Wen Yan tightly gripped the seatbelt with both hands, lowering his gaze to conceal his nervousness.
Wen Xueli glanced at him through the rearview mirror and initiated a conversation, “Have you been to the nearby ancient towns before?”
Wen Yan shook his head.
Busy with studies and work, he hadn’t even been to an amusement park, let alone had time to play elsewhere.
Wen Xueli smiled faintly, “Then, enjoy yourself this time.”
Wen Yan whispered an acknowledgment.
He remained nervous, and his words became even fewer.
Whether the man sensed his unease or not, he gently said, “If you’re bored, take a nap.”
Wen Yan was indeed a bit tired. He had stayed up late into the night yesterday, and when he woke up in the morning, he couldn’t stop yawning.
But thinking about the drool he left on the man’s shoulder yesterday, afraid of embarrassing himself again, he decided to hold on until they reached the ancient town before resting.
By now, the car had entered the highway, and traffic began to congest the toll booth, as expected.
The journey from Haicheng to the ancient town usually took three hours, but this time, it was estimated to take about five hours.
Wen Xueli didn’t persist in persuading him to sleep. Instead, he casually chatted with him, asking about military training, whether the classmates in his class were friendly, and so on.
Initially, Wen Yan could respond, but with the start-and-stop motion of the car, he couldn’t hold on any longer and ended up falling asleep.
He slumped in the seat, slightly opening his mouth, his chest rising and falling rhythmically.
The sunlight outside shone on him, enveloping him in warm light, making him appear calm and innocent.
Wen Xueli’s eyes softened, and he smiled faintly, covering the young man with his coat.
The car slowed down again, allowing the young man to sleep more peacefully.
Wen Yan woke up four hours later.
He had a satisfying nap, compensating for the insomnia from the previous night.
Wen Xueli glanced at him and spoke softly, “We’re almost there.”
The man’s voice was husky and deep, and as Wen Yan just woke up, he heard this enchanting voice, causing his heart to skip a beat.
Pretending to be calm, he nodded lightly, and his gaze involuntarily looked at the man’s shoulder.
… No drool; he felt relieved.
Wen Xueli turned and picked up the food from the back seat, handing it to him, saying, “Hungry, huh? Eat something to fill your stomach, and we’ll have a proper meal when we arrive.”
Wen Yan held the food in his hands without opening it, whispering, “Let’s wait until we arrive to eat together.”
He slept all the way, while the man had been driving for several hours; undoubtedly, he must be more tired and hungry than him. How could he eat alone?
Wen Xueli’s gaze swept over his face, and he slightly curled his lips, “Sure.”
He then increased the car’s speed.
After ten minutes, they arrived at the ancient town.
As expected, this place had not been fully developed. Although there were tourists, it wasn’t overly crowded. The buildings were quaint1something attractively unusual, charmingly old-fashioned, or picturesque, with small bridges and flowing water, creating a tranquil atmosphere.
The ancient town nestled at the foot of the mountain, surrounded by the songs of birds and the fragrance of flowers.
The mountain was filled with peach trees, and if they came here in spring, they would likely witness the hills covered in fragrant blossoms.
Wen Xueli parked the car in the courtyard of an inn and said, “Let’s go down.”
This inn was a house built by the residents, a two-story wooden structure with a spacious courtyard.
As the two got out of the car, Tang Ji and his friends’ cars also arrived.
Entering the inn, Wen Xueli had already arranged the food and rooms by contacting the owner in advance.
During the meal, Wen Xueli sat at the main seat, with Wen Yan and Tang Ji on his left and right, respectively.
Tang Ji, being sociable, introduced himself to Wen Yan and gave introductions for the other eleven people he brought.
Wen Yan hadn’t met Tang Ji before, but he could tell that Tang Ji and Wen Xueli were good friends, speaking with familiarity.
Tang Ji brought his girlfriend, and the others also brought their respective partners.
Only Wen Yan and Wen Xueli were single.
While Wen Yan was eating with his head down, he suddenly felt uneasy, as if he realized something.
