Are All You Straight Guys Like This Chapter 43

The world was a blur of white.

Two figures entwined closely, snowflakes swirling and falling onto their heads and shoulders.

Yu Ting sat inside the dimly lit car, squinting for a while before confirming, “They made up.”

They were hugging so of course they’d made up.

“Man, I’ve been worried sick these past two days,” Yu Ting said, still shaken. “I even dreamed last night that Shen Shi was alone on a grassland eating grass. Good thing they made up. Must’ve been a misunderstanding. I should tell Ye Ran later—”

He rambled on to himself for a while before realizing Jiang Yun hadn’t responded.

“Jiang Yun?” In the darkness, Jiang Yun didn’t move, like he was asleep. “Hey, Jiang Yun, don’t sleep here, you’ll catch a cold.”

He reached out to nudge him, only to find Jiang Yun trembling all over, shivering so hard it looked like he might faint any second.

“Wha—?!” Yu Ting jolted in alarm. “Cr*p! Jiang Yun, are you okay? Don’t tell me you’ve frozen stupid!”

Under his anxious voice, Jiang Yun finally seemed to return from some indescribable realm. He turned his head toward Yu Ting and whispered, voice thin and dazed, “Shen Shi…”

Yu Ting was frantic. “Oh come on, forget about him right now, I’m taking you to the—”

“—is gay,” Jiang Yun said.

Yu Ting: “…”

Yu Ting: “…………”

He stared blankly for two seconds. “Huh? You didn’t know?”

At that, Jiang Yun looked as if he’d seen a ghost. He shot upright on the seat. “What the f—! How would I know that?! Am I supposed to know that?! He’s gonna kill me now, right? He’s totally gonna kill me to keep me quiet! Shen Shi’s f**ing gay?! Are you kidding me? You saw it, right? He was hugging a guy—he’s a total gay dude, holy sh*t—”

Once again, Yu Ting could see that all-too-familiar aura of tragic fool radiating off him.

“Don’t panic,” he couldn’t help but comfort him gently. “Yes, he is.”

Jiang Yun: “…”

Jiang Yun screamed, “Ah!!! He really is g—”

Before the scream was even finished, a figure appeared at the gate of the G-Class in the snowy night. In the dim light, the young man’s smiling features emerged, he was clearly smiling, yet a chill radiated from him.

An Yu smiled and tapped the open car door, his voice soft. “What’s wrong with being gay?”

Jiang Yun instantly froze like a chicken caught by the neck. “Gay…”

“This is Shen Shi’s boyfriend’s family!” Yu Ting quickly grabbed his wrist and hissed in a low voice, “Watch your mouth! If you offend him, Shen Shi will definitely silence you—”

With tears in his eyes, Jiang Yun swallowed hard and choked out, “Gay’s fine. It’s great, actually. Too bad I’m not.”

An Yu: “Really?”

An Yu couldn’t be bothered to deal with the two clueless straight men in the car. His smile remained friendly, but his tone carried an undercurrent of menace. “You two… are Shen Shi’s friends?”

“No,” Jiang Yun replied without hesitation. “We don’t know him.”

Yu Ting: “…”

Yu Ting pinched him hard again and quickly took over, “Yes, yes, we’re Shen Shi’s friends. I’m Yu Ting, he’s Jiang Yun… and you are?”

“I’m Ye Ran’s older brother, An Yu.” As he spoke, An Yu cast a subtle glance toward the snowy distance—at the figure who still held Ye Ran captive—and his smile turned murderous, resentment practically seething from him. “It’s late. I just came to say, Ye Ran should be going to bed.”

So tell that Shen Shi of yours to get lost already!

Following his gaze, Yu Ting spotted the two blurry silhouettes in the swirling snow and twitched an eyelid. “I mean… Ye Ran looks pretty lively to me.”

H*ll no, if I go over there now, I’m dead! Not going. Absolutely not.

An Yu narrowed his eyes. “You think I can’t tell?”

Sh*t! Go call him! Stop talking!

