Absorbing Yang and Replenishing Yang

As night falls, the lights of the island city gradually illuminate the scene. In the distance, the fishing port's lights twinkle in the darkness, like stars guiding ships home.

Liang An lay on the bed, thinking about Ling Xiao's kiss—no, it should be artificial respiration.

At that moment, he truly felt the oxygen, brimming with vitality, continuously flowing into his body. It constantly dispelled the indescribable fatigue from deep within his body, replenishing the life force that the storyline bracelet had been consuming.

The scene from earlier that day kept replaying in Liang An's mind. He knew it was just an emergency measure, but the feeling—the feeling of life being replenished—was too vivid, too peculiar. So peculiar that he ignored the tenderness and shyness in his heart.

An absurd thought suddenly popped into his mind—could Ling Xiao's kiss replenish the life force that had been taken away by the consciousness of the main god?

Liang An was startled by his own thought. He subconsciously looked at the black bracelet, which was quietly worn on his left wrist like an ordinary bracelet. The dark gold plot cursor was stuck at 55%, motionless. In the amber-colored life groove, the white light of life seemed to have become slightly stronger again.

Is this the legendary practice of replenishing yang energy through yang cultivation? Liang An's cheeks flushed slightly. But if that's the case, isn't Ling Xiao consuming his own life force to replenish his?

Thinking of this, Liang An's heart sank.

The next morning, Liang An was awakened by noises coming from the kitchen. He rubbed his eyes and walked out of the bedroom, stunned by what he saw—the dining table was filled with all sorts of tonics: donkey-hide gelatin cake, goji berry and red date tea, black sesame paste, and even a bowl of steaming bird's nest.

"Awake?" Ling Xiao poked his head out from the kitchen, his forehead slightly damp with sweat. "I looked up some information, and it said that you need to take good care of yourself after drowning. These are all to replenish your qi and blood, so you should eat more of them."

Liang An stood there, stunned, watching Ling Xiao's busy figure. The usually composed young man was now carefully stirring the porridge in the clay pot, occasionally checking the recipe on his phone.

"When...did you prepare all this?" Liang An asked softly.

Ling Xiao didn't turn around, but his ears turned slightly red: "I brought some with me before I came, and last night I asked the property management to help me buy some local ingredients." He paused, and his voice lowered a few decibels, "You looked terrible yesterday, I was very worried."

Liang An felt a pang of bittersweet warmth in his heart. He walked to the dining table and looked at the array of tonics on it—Ling Xiao was showing his concern in his own clumsy yet sincere way.

"Thank you," Liang An said softly, and sat down.

Ling Xiao finally turned around, holding a bowl of steaming seafood porridge in his hand: "Drink this first, it'll warm your stomach."

Over the next few days, Ling Xiao tried various methods to nourish Liang An. Mornings were walnut and black rice porridge, noon was angelica chicken soup, afternoons were longan tea, and evenings were fish maw stewed with milk. Liang An accepted all of this with a wry smile, and his health did indeed improve day by day. However, in the quiet of the night, the dark golden plot cursor on his black bracelet, which had been stagnant for several days, gradually resumed its operation, slowly spreading forward.

Liang An found himself staring involuntarily at Ling Xiao's lips.

Those were a pair of beautifully shaped lips, neither too thin nor too thick, with naturally upturned corners that gave them a gentle curve even when they weren't smiling.

Liang An found himself drifting off when Ling Xiao spoke, his gaze lingering on those opening and closing lips, recalling the feeling of them against his own lips that day—warm, soft, with the saltiness of the sea breeze and the vitality of life.

He couldn't help but want to touch Ling Xiao's lips again, and as he thought about it, his face quietly turned red.

He told himself he just wanted to confirm if that feeling of vitality was real. But at the same time, he was afraid it really was a form of "sexual exploitation" that would harm Ling Xiao.

