Chapter 17.2: “Learning how to serve you”
In the room, Qin Yan unbuttoned his shirt. “You go ahead and take a shower first. You’re already almost undressed.”
In the bathroom, the sound of water began, with the flow of water accompanied by Jiang Chi’s complaints: “Do you think I wanted to take it off?”
Qin Yan threw his shirt into the laundry basket and was about to say something when he looked up and saw Jiang Chi’s bare back.
Qin Yan: “……”
After water splashed onto the frosted glass in the bathroom, it surprisingly became transparent!
As the mist spread, the transparent area on the partition glass gradually expanded.
Jiang Chi didn’t know the glass was transparent and didn’t pull the shower curtain, still happily taking his shower.
Qin Yan looked around and noticed a beaded chain for the roller curtain.
But since the curtain was in the bathroom, he couldn’t pull it down without being noticed.
Jiang Chi, still unaware, was facing away from Qin Yan, rinsing the foam from his head.
Jiang Chi was indeed taking a quick shower.
Qin Yan froze for a couple of seconds before tapping on the glass.
Hearing the noise, Jiang Chi turned around and was visibly stunned when he saw Qin Yan standing there shirtless.
Qin Yan’s skin was very fair, the naturally milky white kind. His chest was covered by a thin layer of muscle, with broad shoulders and a narrow waist, his lines smooth and slender. He could totally cosplay as Yong En, the type of physique that’s popular in short videos, exuding an undeniable atmosphere.
“Is this one-way glass?” Jiang Chi walked over, reaching out to wipe the mist off the glass. “How can I see you?”
Qin Yan calmly replied, “I can see you too.”
Jiang Chi: “……”
The water droplets on the glass continued to gather, slowly sliding down, gradually revealing a narrow, lean waist, and further down, two long, toned legs.
Qin Yan’s gaze remained fixed on Jiang Chi’s face, his eyes unmoving, not looking downward following the water droplets.
He raised his hand and pointed at the beaded chain to the side, saying seriously, “There’s a roller curtain inside. You should pull it.”
Qin Yan’s expression was firm and solemn, which made Jiang Chi burst into laughter.
While pulling the curtain, Jiang Chi laughed, “Hahahaha, I know what they mean by ‘expression so firm, it’s like you’re about to join the party’… Hahahaha, what are you shy about? I’m not shy at all.”
Qin Yan remained expressionless. “Because you have thick skin.”
The white roller curtain slowly descended, blocking their faces from view, but Jiang Chi’s annoying voice still drilled into Qin Yan’s ears.
Jiang Chi laughed, “It’s a good thing I showered first. If you had been halfway through and then realized the glass was transparent, you’d probably turn into a mermaid and escape down the drain!”
Qin Yan kicked the glass, “I’ll gouge your eyeballs out and throw them into the drain!”
“Alright, alright, you can dig them out,” Jiang Chi almost laughed himself silly. “But if I can’t see anything from now on, won’t I only be able to recall the last scene I saw day and night?”
Qin Yan took a deep breath. “Jiang! Chi!”
Jiang Chi, still wrapped in a towel, pushed the door open, tilting his head to wipe his ear. “Alright, I’m not teasing you anymore. Hurry up and shower, you’ll catch a cold soon.”
Qin Yan shot Jiang Chi a glare and turned to walk into the bathroom.
Jiang Chi changed into a pair of shorts and collapsed onto the bed, playing on his phone. The game loading screen hadn’t even finished when he heard Qin Yan call him.
“Jiang Chi, come in here for a second.”
Jiang Chi tucked his phone into his pocket. “What’s up?”
The light in the bathroom was bright. Qin Yan was draped in a towel over his shoulder, sitting on the toilet lid with his bare legs covered by a pair of pants, only his calves visible below his knees.
Qin Yan asked, “What did you use to unlock the car door last time?”
Jiang Chi was taken aback. “What? What happened?”
Qin Yan’s fingers gripped the leg of his pants, the veins on the back of his hand bulging. “Come over here first.”
Jiang Chi walked over. “What’s going on? Why are you sitting here dazed? Are your legs turning into a tail, little mermaid?”
Qin Yan’s gaze was sharp as a knife, coldly staring at Jiang Chi, wishing he could transform into a giant whale and swallow the annoying Jiang Chi whole.
“It’s the clasp from the shirt clip, it got stuck after being soaked in water.”
Qin Yan lifted his pants and showed Jiang Chi the shirt clip tied to his leg. “Can you fix it?”
With a loud ‘boom!’, the sky shook, and the stone cracked.
Jiang Chi’s breath hitched slightly, feeling something explode in his mind.
