chapter 23 – tender kiss

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Xie Ning woke up in Zhuang Yan’s arms.

 

Hungover, his head still hurt a bit.
He was in a daze for a bit, and raised his head.

 

His forehead hit a firm chest.

 

Mr.
Blue Whale…Zhuang Yan?

 

Xie Ning was startled, and took a long time to come back to his senses.

 

He subconsciously tried to sit up, but to his surprise, was stopped by the arms around his waist.

 

Zhuang Yan’s eyes were still closed, as if he were still dreaming.
He felt Xie Ning’s movement and tightened his arms, pulling Xie Ning further into his embrace and hugged him deeply.

 

Xie Ning, pressed against his chest, was a little confused.

 

Where was he? Why was he sleeping on the same bed as Zhuang Yan, and…why was he holding him like this?

 

Xie Ning took Zhuang Yan’s arm away from him, blushing, and sat up.

 

His first reaction was to look down at his clothes.

 

His clothes were fine, and his body felt refreshed.
Other than the headache from the hangover, he didn’t feel any other discomfort.

 

But the pajamas on his body were not at all similar to the suit he wore yesterday.

 

Who…changed clothes for him?

 

He rubbed his forehead.
He could only vaguely remember what happened after he was drunk; Yan Xi seemed to have taken him away.

 

And then?

 

Where did Yan Xi go? Why was he with Zhuang Yan?

 

All kinds of questions jumped messily into his head, and Xie Ning’s headache got worse.

 

He first took off the blanket and got off the bed.
As he put on his slippers, Zhuang Yan opened his eyes.

 

“You’re awake?” His voice was deeper than normal since he just woke up, and carried a sense of sensuality and laziness that would make anyone blush and their heart beat faster.

 

He leaned against the head of the bed.
He wore the same kind of pajamas, but the collar was a little messy, possibly because Xie Ning had somehow rubbed it open while he slept.

 

Most of his collarbone and his firm chest were exposed, and Xie Ning looked away awkwardly.

 

“How come I’m here?” Xie Ning asked.

 

Zhuang Yan yawned, then raised his eyebrow and looked at him.
“You don’t remember?”

 

Xie Ning thought about it for a while but his mind was still blank.

 

Zhuang Yan chuckled and said, “When I bumped into you last night, you were already drunk.”

 

Xie Ning nodded.
He had no idea how he’d met Zhuang Yan last night.

 

Zhuang Yan continued to say, “And when you saw me, you pulled at me and wouldn’t let go.
You insisted on following me, and you looked like you were going to cry if I didn’t take you with me.
It was impossible to get you off of me.”

 

Xie Ning widened his eyes.

 

“You were so clingy.
I had no other choice but to bring you here and open a room.” Zhuang Yan pretended to sigh.

 

“…” Xie Ning mumbled and asked, “Really?”

 

Zhuang Yan looked at him, unruffled.
“Of course it’s true.
Why would I lie to you?”

 

Xie Ning pressed his lips together.
“I don’t believe it.”

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Zhuang Yan: “So you remembered?”

 

Xie Ning didn’t recall, but he didn’t think he would stick to Zhuang Yan and not let go.

 

Plus…

 

“I remember I clearly left with Yan Xi.”

 

“Right.” Zhuang Yan followed his words and continued to say, “Then you guys met me.
If you don’t believe me, you can ask Yan Xi.
He wouldn’t lie to you.”

 

He spoke confidently, and Xie Ning really did believe him for a while.

 

He couldn’t help biting his lip, thinking, was he really that clingy when he was drunk?

 

He even…held onto Zhuang Yan’s waist and wouldn’t let go?

 

Xie Ning imagined the scene, and felt his face burn a little.

 

Zhuang Yan laughed out loud.

 

Xie Ning looked up at him, seeing the familiar smile, before reacting and realizing that he was being teased again.

 

It wasn’t the first day they’d met, so how could he be tricked again and again?

 

Xie Ning pouted, not wanting to talk to him, and turned to walk to the bathroom.

