The quality of the sofa was quite good, a fact that Xu Yizhu had personally verified over the course of two hours.
By the time it was over, he was so exhausted that he didn’t even have the energy to lift his eyelids. Kissing away the light sheen of sweat glistening at the hollow of his collarbone, Ji Xie scooped him up horizontally in his arms and carried him to the bathroom to clean up.
Lying slumped against the edge of the bathtub with his entire body submerged in water and his chin resting on the back of his hand, Xu Yizhu closed his eyes to feign sleep. Crouching beside the tub, Ji Xie extended a hand into the water to gently massage away the aching soreness in his muscles.
“Still uncomfortable?”
Lifting his eyelids to glance at him before closing them again, Xu Yizhu replied in a voice hoarse and fatigued with exhaustion, “Next time you lie down and try it out.”
The corners of Ji Xie’s mouth curled up slightly. “Alright, I’ll lie down and you can take the initiative.”
Taking advantage of the situation while still playing the victim, his mouth was full of suggestive nonsense.
Too lazy to bicker with him, Xu Yizhu felt the precisely calibrated pressure around his waist melt away his entire body’s tension. A wave of drowsiness washed over him, and he couldn’t help letting out a soft yawn.
Placing a kiss on his forehead, Ji Xie murmured in a low voice, “Go to sleep, soak for a bit longer and I’ll carry you out.”
“Mm.” Xu Yizhu shifted into a more comfortable position, and within moments, his breathing grew light and steady.
When Xu Yizhu woke up, evening had already arrived. The edges of the sky were stained with sunset glows, and with the windows half-open, the orange-red warmth of dusk billowed into the room accompanied by gusts of autumn wind.
Stretching his waist to relieve the lingering fatigue across his entire body, he stepped out of the bedroom.
Ji Xie was sitting cross-legged on the carpet working on his laptop. Hearing the door open, he shifted his gaze away from the screen and looked over. “Awake? Are you hungry?”
Walking over to sit down beside him, Xu Yizhu spoke with a serious expression, “I think we need to set down some ground rules.”
Closing his laptop, Ji Xie raised an eyebrow at him.
Tucking his chin upward, Xu Yizhu motioned for him to pour a glass of water. Standing up, Ji Xie planted a quick peck on his lips, poured a glass of warm water, and handed it to him.
Moistening his throat, Xu Yizhu continued, “First, you are not allowed to disturb me when I’m writing.”
Ji Xie agreed, “Alright.”
Xu Yizhu went on, “Second, once your place is cleaned up, you’re packing your things and moving back.”
Ji Xie pressed his lips together in silence.
Glancing sideways at him, Xu Yizhu gave a light cough and said, “Third, and most importantly.” With a flushed face and an awkward tone, he added, “From now on, exercise a bit of restraint. Once a week.”
Maintaining a bland, noncommittal expression, Ji Xie offered no immediate reply.
Seeing him remain silent, Xu Yizhu grew somewhat guilty. For an adult right in the prime of youth with high energy and pent-up desires, once a week was indeed a bit hard to swallow.
“Twice a week then?”
Ji Xie’s eyelids twitched, but he still didn’t answer.
Growing anxious, Xu Yizhu figured that if they messed around every single day like this, his frail little life would probably end up forfeited right in the man’s hands.
Gritting his teeth, he conceded, “Three times a week, absolutely no more, or I’ll die!”
Only then did Ji Xie react. Raising his gaze with a smile playing at the corners of his mouth, he fired back question after question, “I move back as soon as my place is tidy?”
Xu Yizhu: “…”
“Three times a week?”
Xu Yizhu stammered, hesitant to speak: “…”
“Xu Yizhu, are you trying to put us in a long-distance relationship?” Thinking about it for a moment as if finding it unsatisfactory, Ji Xie corrected himself, “Oh right, an online relationship, since you practically never want to leave the house anyway.”
Xu Yizhu: “…”
Being in a relationship was such a hassle; he didn’t want to date anymore.
Noticing his listless expression and fearing he might go back on his word, Ji Xie quickly assured, “I’ll listen to you on everything.”
A flash of surprise crossed Xu Yizhu’s eyes, caught off guard by how easily Ji Xie had agreed. For some reason, an inexplicable sense of stifling vexation welled up inside him.
Standing up as if out of spite, he dropped a parting line, “I’m going to go write, do whatever you want.”
