Chapter 57
Ever since kindergarten, Xie Ning had a rich history of being “pursued.”
Back when children were still too young to understand the importance of good looks, many kids had already noticed the snow-pure and adorable Xie Ning. While the children to his left and right threw noisy tantrums, their faces covered in snot bubbles, Xie Ning would always sit quietly in his seat, his small back straight as a ramrod. Though his porcelain-white little face was squishy and chubby, his eyes were extraordinarily large, making anyone who looked at him fall in love at first sight.
Many kids would secretly share their snacks with him.
As the children learned to read and write more, those tucked-away snacks began coming with love letters written in crooked, squiggly handwriting. As they grew a bit older, everyone’s pursuits became much more direct.
However, as they gradually matured, these suitors also realized that Xie Ning had an exceptionally cold personality. His overly refined, icy appearance was like a snow-capped mountain—hard to scale and daunting to even look at.
Yet, many still chose to fly into the flame like moths.
Xie Ning had encountered countless suitors: those who gave clear hints, subtle insinuations, or played dumb. But he didn’t need this kind of pursuit. He didn’t need a relationship, didn’t need romance to gain emotional value, and needed another person’s company even less.
He could live very well all on his own.
However, Xie Ning’s lone-wolf behavior was seen by many as a sign of being “aloof” and “unattached.” His parents were always terrified that he would be isolated by others, and his psychiatrist, Shi Qingyu, also advised him to socialize more with the outside world to build healthy social relationships.
He understood their good intentions, but he truly didn’t enjoy it.
Humans are social animals; they gain social recognition and a sense of belonging by entering and forming social circles. But Xie Ning didn’t feel anxious or tormented due to a lack of socializing. On the contrary, being alone was a form of enjoyment for him.
Unless it was an intimate relationship, engaging with people he wasn’t familiar with—even just for a simple meal—was an unnecessary endeavor in his eyes.
It wasn’t that Xie Ning couldn’t socialize. He could talk to strangers and manage social boundaries just fine, but he simply didn’t want to. He preferred being immersed in his own world. But if that person were Pei Zhi…
Xie Ning imagined it for a moment.
If his future included Pei Zhi, then every morning when he woke up, he would be held in a warm, tight embrace.
Pei Zhi would hold him tightly. Even unconsciously, Pei Zhi’s hands would possessively wrap around his waist, repeatedly nuzzling his neck, and perhaps kissing him—with a force that seemed desperate to fuse the two of them into one.
In many ways, Pei Zhi was a bit domineering, and his possessiveness was over the top. But Xie Ning didn’t push it away, nor did he feel repulsed by such possessiveness.
After all, no one could reject someone who expressed passionate love for you every single second, right?
At the very least, Xie Ning had no way of rejecting Pei Zhi like this.
Xie Ning could live very well on his own.
But adding a Pei Zhi into the mix… seemed pretty good, too.
The moment Pei Zhi finished his business, he went to wait for Xie Ning outside the shared workshop.
It just so happened that Xie Ning finished early today. After tidying up his desk drafts, he replied to Pei Zhi’s message. Turning his head, he caught sight of Pei Zhi’s figure standing in the corridor outside the window.
Pei Zhi had arrived nearby a while ago. Who knew how long he had been watching him?
Pei Zhi met Xie Ning at the entrance and naturally took the bag from his hands. It held a few books—not heavy, but he still insisted on carrying it for him.
He reached out to adjust Xie Ning’s scarf. “Is there anything else you want to eat? Or should we stick with hot pot?”
They had agreed on hot pot for dinner earlier, but Pei Zhi was afraid Xie Ning might suddenly crave something else.
Xie Ning didn’t mind what they ate, and hot pot was great—perfect for this cold weather. He said, “Mhm, let’s go eat hot pot.”
Pei Zhi said, “Whatever our baby wants to eat, we eat.”
Xie Ning: “You…”
Guessing what Xie Ning was about to say, Pei Zhi deliberately mimicked his tone: “You’re talking like this again.”
Xie Ning: “…”
He was thoroughly speechless.
That was a phrase Xie Ning often said to Pei Zhi because Pei Zhi was always saying weird things. Listening to them felt strange, but Xie Ning never knew how to counter, so every time he would offer a soft accusation: “You’re talking like this again.”
This time, Xie Ning didn’t say it. After a moment of silence, he said, “Childish.”
Then he warned, “You’re not allowed to copy how I talk.”
Seemingly intent on taking childishness all the way to the end, Pei Zhi held Xie Ning’s hand, turned slightly, and lowered his head to help adjust Xie Ning’s mask and put on his hat, saying wickedly, “I’m gonna copy anyway.”
The flat ground below the steps was covered in white snow, littered with footprints big and small. This sudden drop in temperature had come out of nowhere, and the snowfall was much heavier than in previous years.
Xie Ning couldn’t be bothered to pay attention to Pei Zhi, nor did he want to bicker with him. Just as he was about to step down the stairs, Pei Zhi stopped him.
