Chapter 61
Jiang Qingyu did not know what kind of ideas Fu Jingqiu had been taught before, but they were probably nothing more than devotion, self-sacrifice, great love, and the like.
He did not think those things were completely bad, but when facing someone who had once wanted his life—someone who was even a blood-related family member—this kind of virtue should just be kept at home and locked in a safe.
Fu Jingqiu suddenly realized that Jiang Qingyu looked quite cute when he had a stinky expression. His cheeks were puffed up as he glared upward at him, thinking he looked very imposing, when in reality, it only made anyone who saw him want to fiercely pinch his face.
Jiang Qingyu glared at him, only to see Fu Jingqiu merely smiling and not explaining himself. Naturally, that made him even angrier. “What are you smiling about by yourself? Can you take what I just said seriously!”
“Of course, of course.” Fu Jingqiu still could not help reaching out. He pulled Jiang Qingyu’s scarf up a little and gently pinched his cheek through it. “I know. And that wasn’t what I meant just now.”
Jiang Qingyu asked, “Then what did you mean?”
Fu Jingqiu said, “Do you really want to know?”
Was that not obvious?
Starting to play riddles again, huh?
Jiang Qingyu glared at him for a few more seconds. Seeing that Fu Jingqiu remained unmoved, as though he insisted on getting some kind of answer from his mouth, Jiang Qingyu suddenly crouched down, grabbed a handful of snow nearby, and swiftly smashed it against Fu Jingqiu’s chest.
He launched a surprise attack. Although Fu Jingqiu reacted, he did not dodge and took the hit squarely. After hitting him, Jiang Qingyu suddenly laughed brightly. “Why didn’t you dodge?”
Fu Jingqiu said, “I just thought you’d be happier if you hit me.”
Jiang Qingyu snorted softly. “There are plenty of things that can make me happy.”
Fu Jingqiu asked, “For example?” He said, “I’m willing to do them.”
This honest man had learned plenty of bad habits after spending this time with him. Now he could also choke people with words and make sarcastic remarks, but at his core, he was still straightforward and sincere. Just like at this very moment, Jiang Qingyu completely believed that Fu Jingqiu meant what he said. As long as Jiang Qingyu said it, Fu Jingqiu would definitely do it.
But.
Compared with that, Jiang Qingyu had another wish.
“Be a little better to yourself,” he said.
Fu Jingqiu stared at him, his expression blank for a few seconds, as if he had not heard clearly. “What?”
“I said,” Jiang Qingyu emphasized each word heavily, “be a little better to yourself. Even the grace of giving birth and raising you may not necessarily be a death-exemption token. Don’t be soft-hearted. In all things, put yourself first.”
If he were not afraid Fu Jingqiu would misunderstand, Jiang Qingyu even wanted to tell him not to take the fact that Jiang Qingyu had saved him in the no-man’s-land too much to heart. At least, he should not let it become a reason to persuade himself to go against his own wishes.
If Jiang Qingyu made some unreasonable demand and Fu Jingqiu did not want to do it, he could refuse all the same.
Fu Jingqiu looked at him, his heart softer than the snow fallen on the ground. Jiang Qingyu still had that expression as if disappointed that he had failed to live up to expectations. Snow covered his wool hat, and his cheeks were like cold jade, glowing faintly in the snowy night.
Fu Jingqiu suddenly reached out and tugged Jiang Qingyu’s scarf down a little. Immediately after, a faintly cool touch brushed against Jiang Qingyu’s lips, and his eyes widened.
“What I meant by gratitude was thanking her for letting me meet you.”
“But since you don’t like hearing me say that, then I’ll thank heaven instead.”
Jiang Qingyu would rather thank heaven.
They did not eat dinner in the community cafeteria. Chatting and playing ball one-on-one or one-on-several was fine, but once there were too many people, Jiang Qingyu felt a little embarrassed. The two of them, being young, stood out too much inside. It was more comfortable to return to the RV and eat face-to-face with Fu Jingqiu while chatting.