Yu Ting: “No, what I meant was… maybe we should wait a bit.”

Not going! If I go, I die! My life’s more important!

An Yu: “You—”

Yu Ting: “I—”

Jiang Yun: “Huh?”

“Then I’ll go.”

Silence fell instantly.

Only the sound of snow pattering could be heard.

Jiang Yun sniffled, obliviously heroic. “It’s just calling someone over. I’ll go. It’s freezing ,they might catch cold.”

In the dead silence, two pairs of eyes stared at him unblinking.

Before Jiang Yun could sense the strangeness, Yu Ting gave him a hard kick out the door. “Then go.”

Jiang Yun: “?”

At the door, An Yu stepped aside politely, his voice gentle. “Thanks for the trouble.”

Jiang Yun: “…?”

Completely confused, he trudged off toward Shen Shi and Ye Ran in the snow, the other two watching his back.

So weird.

Two grown men making such a fuss about calling someone. Ridiculous.

He rolled his eyes secretly, and as he neared Shen Shi, he raised his voice carelessly, shouting, “Shen Shi! Let’s go! It’s late, you’re not cold—”

The snow swirled like torn cotton, veiling most of his sight.

Through the hazy light, he could make out Shen Shi’s broad, solid shoulders.

Shen Shi leaned slightly forward; beside him, the figure in a white down jacket was faintly visible, slender, supple, not very tall, nestled in his arms, both hands tucked into Shen Shi’s coat pockets.

At the sound of his voice, those hands flinched and were quickly withdrawn, slender, pale, the fingertips glowing faintly white.

Before Jiang Yun could take a closer look, Shen Shi turned around.

Their gazes met. Jiang Yun was about to call again when he suddenly noticed Shen Shi’s eyes, dark as if ink could drip from them, and his handsome, usually cold face, half in shadow, now covered in a chilling gloom.

His thin lips were red; his voice low and hoarse, sliding into Jiang Yun’s ears, making the straight man squirm like ants crawling under his skin. “Mm. Coming.”

Holy sh*t!

That voice is so d*mn gay—

…Wait.

Shen Shi is gay!

Jiang Yun swallowed hard, belatedly realizing this fact.

With that thought, looking again at Shen Shi and the faint figure beside him, he was so embarrassed he nearly ascended on the spot. Without another thought, he turned and bolted, stammering, “Then hurry up, Yu Ting and that An Yu guy are waiting for you!”

…

After he left, Ye Ran cautiously lifted his head from Shen Shi’s chest. Once he confirmed Jiang Yun had run off, he finally breathed out, tugging at Shen Shi’s sleeve. “Let’s go too.”

Remembering there were still three people waiting, Ye Ran took a deep breath, flustered and anxious.

His childhood friend was impulsive, it was strange he hadn’t come storming over already… Something felt off.

The man beside him didn’t move. Ye Ran instinctively looked up at Shen Shi.

He’d just been kissed; his lashes were damp with moisture, lips red and wet, his lip bead glistening where it had been licked. They hadn’t kissed deeply, just brushed lips, but Shen Shi had been greedy, nibbling and licking at Ye Ran’s lips even in that brief contact.

Shen Shi’s eyes were dark; his Adam’s apple rolled as he murmured, “No more kisses?”

Ye Ran hadn’t wanted to be affectionate out in the freezing snow in the first place. He was worried about Shen Shi’s health and had been urging him to leave for some time, but Shen Shi had only lifted his eyelids and given him that heavy, wordless look.

All that snow, fatigue, and cold made Ye Ran’s heart soften completely. After hesitating for a few seconds, he buried himself back in Shen Shi’s arms and tilted his head up to kiss him.

…Thank goodness Jiang Yun came.

At that thought, Ye Ran couldn’t help but feel relieved.

Otherwise, Shen Shi probably still wouldn’t have let him go.

“I’m not kissing anymore,” he said, shaking his head.

