Chapter 49: Reunited

A familiar voice called out, and Qiao Nan’s footsteps suddenly halted.

He stood rooted to the spot, staring blankly at him.

It really was him.

Joy bloomed belatedly in his chest, bubbling like summer soda, swirling and fizzing inside his ribcage.

Pei Xu saw him frozen in place and took the initiative to walk toward him, calling out once more.

Only then did the stunned man react, breaking into a run toward him and throwing himself hard into his arms. “Brother!”

Pei Xu caught him steadily, spreading his fingers to press against the back of his head, pulling him firmly closer, feeling the warmth of their skin pressed together. He let out a comfortable sigh.

“Qiao Nan, I’ve missed you so much.”

The man’s voice was low and husky, his hot breath pressing into Qiao Nan’s ear, teasing the eardrum with a gentle yet intense tickle, sending shivers down his spine.

Qiao Nan curled his toes in helpless delight and lifted his head to kiss Pei Xu’s chin.

“I missed you too…”

When angry, he really had intended to go three whole months without seeing him.

But once the anger passed, every minute was filled with longing.

Only by keeping busy could he pretend not to miss him.

They’d spent so much time together that their roots had long since intertwined.

Every separation only made the yearning grow crazier.

Pei Xu bent down to capture his lips, his strong tongue probing inside, unleashing a swift storm.

The drawing board fell to the ground with a dull thud, but Qiao Nan no longer cared.

He stretched onto his toes, wrapping his soft arms around Pei Xu’s neck, tilting his head up to deepen their kiss, desperately wanting to be closer and closer.

Dusk settled in as the old streetlamp flickered, casting a dim yellow glow over a small circle around them.

They kissed and held each other passionately, the summer night’s sweat radiating the restless scent of hormones.

Pei Xu slowly licked away the tears gathering at Qiao Nan’s eye corners, his voice hoarse and rough.

“Where’s the dorm? Want to go back first?”

Qiao Nan licked his lips, reluctant to let go, his cheeks flushed deep red.

“I’ll take you there.”

He moved to pick up the drawing board but Pei Xu was quicker, grabbing it first.

Setting it on top of a suitcase, Pei Xu held the suitcase handle with one hand and gripped Qiao Nan’s hand tightly with the other.

“Let’s go.”

The man’s palm was large, his fingers long and strong, completely enveloping Qiao Nan’s hand.

It gave Qiao Nan a strange sensation, as if his whole body was still under control, and he couldn’t help but follow him forward.

After a few steps, Qiao Nan realized that Pei Xu didn’t know the way.

He glanced at him, then tugged him toward the right direction.

“Why didn’t you call me when you arrived?”

“The call didn’t go through.”

Qiao Nan thought for a moment.

“The signal’s pretty bad around here.”

“How long did you wait?”

“Not long.”

By then, they had already reached the dormitory.

The dorm was old and rundown, with bunk beds packed tightly together.

Though air freshener was used, it couldn’t mask the faint damp and musty smell.

The roommates looked curious as Qiao Nan led a man inside.

After greeting and introducing him, Qiao Nan let Pei Xu sit on his own bed.

“The environment here is a bit rough. The bunk bed is too small for two. I’ll go ask Teacher Zhang if there are any other dorms available.”

With that, he dashed out excitedly again.

When Qiao Nan found Teacher Zhang, he felt embarrassed.

“It’s late. We just need somewhere to settle for the night. Tomorrow we can find a hotel ourselves.”

“There are some vacant dorms, but the conditions aren’t great.”

Teacher Zhang, in charge of the dormitories, jingled a bunch of keys around before finding one and handing it over.

“Try this room. It should be livable after some simple cleaning.”

Qiao Nan accepted the key and hurried back.

“Got one.”

He excitedly pulled Pei Xu to see their temporary lodging.

The dorm was a bit far from where they were staying now.

It consisted of three connected bungalows, looking even older than their current dorm.

Probably because it was near the school’s iron fence, surrounded by noisy rice paddies filled with insect chirps and frog croaks, it had been abandoned.

However, inside the room, the environment was a bit better.

There was a 1.5-meter wooden bed, a desk, and a round chair, though thick dust covered everything from long disuse and it would take some effort to clean.

“It’s still early. Let’s clean it ourselves,” Qiao Nan said, running back to fetch a bucket, broom, and cloth.

Pei Xu rolled up his sleeves to his elbows and took the cleaning tools from Qiao Nan.

“I’ll do it.”

He didn’t let Qiao Nan lift a finger, so Qiao Nan made himself useful by draining dirty water and doing little chores in the gaps of time.

By the time the dorm was cleaned and livable, it was already past 10 p.m.

Qiao Nan brought his own bedding, sheets, and fan, moving everything as if they were relocating.

Pei Xu carefully laid everything out one by one.

Looking at the now-clean dorm, Qiao Nan felt a surge of accomplishment.

“A quick shower and then we can rest. I’ll take you to the bathhouse.”

“No need.”

Pei Xu glanced at him, casually brushing back his damp hair, then peeled off his sweat-soaked shirt, wearing only his suit pants as he walked out.

“No one’s around here. I’ll just rinse with cold water.”

Outside the dorm was a water tap.

Wearing Qiao Nan’s slippers, he stood on the cement floor, filling a plastic basin and pouring water over his head.

