KM: Chapter 36

Ji An wiped away his tears with his hand, pinched his nose, and then said into the phone, "It's nothing, I just accidentally touched it."

"Did you miss me?"

You Chen asked, and Ji An instinctively denied, "No."

"I'll be back soon, with Chu Longyu."

Ji An opened his mouth but couldn't say anything. It seemed like You Chen automatically interpreted his words contrary to his heart, translating them into the correct meaning and giving him a perfect response.

"Yeah, I've already packed my things."

"Good, I'll be quick."

Ji An responded softly, "Mm, then…"

"Just leave the phone on, it won't bother me. Say whatever you want to say."

He was startled for a moment, "…Okay."

You Chen didn't speak again, and only the sound of keyboard typing remained in the receiver. Ji An didn't speak either; he didn't know what to say, but it seemed like it didn't matter if he said nothing. Just having the phone on like this made him feel at ease.

As always, he felt insecure. You Chen repeatedly reminded him not to run away, but in reality, he wished You Chen could lock him up with iron chains, lock him inside the house, as excessive control would make him feel less anxious.

He had never imagined reuniting with You Chen, and being together again felt like a beautiful dream. During countless sleepless nights and tearful dreams, he wondered if it was because he was truly pitiable that he was granted this grand and beautiful dream.

So, while wanting to hold on, he feared waking up from the dream. These long five years had condensed all his fears and insecurities.

Would he be photographed again? Would that kind of thing happen again? Would they be forced apart again?

Promises were useless. He asked You Chen if they would be separated again, and You Chen said no. Of course, he believed You Chen, but what he truly didn't believe in was this terrifying and powerful real world.

Therefore, if You Chen could hide him away, so that no one could find him, he wouldn't have to worry like this anymore.

Ji An stared blankly at the phone, not hearing You Chen's question. After a moment of silence, You Chen asked again, "Baby, are you listening to me? I'm coming back now."

"Ah…" Ji An suddenly snapped back to reality, hurriedly raised his hand, and pressed the phone to his ear, "I'm listening, got it."

"Then what did I just say?"

"You're coming back."

"The sentence before that."

Ji An scratched his palm and said softly, "I don't know."

"I asked you, did you miss me?"

"Mm… I did."

"Then come open the door."

Ji An widened his eyes, turned to look at the door, and before his mind could react, he had already put on his shoes and ran to the door. As soon as he opened it, You Chen stepped in and hugged him. It seemed like there was someone behind him, but You Chen closed the door on them.

Chu Longyu shouted from outside, "You Chen, are you crazy?!"

Ji An blinked, looking past You Chen towards the door, and asked, "Why did you lock Ah Yu… Ah! You Chen!"

Halfway through his sentence, Ji An was suddenly lifted by You Chen, startling him.

You Chen carried him while kissing him, his body suspended in the air, heart racing, lips bitten hard. This feeling was subtle, Ji An's back tingled, breathing became rapid, yet You Chen was at ease, his hand rubbing as he scolded him for being too thin, deliberately asking why he was breathing so heavily.

Ji An avoided You Chen's kiss, his face flushed, refusing to look at him. He laughed and placed Ji An on the bed, took off his coat, and wrapped it around Ji An.

"What are you doing?"

"Don't catch a cold."

You Chen bent down to zip it up, then turned to open the door.

Of course, he wouldn't tell Ji An that he just didn't want anyone to see Ji An in a white shirt, as if the youthful and beautiful boy in his memory had always been exclusively his.

Because reality had disconnected from memory, what he had was no longer the seventeen-year-old Ji An. The five years he should have had were lost in long regret, so he used this childish way to prove that even during the time apart, he still possessed Ji An. Ji An's ownership was always in his hands, he wanted to seal it, seal the Ji An in his memory, preventing anyone from peeking, anyone from taking him away.

You Chen opened the door for Chu Longyu, who gave him the middle finger in exasperation, walked past him, and went to find Ji An.

Ji An sat on the bed, the oversized coat making him look silly, like a child wearing an adult's clothes. Hearing footsteps, he looked up, a bit embarrassed, "Ah Yu."

Chu Longyu couldn't help but laugh, walked over to sit next to Ji An, tugged at Ji An's sleeve, and said, "What did You Chen do, locking me out just to put a coat on you? What shady business is going on, hmm?"

He pinched Ji An's face, which was red, and shook his head saying no.

"Tsk tsk."

Chu Longyu looked at You Chen with disdain, "You beast in human clothing."

You Chen leaned against the wall expressionlessly, "Can't I bully my own wife?"

Ji An's face turned even redder; he didn't expect You Chen to use such a term and could only turn his face away pretending not to hear, but his ears grew hotter. You Chen deliberately asked, "Isn't that right, wife?"

Ji An's neck turned red, his fingers clenched tightly, and he didn't speak. Chu Longyu chuckled beside him, and You Chen's footsteps approached. He gritted his teeth, resignedly lay face down on the bed, burying his face in the pillow.

Luckily, the pillow couldn't contain him.

You Chen bent down, patted Ji An's butt, and called, "Wife?"

Ji An reached behind to push his hand away, muttering, "Go away…"

You Chen grabbed Ji An's wrist and rubbed it, saying, "Let's go, wife, time to move."

Ji An didn't respond, only after a while did he sit up, head down, avoiding You Chen's gaze. You Chen laughed and stuffed a pillow into his arms.

"Then Chu Longyu and I will move things, you hold this pillow."

Ji An held the pillow, burying his face in it again.

You Chen ruffled Ji An's hair.

Chu Longyu silently moved to one side and started moving things without saying a word.

The three of them went downstairs together. After helping put things in place, Chu Longyu received a call and hurriedly left. Ji An found the landlord on the first floor, checked out, and as he sat in the car, he glanced back.

You Chen asked him, "Reluctant to leave?"

Ji An withdrew his gaze, shook his head, and said nothing. What was there to be reluctant about here? A place without a sense of belonging naturally wouldn't hold any sentiment.

But he did feel a bit reluctant.

He seemed to be reluctant to part with the forced kiss on the night he reunited with You Chen, reluctant to part with the bowl of congee You Chen fed him on the staircase, reluctant to part with the peaceful sleep holding You Chen's hand that night, reluctant to part with You Chen's possession of him on the sofa and bed.

He was never reluctant about a specific place or object. Those things that people invest with a sense of belonging didn't hold much meaning for him. His sense of belonging was with You Chen; he was only reluctant to leave You Chen.

All memories related to You Chen were very important to him.

Ji An took a deep breath and turned to look at You Chen.

"Living at your place, will you come back every day?"

You Chen was silent for a while, not speaking. When the red light stopped the car, he turned to look at Ji An.

"First, I must correct you, it's not my place, it's our place."