The Dancer’s Allure

Maple Bay.

It was already the dead of night when Yi Siyu returned home.

He had expected to open the door to complete darkness, yet a soft glow greeted him upon entering.

A single, warm yellow lamp had been left on in the entryway.

The man’s weary eyes softened instantly, and a slight smile touched his lips.

‘His little puppy had left the light on for him.’

Fearing he might disturb anyone, Yi Siyu showered in the downstairs bathroom.

Afterward, he ascended the stairs and gently pushed open the master bedroom door, immediately hearing the soft, steady rhythm of the youth’s breathing.

A small mound rose beneath the celebratory red quilt on the bed.

Yi Siyu lightened his steps, slowly approaching the bedside, where he saw the youth’s head half-buried in the covers.

He carefully reached out and pulled the quilt down slightly. The youth’s palm-sized face was flushed in sleep, looking utterly adorable.

Yi Siyu’s heart was instantly filled by the sight of the person before him.

The youth’s lips moved slightly, as if murmuring in a dream.

After a few mumbles, a frown began to crease their brow.

Yi Siyu leaned closer to listen, hearing them say, “Mmm… don’t touch me… stay away… don’t pull my clothes…”

The man’s face instantly turned cold, followed by an overwhelming surge of heartache.

‘It was indeed because of what happened earlier…’

‘It ultimately left a psychological scar on the youth.’

Some people are naturally sensitive, and after such mental trauma, their later reactions can be severe. If not properly managed, it could easily develop into a more serious psychological condition.

Having taken some psychology electives, Yi Siyu knew that in such a situation, he must provide his beloved with an abundance of security.

The man took off his shoes and got into bed, lying on the side facing the youth. He dared not touch them easily, maintaining a safe distance.

He needed to be even more patient with this insecure little puppy.

After all, they were still a child who hadn’t fully matured.

The little flower seedling still needed to be watered with love, not hastily picked.

He would let them grow a little longer; there was plenty of time in the days and years to come.

****

Jian Ye had a dream. He dreamt that a group of pigs, absolutely filthy from rolling in a mud-and-feces pit, were chasing him.

In his dream, he wore a set of white clothes. When the pigs caught up to him, they insisted on nudging him with their dirty snouts and even held onto his clothes, refusing to let him leave. They were truly stinky and annoying.

Jian Ye waved his hands desperately but couldn’t drive them away.

The dream lacked any logic. One moment he was chasing pigs, and the next, a strong gust of wind swept them all away.

However, the wind also made Jian Ye shiver. Just as he was looking for shelter, he suddenly spotted a cave with a glowing fire.

He quickly ran toward the cave, and sure enough, it was exceptionally warm inside—a perfect refuge from the wind.

Jian Ye nestled comfortably in the warm cave, with no desire to go out.

****

Later in the night, Yi Siyu noticed the youth had kicked off their quilt, leaving half their body exposed. He shook his head helplessly, about to pull the covers back up, when the youth rolled over and directly bumped into his embrace.

The man’s movements froze. He looked down at the boy, who was sleeping soundly, and found himself unwilling to push them away.

Despite the distress Jian Ye had experienced that day, they weren’t repulsed by physical contact with him. This was a good sign.

The youth seemed to treat the man as a bolster, reaching out to wrap their arms around his waist and even stroking his abs a couple of times.

Yi Siyu: “…”

‘Those restless hands nearly ignited his desire.’

He gently clasped the youth’s hand, preventing them from wandering, and after a long while, the person in his arms finally settled into a steady breath once more.

Yi Siyu let out a sigh of relief before finally drifting off to sleep himself.

****

When Jian Ye awoke in the morning, the first thing he saw was an incomparably handsome face magnified before his eyes.

He was startled and tried to pull back, only to realize his hand was firmly held by the other person.

Jian Ye: “…”

Jian Ye had assumed Yi Siyu wouldn’t be returning last night, so he had gone to bed feeling at ease.

He knew that due to the butterfly effect of his transmigration, the original plot, which stated the Protagonist Gong never entered the cannon fodder Jian Ye’s room, was likely no longer possible.

He didn’t expect the man to sleep in a separate room, but he couldn’t immediately accept such intimate closeness.

The bodies of the youth and the man were naturally compatible; intertwined, they fit together like a diamond set in its band, perfectly exquisite.

Jian Ye had to admit that he had slept wonderfully in the other’s embrace all night, without any strange dreams in the latter half. It turned out that the warm heat source he had sought when feeling cold in the night was Yi Siyu’s embrace.

He immediately checked his clothes, finding them perfectly intact.

On their wedding night, with his delicate spouse in his arms, the husband could still uphold his principles and refrain from acting on masculine instincts. This was truly rare.

For some reason, Jian Ye’s impression of this man had significantly changed since yesterday.

In front of Yi Siyu, he could lower his guard and convey his trust.

So, even though they were intimately sleeping in the same bed, he didn’t believe the other person would attempt anything untoward.

He tried to pull his hand away twice, but it wouldn’t budge. Jian Ye simply let the man hold it.

Perhaps the sunlight was too warm, or perhaps the embrace was too comfortable, but Jian Ye drifted back to sleep.

When he awoke again, the sun was already high in the sky.

Just then, the door was gently pushed open.

Yi Siyu entered, holding a glass of milk, a smile in his eyes as he saw Jian Ye. “Awake?”

“Brother Siyu must have come back very late last night. I didn’t even notice. How—” Jian Ye began, adjusting the crooked collar of his pajamas.

