Not Falling for That!

How was he supposed to make it up to him?

Confusion flickered across Cheng Yue's face before the man before him suddenly caught his eye: strikingly handsome, with sharply defined features and a beautiful pair of alluring, hazy eyes.

Their outer corners tilted upward, and with each faint blink, they seemed to hold endless affection.

Cheng Yue's grip on his collar unconsciously tightened.

Suddenly, he understood the appeal of losing all restraint for a beauty.

What he didn't know was that while he admired the view from the bridge, someone admiring the view was gazing at him too.

Cheng Yue's gaze gradually lowered. Those full, crimson lips released a soft breath, and for a moment, he thought he glimpsed their soft wetness.

His Adam's apple bobbed involuntarily as he swallowed.

In an instant, inspiration struck.

"Let me be on top. Once!"

Ji Huaijin narrowed his eyes. "What?"

Cheng Yue reaffirmed his brilliant idea. "Let me be on top once, and we're even!"

Ji Huaijin fell silent for a few seconds, then suddenly chuckled. "All right. Whatever you say."

Cheng Yue's eyes immediately lit up, and he strode excitedly toward the bedroom. No, this was the starting point of his triumphant comeback!

Watching his retreating figure disappear farther into the bedroom, Ji Huaijin picked up the neglected wineglass on the coffee table and drained it.

Then he pressed the switch, plunging the entire room into darkness.

Stars dotted the sky outside. Inside, only a bedside lamp remained lit. Cheng Yue stood stiffly beside the bed, his mind racing.

What was the next step again?

Click.

The door shut, and as the figure stepped inside, the air suddenly felt close.

"Want to take a shower?"

Cheng Yue's jumbled thoughts found their answer. "Ah, right. I need a shower!"

For some reason, he suddenly couldn't meet those eyes. He turned and fled blindly into the bathroom.

As warm water poured over him, Cheng Yue began berating himself and reviewing what had happened. "Fuck, what am I panicking for? Act like a big, fierce top. Just do it!"

The spacious apartment had more than enough room for a separate shower area. Busy muttering encouragement to himself, Cheng Yue failed to notice the bathroom door slowly opening.

Holding two small boxes, Ji Huaijin walked unhurriedly to the sink and set them down. Then he stood there without a sound, tracing the hazy outline of the figure behind the frosted glass with his gaze.

Five minutes later, the water stopped.

Ji Huaijin's lips curved. He pulled his belt loose, let his silk robe fall to the floor, then stepped forward and opened the door.

"Fuck!"

They were both men, and Cheng Yue had been to public bathhouses before, so seeing other men naked was nothing new. Even so, he instinctively turned his back.

"What are you coming in for? I haven't finished washing."

"I know."

As Cheng Yue stood bewildered and at a loss, the hot water came on again. Through the swirling steam, a large hand abruptly pinned him in place.

The wall behind him was cold enough to make him shudder. He instinctively moved forward, straight into a burning-hot chest.

Ji Huaijin cradled the back of his head with one hand and leaned down. "What's the rush? You're not clean yet."

Cheng Yue had barely opened his mouth before it was sealed. Then the grip on him tightened, as though Ji Huaijin wanted to swallow him whole and cut off every cry for help.

There were no gentle kisses, no gradual buildup, only a fierce collision between two men as they stole as much of each other's breath as they could.

The exhaust fan worked harder to draw away the spilling steam, leaving the surging desire to occupy the entire bathroom.

Caught off guard by the sudden assault, Cheng Yue was momentarily overwhelmed. Once his sluggish brain caught up, he seized the initiative and reversed their positions, pursuing him with equal intensity.

Ji Huaijin leaned obediently against the wall and let him do as he pleased, his restless fingers wandering over Cheng Yue's back.

The warm water beating down on them only made Cheng Yue more restless. The flame inside him burned hotter and hotter, and the corners of his eyes reddened.

Just as he was ready to move on to the main course, someone abruptly caught his wrist.

Cheng Yue gave him a questioning look. "?"

The man who had just let him have his way suddenly changed his tune.

Ji Huaijin smiled innocently, his fingertips brushing past. Before Cheng Yue could react, he forcefully switched their positions again.

Cheng Yue felt the heat. His pupils instantly contracted, his gaze trembling.

"Ji Huaijin, I'm going to fucking kill you! Aaaah!"

At some point, someone had switched off the little bedroom lamp. The curtains weren't fully drawn, and the silk quilt lay heaped on the bench at the foot of the bed, curled into a pitiful ball.

Cheng Yue sat bolt upright, beads of sweat sliding down the side of his neck and leaving scattered trails.

"Ji Huaijin, you big fucking liar!"

The man reclining against the headboard smiled faintly. "Weren't you the one who said you wanted to be on top?"

The mattress was comfortable and springy. A vein bulged on Cheng Yue's forehead as he ground out, "Playing word games with me, are you?"

Ji Huaijin's black hair was swept back, his deep eyes swirling with emotion.

A gentle, lingering kiss landed at the edge of Cheng Yue's tightly pressed lips. A rich, husky voice slipped into his ear, saying something utterly indecent.

"No games. Just playing with..."

Cheng Yue: "..."

You'd better be grateful we live in a society governed by law!

If the enemy stayed still, he stayed still. If the enemy moved, Cheng Yue could only take it.

His quest to become the top had failed yet again.

The next day, Cheng Yue staggered out of the apartment building, resentment radiating from every inch of him.

Even the overcast weather seemed to match his mood.

Having learned from last time, he didn't try to tough it out. He called his team and took leave to recuperate at home.

It actually wasn't as bad as last time. Maybe the preparation had been thorough, or maybe people really were remarkably adaptable. In any case, aside from his terribly aching lower back, Cheng Yue felt all right.

Ji Huaijin had checked before leaving that morning. There was no injury, just a little redness. He had applied ointment while Cheng Yue was dead asleep and left a note on the table telling him to avoid spicy food for the next few days.

Cheng Yue scoffed.

You think putting your clothes back on hides that ugly face of yours?

Ha. Don't bother. I'm not falling for that!

"Sir, one jianbing with crispy filling. Two eggs, no chili!"

"Coming right up."

After scanning the payment code, Cheng Yue looked around, then went next door to buy a cup of red date and oat soy milk.

Ten minutes later, Cheng Yue walked along with an odd gait, holding his simple lunch and eating as he went. He finished just as he reached his building.

After a night of fooling around outside, even the air at home smelled sweet. Cheng Yue changed into comfortable pajamas, wrapped himself in a blanket, and lay on the sofa playing on his phone. Before he knew it, his eyelids had drifted shut and his breathing had evened out.

When he woke, the gloomy sky had cleared, and the sunset's glow warmed his heart.

His gloomy mood shifted along with it. He put on a song that had recently gone viral, curled lazily on the sofa, and gazed out the window through half-closed eyes.

"What's wrong? My mood changes with the weather."

"Clear skies stretch for miles, the moonlight is rich."