CH 100

as they emerged from the hallway, qi yanbai’s mood was surprisingly good.

he felt like he had never been this relaxed before. it was as if he was lifted by a soft cloud out of nowhere, no longer dropping endlessly but landing somewhere solid, where he could finally catch his breath.

his steps were light and brisk, clearly still savoring everything that had just happened. walking beside him, lu ye watched his constantly upturned lips since they left the building and, after a while, couldn’t help but reach out and pull him.

“still so happy?” lu ye chuckled. “keep walking like this, and you might just take off.”

“that would be nice,” qi yanbai said with a smile. “then i’d take you to the sky and hide in a place where no one can see us.”

qi yanbai’s possessiveness over him had always been there from start to finish, and lu ye understood that. even though he had given qi yanbai more security, this aspect of his personality wasn’t something he could change – at most, it would transition from being acted out to just spoken words, becoming less impactful.

this sounded like a timed bomb, but lu ye didn’t mind it. qi yanbai’s love was passionate and intense, even though it carried uncontrollable risks. as long as lu ye could hold onto that leash, the rewards far outweighed the risks.

“sure, you can fly, but let’s not hide,” lu ye teased. “it’s almost monday, and i have to go to work.”

“can you take a few more days off?” qi yanbai was feeling bold, trying to negotiate. “your hand is still hurting. you can rest for a few more days, and i can delay my return to work.”

qi yanbai’s mind wasn’t very rational when he was in such high spirits. he was enjoying himself, and he didn’t want to let go.

“sorry, can’t do that,” lu ye said.

qi yanbai knew he wouldn’t agree, but he was still trying to challenge lu ye’s decision. so, he lightly scratched lu ye’s palm with his fingertips and asked pitifully, “why not?”

“because i won’t get paid if i don’t go to work,” lu ye replied, lifting their joined hands and pointing to his head. “besides, the house isn’t even renovated yet. do you want to live in an unfinished place?”

qi yanbai chuckled and then burst into laughter. he looked like he had found some hidden humor. without saying anything, he turned and walked toward lu ye’s shoulder, apparently giving up on his previous playful arguments.

“good thing i know you’re not that kind of person,” he laughed strangely, his head buried in lu ye’s shoulder. he sniffed the faint smell of tobacco on lu ye’s collar and inhaled deeply, like a junkie craving for a fix. then he said, “you’re so addictive.”

his warm breath sprayed on lu ye’s neck, making his spine tingle. lu ye let out a soft groan, and before he could stop himself, qi yanbai’s tongue was licking his neck.

this was going a bit too far in public.

not far away, the outdoor park in the community was brightly lit. half-grown kids who didn’t have to wake up early on weekends were shuttling between amusement equipment, their cheerful laughter occasionally reaching the small road. the nearest child appeared to be seven or eight years old, chasing after a soccer ball and about to run past a flowerbed. lu ye reached out to hug qi yanbai’s back and took a few steps back before qi yanbai, who was about to stick to him. they hid behind the nearby electrical room before anyone could see them.

“there are kids around,” lu ye said with a smile.

qi yanbai didn’t care much about it. his “teacher qi” persona was like a disguise that had integrated into modern society, only useful in front of others. but whenever there was no one around, he would transform into something else, like a wolf under the moonlight.

“i don’t care,” qi yanbai said. today, he was too excited. he was like a playful little wolf, greedy and stingy. he didn’t want to let go.

“they’ll grow up sooner or later,” he said. “life only has so many experiences. sooner or later, they’ll see it.”

lu ye nodded and watched qi yanbai’s eyes, which were sparkling with mischief. he deliberately teased, “for example, you who didn’t have time to grow up as a child, so you’re just now going through your rebellious phase.”

he couldn’t help but laugh a couple of times when he spoke. his chest vibrated slightly, and qi yanbai’s gaze shifted from his lips to his adam’s apple. after a while, he seemed to think of something, and his adam’s apple rolled up and down for an instant as he swallowed a mouthful of saliva.

behind the electrical room was a blind spot in the lighting. it was surrounded by knee-high shrubs, and there was only a maintenance path hidden in the middle of the shrubs. it looked dark at first glance, appearing quiet and private. however, the distant sounds of playing from the kids were still echoing in their ears, and under the bright lights, half-grown kids were chasing a soccer ball and playing around. parents were gathered in groups, chatting casually. in the distance, the late-night square dance had already ended, and the last ear-piercing sound from the speakers marked the final quiet.

but here they were, hiding in plain sight, sharing a passionate kiss that no one knew about.