The water cascaded down his smooth, firm muscles.

Qiao Nan glanced once, unable to look away.

Pei Xu’s broad shoulders and narrow waist formed a perfect inverted triangle.

As his back muscles flexed and stretched, he exuded raw power.

Used to seeing him impeccably dressed in formal wear, this was Qiao Nan’s first time witnessing such a casual side of him.

Like a beast freed from its restraints, radiating an irresistible wild beauty.

Suddenly feeling hot, Qiao Nan pointed the fan toward himself, turning it to full power.

His gaze shifted away, then moments later, he couldn’t help but look back.

When Pei Xu finished washing and came back inside, he saw Qiao Nan’s eyes darting nervously, his face flushed but unable to meet his gaze.

His brow twitched slightly as he bent down and lifted Qiao Nan’s chin, clearly seeing the wet glimmer in his eyes — a secret invitation of sorts.

He wrapped his water-soaked body around Qiao Nan and kissed him.

Droplets clung to his hair, dripping onto Qiao Nan’s neck, the coolness causing a slight shiver.

Yet Qiao Nan obediently sat on the bed, eyes closed, letting Pei Xu roam and kiss him, his skin hot and burning.

Summer night, rice paddies, frog calls.

In the old dorm, the fan’s blades whirred, but the air it stirred was thick with heat.

Before things got out of hand, Pei Xu reluctantly released him and tried to pull away.

“Don’t…”

Unexpectedly, Qiao Nan hooked his arms around Pei Xu’s neck, pulling him down, their warm bodies pressing tightly together.

He rubbed against Pei Xu’s ear, begging softly like a prayer, “Don’t go…”

Pei Xu soothed him with kisses along his cheek, his palm pressing more firmly at the back of his neck, voice low and restrained.

“Nan Nan, don’t be silly. There’s nothing here.”

But Qiao Nan had already lost control.

Maybe the frog calls were too loud, maybe the summer night was too sultry, or maybe the old dorm atmosphere was just too perfect, making him want to seek a deeper, closer connection.

He wouldn’t let go, nuzzling Pei Xu like a little beast, coquettishly urging, “Please…”

Tears welled up and dampened his lashes, making him look even more pitiful and irresistible.

Pei Xu’s Adam’s apple bobbed, his temple veins bulging as he struggled to resist.

Like a beast ready to pounce, he suddenly scooped Qiao Nan up, voice gritted out between clenched teeth, “Nan Nan, you can’t back out halfway…”

Halfway through, Qiao Nan already regretted it.

His eyes were swollen from crying, but Pei Xu refused to let him off.

The unleashed beast seemed eager to tear him apart and devour him whole.

What made him even more embarrassed was that the newly cleaned bedding was soaked through.

When Pei Xu lifted him up, he was still softly crying, his shame flushing him red all over.

He buried his face in Pei Xu’s chest, stubbornly refusing to look up.

Pei Xu folded the blanket neatly to use as a cushion, carefully placing him on a chair.

Seeing Qiao Nan’s shy expression even made him smile, his eyes crinkling with satisfaction.

He gently pinched Qiao Nan’s earlobe before going to change the sheets.

Luckily, Qiao Nan had brought two sets of bedding.

Pei Xu swapped the wet sheets for the other set and spread out his own sheets, so tonight they wouldn’t have to sleep on bare boards.

He also fetched water to help Qiao Nan wash up.

Qiao Nan curled up like a cocoon, limbs tucked in tightly, resisting every step.

Pei Xu coaxed him through the washing, then carried him to bed and went to shower himself.

When he returned, Qiao Nan was curled up under the thin blanket.

Pei Xu leaned down to kiss his flushed ear.

“Not hot?”

Qiao Nan ignored him, burying his face in the pillow.

“This is a normal physiological reaction, Nan Nan. Don’t be embarrassed.”

Qiao Nan glared at him, covering his ears.

“Stop talking.”

His voice was still hoarse.

Pei Xu poured him a glass of water and fed it to him, soothing him according to his mood.

“Alright, I won’t say anything. I’ll throw out these sheets tomorrow and buy new ones. No one will ever know.”

Qiao Nan drank the water from his hand, then turned over to face away from him.

He refused to let Pei Xu come near.

The overwhelming sensation from earlier still lingered, making Pei Xu’s touch bring back memories of drowning and losing control.

The next day, Qiao Nan couldn’t get out of bed.

His body felt sore and weak, as if run over by a truck.

He barely managed to get up and request leave, only to see it was already noon.

Pei Xu came in with packed porridge and soup, setting them on the table before reaching out to touch Qiao Nan’s forehead.

“I already asked for your leave. Are you feeling unwell anywhere?”

Qiao Nan gave him a weak glare.

But since last night had been his own insistence, he couldn’t blame Pei Xu.

So his glare lacked any real power.

He whined softly, “Everything hurts.”

Then grumbled unfairly, “It’s all your fault.”

“Yeah, my fault.”

Pei Xu propped up his pillow.

“Eat something first.”

Qiao Nan ate half a bowl of porridge, sipped some fish soup, then fell asleep again.

In his drowsy state, he felt someone massaging his limbs with just the right pressure to ease his discomfort.

He hummed softly in contentment, rewarded with a gentle kiss.

In his dream, Qiao Nan thought, If only Pei Xu could always be this gentle.