The bed in Qi Feng’s bedroom was not big, so it would be quite crowded if two men slept together, especially a tall man like Pei Yan. The two spent the entire night embraced in each other’s arms until daybreak.
Qi Feng was the first to wake up. When he opened his eyes and saw the familiar handsome face in front of him, it took him a while to recall what had happened last night.
He drunk some wine at the banquet, and his mind had been hazy, causing him to let go of his usual composure and allow Pei Yan to have his way.
Pei Yan’s body was sturdy and warm. Being held against him gave Qi Feng an inexplicable sense of security. His long, powerful arms were draped loosely around Qi Feng’s waist, with languid fingertips casually touching his lower abdomen. After just one night together, their relationship felt like it had crossed into another world.
“Xiao Feng, you’re awake,” said Pei Yan, noticing the movement beside him. He opened his eyes swiftly, and his husky, lazy voice echoed in the quiet, dark room. It was as if he was quite used to mornings like this – his strong arms habitually pulled the slender young man’s waist towards him.
When he saw the clear eyes looking back at him, he hurriedly loosened his hold a little and apologized, “Sorry, I couldn’t help myself again.”
Those bright, deep-set eyes gazed back at him, reflecting a handsome, flushed face.
Qi Feng asked in a low voice, “What time is it? Don’t you need to go to the company?”
Pei Yan replied, “There’s nothing important today. I just need to drop by in the afternoon. What about you? Do you have any schedules?”
“No, I also don’t,” said Qi Feng.
After answering, Qi Feng pursed his lips slightly.
He had unconsciously said “also” as if to imply that he was free, just like Pei Yan. Seeing the smile in Pei Yan’s eyes deepen, Qi Feng turned over, wanting to get out of bed. But as soon as he lifted a corner of the blanket, the cold air in the room instantly seeped into every inch of his skin, aggressively attacking his warm body.
Qi Feng shivered. Following his instincts, he quickly slipped back under the warm covers. “I forgot to turn on the heater last night. It’s a bit cold in my home.”
“I’ll go turn it on for you. Stay in bed and keep warm. Get up after the room has warmed up,” said Pei Yan as he got out of bed to switch on the heater. The moment the tall man left the bed, the blanket sagged emptily as if it had lost its source of warmth, allowing the cold air to rush in and lower the temperature by several degrees instantly.
Qi Feng hugged the blanket tightly and curled up into a ball, looking at the empty space where Pei Yan had slept. Without him there, the bed seemed vastly spacious and empty.
Pei Yan turned on the heater and came back, pleasantly surprised when he saw the time displayed on the wall clock. “Xiao Feng, it’s only a little past six. We can sleep a while more.”
“Mm,” replied Qi Feng.
Pei Yan carefully sat on the edge of the bed and gauged the young man’s expression as he gradually squeezed himself back under the covers. The bed, which had loosened up moments ago, was once again snug and warm.
With his back facing the man, Qi Feng lay curled up into his pillow. His flushed cheeks were buried in it, but his eyes smiled contentedly. Now that he had let go of his inhibitions, their relationship could become so intimate and fulfilling.
“Xiao Feng,” Pei Yan called out softly next to his ear. His arm slowly snaked around the young man’s waist, his rough, sturdy fingertips resting on Qi Feng’s abdomen, idly caressing the supple skin.
Qi Feng did not shy away, which was tacit approval. He felt utterly relaxed in this position and subconsciously closed his eyes, ready to drift back to sleep. But a young body always betrays more honest desires. Before long, the man behind him let out a soft chuckle.
Qi Feng’s face flushed as he pushed Pei Yan away and said coolly, “Get up.”
“Xiao Feng, let me help you,” pleaded Pei Yan, his rich, deep voice sticky with appeal. “I promise I’ll satisfy you. If you feel even a little uncomfortable, you can hit me.”
“No need, don’t…” Before Qi Feng could finish, he fell silent. Abandoning his inhibitions, losing his ability to think clearly, relaxing every nerve in his body – he let himself be pampered and indulged by this man.
Pei Yan’s broad, sturdy chest was also very warm. Leaning against it made Qi Feng feel utterly secure, secure enough to give his all to the other man.