“Come here.” Pei Zhi stepped onto the ground first, leaving a moderately deep footprint in the snow. Facing away from Xie Ning, he bent his waist slightly. “I’ll carry you.”
Xie Ning: “Carry me?”
“It’s snowing. I’m afraid your shoes will get wet,” Pei Zhi said. “Your shoes are really expensive.”
Xie Ning couldn’t help but glance at Pei Zhi’s shoes.
If he remembered correctly, those were a limited-edition luxury collab model—hard to buy even if you had the money. Pei Zhi said his shoes were expensive, but Pei Zhi’s own shoes weren’t cheap either.
Xie Ning leaned his body forward, resting his torso against Pei Zhi’s back. Supporting Xie Ning by his thighs, Pei Zhi lifted him up onto his back.
Pei Zhi walked very steadily, so Xie Ning didn’t feel any bumps. Wrapped up tightly in a scarf, mask, and hat, and being carried on Pei Zhi’s back, most of the wind and snow was blocked for him.
Though it was still a bit chilly, as long as he buried his face into the crook of Pei Zhi’s neck, he could hardly feel the cold at all.
Both of them had striking appearances. Even though Xie Ning’s face was completely covered, his aura and stature made it obvious who he was. Since Xie Ning frequented this area, almost everyone recognized him.
Plus, with Pei Zhi coming here often lately—always to find Xie Ning—the identities of the two were painfully obvious.
Someone couldn’t help but exclaim, “Holy shit? Pei Zhi is gay? What’s the deal? Didn’t he say he was straight?”
“So those forum posts are real? Pei Zhi is actually chasing Xie Ning?”
“Is there still anyone who doesn’t know that Pei Zhi from the Physical Education department is head over heels for Xie Ning from the Arts department…? Back then, someone on the forum said Pei Zhi wasn’t good enough for Xie Ning, saying Xie Ning was a sapiosexual who didn’t like muscleheads. Pei Zhi himself logged in under his real name and dropped his college entrance exam score screenshots to prove he was worthy… Man, Pei Zhi is seriously down bad.”
“…”
It wasn’t that they wanted to gossip behind people’s backs, but rather, they had never seen either of them act like this before.
Both Xie Ning and Pei Zhi were famous for being cold and distant, though their flavors of coldness were different. Xie Ning was like an unattainable presence—noble, icy, and elegant, where looking at him too much felt like a profanation. Pei Zhi’s indifference carried an innate pride, his aura so powerful that people didn’t dare approach.
Yet when the two were together, their subtle interactions were exceptionally sweet and clingy. Take right now: Pei Zhi was carrying Xie Ning on his back, constantly turning his head to listen intently to Xie Ning speak. And when Xie Ning talked, he would lean his head forward a bit, as if afraid Pei Zhi wouldn’t hear him.
Who knew what Pei Zhi had said, but it seemed to make Xie Ning a little unhappy; the brows under his hat’s brim knit together slightly, and Pei Zhi immediately set about coaxing him.
Turns out that when they fell in love, they were just like ordinary people—also doing childish things and saying childish words.
The onlookers were fantasizing with immense excitement, but their actual conversation contained nothing special at all.
Leaning against Pei Zhi, Xie Ning suddenly lifted his head slightly. “Am I heavy?”
“Not heavy,” Pei Zhi said. “But I’m losing my strength. I need a little kiss from Ning-bao to recharge my energy.”
Xie Ning: “No.”
Pei Zhi: “Rejecting me so fast? Won’t you reconsider?”
Xie Ning: “No.”
Pei Zhi: “Baby, really not going to reconsider?”
Xie Ning: “Nope.”
Pei Zhi: “Acting spoiled again.”
The face beneath the mask grew slightly warm.
Xie Ning believed his tone of voice was completely normal and held nothing improper. Perhaps because he was wearing a mask and it was cold outside, his voice carried a faint nasal soft cadence.
But he was definitely not acting spoiled on purpose.
Yet Pei Zhi stubbornly insisted it was acting spoiled. He stopped in his tracks, finding a spot where the wind was a bit weaker. “Can we really not negotiate this? Give me a kiss, and I can walk faster, so we can eat hot pot sooner.”
Xie Ning buried his face into the crook of Pei Zhi’s neck, playing dumb, playing dead, pretending he didn’t hear a thing.
His little action looked extraordinarily cute in Pei Zhi’s eyes. Pei Zhi let out a low chuckle, and while Xie Ning wasn’t paying attention, he gave him a subtle squeeze.
Xie Ning raised his head abruptly, almost jumping in fright. Fortunately, he was currently being carried on his back with his thighs supported, and he was wearing a mask, so Pei Zhi didn’t see his face, which was startled to the point of panic.
“Alright, if our baby doesn’t want to kiss, then no kisses,” Pei Zhi said. “Even without a kiss, I can’t let my wife wait too long for hot pot.”
“Can’t let our Ning-bao go hungry.”
Pei Zhi switched to another path. This path was relatively narrow and further from the school gates, so not many people usually walked it. However, its advantage was that it had plenty of greenery and cover to block out a fair amount of the wind and snow.
