Rain Beats the Banana Leaves

The rain kept falling in fits and starts. Just as Ji Huaijin got the answer he wanted and leaned down to reward him again-

Cheng Yue's eyes flew open, and he shoved him away. "Oh no, my electric scooter!"

With his tousled hair and the crooked collar of his hospital pajamas, he made a pitifully beautiful patient. But all Cheng Yue could think about was the little electric scooter he had forgotten in the open-air parking lot.

"I'm screwed. I don't even know if it'll still run!"

The worst part was that he had borrowed it. Whether it was broken or not, surely he would have to compensate the owner if water had gotten inside.

The rain grew heavier. Cheng Yue stood by the window, anxiously trying to spot that unfortunate scooter.

The phone on him suddenly vibrated. Before Cheng Yue could check it, he heard Ji Huaijin speak.

"I transferred you twenty thousand."

Cheng Yue turned around in shock, his eyes full of disbelief.

Ji Huaijin casually tossed his phone aside and walked toward him at an unhurried pace. "Whether you pay for it or repair it is up to you."

Now.

Cheng Yue stumbled under his push. Just before his head hit the window, a hand slipped behind it in time to cushion the impact.

Rain beat the banana leaves while one man set upon another. Caught completely off guard, Cheng Yue fell straight into his clutches.

The hand around his wrist gradually slid upward, then their fingers interlaced and were pressed against the cold glass. With his back to the window, he involuntarily shivered all over.

The culprit showed not a shred of mercy. Instead, that reaction stirred the restless urge to conquer deep inside him.

The fierce onslaught sent ripples through them both. They pressed helplessly closer, their breaths entwining.

Ji Huaijin drew a deep breath. When he looked up again, his eyes seemed several shades darker than before.

"Want to?"

They were both adults, and summer clothes were thin. Cheng Yue didn't believe he hadn't felt his arousal. He had certainly felt Ji Huaijin's.

The central air conditioning's steady temperature no longer did any good.

In the few seconds he spent hesitating, the curtains behind him were hastily drawn. With one forceful movement, Ji Huaijin pressed him back against the now-concealed windowsill.

Although no one would enter without the patient's permission, Cheng Yue's nerves still stretched taut. Behind him was transparent glass covered by only a single curtain; ahead of him was a door that could open at any moment.

Those uncontrollable factors made him lose control, too.

For a moment, he felt as though he were standing out in the open, doing whatever he pleased in full view of everyone.

Cheng Yue got dressed with a blank expression. He admitted it: men thought with their lower halves. Once lust went to their heads, all caution went out the window.

And Ji Huaijin, that beast, was even worse.

Despite his extensive knowledge, he had never expected this refined scoundrel to have more tricks up his sleeve than professional adult-film performers.

Ji Huaijin changed into fresh hospital pajamas. The moment he emerged from the bathroom, he caught Cheng Yue's expression of bitter regret.

He found it immensely amusing. "Why are you standing there? Come sit down. Or do you want another round?"

"Get lost!"

In his post-climax clarity, everyone annoyed him.

Cheng Yue moved his legs, sore from standing too long. Once he recovered, he couldn't wait to head for the door. He couldn't stay here any longer.

As for the bespectacled man sitting on the sofa, he didn't want to look at him ever again.

"Wait. You forgot your things."

Cheng Yue stopped and turned back, snapping, "What? Did I forget you?"

Ji Huaijin remained comfortably seated on the sofa and pointed at the insulated food container on the table, not forgetting to play along with his terrible joke.

"If you insist on inviting me to elope, I suppose I could agree."

For a moment, Cheng Yue didn't even know what to be angry about.

Fine, fine, fine. Cooking for him during the day wasn't enough-now I had to clear his physical and emotional blockages at night, too?

After racking his brains without coming up with a devastating comeback, he could only stomp over, glare fiercely at him, and pick up the insulated container with an air of outrage.

"One more thing."

This time, Ji Huaijin didn't stay seated. He rose and calmly walked over, took Cheng Yue's free hand, and placed a car key in his palm.

"The car's downstairs. I'll have someone take the scooter back for you."

Cheng Yue looked at the familiar logo, puzzled. "How are you so sure I can drive?"

Ji Huaijin gave a soft chuckle. "Because driving lessons are cheaper for university students."

Cheng Yue: "..."

Damn it, he'd managed to look clever again!

Cheng Yue had indeed gotten his license in his second year of university. Back then, his entire class-no, probably his entire year-well, you could even say the entire university had done it.

Anyway, once they heard there was a group discount, their university had practically taken over the nearby driving school.

He didn't own a car, but that didn't mean he never had one to drive. Back when he delivered takeout, he had even borrowed Qi Su's car to make deliveries in the winter cold.

The key in his hand reminded him of its presence. Cheng Yue hesitated. Ji Huaijin's Mercedes-Benz was expensive. If he accidentally scratched it, compensation wasn't even his first concern.

It was a new car. Even he would feel heartbroken over it.

"Maybe I'd better not..."

Ji Huaijin leaned in and wrapped his arms around him. His clear voice flowed into Cheng Yue's ears like a mountain spring. "The roads are too wet. Riding a scooter isn't safe."

The restrained embrace lasted only a few seconds. Cheng Yue lifted his eyes and looked straight into a gaze filled with the warmth of spring sunshine.

"Drive home. Don't make me worry, all right?"

He heard his own voice answer, "All right."

Cheng Yue spotted the familiar car among all the luxury vehicles almost instantly.

Only after he had smoothly driven out through the hospital gates did he suddenly realize that, at some point, he had memorized its license plate so thoroughly he could recite it backward.

Fine threads of rain still drifted from the sky. The downpour had come out of nowhere. It wasn't all that late yet, but there were far fewer pedestrians on the streets.

He had to admit, a luxury car really was a luxury car. It didn't rock from side to side over speed bumps like a taxi. The whole drive to his apartment building was silky smooth, giving him a chance to indulge himself behind the wheel.

Once home, he went straight to the shower without a second thought. Afterward, he tossed the clothes that had piled up over the last two days into the washing machine.

His gaze landed on the underwear beside it. After a moment's consideration, he bent down and took a plastic basin out from under the sink.

He did have a separate little washing machine for underwear, but he was worried it wouldn't get them clean enough.

Halfway through scrubbing, the phone on the shelf chimed. Cheng Yue stood on tiptoe to look. Because of his notification settings, he could only see who had sent the message, not what it said.

He dropped the half-washed underwear, rinsed the suds off his hands, gave them a cursory wipe, then unlocked his phone and opened the message.

[Are you home?]

Cheng Yue curled his lip. By the time you think to ask, it's ancient history. He tapped away furiously for a while, but in the end, all he sent was a period.

Nothing but pointless chatter. He tossed the phone back onto the shelf and was just about to continue when it chimed again.

"Give me a break!"

[What are you doing?]

Not busy with that stupid job of yours anymore, huh?

Cheng Yue's eyes shifted mischievously. He opened the camera and took a picture of the basin full of suds.

[Image.]

The other end suddenly went quiet. Humming a little tune, Cheng Yue finished washing and rinsed until only the fragrance of detergent remained. Satisfied, he put the underwear on a hanger.

When he went back to disinfect his adorable little blue basin with hot water, his phone finally responded.

[Cheng Yue, remember to bring the basin tomorrow.]

The picture unmistakably showed the curtain, stained wet.

Cheng Yue looked down at the little blue basin in his hand. Why did it suddenly seem so much less appealing?