This pure white horse, named Bai Zhou by Zheng Minyou, was meant to be as radiant as daylight and as swift as the wind.
But under the guidance of Lu Shiran and Lu Xingmian, this magnificent purebred had been turned into a lazy carousel horse.
The two of them strolled leisurely around the track with Lu Shiran holding the reins, leading Lu Xingmian for about half a lap. Lu Xingmian, who was initially nervous, slowly began to relax. With Lu Shiran’s patient guidance, he quickly grasped the basic techniques and safety precautions of riding. When he felt Lu Xingmian had learned enough, Lu Shiran slowly let go of the reins. Bai Zhou, with its gentle nature, carried Lu Xingmian on a slow, steady walk.
Meanwhile, Zheng Minyou and the other three friends had chosen their horses and were galloping freely around the track, their thundering hooves getting louder and then fading into the distance. Bai Zhou saw its companions running freely and let out a couple of whinnies. Lu Xingmian understood its longing to run and patted the horse to soothe it. Lu Xingmian also wanted to gallop, but he had just learned to ride, and he felt it was a waste of Bai Zhou’s talent. He glanced at Lu Shiran, who was walking in front of him, still holding the reins. Lu Shiran should be galloping on the track like his friends; he would look so handsome riding Bai Zhou.
“Ge, why don’t you ride Bai Zhou instead? Minyou Ge said there are instructors here. I can find one to teach me. Don’t worry, I’ll be fine on my own.”
Lu Shiran knew what he was thinking. “I want to be with you.”
Lu Xingmian suddenly leaned forward, a pose that was a little dangerous. Lu Shiran became anxious and quickly reached out to steady him. “Hold on tight. Don’t fall.”
Lu Xingmian chuckled. “Ge, come closer.”
As soon as Lu Shiran leaned in, Lu Xingmian gave him a loud peck on the cheek.
Zheng Minyou, who was riding a reddish-brown horse, rode up to them and stopped. “Lu Xingmian is a quick learner!”
Lu Xingmian smiled. “That’s because my Ge is a great teacher.”
After witnessing their public display of affection, Zheng Minyou quickly rode off, immediately regretting that he had stopped to chat.
Feeling that Lu Xingmian had a good grasp of the basics, Lu Shiran asked him, “Zai Zai, do you want to run a little?”
“Yes!”
Before the words had even left his mouth and Lu Xingmian could react, Lu Shiran smoothly swung himself onto the horse from behind him. The action was so fast that Lu Xingmian didn’t even see how he did it. Was this the advantage of having long legs?
Lu Shiran wrapped his arms around him, gripping the reins with both hands, and drew Lu Xingmian fully into his embrace. “Hold on. Don’t be scared. I’ll take you.”
With his back against Lu Shiran’s firm chest, Lu Xingmian didn’t feel scared at all; he trusted Lu Shiran completely. Lu Shiran gave the reins a gentle shake. At the command, Bai Zhou began to trot and Lu Xingmian let out a soft gasp.
Bai Zhou wasn’t running very fast, but Lu Xingmian could feel the wind rushing past his ears, and his heart rate sped up with the pace. This was what riding felt like.
At this gentle trot, they completed a full lap. Bai Zhou seemed happy as it strode along with its head held high. Seeing that Lu Xingmian was still full of excitement, Lu Shiran asked, “Do you want to go for another lap?”
“Yes,” Lu Xingmian replied. “Can we go a little faster this time?”
“Of course.”
So Lu Shiran took Lu Xingmian for several more laps, each a little faster than the last. Throughout the ride, Lu Xingmian watched Lu Shiran’s every movement and memorized them in silence.
Even at this faster pace, Lu Shiran still wasn’t letting Bai Zhou run at its full speed. It was Lu Xingmian who spoke up first. “Ge, can we go even faster?”
Lu Shiran considered it. “We can. But aren’t you scared?”
“I’m not scared.”
A top-tier horse truly lives up to its reputation, able to travel a thousand miles in a day, and when it runs freely, its speed is breathtaking; riding Bai Zhou, Lu Xingmian finally understood what “as fast as the wind” truly felt like.
The wind whistled past his ears and the scenery around him blurred, yet when he looked back, he saw that even with Bai Zhou running at full speed, Lu Shiran remained calm and composed, as if everything were perfectly under his control.
He looked like he owned the world. Lu Shiran was so handsome when he rode a horse.
They quickly caught up to Zheng Minyou, who was ahead of them. Zheng Minyou squeezed his horse’s flank, and it sped up, but it still couldn’t keep up with Bai Zhou and was quickly left far behind.
Lu Xingmian had an amazing time at the horse farm that afternoon. In the February weather, he had worked up a sweat, and his cheeks were flushed a light pink.
The horse farm had private changing rooms, which also included showers. While Lu Xingmian was getting undressed, Lu Shiran went in and adjusted the hot water. The bathroom filled with steam, and the temperature slowly rose.
When Lu Xingmian walked in, he felt a pleasant warmth all over, as if he were in a hot spring. Lu Shiran noticed he was still in his shorts and laughed. “Still shy?” Lu Xingmian shot him a pleading glance.
When Lu Shiran stepped back into the bathroom, Lu Xingmian was washing his hair with his back turned, his head slightly tilted, revealing the elegant lines of his body. He looked handsome in his riding gear, but somehow he looked even better now.
