Chapter 61

“……”

Those seven simple words struck like a torrential downpour, fiercely nourishing the barren wasteland of Wen Chaosheng’s inner world.

Years of suppressed affection surged forth in that instant, drowning his reason, scattering his thoughts, and saturating his increasingly parched soul—like being reborn.

Wen Chaosheng was too stunned to react. He could only stare blankly at the man before him, afraid that this was some illusion he had conjured up, not even daring to blink.

“You…”

Wen Chaosheng opened his mouth, but uncertainty welled up in his throat first. “Are you… drunk?”

He would rather find an excuse for Xi Zhui, tempering his own hopes, than dare repeat the word “reconcile.”

“I’m not drunk, and I’m not talking nonsense.”

Xi Zhui gently steadied his unease, enunciating each word clearly once more. “Wen Chaosheng, let’s get back together. I want to be with you again.”

After spending this time together, Xi Zhui had thought it through completely.

The only thing he truly wanted was Wen Chaosheng.

Xi Zhui no longer cared to dwell on the rights and wrongs of six years ago, nor did he mind if Wen Chaosheng had entertained thoughts of moving on during those years. All his past doubts and pain had become history the moment Wen Chaosheng reappeared before him.

What mattered to Xi Zhui was Wen Chaosheng’s present—and his future.

As long as the other man was willing to return to his side, he would rebuild their relationship, no matter the cost!

Even if the Wen family parents objected, he would find a way and fight with everything he had for their future together!

“……”

A sour ache welled up in his eyes.

Wen Chaosheng instinctively ducked his head to hide it, unsure how to respond. “I…”

He still had too many unresolved issues. The problems from six years ago lingered just as stubbornly today.

No one knew better than he did how deeply ingrained Chang Ming’s darkness and terror were. From beginning to end, Wen Chaosheng never wanted to drag Xi Zhui into it.

“Wen Chaosheng, don’t look down. Look at me.”

Xi Zhui reached out, cupping the other man’s chin with gentle insistence, forcing their eyes to meet. “Listen—I don’t need an answer from you right now. I just want you to know where I stand.”

He understood Wen Chaosheng’s innate sensitivity, his reticence, his slow warmth, his tendency to shy away. So Xi Zhui was willing to invest more time and patience, waiting for his answer.

To love was to love—all his “flaws” were worth cherishing, worth loving.

“Take your time thinking about whether you want to get back together with me. No rush—I’ll wait for your reply, however long it takes.”

“Just promise me one thing: don’t disappear on me again like you did six years ago, okay?”

“……”

Wen Chaosheng swallowed back the hot lump in his throat. “Okay.”

Xi Zhui brushed his fingertip over the corner of Wen Chaosheng’s eye, wiping away the faint glimmer of moisture. “It’s past New Year’s now. Time for bed?”

“Yeah.”

Wen Chaosheng pressed his lips together and nodded.

A new year, a new start—he wanted to fix his insomnia-riddled sleep schedule too.

The two of them tidied up simply and lay down on the small bed.

Wen Chaosheng had recovered from the initial shock, his heart now floating with giddy lightness.

He felt like a turtle that had hibernated through a six-year winter, finally emerging into spring.

But an indescribable shyness held him back. He didn’t dare face Xi Zhui, so he turned away, burying half his face in the covers and pretending to sleep.

Xi Zhui was long accustomed to his turtle-like evasions. With a casual tug, he pulled the blanket down a bit and wrapped his arms around him from behind. “Tired?”

They were pressed so close that Wen Chaosheng instantly felt the warmth radiating from Xi Zhui’s embrace.

Too intimate! This was the kind of back-hug they’d only shared when they were dating before!

Wen Chaosheng didn’t dare turn to meet his gaze. Instead, he tried a half-hearted correction. “We… we haven’t gotten back together yet.”

It was as good as an admission.

Xi Zhui let out a short chuckle, tightening his arm around Wen Chaosheng’s waist. “I know. I’m not doing anything to you—just holding you while we sleep. That’s restraint enough.”

