Chapter 76

Chapter 76

This was the greatest birthday surprise Xu Yan had ever received.

He lay quietly in Wen Sinian’s arms, soothed by the gentle pats on his back. After a moment, Wen Sinian released him, tenderly rubbing his reddened eyes. “Are you unhappy to see me?” he murmured.

Xu Yan nuzzled his forehead against Wen Sinian’s chest. “Of course I’m happy. So, so happy.”

Wen Sinian chuckled softly. “Then why the tears?”

Xu Yan sounded a little aggrieved. “I told you not to come… I really thought you wouldn’t…”

Seeing Xu Yan’s pitiful expression, Wen Sinian longed to kiss him, but with others watching, he settled for caressing his cheek.

“I hated leaving you that day. I figured you’d want to see me soon too, so I came anyway. Besides, how could I miss your birthday?”

Xu Yan hadn’t specifically mentioned his birthday to Wen Sinian, but Wen Sinian was so observant—he must have known all along.

“Don’t cry. You’re turning twenty today,” Wen Sinian said in a coaxing tone, as if to a child. “You’re a grown-up now. No more crying whenever you want, right?”

Xu Yan laughed, nodding in his arms.

Shen Nanli pushed the cake cart over, whispering, “Shouldn’t we move on? The candles are almost gone.”

Wen Sinian took Xu Yan’s hand, leading him to the cake. “First, make a wish.”

Xu Yan clasped his hands together before his chin, made a wish, and blew out the candles.

The restaurant lights brightened again. Their table had been mysteriously adorned with flowers, especially Xu Yan’s seat, which was almost engulfed in a sea of blossoms. The atmosphere was incredibly romantic.

Xu Yan had suspected Shen Nanli was up to something, but he hadn’t imagined he’d conspired with Wen Sinian so far in advance. Before Xu Yan could even ask, Shen Nanli spilled everything.

This was all Wen Sinian’s idea, including the earlier birthday video. He’d planned this surprise for Xu Yan from the start, flying straight to Berlin as soon as his work in Hong Kong was done.

Wen Sinian sat beside Xu Yan, so close there was virtually no personal space between them. Under the table, their legs were undoubtedly pressed together.

Anyone with eyes could see exactly what their relationship was.

Su Er, who had been sitting nearby, felt his confidence drain the moment he saw Wen Sinian. If he had once been overly proud of his height and looks, now, facing this equally tall and handsome Asian man, he suddenly felt he didn’t stand a chance.

Throughout the meal, Su Er couldn’t help but glance at Xu Yan. The polite, reserved demeanor he’d maintained earlier seemed to have vanished completely—now, a soft, gentle smile graced his face, and when happy, he unconsciously leaned into the man’s embrace.

The man’s hand under the table must have strayed, as Xu Yan would occasionally cast a reproachful glance, but the slight flush around his eyes looked less like blame and more like an invitation, a flirtation.

Wen Sinian, of course, noticed the sole pair of blue eyes fixed on them from across the table.

Like a persistent gnat, unable to tear himself away from Xu Yan—utterly disgusting.

Wen Sinian’s expression remained impassive as he whispered something into Xu Yan’s ear before excusing himself. Before leaving, he shot Su Er a casual glance, his eyes holding undisguised disdain and provocation.

As expected, Su Er’s competitive spirit instantly ignited.

He sat, trying to suppress his frustration, but failed. He abruptly stood and left, intending to confront Wen Sinian directly.

But Wen Sinian wasn’t in the restroom—he was nowhere to be found. After searching fruitlessly for a while, Su Er was about to head back when he suddenly spotted two blurred figures in a secluded corner outside the glass door.

His eyes widened in shock as he slowly approached.

Through the glass door, the dim light outside revealed only a broad back, almost entirely obscuring the small, soft body nestled in his arms.

A pair of slender arms wrapped around his waist, delicate fingers like snow-covered pine branches gripping tightly against the dark fabric, knuckles tensed into beautiful, elegant curves.

What they were doing was unmistakable. If he pushed open the glass door, he’d likely hear the wet, intimate sounds of their entangled kiss.

Su Er stood rooted to the spot, as if struck by lightning, staring blankly for several seconds. The intense atmosphere between them seemed to infect him, and in the end, he fled in disarray, not even returning to the table.

Xu Yan had no idea what had happened. Wen Sinian had called him outside, and he’d thought it was for a private conversation—only to be dragged into a corner and kissed.

