The Red Slip Dress

Ji Su raised his eyes helplessly, trying to take it back: 'Gu Zhao, I can—'

'You can't.' Gu Zhao cut him off without mercy. 'Want me to help you put it on?'

'No need!' Ji Su refused without hesitation, giving up the struggle. 'Where's the bathroom?'

Gu Zhao tilted his chin slightly, indicating. 'Inside.'

Ji Su took the dress into the bathroom, closed the door, spent a long while building himself up before he began to change.

The red slip dress was not complicated in style, easy enough to put on, but once it was on, he dawdled in the bathroom, unwilling to come out.

He did not know how long it had been when the patience of the person outside seemed to run out — a knock came at the door, urgent as a death knell.

Ji Su gave a startled jump and turned to face the bathroom door.

Gu Zhao pushed the door open, and his breath caught all at once.

Ji Su stood in the red slip dress, two slender straps hanging from his thin shoulders, the delicate hollows of his collarbones beautifully shaped, the flat plane of his chest somewhat hollow, exposing broad expanses of snow-white, fine-grained skin.

The silk satin of the dress clung tight to the curves of his figure, tracing a waist so slim it seemed it could not be held, the slightly close-fitting hem ending only at the upper thigh, pressing a faint crease into the flesh, and below that a pair of slender, straight legs, white enough to dazzle the eye.

Black hair, red dress, snow-white skin — the extreme red and black set off the extreme white, the whole person like a piece of flawless mutton-fat jade, radiating a soft, moving luster.

Ji Su grew nervous under the stare and lifted his arms to cross them over his chest. 'This dress is a bit short…'

Gu Zhao suddenly moved, walking toward him.

Ji Su stepped back instinctively until his body pressed against the edge of the washstand, with nowhere left to retreat.

Gu Zhao stopped in front of him, a large hand seizing his waist and turning his whole body around.

'Mm…' Ji Su let out a low sound, lying face-down on the cold washstand, his full, rounded rear forced upward.

The look in Gu Zhao's eyes was heavy, fierce — as if some wild beast were hidden inside, ready to break free from its cage at any moment.

Long, powerful fingers slid down along the beautiful line of his waist, paused briefly on his thigh, then left with extreme restraint, finally arriving at his shoulders and back.

Fingers traced a pair of lovely butterfly bones, hooked the left strap that was about to slip, and drew it back with extreme slowness.

The slightly rough pads of his fingers grazed the skin, the touch even smoother and softer than satin, carrying a bewitching warmth — impossible not to want to press harder, harder still, to leave some mark.

Ji Su flinched. 'Gu— Gu Zhao…'

'What did you call me?' Gu Zhao looked at the person in the mirror, his gaze so dark it seemed almost ready to drip ink.

'Gu Zhao gege…' Ji Su closed his eyes, bore down on the shame inside, and called out once. 'Is… is this okay?'

A burning hand seized his chin, forcing his face up. 'Look at yourself properly.'

Ji Su lifted his face in the man's palm, his crow-feather lashes trembling violently, refusing to meet his own reflection in the mirror.

As if, so long as he did not look, he could pretend the person in the dress was not him.

Gu Zhao's voice had gone completely hoarse. He asked, word by word: 'Do you know what I was thinking, looking at all those photos you sent me?'

Ji Su shook his head with difficulty, and from the excess of shame a glimmering film of water rose in his eyes. 'I don't know…'

Gu Zhao laughed once against his ear. 'Do you really not know?'

'Stop…' Ji Su lifted his trembling long lashes, his eyes misty with moisture, and pleaded, near to begging. 'I'm really sorry, Gu Zhao… won't you please not do this to me?'

Such a pitiful, touching sight — anyone who saw it would have softened.

But for Gu Zhao at this moment, it could easily ignite the terrible thing he had buried deep beneath the glacier.

Gu Zhao suddenly released him, turned, and strode out of the bathroom, his pace more hurried and disheveled than it had ever been.

