Chapter 33 Take It Slow

Chapter 33: Take It Slow

When Xie Fengshi finished changing and went out, Kaelen's car was already parked downstairs.

Kaelen was leaning against the car door looking at his phone. He looked up when he heard footsteps, and Xie Fengshi's movement toward Kaelen faltered for a moment.

Because Kaelen had changed out of his morning three-piece suit. Inside he wore a light-colored crewneck, with a dark blue jacket over it, the collar slightly open revealing his collarbone line. His pants were soft cotton trousers. He'd gone from a magazine cover to the handsome college student you'd spot anywhere on campus.

You could tell people he's a college student and they'd buy it.

Seeing Xie Fengshi hesitate to come over, Kaelen asked, "What's wrong?"

Xie Fengshi walked down the steps, circled around Kaelen, eyes round with curiosity: "Didn't you say you didn't bring any casual clothes?"

"Had someone deliver them."

"You specifically had someone send these over?"

Kaelen said matter-of-factly, "Didn't you say we were going to school? Wearing a suit would be too strange."

Xie Fengshi circled Kaelen again. Well, Kaelen wasn't wrong. When he wore a suit, he looked good, yes, but there was too much distance. Walking next to him felt like being with a hotshot CEO. Now this look was just right, his clothes and hair looked soft, and he seemed to glow in the sunlight.

Xie Fengshi concluded, "You totally look like a student dressed like that."

"Really?" Kaelen chuckled, reached out and opened the passenger door. "Then today I'll be your classmate for a day."

Xie Fengshi felt his ears burn and ducked into the car.

The car drove onto the main road. The buildings on both sides changed from old dilapidated buildings to single-family homes with gardens. The afternoon weather was nice, the sun shining brightly. Kaelen put on sunglasses, and the frames accentuated his sharp jawline.

Xie Fengshi couldn't help stealing another look.

The smirk on Kaelen's lips gave him away: "You've been staring at me."

Xie Fengshi shot back, "I'm looking at the road."

"Oh, so you're staring at me because you're afraid a car's coming on my side?"

"Just focus on driving!!"

Kaelen laughed out loud and didn't tease him further. Cats don't like being teased; push too hard and they'll get all prickly.

The car parked in the school's visitor parking lot. Xie Fengshi unbuckled his seatbelt, pushed the door open, and got out. Kaelen got out too, took off his sunglasses, hooked them on his collar, and looked around.

The main campus of this school was especially beautiful, with ancient Gothic buildings and modernist glass curtain walls interspersed, and wide lawns and pathways in between. This season, the ivy-covered red brick walls blazed with red leaves, and golden ginkgo leaves carpeted the ground.

Xie Fengshi walked up to Kaelen: "Beautiful, isn't it?"

Kaelen looked away and down at him: "Beautiful."

Xie Fengshi had a feeling this guy wasn't talking about the scenery, but he had no evidence.

The two walked along the path towards the library. Xie Fengshi walked on Kaelen's left, their shoulders occasionally brushing together. Every time they touched, Xie Fengshi would move a little to the side, but then he would unconsciously lean back in, testing the boundaries again and again.

Kaelen caught Xie Fengshi's little moves but didn't say anything. When Xie Fengshi leaned in again, Kaelen opened his left arm a little, so their arms naturally brushed together.

The library book return process was even faster than Xie Fengshi had imagined. An old lady sat at the front desk, wearing reading glasses and flipping through a thick hardcover that looked like it could knock someone out. Xie Fengshi's book was still on the counter. The old lady picked up the book, scanned the code, winked at Xie Fengshi, and then said, "All done, dear."

Xie Fengshi quickly said thank you and turned to leave.

Kaelen followed behind him and only spoke once they were outside the checkout area: "She caught on."

"Caught on to what?"

"What she figured out about us."

Xie Fengshi stopped and turned back to look at Kaelen: "What is our relationship?"

Kaelen froze for half a second at Xie Fengshi's question. Xie Fengshi rarely saw him at a loss, and his smug satisfaction at pulling one over on him hadn't even fully sunk in before it was interrupted by Kaelen's next move.

Kaelen reached out and flipped up Xie Fengshi's collar that had been pressed down by his backpack strap, the movement natural: "Right now, the relationship is that I'm pursuing you."

Xie Fengshi steadied himself: "You already kissed me, and you're still chasing me?"

"That's why I said I'm 'chasing,' not that I 'want to chase.' The order was reversed. I should have confessed my feelings first and then kissed you."

"But you couldn't resist," Xie Fengshi finished the second half for him.

Amusement flickered in Kaelen's eyes: "Mm, I couldn't resist."

The two filed out of the library. Xie Fengshi stopped on the steps: "Next up, the supermarket."

"Okay."

The two walked toward the parking lot. Just as they reached the entrance, they heard someone calling from behind: "Xie Fengshi!"

Xie Fengshi turned around and saw a girl with curly chestnut hair jogging over, holding a thick stack of art books in her hands. It was Elisa, he'd met last time at the café.

