Morning aftertaste

The curtains in the master bedroom blocked out the morning light, but the room was still filled with the charming scent of last night, a mixture of the faint scent of cedar and the crisp smell of the forest after the rain, which was the mark left after the complete blending of pheromones.

Si Qi woke first. His biological clock dictated that he should be awake at this hour, but his body felt a long-lost, profound languor and contentment. He tilted his head to the side. Shao Wei was still sleeping in his arms, breathing evenly and slowly, his cheek pressed against his shoulder. His usually cold features seemed unusually soft in his sleep, even with a rare hint of dependence.

Si Qi's heart felt like it was being brushed by the softest feather, overflowing with indescribable tenderness. He was careful, even breathing softly, afraid to disturb the tranquility. His fingertips gently brushed aside a strand of hair from Shao Wei's forehead, revealing a smooth, clean brow. He just stared, silently, as if he couldn't get enough.

After an unknown amount of time, Shao Wei's eyelashes fluttered a few times before he slowly opened his eyes. The haziness of waking up dissipated, and he met Si Qi's close, focused, and gentle gaze. He was startled for a moment, and then his memory returned. A subtle blush crept into his ears, and he subconsciously tried to move away.

Si Qi tightened his arms, not letting him escape. Instead, he held him tighter in his arms, lowered his head and placed a good morning kiss on his forehead, his voice hoarse from waking up: "Morning."

"...Good morning." Shao Wei's voice was a little muffled, with the laziness of just waking up.

Neither of them spoke again, simply embracing each other in silence. Sunlight tried to squeeze in through the gaps in the heavy curtains, casting thin shafts of light across the dim room, motes of dust drifting slowly within them. An unprecedented intimacy and tranquility enveloped them. No words were needed; simply sharing each other's warmth and breath was enough.

Finally, it was Si Qi who broke the silence first. He rubbed the back of Shao Wei's neck, like soothing a lazy cat: "Are you hungry? What do you want to eat? I'll make it."

Shao Wei shook his head in his arms, and after a few seconds, he said, "Lie down for a while."

Si Qi chuckled softly, readily following suit. It was rare for his Shao Wei to have such a coquettish moment.

After staying in bed for nearly half an hour, they finally got up. While washing up, they saw the ambiguous traces of affection on each other's necks and collarbones in the bright bathroom mirror. Si Qi's eyes darkened with a hint of pride, while Shao Wei expressionlessly pulled up the collar of his pajamas, his ears turning even redder.

Breakfast was a simple Western-style breakfast prepared by Siqi. The two sat across from each other at the table, the atmosphere not dissimilar to usual, yet distinct in every way. Siqi's spreading of sauce on Shao Wei's toast was perfectly natural; Shao Wei's pushing of his favorite fried egg toward him was also a subconscious act. Their eyes occasionally met, no longer needing to search, their gaze already glued to each other, flowing with an unspoken intimacy.

This change is subtle but profound, like the spring rain that moistens everything, silently seeping into every crevice of life.

The days continued to be busy. A major overseas project of Mr. Si's had entered a critical phase, requiring him to travel frequently for inspections and negotiations. In the past, he would have been anxious, worried about Mr. Shao being alone at home and concerned about his health. But this time, he calmly accepted the schedule.

On the eve of his departure, while packing his luggage, he gave meticulous instructions to Committee Member Shao, who was leaning against the bed reading a book: "Remember to take your medicine on time, don't stop your rehabilitation training, postpone social engagements if you can, and don't stay up late..."

Shao Wei put down the book and looked at him: "I'm not a child."

Si Qi zipped up his suitcase, walked to the bed and sat down, holding his hand: "I know. But I just want to tell you." He lowered his head and played with Shao Wei's slender fingers, his tone serious, "I'll be gone for a week this time. I will call you every day."

"Yeah." Shao Wei responded and held his hand with his backhand, "Don't worry about me. You're out there by yourself, be careful."

There was no lingering, heart-wrenching farewell, only a calm, down-to-earth concern. The next day at the airport, Si Qi hugged Shao Wei at the security checkpoint and whispered in his ear, "Wait for me to come back."

Shao Wei patted him on the back and said, "Have a safe journey."

The week apart didn't seem long or arduous. They maintained a daily video call, a short one, sometimes just a glance at each other's face and a few words. Knowing the other was safe was a comfort. In a foreign hotel room, Si Qi, watching Shao Wei's calm expression on the screen, felt much of the fatigue from work dissipate. After hanging up the video, Shao Wei would look at the ring on his finger, feeling a deep sense of belonging, and return to his work.

Si Qi had ended his trip a day early, without informing Shao Wei, wanting to surprise him. It was past nine in the evening when he opened the door, dragging his suitcase. The apartment was quiet, lit only by a few warm yellow wall lamps. He put down his luggage and tiptoed to the study—Shao ​​Wei was usually there at this time.

