Chapter 43: Valentine’s Day special

Translated by Rikko of Exiled Rebels Scanlations

Note: This happens during XiaYao’s past life. The main story continues in the next chapter.

When ZhouDu got off the plane, it was already about to be 5:10pm. He carried his sling bag and followed the crowd out of the airport. A hint of anxiousness was evident in his angled brows as they formed a slight crease. His initial plan was to arrive at M City by 3 pm, but who would have thought the damned plane was a bit delayed. It seemed like ZhouDu was too late to have dinner with XiaYao.

The restaurant reservation was for 6 pm. ZhouDu kept lifting his hand to take note of the time. Once out of the airport, he hailed a taxi right away and told the driver the location of XiaYao’s university. It was Valentine’s Day today; he flew all the way here just to celebrate it with XiaYao.

ZhouDu didn’t know what had gotten into him either. Even if they wanted to celebrate festivities together, XiaYao should be the one going to him, since it was him who insisted on having a relationship with him. However, XiaYao didn’t even express a single interest in anything related to Valentine’s Day the whole day yesterday. Hence ZhouDu acted on impulse and bought a ticket to the city XiaYao was in straight away, even booking a restaurant while he was at it. Of course, he spent quite some time and looked for quite a while for the booking he did in passing. After all, the restaurant was already fully booked on Valentine’s Day.

While peering out of the taxi window, ZhouDu noticed pairs and pairs of couples strolling through the streets hand in hand. He stared at those people for a while, before lowering his head to glance at his hand phone.

[Are you at school?] He sent a message to XiaYao.

Not long after, XiaYao’s reply was received. [Yes.]

ZhouDu couldn’t help himself from rushing the taxi driver, “Can you be faster?”

The taxi driver took a glance at ZhouDu from the rearview mirror, before stepping on the accelerator to speed his car up. Youngsters nowadays… Tsk, tsk. Can’t even wait a single minute longer.

Only when ZhouDu was right outside the university did he give XiaYao a call. However, never would he have thought that the call would be hung up after a mere two rings. After a momentary daze, ZhouDu was about to call again when he got a call back from XiaYao.

“Hello?” he muttered in a low voice.

“Where are you?” ZhouDu asked while walking into the university.

XiaYao paused for a bit, replying, “I was in the library’s study room just now. Why? What’s up?” In truth, receiving a call from ZhouDu at this hour did make XiaYao secretly hopeful. Does he know what day it is today? What will he be talking to him about?

ZhouDu stopped in his tracks. He visited XiaYao’s dorm once, but he had no idea where the library was. “I’m at your school gates. Can you come out now?”

“Wh-what?” XiaYao thought he was hearing things.

ZhouDu repeated, “Meet me at the school gates.”

After hanging up the call, XiaYao sprinted towards the school gates without even packing his books. ZhouDu is here. His heart thumped rapidly, in utter disbelief, yet full of anticipation. Only when he saw that familiar figure after reaching the school gates did he come to the realization that it truly was ZhouDu. “Why… why are you here?” XiaYao asked breathlessly.

ZhouDu sized him up, his face expressionless as he answered, “Oh, I’m inspecting M City with my school today. I remembered you are here too, so I dropped by to meet you.”

XiaYao’s high spirits vanished immediately. So it is just a wishful thing of mine. That’s right, how is it possible for ZhouDu to specially take his time to come over and meet me. XiaYao hid his disappointment away. After surveying ZhouDu, he asked cautiously, “Have you eaten? Or will you be going off with your teachers?”

That was just what ZhouDu was waiting for, “Nope. I told my teachers that I will be coming here and didn’t let them wait for me.”

“Then, do you want to have dinner with me?”

ZhouDu accepted the invitation with a taut face. It was then XiaYao noticed he had nothing on him, so he told ZhouDu, “Give me a minute, let me grab something from my dorm.”

“What are you going to get?”

