Chapter 69
Lin Huaixi had plenty of questions, but that one line left him completely unable to process.
The phone went quiet for a few seconds before the person on the other end hesitantly asked, “Hello? Are you still there? Can you hear me?”
“I’m here.” Lin Huaixi licked his lips. “Little Bunny Cake is the nickname he gave me. I’m his friend.”
The other person let out a breath of relief. “I’m his neighbor. I happened to run into him sitting outside his door when I was heading out. He’s drunk and completely out of it. I can’t wake him up. If you know the door code, could you come over? It’s not safe for someone to spend the whole night sitting in the hallway.”
Lin Huaixi shot upright on the bed so fast he nearly smacked his head on the ceiling. “He drank? And he’s so drunk he’s unconscious?!”
This was far too abnormal. Qi Wang never touched alcohol unless he absolutely had to, and even then he always knew his limits. If he had any choice in the matter, he would never let himself get so drunk that he lost control. Someone must have forced him!
Lin Huaixi’s temper flared instantly. He scrambled out of bed at once, not even remembering to change, and ran out in his slippers. “Wait there. I’ll be there right away.”
“How long will you take?”
“I’m his university classmate. I live in the building next door.”
Relieved, the neighbor hung up and returned the phone to Qi Wang.
Wearing only a thin white sweatshirt, Lin Huaixi ran through the vast night, darting beneath broken patches of tree shadow like a little deer—light and nimble, as if he were dancing across the body of some steel-and-concrete beast.
At this hour, there were hardly any cars left on the road. While waiting for a red light, Lin Huaixi was so anxious he kept shifting his weight from foot to foot, unable to stand still.
He was worried that Qi Wang might be unsafe, worried that Qi Wang might be suffering, and wanted nothing more than to fly straight to his side.
His mind was entirely on Qi Wang, thoughts scattering in every direction, until they suddenly veered somewhere strange.
Why had Qi Wang labeled him “Little Bunny Cake”? That was so weird… Then again, he had saved Qi Wang in his phone as “Woof-Woof,” so it was not as if he himself had any room to talk.
They were even.
Lin Huaixi was so absorbed in this train of thought that he barely noticed his surroundings. No sooner had that idea crossed his mind than he realized he was already inside the apartment building, and the elevator had just arrived.
He stepped in immediately, staring at the changing floor numbers with an anxious expression, shifting positions three or four times along the way.
Never in his life had time felt this long. Just when his patience was about to hit its limit, the elevator finally stopped.
Lin Huaixi bolted out. Before he had even rounded the corner, the edge of his vision caught a familiar figure.
Just as the caller had said, Qi Wang was sitting on the hallway floor with no clear awareness, his back against the door. One leg was slightly bent, the other stretched out loosely. His forehead rested on his knee, his eyes were closed, and his brows were faintly furrowed, carrying a trace of discomfort. Under the bright overhead lights, his features looked even more sharply defined, his jawline clean and hard.
Seeing that he was safe and unharmed, Lin Huaixi finally relaxed. He hurried over to him. Hearing the footsteps, Qi Wang stirred slightly, his forehead sliding off his knee, and Lin Huaixi quickly cupped his face in both hands.
Qi Wang was drunk enough that he still did not wake, and for once Lin Huaixi got to openly admire his sleeping face at close range.
Qi Wang was always indulgent toward him, and Lin Huaixi had always thought of him as gentle. Only now did he notice how hard and sharp his features really were. Even in a drunken daze, there was no hiding the aggression and commanding presence in his face. Yet his eyelashes were long and curled, casting soft shadows beneath his eyes and giving him an oddly delicate air. The two utterly different styles blended together so perfectly that Lin Huaixi’s heart itched. He wanted to reach out and toy with those lashes, tease him a little.
As if sensing the dangerous turn in Lin Huaixi’s thoughts, Qi Wang’s lashes trembled lightly, and he opened his eyes.
The edges of Qi Wang’s irises were not pure black. Toward the center, they deepened into something like an abyss, capable of swallowing every emotion and thought, leaving no clue what lay within.
But tonight, alcohol had dulled him. In front of Lin Huaixi, he was defenseless, and there was even something a little blank and adorably muddled about him.
As if he could not believe his own eyes, he tilted his head slightly. His usually mellow voice had gone hoarse, touched with uncertainty, the end rising faintly. “Xixi?”
…That was completely unfair.
Ahhh, this side of Qi Wang was way too cute, way too tempting—he suddenly wanted to bully him so badly.
Lin Huaixi felt as if something jabbed right into his heart, throwing even his breathing off rhythm. After a few seconds, he finally dragged himself back under control and forced himself to act like a proper person instead of taking advantage of the situation. “It’s me. You’re drunk. I’m taking you inside.”
Bending down, Lin Huaixi tried to help him up. Unwilling to make him work too hard, Qi Wang braced one hand against the wall, the muscles in his arm taut as he shifted his weight there instead.
