Chapter 12 The Lacy Little Skirt

Chapter 12: The Little Lace Skirt

It was the first time Shi Zai had been embraced by Shu Yangkuo with his arms wide open!

The moment he nestled into the embrace, his eyes welled up, but he fought to hold back the tears. He should be happy, yes, very happy. Shi Zai lay entirely on top, his waist and back tightly clasped by a pair of powerful hands, his whole heart feeling as if it were being squeezed. He lifted his eyes, repeating:

"Ge, it feels so good, truly wonderful, I love this so much..."

"Stop calling me that... no, stop talking."

"..."

"Ge—please, you're the one who let me taste what it's like to be held. Now I can't live without it; you have to take responsibility."

"...Alright."

Shi Zai instantly brightened, lifting his head higher. He loved the embrace and also loved watching Shu Yangkuo's expressions, seeing the other's eyes filled with his own reflection. But this time, why wasn't he looking at him?

He cupped Shu Yangkuo's face, brushing at his eyelashes, which fluttered before closing.

It was late, time to sleep, but... Shi Zai leaned close to Shu Yangkuo's ear and whispered softly:

"Ge, can I sleep like this then?"

"...Mm."

"Then let me move down a bit..."

"Just like this."

"Okay, Ge, goodnight."

Shi Zai let his head droop, resting perfectly in the crook of Shu Yangkuo's shoulder.

Actually, he'd have preferred to rest on his chest. Right now, he felt like a large frog, with his legs straddling Shu Yangkuo's waist and his hands clutching his shoulders. He wanted to shift downward, but his waist was held too tightly to move at all. Tch, what was so untouchable about those legs?

But this was still very comfortable. Shi Zai secretly pursed his lips, brushing them against Shu Yangkuo's neck. It was a different sensation from his chest—it made him want to bite it. Moonlight slanted in through the window, bathing them both in its glow, a play of light and shadow. Shi Zai gazed without blinking, from Shu Yangkuo's tightly pressed lips to his sharp jawline, and finally to his neck and Adam's apple, which were closest to him. Like a small hill, half in light, half in shadow, it stood tall in the moonlight, like another crescent moon, emitting a faint glow with a touch of reserved coolness—both repelling and inviting.

Listening to his steady breathing, Shi Zai edged closer, his lips almost touching the Adam's apple.

To avoid waking him, Shi Zai extended the tip of his tongue and licked it gently and slowly. Indeed, it tasted good.

Before he could lick it again, the large Adam's apple bobbed heavily twice, too fast for Shi Zai's lips and tongue to follow. Just as he was about to lift his head to pursue it, his shoulder was firmly pinned down, and a low, incredibly hoarse voice uttered:

*"Amitabha."*

"..."

"Stop playing, sleep."

"...Old fossil."

He wished he could go back to being a *real* old fossil, so he could play however he wanted every night before sleep.

Shi Zai snorted, feeling deflated by the *"Amitabha."* Then he wondered what they would do if they went to a temple, and his thoughts drifted to how to properly care for him. With all these rambling thoughts, he slowly drifted off to sleep.

In the morning, Shi Zai was actually the last to wake up. As soon as he opened his eyes, the embrace was gone, and no one was beside him. He sat up abruptly and heard the sound of water running from the bathroom. He was speechless—so finicky, needing to shower at least twice a day.

Just as he finished washing up, Shu Yangkuo emerged from the bathroom. Shi Zai immediately exclaimed:

"Ge, why are you taking cold showers again?!"

"...Not cold."

"If you dare catch a cold from this, I’ll be really upset."

"...Won’t happen."

Shi Zai had nothing more to say, but he also couldn't be bothered to restrain him. Aside from his legs, Shu Yangkuo was fine—strong and healthy, what was the big deal?

In the outer room, Yang Yun was kneeling by the window with his rear end sticking up, looking outside, somehow exuding a sense of loneliness. Shi Zai instantly felt a pang in his heart. Just earlier, the little bird had been playing with him on the bed, but now, while he was washing up, something seemed off.

Walking over, Shi Zai hugged Yang Yun from behind:

"Xiao Yunbao, what are you looking at?"

"The sky."

"..."

