Chapter 51 Part 3

“No chance,” Yu Jin said flatly.

“Why not?”

“He’s like me,” Yu Jin replied without missing a beat. “Likes guys.”

Su Yue froze with a mouthful of food she couldn’t quite swallow. Finally, she muttered, “Well, I’ll be damned.”

By the time they finished eating, it was already half past eight. Night had fallen, and the view through the floor-to-ceiling windows was a dark, glittering sprawl of city lights.

The dishwasher hummed steadily in the kitchen. Once the door clicked shut behind them, the noise faded completely.

Yu Jin led Yun Qi back to his room. It was too late to head home now, he said—it’d mess up their sleep. Better to shower here first and go after.

Yun Qi hadn’t planned on showering, but he didn’t mind waiting for Yu Jin. Yu Jin struggled with sleep as it was, and Yun Qi hated the idea of him rushing around.

When Yu Jin emerged from the shower, Yun Qi was sitting on the bed flipping through a photo album. Yu Jin glanced over. “You want to shower?”

Yun Qi shook his head. “I’m good.”

“Then I’ll drive you back so you can do it there.”

He checked the time. “Getting late. Let’s head out.”

Yun Qi said in surprise, “Are we leaving now?”

Yu Jin said, “Don’t you want to leave?”

Yun Qi picked up the photo album and said, “I want to finish looking at this.”

Yu Jin walked to the bedside and lay down. He hadn’t even bothered to blow-dry his hair—it was good enough like that. He closed his eyes and said, “Then go ahead and look. I want to catch a nap anyway. Ten minutes work? I’m really feeling sleepy.”

“Half an hour,” Yun Qi replied, turning back to him. “You sleep.”

Yu Jin lay down and fell asleep just like that. To avoid driving while fatigued, he just wanted to grab a quick nap as soon as possible.

The sound of Yun Qi flipping through the photo album wasn’t loud, but it still disturbed Yu Jin. He couldn’t fall asleep, so he stared at the figure on the sofa. That person was focused with his head lowered, and from behind the sofa, only a section of snow-white neck was visible.

Yu Jin stared until his eyes grew hot and his heart burned hotter, making it even harder for him to sleep.

The photo album contained many photos of Yu Jin, starting from his infancy: him in kindergarten, in elementary school, rowing a boat, diving into the swimming pool, and on to later years. From high school onward, the photos grew scarce—that must have been when he hit a rebellious phase and stopped liking photos, so there were hardly any records after that.

Yun Qi flipped through those childhood photos. In the class group shots, he noticed that Yu Jin had always towered over his peers, far taller than average for his age. His childhood look was worlds apart from now; back then, he hadn’t seemed aggressive at all, just approachable and endearing. They say girls change dramatically at eighteen, but boys do too. Judging from these photos, Yun Qi couldn’t spot that it was Yu Jin’s childhood at all—only by scrutinizing the features very, very closely could he detect a hint of it.

After looking for a bit, a command came from behind him: “Come here.”

Yun Qi had thought Yu Jin was asleep. He turned and saw him with eyes open, so he set down the photo album, walked to the bedside, and said, “You haven’t slept yet?”

Yu Jin covered his eyes and said, “Can’t sleep.”

He was exhausted, but sleep wouldn’t come—that was insomnia.

His mind was a chaotic mess, his worries all knotted up, and he couldn’t shut his eyes easily.

“Am I being too noisy?” Yun Qi asked. “Should I go out?”

Yu Jin removed his hand and lifted his gaze to stare at Yun Qi. Yun Qi hesitated, then took a step to leave. Yu Jin said, “Who said you could go out?”

Yun Qi stopped in his tracks. “Aren’t you unable to sleep?”

Yu Jin asked, “Do you want me to fall asleep?”

Yun Qi, caught completely off guard, replied, “Of course.”

He only ever hoped for Yu Jin to be well—he would never wish insomnia on him.

Yu Jin said, “Right now, there’s only one way I can fall asleep.”

“What way?” Yun Qi asked innocently.

