Chapter 52 – So Close, Yet So Far

No matter how nice the new apartment was, it only had two bedrooms, so the bathroom wasn’t particularly spacious. The moment the Little Celestial Master stepped inside, he took up most of the space. The fluorescent light overhead bathed the room, eliminating all shadows and making his presence even more striking. If Wei Yang were to walk in directly, their faces would definitely end up way too close… After hesitating at the doorway for a while, Wei Yang finally went to grab two stools: “Brother Qi, you can sit here, and I’ll help you… Hey! Don’t take off your clothes!”

In the time it took Wei Yang to get the stools, Zhang Xiuqi had already taken off his pants, leaving him in just a pair of loose boxers. His hand was still on the waistband, as if he was about to take those off too. Hearing Wei Yang’s protest, he frowned: “It’ll get wet.”

Of course, wearing clothes in the shower would get them wet, but Brother Qi, have you forgotten everything your uncle told you? Or have you already excluded me from the “don’t let” category? Wei Yang’s mind was in chaos. Looking at the lean waist and long legs half-hidden under the shirt, he felt his heart racing so fast it made him dizzy. It took him a while to stammer out, “Brother Qi, you… you still have injuries. It’s best not to get them wet. How about I just wash your hair for now, and you can shower properly after the wounds have scabbed over?”

This suggestion seemed to convince Zhang Xiuqi. He nodded, and Wei Yang quickly stepped forward, pulling one of the stools over as a distraction: “You’ll sit here later, leaning back on the other stool with your head hanging naturally. We’ll cover the wound on your head with a towel… Wait, you still need to take off your shirt.”

Zhang Xiuqi didn’t say anything and stood up again, unbuttoning his shirt. Underneath, he was wearing a low-cut T-shirt, a rather trendy style. The soft, high-quality fabric clung to his body, almost outlining the shape of his chest and abs. Wei Yang glanced at it once and quickly looked away, helping him remove the brace on his right arm and carefully taking off the shirt.

As if he had just completed a major task, Wei Yang let out a sigh of relief and had the Little Celestial Master sit on the stool, pushing the other stool behind him: “Brother Qi, you can lie back now. Take it slow…”

There was still some distance between the two stools. According to behavioral science, people usually lie down slowly in such situations, especially when there’s nothing to hold onto. But Zhang Xiuqi lay back effortlessly, with a sense of ease and trust, and looked up at Wei Yang.

The bathroom light was slightly yellow, softening the icy coldness that always seemed to linger on Zhang Xiuqi’s face, making him look peaceful and gentle. The usual blankness in his dark eyes was replaced by something else—not exactly lively, but with an innocent, straightforward trust.

Wei Yang’s heart skipped a beat. He grabbed a dry towel hanging nearby and said softly, “Brother Qi, I’ll cover your eyes first so the foam doesn’t get in them. Let me know if you feel uncomfortable.”

Zhang Xiuqi nodded and closed his eyes. Without those dark eyes staring at him, Wei Yang felt a bit more at ease. He quickly grabbed the showerhead with his left hand, tested the temperature, and carefully aimed it at Zhang Xiuqi’s head. Warm water sprayed out, soaking the black hair. After a moment’s hesitation, Wei Yang slowly reached out his hand. His fingertips touched the wet hair, which felt a bit rough under the water, not as smooth or soft as he had imagined, but it still wrapped around his fingers in a gentle, almost clingy way—just like the Little Celestial Master himself, completely unguarded and overly intimate, drawing Wei Yang in without realizing it.

Swallowing hard, Wei Yang couldn’t help but sneak a glance downward. Below the towel covering his eyes was a straight nose and pale, thin lips. Zhang Xiuqi was undeniably handsome, and with his eyes covered, his beauty wasn’t diminished. Instead, the lack of coldness and blankness in his gaze made him look even more alluring, with an air of forbidden desire. His body was also well-built, with broad shoulders, a narrow waist, and a chest that rose and fell slightly with each breath, revealing the faint outlines of muscles under his shirt. Even lying quietly on the stool, he looked like a resting leopard, ready to spring into action at any moment.

Yet this dangerous, handsome man was lying obediently on the stool, eyes covered, completely trusting, like a child. Wei Yang’s throat tightened, and he quickly turned off the showerhead, squeezing a large dollop of shampoo into his hand and rubbing it into Zhang Xiuqi’s hair, as if trying to scrub away the inappropriate thoughts swirling in his mind.

But just as he worked up a lather, Zhang Xiuqi suddenly moved, placing his uninjured hand on Wei Yang’s knee. His palm was warm, so warm it made Wei Yang’s heart tremble. Wei Yang’s hand trembled too, and a blob of foam slipped from his fingers, falling to the floor.

A voice came, tinged with confusion: “Ah Yang, are you cold?”

He wasn’t cold, but it wasn’t just cold that could make someone shiver. Wei Yang took a deep breath, forcing his voice to stay steady: “A little. My clothes got wet. I’ll just take a quick shower after I finish washing your hair.”