With his eyes closed, Lu Xingmian suddenly felt a hand cover his own; when he opened them, he saw Lu Shiran carefully wiping away the shampoo foam that had nearly gotten into his eyes.
“How did you get in here?” Lu Xingmian asked. The bathroom was a bit small and would be crowded with two people, so he had assumed Lu Shiran would wait outside until he was finished. Seeing the naked Lu Shiran, he was a little surprised. “Are you going to shower, too?”
“En. Is there a problem?”
“No problem,” Lu Xingmian said, glancing down at Lu Shiran’s waist. He lowered his voice. “Just, you know, don’t mess around. We’re not at home.”
Lu Shiran leaned in and whispered in his ear, “I’ll help you wash your hair.”
Lu Xingmian fell for it. Lu Shiran wasn’t just helping him wash his hair; things quickly took a turn. In the steamy bathroom, two figures with contrasting heights and complexions, one fair-skinned and tall, the other sun-tanned and slender, stood close together. The tall man was able to effortlessly lift the smaller one with just one arm.
He moaned when his back hit the cold tiles. He didn’t understand. Weren’t they just taking a shower? How had it suddenly turned into this?
Lu Shiran wrapped one arm around his waist, while the other glided over his body, from his waist to his collarbone, then his neck, and finally his face. When Lu Xingmian looked at the man, his breath hitched. The water ran down Lu Shiran’s body, and his eyes seemed to glow with a fiery intensity. The temperature in the bathroom grew hotter and hotter.
Whether from the bathroom’s heat or something else, the corners of Lu Xingmian’s eyes had turned a soft pink.
Even without a bed, Lu Xingmian felt a different kind of sensation, and so did Lu Shiran. As the tension rose, Lu Shiran let out a low, hoarse sound that Lu Xingmian rarely ever heard. He clutched Lu Shiran’s back, leaving marks on the broad expanse of his skin.
“Get out…” Lu Xingmian bit his lip.
A kiss landed on his ear, and his voice was then swallowed up. The showerhead poured a constant stream of warm water over them, which then fell to the floor. Even the sound of the running water couldn’t drown out the other sounds.
When the tiles against Lu Xingmian’s back were warm, he was turned around, and his chest was pressed against the warm tiles. After an unknown amount of time, the sounds finally subsided. The hot water flowed over Lu Xingmian’s body, washing away the grayish-white fluid on his thighs.
Lu Shiran kissed his eyes, his voice a little hoarse. “Zai Zai, you’re amazing.”
Lu Xingmian was leaning against him while gasping for breath. It was hard to tell if the moisture on their bodies was sweat or water.
When they had changed and gone to the lounge area, Zheng Minyou and the others were already waiting. Lu Xingmian instinctively touched the collar of his shirt. Thankfully, he had worn a high-collared one today.
Zheng Minyou had arranged for a whole roasted lamb for dinner. When Lu Xingmian and Lu Shiran arrived, the lamb was almost done. The skin was a beautiful golden brown and looked crispy. The chef had been specially hired by Zheng Minyou. They could even smell the delicious aroma from a distance.
After they sat down, a man wearing glasses next to Lu Xingmian asked Lu Shiran, “Why are you two so late? Does it really take that long to take a shower?”
Lu Xingmian, who was drinking water, almost choked. His cheeks instantly flushed crimson. The “experienced” men at the table immediately understood. Lu Shiran patted Lu Xingmian’s back and shot a look at his friends. The friends got the hint and quickly changed the subject.
“Lu Xingmian, the roasted lamb today is great, you should try some later.”
“Lu Xingmian, do you drink? Would you like some champagne?”
“Lu Xingmian, your hairstyle looks very handsome today.”
“Lu Xingmian, your clothes are really nice today.”
The four men took turns speaking, one after the other. Lu Xingmian thought, They changed the topic so quickly. Luckily they didn’t ask any more questions.
After an afternoon of physical activity, Lu Xingmian was genuinely hungry. Lu Shiran cut him the most tender pieces of lamb chop and leg meat. Dipped in sauce and eaten with perilla leaves and kimchi, it was both delicious and not greasy. Lu Xingmian had a great time today, both playing and eating.
He was still excited on the way home. It wasn’t until just before bed that he felt something was off. His inner thighs felt a little raw.
While Lu Shiran was out of the room, he lifted his shirt to take a look. The inside of his thighs was red. That area of skin was the most delicate, and it had been chafed from the long time he spent riding earlier. Lu Xingmian finally understood why Lu Shiran hadn’t let him keep riding. He probably would’ve had raw, broken skin if he had continued.
When Lu Shiran returned, he found Lu Xingmian on the bed with his legs apart, staring down at something, and as their eyes met, the room filled with a charged, suggestive tension.
Lu Xingmian quickly explained, “No, no, no, it’s not what you think. I think my thighs are chafed.”
Lu Shiran came over to look and noticed that both sides of his inner thighs were red. He found some ointment from the well-stocked medicine cabinet.
“I can do it myself.” Lu Xingmian said.
Lu Shiran didn’t say anything and just smiled at him. The way he smiled at him was so gentle that Lu Xingmian gave up. He lay down obediently and bent his legs. Lu Shiran quickly applied the ointment. It felt both cool and comfortable, and the raw feeling went away.
Despite everything, Lu Xingmian still loved horseback riding. “Ge,” he said, “can we go riding again next time?”
