The autumn wind blew bleakly, rustling the fallen leaves across the ground. The moment Xu Yizhu stepped one foot outside the mall entrance, a blast of cold air hit him, causing him to rub his arms and sneeze. Ji Xie reached out, grabbed the back of his collar, and yanked him back into his embrace. Pulled backward several steps, Xu Yizhu almost stepped on his feet. Frowning, he turned back and demanded, “What are you doing?” Freed one hand, Ji Xie prepared to take off his coat and drape it over him: “Sweaters let the wind through, they aren’t warm.” Xu Yizhu instinctively refused: “I don’t want it, I’m not cold.” Ji Xie paused his motion of taking off the coat and said, “Then I’m cold. Hold my hand to warm me up.” Looking impatient, Xu Yizhu stubbornly retorted, “You’re a grown man, why are you so troublesome!” Before he finished speaking, one of his hands was already being gripped and held by Ji Xie. Curving his lips without arguing back, Ji Xie took the initiative to interlace his fingers with Xu Yizhu’s: “Can’t help it, my constitution runs cold.” Xu Yizhu glared at him. Constitutional cold my foot, your palms are clearly burning hot. Such a scheming dog! Ji Xie chuckled, tightening his grip around Xu Yizhu’s hand. A pile of gifts was loaded into the trunk of Ji Xie’s car. Xu Yizhu got into the passenger seat, fastened his seatbelt, and asked, “Do we need to go pick up Auntie and the others?” Starting the engine, Ji Xie replied casually, “No need, they’ve already arrived. We can just head straight over ourselves.” Xu Yizhu nodded. The place Ji Xie had booked was a farmhouse restaurant located in the suburbs. Rumored to be notoriously difficult to reserve, Ji Xie had pulled strings through a friend just to secure a table. The establishment only hosted ten tables of guests per day. The ingredients were freshly picked and slaughtered on-site, ensuring absolute freshness, and the flavor was peerless. As the car pulled into a small courtyard, Xu Yizhu looked out the window and saw climbing roses blooming all along the corners of the courtyard walls. Rolling down the window, he poked his head out, sniffed the air, and asked in confusion, “With such a large patch of them, why can’t I smell any floral scent?” Turning his head to look at him, Ji Xie smiled and said, “You have to get close to smell it.” Parking the car, the two of them headed up to the second floor. Ji’s mother had been waiting for some time. Seeing Xu Yizhu walk in, she hurried over, took his hand, and noticing that his fingers were ice-cold, voiced her concern: “Why did you wear so little coming out?” Unaccustomed to Ji’s mother’s warmth, Xu Yizhu felt a bit restrained and murmured softly, “I’m not cold.” Pulling him down to sit beside her, Ji’s mother turned her gaze to Ji Xie with a hint of reproach: “You too, why didn’t you keep an eye on him and make him put on more layers?” Turning back to Xu Yizhu, she continued, “You young people just don’t know how to cherish your bodies. When you reach our age and have to pop pills every other day, you’ll know what suffering is.” Catching strays completely unprovoked, Ji Xie looked aggrieved: “He wouldn’t listen to me, it’s not like I can force clothes onto him.” Ji’s mother huffed, “Xiao Zhu, let’s not hang out with this clueless guy, Auntie will introduce you to someone better than him.” Xu Yizhu: “” Ji Xie: “……!!!!!!” “Did you win me from a raffle or something?” Ji’s mother replied, “No, won you in a lucky draw.” Watching the mother and son bicker, Xu Yizhu couldn’t help the corners of his mouth curving upward. He spoke up to rescue Ji Xie: “Auntie, why aren’t you staying for a bit longer this time? Is there some urgent matter?” Ji’s mother answered, “Nothing urgent, just that we haven’t seen the dog at home for a long time and missed it.” Ji Xie shot a look at Xu Yizhu, as if saying: See? Even a dog ranks higher than me. From the side, Ji’s father asked him, “Xiao Zhu, have all your matters been resolved?” Xu Yizhu: “They’re all settled. I really have to thank Ji Xie for his