Chapter 9

After they finished eating, Yan Mingxiu continued to watch TV, while Zhou Xiang tidied up the kitchen.
After he finished, he brought out desserts and tea. He hadn’t entertained guests in his house for a long time. He rarely brought people home and even if he did bring someone back, they would usually start having sex as soon as they entered the house, and definitely wouldn't have time to sit down to drink tea and chat.
Although it was a pity that they couldn't accomplish their goal, sitting and chatting together with Yan Mingxiu in this sort of rainy night was pretty romantic, so Zhou Xiang was in a pretty good mood.
Zhou Xiang chatted with Yan Mingxiu, asking him stuff like what he was doing right now. Yan Mingxiu started school at a relatively early age. He was only twenty this year but had already graduated from university, and had come back to China to work. Yan Mingxiu didn't reveal a lot of information about himself, but Zhou Xiang listened with great interest. The two of them chatted for a long time. Zhou Xiang was a rather humorous and witty person, and knew what to say and what not to say. In the end, Yan Mingxiu was clearly not as cautious as he was in the beginning and would even occasionally reveal a smile that made Zhou Xiang’s little heart skip a beat.
Seeing him like that, Zhou Xiang’s heart couldn’t help but race. He hadn't experienced this kind of feeling for a long time.
Time passed very quickly. In a blink of an eye, it was already past ten o’clock. Yan Mingxiu yawned. A wave of fatigue also swept over Zhou Xiang. Both of them were exhausted from today’s activities.
Zhou Xiang laughed. “You must be tired out from chatting with me for so long. Go have a shower, and then go to sleep.”
Yan Mingxiu entered the bathroom to have a shower. When he came out of the bathroom, Zhou Xiang was watering his flowers. As soon as he turned around, he saw Yan Mingxiu wearing a pair of baggy pyjamas and shorts. He looked fresh and full of life, and especially alluring.
The two of them looked at each other. They both felt something, but remembering the awkwardness a few hours ago, neither made any further move. Zhou Xiang pointed to the bedroom. “I found a clean blanket. You'll have to bear with sleeping with me tonight, my guest room hasn't been cleaned for a quite a while, it’s uninhabitable.”
Yan Mingxiu nodded, turned and entered the bedroom.
After Zhou Xiang finished bathing, Yan Mingxiu seemed to have already fallen asleep. He quietly walked into the bedroom and heard Yan Mingxiu's even breathing. He moved closer and saw that, sure enough, Yan Mingxiu had fallen asleep from exhaustion. His long lashes cast a circular shadow on the curve of his eyes. His straight nose and line of his lips made his profile look like absolute perfection. Even just looking at it moved Zhou Xiang's heart beyond imagination.
Zhou Xiang thought of himself as someone who didn't judge people by appearances. However, he had no choice but to admit that most people in the guy community were shallow. Males paid more attention to their visual sexual appeal than females. The community chose based on who was handsome, who had a good figure, and who's 'plaything' was big. They could take off their pants and do it in their first meeting if they liked the look of each other. Who had the time to study a person's inner beauty? With looks like Yan Mingxiu's, it was hard for Zhou Xiang not to be attracted to him.
Nothing happened today. Zhou Xiang started feeling a bit regretful so he stooped down and secretly kissed the side of Yan Mingxiu's face. Only after that did he climb onto the bed and lie down beside him to sleep.
After Zhou Xiang lay down, Yan Mingxiu softly opened his eyes. An unreadable light flickered in his eyes.
As Yan Mingxiu had taken a long distance flight, he was truly too tired. By the time he woke up, it was already past two in the afternoon. When he woke up he felt very dazed, and for a moment had no idea where he was.
He shook his head, and retrieved his memories. He was in the house of someone he had only known for one day, and almost had sex with him.
In the past, when Yan Mingxiu had sex, he would never go to the other person’s house, and bringing them into his own home was even more out of the question. He didn't know what was up with himself yesterday; he actually went home with Zhou Xiang without any mental resistance. He couldn't get rid of that image of Zhou Xiang's back when he was cooking for him from his mind.
