"Say what?"
Shen Kuangye felt his heart skip a beat.
"Isn't it true?" Lu Xiangyang pouted, looking pitiful. "You won't reject me, but you won't agree either. Are you trying to be a scumbag who plays and leaves?"
"I don't agree." He grabbed Shen Kuangye's T-shirt. "I've already given my first love to you."
He said it as if he were genuinely upset, his eyes red again.
Shen Kuangye, suddenly accused of being a scumbag for no reason, froze: "…"
"I'm also going to make you a boyfriend probation evaluation form," Lu Xiangyang said with a grudge. "Today's performance doesn't count. If it adds up to five times, then…"
Shen Kuangye thought he was going to say, "then give up."
But Lu Xiangyang, showing his stubborn streak, said: "Then I'll give you another chance."
"…"
"Brother, have you ever liked anyone before?"
Lu Xiangyang paused, then added, "After you became a pro."
He knew for sure that before this, Shen Kuangye probably hadn't liked anyone. He just didn't know whether Shen Kuangye had dated anyone during his professional career.
But then he remembered what Shen Kuangye had just told him—those difficult circumstances. He probably wouldn't have been interested in romance at all. If only he had been by Shen Kuangye's side back then.
Lu Xiangyang sighed. "Forget it, I won't ask."
"I haven't liked anyone."
Shen Kuangye suddenly spoke, his voice low and serious.
His ears turned a bit red, but his gaze on Lu Xiangyang was earnest: "You're mine too."
He hesitated for a moment, but both of them knew exactly what came next.
Lu Xiangyang hugged him happily, inhaling the pleasant scent on Shen Kuangye, his cheeks flushed. "Brother, can I kiss you now?"
Shen Kuangye's eyelashes twitched. He lowered his gaze at the person lying on him. Lu Xiangyang seemed bolder than before, carefully testing the limits, knowing Shen Kuangye wouldn't push him away.
"No."
Shen Kuangye said coldly.
"Ah…"
Lu Xiangyang's little face was full of disappointment. He stared at Shen Kuangye's lips, unwilling to give up. "Then… when can I kiss you?"
From Shen Kuangye's perspective, he could see Lu Xiangyang's beautiful eyes always lingering on his lips, looking both sad and longing.
He swallowed hard. "After the Abyss ends."
"That long again?"
Lu Xiangyang pouted in disappointment. Shen Kuangye couldn't help but pinch his little face. "Going to turn into a little pufferfish, huh?"
At that, the little pufferfish slowly deflated.
"If we win the championship, will you unconditionally agree to two requests of mine?"
Fortunately, Lu Xiangyang's emotions were quick to rise and quick to fall.
Shen Kuangye looked at him calmly, smiling. "Yes."
As for what those two requests were, Shen Kuangye could probably guess.
"But Lu Xiangyang, I still have to tell you," Shen Kuangye looked into his eyes. "If during this time you find someone you like more, or realize I'm not as good as you imagined, you can give up anytime. Don't worry about feeling burdened."
Lu Xiangyang looked at him for a while, then suddenly said, "I don't think you should call me that."
Shen Kuangye: "?"
Is that really the point?
"I already call you brother, but you still call me by my full name."
Lu Xiangyang subtly expressed his dissatisfaction.
"What do you want me to call you then?" Shen Kuangye asked.
"Isn't that supposed to be your idea?" Lu Xiangyang said matter-of-factly.
Shen Kuangye thought for a moment. "Xiao Lu?"
Lu Xiangyang: "?"
He didn't seem satisfied.
Shen Kuangye tried again: "Xiao Yang?"
Lu Xiangyang: "…"
He felt like he might die of frustration on the very first day of his confession.
"How could it be like this? We… we're already in this kind of relationship. Why do you still call me so formally?" Lu Xiangyang complained.
"What should I call you then?" Shen Kuangye smiled, no longer teasing, and leaned close to Lu Xiangyang's ear. "Baby?"
Shen Kuangye's voice was a little hoarse. Lu Xiangyang's face immediately flushed.
He realized Shen Kuangye was teasing him. Even though he had thought it himself, hearing it made him blush.
Lu Xiangyang buried himself in his arms, pretending to be asleep.
Shen Kuangye didn't let him off and deliberately pressed, "Are you satisfied now?"
Lu Xiangyang mumbled, "It's okay, I guess."
"That's good," Shen Kuangye said. "Baby."
Lu Xiangyang suddenly regretted letting him change the way he addressed him.
They hugged for a while longer. Lu Xiangyang's eyelids started to droop.
Shen Kuangye softly asked, "If you're tired, sleep, okay?"
Lu Xiangyang was about to nod but shook his head quickly. "I don't want to sleep."
"Why not?"
Lu Xiangyang rested on his chest and said a single word after a long pause: "Cold."
He sounded pitiful.
Shen Kuangye fell silent for a moment.
"Brother," Lu Xiangyang asked, "can you come back and sleep with me?"
Shen Kuangye's Adam's apple moved.
"I can't sleep alone."
