Chapter 31 Ripe

Chapter 31 Ripe

When awareness returned, Xie Fengshi noticed an arm lying across his waist, the palm pressed against his lower back as if afraid he would bolt, and another arm passed under his neck, pulling him into a broad, warm chest.

Every breath was filled with Kaelen's scent. The fragments of memory from the night before slowly clicked into place, and Xie Fengshi even remembered that after Kaelen had laid him back on the bed, he had grabbed Kaelen's clothes to stop him from leaving, and Kaelen had lain down on this bed.

The bed was too small. They could only lie on their sides facing each other, knees touching, breaths intertwined.

Xie Fengshi wished the ground would swallow him up.

He hadn't blacked out. Every word, every movement, every racing heartbeat was burned into his memory, impossible to forget.

And to make things worse, right now. Kaelen was still sleeping beside him, his breath falling on the top of Xie Fengshi's head. Morning light crept through a gap in the curtains that weren't fully closed, falling as a fine gold line across Kaelen's profile.

Asleep, the aloofness Kaelen normally showed the world melted away, making him look disarmingly soft.

But right now Xie Fengshi had no time to admire this handsome face, because he could clearly feel something pressing against his thigh that was impossible to ignore. Hard, with heat radiating steadily.

Xie Fengshi wasn't some naive, innocent little rabbit. He had lived over twenty years in his previous life; he knew what there was to know. Men got that... morning thing—a normal physiological thing, totally natural. Especially for young guys, testosterone levels spike in the morning. These were basic facts written in biology textbooks.

But knowing it in theory was one thing; experiencing it firsthand was another.

Especially since this person was Kaelen. Xie Fengshi was trapped in Kaelen's arms, unable to move, unable to pretend he didn't notice. That thing was pressing firmly against his thigh.

Red spread from Xie Fengshi's neck upward, covering his entire face. He was like a cherry tomato on a grill, roasted until the juices were about to burst out.

He tried to scoot back, but the cold wall was right behind him—nowhere to go.

The single bed was only so big. Two grown men lying on it was already pushing it; there wasn't even room to fit a fist between them. There was simply no way to create distance. And every time he moved, Kaelen's arms tightened.

The hand on his waist pulled him closer, drawing him into an embrace, closing the gap from almost nothing to zero. Xie Fengshi's nose bumped into Kaelen's collarbone, and his lips grazed Kaelen's Adam's apple.

Kaelen's Adam's apple bobbed. Xie Fengshi immediately held his breath, and then he noticed that the thing between Kaelen's legs seemed even more perked up.

Xie Fengshi closed his eyes and mentally ran through everything he could think of.

Calm down, calm down. This is a normal physical response. It has nothing to do with it being Kaelen, and nothing to do with whether Kaelen likes him or not. It's purely a normal, physiological phenomenon.

Xie Fengshi repeated this mantra in his head five times. No dice.

His face was still burning, his heart pounding, and even the leg pressed against Kaelen was heating up. To make matters worse, Kaelen seemed to sense his tension. Kaelen's closed eyes shifted, lashes brushing Xie Fengshi's forehead, and his breathing pattern changed; he seemed about to wake up.

When Kaelen opened his eyes, his blue eyes were still hazy with sleep. His gaze landed on Xie Fengshi's face, and he snapped awake. "Morning."

Kaelen's voice was still rough with sleep, the low note sending a shiver from Xie Fengshi's ear down his spine. Xie Fengshi responded softly, "...Morning."

Hearing the reply, Kaelen's lips slowly curved into a smile. Seeing the person he liked first thing in the morning naturally brought a happy smile to his face.

Of course, the smile only lasted a few seconds, because Kaelen also felt it. He finally noticed Xie Fengshi's face, bright red. "Sorry, it's a physiological reaction. Not something I can control."

Xie Fengshi: ...

Of course he knew it was a physiological reaction!! He didn't need the explanation!! The more Kaelen explained, the more it made him look like he was overthinking it!

Seeing that Xie Fengshi wasn't speaking, Kaelen added, "If you're uncomfortable, I can move back a bit."

"If you move back, you'll fall off the bed," Xie Fengshi muttered, his face now buried in the pillow.

That was the truth. This bed was just right for one person; two was pushing the limits. Kaelen could only stay properly on the bed by holding Xie Fengshi. If he moved back even a little, he'd roll straight onto the floor.

Kaelen realized this too. He chuckled lightly. "Then I'll have to ask you to put up with it for a bit."

Xie Fengshi was both embarrassed and annoyed. "Shut up!"

