Chapter 72

Jiang Chu frowned as he hung up the phone. Qin Zui already knew who was on the other end, and it was clear to him that Jiang Chu wouldn’t be staying with him until the holiday break ended.

“Heading back?” he asked, looking at Jiang Chu.

“Yeah,” Jiang Chu replied, putting his phone away and flashing Qin Zui a smile. “Mom misses her son.”

He said it lightly, and Qin Zui forced a smile in return, but he could see the unease lurking behind Jiang Chu’s eyes.

These past few days with Jiang Chu had been too comfortable. Being yanked back to reality by a phone call left Qin Zui feeling awkward too, but there was nothing he could do about it.

“Leaving now? Or tomorrow?” He wanted to hold Jiang Chu for a moment, but the street was crowded with people, so he could only gently squeeze Jiang Chu’s hand.

Mom’s order was “come eat at home tomorrow.”

Based on the way the two of them usually communicated, unless “evening” was specified, it meant she expected to see him before lunch.

Jiang Chu glanced at the time toward the bell tower.

It was almost seven now. Buying an eight o’clock ticket would actually be the most convenient.

He’d get home around nine, shower, sleep, and the next day would pass without any rush.

But as soon as his eyes met Qin Zui’s, he couldn’t bring himself to just say goodbye and leave.

“Tomorrow. I’m used to the eight o’clock morning bus.” He patted Qin Zui on the back. “Hurry up, let’s go get you those clothes.”

“I really have enough clothes. Didn’t you bring a whole box of stuff?” Qin Zui breathed a sigh of relief.

Jiang Chu’s compromise made his heart burn, and now all he wanted was to go back to the hotel and spend a little more time with him.

“Yeah? I keep feeling like it’s not enough.” Jiang Chu chuckled, almost talking to himself.

“I guess I really do treat you like my own kid. I want to give you everything I can, even if you don’t need it—just having it stored in the closet makes me feel better.” He draped his arm over Qin Zui’s shoulder, using the chaotic sight of shopping for clothes to suppress the unease brought on by his mom’s call.

Qin Zui tilted his head and stared at Jiang Chu for a moment. He didn’t refuse again, just curled the corner of his mouth and let Jiang Chu wander around looking at whatever he wanted.

Besides clothes, Jiang Chu took them down to the supermarket and bought Qin Zui a whole pile of snacks.

“These really aren’t necessary. I’m not a kid anymore,” Qin Zui said helplessly, pushing the cart behind Jiang Chu. Jiang Chu tossed things in, and Qin Zui fished them back out.

It was just like when they were kids buying New Year’s supplies together.

“Why do you talk so much?” Jiang Chu said impatiently, putting the box of cookies Qin Zui had picked out back into the cart. “When are you going to kick that habit of throwing things out?”

“How am I supposed to take all this back?” Qin Zui was at a loss for words.

“Just take my suitcase.” Jiang Chu thought for a moment. “I brought it all for you anyway. I only packed a few changes of clothes…”

“Leave the underwear for me.” Qin Zui pulled out two cans of yellow peaches.

Jiang Chu’s neck stiffened. He frowned and twisted his head to glare at Qin Zui for a second.

Qin Zui didn’t seem to realize he’d said something so shameless in public at all.

He didn’t even meet Jiang Chu’s gaze. With a slight smile curving his lips, he continued slowly and deliberately taking things out of the cart.

When they got back to the hotel to pack, Qin Zui really did confiscate Jiang Chu’s underwear.

“Seriously, are you some kind of pervert?” Jiang Chu felt embarrassed for the bastard. “Why are you keeping my underwear?”

And it was used, damn it!

“Don’t you know?” Qin Zui shot him a glance, zipped up the suitcase, and even locked the combination lock.

“Know my ass!” Jiang Chu yanked the underwear he’d changed into the day before off the rack and slammed the door to go shower.

That night, Qin Zui barely slept.

Honestly, if things had gone according to the plan from the past five days—if Jiang Chu wasn’t leaving tomorrow—he would have been feeling the same way tonight anyway, watching Jiang Chu pack, knowing he’d go home the day after.

