Chapter 46

Gu Zhao's gaze was fierce — fierce enough to devour a person whole.

Ji Su was a little afraid, but more than that, shy; he could only rest his cheek against Gu Zhao's shoulder and nuzzle him placatingly.

Gu Zhao drew a deep breath, pinching the soft, hot flesh of Ji Su's cheek. "Come on. Back to the Hotel."

With one arm holding Ji Su and the other bracing against the sand, he tensed his waist and abdomen — and rose to his feet, cradling a person single-handed.

Ji Su startled, instinctively lifting his arms to loop around Gu Zhao's neck.

"Don't worry, I won't drop you." Gu Zhao laughed, his voice still a touch hoarse.

Just as he spoke, a couple came walking along the Beach, play-fighting and laughing.

"Someone's coming." Ji Su said softly. "Gu Zhao, put me down quick."

Gu Zhao lowered his eyes. "Can you walk on your own?"

Ji Su nodded, struggling down from his arms.

His legs were a little unsteady, but getting back to the Hotel was no real problem.

They walked shoulder to shoulder back, and faintly from behind came a girl's petulant voice: "I want a princess carry too — look at that other girl's boyfriend, he can do a princess carry!"

Ji Su's step faltered; he tried to quicken his pace and leave the spot behind.

"Slow down." Gu Zhao reached out and caught his wrist, pulling him back. "What's the rush to get back?"

"Nothing…" Ji Su stopped walking. "I'm not in a hurry."

The hand holding his was hot; fingers loosely circled the slender bones of his wrist, then the larger hand slid slowly down and slotted itself between Ji Su's fingers.

Ji Su's heart lurched forward as if struck, and faint threads of current seemed to race up his spine from where their fingers laced together.

How strange — they'd already done far more intimate things, so why did just holding hands make his heart race like this?

Ji Su pressed his lips together, unable to resist stealing a glance at the person beside him.

The profile was smooth and sharp — the high brow ridge, the narrow straight bridge of the nose — a work worthy of a master sculptor's most perfect hand.

Gu Zhao looked straight ahead, asking lightly, "What are you looking at?"

"Nothing." Ji Su pulled his gaze back, then felt that wasn't quite right. "If you weren't looking at me, how did you know I was looking at you?"

"I just know." Gu Zhao turned his eyes sideways, smiling slowly. "I'm your boyfriend — I'm allowed to look at you openly."

Ji Su's ear roots warmed faintly; he answered softly, "Oh."

Hand in hand, they walked all the way from the Beach back to the Hotel; when at last they let go, both palms were damp with hot sweat, sticky and clinging.

Ji Su took his clothes to the bathroom to wash, and afterward put on a white shirt and long trousers.

Having learned his lesson from the last trip to the Resort Villa, he had deliberately packed a few extra changes of clothes for this seaside visit.

Ji Su stood before the bathroom mirror, carefully fastening every button of his shirt all the way up to the topmost one, before stepping out.

Gu Zhao sat on the sofa; hearing the sound, he lifted his eyes toward Ji Su and narrowed his dark gaze slightly.

"I'm done washing." Ji Su's expression was a touch unnatural. "When are you going to sleep?"

Gu Zhao patted the spot beside him, gesturing for Ji Su to come over.

Ji Su walked over; before he could sit down, Gu Zhao pulled him straight onto his lap.

Ji Su hastily raised his hands to cover his lips, stammering, "St-still want to kiss?"

"What?" Gu Zhao held that slender waist, kneading it through the thin shirt with neither too light nor too heavy a touch. "Don't like me kissing you?"

Ji Su's waist went soft under the kneading; he answered muzzily, "It's not that…"

Gu Zhao kissed the back of the hand covering his lips. "Then what is it?"

"I think my tongue might be broken." Ji Su lowered his hand. "It's a bit numb, and it hurts a little."

Gu Zhao pinched his chin. "Stick it out. Let me see."

Ji Su suspected nothing, obediently poking out the tip of a crimson tongue.

The next instant, Gu Zhao leaned in and opened his mouth to take that soft, tender tongue between his lips.

"Mmph…" Ji Su's mouth was filled; his protests soon melted into muffled, whimpering sounds.

Gu Zhao pressed him down on his lap and kissed him until his gaze went hazy, then licked at the wet corners of his lips — as though unwilling to waste a single drop of moisture.

Ji Su felt his tongue had gone numb from kissing, and the tight collar of his shirt was choking him, making it hard to breathe.

Gu Zhao freed one hand to loosen his buttons, laughing as he worked, "Buttoned up so tight — guarding against me?"

Ji Su flushed and denied it. "It's not…"

Gu Zhao used his fingers to part the white shirt's collar; the slightly rough pad of his thumb grazed a small patch of flawless, snowy skin at the chest, leaving a red mark behind.

