The Missing Piece: 貌合神离

Extra Story 3: Happy New Year

 

There was a ring on the table. It was a silver-white ring of the most common style, with neither diamonds nor engravings. Ji Mingxuan had told his secretary to buy one for the time being and bring it over. Shen Mo was debating whether to put it on.

 

He’d performed terribly in bed last night, so nervous that he had almost seemed like a dead fish. After they finished, Mr Ji left the room without saying a word, probably quite dissatisfied with him. 

 

Well, it wasn’t his fault—he’d dated Zhou Yang before, but Zhou Yang, who had only had girlfriends in the past, didn’t have much experience with men, and it was probably difficult for him to overcome the hurdle. 

 

Shen Mo didn’t want to force it either, so he thought he might as well let things happen naturally. Yet, in the end…In the end, Shen Mo broke up with Zhou Yang and spent more than half the year in a trance. 

 

He was almost living on the street when Ji Mingxuan found him and brought him back. Perhaps the breakup had been too much of a shock, but Shen Mo’s memory of these past six months was rather vague. 

 

However, he remembered that Ji Mingxuan had saved him when he was abducted, and that Mr Ji had even paid his medical bills later on. Ji Mingxuan wanted to ensure his sister’s happiness by pretending to be with him, so, of course, he was willing to cooperate.

 

But Shen Mo hadn’t expected to be stumped by the matter of having sex, before anything else. He’d signed the contract after all, so he thought he should be a bit more dedicated. Did he need to watch some gay porn and learn from it?

 

As Shen Mo’s thoughts wandered, Ji Mingxuan came back from work. Seeing Shen Mo in a daze, he asked, “What are you thinking about?”

 

Of course, Shen Mo couldn’t say that he was wondering where to download porn, so he could only say, “It’s nothing….”

 

Ji Mingxuan glanced at the ring on the table. “Why aren’t you wearing it?”

 

Shen Mo asked blankly, “I’m really supposed to wear it?”

 

Ji Mingxuan didn’t reply, only reaching out to grab Shen Mo’s left hand. Shen Mo finally noticed now that Ji Mingxuan was already wearing a ring on his left ring finger. The ring was silver-white as well and looked the same as Shen Mo’s—these were couples’ rings. 

 

With his slender fingers, Ji Mingxuan held the ring and moved it toward Shen Mo’s finger. Out of reflex, Shen Mo tried to pull his hand back. Ji Mingxuan held Shen Mo’s hand firmly. 

 

His gaze brushed casually over Shen Mo’s face as he slid the silver-white band onto Shen Mo’s finger. Shen Mo felt somewhat surprised. He thought, It’s just an act—do we need to be so serious?

 

As if he knew what Shen Mo was thinking, Ji Mingxuan looked down at their connected hands. “We should put on the full act.”

 

For three whole years after this, the two wore the same rings, never taking them off once.

 

“What are you thinking about?”

 

Ji Mingxuan’s voice suddenly sounded beside Shen Mo’s ear. Startled, Shen Mo returned from his memories. All those things had happened so many years ago. 

 

A while back, he proposed to Ji Mingxuan in the studio and succeeded. This time, Shen Mo was the one who had put a ring on Ji Mingxuan’s hand. The man belonged to him now.

 

Shen Mo felt infinite tenderness in his heart. Gazing at Ji Mingxuan, he said, “I was thinking about you, Mr Ji.”

 

Quite satisfied with the answer, Ji Mingxuan kissed the corner of Shen Mo’s lips. “Wait a little longer. I’ll be done soon.”

 

Shen Mo could only manage a smile. He was currently in quite a dangerous situation; it was the same studio, but a tie bound his hands, his shirt was wide open, and a paintbrush, dipped in syrup, swept across his chest.

 

Shen Mo had wondered why, all of a sudden, Ji Mingxuan had suggested painting something for him as a New Year’s present. Only after he walked into the studio did he realise that the canvas… was him.

 

“Mmn…”

 

As the soft tip of the paintbrush stimulated his skin, Shen Mo whimpered, unable to bear it. But because his hands were tied behind his back, he had no way to escape, and could only beg, “Mr Ji… I can’t take it anymore….”

 

Although Ji Mingxuan had said he’d be done soon, he still painted slowly on Shen Mo’s body. The tip of the paintbrush skimmed around as if in play. While the sensitive spots on Shen Mo’s chest were being teased, pleasure accumulated little by little, but it couldn’t peak. The rising lust made him blush and gasp.

 

A long while later, Ji Mingxuan finally said, “It’s done.”

 

Shen Mo breathed a sigh of relief. He heard Ji Mingxuan say in his ear, “How do you like it?”

 

Shen Mo looked down and saw that Ji Mingxuan had painted a flower on his chest. The petals were a bright scarlet, whereas the stamens were his nipples, already somewhat erect. It was quite an erotic scene.

 

With just one glance, Shen Mo turned his head to the side; he was even starting to grow hard down below. But Ji Mingxuan grasped his chin and forced him to turn back around. “It doesn’t look good. Should I paint another one?”

 

Of course Shen Mo didn’t want that. He hurried to say, “I-It does look good.”

