Chapter 80: Date

Chapter 80: Date

Xie Guiluan's throat moved, his deep and mysterious peach blossom eyes fixed intently on him. Hearing the word "boyfriend," he lost control, tilting his chin and leaning in for a kiss.

Cen Wu instinctively shoved his shoulders, but then remembered that this was his boyfriend. His hands, which had been resisting, paused and then wrapped around Xie Guiluan's neck.

"Baby," Xie Guiluan licked his lips, his breathing growing heavier, his voice hoarse as he said, "Say it again."

Cen Wu's delicate, pale chin was held in Xie Guiluan's grasp, his ears tinged with red. He looked up pleadingly, obediently repeating the word.

Xie Guiluan had a cold, handsome face, his dark eyes holding a chilling, devouring intensity as he looked down at him. Yet, his heart was racing. Cen Wu was held tightly in his arms, his chest numb from Xie Guiluan's pounding heartbeat.

Xie Guiluan held his face, kissing him over and over, his voice hoarse as he coaxed, "Baby, say it again."

"Boy... boyfriend," Cen Wu stammered, struggling to push Xie Guiluan's head away as he was caught in another kiss. He could only grit his teeth and angrily say, "Fine, you're my boyfriend, okay?!"

Xie Guiluan still didn't seem satisfied. The tall boy knelt in the snow, his nose slightly red from the cold night. He asked again, "Do you like me?"

Cen Wu, initially angry and ready to scold him, softened when he saw the faint redness in Xie Guiluan's eyes. He leaned in and kissed Xie Guiluan, stuttering, "I... I like you."

How could he not like Xie Guiluan? In this world, Xie Guiluan was the person he loved the most. Falling for him felt almost inevitable.

Xie Guiluan's cold eyes curved into a smile, his lips following suit. He clung to Cen Wu, urging him to say it a few more times.

"You... let me go first," Cen Wu pushed at his head, feeling like he was being haunted by a soul-sucking ghost, unable to break free. "I'll... I'll say it as many times as you want."

Cen Wu was terrified. If his parents caught him kissing Xie Guiluan like this, it wouldn't be too shocking—they already knew he was fooling around with Xie Guiluan. But tonight, the old house was full of people. If anyone else saw them like this, he might as well just die on the spot.

"Mm," Xie Guiluan licked his lips, leaning in for another kiss before finally letting go. He slid his hands under Cen Wu's arms and lifted him up, saying, "The ground's cold, baby, get up."

Cen Wu, his face flushed, pushed him away. "You... you, can you stop calling me baby?"

Xie Guiluan, however, was being particularly stubborn. His dark eyes locked onto Cen Wu, determined to make him his "baby."

He picked Cen Wu up, bending slightly to wrap his arms tightly around him from behind, their bodies pressed closely together. Then, resting his chin on Cen Wu's shoulder, he asked about the book-transmigration.

Cen Wu, his face expressionless, didn't even have time to wonder how Xie Guiluan could accept it so quickly. Xie Guiluan was always like this—cold, resilient, and highly adaptable. It wasn't surprising that he could accept it.

He told Xie Guiluan everything but didn't dare admit how much he loved him. Pressed against Xie Guiluan, his pale feet began to burn again, as if stepping on something fierce.

If he said it, Xie Guiluan would only get more intense, like that time when he made Cen Wu's feet feel like they didn't know where to step.

Cen Wu didn't have the habit of staying up for New Year's Eve. He never really celebrated it, always staying on set during the holidays while the actors and crew went home. He would spend the time editing footage alone.

But Xie Guiluan clung to him, refusing to let go, seizing every opportunity to kiss him. It seemed he had no intention of sleeping tonight.

Cen Wu had no choice but to pull up his hood to hide his face. After a few kisses, he looked up and murmured, "Do you... do you want to go out?"

It would be better to kiss outside.

"..." Xie Guiluan lowered his head, pressing his forehead against Cen Wu's, his voice low and hoarse as he said, "Go on a date?"

