Four years and five months ago, in early autumn.
Autumn in Fengcheng is short; a slight chill only appears in the air after the Mid-Autumn Festival.
When rain falls on a day perfect for recreation, making outdoor activities difficult, luxury villa districts on the outskirts of the city become the preferred venue for social gatherings of the upper class.
On a Saturday, a modern three-story villa with a swimming pool was booked out for a large gathering ostensibly for a charity auction.
The organizer was the owner of a well-known listed company in a neighboring city of Fengcheng. He had recently expanded his business to Fengcheng and was in talks with several leading local enterprises about cooperation. Therefore, everyone knew that this gathering and auction was a pretext, and the real purpose was to promote cooperation and build good relationships.
Since they were all in the same social circle, they had to give the newcomer some face. So, just after five o'clock in the afternoon, guests began to arrive in an endless stream. Umbrellas were opened in front of the brightly lit mansion, shielding the VIPs from the rain and wind as they headed to the world of fame and fortune.
The rain intensified around 6 p.m.
When getting off the bus, Shi Meng hesitated because of the wind and rain that hit his eyes. He was then pushed and urged by Shi Sihui, who was also sitting in the back seat. Before the driver could come around to open the umbrella, he stepped into the chaotic world.
Upon entering the room, Shi Meng was almost completely soaked from head to toe. He patted himself dry and then craned his neck to scan the crowd, hoping to find the person at the door.
Shi Huaiyi invited him to the gathering, saying he wanted to introduce him to several uncles and elders who were old friends of the Shi family. Shi Meng had no interest in it at first, but after hearing that most of the young people of his generation would also be attending, he decided to come after careful consideration.
Unfortunately, there were too many guests at this time, and because of the rain, they were all crowded in the porch to organize their belongings. Shi Meng didn't see that person, but she did run into Shi Huaiyi and Li Bihan in the car in front of her.
Just two months after Shi Mu's death, Li Bihan, who only agreed to leave her home after much persuasion from Shi Huaiyi, was dressed in a plain long dress, her black hair was tied up, her face was lightly made up, and she did not wear any eye-catching accessories.
She had lost a lot of weight these days, and upon closer inspection, her eyes were red-rimmed, suggesting she hadn't slept well again last night. Shi Meng glanced at her briefly before quickly looking away and down at the ground.
Shi Huaiyi walked up to him and said, "Xiao Meng, go inside with your mother first. I ran into an old friend here and want to catch up with him next door."
Upon hearing the word "Mom," Shi Meng's heart skipped a beat. Then, she nervously glanced up at Li Bihan, but Li Bihan was distracted, looking out the window at the rain, and didn't hear what Shi Huaiyi was saying.
"Find a quiet place to sit down and get your mother something to eat," Shi Huaiyi continued, seemingly still worried. "Don't make her angry."
Shi Meng agreed.
However, his presence only made Li Bihan feel resentful and upset. As soon as she took a step forward, Li Bihan frowned and stepped back. Instead, she took Shi Sihui's hand, who had just returned from the restroom, and without even glancing at Shi Meng, she turned and entered the party venue.
Thinking that Shi Sihui would definitely take good care of her, Shi Meng did not follow. She stood outside the porch for a few minutes to make sure they had gone inside before choosing the opposite direction and entering the venue through another door.
His childhood experiences taught Shi Meng to read people's expressions, so he wouldn't go around harassing others.
Although he felt that Li Bihan had no reason to dislike him, he was well aware of his position in the Shi family and had no intention of fighting for the family property, he could not completely fail to understand what Sister Xue was saying.
After all, Li Bihan's most beloved son had died, while he, who was not related to her, was living a good life. Every time she saw him, Li Bihan would feel sad, even though he had done nothing. His very existence was a sin.
Thinking of Sister Xue, Shi Meng found a quiet corner, took out her newly bought phone, and called her.
The call was answered after two rings. Jiang Xue's voice was languid, as if she had just woken up: "Have we arrived?"
"Hmm." Shi Meng looked at the guests coming and going. "There are so many people."
"You have to learn to adapt. Once I make you famous, there will be plenty of opportunities like this."
Shi Meng didn't reply to that question, but instead asked, "How are you? Are you still feeling unwell?"
"Oh." Jiang Xue laughed halfway through her yawn. "Our Mengmeng knows how to care about people now."
Footsteps and the clinking of cups and bowls came through the phone. Jiang Xue got up, took a sip of water, and spoke more clearly: "It's nothing, don't worry about it. It's just a man. The next one will be even better."
Shi Meng didn't quite believe it.
Two days ago, Jiang Xue just broke off her engagement with her fiancé. During the few years they were engaged, he went from a penniless poor boy to a well-known young scientist and entrepreneur in the area. Although he had worked hard, everyone knew how much he had taken advantage of the Jiang family to climb to this position at such a young age.
