Chapter 18: A Tender Kiss

Before Jiang Yu could react, Li Xiao had already wrapped an arm around his waist, his other hand cupping the back of his neck, and leaned in to kiss him.

The moment their lips met, Jiang Yu’s mind went blank.

This kiss was nothing like the one in the villa—it wasn’t a rough plunder, but a gentle exploration.

Li Xiao slowly sucked on Jiang Yu’s lower lip.

His tongue lightly traced the seam of Jiang Yu’s lips, not forcing entry, but coaxing patiently.

Jiang Yu’s mind was a blank slate.

He should push away, should refuse, should…

But his body seemed frozen, unable to move.

Li Xiao’s kiss was too gentle.

So gentle that it stirred memories of a longing for intimacy he had deliberately forgotten.

After his parents died, he had encased himself in a hard shell, taking care of his sister, working odd jobs to pay off debts, with no time or energy to think about such things.

But now, with Li Xiao kissing him in this almost cherishing manner, a crack appeared in that shell.

Li Xiao sensed Jiang Yu’s tension but didn’t stop.

He adjusted their positions, settling Jiang Yu sideways on his lap, one hand moving from the back of his neck to his spine, the other securely holding his waist, pulling him closer.

The kiss deepened.

Li Xiao’s tongue finally slipped in, gently sweeping across Jiang Yu’s teeth, inviting a response.

Jiang Yu’s eyelashes fluttered violently.

His fingers unconsciously clutched the fabric of Li Xiao’s shirt over his chest.

He forgot to push away.

Even, for a moment, he responded awkwardly, clumsily.

That tiny response was like a spark falling on dry tinder.

Li Xiao’s breathing instantly grew ragged.

He tightened his arms, kissing deeper, more fervently, his tongue entwining with Jiang Yu’s, sucking, licking, as if he wanted to devour the man whole.

Jiang Yu was kissed weak, his consciousness blurring, feeling as if he were floating in warm tidewater, all sounds around him fading away—until a soft footstep came from the corridor outside the booth.

Jiang Yu snapped back to reality.

He opened his eyes, saw Li Xiao’s closed eyes so close, felt their bodies pressed together and the wet, hot entanglement of their mouths.

What was he doing?!

Jiang Yu began to struggle, pushing against Li Xiao’s chest.

He pushed once—didn’t budge.

He pushed again, but Li Xiao’s arms held him like iron clamps.

“Mm… let…” Jiang Yu squeezed out broken syllables between kisses.

Li Xiao felt his resistance.

He paused, then slowly released him.

When their lips parted, Jiang Yu’s cheeks were flushed, his breathing rapid, his lips swollen and glistening.

Li Xiao stared at his watery eyes and the dazed expression, his Adam’s apple bobbing.

Still unsatisfied, he leaned in again and gave a light peck on Jiang Yu’s lips.

Jiang Yu recoiled as if electrocuted.

This time, Li Xiao didn’t stop him, letting him struggle free and stumble to the other end of the sofa.

The booth fell silent, save for their ragged breaths.

Jiang Yu raised a hand to wipe his lips; the wet heat against his knuckles made his ears burn even hotter.

He didn’t dare look at Li Xiao.

Head down, he quickly smoothed his wrinkled shirt, his fingers trembling.

Li Xiao lounged on the sofa, watching him, his mood surprisingly good.

“Scared you?” His voice carried a hint of amusement.

Jiang Yu didn’t respond, continuing to adjust his clothes.

“Didn’t hurt you this time?” Li Xiao asked again.

Jiang Yu paused, then glared at him, his eyes still misty but with obvious anger.

Li Xiao chuckled.

“Looks like not.”

“You…” Jiang Yu hesitated for a long moment before squeezing out, “This is harassment.”

“Harassment?” Li Xiao raised an eyebrow.

“You didn’t refuse just now.”

Jiang Yu’s face paled.

He pressed his lips together.

Yes, he had indeed… for a moment, forgotten to push away.

“I just… didn’t react in time.” His voice was low, lacking conviction.

