Blazing fire is hard to extinguish chapter 2

Indulgence

Lin Chi was a great conversational partner—quick to respond, lively, even a bit unserious, yet lazily relaxed like a hibernating snake. Probably because he had been drinking, his gaze was dreamy, and when he focused on someone, it always carried a hint of affection.

And Li Tingyan needed someone like this to help him distract himself, to momentarily forget about tomorrow’s wedding, to forget about Xu Mu and his failed crush.

Lin Chi was a small-time model, not famous, only able to get minor gigs. He had been in the industry for a few years and had encountered all sorts of people, all of whom he could joke with.

He showed Li Tingyan his photos and raised an eyebrow proudly, “Handsome, right?”

Li Tingyan took a serious look and affirmed, “Handsome.”

In the photo, Lin Chi was nearly half-naked, with only a few feathers covering his upper body. His pale, almost transparent face had blood-red paint dripping from the corners of his eyes, like a trail of bloody tears.

He looked like a suffering saint, or an imprisoned angel.

Although Li Tingyan wasn’t particularly interested in photography, he had to admit that the photo was captivating.

Even if it was the work of an unknown photographer.

But Lin Chi said, “This photo was a nightmare to shoot. I had a severe allergic reaction to the paint and almost had to be rushed to the hospital. The photographer was scared to death, nearly fainting when he took me to the hospital, and he promised to find a way to cover my medical expenses. But he was broke himself, couldn’t come up with 2000 yuan, and had to borrow it. In the end, I had to pay for it myself. I was broke too, and had to live on vegetables and noodles for a week after I was discharged.”

Lin Chi sighed heavily, feeling like he was a walking disaster.

But looking at the photo, he comforted himself, “Well, at least this photo is now my signature piece.”

Li Tingyan chuckled quietly.

He had never encountered such situations in his life—two unlucky people ending up in the hospital due to a work-related injury, having to borrow money for medical expenses.

It was absurd, even a bit tragic.

But Lin Chi spoke about it casually, as if it didn’t matter at all.

He looked at Lin Chi’s face, wondering about his age.

22, 23?

He seemed to be somewhere between a college student and a working adult, with clear and bright eyes, a young face, but an air of calm maturity and ease.

He asked Lin Chi, “Have you been working for a long time?”

“Of course,” Lin Chi raised an eyebrow, “I signed with an agency when I was eighteen. Although I studied and worked part-time, I’ve been working for four or five years.”

But thinking about his messy financial situation, he touched his nose, “Just my luck hasn’t been great. Still an unknown minor model.”

Li Tingyan was surprised that Lin Chi started working so young, but then again, it wasn’t uncommon for young men and women to enter the fashion and entertainment circles early.

He glanced at the photo again and sincerely praised, “With your natural attributes, you shouldn’t be overlooked as a model. I’ve seen many people who aren’t as good as you and whose photos aren’t as impactful.”

Lin Chi just smiled at this.

He knew this well enough. His manager often said the same thing.

But opportunities don’t always favor the talented.

Li Tingyan stayed in the bar until eleven o’clock.

In the last half hour, he and Lin Chi emptied a few more glasses.

Lin Chi’s cheeks were flushed. His alcohol tolerance was decent but not great. His mind was still clear, but his eyes were starting to look a bit dazed.

Li Tingyan checked his watch; it was getting late.

Although tomorrow’s wedding was in the afternoon, he should still try to rest more and avoid any mishaps.

He picked up his coat from the back of the chair and politely thanked Lin Chi.

“Thank you for chatting with me today.” His gaze at Lin Chi was much softer than at the beginning, but still distant. Despite having drunk a lot, his shirt only had one button undone, his complexion unchanged, only his lips slightly red, giving him an inexplicable allure.

Lin Chi, propping his chin with one hand, glanced over Li Tingyan from his waist to his Adam’s apple, finally resting on his face.

He heard Li Tingyan say, “I’ve already paid for tonight’s drinks. It was a pleasure talking to you, but I have to go now.” Li Tingyan paused and added, “If fate allows, maybe we’ll meet again.”

