Blazing fire is hard to extinguish chapter 36
Three Rules
In the end, Li Tingyan took Lin Chi back to his villa.
When the car stopped at the villa’s entrance, and Lin Chi saw the familiar main building through the window, he really wanted to die.
He had just left here at noon, resolutely refusing Li Tingyan’s pleas to stay, and now, barely a day later, he was back. Going in again and being seen by the staff would be humiliating.
So he absolutely refused to get out.
“Get out.”
He sulked in the back seat, refusing to cooperate, but when it came to escaping, even turning over hurt too much; he just didn’t have the strength.
In the end, Li Tingyan got out of the car first, dismissed the staff waiting at the door, and then carried Lin Chi out from the back seat.
Lin Chi struggled a bit when he was being carried out but soon realized it was futile. He struggled a few times and then gave up.
He was now left with only a shirt, wrapped in Li Tingyan’s long coat, completely covered except for his beautiful calves and slender ankles.
Li Tingyan carried him effortlessly. With his coat on Lin Chi, he wore only a shirt, with the sleeves rolled up, revealing his firm, fair wrists. Several buttons of his usually meticulously fastened shirt were undone, two even dangling precariously, as if someone had grabbed them roughly, and there were two red marks on his neck.
Since the staff had all left, the way was quiet. Li Tingyan carried Lin Chi down the long corridor and back to the ‘madam’s room’.
He gently laid Lin Chi down on the bed, loosening the black long coat to reveal the jade-like beauty inside, who was glaring at him with anger.
This scene was truly vivid and beautiful, especially with Lin Chi’s lips slightly swollen and red as blood.
Li Tingyan felt no guilt and even smiled. He loosened his sleeves again and said to Lin Chi, “I’ll go run a bath for you. You should rest for a while.”
Lin Chi really wanted to roll his eyes. Now he was putting on a righteous demeanor—what had he been doing earlier?
During the bath, he ignored Li Tingyan entirely, but while soaking in the marble bathtub, he made himself at home, using Li Tingyan like a personal servant.
“Does it still hurt?”
Li Tingyan asked.
Really, why bring up what shouldn’t be mentioned? The anger Lin Chi had finally managed to quell flared up again.
“What do you think?”
He retorted through gritted teeth, splashing water on Li Tingyan’s face.
After soaking for a while and finally getting back to the bed, Li Tingyan also took a shower, changed into a matching robe, and sat on the edge of the bed, applying ointment to him.
Lin Chi managed to calm his emotions a little.
After applying the ointment, Li Tingyan changed gloves and began applying rose essential oil.
As a professional model, Lin Chi always took great care of his body, meticulous and dedicated, more so than those flashy and coquettish individuals.
Only sometimes, when he got lazy, he’d leave it to Li Tingyan.
Surrounded by the scent of roses, he couldn’t help but ask Li Tingyan, “What got you so worked up today? Did I say something to upset you? Why are you acting like this…”
Like this, tormenting him.
He felt embarrassed to say the rest.
He really didn’t understand. Li Tingyan wasn’t usually this unreasonable. Having been with Li Tingyan for so long, he had seen how he handled work. No matter how urgent the situation, Li Tingyan never showed it on his face, always calm and unhurried.
As Li Tingyan often said—impatience leads to mistakes; the impulsive you are, the more prone to errors.
Yet today, Li Tingyan had broken that rule himself.
Lin Chi licked the wound on his lip and felt even more frustrated.
He remembered how Li Tingyan had acted in the car earlier and felt a bit embarrassed.
He used to fool around too, but never to the point of scaring people like Li Tingyan did. Even now, he still felt pain on the inner side of his thighs, and lying in the car seat, he even thought that Li Tingyan seemed suited to play a serial killer.
Li Tingyan’s hand paused while applying the oil. He pressed his lips together, glanced at Lin Chi, but remained silent.
Lin Chi understood what Li Tingyan was concerned about.
He sullenly explained, “I really didn’t do anything today. I just went out for drinks with friends; nothing inappropriate happened. I admit I made a bet to take off my clothes, but I had limits. If they had asked me to undo all the buttons, I would have refused. Who could force me otherwise? The lipstick incident was an accident—someone came over to flirt, lost their balance, and fell into my arms, smudging lipstick on my clothes. Apart from that, nothing happened.”
Lin Chi grew more irritated. Why did he have to explain himself? He looked into Li Tingyan’s calm eyes, barely controlling his anger, and coldly said, “If you’re going to make an issue out of this, we can’t be together. I can’t control who approaches me.”
Li Tingyan raised his eyebrows slightly.
He actually agreed with Lin Chi’s last point.
With Lin Chi’s beauty, wherever he sat, it was like throwing a pearl into the ash; he couldn’t escape others’ covetous glances.
But he still scrutinized Lin Chi, evaluating the truth of the other statements.
Lin Chi crossed his arms and looked at him.
The two faced each other in the quiet, rose-scented bedroom, filled with tension.
Finally, Li Tingyan took a step back, “You’re right; I was indeed impulsive today.”
He lowered his eyes slightly. “I shouldn’t have been so angry, but when I arrived and saw you surrounded by a crowd, looking so flirtatious… I couldn’t think clearly.”
