Reservoir Dogs chapter 87

 You’ve Cured Me

A meet up with intentions other than drinking.

Jiang Chengyuan knew very well that Jiang Wenxing didn’t like him. To him, Jiang Wenxing seemed like an immature child who lacked love from a young age, always eager to gain recognition from others, especially elders, unable to tolerate any failure. When the attention he wanted was diverted to someone else, he couldn’t maintain his composure.

Jiang Heng had blamed Jiang Wenxing’s handling of the previous accident and promoted Jiang Chengyuan instead, which made Jiang Wenxing feel quite defeated and view Jiang Chengyuan as an enemy.

Jiang Chengyuan had no intention of engaging in such childish competition for favor. He was too lazy to fuss over Jiang Wenxing’s subsequent targeting and only maintained an appropriate social demeanor.

This time, Jiang Wenxing unexpectedly changed his usual attitude, lowering his stance and actively inviting him to dinner, saying that the amusement park construction was progressing smoothly and that he wanted to celebrate with him. This surprised Jiang Chengyuan a bit. He wondered if this guy had grown up or if there was some new trick up his sleeve.

Jiang Wenxing smiled brightly as he toasted Jiang Chengyuan. Although he didn’t know what Jiang Wenxing was planning, Jiang Chengyuan naturally drank the toast, thinking he could handle whatever came his way.

After drinking, Jiang Wenxing handed over a suitcase of money, cash that wouldn’t go through the books, and smiled as he said it was this time’s remuneration. He knew those troublesome people were hard to deal with, and for such a silent resolution, Jiang Chengyuan must have put in significant effort. How could the initial 5 million be enough?

Jiang Chengyuan nodded and accepted it. He was in the business of getting things done for money, so he wasn’t going to haggle over personal feelings with Jiang Wenxing.

Jiang Wenxing then handed over a contract and a pen, saying, “This is a share worth a million. Although it’s not much now, Yuanyang is about to go public. Once it does, it’ll be worth much more.”

Jiang Chengyuan was surprised and raised an eyebrow, “What you’ve already given me for my work is enough.”

Jiang Wenxing smiled indifferently, “We’re looking for a long-term collaboration. Lawyer Jiang, you have done so much for Wansheng, we should show some sincerity.”

Jiang Chengyuan picked up the contract and looked it over, confirming there were no traps, the terms were clear and legitimate. However, he put it down, “I can’t accept something for nothing. What do you want me to do, Mr. Jiang?”

Jiang Wenxing maintained his smile, but his eyes changed slightly. The wine he’d drunk made his face flush. “I know you recently took in an omega,” he clapped his hands, and the door to the private room opened. Five people, three boys and two girls, all exquisitely beautiful with collars indicating they hadn’t been marked yet, were led in. “I’d like to make a trade.”

Jiang Chengyuan didn’t look at them, instead, he gazed at Jiang Wenxing without any expression. He didn’t expect it to involve Xiao Zhou, and vaguely recalled seeing Xiao Zhou get out of this person’s car that day. His mouth tightened. If someone familiar saw him now, they would know he was not pleased.

Jiang Wenxing, unaware, assumed Jiang Chengyuan was considering the offer, “You don’t need to choose, five for one, plus all the money and shares, you won’t be at a loss.”

Jiang Chengyuan averted his gaze, reaching for the red wine on the table, “Five for one? Mr. Jiang, you’re generous. May I ask why?”

Jiang Wenxing, thinking there was hope since Jiang Chengyuan hadn’t outright refused, paused briefly and said, “Lawyer Jiang may not know, but Xiao Zhou and I are old friends. We’ve known each other for over ten years.”

Jiang Chengyuan sipped his wine, looking at him over the rim of the glass, “Oh? I didn’t know that.”

Jiang Wenxing leaned back a bit, “He had some troubles later on, and I couldn’t help him then. Meeting again this time is fate; I should help him out.”

“Mr. Jiang, you want to lend a hand. Very loyal,” Jiang Chengyuan chuckled, holding his wine glass, “But he’s already mine. If you take him away, someone else will have to mark him.”

Jiang Wenxing’s face reddened a bit, he coughed lightly, “Yes, according to the requirements of the Clemency Court, he needs an alpha to look after him.”