The path from earlier had been wide and open with virtually no cover, letting the wind and snow blow straight against them. Fearing Xie Ning might freeze or catch a cold, he chose to take this longer route instead.
Besides, Xie Ning wasn’t heavy anyway, so carrying him a bit longer didn’t matter. He liked carrying Xie Ning on his back.
More importantly, he couldn’t let Xie Ning fall ill.
Though Pei Zhi didn’t say it out loud, Xie Ning understood this as well. The surrounding cover dulled the chill brought by the wind and snow. Lying against Pei Zhi’s back, he felt a continuous stream of warmth and the sensation of being wrapped in comfort.
“Pei Zhi,” Xie Ning suddenly called out.
Pei Zhi turned his head slightly. Thinking Xie Ning had something to say and fearing he wouldn’t hear clearly, he stopped in his tracks and turned his head even further.
At the same time, Xie Ning wrapped his arms around Pei Zhi’s neck and leaned his head over. A snowflake landed on Pei Zhi’s cheek. Through his mask, Xie Ning lightly pressed a kiss against it.
The chill of the snowflake and the warmth of the kiss arrived simultaneously. While Pei Zhi froze for a split second, Xie Ning had already turned his head away. “Alright, keep walking.”
Xie Ning buried his face back into the crook of Pei Zhi’s neck. “Walk properly, or I’m giving you a bad review.”
The snow crystals on his cheek melted into water, forming a small wet mark on his skin—almost as if it were a trace left behind by a kiss from Xie Ning.
Pei Zhi’s expression softened, the corners of his lips curving up slightly. “Am I your horse-drawn carriage driver? A bad review?”
Xie Ning said, “I didn’t say that.”
“You’re my baby, so what am I to you?” Pei Zhi prompted explicitly. “Need me to give you a hint?”
Xie Ning closed his eyes. “Can’t hear you.”
“Baby, just call me it once.” Pei Zhi really wanted to hear it, but since Xie Ning refused to say it, there was nothing he could do. “Just once, alright?”
Xie Ning asked, “Call you what?”
Pei Zhi said, “Husband.”
Xie Ning replied, “Mhm, heard you.”
Pei Zhi realized he had been played again.
It was the same last night—he had been played by Xie Ning using this exact trick. Today, Xie Ning hadn’t even changed his routine. An identical set of dialogue, and he had been played once more.
He didn’t know why, but whenever he was in front of Xie Ning, his usually sharp brain acted as though it couldn’t function at all. As long as Xie Ning raised a finger, he would eagerly scramble over, forgetting even his own name.
But honestly, it was so cute.
Perhaps because Xie Ning was usually too cold and distant, as if nothing could stir his emotions, seeing Xie Ning take the initiative to crack little jokes and reveal a somewhat childish side made him appear all the more vibrant and expressive.
When Xie Ning and Pei Zhi reached the mall, they ran into an old acquaintance on the first-floor dining area.
Shi Qingyu happened to be at the mall to meet a client. After the meeting, he planned to find a random restaurant for a meal, but since it was peak dining hour, every restaurant required queuing for a table number.
Pei Zhi had reserved a spot online in advance and retrieved their number. Shi Qingyu looked at the ticket in Pei Zhi’s hand, then shifted his gaze to Xie Ning and Pei Zhi’s tightly intertwined hands. After a moment of silence, he asked, “Would you mind sharing a table?”
Xie Ning looked at Pei Zhi. He didn’t mind it himself, but what mattered was what Pei Zhi thought. Although Shi Qingyu was considered his friend, to Pei Zhi, Shi Qingyu was a complete stranger.
It was originally a date between the two of them, only for a stranger to suddenly join. If it were him, he would feel dissatisfied too. Therefore, if Pei Zhi refused, he would completely understand.
Pei Zhi said, “I don’t mind. Let’s sit together.”
He was Xie Ning’s friend after all, so he ought to show some generosity.
The three of them sat at a table for four, with Xie Ning and Pei Zhi sitting side by side. Before Xie Ning took his seat, Pei Zhi took off his scarf to serve as a seat cushion for Xie Ning, then repeatedly wiped down Xie Ning’s utensils several times before handing them to him.
Shi Qingyu knew Xie Ning had mysophobia. Having shared meals with him in the past when discussing his condition, he knew Xie Ning’s mysophobia wasn’t exaggerated to such an extent.
Xie Ning said, “Let’s order first. I can’t eat anything too spicy, but anything else is fine.”
Thinking for a moment, he added, “No mushroom broth.”
Shi Qingyu didn’t stand on ceremony. He checked off a few items on the menu and handed it back. “This will be enough for me.”
“By the way, I haven’t introduced myself properly yet. I’m Shi Qingyu. It’s quite a coincidence meeting you today. I was actually planning to contact you soon to discuss… the follow-up matters.”
Shi Qingyu wasn’t sure whether the person beside Xie Ning knew about Xie Ning’s condition, so Xie Ning said, “It’s fine. You can speak freely in front of him. He knows about my condition.”
Pei Zhi kept feeling as though the name sounded somewhat familiar. “Hello, I’m Pei Zhi.”
