He couldn't very well push him away again.
The heavy rain had brought the temperature down across Chongshan Island.
When they first went to bed, Shen Xingcan had held Xie Linchuan in a very friendly embrace. After falling asleep, he let go, but in the latter half of the night, the temperature had him trying to burrow into Xie Linchuan's arms again.
Xie Linchuan tried pushing him away several times, but that only made Shen Xingcan cling harder. It was overbearing, and very Shen Xingcan.
In the end, he could only helplessly let Shen Xingcan have his way.
Washed clean by a night of torrential rain, the sky was especially blue. Sunlight streamed through the glass window onto the two sleeping in each other's arms, making everything peaceful and beautiful.
Xie Linchuan opened his eyes and looked at the person sleeping soundly against his chest.
His long black hair was a little tousled from tossing in his sleep. His long lashes rested low, the corners of his eyes tinged a soft pink from deep sleep, and the tip of his nose faintly red. His beauty was understated yet enticing.
The buttons down his front seemed to have fallen apart as Shen Xingcan slept, leaving only the two in the middle struggling to hold on.
The upper half gaped below his collarbones, slipping loosely to either side. His delicate, deeply defined collarbones rose and fell gently with his even breathing, while below, his soft, slender waist showed intermittently in the morning light.
Shen Xingcan slept languidly, utterly unguarded, completely unaware of just how enticing he looked in his sleep.
Xie Linchuan's Adam's apple bobbed involuntarily, and his breathing abruptly deepened. His fingertips itched almost instinctively to touch those faintly pink cheeks.
But reason made him withdraw his arm with the utmost care instead, then leave the cabin without another sound.
The air after the rain still held a chill, but it did an excellent job of easing Xie Linchuan's restlessness.
The campsite was quiet. It wasn't hard to tell that everyone was resting.
Six in the morning.
Fully dressed, Song Tiantian gave the camera a mysterious smile. "The guests should still be asleep. We're going to wake them up now. Which guest do you most want to wake up?"
[Yes, yes, yes! Check on Shen Xingcan and Xie Linchuan first!]
[Jiang Yifeng works too. I saw one corner of his tent collapse on camera last night! Hahahahaha!]
[Although I really want to see Shen Xingcan and Xie Linchuan too, I think we'd better leave those two alone. What if we see something we shouldn't? That would be bad.]
[Could those two have gone wild and done it until they forgot the whole world?]
But what the viewers imagined was certainly impossible. When Song Tiantian arrived, she happened to run into Xie Linchuan returning from a jog.
Song Tiantian was surprised. "Why are you up so early, Brother Linchuan? Couldn't sleep in a different place?"
Xie Linchuan said, "Mm."
"So that's why. Looks like we can only wake Shen Xingcan, then."
[Couldn't sleep in a different place, my ass. He obviously couldn't sleep because his sweet, soft wife was tempting him.]
[Men are already easily aroused in the morning, and then there's his pretty wife right in his arms... being able to look and touch but not eat is pretty miserable.]
[These ship fans are beyond saving. The guy simply couldn't sleep, and you manage to imagine all this.]
Hearing Song Tiantian, Xie Linchuan thought of how Shen Xingcan had looked earlier and said, "The cabin's a little messy. I need to tidy up first."
Song Tiantian nodded. "Sure."
Although the show was a reality show that emphasized authenticity, they couldn't deny the guests every last bit of privacy.
Inside the cabin, Shen Xingcan still lay with his clothes wide open, sleeping as soundly as before. In the sunlight, he looked like a languid, regal ragdoll cat.
Xie Linchuan stepped forward and reached out to button Shen Xingcan's open clothes. The moment he touched a button, his fingers paused.
The button in his hand had to be adjusted to a particular position before it could be fastened. Naturally, that meant these buttons couldn't be forced open, much less come undone just from sleeping.
Xie Linchuan paused for several seconds before moving again.
But perhaps those unusual buttons had caught his interest, because Xie Linchuan buttoned Shen Xingcan up all the way to the top.
In his sleep, Shen Xingcan felt himself suffocating, as though some python had coiled tightly around his neck.
"All done."
With permission granted, Song Tiantian walked straight into the cabin with the livestreaming equipment.
The cabin wasn't large, so the moment Song Tiantian stepped inside, the viewers saw Shen Xingcan still lying in bed through the camera.
[Sleeping beauty.]
[Aren't those buttons done up a little too high? Why treat us like strangers?]
[Isn't that uncomfortable? Just looking at it is making my neck physically uncomfortable.]
Song Tiantian called, "Xingcan, time to get up! It's day two!"
The suffocating feeling and the noise beside his ear made Shen Xingcan open his sleepy eyes in confusion and sit up.
The young man's peach blossom eyes were still misty as he opened them, his beautiful face carrying a trace of just-awakened bewilderment, like a pretty cat roused from a lovely dream.
[Aaaah, who could resist that little face?]
[Xie Linchuan, you're still not making a move? Hurry up and kiss him senseless!]
His neck felt a little uncomfortable. Shen Xingcan instinctively reached up to touch it, only to discover that the buttons he had secretly undone in the night had somehow all been fastened again.
