Chapter 16

Because he’d gone to bed too late the previous night and had a bunch of dreams, Yun Qi slept in that day. When he finally woke up, he heard footsteps nearby. The room’s soundproofing wasn’t great, and it sounded like Danwan outside the door.

Danwan had moved in next to Lang Xian, which put him close to Yun Qi’s room too. Newbies always needed to stick close to the captain for a while, so it made sense for Lang Xian to look after him. Yun Qi didn’t mind at all. He didn’t think there was anything shady going on between the two of them—after all, Lang Xian went for the same type: pure and pretty, guys or girls, he didn’t discriminate.

Danwan wasn’t ugly, but he was nowhere near Lang Xian’s standards. He had an average face, and probably due to some metabolic issue, his skin wasn’t all that clean, with a dull yellowish tone. That put him at odds with SK’s emphasis on looks. A bit of makeup would fix it, though. As long as his relationship with Lang Xian stayed at the level of normal teammates, he wouldn’t get too much flak around here.

Getting picked because of your looks always made people think you’d only gotten in on your face, not your skill—no matter who you were.

By the time Yun Qi woke up, it was already eleven in the morning. Normally, someone would have come to rouse him, but now there were two supports on the team. If Danwan was the one getting pushed, then Yun Qi was the one being sidelined. The training room could fit two supports, but the teammates’ hearts couldn’t handle two people overlapping in the same role. Sooner or later, one of them would have to go.

And right now, it looked like that one was him.

Yun Qi lay in bed on his side, admiring the eleven o’clock sun. The drifting window gauze resembled scattered duckweed, and the soft white curtains let in so much light that without it, he could have slept even longer.

After lying there like a corpse for a few minutes, Yun Qi finally sat up. He hated putting on shoes without socks, so even when stepping off the bed, he always slipped on a pair first. The weather was hot now, but he hadn’t bought any thin, breathable ones—he was still using the plain cotton long socks he’d impulse-bought in winter. He pulled them up to his ankles, then slid into his house slippers. But today, he switched to the Kuaisen sneakers from his sponsorship deal, planning to head out for a stroll.

Once he was dressed, he stepped out and spotted three figures in the Second Floor corridor: Danwan, Lang Xian, and Xue Yan. They sized Yun Qi up from head to toe. Xue Yan leaned against his door and asked, “Where you off to?”

Yun Qi usually just wore slippers around the base, so this outfit screamed that he was going out. He headed toward the nearby wash area and replied casually, “Nowhere in particular. Just wandering around.”

In the wash area, Yun Qi grabbed his toothbrush and cup, squeezed out a glistening blob of toothpaste, and ran the faucet until the water warmed up before starting. He hated washing his face with cold water, no matter the weather—he always preferred warm.

There was a wash area on each side of the corridor, separate from the bathrooms. The one on their side sat right between his room and Lang Xian’s. Because it was so close, Yun Qi could hear the water running every morning.

Lang Xian always got up early, and the faucet would turn on like clockwork. Yun Qi timed his own wake-ups to avoid him completely. Best if they never even crossed paths privately, but that was impossible—they bumped into each other a few times anyway. Today was one of those times, and it wasn’t because Yun Qi had miscalculated. Some people, you just couldn’t dodge.

Yun Qi was washing his face when he rinsed off and looked up to see a reflection in the mirror: Lang Xian standing behind him, cigarette in hand, leaning against the wall and eyeing him like prey. Right then, all of Lang Xian’s attention was fixed on Yun Qi’s waist—that slim strip of skin exposed from the washing, smooth as congealed cream.

Slender, pale, tempting someone to reach out and toy with it.

Yun Qi shut off the faucet and grabbed a paper towel to dry his hands and face. His damp hair clung to his forehead, giving off a sultry vibe that didn’t match his usual demeanor.

Lang Xian waited until he was done, until Yun Qi noticed. Their eyes met in the mirror. Lang Xian held the gaze for a moment, then stepped forward. He didn’t even stub out his cigarette before boldly wrapping an arm around Yun Qi’s waist, leaning in close to his scalp and murmuring, “Has it flared up these past couple days?”

Yun Qi knew exactly what he meant. Lang Xian’s scorching fingertips burned against his abdomen. Whether on purpose or not, his ring finger brushed over his clothes to the edge of his navel. In the mirror, the two of them clung tight, the air thick with intimacy, like a pair of lovers in the heat of the moment.

Yun Qi reached back to push him away, but Lang Xian pressed in harder, flexing his arm to pin him completely. Feeling that brute force, Yun Qi gave up struggling. One thought solidified in his mind, so he wasn’t in a rush to break free just yet. His expression calmed, and he said evenly, “I’ve got my meds. And plenty of fantasies to fuel it. Let it flare all it wants.”

He was so brazen, with such a delicate and handsome face, spouting words that made one’s ears burn red, yet without a hint of timidity. Lang Xian’s heart couldn’t help but adore it. He could even imagine how intense and thrilling it would be to tumble passionately with Yun Qi. Lang Xian nudged his knee forward, forcing Yun Qi to press against the marble countertop.

“I’ve already said I’ll help you, so how long are you going to make things hard on yourself?” Lang Xian gazed at Yun Qi’s face in the mirror—the face that made his soul sway with desire. “Once Danwan’s position is confirmed, you’re out.”

