The door hinge slid with a faint creak, yet it struck the room like a clap of thunder. Time seemed to freeze for a brief, bizarre moment. Only the mushrooms in the hotpot continued to rise and sink, bobbing along in the rolling broth.
The chopsticks suspended above the hotpot burned Xue Bao Tian’s fingers with the rising steam. He was the first to react, cursing, “Holy shit!”
Instinctively wanting to find something to cover Yan Ye up with, he looked around frantically. Aside from tableware, the only thing nearby was a basket of mushrooms.
His hands moved faster than his brain. Grabbing an uncut porcini mushroom, Xue Bao Tian hurled it at Yan Ye.
“Cover yourself with that.”
Acting purely on muscle memory, Yan Ye caught it in one hand. Only after looking down did he realize it was an oversized mushroom. The current situation was already far too visual and concrete; standing there clutching a giant mushroom, he felt so mortified he wished he could die.
Yet he could only use it to shield himself, turning his back to the doorway as he ground out through clenched teeth, “Xue Bao Tian, clothes!”
“Don’t panic.”
Jumping to his feet, Xue Bao Tian snatched the shirt off the floor and wrapped it around Yan Ye’s waist. Then he strode to the door and shoved the still-stunned man outside.
“You’ve seen enough. What, are you planning to keep watching?”
Closing the door behind him, he turned around to find Yan Ye already mostly dressed. The skin that had reddened like a boiled shrimp was hidden once more beneath clothing. His long, powerful fingers were fumbling awkwardly with the buttons, while the zipper of his pants sat half-open, half-closed, caught at his hip in a strangely sexy way.
It was the first time Xue Bao Tian had ever seen Yan Ye flustered and at a loss. His ears were so red beneath the evening sun they looked ready to drip blood. Strands of hair fell across his brows and eyes, his lips pressed tightly together. He looked like an angry young man sulking after a grievance.
Cute as hell, honestly.
Suddenly, Xue Bao Tian felt an itch in his heart. He wanted to pull him over, steal a kiss, tease him a little.
Then he remembered who he was.
At best, he was a bed partner. Not even an ex.
What kiss? Watching the show was enough.
Crossing his arms over his chest, he leaned against the door and asked teasingly, “General Manager Yan, need me to button your shirt for you?”
Still disheveled, Yan Ye gave up on the remaining buttons. Turning around, he strode toward Xue Bao Tian. Though his face remained red, his expression had darkened. In just two steps, he grabbed Xue Bao Tian’s wrist, shoved the porcini mushroom—previously used to conceal an important body part—into his hand, then slowly raised it and firmly pressed the mushroom against Xue Bao Tian’s lips.
After doing that, the silent man pushed him aside, opened the door, and walked out.
“Just a moment. Let me straighten myself up.”
Xue Bao Tian heard Yan Ye’s steady voice, followed by the sound of the opposite room’s door opening.
“Of course. No rush.”
A refined, elegant voice followed shortly afterward. It was as though the speaker had not witnessed that scene at all. There was not the slightest trace of awkwardness or displeasure in his tone.
Weighing the mushroom in his hand, Xue Bao Tian returned to the table. Looking somewhat dejectedly at the ingredients simmering in the pot, he murmured to himself, “Xue Bao Tian, all this love and romance crap was never meant for someone like you. Better focus on filling your stomach.”
He had just picked up his chopsticks when another knock sounded at the door.
Yan Ye was still in the room across the hall.
That meant the identity of the visitor needed no explanation.
Pulling a cigarette from the pack and holding it between his teeth, Xue Bao Tian thought for a moment before responding coolly.
“Come in.”
At the creak of the opening door, Xue Bao Tian lifted his eyes with a cigarette between his lips. Though he had seen the man briefly before, he had not gotten a proper look. Now, after examining him carefully, even Xue Bao Tian, as a romantic rival, had to admit:
No wonder Yan Ye had fallen for him.
The man stood tall and straight. His features were clean and handsome, his eyes clear and gentle, carrying a faint scholarly elegance. He looked cultured and courteous. He wore a simple light-gray outfit, neither overly formal nor too casual—exactly the sort of attire someone would choose when meeting a person they hoped to know better but had not yet grown close to.
Seeing that Xue Bao Tian remained silent, the man smiled and asked, “Mushroom hotpot? It smells wonderful.”
Everyone here was sharp.
From a single sentence, Xue Bao Tian immediately understood the man’s intentions.
Removing the cigarette, he smiled as well.
“Yan Ye’s going out for dinner later. Looks like I cooked too much.”
“Although it’s a little presumptuous, for the sake of good food, I’d still like to ask whether Mr. Xue would mind adding one more set of chopsticks and a bowl.”
Slowly flicking ash from his cigarette, Xue Bao Tian cast a casual glance toward the doorway. The sun had nearly set, and the shadow cast by the doorframe obscured the man’s eyes and brows. The person who had seemed as elegant and refined as bamboo moments ago now carried an inexplicable hint of gloom. Then he stepped forward, emerging from the shadows, and smiled.