Shen Shi’s gaze lingered on his lips, his eyes deep and dark, like a dim flame burning within. For a long moment, the tip of his tongue swept across his inner mouth; his Adam’s apple moved slightly before he finally spoke, slow and unhurried: “Alright. Let’s go.”

He had returned to his usual calm, detached composure. “Want to grab a late-night snack later?” he asked.

Ye Ran obediently let himself be led by the hand. Thinking for a moment, he also wanted to introduce An Yu to Shen Shi. “Sure.”

The two emerged from the shadows.

At some point, three people had squeezed into the back seat of the G-Class. An Yu sat sprawled, taking up space meant for two people, forcing Jiang Yun to huddle nervously, almost sitting on Yu Ting’s lap, only to be pushed away in irritation.

“Baby,” An Yu’s eyes narrowed slightly when he saw Ye Ran and Shen Shi. His expression didn’t change, but his gaze passed coolly over their linked hands. His tone, however, remained gentle: “Let’s go. It’s late, we should be heading home.”

…Baby?

Both straight men froze inside at once, their hearts dropping, sneaking glances toward Shen Shi’s face.

Shen Shi’s expression stayed calm. As if sensing their stares, he lifted his eyelids slightly, his deep eyes sweeping over them with unreadable indifference.

Yu Ting: “…”

Jiang Yun: “…”

D*mn, that’s not like you!

Ye Ran, oblivious to the tension, leaned toward An Yu and said, “Ah Yu, let’s all go eat together?”

An Yu raised a brow. “Hm? Eat? Now?”

The two of them had already eaten plenty at the hot spring resort.

Ye Ran couldn’t possibly be hungry right now.

Tch.

Suppressing the sour feeling of watching his cabbage get stolen by a pig, An Yu shot a sharp look at Shen Shi. “It’s so late, and the snow’s heavy. Are there even places open to eat? We’re still quite far from the city center, how about waiting until tomor—”

The warm cabin light glowed dimly.

Ye Ran was looking at him, eyes dark and clear. One of his hands was still held by Shen Shi’s, his cheeks faintly flushed, his eyes bright, bright in that shy, happy way.

Like a child who just got a Christmas present or a sweet Halloween candy.

An Yu’s voice faltered. For a few seconds, he stayed quiet. Ye Ran had been happy with him too, all these years but this kind of happiness was different.

After a short silence, the sour ache in his chest faded like smoke, though it still stung faintly. He finally nodded. “Forget it, waiting till tomorrow’s pointless. No time like the present. Let’s go tonight.”

At those words, the hearts of Yu Ting and Jiang Yun, tight with tension, finally dropped back into place.

They exchanged a glance and looked at Shen Shi with matching sympathy.

Brother, you’re in for a rough time.

That boyfriend’s family is no pushover.

…

…

The car drove toward the city center.

Along the way, the snow grew lighter, and the roads livelier.

Though it was nearly midnight, the streets were still bustling. The air was thick with the spirit of Christmas, shopfronts adorned with decorations, Christmas trees twinkling with strings of lights that flashed endlessly.

The five of them found a barbecue restaurant.

It was packed inside—loud with chatter, clinking glasses, and drinking games.

The kitchen vent hummed noisily. Jiang Yun and Yu Ting, hungry from a night of waiting, were instantly energized by the smell, ordering dozens of plates of lamb skewers, beef skewers, chicken legs, and wings in one go.

Five young men, appetites fierce.

An Yu, however, was in no mood. Already irritated, he was further provoked by Jiang Yun’s clueless questioning. He sneered, grabbed Jiang Yun’s offered drink, and downed it in one gulp. “Yeah, I grew up with Ranran.”

Jiang Yun: “Wow, that’s awesome! So you two are super close, huh?”

“Obviously.” An Yu’s alcohol tolerance was good; one glass didn’t faze him. “We went to the same school since we were kids. If my dad hadn’t forced me to go abroad, I would’ve…”

Jiang Yun: “Gotten into Beijing University too?”

An Yu was very clear-headed. “That’s impossible.”