He blankly shot a glance at the empty sheets beside him. A peculiar unfamiliar feeling swept over him, but it also caused him to fall into a reverie of wild and fanciful thoughts.
At this precise moment, Zhou Xiang walked in. Upon seeing that he was awake, he raised an eyebrow. “You sure slept soundly. You were out for fourteen hours.”
Yan Mingxiu's voice was a bit husky. He said in a low voice. “I just got off the plane. I hadn't slept for more than twenty hours.”
Zhou Xiang smiled. “I've prepared a new toothbrush and towel for you. Go wash your face and brush your teeth, and then come out to eat. I'll heat the food up for you again.”
Yan Mingxiu's head was dizzy from sleeping too much. He wobbled into the bathroom. The new toothbrush and facecloth were already on the sink ready for him to use. Yan Mingxiu smiled mockingly; this sight was like he was going start to living here.
He finished washing up and walked out of the bathroom. The fragrant food smell had already rushed into his nostrils. He had lived alone all those many years he was overseas. Being able to have breakfast prepared for him the moment he woke up truly wasn't a bad feeling.
Zhou Xiang pulled out a chair. “Hurry and come to eat. You must be starving.”
Yan Mingxiu nodded, and stretched. “I truly never thought that I'd sleep for so long.”
Zhou Xiang sat down next to him, watching him eat, and asked, “Do you need to go home today? I'll give you a ride back.”
“No need, the rain's stopped. I can catch a taxi back.”
“No need to be polite. It’s my day off today.”
“There's no need.” Yan Mingxiu said, emphasising his tone.
With no other choice, Zhou Xiang relented, “Alright, it's usually easy to catch a taxi around here.”
After Yan Mingxiu finished eating, he turned on his phone. It noisily notified that he had received a large number of texts, most of which were from his sister. He was a little annoyed. He thought for a moment, and then dialled back.
“Hello? Mingxiu? What happened? Why'd you turn off your phone?”
“No power.”
“Couldn't you have charged in the hotel? Which hotel are you at? If you can’t come home because of the rain I can go and pick you up.”
“No need. The rain was too heavy yesterday. I'll go home now.”
“Where are you? Sis will come and pick you up.”
“Don’t. I've already called for a taxi.”
“What's wrong? You sound so lifeless, have you caught a cold?”
Yan Mingxiu didn't know what was wrong with himself either. Right now, he felt annoyed whenever he heard his sister's voice, and really wanted to hang up. He held back his temper and said, “No, I haven't. I'll go back myself, you don't need worry.”
Yan Mingxiu hung up the phone, and let out an almost undetectable sigh.
Zhou Xiang was sitting on the sofa. He asked with a smile, “You're gonna go now?”
“Hm.” Yan Mingxiu nodded.
“Leave your number, okay?”
Yan Mingxiu walked over, bent over, took the phone in Zhou Xiang's hand, and pressed in his own number.
After he finished entering his number, he gave the phone back to Zhou Xiang. Zhou Xiang hooked his arms around Yan Mingxiu's neck, and pursed his lips into a smile. “Can we still meet again?”
Yan Mingxiu narrowed his eyes. His clean and fresh breath fanned against Zhou Xiang's face. “If you're willing to let me top you.”
Zhou Xiang said, grinning, "That's not a big problem, but, do you have experience? I'm a physical labourer, I'm not allowed to be injured."
Yan Mingxiu smiled. “You'll find out if you try.”
Zhou Xiang lightly pecked his lips. “Why don’t you stay today?”
Yan Mingxiu stood up. “I need to report back home today. Maybe some other time.”
Disappointment appeared in Zhou Xiang's eyes. “Let's go, I see you off downstairs.” He had never been so attentive to any sex-friend.
Zhou Xiang saw Yan Mingxiu off on a taxi before reluctantly returning home. He fiddled with his phone, staring at that series of numbers and started imagining his next meeting with Yan Mingxiu in his head.