Chapter 20 – “Next Time”

At the door, the glass door had built-in blinds, which Yan Ankuo activated with a button press, blocking the view from outside.

Bian Ji was bent over, opening a plastic container, unaware of this action. He scooped out a spoonful, blew on it, and brought it to Yan Ankuo’s lips, asking after watching him take a bite, “Does it feel too hot?”

“It’s alright.”

“Then drink up.”

Yan Ankuo looked at him and said, “Closer.”

Bian Ji thought he heard wrong, “What?”

Yan Ankuo explained, “I’m not able to sit up well.”

“Oh.” Bian Ji then moved his stool a few centimeters closer to Yan Ankuo, leaning over to feed him the porridge.

The material of the uniform trousers was similar to that of dress pants, creating a rustling sound when they brushed against each other, which was particularly noticeable in the quiet reception room.

Despite doing nothing inappropriate, Bian Ji felt his face heat up inexplicably. Unavoidably, his gaze drifted towards the eyes glistening with moisture, the slightly unbuttoned shirt, the rolling Adam’s apple, the rising and falling chest… Stop.

Yet even the curve where the shoe met the ankle seemed oddly sexy. Stop.

Bian Ji forcibly cut off his thoughts, clearing his throat, saying, “Try the egg flower? To supplement some protein.” Outside the reception room.

Due to the attractiveness of their guest, colleagues, who should have been working diligently, were gossiping during their precious work hours: “Did Attorney Yan just close the blinds?”

“It seems so.”

“What’s going on?”

“That person… seems to have an unusual relationship with Attorney Yan.”

“Well, it’s not like there’s anything definite or confirmed.”

Amidst all the chatter, Bian Ji pushed open the door, leading Yan Ankuo, whose steps were unsteady, appearing in front of a group of curious gazes.

Yan Ankuo stepped forward, shielding Bian Ji behind him, and told Huang Xiaoxiao, “Please tell Director Zhou for me that I have something today and will head back first.”

Huang Xiaoxiao nodded, “Okay, Attorney Yan, take care and rest well.”

Downstairs, a specially arranged car was waiting. Bian Ji let Yan Ankuo get in first, closing the door himself, and asked Yan Ankuo, “Tell the driver your address.”

Yan Ankuo quietly reported the address, leaning back on the sofa, closing his eyes to rest, looking very tired.

Bian Ji sighed, “Get some sleep, we’ll be home soon.”

Yan Ankuo hummed in response, not speaking again.

The car weaved through the city streets, casting shadows from the plane trees onto the passengers’ faces. Bian Ji stared out the window, lost in thought, when suddenly he felt a weight on his shoulder – Yan Ankuo, worn out and falling sleep, was lying on his shoulder.

Bian Ji hesitated, but in the end, driven by personal feelings, he didn’t adjust him.

The driver drove silently, and as they approached the riverside, the navigation system loudly announced, “In one hundred meters, you will arrive near your destination.”

Perhaps awakened by the noise, Yan Ankuo shifted his head. Seeing that he had no intention of getting up, Bian Ji was about to call out to him when he heard a low complaint from his shoulder, “Bian Ji, your uniform is so hard.”

Bian Ji quickly turned sideways, “Is the epaulet bothering you?”

“No,” Yan Ankuo rubbed his temples, straightened up, stretching languidly, “You look good in your uniform.”

Bian Ji laughed embarrassedly, “It’s just fitted, the company always has us wear these, thinking everyone enjoys looking at them.”

“Hmm,” Yan Ankuo, recognizing himself in this, said, “I enjoy looking.”

Bian Ji didn’t know how to respond, but just as the driver said, “We’re here, please disembark slowly,” he got out of the car to support Yan Ankuo.

“I won’t come up, can you manage on your own?” Bian Ji supported him to the elevator entrance.

Yan Ankuo found this strange, “Why not?”

Bian Ji, having lived in various relatives’ homes since childhood, could be said to have no personal space, therefore, after growing up, he valued boundaries more than the average person. No one had ever entered his small apartment, and he rarely set foot in others’ homes.

Yan Ankuo didn’t mind; his house in the riverside area was over a hundred square meters, with his mother and sister often coming to play, and sometimes colleagues would also come over for meetings. He didn’t think it was inconvenient in any way.

Standing at the elevator entrance, Bian Ji said, “After all, it’s your home, I shouldn’t intrude casually.”

Yan Ankuo didn’t comment, swiped his fingerprint, pushed the door open, and invited him, “Even with the owner’s invitation, it’s not allowed?”

Bian Ji was still awkward, shaking his head, politely declining.

“Even if the patient asks for help?” Yan Ankuo leaned against the wall, asking.

His eyes looked too pitiful, and Bian Ji reluctantly agreed, “Then I’ll prepare food for you, fetch things for you, and leave quickly.”

Yan Ankuo nodded, slowly changing out of his pajamas, moving lightly as if indeed sick. After getting into bed, seeing Bian Ji standing far away, he asked, “Aren’t you coming in?”

Bian Ji shook his head, “You sleep.”

