Chapter 39 First Meal in the New Home

Chapter 39: First Dinner in the New Home

Xie Fengshi curled up in the corner of the sofa, hugging a throw pillow, his eyes red-rimmed and his lashes damp. He couldn't believe it—he'd actually been kissed until he cried.

The most embarrassing part was that by the end, he couldn't even breathe from the kissing, relying on Kaelen to wipe his tears and coax him to breathe. His mind was a complete blur at the time; he wasn't about to focus on something like breathing.

Xie Fengshi only remembered Kaelen's lips pressing against his again, Kaelen, afraid he might choke, gently nibbling and soothing his lips, waiting until his breathing steadied before gradually deepening the kiss.

No matter how gentle Kaelen's kisses seemed, it was all a facade. When his tongue slipped in, it was forceful and unyielding, tangling with Xie Fengshi's tongue, sucking and biting, never giving him a moment to catch his breath. And this guy's kissing skills were getting better and better—Xie Fengshi couldn't help but wonder if Kaelen had lied to him. Was he lying about it being his first time? First time kissing like this? How was that even possible?

When they kissed, Kaelen was pressing against him the whole time. Even through the fabric, Xie Fengshi could feel the outline and heat of him, hard against his inner thigh, rubbing back and forth with Kaelen's movements.

Thinking about it now, Xie Fengshi pressed the pillow hard against his face. Kaelen later took his hand and guided it there. His palm rested against Xie Fengshi's hand, guiding him to slowly close his fingers, letting him feel the shape beneath the fabric.

Too big. That was the only thought in Xie Fengshi's mind.

Xie Fengshi knew the basics, had seen plenty before. He knew some people were naturally gifted, but he never imagined it could be this extreme.

When he held it, his hand couldn't even close around it. His palm was stretched taut, his fingertips barely able to wrap halfway around it, and through the fabric, he could feel the throb of the veins beneath, strong and vigorous.

Xie Fengshi's mind went blank instantly. That was the moment his brain had taken a vacation.

After that, Kaelen kissed him again, for a long time, kissed him until his eyes were red-rimmed, then held him in his arms and kissed him more.

Xie Fengshi lifted his face from the pillow, opened his mouth as if to say something, then buried it back down.

If they ever took that final step.

He would break. Definitely.

How was that supposed to be a normal person's size? What kind of genetic mutation was Kaelen, anyway? Being that tall was bad enough, but even *that* part…

Xie Fengshi shook his head vigorously, flinging those images from his mind. He couldn't keep thinking about it—if he did, he wouldn't get any sleep tonight.

Kaelen went to get water. Xie Fengshi heard the clink of a glass on the kitchen counter, then Kaelen sat down at the other end of the sofa, placing the glass on the coffee table. He didn't move closer, giving Xie Fengshi plenty of space to calm down.

Xie Fengshi peeked out with one eye from behind the pillow, secretly glancing at Kaelen.

Kaelen's collar was slightly open, revealing a small patch of his chest. His hair was a mess from Xie Fengshi's hands during the kiss. His lips were red too, his lower lip fuller than usual, still showing the marks from Xie Fengshi's bites. He sat there, relaxed and casual.

Xie Fengshi looked away, and his heart started acting up again.

Silence stretched for a moment, then Kaelen spoke: "What are you thinking about?"

Xie Fengshi lowered the pillow a bit, revealing a pair of beautiful eyes: "I'm thinking about why I teased you just now."

Kaelen laughed out loud: "Weren't you pretty brave back then?"

Xie Fengshi rubbed his burning ears: "A momentary impulse."

"An impulse is still an impulse." Kaelen moved closer to him, resting his hand on the back of the sofa, just a few centimeters from him. "Did you think about the consequences when you teased me?"

Xie Fengshi silently buried his face back into the pillow: "No."

"Do you know now?"

"…Yes."

Kaelen sighed helplessly, using his fingertip to smooth down Xie Fengshi's messy hair and tweak his hot earlobe. "I'm not going to eat you."

Xie Fengshi's voice came muffled from under the pillow: "What you just did was pretty much the same as eating me."

A pair of bright black eyes peeked out from behind the pillow. Xie Fengshi saw Kaelen sitting there, his expression unchanged, but something was off: "Are you holding something back?"

Something flickered in those dazzling blue eyes under the light, and was quickly suppressed. Kaelen said, "What do you think?"

Xie Fengshi shut his mouth. In fact, Kaelen had been holding back from the moment they started kissing. His body's reactions were undeniable, but he remained restrained, not doing anything Xie Fengshi hadn't agreed to. The only exception was guiding Xie Fengshi's hand there.

Xie Fengshi put the pillow aside and scooted over, inch by inch, until he was right next to Kaelen, leaning against him. He whispered, "I didn't say you couldn't."

