Chapter 35 Sharing a Bed

Chapter 35: Sharing a Bed

Gu Shiying straightened up and stepped aside. Fu Huan’s hands naturally returned to his sides, slowly clenching into fists.

He was restraining himself.

Once a switch is flipped, it’s like a floodgate bursting open—impossible to close again.

He had held Gu Shiying’s wrist, supported his arm, gripped his shoulder, and wrapped an arm around his waist. Though each touch was brief, he savored every moment, reluctant to let go. Day and night, his desires intensified.

Just moments ago, he had magnanimously thought that simply accompanying Gu Shiying would be enough, letting him gradually grow fond of him. But now, he didn't want to take it slow. He wanted to possess Gu Shiying, to hold him tightly, to be like those couples they had seen earlier, to capture his attention. He also longed for Gu Shiying to affectionately call him by a nickname meant only for him.

The fireworks were beautiful, but fleeting.

Gu Shiying’s phone captured those brief moments, and his camera roll was once again filled with another page of footage. Satisfied, they went to grab a late-night snack with Fu Huan.

It was crowded today, and the shops were packed with tourists. Fortunately, the place Fu Huan took Gu Shiying to was relatively secluded, with fewer people compared to the seaside area. They found an empty table upon arrival and ate for over an hour before returning to the homestay.

After their barbecue meal, both of them carried the smoky scent of charcoal on their clothes. As soon as they returned, they headed straight to shower. Gu Shiying went first, and Fu Huan entered after he was done.

Gu Shiying, wearing the pajamas Fu Huan had bought him that day, nestled into the orange two-seater fabric sofa to blow-dry his hair. The room had a small balcony, and with the door open, the night sea breeze and the sound of waves filled the air.

In this relaxed atmosphere, Gu Shiying finished drying his hair and scrolled through the footage he had taken that day. The pajamas were so smooth and comfortable that he barely skimmed through a few videos before drowsiness set in. Propping his chin with his hand, he nearly dozed off on the sofa.

*Creak.*

The sound of the rusty bathroom hinges opening jolted away half of Gu Shiying’s sleepiness.

Wait, he couldn’t fall asleep. He had to share a 1.5-meter-wide bed with Fu Huan tonight. He needed to stay up.

Fu Huan walked out while drying his hair. "Tired?"

Gu Shiying’s mind was still a bit muddled. "Ah, yeah, a little."

Fu Huan: "Then go to sleep."

Gu Shiying: "Aren’t you sleeping?"

Fu Huan walked toward the sofa area. With his long strides, he reached the sofa in just two steps. Gu Shiying was enveloped by the familiar scent of the homestay’s shower gel, and he instinctively pulled his legs in and leaned back against the sofa.

Fu Huan said, "You take the bed. I’ll sleep on the sofa."

Gu Shiying: "You’re not sleeping on the bed?"

Fu Huan sat beside him, turning his head to look at him. "Gu Shiying, don’t forget—I’m gay. Don’t you have any reservations?"

Unexpectedly, Fu Huan directly pointed out the fact that Gu Shiying had been deliberately ignoring. It wasn’t that Gu Shiying didn’t know—he knew all too well.

Gu Shiying: "Oh, well, the bed is quite big."

Fu Huan: "Don’t talk nonsense with your eyes wide open."

Gu Shiying: "Isn’t it better than the school beds?"

Fu Huan: "It’s not big enough for two people."

Gu Shiying: "The sofa is pretty short. How about I sleep on the sofa, and you take the bed?"

Fu Huan: "No need. You take the bed."

"We’re brothers. There’s no need to be so formal, right?" He was almost at a loss for words, mainly because saying this only made Fu Huan more determined to keep his distance.

The smile on Fu Huan’s face gradually faded. "Gu Shiying, stop rambling."

Gu Shiying pretended to drop the subject. "Ha, you’re being way too cautious."

He retreated to the bathroom, used the toilet, came out, and slipped under the covers, tossing the extra pillow to Fu Huan.

Fu Huan reached out with his long arm, caught the pillow, and placed it on the side of the sofa. "Go to sleep. We have to wake up early tomorrow to watch the sunrise."

