It was a cheap hotel room so small that turning around was a struggle.

Because of the harbor city’s notoriously rainy weather, the wallpaper had warped and peeled over the years from the constant moisture, exposing large patches of moldy black concrete. Even the air was thick with a lingering smell of mildew.

Shen Yanzhou sat on the iron bed frame covered with pink sheets, his expression even worse than when he had faced Huo Tian in the basement earlier.

Just thinking about how countless uncouth men had lain on this bed before him, perhaps even leaving behind dried traces of unknown bodily fluids, gave him goosebumps all over. Even though the bedding had been freshly changed, he still felt completely uncomfortable.

And besides

He pressed his legs together tightly, his brow furrowing slightly.

Down there, it was still a bit uncomfortable.

Although he had cleaned up in the morning, a full day of running around combined with the tense confrontation just now brought back a persistent sticky feeling, making him restless.

Shen Yanzhou looked at the old fashioned water heater nearby that looked like it could explode at any moment, his brow wrinkling with worry.

Forget it, he might as well give it a try.

Using just two fingers, he disdainfully twisted open the rusty faucet, which was wrapped in plumbing tape.

The water pipe let out a strange sputtering sound, and then the showerhead, half clogged with limescale, sprayed a burst of yellowish water that splashed all over him.

Shen Yanzhou closed his eyes, telling himself to endure it.

As the freezing water droplets hit his pampered skin, he shivered from the cold. His bare feet stepped onto the slippery, slick floor, making his toes curl tightly without him even realizing it.

It was absolute torture.

He could only do his best to stand on his tiptoes and curl his body inward, minimizing his contact with the filthy space.

Under the dim, flickering light bulb, his pampered skin, which looked like fine white jade, appeared blindingly pale in this dark, grimy room.

The water temperature slowly warmed up, but it became highly unstable, at one moment scalding his skin red and the next freezing him to the bone.

Enduring this alternating torture of fire and ice, Shen Yanzhou still had to painfully raise his incredibly sore arms to reach the high showerhead, attempting to wash the dust out of his hair.

Taking this shower was truly exhausting.

If that bad dog hadn’t gone crazy last night, he wouldn’t be in this state.

In his mind, Shen Yanzhou cursed Sanqianwan hundreds of times. Putting a little weight on the hand supporting him against the wall, he tried to change his posture to rinse his back.

Right then, his foot slipped, and he instantly lost his balance.

With a dull thud, Shen Yanzhou waved his arms fruitlessly in the air like a swan with broken wings. His fingertips only managed to scrape against the slimy grime on the wall before he fell heavily to the floor.

His knees struck the hard, dirty mosaic tiles first. The piercing pain made his vision go dark for a second, and physical tears instantly welled up in his eyes. As he hit the ground, he instinctively braced himself with his elbows.

He ended up sprawling stark naked on the floor.

His waist caved in from the sharp pain and weakness, which instead caused his naturally full, round hips, covered in the dark bruises and bite marks left from last night’s passion, to stick high up in the air.

Above his head, the showerhead tirelessly kept spraying water that fluctuated between hot and cold.

The stream wound down the beautiful curve of his spine, pooling in the small of his back before dividing to slide over his trembling hips and into

It was a scene both intensely sensual and utterly pitiful.

Ugh, Shen Yanzhou bit his lower lip in pain, trying to crawl back up, but the moment he put pressure on his knees, they slipped against the tiles.

He hadn’t been this disheveled in a very long time.

Right then, hearing the noise, Sanqianwan burst in from the room across the hall, his face filled with panic. What happened? Is it

His voice stopped dead when he caught sight of Shen Yanzhou’s current state.

His gaze locked directly onto that maddeningly slender waist twisting in pain, and below that

The man clearly saw that the place he had thoroughly tormented last night was now covered in glistening water droplets, looking as if it were waiting for him to misbehave again.

A clear, heavy gulp echoed as his Adam’s apple bobbed violently.

Sensing the man’s gaze, Shen Yanzhou turned his head. His wet hair clung to his flushed cheeks, and his almond eyes, which usually looked down at people with cold arrogance, were completely red from the pain of the fall, making him look incredibly vulnerable.

What are you standing there for? Hurry up and help me up! Shen Yanzhou glared at him, trying to use his hand to cover himself behind, but the moment he reached back, his body went weak again. Nearly face planting into the dirty water, he could only support himself while whimpering, tears on the verge of falling.

