Chapter 21
Lu Xun hadn’t thought much of the earlier incident with Liang Xusheng’s legs. He was straight; he wasn’t supposed to be attracted to his best friend’s legs.
However, living together meant more frequent exposure. A few days later, while discussing a difficult level in Rewind, Liang Xusheng, lounging on the sofa, rested his foot on Lu Xun’s leg, his shorts riding up, revealing his fair thigh. Lu Xun, trying not to stare, found it impossible to ignore. Liang Xusheng’s skin was so smooth and pale, almost luminous. He wondered how another man could have such legs.
Liang Xusheng then wiggled his foot, the movement drawing Lu Xun’s attention back to his leg. He swallowed, his throat suddenly dry.
“Move your leg,” he said, pushing Liang Xusheng’s leg away.
“Why?” Liang Xusheng asked, pressing his foot down again, wiggling his knee playfully. “Can’t I touch you?”
Lu Xun looked down at his leg, the smooth, pale skin a stark contrast to his own. He couldn’t understand how Liang Xusheng’s legs could be so different from a typical man’s legs. Even his foot looked delicate. Liang Xusheng had just showered, and the scent of his body wash lingered, further captivating Lu Xun’s senses.
From that day on, Lu Xun found himself hyper-aware of Liang Xusheng’s legs. He attributed it to their unusual fairness and smoothness, nothing more. He would steal glances, telling himself it was just an instinctive, sensory attraction.
Then, one day, he accidentally touched Liang Xusheng’s leg. He had just arrived home when Liang Xusheng ran out of his studio and jumped on his back, excitedly announcing, “It’s updated! Sanzhou-sensei’s manga is updating again!”
Lu Xun knew who Sanzhou was, a manga artist Liang Xusheng had admired for years. The manga, which had been on hiatus for years, was finally resuming its serialization.
As Liang Xusheng jumped on his back, Lu Xun instinctively reached back to support him. At that moment, his hand brushed against Liang Xusheng’s leg, the skin cool and incredibly smooth.
Lu Xun paused, a strange sensation running through him. “He updated two whole chapters!” Liang Xusheng continued excitedly. “I didn’t even wait for the translation team; I used a translation app! It’s so good!”
Lu Xun, carrying him, didn’t reply, his mind fixated on the sensation of Liang Xusheng’s skin against his hand. So smooth. So soft. He was surprised by his own reaction.
When Liang Xusheng got off his back, Lu Xun instinctively glanced at his legs. He quickly looked away, questioning himself. What are you looking at? His legs?
That night, lying in bed, he couldn’t shake the image of Liang Xusheng’s long, pale legs from his mind, the smooth sensation lingering on his hand. He tossed and turned, realizing what he was thinking about, and felt a surge of panic. Is this because I haven’t… in a while?, he wondered, getting out of bed and going to the bathroom.
But what happened next shocked him even more. As he took care of himself, the image of Liang Xusheng’s legs filled his mind, the smooth texture vivid in his memory. He reached his peak, thinking about Liang Xusheng.
Washing his hands, he looked at himself in the mirror, his expression calm. This is crazy. I’m losing it.
He had always known he was different. He was emotionally detached, distant from everyone, even his parents. He viewed the world and the people around him with a cold, rational perspective. The only exception, always, had been Liang Xusheng. He had been nervous on their wedding day, his hand had trembled during the ceremony.
And he was capable of self-reflection. He had realized his own emotional detachment before, and now, realizing he had just used the memory of Liang Xusheng’s legs for self-gratification, he examined himself critically.
Why am I like this?
He stared at his reflection in the mirror.
The next morning, Liang Xusheng, unusually awake early, was having breakfast with him.
“Hey, want to…?” Liang Xusheng asked, nudging Lu Xun’s leg under the table.
Lu Xun, distracted by the contact, subtly moved his leg away. Liang Xusheng nudged him again. “So, what do you say?”
“Keep your legs to yourself,” Lu Xun said, instead of answering his question.
Liang Xusheng, of course, didn’t listen. He deliberately rubbed his leg against Lu Xun’s. “What? I can’t even touch you?”
