Chapter 67 – The Bedroom Is Warmer

Yan Ankuo gently stroked Bian Ji’s furry head, lifting his face up. He asked with a pleading tone, “If you’re not resistant, then why can’t you accept cohabitation? Can you tell me about it?”

It seemed he was eager to learn about Bian Ji’s past, but the party involved was unwilling to reveal such intimate details at the moment. To Bian Ji, his teenage years were ugly, and he didn’t plan on exposing his scars within an intimate relationship.

He wasn’t sure of the purpose behind this reluctance, perhaps subconsciously fearing being hurt again by someone close, or maybe there was no reason at all. Some habits didn’t require explanation or cause; they simply made up the flawed yet genuine human being.

Bian Ji hadn’t gotten a haircut for some time, his bangs longer than usual, casting a shadow over his forehead and obscuring his eyes from view.

He paused, then rewrapped his arms around Yan Ankuo. “You are the person I cherish most right now, so you’re not ‘someone else,’ and your presence in my home wouldn’t ‘offend’ me.”

“How did it turn into you comforting me?” Yan Ankuo looked deeply into his eyes, his expression a mix of helplessness and heartache. “If you don’t want to talk about it, then we won’t.”

Bian Ji had no doubts about Yan Ankuo’s patience and persistence, and he agreed that honesty should prevail in intimate relationships. However, he felt that Yan Ankuo shouldn’t have to wait indefinitely.

They were no longer in their teens or twenties, and they couldn’t afford to waste time.

Thus, Bian Ji decided to push himself, offering to move all the kitchen plants out to make room for his boyfriend to cook.

A simple gesture, but Bian Ji exerted some effort to convince himself. Standing in front of the stove, he said to Yan Ankuo, “Shall we prepare dinner together?”

Yan Ankuo, who was checking his email, brightened upon hearing these words.

The plant relocation project continued until evening, the once verdant kitchen finally returning to its original state, while the living room became the new base for plant cultivation.

Since the market was far from the apartment, Bian Ji decided to order groceries online, smiling as he shopped. “This is the first time I’m cooking with someone else.”

“In that case, you’re quite unlucky,” Yan Ankuo admitted self-consciously. “My culinary skills are limited to a few home-style dishes.”

Bian Ji lavished praise without restraint. “That’s master-level cooking!”

“You sure know how to flatter,” Yan Ankuo commented, sitting far away at the dining table, behaving like a guest. Ever since Bian Ji designated a space for him, he hadn’t left.

“I’ve placed the order.” Bian Ji put his phone away, walked over to the dining table, and hugged Yan Ankuo from behind. “Why are you sitting so straight?”

“It’s a habit,” Yan Ankuo replied, allowing Bian Ji’s hands to massage his back through his shirt. Then he asked, “Can I use your bathroom?”

Bian Ji found it odd that he was asking but realized the reason and felt guilty. “Since you’re here, feel free to use it whenever you need.”

Yan Ankuo thanked him and got up.

When he returned to the living room, the groceries Bian Ji had ordered had already arrived.

Bian Ji took credit for his preparation. “Look, I bought new condiments, oils, and even a new apron. Should be enough for you to show off your skills, right?”

“I don’t need an apron,” Yan Ankuo frowned, declining politely as he looked at the style.

“Give it a try,” Bian Ji led him to the wall and forcefully helped him wear it. “I specially bought it according to your size.”

Yan Ankuo reluctantly complied, wearing the pink and light blue checked apron and being led to the mirror, shrugging helplessly. “Can I temporarily deprive you of the right to choose couple outfits in the future?”

Bian Ji sternly replied, “No way, I’ll buy the couple outfits!”

Yan Ankuo sighed, conceding, “Then let’s change the color next time.”

Bian Ji grumbled, “It’s clearly adorable,” insisting on making Yan Ankuo twirl around. “How suitable for your figure.”