Ji Su trembled in his arms, reddened fingertips clutching at the T-shirt over Gu Zhao's chest; his soft, cottony voice sounded almost like a plea: "Gu Zhao, I'm a little sleepy."

Gu Zhao's gaze darkened to an unreadable depth; he gathered Ji Su up in his arms and laid him on the bed.

The soft mattress dipped beneath him; Ji Su watched him with a trace of nervousness.

Gu Zhao kissed once more the lips he had left swollen and red, voice hoarse: "Tonight I'll sleep on the sofa."

Having said that, he rose and made to walk back toward the sofa.

Ji Su reached out on instinct and caught his fingers.

Gu Zhao turned back. "What is it?"

Ji Su's ear-tips went red. "Actually, this bed is pretty big — what if we… what if we slept together?"

Gu Zhao looked down at him. "Are you sure?"

Ji Su nodded. "One half each."

Gu Zhao was half-annoyed, half-amused. "You want to play the Chu River Han Border game with me?"

"No, I just think some things shouldn't move too fast." Ji Su's voice grew smaller and smaller. "We only officially got together today — we should take it step by step…"

Gu Zhao's brow lifted slightly. "Got together in what way?"

Ji Su let go of his hand. "You know, that…"

Gu Zhao leaned down. "That what?"

"A romantic relationship!" Ji Su, driven to the wall, shouted with his eyes shut. "Dating — the two of us are dating!"

Gu Zhao was satisfied; he answered in a low voice, "I like you, so I can't help wanting to kiss you, hold you, want to—"

Ji Su stressed, "Step by step!"

"Alright." Gu Zhao smiled a smile whose meaning was hard to read. "Step by step."

Ji Su rolled himself two turns toward the other side of the bed, making room for him.

Gu Zhao lay down on the bed and reminded him, "Behave yourself when you sleep tonight."

"I've always slept very well-behaved." Ji Su was a touch indignant. "I don't kick people or hit them."

Gu Zhao laughed softly. "Sleep."

*

The next morning, Ji Su woke in a daze; before his eyes had even opened, his hand had already felt something firm yet supple.

The texture beneath his palm was too pleasant; unconsciously he stroked it a couple more times, even pinching it lightly with his fingers.

"This is what you call behaving?" A low, magnetic voice rose at his ear, carrying the particular laziness and huskiness of early morning.

Ji Su's ear roots went numb; he opened his eyes and saw a slender, pale hand pressed flat against a firm, full pectoral.

He blinked his lashes, then suddenly realized that hand was his own.

Ji Su snatched his hand back as if shocked — only to have it caught by a larger hand and forcibly pressed back into place.

Gu Zhao's deep, dark gaze locked onto him. "If you like touching, then touch to your heart's content."

"No, I just now was by accident…" Ji Su tried in vain to explain, but could not stop his own hand from being guided steadily downward.

The clearly defined ridges of abdominal muscle, the beautiful, flowing line of the Adonis belt…

Ji Su's ears flushed crimson in an instant, his fingertips curling up. 'No…'

Gu Zhao leaned in, bit his lip, then rose from the bed with clean decisiveness and headed toward the bathroom.

Ji Su sat up dazedly, raised the hand from earlier, and felt that some strong sensation still lingered in his palm.

How could it be so…

*

After lunch, the two ended their seaside trip and flew back to A City.

Opening the front door, Ji Su walked straight to the Secondary Bedroom, ready to set down his luggage first.

Gu Zhao stood at the doorway watching him. 'Not planning to move to the Main Bedroom?'

Ji Su's movements paused; he answered softly, 'Not moving for now. I'm used to this room.'

The truth was, he had not yet prepared himself, psychologically, to share a bed with the other man night after night.

Gu Zhao neither agreed nor disagreed, and changed the subject. 'What do you want to eat tonight?'

'We just got back from the trip — you should rest properly first.' Ji Su turned his head. 'Should we eat out tonight?'

Gu Zhao replied, 'It's fine, I'm not tired.'

Ji Su recalled what he'd said about having abundant energy, thought briefly: 'Then how about sweet-and-sour pork ribs and scrambled eggs with tomato — you're really especially good at those two dishes.'

'Good.' Gu Zhao answered and turned to leave the Secondary Bedroom.

Ji Su finished putting everything away, opened his phone, and sent a message to Qiao Jin.

Ji Su: [Xiao Qiao, we're back from the seaside.]

Qiao Jin: [Already back?]

Qiao Jin: [I thought you'd play around for a few more days!]

Ji Su: [I brought you a souvenir — when you're free, I'll give it to you in person.]

Qiao Jin: [Perfect timing — my gift hasn't reached you yet either.]