Lu Xun’s expression remained neutral, but his mind raced. He couldn’t help but imagine Liang Xusheng’s smooth, pale legs against his own.
Driving to work, he wondered, Is it because of his legs?
In his office, he continued pondering, twisting his wedding ring. Zhao Bin came in, again arguing for a romantic card.
Lu Xun, distracted, wondered if his reaction was because he found the leg-touching inherently intimate. Are we intimate?, he thought, suddenly remembering their kiss under the fireworks. A flicker of realization crossed his mind, but he couldn’t grasp it.
He dismissed Zhao Bin’s proposal again. “If you can’t control the level of intimacy, Rewind will become an otome game, not a story-driven game. If you want to make otome games, why are you here?”
After Zhao Bin left, Lu Xun leaned back in his chair, still twisting his ring. Is it because of his legs?, he wondered again, the image of Liang Xusheng’s legs flashing through his mind, his body reacting involuntarily.
Chapter 22
Liang Xusheng and Lu Xun’s friend, Xie Jingxuan, another rich second-generation entrepreneur, had opened a six-story bathhouse and invited them for a visit.
“So, what do you think?” Xie Jingxuan asked, after showing them around the first floor.
“It’s great,” Liang Xusheng said, patting him on the shoulder, then added, “Will this one last a year? Your previous ventures all failed within a year.”
“Those were just for fun,” Xie Jingxuan said. “Fun things end eventually.”
Liang Xusheng exchanged an amused look with Lu Xun. “How much did you ask your mom for this time? Three million?”
“Not as much as your combined wedding gifts,” Xie Jingxuan replied.
“If you run out of money, ask Lu Xun,” Liang Xusheng said, clapping Xie Jingxuan on the shoulder. “He’ll take care of you.”
“Will do,” Xie Jingxuan said.
Lu Xun, amused, thought he was being used as a walking ATM.
As they went upstairs, Lu Xun said quietly, “I can’t take care of Xie Jingxuan. I can only take care of you.”
Liang Xusheng slung his arm around Lu Xun’s shoulder. “Don’t worry, I’m just a simple otaku. A few million is enough for my figures and merchandise. I won’t need your help.”
“The company released new merchandise recently,” Lu Xun said.
“I want it!” Liang Xusheng replied instantly. “Thanks for taking care of me, Mr. CEO.”
Lu Xun smiled.
In the men’s bath, as they undressed, Lu Xun glanced at Liang Xusheng, his eyes lingering on his fair legs as he took off his pants.
“Did you get a leg wax?” he asked casually.
Liang Xusheng looked at him, confused. “Why would I get a leg wax? I’m not a girl.” He looked down at his legs. “What are you talking about?”
“Didn’t you shave your legs?” Lu Xun asked, looking at them again.
“Shave my legs?” Liang Xusheng paused, then chuckled. “I don’t have any leg hair. I guess I don’t have much testosterone. Never had leg hair.” He added, “Why are you asking? You’ve seen my legs before when we went swimming.”
“I forgot,” Lu Xun said. He genuinely couldn’t remember.
Liang Xusheng stepped onto a bench, showing off his legs. “Not bad, right? If I wore stockings and a skirt and covered my face, I could pass for a girl online.”
Lu Xun: “…”
As they walked towards the bath, Lu Xun couldn’t help but stare at Liang Xusheng’s legs, his gaze traveling up to his smooth, fair buttocks. Not just his legs, even his butt is so fair, he thought.
He deliberately chose a different pool from Liang Xusheng. But Liang Xusheng immediately got out of his pool and climbed into Lu Xun’s.
Lu Xun turned, seeing Liang Xusheng’s wet, pale leg dangling in the water. He sighed inwardly. Whose idea was it to come here? This is torture.
“What? Do we have to bathe separately?” Liang Xusheng asked, settling into the water beside him.
“The water’s not as hot here,” Lu Xun said, making an excuse.
“Is it? Feels the same to me,” Liang Xusheng said, splashing the water playfully.
Lu Xun looked at him. Good news: his legs were submerged. Bad news: his shoulders and collarbone, smooth and fair, were almost glowing in the warm light. He sighed again.
