Shoutout to Kari for the commission!
He had used the words “thank you.”
Clearly, his tone had been very calm, but for some reason, Le Cheng felt that it was very solemn.
Thinking back on Zhou Shirui’s experiences, Le Cheng vaguely understood why Zhou Shirui would say such a thing.
For some reason, Le Cheng felt a little sad. But he could not show it, because he also deeply understood that what Zhou Shirui had always wanted was never pity or self-pity. In the process of growing up, from a child who could only weakly hug his knees and cry to the fully grown person he was now, the only things he could cast aside were self-pity and the pity of others.
Perhaps neither of them had had a very good start. One had been abandoned the moment he was born, while the other had been destined to be abandoned from the moment he was born. Yet because of their different environments growing up, they had become completely different. They were the same, yet different. The strength that supported the growth of their hearts was different, yet they could so easily see through each other and embrace each other.
After twists and turns, fate had set out from two different worlds, then intertwined and converged at one point. Even though it had been difficult from the very beginning, in the end, they still should be together. Zhou Shirui held his fingers tightly, and his heart burned. So, in the darkness of the night, Le Cheng leaned forward and kissed the back of Zhou Shirui’s hand.
Zhou Shirui looked into his eyes in the darkness.
Le Cheng thought for a moment, then said, “I’ll remember that.”
Remember your thanks, live up to your thanks, and never let go again.
Zhou Shirui silently curled his lips in the darkness. “Mm.”
Perhaps they had not understood before and had unintentionally hurt each other, but when both the pain and happiness came from the same person, then it was something to willingly savor.
Le Cheng happily burrowed further into his arms. His fluffy hair brushed against Zhou Shirui’s chin, ticklish, as though he were holding some kind of fluffy little animal.
Sometimes, Zhou Shirui would seriously wonder whether Le Cheng really had a tail growing behind him.
This tail was quietly winding its way over, using its pointed tip to poke him here and there.
Otherwise, why would it make his heart itch so much?
The two of them chatted idly for a while longer. Le Cheng was still very energetic. This energy was probably excitement. Everything that had happened today was stimulating his nerves. It was something he had never experienced before, giving him a light, floating feeling.
Zhou Shirui had already stopped talking. Le Cheng lay quietly for a while and figured that he must really be tired, so he did not disturb him. But he could not fall asleep. He wanted to turn over, and after struggling for a moment, he quietly moved away Zhou Shirui’s hand that was resting on his waist and slowly turned over. Before he had completely turned around, Zhou Shirui stretched out his long arm and pulled him back in one swift motion.
Startled, Le Cheng asked from where he was firmly pressed against his chest, “Why are you secretly pretending to be asleep?”
With his eyes closed, Zhou Shirui said, “I wasn’t pretending.”
Le Cheng blinked. “Then how did you wake up the moment I moved?”
Zhou Shirui said, “Because you’re not allowed to turn away.”
Le Cheng did not understand, so Zhou Shirui lowered his head and touched the corner of his lips. “Don’t sleep with your back to me tonight.”
“Okay.” Obediently, Le Cheng reached out and wrapped his arms around his waist, asking softly, “Why can’t I sleep with my back to you tonight?” He had already closed his eyes when he heard Zhou Shirui say beside his ear, “There’s no reason.”
Is it because he doesn’t feel secure? Le Cheng thought. Then, as though soothing a child, he burrowed into his arms and even patted his back.
But the hand around his waist suddenly tightened again, and Zhou Shirui said in a low voice, “Don’t move around.”
His voice was a little hoarse. A string in Le Cheng’s mind suddenly connected, and he realized something. He immediately froze in place, not knowing whether he should move or stay still.
Seeing him like this, Zhou Shirui instead seemed to be in a better mood. In the darkness, his voice sounded somewhat lazy. “Are you still going to move around?”
He had thought Le Cheng would fearfully say no, but Le Cheng merely paused for a few seconds. Although his face was very red, so hot it seemed like an egg could be fried on it, he still opened his eyes wide and asked, “Then… then do you want to take care of it first?”
Very embarrassed, but he still chose to show concern for him.
Even though those words seemed to make things even worse.
Zhou Shirui opened his eyes and looked at him for two seconds. “No need.”
Le Cheng asked with some concern, “Is it okay if it stays like this?”
Zhou Shirui said, “It’s fine.”
As though explaining some general knowledge, he calmly said, “It’ll go down on its own.”
As though he were very experienced.
Le Cheng himself rarely had such reactions. He had never liked anyone in the first twenty years of his life, nor did he like watching that kind of thing, so he had very little experience with such matters.
