Chapter 91 Teaching

Chapter 91 Lessons

Since they got off work late, it was nearly eleven o'clock by the time they arrived home by car.

They’d caught some wind and drizzle on the way, so Ji Qingzhou deliberately soaked in the tub a bit longer before bed.

The bathroom was filled with a steamy, sweet scent, pleasant and soothing.

Lately, he’d gotten used to adding a few drops of the osmanthus perfume someone had given him into the bathwater.

Whether it was the effect of the hot water or the soothing effect of the essential oils in the perfume, after the bath, much of his work fatigue had melted away. His skin was warm all over, ready to crash the second he hit the pillow.

By the time he finished washing up, the clock in the hallway had already struck midnight.

Jie Yuan, who’d showered first, was half-lying on the bed, leaning back against the pillow, fighting sleep as he waited.

Once they’d swapped the bamboo mat for sheets in preparation for the cooler autumn weather, they’d also added a slightly thicker mattress and quilt.

Ji Qingzhou had personally asked Huang Youshu to help with the change while Jie Yuan watched, though he didn’t complain.

He remembered teasing at the time that once he’d tasted a soft mattress, someone was no longer the little boy who insisted on sleeping on a hard bed.

The memory popped into his head unbidden. Ji Qingzhou yawned, flipped off the overhead light, then walked to the bed, lifted the quilt, and lay down.

Seeing Jie Yuan sitting like this, seemingly not ready to sleep yet, he asked routinely, "Want me to read to you?"

Jie Yuan paused before saying, "About what happened in the car earlier... can we do it again?"

"Hmm?" Ji Qingzhou raised an eyebrow. Though he understood perfectly well, he deliberately teased, "What happened in the car? You mean that back rub?"

Jie Yuan pressed his lips together, his tone slightly stiff. "Another kiss."

"Oh... we’ve already kissed twice, and you still want more?"

"Too quick. Could barely feel it." Jie Yuan maintained a matter-of-fact tone as he made his request. "This time, slower."

"Well, lips just touching is barely a kiss. Keeping it pressed for too long would be boring... If you want it slower, you’ll have to use your tongue."

Ji Qingzhou explained in a sincere tone, "Our relationship is still new. Are you sure you want to go that deep?"

Tongue...

At this description, Jie Yuan’s fingers under the quilt involuntarily curled.

On one hand, he felt Ji Qingzhou had a point—it wasn’t appropriate to be overly intimate so soon after confirming their feelings. Tongue would be way too forward. On the other hand, he couldn’t suppress the eager itch under his skin, the impulse to take things further.

"Well, Jieyuan Bao?"

Ji Qingzhou tilted his head, studying his sharp features. As he spoke, his eyes drifted downward, moving from the other’s cool, stern brows to his faintly pink lips.

The kiss in the car had been brief, but those lips were indeed soft and surprisingly nice against his own.

Even more interesting was his reaction afterward. Ji Qingzhou had never seen someone blush so quickly—not just their ears and neck, but even the tip of their nose and the corners of their eyes flushing red.

Despite maintaining a cold expression all day, barely speaking a word, he got adorably flustered.

Thinking of this, a smirk tugged at his lips. He nudged the other’s knee with his foot and said lazily, "Your call. But choose carefully—yes or no?"

Jie Yuan's Adam's apple bobbed slightly. After barely five seconds of consideration, he calmly stated, "We've been married for half a year."

The implication was clear—they were already an old married couple, so being more intimate wouldn't hurt.

Ji Qingzhou was instantly amused by his deadpan tone.

Since it was late and he was quite sleepy, he had initially planned to tease him into calling him "big brother" before giving in to the kiss. But after rolling the words on his tongue, he decided against it.

Getting Jie Yuan to call him "big brother" would take at least half an hour of wheedling, and right now, he just wanted to finish the kiss and go to bed.

So he agreed easily, "Okay, hold on—let me get the light."

With that, he stretched out his arm and flicked off the bedside lamp.

As darkness settled over them, the faint sound of rain outside the window grew clearer.

Ji Qingzhou adjusted to the dim light before turning over, kneeling, and shifting closer to Jie Yuan.

He raised his hand, lightly grazing his fingers against the other man's smooth cheek. His thumb traced from the tip of Jie Yuan's nose to the center of his lips. Leaning down, he kissed his own thumb first—checking the angle—before shifting to Jie Yuan’s lips.

From the moment Jie Yuan caught the familiar scent drawing near, his back broke out in a light sweat. When those soft fingertips grazed his face, his heart raced wildly, like he’d come down with a fever.

In the car, the kiss had been quick—just a brief touch before it ended. But now, in the quiet solitude of the late night, everything felt slowed down by dozens of times.

But the kiss was gentle, perhaps because Ji Qingzhou was mindful that this was his first time kissing like this, giving him time to adjust.

At first, it was just a soft and exploratory press of lips. Only after a while did it gradually deepen into something more intimate.

The autumn night was cool, but Jie Yuan's body ran hot, steaming with sweat.

Initially, nervousness and shyness dominated, but soon, he lost himself in the sensation.

He thought Ji Qingzhou’s tongue was as clever as his words—sweet and agile, leaving him hungry for more.

As the kiss continued, he unconsciously lifted his arm, wanting to wrap it around Ji Qingzhou's waist. But the moment his palm touched the warmth of the other man's back through the fabric of his sleepwear, his fingers twitched back as if burned.

Ji Qingzhou noticed his fumbling against his back and nearly laughed.

After soothingly brushing his nose, he lifted his head and said, "We’re way past shy—what’s with the hesitation?"