With this apology, his demeanor softened, and his expression darkened.
Lin Chi felt uneasy.
He was one to be stubborn and tough, not easily swayed. But once Li Tingyan showed weakness, he felt guilty. After all, Li Tingyan was the most disciplined and upright person, keeping a clean reputation, with no flattery around him, and even his assistant was plain and work-focused, treating him with courtesy.
Perhaps his lifestyle was indeed a bit out of line for Li Tingyan.
“It’s good that you know.”
Lin Chi muttered unsteadily.
Li Tingyan smiled, hearing that he was less angry now.
But he caressed Lin Chi’s wrist and said softly, “But Lin Chi, I really don’t like sharing.”
Lin Chi looked up again.
Li Tingyan continued, “I remember when we got together, we agreed there wouldn’t be a third party, and if either of us lost interest, we could end it anytime.
Today, I repeatedly asked you to stay with me, but you refused and went to a nightclub… to have fun. When I arrived at the nightclub, surrounded by so many people, you looked very happy, enjoying their company. It made me feel like I’m not attractive enough.”
Li Tingyan looked at Lin Chi with a calm face, but his words made Lin Chi’s heart tremble.
He asked, “Lin Chi, do you want to end our relationship?”
Lin Chi was stunned.
Did he want to?
He had thought about it.
Sitting in a dimly lit club, watching the wild crowd, he indeed considered cutting ties with Li Tingyan.
The reason he moved out of Li Tingyan’s place was also related to this issue.
But now, facing Li Tingyan’s eyes, he couldn’t bring himself to say it, as if a hand were squeezing his heart, making it ache.
After a long while, he lowered his gaze and muttered a word, “No.”
Li Tingyan, hearing what he wanted to hear, relaxed a bit.
He also knew that his behavior today might have shocked Lin Chi, but this was just who he was.
Since his youth, he had always been very protective of his territory; anything that belonged to him, he wouldn’t allow even a hint of someone else’s presence.
But the biggest difference between adults and adolescents is learning to conceal their true selves.
Li Tingyan looked at Lin Chi for a moment, then picked him up from the bed and placed him on his lap, wrapping him in his arms.
The scent of roses enveloped both of them.
He was a master negotiator, knowing exactly how to approach different people in different ways.
He softened his voice and discussed with Lin Chi, “What happened today was my fault. I apologize and promise it won’t happen again, but can we agree on three rules?”
Lin Chi vaguely felt like there might be a trap ahead, but looking at Li Tingyan’s sincere eyes, he couldn’t pinpoint what was wrong.
“Since our agreement hasn’t been terminated, it should still exclude others, right?”
Lin Chi nodded.
Li Tingyan continued, “I won’t interfere with your fun with friends; that’s your freedom. You can drink with friends, do whatever you want, but don’t let others touch you. Things like today, where someone flirted with you and left a lipstick mark on you, shouldn’t happen again. And don’t play games where you take off your clothes casually.”
His last sentence had a slightly cold tone.
He lowered his gaze and made eye contact with Lin Chi, “Likewise, I will also adhere to this. I promise.”
Lin Chi wanted to curse.
It sounded as if he had some kind of penchant for public nudity.
But Li Tingyan’s gaze was heavy, like a stern, picky school principal.
After a fierce internal struggle, Lin Chi could only begrudgingly nod and irritably ruffle his hair, “Got it.”
Li Tingyan was satisfied. Seeing Lin Chi’s disgruntled expression, he smiled.
He said with a hint of implication, “If you have any requests, feel free to ask me, whatever it is. As your bedmate, I will still provide service in this regard.”
At first, Lin Chi didn’t react, but he quickly recalled Li Tingyan’s actions earlier in the car. Even though he was generally thick-skinned, he couldn’t help but feel his face flush.
“You’re such a pervert.”
Lin Chi scolded weakly, “Who asked for your service?”
But then he looked at Li Tingyan and, feeling defiant, asked, “If, let’s say I went out for a drink again and actually did something, what would you do? Lock me up?”
He gave Li Tingyan a provocative smile.
Li Tingyan, however, calmly said, “That wouldn’t be impossible.”
His tone was calm, his expression unchanged, and the way he said it made it seem like he wasn’t joking.
Lin Chi was momentarily stunned.
But soon, Li Tingyan smiled, “Just kidding.”
Li Tingyan didn’t stay in Lin Chi’s room for long. After playing chess with him for a while, he returned to his own room.
Before leaving, he kindly invited Lin Chi, “Do you want to move to my room?”
“Huh?”
Lin Chi couldn’t follow Li Tingyan’s train of thought.
Li Tingyan remained indifferent, “Your bed seems too soft, and the bathtub is a bit small. My bedroom is more convenient.”
Lin Chi rolled his eyes and continued reading his fashion magazine, “No need, thanks. I’m quite satisfied with this room.”
Living in the “Madam’s Room” was already attention-grabbing enough. Moving to Li Tingyan’s room would be even more conspicuous.
Tomorrow, the gossip would likely spread like wildfire throughout the estate, and everyone’s looks would probably be like they were reading a novel about a seductive and lowly character trying to hook Li Tingyan, hoping to leap from a small model to becoming the mistress of a wealthy family.