Lao Zi From An American School Was Raped By A Mixed-Race Daddy Chapter 7

Chapter 7 Desire

The room fell into a complete silence. The cold glow of the crystal chandelier enveloped Josh, finally granting him a moment of peace.

He finished the Barolo in his crystal glass. The Barolo, produced by a top Italian winery, had a sweet aftertaste. As the alcohol seeped into his body, the noisy voices in his head became less sharp.

On the wall, the gilded hands pointed to 8:55, only five minutes away from the dinner time Jess had mentioned. With Josh’s upbringing, it was impossible for him to keep a lady waiting; he had to return to normal as quickly as possible.

The die was cast. Tonight, he had gained a generous sugar daddy. All he had lost was Young Master Ruan’s not-so-valuable dignity, which was a good deal.

Even if Rob was rude, emotional, and inexplicably strange, he was definitely not the worst choice. He was wealthy and generous, not one to haggle over money—the finest quality a sugar daddy could possess. Moreover, he was handsome and tall, with a physique like a male model that stood out among all sugar daddies. And how old was he? A genius who had successfully started a business during college, he was only twenty at most. Whether it was the gold diggers in Silicon Valley or the gold diggers on the East Coast, they would all fight tooth and nail for such a high-quality sugar daddy.

Wait, Rob was only twenty.

The smile forming at the corners of Josh’s lips faded slightly, and a hint of worry mixed with fear flashed through his eyes.

Twenty is an age of insatiable vitality, and Rob had thighs as hard as steel, broad shoulders, and a lean, powerful waist hidden beneath his suit. This was not good news for the naturally slender Josh.

Josh knew exactly how high the demands of a young man like Rob could be. Although he avoided romance and physical intimacy due to certain childhood events, he had been surrounded by cronies who spent their nights in revelry back when he was still a young master. He knew very well that a man in his twenties could practically shake a bed apart when he got reckless, and his sugar daddy was clearly a top specimen among men, as sturdy as a polar bear.

Josh wasn’t naive enough to think the other party was supporting him out of charity, as the desire and hatred in Rob’s eyes were enough to burn him. His gaze fell back onto the suitcase full of cash, thinking that five hundred thousand was quite a lot for selling himself.

But if Rob ended up breaking a few of his bones or causing internal organ damage, he might have to ask for more money just to cover the treatment. After all, healthcare in America was obscenely expensive.

After pondering various miscellaneous thoughts, Josh composed himself by 8:59. Putting on a smile once more, he opened the door to the meeting room.

Next to the meeting room, Jess stood behind a priceless statue, arms crossed as she looked at Rob.

Rob, you realize that while I’m managing the Information and PR departments, I also have to submit my graduation application this spring, right? You know the company is about to accept the next round of financing, and as the face of the company, your image cannot afford any slips, right?

Rob didn’t speak. His cold expression didn’t deter Jess’s questioning in the slightest.

So, before you stage another scene of humiliation, please be kind enough to inform your exhausted friend what exactly is going on between you and Josh. Ever since we drove back to school from Manhattan last night, when I got out of the car to buy wine and snacks and mentioned a cashier who looked like the game character Adonis, you’ve been acting strange, Rob. Don’t even try to deny it. You used my phone to send those harassing messages to set up a meeting with Josh. What’s your goal? Keeping a substitute?

Jess glanced at Rob, scrutinizing her abnormally behaving friend. Her voice held a trace of disappointment, but she still said:

You’re my friend, Rob, and I’m on your side. If you like Josh because he looks like your muse or whatever, you can have him. But the bottom line is, don’t make it look too ugly, and don’t leak any company business. I like Josh, and I don’t want him going to the media in the future with a bunch of exaggerated dirt on you, understand?

Oh, of course you like Josh, Jess. And guess what? He likes you too. It’s a shame you already have a girlfriend.

Rob finally spoke, his tone incredibly sharp. Jess froze for a moment and asked:

What is wrong with you?

His friend’s bewilderment calmed Rob down slightly. He frustratedly leaned one hand against the wall, using the other to brush the hair away from his ear. His mind repeatedly replayed every detail of his interaction with Josh just now; every tiny reaction from the other man was enough to make him lose control.

He took a deep breath like a trapped beast, and suddenly a thought occurred to him. He stood up straight, adjusted his tie with one hand, and looked down at Jess, who was glaring at him with her hands on her hips.

Jess, I want him. I’m going to sponsor him and be his sugar daddy. But I need your help with something.

Mm-hmm? Jess hummed defensively. Rob, however, seemed to have just overcome a technical hurdle, regaining the decisive aura of the company’s tyrant.

I want to delete all records of my two years at the international high school in China from the internal database. Hide my student records, or link them to Thailand, Denmark, anywhere. Second, delete the speculations on the forums about the direct connection between me and the Adonis character, or release some even more ridiculous rumors to muddy the waters. Most importantly, monitor Josh’s IP and devices, and ban him from entering the game Heartbeat.

He spoke like a rapid-fire burst, then paused. Monitoring him is something I can do myself. For the other things, give the orders and have Paul help you. I only trust you two.

When he mentioned trust, Jess’s defensiveness softened slightly, but her voice was still full of disapproval.

