Chapter 34

Chapter 34

A once-in-a-century downpour drenched the capital, leading to the outright cancellation of Qi Jing’s military training. He was granted a week-long holiday, with classes transitioning to online instruction.

During dinner, the young man scrolled through the news.

The rain in Province Z appeared even more relentless—the city center was already submerged up to the first floor, and some rural homes had been swept away entirely.

Clutching a fruit bowl, Qi Jing furrowed his brow at the news. Outside, the sky remained overcast, the rain still falling.

“Xiao Jing, wear socks.”

His aunt’s reminder prompted an immediate response from the boy. He set down the fruit bowl and headed upstairs to find socks.

But he didn’t go to his own room; he went to the master bedroom.

Though he didn’t understand why Bo Chengyan no longer allowed him to sleep there, this place… was incredibly comfortable.

The blankets were so soft.

Qi Jing was slowly, intimately, glimpsing the other man’s life.

*Boom!*

Thunder rumbled outside.

Qi Jing curled further into the blanket, his socks haphazardly donned. The intermittent flashes of lightning outside made him feel uneasy.

He still wanted to make another call.

But just then, his phone began to vibrate.

Qi Jing reacted instantly, answering it.

“Another fifteen minutes.”

The voice on the other end was deep and low, accompanied by the distinct patter of heavy rain.

Bo Chengyan asked, “Have you eaten?”

“No.”

“Go eat.”

Qi Jing remained still, sitting on the edge of the bed, watching the rain outside. His insteps subtly tensed.

“I don’t want to eat.”

“Why?”

Bo Chengyan’s tone was gentle, his fingers absently rubbing. The severe weather didn’t seem to affect his mood much.

“I want to wait for you to come back so we can eat together.”

The voice on the other end was muffled, the tone simple and direct.

“Mm.”

“Don’t set the air conditioning too low. It’s quite cold outside.”

“It’s not too low. I’m wearing socks.”

A brief, simple exchange.

After the call ended.

The driver in the front seat spoke anxiously, “Mr. Bo, the rain is too heavy, and now there’s a traffic jam. We’ll likely be delayed.”

Bo Chengyan didn’t respond to the comment, only asking, “Where do you live?”

The driver paused, then replied, “Lakeside Garden.”

The road was heavily flooded, the water nearly covering half the tires, and the rain showed no sign of stopping.

At this moment, the desire to go home was stronger than ever.

“Drop by your place first. I’ll drive the rest of the way myself.”

The driver was speechless, unsure how to react, quickly expressing his gratitude before turning toward a different route.

Qi Jing stayed in the master bedroom for a while longer, bundled in the blanket as he watched the rain outside. At some point, 996 had returned.

It floated ghost-like before the young man.

“What’s this?”

Around Qi Jing’s neck was a peace buckle, its black cord stark against his fair skin. 996 leaned in for a closer look.

“Probably for protection.”

“He put it on me.”

Slender fingers toyed with the round wooden ornament, a hint of curiosity in their touch.

996 scanned it, then reported matter-of-factly: “Peace buckle, a peach wood ornament, used to ward off evil spirits…”

Qi Jing seemed to grasp something suddenly, looking up.

996 also froze, its dot eyes blinking rapidly.

“I’m not some low-level ghost!”

996 raged impotently, half-tempted to chew through the cord. But after calming down, it suddenly remembered something.

“Actually, ghosts aren’t anything to fear. They’re just energy forms visible under certain conditions—just another form of data.”

“In some ways, unstable humans are more dangerous than unstable ghosts.”

996 seemed about to say more. “The Bo family’s old residence once…”

The rumble of an approaching car came from outside.

Qi Jing immediately slipped on his shoes and got out of bed, a gust of wind following him as he hurriedly called out, “He’s back.”

“…”

*Time to make myself scarce.*

Qi Jing was only in pajamas at home. Seeing the man at the entrance, he rushed over, gazing up at him.

