Chapter 44: Kissed to Death Part 1

Realizing that it might not have been abs, Tao Zhi instantly sobered up and flailed around in a panic, trying to get off Fu Si Heng’s lap.

But he forgot that Fu Si Heng was gripping his waist.

There was no need to even drag him back—just a slight exertion of force pinned Tao Zhi to his thighs, rendering him immobile and even pulling him closer.

Tao Zhi bumped into it again: “…”

“Brother Fu, Brother Fu!” Now he was truly drenched in sweat, completely flustered.

Tao Zhi hurriedly braced his hands on Fu Si Heng’s shoulders, tilting his head back to create distance between them, and loudly reminded him, “You promised me, you… you won’t, before we get married, do that… with, with me… do—”

The young and innocent male college student tried to invoke the promise to awaken the older man’s conscience.

Unfortunately, he underestimated just how shameless the older man could be.

Fu Si Heng’s voice was low and husky as he rubbed Tao Zhi’s burning earlobe. “This isn’t a bed.”

Tao Zhi: “?”

How could he say that!

Hearing those words, Tao Zhi looked incredulous, his eyes wide round in shock.

And yet, he was such an honest kid that beyond his astonishment, he didn’t know what to say to condemn Fu Si Heng for twisting words and breaking his promise.

He parted his lips: “But, but…”

Fu Si Heng lifted his hand to tuck Tao Zhi’s hair behind his ear, letting his little boyfriend fret himself to death without saying a word.

Tsk.

He still preferred Tao Zhi’s original hair—soft and fluffy, with stray strands clinging to his ear like the down feathers of a fledgling chick, shimmering with a warm, lustrous glow in the sunlight.

Fluffy and utterly adorable.

“Brother Fu.” Tao Zhi was out of ideas and called out to him pitifully.

Fu Si Heng raised his hand and patted his butt.

It was so sudden that Tao Zhi’s body went rigid.

“Alright, I won’t tease you anymore.” Fu Si Heng finally let him off the hook.

“Tease me…?” For the first time, the naive young man realized the older man’s wicked sense of humor, and he asked blankly, “Why tease me?”

“Because I was jealous.” Fu Si Heng said.

“Ah.” Now he was even more baffled.

Tao Zhi froze, his lips parted, his eyes filled with bewilderment, his tone laced with surprise and disbelief: “Jealous?”

“You mean… you were jealous just now?”

Had he heard wrong?

Fu Si Heng was jealous?

The surprise in Tao Zhi’s eyes grew; he found it miraculous.

He thought only impulsive, immature high schoolers got jealous.

Tao Zhi had seen it before. Back in high school, after PE class, his deskmate found milk tea on her desk and thought it was from her boyfriend, so she drank it.

Turned out it was from a suitor in the next class.

It was just a misunderstanding that could be cleared up, but her boyfriend wouldn’t listen and got super jealous. They fought for a whole week before making up.

Tao Zhi had witnessed the whole thing, even acting as their go-between since they wouldn’t talk to each other.

So childish.

But they were high schoolers, so it was normal.

Fu Si Heng was different.

He was a mature man nearing thirty.

And he had been right there; he could’ve seen that Tao Zhi had already rejected the man’s advances. How could a rational, clear-headed person still get jealous?

And tease him because of it.

“Reason can’t control emotions.” Fu Si Heng said. “Even knowing you didn’t take the business card and rejected him, just seeing another man stand with you, harboring feelings for you—it makes me want to get angry, impulsive.”

Fu Si Heng said flatly, “Not kissing you right in front of him at the airport to stake my claim was already the restraint of a mature man.”

Tao Zhi: “…”

Childish.

Tao Zhi’s emotions were too complicated for words.

As he sat in silence, Fu Si Heng’s fingers moved to his cheek.

The pad of his finger pinched the soft flesh there, tugging it gently.

“So unreasonable.” Snapping back to attention from the tugging, Tao Zhi finally complained softly, “It wasn’t even my fault.”

Fu Si Heng chuckled.

“No more of that from now on.” Tao Zhi told him.

He had truly been scared to death.

Tao Zhi bought into Fu Si Heng’s sophistry, fearing he might really break his promise and do it in the car—that would be way too embarrassing.

The parking lot was still semi-public; in that moment, his shame and fear had skyrocketed.

Now that it was a false alarm, he felt mostly relieved.

But he had to seriously tell Fu Si Heng: “No more deliberately teasing me.”

“Mm.” Fu Si Heng pinched his earlobe, rubbing it to an enticing shade of red. “Got it.”

Tao Zhi finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Admitting mistakes and correcting them was good.

The kind-hearted college student didn’t hold it against the older man, even though he’d been frightened half to death. Instead, he smiled at him.

Dimples sank into his cheeks—obedient and adorable.

So his lips got another kiss.

Tao Zhi: “…”

Tao Zhi said nothing, just pursed his lips. After pursing them, he turned his head side to side, seemingly thinking of getting off Fu Si Heng’s lap.

“Have you eaten?” Fu Si Heng interrupted.

“Yes.” Tao Zhi answered honestly. “On the plane.”

Fu Si Heng: “Full?”

“Mm-hmm, mm-hmm.” Tao Zhi nodded three times in a row; the airplane meal had been pretty good.

“Is that so? Let me check.” Fu Si Heng’s voice was neutral, but the words flowed out naturally. Before Tao Zhi could react, his palm slipped under the hem of Tao Zhi’s clothes, pressing fully against his belly.

Thin, warm, and soft skin.

Fu Si Heng’s palm met silky smooth softness; a press left a dent.

His little boyfriend probably didn’t exercise much—no muscle definition at all, just pale, squishy tummy.

Perfect, actually.

Fu Si Heng thought that if he went in, he might even see the shape.

“…Ah.” Fu Si Heng suddenly pressed down, and Tao Zhi let out a kittenish yelp, trembling. Then his body stiffened, and the quivering of his belly stopped.

“Not full, huh.” Fu Si Heng said, feigning seriousness.