Chapter 45: Raising the Flag

Bai Yiyi’s plan to seek help had basically failed.

The two of them had just chatted idly the whole time, without getting a single serious word in edgewise.

The other man’s habitual flirting techniques revolved around throwing caution to the wind, which was utterly unsuitable for the current situation—not to mention that Bai Yiyi found them a bit too frivolous anyway.

But the guy lived up to his self-proclaimed title as a “man-seducing divine tool” and eventually summed it up in an eight-character mantra: “Play to your strengths, rise to the challenge.”

Strengths? What strengths did he even have…

His cooking skills were pretty good, sure, but he couldn’t rely on that one trick until the seas ran dry and the stones crumbled.

That left only his innate talent for drawing.

Truth be told, his hands had been itching to sketch a few portraits of his owner from the start. By now, he was more familiar with that face than his own—even with his eyes closed, he could guarantee a vivid, lifelike result.

Then write some words expressing his feelings and give it as a gift?

Bai Yiyi ran through the idea in his mind and immediately shot it down. It was so corny it made his teeth ache; no way he could hand that over.

But drawing something else might work. A daily comic strip recording their everyday life together could be fun.

Bai Yiyi made up his mind and decided to give it a shot.

The next day was Sunday, still Yan Tuo’s shift.

Nothing major happened all day, leaving things relatively leisurely. In the afternoon, Yan Tuo simply pulled out his grad school study guide, planning to squeeze in a few chapters.

He opened to the second page, where a cartoonish white dumpling was doodled in the bottom right corner. Its lively, cute expression was utterly adorable, with its wings raised in a thumbs-up directed right at him, accompanied by two little words: “Flip me.”

What was this?

Yan Tuo gripped the spine with his left hand and rapidly thumbed through the pages with his right.

Over a hundred pages of marginal doodles at the book edges swiftly connected into a smooth animation.

The style was extremely simplistic, and the story very short: a white dumpling riding Whirlwind participated in a search drill, quickly located the target, and its owner happily rewarded it with a little red flower.

Yan Tuo was completely charmed. He let out a low chuckle and instinctively turned to look for the dumpling—only to find it wasn’t scrolling on its phone for once. Instead, it was curled up asleep in its coconut shell.

He flipped through it again from the beginning, scrutinizing every detail, his gaze finally settling on the last page.

The white dumpling, rewarded with its little red flower, was over the moon. With a “biu,” it transformed back into human form, its almond eyes crinkled in a smile that perfectly matched the grin on the buzz-cut face beside it.

Was this their first time appearing together in the same frame?

Yan Tuo couldn’t help snapping a photo with his phone, his thumb gently caressing the screen…

The Birdman, who had spent the night pondering his drawings and slept the whole day to catch up, woke to find it was already around six in the afternoon.

Bai Yiyi hurriedly asked, “Yan Tuo, are you waiting for me to get off work? I’ll head back now and make dinner.”

His owner replied, “No need. I’ve got a dinner meeting tonight—can’t bring you along. Head home like a good boy. I stocked the fridge with veggies yesterday; make whatever you want.”

Bai Yiyi’s heart sank. What kind of occasion wouldn’t allow him to come along? Had he gotten back in touch with Su Xiao? Were they heading out on a date?

“Come here. I’ve got something for you.” His owner’s summons quickly snapped him out of his spiraling thoughts.

Flying over to the desk, Bai Yiyi saw Yan Tuo open the doodle-covered study guide to the very first page, where five neatly trimmed little red flowers were clipped…

He’d seen the comic strip?

Yan Tuo poked his white belly with a finger and laughed. “You did such a great job—one little red flower isn’t enough. You’ve earned a five-star review.”

Ever since his identity had been exposed, his owner had never poked or prodded him casually like this—at most, he’d ruffle his tuft of hair. This sudden touch sent a jolt through Bai Yiyi like an electric shock. He trembled, barely suppressing his embarrassment as he stared intently at the paper flowers.

They’d clearly been cut out and colored red bit by bit with a pen. The strokes were messy and unskilled, but done with such meticulous care that not a single gap could be found.

Bai Yiyi pictured Yan Tuo hunched over his desk, carefully filling them in, and his heart melted into a puddle.

By the time he’d admired them enough and indulged in his fantasies, his owner had already grabbed his bag and headed out the door.

Yan Tuo had made plans with Hua Hongqing.

As soon as the man entered the private room, he asked curiously, “What brings this on? Captain Yan actually initiating a dinner invite? Has world peace arrived? All the criminals turned themselves in?”

Yan Tuo ignored the idiotic question, brewed some tea for him, waited for him to take a couple sips to wet his throat, and then asked unhurriedly, “Back then, how did you realize you liked men?”

Tea sprayed from Hua Hongqing’s mouth with a “pfft,” and he coughed like he was about to keel over.

Yan Tuo shot him a disgusted look, pulled a napkin from the table, and handed it over. He also swapped out the bowl and chopsticks in front of him for a fresh set.

“How old are you? Why are you still making such a fuss? Can’t you stay calm?”

