The living room was brightly lit, and a kettle sat on the stove in the semi-open kitchen. Duan Jinghuai stood at the entrance, found a pair of slippers from the shoe rack, and washed his hands in the bathroom after taking off his jacket.
Shi Yu had changed into dark silk pajamas that made the elegant lines of his long neck and pale skin appear translucent. His soft black hair hung loosely over his forehead. He lifted his eyelashes slightly, and his eyes resembled clear glass under the lights. Duan Jinghuai froze and stared at him for a long time. Shi Yu ignored him, padded to the sofa in his slippers, and began flipping through television channels nonchalantly.
“Why are you not wearing that one?” Duan Jinghuai asked.
After a brief pause, Shi Yu kept his eyes on the screen and asked which one he meant. Duan Jinghuai mentioned the dinosaur one with the tail and ears. He noted it was very cute and that he had seen it while looking for a change of clothes previously.
Shi Yu took a breath and restrained himself. He looked up and asked who let the man inside. Duan Jinghuai curled his lips into a light smile and suggested that Shi Yu should call the police for trespassing. Shi Yu called him shameless. After switching through several channels without finding a program, Shi Yu settled on a nature documentary.
The sofa beside him dipped as Duan Jinghuai approached. The man carried a light woody fragrance mixed with the faint scent of tobacco. His long legs were slightly crossed, and his rolled sleeves revealed well-lined forearms. Shi Yu pretended to be deaf and watched the program intently. Initially, the documentary provided decent facts, but it soon cut to a different set of animals. The narrator noted that spring had arrived and that it was once again the season for animals to mate.
The surround sound made the terms echo throughout the villa. Shi Yu pursed his lips and fumbled frantically for the remote. His palm accidentally brushed against the firm muscle of the thigh of Duan Jinghuai. His expression turned awkward. Just as he was about to move his hand away, Duan Jinghuai seized his palm.
Shi Yu frowned and tried to pull away several times but could not budge. The heat traveled from his palm to his heart. He turned to glare at the man and told him to let go. Their breathing intermingled for two seconds before Duan Jinghuai reluctantly released him. Shi Yu grabbed the remote and switched the channel to the news.
The deep voice of the news anchor echoed in the living room. In the kitchen, the kettle automatically shut off as the water boiled. Duan Jinghuai stood up and walked into the kitchen to lift the lid. He found a bowl, poured the water in to cool for a minute, and then walked back with a cup. He sipped the rim to ensure the temperature was normal and handed two anti-inflammatory pills to Shi Yu.
Shi Yu took the medicine and swallowed it in one go. He took a few sips from the cup and asked if that was enough. His lips were moistened by the warm water and appeared full under the light. The eyes of Duan Jinghuai darkened. He reached out to dry a stray drop of water from the corner of the mouth of Shi Yu.
Shi Yu quietly avoided the burning gaze. Duan Jinghuai sat beside him and placed a pillow behind the waist of Shi Yu while asking to see the injury. Shi Yu remained silent for a while. Eventually, he used the remote to close the curtains tightly then rolled over to lie face down on the sofa with his back to Duan Jinghuai. The area was indeed swollen. Duan Jinghuai felt both regretful and pained.
The scent of the ointment filled the living room. The gentle touch made the scalp of Shi Yu feel numb. He buried his face in the pillow as his ears turned crimson from shame. The news continued to play in the background while water dripped rhythmically in the sink. Sensing the trembling from the other man, Duan Jinghuai leaned down to kiss his ear and asked if it hurt.
Shi Yu kept his head buried and refused to respond. After a moment, he felt hot breath at the base of his spine. His eyes widened, and his waist went soft. He gritted his teeth and called Duan Jinghuai a bastard in an embarrassed tone. Duan Jinghuai admitted he was a bastard and leaned in to kiss the skin behind the ear of Shi Yu while apologizing.
