Don’t Be a Kept Man

Chapter 5: A Spring Breeze1

Huo Ming Chen’s hands that were tightly clenched into fists, slowly loosened up.
Replacing that tension was an aura of happiness that he could not hide.
He didn’t know why he was so happy.
He covered his face by lying down on the table, leaving only a pair of eyes staring coldly outwards.
He did not take his eyes off Lu Qi, looking quite like an idiot.

He did not know how much passion his eyes had lit up with, even more than the girls that were turning their heads and looking back.

Time passed, and finally the bell rang to signal the end of the evening self-study period.
Like a splash of water that dropped into hot oil, the classroom began to heat up with noise.
Students started packing up their books.
And it was at this time, that 4 or 5 student leaders came into the classroom.
Those with a sharp eye could see that one of them was the new student affairs department head.

“Everyone head back to your seats,”

A man with a work identification tag on his shirt took the bag of cell phones down from the wall, and stood at the doorway.
He scanned the classroom with hawk eyes,

“Those who handed in their phones can come see me.
You can pick up your phones and leave.
Those who did not hand in their phones must stay seated at their desks.”

FUCK! This is the worst situation!!!

This was the first thought that popped into everyone’s head.
Those who handed in their phones secretly rejoiced.
Those who did not felt like they were sitting on pins and needles.
Huo Ming Chen immediately looked at Lu Qi, but only saw him take off his work lanyard and walk out of the classroom.

Fang Qi wanted to cry, and kept shaking Huo Ming Chen,

“Fuck! Lu Qi definitely knew there would be a sudden inspection today! Why didn’t he come to me and ask me to hand in my phone? Why did he only go to you? Why Why Whyyyyyy!!”

This idiot already had most of his points deducted.
Deduct anymore, and it’s time to schedule a meeting with the counselors, and after that, with his parents.

Huo Ming Chen felt unexpectedly joyful, as if…… he was given special treatment.
He pressed down the urge to grin, and smacked Fang Qi’s hand off.
He impatiently said,

“You deserve it.”

There wouldn’t be a problem if Fang Qi had only handed in his phone like he did.

Night was approaching, and the halls were crammed with students coming out of their classrooms.
Lu Qi was stuck in the middle, slowly making his way.
It seemed like a day could pass without him moving in the crowd of students all trying to leave at once.
However, his back was very straight, and his face is memorable.
You could still pick him out of the crowd.

Heading out of the building, Lu Qi decided to go back to his dorm when his phone rang in his pocket.
He didn’t even have to look, and he already knew who was calling him.
He stopped walking, and as he expected, Huo Ming Chen was behind him.

“Why didn’t you pick up the phone?”

Huo Ming Chen walked forward to stand next to him, smiling quite smugly.

“You knew it was me?”

Lu Qi calmly replied,

“Mhmm, I even know you were staring at me the entire time during the self-study period.”

Although this kind of confession stung, Lu Qi accepted that his friend circle was pitifully small and that he knew automatically who would be calling when his cell phone rang.

“……”

Huo Ming Chen did not look embarrassed at being pointed out.
He said as he walked,

“That blue haired girl threw a piece of paper to you, why didn’t you pick it up?”

“Was it because I was staring, and you didn’t dare to pick it up?”

Lu Qi paused for a bit before realizing who the blue haired girl referred to,

“Oh.”

He replied,

“Why would I have to pick it up?”

It’s not like he was picking up garbage.

Huo Ming Chen just realized now that Lu Qi was really smart and shrewd, and his voice became steely,

“You know what I’m really asking.
Don’t pretend otherwise.”

Lu Qi didn’t know why he had to be so persistent, but answered half-heartedly anyway,

“I have you.”

One sugar daddy is enough for him, especially with Huo Ming Chen being so overly analytical about everything.
If he dared played around, it would be too easy to have his life ruined.
Lu Qi can confidently say he has no courage to do that under Huo Ming Chen’s eyes.

I.
have.
you.

These three words touched something in Huo Ming Chen.
It made him feel fuzzy, like his head was going to explode, his heart was beating too fast and he felt like he was floating.
He felt like he was going to die.

It was like a small seed of fire being planted inside his heart.
At first, it was dead, but now, it’s burning up, burning up so much it could light the entire world on fire.

A deep husky voice rang beside Lu Qi’s ear,

“I want to kiss you.
Go in the car.”

Lu Qi was startled.
He looked at Huo Ming Chen, but was met with fiery, passionate eyes, as if they could swallow him up.
Honestly, it was quite terrifying.

Lu Qi rarely disobeyed Huo Ming Chen outwardly.
It has always been like that.
Whatever Huo Ming Chen said, he’ll do it.
Even when he was trying to steal the Huo family fortune, he only did it on the down low.

He did not know what this kind of feeling was, he can’t really point it out clearly.

The car was just parked in front of the dormitory doors.
The two of them went into the back of the car, and as soon as the door was closed, they jumped at each other.
Huo Ming Chen embraced Lu Qi with a forceful kiss, but it was quite inexperienced.
By the time they locked lips, they could taste the blood in their mouths.
During this time, for some reason, Huo Ming Chen stopped kissing.
They were so close to each other that when they spoke, they could feel the other’s lips moving.