Qi Feng breathed heavily yet suppressed, like a spent mermaid drifting in the water. Pei Yan kissed the fine beads of sweat on his brow, called out his name huskily, and passionately confessed, “I like you, I love you…”
The winter sun, warm and bright, streamed into the tranquil bedroom. The indoor heating was also becoming more and more warm.
Pei Yan kissed the pale pink corners of the young man’s lips and asked, “Hungry? I’ll go make breakfast for you. What would you like?”
“What about you? Don’t you need it?” Qi Feng lifted his knee casually, bumping it against Pei Yan.
“I…” Pei Yan’s breathing hitched heavily as his deep-set eyes burned with intense flames. “Can I…?”
Qi Feng closed his eyes and mumbled lazily into his pillow, “Go make breakfast first.”
Pei Yan: ……
—
The ancient-style musical piece that Qi Feng had co-composed with Master Wu won a national award. Qi Feng was invited to attend the awards ceremony banquet. Another erhu artist, Yang Yi, whom he had collaborated with before, was also a co-recipient.
They were invited by a Chinese garden villa developer to promote traditional Chinese architecture. In the courtyard with the small bridge and flowing water, the two performed several ancient-style pieces with the erhu and guqin.
Although it was just a commercial promotion event, their outstanding and exquisite performance still caused quite a sensation and received a lot of praise. From time to time, people on the internet mentioned and praised the two artists’ names together.
So, at the awards banquet, the organizers arranged for Qi Feng and Yang Yi to enter, sit, and go on stage to take photos together.
Under the dazzling spotlights, on the glittering red carpet, the elegant, noble, ancient-style gentleman Qi Feng and the graceful, intellectual beauty in a cheongsam walked shoulder-to-shoulder toward the stage amidst cheers and applause.
When going up the steps, Yang Yi, in her delicate high heels, suddenly tripped and lost her balance, falling forward. A celebrity taking such an embarrassing tumble in front of so many people would be mercilessly captured by the countless cameras on site and eternally circulated online as a laughing stock.
With a shriek, just as Yang Yi was about to crash face-first onto the steps in her cheongsam, Qi Feng quickly grabbed her arm to steady her body. He even politely took a step back to shield her flying dress.
“Phew, that was close.”
“Luckily, she didn’t fall.”
Gasps and exclamations sounded continuously from the audience, along with the constant camera shutters.
Still shocked, Yang Yi clutched her chest and said softly, “Thank you.”
“It’s nothing. Be careful.” As soon as Qi Feng saw that she had steadied herself, he immediately let go of her arm and maintained a polite yet not distant space between them as they continued up the stage.
Under the dazzling bright stage lights, their graceful beauty and natural poise as ancient-style artists were even more prominent. With her earlier mishap, Yang Yi’s face was still flushed with embarrassment. She kept sneaking glances at Qi Feng, who noticed and politely returned her a smile.
The conspicuous on-stage glance and smile were immediately captured by the countless cameras on site. Even before the event ended, the photo had already been posted and circulated rapidly online.
【I finally understand the meaning of “the scholar and the beauty” – they’re too pleasing to the eye!】
【The ancient-style gentleman and beauty look so well-matched! In ancient times they would have been a perfect couple.】
【Isn’t it inappropriate? Have you all forgotten about the Qi Feng-Pei Yan pairing?】
【What’s inappropriate? Qi Feng has never publicly come out, it’s just your delusional shipping. The scholar and the beauty is the best pairing!】
【Right, he has never shown any liking for Pei Yan. Boy-boy shipping fans are so delusional.】
……
The comments section grew heated, but at the same time, the photos and gifs of Qi Feng and Yang Yi together, as well as previous videos of them performing the erhu and guqin duet, were also rapidly shared. For a time, they were everywhere online.
Waiting for Qi Feng in the parking lot, Pei Yan’s expression grew increasingly gloomy as he saw the “scholar and beauty” posts.
—
Backstage rest area after the awards ceremony.
Smiling, Yang Yi said, “Qi Feng, thanks again for catching me just now. I’m really grateful.”
Qi Feng lightly shook his head. “No need to thank me, it was just lending a helping hand.”
His words were tinged with elegance and detachment.
“It wasn’t just a small thing. If not for you, I would have embarrassed myself badly tonight,” said Yang Yi candidly.
She then asked openly, “It’s still early. Why don’t I treat you to a meal to show my gratitude?”
