Jing Li finished speaking and watched as Ji Yunzhang’s eyes grew darker and more intense. He flushed from head to toe.
He sat back down silently, refastened his seatbelt, pulled out his phone, and tapped into a game at random. His mind was completely blank—he had no idea what he was even playing.
The fire in Ji Yunzhang’s heart was thoroughly stoked. He glanced at the passing cars, desire churning in his eyes like waves crashing through a sea of clouds. But this wasn’t the place for even a deep kiss.
He took several deep breaths, shrugged off his suit jacket, undid a few buttons at his shirt collar, rolled down the window, and lit a cigarette. At last, he regained a shred of rationality.
The Porsche roared back to life, hugging the speed limit as it surged forward. Ji Yunzhang’s usual poised confidence evaporated, replaced by raw urgency and heat.
Back at the residential complex, he pulled haphazardly into the garage. The doors locked automatically, and Ji Yunzhang took Jing Li’s hand, leading him upstairs.
In the rising elevator, Jing Li’s heart pounded wildly. His thoughts raced with anticipation and nerves for what lay ahead, sweat slicking his palms.
They stepped out, and the door unlocked with a fingerprint scan.
Uncle Wang and the maids had already finished cleaning and left. A faint, fresh lemon scent lingered in the air from the cleaner—subtle and inoffensive, leaving the mood undisturbed.
The door had barely clicked shut when their lips crashed together, neither able to say who had moved first. The kiss was fierce and unrelenting.
Jing Li’s waist was gripped in a vise-like hold, the arm’s strength so immense it felt like Ji Yunzhang wanted to meld him right into his body. Their forms pressed flush against each other.
His lips were sucked and teased, his tongue coaxed into play, leaving his mouth agape as he surrendered to the other’s tempestuous deep kiss.
Jing Li lost all track of time, oblivious to how long it went on until those lips shifted to his ear. A light nip at his sensitive earlobe jolted him back to awareness, and he realized his shirt hem had been tugged free, bunching messily around his waist.
The hand clamped at his waist didn’t relent. Ji Yunzhang’s voice rasped hot against his ear, low and gravelly. “Baby, where did you put the stuff?”
The answer came all too instinctively and obviously. Jing Li clutched at his lapels, tension overwhelming him as his thoughts scattered. When he failed to reply after a long moment, a gentle pat at his waist urged him silently onward.
“In the nightstand in the guest bedroom,” he managed, then added, “The one I was using before.”
Ji Yunzhang let out a soft chuckle, the vibration rumbling through his chest. Jing Li pried his hand free and shuffled away awkwardly, mortified to his core. “I’ll go wash up first.”
He was tugged back. “Together. I’ll help you get ready.”
“…” Jing Li felt himself burning from the inside out.
In the end, they bathed together. They filled the tub and handled the preparations right there in the water. Jing Li leaned against Ji Yunzhang, burying his face in the man’s shoulder. A flush spread across his skin, which was naturally pale, blending into the soft pink of blooming peach blossoms—irresistibly tempting.
Time lost all meaning. Jing Li emerged drenched in sweat, as was Ji Yunzhang. Soaked in the bathwater already, it all mingled inseparably.
Fresh from the bath and just slipping into bathrobes, Jing Li’s feet left the ground. He instinctively looped his arms around Ji Yunzhang’s neck before relaxing into the hold, letting himself be carried to the master bedroom.
Gently deposited on the bed, he received a soft kiss from above. “I’ll go get it.”
Jing Li had come prepared with everything—not just condoms and lube, but anti-inflammatories and fever reducers too. When Ji Yunzhang returned with them to the bedroom, Jing Li’s gaze darted over, then skittered away.
Summer days stretched long into the evening; it was barely half past five, and daylight flooded the room. The brightness filled Jing Li with a shameful thrill, like indulging in broad daylight. He snatched the remote, and the automated curtains slid shut.
The room dimmed at once, easing his nerves.
Ji Yunzhang flicked on the wall lamp. Its gentle glow was plenty to make out each other’s features.
They tumbled onto the bed in an embrace. Jing Li met Ji Yunzhang’s eyes, sought his lips, and drew him into another kiss.
What came next unfolded naturally, in perfect harmony.
~~~
Jing Li tumbled from the heights of ecstasy, the corners of his eyes tinged red, a misty haze clouding his gaze.
His body settled back into Ji Yunzhang’s arms, turned to face him, and then his eyes received tender pecks.
The frantic thrum of his heartbeat slowed to a steady rhythm. Jing Li pillowed lazily on Ji Yunzhang’s arm, content to neither speak nor stir.