But alcohol had ruined his coordination. Lin Huaixi slipped an arm between his, practically handling him like a child and hauling him upright.
The sudden closeness inevitably brought their bodies into contact. Qi Wang froze, and his half-lidded eyes widened slightly.
Was that just his imagination? Why did it feel like someone had pinched his cheek?
By the time he turned to look, Lin Huaixi had already withdrawn his guilty hand and put on the most solemn expression imaginable.
Drunk people really were the easiest to mess with. Unable to find an answer, Qi Wang’s awareness sank again into a heavy daze.
Only then did Lin Huaixi let out a quiet breath of relief.
Who knew how many years it would be before Qi Wang got drunk again? Of course this was his one golden chance to do whatever he wanted.
Lin Huaixi coughed once, only barely suppressing the grin trying to break free, and focused on the task at hand.
At last, he managed to get Qi Wang on his feet. Qi Wang kept most of his weight on the wall, resting only his head against Lin Huaixi’s shoulder. It made things easy for Lin Huaixi, who still had one hand free to punch in the code.
The password was Lin Huaixi’s birthday. Qi Wang had set it right in front of him.
At the time, Lin Huaixi had been baffled, but Qi Wang had said that if he used that, he would never forget it, and a thief would never guess it, so it was safer.
Lin Huaixi had thought that was a brilliant idea and had even planned that when he got a place of his own someday, he would use Qi Wang’s birthday as the password.
With a click, the door unlocked, snapping Lin Huaixi out of his thoughts. Supporting Qi Wang, he staggered inside with him.
Qi Wang had not closed the curtains before leaving. Moonlight poured through the windows, pale and soft, spreading through the room like gauze. Lin Huaixi did not bother turning on the light and simply helped Qi Wang back to the bedroom like that.
Without the wall to lean on, Qi Wang had no choice but to rest his full weight on Lin Huaixi. Afraid he might fall, Lin Huaixi wrapped an arm around his waist, and the two of them pressed close, their clothes far too thin to block the furnace-like heat coming from Qi Wang’s body.
Lin Huaixi had no attention left for any of that. He was sweating from the effort. The second he saw the bed, his eyes lit up, and he practically collapsed onto it with Qi Wang in tow.
The mattress was one he had specially chosen for Qi Wang—soft and comfortable. When they fell onto it, their bodies bounced twice, and the bed gave a protesting creak, but neither of them got hurt.
Panting from the exertion, Lin Huaixi decided not to move for a moment. He stared up at the crystal chandelier on the ceiling, caught his breath for a few seconds, then turned to look at Qi Wang.
Qi Wang was lying on his side, half his face sunk into the soft bedding, his hair fluffy, quiet as some sleeping beauty.
Even though they had grown up together and spent every day in each other’s company, Lin Huaixi never got tired of looking at that face. Sometimes, he still found himself stunned by how handsome it was.
Having a bamboo horse that handsome did attract the attention of scumbag suitors—but at least it also gave a good brother something pleasing to look at.
Unable to resist, Lin Huaixi reached out with his guilty little hand again and pinched Qi Wang’s cheek, giving it a gentle rub.
Alcohol had warmed Qi Wang’s skin, and his cheek was softer than expected—warm, smooth, and fine, the exact opposite of the hard firmness of his abs.
Lin Huaixi became completely attached to the sensation. After pinching him twice more, he stared meaningfully at his own hand.
Taking advantage of Qi Wang while he was drunk and kneading his face like this was basically the same as pulling a tiger’s whiskers. What an incredible feat. Tomorrow he was definitely going to brag to Sun Baiyi about it, and Sun Baiyi would absolutely worship him for it.
After privately praising himself, Lin Huaixi planted one hand on the bed and sat up, preparing to take proper care of his drunk patient.
Qi Wang had a cleanliness obsession and always showered before sleeping, but under the current circumstances that was far too difficult. Lin Huaixi only planned to change him into pajamas. If Qi Wang woke up in the middle of the night feeling miserable and unable to sleep, then he would help him bathe.
He pulled a black set of pajamas from the wardrobe and knelt half on the bed beside Qi Wang, starting to unbutton his shirt.
Qi Wang lay still and quiet like some sleeping beauty, so Lin Huaixi did not worry that he might throw a drunken fit. He successfully got the shirt unbuttoned down to his stomach.
The room was dark, with very little visibility. Lin Huaixi’s fingers accidentally brushed across Qi Wang’s abs. It was only the briefest touch, and he did not think much of it—but in the next second, his wrist was suddenly seized, so fast that even his eyes could not track the movement.
Qi Wang yanked him over and flipped him beneath him. The force was not even that strong—Lin Huaixi simply cooperated at once, worried that resisting would hurt him.
