Xiao Cheng suddenly tightened his arms, pulling Nian Nian into his embrace. He took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and leaned in to kiss him.
But Nian Nian slightly tilted his head, and Xiao Cheng’s lips lightly brushed against his mouth corner. The soft sensation was fleeting.
Nian Nian had rejected him.
Xiao Cheng’s heart was racing, but his arms relaxed, and his voice was hoarse: “Nian Nian…”
Luo Jingshu reached out and wiped Xiao Cheng’s lip corner with his finger, “Brother Cheng, you have something on your lips.”
Xiao Cheng stood still, allowing Luo Jingshu to wipe his lips with his finger.
The warmth of Luo Jingshu’s finger pads on his lips made Xiao Cheng feel like he could still smell the fresh and clean scent on Nian Nian’s body.
Luo Jingshu roughly rubbed the lip he had been coveting, then stopped and retreated two steps.
“Brother Cheng, let’s go.”
Xiao Cheng saw someone approaching from the corner of his eye and hoarsely said, “Mm-hmm.” His gaze was scorching hot and direct as he looked at Nian Nian.
Just a moment ago, he had almost kissed him.
He didn’t ask Nian Nian why he dodged, and Nian Nian didn’t ask him why he tried to kiss him. The two of them seemed to have an unspoken understanding, and neither of them mentioned what had just happened.
Before picking fruit, Xiao Cheng put a hat on Nian Nian’s head, and when he saw the boy’s hair covering his eyes, he couldn’t help but smile and use his fingers to brush away the stray hairs.
Luo Jingshu looked at him steadily, and when Xiao Cheng withdrew his hand, he suddenly grasped Xiao Cheng’s fingers.
They interlocked their fingers, and Luo Jingshu smiled, “Brother Cheng, help me pick some fruit later.”
He squeezed Xiao Cheng’s palm, then casually withdrew his hand and walked towards the fruit trees, carrying a basket.
Xiao Cheng rubbed his fingertips, his eyes burning with intensity as he followed Luo Jingshu.
Nian Nian was flirting with him again.
He had endured it until now.
Luo Jingshu wasn’t very interested in picking fruit, but he enjoyed teasing Xiao Cheng.
Especially when he saw Xiao Cheng’s eyes turn red and his body tense up, Luo Jingshu wanted to press him down and kiss him.
Just a bit longer.
Luo Jingshu thought to himself, and he picked a grape from the branch, wiped it on his clothes, and fed it to Xiao Cheng.
“Try it, Brother Cheng.”
Xiao Cheng opened his mouth and bit into the grape, his lips inevitably touching Nian Nian’s fingers.
Neither of them pulled away, and Xiao Cheng even lightly bit down, his tongue quickly sweeping across Nian Nian’s finger pad.
The grape was sweet.
He stepped back, staring at Nian Nian as he bit into the grape in his mouth.
The sweet juice filled his mouth, and Xiao Cheng smiled, “It’s sweet.”
Luo Jingshu then put his finger in his mouth, sucking on it, specifically the one that Xiao Cheng had bitten earlier.
The two of them were at a standoff, neither giving in.
Xiao Cheng was thinking about confessing, and now that things had gone this far, if he still couldn’t see Nian Nian’s intentions, then he was truly blind.
But he hadn’t prepared anything beforehand, and now it would seem too intentional, unlike what he had originally planned.
Xiao Cheng felt a bit regretful.
Luo Jingshu, on the other hand, thought that he would have to wait until tonight to properly savor the fruit he wanted to harvest the most.
Neither of their minds was on picking fruit, but as they slowly walked, they still managed to pick a lot.
“Brother Cheng, let’s go sit over there for a bit.”
Xiao Cheng didn’t want to move either, and the sun was quite strong today. He had sweat on his forehead, and Nian Nian’s face was also sunburned.
“Okay.”
Just as they sat down, they heard a faint noise coming from the side.
It sounded like someone was talking, but it wasn’t very clear, and the voice was muffled.
Xiao Cheng just wanted to quietly stay with Nian Nian, and he didn’t intend to eavesdrop, so he said, “Nian Nian, why don’t we move to a different spot?”
As soon as he spoke, a young man’s panting sound came from the side, sweet and painful at the same time. Xiao Cheng’s expression suddenly froze.
Could it be that they had stumbled upon someone in a compromising position?
Luo Jingshu hadn’t expected this to happen, and he saw Xiao Cheng’s rigid face. He couldn’t help but feel a bit amused, and a smile appeared on his lips.
