The drizzle fell harder, raindrops clattering against the windowsill, rattling the heart.
Deeply gazing at Yu Huaili’s back as he slept peacefully, Duan Qiong was silent for a moment, then got up and drew the curtains.
Xi Xingheng had known Yu Huaili for only a few months, and he’d already become his good friend?
Yu Huaili seemed to make friends so easily.
So many friends were always gathered around him.
Duan Qiong thought—then what kind of friend was he to Yu Huaili exactly?
And what kind of friend was Xi Xingheng, the one about whom Yu Huaili had once hesitated and said “it’s not like I like him”? What kind of friend was he to Yu Huaili?
A friend like himself?
Would Yu Huaili also let Xi Xingheng kiss his lips? Would he also bite his tongue in displeasure when he sucked too hard? Would he also let Xi Xingheng relieve him? Would he also touch Xi Xingheng like that…?
Yu Huaili, who had been lying still for two hours without falling asleep, was just thinking about playing a couple of rounds of a game with his net-addicted System when he felt a corner of his blanket being lifted.
Then a body carrying a hint of cold pressed close, and then held him tight.
But Duan Qiong’s lips were hot, all his kisses landing on the nape of Yu Huaili’s neck. His murmuring voice carried a hint of hoarseness: “Can you tell me…”
Yu Huaili: Huh?
He didn’t understand. What did Duan Qiong mean by suddenly asking that out of nowhere?
Duan Qiong had stared at him for two hours and kept him awake, and he hadn’t even said anything!
But clearly, Duan Qiong thought Yu Huaili was already asleep. He didn’t wait for an answer; instead, his movements grew more unrestrained and bold.
Yu Huaili could feel Duan Qiong’s fingers squeeze between his own, interlacing them tightly.
“When you walk the dog with Xi Xingheng—walk that annoying stupid dog—what do you talk about that makes you smile so happily… Is it because being with Xi Xingheng makes you happier than being with me?”
“Or is it because you think Xi Xingheng’s dog is beautiful, so you keep calling it baby… But you only call me bro.”
Even that “bro” from Yu Huaili’s mouth was something everyone got.
Xi Xingheng, that spiteful lunatic—Yu Huaili called him bro. Jiang Qing, that dirty man who was always sexting and hooking up with others—he called him bro. Even a man he’d just met, he’d call bro.
Oh… and Sheng Fang, Yu Huaili called him “little brother.”
That guy who always sent him harassing messages, with blue-dyed hair that made him look anything but proper.
“Or has Xi Xingheng already replaced me as the better good friend in your heart?”
“That day.” Duan Qiong’s Adam’s apple bobbed up and down as he rasped: “That day when Xi Xingheng knocked on the door, you were very excited. Were you hoping Xi Xingheng would come in and help you?”
Yu Huaili: Hey?
Would someone do something? While talking to himself, had Duan Qiong also found time to fabricate two rumors about him?
He really was spending a whole night losing it over one phrase—”good friends.”
After that sentence was left hanging alone, Duan Qiong was silent for a long time. Yu Huaili felt that Duan Qiong might have been angered by his own imagination, because his breathing had grown heavier.
“Sorry.” It took a long while before Duan Qiong spoke softly: “I have a dull personality, and my words always make you angry. I have a lot of things I want to say to you, but this is the only way I can talk to you.”
“Maybe I’m a little different from the mild, gentle type of friend you like. But Little Pear, I truly hope you do well…”
Mm, friend.
Even when the Protagonist Top was patching himself up after his meltdown, he still couldn’t forget those two words.
Yu Huaili sighed inwardly. The difficulty of this mission was that even now—even after everything—the Protagonist Top, this lunatic, still unwaveringly believed he was straight.
But Duan Qiong had even cursed out Xi Xingheng’s dog. He didn’t look like he could pursue a romance with Xi Xingheng anymore. If the plot ran its course and Duan Qiong still firmly believed he was straight, what would happen to his score?
“Bro…?” Yu Huaili’s fingers moved slightly, his voice sounding drowsy: “Why are you in my bed?”
Duan Qiong froze.
