Chapter 57: Drinking from the Collarbone

Chapter 57: Drinking from the Collarbone

“Brother, is one packet enough for you? I see there’s one left—should I make it for you too?”

“No need.” Huo Yanchi slurped down the last mouthful of noodles, not even leaving a drop of broth.

The cork of the red wine popped with a bang. Huo Yanchi swirled the bottle, filling Shen Junlan’s glass to the brim.

“Since my Little Leaf wants to drink with me, let’s really enjoy ourselves today.”

Shen Junlan waved his small hands in refusal—a full glass was far beyond his capacity.

“Think it’s too little, Little Leaf? No worries, if one bottle isn’t enough, we’ll open two.”

Shen Junlan gazed blankly at Huo Yanchi, whose eyes were full of mischief. When Huo Yanchi tilted his head to look at him, Shen Junlan’s heart suddenly ached.

It was a youthful energy Huo Yanchi had never shown before, and Shen Junlan couldn’t bear to shatter it.

The twenty-year-old Huo Yanchi was even more reserved than now, his home oppressively silent. The only sounds Shen Junlan heard daily were Huo Yanchi getting up, washing, watering it, and wiping its leaves. During these moments, Huo Yanchi never spoke—silent, suppressed to the extreme.

Shen Junlan loved Huo Yanchi’s voice. When answering calls, Huo Yanchi would first lower his brows, then give a quiet 'mm' in acknowledgment. His fingers, curved around the phone, formed a beautiful arc.

Year after year, Shen Junlan watched Huo Yanchi from the balcony, imitating his demeanor and learning his ways.

Shen Junlan once read a line on his phone: To truly love someone is to feel their pain and want to redeem them.

Huo Yanchi had suffered so much that he couldn’t even utter the word "suffering." He swallowed the bitterness, put on his suit, and at twenty, became a composed and mature chairman.

“Sweetie, taste this and tell me if it’s red or white wine.”

Before even taking a sip, Shen Junlan already felt intoxicated.

He took a small sip from Huo Yanchi’s hand and said hoarsely, “It’s eternity.”

Huo Yanchi’s eyes widened slightly. He stared suspiciously at Little Leaf—this was something he’d just learned online, yet Little Leaf was quicker at catching on to things.

“Huo Yanchi, here’s to us lasting forever.”

“Sweetie, you stole my line. What am I supposed to say now?”

Huo Yanchi blinked with feigned hurt, then moved to sit closer to Shen Junlan.

“Brother, you can say you like me, that you want to be with me forever.”

“I really like my Little Leaf, want to be with my Little Leaf for lifetimes.”

Huo Yanchi took a big gulp of red wine. His eyes felt sore as he stared at Shen Junlan, murmuring softly, “Have I been unfair to you by being with me?”

“Huh? Huo Yanchi, what nonsense are you spouting again?”

Shen Junlan took a sip of wine and gently clinked glasses with Huo Yanchi. “Brother, don’t put yourself down.”

Huo Yanchi’s mood seemed off, but Shen Junlan couldn’t quite figure out why. He could only keep urging Huo Yanchi to drink, hoping to get him drunk enough to reveal something.

After finishing a bottle of red wine, Huo Yanchi’s face showed little change.

“Hey.”

Shen Junlan couldn’t drink anymore. He waved his hand, refusing the glass Huo Yanchi offered.

“Little Leaf.”

The Huo Yanchi before him seemed to appear doubled. Shen Junlan tried hard to stay clear-headed and responded with a firm “Hmm.”

“Do you still want to drink?”

“No, I’m dizzy.”

Huo Yanchi said 'Oh', then picked up Shen Junlan with one hand while holding the wine bottle in the other.

He felt light, as if weightless.

Each step Huo Yanchi took seemed steady, but in reality, he was also unsteady—he'd just grown accustomed to the pretense.

At banquets, even if he drank until his stomach bled, Huo Yanchi could down a few more glasses without showing any reaction.

The usually cold Zhou Jiayun had suddenly asked him, “Are you doing well?”

Yes, was he doing well?

If she had asked this a few years earlier, he might have felt something. But now it was too late—so late that hearing such words only made him sick.

If it weren’t for exposing Huo Hongqing last time, he would never have wanted anything to do with the Huo family ever again.

Zhou Jiayun said she was probably getting divorced soon and that they had wronged him all these years.

Was it guilt from the impending divorce, or had she been hurt by the Huo family and needed an outlet—and he happened to be that outlet?

That was a profile he seldom used anymore. Everyone from the Huo family had died in that account eight years ago, along with the account itself.

“Brother, you’re different today.”

Shen Junlan traced the lines of Huo Yanchi’s face, his fingers sliding from the corner of Huo Yanchi’s eyes down to the corner of his lips. His eyes glistening with moisture held a glimmer of light.

Huo Yanchi seemed unhappy, yet also happy.

“Sweet Leaf, what do you find different about me?”

Shen Junlan rubbed his spinning head, thinking for a long time. When Huo Yanchi laid him on the bed, he rolled over, his gaze still locked intently on him.

“Probably... your eyes.”

There was an emotion in his eyes that hadn’t been there before. After pondering for a while, Shen Junlan attributed it to Huo Yanchi having freed himself—liberated from something indefinable, completely becoming himself.

Huo Yanchi set the wine bottle on the bedside table not too heavily, then loosened the tie tight around his collar and gently looped it around Shen Junlan’s wrist. With a slight tug, Shen Junlan’s upper body lifted, his face moving closer to Huo Yanchi.

With a slight turn of his head, Shen Junlan’s kiss landed on the corner of Huo Yanchi’s eye.

A kiss both awkward yet precious.

“Brother, cheer up. Life is ours to live. You were amazing today—I still like you when you're like this—more youthful.”