 

Ji Mingxuan let out a low laugh. “Then let me have a taste.”

 

As he spoke, he bent down and licked Shen Mo’s areola, dyed reddish by the syrup. Then, he held the delicate nipple between his teeth and flicked his tongue against it. Shen Mo’s neck arched back, his body trembling all over.

 

Ji Mingxuan lifted his eyes to look at Shen Mo. “It’s sweet.”

 

Shen Mo felt his body burn. He called in a low voice, “Mr Ji….”

 

Ji Mingxuan licked him again. Only after Ji Mingxuan had eaten most of the petals he’d just painted did he look up at Shen Mo and ask, “Do you want to have a taste?”

 

His lips were tinged red, which made his handsome features look even more alluring. Shen Mo, unable to resist the temptation, leaned over and kissed Ji Mingxuan’s beautifully shaped lips.

 

The syrup almost seemed to glue their lips together. Shen Mo thought as he kissed, It does taste very sweet.

 

He was originally sitting on the sofa, but now his whole body had sunk into it. Ji Mingxuan got on top of him, also erect. He took both erections into his hand and stroked them together.

 

Shen Mo, pinned down by Ji Mingxuan, found the stimulation to be unbearable. He tensed his legs, almost reaching his peak, but Ji Mingxuan stopped right then.

 

Left hanging, Shen Mo felt so tortured that his voice grew hoarse. He cried, “Mr Ji... Give it to me….”

 

He didn’t even know what he wanted. Ji Mingxuan smiled. He switched to another paintbrush and squeezed some lubricant on it.

 

Shen Mo’s mind was a complete mess. Only when he saw Ji Mingxuan lower his hand, holding the paintbrush, did he finally realise what was happening. 

 

He kicked his legs. “No!”

 

“Don’t worry.” Ji Mingxuan parted Shen Mo’s legs with his knee. “It’ll feel good.”

 

As Ji Mingxuan spoke, the paintbrush had already reached Shen Mo’s lower half, sweeping back and forth at his entrance. Soon, the region between his thighs grew all wet and sticky.

 

In both pleasure and fear, Shen Mo kept calling, “Mr Ji.”

 

Ji Mingxuan lowered his head to kiss Shen Mo, but his hands didn’t stop. The spot became moist and soft. With just a bit of strength, the paintbrush tip went in.

 

It was strange to hold a foreign object within one’s body. Unable to tell whether it was pleasure or discomfort, Shen Mo was almost in tears. “Mr Ji, I don’t want this…”

 

Ji Mingxuan moved his wrist back and forth, asking, “What do you want, then?”

 

Shen Mo, while his insides were being stirred this way, almost came right there. In a crying voice, he said, “I want yours, Mr Ji… Mnn…”

 

Right after Shen Mo finished his words, Ji Mingxuan pulled out the paintbrush, replaced it with his own cock, and plunged straight in. Shen Mo was already more than wet inside—Ji Mingxuan reached the deepest point in just one thrust.

 

Shen Mo drew in a shaky breath, feeling as if his heart would jump out of his chest.

 

Ji Mingxuan rammed into Shen Mo quite a few times before he slowed down, alternating between deep and shallow thrusts. He then found Shen Mo’s most sensitive spot and pressed right against it, rubbing and grinding. Shen Mo couldn’t stand the teasing; it didn’t take him long to come.

 

The white fluid splattered against their abdomens. Ji Mingxuan took some in his hand and smeared it on Shen Mo’s lips. Engrossed, Shen Mo licked it and lifted his head to kiss Ji Mingxuan.

 

Ji Mingxuan ground his hips and fucked Shen Mo for a while longer before he undid the tie that bound Shen Mo’s hands. Pulling Shen Mo up from the sofa, he pressed Shen Mo against the wall of the studio, raised one of his legs, and entered his body again.

 

Shen Mo’s legs had long since gone limp. He could only stand on tiptoes, trying his best to hang onto Ji Mingxuan’s neck.

 

Ji Mingxuan drove deep inside, thrusting into Shen Mo’s body again and again, and then brought Shen Mo’s hand toward where the two were connected. Feeling how slippery it was, Shen Mo retracted his hand at once.

 

Ji Mingxuan laughed lightly and kissed the tip of Shen Mo’s ear. “I’ve wanted to fuck you like this for a long time.”

 

Hearing this, Shen Mo felt his abdomen burn, and he couldn’t help but tighten around Ji Mingxuan. If he hadn’t just released, he would’ve come right back there.

 

As Shen Mo clenched up, Ji Mingxuan was also reaching his limit. After a few more thrusts, he climaxed inside Shen Mo.

 

It was almost midnight. The sound of firecrackers came through the window intermittently.

 

The year was coming to an end.

 

Too many things had happened this year. Shen Mo went to S Island on holiday, but he just so happened to run into Ji Mingxuan. And then, Ji Mingxuan returned to China and accepted his proposal…

Shen Mo felt a sense of nostalgia.

 

Ji Mingxuan came out of Shen Mo, but he was still holding Shen Mo in his arms. Grabbing Shen Mo’s hand, he planted a kiss on the ring and, amid the roar of firecrackers, whispered to him, “Shen Mo, happy New Year.”