Bo Chengyan’s bangs were damp, his usual aloof, elite demeanor softened slightly. He raised his hand to remove his wristwatch and handed it to the maid nearby.

“Thank you for your trouble.”

His suit jacket was also taken, leaving only the dry shirt, the muscles beneath faintly visible, making his physique look impressive.

Qi Jing glanced back at the maid, who had already walked away.

He took a few steps forward. “I—”

His lips were brushed.

Qi Jing instinctively leaned back, but the nape of his neck was naturally supported and guided forward.

Just as he was about to speak—

Bo Chengyan lifted him up unceremoniously and carried him upstairs, even taking the stairs.

[Why won’t you kiss me?]

Qi Jing wrapped his arms around his shoulders, staring fixedly at his Adam’s apple, occasionally glancing down at the collar of his shirt.

A strange, indescribable feeling rose within him.

Once back by the bed,

Bo Chengyan acted as if he hadn’t noticed the stare, picking up a wet wipe and lowering his eyes to meticulously clean Qi Jing’s fingers.

Outside, the rain continued to fall.

The sound of raindrops hitting the window was like distant drums.

“What’s this here?”

Qi Jing touched the man’s forearm, where the slightly protruding veins were visible.

“Why aren’t mine as obvious?”

Their size difference could be dangerous—his throat could be crushed effortlessly, perhaps even suffocated by accident.

But the boy had no sense of danger.

Instead, his need for closeness and dependence ruled him.

After all, Qi Jing was already an adult. Though everyone warned him to take it slow—even Ruan Hang told him how terrifying it could be—

But the videos made it seem different…

After some thought, he decided some things needed firsthand experience.

Qi Jing: “I want to kiss you.”

Bo Chengyan stilled, then pulled out another clean wipe to clean his own fingers.

“I want to kiss—”

The boy’s legs were gently pulled apart, and he was settled facing him in his lap.

Qi Jing’s waist was supported—it felt secure yet undeniably intimate.

“Hmm, why the sudden urge to kiss today?”

In truth, this idle questioning was just a cover for something else. His resistance was crumbling.

Qi Jing had only said one sentence.

Yet he was already aroused—this wasn’t normal.

“I like you. I want to kiss you.”

“Can I?”

Like some childish game.

Innocent to a fault, yet torture for the other man.

“Sure.”

Qi Jing wrapped his arms around his neck and pressed their lips together, trying to recall how they’d kissed last time, tilting his head slightly.

No tingling sensation came.

He pulled back.

Bo Chengyan was wound tight, his eyes dark with hunger. He heard himself ask, “Why’d you stop?”

Qi Jing tried again, pressing his lips forward, this time sucking lightly on his lower lip.

It lasted only two or three seconds.

Then he gave up again.

Qi Jing didn’t notice the hand resting on his waist growing hotter, only feeling puzzled—why didn’t it feel like last time?

“It’s not how I remembered.”

“Then what would make it right?”

The boy mumbled, “When you kissed me last time… it was good.”

Words like these, akin to praise, were pure provocation.

Bo Chengyan tightened his grip on his waist, pulling him closer, and explained, gaze lowered, “That was a French kiss. You only pressed lightly.”

Qi Jing’s face flushed. He pressed his hands against his shoulders, averting his eyes. “I know… I just don’t think I can do it—”

*Can’t do it.*

That’s how he phrased it.

“Try.”

Qi Jing’s chin was tilted up, forcing their eyes to meet—his nervousness impossible to hide.

Bo Chengyan watched him until the boy hesitantly leaned in again, timidly flicked his tongue to test, like a curious snake.

No reaction?

Why wasn’t there a reaction?

Just as Qi Jing was about to pull away in frustration, the back of his neck was suddenly gripped, and his mouth seemed to be forced open.

His nape was tilted upward, his hands clutching the other’s shirt.

Tears welled up.

A strange sensation—the roof of his mouth tingled from the licking, the sucking, everything slick inside and out.

“Mmm… ah…”

Fingers wandered beneath his clothes, and Qi Jing’s body responded awkwardly, instinctively trying to shy away.

