Chapter 2900: Town Infrastructure Construction Proceeds Happily 21

Uncomfortable?

Jin Chen lifted their head, looked over, and asked softly.

Huo Zhaoye could not tell anyone about this strange habit; as the Lord, he could not show any weakness, but at this moment, looking at Jin Chen's light-colored eyes filled with concern, he inexplicably admitted.

Hmm.

Jin Chen set down the part in their hand and patted their knee.

That was an action with an ambiguous meaning.

Huo Zhaoye's heart, however, began to race uncontrollably, and he struggled inside for… about two seconds.

Then he decisively shoved the unlit cigarette back into the case and walked over to Jin Chen.

Huo Zhaoye originally intended to sit beside Jin Chen, but Jin Chen wrapped their arms around his waist.

Huo Zhaoye followed that force closer, lowered his head, and then noticed that a thick old blanket had somehow been spread on the ground beside Jin Chen's feet.

"Sit on the ground." Jin Chen said.

To Huo Zhaoye, this was simply unthinkable.

Huo Zhaoye had never in his life assumed such a posture.

He is Huo Zhaoye, the Lord of Peace North Town whose word is law; only others have ever looked up to him and obeyed him.

In his usual understanding, this amounted to submission, an intangible challenge to his lordly authority.

Huo Zhaoye locked eyes with Jin Chen for a few seconds, then, as if to hide something, quickly turned his head away, avoiding Jin Chen's gaze.

Next, he bent one knee and, right there on the blanket, knelt facing Jin Chen.

Huo Zhaoye pressed his lips together, yet his body honestly leaned forward, resting his forehead and half his body on Jin Chen's arm and knee; this posture required him to tilt his head slightly up to see Jin Chen's face, and a strange, dependent feeling quietly arose.

Jin Chen lowered their gaze, looking at the person leaning against them, and gently cupped Huo Zhaoye's cheek with their palm; their long, slender fingers slipped into Huo Zhaoye's short hair, slowly moving back to cradle the nape of his neck.

Then Jin Chen leaned in slightly and kissed Huo Zhaoye's cheek.

Huo Zhaoye shuddered all over, as if a faint current had passed through him.

In a daze, he really felt that Jin Chen's fingers were warm, and with this rubbing and kissing, his head no longer hurt.

Huo Zhaoye leaned into Jin Chen, his forehead touching their knee.

His wildness was silently tamed, willingly and gladly.

Jin Chen massaged him while lowering their gaze to watch his defenseless state under their hands.

When the massage felt about right, Jin Chen stopped and lifted Huo Zhaoye's chin with their fingertips.

Huo Zhaoye's gaze was still a bit hazy, his fierce wildness softened, making him look rather easy to bully.

Jin Chen looked at him and suddenly said, "Huo Zhaoye, you're very good-looking, very sexy."

Again and again, over and over.

Precisely stepping on the taboo that Huo Zhaoye hates to hear and most wants to avoid.

But this time, Huo Zhaoye felt no annoyance or irritation rise in his heart.

He even felt that those words, which he once could not stand to hear, sounded like endearments when spoken from Jin Chen's lips.

Only Jin Chen could see that, and only Jin Chen had the right to say so.

【Detected Villain Heartthrob Value +10, total 67!】

【Detected Villain Blackening Value -10, total 50!】

The night grew darker.

Jin Chen withdrew their hand and also loosened the fingertips that had been lifting his chin.

"All right, it shouldn't hurt anymore."

Huo Zhaoye still maintained the kneeling posture, leaning against his knee, somewhat dazed.

The warmth suddenly withdrew, leaving his heart feeling empty for a moment.

Huo Zhaoye pushed himself up, wanting to kiss Jin Chen.

Just like many times before, he used actions to express the restlessness and desire he could not put into words.

Jin Chen did not indulge him, placing a hand against the chest Huo Zhaoye had leaned in.

Between them lay a tiny gap; if either leaned forward just a little, their lips would meet.

Moonlight streamed in through the window, faintly illuminating Jin Chen's face; their light-colored eyes looked cool in the moonlight.

"I admit, I admit I like you, Jin Chen—is this enough? Can we kiss now?" Huo Zhaoye breathed heavily, his breath urgent, his gaze fixed on Jin Chen's lips; he didn't even know what he was saying, only that he desperately wanted to do something.

Jin Chen lifted their tone with a soft hum, studied his expression, and finally said, "No."

Jin Chen's fingertip pressed against Huo Zhaoye's lip corner, as if in judgment: "Huo Zhaoye, you just want to kiss me now because the mood is right, because of desire."

"Your heart is not sincere."

Heart not sincere.

Huo Zhaoye remained silent, unable to refute, and thus grew agitated.

But he also deserved a sweet date.

Jin Chen's hand, which had been pressing against his chest, changed to a gentle caress, then wrapped around his neck and pulled him close.

Huo Zhaoye complied, resting his chin on Jin Chen's shoulder, his nose entwined with the scent of agarwood.

Jin Chen embraced his strong, taut waist, tilted their head slightly, and placed a light, light kiss on the corner of Huo Zhaoye's eye.

"Good night, Lord Huo." Jin Chen whispered softly in his ear, close, breath warm.

The dismissal order was issued gently yet ruthlessly.

Jin Chen released him, rose, created distance, and walked toward the bedroom.

Huo Zhaoye stood where he was, still retaining the warmth of the embrace, the spot where his eyes had been kissed slightly warm, but his lips felt empty.

The turmoil, desire, and newly risen self-doubt in his heart were soothed somewhat by this embrace and light kiss, yet were pushed into another ambiguous state.

Jin Chen gave him a sweet date, then mercilessly took away even more.

He wanted more, but Jin Chen wouldn't give.

He knew Jin Chen would not satisfy any further demands of his tonight.

Huo Zhaoye slowly rose to his feet, pressed his lips, ultimately said nothing, turned, pulled open the door, and walked out.

The night wind was chilly.

Huo Zhaoye walked back to his residence, Jin Chen's words echoing repeatedly in his mind.

He raised his hand, irritably ruffling his hair.

Do I really like Jin Chen?

For the first time, he posed this question to himself so seriously, without any evasion.

Not merely wanting to be close, wanting to protect, feeling jealous when he sees him being kind to others.

But rather a deeper kind: wanting to know everything about him, wanting to share his future, wanting him to see only himself, wanting to be together with him forever.

Is that so?

Huo Zhaoye stopped his steps, lifted his head to gaze at the night sky.

Huo Zhaoye did not know.

He only knew that tonight was destined to be another sleepless night.

And that hateful culprit who made him feel anxious and tormented had already fallen asleep peacefully, leaving him alone in this boundless night and tumultuous emotions, suffering alone.