Hooked into a Grin

Lu Xingchen sat in a chair, admiring Huo Chuyun's narrow waist beneath his apron and breathing in the sweet aroma drifting from the kitchen.

It was Cola Chicken Wings.

Lu Xingchen held his belly and muttered, "Brother Chu, when can we eat?"

Huo Chuyun shot him an exasperated look. "Who was it who stayed in bed and wouldn't get up for breakfast?"

Lu Xingchen was just about to argue when Huo Chuyun brought him a bowl of Corn and Pork Rib Soup that had been simmering since morning.

Lu Xingchen immediately beamed. "Wow! Brother Chu, you're amazing. I haven't even tasted it, and the smell alone is making me drool."

Huo Chuyun was thoroughly pleased, but he kept a stern face so Lu Xingchen wouldn't stay in bed and skip breakfast again next time. "You and that silver tongue."

Lu Xingchen scooped up a spoonful of soup, blew on it, and slurped it down. It was so delicious that warmth spread through his whole body. Looking closer, he spotted an unopened delivery box by the door.

"Brother Chu, what's this?" Lu Xingchen picked up the box and examined the name.

Huo Chuyun froze for a moment before he remembered. He cleared his throat a few times, then said, "I bought it for you. Did you forget? I'm still mad."

Lu Xingchen ducked his head and muttered, "Still mad, but you're buying me presents. I think you spoil me too much."

But the moment he opened the package, Lu Xingchen was dumbfounded, staring at the few ragged scraps of fabric in his hands, along with a fox tail.

The tips of Lu Xingchen's ears flushed scarlet with embarrassment and indignation, and he shouted, "Huo Chuyun!"

Huo Chuyun hurried out with a spatula in hand, wrapped his arms around Lu Xingchen, and soothed him with practiced ease. "Baby, you said last night that you'd do anything as long as I stopped being mad... Did you forget?"

Lu Xingchen buried his face in Huo Chuyun's shoulder, recalling that he had indeed said that in a daze last night. Refusing to back down, he tugged on Huo Chuyun's collar, his foxlike eyes tilting slightly upward with a trace of captivating allure.

"Oh? I never said I wouldn't wear it. So, Mr. Huo, what position would you like tonight..."

With one hand around Lu Xingchen's waist, Huo Chuyun barely managed to turn his head away, breathing heavily. "Baby, don't tempt me. There's still food on the stove..."

Lu Xingchen leaned close to Huo Chuyun's ear, his breath sweet as he tempted him. "Wouldn't doing it in broad daylight be more exciting? How about we leave the curtains open and go out onto the balcony, hmm?"

"N-no!" Thinking of the food on the stove, Huo Chuyun gritted his teeth and gently pushed Lu Xingchen away, fleeing into the kitchen with hurried steps and the spatula clenched in his hand.

Lu Xingchen raised his fine brows slightly, his lips curling upward. Unable to hold back a laugh, he taunted toward the kitchen, "Huo Chuyun, you're still too green. You need more practice."

After they finished eating, Huo Chuyun had just put all the dishes in the dishwasher.

There was a knock at the door.

Busy cleaning the counter and unable to free his hands, Huo Chuyun called, "Baby, get the door."

Catching a stranger's scent, Xiao Huang got up from the sofa and followed Lu Xingchen to the door, barking a warning. "Woof, woof, woof! Woof, woof, woof!"

Lu Xingchen opened the door to find a fashionably dressed man with long red hair and immaculate makeup, followed by several assistants carrying equipment.

Keeping his hand on the doorknob, Lu Xingchen asked warily, "Who are you?"

At the sight of the strangers, Xiao Huang kept barking at them. "Woof, woof, woof, woof!"

The red-haired man looked at the young man before him with delighted surprise and exclaimed admiringly, "Wow! You're gorgeous. Huo Chuyun called me here to style you."

The red-haired man held out his hand. "Allow me to introduce myself. I'm Tony, a famous stylist in the Capital. The line of people waiting for my services stretches from the Capital to Paris. I don't come cheap."

"Of course, your husband offered so much that he's allowed to jump the queue."

The corner of Lu Xingchen's mouth twitched. He shook his hand and offered a brief greeting. "I'm Lu Xingchen."

Tony continued praising him without prompting. "Mmm, that name suits you perfectly. It's as though your beautiful eyes hold a whole universe of stars. Anyone could easily lose themselves in them. Unfortunately, I already have a husband."

Lu Xingchen dodged the hand Tony reached out to tilt his chin up with and said flatly, "Two bottoms won't get anywhere."

Tony kept teasing. "For you, I could be a top."

Lu Xingchen looked Tony's scrawny frame up and down and said mercilessly, "Your build doesn't do it for me. I like someone like Huo Chuyun."

Lu Xingchen stroked Xiao Huang's head reassuringly. Realizing this was someone he knew, Xiao Huang stopped barking, cast a wary look at the people outside, and stuck close to Lu Xingchen's feet.

Tony marched inside indignantly with his assistants. "Oh, darling, you're really crushing my confidence!"

Lu Xingchen glanced at the little heels on Tony's feet, estimating that he was only around 175 centimeters tall even in shoes, and continued his devastating assault. "Besides, at your height, unless you meet a bottom who likes short tops, you won't be topping anyone."

So angry that he kicked off his little heels and tossed them aside, Tony pointed at Lu Xingchen with an affectedly raised finger and complained to Huo Chuyun. "Keep your wife in line! I've never met a bottom with a sharper tongue. This is your type?"

Huo Chuyun, who was petting Tofu on the sofa, couldn't hold back his laughter either. "Hahahaha! Tony, stop asking to be humiliated. He's very sweet to me. He's the only type I like."

Tony told his assistants to set up the equipment, tossed his hair, and said resentfully, "Hmph! I'm so beautiful, yet you actually ignored me when I made a pass at you before!"

"Who knew you liked someone as striking and sharp-tongued as little Xingxing? Just look at yourself. Do you look anything like the head of the Capital's Number One Wealthy Family? A few words from little Xingxing have you hooked and grinning!"

Huo Chuyun froze for a moment, pointed at himself, and asked Lu Xingchen incredulously, "Am... am I really that bad?"

Laughing so hard his stomach hurt, Lu Xingchen nodded to show Tony was right. "Don't I always make you laugh with just a few words? He's not exaggerating at all."

Huo Chuyun immediately reined in his smile and rubbed Lu Xingchen's belly with his warm hand, saying worriedly, "You ate so fast just now, and now you can't stop laughing. Don't give yourself a stomachache."

Lu Xingchen leaned lightly against Huo Chuyun and narrowed his eyes comfortably like a cat. "Are we going to some banquet tonight? Why did you suddenly have someone come over to style me?"

Huo Chuyun explained, "You might have forgotten, but when you were about to fall asleep last night, you said you wanted to dye your hair. You said your hair hadn't been black before, and then you fell asleep."

Lu Xingchen thought for a moment, then looked up. "That probably was me, then. I used to have blue hair."

Tony had long since had his assistants set up the equipment and was only waiting for him. Finally losing patience, he said, "Have you two finished being lovey-dovey yet?"

Huo Chuyun reluctantly stroked Lu Xingchen's rounded earlobe. "Go on. I'll keep you company while I work in the living room."