The lights of the city came on, casting dancing shadows through the twilight. In the quiet corners, the faint rustling of the world seemed to amplify the restless beating of one’s own heart.
“Mr. Lu, shall we continue waiting?” the driver asked, turning his head toward the passenger in the backseat.
Lu Huai finally pulled his gaze away from the darkness. He rubbed his fingertips over the tattoo on his wrist and gave a faint, quiet response.
“Wait.”
Seeing that he could not be persuaded, the driver tapped his knuckles against the steering wheel and let out a silent, slow sigh. In his opinion, Chi Yuan was the heir to the Chi Group; it was impossible that he could not even afford a driver. Even if he had not come to the school anniversary with one, could a single phone call not summon him? Was it really worth making Lu Huai wait? Moreover, spending two hours waiting outside in the bitter cold did not necessarily mean the person inside even knew.
His eyes flickered, and his tongue pressed against his teeth as he secretly speculated. Everyone said Lu Huai and Chi Yuan were at odds; could it be that Lu Huai was waiting here just to see the other man make a fool of himself while drunk? Or perhaps he was looking for some hidden secret? The driver glanced secretly at Lu Huai, sighing internally. If that were true, had he not just walked into the middle of a massive battle?
Before he could process his thoughts, the man sitting with such noble composure suddenly pushed open the door. Before he could react, he saw Chi Yuan, the very person he had just been thinking about, staggering out while being supported by someone else.
“Chi Yuan!” Lu Huai saw the red flush at the corners of Chi Yuan’s eyes. Seeing him unable to walk steadily, he furrowed his brows, not understanding what had provoked him this time. “Come back with me.”
He stepped forward to take Chi Yuan’s hand, but Chi Yuan pulled away. He waved off the friend who was trying to assist him and turned his face away with a stubborn look. “I do not need you.”
Chi Yuan was not actually drunk. Given the inevitability of social drinking, he had mastered the art of playing drunk to perfection. However, he admitted with a bitter smile as he rubbed his throbbing head, he had indeed downed quite a lot tonight.
It was easier to get emotional when drunk. The confusion regarding Lu Huai that had been weighing on his heart, those indigestible feelings that were raging in his chest, were difficult to put into words because he could not quite grasp them, leaving him feeling suffocated and uncomfortable.
All of these tangled emotions culminated in a single conclusion: he did not want to see Lu Huai.
Lu Huai looked at his rejected hand, his beautiful peach-blossom eyes shining brightly in the night, reflecting only Chi Yuan’s shadow.
Seeing that Chi Yuan was not fully conscious, perhaps acting out in a childish, drunken whim, Lu Huai gave a helpless smile. Beneath the cover of darkness, his usually cold, stern features softened into a gentle expression. Lu Huai lowered his voice, coaxing, “Shall we go back?”
Chi Yuan, still retaining a shred of sobriety, was shaken to his core. He wondered if he was hallucinating; why did it feel like Lu Huai was indulging him? His throat felt dry and itchy from the bitter alcohol, causing him to cough a few times. Chi Yuan lowered his eyes to hide his clarity, the urge to avoid Lu Huai suddenly weakening. The coughing fit reminded him that Lu Huai carried medicine for his illness, which made his heart skip a beat.
He lowered his head and obediently let Lu Huai take his hand.
The body temperature of someone who has been drinking is naturally higher, and Chi Yuan’s palm was scorching, leaving Lu Huai’s skin tingling. Lu Huai led him toward the car, turning his head from time to time to make sure he did not trip.
It was not until he saw Lu Huai’s car that Chi Yuan snapped out of his daze. He looked at Lu Huai’s back with surprise. His fingertips trembled involuntarily; it was only when he touched Lu Huai’s cold skin that he truly felt the sensation of their fingers interlocking.
Lu Huai was waiting for him? Out here? For how long? Why did he not send a message to tell him?
As the night breeze blew, questions flooded his mind. Chi Yuan bit his lip, his expression becoming even more complex as he looked at Lu Huai.
Lu Huai was unaware of this. Having spent two years abroad, he had thought he was prepared for everything. He believed he had reached a state of inner calm where his composure would not be easily shaken. But human greed and desire were not easily controlled. He cautiously tightened his grip, as if wanting to brand this rare moment of intimacy into his heart.
It does not matter, right? Chi Yuan is drunk and will not remember. So…
He looked up, his eyes filled with the dim, yellow streetlights overhead, and watched Chi Yuan with immense restraint.
After settling the drowsy man into the car, Lu Huai lowered his lashes, his gaze lingering on Chi Yuan’s face with a hidden, lingering tenderness.
“To Yu Yuan.”
He told the driver the destination without taking his eyes off Chi Yuan. Lu Huai took a deep breath and gently tried to wiggle his hand free, wanting to let go, but found his hand held tightly. His heart stirred, and he decided to give himself an excuse; he did not want to let go either.
Anyway, besides me, no one else will remember.
The scenery outside flashed by like streaks of colored glass. Lu Huai struggled to tear his eyes away, but when he glanced to the side, he still saw their shadows reflected in the window.
Chi Yuan thought he was awake, but the alcohol was rising, and he slowly closed his eyes, sinking into a dream.
Lu Huai watched the shadows flickering, shifting back and forth. Fortunately, his hand held on, preventing Chi Yuan’s head from hitting the window. Lu Huai watched for a long time before he finally could not help himself. He lowered his gaze and turned his head to look at the man’s flushed, blurry face.
