Chapter 13: Xi Xingling
The more Li Dong thought about it, the angrier he got. When Xi Xingling tried to climb back onto the bed, Li Dong kicked him off again. The kid was all sharp angles and pale skin, a single touch bloomed into bruises.
He sat pitifully on the carpet, chin tipped up, eyes pleading for Li Dong to touch him.
“You’ve got to be f*cking kidding me.” Even looking at him set Li Dong off, so he turned away. Out of sight, out of mind.
Two or three minutes of silence, then Xi Xingling started sniffling, voice ragged. If you did not know what had happened, you might even feel sorry for him.
“What are you crying for?” Li Dong’s patience was thin. He had been at this half the night and wanted nothing more than sleep.
“The medicine hasn’t worn off…” Xi Xingling hiccupped. “I still want…”
Li Dong said nothing.
But how could he not consider that the other person hadn’t taken any drugs and had already done it with him several times? Even someone made of iron couldn’t handle this.
Watching him squirm, all need and no sense, made Li Dong’s head pound. “Figure it out yourself,” he said at last. “Handle it.”
Xi Xingling shook his head so hard he looked like a bobblehead. “I can’t.”
“Then wait. I will call room service and have them bring you a cucumber.”
“Second Young Master!” He protested, mortified. He did not want a cucumber!
“Two choices. Pick one.” Li Dong was expressionless.
“Not the cucumber…” The thought of a vegetable snapping halfway made his scalp prickle. He could already hear the ER nurse laughing.
Li Dong called the service line. The staff began a detailed run-through of sizes and functions and asked which model he wanted.
How would a top know this stuff? He shoved the phone at Xi Xingling and let him decide.
Listening with blazing ears, Xi Xingling kept sneaking looks at Li Dong. The clerk’s clinical questions seemed to terrify him.
Ten minutes later, the server delivered a small white box.
Li Dong tossed it over. “Open it and wash it. Carefully.”
“Okay.” Xi Xingling obeyed, scalded it twice with hot water, then crept out clutching the thing. Watching him fumble with it was almost funny. Li Dong’s mouth twitched despite himself, and some of the fury bled away.
“Second Young Master, help me hold it.” Xi Xingling said coquettishly.
“You are insufferable.” Li Dong cursed, but he still took it and helped.
He could not sleep. Not with someone whimpering and fussing beside him. He was exhausted and on edge.
Eventually the room went quiet. Li Dong checked the time. Three thirty in the morning.
The young man who had entertained himself was exhausted and collapsed on the floor, looking like he couldn’t move a single finger.
Li Dong crouched in front of him. His eyes still moved. “You good?” Wearing a bathrobe, he took out a cigarette and lit it. Behind the smoke, his eyes showed the haggard weariness of poor sleep.
“…” Xi Xingling seemed unable to speak, only showing Li Dong a miserable smile.
“Let that be a lesson. Next time you are this brainless, I will throw you out and let them have at you,” Li Dong said. He rapped him lightly on the head, then went to shower before bed.
When he came back, the kid was still facedown on the carpet.
“Overdid it?” He nudged him with his foot. Dead fish. No way he was getting up on his own. “I will carry you to bed.”
Tears shone in Xi Xingling’s eyes. He curled into Li Dong’s chest and fell asleep at once.
It was not the weekend. When Li Dong woke, Xi Xingling was still dead to the world. He probably did not have it in him to drag himself to work. Li Dong called Han Jewelry’s design department. The receptionist had no idea she was speaking to the second young master. She said she would put in a sick day for Xi Xingling. Done.
Li Dong had to admit, a big company really was different. The management actually behaved like humans.
By noon, Xi Xingling stirred. After days of torment he looked drained enough to wring out, the kind of pitiful that tugged at you in spite of yourself.
Li Dong was not made of stone. He let his face soften. “If you can’t sleep more, wash up and get dressed. I will feed you and drive you home so you can crash.”
Catching that dazed stare, he added, “I called in for you. If you cannot work tomorrow, you are the one who needs to tell them.”
“Thank you… thank you, Second Young Master…” Hearing his voice wrecked into a rasp, Xi Xingling’s mouth trembled. He avoided Li Dong’s eyes like a kid dodging a scolding.
Everything from last night came back to him. He knew he had been trash.
“Mmf… mm…” He yanked the blanket over his head and cried.
“Xi Xingling.” Li Dong said his full name. Slowly, a face peeked out, wide-eyed and obedient as a puppy being lectured.