Elisa ran up to them, caught her breath: "It really is you."

The girl's eyes darted back and forth between the two of them for a moment. Her sixth sense told her their relationship was definitely not simple, but she wasn't very gossipy. She raised the art books in her hands: "There's a small exhibition next weekend in the art museum's side gallery. Do you want to come see it? Kevin's got pieces in it too."

"What time?"

"Saturday afternoon at two. Most of the people coming are from our college, along with some gallery people." As Elisa spoke, she stole a glance at Kaelen beside Xie Fengshi. "You can bring friends."

"I'll go."

Xie Fengshi said without much hesitation.

"Great! Then I'll get going now. The professor's waiting for me to drop something off!"

Elisa waved at Xie Fengshi, ran a couple of steps, then turned back and mouthed something to Xie Fengshi, her eyes teasing.

Xie Fengshi understood those two words and his ears went red.

It took less than ten minutes to drive to the supermarket. Kaelen pushed a shopping cart, and Xie Fengshi walked beside him. The two strolled down the aisles.

There weren't many people in the supermarket at this hour. Jazz was playing over the speakers. Xie Fengshi picked up a box of mushrooms, looked at the price, put it back, and picked up the cheaper box next to it.

When they reached the vegetable section, Xie Fengshi started selecting carefully. His movements were practiced. Kaelen just pushed the cart and followed behind Xie Fengshi, because in matters like this, if Kaelen tried to help, he'd just be a hindrance.

After buying vegetables, Xie Fengshi walked toward the dairy section. After two steps, he turned back, took the onion out of the shopping cart, and put it back on the shelf.

Kaelen looked confused. Xie Fengshi explained: "I grabbed the wrong one earlier. This is a red onion. I need to buy a yellow onion."

When they reached the snack aisle, Xie Fengshi stopped in front of a row of potato chips, torn between sour cream and onion flavor and sea salt flavor. Kaelen leaned in: "If you want them, just buy them."

Xie Fengshi hesitated: "Forget it, eating too much junk food isn't good for you."

"You don't usually eat them anyway."

"How do you know I don't eat them?"

"There are no snack wrappers anywhere in your place, and none in your trash either."

Xie Fengshi was exasperated: "Why are you looking through my trash?"

Kaelen put on an innocent look: "I saw it by accident."

Xie Fengshi decided he didn't want to argue with someone who was obviously bending the truth, because Kaelen had already put the chips into the shopping cart, and Kaelen was slowly filling up the cart.

"You're taking so many?"

"I'm stocking up for you, so you'll have them when you want."

"I'm not a squirrel."

Kaelen looked down at him, a smile in his eyes: "You're a cat."

"Cats don't eat potato chips," Xie Fengshi said.

"But cats do get their fur ruffled," Kaelen reached out and gently pressed down on the top of Xie Fengshi's head. "Just like now."

Xie Fengshi slapped Kaelen's hand away and pushed the cart forward, with Kaelen laughing as he followed.

By the time they got back to the apartment, it was nearly four in the afternoon. Xie Fengshi sorted and put away the groceries, while Kaelen helped alongside him, their hands brushing each time they passed something to each other.

"Feng Shi."

"Hmm?"

"What book did you return at the library today?"

"A reference book for art history class. I borrowed it a month ago and barely looked at it, and it was due today."

"This course is pretty important, isn't it?"

Xie Fengshi put the milk on the shelf in the fridge door, thought for a moment, and said, "I guess I might not really be cut out for this. There's no 'me' in my paintings."

Kaelen listened quietly: "So what are you going to do?"

"Just pass and get my diploma. I don't need to become an artist; I just need the degree. For the rest of my time, I want to spend it on things I really want to do."

Knowing what Xie Fengshi was referring to, a small smile played on Kaelen's lips as he listened attentively.

"I checked out some rental listings today. I'm planning to move out by the end of the month and find a bigger place. Then I can take on more orders, and spend my free time on more meaningful things."

Kaelen realized he really enjoyed hearing Xie Fengshi talk about these things.

He thought that Xie Fengshi probably didn't even know it himself—the instant he talked about what he truly wanted to do, his whole demeanor changed. All his cautiousness fell away, revealing a lively, sure soul underneath that knew exactly where it was going.

Xie Fengshi looked so good like this, so good that Kaelen couldn't look away.

Kaelen had seen many people talk about their careers and plans. Those people had light in their eyes when they spoke of their goals, but it was a fire burning outward, brimming with ambition and desire, eager to let the whole world know the heights they'd reach.

Xie Fengshi's voice wasn't loud, and he spoke at a measured pace. Kaelen thought he could probably never get tired of this sight.

Xie Fengshi caught Kaelen staring too intently and nearly dropped the egg he was holding. "What are you looking at?"

"You," Kaelen said honestly. He picked up the neglected egg and naturally shifted back to everyday conversation. "You said earlier you wanted to move. Have you found anything that catches your eye?"

