Chapter 9
Four in the morning…?
Did Pei Zhi really get up at four a.m. to bake? That was a huge contrast to his cool-guy appearance.
Xie Ning said in surprise, “Thank you. As for the breakfast money…”
Pei Zhi seemed to guess what Xie Ning was about to say and cut him off first. “When are we going to your studio? I’ve already showered.”
Xie Ning was always polite and distant with everyone. He knew this breakfast had been made by Pei Zhi himself, but since Pei Zhi had said he bought it, then Xie Ning would treat it as bought. In that case, the breakfast money still needed to be settled.
But Pei Zhi clearly did not want to keep things that precise between them.
Xie Ning’s studio was not far from the apartment, and it was convenient for Pei Zhi to drive there. During the ride, Xie Ning did not meet Pei Zhi’s eyes, yet he could still hear Pei Zhi’s inner thoughts.
[My wife sitting in the passenger seat is so good, so good, like a doll.]
[Such a small face. Wanna nibble those little cheeks.]
[Why does my wife smell so good? The whole car is filled with my wife’s scent. How am I supposed to focus on driving like this? Fuck him a little.]
Pei Zhi kept his attention on the road. The contrast between his cold expression and his lively inner world was especially sharp.
From the corner of his eye, he secretly glanced at Xie Ning.
Xie Ning seemed a little warm. His skin was so fair that even the slightest color showed clearly. An enticing pink crept from his neck into his collar. He sat with perfect posture, his temperament cold and composed, his long, soft fingers resting on the exquisite bag. There was not a single part of him that was not perfect.
[My wife’s hands are so pretty.]
[Fucked.]
[Lick my wife’s fingers, suck on his fingertips, kiss my wife’s little hands.]
Xie Ning turned slightly and interrupted, “Pei Zhi.”
The car was stopped at a red light. Pei Zhi had been distracted, and being suddenly called made confusion appear on his stern face. “Hm?”
“Can I eat breakfast in the car?” Xie Ning was too embarrassed, so he wanted to find something to do. “If it smells too strong, then forget it.”
Pei Zhi said, “It doesn’t smell much. Go ahead.”
Xie Ning rarely had much appetite in the mornings. He usually dealt with breakfast carelessly, most often just soaking some cereal or eating a simple piece of bread.
He opened the bag. Inside were some baked breads and a few cookies, all beautifully shaped and cute at a glance, clearly made with a great deal of care.
Did Pei Zhi really get up at four in the morning to make breakfast…?
Sunlight streamed through the windshield onto Xie Ning’s face. He lowered his eyes thoughtfully, parting his pale lips slightly as he took small bites of the bread.
The way he ate was refined and elegant. You could vaguely see his white teeth and the small tip of his tongue.
Bread alone was a little dry, so Xie Ning opened the bottle, tipped up his pointed chin slightly, and took a sip of the freshly ground soy milk. Some inevitably remained around his lips. He folded a tissue neatly and dabbed it away.
His skin was delicate and fair, and the area around his lips turned faintly pink from the wiping, as did his light-colored lips, now tinged with a little extra color.
Pei Zhi suddenly had a very strange feeling.
Though the thought was absurd, his first reaction was: so Xie Ning really does eat.
Xie Ning normally never ate in the dorm. At most, he would just make a cup of cereal in the morning and deal with it carelessly. No one had ever seen him eat in the cafeteria either.
As other people put it, Xie Ning was so perfect he barely seemed real. He stood very, very far away from everyone else. That calm, emotionless expression he always wore made him seem like someone with no worldly desires at all, no needs of any kind.
Including the desire to eat.
And now, right in front of Pei Zhi, Xie Ning was taking small bites of breakfast. Because the bread was filled generously, sometimes a bit of filling would spill out, falling onto his collar or sticking to the corner of his lips.
Whenever that happened, Xie Ning would frown slightly, as if a little unhappy.
His emotions were still very faint, but compared to his usual coldness, he now seemed vividly alive and unbearably cute, striking straight at the heart.
The car behind them honked impatiently. Xie Ning slowly took another bite of bread. Just as he was about to lift his eyes, Pei Zhi’s inner voice sounded by his ear.
