TOW 13

Xu Fei looked up and glanced at him. Liang Xuan added, “The press conference was held two weeks ago.”

“The fans didn’t say anything?” Xu Fei asked. Liang Xuan shrugged. “Just the usual stuff.” Which meant he didn’t care enough to follow it.

Xu Fei almost laughed. He picked up the cup, tested the temperature, then gulped the tea down in one go. He could feel Liang Xuan watching him. His gaze was calm, steady, the complete opposite of how Xu Fei felt. He really was a mess.

He asked, “You have an event in Pinghai?”

Liang Xuan gave a quiet yes. “Brand endorsement signing this morning.”

“No wonder,” Xu Fei said, then stepped aside to sort through his luggage in the living room. He knew he was just forcing himself to stay busy, trying to avoid too much direct eye contact with Liang Xuan. He was afraid he might lose control, might snap and slam Liang Xuan against the wall like some lunatic.

Liang Xuan didn’t stop him. He just sat there like a well-behaved schoolboy, properly upright in the chair, watching as Xu Fei pulled clothes out of the suitcase one by one. After a while, he said, “I think I saw you before.”

“Is that so?” Xu Fei replied half-heartedly as he continued folding his pants.

Liang Xuan said, “It was in February. I was at the Wanda cinema in Minchang District for an event.”

Xu Fei paused for half a second. “Oh, right,” he said, like it had just come back to him. “After the movie, you and Zhang Jin came out to meet fans, right? Took me a second to even recognize you.”

Liang Xuan made a quiet sound of agreement. “I saw you leaving early.”

“Ah,” Xu Fei waved it off, “my friend dragged me out. He had something to do afterward.” He shamelessly dumped all the blame on Fu Zichuan.

Liang Xuan gave a noncommittal smile and didn’t push the topic further. He just sat there, watching as Xu Fei slowly, painstakingly sorted everything out until not a single thing was left in the suitcase.

Xu Fei knew he couldn’t stall any longer. He shut the suitcase and leaned back against the couch cushion. The fluorescent light above stung his eyes, then gradually dimmed under a looming shadow. Liang Xuan was standing between his legs, back straight, head tilted down to look at him.

They stared at each other in silence. But with the light behind Liang Xuan, he couldn’t quite make out his expression. It reminded him of those dreams he’d had over the past few months, where Liang Xuan’s face was always shrouded in a thin mist. It gave him just enough hope to keep fantasizing, as if something good might actually happen.

“Did you bring a condom?” he asked.

—

Xu Fei came twice.

The first time, Liang Xuan went down on him. Maybe it had just been too long that Xu Fei became excited the very moment things began. He lay on the bed with his legs spread wide, while Liang Xuan lay between them, holding the head of his cock and moving up and down. That mouth was tight, hot, and made Xu Fei groan helplessly. His hips thrust up hard, desperate for more. The head of his cock pushed deep into Liang Xuan’s throat, squeezed by that wet heat.

“Fuck…” he panted, “your mouth feels fucking amazing…”

Liang Xuan didn’t answer. He just sucked harder, like he was trying to pull Xu Fei’s soul straight out through the slit of his cock.

Xu Fei squeezed his eyes shut, hands clutching the bedsheet in a mess of motion as his whole body twisted on the bed like a fish out of water.

“I’m gonna cum, I’m gonna cum,” he warned, voice trembling. “Liang Xuan…”

Liang Xuan pulled back slightly and reached down to stroke him. His fingers pinched lightly at Xu Fei’s balls, and that alone pushed him over the edge. Xu Fei cried out and came, spurting wave after wave of cum all over Liang Xuan’s face. Some of it dripped down his chin.

Liang Xuan didn’t mind. He licked his lips, scraped some off with his fingers, then leaned forward and offered it to Xu Fei.

Xu Fei sucked lazily on his fingers, tongue swirling around the tips before trailing lower to lick them clean.

Liang Xuan watched in silence, his chest rising and falling, cock so hard it had turned deep purple.

Xu Fei glanced at it, let out a snort, and asked, “You got hard just from sucking me off?”

Liang Xuan didn’t answer. Suddenly, he grabbed Xu Fei’s waist and flipped him over. Xu Fei cursed, face buried in the pillow, his hips lifted high in the air.

“Why don’t you ask yourself that?”

Liang Xuan leaned down, his cock dragging along Xu Fei’s spine and down the crease of his ass, making Xu Fei shudder all over.

He shut his eyes, breath catching as Liang Xuan moved in closer, warm breath spilling against his ear.

“You came just from licking me off.”

Xu Fei’s spent cock twitched again. “Fuck you…” he started, flustered and pissed, but before he could finish, Liang Xuan shoved his fingers into his mouth.

