Chapter 35: Wife, Help Me

Chapter 35: Wife, Help Me Out

"Mm... A Du..."

The night was dim and hazy.

Unlike the city with its dazzling lights, on this planet, once night fell, everything was muted into silence.

It was precisely because of this quietness that Chu Lanting's already restless heart now thumped like a war drum.

His hands clung desperately to the clothes of the man in front of him, not daring to let go.

He was terrified that if he let go, his legs would buckle and he'd collapse out of the other man's arms.

Yet the reality was that the young man standing face to face with him held the back of his head with one hand, while the other arm wrapped tightly around his waist.

The force was so intense it felt like he wanted to press Chu Lanting into his very bones, to fuse with him entirely.

Starved of oxygen, his mind went blank. Chu Lanting, who had lost all ability to think, even forgot to breathe.

Through tear-blurred eyes, using the moonlight overhead, he vaguely caught something flash in the half-lidded eyes of the man before him.

But that emotion appeared in a flash and vanished just as fast.

Before he could get a closer look, the young man, who had been plundering his mouth, deepened the kiss even more.

This was not Chu Lanting's first kiss.

But the man standing before him was the first person to ever kiss him.

Never having felt anything like this, his tear-dampened lashes trembled wildly.

Just as he thought he was about to become the first person in all of history—ancient or modern, Chinese or foreign—to die from suffocation mid-kiss, the big hand behind his head finally pulled away.

"Wife tastes so sweet."

As if he hadn't had his fill, the tall young man dipped his head again, his handsome face practically screaming 'more' as he quietly closed in on the prey that could satisfy him.

At that moment, Chu Lanting was gulping down fresh air.

The familiar woody scent had already settled at the tip of his nose, so when the other man leaned in again, he didn't notice at all.

It wasn't until the familiar sensation returned that he sensed the danger.

By the time he realized he should stop him, it was already too late.

"Pei... Du..."

"Wife, I feel awful. Help me, wife..."

......

The small room had been a total mess earlier.

But since Chu Lanting's arrival, it had undergone a complete transformation.

It wasn't as grand as a mansion, but after being tidied up, this once-cluttered room finally had the cozy warmth a small home should have.

But now the cozy atmosphere was gone, replaced by a tense, chilling standoff.

The door creaked open carefully. Even though the man outside had kept his voice low, the second he stepped in, a half-used pencil smacked him on the head.

"Didn't I tell you to sleep outside?"

His normally clear voice had gone hoarse.

Sitting on the bed grading the kids' homework, Chu Lanting didn't even look up. He just swapped to another pencil and kept writing.

Looking closely, you could see his notes on the scattered slips of paper—every stroke was clean and flowing, a visual treat just to look at.

After just taking a cold shower to calm the heat in his body, Pei Du stood barefoot by the bed.

Seeing that the man in front of him refused to look up, he pursed his lips. His eyes, which had sparkled with satisfaction moments ago, were now tinged with hurt.

He folded his legs and sat cross-legged on the edge of the bed. Pei Du reached out a finger to hook the other man's arm, but he dodged away.

His invisible fluffy tail instantly drooped. He set his hand on the bed and said softly, "Wife, I was wrong."

The second Chu Lanting heard that familiar tone, he remembered what happened the last time he softened to it under the night sky.

His fingers tightened around the pen. Even though the night air was a few degrees cooler than the day, his palms and fingertips were still burning hot.

His ears were on fire. Chu Lanting pursed his lips, felt the sting at the corner of his mouth, and managed to resist turning around to look at the face inching closer.

Because he knew the second he turned, he'd definitely see that hurt look on the other man's face.

And if he saw it, he'd go soft again...

"No, I told you to sleep outside. You messed up this time. If I forgive you that easily, next time... next time you'll definitely go even further."

He picked up the pen that had fallen beside him, took a deep breath, and pushed down the urge to forgive the other man.

He stuffed the papers and pencil under his pillow, then quickly lay down and yanked the blanket over his head.

"Remember to turn off the light when you leave."

Electricity costs money, you know—it's too expensive.

The young man sitting by the bed saw that his wife wouldn't forgive him and even wanted him to turn off the light on his way out. Regret flickered in his eyes.

His wife gets shy—he shouldn't have asked her to help him.

But his wife's hands were so soft—softer than the little cakes at the bakery.

Recalling what happened under the night sky, Pei Du—who had just taken a cold shower—felt his body heat up all over again.

Seeing that the man still had the blanket pulled over his head, he held back the emotions in his eyes, stood up from the edge of the bed, then bent down and tugged the annoying blanket away.

Chu Lanting had wondered if he might pull the blanket, but he'd lain there for a while without hearing a sound.

Just as he let his guard down, the blanket he was clutching was suddenly yanked away.

The dim room instantly flooded with light.

"Why didn't you..."

He didn't even get the word "listen" out before the warm touch on his forehead startled him speechless.

"I know I messed up. I'll control myself from now on. Don't be mad, wife. Call me if you need anything—I'll be right outside. Goodnight."

His low, gentle voice brushed past Chu Lanting's ears like a feather. The tingle traveled from his ears to his brain, and even his fingertips felt itchy.

His fingers, hidden beneath the blanket, twitched slightly as Chu Lanting blinked, finally finding his voice.

"Goodnight. Get some rest."

Pei Du, finally receiving a response, felt a smile tug at the corners of his lips again.

He raised a hand, gently feeling the warmth of the other's cheek with his fingertips, and, before his wife could get mad again, he jumped up, leaned down to scoop up the blanket beside him, and walked slowly toward the door.

A soft click, and the room went dark.

At the same time, he said goodnight again.

Only when the door finally clicked shut did Chu Lanting, lying in bed, finally exhale the breath he'd been holding.

His heart had been out of sync from the moment Pei Du had pulled him into an embrace and kissed him, and it still hadn't returned to normal.

In the darkness, a pale hand pressed against his chest.

Feeling the thrumming beneath, Chu Lanting, who had been tired all day and should have been drowsy, found himself wide awake.