CH 47

In the old town area, the limit for fireworks was half an hour.

Half an hour, was neither too long nor too short, it was just enough time for Lu Mingming to set off six supreme chief colorful fireworks, and for Lu Ye to smoke three cigarettes, and for Qi Yanbai to finish two glasses of Bordeaux dry red wine.

The fireworks from various households took turns to ascend into the sky. Amidst the smoky New Year atmosphere, the splendid and beautiful fireworks burst into fleeting blossoms in the sky, and the scorching embers fell from the dark night sky like a bright wound in the night.

As the last box of fireworks approached its end, Lu Ye suddenly felt something amiss and couldn’t help but look up. He realized that the second-floor balcony was now occupied by only Lu Wenyu.

Qi Yanbai, who had been sitting next to Lu Wenyu, had disappeared without a trace, and even the wine glass he had been drinking from had disappeared. Lu Wenyu noticed Lu Ye’s puzzled expression and tilted her head slightly, gesturing to the fact that Qi Yanbai had just returned to his room.

Lu Ye nodded in understanding and didn’t say anything more. He just put out the cigarette he was holding, and then led Lu Mingming, who was reluctant to leave after the fireworks, back inside.

The living room was empty, but the TV was still on, playing colorful pop stars on stage. The Spring Festival Gala was coming to an end, and the grand chorus was lively in the otherwise quiet living room.

Lu Mingming hurried upstairs to find Lu Wenyu, while Lu Ye took off his coat and turned down the TV volume with the remote control. Finally, he pushed open the door to his room and walked in quietly.

He had initially thought that Qi Yanbai was tired and wanted to rest in his room. However, when he entered the room, he realized that Qi Yanbai not only hadn’t rested but was leaning against the window, looking up at the sky, lost in thought.

The balcony window was wide open, and the cold wind was blowing in vigorously. Qi Yanbai’s thin home attire clung to his body as he looked out, revealing his well-defined shoulder line.

Lu Ye made a soft sound as he was shivering from the cold. He quickly walked over to the balcony, wrapped his arm around Qi Yanbai’s waist, and used his other hand to close the balcony window.

“Aren’t you afraid of getting sick?” Lu Ye asked.

Qi Yanbai didn’t reply. He turned his head to look at Lu Ye for a moment and then smiled with his eyes, saying, “I’m watching the snow.”

The bedroom had no overhead lights on, only the starry sky light on the balcony was shining.  The light spilled down from Qi Yanbai’s eyes, and it truly looked like he had captured a handful of starlight.

The view was beautiful and romantic, but Lu Ye couldn’t help but think that it would be even better if Qi Yanbai wasn’t a tipsy cat.

“There’s no snow here; it’s just the lights,” Lu Ye said, reaching out to touch Qi Yanbai’s hand and trying to wipe away the non-existent tears from his eyes.

Qi Yanbai’s eyelashes fluttered as he blinked, leaving a glistening trace of wetness on Lu Ye’s fingertips.

Lu Ye cleared his throat, his voice slightly hoarse. “Yanbai, do you know what you’re saying?”

“I do,” Qi Yanbai blinked, gazing up at the starry sky with a mischievous smile. He then turned and kissed Lu Ye, leaving a trail of light kisses on his lips, and said in a muffled voice, “I like you, Lu Ye.”

Clear-headed Qi Yanbai was reserved, polite, and tactful, but at this moment, he was straightforward. He didn’t hold back his love on the surface, nor did he hide his infatuation for Lu Ye.

He wanted to take his relationship with Lu Ye to the next level, to have a unique and intimate connection, and to bind him even closer, preferably so intimately that there were no gaps.

Qi Yanbai urgently wanted to hold Lu Ye in his hands. This desire had become increasingly difficult to control as he spent more time with Lu Ye, and today, it had finally reached its peak.

His words had just fallen, and his cold fingertips had already slipped into Lu Ye’s collar, making him shiver. Lu Ye instinctively grabbed Qi Yanbai’s wrist and was about to ask if he was serious when he found himself locked in Qi Yanbai’s gaze.

It was a strange look that Lu Ye had never seen in Qi Yanbai’s eyes before. When Qi Yanbai looked at him, he was usually half-concealed, gentle, with a subtle mix of delight and shyness. But at this moment, Qi Yanbai’s gaze was aggressive and intense, fixed on Lu Ye as if guarding a treasure trove, with an almost stubborn affection in his eyes.

Lu Ye had never seen such a strong and resolute look in Qi Yanbai’s eyes. He was momentarily lost in thought, and he couldn’t help but feel that Qi Yanbai was like a piece of chocolate with a liquid center, and now the sweet shell had melted away, revealing the fiery alcohol inside.

In a sense, Lu Ye was a man, and even the most upright man had his limits.

His inherent aggressiveness was ignited in this confrontation, and Lu Ye took a deep breath, unconsciously tightening his grip on Qi Yanbai’s wrist.

Lu Ye’s throat rolled as he momentarily stopped breathing.

Then he suddenly lowered his head, as if grabbing his prey, and bit down on Qi Yanbai’s throat.

Qi Yanbai, like a dying swan, suddenly tilted his head back, gazing at the starry sky above, and a sound that sounded both pleasurable and restrained escaped his lips. The vulnerable part had fallen into the hands of the enemy, but Qi Yanbai didn’t feel fear; instead, he seemed to be ignited by something, grabbing onto a small piece of fabric on Lu Ye’s shoulder with a tight grip.

Lu Ye, still holding Qi Yanbai’s waist, stumbled backward and bumped into the edge of the bed. He lost his balance and fell onto it.

Qi Yanbai had been standing in the cold wind for too long, and his body had become chilly. His hand reached up to Lu Ye’s shoulder, pressing their bodies closely together. Lu Ye’s hand circled around his waist, and he suddenly felt like he was holding a cold piece of jade.

Qi Yanbai couldn’t quite understand his feelings at this moment.

The alcohol had left him in a hazy state, and he couldn’t quite grasp his own thoughts. He could hear Lu Ye whispering something in his ear, but he couldn’t make out a word. All he could hear was his own short, intoxicated breaths.

He heard his own drum-like heartbeat and the rush of blood through his veins. The alcohol seemed to have ignited a raging fire within his body, threatening to reduce his insides to ashes.

He broke out in a thin layer of sticky sweat, feeling weak all over, as if he had been soaked in alcohol.

In the midst of this, someone accidentally knocked over the nightstand, and Lu Ye glanced inside the drawer, where he saw a small, delicately packaged box.

Lu Wenyu had prepared for everything. Lu Ye remained silent for a moment, then reached out and retrieved the small item from the drawer.

One of Lu Ye’s hands was still intertwined with Qi Yanbai’s fingers, and he didn’t want to let go of him, so he used his free hand to offer the small box to Qi Yanbai, silently requesting his help in opening the sealed packaging.

But it seemed that Qi Yanbai misunderstood. He looked puzzled for a moment, then obediently lowered his head, using his teeth to slowly tear open the plastic wrap in Lu Ye’s hand.

Moments later, fireworks unexpectedly lit up outside the window, as if someone had set them off despite the late hour.

The dazzling colors burst continuously in the sky, and police cars rushed by at high speed with sirens wailing, passing through the villa area.

Low soft pleasurable moans could be heard and the sound of the bed creaking. Qi Yanbai accidentally knocked over a glass on the nightstand. The fragile glass shattered into a crystalline flower on the floor, leaving a deep red mark on the light-colored wooden floor where the remaining drops of red wine flowed like a winding river.