Yan Ankuo didn’t insist, lying down and closing his eyes. He had been feeling drowsy all day, and tonight there was a faint sign of fever returning. Yan Ankuo didn’t dare to act up anymore, resting obediently.

Bian Ji couldn’t possibly enter someone else’s bedroom, taking out bowls and chopsticks from the high kitchen cabinets, buying meat and eggs, and setting the rice cooker to simmer soup at a scheduled time. Because he had to fly the next evening, he left early, leaving a note quietly: The porridge is in the microwave, hot water is in the thermos, just press and it will come out.

Yan Ankuo was alone at home, running a fever again halfway through the night, until the fever truly subsided the next evening. Feeling better, he took his temperature, sending a photo of the thermometer displaying “37.1” to Bian Ji, saying “Thank you.”

Bian Ji saw the message after landing, asking, [How do you feel?] Yan Ankuo replied, [Much better, drinking the soup you cooked. It’s delicious.] Someone with a fever wouldn’t be able to taste anything, Bian Ji knew he was just being polite, not exposing him: “Good, as long as you like it. I cooked enough for two days for you, remember to eat it.”

Yan Ankuo said, [Okay, saw it, very grateful.] Bian Ji: [Why be so formal.] Yan Ankuo: [When are you coming back to Shanghai? When you return, I must invite you to dinner.] Bian Ji: [It’s not certain yet, the weather has been bad these days, flights are always delayed.] Yan Ankuo: [Let me know when you return.] Bian Ji replied “okay” before putting his phone away, notifying the crew to prepare for inspection.

Crew members usually arrived early to prepare, so there was a long gap in the middle. This time, the captain flying with Bian Ji was quite familiar with him. Seeing that his state was off, he perceptively noticed and asked, “Anything happy happening today?”

Bian Ji spread his hands, “There’s something every day.”

The captain smiled without saying anything, tapping his head, “I see, you’re in a situation.”

Bian Ji played along with him, “Not a sure thing yet.”

The captain raised his eyebrows, “Oh my, planning to draw the character ‘eight’?” It had been a while since he’d seen Bian Ji this happy, “Who were you chatting with on your phone just now?”

Bian Ji laughed, “Just… a friend.”

The captain didn’t believe it, “Friend?”

“Ahh,” Bian Ji admitted, “Thinking of pursuing.”

The captain was genuinely surprised, “No way, you’re still chasing people? What kind can’t you get?”

Bian Ji was helpless, “Yeah, he’s pretty hard to chase.”

With a few minutes to spare, the captain became interested and sat beside him, “Tell me? How is he hard to chase?”

As Bian Ji spoke, he typed to Yan Ankuo on his phone, “Both of us are being polite, it doesn’t feel like we’re getting closer. Of course, mainly I don’t dare to overstep, afraid of scaring him.”

The captain understood, “You don’t know if he likes men or women yet?”

Bian Ji smiled bitterly, “Yes.”

The captain nodded, “That’s why you have to take it slow.”

“Yeah, we haven’t known each other for long, it wouldn’t be appropriate to ask about his orientation directly,” Bian Ji thought for a moment, “But I feel… he doesn’t seem to reject me.”

The captain was a straightforward man from the north, and whenever he laughed, his native dialect would slip out, “Really interesting, with your looks, who could reject you?”

Bian Ji followed suit, laughing, “Insulting me?”

“Complimenting you!” The captain finished, leaning in curiously towards the phone, pointing at the screen, “So, what are you planning to do? Just stay friends for now?”

This question really stumped Bian Ji. When it came to chasing someone, especially someone whose orientation wasn’t certain, Bian Ji didn’t have much experience. Fortunately, he was talented in being likable and social, so he could handle this unprecedented challenge with ease.

Bian Ji typed quickly on his phone, asking Yan Ankuo, [Are you off work?] When Yan Ankuo said no, he asked when he would be going home.

For ordinary friends, such frequent inquiries were somewhat ambiguous.

The captain was openly peeking at the screen beside him, clicking his tongue repeatedly, “Good, good, checking his position first, appropriate intrusion, breaking social barriers… Impressive, Flight Attendant Bian.”

Bian Ji didn’t specifically avoid him, but he didn’t want his privacy exposed either. He half-warned, putting his phone away, making a tsk sound.

The captain apologized for his impoliteness, still marveling, “Can’t tell, you’re quite strategic.”

Bian Ji neither confirmed nor denied, “How can you chase someone without strategy.”

On the phone, Yan Ankuo replied [leaving now], and asked if Bian Ji’s return time to Shanghai was determined, he wanted to book a restaurant in advance to treat him.

Bian Ji glanced at the roster, actually able to give Yan Ankuo an accurate arrival time right now, but he chose to hold back, telling Yan Ankuo, [Hard to say now, I’ll tell you next time.] Bian Ji was like the storyteller from One Thousand and One Nights, luring Yan Ankuo with repeated promises of “next time.”

Unbeknownst to him, the other party was also an expert puppeteer, easily pulling Bian Ji towards him with just a single string.