In the eyes of these friends, were he and Wen Xueli also… a couple?
He was startled by his thoughts, and from that moment, he became somewhat absent-minded during the meal.
Tang Ji was very enthusiastic, chatting with Wen Yan across Wen Xueli, “I heard you’re studying in the Material Science department at Haicheng University. It’s the best in the country; impressive.”
Wen Yan shyly returned a smile, as if thanking him for the compliment.
Tang Ji observed the young man, sensing a scholarly air about him, and he looked clean when he smiled.
He had been curious before why, among the many juniors in the Wen family, Wen Xueli chose to bring only Wen Yan with him.
It wasn’t until he saw Wen Xueli carrying the young man’s backpack this morning that he realized something was quite unusual.
Although he and Wen Xueli were childhood friends, the Prince2not literal‘s thoughts were difficult to fathom. Based on intuition, he realized that this matter was extraordinary.
He turned his eyes, glanced at Wen Xueli, and smiled, asking, “Xiao Wen Yan, Uncle is asking you, do you have someone you like?”
Wen Yan’s hand holding the chopsticks trembled.
…Someone he likes?
He stared at the vegetables that fell into the bowl between the chopsticks, feeling a bit confused.
Somehow, he felt a little flustered, subconsciously looking towards Wen Xueli.
The man was also looking at him, his eyes gentle, reflecting his own figure.
Wen Yan: “…”
His ears gradually turned red.
This matter was even more interesting than he had imagined. Tang Ji was full of excitement, ready to inquire further.
However, Wen Xueli casually glanced at him, “He’s not your nephew, why are you asking so much?”
Tang Ji: “…”
Immediately, he made a motion as if zipping his own mouth shut.
Wen Xueli’s gaze contained a warning. When he turned to look at Wen Yan, everything was calm.
He placed the braised pork made by Aunt Liang into Wen Yan’s bowl and said in a gentle tone, “Although Tang Ji is the same age as me, his generation is younger. Just call him Tang-ge.”
Tang Ji: “…”
Did he just get diminished by a generation like that?
So, only the Prince could be called Uncle?
He frowned at Wen Xueli.
Wen Xueli didn’t pay him any attention.
Wen Yan was still immersed in the words ‘someone you like.’ His mind was in a mess, nodding obediently to whatever Wen Xueli said, being exceptionally well-behaved.
Wen Xueli smiled slightly and served him another bowl of soup, saying, “Aren’t you hungry? Eat more.” He then pointed to the braised dishes, “Are they delicious? Aunt Liang said you love chicken feet.”
A few sentences disrupted Wen Yan’s chaotic thoughts.
Indeed, his attention was successfully diverted. Eating the chicken feet, he said, “It’s delicious, just a bit spicy… Do you want to try?”
He remembered that the man didn’t eat spicy food. Aunt Liang’s dishes were very light, mostly soups without any chili.
However, Wen Xueli said, “Sure.”
Wen Yan paused and placed a chicken foot in the man’s bowl.
Tang Ji and the others watched the Prince serving his nephew throughout the meal. They observed as the nephew persuaded the Prince to eat something he usually wouldn’t touch. There was a tacit understanding between them.
After the meal, Wen Xueli carried Wen Yan’s bag and walked toward the second floor.
Their rooms were at the end of the second floor, side by side.
The corridor, paved with wooden floorboards, had a quaint charm. The sunlight streamed through the eaves, casting a tranquil atmosphere as if time itself had become serene.
Walking side by side, their steps naturally synchronized, as if they were afraid of scaring away the sunlight.
Finally, Wen Yan stopped in front of his room, took the bag from the man, and whispered, “Then I’ll go in first…”
The man smiled and nodded, handing him the bag. He said, “There’s a lantern festival tonight, some sort of traditional Hanfu event. It’s supposed to be beautiful. Do you want to go?”
Wen Yan was slightly surprised, “Hanfu event?”
He had never worn traditional Hanfu and hadn’t bought any. If the streets were filled with people in Hanfu at night, and their group was the only one in casual clothes, it would be quite inappropriate.
