13

 Zhao Ran not only found a professional to install surveillance cameras, but also helped replace the electronic lock.

Surveillance cameras can be removed, but electronic locks are just a way to give money to the landlord.

But the other party didn't seem to care about these things.

In the morning in the kitchen, after the other party finished talking in his sleep, Song Yu's face turned bright red.

In the original work, Zhao Ran was beaten down by Shang Lin Chu and lost his job because he was helping his neighbor.

What if this pervert is Shang Lin Chu? Does Zhao Ran's behavior count as helping him?

Song Yu did not intend to involve Zhao Ran, and stammered that his room seemed to have been ransacked. As for being bullied and talking nonsense in his sleep, he simply denied it.

There are probably too many obsessive men. Song Yu was prepared to be questioned by the other party and not to give in. However, Zhao Ran did not continue to ask questions, but instead had the professional come to install surveillance cameras and change the lock.

Song Yu was slightly surprised, looked up, and looked at the other party's face.

Zhao Ran was very masculine, with a faint scar on his forehead, narrow, single-lidded eyes, and a tall, muscular build.

His dark skin actually suited his face well.

Zhao Ran quickly noticed Song Yu's gaze, looked down, and tensed his muscles when he met the boy's light-colored eyes. His expressionless face instantly transformed back into that of an honest man: "Xiao Yu..."

Zhao Ran said something else, but Song Yu didn't hear it: "What?"

The security camera installer spoke up: "Your brother said you're pretty! I heard it!"

Song Yu was stunned for a moment, then smiled shyly at Zhao Ran.

He then took out his phone: "How much are the lock and the security camera?"

Zhao Ran shook his head: "No need."

Song Yu: "Tell me quickly, I can pay you back."

"Really, no need..." Zhao Ran wasn't good at negotiating money; he always handed over his New Year's money to his family when he was a child. "I found installers I know, so it's much cheaper."

Even without Zhao Ran saying anything, Song Yu checked the brands online and calculated that it would cost two thousand.

...He couldn't seem to afford it.

Thinking of his earlier confident promise, Song Yu's ears burned. Staring at the few hundred yuan left in his account for living expenses, his voice weakened: "...I'll get paid in two days, I'll pay you back then."

Zhao Ran had already been so good to him; he couldn't take advantage of him any longer.

The installer had already set up the surveillance camera, which could rotate 360 ​​degrees. Song Yu downloaded the software to his phone and tested the electronic lock, feeling slightly more at ease.

009: [Host, however, this isn't entirely guaranteed. Strong data can interfere with electronic products.]

Song Yu: "..."

He thought for a moment, still wanting to squeeze in with Zhao Ran for the next couple of days, so he discussed it with him.

Song Yu tiptoed to the man's ear to speak, his voice soft and weak, his warm fragrance washing over Zhao Ran's dark skin. The man's shoulders stiffened, his expression seemingly lost in thought.

Thinking he was in a difficult position, Song Yu compromised, saying, "I'll just sleep on the floor. I'm still too scared to be alone."

Realizing this, Zhao Ran immediately said, "I...I'll sleep on the floor."

Song Yu was so delicate; his old bed might even rub against her soft skin, let alone sleeping on the floor.

After the installation was complete, Zhao Ran paid and started helping Song Yu move some of her belongings to her room.

The man was quiet but strong, working efficiently and efficiently. Song Yu followed behind, only needing to gather his own clothes.

But he felt a little embarrassed just standing there, so he started praising him.

"Brother Zhao, you're so strong!"

"So many muscles in your hands! "

"Lots of girls must like you!"

"You'll definitely find a good wife!"

...

A few simple words were enough to make the man dizzy. In reality, aside from not handing over his salary, he treated Song Yu almost like his own wife.

Zhao Ran didn't realize this, or rather, he vaguely sensed it but dared not think about it too much. He silently helped Song Yu make her bed.

Song Yu's blankets were always fragrant,

carrying her own unique, light scent.

Zhao Ran's rough, dark hands smoothed out the soft blankets, and that fragrance ignited him like a fire.

His bed was just the right size for him, but Song Yu only took up half the space. Sometimes, in her sleep, she would wrap herself up in the blankets, only her pink toes showing.

Zhao Ran felt ashamed.

When he woke up in the morning, he couldn't resist gently touching them.

How could someone have such soft, white toes, seemingly without any pigmentation?

