There wasn’t enough time for him to figure out where the straw had gone, and he stared blankly at the person in front of him.

The roasted green pepper started sizzling because no one had flipped it for too long, yet the person who loved grilled peppers was now being held by the face, completely shattering all his calm on the surface.

His face was burning, and Cen Wei’s palms were hot too.

Chu Lai tried to push Cen Wei away, but his hand was tightly held.

He had always thought that beneath Cen Wei’s elegant exterior, there was a rare sense of bluntness, like a delicate pastry that, despite its intricate appearance, filled you up completely when eaten.

Cen Wei’s clumsy kiss perfectly matched the expression Chu Lai had just made, lacking any skill, breathing heavily, with only an instinctual aggression. It was obvious how inexperienced he was.

Due to family reasons, Cen Wei had always avoided relationships. His appearance and demeanor were intimidating, which contributed to his long-time single status. Even in business circles, there were people who implied they didn’t need a relationship, but Cen Wei always turned them down.

He didn’t like getting to know people deeply, and he feared the chain reactions that love could bring, afraid it might end in tragedy.

Shen Ke, with her aggressive personality, set her sights on Cen Wei, believing she could win him over. This relentless pursuit, coupled with Xuan Rongqing’s constant concern over Cen Wei’s love life, softened his stance, and he decided to take a step forward, starting by agreeing to Shen Ke’s advances.

But love had never been a priority for him, and this attitude came from his family’s influence.

Before agreeing to this relationship, Cen Wei had made it clear: he wasn’t enthusiastic about intimacy, he was busy with work, they would have a long-distance relationship, and he had issues that might make her reconsider.

Shen Ke had never failed in love, yet with Cen Wei, she hit a wall. After learning what had happened to him, she vented her frustration and was overwhelmed with guilt. Now, Cen Wei’s studio still collaborates with her brand, but it’s purely business, with Cen Wei likely benefiting far more from it.

Cen Wei was the first to initiate the kiss, and the first to struggle to breathe as well. This innocent grown man didn’t know how to part Chu Lai’s lips, and his clumsy attempts made even the one being kissed want to laugh—perhaps even teach him.

But Chu Lai didn’t. When they parted, both were panting, the taste of red wine lingering in the air. The green pepper had burned completely, and someone’s heart had melted into a soft mess. Hidden desires, once unsealed, could never be put back without being tainted.

Cen Wei propped himself up on the table, lowering his head. Chu Lai couldn’t tell what he was thinking. His neatly styled hair from work had completely fallen apart, and Chu Lai had a rare chance to see the crown of his head.

He said nothing, only pursed his lips slightly. The lingering sensation of the kiss still clung to his mouth, and the itch in his heart, far from subsiding, swelled even more. He closed his eyes.

Taking a deep breath, Cen Wei glanced at Chu Lai, but found the other man leaning lazily against the back of his chair.

In the light, the young man’s lips were bright red, but his brows were furrowed, clearly unhappy.

Unable to resist, Cen Wei asked, “Was it really that bad?”

His hair was now messy, his tie undone, and his suit jacket draped over him. His shirt underneath was wrinkled. At a glance, he looked more like the one who had been ambushed.

Chu Lai slowly opened his eyes, gazing for a moment at the rare sight of Cen Wei in such a disheveled state, and made a sound of agreement.

Although Chu Lai had dated Shen Quanzhang for three years, he had never been enthusiastic about kissing or getting closer. For Shen Quanzhang, kissing was merely a step toward the final act, and if it weren’t for Chu Lai’s expressions, he would have preferred to get straight to the point.

This became the reason Shen Quanzhang bombarded Chu Lai with texts, self-righteously claiming that no couple could be so out of sync. He blamed Chu Lai, saying that if Chu Lai had admitted he was frigid, they wouldn’t have gotten together.

The breakup brought many hurtful words. They had long lost the dignity that three years of love should have afforded, but Chu Lai didn’t become hysterical, making Shen Quanzhang feel even more humiliated and convinced he had never been truly loved.

Now, the room was so quiet they could only hear Da Cai’s snoring. The soundproofing in this high-rise apartment was excellent, unlike the place Chu Lai used to rent, where he could hear the neighbors’ activities.

In this silence, even the sound of breathing tugged at the repressed emotions between them.

Chu Lai’s lips, still red, seemed to spread the color to his face. His eyes were even slightly damp. He lowered his head, fidgeting with the drawstring of his hoodie, giving Cen Wei a bit of face with a small concession: “But it wasn’t bad either.”

It would have been better if he hadn’t said that.

Cen Wei closed his eyes. His tousled hair mirrored the turmoil inside him.

His lips still held the lingering touch from Chu Lai. Back when his peers were discussing love in their teens, Cen Wei never participated, nor would he listen to their talks about first kisses, first loves, or first times.

