Chapter 45

Chapter 45

Just as expected, on the day before Fu Xie's birthday, he was groggily hauled out of bed.

"I still want to sleep a little longer..." Fu Xie yawned sleepily, too drowsy to lift his head.

Half-closing his eyes, he leaned against someone as they led him into the bathroom, holding his chin to part his faint, soft lips.

"Good boy, open up. Don’t swallow."

It was Xi Wenlun's voice.

Fu Xie felt the rim of the cup press against his lips and obediently opened his mouth, letting the cool mouthwash flood his mouth.

His cheeks bulged like a chipmunk’s.

Once he’d spat it out, an electric toothbrush loaded with toothpaste slid into his mouth, meticulously cleaning every corner.

Mint mingled with a sugary hint.

Once he’d been pampered with brushing his teeth, washing his face, and even having a sheet mask applied, Fu Xie finally managed to open his eyes.

His vision filled with Xi Wenlun’s face, looming way too close, the tips of his phoenix eyes curling up the moment he noticed Fu Xie was awake.

"Awake?"

Fu Xie nodded dazedly. The mask was gently peeled off, leaving his skin chilled and tingling.

When Xi Wenlun took care of him, he seemed like a meticulous, glowing angel.

But the angel in Fu Xie’s imagination smiled and uttered words dripping with mischief: "I’ve already picked out the hiking spot, and all the gear is ready. Today, we’ll..."

Fu Xie gaped, and with unimaginable speed, he scrambled back under the blankets.

Halfway in, the blanket was wrenched away.

Every fiber of Fu Xie’s being rebelled, "I’m not going!"

"Huh? Really?" Xi Wenlun sounded disappointed but still refused to let go of the blanket. "Staying home today is fine too. I happen to have a day off tomorrow—we can spend the whole day trying out the toys."

Fu Xie felt like his brain was about to explode. They usually stuck to tame stuff, never anything too intense.

And from what he knew, that drawer was basically filled with the hardcore gear.

A whole day of that? Was Xi Wenlun trying to kill him?!

Terrified, Fu Xie backpedaled furiously: "Hiking is the best! I love hiking!"

Changing gears, he yanked Xi Wenlun’s arm and dragged him toward the door. "Hurry, hurry, let’s go right now!"

Staying in the villa a second longer spelled doom for his backside.

"You haven’t changed yet," Xi Wenlun nearly tripped as he was pulled along, reminding him.

So Fu Xie dragged him back to get dressed.

Along the way, he firmly rejected Xi Wenlun’s suggestion to change together, declaring that hiking, as a sacred, wholesome pursuit, should remain untainted from start to finish.

Filthy behavior and thoughts were unacceptable!

After much bustling about, the two finally got into the car amid the servants' cheerful send-off.

Fu Xie rarely went out, so each outing was an event for the staff, who made a huge production out of it.

Not only did they roll out a red carpet, but they even scattered flowers, with two rows of servants standing on either side, bowing and offering well-wishes.

The servants were overly enthusiastic. Fu Xie often wanted to tell them it wasn’t necessary, but faced with their sincere and kind eyes, he'd just swallow his protest.

As soon as Fu Xie got into the car, he saw Xi Wenlun in the back seat quaking with laughter.

“Is it that funny?” Fu Xie felt himself getting steamed.

Xi Wenlun caught the anger in his tone and waved his hands. “No, no.” Then he sat up straight, schooling his expression.

Fu Xie gave him a dirty look. “Later, you’re not allowed to sneak off to take the elevator! You have to climb with me!”

The place they chose was a famous and scenic mountain, swarmed with tourists on holidays.

However, Fu Xie’s birthday fell on a Monday, when everyone was tied up with work or school, perfectly avoiding all holidays.

Meaning, aside from a handful of free spirits who didn’t have work or school either, almost no one would be competing with them for the view.

Fu Xie looked pityingly at the people trudging to work or school on the road.

What a grind. Thankfully, he didn’t have to do any of that now.

He turned away and fished an ice cream from the cooler.

Now this was living!

The car soon arrived at the foot of the mountain. At Fu Xie's stubborn insistence, Xi Wenlun hefted a huge backpack and, without the servants’ help, began climbing with him.

The mountain attracted many tourists, so not only were there dedicated hiking stairs, but also an elevator for direct ascent and descent.

The moment Fu Xie spotted the elevator, he quickly grabbed Xi Wenlun to stop him from heading toward it.

He declared loftily, “We must conquer this mountain with our own strength!”

Xi Wenlun gave him a look. “You said it.”

Fu Xie nodded emphatically.

The two chatted as they climbed.

Fu Xie had even bought a small electric fan at the base. As they walked, unaware of their identities, others simply treated them as ordinary tourists.

Xi Wenlun, who had spent years immersed in exclusive environments, found it all strangely exhilarating.

Fu Xie wasn’t particularly impressed. After basking in the sun for a bit and walking a stretch, he got a sudden burst of energy.

Unfortunately, his stamina didn’t last. His energy lasted only a small portion of the journey before he wilted.

Wheezing and gasping, Fu Xie felt like he might collapse at any moment.

“Can we… take the elevator midway?”

Xi Wenlun couldn’t help but laugh. “Didn’t you say climbing by elevator has no soul, and that the real reward comes from walking every step yourself?”

