"Now you know whether I feel anything?" The man's voice rose tantalizingly, as he relentlessly licked and nibbled Xu Ye's earlobe, the soft and wet sensation teasing his sensitive ear, causing Xu Ye to tremble involuntarily. "Watching your chest redden from the whipping, seeing your backside exposed outside the apron while you wash the dishes, the way you cried out in a daze at my feet, and now, your trembling body…" He paused, taking Xu Ye's flushed earlobe into his mouth, gently grinding it with his tongue and teeth, his words penetrating Xu Ye's ears like a sweet poison, "All of this makes me feel something."
A low gasp escaped Xu Ye's throat, tinged with suppressed urgency. Such extreme ambiguity in his words left him utterly defenseless, as waves of emotion surged within him, draining his strength little by little. Unconsciously, he leaned forward, resting against the man, their heartbeats and breathing patterns intertwining, drawing them closer, more intimate, and harder to control.
"To be this excited just from talking…" The man's hand at Xu Ye's lower back slowly slid down, fingers lingering at his cleft, nudging it open before slowly withdrawing, teasingly approaching Xu Ye's secret areas without actually entering. Xu Ye felt helpless against his teasing, slowly becoming thoroughly cooked like a pot sticker. "Little slave, you're so lewd." The last two words were whispered directly against his ear, his lips brushing against the visible veins of Xu Ye's ear, provoking heavy gasps from the slave. A transparent liquid seeped from Xu Ye's arousal, resembling a pitiful cry. Unable to resist, Xu Ye reached out to touch, but his hand was firmly restrained.
"Tell me, what do you want?" The man's fingers teased the entrance to Xu Ye's back, his voice thick with temptation.
"Master, it's so uncomfortable…" Xu Ye was already aroused, his ability to think vanishing, as he gazed at the man with longing, writhing helplessly.
"That's not a precise answer." The man's fingers maliciously traced circles around him.
"Hold me…" When he finally managed to utter those words, his face was burning with embarrassment. The feeling of being forced to seek pleasure from another made Xu Ye unable to lift his head, his muddled thoughts only repeating, "Please, let me be freed…"
The man smiled, "When you make a request, shouldn't you be a bit more sincere?"
Xu Ye, overwhelmed by desire, closed his eyes and despairingly cried out, "Master, um… please hold me…"
"Don't rush, I need you to recall the rules properly." The man pressed Xu Ye against him. "What did I ask you to do after cleaning up?" Xu Ye lay back, gazing up at him in confusion. It wasn't until he felt a smack on his backside that his mind cleared. "...Lubrication." He finally remembered, his face paling; he had completely forgotten to do it after his shower.
Xu Ye felt a pang of panic as he noticed that the man's desire was slowly fading, replaced by that familiar, unsettling expression that hinted at a smirk.
"Since you're begging me like this, I can grant your wish." Before the words were even finished, the man's fingers forced their way inside him, causing Xu Ye to cry out in shock, instinctively trying to pull away but was firmly held in place by the man.
The narrow passage was forcibly stretched by the invading object, and the dryness increased resistance, amplifying the discomfort. Xu Ye buried his head against the man's chest, trembling and panting, attempting to relax and adapt. But when a second finger entered, the slow movement caused pain from the friction, and he whimpered, tightening the muscles of his inner thighs as he nearly cried out, "Master… it hurts…"
"Calling it pain this early is premature." The man said coldly, his voice still charming, "My size is much thicker than this; you'll truly understand what pain is."
He was going to do it without lubricant! Understanding the implication left Xu Ye panicking; he shook with fear and tried to push the man away, but the man withdrew his fingers and pressed him down onto the kitchen counter.
"Don't move." The attempt to resist made the man's gaze grow cold, an overwhelming pressure bearing down on Xu Ye. "You know very well I can do anything to you. If I want to use you, regardless of whether you're ready or not, you must spread your legs for me. Since you're too lazy to prepare, I don't mind letting your body's own fluids provide lubrication. You can pray that you have enough blood to make this easier for me."
Xu Ye's face turned pale from fear, extinguishing his desire; he shook his head vigorously, shrinking away. When the man forcefully pulled one of his legs apart, Xu Ye clung tightly to the man's arm, shutting his eyes and screaming.
That piercing "No!" echoed throughout the room, a sound filled with heartbreak.
Time seemed to freeze, with no sound or movement, only Xu Ye's body shaking uncontrollably. Cautiously, he opened his eyes to meet the man's gaze behind the mask, looking down at him.
The man did nothing, simply watching him, the dark lashes casting shadows over his deep-set eyes. This oppressive posture made Xu Ye deeply realize who was in control; he didn't dare move beneath him.
"Remember this lesson, slave; there won't be a next time." The man released his grip on Xu Ye's hands.
Xu Ye was momentarily stunned, understanding that he had been spared. His heart finally calmed from the earlier panic, and he lowered his head, softly saying, "Yes, Master…"
"How long do you plan to lie there?" The man pulled out a wet wipe to clean his hands.
