Chapter 106

Chapter 106

Bathroom.

Bo Tingyuan pushed a utility chair next to the bathtub and motioned for Wen Cishu to sit.

Seeing how seriously Bo was taking this, Wen Cishu casually grabbed a poetry collection from the shelf before taking a seat.

Bo Tingyuan, thoughtful as ever, adjusted the ceiling light to the perfect brightness for reading.

As Wen Cishu listened to the faint rustling of clothes being removed, his expression remained unreadable. His dark eyes fixed on the French verses in the book, maintaining an air of studied indifference.

Yet, he didn’t absorb a single word.

When Bo Tingyuan turned around after unbuttoning his black shirt, Wen Cishu’s gaze flickered like a dragonfly skimming water, quickly sweeping over his back and narrow waist.

Whether it was the way Bo raised his arms or simply his exceptional build, the muscles along his back appeared powerful yet perfectly sculpted.

As Bo turned back, Wen Cishu put on an air of indifference. "This chair is killing my back. I should just leave."

A hand pressed down on his shoulder, giving it a light massage.

"I’ll get a cushion. Stay."

"Oh."

Wen Cishu quirked an eyebrow at the book, fighting a smile. The moment Bo walked away, he lifted the book to cover the lower half of his face, his eyes surreptitiously following Bo’s retreating figure.

Unbeknownst to him, the bathroom’s mirrors and reflective surfaces gave him away, instantly catching Bo Tingyuan’s peripheral vision.

Bo smiled faintly, grabbing a cushion from the living room and sliding it behind Wen’s back. "Better?"

"Mmm~ It’ll do." Wen Cishu shifted slightly, adjusting to the cushy support, then cradled the poetry collection and began reading the verses aloud, slow and deliberate.

His French pronunciation was a bit stilted, but his clear, soothing voice carried the charm of a young poet spilling his soul.

The sound of his voice mingled with the water filling the bathtub as Bo Tingyuan removed his trousers and stepped in.

Wen Cishu snuck a look—those unfairly long legs, his gaze inching upward…

Until he realized Bo wasn’t moving.

"Uh…" Wen Cishu raised the book to shield his face. "Planning to take a standing bath, Mr. Bo? That’s a first."

The book was gradually tugged away, revealing his flushed cheeks and mischievous, gleaming eyes.

Wen Cishu averted his gaze, then quickly shut his eyes.

Only for his chin to be caught gently by a hand.

He pushed at Bo’s wrist. "Hey, just take your bath. Keep your hands to yourself."

Bo Tingyuan asked, "Not looking anymore?"

"What’s there to see? I see it every day, and I even… touch it every day." Wen Cishu muttered under his breath, eyes downcast. "I don’t even like touching it, but someone insists on dragging my hands over it. It’s stale. Predictable."

He slid the bamboo bracelet off his wrist, flicking the beads one by one like prayer beads.

Bo Tingyuan settled into the bathtub, resting the back of his neck against the headrest. As he flipped through the poetry collection, Wen’s teasing sent a quiet thrill through him.

"Already bored?"

"You know it."

Wen Cishu got cheeky, mainly because he saw Bo Tingyuan lying in the bathtub, unlikely to get up and catch him, so he spoke with brashness. "I'm not like you, seizing every chance to grope, pinch, and paw at."

He sighed, leaning back firmly into the soft pillow, his long legs resting on the edge of the bathtub. "Anyone who didn’t know better would think you’re a palm reader, specializing in reading fortunes by touch."

After saying this, he tipped his head back with lazy abandon, laughing to himself as if amused by his own wit.

Bo Tingyuan lifted his gaze slightly, watching him with a hint of amusement deep in his green eyes. His hand rested on Wen Cishu's ankle, giving it a gentle rub.

"Here we go again."

Wen Cishu shook with laughter, his long hair cascading over his shoulders.

Bo Tingyuan: "Join me."

Wen Cishu looked up at the ceiling, bluntly refusing: "No way, I’d never survive."

"Hmm." Bo Tingyuan withdrew his gaze, turning to the poetry book in his right hand. In silence, his left hand slowly glided up Wen Cishu’s calf, pushing up the pant leg until his fingers reached the knee.

The warmth of his fingertips brushed against cool skin, sending waves of goosebumps.

Wordlessly, Wen Cishu quietly watched that hand—broad, with faintly prominent veins and distinct knuckles, unbearably sexy.

As the hand moved higher, Wen Cishu slightly narrowed his eyes, his breathing gradually slowing.

He had changed out of his dress shirt and trousers after returning home, now wearing loose sweatpants that were easily pushed up to his thighs.

Just as Wen Cishu thought he might do something, the hand slid back down along his slender leg.

Bo Tingyuan’s caress was as tender as strumming a harp, playing a sultry melody in Wen Cishu’s heart.

Wen Cishu tilted his neck slightly, the glare making his eyes water.

His hand, resting in front of him, was taken and pressed against Bo Tingyuan’s lips.

He pressed a kiss to his palm.

His fingertips slowly trailed downward—along the jaw, the side of the neck, the collarbone, brushing past a firm chest before finally dipping into the water. When his fingers brushed against—, he immediately withdrew, sending water sloshing.

Their eyes met abruptly.

Wen Cishu’s eyes widened, seeing everything clearly beneath the water.

This time, Bo Tingyuan said nothing. Instead, he stood up directly, pulling Wen Cishu to his feet as well, undressing him.

Water cascaded down their bodies, splashing into the bathtub like a passionate, intertwined variation.

Their gazes locked, the steam between them fogged their gaze.