The study door was ajar, letting in light. Si Qi pushed it open a little and saw Shao Wei, indeed, sitting at his desk. He was wearing blue-light-blocking glasses, facing the computer screen, his fingers rapidly tapping away on the keyboard, his expression focused. He looked freshly showered, his hair still slightly damp. He was dressed in comfortable gray housecoats, and the warm glow of the desk lamp enveloped him.

Si Qi didn't say anything, just leaned against the door frame and watched quietly. This scene was ordinary, but it made his heart, which had been wandering for a week, instantly find a place to settle down, and he felt very at ease.

As if sensing something, Shao Wei slowed down his keyboard tapping. He raised his head and looked toward the door. Seeing Si Qi, who was standing there, dusty but with a gentle smile, he was visibly stunned. Then, a clear light flashed in his eyes behind his glasses, and the corners of his lips curved up involuntarily.

"Are you back?" He took off his glasses, and his voice was softer than he even noticed.

"Yeah." Si Qi walked in, walked around the desk, and came to his side. He leaned over naturally and gave him a hug with the coolness of the outdoors. He took a deep breath of his reassuring scent. "I'm done ahead of time."

Shao Weihui hugged him and patted his back: "Have you eaten?"

"I ate on the plane." Si Qi let go of him and looked down at his computer screen. "What are you busy with?"

"It's a final report for a project," Shao Wei said, saving the file and closing his computer. "It's not urgent."

It means I can accompany you. Si Qi understood and smiled even more. He took Shao Wei's hand and said, "Want to have a drink with me? I brought you a bottle of nice red wine."

The two of them moved to the living room sofa. Si Qi opened the wine and poured two glasses. The main lights were off, with only the floor lamp and the city light pollution outside the window providing a faint illumination. They leaned side by side on the sofa, legs touching, sharing the same thin blanket.

Si Qi briefly recounted his experiences on this business trip, and Shao Wei listened quietly, occasionally interjecting with a question. The topic of work ended, and the two of them fell into a comfortable silence, just slowly sipping their wine.

After a while, Shao Wei suddenly spoke, his voice was particularly clear in the silent night: "The house is a little too quiet when you are not here."

Si Qi's heart trembled, and he turned to look at him. Shao Wei didn't look at him, his eyes fixed on the swaying wine in the glass. His profile looked soft and real in the dim light.

This sentence, so plain, moved Si Qi more than any straightforward love words. His Shao Wei finally stopped burying all his emotions deep in his heart and would openly express his needs for him.

Si Qi put down his wine glass, reached out and took Shao Wei into his arms, letting his head rest on his shoulder.

"Then I'll try to travel less frequently in the future." Si Qi promised in a low voice, "Or, I'll take you with me next time."

Shao Wei rubbed his shoulder gently, found a comfortable position, and closed his eyes: "Okay."

Outside the window, the city night was still bustling. But in this small world, only the sounds of their hearts and breathing intertwined into the most moving melody. Their love, having faded from its initial intensity and struggle, has settled into the gentle warmth and tacit understanding of today. They don't need a grand affair, just your presence, a peaceful and tranquil life.

Si Qi lowered his head and kissed the top of Shao Wei's head, his heart filled with infinite confidence in the future. He knew that no matter what the scenery ahead was, they would walk hand in hand like they did now, until they were old.

Winter in Jiangnan rarely brings a biting chill, but rather a damp, bone-chilling chill. The trees in the courtyard have shed their leaves, their gnarled branches forming sparse lines against the ink-wash sky. The pavilions and towers by the water appear remarkably tranquil in the thin sunlight.

Si Qi and Shao Wei had lived here for nearly half a month, practically isolated from the world. Si Qi had moved most of his official duties online, holding video conferences only for crucial decisions. Shao Wei had also slowed down his pace. Besides his regular daily rehabilitation training and reading, he spent most of his time walking in the courtyard with Si Qi, or playing chess and sipping tea in the warm room.

The days passed slowly but fulfillingly. Siqi even took up some simple carpentry lessons from a local master craftsman, saying he wanted to make a box for Shao Wei to hold his incense. Shao Wei didn't respond, but when he clumsily planes wood, getting covered in sawdust, he'll put down his book, walk over, and wipe the sweat and wood dust from his forehead with a slightly damp towel, his movements so natural, as if he's done it a thousand times.

That afternoon, a gentle winter rain began to fall. The sound of raindrops hitting tiles and banana leaves was crisp and lonely. Shao Wei sat by the window of the warm room, a chess manual spread out before him, a warm black piece in his hand, staring out the window in a trance. The rain trickled down the windowpane, blurring the outside world.

Si Qi came in with a bowl of freshly brewed ginger and jujube tea and saw him in this state of reverie. He placed the warm ceramic bowl on the small table beside Shao Wei and waved his hand in front of his eyes. "What are you thinking about? You look so lost in thought."