Jie Yuan was dazed. Had the lights been on, one could have seen his ears flushed crimson.

Hearing the question, he was still lost in the moment and let out a confused, "Hm?"

"Seriously, are you made of wood?" Ji Qingzhou sighed. "You’re *supposed* to pull me closer, you know."

Jie Yuan pressed his lips together—still damp and burning—and murmured in a low voice, "Again."

"Nope," Ji Qingzhou closed his eyes briefly, smirking. "Can’t have you hooked all at once."

"It was... incredible," he replied almost instinctively, his answer slightly off-topic.

Ji Qingzhou chuckled. "Glad you liked it, but wow—you’ve got *no* game."

The remark snapped Jie Yuan back to reality.

"You’ve done this before," he muttered, his tone cool but laced with resentment.

The thought that Ji Qingzhou had likely kissed someone else like this before made his chest tighten with a jab of jealousy. His fists clenched on their own.

Ji Qingzhou feigned ignorance and said coaxingly, "Then I'll teach you a trick. If you don’t know how to kiss, just spell out 'abcd' with your tongue inside your mouth."

"Did you do it like that?"

"I don’t need to. I’m all about the passion."

"Were you this engaged when kissing others?"

Ji Qingzhou clicked his tongue lightly. "I don’t want to kiss anymore. You’re so salty."

Jie Yuan clammed up, not daring to press further, and said casually, "Then one more time."

"Last time. After this, we sleep."

Ji Qingzhou was so exhausted that his eyelids were heavy, so this time he didn’t take it as slow and gentle as before—he slipped his tongue in the moment their lips touched.

Having been taught, Jie Yuan hesitated no longer. As soon as he tasted the soft sweetness, he pulled him closer by the waist.

The young man’s waist was leaner and more delicate than he had imagined, easily embraced in full.

Some things just come naturally. His palm caressed the warm, smooth fabric of the clothes, his movements lingering and tender. The more lost in the moment he became, the tighter his arms wrapped around, again and again, unable to resist pulling the other deeper into his embrace.

Ji Qingzhou didn’t know whether he had used the alphabet method or simply learned quickly, but this time, his kissing had gotten way better.

His breathing was no longer so rushed, his technique more skilled, and he took charge more.

Before long, Ji Qingzhou’s tongue grew numb, and the tight embrace made it hard to breathe. He pushed against Jie Yuan’s shoulders and turned his head, cutting the kiss short.

Jie Yuan instinctively leaned forward, chasing his lips, but only managed to kiss his cheek.

"Enough." Ji Qingzhou was about to pat his arm to signal him to let go when, shifting slightly, he suddenly noticed an unusual sensation.

After a brief realization, he chuckled lightly, teasing, "Ah, youth—always so eager in the middle of the night."

Only then did Jie Yuan become aware of his own reaction. His face flushed hotter, and he quickly loosened his grip, his voice hoarse. "Sorry."

"Why apologize? You’re only twenty—it’d be weird if you didn’t react..."

Ji Qingzhou yawned again. "I can’t hold on anymore. If you need to handle it, go to the bathroom. I’m sleeping first."

With that, he ducked under the covers, closing his eyes wearily.

Jie Yuan remained deeply embarrassed but didn’t dwell on it.

As the familiar scent faded from his arms, his emotions gradually settled. At the same time, a wave of longing surged within him—longing for the fervor of holding and kissing the other just moments ago.

For the first time, he felt his arms so empty, as if he had suddenly transformed from a whole person into an empty husk.

The night was quiet, the rain long ceased, leaving only the occasional gust against the window.

Once his body calmed down, Jie Yuan lay flat under the covers, trying to fall asleep peacefully. Yet the presence of the person beside him lingered in the air, so thick that he unconsciously inched closer.

The absence of sight heightened his sense of touch and smell.

The warmth, the softness, the sweet, intoxicating fragrance—once experienced, it seared into his senses, into his bones. It was truly addictive.

"If you want to hug me, just do it. Why the hesitation?" The young man’s lazy voice suddenly broke the silence.

As if his guilty thoughts had been exposed, Jie Yuan instinctively retorted, "Was not."

"Okay, I'm actually going to sleep now."

"Wait, were you faking sleep before?"

"Mm, I was a bit curious if you'd go to the bathroom, but... you really held it in." Ji Qingzhou murmured drowsily.

Then he turned over, reaching out first to wrap an arm around Jie Yuan's waist, nuzzling lightly against his shoulder. "You can hold me for a while. Though I might kick you away later if I get too hot in my sleep."

"Didn't you brag about having the best sleeping posture in the world?"

Jie Yuan first tightened his embrace around his back, pulling him closer, then frowned. "Who told you that?"

"Can you stop being so suspicious all the time?"

Ji Qingzhou was truly exasperated by his relentless jealousy. His voice was low and slightly nasal as he explained, "It was just a friend. We shared a room because there weren’t any left—totally innocent."

"Which friend?"

"I'm exhausted. Really going to sleep now. No more talking. Goodnight." Ji Qingzhou shut him down with that.

With that, he let his thoughts go and soon drifted into deep sleep.

Jie Yuan still felt that bitter feeling linger. Even though he knew logically that those were things of the past and wouldn’t affect their future, it was hard not to care.

But no matter how pissed he got, there was nothing he could do. So he pressed his hand flat against Ji Qingzhou’s back, right over his heart, feeling his warmth and steady breathing through the fabric. He consoled himself—at least in this moment, their heartbeats were in sync.

Just like they would be tomorrow. And every day after.