Muffled groans spilled out as Xu Fei bit down in frustration, his teeth scraping harshly over Liang Xuan’s fingers. Liang Xuan let out a low grunt of pain but didn’t pull back. Instead, he pushed deeper, his nails dragging along Xu Fei’s tongue, making him squirm and shake his ass uncontrollably.

“Don’t rush it.” Liang Xuan’s voice was low and hoarse. He rubbed Xu Fei’s ass with one hand, palm moving in firm, circular motions. Xu Fei’s skin burned from the friction, and just as he was about to let out a protest, Liang Xuan pulled his fingers out, soaked and slick from saliva, then shoved one straight into his dry hole.

Xu Fei’s upper body jolted from the sudden pain.

Liang Xuan didn’t stop. He added another finger and started stretching him fast and rough. The saliva wasn’t nearly enough for lube, but Xu Fei didn’t make a sound of complaint. Liang Xuan clearly had no intention of being gentle. He didn’t even take his time. After a few quick thrusts, he yanked his fingers out and pressed his cock right up to the entrance.

This time he wore a condom.

When Liang Xuan pushed in, the pain hit so hard Xu Fei saw stars. He bit down on the pillow, both hands gripping the headboard like a lifeline, knuckles turning white from the strain.

By the time Liang Xuan was fully inside, Xu Fei couldn’t hold it in anymore. He gasped, loosened his bite, and curses spilled out nonstop.

“Fuck your mother, Liang Xuan, you trying to kill me? Fuck you, Liang Xuan, you bastard, fuck…”

Liang Xuan leaned over, his cock pushing in at an odd angle, driving deep into Xu Fei’s body.

Xu Fei cried out, hips twitching, his cock jerking with the shock. Before he could catch his breath, Liang Xuan grabbed his face and forced a kiss on him, messy and wild like a challenge.

Liang Xuan’s teeth clamped down hard on his lower lip, biting until Xu Fei tasted metal. But he didn’t care. Their tongues tangled, saliva and blood mixing between their mouths as they sucked and licked, hungrily devouring each other.

Liang Xuan shifted their position, wrapping his arms around Xu Fei as he turned him onto his side. He hooked Xu Fei’s right leg up high and shoved his cock back in at a new angle. Xu Fei trembled with every thrust, his moans breaking apart in gasps. He didn’t even know if he was begging for more or cursing through his teeth, whether the words spilling out were “faster, faster”, or “fuck you, don’t move.”

Liang Xuan buried his face in the crook of Xu Fei’s neck, his breath burning against skin, searing all the way to Xu Fei’s chest.

Xu Fei tried to jerk forward, but Liang Xuan held his stomach down tight. He felt like he was skewered on Liang Xuan’s cock, stuck right there, unable to move.

After a long pause, Liang Xuan pulled out, ripped off the condom, and tossed it to the floor. He saw Xu Fei was still hard and gave him a few strokes, whispering in his ear with a raspy voice.

“Come for me.”

Xu Fei’s vision went white. That traitorous cock between his legs really did cum, spurting all over Liang Xuan’s hand. Liang Xuan wiped it off with the back of his hand and smeared it across Xu Fei’s stomach.

Xu Fei lay on his side, gasping like he was about to pass out. Liang Xuan was still pressed up against him, teeth lightly biting his shoulder, one arm wrapped around his waist. After a while, he said, “I’m gonna take a shower.”

Xu Fei hummed faintly in reply, too drained to move.

He must have dozed off for a bit. When he came to, Liang Xuan was sitting cross-legged beside him, holding a towel, and had already cleaned him up. Xu Fei was still groggy, so he looped an arm around Liang Xuan’s neck, tugged him down for a kiss, then let go and rolled over to pull the blanket over himself. He heard Liang Xuan sigh quietly behind him. Then the bed shifted as Liang Xuan got out of bed

When he walked into the living room, Liang Xuan was still asleep, sprawled out on the couch. His tall frame didn’t quite fit, one leg hanging off the side, blanket messily draped and half slipping to the floor.

The heater was on full blast, so it wasn’t cold. Liang Xuan’s face was flushed, pink with warmth.

Xu Fei stood there for a while, staring at the flutter of Liang Xuan’s lashes, the color in his cheeks, and the exposed collarbone under his loose neckline. His thoughts were a mess, emotions rising without a clear shape or reason.

After a long pause, he turned away and headed to the kitchen for water.

Just as he opened the fridge, he heard quiet movement behind him. A moment later, Liang Xuan shuffled over in slippers.

“Morning,” Liang Xuan said.

“Morning,” Xu Fei replied, then asked, “Want some cereal?”

Liang Xuan shrugged. “Sure.” He turned and headed to the bathroom to wash up.

Xu Fei opened the box and poured out two full bowls, splashing in the milk without much care. He sat down and started eating with his head down.