Qiao Jin: [By the way, how's your plan to confess to Gu the campus heartthrob going?]

Ji Su: [Pretty smoothly.]

Qiao Jin: [That's what I said!]

Qiao Jin: [So what's the situation now — you two are together?]

Ji Su: [Mm.]

Qiao Jin: [Ahhhhh I've got the most explosive exclusive news of the year!]

Ji Su: [Xiao Qiao, don't tell anyone else first.]

Qiao Jin: [Don't worry, don't worry — I won't go spreading it around!]

Qiao Jin: [So are you two officially living together now?]

Ji Su: [I'm still in the Secondary Bedroom.]

Qiao Jin: [Really? But I don't quite trust Gu Zhao's self-control…]

Qiao Jin: [Susu baby, you absolutely have to protect yourself!]

Ji Su looked at the words in the chat box, thought for a while, and made up his mind to seek help.

Ji Su: [Xiao Qiao, can you send me some resources?]

Qiao Jin: [You mean that kind of resources?]

Ji Su: [I want to study up in advance…]

Two minutes later, Qiao Jin slapped a cloud-drive link over with a crisp snap.

Qiao Jin: [Treasured for years, every one a classic!]

Ji Su: [Thanks…]

Qiao Jin: [Susu, it's no good just you studying — mainly Gu Zhao needs to study!]

Qiao Jin: [With Gu Zhao's kind of hardware, one careless moment and you'll suffer terribly!]

Ji Su's face reddened, and he thought again of what he had touched that morning…

Ji Su: [Although I don't know exactly how it should be done, is there any chance that I could actually be the 1…]

Qiao Jin: [???]

Qiao Jin: [Impossible! Absolutely impossible!]

Ji Su: [Why?]

Qiao Jin: [Once you're in bed, Gu Zhao will swallow you whole — and you still want to be the 1?]

Ji Su: '…'

Ji Su: [I'll stop here for now, Xiao Qiao.]

The materials Qiao Jin had sent were dozens of gigabytes; his phone could not handle the download well, so he had to open his computer.

But he was not a member, and the download speed was terribly slow — after more than an hour, the progress bar had only crawled a third of the way.

Ji Su paused the download with the guilty conscience of a thief, closed the laptop, and went to the living room for dinner.

After dinner, he cleared the table as usual and was about to return to his room when Gu Zhao, sitting on the sofa, called out to him: 'Come here — I want to tell you something.'

Ji Su walked over. 'What is it?'

'Do you remember, I told you before I was going back to my hometown for a trip.' Gu Zhao reached out and pulled him onto the sofa. 'I'm going back tomorrow afternoon — want to come with me?'

Ji Su was stunned for a few seconds. 'I'm going home with you?'

'Mm.' Gu Zhao held his hand, squeezing it absently. 'You don't want to go?'

'I…' Ji Su hesitated. 'I feel like the timing might not be quite right.'

The two had only just begun dating; there was still so much they did not know about each other — let alone each other's families.

'Nothing inappropriate about it.' Gu Zhao smiled. 'It's just meeting the parents — is your courage that small?'

Ji Su: '…'

'It's fine — you still have all evening to think about it.' Gu Zhao stretched out an arm and gathered him into his embrace. 'Right now I want to kiss you — is that okay?'

He used a tone of inquiry, but in fact had no patience to wait for an answer — a rain of fine, close kisses fell.

Ji Su had finally, through practice, learned how to breathe between kisses — and yet still could not withstand kisses like these.

When the kisses left him dizzy and dazzled, he thought Gu Zhao really did love kissing him — like a kissing fish that knew nothing but kissing…

The two nestled on the sofa kissing for a good long while; Ji Su went entirely soft in Gu Zhao's arms, like a marshmallow on the verge of melting.

Gu Zhao lifted him up and prepared to head to the bedroom.

'That way…' Ji Su hung on him, pointing toward the Secondary Bedroom. 'That's my room.'

Gu Zhao kicked open the Secondary Bedroom door and walked in.

He set Ji Su on the bed and, leaning over him, kissed him.

As though he could never have enough, he held the lips between his own and sucked at them, back and forth.

Ji Su instinctively sensed danger and began to struggle a little.

'Don't move.' Gu Zhao pressed one hand against his waist; his pitch-black eyes shone alarmingly bright.

Ji Su dared not move; his flustered little gaze had nowhere to settle. 'Maybe you should go cool down first…'

Gu Zhao reached out with his other hand; his fingertips followed the silky curve downward, tapping — light and slow — along the long, slender calf.

Then the scalding large hand continued downward and closed around his ankle.

Ji Su's waist trembled at the heat; his toes instantly stretched taut.

'Hands won't do.' Gu Zhao gazed at him, pressed a kiss to the white-jade instep. 'Feet should be all right, shouldn't they?'