Cen Wu: "Whatever you say, then."

Cen Wu hugged Xie Guiluan, burying his face in Xie Guiluan's chest, swaying with him, urging him to tell Cen's parents they were going out.

Xie Guiluan grabbed his hand, wanting him to tag along, even if he couldn’t hold him, he wanted to hold his hand, insisting on some part of their bodies touching, showing just how clingy he could be.

Cen Wu had never seen someone so clingy; Xie Guiluan still wore his usual cold expression. Who would have thought he wouldn’t let go once he grabbed someone’s hand? Cen Wu had no choice but to pat Xie Guiluan’s head, playfully coaxing him to go by himself.

His lips were already red and swollen from all the kissing, too embarrassed to face anyone. Xie Guiluan, with his thick skin, could continue to embarrass himself, but Cen Wu couldn’t.

Xie Guiluan was already head over heels for Cen Wu; if Cen Wu told him to go, he would go. He directly found Guan Xingxue and told her he was going out, without even making up a good excuse.

He hated being controlled, thought explaining himself was pointless, and carried a cold, almost arrogant disdain, thinking there were too many fools.

It would just be a waste of breath.

So after coming to the Cen family, he would think of reasons that Cen’s parents couldn’t refuse beforehand to avoid explanations, but this time he didn’t bother.

"It’s so late," Guan Xingxue was a bit worried about them, "and it’s still snowing, the roads outside are slippery."

Xie Guiluan usually wouldn’t explain, just say something and leave, but perhaps he was in too good a mood, and Guan Xingxue’s eyes showed pure concern without any malice.

His lips twitched, and he added an explanation, "He promised me, he said he likes me."

Guan Xingxue was stunned; this was the first time Xie Guiluan had said anything extra to her. Xie Guiluan’s cold and handsome face didn’t show much emotion, but his peach blossom eyes were indeed curved, radiating a youthful energy, and he couldn’t help but glance towards the snowy ground as he spoke to her.

Xie Guiluan turned his head, catching sight of Cen Wu wrapped in a down jacket, resembling a soft, white little sparrow, the joy in his eyes growing, his lips curling up involuntarily.

A crack had formed in his usual stoic mask.

"Really?" Guan Xingxue smiled, adjusting her shawl, standing beside him looking out, her eyes slightly red.

She had never seen Xie Guiluan as a child; Cen Xiao now acted like a CEO, but as a child, when something happy happened, he would run around her legs calling her mom.

She thought Xie Guiluan would never tell her anything, but in reality, Xie Guiluan didn’t have such deep defenses against her, because he was too happy, he still wanted to tell her.

Guan Xingxue held Xie Guiluan’s arm, and he didn’t pull away, so she hugged him, tears falling.

She wiped them away, gently patting Xie Guiluan’s back, saying, "Going out now? Did you bring money?"

Xie Guiluan was still dazed, he couldn’t quite react, and when Guan Xingxue mentioned it, he instinctively reached for his trouser pocket, then remembered he had given all his money to Cen Wu earlier.

Guan Xingxue couldn’t help but laugh, seeing he was already too anxious to stay, she told him, "Go ahead, I’ll transfer some to you later."

Xie Guiluan pursed his lips, met her gaze, said nothing, and turned to leave.

Cen Wu made a snowball in the snow, threw it on the ground, stepped on it to crush it, made another, and another, playing by himself for a while, when suddenly someone hugged him from behind.

Cen Wu was so startled he dropped the snowball, turned around, and Xie Guiluan kissed his cold lips, mumbling, "Brother, take me on a date."

Cen Wu: "..."

Who’s your brother.

Cen Wu blushed, pushed his head away, trying to persuade him to kiss outside, in case his real brother saw them, he would have to go dig for wild vegetables again, this useless Xiao Bao.

Cen Wu said they were going out, but he didn’t know where to go, they couldn’t really go out just to kiss.

So he took Xie Guiluan to the central square, Lu Wang had sent him a message at night, saying there was a New Year’s Eve performance there.