Li Tingyan spoke very politely.

He was indeed as Lin Chi had first thought—refined, elegant, with a touch of just the right warmth, but inherently distant.

He wasn’t someone who should be casually drinking in a small bar.

Lin Chi squinted.

He knew that Li Tingyan’s “if fate allows” was just a polite remark, and he had given up on any further entanglement with Li Tingyan.

He was never interested in people who already had someone in their hearts.

So he should let Li Tingyan go. An enjoyable evening of conversation was enough to be a pleasant memory.

But just as Li Tingyan stood up, his hand grabbed Li Tingyan’s sleeve.

Li Tingyan’s steps halted. He stared at the pale fingers holding his sleeve and then looked at Lin Chi with a questioning expression.

“What’s the matter?”

Lin Chi, with a cigarette in his mouth, slowly exhaled a puff of smoke. He slightly raised his head, a faint smile on his lips. Through the thin veil of smoke, his pitch-black eyes looked calm and still, yet strikingly beautiful.

He said to Li Tingyan, “Didn’t you just say that you actually want to let go of the past and try to accept something new?”

Li Tingyan’s gaze fell on his own sleeve.

Indeed, he had said that.

During their conversation earlier, he had casually mentioned his failed crush. He said that he wouldn’t mind meeting someone new right away to pull him out of his gloomy and unrequited love.

But sometimes, it just seemed to be missing a little something.

The completely new person meant for him had yet to appear.

Lin Chi looked at Li Tingyan and said, “If you’re willing, maybe today you can try to forget the past.”

Li Tingyan didn’t react immediately but felt the slightly cold fingers hook onto his wrist.

He was taken aback and raised his eyebrows slightly.

He met Lin Chi’s gaze. “What do you mean?”

Lin Chi didn’t beat around the bush. “Actually, the reason I sat next to you tonight was to hit on you. You are exactly my type. The moment I saw you, I wanted to make a move. But seeing you looking heartbroken, I lost interest. I’ve never liked getting involved with people who can’t get over their past relationships.”

“But now I’ve changed my mind.”

Lin Chi chuckled as he said this.

He stared at Li Tingyan. “A rare catch like you doesn’t come around often. The more I think about it, the less I want to let you go.”

“So… if you’re willing, I’ll make sure you have a very enjoyable night tonight.”

He stood up as he spoke, standing shoulder to shoulder with Li Tingyan. As a model, he was naturally tall, but Li Tingyan was even taller by a few inches.

The two of them were very close.

Lin Chi’s gaze lingered on Li Tingyan’s lips, chin, and nose, finally settling on his eyes.

He was always good at flirting, and his gaze was bold and provocative.

Such provocations, especially after drinking, became the kindling for a fire. He stared directly at Li Tingyan and moved closer, so close that his shoulder almost touched the other.

He asked Li Tingyan, “Your crush is getting married tomorrow, bridal chamber and all, wishing for a lifetime of happiness, yet tonight you’re still alone. Isn’t that too miserable?”

It seemed like he was trying to provoke him, yet his tone was genuinely sincere.

His long, thick eyelashes blinked, forming a small storm from Li Tingyan’s perspective.

The bar remained noisy, with the mixed scents of cigarettes, alcohol, perfume, fruit juice, sweet and intoxicating smells mingling together.

It was supposed to be a casual and indulgent night.

The seaside night allowed for anything to happen, with many kisses in the music remaining unknown.

Li Tingyan remained calm throughout.

If it weren’t for the faint smell of alcohol on him, he looked no different from any afternoon after a meeting.

But his chest and ears were noisy, like ten thousand cicadas crying out.

Lin Chi undoubtedly knew how to hit a person’s weakness.

That remark indeed stung him.

He wasn’t exactly celibate because of Xu Mu; he had just always kept that person in mind, focusing solely on work and rejecting any advances from others straightforwardly.

But tonight, it all seemed to collapse like a sandcastle, even somewhat laughably.

His gaze had been on Xu Mu countless times in unseen corners, yet that person would never belong to him but to another cheerful and open woman.

