SG 42

The shower at the swimming pool was a waste. The two of them hadn’t even bothered to turn on the air conditioner upon entering, and now they were not only sweating but also covered in various liquids. 

“Let’s shower.” Chu Baiyan lowered his head and licked Yan Anqing’s already slightly swollen lips. 

“I don’t want to move…” Yan Anqing didn’t even want to lift his arms, his soul still in its place. 

Chu Baiyan lifted himself up from the sofa, holding Yan Anqing’s back and knees as he carried him to the bathroom and turned on the shower. 

“You’ll make a mess on the couch again if you lie down like this. Take a shower first, then rest,” he said, pumping some body wash into his palm.

His body was quickly enveloped in white foam, and Yan Anqing remembered something: “Will you sleep in my bed tonight?” After all, they were already so close. 

“Okay,” Chu Baiyan replied without even looking up. 

“I understand.” Yan Anqing suddenly perked up. 

“What do you understand?” Chu Baiyan didn’t grasp the meaning of this sudden remark. 

“You don’t agree to sleep together because it will make you hard.” The truth was revealed, and the question closed a perfect loop in Yan Anqing’s mind. 

“I can help you from now on.” Standing next to each other, Yan Anqing looked even smaller. He’d known Chu Baiyan was big before, but now he’d seen it even bigger. He reached out and touched it, then kissed Chu Baiyan’s lower lip. 

It was supposed to be a light kiss, but because Chu Baiyan wouldn’t let go, it became a one-sided assault. Chu Baiyan’s breathing became heavier, and he said in a hoarse voice, “You’re only making things worse.” 

Two more kisses, and they wouldn’t be able to get out of the bathroom. He took off the shower head, and the foam on their bodies was washed away by the water, leaving only a familiar scent. 

“Get changed, we’re going out for dinner.” Chu Baiyan tossed the dirty clothes on the floor into the washing machine. 

“I don’t want to go out, let’s eat at home.” Yan Anqing closed the window, turned on the air conditioner, and lay back on the sofa. 

He opened the refrigerator and rummaged through it, finding a loofah. Chu Baiyan fried a loofah and egg topping, and cooked a pot of noodles, and the two of them had a meal together. 

After lunch, Yan Anqing began to feel sleepy and pulled Chu Baiyan to take a nap. 

“Go to sleep, close your eyes.” Chu Baiyan kissed his forehead. 

Yan Anqing hugged Chu Baiyan’s arm and put his head on his shoulder. Although he didn’t swim properly this morning, it was still a lot of exercise for him. Plus, he was a little too excited just now, so he fell asleep quickly. 

The light in the room gradually dimmed, and Chu Baiyan was awakened by the ringing of his cell phone on vibrate mode. He took the phone and saw that it was Lu Ran. He gently pulled his arm out of the bed, got out of bed and went to the kitchen to answer it. 

“Aren’t you taking a break today? Let’s go out for a drink tonight. I’ve been running around for interviews lately and I just got some results. It’s a good time to talk to you.” Lu Ran had just received notifications for second interviews from two companies today. He felt a little relieved and remembered that he hadn’t contacted Chu Baiyan for half a month. 

Before finding a job, he was most afraid of friends and family asking about it. He refused to go back to his hometown and didn’t have much savings. This time he came here to take a desperate measure. 

He felt embarrassed to stay at Chu Baiyan’s house for so long. This lack of proactive questioning was a gesture of understanding and kindness, relieving him of much of the pressure. 

“Yan Anqing’s closing tonight, and I’ve already made an appointment with him. How about tomorrow night?” They’d shared a quick lunch, but they had to go out for something nice tonight, so Chu Baiyan rescheduled the date for tomorrow. 

“Isn’t that perfect? He’s your friend, and he’s my friend too. It’s a rare day off. Staying here in your apartment, leaving you ‘homeless,’ is indirectly disturbing him, so I have to thank him anyway.” 

“He doesn’t like crowded places…” Chu Baiyan was trying to find a good excuse to refuse, but was interrupted before he could finish. 

“I can just book a private room. I told you I’d treat you to dinner, and it’s been putting it off for so long. I’ll send you a WeChat message when I find a good place.” Lu Ran made the decision without hesitation and hung up. 