By the time they reached the city center, the fireworks had already ended, and only the last song of the performance remained.

Cen Wu was wearing a black mask, and Xie Guiluan unzipped his down jacket, wrapping him in his arms and holding him as they listened. Then, he lowered his head and asked, "Do you want to go watch a movie?"

Cen Wu told him that in his past life, he had been a director.

Cen Wu hesitated for a moment, then nodded slightly. Actually, he wasn't very keen on going to the cinema now. What he once had now seemed out of reach, but since he had decided to be with Xie Guiluan, he had to take responsibility and stand up again.

There were still people he loved in this world. For them, flesh and courage could grow anew, and he could continue moving forward.

On New Year's Eve night, most people were at home celebrating, so the cinema wasn't very crowded, especially since it was already past midnight when they arrived, leaving only the midnight screenings.

Xie Guiluan took his hand, and Cen Wu interlocked their fingers. There weren't many people around the ticket machine anyway.

Xie Guiluan originally wanted to buy tickets for a romance movie, but Cen Wu, being both timid and playful, made him buy tickets for a horror film instead. As Xie Guiluan was buying the tickets, Cen Wu clung to his arm, hiding behind him.

Cen Wu's soft cheek brushed against Xie Guiluan's arm, and Xie Guiluan couldn't help but pinch his cheeks. He was starting to act spoiled, something Xie Guiluan never imagined Cen Wu would do with him.

He knew Cen Wu must really love him.

After getting the tickets, Xie Guiluan went to buy Coke and popcorn, leaving no free hand to hold Cen Wu. His dark peach blossom eyes glanced down at Cen Wu's cold, pale fingertips, clearly wanting to hold his hand.

Cen Wu actively moved closer, slipping his hand into Xie Guiluan's down jacket pocket and following him.

Xie Guiluan's lips curled up again, making Cen Wu think he looked particularly silly. He pushed Xie Guiluan's face away, his ears red, and whispered, "What's... so funny?"

The small crimson mole on Cen Wu's cold, pale ear also turned red, almost dazzling. Xie Guiluan's Adam's apple bobbed, and he really wanted to lick it. Since there weren't many people around at night, he could block Cen Wu, and no one would notice.

Xie Guiluan lowered his head, but before he could kiss him, a sudden exclamation came from behind.

"The second young master?! Bro Xie?!" Zhang Yuanzhou stood at the entrance of the theater, shocked. "What are you guys doing here?"

Xie Guiluan's dark, gloomy eyes suddenly darkened. His pale complexion reflected the cold light of the theater, his high nose bridge making his eye sockets appear even deeper, swallowed by the dimness of the snowy night.

Cen Wu was also startled. He quickly pulled his hand out of Xie Guiluan's jacket and looked up, only to realize that besides Zhang Yuanzhou, He Yao was also there, with their arms around each other's shoulders.

He Yao looked up and saw Cen Wu, immediately letting go of Zhang Yuanzhou's shoulder and hurriedly explaining, "There's nothing between us, just pure brotherly love."

It was New Year's Eve, and he had come to watch a movie with Zhang Yuanzhou, that deadbeat. What if Cen Wu misunderstood?

He was still waiting for Cen Wu to leave Xie Guiluan and be with him. Besides, Xie Guiluan hadn't even won Cen Wu over yet.

In the past, Xie Guiluan would have definitely confronted him with a cold face, but tonight, he didn't. He Yao looked up, puzzled.

Xie Guiluan placed the Coke aside and reached for Cen Wu's hand, gently squeezing it. Cen Wu's back tensed up, but when he met Xie Guiluan's lowered eyelashes, he couldn't help but soften.

What was there to fear?

It was just coming out.

Cen Wu stopped struggling. He hooked a few fingers with Xie Guiluan and held his hand.

Xie Guiluan's dark eyes curved into a smile. He held Cen Wu's hand, then looked up, still pale and cold, but his lips moved, and he said something quite provoking: "It doesn't matter. We're in love."

