While Lu Shiran was on the phone, Lu Xingmian sat beside him, looking at messages in a WeChat group.
The group had four people: Chen Che, Zhou Cheng, Zhu Jinyan, and Lu Xingmian. They had created the group back in their senior year of high school.
They had stayed in touch after graduation, but everyone had been busy with their own things in college and hadn’t seen each other.
Now it was winter break, and Chen Che was the first to suggest they all hang out.
Just like old times, the group started discussing where to go. They unanimously decided on a bar since none of them had ever been to one.
After they made their plans, he hung up the phone. Lu Xingmian told him he was going to a bar with his friends tomorrow.
“In the city or Yan City?” Lu Shiran asked.
“The city.” Lu Xingmian replied. Chen Che and the others thought the city’s bars were better, but Lu Xingmian knew they were just trying to save him from the long trip. They had always looked out for him back in high school.
Lu Shiran was happy he had his own friends and his own time for fun. He trusted those three, and he felt at ease knowing Lu Xingmian would be with them.
There was one problem, though: none of them knew of a quiet bar. Lu Xingmian said he would ask his “brother.”
By now, everyone knew Lu Xingmian’s “brother” was his boyfriend. Lu Shiran was a native of Yancheng and would definitely know which bars were good.
“Ge, do you know of a quieter bar?” Lu Xingmian asked. “We just want a calm place to have a drink.”
Lu Shiran actually knew a few and recommended two that fit their criteria.
After Lu Xingmian sent the names to the group, he looked at Lu Shiran mischievously. “Ge, it seems like you’ve been to these places a lot to know them so well.”
“I just went there to drink with friends. Nothing else happened.” Lu Shiran said.
“Is that so?” Lu Xingmian leaned in to “interrogate” him. “You really didn’t do anything else? There are all sorts of handsome male escorts. Didn’t you ask them to keep you company? You know, pour drinks or feed you fruit?”
“Where did you learn all this?” Lu Shiran asked.
“From novels,” Lu Xingmian said. “A lot of them are written that way.”
Back then, Xia Zhicheng loved reading danmei novels and often recommended them to the group. Lu Xingmian had followed suit and read several. He’d read stories about a CEO meeting a bullied omega in a club, helping him, and a romance blossoming. Or an omega being drugged in a bar, seeking help from a CEO, and the two falling into a passionate love affair. Almost every novel Lu Xingmian read had a plot set in a bar or club.
Lu Shiran was genuinely amused. “Zai Zai, you need to read fewer novels. They’re making you overthink things.” He pinched his boyfriend’s cheek, noticing that it had finally filled out a bit, and he felt relieved.
That night, after taking a shower, Lu Xingmian sat on the bed with a towel on his still-damp hair, playing on his phone.
Lu Shiran came over to help him dry his hair. “What’s so captivating that you’re not even drying your hair?”
Lu Xingmian shook his phone and said mysteriously, “I won’t tell you.”
Without him saying a word, Lu Shiran knew from the music and sound effects coming from the phone that Lu Xingmian was playing Mahjong.
While Lu Xingmian played, Lu Shiran dried his hair. His hair was incredibly thick yet remarkably soft, even more so after being washed.
Lu Shiran ran his hands through it again, and the towel slipped down, covering half of Lu Xingmian’s face, just over his eyes to the tip of his nose.
Lu Xingmian sat still. “Ge, the towel’s in the way. I can’t see.”
“Okay.” Lu Shiran said, and as he reached to take the towel away, he suddenly paused.
Below the towel, a pair of moist, pink lips awaited. Only Lu Shiran knew how soft and captivating they were. The little bow of his lips was more pronounced, still dewy with moisture. Lu Xingmian looked incredibly tempting.
After a moment of no movement from Lu Shiran, Lu Xingmian asked, “Ge, are you done? Can I take the towel off?”
