Afterword
In early July, the three-month-long volunteer teaching program came to an end, and Pingshiba Primary School just happened to start its summer vacation.
As promised, Pei Xu came to pick Qiao Nan up and take him home.
The day before the holiday began, when the students learned that Qiao Nan was leaving, they all prepared gifts for him without any prior coordination.
Some were drawings they made themselves, others were small handmade crafts… none were expensive, but these were the best gifts these children could offer.
Qiao Nan carefully packed all these gifts into a small box by himself, said goodbye to the teachers one by one, and then got on the bus to leave.
The car started moving, the scenery on both sides rushing past quickly.
Qiao Nan leaned against the window, watching Pingshiba Primary School grow smaller and smaller in the distance, sighing, “Actually, many of these kids are quite smart. If they could receive a good education, they’d be excellent too.”
“But the reality is that they were born in this remote mountainous area. Generation after generation, they’ve earned meager incomes through manual labor. Good education is out of the question; for many of them, even going to university is a luxury.”
In this era of great economic and technological development, the gap between people is growing wider and wider.
In places unseen by others, countless talents are buried beneath poverty.
“You know the red envelope money you left with me before? I took part of it and established a charity fund in your name. It’s still in the process of setup and approval. If you want, you can personally take part in managing the fund in the future,” Pei Xu suddenly said.
Qiao Nan had actually been considering the feasibility of setting up a charity to help more children, but lacking experience, he only had a vague idea.
He never thought Pei Xu had already made it happen on his behalf.
He sincerely said, “You must be the Doraemon that the stars sent me—able to grant any wish.”
From Dong Zhao to Nanjiang, the two took turns driving, stopping and going along the way.
It took more than two days.
By the time they returned to Boting Residence, it was already late at night on the third day.
Qiao Nan sat in the passenger seat, still half-asleep.
Pei Xu came around and unbuckled his seatbelt.
Seeing the redness and drowsiness in his eyes, he rubbed the corner of Qiao Nan’s eye with his thumb, his gaze darkening slightly: “Want me to carry you upstairs?”
Qiao Nan rallied his energy and reached out his hand.
Pei Xu half-squatted with his back to Qiao Nan, who happily threw himself up, clinging to Pei Xu’s neck like a koala, mumbling in his ear, “I’m a bit hungry, want some late-night snack.”
“I’ll make it for you soon. What do you want to eat?”
“Let me think…”
Qiao Nan pondered seriously about what to eat for a late-night snack, not noticing that his chin was resting on Pei Xu’s shoulder, their faces pressed close together, his warm breath spraying on Pei Xu’s ear.
The elevator display’s red numbers flickered, stopping quickly at the twenty-fifth floor.
Pei Xu carried him to open the door, and Qiao Nan still hadn’t decided whether he wanted soup noodles or pasta.
Opening the door and entering, Pei Xu set him down, then turned around and pinned him against the door: “Still haven’t decided? Then just listen to me.”
Qiao Nan was about to speak, but his words were immediately silenced.
The strong body loomed over him.
Using his height and build advantage, Pei Xu completely pinned him down and kissed him from top to bottom.
Qiao Nan had to tilt his head back, dizziness flooding his brain from the rush of blood.
He could only tightly grasp Pei Xu’s arm to maintain balance, but as if in response, he pressed even closer.
Pei Xu roamed over him like a king surveying his territory, nibbling and licking carefully before magnanimously patting his lower back and sparing him for the moment: “I’ll go make your late-night snack.”
Qiao Nan stepped back, chest rising and falling, his face flushed as he ran to the bedroom: “I’m going to take a shower.”
Pei Xu cooked black pepper beef stir-fried pasta.
He took off his apron and went to call Qiao Nan, only to find him still in the bathroom.
The bathroom door was slightly ajar, and the sound of running water was clear.
Pei Xu’s eyes narrowed as he pushed the door open.
In the shower area, Qiao Nan stood with his back to him, applying body wash to his arm.
His snow-white skin, steamed pink by the hot water vapor and then rinsed by the water flow, looked exceptionally beautiful.
Pei Xu’s Adam’s apple bobbed. Undoing the top button of his shirt, he stepped directly into the shower area.
Qiao Nan realized the danger a moment too late and before he could react, was roughly pinned against the wall.
The tall and sturdy figure pressed close; Qiao Nan felt the coarse friction of fabric against his skin.
“Pei Xu…”
He called out, both embarrassed and annoyed.
Pei Xu hummed softly and kissed his ear.
His knee pressed against the wall, forcing Qiao Nan to half-sit on his thigh.
Due to their height difference, Qiao Nan’s toes couldn’t touch the ground, leaving him wobbling and leaning against the wall.
In front of him was the cold wall; behind, the hard, burning-hot chest.
The steaming water poured down from above, blurring his vision.
Qiao Nan lifted his neck, gasping desperately like a fish out of water.
Most of the time, Pei Xu was gentle, but occasionally, he became like a beast baring claws and fangs, uncontrollable.
Like now.
Qiao Nan had no idea what switch he had flipped, but Pei Xu was especially fierce.
As if he wanted to devour him.
