SIIL Chapter 48

Chi Yu had been squatting for so long that when he finally tried to stand up, his legs gave out beneath him, and his vision went black as he stumbled forward. Fu Zhi’an’s face flashed with concern, and he quickly stepped forward to catch Chi Yu, who fell straight into his arms. The boy’s soft black hair brushed against Fu Zhi’an’s chin. As Fu Zhi’an looked down, he saw Chi Yu’s eyelashes flutter slightly, and his tightly pressed lips formed a thin line.

“How long have you been here?” Fu Zhi’an asked.

Falling into someone’s arms like this wasn’t something Chi Yu usually did. He had originally intended to push Fu Zhi’an away immediately, but hearing the low, soothing tone of Fu Zhi’an’s voice and feeling the comforting pats on his back, Chi Yu loosened the grip he had on the hem of his pants, as if admitting defeat. He sniffled, letting Fu Zhi’an continue to pat his back like he was comforting a child.

“Where did you go?” Chi Yu mumbled, his voice muffled as he rested his forehead against Fu Zhi’an’s neck. As if in retaliation, he leaned his entire weight on Fu Zhi’an, and when he didn’t get much of a reaction, he pushed against him with his head a bit harder. Fu Zhi’an chuckled silently, his hand slowly sliding down to rest on Chi Yu’s slim waist. He tightened his arms around Chi Yu slightly, lowering his head so his chin brushed against Chi Yu’s ear. He exhaled softly before replying, “I was looking for you.”

The person in his arms stayed silent for a while, and just as Fu Zhi’an was about to say something else, he felt Chi Yu’s grip around his waist tighten. From the way Chi Yu’s arms loosely hung around his waist and the way he deliberately turned his head away to avoid eye contact, Fu Zhi’an could tell Chi Yu was feeling awkward. Chi Yu had always disliked winter, and no matter how cold it got, he would only wear a hoodie and a thin jacket. Usually, it wasn’t much of an issue, but now, with the icy snow mixed with hail smacking against his face, Chi Yu shivered a few times.

Fu Zhi’an leaned back a little and pulled Chi Yu’s hand into his jacket. Through the thin fabric, he could feel the warmth radiating from Chi Yu’s body. Chi Yu, a bit stunned, watched as Fu Zhi’an opened his jacket wider and pulled him closer, wrapping him up in his warmth. As they stood close together, Chi Yu caught the faint scent of tobacco on Fu Zhi’an’s collar, and the warmth from Fu Zhi’an’s body seemed to seep into his very bones, making him feel oddly comforted.

“Let’s find somewhere warm.”

Maybe he’d been out in the cold for too long, and his brain had frozen a bit. Chi Yu simply let Fu Zhi’an hold his hand and obediently followed behind him as they walked through one street after another.

A man in a bright red coat, who was sitting behind the hotel’s front desk, squinted at the two boys standing there. His legs, propped up on the desk, bounced rhythmically as he chewed on a toothpick. After smacking his lips a couple of times, he mumbled, “ID, please.” Fu Zhi’an pulled out his wallet, handed over his ID card, and said calmly, “He’s not staying.”

The man tilted his head, casting a glance at the black-haired boy standing behind Fu Zhi’an. Chi Yu didn’t look happy—in fact, the way his dark eyes glared at the man seemed to be filled with words that would need to be censored with asterisks. The man curled his lip and lazily fished out a room key from a drawer, tossing it over before stifling a yawn. He nodded toward the hallway. “Last room at the end of the right hallway.”

Fu Zhi’an took the key and skillfully grabbed Chi Yu’s hand, leading him down the corridor. Chi Yu, with a scowl plastered on his face, followed behind. They hadn’t walked far before he heard a whistle from behind. Chi Yu turned around just in time to see the man behind the desk chewing on his toothpick again. After rubbing his face with his hand, the man casually remarked, “Keep it down, will ya?”

Chi Yu was still trying to figure out what the man meant when he heard a soft “mm” from beside him. The grip on his wrist tightened just a bit. It wasn’t until they were standing in the room, with the musty smell of mold filling his nostrils, that Chi Yu realized what was going on. He grabbed Fu Zhi’an by the collar, grinding out each word through clenched teeth.

“When you said you were finding a warm place, you meant getting a room?”

Fu Zhi’an met Chi Yu’s furious gaze and smiled, his eyes curving into crescents as he nodded. With that unbothered attitude of his, Fu Zhi’an wasn’t fazed by anything—hitting him wouldn’t help, and yelling wouldn’t do much good either. Realizing this, Chi Yu let go and slumped onto the bed, his head drooping dejectedly. Fu Zhi’an, meanwhile, turned around, pulled a charging cable from the drawer, and casually strolled into the bathroom. Through the cracked door, his lazy voice floated out.

“I’m going to take a shower.”

Those four words drifted into Chi Yu’s ears, and his fingers tightened around the bed sheet involuntarily. Even the sound of the water running in the bathroom felt suggestive. Chi Yu stood up and opened the window, letting the cold wind blast him in the face until he was finally a bit more clear-headed. Not wanting Fu Zhi’an to catch on to what he was doing, Chi Yu quietly closed the window and tiptoed back to the bed, coughing twice before calling out, “Don’t use too much water! Be environmentally friendly!”

As soon as the words left his mouth, Chi Yu wanted to slap himself.

The sound of running water in the bathroom continued, and by the time Chi Yu had finished his second bottle of water, he was uncomfortably aware of how full his bladder was. He had no idea how long Fu Zhi’an would take in the shower, but it felt like the water had been running forever. Clutching his stomach, Chi Yu stood outside the bathroom door, hesitating before awkwardly calling out, “Are you done yet? I need to use the bathroom.”

There was no response, but the water suddenly stopped, followed by the rustling sounds of someone getting dressed. Chi Yu leaned against the doorframe, muttering a countdown to himself. Once he was sure Fu Zhi’an had enough time to get dressed, he knocked lightly on the door as a warning before pushing it open.

A wave of warm, moist air greeted him, and there stood Fu Zhi’an, wearing nothing but a loosely wrapped towel around his waist, revealing his well-defined abs and the deep lines of his pelvis.

Hearing the door, Fu Zhi’an turned his head slightly, his damp hair covering most of his face. He casually pushed his hair back, then raised a finger to his lips. It was only then that Chi Yu noticed the phone by Fu Zhi’an’s ear. Despite the gesture telling him to be quiet, Chi Yu found himself rooted to the spot as if his legs were made of lead.

Fu Zhi’an didn’t seem the least bit concerned about his half-naked state. Leaning casually against the wall, he let out a low “mm” into the phone. Chi Yu could only catch snippets of a woman’s voice from where he was standing. After a brief pause, Fu Zhi’an glanced over at Chi Yu, his gaze calm and steady, before saying flatly into the phone, “Yeah, I’m at a hotel.”

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