Chapter 66: Pretense. He hoped He Ge loved him.

When He Ge woke up the next day, he felt extraordinarily rested. Naturally waking up, his alertness was immediate upon opening his eyes, accompanied by the soft breathing of another next to him.

The alarm hadn't rung, indicating it was before seven.

Their sleeping positions had shifted from their initial embrace. Now, He Ge lay on his back with the other's arm sprawled across his chest.

They likely changed positions just before dawn, as any prolonged stay in this pose would've felt stifling for He Ge.

Gazing up at the ceiling, he had barely settled into the calm when he felt the fingers next to him tighten, gripping his shoulder to pull him close.

Lou Dongzang whispered, "Awake?"

His voice, lowered, sounded...

Almost like a soothing lullaby.

Gentle as the spring rain, soft-spoken and tender.

The tone made He Ge's thoughts pause for a moment, and after a few seconds, he replied, "Yes."

Even though he was awake, Lou Dongzang didn't remove his arm, nor did he show any intention of letting He Ge rise.

Just as He Ge was about to speak, Lou Dongzang anticipated him, "Isn't your office close to home now? Do you really need to get up so early?"

He Ge responded, "Indeed... I don't."

Staring at the ceiling, he pondered for a moment before saying, "But I'm not sure what to do just lying here."

Lou Dongzang: "Must we do something? Then how about we—"

He Ge quickly interjected, "It's not about that; I just might fall back to sleep if we don't."

Lou Dongzang pulled him closer, chuckling softly into his ear, making no further move.

He Ge also began to laugh, saying, "Always trying to tease me..."

This quiet moment, chatting under the covers with another person, granted He Ge an unparalleled sense of tranquility.

He couldn't remember the last time he had a moment like this—just silently drifting in his thoughts.

It felt so peaceful, being with someone like this. His heart felt entirely calm.

Lou Dongzang: "Let's sleep a bit longer."

He Ge: "No, let's get up..."

With his eyes closed, Lou Dongzang leaned in closer, murmuring, "It's a new day. I can kiss you, right?"

He was so close that a few strands of He Ge's hair got pinned beneath him. As Lou spoke, the subtle movements of his lips seemed to brush against He Ge's ear.

He Ge turned his head, burying his blushing ear into the pillow, glancing sideways at him, "No, I haven't brushed my teeth... Why do I feel like you're so tired?"

By turning, his face almost touched Lou Dongzang's nose, so he swiftly retreated a bit.

Lou Dongzang didn't reply, confirming the observation silently.

For the first time, He Ge understood Lou Dongzang's state, solely based on intuition.

Somehow, he just read his expression seamlessly, like connecting the dots.

Just like now.

To an outsider, Lou Dongzang might look expressionless. But He Ge could sense a weariness behind those eyes.

Curious, He Ge asked, "Did you stay up all night?"

Lou Dongzang hesitated, debating whether to reply.

Trying to decode the situation, He Ge ventured, "Excited about the new house?"

Lou Dongzang's eyes grew heavier, and with a soft hum of affirmation, he responded.

He Ge gently extricated himself from Lou Dongzang's grip and rose from the bed.

Lou Dongzang weakly tried to hold him back, as if there was something he didn't want He Ge to see. Realizing it was inevitable, he released him.

He had lied.

He Guan walked up to the bathroom mirror, taking a good look at himself.

At least the exposed skin seemed fine.

He began to unbutton his pajama top and discovered something just below his left collarbone.

Two kiss marks.

They weren't deep, but a soft shade of pink.

They looked as if someone had gently kissed him while he was asleep, perhaps fearing he might wake.

He Guan had no recollection of it, feeling the marks a couple of times before hearing someone else push open the bathroom door.

He Guan: "Come, I'm here by the mirror."

That was essentially saying, "I found out what you've done."

Lou Dongcang approached, standing next to him, gently taking his wrist and inquired, "Does this count too?"

He Guan couldn't help but chuckle.

What Lou Dongcang was asking was...

If kissing and hugging are part of the daily routine, do kiss marks count too?

Without a second thought, He Guan responded, "No."

Lou Dongcang: "Why?"

Lou Dongcang leaned slightly forward, resting his chin in the crook of He Guan's neck, embracing him from behind like a large pet waiting for its master's command.

He Guan re-buttoned his top, rambling on, "How could it count? If it does, should there be guidelines for bites? No neck bites during weekdays because we meet people, but allowed on weekends when we're home? Did our agreement include this yesterday? Why did you bother me in the middle of the night?"

Lou Dongcang paused for a moment, nuzzling the hair behind He Guan's ear, cooing, "You didn’t even wake up. I didn't really disturb you."

He Guan picked up the toothpaste tube, squeezing out enough for both of them, "So why did you even suggest this in the first place? Now you're caught speechless by my questions."

After pondering a moment, Lou Dongcang chuckled, "This morning, not only your ears would be flushed red then."

He caught the hand He Guan was using to grasp the toothbrush, lifting it.

Through the smooth fabric of the pajamas, Lou Dongcang took hold of his fingers, tracing a circle over He Guan's heart.

"There's... more than just two here."

He Guan's heart raced from his touch, trying to evade him, "Why do I feel like... you were more human before we dated? Now you've become such a lovesick puppy."

Lou Dongcang held him even tighter, not letting him pull away, whispered in his ear with a laugh, "Could I have wooed you if I remained just a human? Only if I succeed would I stay that way."

That was an admission.

He Guan's ears were sensitive; he wanted nothing more than to evade Lou Dongcang and avoid answering any questions.

Covering his ears with his palms and using them as a shield against Lou Dongcang's face, he sternly handed him the toothbrush smeared with toothpaste, saying, "Brush your teeth."

