TOW 17

When Xu Fei woke up again, all he felt was an unbearable heat. He was curled up under the bookshelf, with Liang Xuan pressed up against his back like a blanket wrapped tightly around him. Xu Fei shifted uncomfortably, but Liang Xuan just murmured something, face buried in the crook of Xu Fei’s neck, refusing to move. Xu Fei rolled his eyes.

“Liang Xuan,” he whispered.

Liang Xuan let out a muffled grunt through his nose, like an idiot. Xu Fei had no choice but to jab his elbow backward, hitting Liang Xuan square in the chest. Liang Xuan let out a pained sound and finally stirred, backing off a little.

“What’s wrong?” he asked groggily.

Xu Fei pushed his limbs off, braced himself against the bookshelf, and stood up. Liang Xuan, now shoved aside, blinked at him for a while before fully registering what was going on.

“Morning,” he said.

“Morning,” Xu Fei replied, bending over to pick up his clothes and pants, getting dressed, and stepping over Liang Xuan.

Downstairs, people were scattered everywhere like it was a crime scene. Li Shanyi hadn’t drunk much last night and was already up, but he was still holding his head and groaning. When he saw Xu Fei, he just waved and staggered off to the bathroom. Xu Fei shook his head, nudged Cai Jiajun out of the way with his foot, and headed to the sofa. Wang Mian was slumped there, and when he saw Xu Fei approaching, he scratched his head and gave a wry smile.

“Is there any painkiller around?”

“I’ll make you some tea,” Xu Fei said.

The others got up one by one and each made themselves a cup of tea, filling the living room with the scent of freshly brewed leaves. After a while, Liang Xuan finally came down from upstairs, went into the bathroom to grab the medicine kit, and handed out a painkiller to each of them. Xu Fei didn’t take one. He stepped out into the backyard and smoked a cigarette in the morning breeze.

Wang Mian came over and tapped the doorframe. “My office called. I have to go.”

Xu Fei quickly threw the cigarette away. “I’ll take you,” he said, heading back into the living room. Cai Jiajun and the others were eating breakfast, slurping away without a care in the world. Liang Xuan came out of the kitchen carrying a plate of flatbread. When he saw Xu Fei, he stopped and asked, “Want breakfast?”

Xu Fei didn’t want to look at him, but still said, “I’m taking Wang Mian home.”

Cai Jiajun looked up from his porridge bowl and gave Wang Mian a thumbs up. “You’re awesome, pal!” Wang Mian laughed.

Xu Fei snapped, “Just eat,” then walked out the door with Wang Mian. As he closed it, he glanced back. Liang Xuan had already set the plate down and was standing straight, looking in his direction. Xu Fei steeled himself and shut the door.

The traffic was terrible. Fortunately, Wang Mian’s office wasn’t far. After a few traffic lights, they were near the building. Xu Fei turned into the parking lot and said, “About last night, I’m really sorry.”

“I told you, you don’t need to feel bad,” Wang Mian said.

Xu Fei licked his lips, the words in his throat getting stuck again. He hit the brakes, pulled the handbrake, and turned to Wang Mian.

“You didn’t even get Liang Xuan’s autograph.”

Wang Mian shrugged. “I don’t really like him that much anyway.”

Xu Fei couldn’t help but laugh. Wang Mian laughed with him, then after a moment said, “I’m heading back to Pinghai in a few days. Got another blind date lined up.”

Xu Fei froze for a second, then replied, “Ah.”

Wang Mian looked at him for a moment. Then he lowered his head to unbuckle his seatbelt. “I just hope I meet someone suitable,” he said, as he reached to grab his bag from the back seat. His hand gripped the door handle, but he paused, turned to look at Xu Fei, and said, “You too… don’t cling to someone you can’t have.”

Xu Fei was stunned. He sat there gripping the steering wheel, frozen, watching as Wang Mian opened the door and stepped out. He bent down, leaned toward the window, and said, “The marks on your neck are a little too obvious.”

He gave Xu Fei a wave, straightened up, and walked toward the building.

Xu Fei’s ears were ringing.

His eyes stayed wide open, frozen in place until Wang Mian’s figure disappeared into the crowd. Even then, he didn’t move. It took him a long time to exhale and finally release the steering wheel, instinctively reaching up to touch his neck.

“Damn it.”

He lowered his head, resting his face against the steering wheel. The horn blared, loud and sharp, like a mocking laugh.

Xu Fei stayed in Xinjing for a few more days. He reshot a few scenes for Li Shanyi and recorded audio twice. On the night before he left, Li Shanyi invited him for dinner. It was a full spread of authentic Pinghai dishes: wine-scented greens, stir-fried water spinach with fermented tofu, white-cut chicken, and a scallion-roasted pork chop. There was also a pot of hot pu’er tea on the side. Li Shanyi had felt sick the last time he drank, so he hadn’t touched alcohol in days. Xu Fei drank tea with him, chatting occasionally. Before long, they had nearly finished everything on the table.

