Back to High School

Lu Xiao in high school was just one of the many children of the Lu family. His mother was Lu Zhendong's second wife, and his half-brother, Lu Chen, born to the same mother but a different father, was the eldest son of the Lu family. From a young age, Lu Chen harbored hostility toward him, constantly suppressing him and even resorting to various means to humiliate him.

Back then, despite Lu Xiao's excellent grades, his position in the Lu family was precarious. He didn't dare openly approach Shen Mo and could only watch him from afar. Shen Mo was the top student in the neighboring class, introverted and always keeping to himself. Lu Xiao first noticed this good-looking, reserved boy during a physics competition, observing him as he focused on experiments and noting the slight furrow of his brow when he lowered his head to solve problems.

Lu Xiao's feelings for Shen Mo were complicated from the start. He envied Shen Mo's freedom and longed to be like him, unbound by the pressures of family. But Lu Chen discovered his secret—his homosexuality and his feelings for Shen Mo, a boy with no notable background—and threatened him. The two clashed fiercely at home, and in the heat of the moment, Lu Xiao was accidentally pushed down the stairs, sustaining severe injuries and falling into a coma. He was sent abroad for treatment, and when he awoke, he had lost parts of his memory, including everything about Shen Mo.

The recovery of his memories left Lu Xiao's heart restless. Looking at Shen Mo before him, a fierce possessiveness surged within him. He couldn't lose him again, couldn't let him slip away from his side once more.

"Shen Mo," Lu Xiao's voice was low and hoarse, "do you know how long I've been searching for you?"

Shen Mo's heart jolted, and he looked up at Lu Xiao, a trace of panic in his eyes. "Mr. Lu… what are you talking about?"

Lu Xiao didn't respond. Instead, he leaned in and kissed him. The kiss was aggressive, as if he intended to devour Shen Mo entirely. Shen Mo's body stiffened instantly, his hands pressing against Lu Xiao's chest in an attempt to push him away, but Lu Xiao's strength was overwhelming, leaving him no chance to break free.

"Mr. Lu… let go…" Shen Mo's voice was muffled between their lips, spilling out in broken fragments, laced with panic and helplessness.

But Lu Xiao didn't stop; instead, he deepened the kiss. His hand slid down Shen Mo's waist, pulling him closer until their bodies were nearly fused together. Shen Mo's struggles gradually weakened, and soon, an overpowering wave of drowsiness washed over him. His vision blurred, his body grew heavy, as if all his strength had been drained.

"Mr. Lu… I…" Shen Mo's voice grew fainter, his eyelids too heavy to keep open.

Lu Xiao steadied him with a hand, his voice low and gentle. "Sleep, Shen Mo. I'll take care of you."

Shen Mo wanted to say something more, but his consciousness slipped uncontrollably into darkness. His body slumped softly into the chair, his breathing steadying as he fell into a deep sleep.

In the stillness of the night, Lu Xiao sat by the bedside, his gaze never leaving Shen Mo's face. His fingers lightly brushed over Shen Mo's lips, a flicker of desire glinting in his eyes.

"Shen Mo, you can't escape me," Lu Xiao's voice was low and raspy, carrying an undeniable dominance.

His fingers lingered briefly at Shen Mo's waist, gentle yet imbued with a hidden strength, as if silently claiming territory. His breath grazed Shen Mo's neck, warm and heavy, like an uninvited dream creeping in. Shen Mo's body arched slightly in his sleep, unconsciously responding to the intensifying touch, his breathing growing uneven yet still lost in the haze of slumber.

Lu Xiao's gaze settled heavily on Shen Mo's face, a dark fire burning in his eyes. He leaned down, his lips nearly brushing Shen Mo's ear as he murmured, "You're mine," the words like a brand, their heat seeping into the air. His hand tightened slowly, drawing Shen Mo's form into his embrace, as if a silent storm had swept him up—soft, powerless, and pressed against his chest.

Consciousness blurred like a tide, every inch of Shen Mo's skin seeming to awaken under those hands, only to sink back into the mist. Lu Xiao's possessiveness transformed into an invisible current, coiling between them—ambiguous, intense, and as captivating as a secret flower blooming in the dark, sensual enough to take one's breath away.

…...

When Shen Mo woke, daylight was already seeping through the gaps in the curtains, faintly spilling onto the bed. He opened his eyes, his mind not yet fully detached from the haze of the previous night, but his body protested first—every muscle ached, as if it had been crushed by an invisible force and pieced back together. The dull pain at his waist and the base of his legs made him wince.

He shifted slightly, trying to turn over, but every muscle groaned quietly, as though drained by a long, exhausting dream. The lingering warmth beneath the sheets carried an ambiguous afterglow. His hand brushed the space beside him unintentionally—it was empty, yet it seemed to still hold Lu Xiao's presence, low, intense, and inescapable.

Shen Mo propped himself up on the edge of the bed, moving slowly and cautiously. His messy hair fell over his forehead, obscuring the fleeting confusion in his eyes. He glanced down at the scattered red marks on his body, pressing a fingertip against one. A mix of stinging and tingling surged through him, but his mind was left with only fragmented streams of consciousness—the sensations from last night, the whispers in his ear, and that irresistible force, crashing over him like a tide before quickly receding.