It was just that the uncles and aunties had relatively limited entertainment after dinner. After chatting and watching TV for a while, they washed up and went to sleep. They slept early and needed little sleep, and the next morning, they could still get up for morning exercise. Their bodies were very sturdy.
When the village director learned that they would be spending the night there, he originally wanted to arrange rooms for them. There were plenty of rooms, but Fu Jingqiu politely declined his kindness, saying they were used to living in the vehicle, and the heating there was no worse than in the activity center. Plus, they were a little picky about beds, so they would not trouble them.
Only then did the other party stop insisting and told them that if they needed anything, they should just ask.
Although Fu Jingqiu’s attitude had been extremely serious and insistent when he came to handle the matter, after confirming that the black-mink man and the others had not bullied anyone else, he was unexpectedly easy to talk to.
The matter had not been taken to the police station and had also been resolved smoothly. It could be called a happy ending for everyone, so they naturally felt a little more grateful toward Fu Jingqiu.
But for Jiang Qingyu, his night had only just begun.
Meimei was held by him on the soft carpet. He sat cross-legged, with a comb, nail clippers, and things for wiping paws and brushing teeth placed by his hand. He planned to properly tidy Meimei up.
As a long-haired cat, shedding was inevitable. His roommate had once kept a silver shaded cat. It shed twice a year, each time for half a year, like a walking dandelion.
Meimei was considered well-raised, and her fur was silky, so it did not tangle easily, but it still needed frequent brushing and care. The bed, sofa, and cat climbing frame also needed to be cleaned often.
Previously, Jiang Qingyu had done all these things, but at some point, Fu Jingqiu had silently taken them over from him. Moreover, he did them quickly and cleanly, making Jiang Qingyu too embarrassed to interfere. Otherwise, if he did not clean properly, Fu Jingqiu would have to redo it.
However, he was still very good at routine care like this, and Meimei liked it too. She lay on the blanket with her little belly exposed, letting Jiang Qingyu slowly brush her fur.
Fu Jingqiu did not interfere. He sat beside them, watching Jiang Qingyu carefully care for the little cat, and somehow did not find it boring. After watching for a while, he reached out to touch Jiang Qingyu’s head again.
Jiang Qingyu let him touch and pinch him however he wanted. One moment, Fu Jingqiu combed the ends of his hair with his fingers; the next, he rubbed that small patch of skin at the back of Jiang Qingyu’s neck with his knuckles, his fingertips pressing against the position of his spine, as if he wanted to feel the shape of the bone clearly. He pinched and kneaded for quite a while without pulling his hand back, and did not seem to get tired of it at all.
In this regard, Jiang Qingyu was still very indulgent toward him. Anyway, it was just a couple of pinches. It was not as if he would lose a piece of flesh, so he let him do as he pleased.
But clearly, Fu Jingqiu was not satisfied with just such simple touches. It seemed that one second, he was still sitting quietly by the sofa watching, and the next, he had already sat behind Jiang Qingyu, spreading his legs and wrapping an arm around his waist, pulling the fish who was busy inhaling the cat into his arms.
Jiang Qingyu did not mind much. With Fu Jingqiu leaning in like this, he just happened to provide Jiang Qingyu with somewhere to lean, making him sit more comfortably.
Fu Jingqiu hugged him from behind, his chin resting on Jiang Qingyu’s shoulder. His fingers teased Meimei’s tail twice, but she dodged him, circling around his fingers as though playing. Jiang Qingyu laughed when he saw it. “What are you doing?”
Fu Jingqiu did not speak. He merely buried his head a little deeper. His hair was not as long as Jiang Qingyu’s and was cut more neatly, though it was not a complete buzz cut either. It was somewhat like that American-style textured fringe popular online. Even when casually ruffled, it looked good. Plus, his facial features were the type that could even carry a shaved head, making this hairstyle even more attractive.
It was just that his hair was thick and dense. When it rubbed against Jiang Qingyu’s face, it prickled slightly. It did not hurt, and if it stayed still against him, it was fine, but if it rubbed, it became very itchy.
