Chapter 107: The Box

Chapter 107: The Box

Lu Ran was momentarily taken aback by his words.

Although... he had been hugged by Ji Min more than once and found it comfortable sitting on him.

But being so openly invited like this...

Lu Ran somehow felt it was a bit risky.

"There are so many people... isn't that a bit inappropriate?" Lu Ran said.

The man gazed at him and whispered, "What's inappropriate about it? Wouldn't this be more effective than your pretending? As soon as we enter, everyone will know that you're bedridden because of me."

Ji Min was actually being sarcastic.

Originally, he intended to tease this fellow a bit.

But to his surprise, the man frowned and stared at him intently, deep in thought for a long while.

Then, he unexpectedly nodded in agreement, "You're right."

As he spoke, Ji Min felt a weight on his lap.

Lu Ran had indeed nestled closer, adjusting his position before looking up at him and asking, "Is this okay?"

With that, the guy sighed again and said,

"Your vanity is really quite something."

Ji Min: "…"

He took a moment to reflect on why he had ever entertained the idea of winning this argument against Lu Ran.

It was sheer arrogance on his part.

However, it didn't matter. Either way, he was the one gaining from it.

After holding onto the person for just a short while, Ji Min felt the person in his arms shift again.

He stopped the wheelchair and raised an eyebrow, asking, "Can't sit still?"

But then he saw Lu Ran turn halfway around, propping himself up with his hand on Ji Min's chest.

His other hand reached to lift the hem of Ji Min's suit.

It slipped underneath and started fumbling around.

"Tsk."

Ji Min's abdominal muscles tensed up under the touch. He hurriedly reached out to press down on the fingers, his voice lowered as he asked, "What are you doing?"

They were still outside, after all.

As he spoke, the youth deftly lifted the hem of his garment, revealing his hand resting upon the metallic buckle of his belt.

In the clumsy exploration, a few fingers even slipped beneath his shirt.

Cooled fingertips gently graze the skin.

In that instant, Ji Min's breath hitched.

The person caressed for a while before saying in puzzlement, "Your belt doesn't seem as abrasive today."

Ji Min: "..."

He gently grasped Lu Ran's wrist, pulling back the mischievous fingers.

Then, he turned the person around, positioned them properly, and instructed, "Don't mess around."

This salon was held at the Twin Towers.

It was a place quite familiar to Ji Min.

He didn't enter through the main gate.

Even if Lu Ran were willing to be held by him, he had no intention of allowing the youth to present himself before others in such a manner.

Now wasn't the time to take advantage of Shen Hongyuan.

Ji Min boarded the elevator, leading the way through the intricate and spacious corridors of the twin towers.

Planning to wait until Lu Ran felt better and initiated going downstairs before officially joining the event, he was surprised when his gaze lit up as he sat up straight upon passing a grand door at the end of the corridor.

Pointing at the lavishly adorned restroom entrance, Lu Ran tapped Ji Min's shoulder, "Wasn't it in here that I first saw you?"

Ji Min froze for a moment before a smile tugged at the corners of his lips.

He corrected, "It's not the first time."

"I know!" Lu Ran replied. "But when I saved Big Yellow, there was a partition blocking my view, and I didn't see you clearly."

With that, he patted Ji Min on the shoulder excitedly and urged, "There probably isn't anyone inside. Let's go take a look!"

This floor belonged to Ji Min, so indeed, there weren't many outsiders around.

That was why Ji Min had been surprised when he encountered Lu Ran in the restroom earlier.

Ji Min chuckled and shook his head before wheeling himself over as instructed.

When the restroom's automatic doors opened and paused, Lu Ran asked, "What's wrong?"

Ji Min replied, "...Nothing much."

He just found the situation somewhat comically absurd.

In conventional romance, couples would revisit the place where they first met.

Even if it wasn't a garden, an island, or an amusement park, it would still be a regular spot on the street.

But for the two of them, their nostalgic journey led them to... a restroom?

Ji Min fell silent for a moment.

Yet, upon entering and seeing the familiar setting, he was still slightly dazed.

Back then, there was that young man who had been alone, wiping away stains at the sink.

Now, he was obediently nestled in Ji Min's lap.

And in this very restroom, the unbearable longing that had arisen by chance finally found its home.

Ji Min gazed at the nearby sink.

He could even vividly recall the very spot where the youth had once stood.

Recalling how this person elegantly lifted the hem of their garment.

And yet, he managed to lift his head and ask if he needed assistance.

Ji Min's eyes darkened abruptly.

The young lad who spoke was simply inquiring.

However, the one who heard these words had more than innocence in mind.

The person in his embrace was also lost in thought.

He pointed at the nearby accessible washbasin and said, "You were so fierce back then. You told me to leave as soon as we met, and you washed your hands all by yourself."

"And what was so important about washing your hands?"

"Mm-hmm."

The man replied in a low voice.

He gently yet firmly draws his arm around, resting his chin atop the youth's tousled crown.

"Over there, don't forget the closet!"

Lu Ran patted his arm again, guiding him over.

As instructed, Ji Min carried the person over to the cabinet.

Lu Ran reached for the drawer above and said,

"I had no idea this restroom was so well-stocked. There's even a towel."

However, he pulled the wrong drawer again.

With a forceful pull, a small black rectangular box popped out.

Lu Ran quickly reached out to catch it.

"Oh, right, there's this as well."

Lu Ran examined it carefully but found no logo on the box.

"What is it?" He looked up at Ji Min, asking.

Ji Min thought to himself that Lu Ran still hadn't learned anything.

"Open it and see for yourself," he suggested deliberately.

Curiosity piqued, Lu Ran proceeded with the task.