Ji Yunzhang steadied his own emotions as well.
He had lost control, he realized.
It dawned on him that he wasn’t incapable of desire after all—he just hadn’t met Jing Li yet. This bliss belonged to them alone.
He pressed a kiss to the reddened corner of Jing Li’s eye and gazed at him in silence, his own eyes still deep and shadowed.
“…” Jing Li remained quiet, merely pursing his lips for a glance.
Ji Yunzhang drew him close. “Sorry.”
Jing Li, slick with sweat and wrapped in the embrace, felt overheated. His voice came out hoarse. “Hot.” He gave Ji Yunzhang a nudge, reluctant to stay held.
Ji Yunzhang released his arms from around him and turned the air conditioner down a notch lower.
He rose from the bed, picked up the bathrobe from the floor, and slipped it on. Then he gathered up the evidence of their debauchery from the floor and tossed it into the trash bin. He tidied away the unused contraceptives from the bedside table as well, picked up his phone to order takeout, and only then returned to the bedside to scoop Jing Li into his arms.
Jing Li had been drifting off to sleep. He jolted awake at being lifted, but a soft kiss to the top of his head soothed him. “Be good. Don’t sleep yet—wait until after your bath and you’ve had something to eat.”
Jing Li cracked his eyes open and leaned limply against him. “Mm.”
Once he’d been thoroughly cleaned up and tended to with ointment, Jing Li was wide awake. Ji Yunzhang helped him into a set of comfortable loungewear and carried him to the bed in the guest room.
A gentle voice murmured by his ear. “Do you want to eat in bed, or should we go downstairs?”
With the strict etiquette drilled into Ji Yunzhang since childhood, eating in bed was utterly unthinkable. But his partner was Jing Li—any rule could be bent for him.
Jing Li suspected that going downstairs would only make things worse. Clutching the blanket, he said, “In bed.”
He had known the first time without experience would come with some pain, but he hadn’t anticipated it hurting quite like this. Ji Yunzhang had clearly done his homework over the past two months—his theoretical knowledge was comprehensive, more than enough. Yet when it came to the real thing, all reason snapped like a frayed string. His actions followed pure instinct, uncontrollable as a wildfire once ignited, impossible to put out from the start.
Ji Yunzhang lightly caressed his neck, where love bites bloomed in abundance. They trailed down along his collarbone, and there were even more beneath the cover of his clothes. His voice was steady, infused with tenderness. “All right.”
The takeout had already arrived. Ji Yunzhang headed downstairs for just a moment before returning with the food containers.
He had ordered porridge and sweet soup, along with three light dishes. Jing Li hadn’t felt particularly hungry at first, but the savory aromas stirred his appetite. He propped himself up against the pillows on his own.
“What would you like to start with?” There was no table, so Ji Yunzhang’s hand would have to serve.
Jing Li pondered for all of two seconds. “The sweet soup.”
Ji Yunzhang lifted the bowl and stirred it with the spoon. The ingredients mingled richly with the milk. Jing Li took a sip, his mouth filled with bits of everything. He swallowed and couldn’t help blurting, “This doesn’t taste like soup at all.”
But then he added, “Though it’s pretty good.”
He opened his mouth with a soft “ah,” waiting to be fed.
Laughter welled up in Ji Yunzhang’s eyes as he continued spooning it into his mouth.
By the time they finished the sweet soup and half a bowl of porridge, Jing Li was stuffed. Ji Yunzhang didn’t press him, polishing off the rest himself before packing everything away into the containers and taking them downstairs.
He returned with a glass of warm water.
Jing Li drained it and watched as Ji Yunzhang turned to leave, puzzled. “Where are you going?”
Ji Yunzhang brushed his fingers over Jing Li’s cheek and said warmly, “The other bed needs straightening up. I’ll be right back.”
Jing Li didn’t want him to go. He grabbed his arm. “But I want you here with me.”
How could Ji Yunzhang bear to leave him like this?
He pulled back the covers and slid into bed, drawing Jing Li back into his embrace. He pressed a kiss to his forehead, then his eyes, and finally his lips, lingering there before curving his mouth into a smile. “Didn’t you just say no touching?”
Jing Li nestled into a comfortable spot in his arms, looping his own around Ji Yunzhang’s waist. “That was then. This is now.”
“What’s the difference?”
Jing Li’s mind automatically rewound, replaying the earlier events. His ears burned hot again. He tilted his head up, studied him for a moment, and murmured, “I’m calm now.”
The atmosphere before had felt primed for another round.
He wouldn’t survive it.
