Yu Wanlai turned his head and indeed saw Bai Yi’s chopsticks moving toward the fish in his bowl. He raised his gaze and looked at Bai Yi.

Bai Yi’s hand trembled, quickly pulling back his chopsticks, clearing his throat, and glancing at Yu Qingyue. “How old are you? Still complaining, isn’t that embarrassing?”

Seizing the opportunity, Yu Wanlai stood up, “Then let’s switch seats. You sit here.” He then stood up and prepared to wash his hands, feeling uncomfortable with the sticky feeling on them.

Yu Qingyue was more than happy to have Yu Wanlai move farther away from Jiang Cheng, so he eagerly agreed. Once Yu Wanlai sat down, Jiang Cheng felt a noticeable drop in the surrounding temperature.

Bai Jian took Jiang Cheng’s bowl, picking out the fish bones while saying, “Chengzi, let’s go soak in the hot spring outside later. There’s a rose pool and a medicinal pool.”

Jiang Cheng hesitated and stammered, “I… I want to soak in… the room.”

Bai Jian nodded, “Alright, I’ll go to your room and we’ll soak together.”

Jiang Cheng grew more nervous, “Actually, I think… the outside is better. It’s more lively, haha.”

Bai Jian nodded with satisfaction, “Okay, we’ll go outside. I’ll come pick you up later.”

Yu Qingyue gave Bai Jian a strange look, thinking to himself, When did this person become so considerate? He used to like bullying people, especially when he was younger, often making the little boys cry. But… He glanced at the room door, saw that Yu Wanlai still hadn’t returned, and directly said, “I’m not going outside. I want to soak in my room.”

Jiang Cheng felt this was like a melody from heaven. He immediately thought the outside also seemed quite good, sitting up straight and happily continuing to eat the fish in his bowl.

Bai Jian looked at Yu Qingyue. Originally, she had invited a few people along just to make sure Jiang Cheng would join, but seeing Jiang Cheng’s lack of response, she didn’t mind anymore. However, she couldn’t help but feel envious. Was Qingyue going to soak alone with Yu Wanlai? She looked at Jiang Cheng with a slightly melancholic gaze, wishing she could also soak with him in a small pool.

Jiang Cheng felt Bai Jian’s gaze and paused, sliding his bowl slightly toward her, “If you don’t mind, how about we eat together?”

Bai Jian was immediately satisfied.

…

After Yu Qingyue returned to his room and took a quick shower, he headed for the bath. He hadn’t told Yu Wanlai yet, mainly because he was afraid Yu Wanlai would disagree. During the day, he suddenly insisted on switching rooms. Now, he would soak here first, and surely Yu Wanlai wouldn’t just leave him to go outside alone… right?

Yu Wanlai finished his shower and came out in a bathrobe, but when he didn’t see anyone in the bedroom or the living room, he thought Yu Qingyue had gone ahead. He looked down and sent Yu Qingyue a message to ask where he was, while walking toward the door.

Yu Qingyue, still feeling uneasy, saw Yu Wanlai’s message and immediately turned to look toward the room. He called out, “Bro! I’m here, where are you going?”

Yu Wanlai followed the voice and saw him. He turned off his phone and walked over, squatting by the pool to look at Yu Qingyue, “Didn’t you say you were going to soak outside?”

Yu Qingyue pursed his lips, slightly tightening his hand, then looked up with somewhat damp eyes at Yu Wanlai, “…I forgot.” He said softly, “Well then, bro, you can go ahead. I’ll soak alone.”

Yu Wanlai inexplicably felt that at this moment, Yu Qingyue seemed a little pitiful, so he pulled off his bathrobe and got into the hot spring with him.

Yu Qingyue’s lips curled up slightly, though he had already seen it, he still asked, “Bro, why are you getting in?”

Yu Wanlai glanced at him helplessly and said, “It’s fine, anyway, there are so many people outside. I’ll just soak with you.” How could he let Yu Qingyue soak alone?

Yu Qingyue murmured a soft “oh” and stood up, walking toward Yu Wanlai. It was at this moment that he noticed Yu Wanlai was still wearing a white shirt on top, which had become see-through after getting wet, revealing his form. The two faint pink nubs were hidden beneath the shirt, barely visible.

Yu Wanlai swallowed, lowering his gaze to his own exposed upper body, “…Aren’t you going to take off your clothes?” Was it that this person preferred to wear so much when soaking in the hot spring? But that shirt was essentially the same as not wearing anything.

Yu Qingyue walked a few steps and stopped in front of Yu Wanlai, hearing his words. He lowered his head to glance at himself, then calmly looked up, though his voice betrayed a slight sense of guilt, “Oh… I forgot.”

He moved closer to Yu Wanlai, took his hand and placed it on his chest, softening his voice, “…Bro, I’m so tired. Can you help me take this off?”

Yu Wanlai’s palm touched something warm. He coughed lightly and turned his gaze away, “I think it’d be better if you took it off yourself.”

Yu Qingyue gritted his teeth and slowly turned around, planning to lean against the edge of the hot spring, “…But my hands are too weak to lift it. Never mind, I’ll just soak like this.” He added, “It’s not that uncomfortable.”