Lu Xiangyang pointed seriously to his eyes. "See? I even have dark circles."
He wasn't lying. Even though they'd only been apart a few days, Lu Xiangyang looked visibly worn out. The flesh on his cheeks, which had just filled out, was gone.
Shen Kuangye got up and carried him to bed, arranging him carefully.
"I'll go get something. You lie still."
Lu Xiangyang nodded.
After Shen Kuangye left, Lu Xiangyang couldn't help but bury his head in the pillow, kicking the blanket twice.
Is this real?
Is this really happening?
It all still felt a bit unreal to him. It was too beautiful, like a dream.
Shen Kuangye, after going upstairs, didn't immediately put things away. He sat by the bed, dazed for a moment.
Tonight's events had caught him off guard as well. He had imagined all sorts of terrible scenarios but never thought Lu Xiangyang would accept everything so calmly.
Like a dream.
He sighed.
He couldn't fully agree to Lu Xiangyang because he didn't know how much longer he would stay in this world. Maybe he'd disappear completely soon.
What would Lu Xiangyang do then?
If he were heartbroken, who would comfort him?
Shen Kuangye had imagined this more than once before, but this time it hurt as if someone was gripping his heart tightly. He realized he was beginning to fear it happening.
If it did happen, he didn't know if Lu Xiangyang would do something foolish.
When Shen Kuangye returned with things, he found that Lu Xiangyang had already made the bed and lay in the center, patting the empty side—a silent invitation.
Shen Kuangye set down the blanket. "One person sleeps under one blanket."
Lu Xiangyang looked disappointed, frowning. "Ah, but we always used to sleep together."
"Why the difference now?"
Shen Kuangye steeled himself and pretended not to notice Lu Xiangyang staring at him. "Time to sleep alone."
Lu Xiangyang wasn't very happy. To show his dissatisfaction, he quickly ran to brush his teeth.
Only after he finished did Shen Kuangye bring in the pajamas.
After Lu Xiangyang saw Shen Kuangye enter the bathroom, he glanced at the other blanket for a few seconds, then coldly said, "You shouldn't be here."
When Shen Kuangye came out, he found the blanket he had just prepared had disappeared.
He paused, then silently smiled.
Lu Xiangyang lay in bed, blinking at him.
After Shen Kuangye got in, Lu Xiangyang quietly exhaled.
"It's eleven-thirty. Time to sleep."
Shen Kuangye glanced at the time.
Lately, he hadn't been sleeping well either. From the third floor, he could hear everything happening on the second floor. He knew when Lu Xiangyang fell asleep and when he got up in the morning. Hearing him talking to the little lamb online made him even more alert.
Lu Xiangyang missed him, and Shen Kuangye realized he missed him too.
After so many sleepless nights, lying next to Lu Xiangyang finally brought him drowsiness.
Autumn was approaching; the nights were much colder.
Lu Xiangyang wasn't pretending, he was genuinely cold. So as soon as Shen Kuangye got into bed, he kept moving closer.
Little by little, he nestled into Shen Kuangye's arms, their bodies pressed together.
Shen Kuangye lowered his gaze. "Still cold?"
Lu Xiangyang obediently shook his head. "Not anymore."
"Mm," Shen Kuangye said. "Then sleep."
Lu Xiangyang wasn't satisfied. "Brother, our status is different now."
"Don't you feel like something's missing at night?"
Shen Kuangye blinked. "I don't know."
"…"
Sure enough, he was as clueless as ever.
Suddenly, Lu Xiangyang propped himself on his elbow, leaned over, and kissed Shen Kuangye's cheek, then quickly lay back, face flushed.
He thought, if they had only agreed that kissing the lips was off-limits, then kissing the cheek shouldn't count, right?
Lu Xiangyang's lips were soft.
That was Shen Kuangye's first reaction.
He could even smell the strawberry toothpaste from when Lu Xiangyang had just brushed his teeth.
Shen Kuangye looked down at the person pretending to sleep in his arms, trying not to laugh.
Earlier, kissing had seemed so straightforward; why was he shy now?
Lu Xiangyang had wanted to be bold. At first, he was frustrated about not being able to kiss Shen Kuangye, but now just kissing the cheek made him feel like he was burning up. Imagine if they kissed for real…
Shen Kuangye saw Lu Xiangyang's face blush another shade deeper.
Tonight, Lu Xiangyang seemed bolder, almost taking the lead in every move.
The usually obedient kid had been so daring today, clearly showing just how much he liked him.
Shen Kuangye couldn't let him be the only one taking the initiative.
When Lu Xiangyang got nervous, a kiss suddenly landed on his face. Shen Kuangye could even feel his warm breath on Lu Xiangyang's cheek.
Shen Kuangye's movements were stiff—this was his first time being this intimate.
Especially when his lips touched Lu Xiangyang's cheek, a sudden impulse surged within him: to pull him into his arms and kiss him passionately.
"Good night."
Shen Kuangye's voice was hoarse, a little unpracticed, as he whispered, "Baby."