Are All You Straight Guys Like This Chapter 44

That night, Ye Ran lingered outside for nearly an hour before returning to the villa.

His steps were unsteady; a thin layer of sweat covered his back.

The broad, sleek G-Class sat hidden beneath the trees, crouched silently like a waiting beast.

Before closing the door, Ye Ran saw that the car hadn’t started yet. He didn’t dare look back, he darted quickly inside.

The villa was quiet, so quiet that only the low hum of the central heating could be heard.

His legs felt weak; after catching his breath, he climbed to the second floor and pushed open the bedroom door.

Everything looked exactly the same as when he’d left—

The bedside lamp glowed with soft, yellow light.

His childhood friend was still fast asleep, deep and peaceful.

Ye Ran took off his coat. The light brown loungewear underneath was rumpled, deep creases showing at his waist and stomach where Shen Shi had gripped him. The two hadn’t kissed again afterward; they’d just talked, aimlessly, back and forth.

The atmosphere had been warm. Sitting on Shen Shi’s lap, looking at his handsome but faintly tired face, Ye Ran’s heart had softened, tinged with a quiet ache.

But when he’d said he needed to go home, the mood shifted. Shen Shi had pulled him back and kissed him again, thick and lingering. Those dark eyes, deep as the night itself, had frightened him. Some instinctive sense of danger had urged him to break free and run.

If he hadn’t escaped then, he probably wouldn’t have made it back at all.

The thought made him uneasy. Shen Shi’s behavior was nothing like the kind of romance he’d imagined.

In Ye Ran’s ideal love story, everything should move slowly: first, holding hands with blushing cheeks; then a nervous hug; and only when the time felt right, a gentle, tentative kiss.

From lips touching to a deeper kiss, at least three months.

After that, other forms of physical closeness could follow. A year later—then, maybe, something as intimate as a “soul-deep connection.”

Of course, if the relationship grew especially close, the process could speed up a little.

But—

Ye Ran buried his face against his knees, breathing fast.

Shen Shi was just… too much, wasn’t he?

He’d always known Shen Shi had a dominant personality, but only after dating him did Ye Ran realize he’d only seen the tip of that iceberg.

He drifted in his thoughts for a while, then stood and went to wash up.

Warm water streamed down, chasing the chill from his body.

The sound of running water lulled him; sleepiness crept in. Half-dazed, he stepped out in his slippers—only to notice his phone blinking with a new message.

Picking it up, he saw a WeChat notification from ten minutes ago.

[Shen Shi]: Good night, baby.

…

Ye Ran pulled the towel from his head, his fingertips flushing red.

…Why was he still calling him that?

His heartbeat stumbled; he didn’t know how to reply.

A few seconds later, another message arrived.

[Shen Shi]: Merry Christmas.

Ye Ran stared at the screen, then couldn’t help smiling a little.

– Merry Christmas.

– [cat-heart.jpg]

The reply came almost instantly. Shen Shi must’ve known that a voice message might disturb his rest, so he typed instead.

[Shen Shi]: Want to go out tomorrow?

[Ye Ran]: Go where?

[Shen Shi]: On a date.

Ye Ran: “…”

Taking a deep breath, Ye Ran sat on the beanbag chair at the foot of the bed, his back to his sleeping friend. His pale ankles peeked from under his pants, swaying lightly with his thoughts.

– Okay.

As a boyfriend, going on a date was perfectly reasonable.

Ye Ran told himself this firmly, ears still red.

Then he suddenly remembered something: [Aren’t you going home?]

Shen Shi had flown from Shanghai to Beijing; normally, he wouldn’t stay long.

[Shen Shi]: Not going back.

[Shen Shi]: Told my family I’d stay in Beijing a few more days.

[Ye Ran]: Okay.

[Ye Ran]: See you tomorrow.

[Shen Shi]: See you tomorrow.

After setting his phone down, Ye Ran slipped into his slippers and ran to the balcony. Peering down, he could just make out the G-Class still parked under the trees across the street.

As he looked, the headlights flicked on, two soft beams flashing once, like a silent signal.

Ye Ran leaned on the railing and couldn’t help smiling, waving toward the driver’s seat.

He wore only a white pajama set; his fingertips were pale from the cold. His dark, fluffy hair still soft from the blow dryer ruffled slightly in the wind. That obedient, gentle look made Shen Shi narrow his eyes, gaze turning darker.

He picked up his phone: [It’s cold outside. Go back in.]

Ye Ran replied, just as obediently: [Okay.]

The fear and heaviness from earlier had already melted away, soothed without effort.

