Chapter 11 – Zero Times or Infinite Times

When Guan Heng rang the doorbell, Ye Zhou was still in a state of awkwardness. He really did it… Even he found it unbelievable that he had actually asked for help.

But the words were already out, and there was no turning back now.

Ye Zhou wiped his face and quickly regained his composure, pushing his wheelchair to open the door for Guan Heng. At his age, there were indeed some disadvantages, but despite the embarrassment within him, he could maintain a facade of nonchalance on the surface.

Ye Zhou smiled apologetically. “Sorry for taking up your time, calling you over for such a trivial matter.”

“It’s fine,” Guan Heng replied as if he truly didn’t mind. “I’m not busy.”

“Wait a moment.” Ye Zhou pushed his wheelchair towards the kitchen, first checking the pot before turning the flame down to its lowest setting to ensure the soup wouldn’t spill over.

Guan Heng caught the scent upon entering the house but merely glanced at the kitchen without asking anything.

Then, Guan Heng pushed Ye Zhou’s wheelchair toward the bathroom. The downstairs bathroom didn’t have a bathtub, and sitting in a wheelchair made it inconvenient for Ye Zhou to bend over, making hair washing difficult. Thus, it was best to do it lying back, with his head resting on the sink. Guan Heng observed that the sink’s height was suitable; it was just that Ye Zhou might need to switch to another chair.

Guan Heng asked, “Do you have any other chairs? Ones without backs?”

Ye Zhou thought for a moment. “There’s one in the living room.”

Guan Heng immediately went to fetch the chair. Ye Zhou, using the wheelchair’s handles, stood up on one leg. He had gotten used to moving around like this in recent days, and it was relatively smooth. However, Guan Heng still gave him a supportive hand, holding him from behind in a polite manner, not crossing any intimacy boundaries. Yet, his hands remained steady, providing a sense of security.

Ye Zhou rarely had the opportunity to be protected like this; usually, it was the other way around. Therefore, the feeling was both strange and subtle. But considering that Guan Heng was also a top, he didn’t find it odd. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

After Ye Zhou settled onto the chair, Guan Heng rolled up his sleeves, revealing a section of his firm, well-defined forearm. The lines were sexually appealing, tempting one to gaze a bit longer. Although Guan Heng was still dressed casually, from Ye Zhou’s perspective sitting on the chair and looking up, it wasn’t hard to make out the faint outline of his chest. Additionally, since Guan Heng was several centimeters taller, he had to slightly bend down to wash Ye Zhou’s hair. As he leaned forward, the neckline drooped, revealing glimpses of his collarbones. Not to mention, Guan Heng was incredibly handsome, approaching him slowly.

Ye Zhou was momentarily stunned, unsure if it was due to nervousness or something else, subconsciously leaning away. But before his head could move, Guan Heng’s hand held it in place, his slender fingers fitting perfectly behind his ear. “Don’t move around; the water will get into your neck.”

Ye Zhou: “…”

Guan Heng didn’t use the showerhead to rinse, possibly fearing that water would spray everywhere. Instead, he turned on the faucet, adjusting it to warm water, and used his hands to wet Ye Zhou’s hair. With Ye Zhou slightly reclined, his neck rested against the edge of the sink. Indeed, any slight movement could easily cause water to flow down his neck, soaking his clothes.

Ye Zhou had washed others’ hair before, and when Fang Ji did it for him, he didn’t feel anything unusual. But how to explain it, no one had ever made him feel this way, leaving him unsure where to look and his heart rate slightly accelerated.

Guan Heng was clearly maintaining a distance, yet Ye Zhou instinctively glanced at his chest, collarbones, and chin…

“How’s the water temperature?” Guan Heng’s deep, pleasant voice resonated. His long fingers, like the warm water, slowly permeated his scalp, as if every pore on his body opened up.

Ye Zhou felt immensely pleased and relaxed, wanting to abandon all resistance. “It’s good.”

After Guan Heng rinsed Ye Zhou’s hair, noticing that his body was somewhat stiff, he said, “This is my first time washing someone’s hair. Would you like to close your eyes? I’m afraid the foam might get into your eyes.”

Upon hearing this, Ye Zhou laughed, suddenly feeling much less tense and casually cracking a joke. “If I didn’t know you were a teacher, I’d think you were a professional. Your service is very thorough.”

“Is that so?” Guan Heng seemed to smile as well.