Zhao Ran even had a dirty thought: to put Song Yu's round, delicate toes in his mouth. Song Yu was so delicate; he'd probably cry if he sucked even a little, and although she couldn't resist, she'd definitely ignore him afterwards. Zhao

Ran couldn't accept that outcome. He only

dared to imagine the scene in his mind.

*

The two tidied the room, closed the door, and the air conditioner slowly lowered the temperature. Song Yu huddled on the sofa, finally having the energy to think about who the pervert was.

He ruled out Zhao Ran first; he trusted Zhao Ran completely now.

Suppressing his shame, he carefully recalled last night's events. Song Yu felt all three main characters were suspects, but none of them seemed like the type to do such a thing.

But guessing alone wouldn't reveal who would do it.

Song Yu decided to avoid any involvement with them for the time being.

Meanwhile, 009 issued a new mission, saying that his younger brother, Song Ming, would return with his girlfriend a week later after being investigated for debt and finding himself destitute. He would then completely resign and beg the debtor for leniency.

Song Yu was a little confused: [Song Ming knows he's in debt, why would he come back?]

009: [Song Ming is a very selfish person who knows how to manipulate people. He knows you can't bear to lose him, your only family member, and that you've squandered all your money and can't even afford food before coming back to you. You'll definitely help him, or at least share the burden. In short, he's trying to drag you down with him.]

Song Yu got goosebumps.

So that's why he's in such a miserable state—being dragged down by such a jerk of a younger brother, his life is destined to be bleak.

Song Yu isn't stupid enough to try and save someone who can't be helped. Even with family, relationships that need to be severed should be severed immediately, especially since Song Ming and his girlfriend ran off with all the money before leaving him here alone, completely disregarding his life.

But now, he can't go out of character; he can only follow the plot.

However, Song Ming's return means the last crucial plot point related to him is about to appear.

Next, he can live alone, waiting for the protagonist to grow, for the progress bar to reach 100%, so he can escape this long world.

His gaze fell on the man cutting fruit in the kitchen, and Song Yu suddenly felt a pang of loss.

There might not be another chance to meet.

Zhao Ran wasn't featured much in the original world, and he later went to develop in other cities. Given his diligence and hard work, he should be able to live a good life.

Song Yu looked away and opened WeChat.

Ignoring the messages Tan Yue had sent over the past few days, he swapped shifts with his colleagues, so he only needed to work four days a week.

Zhao Ran brought out fruit from the kitchen and suddenly brought up the incident from last night, asking if he should call the police.

It's troublesome when a pervert appears in the main characters' group, and calling the police could potentially affect the plot. So Song Yu refused, citing "no evidence" and "probably they wouldn't care."

Zhao Ran wanted to say something, but seeing that Song Yu was unwilling, he didn't speak again.

The two stayed in the room all day. In the afternoon, a deliveryman came to deliver a refrigerator.

Zhao Ran's kitchen was small, so it could only fit a small refrigerator, but it was definitely enough for one person.

The newly moved refrigerator needed to sit for a while, and in the evening, Zhao Ran bought watermelon and ice cream and put them in.

Song Yu took the ice cream the man offered, took a bite, and his brows relaxed in satisfaction.

He hadn't bought snacks in a long time to avoid being out of character.

Song Yu ate slowly, and as the ice cream melted quickly, he licked it off with his tongue to avoid spilling it on his hands.

His tongue was red from the cold, looking soft and small.

Zhao Ran stared intently, and soon felt a surge of heat rise within him. He immediately got up and went to the kitchen.

Song Yu assumed he was going to cook and didn't think much of it, but after a short while, he couldn't eat the ice cream in his hand.

Zhao Ran had bought several kinds of ice cream, and the one given to him was the largest and most expensive. Song Yu felt too embarrassed to just throw it away, so he got up and went to the kitchen.

Zhao Ran was trying to distract himself by cooking dinner to put those dirty thoughts behind him. Just as he finished preparing the ingredients, he felt someone touch his back.

He turned around and saw Song Yu holding half an ice cream, looking for something. However, after circling the kitchen twice, he stood next to him with a sullen face.

He was as clingy as a kitten.

Zhao Ran resisted the urge to ruffle his hair and asked softly, "What are you looking for?"

Song Yu had originally intended to find the ice cream wrapper to put the leftovers back in the freezer, but the wrapper had already been thrown into the trash can, mixed in with other garbage.

He pursed his lips and thought for a moment, "Brother, do you have any food storage bags?"

Zhao Ran's freezer was newly bought, and he had always cooked and eaten on the same day, so naturally he didn't have any of those.

