Welcome home

The next evening, Xu Yan walked into a 24-hour convenience store. The bright white light made him squint slightly. He walked purposefully to the aisle selling family planning products and calmly selected a box of condoms, as if it were just a simple purchase like a bottle of water. As he paid, the clerk yawned and didn't even glance at him.

As he slipped the small square box into his coat pocket, his fingertips felt a little hot. This wasn't an impulse, but the final and most direct "examination" he had set for himself and Lu Ziyi.

Without hesitation, he stopped a taxi and gave the address that he had only seen once but had already memorized.

Lu Ziyi lived in a high-end, heavily guarded apartment. Xu Yan stood downstairs and rang the doorbell. Lu Ziyi's voice soon rang through the intercom, a hint of subtle nervousness in his voice: "...Who is this?"

"It's me."

After a brief silence, the door opened with a click.

Xu Yan took the elevator upstairs and stood outside the apartment door. He took a deep breath, then raised his hand and knocked on the door.

The door opened almost immediately. Lu Ziyi stood inside, dressed in simple home clothes, his hair a bit disheveled. Most importantly—behind him was complete darkness. He had strictly adhered to his agreement and kept the lights on. Only the neon lights of the city outside filtered through the window, outlining his vague outline.

"You're here." His voice was particularly low in the darkness, with a hint of uncertainty and hoarseness.

Xu Yan didn't answer. He simply stepped inside and closed the door behind him. The entrance was plunged into complete darkness, with only the sound of their breathing close to each other.

Before Lu Ziyi could react, Xu Yan reached out, accurately grabbed the front of his shirt, pushed him against the wall, and at the same time stood on tiptoe and kissed him accurately.

This was a kiss of determination that could not be refused. It was not gentle, but rather rough, full of temptation, declaration, and a desperate courage.

Lu Ziyi's body stiffened instantly, and then, a huge, almost overwhelming ecstasy and heartache swept over him. He responded cautiously, wrapping his arms around Xu Yan's waist and hugging him deeper into his arms, as if to rub him into his bones and blood.

After the kiss, the two of them rested their foreheads against each other in the darkness, their breathing intertwined and a little rapid.

Xu Yan loosened his grip on his collar, then took the box out of his coat pocket and put it into Lu Ziyi's hand. His voice rang out from a very close distance, carrying a burning breath and undeniable clarity:

"Either accept all of me, or I will leave forever

Get out of your world."

"Now, choose."

Lu Ziyi instantly understood what it was. In the complete darkness, he couldn't see Xu Yan's expression.

Without any hesitation, he lowered his head again and kissed Xu Yan's lips, this time with unquestionable tenderness and determination.

"Xu Yan... welcome home."

-------

Daylight filtered through the gaps in the heavy curtains, casting a narrow streak of light across the floor. It was eight o'clock in the morning, the day after my birthday.

Xu Yan groggily opened his eyes, his consciousness still lingering. The space beside him was empty, with a lingering trace of unfamiliar warmth and scent. He pushed his limp body up to sit up, attempting to get out of bed and go to the bathroom.

However, as soon as his feet stepped on the cold floor and he tried to stand up, a strong feeling of soreness and weakness suddenly attacked his waist, legs, and some unspeakable place. His legs went weak and he fell uncontrollably to the carpet with a "bang".

"Ugh..." He groaned in pain and instantly became completely awake. Shame surged into his heart before the pain.

Just then, the bedroom door was gently pushed open.

Lu Ziyi walked in with a cup of warm water and happened to see this scene—Xu Yan was sitting naked on the ground. The morning light outlined the slender lines of his back, which were covered with ambiguous traces. He was frowning in pain, his face showing the dazed look of just waking up and the helplessness of falling.

Xu Yan looked up when he heard the voice and met Lu Ziyi's eyes who was standing at the door in a daze.

The air froze instantly.

After a few seconds of awkward silence, Xu Yan belatedly realized his current situation - he was naked, and all the crazy memories of last night and the aches in his body were exposed naked in front of the other person.

“…”

He suddenly curled up, his arms instinctively wrapped around himself. His ears quickly turned red, and even his neck was stained with a crimson hue. He wanted to get up immediately, but the slightest movement made the pain in his body make him gasp, and he froze in place, caught in a dilemma.

