The Little Succubus's Hypnosis Manual - Chapter 28

Chapter 28: Subway — “Is it really not okay… if I just hug you, Gege?”

Xie Nanxing passed his job interview, and Zhou Qiyue finally let out a breath of relief. He drove Xie Nanxing out for a celebratory meal.

“How’s the boss at your shop? Are the other employees easy to get along with? How about the environment—can you adapt to it?”

The shop had been recommended by Aunt Wu, and of course, she had vetted it beforehand.

Zhou Qiyue had also looked into the store in advance, but he was still worried about Xie Nanxing—afraid that Nanxing might be excluded because he spoke slowly and wouldn’t be able to integrate into the work environment.

He was even more anxious than Xie Nanxing himself.

But Xie Nanxing didn’t understand Zhou Qiyue’s anxiety at all. He just focused on eating peacefully. To him, being able to work and earn money was already an impressive achievement.

He tried to reassure Zhou Qiyue, “The store manager is fine, the employees are okay too, and the environment is good.”

Zhou Qiyue let out a sigh, picked up a piece of fish, carefully removed the bones, and placed the meat into Xie Nanxing’s bowl.

“If there’s anything you don’t like about it, we’ll just switch to another place.”

He quickly composed himself. “Are you starting work tomorrow?”

“Yes, I start at nine… and finish at six,” Xie Nanxing replied. Zhou Qiyue, not saying anything, just kept piling food into Xie Nanxing’s bowl—it was already half full in no time.

All the dishes were ones Xie Nanxing liked.

“Then I’ll pick you up after work tomorrow. Just wait for me a bit,” Zhou Qiyue said.

“No need, Gege. I can… go back by myself,” Xie Nanxing said after swallowing the shrimp Zhou Qiyue had peeled for him.

“How are you going back by yourself? Do you know how to take the bus or the subway? If you’re going to take a taxi, do you even know the name of our neighborhood?”

The more Zhou Qiyue thought about it, the more reluctant he was to let Xie Nanxing go out to work. He was like a worried father sending his child off alone, wishing he could just tie Xie Nanxing to his waistband.

He’d rather have Xie Nanxing in his office pouring tea and running errands for him.

Xie Nanxing was stunned by Zhou Qiyue’s flurry of questions. Not only did he not know how to answer, but he didn’t even know what a bus or a subway really was.

His chopsticks hovered over his plate, poking at the rice without picking up a single grain.

“I can ask… Aunt Wu. I can do it… myself,” he mumbled.

He didn’t even know if he was saying it to Zhou Qiyue or to himself, but his voice grew softer and softer.

He had gone out to work so he wouldn’t be a burden to Zhou Qiyue. But if Zhou Qiyue still had to pick him up and drop him off every day, wouldn’t that just make him more of a nuisance?

Xie Nanxing didn’t want that.

But Zhou Qiyue was practically steaming with anger after hearing those few words. Still, he couldn’t bring himself to scold Nanxing. He just turned his head away, silently trying to swallow the bitter feeling that his little darling didn’t want to rely on him anymore.

Xie Nanxing reached out and placed a peeled shrimp in Zhou Qiyue’s bowl, trying to comfort him.

Zhou Qiyue only glanced at it but remained angry, turning his head again.

“Gege…” Xie Nanxing hugged his arm. His voice was already soft to begin with, but now he deliberately drew out the end of his sentence, sounding like a sticky-sweet puff of cotton candy.

Zhou Qiyue snorted lightly.

“I just didn’t want you to get too tired after work… and I also can’t… always rely on you to pick me up.”

“Why can’t you rely on me? I want to pick you up,” Zhou Qiyue said, feeling like Xie Nanxing had lit a fire in his chest—it burned so hot it hurt his organs. He was so angry that even breathing was painful.

Seeing Zhou Qiyue pounding his own chest, Xie Nanxing quickly reached out and stopped his hand, replacing it with his own gentle strokes.

“Don’t be angry, Gege…”

He almost changed his mind and asked Zhou Qiyue to pick him up, but then Zhou Qiyue let out a long sigh and looked at him. “Today I’ll teach you how to take the subway home.”

Realizing that Zhou Qiyue had compromised, Xie Nanxing immediately wrapped his arms around his neck and nuzzled their noses together affectionately.

The same scent of shower gel clung to both of them, mingling at the tip of their noses. Zhou Qiyue could clearly see every tiny hair on Xie Nanxing’s face from this close distance.

He quickly lifted Xie Nanxing off him. “Can you stop hugging people so casually just because you’re happy? Don’t hug just anyone.”

“But… can’t I just hug Gege?” Xie Nanxing asked with a troubled look.

Zhou Qiyue pressed his lips together. Then, with the shameless confidence of a true hypocrite, declared, “It’s fine if it’s me—but no one else.”

“Okay.” Xie Nanxing finished the meal happily with him.

Zhou Qiyue pulled up a map on his phone and found the nearest subway station. He turned on navigation and walked there with Xie Nanxing. It was pretty close, right next to a bus stop.

He sent the current location to Xie Nanxing’s phone and led him into the station.

“You need to scan a code to get in. Use your phone.” Zhou Qiyue had previously told his assistant to get Xie Nanxing a new phone and SIM card. All the common apps were already downloaded.

Since payment apps couldn’t be linked to someone else’s bank card, Zhou Qiyue set up a monthly ¥100,000 family allowance for Xie Nanxing via Alipay and WeChat.

But Xie Nanxing didn’t shop online and hadn’t spent anything yet.