Ji Su's whole body slackened; without pausing to catch his breath, he stripped off the dress as fast as he could and changed back into his own clothes.

He stood in the bathroom until his heartbeat had steadied, then walked out — only to find the bedroom empty.

Ji Su had no choice but to keep going outward, and ran straight into Gu Zhao coming out of the guest bathroom in the living room.

That handsome face was wet with cold water; undried droplets rolled down from the high ridge of his brow, his gaze growing darker and more profound.

'Um…' Ji Su asked in a small voice. 'Are we going back to School now?'

Gu Zhao walked past him, his voice still a little hoarse. 'I'm hungry.'

Ji Su thought for a moment, then replied: 'Then let me make you something to eat.'

He walked toward the open Kitchen, opened the double-door refrigerator, and checked what ingredients were available.

Just then, a low voice sounded behind him: 'I'll do it.'

Ji Su turned instinctively, nearly crashing into a warm embrace, and hurriedly leaned back.

'Careful.' Gu Zhao's hand moved fast, the large palm catching the back of his head, while the back of his own hand thudded hard against the refrigerator door.

Ji Su was stunned for a few seconds, then came back to himself. 'I'm sorry, I didn't mean to — is your hand okay?'

Gu Zhao withdrew his hand. 'Fine.'

Ji Su silently ducked out from under his arm and stood to one side.

Gu Zhao took ingredients from the refrigerator and set them on the counter.

He wore only a black shirt; with unhurried movements he rolled the cuffs up, revealing a length of solid, smoothly muscled forearm.

Ji Su asked softly: 'Are you going to cook?'

Gu Zhao: 'What?'

'Nothing.' Ji Su pressed his lips together and proposed: 'Let's make it together.'

Gu Zhao's hands paused mid-motion; he raised his eyes to look at him, and something unreadable entered the depths of his gaze.

Ji Su, unaware that his words carried ambiguity, walked to his side, ready to help.

Gu Zhao silently allowed it, and the two of them prepared the ingredients together, falling into an easy, well-matched rhythm.

Once the ingredients were ready, Ji Su stepped back a little and observed from the side.

Gu Zhao's face remained expressionless as he cooked; the hand gripping the spatula had clearly defined knuckles, and when he exerted force the veins on his arm rose up, his whole body giving off an air that was at once cold and seductive.

Before long, three dishes and a soup were set on the table.

A sweet-and-sour pork rib, a stir-fried seasonal vegetable, a cucumber and pork-slice stir-fry, and a tomato meatball soup.

Ji Su tasted it and praised from the heart: 'Delicious — way better than the cafeteria food.'

Though everything on the table was home-style cooking, it was home-style cooking that most tested a chef's skill; to make something this good from the simplest ingredients took a certain foundation.

The smile at the corner of Gu Zhao's lips flashed and was gone. 'Then eat more.'

Ji Su could not help his curiosity: 'Why did you learn to cook?'

He could cook too, but only simple things like noodles and sandwiches — enough to keep himself from starving, that was all.

Yet the Gu Zhao others spoke of, the young master from a family of distinguished background, raised in comfort from childhood, should not have needed to cook for himself, should he?

Gu Zhao lowered his eyes, his tone flattening. 'No special reason. I wanted to learn, so I learned.'

Ji Su nodded and did not press further.

The two sat across from each other eating, and for a moment the atmosphere settled into an uncommon calm.

In that calm, Ji Su's courage gradually grew, and he ventured: 'That thing… does it count as over now?'

Gu Zhao had fled the bathroom in such a hurry — clearly disgusted by the sight of him in a dress; the little obsession with Mengmeng should have dissolved along with it, right?

Gu Zhao answered: 'Mm.'

Joy rose in Ji Su's chest. 'Then does that mean we're even?'

'Even?' Gu Zhao lifted his eyelids, his voice cold as he countered: 'You want to be even with me?'