It was only one day earlier.

But that one day made him stare at Jiang Chu, unwilling to close his eyes.

Even though the phrase wasn’t quite right here, Qin Zui genuinely felt a “see him one less time” kind of feeling.

Jiang Chu felt pretty much the same.

He already had things on his mind, and Qin Zui was holding him tight, nuzzling his neck and kissing his ear.

The anxiety of separation was contagious. Even with his eyes closed, he couldn’t fall asleep.

“Are you going to keep this up all night? I have an early bus tomorrow, can’t you let me get some decent sleep?” When Qin Zui’s hand pulled him closer and rubbed against his chest again, Jiang Chu helplessly turned over.

“I already miss you,” Qin Zui said, pulling Jiang Chu’s arm around his own waist and burying his face in the crook of Jiang Chu’s neck, his voice hoarse as he called him “Bro.”

“I haven’t even left yet,” Jiang Chu sighed softly. Feeling Qin Zui’s pecking kisses on his neck, his gaze drifted over Qin Zui’s shoulder, staring absently at the pitch-dark hotel room.

Maybe in his whole life, no one would ever have stronger feelings for him than Qin Zui did.

The thought suddenly surfaced in Jiang Chu’s drowsy mind.

He thought back to every relationship he’d ever had, every legitimate lover—none of them had ever given him the kind of naked longing, fervor, and possessiveness that Qin Zui showed.

And he had never given that level of emotion to anyone else.

There was a habitual restraint deep in Jiang Chu’s bones, a habit that probably came from Jiang Liantian and his mom.

—They’d been busy since he was a kid, always busy, each with their own busyness. In all the social relationships they had to manage, feelings always seemed the least important.

When they were together, they were always arguing. But the arguments never affected their love for Jiang Chu.

They gave Jiang Chu everything they could—wealthy life and material goods. With his naturally optimistic nature, Jiang Chu learned early on to convert his parents’ material support into filling his spiritual needs through making friends and traveling for fun.

Jiang Chu always felt he was doing fine. He genuinely believed that.

At the same time, deep down, he had a subconscious thought: everyone has their own life. No one is indispensable. Feelings are something you have to maintain with distance.

But Qin Zui was different.

Qin Zui, with nothing but reckless courage, was steadily breaking down that mentality, pressing closer step by step.

Jiang Chu could roughly guess Qin Zui’s state—he had nothing. Compared to Jiang Chu, he had no love, no material or spiritual nourishment.

Whatever Qin Zui wanted, he had to reach out and grab it himself, grit his teeth and pull.

He had to go all out, and he was used to going all out. It was an instinct carved into his bones.

Just like when he packed a big bag and stood all night on a desperate train to find Qin Shuman. Sent by Qin Shuman to a stranger like Jiang Chu, he still gritted his teeth and stayed.

And just like the intense feelings he had for Jiang Chu now.

Was it only for him?

Jiang Chu couldn’t help wondering.

Or would Qin Zui show this same intensity to anyone he had feelings for?

Qin Zui kissed the base of Jiang Chu’s neck for a while. When Jiang Chu’s mind started to wander, he opened his mouth and bit the tendon on the side of his neck.

Jiang Chu’s shoulder and neck tensed. Unconsciously, he responded to Qin Zui’s tighter embrace, running his hand along Qin Zui’s back in soothing strokes.

“That hurts. Let go.” Qin Zui’s bite was deep. Jiang Chu endured it for a moment, then frowned and pinched Qin Zui’s waist.

“Bite me back, Bro.” Qin Zui released his mouth and licked the teeth mark gently.

“What?” Jiang Chu didn’t understand.

“Bite me.” Qin Zui stayed buried in his neck, his long neck right at Jiang Chu’s lips.

“What’s wrong with you now?” Jiang Chu’s fingers curled. He had a vague idea of what Qin Zui meant. Saliva had already reflexively pooled under his tongue, but he hesitated.

“Hurry up.” Qin Zui’s knee shifted under the blanket and lifted to press against him.

“Fuck!” Jiang Chu arched his back sharply and slapped Qin Zui on the back. “Are you stupid?”

