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Early in the morning, Qi Xing opened his eyes and the first thought that crossed his muddled mind was to check the time. Fortunately, it was only seven o'clock, so he hadn't missed anything important.
He had just propped himself up when he fell back onto the bed. His wrist hurt and his butt hurt too. The memories of last night flooded back as his face instantly turned pale.
His gaze swept over to Ye Xingzhou.
This bastard was indeed here and woken up even earlier than him.
He had just taken a shower and was wrapped in a bathrobe while leaning against the cabinet by the door while smoking. The bouquet of roses that Li Zechen had given him yesterday was right next to him and he was holding the card that was tucked inside while squinting at it without moving for a long time.
The presence of this person here proved that last night's events were not just a dream.
After a night, he was completely sober, so seeing Ye Xingzhou again, Qi Xing felt irritable. Last night, he had been too weak to argue with this bastard, but being charmed by a few sweet words didn't mean that everything was settled.
Rolling his eyes, Qi Xing ignored him.
He climbed out of bed and, while enduring the weakness in his legs and discomfort in his body, headed for the bathroom while cursing Ye Xingzhou in his mind a hundred times.
That beast not only scared him last night but also didn't wear a condom during the act. Although he had helped clean up afterward and he had enjoyed it, the aftermath still had to be accounted for, otherwise, this bastard would only become more outrageous next time.
Ye Xingzhou's gaze shifted over and Qi Xing who's performing a one-legged stance, glared at him: "What are you looking at?"
Ye Xingzhou lifted his chin then casually picked up the bouquet of flowers and, under Qi Xing's watchful eyes, accurately tossed it into the nearby trash can along with the card.
Qi Xing was taken aback and incredulous that he raised his voice: "Are you sick? You're throwing away my flowers again!"
"They take up space." Ye Xingzhou said coldly and noticed a small black box behind where the flowers had been placed. He picked it up.
It was the tie clip that Qi Xing had bought during a roadshow in another city. Ye Xingzhou opened it and, with a slight furrow of his brow, asked, "Did your blind date give you this too?"
"Throw it away if you want." Qi Xing neither confirmed nor denied and just forced a smile as if watching a show.
Ye Xingzhou silently regarded him for a moment before putting the box back down.
Qi Xing's mouth twitched as he didn't expect Ye Xingzhou to not actually throw it away but If Ye Xingzhou did, he would have pulled out the credit card receipt and made Ye Xingzhou look closely at his signature on it, then ordered him to order it again.
But why was he not falling for it this time?
Ye Xingzhou stubbed out his cigarette and sat down on the sofa while still looking at him.
Qi Xing scoffed: "Stop pretending and look at your face, it's almost swollen like a pig's head."
In fact, he felt a bit guilty.
He hadn't noticed how bad it was last night and maybe the swelling was more pronounced after a night’s rest. In any case, Ye Xingzhou's face was completely unsightly now.
He had been so angry and drunk last night that he hadn't realized how hard he had hit Ye Xingzhou and this was probably the worst he had ever beaten him, although it was indeed this bastard's fault.
Ye Xingzhou, however, seemed unfazed as his expression remaind unchanged and still stared at him.
Qi Xing averted his gaze as he kicked Ye Xingzhou before he went to the bathroom to wash up.
When he came out, he glanced at the time on his phone but he was too lazy to go downstairs for breakfast, so he called his assistant to have room service bring him food. Just before hanging up, he paused and instructed, "Go to a nearby pharmacy and see if they have any ointment for swelling for a face that's bruised and swollen. Buy a tube and bring it over."
As soon as he hung up, Ye Xingzhou reached out and pulled him down to sit. Qi Xing frowned but didn't move as he sat on his lap and gruffly asked, "What do you want?"
Ye Xingzhou stared into his eyes for two seconds before suddenly saying, "I like you."
His words were sugary, yet his face showed no expression like he was just performing a programmed act.
Qi Xing: "No sincerity at all."
Ye Xingzhou: "What would count as sincerity?"
"Can't you say those words with a gentler expression? A sweeter voice? A more enamored gaze? Are you confessing or collecting a debt?" Qi Xing poked his face and deliberately target the sore spots.
Ye Xingzhou seemed to think for a moment before his brow relax and a hint of a smile appear in his eyes as he softened his voice: "I like you."
