Chapter 81: Too Late

Chapter 81: Too Late

Cen Wu held the towel and tugged at the hem of his sweater. Xie Guiluan suddenly moved closer to him, causing Cen Wu to panic, stumble backward, and almost trip. Xie Guiluan reached out to steady him.

Xie Guiluan pressed against Cen Wu's pale, slender back. His fingers were cold and firm, with calloused fingertips that easily sent shivers through Cen Wu.

Cen Wu's eyelashes fluttered, and his ears turned red instantly. He slapped Xie Guiluan's hand away and bared his teeth in frustration, saying, "Turn... turn around."

Xie Guiluan obediently turned his back to him. Cen Wu fumbled as he started to shower, shivering a few times before managing to turn on the water. Gradually, the bathroom filled with steam.

Xie Guiluan was still wearing the shirt and suit pants from the evening event. Cen Wu, with red-tipped ears, poured water over his shoulders, and Xie Guiluan stood beside him, his clothes getting slightly wet.

The white shirt clung to Xie Guiluan's back, outlining his muscles and even revealing his lean waistline.

Cen Wu scooped up some water and deliberately splashed it on Xie Guiluan, thinking to himself, "Is Xie Guiluan trying to seduce me on purpose?"

Always so flirtatious.

"What's wrong?" Xie Guiluan wasn't angry at being teased. He spoke in a hoarse voice, thinking Cen Wu might be scared again.

Cen Wu's long, curled eyelashes lifted. After a few minutes in the steamy bathroom, his skin had taken on a faint blush, and his mind was a mess.

Xie Guiluan's eyelashes were lowered, and he had been gentlemanly enough not to look at Cen Wu. But Cen Wu reached out and grabbed Xie Guiluan's tie, pulling him in for a kiss.

Xie Guiluan seemed to chuckle softly, his dark peach blossom eyes opening and gazing at him with intensity. His Adam's apple bobbed, and his pale skin glistened with sweat that trailed down his collarbone.

The tall, imposing shadow of the boy enveloped Cen Wu, wrapping around his hips and pulling him into an embrace.

Cen Wu clutched Xie Guiluan's tie, nervously licking his lips. But before he could say anything, Xie Guiluan pressed down and kissed him, pecking at his lips and prying them open.

Xie Guiluan's tongue explored Cen Wu's mouth inch by inch, pressing against the base of his tongue and then retreating, repeating the motion over a dozen times. Cen Wu's mouth was flooded with saliva, and he swallowed shakily, unsure whose saliva he was swallowing.

Xie Guiluan's eyes lowered, his Adam's apple bobbing as he breathed heavily. He kissed Cen Wu from above, his gaze not gentle but cold and intense, his tongue moving with a heavy, almost punishing force.

The atmosphere was chaotic and provocative.

Cen Wu trembled, wanting to escape, but Xie Guiluan's firm fingers gripped his jaw, his voice hoarse as he ordered Cen Wu to behave. His palm lightly patted Cen Wu's cheek, carrying a disciplinary tone.

Cen Wu's legs shook as Xie Guiluan's tongue pushed into his mouth. He thought with lingering fear, "Thankfully, I met Xie Guiluan in high school. If it were the Xie Guiluan from later in the original story, more repressed and cold, never having vented, and so cruel, I would have been destroyed."

Cen Wu's voice was soft and nasal from the kiss, and he didn't even realize that he had already accepted that Xie Guiluan would still like him, whether he was eighteen or twenty-eight.

"What are you thinking about?" Xie Guiluan felt that Cen Wu wasn't focused. He pressed his thumb against Cen Wu's lips, grinding down heavily.

Cen Wu's lips went numb from the pressure, and his tongue was pulled out by Xie Guiluan, who played with it, licking and sucking.

Cen Wu's face turned red, and his whole body trembled. If he could completely abandon his sense of shame, kissing Xie Guiluan would be incredibly satisfying. But aside from Xie Guiluan, it was hard for anyone else to let go of that shame.

His sexual orientation was an open secret in the industry, so many male actors had tried to climb into his bed. In the entertainment world, people would do anything to get ahead, but he had never met anyone like Xie Guiluan.

Like a beast.

Not even human, so why bother with shame?

Cen Wu's tongue was being played with, and he could only manage a few muffled sounds. Xie Guiluan gripped his waist, leaning down to kiss the tip of his ear, his voice hoarse as he asked, "Will you regret it?"

Cen Wu's eyelashes stuck together, and he hadn't even done anything yet, but he was already starting to sob. He was beginning to regret it now; he just wanted to go home.

Xie Guiluan always went too hard, and he wasn’t sure what would happen tonight, but leaving Xie Guiluan here like this felt like something a jerk would do.