“You’re still the straightforward type,” Li Shanyi complimented him.

Just then, his assistant walked over and spoke with him quietly. Li Shanyi stood up. “Keep eating,” he said before stepping into the studio in the back.

Xu Fei finished the tea in his cup, poured himself another, and took a few bites of the last bit of greens. Li Shanyi came back out, rubbing his hands together, and said, “I need a favor.”

Xu Fei put his chopsticks down and stood. “What is it?”

“Some documents were left at Liang Xuan’s place the other day,” Li Shanyi said. “He’s hosting a party and already had a few drinks. He can’t drive.”

Xu Fei didn’t respond right away. Seeing his silence, Li Shanyi thought he was unwilling and said, “It’s just that we’re really short on staff…”

Xu Fei quickly said, “It’s fine. I’ll go now.” He asked Li Shanyi for the list and stepped outside.

Once he got into the car, he didn’t start the engine right away. He leaned back in his seat, staring for a while at the dark ceiling of the car. The lights of the nearby studio were bright and noisy, with people coming and going. A crew was still filming late into the night.

He sighed and started the engine, heading toward Liang Xuan’s place.

Liang Xuan was indeed hosting a party. The front door was wide open, and the music inside could be heard from far away. It was impossible to tell what song was playing. Everything blended together into a muddled mess of electronic noise. Xu Fei parked the car, hesitated for a moment, then walked over and peeked his head in.

A few tall women in revealing dresses passed by in front of him. One gave him a flirtatious glance, then turned back to giggle with the others. They were clearly drunk. Xu Fei scratched his neck and was just about to head further in when Liang Xuan appeared from some unknown corner.

“Director Li called me,” he said, his face slightly flushed, though his tone remained steady. “Come with me.”

He turned and headed upstairs. Xu Fei stood there for a second, then followed. The hallway was dimly lit with a soft yellow glow. A few couples were tucked into corners, speaking quietly with their bodies pressed close. Xu Fei kept his eyes straight ahead and followed Liang Xuan into one of the bedrooms.

“Wait here,” Liang Xuan said, then crouched by the bedside table and rummaged through the drawer. After a moment, he pulled out a folder.

He handed it to Xu Fei. “Take a look.”

Xu Fei took the folder and opened it. He checked the contents against the list and found no issues. When he looked up, Liang Xuan was sitting at the edge of the bed, his face tilted slightly as he watched him. The light fell across his face, and the flush on his cheeks gave him a strange kind of innocence.

Xu Fei looked away and cleared his throat. “Thanks.”

“Sure,” Liang Xuan said.

Silence hung between them. Xu Fei nodded again, then pointed toward the door. “I’ll get going.”

Liang Xuan stood up. “So that’s it?” he asked.

“What?” Xu Fei frowned slightly and turned to look at him.

Liang Xuan stood there without moving, but his gaze felt like a hook aimed straight at Xu Fei’s throat.

“That night,” Liang Xuan said. “Aren’t you going to talk to me about it?”

What was there to talk about? Xu Fei thought. He had already said they couldn’t go on like this. And yet, he hadn’t stuck to it. Like a fool, he’d come back here again.

Liang Xuan stepped forward. He was suddenly very close. Close enough that Xu Fei could smell the alcohol on his breath.

“I’ve been thinking,” he said. “You told me we were just sleeping together. That it was simple. A mutually beneficial arrangement…”

His fingers pressed lightly against Xu Fei’s throat, right over the artery, as if with just a little pressure he could choke the air out of him. Xu Fei tilted his head back.

“If I can make you feel good,” Liang Xuan said, “then why not keep going?”

Then he kissed him. His tongue was soft and sweet, slipping into Xu Fei’s mouth.

Xu Fei wanted to say, you’re fucking drunk. He wanted to shove Liang Xuan off. Wanted to punch him in the face again. He still didn’t understand why no one had noticed anything wrong with Liang Xuan’s face that day. But he didn’t move. He remained still.

Then suddenly, he reached out, grabbed Liang Xuan’s face, and kissed him back hard.

He was in too deep.

They tumbled onto the bed. Xu Fei landed on top, straddling Liang Xuan.

They crashed onto the bed. Liang Xuan was pinned beneath him, hands gripping Xu Fei’s waist, his gaze burning as he looked up.

“Shut up,” Xu Fei said.

But Liang Xuan hadn’t said a word. Maybe it was just Xu Fei’s brain screaming at him to stop. But he leaned in anyway, bit Liang Xuan’s lower lip and kissed him. His fingers fumbled blindly over Liang Xuan’s shirt like some horny teenager.

“They didn’t even manage to undress completely, only had time to pull their pants down. Liang Xuan grabbed the lube and poured a generous amount onto his cock, then pressed straight against Xu Fei’s hole.

