Li Shu had come down with elementary-school field-trip syndrome and hadn't managed to sleep at all the night before they left.
When Pei Song'an woke up that morning, he discovered that Li Shu had been messaging him on WeChat like an hourly time signal, asking whether he was asleep once every hour. The messages stopped at four in the morning.
And it was now seven thirty.
Sitting in bed, Pei Song'an briefly considered postponing their departure until tomorrow. Just as he was thinking that, he heard someone entering the door code outside, followed by the front door opening.
"Pei Song'an! Quick, quick, quick! Get up now and you'll beat 99% of the lazy pigs in the country!"
Pei Song'an hadn't gone home last night, staying at the rented apartment with Zhaocai instead. Li Shu had said he wanted to spend some more time with Ms. Su before their trip, so he had dutifully gone home last night and packed the clothes he would be taking along.
Li Shu couldn't possibly wait for Pei Song'an to finish washing up and come out. He charged into the bedroom with Zhaocai.
As Li Shu's slender, handsome figure came hurtling toward him, Pei Song'an caught a glimpse of his pale, clean waist. Had that flash of white lingered a little longer, a faint bite mark on the side of his waist would have been clearly visible.
He raised a hand to stop Zhaocai. Understanding the gesture, Zhaocai obediently sat at the bedroom door, tilting his head with his little tongue out, and barked at Li Xiaoshu, who had charged inside without a care.
Shu, Shu! Why did you go in?
Pei Song'an said no dogs allowed!
Copying the way Ms. Su woke him up, Li Shu went over and pulled the curtains open. Then,