Guiding him out of the bar, Ji Xie saw a police car parked right at the entrance.
A police officer walked over. “Mr. Ji, please come back with us to make a statement.”
Ji Xie nodded. “Alright.”
After finishing the statement at the police station, Xu Yizhu’s drunkenness had still not worn off.
Ji Xie was led back by him to the old apartment where he had lived for nineteen years.
It was an old, dilapidated building constructed over thirty years ago. The staircase was steep and narrow, making it look somewhat cramped for two people walking side by side.
Xu Yizhu’s home was on the fifth floor.
Watching Xu Yizhu, who had turned into a puddle of soft mud and hung limply all over him, Ji Xie let out a helpless sigh and carried him up to the fifth floor on his back.
“Baby, which apartment is yours?” Ji Xie asked him.
The apartments on both the left and right sides looked as though they had been uninhabited for a long time, with a thick layer of dust gathered at their doorways.
Hearing this, Xu Yizhu climbed down from his back and began rummaging through his backpack for his keys.
Seeing him muddle-headed and unable even to keep his eyes open, Ji Xie amusedly said, “Let me do it.”
Displaying a rare, childish streak, Xu Yizhu slapped away Ji Xie’s hand resting on his bag and angrily snapped, “Don’t touch! So annoying.”
Laughing even harder, Ji Xie quickly coaxed him, “Alright, alright, I won’t touch, you find it.”
Xu Yizhu pulled something out, saw it wasn’t the right thing, and casually tossed it onto the floor.
He took out another thing.
And tossed it.
The identification documents, charger, and spare underwear inside the storage bag… everything was tossed right by his feet.
“There isn’t any!” Furious, Xu Yizhu threw his backpack onto the floor as well and raised his foot to kick the door.
Fearing he would disturb the neighboring residents, Ji Xie pulled him firmly into his arms and gently coaxed him, “Let me do it, alright? Don’t be mad.”
“Heh.” A tone of utter disdain.
Piece by piece, Ji Xie packed the scattered items back into the bag, eventually finding a key in the side pocket.
He asked, “Babe, which one is your home?”
“Hmph.”
Ji Xie: “…” Fine, he would just test them himself.
Inspecting the keyholes on both sides, Ji Xie finally settled on 501. The lock was somewhat aged, making it a bit strenuous to turn, but he managed to open it nonetheless.
He found the circuit breaker, pushed it up, and turned on the living room light.
Running his hand across the table, Ji Xie found it wasn’t particularly dusty, suggesting Xu Man still returned here occasionally.
Stumbling inside, Xu Yizhu kicked open a bedroom door.
Turning around to lean against the doorframe, he pointed a finger at Ji Xie, his gaze hazy and his tone domineering: “You, come over here!”
Stepping closer to him in confusion, Ji Xie asked, “What is it?”
Xu Yizhu proclaimed, “Look! My boudoir!”
Ji Xie followed the direction of his finger. The small bedroom, measuring about ten square meters, could only be described as crude in its furnishings.
A five-foot bed, a bedside table, a desk, and a three-door wardrobe.
The walls were plastered with posters popular over twenty years ago, alongside a wall calendar.
Time seemed frozen eight years in the past.
Recalling his gaze, Ji Xie spoke softly, “Babe, you’re a guy. Only girls have boudoirs.”
Raising an eyebrow at him, Xu Yizhu asked, “Got a problem with that?”
Ji Xie suddenly realized that a drunk Xu Yizhu was exceptionally interesting, unreasonable, silly, and quite adorable.
“Of course not.”
Satisfied, Xu Yizhu dragged him into the room, pointed at the bed, and commanded, “Change it!”
“At your service.”
Ji Xie dug out a clean set of bedsheets and quilt covers from the nearby wardrobe, ripped open the storage bag, and replaced the old ones.
Following right behind Ji Xie like a little tail, Xu Yizhu trailed him back and forth.
Utterly childish.
“You rest for a bit, I’ll go buy you some hangover medicine, alright?”
“Not alright!” Xu Yizhu said. “Don’t even think about ditching me and running off alone.”