He really should give up.

Li Tingyan was silent for a while and asked Lin Chi, “Is this your confession to me?”

Lin Chi laughed.

“Of course not,” he denied immediately, as if afraid of being misunderstood. “I just want to have a spring fling with you. As for the future, we’ll talk about it later.”

He lifted his head, his eyelashes almost touching Li Tingyan’s cheek, and said hoarsely, “You look like a decent person, but I’m not. So I want to teach you to do something bad, so you don’t always live such a regular, boring life.”

“Do you want to try?”

.

Li Tingyan grabbed Lin Chi’s wrist and headed to the hotel across the road.

Whether intentionally or not, several hotels were situated opposite this row of bars and restaurants.

Li Tingyan casually chose a familiar one. When Lin Chi saw it, he couldn’t help raising an eyebrow. For him, this hotel was quite expensive.

But he glanced at Li Tingyan without saying anything. To sleep with this handsome guy, some price had to be paid.

However, before he could take out his phone, Li Tingyan had already paid swiftly.

Lin Chi was stunned, but before he could react, Li Tingyan grabbed his phone and walked away again.

Their room was on the 16th floor, the highest floor. With a beep, the door was opened, revealing a brightly lit, spacious room where every detail of the furnishings was visible.

However, Lin Chi turned off the power with a flick of his hand.

The curtains slowly closed again, blocking out even the starlight from outside. The room became dim, with only a faint light from an unknown wall lamp, like a firefly in the night, weak but enough to let him and Li Tingyan see each other’s outlines.

He kissed Li Tingyan.

He was always a master in the field of romance, his lips soft and still carrying the taste of peach and alcohol, making them as plump and juicy as a ripe peach, seemingly ready to burst with juice at a light bite.

His body was pressed against Li Tingyan, his arms wrapped around him, pinning him against the door.

The moment Li Tingyan was kissed, his shoulders instinctively tensed, and his arms even tried to push away. But after just a few seconds, his shoulders and back relaxed again.

He had little experience with kissing. While studying abroad, his friends dragged him to a pride parade where overly open foreigners had kissed his cheeks in the chaos, making him feel embarrassed and repulsed, causing him to take a shower immediately after returning home.

But Lin Chi’s kiss was different.

Even though Lin Chi was passionate, reckless, and pounced without any warning, that vibrant energy, the lean waist he held in his hands, even the dangling earring by Lin Chi’s ear, and the tongue Lin Chi extended, were not off-putting.

He needed this kind of indulgence.

At least for tonight.

He needed someone so brazen, flirtatious, and yet charmingly arrogant to entangle and kiss him, to get through this long and difficult night.

He quickly regained control, and Lin Chi became the one pressed against the door.

His strength was not something a young man like Lin Chi, who only visited the gym, could match. He easily subdued Lin Chi.

Their lips were still tangled together, kissing each other until their breathing was unstable.

Lin Chi’s shirt became loose, revealing his beautiful collarbones, and his lips were moist, breathing heavily, and eagerly reaching for Li Tingyan’s body.

But Li Tingyan stopped him.

“I have two things I need to tell you first.”

Lin Chi was about to explode, looking at Li Tingyan with a resentful gaze, wondering what could be so important that it had to be said now.

He impatiently tugged at Li Tingyan’s shirt and asked irritably, “What is it?”

Li Tingyan was not feeling any better at the moment either.

Lin Chi was really an enticing person. Putting aside all past events, just from the perspective of male aesthetics, Li Tingyan found it hard to imagine anyone not being attracted to Lin Chi.

But for him, tonight was just a sudden accident, an unexpected and reckless indulgence.

So there were some things he had to clarify beforehand.

He said, “First, I have no experience in sex. I tried to date someone before, but it didn’t work out, so there was no follow-up. Today, with you, will be my first time. Secondly, I only accept being the top. If you don’t mind, we can continue.”

In fact, he should have said this earlier.

But everything happened so suddenly today that he didn’t think much when he pulled Lin Chi into the hotel.

Lin Chi was stunned.

“What did you say?!”