A cleaner auntie coincidentally was at his house that day, and opened the door for Zhuang Yan.
Zhuang Yan has become used to Xie Ning’s house these days. When he walked in, he very naturally took off his coat and hung it up, as if he was an owner who had just returned home.
Usually at this time, Xie Ning was either done making dinner and was waiting in the living room, or was still busy in the kitchen.
When he saw Xie Ning like that, Zhuang Yan occasionally thought that they were just like a married couple.
For the past couple of days, in order to be able to eat the food that Xie Ning made himself, he got off of work and went home as soon as it was time. He pushed off all other schedules, leaving right away, leaving Zhao Yang to wonder out loud if he had an earnest, hardworking girl at home waiting for him.
Zhuang Yan smiled mysteriously.
He didn’t have a girl like that, but he did have a Mr. Rabbit.
Today, it was quiet downstairs. Zhuang Yan took a look in the living room and didn’t see a trace of Xie Ning, and thought he was still in the kitchen, so he headed towards the kitchen.
But there was nobody in the kitchen either.
The cleaning auntie was just about to leave when Zhuang Yan asked her, “Is there nobody home today?”
The auntie replied, “Young Master is home. He should be in his studio; I didn’t dare to bother him.”
Xie Ning had specifically asked her to not clean the studio before, afraid that she would accidentally mess up the art drafts he had.
Zhuang Yan replied with a sound, and was relieved.
As they finished talking, Xie Ning came down the stairs.
He was still wearing the clothes from this afternoon. His expression looked a bit troubled, and as Zhuang Yan was about to ask him what had happened, he heard Xie Ning say, “I’m sorry, I forgot to cook today.”
Zhuang Yan thought Xie Ning was troubled over this, and seeing his eyebrows knit together on their own, wanted to reach out and smooth it out.
Zhuang Yan’s mood worsened when he saw an unhappy Xie Ning. He tried to comfort him, asking, “Do you want me to make you a meal?”
Xie Ning had been craving Zhuang Yan’s cooking for a while. After eating the hot and sour soup noodles from last time, he’d revisited the taste endlessly in his mind. When he heard Zhuang Yan ask if he should make food, his eyes brightened, and he said, “Really?”
Seeing the surprised look on his face, Zhuang Yan was happy. “Of course. I can’t always eat at your house for free.”
Xie Ning thought, Actually, it’s not for free. Zhuang Yan had repaid him multiple times already, including paying for his pastries this afternoon.
“You’ve been busy all day today.” Xie Ning was a little embarrassed, saying, “I can’t let you cook on top of that.”
Zhuang Yan couldn’t help it and ruffled his hair, and said smiling, “It’s fine if you can give me a reward.”
Xie Ning generously said, “What kind of reward? As long as I’m able to do it…”
Zhuang Yan’s evil streak was activated. “I can ask for anything as long as you can do it?”
This sentence sounded familiar. Xie Ning tried to remember, and recalled that Zhuang Yan had used this phrase to tease him before.
Xie Ning’s face became flushed as he remembered the situation from that time. Luckily, he was standing in a dimly lit area, and his flushed face wasn’t easily noticeable.
After spending a good amount of time with Zhuang Yan, Xie Ning had made progress. In the face of Zhuang Yan’s teasing, Xie Ning was able to remain unmoving and not react.
“Go ahead and ask.” He stayed calm, and said, “As long as I can do it.”
Zhuang Yan was startled, and his eyebrows lifted a little. “You’re being so generous.”
Xie Ning suddenly had a bad feeling.
Sure enough, the look in Zhuang Yan’s eyes changed, and his gaze swept across Xie Ning’s face. From his forehead, past his eyes and nose, and onto Xie Ning’s lips.
Xie Ning’s lips are full, rosy, and well-shaped. When he talked, they opened and closed, and when he was silent, they looked like two cherry blossom petals in early spring.
They looked very soft and very kissable.