help, I don’t even know how to thank him properly.” Waving a hand dismissively, Ji’s father said, “As long as he’s useful for something.” Xu Yizhu cast a stealthy glance at Ji Xie, suddenly finding him rather pitiful. The meal passed in a harmonious, cheerful atmosphere. Throughout the entire time, Ji’s mother kept recounting embarrassing childhood stories about Ji Xie. Listening to them, Xu Yizhu found it amusing and chimed in to tease him along with Ji’s mother: “Oh? Is that so? I never would’ve guessed, Boss Ji.” With his face flushing bright red from embarrassment, Ji Xie tried to find an excuse to flee the public execution, only to be ruthlessly intercepted by Ji’s father: “What are you running for? I haven’t even brought up how you tried to steal the household registry at six years old to go register a marriage.” Resigned to his fate, Ji Xie muttered, “…” You’re already bringing it up, thank you very much! Growing intrigued, Xu Yizhu asked him, “Really? You had a marriage partner picked out when you were that young?” Ji’s father sneered, “Yep, and it was a three-month-old sheepdog.” For the entire two hours, Xu Yizhu felt his facial muscles cramping from smiling. With a dark expression on his face, Ji’s mother’s son sent resentful, dagger-like glares his way. As they dispersed, Ji Xie and Xu Yizhu trailed stealthily behind the two elders. Clearing his throat, Xu Yizhu maintained a straight face: “Boss Ji truly has a rich life experience.” Stealthily reaching out to pinch Xu Yizhu’s waist, Ji Xie wore a helpless expression: “You’re still laughing!” A wave of tingles surged across his waist. Xu Yizhu swatted away the unruly hand and gave him a reproachful look: “Can you stop flirting for five seconds!” Ji Xie smiled: “You’ve been teasing me for two hours, what’s wrong with me collecting a bit of interest?” Ji Xie’s voice wasn’t quiet, causing Ji’s mother to turn her head back: “What are you two whispering about? Are you bullying Xiao Zhu again?” Ji Xie: “No, we’re just building our relationship.” Not believing his nonsense, Ji’s mother beckoned Xu Yizhu to her side: “Xiao Zhu, if this brat ever bullies you, just tell me and I’ll deal with him. Don’t ever wrong yourself, you hear me?” For the first time in his life, Xu Yizhu felt the warmth of being protected by an elder. A gentle glow blossomed in his chest as he said softly, “I won’t, Auntie.” With a gentle nod, Ji’s mother smiled, “That’s good.” Xu Yizhu accompanied Ji Xie to drop the two elders off at their hotel, promising Ji’s mother that they would see them off at the airport together tomorrow. Although he hadn’t known Ji Xie’s parents for very long, Xu Yizhu genuinely liked them from the bottom of his heart. The mere thought of their departure filled him with a quiet reluctance. Xu Yizhu had lacked familial affection since childhood; he had never seen his father, and Xu Man treated him with cold indifference. Ever since he could remember, he had never experienced care and affection from relatives. Seeing how harmonious and warm Ji’s family was, he couldn’t help feeling a pang of envy. His previously cheerful mood turned gloomy. Parking the car at the entrance of the residential complex, Ji Xie walked alongside him on foot. Sensing the shift in his mood, Ji Xie ruffled his hair and asked gently in a soft voice, “What’s wrong, Teacher Xu?” Stopping in his tracks, Xu Yizhu sighed with emotion: “Ji Xie, I actually envy you quite a bit.” “Me?” “Mhm, your parents have a wonderful relationship and they’re very indulgent toward you.” These were things Xu Yizhu never had, and things he had yearned for for a long time. Cup-holding his face in both hands, Ji Xie looked at him with eyes overflowing with tenderness, speaking with absolute sincerity: “Then how about I split mine with you?” Xu Yizhu raised his eyes to meet his gaze. Through those eyes, he saw his own tiny figure clearly reflected within them, with nothing else besides. “Split them with me?” Xu Yizhu’s brain short-circuited for a second, missing the beat. “Be with me, Xu