Chapter 42

Yang Yunran had no physical expectations from his boyfriend, Jiang Yi since Jiang Yi was still undergoing psychological treatment.

But he did have other needs from him, such as emotional support and companionship.

“Can you not go back to your dorm tonight?” Yang Yunran asked.

Jiang Yi’s gaze lingered on his face for a moment before he replied, “I don’t have to go back. Do you want to work on your paper, or…”

Yang Yunran interrupted, “Of course, to sleep.”

Jiang Yi’s posture stiffened slightly.

Yang Yunran clarified, “I mean sleeping under the covers, just talking. You cover yourself with your blanket, and I’ll cover myself with mine. It’s not the kind where we take off our clothes, so why are you so tense?”

Jiang Yi said nothing, his eyes catching sight of Harry pooping, and he remarked, “Is this your way of punishing me or yourself?”

Yang Yunran sighed near his jaw, his breath warm: “Of course, it’s punishing me. I accidentally stepped on you, and now I have my boyfriend next to me, but I can’t hug him. It’s so unfair.”

“I never said you couldn’t hug me,” Jiang Yi said, his eyes on the dog. “Let’s stop dancing and get the poop bag.”

The two of them awkwardly picked up the dog poop and then headed home. Yang Yunran went to shower first, teasingly asking, “Shall we shower together?”

“Together?” Jiang Yi shook his head, “You go ahead.”

Yang Yunran expected this response and didn’t mind. He carefully cleaned his prosthetic eye and placed it back in its socket.

Usually, he only removed his prosthetic eye for cleaning.

He examined himself in the mirror, noting that his new prosthetic eye looked more realistic and was harder to detect even up close.

He could close his eyes while kissing and lower the lights when they were close, so he wasn’t too worried about it being noticed. Besides, Jiang Yi seemed to have a phobia of kissing, so why should he worry?

“I’m done,” Yang Yunran announced as he stepped out in cotton pajamas. He handed Jiang Yi an oversized T-shirt: “Wear this to sleep. It should fit you, but I don’t have any new underwear for you. You should wear your own for the night. By the way, did you, um, handle things secretly while I was in the meeting? Is it still clean?”

Yang Yunran asked tactfully, “Otherwise, I can give you my swim trunks.”

Jiang Yi turned his head, his profile tense in the light: “I’ll take the swim trunks.”

“Okay, haha.” Yang Yunran didn’t press further. He handed over the swim trunks, then cleared the giant stuffed toys from the bed to the windowsill, lit an aromatherapy candle, and happily picked up his phone for a rare moment of browsing.

He searched: “What should I pay attention to when spending the night with my boyfriend for the first time?”

Most of the answers were from women, offering many suggestions he hadn’t considered.

For instance: applying body lotion from head to toe, including between the toes, washing the heels cleaner than the face, spraying a bit of mild men’s cologne behind the ears and on the wrists, preparing condoms of the right size, and scented lubricant…

Yang Yunran carefully read these suggestions for a while before feeling sleepy and yawning.

He didn’t know when Jiang Yi finished showering, but by the time Jiang Yi entered the bedroom, Yang Yunran’s eyes were tired and closed, almost asleep.

His fingers unintentionally touched his phone, unlocking the screen.

Jiang Yi saw that he seemed to be asleep, so he helped straighten his blanket and turned off the light, leaving only a nightlight at the foot of the bed.

Noticing Yang Yunran holding his phone, Jiang Yi gently took it and placed it on the bedside table, glancing at the screen.

Searching for how to spend the night with a boyfriend?

He quickly skimmed through the page, summarizing it as preparations for foreplay before bed. Jiang Yi looked down at Yang Yunran, who was peacefully asleep, looking innocent and well-behaved. Perhaps he had stayed up many nights recently, as there was a slight blue tint under his eyes, and his long eyelashes were drooping.

Jiang Yi gazed at him for a moment, resisting the urge to brush his eyelashes or touch his ear. Worried about waking him, his fingers hovered in the air for a few seconds before lowering.