“Brother Cheng.” Luo Jingshu leaned in close to Xiao Cheng’s ear, intentionally lowering his voice, “What are they doing?”
Xiao Cheng let out a low hum, wondering how to explain it to Nian Nian.
He had a feeling like he was corrupting a young boy.
Xiao Cheng never forgot that Nian Nian was only 17.
“Maybe they’re resting. Why don’t we leave first?”
Otherwise, it would be awkward for everyone if they ran into the couple.
“Resting?” Luo Jingshu leaned his head on Xiao Cheng’s shoulder, his voice lazy, “But I’m tired too. I want to rest.”
“I don’t want to leave.”
Xiao Cheng felt the weight on his shoulder, and his voice suddenly became a bit hoarse, his tone dry, “Then, then let’s stay.”
But he soon regretted saying that, as the noise from the side grew louder. It seemed that the couple wasn’t controlling their voices at all, probably because they thought they were alone.
Xiao Cheng felt embarrassed, unsure of what expression to make. At this point, Nian Nian should understand, right?
“Brother Cheng.” Luo Jingshu suddenly placed his hand on Xiao Cheng’s palm, his fingertips squeezing Xiao Cheng’s fingers, “Are you tired?”
“I’m fine.” Xiao Cheng lowered his gaze, his eyes falling on their intertwined hands.
He took a deep breath and slowly wrapped his fingers around Nian Nian’s, until their hands were tightly clasped, with no gaps in between.
The intense heartbeat seemed to be transmitted through their skin, and Xiao Cheng felt a sense of excitement, as if this scene had appeared in his dreams countless times.
Luo Jingshu leaned against Xiao Cheng’s tense body, his hand also tightly grasped by Xiao Cheng. He suddenly hooked the corner of his mouth.
Finally, he had caught his little canary.
“Brother Cheng, I’m a bit thirsty.”
Xiao Cheng hummed, always willing to cater to Nian Nian’s needs. “I’ll take you to get some water, okay?”
It would be best to leave immediately, as the sounds from the other side seemed to be nearing their climax.
But Luo Jingshu shook his hand, “I’m too tired, I don’t want to move.”
Xiao Cheng hesitated, “Then I’ll go get some water for you?”
He took some of the fruit they had picked earlier, planning to wash it clean and bring it back for Nian Nian to eat.
Xiao Cheng had only just left when two people walked out of the woods, seemingly unaware that someone was outside. They both looked surprised.
Luo Jingshu turned to look at them, his eyes meeting one of the men, his face not showing any surprise, as if he had expected it.
“Ah, Luo Jingshu.” Fu Ju adjusted his clothes and patted the young man beside him, “You can go ahead, I’ll talk to my friend for a bit.”
The young man looked at Luo Jingshu resentfully, perhaps thinking of him as a rival. He glared at Luo Jingshu before leaving.
Luo Jingshu didn’t even look up, slowly arranging the fruit in the basket, making sure they were neatly aligned.
The young man’s glare was met with Luo Jingshu’s indifference, and he could only leave in a huff.
Fu Ju sat down beside Luo Jingshu, “Alone?”
Luo Jingshu’s fingertips were pinching a grape, and there was a hint of a smile in his eyes. “No.”
Fu Ju looked at him meaningfully, “Oh, so you have a companion.”
He smiled and reached for the fruit in the basket, “How long have you been listening in?”
Luo Jingshu looked up at him, his gaze cold and deep, before his eyes fell on Fu Ju’s hand.
Fu Ju suddenly felt a chill down his spine, and he awkwardly smiled, slowly withdrawing his hand, “Don’t be so petty.”
It was just two grapes.
Luo Jingshu withdrew his gaze, “If you see me later, pretend you don’t know me.”
Fu Ju’s interest was piqued, and Luo Jingshu’s words made him seem to guess something, “You don’t want your companion to know?”
He had come out earlier, and there was only Luo Jingshu alone, so he didn’t know who Luo Jingshu was with.
“Hmm.”
Luo Jingshu arranged the grapes neatly, then took out a tissue and slowly wiped the grape juice from his fingertips.
Beautiful people were pleasing to the eye, no matter what they did. Fu Ju had previously been interested in Luo Jingshu, but unfortunately, Luo Jingshu was ruthless and cunning, not someone he could handle.
But this didn’t stop him from feeling annoyed. Who had managed to get their hands on the unattainable Luo Jingshu?
“Is it a man or a woman?”
Fu Ju asked, then felt that his question was unnecessary. Luo Jingshu clearly wasn’t straight, and he probably wouldn’t like women either.
So he changed his question, “Who is it?”