Wen Sinian kissed him fiercely, as if making up for days of absence. His grip around Xu Yan’s waist tightened until Xu Yan was barely on his tiptoes, nearly breathless from the embrace. If not for Wen Sinian holding him, he would have collapsed long ago.

After a long while, Wen Sinian finally released him. Xu Yan’s lips were swollen and glistening, his eyes dazed, his mouth slightly parted as he gasped weakly against Wen Sinian’s chest—a thoroughly loved sight. Wen Sinian looked utterly pleased.

After sending a quick message to Shen Nanli, he led Xu Yan out of the restaurant.

The night was chilly, but Wen Sinian held Xu Yan’s hand the entire time as they strolled leisurely along the riverbank.

Once Xu Yan had caught his breath, he eagerly shared every detail of the film festival with Wen Sinian.

“After our film finished, everyone applauded! And at the banquet, several groups came to discuss it with us—they said our cinematography and editing were amazing,” Xu Yan recalled excitedly. “Oh, I even recorded some clips to show you…”

He scrolled through his camera, proudly displaying the footage to Wen Sinian. “Isn’t this hall gorgeous? So grand! The screen was enormous, and the chandeliers were all crystal…”

As Xu Yan gushed excitedly, Wen Sinian reached for the hand holding the camera—unsurprisingly, it was ice-cold.

“It’s stunning—and you earned every bit of it,” Wen Sinian said warmly, clasping Xu Yan’s hand to warm it. His tone was full of conviction. “You’ll stand on even bigger stages in the future. If you can dream it, you can do it.”

Xu Yan hadn’t expected Wen Sinian to echo his own thoughts so perfectly. He nodded earnestly. “Yeah, I’ll give it my all.”

Wen Sinian kissed the back of his hand. “Good. I’ll always believe in you.”

It was still relatively early, and because of Valentine’s Day, the streets were bustling with people. The shopping district nearby glowed under the lights, crowded with pedestrians.

Wen Sinian casually guided Xu Yan toward the shops. He’d rushed here too quickly to buy anything back home, but he’d already picked out a birthday gift—one only available at a boutique here.

Xu Yan thought they were just window-shopping, but then Wen Sinian suddenly led him into a luxury crystal store.

The moment they stepped inside, Xu Yan was almost dazzled by the glittering displays.

A clerk hurried over with a smile, and Wen Sinian effortlessly inquired about a specific piece. The associate guided them to a counter and presented it before them.

Xu Yan gasped in surprise. Before him was a crystalline rabbit so delicate it looked alive, its long ears drooping sweetly. The entire piece was translucent, breathtakingly beautiful.

Seeing the admiration in Xu Yan’s eyes, Wen Sinian knew he’d chosen well. He purchased it on the spot as Xu Yan’s birthday gift.

Xu Yan cradled the crystal rabbit carefully, handling it as if it might shatter. Though Wen Sinian refused to disclose the price, Xu Yan had secretly looked it up online—it had far too many zeros, a small fortune.

Wen Sinian loved spoiling him rotten, spending lavishly just to see that delighted expression—it was addictive.

They wandered hand in hand through the streets for a while. Wen Sinian insisted on dragging Xu Yan into every store, sneaking purchases despite Xu Yan’s protests.

Finally, Wen Sinian even pulled Xu Yan into an adult store. The place was stocked like Wen Sinian’s private collection.

Xu Yan stared at the floor the whole time, only catching glimpses of Wen Sinian tapping away on his phone to pay.

How much did he even get…?

They finally made it back to the hotel, it was nearly 11 p.m.

Wen Sinian had booked a room right next to Xu Yan and Shen Nanli’s—how convenient.

Shen Nanli and his friends had already returned to the hotel to rest. They had an early flight the next morning, so they went to bed early.

Xu Yan tiptoed into the room with his key card, quietly packing his luggage in the dark.

Suddenly, Shen Nanli turned on the light, his eyes wide as saucers, which startled Xu Yan instead.

"Yan Yan, why are you only coming back now?" Shen Nanli asked.

Xu Yan: "We were out exploring for a bit longer."

Shen Nanli: "Oh, so are you going out again now? Why have you packed all your things?"

Xu Yan, guilty: "Well... I’m staying in the next room."

Shen Nanli shrugged, "Sure, be safe, okay?"

With that, he rolled himself back into the blankets and fell asleep again.

Xu Yan quickly finished packing, grabbed his suitcase, and knocked on Wen Sinian’s door.

