As soon as he heard the words “taking a bath” Mo Ming felt a jolt of panic, suddenly half-awake.
He still had to have dinner with Teacher Qi Yue and the others tomorrow night. If he got too exhausted tonight, there was a good chance he’d be lying in bed all day tomorrow. Now, when it came to Han Shaozhou’s endless creativity in that department, Mo Ming just wanted to raise the white flag.
“I’ve already showered, Brother Zhou. Let me down.”
Mo Ming tried to escape from Han Shaozhou’s arms, but his attempts were futile as Han Shaozhou’s muscular arms firmly held him in place. After just waking up, Mo Ming’s weak struggles felt more like a playful act to Han Shaozhou, and even his voice had a soft, nasal quality that stirred something within Han Shaozhou, making the fire inside him build up even more.
The bathtub hadn’t been filled with warm water yet, so Han Shaozhou had no choice but to set him down. But as soon as Mo Ming’s feet touched the floor, he turned and ran out of the bathroom, escaping into the bedroom. Once there, he quickly wrapped himself tightly in a thin blanket on the bed.
While the warm water was being prepared, Han Shaozhou walked slowly into the bedroom, unhurried. He looked at the lump under the blanket, sat on the edge of the bed, and gave it a little shake.
“No bath.” came Mo Ming’s muffled protest from under the covers, though his voice was so soft it carried no authority at all.
Han Shaozhou chuckled lightly, “Well, at least let Brother Zhou have a look, okay?”
Mo Ming tugged at the edge of the blanket, slowly revealing half of his face. His dark eyes, still sleepy and hazy, were framed by drooping eyelashes as he looked innocently at Han Shaozhou. In a soft voice, he said, “My body hasn’t fully recovered yet.”
Seeing Mo Ming looking so pitiful made Han Shaozhou feel both irritated and helpless. He wanted to pamper him thoroughly but was also afraid that even a light touch might hurt or scare him.
“Then how about just a kiss for Brother Zhou…”
Han Shaozhou coaxed him, leaning in for a kiss. Mo Ming quickly pulled the blanket up to cover his face, muffledly saying, “You smell like smoke…”
Han Shaozhou lowered his head and sniffed his clothes. After frowning for a moment, he reluctantly stood up and asked with a helpless smile, “So, can I get that kiss after I wash up?”
Mo Ming peeked out again with his eyes and nodded, speaking softly, “You can kiss me, but no doing anything else.”
“…”
Han Shaozhou didn’t take a bath; instead, he stripped down and quickly showered under the showerhead, even brushing his teeth to save time.
Before long, Han Shaozhou, still damp, climbed onto the bed. The water droplets on his body hadn’t fully dried, and his hair was only barely not dripping. He lifted the blanket and pulled the drowsy Mo Ming into his arms, burying his face in Mo Ming’s soft, fragrant hair as if he were addicted. Only then did the tremor in his heart slowly settle down.
“Mm, this is nice…” Han Shaozhou sighed contentedly.
“Brother Zhou, can you put on some clothes…”
Mo Ming felt like he was wrapped in a hot cloud of steam. The man behind him was like a giant sloth hugging a tree, clinging tightly to his back. Every time Mo Ming moved, the person behind him rubbed against him three times as much.
“I’m not putting on any clothes.” Han Shaozhou laughed. “Don’t be shy. Come on, let Brother Zhou take a look.”
“…No.”
“…” Han Shaozhou wasn’t angry. He pressed his thin lips to Mo Ming’s ear, teasingly saying, “You’ve been eating so many of the supplements from my house these past couple of days, haven’t you? You’ve pampered yourself into such a delicate state, and now you won’t even let Brother Zhou touch you.”
Mo Ming, feeling wronged, protested in a low voice, “Brother Zhou, you’re the one who made me eat them.”
“Well, I fed you well. But what about your Brother Zhou? You’re just leaving me hanging. What’s the point of me taking care of you if this is what I get, hmm?”
“…”
Seeing that the little guy wasn’t responding, Han Shaozhou worried that he might have made him angry, so he quickly laughed and said, “Okay, okay, we won’t do anything. Brother Zhou just can’t help but adore you. Come on, just let me touch you, see how much better you’re doing.”
