Lu Linjiang gently caressed Jiang Cheng, inwardly rejoicing that the other man was lying so submissively against him, only to realize the situation was slightly different from what he had imagined. Supporting Jiang Cheng with one hand, he carefully tilted his head and saw that, as expected, the man had fallen fast asleep. Faint dark circles were visible under Jiang Cheng’s eyes; only now did Lu Linjiang realize with hindsight that he probably hadn't slept well in a long time.
He felt a pang of heartache, but more than that, a sense of secret delight. At the very least, this proved that in Jiang Cheng’s heart, he was neither insignificant nor someone to be loathed. This realization made Lu Linjiang’s heart leap. He allowed himself a rare, wide grin for a moment before carefully standing up and carrying Jiang Cheng back to the bedroom.
Lu Linjiang moved with light hands and feet as he undressed Jiang Cheng. Jiang Cheng must have been utterly exhausted, for Lu Linjiang’s movements didn't wake him at all. Once he had settled the man in, Lu Linjiang lay down beside him without a moment's hesitation—since he had been excessively busy lately, there was only one bed in the house; the double bed for the master bedroom was still at the furniture store.
Lu Linjiang was not the least bit sleepy. Lying on his side with his head propped on one hand, he gazed almost greedily at Jiang Cheng’s sleeping face. If someone had told him three years ago that he would one day act like this, he would have certainly dismissed them as a lunatic. But human emotions were such strange things; as much as he had avoided Jiang Cheng when he felt nothing, he was now just as drawn to him.
Early the next morning, the moment Jiang Cheng stirred, Lu Linjiang woke up first. Yawning, he watched as Jiang Cheng nuzzled the pillow a few times before his eyes snapped open in surprise. A trace of wariness flickered in his hazy gaze as he scanned his surroundings, but when his eyes unexpectedly met Lu Linjiang’s, his expression finally froze in a look of utter bewilderment.
"Morning," Lu Linjiang greeted him, his mood buoyant.
Jiang Cheng stared at him, taking a moment to retrieve the events from before he fell asleep. Finally, he remembered an important question he hadn't asked: "Why are you selling the house?"
While marveling at how he had never noticed how adorable Jiang Cheng was before, Lu Linjiang sat up and wrapped the quilt around Jiang Cheng, who was wearing only one of Lu’s cotton T-shirts. "I’m going to pursue the person I love, and I might need a large sum of money, so I sold the house first."
Jiang Cheng looked at him as if he were speaking nonsense. "Are you crazy?"
"Besides, I can move into my beloved's house to cultivate our relationship." Lu Linjiang tried his best to hide his smugness. "Do you think he’ll object?"
Lu Linjiang had been the one sleeping in this bed for the past few days, and Jiang Cheng was currently wearing the man's clothes; he felt completely enveloped by Lu Linjiang’s scent. The man even leaned in wickedly, pressing his forehead against Jiang Cheng’s. "Will he agree?"
Jiang Cheng instinctively leaned back, but since Lu Linjiang was gripping the quilt, he couldn't pull away much. With a single tug, Jiang Cheng—wrapped tightly in the quilt—toppled back and was thoroughly pulled into Lu Linjiang’s embrace. Lu Linjiang wasn't wearing a pajama top, only pajama pants. When Jiang Cheng fell against his chest and his face touched Lu Linjiang’s skin, his senses seemed to explode, and he instantly lost the ability to think.
"You... you... you... you..." Jiang Cheng stammered, feeling as though every word he wanted to say was scurrying around his mouth, refusing to form a proper sentence.
"I what?" Lu Linjiang chuckled, deeply regretting that he had discovered how fun Jiang Cheng was so late in the game.
With his face buried against the man's chest, Jiang Cheng was all too aware of the rise and fall of Lu Linjiang’s breathing. He struggled to free one hand from the quilt and pressed it against Lu Linjiang, enduring the burning sensation of the contact as he pushed for a bit of distance. "You’re... crazy!"
"Since you’ve asked twice now, well, I’ll answer that question first: I’m really not crazy." Lu Linjiang looked at him with amusement. "I can guarantee that."
"But you don't like men!"
"I didn't before, but nothing in this world is absolute." Lu Linjiang looked at Jiang Cheng and said with absolute certainty, "Now I like them very much. I like you very much."
Jiang Cheng had loved Lu Linjiang for over a decade. Even after his heart had grown cold and he had walked away, even after repeatedly telling himself not to look back, the person one loves with all their heart in youth is a poison bred into the marrow; even if one were to strip the skin and scrape the bone, it would remain as inseparable as a shadow. If Lu Linjiang were still the same man who treated him with cold indifference, he could naturally believe he had forgotten. Having met again after three years of separation, he truly hadn't harbored any special intentions.