The door opened almost immediately from the inside. Xu Yan stood there, one hand pulling his suitcase, the other holding his backpack: "I—"

Before he could even finish the syllable, two hands reached out—one taking the suitcase from him, the other wrapping around his waist—as a hungry, desperate kiss descended on him.

The door slammed shut behind Xu Yan, and his suitcase was dumped unceremoniously, hitting the floor with a loud thud.

Xu Yan was lifted by his thighs, and he automatically hooked his legs around the other’s slender waist. His lips were sealed, and his shirt was roughly pulled free from his pants.

He struggled to turn his head away, hands pressing against Wen Sinian’s chest: "M-my... suitcase... fell..."

Wen Sinian cupped his face with both hands, turning to walk further into the room while chasing his lips in a muffled voice: "We’ll pick it up tomorrow."

The temperature in the room rose steadily. Xu Yan had initially felt a little cold, but soon he was completely enveloped in burning warmth.

*

Shen Nanli, drowsy, heard a knock on the door. Thinking it was Xu Yan returning, he opened it only to find their teacher standing outside.

"I called both you and Xu Yan, but no one answered. I was frantic—thought you two had gone out again this late," the teacher said. "We’re flying back early tomorrow. Set alarms for each other so you don’t oversleep."

Shen Nanli rubbed his eyes: "Teacher, Yan Yan's not coming with us."

The teacher was surprised: "Then who is he leaving with?"

"With Senior Wen."

"If it’s a few days later, the school won't reimburse it."

"They know."

The teacher: "Is Xu Yan in the room? I need to confirm with him."

Shen Nanli hesitated: "He... isn’t here."

The teacher: "! It’s been so long—why hasn’t he come back yet?"

...

Just a wall away.

Xu Yan lay face-down on the bed, his knees rubbed raw and red.

His cheek was pressed into the sheets, already damp with tearstains.

Wen Sinian kissed the side of his face, sucking on his tongue, nipping with controlled pressure between his teeth.

If not for fear of hurting him, he would have already been aching to devour him and swallow him whole.

The skimpy nightdress had long slipped to his waist, the back mostly open-backed. His alabaster skin shimmered with a light glaze of sweat—some his own, some smeared by Wen Sinian.

Wen Sinian wrapped an arm around his waist, trapping him completely.

Xu Yan buried his face in the sheets and whimpered pitifully for a while before Wen Sinian hauled him upright and maneuvered him over, face to face.

On the nearby table was an open ice cream cake, also bought on the way back.

Xu Yan hadn’t gotten to eat the birthday cake at the restaurant, so Wen Sinian got him another.

But Xu Yan never expected it would be consumed... this way.

Dexterous fingers plunged directly into the cream cake, mixing the frozen custard center inside until it was thoroughly blended. Then, using his index finger, Wen Sinian scooped some up and brought it to the lips of the man on the bed for a taste.

A pink tongue tentatively licked at it. The sweet flavor was irresistible, and Xu Yan slowly opened his eyes, mouth falling open in silent plea.

Wen Sinian fed him a few more bites before slowly smearing the cream across his skin.

After a while, Wen Sinian straightened up, cleaning the last traces of cream from his own fingertips.

Xu Yan choked on a sob.

This wicked beast had really turned him into a cream-stuffed pastry.

In the end, all the cake ended up in Wen Sinian’s stomach.

Xu Yan’s body lingered with the sweetness of cream. Just when he thought it was all over, Wen Sinian produced something far worse.

"Baby." Wen Sinian captured his wrist.

He didn’t know what it was, only that the texture felt like coarse velvet—strangely firm yet yielding, maddeningly sensitive with just a touch.

Soon, mayhem followed.

Wen Sinian gathered him close, kissing his face, slick with tears and sweat.

"Open your eyes."

"Look at me."

Xu Yan’s eyelids fluttered heavily, unable to focus.

Wen Sinian chuckled, catching the spit that had involuntarily escaped from his lips.

...

What felt like hours later, Xu Yan drifted back to awareness, feeling as if he were submerged in liquid heat.

Wen Sinian still had an iron hold on his hips.

He had woken up because he desperately needed to relieve himself, but there was no escape. Tearfully, he whimpered pathetically: "I... I need to pee..." Instead of letting him go, Wen Sinian only tightened his grip.

He murmured by his ear, "That loud? Want the whole floor to hear?"

Xu Yan jolted back suddenly, his tear-filled eyes gazing at him pitifully, as if unable to believe he would only remind him now.

Wen Sinian didn’t tell him the room was actually soundproof, just asked gently, "Need help?"