Jiang Yi also locked his phone screen and noticed the stuffed camel toy by the bed.

Last time, he had bought many for Yang Yunran, placing them in various spots around the house where he often stayed, so he could see them every day.

The first night they spent together was at a hotel, but Jiang Yi had slept on the floor while Yang Yunran took the bed.

Yang Yunran had left half the bed for him, but Jiang Yi didn’t take it. After watching him for at least five minutes, he quietly took a pillow and blanket to the guest room, closing the bedroom door behind him.

Jiang Yi prepared the bed in the guest room and opened the window for ventilation.

According to Yang Yunran’s search history, the boy had physical needs, and the pressure made those needs greater, but Jiang Yi seemed unable to fulfill them…

Actually, it wasn’t that he couldn’t.

It was just too soon; they hadn’t known each other long or dated for long. Even though Jiang Yi already felt a strong liking for him.

The next morning, Yang Yunran woke up to find no one beside him. He momentarily forgot that Jiang Yi was in the house, thinking that the enticing smell of bacon and eggs must be coming from a neighbor. It was so fragrant that it had drifted into his home…

“You have an early class today,” Jiang Yi came over to knock on the door. “And you have a live stream, right?”

“Hmm??” Yang Yunran suddenly woke up, instantly realizing that Jiang Yi was at his house!!

He quickly turned his head to look at the bed next to him, which showed no signs of being slept in—not even the pillow was there. Jiang Yi must have slept in the guest room or on the couch.

“How did you know I have a livestream?” Yang Yunran stayed in bed, glancing at the time without getting up. “Come in.”

Jiang Yi, outside the door, guessed, “I saw your equipment.” He then turned the doorknob, and from Jiang Yi’s angle, he could only see Yang Yunran’s messy black hair and slightly raised chin, seemingly looking at him.

Jiang Yi asked, “When does it start? It’s 9 PM Beijing time now.”

“In half an hour,” Yang Yunran said, waving him over. “What did you make for breakfast?”

“Sandwiches, we didn’t have many ingredients at home.”

Yang Yunran kept waving, his voice muffled, “My arm’s tired from waving, why aren’t you coming in?”

Jiang Yi, wearing the same gray sweatpants and black T-shirt from the previous day, which he had washed and dried the night before, replied, “Let me turn off the stove first, wait a minute.” He went to the kitchen and then came back, calling him, and Yang Yunran reached out for him.

In the unlit room, a beam of morning light filtered through the curtains, casting a glow on Jiang Yi’s hair.

Jiang Yi bent down, “Do you want a hug?”

“Yes!” Yang Yunran said, letting Jiang Yi lift him into a sitting position. His arms wrapped around Jiang Yi’s back, feeling the well-toned muscles through the fabric, warm to the touch. He inhaled Jiang Yi’s pleasant scent.

Yang Yunran felt completely enveloped by his skin. Stroking Jiang Yi’s back, he murmured with closed eyes, “You smell so good.”

Jiang Yi softly replied, “I used your shower gel and laundry pods.”

“Do you have oil on your hands?” Yang Yunran asked.

“No, I just washed them,” Jiang Yi replied. “I made sandwiches using the bacon and salmon from your freezer. I checked, they’re not expired.”

Yang Yunran, still drowsy, spoke softly, “I’m not feeling well, can you help me?”

Jiang Yi pulled back slightly, looking down, “Where do you feel uncomfortable?”

“Here,” Yang Yunran let one hand fall, holding Jiang Yi’s hand and pulling it into the blanket. Too shy to look at him, he buried his head, resting his forehead on Jiang Yi’s chest. “If you reject me, I’ll be really sad.”

Jiang Yi had refused him many times, countless times in fact. It was only because Yang Yunran liked him that he patiently kept trying despite the rejections.

Jiang Yi’s fingers were warm but cooler than his skin. When Jiang Yi’s fingers touched him, Yang Yunran’s body trembled, his legs parted slightly, and he rubbed his head against Jiang Yi’s chest, seeking help: “I really don’t feel well.”

