Yu Qingyue’s hair was still slightly damp, and he was wearing SpongeBob pajamas. Normally, he would meticulously button his shirt all the way to the top, but now, two buttons near his neck were casually undone, revealing two delicate collarbones. He stood quietly by the door, giving off a soft, gentle appearance.

In fact, Yu Wanlai was in an exceptionally good mood, especially when he saw Yu Qingyue like this. His eyes instantly lit up. He tossed the vest aside, got off the bed, and walked towards the door. The vest hung halfway in the air, almost caught on the edge of the bed. Yu Wanlai’s lips curved upward as he walked closer. When he saw the collar of Yu Qingyue’s pajamas dampened by drops of water from his hair, he frowned disapprovingly and said, “Why didn’t you dry your hair…” He reached out to pull Yu Qingyue inside.

He then noticed the tube in Yu Qingyue’s hand and asked, “What’s this?”

Yu Qingyue cleared his throat slightly and revealed the ointment in his hand. “I brought you some medicine. You can apply it yourself later. I’ll head back now.”

Yu Wanlai responded with an “oh” and glanced down at the ointment in his hand. He reached out to take it, accidentally brushing against Yu Qingyue’s fingers, which were slightly cool to the touch, just like the smooth, icy touch of his face earlier in the day. Yu Qingyue’s fingers were slender and well-shaped, the nails neatly trimmed and rounded, with a faint pinkish tint, making them very beautiful hands. The warmth of their brief touch lingered for a moment before Yu Qingyue, lips pursed, began to turn away, sensing that Yu Wanlai hadn’t said anything.

However, just as the faint sense of disappointment began to rise in him, Yu Wanlai suddenly took his hand again, making the feeling dissipate instantly.

Yu Wanlai casually tossed the ointment onto the bed, surprised by how well-behaved Yu Qingyue was, even bringing him the ointment. A warm feeling spread through his heart, making him unexpectedly happy. In his excitement, he momentarily lost his sense of boundaries. He took both of Yu Qingyue’s hands and cupped them in his own, exhaling a small breath between the gaps in his fingers. He gently rubbed them and murmured, “Why are your hands so cold? And you came out without drying your hair… It’s not even spring yet, and even if it were, there’s still a chill in the air.”

“…And you’re wearing such thin clothes. Don’t run out like this after a bath, okay? If your hair’s still damp, you’ll easily catch a cold…”

Suddenly having his hand held and being rubbed like this, Yu Qingyue’s ears turned bright red, and a warmth spread across his cheeks. He felt like the hand that was holding his didn’t even feel like his own anymore, as a tingling sensation quickly spread through his body. When Yu Qingyue looked up, he unexpectedly locked eyes with Yu Wanlai. When had his eyes become so calm and pure? There was no envy, no calculations, just a deep concern and his own clear reflection in those eyes.

Yu Wanlai’s gaze curved in a smile, and his eyes were filled with tender amusement. Yu Qingyue’s heart skipped a beat, and his breath became erratic. He quickly averted his gaze and pulled his hand away, trying to escape back to his room.

Yu Wanlai loosened his grip, following his movement. He had intended to switch hands since the one holding Yu Qingyue’s was getting warm. But just as his hand started to move down, he noticed Yu Qingyue turning to leave.

He panicked, not wanting Yu Qingyue to leave just like that. Without thinking, he urgently wrapped his arm around Yu Qingyue’s waist and pulled him closer. “Wait, don’t leave just yet…” He raised his other hand and gently stroked Yu Qingyue’s damp hair. “I’ll dry your hair first, and then you can go. That way you can go to bed right away. How great would that be?”

Yu Qingyue bit his lip, unsure of how to respond. It seemed that Yu Wanlai had a point, and he indeed felt too lazy to dry his hair. That’s why he hadn’t done so before coming out. He thought that he could just wander around for a bit, and by the time he was ready to sleep, his hair would be dry enough.

Now that someone was willing to help, it seemed like there was no reason for him to refuse.

Yu Qingyue lightly cleared his throat, not saying whether he agreed or not. Instead, he lowered his gaze to look at the hand that Yu Wanlai still had around his waist. Yu Wanlai followed his gaze, feeling the heat in his hand, and immediately pulled it back, uneasy as he confirmed, “You’re not leaving yet, right?”

A chill passed over Yu Qingyue’s waist, and the hem of his pajama top, which had been gathered up, fell back into place. He gave a slight nod and murmured almost inaudibly, “Mm.”

Yu Wanlai was reassured. He pulled Yu Qingyue deeper into the room and then turned to rummage through the wardrobe for a while before finding a fluffy white cardigan with red branches and leaves embroidered on the sleeves. He walked over to Yu Qingyue and, with a gentle shake, draped the cardigan over his shoulders. “Here, wear this. Next time you leave the room, wear something thicker. Your hands are always so cold. You should dress warmer.”

Yu Qingyue clicked his tongue lightly. He didn’t like wearing something so thick—it made him feel bulky. He didn’t even feel particularly cold. He moved his hand behind his neck, intending to take off the sweater, but Yu Wanlai stopped him in time.

“Just wear it for a while. You can take it off when you go back to your room. Or are you worried…?” Yu Wanlai asked, his tone soft, “Don’t worry, this sweater is new. I haven’t worn it yet.”

Of course, he hadn’t worn it. Such clothes weren’t really his style. He had bought it with Jiang Cheng when they went shopping. The moment he saw it, he thought Yu Qingyue would look good in it. He had even worried about how to give it to him. Now, seeing Yu Qingyue wear it, his guess was confirmed. It looked really good, making him seem warmer and less distant than usual.

