sleeping in the same bed

When Yu Sheng opened her eyes again, it was already noon the next day. The huge apartment was empty, with only the caregiver bustling about quietly in the living room. On the dining table, a bowl of warm fish porridge emitted a fragrant aroma. The caregiver said that Lu Chenyang had cooked it early that morning and specifically told him to heat it up after she woke up.

The illness was like a slow, drawn-out process; the low-grade fever lingered for almost half a week before it completely subsided. These past few days, without fail, Lu Chenyang has been cooking porridge for him every day until he wakes up. Occasionally, when he's not busy at lunchtime, he'll even go home to give him an extra meal.

Is this what it feels like to have a home? It's wonderful.

Yu Sheng was content, even feeling that the illness was a blessing in disguise and that his suffering hadn't been in vain. As for his pathetic delirium during that night of high fever, the two tacitly chose to forget it. He didn't bring it up, nor did he ask, and their relationship remained peaceful.

On the seventh day after the high fever, Young Master Yu's restless heart and mischievous schemes began to stir again. Coincidentally, Lu Chenyang finished work early that day and had some free time in the afternoon, so he planned to go home and cook a good nourishing meal for the sickly young man who was "recovering from a serious illness".

The moment the key was inserted into the lock, Lu Chenyang keenly caught the sound of unfamiliar voices coming from inside. His ingrained police instincts instantly alerted him.

Yu Sheng! Yu Sheng is still home! His heart skipped a beat, and he carefully pushed open the door, trying not to make a sound, but the sight of the living room made him freeze in place the moment he entered.

As far as the eye can see, his originally clean and spacious living room has been used efficiently.

Several rows of metal mobile clothes racks stood tall, filled with the latest menswear. Seven or eight well-dressed men, wearing designer brands and seemingly brand managers, stood beside the racks, whispering to their assistants. Meanwhile, in the center of the living room, several tall, well-built mannequins took turns showcasing different outfit combinations.

Meanwhile, Young Master Yu was deep in the sofa, his leg in a plaster cast lounging casually on the coffee table. He propped his chin up with one hand, his eyes lazily and critically scanning the human-shaped clothes racks that passed by. Occasionally, he would casually raise a finger, and the mannequin he pointed to would immediately step down, and the next one would be shown a new outfit.

There was no noise throughout the venue; everything was in perfect order.

When did his home become a "showground"?

Lu Chenyang took a deep breath, deliberately clenched his fist and put it to his lips, then coughed heavily, "...cough!"

Upon hearing the voice, Yu Sheng immediately looked up, peeking out from the crowd. Seeing that it was Lu Chenyang, his handsome eyebrows instantly relaxed, a big smile appeared on his lips, and his voice rose excitedly, "Officer Lu! Why are you back so early today? Come here quickly."

Yu Sheng shifted her position to make room for another person, patted the sofa beside her, and eagerly invited, "Come on, take a look at these clothes and see if there's anything you like."

Lu Chenyang walked through the "fashion show" looking completely bewildered. His eyes were dazzled by the messy clothes and dazzling accessories. After settling down, he asked in confusion, "What... is this?"

"Oh dear." Yu Sheng casually draped an arm over his shoulder, a sly smile curving his eyes, his tone tinged with a hint of smug satisfaction. "Can't you tell? These clothes were all picked out for you. Besides the brands you endorse, your wardrobe is full of elementary school tracksuits, and you even have your police academy training uniform from years ago. You have absolutely no taste." He then curled his lip in disdain.

"Oh, right." Yu Sheng suddenly remembered something, "You have pretty good taste in shoes." Yu Sheng couldn't understand what was wrong with Lu Chenyang; he had an entire wall of shoes at home. He seemed to be very enthusiastic about buying shoes. Custom-made, best-selling, brand-name—he had them all, buying a new pair every few days. He was definitely a shoe collector. But his clothes were pitifully few in comparison.

"I..." Lu Chenyang accepted the Perrier water that the brand manager had just handed him and said thank you.

He ignored Yu Sheng's praise for his shoes and continued the conversation about clothing, "I just like wearing sportswear. I wore it at the police academy; it's relaxing and comfortable. What's wrong with that?"

"Hey!" Upon hearing this, Yu Sheng immediately reacted like a cat whose tail had been stepped on. She snatched the water he hadn't had a chance to drink and glared at him angrily, as if he were a dog that had bitten Lü Dongbin and didn't appreciate kindness. "Lu Chenyang, do you have any conscience? How can you be so ungrateful?"

"If we ever go out together, and I'm dressed smartly while you're in a school uniform, how mismatched we'd be! If the paparazzi take pictures of us, people might think I'm keeping some high school student as a mistress! You might not be ashamed, but I am!" He slammed the water bottle on the table with a loud thud, issuing his ultimatum, "I'll choose this outfit for you, and you have to wear it, no questions asked!"

Lu Chenyang looked at his self-righteous and arrogant appearance and was both amused and exasperated. He said with a helpless tone, as if coaxing a child, "Fine, fine, you choose. But the problem is that there are too many clothes. Even if I wanted to keep them, there's no room in the house."