Qiao Nan stared blankly with wide eyes, hearing a sigh escape from Pei Xu.
When he came back to his senses, his body was clean and fresh, lying in bed.
A strong arm held him tight.
Whenever he moved, the arm tightened accordingly.
Qiao Nan heard Pei Xu ask, “Awake?”
Pei Xu stirred, his voice low and hoarse: “Nan Nan, you can’t be like this.”
He leaned down gently and kissed the side of his face.
The curtains in the room were drawn tight, blocking out all light.
Qiao Nan couldn’t tell the time by the sky; he only vaguely sensed a long passage of time.
Pei Xu had even bathed him twice more.
The pitch-dark room gave him the illusion of being locked in a little black room, especially since Pei Xu only allowed him to wear his shirt and insisted on feeding him bite by bite.
The scene reminded him of a sketch Pei Xu once drew.
Though there were no chains, Qiao Nan’s activity was indeed confined to a two-meter-wide bed.
He guessed this illusion might be what excited Pei Xu so much.
And that he had no intention of letting him go.
Yet Qiao Nan himself was no better.
The dense scent of hormones filled the stagnant air like a springtime aphrodisiac, making it impossible for him to resist Pei Xu’s seduction.
Qiao Nan panicked slightly, thinking that at this rate, he might really be killed.
Taking advantage of Pei Xu leaving the bedroom, he propped up his sore arms and found his phone, sending Qian Chuan a WeChat message with his location: [Chuan’er, come rescue me ASAP!!!]
After receiving the message, Qian Chuan immediately drove to Boting Residence.
At first, he thought Qiao Nan had been stuck drinking with some shady friends after disappearing for so long.
But upon taking the elevator to the twenty-fifth floor, he stared blankly at the entrance door.
Why wasn’t he staying at home properly?
And this didn’t look like any emergency.
He hesitated before pressing the doorbell.
Inside, Qiao Nan heard the doorbell and immediately showed a look of relief: “Someone’s here!”
Pei Xu narrowed his eyes, annoyed, and pinned Qiao Nan down again, kissing him for a long time.
He bit Qiao Nan’s lips before letting him go to get dressed: “Sneaky.”
Qian Chuan waited at the door for over ten minutes.
Just as he was starting to doubt if anyone was inside or if Qiao Nan was playing him, the door finally opened.
Qiao Nan looked at him with shining eyes and said, “Chuan’er, hero of the hour, you deserve a reward!”
Qian Chuan’s gaze fixed on Qiao Nan’s face, which seemed to be shimmering with a certain springtime glow, making him even more confused.
He glanced past Qiao Nan’s shoulder into the room, only to meet Pei Xu’s gaze.
He immediately shuddered, tossing the chaotic thoughts in his mind aside, and crossed his arms in displeasure: “If you don’t have a good enough reason to convince me, then be prepared to die for your crimes.”
The two brothers clapped him on the shoulders and headed out: “We’ll talk outside.”
Qiao Nan waved back at Pei Xu, cheerfully bidding goodbye: “I’m going out, won’t be back tonight!”
After leaving Boting Residence, the two casually found a restaurant to eat.
Qiao Nan finally got to have a proper meal, his whole being radiating happiness.
Qian Chuan clicked his tongue and said, “So you just ran off to Dong Zhao silently? Went there to starve? No food in Dong Zhao?”
Qiao Nan rolled his eyes.
“Your mindset is outdated.”
“Well then, Mr. High Awareness Qiao, tell me—what exactly did you go to Dong Zhao for?”
Qian Chuan still found it unbelievable.
“Did you really go for volunteer teaching?”
“Could volunteer teaching be fake?”
Qiao Nan was speechless but explained, “But it wasn’t just for volunteer teaching. My parents found out and wanted to send me abroad. I didn’t want to, so I went to Dong Zhao to volunteer teach instead.”
He spoke plainly, but Qian Chuan was stunned to his feet: “Your parents found out? Found out what?”
Qiao Nan leaned back in his chair and took a satisfied sip of lemon water: “I came out.”
Before Qian Chuan could react, Qiao Nan proudly added, “After my relentless fighting, my parents have agreed.”
Qian Chuan slumped back down: “You’ve even introduced your wild man to your parents?”
Qiao Nan nodded.
Qian Chuan couldn’t help but be curious: “Then when are you bringing him over for me to meet?” His expression soured.
“You’ve been hiding this long—ugly daughter-in-law has to meet the in-laws sooner or later.”
“You just met him,” Qiao Nan glanced at him with a mischievous smile.
“Wha—when did I meet—”
The last word was cut off as Qian Chuan was suddenly silenced like a duck with its neck grabbed.
His expression gradually turned horrified.
The person he had just met, besides Qiao Nan, was Qiao Nan’s brother.
“Damn.”
He stood up, about to leave: “Sorry to bother you, I had no idea.”
Qiao Nan yanked him back: “Why’re you chicken? Didn’t you say you wanted to drink together?”
He grinned: “You bring Xiao Rang and the others too, I’ll have Pei Xu host and treat you all to a great time.”
Qian Chuan’s face fell, swearing silently in his heart.
Who the hell wants to drink with you?
Get lost!
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