He’d be done for.
“Teacher Ji, you’re draining the pond just to catch a few fish.” He said it with utmost seriousness.
Ji Yunzhang burst out laughing. “Baby, how are you this adorable?”
“Isn’t being adorable a good thing?”
“Very good.”
“I’m serious.” Jing Li steered the conversation back. He really needed to stress the point—this sort of thing called for pacing, a slow burn. A few more rounds like tonight, and he was toast.
The smile at the corners of Ji Yunzhang’s lips deepened. “Next time, I’ll go easier.”
“Not for so long.” He pushed his luck, bargaining.
“Baby, you’re asking the impossible.”
Fair enough. Jing Li looked up. “Then fewer times. Twice? …No, three at most. Anything more is out of the question!”
Ji Yunzhang knew he had gone too far tonight. “I lost control. Couldn’t hold back. It won’t happen again next time.”
Jing Li buried his face against his chest. “Mm.”
He squirmed a little in his arms, his voice turning wheedling. “My waist aches.”
“Want me to rub it?”
“But I’m ticklish.”
“I have a way.”
No sooner had the words left his mouth than Ji Yunzhang claimed his lips, kissing him with fine, meticulous tenderness.
The kisses were as soft and persistent as a gentle breeze and drizzle, drawing Jing Li’s focus away. He paid no mind to the hands settling at his waist, tilting his face up to return Ji Yunzhang’s kisses in quiet surrender.
In a brief pause for air, Ji Yunzhang asked, “Any better?”
Jing Li’s attention shifted back. The massage was working. He nodded. “Mm.”
His voice was soft. “Massage it some more.”
Ji Yunzhang smiled and kissed him again.
It was a long while before they parted. Jing Li felt tired and wanted to sleep. He yawned, rubbing his cheek against Ji Yunzhang’s chest, and murmured softly, “Teacher Ji, I’m sleepy.”
“Then go to sleep.” His tone was exceptionally gentle.
“I want to keep listening to the story,” Jing Li said. “Tonight, chapter three.”
Ji Yunzhang’s heart melted into a puddle of softness. He patted his arm indulgently. “Then let go of me first. The book’s in the master bedroom.”
Jing Li was being especially clingy right now and refused to loosen his grip.
He frowned slightly. “Never mind, then.”
Ji Yunzhang couldn’t help laughing again. “Should I carry you over there and come back?”
Jing Li: “…”
That wasn’t necessary.
He finally let go. “One minute.”
Ji Yunzhang chuckled lightly. “Alright, I’ll be quick.”
When he returned with the book, Ji Yunzhang leaned against the headboard. Jing Li clutched one of his arms, nestling against his side with his head on the pillow, eyes closed as he listened to the sound of his reading.
It wasn’t long before his breathing evened out—he had fallen asleep.
Ji Yunzhang closed the book and gently caressed his soft cheek with his fingertip. He leaned down for a featherlight kiss, then pulled him close, holding him tightly, unwilling to let go.
~~~
Worried that Jing Li might develop a fever, Ji Yunzhang stayed awake the entire time.
Sure enough, in the middle of the night, Jing Li’s body burned with heat. Ji Yunzhang pressed the back of his hand to his forehead, then slipped out of bed to grab the thermometer. He took his temperature at the brow.
38.6°C.
A high fever.
He had prepared the fever reducers earlier; they sat on the nightstand. Ji Yunzhang gently lifted Jing Li and fed him the medicine. Though dazed and groggy, Jing Li let his guard down completely, knowing it was Ji Yunzhang.
After swallowing the pill, he mumbled dreamily, “So hot.”
He started to kick at the blanket.
Ji Yunzhang held it in place and pressed their foreheads together. His voice was like a gentle midsummer breeze, soft beyond measure. “You can’t kick off the blanket. I’ll get a towel and wipe you down.”
Jing Li’s brows furrowed, but he was obedient—if Teacher Ji said no, then he wouldn’t.
Ji Yunzhang stroked his head and raised the air conditioner temperature; otherwise, it would be too chilly.
He soaked a towel in warm water and gently wiped Jing Li’s cheeks, neck, and limbs. As the moisture evaporated, it drew away the heat, and the tension between Jing Li’s brows eased, his expression relaxing.
Ji Yunzhang was endlessly patient, repeating the process until the medicine kicked in and the fever began to break.
The night had grown deep, but Ji Yunzhang still didn’t sleep.
With his fever broken, Jing Li naturally nestled back into his arms, sleeping soundly against him. Ji Yunzhang held him close, a profound joy filling him as if he possessed the entire world.
