The room was beautifully decorated.
Outside the large floor-to-ceiling windows was a breathtaking garden view. Sheer white curtains drifted softly in the air. Right in the center of the room stood a large double bed — rose petals on the sheets forming a heart shape, and in the middle of that heart, two plush dolls kissing each other.
One was a male doll — its refined features looked oddly familiar, even the white groom’s suit was nearly identical to the one Zuo Shihuan had worn at his engagement earlier that day.
It was impossible for Gu Heng to deceive himself.
As for the other doll, there was no need to guess — it was a bride in a lovely wedding gown, the very picture of happiness and the kind of woman everyone would bless.
Everyone — except Gu Heng.
At first glance, he wanted to tear that doll apart and throw it out the window.
This room — this cursed, romantic room — with its congratulatory wedding decor, the soft double bed, the perfectly matched pair of dolls, even the crystal bathtub by the window — everything screamed of another woman’s presence.
All of it was prepared for the true couple meant to occupy this room.
Just one glance was enough to make Gu Heng’s chest twist with raw, slicing jealousy. His fists clenched so tightly that veins stood out on his forearms.
And he couldn’t stop imagining—
If he hadn’t shown up tonight, would Zuo Shihuan have been here, in this very bed, with someone else?
Would they have done everything newlyweds were meant to do, sharing this night as lovers?
Every time that thought crossed his mind, his heart felt as if it were being torn apart again and again. He wanted to smash the room to pieces, destroy everything in sight.
But instead—
Gu Heng stood there silently for a moment, then calmly walked inside. Without hesitation, he took off his shirt, revealing his strong, sculpted upper body. His dark, deep eyes fixed on Zuo Shihuan at the doorway.
“Help me put the medicine on.”
Zuo Shihuan felt that gaze cut straight through him — like it could tear him apart. A chill coiled around his neck.
He didn’t dare move. Didn’t even dare to run.
It felt as if the moment he tried to flee, a wild black wolf would lunge forward, bite down on his neck, and tear him to shreds.
Feigning composure, Zuo Shihuan stepped inside, his eyes darting away from Gu Heng’s bare torso — even a brief glance made his face flush hot. His thoughts were in chaos as he rummaged through drawers and cabinets, looking for the first-aid kit that most hotel rooms kept on hand.
“Found it.”
He had just said the words when a strong hand grabbed him — along with the kit — and pulled him down onto the bed. A low, heated voice brushed against his ear.
“Then help me apply it.”
The next instant, feverish kisses fell across Zuo Shihuan’s neck. His back was pressed hard against the bed, the heat from the body above seeping through his suit and scorching his skin.
He couldn’t even see Gu Heng’s face.
Zuo Shihuan’s pupils dilated in shock. In his narrow field of vision, all he could see were the scattered rose petals on the bed, and the two powerful hands pinning him down — like a predator clamping its jaws on its prey, leaving it utterly unable to move.
All his senses were forced to focus on Gu Heng’s presence — his breath, his body heat, the feel of his black hair brushing against his skin. The searing lips on his neck were hot enough to burn; even the blood in his veins felt like it was on fire, making him clutch the bedsheet as the mist blurred his vision and his breathing turned rough and unsteady.
He didn’t know when he heard a sound hit the floor — something had fallen and struck the corner of the wall.
When he turned back, there was only one doll left on the bed. The cruel man was playing with it in his palm, his low, mocking voice drifting over.
“This doll is so cute. Give it to me. The ugly one — I already threw it away for you.”
In a daze, Zuo Shihuan stared at the doll that resembled himself, as the man’s long, strong fingers brushed along its cheek.
For a moment, a strange, inexplicable shame and confusion surged within him. He couldn’t tell whether this was reality or illusion — whether it was him being toyed with, or the doll. Either way, it felt like there was no escape.
Before Zuo Shihuan could think about it, the buttons on his chest were unbuttoned.
Zuo Shihuan suddenly froze, his eyes filled with shame and anger. Curling up, he endured it, gritting his teeth hard. “Take your hand off me!”