With no other choice, Ji Xie pulled out his phone, used an errand-running service, and ordered some necessary daily supplies.
Tugging gently at his cheek with a mix of helplessness and doting affection, Ji Xie said, “You little drunk, you’re so bossy.”
“Heh.”
“Tsk.” Ji Xie blew a soft breath against his ear. “I like you so much, Xu Yizhu.”
“Heh.”
As proud and aloof as a cat.
Within half an hour, someone knocked on the door.
Opening it, Ji Xie accepted the items and expressed his thanks.
“Ji Xie!” Xu Yizhu called out from the room.
“What is it, babe?” Before even placing the items on the table, Ji Xie walked straight inside.
“Give me a hug.” Opening his arms wide toward him with a pitiful expression, Xu Yizhu looked aggrieved.
With his heart melting completely, Ji Xie held the groceries in one hand while pulling him into an embrace with the other.
He coaxed softly, “Let’s take the hangover medicine first, alright?”
Averting his face, Xu Yizhu silently refused.
“If you don’t take medicine, your head will hurt when the alcohol wears off.”
Still refusing to look at him, Xu Yizhu remained stubborn.
Helpless, Ji Xie stood there, letting himself be held.
“How did you get here?” Burying his face into Ji Xie’s chest, Xu Yizhu asked in a muffled voice.
“I was worried about you, so I came.” Freeing up his hand, Ji Xie gave the back of his neck a gentle pinch.
“It must have been that big-mouthed Zhouzhou!” Xu Yizhu accused. “I’m breaking off friendship with him tomorrow!”
Curious, Ji Xie asked, “Why not right now?”
Xu Yizhu answered with absolute confidence, “Because I’m drunk today, and a drunk’s words can’t be trusted. Are you stupid or what, Boss Ji?”
He dragged out the end of his sentence in a coquettish tone.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” Ji Xie asked him.
“Why would I tell you? I’m not anyone to you.” Raising his head to look at him, Xu Yizhu retorted, “You’re the one who forgot.”
His eyes were shrouded in mist, lacking their usual indifference.
Bending down, Ji Xie pressed a light kiss to his forehead and apologized, “It was my fault. Then will you be friends with me now?”
Shaking his head, Xu Yizhu refused, “No.”
“But I like you so much, Xu Yizhu.”
“So, so much.”
Over and over again, Ji Xie endlessly poured out his affection without a hint of fatigue.
Licking his lips, Xu Yizhu reluctantly conceded, “Then, I’ll allow you to kiss me.”
More than willing, Ji Xie agreed, “At your service, My Lord.”
Tilting his head up, Xu Yizhu engaged in a kiss with him, his hands instinctively wrapping tightly around Ji Xie’s waist.
At this moment, he resembled a vigilant, highly guarded little cat that occasionally deigned to bare its belly for its master to stroke.
The private goods tucked into the errand delivery finally came in handy.
Staring at that square packaging, Xu Yizhu widened his eyes in shock. “You actually carry this around with you! You unchaste bastard!”
Looking deeply aggrieved, Ji Xie explained, “I only just bought it on a whim.”
Xu Yizhu protested, “I’m drunk, and you’re still plotting to sleep with me? You beast!”
Ji Xie retorted, “You bossed me around for quite a while, collecting a bit of interest isn’t too much, right?”
Unwilling to stop, Xu Yizhu grew furious, lunged forward, and bit down hard right on Ji Xie’s shoulder, leaving a neat row of tooth marks.
Hissing in pain, Ji Xie drew in a sharp breath. “Why are you still biting people when you’re drunk?”
Grinding his teeth, Xu Yizhu muttered, “That’s for trying to take advantage of my body.”
Ji Xie thought, Since I’ve taken the scolding and endured the pain, not going through with it would do a disservice to myself.
Pinning Xu Yizhu’s hands down with one hand while holding the package in the other, he ripped open the seal with his teeth.
Xu Yizhu attempted to struggle, but Ji Xie remained as unyielding as a mountain.
“Ji Xie, I haven’t even agreed to date you yet! How dare you force yourself on me!”