After being rubbed by him a couple of times, Jiang Qingyu instinctively shrank his neck to dodge. But Fu Jingqiu was very bad. He had already anticipated his reaction and pressed one hand against the side of his neck. If Jiang Qingyu twisted around and refused to let Fu Jingqiu rub against him, he would only end up delivering himself into the other man’s palm.
Jiang Qingyu laughed while scolding him. “What are you doing? You really are a little like Tangyuan like this.” When excited, he ignored everything and just kept rubbing against people.
Or was it because he saw Jiang Qingyu inhaling Meimei and could not resist? Those who inhaled cats would in turn be inhaled by others?
Fu Jingqiu’s nose rested against his soft, warm skin. The pale blue veins pulsed faintly, sharing Jiang Qingyu’s heartbeat with him in an unexpected way. Whether it was breath or temperature, everything was firmly held in his arms.
No matter what expression he had at this moment, his tone was calm, as if he were discussing what to do tomorrow. He said by Jiang Qingyu’s ear, “Let me hold you for a while.”
So he was still being clingy.
Jiang Qingyu did not dislike this feeling. Fu Jingqiu’s body temperature wrapped around him comfortably. Although he was leaning against Jiang Qingyu’s back, he did not affect Jiang Qingyu’s movements much as he brushed Meimei’s fur and wiped her paws, so he did not immediately call a stop.
Fu Jingqiu was carefully distinguishing the scent on Jiang Qingyu.
Was it the scent of his body wash, or his shampoo? Or perhaps laundry detergent.
The washing and care products he used were varied, and the fragrance of each category was not quite the same. Fu Jingqiu did not understand these things. He only knew that everything Jiang Qingyu chose smelled good.
The tips of Jiang Qingyu’s hair and the back of his neck carried a faint orange scent. It was fresh, made sweet by the warmth of the heater, and smelled very comfortable. It made one really want to… taste it.
When the area behind his ear was kissed, Jiang Qingyu did not react much. Meimei’s tail was so fluffy. He had to slowly and carefully comb it smooth, then trim the fur around her rear a little. He even had razors with different length guards, separate from the one for trimming paw fur. He was very particular.
Meimei’s hind leg stepped on the back of his hand. Her paw pads were pink and soft. If wrapped in plastic, they would be the especially popular kind of squishy toy. As a professional cat-inhaler, Jiang Qingyu naturally would not let such a cute thing go.
But before he could play with the pink paw pads a few more times, his cheek was kissed again.
? So clingy.
Jiang Qingyu turned his face in confusion to look at him. Fu Jingqiu seized this opportunity perfectly, pinching his chin and leaning in to touch their lips together. It was a very warm and intimate kiss, making Jiang Qingyu’s face heat up a little. He pressed his lips together, did not say anything unromantic, and instead lowered his eyes and returned the courtesy by lightly touching his lips against Fu Jingqiu’s.
Aiya, too sticky-sweet!
After kissing him, he felt embarrassed again and quickly turned his face away, pretending nothing had happened as he continued taking care of Meimei.
Fu Jingqiu actually did not press his advantage this time, nor did he hold the back of Jiang Qingyu’s head and make him turn back to keep kissing. Instead, he drew his legs in and half-forcefully lifted Jiang Qingyu onto himself, changing him from sitting cross-legged on the carpet to sitting on his lap, like nesting dolls, while Meimei lay in Jiang Qingyu’s arms.
The RV was so big, yet of the four breathing creatures inside, three were stacked right here.
Tangyuan, rarely, did not come over to join the fun. It lay in its honey-jar-shaped dog bed diagonally across from them, letting out a sigh through its nose. Its head rested on its stretched-out legs, and from time to time, it glanced at them with its bright black eyes.
“…” Jiang Qingyu felt a little embarrassed. “I can just sit on the carpet.”
Fu Jingqiu did not allow him to move and held him firmly. “Just like this.”
As he spoke, he wrapped his arms around Jiang Qingyu’s shoulders from behind and held him sideways in his arms, shifting his chin from Jiang Qingyu’s shoulder to the top of his head.