He lay in bed, listening to the soft breathing coming from the next room, imagining Ling Xiao sleeping soundly. Moonlight streamed through the gaps in the curtains, casting a silvery light on the floor, connecting the two rooms.

Liang An tiptoed out of bed, his bare feet touching the cold floor, and quietly pushed open the door. The corridor was silent. He stopped in front of Lingxiao's door, his hand on the doorknob, his heart pounding.

Reason told him he should turn back, but a deep-seated desire compelled him. He gently turned the handle, and the door opened silently.

Moonlight streamed in through the French windows, bathing the room in a silvery glow. Ling Xiao lay on his side on the bed, a thin blanket draped around his waist, his breathing steady and long. Liang An held his breath, slowly approaching the bedside and stopping beside Ling Xiao.

Ling Xiao looked gentler than usual in his sleep, less aloof than when he was awake. His eyelashes cast soft shadows on his cheeks, and his lips were slightly parted, trembling gently with his breath. Liang An knelt on the floor beside the bed, leaning closer, and could smell the faint scent of Ling Xiao's shower gel mixed with the fresh scent unique to young men.

Right now, while he's asleep, I'll try it gently. Liang An told himself this; just one try and I'll know the answer.

He mustered all his courage, closed his eyes, and slowly pressed his lips to Ling Xiao's lips.

Just before their lips touched, Ling Xiao had actually woken up. He had originally intended to pretend to turn over to see why Liang An had come to visit so late at night, but he hadn't expected the other party to lean closer.

Ling Xiao held his breath, his mind racing, considering all the possibilities. Just as Liang An's lips were about to touch his, all his thoughts exploded into a dazzling display of fireworks.

Soft, warm, with a tentative, cautious touch. Ling Xiao's heart pounded wildly in his chest, as if trying to break free of its restraints.

Time seemed to slow down and become viscous. Ling Xiao could feel Liang An's lips trembling slightly, hear their heartbeats clashing, and smell the faint scent of his shampoo on Liang An—the same one he used, which he had specially prepared for Liang An.

Liang An had only intended to touch him lightly, but the moment their lips met, that familiar feeling surged back—a warm, vibrant energy flowed like a gentle stream from Ling Xiao's lips to his own, spreading throughout his body. This time, the feeling was clearer, more certain. It wasn't his imagination; Ling Xiao's kiss truly replenished his lost vitality.

But at the same time, another feeling surged forth. It wasn't just the transmission of life, but also a collision of emotions. Ling Xiao's lips were softer than he remembered, carrying the warmth of sleep. An indescribable longing grew in his heart, wanting more, wanting to go deeper, wanting to stay in this moment forever.

Liang An abruptly stepped back, as if he had been burned. He opened his eyes and met Ling Xiao's already open gaze. In the moonlight, there was no surprise, no anger, only unfathomable tenderness and a hint of mischievous laughter in those eyes.

"I..." Liang An opened his mouth, but no sound came out. Shame, panic, and fear intertwined, making him want to run away immediately.

But Ling Xiao was faster. He reached out and grabbed Liang An's wrist, giving it a gentle tug. Liang An lost his balance and fell to the side of the bed.

"A sneak attack in the middle of the night?" Ling Xiao's voice was hoarse from just waking up, and it was particularly clear in the quiet room.

Liang An's face flushed red, and she lowered her head, not daring to look at him. "I'm sorry, I... I just..."

"Just wanted to test the effect of artificial respiration?" Ling Xiao finished for him, his tone tinged with amusement.

Liang An suddenly looked up at Ling Xiao and realized—all of this was so unfair to Ling Xiao. How could he treat his sincerity with his own utilitarian mind?

“You…” Liang An’s voice trembled.

Ling Xiao sat up, meeting Liang An's gaze. Moonlight behind him gilded his silhouette, making him appear almost divine. "I love you, I love your kiss..."

Liang An's heart almost stopped beating.

“I know it’s too hasty to confess now, and it lacks a sense of ceremony.” Ling Xiao paused, his fingers unconsciously stroking Liang An’s wrist. “But I still can’t help it. Your kiss gave me confidence, and I don’t want to miss out.”