Flames danced in Ji Xie’s eyes as his chest heaved. His sharp, neat buzz cut accentuated his distinct facial features and well-shaped skull.
“Then will you agree?” Ji Xie looked down at him and asked.
Refusing to budge, Xu Yizhu snapped, “I won’t.”
“Then I’ll just kiss you until you agree.” Provoked by him, Ji Xie was determined to exact some sweetness in return.
“Wu, scoun—”
The domineering, forceful kiss offered him no chance to resist or regret.
Releasing his grip slightly, Ji Xie slid one hand around his waist to hold him tighter while the other cupped the back of his head.
Forced to endure his burning passion, Xu Yizhu felt his entire body grow scalding hot, weak and boneless.
His heart felt as though it were being roasted over an open flame.
“Xu Yizhu, be with me, okay?”
Lingering continuously over his lips while soft pants echoed right by his ear, Ji Xie pleaded, “Be with me, okay?”
Xu Yizhu could no longer tell whether he was intoxicated by the alcohol or by the man himself. Instinctively craving Ji Xie’s body heat, he reached out to press his palm flat against the other’s chest.
The steady, powerful thumping of his heartbeat possessed an overwhelming sense of reality.
“No.”
His mouth said no, but his body was entirely honest.
Ceasing to pressure him for an answer, Ji Xie made another concession. “Then we won’t date. We’ll just maintain the status quo, alright?”
“Alright.”
Pinching Ji Xie’s waist with an obvious hint of suggestion, Xu Yizhu signaled his intent, and Ji Xie caught on instantly, matching his rhythm.
By the end, Xu Yizhu was so exhausted that he couldn’t even summon the energy to twitch a finger. Satisfied, Ji Xie pressed a kiss to his forehead before heading to the kitchen to cook the glutinous rice dumplings he had bought.
When Ji Xie walked out carrying the freshly boiled dumplings, Xu Yizhu was still sprawled across the bed.
Failing to find any white sugar, he could only boil them in plain water, leaving the flavor somewhat bland.
Setting down the utensils, he re-entered the bedroom to wake Xu Yizhu up.
“The dumplings are ready, though there’s no white sugar, so you’ll have to make do for now before we head back later.” Sitting on the bedside, Ji Xie gave the palm of Xu Yizhu’s hand resting at the edge of the bed a light squeeze.
“Tired,” Xu Yizhu mumbled weakly.
Reaching his hand back under the covers, Ji Xie began massaging his aching lower back.
“The last train is at nine, and it’s six in the afternoon right now,” Ji Xie asked him, “Do you want to head back now, or tomorrow morning?”
Xu Yizhu replied, “Tomorrow.”
At this moment, he just wanted to die right here in bed, completely parallel to the mattress.
“Then fill your stomach a bit first, we’ll go out to eat later.” Standing up, Ji Xie walked out.
“Mm…” He was too lazy even to open his eyes.
Bringing a bowl of dumplings into the room, Ji Xie placed it on the bedside table, hauled Xu Yizhu up from under the blankets to a sitting position, and propped a pillow behind his lower back.
“Open up, I’ll feed you.”
Hearing that he intended to feed him, Xu Yizhu snapped fully awake. “Don’t, I’m not disabled.”
After eating two bites of the bland food, he refused to touch any more.
Taking the bowl from him, Ji Xie finished off the remaining dumplings himself.
Xu Yizhu thought, How does he manage to act so naturally shameless?
Looking at him earnestly, Ji Xie remarked, “Xu Yizhu, I’ve realized you are truly unreasonable when you’re drunk.”
Xu Yizhu retorted, “I’m already a drunk, what reason am I supposed to have?”
Smiling, Ji Xie asked him, “Then are you sober now?”
Shutting his mouth tightly, Xu Yizhu didn’t dare answer out of a guilty conscience.
“Sober or not?” Refusing to let up, Ji Xie continued pressing him.
Though Xu Yizhu’s eyes had long since regained their clarity, he still stubbornly denied it. “Nope.”
“Go ahead and keep playing hardheaded.”
Xu Yizhu thought, As long as I refuse to admit it, acting dissolute while drunk has nothing to do with me.