CH 85

This kiss was as light as a dragonfly touching the water, a fleeting contact, yet Pei You could sense the profound sense of adoration from his tone.

A tingling sensation, like a delicate current, traveled up Pei You’s hand, flowing against his blood, gently warming him. His fingers subconsciously curled up, and a hint of warmth blossomed in his chest.

I was too slow to catch on, Pei You thought to himself. He shouldn’t have let Zhou Qingbo do this himself.

—Moreover, this scene shouldn’t be happening at this time, with such a simple and plain stainless steel circle.

Pei You had the intention to respond to Zhou Qingbo’s initiative, but he had already missed the chance. Anything he said now would just seem like an attempt to make up for it.

Fortunately, Zhou Qingbo was skilled at entertaining himself. With a glint in his eyes, he playfully examined the key ring from various angles, then waved it in front of Pei You in a showy manner. He hooked the key ring onto his finger and got into the apartment, changing his shoes and heading into the bathroom to freshen up.

He had a light and cheerful step, appearing genuinely happy. Pei You blinked as he watched Zhou Qingbo’s departing figure and breathed a sigh of relief.

…He’s too easy to please, Pei You thought.

Pei You reflected on himself and decided to subtly and indirectly ask “Teacher Zhou” for advice later, gaining a bit of relationship experience from him. He didn’t want to perform so poorly on the spot like today.

This isn’t good. Pei You seriously thought to himself. He can’t always let Zhou Qingbo take the initiative; he needs to be proactive as well.

The sounds of splashing water echoed from the bathroom. Zhou Qingbo became familiar and at ease, despite it being his first time entering the house. He considered himself half a host, feeling perfectly at home.

Pei You stood in the living room and glanced at the bathroom door, making sure Zhou Qingbo didn’t need anything urgent. He then turned and started working on his own tasks.

Pei You had moved in two days earlier before Zhou Qingbo, but he hadn’t formally spent a night there yet, so many things needed organizing.

The apartment had an open layout, and the bedroom was connected to a semi-open balcony with a trendy floor-to-ceiling window. Pei You changed into his clothes and opened the windows for ventilation. He then opened the wardrobe, taking out a set of freshly washed bed sheets.

The sound of running water continued from the bathroom. Pei You bent slightly, half kneeling at the edge of the bed, carefully spreading the bedsheet. The soft cotton fabric obediently fell in place as he worked, draping down at the corners in a neat and orderly manner.

Pei You finished making the bed and absently put the scattered items on the bedside table into the drawer. Just as he was about to go to the kitchen to get a glass of water, he heard Zhou Qingbo’s voice calling out from the bathroom.

“Pei You—” Zhou Qingbo elongated his tone, sounding both playful and complaining. “I don’t have any clothes to wear and I don’t see a robe here.”

“Coming,” Pei You quickly responded.

Zhou Qingbo had come over suddenly and hadn’t brought any luggage, naturally leaving behind his change of clothes. Pei You hadn’t realized this until Zhou Qingbo mentioned it, and quickly recalled it. He turned back to the bedroom, rummaged through the wardrobe, and found a set of clean bathrobes. Then he knocked on the bathroom door.

“Come in,” Zhou Qingbo said. “I didn’t lock it.”

That apartment was spacious, and the bathroom was designed with dry and wet areas separated. The bathing area was shielded by a curtain, ensuring privacy.

Zhou Qingbo casually wiped his body with a towel, hearing the door handle outside the bathroom rattle and letting in a gentle breeze.

He knew it was Pei You bringing the bathrobe, so he didn’t mind. He used a towel to wrap around himself and lifted a corner of the shower curtain.

“if I had known—”

Zhou Qingbo had initially intended to say he should go back and get some luggage, but as soon as he lifted the curtain and caught a glimpse, his mind went blank. He swallowed the last part of his sentence.

At the entrance to the bathroom, Pei You had already changed into soft home clothes. Because he had just been doing house chores and unpacking, a thin layer of sweat had formed on his forehead. His damp hair hung down slightly, sticking to his face in a slightly messy way.

He wore a pair of fluffy fur slippers and had on a comfortable, long bathrobe draped over his arm. He stood at the door, blocking most of the light from the living room. The soft light cast faint halos that seeped through the gaps around him, creating a few narrow shadows on his body.

The texture of the cotton home outfit was visibly good. The loose cuffs slid down a bit with Pei You’s movements, revealing a hint of skin imprinted with faint marks.

Zhou Qingbo: “…”

This was the first time Zhou Qingbo had seen Pei You like this—Pei You after removing his watch and suit, he seemed to have shed a layer of the old, rigid armor, and the light-colored home clothes made him appear exceptionally soft. In the dim atmosphere of the living room, he seemed to seamlessly fit into Zhou Qingbo’s young and naive fantasies of a “dream lover” from his youth.

Zhou Qingbo held his breath, and he unconsciously tightened his grip on the shower curtain, sensing a slightly shameful change in himself.

“Hmm?” Pei You waited for a moment for the continuation, unable to resist asking, “What’s wrong?”

“…Nothing,” Zhou Qingbo said.

Zhou Qingbo found it difficult to describe his feelings. He had always known that he liked Pei You, but until now, his feelings had been vague, soft, surface level, and carried a hint of innocent anticipation. It was like being covered by a layer of damp mist, gentle and harmless.

But at this moment, this emotion was obviously taking on a slightly “uncontrollable” trend. The soft and delicate mist was gradually condensing into a storm, clamoring to tear apart an unspeakable understanding.

He is mine, Zhou Qingbo thought.

However, Pei You seemed completely unaware. As if he was afraid the cold wind outside would reach Zhou Qingbo, he slightly narrowed the door’s gap and called out.

“Qingbo,” Pei You said, “I’ll place the robe for you here?”

“…No, wait a moment,” Zhou Qingbo said.

Pei You hadn’t expected to be stopped. Hearing this, he paused and stopped placing the clothes on the sink counter.

Zhou Qingbo unconsciously swallowed, his grip on the shower curtain alternating between tight and loose. He turned off the shower, took his time, and carefully stepped out of the bathtub.

Pei You heard the movement of the shower curtain open. Subconsciously, He turned his head away, stretching out his arm to hand over the bathrobe.

A few seconds later, a wet hand reached out and snatched the bathrobe from his arm. Pei You let out a quiet sigh of relief. He was about to turn and leave when a hand reached out from the side, coming from behind, and wrapped around him.

Immediately, that arm exerted a slight force, pulling Pei You into the bathroom as well.

When Zhou Qingbo pulled Pei You, it was pretty much instinctual. He only knew he didn’t want Pei You to leave through that door. However, after keeping him there and seeing Pei You’s puzzled expression, Zhou Qingbo managed to regain a bit of his sanity.

I’m done for, Zhou Qingbo thought as his mind wandered in contemplation. I’m acting like an animal.

But obviously, self-condemnation wasn’t going to change anything. Zhou Qingbo’s gaze drifted for a moment, and he couldn’t help but swallow again.

“…I want to ask you something,” Zhou Qingbo suddenly said.

Pei You instinctively felt a bit of danger, but he couldn’t control the fact that his attention was seized by Zhou Qingbo. He subconsciously asked, “What?”

“That ‘no-go zone’ you mentioned during the blind date,” Zhou Qingbo licked his lips and said softly, “Can you rethink it?”