Jiang Yi was silent for about fifteen seconds, making Yang Yunran anxious, almost ready to retreat when he suddenly felt Jiang Yi’s movements.

Jiang Yi muttered a low “Mmm” and said, “Lie still and don’t move.”

Yang Yunran suddenly opened his eyes, looking up at him.

Jiang Yi hadn’t shaved, and the stubble on his jaw lightly scratched Yang Yunran’s nose.

Yang Yunran’s lips brushed against his Adam’s apple, and Jiang Yi said, “Don’t kiss here. I’ll help you, but you have to behave.”

Yang Yunran realized that Jiang Yi was willing to help him but didn’t want him to reciprocate. Although he couldn’t see Jiang Yi’s expression, he couldn’t help but curl up and tremble in his hands, his voice nasal as he asked, “Can I hold you while you do it?”

Jiang Yi didn’t respond but knelt down slightly, making space for Yang Yunran, who shifted to give him more room. Jiang Yi leaned down, enveloping him with his breath, his long arms wrapped around him.

Yang Yunran requested, “The face cream, from the bedside table.”

Jiang Yi asked, “This one?”

“That’s lotion, it’ll do,” Yang Yunran glanced and nodded.

Jiang Yi squeezed some onto his palm, making his fingers slick and soft. “You have a lot of skincare products.”

Yang Yunran’s voice was shaky, “My mom sent them…” he murmured.

Because it happened so suddenly, Yang Yunran wasn’t prepared. His nerves tingled, his mind went white with stimulation, and it was over quickly.

Yang Yunran grabbed his T-shirt tightly, his ears burning red, almost tearing up.

“Done,” Jiang Yi said, reaching for tissues, patting Yang Yunran’s hair with his free hand, “Get up and have breakfast.”

Yang Yunran, eyes wet and heart racing, clung to his shirt, “Wait, I’ll get up in a minute.”

Yang Yunran needed five or six minutes to recover. He went to freshen up while Jiang Yi reheated breakfast and made coffee.

While brushing his teeth, Yang Yunran thought, this could work. Jiang Yi didn’t need to be completely healed. Even if he wasn’t, things were fine as they were. Their relationship could continue like this for a long time… a lasting romance.

As he ate, a burst of clear emotions and inspiration hit him. He grabbed a piece of paper and wrote a melody, humming a pleasant tune.

Jiang Yi asked, “Are you writing a song?”

Yang Yunran said yes.

“What about the previous ones?”

“Those were trash, they don’t matter,” Yang Yunran said, finally finding his rhythm. His eyes lit up, and he beamed a radiant smile, “Jiang Yi!! You’re my muse!! I just got a great idea!” He kissed Jiang Yi’s fingers for a second and then let go, grabbing his paper and pen to find his guitar pick.

“Really,” Jiang Yi’s fingers still warm and soft from the kiss, he lifted them, his eyes lingering on the spot Yang Yunran had kissed, smiling slightly, “It’s my honor to inspire you.”

Yang Yunran had to cancel his livestream, notifying his audience that he was busy writing a song. He quickly settled at his desk with his guitar, testing out the sounds.

Jiang Yi had to go to the lab and couldn’t drop him off: “I walked Harry before you woke up. Will you go to school on your own later?”

“My class is at 10:30,” Yang Yunran replied, not looking up from his notebook. “I’ll ask Jimmy to give me a ride. You should get to the lab, don’t be late.”

Jiang Yi frowned, disliking Yang Yunran’s friend Jimmy, but said nothing.

Yang Yunran had announced that there would be no live stream tonight because he was busy writing a song. Jiang Yi had gotten used to hearing him sing in the mornings and would play his songs while driving to the lab.

Before entering the lab, Jiang Yi glanced at his phone. About half an hour ago, someone had messaged Yang Yunran: “Really looking forward to the new song!! Yay, what’s the new song about? What genre??”

Since the message was from his top supporter, Yang Yunran had replied: “It’s a sweet little love song!!”