Seeing Jiang Wenxing’s stance, Jiang Chengyuan’s gaze turned cold, “So who are you planning to find?”

Jiang Wenxing said, “Actually, my relationship with him was quite good before, there are feelings involved. Lawyer Jiang, you don’t need to worry about that.”

Jiang Chengyuan nodded, “So you are helping to the extent of offering yourself, selfless and admirable.”

His words were full of sarcasm, and Jiang Wenxing heard it, “It’s best if such matters are mutual. Xiao Zhou and I have a friendship of over ten years; the feelings are different.”

“Xiao Zhou?” Jiang Chengyuan laughed mockingly, “Did you ask him?”

Jiang Wenxing hesitated briefly, then nodded, “He thinks so too.”

Jiang Chengyuan placed his wine glass heavily on the table, the force causing the slender stem to snap, spilling the remaining wine.

Jiang Wenxing’s expression turned cold, thinking Jiang Chengyuan was about to get angry.

But Jiang Chengyuan simply wiped the wine off his hand with a white towel and said coldly, “Don’t make me out to be the bad guy breaking up a couple. If you have already discussed it with him privately, I have no objections. I’ll consider it a favor.”

Jiang Wenxing was stunned, not expecting him to agree so easily.

Jiang Chengyuan stood up, smiled slightly, “Sorry, I need to go to the bathroom.” He then left the private room.

Once he turned away, his smile vanished. He walked down the corridor, faster and faster, his face tightening like an impenetrable wall. Turning a corner into a dead end with only a storage room, he stopped, leaned against the wall, his jaw clenched, the veins on his forehead throbbing.

He pulled out his phone, quickly dialed a number, and it connected within seconds. Hearing the familiar voice, Jiang Chengyuan didn’t speak immediately, just breathed heavily. The voice on the other end sounded puzzled, “What’s wrong, why aren’t you saying anything?”

Jiang Chengyuan closed his eyes, a malicious thought suddenly surfacing. He loosened his collar, his voice deliberately lowered, sounding hoarse and urgent, “Are you at home now?”

The person on the other end hesitated, then Jiang Chengyuan heard some rustling sounds, followed by a long pause before they responded, “Yes, are you okay? You sound a bit off.”

Jiang Chengyuan continued breathing heavily, as if suppressing something, “Huacheng Hotel, third floor. Come here.”

Xiao Zhou was completely nervous, “What’s wrong?”

Jiang Chengyuan replied, “There’s an omega here, the pheromones are too strong, I’m not feeling well.”

The other end became chaotic in an instant, the door was almost slammed shut, Xiao Zhou said, “Hold on, I’ll be right there.” He was even too impatient to wait for the elevator, his steps messy, his breathing heavy as he ran.

Jiang Chengyuan listened, the corners of his mouth curled up into a smile, a smile of satisfaction and conquest.

He only believed a bit of what Jiang Wenxing had said, like the fact that Jiang Wenxing and Xiao Zhou had known each other for over ten years and were very good friends. As for whether Xiao Zhou really wanted to change partners as Jiang Wenxing claimed, Jiang Chengyuan didn’t fully believe it. But hearing it initially did shake him a bit, which was unlike him. How could he doubt Xiao Zhou over a few words from someone else? Perhaps what Jiang Wenxing said struck his greatest fear, hitting his soft spot precisely.

Worried that something might happen to Jiang Chengyuan, Xiao Zhou had rushed over as fast as he could, driving Jiang Chengyuan’s fastest sports car, its flamboyant gold-red shell attracting envious looks as it sped through the streets.

He reached the third floor, panting, calling Jiang Chengyuan while running down the corridor, paying attention to any sounds around. He heard a phone ring, and before he could pinpoint its location, someone grabbed his wrist, hugged him from behind, and pushed him into the restroom.

With a bang, the door closed. He was pinned against it and kissed. The person pressed up against him, biting his lips and neck, caressing and touching him, their body burning hot like a fireball.

Xiao Zhou tilted his head back, still catching his breath, his chest rising and falling rapidly. As soon as his mouth was blocked, he felt like he was suffocating, only able to whimper and struggle free, which clearly displeased the other person, who moved from his lips to bite his face hard.