Considering there were more in the drawer and this item likely served as a consumable, he figured it was safe to open one.

He bent down and concentrated on the task at hand.

The man gazed at the youth with half-lowered eyes, observing his fair and nimble fingers delicately playing with the black matte box.

After searching through it multiple times, the young man finally managed to peel off the plastic wrapping.

He then opened the box as if handling a delicate toy.

Inside was a stack of small square packages sealed in aluminum foil.

Upon seeing the contents of the box, Lu Ran, who was holding it, froze for a moment.

A slight curve formed at the corner of Ji Min's lips.

When one had teased someone to this extent, it was enough.

He reached out to remove the object from the youth's hand.

Only to see Lu Ran, nestled in his arms, lift his head and say with a peculiar expression:

"I've seen this before when I worked at a fried chicken shop. Aren't these sealed food gloves?"

Ji Min: "..."

Food, items, gloves?

Lu Ran's expression was one of utter astonishment.

He turned his head to glance at the urinals and the row of stalls behind him, a hint of disbelief flickering in his eyes.

Incredulously, he asked,

"How could there be food gloves in a toilet?"

Ji Min: "…."

For a moment, Ji Min was at a loss for words.

Overwhelmed by his shock, Lu Ran couldn't resist the urge to take out one of the square packets for a closer inspection.

Only after holding it in his hand did he realize something was amiss.

"Why is there a circle on this?" Lu Ran murmured, confused. "Could it be a finger condom?"

Upon saying that, he realized the absurdity of his assumption. "Whose fingers would be so thick?"

Having listened to the entire conversation, Ji Min remained silent, his expression inscrutable.

Lu Ran's curiosity had reached its peak.

"I should be fine opening one, right?" he said, already applying pressure with his fingers to tear open the small rectangular package.

Due to the force he used, a clear, viscous liquid shot out the moment it was opened.

The liquid from the packet adhered to his fair fingers.

Then, it trickled down his fingertips and seeped into the gaps between them.

His hand was now thoroughly soaked.

"Ew... What is this?"

Lu Ran disdainfully flicked his hand.

In a strong gesture, the remaining ring inside the packaging also flew out.

It landed on his thigh, with a distinct bulge pressing against it.

Only then did Lu Ran's mind explode with realization.

He suddenly recalled a lecture he had attended last semester for extra credit points in his Innovation course.

The lecture was about HIV prevention on campus.

But when he got there, the teacher spent the entire time discussing condom usage.

Lu Ran was exhausted from working part-time, so he dozed off after getting his attendance marked at the back of the classroom.

The instructor was very enthusiastic and even invited someone to demonstrate proper condom application.

The noise level in the classroom was unbearable.

Halfway through, Lu Ran was jolted awake, his head lifting groggily to glance at the stage.

There, he spotted a male classmate from the same major holding a banana in his hand.

Something was wrapped around the fruit, with a small, fluffy object on top resembling a chick.

The lecturer, engrossed in his talk, was emphasizing the significance of this chick-like feature.

Lu Ran: "...."

In that moment, an inexplicable silence spread throughout the restroom.

Amidst the stillness, Lu Ran, with his wet hand upheld, stealthily turned his head to observe the man's reaction behind him.

Yet, Ji Min's eyes were slightly lowered, fixated solely on Lu Ran's fingers.

The shadow cast by his eyelashes concealed the true emotion in his gaze.

One could barely discern that his eyes held a profound depth.

After a while, Lu Ran slowly turned his head, intending to search for tissues.

Yet, the man behind him beat him to it, extending his hand first.

With his pale yet refined fingers, the man delicately picked up the rubber band that had fallen onto his knee and, with a gentle toss, sent it into the trash can.

He then gently captured his wrist.

He extracted a tissue, meticulously attending to every inch of his fingers, gently and deliberately wiping away the sticky residue with unhurried precision.

While doing so, Ji Min's face bore no particular expression.

His dark eyes were intently fixed upon the youth's fingers.

It was as if he were truly just diligently wiping it.

But Lu Ran...

Yet, from the intensity of the man's wiping, he keenly perceived something subtle.

Having dried their hands, he then led the person to the sink for a gentle wash.

Only then did Ji Min lead the others out.

The person nestled in his arms was incredibly stiff, with only two blushing ears visible from behind.

But from the way he was hanging his head, it seemed as if he were about to ascend to heaven.

Ji Min sighed softly and whispered, "Why are you standing there? Go down already."

Reminded by his words, the young man on his knee seemed to come to his senses and hastily jumped down.

They walked in silence toward the location of the salon.

The atmosphere was delicate and quiet, like a taut string.

Not until they entered the venue did the buzz of noisy chatter greet them.

That subtle ambiguity quietly dissipated.

Lu Ran took a gentle inhale and then exhaled.

I couldn't quite pinpoint the reason for my inexplicable tension just now.

After some thought, he couldn't help justifying himself further.

"Well, I'm not that ignorant. I didn't recognize it simply because there was no logo. If it were one of those brands from the supermarket, I would definitely know."

"Indeed," Ji Min chuckled softly.

He turned his head to look at the young man and said, "Next time we go to the supermarket, you show me how to recognize one."

Lu Ran: "..."

How infuriating.

"Admit it, I will!" Lu Ran declared, his neck stiff with defiance.

Ji Min pressed his finger to his lips, chuckling softly for a while longer.

Upon turning his head, he found that the youth's ears had reddened once again.

He whispered soothingly, "It's alright. You've already called me your boyfriend. Watching something like this together isn't a big deal."

Upon saying that, he noticed the flush on Lu Ran's face had deepened, spreading all the way down to his neck.