Zhuang Yan took a step closer, reached out to touch his face, and whispered, “If I told you to…”
Xie Ning subconsciously took a step back, but was unexpectedly cornered at the wall.
“Give me a kiss?”
Xie Ning was stunned for a few seconds, his face becoming redder.
He turned his head to avoid Zhuang Yan’s hand, and forcefully said, “Don’t joke around with me.”
“I’m not joking.” Zhuang Yan chuckled quietly, bent down slightly, and said into his ear, “Or I can give you a kiss.”
Xie Ning: “...”
Zhuang Yan didn’t want to let him go yet, and said, lifting up the corners of his lips, “What do you think, Mr. Rabbit? A kiss for a meal; isn’t it worth it?”
Xie Ning could only feel his heart beating very quickly.
At such a close distance, he could feel Zhuang Yan breathing, hot and lingering. It tickled his ear and gave him goosebumps.
It was his first time being pressed against a wall like this. Xie Ning felt confused and helpless.
“I…” Xie Ning struggled to choose his words. “I’ve made several meals for you already.”
Zhuang Yan pretended to realize something. “You mean, I should kiss you more than once?”
Xie Ning responded at once, “T-That’s not what I meant.”
Zhuang Yan still didn’t want to let him go, saying, “Then what do you mean?”
“You, you…” Xie Ning was originally not good at speaking already, and said “you” a bunch of times without finishing what he wanted to say.
Finally, he weakened his voice, and begged, “Stop talking, I don’t want to hear you talk.”
Xie Ning lived with his father in the south when he was young, so his speech carried a slight southern accent. It sounded soft and smooth, like cotton candy.
Zhuang Yan wanted to take a bite even more.
Zhuang Yan’s smile deepened. This time, he was completely satisfied with his teasing. He held Xie Ning’s face with his hand, and his thumb pressed down on Xie Ning’s lips.
His hands were cold, and felt refreshing when pressed against his lips. Xie Ning couldn’t decide if it was comfortable or not.
Zhuang Yan only knew that his fingers touched something soft and slippery, and in a good mood, he said, “Forget it. You can owe me for now, and this can be the interest.”
After saying this, he took back his hand, and pressed his thumb against his own lips.
Xie Ning’s face was so red, he felt like he was on fire. Even though Zhuang Yan didn’t actually kiss him…
What’s the difference between this action of his and a kiss?!
Zhuang Yan’s gaze settled on the tips of his ears. He stepped back, increasing the distance between them, and let Xie Ning breathe.
It wasn’t the right time yet.
Xie Ning still seemed to be ignorant to feelings in general, and being teased was still within limits.
But if he really did kiss him just now, Xie Ning’s attitude towards him definitely would have turned sour.
Being in too much of a rush will scare him away.
He can wait.
“I’ll let you go for today.” Zhuang Yan said, smiling. “It won’t be this easy next time.”
Xie Ning said softly, his face completely red, “I’m taking back what I said. I don’t want to eat the meal you cook.”
Zhuang Yan lifted his eyebrow. “You want to return the goods? I’m sorry, it’s too late. I don’t accept returns.”
Xie Ning: “You’re forcing a sale.”
Zhuang Yan: “Yes, I am.”
He looked at Xie Ning with a slight smile, with an expression of what-can-you-do-to-me.
Maybe he was looking forward to what Xie Ning could do to him.
Xie Ning: “...”
Mr. Blue Whale, who forced a sale, wasn’t able to sell successfully this time. He went into the kitchen in high spirits, opened the refrigerator, and only found some scattered ingredients, not enough to make a meal.
Xie Ning suddenly remembered. “I was going to get groceries on the way out today.”
“And then?” Zhuang Yan asked.
Xie Ning shrank back a little. “And then I forgot.”
“Forget it.” Zhuang Yan closed the refrigerator, and said, “Let’s go out to eat today.”
Winter nights get dark quite early. When the two of them stepped out, it was already completely dark. The cold wind blew steadily, and to the two of them who had just come out of a warm room, it was hard to adjust to.