Ever since Yu Sheng moved in, she has completely taken over all of Lu Chenyang's wardrobes, leaving Lu Chenyang's pitiful little collection of clothes squeezed into a corner of the wardrobe.

"There's no room!" Yu Sheng proudly raised her chin, revealing her little tiger teeth mischievously, and leaned back calmly. "I turned your second bedroom into a walk-in closet. It's huge, more than enough!"

What?! His second bedroom has been converted into a walk-in closet?!

Lu Chenyang was incredulous, a bad premonition rising in his heart, and he strode into the "second bedroom".

The sight before him the moment he pushed open the door left him completely petrified! His bed... was gone!

The room was replaced by a neat row of open walnut-colored wardrobes, with a brand-new two-seater sofa in the center.

He turned his head stiffly. "When did you change it?" Even though he had seen it with his own eyes, he still found it hard to believe.

His house was just "stolen" like that?!

"This morning," Yu Sheng replied nonchalantly, not forgetting to direct the fitting models to continue, "Next, bring me the navy blue one."

"Then where is my bed?" Lu Chenyang walked back to his side and asked persistently.

“I threw it away,” Yu Sheng answered crisply, as if she were talking about a trivial matter.

"Then..." Lu Chenyang felt a throbbing pain in his temples. He slowly sat down, holding onto the sofa armrest, took several deep breaths, and tried his best to control his emotions. He asked patiently, "Young Master, where shall I sleep?"

Yu Sheng examined the navy blue casual suit for a long time before slowly turning her head, glancing at him, a smug smile playing on her lips, her tone light and arrogant, "Isn't there another bed? The master bedroom bed is big enough, I'll allow you to sleep with me." Her tone made it seem as if she were the master of the house.

Lu Chenyang was now starting to regret not installing a bed in his study as well. But then he thought, given Yu Sheng's relentless nature, even if there really was a bed in his study, he would probably just move it out and throw it away.

The decision to allow Yu Sheng to move in was too hasty. Now, not only has his home been "robbed," but he's also lost his bed and has to rely on this young master's "favor." He was utterly speechless, so he simply leaned back on the sofa, closed his eyes, and pretended to be dead. Where would he sleep tonight? He'd figure it out later; he could always sleep on the sofa.

Yu Sheng was engrossed in watching the models change clothes when he noticed the person next to him looking like he had given up and was being slaughtered. He couldn't help but chuckle with a smug grin. He nudged Lu Chenyang with his elbow and said, "Hey, Officer Lu, aren't you going to get up and take a look? There are a few outfits that would suit you quite well."

"I'm not looking." Lu Chenyang didn't even bother to lift his eyelids.

"Alright then." Yu Sheng didn't insist. He slapped the armrest of the sofa, stopping the "fashion show," and waved his hand generously, saying, "Except for those few dazzling pieces from before, send over one of everything else in Mr. Lu's size."

A brand manager approached respectfully and said, "Mr. Yu, we have all the clothing sizes with us, and we can bring them upstairs now."

“Okay, then move them all to the walk-in closet. The bill will be paid from my card.” After giving the order, Yu Sheng kicked Lu Chenyang, who was “playing dead,” with her uninjured leg. “Hey, get up and get to work. Carry me to the bathroom.”

"Yes, sir!"

All afternoon, Lu Chenyang did nothing but prepare nutritious meals for Yu Sheng and sit on the sofa, staring blankly at his unrecognizable "guest room," falling into a long silence.

He pressed down hard on the sofa beneath him; it was big enough to fit him. But looking at his hands sinking into it… this sofa was too soft. He could barely tolerate sleeping on it for a day, but if he slept on it for a long time, even his strong back wouldn't be able to take it.

Before he could even figure out his "sleep plan" for the night, the young master started giving orders again, "Officer Lu, I want to take a shower!"

Since the last high fever, Lu Chenyang has never dared to let him take a bath alone again, lest the process take too long and cause him to get a fever again.

But Yu Sheng absolutely refused to let the caregiver do such intimate things, so Lu Chenyang had to take matters into his own hands. However, he still held firm to his last line: showering was fine, but he insisted that Yu Sheng leave behind a pair of underwear every time! This was his last struggle and a safe distance as a homophobic straight man.

"Coming, young master." Lu Chenyang replied resignedly, shuffling his leaden feet toward the bathroom.

After repeating this process for a week, Lu Chenyang felt he had successfully "desensitized." At this moment, looking at Yu Sheng sitting on the edge of the bathtub wearing only a pair of underwear, deliberately putting on an expression that said, "I'm very obedient, come and pet me," he felt no emotion whatsoever.

He gently placed her in the bathtub filled with warm water, then skillfully lathered the shower gel in his palms onto Yu Sheng's slender shoulders and back. The foam piled up, spread, and rinsed away. The water cascaded down, carrying away the white foam and revealing clean skin.