He shook his head blankly, and then saw Song Yu frown.

Although it was still pretty, the boy's frown immediately panicked Zhao Ran, who thought he had upset him. He wiped his hands haphazardly on his apron: "I'll go buy some right away! Just a little while, Xiao Yu."

Song Yu: "?"

Seeing that Zhao Ran was really about to take off his apron, he pulled him back, holding up the almost melted ice cream with his other hand, looking apologetic: "...I can't finish it."

Zhao Ran then understood why Song Yu had come to the kitchen. He didn't say anything more, reached out and took the ice cream, eating the remaining bit without any hesitation.

Song Yu watched him.

The man ate quickly, taking big bites, without even caring about the saliva on it. Speaking of which, the other person seemed to have eaten his leftovers last time...

maybe the other person didn't care about such things.

Song Yu didn't know that being able to eat his leftovers was something Zhao Ran would be happy to do, let alone be disgusted by.

He just felt that it wasn't right to always give the other person his leftovers.

Besides, Zhao Ran was always taking care of him.

Song Yu couldn't cook, so he stayed in the kitchen for a while, thinking of helping out, but Zhao Ran wouldn't let him do anything. He even brought him a chair and washed some cherries.

Realizing he had unknowingly indulged in pleasure again, Song Yu got up and snuggled up to Zhao Ran, staring at the potatoes: "I can cut this!"

Of course, Zhao Ran wouldn't let him touch the knife, but with Song Yu rubbing against him like this, his soul almost floated away.

Never before had the thought been stronger.

He wanted Song Yu, wanted to take care of him, wanted him to be his wife.

But Zhao Ran knew his own limitations; how could he possibly be worthy of him?

He silently chopped the potatoes into chunks, preparing to stew them with chicken legs, but when he turned around, Song Yu had already left the kitchen. It

was probably just a two-minute fad.

A doting smile appeared on Zhao Ran's lips as he thought about looking at apartments in a few days—he had some extra money recently and wanted to rent a safe neighborhood, reserving a large room for Song Yu.

The commotion in the living room snapped Zhao Ran out of his reverie. He peeked out and saw Song Yu carrying a basin of dirty clothes, on top of which was his… baggy gray underwear.

The man's cheeks flushed. Remembering that Song Yu was going to wash his underwear, he immediately rushed out of the kitchen, stammering, "I… I'll wash it myself."

Song Yu, having finally found something to do, was annoyed that Zhao Ran wouldn't agree.

Perhaps knowing how good the man was to him, the boy's voice held a hint of spoiled arrogance: "Why won't you let me do anything! Do you think I'm clumsy?"

"I…" Those with unrequited love often find it difficult to speak, especially Zhao Ran, who was particularly tongue-tied in his crush. The man pursed his lips, pulled out a few towels from the basin, put them in another basin, and then dismissed Song Yu.

After the boy's figure disappeared, Zhao Ran lowered his eyes, staring at the remaining clothes in the basin.

He couldn't imagine Song Yu washing his underwear.

His slender, white fingers were rubbed red by his rough underwear; he would surely pout and complain in a spoiled tone that his fingers were so sore and painful.

Zhao Ran's breath hitched.

Only when he stiffly lifted his leg did he realize the strangeness in his body.

Looking down at the large bulge, he realized that he hadn't been able to control this kind of thing lately.

*

That night, Song Yu slept in the bed as usual, while Zhao Ran slept on a makeshift bed on the floor.

Seeing that he was still sleeping on a bamboo mat and the air conditioning was on, Song Yu was worried he would catch a cold: "You should be able to sleep here. I'll squeeze over a bit. Besides, I'm a very quiet sleeper; I won't steal the blanket or move around."

Zhao Ran knew, of course, that Song Yu was a quiet sleeper. Last night, he had been lying by the bed watching the boy, afraid of missing a single expression.

Watching Song Yu sleep was something he had never even dared to dream of before. As for sleeping in the same bed, he dared not even hope for it.

The man said he was a restless sleeper; what if he hurt him? Song Yu looked at the man already lying down and didn't try to persuade him further.

That night, accompanied by the scent of laundry detergent on Zhao Ran, Song Yu slept soundly.

After enjoying herself, she still had to go to work.

Zhao Ran knew a pervert was watching Song Yu, so he would call her frequently during the day while at work, and rush back before Song Yu left for work each evening to take her to work.

After two days, her colleagues all knew that Song Yu had a dark-skinned man by her side.