Shen Shi stared ahead thoughtfully. When the light turned green, his fingers tapped the steering wheel, and the car roared forward on the empty night road—

like an arrow loosed from a bow,

like his own restless, unspent heart.

***

The next morning, Ye Ran sat guiltily at the breakfast table.

An Yu had just finished toasting some bread; his tone was gentle, but the look on his face was… peculiar.

“Oh?” He set the plate in front of Ye Ran, voice calm. “Going out? With who?”

The TV played in the background, morning news showing Christmas scenes. Streets full of decorations, carols in the air, thick snow piled along the sidewalks. A shop owner being interviewed smiled as he shoveled snow, chatting cheerfully.

Ye Ran pulled his gaze away, speaking softly: “…With Shen Shi.”

“Shen Shi, huh?” An Yu smiled pleasantly, placing a cup of hot milk in front of him and another by his own hand. His tone stayed casual. “Spending Christmas together?”

Before Ye Ran could answer, An Yu casually said, “It’s pretty good, having someone to keep you company is nice.”

Ye Ran immediately regretted it.

He thought about how An Yu had traveled all the way back from abroad, originally worried that Ye Ran would be lonely alone at home, but now, because Ye Ran was dating, An Yu had to spend Christmas alone…

“Do you want to come along?” Ye Ran’s eyes brightened as he thought of a good idea. “It’s Christmas today; it’s more fun to spend it together!”

Festive occasions are always better with lots of friends.

An Yu liked lively gatherings and had loved attending parties for a long time.

However, unexpectedly, An Yu refused him: “No thanks.”

He bit a piece of toast and said, “We’ve spent so many Christmases together. It’s rare I get to spend one on my own. Tonight I plan to go to a bar, I heard ‘Golden’ is having a male strip show…”

He looked eager but disappointedly at Ye Ran, “Too bad you have a partner now. You have no idea how wild the guys there get.”

Just hearing that made Ye Ran’s face flush. An Yu had a big social circle since childhood but never pressured Ye Ran to join it.

They had accompanied each other for so many years; Ye Ran had never been to a bar or a Christmas party.

Every Christmas before, they stayed home together: cooking hotpot, drinking beer, watching horror movies, shivering under the covers.

To Ye Ran, An Yu was family in the truest sense.

“Well, then come with us to the city center,” Ye Ran insisted, “The Golden Bar is downtown too, and since it’s Christmas, it’s open during the day. How about it?”

An Yu couldn’t resist the look in Ye Ran’s eyes and nodded: “Okay.”

His gaze casually dropped to Ye Ran’s earlobe, where a faint bite mark was visible like the restrained yet intense nibbling of a man deeply in love.

Yet Ye Ran remained completely oblivious, showing no awareness of what that bite mark meant.

An Yu, confused and full of mixed emotions, had his bitterness masked by sympathy.

He’d dealt with Ye Ran’s cluelessness for years… As for Shen Shi, good luck.

….

At exactly nine o’clock, Ye Ran received a call from Shen Shi.

“Shen Shi!” Ye Ran tilted his head, holding the phone between ear and shoulder while getting dressed. An Yu’s hair had grown a bit long, so today he was tying a small braid. Ye Ran hurried over, gently helping him brush and braid his hair. “Be gentle, careful not to pull too hard.”

An Yu sat on a chair, turned to hug Ye Ran’s waist, rubbing against him. “Wuwu, Ranran, what would I do without you?”

There was a brief silence on the phone before Shen Shi’s warm voice asked, “Baby, what are you doing?”

“…Nothing much,” Ye Ran paused mid-action, caught by An Yu’s teasing look. He cleared his throat, ears burning, “I’m helping Ah Yu braid his hair.”

In his heart, he silently vowed to make Shen Shi stop calling him “baby” when they met.

“Mm,” the sound of car brakes came through the line, and Shen Shi said, “I’m at the door. Have you eaten breakfast?”

Ye Ran: “Already ate. How about you?”

“Me too. It’s cold outside today, make sure to dress warmly.”

Ye Ran obediently replied, “Okay.”

An Yu went upstairs to change; Ye Ran gestured to him and whispered, “Go ahead. I’ll be up after I finish dressing.”

Ye Ran’s mind was already with Shen Shi. Hearing this, he nodded, holding the phone with one hand, the other in his pocket. His voice was soft, clearly amused: “I’m coming.”

The door opened, and morning light cast a shadow in the entrance hall.

An Yu calmly went upstairs, leaving more private time for the two of them.

…

Shen Shi had changed cars today.

A black Mercedes stood quietly under the tree; dry branches were dusted with snow, and flakes drifted down, adding white to the dignified front of the car.