But since Zhou Shirui had said so, Le Cheng chose to believe him. He replied, “Okay then.” His head rested against Zhou Shirui’s chest, and before long, he drowsily fell asleep.
The next morning, the sunlight shone on his cheeks before Le Cheng lazily opened his eyes.
He had not had a good night’s sleep in many days. Every bone in his body felt soft and relaxed. Lying in bed, with no one beside him, Le Cheng reached out and felt around before slowly sitting up while hugging the blanket.
Click.
The door was pushed open from outside. When Zhou Shirui entered, this was the scene he saw.
After a night’s sleep, Le Cheng’s hair was a complete mess. Under the sunlight, it appeared a light brown, fluffy and soft.
Hearing the sound, he raised his face, still flushed from sleep. His expression was also a little dazed, as though he had not completely booted up yet.
Zhou Shirui had discovered that Le Cheng did not have any morning grumpiness, but his start-up process after waking was very long. His gaze would be unfocused, and his whole body soft and limp, making people want to go over and pinch his cheeks.
And that was exactly what he did. His fingertips sank into Le Cheng’s cheeks, and Le Cheng finally reacted a little when his cheek was pinched. A tuft of hair on top of his head was sticking up, but he merely blinked, then reached out and said only one word: “Hug.”
Le Cheng seemed to be naturally gifted, instinctively understanding how to make Zhou Shirui soften, feel tender toward him, and like him.
Zhou Shirui lightly curled his lips and reached out to hug him. Le Cheng yawned in his arms and asked vaguely, “Don’t you not have class this morning? Why did you get up so early?”
“I woke up,” Zhou Shirui said. “I went to get your clothes.”
The clothes they had washed yesterday had already been dried. Le Cheng nodded, glanced at Zhou Shirui, and then said, “Are you going to watch me change?”
Seeing his embarrassment, Zhou Shirui turned his head away. “I won’t look. Put your shirt on first.”
Le Cheng quickly responded with an “Oh,” swiftly took off the black shirt, and changed into his own shirt and underwear. Before he had even put on his pants, Zhou Shirui had already turned back around.
“Give it to me,” Zhou Shirui said.
Following his gaze, Le Cheng looked down. He was talking about his pants. Le Cheng blinked but still handed them to Zhou Shirui. “What’s wrong?”
He leaned a little closer. “Is there something wrong with them?”
“No.” Zhou Shirui scraped a finger lightly across his cheek, shook the pants open, and said, “Lift your leg.”
Le Cheng froze for a full ten seconds before realizing that Zhou Shirui was going to help him put on his pants.
For some reason, his face turned a little red. “I can put them on myself…”
“I want to put them on for you.” Zhou Shirui bent slightly at the waist. “Okay?”
He asked with a serious expression, his dark eyes quiet like two cold pools. Le Cheng had no way of refusing, so he nodded and said, “Okay.”
Watching Zhou Shirui’s slender fingers hold the pants, Le Cheng put his legs through them. Zhou Shirui helped pull them up, fastened the button, then crouched down halfway. His hand lightly held Le Cheng’s ankle, his dark lashes lowered as he naturally helped him put on his socks.
He looked very gentle and considerate. Yet he was also forceful and impossible to refuse.
Le Cheng watched him with a red face. After getting dressed, his mind was almost thrown into chaos by these unusual, extraordinary actions, bubbling away. Dazed, he was pulled to his feet. Zhou Shirui lowered his head, his expression calm as he pressed his fingers against Le Cheng’s side and said, “So narrow.”
“Hm?” Le Cheng had not yet reacted.
“Your waist is so thin.” Zhou Shirui stared at him.
Le Cheng blinked.
“Eat a little more,” Zhou Shirui said.
“Okay.” Le Cheng agreed, frowning slightly. “I don’t think I’m that skinny.”
“You’re still not skinny?” Zhou Shirui’s palm slowly pressed against his lower back. “I can hold it in one hand.”
Le Cheng nodded. “Then I’ll eat a little more.”
Zhou Shirui said, “But you’re not allowed to eat too many snacks.”
Le Cheng’s lips drooped. Zhou Shirui pretended not to see it and pulled him outside. After breakfast, they drove back. Le Cheng sat in the passenger seat, resting his head on his hand as he looked at him, and only then did he feel that it was somewhat… strange.
It felt as though Zhou Shirui had become a little different.
But where exactly was he different? It was as though his outer shell had slowly been peeled away, revealing the purest part of his heart, the side that was also the hardest for others to touch.
This guess was also confirmed over the next few days.
