KMYB | Chapter 34

Xisui took it for granted. He saw feelings as having the same nature as studying and dancing, if you agreed to it, you had to do it, if you liked someone, you had to be together.

Only after he saw Zhou Zeqi nod did he finally let out a breath, but his eyes only got redder.

"I'm moved," Xisui said, defending the redness in his eyes.

Zhou Zeqi just looked at him without saying a word.

Xisui glanced toward the kitchen and asked in a stuffy voice, "What vegetables did you buy?"

"Guess?" Zhou Zeqi lowered his eyes. His thin eyelids always made him look a little indifferent, a little heartless, and his gaze took Xisui in from head to toe.

"Lettuce?"

"Baby bok choy?"

"Water spinach?"

"Sm… small sloppy菜?" As soon as Xisui finished, he turned and tried to slip away. Zhou Zeqi was quick too. The moment Xisui turned, he caught him in his arms and lifted him up onto the low cabinet against the wall, where he sat him down.

Now it was Zhou Zeqi's turn to ask questions.

He bent slightly, cupped Xisui's face, and used a little force. Their foreheads touched. "You like me that much? You're crying already?" He didn't kiss Xisui, but there was still satisfaction in his eyes.

Xisui's fingers hooked over the edge of the low cabinet. A bouquet of roses sat in the vase on top, the petals at the edges already a little wilted. Xisui changed the subject. "What kind of roses are these?"

The fragrance was so rich it was practically making him dizzy.

"White lychee."

Zhou Zezhi spent money like it was nothing and had no brains to match. When she still lived here, she had waved a hand and signed up with a flower shop for five years' worth of roses. Every week, the shop staff would deliver a bouquet to the door. She had paid a steep price, and the service even included trimming the stems and arranging them in the vase.

Xisui let out a slow, dazed "oh."

He swung his legs, and the cold latch on the cabinet door bumped against his calves, making him shiver.

"I definitely like you a lot, that's why I said that," Xisui suddenly dragged the topic back.

He took Zhou Zeqi's wrist. The other man's body temperature was very high. "My mom said that once you're together, both sides, everything you do for each other, everything you say to each other, you have to be responsible for it. Not legal responsibility, it's…"

Zhou Zeqi pinched his cheek. "What if I'm a liar?"

Xisui blinked. Xihe said that, so why was Zhou Zeqi saying it about himself too?

"There are lots of liars in the world," Zhou Zeqi said, poking Xisui's shoulder. "Not just in love, they're irresponsible even with marriage, and even with parents and children."

"I don't want to talk about this," Xisui said softly.

"My mom told me too, be an upright person, do things that leave you with a clear conscience," Xisui said, swinging his legs until one slipper came off. He looked blankly down. "Ah."

"…"

Zhou Zeqi crouched down, picked up the slipper, held Xisui's ankle, and put it back on for him.

Xisui was still a little uneasy, even a little more nervous than when they first kissed.

He had broken toes before, and other old injuries too, plus calluses. Xisui instinctively tried to pull his foot back, but Zhou Zeqi held on tightly.

With that struggle, the slipper slipped off again.

"Ah… ah, ah," Xisui blurted out again in a small voice.

Zhou Zeqi had his head down, and let out a laugh.

Xisui wanted to jump down from the cabinet. He felt like the atmosphere had become wrong somehow, as if even the density of the air had changed, becoming tighter, more oppressive, like it could choke off his breathing.

Before he could do anything, Xisui saw Zhou Zeqi lower his head and kiss the back of his foot.

A tiny bolt of electricity exploded along Xisui's blood vessels and crackled through his entire body. He recoiled so hard he nearly curled into himself, going red from face to neck.

Zhou Zeqi slowly lifted his head. Xisui met his dark, shadowed gaze. Just as he was about to tell Zhou Zeqi to let go, to release him, Zhou Zeqi stood up, scooped him into his arms, and carried him toward the bedroom. He kissed the earlobe of the person in his arms. "I'll go cook in a bit."

Xisui was flustered and at a loss. "Are we going to do the kind of thing we did in the tent that day?"

Xisui suddenly regretted wearing shorts today. The legs stopped at the knees, with an elastic waistband, easy to pull right off.

The curtains in the master bedroom blocked out all light. Outside, the sunset filled the sky, but inside it was dim. In that darkness, the scorching muscle beneath his hands, the powerful arms, his vision was blinded and the other senses expanded by several degrees.

Zhou Zeqi was pressed over him, his eyes black as ink, his gaze bottomless. He breathed against Xisui's ear and sighed, "So good."

Xisui was breathing hard, his vision going white, then black.

But Zhou Zeqi had praised him for being good.

He melted into Zhou Zeqi's arms, limp in Zhou Zeqi's embrace, like a soft-serve milk ice cream left to melt, the dark bedsheet seeming to wrap up a piece of jade that was warm and lustrous.

Even though the room's air-conditioning was running full blast, both of them were still drenched in sweat.

