Chapter 25

Chapter 25

After Yan Zhun drank, his lips were cold, and his tongue tasted slightly bitter. Pei Ran didn't think about anything else; he just felt that his neck, ears, and cheeks were too hot, as if his head was about to explode.

He had never experienced such a feeling before, his breaths coming in uneven gasps. Half-closing his eyes, he gazed at Yan Zhun's eyelashes in a daze, his back pressed firmly against the sofa, not daring to move.

His eardrums seemed to be vibrating from the pounding of his heart.

In the end, Yan Zhun lowered his gaze and gently bit his lip with great patience.

Pei Ran's breathing was still disordered when he spoke, "How much... did you drink?"

Yan Zhun paused in his actions, lifting his gaze to look at him. His eye sockets were reddened by the alcohol, "I'm not drunk."

Pei Ran asked, "Why did you compete with him in drinking?"

The distilled liquor had a high alcohol content, causing Yan Zhun's headache to persist. Upon hearing this, the corner of his mouth twitched.

They weren't really competing in drinking at all.

In the private room, upon seeing Luo Qingshan's expression, he almost smashed the wine bottle on his head.

Suddenly, his phone rang. His movements had been too forceful, causing it to slip out of Pei Ran's pocket and land on the sofa.

Lin Kang had sent two messages, asking where Pei Ran was and if he needed to come out to pick him up.

Yan Zhun's back tensed up, his face devoid of any emotion.

He wanted to smash the phone and lock the person inside, Yan Zhun thought.

A warm sensation from his abdomen interrupted his thoughts. Yan Zhun froze, startled.

Pei Ran's palm was resting on his stomach, his eyes lowered as he didn't look at Yan Zhun. "Is your stomach bothering you?"

Only then did Yan Zhun seem to regain his senses, as waves of pain surged up.

Ever since he grew up, Yan Zhun had never complained about hardships in front of anyone. During training, he hadn't even grumbled about being tired. If it hadn't been for his sudden collapse in front of the computer back then, no one would have known how severe his condition was.

His Adam's apple bobbed, and he croaked, "...It hurts a lot."

Pei Ran frowned, his face still flushed, but with a more earnest expression. "I'll call for a car, we'll head to the hospital first."

Not receiving a response, Pei Ran looked up in confusion, only to realize that Yan Zhun had been watching him all along.

Yan Zhun's gaze shifted subtly, as if seeking confirmation. "To the hospital?"

"Yes," Pei Ran replied, then asked, "Or did you bring any medicine?"

Yan Zhun responded, "… Aren't you picking him up?"

"Who are you picking up..." Pei Ran paused, then realized, "Luo Qingshan? He has many friends there, there's no need for me to pick him up."

Yan Zhun fell silent for a moment, his deep voice carrying a subtle shift, "Then who are you coming to pick up?"

Pei Ran: "..."

"Who are you here to pick up?" Yan Zhun asked again, "Me?"

Pei Ran removed his hand from Yan Zhun's abdomen, pressed his lips together, and finally mumbled an ambiguous "Mm" in response, "Does this still hurt..."

Before Pei Ran could finish his sentence, Yan Zhun suddenly leaned in close. The loose sweater revealed much of Pei Ran's shoulder and collarbone. Yan Zhun buried his face into Pei Ran's shoulder, closing his eyes tightly.

Their position resembled an embrace but wasn't quite one. Pei Ran could sense his warmth and heartbeat, which didn't seem much better than his own.

Startled, Pei Ran thought Yan Zhun had fainted. He patted his back gently. "Yan Zhun? Are you feeling unwell? Hold on, I'll call an ambulance..."

"Don't call."

Yan Zhun's breath brushed against the nape of Pei Ran's ear, causing a sudden numbness. Pei Ran sat still, not daring to move.

"I'm not a cat," Pei Ran blinked twice, finally speaking after a long while.

Pei Ran carried a faint, cool scent, like that of body wash.

Yan Zhun imagined if he were a cat, he would hold Pei Ran's limbs and bury his face in his belly all night.

Yan Zhun didn't inhale for long. His head felt heavy, and his stomach ached. When he tried to stand up, he swayed. Concerned that he might fall, Pei Ran instinctively reached out to grab his clothing.

Yan Zhun raised his hand to pull his mask back on, then used the back of his hand to wipe the spot where he had bitten it, outside the mask.

Yan Zhun said, "There's a pharmacy outside. Go get a new one."

"No need, I have some in my dorm," Pei Ran replied. "Let's head back to school."

In Room 103, on the other side of the corridor, the atmosphere remained lively.

Luo Qingshan had been lounging on the sofa for a while. Turning his head, he frowned and asked, "Why hasn't Pei Ran come yet?"

"I don't know, he hasn't replied to my message," Lin Kang said, munching on sunflower seeds.

"You should call him," Luo Qingshan suggested. "Quick... call him."

Reluctantly, Lin Kang put down his snack. "Fine, fine, I'll call... Hey, where are you going?"

"To the restroom," Luo Qingshan answered.

"Are you okay? I'll go with you."

"No need, I haven't had that much... I can walk." Luo Qingshan waved his hand. "Quick, call Pei Ran."

Luo Qingshan stumbled out of the private room and leaned against the wall, moving slowly towards the restroom. Hearing his phone ring, he instinctively turned his head.

He saw two boys walking side by side, with the shorter one supporting the other. Their proximity was intimate, and neither paid attention to the ringing phone as they disappeared around the corner after a few steps.

After using the restroom, Luo Qingshan washed his face. With his hands on the sink, he bowed his head in silence.

Moments later, he took out his phone and dialed a number.

The other end answered promptly, "Brother Qingshan, what's up?"

Luo Qingshan's throat felt parched. "Su Nian, come pick me up. I'm drunk."