“Money…”

ZhouDu eyed at him, “But I’m hungry. Let’s just go straight for dinner before that.” Without waiting for any response from XiaYao, ZhouDu headed outside the school immediately after he finished his sentence. XiaYao caught up to him hurriedly.

The university had a food court outside of it. XiaYao was planning to bring ZhouDu there to settle their dinner, but unexpectedly, ZhouDu raised his hand, hailing a taxi. “Where are we… going?” XiaYao stood by the taxi while asking hesitantly.

“Downtown. Don’t tell me you are expecting me to eat at such a tiny restaurant?” ZhouDu pulled a face at XiaYao on purpose. Believing that ZhouDu did get mad, XiaYao entered the taxi hastily.

A clear line was in the middle of the two. Neither of them took the initiative to strike up a conversation. XiaYao stared at the back of the taxi driver’s head in a daze. This was the second time ZhouDu came to him; the first was during his first year in university. For some unknown reason, he drank until he was blind drunk that day, and called ZhouDu to bawl at him. Thus, ZhouDu rushed over to him from his school. However, by the time ZhouDu arrived, XiaYao was already awakened from his stupor. He got a room for ZhouDu at a small hotel near the school. Incidentally, the first intimate contact he had with ZhouDu happened at that hotel.

The sudden brake of the taxi interrupted XiaYao’s train of thought. Once he came back to his senses, he heard the taxi driver explaining, “There seems to be a traffic jam in front.”

ZhouDu kept whipping out this hand phone to take note of the time. At that moment, it was less than twenty minutes to 6 pm. “How far is XX restaurant from here?” he leaned forward and inquired the taxi driver.

“Oh, it’s not that far. Just turn round the corner and pass through a street. Walk a few hundred meters, and you’ll reach the restaurant.” After thanking the driver, ZhouDu tapped on XiaYao’s shoulder, “Let’s walk there.”

When they reached the restaurant, it was 6 pm, just right on time. ZhouDu was about to step into the restaurant when the attendant by the doorway blocked his way, informing him, “I’m sorry sir, the restaurant is full.”

ZhouDu glimpsed at him without a word and fished out his hand phone at once to make a call. Not long after, a manager pushed the door and walked out of the restaurant, inviting ZhouDu and XiaYao in with a wide grin across his face.

As it was the first time XiaYao dined in such a restaurant, he felt like a fish out of water there. The entire restaurant was decorated to fit the theme of Valentine’s Day. XiaYao took a seat. Surprisingly, a single rose was placed beside the beverages served to them. ZhouDu seemed as though he didn’t notice any of it while asking XiaYao, “Let’s order right now since we are hungry. What do you want to eat?”

XiaYao flipped the menu, at a complete loss. ZhouDu looked on with a frown for a moment, before suggesting nonchalantly, “I think it is probably Valentine’s Day today. No wonder there’s so many couple set menus. Do you want to try it out?” He lifted his head and stole a glance at XiaYao. XiaYao had no idea what to order, so he nodded in agreement upon hearing that.

A violinist, a golden-haired handsome foreigner, came over to their table while the dinner was served. Following a graceful bow towards ZhouDu and XiaYao, he started performing. XiaYao couldn’t help himself from stealing a few glances at the foreign hottie. ZhouDu felt displeased all of a sudden. “Stop,” he spoke in English, “there’s no need for you to be here. You may leave.” The violinist wasn’t insulted at it either as he courteously left the table.

Without the music, a heavy silence fell upon them. XiaYao stared at the steak in front of him, clueless as to what he should do with it. ZhouDu cut his share and shifted it to XiaYao, “Hurry up and eat it.” Then, he took XiaYao’s share, taking big bites of it after slicing it offhandedly. XiaYao picked up his fork as well, finishing the steak little by little.

As the night was still young when they left the restaurant, XiaYao couldn’t resist asking, “Will you be meeting up with your teachers?”

Knowing that a lie had to be hidden by a thousand ones, ZhouDu deadpanned, “Our teachers don’t control what we do at night.”

