Chapter 3

Xu Heng’s face turned red in an instant, partly from anger, partly from embarrassment.

He was angry because Chen Ang had absolutely no shame. The word “fuck” rolled off his tongue like it was nothing. Yet in the daytime, he wore that straight-laced, respectable mask like a saint. Who would have thought he was this vulgar in private. But of all the unfair things in the world, the man had been gifted with a voice that was low and raspy in just the right way. His breath hit Xu Heng’s ear, sending a tingling itch all the way inside. He wanted to lift his hand just to scratch it.

His face was burning. He muttered under his breath.

“What the hell is wrong with you? Stop saying crap like that.”

Chen Ang remained calm as ever. His grip didn’t loosen one bit. There was even a faint smirk on his lips, like a cat playing with its mouse. A little swipe here, a little tease there, never enough to be obvious but just enough to provoke.

“You don’t like hearing it like that, then…” He leaned closer. “Did he fuck you?”

What the hell.

Xu Heng suddenly shoved him with all his strength. Caught off guard, Chen Ang stumbled backward a couple of steps and stepped on something slippery. He lost his balance and fell right on his ass.

Xu Heng stared, stunned. He hadn’t expected that push to actually knock Chen Ang over.

The culprit, the crushed rice cakes, lay smashed under Chen Ang’s foot. His face turned dark as charcoal. He had landed straight in a shallow puddle, and when he stood up, his light khaki pants were stained with a large, soggy patch of dirty water. The wetness ran down in thin streams.

Even though it was technically his fault, Xu Heng still felt a little guilty. He muttered.

“Sorry…”

Chen Ang, who had a mild case of cleanliness obsession, took a deep breath and forced himself to look away from the filthy puddle. His eyes landed on Xu Heng’s flip-flops.

“You live nearby.”

Xu Heng felt a twinge of unease. He quickly pulled out his phone.

“I’ll get you a car. You can go home and change.”

Before he could even unlock it, Chen Ang swiftly snatched the phone out of his hand and held onto it.

“Go home and bring me a jacket. I need something to tie around my waist.”

Xu Heng bit back his frustration. All he wanted was to get rid of this man as quickly as possible. He rushed back and forth, returning with a long-sleeved jacket. Chen Ang tied it around his waist to cover the wet patch on his pants.

“Lead the way.”

Xu Heng blinked.

“Lead where?”

Chen Ang’s expression was still grim, but his tone had calmed. He answered like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

“I didn’t drive. I need to borrow a pair of pants. I’m going to your place.”

It was easy to invite him in. Sending him out was another story.

Xu Heng finally understood the meaning of that saying. He should never have asked Chen Ang to open that damn gate this morning.

Chen Ang looked around the small, neatly arranged one-bedroom apartment. He gave a nod of approval.

“Where’s the bathroom?”

Xu Heng thought of that puddle of black, murky water and reluctantly accepted the idea of letting him use the shower. He even politely brought out a brand-new towel and handed over a pair of his looser workout pants.

Chen Ang didn’t complain. He took them and walked into the bathroom.

As soon as he heard the sound of running water, Xu Heng collapsed onto the beanbag chair like someone had lifted a mountain off his shoulders. His mind went straight to his poor, ruined rice cakes.

They had been crushed into complete oblivion.

The sound of running water stopped soon after. A moment later, the bathroom door opened. Chen Ang stepped out, not wearing the pants Xu Heng had lent him. A towel hung low on his hips, and his upper body was bare, steam still clinging to his skin. His physique was nothing short of incredible. Among the office crowd, it was rare to find someone built like this. His muscles were sharply defined, and the warm yellow light of the room carved deep shadows into every ridge.

Xu Heng swallowed instinctively, then cleared his throat and forced a straight face.

“Are you an exhibitionist or something?”

Chen Ang brushed back his damp hair and sat down across from Xu Heng on the other sofa.

“My clothes are wet. Your pants are too small. They strangle.”

Xu Heng’s eyes flicked to the way Chen Ang sat with his legs spread wide, completely unbothered. His abs tightened into neat lines. The towel hung low over his hips, the dark shadow beneath hinting at more. Xu Heng bolted to his feet, his ears burning.

“I put your stuff in the washer. Once it’s dry, you can change.”

Chen Ang didn’t respond. He leaned back into the couch, completely at ease with his bare chest on full display. He fiddled with his phone, legs stretched out, his tanned thighs muscular and sculpted. The man’s presence was overwhelming. Sharing a room with him made Xu Heng feel constantly on edge. Meanwhile, Chen Ang looked perfectly comfortable, like he belonged here more than Xu Heng did.

“You and Gu Wenyuan. Are you fuck buddies?” he asked casually.

This again. Xu Heng snapped.

“No. We never fucked. We’re not close. Not even friends.”

The room went quiet. Only the soft hum of the washing machine filled the silence.

Chen Ang asked again.

“You single?”

Xu Heng shot back without looking at him.

“What, being single means I owe you rice or something?”

Chen Ang stretched lazily, showing off the smooth line of his waist. He tossed his phone aside, then suddenly stood up.

One man. Another man. Alone together. And this one was built like a tank, naked no less.

Xu Heng’s nerves shot up.

“What are you doing? Leaving already…?”

Before he could finish, Chen Ang grabbed him and spun him around. Xu Heng found himself flat on the couch in a blur.

“What the hell are you…”

He was wearing only a T-shirt and boxers. Their skin touched. Chen Ang’s body was still warm and damp from the shower. That faint scent of cologne clung stubbornly to his skin. It hit Xu Heng hard, and he shivered.

Chen Ang’s hand slipped right under the loose leg of his shorts.

He had noticed earlier.

The leg openings were wide. When Xu Heng sat with one leg raised, the fabric had slipped, revealing the tattoo on his thigh. It was colored, flowers and vines that curled toward the inner thigh.

And Chen Ang wanted to know just where those vines ended.