Only then did Xu Ye feel the hard, cold surface of the counter, and he hurriedly got up. He had been so frightened earlier, and the rough hold on him had left his legs feeling numb, nearly causing him to stumble.
The man wrapped an arm around his waist to steady him, lowering his head to inspect Xu Ye's lower back and legs closely. "Where does it hurt?"
"Nowhere." A strange emotion welled up in Xu Ye's heart as he sniffled, "It doesn't hurt."
"Go upstairs and get dressed; the chef will be here soon." The man glanced at the clock on the wall as he spoke.
Xu Ye obediently went up.
The man's family chef was a very talkative Uncle Ye, slightly chubby with a kind face and warm eyes. He didn't mention where he had worked before, but Xu Ye sensed an underlying authority about him; he was calm and composed while cooking, much like the head chefs at his restaurant. The ingredients were all brought by Uncle Ye, with each meal featuring a variety of dishes. He explained each dish's preparation and key points in great detail, incorporating quite a bit of nutritional knowledge, but he said nothing about anything beyond cooking.
Xu Ye was attentive, washing, cutting, and preparing the vegetables with enthusiasm. As he peeled potatoes, he asked, "Uncle Ye, how long have you been here?"
"Almost two years." Uncle Ye glanced over and frowned, "You're peeling too thick; be lighter with your hand."
"Uh." Xu Ye looked around the first floor, then quietly asked, "Do you know what his full name is?" This question was strategically posed. Xu Ye actually didn't know the man's name or even his surname, but asking like this made it seem as though he was fully aware, just struggling to distinguish the characters due to the many homophones in Chinese.
The chef looked at him. "Why don't you just ask him yourself?"
"...I'm a bit embarrassed." With his plan thwarted, Xu Ye felt a bit disheartened and resorted to making excuses. Uncle Ye squinted and smiled, making Xu Ye feel like he had been seen through, realizing that the uncle was a crafty old fox. After peeling potatoes for a while, Xu Ye couldn't help but ask, "Were there many people living here with him before?"
Uncle Ye sliced the green peppers and countered, "What answer are you hoping to get?"
Xu Ye was taken aback, awkwardly lowering his head as he grabbed three peeled potatoes to cut, the knife clattering sharply against the cutting board, his posture one of utter defeat.
Dinner was still whatever the masked man served him; after eating, Xu Ye was responsible for tidying up. Throughout the entire process, the man spoke only once, saying, "Get me another bowl." Xu Ye instinctively felt that the man was angry, and his inner frustration grew like spring grass. Since the fright earlier that afternoon, he had been wary of looking at the man's face, and now he silently went about his tasks, not daring to say a word. After warming a cup of milk for the man and placing it on the coffee table, he stood there a bit helplessly, waiting for the next command.
The man sitting on the sofa patted the space beside him.
Xu Ye thought for a long time but couldn't recall this specific gesture of command. He looked at him, confused.
"Xu Ye, come sit."
He froze. The man called his name, signifying a return to equality in their relationship. He stood for a moment, his face showing signs of inner turmoil before finally walking over to sit down. Gritting his teeth, he quietly asked, "Do you not want me anymore?"
The man seemed a bit surprised and countered, "Why would you think that?"
"I made you angry, and you don't even want to punish me anymore." Xu Ye lowered his head, his dark brown hair hiding his eyes, making him appear somewhat dejected.
"You think that my not punishing you means I've discarded you?" Seeing that he was indeed bothered by the afternoon's events, the man laughed heartily, "If I wanted to end a relationship, I would be very direct about it; I wouldn't need to wait until after dinner."
Xu Ye bit his lip and turned to glance at him.
"As for why I didn't punish you, it's because I think you've already learned your lesson. Punishment is not something I take pleasure in, nor should it be something you obsess over. I punish you only to regulate your behavior and reinforce your identity as a slave. You should remember that." The man picked up a white porcelain cup from the table, took a sip, and handed it to Xu Ye. "It's not hot anymore; drink up. You didn't eat enough tonight."
Xu Ye accepted the cup, the warm milk fragrance brushing past his nose and making his eyes feel slightly teary.
"I frightened you this afternoon, didn't I?" The man's voice was gentle, almost magnetic, easily capturing Xu Ye's attention.
Xu Ye nodded, then shook his head a moment later.
Seeing him look dazed, the man couldn't help but chuckle. "Did I scare you silly?"
"Master, am I free to move around now?" Xu Ye suddenly asked.
"Of course. It's a time for equal dialogue; you can share your thoughts with me and let me know how you feel."
With that, Xu Ye lifted the cup and drank all the milk, licking the milk foam off his lips before setting the cup down. Gathering his courage, he shifted slightly closer to the man, hesitated, then moved closer again, stammering, "I want… can I… hold you?"
Seeing his flushed face staring at him, the man smiled and replied, "No."