Yu Wanlai then grabbed the hairdryer from the bathroom, pulling Yu Qingyue to the bed. He plugged it in, and the warm air started blowing out immediately. The warmth from the air made Yu Qingyue feel drowsy. Yu Wanlai occasionally twirled a few strands of Yu Qingyue’s soft, slightly wavy hair between his fingers, drying one strand before moving to the next.

By the time he finished, Yu Qingyue’s eyes were already too heavy to keep open. His head tilted forward and rested on Yu Wanlai’s chest, and his body softened, collapsing into his arms. It was already late by the time he came out of the bath, and now it was well past his usual bedtime. On top of that, he had been kept up late last night by Yu Wanlai, and even when he fell asleep, his mind remained cluttered and noisy.

Just as Yu Wanlai was about to turn off the hairdryer, a head suddenly leaned into his chest. The orange fragrance from either the shampoo or body wash enveloped him, and then, the weight of Yu Qingyue’s body came crashing down.

“Mm?” What was going on? Was he suddenly willing to let him hold him?

Yu Wanlai quickly reached out to support Yu Qingyue’s slipping body and looked down. But since Yu Qingyue’s head was buried in his chest, all he could see was a fluffy head. It wasn’t until he heard the steady sound of Yu Qingyue’s breathing that he suddenly realized. He turned his face, laughing softly to himself. How adorable. How could someone fall asleep while standing?

Not wanting to wake him, Yu Wanlai unconsciously quieted his own breathing. He carefully bent down, lifting Yu Qingyue in his arms and placing him gently on the bed. He pulled the blanket over him, making sure it was snug and warm.

Feeling the slightly cool sheets, Yu Qingyue furrowed his brows for a moment, letting out a soft hum. He rubbed his face against the soft and comfortable blanket, finding a cozy position before falling into a deep sleep.

Seeing that there were no signs of Yu Qingyue waking up, Yu Wanlai finally relaxed, breathing freely again. He bent down, searching for the cat-shaped plushie and finally found it under the vest that had been forgotten earlier.

Yu Wanlai ground his teeth and reached out to grab the cat, glaring at it angrily while mumbling, “Who told you to chew on my clothes, huh? Got buried, didn’t you? Serves you right!”

It was truly unfair for the poor little cat. He had tossed his things carelessly, and the cat had just happened to pass by and got buried under them.

But unfortunately, the cat couldn’t talk, so it would be blamed for this. Its little legs kicked weakly in the air as it mewed, seeming to protest against the unreasonable behavior. Yu Wanlai locked the cat back in its cage and placed the cage up high so that even if the cat got out, it wouldn’t run wild in the room. After settling the cat, he turned off the light, and the room became completely quiet. He then ran to the bathroom, holding a white vest and a sewing kit to sew on a button.

The next morning, Yu Qingyue was woken by the meowing of the cat and the whining of the dog. As soon as he opened his eyes, he saw a thin jawline and neck in front of him. He immediately tilted his head back and saw Yu Wanlai’s face, which seemed much larger at that moment. There was some stubble just starting to appear on his chin.

He struggled to lift the blanket and get up, but Yu Wanlai, disturbed by the movement, grunted softly. His hand, resting on Yu Qingyue’s waist, tightened and pulled him back into his arms, holding him tightly.

“Be good, don’t make a fuss, sleep well…” he murmured, but his breathing quickly became steady again. Instantly, the space between their bodies was filled, and Yu Wanlai’s warm breath brushed against Yu Qingyue’s head. Yu Qingyue was momentarily stunned by his words, and almost without realizing it, he closed his eyes and stopped moving.

But soon after, he opened his eyes again, feeling confused and wanting to confront Yu Wanlai. Why did his body suddenly feel something hard while lying in his bed? As his hand moved under the blanket to remove it, he quickly realized what was going on. His body stiffened, and blood rushed to his face, making him feel incredibly hot.

Yu Qingyue’s breath quickened, and he didn’t even have time to question why he had woken up in Yu Wanlai’s bed. He kicked at Yu Wanlai with his feet and hands, determined to get away.

With a loud “bang,” Yu Wanlai was flipped onto the floor. That was enough to wake him up completely. He held onto the blanket sleepily and opened his eyes. “What are you doing? I let you sleep on my bed out of kindness, and instead of thanking me, you kick me as soon as you wake up?”

Yu Qingyue gritted his teeth, his face flushed with anger, glaring at Yu Wanlai. “If you don’t take care of your… stuff next time, I’ll cut it off!”

Twice already!!!

He snorted coldly and shot a sharp glance at Yu Wanlai’s legs before standing up, preparing to return to his own room.

Yu Wanlai felt a sudden chill in his lower body and quickly covered it, feeling guilty as he said, “It’s not intentional. Besides… it’s a normal reaction for a man in the morning. How am I supposed to control it…”

Yu Qingyue rolled his eyes. “I don’t care how you control it. If you can’t, I’ll cut it off for you!”

He threatened while getting up, but just as his feet touched the floor, he felt something soft. Thinking he had stepped on the cat, he immediately tensed and raised both feet, sitting back down on the bed.

Yu Wanlai, on the other side of the bed, couldn’t see what was happening and thought something was wrong. He called out, “What’s going on?”

Yu Qingyue looked down and saw that it wasn’t the cat, but the sweater. He sighed with relief and turned to give Yu Wanlai a glare, intentionally not responding to him. Let him worry.

When he stood up, he hesitated for a moment, but then bent down to grab the sweater and took it back to his own room.

Once in his room, he closed the door and leaned against it, gradually calming his breath. Only then did he feel the temperature on his face lowering a little. The strange situation that had started the day before was becoming more and more bizarre.

Looking down, he felt speechless, “……” Sure enough, he too…

Yu Qingyue took a deep breath and cursed Yu Wanlai inwardly. It was all his fault—now he was messed up too!