Xu Juexi opened his mouth, wanting to deny it but feeling guilty.
Or rather, from the very first moment he started, he had already missed the opportunity to tell the perfect lie, and no matter how he denied or argued afterward, his answers would seem pale and weak.
So in the end he just lowered his head and said nothing.
For a moment, an utter silence fell between them. Gu Fengying kept his eyes downcast, staring at Xu Juexi, while Xu Juexi dared not look him in the eye.
With a “ding-dong” sound, the elevator arrived at the floor where the cake shop was located.
Suddenly, the dim, ambiguous light from inside the elevator shone into the elevator, breaking the deathly silence between the two.
The warm light also softened Gu Fengying’s expression, as if the unbearable feeling Xu Juexi had just experienced was merely his imagination.
Gu Fengying took Xu Juexi’s hand again and said, “If Xiaoxi doesn’t want to answer, I won’t ask anymore. Let’s go get something to eat.”
”……Um.”
Gu Fengying led Xu Juexi to a seat by the floor-to-ceiling window.
This location does indeed offer a great view, just as Gu Fengying had previously stated.
Looking down from this vantage point from the downtown commercial building, one sees people coming and going in the square, and cars orderly navigating the traffic lights, heading towards their respective destinations in an orderly fashion.
Xu Juexi’s gaze wandered, seemingly unsure of what he was looking at. His eyes aimlessly followed the movements of any random car, or perhaps he simply wanted to avoid eye contact with Gu Fengying.
After being lost in thought for a long time, Xu Juexi turned around somewhat reluctantly after Gu Fengying gently called his name a few times.
A white plate was pushed in front of Xu Juexi, on which sat an exquisitely crafted berry cake.
Across from him, Gu Fengying’s expression held a hint of self-satisfaction as he pointed to the cake: “Want to try some?”
But just as Xu Juexi reached for the knife and fork, Gu Fengying, as if impatient, snatched the tools from in front of him.
”I’ll feed you.”
Xu Juexi said “Oh” and stared blankly as he cut a piece of cake and brought it to his mouth.
He obediently opened his mouth and, following Gu Fengying’s movements, ate the piece of cake.
Gu Fengying watched him lick the cream off his lips, and his heart stirred slightly. He felt as if he were feeding a charming cat.
This shop is popular for a reason; the cakes are indeed delicious. The cake base is soft and chewy, the cream is sweet but not greasy, and the jam has just the right balance of sweet and sour.
Xu Juexi’s eyes lit up after tasting it, and he praised it without reservation: “So delicious.”
”Mm.” Gu Fengying smiled and reached out to wipe away the bit of cream that had fallen from Xu Juexi’s lips. He then handed the fork back to him. “Come often if you like, or I can have someone deliver it to Xiaoxi if he wants some in the future.”
Xu Juexi chewed and chewed, saying somewhat indistinctly, “I don’t remember this store offering delivery service…”
”You can have whatever you want.” Gu Fengying propped his head up with his hand, looking at him intently. “Didn’t I tell you, this shop is owned by my friend?”
Xu Juexi said “Oh,” feeling a little hot under his gaze.
He reached out and tried to push Gu Fengying’s face away across the table: “You eat too, stop staring at me.”
”You can eat it,” Gu Fengying explained. “I don’t like sweets.”
The waiter brought drinks and coffee. Gu Fengying took the coffee and stirred it slowly. Only then did his gaze briefly leave Xu Juexi.
Xu Juexi couldn’t understand why anyone would dislike sweets, feeling his worldview being challenged. He seriously forked a piece of cake and was about to feed it to Gu Fengying: “Why don’t you like it? It’s delicious…”
Gu Fengying hesitated for a moment, then gently shook his head at Xu Juexi: “Thank you, Xiaoxi.”
”Why…?”
Xu Juexi murmured softly, but in the end, he could only regretfully put the piece of cake into his mouth.
“Do you like Gu Zhifeng?”
The topic suddenly shifted, eventually circling back to the very topic Xu Juexi least wanted to discuss.
”I…I…”
Xu Juexi almost choked on the cake and didn’t know how to answer the question.
But when Gu Zhifeng’s name was mentioned, he couldn’t help but recall his experience last night, and the smug look on Gu Zhifeng’s face after he had lost his senses. He felt a slight burning sensation in his mouth, and his body longed for that feeling.