Heat flooded Wen Chaosheng’s face, his mind going fuzzy. “……I’m going to sleep.”

“Mm. Good night.”

Xi Zhui brushed a faint kiss against the light-colored mole on the back of his neck. “Sleep well.”

In the end, Wen Chaosheng silently accepted this boundary-crossing intimacy, allowing himself to sink into the profoundly safe warmth of that embrace.

The comfort object’s innate hypnotic effect worked its magic once more, and before they knew it, the two drifted off to sleep.

New Year’s first night—sweet dreams visited them both.

……

Wen Chaosheng slept until he woke naturally.

Free of medication’s deep slumber, he felt unusually refreshed and full of energy.

He heard the steady breathing beside him and, not wanting to disturb Xi Zhui, carefully stretched for the phone on his bedside table.

A glance at the time: already one in the afternoon.

“……”

Wen Chaosheng blinked in surprise.

He turned his head to gaze at the still-sleeping Xi Zhui, his lips curving into an involuntary smile.

People looked most relaxed in sleep.

Right now, Xi Zhui’s features lacked their usual wakeful maturity and sharpness, revealing a rare childlike innocence few ever saw.

Wen Chaosheng’s eyes traced the face so close to his own, his heart overflowing with boundless happiness. An impulse stirred within him, secret and daring.

He wanted to take a photo with Xi Zhui.

Just one, to cherish in secret.

Perhaps it was the care of the past couple of days or last night’s reconciliation talk that gave him unprecedented courage—Wen Chaosheng rarely felt so bold.

He quickly opened the camera, snapped a selfie while Xi Zhui was still asleep, and contentedly moved it to his private album.

About half an hour later, Xi Zhui finally stirred awake.

The moment he opened his eyes, he met Wen Chaosheng’s bright gaze. Still groggy, he murmured, “Mm?”

Wen Chaosheng, who had been waiting patiently, prompted him. “Aren’t you going to ask what time it is?”

Xi Zhui absently ruffled Wen Chaosheng’s curly hair, asking without fully waking. “What time is it?”

“One forty-three!”

Wen Chaosheng had been waiting for that. He struck back righteously for once. “Xi Zhui, you called me a pig yesterday, but look at you—sleeping like a log.”

“……”

Xi Zhui chuckled, his drowsiness half-vanished.

He buried his face in the warm crook of Wen Chaosheng’s neck, inhaling deeply with utter contentment. “Can’t help it. Holding you makes for the best sleep.”

Wen Chaosheng flushed at the warm breath against his skin, giving Xi Zhui a small push. “We really should get up. If you sleep more, you’ll be up all night.”

“Mm.”

Xi Zhui released him and sat up. “Any plans today?”

Wen Chaosheng shook his head. “None.”

If Xi Zhui hadn’t shown up, he’d planned to hole up at home until heading to the wrap-up banquet on the twelfth, then return to the Imperial Capital to visit Song Xuelan.

He turned the question back. “What about you? How long are you and Aunt Shen staying in Thailand?”

“Depends on her mood—no set plans yet.”

With Xi Zhui finally having time off for Spring Festival, Shen Ruo had arranged their Thailand trip ages ago.

“But I’ll definitely make it to the wrap-up banquet. Oh, and this year’s Hundred Flowers Awards are on Lantern Festival—I’ll have to head to the Imperial Capital for that.”

A week earlier, the Hundred Flowers Awards had announced the nominees for the new session.

Xi Zhui had been nominated for Best Male Lead again, thanks to his recent film.

Wen Chaosheng had followed the news, his eyes lighting up. “I saw online that you’ve got a really good shot at winning this time.”

In Hua Country’s film industry, the Hundred Flowers Awards and Baixiang Awards carried equal prestige! If Xi Zhui took home Best Male Lead this year, he’d truly be a double-crown Film Emperor.

