AS CH 7

Chapter 7

The next moment, Xu Wenhao furiously sank his teeth into Lü Chenyue’s shoulder, then bit down hard on his cold lips.

Lü Chenyue tried to push Xu Wenhao away, but Wenhao was half a head taller and far more muscular. On top of that, Wenhao had completely lost his rationality—he couldn’t be pushed away.

While Xu Wenhao briefly left his lips, Lü Chenyue struggled to speak but couldn’t get out a single word. Even swallowing was hard. His breathing grew erratic and labored, throwing his entire body into chaos.

“You’re insane!” Lü Chenyue shouted with all the strength he had, trying to stop Xu Wenhao from going any further. But even those few words had no effect at all.

“Didn’t you say you’re fine doing it with any man?” Xu Wenhao growled as he bit and sucked along Lü Chenyue’s throat, his aggression sharp and painful.

“I don’t want this! Let me go!” Lü Chenyue’s arms were pinned, his legs trapped by Xu Wenhao’s body—he couldn’t move, only twist and squirm with all his might.

Xu Wenhao ignored all of Lü Chenyue’s resistance. He had no idea he was now doing the exact same cruel thing as that drunken middle-aged man earlier.

Lü Chenyue had always kept his encounters with clients strictly transactional. He knew that man from earlier had acted that way because he was drunk—this wasn’t the first time something like this happened to him. He had long grown used to it.

He didn’t pick and choose his clients. As long as they could pay, he went along. Even those with violent, abusive fetishes—he’d become numb. All he ever wanted was to get it over with.

But being caught like this by Xu Wenhao—having his secret exposed—triggered an overwhelming sense of rejection and terror that surged into his chest like a crashing wave. He couldn’t breathe.

Lü Chenyue felt like he was suffocating. He couldn’t bear for Xu Wenhao to see this side of him—the one that existed outside of school.

Xu Wenhao, now consumed by fury, couldn’t hear Lü Chenyue’s cries. He didn’t notice the paleness in his face. He just kept forcing him back against the cold concrete wall, holding both wrists in one hand while the other roamed roughly over Lü Chenyue’s body, eventually yanking at his belt.

“Doing it with me—what difference does it make?” Xu Wenhao’s handsome face twisted into a sinister smile, his tone filled with dark malice. That look… it overlapped with the images buried deep in Lü Chenyue’s most fearful memories.

His already pale face turned ghostly white. His whole body began to tremble violently. The empty, terrified look in his eyes saw Xu Wenhao not as a person, but a monster. He thrashed wildly, like a cornered animal.

“No… don’t… Let go of me, let go of me! Help! Someone help me!” Lü Chenyue screamed hysterically, those demon-like hands from his memories attacking again and again, never leaving him.

Why was no one willing to save him?

Why wouldn’t anyone come save him?

Hearing Lü Chenyue’s frantic screams finally jolted Xu Wenhao back to his senses. The fog of rage lifted. Seeing how violently Lü Chenyue was struggling, he quickly released his grip on his hands.

Lü Chenyue still couldn’t return to reality from the grip of his memories. Even though his hands were now free, they flailed helplessly in the air. His terrified eyes seemed to mistake the person in front of him for someone else entirely. The heart-wrenching pain in his gaze made Xu Wenhao slowly begin to calm down, regret welling up in his chest—for both his actions and his cruel words.

What the hell had he just done?

Xu Wenhao cursed himself over and over. He was no better than a beast. What he’d done… wasn’t it the exact same thing those other men had done?

“Chenyue…” he tried calling softly.

But the boy in front of him didn’t hear him. Still trapped in his own mental prison, the more Xu Wenhao looked, the more his heart ached.

“No… no… please let me go…” Lü Chenyue’s weak, hoarse voice trembled with helplessness. He couldn’t hold back the tears anymore—they fell silently, soaking his pale cheeks. The sight struck Xu Wenhao like a blow.

He panicked. He was lost. He didn’t know what to do.

What had Lü Chenyue been through… to be so completely terrified?

Where was the usual Lü Chenyue—the one who kept people at arm’s length, always cold and indifferent?

Who was this frightened boy in front of him now?

Xu Wenhao lunged forward and pulled Lü Chenyu into a tight embrace, stopping all his flailing movements. He was scared Chenyue would hurt himself. His dark eyes were full of guilt and heartache. He gently patted Lü Chenyue’s back, trying to soothe him, trying to calm him down.

He could feel it—Lü Chenyue’s body trembling in fear. This wasn’t an act. It was real. Xu Wenhao could feel it with his own hands.

Time passed—who knew how long. In the silent alley, only the sound of their breathing remained.

Eventually, Lü Chenyue slowly came back to his senses. When he realized it was Xu Wenhao holding him, he finally let out a tiny sigh of relief.

So warm. Really warm. Truly…

No—wait!

Startled, Lü Chenyue suddenly shoved Xu Wenhao away with all his strength. He lowered his head, refusing to let Xu Wenhao see his expression.

“Thank you. I… I’m fine now,” he said quietly.

He used his trembling hands to straighten his clothes, then turned and walked out of the alley without looking back.

Xu Wenhao didn’t feel right letting him walk home alone, so he silently followed him the whole way.

He watched Lü Chenyue enter an old apartment building, climb to the second floor, and unlock his door with a key.

“Are you really okay?” Xu Wenhao asked again, still worried.

Without turning around, Lü Chenyue replied calmly, “I’m really fine. It’s late, we have class tomorrow. Please go home.”

With that, he shut the door.

Xu Wenhao stared at the slightly rusted door. His clenched fists creaked before slowly loosening. Then he turned and left.

On the other side of that door, Lü Chenyue slid down until he was curled up on the floor, back pressed to the wood.

By day, he was just an ordinary high school student. By night, he became a boy who sold his body for money. This secret—one he had buried so deeply—he never imagined someone from his class would find out. Yet today, Xu Wenhao had seen everything—his most shameful, unbearable side.

But it wasn’t that he minded Xu Wenhao finding out.

What haunted him far more was the terrifying nightmare that had trapped him in the dark for so long—a nightmare with no escape, no light, no hope.

What had he ever done to offend Xu Wenhao? Everything that happened today revolved around him. Didn’t Xu Wenhao hate him?

Then why save him? Why hold him so gently…? Why stay by his side and follow him home?

After showering, Lü Chenyue tossed and turned in bed, unable to sleep.

But maybe that was better. At least this way, those hands in the dark wouldn’t grab him again. At least he wouldn’t wake from nightmares, drowning in fear.

That night, the person filling Lü Chenyue’s thoughts was Xu Wenhao.

And in the end… he didn’t sleep at all.

(To be continued…)

T/L: Bro turned red flag real quick! 💀🚩 I honestly expected so much better from Xu Wenhao’s character — not gonna lie, I’m actually disappointed. From “class monitor” to walking trauma trigger, the switch-up was insane. That whole scene??? Unforgivable.

AND ANOTHER THING — why is Lü Chenyue not mad??? Like?? Where’s the slap?? The punch?? The “get the hell away from me” energy??? Instead, we got “Then why save him? Why hold him so gently…?”

HELLO??? WHAT DO YOU MEAN “HOLD GENTLY”???

What. The. Helly.