They had met in the badminton club during their freshman year. “We…” Before Ning Shuang could finish his words, Ji Huaizhi suddenly cupped his face and planted a quick kiss on his lips.
Ning Shuang’s face instantly flushed bright red, and he immediately pulled away.
A gust of wind lifted Ji Huaizhi’s long hair, the strands brushing teasingly across Ning Shuang’s cheek. Ning Shuang quickly glanced around, relieved to see no one watching them, before turning back. “We’re outside, you know… Hey, turn around…”
As he spoke, Ji Huaizhi turned away with a sullen expression, presenting only the back of his head to Ning Shuang.
Even someone as dense as Ning Shuang could tell that Ji Huaizhi was upset, though he couldn’t quite figure out why just yet. For now, he decided the best course of action was to placate him first.
“Alright, alright, my bad. You can kiss me, sure—just not with so many people around. I’m a bit embarrassed.” Ning Shuang quickly got up and moved to sit across from Ji Huaizhi. When he saw Ji Huaizhi starting to turn away again, he grabbed his arm.
“Don’t turn away. I was wrong. Here, kiss me again.” Ning Shuang leaned forward toward Ji Huaizhi’s lips, but Ji Huaizhi turned his head aside, dodging the kiss. With Ning Shuang staring at him in stunned surprise, Ji Huaizhi lowered his long lashes and mumbled in a sulky tone, “You get along so well with so many people.”
“But you’re the only one for me.” Ji Huaizhi’s voice was low and plaintive, making him sound utterly pitiable.
Who could resist that?
Imagine one day, the person you’ve fallen for at first sight looks at you with such a pitiful expression and a voice full of grievance, saying you’re the only one for them. What would you feel?
Ning Shuang had to admit—he fell for it hook, line, and sinker.
“So, are you…” Ning Shuang ventured cautiously, “jealous?”
Ji Huaizhi didn’t respond.
Ning Shuang straightened up and pulled him into a hug. “Okay, okay, I get it.”
Ji Huaizhi shamelessly pressed his face against Ning Shuang’s chest, feeling the rapid thump of his heartbeat. It was just the thing to soothe his current unease.
“From now on, I’ll introduce you to all my friends and keep a proper distance from them,” Ning Shuang murmured, planting a kiss on the top of Ji Huaizhi’s head. The faint, fresh scent of his hair filled Ning Shuang’s senses, melting his heart completely.
“Mm.” The person in his arms gave a soft hum of acknowledgment.
Ning Shuang tilted his head down. “Want to keep playing?”
Ji Huaizhi shook his head.
“Then let’s head home. We can play games or watch a movie there.” Ning Shuang loosened his embrace, but Ji Huaizhi wrapped his arms around Ning Shuang’s waist and burrowed deeper into his chest.
Ning Shuang’s neck itched from the tickle of Ji Huaizhi’s hair. Laughing, he cupped Ji Huaizhi’s face. “Hey, you’re so clingy. How did I not notice this before we started dating?”
“Hm?” Ji Huaizhi looked up at him.
Ning Shuang coaxed gently, “Come on, let go for now. Let’s head home together.”
“Could we walk back?” Ji Huaizhi released him and proactively packed the items from the bench into Ning Shuang’s sports bag.
The school was about a half-hour walk from home, so there was no issue with Ji Huaizhi wanting to stroll back—especially since it was still early.
“Sure.” Ning Shuang zipped up the bag, but Ji Huaizhi reached over and took it from him.
Before Ning Shuang could say he’d carry it himself, Ji Huaizhi asked, “Can we hold hands the whole way?”
“The whole way?” Ning Shuang looked at him in surprise.
The air around Ji Huaizhi seemed to droop. Slinging Ning Shuang’s bag over his shoulder, he turned and started walking toward the court exit. “It’s fine if we can’t.”
“Ah, we can, we can! Don’t go—wait for me! We’ll hold hands.” Ning Shuang hurried after him and took Ji Huaizhi’s hand.
In the next instant, Ji Huaizhi gripped it firmly.
Ning Shuang grinned sideways at him. “Let’s go out for dinner this afternoon—steak at that restaurant near school.”
“My friend works there part-time. I can get him to give us a discount!” Ning Shuang added at the end.
Ji Huaizhi’s grip tightened on his hand. “I don’t want to go.”
“Alright, no going out then. So, what do you feel like eating?”
“Do we have to eat out? How about at home? I can cook for you.”
“Sure.” It seemed that even after starting to date, Ji Huaizhi still disliked crowded places. Coming out to play today must have taken real resolve on his part. Ning Shuang felt a surge of warmth in his heart.
Noticing the grip on his hand was a bit too tight, Ning Shuang patted Ji Huaizhi’s arm gently with his free hand. “Darling, ease up a little. You’re squeezing too hard.”
Ji Huaizhi’s hand relaxed immediately. He looked up at Ning Shuang with pleasant surprise, then asked timidly, “Can… can you say it one more time?”
Ning Shuang’s lips curved into a smile, dimples forming on his cheeks. He leaned close to Ji Huaizhi’s ear and whispered, “Dar-ling.”
Ji Huaizhi’s heart skipped a beat. The look in his eyes shifted instantly, as if he wanted to devour Ning Shuang right there. Ning Shuang clearly sensed something off and shrank back, quickly pulling his hand free and bolting toward the school gate.
“There are too many people on the road—no kissing!”
It was the last day of the holiday, and the school was filling up with students returning from trips.
Holding hands in front of everyone was one thing, but kissing would be going too far.
Ji Huaizhi caught up quickly. After a short sprint past the school gate, he seized Ning Shuang’s hand and pulled him into his arms. “Got you.”
Ning Shuang couldn’t stop laughing. “Okay, okay, you caught me.”
