ZhouXiang flung his hand away and stood at the door as he didn’t intend to go in. He had tried to suppress his gloominess and put on a hypocritical flattering smile but he couldn’t even fake it. Instead he had blank expression, “President Yan, I really do have family matters to attend to. It’s just trifling family matters that superior people like you can’t imagine. But to me, it’s not something that I could be distracted from. You can’t be bearing grudges toward me because I hung up on you right?"

YanMingXiu narrowed his eyes and seriously assessed ZhouXiang up and down.

This person seems to be different overnight, or it could be said that this is the real him. Maybe there was a sudden unexpected mishap so he was too lazy to even put on a flattering respectful expression... immediately changing to one that is spiteful, even mocking him with this tone.

YanMingXiu didn’t believe that there were any ill feelings between them so where did his courage come from. The most important thing is where did his hostility come from in speaking to him in such a way?

YanMingXiu’s tone sounding unpleasant, "What do you mean?”

“President Yan, what do you mean? What is your command in calling me to come here? Just say it. I really have to go home.” ChenYing’s mood had been very unstable the past two days, sometimes crying nonstop and sometimes sitting silently without talking. With her mental state like that, she really needed someone to watch over her. ZhouXiang was really afraid that she couldn’t get over and accept their situation (and harm herself or suicide). He couldn’t accept this result. He would feel that he is a sinner.

Therefore, he really didn’t want to put on a facade and be polite and compliant toward YanMingXiu. He just wanted to hurry up and leave.

YanMingXiu glanced at him coldly, “Fine, I’ll be straightforward. Was it you who took me home the night before?”

“It’s Jiang Ge, I merely helped him.”

“I know there is JiangYuan. What I’m asking is, was it you who was with me in the end?" YanMingXiu stared fixedly at his eyes, as if he urgently wanted to get the answer from his eyes.

ZhouXiang didn’t expect JiangYuan to hide anything for him so he could only tell the truth. “Yes, but I left very soon after.”

YanMingXiu suddenly grabbed his chin, moving his body very close, his long figure giving ZhouXiang a sense of oppression.

The hand that grabbed ZhouXiang’s chin, slightly pulling closer, and his strength is immense, ZhouXiang looked at him silently. He wanted to see what this person wanted to do.

YanMingXiu suddenly stretched out his thumb and touched his lips. His movement is very light and his expression a bit dazed.

“It’s you? Why is it you?”

ZhouXiang just wanted to open his mouth but YanMingXiu suddenly moved close and covered his lips.

ZhouXiang didn’t even think. He used his backhand to push him away but YanMingXiu instantly grabbed his hand and pressed him to the wall, then forcefully and fiercely sucked his lower lip.

Before ZhouXiang could even react, YanMingXiu has already released him. The expression on his face is so complicated that even ZhouXiang can’t guess. It seems that he is surprised, lost, and even a little disgusted.

Yes, disgusted.

After YanMingXiu kissed him, he used the back of his hand to swipe his lips.

It tastes like him, but not him. After all, it’s not him.

ZhouXiang was so angry that he wanted to slap him. But he restrained the urge to do it as he angrily uttered, “President Yan, that’s way out of line. I am not familiar with you to that degree.”

YanMingXiu let go of him. He stepped back and assessed him from head to toe.

If he kept him by his side, would he have the same experience as the night before?

It appeared that only in his drunken state that this kind of warm and familiar feeling turned out to be so real. For him, it’s a huge temptation. It’s simply like a good rain after a long cold drought or a freezing winter catching on fire.

He’s not dead. He’s definitely not dead. But when will he return?

With this long and full of skepticism wait, YanMingXiu didn’t know when he would completely collapse. The appearance of this person in front of him is only tiny heat source but could temporarily prevent his bones from being frozen stiff.

YanMingXiu made a decision.

He opened his mouth but there wasn’t much of an expression on his face. It was as if he was the king issuing an order that wouldn’t allow for anyone to refuse. He asked ZhouXiang, “Do you want to be popular?”

ZhouXiang didn’t know what was going on. He unconsciously stepped back. If he didn’t care for having to still make a living in the entertainment industry, he would have just turned around and leave.

“What do you want? What roles do you want to play, how far do you want to go, and how high do you want to reach? I’ll satisfy you. Be with me(T/N).” YanMingXiu said it slowly. He believes that there are people in the world who can’t be tempted but this person obviously does not have such good character.

T/N: YanMingXiu is proposing to buy ZhouXiang as a kept lover. He will pay and provide for all his expenses but ZhouXiang would become his sex slave, to comply with his commands and wishes, to be at his beck and call.

ZhouXiang is shocked as he looked at YanMingXiu in disbelief.

YanMingXiu... wants to...

YanMingXiu stared at the change in ZhouXiang’s face. “Say it. What do you want? There has to be something you want.”

ZhouXiang’s voice trembled, “Why?” The pinnacle of his heart is bleeding. Why? The answer he knew clearer than anyone else.

YanMingXiu didn’t shy away and bluntly responded, “You look like someone(T/N) but that has nothing to do with you.”

T/N: referring to Older ZhouXiang

If it wasn’t for his internal organs being overwhelmed by this excruciating pain, ZhouXiang would probably do something crazy, such as loudly swearing, such as ruthlessly beating the crap out of him, using everything he could so that YanMingXiu would experience the pain he’s in.