Xie Ning didn’t have a driver’s license, so even though his garage had a car in it, he couldn’t drive. He could only ride in Zhuang Yan’s car.
He was going to sit in the backseat, but Zhuang Yan opened the door to the passenger’s seat for him.
Xie Ning hesitated for a couple seconds, but decided he didn’t dare to provoke Zhuang Yan, and obediently sat in the passenger seat.
“Seatbelt.” Zhuang Yan stopped teasing him, and waited for Xie Ning to be seated safely before he started the car.
The heater was on in the car, and the temperature was comfortable. Zhuang Yan asked casually, “What were you so busy with in the afternoon, to forget to buy groceries and cook?”
Xie Ning paused, and said, “...I was drawing.”
This was true, and once he started to draw, it was like he was in his own world. Nothing can disturb him.
Zhuang Yan didn’t doubt him, and asked, “What were you drawing so focusedly?”
Xie Ning didn’t respond, and was silent for a couple seconds.
Zhuang Yan thought he had asked something he shouldn’t have, since original artists were bound to confidentiality when accepting work, and couldn’t reveal the contents of the project. “If you can’t say it, then it’s okay. Pretend I didn’t ask.”
“It’s not that.” Xie Ning glanced quickly at him and said, “I drew a blue whale.”
Zhuang Yan was surprised, and the corners of his mouth slightly lifted. “A blue whale?”
Xie Ning: “Yes, a real blue whale.” Not you.
Zhuang Yan smiled. “Are there fake blue whales?”
Xie Ning pursed his lips, and didn’t say anything.
He was afraid of Zhuang Yan’s personality that could tease him anytime, anywhere.
“Drive properly.” He straightened himself in the seat, and said, “You’re not allowed to talk when you’re driving.”
Zhuang Yan seemed to chuckle lightly, and replied, in a pampering tone, “Alright, I’ll listen to you.”
After a while, Zhuang Yan asked, “When will you let me see the blue whale you drew?”
Xie Ning: “...When we get home after dinner.”
“Okay.”
He drew a blue whale…
Zhuang Yan held the steering wheel, and the smile on his face deepened.
Mr. Rabbit’s flirting skills were comparable to his own.
He was the type to flirt and not know it.
Zhuang Yan felt like his heart was stirred up.
The bustling, large city was still brightly lit at night.
Zhuang Yan, very obediently, didn’t say another word, and it became quiet, yet the quietness didn’t feel awkward.
Xie Ning’s thoughts wandered, until he couldn’t resist and turned his head to look at Zhuang Yan.
Zhuang Yan’s side profile looked even more solid than from the front. His eyelashes weren’t dense, but they were long, as if they could catch falling snow. His eyes were bright, the corners of his eyes tilted slightly upwards, giving him a bit of a glaring look. Further down, his nose was tall and pretty, and then his thin lips…
Xie Ning suddenly thought of the indirect kiss from before, and turned his head back forcefully.
When his heart stopped beating as quickly, Xie Ning once again imperceptibly looked at Zhuang Yan.
His side profile was so handsome that it was hard for others to look away.
Afraid of being found out by Zhuang Yan, Xie Ning pretended he didn’t do anything, and turned his head to look outside at the buildings next to the freeway.
After looking outside for a while, he suddenly widened his eyes.
The scenery on both sides of the car seemed to become more and more familiar…
“Where are we going to eat?” Xie Ning blurted out.
Zhuang Yan smiled and replied, “You’ll know when we get there.”
Xie Ning looked around this street again, and it seemed so familiar.
When they reached the destination, he couldn’t help it and asked, “This is...X University?”
Zhuang Yan found a parking spot, and said, smiling, “Yes, it’s my alma mater.”
What a coincidence.
Xie Ning was surprised, as X University was also his alma mater.
But how come he had never seen Zhuang Yan before?
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Author’s Note: It seems like everyone likes the current title, so I’ll listen to everyone, and not change it!
The NingNing that was teased today is as cute as ever~
thnx for the chappie~