Shi Qingyu nodded in understanding. He stared at Pei Zhi for a moment, his gaze gradually settling down. After a few seconds of silence, he looked back at Xie Ning and offered a gentle smile. “It feels like we’ve known each other for a long time.”
Xie Ning said, “It’s been about four or five years, right?”
Xie Ning had met Shi Qingyu during his second year of high school, right before his senior year. During that time, he was undergoing intensive training at an art studio. The pressure at the studio was immense, requiring daily contact with various art supplies. Having mysophobia, he paid close attention to personal hygiene, but he suddenly discovered that… along with the high stress, his skin hunger seemed to grow somewhat severe.
When he first entered high school, Xie Ning realized there was something strange about him—he possessed an intense craving for hugs and desired physical contact with others. Later, he saw a doctor and met Shi Qingyu.
Shi Qingyu provided many treatment plans, including medication, but they weren’t of much use to Xie Ning. Fortunately, his mysophobia took the upper hand, and the act of regularly seeing a doctor provided him with a psychological suggestion that he was actively receiving treatment, which yielded surprisingly good psychological results.
Pei Zhi cooked slices of beef for Xie Ning, placing them in his sauce dish to cool down. If Shi Qingyu weren’t sitting across from them, he would have insisted on feeding them directly into Xie Ning’s mouth by hand.
Shi Qingyu asked, “You haven’t replied to my messages recently. Has your condition been doing well?”
Xie Ning replied, “I might have missed your messages. Yes, my state has been very good recently. Occasionally, when I have physical contact with pedestrians, like brushing shoulders, I don’t feel the severe revulsion and resistance I used to.”
When Xie Ning’s condition was at its worst, accidentally coming into physical contact with someone would trigger a wave of nausea and vomiting.
Pei Zhi said, “I’ve read online that the causes of skin hunger seem to be quite varied.”
Shi Qingyu said, “Indeed. The etiology and pathogenesis of skin hunger are very complex, and there is currently no fully comprehensive official consensus. However, the most persuasive and widely accepted theory is a lack of affection and physical touch. For instance, during infancy, a child requires sufficient physical affection and touch; otherwise, they will feel uneasy and insecure. Or during childhood, if one experienced a certain trauma, long-term suppression of physical needs, long-term neglect without sufficient attention, an disharmonious family atmosphere, or parents frequently arguing in front of the child, leaving a psychological shadow. Or even during puberty when surging hormones aren’t addressed properly… The triggers for skin hunger are numerous and complex, requiring a comprehensive assessment based on actual circumstances.”
Yet as for which category Xie Ning fell under—to his shame, Shi Qingyu, as a psychiatrist who had accompanied Xie Ning for nearly five years, remained completely in the dark.
Although Xie Ning had known Shi Qingyu for a long time and was his regular patient, Xie Ning had always disliked discussing personal matters with others.
On the surface, Xie Ning appeared cold, but he treated people with gentlemanly courtesy and possessed great propriety in conversation. When Shi Qingyu asked questions, he seemed cooperative, yet whenever the questions touched upon private matters, he would cleverly shift the topic.
He possessed a strong sense of territoriality and disliked letting others into his world.
Which was why, after all this time, Shi Qingyu only roughly knew that Xie Ning’s family background was quite good and that his family atmosphere was very harmonious.
Previously, Xie Ning’s parents had also come to his clinic for psychological counseling. That time, the Xie family came together, and Shi Qingyu cooperatively pretended to meet Xie Ning for the very first time.
Xie Ning’s parents were a very easygoing and deeply loving couple who were exceptionally gentle with Xie Ning as well.
Shi Qingyu had tried to step inside Xie Ning’s inner heart, to learn more information and offer professional help. Xie Ning seemed cooperative, but in reality, every single one of his actions expressed resistance.
Xie Ning’s defensiveness was simply too strong.
Unless Xie Ning permitted it himself, no one could step into his inner world.
Shi Qingyu shared the professional knowledge he had gathered over the years with the two of them. Xie Ning didn’t particularly take these to heart, but Pei Zhi listened very intently, even saving certain details and precautions into his phone’s memo pad.
As Pei Zhi listened, he suddenly spoke up: “I remember who you are now.”
Seeing both of them look over, he seemed a bit embarrassed. “Earlier, I sought psychological counseling from you online. At the time, I suspected I had skin hunger.”
This incident had left a deep impression on Shi Qingyu—mainly because he didn’t encounter many patients with skin hunger. With Pei Zhi bringing it up, he roughly recalled it. After pondering for a moment, he asked, “Are you ‘nnbb’?”
Xie Ning’s slightly inquisitive gaze landed on Pei Zhi.
Pei Zhi was currently drinking water and choked a couple of times. The tips of his ears grew somewhat red under the gaze, though he forced himself to stay calm. “Mhm, I’m nnbb. But that was a misunderstanding. Doctor Shi, you truly live up to your professional reputation; you solved my problem back then perfectly.”
Xie Ning asked in a low voice, “What did you ask?”