“Let’s go home. And remember to make me something tasty.” Ning Shuang was already gleefully reveling in Ji Huaizhi’s pampering.
Ji Huaizhi took his hand and smiled. “Alright.”
Hand in hand, they walked slowly toward home. Ning Shuang murmured softly, “I never imagined a day would come when we’d walk together like this, holding hands.”
Ji Huaizhi gazed at him and smiled warmly.
The autumn breeze swirled up fallen leaves.
Passing cars crunched over the dry, yellow foliage, while the chrysanthemums in the roadside flowerbeds bloomed brilliantly in their seasonal glory.
And so, hand in hand beneath the golden sunlight, they slowly made their way home.
~~~
That evening, after dinner, the two lounged on the sofa watching a movie.
It was a lighthearted comedy Ning Shuang had borrowed from Lu Yuyang. Ning Shuang, with his low laugh threshold, giggled from start to finish.
Ji Huaizhi, on the other hand, barely had time to watch. He was either fetching water for Ning Dundun, pouring hot water for Ning Shuang, cutting fruit for him, grabbing snacks, or massaging his shoulders while Ning Shuang lay with his head in his lap.
Ning Shuang felt thoroughly spoiled, like his limbs might atrophy from disuse—or so he joked to himself.
When the movie ended, he grinned at Ji Huaizhi. “When I was little, I dreamed of marrying a fair-skinned beauty with a slim waist, long legs, and all the domestic virtues. Looks like everything lines up perfectly, except the gender!”
Ji Huaizhi stared intently at him and countered, “What if a girl like that appeared before you now? Would you stop liking me?”
Good heavens.
Ning Shuang felt utterly wronged.
“Whoa, darling, what on earth is going on in that head of yours? Why do you keep thinking I’ll ditch you? It was love at first sight for me!” Ning Shuang’s tone and expression were utterly sincere.
A flicker of pleasure crossed Ji Huaizhi’s brow. He leaned in for a kiss, but Ning Shuang dodged playfully, furrowing his brows on purpose. “Hold off on the kissing. I’m serious—stop overthinking things that make you sad, okay? Out of everyone, I like you the most!”
It was unclear if Ji Huaizhi took it to heart. He kept inching forward for a kiss, and Ning Shuang’s resolve softened, letting him land a few light ones.
Then Ji Huaizhi requested, “Can you call me that again?”
“Call you what?” Ning Shuang teased, having caught on that Ji Huaizhi loved the pet name.
“You know… that.” Ji Huaizhi hugged him again, burying his face in Ning Shuang’s chest.
Ning Shuang, who kept up with his workouts, had well-defined muscles where it counted. He wasn’t bulky, just healthily toned with that perfect layer of lean muscle.
With a helpless chuckle, he patted Ji Huaizhi’s head, then cupped his face to make eye contact. “Dar-ling—”
No sooner had the words left his mouth than a fervent kiss followed.
Ning Shuang pursed his lips as Ji Huaizhi’s hand slid slowly up from his waist, fastening onto the back of his neck before drifting to his throat. He gently rubbed Ning Shuang’s Adam’s apple.
Ning Shuang instinctively opened his mouth to swallow, and Ji Huaizhi took the opportunity to slip his tongue inside.
Ning Shuang wondered inwardly how Ji Huaizhi had gotten so good at kissing. Was this the same person who’d been so awkward that night?
Sensing Ning Shuang’s mind wandering even mid-kiss, Ji Huaizhi frowned, nipped his lower lip, and pulled back. Hearing Ning Shuang wince and clutch his mouth in pain, Ji Huaizhi lowered his gaze and murmured softly, “Are the thoughts in your head more important than kissing me?”
“Ah? Aaaah—” Ning Shuang noticed Ji Huaizhi was about to turn away from him again, so he hurriedly grabbed his shoulders to explain. “No! I wasn’t thinking anything else.”
“Darling, can you look at me?” Ning Shuang said, a mix of laughter and exasperation in his voice. Only through coaxing and kissing did he manage to get Ji Huaizhi facing him again.
“I wasn’t thinking anything else,” Ning Shuang continued. “I was just a bit confused. I feel like your kissing has gotten a lot better since our first time…” His voice trailed off smaller and smaller until his entire face was flushed red.
“I just went and learned,” Ji Huaizhi explained.
“Learned?” Ning Shuang asked. “Did you learn by watching videos?”
“Yeah.” Ji Huaizhi nodded. “Because I wanted you to feel more comfortable when we kiss.” He added the last part unnecessarily.
Ning Shuang’s eyes curved into happy crescents as he laughed. He cupped Ji Huaizhi’s face again and planted several kisses on his forehead. “How are you so adorable!”
“So you only learned kissing?” Ning Shuang teased.
“…” Ji Huaizhi turned his head away. Ning Shuang spotted the tips of his ears turning red and laughed even more freely. “Darling, look into my eyes!”
Ji Huaizhi seemed to turn obedient the moment Ning Shuang called him that. After Ning Shuang finished speaking, he turned back and tilted his head up to gaze at him.
“Tell me, what else did you learn? I give you permission to practice it all on me.” Ning Shuang’s words carried a coaxing temptation that flushed Ji Huaizhi’s usually pale skin with an unnatural light pink hue.
Ji Huaizhi stared into Ning Shuang’s beautiful eyes, his Adam’s apple bobbing as he swallowed. “I learned a lot more.”
“A lot… a lot…” Ji Huaizhi gazed at Ning Shuang’s lips, slightly swollen from his earlier kisses, and felt the urge to kiss him again. “The things we did that night.”
Ning Shuang turned his head aside, letting the other’s kiss land on his ear instead. Breathing heavily, he said, “Let’s go to the bedroom upstairs. It’s not good here.”