Under Shen Shi’s death glare, Yu Ting stiffly joined the conversation. “Ha, I had to study like h*ll for three years just to get into Beijing University—not like Shen Shi, who somehow managed to compete in math and physics contests while prepping for the entrance exams. I was so jealous.”

An Yu gritted his teeth. D*mn it, this Yu Ting’s a wingman. He’s here to make Shen Shi look good, huh?

He gave a cold laugh, unafraid. “Oh? That reminds me, back in my senior year, we had a guy just like that. Always winning gold medals in competitions, ranking first in the grade, and not bad-looking either.”

Ye Ran, who had been happily sipping his cola, choked and swallowed with difficulty, sitting up straight. “Ah Yu—”

A napkin appeared in front of him at just the right moment.

Turning his head, Ye Ran met Shen Shi’s eyes. His tone was calm and even, his gaze dark and steady. “What’s wrong?”

Ye Ran hesitated for two seconds, then took the napkin awkwardly. “…N-nothing.”

Meanwhile, An Yu was too busy stewing in his own anger to notice anything, silently cursing d*mn it under his breath as he drained another beer.

“That guy chased Ranran for two years, deeply in love. On Christmas, he packed all his gold and silver medals into a gift box and gave them to Ranran, saying, ‘All my honors belong to you.’ If his mom hadn’t found out and beaten the cr*p out of him at school, even I might’ve been moved.”

Yu Ting: “…Pfft.”

Jiang Yun: “Ha.”

Yu Ting quickly wiped his grin and doubled down on damage control, desperate to boost Shen Shi’s standing. “Well, you know, back in high school Shen Shi had tons of people chasing him too but he never gave them a second glance. Totally ascetic, only had eyes for his studies!”

An Yu caught the note of mockery in their voices and only then realized that, without meaning to, he’d actually spoken the truth. A jolt went through him, and he hurried to make up for it.

“Is that so? Well, us art students are different from you guys. There are a few boys in our class who are really good at drawing; they’re always sketching landscapes, portraits, and little comics for Ranran. Every time he smiles at them, they walk around floating.”

Ye Ran spoke up helplessly. “Ah Yu…”

The left hand hanging at his side was taken and held. He turned uneasily to look, Shen Shi was holding his hand casually, rubbing his fingertips, a faint trace of a smile in his eyes, so subtle it was almost invisible.

“It’s fine. Keep listening.”

Ye Ran: “…I can explain.”

He really was laughing because those comics were funny!

Shen Shi’s voice was gentle. “It’s alright. I believe you.”

But An Yu kept going. In his gloom, he couldn’t help rambling on about all the people who had once chased after Ye Ran: good students, bad students, handsome ones, roguish ones, those who persevered, and those who gave up halfway.

There were those who, on New Year’s Eve, would actually show up under Ye Ran’s villa just so he could see the fireworks. And there were those who took more roundabout approaches, trying to win Ye Ran’s favor through charm.

Before, he had always wondered what kind of person could make Ye Ran stop and stay. He hadn’t expected that the one who could truly make Ye Ran bow his head would be someone so outstanding, almost excessively so.

Far beyond those hot-blooded boys driven by nothing but hormones in their youthful days.

Handsome. Calm. Rational.

…And just as deeply in love.

Even on a day like this, with a blizzard raging, he had flown straight from Shanghai to Beijing, waited more than two hours in the snow, chose to believe all of Ye Ran’s explanations, listened to stories of his “past romances” without haste or irritation, and still cherished the present moment.

Forget it.

An Yu sighed inwardly. After some thought, he figured that aside from being a bit too clever and too good at playing the “wounded act,” this Shen Shi really wasn’t bad at all.

Actually, he was too good.

Anyway, as long as Ye Ran liked him, he should adjust his own attitude too.

The kid had grown up, after all—ready to spread his wings and fly solo.

An Yu: “…”

An Yu: “…Uuuh.”

My Ranran quq!

***

Dinner lasted until two in the morning.