“Huh?” Fu Xie feigned ignorance. “Who said that? You've got to know your limits—no overexertion! Rest is essential when needed!”

Here's the edited translation incorporating the expert suggestions:

Mid-argument, they happened to arrive at a temple halfway up the mountain.

Fu Xie’s eyes lit up. “Let’s check that out first!” He immediately grabbed Xi Wenlun’s hand and pulled him toward it.

Normally, two men holding hands would attract attention, but there were few people around, and everyone was too tired from hiking to care about them.

As Fu Xie approached, he realized it was a temple mainly for love and marriage blessings.

A monk inside eagerly encouraged them to pay their respects and even suggested they draw a fortune slip.

The monk smiled warmly and said, “Quietly focus on what you wish to ask before drawing. True sincerity brings results.”

Fu Xie glanced at Xi Wenlun. “Want to try?”

Xi Wenlun had no interest in such things and shook his head.

Fu Xie, however, loved loot box games. Thinking he might as well, he decided to give it a shot.

Following the monk’s instructions, he pondered what question to ask.

Suddenly, an idea popped into his head—how about checking their future together?

Once he settled on it, he opened his eyes, reached into the container, and randomly pulled out a slip.

After removing the cloth covering it, a big "Misfortune" character was printed on the bamboo slip, accompanied by tiny, unreadable writing. The stark black ink only added to its foreboding aura.

Fu Xie: “...”

I should never have drawn this! What kind of crap fortune is this?!

The monk leaned over to peek and gasped. “Oh dear, sir, it seems the situation is rather unfavorable!”

He took the slip and examined it closely. “But there are ways to turn it around. As long as you aren’t deceived by wicked people, all will go smoothly.”

“If all else fails, I have some blessed items to reverse your fortune.” Finally revealing his true intentions, he pulled out a pile of jade pendants, talismans, and the like.

Fu Xie sighed, but the slip seemed like bad luck, so he still picked a few items to take with him.

After they left, Xi Wenlun raised an eyebrow. “Did you really need to do that? You just threw money away.”

Fu Xie shrugged. “Whatever. It was your cash anyway.”

Xi Wenlun: “...”

Touché.

The two continued their leisurely climb. While at the temple, they had bought some water, and Xi Wenlun’s backpack also contained energy bars for quick energy.

Even so, as a chronic homebody who never worked out, Fu Xie’s energy was completely drained from the prolonged activity, pushing him to his limit.

He leaned heavily on Xi Wenlun, refusing to move.

Seeing how Fu Xie’s hair—both at his temples and bangs—was drenched in sweat, his face unhealthily red, Xi Wenlun grew concerned he might collapse and agreed, “Alright, let’s take a break, then take the elevator, okay?”

He hadn’t intended to push Fu Xie too hard—excessive exercise was harmful, which went against his goals.

Hearing Xi Wenlun’s approval, Fu Xie went completely limp, melting into him. They made their way to a small rest area for visitors, which had snacks and seating available.

Xi Wenlun supported him to a seat to rest, and Fu Xie needed a good while to recover.

After another half-hour break, once they confirmed Fu Xie was stable, the two made for the elevator.

They had just entered when a capped guide waving a small flag pressed the elevator button from outside.

"Group XXX, move it!" the guide shouted through a megaphone while holding the door open.

Soon, a crowd of tourists wearing identical tour hats filed in one after another.

The once-spacious elevator instantly became claustrophobically tight.

"Hey, boys, mind making some room?"

The people here had no idea who they were, so they simply treated them as ordinary tourists.

The two were squeezed into a corner, with Xi Wenlun using his body to shield Fu Xie from the crowd. However, they were forced flush against each other.

Xi Wenlun's attempt to brace against the elevator wall proved futile as the distance between them rapidly shrank beyond control.

Fu Xie's face practically molded into Xi Wenlun's pectorals. He turned his head to breathe more easily, but one side of his cheek was still pressed in by the firm muscle.

His lips were right against Xi Wenlun's hiking jacket, and he feared speaking might make him bite the fabric.

The area from his abdomen downward was ground zero, as the crowd around them kept adjusting their positions.

"Christ, we're packed in here!" someone complained.

The guide ignored it completely. "Everyone here? Our next stop is the summit—don’t wander off!"

The crowd moved even more frequently, causing the two to rub against each other.

Unavoidable contact sent sparks through them, their most responsive parts locked flush.

The elevator doors closed, and body heat sent temperatures soaring.

Many were sweating and complaining about the heat.

Sweat beaded Fu Xie’s brow, but due to their tight proximity, each felt the other’s... awareness.

Sweat seeped through their hiking jackets, leaving them slick. Though their hands couldn’t move freely, strategic friction worked in their favor.

At first, it was just slight friction, but the people around them kept turning to chat with one person, then shifting to talk to another.

The noisy chatter drowned out the quiet slick sounds between them, which only intensified as people constantly changed positions while talking.

Fu Xie’s gaze went liquid. He desperately gripped Xi Wenlun’s hand, his lips brushing against the fabric as he breathed, "Are you crazy? This is..."

Suddenly, someone leaning against them burst into laughter at a friend’s joke, jerking around in the tight quarters.

Xi Wenlun was jostled along, and Fu Xie sucked in a sharp breath in response.