Chapter 64: Love

Chapter 64: Love

It had been so long since Tang Yun was in a relationship that many of the subtle cues went over his head, especially since Kuang Yanhe was quite different from his previous partners.

On the outside, Kuang Yanhe appeared prim and distant, but in the bedroom, he turned playful, affectionate, and insatiable. Every experience felt novel to Tang Yun.

The phrase Kuang Yanhe uttered the most in bed was, "We can't stop now, I'm just getting started."

He reassured Tang Yun that he'd get used to it in time.

He was truly a devil governed by desire.

Aside from struggling to adapt to certain...toys, Tang Yun found it challenging to wholly accept Kuang Yanhe's role as his boyfriend.

When Kuang Yanhe hovered around him like a fly, it was manageable. However, if they were apart for over three hours without contact, Tang Yun would instinctively check their shared photos on his phone to reassure himself that they were genuinely in love and not just in a casual fling.

He'd then check for any missed messages from Kuang Yanhe.

Usually, there would be some. Kuang Yanhe would inquire if Tang Yun had eaten, what he had, if he was busy, and whether he'd spared a moment to think of him—ordinary questions that didn't seem like something a person of Kuang Yanhe's stature would ask.

Tang Yun would often send pictures of his lunch to Kuang Yanhe and notify him if he was stepping out for errands.

Kuang Yanhe would do the same. For instance, if he had a site inspection and would be coming home half an hour late, he would let Tang Yun know on WeChat.

When they had free moments, they'd discuss dinner plans on WeChat.

Occasionally, hours would pass without a word, but that was only when Kuang Yanhe had an important meeting where phones weren't allowed.

Tang Yun knew Kuang Yanhe's daily schedule better than his personal assistant.

After finishing work, Tang Yun asked Kuang Yanhe, [Did you miss me today?]

Older Brother: [Yes, I've listened to the voice message you sent many times over.]

The note was modified by Kuang Yanhe himself. While sipping fruit tea gifted by a client, Tang Yun rested his chin on his palm and scrolled through their chat history, noticing that about seventy percent of the messages were from him. Kuang Yanhe's replies were typically concise, just a few words in length.

He recalled Kuang Yanhe mentioning once that he doesn't like overly clingy partners and prefers not to be disturbed while working.

Tang Yun typed: [I think I've sent you too many messages. I hope I haven't disrupted your rest. (If you're busy, you don’t need to reply immediately; I don't really care about immediate responses.)]

Older Brother: [Which of my messages gave you the impression that you were bothering me?]

As Tang Yun’s colleague seated across from him took a sip of water, he looked up to see Lawyer Tang with lips pressed together, displaying a shy and flirty smile.

Tang Yun had always believed that fluttery feelings were gifts from the heavens meant exclusively for youngsters. Once past that age, people would become more practical, mature, and seldom swayed by a few sweet nothings.

Yet, around Kuang Yanhe, Tang Yun felt as though he had reverted back to being seventeen or eighteen.

A single kiss would cause a blossom to erupt in his heart. In just a few days, his world had become colorful and vibrant.

Genuine promises and sweet words easily found their way into his heart.

Lately, Kuang Yanhe's work efficiency was remarkably high. Only by working so efficiently could he find more time for romance, and if he got off work early, he'd stop by a flower shop to purchase a bouquet.

When Lawyer Tang received the first bouquet, his initial reaction was to ask, "Is this for me?"

Kuang Yanhe, observing the face filled with surprise and a touch of bewilderment, guessed, "Is this the first time you've received flowers?"

With a smile, Tang Yun confessed that this was indeed the first time he had received flowers in his twenty-eight years of life. Even his first love of four years had never given him any.

Kuang Yanhe thought to himself that Shen Ji’en truly didn’t understand romance.

"What kind of flowers are these? They're beautiful." Tang Yun held the bouquet and took a sniff, looking enamored.

"Peonies and tulips. Do you like them?"

"Hehe, I love them! But how should I preserve them? Won’t they wilt easily if just left out?"

Having noticed the absence of a decent vase at Tang Yun’s home, Kuang Yanhe had spontaneously bought one from the flower shop. He patiently showed Tang Yun how to trim the stems, arrange the flowers, and add nutrient solution to the water.

Kuang Yanhe loved watching Tang Yun's reactions to surprises. Afterwards, he made it a point to bring home a bouquet daily, which coincided perfectly with the warm dinner prepared by Tang Yun.

Their living room sofa was spacious, but the two preferred cuddling close together, watching a movie and munching on snacks. By the time the film ended, Tang Yun's belly was always stuffed full.

Liang Song has tactfully stayed away for an entire week. While eating fruit, Kuang Yanhe asked, "Did you ask about that matter I mentioned last time?"

It's about buying the house; Kuang Yanhe insists on purchasing this place for four million.

