After My Childhood Friend Misunderstood That I Had a Boyfriend - Chapter 28

Chapter 28: His legs were pushed so far apart they couldn’t close

The performance lasted for half an hour. The trail of the final firework faded into the night sky, and the heavens returned to tranquility. Tonight, the stars were sparse, and the moon was exceptionally round.

When Zhou Yuan returned and saw the two of them huddled together eating cake, the memory of the earlier ambiguity hidden in the corner involuntarily surfaced in her mind. A faint sense of “hardship” welled up in her heart.

What do they take my birthday party for?!

Forget it, forget it as long as they’re happy. Zhou Yuan smoothed her dress, checked her makeup one last time, and began ushering people: “Let’s take a group photo now!”

“A group photo?” Chu Xi put down his fork. The sweet taste of the cake still lingered on his taste buds. Speaking of which, Zhou Jinyan had sucked quite hard when he kissed him just now; he wondered if people could tell he had just been kissed.

Seeing Chu Xi frowning, Zhou Jinyan asked in a low voice, “What’s wrong?”

Chu Xi: “My mouth…”

Zhou Jinyan stared at his rosy lips: “There’s no cream on them, baby.”

“That’s not what I’m worried about.” Chu Xi opened his camera and used the front-facing lens to check for any abnormalities. “You kissed so hard just now. What if people can tell?”

If people saw, he would die of embarrassment! He wouldn’t be able to show his face.

Chu Xi’s lips had a distinct philtrum, and both the upper and lower lips were full and soft. Having just traced them himself, Zhou Jinyan stared for a moment and agreed they were indeed a bit poutier than usual.

Chu Xi clearly noticed too. He looked up and glared at Zhou Jinyan, venting his frustration: “It’s all your fault.”

“It’s not obvious, baby,” Zhou Jinyan coaxed him, his eyes rippling with a smile. He leaned into Chu Xi’s ear and whispered, “I’ll be gentler next time.”

!! Chu Xi was shocked. There’s going to be a next time? He hadn’t realized before that Zhou Jinyan was so good at “taking an inch when given a mile.”

Chu Xi began settling old scores; he still remembered Zhou Jinyan calling him “clumsy” earlier!

“I don’t know how to breathe, so there won’t be a next time,” Chu Xi huffed, bringing up the old grudge. He stood up and ignored Zhou Jinyan. “Let’s go, time for the photo.”

Zhou Yuan had invited many friends, and it took ten minutes just to arrange everyone’s positions. Standing in the center (C-position), she saw Chu Xi and Zhou Jinyan approaching and quickly waved them over: “Brother! Sister-in-law! Stand here next to me!”

She pointed to her left and right. Once everyone was settled, the photographer gave a signal and pressed the shutter. Click— and that moment was frozen in time.

The photographer developed the photos, one for each person. When Chu Xi looked at his copy, he saw himself and Zhou Jinyan flanking Zhou Yuan. The positioning, the relationship…

Chu Xi sighed as he looked at the photo: “It really feels like we’re family.”

He turned his head to find Zhou Jinyan: “Don’t you think huh?”

Zhou Jinyan suddenly wrapped his arms around him from behind. His broad palms circled Chu Xi’s waist, and his hot body heat pressed against Chu Xi’s back. Chu Xi could even feel the rhythm of the heart beating behind that chest.

Zhou Jinyan was too tall; his chin rested slightly against the side of Chu Xi’s ear. In such an intimate posture, his breath drifted over Chu Xi’s earlobe and hair, making his heart itch. The words the man spoke were just as ambiguous as the heated atmosphere.

Zhou Jinyan completely encircled Chu Xi in his arms: “You are my boyfriend and her sister-in-law. It’s not a ‘feeling’ of being family; you are her family.”

Chu Xi’s heart fluttered wildly at this declaration. His voice turned thin and soft as he whispered, “We’re still outside…”

Zhou Jinyan’s voice instantly turned disappointed: “Can’t I have a hug?”

“You can.” Chu Xi admitted he loved being completely encircled in Zhou Jinyan’s arms; this sense of security was something he grew attached to. “You can hug… but this isn’t good for our public image.”

Zhou Jinyan tilted his head slightly. First his lips, then the bridge of his nose and eyelashes brushed lightly against Chu Xi’s earlobe. Chu Xi shuddered at the sensation. Suddenly, a weight settled on his shoulder as Zhou Jinyan’s chin came to rest there.

Zhou Jinyan turned his head slightly, burying his face deep into the crook of Chu Xi’s neck: “Just for a little while.”

As Zhou Jinyan held him quietly, Chu Xi looked down and reached out to cover the hands around his waist. His smooth palm rested on the back of Zhou Jinyan’s hand. In comparison, Chu Xi realized the man’s hands were a full size larger than his own.

The night breeze was originally cool, but his neck was being invaded by scalding breath. Chu Xi had never realized a person’s breath could be so hot—like lava flowing over snow.

Zhou Jinyan is so clingy.

How had he never noticed this side of him before? Chu Xi now had the illusion that Zhou Jinyan was more of a “clingy spirit” than he was.

Chu Xi poked the back of Zhou Jinyan’s hand: “I want to go home, it’s late.”

“Mm. Let’s go inside then,” Zhou Jinyan said in a casual tone. “Family.”

Chu Xi was getting overwhelmed by the flirting: “You know that’s not what I meant—”

He meant he wanted to go back to his own house!

The arm around Chu Xi’s waist tightened. Zhou Jinyan looked up and rubbed his cheek against Chu Xi’s: “I want you to stay over. Stay in my room, okay baby?”

The warm breath brushed over Chu Xi’s long eyelashes, like a demon whispering a temptation: “Doesn’t baby want to see my room?”