Only then did Mo Ming let out a soft “Mm.” relaxing his body a little. But he underestimated Han Shaozhou’s tricks. Before long, Han Shaozhou’s slightly calloused hands had worked Mo Ming up into a state of arousal. Although Mo Ming bit his lip and didn’t say anything, his increasingly rapid breathing and the warmth spreading through his skin didn’t escape Han Shaozhou’s sharp senses.
Han Shaozhou’s lips curled into a smile. Just when things were about to escalate, he let go and pretended to yawn lazily, saying, “Time to sleep. It’s getting late…”
Mo Ming, feeling restless and unsatisfied, was on the verge of tears.
This man was doing it on purpose…
Han Shaozhou turned over, his back to Mo Ming, mumbling, “Well, since I can’t do anything, I’ll just have to endure it.”
Not long after, there were rustling sounds behind him as Mo Ming turned over in bed.
Han Shaozhou silently counted to ten in his mind before he finally felt a soft, warm presence against his back. A hand slowly and tentatively wrapped around him.
“Brother Zhou…”
Mo Ming’s cheek pressed against Han Shaozhou’s shoulder. His voice was so weak, it was almost a nasal whimper, full of helplessness, as if pleading.
Han Shaozhou took a deep breath, closing his eyes, refusing to give in.
He had to teach this little guy a lesson, let him experience the frustration of this unresolved desire.
Mo Ming rubbed his cheek against Han Shaozhou and slowly moved his lips closer to Han Shaozhou’s ear, whispering painfully, “Hubby… good hubby…”
Han Shaozhou’s nerves tightened, his muscles tensing all over.
That sweet voice was hitting him right where it hurt.
Determined to make Mo Ming submit completely this time, Han Shaozhou took a deep breath, resisting the overwhelming urge, and said firmly with his eyes still closed, “Stop messing around. Your body hasn’t fully recovered. What if you get hurt again?”
Just as Han Shaozhou was preparing himself for Mo Ming to try some new way of teasing him, Mo Ming let go of him, got out of bed, and left the bedroom.
Han Shaozhou sat up, frowning slightly as he looked at the door left ajar. He got out of bed quietly and followed after him.
When he pushed open the glass door of the bathroom, Han Shaozhou was shocked to see Mo Ming taking a cold shower. In one swift motion, he turned off the shower, grabbed a towel from the rack, and wrapped Mo Ming up in it. Half angry, half heartbroken, he yelled, “You’ve only just recovered from being sick for a few days, and now you want to end up in the hospital again?”
Soaked to the bone, water droplets hung from Mo Ming’s eyelashes as he looked at Han Shaozhou. His body trembled from the cold water, but he still carefully apologized, “I’m sorry, Brother Zhou. Don’t be mad. I was wrong…”
Han Shaozhou’s heart felt like it was being squeezed into a pulp; he couldn’t muster any anger at all. Without another word, he cupped Mo Ming’s face and kissed him fiercely, almost biting his lips.
This little guy was definitely torturing him on purpose…
After a while, Han Shaozhou finally let go. Mo Ming was left breathless, his whole body weak. He had to lean against Han Shaozhou’s chest and the wall behind him for support.
“How much dumber can you get?” Han Shaozhou scolded in a low voice. “Is self-harm your way of trying to make me feel sorry for you?”
Mo Ming lowered his head slightly, “It’s unbearable…”
“What am I, huh? If you’re uncomfortable, why not come to me?”
Mo Ming pursed his lips and said quietly, “You were ignoring me…”
Han Shaozhou took a deep breath. “Couldn’t you hold out a little longer? How long was that, really? Just a few seconds of teasing, and you already wanted me to go along with it. Don’t I have any pride?”
Staring at Han Shaozhou’s incredibly handsome but now frustrated face, Mo Ming couldn’t help but burst into laughter.
As soon as Mo Ming’s soft, gentle smile appeared, Han Shaozhou’s frustration melted away. He carried Mo Ming back to the bedroom and kissed him again.
Even though Han Shaozhou kept reminding himself that Mo Ming had just recovered from a serious illness, once Mo Ming was satisfied, Han Shaozhou tried to hold back. The restraint was agonizing, and in the end, he couldn’t stand it anymore and went to take a cold shower himself.