Kaelen laughed, the vibration pressing against Xie Fengshi's cheek, low and warm. He tightened his arms around the man trying to shrink against the wall, pulling him into his embrace.

Xie Fengshi listened to Kaelen's heartbeat slow from rapid to steady. The thing between Kaelen's legs went from raring to go to deflated and droopy. The whole process was long and agonizing—so long that Xie Fengshi felt his face had turned permanently red.

When that thing finally settled down, Xie Fengshi let out a breath.

"The things you said last night—how much do you remember?"

Xie Fengshi nearly choked.

Kaelen sensed the tension in the man in his arms. "Everything?"

The heat on Xie Fengshi's face hadn't subsided. He refused to answer. Kaelen didn't rush him. After a long while, Xie Fengshi finally said, "Everything."

Kaelen hummed in acknowledgment, his tone carrying a hint of smug satisfaction. "Then what about 'I've waited a long time for this day'—was that true too?"

Xie Fengshi wished he could crawl into a crack in the wall. He warned, "Kaelen."

But paired with his current appearance—red as a tomato, curled up in Kaelen's arms, not daring to lift his head—the warning had little impact.

Kaelen smoothly changed the subject. "Okay, I won't ask about that. Let me ask you something else."

"What?"

"You said last night that it's okay when you're sober too."

Xie Fengshi's brain short-circuited for a few seconds. He now deeply regretted drinking last night.

"So." Kaelen lowered his head, his lips brushing Xie Fengshi's ear. "I'm asking the sober you now: Is it okay?"

Xie Fengshi's ears weren't just red anymore; they were burning.

He lifted his head from Kaelen's chest and met a pair of blue eyes, lit by the morning light into a pale azure, like lakes formed by melted glaciers in high latitudes—crystal clear, with gentleness and sincerity lying at the bottom.

Xie Fengshi reached up and cupped Kaelen's face in his hands. "It's okay. The sober me answers you: it's okay."

Kaelen covered Xie Fengshi's hand with his own. The pulse beneath his fingertips beat fast and strong. "I'll remember this. When you try to take it back later, I'll use these words to block you."

"When have I ever gone back on my word?"

"Not now, but maybe later."

"Hey, Kaelen, I swear you..."

Before he could finish, Kaelen pressed a fleeting kiss to Xie Fengshi's brow. The words died in Xie Fengshi's throat, only three syllables escaping: "That was a sneak attack."

"Mm, an honest sneak attack."

Hearing such a shameless reply, Xie Fengshi couldn't help but glare at him. That look softened Kaelen's heart entirely. "Get some more sleep. I'll make a phone call."

It wasn't until Kaelen stood up and stepped onto the cold floor that Xie Fengshi noticed: his shirt from last night, still unbuttoned, was completely wrinkled, and his blonde hair was a complete mess, several strands sticking up in disarray.

Xie Fengshi had never seen Kaelen like this. In his memory, the man was always immaculate. Yet here he was, standing in Xie Fengshi's cramped room, hair tangled like a bird's nest, on the phone with his assistant.

Xie Fengshi lay under the covers for a while, but eventually got up. He wanted nothing more than to take a shower immediately.

After finishing his call, Kaelen returned to see Xie Fengshi standing at the bathroom door, his hair tousled, with red marks on his face from the pillow. Kaelen leaned against the doorframe watching him.

Xie Fengshi, who was washing his face, felt self-conscious under his stare. "What are you looking at?"

"At you." Kaelen smoothed down his messy hair on Xie Fengshi's head. "The assistant will be here in about forty minutes. He's bringing some change of clothes."

Xie Fengshi paused. "Wait, you had him bring your luggage?"

"Yeah, can't wear yesterday's clothes."

Xie Fengshi glanced at Kaelen's crumpled clothing. "Won't your assistant get the wrong idea?"

Kaelen looked innocent. "What would he get wrong?"

Xie Fengshi: "...You did that on purpose."

Kaelen chuckled. He took Xie Fengshi by the shoulders and turned him towards the bathroom. "When the stuff gets here, I'll fix some breakfast."

"You make breakfast?" Xie Fengshi turned back to look at him, his expression full of disbelief.

Kaelen was honest: "I mean, I'll go buy breakfast."

Xie Fengshi nodded, satisfied and ducked into the bathroom. The faucet was running loudly. Xie Fengshi stared at his reflection in the mirror for a moment. The person in the mirror looked way too good, nothing like someone who had been drinking. His skin was fair with a rosy tint, the corners of his mouth slightly lifted, a happiness that radiated from within, impossible to hide.

...

