Chapter 35 I Like You Just the Way You Are

Chapter 35: This Is the You I Love

By the time Xie Fengshi left Lu Shiyan's place, the sky had gone completely dark.

Xie Fengshi stood downstairs until the night wind blew in and lifted the hem of his jacket, and only then did he belatedly realize that autumn was truly coming to an end.

The daylight could still fool people, but once evening arrived, the temperature dropped off a cliff. In a little while, it would probably be winter.

Xie Fengshi took out his phone and checked the time. Seven-twenty.

He was nearly half an hour later than expected, mostly because Lu Shiyan had held him up talking for quite a while—starting with the matter of Xie Fengshi and Kaelen, moving on to safety next week, and then bringing up whatever his older brother had recently said that made his blood pressure spike.

Xie Fengshi listened to him rant while cleaning up the kitchen, and in the end, he was practically pushed out the door by Lu Shiyan.

"Go on, get out of here. Don't keep him waiting."

"He said he's coming to pick me up. It's not like I have to go over right now."

"Still, you can't make him wait. Hurry up and go."

Xie Fengshi was still laughing as he was pushed out. Now, standing in the wind, he sent Kaelen a message. To his surprise, the other man replied instantly.

"Walk forward. I'm at the intersection."

Xie Fengshi looked up toward the intersection and sure enough, saw a car parked under the brightest streetlamp, lights off, blending quietly into the night.

Xie Fengshi jogged over, then halfway there felt like he shouldn't be in such a hurry. He tried to slow down, but his legs wouldn't listen. By the time he reached the car, the tip of his nose was red from the wind.

Kaelen rolled down the window. "What's the rush?"

Xie Fengshi bent down close. "Afraid you'd get tired of waiting."

"If I got tired of waiting, I'd have gone in to find you."

The door swung open from the inside. Warm amber interior lights came on, and the seat warmers had been running for a while. It was like a tiny warm room, a world apart from the cold wind outside.

"Get in."

Xie Fengshi bent down and slipped inside. The moment the door closed, it shut out the sound of the wind. The car's warmth spread from his feet all the way to the top of his head, and Xie Fengshi squinted in comfort.

Kaelen reached out, his fingertips coming to rest on Xie Fengshi's cheek. "So cold."

Xie Fengshi couldn't dodge. Half his face was enveloped by Kaelen's palm, the warmth seeping in through the contact, driving the chill away bit by bit.

With half his face covered, Xie Fengshi's speech came out muffled. "Your hands are so warm."

Kaelen didn't answer. He brought his other hand up too, cupping Xie Fengshi's face, his palms pressed against the wind-chilled skin. Xie Fengshi's face wasn't big to begin with, and held like this by Kaelen, it was almost entirely wrapped up, leaving only the tip of his nose and his slightly parted lips exposed.

Xie Fengshi felt embarrassed being held like this, but instead of pulling away, he rubbed his cheek against Kaelen's palm, enjoying the touch. He rested his chin on the other man's hand. "How long have you been waiting?"

"Not long."

Xie Fengshi peeked one eye out from Kaelen's grasp. "Liar."

Kaelen didn't deny it. Xie Fengshi's cheek gradually warmed up in his palm, and then, because of the car's heat and some unidentifiable reason, it started to burn. Kaelen could feel the skin under his palm getting hotter, warmth radiating from the inside out.

"The tip of your nose is still cold."

As he spoke, Kaelen's fingertip traced the bridge of Xie Fengshi's nose, sliding down slowly until it rested on the tip, giving it a gentle rub.

Xie Fengshi's nose tingled from the rubbing. He wanted to sneeze but couldn't, so he just sniffled, rubbing the tip of his nose against Kaelen's finger a couple of times.

Kaelen's gaze darkened. The light in the car softened Xie Fengshi's features, making them hazy and tender—his cheeks flushed faintly red from the warmth, his hair tousled by the wind but now slowly settling, and his half-lidded dark eyes.

Xie Fengshi's lips were softer than his cheeks. When Kaelen pressed his thumb against them, they gave slightly, then bounced back, both soft and resilient.

"Kaelen." Xie Fengshi called his name, his voice slurred.

"Yeah."

"Are you warming my face, or are you taking advantage of me?"

Kaelen's expression was utterly innocent when he answered. "Both."

Xie Fengshi's laughter was muffled against Kaelen's palm. His lips moved, occasionally brushing against Kaelen's thumb.

Kaelen leaned forward, closing the distance between them. Xie Fengshi's breath caught at Kaelen's sudden closeness. When he looked up, Kaelen's face was right there.

Kaelen was completely warm, radiating the vibrant vitality of a young man. The warmth came through the fabric, traveling from his cheek all the way to his heart.