The black shirt clip on Qin Yan’s pale skin stood out sharply, the contrast of black and white creating a strong visual impact that directly stimulated Jiang Chi’s retina.
Qin Yan’s leg muscles were well-proportioned, the lines smooth, making Jiang Chi’s eyes hurt just from looking.
The shirt clip was so out of place. It was something that seemed perfectly normal when worn by him, but on Qin Yan, it had an inexplicable sense of restraint.
Earlier, the faint imprint of it had shown through the pants, and Jiang Chi had been too embarrassed to look, let alone now, when it was clearly displayed right in front of him.
Jiang Chi’s expression was blank, completely different from the firm demeanor he had when interacting with the girls by the pool earlier.
Just like how women stare at beautiful women, men are also attracted to the bodies of other men; it’s the most primal form of attraction that comes from deep within the blood.
Jiang Chi’s gaze flickered. Rationality told him to stop staring, but his eyes just wouldn’t obey, glued to Qin Yan’s body, unable to look away.
Seeing that Jiang Chi was looking so intently, Qin Yan thought the other person was studying how to unlock the clip, and didn’t rush him.
Was this clasp really that hard to fix? It was even more difficult than a Lamborghini door.
After a while, Qin Yan’s patience ran out. “Why don’t you ask the waiter for scissors, cutting it off would work too.”
Jiang Chi snapped back to his senses. “No need.”
He looked around, searching for a suitable tool. Finally, he settled on a disposable comb from the sink. He broke off a comb tooth, half-squatting in front of Qin Yan, and inserted it into the clasp.
With a soft click, the shirt clip that had been taut on Qin Yan’s leg sprang open with a ‘thud’ and fell to the ground.
Jiang Chi picked up the shirt clip.
The black felt was still damp, as if it retained body heat, and it felt uncomfortably hot to the touch.
“Alright, I’ll try to fix it later,” Jiang Chi said.
Qin Yan turned his back to Jiang Chi and walked toward the shower, casually saying, “Throw it away. Didn’t you say no one wears this when going out to sea?”
Jiang Chi’s mind short-circuited, and he blurted out, “You look pretty good wearing it.”
Qin Yan pulled the shower curtain closed, and the sound of water came from behind it. “Mm, after fixing the shirt, it makes the clothes look more proper.”
Jiang Chi stepped out of the bathroom, mumbling under his breath, “That’s not what I meant.”
The sound of water splashing was loud in Qin Yan’s ears as he was showering, so he didn’t hear what Jiang Chi had said. He raised his voice to ask, “What did you say?”
Jiang Chi flopped back onto the bed, fiddling with the shirt clip in his hand, and answered, “I said you look handsome in a shirt!”
Qin Yan seemed to chuckle, his voice muffled as he responded, “You’re handsome too.”
…
Half an hour later, after everyone had calmed down, the group resumed their activities.
Hong Zixiao, who was closest to Jiang Chi, had just come out of his room. He turned around and wandered in front of Jiang Chi’s door, pretending to be a service staff member and knocked on the door.
“Clean the room.”
Jiang Chi coldly ordered, “Hong Zixiao, go play by yourself.”
Hong Zixiao knocked like he was trying to summon a soul. “No, no, I want to play with you guys. Open the door quickly.”
The door opened.
“Why did it take so long…?”
Before he could finish his sentence, Hong Zixiao suddenly realized that the person who opened the door was Qin Yan.
Their eyes met. Qin Yan’s face was expressionless, as cold as a jade statue of a fierce god.
Hong Zixiao’s hair stood on end, and the words of complaint he had been about to say got stuck in his throat. He subconsciously said, “Thank you.”
Jiang Chi: “??”
Qin Yan’s face—Hong Zixiao had seen it up close several times, but each time, he still found himself subconsciously staring, never developing the immunity to his striking looks that he should have.
We’re all just human beings, with two eyes and one nose. How is it that this person can look so good?
No wonder the flirtatious and fickle Jiang Chi had been willing to turn over a new leaf for him.
Hong Zixiao, holding a Häagen-Dazs in his hand, asked blankly, “Want some ice cream?”
Qin Yan’s gaze casually fell on the Häagen-Dazs in Hong Zixiao’s hand.
Hong Zixiao’s heart skipped a beat. Proudly, he lifted the ice cream slightly, “I haven’t eaten it yet, it’s a new one.”
Jiang Chi, watching the scene, scoffed lightly, “You’ve matured.”
Qin Yan didn’t hold back, taking the Häagen-Dazs from Hong Zixiao’s hand and turning to go back to his room, handing it to Jiang Chi.