Tang Yun nodded and said, "I asked, but Liang Song mentioned it was a gift from his grandparents before they passed away, using their life savings. It holds sentimental value, and he doesn't want to sell it."

"Oh, I see," said Kuang Yanhe, "What if we add another three hundred thousand?"

Tang Yun retorted, "Why not add another three million then? He'd definitely sell it."

Kuang Yanhe replied, "I may be wealthy, but I'm not a fool."

Tang Yun chuckled, finding himself frequently amused by Kuang Yanhe's serious remarks lately.

Although Kuang Yanhe had only been living there for ten days, he had already added numerous new items to the house—dryers, storage cabinets, projectors, air purifiers... The once-empty spaces were gradually filled.

Lubricants and condoms were stockpiled, along with various cosplaying toys, filling the drawers by the bedside and even being stored under the bed.

The refrigerator was now filled with various foods and beverages that Tang Yun hadn't seen before, some of which were air-shipped from abroad. Unsure of how to prepare them, Kuang Yanhe hired a chef to handle these ingredients.

The desk in the study was too narrow and cluttered, so Tang Yun declined any intimate activities there. The next day, Kuang Yanhe ordered a height-adjustable desk, placing it by the window. As for the items Tang Yun had originally kept on the table, they were neatly organized using shelves.

As soon as Tang Yun finished streaming, the top-ranked viewer eagerly entered the streamer's room, embracing him on the desk for some passionate escapades.

Innocently, the viewers in the stream asked Tang Yun why the layout of his study had changed. Wasn't the original setup quite good?

With a blush, Tang Yun replied, "Working by the window during the day is brighter." The actual reason was to satisfy Kuang Yanhe's desire to enjoy the moonlight while getting intimate.

On Sunday morning, the doorbell rang with a delivery.

Looking at the huge double mattress, Tang Yun turned to Kuang Yanhe, who was working on the living room sofa, and inquired, "We already have a mattress at home, why did you buy another one?"

"Don't you prefer soft mattresses?"

Tang Yun looked puzzled, "When did I say I liked soft mattresses?"

Kuang Yanhe responded, "Remember when we went undercover to Jingming Jiayuan? You lay on that bed and almost fell asleep."

"Oh!" Tang Yun recalled that instance. He and Kuang Yanhe had been undercover, investigating Wan Sheng at that time.

That felt like such a long time ago, and Kuang Yanhe still remembered it.

The mattress was pricey, but when Tang Yun lay down to try it out, he understood the reason behind its cost. It was incomparable to the one he previously had, which only cost around a thousand. The version that Kuang Yanhe purchased even had advanced features such as automatic heating, sleep monitoring, and an impressive massage function.

Tang Yun activated the massage feature and, while scrolling through his Weibo feed for a few minutes, he began to feel drowsy.

"By the way," Kuang Yanhe shifted, wrapping an arm around Tang Yun's waist, "My dad called earlier. He said my grandfather hasn't been feeling well. I think I need to fly over to see him."

Tang Yun had heard Kuang Yanhe mention his family before. His grandmother was Russian, so the elderly couple had lived abroad for years. They doted on Kuang Yanhe, never uttering a word of reproach. So, during his childhood, Kuang Yanhe would often fly overseas during the holidays.

"Are you flying to Russia then?" Tang Yun inquired.

"No, after my grandmother passed away, my father brought my grandfather back to Beijing. He was worried about him being lonely and potentially despondent on his own."

Tang Yun nodded understandingly. Over recent years, many elderly relatives in his family had passed away, and he became increasingly aware of the sentiment that every meeting might be the last.

"When are you heading there?"

"This evening. My assistant booked a flight for me around five."

Realizing that Kuang Yanhe was leaving today, Tang Yun reluctantly put down his phone and embraced him, "When will you be back?"

"It's uncertain. It really depends on my grandfather's health."

"Will you come back?"

Kuang Yanhe chuckled softly, brushing his lips against Tang Yun's, "Where else would I go if not back to you?"

Despite all the efforts he made to get closer to Tang Yun and cheer him up, it seemed impossible to have Tang Yun let down his guard, or perhaps, to be unguarded about love.

Maybe it would always remain this way in this lifetime.

Shattered glass can't be perfectly mended. Kuang Yanhe wouldn't blame the glass for being sharp, but occasionally, he'd feel a pang of regret for never having seen its original form.

"I'll return as soon as possible," Kuang Yanhe whispered into Tang Yun's slightly warm earlobe, "Stay home and wait for me. If you miss me, you know what to do, right?"

A small dimple appeared on Tang Yun's cheek as he smiled, "I'll send you videos, voice messages, and share with you what I'm up to every day."

Kuang Yanhe's flight was scheduled to depart at 5:40 pm. While his assistant took him to the airport, Tang Yun wanted to accompany him. However, a last-minute call from his own assistant about urgent business meant he could only embrace Kuang Yanhe briefly at the doorway, share a kiss, and then leave in his car.