Ji Su realized at once that he had misspoken, and corrected seriously: 'Can't be even — I still owe you.'

Whether it was saving him at the Equestrian Center before, or helping the senior find out the real information about that scumbag, he had not yet repaid Gu Zhao.

Gu Zhao's expression cleared slightly. 'Good that you understand.'

'Then…' Ji Su extended his tentative little feeler again. 'Then can we be friends?'

Gu Zhao's dark eyes narrowed slightly. 'Friends?'

Ji Su lowered his lashes. 'Of course you can refuse — after all, I've brought you such a big shadow.'

Gu Zhao gave a noncommittal hum, his meaning unclear.

Ji Su could not read his meaning for the moment, and was just about to ask clearly when the phone in his pocket rang.

He rose from his seat. 'Sorry, I have to take a call.'

Ji Su slid open the Balcony door, stepped out onto the Balcony, and answered: 'Hey, Xiao Qiao.'

'Su Su, where did you go? Why aren't you back yet?' Qiao Jin's anxious voice came through the receiver. 'Did Gu Zhao call you off to do something again?'

Ji Su replied softly: 'I'm with Gu Zhao, but he didn't do anything to me.'

'That's good…' Qiao Jin immediately breathed a sigh of relief, then asked, 'When are you coming back, then?'

'Should be soon.' Ji Su glanced at the time on his phone screen. 'After we eat we'll head back to School.'

After hanging up, Ji Su returned to the dining table.

*

After dinner, the two of them cleared the dishes together and loaded them into the dishwasher.

Ji Su wiped his hands dry and asked: 'Are we going back to School now?'

'Stay the night here tonight.' Gu Zhao leaned against the table, his voice calm. 'We'll go back tomorrow.'

'Huh?' Ji Su's eyes widened slightly. 'Stay here?'

Gu Zhao: 'Any problem?'

'This…' Ji Su hesitated. 'No, no problem.'

Gu Zhao indicated: 'You go shower first.'

Ji Su finally found an excuse not to stay over: 'But I didn't bring a change of clothes.'

Gu Zhao gave a cold laugh. 'So many dresses on the bed — not enough for you?'

Ji Su: '…'

There were that many dresses, sure, but none of them were clothes a normal boy should wear!

'Follow me.' Gu Zhao started toward the bedroom. 'I'll find you something to wear.'

Stepping back into the bedroom, Ji Su saw the bed heaped with dresses and couldn't stop a shiver from running through him.

Fortunately Gu Zhao hadn't been strict enough to make him try on every single dress — how long would that have taken?

Gu Zhao walked into the walk-in closet on the inner side, rummaged through the wardrobe for a while, and pulled out a black shirt and a pair of shorts.

Ji Su took the clothes. 'This is…'

'The shirt I've worn before; the shorts are new.' Gu Zhao held his gaze. 'Do you mind?'

'I don't mind.' Ji Su shook his head. 'Then I'll go shower first.'

Gu Zhao reminded him: 'There are fresh towels in the bathroom cabinet.'

Ji Su walked into the bathroom, and the image from earlier — himself in the slip dress, pressed against the vanity by Gu Zhao — rose unbidden before his eyes. The tips of his ears flushed pink.

He shook his head, forcibly turned the page on that image, and began to shower in earnest.

After showering, he put on the shirt and shorts Gu Zhao had given him, opened the bathroom door, and walked out toweling his hair.

Gu Zhao was sitting on the sofa with his long legs crossed, and looked up at the sound.

Ji Su walked out in the black shirt. Given the difference in their builds, the shirt hung on him like a loose shirt-dress, the collar gaping wide; his snow-white skin, steamed to a smoky pink, looked especially inviting.

His gaze traveled down. The shirt's hem hid the shorts, ending just at the upper thigh; the legs left bare were long and straight, sculpted without an ounce of excess, and as he moved the hem swayed gently, as if softly caressing those jade-white limbs.