Gu Heng gave a malicious smile and replied, “No.”
“You can’t— Gu Heng, you b*stard, let go of me right now! Didn’t you say you were injured and needed medicine? You have to let me go first, otherwise— mmph—”
Zuo Shihuan struggled with all his strength. His white leather shoes slipped off and fell to the floor. He tried to twist around and jab his elbow into this heat-crazed b*stard, but Gu Heng caught his chin and kissed him instead.
His mouth sealed shut, Zuo Shihuan couldn’t speak. He struggled several times in vain.
He was deeply and relentlessly taken.
The dominant kiss left him nowhere to escape, even his tongue going numb from it.
Gradually, his mind blurred.
He lost track of time.
He didn’t know when his buttons were undone, when those burning kisses trailed downward bit by bit.
Zuo Shihuan’s light brown eyes glistened with unfocused tears; he bit back the faint, breathy sounds threatening to spill from between his lips. His hands, without realizing it, clutched tightly at Gu Heng’s hair.
But the one who should have felt pain only gave a low chuckle.
“If you keep grabbing like that, I’ll be bald before we’re even done.”
Zuo Shihuan didn’t quite hear what he said. He slowly opened his dazed, watery eyes, tilting his head to look at Gu Heng. His chest rose and fell as he tried to catch his breath, his cheeks flushed red.
That bewildered, enticing look made Gu Heng’s dark eyes turn heavy and hoarse. His throat bobbed with a few dry swallows, and a deep, bottomless desire surged up from within him.
But just then, a phone started ringing.
Zuo Shihuan’s attention was instantly drawn away; his gaze wandered unconsciously in search of the sound.
Gu Heng’s eyes went cold. He hated anything that could steal Zuo Shihuan’s attention from him— and he didn’t even need to think to guess what that phone call meant.
A violent, disgusted rage surged uncontrollably in his chest.
The ringtone came from the corner of the bed — from the pocket of Zuo Shihuan’s suit jacket. Crushing the communicator would make sure no one could ever find him here.
But that would be too obvious.
Gu Heng’s dark eyes flickered. Cupping Zuo Shihuan’s face in both hands, he kissed him deeply again, seizing on his dazed state to pull his focus back entirely, while kicking the communicator off the bed.
It fell to the floor and got buried under the clothes.
Even as the ringtone repeated over and over, the sound was too faint to draw Zuo Shihuan’s attention — he remained oblivious, ignoring the call meant for him.
He should have been glad for that.
But as Gu Heng listened to that endlessly ringing phone, fear that Zuo Shihuan would notice sooner or later made him all the more impatient and uneasy. His movements lost their restraint, turning hurried and rough.
By accident, Gu Heng hurt Zuo Shihuan.
Zuo Shihuan instinctively bit his lip in silent endurance. His eyes gradually regained some clarity and reason—then, all at once, he realized in regret and horror what he had been doing!
Just then—
A faint ringing sounded again.
Zuo Shihuan’s eyes flew wide open in panic. In a rush of fright, he pushed Gu Heng off him, grabbed his clothes, and rolled off the bed to answer the call.
“…Yes, I understand. I’m sorry, I’ll come right away!”
He quickly explained and hung up, fumbling to put his clothes back on. His fingers clumsily fastened the buttons, and he didn’t even care whether the suit jacket that had fallen to the floor was clean—he just threw it on, snatched up his scattered leather shoes, and shoved his feet into them.
Just as he was about to leave, he suddenly turned and looked toward the bed—toward the unusually silent Gu Heng. He found that Gu Heng was looking right back at him.
For a brief instant, their gazes met.
Gu Heng clearly saw the apology in Zuo Shihuan’s eyes—yet not a single trace of intent to stay. And in that moment, a near-tearing despair washed through him as he understood one undeniable truth.
—Zuo Shihuan didn’t belong here. He didn’t belong to him.
Today, he was someone else’s groom.