“But don’t you think this looks weird?” Yan Ankuo spread his arms wide, revealing his muscular arms and shoulders due to his undershirt being rolled up. He appeared as if he was wearing nothing but the apron. “Someone might think we’re playing some strange…”

At this point, Bian Ji suddenly became slightly interested in Yan Ankuo’s suggestion, casting a mischievous glance at the tightly closed curtains. He leaned in and bit near Yan Ankuo’s chin. “Since we’ve been misunderstood, I’m at a loss — “

Yan Ankuo narrowed his eyes, looking at him dangerously.

Bian Ji chuckled lightly. “We might as well give it a real try.”

Yan Ankuo raised his eyes slightly, taking less than half a second before lifting him up and placing him on the marble countertop.

“Is this countertop sturdy enough?” Yan Ankuo asked.

Bian Ji nodded. “I’m not sure, but… nobody would dare cut corners in an apartment like this, right?”

Yan Ankuo didn’t say anything more, lowering his head to kiss him intently.

As they kissed for a long time, their clothes gradually scattered everywhere, leaving five faint finger marks on the wall.

Yan Ankuo’s back wasn’t as fortunate, bearing several long and deep scratches.

Bian Ji had sat on the countertop for too long, his legs cramping when he got down, limping as he walked.

Seeing his difficulty, Yan Ankuo picked him up horizontally and placed him in the bathtub. “Any dirty laundry? I’ll wash it together.”

Bian Ji pointed to the bedroom. “There’s a pile on the window sill, or in the closet.”

As a flight attendant who considered the world his home, Bian Ji spent too little time in this apartment to have much energy for tidying up. Before entering the bedroom, Yan Ankuo sought permission from the owner. Upon receiving consent, he went in to fetch a nightshirt.

“I’ll close the door for you,” Yan Ankuo shut the door for Bian Ji and sat back at the dining table.

It took a long time for the sound of water to come from the bathroom, leading Yan Ankuo to speculate that the owner was struggling inside.

Indeed, Yan Ankuo could sense Bian Ji’s inner turmoil because he experienced it himself. He wanted to help Bian Ji overcome his issues, but he also feared pushing too hard might cause him pain. Just seeing Bian Ji frown pained him immensely.

Almost half an hour later, Bian Ji emerged with wet hair, saying, “I’m going to blow-dry my hair, you can go in now.”

His face, flushed from the steam, looked troubled, as if burdened by worry.

Yan Ankuo understood his dilemma and offered a solution to avoid putting him in a difficult position. “Okay, hurry to the bedroom after you finish drying your hair, don’t catch a cold. Tonight, I’ll sleep on the sofa.”

Bian Ji widened his eyes, as if confirming that he hadn’t misheard.

Yan Ankuo reached out to smooth his dripping hair, smiling. “What? Waiting for me to dry it for you?”

“No…” Bian Ji, surprised, responded a bit slowly. “You aren’t sleeping with me?”

For two people who were sexually compatible, separate beds seemed inappropriate, especially since Bian Ji was the host and felt he was neglecting Yan Ankuo.

However, Yan Ankuo merely took the towel from Bian Ji’s hand to help dry his hair, gently dispelling his wild thoughts. “No, the living room has underfloor heating, it’s warmer there.”

But the bedroom was clearly warmer.

A sour, stifling sensation welled up in Bian Ji’s throat, his eyes reddening as he lunged forward, kissing Yan Ankuo for a long time.

The bedroom door remained tightly closed, creating a safe small space, but Bian Ji didn’t have a good night’s sleep that evening.

He tossed and turned, constantly worrying about the person in the living room, fearing he’d be cold, wouldn’t sleep well, or find the sofa too hard. He woke up many times during the night, causing Yan Ankuo to feel somewhat helpless, assuring him that everything was fine.

After fitfully sleeping for six hours, Bian Ji fully woke up. His first action was to check on Yan Ankuo’s sleep quality.

The lawyer’s biological clock was truly astonishing; by seven-thirty, Yan Ankuo was bustling around in the kitchen.

“Fried eggs or toast, which do you want?” Yan Ankuo naturally pointed to the pans.

