The Kiss

Feeling the gaze of the person beside him, Yu Fan turned to push Chen Jingshen's head back, but ended up falling into Chen Jingshen's eyes again.

Earlier, to play dice with Zuo Kuan, Yu Fan had leaned a bit in that direction. Then more people came into the KTV lounge, squeezing the sofa space tighter and tighter.

Yu Fan realized belatedly that he and Chen Jingshen were way too close.

Close enough that he could smell Chen Jingshen's scent in the smoke-filled room. Mint wrapped around alcohol, mixing into a unique, icy coolness.

Chen Jingshen's breath was a little heavy, his eyes carrying a hint of drunkenness.

For a second, Yu Fan suddenly couldn't remember what he was going to yell at him.

In the private room, someone had already secretly raised their Mobile Phone; no one was singing anymore, and people at the other end of the sofa were all craning their necks to look over at them.

When Chen Jingshen moved, their heads followed—

And then they saw Yu Fan's murderous face.

“…………？”

Everyone snapped to realization!

Right! 'The person next to you'—it never specified same-sex or opposite-sex.

It's just that kissing someone of the same sex wouldn't be as interesting to watch... the hell it wouldn't!!

The people holding phones instantly raised them higher!

Whispers spread around: "Really, really passionately kiss?""

"Well, that's what the card says..."

"So who's Chen Jingshen gonna kiss?"

"Duh, Yu Fan, obviously. Better than kissing a girl, right?"

"Will Yu Fan even go for it?"

"Didn't Yu Fan himself tell Scholar to pick an Adventure Card?"

"..." Fair point.

Wang Luan'an glanced at Zhang Xianjing, who was twisting around to secretly reapply lip gloss, then turned to look at Yu Fan, who was frozen solid with a murderous expression. He couldn't help but sweat for Chen Jingshen.

"Fuck." Zuo Kuan frowned. "What the hell kind of card is this? I've never seen this one before."

"Isn't this kind of Adventure Card pretty normal?" Zhang Xianjing put away her lip gloss. "Alright, let's go! You drew it, so our class definitely takes the loss! It's just a three-minute passionate kiss, no big deal."

Zuo Kuan: "..."

Wang Luan'an was about to weasel out of it, but Zhang Xianjing had already put it out there.

So he could only try to smooth things over: "A passionate kiss is too much. Let's just call it a peck and move on—Zuo Kuan, you got a problem with that?"

This was a game between Scholar and Zuo Kuan; as long as Zuo Kuan agreed, no one else mattered.

"No problem!" Zuo Kuan snapped back quickly, irritated.

Even though Chen Jingshen was looking at Yu Fan right now, what if he changed his mind halfway and decided to kiss Zhang Xianjing instead?

Alright, now it's down to whether Scholar wants his dignity or his life.

"Fine." Wang Luan'an looked at Chen Jingshen. "So, Scholar... who are you kissing?"

The question snapped Yu Fan back to reality. He crossed his arms and coldly turned his head to the other side.

His face was hard and icy, his whole body screaming rejection.

On the other side. Zhang Xianjing tossed her lip gloss into her bag, pursed her pretty lips, and feigned shyness as she poked Chen Jingshen's shoulder. In a tiny voice, she made her big demand right in his ear: "Scholar, how about I play along? As long as you're willing to cover all my homework and exams this semester..."

Chen Jingshen had no intention of 'trading' with her.

He dropped his gaze, let out a heavy breath, and was about to ask if four shots of alcohol could settle this, when a gust of wind swept past him—

An arm roughly cut across in front of him.

The white hoodie was loose, the sleeve a little wrinkled from sitting too long, perfectly expressing the owner's irritation and awkwardness.

Chen Jingshen froze for a rare moment, staring at the fabric for a couple of seconds before lifting his eyes and turning his head to look.

Yu Fan stared straight ahead, his face even sourer than before, and coldly spat out a single word: "Kiss."

The people around were stunned too.

Zuo Kuan snapped out of it first and immediately protested: "A hand counts? And through the clothes??"

"Why wouldn't it count?" Wang Luan'an jumped in quickly. "Didn't I just say, just a peck, just a peck! So it doesn't matter where, right? You said you had no problem."

Zuo Kuan: "Who knew you guys would cheat like this?!"

Yu Fan frowned, about to say don't push it, when the warmth and restraint around his wrist shut him up instantly.

He instinctively tried to pull his hand back, but it didn't budge, so he glanced over.

Chen Jingshen held his wrist, applying subtle force to lift his palm up.

Yu Fan's hand curled passively, and before he could react, his fingers were already pressed against Chen Jingshen's face.