Ji Xie replied, “Fine.”
Seeing him remain completely unfazed only irritated Xu Yizhu further. With a loud bang, the bedroom door slammed shut behind him.
Sitting down at his desk, Xu Yizhu opened his laptop and began clacking away furiously to tap out the chapter due for update today.
Completely devoid of any inspiration…
Xu Yizhu’s mind was an absolute blank at the moment. Barely a hundred words into his draft, he deleted them and started over, repeating the cycle several times until his patience was completely exhausted.
It’s all Ji Xie’s fault, Xu Yizhu thought.
Flexing his fingers and letting out a long breath, he readjusted into a comfortable seating posture and resumed drumming on the keyboard.
He needed to banish the person who had completely occupied a massive territory in his mind… temporarily banish him out.
Outside the window, the sky grew dim, and a bright full moon hung high in the purplish-blue night sky.
Tapping out the final period, Xu Yizhu clicked save, then stood up to stretch his stiff joints.
His state of mind hadn’t been stellar today, so writing had taken a bit longer than usual. Glancing down at his phone, he realized it was already past ten o’clock.
He wondered if Ji Xie had eaten dinner yet.
Dragging his weary body out of the room, he found no sign of Ji Xie in the living room; the man had probably headed over to the bar.
A sticky note was left on the coffee table. Picking it up, Xu Yizhu read the message:
Something came up at the bar so I popped over for a bit. Dinner is in the pot, just warm it up a little before eating.
Xu Yizhu chuckled. “Childish.”
He tucked the sticky note away into a drawer.
The food in the pot was still warm, suggesting it hadn’t been cooked long ago. Xu Yizhu scooped it out onto the dining table and poured himself another glass of warm water.
Pulling out his phone, he snapped a quick photo and sent it to Ji Xie.
Z: I don’t like eating tomatoes.
Ji Xie replied promptly.
X: Then I’ll make braised eggplant for you tomorrow.
With a gentle smile, Xu Yizhu sent a voice message back: Boss Ji, I want to eat oil-splashed noodles tomorrow.
Before a minute had passed, Ji Xie called him, and Xu Yizhu answered immediately.
Ji Xie: “If the food has gone cold, don’t eat it. I’m heading back right now, what else do you want to eat?”
Picking up a piece of tomato with his chopsticks and biting into it, Xu Yizhu found it wasn’t as sour as he had expected, so he asked casually, “It’s fine, it’s still warm. What time did you head out anyway?”
Ji Xie answered, “Some things came up at the shop so I went to check. Didn’t you say I’m not allowed to disturb you while you’re writing?”
Choking slightly on his food, Xu Yizhu replied offhandedly, “Oh.”
Sensing the lack of enthusiasm in his tone, Ji Xie chuckled. “Is Teacher Xu trying to rush me home?”
Stuffing another piece of egg into his mouth, Xu Yizhu ignored his comment.
Teasing him further, Ji Xie asked, “Do we have a curfew? I’m afraid if I get back too late you won’t let me through the door.”
Hearing a woman’s voice calling out Ji Xie’s name in the background over the phone, sounding rather familiar at that.
She called out, A-Xie.
Ji Xie muttered a quick “hold on” to him.
With the call still connected, the voices of the two drifted clearly into Xu Yizhu’s ears.
Damn scoundrel! He’s even smiling at her!
Without paying attention, Xu Yizhu picked up another piece of tomato and bit down, frowning instantly.
As expected, it was way too sour and tasted awful!
In an icy tone, Xu Yizhu called out, “Ji Xie.”
Putting the phone back to his ear to listen, Ji Xie asked, “Mhm? What is it?”
Glancing at the wall clock, Xu Yizhu offered a reminder: “It’s ten-thirty. If you’re late by even a single minute, you’re sleeping in the hallway.”
Hanging up the phone, Xu Yizhu glared at the plate of stir-fried eggs and tomatoes that he had already eaten more than half of, his expression turning dark.
At ten-twenty-eight, the doorbell rang.
Opening the door, Xu Yizhu deliberately blocked the entryway to bar him from entering, leaning forward to sniff at Ji Xie’s scent.
“Reeking of perfume, absolutely disgusting.”
Seeing the other person eating vinegar without even realizing it, Ji Xie suddenly felt a mischievous urge to tease him.