Yu Jin stared at him for a long moment. Under the light, the man looked utterly innocent and bewildered, like he was just waiting to be torn apart. Yun Qi’s eyes were so clear, a pool of summer-spring passion. Yu Jin’s fingertips trembled, and the next second, he grabbed Yun Qi’s wrist and pulled him onto the bed.

Yun Qi lifted his head in a panic. “Captain Yu…”

Yu Jin lowered his gaze to him, his tone brimming with resentment as it crashed down: “Still calling me Captain Yu?”

Yun Qi pressed his lips tightly shut.

Their breaths tangled intimately. Yun Qi braced a hand on Yu Jin’s chest, but after barely two glances, he dropped his eyes. His heart pounded wildly, a flush like a rosy cloud blooming on his cheeks—beautiful, as if he were lightly tipsy.

“Don’t you want me to fall asleep?” Yu Jin said candidly. “I can sleep if you’re in my arms.”

Yun Qi’s fingertips burned hot. He gazed at Yu Jin’s rolling Adam’s apple, his voice soft as water: “Really?”

“Really.” Yu Jin’s gaze burned hot, wrapped around Yun Qi’s flushed cheeks. “The key is… are you willing?”

Yun Qi lay down, nestling into the crook of Yu Jin’s arm, and whispered softly, “I am.”

What was there to be unwilling about? He hoped for this so badly, craved it so much. If the request came from Yu Jin, it couldn’t be better—it could tuck away his darker little thoughts, make everything feel just a touch more natural and logical.

Yu Jin closed his eyes. “Ten minutes. Wake me after ten.”

Yun Qi shifted his head slightly. “Mm.”

Two minutes later, Yu Jin went still.

When steady, rhythmic breathing came from Yu Jin, Yun Qi knew he had fallen asleep.

Yun Qi carefully lifted his head to gaze at Yu Jin’s sleeping face. Only now could he stare without restraint. This face didn’t overlap at all with the one in the album; infant Yu Jin and the man now were like two different people—one so round and adorable, the other so cold and sensual.

Yu Jin was the most handsome person Yun Qi had ever seen. In a lover’s eyes, the beloved is peerless. The esports team all agreed Ziwu’s face was the pinnacle, but in Yun Qi’s heart, no one could stir him more than this face.

Even just gazing at his sleeping visage like this—without even seeing his eyes—sent Yun Qi’s emotions surging beyond control.

In this moment, he felt it clearly.

Bluntly, without mincing words.

He wanted to sleep with Yu Jin.

He wanted Yu Jin to fuck him.

No matter how brutal.

He just craved the touch of Yu Jin’s skin against his own, their bodies melding together in a liquid fusion. Perhaps only when the flesh reached its breaking point could it soothe the wild passion burning in his heart.

Amid the thunderous roar of his turbulent thoughts, Yun Qi had no choice but to turn away. Fortunately, he didn’t wake the sleeping man. Facing away from Yu Jin, he hoped it would calm the heat raging inside him. He panted softly, then caught sight of Yu Jin’s hand—and the ring on it.

His fingertips curled inward. A moment later, he made a bold move. Yun Qi stealthily slipped the ring off Yu Jin’s finger. He wanted to uncover its secret. He wanted to know why Yu Jin always wore it. He wasn’t married—why wear something so intimidating?

Yun Qi moved with utmost care, terrified of waking him. But once the ring was off, he examined it closely under the light, turning it over and over. Suddenly, he spotted the letters engraved inside. They were tricky to see, carved into the inner band. Only after studying them intently did his expression darken.

“YQ.”

Nothing else. No prefixes or flourishes—just those two letters that stole his breath away.

Yun Qi slid the ring back on.

In that instant, a deafening clamor erupted in his ears. So chaotic, so loud, a maddening roar that threatened to shatter him.

Suddenly, a hot tear rolled down his cheek. His body trembled faintly as guilt and joy twisted together, driving him to the edge of sanity.

After a long moment, the sleeping man lifted his hand. The ringed fingers threaded into Yun Qi’s thick hair. Yu Jin cradled the back of Yun Qi’s head and drew him back into his embrace, pressing him against his chest. In a soft murmur, he chided, “How am I supposed to sleep when you do that?”