His lips were wet.

Lips found his cheek.

“Your hand…”

His face was tilted back again, his nape cradled for a deeper kiss.

Qi Jing felt something peculiar—he gripped the forearm of the hand exploring beneath his clothes but didn’t push it away.

Instead, he clung to it, like clinging to a lifeline.

The skin below his collarbone was rubbed red.

Just as the hand was about to withdraw, his lean body pressed forward again. “Ah…”

His lips were wet.

Qi Jing wrapped his arms around Bo Chengyan’s neck and glanced down at his own clothes—where a shameless hand was at work.

“Keep rubbing.”

The boy’s eyes were clear, his lips swollen from kisses, making his demand earnestly.

The hand under his clothes moved again.

“Hhh…”

Qi Jing looked up at him. “More.”

Why was the forbidden fruit forbidden?

Probably because it was addictive.

Their tangled kisses, accompanied by the sound of night rain, prolonged the afterglow.

Two hours later.

Qi Jing was exhausted. He had been utterly pampered—always speaking his mind, never holding onto worries for long.

Because someone would take care of everything for him.

When they were done, he was spent. Qi Jing leaned against Bo Chengyan’s shoulder and closed his eyes.

His legs wrapped around Bo Chengyan’s waist, the latter’s shirt missing buttons—chewed through.

The trash bin held a few new wet wipes and tissues.

A perfunctory cleanup.

“Get some sleep first.”

Qi Jing was laid on the blanket, his eyelids heavy, fingers hooking onto Bo Chengyan’s sleeve with a drowsy mumble.

Exhausted but satisfied.

The rain hadn’t stopped yet, pattering softly.

Qi Jing rocked upright, his knees marked red from friction. He lifted a hand to cover his face, then noticed the bathroom door.

He slipped on his slippers and walked over.

*Bang! Bang! Bang!*

He knocked relentlessly, completely uninhibited.

Bo Chengyan faintly felt his last nerve fraying. He snatched a towel roughly, his face icy, frowning as he turned to look.

For god’s sake, he wasn’t a kid anymore.

Qi Jing’s cheeks were flushed, his gaze instinctively dropping lower—but his chin was abruptly grabbed and pulled forward.

“Did I not satisfy you?”

Qi Jing’s eyes were shining wet. He had just remembered something from that book and wanted to check—it was important to him.

[Did it work…?]

“Mmm.”

The back of his neck was grabbed, and the bathroom door clicked shut.

***

The rain in the capital had gradually stopped, but the storm in Z Province continued violently, reaching the level of a “natural disaster.”

The disaster response teams were being deployed.

By the time Bo Chengyan carried Qi Jing out of the bathroom, the boy was already drowsy. As he leaned down to settle him on the bed—

His phone buzzed.

“Xiao Jing, your message?”

Qi Jing grabbed his hand. “You reply for me…”

Bo Chengyan simply bent to fish out a thermometer from the drawer, wiped it clean, then gently pinched the dozing boy’s cheek.

Easing his jaw open.

Just to be safe.

With his face cradled, Qi Jing couldn’t squirm away. Feeling Bo Chengyan hadn’t left, he slipped under, his fingers still tangled with Bo Chengyan’s.

Bo Chengyan frowned and took the phone.

As expected, the messages were there.

He scrolled through them.

111: I snuck out, but I can’t buy a ticket. Can you help me?

111: No idea what’s up with this sponsor.

111: I owe you money again…

Dozens of messages were scattered throughout.

They went all the way up to today.

Hates Broccoli: There’s heavy rain in Z Province. You make it there okay?

111: Barely made it. Almost got stranded. The flooding’s insane here—water’s up to my calves.

111: [Image]

Hates Broccoli: Be safe. Go see your family ASAP.

Hates Broccoli: Hit me up when you’re home.

Four hours went by.

Nothing.

Then, just now—

111: Qi Jing… my grandma’s been dead for a while. They buried her six months back.