Kaelen turned his head to look at him, but Xie Fengshi looked away again: "I'm just… let me get used to it. It's not that I don't like it—really, I do. I like it a lot, Kaelen."

Kaelen placed his palm over the back of Xie Fengshi's hand, which was resting on his knee: "Take your time. I'm not in a hurry."

Xie Fengshi muttered, "You weren't like this just now."

"That was then."

"You didn't seem patient when you were kissing me."

Kaelen laughed out loud at Xie Fengshi's words: "That's different, Feng Shi. Kissing you is instinct. Waiting for you is a choice. I can't control my instincts, but I can choose."

It started drizzling outside again. The clear sky had lasted only a moment. The room was warm and cozy. Xie Fengshi drew his legs up, curling into the sofa, and leaned his head against Kaelen's shoulder, then was pulled into Kaelen's arms.

"You said this was your first relationship, so why are you so good at kissing?"

"Are you sure you want the answer?"

Xie Fengshi lifted his head from Kaelen's embrace: "Tell me."

"I observed. Kissing isn't that complicated in theory. The contact of lips and tongue follows patterns. I just simulated it in my mind many times, and when I put it into practice, I found that theory and reality aren't that different."

Xie Fengshi was stunned: "You simulated it in your mind many times? When did you start?"

Kaelen thought for a few seconds: "When you fell asleep on the sofa that time. That's when I started."

Xie Fengshi's face instantly flushed. He suddenly said, "Bend down."

Kaelen obediently lowered his head, and Xie Fengshi reached up to cup his face. The moment his fingertips touched, he could feel the contours of bones beneath—high brow bones, high cheekbones, a sharp jawline. This face was impossible to ignore anywhere.

Xie Fengshi leaned in and placed a gentle kiss on the corner of Kaelen's lips: "This is a return gift. For the flowers you gave me."

A smile spread across Kaelen's eyes: "Then I'll have to think hard about what to give you next time."

Xie Fengshi snuggled back into his arms: "Anything is fine. I'll like whatever you give me."

…

Three days after moving, Xie Fengshi finally had time to invite everyone over.

It wasn't that he was procrastinating—he'd been so busy the past few days that his feet didn't touch the ground. Everything took longer than he expected.

The curtains were something Kaelen helped him pick out: thick, cream-colored flannel. Once hung, the room felt much warmer. The radiators were replaced with higher-capacity ones, and the old house's damp chill was completely driven away.

Kaelen also had someone lay a wool carpet in the living room. Xie Fengshi initially said it wasn't necessary, but Kaelen told him to step on it barefoot and try it. He tried it, and never again said it wasn't necessary.

Xie Fengshi had been planning the menu for today's dinner two days in advance. Quite a few people were coming. He listed several versions of the menu on paper, deleting and revising many times until he was satisfied.

Xie Fengshi woke up before dawn. Lying in bed, he went through the day's schedule again in his mind, confirmed there were no omissions, and then quietly got out of bed.

Kaelen had slept over last night — no, to be precise, he hadn't gone back to his hotel ever since they moved in.

Xie Fengshi, afraid of waking him, was extra quiet, but he still woke him up.

"What time did you wake up?" Kaelen's voice was low and hoarse from just waking up.

Xie Fengshi lowered his voice: "Not long ago. Go back to sleep."

Kaelen propped himself up in bed, his blond hair a mess, squinting as he watched Xie Fengshi look for his slippers. He threw off the covers, got out of bed, walked barefoot across the carpet to behind Xie Fengshi, and hugged him from behind: "I'll help you."

"What can you help with? You don't even know how to cook."

"I can wash and cut vegetables."

Xie Fengshi turned his head to glance at Kaelen, who was still not fully awake, his eyes half-closed, arms wrapped tightly around him like a giant dog. Xie Fengshi couldn't help but ruffle his messy hair: "Go wash up first."

Kaelen nuzzled his neck before letting go.

The kitchen was now Xie Fengshi's favorite place. The counter was big enough so he could prep ingredients and simmer soup at the same time without feeling cramped. He took the pre-made stock from the fridge and put it on the stove to warm up, then slowly began preparing the ingredients for the day.

When Kaelen came out after washing up, Xie Fengshi had already washed and cut all the vegetables. He was standing at the counter in his apron, holding a bunch of celery and removing the strings. Kaelen couldn't help but watch for a while. Noticing him, Xie Fengshi said, "Stop watching and come help."

Kaelen walked over and rolled up his sleeves: "What do you need me to do?"

Xie Fengshi pushed a bag of mushrooms toward him: "Slice them thin and even."

Kaelen wasn't very practiced with the knife, but he was earnest. Catching sight of his earnestness out of the corner of his eye, Xie Fengshi's lips curled up.

The kitchen fell quiet, with only the sounds of chopping and the stock bubbling away.