Xiao Zhou raised his hand to embrace the person, one hand running through Jiang Chengyuan’s hair, whispering, “I’m not too late, am I?”

Jiang Chengyuan was amused by his words, stopping his biting, moving up to nuzzle his earlobe, “You’re late. What do you think might have happened to me?”

Xiao Zhou’s eyes were slightly red, his face flushed from running over, a thin layer of sweat on his neck, “I don’t know, as long as you’re okay.”

These words softened Jiang Chengyuan’s heart. He lightened his touch, pecking Xiao Zhou’s face, licking away the sweat, tasting a bit of saltiness.

Xiao Zhou rested his head on Jiang Chengyuan’s shoulder, breathing heavily. The scent of tequila on Jiang Chengyuan quickly filled the enclosed space, making his heartbeat and blood flow faster, his legs feeling weak. He clung to Jiang Chengyuan’s clothes, holding onto him like a koala to a tree. He lightly sniffed, catching Jiang Chengyuan’s scent, “Luckily, it’s not as bad as last time.”

Jiang Chengyuan reached out to touch the gland on Xiao Zhou’s neck, a very sensitive spot. As soon as he touched it, Xiao Zhou shuddered and instinctively retreated, but with the door behind him, there was nowhere to hide. Jiang Chengyuan coaxed him softly, “Why can’t I smell your scent?”

Xiao Zhou’s fingers tightened, breathing rapidly and nervously. His gland was pressed with just the right pressure, feeling the slight roughness of Jiang Chengyuan’s fingertip calluses, “If you’re feeling better, can we go home?” He spoke uneasily, his voice carrying a hint of pleading. Outside, the bustling restaurant was filled with chatter, heard even through the door.

“Can’t you help me?” Jiang Chengyuan gently refused him. “I feel really uncomfortable, can you help me?”

Xiao Zhou frowned, looking at Jiang Chengyuan with clear reluctance. But after a moment of eye contact, he reluctantly gave in, slowly relaxing his body, accepting the alpha’s pheromones, exposing his neck as if offering it to a cold blade.

Satisfied to smell the familiar scent, Jiang Chengyuan slowly covered Xiao Zhou’s gland with his lips. Xiao Zhou initially tensed up, stiff as a board, but as the pheromones took effect, his eyes gradually became dazed.

Jiang Chengyuan watched him, his eyes darkening, the malicious part of him almost breaking free, wanting to swallow Xiao Zhou whole and hide him away so no one else could see him. Knowing how precious he was, how could he let anyone else take him away?

Xiao Zhou hugged him, arms around Jiang Chengyuan’s neck, eyes closed, his expression obedient and soft, kissing Jiang Chengyuan’s lips with careful tenderness, as if handling precious porcelain.

Suddenly, a string of ringtones rang out, sharp and piercing in the quiet space. Jiang Chengyuan ignored it, not even bothering to silence it.

Xiao Zhou, however, was startled by the sound, opening his eyes, reaching into Jiang Chengyuan’s pocket to find the phone, trying to turn off the music and stop the noise that was pulling him back to reality.

As soon as his hand went in, Jiang Chengyuan stopped him, sliding his hand down to cover Xiao Zhou’s, intertwining their fingers, and pinning it against the door.

Jiang Chengyuan kissed him again, quickly diverting Xiao Zhou’s attention. The ringtone continued to ring, a persistent noise, but his lost rationality had already excluded it from his consciousness.

Until footsteps approached from outside, stopping at the door. Someone called out loudly, “Jiang Chengyuan, are you in there?”

Xiao Zhou’s eyes widened in shock, his back stiffened with fear, and the sound he was about to make got stuck in his throat, silencing him.

Jiang Chengyuan blocked his mouth with a kiss, lifted him up, and had him hang on his body as he walked towards the bathroom stall, unlocking the bathroom door with his other hand.

With a click, the lock opened, and Jiang Chengyuan nudged open the stall door with his shoulder, and they both slipped inside.

Jiang Wenxing waited in the private room for a long time without seeing Jiang Chengyuan return. Just as he wondered if Jiang Chengyuan had left angrily without saying goodbye, he received a message from Jiang Chengyuan asking him to come out as he wanted to discuss something.