"..." Qi Xing inexplicably blushed as his hand's movement paused and his tongue felt a bit tangled up that he can't speak for a moment, "Stop saying it. The more you say, the less valuable it becomes that I became immune to it."
Ye Xingzhou reminded him: "You said those words last night too."
"Did I?" Qi Xing feigned ignorance, "I was so drunk that I forgot."
Ye Xingzhou's gaze darkened slightly but Qi Xing just smiled back at him.
He claimed not to remember but he had nearly scared himself to death last night because he was crying like a baby. How embarrassing it was, so he had to save face somehow.
Ye Xingzhou held his hand and Qi Xing immediately grunted: "My hand hurts."
His left wrist was red and swollen, probably not much better than Ye Xingzhou's face.
Ye Xingzhou's gaze fell on it and he helped him rub it a few times. Qi Xing gasped: "Don't rub it because the more you rub, the more it hurts."
Ye Xingzhou lightened his touch and just press his thumb against the inside of Qi Xing's wrist. Qi Xing sat sideways on his lap with their posture intimate, causing the atmosphere to become somewhat sweet.
Ye Xingzhou's breath was right by his neck that Qi Xing felt a bit restless.
He wonder if this counted as taking a step further from being just friends with benefits?
It should be, right?
Ye Xingzhou said he liked him and he said he liked Ye Xingzhou too... well, okay, he didn't admit it a moment ago.
Sigh, if he just remembered then he wouldn't have pretended to forget.
Qi Xing vaguely regretted it but when he met Ye Xingzhou's calm gaze, he held back. He couldn't say it, because saying it again would be too embarrassing.
"What exactly are you doing here? Why didn't you say anything in advance?"
He asked to break the silence because he didn't believe that Ye Xingzhou had really come all the way across the Pacific just to catch him doing something naughty agin.
"I'm here to talk business with some people here. But in a couple of days, I need to go to Las Vegas and you should come with me." Ye Xingzhou's words shattered Qi Xing's assumptions.
He was here for business, and just incidentally catch him.
Qi Xing: "I don't have time because my dad is waiting for me to report back home."
Ye Xingzhou: "A few days won't make a difference, just ask him for a leave."
Qi Xing: "…I'll think about it."
Of course, he would love to go but it would be troublesome if his dad found out, especially if he was going with Ye Xingzhou.
Ye Xingzhou was determined to take him along and didn't care how he felt about it: "What time is the bell ringing today?"
"Nine-thirty," Qi Xing added, "Just don't follow me because there will be domestic media taking photos and interviewing. If Young Master Ye doesn't want this face to be captured and lose his prestige, it's better to avoid the spotlight."
Ye Xingzhou didn't expose his little thoughts because he hadn't planned to follow him anyway.
Twenty minutes later, when breakfast arrived, the assistant also brought back the ointment.
Qi Xing took the ointment then sat back on Ye Xingzhou and helped him apply it while muttering: "Your so pitiful. Will it gonna ruin your looks because of this swolleness? Do you know long will it take to heal? How can you still go out and meet people if your face is like this? Does it gonna affect your business talks? If your rivals see you like this, won't they laugh to death?"
Ye Xingzhou suddenly looked up: "Whose fault is it?"
Qi Xing immediately replied: "Yours."
Ye Xingzhou didn't bother to argue: "Mm."
"Mm my ass, you brought this on yourself."
Qi Xing shoved the ointment into his hand and stood up: "You can apply it yourself. I'm going to eat breakfast."
Ye Xingzhou grabbed his hand: "Don't move yet."
Before Qi Xing could struggle, Ye Xingzhou quickly applied the ointment to his wrist then his hand slid down to squeeze his butt. Before Qi Xing could glare at him, he asked, "Do you need ointment here?"
Qi Xing's face turned red with anger: "How dare you to even ask that question?"
Ye Xingzhou pulled open his bathrobe to take a look. The places on Qi Xing's butt where he had been whipped with a belt left a few bright red marks.
Qi Xing really had a delicate skin because although Ye Xingzhou had done it through his pants, the marks were still quite obvious.
Qi Xing was both embarrassed and angry, so he pushed him away to straddled him face to face before asking, "Let me ask you, do you have a tendency for BDSM? I’ll tell you first, I’m not playing those games with you, so don’t even think about it."