[Cute. Fucking him.]
Xie Ning felt helpless. It seemed the way he heard inner thoughts was not limited to eye contact.
When they made eye contact, the chance of Xie Ning hearing Pei Zhi’s thoughts was almost one hundred percent. At other times, such as when they were physically close or the surroundings were quiet, he could also hear them. Like now.
Originally, Xie Ning had wanted to reduce eye contact with Pei Zhi to avoid peeking into his thoughts. Now it seemed the only real way to avoid it was not seeing Pei Zhi at all.
But now they were not only roommates, they also had a collaborative relationship. Not seeing each other was impossible.
The car came to a stop. Before them stood a rectangular red building with a gently sloped roof, surrounded by white fencing and neatly arranged greenery.
It looked like a completely enclosed private domain.
The wooden revolving gate opened automatically. Pei Zhi was struck by the beauty of the building before him. Following behind Xie Ning, he walked inside step by step. Along one side were large floor-to-ceiling glass windows, making the space bright and transparent, allowing the natural scenery of the courtyard to be seen clearly.
Xie Ning said, “This is a house my parents and I designed together. It was also their gift to me for becoming an adult.”
Pei Zhi said, “It’s beautiful.”
He wanted to launch into a long, detailed stream of praise, but when the words reached his lips, only the simplest three came out.
“This is one of the outfits. Try it on first. The changing room is over there.” Xie Ning pushed the clothes rack toward him. “I’ll go adjust the equipment.”
This was Pei Zhi’s first time modeling for someone, and he felt nervous and uncomfortable.
He was afraid of damaging Xie Ning’s clothes.
Pei Zhi spent a long time fussing around in the changing room. When he finally came out, the heart that had been pounding from nervousness seemed to miss a beat the moment he looked at Xie Ning.
Xie Ning was wearing silver-rimmed glasses, a very ordinary white shirt, and black trousers. Every button was fastened neatly to the very top, revealing only a small stretch of pale, slender neck and ankle.
Golden sunlight poured in through the window. With his head lowered as he adjusted the camera, he looked quiet and cold.
At that moment, Xie Ning tilted his head and looked over, and a trace of emotion flickered through his eyes as well.
Pei Zhi’s body was tall, broad, and powerfully built. He wore a brown robe, with gold decorative chains and a jeweled belt wrapped around his broad, strong frame.
Two buttons at the collar had come undone, faintly revealing full chest muscles. His shoulders were broad and solid, the muscles of his arms tight and defined. The ancient, mysterious patterns and the special craftsmanship made him look like a jungle leopard—dangerous, with a raw, primal wildness.
Even more perfect than Xie Ning had imagined.
Xie Ning lifted the camera and took several shots. Under the lens, Pei Zhi looked so tense that his whole body had begun to grow unnatural, his muscles tightly drawn, thick veins standing out along his neck and arms. The vigorous vitality coming off him made even Xie Ning pause for a moment.
“What is it?” Pei Zhi asked stiffly. “Does it not suit me?”
Xie Ning said, “No. It suits you very well.”
His gaze dropped to Pei Zhi’s chest. “Is the outfit too small?”
Pei Zhi said, “I tried. It won’t fasten.”
Most importantly, he had not dared use too much force. He was afraid of breaking it.
Xie Ning could also see Pei Zhi’s concern. He took a pair of gloves from the drawer. The black leather gloves gradually swallowed up his pale, slender fingers, making his skin appear even whiter by contrast.
He walked over and stopped in front of Pei Zhi. The gloved fingers landed near the collar buttons. The skin at his wrist, visible beside the glove, formed a sharp contrast with Pei Zhi’s darker skin tone.
[He came closer, he came closer…]
[My wife smells so good. His eyelashes are so long…]
[So close…]
Too close.
So close that Pei Zhi could clearly see the tiny soft hairs on Xie Ning’s face, and skin so fine that its pores were almost invisible. Beneath those long lashes were cool, clear eyes. His fingers were fastening Pei Zhi’s collar, but accidentally brushed against the skin of his chest…
Perhaps because Pei Zhi’s gaze was too direct, Xie Ning did not lift his eyes, only asked, “What is it?”