Yizhu,&& Ji Xie smiled. “Whatever I have, I’ll split half with you.” “I’ve always been completely sincere. I don’t know what else I can do to make you believe me.” “I don’t need you to walk toward me, let me do all the walking.” Xu Yizhu asked him, “If you do everything, what am I supposed to do?” Drawing him into his embrace, Ji Xie wrapped him in his warm body heat, shielding him from the biting cold wind. “Try trusting me,” he said. “If I ever make you feel untrustworthy, you can walk away anytime. How’s that?” Xu Yizhu hesitated, not because of Ji Xie, but because… he desperately wanted parents like Ji Xie’s. “We both really like you, my dad and my mom. Being with me means more people will love you. Teacher Xu, don’t you really want to give it a try?” Ji Xie’s voice was soft, acting like a mesmerizing enchantress continuing to breach his psychological defenses. Xu Yizhu confirmed, “I really don’t need to give anything in return?” Ji Xie: “Right.” Xu Yizhu: “I can walk away at any time?” Softer still, Ji Xie replied, “Yes.” He began to deliberate. Far from rushing him, Ji Xie simply stood quietly and stared at him. The passing wind gently fluttered the tips of his hair, and Ji Xie reached out to press them down. In the quiet night, the orange streetlights on either side of the road cast long, slender shadows on the ground, intertwining with one another. After a long silence, Ji Xie heard Xu Yizhu whisper in a voice so soft it was barely audible: “Okay.” Ji Xie’s tense body relaxed all at once as he let out a long breath. He felt like a prisoner waiting for the judge’s sentencing. Apprehensive yet expectant. He exercised extreme restraint over his surging excitement, terrified of startling him again. Taking a deep breath to steady his emotions, Ji Xie still couldn’t completely control the incredulous joy coloring his voice. “You agreed?” Both ashamed and panicked, Xu Yizhu hid behind a counter-argument: “I can take it back if you want.” Terrified that he might rescind his words, Ji Xie tightened his arms around him even further, rejoicing, “A promise made must be kept.” Xu Yizhu gave a cold hum: “You said five minutes ago that I didn’t need to do anything at all.” Ji Xie: “……” Dropping the teasing, Xu Yizhu wrapped his arms around Ji Xie’s waist, mirroring his gesture by tightening his hold as he smiled: “Alright, just joking with you.” Looking at him, Ji Xie verified once more, “You’re really giving yourself to me so cheaply?” Nodding, Xu Yizhu answered, “I’m serious.” “Then…” Ji Xie inched closer to him, brushing the tip of his nose against Xu Yizhu’s, “Boyfriend, I’m so happy. May I kiss you to calm down?” Taking the initiative, Xu Yizhu leaned in and pressed a light, dragonfly-like kiss to his lips: “Are you calm now?” Ji Xie licked the lips that had just brushed his, savoring the aftertaste as he said greedily, “Not really, I think I’m even more excited now.” Xu Yizhu kissed him again and asked, “How about now?” Ji Xie shook his head. Xu Yizhu kissed him once more. Stirred into ripples by his clumsy, inexperienced kissing technique, Ji Xie felt his breath grow heavy. “That’s enough, Mr. Woodpecker, now it’s my turn.” Pinching his chin, Ji Xie forced him to tilt his head up and meet his gaze. Lowering his head, he captured those lips he had obsessed over all day long, gently and slowly, as if tasting a peerless delicacy. When Xu Yizhu tried pushing him away for the third time, Ji Xie finally released him with reluctant satisfaction. Xu Yizhu touched his lips, which were flushed red from the kissing. His eyes shimmered with a watery gloss, making him look both pitiful and delicious. “Exercise some restraint. We still have to take Uncle and Auntie to the airport tomorrow.” Smilingly letting him go, Ji Xie complied obediently: “Alright.” He couldn’t bully him too hard, otherwise if he got angry and refused to let him get close again, what would he do? Ji Xie understood the art of quitting while he was ahead.
Chapter 12 - Can I kiss you to calm down?
[Rebirth] Inventive Widowhood