Yu Wanlai glanced at their hands pressed together, feeling that they were soft. As if to prove his feelings, the next moment, Yu Qingyue’s hand dropped, and the hand naturally fell, sending a few droplets of water onto Yu Wanlai.

Yu Qingyue stood there with his head lowered, mumbling, “…The clothes sticking to my body are so uncomfortable, I didn’t feel it earlier.”

Yu Wanlai looked at him, “Is it really uncomfortable?”

Yu Qingyue nodded.

Yu Wanlai sighed, raising his hand to slowly undo the buttons of Yu Qingyue’s shirt. His warm hand occasionally brushed against Yu Qingyue’s delicate, fair skin, causing Yu Qingyue to shudder.

Yu Qingyue observed Yu Wanlai as he carefully undid his clothes. Without making a sound, he moved closer to Yu Wanlai, raising his arm and gently placing it around his neck. He rested his head on his shoulder and lightly nuzzled, “Bro, you’re so good to me.”

Immediately, he felt a warm and slippery sensation on his body. Yu Wanlai’s cheek was brushed by Yu Qingyue’s hair, causing an itch that made his breath quicken slightly.

Yu Qingyue’s face flushed, and he smiled lightly, the soft and pleasant sound ringing in Yu Wanlai’s ear, so low that it seemed like an illusion. The warm touch only stayed for a few seconds before pulling away. Yu Qingyue grabbed a glass of brandy fruit wine that had been placed on the shore and handed it to Yu Wanlai.

“Bro, do you want to try this fruit wine? They say it’s made with cherries.”

Yu Wanlai took the wine and took a sip. The fruit flavor was indeed rich, so he drank another big gulp. Seeing that Yu Qingyue was still watching his mouth, he looked back at where Yu Qingyue had grabbed the wine, not seeing any cups or wine left. So, he asked, “Hmm, the taste is quite smooth. Do you want some?”

Yu Qingyue had no interest in drinking alcohol, and since the wine was a bit strong, he knew he’d get drunk. So he shook his head, “Never mind, I won’t drink. You can finish it.”

Yu Wanlai responded with an “Oh” and asked again. Seeing that Yu Qingyue truly didn’t want any, he just gulped it all down.

Maybe the hot spring was too hot because soon, Yu Wanlai started feeling a little warm, and his head began to spin.

Yu Qingyue saw his cheeks gradually turning red and reached out to touch his face. Sure enough, it was warm. “Bro, are you drunk?”

Yu Wanlai instinctively shook his head, denying it, “No, just a little.”

Yu Qingyue thought to himself that it wasn’t the amount but the high alcohol content. He stood up from the water, his white shirt still clinging to his body. “We’ve been soaking for quite a while. How about we go back to sleep?”

Yu Wanlai also felt they had been soaking for a long time. His head was a bit dizzy. He looked at the clothes on Yu Qingyue, with one shoulder exposed and the shirt awkwardly clinging to him. He frowned, then reached out and simply pulled the shirt off.

Yu Qingyue, who was facing away from Yu Wanlai, slipped as he was about to step up, almost falling back into the pool. He quickly turned and bent down, supporting Yu Wanlai as they exited, then grabbed a towel from the side. “Bro, should I wipe you off?”

Yu Wanlai waved his hand, “No need! A breeze will dry it in no time!”

Yu Qingyue’s mouth twitched slightly. Was he really drunk? Where’s the breeze in an indoor hot spring? He grabbed Yu Wanlai’s hand, “No! I need to wipe you down.”

Yu Wanlai pouted, grumbling in an unhappy tone, “Fine, fine.”

He stood up straight, waiting for Yu Qingyue to dry him off. Yu Qingyue took Yu Wanlai’s hand and placed it on his shoulder. “Bro, hold on, I’ll dry your feet so you don’t slip.”

Yu Wanlai nodded, placing both hands on Yu Qingyue’s shoulder and not moving. Yu Qingyue smiled slightly, his eyes filling with amusement. “Bro, you’re so good.”

Yu Wanlai’s palm brushed against Yu Qingyue’s earlobe. “You’re the good one, your ear is so soft,” he said, “and your hand is so soft, too.”

After drying Yu Wanlai, Yu Qingyue grabbed another towel and simply wiped himself down. “Bro, I’m done, let’s go.”

Yu Wanlai bent down to pick up the bathrobe on the side and threw it over Yu Qingyue’s head. “Put your clothes on properly. Why are you always so careless with your clothes?”

Yu Qingyue had no choice but to put on the bathrobe again, following Yu Wanlai into the room. Yu Wanlai wobbled toward the bathroom, and Yu Qingyue hurried to stop him. “Bro, where are you going?”

Yu Wanlai blinked. “Naturally, to shower.”

Yu Qingyue tried to persuade him, “It’s too late today, you can shower tomorrow.”

Yu Wanlai shook his head. “No, Yu Qingyue likes to stay clean.”

Yu Qingyue: “…”

“Bro, do you still recognize me? Do you know who I am?”