Thump.

Chu Xi heard his heart skip a heavy beat. He was shamefully tempted.

Seeing the place where his boyfriend lived! He had never seen the elementary, middle, or high school version of Zhou Jinyan. However, Chu Xi believed that during his student days, Zhou Jinyan must have been a particularly cold, “cool guy” top student.

What a pity. If only they had met sooner.

If he had met Zhou Jinyan back then, he probably would have fallen in love at first sight anyway. But he was too cowardly; he would have just crushed on him silently. Whether they were in the same class or not, he probably would have found every excuse just to catch a glimpse of him and be satisfied with that.

Chu Xi suppressed the restlessness in his heart and replied with a reserved, slightly reluctant tone: “Fine.”

“It would be very late by the time I got home anyway,” Chu Xi said, his cheek itching from the stray hairs of the other man. “Staying here for the night is fine.”

“Baby.” Zhou Jinyan released the hug, but his hand moved from the waist to clasp Chu Xi’s hand. His broad palm almost completely enveloped the other’s. “Then let’s go home.”

The night breeze lifted Chu Xi’s hair, and the youth’s clear voice melted into the gentle wind: “Okay.”

Zhou Jinyan’s bedroom was on the third floor; he occupied the entire level. Besides the master bedroom, the other rooms were a study, a gym, and a walk-in closet.

“Don’t be nervous, baby.” Zhou Jinyan held his hand, fingers intertwined and gripping tightly with an irresistible force. He rubbed Chu Xi’s fingertip: “Baby, do you want to go straight to the master bedroom?”

The way his fingertip was teased felt suggestive. Even a normal question felt laden with desire to Chu Xi.

Although they would end up sleeping there eventually, they had only officially established their relationship recently! They hadn’t even spent one night together yet; this progress felt too fast.

“No, no.” Chu Xi shook his head. His ears, hidden behind his hair, turned a shade of red deeper than the strawberries on tonight’s cake. “Let’s go to the study first.”

Zhou Jinyan moved gently, leading Chu Xi toward the study: “Alright.”

The black walnut door was pushed inward. A wall-to-wall bookshelf reached nearly to the ceiling, packed with books. At a glance, Chu Xi could only vaguely distinguish English titles.

Everything on the desk was arranged with extreme precision. A globe sat on the mahogany surface. Chu Xi scanned the room, his eyes finally landing on the piano on the other side.

Chu Xi walked over and pressed a random key. As the “re” note sounded, he asked, “You play the piano?”

“Mm.” Zhou Jinyan pulled out a chair. After sitting down, he took Chu Xi’s hand and gave a slight tug. Unprepared, Chu Xi was pulled into his arms and settled firmly into his lap.

Zhou Jinyan rested his chin on Chu Xi’s shoulder: “What do you want me to play, baby?”

They were too close practically pressed together. Chu Xi felt that, despite their clothes, his inner thighs were pressed tightly against Zhou Jinyan’s thighs. He could feel the body heat beneath him. He didn’t even dare to move; any slight shift felt like he was intentionally rubbing against the man.

Seeing that Chu Xi didn’t respond, Zhou Jinyan raised an eyebrow: “Baby?”

Chu Xi snapped out of it: “Huh? What?”

Chu Xi felt strange. In this position, his legs couldn’t close at all. If the man made the slightest move, he would push his legs further apart. The strange, itchy contact left him unable to think straight: “Any—anything is fine!”

Zhou Jinyan eventually played a confession song. As he played, he hummed softly in Chu Xi’s ear. Every time the lyrics “I like you” came up, he would mischievously whisper the words right against Chu Xi’s ear.

As the final note faded, Chu Xi’s ears felt numb. The man chuckled and repeated his trick: “I really like you, baby.”

Chu Xi didn’t know how to handle this. He replied unsteadily and unsuccessfully: “I… I know! Stop saying it.”

Zhou Jinyan squeezed Chu Xi’s hand: “Does baby like me?”

Did he even need to ask? Chu Xi’s fingertips curled. Just as he squeezed out a single word, he realized his voice was shaking violently. He instinctively bit his lip, trying to calm down before speaking, only to hear the man behind him chuckle. Before he could react, a gentle kiss fell upon him.

Chu Xi’s suspended fingers curled, as if trying to grab onto something, but ultimately found nothing and fell weakly. The next moment, a pleasant “mi” note echoed through the heated space.

In the gaps where he managed to break away for air, Chu Xi’s long eyelashes trembled from the intensity of the kisses. Hot breath hit his cheek: “Wu…”

After kissing for a while, Chu Xi slumped weakly in Zhou Jinyan’s arms, panting as he thought: This is too much! How can he just kiss me whenever and wherever he wants!

And their posture was terrible! Chu Xi suddenly acted “tough,” pushing Zhou Jinyan away to leave his lap: “No more, no more. It’s really late. Let’s shower and go to bed.”

Zhou Jinyan raised an eyebrow, about to say “Go ahead,” when Chu Xi turned back and emphasized: “I’m showering alone!”

Zhou Jinyan was amused to the point of laughter.

He hadn’t even had the thought of helping Chu Xi shower, but now that it was mentioned, the idea suddenly circled in his mind. Chu Xi was truly scared by the kissing; he ran off before Zhou Jinyan could say a word.

Chu Xi grabbed one of Zhou Jinyan’s shirts to use as makeshift pajamas. After finishing his shower, he collapsed onto the bed in the master bedroom. After lying there for a bit, he rolled over and got up, intending to call for Zhou Jinyan.

As he stood up, his gaze fell upon a small brown bear sitting at the head of the bed.

It looked so familiar.

He had one exactly like it.