The man noticed his concern and smiled, saying, “Then let’s not join the hustle and bustle. How about we go to the hot springs? There’s a natural hot spring on the back hill, developed by the innkeeper for guests to use. Rest for two hours, and after dinner, we can go.”
Hot springs…
But he didn’t bring swim trunks.
Wen Yan showed a troubled expression.
The man’s eyes were deep, and the corner of his lips lifted slightly. “The innkeeper will provide brand new swim trunks.”
It was now around three in the afternoon, and the sunlight was just right, casting a gentle glow on the man’s handsome face, with a hint of indescribable charm.
He inexplicably felt flustered. He wanted to refuse when he opened his mouth, but as the words came to his lips, they turned into agreement involuntarily.
Back in his room, he sighed with regret, suspecting that he had just lost his senses.
Soaking in a hot spring meant undressing…
Thinking of the last time in Hongcheng when he met the man in such an intimate setting, he felt particularly uneasy.
Unfortunately, he had already agreed to the man. If he found another excuse to refuse, it might raise suspicions.
Sitting on the bed, he sent a WeChat message to Ye Ting: 【Xiao Ting, you said last time, if you like someone, just go for it. Can you… teach me some experiences?】
Ye Ting was probably busy enjoying intimate moments with He Jing and hadn’t replied for a long time.
Wen Yan sighed, tossed his phone onto the bed, and gazed absentmindedly at the scenery outside the window.
The weather today was very pleasant, with a gentle breeze coming through the raised wooden windows. He lazily reclined in the rattan chair, lost in his thoughts.
After Wen Xueli returned to his room, he had a brief video meeting with his subordinates. Just as it ended, Tang Ji knocked on the door and entered.
He raised his eyes, glanced at Tang Ji, and continued to deal with emails.
Tang Ji looked at him with a cheeky smile. “Quickly tell me, what’s the deal with your elegant nephew at home?”
Wen Xueli casually tapped his fingers on the keyboard and replied nonchalantly, “What’s the deal.”
Tang Ji chuckled, “Don’t try to deceive me. We’ve known each other for more than twenty years. When did you start caring so much about a little brat?”
Wen Xueli stopped his actions, looked at him expressionlessly, and said, “If you have nothing to do, go be affectionate with your girlfriend. I have work to do.”
Tang Ji was not satisfied, persistently urging, “Come on, spill the beans.”
Wen Xueli finished sending the email and closed his laptop. “You should go out now.”
Tang Ji scratched his head, wanting to know what was on his good friend’s mind. However, his good friend had a tight-lipped personality and displayed an attitude that prevented further probing.
Wen Xueli stood up, lightly tapping the tabletop with his fingers. “Tonight, take your people to stroll on the streets. There are lanterns to see. Don’t you like traditional culture?”
Tang Ji had an intuition that something was off. Without thinking, he blurted out, “What about you and your nephew?”
Wen Xueli naturally wouldn’t answer him.
Tang Ji said, “Just now, the innkeeper asked me how many people are going to the hot springs.”
Wen Xueli glanced at him.
Tang Ji confidently declared, “You and your nephew are going to the hot springs.”
Wen Xueli: “Yes.”
He admitted it shamelessly like that?
Tang Ji had nothing to say, shook his head, and walked out, muttering, “I’ll go inform the innkeeper. I’ll only register you two. Don’t worry; I’ll make sure no one disturbs you.”
He left the room, closing the door behind him.
Coincidentally, Wen Yan’s door opened.
Tang Ji was momentarily surprised.
Wen Yan came out, looking a bit awkward as he gazed at Tang Ji. He said, “Tang-ge, I… have something I want to ask you, is it okay?”
Tang Ji was quite surprised.
He had only met this kid today. What could he possibly want to ask him?
However, the title “Tang-ge” sounded like a cousin, making Tang Ji feel a bit familiar.
Moreover, this kid was someone valued by his friend. Regardless of what his friend’s intentions were, this kid held a different status in his friend’s heart.