Still, to Han Shaozhou, the night was wonderful. His beautiful, obedient little lover slept snugly in his arms, warming his chest until dawn.
…
Exhausted from the previous night, Mo Ming naturally ended up staying in bed. Early in the morning, when Han Shaozhou kissed him, he just burrowed deeper under the covers and kept sleeping.
Han Shaozhou had no work scheduled for today. After several busy days, he finally had a day off, and he didn’t want to waste it. He planned to take Mo Ming to the house at Champagne Mountain to get familiar with the place and then move in there.
He had thought it over seriously, and in the end, he agreed with the old man’s reasoning that living there would be more convenient.
Every time he thought back to the night Mo Ming had a fever, his heart clenched. Since then, he couldn’t help but worry. Whenever he was away on a business trip, Mo Ming was left alone in the apartment. If he got sick, there wouldn’t be anyone to take care of him. Mo Ming also loved to cook, so what if something happened in the kitchen? What if there was a fire, a slip, a cut, a burn, or even food poisoning, and he wasn’t there to help… He used to only think about enjoying their time alone together, but now all he could think about were the hidden dangers Mo Ming might face when he was home alone. The more he thought about it, the more uneasy he felt, no matter where he was.
Mo Ming was still sound asleep, so Han Shaozhou decided to take him to Champagne Mountain in the afternoon. They could spend the night there, too.
There was still a lot of the supplements that had been delivered to the house, many of which Mo Ming hadn’t eaten yet. He had tasted all the ready-to-eat ones, but things like ginseng, lingzhi, and cordyceps that required special preparation were still sitting in their boxes. Han Shaozhou figured he should make a nourishing meal for Mo Ming, though he wasn’t sure how to handle those ingredients. In the end, he just tossed them all into one pot to make a broth.
It was nearly noon by the time Mo Ming got out of bed. His waist was sore, his legs ached, and he felt weak all over. After washing up, he sat at the dining table, his head drooping with a tired look on his face.
Han Shaozhou, wearing an apron, brought out several simple dishes from the kitchen and began talking to Mo Ming about moving out of the apartment.
Mo Ming didn’t quite understand what Han Shaozhou meant at first and thought Han Shaozhou was moving out by himself. His face immediately fell, looking even more drained. “Brother Zhou, are you leaving me?”
Then it suddenly dawned on him—it was Sunday already… Time flies.
Seeing Mo Ming’s sudden dejection, Han Shaozhou couldn’t help but laugh, “Look at how scared you are. You think I’m going to leave you? That’s not happening anytime soon.”
Mo Ming’s face lit up again. “So, does that mean I can stay by Brother Zhou’s side?”
Seeing the smile in Mo Ming’s eyes, Han Shaozhou felt a wave of warmth surge through his chest. With a teasing smile, he said, “Hmm, you’re pretty good at keeping Brother Zhou hooked. As long as you can hold onto my heart, you can stay for as long as you want.”
Mo Ming nodded enthusiastically, his brows arching in a bright smile at Han Shaozhou.
Han Shaozhou felt completely satisfied.
Teaching his little lover—he was clearly a natural. From now on, Zhao Cheng was just a rookie compared to him.
Han Shaozhou brought over a bowl of the carefully simmered, rich broth made from those precious ingredients and placed it in front of Mo Ming. Without asking any questions, Mo Ming obediently lowered his head and drank it. The taste was a bit strange but not unbearable.
“What I meant earlier was that I want you to move with me to the place at Champagne Mountain.” Han Shaozhou added.
“Cough cough cough…” Mo Ming choked on the soup, his face turning red.
“Take it slow. It’s all yours. I’m not going to take it from you.”
Once he’d calmed down, Mo Ming raised his head and asked nervously, “I’m moving there too?”
“Yeah, I’ll feel more at ease with you living there.” Han Shaozhou said as he placed some food on Mo Ming’s plate. “There’s no need to make a big deal out of it. That place has everything. You just need to move yourself over.”
“Is that Brother Zhou’s home?”
“It’s not… well, sort of. The old man doesn’t live there, but he bought it for me as a wedding gift.”
Mo Ming furrowed his brows even more, “Then… Then I really shouldn’t be living there.”
“Why not?”
