The lingering numbness from the electric current felt like a toxin in his nerves, subtly plaguing him all day. Lu Chenzhou huddled in a corner of the sofa, wrapped in a blanket, his eyes fixed blankly on the slice of sky segmented by barbed wire outside the window. The collar around his neck seemed to have gained weight, each breath carrying its cold, oppressive presence.
Fu Jingshen had left at noon. Before leaving, he hadn't done anything else, just placed that black velvet box containing the remote control in the most conspicuous spot on the coffee table. A silent warning, hanging over Lu Chenzhou's head.
When Auntie Liu brought dinner, Lu Chenzhou didn't touch it. His stomach was empty, but he had no appetite, only waves of nausea. The metallic taste of the collar seemed to have seeped into his throat, cloying and bitter.
"Sir said if you don't eat, Miss Lu won't receive the imported nutritional IV tonight," Auntie Liu's voice was still flat, yet it precisely struck Lu Chenzhou's weakest point.
His head snapped up, the bloodshot veins in his eyes spreading like spiderwebs. "What does he mean?"
Auntie Liu lowered her head, not answering. She just ladled soup from the thermal container and placed it before him. It was black chicken soup, rich and fragrant, simmered with ginseng and goji berries. It had clearly been cooking for a long time.
Lu Chenzhou stared fixedly at the bowl of soup, his knuckles white. Fu Jingshen knew exactly how to torment him. No need for violence; just a few casually uttered words were enough to make him crumble.
In the end, he picked up the spoon and began drinking the soup, sip by sip. The soup was flavorful, warming him from his throat down to his stomach, yet his heart felt like it held a block of ice that refused to melt.
At nine in the evening, the villa door opened. Fu Jingshen returned smelling of alcohol, his usually immaculate hair slightly disheveled, a faint redness in his eyes.
Lu Chenzhou instinctively shrank deeper into the sofa, like a startled animal. The fear from the electric shock during the day hadn't faded, and seeing Fu Jingshen slightly drunk now made him even more apprehensive.
Fu Jingshen didn't look at him. He walked straight to the bar, poured himself a glass of whiskey, and downed it. The movement of his Adam's apple was starkly clear under the light, carrying a dangerous sensuality.
He drank three glasses straight before turning to look at Lu Chenzhou in the corner of the sofa. His gaze was heavy, as if veiled in mist.
"Come here."
Lu Chenzhou didn't move, his fingers gripping the edge of the blanket tightly.
Fu Jingshen's brow furrowed. He didn't speak, just picked up the remote from the coffee table, his fingertip tapping lightly on the button.
"Don't!" Lu Chenzhou immediately shot up like a cat with its tail stepped on, quickly walking over to stand before him, head bowed, voice trembling. "I... I'm here."
He was scared. Truly scared. The numbing sensation of the current coursing through his body frightened him more than any pain.
Seeing his obedient demeanor, a complex emotion flashed in Fu Jingshen's eyes—satisfaction, and a trace of barely perceptible irritation. He put down the remote, raised a hand, and traced Lu Chenzhou's cheek with his fingertips, his touch burning from the alcohol.
"Were you good today?"
"...Good." Lu Chenzhou's voice was as soft as a mosquito's hum, humiliation washing over him like a tide. He had never imagined he would one day use the word "good" to describe himself.
Fu Jingshen smiled, the expression lazy from drink yet still radiating control. He took Lu Chenzhou's hand and pressed it against his own chest, making him feel his heartbeat.
"I met a client today," he began suddenly, his tone casual. "He said he wanted a bodyguard like you. Offered a high price."
Lu Chenzhou's body tensed instantly, his fingertips turning ice-cold.
"I said, not for sale." Fu Jingshen lowered his head, his breath hot against Lu Chenzhou's neck, carrying the scent of alcohol and cedar. "You're mine. Not for any amount of money."
The words were domineering and obsessive, like a brand searing onto Lu Chenzhou's heart. He tried to pull his hand back, but Fu Jingshen held it tighter.
"President Fu, you're drunk. Let me get you some sobering tea," he attempted to change the subject, a note of panic in his voice.
"Not needed." Fu Jingshen pulled him towards the bedroom. "Sleep with me."
Lu Chenzhou's steps faltered, his face pale. "President Fu, I—"
"What?" Fu Jingshen looked back at him, the drunkenness in his eyes receding, replaced by coldness. "Want to test the collar's function again?"
The words died in Lu Chenzhou's throat. He looked at the remote in Fu Jingshen's hand, ready to press the button at any moment, and finally followed him into the bedroom, resigned.