And they were buttoned right to the top. Any farther and his head would have been wrapped up too!
There was simply no one other than Xie Linchuan who would do something like this.
Even if a beautiful man stripped naked in front of me, Xie Linchuan, I'd only ask whether he was cold, because I, Xie Linchuan, am straight!
As Shen Xingcan freed his neck, he protested, "Why did you mess with my clothes?"
Xie Linchuan said, "I don't want the livestream getting caught in an anti-pornography crackdown because you're improperly dressed."
Shen Xingcan muttered, "You didn't have to wrap me up this tightly. Couldn't you just put the buttons back the way they were before I went to sleep? I'm about to suffocate to death."
Xie Linchuan asked, "Is there a difference?"
Shen Xingcan said, "Of course there is! I had five buttons done up before bed. Later, I deliberately undid three so I could sleep comfortably. That's a whole three-button difference!"
With five buttons fastened, Shen Xingcan was a perfectly respectable superstar. With two, he was a superstar harboring ulterior motives.
To sleep comfortably?
[So Film Emperor Xie was the one who buttoned Xingcan up! Done up that tightly-terrified we'll see even a little of your wife, huh?]
[Why do I feel like Shen Xingcan is lying? His eyes look a little guilty...]
[Question: why exactly did Shen Xingcan end up with only two buttons fastened in his sleep? One, to sleep comfortably. Two, to deliberately seduce his husband.]
[Why seduce his husband? Why not his wife? Our Cancan is pretty top-like too.]
[Remember, in a world with two male leads, any kind of top is possible except a short top!]
[A short top, hahaha! What a vicious description. Watch out, Shen Xingcan might assassinate you.]
Song Tiantian said, "We'll meet at the campsite entrance before eight and head to the mango orchard, so you two need to have everything ready before then. I'm off to wake the other guests now."
After seeing Song Tiantian off, Shen Xingcan picked up the wet clothes he and Xie Linchuan had taken off yesterday from the corner of the cabin.
Shen Xingcan said, "Let's split up. You cook at home, and I'll go to the rest area to wash up and change. Once I'm back, you can go wash up. That'll save us more time."
With that, without waiting for Xie Linchuan's response, Shen Xingcan walked straight out of the cabin carrying the bundle of still-sopping clothes.
On the way, Shen Xingcan also paid a friendly condolence visit to Jiang Yifeng's collapsed tent.
Sounding thoroughly punchable, Shen Xingcan sighed. "Sleeping in the cabin was so nice. Not exciting at all. I really envy you guys."
Jiang Yifeng's face contorted. "Aaaah, I'm going to beat you to death! Even if our youngest protects you, I'm still going to beat you to death!"
Shen Xingcan looked at Jiang Yifeng pityingly. "Wake up. Xie Linchuan could take three of you."
Jiang Yifeng raged helplessly. "Aaaah, damn you, Shen Xingcan!"
[Whoever first characterized Shen Xingcan as a cat was a genius. That little bratty attitude is so catlike.]
[Hahaha, we've achieved a world where only Jiang Yifeng gets hurt.]
[Speaking of which, could some director invite everyone from the TS Boy Band to film a variety show?]
[Actually, the director of A Fruit could try a little harder. You've already invited three. What's another two?]
[I just remembered Xie Linchuan's and Shen Xingcan's birthdays are coming up soon. Those three won't have to eat cake twice this year, hahaha.]
After provoking Jiang Yifeng, Shen Xingcan went to the rest area. With yesterday's experience under his belt, he redeemed only fifteen minutes.
Fifteen minutes later, a neatly groomed Shen Xingcan appeared outside the rest area, carrying the now-dry clothes.
Before he reached the little courtyard he shared with Xie Linchuan, Shen Xingcan saw wisps of smoke rising above it.
Shen Xingcan swept his gaze around, then changed direction. Three minutes later, he reappeared with a bunch of brightly colored little flowers.
Inside the little courtyard, the distinctive fragrance of rice porridge spread from the steadily bubbling pot.
The handsome man sat beside the pot, some of his coldness inexplicably softened.
Shen Xingcan put the clothes back in the cabin, then held the wildflowers, still beaded with dew, in front of Xie Linchuan and said with a beaming smile, "Beautiful prince, the sight of you fills my heart with joy. Would you accept my flowers?"
Xie Linchuan glanced at the bouquet before him. "You're so practiced at this. Shen Xingcan, how many other princes and princesses have you given flowers to?"
Shen Xingcan gazed at him tenderly. "Quite a few, but I paid for all those flowers. This is the only bouquet this crown prince picked himself. It's a special privilege reserved exclusively for the crown princess!"
Xie Linchuan said, "So I should feel honored?"
Shen Xingcan gave a haughty little nod. "Of course. Crown Prince Shen picked these himself. Go on, accept them, crown princess."
Xie Linchuan remained unmoved. "No."
Shen Xingcan flew into a rage. "How dare you, Xie Linchuan! I'm the crown prince. You're taking these flowers whether you want them or not!"