"I want to fly, but I can’t anymore."

"...Yun Bao, do you not want to stay by my side anymore?"

As he said this, Shi Zai’s voice trembled slightly. Had he been neglecting Yang Yun?

Seeing him like this, Yang Yun immediately turned around:

"Little brother, no! It’s just... I just don’t know what else I can do."

"...You scared me!"

Shi Zai instantly breathed a sigh of relief and patted the little bird’s sleep-mussed head:

"You’re only sixteen, what’s the rush? I haven’t even decided what I ultimately want to do yet. Let’s take it one step at a time; there’s no hurry."

"But I can’t fly anymore."

"...Hahaha, silly Yun Bao, even if you could fly now, who would you scare? Look around—does anyone on the street fly?"

"Hehe, I get it."

The pink dumpling was truly well-behaved. Shi Zai rubbed the back of his head and continued:

"Little brother understands what you mean. Everyone needs their own piece of the sky. Don’t worry, you’ll find it."

"Mhm, mhm! Today, let’s go see little brother’s piece of the sky first!"

Shi Zai lifted him off the windowsill and scratched his nose. His piece of the sky... he wasn’t so sure he recommended the two of them seeing it.

Two hours later, at the edge of a deserted grove in East Suburb Park.

The scenery was beautiful—lush plane trees cast large patches of shade under the brilliant sunlight, swaying gently in the wind. The air was filled with a fresh, invigorating scent. Not far from the grove was a small stream, with a wooden arched bridge spanning it. Wildflowers of all colors grew along the banks, reflected in the gurgling water, their fragrance carried away by the flow, making the world feel exceptionally vibrant and beautiful, with a lively, bright atmosphere.

The person was beautiful too—more radiant than the flowers, more cheerful than the flowing water.

By the stream, a "girl" in a pure white short-sleeved shirt and a goose-yellow lace skirt spread her arms and ran joyfully onto the arched bridge. She came to a sudden stop, raising her arms high to reveal a section of pale, slender waist. Her head tilted back slightly, eyes narrowed, mouth grinning. If you ignored the skirt she was wearing, her expression was like that of a contented, beautiful little cat basking blissfully in the sun.

An extra lace skirt added a hint of seductiveness.

But with the joy and liveliness in every gesture, they seemed exceptionally pure and beautiful, making you want to laugh along with them.

Click, click... the shutter kept clicking, the photographer couldn't bear to delete a single shot.

The scene shifts to several closely spaced plane trees. The person in front of the lens changed into an avocado-green spaghetti-strap maxi dress that covered the ankles but showed flashes of raised pink and white with each step—teasing the camera but never letting it capture clearly. The figure in the lens darted back and forth among the trees, always showing only a side profile, also laughing heartily, like some forest spirit, utterly enchanting.

The first set of photos featured long golden-blond wigs, the second set had green double braids.

The third set showcased his natural short hair, with vibrant red hanfu—sometimes holding a sword, sometimes quietly playing a long flute, at times a vibrant youth in fine robes, at others a wandering knight living incognito. All were side profiles, never showing the full face, but that was exactly the atmosphere desired.

After finishing the three sets, Shi Zai greeted everyone, changed clothes, and ran toward Shu Yangkuo and Yang Yun, who had been standing to the side all along.

He felt a bit nervous—yes, he had been shooting in women's clothing, worried that his big brother and little brother might disapprove.

Sure enough, they didn't look happy—one pursing his lips, the other looking down. Shi Zai halted his steps:

"Brother, Yun Bao, is it very ugly?"

"..."

"..."

Neither responded. Shi Zai was filled with regret; he shouldn't have brought them to see this. His shoulders instantly slumped:

"I understand. I won’t shoot these again; this is the last time."

"...Hmph, little brother shouldn’t have shot these! That guy named Tan Xun is up to no good!"

Hearing Yang Yun say this, Shi Zai was confused and bewildered, explaining:

"Don’t talk nonsense. Brother Tan Xun's got good intentions. If it weren’t for him, I wouldn’t have even started—"

"Right, he’s just luring you with money!"

"...What is he tricking me about?"