“Bite me. Leave a mark. A deep one.” Qin Zui pressed the back of Jiang Chu’s head and guided his mouth to his own neck. “Bro.”

He was completely fucking crazy.

Jiang Chu’s Adam’s apple slid up and down. But he couldn’t resist the wild pounding in his chest. He squeezed his eyes shut, opened his mouth, and bit down on the side of Qin Zui’s neck.

The warm skin went tight and tough the moment he bit down.

This primal act, like animals marking their territory, was too arousing.

Jiang Chu heard Qin Zui’s breathing speed up. He couldn’t control himself and clamped his jaw shut, feeling Qin Zui’s pulse swell while hearing his own heartbeat, deafeningly loud.

For a moment, in the cover of darkness and the overlapping gasps between them, Jiang Chu almost felt like a beast with nothing but chaos in its mind. The force of his bite was almost out of control.

Only when Qin Zui grunted and gripped his waist hard did Jiang Chu finally let go and snap back.

“Does it hurt?” He rubbed Qin Zui’s neck. The teeth mark felt deep. He wanted to turn on the light to see if the skin was broken.

Qin Zui didn’t let him move. A little excited, he rolled over and pressed Jiang Chu down, holding the back of his head and rubbing his earlobe with his thumb. He kissed Jiang Chu hard, forehead to forehead.

He was being reckless again.

Jiang Chu’s tongue was also bitten, his mouth went numb. He wanted to push Qin Zui away, but remembering he was leaving tomorrow morning, he couldn’t bring himself to do it.

In that moment of hesitation, Qin Zui pulled his hand under the blanket, grabbed the quilt, and covered them both.

The next morning, Jiang Chu stood dazed in front of the mirror, frowning.

“You’re a fucking dog,” he said.

Qin Zui squeezed up from behind to hug him again. Jiang Chu slapped his arm hard.

“Yeah, your dog.” Qin Zui ignored it and hugged him tighter, kissing the teeth mark on Jiang Chu’s neck.

“Enough, stop sucking. You can’t hide it anymore, can’t you see?” Jiang Chu tugged at his collar. After some clumsy adjusting, he manage to cover it with his jacket.

“Leaving?” Qin Zui checked the time. The bus was at eight, and it was just past half past six.

“Yeah. National Day crowds. The road to the station might be jammed.” Jiang Chu patted his face.

“I’ll take you.” Qin Zui pulled out his phone to book a ride.

Seeing the teeth mark he had left on Qin Zui’s neck—even deeper than the one Qin Zui had given him, with faint blood scabs—Jiang Chu felt a little embarrassed.

“What about yours?” He tapped Qin Zui’s neck.

“Leave it out.” Qin Zui didn’t care, showing off the mark Jiang Chu had left.

“But what if your roommate asks…” Jiang Chu started, but stopped halfway.

Qin Zui smiled, knowing Jiang Chu’s concerns. He didn’t answer.

With one hand on his phone, he pulled Jiang Chu’s hand down with the other and squeezed it gently in his palm.

This parting felt different. Even harder than when he had sent Qin Zui off for school.

Same as last time, Jiang Chu didn’t let Qin Zui get out of the car before the station. He came with his suitcase, and left empty-handed.

“I’m off. You should check out and go back to the dorm. Don’t stay out by yourself overnight. Take care.” Jiang Chu didn’t know what else to say, so he just left some useless instructions.

“Got it.” Qin Zui held himself back from getting out and giving Jiang Chu one last tight hug. He just stared at him and said, “Wait for me, Bro.”

“Haven’t I driven you two before?” Before Jiang Chu could respond, the driver turned around impatiently from the driver’s seat and asked them.

“Sorry,” Jiang Chu said with a smile, then rubbed Qin Zui’s face. “Alright, I’m off. Don’t skip class.”

Qin Zui didn’t say anything. He pressed his lips together and muttered, “Mm.”

Jiang Chu didn’t look back as he went through security. His phone kept vibrating. He only pulled it out when he got past the checkpoint.

His mom was calling again.