Still have a bit of rationality left, Lu Huai thought. He glanced at the driver and raised the privacy partition, creating a space for just him and Chi Yuan. He reached out and gently rested the man’s swaying head against his shoulder. Seeing the furrowed brow soften, he finally felt at ease.
In the extremely close distance and the narrow space, the ambiguity seemed to rise, the heat making Lu Huai’s eyelashes tremble. He felt a sting in his right eye, remembering how, years ago in the depths of night, Chi Yuan had leaned down to press a kiss there.
Lu Huai kept a faint smile on his face, though it tasted bitter. Chi Yuan’s breathing brushed against his collarbone. Even though he told himself to stay calm, he could still hear the thunderous drumming of his heart in his ears.
Is this something that cannot be hidden?
Chi Yuan felt a bit more comfortable, his ear pressed against Lu Huai’s collarbone through the thin fabric. The synchronized heartbeat fell into the abyss of his heart; he could not distinguish it, only feeling it thumping. Chi Yuan furrowed his brow, unconsciously lifting his hand to press against the disturber, as if trying to pass through his chest to silence it.
Lu Huai felt the warmth against his chest and his ears turned red. Before he could make him pull his hand away, he heard Chi Yuan mutter, “So noisy.”
Since pressing down did not work, Lu Huai’s brows took on a trace of loneliness, and he smiled softly: “There is nothing I can do about that.”
Chi Yuan’s muddled brain could not process this. Instead, he felt aggrieved; why did the noise increase instead of decrease, disturbing his own heartbeat as well? He struggled to open his eyes, wanting to see who was disturbing his dream.
The captivating, amorous eyes were enchanting. The flickering light and shadow cast over the man’s deep features made him look like a dark, moody oil painting, highlighting the man’s peerless beauty.
Chi Yuan’s gaze flickered. He felt as if his heart had become a reef at the mercy of the crashing waves, tossed about by the tide, tempting his soul to wander.
Suddenly, he could not recognize who was in front of him.
“Chi Yuan.”
Lu Huai suddenly came to his senses, but he found Chi Yuan staring at him intently. He had thought the man had sobered up, so he called out tentatively, only to be suddenly approached by the other.
Their interlocked hands had not loosened. Chi Yuan only felt a cool, refreshing sensation, soothing the fire that had suddenly risen in his chest. Unconsciously, he gripped tighter, greedily savoring the coolness.
The itch in his throat worsened. Whether it was sleepiness or the peak of intoxication, he looked at the person in front of him. With clear features, he always associated them with the pristine, unmelted snow of winter, thirst-quenching and cooling.
He leaned in.
Lu Huai’s pupils dilated; he was caught off guard by the intimate distance.
“Chi Yuan.” He called out again, hoping to bring him back to his senses, but was unexpectedly silenced by the man pressing against his lips.
Chi Yuan heard his own name, but his movements did not stop. Looking at those parted lips, he kissed them without hesitation.
Lips and teeth interlocked.
Lu Huai placed his hand against Chi Yuan’s chest, feeling the man’s burning gaze fall upon him as he was defenselessly sealed by the man’s lips and tongue.
What is happening?
A struggle flashed through Lu Huai’s eyes. He wanted to push him away, but his other hand was held firmly in Chi Yuan’s. His eyelashes fluttered, and he gave up.
It was just a kiss.
The night swirled around them, the moonlight like thin silk spreading out, with wisps leaking through the window, shining upon their hair, eyes, noses, and their fiercely intertwined lips.
It was just a kiss born of a lack of consciousness.
Lu Huai’s eyes suddenly turned cold, and as soon as Chi Yuan loosened his grip, he pushed him away.
Chi Yuan was bewildered, his mind still lingering on that warm, soft sensation.
As sharp as the person themselves, yet only tenderness remains when facing him. A sudden, unprovoked description entered his mind. Chi Yuan struggled with the “him” in his words, blinking his eyes as his sleepiness finally began to fade.
He narrowed his eyes and leaned toward Lu Huai, wanting to clarify who that “him” was. But he only clearly saw a red mole at the corner of the man’s eye. It was so vivid, and yet he was only noticing it now. His Adam’s apple bobbed.
Lu Huai dug his fingernails into his palm to force himself to calm down. When he looked up, his gaze was coated in a layer of silver, appearing exceptionally indifferent. He widened the distance between himself and Chi Yuan, releasing their interlocked fingers.
He could not really leave it in this blurry state.
However, could Chi Yuan change his habit of kissing people while drunk? He should not just provoke others without realizing it.
Lu Huai coughed lowly, his voice becoming hoarse. He swallowed a pill, keeping it between his lips and tongue, letting the bitterness spread until it coated his tongue. Only then did he feel he had completely pulled himself away from the entanglement, allowing the subtle scent of rum in his mouth to fade away.
He had finally sorted through his own scattered thoughts.
Fearing further impulsive actions, he lowered the partition and looked at the driver, who was glancing around nervously. Lu Huai said in a low voice: “Did you hear anything?”
“No, nothing.” The driver had been listening with his ears pricked, expecting them to argue as usual, but aside from a few incredibly tender cries of “Chi Yuan,” he had heard nothing else.
But… he subconsciously stole a glance at Lu Huai’s face. It was clearly cold and grim. If he had not heard Chi Yuan muttering his own name? Were these two not supposed to be like fire and water?
Afraid to think further, he focused all his attention on driving.
Lu Huai let out a long breath, looking at Chi Yuan lying beside him. He both hoped the man would remember and hoped he would forget.