"Yeah, the apartment I've got my eye on is very close to school. The kitchen is big, with a four-burner stove and a separate oven."

When Xie Fengshi mentioned the kitchen, his eyes lit up, and his voice was unmistakably excited. "I can get a big stew pot, and the meat I braise in it will be ten times better than what I can get out of this crappy pot I have now."

Xie Fengshi rattled on about his plans for the new kitchen, getting more and more animated, leaning against the fridge door and waving his hands around when he got excited. Kaelen stood across from him, listening in silence.

Noticing that Kaelen hadn't said a word, Xie Fengshi suddenly realized he'd been going on and on for a while. "Did I talk too much?"

"No, keep going."

Xie Fengshi got flustered under Kaelen's gaze and turned away to sort the remaining items from the shopping bags. "That's pretty much it. Anyway, it's just moving to a different place. No big deal."

Kaelen came up behind Xie Fengshi: "When are you going to see the place?"

"Scheduled for Thursday afternoon."

"I'll come with you."

Xie Fengshi spun around, almost bumping into Kaelen's chin because of how close they were. He looked up at him: "Don't you have to work?"

"I told you, I'm off today."

"That's today. Thursday's a different day."

Kaelen lightly tapped Xie Fengshi on the head with the bag of chips: "I'll take Thursday off as well."

Xie Fengshi snatched the chips: "How do you get so many days off?"

"The project's at a stopping point. I'll be hanging around here for a while. There are several projects with the local branch office that I need to handle, and meantime, I get to see more of you."

Xie Fengshi felt his heart start racing again, which annoyed him. "What you said in the library earlier... was that real?"

Kaelen said, "Of course it was, even though I got the sequence backward."

"So what are you planning to do?"

Kaelen thought seriously for a moment: "Start with taking you out to dinner?"

"You already did."

"How about a movie next?"

"I don't like movie theaters—too many people."

"Then... what about the art museum? I'll go with you to see whatever you want. Any place you want to go, I'll go with you. Anything you want to do, I'll do it with you."

The flush on Xie Fengshi's face never faded: "Is that considered a confession?"

Kaelen dropped his voice: "No. A confession should be more proper, not before I've got flowers ready."

"You're actually going to buy flowers?"

Kaelen didn't answer. His eyes landed on Xie Fengshi's lips: "Before that, there's something I need to make clear to you. Feng Shi, what I feel for you is more than just liking you."

When Kaelen spoke, his gaze returned to Xie Fengshi's bright black eyes. "I want to have you as part of my future."

"I don't know how to describe this feeling. Before you appeared, my life was a very clear path. That path was distinct, nothing wrong with it, but nothing exciting either. After you appeared, that path began to branch out. I started planning things I'd never even considered before."

Kaelen lowered his head slightly as he said this. "Is it too much? Saying this might make you feel pressured."

Xie Fengshi shook his head, his body reacting faster than his mind. "But I might need some time to adjust."

Kaelen extended his hand, palm facing up, held it out in front of Xie Fengshi.

Without hesitation, Xie Fengshi placed his hand on top. Kaelen said, "Take it slow. I'm not in a hurry."

Feeling the warmth in his palm, Xie Fengshi asked, "Are you really off today?"

"I'm off for most of the day."

"Kaelen."

"I have a video conference tonight. It will be quick."

Xie Fengshi pulled his hand back expressionlessly. The next moment, Kaelen's palm was empty, and he quickly reached for his hand and caught it again.

Xie Fengshi sighed, grabbed Kaelen's collar and pulled him down a little, then kissed the corner of his mouth. "You're perfect in every way except you don't take care of yourself."

Kaelen was stunned by the kiss, then a smile appeared in his eyes. "Are you worried about me?"

"I'm stating a fact."

"You just kissed me."

"I was shutting you up."

Kaelen laughed out loud. He took a step forward, taking the initiative, and wrapped an arm around Xie Fengshi's waist.

"This is how you shut someone up."

He leaned down and kissed Xie Fengshi.

When Kaelen pressed his lips down, Xie Fengshi couldn't think of anything. He felt Kaelen's tongue tracing the shape of his lips. The instant Xie Fengshi was breathless from the kiss and opened his mouth for air, Kaelen's tongue slid inside.

Xie Fengshi let out a sound he had never heard from himself before. His fingers tightened on Kaelen's collar.

Kaelen's palm pressed against his lower back, his thumb tracing circles on Xie Fengshi's waist, as if to comfort or tease him.

Xie Fengshi grew weak from the kiss, his knees starting to tremble. Kaelen's hand slid from his waist to his back, supporting him and pulling him into his arms.

Amid the intertwining of lips and teeth, Xie Fengshi tasted Kaelen's scent. After what felt like forever, Kaelen finally relented and let him go.

Xie Fengshi's mind hadn't fully recovered from that kiss. When he came to his senses, Kaelen had already taken half a step back because of his own physical response.

"Kaelen."

"Mm."

Xie Fengshi let his gaze drop, his meaning clear. "Is this the kind of 'taking it slow' you meant?"