Gu Zhao's throat tightened; his eyes darkened in an instant.

'I'm done.' Ji Su, oblivious to his reaction. 'Are you going to shower?'

Gu Zhao shifted his posture, forced himself to fix his gaze on that flushed little face, and forced a short sound from his throat. 'Mm.'

Ji Su glanced at the big bed, surprised. 'Where did all the dresses go?'

Gu Zhao replied in a low voice: 'Put away.'

'Oh.' Ji Su nodded. 'When you have a girlfriend someday, these dresses might suit her just right.'

'Yes.' Gu Zhao suddenly laughed, his tone inexplicably weighted with meaning. 'These dresses — he'd look perfect in them.'

Ji Su set down the towel. 'Right — which guest room should I sleep in tonight?'

Gu Zhao: 'Only this one has a bed.'

'What?' Ji Su couldn't believe his ears. 'You have four rooms, but only this one has a bed?'

'Mm.' Gu Zhao subtly shifted his position again. 'If you don't believe me, you can go look yourself.'

Ji Su: 'I don't understand…'

'At first, I never planned to bring anyone here.' Gu Zhao tapped his knee with a finger. 'So I didn't need a guest room.'

Ji Su: '…'

What a lone wolf — wouldn't a studio apartment have been enough in the first place?

Gu Zhao saw through him at a glance. 'A studio would be too small.'

Ji Su had nothing to say. His eyes fell on the sofa, and he decided. 'Then I'll sleep on the sofa tonight.'

Even though they were both straight men and sharing a bed wouldn't matter, they weren't close enough yet to share one — better that he took the sofa.

Gu Zhao said nothing, rose, and headed toward the bathroom.

Soon the sound of rushing water came from the bathroom.

Ji Su picked up his phone from the table, sat on the sofa, and messaged Qiao Jin.

Ji Su: [Qiao, I'm not going back to the Dormitory tonight.]

Qiao Jin: [Huh? Why?]

Qiao Jin: [Didn't you just say you were coming back soon?]

Ji Su: [Actually, I came to Gu Zhao's Residence…]

Qiao Jin: [???]

Qiao Jin: [Where did you go?]

Ji Su: [Gu Zhao's place near the School.]

Ji Su: [But don't worry, he hasn't done anything excessive to me.]

Qiao Jin: [Wait… so you're alone with him in one room right now?]

Ji Su: [Mm.]

Ji Su: [We've talked it through, it's fine.]

Although Gu Zhao hadn't explicitly agreed to be friends, his attitude had clearly softened.

Maybe in the near future, the other could fully let go of past grievances and become a true friend.

Qiao Jin: [Still though, Su-su, you should watch out for your personal safety!]

Ji Su: [Mm-mm, don't worry.]

After ending the chat, Ji Su opened a website to watch his video course.

After finishing one lesson, he noticed Gu Zhao still hadn't come out of the shower.

After another while, the bathroom door finally opened.

Gu Zhao walked out wearing only a pair of athletic shorts, his upper body still damp, water droplets rolling freely along the grooves of his abs.

Even though Ji Su only glanced once before quickly looking away, it was hard not to notice the prominent, swelling curve in a certain place.

Too conspicuous, and too… impressive…

And of course Gu Zhao walked right up to him and asked in a low voice, 'What are you looking at?'

Ji Su didn't know where to put his eyes, and answered irrelevantly: 'Why aren't you wearing a shirt?'

Gu Zhao seemed to smile. 'We're both guys — what's there to be afraid of being naked?'

Ji Su, hearing this and finding it reasonable, boldly raised his eyes to look — and his gaze happened to land precisely on the Adonis line disappearing into the waistband.

He grabbed the towel draped over the sofa and slipped away to the side. 'I'll go wash the clothes.'

Gu Zhao glanced back at him, a thread of laughter spilling from those dark eyes.