He went to the passenger side and opened the door, warm air greeting him.

Shen Shi sat in the driver’s seat, tilting his head to look at him. His dark eyes were black and focused, reflecting Ye Ran’s face with a hint of a smile. “Ye Ran, Merry Christmas.”

Just like Ye Ran had imagined last night, the words came low and slow from Shen Shi’s mouth, gentle almost to tenderness.

The exhaustion and chill from the long journey seemed to melt away; Shen Shi’s features were even sharper and more striking, a captivating handsomeness impossible to look away from.

He wore a wristwatch. Ye Ran didn’t know much about watches, but from the intricate components on the dial, he guessed it was expensive.

Shen Shi blinked; the fingers in Ye Ran’s pocket curled slightly. His beautiful, slender eyes reddened from the cold. “Christmas—”

Before he could finish, a cheerful greeting interrupted.

“Hey, Ye Ran!”

Following the voice, Ye Ran was surprised to see Yu Ting and Jiang Jun in the back seat. Both were bundled warmly and smiling brightly as they said, “Merry Christmas!”

“Merry Christmas,” Ye Ran got into the car, buckled his seatbelt, eyes bright as he turned to look at them, “You guys out having fun too?”

“Yeah, we heard a lot of stores downtown are having events since it’s Christmas,” Jiang Jun rubbed his hands together and hinted, “Not sure if we’ll bother you and Shen Shi, but we just want to catch a ride.”

“No problem,” Ye Ran was gentle and easygoing. Hearing this, his eyes curved with a smile, radiating a calm kindness that was completely different from theirs. “The more the merrier.”

Jiang Jun looked at Ye Ran’s face and suddenly understood why Shen Shi liked him so much.

Such a little angel, if Shen Shi didn’t make his move fast, someone else would probably snatch him away sooner or later.

He couldn’t resist wanting to chat with Ye Ran a bit more, but when his eyes accidentally lifted and met Shen Shi’s cold, dark gaze through the rearview mirror, he froze instantly, awkwardly slumping back into his seat. Grumbling under his breath, he muttered, “…D*mn, so petty.”

“Hm?” Ye Ran hadn’t heard clearly. “What is it?”

“Nothing,” Yu Ting quickly took over the conversation, rarely did he get a chance to annoy Shen Shi. His tone turned sly as he changed the subject. “It’s Christmas today, why don’t we all hang out together? I heard the revolving restaurant downtown has an event, and if we go, we can even enjoy the sauna and hot springs at the nearby resort hotel for free.”

“For real?” Jiang Yun perked up. “That sounds good! We can book a private room, play mahjong maybe? I’m d*mn good at it!”

“I don’t know how to play,” said Ye Ran.

“No worries, couples don’t both have to sit at the table,” Jiang Yun grinned. “You two can just send one representative.”

Then something occurred to him. “Wait, what about your friend, does he play?”

“Ah Yu?” Ye Ran replied. “Yeah, he’s really good.”

“Perfect,” Yu Ting concluded. “Let’s call him along and all go together!”

Ye Ran agreed eagerly. “Okay!”

Yu Ting snuck a glance at the rearview mirror. Shen Shi had already looked away, one hand resting lazily on the steering wheel, head tilted slightly, eyes fixed on Ye Ran with quiet focus.

Falling in love—

He really was like a completely different person.

Yu Ting couldn’t help sighing inwardly, then snickering mischievously. “Heh, let’s see… I’ll check now, maybe we can book a spot in advance and all spend Christ—”

Click.

The sound of the trunk door opening cut him off.

Yu Ting froze with his phone still in hand. Outside, a shadow fell over them. An Yu stood there smiling pleasantly, lowering his head to look in. “Spend what together?”

Jiang Yun jolted like he’d been electrocuted, scooting frantically to the side. Both he and Yu Ting shivered and made room for him to sit.

“We…” Yu Ting swallowed carefully, terrified of offending his buddy’s boyfriend. “We were just… booking a private room. Spending… spending Christmas together?”

An Yu got in naturally, taking the seat they’d cleared, smiling brightly at the two of them. “You two okay?”

Yu Ting: “…”

Jiang Yun: “…”

“Oh,” An Yu said mildly, as if just realizing the double meaning of his words. His expression didn’t change. “I mean, you two seem to have a lot of free time this Christmas?”

Jiang Yun, who had a girlfriend but she was abroad with her best friend: “…”

Yu Ting, who had neither girlfriend nor boyfriend and had been single for eighteen years: “…”

Seeing their faces, An Yu suddenly understood. “Ah. No wonder.”

The legendary revenge holiday celebrators.

Got it.