Xisui couldn't hold on to Zhou Zeqi. Every time he managed to, he slipped again. After several times, he started to whine in dissatisfaction.

Zhou Zeqi simply gathered him up and sat him fully on his lap.

As if a kiss still wasn't enough, Xisui nearly died in Zhou Zeqi's hands.

"Baby, should I help you take a bath?" Zhou Zeqi asked in a low voice, his tone carrying a greedy meaning that sounded like he wanted to swallow Xisui whole.

Xisui rejected him weakly. "No."

Zhou Zeqi went to cook. Xisui picked his pants up off the floor and put them on. His movements were languid. Looking down at Xisui, who still hadn't quite come back to himself, Zhou Zeqi couldn't help himself and knelt on one knee on the bed again, leaning down to kiss Xisui's lips.

Xisui was already about to cry. Sensing that Zhou Zeqi's breathing was turning wrong again, he used his strength to break free, crawled across the bed, and tucked himself into a corner, his eyes wet. "Go cook, I'm so hungry."

Zhou Zeqi kept the same posture and looked at Xisui for a while before slowly standing up. "Okay."

Only after confirming Zhou Zeqi had left did Xisui crawl onto the bed, pick up his clothes from the floor, put them on, and run to the bathroom.

–

It was only a few dishes, they would be done in half an hour. But the kitchen was hot, and Zhou Zeqi wasn't wearing a shirt. Sweat ran down his face, down his neck, and then from his chest and abdomen before dripping off.

Xisui sat quietly beside the dining table.

He took out his phone, but before unlocking it, he suddenly thought of Xihe.

"Zhou Zeqi!" he called toward the kitchen. "Should I ask my brother to come eat with us?"

Zhou Zeqi turned off the heat and opened the door with the spatula still in his hand. "What did you say?"

His muscles were glistening with sweat.

Xisui looked elsewhere and continued, "I don't know if my brother has eaten. Should we call him to join us?"

Zhou Zeqi considered it for a moment. "Sure." After he finished, he went back into the kitchen to keep stir-frying his dishes.

With one more person, he had to add two more dishes, and that person was Xisui's brother.

Xisui went to call Xihe.

Come to think of it, Xihe was only a year older than Zhou Zeqi, but Zhou Zeqi was tall and broad-shouldered, and the two of them looked about the same age.

Zhou Zeqi had already put his shirt back on before Xihe came in. After washing his face, he came out of the bathroom and met Xisui's brother.

The other man sat cool and aloof beside Xisui, his pale skin making him seem even harder to approach.

He looked a bit like Xisui. When he didn't speak, his temperament was similar too. Their eyes were almost exactly the same, narrow and slightly flirtatious peach-blossom eyes. But when Xisui looked at people, he was always earnest, while Xihe's gaze was more like a sharp appraisal.

When Xisui saw Zhou Zeqi come out, he hurriedly stood up, so nervous his voice shook. "Third Brother, this is Zhou Zeqi, the Ze in three-dot water, the Qi in expectation."

Then he looked at Zhou Zeqi. "This is my Third Brother. You should call him Third Brother too."

Zhou Zeqi said hello to Third Brother.

Xihe curved his lips slightly. "Hello."

Zhou Zeqi could tell that the other man didn't really like him. There wasn't a trace of a smile in his eyes.

Xisui was busy to death, serving dishes to Xihe, serving dishes to Zhou Zeqi, pouring water for Xihe, racking his brains for conversation, trying to make the atmosphere less stiff, even though he didn't know why Third Brother was being so cold toward Zhou Zeqi.

Xihe barely ate anything before putting down his chopsticks. He looked at Xisui. "Xiaoxi, go sit in the living room for a bit."

TV dramas had shown him that Xihe had something he wanted to say to Zhou Zeqi, so Xisui quickly carried his bowl to the living room. He couldn't eat anymore either.

Xihe looked at Zhou Zeqi. "You really like Xisui?"

Zhou Zeqi lowered his eyes. "Yes."

"Why?" Xihe leaned back in his chair, his tone flat. "Because he's easy to fool, or because he's good-looking?"

Zhou Zeqi rested both hands on his knees. He let out a breath and replied, "He moved me, in every way."

"You're very clever," Xihe said, displeased all over again.

Zhou Zeqi could probably understand how the other man felt. In any case, he just didn't like him. If he were a beggar, Xihe would think he wasn't worthy. If he were a billionaire, then Xihe would probably think he still wouldn't treat Xisui sincerely.

If he put himself in Xihe's shoes, he'd probably be even harsher, maybe even vicious.

Because Xisui was really too easy to fool. He always set so many rules for himself, the teacher said, Mom said, the book said.

Xisui didn't know what they were talking about. He only felt that Third Brother seemed very unhappy, while Zhou Zeqi kept answering.

At last, Xisui saw Third Brother beckon to him.

Xisui hurried over.

"Are you full?" Xihe asked.

Xisui slowly set down his bowl. "Full."

Xihe rolled up his sleeves. "Help me clear the bowls, then go home."

