Xingxing fell into his arms

Steam billowed through the bathroom, the enclosed space thick with the scent of shower gel mingled with a distinctive aroma of liquor.

The stifling heat made it a little hard to breathe. Song Yunxing's lashes trembled, and his cheeks flushed as he recalled what he had seen.

Shameless pervert! Why didn't he just go outside naked and walk around? What was he parading around in front of me for?

My body might not be as good as Shen Yanci's, but I've still got everything I should!

Song Yunxing let out a long breath, washed his face with cleanser, then briskly peeled the gland patch off the back of his neck and took off his sweatshirt and pants.

Hurry up, shower, and go to sleep. Out of sight, out of mind.

When he opened the shower door, the mingled fragrance grew even stronger, enveloping him in an instant.

Shen Yanci's pheromones were just like the man himself. At first, they smelled only of a mellow fruitwood liquor, but only prolonged exposure revealed the searing, domineering intensity that sank deep into the bones.

Song Yunxing waved disdainfully at the steam and turned on the hot water...

Outside the master bedroom, Shen Yanci had already retrieved his phone and was standing on the balcony, taking someone's call.

"Shen Yanci, Ren Le is getting engaged." A low male voice came through the phone.

A cigarette rested between his well-defined fingers, its burning tip flickering in the darkness.

"So what?" He exhaled a cloud of white smoke, his dark eyes unfocused.

"I got her invitation. You should have one too. It's in about two weeks. Think she'll send Yunxing one?" The voice coming through the phone was slightly distorted.

Shen Yanci's eyes narrowed slightly, and he remained silent for a long time.

Ash from the still-burning cigarette fell onto his fingertips. As though he could not feel the heat, he let it die out against his skin.

"Song Yunxing is an idiot. If he gets an invitation, he'll definitely go. Who knows what trouble there'll be then?"

"Yunxing has never written a song about love. She must have broken his heart completely! Just pretend you don't know about this. I had Meng Ruo clear out his recent mail and WeChat friend requests. Don't mention it in front of him."

Shen Yanci lowered his eyes. "Song Yunxing isn't stupid. You can't keep it from him."

"She squeezed a million out of you two to study abroad when she was eighteen. Who knows, maybe she's inviting you this time so you'll pay for her wedding too!" The man on the other end cursed. "I don't know what's so great about her that Yunxing's been hung up on her all this time!"

A noise came from the bathroom inside. Shen Yanci stubbed out the remaining half of his cigarette and replied casually, "Got it. No time to chat. I'm hanging up."

Shen Yanci stood in the breeze on the balcony until the smell of smoke had mostly dissipated, then pushed the door open and went inside.

The young man had just finished showering and was wearing one of the matching robes provided, wrapped tightly around himself.

Water still dripped from the ends of his silver-white hair. His fair skin was clean and luminous, his cheeks flushed from the heat.

His amber eyes were misty, and as his gaze shifted, an indescribable allure made Shen Yanci's breath catch.

The young man walked past him with his clothes in his arms.

The same shower gel fragrance drifted from him. Shen Yanci's lashes stirred, and he reached out with a long-fingered hand.

His well-defined hand caught only the empty air behind the young man. It hung awkwardly in midair before dropping back to his side.

The young man settled onto the sofa and pulled up the white comforter, ready to close his eyes and sleep.

"Your hair." The man's low, husky voice echoed through the room.

Just about to fall asleep, Song Yunxing frowned slightly. "It's only a little damp. It's fine."

Shen Yanci said nothing. He walked into the bathroom, brought out a hair dryer, and set it on the table in front of him.

"If you want to die of a headache, pretend I didn't say anything."

Song Yunxing hesitated for a moment, but ultimately sat up and picked up the hair dryer.

He pressed the switch, and warm air rushed out.

A little surprised, Song Yunxing followed the cord trailing across the floor and found the outlet beside the sofa.

He even plugged it in for me?

Song Yunxing pursed his lips without thinking much of it and casually tousled his hair, letting the warm air blow through it.

Once his hair was mostly dry, he put down the dryer and flopped back onto the sofa to sleep.

A little later, Shen Yanci turned off the bright overhead light and lay down on the bed as well.

The curtains over the floor-to-ceiling windows remained open. Pale moonlight spilled across the floor, seeming to draw a Milky Way between the sofa and the bed.

Song Yunxing lay on the sofa, tossing and turning, unable to sleep.

His own phone had been confiscated, and this one was useless for anything but going online.

He opened Weibo and scrolled through the latest trending topics.

His and Shen Yanci's names were indeed trending. Some people did think they were pretending to be a couple, and some fans had begun to suspect that the earlier video had been doctored.

It seemed this approach was working. Clearing up the rumors was only a matter of time.

He rolled over, switched apps, and began scrolling through short videos. As he scrolled, Shen Yanci's face appeared on his screen again.

Song Yunxing: ...

He quickly lowered the volume and huddled beneath the comforter to watch.

"Shen Yanci takes on his first role as a member of parliament with a mental illness... Veteran actors in the industry have all expressed their amazement."

He scrolled down to a solo clip of Shen Yanci from the film.

Somehow, Song Yunxing ended up watching the whole thing. He could not help clicking his tongue. Shen Yanci's acting really was flawless; it sent cold sweat pouring down his back.

But as Song Yunxing glanced sideways at the shape beneath the covers on the bed, he somehow found himself remembering his time in Kimchi Country.

Many boy bands debuted in Kimchi Country, but few ever truly made a name for themselves.

An entire year after his debut, his group still had hardly any fans. Back then, he had sunk deep into self-doubt.

Yet Shen Yanci was already famous overseas by then. Billboards along the streets displayed promotional movie stills or solo photos of him. All Song Yunxing had to do was look up to see him.

During that time, that familiar face had become his motivation to keep going.

As his thoughts wandered, his eyelids grew heavier, and his consciousness gradually slipped into dreams.

Steady, even breathing echoed through the quiet room, while the man on the large bed struggled to sleep.

Shen Yanci lay in bed, his eyes shifting beneath his closed lids.

After lying like that for who knew how long, he simply sat up.

The man was concealed in the darkness. The faint glow of his phone illuminated his dark eyes, where unreadable emotions stirred.

Suddenly, the comforter on the sofa was thrown back. The sleeping young man sat up, slipped on his slippers, and swayed his way toward the bathroom.

The man withdrew his gaze and lay back down.

Gentle moonlight fell across the bed, softening his stern features as his eyes slowly closed.

Suddenly, the mattress beside him dipped slightly, and the same shower gel fragrance drifted into his nose.

Shen Yanci turned over in astonishment, only to find the young man curled up beside him, his eyes closed.

Moonlight fell over the young man's sleeping profile. His silver-dyed hair lay scattered across his forehead, and his long, thick lashes caught the moonlight beneath its smooth curve, like a butterfly that had yet to spread its wings.

He was sound asleep, his cheeks still flushed, his breathing growing steadier.

The man stared at him in a daze for a long time before tentatively stroking his soft, short hair.

The silver-white strands twined around his fingertips. His cool fingers ventured greedily farther, drawing warmth from the young man's cheeks.

The young man merely gave a soft murmur and drifted back to sleep.

Suppressed feelings surged wildly in the darkness, then struggled against what little reason remained...

So Xingxing could fall into his arms all on his own, too.