Chapter 15

Xu Ye didn't respond. He stared at the milk in front of him, unconsciously recalling the glass on the tea table in Room 8 of Han Guan. That night, he had been held in Chu Yu's arms, both of them bare, sharing many conversations as equals. He had pressed his head against the man's chest, listening to the steady and powerful rhythm of his heartbeat, inhaling the refreshing scent that clung to him, and feeling the warmth of the man's embrace...

Memories surged like a flood, washing away every detail he had intended to forget with crystal clarity. 

They had only met twice; it was merely a relationship between a dom and a sub, merely driven by desire. 

But why, in every moment of distraction over these four days, did he think of him? 

His hands, his eyes, the way he wielded a whip, the sound of his voice whispered in his ear... Everything felt like a torrential wave drowning him. The restlessness in his heart grew stronger, and he didn't even know whether his frustration was directed at that person or himself.

In annoyance, Xu Ye slammed the glass of milk down on the floor, shattering it into pieces. The flying shards of glass attracted many gazes, causing the brown-haired MB sitting next to him to gasp in surprise. The bar manager rushed over at the sound and slapped the brown-haired MB across the face, repeatedly apologizing.

Liu Jing chuckled, stepping in to diffuse the situation. "Alright, let's clean this up. Xu Shao's in a bad mood today; bring in a few lively boys to attend to him."

"No need; I'm not interested." Xu Ye frowned and took a sip of the drink on the table.

"Your health just recovered; don't overdo it again." Liu Jing waved his hand, signaling everyone in the room to leave, except for an MB named Lin, who brewed a pot of flower tea for them.

Lin was Liu Jing's dedicated MB, so his name wasn't on the roster, and he didn't take on other clients. This arrangement would last until Liu Jing decided to end the relationship. Lin was 29 years old, older than most MBs, but Liu Jing appreciated his understanding of boundaries, his gentle manners, and his obedience in bed, so he hadn't suggested a replacement.

After Lin set down two cups of tea, he quietly exited the room.

"What's bothering you so much?" Liu Jing asked, then added, "If you don't want to talk about it, that's fine. I can sit with you for a while, and we can chat about something else."

"I'm a pure sub," Xu Ye suddenly blurted out.

"I know, which is why I used my connections to get you that ticket into the circle." He paused before continuing, "The way you seek pleasure is different; why should you care what others think?"

"I don't care about that." Xu Ye's gaze seemed distant. "I found a suitable dom. He's powerful yet gentle, with great skills that can bring me pleasure and satisfaction…"

Liu Jing was taken aback. "If everything is good, what's there to be unhappy about?"

"Once our identities are laid bare, I can't continue." 

"Who is he? Some punk or a gigolo?" 

Xu Ye didn't respond, simply fiddling with the lighter in his hand. Liu Jing knew he didn't want to talk, so he patted his shoulder. "This is a mutual arrangement. Since you know he's not right for you, just let him go and find someone else. Skilled doms may be rare, but they aren't nonexistent. Why hang yourself on one tree?"

Xu Ye rested his head on his hand, silent for a moment, then suddenly laughed. "Your motivational skills are surprisingly on point."

Seeing him joke, Liu Jing knew he had turned a corner, so he chatted aimlessly for a while until they wrapped up their conversation.

The next morning, Xu Ye went to the company early to tackle the backlog of work that had piled up during his sick leave, keeping himself busy. Then, around 8 PM on Saturday, he showed up at the club.

There were many subs in the club. Due to the numerical difference between the two groups and the various ways individuals experienced pleasure, some subs would occasionally present themselves as doms, meaning they were versatile and moved between the two categories.

Xu Ye did not appear weak, so many people approached him as if he were a dom or a non-pure sub, but unfortunately, he was a pure sub and had to politely decline their group invitations. He had tried the dom role before but realized it did not provide the relief he sought. Therefore, his goal was to find a pure dom.

Compared to his initial anxiety and nervousness on his first visit, he felt much calmer this time. He found a spacious spot by the window to sit, conversing with those who approached him to gather the information he needed. At the same time, his gaze scanned the crowd, searching for a suitable target.

The criteria he set were simple: the appearance should be acceptable, the height should not be shorter than his own, the gaze should not be overly lecherous, and ideally, the person should not currently have a sub... Xu Ye evaluated these requirements one by one and found that it was quite challenging to find a suitable dom. Just when he felt disappointed, his eyes froze at the sight of several people entering through the door. Instinctively, he raised a hand to shield his face.

The five people who entered together were all those he had seen on the circular sofa last time. He had even specifically inquired about their names just moments ago.