Zhou Shirui really did seem different from before they had officially started dating. For example, he seemed to have become more domineering, and had also developed a habit of constantly checking up on Le Cheng.
Le Cheng and Tan Xiaobai strolled along the road while eating ice cream. His phone rang once, and his movements paused slightly. He took it out and looked down. It was Zhou Shirui.
[Zhou Shirui: Where are you, and who are you with?]
Just a few simple words.
Le Cheng stopped and took a photo of himself eating ice cream, then sent it over.
[Orange: Eating ice cream! With Xiaobai. I’m going to treat him to a meal.]
[Orange: Image]
[Orange: Didn’t he tell you the license plate number last time? So, as the great hero, I thought I’d treat him to a meal!]
Because of the game’s release, Zhou Shirui had been very busy lately, busy watching the data, busy with promotion, busy fixing bugs. Aside from the day they had confessed to each other, they actually had very little time to meet. So Le Cheng had not intended to ask him to come, merely to let him know.
After the message was sent, Tan Xiaobai asked, “Who was that, Zhou Shirui?”
“Mm.” Le Cheng nodded.
“Aiya.” Tan Xiaobai drew out his tone. “Zhou Shirui is so clingy, ”
Le Cheng asked, “Is he?”
Tan Xiaobai nodded. “Very much so! From what I’ve observed, hasn’t Zhou Shirui been checking up on you a lot these past few days?”
Le Cheng was a little surprised. “How did you know?”
“I hear you snapping pictures, and after you’re done, you look down at your phone and grin like an idiot. I could figure it out with my toes.” Tan Xiaobai rubbed his chin. “Someone must be reporting in.”
“…” Le Cheng sincerely suggested, “You should go write detective novels.”
Tan Xiaobai said, “And from my further observations, Zhou Shirui checks up on you at least three times a day!”
Le Cheng thought about it. It actually seemed to be true. Then he said, “It’s fine, isn’t it? If he wants to check, then let him check.”
Tan Xiaobai stared at him for two seconds. “Fine, you two really are made for each other.” Le Cheng thought about it seriously. “I think it’s about giving him a sense of security.”
Tan Xiaobai was speechless. “Then Zhou Shirui must feel very secure right now.”
By the time the two of them arrived at the restaurant, Zhou Shirui’s message had also come through.
[Zhou Shirui: Send me the address.]
Le Cheng replied while ordering.
[Orange: Are you coming?]
[Orange: Aren’t you very busy?]
[Zhou Shirui: I’m okay.]
[Zhou Shirui: The address.]
Maybe he was relatively free right now.
Le Cheng sent him the address and announced to Tan Xiaobai, “Zhou Shirui is coming in a bit.”
“See, I told you.” Tan Xiaobai pinched his throat and imitated a big white goose. “So clingyyy~”
Le Cheng burst out laughing and pretended to reach out to hit him, but Tan Xiaobai nimbly dodged.
“Choosing love over friendship!!” Tan Xiaobai dramatically wiped away his tears. “Little Cheng, you don’t love me anymore. You’re actually going to hit me for Zhou Shirui–”
Le Cheng laughed twice and reached out to tickle him.
After they had eaten for a while, Zhou Shirui called to say that he had arrived.
Le Cheng told him their table number, and before long, Zhou Shirui appeared before them, striding over on his long legs.
Although Tan Xiaobai had secretly complained about him behind his back, when facing the real person, he became exceptionally warm and friendly. “Come, sit down, sit down.”
The extent of his shameless change in attitude left Le Cheng utterly amazed.
The meal was simple enough.
As they were leaving, while waiting for Zhou Shirui to go get the car, Tan Xiaobai turned to chat with him. “Oh, right. You haven’t used your computer for the past couple of days. There’s a program I can’t install, so let me borrow your computer.”
“Okay.” Le Cheng readily agreed. Then, as though suddenly remembering something, he added, “I’ll go back and turn it on first to take a look.”
“Sure.” Tan Xiaobai nodded. “I’m not in a hurry. I’ll only need it for a few hours.”
“Mm.”
As they spoke, Zhou Shirui had already returned with the car. Le Cheng opened the passenger door and got in.
After parting ways at the entrance to the dormitory, Le Cheng headed straight back to his room and took his laptop out from under the desk.
It had been a week since the day the two of them officially got together, and he had not turned it on once.
He did not know why. Perhaps it was a different kind of homesickness before returning home, the more he wanted to look, the harder it was to bring himself to turn it on.
Taking a deep breath, Le Cheng opened the laptop and started it up. A clean, tidy interface appeared.