Yang Yun paused, glanced at Shu Yangkuo’s expression, and continued:

"Then tell me, why would a perfectly good man make you wear such clothes and take such photos?"

"What do you mean 'such'?! It’s not just me; Jiang Ziqing has done it too, and girls have worn men’s clothing for shoots. What Tan Xun and the others want to express is 'people unrestricted by gender.' This magazine is really popular..."

"I don’t get it!"

The little temper Shi Zai had mustered up vanished instantly. Thankfully, Tan Xun hadn’t come along today; otherwise, the three of them arguing here would have been embarrassing if overheard. But he also didn’t know how to explain further.

Just as he was scratching his head in frustration, Yang Yun added:

"In the palace, this kind of thing was called 'entertainment for others'—bottom-of-the-barrel! Tan Xun doesn’t respect you!"

"..."

Shi Zai suddenly understood and started cracking up. After laughing heartily, he looked at one stony face and one frowning face and said:

"Now I’m starting to believe you two really came through time travel, hahaha... Wake up, the Qing dynasty's been dead for ages!!"

"..."

"What kind of old-school traditionalists are you two? Hahaha! By your logic, is Jiang Ziqing being a celebrity also lesser? Should women not show their faces in public to earn money? And even calling it 'little playthings'—you two were once 'little playthings' in my hands, but I never thought you were inferior. I always considered you companions, warmth, and joy... The theme of Tan Xun’s magazine is exactly this: that everyone is equal, no one is confined by their physical body, and everyone has a free soul."

"..."

"Whether male or female, human or object, that's how it is. Do you get it now, Brother, Yun Bao?"

Shi Zai’s words were meant for both of them, but it was also the first time he had spoken them to himself. Before this, he had indeed had some reservations about a man wearing women’s clothing. But Yang Yun’s earlier remark had suddenly enlightened him, and combined with the magazine’s concept that Tan Xun had repeatedly explained to him, it clicked for Shi Zai—yes, he could even accept a little bird turning into a human...

That’s right. The word "person" has only two strokes—it doesn’t distinguish between male or female, and it has no boundaries. As long as one stands tall and true, they are a good person.

Shu Yangkuo and Yang Yun nodded one after another. Shu Yangkuo still felt uncomfortable inside, though he didn’t know why, so he set it aside for the time being. Shi Zai’s words had deeply moved him, completely different from the old ways of the Great Tang Dynasty in the past, freeing him instantly from certain constraints.

Seeing that both of them were back to normal, Shi Zai led them and got into the company-arranged car. After lunch, they headed straight back to their home in Fengwai Town.

By bedtime, Shi Zai sensed that Shu Yangkuo was holding something back. Yang Yun had already fallen asleep, but Shu Yangkuo was still up on the sofa, lost in thought, staring blankly at the nearly withered magnolia tree outside the window. Shi Zai was suddenly reminded of Yang Yun gazing out the window that morning and walked over:

"Brother, what’s wrong? Yun Bao is sad because he can’t fly anymore, but what about you?"

"That dumb bird—when could he ever fly?"

"...Hahahaha, well, he..."

"He’s lost his mind."

Shi Zai was nearly dying of laughter but didn’t dare make a sound, covering his mouth. Yang Yun was just too adorable.

After laughing, Shi Zai didn't take his eyes off Shu Yangkuo... Shu Yangkuo took a shallow breath and looked down at the boy kneeling before him:

"From now on, don’t take photos anymore."

"I was thinking about stopping, but I want to hear your reason, Brother."

"...You don’t like it."

Those four short words made Shi Zai lower his head abruptly. Then he raised his eyes, fighting to keep his feelings in check. It wasn't that he actually disliked the women’s clothing photos—he simply didn’t like being photographed at all. He wasn’t used to being seen, didn’t like being judged... When Tan Xun tried to show him fan letters, Shi Zai never even glanced at them.

He hadn’t even kept a single magazine that featured his pictures.

Shi Zai stood up and sat beside Shu Yangkuo, resting his head in the crook of his arm and looking up at him:

"Brother, what about you?"

"...Hm?"

"Do you like it?"

"..."

When he got no response, Shi Zai cut straight to the point:

"This morning, while I was taking photos, you kept watching me. You had this intense look—did you like it?"