“Nothing.” Pei Zhi’s Adam’s apple bobbed. He looked at Xie Ning for a moment, then added almost as if possessed, “It’s just that…”
[You’re very beautiful.]
“I already altered the size of this outfit, but I didn’t expect it still wouldn’t be enough.” Ignoring those words, Xie Ning said, “Your shoulders and chest measurements are even better than I expected. I’ll make a few more adjustments?”
Of course, Xie Ning could not possibly alter that many outfits in one day. Today was only to get a rough sense of the effect, and let Pei Zhi get familiar with the setting.
Xie Ning was in unusually good condition today. Even with such close physical proximity, his skin hunger remained under effective control.
He was in a good mood, so he helped Pei Zhi tidy up the outfit a little.
Pei Zhi asked, “Are you like this with everyone?”
By “everyone,” he meant Shen Ye, but Pei Zhi did not want to say that name, so he used a substitute.
“Not really.” Xie Ning’s fingers brushed over the jeweled belt at the waist, where pendants and tassels also hung. “My previous designs weren’t this complicated. The models could manage them themselves.”
The real key was that he had germaphobia and disliked touching other people.
Even when some necessary adjustments were required, he would wear gloves. Like now.
Pei Zhi asked, “Do you like him a lot?”
“Hm?” Only then did Xie Ning realize he meant Shen Ye. “He’s alright. Shen Ye has a good sense for the camera.”
Pei Zhi said, “Oh.”
[What about me? What about me? What about me?]
Although Pei Zhi did not say anything else, his expression faintly revealed urgency and impatience. He stared at Xie Ning, clearly waiting for him to continue.
Xie Ning said, “You’re not bad either.”
Pei Zhi’s expression improved. After a while, he called again, “Xie Ning.”
Xie Ning adjusted the outfit and the lighting, lifted the camera, and asked while taking photos, “What is it?”
Pei Zhi seemed to want to speak but hesitated, staying silent for a long time. Xie Ning looked at him. “Didn’t you have something to say?”
“The last time, I heard…” Pei Zhi said, “Shen Ye wanted to confess to you. He said it himself.”
Xie Ning’s movement paused. He lifted his eyes and looked at Pei Zhi.
The weather was very good today. Warm sunlight lay over him like a sheer veil. Rather than softening the coldness around him, it only made him seem even more distant.
Pei Zhi’s pupils gradually darkened. Xie Ning’s gaze was calm, but it held a penetrating clarity, as though it could see through everything.
His thin lips slowly pressed into a tight line. His brows drew together. Already stern and handsome, his face now looked especially dark, as if his mood were terrible.
It was a very good expression. Xie Ning found the angle and snapped a photo. “Don’t worry.”
“I don’t like men.”
Pei Zhi froze, then asked, “You like women?”
“Not that either,” Xie Ning said. “I have no intention of dating. You can rest assured. I won’t date, and I definitely won’t date a man.”
Even someone as detached from outside gossip as Xie Ning had heard about the times Pei Zhi had been harassed by gay men. Pei Zhi was extremely homophobic. If he knew someone was gay, he would never speak a single word to that person, much less befriend them.
No wonder Pei Zhi’s face always looked so unpleasant whenever Shen Ye came up.
Xie Ning finally understood.
And no wonder Pei Zhi kept bringing up Shen Ye in front of him. So Pei Zhi had once personally heard Shen Ye say he wanted to confess.
Pei Zhi was worried Xie Ning might also be gay.
Xie Ning had now given Pei Zhi a clear answer. He would not date, and he definitely would not date a man. So Pei Zhi could rest assured. It was impossible for Xie Ning to make a move on him, and impossible for him to harbor any ambiguous feelings toward him.
“Mm.” Pei Zhi’s expression indeed improved a lot, though he still looked a little strange. Xie Ning did not think much of it, because Pei Zhi quickly added, “Me too.”