After pulling the covers over himself, Gu Shiying popped his head out again. "Won’t you catch a cold without a blanket? Maybe you should just sleep on the bed."

Fu Huan: "No need. I’m not cold."

If Gu Shiying hadn’t mentioned it, Fu Huan wouldn’t have even thought about feeling cold tonight. Earlier, when he saw Gu Shiying wearing the pajamas he had bought last minute, his fingertips had trembled while showering. Sitting beside Gu Shiying on the sofa, his entire body felt feverish—how could he possibly be cold?

Moonlight streamed in through the balcony door, allowing Fu Huan, lying sideways on the sofa, to openly watch Gu Shiying bury his face in the pillow.

At school, everyone hung bed curtains at the start of the semester to protect their privacy, so Fu Huan rarely had the chance to observe Gu Shiying from such a direct angle. Still, he knew that Gu Shiying didn’t usually wrap himself so tightly in the blanket when sleeping.

Gu Shiying tended to sleep sprawled out like a starfish, often dangling his feet outside the bed rail.

But now, he had cocooned himself like a silkworm.

Was the air conditioning too cold? Was it really that chilly?

Fu Huan didn’t feel it at all.

It couldn’t be—he had set the AC to 26 degrees. When he turned off the light, he had glanced at the remote, still in its original spot. Gu Shiying hadn’t touched it.

But could Gu Shiying have figured out that he liked him?

Yet just moments ago, he had casually thrown around the word "brothers," looking adorably righteous and earnest.

Fu Huan felt a flicker of excitement at the slim possibility, but soon, a wave of profound disappointment washed over him in the darkness.

He knew that a Gu Shiying who could casually call him "brothers" would never develop romantic feelings for him.

Gu Shiying was indeed exhausted and could barely keep his eyes open, but knowing Fu Huan’s feelings for him, he could only wrap himself tighter.

He was just too tired.

It was actually a bit noisy outside. Some tourists had just returned from their outings, and their conversations could be heard passing by their room.

Amid the noise, Gu Shiying drifted in and out of sleep. Once the chatter died down, he slipped back into dreams.

But not long after he fell asleep, a loud *thud* jolted him awake, causing him to leap up from the bed.

The sound was so sharp it felt like it had exploded right beside his ear!

"What happened? What was that?"

Gu Shiying fumbled for the switch by the bed and turned on the light, illuminating the room.

He saw Fu Huan still lying on the sofa, but his body had sunk into it, his posture twisted awkwardly. The two sofa cushions were pressed into a V-shape beneath him.

Gu Shiying couldn’t hold back a chuckle, though he immediately felt a bit guilty for laughing. He threw off the covers, jumped out of bed, and went to help a dazed Fu Huan up.

Grabbing Fu Huan by the sleeve, he helped him to his feet. Fu Huan, too, didn’t dare to trust the rickety sofa anymore.

Gu Shiying snapped awake: "Are you okay? How did this sofa collapse? The quality is awful!"

Fu Huan could only laugh helplessly: "It really is awful. No wonder they were the only ones with vacancies when I booked the room today—it's because the quality is so poor."

Both of them were getting a clear picture of this mom-and-pop place.

Gu Shiying said angrily, "Next time, we are never staying at a mom-and-pop place again."

Fu Huan sighed in resignation: "Yeah, I'll remember to check the ratings next time."

Gu Shiying: "..." Wait, who said I’d stay out with you again? Don’t even think about it.

However, after complaining about the inn, they returned to the most awkward issue of the night.

The sofa was not an option, so Fu Huan had to sleep on the bed.

Gu Shiying went back to the bed and offered, patting it: "Sleep here."

"Looks like it." This time, Fu Huan was too tired to argue. He placed the pillow back in its original spot, sat gently on the bed, and lay down stiff as a board.

Gu Shiying didn’t cocoon himself in the blanket like before; he had to share half of it with Fu Huan.

But both lay frozen, barely adjusting the covers.

Gu Shiying’s voice was tense too: "I’m going to sleep. Goodnight."

Fu Huan lay on his back, hands resting on his stomach, his throat slightly tight: "Goodnight."

It was very quiet now, and no more noise came from outside.