When Chu Baiyan returned to the bedroom, Yan Anqing was still asleep. A glance at the clock showed it was almost five o’clock. 

“Wake up,” he whispered in Yan Anqing’s ear. 

“Hmm?” The breath tickled his ears. Yan Anqing lifted his eyelids to glance at Chu Baiyan, then closed them again. 

“Lu Ran’s treating us to dinner later, you and me.” 

“I don’t want to eat with him.” Yan Anqing squinted, still half awake. Although Chu Baiyan had explained clearly, he was still resentful that Lu Ran had once shared a bed with Chu Baiyan. 

“He booked a private room, mainly to thank you and get to know you.” 

“Why get to know me?” Yan Anqing stretched out, the covers sliding down, revealing a few fresh kisses on his collarbone and chest. 

“Because he knows we’re close, I gave him my place and live with you, so he wanted to thank you, too.” Chu Baiyan pinched Yan Anqing’s earlobe. 

“I told him you don’t like crowded places, so he booked a private room specifically for you. You can think about it. If you really don’t want to go, I’ll tell him.” 

“Go ahead.” Although Yan Anqing still didn’t understand why Lu Ran was thanking him, he only knew that he didn’t want to eat alone, and he didn’t want Chu Baiyan and Lu Ran to eat together. 

Lu Ran’s address arrived quickly: a nearby Korean barbecue restaurant. Since they were definitely going to have drinks that evening, Chu Baiyan didn’t drive, so he hailed a car on his phone and took Yan Anqing there. 

As they were ordering, Lu Ran glanced up at the two people sitting across from him. Chu Baiyan used his phone to display the menu and explained each item to Yan Anqing, detailing whether it was spicy or not, salty or sweet and sour. 

He tutted inwardly; he’d never realized Chu Baiyan was so good-tempered before. He wasn’t even this attentive to his girlfriend. After Chu Baiyan finished ordering, Lu Ran added a few more items and asked, “How many beers do you want?” 

“Just one for the two of us. Yan Anqing doesn’t drink, so get him a passion fruit lemon.” 

The dishes arrived quickly, and Lu Ran opened a beer for Chu Baiyan and talked about his job search over the past two weeks. 

He’d submitted his resume before it arrived, had written tests at several companies, and had been selected for interviews at five. He’d just received notifications for second interviews from two companies today. Barring any major setbacks, one of the two should be successful. 

Chu Baiyan and Lu Ran weren’t professionals in the same field, so Chu Baiyan knew little about his industry and couldn’t offer much advice. Most of the time, Lu Ran did the talking, while he just listened, placing the grilled food on Yan Anqing’s plate. 

Clinking glasses with Chu Baiyan, Lu Ran gulped down the rest. “Thank you so much! I’ve been so grateful for your help during this time. Once I’m officially hired, I’ll start looking for an apartment near the company.” 

“We’re still talking about this? Once the job is confirmed, don’t rush into renting an apartment; do some thorough research. Don’t be afraid to bother me by just rushing around and looking for something. It won’t cost you a few days.” Chu Baiyan finished his glass as well. 

A person only needs help a few times in their life. If it weren’t for their long-standing relationship, Lu Ran wouldn’t have asked. 

Lu Ran raised his glass and toasted Yan Anqing again. “I’m sorry for making Baiyan ‘homeless’ during this time, and it’s causing you trouble.” 

“It’s not a problem. He can stay here forever. We have a good relationship,” Yan Anqing emphasized. 

After discussing their recent developments, the two reminisced about some interesting things from their school days. Yan Anqing sat quietly and politely, eating from his plate. Occasionally, when Chu Baiyan was speaking, he would look up at him.

After finishing the meal, Lu Ran had an indescribable feeling. It was obvious that Yan Anqing and Chu Baiyan had little interaction, not even a few words. But the two of them were inexplicably very tacit, and very… He thought for a while, and the word “intimate” popped up in his mind, very intimate. 

This kind of intimacy was completely different from the feeling between him and Chu Baiyan. Lu Ran even wondered, how could Chu Baiyan, with such a personality, become good friends with Yan Anqing?