Without waiting for a response, Lu Xingmian reached up to remove the towel. But a large hand gently took hold of his wrist, stopping him. The grip wasn’t tight; it was gentle, but it held him firmly. As Lu Xingmian wondered what was happening, he felt a warm, wet sensation on his lips. A soft object was now kissing his mouth. It was a familiar, tingly feeling he only ever felt when Lu Shiran kissed him. It was wet, warm, and electrifying.
With his eyes covered by the towel, Lu Xingmian couldn’t see anything, but his sense of hearing sharpened. He could clearly hear the sounds of their lips meeting and the rustle of clothes, sounds he’d never noticed before.
The sounds excited Lu Xingmian. He moved his hands from Lu Shiran’s legs to his waist, gripping his clothes tightly. If his eyes hadn’t been covered, he would have seen that he had pulled Lu Shiran’s shirt enough to reveal half of his firm chest.
When their tongues met, Lu Xingmian tightened his hold on Lu Shiran’s waist.
The sounds of their kissing were louder than usual. Lu Shiran’s hand slipped beneath Lu Xingmian’s shirt and onto his back, and no matter how many times Lu Shiran’s hand gently caressed him, Lu Xingmian couldn’t help but let out a soft moan.
Before he knew it, Lu Xingmian was lying on the soft bed with Lu Shiran on top of him.
Lu Shiran was unusually passionate tonight. Lu Xingmian couldn’t hold back a soft sound. “G…”
The single syllable was swallowed by Lu Shiran’s kiss, muffled and inaudible.
After a while, Lu Shiran said as he kissed him, “Call me Laogong[mfn]Hubby or husband[/mfn].” His voice was incredibly seductive in the heat of the moment.
Half of Lu Xingmian’s face was still hidden by the towel, but Lu Shiran could see his flushed cheeks. Even with his eyes covered, Lu Shiran could picture his shy expression.
Upon hearing Lu Shiran’s words, Lu Xingmian’s fingers tightened, his mind going blank for a moment out of sheer embarrassment.
Lu Shiran leaned in close and whispered into his ear. A slight shudder ran through the person in his arms. “Xing Zai[mfn]Xing is from his name, and Zai is from Zai Zai[/mfn], call me Laogong, alright?”
Lu Xingmian couldn’t resist that voice, which sounded as if it had been scorched by embers. He swallowed hard. Lu Shiran was so close he could see the elegant movement of his throat. He unconsciously licked his lips but had a more important task at hand.
“Xing Zai, call me Laogong. If you don’t, I’ll have to punish you.”
“Lao… uh…” Lu Xingmian began, but the rest of the word was cut short as Lu Shiran kissed him again. He was so dazed he forgot what he was supposed to say. Lu Shiran stopped to coax him again, and as Lu Xingmian was about to speak, his words were once more swallowed by a kiss.
Suddenly, Lu Xingmian’s vision brightened as Lu Shiran removed the towel from his face. Unaccustomed to the light, he closed his eyes. His raven feathers-like eyelashes trembled slightly, looking like two fluttering butterflies.
Lu Shiran chuckled softly. “Zai Zai, if you don’t call me Laogong, I’ll really have to punish you.”
At these “shameless” words, Lu Xingmian opened his eyes. He had tried to say it; but Lu Shiran was just teasing him. Lu Shiran pressed his forehead against his, looking into his eyes and coaxing him like a child. “Zai Zai, just say Laogong. I promise I won’t do anything this time.”
This was the third time. Lu Xingmian was getting a little annoyed. “I’m not saying it.”
“You’re the best, Xing Zai.”
Lu Xingmian huffed, and Lu Shiran continued to softly coax him. He wasn’t in a hurry. He knew the power of his voice. He whispered Lu Xingmian’s name in his ear, switching between “Zai Zai,” “Xing Zai,” “Xing Bao[mfn]Bao here means baby[/mfn],” and “sweetheart.”
Sure enough, in less than a minute, Lu Xingmian’s ears felt a little numb, and he completely gave in. “Laogong,” he said.