 

Zhuang Yan jumped off the bed, and slowly followed him into the bathroom.
“I was teasing you just now, don’t take it too seriously.”

 

While Xie Ning was brushing his teeth and washing his face, Zhuang Yan leaned against the bathroom door and said, “But you really are easy to spirit away.
I only asked one question, if you wanted to go with him or with me, and you obediently pulled at my sleeve.”

 

Xie Ning: “…”

 

He decided to pretend like he didn’t hear anything.

 

Zhuang Yan raised his eyebrow.
“This time I’m really not lying to you.”

 

Xie Ning responded with a sound.

 

Although he couldn’t remember the circumstances at that time, he knew that Yan Xi wouldn’t have let Zhuang Yan take him away if he wasn’t willing to go.

 

Zhuang Yan was dealing with Xie Ning for most of the night, and couldn’t express the fire that had built up anywhere.
When Xie Ning fell asleep, he was still in the bathroom dealing with his body’s needs.

 

He was unwillingly woken up this morning, and wasn’t in the best mood at the moment, like he’d gotten up on the wrong side of the bed.

 

He asked, “Do you remember what you did last night?”

 

Xie Ning’s hands, which were currently wiping his face, paused.
“I don’t remember.”

 

Although Zhuang Yan had planned this out already, seeing how ignorant Xie Ning was, he was encouraged by his dissatisfaction to say, “Then I’ll tell you.”

 

Xie Ning quickly replied, “I-I’m also quiet when I’m drunk, and wouldn’t do anything too over the top.”

 

Zhuang Yan lifted his eyebrows and scoffed.
“Yes, you were well-behaved.
You followed me wherever I went, and I had finally coaxed you to sit on the sofa and watch TV, yet you seemed like you were wronged.”

 

Xie Ning’s ears were red, listening to him talk.

 

It was a little embarrassing, but…it wasn’t unacceptable.

 

Zhuang Yan rubbed the spot between his eyebrows and left out some trivial matters, getting directly to the point.
“You weren’t willing to sleep when I told you to, and insisted on taking a bath before sleeping.”

 

Take a bath?!

 

Xie Ning was startled, and couldn’t help but ask, “You helped me wash?”

 

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Zhuang Yan purposely didn’t respond and looked at his panicked expression for a while before calmly responding, “That didn’t happen.
You washed yourself.”

 

Xie Ning quietly let out a breath, and felt like everything was okay.

 

Zhuang Yan continued to say, “But I helped you take your pants off.”

 

Xie Ning: “…” His face flushed immediately.

 

He noticed today that Zhuang Yan was determined to tease him today.

 

He didn’t really want to hear the following words, but Zhuang Yan blocked the bathroom door, not letting him leave.

 

“Don’t try to leave in such a hurry.
I haven’t gotten to the important parts yet.” Zhuang Yan reached out a hand to stop him in his tracks.
“You stopped moving halfway through the bath, saying that your head hurt.”

 

Xie Ning subconsciously touched his head.
“My head hurt?”

 

Zhuang Yan took a deep breath.
“Yes.
I rubbed your head, but you weren’t satisfied, and while yelling that it hurt, you tried to dive into my arms, wanting me to hug you.”

 

Xie Ning found it hard to believe.

 

He stubbornly said, “I-I don’t believe it.
You were still lying to me just now.”

 

“You don’t believe it?” Zhuang Yan coldly laughed once, walked forward a couple steps, and pushed Xie Ning back against the bathroom tile.
“Alright, since you can’t remember, then I’ll be more detailed.
You weren’t wearing anything then.
You were naked, reaching out and holding my neck without letting go.”

 

The atmosphere around Zhuang Yan was too strong.
The feeling of pressure made Xie Ning’s heart beat so hard that it was difficult to speak, especially under Zhuang Yan’s gaze at such a close distance.

 

“Then you h-hugged me?”