“I’m so sad, Little Leaf. Do you think I’m old?”

Huo Yanchi pressed a hand to his chest, blinking as he looked at Shen Junlan. A faint sweat seemed to glisten on the tip of his nose.

“Silly, aren’t I far older than you? My earliest memory of you is your magnificent form shielding me from the thunder calamity. You have no idea how handsome you were.”

It was like a god descending from heaven. Huo Yanchi’s drenched form blocked all the wind, rain, and thunder.

When Shen Junlan looked up, he met Huo Yanchi's wounded, lost gaze; from that moment on, all his feelings toward the world became the sorrow in Huo Yanchi's eyes.

“Brother, feed me a sip of wine—I want to taste what you taste like.”

Shen Junlan pulled open his collar, revealing his shoulder, and turned his waist slightly, striking an intensely seductive pose.

His collarbone dipped deeply, deep enough to hold wine.

The cold, sharp wine trickled into the hollow of Shen Junlan’s collarbone. Huo Yanchi kissed it away, swallowing as his lips moved against Shen Junlan’s Adam’s apple, then trailed his teeth upward to bite gently at his lips.

A kiss filled with the scent of wine, yet not a drop of alcohol passed between them.

Shen Junlan arched eagerly to meet the kiss, fingers clutching Huo Yanchi’s wrist. He leaned back slightly, and Huo Yanchi pressed down over him.

As the kiss deepened, Shen Junlan gasped and lightly bit Huo Yanchi’s lip.

He was like a flower that had grown vines—twining around Huo Yanchi, unwilling to let go for even a moment.

Breathless, Shen Junlan gazed at Huo Yanchi with hazy eyes and smiled shyly.

After gathering his courage for a long while, he leaned close to Huo Yanchi’s ear and whispered, “Brother, I looked up a lot of information today and bought everything we need. It’s not that I don’t want to—I’m just a little scared.”

Afraid of pain, afraid of discomfort.

Shen Junlan tightened his arms, nearly burying himself completely in Huo Yanchi’s embrace.

“Can I wait a little longer? Will you be upset?”

“People online say if someone is always hesitant, it might mean they don’t like you enough. That’s not me—I just don’t understand these things, and I’m not ready yet.”

Huo Yanchi’s heart warmed. He had always believed such things should only happen with Shen Junlan’s full consent. He never wanted to pressure him or make him unhappy.

“I won’t be upset, sweetheart. I’m already incredibly happy today. You’ve given me such a huge surprise—I’m over the moon.”

“Before coming back tonight, I was feeling a bit low. Zhou Jiayun said she’s decided to divorce and might spend more time with Huo Yaoyang. I thought I wouldn’t care, but when she apologized, I still felt a little hurt.”

What was there to feel hurt about? All the suffering and pain he’d endured over the years brushed aside with just a simple “sorry.”

Those sleepless nights, every moment of bleeding and agony—it all felt like a cruel joke.

What did he want? Could it be that all he ever wanted was an apology?

“Just hold me.”

Any words of comfort would only insult Huo Yanchi. He didn’t need consolation—a warm embrace was enough.

They held each other in silence for a long time. The alcohol began to rise to Shen Junlan’s head. He intertwined his fingers with Huo Yanchi’s and mumbled, “Brother, what is breathplay? People say it feels amazing—what does that mean?”

He had deleted that app too late; BDSM content had already infiltrated his Little Leaf.

“It’s like… kissing you while gently holding your neck,” Huo Yanchi said softly, his expression slightly awkward.

In truth, it was closer to doing it while actually applying pressure to the neck.

“Oh.”

Shen Junlan nodded contentedly. Lack of oxygen must feel something like that.

“Brother, try it.”

Shen Junlan half-guided Huo Yanchi’s hand to his neck. His eyes sparkled with unusual brightness—no fear, no tension, only anticipation and delight.

He even shifted into a more comfortable lying position.

“Huo Yanchi, I actually really like it when you take control. Am I messed up or something? You always stop after just a taste—you can’t bear to dominate me.”

Tsk, Huo Yanchi realized—“barely tasting” could be used this way after all.

“Come on, brother, I love you the most.”

His Little Leaf was truly drunk. Huo Yanchi applied slight pressure with his fingers and leaned down to kiss Shen Junlan.

Every ounce of oxygen in Shen Junlan’s lungs was claimed by Huo Yanchi. His eyes reddened, translucent tears rolling down as he clung desperately to the kiss, hoping to draw breath from him.

Phew—

Shen Junlan wiped his eyes. Huo Yanchi couldn’t bring himself to use much force; Shen Junlan felt as though he were floating.

“Brother, I really like it.”

Huo Yanchi glanced at the red marks on Shen Junlan’s neck and gently stroked them.

Shen Junlan’s skin was delicate—even light pressure left marks. If they actually went through with it, would his whole body be covered?

“Sweetheart, you’re drunk. Go to bed early.”

“No, carry me to the bathroom first.”

The drunken Little Leaf was even more clingy, clinging tightly to Huo Yanchi, refusing to let go.

He babbled affectionately, every word striking a deep chord in Huo Yanchi.

“Huo Yanchi, having me is enough. Those people are just passing shadows—forget them.”

“Okay, I’ve already forgotten.”

Shen Junlan mumbled something and then fell silent. Huo Yanchi carried him back to bed and gently kissed his forehead.

He already had the most wonderful person in the world.

Huo Yanchi sat on the edge of the bed. After Shen Junlan fell asleep, he posted a moment on social media:

“My boyfriend says only such a special flower suits someone as special as me.”

The photo attached was one he had taken that evening. His phone kept buzzing—filled with messages of blessing and well-wishes.