Zhou Qiyue taught him how to open Alipay. They scanned the code and entered the station. Xie Nanxing stared curiously at the turnstile as it beeped and swung open the instant he held up the QR code.

“Take Line 7, in this direction. We wait behind the yellow line.”

“Oh.” It was Xie Nanxing’s first time in such a place, and he was full of curiosity—but it was rush hour, and the station was packed.

He clung tightly to Zhou Qiyue’s arm, a little afraid.

After a loud rumble, the train arrived. Not many people got off; instead, the crowd surged forward to board. Inside, there were no empty seats—just standing room.

Zhou Qiyue grabbed Xie Nanxing’s arm and pulled him in front of himself, then held the overhead handrail.

As the subway entered the dark tunnel, the glass reflected their figures. With the tight crowd, their upper bodies were nearly pressed together.

If there weren’t so many people, Xie Nanxing would’ve hugged Zhou Qiyue outright.

The subway swayed a lot. If you didn’t hold on, you could easily lose your balance. Xie Nanxing nearly tripped over his own feet.

Luckily, Zhou Qiyue had a firm grip on his arm and pulled him into his chest.

It had been years since Zhou Qiyue last squeezed into a subway. Their bodies were pressed together, and his hand was on Xie Nanxing’s waist, keeping him from falling.

But his hand had been there too long, and Xie Nanxing started to feel hot, twisting his waist to escape his touch.

“Stay still,” Zhou Qiyue whispered.

“Oh.” Xie Nanxing immediately stopped moving and clutched the front of Zhou Qiyue’s shirt like he didn’t mind Zhou Qiyue doing anything to him.

Zhou Qiyue gripped his waist tighter. How could someone be this easy to push around?

Still, he didn’t forget his goal. “If you take the subway home every day, it’s always this crowded. Think carefully—do you want to be squished like a meat pie or let me pick you up?”

Xie Nanxing looked up at him. He wasn’t used to crowded places, and his eyes were filled with timid fear, just like when they first met.

Only now, his gaze also held a deeper trust.

“I can go home by myself, Gege,” Xie Nanxing murmured, lowering his head.

Zhou Qiyue, fuming, pressed his palm even tighter against that ridiculously narrow waist. Just one hand could wrap around it entirely.

His palm was burning hot, sweat beading on his forehead, but he clenched his jaw and said nothing.

“We get off here—Yuxin Garden Station. See it?” Zhou Qiyue said as he led him off the train. “Exit from Gate B. You also have to scan the code again to leave.”

Step by step, he explained everything, led Xie Nanxing out of the station, and sent him a new location.

The neighborhood was just a few hundred meters away, and they walked side by side.

Usually, they’d drive straight into the garage, so Xie Nanxing had never actually seen the building’s exterior.

To get in, you had to show a keycard. Zhou Qiyue handed over the keycard and house key that Aunt Wu had prepared in advance.

“You tap the card here, and the door will open,” he explained.

Xie Nanxing followed Zhou Qiyue’s example and did it himself. “We’re in Building B, Tower 5. From here, go past five buildings and you’re there.”

Zhou Qiyue led him into the building’s lobby. It was lavishly decorated—Xie Nanxing had never been inside before.

“The elevator also needs the keycard. Once inside, tap the card and press ten.”

He let Xie Nanxing try for himself and successfully get home.

“Last step—come scan your face.” Zhou Qiyue unlocked the smart lock and had Xie Nanxing register his face. He followed the instructions, tilting his head up and down.

The electronic voice chirped: “Face successfully recorded.”

“All done. Now open the door.”

The lock returned to its default state, and when it recognized Xie Nanxing’s face, it played a chime and unlocked.

Zhou Qiyue pressed down the handle and said, “Welcome home.”

For the past month, Xie Nanxing had always been the one saying that to Zhou Qiyue. Now that the roles were reversed, it felt a little strange—but also warmed his heart.

It felt like he was just a little bit closer to Zhou Qiyue again.

“Gege, I’ll spend all the money I earn… on you,” Xie Nanxing said sincerely.

Zhou Qiyue suddenly wished more than anything that he could just have Xie Nanxing work in his office as his assistant—at least that way they could go to and from work together.

Still, he congratulated him. “Congratulations. You earned this position all by yourself. I’m so proud of you, Nanxing.”

Meanwhile, one of Zhou Shengyan’s goons who had been staking them out downstairs sent over all the photos he had just taken.

When Zhou Shengyan saw the pictures—especially the one of Xie Nanxing going into the dessert shop for the interview—he was slightly stunned.

So his younger brother actually let the boy out of the house? He thought for sure Zhou Qiyue would lock him up forever.

“Hubby, what are you looking at?” Shen Zhile came out of the bathroom wrapped in a towel. His soft hands slid familiarly down Zhou Shengyan’s collarbone.

“I told you not to ask unnecessary questions. Your job is to satisfy my needs,” Zhou Shengyan said, pulling him into his arms and giving him a long kiss.

But Shen Zhile remained uneasy. Zhou Shengyan had been distant lately, and on the phone constantly.

He’d overheard once—Zhou Shengyan was frustrated that none of his men had managed to bring someone back.

But who was he trying to bring back?

Shen Zhile clenched his fists. He had stayed by Zhou Shengyan’s side for a full year. If that gem hadn’t accidentally been broken by this man, he would’ve gone home long ago.

Now, he would make sure to strangle any possible threat around Zhou Shengyan in the cradle.