In the latter half, An Yu ended up crying into his drink, clutching the bottle like a microphone and belting out ‘The World’s Best Mom’. Yu Ting and Jiang Yun were awestruck, clapping nonstop and begging him to sing something else.

Shen Shi ordered a car on his phone and had Jiang Yun and Yu Ting go ahead to the hotel.

He himself hadn’t touched a drop of alcohol all night. Supporting An Yu between him and Ye Ran, they helped him into the car and drove toward the townhouse in the southern part of the city.

By the time they got home, Ye Ran was exhausted and panting for breath. He helped An Yu into a bedroom, wiped him down, gave him some sobering tea, and only after making sure he was comfortable and asleep did he go downstairs again.

He’d changed clothes, light brown loungewear under his down jacket, slippers on his feet, and ran out into the cold night air to see Shen Shi off. But as soon as he reached the car, Shen Shi pulled him straight inside.

…

The G-Class was parked under the trees across from the villa, engine off.

Shadows flickered.

Snow drifted down.

Ye Ran was sitting on Shen Shi’s lap, the steering wheel behind him.

His down jacket had been taken off; his long, lithe body was trapped firmly in Shen Shi’s arms like a soft little cake being savored by a beast.

No strength to resist. Nowhere to escape.

Shen Shi’s kisses had a hint of aggression, his intensity almost fierce.

Ye Ran squinted, a fine sheen of sweat forming on his back. Wet sounds filled his ears; his tongue, swollen and numb from the kiss, glowed a pitiful, tempting red.

He kept trying to retreat, but the steering wheel pressed against his waist, forcing him still—his head tipped back, mouth open, helplessly enduring those rough, devouring kisses.

When the long kiss finally ended—

Ye Ran’s gaze was unfocused. Damp strands of hair clung to his cheeks. His body trembled; his eyelashes were wet. Two slender, beautiful hands rested weakly on Shen Shi’s chest, curling slightly, not quite resisting, but too drained to do anything except lean against him.

Nearly ten minutes passed before he managed to calm down, the ends of his eyes still flushed red. He didn’t dare look at Shen Shi, and with a hint of fear, he reached toward the door lock. His voice was hoarse, soft, and unsteady.

“Shen… Shen Shi… I’ll go back now.”

The next instant—

His fingers were caught midair.

The waist he’d leaned forward with was gripped and set upright.

He was forced into a new position, kneeling on Shen Shi’s lap, hands weakly braced on his shoulders. It was a posture that looked dominant, yet he was completely enveloped by that hot, overpowering aura.

(They didn’t do anything else—just changed positions for kissing.)

That dark, heavy gaze fell on his lips, weighty as if burning like a living flame that made Ye Ran’s heart pound with renewed fear.

“…Open your mouth.”

Shen Shi’s low, raspy voice brushed his ear amid the snow and wind outside, leaving no room for refusal. “I didn’t get to kiss you properly just now. Be good.”

Ye Ran’s ears went bright red; he shrank back instinctively, but the steering wheel stopped him again, trapped between escape and surrender.

He mumbled, protesting weakly against his boyfriend’s pushy request. “I don’t want to kiss anymore…”

He’d already been gasping for breath before— 

If they kept going, he really wouldn’t be able to take it.

“You can’t.”

His boyfriend’s calm voice denied him flatly. Then, in the darkness, Shen Shi found his lips with perfect precision like a predator savoring its meal slowly, forcing his teeth apart and tangling with his tongue.

Barely a minute later, Ye Ran couldn’t hold out anymore. Head bowed, his hands slipped down from Shen Shi’s shoulders, legs gone weak. He almost collapsed, barely kept up by the steering wheel behind him.

His eyes grew wet, and a trembling sound slipped from his throat.

Amid the faint, muffled sounds of kissing, Shen Shi’s voice came out low and hoarse, brushing against his reddened ear—soft and patient, coaxing gently, “It’s okay, baby. You’ll get used to it.”

(Still just kissing—above the neck. A jealous man is not one to provoke.)