He recovered quickly and said in a low voice: “I was just writing a song and didn’t notice the window wasn’t shut tight. The rain all came in and soaked the quilt and the bed. I thought I’d spend the night with you. Sorry, I didn’t tell you.”
Duan Qiong’s bed really was right against the window, and the rain outside did sound heavier than before. That excuse really did sound reasonable.
Yu Huaili stirred, rustling as he turned over. Looking at Yu Huaili’s features so close, Duan Qiong held his breath and silently let go of their interlaced fingers.
“Oh, I see.” Looking dazed with sleep, Yu Huaili seemed not to notice the small detail of their joined hands. He yawned: “No need to apologize. We’re friends. These are all small things.”
Friends? Small things?
Duan Qiong couldn’t help repeating: “…Small things?”
His lips moved as he asked softly: “What if the person tonight were Xi Xingheng? Would you also think it was a small thing?”
Yu Huaili’s tone was a bit odd: “Of course it’s a small thing. Brother Xingheng is my friend too… Bro, are you worried I might molest Brother Xingheng? Even though I like boys, I can still get along fine with male friends.”
Friends again.
Since when did friends share a bed?
Duan Qiong, who had just shot himself in the foot without a care, suddenly felt a sour taste in his mouth. He explained in a low voice: “Bad Pear, that’s not what I meant.”
Although Yu Huaili often walked around shirtless in front of him, Duan Qiong still felt Yu Huaili was someone with strong boundaries. The probability of him proactively touching Xi Xingheng was zero.
Instead, it was the sanctimonious hypocrite type like Xi Xingheng who seemed likely to lose control and molest Yu Huaili.
“I just think… even friends need boundaries. Of course, no matter what happens between us two, it doesn’t matter, because we’re especially good friends.” Duan Qiong bit down hard on the words “especially good,” and his gaze fell on Yu Huaili’s lips again: “And besides…”
Yu Huaili closed his eyes and hummed a questioning note from his nose: “Mm?”
“And besides, we’ve already touched each other and kissed.” Duan Qiong said in a low voice: “So no matter what we do, it doesn’t matter. But with other people, you still need some distance.”
Yu Huaili seemed persuaded by Duan Qiong’s twisted logic: “Bro, you have a point. But saying things like ‘kissed’ and ‘touched’… so crudely. We’re just helping each other out as friends. It’s not like I can date anyone right now, and I don’t have a boyfriend.”
Duan Qiong: …
Yu Huaili wasn’t wrong, but his heart inexplicably felt uneasy.
After a pause, Yu Huaili smiled and looked into Duan Qiong’s eyes: “But bro, the way you’re looking at me right now is really strange. What do you want to do?”
“Want to kiss…” Looking at Yu Huaili’s smiling eyes, Duan Qiong swallowed the words back down and said lowly: “No, I want to help each other.”
Then, as if hastily covering, he added: “If you don’t want to, let’s just sleep—”
His voice cut off abruptly, because Yu Huaili leaned in and gently pressed his lips against his.
After the press, Yu Huaili pulled back, still smiling at him, the dimples at the corners of his mouth faintly visible: “That’s it?”
Duan Qiong’s gaze dimmed slightly. His hand unconsciously brushed against Yu Huaili’s waist, and he said with a perfectly composed face: “Maybe… a bit deeper…”
He tentatively leaned forward, and Yu Huaili didn’t dodge.
Raindrops slid down the glass; amid the muted sound of rain, sticky, wet noises mingled in.
Until the kiss ended.
“…” Yu Huaili pressed his tongue against his mouth, the tip numb: “Bro, when you date someone else in the future, can you restrain yourself a bit?”
Duan Qiong’s breathing was still uneven. He touched his own mouth—the inside had been bitten open by Yu Huaili again.
The place Yu Huaili had bitten last time had developed a canker sore. Logically, after so many days, it should have healed long ago. But Duan Qiong often, while watching Yu Huaili, couldn’t help biting at that spot again, which was why the sore still remained.
“Sorry.” Duan Qiong frowned: “Did I… hurt you?”
Yu Huaili: …
That sounded so weird. He really wanted to give Duan Qiong a couple of smacks.