But Lu Linjiang had changed. He had cleanly and decisively torn down the barriers between them, shamelessly doting on Jiang Cheng, with even the tips of his hair seemingly proclaiming his ulterior motives. The desires Jiang Cheng had buried deep in his heart were being coaxed out bit by bit; he was defenseless and retreating at every turn, yet he finally managed to grasp a sliver of clarity. "Are you really sure you can cross this line?"
Lu Linjiang knew what he meant. He pulled the man closer by the quilt and took the opportunity to catch Jiang Cheng’s chin, kissing him without the slightest hesitation. Jiang Cheng only saw Lu Linjiang’s face enlarge before his eyes. He wanted to hide, but Lu Linjiang blocked his retreat. He could only instinctively close his eyes, his senses becoming exceptionally sharp as he felt his lips covered by the other man's. A numbing sensation erupted, spreading rapidly from his lips to every limb in his body.
Amidst the dizziness, Jiang Cheng abandoned his final resistance.
Lu Linjiang pushed his luck, nibbling at Jiang Cheng’s lips bit by bit until Jiang Cheng could no longer catch his breath. Only then did Lu Linjiang lick his own lips and release him. Looking at Jiang Cheng’s flushed cheeks, he couldn't resist nipping the tip of the man's nose before asking with satisfaction, "Do you think I can?"
Jiang Cheng was stunned and speechless. Seeing him like this made Lu Linjiang’s heart soar. He expressed this by pulling the man into his arms once more and ruthlessly ravishing his lips.
Desire doesn't necessarily exist for everyone you like, but for someone you truly love, desire is inevitable—especially on such a smooth-sailing morning. Lu Linjiang pinned the man to the bed without ceremony, watching as Jiang Cheng, wrapped in the quilt, vividly performed a display of utter helplessness.
"The first step has been tested, and it seems there are no problems." Lu Linjiang slowly peeled back the quilt. "Since things are going so smoothly, we might as well try the next step. That way, we can avoid any lingering doubts. If there's anything you're unsatisfied with, we can always discuss it."
Jiang Cheng had once secretly fantasized about what a Lu Linjiang who loved him would be like—perhaps petulant, angry, infatuated, or smiling. But only now did he realize that all of those were unreliable fantasies. Facing the Lu Linjiang before him, who was poised to conquer every inch of territory, he had no power to resist. The quilt was pulled away in a few swift motions. For a moment, Jiang Cheng actually felt an urge to flee.
In fact, he did move, but Lu Linjiang was quick enough to pin him back down. The man even asked mischievously, "Are you that impatient?"
Jiang Cheng was unable to defend himself. He wasn't familiar with this Lu Linjiang, nor was he familiar with the current situation. His limbs felt redundant now, with no appropriate place to put them. Lu Linjiang was happily preparing to get down to business when the phone on the nightstand vibrated inconsiderately.
Jiang Cheng couldn't help but jolt along with the vibration, his eyes following the sound. Lu Linjiang’s sharp eyes caught the name on the display, and his expression darkened. Jiang Cheng felt he had found a savior; he lightly pushed against the man pinning him down. "Aren't... aren't you going to answer it?"
Unwilling to give up, Lu Linjiang stole a kiss from his lips and cleared his throat before picking up the phone. "Hello?"
"Captain Lu, are you okay?" Xu Sichen’s voice came through.
Lu Linjiang frowned, trying his best to make his voice sound like it wasn't dripping with frustration. "I'm fine. What's wrong?"
Xu Sichen breathed a sigh of relief. "Work has already started and you haven't shown up, nor did you say you weren't coming. We all thought something happened to you. If we couldn't get through to your phone, we’d be heading to the CDC right about now."
Hearing this, Lu Linjiang checked the time and realized it was already past nine. He was never late and always gave advance notice if something came up; no wonder Xu Sichen had called.
"I got delayed by something. I'll be there in a bit."
Lu Linjiang hung up the phone. Looking at Jiang Cheng, who was visibly relieved beneath him, he leaned down with ill intent. "You can hide today, but can you hide forever?"
Jiang Cheng instinctively swallowed, feeling strangely redundant, yet the physical tension was beyond his control. Feeling Lu Linjiang’s breath on his face, he finally murmured, "I... I'm a bit... the pace is a bit fast... let me prepare myself."
Lu Linjiang let out a laugh and kissed Jiang Cheng gently from his forehead down to his lips. "Alright, I'll wait for you." His lips slowly drifted to Jiang Cheng’s earlobe, and after a light nip, he added, "You waited for me for so long; it's only right that I give some of that back to you."
