Shen Yannian was not afraid that Su Cimu would sell him off. He was merely worried that Young Master Su's plans for their date might be more than he could handle.
As it turned out, Second Master Shen's premonition was correct.
Su Cimu took him straight to a restaurant in the sky. Beneath their feet was transparent glass, with open air all around them, though that too had been enclosed in transparent glass for safety.
Shen Yannian nearly laughed in exasperation. "You really know how to hit a sore spot."
Hearing Shen Yannian's baffling remark, Su Cimu could not help asking curiously:
"What do you mean?"
"I mean, out of all those restaurants, you just had to pick one I don't like."
"Huh? You don't like it? Why? I saw lots of good reviews for this restaurant online, and they even throw in a complimentary bottle of fine red wine. It's perfect for a romantic date."
Young Master Su was a little unhappy. He had picked this restaurant with such care, only to find that Shen Yannian did not like it.
"I'm a little afraid of heights."
Shen Yannian could not bear to see Su Cimu looking so dejected, so he explained. It was not that Su Cimu had chosen a bad restaurant; he simply had no appetite in this kind of setting.
"Huh? You're afraid of heights? Why didn't you say so sooner? Come on, let's get out of here!"
With that, Su Cimu stood up, walked over to Shen Yannian, and gripped his hand tightly, leading him out of the little suspended compartment.
Even Young Master Su, who could make trouble anywhere, knew that a fear of heights was not something to joke about for fun. In serious cases, it could half kill someone.
Seeing how much Su Cimu cared about his feelings improved Shen Yannian's mood considerably.
He didn't know I was afraid of heights, so I can't blame him.
Only after getting Shen Yannian out of there did Su Cimu finally let out a full sigh of relief.
"Then where are we going to eat now? At this hour, I'm afraid every restaurant will be full."
Su Cimu sounded thoroughly dispirited. He had finally gone to the trouble of carefully planning a date, only to mess it up like this, and it left a bad taste in his mouth.
Shen Yannian raised a hand and rubbed his head. "It's all right. I didn't tell you beforehand what to avoid. I'll take you to a five-star hotel for dinner."
"All right, then."
As long as he was stroked the right way, Young Master Su was very easy to soothe. Shen Yannian knew that well, too, and coaxing him came effortlessly.
Next, Shen Yannian took over driving, while Su Cimu sat in the passenger seat, holding the bouquet he had given Shen Yannian.
The more he looked at it, the more he liked it. He supposed Shen Yannian must love the bouquet too.
Shen Yannian drove up to the entrance of a five-star hotel, where a doorman came over to park the car.
He held Su Cimu's hand in one hand and cradled his bouquet of roses in the other, refusing to entrust it to anyone else.
"Second Master, it's the same suite as before. Your meal is ready. Please enjoy it with Young Master Su."
Upon seeing Shen Yannian arrive, the hotel manager immediately approached, handed him the key card, and then withdrew.
Seeing this, Su Cimu asked him:
"Do you eat here often? Why do you even have your own suite?"
"Sometimes I arrange to meet people here to discuss business. It's quieter, and after we're done, we have a meal while we're here. It's convenient and saves trouble."
"Oh, I see. I thought..."
"Thought what? That I often bring boys here to get a room?"
Shen Yannian curled his lips, seeing through Su Cimu's thoughts at a glance.
"Who knows whether you've brought boys here to get a room? If you, Second Master Shen, wanted to hide something from someone, could you possibly fail?"
Hearing those words dripping with jealousy, Shen Yannian could not help laughing aloud. That laugh set Su Cimu off again.
"What are you laughing at? Is it that funny?!"
"No, seeing you jealous just makes me happy."
"Jealous? No such thing! I never get jealous. Not even the tiniest bit!"
Su Cimu denied it outright. What a joke. Who am I, Young Master Su? How could I possibly get jealous over something like this?
Seeing that he refused to admit it, Shen Yannian merely raised his eyebrows without pursuing the matter, then led him into the suite with a swipe of the key card.
The meal was already laid out on the dining table. They could sit down and eat right away.
The night view beyond the floor-to-ceiling windows was beautiful, showing the bustling metropolis in all its splendor.
The two of them sat enjoying a candlelit dinner. It was quite romantic.
Su Cimu thought they would head home after eating their fill, but judging by Shen Yannian's manner, he had no intention of leaving.
It was not until Shen Yannian led him, still dazed, into the bathroom to bathe together that he belatedly realized:
So I'm the boy Shen Yannian brought here to get a room!
Su Cimu lay on the bed, flipped back and forth like a fish by Shen Yannian, worked over until he had no strength to resist.
By midnight, seeing that Shen Yannian still showed no sign of stopping, Su Cimu finally lost patience and slapped him.
"That's enough out of you. Keep going and you won't have a boyfriend anymore!"
Seeing that Su Cimu was angry, Shen Yannian finally reined in his desire, bundled him up, and carried him to the bathroom to wash, bringing the day's exhaustion to an end.
The moment Su Cimu returned to bed, he closed his eyes and went off to fight in his dreams.
Shen Yannian, meanwhile, held his little boyfriend in his arms, grinning from ear to ear.
The next day was the weekend, with no need to work, so Shen Yannian indulged in a rare lie-in. With his soft, sweet-smelling little boyfriend in his arms, he could not have been happier.
When Su Cimu opened his eyes again, he found Shen Yannian staring straight at him. He silently rolled over, not wanting to deal with this older man.
But he did not succeed. Shen Yannian turned him back around.
"Why are you turning your back on me?"
"I'm afraid if I look at you any longer, I'll want to commit domestic violence."
Su Cimu was full of resentment.
Knowing he was in the wrong, Shen Yannian gently massaged his waist:
"What would you like for lunch? I'll have someone bring it up."
"I don't want to eat anything. Can you get your paw off my waist? I've got PTSD."
His tone was still resentful. Shen Yannian thought it was time to coax him.
"I'll just massage it. I won't do anything."
"That's what you said after the first round last night, too. Do you need me to remind you what happened afterward?" Su Cimu narrowed his eyes, looking displeased.
Guiltily, Shen Yannian withdrew his hand, then shifted his body a little, bringing them closer together.
"I was wrong. Sweetheart, don't hold it against me, hmm?"
"Oh."
Su Cimu stared expressionlessly at Shen Yannian, not wanting to speak to him.
"What do you want? I'll buy it for you as an apology gift?"
"Shen Yannian, what do you take me for? Is this something money can solve? You moneybags!"
Su Cimu was utterly exasperated. He abruptly sat up and launched into a tirade at Shen Yannian, scolding him until Shen Yannian did not dare talk back.
Only after he had finished scolding did Shen Yannian dare to speak:
"I was wrong, sweetheart. Will you forgive me?"
"What's the use of admitting you're wrong if you're just going to do it again next time? I don't care, we're putting it in writing. Three times a week at most, and no more than an hour each time!"