Xie Fengshi started on the appetizer. He cut fresh mozzarella into thick slices, and tomatoes to the same thickness. He arranged them alternately on a plate, drizzled with olive oil and balsamic reduction, and sprinkled with fresh basil leaves — a classic Caprese salad, simple yet beautiful.

Kaelen said, "This looks really simple."

"Mm, and it's delicious too." Xie Fengshi put the plate in the fridge to chill, then turned to check on the stock.

The stock had been made yesterday, simmered on low heat for a whole afternoon. Xie Fengshi strained it once; the broth was clear and richly aromatic.

Next came the highlight of the day: beef braised in red wine.

Xie Fengshi cut the beef chuck into large chunks and patted them dry with paper towels. He heated olive oil in the pot, seared the beef on all sides until browned on all sides — key to sealing in the juices. He set the seared beef aside, then added diced onion and carrot to the same pot, sautéing over low heat until the onion softened, then added minced garlic until fragrant.

Xie Fengshi pointed at the wine bottle on the counter: "Open that red wine."

Kaelen picked up the wine and glanced at it: "Need to decant it?"

"It's already been decanted. Just pour it in."

Kaelen pulled out the cork and poured the wine into the pot as Xie Fengshi directed. The moment the red wine went in, the kitchen filled with the wine's rich aroma. The browned bits on the bottom dissolved into the wine, turning into a deep red sauce. Xie Fengshi returned the seared beef to the pot, added stock, tomato paste, a small bunch of thyme, and two bay leaves. He brought it to a boil over high heat, then reduced the heat to low and covered the pot.

"How long does this need to simmer?" Kaelen asked.

"Over two hours. Take your time."

The second main dish was Spanish seafood paella. Xie Fengshi had learned this in his previous life; he'd only made it a few times, but the response had always been excellent.

Mince the onion and garlic, peel and chop the tomato, dice the bell pepper, and soak the saffron in water. Heat olive oil in a pan, first sauté the onion and garlic, then add the bell pepper and stir-fry, then add the tomato and cook until it breaks down and the liquid has evaporated. Finally, add short-grain rice and stir until each grain is coated in oil.

Xie Fengshi handed the spatula to Kaelen, who was looking on eagerly beside him: "You do it. Keep turning it so the bottom doesn't burn."

Kaelen took over the stirring, the rice grains making a rustling sound as they tumbled in the pan. Xie Fengshi watched closely: "Stir from the bottom up. Yes, like that. Bring the ones at the bottom to the top."

When the grains turned translucent, Xie Fengshi added the saffron water and white wine. As the wine aroma rose, he covered the pan and turned the heat to low: "Let it simmer for about ten minutes. Then we'll add the seafood."

Kaelen handed the spatula back to him: "I really like this."

"Hmm?"

"Being in the kitchen with you."

Xie Fengshi was washing the cutting board. Hearing this, his cheeks flushed again. He pretended not to hear, lowered his head, and kept doing what he was doing, but he couldn't stop his mouth from curving into a smile.

Not long after, Lu Shiyan was the first to arrive.

When he rang the doorbell, Xie Fengshi was adding seafood to the paella — arranging large shrimp, mussels, squid rings, and clams neatly on top of the rice, then covering the pan to continue cooking. Xie Fengshi went to answer the door with his hands still smelling of seafood. Lu Shiyan stood at the door holding two large bags, his round face was red from the wind.

"Come in quickly, it's cold outside."

Once inside, Lu Shiyan set the bags down in the entryway and couldn't help looking around as he changed his shoes.

The living room curtain was half drawn. Perhaps because it had been raining for days, today the weather had cooperated — it was exceptionally good, though still cold.

Xie Fengshi had picked out the sofa himself — a dark gray fabric sofa, deep and wide, so comfortable you'd never want to get up. There was still a partially unpacked box in the corner, but overall the place looked pretty good.

"Not bad at all. Better than I imagined." Lu Shiyan walked around the living room, then peeked into the kitchen. "It smells great. What are you making?"

"Beef braised in red wine and paella."

Lu Shiyan's eyes lit up. He went over to the stove, lifted the lid to take a look, then quickly put it back, afraid the smell would get out.

"I brought two bottles of red wine — one for the meal, one as a gift — and this!" Lu Shiyan pulled out a beautifully wrapped box. "A housewarming gift. See if you like it."

Xie Fengshi took it and looked — it was an apron. He touched it; the fabric was thick and soft, way better than the one he was wearing.

Lu Shiyan scratched his head: "Cheng Lang said you'd definitely like this, so we picked one out. He insisted on getting words embroidered on it to show it's yours exclusively — but we all vetoed it. Too tacky."

Xie Fengshi laughed at Lu Shiyan's description. "Thank you, I love it."