On Saturday, a light rain fell, and the weather turned slightly chilly. Qi Bailu wore a knit sweater when he headed out; by the time he arrived, he carried the faint, damp scent of the rain. Zheng Kunyu had certainly not been modest with the invitation, choosing a very expensive Michelin-starred restaurant. Due to the weather, the restaurant was somewhat quiet with few patrons. They sat by the window, where the sky outside looked gloomy and overcast, causing one's mood to sink along with it.
Qi Bailu let Zheng Kunyu order. After finishing the order, Zheng Kunyu called for a bottle of wine. Qi Bailu silently calculated how much money was left on his card. The label on the bottle was entirely in a foreign language, and since Qi Bailu knew nothing of wine, he assumed the alcohol content was low based on its pale, peach-blossom pink hue. He drank whatever Zheng Kunyu poured for him. The wine tasted sweet and tart, almost like fruit juice.
As they neared the end of the meal, the alcohol began to hit him. For a long while, Qi Bailu found himself unable to speak. He simply thought his tolerance was poor. Finally, in a daze, he pressed his hands against the table, intending to call the waiter for the check, but because his head was spinning so violently, he slumped right back into his seat. Zheng Kunyu watched his flushed face, slowly sipping the last of his own glass. Only when the wine reached the bottom and he saw Qi Bailu stagger to his feet again did he leave his seat. He walked over and reached out just in time to support the boy’s back, saying, "You're drunk."
Unaccustomed to physical contact, Qi Bailu instinctively tried to push him away. Instead, Zheng Kunyu hooked an arm around his back and cupped the nape of his neck, drawing him a fraction closer before raising a hand to signal the waiter. Though Qi Bailu was drunk, he hadn't entirely lost consciousness. He reached into the pocket of his knit sweater for his wallet, but just as he pulled it out, Zheng Kunyu snatched it away. He reached out to grab it back, but Zheng Kunyu tucked the wallet into his own pocket and handed his card to the waiter.
"That’s mine."
Qi Bailu fumbled at Zheng Kunyu’s fingers, thinking the wallet was still in his hand. Zheng Kunyu ignored him completely. After reclaiming his card and the receipt, he guided Qi Bailu out of the restaurant. They stood by the parking lot, waiting for the driver to bring the car around, but Qi Bailu remained clingy, clutching Zheng Kunyu’s hand and prying at his fingers one by one. He insisted stubbornly, "That’s mine."
It was evening, and the streetlights had already flickered on. The leaves and the pavement shimmered, washed clean by the rain. Only then did Zheng Kunyu glance at him and ask, "What is yours?"
Hearing his voice, Qi Bailu tilted his head up. Usually, he didn't realize Zheng Kunyu was so much taller than him; now, it seemed to require a great effort just to see the man's eyes clearly. A fine mist of rain fell onto Qi Bailu’s hair and face, and onto Zheng Kunyu’s silver-rimmed glasses. Qi Bailu reached out, his thumb brushing away a droplet of rain from the glass lens. He murmured to himself, "You are mine."
His warm, wine-scented breath fanned against Zheng Kunyu’s chin, carrying the sweet fragrance of grapes. The hand Zheng Kunyu had placed on the back of his neck suddenly tightened. He looked deep into Qi Bailu’s eyes, his sharp gaze carrying a hint of scrutiny, as if trying to discern whether he was speaking the truth.
To his surprise, Qi Bailu gave him a dazed smile and then leaned into the crook of Zheng Kunyu’s neck. Like a young child nuzzling a teddy bear, he murmured, "Mine..."
Overwhelmed by discomfort, Qi Bailu furrowed his brows and closed his eyes, saying no more. The car soon pulled up. Zheng Kunyu held him as they got in. The driver looked in the rearview mirror, waiting for instructions. Zheng Kunyu idly stroked Qi Bailu’s neck, appearing to think for a moment before looking up at the driver. "Go to the apartment on the Third Ring Road."
Raindrops hit the car window; before they could even bloom into splashes, they were followed by one blurred circular mark after another. The rain grew heavier, drumming against the roof of the car. Qi Bailu was quiet throughout the journey, sleeping against the back of the seat. Occasionally, he felt an itch on his neck and would shrink his shoulders to dodge away, only to sink deeper into Zheng Kunyu’s embrace. With a slight tilt of his head, Zheng Kunyu could smell the fresh scent of shampoo.
The car drove for a long time. When it was time to get out, although the driver came over with an umbrella, the gust of cold wind and rain hitting his face cleared Qi Bailu’s head slightly. After a moment, he looked up in a daze at the person holding his shoulder, but he couldn't make out Zheng Kunyu’s face in the shadows. Qi Bailu asked, "Where is this?"
Zheng Kunyu didn't speak, merely leading him toward the elevator. They stepped into the light, and the elevator doors slowly slid shut behind them. This time, Qi Bailu saw Zheng Kunyu’s face with total clarity. His eyes widened slightly. "It's you?"
A few strands of hair on Qi Bailu’s forehead were damp from the rain. Zheng Kunyu reached out and brushed the hair back, revealing his smooth brow. Looking at the face so close to his own, Qi Bailu struggled to back away, suddenly breaking free from Zheng Kunyu’s arms. As the red numbers of the elevator climbed slowly, Qi Bailu pressed his back against the wall, watching him warily.