When they first met, Lu Xingmian had called him Lu Ge and then just “Ge,” which he felt was the most intimate term. But when he said “Laogong,” his ears turned even redder than before. The subtle blue earring on his earlobe made the redness seem almost blood-like.
His crimson ears, flushed eyes, and shy expression made a certain old man’s eyes gleam.
Later, Lu Xingmian was sitting on Lu Shiran’s lap with his arms around his neck as he arched his back. His long neck formed a beautiful curve as Lu Shiran buried his head in the crook of it.
“Ge, are you almost there?” Lu Xingmian’s voice trembled slightly.
“Call me Laogong.”
Lu Xingmian couldn’t believe a single word could lead to so much.
–
When he saw Chen Che, Zhou Cheng, and Zhu Jinyan again, Lu Xingmian felt like he was back in his senior year of high school. He had met them on his very first day after transferring. From then on, they often hung out together, even skipping class together.
The four of them took a booth.
They ordered some drinks and snacks.
Lu Xingmian noticed that Zhou Cheng and Zhu Jinyan had an especially close relationship. Their connection was different from before, and the way they looked at each other was a look Lu Xingmian was very familiar with.
Lu Xingmian knowingly asked, “Are you two together?”
They didn’t try to hide it. Zhu Jinyan nodded. “Yeah.”
Lu Xingmian wasn’t surprised. It made perfect sense. Though the two of them always seemed to be bickering, it was always Zhou Cheng causing a fuss, and Zhu Jinyan either joined in or just watched him quietly.
Chen Che looked at the hickey on Lu Xingmian’s neck and at the couple across from him showing affection. He let out a little sigh. All three of his friends were in a relationship; he was the only single one left.
The four of them stayed at the bar until close to midnight.
Lu Xingmian wasn’t a good drinker, but he had a few extra cups because he was happy. Now he was a bit dizzy, and his stomach felt queasy.
After they left the bar, the cool air helped a lot. Lu Shiran came over, wrapped him in his arms, and covered him with his coat.
Lu Xingmian asked, “Ge, when did you get here?”
“Just a little while ago,” Lu Shiran replied. “Did you have fun today?”
“Yeah,” Lu Xingmian said. “Ge, you know what? Zhou Cheng and Zhu Jinyan are together.”
“That’s good.” Lu Shiran said. He knew and had met all of Lu Xingmian’s friends.
“Ge, I feel a little sick.” Lu Xingmian said.
Lu Shiran quickly took him home. Lu Xingmian was quiet the whole way. Lu Shiran told him to just throw up in the car if he needed to. Lu Xingmian shook his head and said he was fine.
When they finally got to their apartment building, they got into the elevator. Another man was there. He looked surprised to see Lu Shiran.
“Old Lu!” He said.
It was Lu Shiran’s friend, Zheng Minyou. He lived on the floor below Lu Shiran and had lost a bet to him once. He pressed the floor button for Lu Shiran, then watched him closely. Lu Shiran’s attention was entirely on the person next to him.
A young man had his head buried in Lu Shiran’s chest, so Zheng Minyou couldn’t see his face, but he was certain this was Lu Shiran’s boyfriend. The boy reeked of alcohol, indicating that he must be drunk.
Zheng Minyou felt a little thrill. He had finally met Lu Shiran’s boyfriend and was eager to tell his other friends right away.
The usually quiet Lu Xingmian finally spoke up, looking at Lu Shiran. “Ge, I want to throw up.”
Zheng Minyou thought, He better hold it in. Lu Shiran hates messes.
But Lu Shiran immediately took off his coat. “Zai Zai, throw up on my coat.”
Lu Xingmian looked terrible. “But…”
“It’s fine, just go for it.” Lu Shiran said.
Lu Xingmian couldn’t hold it in any longer and threw up on Lu Shiran’s jacket.
Zheng Minyou unconsciously took two steps back. He stared at Lu Shiran in shock. Lu Shiran was holding the coat with one hand and gently patting the boy’s back with the other. There was no look of disgust on his face.
Was this really Lu Shiran?
Old Lu, just put a ring on him already 😂