He could even feel Chen Jingshen's breath, heavy, spraying into the gaps between his fingers—

Half a second later. Chen Jingshen half-lowered his eyes and kissed the center of his palm.

Yu Fan went rigid like he'd been electrocuted.

The spot that was touched felt like it was on fire, crawling up through his veins all the way to his ears.

The room went quiet again, even the song in the speakers had been paused by someone.

Wang Luan'an and Zuo Kuan had just been going at it with 'you Class Seven guys can't take it' and 'you Class Eight guys are so petty,' but they both stopped when they saw this.

Zhang Xianjing widened her fox-like eyes, about to scold Yu Fan for stealing her gig, but when she looked up, she noticed that under the dim light, Chen Jingshen's lowered gaze was much softer than usual.

The hand resting on his face curled slightly, not as aggressive as usual either.

Chen Jingshen said, "Is this enough?"

Wang Luan'an and Zuo Kuan were still in shock, looking at Chen Jingshen with a hint of admiration.

Had Chen Jingshen just kissed a palm?

That was the fucking paw pad of a tiger!

Zuo Kuan muttered, "...Yeah, it's enough."

"Scholar." Wang Luan'an gave him a sincere thumbs-up. "You're the man."

Chen Jingshen ignored them. He lowered the wrist he was holding, loosened his grip, and said hoarsely to the person beside him, "Thanks."

Yu Fan snapped back, pulled his hand away, and gritted out in a low voice, "The fuck... did I tell you to kiss my hand?"

"Then where should I kiss?"

Yu Fan turned his head with the intention of stuffing his own sleeve into Chen Jingshen's mouth, but his gaze caught on the area below Chen Jingshen's nose and stopped dead.

Fuck...

"Hey, the drinks are here," a guy called out from the table. "Anyone else want to play dice? Need two more, let's get a lively round going."

"Me."

The guy turned around, saw Yu Fan, remembered how he'd demolished Zuo Kuan earlier, and couldn't help but give a dry laugh: "Brother Fan, you've been playing for a while, aren't you tired? Maybe take a break..."

"Not tired." Yu Fan stood up abruptly, moved a separate leather stool from next door, sat down, and looked at the person across from him. "Zuo Kuan, come on, let's keep going."

Zuo Kuan, who was about to lie down and rest: "..."

"You, Wang Luan'an, and your class Scholar, three of you taking turns ganging up on me—can't take it?" he couldn't help asking.

"How many of you Class Eight guys showed up tonight?" Yu Fan slammed the dice cup onto the table. "Bring them all up."

...

Yu Fan drank the Class Eight guys under the table in under half an hour.

"No more, no more." The athlete from their class waved his hand. "I seriously can't drink anymore. Can I draw an Adventure Card instead?"

Yu Fan nodded magnanimously: "Sure."

Zuo Kuan, sitting next to the athlete, jolted and shot up: "Wang Luan'an, switch seats."

"No way." Wang Luan'an laughed at him. "At worst, it's just a kiss on the palm. What's the big deal..."

Yu Fan picked up a die and threw it at him, but Wang Luan'an caught it with a laugh.

That athlete had better luck than Chen Jingshen; he drew an Adventure Card to go sing 'Qinghai-Tibet Plateau' in the next room.

The group of guys instantly erupted, all getting up to crowd around him and head next door, leaving the room more than half empty.

Yu Fan wasn't interested in that, so he stayed put.

He picked up his glass, took one sip, two sips, and on the third, he finally turned back reluctantly.

Chen Jingshen sat quietly, and the moment Yu Fan turned, he seemed to sense it and lifted his eyelids slightly.

Yu Fan noticed that Chen Jingshen seemed to be sitting a bit crooked.

Not just his body, but his head was also leaning weakly to one side, clearly showing signs of being drunk. A few seconds later, his head drooped a little more, and in a while, he'd probably end up leaning on Zhang Xianjing's shoulder.

Zhang Xianjing sat there smiling, clearly ready to catch him.

Good. Yu Fan lazily looked away.

Chen Jingshen slid down another fraction. Zhang Xianjing tensed her shoulders, thinking how much longer do I have to wait, might as well just push his head down.

Her fingers had just twitched when suddenly a hand reached out, grabbed Chen Jingshen's collar, and sat him upright again.

Yu Fan grabbed him expressionlessly, thinking, if you can't hold your liquor, why act tough?

He didn't expect Chen Jingshen to look up at him, then lower his head and reach out to pinch the hem of his clothes.

"Yu Fan." Chen Jingshen's voice was low and hoarse. "I don't feel well."

...

After causing a ruckus in the next room, a bunch of guys backed out of the other booth, apologizing and laughing.