"Why doesn't she like that wealthy businessman, but instead gets together with a man who looks poor?"

"He's just dressed plainly, what if he's rich?"

"But Xiao Yu has good taste, all the men she dates are pretty handsome."

"This one's skin's a bit dark, but his face is really good, he could be a model if he dressed up."

...

Song Yu had heard some of these rumors, more or less. Having heard so much gossip in these worlds, his mental fortitude had grown stronger.

After the bar closed, Song Yu received Zhao Ran's message right on time.

The other was already waiting at the back door. He quickly took off his waiter's uniform, and as he was unbuttoning his shirt, Shen Yize suddenly pushed the door open.

Song Yu was now a little afraid of the three main characters. Although Shen Yize was unlikely to be a pervert, he instinctively became alert and immediately pulled his shirt up.

The other's closeness made his round shoulders and the fingers gripping his shirt turn pink, and his eyes filled with tears of nervousness.

It was as if he was afraid of being bullied.

Shen Yize silently ground his back teeth.

Perverts don't reflect on themselves; they find pleasure in teasing their prey. After that night, Shen Yize understood that Song Yu was not prey.

He wanted to tear off his pretense and see if Song Yu would be afraid when facing the real him.

"I'm passing through your neighborhood tonight, want a ride?"

Song Yu shook his head: "My friend is waiting for me."

Shen Yize had been busy with the heir matters these past few days and didn't know that Song Yu was being picked up and dropped off by Zhao Ran. His tone was slightly cold: "Tan Yue? Or Shang Linchu?"

"Have you met either of them these past few days? Or both?"

Song Yu paused: "They're my neighbors..."

He felt that Shen Yize's expression and tone were a bit strange. His voice was similar to usual, but it sounded unsettling.

However, looking at him again, it seemed no different from usual.

"By the way." Shen Yize took out a few pieces of paper from his shirt pocket. They looked tattered, as if they had been torn and glued back together.

After seeing what they were, Song Yu's eyes widened in disbelief.

*

Zhao Ran waited at the back door for an extra half hour.

He stood motionless in the night, like a loyal dog crouching in place waiting for its master.

Finally, the familiar footsteps grew closer, and the man turned around in surprise: "Xiao Yu."

Song Yu walked quickly towards him: "Brother Zhao, I'm a little late today, sorry."

Zhao Ran didn't say anything, took a bottle of yogurt from a bag of snacks, inserted the straw, and handed it to Song Yu like a treasure.

Song Yu took it and whispered a thank you.

The two walked side by side, and Zhao Ran could sense that Song Yu's mood was off. He wanted to ask several times, but swallowed his words when he saw Song Yu's lowered eyelashes.

Song Yu was indeed unhappy.

He was unhappy because the progress bar that had been successfully raised had regressed.

Just now, Shen Yize handed him the diary that he had torn up and thrown in the trash can, and asked if he liked him?

Song Yu's face flushed red with embarrassment, and he stammered, unable to utter a word.

On the contrary, Shen Yize didn't seem to mind his crush, and even said that he wanted him to pretend to be a lover to avoid the blind dates arranged by his family.

"However, you don't have to pretend." Shen Yize looked down at the few pages of his unrequited love diary that were tantamount to a confession. "Do you still like me? If you do, let's try dating."

W-what?

The tone of his words sounded very serious, and Shen Yize wasn't the type to tease others.

Song Yu lowered his eyes, staring at his toes.

His brain was a little slow to process.

Soon, he felt himself enveloped in shadow. Shen Yize leaned closer, a faint scent wafting over him: "You don't like me anymore?"

"I-I'm sorry..." Song Yu was very afraid of rejecting people. If the other person was firm, it would be easier for him to refuse, but Shen Yize had been asking for his opinion in a gentle voice.

The atmosphere was a little awkward.

He heard the other person sigh softly.

Perhaps Song Yu's timely rejection salvaged the situation, but the progress bar had still regressed a bit.

Song Yu reconsidered the rest of the plot. His younger brother, Song Ming, would be back in two days. So Song Yu consulted 009 again and decided to resign tonight.

This way, he could avoid running into Shen Yize and get him back on track, back to pursuing the protagonist.

Just as he made the decision, his salary for the month arrived.

The drinks sold well this month, so his salary was extra high.

After transferring the money for the surveillance and electronic lock to Zhao Ran, Song Yu planned to use a portion to buy him a gift and save the rest.