Lu Ziyi also came back to his senses immediately. He quickly put down the water cup, took a few steps forward, and without saying anything, simply bent down and gently wrapped Xu Yan with the quilt that had slipped off last night, then carried him horizontally.

"Don't catch a cold." His voice was hoarse from just waking up. His arms were steady and strong, carefully avoiding any areas of his body that might be in discomfort, and he placed him back on the bed. "...Does it still hurt?"

Xu Yan buried half of his face in the quilt, revealing only a pair of eyes that were particularly moist due to embarrassment. He retorted in a muffled voice: "...No."

Lu Ziyi looked at him like this, a faint smile flashed across his eyes, but it was quickly replaced by a stronger sense of apology and heartache. He rubbed Xu Yan's soft hair and whispered:

"It's my fault. Next time... I'll be more careful."

Lu Ziyi turned around and took out a brand new set of dark blue silk pajamas from the cloakroom - this was Xu Yan's first time here, so naturally there were no clothes belonging to him here, so he could only make do for the time being.

Xu Yan took the pajamas, his fingertips touching the soft, cool fabric. He rustled into them under the covers, his body aching and limp as he slipped on the pajamas. The pajamas were a bit too big for him, and the cuffs were a good bit too long, making him look even more lonely.

After changing, Lu Zi also reached out his hand, intending to help him walk to the restaurant. However, as soon as Xu Yan's feet touched the ground and he tried to take a step, his brows immediately furrowed in discomfort. His legs were so weak that he could not exert any strength at all. The situation was obviously not optimistic.

Seeing this, Lu Ziyi leaned over without any hesitation, put one hand through his knees, and with the other hand firmly supported his hips and legs, and easily picked him up sideways.

"Hmm..." Xu Yan let out a low cry, his body suddenly suspended in the air. Almost instinctively, he quickly buried his burning face deep in Lu Ziyi's neck, breathing in his other's refreshing and pleasant scent, mixed with a hint of his own, ambiguous scent. This position was too intimate, and it reminded him too clearly of everything that happened last night and the reason for his current discomfort.

Lu Zi also felt the warm breath on his neck and the man's ostrich-like hiding. He tightened his arms and walked out steadily holding him. The corners of his mouth curved upwards ever so slightly, but his voice remained calm and reliable:

"Hold on tight."

Lu Ziyi carefully placed Xu Yan on the cushioned dining chair and sat down across from him. A delicious breakfast was laid out on the table—a perfectly fried sunny-side-up egg, bacon, a sandwich, and a cup of steaming milk.

The air was filled with the aroma of food, but also with a subtle silence, with only the occasional soft sound of knife and fork hitting the plate.

Xu Yan lowered his head, eating in small sips, his gaze fixed on his plate. The aches in his body and the vivid memories of last night left him unsure how to initiate a conversation. Lu Ziyi remained silent as well. He wanted to speak several times, but was afraid to upset the fragile balance or say something inappropriate.

Finally, it was Xu Yan who raised his head first. His gaze fell on Lu Ziyi's right wrist, where he held the fork. There was a clear, fresh scratch there, standing out against his cold, pale skin.

Xu Yan's ears started to feel hot again. Of course he remembered how this happened.

"...your hand." His voice was soft, with a hint of discomfort.

Lu Ziyi followed his gaze and looked at her wrist. She paused, and instead of hiding it, she seemed to have seen something worth being happy about, and a very faint smile flashed across her eyes.

"Yeah." He responded, his tone calm, but deliberately with a hint of seriousness that made Xu Yan blush, "Someone was... quite fierce last night."

Xu Yan's cheeks flushed instantly, and he immediately retorted: "...No!"

Seeing that he had finally stopped being so distant and evasive, Lu Zi decided to call it a day. He cut off a piece of egg white and placed it on Xu Yan's plate. His tone became gentle and serious:

"Let's not talk about that. What are your plans for today? Or... do you want to rest for a while?"

Xu Yan stared at the extra egg white on the plate and was stunned for a moment. This natural care touched him more than any direct words. He was silent for a few seconds and shook his head.

"No." He whispered, then as if he had made up his mind, he raised his eyes and looked at Lu Ziyi, "I want to... go somewhere. You accompany me."

He didn't say where he was going, but Lu Zi had no questions and nodded almost immediately.

"good."