The youth’s hair was completely ruffled from sleep, sticking up like a puppy whose fur had been stroked against the grain, wildly disheveled.

Yi Siyu adored seeing Jian Ye in that sleepy, unguarded state right after waking up. This domestic sight, he knew, would only ever be for his eyes.

“I’ve had enough sleep and I’m not tired. Go wash up and drink your milk.” Yi Siyu thought to himself, ‘He’s at an age where he’s growing, so he needs plenty of nutrition.’

Jian Ye dazedly went to wash up, feeling like an infant.

‘Why did he see a look in the man’s eyes akin to a desire to ‘feed’ him?’

****

Jian Ye woke up late, so he ate both breakfast and lunch together.

Nothing particularly special happened that day; it was mostly about moving some necessary items into the villa.

In truth, everything in this house was already perfectly prepared. On his first day as Third Young Master Yi’s spouse, he didn’t have to do anything, simply watching the ‘tools’ hired by the other party move things up and down.

He only needed to sit comfortably on the sofa, eating fruit and watching television.

‘This kind of lifestyle could truly turn him into a good-for-nothing, especially with his existing reputation as a ‘useless good-for-nothing’ already out there…’

Jian Ye decided to find something to do.

In a while, it would be Yunjing University of Media and Communication’s annual Campus Cultural Arts Festival.

Their classical dance department was putting on a performance, but not everyone would participate; only twenty students were selected.

Jian Ye felt his professional skills were quite ordinary; his only advantage was his natural talent.

Yet, that woman, Tang Ying, had specifically chosen him, leaving no room for negotiation.

Tang Ying thought highly of him, even making him the center (C-position) of the performance.

Bearing the envious and jealous gazes of his classmates, Jian Ye reluctantly accepted the task.

Due to the marriage, he had taken a week off from school, which meant he had already missed a significant amount of training.

With time at home today, instead of lying around doing nothing, he might as well practice his dance moves.

After helping Jian Ye organize all his belongings, Yi Siyu came to the living room but didn’t see the person who was supposed to be on the sofa.

He asked the Yi family bodyguards he had called over to help move things, “Where is he?”

The bodyguards naturally knew who Yi Siyu was referring to and truthfully replied, “The Third Young Madam went to that room.”

It was the first time he’d heard that title, and he wasn’t quite used to it yet, but he was very pleased to hear it.

‘He’d go back and give all these people a raise.’

He followed the direction the bodyguard pointed, realizing it was the dance studio.

Thinking Jian Ye might be practicing, Yi Siyu dared not disturb him much, slowing down his movement to open the door slightly.

Even with just a small crack in the door, Yi Siyu clearly saw the person inside’s current posture.

The youth elegantly bent backward, their body smoothly flipping over, rolling half a circle. Their chest and abdomen pressed against the floor, knees lightly pushing up, hips raised high.

Sweat soaked through their tank top, clinging to their slender torso.

Yet, they seemed oblivious. After springing up from the floor, they performed a double flying swallow, followed by a split in mid-air, feet pointed. It was breathtakingly beautiful.

A series of difficult movements flowed effortlessly, causing the man at the doorway to gaze in a daze.

It was Yi Siyu’s first time seeing the youth dance, and this wasn’t even a full performance, just some practice moves. Yet, it had already stunned him.

‘How could a boy dance so beautifully?’ he marveled inwardly.

Such flexibility made the viewer feel exceptionally comfortable, without any stiffness or awkwardness.

‘His spouse’s body was truly supple, unlike those stiff boys outside.’

Yi Siyu suddenly felt his lips dry and couldn’t help but swallow.

A passionate fire seemed to burn in his chest, heating his throat and hardening his abdomen.

He couldn’t bear to break the beautiful scene with a sound, as if anyone intervening in this mysterious space would be a desecration of the romance unfolding.

****

His performing arts teacher used to praise his dedication, calling it one of his greatest strengths. Once immersed in something he wanted to do, he wouldn’t be easily affected or disturbed by his surroundings.

This was why he later landed roles in the middle of university and had a more stable mindset than others.

His desire for fame and fortune wasn’t high; he did things purely out of passion.

Even if it was a small role, with limited screen time, he performed it happily.

Although he wasn’t in the performing arts department in this world, the expression in dance was quite similar to acting. Becoming engrossed in the emotions conveyed through dance was as addictive as performing a play.

Jian Ye had been tirelessly trying to infuse emotion into the pure dance techniques he had already mastered.

He had no idea that he had only used thirty percent of his strength and already captivated a certain someone to the point of being utterly enchanted.

After completing a set of movements, Jian Ye instinctively pulled down the hem of his shirt to wipe the sweat from his face.

Thus, his glowing white abdomen and waist were inevitably exposed to the air.

Sweat streamed down his spinal groove, and tiny beads of perspiration also collected in his two dimpled lower back.

Though the youth didn’t possess the abdominal muscles of someone who regularly worked out, they had a unique sexiness befitting a dancer.

It wasn’t until he finished wiping the sweat that Jian Ye suddenly jolted, noticing the door was slightly ajar.

The man standing at the doorway was staring fixedly at him with an incredibly profound gaze.

Jian Ye: “…”

That stare made his rear clench, and he quickly pulled down the hem of his shirt.

The other person’s eyes were like a deep abyss, as if they could swallow him whole.

‘He hadn’t… done anything strange just now, had he?’

‘Why was he suddenly a little scared?’