He never expected that his first kiss would be lost in such a setting, in such an awkward relationship.

At this point, neither dared to look at the other, and they were silent for who knows how long. Chu Lai finally muttered an apology: “It really wasn’t that bad.”

“At least…”

Chu Lai hesitated, reaching over to take the now crispy green pepper off the grill and turn off the induction cooker. “My lips feel numb from where you bit me.”

The words confused Cen Wei for a moment. When he realized which word he had used, he became even more embarrassed, unable to look up as a low, raspy voice rumbled from his throat: “You bit me.”

“I did not!”

He retorted quickly, then glanced at the man across from him. The rigid collar of his shirt had seemingly softened in the mess, and due to his heavy breathing, his chest rose and fell. Chu Lai couldn’t help but tilt his head back and take another sip of wine.

Cen Wei noticed Chu Lai’s gaze and looked over. When Chu Lai drank, he didn’t like wearing glasses, so his usually calm eyes were now wet and sparkling. It seemed like he had been caught peeking and hurriedly lowered his head, pretending to examine the patterns on his wine glass.

Cen Wei pressed his lips together and asked, “Do you want to try again?”

Chu Lai raised his eyes, “What?”

His naturally fair skin made even the slightest blush stand out dramatically. There was nothing more captivating than someone usually indifferent being touched by desire.

Suddenly, Cen Wei understood why Ding Xiulin had always been infatuated with Chu Lai.

Chu Lai was like a perfectly preserved dried rose. Even if the collector had never seen him in full bloom, they would still be enchanted by his lingering fragrance.

Cen Wei said, “Next time, I won’t be so bad.”

His gaze landed on Chu Lai’s slightly swollen lips as he whispered, “You said it yourself—if people who know us find out, it’ll look like I’ve been cheated on.”

This was indeed something Chu Lai had said. He hadn’t expected Cen Wei to bring it up now, making Chu Lai feel particularly guilty.

The young man let out a small sound, his pale fingers tapping the glass cup, making a crisp noise, but he still didn’t dare look at Cen Wei.

Cen Wei rubbed his temples and said, “Sorry, I was too…”

Before he could finish, Chu Lai interrupted, “Can we kiss somewhere else?”

Cen Wei was indeed inexperienced. That three-month relationship had very little time spent together.

Chu Lai found a pack of mouthwash. With his back to Cen Wei, he puffed his cheeks as he looked at himself in the mirror, unable to stop one hand from pressing against his chest. But it couldn’t still the wild beating of his heart.

Cen Wei sat on the sofa, watching Da Cai sleep sprawled out, his legs hanging out of his dog bed.

He kept squeezing the mouthwash packaging in his hand, much like the state of his chaotic mind.

It didn’t seem right to kiss in bed. The bathroom was too strange, and the sofa was too soft. He didn’t know where to begin, so he figured they’d just do what they’d done before.

A hug.

Cen Wei had already been trained by Chu Lai to be good at hugging, but with no other experience to rely on, his clumsiness with kissing was understandable. He didn’t even know where to put his hands, and it was Chu Lai who had to tell him.

In reality, there was no difference between hugging and kissing. Both involved moving closer before taking the next step.

As they pressed together, both automatically closed their eyes. Cen Wei leaned back on the sofa, with Chu Lai sitting in his lap, arms wrapped around his neck. The TV was off, and the little dog shifted in its sleep, its tail wagging as if dreaming.

Through the floor-to-ceiling windows, they could see the lights of the city. It was just another ordinary Friday.

But not an ordinary Friday for them.

Chu Lai’s voice trembled, “I need to breathe.”

Cen Wei gave a soft “mm” breathing heavily, his chest vibrating, and he tightened his grip around Chu Lai’s waist.

Hugging, changing positions, holding hands, then changing how they held hands. Their fingers intertwined, their hearts pounded together, their breaths mingled, and their foreheads touched.

It was too intimate.

When they finally pulled apart, both of their hearts were pounding, and they didn’t dare look at each other again.

Their minds were completely blank, with uncontrollable panting and undeniable physical reactions mocking the notion that either of them was “frigid.”

Chu Lai broke free from Cen Wei’s embrace and rushed into the bathroom to wash his face. Meanwhile, Cen Wei collapsed onto the sofa, leaning back, taking deep breaths. After listening to the sound of the water for a while, he grabbed his jacket and left.

As the elevator descended, Cen Wei sent Chu Lai a message: I just remembered there’s a file that hasn’t been approved yet, I’m going to the office.

Not sure if his heart had still not calmed down, Cen Wei changed it to a voice message on impulse—

“Rest early, we still have to take photos tomorrow.”

“Lai Lai, good night.”

—

Jiang Liyong: “So this is why you called me out in the middle of the night?”