Because the owner had specifically allowed him access to this area the day before, Chef Yan was much more relaxed today. Bian Ji rubbed his sleepy eyes and managed a smile. “Both, please.”

Yan Ankuo smiled and said “okay,” quickly serving breakfast.

Looking at the food on the plate, Bian Ji suddenly felt that life like this was pretty good.

Waking up together, washing up, eating, lying on the couch tired and chatting, sharing each other’s lives and happiness — it didn’t seem that scary after all.

In the afternoon, Yan Ankuo received a new email, stating that preliminary results from the investigation were in. The person sending the harassing packages had been found, and the suspect responsible for the paint splashing was also identified. Thus, despite being on vacation, Yan Ankuo was far from idle, communicating with Wen Hongyu from dozens of kilometers away and remotely instructing Huang Xiaoxiao to report on her work progress over the past few days.

Bian Ji listened on the side, smiling wryly. “You really can’t stop for a moment, can you?”

Yan Ankuo said helplessly, “Too many things to handle. Everywhere people are looking for me when I’m not around.”

“These past few days don’t count against your holiday, right? You’re practically working from home.” Bian Ji felt sorry for those paid annual leaves.

Yan Ankuo shook his head and changed the subject. “By the way, why haven’t you been flying these past few days?”

Bian Ji suddenly remembered that he hadn’t mentioned the suspension.

Initially, he was afraid of affecting Yan Ankuo’s court proceedings, but later various unexpected issues arose. Now that things had been resolved for so long, he hesitated to bring it up, feeling it was no longer the right time.

Bian Ji was already blaming himself over cohabitation and buying a house, fearful that adding another complication would upset Yan Ankuo even more. He was terrified of losing Yan Ankuo.

Bian Ji scratched his head, evading the question. “Recently… I haven’t been assigned any shifts.”

Yan Ankuo found it odd. “On vacation?”

Bian Ji shook his head, pondering how to confess without angering Yan Ankuo.

Given the current situation, it seemed there was no proper way to explain. But Bian Ji didn’t want to remain stagnant either, so he decided to tackle another lingering issue first.

Bian Ji straddled Yan Ankuo’s lap, wrapping his arms around his neck. “Today, do you want to… be with me?”

Yan Ankuo was rendered speechless for a long time, eventually asking blankly, “Be together… in what way?”

“To sleep,” Bian Ji stated straightforwardly.

Yan Ankuo completely forgot what he had originally intended to ask, overwhelmed by surprise and joy.

Although they often shared a pillow when outside, there was always a layer of sleeping bag between them. Moreover, hotels and home represented different meanings, Bian Ji held higher standards for the latter.

Yan Ankuo confirmed, “Are you sure you can handle it?”

Bian Ji wasn’t certain if he could overcome his mental barrier, hesitating. “I don’t know. But I want to give it a try.”

Yan Ankuo thought for a moment. “Then I’ll come find you after I’m done with my work.”

Bian Ji knew that Yan Ankuo was giving him time to adjust.

Accepting someone entirely into one’s life, sharing everything with them, was something that required gradual progression. At least, that was the case for Bian Ji.

Bian Ji soaked in the bathtub for thirty-five minutes, thirty of which were spent imagining what it would be like if Yan Ankuo was sitting opposite him.

If Yan Ankuo was facing him, he might dislike the water temperature or find the space too cramped for two people, but Yan Ankuo’s muscles were firm and pleasant to touch, making it seem not entirely unacceptable.

Bian Ji took five minutes to tidy himself up, exiting the bathroom before Yan Ankuo could speak. “I’ll wait for you in the bedroom.”

Yan Ankuo looked at him, asking earnestly. “Let me confirm one more time. Are you really sure, have you thought it through?”

“Yes,” Bian Ji nodded.

A slight movement that took Bian Ji a long time to accomplish, but he didn’t want Yan Ankuo to know how much effort it took. Because Yan Ankuo was too good at caring for others, and Bian Ji didn’t want him to worry too much.

Yan Ankuo seemed to know everything yet was kept in the dark about everything, his eyes slightly red, but ultimately he only said “thank you.”