Taking things personally and serving someone at the meal—this wasn’t the Prince he knew.
A kind and benevolent smile appeared on his face. “Sure.”
Wen Yan glanced at Wen Xueli’s door and whispered, “Let’s talk downstairs, okay?”
Tang Ji sensed something unusual. Perhaps, the matter this young man wanted to discuss was related to Wen Xueli.
He immediately nodded with a smile, “The sunlight outside is quite pleasant. Let’s take a walk.”
The two went downstairs, one after the other.
Tang Ji didn’t dare to neglect this young man valued by his friend. Although he walked ahead, he carefully observed the young man’s steps, maintaining a lead of half a step.
When they reached the pergola on the west side of the courtyard and confirmed that their conversation wouldn’t be overheard from upstairs, Wen Yan stopped and looked at Tang Ji.
Tang Ji once again showed a friendly smile. “Feel free to ask anything.”
Wen Yan lowered his head, stared at his toes, and hesitated, “I want to ask… Does Uncle… Does he have a significant other?”
Having lived with the man in Hongcheng for two months, the man had never brought anyone to the villa. However, this didn’t necessarily mean that he didn’t have a partner or lover.
Wen Yan had no concept of the man’s social circle, and the man always came and went early and late. It was unclear whether he had a girlfriend or boyfriend outside.
As he asked this question, he felt extremely uncomfortable.
He could even sense Tang Ji’s assessing gaze, but he gritted his teeth and decided to hear the answer before leaving.
Ye Ting had said, “If you like someone, go after them.”
He felt that he should give it a try, even if it failed, there would be no regrets.
But before pursuing someone, he had to confirm whether the person was single.
Tang Ji was momentarily caught off guard.
This young man, who seemed shy, surprisingly liked to get straight to the point.
Thinking of his friend’s attitude just now, Tang Ji immediately replied, “Of course not! I know him the best. He keeps a clean slate, not even a fly around him!”
This was not an exaggeration but a fact.
The Wen family had strict principles, and Old Master Wen disliked the younger generation being involved in romantic affairs. Wen Xueli completely inherited Old Master Wen’s character and didn’t engage in any romantic entanglements.
Wen Yan secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
No significant other… That’s good.
He looked at Tang Ji and said, “Thank you.”
Tang Ji chuckled, waved his hand, and couldn’t help adding a few more words, “You don’t know how old-fashioned Xueli is. He doesn’t drink during social events, always goes home no matter how late it is, and pays no attention to men and women who try to get close to him.”
In reality, many people outside were suspecting whether the Prince of the Wen family had some hidden illness.
A few years ago, a world-famous beauty queen came to Hongcheng, declaring that she wanted to win over the Prince of the Wen family. However, in the end, not even a glimpse of her was seen.
Wen Xueli, after confirming that she was not a business partner, straightforwardly refused, claiming to be too busy.
The lady was disgruntled and spread rumors that the Prince of the Wen family had a hidden illness.
It was said that Wen Xueli just smiled and didn’t take it to heart.
This only fueled the rumors, but Wen Xueli neither clarified nor indicated his thoughts on the matter.
If Wen Yan heard such rumors, he would surely be dumbfounded.
That night, the man had tightly held onto his waist, almost rendering him unable to get out of bed.
How he almost devoured him indicated that there was definitely no hidden illness.
Seizing the information revealed by Tang Ji, Wen Yan hesitated and asked, “Uncle… doesn’t drink?”
Tang Ji responded, “That’s right. No matter how important the gathering is, he doesn’t drink.” He chuckled and added, “Of course, there aren’t many people more important than him that I’ve met in my lifetime.”
A peculiar expression appeared on Wen Yan’s face.
If Wen Xueli doesn’t drink… what about that drunken night in Hongcheng?
Tang Ji paused and continued, “Oh, it’s not that he doesn’t drink at all. During the annual memorial ceremony for Wen Lao Ye, he will have a little.”
Wen Yan asked, “Memorial ceremony?”
Tang Ji nodded, “Old Master Wen’s memorial ceremony is in the summer, just passed not long ago.”
