Xu Wang and Glutinous Rice were ultimately separated by a door.
Hearing the noises in the bedroom, Glutinous Rice pawed at the edge of the door. Only when the noises inside had stopped completely did it return to its bed and lie down.
The next time Xu Wang woke, hunger was what woke him. He lay spread-eagled on the bed, first raising his left hand to block the glaring sunlight, then clenching his right hand into a fist and furiously pounding the empty spot to his right.
Bang, bang, bang!
Only when his pounding hand grew a little sore did Xu Wang withdraw it in satisfaction.
Xu Wang shifted his body slightly, and an intense ache swept through him. He felt as though his path to topping was growing more and more distant.
Damn it! The little figure inside Xu Wang's heart shed sorrowful tears.
"Ha..." A soft chuckle came from the bedroom doorway.
Xu Wang stiffly turned his head. Sure enough, it was Pei Yanchuan, holding a plate of food and leaning lightly against the doorframe as he smiled at him on the bed.
Xu Wang turned his head back expressionlessly and closed his eyes. He had no idea how long the other man had been standing at the door, but he knew it certainly hadn't been a short time.
Pei Yanchuan gently set the food in his hands on the bedside cabinet.
He turned and sat on the edge of the bed, gathering a certain someone who was pretending to sleep into his arms.
"Not hungry?" A lingering hint of laughter remained in Pei Yanchuan's voice.
Xu Wang kept his eyes tightly shut and his mouth closed, saying nothing.
But his long-empty stomach was the first to burst into song between them.
"Grrr-"
The smile on Pei Yanchuan's