Chapter 34: Welcome Back, Li You Part 2

His thoughts cut off as the door pushed open. Li You whipped his head around, meeting those utterly familiar eyes. First joy at Li Ye’s return to the lab, but then he abruptly realized the situation was complicated.

Li You’s expression froze. His mind raced for how to explain to his brother.

Just then, Li Ye entered and turned on the room’s non-glaring lamp.

Li You still squinted, adjusting before his vision cleared. Looking up, he suddenly spotted the hickeys and bite marks on Li Ye’s neck and froze.

Li Ye had changed into regular lab clothes—a deep gray single layer that exposed his neck and collarbone, all marked up.

One more glance and Li You’s thoughts wandered; he quickly looked away, chasing invisible specks in the air.

Li Ye came over, setting down boiled-soft sliced meat and hot water nearby. He sat on the bed’s edge, back of his hand to Li You’s forehead to check his temperature, then withdrew and asked: “Anywhere uncomfortable?”

【…】

【Yes.】

【Butt hurts…】

Li You looked at Li Ye, eyes bewildered, gaze dazed, looking foolish—though his inner thoughts were normal enough.

Li Ye got no answer, a hint of imperceptible tension in his eyes.

In the past, Li You, ever observant of his brother’s moods, would have noticed. But now, bewildered and panicked, even a bit at a loss, he didn’t.

His hand on the covers clenched nervously as he asked: “This isn’t the Illusion Realm?”

His voice was terrifyingly hoarse, startling him. Li You pinched his throat with both hands, testing sounds—still the same.

“No, this is the lab.” Li Ye gazed into his eyes, reaching to pull down the hands clutching his throat. “No Illusion Realm. Not a dream.”

“Then I…”

“You’re Li You.” Li Ye cupped his cheek, thumb stroking. “Welcome back, Li You.”

Li You stared unblinking at Li Ye, hands fisting the covers, silent.

Li Ye’s hand on his face didn’t withdraw. The prolonged skin contact reactivated the A-187X fused in their bodies.

Missing memories surfaced in fragments. Blurry images sharpened in his mind, replaying like a film frame by frame. Him clinging to Li Ye’s neck, wrapping his waist, riding atop, kissing the ring finger…

Li You’s eyes widened slowly. His gaze fell on Li Ye’s neck—those varying hickeys and teeth marks glaring.

In the memories, he had sprawled on top, nibbling and biting, crying and fussing, pounding and kicking—utterly improper.

Li You’s face exploded red. Eyes stunned, face burning like it would combust, as if smoke would billow next second. Still, he said nothing, expression dazed wooden. Only that scorching face betrayed his utter mortification.

“I…” Li You’s lips stuttered as he stared fixedly at Li Ye’s neck, swallowing several mouthfuls of saliva. His inner words trembled.

【What did I do?】

【Did I sleep with Li Ye???】

He stiffly lowered his head, grabbed the bedding in front of Li Ye, lay flat, covered himself properly—including his head—and then curled up inside, wrapping himself into a ball before going completely still.

This series of actions made his butt hurt again. Li You abruptly opened his eyes under the covers and reacted—

【No!!】

【I was the one who got slept with by Li Ye!!!】

The temperature on Li You’s face never dropped, and after reaching this conclusion, it even heated up more ridiculously. He instantly felt that something was off everywhere on his body, especially his butt and lower abdomen, where waves of numbness lingered, tinged with an indescribable bizarre sensation, as if it had been rubbed by something—no broken skin, but reddened.

Li You clenched his teeth tightly, his mind filled with those indelible scenes. The more he thought, the more restless he became; the more he covered himself, the hotter he got.

【Did I sleep with my brother?!】

【Wasn’t it me who initiated it?】

【Damn it, why? I just posted a status, turned human, and somehow ended up sleeping with Li Ye??】

【Aaaahhh!!!】

【He’s your brother, Li You!!】

Li Ye’s lips pressed into a straight line as his hand rested on the mound of bedding. The moment he touched it, Li You—who was nearly suffocating under the covers—abruptly threw them off. He gasped for air in big mouthfuls, his flushed face growing even hotter, his watery eyes daring only a single glance at Li Ye before he quickly turned away to fumble his way out of bed. When his feet hit the ground, his legs went soft; he barely steadied himself and realized his clothes were disheveled, so he hurriedly fastened the lower buttons and shuffled outward on legs still unaccustomed to movement.

He had no particular goal, just felt he needed to do something or find a place to hide—anything but stay in the same room as Li Ye.

Li You tried to flee but was hugged and pulled back after just two steps by Li Ye.

The moment he was touched by the other’s warmth, Li You bristled like a porcupine with quills raised, struggling and pounding. “What are you doing? Let go! Don’t touch me!”

A trace of loneliness flashed through Li Ye’s heart, but he didn’t let go. Instead, he turned the twisting and struggling Li You around to face him, tilting his head up to gaze at the youth who loomed higher in his line of sight, and stiffly comforted him. “I’m not doing anything. Don’t be afraid.”

Li You froze, his arms blocking his flushed face that seemed ready to drip water, lips slightly parted as he panted, the eyelashes under his arms trembling nonstop.

【What the hell is going on…】

Li Ye heard this inner thought, and the loneliness in his eyes deepened.