So that’s it.
It was likely that the night in question was Wen Lao Ye’s memorial ceremony.
Wen Yan didn’t dwell on it much and thanked Tang Ji once again.
Tang Ji smiled very amiably, “Anything you want to know, feel free to ask me.”
His understanding was that if anyone wanted to know about Wen Xueli’s situation, they could come to him.
However, Wen Yan didn’t intend to inquire too much; he just wanted to confirm this one thing.
Turning towards the stairs, he took a couple of steps, then turned back to Tang Ji, whispering, “Tang-ge, can you keep what I talked to you about today a secret?”
He would find a way to pursue the person he liked and didn’t want others to interfere.
Tang Ji nodded seriously, “You can rest assured, I won’t gossip.”
Seeing that his good friend and this young man seemed to have something going on, there was no need for him to get involved.
Wen Yan thanked Tang Ji for the third time and walked slowly upstairs, his steps lighter than when he came down.
The next step was to put his plan into action.
Unfortunately, he had no experience, and Ye Ting hadn’t responded to him.
Feeling troubled, he returned to his room, pondering how to pursue the person he liked. He even searched the internet for some guidance.
…
At six in the evening, as the sun set in the west, Wen Xueli called Wen Yan downstairs for dinner.
Wen Yan sat next to the man, knowing that he couldn’t handle spicy food. He rinsed the braised dishes with hot water and then served them into the man’s bowl.
Wen Xueli’s face remained gentle, and he softly said, “You should eat too, don’t just worry about me.”
However, his eyes became deep, as if lost in thought.
Tang Ji watched with relish from the side; these two were really interesting.
Coincidentally, Wen Xueli looked in his direction, as if noticing that he was enjoying the show, and raised an eyebrow at him.
Tang Ji: “…”
He immediately nodded and sat properly, following the rules.
Wen Xueli didn’t pursue the matter further; he enjoyed the care of the young man while also taking care of him.
After dinner, Tang Ji immediately took his friends and left.
Wen Yan was a bit surprised, “Aren’t they going to the hot springs?”
The man made a sound of agreement, “Tang Ji wants to go see the lanterns.”
“Oh…” Wen Yan’s thoughts drifted away.
It would be just the two of them… What should he do then?
But what should he do?
Online advice mentioned giving flowers and gifts when pursuing someone but didn’t mention going to the hot springs together.
He fell into contemplation.
The innkeeper had already come over, personally guiding them to the hot spring pool in the back mountains.
The two followed the innkeeper, slowly walking forward.
The innkeeper carried a lantern, and along the wooden path, they meandered upward. Red lanterns hung on both sides of the path, illuminating the scenery in the woods, and creating an exceptionally serene and beautiful atmosphere.
Wen Yan looked back and could surprisingly see the lanterns on the street, as well as a lively crowd dressed in ancient costumes moving among the lanterns.
At that moment, he doubted whether he had traveled to some ancient dynasty.
Being a science student with not much sentimentality, he still couldn’t help but sigh at the beautiful scenery.
However, his focus on the surroundings caused him to slip suddenly.
Wen Xueli walked alongside him, and seeing the situation, he immediately grabbed his wrist and said gently, “Be careful.”
Wen Yan stood still and whispered his thanks.
The October night was a bit chilly, but the man’s fingers were warm, dispelling the cold.
Wen Yan secretly thought, fortunately, the lanterns weren’t too bright, so the man couldn’t see his flushed face.
After about five minutes, they arrived at their destination.
This was a naturally developed spring, relatively small with only about ten compartments. The largest pool could accommodate six people, and the smallest, three.
As there were only Wen Xueli and Wen Yan, the innkeeper automatically took them to the smaller pool.
The space was indeed a bit narrow, around ten square meters. However, with the hot steam rising from the water, it felt cozy. Soaking in a hot spring on a late autumn day was a luxurious experience.
The innkeeper smiled and said, “Today, all the guests went to see the lanterns, only you two are here. If this space is too small, you can switch to another pool yourselves.”