“If Brother Zhou gets married in the future, and the other person finds out you’ve had someone else living there, they… they won’t be happy…” Mo Ming said seriously.
“I’m not as particular as the old man. To me, a house is just a place to live.” Han Shaozhou chuckled. “Besides, I don’t even have a girlfriend yet. Marriage is still a long way off. You don’t need to worry about that.”
Mo Ming bit his lip, looking conflicted…
A place like Champagne Mountain, where even the plants and flowers seemed to exude luxury, was so far removed from his own life. It was also much farther from Da Shang Theatre Company. Plus, living in such a high-profile place would make his interactions with Han Shaozhou inconvenient in many ways.
Moreover, after moving in, it wouldn’t be long before he had to move out again. Not to mention the risk of being discovered… Well, it wasn’t really a risk, but it would be a hassle. A constant bother.
Mo Ming glanced at Han Shaozhou, who was focused on eating a lamb chop, and frowned slightly.
Should he remind him about the distance they should maintain in their relationship?
Lately, Han Shaozhou had been asking more and more of him. In the first two years they were together, just having meals and being intimate was enough. They were the perfect fantasy couple for each other. But now, even though Mo Ming was being so obedient, Han Shaozhou kept making requests and nagging.
How annoying…
Maybe… It was time to break up?
Han Shaozhou was already on the verge of leaving him anyway. Whether it was sooner or later, it didn’t make much of a difference. Staring quietly at Han Shaozhou’s face for a while, Mo Ming’s expression turned complicated. In the end, he said nothing and continued eating silently.
At that moment, Han Shaozhou’s phone rang.
It was a call from Zhao Cheng.
Han Shaozhou was in a good mood today. He was even planning to take Mo Ming to Zhao Cheng’s bar for a drink later tonight.
“Busy today, Old Han?” Zhao Cheng asked with a laugh on the other end of the line.
“I’ve got the day off, and I’m planning to head over to your place tonight for a drink.” Han Shaozhou replied casually as he placed another piece of lamb chop in Mo Ming’s bowl.
“Sounds good! Let’s have dinner at Zui Ju Lou first, then I’ll take everyone to my place.” Zhao Cheng said with a laugh. “And for tonight, only Old Han gets a free pass.”
“No need.” Han Shaozhou leaned forward slightly, using the tip of his chopsticks to pick a grain of rice off the corner of Mo Ming’s lips, then continued, “I’ll eat at home and come over afterward.”
“You’re still eating before coming over?” Zhao Cheng said, “Old Han, did you forget what I told you a few days ago?”
“What thing?”
“Come on, you really forgot? Tonight, we’re throwing a welcome party for Wen Ci. Man, I can’t believe you forgot. Wen Ci arrived in Chuanhai last night. He’s probably already here by now. Seriously, Old Han, could you at least turn on your notifications? You’re always the last one to get the messages in our circle.”
“…I’ve been busy with a lot of stuff lately.”
“Well, don’t be late tonight. We’ll be meeting at Zui Ju Lou across from my place at 7:30… Hey, Old Han, are you listening? Hey!”
“Got it.” Han Shaozhou replied.
Sensing that Han Shaozhou’s tone wasn’t as casual as before, Zhao Cheng chuckled and said, “It’s just a dinner, Old Han. Don’t get so worked up. Remember what I told you last time—when you see Wen Ci…”
Han Shaozhou quickly ended the call.
But soon after, Zhao Cheng sent him a message.
[Zhao Cheng]: 7:30 tonight, Zui Ju Lou. Love is coming, Old Han. Get ready!
Han Shaozhou: “…”
Han Shaozhou got up from the table and walked over to the balcony. He looked down at his phone and found the Chuanhai group chat he had muted for a while.
The group had more members than when he last checked, and everyone’s nickname was marked with their real name. Han Shaozhou scanned through the list. There were a lot of new people in the group, but he was familiar with most of them. In his notifications, there were several friend requests from some of these newer members, but if they weren’t people he interacted with regularly or had no business ties with, he usually ignored them.
Yang Guan had even added his girlfriend, Shen Xixi, to the group…
The group chat was quiet at the moment. Han Shaozhou scrolled through the recent messages.