Hua Hongqing’s peach-blossom eyes bulged like a dead fish’s. “Calm? With the way you’re beating around the bush… Don’t tell me you’ve been straight for thirty years, got tired of it, and suddenly want to bend?”

Yan Tuo answered honestly. “That’s why I’m uncertain—and came to consult you.”

“Uncertainty how? Unsure if you like men, or unsure if you like that specific person who’s caught your eye?”

He was definitely into that person, Yan Tuo was certain. As for when it started… Tracing back, maybe it was that comfortable smile after some dinner, or the way he’d recklessly tried to shield him from a vicious criminal despite being just a bird. Or perhaps it was simply those wide, surprised eyes from their first meeting?

He hesitated a bit. “Mainly, I don’t get what kind of ‘like’ it is. His identity’s a bit special—sometimes he seems like a kid, sometimes like a pet, and other times like a comrade-in-arms. It’s all a muddled mess to me.”

Pardon his ignorance, but Hua Hongqing couldn’t wrap his head around such complicated feelings. And someone acting like a pet?

He snapped irritably, “Then ask yourself if you want to spend your life with him. If not, how would you feel if he ended up with someone else?”

Yan Tuo refused to imagine Bai Yiyi living with someone else and promptly answered the first part. “I do. Hell, I’d love for the two of us to go on like this forever.”

Hua Hongqing: “You’re unbelievable. You’re already thinking one lifetime together, and you’re still asking basic questions like ‘do I like him’? You’re head over heels, man. As for confirming it—easy. See if you have any desire for him.”

Desire? The word felt a bit foreign to Yan Tuo.

He thought of those few pink spots he’d glimpsed at their first meeting, the soft strands of hair slipping through his palm when he’d trimmed it that day, those flushed cheeks and that chattering mouth he suddenly wanted to silence…

Yan Tuo’s brows lifted slightly as he glanced down in surprise…

He really had no experience and didn’t know how to hide it. With just that one look, Hua Hongqing got the picture. “Whoa, just thinking about it got you hard? You’re done for.”

After gloating a bit, curiosity bubbled up. “Where’d this fairy come from? To bend you of all people? Last time I asked, you swore up and down you weren’t into it…”

Enlightenment dawned in Yan Tuo’s mind. He took a slow sip of tea to quell his physical reaction. After a moment, half smug and half possessively declarative, he replied, “The day you brought Manyu to my place. You met him.”

The porcelain prince?

Hua Hongqing was stunned, then it clicked— no wonder. Just looking at that little fairy boy was enough to spark serious thoughts even in a playboy like him after one glance. No surprise for his childhood friend, the emotionless wizard.

Then came indignation. “Wasn’t he some relative’s kid? So it’s fine if you make a move? No wonder you were so territorial that day—I couldn’t even glance his way.”

Yan Tuo coolly retorted, “Was that a ‘proper’ look in your eyes?”

“Fuck,” Hua Hongqing muttered, then sourly threw cold water. “Where’d you meet him anyway? And sure, you like him—but do you even know his orientation?”

You hand-delivered him to me. You wouldn’t be happy if I tried to send him back.

Yan Tuo gave his childhood friend a pitying look, vowing never to reveal that pathetic truth. “He came out to me first—said he likes men, and I’m a man. So of course he can only like me.”

Hua Hongqing wanted to call out the sheer thickness of his face, but he had to admit: for a guy like his friend, he’d be prime catch material in the scene—top-tier top-tier. If he went on the offensive, who could resist?

“What, you’ve decided it’s him? Waiting for his confession?”

Yan Tuo’s tone carried obvious fondness. “Wait for him? With that little courage, I’d be waiting till my beard and hair turned white.”

His words sounded confident, but they were mostly to bluff his friend into dropping any improper ideas. Deep down, he was plenty nervous, terrified his inexperience would ruin things. Pretending to ask casually, he said:

“Of course I’ll have to take the initiative. Got any good advice?”

What good advice could Hua Hongqing have? He always led with money and his superior looks; over half his partners had chased him, the rest were love at first sight. He’d never really put in effort.

They brainstormed back and forth, but nothing suited Yan Tuo’s taste—either too clichéd or too tacky. Worried about startling his future boyfriend, he nitpicked so seriously that Hua Hongqing got pissed. The meal was barely finished before he stormed off without another word.

Deprived of his sole outside consultant, Yan Tuo racked his brain solo for ages but couldn’t come up with a decent plan.

But this minor frustration did nothing to dampen his great mood. A crystal-clear sense of breakthrough, mingled with an urgent desire to see him, propelled him speeding all the way home.

The lights were on, but no bird in the living room. Yan Tuo casually pushed open the bedroom door. A pale, naked body startled like a frightened rabbit and “whoosh” dove under the covers.

The man was gone from sight, but that round, perky ass—accented by two cute dimples at the base of his spine—lingered on Yan Tuo’s retinas, jumping repeatedly.

Bai Yiyi yanked the covers over his head as he stammered out his explanation. “I… I’ve just shifted back, and I haven’t had a chance to get any clothes on yet. You… you wait outside for a bit.”

Yan Tuo closed the door without betraying a hint of emotion on his face. He turned around and glanced downward once more.

Well now. Twice a day already? So eager, brother?