Cen Wei had had a drink and took a cab to meet up with Jiang Liyong.

Dr. Jiang wasn’t on call today and was enjoying a rare day off, only to end up standing in the cold by the bridge, listening to what sounded like the problems of a seventeen-year-old high schooler.

He couldn’t help but feel like Cen Wei had hit puberty late. At this age, most people were either married or in long-term relationships, and even if not, they’d at least had a few relationships. It wasn’t common to still have a first kiss, first love, and first time left at this point.

“You’re on vacation anyway.”

Jiang Liyong pointed to a nearby restaurant, “Let’s go in and talk, I’m freezing to death.”

It was already cold outside, and in summer, this street would be packed with people, but now it was deserted.

Jiang Liyong hunched his shoulders, “I have a department outing tomorrow for my day off, so annoying. The head insists on hiking, and Xunxi is so far away. How good can the food be at a farmhouse?”

Hearing the name Xunxi, Cen Wei said, “What a coincidence, I’m going there tomorrow too.”

When they sat down, Jiang Liyong ordered some stir-fried beef noodles, but Cen Wei had no appetite, so he just ordered a pot of tea.

Noticing his friend’s low spirits, Jiang Liyong asked with a smirk, “Did Chu Lai make the first move?”

“I did.”

The man stared at the floating tea leaves, his messy hair and disheveled collar making him look more like someone caught sneaking out of an affair than someone who had just forced their marriage partner into a kiss.

Cen Wei only told Jiang Liyong about the first kiss, and his friend’s lips twitched, “So what? Two single men, contractually married, eating and sleeping together. Anyone else would’ve done the deed by now. You two are still so pure—high schoolers don’t even act like this anymore.”

The mockery was thick in his tone, and Jiang Liyong added, “Besides, it’s not a big deal. You two are legally married anyway.”

No one else knew the details of the marriage agreement between Cen Wei and Chu Lai. Their sudden marriage had happened so fast that everyone assumed they had been secretly dating for a while, unaware that the two hadn’t even shared a proper night together, and were at the stage where even a kiss would make them flee.

Jiang Liyong had witnessed their marriage contract firsthand, and Cen Wei said, “You know, it’s just that we both get what we need from each other.”

Still picking the carrots out of his stir-fried noodles, the doctor didn’t even lift his head as he said lazily, “Neither of you had a partner, both of you were cheated on, and I’ve said it before—no immortal match could be more perfect than you two.”

He left Cen Wei speechless.

Perhaps because Cen Wei now looked like he had been driven out after being dumped, Jiang Liyong couldn’t help but ask, “You’ve been living together for a while now. Isn’t it natural to develop feelings?”

It had been a while since they’d gotten their marriage certificate, but Jiang Liyong still hadn’t officially met Chu Lai. He asked, “If you two could agree on getting married, you must get along well, right?”

“I’m not his type.”

The man still had a bit of alcohol in him. The wine had little alcohol content, and he had mixed half of it with Sprite. It was essentially soda. His current dizziness came purely from their two kisses.

The intensity of that first kiss left the man still unable to calm down.

Jiang Liyong was silent for a long time, “The ideal type is usually too ideal to be real… isn’t that why it’s called the ideal type?”

He rattled off the name of a male celebrity, “That’s still my ideal type.”

Cen Wei glanced at him with a look of resignation, “You’re dreaming.”

Jiang Liyong nodded, “Exactly, it’s just a dream. That’s why I can separate it from reality.”

He asked, “Why are you going to Xunxi tomorrow? There aren’t any workshops there, are there?”

“To take wedding photos.”

Jiang Liyong nearly spit out his tea. He closed his eyes, “You’re taking wedding photos tomorrow, but today you’re making out with your spouse and then complaining to me? Dude, you’re twenty-nine, not nineteen. My nineteen-year-old cousin has already gone through several breakups.”

At this time of night, the restaurant was practically empty. Sitting by the window, Cen Wei glanced out at the river view. “Chu Lai’s first love came back.”

Jiang Liyong listened to the whole story and then said, “Didn’t Chu Lai already reject him? What are you worried about?”

“Are you afraid he won’t want to marry you, afraid your contract marriage will get exposed?”

“Or are you afraid that after this, you’ll both go your separate ways and never see each other again?”

Sometimes the observer sees things more clearly. Jiang Liyong added, “You’re not just falling for him, are you?”

He had long suspected that if Cen Wei went through the trouble of getting married to someone, and that someone was hand-picked by him, there had to be some ulterior motive. So now, he commented, “You’re pretty lucky, actually. If it had been just a few days later, you wouldn’t have gotten married, and you wouldn’t have had your first kiss.”

—

After Cen Wei left, Chu Lai took a shower. By the time he got into bed, it was already past eleven.