Xu Yan, too weak to cover his own mouth, nodded with tears in his eyes.

Wen Sinian kissed his lips. "Good boy. I'll help you."

Then he covered his mouth.

Having gotten what he wanted, Wen Sinian still didn’t let him off.

Much later, until Xu Yan no longer needed the bathroom at all.

Wen Sinian, without hesitation, held him in his arms, removed what was stuffed in his mouth, and kissed him.

Xu Yan, completely miserable, sobbed against his chest.

Wen Sinian patted his back, coaxing him in a soft voice, a complete contrast to his earlier roughness. "Shh, don't cry."

Even as he comforted him, he picked up the short skirt and taunted, "How did it get so dirty? Who did this?"

Xu Yan cried even more pitifully, swatting the thing out of his hand.

Wen Sinian tossed the skirt off the bed and kissed his hand.

Xu Yan kept quiet, turned pink all over with shame over his loss of control.

Wen Sinian kissed his damp eyelashes and, seeing him squeeze his eyes shut to hide, provoked, "Aren’t you already 20? Or are you still a 2-year-old?"

Xu Yan bit his lip, so Wen Sinian lightly tilted his chin up. "Well? Hmm?"

"Baby, answer me."

With a sob, Xu Yan whimpered, "N-no..."

"Oh, not a child?" Wen Sinian laughed lowly. "Then why can’t you even control yourself? Should I put down a changing mat for you at night?"

Xu Yan bit his lower lip again, his watery eyes shot him a resentful glare, full of resentment and accusation.

It was... this was all his doing...

Xu Yan didn’t want to speak to him anymore, closing his eyes and feigning sleep against his chest.

Wen Sinian carried him to the bathroom to clean up.

Afterward, Xu Yan was truly exhausted and fell asleep. The bed was ruined, so Wen Sinian held him on the couch for the night, letting him sleep on top of him, arms wrapped around him—perfectly content.

When Xu Yan woke again, it was already evening the next day. His body ached as if run over by a truck, limbs disassembled and reassembled.

He checked the time and bolted upright from the couch, only for his legs to buckle. Wrapped in the blanket, he rolled over twice, bumping his head against the table leg with a soft 'oof'.

Wen Sinian picked him up from the floor, pulling back the covers to reveal his flushed face.

"Hit your head again?"

Xu Yan nodded.

Wen Sinian massaged his temple, his voice dropping. "Be careful. What if you really hurt yourself? Nothing matters more than your health, understand? Can you really take care of yourself when I’m not around? Can you stop getting hurt?"

Xu Yan nodded again, his voice tiny and rough. "I can... That was just an accident..."

"What’s the rush?"

"I think... I missed my flight..." Xu Yan said. "Professor and Nan Li are probably gone. What do I do now?"

So that was it. He hadn’t had time to tell him last night.

Wen Sinian carried him to the bed—the room had been tidied while he slept.

"Of course you’re not going back with them," Wen Sinian said. "We’re staying in Berlin a few more days."

Xu Yan’s brain was too foggy to understand. "Why?"

Wen Sinian tweaked his plush cheek, barely resisting the urge to nip it, gritting his teeth. "To take you sightseeing. The cultural scene here is vibrant—you’ll like it."

Xu Yan’s face lit up. He’d thought one day wasn’t enough, but Wen Sinian had already planned it.

But it was too late to go out now, so Wen Sinian had food sent up.

Xu Yan hadn’t eaten all day, yet he didn’t feel hungry.

Wen Sinian turned the AC up high, put him in light clothes, and fed him while holding him.

Xu Yan ate only a few bites before saying he was full, attempting to wiggle free from Wen Sinian’s lap, afraid of a repeat of last night.

Wen Sinian held his hips firm and gave his rear a light smack. "Behave. Don’t squirm. You’ve eaten too little."

Xu Yan hugged his middle. "But I’m really not hungry. I’m not lying."

Wen Sinian’s large hand pressed against his pale, bare stomach.

"Why’s it still a little swollen?" he asked. "Did I not clean you out properly?"

Xu Yan quickly grabbed his hand. "N-no..."

Wen Sinian didn’t believe him. "You don’t even know how much you took last night. Let me check if there’s more inside."

"Don’t..." Xu Yan whimpered softly. "Really, there’s nothing..."

Wen Sinian easily caught both slender wrists with one hand, kissing his cheek. "If you don’t want food, that’s fine. I can fill you up with something else."

One way or another, Xu Yan ended up eating.