As they had already met up and finished their dinner, XiaYao questioned again, “Which hotel are you staying in? Do you need to go back and rest?”

ZhouDu didn’t book a hotel at all, so he deliberately changed the subject, “It’s still early. Come take a walk with me.” Actually, XiaYao wasn’t familiar with M City either, but since ZhouDu suggested it, he was, of course, more than willing to stay with him a bit longer. However, most people on the streets today were couples, making it rather awkward for them. Every one of those couples had their hands entwined together with a sweet smile hanging on their faces. Furthermore, some even started kissing altogether.

XiaYao and ZhouDu strolled along wordlessly, a slight distance consciously maintained between the two of them. Finding their silent walk to be defeating its purpose, ZhouDu stopped and turned towards XiaYao, “Let’s go back.”

“Go back?”

“Back to school.”

XiaYao didn’t know why ZhouDu wanted to follow him back to his school. His dorm room was pitch dark when he got in. The few guys in the dorm were dating girls, so they probably wouldn’t be back tonight.

ZhouDu set his sling bag onto the table, before scrutinizing the dorm. XiaYao wanted to pour a cup of water for ZhouDu but realized the hot water dispenser was empty. There was a supply of hot water on the first floor of XiaYao’s dorm. Noting that XiaYao had left downstairs with his hot water dispenser, ZhouDu flipped open his bag in a hurry and took a look inside. He was relieved once he saw the item he brought was still around.

XiaYao came back shortly after he refilled the hot water dispenser. He poured a cup of water for ZhouDu. With the cup in his hands, ZhouDu feigned nonchalance as he notified XiaYao, “Our teachers gave me a call just now.”

“Rushing you back?”

“No,” ZhouDu placed the cup onto the table, staring at the cup guiltily, “they told me that there are only two rooms left in the hotel they booked. I suppose I don’t have anywhere to stay tonight.”

“What are you going to do then?” XiaYao’s tone revealed his unease.

ZhouDu studied his dorm for a bit, “If the worst comes to the worst, I’ll stay overnight here.” XiaYao was speechless, stunned. “Why? Can’t I?” ZhouDu’s face darkened.

“I mean, you can, but the bed is a bit…”

“It’s alright,” ZhouDu interrupted, “it’s not like I’m going to sleep here every day, it’s just one night of us squeezing together. Look what day it is, every hotel is definitely fully booked.”

XiaYao thought so too, so he suggested to ZhouDu, “Do you want to take a shower then?”

ZhouDu brought a change of clothes just for that. Hearing what XiaYao offered, he replied, “Of course.” Therefore, XiaYao led him to the bathroom.

When ZhouDu finished showering, he noticed XiaYao was bending down and making his bed. The bedroom in XiaYao’s dorm was not the same as ZhouDu’s. Although both dorms had bunk beds, XiaYao’s dorm consisted of two beds with one over the other (this style) with the desks in a row by the side. After feasting his eyes on XiaYao’s slender waist for a while, ZhouDu crept up on him, “Your turn.”

Startled, XiaYao bumped into ZhouDu’s body the moment he turned around. ZhouDu had a towel draped around his neck. XiaYao’s face was blushing as he moved to one side and walked past ZhouDu.

Once XiaYao was done showering and realized ZhouDu was already lying on the bed, he stood at the side, dilly dallying as he avoided getting onto his bed. ZhouDu called out, irritation obvious in his tone, “Why? You don’t want to sleep with me?”

“No.” XiaYao sputtered. He reached out his hand to turn off the lights, before groping his way to the bed in darkness. ZhouDu’s eyes, seemingly as though they were able to illuminate in the dark, stared fixedly at XiaYao. XiaYao touched around the bedside before lying down beside ZhouDu. Since ZhouDu slept sideways, XiaYao had no choice but to sleep with his back facing him. Not one word was uttered by the two; only the sounds of their mismatched breathing could be heard in the pitch black bedroom.