【This isn’t right…】

【Li Ye is my brother.】

【Li You, you bastard! How could you sleep with your brother?!!】

【No, I was slept with…】

【That’s not right either! We slept together…】

【Aaaahhh!!!】

But Li Ye’s eyes suddenly brightened. He stared dazedly at the youth, his emotions surging. In the end, he confirmed it: Li You was blaming himself—himself, not Li Ye.

“It’s my fault,” Li Ye spoke up. “Not yours.”

Li You stayed silent for a long time before saying, “Let go of me first.”

“I’ll let go if you don’t run.”

“…” Li You released his hands, glanced only once at Li Ye without daring a second look before turning his head away. “I’m not running. Let go.”

Li Ye placed Li You back on the bed. Li You turned his back, instinctively wanting to hide under the covers, but Li Ye held him down with one hand.

“Let’s talk.” Li Ye looked at the back of his head. “We haven’t seen each other in a long time.”

“…” Li You fell silent, then sat up, hugged his knees, and shrank into the corner, stealing a glance. “Talk about what?”

【My butt still hurts. Can we chat later?】

Li Ye paused for a moment. “Sorry for leaving the lab for too long before.”

Li You stole another glance at him.

【I thought you weren’t keeping your cat anymore.】

【But you really went too far, switching between the two of you… How dare you? No wonder my butt hurts so much…】

“…” Li Ye pondered. “Sorry.”

Perplexed, Li You looked up. “Why apologize again?”

“Nothing.” Li Ye shook his head and asked him, “Does it still hurt?”

Li You exploded instantly. “I don’t want to talk about this!”

“Okay, we won’t.” Li Ye lowered his eyelids and softly called after a moment, “Li You.”

Li You raised his eyes.

Li Ye looked at him without speaking.

He stared blankly for a while, then lowered his head with drifting eyes, closed them, covered his face with his hand, and after a long moment, finally mumbled, “Brother.”

Awkwardly, he reached out and hooked Li Ye’s pinky finger, saying softly, “I’m back.”

The awkwardness was real, as was the shyness. Right after speaking, he immediately let go of Li Ye’s hand, flipped the covers over himself again, lay straight, and mumbled, “I want to sleep. You go.”

He paused, then urgently yanked the covers off his face to look at Li Ye. “But you can’t leave the lab. Stay outside the room. Don’t go anywhere.”

Li Ye showed no abnormalities, much better than when his true form had been exposed before. Li You didn’t know the situation outside the lab, whether the Infinite Polar Night was still ongoing, or if there was good news from the signal source—none of it was clear.

But he didn’t want to experience guarding the lab alone for days again. This time, he absolutely wouldn’t allow Li Ye to leave.

He stuck a hand out from under the covers and grabbed Li Ye’s clothes, repeating emphatically, “You can’t leave. Got it?”

Li Ye looked at him. “Aren’t you afraid I’ll hurt you?”

“No.” Li You shook his head. “You won’t.”

Li Ye fell silent, then suddenly asked, “What about before? Were you ever afraid of me?”

Li You froze. He knew what “before” Li Ye meant and didn’t answer right away. He keenly noticed the emotional fluctuations in Li Ye’s eyes, abruptly sat up—wincing and grimacing as his butt hurt—and hissed, “So what if I was? I’ve always believed in you!”

Li Ye’s hand brushed Li You’s hair, cradling the back of his neck, his fingertips gently kneading twice. “I know.”

Li Ye’s face showed no expression or emotional shifts, but Li You could tell his brother was happy.

“…” He felt the itch from his neck, shrank it back a little, and his cheek brushed against the back of Li Ye’s hand.

Li Ye touched his overgrown hair. “Want me to tidy it?”

“You know how?” Li You asked.

“Not really,” said Li Ye. “Shortening it should be fine.”

“Forget it.” Li You glanced at Li Ye’s long hair. “Just tie it up like yours. We’ll fix it properly back in the empire.”

“Yeah, later when we get back.”

Li Ye suddenly asked, “Do you still feel uncomfortable now?”

“…You wouldn’t have reminded me if you didn’t mention it!” Li You’s face heated up again. He shrank back, wanting to burrow into the covers once more.

After a long silence, Li You suddenly called, “Li Ye.”

Li Ye came over.

“Bro.”

Li You said solemnly to him, “You’re my brother. This was a misunderstanding. The two of us just…”

Li You didn’t know how to continue, his face flushing in waves, so he glossed over it and said gravely, “It was my fault. Punish me however you want—as long as it’s within my power, I’ll do it.”

Li Ye quietly gazed at that beautiful face, nearly exquisite. “You planning to take responsibility for me?”

Li You blanked for a moment.

“Then you want to treat this like it never happened.” Li Ye lowered his eyes and hooked Li You’s pinky finger, asking, “So if I tell you it was me taking advantage of you in your vulnerable state, me bullying you—what then?”

Li You fell silent. He thought hard, struggling to process the conversation, then kept thinking.

Li Ye took a deep breath, raised his hand, and tapped Li You’s forehead, calling back the dazed youth. “Idiot, can’t you see it yet?”

“Li You, look at me.” Li Ye cupped his face, leaned in until their noses touched, and said in an almost gentle voice, “I don’t just want to be your brother.”