This sharp reprimand trembled at the end, sounding less like a scolding and more like a cat scratching playfully at a person’s heart, causing both pain and an itch.

The man walked over to him, naturally dropping to one knee to pull the other into his arms.

Master, the water here isn’t good for you, it is too harsh. He lowered his head, his lips almost brushing against Shen Yanzhou’s wet back as his burning breath washed over the skin.

Let me wash you.

The man washed him thoroughly inside and out. While having someone else do the washing without having to lift a finger was comfortable, it wasn’t an easy experience for Shen Yanzhou.

His skin was far too sensitive, itching and flushing at the slightest touch. He was left completely breathless and weak, burying his face in his arms to hide his disheveled state from the man. Yet even though he bit his lip as hard as he could, broken whimpers kept slipping from his mouth.

After drying him off from the bath, the man carried him over to sit on the bed and reached for a nearby plastic bag, pulling out a brand new pair of pajamas. The base color was emerald green, completely covered in oily red peonies interspersed with a few golden phoenixes.

It was intensely bright red and green, incredibly tacky, and utterly vulgar.

Shen Yanzhou took just one look, his beautiful eyes instantly widening as he leaned back in pure disgust.

What on earth is this garbage?! The finger he used to point at the bundle of colorful fabric was shaking. Are you blind? You don’t actually expect me to wear this, do you?

The clothing shop downstairs was closed, and only the street stalls were left, and this was the only piece they had. The man spread his hands helplessly.

Shen Yanzhou glanced at the damp, custom tailored shirt hanging over the chair, which was obviously impossible to sleep in. Looking back at the garish pajamas in the man’s hands, he could only resign himself to his fate and nod.

Fine.

Once he put them on, Sanqianwan finally understood why people said that truly attractive individuals looked good even in a burlap sack. This extremely tacky combination of bright red and green would be a disaster on anyone else, but paired with Shen Yanzhou’s cold, noble face, the gaudy, wealthy looking flowers made him look like a young master who had been dragged off by force to be a bandit chief’s bride, appearing both innocent and alluring.

Ha, the man looked at him and let out a low chuckle.

What are you laughing at? Shen Yanzhou glared at him.

Nothing.

You’re still laughing? Shen Yanzhou pinched the flesh of the man’s cheek and yanked it outward.

Ow, it hurts. Sanqianwan played along completely, pretending to be in pain, and took the opportunity to grab Shen Yanzhou’s mischievous hand. He brought the flushed hand up to his lips, wanting to kiss it but not quite touching it.

I’ll stop laughing, don’t be mad.

Enough, I want to sleep!

Alright. The man laid him down on the bed and wrapped him up tightly in the blanket, leaving only his palm sized, rosy white face exposed. He looked just like a soft, freshly steamed glutinous rice ball tucked into a plush duvet, making it impossible not to want to take a bite out of him.

Why haven’t you left yet? Shen Yanzhou kept a wary eye on the tall figure standing by the bedside who showed no intention of moving.

The man first walked over to the door to inspect the latch, then moved over to the drafty window, his expression growing increasingly serious.

What’s wrong? The way he was acting made Shen Yanzhou feel uneasy, and he couldn’t help but peek half his head out from under the covers. Did something happen?

Well, Master. The man hesitated.

When you’re sleeping, if you hear any squeaking or scratching sounds coming from under the bed, whatever you do, don’t look down.

What do you mean? What squeaking sounds? Shen Yanzhou frowned.

It’s nothing really.

It’s just that there are quite a few rats here in the Kowloon Walled City. And the rats here are different from the ones outside. They grew up eating rotting meat, so they’re as big as cats. Their eyes are pitch black, and they aren’t afraid of humans at all.

As he spoke, he used his hands to gesture an exaggerated size, his eyes dark and eerie.

They love crawling into warm blankets like this, especially when they catch the scent of a human. They’ll climb right up the bedposts. If they catch someone asleep, they might bite an ear or

Stop it! Shen Yanzhou pulled the blanket tighter around himself, even imagining he could already hear faint rustling sounds coming from under the bed.

He was a bit afraid of disgusting things like that.

Well, you aren’t allowed to leave. Shen Yanzhou stuck a hand out from the blanket, pointing at the bastard who was scaring him. You stay right here!

A flash of amusement passed through the man’s eyes, though his face looked troubled. But Master, there’s only one bed in this room

Who said you could get on the bed?!

Shen Yanzhou pointed at the floor. You sleep on the floor, right here.