“…” Pei Zhi lowered his voice as well, seemingly afraid of losing face. “I told you before that I wanted to cling to you every single day, and during that period, you were giving me the cold shoulder… I was afraid you’d dislike me for being too clingy, but I really wanted to stick to you. I didn’t know who to ask, so I searched online, and the search results told me I might have skin hunger.”
“So I booked an appointment online, and the doctor happened to be your friend.”
Xie Ning said, “What a coincidence.”
Just as Shi Qingyu was about to speak, Pei Zhi voiced out first: “It really is a coincidence. The world is far too small.”
Having almost finished their hot pot, Shi Qingyu glanced at the time. “You two continue eating. I have an appointment with a patient later, so I’ll be taking my leave first.”
He looked at Xie Ning. “Message me anytime if anything comes up.”
Xie Ning said, “Alright.”
The hot pot restaurant was stiflingly hot, filled everywhere with the aroma of the soup base. Even after stepping out of the establishment, Shi Qingyu still felt as though he was drenched in the smell of hot pot.
He tugged at his collar, but the stuffy feeling didn’t improve much. The mall was also running warm air conditioning; even with his coat draped over his arm and wearing only a sweater, he felt somewhat suffocated.
Shi Qingyu wasn’t a fool; he could tell at a single glance that the relationship between Xie Ning and Pei Zhi was far from ordinary. Pei Zhi was glaringly attentive toward Xie Ning.
Yet he hadn’t expected that Xie Ning would actually accept Pei Zhi’s attentiveness.
The Xie Ning of the past hadn’t been like this.
This was starkly different from the Xie Ning in Shi Qingyu’s memory.
As the escalator slowly descended, Shi Qingyu let out a sharp, self-deprecating curl of his lips. He thought Xie Ning was different from before, but had he ever truly understood the real Xie Ning to begin with?
When it came down to it, to Xie Ning, he was nothing more than an ordinary friend.
After finishing their hot pot, Xie Ning and Pei Zhi strolled around the mall for a bit.
A strong urge to shop suddenly surged within Pei Zhi. In the past, looking at these designer stores and the luxurious, expensive window displays, his heart would remain entirely unmoved.
With Xie Ning by his side, however, he desperately wanted Xie Ning to try things on, and then let him pay for them.
Xie Ning, on the other hand, couldn’t comprehend it. “Why would I wear such a massive diamond necklace? It’s heavy and tiring.”
Pei Zhi thought for a moment. “Then buy it to collect? Or break it down for decoration—I’ll have someone process it into an ornament?”
Xie Ning was speechless. “You’re really a spendthrift.”
“Spending money on my wife isn’t being a spendthrift.” Pei Zhi rubbed Xie Ning’s palm, saying in a low voice, “Baby, buy something, please? Give me a chance to show off, alright?”
Xie Ning said, “You don’t need to show off by picking up the bill.”
Besides, Xie Ning didn’t need these things.
Pei Zhi knew that, but he simply wanted to spend money on Xie Ning. Just thinking about Xie Ning using items purchased with his card filled him with extreme excitement.
This feeling of being needed and having demands placed on him made him feel that Xie Ning needed him.
In the end, Xie Ning was forced to pick out a pair of matching couple’s rings, which he and Pei Zhi put on right on the spot.
Stepping out of the luxury boutique, Pei Zhi looked at their tightly intertwined fingers and the matching rings on them, his heart brimming with immense satisfaction.
He pulled out his phone, snapped a photo aimed at the rings, and then skillfully opened his photo album to add the picture to his favorites.
Xie Ning leaned his head over to take a look. Seeing the little red heart beneath the photo indicating it was favorited, he asked curiously, “Do you usually favorite these kinds of photos?”
Pei Zhi countered, “Do you want to see my favorited photos?”
Xie Ning lifted his eyelashes, casting a strange glance at Pei Zhi. Instinct told him that Pei Zhi wouldn’t bring this up out of nowhere. Pei Zhi’s favorited album likely contained quite a few weird things.
Still, he was extremely curious.
In the past, Xie Ning’s curiosity wasn’t this strong because he was naturally very smart. For certain things, there was simply no need to wonder or guess; he could deduce eighty to ninety percent of it just by using his brain.
As for Pei Zhi… his mental wiring was rather unique, and his train of thought was unusually active. Even if Xie Ning were to guess, he probably wouldn’t get it right.
Not to mention that at present, he was unable to hear any inner thoughts other than those of a explicit nature.
Though curious on the inside, Xie Ning maintained a cold front on the surface: “I don’t want to.”
Pei Zhi tugged at Xie Ning’s hand: “Baby, just take a look. Just one peek, okay?”
Holding an aloof expression, Xie Ning waited until he had been coaxed for a bit before reluctantly agreeing: “Fine.”
They happened to be in a corner of that floor in the mall. Pei Zhi led Xie Ning a bit further inside, making their position even more secluded. Away from the crowd, the two of them looked almost as if they were up to no good.