Zhang Xiuqi nodded but didn’t ask further. However, his hand remained on Wei Yang’s knee, as if confirming his presence. Wei Yang felt like his blood was boiling, and without caring about his injured hand, he grabbed the showerhead and began rinsing. The foam on the floor was quickly washed away by the warm water, swirling down the drain until only clear water remained.

After about a minute, Wei Yang made sure there was no shampoo left in Zhang Xiuqi’s hair and removed the towel from his face: “Brother Qi, your hair’s done. Go dry off, and then we’ll wash your face. I’ll take a quick shower first.”

Without waiting for Zhang Xiuqi to respond, Wei Yang reattached the brace to his arm, handed him a dry towel, and pushed him out the door. Once that was done, he hastily stripped off his own clothes and stepped under the showerhead, turning the cold water to full blast. The icy spray poured down, dousing the fire burning inside him. Wei Yang leaned against the bathroom wall and bumped his head against the cold, damp tiles.

“Fuck!” No matter how much he tried to hide it, his body’s reaction was undeniable. What was wrong with him? No matter how handsome Brother Qi was, he was still a man! Wei Yang had never had any inappropriate thoughts about men before, so why had he suddenly gone off the rails like this? Was it the so-called suspension bridge effect?

Grimacing at himself, Wei Yang shivered for real this time and turned the water back to a normal temperature, quickly finishing his shower. But the image kept replaying in his mind: the man lying on the stool, eyes covered by the towel, lips slightly pursed, chest rising and falling with each breath, the clean lines of his thighs with faint scars near the knees…

Could this get any worse? Wei Yang angrily turned off the shower, threw on his clothes, and stepped out of the bathroom. But the moment he stepped out, a large towel was draped over his head. Someone stood in front of him, wrapping the towel around him and rubbing his hair vigorously with warm hands: “Dry off, and you won’t be cold anymore.”

Wei Yang froze on the spot. If this scene had happened between a father and son, it would’ve been perfectly normal, but between two grown men, it was nothing if not ambiguous. After steadying himself, he asked through the towel, “Brother Qi, who taught you to do this?”

There was a long silence, as if Zhang Xiuqi was thinking hard, before he finally answered with a question: “Uncle?”

The way he said it sounded uncertain, as if he wasn’t sure himself. Could it really have been Master Zeng? Wei Yang’s racing heart suddenly calmed. He didn’t think Master Zeng was the type to raise a child, otherwise Zhang Xiuqi wouldn’t have turned out like this. But if it wasn’t Master Zeng, then who?

An answer came to mind, and Wei Yang suddenly realized that all his earlier worries were meaningless. Zhang Xiuqi wasn’t like the other people he knew, whether they were normal or not. The Little Celestial Master was missing something everyone else had: the Heavenly Soul, one of the three souls.

Without this Heavenly Soul, he lacked the emotions that normal people had, acting more like a puppet driven by instinct. Even when traces of emotion surfaced, it was hard to tell if they were genuine feelings or just conditioned responses. He was like a blank canvas, untouched by any impurities and unresponsive to external stimuli. So what were all those moments of closeness and trust toward Wei Yang based on?

Was it because of the Longhu Mountain Talisman Jade? Or was it because of the memories he had lost?

Whatever it was, it definitely wasn’t because of the present, or because of Wei Yang. Under the towel, Wei Yang smiled bitterly. He had forgotten the most important thing: the current Zhang Xiuqi was like a child, even simpler than a child. So no matter what he did, Wei Yang shouldn’t misinterpret it, and having any kind of thoughts—no matter what kind—about someone like this was almost despicable.

But after realizing this, Wei Yang didn’t feel the frustration he had expected. Instead, a mix of pity and helplessness welled up in him. Suppressing those emotions, he pulled the towel off his head, ruffled his hair, and smiled at Zhang Xiuqi: “Uncle was right. I feel much better now. Ready to sleep?”

The Little Celestial Master nodded and went back into the bathroom to finish his nightly routine. Soon, he was done, changed into pajamas, and lay down in bed. Only after Wei Yang also got into bed did he close his eyes, as if he had been waiting for the right person to arrive. When soft breathing filled the room again, Wei Yang quietly turned over, facing the wall. The room was dark; it was still a crescent moon, and the moonlight didn’t penetrate the curtains. But he could still clearly picture the man’s face, as if he had been looking at it for half a lifetime.

Whether those reactions were because of the talisman jade or childhood habits, Wei Yang had already let this person cross his boundaries and enter the deepest parts of his heart. Yet deep down, he didn’t feel even a hint of regret. Even if no other messy feelings developed, they could still be good friends. And if that missing Heavenly Soul were to return…

Wei Yang closed his eyes. Well, maybe after it returned, they might not even be able to stay friends. But before Master Zeng came back, there would still be time—just a little bit of time for him to cherish. Actually, he was pretty used to this kind of experience.

With a soft sigh, Wei Yang didn’t do anything “taking advantage of the situation.” He simply quietly put some distance between them and closed his eyes.