 

Zhuang Yan coldly hmphed.
“I was so tempted by you that my whole body was on fire, how would I dare to hug you? But if I didn’t hug you, you would yell that it hurts, and you looked like you were about to cry when I changed your clothes.
What could I do, leave you in the bathroom to go crazy?!”

 

Xie Ning insisted, “I didn’t.”

 

He defended himself quietly.
“I never become a raging drunk when I’m drunk.”

 

Zhuang Yan gritted his teeth.
“Right, you weren’t a raging drunk.
But you only knew how to tempt me crazily, and even when sleeping, you would dive into my arms!”

 

The more he talked, the angrier he got.
Thinking of his experience last night, he wanted to teach Xie Ning a lesson.

 

Xie Ning looked at him, scared witless and giving his final struggle.
“I can’t remember any of these, so who knows if you’re telling the truth or not?”

 

Zhuang Yan lowered his head, leaning in next to Xie Ning’s ear, and said word by word, “You.
Can’t.
Remember?”

 

He was so infuriated that he laughed.
“The pajamas you’re wearing now are the ones I helped you change into! Why don’t I take off your clothes again and recreate the scene from last night to help you out? Maybe you’ll remember it then.”

 

Xie Ning was startled and subconsciously started to struggle.
“No!”

 

Zhuang Yan had him pressed against the wall.
Their legs were against each other’s, and Zhuang Yan’s hands were on his shoulders, so as Xie Ning moved around recklessly, the places they were touching increased in temperature by a couple degrees.

 

And then, he noticed that Zhuang Yan’s eyes, glaring at him, were getting darker and darker.

 

“Don’t move around randomly.” Zhuang Yan took a deep breath and released him, his voice becoming hoarse.
“If you keep moving, you’re going to tease the fire inside me again.”

 

Xie Ning: “…” Was that his fault?!

 

But he really didn’t dare to move anymore.

 

Zhuang Yan laughed lightly.
“You tempted me like this last night too.” He added, “I still haven’t put on any clothes yet.”

 

Xie Ning grimaced, feeling like the shock he’d received was rather large.
“Don’t say any more.”

 

This time, he believed what Zhuang Yan had said, and was terribly embarrassed.

 

He rarely gets drunk, but it’s not like he hadn’t been drunk before.

 

When he got drunk before, he was clearly just quiet and didn’t cause any trouble, but in front of Zhuang Yan, how could he do…

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Do so many embarrassing things.

 

Zhuang Yan had to say more.
“I don’t even know how I resisted last night.
If I couldn’t hold myself back in the end and really did something to you…” You asked for it.

 

He hadn’t finished speaking, but Xie Ning understood the implication, and was even more embarrassed.

 

He sincerely said, “Thank you.”

 

Zhuang Yan lifted his eyebrows.
“What are you thanking me for?”

 

Xie Ning said, quietly, “Thank you for…taking care of me last night.”

 

Zhuang Yan looked at how he was blushing and his heart was beating because of the dalliance, and smiled slightly.
“Then do you still dare to get so drunk in the future?”

 

Xie Ning honestly responded, “I won’t.”

 

Zhuang Yan was satisfied, but felt like it wasn’t enough and still wanted to get something from Xie Ning.
“I was dealing with you for so long last night.
Is just a thank you enough?”

 

Xie Ning was at a loss.
“What else is there?”

 

Zhuang Yan looked at how soft Xie Ning looked and felt like his heart was scratched by a cat’s paw.
It itched so much, and he said, “You should give me some compensation, right?”

 

“What sort of compensation?” Xie Ning asked cautiously.

 

Zhuang Yan looked at him, quiet, for a while, then lifted his eyebrows and smiled.
“Let me kiss you once.”

 

Xie Ning: “…”

 

“With a kiss, we can treat this as something of the past.” Zhuang Yan lowered his voice, making it sound deliberately tempting.
“What do you think?”

 

Xie Ning: “…” Not that great.

 

Seeing the red on his face move slowly towards his ear tips, Zhuang Yan leaned in towards his ear and uttered two words.
“…NingNing?”

 

Xie Ning’s legs suddenly gave out.