“Oh.” Li Xiao nodded, not calling him out.

“Then next time I’ll give you a heads-up?”

“There won’t be a next time!” Jiang Yu said immediately.

Li Xiao just smiled, not responding.

Just then—

“Mr. Li, your fruit platter.” The waiter Feng Xu’s voice suddenly sounded at the booth entrance.

Jiang Yu was startled, whirling around to see Feng Xu standing there with a tray, a standard professional smile on his face, but his eyes quickly darted between Jiang Yu and Li Xiao.

The look held an unmistakable curiosity, and a hint of… something Jiang Yu couldn’t quite name, but it made him very uncomfortable.

“Put it here,” Li Xiao said indifferently.

Feng Xu placed the fruit platter on the table, his gaze lingering on Jiang Yu’s swollen lips for a moment, then he bowed and left.

Jiang Yu went rigid.

Feng Xu had seen.

He definitely had.

Although the booth was dimly lit, the position, the distance just now…

Jiang Yu felt his face burning, wishing he could vanish on the spot.

“What’s wrong? Afraid he saw?” Li Xiao’s voice pulled him back.

“So what if he did?”

Jiang Yu looked at him, his expression complicated.

“He’ll talk.”

“Let him talk, so what?” Li Xiao picked up a piece of watermelon nonchalantly.

“Whoever dares to spread rumors, I’ll make sure they can’t work in this industry anymore.”

He said it lightly, but Jiang Yu understood the weight behind the words.

Indeed, for Li Xiao, taking care of a talkative waiter was probably as easy as crushing an ant.

But Jiang Yu’s heart remained heavy.

He wasn’t afraid of others gossiping about him, but he worried it would affect his sister.

What if these rumors reached her…

“Don’t worry.” Li Xiao seemed to read his concern.

“No one will dare to speak out of turn.”

Jiang Yu was silent for a few seconds, then finally whispered, “…Thank you.”

“Don’t thank me.”

Li Xiao held the watermelon to his lips.

“Open up.”

Jiang Yu froze.

“Try it, it’s sweet.” Li Xiao’s hand moved closer.

Jiang Yu looked at the neatly cut watermelon, then at Li Xiao’s eyes, and finally opened his mouth, taking a small bite from his hand.

The juice was refreshingly sweet.

“Is it sweet?” Li Xiao asked.

“…Sweet,” Jiang Yu nodded.

Li Xiao smiled and ate the remaining large piece himself.

Jiang Yu watched his natural movements, his ears burning again.

What was this?

Feeding?

Too intimate.

“Continue mixing drinks.” Li Xiao finished the watermelon and wiped his hands.

“I want to have that one you made last time… the one without a name, with bourbon whiskey as the base.”

Jiang Yu took a deep breath, suppressing the turmoil inside, and stood up to walk to the mixing cart.

His fingers were still trembling, but as he picked up the bottle, they gradually steadied.

Li Xiao lounged on the sofa, watching his back as he mixed the drink.

The hem of his shirt was slightly wrinkled from earlier, and now, with Jiang Yu’s movements, it subtly outlined the curve of his waist.

Li Xiao’s fingers tapped lightly on the armrest.

That kiss just now… it was even better than he had imagined.

Jiang Yu’s awkward response, his tense back gradually relaxing, and finally the anger and embarrassment when he pushed him away—it was all very interesting.

Moreover, Li Xiao realized that a single kiss was not enough.

He wanted to see more of Jiang Yu’s reactions, wanted to see him blush, wanted to see him at a loss, wanted to see him slowly let down his guard.

This was far more intriguing than mere physical possession.

When Jiang Yu finished mixing the drink and turned to push it over, most of the flush on his face had faded, returning to his usual calm expression.

Only his lips were still swollen, glistening under the light.

Li Xiao took the glass, took a sip, and said, “The taste is right.”

Jiang Yu didn’t speak, standing to one side.

“Sit down.” Li Xiao pointed to the spot next to him.

“Why sit so far away?”

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