Everything in the dream became clear.
If what had left the strongest impression on Wen He about Ji Chi in his earlier dreams was the few red strands mixed into his black hair and the blue diamond embedded in his earlobe, then in this dream, Ji Chi's features gradually became clear too, including the fine hairs on his face and the bulging veins in his neck, all exactly as they had been last night.
His head hazy and muddled, Wen He got up and slowly changed his clothes.
Wen He didn't have many clothes. It was the height of summer, so he casually picked out a white T-shirt in the same style as yesterday's but with a different print, along with a pair of casual white shorts, and went to the bathroom to wash up.
He had five shirts like this in his suitcase.
Five for 29.9 on Pinduoduo was a bargain to Wen He, and they were all pure cotton.
This was one of the few hidden-gem shops he had found.
The first-floor living room was empty just then. Wen He walked over to the refrigerator in the kitchen.
The refrigerator was still well stocked. He picked out a bottle of milk and poured it into the clear glass labeled with his name.
The internet said drinking milk in the morning was good for you. The doctor said so too.
He drank all the milk in one go, his soft red tongue remembering to lick the residue off his lips afterward.
At the entryway, Jiang Ye returned to the house in tight workout clothes, panting slightly.
As a lawyer, Jiang Ye held himself to fairly strict standards.
He worked out.
Not for any other reason. As a lawyer, he was bound to encounter some strange people, so he needed some ability to protect himself.
Though this was a society governed by law, there was no guarantee someone wouldn't throw a sack over his head one night, dump him in an alley, and beat him up.
"Morning."
Wen He turned around, the tuft of hair sticking up from his head bobbing with the movement.
"Good morning."
Instead of going upstairs to shower, Jiang Ye walked over to Wen He. A strong wave of hormones washed over him after Jiang Ye's morning workout, and Wen He, unaccustomed to it, took a step back.
He didn't smell as nice as yesterday...
Jiang Ye took four slices of bread out of the refrigerator and turned to Wen He.
"Want some?"
"Mm... Thank you."
Jiang Ye sent him off to the living room sofa, then set about preparing the bread, washing Wen He's empty glass along the way.
Every movement was so unhurried.
Wen He stood where he was, wanting to go over and help, but remembering what Jiang Ye had just said, he stayed back and scrolled through WeChat, waiting for a reply from his client instead.
[Lawyer Jiang looks like he has such a great body... Slurp, slurp.]
[What does the production team mean by blurring it out?]
[Hellooo~~ Could you remove the mosaic for me~ Pretty please~]
[If it needs to be blurred, I don't need to say any more, do I... Hehehe.]
[I never expected Lawyer Jiang to have such husband vibes... I love guys like this.]
[Who wouldn't... Xiao He is so cute too~]
[Is this my reward for waking up early?]
"Wait a few minutes. Once you hear a beep, it'll be ready to eat. I'm going upstairs to shower."
After giving Wen He those instructions, Jiang Ye headed upstairs to wash up.
The sweat from his morning workout was sticky, and he wasn't feeling too comfortable himself.
Wen He sat obediently on the sofa and nodded at him.
"Okay."
So well-behaved...
Jiang Ye raised a hand to straighten his glasses, hid the emotion in his eyes, and went upstairs.
Only once his figure had disappeared did Wen He get up and walk into the kitchen, his eyes fixed on the timer on the breakfast maker.
He didn't know how to use it... He didn't have the money to buy such a fancy breakfast maker, and more importantly, there was no need to spend money on something like that.
That was why he had accepted Jiang Ye's help.
Ding-
The timer went off. Wen He opened the breakfast maker. Inside was a toasted sandwich with a crisp, browned exterior, the aroma of wheat filling the air.
He took out one portion and placed it on the plate Jiang Ye had prepared. Even the glass labeled with Wen He's name had been filled right back up with milk.
Lawyer Jiang is a good person.
Wen He's assessment was that he was a good person. To repay him for making breakfast, Wen He took it upon himself to fill Jiang Ye's glass to the brim with milk too.
The toasted sandwich had been cut open, revealing a runny fried egg nestled inside, and Wen He arranged it neatly on the dining table.
Wen He took his own portion and began eating.
Delicious... Lawyer Jiang is a very good cook.
But I've already had a glass of milk today.
Oh well, I'll have another.
Jiang Ye showered quickly. By the time he came downstairs, he had changed out of his workout clothes into a white shirt and black suit trousers, paired with gold-rimmed glasses. The biggest difference from yesterday, however, was that he hadn't waxed his hair, leaving it lying smoothly on his head.
He looked more approachable.
When he came downstairs, Wen He was eating his last mouthful, his little cheeks puffing in and out...
So cute.
He walked over to the dining table. A cut toasted sandwich and a glass of plain milk had already been set on the marble surface.
Jiang Ye didn't drink milk. He preferred coffee.
Still, he finished the milk Wen He had prepared.
"Thank you. The milk was lovely."
It was mild, without any sweetness.
Wen He looked up at him, swallowed the food in his mouth, and took another sip of milk before slowly replying.
"You're welcome. I should be thanking you."
"Mm."
Smiling, Jiang Ye sat down beside Wen He and began eating breakfast.
Wen He didn't leave, but stayed seated and waited.
He felt that since he had eaten the breakfast Jiang Ye made, he ought to wash the dishes.
[These two are so cozy together...]
[Waaah, it would be nice if time stopped right at this second!]
[I ship it so hard. Slurp, slurp, slurp.]
[Who understands the joy of waking up early~]
[Let's get the Ye-He ship going~~]
Dun-dun-
A message arrived on his phone. Wen He initially thought a customer had sent him their requirements.
Brother Ji: I want toast and milk too
Brother Ji: [Angry bear sticker]
Wen He stared at the contents of his phone screen, a little bewildered...
Who is this?
He didn't remember adding this customer, let alone saving him as Brother Ji.
But the other person's words reminded Wen He of something. He looked up and saw Ji Chi standing in his pajamas at the far end of the hallway.
The shadows in the hallway obscured his face, making his expression impossible to discern, but the blue diamond in his earlobe shone in the darkness.
Wen He slowly changed the other person's contact name to.
"Ji Chi"
"Ji Chi Is Annoying"
He He He: I didn't make it. Lawyer Jiang did
Ji Chi Is Annoying: I don't care. I want some too!
Ji Chi Is Annoying: [Throwing a tantrum sticker]
Wen He frowned slightly and sighed. He thought the other man was being a little unreasonable.
He He He: I don't know how to use that breakfast maker...
Ji Chi Is Annoying: Then I want milk!
Wen He looked up at Ji Chi, who remained motionless by the stairs in the hallway, his fingertips moving rapidly.
Dun-dun-dun-
Wen He's phone kept ringing. Jiang Ye glanced over from beside him.
"Xiao He, your phone is ringing."
Wen He hurriedly silenced the ringtone, switched it to vibrate, and stuffed it into his trouser pocket.
Then he got up and went to the kitchen. He took a jug of milk out of the refrigerator, took out Ji Chi's glass, filled it to the brim, and brought it to the dining table.
At that, the phone in Wen He's pocket stopped vibrating.
He took out his phone and placed it on the table. His left thigh felt a little numb... from the message vibrations just now.
He reached down and gently rubbed the numb side of his thigh, even his fingertips feeling a little numb.
Following Wen He's movements with his gaze, Jiang Ye noticed the glass of milk that belonged to neither of them, yet had been placed between them.