His words carried a deeper meaning, and Yun Qi understood perfectly. In the mirror, their eyes locked in a tense standoff, charged with both ambiguity and aggression. Yun Qi showed no weakness: “I know. Didn’t I already send out yesterday’s data? Captain Lang has veto power over the comprehensive evaluation, so I’ve already packed my bags.”

Lang Xian inhaled that faint fragrance; he couldn’t quite place it. It wasn’t shampoo or body wash—it seemed to be Yun Qi’s natural body scent. It was a fatal allure to him: “I want to keep you.”

The words came straight from his heart, so sincere. Lang Xian lowered his head and buried it in Yun Qi’s shoulder. In the mirror, his expression showed no restraint whatsoever.

“Keep me around so you can fuck me?” Yun Qi tilted his head, only because Lang Xian’s breath was too scorching. Then he lifted his hand to cover the firm hand gripping his waist without letting go. “Isn’t your cousin enough for you to play with?”

Lang Xian didn’t answer. Everyone at the base knew exactly what kind of relationship those two had. With such poor soundproofing, who in the base was fool enough to believe the noises from Lang Xian’s room came from some “cousin”? Only the coach who didn’t live there might still be in the dark, naively buying that story.

“Captain Lang, I’ve been fucked down there many times,” Yun Qi said. “You really don’t mind?”

Lang Xian opened his eyes and stared at Yun Qi’s face in the mirror, their gazes meeting. Greedily, he replied, “Perfect. Neither of us is pure anyway.”

It seemed he was dead set on this.

Truly bewitched by lust.

Yun Qi quietly met Lang Xian’s gaze, the two of them holding the pose for a long, long time, neither willing to yield. For some reason, it suddenly reminded Yun Qi of that line from a primary school text he’d memorized: “Clinging to the green hills without letting go.”

What the hell—making that association at a time like this.

It was an insult to nine years of compulsory education, and an insult to Zheng Xie too.

This was a public area; they couldn’t stalemate forever. Jiu Shuang suddenly appeared, stumbling upon their intimacy. The face that intruded in the mirror made Lang Xian’s hand loosen a bit, though he didn’t bother hiding much. He slowly withdrew his hand from Yun Qi’s waist.

“Should I wait for you two to finish chatting?” Jiu Shuang looked at them without leaving right away. Everyone at the base knew about their little affair—Lang Xian was so blatant about it.

“Something up?” Lang Xian turned his head back. Yun Qi relaxed as well; he tossed the tissue into the trash can and stepped away from between them.

Jiu Shuang stared at him for a moment, but Yun Qi ignored him. The two of them didn’t get along, and this scene they’d just been caught in probably dropped him a few more notches in Jiu Shuang’s disdain.

“The manager just called. He wants Yueqiu to go see you…”

Yun Qi heard Jiu Shuang’s voice fading behind him as he left the second floor through the main door.

Now, whatever decisions or outcomes came from the base—no matter what—they wouldn’t surprise him, much less make him nervous.

Because it was all within expectations; it was just a matter of time.

After stepping out, Yun Qi didn’t call a ride. He just wandered around near the base. He hadn’t lied—he really had no destination in mind; he just wanted to get out, stroll around, and clear his head.

He soon left the area around the base and wandered aimlessly on his own. It had been a long time since he’d walked like this. The last time with Xue Yan, they’d only gone to the snack street nearby. Under the blue sky and white clouds, Yun Qi finally felt a trace of ease—back when such moments had been countless in his life.

As he walked, he arrived at a park. Elderly folks were strolling, students clustered together with backpacks—this place felt lively. Yun Qi sat down on a swing.

He’d barely settled in when a white kitten entered his view, its fluffy fur brushing against his leg. Yun Qi glanced around but saw no owner. He bent down, scooped the cat into his arms, and the little thing wasn’t afraid of people at all, peering curiously from the crook of his elbow.

Yun Qi stroked its fur; the kitten was very clean, clearly well-loved by its owner. The bad mood from earlier at the base vanished like smoke. Others were right—little animals really could heal the soul.

“Meow meow?” After a short wait, the kitten’s owner finally tracked it down. Yun Qi looked up to see a girl with loose hair approaching. She stopped in front of him, embarrassed: “Sorry, my…”

Yun Qi handed the cat over, and the girl took it.

The girl pressed her cheek against the kitten and said to Yun Qi, “Sorry about that.”

Yun Qi gazed at the cat in her arms, his eyes brimming with affection. “It’s fine.”

She didn’t leave right away. Instead, she struck up a friendly conversation. “You like cats too?”

Yun Qi answered honestly. “Yeah, I’ve raised one before.”

“Oh, this is my first time. It’s a bit wild—such a handful. This one loves to bolt; I can’t keep it shut in the house. But I hate the idea of leashing it outside. It’s not a dog, after all.”

“Mine was better behaved,” Yun Qi said softly.

“What breed was yours?” she asked.

Cat lovers naturally gravitated to talking about their pets. Yun Qi replied, “A Maine Coon.”

“Oh, that one,” she said. “I know of them. They’re pretty pricey—I couldn’t afford one.”

“Same here,” Yun Qi said. “My partner gave it to me.”

“Your partner sounds great. Maine Coons are so cool—they look like little lions. I like them too.” She glanced around at the empty space beside him and asked curiously, “Didn’t bring it out with you?”

Yun Qi gripped the swing ropes, looking troubled. “It’s not with me right now.”

The swing swayed gently.

“When we broke up, I dumped it on my boyfriend.”