Xi Zhui had lost out once before at the Hundred Flowers and didn’t want to jinx it. “Who knows? Fingers crossed.”

Wen Chaosheng had been nominated for a film festival himself and knew how excessive expectations could pressure someone.

So he offered encouragement instead. “Mm. You’re amazing either way.”

Xi Zhui smiled.

For the new year, he had no filming lined up yet. “I’ve got a short public service shoot coming up. What about you? Any plans after New Year?”

Wen Chaosheng shook his head. “Not yet.”

As for his original plan to go abroad after the film wrapped, he’d put it on hold for now.

At this point, his heart was firmly back home.

Rather than return to Chang Ming’s hysterical control, he’d rather figure out how to come clean to Xi Zhui about Chang Ming’s existence.

Unaware of Wen Chaosheng’s inner thoughts, Xi Zhui seized the chance. “My flight’s at nine-thirty tomorrow morning. Leaving from here to the airport would be closer—more convenient.”

“……”

Wen Chaosheng caught on instantly, his throat bobbing. “Oh.”

“What’s ‘oh’ mean?” Xi Zhui teased knowingly. “Can I extend my stay or not?”

Wen Chaosheng mumbled, “I’m not kicking you out.”

Xi Zhui didn’t press, just smiled at him.

“I’m going to freshen up. You stay here.”

Stared at by those eyes, Wen Chaosheng grew flustered, scrambling out of bed and fleeing to the bathroom.

…

Plenty of last night’s New Year’s Eve dinner had been left over.

Xi Zhui reheated a few dishes, and the two made do with a late brunch.

Afterward, as the kitchen novice, Wen Chaosheng took on washing dishes and cleaning up, while Xi Zhui didn’t argue and helped out beside him.

Xi Zhui was leaving tomorrow and worried about Wen Chaosheng ordering takeout alone at home.

So he ordered groceries via delivery, spending nearly three hours wrapping dumplings and prepping a few dishes that would keep for a bit.

For dinner, they ate freshly made dumplings and even watched a movie together.

Although they hadn’t officially gotten back together yet, Xi Zhui and Wen Chaosheng had already crossed that line in their hearts. Moreover, now that they were free from the constraints of their professional roles as director and actor—

Their time together carried no trace of awkwardness. Instead, it brimmed with an indescribable air of budding romance.

Before nine o’clock, the sound of running water echoed from the bathroom.

Having already finished his shower, Xi Zhui sat in a chair, switching accounts on his work WeChat to reply to New Year’s greetings from various contacts.

The restless Black Boss still refused to stay put in its cage. After Xi Zhui banned it from flying around the room and shedding feathers everywhere, it had switched to waddling mode, strutting boldly through the house.

No one knew where it had squeezed into at the moment.

“Jay!”

“Snacks! Snacks!”

“Tap tap tap—”

Xi Zhui had only replied to half of one New Year’s message on his work WeChat when he heard Black Boss making an unusually enthusiastic racket.

He instinctively glanced toward the noise and spotted the myna pushing a strange blue box out from under the bed.

“Tap tap tap—” At that moment, it was pecking relentlessly at the lid with its beak.

Xi Zhui frowned and called out to stop it. “Silly bird, are you stirring up trouble again?”

The scolded Black Boss flapped its wings twice in defiance, protesting on its own behalf. “Brother’s! Brother’s! Yummy! Yummy!”

“…”

Brother’s?

Black Boss rarely used that form of address. In the past, it had only ever mimicked him by calling Wen Chaosheng that way.

Xi Zhui understood what his pet meant and felt a flicker of puzzlement. Did that blue box contain something of Chaosheng’s? Why was it under the bed?

As these thoughts crossed his mind, Black Boss successfully pried open the lid.

Seeing this, Xi Zhui simply stood up. “Black Boss, no matter whose stuff it is, you can’t…”

He got only halfway through the sentence when he caught sight of the individually packed white medicine bags inside the box. His gaze froze instantly.