Duan Jinghuai told Shi Yu not to be angry anymore. He pecked at the ear of Shi Yu and noted that if the other did not speak, he would take it as a yes. Shi Yu rolled his eyes and slowly called him a rogue. Duan Jinghuai gave a light laugh. After a while, Shi Yu murmured that he was not with Hao Shuai last night. His voice was soft, but Duan Jinghuai caught it. He sat on the sofa and gripped the waist of Shi Yu to pull him into his arms from behind.
Shi Yu opened his eyes and asked if the man only had a simple response. Duan Jinghuai turned him over so they were eye-to-eye. Shi Yu sat on the lap of the man with his knees curled up. His collar was mussed, and the fabric had slipped off one shoulder to reveal pale skin. The dark gaze of Duan Jinghuai flickered as his heart rate accelerated. He tilted his head to kiss the smooth shoulder.
Duan Jinghuai admitted he never believed the rumor anyway. He noted he had only been blinded by rage and the provocative words of Shi Yu. Once his reason returned, regret had been fermenting in his mind. Feeling the heat on his shoulder, Shi Yu gave a muffled response. A cool evening breeze drifted in through a gap in the curtains. Since his lower body was bare, Shi Yu shivered.
Shi Yu nudged the hip bone of Duan Jinghuai with his knee and asked for his pants. The Adam’s apple of Duan Jinghuai moved involuntarily. The skin on his hip bone felt hot even through his trousers. He did not dare to do anything over the line. He picked Shi Yu up and placed him back on the sofa.
Shi Yu lay on the sofa and looked at him with clear eyes that held a trace of desire. He lifted his slender legs slightly and signaled for help with his pajama pants. The chest of Duan Jinghuai rose and fell as his breathing grew heavy. He did not know if Shi Yu was doing this unintentionally or deliberately. He suppressed the fire in his heart and patiently helped him put on his pants.
The news ended. Shi Yu sat on the sofa and used the remote to switch to a movie channel. He looked sideways and asked why Duan Jinghuai had not left yet. According to their agreement, the man should have left by now.
Duan Jinghuai startled and stood up while letting out a strained response. He then stood in place without moving while his gaze darted around the living room. Shi Yu asked what he was looking for. Duan Jinghuai claimed he could not find his jacket. Shi Yu began switching channels again and asked if the man was really short of one jacket.
Duan Jinghuai furrowed his brows and noted the jacket was very expensive. Shi Yu asked if there was really anything the man considered expensive since he bought a vehicle in two different colors. Duan Jinghuai paused and asked how Shi Yu knew about that. Shi Yu was stumped and noted he would have an assistant send the jacket tomorrow once it was found.
Duan Jinghuai lowered his head and coughed while putting on a fragile expression. He claimed it was too cold outside and that he would catch a cold before his meeting tomorrow morning if he did not wear a jacket. Shi Yu was almost moved to an angry laugh because the man was going straight to his car. He helpfully suggested that the man should find a jacket in the closet. Duan Jinghuai noted he could not fit into the size of Shi Yu.
Shi Yu gave him an exasperated look. He then noticed the jacket behind the sofa arm and pointed it out. Duan Jinghuai took a deep breath and ground his teeth. He walked slowly around the sofa. After picking up the jacket, he shook off the dust at a leisurely pace.
Shi Yu asked if Duan Jinghuai was sick. The man paused and noted that he actually felt like his head was hot. He walked back to the sofa and pulled the wrist of Shi Yu to his forehead. Shi Yu huffed and noted it was not hot at all.
The next second, Duan Jinghuai pushed back the hair on the forehead of Shi Yu and leaned in to press his own forehead against the other man. He asked how it felt now. The sudden proximity caused the heart of Shi Yu to skip a beat. He looked into the eyes of the man as the deep pupils reflected a spark of light that drew all his attention. His face felt hot, and he could not tell if it was the temperature of the forehead of Duan Jinghuai or his own skin. Duan Jinghuai slowly curled his lips and asked if Shi Yu could see.