Zheng Kunyu didn't answer. He simply took a step closer and said, "Come here."
Qi Bailu didn't dare move. He had a vague sense that something bad was about to happen, but he was lost as to exactly what that "bad" thing was. His consciousness was still stuck back at the dinner table; he had momentarily forgotten his intimate behavior while drunk and assumed Zheng Kunyu was angry because he had rejected the contract. He stammered incoherently, "President Zheng, I respect you very much, and I like you..."
"You like me?"
Zheng Kunyu seemed to find these words amusing. He grabbed Qi Bailu’s wrist and pulled him back. His powerful arms and the unfamiliar scent of male hormones made Qi Bailu feel a twinge of fear. Qi Bailu said, "I didn't mean it like that..."
Zheng Kunyu used his thumb to rub Qi Bailu’s lips, pressing down with slight force to silence his explanation. He leaned down to kiss Qi Bailu’s chin, but Qi Bailu dodged. Straining to keep his tongue straight, Qi Bailu tried to articulate every word clearly. "President Zheng, you’ve misunderstood. I don't like men, and I don't want to be with..."
*With you*, or *in a relationship*. Qi Bailu couldn't bring himself to say the specific words, but he felt Zheng Kunyu would understand.
"I know."
Zheng Kunyu’s tone was calm, and a thin, mocking smile even touched his face. He kept his lips pressed against the back of Qi Bailu’s ear, leaving a first kiss upon his skin. "But I want you," he whispered.
The kiss felt as if it carried an electric current, making Qi Bailu tremble slightly. After the first kiss came a second, then a third. Zheng Kunyu’s lips moved incessantly against Qi Bailu’s neck, then moved to his forehead and cheeks. Qi Bailu was kissed until his whole body went soft, leaving him unable to escape. The elevator doors slid open to an empty hallway. Zheng Kunyu held him tightly and moved to kiss his mouth.
Qi Bailu had never kissed anyone before; he had only seen it in movies and had no idea how it actually worked, nor had he ever filmed a kissing scene. No matter how Zheng Kunyu kissed him, Qi Bailu simply clenched his teeth tight. Zheng Kunyu noticed this, so he pinched Qi Bailu’s chin to force his jaw to relax. Taking advantage of the moment Qi Bailu’s mind wandered, his tongue pushed past the teeth and explored within.
It was merely a kiss, yet Qi Bailu didn't know how to breathe. Before long, his face turned a deep crimson. Zheng Kunyu was far too skilled; Qi Bailu’s thoughts were completely scrambled by the kiss, his defenses crumbling like a mountain in a landslide. The elevator doors were about to close again. At the very last second, Zheng Kunyu braced his hand against the closing doors, finally ending the kiss. While perfunctorily nuzzling the top of Qi Bailu’s head, he pushed him out of the elevator.
Qi Bailu was still trying to break free, but Zheng Kunyu pulled him along. The elevator doors slid shut, and the red number beside them jumped sharply, its task complete.
The lights in the apartment were switched on, suddenly illuminating everything in the room. This was an old apartment where Zheng Kunyu used to live; because he didn't come here often, it felt cold and desolate. When Qi Bailu fell back onto the double bed, the alcohol made him feel heavy and lightheaded all at once. Zheng Kunyu seemed to particularly enjoy the process of undressing him, as if he were unwrapping a cherished gift.
Qi Bailu couldn't move at all. The bed was so soft—softer than marshmallows. Lying there, it felt as if his entire being was melting into a sweet puddle. His head throbbed with dizziness; he was thirsty and exhausted, wanting nothing more than to pull the duvet over himself and sleep. But all he managed to grab was Zheng Kunyu’s tie. Zheng Kunyu was pulled down by the tug, leaning over to kiss him.
The early autumn night carried a chill, and Qi Bailu couldn't help but bury himself in the snow-white sheets. Zheng Kunyu thought he looked even whiter than the sheets—so much so that one couldn't help but want to take a bite to see if he would melt instantly.
While capturing his lips, Zheng Kunyu untied the necktie held in the boy's hand. Qi Bailu seemed to slowly taste the sweetness of the kissing; he wasn't as clumsy as before, yet he still didn't know how to take the initiative. This was the first time Zheng Kunyu had slept with someone so green—like the very first fruit of early summer. The way he blushed so fiercely just from a kiss made Zheng Kunyu momentarily reluctant to push too hard.
Even just a couple of pinches on his body would leave red marks; he was like a sheet of white paper, fragile to the extreme.
Although Zheng Kunyu had always preferred those who were obedient and submissive, he now found teasing Qi Bailu to be quite interesting. He leaned close to Qi Bailu’s ear and said, "It seems you really haven't been touched before." Zheng Kunyu’s tone was faint, yet it carried a hint of ill-intentioned obscenity. Qi Bailu’s consciousness grew more ethereal by the second, but before his last shred of reason vanished, he still flushed with shame at such words.
Zheng Kunyu liked his anger and annoyance just as much. He brushed the back of his hand against the flush on the boy's cheek, his palm then slowly sliding downward.
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