“Do you understand what you would have turned into if I had not come last night?”
Xi Xingling nodded. Wet lashes clumped with tears.
“You would have been cheap like a dog, like a piece of trash. Not because of how many men touched you.” Li Dong’s voice was flat. “Do you know why no one would value you? Because you did it to yourself. You shoved yourself into their hands. Why should anyone cherish someone who begs to be used?”
Staring at the man calmly dressing him down, Xi Xingling cried harder and only nodded.
“Do you feel ashamed? Do you even have any shame?” Another nod. Li Dong frowned and tugged the blanket away to bare him. “Use your words. Answer me. Loud and clear. You were so loud when you were begging to be used. Why so quiet now?”
“Yes.” He folded his arms around his knees, too afraid to pull back against Li Dong’s grip.
“What happens next time? Are you going to keep flirting with my big brother on the phone? If he tells you to come get used, will you trot over and spread your legs?”
“No. I will not.” He sobbed. “I know I was wrong. I will not call him again.”
“What did I tell you before? You break my rules once and I kick you out.”
“Second Young Master, I know I was wrong. Please do not throw me out. I want to stay with you.” Panic flooded his face. He had woken already dreading this reckoning.
“You want to be with me, but why should I take you?” Li Dong twisted his ear. “With you, one blink and you do not even know which man you are grinding on. Why would I do that to myself? What, is my head too light and I am eager to grow grass on it?”
“I won’t. I swear I won’t. I will only act like that with you. Only you can touch me…” He grabbed Li Dong’s wrists, kneeling on the bed with tears and snot and a desperate vow.
“What about my brother? If he calls you, are you really going to slam him with a firm no? Can you do that?”
“I can.” He shuffled forward on his knees. “I will delete his number right now. If I see him, I will go the other way. I will never go wagging my tail at him again. I can do it. Really.”
“Swear it. Right now.” Li Dong’s voice dropped. “Say it like this: if you break your word today, may you grow old alone, unloved for life.”
The oath made his skin crawl. It was too vicious. The ending was too bleak.
“Fine. I swear. If I break the promise I made to Second Young Master today, may I grow old alone, with no one to love me and no one to care for me.”
Li Dong’s face stayed cool.
He patted Xi Xingling’s cheek. “I am not even that angry. Your cheapness is not my business. Even if they used you to death, that is on you. I would not feel a thing.”
Head bowed, Xi Xingling bit his already split lip until it bled.
“Why do I bother?” Li Dong asked. “Because I am not a saint, but I still have a conscience. I do not want to watch you sink that low.”
“Uuwuwu…” Xi Xingling collapsed to his knees in front of him and sobbed. “Second Young Master, I know you mean well. I was wrong. I was nothing.” He slapped himself. “I will do what I promised. It is just… after all these years I am used to it. I really did like Eldest Young Master. But I know I should not. He is not what I need. I will forget him. Slowly.”
“Do I owe you my time while you forget him?” Li Dong asked.
“No…” He shook his head, crying.
“Right. Remember that. I do not owe you.” Li Dong pinched his chin. “If I talk to you, that is me in a good mood. If I ignore you… you remember one thing. Do not be cheap.”
“Yes. Yes.” He nodded so fast he was afraid a slow nod might make Li Dong mad.
“Good. Get up. Take a hot shower. Put a warm towel on your eyes. You look like you would scare a child.”
Startled, he slapped both hands over his face. Was it really that bad?
“I will go.” He slipped off the bed, grabbed a towel, and went to the bathroom.
A second later there was a small yelp. Got scared by his own reflection, did he?
“Second Young Master, how do I go outside like this? My eyes are swollen like walnuts. There is purple under them.” He sounded stricken. Even facing Li Dong felt embarrassing now.
“They do not know you. Your walnut eyes are none of their business.” Li Dong crooked a finger. “Come here.”
Cleaned up and dressed, Xi Xingling obeyed. “Second Young Master?”
“Let me see.” Li Dong held his face and turned it side to side. He looked serious. “Where do you see walnuts? I do not see purple. Try being honest when you talk.”
“Not like walnuts?” He blinked and touched his cheeks.
“Not like walnuts. And not that ugly.” Li Dong sighed. “Still better looking than most.”
“Second Young Master…” He stared, stunned, and then dove into Li Dong’s arms, voice firm for once. “I will not let you down again.”
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