009 reminded him: [Host, if you can't save it, you'll have to give it to Song Ming as soon as he returns.]

Song Yu immediately bristled.

He was going to use all the money to buy gifts for Zhao Ran!

Luckily, the sun wasn't out in the afternoon. He applied sunscreen, grabbed his phone, and prepared to go out, only to bump into Shang Linchu on the stairs.

Song Yu couldn't remember when they last met, but it had indeed been quite a while since he'd seen the man.

This time, the man wasn't using a cane and was dressed in an elegant and refined shirt and trousers.

"Did you know I was coming and come to welcome me?" Shang Linchu's lips curled slightly.

Song Yu: "..."

Facing his creditor, his attitude was noticeably better: "I'm going to buy something."

Shang Linchu: "Buy what?"

"I don't know... clothes, I guess..." Song Yu hadn't decided what to buy for Zhao Ran, but this time he'd definitely pick the most expensive items.

Shang Linchu assumed Song Yu was buying for himself and didn't ask further, turning to go downstairs in a different direction.

It seemed they were going to go together.

The two left the building, and a black car was parked across the street.

Perhaps because he had too many enemies, Shang Linchu always made a big fuss when he went out, with a group of bodyguards following behind him. However, probably to avoid scaring him, Shang Linchu later came to see him alone with his driver.

The man opened the car door and gestured for him to get in.

It was the height of summer, and the sun was scorching. Song Yu felt his skin stinging after only a few seconds in the sun, so he didn't hesitate and got into the car.

As soon as he got in, he smelled a sandalwood perfume.

Song Yu was very sensitive to smells, and after recognizing the scent, he was so frightened that cold sweat soaked his back.

Is Shang Linchu that pervert...?

Song Yu's lips turned pale as he looked at the man beside him, who was calmly texting, terrified he was being taken somewhere. His breathing was rapid, and his fingers trembled as he turned the car door handle.

But before he could even touch the door, the next second—

"Where do you think you're going, Xiao Yu?"

Song Yu was pulled back like a helpless kitten and then slumped onto Shang Linchu's lap.

Through the thin fabric, heat transferred from the other man to the boy.

Song Yu, whose body temperature was already low, struggled desperately as if scalded, but the more he moved, the deeper he sank.

The soft flesh at the base of his thighs was flattened by the man's taut muscles.

Shang Linchu's voice had become hoarse: "If you move again, I can't guarantee what I might do to you."

Song Yu froze.

His thin body trembled in the man's arms.

Shang Linchu took a breath and adjusted Song Yu to a comfortable position, but still let him sit on his lap: "You want to run away as soon as we meet? Do you hate me that much?"

"I haven't seen you for so many days, do you know how much I miss you?"

It sounded... Shang Linchu seemed completely unaware of this.

Song Yu belatedly realized that if that were the case, he probably wouldn't have left the perfume in the car for him to find.

He let out a soft breath, and the boy's tense body softened.

Shang Linchu sensed something: "What's wrong?"

Song Yu pursed his lips and finally told him everything that happened that night.

When he heard about putting cat ears on Song Yu's head, Shang Linchu's face immediately turned cold, and a layer of coldness appeared in his eyes. He gently patted the boy's back, as if to comfort him.

After a while, he made another call.

In less than five minutes, Shang Linchu received the document. He opened it, scrolled down two pages, and suddenly chuckled coldly: "Saw someone I know."

Song Yu was completely confused: "...What?"

"This perfume is a limited edition, only available at the counter." Shang Linchu handed the phone to Song Yu. "This is the purchase list."

Song Yu looked down, and soon he saw Shen Yize's name on it.

His heart sank.

Could it be...

"Looks like I don't need to go looking for him." Shang Linchu picked up the phone that Song Yu had left on the car seat when he ran away. The screen showed an incoming call; it was from Shen Yize.

"He lost his temper first."

Song Yu's face was pale, as if he hadn't quite recovered.

Shang Linchu: "Answer it?"

Song Yu slowly took the phone, his slender, trembling fingers tapping the answer button.

Although he was scared, he also wanted to confront Shen Yize face to face.

After the call connected, the person on the other end called out "Xiao Yu." Song Yu's shoulders trembled as he recalled the despicable act of the other person pressing their finger against his mouth that night. His voice was aggrieved and trembling with tears: "Where are you? I need to talk to you."

There was a second of silence on the other end.

Then, two loud knocks came from the car window.

Song Yu turned around, and through the glass, Shen Yize's dark, deep eyes were fixed on him.

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