Those are simple matters, Rob, but I have to express my confusion.

Look at yourself, Robert. You’re handsome and wealthy. Anyone who enters a relationship with you is lucky—I’m not saying this as a friend, it’s just a fact. Josh is very beautiful and extremely charming. You two could completely develop a normal romantic relationship. You could just give him more money. I can see Josh is short on cash, even if he’s trying his best to maintain his dignity.

I’ll say it again: I have no problem with you seeking an intimate relationship, but I don’t approve of you starting a money-based sugar daddy arrangement. If you like someone, you should give them respect. The scene I saw in the lounge earlier—it made me very uncomfortable, okay? I come from a communist country—unless that’s just a kink for you two.

I don’t like him!

Rob countered quickly, as if emphasizing something, and repeated:

I don’t like him. I just want him; I must have him. And he needs money. His parents’ business in China went bankrupt, and his mother is carrying heavy debts. Instead of letting him go find some old man who’ll give him an STD for money, why shouldn’t he come to me? It’s a win-win.

Fine.

A flash of sympathy for Josh crossed Jess’s eyes. She could see that Josh was a proud person; if he hadn’t been pushed to the limit, he wouldn’t have posted those pictures online. Although she still strongly disapproved of sugar daddy arrangements and distorted keeping-relationships, she had to admit that Robert was the best choice. She believed in her friend’s character.

What she didn’t believe was Robert’s continued abnormal behavior ever since Josh appeared in their lives.

So, she said suspiciously, Josh looks a lot like Adonis. And back in freshman year, you got drunk once and said Adonis’s model was based on your heartless ex-boyfriend—a Chinese guy, right? You didn’t reveal much, but I can’t help but wonder, Rob… Josh couldn’t be related to your ex-boyfriend, could he? He couldn’t be—

Rob’s expression tightened to the extreme in an instant. He spat out a few words coldly, like shards of ice:

He isn’t, Jess. Use your intelligence and divergent thinking for something useful; maybe it’ll help you get an A in your philosophy class.

Hey!

Jess, poked in her sore spot, jumped up and punched Rob. Rob continued, his voice mocking:

He just looks like him. Today was the first time he met me. Didn’t you hear what he called me? ‘Sir’ and ‘Mr. Schneider.’ Have you ever seen someone address their ex-boyfriend like that?

That’s true. So you don’t want Josh to know he’s a substitute for your ex, which is why you want to delete that information? It’s creepy, but I guess it’s somewhat thoughtful.

Jess’s doubts were temporarily dispelled, while Rob’s face twisted for a brief moment.

Dinner time was approaching. A set of restrained footsteps came from behind them. Josh, having composed himself, walked out of the lounge. He naturally reached out to tuck his hand into Rob’s arm, his smile serene as if none of the previous unpleasantness had happened.

Sir, Jess, is it time for dinner? I’m really hungry.

Under the lights, his face was as beautiful and moving as an exquisitely crafted porcelain doll. After truly accepting his new status, he had returned to his submissive and pleasing manner. He even stood on his tiptoes to lean into Rob’s ear, whispering a soft, ambiguous thanks:

Thank you for the wine, Mr. Schneider. I like Barolo; it made me feel much better.

His breath carried the mellow aroma of red wine and a lingering cool sweetness. Rob stiffened for a moment, then turned his face away as if impatient, saying to Jess:

Let’s eat. Don’t keep Sue and Paul waiting.

He led the way toward the elevator, with Josh hanging onto his arm. Everything seemed so natural. Jess wanted to speak but didn’t know what to say, because they really did look harmonious. The slender, elegant youth leaning against his tall, handsome lover looked as beautiful as a painting against the luxurious backdrop.

Whatever, eating was more important.

Jess returned to the main hall with them. Paul and Sue were chatting idly. Once everyone was seated, the French chef brought out the appetizers at just the right moment and introduced today’s menu.

Add an order of beef tartare, Rob said. Josh looked up in surprise, thinking that the other man’s tastes were somewhat similar to his own.

At a table of young people, no matter how luxurious or high-end, the topics were always wandering. Soon, everyone was eating and chatting enthusiastically. Josh quietly cut his medium-rare beef, abandoning the ease he had shown earlier when talking with Jess and the others. He only spoke when he was addressed.

His status had changed. He was Rob’s trophy, having lost the right to equal dialogue. His role was to listen to and cater to Rob and his friends.

At the head of the long table, Rob was also unusually silent. Josh could feel that the other man’s gaze never truly left him for a single moment. But since the die was cast, he had to accept this sugar daddy, so he let it go, only secretly cursing him as a pervert in his heart.

After the meal, the clock pointed to 11:00. Josh had drunk a few more glasses of wine, and his body had become somewhat numb and weak. After saying goodbye to everyone, he walked into the restroom. He leaned his hands on the marble countertop, gasping for air. His long-empty stomach, now finally full, didn’t feel comfortable; instead, it throbbed with waves of pain.

A moment later, a tall figure stood behind him.

Can’t you bear to leave me for even a second, Sir?

He smiled mockingly, looking up into the mirror at Rob standing behind him.