 

He almost fell into Zhuang Yan’s arms again.

 

He leaned against the cold ceramic tiles, trying to support himself.

 

Zhuang Yan, seeing him not say anything, didn’t retreat.
“Can I?”

 

Xie Ning’s face was red for a long while before he gritted his teeth and said, “…Okay.”

 

His voice had just fallen upon Zhuang Yan’s ears when the sight in front of Xie Ning darkened.

 

Zhuang Yan put him in his embrace and lowered his head.
The two of them were so close that their breaths intertwined.

 

Xie Ning closed his eyes involuntarily.

 

He thought Zhuang Yan’s kiss would be like the one yesterday in the smaller room; crazy, ferocious, and with a sense of aggressiveness.

 

But when he felt the soft touch on his lips, he realized that Zhuang Yan was kissing him gently.

 

Gentle and tender.
What permeated their lips wasn’t the feeling of plunder, but the feeling of cherishment.

 

He kissed him for a while and pressed his forehead against Xie Ning’s.
He spoke, his lips rubbing against Xie Ning’s: “Open your eyes and look at me.”

 

Xie Ning listened obediently and opened his eyes.

 

Zhuang Yan laughed lightly and kissed him again.

 

It was as gentle as before, but carried a sense of undeniable force.

 

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Xie Ning felt like he was going to suffocate from being kissed…

 

When he was finally let go, Xie Ning took lungfuls of breath and actually felt like celebrating.

 

After the kiss, Zhuang Yan called to him again.
“NingNing.”

 

This time, Xie Ning adjusted well.
“…Mmn.”

 

The corner of Zhuang Yan’s lip curled upwards.
“You told me last night that you really like it when I hug you.”

 

Xie Ning: “…” How many things did he do last night! How much did he talk!

 

He resisted stubbornly.
“That’s just drunken talk.
You shouldn’t believe it.”

 

“Really?” Zhuang Yan seemed very interested.
“But I think it’s the truth.”

 

Xie Ning turned his face away and was silent.

 

Zhuang Yan said, “How about this? In the future, you can hug me whenever you want, but in return, I get a kiss for each hug.
What do you think?”

 

Xie Ning was shocked.

 

He looked at Zhuang Yan in disbelief.
“I…hugged by you? And I have to let you kiss me?”

 

This person…could this person be any more shameless!

 

Xie Ning said, expressionlessly, “Give up, I won’t agree to that.”

 

……

 

Since it was on the way, Xie Ning rode in Zhuang Yan’s car back home that day.

 

He called Yan Xi to let him know he was safe.
Yan Xi’s tone made it sound like the cabbage that he’d personally raised had been dug up by a pig, and sounded heartbroken.

 

Afterwards, Yan Xi asked, “What exactly is the situation between you and Zhuang Yan?”

 

Xie Ning hesitated for a long while but wasn’t able to answer.

 

On the way back, he looked at the scenery outside the window and thought about the question Yan Xi asked.

 

What was going on between him and Zhuang Yan right now?

 

The question was too complicated, and even when they arrived at Lakeside Villa, Xie Ning still hadn’t figured out why.

 

So, he just stopped thinking about it.

 

His personality has always been like this, going with the flow and letting nature take its course.

 

When he got out of the car, Zhuang Yan suddenly turned his head and grasped Xie Ning’s hand, not letting him get off.

 

Xie Ning: “?”

 

Zhuang Yan stared at him.
He hesitated for a few seconds, and finally decided to ask, “If, instead of Yan Xi last night, it was Xu Qing and I standing in front of you, who would you choose to go with?”

 

This question was too easy!

 

Xie Ning replied without hesitation, “Of course I’d go with you.”

 

Hearing his answer, the corner of Zhuang Yan’s mouth curled upwards, and he let him go in high spirits.

——————————

Author’s Notes:

 

ZhuangZhuang: We’ve already kissed and slept together (not like that), so why haven’t we determined our relationship yet?

 

NingNing: Don’t ask, let’s just go with the flow.