“Kiss me,”

Huo Ming Chen held back his impatience, and he breathlessly repeated the command,

“Come and kiss me.”

To prevent his lips from being torn apart, Lu Qi went with the flow and flipped the balance.
He pushed Huo Ming Chen against the seats and locked lips with him.
There was no space between them, and there was no way to take a breath.
Like a snake that slithered up into his heart, at first there was no feeling, but then when you realized, you were already held to the point that you could not even struggle.

The two of them were healthy young men, so they both quickly became aroused.
Lu Qi was a bit dizzy from all the kissing, and past experience overtook him.
Out of habit, he slipped his hand down under, but was suddenly grasped by a shocked Huo Ming Chen.

“Wait–!!!”

His eyes widened and looked at Lu Qi contemplatively,

“You wouldn’t be planning to.
have.
sex.
here.
right?”

Lu Qi thought to himself it’s not as if you never did this in the previous life.
He propped himself up, and stared down at Huo Ming Chen with clear eyes mixed with sexual tension,

“Well then what do you want to do?”

The two of them were already aroused, and Lu Qi did not have a habit of masturbation, nor did he like to.

Huo Ming Chen could see what Lu Qi wanted, and turned silent.
Then he looked away, and muttered under his breath,

“……Whatever you want then.”

The first time always has a special meaning.
The time and place now did not match up to the fantasies or prediction of Huo Ming Chen.
He did not say anything however, and just turned his body, giving up control to Lu Qi.

Sooner or later he would have experienced this.
He was a man.
What was he agonizing over for? Huo Ming Chen tried to comfort himself, and it made him feel a little better.

Lu Qi did not move and he narrowed his eyes in the dark, contemplating.
When impatient Huo Ming Chen turned his head back to look, Lu Qi suddenly moved away and crossed over to the driver’s seat.

He started the vehicle as he said.

“Let’s go to a hotel instead.”

Lu Qi paid for a Five star hotel, a queen bed with rose petals on the sheets and a hot shower with air conditioning.

Huo Ming Chen wanted to pay as well, but Lu Qi did not let him.
No matter how poor a man is, he’ll always have enough to open a room.
That is the minimum amount of dignity one should have.

Lu Qi looked like he has no sexual passion, like a mountain frozen over, and technically it is true.
However, given that he has held it in for many years, he can’t stop it now.
Huo Ming Chen and he kissed from the door to the bed.
Lu Qi pressed Huo Ming Chen into the sheets as one hand went to undo the buttons, and the other grabbed a box out of the drawer next to the bed.

Huo Ming Chen, being hypersensitive at this time, looked like he was ready to be butchered on a table, and his eyes snapped to Lu Qi’s hand that held the box,

“How did you know there were condoms there?”

Lu Qi said,

“Isn’t that common knowledge? Or are you saying you never stayed at a hotel?”

He normally looks quite gentlemen-ly, but on the inside, he has every bit of a controlling attitude as Huo Ming Chen.
Within a few movements, his dominance came forward.
Huo Ming Chen laid on the bed, preparing himself to bleed blood as if he was a river.

But the expected pain did not show up.
In fact, his soul was shaking from the immense pleasure.
If he had to describe it, you could say it was like that saying he went to heaven when he came.

There was no pairing that could have been more perfect in the world than the two of them.

After they were finished, both of them went to sleep soundly.
Lu Qi dreamt a long dream.

In the dream, he was dressed sharply, his business was booming, because he had already taken away everything he could from Huo Ming Chen.

“You hide quite well.”

The man sitting opposite of him was haggard looking, and he had a very gaunt face, giving it a pale white tone.
Compared to his past demeanor, he smiled at Lu Qi, eyes darker than the abyss, swallowing up all light.

“Fang Qi and the gang had already warned you, but you decided you didn’t want to believe them.
Now even if they wanted to help, they can’t…… But of course, that is due to your trust in me.”

The dream Lu Qi was despicable, his smile was gentle, but it looked repulsive.
If you had to describe him, he was a wolf in sheep’s clothing.

An attractive female assistant came in to hand over a few files.
She gave a flirtatious look at Lu Qi and softly urged him,

“Finish this quickly, we have a reservation at a restaurant for dinner.”

Once she left, Huo Ming Chen closed his eyes.
His head hit the back of the chair, and he chuckled.
He chuckled until his eyes were red from irritation.
There was an indescribable feeling surrounding him.
He tossed out offhandedly,

“What, your girlfriend?”

Lu Qi did not say that she was his sister, and half-heartedly sounded an agreement.

Huo Ming Chen nodded his head as he heard that, and his back bent a little.
He snuffed out his cigarette, and from that action, you could see he just decided something.

“How about going with me for dinner? Using my entire family to trade for one dinner.
Doesn’t sound like a loss to me.”

This meal is obviously not just a meal, but who knows what dream Lu Qi was thinking as he agreed,

“……Alright.”

