Chapter 63
“What status?”
Yu Chen was not asking that on purpose.
He lifted his eyes lightly, hesitating inside over which kind of status he meant.
A husband and a boyfriend were not the same thing.
During the two years He Zhen had been away, it wasn’t as though Yu Chen had understood nothing at all. He had consumed basket after basket of boys’ love novels, movies, and comics.
He had a very clear understanding of himself.
Compared to He Zhen, he would probably be the bottom.
So calling him husband did not seem wrong either.
Of course, if He Zhen wanted him to be the top, he would not have any objections either.
Inside the narrow, enclosed elevator, an ambiguous atmosphere surged around them.
Yu Chen truly could not hold back what was inside him, so he decided to ask plainly, “Do you want to be my boyfriend or my marriage partner?”
There was laughter in He Zhen’s eyes. “Going straight to the final step would be even better.”
“Hm?” A moist gleam appeared in Yu Chen’s eyes. He suddenly realized he had almost let He Zhen get away with too much and immediately corrected himself in righteous indignation. “I was only testing you. Of course you have to be my boyfriend first.”
He Zhen rubbed his fingers over his watch and smiled faintly. “That works too. Anyway, there’s still some time before we reach the legal marriage age.”
“I’m not getting married at twenty—” Before Yu Chen could finish, the elevator gave a soft ding and stopped on the twenty-sixth floor.
Holding his hand, He Zhen guided him to enter his fingerprint and patted his back reassuringly. “Welcome home.”
Yu Chen’s fingertips paused as he gently pushed open the door.
What came into view was Hai City’s bustling nightscape.
It was a spacious duplex-style flat. The minimalist décor looked very comfortable, mostly black, white, and gray, very much in line with He Zhen’s taste.
Of course, Yu Chen liked this low-key style too.
Half-lying on the sofa, Yu Chen admired the river view downstairs and half narrowed his eyes in comfort. “I thought a place like this would be luxurious like a palace, with priceless jewels everywhere.”
“Little money grubber.”
Leaning against the wine cabinet, He Zhen let his gaze fall on Yu Chen’s smiling eyes. “You didn’t bring pajamas. Wear my clothes tonight.”
“I never said I was staying the night.” Yu Chen curved his lips and strolled through the apartment with brisk steps, beginning his tour. He especially loved the terrace that came with it. In summer, grilling skewers and drinking there would definitely feel amazing.
“Boss, why is there only one bedroom here?”
By Yu Chen’s estimate, this flat had to be at least five hundred square meters. There would still be room to spare even if you rode a bicycle around inside, so how could there not even be a guest room?
He Zhen opened a bottle of red wine. “When it was designed, I asked for more functional rooms, so I didn’t include a guest room.”
“What if guests come over?”
He Zhen sat down leisurely with one long leg bent. “My place doesn’t keep guests.”
Yu Chen clicked his tongue and said sourly, “What if one day I come over to see you, and outside there’s some once-in-a-century snowstorm, and I don’t even have a place to stay?”
“No one else can have one, but you absolutely can. I’ll give you my bed and sleep on the sofa.” Strands of a smile hooked at He Zhen’s lips as he lifted his eyes and looked out the window.
The bustling night outside seemed no different from America, no different from those nine hundred-plus days and nights he had spent there.
But reflected clearly in the clean glass window was Yu Chen’s figure.
Yu Chen’s eyes were lively and bright, and he was looking at him with great sincerity.
He Zhen slowly met the gaze of the Yu Chen in the glass.
The person before him was someone he could touch and see.
That overlapped little by little with the longing he had felt countless times.
A sudden ripple rose in his heart, and it gave a hard thump.
“How could I let you sleep on the sofa?” Yu Chen stood with his hands behind his back, smiling brightly. “If you ask me, I should head back. You still have to report to work at the company tomorrow. It wouldn’t be good to disturb your rest.”
It was already late, almost ten.
He Zhen curled his lips and smiled. “Go on then. There are wolf cubs outside, and they especially like fat babies who love cake.”
Those words made Yu Chen flush bright red.
“I’m not fat at all anymore!” Yu Chen retorted in shame and anger, slinging his bag onto his back and making a show of leaving. “I’m going!”
He Zhen did not move. He simply observed him quietly through the glass.
Naturally, Yu Chen had no idea what He Zhen was plotting. Thinking He Zhen really was letting him go, he hid the disappointment in his heart and dragged his feet as he put on his shoes.
A pair of shoes that normally took him two or three seconds to put on was stretched out to a full two minutes.
After tying the laces, he cast one last glance at He Zhen.
He did not know when He Zhen had developed the habit, but he even liked drinking red wine now.