Xu Fei straddled his waist, ass lifted, and reached back to hold the hot, wet shaft in place. cock into place. He bit his lower lip, and slowly lowered himself onto it.

His eyes widened the moment it sank in to the base.

Liang Xuan lay beneath him, watching him with a look like he was seeing something sacred. Liang Xuan lay beneath him, watching him with a look like he was seeing something sacred. “Xu Fei,” he whispered, reaching up to stroke Xu Fei’s cheek, then his lips. Xu Fei turned his face and kissed his fingers. He pushed up on his knees and slammed back down.

“Xu Fei! Liang Xuan was panting heavily. His hands slid down and gripped Xu Fei’s waist, then moved lower to knead his ass. Xu Fei moaned and threw his head back. He rocked his hips, grinding down on the cock inside him, letting it rub deep against his inner walls. The pleasure hit him like a surge of electricity. His cock throbbed, twitching with each movement, and precum spilled from the tip, dripping onto Liang Xuan’s stomach.

Liang Xuan reached down, smeared the fluid across his stomach, then slid his fingers around to the back. He rubbed the stretched rim of Xu Fei’s hole, circling and pressing against the sensitive muscle.

Xu Fei’s breath hitched. “Move… move already…” he gasped, trying to lift his hips. Liang Xuan thrust up into him, again and again, driving deeper each time. Xu Fei whimpered, his voice caught in his throat, body trembling as he took it all.

“You’re so tight,” Liang Xuan groaned, rubbing Xu Fei’s ass as he pulled him down. Xu Fei sank onto him, and Liang Xuan’s cock slammed deep into his body, hitting so hard it made his head spin. “So good…” Liang Xuan kept praising him, then suddenly thrust his hips upward, grinding hard against Xu Fei’s prostate.

Xu Fei came.

His hole clenched around Liang Xuan’s cock, making his face flush deep red. He gripped Xu Fei’s ass hard and gasped, “Xu Fei…” then slammed upward, fast and rough, a few more times. His cock, buried to the hilt, throbbed fiercely and he came. Shot after shot of cum filled Xu Fei’s insides, pulsing hot into his gut.

A soft moan slipped from the corner of Xu Fei’s lips. He sat there with his head lowered, hands braced on Liang Xuan’s sticky abdomen, his upper body trembling. It was the first time someone had come inside him. He had never known cum could be that hot. The heat spread through him, making his ass throb and his throat tighten. Even though he had just come, his cock was already starting to stir again.

Liang Xuan pulled him down for a kiss. They stayed like that for a while before he finally let go and pulled out. Xu Fei’s body shivered again as a thick stream of cum followed, leaking from his swollen hole, sliding down the crease of his ass and along the inside of his thighs.

“Fuck,” he muttered, then rolled off to the side, lying next to Liang Xuan, their shoulders pressed together.

Warm air from the heater blew down over them. Xu Fei finally started to feel hot. His sweater was soaked and sticky, clinging to his skin in the most uncomfortable way. He yanked it off, wiped himself off casually, and tossed it to the floor. Liang Xuan sat up.

“Sorry for coming inside you,” Liang Xuan said.

Xu Fei turned his face toward him. It took a while before he responded. “Don’t give me that fake sincerity.” He raised one limp leg and kicked Liang Xuan in the side, then got up and staggered toward the bathroom.

He turned on the hot water. Not long after, Liang Xuan shamelessly followed him in and started applying body wash onto him. “Sorry,” he said again. Since the moment they reunited, it felt like Liang Xuan had been apologizing non-stop.

The hot water turned their skin red. Liang Xuan reached down, his fingers slipping into Xu Fei’s hole to clean out the cum. Xu Fei didn’t resist. He stood with his hands pressed against the tiled wall, hips slightly raised, body pressed close to Liang Xuan behind him.

Liang Xuan started to get hard again, but he didn’t go further. His fingers moved gently inside, stroking, then slowly pulled out. He held Xu Fei by the waist and leaned down to kiss his neck.

His kisses were careful. His lips traced the line of Xu Fei’s tattoo, slowly working their way down like a quiet act of devotion. Xu Fei closed his eyes. His chest ached, his heart turning tender and sore, as if someone were holding it too tight.

“It’s not your fault,” he said.

When they came out of the bathroom, the music outside was still thumping obnoxiously loud. Xu Fei sat cross-legged on the bed and spotted the folder on the floor. His face shifted.

“I forgot about this.”

He quickly got dressed, then leaned over the mirror to check his appearance. Nothing too obvious. He grabbed the folder and was about to leave when Liang Xuan called out again.

“I could come later…” He gestured vaguely. “Director Li said you’re going to Daxing for filming this year.”

Xu Fei froze for a second before it clicked. “You mean… visit the set?”

Liang Xuan nodded.

Xu Fei looked at him. At his damp hair, flushed cheeks, and those still-wet lips. All of it reminded him that once again, he had lost.

“Alright,” he said.