After Sharing Senses with the Paranoid CEO, the Infamous Starlet was Forced into Pampering Chapter 19

Chapter 19: You Don’t Actually Like Me, Do You?

Li Yanzhou felt that Xia Mu was right; he really was sick. He clearly didn’t even like the person in front of him, yet he was so obsessed that he couldn’t stop himself from stealing extra glances.

Li Yanzhou walked out of the ward and closed the door for Xia Mu. He pressed a hand lightly against his chest. His heartbeat seemed to have skipped a beat; after a brief pause, it throbbed violently, becoming rapid and erratic.

The name on his abdomen had started burning the moment he touched Xia Mu just now, clamoring for more.

Li Yanzhou couldn’t help but wonder: did Xia Mu feel this too? Did the name mark on his body react as the distance between them closed?

But when he had deliberately teased him that afternoon, he hadn’t noticed anything unusual about Xia Mu. Was the boy’s acting really that good?

Or did the name mark on his body simply not react?

If that were the case, it would explain why Xia Mu wasn’t curious about him.

A wave of inexplicable jealousy rose in Li Yanzhou’s heart. A name mark was a matter between two people; why was he the only one being influenced by Xia Mu? Every move the boy made, every change in his mood—it was as if everything about him held Li Yanzhou’s heartstrings.

Lost in these thoughts, Li Yanzhou didn’t return to the hotel until nearly dawn. Although exhaustion had long since set in, he tossed and turned, unable to find sleep.

When Li Yanzhou went to the hospital the next morning, Xia Mu had just woken up. Looking at the faint dark circles under Li Yan’s eyes, Xia Mu blurted out:

“Did you not sleep all night?”

Li Yanzhou was already irritable because of him. Faced with such a blunt question, even Qin Yu reflexively looked over at him.

“You certainly slept soundly enough,” Li Yanzhou shot back.

“Wait, how did you know?” Xia Mu blinked. “Did you sneak in to watch me last night?”

Caught red-handed, Li Yanzhou’s expression stiffened as he insisted, “I did not.”

“For real?” Xia Mu arched an eyebrow. “Li Yan, you don’t actually like me, do you?”

Li Yanzhou gave him a dangerous look. Xia Mu understood instantly:

“Oh, I get it. You’re embarrassed because someone else is here. Come closer then… tell me quietly. I promise I won’t laugh at you.”

Qin Yu pretended he hadn’t heard a thing and quietly slipped out of the ward. Honestly, this eavesdropping was getting quite interesting.

Following Xia Mu’s lead, Li Yanzhou actually stepped closer. Before Xia Mu could react, the man’s hand had already slid under the quilt, resting directly on Xia Mu’s thigh.

“Fine. If I tell the truth, is there a reward?”

Xia Mu went rigid. He knew he had taken the joke too far.

Li Yanzhou’s hand wasn’t particularly hot, but where it touched Xia Mu’s skin, it felt scalding, making him want to flee.

The skin beneath his palm was soft and silky. Li Yanzhou’s fingertips moved slightly, drifting toward the inner thigh as he slowly rubbed the skin.

“Weren’t you quite bold just a moment ago?” Li Yanzhou asked with a hint of amusement.

“What, do you know how to be afraid now?”

The places Li Yanzhou touched sent waves of numbness and itching through him. Xia Mu felt as though he were about to melt.

For some reason, if anyone else had behaved in such a sexually suggestive manner, Xia Mu would have jumped up, slapped them a few times, and bolted. But facing Li Yan, he couldn’t muster such thoughts. He only felt his entire body go soft, as if he were actually craving the touch.

He didn’t have a touch-hunger disorder, so why did he react this way specifically to Li Yan?

“Get… get out!”

Xia Mu squeezed the words through his teeth, looking at Li Yanzhou with a mix of shame and annoyance.

“But you’re holding my hand. I can’t move at all.”

A smile remained on Li Yanzhou’s lips as he looked down. Xia Mu’s hand, through the quilt, was currently gripping the back of the very hand that was causing trouble.

“I’ll let go if you get out!”

“But I haven’t even gone in yet. Where do you want me to get out from?”

Li Yanzhou looked at Xia Mu’s bristling state, smiling with a face full of innocence.

“You rogue!!!”

Xia Mu was so angry he was speechless.

Why was it that he always ended up on the losing end against Li Yan?

Seeing Xia Mu’s current state of helpless glaring, Li Yanzhou suddenly felt that he was being incredibly childish. It was like the wicked prank of a boy trying to get someone’s attention by deliberately teasing them and causing trouble.

Li Yanzhou used his other hand to grip Xia Mu’s wrist, easily moving it aside. Then, he withdrew his hand from under the covers—though as he pulled away from the thigh, he couldn’t resist sliding his palm upward one last time out of lingering attachment.

He wasn’t sure what he touched, but it felt like the fabric of underwear—smooth and soft. A flush instantly rushed to Xia Mu’s cheeks as he grabbed the quilt and wrapped himself tighter and tighter.

“You’d better stay far away while you talk.”

Looking at the “caterpillar” on the bed, Li Yanzhou suppressed a laugh and pointed at several shopping bags he had placed on the table when he entered.

“Your clothes are in there. Put them on and come out to eat.”

Once Li Yanzhou went out and closed the door, Xia Mu rolled around on the bed several times.

Heavens!

Could I please just shut my own big mouth?!

Yesterday, he had wrongly accused the man of being a mob boss. Last night, he had even thought about apologizing when he saw him. But as it turned out, their “magnetic fields” just didn’t align the moment they met.

Forget an apology—Xia Mu was so irritated by that face Li Yan used to tease him that he couldn’t speak, let alone remember to apologize or thank him.

And Li Yan! How could he be so petty about a joke? Xia Mu was on the verge of tears. In the future, he had to engage his brain before speaking; he absolutely had to be cautious.

Xia Mu took a few deep breaths and climbed out of bed, looking at the shopping bags on the table. Inside were boxes. He opened them to find clothes, pants, and shoes—a complete set. Even the hat and accessories were from luxury brands.

Xia Mu couldn’t help but swallow hard. If he actually wore this outfit out and someone recognized him, wouldn’t posting it online just confirm the rumors of him being “kept”?

With his current net worth, there was no way he could afford these.

Moreover, there was already a pile of “black material” about him online. He was currently in the eye of the storm; wouldn’t wearing these just be giving marketing accounts more ammunition?

He didn’t know where the clothes he had changed out of for the shoot were. After all, he had gone “snap” under a wave and known nothing after that.

Xia Mu didn’t want to wear these, but he had nothing else. Li Yan should still be outside. Sitting on the bed with the quilt draped over his shoulders, he shouted toward the door:

“Li Yan—! Are you there?”

No one answered. Xia Mu called out a few more times. Was the hospital’s soundproofing really that good? Having no choice, he hopped off the bed and was about to open the door when it suddenly swung inward, nearly hitting his nose.

Li Yanzhou was stunned for a moment upon seeing Xia Mu right by the door in such a state.

“Did I hit you?”

Xia Mu shook his head.

“The clothes don’t fit?” Li Yanzhou’s gaze fell on the slippers on Xia Mu’s feet. “Or is the shoe size wrong?”

“Neither. I wanted to ask if you could change these for something… normal?” Xia Mu said, looking up at him.