Yu Chen pushed open the door, his nose wrinkling slightly.
At the very instant the door opened, a force from behind suddenly locked him firmly in place. The next second his feet left the ground, and He Zhen easily picked him up.
Startled by the unexpected embrace, Yu Chen leaned against He Zhen and let himself be carried into the bedroom.
His head was immediately filled with all kinds of lush, romantic scenes from novels and TV dramas. He grew so tense that his whole back broke into sweat, clutching tightly at He Zhen’s sleeve without being able to say a single word.
He Zhen carried him over and sat down at the edge of the bed. Then he bent down, helped remove his shoes and socks, and walked toward the wardrobe.
“Stay here tonight. I’ll sleep on the tatami.”
Turning his head, Yu Chen discovered that there really was a resting space reserved in He Zhen’s bedroom. It sat beside the balcony. Lying there in the sunshine while reading a book would definitely be very convenient.
“I bought you underwear too. Of course, I wouldn’t mind if you wore mine.” Holding several clean clothes, He Zhen walked over and leaned down with both hands braced at Yu Chen’s sides. “If mine fits you, that is.”
When he said that, there was a meaningful smile in He Zhen’s eyes.
The two of them were very close, so close that if Yu Chen got up, he could touch He Zhen’s lips.
Forcing down the heat in his face, Yu Chen shot back, “You really hold grudges. You still remember something that tiny.”
“Of course I remember.” He Zhen teased, “My underwear mysteriously got bigger. I agonized over it for a long time.”
Yu Chen secretly laughed and found himself with no grounds left to argue.
“Go shower. Sleep early tonight.” At last, He Zhen let him go. “What time are you getting up tomorrow? I’ll make breakfast for you.”
“You can cook too?” Hugging the clean clothes, Yu Chen buried his nose in them and inhaled hard. They were full of He Zhen’s scent.
“I can do simple things.” He Zhen took off his dirty clothes, showing absolutely no intention of avoiding Yu Chen.
Yu Chen stared at He Zhen’s even, powerful back muscles, and his heart missed a beat. He quickly shifted his gaze away.
He Zhen’s body was actually really good…
He darted another quick look, then hurried into the bathroom.
After showering, Yu Chen came out wearing one of He Zhen’s oversized hoodies.
Standing in front of the mirror, he looked at the hem that almost reached his thighs and quietly sighed.
He Zhen really was tall.
He was never going to catch up in this lifetime.
Drying his hair, Yu Chen crept toward the sound of running water elsewhere.
A minute later, he slowly came to a stop.
Through the frosted glass, he could see the vague shadow of the person inside.
He stared fixedly at it when suddenly his phone rang.
As if out of guilty nerves, he dashed to the living room, even bumping himself on the edge of a table along the way.
Seeing that the caller was Professor Lin, Yu Chen thought something urgent had come up and quickly answered, “Professor, what’s wrong?”
Professor Lin laughed softly. “Nothing. I just wanted to take you to an event tomorrow afternoon. Do you have time?”
“I do.” Squatting by the coffee table, Yu Chen let out a breath of relief and fixed his attention on the cherries in the fruit bowl.
These were probably gifts someone had sent to celebrate He Zhen’s moving into a new home, so they should be fine to eat.
He secretly dug out one cherry, happily chewing it. “Don’t worry, I’ll definitely dress properly and won’t embarrass you.”
Professor Lin said, “Alright. See you tomorrow.”
After hanging up, Yu Chen devoted himself fully to picking cherries. Just as he was getting really into it, a wave of damp heat suddenly enveloped him from behind.
He turned around at once, only to find himself scooped up by an arm still beaded with water. The next second, his butt received a heavy smack.
“Why are you eating them without washing them?”
Having been smacked on the butt, Yu Chen was both ashamed and angry. He turned to protest, but the moment he saw the broad expanse of smooth, defined chest revealed beneath He Zhen’s loosely open bathrobe, all his momentum disappeared, and he wilted at once.
Tiny droplets were still clinging to He Zhen’s short black hair. Some slid along the bridge of his nose, others traced down his face and disappeared into his collarbone.
Yu Chen finally wriggled free. “I was only eating a few.”
“Even a few have to be washed. What if there are parasite eggs on them?” He Zhen’s tone was somewhat stern, completely unlike the gentle way he had been just moments earlier.
Knowing he was in the wrong, Yu Chen drooped his eyes and said nothing.
He Zhen picked up the fruit bowl and left, then came back a few minutes later holding a plate.
Yu Chen’s ears twitched, still sulking.
“Eat them after they’ve been washed.” He Zhen held one cherry up to Yu Chen’s lips. “See if this one’s sweet.”
