Night fell, and the curtains in the dark room were drawn tight. Wu Yan lay in bed, curled into a ball in a daze. He endured the cold until he finally couldn’t stand it anymore. He opened his eyes and checked the AC display, black screen.
The air conditioning in his room was broken.
Wu Yan sighed helplessly, rubbed his hands together, threw on a coat, and headed out with his phone. Standing before the closed door across the hall, he hesitated.
Question: If I knock on Pei Jin’s door now, will I wake him up? Answer: This is a godsend opportunity. In one word: Charge.
He sent a message to Pei Jin.
Wu Yan: Brother, it’s a dire emergency. Quick, open the door for me.
What if Pei Jin was already asleep? The hallway felt eerie, and the chill crawled up from the soles of his feet. He was shivering so hard he thought he might topple over. Just as he was about to give up and call Xu Yike, the door finally opened.
Wu Yan didn’t even look up; he just lunged forward.
Pei Jin’s first instinct was to push the person away, but feeling the body in his arms shaking like a block of ice, he hesitated and pulled him inside.
The room was warm and comfortable. Pei Jin sat him on the sofa, draped a wool blanket over him, and got him a cup of hot water. Wu Yan’s lashes trembled as he surveyed the room, it was the same layout as his, but minimalist, spotless, and perfectly organized.
Taking the steaming water, Wu Yan held the cup tight, letting the heat spread. He took a sip, his voice still trembling. “My AC is broken…”
“Stay here for the night then.”
Whether as a fiancé or a friend, Pei Jin couldn’t leave a sick person in a freezing hallway. Hotel maintenance wouldn’t be available until tomorrow. Wu Yan nodded obediently, looking dazed from the cold, then suddenly looked up. “Then can I sleep with Brother tonight?”
The AC broke at the perfect time. I hope it breaks more often.
“I’ll sleep on the sofa,” Pei Jin said flatly.
Wu Yan’s expression immediately deflated. “I thought I could sleep with Brother.”
Perhaps the disappointment was too obvious, because a trace of obscurity flashed in Pei Jin’s eyes. He coughed and said, “Go to sleep early.”
Sharing a Bed
Lying in Pei Jin’s bed, Wu Yan felt a bit lightheaded. He pulled the covers over half his face, leaving only his captivating eyes visible to watch Pei Jin, who was taking a spare blanket from the closet. The scent of the man was everywhere.
“The bed still has Brother’s warmth…” he whispered to himself.
Pei Jin’s movements paused for a split second before returning to normal.
“Brother, let’s sleep together. The bed is huge; it can definitely fit two people.” Wu Yan began a persuasive campaign, arguing that the sofa was uncomfortable and he’d feel guilty making the host sleep there. He also promised his sleeping posture was excellent and wouldn’t disturb Pei Jin’s rest.
Under the relentless soft-grinding and hard-soaking, Pei Jin finally agreed. He laid out his bedding on the other side of the bed.
Wu Yan looked at the pillow placed between them a literal “Chud-Han border.” He felt a surge of grievance, his eyes turning red. “Brother, do you really have to guard against me like this?”
Pei Jin turned to him. Seeing the pitiful look, he said softly, “I’m not guarding against you. I just have a restless sleeping posture.”
When the lights went out, the room fell into a silence where they could hear each other’s breathing. Pei Jin closed his eyes, trying to fall asleep, but soon he felt a rustling under the covers. Then, a warm body lunged into his arms.
Wu Yan clung to him like an octopus, rubbing his head against the man’s neck. “Wu Yan,” Pei Jin called out with a hint of irritation.
“I’m here, Brother,” Wu Yan whispered, his voice like honey. “I’m cold.”
Those two words swallowed whatever Pei Jin was going to say next. But the next second, Pei Jin felt his blood reach a boiling point. He caught Wu Yan’s wandering hand, his voice hoarse with restraint. “Wu Yan, did you do that on purpose today?”
Wu Yan blinked. In the dark, his other senses were magnified. “What?”
Pei Jin’s breathing became erratic. He practically squeezed the word through his teeth: “The lollipop.”
“Yeah. I specifically chose the grape flavor Brother likes most.” Wu Yan smiled with secret triumph.
When Pei Jin didn’t respond, Wu Yan thought the man was speechless. But suddenly, his vision spun. Pei Jin flipped over, pinned him down, and kissed him.
The kiss was an explosion of long-suppressed emotion. Wu Yan was shocked at first, but soon immersed himself in it, wrapping his arms around Pei Jin’s neck.
When Pei Jin finally let go, he looked at Wu Yan’s swollen lips and dazed eyes by the moonlight. “Satisfied now?”
Wu Yan panted, a smirk on his lips. “Satisfied. Then, Brother, are we doing it?”
Pei Jin’s eyes darkened. He turned away, avoiding the youth’s gaze. “Go to sleep.”
Wu Yan wouldn’t let it go, tugging at the man’s shirt. “Brother, how can you be like this? You kissed me, and now you’re acting all proper again.”
Pei Jin’s ears were scarlet. He let out a sigh and moved further away. “Say another word and I’m going to the sofa.”
“Hmph. Lighting a fire and not putting it out. Typical man.”
Despite his words, Wu Yan closed his eyes obediently, knowing when to stop.
The Next Morning
Wu Yan woke up to find the spot beside him empty and cold. He sat up and walked into the living room, rubbing his eyes, only to see Luo Xia on the sofa and Pei Jin with his back turned.
“Wu Yan?” Luo Xia stared. The youth was wearing a clearly oversized shirt, his skin white and the red marks on his collarbone visible. He looked at Pei Jin in shock. “Brother Pei?”
Pei Jin saw Luo Xia’s shock and turned to see Wu Yan, who looked like he hadn’t fully woken up yet, hair messy and eyes dazed.
“Brother…” Wu Yan noticed the audience and froze as if just realizing the situation.
Pei Jin stood up calmly and draped his coat over the youth’s shoulders. “The AC has been fixed.” “Okay,” Wu Yan nodded, not sparing a glance for Luo Xia.
Once Wu Yan returned to his room, Luo Xia demanded, “Confess! What is going on between you and Young Master Wu?” “Nothing,” Pei Jin said, flipping through documents with perfect composure.
Back in his room, Wu Yan showered and changed. He leaned back on his sofa and reached for his phone, only to find it was missing.
He knocked on Pei Jin’s door. Luo Xia opened it, and Wu Yan saw Pei Jin still on the sofa. “I came to get something.”
Wu Yan walked familiarly into Pei Jin’s bedroom and pulled his phone from under the bed. It was dead. He said a quick goodbye and went back to his room to charge it.
Once the phone powered on, a barrage of messages and missed calls flooded in. He replied to a few important ones and deleted the rest. He ate a quick breakfast and then took the elevator down, editing messages.
A familiar black car was waiting at the hotel entrance. “Is the Young Master cold?” the driver asked, seeing his pale face. “No.”
Wu Yan leaned back and opened a shopping app, adding various “novelty” items to his cart and paying with a single tap. “If they arrive early, maybe I can use them,” he murmured.
Traffic was heavy. His phone suddenly chirped. It was a message from Pei Jin.
Pei Jin: You left something else here.
Below was a photo of a cufflink a pale blue sapphire that shimmered under the light. Wu Yan realized it was an ornament from the shirt he wore. He typed a reply.
Wu Yan: I see. I’ll come get it tonight. Thanks, Brother.