Gu Shiying’s sleepiness was now wide awake, and he was too keyed up to sleep.

He had never lain this close to Fu Huan before!

Occasionally, they brushed against each other in passing in daily life, but it was always brief. Now, lying on a queen-sized bed, they were separated only by a blanket.

In the darkness, it was so quiet that even their breathing seemed amplified.

After waiting for ten minutes, Gu Shiying tugged a corner of the blanket closer to his chest.

Had Fu Huan fallen asleep?

He wasn’t tossing or turning, and his breathing was steady.

Great, he could finally let his guard down and sleep.

Gu Shiying had been sleepy to begin with, and as he gradually relaxed, drowsiness washed over him again.

Soon, Gu Shiying fell into a deep sleep and rolled over in his sleep to face Fu Huan.

Fu Huan, who hadn’t slept a wink, used the light from the balcony to trace the outline of Gu Shiying’s face with a gaze full of longing.

If Gu Shiying had woken up at that moment, he would have seen a side of Fu Huan he had never witnessed before—his eyes tinged with restrained redness, filled not only with desire for him but also with an overwhelming tenderness capable of drowning a person.

That night, Fu Huan didn’t sleep a wink; he barely closed his eyes at all because, in the middle of the night, Gu Shiying reverted to his usual habit of sprawling out, directly using Fu Huan’s thigh as a blanket.

Fu Huan gazed contentedly at the ceiling, his mind racing with countless fantasies of pulling Gu Shiying into his arms.

He didn’t dare move, nor did he want to, until he remembered they had to drive back in the afternoon and didn’t want to risk fatigued driving. Only then did he manage to catch a few winks.

Gu Shiying, however, slept through it all, waking up to morning light streaming through the window.

He was a restless sleeper—sometimes sprawling out, sometimes lying on his side, and often hugging the blanket with his legs.

Wait, the thing under his leg felt like a blanket, but why was it so firm?

For a moment, he thought he was in his dorm and didn’t want to open his eyes. But after a two-second pause, his memory returned: he hadn’t slept in the dorm last night; he was at an inn, sharing a bed with Fu Huan.

Shit, wasn’t that thing under his leg...?

Yes, it was Fu Huan’s thigh.

Gu Shiying quickly yanked his leg back, pretending nothing had happened.

Wait, had he forgotten something!

They were supposed to watch the sunrise—what time was it now?

He bolted upright in bed, scratched his head in confusion, and reached for his phone on the nightstand.

In all the chaos last night, he had completely forgotten to set an alarm!

Fu Huan woke up when Gu Shiying moved his leg.

Gu Shiying asked him, "Did you not set an alarm either?"

Fu Huan blinked innocently: "I forgot."

It wasn’t that he hadn’t thought to set an alarm; he’d chosen not to. He figured if Gu Shiying woke up on his own, they could watch the sunrise together. If not, maybe they’d have another chance to come back here someday.

Gu Shiying rarely saw Fu Huan just after waking up. He himself was usually groggy in the mornings, but Fu Huan wasn’t human—he would go for morning runs even in the dead of winter. Every time Gu Shiying woke up, Fu Huan had already finished his run and showered.

Fu Huan’s messy hair and blinking eyes were kinda... cute.

Gu Shiying looked away quickly: "Since we’re awake, I’ll go freshen up."

When he came out after a quick wash, he found Fu Huan still sitting on the bed.

Gu Shiying: "Aren’t you getting up?"

Fu Huan: "It’s not that. My leg fell asleep."

Gu Shiying: "It can’t be because I was lying on top of it all night, right?"

Fu Huan looked at him: "Yeah."

Gu Shiying blurted out again: "Want me to rub it for you?"

Fu Huan responded even faster: "Sure."

Gu Shiying wanted to strangle his past self.

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Author’s Note: Fu Huan: Come on, wifey, give me a rub! [Pink heart][Pink heart][Pink heart]

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New synopsis, dear readers who like it can bookmark it first, mwah!

《From the Republic of China to Here》

Jiang Yicen came here from the Republic of China, walking for a long, long time.

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This is a story about a protagonist from the Republic of China who time-travels to the modern era and meets the love interest.

Marriage before love.

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Detailed synopsis will be posted later~