Sleep on the floor, huh… The man squatted down, scraping his finger along a crack in the floorboards, and let out a sigh.

Master, I have no problem sleeping on the floor. I’m tough. But… He looked up, staring directly at Shen Yanzhou huddled in the corner of the bed. What if a rat sneaks onto the bed

Enough! Shen Yanzhou bit his lower lip, throwing his hands up in defeat as he scooted further inward. Shrinking into an even smaller ball against the cold wall, he mumbled, Get up here.

Okay. Hearing this, the man began taking off his shirt, exposing a honey skinned chest covered in the red scratches Shen Yanzhou had left the night before. Leaving only his underwear on, he slipped into the cramped covers.

Shen Yanzhou tried to keep shrinking into the corner, but the man suddenly scooped him over.

Careful, you’ll fall off.

The wall is right behind me.

Yeah, but this is an unfinished building, and there’s no telling if the walls are sturdy. The man wrapped his arms and legs around him, holding the fragrant man tightly against him without leaving a single gap.

The covers were incredibly tight and narrow, and the two of them were pressed far too close together.

So close that Shen Yanzhou could clearly feel the steady, powerful heartbeat inside the man’s chest, making his cheeks burn hot.

It’s hot… Uncomfortable, he shifted around, pushing against the man’s rock hard chest muscles. Move outward a bit, don’t press so close.

Can’t move. The man held him even tighter instead. The bed is too small.

Do you want me to massage your leg? the man asked, his hand already sliding down toward his thigh.

No need. Shen Yanzhou refused without a second thought.

But… The man’s hand didn’t stop, sliding past his thigh to the back of his knee, his fingertips gently rubbing his kneecap.

Did that fall just now hurt?

A little… I hit the bone earlier.

Let me rub it for you then.

His hand was very warm, even hot, and he massaged slowly and patiently.

That back alley doctor, Shen Yanzhou asked.

Hmm? the man responded casually.

What’s his name? How do you know him? Shen Yanzhou asked softly.

Did you see his fingers just now?

Yeah, he was missing a finger. Shen Yanzhou recalled that the doctor was missing a finger on his left hand, yet his movements were remarkably agile and completely unaffected.

That old guy used to be a dentist. Because he only has nine fingers, everyone around here calls him Nine Fingered Keung. He’s never mentioned how he lost that finger, though. People in this place always have a few secrets of their own.

Back then, his clinic wasn’t here. It was in a dilapidated building to the west. The clinic only ever had a pair of rusty pliers and a bottle of strong liquor for disinfection.

One night, the biggest gang boss in the Walled City, Big Brother D, had a toothache he couldn’t bear. He charged into the clinic with over a dozen lackeys carrying machetes, slammed a blade onto the table, and said, Keung, pull this tooth. If you do it well, I’ll give you a thousand bucks. If you mess it up, I want one of your hands.

Shen Yanzhou listened intently. And then? He actually dared to pull it?

He sure did. He had to risk his life for that thousand bucks. Nine Fingered Keung drank half a bottle of liquor for liquid courage and told Big Brother D to open his mouth. Right when the pliers clamped onto the rotten tooth

The man paused for a moment, mimicking the scene back then.

Just then, a plane was preparing to land at Kai Tak Airport. The plane flew so low that the roar of the engine made the entire Walled City shake.

The dilapidated building shook along with it, and Nine Fingered Keung’s hand slipped with a sharp crack.

Shen Yanzhou blinked, completely holding his breath. Did he get it out?

He got it out, the man laughed. But once the plane passed and everyone looked closely, what was clamped in the pliers was a perfectly healthy tooth. The rotten tooth next to it was still sitting right there in his mouth.

So he moved here to run for his life?

The man shook his head. Everyone thought he was a dead man walking. Even Nine Fingered Keung closed his eyes and stuck his hand out, waiting to get it chopped off. But instead

Big Brother D burst out laughing instead, slapped Nine Fingered Keung on the shoulder, and said, A fortune teller told me I’d face a bloody disaster this year. With that plane passing by just now, you basically helped me fulfill that curse. This tooth took the hit for me. Reward him!

In the end, not only did Nine Fingered Keung keep his hand, he even got two thousand bucks and treated everyone downstairs to the best beef offal. I was still very small back then, and I managed to snag a bowl of beef offal from the old man, which is how we met.

Huh, what a crazy world. Getting a reward for pulling the wrong tooth.