Only the bedside lamp was on in the bedroom, its warm yellow light falling on Fu Jingshen's drink-flushed face, softening his usual sharpness. He took off his overcoat and tossed it carelessly onto a chair, then began unbuttoning his shirt.
Lu Chenzhou stood by the bed with his back to him, every muscle tense, like a string about to snap.
"Turn around," Fu Jingshen's voice came from behind.
Lu Chenzhou didn't move.
Fu Jingshen didn't press. He walked around to face him, forcibly turning him. His shirt was already unbuttoned to the third button, revealing fine collarbones and the faint outline of pectoral muscles.
"Help me take it off." He grabbed Lu Chenzhou's hand and placed it on his shirt buttons.
Lu Chenzhou's fingertips were icy, trembling so badly he couldn't undo the small buttons. Humiliation, fear, and an indescribable flustered feeling left his mind blank.
"Clumsy," Fu Jingshen chuckled lowly, undid the remaining buttons himself, and took off the shirt, revealing a toned upper body. His physique was excellent—not like Lu Chenzhou's explosive robustness, but a symmetrical, powerful flow of muscle, every inch seemingly sculpted.
Lu Chenzhou's gaze unconsciously swept over it, then, as if scalded, he jerked his head down, his cheeks burning.
Seeing his reddened earlobes, the amusement in Fu Jingshen's eyes deepened. He reached out, wrapped an arm around Lu Chenzhou's waist, and pulled him onto the bed.
"Lie down."
Lu Chenzhou was pressed into the bed, the soft mattress dipping under his weight. Fu Jingshen leaned over him, his alcohol-warmed breath hot against his neck, intensely invasive.
"Don't..." Lu Chenzhou's voice held a plea. He wasn't afraid of Fu Jingshen's anger, but he feared this drunken tenderness more than any forceful method; it unnerved him far more.
Fu Jingshen didn't speak, just lowered his head and kissed him. The kiss was heavy with the taste of alcohol but surprisingly gentle, not like the previous punishing or conquering kisses, more like a possessive form of comfort.
Lu Chenzhou's resistance was weak, like ripples after a storm. He could feel Fu Jingshen's hand gently stroking his waist, no inappropriate moves, just simple touch, warm from the drink.
After who knows how long, Fu Jingshen's kisses gradually stilled. He just buried his face in the crook of Lu Chenzhou's neck, his breathing slowly evening out as if he'd fallen asleep.
Lu Chenzhou lay rigid, not daring to move. He could clearly hear Fu Jingshen's heartbeat, intertwining with his own, starkly audible in the silent bedroom.
The collar chafed painfully against his skin, yet it oddly brought a sense of security. At least Fu Jingshen was asleep now, not doing anything else to him.
He turned his head to look at Fu Jingshen's sleeping profile. Drunk, he lacked his usual ruthlessness and calculation, appearing somewhat vulnerable. His long lashes cast shadows under his eyes, making him look almost handsome.
An absurd thought suddenly rose in Lu Chenzhou's mind: *This version of Fu Jingshen doesn't seem so terrifying.*
He viciously crushed the thought the moment it appeared. He must be going mad to think the man who imprisoned him, threatened him, and controlled him with a collar wasn't terrifying.
But his body was honest; his tense muscles gradually relaxed slightly. He could smell Fu Jingshen's scent—the alcohol fading, leaving only the clean scent of cedar, like a forest after snow, cold yet somehow reassuring.
The night deepened. Lu Chenzhou's eyelids grew heavier. He struggled to stay awake but couldn't fight the exhaustion. Finally, soothed by Fu Jingshen's steady breathing, he fell into a deep sleep.
It was the first time he had slept so soundly since his imprisonment.
After he fell asleep, the supposedly sleeping Fu Jingshen slowly opened his eyes. There was no trace of drunkenness in them, only clarity and deep possessiveness. He looked at Lu Chenzhou's relaxed sleeping face, his fingertips gently tracing the collar around his neck, his touch uncharacteristically tender.
Taming a wild horse required patience and skill.
He knew what Lu Chenzhou feared, and where his weaknesses lay. Fear was the best shackle, but occasionally, a little sweetness was needed too.
Like now, letting him fall asleep peacefully in his arms.
Fu Jingshen lowered his head and pressed a light kiss to Lu Chenzhou's forehead, filled with unmistakable possession.
"You are mine," he murmured in his heart. "Only mine."
Moonlight from outside filtered through the gap in the curtains, falling on their entangled forms, casting a silvery halo. The collar around his neck glittered coldly in the moonlight, like a gentle cage, firmly trapping the two of them together.