So, it was just the two of them?
Wen Yan’s heart skipped a beat.
Although the innkeeper was just considerately explaining the situation, Wen Yan couldn’t help but feel like there was some hidden implication.
He couldn’t resist glancing at Wen Xueli.
Red lanterns adorned both sides of the pool, and with the mist swirling around the light, the scene became even more enchanting.
In the dim light, the man was also looking at him with his deep black eyes.
Wen Yan inexplicably dared not meet his gaze and looked away.
As the innkeeper left, he casually closed the curtain.
In this semi-enclosed space, with only the two of them, Wen Yan could hear the rapid beating of his own heart.
The man smiled at him for a moment, and his voice, through the mist, sounded exceptionally gentle, “You go change first.”
Wen Yan didn’t react.
The man took two steps forward, almost pressing his face close to his, and chuckled softly, “What? Want to change together with me?”
Wen Yan suddenly snapped back to reality, grabbed the bag left by the innkeeper, and hurriedly ran to the changing room.
… Changing together was absolutely not an option; he wasn’t ready to be so open with the man again so soon.
Wen Xueli watched the child-like figure running away, a smile forming at the corner of his lips.
The young man couldn’t resist a tease; he would have to be more careful in the future.
After about ten minutes, the young man finally came out, dawdling.
He was draped in a towel, covering his upper body and buttocks, revealing only a pair of fair and slender legs.
It was evident that the young man had a well-proportioned and attractive figure.
Wen Xueli smiled and, also carrying the bag given by the innkeeper, walked towards the changing room.
Passing by the young man, he complimented, “You have a great figure.”
Wen Yan: “…”
The man had already walked away, leaving him blushing and covering his chest in place.
After a while, he recovered and entered the hot spring.
The water was a bit hot but still comfortable.
He leaned against the edge of the pool, exposing only his neck.
Soon, the man came out, without a bath towel, wearing swim trunks.
The man usually wore suits, and nothing special could be seen, but now, undressing and revealing a body that had been exercised year-round, broad shoulders and narrow hips, exceptionally handsome.
Wen Yan suddenly felt that the choice to come to the hot spring today was very right; even if he couldn’t do anything, he could still enjoy the view.
The man’s physique, he had seen that night, but at that time, he was too shy to appreciate it.
He silently watched the man, scanning from top to bottom.
Wen Xueli noticed the admiring and praising eyes of the young man and couldn’t help but find it amusing.
Sure enough, he was still a child, with all his thoughts written on his face, even his desire for him was so obvious.
He walked over, got into the water, sat next to the young man, touched the young man’s leg with his knee, and then pointed to the corner of the young man’s mouth, “Here, there’s saliva.”
Wen Yan was stunned.
Could it be that he got too engrossed just now, unknowingly revealing his intentions towards the man?
He instinctively reached out and touched the corner of his mouth, it was dry.
The next second, the man’s low and hoarse laughter reached his ears. In the hazy mist, it beguiled his heart.
Wen Yan wasn’t foolish; he immediately realized that he had been tricked.
He didn’t expect the man to tease him. Stupidly dazed for a moment, he hesitated and said, “Uncle, there’s something I want to talk to you about.”
Wen Xueli’s gaze was gentle as he looked at him. “Go ahead.”
Author’s note:
More than 6000 words in this hefty chapter, and I’ll be updating regularly in the future~^_^
Thanks to the little angels for casting their king votes for me~
Thanks to the little angel who cast the [landmine]: Mosquito4321, 1 bomb
Thanks to the little angels for nourishing me with nutrients~
Thanks to the little angels for irrigating with nutrient solution: Twelve (21 bottles), Struggling Gemini (20 bottles), Momo (10 bottles), Yet to be Blank (10 bottles), Mozi (5 bottles), Xinhe (5 bottles), Hey Hey (3 bottles), Lingxing (1 bottle), 156 (1 bottle), A Miao’s Fish (1 bottle), Freshly Squeezed Giant Berry Juice (1 bottle).
Thank you all very much for your support. I will continue to work hard!^_^