“Would that be alright?”
“You know my surname is Xue?”
“I heard Yan Ye mention it once.”
“Mention it once…”
A shadow crossed Xue Bao Tian’s eyes, though he remained polite.
“There’s nothing particularly good here, but if you don’t mind…” He gestured toward the seat opposite him with his chin. “Have a seat.”
The man walked over and stopped beside the table, extending a hand.
“Lin Zhi Yi.”
Remaining seated, Xue Bao Tian did not move. He raised his eyes and smiled.
“Lin what?”
“‘To know wisdom and carry on the family’s prosperity, with poetry, books, propriety, and righteousness filling the household.’ Lin Zhi Yi.”
Xue Bao Tian listened to the string of words and raised an eyebrow. “Good name.” He extended his hand. “Xue Bao Tian. Brother Lin, care to make up a matching verse for mine?”
Lin Zhi Yi pondered briefly. “A treasured ship draws near and invites a meeting; adding wine and relighting the lamps, the banquet begins anew.”
“Brother Lin is truly gifted with words.”
The two shook hands lightly. Smiling, Lin Zhi Yi took a seat. “It’s actually a line from Bai Ju Yi. I changed a single character to fit the occasion. Mostly because Mr. Xue has such a good name.”
Xue Bao Tian fetched another set of bowls and chopsticks and brought them over. Holding a cigarette in one hand while ladling soup with the other, he served Lin Zhi Yi a bowl. “Brother Lin should chat about poetry with Yan Ye sometime. He likes that sort of thing. He always has his own thoughts on Li Bai and Du Fu’s poems and enjoys sharing them with others.”
After taking a sip of mushroom soup and first praising its flavor, Lin Zhi Yi continued the conversation. “Really? Then it seems Mr. Xue knows Yan Ye quite well.” His gaze shifted slightly before he suddenly smiled and asked, “Have you two slept together?”
The movement of Xue Bao Tian’s hand paused for a moment before returning to normal. He dropped various mushrooms into the pot and replied casually, “Yan Ye was practically naked just now. If I denied it, wouldn’t that make him look like some kind of pervert?”
Unhurriedly mixing a dipping sauce, Lin Zhi Yi tasted a little with his chopsticks. Seemingly satisfied, he cast a sidelong glance over. “Yan Ye may be young, but he’s very steady. To push him into a state like that, Mr. Xue must be quite skilled.”
The look in Xue Bao Tian’s eyes darkened slightly as he reassessed Lin Zhi Yi. Letting out a low laugh, he said, “Yan Ye may be young, but he’s not someone who can be manipulated so easily. Tricks don’t work on him, so Brother Lin really doesn’t need to waste effort thinking along those lines.”
Lin Zhi Yi seemed about to say something more when the door opening interrupted him. Having changed clothes and regained his composure, Yan Ye stood in the doorway, his deep gaze fixed on the two men sitting across from each other on the terrace.
A trace of embarrassment appeared on Lin Zhi Yi’s face. “Mr. Xue’s cooking smelled too good. It made me terribly hungry, so I shamelessly came over to mooch a meal. Yan Ye, how about we skip going out tonight?”
Yan Ye had already regained his usual composed demeanor. Walking into the room, he pulled out a chair and sat down. “As you wish, General Manager Lin.” Then he looked toward Xue Bao Tian. “Sorry to trouble Master Xue.”
After a pause, he added, “Sorry for startling General Manager Lin just now.”
He said it so openly and naturally that one would think someone else had been standing there completely naked a few minutes ago.
Inwardly, Xue Bao Tian applauded.
Couldn’t even cover his ass or his face properly, yet he was still worrying about other people.
“Excellent physique. Very pleasing to the eye.” Lin Zhi Yi teased warmly, resolving the awkwardness with mature tact.
A soft fuck rolled across Xue Bao Tian’s tongue as he smiled and exhaled a long stream of smoke into the air.
The hotpot began bubbling again.
The newly added mushrooms were cooked.
When Xue Bao Tian saw Lin Zhi Yi ladling soup for Yan Ye, he picked up an empty bowl himself, filled it, and set it aside. “Old Huang likes the soup I make too. I’m saving him a bowl.”
“Who’s Old Huang? A neighbor?” Lin Zhi Yi asked casually.
“Yeah. The neighbor who just pissed on your tire.”
The moment the words left his mouth, Yan Ye placed Xue Bao Tian’s favorite chanterelle mushrooms into Lin Zhi Yi’s bowl.
“Eat, General Manager Lin. I’ll tie Old Huang up later.”
Xue Bao Tian clicked his tongue, stubbed out his cigarette, and picked up the porcini mushroom that had passed through Yan Ye’s hands before being returned to the basket.
“Brother Lin, do you like these?”
Gripping it with both hands and suddenly exerting force, he snapped the thick mushroom clean in half.
Futile Devices Scans 
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