It was the Lantern Festival. People on holiday ought to sleep until the sun was high, never mind someone who had every day off.
It was ten when Bai Congming opened his eyes. He rolled over under the covers, bumped against something, then rolled away again, still a little shaken.
Brother Ding is mean! Bai Congming complained silently.
But after getting up, brushing his teeth, washing his face, and coming back, he saw Brother Ding open his eyes and smile at him, and that little bit of resentment vanished.
Brother Ding is the best!
"Good morning, Brother Ding!"
Bai Congming leaned over the head of the bed to look at him. "Time to get up!"
In the past, work had taken up most of Ding Ding's time, and for a while, he had wondered just who mornings were supposed to be good for.
But now, with a warm, soft lover in his arms and lovemaking like a dream, nothing could be better.
"Good morning to you too, Little Bai."
The things he had brought from F City had yet to be put away and lay in a haphazard pile on the floor.
When Ding Ding came out after washing up, he saw Bai Congming crouching beside the pile, studying it curiously.
"Open it up and see what's inside."
"Fish!" Bai Congming said without touching anything. "Stinky."
Ding Ding dried his hands, walked over, and pinched Bai Congming's nose.
"Let's see if you still call it stinky when you're eating it!"
They fooled around for a while before Ding Ding put everything away, setting aside some things Eldest Older Sister had asked him to bring for Ding Shu, then caught hold of Bai Congming and asked whether they had treated him well while he was away.
In fact, this question came