When the man first proposed to break off the engagement, Jiang Xue was devastated. One day, she got drunk and sat by the roadside crying. When Shi Meng arrived, it was raining, and her tears and rainwater mingled on her face.
Thinking back to the situation, Shi Meng still felt lingering fear: "I should have left earlier to find you."
"What do you want from me? I'm doing just fine on my own," Jiang Xue said. "You rarely go out, have fun! Didn't you say that guy surnamed Fu would be going too?"
Reminded, Shi Meng's gaze began to sweep across the crowd again: "Hmm, he should be coming."
"Tsk, you've forgotten your sister now that you have a man." Jiang Xue teased, "Didn't you say it was hard to see him? Why don't you take advantage of this opportunity to have a drunken one-night stand and publicly announce your relationship in front of a bunch of people, then he won't be able to escape."
Shi Meng was stunned for a long time after hearing this: "Is this okay?"
Jiang Xue laughed hysterically on the phone: "Oh my god, you actually believed my joke?"
In a social setting filled with toasts and laughter, the longer Shi Meng stays, the more uncomfortable he feels.
About seven years ago, he was ostracized by his fellow students at a winter camp organized by his school. When the whole group returned to the camp, no one notified them, which led to him getting lost in the mountains. Although he was eventually rescued by that person, he developed a fear of crowded places as a result.
The party organizers hired a band, and the soothing strings were the only thing that could help people relax. Shi Meng tried her best to block out the noisy laughter and focused on listening to the rhythmic music in the background.
Suddenly, a muffled thud exploded in his ears. Shi Meng turned his head and looked out the window behind him. Autumn thunder suddenly rose, and the dark sky seemed to have been punched with a hole. The rain was pouring down, making a heart-stopping sound as it struck the glass window.
The room was like a giant greenhouse, and the laughing and chatting people were completely unaffected. Shi Meng saw Shi Huaiyi mingling among the many people who came forward to offer toasts, with Li Bihan forcing a smile as she accompanied him. A series of booming sounds filled Shi Meng's ears, and he felt like he couldn't breathe. He wanted to leave this place as soon as possible.
He walked out of the center of the venue and went up the wooden stairs to the second floor.
As they walked through the dimly lit corridor, they bumped into Shi Sihui at the corner. She was in a hurry, and when she saw the person's face, she breathed a sigh of relief and patted her chest: "You scared me to death! What are you doing here?"
Shi Meng had only come for some peace and quiet, but bumping into someone startled him. He took a half-step back and stammered, "It's noisy downstairs, I..."
Shi Sihui seemed to be in a hurry to do something and didn't have time to listen to him. She interrupted and asked, "Have you seen the young master of the Fu family?"
Shi Meng was taken aback and looked up at her.
"It's Fu Xuanliao. He's very close to Shi Mu and used to come to our house often," Shi Sihui added, pretending he didn't remember.
In reality, how could Shi Meng not remember Fu Xuanliao? He came here for Fu Xuanliao's sake.
I had no choice but to answer truthfully: "I didn't see it."
"He's not downstairs?"
Shi Meng, who had just come up from the first floor, thought for a moment and said, "I don't know."
Shi Sihui glared at him, as if she thought he was dull and useless, and said, "Fine, I'll find it myself," before running away, lifting her overly long skirt.
Silence returned to the surroundings. Shi Meng exhaled a breath of pent-up frustration and stayed in place for a while until he heard footsteps coming up again. Only then did he continue up the stairs to the top floor attic.
Although the top floor of this villa also has a pointed roof, the ceiling height is not cramped, and the space is almost the same as downstairs. Rooms are distributed on both sides of the wide corridor, and the ceiling lights turn on. The doors of the rooms are ajar, making it convenient for guests who have had too much to drink and want to rest or need to have a private conversation to use these rooms as private rooms.
However, the gathering downstairs was quite lively, and most people were not going to this secluded place at the moment. Shi Meng pushed open the door on the far right, went in, and just as he reached out to touch the light switch, his shoulder was suddenly pressed down and then pulled hard. Before he could react, his whole body was thrown against the wall.
Fu Xuanliao became alert when he heard footsteps approaching.
He didn't want to attend such social occasions, but his family's company was facing difficulties and urgently needed help from old friends and colleagues. Now his father was out raising money, and his mother was seriously ill from the shock. As the only son of the Fu family, he had to step up and take the lead to help the Fu family through this crisis.
He made mental preparations beforehand, arriving early and behaving humbly in front of the elders, drinking one glass of wine after another, and spouting a whole bunch of insincere pleasantries, eventually managing to coax a few into agreeing to talk in detail later.
At that very moment, he suddenly felt something was wrong with his body.
First, his palms felt hot and his forehead sweated. Then, his legs felt weak and he couldn't breathe properly. When all the heat in his body rushed to his lower abdomen, he realized something was wrong.