Walking on the far left was Marvin, recognized in the community for his technical skills and nicknamed "The Lion." His whip techniques were quite famous. Today, he was accompanied by a new slave, who appeared young and obedient.

Next to him was a man around thirty-five years old, known as "The Pharaoh." He was an elder in the club, not one for many words, but highly respected. It was said that his binding techniques could leave subs entranced, and he occasionally gave public lessons and guidance. This time, his slave was not wearing any gear, revealing his entire face. To Xu Ye's surprise, this slave was a tall man wearing glasses, resembling a senior executive from a financial institution.

On the right were two individuals who had taken on the names from the cartoon "Tom and Jerry." They were a fixed couple, able to switch freely between dom and sub, and rarely took on other slaves.

In the center was a man wearing a black feather mask, referred to as "The Count." He was the second young master of the Chu family and the owner of the club. He was the rule-maker and stood at the pinnacle of the entire circle. He was a dom strong enough to be utterly compelling, possessing skills that could captivate anyone.

Such a group of people was always popular; their appearance drew everyone's attention, except for Xu Ye, who nervously lowered his head to avoid them. He didn't know what he was hiding from; he just didn't want any eye contact with that Count.

He overheard whispers around him.

"Did you hear? The Count took a slave a few days ago, and they split up so quickly?" 

"Rumor, I think. The Count hasn't taken anyone in a long time." 

"Who would dare spread rumors? A year ago, a red-haired kid kept claiming he was the Count's person. Do you know how badly he ended up?" 

"Are you talking about that guy named Vick?" one asked, pondering.

"Yeah, Vick. One night, he sneaked into the Count's private room while the Count was drunk. I don't know how he got the elevator card… Anyway, the next morning, he begged the Count to be his dom, but the Count refused. For a while, he didn't show up at the club, and this Vick acted like a big shot, claiming he was the Count's man, demanding a special room, and beat up a member he had a grudge against, sending them to the hospital." The gossip had all the details.

"Damn, that took guts," one said in astonishment. "How could the Count let that slide?"

"Of course not," the other said, shaking his highball glass. "I remember that night. The Count had someone tie Vick up in the middle of the venue and brought out a long whip. That guy panicked and begged for mercy. The Count said one line…" He paused dramatically, teasing the others until they urged him to continue. "He said, 'If you can still stand after five lashes, I'll let you go.' Then he raised the whip and struck. The scene was something else… Vick's chest was bloodied, and after the fourth lash, he passed out. He was sent for emergency treatment, and after that, he was expelled. I haven't seen him since."

"Goodness!" someone exclaimed, shocked. "The bloody whip displayed in the showcase must be the one he used!"

"Yeah, that's the one. He had them put it there. After that, nobody dared to act recklessly in the club."

"Word has it that the Count took a newbie a week before last. I saw him coming down from upstairs on Saturday night before last. He was alone, but his mask was off."

"Looks like it's true," another said, eyes widening. "They say the Count only plays one-on-one; once he has a fixed sub, he takes off the mask, indicating to others that he's unavailable. I wonder who that fool is who got lucky and then flipped the boat." 

Xu Ye was taken aback, realizing that Chu Yu wearing a mask in the club was merely a sign indicating he was in a single phase without a sub. This meant that after Xu Ye left the previous Saturday, he actually took off his mask, announcing to others that he had a sub. And the fact that he had kept it on in front of Xu Ye was perhaps to avoid scaring him once he learned his identity. Xu Ye couldn't help but chuckle bitterly. No matter how intricate the mask was, it would eventually come off. He was from the Chu family, and that was unchangeable.

At this moment, one of them said sheepishly, "Yeah, all the subs want to find a dom like that—wealthy and skilled. It's a pity his standards are too high; he wouldn't even look at a sparrow, let alone us."

"Look over there; that sparrow is trying to seduce him again," one pointed out, laughing. "How many times is this now? He really is tenacious and keeps trying."

"Hey, is he about to succeed?" another exclaimed in surprise. "The Count isn't actually going to take him in, is he?"

Xu Ye followed their gaze. Next to the exclusive sofa reserved for high-ranking members, a handsome man draped in a thin veil stood before Chu Yu, his phoenix-like eyes smiling enticingly. Chu Yu extended his hand, and the man obediently knelt down, resting his face against Chu Yu's palm, gently rubbing against it. Chu Yu's hand brushed over his cheek, lifted his chin, and caressed his neck, while the man called "Sparrow" submitted completely to his touch.

The scene weighed heavily on Xu Ye's chest, like a large stone pressing down. Suddenly, he stood up and walked through the crowd towards the terrace.