Chapter 90

Steam rose thickly in the bathroom, making Zhou Chiyu’s cheeks flush hot. He leaned back in the bathtub as the rising hot water slowly enveloped his body. A professional textbook lay right beside his hand. When Gu Yuan took off his bathrobe to join him, Zhou Chiyu hurriedly picked it up and pretended to study it intently.

“So diligent?”

The water level rose noticeably, the flowing hot water lapping at Zhou Chiyu’s exposed skin above the surface, tickling him.

“Mm, I have an exam tomorrow.”

Zhou Chiyu glanced casually toward the opposite side with his peripheral vision and found Gu Yuan leaning against the bathtub wall, gazing at him leisurely.

“Ah, it’s really too hard.”

Zhou Chiyu grew a bit nervous and instinctively wanted to scoot back, but his lower back was pressed tightly against the tiles, leaving no room to retreat.

“Let me see?”

As soon as the words fell, the water in the bathtub surged toward Zhou Chiyu’s slender white neck. Through the misty steam, he was forced to meet Gu Yuan’s eyes, his pupils reflecting the blurred outline of Gu Yuan’s abs.

“N-Nothing to see.”

Zhou Chiyu tossed the book aside. As he lowered his gaze, he spotted a water droplet landing on Gu Yuan’s chest, rolling along with the rise and fall of his muscles.

Gu Yuan was the type who looked slim clothed but muscular when undressed. His moderate fitness gave him muscles that weren’t as exaggerated as those of bodybuilders—balanced, gleaming faintly in the water, with tight, smooth lines.

“Fine.”

Gu Yuan’s calm gaze lingered on Zhou Chiyu for a moment before he pressed the silver start button. Countless delicate bubbles surged from both sides of the bathtub, gradually filling the water surface.

Unlike Gu Yuan, who had simply wrapped a bath towel around his waist, Zhou Chiyu clutched his bathrobe tightly like a shy little sparrow, huddled in the corner of the tub, warily eyeing Gu Yuan.

“Let me scrub your back.”

Unable to stand being stared at so directly by Gu Yuan, Zhou Chiyu grabbed the bath puff nearby. “I used to scrub Grandpa’s back all the time when I was little.”

During the days Gu Yuan was away, Old Master Gu had taken meticulous care of Little Chiyu. In winter, the grandfather and grandson often bathed together.

Zhou Chiyu had been quite naughty back then and loved scrubbing Gu Lao’s back. Not only did Gu Lao praise him verbally each time, but he also rewarded him with a chocolate pudding afterward.

“Sure.”

Gu Yuan obligingly turned around, his soaked deltoids gleaming faintly in the dim bathroom light.

Zhou Chiyu gripped the bath puff, slowly moving his wrist downward. His fingertips inadvertently brushed Gu Yuan’s lower back as he controlled the puff.

A chill wind blew outside the window, making Zhou Chiyu shiver. His gaze followed the foam-covered water droplets downward, landing on that firm buttock line.

Zhou Chiyu nervously averted his eyes and buried his head forcefully.

Damn, Gu Yuan’s ass was pretty perky.

“Are you cold?”

Gu Yuan reached up and turned on the water temperature controller, a thin layer of mist forming on the glass wall beside the tub.

Zhou Chiyu’s face grew even hotter from the steam. “I’m fine.”

The humid air carried the scent of sage from the body wash. Gu Yuan tilted his head slightly, watching Zhou Chiyu’s every move through the smooth surface of the water pipe.

Zhou Chiyu kept his head down, too shy to even look at him, as if one glance would give him a sty.

A low chuckle escaped his throat. He deliberately asked, “Little Fish, is there something on my back? It itches a bit.”

“No.”

In the scene, Zhou Chiyu didn’t even lift his head.

Gu Yuan reached for the showerhead, and warm water suddenly poured down on them both. Zhou Chiyu startled like a frightened animal, the hairs on the back of his neck standing up from the water droplets. His loosened bath towel quietly unfurled with the flow.

At that moment, Gu Yuan suddenly turned back. Zhou Chiyu raised his tense gaze, his pupils contracting sharply.

Gu Yuan smiled, placing his palm on Zhou Chiyu’s thin shoulder blade and pressing gently. “You’ve been eating so much lately, how are you still this skinny?”

“Uh… maybe I just digest well.”

Zhou Chiyu hurriedly looked away, only to realize his bath towel was no longer on him. He panicked and grabbed at it, pulling it toward his body, but his arm solidly bumped into the bathtub’s porcelain wall. The bath puff rolled clattering outside.

“It hurts…”

He winced in pain. To ease the awkwardness, he mumbled, “I-I’ll go pick up the bath puff.”

“I’ll rub it for you.”

“No need—”

Zhou Chiyu dodged, hastily wrapping the towel around himself as he tried to stand. But the waterlogged towel stubbornly dragged downward.

Zhou Chiyu’s expression froze, his cheeks red as a little tomato.

Gu Yuan saw his embarrassment and lifted his long arm, handing him a fresh towel. “Use this one.”

Zhou Chiyu stiffly took it, quickly wrapping it tightly around his lower body before padding barefoot to retrieve the disobedient bath puff.