Watching others perform with a little whip was one thing but he had no desire to participate himself—absolutely not!
Ye Xingzhou: "You're overthinking it. It was just to teach you a lesson."
Qi Xing scoffed: "You better be."
Ye Xingzhou didn't say anything more and just pulled him into his arms to apply the ointment to his butt.
Qi Xing flinched a bit and felt somewhat uncomfortable as he muttered: "Bastard."
If anyone else dared to hit his butt like that, he would definitely fight back.
Qi Xing thought gloomily that he was really a foolishly sweet love-struck fool that he actually felt sorry for this bastard's beaten face.
Listening to Qi Xing's grumbling complaints, Ye Xingzhou unconsciously softened his touch as his thoughts also wandered.
He had indeed lost control last night. Because even though he knew that Qi Xing was doing it on purpose, he still couldn't contain his anger when he carried him out of that chaotic place and wanted to punish him to the point that the little kitten called out his name in the most embarrassing and helpless moment because of being scared.
Qi Xing was clearly both aggrieved and furious but he could still be soothed by a simple "I like you," and even returned the same three words.
Qi Xing looked up and saw Ye Xingzhou lost in thought and angrily asked: "What are you thinking about? Are you thinking about some other wild man in front of me?"
Ye Xingzhou helped him put on his underwear and pulled down the bathrobe again: "About last night, I'm sorry."
Qi Xing: "…?"
He instinctively glanced out the window but saw that the sun hadn't risen from the west.
‘Was this really Ye Xingzhou? He actually apologized?’
Qi Xing: "Say it again."
Ye Xingzhou: "You already heard it."
Qi Xing shot him a glare before turning his head away but his humility lasted no more than three seconds before he returned to his original arrogant self.
"Eat something and don't delay important matters." Ye Xingzhou reminded him.
"You really should apologize," Qi Xing said while eating breakfast then count on his fingers, "Kidnapping me, scaring me, hitting my butt, giving me aphrodisiac and also, you didn't wear a condom!"
By the last sentence, Qi Xing's face turned red.
Last night, he had been overwhelmed by his anger and alcohol, and after taking that damned medicine, his mind had been unclear that he actually forgot such an important matter.
Ye Xingzhou remained calm: "What's the problem?"
Qi Xing: "You didn't wear a condom when you had sex with me and you still ask me what the problem is? Aren't you ashamed? Well, it doesn't really matter to you because it's not you who's gonna be dirty."
"But I helped you clean up afterward." Ye Xingzhou said composedly and not blushing at all, "Besides you, I have no other sexual partners, so I'm healthy. I also don't have bad habits and definitely no hidden diseases."
"Just because you don't have them doesn't mean that I don't.” Qi Xing retorted.
Ye Xingzhou: "Since neither of us has anything and our relationship is one-on-one, then what's the harm in occasionally not wearing a condom?"
Qi Xing: "I didn't agree."
Ye Xingzhou: "You didn't object either."
Qi Xing was at a loss for words.
In terms of thick skin, he could never compare to Ye Xingzhou as this person always had a belly full of twisted logic.
He wasn't that bothered about the no-condom thing, but last night felt more like Ye Xingzhou was getting revenge than having fun. Even though it felt good physically, it left him feeling weird and unsatisfied in his heart.
Qi Xing: "…Then what about kidnapping me, scaring me, hitting my butt, and giving me aphrodisiac?"
Ye Xingzhou lowered his gaze and was silent for a moment before answering: "Next time, don't casually go to places like that, especially where you're unfamiliar because you don't know what you might encounter. The same thing I can do, others can do it too and think about the consequences if it really fell into someone else's hands."
Qi Xing impatiently listened to this: "Do you think there are many people who are as perverted as you, out there? And don't make it sound like I'm some weakling who can easily be taken advantage of."
"Are you that capable?" Ye Xingzhou's voice deepened slightly, "With your fighting skills, who can you beat? Here, no one will let you off just because of your father's face."
Qi Xing felt deeply insulted: "You bastard—"
"I've told you countless times that you shouldn't use foul language but you never listen." Ye Xingzhou frowned.
Qi Xing: "Are you doing this for my sake? If you care about me then you can speak nicely. But not only you spit out ivory words from a dog's mouth, but you also scare me with such extreme methods. Do you know how scared I was at that time?"