That was actually quite rare. Most people, after leaving behind the suffocating study atmosphere of high school, longed to have a sweet campus romance in college. Attractive people always had admirers wherever they went, and Pei Zhi had naturally had no shortage of pursuers, but he had never found any of them interesting, nor could he understand the appeal.
What was so great about dating? Better to train an extra hour.
Pei Zhi thought that he and Xie Ning really were well matched.
Xie Ning did not want to date, and neither did he. Xie Ning liked neither men nor women, and neither did he. Xie Ning’s name had two characters, and so did his.
No one could be more compatible than the two of them.
“I still need to alter the rest of the outfits… the soonest they’ll be ready is probably the weekend.” Xie Ning recorded Pei Zhi’s measurements and asked, “Do you have time this weekend?”
Pei Zhi said, “I do.”
“Thank you for the trouble. As for the pay…”
Xie Ning gave a slight nod. The lenses of his glasses caught the sunlight and flashed silver. Suddenly, his five fingers tightened, and the pencil in his hand broke with a crisp snap.
A hot wave of agitation rose beneath the surface of his skin, craving relief. His breathing abruptly quickened. Turning slightly aside, he tried hard to stay calm as he said, “As for the pay, let’s discuss it this weekend. I… I have something to do in a bit. It’s not very… not very convenient right now.”
Today Pei Zhi was dressed very simply: a black athletic jacket on the outside and a sleeveless shirt underneath. After changing back into his own clothes, he left the studio.
Xie Ning only escorted him as far as the entryway.
Beside the entryway, the elegant curtains swayed gently. The huge floor-to-ceiling windows let in bright light, illuminating the flush on Xie Ning’s face. A misty sheen floated over his clear black-and-white eyes, as if he were enduring something.
Pei Zhi was not sure if it was only his imagination, but when Xie Ning spoke those last few words, his voice seemed to tremble.
Pei Zhi was a very perceptive person. He was good at noticing details.
He had noticed something off about Xie Ning several times now. His instincts told him this was not simple. Xie Ning’s state always seemed wrong, as if he were very uncomfortable, yet every time, Xie Ning would respond in an even calmer, colder manner, telling him that it was all just his imagination.
Pei Zhi walked to the door, then suddenly turned back. Xie Ning’s figure had already disappeared.
The door had not been closed. On the paper shelf near the entrance sat a small notebook, as well as a pencil that had nearly been snapped in half.
Pei Zhi’s expression sharpened.
It was not his imagination.
Xie Ning not only had germaphobia, he also had obsessive tendencies. In the dorm, there were very few things on his desk, but each one was placed neatly and precisely. Even his phone, casually set down, would always rest in the same place.
Not scattered around like this.
And although Xie Ning was cold, he was very polite. Normally, he definitely would have walked Pei Zhi all the way to the front door. How could he stop at only the entryway?
Pei Zhi had not even left yet, and Xie Ning had already gone back inside, so careless that he had even forgotten to close the door.
Lately, Xie Ning had been having similar episodes again and again. Just yesterday, he had suddenly gone weak, looking lost and helpless in Pei Zhi’s arms, as though all his strength had been drained away.
And just now… his face had also been very red.
Was Xie Ning feeling unwell?
It really did look like a fever.
Pei Zhi felt a pang of regret. He should have realized it earlier. Xie Ning’s voice had already sounded wrong just now. Anyone could tell he was in bad shape and merely forcing himself to endure.
His footsteps turned back. Pei Zhi retraced his steps into the studio. The studio was large, and most of the rooms were locked.
His expression tightened deeply. Suddenly, a loud crash rang out near his ear, as if a glass cup had fallen and shattered.
Locking onto the source of the sound, Pei Zhi strode quickly to the door of a room. The door was not fully shut, only slightly ajar.
Pei Zhi stopped there. He hesitated between knocking first or calling out first when, from behind the door, there came a soft little moan.
The world seemed to freeze in that instant. Staring at the half-open door, Pei Zhi felt both his palm and his whole body turn burning hot.
It was like being faced with an extremely thorny problem, one that left him trapped in hesitation. The sound of breathing behind the door continued.
In a daze, Pei Zhi thought:
Xie Ning… why is he breathing that hard?