“Your arm looks red.”

As Zhou Chiyu unsteadily stepped back into the tub, Gu Yuan gently supported his elbow. When that palm touched the warm skin, their eyes met, and both trembled.

The bathroom temperature rose hotter. Water droplets from Zhou Chiyu’s hair ends dripped down—it was impossible to tell if they were sweat or water. They pooled in the hollow of his collarbone, quivering gently with his breaths.

Gu Yuan’s fingertip suddenly pressed harder. Zhou Chiyu’s back instantly tensed like a drawn bowstring. “It hurts.”

“Sorry.” Gu Yuan’s knuckles slowly traced along the dips in his fascia. “Let me rub it some more.”

“It hurts so much.”

Zhou Chiyu deliberately let out a whimper from his throat. He found Gu Yuan’s concerned expression super amusing and wanted to see more of it.

“Does it hurt that bad?” Water dripped from Gu Yuan’s hair tips as he quickly leaned closer to Zhou Chiyu and lifted his arm. “Do you need to go to the hospital?”

“No need.”

Zhou Chiyu half-leaned into Gu Yuan’s arms, his exhaled hot breath puffing gently into the other’s ear canal. “Anyway, I can’t scrub your back anymore.”

The words carried a hint of coquetry and grievance.

Gu Yuan smiled and smoothly pulled Zhou Chiyu into his embrace, his lips brushing against the side of his face. “I’ll scrub yours. Let me serve you.”

Zhou Chiyu sneaked a glance at him. “That works too.”

In the bathroom, water droplets condensed from the high heat trickled down the porcelain walls.

Zhou Chiyu curled up like a little kitten under the shower, enjoying Gu Yuan’s bathing service. Gu Yuan meticulously washed his hair clean. A falling droplet happened to hit his collarbone, making Zhou Chiyu shrug his shoulders and hastily curl his toes.

Gu Yuan seemed to love this feeling. His palm, lathered with body wash, suddenly pressed lightly against Zhou Chiyu’s shoulder, his fingertip circling over the damp foam on his skin.

“Little Fish, there’s a red mole on your butt.”

Gu Yuan’s lips curved slightly, his warm breath sweeping over Zhou Chiyu’s ear. “It’s tiny.”

Zhou Chiyu’s hand shook as he deliberately smeared all the foam onto Gu Yuan’s chest. “Don’t look around randomly.”

“Did it grow recently?”

“I didn’t see it when you were little.”

Gu Yuan’s gaze swept over the other’s reddened ear tips, smiling. “It’s too obvious.”

Unable to outtalk him, Zhou Chiyu simply covered Gu Yuan’s mouth with his hand.

Gu Yuan’s lips hooked up as he aimed the showerhead at the foam-covered Zhou Chiyu. “Let me rinse you off.”

The shower water continued flowing down from above, wetting Zhou Chiyu’s curly hair into soft limpness. Like a playful kitten, Zhou Chiyu flailed about, rewrapping his towel securely, afraid Gu Yuan would see more unmentionable parts.

“You’re so cute.”

Gu Yuan slowly leaned down. “I want to kiss you.”

Zhou Chiyu’s face, originally indignant, instantly flushed crimson. Before he could respond, Gu Yuan’s unique scent exploded across his lips and teeth.

Gu Yuan reached back to cradle Zhou Chiyu’s flailing head, planting dense kisses mixed with the rising steam onto Zhou Chiyu’s collarbone.

Zhou Chiyu tried to push Gu Yuan away, but his shoulders were held firmly in Gu Yuan’s arms. The slippery body wash reduced friction between their skin, and Gu Yuan’s other hand slid to his waist hollow, circling gently.

“I-I’m done bathing.”

Once Gu Yuan released him, Zhou Chiyu quickly stood and stepped out of the tub.

The lingering desire in Gu Yuan’s eyes slowly faded as his gaze fell on Zhou Chiyu’s towel. He asked flatly, “You haven’t rinsed below yet.”

“I’ll do it myself.”

Zhou Chiyu hurried to the shower area and turned back to warn Gu Yuan. “Close your eyes. No more peeking.”

Though they had bathed together since childhood, being so completely exposed to Gu Yuan still filled him with intense shame.

“Mm, I won’t look.”

Gu Yuan cooperated, slowly closing his eyes and reclining comfortably in the tub, as if to put Zhou Chiyu at ease.

Zhou Chiyu eyed the arm draped over the tub edge, relaxing slightly. He lifted his towel and tilted his head back to rinse.

The steam from the shower was thick, quickly filling the space with heat.

He decided to wash his face more thoroughly with face wash, so he reached up for the body wash on the top shelf.

A harsh slipping sound suddenly echoed from the tiles. When Gu Yuan opened his eyes, Zhou Chiyu had already lost balance, sprawling butt-up on the cold floor.

Water splashed loudly from the tub as Gu Yuan rushed over, crouching anxiously in front of him. “Little Fish! Little Fish?”

Zhou Chiyu’s eyes moved sluggishly. He glanced at his naked body, tilted his head, and wanted to die right there.