Still smiling, he greeted Ye Ran, but when Ye Ran turned away, that smile turned chilling. Under Yu Ting and Jiang Yun’s horrified stares, his voice sank coldly: “My Ranran’s first date. You two did this on purpose?”

“Trying to sabotage it?”

Yu Ting shook his head frantically.

Jiang Yun trembled violently.

An Yu gave a cold laugh, eyes narrowing. “If you’re bored, find something else to do. Don’t stare at other people’s dates, got it?”

“Ever wonder why you’re both still alone on Christmas?”

The words struck like arrows straight to the chest. The two single, miserable straight guys clutched their heads in despair.

—D*mn it, this gay guy’s mouth is lethal!

***

The car drove into the city center.

The streets were bustling, voices lively everywhere.

The festive atmosphere was overwhelming—bells jingling, Christmas songs playing on every corner.

The snow along the sidewalks had mostly been cleared, and couples holding hands, or young married pairs out for a walk, filled the streets. The post-snow air was crisp and clean. Near the parking area by the revolving restaurant, An Yu gave Yu Ting and Jiang Yun a kick out of the car.

Only a few vehicles were parked there; it was quiet with hardly anyone passing by.

Yu Ting almost landed straight in the snow, letting out a strangled noise, furious but too scared to speak.

Jiang Yun patted his shoulder sympathetically. “It’s fine. He just… genuinely looks down on us.”

Yu Ting: “…”

Utterly speechless, Yu Ting choked out, “Shut up.”

An Yu straightened his clothes and followed them out. The driver’s side window lowered halfway; he crossed his arms and leaned in, looking down at the calm, silent Shen Shi, then smiled at Ye Ran. “Ranran, come home early tonight. I’ll bake you a little cake.”

Just kidding, dates were dates, but curfews still applied.

After all, he’d raised this cub with such care—no way was he letting some other dog snatch him away so soon.

Ye Ran nodded. “Okay.”

They went their separate ways. As the car window slowly rolled up, Shen Shi watched An Yu and the others’ retreating backs.

Yu Ting and Jiang Yun trudged after them, shoulders slumped. When An Yu called their names, they exchanged a miserable look and followed obediently.

…

Shen Shi casually withdrew his gaze, lowered his eyes, and was just about to speak when a soft voice came beside his ear.

“Shen Shi, Merry Christmas.”

He paused, turning his head.

Ye Ran had leaned closer at some point, looking slightly apologetic. “Just now, with Yu Ting and the others there, I couldn’t really say it.”

It’s hard to pick up a sentence that’s been interrupted in front of others.

Ye Ran had planned to text him later to explain, but unexpectedly, midway through the ride, Yu Ting had suddenly announced that he and Jiang Yun were off to some Christmas party and told Shen Shi to drop them off downtown.

So, after all the twists and turns, this date ended with just the two of them again.

It was still snowing that day.

The sky was dim, heavy clouds spreading far into the distance. The bustling city center was full of noise and color, but the parking area was utterly deserted.

Shen Shi looked at him, and in the dim light of the car, his eyes were deep and shadowed, impossible to read. A few seconds later, he responded softly, leaned over, his side profile drawing a tense, restrained line and then, naturally, his lips found Ye Ran’s.

Like a long-overdue morning kiss.

“Where do you want to go?”

Caught off guard, Ye Ran fell back into the passenger seat. The light in front of him was blocked by Shen Shi’s figure; his breathing trembled as he heard Shen Shi’s low murmur: “Open your mouth… want to go watch a movie?”

The kiss came without warning. The Mercedes had privacy film on all the windows.

The parking area was quiet, only the faint sound of snow brushing against the ground.

But Ye Ran still tensed up, shoulders curling, head tilted back slightly, breathing fast and shallow, not daring to glance anywhere around them. “O-okay.”

He thought that would make Shen Shi stop.

The next second, hot breath pressed forward, prying his lips open and wrapping around his tongue with practiced ease.

All the places Shen Shi hadn’t kissed enough last night were kissed again today, thoroughly this time. The soft, pliant tongue tried to hide, wet and trembling, only to be caught again and again and sucked gently.

Shen Shi narrowed his eyes, the darkness under his lashes thick as ink. One hand had already found the seatbelt release button, but when his gaze accidentally brushed over Ye Ran’s flushed cheek, he went still for two seconds then, silently, deepened the kiss.

***

Dadi Cinema.

It was Christmas Day. Several new films were premiering. Young couples had arrived early, sitting hand in hand in the waiting area; some kids who had just finished watching a movie ran around excitedly, pressing close to the popcorn machine to watch the golden kernels burst.

The place was crowded, the air filled with the sweet scent of popcorn.