Yu Wanlai took a few serious looks at Yu Qingyue. “You’re my brother.”

Yu Qingyue sighed with relief. He thought Yu Wanlai was too drunk to recognize him, and that wouldn’t do.

“Alright, then you go shower. Don’t lock the door. If anything happens, call me.”

The bathroom light turned on, and the sound of running water could be heard. Yu Qingyue leaped forward, flopping onto the soft bed. Seeing a remote on the bed, he picked it up and randomly pressed a button, not noticing any changes. Just as he was about to put it on the bedside table, he saw that the originally frosted glass had become transparent.

Immediately, Yu Qingyue’s eyes met Yu Wanlai’s through the glass. His heart skipped a beat, and he quickly switched the setting back, feeling his face heat up. It wasn’t intentional! How could there be such a function! But… he bit his lip, hesitated for a while, and after a long mental preparation, he got out of bed without even putting on his slippers and walked toward the bathroom.

“Bro, I suddenly want to take a shower too. Can we shower together?”

Yu Wanlai glanced back at him. He didn’t notice any change in the glass, so he said, “Sure, come over then.”

He thought Yu Qingyue was just tired and wanted to sleep, so he agreed. He didn’t have any thoughts about avoiding awkwardness or feeling shy, since they were both guys. Especially after Yu Qingyue had been hospitalized, he had often helped him go to the bathroom.

If Yu Qingyue knew what Yu Wanlai was thinking, he would probably be furious.

Yu Qingyue slowly walked over, his heart pounding. His hands gently wrapped around Yu Wanlai’s neck, and he held his breath. “Bro, did you like the wine you drank earlier? I suddenly want to try some too.”

Soon, the bathrobe on Yu Qingyue became heavy as it soaked with water, but he seemed to not notice it at all. This was his first time like this, and he couldn’t control his nervousness.

Yu Wanlai looked at the person in front of him. The temperature in the bathroom wasn’t very high, and his expression cleared up a bit. “I’ll go out and bring the wine for you in a bit.”

He took Yu Qingyue’s arm off and reached for a towel, ready to leave. “You shower first, and by the time you’re done, the wine should be here.”

Yu Qingyue stopped him, his arm draping back over Yu Wanlai’s. His cheeks flushed, and his voice was so soft that Yu Wanlai wondered if he was hearing things. “No… I want it now.”

Saying that, Yu Qingyue lifted his foot slightly, closed his eyes, and kissed Yu Wanlai on the lips. His eyelashes fluttered, and due to the force, their noses bumped. He paused for a moment, seeing that Yu Wanlai didn’t push him away. His heart filled with joy, and the scent of cherry wine lingered.

But soon, Yu Qingyue hesitated, unsure of what to do next. The two of them stood there, their lips pressed together, and time seemed to freeze. After a while, Yu Qingyue pulled away reluctantly, frustrated with himself. If it had gone any further, he wouldn’t have known what to do.

Yu Wanlai’s head was fully cleared now. His eyes were full of shock as he looked at Yu Qingyue, utterly bewildered. “Ah! The male lead’s gone crazy!!!”

In the original story, the male lead and the antagonist never had such a scene. Why did he kiss him all of a sudden? He wasn’t Bai Jian!!!

Yu Wanlai suddenly pushed the person away and quickly rushed outside. Damn it, that was too scary. This guy couldn’t have been pretending all along, right? He thought the aloof male lead wouldn’t suddenly start acting coquettishly with him. He thought he might like him, but it turned out he did like him, and wanted to do more!

Yu Qingyue staggered from the push, barely stabilizing himself, then saw Yu Wanlai walking away without looking back. The tiny bit of joy he had vanished in an instant. Suddenly realizing something, Yu Qingyue quickly wiped his eyes and walked toward the bathroom. He grabbed Yu Wanlai’s phone and hid it behind his back. “Bro, where are you going?” He needed to explain things clearly.

Seeing Yu Qingyue chasing after him, Yu Wanlai was startled. When he saw that Yu Qingyue didn’t seem like he was going to pounce on him, he breathed a sigh of relief and quickly put his clothes back on. “I suddenly remembered I have something to do, so I’m going back first. You guys enjoy yourselves.”

Yu Qingyue gritted his teeth. “…You’re lying!” He walked up to Yu Wanlai, trying to grab his hand, but Yu Wanlai dodged it. Yu Qingyue’s heart sank. He had expected Yu Wanlai to be surprised, but he hadn’t expected the first thing he’d do was try to run. He regretted it. He shouldn’t have done that. He had been a little irritated by Yu Wanlai before and had gotten anxious, wanting him to focus more on him.

Yu Qingyue reached out and grabbed the corner of Yu Wanlai’s shirt, his tone urgent. “Bro, please don’t go, okay? I can explain!”

Yu Wanlai tugged at his shirt for a long time, but couldn’t get it loose. He took a few deep breaths and nodded. “…Fine, but you have to let go of me first.”

Yu Qingyue immediately shook his head. “No! If I let go, you’ll definitely leave.”

Yu Wanlai: … Am I that easy to guess?