Everyone looked a little surprised, raising their eyebrows as they settled in to enjoy the show.
The wine dripped from the ends of Tao Zhiyan's hair.
It trickled down his neck, soaking his undershirt.
Several race cars sped past them, their roaring engines stirring the men's hormones.
Mr. Ren's heart raced. He had only come out to unwind after an argument with his kept boy.
But after this little incident, he suddenly felt that a change of taste might not be a bad idea. His own kept boy had his mind on someone else anyway, so why couldn't he find someone else to play with too?
He poured another glass of wine and held it out to Tao Zhiyan. "Come on, have a drink."
"Little butler, a wise man knows when to play along." Mr. Ren grabbed Tao Zhiyan's wrist and forced him to take the glass. "You need to know your place here."
Tao Zhiyan lifted his eyes. Droplets of wine still clung to his lashes, and his eyes shimmered.
He took the glass from the man, tipped his head back, and drained it.
Mr. Ren stared at him without blinking.
After finishing the drink, Tao Zhiyan lowered his eyes again, bent down, and picked up the bottle to pour another glass.
The men behind them nudged Feng Yan a few times, teasing him. "That butler of yours is pretty good. He knows how to play along."
Feng Yan held a cigarette between his fingers. "What, you interested too?"
"Tsk, I haven't played with a man in ages. Finally found one to my taste."
Feng Yan blew a smoke ring. "Then I'll have him take care of you guys later too?"
"Why wait? We could all have fun together."
"Yeah, it's more exciting together."
The men rose with a laugh and started toward Tao Zhiyan.
Tao Zhiyan raised his glass. Mr. Ren smiled and reached to take it, but in the next instant, the young man lifted his hand and threw the entire glass of wine in Mr. Ren's face!
The cold, pungent wine hit Mr. Ren's face, leaving everyone stunned.
"...You fucking-" Mr. Ren wiped his face, his expression darkening as he seized Tao Zhiyan by the collar. "You got a fucking death wish?!"
Mr. Ren was genuinely furious. With his status and standing, no one who came to these gatherings dared disrespect him.
"Even when you beat a dog, you have to consider its owner, Feng Yan." Mr. Ren grabbed Tao Zhiyan and hurled him against the drinks table. "Tell me how you're going to handle this."
The man's strength was overwhelming. Tao Zhiyan staggered half a step and fell across the table, knocking the bottles and glasses askew.
Mr. Ren had considerable influence.
Feng Yan had several shopping malls in his territory, so naturally, he didn't want a conflict with him.
"Butler Tao, you're in the wrong here." Feng Yan glanced indifferently at Tao Zhiyan. "When you're under someone else's roof, you have to bow your head. Don't you understand that?"
He raised a hand and patted Tao Zhiyan's face, his voice turning colder. "Be good. Go apologize to Mr. Ren."
Tao Zhiyan turned his head away and straightened up. Despite being utterly disheveled, he somehow still had the presence of mind to straighten his clothes.
First, he smoothed the creases over his chest, then tugged at his clothes before speaking evenly. "Mr. Ren, I believe you've misunderstood."
"You're right about considering a dog's owner before beating it, but my owner isn't Feng Yan." Smiling, Tao Zhiyan took his phone from his pocket, found Feng Ze's number, and looked up at Mr. Ren. "Would you like to ask my owner?"
Mr. Ren paused, then raised his voice. "You're using Feng Ze to threaten me? You think I'm afraid of him?"
Tao Zhiyan nodded in understanding. "So you don't want to ask?"
Although Mr. Ren's expression remained ugly, he said nothing more.
Who here dared provoke Feng Ze?
Looking faintly disappointed, Tao Zhiyan put away his phone. Then he took the car keys from his pocket and tossed them in front of Feng Yan. "Second Young Master, my working hours are over, so I'll be leaving now."
Feng Yan frowned at that, looking at Tao Zhiyan.
Perfectly composed, Tao Zhiyan walked across the filthy, chaotic racing platform.
The room fell silent for a moment.
"Fuck." Mr. Ren felt stifled with frustration. "I was already pissed off after fighting with my boy!"
Feng Yan was already annoyed over Bai Ruan, and now he was even more irritated. "Who isn't pissed off? Come have a drink."
Tao Zhiyan booked a ride, and it was already very late when he returned to the Feng Family home.
As he pushed open the door, he ran straight into Feng Ze coming down from the Attic.
The man wore pajamas, with a bath towel draped around his neck and his black hair still slightly damp.
He held a cup, seemingly on his way downstairs to get some water. When he saw Tao Zhiyan, his gaze stopped, lingering on him.
The little mole seemed to be in a bad mood today.