Two lifetimes, he thought that he was already being given a renewed life. He didn’t expect that this was merely a changing of bodies and that he would still continue to suffer the same torment.

He can now conclude that God is messing with him. The soul inside this body has been cursed; cursed to only be a substitute for others in his lifetimes in order to bring about his value. No matter how many times he died, no matter how many times he gets reborn in a body, repeating the same cycles, his destiny never changed. He only made a slight turn and was pulled back to its original track.

He thought that death could rewrite his destiny but he was gravely mistaken. From the moment he woke up and saw CaiWei, he had been invisibly controlled. Being badly battered through the process, he still couldn’t take another route. He still ended up taking his old path, still ended up being tangled with YanMingXiu, and still being treated by him as WangYuDong’s substitute!!

ZhouXiang’s entire person had become easily frightened due to the traumatization of his past experiences. He suddenly bolted up, his hand raised into a fist and fiercely punched toward YanMingXiu’s face.

With this punch, YanMingXiu was knocked to the ground. He didn’t immediately jump up to fight back. He just looked at ZhouXiang coldly. He thought that ZhouXiang felt deeply humiliated but this resistance is utterly ridiculous in his eyes. He has many ways to make ZhouXiang submit. He is no longer the same Young Master Yan from before... that youngster who didn’t even know his own heart... that youngster who was a stupid fool is already dead.

ZhouXiang’s entire body trembled as he struggled to turn and walk toward the door.

YanMingXiu stood up, his chilling voice sounded behind him, “You can choose to agree or I’ll have ways to force you to agree. In short, whatever I want, I’ll definitely get.”

The palm of ZhouXiang’s hand that is grabbing the door handle started sweating. He knew that he should open the door and leave immediately, going as far away as possible.

But when he got out this door, he really could only get out this door.

He will face insurmountable obstacles once this door closed on his face. In the end, he would have nowhere to go.

Without needing anyone to warn him, he also knew the significant meaning behind YanMingXiu’s(T/N) surname.

T/N: basically means that the Yan family is an influential and powerful family. YanMingXiu can do anything to get him to submit.

He took his hand back and exhibited an agonizing bitter smile on his face. Turning around, he looked at YanMingXiu coldly.

YanMingXiu slowly wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and looked at him in a condescending manner, just like looking at a nobody.

“Give me money then,” ZhouXiang said rigidly.

YanMingXiu’s eyebrows lifted, “How much do you want?”

“A condo and two million cash,” With this, the biggest problems in front of him will immediately be solved. How ridiculous. In this most desperate and endlessly painful situation, as long as a person like YanMingXiu opens his mouth, it can easily be resolved.

Who the hell is he?

YanMingXiu mocked, “Why do you think you’re worth this?"

“This is what I want. You think you can fuck me for free?” ZhouXiang’s eyes are bloodshot. Every word that he uttered, he felt his heart trickling blood.

“Fine. Agreed.”

ZhouXiang reached his hand out, “Pay the money first.”

YanMingXiu took his checkbook from the table and quickly wrote an amount, then tore it and threw it at him.

Holding this extremely thin piece of paper, ZhouXiang’s hand trembled erratically.

It’s that simple, just that simple. ChenYing’s illness and his troubles have all been solved. Why didn’t he think of it earlier? Why didn’t he think of this before? That a person like him is actually worth some money?

ZhouXiang really wanted to laugh.

YanMingXiu expected ZhouXiang to have a bit more chastity, but he didn’t expect ZhouXiang to agree so easily. The contempt in his heart became even worse.

It doesn’t matter. He never expected this person to be noble. He (younger ZhouXiang) is just a substitute. When he needs him, he’ll appear in time, it’s nothing more than that.

YanMingXiu responded, “Tomorrow, I’ll have JiangYuan get the condo ready for you. Move in immediately. I’ll go there to find you."

"No." ZhouXiang resolutely refused, “That condo, I’m using to live with my mom. You can’t go there."

“That’s your business. You’ll have to find a solution,” YanMingXiu said bluntly.

ZhouXiang glanced at YanMingXiu chillingly, no longer arguing with him, but instead asked what he most wanted to know, "How long?"

YanMingXiu’s brows lifted.

"How long do you want me to be with you?"

“I don’t know,” YanMingXiu responded straightforwardly.

“I need a deadline,” ZhouXiang smiled sarcastically. “A condo and cash, how long do you think I’m willing to have sex with you?”

YanMingXiu responded coldly, “One year is fine.”

"A year it is." ZhouXiang carefully stuffed the check into his pocket, then turned and leave.

After he walked downstairs, he stared up at this more than 30 stories high apartment building, so depressing, it’s indescribable.

He had only been in there for half an hour and it solved the crisis that would have taken him half a lifetime of hard work...but he sold himself.

However, this business transaction is considered a good deal. ZhouXiang thought of ChenYing’s yellow tinted expression, her life that seems to be withering away at any time is his biggest concern at the moment. He patted the check in his pocket and laughed at himself.

Just a matter of having sex with someone...it’s really not that big a deal.

This deal is worth it... very much worth it.

End of the chapter