-

In the car back to school, Pei Ran was busy texting Lin Kang, telling him that he wouldn't be coming.

"Lin Kang: So you just asked me for the room number...?"

"Pei Ran: I'm picking someone else up."

"Lin Kang: ? ? ?"

Inside the taxi, the lighting was dim, with only the streetlamps filtering in.

Yan Zhun had been leaning against the window to rest. Hearing the constant WeChat notifications, he propped himself up and looked down at the person beside him, his head lowered. "I forgot my dorm key."

Pei Ran replied to the message. "Hmm?"

Shouldering against Yan Zhun, he said, "Can you put me up for the night?"

Back in the dorm, Pei Ran placed Yan Zhun on a chair before entering the bathroom.

Enduring the discomfort, Yan Zhun lifted his gaze to survey the items on Pei Ran's desk.

Everything was neatly arranged. The computer was on standby, with a digital drawing tablet next to it and a gray thermos flask beside that.

Staring for a while, Yan Zhun suddenly noticed something and turned the flask with his hand.

On the other side of the thermos, a pendant hung, a pair of white sneakers swinging in mid-air.

The sound of running water from the bathroom faded away. Yan Zhun placed the cup back to its original position.

A warm towel was draped over his face, humid and soothing. Pei Ran's touch was gentle as he wiped Yan Zhun's face, then took his hand.

Yan Zhun submitted to his ministrations, feeling the towel glide between his fingers.

Pei Ran pushed up his sleeves, revealing the startlingly fair skin on the inside of his arms – a clear sign of someone who had been well-cared for since childhood.

"Why did you come to pick me up?" Yan Zhun broke the silence.

Pei Ran paused momentarily, then continued, focusing on Yan Zhun's hand. "Your stomach isn't good."

"Worried about me?" Yan Zhun inquired.

Pei Ran replied softly, "Mm-hmm."

Yan Zhun pressed further, "Do you like me?"

"..."

Yan Zhun sensed that his grip had grown firmer.

After a long while, Pei Ran said, "I don't know."

He didn't know what qualified as "liking" someone.

Once upon a time, he thought he liked Luo Qingshan. He wanted to be kind to Luo Qingshan, didn't dislike spending time with him, and occasionally felt happy because of Luo Qingshan.

But after learning about Luo Qingshan's infidelity, honestly, he wasn't overly devastated.

His finger was suddenly hooked by someone, and Pei Ran instinctively looked up, their eyes meeting.

"Don't think too much," Yan Zhun said softly, his lids drooping. "Just like me for a moment."

Pei Ran stared at him blankly, feeling a warmth in the finger that was being held.

Yan Zhun waited for a while, until his stomach began to ache.

"...Understood." Seeing Yan Zhun frown, Pei Ran quickly tossed out the words. Then, before Yan Zhun could react, he released his hand and turned to open the wardrobe.

"Would you like to change your clothes? I can get you a pajama set, unused."

Yan Zhun's eyelids felt incredibly heavy, his head spinning continuously. He was momentarily stunned for two seconds before responding, "It's fine if it's been worn before."

For comfort, Pei Ran tends to buy his pajamas two sizes larger, but they fit Yan Zhun perfectly.

Emerging from the room after changing, Pei Ran seemingly pulled out a small chest from nowhere. Upon closer inspection, it was filled with medicines.

"What kind of stomach medication do you usually take?" Pei Ran studied the instructions on the medicine box with rapt attention.

Yan Zhun inquired, "Your family runs an apothecary?"

Pei Ran smiled. His mother was very health-conscious, so they kept a medicine chest in every residence.

Sure enough, Yan Zhun found the pills he often took and swallowed two of them. With warm water in his stomach, the drowsiness induced by alcohol finally set in.

There was only one proper bed in the room. The other three were mere wooden planks that couldn't accommodate sleepers.

The bedding was imbued with Pei Ran's scent. Yan Zhun buried half his face in the pillow for a moment before poking his head out to ask the person on the floor, "When are we going to sleep?"

Pei Ran's heart skipped a beat, but he replied calmly, "I have a cold and don't want to infect you. You should sleep, it's perfect since I need to work on my manuscript all night."

He was lying. The main character of the manuscript he was currently illustrating was right above him, making it impossible to draw.

"Whatever could be transmitted already has," Yan Zhun's voice was slightly hoarse. "Come up and sleep."

"..."

The dormitory bed wasn't spacious, so two boys sleeping together would be somewhat crowded.

Pei Ran lay on his side with his back to Yan Zhun. In the darkness, he listened to his own heartbeat, feeling as if he might be sick, with an irregular rhythm.

Behind him, there was no movement; Yan Zhun must have fallen deeply asleep.

Pei Ran had expected insomnia, but the cold medicine was too potent, and soon he closed his eyes, breathing evenly.

In the dead of night, Yan Zhun opened his eyes in the darkness.

The person in front of him had changed position. Pei Ran had rolled over, his hand resting gently on Yan Zhun's body, the warmth from the back of his hand seeping through the pajamas continuously.

Pei Ran's hand was restless, constantly seeking a comfortable spot.

Yan Zhun held it down, intertwining their fingers to ensure he wouldn't move around. Only then did he close his eyes and fall into a deep slumber.

Pei Ran had a dreamless night, sleeping soundly. When he woke up the next morning and met Yan Zhun's gaze, he was still somewhat dazed.

They were incredibly close, just a small nudge away from touching. Pei Ran froze for a few seconds before instantly regaining clarity.

Yan Zhun's eyes were bleary, revealing signs of exhaustion. Seeing that Pei Ran was awake, he lazily spoke up, his voice rough with sleep: "Morning."

Upon hearing his own voice, Yan Zhun raised an eyebrow and slowly commented, "Seems like I've caught it too."

Pei Ran: "..."