And then the two stepped into a car which was quite normal at first.
Then suddenly Huo Ming Chen began to press the gas pedal and sped up the car.
As he went over the limit, he lost control, and the car rammed into a highway sign.

BOOM, an explosion was heard, the car had exploded —

The two men lost their lives that day, bringing an end to five years of a love hate relationship, to an end to the fortune that Lu Qi just attained.
It all disappeared with the hazy white smoke billowing away from the crash.

Lu Qi’s eyes jerked open, waking up from that dream in shock.
He stared at the ceiling of the hotel, trying to force his eyes to keep open.
He grasped the bed sheets, and then let go.
His arm felt heavy, and he looked down.
It was the face of a youthful and daring Huo Ming Chen.
He covered his eyes with his other arm, thinking about something.

The moon had risen and now was setting.
It witnessed two young men spending a pleasurable night together.
When Lu Qi got off the bed to shower, Huo Ming Chen was already dead asleep.
He didn’t have a choice, so he lifted Huo Ming Chen up and went to wash them both.

“Lu Qi……”

Huo Ming Chen woke up, snuggled into the sheets with his hair plastered to his forehead, hiding away the majority of his sharp eyes.

“Mhmm.”

Lu Qi sat by the end of the bed with his back facing Huo Ming Chen.
He hummed in acknowledgement as he dried his hair with a towel.
Huo Ming Chen did not like how they were so far apart, and moved to hug Lu Qi from the back.
He kissed the side of Lu Qi’s face, asking in a causal tone,

“Why didn’t you take the card last time?”

Lu Qi paused his hand movements, lying,

“I can earn it myself.” An absolute lie.

Huo Ming Chen fell backwards, and grabbed a cigarette off the bedside table to smoke.
His eyes hazily followed the smoke he puffed out.

“If you didn’t need money, why are you with me?”

Did he want feelings as part of the package? He can’t afford that.

Lu Qi didn’t really care.
They could just be friends without benefits.

“Then, I won’t be……”

Before he finished his sentence, the back of his neck was hit.
Huo Ming Chen had been tossed to train in the military before, so it was no joke that he knew what he was doing, and he did not hold back.
Huo Ming Chen’s face was emotionless, and he said in a menacing tone, right next to Lu Qi’s ear,

“What did you just say? Say it again for me, huh?”

Lu Qi already knew that Huo Ming Chen’s brain had mental problems, so he immediately bowed down to the pressure and shut his mouth.
This, however, did not pacify Huo Ming Chen.

After a few seconds passed, he let go of Lu Qi and patted his face,

“You shouldn’t say those words so carelessly ever again.
I’ll get angry.”

If Lu Qi did not want money, Huo Ming Chen could only find another avenue to give back.
He sent a file of information to Lu Qi on his phone, and reported a salary that was fairly substantial,

 

“I found a part time job for you.
It’s just translating, so it’s not that hard, right?”

To enter into Capital University, you have to know English.
Lu Qi knew that Huo Ming Chen opened a back door2 for him, so he did not pay much attention to the details.
As long as he can earn money, that was fine.
He accepted on the spot.

“That’s fine.
When do I need to finish?”

“Anytime.
When you are done, just pass it to me, and I’ll send it out for you.”

Huo Ming Chen remembered then and asked,

“Give me your bank details.
I’ll pay you by direct deposit.”

This was exactly why being a kept man is the best.
If he could follow this path, once he graduated it could be like Lu Qi’s past life and he could enter into the Huo family business.
As long as he was with Huo Ming Chen, he could be fifty years ahead on the starting line compared to the average commoner…… Oh wait no, this does not count as being reliant.
Lu Qi thought to himself, after all he’s going to work very hard to translate.
That’s work.

Hey System, did you hear that?

System: ……

If there was no sound, it means it was heard.

Lu Qi put on his clothes and blow dried his hair.
It looked like he was leaving, Huo Ming Chen scowled,

“Where are you going?”

“I have a class in the afternoon.”

“Can’t you not go?”

Lu Qi thought of course not.
Skipping class means he cannot earn the award for attendance, which means he cannot receive any award money.
Although he did just get something from Huo Ming Chen, so he can’t be too cold.
He turned around to embrace Huo Ming Chen, and gave him a long kiss.
He lowered his voice,

“Be good.
We’ll meet up at night.”

Because of that, Huo Ming Chen turned speechless.
He felt like Lu Qi knew what his weakness was, and used them very well.

 

Notes:
*1 Can be a connotation for love is coming/on the horizon (like a spring breeze).

*2 Opening the back door is an expression meaning he had special connections/gave special treatment, usually used to mean someone with power letting you bypass things that would normally be cut off.
A more direct explanation would be… imagine that there was a building with blocked access at the entrance if you did not have a permit to cross.
Someone then “opened the back door” for you (like at the back entrance without security noticing or giving you a special permit) so you could enter without needing to go the official channels for a permit.

TL: No! Huo Ming Chen, translating is hard work… .·´¯`(>▂<)´¯`·.