ZhouDu focused his eyes onto the back of XiaYao’s head, his heart in turmoil as he racked his brains about what he should say to make the situation reasonable for him to pounce on XiaYao. Truth be told, XiaYao hadn’t shut his eyes either. He was gazing silently at his desk.

“XiaYao.” Out of the blue, ZhouDu called out XiaYao’s name in the darkness.

“Wh-what is it?” XiaYao stammered.

ZhouDu slid his hands slowly up to XiaYao’s waist, “Do you still remember the first time we slept together?”

Of course XiaYao did. A fierce blush grew on his cheeks. He had no idea what gave him the courage that day. When he was lying beside ZhouDu then, he stripped himself bare and threw himself at a stupefied ZhouDu.

ZhouDu’s fingers crept down, stopping once they reached XiaYao’s upper thighs. “Want to give it a try?” he used his sexy yet hoarse voice to seduce XiaYao.

A shiver of excitement ran through XiaYao’s body.  He could feel every bit of warmth emitted from ZhouDu at his back.

“Take off your clothes.” ZhouDu inched towards him abruptly and whispered to his ears.

XiaYao cried out while trembling, “ZhouDu.”

ZhouDu got up slightly, repeating, “Take off your clothes.”

XiaYao quivered as he started unbuttoning his pajamas. Seeming to find him too slow, ZhouDu took it upon himself to reach his hands out and unbutton his pajamas. Since the current weather was rather cold, XiaYao’s naked body instantly felt a slight chill. He shrank into his bed sheets unconsciously. ZhouDu pulled XiaYao over at once. His long legs straddled XiaYao, pressing him down. He straightened his body and removed his clothes, dumping them on the ground. XiaYao couldn’t stop himself from gulping.

ZhouDu arched over XiaYao again, his voice husky, “Hug me.” Thus, XiaYao obediently held ZhouDu in his arms. ZhouDu had a great figure. As XiaYao embraced ZhouDu’s firm waistline, his mind went wild briefly. Feeling the change in XiaYao’s lower body, ZhouDu smirked and whispered into XiaYao’s ears, “You got hard.” XiaYao’s face blew up in a crimson blush.

*

The morning the next day, XiaYao realized he was alone on his bed upon waking up. A twinge of disappointment flashed in his eyes. XiaYao propped his slightly aching waist and stood up, before opening up every window of the bedroom to ventilate it. The bed sheets and blanket had to be changed. However, with his sore body, he didn’t want to move at all. He lied back down his bed, shutting his eye to recollect the time he had with ZhouDu last night.

ZhouDu’s skills in bed weren’t all that great. XiaYao only felt a little pleasure at the very end last night. Most of the time, there was only one sensation he felt—pain. Nonetheless, he didn’t mind the pain; even if it hurt, he would still bear with it. This was the first time ZhouDu suggested out of his own will to do that with him. Delight washed over his heart.

Someone was unlocking the door. XiaYao thought his roommate had returned, so he stood up right away. In one of ZhouDu’s hands was porridge takeout. Seeing that XiaYao had woken up, ZhouDu stared at him, “Just lie down.”

XiaYao blinked, confirming to himself that the person in front of his was indeed ZhouDu, “Haven’t… you left?”

“Left?” A wrinkle formed between ZhouDu’s brows, “How can I leave when you are in such a condition?” He strode towards the bed and sat on it, his ears reddened as he questioned, “Does it still hurt?”

XiaYao shook his head.

ZhouDu brought the porridge over and asked, “Do you want some porridge? I just went down to buy it.”

XiaYao wasn’t really full after the dinner last night. Smelling the fragrant porridge made him realize his stomach was already empty. He reached out his hands, attempting to take the bowl from ZhouDu. Never would he expect ZhouDu to stammer out, “Let me feed you.”

XiaYao’s cheeks were stained red at once. He surmised that the first Valentine’s Day he spent with ZhouDu would probably be etched into his mind forever.