Cen Wu: "..."

Zhang Yuanzhou: "..."

He Yao: "..."

He Yao took a deep breath, instantly filled with grief and indignation. His fists had never been so clenched in his life. He wanted to rush forward and fight Xie Guiluan, but Zhang Yuanzhou grabbed him by the waist and held him back.

"Old He," Zhang Yuanzhou exerted all his strength to stop him, "Old He, calm down! Calm down!"

He Yao was somewhat moved. Although he had lost his love and was being rubbed in his face by that jerk, at least he still had a brother. He was about to pull Zhang Yuanzhou into a heartfelt hug.

Then he heard Zhang Yuanzhou say, "You can't beat him anyway."

He Yao: "..."

Screw this. Everyone, just get lost.

Zhang Yuanzhou dragged He Yao to buy tickets to save him from further humiliation. They lived close to each other, and with the family gathering for the New Year's dinner, they decided to hang out together.

There wasn't much to do late at night, so they ended up at the cinema, not expecting to run into Cen Wu and the others.

Xie Guiluan looked up and, unusually, initiated a conversation with them, "Are you also watching the 1:30 AM show?"

"Yeah," Zhang Yuanzhou replied.

Xie Guiluan: "My treat."

Cen Wu: "..."

Bro, you're killing me.

Xie Guiluan really showed tonight what it means to be nice to everyone.

"Bro Xie," Zhang Yuanzhou didn't stand on ceremony with Xie Guiluan, making room for him and saying, "You're paying."

Xie Guiluan had taken out his phone to select seats, but paused when it came to payment. He leaned down to nuzzle Cen Wu and said, "Bro, I'm short on cash."

Cen Wu: "..."

Cen Wu didn't even have a chance to cover his mouth. His ears turned bright red, and he didn't dare to look at the expressions of He Yao and Zhang Yuanzhou beside him. He just gave Xie Guiluan a hard kick under the table.

Xie Guiluan's shin nearly cracked from the kick, but his thin red lips curled up as if he enjoyed being kicked, and he continued to tell Zhang Yuanzhou and the others, "Sorry, all my money is with him."

Zhang Yuanzhou: "..."

He Yao: "..."

This is just too much.

He Yao was filled with indignation. If it weren't for the fear of losing, he would definitely fight Xie Guiluan to the death tonight.

Zhang Yuanzhou was also somewhat numb. He actually didn't come to the cinema with He Yao; he must be dreaming at home. He couldn't believe this flamboyant person was Xie Guiluan.

There weren't many people watching horror movies on New Year's Eve, so the four of them almost had the theater to themselves. Cen Wu and Xie Guiluan sat diagonally in front of Zhang Yuanzhou and He Yao.

Cen Wu was already scared, and when the theater lights went out, he got even more frightened. Fortunately, Xie Guiluan had bought couple seats without armrests in the middle, so Cen Wu almost burrowed into Xie Guiluan's arms.

He Yao's face was numb. Xie Guiluan, at least, had some manners. Once the movie started, he didn't speak but occasionally fed Cen Wu popcorn and held his Coke for him.

Cen Wu would take a sip every few minutes, then grab Xie Guiluan's hand to shield his eyes, afraid of getting scared.

They were so intimate, as if they had known each other for many years and had just gotten together.

Even while holding Xie Guiluan's hand, Cen Wu was still startled several times. When they left the theater, he was especially clingy, not daring to leave Xie Guiluan's side, letting Xie Guiluan hold him.

He Yao and the others were planning to pull an all-nighter at the internet cafe. Xie Guiluan went to throw away the cola cup, leaving only Cen Wu.

He Yao looked up and saw Cen Wu's gaze following Xie Guiluan. He whispered, "Do you really like him that much?"

Cen Wu was caught off guard for a moment before realizing He Yao was talking to him. He turned his head, unsure why He Yao was speaking so softly, and he also softly hummed in agreement.

He Yao looked at him, the light of the snowy night reflecting on the boy's face as he smiled and said, "Happy New Year, and happy New Year to your boyfriend too, but I still really dislike him."