Xie Guiluan’s Adam’s apple bobbed, his thin lips pursed in frustration. He wanted it badly, but he wasn’t about to force him. He hugged Cen Wu, kissed him, and then got him ready for a bath before bed.

Cen Wu’s fingers shook as they fumbled with the buttons on his shirt, clumsily undoing them one by one.

His nose was red, his black hair plastered to his pale cheeks. The showerhead above was still on, water droplets trickling down his slim shoulder blades, dripping… hanging, trembling, and then falling. Xie Guiluan’s self-control was hanging by a thread.

Cen Wu managed to undo a few buttons before shyness took over again, his face flushed as he pushed Xie Guiluan back, murmuring, “You… you finish it.”

Xie Guiluan’s long legs were clad in black suit pants, his whole outfit crisp and composed, cool and collected, yet he appeared so disheveled. Cen Wu, under Xie Guiluan’s icy, penetrating stare, hugged his legs and crouched down.

He had meant to hide himself, but looking up, the angle felt off. Cen Wu’s scalp prickled instantly, his ears and neck flushing red. He quickly stood up again.

Xie Guiluan laughed softly, cradling his face and kissing him. It was only then that Cen Wu realized Xie Guiluan was holding something.

Cen Wu gazed at him eagerly, “What… what do you have there?”

Xie Guiluan lifted his hand, revealing a black collar. Cen Wu’s mind went blank instantly. Xie Guiluan’s lips brushed his ear, his hot breath trailing down, letting out a soft moan, his voice rough as he nuzzled him, “Doesn’t gege like it?”

He had worn it before, and Cen Wu had reacted strongly.

Cen Wu’s whole body was on fire. He couldn’t say he didn’t like it, but… Cen Wu couldn’t take it anymore, his ears red with anger as he snapped, “Can’t you… can’t you be normal for once?”

Let him have a normal night.

He couldn’t stand it. Xie Guiluan putting this on made it seem like he had some kind of special… fetish.

“Spent a few hundred on it,” Xie Guiluan nuzzled him again, his cold fingertips pressing against the thin spinous process on the back of his neck, slowly moving downward, his voice low and hoarse, “It’d be a waste not to use it.”

Cen Wu wanted to curse. This suite cost over ten thousand for one night. When he swiped the card earlier, his heart was bleeding. It was all money Xie Guiluan had earned at Blue Night.

Who knows how long it took to save up that much, and Xie Guiluan didn’t even blink, insisting he book it.

Now he’s worried about wasting money?

No wonder Xie Guiluan stayed in the shop a few extra minutes earlier—he was buying this kind of thing. Couldn’t he have some shame?

Cen Wu struggled, wanting to throw it away, but Xie Guiluan held him firmly. Before Cen Wu could react, the cold collar snapped around his thigh. Xie Guiluan’s dark eyes watched him as the clasp clicked shut.

Cen Wu’s thigh was instantly constricted, the collar a bit tight, squeezing a ring of soft flesh on his snow-white thigh.

Xie Guiluan leaned in, his thin lips curling mischievously as he whispered, “If gege uses it, it won’t be a waste.”

Cen Wu’s knees went weak, his leg tightly bound, as if some kind of strange restraint had been placed on him.

The collar had some elasticity. Xie Guiluan’s cold, hard fingers hooked it, then let go, snapping it back with a soft *pop*. The pale flesh of his thigh trembled, red marks forming where it was squeezed.

His vision blurred with dizziness, his mind a mess, unsure of what he was even doing.

He shivered under the shower, then pushed Xie Guiluan away and rushed out, diving under the covers.

Cen Wu hid under the blanket for a few minutes. Xie Guiluan didn’t come out, and the sound of water running in the bathroom resumed—probably Xie Guiluan taking a shower. His racing heart finally calmed a little.

Cen Wu reached under the blanket, feeling for the collar. He didn’t know how it was fastened, and after struggling for a while, he couldn’t get it off. His pale skin was rubbed red.

Just as he was getting anxious, his phone suddenly buzzed beside him. Cen Wu was startled and let go, the collar snapping back.

Cen Wu: “...”

I give up.

Cen Wu, feeling numb, decided to throw in the towel. He picked up his phone and found a message from Lu Wang.

"Lu Wang: Why are you and Xie Guiluan staying out overnight?"

Cen Wu's heart skipped a beat. How did Lu Wang know? They hadn't run into anyone on their way in. His heart was pounding in his chest when he saw Lu Wang continue to message him.

"Lu Wang: You're staying at my family's hotel, you know. My cousin, who's the manager here, just spotted you two."

"Lu Wang: He came home and mentioned it to me, but I've already warned him not to spread it around."

Cen Wu: "..."

Cen Wu felt a wave of shame wash over him. He had been collared by a man, and he felt tainted. He didn't know what to say to Lu Wang, so he just sent a quick 'thanks' and followed up with a question.