But the most eye-catching were the two young men standing together at the ticket counter.

Even with masks and baseball caps, their tall, well-proportioned builds and unique auras screamed handsome.

“Holy cr*p! I knew coming to the movies today, I’d see some hot guys alone.”

“The tall one looks kinda hard to approach… but the shorter one’s totally my type. His eyes are so pretty but are they red? Is he sick?”

“I saw that too, they’re really red.”

Their chatter was drowned out by the hum of the machines.

Ye Ran sat in the waiting area beside Shen Shi, listless and unwilling to talk. He’d pulled his collar up high, trying to hide the faint bite marks on his neck.

Shen Shi hadn’t bitten hard, but he’d been relentless. In the end, he had unfastened Ye Ran’s seatbelt, kissed him fiercely in the car, and only then driven to the underground parking lot.

Now, Ye Ran couldn’t even taste the popcorn. His tongue was slightly numb, his lower lip swollen and sore, the flush spreading from his cheeks to his neck. Shen Shi had even whispered things in his ear afterward—

Words Ye Ran had never imagined Shen Shi would say. They were lines from Deep Blue, something the top in the movie had said to the bottom. Hearing them made Ye Ran’s heart race uncontrollably: flustered, embarrassed, and aching all at once. He’d curled up, trying to hide several times.

By the time they finally got to the cinema, there were only twenty minutes left before the movie started.

It wasn’t easy finding two empty seats away from the crowd.

Shen Shi tilted his head slightly, voice soft. “Still hurts?”

Ye Ran pursed his lips. His reply was muffled. “No.”

Even when upset, he was obedient. Shen Shi held his hand, fingers interlaced, as Ye Ran lifted his damp lashes, those long, narrow eyes tinged red at the corners, looking at him.

Shen Shi’s gaze grew gentler under that look. The corners of his lips curved faintly; he squeezed Ye Ran’s fingertips. “Are you mad?”

Around them came a collective gasp so surprised that even the surrounding noise seemed to quiet down.

Ye Ran, wearing his hat, didn’t really hear it. He nodded honestly, speaking his mind. “I think… even if we’re dating, we should have some ground rules.”

There was still time before the movie. Shen Shi looked away from the clock and humored him patiently. “What ground rules?”

“First, stop calling me ‘baby,’” Ye Ran said, sitting very upright. “And also… don’t keep kissing me all the time.”

Shen Shi: “And?”

“And…” Ye Ran thought for a bit, his neck starting to itch again, maybe from a bit of saliva not wiped clean. “And you shouldn’t always think about those things. We should take it slow.”

“How slow?” Shen Shi asked.

Ye Ran glanced around, no one was watching, then leaned in slightly and whispered his idea of how a relationship should progress.

Shen Shi listened quietly, then fell silent for a full minute before speaking, a faint smile in his tone. “So, to kiss me, there’s a three-month buffer period?”

Ye Ran stared at him, panicked. “Keep your voice down!”

“Oh,” Shen Shi said lazily, his gaze drifting over Ye Ran’s flushed face and wet eyes. He had gone a bit too far earlier, the poor guy had needed several minutes in the car before he could even walk properly. Ye Ran’s tolerance really was low. Shen Shi rubbed his fingertips together and continued, still with that faint smile: “And over a year before we can even think about sleeping together?”

Ye Ran’s head was about to explode. He darted glances left and right, guilt written all over his face. “Shen Shi! Keep your voice down!”

Shen Shi mimicked his tone, lowering his own voice—deep, hoarse, and still teasing. “Baby, that won’t do.”

Ye Ran froze, looking up—only to realize Shen Shi had leaned in close, his gaze fixed intently on the lips beneath Ye Ran’s mask. Breath warm against Ye Ran’s ear, he murmured his own version of the three rules.

…

In the dim, secluded corner—

Ye Ran stared at him, wide-eyed, his face slowly turning scarlet. It was as if he’d just heard something obscene. His earlobes flushed until they looked ready to bleed, his body instinctively leaning back as his voice trembled. “No—no way!”

Shen Shi pressed down on his shoulders, his voice low and deep as he asked, “Still want to set rules?”

Ye Ran, still rattled, shook his head quickly.

Only then did Shen Shi smile. He lifted his eyelids; his eyes were dark and fathomless, calm like a night sky. Looking at the still-dazed Ye Ran, he said, “If my kissing makes you uncomfortable, just tell me.”

Ye Ran’s eyelashes trembled as he looked up at him.

Under that patient, quietly expectant gaze, Shen Shi spoke slowly, saying exactly what Ye Ran wanted to hear: “I’ll change.”