Chapter 15
Jiang Li watched as Shen Yu stepped aside, his low-slung pants revealing the sharp lines of his hips—those defined mermaid lines instantly sending a rush of heat to Jiang Li's face. The damp sheen on Shen Yu's skin only made things worse; his pheromones, already strong, seemed to spill more freely through the doorway, wrapping around Jiang Li and turning his thoughts into a slow, hazy blur.
Backbone…
Jiang Li almost laughed bitterly at himself. At this rate, even that would bend the moment he stood in front of this man.
Shen Yu's brow lifted slightly when he noticed the omega still frozen at the door.
"Something… wrong?" he asked, casually toweling his damp hair.
Jiang Li wanted to scream everything, but the words never made it past his throat. Instead, he swallowed them down and stepped inside quietly, moving deeper into the penthouse.
Then it hit him.
His pheromones.
They were shifting—just slightly, subtle enough that most people might not notice, but he could feel it. Panic flickered in his chest. If Shen Yu noticed…
His fists clenched as he turned his head slightly, but Shen Yu had already shut the door and, without another word, walked upstairs, leaving Jiang Li alone in the vast, quiet space.
Jiang Li exhaled shakily, pressing a hand against his chest where his heart hammered.
That was close…
What would Shen Yu think if he noticed?
A needy omega… one who could be affected so easily by something as simple as a bare chest.
The thought made Jiang Li squeeze his eyes shut.
He didn't want that.
He didn't want to be seen as that version of himself—the one from the club, reckless and desperate. He wanted to remain the version Shen Yu could tolerate… the perfect omega, polished and composed, hiding everything flawed beneath the surface.
Maybe… if he stayed that way…
Maybe Shen Yu would like him.
"What's got you thinking so deeply?"
Jiang Li flinched at the sudden voice and turned, only to find Shen Yu standing there again, now dressed in a perfectly tailored three-piece suit. This time, even his tie was neat, unlike the usual careless looseness Jiang Li had grown used to.
For a moment, Jiang Li just stared.
Shen Yu looked… untouchable.
Refined. Distant. Beautiful in a way that only made the gap between them feel wider.
Perhaps something of that longing slipped into his expression, because Shen Yu paused, studying him briefly before sighing and adjusting the silver watch on his wrist. The metal caught the light effortlessly, adding to the quiet aura of wealth and distance that clung to him.
Jiang Li had expected him to fix his hair too, to slick it back into something more formal—but he hadn't. It remained slightly messy, just as always.
That small detail, strangely enough, felt comforting.
It was something Jiang Li had noticed over the past eight months—no matter the occasion, Shen Yu never changed that part of himself.
And Jiang Li liked that.
He liked it far too much.
Lost in those thoughts, he didn't even register when Shen Yu told him it was time to leave.
It wasn't until Shen Yu's patience wore thin that he reached out, wrapping a hand around Jiang Li's wrist and pulling him along.
Even then, there was restraint in the gesture. Firm, but not rough. His cool fingers rested against Jiang Li's warm skin, steady and controlled.
Jiang Li barely noticed the transition from the penthouse to the car.
What snapped him out of his daze was the quiet sigh Shen Yu let out as he settled into the driver's seat, resting his head briefly against the steering wheel.
Jiang Li's gaze dropped.
Maybe… this is why he doesn't like me.
For the first time, he decided not to stay silent.
"What's wrong…?" he asked softly.
Shen Yu stilled for a fraction of a second before straightening, his expression smoothing out as he started the engine, eyes fixed on the road ahead.
When no answer came, Jiang Li turned his gaze away, retreating into silence once more.
But then—
"I'm wondering…" Shen Yu's voice cut through the quiet, calm but deliberate. "Are you really okay with this, Jiang Li?"
Jiang Li froze.
Slowly, he turned his head, only to find Shen Yu still looking straight ahead, his expression unreadable.
"I am…" Jiang Li began, but his voice faltered.
Why am I okay with this?
Because he liked him?
Because even something fake was better than nothing?
Luo Xin's voice suddenly echoed in his mind, sharp and unforgiving.
His hands tightened against his trousers.
You can't smother fire with a blanket.
No matter how he tried to suppress it, what he felt for Shen Yu refused to disappear.
And that night at the club—
Despite everything, despite how reckless and exposed he had been, Shen Yu had still touched him.
So maybe…
Maybe he had been doing it wrong all along.
Maybe Shen Yu didn't want the quiet, passive version of him.
"And?" Shen Yu prompted, glancing at him briefly.
The traffic light ahead turned red, and the car slowed to a stop.
Shen Yu turned his head fully this time, his dark eyes locking onto Jiang Li's.
For a moment, the world seemed to narrow to just that gaze.
Normally, Jiang Li would have looked away instantly.
But this time, he didn't.
Even as heat rushed to his face, even as his heartbeat spiraled out of control, he held Shen Yu's gaze.
Shen Yu's eyes narrowed slightly.
What is he thinking?
"I want something in return, Shen Yu," Jiang Li said softly.
For a brief second, genuine surprise flickered across Shen Yu's face—too quick to hide.
The light turned green.
Shen Yu looked away, focusing back on the road, but his expression had sharpened.
Jiang Li lowered his gaze to his phone resting beside him, fingers brushing lightly against the small bunny charm attached to it. Then, slowly, he looked back at Shen Yu.
I can be anything you want me to be.
As long as you love me…
A soft smile curved his lips as he watched the man beside him.
No matter what happened… no matter how things turned out…
He knew one thing for certain.
He would always love him.
So what was wrong with being passive?
If it meant staying by his side… if it meant making him happy…
Then he would accept it.
Even if it meant becoming something small.
Even if it meant becoming something obedient.
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