He took a deep breath, trying to steady his erratic heartbeat, but the soreness in his body reminded him that it hadn't been a dream. Lu Xiao's shadow seemed to linger in the corner of the room, silent and commanding. Shen Mo rubbed his aching shoulder, his lips tightening unconsciously with a trace of complex emotions.

As he sat on the bed's edge, his hand paused mid-motion on his shoulder when he heard the faint creak of the door. He looked up to see Lu Xiao pushing it open, a glass of water in hand, his gaze fixed squarely on Shen Mo. Those deep, calm eyes made it seem as if last night's fervor had been Shen Mo's illusion alone, yet the invisible pressure remained ever-present.

"Awake?" Lu Xiao's voice was low, carrying a hint of casual huskiness as he stepped from the living room into the bedroom. He set the glass on the nightstand, but his eyes never wavered, as if appraising or confirming something. Shen Mo instinctively shrank back, his sore muscles making his movements stiff, while a flush inexplicably crept up his ears.

"Yeah," Shen Mo replied, his voice so hoarse it sounded foreign even to himself. He reached for the glass, but his fingers accidentally brushed Lu Xiao's hand. That fleeting contact sent a jolt like electricity through him, causing his heart to skip a beat. Lu Xiao didn't pull back; instead, he grasped Shen Mo's wrist—not hard, but firm enough to prevent escape.

"What's wrong? Feeling unwell?" Lu Xiao leaned in slightly, close enough for Shen Mo to catch the faint scent of tobacco mingled with the crispness of morning air. His tone carried little concern, sounding more like a test, and a faint, ambiguous smile curved his lips.

Shen Mo abruptly pushed Lu Xiao away, his palm pressing against Lu Xiao's chest with a small but resolute force. His breathing quickened, the flush on his face still lingering, but his eyes now held a mix of struggle and resistance. Lu Xiao froze for a moment, then released him and straightened up, watching Shen Mo silently with a gaze so deep it seemed to pierce his soul.

"Don't do this," Shen Mo said, his voice low and raspy. He pulled the blanket over himself, trying to cover the marks left from the night before—and the turmoil in his heart. His fingers gripped the edge of the blanket, knuckles whitening. "I don't know what happened last night… but I don't want it like this."

Lu Xiao's brow twitched, the smile on his lips fading slightly but not entirely disappearing. He leaned against the headboard, lit a cigarette, and as smoke curled around him, his voice remained low and calm. "Don't want it? Shen Mo, your body didn't seem to agree last night." He exhaled a puff of smoke, his gaze cutting through the haze to land on Shen Mo's face with a hint of provocation.

Shen Mo clenched his jaw as memories of the night flooded back in fragments—he remembered the glass of water Lu Xiao had given him, the helplessness as his consciousness faded, and those searing touches. He knew he'd been drugged, and Lu Xiao had taken advantage of him. He liked Lu Xiao—he couldn't deny that; the feelings buried deep in his heart had long taken root—but this wasn't the kind of entanglement he wanted.

"I do like you," Shen Mo lifted his head, meeting Lu Xiao's gaze. His voice trembled but held firm. "But not like this. I'm not your possession, and I don't want to be… owned by you like this." His eyes reddened slightly, the soreness in his body and the chaos in his mind making it hard to breathe.

Lu Xiao's expression darkened, his cigarette pausing midair. He stayed silent for a moment before stubbing it out and standing to walk to the window. He pulled the curtains open, letting harsh light flood the room. With his back to Shen Mo, his voice was so low it was almost inaudible: "You think I'm just playing with you?"

Shen Mo didn't respond, only lowering his head to stare at his hands. Silence stretched between them like an invisible wall. Lu Xiao turned, walked back, and crouched down to meet Shen Mo's eyes. His hand twitched but didn't touch him, his voice deep and steady: "I didn't mean to force you, Shen Mo. But when you're near me, I can't help wanting you—all of you."

Those words struck Shen Mo's heart like a blade. He looked up at Lu Xiao, that familiar face now showing a vulnerability he'd never seen before, though it was still overshadowed by that ingrained dominance. He shook his head with a bitter smile. "You make me feel like I'm just a passing whim to you."

Lu Xiao frowned, finally reaching out to grip Shen Mo's chin, forcing him to look up. His voice was low and urgent: "A passing whim? For you, I barely recognize myself anymore. Do you know how much it kills me to see you smile at someone else?"

Shen Mo froze. The playfulness in Lu Xiao's eyes was gone, replaced by an almost obsessive intensity. He shook off Lu Xiao's hand and stood, but his weak legs nearly gave out. Lu Xiao caught him, arms wrapping around him as he murmured, "You can't leave, Shen Mo. Whether you like me or hate me, you can't leave."

Shen Mo's heart pounded like a drum. He wanted to push Lu Xiao away but found himself powerless. The mix of affection and resistance tore at his chest, drawing him closer yet threatening to drown him. He closed his eyes and whispered, "Lu Xiao, let me go… I don't want this."

Lu Xiao didn't loosen his hold; instead, his arms tightened. His lips brushed Shen Mo's ear, his voice low and dangerous: "Let you go? Shen Mo, I can't even let myself go." Their breaths intertwined, their emotions a tangled web that grew tighter the more they struggled. Both knew this tug-of-war had only just begun.