His face was sour, his expression unpleasant. A patch of his undershirt was wet, and his hair was a little messy, hanging in strands before his eyes.
He also smelled of alcohol.
What had he been doing?
Tao Zhiyan felt terribly uncomfortable and wanted to go upstairs for a shower, but the oblivious Feng Ze kept standing there staring at him. He could only straighten up and say with a blank expression, "Good evening, Eldest Young Master."
"Mm." Feng Ze asked, "What were you doing?"
Tao Zhiyan didn't want to talk. After changing his shoes, he answered carelessly, "I went out."
"Were you drinking?"
"No."
"Didn't you go out with Feng Yan?"
"Yes." Tao Zhiyan was running out of patience. He couldn't understand why Feng Ze, who usually barely spoke, had so many questions today.
He walked to the stairs, where Feng Ze stood blocking the way without the slightest intention of moving. Tao Zhiyan sighed in resignation. "If you don't need anything, Eldest Young Master, I'll head upstairs."
Only up close did Feng Ze see how bad Tao Zhiyan's expression was.
Feng Ze clearly had no intention of moving aside. "What did you go out with Feng Yan to do?"
"...I was his driver." Tao Zhiyan licked his stiff lips, his tone flat, clearly unwilling to engage in further conversation. "If there's nothing else, I'll head upstairs."
With that, he stepped to one side, preparing to go up.
But Feng Ze also stepped to the side, blocking Tao Zhiyan's way.
Tao Zhiyan looked up, bewildered.
What was this supposed to mean? He wasn't letting him through?
He was going through anyway.
Tao Zhiyan stepped the other way. Just as he was about to walk past, Feng Ze blocked him again.
Tao Zhiyan: "..."
How had he never noticed what a shameless pest Feng Ze was?
Feng Ze lowered his eyes. "Keep talking."
The man looked at the ends of Tao Zhiyan's hair and asked, "Where did you go?"
Tao Zhiyan finally understood. Unless he explained himself today, he could forget about going upstairs.
"School." Tao Zhiyan sighed and gave in. "Then to the races in the evening."
Tao Zhiyan had always spoken politely to him.
But today, he was particularly stiff.
"And then?" Feng Ze guided him along, stepping half a pace forward. "Keep talking."
As the man suddenly drew closer, Tao Zhiyan instinctively retreated half a step. His foot found empty air, and he nearly fell.
Feng Ze caught him.
The distance between them abruptly shrank, their eyes meeting.
Feng Ze tightened his grip, his gaze traveling from the ends of Tao Zhiyan's hair to his face, his dark eyes intensely piercing. "Did someone bully you?"
That voice landed, and Tao Zhiyan met those eyes.
His knees instantly went a little weak, his mind blank.
Only after a long moment did he realize a serious problem.
Wait...had the boy he'd written himself just flirted him weak in the knees?
This was mortifying! He was the strategist! How could the strategist get flustered by flirting??
Tao Zhiyan drew a deep breath, intending to flirt right back.
He thought for a moment, then curved his lips, looked up at Feng Ze, and answered meekly, "Yes."
"They said...I was the Feng Family's dog."
Tao Zhiyan had beautiful eyes, slightly rounded with subtly upturned corners. When he looked at someone with a smile in them, they were inexplicably enticing.
Feng Ze paused when he met those eyes, then withdrew his hand. "How did you respond?"
"I said..." Tao Zhiyan stepped up until he stood level with Feng Ze, abruptly closing the distance between them.
His eyes still held a smile. With the two of them so close, everything around them seemed to blur, leaving only those shining eyes.
His voice was soft, its ending lifting slightly, teasingly. "I said...I wasn't the Feng Family's dog."
Feng Ze nodded.
Then Tao Zhiyan added softly, "I was Feng Ze's dog."
Feng Ze's eyes darkened as he looked at Tao Zhiyan.
They were too close, and Tao Zhiyan's deliberate, mischievous intent made the air between them scorching.
Their breaths mingled, brewing beyond their control and spreading in delicate threads.
When their gazes met, neither looked away.
They let each other's eyes travel from top to bottom, invading every inch of skin, studying every detail.
In the end, Feng Ze spoke first.
He averted his gaze, his tone cool. "I don't keep dogs."
Then he moved aside of his own accord, clearing a path for Tao Zhiyan.
Tao Zhiyan pressed his lips together and started to leave.
Then a low, magnetic voice reached his ear. "Next time, you can say you're mine."
Tao Zhiyan's legs went weak. He nearly missed his footing, his whole body tingling.
Watching his bright red ears, Feng Ze gave a low chuckle.
...Damn it.
Face flushed, Tao Zhiyan fled.
He'd lost the flirting battle!
Before you continue