Zhou Shirui had organized it. It was much neater and more orderly than the mess Le Cheng had arranged before. Le Cheng stared at it for two seconds. His hand on the mouse paused before his gaze finally moved to the folder named Record.
This folder had been placed in a small corner where it would be difficult for anyone to notice.
He clicked into it and saw the things he had written down.
It was difficult for people to truly empathize with others, so even though Le Cheng understood, it was still hard for him to truly experience just how heartbroken Zhou Shirui had been when he saw this file.
Or how he had convinced himself not to come and question him about it even once.
Le Cheng slowly looked through the file, then closed it without deleting it.
Suddenly, he wanted to hug Zhou Shirui.
But Zhou Shirui was definitely busy right now.
Then he would hug him later.
Thinking this, Le Cheng opened his phone and tapped into Douyin.
He had not actively posted in real time for quite a while, but he would still slack off on his tablet, draw some sketches, and upload them. There were also sponsored posts he had not finished posting before, so he edited and uploaded those to maintain his traffic.
Of course, most importantly, the rising popularity of the game had also brought him quite a bit of attention.
Because he had not posted about the male model CP for so long, there were rarely any comments asking why he no longer posted about the male model anymore.
But there were still people asking in his private messages.
[Kiss Me: Laoshi, you haven’t posted in so long. Are you and the male model still doing okay?]
[AAAA RT-Mart Fish Killer for a Hundred Years: Laoshi!!! I miss your content so much! When are you going to give us some more male model content to enjoy!]
Le Cheng casually picked two messages to read. After thinking for a moment, he and Zhou Shirui had already reached a good ending, so he should also give the “male model CP” a good ending.
His fingers moved, and he replied to them both: [Everything is fine, thank you for your concern. I’ll make a video later to explain everything to everyone.]
After sending the messages, Le Cheng thought of another troublesome problem.
He had previously hidden all the videos about Zhou Shirui. Now that he and Zhou Shirui were officially dating, logically speaking, if he wanted to explain things, he should make those videos public again.
But Le Cheng did not really want to do that.
Because it would be too socially embarrassing.
If he made all those drawings public, Zhou Shirui was so smart that he would most likely realize who he had drawn. And the first drawing had been made back when they had only just gotten to know each other.
He would look like some kind of perverted stalker.
Although he was not, for some reason, he just really did not want to make them public.
But he had also promised that he would not hide anything from Zhou Shirui anymore.
Le Cheng struggled for a moment before bravely making all the hidden videos public.
After doing so, he could barely sit still. His heart pounded wildly, as though he could already foresee the socially mortifying scene to come. But then another voice in his head said: It’s fine. How do you know Zhou Shirui will definitely have time to watch them?
And so Le Cheng successfully convinced himself.
When they met for dinner that evening, Le Cheng first gave Zhou Shirui a hug, then deliberately observed his expression.
Mm, there was nothing unusual.
See? He knew it was fine.
After dinner, Zhou Shirui was going back to the studio. Le Cheng slowly walked with him before saying goodbye.
Zhou Shirui also stopped and said, “I’m leaving.”
Le Cheng said, “Okay, bye-bye.”
Zhou Shirui did not move.
Le Cheng did not move either.
The two of them simply stood there, staring at each other with wide eyes as though they were playing a game of freeze. In the end, Le Cheng was the first to give in. He stepped closer, looked left and right like an alert little rabbit, and after making sure no one was around, he took another step forward, slightly raised his head, and quickly pressed his lips against Zhou Shirui’s.
Their soft lips touched, like being lightly brushed by a marshmallow. Le Cheng only held the kiss for three seconds before nervously pulling back.
He was a little uneasy. It was also his first time being in a relationship, and there were many things he did not really understand. When he took the initiative to kiss Zhou Shirui, unlike Zhou Shirui, who liked to directly deepen the kiss, all he did was press their lips together.
Zhou Shirui stood still, not moving, his expression unchanged.
He quite enjoyed Le Cheng taking the initiative like this. Just a three-second kiss was enough to make his heart race.
So, in order to enjoy moments like this more often, he sometimes chose not to take the initiative.
He wanted Le Cheng to be the one to make the first move.
Le Cheng did not have nearly as many twists and turns in his mind. If he wanted to kiss him, then he kissed him. Only after kissing him did he reluctantly say, “Then you can go. Bye-bye.” After saying it, he felt that his tone was rather embarrassing. Why had he never been this reluctant to part with Zhou Shirui before?
Le Cheng was not very good at hiding things on his face, so his big eyes blinked, making his thoughts easy to read at a glance.
Zhou Shirui stared at him for a few seconds before suddenly grabbing his wrist and pulling him over.