“I…” Liang An lowered his head, a feeling of shame enveloping him like wet cotton wool. He felt so despicable, utterly ashamed in the face of Ling Xiao’s sincerity.

"Did I misunderstand?" Ling Xiao asked cautiously.

Liang An gripped Ling Xiao's hands tightly in return, a sudden, subtle sourness rising in his heart, as if someone had squeezed and crushed his heart. "No, it's my fault, it's my fault..." His breath caught in his throat, the words he couldn't utter turning into a dense, throbbing pain that made his eyes sting.

"Alright, if you don't want to talk about it, then don't. Let's take it slow, okay?" Ling Xiao gently hugged Liang An, soothing him tenderly.

Liang An closed her eyes and leaned quietly against Ling Xiao's chest, calming her surging emotions. When she opened her eyes again, all the vulnerability in them had vanished, leaving only an almost obsessive determination.

He gently pushed Ling Xiao away, looked directly into his eyes, and said, "Ling Xiao, can you give me some time to listen to me quietly?"

"sure."

The thick darkness gave Liang An the courage to speak. Word by word, Liang An laid bare in the moonlight all the past experiences he had kept hidden in his heart and borne alone, including his multiple entanglements and rebirths with Wen Zhi, the consciousness of the main god, and the plot bracelet.

After Liang An finished speaking, he let out a long sigh of relief. He looked silently at Ling Xiao, awaiting his judgment.

"So, my kiss can replenish your lost vitality. Then..., would you like to try again?" Ling Xiao's voice rang out.

Liang An looked up, staring at Ling Xiao in shock. "Aren't you angry? I might be taking away your life force, just like this plot bracelet."

Ling Xiao shook his head. "No. I feel that I am not 'giving,' but 'awakening.' Your vitality has always been there, but it has been suppressed by some force. And I happen to be able to awaken it."

Liang An was stunned; this explanation was beyond his comprehension.

"Then why is it... a kiss?"

Ling Xiao's face flushed red, a rare occurrence. "I once read in a book that the most direct way to exchange life energy is through breathing and... intimate contact." He paused, then continued, "On the day you drowned, I didn't feel any discomfort during the long period of artificial respiration, and I was full of energy the whole time, which means you weren't taking away my life."

Liang An stared blankly at Ling Xiao. The atmosphere in the room suddenly became ambiguous and tense, as if tiny electric currents were crackling in the air.

"So you don't mind?" Liang An asked cautiously.

“What do you mind?” Ling Xiao countered. “Do you mind being able to help you? Or do you mind…” His gaze fell on Liang An’s lips, “This way?”

Liang An did not answer, but the sound of his heartbeat betrayed him.

Ling Xiao sighed softly and reached out to stroke Liang An's cheek: "Silly girl, if I minded, I would have pushed you away long ago."

These words were like a key, unlocking the deepest door in Liang An's heart. All his worries, fears, and hesitations vanished in that instant. He leaned forward, and this time, consciously, clearly, and with all his emotions, he kissed Ling Xiao's lips.

This time, Ling Xiao didn't passively accept the kiss. He responded, gently yet firmly. Their lips gently caressed each other, exploring each other's contours and warmth. There was no eagerness, no plundering, only careful touches and a gradually deepening intimacy.

Outside the window, the waves gently lapped against the beach, their rhythmic murmurs seeming to accompany the night. Moonlight moved slowly through the room, illuminating the intertwined figures of two boys.

When the kiss finally ended, their foreheads touched, their breaths mingling. Liang An could feel the vibrant life force surging within him, and the overflowing emotions in his heart. And Ling Xiao, his eyes held the same light.

"Is this considered 'absorbing yang energy to replenish yang'?" Liang An asked softly, with a hint of a smile.

Ling Xiao smiled, the most beautiful smile Liang An had ever seen: "No, this can be considered... mutual affection."