His steps toward the upper floor were almost unsteady, the effects of the drug were coming on quickly. Fu Xuanliao leaned against the wall as he walked, trying to recall who he had received the wine from.
However, the abnormality in his physiology prevented him from thinking rationally. He only vaguely remembered that he had received the wine glasses from the waiters. He thought that someone had set a trap for him.
Stumbling into a room, Fu Xuanliao didn't close the door tightly or turn on the light so as not to attract attention. After squatting down with his back against the wall, he took a few deep breaths and suddenly smiled, a smile that was nothing but self-mockery and absurdity.
This kind of thing isn't uncommon in the industry; after all, there are always people who try to achieve certain goals or solidify a certain status through unscrupulous means. But why would Fu Xuanliao be someone they'd go to such lengths to manipulate? Is it for the Fu family's so-called prestigious title, or because they don't believe he only likes men and want to verify it themselves?
He would investigate these matters thoroughly afterward, but for now... Fu Xuanliao pursed his lips, suppressing his voice, and could no longer control himself as he reached his hand down.
He dared not imagine the consequences of such a shameful act being exposed in this setting. He could only try to extricate himself from this predicament as soon as possible and pray that no one would discover his whereabouts during this time.
Therefore, when he heard the rhythmic footsteps, Fu Xuanliao held his breath and listened intently. When the person pushed the door open, he used all his strength to rush up and subdue the person.
He pressed down on the other man's shoulder and covered his mouth with his other hand. The other man struggled, but he was shorter and weaker than Fu Xuanliao. He was pinned against the wall and could not move, making muffled groans in his throat.
Upon recognizing the person's face through the light from the window, Fu Xuanliao exclaimed in surprise, "It's you!"
Shi Meng was completely dazed. When he loosened his hand from his mouth and nose, he was made dizzy by the strong smell of alcohol emanating from the person in front of him. Before he could answer, he was restrained by his shoulder.
"Could it be you?" Fu Xuanliao asked, panting heavily, his eyes filled with suspicion. "Did you drug him?"
The downstairs area is bustling with activity, and no one would come here before the drinks have been finished. So, the person appearing in front of us is most likely the one who drugged us.
Shi Meng seemed not to understand: "W-what?"
Fu Xuanliao, eager to confirm, changed his question: "You, did you come to see me?"
In fact, Shi Mengbi recognized the person in front of him earlier. He knew immediately when he heard the other person's breathing and when those warm hands touched his lips.
Thinking about the purpose of this trip, Shi Meng looked at Fu Xuanliao with a dazed gaze and nodded as if bewitched: "Yes...yes."
For whom else but you could I have come here?
That night, which was destined to be anything but peaceful, saw many things undergo radical changes.
The door was pushed open, and the lights came on overhead, exposing the two disheveled individuals to countless eyes. At that moment, it seemed as if they were announcing the intersection of Fu Xuanliao and Shi Meng in a universal sense.
Back to the present, the light above Nakajima was just as bright as it had been then, causing Shi Meng to unconsciously squint.
He wanted to say that he didn't do it, but then he remembered that Fu Xuanliao, who was already exhausted, tried his best to refuse, and even yelled at him to get out when he was red-faced. But he insisted on staying and shamelessly took the initiative to help Fu Xuanliao relieve himself, which led to so many people seeing such an unsavory scene...
Shi Meng suddenly felt that he had lost his position to defend himself.
Moreover, Fu Xuanliao firmly believed that he was such a ruthless person.
Shi Meng is used to being misunderstood. When all the accessible doors in front of him are closed, he will quickly enter a state of high alert and reflexively return all the damage he has received.
"Then you got hard too, didn't you?" He tilted his head back, trying his best not to show any fear. "Didn't you enjoy it too?"
Fu Xuanliao was taken aback by his question.
Realizing that Shi Meng was referring not only to that time, but also to every sexual encounter afterward, including the one not long ago, Fu Xuanliao's face visibly darkened.
That night marked the beginning of their entanglement. Soon after, the Shi family, under the guise of helping the Fu family overcome their difficulties, used a contract to bind Fu Xuanliao. From initial resistance to brutal sex filled with revenge, their abnormal relationship has been fraught with difficulties and has continued to this day.
The habit of striving for dominance has become deeply ingrained in their bones over the past four years.
Even if it's self-deception, even if it's insincere.
"Do you know why I get hard when I'm with you, and why it feels so good to fuck you?"
Fu Xuanliao propped himself up on the marble table with one hand, while the other hand gripped Shi Meng's chin, forcing him to look into his eyes.
Even though Shi Meng had a premonition that his next words would be like sharp knives, piercing his heart and drawing blood, his eyes darted away, and he trembled, a desire to retreat arising within him.
It's too late.
"Because you look like Shi Mu." Fu Xuanliao smiled, but his eyes were unusually cold. "If I can't have him, I can only fuck you."
"Do I have to tell you something so obvious before you'll believe me?"
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