Yeah, the man continued massaging his leg, speaking softly. That’s just how it is here. There’s no rhyme or reason to it. If you’re lucky, you live. If you’re unlucky, even drinking water can choke you. The ones who can survive here are all tough survivors.

What about you? Shen Yanzhou snuggled closer to the heat source, looking up at him in the dim shadows. Are you a tough survivor too?

The man didn’t answer him. He lowered his head, pressing his nose against Shen Yanzhou’s nose. In their mingling breath, there was only the scent of cheap body wash and pheromones.

What do you think? he smirked.

Huh? Before Shen Yanzhou could talk back, he felt his waist tighten. The man easily flipped him over, turning them from face to face to back to front.

What do you think? The man chuckled again, his lips and tongue tracing carelessly across his tender neck, his body deliberately pressing lightly against him.

This bastard, Shen Yanzhou cursed in his heart, gripping the sheets.

Right after, the man’s calloused fingers deftly unbuttoned a few cheap plastic buttons on his chest.

The tacky fabric slipped loosely down to his shoulders. He bit him gently, his hands roaming freely over that smooth skin.

Does it still hurt here? The man kissed his neck while his fingertips slowly traced circles along the edge.

Unable to take it, Shen Yanzhou gripped the corner of the pillow and buried his face into it, his voice muffled. Mm…

The person behind him took an inch and wanted a mile, pressing up tight against him.

When you’re showering just now, I saw it kept leaking water. I thought it was all better? The man bit his earlobe, his voice deep and suggestive.

Shut up! Shen Yanzhou reached back to cover the man’s mouth, but his wrist was caught and pinned against the pillow.

He kissed Shen Yanzhou’s trembling shoulder blades, wrapping him tightly in his arms once more, his chin resting on top of his head as he said gently, Fine, whatever you say.

But for now, let me just grind against you for a bit, okay?

Just as dawn was breaking, the Kowloon Walled City woke up.

Downstairs, a woman making braised food who worked from dawn to dusk chopped meat with loud thuds while scolding her lazy husband who refused to get out of bed in fierce, authentic Cantonese. There was also the clattering sound of shuffling tiles from the mahjong parlor, and the roar of a plane flying low over Kai Tak Airport overhead that felt like it would rip his skull open.

Like a chaotic stew, the noises bubbled up and poured directly into the cramped room.

Ugh, Shen Yanzhou groaned uncomfortably, wanting to turn over to escape the noise, only to find that beneath him wasn’t the hard iron bed frame or the mildew scented pink sheets, but the man’s solid, honey skinned chest.

He was sprawled on top of the man like an octopus, his face pressed into the crook of the man’s neck, his legs carelessly draped over the man’s waist.

And the man, who had been used as a mattress all night long, rested one hand behind his head while the other naturally rested on the small of his back, looking at him with a knowing smile.

Shen Yanzhou braced himself against the man’s chest to get up, but the man’s mischievous hand pinned him right back down.

Are you awake? the man asked.

Shen Yanzhou’s cheek was squished out of shape. His beautiful almond eyes still held the morning mist of someone who had just woken up as he snapped, Why am I sprawling on top of you?

I was worried you’d find this place too dirty.

Even though the sheets were changed, who knows how many years the cotton filling inside has been used? I saw you weren’t sleeping well last night, constantly frowning, so I was worried you wouldn’t get used to it.

I figured that even if the bed is terrible, my skin is clean enough. If I acted as a human mattress for you, you might sleep a little better.

What kind of twisted logic was that? Shen Yanzhou wasn’t exactly delicate.

Knock, knock, knock.

The voice of an old lady with a heavy regional accent came from outside the door, her voice so loud she sounded like she was shouting across mountains, Handsome boy! Are you up yet? Come down for morning tea! Today we have fresh barbecue pork buns and smooth chicken congee. If you’re late, there won’t be any left!

It was the hotel landlady who had looked fierce last night but actually had a warm heart.

The man shouted toward the door, Got it, Grandma! We’ll be right down!

As he deftly straightened Shen Yanzhou’s messy collar, he said, The environment here might be a bit poor, but the food is incredible. It has the authentic local flavor you can’t find in fancy hotels outside.

Let’s head back after we eat. A little more time won’t hurt.

Hearing the noisy but lively cries of the street vendors outside, Shen Yanzhou’s stomach let out a very faint rumble right on cue. He really hadn’t eaten much since last night. Plus, it would give him a chance to check on how Shen Xici was doing.

Alright, let’s go down first then.