A crowd of onlookers

Remembering how the storybooks he had read said not to disturb someone practicing martial arts, Shen Shixu took extra care to move quietly as he dressed and got out of bed.

He normally needed only a few minutes to dress, but today he dawdled for a full quarter of an hour and still had not finished.

Xiao Jinyi emerged from meditation to find Shen Shixu dressing in a very awkward manner. "A-Xu?"

Shen Shixu had just put on his outer robe and was wrestling with his sash when someone suddenly called his name. His heart jolted, and the sash slipped from his hands and fell to the floor with a soft thud.

Xiao Jinyi walked over and picked up the fallen sash. A flash of admiration crossed his eyes as he looked at Shen Shixu with his hair loose.

He approached Shen Shixu with the sash in hand. They stood so close that Shen Shixu could feel his breath.

Shen Shixu opened his mouth to ask for his sash back, but Xiao Jinyi gave him no chance to speak. He reached around his waist and fastened it for him himself.

Pressed against Xiao Jinyi, Shen Shixu could feel the warmth of his body and his hot breath, making the ears hidden beneath his hair turn red.

Xiao Jinyi deliberately dragged things out, taking an absurdly long time to tie a single sash. Too embarrassed to notice his little scheme, Shen Shixu remained oblivious, but however much Xiao Jinyi lingered, they still had to part eventually.

Xiao Jinyi reluctantly released Shen Shixu, then raised a hand to stroke his loose, jet-black hair, rubbing it between his fingers a few times.

"Let me tie up your hair!"

Shen Shixu let him lead him over. Xiao Jinyi settled him in front of the