Xie Fengshi's eyelashes fluttered. Kaelen let out a soft sigh, a mix of contentment and restraint. His hands slid down from Xie Fengshi's face to his nape, fingers threading into his hair and gently hooking there, while his other arm wrapped around Xie Fengshi's waist, pulling him into his embrace.

The car's warmth was enough to make anyone drowsy, but Xie Fengshi wasn't sleepy at all. His heart was racing faster than it should. He wasn't sure if Kaelen could hear it, but given how tightly pressed together they were, it would be hard not to.

"Your heart is beating so fast."

Kaelen's voice came from above, low and laced with amusement.

Xie Fengshi mumbled back, "So is yours."

"Yeah. So is mine."

Kaelen admitted it without any pretense. His hands roamed restlessly, rubbing behind Xie Fengshi's ears. Xie Fengshi's ears were sensitive, and under Kaelen's touch, red spread across them. He was like a boiled shrimp.

Kaelen deliberately added, "Your ears are burning hot."

Xie Fengshi lifted his head from Kaelen's shoulder, lips slightly parted as if he had a lot to say. In the end, he just glared at Kaelen with a feigned ferocity. "Shut up."

That look made Kaelen's heart melt. To him, Xie Fengshi looked like nothing more than a cat with its fur standing on end—baring its teeth and claws in a show of bravado, trying so hard to look fierce.

"Alright, I'll shut up," Kaelen said obediently.

But his hands didn't behave. He used two fingers to tilt Xie Fengshi's chin up, meeting eyes that were shimmering with moisture. Kaelen lowered his head, rubbing his nose against Xie Fengshi's, his lips hovering less than a centimeter away, about to land but not quite.

He didn't kiss him, but it was more thrilling than actually kissing.

Xie Fengshi could feel the warmth of Kaelen's lips. He could even see the lines of his lip texture. And this man was deliberately teasing him. When Xie Fengshi spoke, his voice trembled. "Are you going to kiss me or not?"

Kaelen's eyes curved into a smile. He pulled back just a little, but only a little. "Are you rushing me?"

Xie Fengshi's ears were on fire, but his mouth refused to admit defeat. "Like this, I can't even breathe properly."

Kaelen finally closed the last distance, their lips meeting. The moment they touched, Xie Fengshi instinctively closed his eyes.

Kaelen's kiss was just like him—seeming gentle and restrained on the outside, but only the one being kissed knew what was hidden underneath. His tongue traced the contours of his beloved's lips, from the corner to the cupid's bow, then from the lower lip to the upper, as if savoring a carefully prepared dessert.

Xie Fengshi's breathing grew erratic from the teasing. He didn't know where to put his hands. By the time Kaelen stopped, Xie Fengshi's lips were several shades redder than when he'd gotten into the car. He gasped in accusation, "Are you going to say again that you can't stop?"

Kaelen's breathing was actually unsteady too, but he looked much more composed than Xie Fengshi, his eyes filled with undisguised satisfaction. "Mm. I wasn't planning to."

Xie Fengshi finally chose to bury his face in Kaelen's shoulder: "Let's go home."

"Okay, let's go home."

……

Class on Thursday morning was at ten. By the time Xie Fengshi arrived at the classroom, Lu Shiyan had already taken the last row, with his notebook laid out in front of him, a cup of coffee in hand, and huddled in his hoodie like a hamster that failed to hibernate.

Xie Fengshi sat down next to him: "What time did you go to bed last night?"

Lu Shiyan yawned: "Three."

"So late? What were you doing?"

"Gaming. That lunatic Cheng Lang said we'd go to bed after one win, but we ended up losing seven in a row. He couldn't let it go and had to win one back. On the eighth game, we finally won, and he said, 'One more round to get the feel back.'"

Xie Fengshi laughed: "And then?"

"Then we lost again, and it dragged on until two. I couldn't take it anymore, so I said, 'If you don't go to sleep, I'm blocking you.' He said okay, so we started the tenth game, saying it was the last one of the night."

"Did you win?"

"We lost."

"…"

Class ended a bit earlier than usual today. The professor showed rare mercy and let them go fifteen minutes early.

Before leaving, he winked at Xie Fengshi: "Remember to bring your sketchbook next week. I'll check it."

Xie Fengshi froze in the middle of packing up, but he forced a smile and nodded.

After the professor walked out of the classroom, Xie Fengshi let out a breath. Lu Shiyan beside him gloated: "You're doomed. The demon professor's death glare has you in its sights."

"Can't you say something nice?"

"Of course I can. You look great today—fair with a rosy glow, like you just woke up from a sweet dream."

Xie Fengshi gave him a deadpan look, and Lu Shiyan immediately raised his hands in surrender: "Fine, fine, I'll drop it. Aren't you supposed to be viewing an apartment this afternoon? What time?"

"Two."

"Then there's still time. Come on, I'll treat you to lunch, and after that, I'll drop you off."