Actually, he wouldn’t say he disliked Gu Zhifeng. But as for liking… Xu Juexi didn’t know what liking was.
”You don’t like it.”
Gu Fengying helped him choose the answer: “He’s forcing you. Xiaoxi, Lao San has always done things his own way since he was a child. I’m worried that you’ll be bullied by him.”
The two faced each other, and Xu Juexi could not help but meet his gaze. In those calm, watery eyes were emotions that Xu Juexi could not understand, perhaps it was pity, or perhaps it was heartache.
But Xu Juexi felt guilty.
Was it coercion? Perhaps, but Xu Juexi knew he hadn’t resisted with all his might, not since Gu Zhifeng’s first forceful kiss.
This implies tacit approval.
”Come find me next time he bullies you.”
Gu Fengying suddenly laughed again as he spoke: “Anyway, when Xiaoxi first met me, didn’t he call me husband?”
”I… I made a mistake,” Xu Juexi defended himself.
”What’s the difference?” Gu Fengying retorted. “If you shout it, you shout it.”
He stood up from his seat, walked around to Xu Juexi and sat down again, cupped Xu Juexi’s face in his hands, and coaxed, “He didn’t mark you, did he? Let me see.”
”No……”
Xu Juexi wanted to refuse, and also wanted to know if he had been marked and what his relationship with Gu Fengying was, but he still subconsciously opened his mouth and showed Gu Fengying his tongue, just like that day in the car.
Gu Fengying’s lowered eyes were intensely focused, making Xu Juexi feel inexplicably hot-breathed and trembling, as if he were awaiting judgment.
After a long pause, he finally heard Gu Fengying say, “There is no mark.”
Xu Juexi breathed a sigh of relief, then belatedly realized that there shouldn’t have been any. He had read in the book that marking required biting through the gland, which would be very painful. But last night there was no pain, only comfort.
”very nice.”
Gu Fengying seemed to be expressing genuine emotion, his voice trembling slightly. As he spoke, he gently stroked Xu Juexi’s lips with his fingertips, leaning closer to him as if he couldn’t help himself.
Caught off guard, Xu Juexi felt the man’s hot breath, carrying the scent of flowers, brush against his cheek. His heart raced, and he panicked, unsure whether to pull away.
But just as he was about to touch him, Gu Fengying suddenly snapped out of his daze and stopped moving.
The ill-formed kiss barely grazed the corner of Xu Juexi’s lips.
”Sorry.”
Gu Fengying pulled away from Xu Juexi and apologized, “I was daydreaming just now.”
Xu Juexi’s cheeks instantly flushed red. He softly said “Oh,” his chest pounding like a drum, but he pretended not to care and said, “It’s okay.”
He absentmindedly poked at the remaining cake on the plate with his fork, making a mess of the cake to ease his restlessness.
His mouth was burning hot, and he fantasized about the unfinished kiss, longing for the feeling of their lips and tongues entwined. He felt a surge of heat throughout his body.
Just then, he suddenly saw a dark figure approaching their position out of the corner of his eye. The target was clear, so he turned his head to look with some doubt.
The person’s figure looked somewhat familiar, but for some reason, he had a black plastic bag over his head, making him look like a terrorist.
The person who came was Gu Zhifeng. He got closer and Xu Juexi realized that it wasn’t a plastic bag, but a coat.
He was probably worried about being recognized, but he didn’t have anything suitable to disguise himself, so he had to take off his coat to cover his face, which was quite comical.
The plastic bag terrorist stormed down at the table, angrily demanding of Xu Juexi, “What were you doing just now?”
The sound came through the fabric, sounding somewhat muffled.
Xu Juexi was supposed to be startled, but his appearance was really funny. He moved closer to Gu Fengying, pretending not to see his new look, and continued eating cake while ignoring him.
Gu Fengying: “What’s it to you?”
”I……”
“What we just did is none of your business.”
Gu Fengying’s expression was a half-smile; he didn’t look at Gu Fengying, his gaze fixed on the obedient omega beside him. His tone was clearly questioning, but it ignited a fire within Gu Zhifeng:
”Who are you to him?”