Chapter 50 “Take Me Home”

The moment his lungs encountered oxygen, Jiang Yao regained the ability to breathe autonomously.

But it wasn’t until his chest visibly began to rise and fall that Duan Zhuxian, pressing their foreheads together as if restraining himself, slightly pulled back his lips.

The surrounding cold wind and water droplets seemed to have been muted, replaced by Duan Zhuxian’s slightly labored breathing and the palpable heartbeat that dispelled all the night’s threats.

After calming down for a while, Jiang Yao finally found his voice. “Duan Zhuxian, why are you here?”

He tried to maintain a normal tone, though his breath was still unsteady.

Duan Zhuxian replied, “You sent me a message.”

“But I only sent my location.”

Duan Zhuxian smiled, “A location is enough.”

At that time, he was in his study dealing with piled-up work. When he received Jiang Yao’s message, he immediately called back, but all he heard was the phone being turned off. Without a second thought, he grabbed his car keys and left, not even taking off the protective glasses he wore while working.

Jiang Yao could tell Duan Zhuxian had rushed over, clearly in a hurry; otherwise, he wouldn’t have just thrown a coat over his pajamas.

His throat moved slightly. “What if it was a prank or a scam? Wouldn’t you have fallen for it?”

Duan Zhuxian replied, “Do you remember what I said on New Year’s Eve? From now on, whenever you need me, I’ll be there.”

“I’ll be there.”

Those four deep and gentle words contained all the most beautiful sounds in the universe.

Of course, Jiang Yao remembered.

Every word Duan Zhuxian said that night in the heavy snow, Jiang Yao remembered clearly. Forgetting them was nearly impossible.

But he thought those were just beautiful words Duan Zhuxian said to appease him. After all, when you want to comfort someone, you have to say something nice. He never saw them as promises.

He would never rely on anyone else. After all, the only person who could catch him when he fell was himself.

But here was this person, even when he was still sick, driving nearly a hundred kilometers through the winter night to this remote place, just to fulfill a promise he once made.

Jiang Yao suddenly took a step back, turning away from Duan Zhuxian. At that moment, something that had been restrained for twenty years broke free.

The feeling of hot, wet tears streaming down his cheeks was unfamiliar but incredibly liberating.

Back in the factory, he didn’t dare cry, fearing it would anger the kidnappers. Even after returning home, he still didn’t dare cry, afraid of worrying his parents.

After that incident, he learned to hide all negative emotions, always putting on a fearless front so that no one could see any weakness.

But at this moment, in the night of this remote wilderness, it seemed like he was finally reconciling with a thought he had been holding onto for many years.

Duan Zhuxian stood silently behind Jiang Yao, his heart aching, but he didn’t make a sound to disturb him. He patiently watched the red-tinted strand of hair tremble with each sob. It wasn’t until five minutes later, when Jiang Yao turned around, that his eyes, though slightly red, only held a thin sheen of moisture.

When Jiang Yao met Duan Zhuxian’s deep gaze, his expression turned awkward. As he blinked, the moisture in his eyes turned into a tear that rolled down, which Duan Zhuxian wiped away with his hand.

Jiang Yao turned his face away, grumbling, “I couldn’t hold it back. Don’t laugh at me.”

Duan Zhuxian kept a straight face, “I won’t laugh at you. It’s not like I haven’t seen you cry before.”

Jiang Yao was stunned for a moment, then realized what Duan Zhuxian was referring to. Because Duan Zhuxian often pushed him too far in certain intimate moments, he had shed tears many times…

With Duan Zhuxian’s shameless interruption, Jiang Yao didn’t feel as embarrassed, but he couldn’t stop the slight physiological sobbing, so he took deep breaths repeatedly.

“Can’t catch your breath again?”

Duan Zhuxian asked, and without waiting for an answer, he pressed his hand against the back of Jiang Yao’s neck, and his lips covering Jiang Yao’s again.

No!

I don’t need artificial respiration!

Jiang Yao’s eyes widened, and a muffled sound escaped his throat.

It took a few seconds for him to realize that Duan Zhuxian wasn’t trying to give him air this time; he was trying to steal his breath away.

After just a few gentle and firm presses, their lips became inseparably entangled.

Duan Zhuxian’s tongue pried open Jiang Yao’s lips and teeth, unceremoniously hooking his tongue, sweeping every inch of his mouth gently yet dominantly.

A tingling sensation spread through Jiang Yao’s body, and in his daze, it felt as though a butterfly had taken flight in his chest. In the vast night, it was like a burning, clear flame, leaping from within, heightening the risk of exposing his erratic heartbeat.

He didn’t want to be so passive, trying to do something in return. However, his limbs were already weak, and with Duan Zhuxian’s grip on his nape, he couldn’t muster much strength. All he could do was channel his remaining energy into the kiss, pressing his lips and tongue against Duan Zhuxian’s.

It felt as though they kissed for an eternity.

When Duan Zhuxian finally released him, Jiang Yao’s lips were still slightly parted, revealing a rare expression of bewilderment.

Duan Zhuxian’s eyes darkened slightly as he suppressed some overly primal thoughts and asked, “Did you catch your breath this time?”

Jiang Yao with a flushed red face, glared at Duan Zhuxian in exasperation.

How could he have the nerve to ask such a question?