Before Le Cheng could react, he dazedly followed behind him and was then pressed into the car by Zhou Shirui.
“Hey?” Le Cheng scrambled to sit up.
But Zhou Shirui was even faster. He leaned over him, his voice almost brushing against his ear. “Chengcheng, help me take off my glasses.”
His voice was deeply seductive and hoarse, as though hinting at what was to come. Le Cheng’s heart gave a heavy thump, and he slowly reached out to take off his glasses.
Zhou Shirui’s gaze remained fixed directly on him, making Le Cheng’s limbs feel weak. The moment the glasses were removed, Zhou Shirui turned his face with one hand and urgently, swiftly captured his lips.
The force was not particularly heavy, but his movements were quick. Before Le Cheng could even process it, he had been thoroughly kissed. Zhou Shirui’s tongue moved inside his mouth, as though tempting him, lightly brushing against his palate and making him involuntarily chase after it.
Every time they kissed, Le Cheng’s mind would go completely blank. Unconsciously, he wrapped his arms around Zhou Shirui’s neck. The kiss lasted for about ten minutes. By the time he was kissed until he could barely catch his breath, when they finally separated, his chest was still rising and falling rapidly.
Zhou Shirui’s low voice sounded beside his ear. “Chengcheng.”
Le Cheng steadied his breathing. “Mm?”
“Kiss me like that next time too.” Zhou Shirui slowly wiped the moisture from his lips with his thumb. “Okay?”
Le Cheng felt that his earlier “little peck” had been looked down upon. The tips of his ears turned red. He also knew that the way he kissed was childish, so he said, “I’ll try doing it like that.”
After pausing for a moment, he asked somewhat dejectedly, “I’m not very good at kissing. How did you learn so quickly?”
His expression was completely serious, and Zhou Shirui was charmed by how cute he was. “I don’t know how either.”
“What?” Le Cheng disagreed. “You’re obviously really good at it!”
“It’s just that when I see you, when I touch your lips,” Zhou Shirui slowly said, “I just want to do it like this.”
After hearing that, Le Cheng could not help but think back. These past few days, Zhou Shirui really had been kissing him often, very often. He would kiss him when Le Cheng had no time to react, as though he had been holding himself back for a long time.
Le Cheng suddenly realized that there were still many things he did not know. The past few days had been so busy that he had not been able to have a proper talk with Zhou Shirui.
“Okay.” Le Cheng said, “Then I’ll try not to kiss you like that anymore.”
But Zhou Shirui straightforwardly said, “No.”
“Huh?” Le Cheng was confused. “Why?”
“I want both.” Zhou Shirui looked at him and slowly said, “Give me both, okay?”
Zhou Shirui had said “okay?” far too many times by now. Every time he said it like that, Le Cheng felt helpless, as though he were being coaxed like a child. So he nodded and said, “Okay.”
But in reality, it was he who was satisfying Zhou Shirui’s request.
The needs between lovers required adjustment, but fortunately, he could completely give Zhou Shirui what he wanted now.
Zhou Shirui slightly straightened up and helped him straighten his clothes. Le Cheng was pulled out of the car, and Zhou Shirui said, “Then I’m leaving.”
Le Cheng felt reluctant to part with him, especially when he thought that in less than a month, summer vacation would begin. They had only just entered the passionate stage of their relationship, and they would already be in a long-distance relationship, making him even more reluctant to part.
He felt that, like Zhou Shirui, he had also become a little different from before.
Maybe this was the passionate stage of a relationship. Specifically, he wanted to stay pressed against Zhou Shirui, hold him, and do nothing at all. That alone would be enough.
He even really wanted to live together.
So he stepped forward and hugged Zhou Shirui, nodded, and said, “Mm, then you can go.”
But Zhou Shirui did not leave. He merely lowered his eyes to look at him and pinched his cheek. “What’s with that expression?”
Le Cheng thought for a moment, sighed, and said in a somewhat serious tone, “I think I’m a little different from before.”
Zhou Shirui blandly said, “Mm?”
“I feel…” Le Cheng said seriously, “that I love you a little more than before.”
Under the starlight, his eyes were bright and beautiful. His full lips opened and closed as he used such a tone to say the words that struck straight at one’s heart.
Zhou Shirui stared at him and did not say a word for a full ten seconds.
As though he was completely helpless, Zhou Shirui finally lowered his eyes. Listening to his heartbeat accelerate once again, he calmly said, “Just a little isn’t enough.”
He heard his own greedy voice say, “Love me a little more. A little more every day. Love me the most, Le Cheng.”