"..." Cen Wu was taken aback, then also smiled and said, "Happy... Happy New Year."

When Xie Guiluan returned, He Yao and the others had already left. Xie Guiluan had seen He Yao talking to Cen Wu earlier, and Cen Wu had even smiled at him. Xie Guiluan waited a few minutes, letting them finish their conversation before approaching.

He wasn't the jealous type.

Cen Wu had a strikingly beautiful face, his slightly pursed lips giving him a cold demeanor. But his deep eye bags added a touch of softness, and when he smiled, his eyes were gentle and beautiful.

Xie Guiluan glanced down, reaching out to pinch Cen Wu's thin, red lips. Now that he had a certain status, his jealousy was out in the open. "What did he say to you?"

Cen Wu, with his lips pinched, mumbled a few sounds before Xie Guiluan let go. Then, Cen Wu looked at him eagerly and said, "He... he said he doesn't like you."

"That's it?" Xie Guiluan thought He Yao would say something more. He relaxed, leaning lazily against Cen Wu, and said, "I dislike him too."

Cen Wu: "..."

I can't with you, bro.

Can you not be so childish? Show some of that devilish backbone of yours.

Xie Guiluan had no backbone tonight. When Cen Wu went to the restroom, he followed, saying he was worried Cen Wu might be scared.

Cen Wu was indeed a bit scared, so he let Xie Guiluan follow. When they left the stall to wash their hands, Xie Guiluan pressed close again, hugging him from behind. The boy's large palm rested on Cen Wu's lower abdomen, the thin soft flesh warming up under his touch.

Cen Wu could sense that sometimes Xie Guiluan wasn't just trying to take advantage of him. He simply lacked a sense of security and wanted to cling to him, whether by kissing, hugging, or anything else, to feel closer and more at ease.

Of course, it wasn't entirely without any intention of taking advantage.

Cen Wu turned his head, looking at Xie Guiluan. His beautiful, misty eyes curved slightly as he mischievously whispered, "Do you want to hide?"

"..."

Xie Guiluan suddenly looked up, his thin lips moving slightly, his ears and neck flushing a deep red.

Cen Wu hadn't expected Xie Guiluan to still have a sense of shame. Feeling a sudden urge for revenge, and since no one was around, he reached out and pressed against Xie Guiluan, asking again, "Do you want to?"

Xie Guiluan's neck veins bulged, blood rushing through them, his hands also tensing up. His mind went blank, and in a low, hoarse voice, he hugged Cen Wu and said, "...I want to."

Cen Wu didn't work out much. Though he was thin, his body was soft, especially his lower abdomen. It was thin but lacked the outline of abs, easily taking shape under pressure, sinking in with a light press and just as easily rising.

Xie Guiluan's hand massaged him. Cen Wu had eaten half a bucket of popcorn during the movie, and his lower abdomen was slightly bulging.

Cen Wu's face flushed. He wasn't as shameless as Xie Guiluan. He let go of Xie Guiluan and pulled him out, then had Xie Guiluan message Guan Xingxue saying they wouldn't be coming home tonight.

Cen Wu bought a lychee candy skewer, nibbling on it as he pushed Xie Guiluan toward the pharmacy.

Xie Guiluan tried to pull him along, but the pharmacy was empty at night, with only a clerk dozing off. Cen Wu's ears tinged with a faint red, and he squatted on the snowy ground, refusing to go in.

Xie Guiluan didn't push him further. He pulled him up, cupped his face, and rubbed it gently, saying, "Baby, wait for me."

"Mm-hmm," Cen Wu nodded obediently.

Xie Guiluan came out after a few minutes, unsure of what he had bought, but it wasn’t everything he needed. Cen Wu told him to just grab any lotion, but Xie Guiluan was worried it might not be good enough and Cen Wu would feel uncomfortable.