Xisui froze in place, looking at Zhou Zeqi, then at Xihe, at a loss.

"No need, I'll do it. You two go back first," Zhou Zeqi said, taking the chopsticks out of Xisui's hand before he had even put them down.

"Then I'll have to trouble you," Xihe said. After that, he took Xisui by the hand and led him outside. Xisui kept looking back every three steps, tears nearly falling.

What was going on here, anyway~

Only after leaving Zhou Zeqi's home did Xihe pat Xisui on the head. "I just won't let you sleep together, and you're already this wronged?"

Xisui looked up blankly. "What?"

"You thought I wasn't going to let you be together?" Xihe asked.

Xisui nodded.

Xihe opened the door and pulled Xisui inside, saying slowly, "Dating is your freedom. Besides, your boyfriend is pretty excellent, and he seems to really like you too."

Almost all the dishes on the table were Xisui's favorites. The oil and salt had been measured carefully. Even though the other man looked a bit big and rough, he was actually very thoughtful.

And Xisui himself just had a clever-looking face.

"As long as you're happy," Xihe said, straightening Xisui's crooked collar. "The hickeys are showing."

!

Xisui covered his neck. Xihe pointed to the other side. "There's some on that side too."

Xisui covered his neck with both hands.

Xihe leaned closer and looked at Xisui. "Wow, you've even got bite marks on your face."

"How far along are you two?" Xihe asked.

Xisui's face went red. He answered softly, "Just helping each other out…"

"Then it's almost there. Make sure you protect yourself, and don't go blindly eating or sniffing all that messy stuff just for the sake of excitement." Anyway, from the way Xisui's boyfriend looked, he wasn't a good person in that area, and possibly not a good person in any area.

Although Xisui didn't know what exactly the messy stuff in Third Brother's mouth was, he still nodded immediately. "Okay."

–

After Xisui finished showering, he weighed himself again. It was after dinner too.

59 kg.

Xisui thought, I can't keep losing weight. Why have I slimmed down so fast lately?

Without thinking, Xisui felt that this was the credit of kissing.

Still, he had to control how often they kissed a little. Being too thin wasn't good either.

Xisui lay on the bed, satisfied. The room was quiet all around. He rolled over and looked at Xihe. "Ge, then you still have to reissue all those documents, right? When are you going back to the dance troupe?"

"If you're unhappy staying there, why not come back to the country?"

Xihe had his eyes closed. "I signed a ten-year contract. The penalty for breaking it is five million."

"Wow, that's a lot," Xisui thought about it. "But our family isn't exactly short on that kind of money."

"Are you afraid Second Uncle will scold you? Or are you afraid of losing face?" Xisui asked without any malice.

Xihe's hand on his stomach slowly clenched into a fist.

They could hear each other's breathing.

It was just like when they were little. But back then, when they slept together, they talked about what delicious things they would eat tomorrow, which dance dramas would be easiest to learn. Their troubles were all so innocent.

Xisui thought that if it were him, he wouldn't lower his head either. That would be the same as admitting he was a failure in that field.

"Ge, you need to be a little happier. You're not happy at all right now." Xisui touched Xihe's eyelashes, and his fingertips met a patch of damp coolness.

Xihe cried.

But his tone didn't change at all. "Xiaoxi, thank you."

Xisui slowly withdrew his hand. He didn't know how to keep talking to Xihe.

If other people didn't want to speak, asking again would be rude.

But Xihe wasn't other people. If Xihe was unhappy, Xisui was unhappy too.

By midnight, Xisui still couldn't sleep, but Xihe had already fallen asleep.

Xisui quietly got out of bed, wanting to go outside for some air.

The moon hung high overhead, its light white as frost and snow.

The residential complex's landscaping was beautiful. During the day it looked lush and full of life, but late at night, the moonlight draped it in a thin layer of soft, pearly glow. The paths led into the depths of the greenery, and the wind flowed inward too, like a magical forest from a fairy tale.

Xisui pushed open the balcony door, carrying a glass of water, planning to sit for a while on the balcony's wicker chair.

But as soon as he stepped out, he saw a dark silhouette next door.

Xisui nearly screamed.

Zhou Zeqi heard the noise, turned his head, and looked at the panicked Xisui. "Still not asleep?"

Xisui held the cup of water, lowered his eyes, and sighed. "I can't sleep. What about you?"

Zhou Zeqi was leaning on the balcony rail, a can of soda beside his hand. "Me? I'm thinking about you."

Xisui awkwardly climbed over the gap between the balconies and reached out to poke Zhou Zeqi's face. "Then I'm thinking about you too now."

Zhou Zeqi had always been a wicked sort of person.

He turned his head and bit Xisui's finger, then remarked with shameless bad intent, "I was thinking, how are you so soft?"

Then, watching Xisui's face slowly turn red again, he straightened up. The spot where Zhou Zeqi had bitten him was tingling. Xisui put his hands behind his back and returned the favor. "Why are you so hard?"