When Xie Fengshi finished in the bathroom and came out, Kaelen was standing at the door, taking things from the assistant. The door was slightly ajar; Xie Fengshi only saw a large black suitcase being handed in, along with a few shopping bags. Kaelen said something in a low voice, and the door closed.

Xie Fengshi walked over while drying his hair. "Where's your assistant?"

"Gone."

"Already?"

"He still has to catch a flight."

Kaelen laid the suitcase down flat. Inside, clothes were neatly folded, even cufflinks and ties were ready to go. Xie Fengshi looked at the contents and couldn't help but remark, "This suitcase is worth more than my entire room."

Kaelen took out a shirt and looked up at him. "You've said that before."

"Well, I'll say it again."

The corners of Kaelen's mouth curled up. He stood up and began unbuttoning his shirt. At first, Xie Fengshi didn't react, but by the time he realized what was happening, Kaelen had already taken off the crumpled old shirt, revealing his well-defined body underneath.

Xie Fengshi's mind went blank. He froze on the spot.

Kaelen's physique looked even broader than when he was dressed. His shoulders were naturally broad; his collarbones were like two faint shadows etched above his chest. His chest was just right—neither exaggerated nor thin. His abdomen was flat, and his V-line tapered into his waistband, barely visible.

His skin was pale from mostly staying indoors, rarely exposed to direct sunlight—the pale complexion of someone who lived a privileged life. But on Kaelen, this whiteness didn't make him look weak; instead, it accentuated his muscle definition, like a Renaissance sculpture brought to life. As he unfolded the shirt, the back muscles rippled smoothly and powerfully.

Xie Fengshi stood there watching it all unfold. The towel he'd been using to dry his hair had somehow slipped down and was now draped over his neck.

After Kaelen put on the shirt, his long fingers began buttoning it up. Starting from the bottom, he worked his way up. He seemed to catch Xie Fengshi staring. Their eyes locked, and Kaelen raised an eyebrow.

Only then did Xie Fengshi realize he had been staring for a while. His ears instantly burned, but he couldn't bring himself to look away. He'd already gone this far; looking away now would be too cowardly.

So Xie Fengshi tried to keep his cool, watching Kaelen button each button one by one. But the man deliberately left the top button undone, letting the collar hang open, showing off his delicate collarbones.

Xie Fengshi's gaze uncontrollably fell on the exposed skin. Kaelen's smile deepened. He took out a tie and walked up to Xie Fengshi. "Do you know how?"

Xie Fengshi obediently shook his head. "No."

Kaelen let out a low laugh. His hands moved swiftly, and in a few quick motions, he tied a perfect Windsor knot. Xie Fengshi watched his fingers weaving through the tie and, for some reason, felt his ears grow even hotter.

"You're nervous," Kaelen said.

"No, I'm not."

Kaelen slowly pulled the towel from Xie Fengshi's neck, like unwrapping a gift he'd been waiting a long time for. With the towel gone, Xie Fengshi was completely exposed to Kaelen's gaze. His lips were flushed from the steam, still glistening with moisture.

Kaelen reached out and gently pressed Xie Fengshi's lower lip. The texture under his fingertip was incredibly soft. He traced along the lip, from the corner to the center. Xie Fengshi didn't flinch; instead, he tilted his head up slightly.

"You stared at me for a long time just now. Did you like what you saw?"

Xie Fengshi heard his own voice say, "Yes."

"So can I ask for a little reward now?"

The thread of reason in Xie Fengshi's mind had already snapped. He rose on his tiptoes and pressed his lips to the corner of Kaelen's mouth, a brief touch. Then he leaned in again for another kiss, this time lingering a little longer.

When he pulled back, Xie Fengshi's breathing was ragged.

The smile in Kaelen's eyes deepened. "Feng Shi, close your eyes."

Xie Fengshi obediently closed his eyes. When Kaelen's kiss landed, Xie Fengshi realized his two kisses earlier were nothing. Kaelen sucked gently on his lower lip, his tongue tracing the shape of his lips. Xie Fengshi didn't know where to put his hands, so he ended up gripping Kaelen's newly tied tie.

Kaelen laughed because of Xie Fengshi's action, his breath landing on Xie Fengshi's lips, tickling him. Xie Fengshi instinctively leaned back but was caught by Kaelen, who grabbed his waist. When Kaelen's tongue pried open his teeth, Xie Fengshi made a sound he had never heard from himself before. He was completely enveloped by Kaelen's presence.

Not knowing how much time had passed, Xie Fengshi opened his eyes and found that at some point his arms had wrapped around Kaelen's neck; he was practically hanging on Kaelen.

The other's lips were still pressed against the corner of his mouth.

"Now you know why I said once I start kissing, I can't stop?"