Ji Su walked into the bathroom, slightly wrinkling his nose as he sniffed at the air.

A cold, bitter fragrance, mingled with a faint briny scent — it smelled like salt-wet seawater, or like a forest after a storm.

Only then did Ji Su belatedly realize why Gu Zhao had stayed in the bathroom so long.

But if that state was already after he'd taken care of it, then once…

Ji Su suddenly realized what he was thinking, and the heat rushed to the roots of his ears, his cheeks warming along with them.

Honestly, he's a perfectly straight guy — why is he imagining another guy…

Ji Su stopped his wandering thoughts, bent down to pick up the clothes he'd changed out of from the laundry basket, and stuffed them into the washing machine.

Just as he was about to press start, he remembered the red slip dress he'd taken off, and turned to go look for it.

Gu Zhao had already put on a T-shirt and was sitting on the edge of the bed, watching him. 'Looking for something?'

'The dress I changed out of.' Ji Su looked around. 'That's strange, I remember I put it right—'

'Don't bother looking.' Gu Zhao's tone was cool. 'I threw it away.'

Ji Su: 'Oh…'

As expected — Gu Zhao really hated seeing him in that slip dress, so he'd thrown even the innocent dress away along with it.

At half past ten at night, Ji Su lay down on the sofa, ready to coax himself toward sleep, and his gaze drifted idly toward the bed.

Gu Zhao was propped against the headboard, a pair of gold-rimmed glasses perched on his high-bridged nose — his handsome, cold face touched now with a scholarly, ascetic air.

For no particular reason, four big characters popped into Ji Su's mind: a gentleman in looks, a beast in nature.*

'What are you looking at?' the gentleman-beast asked without looking up.

Ji Su nonchalantly withdrew his gaze. 'Nothing, I just wanted to say goodnight.'

Gu Zhao took off his glasses. 'Sleepy?'

Ji Su reached out to pull the thin blanket over himself. 'Mm, a little sleepy.'

'If you're sleepy, then sleep.' Gu Zhao set his book on the nightstand. 'I'm about to sleep too.'

Ji Su closed his eyes. 'Goodnight.'

Gu Zhao replied in a low voice: 'Goodnight.'

A moment later, Ji Su opened his eyes. 'Aren't you turning off the light?'

Gu Zhao frowned, barely perceptibly. 'I'm used to sleeping with the light on.'

'Oh.' Ji Su closed his eyes, then opened them again a few seconds later. 'Gu Zhao, are you afraid of the dark?'

'No.' Gu Zhao denied outright, his voice cold and commanding. 'Sleep. Don't ask such boring questions.'

'Oh.' Ji Su obediently answered, but secretly curved his lips into a smile.

So the great campus heartthrob Gu has something he's afraid of too — somehow that made him feel a little more human.

*

In the deep of night, Ji Su turned in his sleep, completely enveloped by the tall shadow standing before the sofa.

Gu Zhao stood there without a sound, his gaze lowered, watching the person sleeping on the sofa with no defenses up.

The thin blanket that had been carefully drawn over him before sleep had long since slipped away; Ji Su lay on his side on the sofa, the hem of the black shirt rolled up several folds, exposing a pale sliver of slender waist.

Such a slim waist, such narrow hips — even if that flat little belly swelled and rose, even if the person in his hands struggled as hard as they could, he could pin them down with a single hand.

Two long, straight legs were casually crossed; the black shorts weren't long enough, revealing a sliver of tender, fresh thigh, pressed against the sofa into a handful of snow-white.

Just tracing them with his gaze, he could perfectly imagine the feel of those legs held tightly in his hands.

Ji Su murmured in his sleep, unconsciously curling his slender limbs inward.

Gu Zhao slowly bent his body down, and like a demon, mouthed soundlessly by his ear: 'Whether you're Mengmeng, or Ji Su—'

'You're mine.'