Qi Feng glanced at the time. “Sorry, I have other plans tonight…”
“I’m afraid he already has an appointment,” interrupted a low, sonorous male voice, forcefully cutting their conversation short.
Yang Yi looked back in surprise and saw a tall, cold man walking towards them with a big bouquet of flowers in his arms.
The man’s deep-set eyes were dark and obscure, glancing at her coldly as if hiding icy daggers. But when he looked at Qi Feng, his rich, sonorous voice softened as he said, “Xiao Feng, congratulations. I’ve booked us a celebratory dinner, I’m here to pick you up now.”
His words subtly reminded those around him that he and Qi Feng had an intimate relationship – intimate enough that he could come to pick up Qi Feng and have a celebratory dinner together.
Yang Yi was taken aback as she quickly realized who this man was.
She smiled awkwardly first before shrugging and saying, “Alright then, I’ll get going first. Qi Feng, it’s been great having you as a fellow musician. I do hope we can continue collaborating in the future.”
Her words were concise yet conveyed her open-mindedness and emotional intelligence as a rational woman.
Qi Feng was no petty man. He smiled and said, “Having Miss Yang as a friend is also my honor. I look forward to our next collaboration.”
After Yang Yi left, he frowned slightly as he accepted the flowers from Pei Yan. Although there were no reporters or paparazzi in the backstage lounge, it was full of staff and industry friends. Seeing Pei Yan make such a high-profile appearance caught him off guard.
Unsure of how to react, he awkwardly asked, “Why did you come in here?”
“To pick you up,” Pei Yan replied.
He gave a polite nod to the people looking their way as he led his boy Qi Feng out.
On the way, Qi Feng maintained a calm composure in front of everyone. In a low voice, he said to Pei Yan, “Didn’t I ask you to wait for me in the car? With so many people around, it’s quite embarrassing.”
Pei Yan scoffed. “If I didn’t show up, you’d be getting married to some other woman already.”
Qi Feng: ???
Pei Yan: “It’s what they’re saying online!”
Online, they were also saying he had been forcibly taken by Pei Yan!
Once in the car, Qi Feng frowned disapprovingly. “Don’t take those online comments seriously. The fans just make up random speculations.”
Pei Yan spoke curtly, “Of course, I take it seriously. You were still sleeping in my arms this morning, and now you’re pairing up with someone else.”
Qi Feng: ???
“When did I pair up with anyone else? Don’t be unreasonable.”
Pei Yan was very upset. He pursed his lips and drove with a stony expression, ignoring Qi Feng. The ride was strangely quiet with the constant drone of the engine despite the vibrant scenery passing by outside the window.
In the end, it was Pei Yan who couldn’t endure the stalemate any longer. In a low voice, he said, “It’s because you refuse to let me appear, deliberately hiding our relationship.”
“I’m not deliberately hiding anything, I just feel it’s better to keep a low profile.”
He only wanted to make music in peace, not have his daily life embroiled in public scrutiny and surrounded by prying eyes wherever he went. But as a public figure, it was inevitable that he would be gossiped about extensively online.
He didn’t mind it himself, but it seemed to affect Pei Yan.
Pei Yan said, “I’ve been very restrained. It’s you who keeps punishing me, deliberately ignoring me – not letting me send gifts during your livestreams, not letting me show up at your events.”
Qi Feng:?
“When did I ever punish you?”
“You’re doing it right now.”
Pei Yan complained aggrievedly, “You let me sleep with you, let me touch you and kiss you, yet you deliberately leave me hanging like that afterward.”
Leave him hanging how?
Qi Feng gaped incredulously, “I didn’t do it on purpose…”
“You may as well admit you did it on purpose. Xiao Feng, I’ll just take it as you still being angry and punishing me. I’ll bear it, even if it kills me. Since it’s your punishment, I like it anyway.”
Qi Feng: …….
The conversation was becoming increasingly absurd, but he also knew what Pei Yan wanted.
“I’ve been busy lately. Doing that kind of thing leaves me feeling unwell the next day and affects my schedule.”
“Then can you just touch it a little? Your hands are fine, or even your feet. Just touch it a bit.”
Pei Yan’s voice was low, deep, and unhurried, sounding somewhat peculiar in the enclosed, fast-moving car.
Qi Feng was shocked to see Pei Yan’s obvious arousal. “Pei Yan, focus on driving!”