They had truly never been intimate like this before. Previously, even when they cuddled, it was under the blankets with the lights off. Now, the RV was brightly lit, snowflakes drifting outside. The atmosphere was there, and it was indeed romantic, but Jiang Qingyu’s body temperature kept rising, his whole body slowly burning up in Fu Jingqiu’s arms.
During this, his earlobe, chin, cheek, and the corner of his lips were all kissed carefully by Fu Jingqiu. It was fine that he kissed him, but somehow… Jiang Qingyu kept feeling that this man seemed to be smelling him.
Jiang Qingyu’s scalp tingled. He quickly sped up the work in his hands, released Meimei after brushing her fur until it was smooth and shiny, then swiftly cleaned up the remaining clumps of fur. At the same time, he confidently ordered Fu Jingqiu around. “Um, use the handheld vacuum to clean this area.”
Fu Jingqiu released him, letting this fish swim away, and calmly answered, “Okay.”
He never slacked off when working. Very quickly, he brought over the vacuum to clean up the cat hair, then tied up the trash bag and went to throw it away.
Jiang Qingyu washed his hands clean. He felt strange in his heart, but he did not ask anything. After all, he could not exactly ask Fu Jingqiu why he was kissing him. The two of them had that kind of relationship already. Kissing and hugging were perfectly reasonable.
It was just that Fu Jingqiu was so clingy tonight… Could it be because of what Jiang Qingyu had said earlier in the snow, telling him to cherish himself more? After hearing that, he had been greatly moved, his heart melting into a pool of water, so he silently came over and clung to him like this?
Aiya. That really seemed to be it.
Although he was so tall, mature, and steady, someone who had fought through storms of bullets and looked as if nothing could break him, he still could not withstand a few light words of comfort like that.
In a certain sense, he was a little like a child too.
As Jiang Qingyu thought this, a smile quietly spread across his lips.
After smiling, he felt that something seemed a little bad.
If one thought a man was handsome and strong and felt admiration and respect, or simply had certain thoughts about his body, that seemed to be human nature. Anyone who had not cut off all emotions and desires would make such mistakes.
But if pity and tenderness arose, if one thought he was pitiful and lovable, then one had to be careful.
That meant the beginning of falling completely.
Jiang Qingyu had only seen this kind of statement online before. At the time, he had scoffed at it, thinking, Wasn’t this just sympathy? Who did not have that? There were many people he pitied and plenty he found cute. That did not mean he had fallen in love with them.
Just like when they had first met, Jiang Qingyu had sympathized deeply with what Fu Jingqiu had gone through. Of course he had felt pity, but at that time, he had not liked him. He had only judged from countless details of their interactions and conversations that Fu Jingqiu was a very good person.
But now, thinking that Fu Jingqiu had become like this merely because of one sentence from him, the one who had first melted into a pool of water had instead become Jiang Qingyu.
Jiang Qingyu scratched his hair. When he passed by the bathroom, he saw his reflection in the mirror. His cheeks were covered with a thin flush, and the roots of his ears and his lips were pink. Heat surged up from inside his body, impossible to ignore.
What is going on? Have I become a love-brained fool?
Forget it. They were already a couple anyway. He liked him, and Fu Jingqiu liked him. It was all very fair.
Still the same phrase: let nature take its course.
Thinking this, Jiang Qingyu climbed onto the sofa bed, preparing to enter the gaming world and fight fiercely. He had just started one round when Fu Jingqiu, who had finished washing his hands, returned. Seeing him playing games, he went to the side and took Jiang Qingyu’s Kindle, then sat quietly beside him and started reading.
This man’s concentration was unbeatable.
Even though Jiang Qingyu did not scream and shout while gaming, the sound effects were still played aloud. All kinds of skill effects and kill announcements should have been very noisy to someone who did not play games, especially when that person was reading. Yet Fu Jingqiu did not ask him to turn it down. He even had the leisure to free one hand and casually stroke his head now and then.
What was this? Treating him like a bodhi bead to fidget with?
As soon as one game ended, Fu Jingqiu seized the timing and lifted Jiang Qingyu up again. “Come here.”
Jiang Qingyu looked confused. “What for?”