He thought of the rumors he had heard recently, and his eyebrows rose as he asked, “Is it Jiang Ying?”
He had heard that Luo Jingshu had eaten with Jiang Ying twice recently. Could it be that he was with Jiang Ying today?
Luo Jingshu finally spared him a glance, “You talk too much.”
His tone was calm and cold, even when scolding someone. Fu Ju heard the impatience and warning in Luo Jingshu’s voice, and he sighed, “Fine, as you wish.”
He stood up, “Don’t worry, I won’t say anything in front of your companion.”
But he didn’t leave. Instead, he walked around and stood where Luo Jingshu couldn’t see him, quietly waiting for the other person to appear.
He had to know who that person was.
Luo Jingshu caught a glimpse of a faint sleeve, and a smile appeared on his lips as he leaned against his chin, quietly watching Xiao Cheng approach.
“Nian Nian.” Xiao Cheng handed him a water bottle and then placed the washed fruit on the table, “Did you wait long?”
After Luo Jingshu finished drinking, Xiao Cheng took out a wet wipe and gently wiped his fingers, his movements slow and gentle.
“I met my mom over there and talked to her for a bit, so I’m late.”
His tone was warm as he reported his schedule to Luo Jingshu, his hands not stopping as he wiped the boy’s fingers clean.
Nian Nian was beautiful everywhere.
Luo Jingshu obediently placed his hand in front of Xiao Cheng. When he heard Xiao Cheng’s words, he apologized, “Brother Cheng, won’t your mom be angry that you’re spending so much time with me?”
“Or…”
He didn’t finish his sentence, instead, he looked at Xiao Cheng with a pair of beautiful, peach-blossom eyes, quietly gazing at him.
Xiao Cheng smiled, “It’s fine.”
“My mom knows.”
Although Xiao Cheng had told He An earlier, and He An had teased him for a while.
Luo Jingshu met Xiao Cheng’s gaze, his expression relieved, “That’s good, I’ll apologize to your mom later for borrowing her precious son.”
Xiao Cheng was amused. As he was putting away the used wet wipe, the boy pulled on his sleeve and said, “Brother Cheng, your face too.”
His tone was casual and natural, and he did not feel that it was inappropriate for someone to wipe his face.
Xiao Cheng didn’t say anything. One hand cradled Luo Jingshu’s face, the other holding the wet wipe, gently wiping his lips.
When he wiped the other side of Luo Jingshu’s face, the boy suddenly leaned in and lightly pecked Xiao Cheng’s hand.
The soft sensation was fleeting, and Xiao Cheng stopped moving. His eyes burned with intensity as he looked at the boy, his hand tightening around Luo Jingshu’s face.
“Brother Cheng, why did you stop?” Luo Jingshu seemed to have done nothing, his expression innocent and confused.
Xiao Cheng was mentally scolding himself, not having confessed yet, and he should have waited a bit longer.
The atmosphere between the two was sweet and ambiguous, but Fu Ju, who was watching from a distance, widened his eyes.
Was that sweet and flirtatious person Luo Jingshu?
The cold and prickly Luo Jingshu?
Fu Ju looked at Xiao Cheng, his eyes gradually showing interest.
No wonder Luo Jingshu didn’t want that person to know they were acquainted. He was pretending to be a good boy to deceive the innocent.
He was the young master of the Xiao family, and Fu Ju had heard of him.
Rumor had it that he was a good student, and a quiet and low-key person who didn’t like to cause trouble.
But he didn’t know that Xiao Cheng was also interested in men.
Looking at Xiao Cheng being manipulated by Luo Jingshu, Fu Ju suddenly had a bad idea.
He could expose Luo Jingshu’s fake innocence and help Xiao Cheng what he wanted at the same time.
A two-for-one deal.
He smiled to himself and left.
According to He An’s arrangements, Xiao Cheng would be staying in the area for one more night. Fortunately, Nian Nian didn’t have classes the next day, so Xiao Cheng had booked a room for him as well, just on the floor above.
After taking a bath that night, Xiao Cheng was still basking in the excitement of the day, thinking about what to say to Nian Nian. But the boy took the initiative to send him a message.
[Nian Nian: Brother Cheng, the water heater in my room seems to be broken.]
Xiao Cheng was taken aback for a moment, before responding.
[Xiao Cheng: I’ll find someone to fix it for you.]
Nian Nian didn’t say yes or no, but instead sent a voice message.
Xiao Cheng’s fingers slid across the screen, and he opened the message, hearing Nian Nian’s voice, filled with laughter.
“Brother Cheng, can you come up and fix it for me?”