“Xiao Feng, just touch it a little. It’s really about to die from holding back.”
What a pervert. Qi Feng ignored him and turned to look out the window.
—
Back home, Pei Yan was still sulking. He grabbed Qi Feng’s sleeve and sniffed disdainfully, “It’s all the smell of someone else’s perfume. Take off these clothes and give them to me. Go shower and wash off all the smells.”
Qi Feng: “Why do you want me to give you the clothes?”
Pei Yan: “So I can throw them away.”
He stubbornly tried to undress Qi Feng, insisting, “Just throw them away. I’ll buy you new ones.”
“No!”
How unreasonable. His expensive custom-made dress clothes couldn’t be thrown away just because they smelled a little. Qi Feng didn’t want to indulge Pei Yan’s bossy temper. Pushing the man away angrily, he said, “If you don’t like how I smell then stay outside. Don’t come looking for me tonight.”
Pei Yan: !!
Seeing Qi Feng shut him out, he quickly softened and coaxed, “Xiao Feng, don’t be like this.”
Qi Feng slammed the door in his face. “This is your punishment. Endure it.”
He stood by the door and helplessly sighed at the sound of Pei Yan lingering outside. If Pei Yan kept being like this, how could they move forward in their relationship? They couldn’t keep fighting all the time.
After thinking for a while, the boy called a laundry service to come to collect the clothes Pei Yan had complained about tomorrow to prevent them from being tossed.
He then went to shower and wash off all the smells from the awards event.
Before going to bed, he received a message from Fang Cheng:
【Xiao Feng, the company is asking if they should guide the public opinion about you and Yang Yi or just let it naturally die down on its own.】
Qi Feng: ??
Public opinion about him and Yang Yi?
Shocked, Qi Feng only then started considering why Pei Yan had acted so out of sorts. He quickly went online, and the #ScholarAndBeauty# tag glared from the top of the hot search list.
Under the tag was a storm – Qi Feng-Yang Yi shippers on one side, Qi Feng-Pei Yan shippers on the other, both sides furiously keyboard-bashing each other. The photos of him with Yang Yi and the gif of him catching her were spreading all over the internet.
And the cause was merely a small accident at the awards ceremony.
No wonder Pei Yan had sulked at him like that.
Qi Feng’s heart ached. He turned and glanced at the closed bedroom door. The room wasn’t locked – Pei Yan could come in any time he wanted. Yet now he was obediently enduring his punishment outside.
Putting himself in Pei Yan’s shoes, if he saw scandalous photos of Pei Yan with some woman, his reaction would probably be even bigger than Pei Yan’s.
After thinking for a while, the boy picked up his phone and quickly posted a statement on his own account:
— Thank you for celebrating with me right away. I really like it.
@Pei Yan
The photo was of a lavish bouquet of vibrant, flamboyant flowers. On the exquisite card nestled in the bouquet were two lines of vigorous writing in Pei Yan’s hand:
You are my pride, I will love you forever.
— Pei Yan
With this simple post, everyone would understand his relationship with Pei Yan – it was as good as publicly coming out.
Although it could redirect the current public opinion, it would also set off another storm of controversy, and his peaceful life would be temporarily disrupted. It might adversely impact his career as an artist, and the PR teams from his endorsement brands and agency would probably grill him about this post tomorrow.
But he didn’t care. This was his stance towards Pei Yan, and sooner or later, it would have to be revealed to the public, so he might as well get it over with earlier to reassure his man.
Qi Feng walked out of the bedroom in his pajamas after bathing and walked up to the man sitting on the sofa in the living room. Holding up his phone to Pei Yan, he asked, “Like this, is it okay?”
Pei Yan was somewhat stunned to see Qi Feng’s post. It took him a while to comprehend before his eyes widened in realization – Qi Feng was willing to publicly announce their relationship! He had thought it would take a very, very long time, yet happiness had come sweeping in so quickly!
Fireworks exploded in Pei Yan’s heart, and he felt like he could fly to the heavens. He leaped up and hugged the boy tightly. “No matter what happens tomorrow, I’ll handle it. Just focus on what you like doing, and don’t worry about anything.”
“I…have no schedules tomorrow.”
The boy leaned against the sturdy shoulder, his face slightly flushed as he spoke in a tone tinged with assertiveness, “You, come here. I’ll give it to you…”
One last extra and we’re done.
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