“Why aren’t you saying anything? Sorry, I’ll be careful next time.” After saying that, Duan Qiong tried to defend himself again: “Don’t worry. I’m an idol. I won’t date anyone.”
Yu Huaili: …
Seeing Yu Huaili still silent, Duan Qiong grew anxious. He asked softly: “Are you angry? If you’re angry, you can hit me.”
“Huh? Why would I be angry?” Yu Huaili curved his eyes: “I was just thinking—when I date someone in the future, I need to be careful not to hurt them when kissing. Did I just bite your mouth until it bled?”
“Oh.” Yu Huaili blinked and added to himself: “Bro and I don’t count as kissing. It’s just friends helping each other out.”
Duan Qiong kept his face wooden: “It doesn’t hurt, and there’s no blood.”
After a pause, Duan Qiong spoke again: “You’re an idol too. You can’t date either.”
In his previous life, Yu Huaili had been ruined by a man. How could he ever allow Yu Huaili to fall into that pit again?
Two seconds later, the inexplicably fickle Duan Qiong changed his tune: “No wait… if you meet a man you truly like, you can date him.”
Yu Huaili’s gaze landed on his reluctant expression, and he raised an eyebrow.
Duan Qiong said in a low voice: “You said you don’t want to hurt the other person… Of course, as your friend, I can help you. Like just now—you really did bite my mouth open. It hurt a lot. We can learn from each other.”
Yu Huaili laughed: “Bro, are you serious?”
He felt that everything the two of them had said tonight was utterly absurd—nothing a normal person would say, especially from a perfectly earnest Duan Qiong.
If anyone overheard, they’d think the two of them had gone mad, or were playing some kind of “good friends” make-believe role-playing game.
Duan Qiong nodded solemnly.
This time Yu Huaili really laughed: “Bro, you’re right. This does need practice. Fine then—since we’re friends anyway.”
Hearing the word “friends” from Yu Huaili’s mouth again, Duan Qiong narrowed his eyes and said lowly: “But your relationship with others isn’t as good as your relationship with me. Don’t do this with other people, understand?”
“Really?” Yu Huaili smiled: “But I think Brother Xingheng would agree. When we were walking Mi Tuan downstairs just now, he said we’d always be best friends… Bro, if your mouth hurts, I can go find him.”
What the hell?
How dare Xi Xingheng say something so disgusting? Since when was he Yu Huaili’s best friend?
And… Yu Huaili had actually thought about going to find Xi Xingheng?
That day when Xi Xingheng and Yu Huaili were hugging, he’d seen Xi Xingheng’s hand slip into Yu Huaili’s clothes.
Why would Yu Huaili trust someone so dishonest?
Duan Qiong said through gritted teeth: “No need. It doesn’t hurt at all. I was just joking with you.”
Within this short span of time, Duan Qiong’s words had already changed three times. If a human brain could fight left against right, then Duan Qiong alone was an entire team, capable of defeating himself.
Yu Huaili blinked and nodded perfunctorily: “Got it. I’m going to sleep now, bro. I really do have to get up early tomorrow to walk Mi Tuan.”
Duan Qiong: “I’m serious.”
Yu Huaili: “I said, shut up and sleep.”
Duan Qiong stopped talking, but he only closed his eyes at the break of dawn.
Not long after, he was woken again by Yu Huaili’s alarm.
“Did I wake you?” Yu Huaili turned his head to look at Duan Qiong: “Go back to sleep.”
Duan Qiong was already mostly awake. He shook his head, threw off the covers, got out of bed, and followed Yu Huaili into the washroom.
After rinsing his mouth, he asked Yu Huaili: “Can I come walk the dog with you two? I actually really like that dog too.”
Yu Huaili wiped his face: “No need. Mi Tuan doesn’t need three people to walk him. If there are too many people, he gets too excited and hard to control.”
Duan Qiong: …
He looked at the time and said: “It’s still early. Can we… help each other again?”
Yu Huaili: …
Yeah, Duan Qiong really was a straight man.
“Doesn’t your mouth hurt?”
Duan Qiong lowered his eyes, as if wanting to press against Yu Huaili’s lips: “It was never a problem.”