Confused, Jiang Wenxing left the private room, looked around the hallway, saw no one, and decided to call. Following the sound of the ring, he found his way to the hotel bathroom.

The door was closed, and after calling out a couple of times with no response, he found the door locked. Yet, the ring sound was indeed coming from inside. After waiting for a while and growing increasingly annoyed, Jiang Wenxing wondered if Jiang Chengyuan was playing games with him. Just as he was about to leave, the door quietly opened a crack, releasing a strange scent.

Filled with suspicion, though finding it strange, Jiang Wenxing’s curiosity got the better of him, and he walked in.

As soon as he stepped inside, he was hit by a wave of pheromone scent, making him stagger. His alpha instincts made him highly sensitive to this scent. It was a mix of entangled pheromones, so intense that it hit his nerves like a high-voltage current, spreading a fiery sensation throughout his body.

Jiang Wenxing sniffed and accurately identified the scent in the air, sweating on his forehead, his eyes bloodshot. Just a slight tease made his body instinctively aroused.

A faint sound came from one of the closed stalls, the third one from the left. The person inside was clearly trying desperately to restrain themselves, perhaps even biting their own hands until they bled, but unable to stop, desperately leaking their own secrets.

This subtle sound, this almost imperceptible ambiguity, was far more alluring than blatant moans. Curiosity was like a scratching cat, and swelling desire was like a devouring tiger. Jiang Wenxing subconsciously loosened his pants and walked towards the stall making the sound.

The shaking door panel made it clear what was happening inside.

In such a situation, Jiang Wenxing sneered at the audacity of it. How impatient could one be?

Stopping a couple of steps away, he heard someone inside tremble and say, “…Did someone come in?”

The familiar voice made Jiang Wenxing freeze.

“Can you do it yourself?” This was Jiang Chengyuan’s voice.

The noise inside suddenly ceased, leaving only a slight rustling sound.

…

“Do you like me?” Jiang Chengyuan asked at the final moment, as if deliberately teasing, meant for someone outside to hear.

The other person, not recognizing the teasing, hesitated and then responded earnestly, “Yes.”

Jiang Wenxing listened to the entire scene, feeling half his body burning and the other half sinking into an ice cellar. The call had lured him to hear the lies unravel on the spot, declaring ownership without any direct confrontation.

Such a malicious person, such a clever trick, without tearing faces directly, made him retreat in the most thorough way.

Jiang Wenxing stood there for a while, then realized he needed to turn and leave. But his steps felt as if they were weighed down by heavy iron balls, and his heart sank continuously.

…

Inside the stall, listening to the footsteps outside gradually fade away.

“Listen, they’re gone.” Jiang Chengyuan caressed Xiao Zhou’s face, and the outer area indeed fell silent again.

Xiao Zhou’s face had already lost its color, covered in sweat, feeling embarrassed and awkward, “He heard everything.”

“Yes,” Jiang Chengyuan smiled, “I told you not to make a sound.”

Xiao Zhou was somewhat annoyed, looking up at him, “It’s you who just…”

“I’m sorry, I couldn’t help it.” Jiang Chengyuan apologized sincerely, his long, dense eyelashes fluttering. Under the yellow ceiling light, he looked especially handsome. His genuine appearance made it hard to criticize him, as if everything he did deserved forgiveness.

Xiao Zhou looked at him and suddenly fell silent, feeling his face flush, his heartbeat racing, unable to get angry. The discomfort he felt earlier was easily swept away by Jiang Chengyuan’s sincerity.

Jiang Chengyuan hugged him and continued to fool around for a while. After they got dressed and came out, Xiao Zhou had something on his pants. He turned on the faucet, and the sound of running water was loud as he wiped with paper, leaving a wet patch that only made things more obvious.

“You seem better this time,” Xiao Zhou said while washing.

“Really?” Jiang Chengyuan, with his back to the mirror, supported himself on the sink, looking at him with a smile, seeming in a good mood.

“You used to be even scarier when you did this before.”

Jiang Chengyuan straightened up, took out a cigarette, lit it, took a puff, and then offered it to Xiao Zhou’s lips, “Maybe you’ve cured me.”