"Cen Wu: He hasn't gone and told anyone else, has he?"

Since he already told Lu Wang.

"Lu Wang: He wouldn't dare. If he spills the beans, I'll make sure my dad cuts his paycheck."

Cen Wu: "..."

Nice one.

Lu Wang was really worried. He also warned Cen Wu to be careful, saying he already had a younger brother and didn't need another.

Cen Wu, feeling utterly drained and unable to lift his head, heard the bathroom water shut off abruptly. He quickly put down his phone and burrowed under the covers, feigning sleep.

"It's red," Xie Guiluan said as he approached, pulling Cen Wu out. His cold hand brushed the collar, his voice tinged with concern as he leaned down to ask, "Does it hurt?"

Cen Wu was about to fake some pain to get him to take it off when his breath caught in his throat. Xie Guiluan's sharp nose brushed against him, moving upward, and Cen Wu's vision blurred for a moment.

Cen Wu's back tensed, and he instinctively arched, trying to sit up like a fish out of water, but Xie Guiluan's firm hand on his abdomen left him limp and helpless.

His phone buzzed a few times, but he didn't notice. He had no idea how much time had slipped by.

Xie Guiluan's Adam's apple moved as he leaned in, his lips wet and red as he kissed Cen Wu, pressing his tongue against his to share the taste.

"Baby," Xie Guiluan murmured, licking his lips, his dark eyes glowing with a twisted obsession, "you taste sweet."

Cen Wu's lashes were damp with tears, and he desperately wanted to use the bathroom, but Xie Guiluan held him down, refusing to let him go.

He felt filthy, having eaten everything, but the lychee candy skewer he bought earlier was starting to melt, and he hadn't finished it. It seemed like such a waste, especially since making lychee candy skewers was no easy task.

Xie Guiluan placed the candy skewer on the bedside table for him. He had made candy skewers before, and the lychee flesh was snow-white, soft, and wet, almost too delicate to hold. Poking it from the bottom required care, or else it would start to ooze sticky juice, making a mess that was hard to clean.

Xie Guiluan had a strong grip and little patience, making him unsuitable for eating such things. The fragile white exterior could easily be crushed by him.

Cen Wu wanted to teach Xie Guiluan, but Xie Guiluan refused to learn, still gripping too hard. The soft lychee flesh became sticky, but at least the candy skewer was assembled, and even if it was sticky, it wouldn't leak too much juice, just trembling slightly on top.

Cen Wu felt sleepy and a bit hungry, even though he had eaten a lot at the banquet and bought a candy skewer while out. He struggled to breathe, pressing his chest to take a few breaths.

Fireworks burst into the night sky over Huaijing, their light dancing in the watery shimmer of his eyes. He had expected the display to last for hours, but he had no idea who was behind it.

One minute.

At most, three minutes.

It stopped abruptly.

Cen Wu's snow-white cheeks were still wet with tears as he gazed dazedly at Xie Guiluan. Xie Guiluan's body stiffened for a moment, his mind went blank. He hugged Cen Wu, lowering his head to kiss him, his voice deep and hoarse, his eyes red as he explained, "Baby, I'm not..."

Xie Guiluan's ears also turned red. He had prepared a lot, starting his preparations even before Cen Wu agreed, and he was absolutely sure it would be just as good as what the people at Blue Night could offer.

He never expected that, despite everything being fine normally, he would lose his nerve at the last moment. He had never been this panicked in his life.

He was afraid that Cen Wu wouldn't want him.

Cen Wu's eyelashes were stuck together, and he sniffled quietly, reaching out to hug Xie Guiluan. After all, he liked Xie Guiluan as a person, not for any other reason... it didn't matter.

Cen Wu patted his back, intending to comfort him by saying it was already good enough, but when he looked at him, the words slipped out, "It... it was already fast."

Xie Guiluan: "..."

Cen Wu: "..."

Crap, Cen Wu's scalp tingled. He struggled to push Xie Guiluan away, accidentally bumping into the headboard, knocking the candied haws askew, and a lychee slid off the skewer.

He scrambled forward on all fours, trying to leave the place quickly, but Xie Guiluan hooked the collar around his neck, his eyes cold and dark, and yanked him back in one swift motion. Cen Wu immediately choked back a cry.

"I was wrong," Cen Wu said shakily, "I was wrong."

Xie Guiluan smiled, and the sudden smile on his usually gloomy and cold face was downright terrifying.

Cen Wu sobbed, clutching the blanket, wishing he could go home, missing his brother and parents, praying someone would come and take this lunatic away.

The lychee candied haws he bought at night were totally ruined, with only one left. It looked fine on the outside, with a thick layer of sugar coating, but the vendor hadn't been careful, and the lychee had been mashed to a pulp while skewering it, juice already oozing out before he even bit into it.