“Do you use lotion?” he asked, unable to help himself.
“Lotion?” Liang Xusheng blinked, confused. “No, why would I? Body wash is enough.”
Lu Xun looked away.
Liang Xusheng then reached over and squeezed his arm and shoulder. “Wow, those muscles! You could take on three of me!”
Normally, Lu Xun would have found this amusing, but the combination of the warm water, the contact with Liang Xusheng’s smooth skin, and the faint scent of his body wash was overwhelming.
“Teach me how to lift weights sometime,” Liang Xusheng said, leaning on his shoulder.
Lu Xun’s skin felt hot, burning under the water, Liang Xusheng’s touch intensifying the heat. He could smell Liang Xusheng’s scent more strongly now, a subtle fragrance emanating from his skin.
“Do you wear perfume?” he asked, his voice slightly hoarse.
“What’s with all the questions today?” Liang Xusheng flicked some water at his face. “Lotion, perfume… I don’t use any of that, okay? I’m naturally beautiful.”
Lu Xun chuckled.
“Stop laughing,” Liang Xusheng said, splashing him again.
“Don’t splash me,” Lu Xun warned, turning away.
Liang Xusheng ignored him, continuing to splash him, even pouring a handful of water over his head.
Lu Xun, exasperated, pulled Liang Xusheng closer and, taking advantage of the buoyancy of the water, lifted him into a princess carry.
“What are you doing?” Liang Xusheng laughed.
Lu Xun looked down, his gaze lingering on Liang Xusheng’s wet, pale shoulders and knees, the water making them look even more alluring. He quickly looked away.
Fortunately, the next part of the bathhouse experience, the body scrub, was far less stimulating. They lay face down on massage tables, covered with plastic sheets, as two middle-aged men scrubbed their bodies vigorously.
“Ow, ow! Gentle, please! You’re taking off my skin!” Liang Xusheng complained.
“You’re quite fair,” the masseur commented. “This will make your skin even fairer.” He paused, then added, “Oh, it’s pink. Brand new, huh?”
Lu Xun: “?”
Liang Xusheng: “…”
“What? Can’t a young guy have a new one?” Liang Xusheng retorted.
“This one’s not pink,” the masseur scrubbing Lu Xun said.
Lu Xun: “…”
“Let me see, let me see,” Liang Xusheng said, his voice full of playful curiosity. “Wow, you’re right! I never noticed before.” He reached over and poked Lu Xun. “How come yours is… purple?” He asked, intrigued, “Have you used it before? No way, you wouldn’t have used it without telling me.”
“His is bigger than yours,” the masseur added.
“Impossible!” Liang Xusheng exclaimed, sitting up.
Lu Xun: “…”
As they left the bath, Liang Xusheng sighed. “I thought they were about the same size before. How did yours get bigger?”
Lu Xun: “…” He didn’t reply, but as he got dressed, he glanced at Liang Xusheng. His skin was flushed from the scrub, but his legs were still incredibly fair, almost glowing after being submerged in water. He quickly looked away.
The bathhouse had several floors, including a common area with heated floors for lounging, a buffet, a gym, and a billiards room. Liang Xusheng suggested they play billiards, but after arriving in the common area and eating a popsicle, he yawned and slumped against Lu Xun, who was checking his phone.
“I’m going to take a nap,” he mumbled, his eyelids drooping. He leaned against Lu Xun, his leg resting on Lu Xun’s.
Lu Xun looked up from his phone, his gaze lingering on Liang Xusheng’s sleeping face and his leg. He had to admit, he was finding Liang Xusheng’s legs increasingly difficult to resist.
He didn’t think he was gay. He simply liked Liang Xusheng’s legs.
But liking your bro’s legs and having… reactions…
That night, standing under the warm shower, he touched himself, his mind filled with images of Liang Xusheng’s legs, shoulders, the smooth texture of his skin, his scent.
He felt both aroused and ashamed. But he didn’t fight it. He accepted his desire for Liang Xusheng without hesitation.
Bro is gone HAHAHAHA