Chapter 13: Skin Hunger Syndrome 2

He… President He!

He Qiuting paused mid-sip of water, raising his eyes to see Lu Shun standing at the doorway with clear displeasure on his face.

May I come in, President He? Lu Shun’s words were impeccably polite, but He Qiuting could detect the underlying sarcasm.

He nodded, signaling for Lu Shun to enter, then gently pushed away the water cup Lin Xu had offered and straightened up in his chair. What is it?

Lu Shun strode directly to the opposite side of He Qiuting’s desk. Across the wooden surface, he first glanced at He Qiuting before letting his gaze slide toward Lin Xu, who was still holding the cup.

He had long disliked this man.

Though significantly shorter, average-looking, poorly dressed, and intellectually inferior… none of that mattered because this person followed He Qiuting around every day, constantly flattering and attentive, all while pretending to be a simple straight man.

Several times, Lu Shun had accidentally caught Lin Xu looking at He Qiuting with an expression that was utterly inappropriate—almost dripping with desire.

Though he had mentally cursed Lin Xu’s ancestors numerous times, when he spoke, Lu Shun remained perfectly proper. Assistant Lin, I need to discuss contract details with President He. Could you please step out temporarily?

Y-yes, President Lu.

Lin Xu complied, placing the water cup on the desk before He Qiuting, then turned and left, closing the door behind him.

Truth be told, Lin Xu was somewhat afraid of Lu Shun—or rather, he simply disliked the man. He couldn’t pinpoint the exact reason, but he always found Lu Shun difficult to get along with, and his gaze toward him was consistently unfriendly.

Both were presidents, but Lu Shun and He Qiuting had completely opposite personalities.

He Qiuting appeared cold at first glance, but upon closer interaction, he proved approachable. Though strict and demanding in work matters, when employees made major mistakes, he would calmly and patiently resolve issues and handle the aftermath.

Whenever employees greeted him in the company, regardless of their position, He Qiuting would always acknowledge them with a nod.

He carried no airs. While rarely offering warm words or praise, he noticed every employee’s progress and reflected it in bonuses or promotions.

But this President Lu… though he usually appeared casual, he radiated an innate arrogance at his core—a superior attitude that seemed born with him, deeply engraved in his DNA.

Just moments ago, he had spoken with a smile, his tone perfectly gentle, his wording flawless—yet Lin Xu could still sense the condescension in his words.

It didn’t seem intentional, but rather natural—an unconscious expression of looking down on others.

As it turned out, Lu Shun was absolutely deliberate.

The moment Lin Xu left, he dragged a chair over and sat directly before He Qiuting, then forcibly swiveled He’s chair to face him—knees pressing against knees.

With complete seriousness, he stated bluntly: He Qiuting, can’t you get a different assistant?

He Qiuting trembled slightly, lowering his gaze to where their knees touched through the fabric of their suit pants. His vision blurred momentarily as his heartbeat suddenly accelerated.

Even such slight contact brought him a fleeting moment of satisfaction.

A drop of water falling into a parched crack is quickly worn away. As if having tasted a hint of sweetness, the skin all over He Qiuting’s body screamed for more touch.

He Qiuting suppressed a swallow, his lowered lashes veiling the desire in his eyes. His knee nudged forward slightly, watching the wrinkles in his suit pants rub against each other.

The sound of friction reached He Qiuting’s ears, magnified several times over—crackling, sparking invisible flames.

The air began to grow warm, yet He Qiuting felt increasingly cold, the symptoms of hypothermia intensifying bit by bit.

His voice dry, he asked softly, Replace the assistant? What’s the reason?

As he spoke, his knee uncontrollably nudged forward again.

Lu Shun paid it no mind, his long, bent leg instinctively pressing back. His qualifications aren’t up to par.

Xiao Lin graduated from Peking University.

Lu Shun faltered momentarily but pressed on, His perspective is narrow, his thinking rigid. He can’t keep up with Cloud Horizon’s rapid development now. Just this past year, from what I know, how many matters has he delayed for you? If I were you, I’d have fired him long ago.

He Qiuting grew restless, yearning to touch himself, but under Lu Shun’s gaze, he couldn’t reveal such an unsightly side.

He took a sharp breath, feeling as though his insides were burning up while an icy chill pressed in from the outside. Trapped between heat and cold, he was nearly driven mad. Irritably, he retorted, If I fire him, will you be my assistant instead?

Not out of the question. Lu Shun moved abruptly closer, almost pressing against the other’s face, his warm breath brushing He Qiuting’s ear, intensely intimate.

He teased with a laugh, If I take the job, I’d definitely be smarter—

Before he could finish, a weight settled on his shoulder.

Lu Shun’s eyes widened slightly as he watched He Qiuting’s head droop, gently resting against his shoulder.

He Qiuting’s hair was soft, brushing against his neck and jaw, unbearably tender.

Lu Shun froze for several seconds, his voice softening as if afraid to disturb something. He Qiuting?

…Let me lean for a while.

He Qiuting’s voice was hoarse, trembling faintly with weakness. He pressed his forehead against Lu Shun’s shoulder, breathing in small, shallow gasps.

Lu Shun: ???

He rarely saw He Qiuting in such a vulnerable state. There was no time to question the reason—he only felt excitement.

He guessed that last night’s voice call must have eased the tension between them, and now this felt like a reunion reigniting passion.

An electric current surged through Lu Shun. He raised his hand, hovering mid-air for a moment before cautiously settling it on He Qiuting’s back.

His palm pressed against the cool fabric of the suit, slowly tightening.