After that prolonged kiss, Jiang Yao’s eyes were misty with physiological tears, making him look both pitiful and adorable. Deciding not to tease him anymore, Duan Zhuxian pointed to the red car and asked, “Broken?”

Jiang Yao nodded. “Yeah, the car is borrowed. I need to return it tomorrow.”

He briefly explained the situation of returning the little girl home, feeling more embarrassed as he spoke.

This wasn’t a life-or-death situation at all.

Duan Zhuxian must think he was making a big deal out of nothing, being afraid of the dark at his age.

However, Duan Zhuxian simply ruffled his hair and nodded. “In any emergency where you can only contact one person, you made the right choice by calling me.”

Moments later, Duan Zhuxian called for help to tow the nearly decrepit car away, ensuring it would be repaired and returned to the village the next day.

During the whole process, Jiang Yao absentmindedly kept touching his lips.

After the repair crew left, the two walked one behind the other towards the black SUV. As if he had eyes in the back of his head, Duan Zhuxian asked, “What’s wrong with your lips?”

Jiang Yao immediately withdrew his hand and said nonchalantly, “Nothing, just a bit numb and hot. I think I might be allergic to artificial respiration…”

“Artificial respiration?”

Duan Zhuxian slowed his steps, repeating the words with a hint of amusement, as if savoring them.

The next second, he suddenly turned around and pinned the unsuspecting Jiang Yao against the back car door, kissing him again.

This time, it was far less gentle than the previous kisses, as if meant to remind the other what such a kiss truly signified.

Jiang Yao had to cling tightly to Duan Zhuxian’s neck to prevent himself from sliding down the car door.

Breathless, Jiang Yao warned, “Duan Zhuxian, not to do anything more than three times!”^[1]事不過三(shì bù guò sān) = Not to do anything more than three times, is a Chinese idiom. It means that the same thing should not be done more than three times. It originates from 《Journey … Continue reading

“Consider it desensitization therapy.”

Duan Zhuxian pinched Jiang Yao’s burning earlobe, stepped back half a step, and put some distance between their tangled breaths. His tone suddenly took on a few degrees of seriousness.

“Sorry, I stole your first kiss.”

Jiang Yao: “…”

Apologizing? This guy sure knows how to be polite.

But he’s never seen a more pretentious wolf in sheep’s clothing than Duan Zhuxian!

“My first kiss was long gone. Isn’t it a bit late to say this now?” Jiang Yao’s voice was cool.

“Hmm?” Duan Zhuxian raised his eyebrow.

“That time at the wedding, you said it didn’t count as a first kiss because you didn’t use your tongue. Did you really think I’d fall for that like a three-year-old?”

This time, it was Duan Zhuxian’s turn to be stunned. Then he laughed softly. “You never confronted me about it, so I thought you were really that innocent.”

Jiang Yao snorted coldly. “If I held you accountable for everything, you’d be dead a thousand times over. But don’t think I’ve forgotten any of the times you’ve provoked me. I’ve kept track of every single one, and you’ll never be able to deny them.”

Hearing this, the previously confident and calm look in Duan Zhuxian’s eyes flickered rapidly. After a moment, he nodded and smiled. “Yes, a lifetime. I won’t deny any of it.”

After getting in the car and charging his phone, Jiang Yao realized it was only a little past ten. He had only been in the darkness for less than two hours before Duan Zhuxian rescued him.

As soon as he turned on his phone, a flood of missed calls and messages poured in, with most of them from “A Certain Duan.”

Jiang Yao didn’t dare to check how many calls Duan Zhuxian had made. He just cleared all the notifications with one click.

His team members from the team-building event had also called and messaged him, asking why he hadn’t returned yet and if he had stayed for dinner at the little girl’s house.

He responded to everyone in the group chat, briefly explaining that his phone had run out of battery and he got lost, reassuring them not to worry.

Seeing his response, everyone was relieved and didn’t ask for more details. After all, the chance of Jiang Yao, a tall, strong young man trained in Sanda, encountering danger was quite low.

Duan Zhuxian drove Jiang Yao back to the resort.

A few minutes later, the car exited the fields and entered the highway, with more streetlights illuminating the way. The soft glow swept across Duan Zhuxian’s face, highlighting his nearly perfect features, which, despite his illness, looked especially striking tonight.

The butterfly in Jiang Yao’s chest fluttered again, and he raised his hand to press down on it.

Just as he hadn’t had enough of looking, the car slowly came to a stop, and at the end of his gaze, Duan Zhuxian’s pale lips moved. “We’re here.”

Jiang Yao responded with a simple “Hmm,” but didn’t move.

Duan Zhuxian turned to meet his gaze and asked, “Don’t want to get out of the car?”

Jiang Yao replied, “What’s the point of getting out?”

Duan Zhuxian said, “Team building.”

Jiang Yao raised an eyebrow. “My lips are swollen. How can I do team building?”

Duan Zhuxian paused slightly.

A few minutes ago, the man who had been overwhelmed by fear was now slightly raising his chin, his eyes like stars falling on him, having already regained his proud demeanor.

But his flushed lips and slightly red eyes were still striking, making one want to protect him with all their might.

Duan Zhuxian raised his hand, gently brushing his thumb over those full lips. “Next time we kiss, I’ll be gentler.”

Jiang Yao grabbed Duan Zhuxian’s hand, gently shaking it. “I want to go home, Duan Zhuxian. Take me home, please.”