*

The next morning, still sore, Xu Yan let Wen Sinian carry him out of bed for their outing.

Wen Sinian dressed him in layers, bundled him up tightly, and even slipped wool gloves on him early, wrapping his own camel-colored scarf around his neck.

Finally, Xu Yan wore a fluffy knit cap with a cute pom-pom on top, his face buried in the scarf, leaving only his fluttering, beautiful eyes exposed.

Satisfied, Wen Sinian took him out.

Unexpectedly, the weather was unprecedentedly clear, the sun warming them.

Soon, Xu Yan grew too hot—Wen Sinian had overdressed him.

He felt better after taking off his coat, handing it to Wen Sinian while he snapped photos of the sky, the streets, the riverbank, and then turned to capture Wen Sinian.

As the two passed by the cathedral, the sunlight shone directly on its spire, like a golden dome stretching beneath the clouds.

Wen Sinian took the camera and recorded a video of Xu Yan, watching as the figure in the frame skipped joyfully into the distance, pulling down his scarf to reveal a beaming face. After twirling for the camera, Xu Yan ran back toward him.

Wen Sinian seemed to finally understand why he loved filming so much.

Just like human eyes, a camera could capture the beauty of a moment.

Yet a camera fell far short of the human eye—it could never capture even a fraction of his radiance.

From then on, the camera remained mostly in Wen Sinian’s hands. He continuously documented every little moment with Xu Yan, and through his lens, one could glimpse the profound love he held for the person in the frame.

They visited the East Side Gallery and the Berlin Wall, where Xu Yan stood quietly with his hands behind his back, admiring the murals. They went to Alexanderplatz and Museum Island, where Xu Yan weaved through the crowd to take his hand and lead him forward...

On their final afternoon, they returned to the Spree River and boarded a cruise as evening fell.

The sky slowly turned orange-red, turning the river into liquid amber. The artistic architecture along the banks shimmered in the light, breathtakingly beautiful.

Xu Yan leaned against the railing, raising his camera to capture the television tower gilded by the setting sun.

Wen Sinian stood behind him, resting his hands on the railing on either side, easily wrapping around him in an embrace.

Occasionally, people on the shore would glance at the couple at the bow, and the view seemed even more beautiful because of them.

Xu Yan captured a perfect shot and turned excitedly to share it with Wen Sinian. “Look, isn’t the sunlight from the sunset just beautiful?”

Wen Sinian gently tucked a wind-tousled strand of hair behind his ear, his fingertips brushing Xu Yan’s slightly chilled cheeks before adjusting his scarf higher.

“Yeah, gorgeous.”

Xu Yan looped the other end of the scarf around Wen Sinian’s neck, carefully arranging it before smiling up at him with crinkled eyes.

Then he turned the camera toward them both, leaning back against Wen Sinian and telling him to look at the camera.

“We’re on the Spree River right now. We just passed Alexanderplatz, and behind us is the sunset... absolutely gorgeous, so we have to record it...”

After speaking, he poked Wen Sinian behind him and asked with a laugh, “Do you have anything you want to say?”

Wen Sinian lowered his gaze, as if he’d never stopped looking at him.

“What I want to say...”

Suddenly, warm breath brushed against his ear, a deep voice carried by the breeze.

“I love you.”

Xu Yan went still, the camera still raised, not caring about the angle anymore as he turned to stare at him, blinking. “What?”

Gentle and patient, Wen Sinian repeated, “Baby, I love you.”

This all-consuming love for him was an instinct even harder to resist than addiction.

Xu Yan’s eyes suddenly grew damp, his heart pounding irregularly, his whole body feeling weightless, as he was turned around.

Wen Sinian cupped his face, thumb stroking his flushed cheeks, whispering to his dazed lover, “Say you love me too.”

So, mesmerized, Xu Yan tilted his head up and softly whispered, “I love you too.”

Wen Sinian kissed him, and the camera in Xu Yan’s hands continued recording without pause.

In the background, the Spree River shimmered, molten gold from the sunset reflecting on the ripples, a sight breathtaking in its beauty.

Bathed in golden light, their figures blended together as they kissed amidst the dazzling light.

In the distance, a church's evening bells began to chime, and the camera finally captured this tender, romantic kiss.

The moment the camera captured became a timeless memory.

Author’s Note:

The main story is complete! The End.

May this sweet couple be happy forever [cry]

I’ll continue with the extras—first some married life moments, and I’ll figure out the rest later [yellow heart][yellow heart]

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