It wasn't very convincing.

If he continued teasing him, his patience would wear thin, so reluctantly, Lou Dongcang let go.

Once done brushing, He Guan intended to put the toothbrush away and wash his face.

Assuming the man beside him would do the same, he was caught off guard when Lou Dongcang moved closer after setting his cup down, narrowing the distance between them.

Fresh from brushing, Lou Dongcang's breath carried a cool minty scent.

Gently touching He Guan's face, he asked, "Can I kiss you now? We agreed. I've brushed."

Though his voice bore urgency, his touch was incredibly tender.

His fingertips rested gently against He Guan's cheek, devoid of any ulterior motive, only yearning for closeness, waiting for He Guan to say...

"Okay."

Or "Sure."

Lou Dongcang always had a way...

Always had a way to make He Guan's heart race.

Ever since He Guan agreed to give their relationship a try, Lou Dongcang had been this way. Whether seducing or entwining, his tones remained gentle, perfectly aligned with He Guan's preferences.

He knew He Guan liked it.

The only time his facade cracked was during their intimate moments, when Lou Dongcang displayed an assertiveness far exceeding his usual demeanor.

For instance, when He Guan gasped for breath, attempting to push him away, he would be met with a fiercer kiss.

Or when He Guan's breath became ragged and his chest trembled, it only seemed to excite Lou Dongcang more, making him lose control.

Kissing Lou Dongcang always felt like a struggle for He Guan.

This was why He Guan was slightly resistant.

His innate masculine defense mechanisms warned him that Lou Dongcang wasn't as harmless as he appeared.

Yet, his emotions argued...

Look at him, so gentle, so obedient, and so reliant on you. Surely, he can't be deceitful.

Amidst this emotional tug-of-war, love slowly gained the upper hand, causing He Guan to willingly fall into his snare without resistance.

Today was no different.

After Lou Dongcang rinsed his mouth with cold water, his tongue felt icy – akin to a cold-blooded creature adjusting to the temperature.

When He Guan tasted his tongue, it felt like licking a soft ice pop, prompting an almost-laugh. Yet, the urge to chuckle only reached his throat before dissipating internally, so he never actually laughed.

The reason being, the kiss quickly intensified, leaving He Guan breathless and without a chance to even giggle.

He didn't realize how many steps he had taken backward until his back hit the wall beside their double sink, and his head was inadvertently struck by a wooden shelf holding a hairdryer.

The shelf protruded from the wall, made of wood.

Not thick, but hitting it was painful.

He Guan uttered a muffled groan.

“Ah...!”

“What happened? Where did you get hurt?”

Struck with pain, He Guan took a moment to respond, tears forming in his eyes.

After a while, he regained his composure, nuzzling into Lou Dongcang's shoulder and whispered, "Next time, don't push me so hard... I wasn’t going to run... I hit the wall-mounted shelf... It really hurts..."

Lou Dongcang's eyes were tightly shut as he gently felt for the sore spot on He Guan’s head, massaging it, whispering, "I'm sorry. It won't happen again."

At that moment, he felt an odd relief that he couldn't see.

If he could, He Guan might be terrified by the intense obsession and possessiveness in his eyes.

Lou Dongcang knew that feigned love wouldn't last. If He Guan saw his true nature, their story might unfold differently.

After all, at his core, He Guan was undeniably straight.

He would naturally resist Lou Dongcang’s overpowering desire to possess him. The fact that Lou Dongcang had to consistently lower He Guan's guard was testament to this.

And yet...

He harbored such selfish intentions and base desires, unwilling to let go.

Not even for a second.

Even one more second would be precious.

He wanted He Guan to love him.

He wanted to be the only one in He Guan’s eyes and heart.

*

After brushing their teeth, the two proceeded to prepare breakfast together.

With a lingering ache in his head from the bump, He Guan decided on a simple meal. "Look for button mushrooms and onions. Standing by the sink, take three steps to your right. The items are on the third shelf of the refrigerator."

Lou Dongcang responded, "Alright."

The fridge in this place had a larger refrigeration compartment than the freezer. After He Guan moved in, they added a separate deep freezer.

He retrieved some bacon from the freezer, placing it on a baking tray lined with parchment paper before sliding it into the oven.

Just as he set the timer, Lou Dongcang said, "The alarm is ringing."

He Guan, puzzled, replied, "What?"

It took him a moment to remember his 7 o'clock alarm.

Even though He Guan hadn't heard it, he trusted Lou Dongcang's keen hearing and said, "I'll turn it off. Wait for me a moment."

Lou Dongcang: "Okay."

In He Guan's absence, Lou Dongcang found the mushrooms and onions, placing them on the chopping board. His fingers found a knife on the board.

He traced along the blade's edge, upwards.

The man by the counter slightly bowed his head, his expression unreadable. He pressed against the blade's tip, gradually applying more force until a deep indent appeared on his fingertip.

Yet, there was no blood.

Lou Dongcang uprighted the blade, reaching out once more. But before touching its sharp tip again, he heard He Guan's approaching footsteps.

He put the knife down.

He Guan returned from the bedroom with his phone, checking the day's weather, remarking, "Indeed, the alarm rang. You have such good hearing... It's just 7 o'clock now, and today is... May 20th. The weather's quite pleasant."

He mumbled to himself, "So tonight would be the 21st..."

Acting as if nothing unusual had transpired, Lou Dongcang asked, "What's special about May 21st?"

Turning off his phone, He Guan shook his head, "Nothing in particular."

It just happened to be a birthday he hadn't celebrated in a long time.

In this world, his birthday differed from the original He Guan's.

...It probably won't be celebrated again.