His gaze remained steadily fixed on the area under his hands, his eyes focused and unwavering. The warmth of his palms was clearly transmitted through the water, becoming the sole point of contact in the purely cleansing process. That was all; all touch and caressing were devoid of any eroticism. A bath was simply a bath.

Lu Chenyang works out regularly, leaving a thin layer of calluses on his fingertips. Coupled with his habit of finishing quickly and never wasting time showering, his hand speed increased, and he gradually lost his sense of control.

"Hiss—" Yu Sheng groaned in dissatisfaction, "Be gentle, are you washing the car?"

Lu Chenyang paused, then obediently reduced the force he was applying.

After a long bath, Yu Sheng felt refreshed. Lu Chenyang's clothes were mostly soaked. He pulled Yu Sheng out of the water and made him sit on the edge of the bathtub. He then knelt down to carefully check if the plaster cast had gotten wet.

Finally, he picked up the bathrobe and underwear that had been prepared beforehand and said, "You put these on first, I'll go out and change."

As she reached the door, she turned back worriedly and added, "Wait for me to come and help you into your wheelchair. Don't move around on your own, or I won't be responsible if you fall."

"Okay~" Yu Sheng replied obediently, drawing out the words, but inwardly rolled her eyes.

Only a fool would climb into a wheelchair by himself. It's such a rare opportunity for Lu Chenyang to carry him. Once his leg is healed, this "perk" will be gone, so of course he has to cherish it.

It was past eleven o'clock at night. The two snuggled on the sofa. Yu Sheng insisted on watching "Bloodstained Puzzle" in front of the main character. Lu Chenyang had no work commitments tomorrow, so he had free time to take Yu Sheng to the follow-up appointment. Since they didn't have to go to bed early tonight, they could watch the show together and treat it as playing with the child.

But his mind wasn't on the TV at all; he was preoccupied with figuring out where he'd end up tonight. The sofa? Or should he go back to the master bedroom and "share" the only surviving bed with Yu Sheng?

When his gaze returned to the television screen, he found it was off. The black screen, like a mirror, clearly reflected his and Yu Sheng's shadows nestled together on the sofa. In the reflection, Yu Sheng was propping her chin up with one hand, tilting her head, and looking at him with great interest, her eyes sparkling with an all-knowing smile.

"Why are you looking at me? Why aren't you watching TV?" Lu Chenyang asked, turning around somewhat awkwardly.

Yu Sheng chuckled softly, the sound like a feather brushing against the heart. "Officer Lu, have you thought about how to sleep tonight after all this time?"

With his thoughts laid bare, Lu Chenyang chose to remain silent.

“Oh dear,” Yu Sheng moved closer, meeting his gaze directly. Her eyes were surprisingly sincere, even a little innocent. “I really just wanted a bigger walk-in closet. I didn’t mean to leave you homeless.”

He paused, then his tone shifted to persuasion, "Sleep in the master bedroom. This sofa is too soft; my back will hurt if I sleep on it for too long. The floor is too hard; it'll be uncomfortable. Neither will work."

Finally, as if to allay the other person's concerns, he added cheekily, "Don't worry, I won't do anything to you. Besides, my leg is still injured, I'm powerless to do anything about it."

What do you mean by "I won't do anything to you"? What do you mean by "I'm willing but unable"? Why does this sound so awkward? So, if your leg wasn't injured, you were actually planning to do something?

A barrage of complaints and resentments flashed through Lu Chenyang's mind, eventually turning into a long, weary sigh.

What a living ancestor!

"...Alright then."

He compromised. He was indeed worried about his back; he had a cameo role in a period action movie in a couple of days, and also a variety show to help farmers record, so he needed to be in good physical condition.

Lu Chenyang, who hadn't stepped into the master bedroom all afternoon, immediately noticed something was wrong when he walked in. His original walnut-colored wardrobe door was gone! It had been replaced by a smooth, unobstructed transparent glass door!

In that instant, he was immediately reminded of the fragmented babbling he'd heard that night when Yu Sheng was high in fever, the words echoing clearly in his ears: '...My dad wants me to die, yet he's also afraid of me dying...'

Is it because that terrifying memory is related to the wardrobe? Is that why the wardrobe in the walk-in closet was designed as an open design without doors? Is that why even the wardrobe with doors in the master bedroom scares him, and he has to replace it with a glass door that he can see right through to feel safe?

What is the source of Yu Sheng's terror?

My heart felt like it was being squeezed lightly, and a slight, aching sensation rose within me.

"Hey," Yu Sheng called out from behind him, "What are you spacing out for?"

Lu Chenyang blinked, quickly suppressing the emotions surging in his eyes, and turned around with a normal expression.

He didn't ask anything, but simply leaned down naturally, put his arms under Yu Sheng's knees, and for the first time without Yu Sheng's request, picked her up and gently placed her in the center of the bed.

Then, he went around to the other side of the bed, lifted the covers and lay down. He even turned over to tuck the blankets around Yu Sheng, and then turned off the bedside lamp.

In the darkness, his voice was deep and gentle, "Good night."