Jiang Chi took the ice cream, casually unwrapped the packaging, inserted the spoon, and then handed it back to Qin Yan.
Hong Zixiao also scoffed, “You’ve matured.”
Jiang Chi waved his hand, “Close the door, mosquitoes are coming in.”
Hong Zixiao quickly pushed the door shut.
Several hours passed, and Qin Yan’s neck had turned a deep red, like he had a rash, with a noticeable swollen bump in the middle.
At this point, anyone who saw it wouldn’t mistake it for a love bite.
Hong Zixiao was shocked, “Damn, you’re really allergic like this?”
Jiang Chi glanced over, unfazed, “I told you he’s allergic. Did you think I was joking?”
At first, Qin Yan hadn’t noticed the condition of his neck, but when Hong Zixiao mentioned it, he felt the pain, itchiness, and intense heat in the area, and instinctively reached up to scratch it.
Jiang Chi and Hong Zixiao both shouted in unison, “Don’t scratch!”
Qin Yan was startled and quickly retracted his hand, placing the ice cream box on the side of his neck to ice it.
Hong Zixiao got an ice pack from the front desk. “There should be plenty of mosquitoes on the boat. You’re in for a rough time.”
Jiang Chi pointed to the mosquito repellent, and Qin Yan went to the bathroom to spray it.
Hong Zixiao withdrew his gaze and quietly said to Jiang Chi, “I don’t know why, but when I made eye contact with him just now, I felt short of breath, dizzy, and my legs went weak. It was like there was some kind of bloodline suppression. Didn’t you feel it?”
Jiang Chi glanced in the direction of the bathroom. “What nonsense are you talking? He’s just a bit introverted, doesn’t like to talk, looks aloof, but actually, he’s easy to get along with.”
Hong Zixiao nudged Jiang Chi. “Don’t you think he looks terrifyingly beautiful? Like…”
Before he could finish, a commotion outside the door was heard.
“Zixiao went to find Brother Jiang, why hasn’t he come out yet?”
“Where’s Jiang Chi’s room?”
“I’ll check… 8302.”
“8302, 8302, here, here, knocking on the door.”
Knock knock knock.
“What’s going on, you three? Locking the door and not coming out to play.”
“Second Young Master Jiang, open the door!”
“Open the door, open the door!”
Qin Yan, after finishing spraying mosquito repellent, came out of the bathroom and casually opened the door.
Under Qin Yan’s cold gaze, the seven or eight people gathered at the door immediately fell silent, as if their throats had been squeezed shut, unable to speak, frozen in place.
Qin Yan’s expression was mild but cold, like a curved knife.
The moment their eyes met, it felt as if they had been struck by a spell—unable to move, their thoughts stagnating.
Hong Zixiao rested his hands on the windowsill, glanced at Jiang Chi, and muttered, “Looks like it’s not just me.”
Jiang Chi: “…”
Qin Yan stepped aside, gesturing toward the hallway. “Please come in.”
Only when Qin Yan invited them inside did the tense, frozen atmosphere lift.
The still air began to flow again.
“Oh, come in, come in.”
The group entered one by one, walking into the room.
Everyone was being very cautious, subconsciously avoiding any physical contact with Qin Yan, lining up like they were in a museum—never this organized before.
Although the room on the cruise ship wasn’t small, it felt cramped with so many people entering at once.
After entering, no one spoke. They all stood there like they were called into the headmaster’s office, exchanging awkward glances, unsure of what they had done wrong. It was strange how they felt a little guilty, and the earlier boldness and laughter from the hallway had completely vanished.
Jiang Chi was a little confused: “What are you all doing here? It’s so late, and you still want to play? I was about to go to sleep.”
Qin Yan glanced at Jiang Chi, his tone calm: “Jiang Chi is preparing to rest.”
The group quickly apologized, barely standing still before they began heading back out. “Oh, oh, oh, sorry!”
Hong Zixiao glanced at Qin Yan subtly, thinking to himself, ‘How is this person so strange?’
Not only could he make the playboy Jiang Chi calm down, but he also had this bizarre aura. Even his words had power—when he said “please come in,” it made a group of fearless rich second-generation obey without hesitation.
A group of spoiled brats suddenly became too timid to even breathe.
Hong Zixiao muttered to himself, “I’ve never seen this happen with my dad. What exactly is going on here?”
This Ji Yu, really, he’s terrifying!
The group dared not make a scene in Jiang Chi’s room, so they went to the bar to hang out instead.
Jiang Chi wanted to work on some design sketches. He found that his creativity flowed better late at night, and he was a night owl.
Qin Yan, however, had a very regular schedule. After everyone left, he quickly fell asleep.