"Fuck, I'm never coming to this KTV lounge again!" the athlete said, his neck red with shame.

As they turned to go back, the door to their own room suddenly opened. Yu Fan came out, holding a person in one hand and carrying a backpack in the other.

Wang Luan'an stared at him in shock, suddenly unable to remember the last time he'd seen Yu Fan carrying a backpack.

"He's done for. I'm taking him out first." Seeing him, Yu Fan said flatly.

"Alright." Wang Luan'an said. "Can you manage him?"

"Yeah."

Even so, Wang Luan'an stood at the door and watched them for a while.

Then he noticed that although Scholar was drunk, his steps were steady, walking firmly.

Relieved, Wang Luan'an turned and went back into the room.

-

After nine o'clock, the peak of the nightlife rush.

Everyone else was dressed up, making a flashy entrance. Yu Fan, at this hour, was helping a drunk guy out, his face set in a scowl of embarrassment.

"Feel like throwing up?"

Chen Jingshen was silent for a moment, then considered his words: "A little."

"Swallow it."

"Okay."

Even so, Yu Fan ended up steering him into the bathroom anyway.

He waited outside for a while, and then Chen Jingshen came out. Not sure if he'd thrown up or not, but his face was wet, so he must have splashed some water on it.

He glanced at the crowded cars outside and asked, "Your home address."

Chen Jingshen: "I'm not going home."

Yu Fan nodded: "So which street do you want to sleep on?"

Chen Jingshen's forehead was wet, his hair sticking together.

He said, "I told my family I was out for tutoring. It's not time yet. I don't dare go back."

"..."

Five minutes later, the two of them walked into a nearby 7-Eleven Convenience Store.

The Convenience Store next to the KTV lounge had few customers; most people coming in at this hour were buying cigarettes.

Yu Fan found him a seat by the window and settled him down, bag and all.

"What time does your tutoring end?"

Chen Jingshen glanced at the clock: "Eleven."

"..." Yu Fan frowned impatiently.

Chen Jingshen corrected himself: "But I can leave at ten. My home is far, so an hour is just right."

"If it's far, why'd you come?" Yu Fan said. "And why'd you drink so much? Do you even know how to play dice, taking on Zuo Kuan?"

Chen Jingshen lowered his eyes: "He wanted me to switch seats."

"..."

"I didn't want to."

"..."

Yu Fan's eyes tightened, and he turned and walked away.

"Where are you going?" Chen Jingshen asked.

"To smoke."

Yu Fan got to the door before remembering there were no cigarettes in his Cigarette Pack.

He turned and headed for the counter, about to pull out some cash, when his eyes caught sight of the honey on display at the edge of the counter.

Smart business move.

"Give me a pack of..." Yu Fan paused. "Honey."

The clerk was taken aback: "Sorry, we only have honey in jars here."

"I know," Yu Fan said irritably, frowning as he put the money on the counter and mumbled, "Do you guys have... hot water and a cup?"

When Yu Fan got back, Chen Jingshen had already leaned against the window and closed his eyes.

The skin under Chen Jingshen's eyes was a little red, probably from the alcohol. His shoulders were slack, drooping slightly, giving him a rare look of exhaustion.

Today was Wang Luan'an's birthday, so he'd bought a few bottles of foreign liquor. That kind of drink didn't hit hard at first, but the aftereffect was strong. Last time Wang Luan'an drank it, he took the next day off and slept at home all day.

Yu Fan stood there like an idiot, holding a plastic cup, and reached out to touch his shoulder: "Chen Jingshen."

No response.

Outside, the cars were gridlocked, the red taillights sweeping into the Convenience Store. Yu Fan couldn't tell if the red on Chen Jingshen's face was from the alcohol or the light reflection.

Why isn't he responding? He's not going to have a problem, is he?

Can he really go home like this without getting caught?

Maybe I should just haul him to the Hospital?

Yu Fan hesitated, his hand unconsciously moving up, the back of it brushing against Chen Jingshen's face.

Good, it's warm. He's still alive...

Chen Jingshen suddenly opened his eyes and looked at him, his dark eyes tinged with drunkenness, giving him a slightly careless air.

Yu Fan was startled by the look, and it took him a moment to find his voice: "Feeling bad? Want to go to the Hospital?"

Chen Jingshen didn't say anything.

Yu Fan frowned: "Say something..."

Chen Jingshen lowered his eyes, tilted his face, and pressed it with a bit of force against the back of Yu Fan's hand.

The hand he hadn't had time to pull back froze, and Yu Fan's nerves instantly went taut.

"It's okay."

After a few minutes of silence, Chen Jingshen's voice was low and hoarse. "Just let me lean here for a bit, and I won't feel so bad."