Feeling a mix of anticipation and nervousness, Xie Ning tapped open Pei Zhi’s photo album. One of the pictures was brightly colored, taken from inside a cabin of the Ferris wheel. The photo was shot from behind Xie Ning, so not much of him could be seen. At the time, Xie Ning was covered by a coat, and since it was a live photo, one could clearly see his fingers on Pei Zhi’s shoulder slightly trembling, looking inexplicably pitiable.
However, the main focus of the image wasn’t him, but Pei Zhi’s large hand. Perhaps because it was taken from up close, Pei Zhi’s palm appeared exceptionally broad. The darker-toned palm was covered in a glistening layer of wetness, and even the lines on his palm were soaked until they looked crystalline, as if coated in a film of water.
The live photo even had sound. As the screen moved, Xie Ning even heard a soft, low whimper of his own.
Xie Ning: “…”
Maintaining a cold face, he exited the photo album without a change in expression, shoved the phone back into Pei Zhi’s pocket, and turned on his heel to leave.
“Baby…” Pei Zhi caught up to him, “Are you mad?”
Xie Ning shot a glance at Pei Zhi: “What do I have to be mad about?”
He added, “I’m not the one who got wet.”
He was merely the one who had gotten Pei Zhi wet and whimpered softly right there.
In truth, it wasn’t as if Xie Ning felt nothing. Beneath the surface of his skin, a faint heat was burning. He hadn’t realized it at the moment, but looking back now, the lighting in the photo was bright and clear. Inside the Ferris wheel rising mid-air, the surrounding windows were completely transparent.
It was practically like being exposed under broad daylight.
Yet, in a place like that, he had actually agreed to let Pei Zhi do that kind of thing with him.
It really was far too absurd.
Xie Ning didn’t even dare to swipe further back, terrified that he might see more photos that would trigger his memories.
His skin wasn’t thick enough to support such shameful memories. After all… in his recollection, he had agreed to these absurd acts more than once.
After finishing their trip to the mall, they strolled through a nearby night market and took purikura photos at a booth, printing out two copies.
Pei Zhi meticulously put the photos in his pocket. After a moment’s thought, he went to print another copy and placed it behind his phone case.
“This way, I can hold my Ning-bao in the palm of my hand at every single moment,” Pei Zhi said.
Xie Ning: “…So cheesy.”
That line of sweet talk was truly far too cheesy.
Even if Xie Ning didn’t really follow online trends, he was still cringed out by this line.
Xie Ning had also noticed that Pei Zhi particularly loved taking photos, perhaps because physical photos possessed more sentimental value and were convenient to admire and play with in his hands.
Tonight, the two still returned to Xie Ning’s apartment.
The moment Xie Ning stepped inside, before he even had the chance to change into slippers, he was embraced from behind.
Pei Zhi lifted Xie Ning right off the ground, sat down at the entryway, and bent over to help pull off Xie Ning’s shoes, followed by his socks. He skillfully opened the shoe cabinet as if it were his own home, retrieved a pair of slippers that Xie Ning usually preferred to wear, and cradled his bare foot with his large palm to slide the slipper on.
After putting on the slippers, Pei Zhi, aware of Xie Ning’s mysophobia and afraid of being disliked, wiped his hands with a wet wipe first before clingily hugging Xie Ning: “Baby, hug me.”
Xie Ning: “…”
Outdoors, Pei Zhi still maintained the persona of an aloof, arrogant guy, but the moment they stepped inside and were away from others, Pei Zhi completely unleashed his true nature, transforming into a clingy big dog and nuzzling all over him.
Pei Zhi inhaled deeply against the crook of Xie Ning’s neck, secretly licking Xie Ning’s skin as if he thought he was being discrete, leaving his own mark and scent on him. Only then did he raise his head in satisfaction, though his expression carried a bit of gloom: “I have to head to the airport tomorrow. I won’t be able to see you for several days.”
“What if I’m not by your side and your skin hunger…”
Xie Ning calmly interrupted him: “It won’t happen. My state has been very stable recently.”
Thinking for a moment, he added, “Maybe because I’ve been fed full by you?”
Pei Zhi’s breath hitched. He let out a sigh and buried his face right back into the crook of Xie Ning’s neck: “Baby, you really are…”
There was nothing wrong with Xie Ning saying it like that.
But this kind of phrasing was truly very strange.
What did he mean by being fed full by Pei Zhi? Fed with what? And what was fed? A few words casually spoken by Xie Ning actually brought up imaginative contents and follow-ups, throwing Pei Zhi’s already impure mind into even greater chaos.
Just as Pei Zhi’s thoughts began to drift, Xie Ning raised his head, uttering a mild warning: “You’re not allowed to think about it.”
Pei Zhi: “Not allowed to think about what?”
Pei Zhi stared intently at Xie Ning’s face. Xie Ning turned his head slightly to evade his gaze: “Even if I don’t say it out loud, you know.”
“I really don’t know. You tell me not to think about it, but what am I not allowed to think about?” Pei Zhi knowingly asked, “Thinking about bad things?”
Xie Ning: “Mhm.”
Pei Zhi: “You don’t even know what I’m thinking.”