Xie Fengshi slung his bag over his shoulder and followed Lu Shiyan out. In the hallway, people were gathered. Someone carrying a sketchboard rushed past, nearly bumping into Lu Shiyan's shoulder.

"Watch where you're going!!"

Lu Shiyan yelled after the person, who waved a hand without turning around and disappeared into the stairwell.

When the two of them stepped outside, the sun was just peeking out from behind the clouds. Xie Fengshi squinted, pulling out his phone to check. The screen was blank—no new messages.

Kaelen had said last night that he had a meeting this morning and would come over after it ended.

Xie Fengshi slipped his phone back into his pocket, telling himself to stop checking.

Lu Shiyan leaned in: "Why do you keep checking your phone?"

"Am I?"

"Yes, you've checked it at least five times since we left the classroom."

Xie Fengshi quickened his pace: "Let's go, I'm hungry."

Lu Shiyan let himself be pulled along, still muttering: "If you miss him, just say so. It's not like I'm going to laugh at you."

"I'm not."

"Your ears are red."

"It's from the sun."

"It's almost winter."

"Indian summer."

"...Fine, you win."

The two went to a casual eatery near the school. It was already quite crowded. Xie Fengshi ordered a sandwich and a cup of hot tea, while Lu Shiyan got a salad and an iced Americano.

While waiting for their food, Lu Shiyan propped his chin on his hand and looked at him: "Are you really sure about moving at the end of the month?"

"Yeah, I've already told the landlord."

"How's the apartment you're looking at?"

"The photos look good. I'm going to see it in person today. If there are no issues, I'll finalize it."

Lu Shiyan nodded: "The location is pretty good—close to school and close to my place. Then you can walk over to cook for me without even needing to drive."

Xie Fengshi laughed: "All you think about is food."

"Food is the most important thing. What's wrong with caring about food?"

When the food arrived, Xie Fengshi's phone vibrated.

He picked it up and saw a message from Kaelen.

"Meeting's over. Where are you?"

Xie Fengshi's lips curled up involuntarily as he typed back: "Eating near school. Viewing the apartment at two."

"Send me the address. I'll come directly."

Xie Fengshi forwarded the landlord's address. When he put his phone down, he noticed Lu Shiyan staring at him with an "I see everything" expression.

"What?"

"You're grinning so happily."

Xie Fengshi shoved the sandwich in his mouth, refusing to engage.

After lunch, Lu Shiyan dropped Xie Fengshi off at the apartment he was viewing. It was an old four-story building with an off-white exterior and black wrought-iron railings. The leaves on the tree near the entrance were mostly yellow already.

Xie Fengshi stood under the tree for a moment, pulled out his phone, snapped a picture, and sent it to Kaelen.

Seconds after he sent the message, a familiar voice behind him said, "Turn around."

Xie Fengshi turned around to find Kaelen standing right in front of him. Lu Shiyan murmured beside him, "I'm heading out first."

Then he immediately got into the car and sped off in a flash.

"Have you been waiting long?"

"No, I just got here too."

The landlord was a local woman in her forties, with curly chestnut hair and a hearty laugh. She showed Xie Fengshi around every corner of the apartment, explaining as they walked: "The building has heating, so it's nice and warm in winter. The kitchen pipes were replaced just last month, and the oven is new. The neighbors are very quiet—no parties."

Then, the woman glanced at Kaelen behind Xie Fengshi, adding, "It's perfect for a couple."

Xie Fengshi opened his mouth but struggled for words for a moment. It was Kaelen who responded first: "It sure is."

After the landlord left, Xie Fengshi stood in the kitchen and looked around. A four-burner stove, a separate oven, and a counter spacious enough to prepare several dishes at once, and plenty of storage under the sink. The refrigerator was a bit old, but its capacity was more than enough.

The living room and bedroom were open-plan, with a standard double bed. The windows faced south, letting in sunlight, and you could see pigeons on the rooftop across the way.

Kaelen stood in the middle of the living room: "Do you like it?"

"Yes."

"Then let's go with it."

Xie Fengshi hesitated: "Let me think it over."

Kaelen walked over to him, confused that he was still doing the math even though he clearly liked it: "What are you thinking about?"

Xie Fengshi confessed honestly: "I'm doing the math. The rent she quoted is a bit more than what was listed."

After hearing that, Kaelen said, "Then no rush. Let's look at a few more places."

Xie Fengshi was a bit surprised: "You're not going to persuade me?"

"Why would I persuade you? This is your life, your decision. I'm just here to look at apartments with you, not to decide for you."

Xie Fengshi thought for a moment and said, "Other people, in a moment like this, would probably say something like 'I'll cover it for you' or 'I'll cover the difference.'"

Kaelen raised an eyebrow slightly: "Do you need that?"

"No."

"Exactly. When you need help, I'll naturally offer a hand, but I don't need to butt in when you don't need it. You're an independent person, Feng Shi. That's what I like about you."