Fu Jingqiu said, “Lie on my lap while you play.”
May I ask what the difference is?
Lying on the bed, he even had a soft pillow to cushion him. Was that not more comfortable than lying on Fu Jingqiu’s lap?
But Fu Jingqiu was unusually insistent, carrying the attitude that if Jiang Qingyu did not lie on him, then he should not expect to peacefully play games later. Jiang Qingyu deadlocked with him for a short while before being the first to give in. Obediently, he changed positions and lay across Fu Jingqiu’s lap.
Fine. It was not as hard as he had imagined. After all, Fu Jingqiu did not only train the muscles of his upper body; the lower half was also firm and strong. As long as his muscles were not tense, lying there was still fairly comfortable.
He patted Fu Jingqiu’s knee. “Brother, is this good now? You read your book, I play my game. We won’t bother each other.”
Fu Jingqiu pinched his earlobe, his tone faint. “Your gaming addiction is so serious.”
Jiang Qingyu turned his head to glare at him. “I only play for a little while every day!”
Fu Jingqiu said something very annoying. “I didn’t say you couldn’t play.”
Then why say anything!
Jiang Qingyu pinched Fu Jingqiu’s leg and once again gained a clear understanding of just how firm the muscles on his body were—he could not pinch him at all!
What kind of exercise volume had he maintained before? How many kilometers had he marched and trained every day? And even after being discharged for so long, he still maintained such terrifying muscle density. It was truly admirable.
During those few hours when Jiang Qingyu slept in every morning, exactly how much had Fu Jingqiu done?
Since he could not pinch him here, it would not be good to change to another spot and twist him there. Jiang Qingyu awkwardly withdrew his hand and heard Fu Jingqiu ask, “Can’t pinch it?”
Jiang Qingyu said irritably, “Yeah. You’re way too solid.”
Fu Jingqiu’s palm pressed against the back of his waist. Because of his posture, this section sank slightly downward, and the curved hollow just happened to allow Fu Jingqiu’s hand to hold there, burning Jiang Qingyu’s skin through his hoodie.
He wriggled, and his butt moved along with him. From Fu Jingqiu’s angle, he could take in all of Jiang Qingyu’s posture and movements, so naturally, he did not miss this scene either.
Thus, just as Jiang Qingyu entered the game, a scorching body pressed tightly against him from behind. For who knew how many times today, his earlobe was kissed again, leaving a warm touch there, together with Fu Jingqiu’s breath, imprinted on his skin.
Jiang Qingyu’s physiological reaction made him instinctively tremble. He covered his ear with one hand and scrambled to get down from Fu Jingqiu, only to have his waist caught and pulled back. He was pressed back onto Fu Jingqiu’s lap. “Why are you running?”
You tell me why I’m running! Brother, you really are a little much today!
Jiang Qingyu thought that if this continued, it definitely was not going to work. His mood to play games had been mostly washed away. He ended the round hastily and cleared his throat, saying to Fu Jingqiu, who was leaning against the armrest and who knew whether he was reading the Kindle or watching him, “My feel isn’t good today. I’m not playing anymore.”
“Okay.” Fu Jingqiu asked, “Then do you want to do something else?”
Jiang Qingyu shook his head repeatedly. What else could there be? No matter what he did today, Fu Jingqiu would probably cling to him like this, rubbing and pinching him from time to time. Even if Jiang Qingyu were a saint, he could not withstand this kind of teasing.
That was enough for today. It was not early anyway, so he might as well wash up and sleep.
Before going to shower, Jiang Qingyu went to the window and looked out. The snow outside already showed signs of getting heavier and heavier, almost pouring down from the sky. It was like the night the extreme cold had descended, with snow just as heavy.
That time, they had found a place to hide. Not only the scenery around them, but even the vehicle had been buried in heavy snow.
This time, they were in the courtyard of the community activity center. There were rows of connected houses all around, and the heating inside was turned on fully. There probably were not many people still awake inside. They were all lying in warm blankets and having sweet dreams.
They were the same. The ordinary-looking RV outside was their spacious, warm home.