Neither spoke again after that, but the atmosphere was no longer as awkward as before. To avoid thinking about peculiar things, Ye Zhou simply closed his eyes.

However, once he couldn’t see, his senses became more acute instead.

Washing hair seemed to become an intimate act. He could feel the sensation of Guan Heng’s fingers kneading and sliding through his hair. When the other’s hand gripped the back of his neck, he suddenly felt a nerve tingle, involuntarily jerking.

Guan Heng quickly released his hold, and Ye Zhou didn’t notice any significant reaction from himself, not giving it much thought. Fortunately, his hair was short, and the fingers didn’t linger long, but that tingling sensation inexplicably lingered in Ye Zhou’s heart.

Ten minutes was enough to wash one’s hair. After Guan Heng rinsed off the foam, he gently patted it dry with a towel.

“Thanks.” Ye Zhou pressed the towel to his head, signaling that he could handle the rest. Guan Heng let go, allowing Ye Zhou to take over, then helped him back into the wheelchair.

Just washing his hair left Ye Zhou feeling refreshed, as if he had come alive. His body hadn’t gotten wet, but Guan Heng, who washed his hair, had a small patch of his shirt dampened below the collar, outlining his pectoral muscles even more prominently.

But Guan Heng either didn’t notice or didn’t care, seeing that Ye Zhou’s hair was still dripping. “Aren’t you going to blow-dry your hair?”

“I’m used to it.”

“Go ahead and dry it.”

Ye Zhou hesitated for a moment. Perhaps it was because Guan Heng had helped him wash his hair, or perhaps he didn’t want to appear unkempt in front of Guan Heng. Ye Zhou almost without hesitation agreed. “Alright.”

After all, drying his hair wouldn’t take much time.

After drying his hair, he handed the hairdryer to Guan Heng, letting him dry the collar of his shirt as well.

Although Ye Zhou had indeed invited Guan Heng to help him wash his hair, with the goal achieved, it seemed inappropriate to send him away right away. So, Ye Zhou glanced at the kitchen and asked Guan Heng, “I’ve stewed some bone broth. Would you like to have some?”

Guan Heng didn’t refuse him. “Sure.”

The bone broth was something Ye Zhou started simmering in the morning and had been cooking for several hours, perfect for consumption now. Ye Zhou checked the time; it was nearly eleven o’clock, time to prepare lunch. Since he had already offered the soup, inviting him for a meal didn’t seem unreasonable.

Uncertain about Guan Heng’s appetite and preferences, Ye Zhou prepared four dishes, catering to two adult men.

Perhaps because Ye Zhou had already consumed two bowls of soup, he wasn’t very hungry and ate less than usual. He assumed there would be plenty left, but unexpectedly, Guan Heng not only had two servings of rice but also finished all the dishes.

Ye Zhou was astonished. “You have such a big appetite, yet your physique is so good.”

Guan Heng chuckled. “Is that a compliment?”

“Yes.” Ye Zhou intended to be subtle but realized it was simply the truth, nothing wrong with saying it.

Then, Guan Heng mentioned something Ye Zhou didn’t expect. “I practice boxing.”

Ye Zhou was taken aback, completely not expecting this.

“Surprised?”

“Very surprised.” In Ye Zhou’s perception, boxing was a rather wild sport that didn’t match the demeanor of a university professor. Yet, on Guan Heng, the contrast seemed strangely appealing. “Why did you think of practicing boxing?”

Guan Heng stated calmly, “I encountered some unpleasant things when I was young and learned it for self-defense.”

Ye Zhou was somewhat surprised but, upon reflection, not entirely so. People with outstanding appearances were naturally prone to attracting attention, and Ye Zhou himself had experienced bullying, notably when his sexual orientation was deliberately exposed in high school. He understood and didn’t press further.

After finishing his meal, Guan Heng didn’t linger. Although he claimed to be unoccupied, he probably had little free time on weekends. “Call me when you need to wash your hair next time.”

“Alright, troubling you again.” Ye Zhou considered it and didn’t refuse. If he hadn’t reached his limit, he wouldn’t have sought help from Guan Heng. As the old saying goes, there’s only the difference between zero times and countless times.

When Ye Zhou asked Guan Heng for help with washing his hair again, he appeared much more natural. From initial discomfort to present ease, he decided to embrace the situation. No matter how much he tried to pretend otherwise, he would still be attracted to Guan Heng. Given that, he might as well accept it naturally.