Good thing.
Good thing he was clever and came up with that smart move on the spot, stopping Fu Si Heng from groping further down.
But what was he supposed to do next?
What was with that kiss today? Would he get kissed again in the future?
Tao Zhi bit the edge of the blanket, unable to find answers, feeling only desolation in his heart.
–
The next day.
They were still going skiing today.
Wei Yu called for them in the group chat, saying they’d set off at ten in the morning. The others had no objections and replied affirmatively one after another, but Tao Zhi stayed silent. A few minutes later, he added Wei Yu as a friend and privately messaged him that he’d played too hard yesterday and didn’t feel like going today.
Wei Yu wasn’t surprised.
Skiing was physically demanding to begin with, and Fu Si Heng had dragged them into high-intensity play all day yesterday—not being tired the next day would be the real surprise.
Tch, speaking of which, Fu Si Heng really had no sense of proportion.
He knew full well, yet still went wild with the group? Wei Yu didn’t get it. He pondered for a while before a flash of insight hit him, and he scrolled back through the group chat to check Fu Si Heng’s replies.
None.
Wei Yu revealed an “I get it” expression.
Then, he thought of Fu Si Heng’s deceased father.
Fu Si Heng’s family situation was pretty complicated. His dad and mom were an old man with a young wife; he’d been 35 when he married his just-graduated bride, and the next year, their first child—Fu Si Heng—was born.
That feudal, rigid old man felt no joy at having a child late in life. He only hoped Fu Si Heng would mature enough to support the entire Fu family, becoming a pillar for his mother and younger brother in the future when he grew old. Thus, from childhood to adulthood, his education of Fu Si Heng had always been extremely strict.
He wanted him to restrain himself and follow propriety, to conduct himself righteously, and to marry an excellent woman from a matching family background.
But now…
Emperor, your son is gay, and when he falls in love, he’s not just scheming—he’s head over heels.
Emperor, your other son seems not far from gay either.
Wei Yu shook his head with a tsk tsk, leaving Shen Xinyuan, who happened to pass by, utterly baffled and wondering what had gotten into him.
–
After replying to Wei Yu, Tao Zhi burrowed back into the covers. Not long after, he received a message from Fu Zheng.
Fu Zheng tossed over a question mark. Tao Zhi replied a few seconds late, and Fu Zheng asked if he still wasn’t up.
Tao Zhi repeated to Fu Zheng what he’d told Wei Yu.
After saying it, Fu Zheng didn’t reply. Tao Zhi didn’t care and tossed his phone aside, wrapping himself up tight once more.
Last night’s events still hadn’t passed.
With just a blink, the suffocating sensation of the kiss flooded back, and his mouth still hurt a bit.
In the middle of the night, Tao Zhi had run to the bathroom and stared at his swollen lips in the mirror.
The skin had broken.
His mood grew even more complicated.
He, a straight guy, had been kissed until his lip split by another straight guy—who was completely oblivious that he’d kissed a straight guy… Tao Zhi tied himself in knots, feeling dazed and confused, his head spinning. And how had he gotten so bold yesterday?
Reviewing yesterday’s events, Tao Zhi knew clearly he hadn’t been drunk, yet some of his later actions didn’t seem like him at all.
Who knew alcohol truly emboldened the timid.
Tao Zhi felt annoyed, chaotic, uneasy. He didn’t want to see anyone today; he just wanted to wrap himself in the covers.
Wrapped up tight.
But just as he lay down, a knock sounded at the door.
Tao Zhi froze, poking his head out from the covers, unsure who would come looking for him.
A possibility crossed his mind, and his heart leaped—unsure if he should open the door.
As he hesitated, his phone buzzed by the pillow. Tao Zhi checked it.
Fu Zheng: [Open up.]
Fu Zheng: [I know you’re in there.]
“…”
So it was Fu Zheng.
Tao Zhi breathed a sigh of relief and hurriedly threw off the covers to get up.
The others should all be at the ski resort by now; the villa was probably empty. Tao Zhi couldn’t be bothered with the wig and went to open the door just like that.
The door opened, and Fu Zheng saw Tao Zhi—freshly woken, clad in cotton bunny pajamas with buttons done up all crooked, one side longer than the other… That was one thing.
But the top two buttons weren’t even fastened, exposing his fair collarbones and slender neckline. His hair stuck up messily from sleep, giving off a disheveled cuteness.
Back at the dorm, Tao Zhi always woke much earlier than him; Fu Zheng had never seen him straight out of bed. This sudden sight hit him like a sneak attack.
How is he so adorably messy?
Damn.
Why was he praising Tao Zhi as cute?
That inexplicable feeling washed over Fu Zheng again. Even though he didn’t want to look away, he deliberately jabbed: “Hiding in your room doing what? Not going out to play today?”
“Mm.” Tao Zhi nodded listlessly.
He leaned on the door handle, looking wilted—not like he was lying, and without yesterday’s excitement: “I already told you, I’m a bit tired today and want to sleep.”
“Oh.” Fu Zheng’s face was expressionless: “Now you know you’re tired? You didn’t know yesterday when you played so late? Making it sound like I usually mistreat you, never letting you go out, so you run around with Fu Si Heng everywhere, playing until you forget to come back.”
Fu Zheng was full of resentment toward Tao Zhi right now, harping on it from yesterday to today, getting mad just thinking about it. He even deliberately tugged at Tao Zhi’s left cheek: “Do you even see me as your boss anymore?”