What’s wrong… Lu Shun pulled him into an embrace with one arm, naturally stroking the back of He Qiuting’s head. After a couple of caresses, his hand slid down to the nape and patted his back. Is your stomach upset, or are you feeling unwell somewhere, hmm?

He Qiuting shook his head, allowing Lu Shun to hold him, keenly feeling the hands stroking his body.

But the touch was separated by two layers of fabric, the unsatisfying sensation making him press uneasily into Lu Shun’s palm.

Wait, why are you so cold? Lu Shun finally noticed something was wrong. He lifted a hand to feel He Qiuting’s forehead, then reached for his hand, freezing in place.

It’s so cold.

Cold enough to feel unlike the temperature of a living person.

He Qiuting’s hands, usually soft and delicate to the touch, were now stiff and numb like stones—stones dug out from the snow.

How… how did you get so cold? Lu Shun frowned, cupping his rigid fingers and straightening them one by one. Say something, what’s going on?

…Maybe it’s low blood sugar. I’m feeling a bit dizzy.

It was the same excuse again—He Qiuting couldn’t think of anything else. His eyelashes fluttered slightly as he allowed Lu Shun to handle his hands, watching his pale skin gradually regain a hint of color from the warmth.

Surprisingly, he found himself enjoying the process, coldly observing as Lu Shun clumsily rubbed his hands over and over, breathing warm air into them as he worked.

Slowly, the tormenting discomfort in his body faded…

As the chill and numbness receded from his limbs, He Qiuting straightened up again, pulling himself out of Lu Shun’s embrace.

I’m fine now. He Qiuting’s expression was so detached it seemed like he was a different person from moments ago. He changed the subject: Did you sign the power plant contract?

Yeah. Lu Shun responded absently, his gaze still fixed on him with concern. I had Ruby take it.

Then why did you come to see me? Is there something else? He Qiuting asked in surprise.

I wanted to see you. Lu Shun admitted frankly. Last night, you called me in the middle of the night. The more I thought about it afterward, the more something felt off. I was worried you might really be unwell.

He frowned and sighed softly. Now that I see you today, your health really doesn’t seem great. Do you have plans this afternoon? Let me take you to the hospital for a check—

Stop.

He Qiuting cut him off. At this critical juncture, my health cannot and will not have any issues. Don’t make baseless claims, President Lu. If such news spreads from you, it could significantly impact my stock price.

What’s more important, your health or your stocks? Lu Shun asked, already knowing it was a pointless question.

Sure enough, He Qiuting smiled faintly, organizing the documents on his desk without looking up, and replied without hesitation, Stocks.

Are you free this afternoon? Lu Shun had no other intention than to drag him to the hospital for a check-up, just to set his mind at ease. There’s a new connection plan for the power plant that could cut the budget in half. You need to go take a look on-site.

He had always been like this—once he set his mind on something, he would stop at nothing to achieve it, even if it meant resorting to deception.

He Qiuting seemed genuinely tempted for a moment but still shook his head. Let’s do it tomorrow. I already have plans to visit the No. 3 construction site today.

Ripple Capital’s No. 3 plot was the most remote piece of land, located in a low-lying area on the outskirts of the city.

Don’t go today. The weather forecast issued a Red Rainstorm Warning, Lu Shun said.

He Qiuting glanced outside at the clear sky and dismissed the concern. It’s not that serious. It probably won’t rain.

After saying this, he lowered his head to review the reports on his desk. He studied them intently for a while before signing them. When he looked up, he found Lu Shun still there.

You’re still here? He Qiuting was taken aback, having nearly forgotten there was someone else in the office. He raised an eyebrow slightly. With Azure Chase Pharmaceuticals’ stock plummeting, I thought you’d be extremely busy these days.

Are you really okay? An inexplicable unease surged in Lu Shun’s heart. His tone sharpened as he insisted firmly, He Qiuting, you can pretend with anyone else, but not with me. If there’s something wrong, you have to tell me.

He Qiuting set down the things in his hands, looked at him, and after a moment of silence, parted his lips, about to speak—

I know you don’t mean to get back together. Lu Shun could tell from his expression what nonsense he was about to say. No need to explain these useless things.

With that, Lu Shun turned and left.

After leaving Cloud Horizon, his left eyelid began twitching uncontrollably, waves of intense unease washing over him.

Lu Shun had two meetings scheduled for the afternoon but remained distracted throughout. He twirled his pen, propping his chin as he gazed at the sky beyond the floor-to-ceiling window.

The sky darkened bit by bit.

Boom—

Until a low rumble of thunder erupted, a bolt of lightning streaked across the city’s sky, and Cloud Horizon in the distance blurred into a shadowy mass amid the rain and typhoon dust.

The meeting was called off. Employees crowded around the windows, peering through the glass as traffic lights at the intersection below swung wildly in the fierce wind.

The weather changed so fast.

Damn, this heavy rain and strong wind—can we even make it home?

Forget it, let’s just work overtime and sleep at the office today. Billboards are flying everywhere!

Listening to their chatter, Lu Shun only felt irritated.

The downpour began, howling winds roaring outside.

Visibility beyond the window dropped rapidly, the sky terrifying enough to be described as apocalyptic.

Lu Shun had never seen such severe weather before. Without a word, he walked to the window and dialed He Qiuting’s number.

He called seven times—no answer.

Lu Shun threw on his windbreaker, grabbed his car keys, and startled everyone as he headed downstairs.

Ruby stopped him, pointing incredulously at the weather outside. President Lu, you’re going out in this?!

Lu Shun gave a brief nod and replied simply.

I can’t sleep well at the office.

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