By the time Liang Xuan came back, Xu Fei had already finished more than half. Milk clung messily to the corners of his mouth, making him look like an unruly kid no one bothered to teach manners.

Liang Xuan glanced at him and handed over a napkin.

Xu Fei gave him the finger.

The phone rang from the living room. Xu Fei shoved the bowl aside and went to check. It was a message from Fu Zichuan: “You back?”

He replied, “Got back last night.”

When he looked up, he saw Liang Xuan holding a copy of Pink Floyd’s Obscured by Clouds, flipping it over in his hands.

“Didn’t see this one here last time,” Liang Xuan said.

Xu Fei’s heart skipped.

He turned back around, trying to keep his tone casual. “A friend gave it to me recently.”

Liang Xuan paused for a moment. After a beat, he set the CD down and asked, “The one from February?”

What from February? Xu Fei blinked, then realized Liang Xuan was talking about Fu Zichuan.

“Uh, no,” he said, scratching at his neck. He wanted to steer the conversation elsewhere, but Liang Xuan was staring at him too directly. There was nowhere to hide.

He gave an awkward laugh.

“I uh…” He said, “Had a blind date.”

Liang Xuan raised his brows slightly. After a long pause, he said, “A blind date?” The rise in his tone at the end carried a clear, unfiltered mockery.

Xu Fei didn’t like that tone.

“I’m thirty already,” he said, walking over to snatch the CD out of Liang Xuan’s hands. “My mom wants me to settle down.”

Liang Xuan tugged at the corner of his mouth in something like a smile. He sat there, posture straight, eyes fixed on Xu Fei with a look that was both mocking and probing.

“So, did you?” he asked. “Settle down?”

Xu Fei froze. He stood there, staring at Liang Xuan, barely able to believe what he had just heard.

Liang Xuan seemed to realize it too. His lips parted as if to say something, then he looked away, awkward and silent for a moment. After a long pause, he muttered, “Sorry.”

Xu Fei looked at the side of his face, pale in the morning light, and for a while, couldn’t bring himself to say anything at all.

Liang Xuan stayed in the kitchen, quietly washing the pile of dishes Xu Fei had left behind.

Xu Fei, still a little pissed off, didn’t want to look at him. He slipped out to the balcony to smoke.

He sat against the wall, cracked open the window, and watched the smoke curl upward from his fingers before slipping out through the gap. He stared at it like he was spellbound, biting down on the filter and taking a long drag. The smoke filled his mouth, his lungs, and somewhere deep inside, making him feel strangely lightheaded and detached.

Liang Xuan came over after drying his hands.

Xu Fei saw him from the corner of his eye but didn’t put out the cigarette.

Instead, he pulled it from his mouth and held it between his fingers, angling it toward Liang Xuan like a silent sign that said, Keep out.

But Liang Xuan ignored it and stepped right in anyway.

Xu Fei thought, Fine, your funeral. Choke on it.

It was childish, like he’d reverted to a three-year-old. He hadn’t acted this dumb in years. Even he barely recognized himself. Maybe Liang Xuan had slipped something into his ass while fucking him.

Liang Xuan stopped beside him. Xu Fei kept smoking like nothing happened, letting the smoke rise and drift across Liang Xuan’s face.

For a moment, Liang Xuan said nothing. Then he finally lowered his head a little and said, “My agent called. I have to go. There’s a shoot in Chuanling.”

Xu Fei waved him off.

Liang Xuan looked at him again, then suddenly knelt down, took the cigarette from his mouth and held his chin before kissing him.

Xu Fei kept his eyes open. At that distance, he could see Liang Xuan’s long, fluttering lashes brushing against his face.
He noticed the faint flush on his cheekbones, and the tiny mole beside his nose. Every detail was delicate, lovely, enough to drive someone mad.

Liang Xuan pulled away. Xu Fei instinctively licked his lips. There was still a lingering taste of cereal on them.

Sweet. Too damn sweet.

“I’ll be back in Pinghai at the end of the year,” Liang Xuan told him. Then he stood up and stepped out from the balcony.

Xu Fei stayed where he was, watching as Liang Xuan put on his coat, pulled on his cap, and walked to the entryway to open the door. Every movement was smooth and fluid, like second nature, yet watching it made Xu Fei’s chest churn violently, like his insides were about to spill out.

“Don’t come again,” he said.

Liang Xuan froze. After a long pause, he turned to look at Xu Fei.

Xu Fei met his gaze without flinching.

“I think,” Xu Fei said slowly, “we shouldn’t keep going like this.”

The clock in the living room gave a soft tick. On the hour, Xu Fei thought.

Xu Fei lowered his head and finally stubbed out the cigarette. He flicked the leftover butt into the garbage bin beside him.

When he looked up again, Liang Xuan was still watching him.

“All right,” Liang Xuan said. “No problem.”