Finally, they went to a nearby store with a dark red sign, which probably specialized in these items. Cen Wu was eating something, his snow-white cheeks slightly puffed out, and he couldn’t believe Xie Guiluan had the audacity to go in.

Cen Wu kept his distance, pretending he didn’t know Xie Guiluan.

Xie Guiluan was worried Cen Wu might get cold outside, so he quickly came out with a black shopping bag and then took a taxi to the largest hotel in Huaijing, booking a suite on the top floor.

"Brother," Xie Guiluan rested his chin on Cen Wu's shoulder, his peach blossom eyes gazing at him, and said, "I don't have any money."

The hotel was upscale, and the front desk staff were highly professional, though they couldn’t help stealing a glance at them.

Xie Guiluan was wearing a long black down jacket, which made his figure appear tall and slender. His pale complexion and expensive-looking clothes contrasted with the way he clung to Cen Wu, acting coquettishly.

When he opened his phone, his wallet only had three dollars and sixty cents left.

Cen Wu's cold, pale ears were already red, his eyelashes trembling as he handed his card to the front desk, wishing he could strangle Xie Guiluan.

It felt like he’d brought a male model to a hotel room instead of his boyfriend, all because of Xie Guiluan’s nonsense.

Damn Xie Guiluan.

The front desk staff politely averted their eyes, finished checking them in, and returned the card and ID to Cen Wu.

Cen Wu quickly grabbed Xie Guiluan and pulled him away. Xie Guiluan’s low voice was muffled with laughter, and even after Cen Wu kicked him a few times, he was still laughing. When they pushed open the door, Xie Guiluan suddenly leaned down and kissed Cen Wu.

Xie Guiluan cupped Cen Wu’s hips and lifted him up, his lips and tongue hot and insistent. Before Cen Wu could react, Xie Guiluan parted his teeth and sucked on his tongue, the veins on his neck throbbing.

Xie Guiluan’s dark, peach blossom eyes were half-lidded as he hungrily kissed and sucked on Cen Wu’s mouth, his Adam's apple bobbing as he swallowed. His palm gripped Cen Wu's waist through the sweater, making him feel hot.

Cen Wu was slender, noticeably smaller in Xie Guiluan’s arms, and easily lifted, his legs dangling helplessly.

Xie Guiluan leaned into him, the corner of his mouth curling up. He tilted his head, kissing Cen Wu's snow-white earlobe and the skin behind his ear, holding his neck and pressing lightly, his voice low and hoarse as he said, "What are you trying to hide, brother?"

"You... you, you," Cen Wu's tongue trembled from the kiss, his whole body shaking. Xie Guiluan's hand burned on his neck, his mind foggy, and he felt a loss of control. He said somewhat resignedly, "Anything."

"..." Xie Guiluan rubbed noses with him and asked, "Do you want to shower first, or should I?"

Cen Wu quickly pushed him away, saying, "I’ll go first."

Xie Guiluan let go, and Cen Wu hurried to the bathroom, slamming the door shut.

Xie Guiluan’s Adam’s apple bobbed, his mouth still sweet from the lychee candy Cen Wu had been eating. He had only eaten half, the other half left on the table, the syrup melting and sticking to the snow-white flesh, the lychee soaked in it.

The vendor had been generous with the syrup, wanting the lychee to look more beautiful, but it was a bit too much. The lychee, already soft and white, couldn't hold it all and spilled out.

Cen Wu had only been in the bathroom for a few minutes when he peeked out, whispering timidly, "I... I’m scared."

Closing his eyes, he kept thinking about the movie they had just watched, feeling like someone might suddenly appear in the bathroom.

It had to be Xie Guiluan—he could scare off any ghost.

Xie Guiluan walked over to him. Cen Wu was about to take a shower, his pants already off, only wearing a sweater that still covered his butt. He blushed, pulling a towel over himself to block Xie Guiluan's view.

Xie Guiluan was a head taller, his shadow engulfing Cen Wu. He leaned down, pinching Cen Wu's snow-white cheek, his eyes dark and stormy as he said, "I'll stay with you."