Chapter 70: Tail

Chapter 70: The Tail

Lu Hechi stuffed his phone into his pocket, stood up, and paced around the room.

He circled the room again.

The sound of running water continued. Through the frosted glass, he could make out a blurry figure moving inside.

He stood at the bathroom door, listening for a few seconds, then turned and walked to the wardrobe. He crouched down, pulled the box out from the bottom of the wardrobe, tore off the tape, and opened it again.

The white tail and black cat-ear headband lay quietly inside, like a Pandora's box awaiting him.

He crouched there, hesitating for about ten seconds, then reached in and pulled out the tail and headband.

The lubricant stayed in the box, untouched. He shoved the box back into the wardrobe.

He stood in front of the full-length mirror, holding the two items up to compare. The white tail hung behind him, fluffy.

He turned to check the tail's angle from behind, then turned back.

Then he put the headband on his head.

The black cat ears stood atop his head, making his hair appear even darker.

He stared at himself in the mirror for two seconds, then quickly took the headband off again.

After a moment's hesitation, he put it back on.

The sound of water stopped.

When the bathroom door opened, steam wafted out through the opening.

Shen Lanxue walked out in a white bathrobe, hair still wet, head bowed as he dried the ends of his hair with a towel.

He looked up to see Lu Hechi standing in front of the mirror.

He froze.

Lu Hechi stood facing the mirror, black cat ears on his head, the tail hanging behind him.

Shen Lanxue's gaze moved from the cat ears to his face, then to the tail hanging behind him.

He stood at the bathroom door, towel draped over his shoulder, his expression changing several times.

"...This is the surprise you were talking about?"

Lu Hechi tried to look as confident as he could: "Yeah. Like it?"

Shen Lanxue walked over, stopped in front of him, and reached out and touched the ears on his head.

His fingertips brushed against the plush of the headband, then pulled back.

"...You bought this, then."

"Yeah."

"When did you buy it?"

"Before the variety show started airing."

Shen Lanxue looked at him, the corner of his mouth twitching—like he wanted to laugh but held it back, or wasn't sure where to begin.

He lowered his gaze and saw the tail hanging over the edge of the bed behind Lu Hechi, its fluffy tip swaying gently.

...It was *even* voice-activated.

He looked away, sat down on the edge of the bed, and crooked his finger at him. "Come here."

Lu Hechi walked over obediently.

Shen Lanxue patted the bed. "Turn around, let me see."

Lu Hechi's face was bright red, but he obediently lay down on it.

Shen Lanxue reached out, touched the chain at the base of the tail, and tugged it gently.

Lu Hechi's whole body tensed up.

Shen Lanxue ran his hand through the fur. "It's soft."

"...Well, of course it's soft."

"You're wearing this—what are you trying to show me?"

Lu Hechi steeled himself. "Look at whatever you want."

Shen Lanxue didn't say anything.

He took the towel off his shoulder and set it on the nightstand. Then he leaned in, resting his chin on Lu Hechi's shoulder, his gaze level with the black ears atop his head.

"...It looks good on you."

The tips of Lu Hechi's ears burned. "...Really?"

"Yeah," Shen Lanxue said.

His hand reached around Lu Hechi's waist, fingers brushing through the fur of the tail.

"Don't you have to take your clothes off to put this on?"

Lu Hechi went blank, turning his head to stare back at him.

Shen Lanxue had already lifted his chin from his shoulder and stood up, heading for the door. "I'm going to go check if Little Star's asleep."

Lu Hechi sat on the edge of the bed, turning to watch him go. He paused at the door for a moment, then opened it and went out.

Lu Hechi was still sitting on the edge of the bed, black cat ears on his head, a white tail hanging behind him over the side.

A few seconds later, it slowly sank in, and he buried his face in the pillow, letting out a muffled whimper.

Was his brother hinting at something?

Take them off...

Outside the window, the night was quiet. The tail still swayed gently over the edge of the bed.

He swallowed hard and told the smart home assistant, Little Fish, to draw the curtains. A rustling sound filled the room as they closed. Lu Hechi pulled the blanket up, waiting to hear the door open again.

When the door pushed open, Lu Hechi was lying on his side, blanket pulled up to his chin, only his eyes and the black cat ears visible above it.

He looked like he was just waiting to be picked.

Shen Lanxue walked in, closing the door behind him without a second thought. His gaze lingered on the man for a moment, then he walked over and sat down on the edge of the bed.

"Is Little Star asleep?"

"Yeah," Shen Lanxue said. "Xiao Hua's with him, reading him a bedtime story."

Lu Hechi peeked his head out from under the blanket. "So... you heading out again?"

"No."

Lu Hechi breathed a sigh of relief, scooted over, leaving half the bed open.

Shen Lanxue didn't lie down. He sat there watching him for a while, then reached out and touched the cat ears on top of his head, his fingertips stroking the fur in the direction it grew.

"...And the tail?"

"It's still on."

"Can't even tell with the blanket on."

Lu Hechi hesitated for a moment, then lifted the blanket just a sliver, showing the tail tip hanging at his waist.

The fluffy white tail lay against the dark bedsheet, its tip slightly curled.

Shen Lanxue glanced down, reached out, and pinched the tail tip, rubbing it between his fingers.

"What were you thinking when you bought this?"

Lu Hechi buried his face in the pillow, his voice muffled by the pillow: "I thought you'd look hot wearing it."

Shen Lanxue: "...So how'd it end up on you?"

Lu Hechi turned his head, lifting one side of his face off the pillow, and looked at him.

Shen Lanxue kept his eyes lowered, his lashes dark as crow feathers, each one crisp and clear, his cheeks slightly flushed. His fingers were still on the tail tip, toying with it.

Lu Hechi watched him for a few seconds, then buried his face again: "I just wanted to make you happy."

Shen Lanxue placed the tail tip back on the sheet, then reached out and gently took the cat ears off his head.

Lu Hechi felt the headband being taken off, a light, airy feeling at the top of his head.

Shen Lanxue set the ears on the nightstand but didn't withdraw his hand right away. His fingertips hovered just above his forehead for a second: "...Aren't you hot?"

"...A little."

"Then sleep."

Shen Lanxue turned off the light.

In the darkness, there was a soft rustling, then the whisper of fabric. The tail had been taken off at some point and set by the pillow.

Lu Hechi felt Shen Lanxue's hand slide from his shoulder to his waist, pause for a moment, then tighten, very gently.

He didn't say anything, just shifted closer to him.

The night was quiet, no wind outside the window, the curtains drawn tightly shut.

Soft breaths rose and fell in the dark, mingling and pulling apart, then swallowed up by the heavy dark.

Lu Hechi leaned in gently, kissed Shen Lanxue's cheek, and then the two of them kissed.

Soon, the wet, sticky sounds of their kisses filled the room.

A night of tenderness and heat.