Their positions reversed completely. Lin Huaixi was flat on his back on the bed, with Qi Wang over him, his entire field of vision taken up so that all he could see was Qi Wang’s face close enough to touch.
Lin Huaixi did not become the least bit wary, nor did he feel awkward about the physical closeness. Blinking in confusion, he raised a hand and gave Qi Wang’s shoulder a tentative push.
“I know you feel awful. Just be good and sleep. You’ll feel much better tomorrow morning. I’ll make hangover soup for you, okay?” There was no reasoning with drunk people. He could only coax him like a child.
Qi Wang opened his eyes. They were dark and deep as night. He watched Lin Huaixi silently for several seconds, then suddenly caught the hand Lin Huaixi had braced against his chest and brought it to his lips.
Qi Wang’s facial lines were cold and sharp, but his cheeks were soft, and his lips were softer still. Lin Huaixi’s fingers disappeared between his lips and teeth, meeting warmth and dampness. His fingertips brushed lightly against hard teeth.
Lin Huaixi’s eyes flew wide open. He smacked Qi Wang on the shoulder and protested, “You actually dared bite me? Just wait till tomorrow morning—you’re not getting away with this!”
He treated it as nothing more than horseplay. It tickled, and he laughed uncontrollably, instinctively wriggling and twisting, trying to evade what he thought was Qi Wang’s prank.
But the reality was nothing like what he imagined.
Qi Wang did not stop. His burning kisses moved down from Lin Huaixi’s fingertips, brand after brand, leaving behind a claim that belonged only to him.
Slow as he could be, Lin Huaixi finally sensed that something was very wrong. His gaze slowly lifted until it met Qi Wang’s.
Qi Wang said nothing. He only stared at him quietly, his eyes black and heavy, without a trace of light in them. But desire blazed within them, pressing down over Lin Huaixi so tightly that he could hardly breathe. In those eyes, Lin Huaixi saw the raw possessiveness and predatory aggression of a beast poised to feed.
That look was not unfamiliar to him. Qi Wang had looked at him like that in the tent that night—and even long before that.
Only back then he had not understood. Even now, Lin Huaixi still did not fully understand. But Qi Wang would not let him look away. He was forcing him to see.
It felt as though something smashed hard against Lin Huaixi’s skull. His ears rang. All his reason and coherent thought fled from him.
Qi Wang’s hand clamped around his wrist like iron, giving him no way to escape. His lips traveled from Lin Huaixi’s fingertips to his palm. No longer content with light, tentative kisses, he looked at Lin Huaixi directly, his desire undisguised, and pressed his lips down hard, as if he wanted to take him apart and swallow him whole.
Qi Wang’s warmth and scent, tinged with faint alcohol, enclosed him like a cage. Lin Huaixi felt as though he, too, had become drunk. His gaze turned dazed and blurred. The scorching kisses left his skin trembling inch by inch, and his whole body began to shiver uncontrollably.
Like a little deer helplessly baring its throat, even as innocent as he was, instinct still rose up beneath danger. The overwhelming stimulation exceeded what Lin Huaixi could bear. A faint mist gathered in his eyes, and the corners turned red, beautiful as though touched with rouge.
“Qi Wang, you…” Only after the words left his mouth did Lin Huaixi realize how badly his voice was shaking. It even carried the edge of a sob, filled with pleading.
But even he himself did not know what he was pleading for.
Qi Wang had never been able to bear seeing him afraid. Yet this time he did not stop. Fierce and rough, he savored the “little bunny cake” that belonged only to him.
The burning kisses reached his wrist. Lin Huaixi trembled from the heat. His reason had thinned into vapor, his body gone weak and limp, soft as water in spring. He could not resist, could only let Qi Wang do as he pleased.
Perhaps the pitiful sight of him finally stirred the last trace of mercy in Qi Wang’s heart. Qi Wang still looked at him with that same devouring gaze, but his hands became unexpectedly gentle, stroking his hair in comfort. Then he lowered himself and murmured against Lin Huaixi’s ear.
“Xixi… would you only stay by my side and stop going to them if I locked you up?”
Lin Huaixi’s mind was no longer capable of processing the full meaning of the words. He caught only the last few.
Go to them? Who were they?
Was that why Qi Wang had become like this?
Some small, foolish piece of hope still remained in Lin Huaixi. He searched desperately for excuses for Qi Wang, for excuses that might explain away a reality this absurd. But Qi Wang crushed even that fragile hope without mercy.
He lowered his head and pressed a kiss to Lin Huaixi’s ring finger. It was only the lightest touch, but it left behind a mark as deep as any brand—as if an invisible ring had been slid over the base of his finger.
Qi Wang looked at him deeply—at the past they could never return to, and the future that might never come. His tone was devout as a vow, yet commanding enough to allow no resistance. Leaning close to Lin Huaixi’s ear, he said, word by word:
“Xixi, I like you.”