After Jiang Qingyu finished showering, he walked toward the bedroom while yawning. Every time, Fu Jingqiu would make the bed at this time. The two of them met face-to-face, and only belatedly did Jiang Qingyu think: Wait, when they both had things to do, Fu Jingqiu was already this clingy. If they got into bed later, who knew what he would do?
…A miscalculation.
Fu Jingqiu walked around him to get his pajamas. “If you’re cold, get into bed first. The electric blanket is already on.”
The electric blanket was only turned on for a while at times like this. After Fu Jingqiu got into bed, it was basically useless. Jiang Qingyu also did not like leaving it on all night. It was too dry.
Now, the humidifier in the RV was already running all day and all night, sitting there swallowing clouds and spitting mist. It could be considered a kind of scenery.
Jiang Qingyu climbed onto the bed using both hands and feet, biting his knuckle as he sat there and thought hard for a long time.
Ice and snow outside, two men alone, one blanket, their feelings mutual, both liking each other. Fu Jingqiu was so enthusiastic today. If nothing happened later, that would be the abnormal thing.
But they had said last time that they should take things slowly. Jiang Qingyu also did not seem to have seen Fu Jingqiu go out and buy those things. If things really got out of hand, should he provide the tools or not?
Aiya, so conflicted!!
It was all Fu Jingqiu’s fault! If he were smaller, Jiang Qingyu probably would have accepted it long ago. After all, he was a normal person too and had needs.
The biggest problem now was that their sizes did not match. He felt like he would suffer a lot the first time.
And besides, besides, this was someone else’s place. This… was really a little embarrassing.
His thoughts ran wildly for ages. By the time Fu Jingqiu had finished showering, arranged everything in the RV, and returned, Jiang Qingyu still had not figured out what attitude he should have, whether to refuse or accept.
Thinking about it this way, it was still Fu Jingqiu’s fault.
If emotions ran high at night, then that would be natural and logical. But being so sticky and clingy during the day felt as if there had already been a preview, making Jiang Qingyu so hesitant.
Fu Jingqiu turned off the lights first.
Even when the vehicle had just fallen into darkness, he could see clearly. Plus, he was already familiar with everything. He got into bed with ease, arranged the pillows, tucked in the blanket, and then turned back to pull Jiang Qingyu into his arms.
Jiang Qingyu, whose inner monologue was very rich, now already felt that this kind of hugging was child’s play, completely just an appetizer.
Their height difference meant that when Jiang Qingyu was pulled over, his head fit perfectly into the hollow of Fu Jingqiu’s neck. His breath fell against the other man’s Adam’s apple. If he restlessly rubbed and moved around, he would kiss Fu Jingqiu’s collarbone and throat, leaving faint warm, damp traces.
Previously, Fu Jingqiu had been a little more proper, only holding his waist and letting Jiang Qingyu pillow his head on his arm. These past two days, however, he had already begun to bundle Jiang Qingyu entirely into his arms, trapping him between his legs, wishing not to leave even the slightest gap, their bodies pressed tightly together.
But even after being held like this for quite a while, Jiang Qingyu still did not wait for Fu Jingqiu’s “next step.”
Was he satisfied with just this?
That was completely unlike his style.
Forget while he had been gaming—even when Fu Jingqiu had held him while he was brushing Meimei, he had seemed like he wanted to stay glued to his back and keep kissing him.
Jiang Qingyu’s muffled voice came from Fu Jingqiu’s arms. “What’s wrong with you today?”
Fu Jingqiu moved slightly, allowing him to reveal half his face, and asked in a low voice, “What?”
Jiang Qingyu hugged one of his arms. Sure enough, it was very thick and had a strong presence in his arms.
“I mean, you kept clinging to me.” He poked Fu Jingqiu’s muscle. “You’re improving way too fast. Half a month ago, you only just told me you wanted to try.”
Fu Jingqiu said, “At the time, I was too slow.”
Jiang Qingyu: “Hm?”
His cheek seemed to be nudged by Fu Jingqiu’s nose. Fu Jingqiu’s voice fell softly beside his lips. “I just… hadn’t noticed it myself.”