Last night at 7:30 PM
[Xixi]: It’s been so long since we all had hot pot together. So happy! [picture]
[Yang Guan]: You look beautiful, babe. Is that your aunt and uncle next to you? They look so young!
[Zhao Cheng]: Why isn’t Wen Ci in the photo? You guys weren’t together?
[Xixi]: My cousin didn’t want to be in the picture! By the way, guys, my cousin is super handsome now. He looks ten times better than before.
[ABC]: Really? I guess we’ll find out at dinner tomorrow. Can Han-ge handle it? [sneaky smile]
[123]: Is Han-ge lurking in the chat right now? Xixi, why don’t you send us a picture of Wen Ci? That would definitely get Han-ge, the eternal lurker, to come out of hiding.
[Xixi]: My cousin is watching us chat, and he won’t let me joke about him. Anyway, we’ll all be meeting tomorrow.
[Zhao Cheng]: I’ve already prepared drinks for everyone! [cool sunglasses emoji]
[Xixi]: Ugh, tomorrow afternoon, my agent is taking me to discuss a variety show. I hope it doesn’t run too late.
[Yang Guan]: Babe, are you going to be on a variety show? Which one?
[Xixi]: *It’s nothing big, just Mystery Room Chase.
[456]: I know that show! It mostly features popular stars. You just debuted, and you’re already getting this kind of opportunity. Your company must really be pushing you.
[Xixi]: [blushing shy emoji]
…
For the past couple of days, the group chat had been mostly idle chatter led by Shen Xixi, with little substance. Han Shaozhou didn’t feel like scrolling back any further. Just as he was about to put his phone away, a new message popped up in the group.
Just now:
[Zhao Cheng]: 7:30 tonight at Zui Ju Lou. Afterward, we’ll head to my place for more drinks [big grin emoji].
[123]: Is Cheng-ge treating tonight?
[abc]: Don’t you know whose night it is? There’s no way Cheng-ge would fight Han-ge for the bill. [smirking face]
[456]: Can I just ask… is there any truth to those rumors online about Han-ge dating a young actor?
[abc]: You think that’s possible?
[456]: Well, they were kissing! How can that be fake? If Han-ge is already taken, @abc, you shouldn’t be stirring things up.
[123]: Hey, can we not talk about this? It’s awkward with everyone in the group watching.
[Xixi]: [eye-rolling emoji]
[Zhao Cheng]: I already asked. Your Han-ge is single right now. Even if there was something before, it’s all over now.
[Xixi]: Obviously.
[456]: Okay, I messed up the mood. I’ll punish myself with three drinks when I get there tonight.
Han Shaozhou narrowed his eyes slightly at Zhao Cheng’s message… When did that guy ever ask him about this?
Could it have been that offhand question on the phone the other day? If so, Zhao Cheng had totally misinterpreted it.
Han Shaozhou glanced back at Mo Ming, who was sitting at the dining table, happily munching on a lamb chop. It seemed that his cooking skills weren’t bad, judging by how much Mo Ming was enjoying the food. But the meat must’ve been a bit too tough, as Mo Ming was struggling to tear off a piece of lean meat from the bone, his whole face scrunched up with the effort.
He might look a little silly, but surprisingly endearing…
Han Shaozhou lowered his gaze and continued scrolling through the group chat.
In no time, a bunch of new messages had popped up, with everyone chatting away, having moved on from the previous topic. Shen Xixi was once again leading the conversation with some trivial chatter.
Han Shaozhou simply exited the group chat and pocketed his phone.
There was no point in explaining anything to the people in that group. He didn’t owe them any explanations.
As for Zhao Cheng, he would give him a clear reminder when they met later. The guy still seemed intent on playing matchmaker, trying to set him up with Wen Ci…
Han Shaozhou returned to the dining table and looked at Mo Ming, who was still chewing away at the lamb chop. He reached out and ruffled Mo Ming’s hair.
“Is it good?”
Mo Ming nodded enthusiastically, still chewing on the bone.
“Something’s come up, so I won’t be taking you to Champagne Mountain tonight.” Han Shaozhou said. “Tomorrow, I’ll have someone come pick you up, or I’ll bring you over after my dinner.”
Mo Ming nodded obediently. Tonight, he also had a small gathering with Xiao Tang and Qi Yue at a restaurant.
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