Yun Qi clutched at his clothes, fighting to steady his shaking body. Yu Jin tilted up his chin and wiped away the hot tear at the corner of his eye.

With damp eyes, Yun Qi said, “I won’t disturb you anymore. Go back to sleep.”

Yu Jin’s fingertips were cool against his skin as they brushed Yun Qi’s eye. “With you in my arms, I don’t want to close my eyes for even a second.”

Yun Qi gripped his clothes tighter, staring into his eyes.

He could hear the heartbeat so clearly.

Right here, right now, he could finally confirm it—that heartbeat wasn’t just his own. He wasn’t alone in it.

“Who told you to discover my secret?” Yu Jin didn’t look pleased. He leaned down, his breath warm on Yun Qi’s cheek, his voice laced with displeasure. “I wanted to wait until the Grand Tournament, just like you. Who told you to be so naughty and touch my things?”

Yun Qi heard no reproach in his words—only the familiar indulgence. Yes, pure spoiling. Yu Jin had always doted on him like this, even spoiled him rotten. He granted every wish without reservation. Even this feigned anger didn’t scare Yun Qi anymore. He was greedy for this moment, gazing into Yu Jin’s eyes without a trace of guilt or evasion.

“But you weren’t asleep. You could have stopped me,” Yun Qi said, utterly certain now, boldly exposing his ploy. “You were tricking me.”

Yu Jin could have stopped him at any time, especially the moment Yun Qi’s fingers brushed his. If he hadn’t wanted the secret revealed, he could have acted instantly. Yun Qi knew Yu Jin hadn’t been asleep—his earlier actions proved it. He had been feigning sleep.

On purpose.

He had deliberately let him see.

Yu Jin flipped his hand over, brushing the back of it against Yun Qi’s cheek. The touch was so silky smooth. He sighed with pleasure. “You knew I was tricking you, yet you still came back so obediently? Lying boldly in my arms like this—who’s the naughty one between us?”

Yun Qi willingly let him tease.

He felt like he must be dreaming.

“Brother Jin,” Yun Qi’s voice trembled. “Am I drunk…?”

Yu Jin kneaded his cheek gently. “Yeah, let’s blame these uncontrollable feelings on that four-percent red wine. No one’s at fault.”

“You’re awful.”

“I’m awful, but you’re no saint either.” Yu Jin pressed him. “Can’t you see how I feel? You just won’t say it. You’re clearly trying to torment me to death. Admit it—are you being too much?”

Yun Qi bit his lip, gazing at Yu Jin with burning intensity. Tata slipped through the door, but neither man noticed. Tata circled the bedside for ages, utterly ignored.

Yu Jin stared into Yun Qi’s eyes, so sticky and sweet. He felt himself melting in them, willingly scorched. When forbearance reached its limit, there was no more need to hold back. He wasn’t some saint anyway. Casting aside his nagging pride, a hint of eager impatience surfaced. “Do I always have to confess first?”

Tears streamed uncontrollably from Yun Qi’s eyes. His heart was so fragile—a single offhand knock could make him surrender. Listening to Yu Jin’s accusation, unwilling to take the blame, he shot back, “The first time, you didn’t confess either. You just kissed me straight away…”

No sooner had the words left his mouth than his chin was lifted high. Warm lips pressed against his own, drawing him into Yu Jin’s tender embrace. Yun Qi loosened his fingers, instinctively closing his eyes. His palm came to rest on Yu Jin’s chest as their tongues entwined in a heated dance. When Yu Jin finally released him, Yun Qi’s lips glistened wetly. Yu Jin’s fingers brushed over them, wiping away the lingering traces of their intimacy.

“Then let me make it up to you,” Yu Jin said, gazing at him. “I like you. I like you—so deeply that I can’t pull myself away.”

Yun Qi’s heart trembled at those words. He bit his lower lip, looking both aggrieved and pitiable. He stared at Yu Jin with wide, doe-like eyes, fixed on the man who occupied the very tip of his heart. A fire ignited at the soles of his feet, flames surging upward to redden his eyes.

“Is that enough?” Yu Jin’s gaze burned with intensity, his voice low and commanding. “Yun Qi.”