Yu Chen shot him a quick glance and swallowed the cherry.
Perhaps to regain some ground, he gathered his courage and teased, “President He, who exactly are you trying to seduce dressed like that?”
He Zhen paused, then lowered his head to look at his half-open robe.
Just now, he had been in the middle of tying his sash when he happened to catch sight of Yu Chen eating fruit without washing it first, so he had rushed out to catch him in the act.
“Besides you, is there anyone else here?”
He Zhen flicked Yu Chen on the forehead. “After you finish the fruit, go brush your teeth and go to sleep.”
“You’re even more overbearing than my dad.” Yu Chen suddenly remembered the terror of having his allowance controlled by He Zhen back in elementary school.
To punish him for secretly eating starch sausages, He Zhen had mercilessly cut off his financial supply. He had lived miserably back then.
But after thinking it over again, He Zhen really did take care of him in painstaking detail.
From childhood until now, Yu Chen had never once washed his own socks. Even when he had gone to military training, it had been He Zhen who washed them for him.
Once Yu Chen thought it through, he stopped minding the fact that He Zhen had just scolded him. Cheerfully, he chased after He Zhen into the bedroom and rolled several times across He Zhen’s big, soft, comfortable bed.
The night grew deeper and deeper.
The two of them simply chatted on and off like that.
Yu Chen did not even remember when he had fallen asleep, and by the time he opened his eyes again, the smell of coffee was already drifting into his nose.
After hastily washing up, he came to the living room for breakfast.
He Zhen had made a very rich spread, including two breakfast dishes Yu Chen had never eaten before, called eggs Benedict.
After tasting a bite, he gave sincere praise to He Zhen’s cooking.
He Zhen was already dressed in a white shirt and sat at the island cutting sausage for Yu Chen. “Did you sleep well last night?”
“Pretty well. What about you?” Yu Chen was picky with food. He skipped over the broccoli and ate all the ham and bacon first. After finishing his own portion, he set his sights on He Zhen’s and quietly stole two slices.
Pretending not to notice, He Zhen said, “Pretty well.”
“What time are you getting off work today?” Leaning over the white island counter, Yu Chen glanced at the refrigerator. “What are you doing for dinner?”
He Zhen fed him a piece of broccoli. “Most likely I’ll eat at the office. But if you want me to eat with you, I’ll come find you.”
“I can cook for you.” With complete shamelessness, Yu Chen claimed all of He Zhen’s bacon too, chewing the meat with a smiling face. “To repay you for breakfast.”
“Really?” A smile spread across He Zhen’s lips. “Who would’ve thought that on my first day at work, I’d come home to dinner made by the person I’m pursuing.”
Yu Chen raised a brow. “And how does that feel?”
He Zhen answered, “It’s an immense honor.”
Yu Chen was rarely on the receiving end of such flattery from He Zhen, and the smile in his eyes deepened. “My event ends at five this afternoon. Then I’ll cook for you.”
“I’ll wait for you.”
After breakfast, He Zhen put on his suit and first drove Yu Chen to school. Along the way, Yu Chen seized every chance he got to study He Zhen’s clothes. The two of them were only one year apart, so why was it that the moment He Zhen put on a suit, he radiated such a social elite aura, making him look impeccably dressed, suave, and noble?
“What are you looking at?” He Zhen exposed Yu Chen’s little thoughts.
“At you, obviously.” Yu Chen praised him sincerely. “You look really good in a suit.”
“How good?” He Zhen pressed further.
The kind of shameless rainbow praise Yu Chen used to throw around so often when they were younger was now something he felt too embarrassed to say aloud. His breath trembled lightly. “I’m not telling you.”
He Zhen lifted a brow and did not pursue it further.
Once the car reached the school gate, Yu Chen reminded him, “Boss, be careful.” Then he pushed open the door and got ready to leave.
“Yu Chen.” He Zhen followed him out of the car and took a huge bouquet of white roses from the trunk.
Looking at the students passing by, Yu Chen’s movements suddenly turned a little awkward.
He had gotten plenty of love letters growing up, but he had never once received roses.
Yu Chen could not help feeling his face grow a little warm.
He had always mocked the male leads in novels for giving roses, saying it was tacky.
But now that it was happening to him, he wanted this bouquet so badly it was almost ridiculous!
He could already imagine how eye-catching it would be to take these into class with him!
He, Yu Chen, had received roses too!
The light in Yu Chen’s eyes brightened a little as he stared at the roses with anticipation.
“Today isn’t any special occasion. I just wanted to give them to you.” He Zhen placed the bouquet into Yu Chen’s arms. “See you tonight. If time allows, you can think about me in your heart.”