Wen Cishu thought he was about to be kissed, his lips twitched expectantly, only to see Bo Tingyuan remove the bamboo bracelet from his wrist and set it aside before undressing him and scooping him into the bathtub.

In the clear, unadorned water, everything was perfectly visible.

Wen Cishu sat in front of him, thinking to himself: He actually dragged me in to bathe with him?!

Bao Tingyuan kneaded his rounded shoulders.

His pliant skin looked like it might bruise at the slightest pressure.

Not daring to press too hard, he lowered his head to touch the damp skin.

Wen Cishu shifted his shoulders slightly. "Don’t kiss me."

Bao Tingyuan wrapped an arm around his waist, pulling him back against his chest. His palm traveled upward from the waist, gliding over his chest before finally resting on his lips.

"Yeah, you’re tired—I get it."

Wen Cishu: "..."

Using my own words against me? That’s just low.

Bao Tingyuan thoughtfully picked up a clean towel, soaked it, and began gently wiping him down.

The towel was soft, but it still left faint red marks on his skin.

Like red marks on snow-white silk—impossible to look away.

Bao Tingyuan kissed behind his ear, his voice low and husky as he asked, "Mind if I take over?"

"..."

Wen Cishu turned his head away in embarrassment, muttering, "Why... are you asking me? Just for appearances?"

Bao Tingyuan smiled faintly. "Yeah. Showing respect."

Wen Cishu snorted softly, yet couldn't help feeling curious.

Suddenly, he gripped the edge of the bathtub, rising from Bao Tingyuan's embrace and moving to the opposite end to lean against it. His lips quirking, he said, "Then go ahead."

Though he was mentally prepared, when Bao Tingyuan's green eyes locked onto him while doing this, it still hit him like a physical force—both physically and psychologically.

The water in the bathtub seemed to ripple and surge, turning fever-hot, instantly raising Wen Cishu's skin temperature.

In theory, he knew he ought to look away.

But when had rationality ever stood a chance against want?

Wen Cishu was so thirsty his mouth felt full of cotton, and he bit down hard on his lower lip.

The skin exposed above the water flushed a hot-pink, his cheeks tinged with a fever-flush.

This sight, in turn, further stimulated Bao Tingyuan's senses and emotions.

Unintentionally, Wen Cishu was feeding the flames.

After endless minutes, Bao Tingyuan tilted his head back, his jaw clenched, tendons standing out on his neck as his Adam's apple bobbed forcefully. A rough, throttled sound escaped his throat.

In the end, Wen Cishu chickened out before the end, quickly shutting his eyes as his breathing grew shallow and quick.

"Had enough?"

Bao Tingyuan's voice was hoarse as he reached out to hit the drain, letting the water swirl away.

Wen Cishu turned his face away, muttering, "That didn’t help me relax at all, I'm exhausted."

Bao Tingyuan gave a faint smile, pulling him into his embrace and kissing the soft lips he had been biting for so long.

"You didn't move a muscle, what are you tired of?"

"Just drained."

Wen Cishu clung to his shoulders, suddenly pouted. "You didn't even kiss me, just focused on yourself..."

Bao Tingyuan pecked his lips. "You were the one who said no kissing."

"Uh... Did I?" Wen Cishu's gaze flickered away, then instantly doubled down. "No!"

He childishly poked Bao Tingyuan's cheek. "Does this count as compensation?"

Bao Tingyuan waited for the water to finish refilling, quickly wiping him with a towel. "Only counts as a down payment."

"Huh? How did this turn into predatory lending?"

Wen Cishu was furious. "Predatory lending is illegal."

Bao Tingyuan picked him up. "How many years' sentence?"

Wen Cishu laughed, hugging his shoulders and kissing him. "Life imprisonment."

After drying off, the two climbed into bed and snuggled together. Wen Cishu grabbed the wrist at his waist and pulled it up. "Palm-reading expert, where are you touching now?"

Bao Tingyuan kissed him with a faint smile.

The two embraced like teenagers in love, Wen Cishu panting and deliberately squirming in his arms until he got a reaction, then chuckling into his chest.

Bao Tingyuan pinned his hand to the pillow and leaned over him. "Still got energy to spare?"

Wen Cishu's moist pink tongue quickly flicked over his lower lip. "You’re the one who did that in front of me earlier... I can’t resist you."

The ache in his body had nowhere to vent, leaving him needing relief.

Bao Tingyuan bent down to kiss him, lacing his right hand between Wen Cishu's fingers, his suggestive tone laced with clear implication. "Take it off."

Wen Cishu whispered back, "You... you sure you’re up for more?"

The moment he asked, his lips were sucked hard, leaving his lips tingling. He mumbled, *"Got it."*

Under Bao Tingyuan's intense gaze, Wen Cishu removed his wedding ring and held it in his palm, thrumming with anticipation for what was to come.

Too shy to meet his eyes, he tightly shut his own, unaware of how delicate and irresistible he looked.

Bao Tingyuan's fingers just grazed his skin, and he was already trembling, his face flushed.

...

Bao Tingyuan, indeed worried he might exhaust him, pulled him onto his lap, with his back against him.

His left palm pressed against Wen Cishu's chest, feeling his heartbeat.

Wen Cishu's arms instinctively reached back to hold him, his slender waist arching helplessly as the aching sensation clung to him.

His slender legs hung limply, toes barely touching the carpet, its fibers catching between his toes under their movements.

For the third time that day, Bao Tingyuan moved, taking his time, pouring all his tenderness into it.

In their prolonged, all-consuming embrace, Wen Cishu turned boneless, drifting to the clouds.