Yu Huaili pressed his fingertip against Duan Qiong’s lips, pushing him away a little, and while grabbing clothes from the wardrobe, refused: “Still no. My tongue is a bit numb.”
Duan Qiong followed behind him, promising hoarsely: “Sorry, I’ll be careful this time.”
Yu Huaili put on his jacket: “Don’t change the subject. Next time.”
“Bad Pear, then can you also not go to Xi Xingheng?” Duan Qiong never hesitated before badmouthing others: “I’ve seen Xi Xingheng smoke. He smells bad all over—oh, Wen Zheng smokes too. That day in the private room, remember?”
Yu Huaili was amused: “Huh? What does Wen Zheng have to do with this?”
Duan Qiong said: “I just remembered. Mentioning it casually.”
Yu Huaili asked with a smile: “Bro, don’t you think you’re a bit biased against Brother Xingheng? I think he’s a pretty decent person.”
“Bad Pear, you know I never hold prejudice against anyone.” Hearing Yu Huaili speak up for Xi Xingheng, Duan Qiong pinched his own palm hard and said lowly: “I’m just stating the facts, that’s all.”
Xi Xingheng was already knocking on their door, and Mi Tuan let out two matching “awoos.” Yu Huaili didn’t say anything more to Duan Qiong, just waved at him: “Alright, alright, then I misjudged you. Bro, I’ve gotta go. Mi Tuan is calling me.”
Duan Qiong: …
That noisy, annoying dog.
Tsk. Yu Huaili hadn’t even agreed yet.
After the sound of the door lock, Duan Qiong opened the window and watched with gloomy eyes as Yu Huaili and Xi Xingheng walked away, their backs extremely close.
His phone pinged.
A Weibo notification from his special follow.
【Yu Huaili: Dog-walking squad, done for the day[Image][Image]】
Duan Qiong tapped it open. The first image was that stupid dog Mi Tuan. The second was Xi Xingheng picking up dog poop.
Almost the moment Yu Huaili posted, Xi Xingheng commented: All thanks to the captain’s excellent command (grinning teeth)
Yu Huaili replied to Xi Xingheng: That’s true enough, but no wonder Xi Mituan is such a brown-noser—he takes after his owner (dog head)
Xi Xingheng replied to Yu Huaili: Blame the team member who corrupted him (sob sob)
The comments under Yu Huaili’s Weibo were lively too.
[Holy shit, I’m going insane, the family vibe is so strong. Guys, I’m really shipping this now.]
[I’m dying. I’ll never call Huai Xing a hard-to-swallow ship again.]
[Two extremely official faces, lol. Suggest everyone come ship our Huai Xing.]
[Already have nothing to say to people who can’t get Huai Xing.]
[Is this real? I’ve only ever seen people calling each other “teammate” and “roommate” in dating-marriage posts…]
[Sigh, our little captain has his team member completely wrapped around his finger.]
[Huh? Yu-Duan isn’t the top ship anymore?]
[Friend, what year and month are you living in… How many Yu-Duan shippers are even left?]
[What do you say when you encounter a 42?]
[99.]
[99.]
[4299.]
[42 is trash taste. Can you not ship it in Yu Huaili’s comment section?]
[Old Xi? You OK? You’re even stealing my bro’s first comment.]
[Hubby, please stop selling Huai Xing, okay? I really don’t want to see him on your Weibo TvT.]
[What a smug little pear aaaaa I knew he’d reply “that’s true” hahahaha]
[I only see two very cute dogs.]
[Baby walking little baby~]
[@Yu Huaili I’m going to throw a tantrum. Where’s your selfie? Where’s your selfie? Where’s your selfie?]
[When will we ever get Little Pear’s eighteen-grid selfie dump.]
…
Skimming through those CP-shipping comments at a glance, Duan Qiong barely held back the urge to hurl his phone against the wall.
He didn’t understand how these CP shippers could have such wild imaginations, fabricating things that didn’t exist.
Yu Huaili had long since said that he and Xi Xingheng were just friends.
The sound of the door came from the entrance again. Duan Qiong gripped his phone, thinking: this wouldn’t do.
Xi Xingheng was simply too close to Yu Huaili.
He needed to think of a way.
He needed to think of a way…