Two hours later, the group returned from the bar and began discussing what to do next in their group chat.
The message from the WeChat group pinged, and Jiang Chi hurriedly silenced his phone, but Qin Yan beside him still woke up.
The room was very quiet, with only the sound of the central air conditioning vent filling the space.
The curtains were drawn, and the main light was off, leaving only a small nightlight on.
Qin Yan turned over: “What time is it?”
Jiang Chi leaned back against the headboard, not under the covers, with one long leg bent as he played on his phone: “Did I disturb you?”
Qin Yan shook his head, still not fully awake and not in the mood to talk. He pulled out his constantly vibrating phone from under his pillow and tossed it to Jiang Chi.
“It’s a group message,” Jiang Chi said as he silenced Qin Yan’s phone. “Hong Zixiao added you to our childhood friend group. They’re discussing what to do tonight. We’re about to reach international waters.”
After hearing Jiang Chi’s update, Qin Yan determined there was nothing he needed to handle, so he buried his head under the covers and tiredly closed his eyes.
The white silk duvet only showed a small patch of the back of his head, and if you didn’t look carefully, you wouldn’t even notice someone was lying under the blanket.
When Qin Yan didn’t seem inclined to keep playing, Jiang Chi turned off the nightlight and lay down as well.
Jiang Chi: “I’ll tell them we’re going to sleep.”
Qin Yan stretched his hand out from under the silk duvet and patted Jiang Chi on the shoulder.
Actions always speak louder than words and convey richer meanings. With that simple gesture, Jiang Chi understood multiple messages—‘I approve,’ ‘You handled it well,’ ‘Let’s leave it at that.’
Why could Jiang Chi understand so quickly? It was simple—because when his dog brought back the ball, he would also pat his dog like that!
Jiang Chi grabbed Qin Yan’s wrist: “Good job, huh? I serve you like I’m waiting on a queen every day, and you treat me like a dog. Where’s your conscience?”
After turning off the light, Qin Yan’s sleepiness faded, and he finally spoke, drawing a big picture for Jiang Chi: “I’m learning too, learning how to serve you.”
Qin Yan had just woken up, and his voice was a little hoarse, still carrying a seductive tone that easily won Jiang Chi’s forgiveness.
Jiang Chi was fed with the big picture and hummed lightly: “I’ll give it to you, you have a conscience.”
“I don’t have a conscience,” Qin Yan withdrew his hand from under the blanket, confirming that his whole body was protected by the silk duvet’s shield, before saying, “My conscience has been eaten by you.”
Jiang Chi: “?!”
This guy! He really forgave him too soon!
Jiang Chi suddenly flipped over, straddling Qin Yan, but then realized that Qin Yan had completely hidden under the blanket, leaving him nowhere to grab.
Clever Qin Yan!!!
Jiang Chi coldly leaned down, his voice as low as the King of Hell: “Are you coming out yourself, or should I lift the blanket?”
Qin Yan couldn’t stop laughing: “The rule is that the blanket can’t be lifted.”
Jiang Chi dragged Qin Yan out from under the blanket, pressing both hands on his shoulders, like a big wolf pouncing on the bed.
He asked Qin Yan: “Where did this rule come from?”
Qin Yan’s mind spun quickly. Without bringing up Jiang Chi’s “blanket barrier” theory, he fired back, “Michel Decord, French author, The Social Rules of Mankind, published in 1977, Chapter 3, Section 2: ‘The struggle of humanity persists throughout the development of class society. This is the ultimate cause and great driving force behind all historical events. But we must remember, when one party lays down their sword and retreats into their blanket, a compassionate gentleman should choose forgiveness, not ruthless pursuit. This is an unbreakable iron law.’”
Jiang Chi was half-convinced and let go, reaching for his phone: “Michel what?”
“Michel Decord, The Social Rules of Mankind. Look it up if you don’t believe me.”
Qin Yan pushed Jiang Chi off him: “You go ahead and check. I’m going to sleep.”
Jiang Chi hesitated for a second, then opened his search app.
In the darkness, his brow furrowed, his face lit by the white glow of his screen.
Half an hour later.
Jiang Chi shook the already-sleeping Qin Yan awake and roared, “Ji Yu!!! You tricked me again! That quote isn’t anywhere in Chapter 3! You totally made it up, didn’t you?!”
Qin Yan stirred from his sleep, nearly shaken apart by Jiang Chi. Still half-asleep, he mumbled, “Maybe Chapter 4?”
Jiang Chi loomed over him in silence, staring down.
Qin Yan held Jiang Chi’s gaze for seven seconds before guiltily looking away: “Okay, I made it up.”
Jiang Chi: “!!!!!!!”