His usual bedmate hadn’t returned yet, so Chu Lai called Liu Yuan.

Liu Yuan had just finished working overtime and was still on his way home. “What’s up? Want to hang out?”

Since getting married to Cen Wei, Chu Lai’s social circle had appeared to expand, but in reality, it had shrunk.

Liu Yuan already had a boyfriend, so weekend dates were the norm, and Chu Lai didn’t want to intrude. Most of the time, it was Liu Yuan who initiated hangouts.

Liu Yuan was more excited about the marriage than Chu Lai himself, eager for him to jump into a new relationship. Coincidentally, his contract spouse, Cen Wei, was practically impossible to find even in a gay bar. Liu Yuan would check in with Chu Lai from time to time, but most of their interactions remained online.

After Cen Wei left, Chu Lai grilled the remaining peppers and ate them. Now, lying in bed, he still felt his lips tingling.

The spicy numbness of the peppers could mask the tingling sensation left by the kiss, but the other feelings Cen Wei left him with were hard to erase.

Like the texture of the pads of his fingers, the firm waist, the solid chest, the powerful embrace, and the desire that radiated from him.

Frigid? Yeah, right.

Chu Lai remained silent for a long time, then finally said to Liu Yuan, “I think I’m not actually frigid.”

Liu Yuan wasn’t surprised at all. “Come on, don’t take anything Shen Quanzhang says seriously. What does he know? He’s just a loser who couldn’t satisfy his partner and then blamed you for it.”

He went on for a while, but Chu Lai’s responses felt off. “What’s wrong? Did Shen Quanzhang come looking for you again?”

“No.”

He turned over, wrapped himself in the blanket, sniffled, and said in a muffled voice, “I kissed Cen Wei.”

On the other end, Liu Yuan let out a loud, “What?! And then? And then?!”

“There was no ‘then.’”

Liu Yuan was disappointed. “He must be the frigid one, then.”

Chu Lai hesitated for a moment, “Probably not.”

They had kissed so intensely on the sofa that Chu Lai had already been drained of energy. He had completely collapsed, held tightly by Cen Wei, and pressed so close that some feelings became quite obvious.

The smell of the blanket, and the scent of his solo apartment, had long been replaced. Though they were married, they weren’t truly a couple, but living together was very real.

Chu Lai and Cen Wei were synchronized on many levels, and they didn’t have the usual conflicts couples face when living together, like taking out the trash or doing the laundry.

Cen Wei’s apartment was regularly cleaned by a service, but occasionally they still had to deal with some household chores, and they divided the tasks clearly. Cen Wei was very tolerant and thoughtful, unlike Shen Quanzhang, who would immediately shift the blame when something went wrong.

Liu Yuan listened to Chu Lai’s stammering and figured there had been some kind of shift in this contract marriage ever since they moved in together.

After a while, Chu Lai asked, “Do you still remember the first love I told you about?”

Liu Yuan: “Of course, I remember. You even showed me his picture. Way better-looking than Shen Quanzhang.”

He couldn’t resist taking another jab at the ex, managing to make Chu Lai laugh. “Now I work at the same company as him, and we live in the same building.”

Liu Yuan gasped, “Has your fake husband met him yet?”

Before Chu Lai could answer, Liu Yuan interrupted with a sudden realization: “Don’t tell me you’re planning to have an affair? Wow, that would be wild.”

“Do you think I’m that kind of person?”

Liu Yuan, knowing him too well, replied, “If you were, there’s no way Cen Wei would have even had a chance.”

Liu Yuan rambled on for a bit, then circled back to the kiss. “So how did it feel?”

Liu Yuan wasn’t too surprised that things had progressed this far. In his eyes, Chu Lai had always been attractive and deserved someone better than Shen Quanzhang, who had been incredibly lucky.

Besides, Chu Lai only appeared cold on the surface. Liu Yuan knew that he always remembered birthdays, so he wasn’t nearly as aloof as Shen Quanzhang had made him out to be.

Chu Lai was simply the type who needed someone to take the initiative. Once someone caught his eye, everything would change.

Chu Lai pressed his lips together and softly said, “I kind of want…”

He couldn’t finish the sentence, but Liu Yuan chuckled knowingly, “That’s only natural.”

“You’re already living together. Don’t let it go to waste.”

Chu Lai didn’t talk to Liu Yuan for much longer. After the call, he opened his chat with Cen Wei.

There were three messages from Cen Wei—one was text.

Chu Lai didn’t quite believe that he really had work to handle at this time of night. He had never seen a boss act like this.

The next two were voice messages.

Cen Wei’s voice was lower than usual, and there was a clear deep breath before the last few seconds.

“Lai Lai, good night.”

Chu Lai closed his eyes, thinking is this really okay?