Chapter 37: Dare to Do It Again Next Time

Chapter 37: And I'd Do It Again

Chu Lanting was still feeling awkward about what happened last night.

He held the chopsticks in his hand, and it took him a long while before he spoke in a low voice.

"Why aren't you eating? Are you upset because I had you sleep in the living room?"

The nights on Planet 207 were relatively cool, and the living room was larger than the bedroom, so the temperature would naturally be slightly lower than in the bedroom.

On top of that, this was Pei Du's first time being punished and sent out of the room, so his mood was bound to be low.

Even this morning when he knocked and walked into the room, the expression on his face was more somber than before.

His heart ached slightly. Chu Lanting's lips moved as if to speak, but in the end, he still didn't say the words to forgive him.

If he forgave him that easily, knowing Pei Du's nature, he would definitely push his luck.

He had already gone too far last night, and if he gave him an inch, it would only get worse.

Pei Du was still waiting for his food to cool off.

Hearing this, he looked up at the person before him, "No, I'm not upset. I made my wife cry, that's my fault. If I behave well, she'll forgive me."

"I just—I just..."

Not daring to speak of what he had done last night, Pei Du grabbed the chopsticks beside him, picked up a mouthful of noodles, and blew on them to cool them. "I'll eat."

The moment the noodles hit his mouth and his injured tongue touched the hot food, a dull pain shot through him, and his handsome face twisted into a grimace.

Chu Lanting was already full. Sticking to his rule of not wasting food, he was chewing the food in his mouth in small bites.

As he finished chewing, he didn't forget to look up at the young man before him. Seeing Pei Du's brows furrow instantly after taking a bite of noodles, he immediately put down his chopsticks.

"What's wrong? Are the noodles too hot?"

His fingers touched the surface of the bowl, and feeling how hot it was, Chu Lanting's frown deepened. "It's fine, not too hot. Did you burn your mouth?"

He shot up from his chair, walked around the dining table to Pei Du, and pulled him toward the sink.

"Spit it out, rinse your mouth, and let me see where you're hurt."

Pei Du shook his head in response, and even raised his hand to cover his mouth, clearly not wanting him to check the wound in his mouth.

Seeing this, Chu Lanting pressed his lips into a thin line. "It's getting late, we need to get to work soon. Hurry up and spit it out. If it's really burned, even Uncle Tian might not have medicine for it."

"Be good, A Du."

Chu Lanting's eyes were tea-brown. The sunlight streaming through the window hit his face, turning his eyes translucent and making the concern in them all the more evident.

Pei Du stared into his eyes for a long while before reluctantly swallowing the food in his mouth. After rinsing, he crouched down and opened his mouth.

"Your tongue is injured. How did it get this bad? Last night you..."

The words were only halfway out before Chu Lanting swallowed the rest back down.

He should be angry—angry at Pei Du for kissing him without a second thought.

But when he saw the wound in his mouth, the anger in his heart just fizzled out.

His hand, hovering in the air, clenched into a fist and then relaxed. Chu Lanting took a step back, and only when he felt his lower back touch the sink counter did he stop.

"It was probably me who bit you, but that's all your fault. Will you still dare to kiss me so casually?"

His fingers rested on the countertop. Chu Lanting turned his head away, no longer looking at him, afraid that one more glance at that aggrieved expression would make him soften.

A low, soft voice came from the cramped space.

Seeing him step back, Pei Du's heart trembled. He closed his mouth and stood up straight again.

The weather was nice today, with sunlight streaming in early in the morning.

Now, that sunlight fell on Chu Lanting's face, not only making the color of his eyes brighter, but also illuminating his long, curled eyelashes and the fine, soft fuzz on his cheeks in sharp detail.

Pei Du took in the sight before him, his Adam's apple bobbing uncontrollably.

"I would dare."

The sudden answer caught Chu Lanting off guard. "What?"

"I would dare. My wife can bite me, hit me, scold me—anything. Just don't ignore me. I love my wife. Uncle Tian and Feng Xingyun said that when you like someone, you can't help but want to be close to them."

"Wife, I want to be close to you, and I want to kiss you."

"Can I? Please, wife?"

The space by the sink was cramped—so small that even two people standing side by side was a tight fit.

In the past, only one of them would be here at a time; the two rarely stayed in this spot together.

This time, they were both standing by the sink. Chu Lanting, with his back against the counter, only now realized that Pei Du had somehow boxed him in.

Pei Du's apron was still on, tied at the waist, accentuating his already striking broad shoulders and narrow waist.

The height difference between them was considerable. Every time they faced each other, Chu Lanting had to look up.

Now Pei Du stood right before him, leaning down slightly, and before he even noticed, they were nearly face to face.

The moisture from his morning wash-up had completely dried by now. Chu Lanting tightened his grip on the countertop, and his heart began beating erratically again, this early in the morning.

"No! A Du, are you some kind of dog in heat? I told you we—mmph!"

Pei Du was nothing but a shameless bastard who'd kiss him at the drop of a hat!

His hands, pressed against the countertop, lifted to push against the face that had suddenly gotten too close.

Chu Lanting had wanted to bite Pei Du's tongue, but remembering that the person before him had a wound in his mouth and couldn't even eat properly, he softened and dropped the idea.

Instead, he pressed both hands against the other's cheeks. Seeing the spark of anticipation in his half-lidded eyes, he realized that Pei Du thought he was about to deepen the kiss.

Chu Lanting curled his lips into a smirk, grabbed his cheeks with his fingers, and yanked them outward with force.

"Ow!"

He could finally breathe fresh air again.

Chu Lanting clenched his jaw and glared at the young man who was clutching his cheeks with both hands, his face twisted in pain. "Serves you right!"

"Have breakfast on your own, I'm heading to the factory first."

He couldn't finish the remaining half bowl of noodles. Chu Lanting glanced at the food in the bowl, then put it into the cabinet nearby that Pei Du used to secretly stash cakes in.

With that, he grabbed his work clothes and headed out the door without a backward glance, making for the yard.

Left behind, Pei Du watched his retreating back. His hand, which had been rubbing his cheek, gradually slowed until he let both arms fall to his sides. Instead of heading to the dining table, he walked slowly toward the room Chu Lanting had left open.

The blanket on the bed was folded neatly, and even the bedsheet was pulled perfectly smooth.

The only sign anyone had slept there was the lone pillow sitting in the middle of the bed.

Pei Du stared intently at the pillow on the bed. After a few breaths, he suddenly lunged toward it.

With a creak, the aged wooden bed let out a groan of protest under the sudden weight.

But that wasn't enough to make the young man on the bed care.

He simply hugged the pillow tightly to his chest and buried his face deep into it, as if doing so could hold his beloved in his arms.