He was unhappy, saying it couldn't be eaten anymore, but Xie Guiluan insisted it was better like this. Seeing that Cen Wu was already out of strength, Xie Guiluan fed him the lychee to replenish his energy.

His fingers also slipped into Cen Wu's mouth, crushing the lychee and mixing it around, asking if it was sweet and if there was a lot of juice.

Cen Wu, who already stuttered, was even more unable to speak, crying and sobbing, tears falling as if he were a damp mist.

"You, you, you..."

Cen Wu's tongue tied, and though he tried to put on a cold front to resist, even that bit of composure was shattered.

Xie Guiluan clung to him, calling him "brother," demanding he talk about the transmigration story and make him repeat how he had chosen Xie Guiluan out of all the male leads in so many novels. Cen Wu's eyes were red at the corners, but he was stubborn.

He struggled for a long time before finally blurting out a few words through gritted teeth, "I... I was blind."

Xie Guiluan was clearly dissatisfied with this answer, pinning him at an angle where he couldn't move, then tilting his chin and sucking on his tongue, a decadent, messy kiss.

Cen Wu had no idea where he learned it from. The first time they kissed, Xie Guiluan had been completely clueless, but now his soul trembled from the intensity.

This would be the death of him.

How could he face anyone after being kissed like this?

"Brother," Cen Wu, unable to resist, said with a sob, "you... you're the best, you're the best..."

Xie Guiluan lowered his eyes, dark and intense. He had to admit, he loved seeing Cen Wu like this—his entire body trembling, his forced coldness completely gone, relying entirely on him.

...

...

On the night of New Year's Eve, the lights in Huaijing stayed on throughout the night, and the fireworks eventually went off all night long. Cen Wu listened to the fireworks outside, not knowing when he had fallen asleep.

His pale little face was streaked with tear stains, and even in sleep, he was hiccuping with sobs. He bundled himself up in the blanket, curling up and sleeping with his back to Xie Guiluan.

Xie Guiluan noticed his lips quivering, crying in a way that was oddly endearing, and he initially thought to lean down and kiss him. However, as he got closer, he heard Cen Wu softly calling for his mother in his sleep, which almost made him laugh in exasperation.

But then Xie Guiluan remembered that his phone had buzzed a few times earlier.

He hugged Cen Wu, coaxing him to turn over and sleep against him, then picked up his phone and saw that both Guan Xingxue and Ji Changyu had sent him messages. He opened Guan Xingxue's first.

Guan Xingxue had transferred him 100,000 yuan, then cautiously and tactfully added:

"You're still young, some things can wait. It's not too late to wait until after university."

Xie Guiluan: "..."

Too late.

Xie Guiluan replied to her, but this time he wasn't too blunt. He made up an excuse, saying he had gone to watch a movie with Cen Wu that night, then opened Ji Changyu's message.

"Ji Changyu: Wanna grab a drink?"

"Xie Guiluan: No."

Ji Changyu was still awake, surprisingly, probably pulling an all-nighter, and quickly replied to Xie Guiluan.

"Ji Changyu: ?"

"Xie Guiluan: Busy with my relationship."

Ji Changyu scoffed.

"Ji Changyu: Still stuck in that one-sided love of yours?"

Xie Guiluan's expression darkened. He held Cen Wu's hand, wanting to take a photo, but Cen Wu's fingers were also marked with red streaks. In the end, he didn't take the photo and directly messaged Ji Changyu:

"Xie Guiluan: Don't message me this late in the future. What if my boyfriend misunderstands?"

Ji Changyu: "..."

Lunatic.

Who even wants to message you?

Cen Wu was already deeply asleep, feeling dizzy. Xie Guiluan held him, staring at him for a while, unable to resist kissing him and caressing his snow-white cheeks, holding him close and nuzzling him affectionately.

He couldn't sleep.

He logged back into that forum and posted a follow-up under his previous thread.

"OP: My boyfriend and I are officially together now."

The comments were flooded with question marks, and some were filled with indignation, lamenting how even a freak like him could find a boyfriend while they couldn't.

Xie Guiluan also unblocked the user "Carp" from his blacklist. It wasn't for any particular reason—he just couldn't help wanting to tell everyone that he had a boyfriend, and that his boyfriend loved him very much.

Carp also sent him a question mark.

"Huh?"

"You're not a Xie, are you?"

"Are you a Ji?"

Ji Changyu was silent.

Xie Guiluan remained silent.

Xie Guiluan, his face cold, blocked Ji Changyu in return, but after a moment, gently cradling his sleeping boyfriend, he generously unblocked Ji Changyu.

It was no big deal.

Tonight, he was ready to forgive anyone and everyone.

Everyone was welcome at the main table.