyan studied the boy in his arms—the way he trembled with the urge to resist yet didn’t dare—and something dark and possessive twisted inside him, spreading like unchecked weeds. It threatened to consume him entirely.
This was a feeling he’d never known before, as if he’d been ensnared by some sinister spell.
Lin Zhiyan did suspect he might be under some kind of bewitchment.
And yet, he had no desire to break free.
If this was what it meant to be enchanted—this heady rush of exhilaration, this suffocating pleasure—then perhaps surrender wasn’t so unthinkable.
It was intoxicating. Like finally understanding joy, like holding the entire world in his hands.
And right now, the boy sat pliantly in his lap.
He could do anything.
Lin Zhiyan’s grip tightened imperceptibly, locking Ruan Qing firmly against him.
The boy was so slight, so fragile—Lin Zhiyan could envelop him completely. His chest swelled with something unbearably full, aching, as if his heart might overflow.
Eyes darkening, Lin Zhiyan tilted Ruan Qing’s chin up, forcing their gazes to meet. "Scared?"
Ruan Qing gave a tiny shake of his head. But the sheen of moisture in his eyes, the poorly concealed unease—they betrayed him.
He was terrified.
Terrified of what would come next.
And that fear only delighted Lin Zhiyan more.
Because this fear meant the boy was untouched. Unspoiled. That he still trembled at the unknown.
Like a blank canvas.
One that Lin Zhiyan could paint with his own colors, stain with his own marks.
He would teach him everything—teach him that those things weren’t to be feared, teach him what pleasure was.
Lin Zhiyan’s gaze darkened further, his fingers unconsciously tightening around Ruan Qing’s chin, the force so great it left faint red marks on the delicate skin.
Only when a muffled whimper of pain escaped the boy in his arms did Lin Zhiyan snap back to reality, immediately loosening his grip.
But his eyes remained fixed, burning into the trembling figure before him.
The youth—likely from the pain—had the corners of his eyes tinged red, his lashes damp with unshed tears, his entire demeanor radiating pitiful vulnerability.
Yet instead of inspiring sympathy, it only stoked a darker urge, a desire to torment him further, to push him until those tears finally fell.
To take him right here in this chair, to ruin him until he sobbed.
He would be… unbearably beautiful when he cried.
The mere thought sent a thrill of excitement coursing through Lin Zhiyan.
But with Ruan Qing seated sideways on his lap, the angle was awkward, restricting his movements.
Lin Zhiyan’s hands slid to the boy’s waist, lifting him slightly as his voice dropped to a husky, coaxing murmur, "Be good. Spread your legs for me."
Qi Lintian: "......?"
Lin Zhiyan’s words weren’t loud, but they weren’t quiet either—audible enough to carry to the office doorway.
Qi Lintian, who had just kicked the door open and strode in, froze mid-step upon hearing that sentence, momentarily stunned.
His gaze landed on the two entangled figures in the chair, pausing briefly at the sight of the delicate-looking youth who seemed faintly familiar—as if he’d seen him somewhere before, though the memory eluded him.
After two seconds of fruitless mental searching, Qi Lintian gave up and turned his attention to Lin Zhiyan instead. His handsome face twisted in displeasure, voice icy.
"Lin Zhiyan. Care to explain?"
"You’ve got some nerve, daring to search my floors."
Lin Zhiyan, initially furious at the interruption, recognized the intruder and remembered his oversight: he’d forgotten to call off the search of all floors—including those belonging to the Malegobi’s owner, Qi Lintian.
With the voyage still underway, now wasn’t the time to provoke an outright confrontation.
Putting on an apologetic expression, Lin Zhiyan met Qi Lintian’s glare. "My sincerest apologies, Mr. Qi. I acted only with your safety in mind. Had the stowaway harmed you, I would’ve been left with no way to atone."
Lin Zhiyan's tone was full of politeness and concern, yet he never once stood up from his seat.
Outwardly courteous and respectful, but in truth, he couldn't be bothered to take the other party seriously.
However, no one in the room interpreted it that way—because the desk faced the office door, and the chair was positioned just right to block the lower halves of the two occupants from view.
Though both of them were still fully dressed, the way Lin Zhiyan's hand rested on the youth's waist, along with their posture, suggested they were engaged in something... less than proper.
Indeed... it would be rather inconvenient to stand up right now.
The staff who had followed Qi Lintian in couldn't help but let their gazes linger on the figure in Lin Zhiyan's arms.
Though all they could see was the young man's slender back, their instincts told them this had to be a stunning beauty.
Just that silhouette alone was enough to captivate attention—no wonder the usually disciplined and aloof Mr. Lin would indulge in such behavior right in his office.
The moment he heard that man's voice, Ruan Qing lowered his head, burying his face completely against Lin Zhiyan's chest as if overcome with shyness at being seen like this.
But it wasn't embarrassment that drove him.
He recognized that voice—that rich, polished tone, eerily similar to his former patron's.
If he were recognized here, in this position...
The mere thought made his scalp prickle with dread. Instinctively, he pressed even closer against Lin Zhiyan, hiding himself entirely.
Lin Zhiyan mistook the action for bashfulness and tightened his embrace slightly. His gaze shifted coldly toward the staff still staring at Ruan Qing, displeasure flashing in his eyes.
The staff stiffened under that dangerous look and immediately averted their eyes, not daring to glance at the figure in Lin Zhiyan's arms again.
Qi Lintian, however, didn't look away. The longer he stared, the more familiar—and the more irritating—the youth in Lin Zhiyan's arms seemed. His displeasure deepened, simmering darkly in his eyes.
That irritation surged to near-unbearable levels when he saw how docilely the youth nestled against Lin Zhiyan.
It wasn’t just annoyance at the interruption—there was something else...
The moment Qi Lintian realized what exactly was fueling his displeasure, his entire body went rigid.
What am I doing?
Why does it bother me so much… seeing him like this with Lin Zhiyan?
Was he... coveting someone else's lover?
No, impossible. How could he possibly desire another man's partner? The very idea was absurd.
Yet when Lin Zhiyan pulled the boy closer, his heart suddenly skipped a beat.
It seemed... he really was coveting another's lover.
But the way the young man clung to Lin Zhiyan left no doubt—they were clearly intimate, so overcome with passion they couldn't restrain themselves even in the office.
Qi Lintian had too much pride to interfere in others' relationships. Years of upbringing would never allow him to be some homewrecker.
He forcibly shifted his gaze to Lin Zhiyan, voice dripping with sarcasm. "Can't even catch a stowaway—do you really have what it takes to manage this cruise line?"
Lin Zhiyan maintained his apologetic tone. "My oversight, Mr. Qi. But rest assured, the stowaway has been apprehended. There will be no further disruptions."
Qi Lintian gave a cold "Hn" of acknowledgment. After one last uncontrollable glance at the youth in Lin Zhiyan's arms, he turned to leave.
Then mid-turn—
He froze as if struck by lightning. Whirling back, his stare locked onto the figure nestled against Lin Zhiyan.
"...Xia Qing?"