Xie Ning: “How do you know I don’t know?”
Pei Zhi: “Then what am I thinking about? Tell me.”
Xie Ning: “I won’t say.”
Xie Ning was truly far too cute and amusing. Clearly knowing nothing at all, he sat here pretending to know what was on his mind, his cold face even shimmering with a bit of smugness—as if Xie Ning truly possessed some sort of mind-reading ability that he just didn’t know about.
Pei Zhi was practically mesmerized to death by Xie Ning’s little expression.
Cradling Xie Ning’s face, Pei Zhi leaned down and kissed the corner of Xie Ning’s lips: “How do you know I’m thinking about bad things? Maybe I was just thinking about what to eat tomorrow.”
Xie Ning: “…”
He really was thinking about what to eat, except the “thing” to eat was him.
A faint inkling of Pei Zhi’s inner voice was already surfacing. Xie Ning really didn’t want to listen, nor did he intend to pry into Pei Zhi’s inner thoughts. To be honest, many of Pei Zhi’s inner thoughts caused him quite a deal of distress as well.
Anyone who had someone fantasizing about them every single day would feel troubled, wouldn’t they?
Xie Ning said tactfully: “Have you ever considered a possibility?”
Pei Zhi: “What?”
“Maybe I really can hear it,” Xie Ning said. “Hear your inner thoughts.”
A soft chuckle escaped his throat as Pei Zhi lowered his head to nuzzle the tip of Xie Ning’s nose: “You’re so amazing, baby. You even have mind-reading now.”
Staring into Xie Ning’s eyes, Pei Zhi acted as if playing a flirtatious roleplay game: “Then what am I thinking right now?”
?The way my wife looks sitting on my lap is so breathtaking.?
?I really want him to ride on top of me.?
?From this angle, I can see my wife’s expression so clearly. We can try it in the future—letting my wife ride on top of me. My wife gets shy easily, so he’d definitely move super slowly and find it really exhausting. If he can’t manage to finish taking it all, would he get anxious to the point of crying, sobbing and begging for his husband’s help??
?Will he really call me husband? I haven’t heard my baby call me that yet.?
“Pei Zhi,” Xie Ning said, “You’re thinking about bad things.”
Pei Zhi: “You guessed wrong. I was thinking about very good things.”
Riding on top of Pei Zhi—wasn’t that good for Pei Zhi? Xie Ning said, “I can’t be bothered to talk to you.”
“Wait, wait, baby, don’t go—” Pei Zhi pulled Xie Ning back just as he was about to stand up, pressing him back down onto his lap. He said, “Keep guessing. Take a guess at what I was just thinking about.”
Pei Zhi was actually getting addicted to this game.
How on earth was he supposed to tell Pei Zhi that he wasn’t joking at all, but was being completely serious? Was he supposed to tell Pei Zhi directly that he had mind-reading abilities? But he had brought up similar topics more than once, and Pei Zhi had never taken it seriously, treating it like coaxing a child instead.
If he said he had mind-reading, Pei Zhi might even think he was playing a flirtatious game or some strange roleplay with him.
Xie Ning looked at Pei Zhi solemnly: “You were thinking about how to fuck me.”
His plump, rosy lips moved slightly. Xie Ning’s voice was soft, yet the words he uttered carried immense weight, being far too direct.
Gazing at his extraordinarily cold face, Pei Zhi’s Adam’s apple rolled, his voice gradually turning raspy: “Was I really thinking that?”
“How come I didn’t know?”
Still playing dumb.
Xie Ning cast a light glance at Pei Zhi—a glance that didn’t carry much weight, yet made Pei Zhi feel extraordinarily turned on.
Hooking his arm around Xie Ning’s lower back, Pei Zhi pressed Xie Ning closer toward himself. Their lower abdomens were practically pressed together, their breaths entangling at such close proximity. He asked again: “And then?”
He added, “First off, a disclaimer: I wasn’t thinking that. Although I’m no saint, I’m not perverted enough to fantasize about that kind of thing in my head. I’m purely curious about how your guess develops next.”
“Baby, tell me, how am I fucking you?”
Xie Ning: “You are truly shameless.”
For the first time, Xie Ning realized that Pei Zhi was so thick-skinned.
Everything he should and shouldn’t have thought about, Pei Zhi had thought through completely, yet now he was acting innocent, putting on a dignified facade.
“How to fuck me…” Xie Ning’s tone turned low and airy, “For example—”
His slender, soft fingers suddenly pressed against Pei Zhi’s shoulder. His fingertips rubbed gently against the shoulder, and with a slight application of force, he pushed against Pei Zhi’s shoulder, causing Pei Zhi to fall back onto the sofa.
“Like this, riding on top of you.”
Xie Ning sat astride Pei Zhi. Facing the dazzling light, he casually swept his messy bangs backward, revealing his smooth, fair forehead.
The action of raising his arms caused his body to sway slightly, his chest slowly rising and falling with his even breathing. His plump, rosy lips parted slightly, exhaling a puff of moist, warm white mist that blurred one’s vision.