Ye Xingzhou: "Scared?"
Qi Xing awkwardly turned his eyes away while mumbling: "Is it wrong to be scared? Can't you see what you did was inhuman?"
At that moment, he had truly thought he had fallen into the hands of some thug and the panic he felt was beyond description. He had genuinely thought about going down with someone but it turned out that this bastard Ye Xingzhou had deliberately scared him. How could he not be angry?
"Sorry," Ye Xingzhou said those two words again, "If you're unhappy then I apologize and be more careful next time."
Qi Xing raised an eyebrow while looking at him suspiciously: "Are you sincere?"
Ye Xingzhou nodded: "Yes."
His gaze was earnest and there was indeed a hint of regret in his eyes, so Qi Xing felt a bit relieved as this was at least somewhat acceptable.
"If you dare to scare me like that again next time, I will definitely kick you."
Throwing out that not-so-threatening remark, Qi Xing continued eating breakfast. He casually toss the broccoli he didn't want to eat onto Ye Xingzhou's plate and watch him eat it without blinking. Finally, he felt satisfied—if Ye Xingzhou dared to complain about eating something he had touched, he would kick him out right then.
At eight-thirty and after finishing breakfast, Qi Xing changed his clothes, and at the same time, his assistant's call came in to remind him to get ready to leave.
Before he left, he asked Ye Xingzhou one last time: "Are you planning to stay here?"
Ye Xingzhou: "I have nowhere else to go for now."
Qi Xing thought to himself that he should believed Ye Xingzhou nonsense that he wasn't here just to catch him doing something else.
"Then you can stay here honestly." he casually picked up the tie clip box from the cabinet and slapped it onto Ye Xingzhou's chest, "This is for you."
Ye Xingzhou seemed a bit surprised that cause Qi Xing to chuckled: "Are you going to throw it away again?"
Ye Xingzhou opened the box then lightly flicked the item inside before looking up at him: "Is this for me?"
"If you don't want it, then just throw it away. It's up to you." Qi Xing took out the tie clip to pinned it to Ye Xingzhou bathrobe and finally patted his chest, "Goodbye, Daddy and enjoy this Labor Day gift."
Ye Xingzhou: "Why is this a Labor Day gift?"
Qi Xing: "If I say it is, then it is."
Having sent off the gift, he felt satisfied and left in a carefree manner.
Once he was far away, Ye Xingzhou looked down at the tie clip embedded with rubies, which was dazzling and eye-catching. It was indeed the style that Qi Xing liked.
……
When Qi Xing arrived at the New York Stock Exchange with his team, it was still not time for the official bell ringing.
Li Zechen, who's following his boss, had just arrived and came over to greet Qi Xing: "Congratulations in advance because you've finally completed your task."
Qi Xing casually replied: "Thanks. You helped a lot."
He looked down at his phone because Ye Xingzhou had just sent a message: "Focus on your work and don't engage too much with boring people."
Qi Xing had no interest in responding and sent back a meme of two hands giving the middle finger with rolling eyes.
Li Zechen asked him with a smile: "That guy from last night is your boyfriend, right? He looks somewhat familiar, what does he do?"
"The chairman of Ye Corporation." Qi Xing replied then added a warning, "Don't tell my dad because he still doesn't know that we've hooked up."
Li Zechen: "Keeping it a secret forever isn't a solution, is it?"
"We'll talk about it later." If he could keep it a secret, he would for now as he didn't want to think about anything else.
"Did he get into a fight last night? His face looks pretty bad." Li Zechen chuckled.
Ye Xingzhou's identity was indeed unexpected, but seeing him like that last night was quite satisfying.
Qi Xing: "I beat him."
Li Zechen: "You can beat him? I feel like he’s not easy to deal with, and he must have a bad temper, right?"
"He's really not that great…anyway, it's hard to explain." Qi Xing put away his phone while squinting and smiling, "But as long as I'm willing to hit him and he's willing to take it, that's fine. I have no interest in hitting anyone else."
Seeing Qi Xing's demeanor, Li Zechen nodded in understanding: "Looks like your relationship is pretty good."
Qi Xing smiled but didn't say anything more.
Because, could he really say that he and Ye Xingzhou had a good relationship? Was it a good relationship if they fought and then slept together afterwards?
Well, it was still not bad.
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