Feigning complete innocence, he sniffed his own clothes and countered, “Is it really that bad? A faint wild rose scent, I’d say it’s not half bad.”
Shoving him slightly aside like a bristling little cat.
Clearly furious yet forcing himself to swallow his anger, Xu Yizhu snapped coldly, “Then go play with your wild roses instead.”
With that, he moved to shut the door. Fearing he might genuinely piss the person off, Ji Xie dared not tease him further, squeezing his way through the crack just in time.
“I was just joking with you, why are you actually getting mad?” Ji Xie pulled him into a hug. “You look quite adorable when you’re jealous.”
Xu Yizhu retorted, “I’d love to see what you look like sleeping in the hallway.”
Ji Xie: “…”
Not bothering with him any further, Xu Yizhu turned on his heel, retreated to the bedroom to grab his pajamas, and headed into the bathroom to wash up.
By the time Xu Yizhu emerged with damp hair, Ji Xie was pulling his luggage out, piling it onto the bed, and unpacking his items piece by piece to hang them up in the wardrobe.
His clothes were few in number; even when hung up completely, they occupied merely a third of Xu Yizhu’s closet space.
Bent over slightly, Ji Xie wore black trousers that outlined the full, smooth curves of his hips and thighs. Unable to help himself, Xu Yizhu’s gaze lingered, his throat bobbing as he swallowed hard.
Seemingly sensing the stare glued to him, Ji Xie turned his head back and asked, “What’s wrong?”
Caught daydreaming, Xu Yizhu felt a wave of heat surge up his neck and straight to his cheeks. Darting his eyes away, he bumbled out a lame excuse: “I’m sleepy.”
Nodding solemnly, Ji Xie said, “Then I’ll finish tidying up quickly.”
Having zero sleepiness whatsoever yet having just lied through his teeth, Xu Yizhu muttered: “…Alright.”
Waiting until Ji Xie disappeared into the bathroom and the sound of running water started up, Xu Yizhu walked over and sat down by the bedside table. Pulling open the bottom-most drawer, he revealed a neat stack of the sleeping pills he was supposed to take every night before bed.
Bending down, he fished out a bottle, shook a single pill into his palm, and hesitated over whether to take it.
With Ji Xie around, he should be able to sleep soundly, right? Weren’t the previous few times the best proof of that?
Ultimately deciding against it, he scooped up all the medication from the drawer, tossed them into a plastic bag, and shoved the bag straight onto the very top shelf of the wardrobe.
I’ll start taking them again when Ji Xie stops living here, Xu Yizhu thought to himself.
After triple-checking that it wouldn’t be easily discovered by Ji Xie, he finally crawled onto the bed and slid beneath the covers.
When Ji Xie walked out of the bathroom, he was wearing only a bath towel wrapped loosely around his waist, exposing his sturdy, well-toned upper body to the cool air. Because he had just showered, his skin still glistened with microscopic water droplets. Catching sight of him, Xu Yizhu felt his heart skip a beat.
Xu Yizhu: “…”
I want to touch.
Acting as though completely oblivious to the other’s restless gaze, Ji Xie untied the towel, draped it over a chair, and climbed into bed wearing nothing but a pair of black CK underwear, lifting the blanket to slide right in.
Scooting a bit to the side, Xu Yizhu asked him, “Why aren’t you wearing pajamas?”
Turning his face toward him with an easy, casual tone, Ji Xie replied, “I left in too much of a rush, forgot to bring any.”
Dodging his gaze, Xu Yizhu mumbled, “Then make sure you remember to bring some back tomorrow.”
Reaching out to click off the main overhead light, he left only the bedside lamp on his side illuminated. Fearing the light might be too bright and disturb Ji Xie’s rest, he quietly dialed the dimmer down to its lowest setting.
“Not bringing any.” Leaning right into the curve of his ear, Ji Xie murmured in a low, husky voice, “I like sleeping naked.”
Turning his back to him, Xu Yizhu muttered a curse under his breath, “Shameless scoundrel!”
Behind him, Ji Xie let out a soft chuckle, pressing flush against him to wrap his arms tightly around his waist while his other hand began wandering mischievously.
Nibbling gently on Xu Yizhu’s earlobe, Ji Xie murmured a slurred, laughing reply: “If a man is not a scoundrel, his wife will weep her heart out.”
Xu Yizhu: “…”