Under the excessively piercing light, Pei Zhi’s eyes felt a burning illusion, yet he still stared fixedly at Xie Ning, terrified of missing a single detail.
This scene… was identical to his fantasy.
Xie Ning sat astride him, gazing at him with an aloof expression before slowly leaning his body down. As Xie Ning drew closer, he held his breath, not daring to take a loud breath, while an embarrassing physical reaction flared up uncontrollably.
Xie Ning seemed to notice it, casting a light downward glance. His brows knit slightly before he swiftly retracted his gaze. That slightly disgusted look made Pei Zhi’s blood feel as if it were bursting into flames.
“Then I’ll do it myself,” Xie Ning continued to gaze at Pei Zhi, the following words seemingly difficult for him to bring up. He gently bit his lip, making his already plump lips look somewhat glistening and wet. He continued downward, “Then, I’ll find it very exhausting, so anxious that I’ll shed tears, crying and shouting—”
“‘Husband, help me.'”
Pei Zhi’s breathing turned abruptly ragged, his eyes growing somewhat bloodshot. His voice sounded as if it had been scrubbed with coarse sandpaper, his chest heaving violently, his eyes practically shooting sparks, yet he still stubbornly insisted in a raspy voice: “I didn’t.”
Xie Ning suddenly leaned closer, reaching out to pinch Pei Zhi’s chin, looking down at him from above. His tone carried a hint of a superior’s arrogance and dissatisfaction: “Who gave you permission to talk back to me?”
Pei Zhi’s pupils dilated.
His heart beat wildly as if broken, his chest heaving even more violently, seemingly unable to control his breathing. He didn’t dare move recklessly either, terrified of making Xie Ning angry.
The hand pinching his chin slowly moved upward, shifting into a caress across his cheek—stroke after stroke, light and gentle, carrying little force. Xie Ning asked softly: “Is that what you were thinking? Speak.”
Although the air conditioning wasn’t set high, the temperature in the living room kept climbing. Pei Zhi felt as if he were about to melt completely. He stared fixedly at Xie Ning’s breathtakingly cold face: “Yes, that’s exactly what I was thinking.”
“Then can I—”
“No.”
Xie Ning cut him off decisively. “You’re not allowed to think about it, and you’re not allowed to do it.”
Pei Zhi asked in a hoarse voice, “If you won’t let me do it, I’m not even allowed to think about it?”
The outer corners of Xie Ning’s eyes turned up slightly, as if bearing tiny hooks. Every gesture and movement of his was utterly captivating, yet he delivered a negative answer: “No.”
Pei Zhi was genuinely tortured to the point of a faint ache. He reached out his hand, wanting to grip Xie Ning’s shoulders—wishing even more to pin Xie Ning back down onto the sofa right now, turning the “no” into a “yes.”
However, Xie Ning noticed his intention ahead of time. Quickly letting go, he slid off the sofa with extreme agility, leaving behind a slender, intoxicating silhouette.
“I’m going to take a shower,” Xie Ning said. “Take your time thinking.”
Leaving Pei Zhi sitting alone on the sofa, gasping for breath.
Pei Zhi lay back on the sofa, his arm covering his eyes to block out the piercing light. His breathing pattern was entirely thrown into disarray, the blood throughout his body boiling and clamoring as if poured into a deep fryer. He was burning to the point of pain, yet he had no way out; he didn’t even harbor the thought of reaching out to give himself temporary relief.
It was as though simply thinking of Xie Ning was already enough to satisfy him.
In Pei Zhi’s mind, the scene from a moment ago played on repeat. Xie Ning’s brows and eyes were cold and distant as he sat atop him, looking down at him from above.
Questioning him, talking back to him…
It was truly insane.
In reality, Xie Ning hadn’t actually done anything. Even his clothes had remained completely intact, buttoned up so tightly that hardly any of his collarbone was exposed. All his words and behavior were completely normal, but… they just turned Pei Zhi on immensely.
Sitting atop him, looking at him with those cold, distant eyes that seemed overlaid with a layer of mist.
Truly breathtakingly attractive.
So hot.
Fucking wanted to possess him.
The sound of trickling water echoed from the bathroom, throwing the already flustered, heated Pei Zhi into an even more disheveled state. He tried to force himself not to recall the scenes from earlier, yet he simply couldn’t help remembering every bit of it.
Detailed down to the tiny expression where the corners of Xie Ning’s eyes turned up slightly—it was all so vivid.
Pei Zhi also vaguely realized that he seemed to have been “teased” by Xie Ning in reverse.
Xie Ning was like a mischievous little cat who knew how much you adored him, deliberately jumping onto the table to repeatedly wag his tail and expose his belly right in front of you, teasing your heart until it ached with desire. But the moment you actually reached out to rub his belly, he would dart away in a flash.
Though… hadn’t Xie Ning guessed a bit too accurately?
If it were just the content from before, that would be one thing—it could have just been a blind cat bumping into a dead mouse. But regarding what came after, Xie Ning had actually guessed the specific dialogue from his fantasy word for word.
Those details… how on earth did Xie Ning know?