Back at the house, Kuang Yanhe fed his pet, Fadian, and resumed his work, waiting for his assistant to call him to head to the airport.

After catching some sleep in first class, he opened his eyes to find it was already past seven in the evening. The plane was descending.

Looking out through the porthole, Kuang Yanhe observed that Beijing's weather seemed off, with a hazy fog illuminated from within.

As the plane landed and taxied, a barrage of messages arrived. Kuang Youhuai said he would meet him at the airport, waiting by a coffee shop's entrance.

Whenever Kuang Yanhe traveled to Beijing, he rarely brought luggage. He wore a casual short-sleeved shirt, jeans, and with no interest in fixing his hair, donned a fisherman's hat.

It was a rather understated attire, but his tall stature made him stand out. From a distance, Kuang Youhuai spotted him and waved.

Before Kuang Yanhe could say anything, Kuang Youhuai exclaimed, pointing at his neck, "Holy crap, what happened to your neck? Did you get bitten by a sandfly? Such a big mark! Is it itchy?"

Using his phone's screen as a mirror, Kuang Yanhe saw a prominent hickey on the left side of his Adam's apple.

"…It's not itchy."

For a moment, Kuang Yanhe felt utterly mortified.

He had paraded around with that mark so blatantly. No wonder he got so many second glances today, all with a knowing smirk.

After returning a rented power bank to the coffee shop, Kuang Youhuai started, "Listen, last time I was filming in Xiamen with the team, I got bitten several times. You can't scratch them; it'll itch more. You need to use that specific antiseptic lotion..."

"Can't you tell?" Embracing the mindset that as long as he wasn't embarrassed, it was someone else's problem, Kuang Yanhe said, stone-faced, to his innocent brother, "I'm in a relationship."

Kuang Youhuai retorted, "With a sandfly?"

Kuang Yanhe: "..."

Bonus Chapter - Swimming

Kuang Yanhe wanted to teach Tang Yun how to swim this summer. So, he took Tang Yun to a nearby mall to buy swimming gear.

"Outside, a single lesson costs hundreds, and in two weeks, you might not even learn properly. My lessons are free, and I'll teach until you master it."

Tang Yun's eyes lit up, "So I'm getting quite a deal."

"But I have one condition: for every lesson, you'll need to nap with me."

Tang Yun: "Is that even a condition? Sounds more like a reward to me."

Kuang Yanhe chuckled, thinking that was so typical of Tang Yun.

The daytime ultraviolet rays outside were too strong. Tang Yun was very worried about sunburn. His skin is especially delicate, just a little exposure would cause redness and swelling. During his military training days, his classmates would joke that he was shedding like a snake.

It was only when the sun set that he changed into his swimming trunks. After some stretching exercises with Kuang Yanhe, he slowly entered the pool. Kuang Yanhe, adopting the stance of a professional swimmer, dove in, splashing water all over Tang Yun's face.

"Oh!" Tang Yun shook the water off his face.

The pool was pleasantly warm, feeling like a hot spring. Its depth was 1.8 meters; Tang Yun could stand without drowning, but he had to be on his tiptoes, making breathing a challenge.

Underwater, Kuang Yanhe moved rapidly towards him with grace and abandon, looking like a marine creature. He circled behind Tang Yun, grabbing his waist, and before Tang Yun could react, his swimming trunks were pulled off.

"Ah!" Tang Yun exclaimed in surprise, turning around to find Kuang Yanhe had already swum away.

In broad daylight, the exposed Tang Yun felt utterly embarrassed. Especially when he realized Kuang Yanhe had a clear view of him underwater. His ears reddened, and even with both hands, he struggled to cover himself, fearing another surprise attack.

Without standing on tiptoes, he couldn't breathe. This meant that without Kuang Yanhe's assistance, Tang Yun couldn't even retrieve his trunks.

"Help me put them back on!"

Kuang Yanhe emerged from the water, running a hand through his wet hair, "No one's around right now. I saw Auntie leave just now."

Annoyed, Tang Yun shot back, "Why aren't you naked then?"

"Didn't you know about the unwritten rule in swim training? Coaches first inspect their students' bodies to decide if they're better suited for the breaststroke, butterfly, or, you know, the dog paddle!"

Tang Yun chuckled, "You're making that up."

"Seriously! You think these free lessons are easy to get?"

"That's fraud, then! Deceiving me with fabricated facts, hiding the truth, and exploiting my graceful body."

Upon hearing this, Kuang Yanhe laughed even harder.

In the water, Tang Yun was at a distinct disadvantage. One moment, Coach Kuang could lift him overhead; the next, he'd force Tang Yun to eat something underwater, ostensibly to improve his breath-holding. But it was clear Kuang Yanhe was just having fun.