Shao Wei came to his senses, put down his chess piece, and picked up his ginger tea. The steamy heat blurred his handsome features. He blew on it, took a sip, and didn't answer.

Si Qi sat down across from him, not urging him to hurry, but casually flipping through the chess manual. The heating in the warm room was burning brightly, creating a cozy warmth. The only sounds were the rain and the gentle breathing of each other.

"Siqi." After a long time, Shao Wei suddenly spoke, his voice seemed a little vague in the sound of rain.

"Hmm?" Si Qi raised his head from the chess record.

Shao Wei put down his half-drunk ginger tea, his eyes fixed on the hazy rain outside the window. He spoke softly, "Sometimes I feel like everything now is a dream." He paused, his fingertips unconsciously stroking the warm bowl. "It's too perfect, it feels unreal."

Si Qi's heart felt like it had been gently stabbed, a sharp pain surging through it. He understood Shao Wei's feelings. From their past marriage, rife with misunderstanding, indifference, and repression, to the subsequent struggle on the brink of life and death, to the peaceful and tranquil life they now share, the gap between them was so vast, it felt like a lifetime ago. Extreme happiness can sometimes breed a sense of anxiety and fear of loss.

He put down the chess manual, stood up, and walked over to Shao Wei. Instead of sitting down, he squatted down and looked up at Shao Wei's drooping eyelashes. He held Shao Wei's slightly cool hand and pressed it against his cheek, letting him feel the warm blood flow and real body temperature under his skin.

"It's not a dream." Si Qi looked into his eyes, his voice low and firm, each word striking Shao Wei's heart, "Shao Wei, look at me and listen to me."

Shao Wei withdrew his gaze from the window and fell on his face.

"Everything we have now wasn't gained out of thin air." Si Qi's eyes were burning and sincere. "We have endured the most difficult times together, faced life and death together, and learned to change, understand, and love together. It may not have come easily, but it is real."

He tightened his fingers and pressed Shao Wei's hand even tighter against his face: "When you feel it's unreal, just touch me and feel my warmth. Or, let me hug you and confirm my existence. Between us, there will be no more suspicion, no concealment, no forced separation. There will only be you and me, and the future we have chosen together and want to walk through together."

The sound of rain outside the window seemed to have subsided, leaving only Si Qi's clear and solemn voice in the warm room. Shao Wei stared at him blankly, taking in the unquestionable certainty and bottomless love in his eyes. The sense of emptiness in his heart, born of excessive happiness, seemed to be gradually dispelled and filled by these firm words and warm touch.

He raised his other hand and covered Siqi's hand that was holding the back of his hand. His fingertips curled slightly and grabbed Siqi's sleeve.

"I know." Shao Wei whispered, his voice no longer vague but grounded. "It's just... occasionally."

Si Qi stood up and, while squatting, gently embraced Shao Wei in his arms. His embrace was gentle, yet it carried a powerful, reassuring force.

"It's okay once in a while." Si Qi whispered in his ear, "I will use countless real moments to prove to you that this is not a dream. This is a long and wonderful life that we will spend together."

Shao Wei closed his eyes and buried his face in Si Qi's broad shoulder. He took a deep breath, his nostrils filled with Si Qi's familiar scent, a scent of sunshine and forest, mixed with the faint sweetness of ginger and jujube tea. At this moment, all the trance and sense of unreality disappeared, leaving only the man in his arms and the incomparably solid warmth he brought.

The rain had stopped at some point. A faint, golden ray of sunset stubbornly pierced through the thick clouds, filtering through the carved wooden window and falling directly on the two people hugging each other, casting a warm glow on their outlines.

"The ginger tea is getting cold." After a while, Shao Wei said in a muffled voice in Si Qi's arms.

Si Qi chuckled and let go of him, but still held his hand: "If it gets cold, heat it up again."

He sat back down across from her, watching as Shao Wei picked up his bowl and slowly drank the rest of the ginger tea. Silence returned to the warm room, but the subtle doubts about "truth" had dissipated without a trace.

That evening, Si Qi fulfilled his promise—providing it with a real moment. Instead of returning to the study to attend to official business, he moved a low couch into the warm room and huddled with Shao Wei, sharing a thick blanket, to watch an old movie. The projector's beam flickered in the darkness. The plot wasn't important; what mattered was the warmth of the people around him and the occasional mingling of their breaths.

Halfway through the movie, Shao Wei felt drowsy. Si Qi adjusted his position so that he could lean against him more comfortably. By the end of the movie, Shao Wei had fallen asleep on his shoulder, breathing steadily and slowly.

Si Qi did not move, but quietly looked at his sleeping profile, which seemed particularly peaceful in the flickering light and shadow. He thought of what Shao Wei said during the day, and a soft soreness swelled in his heart. He lowered his head, kissed the top of Shao Wei's head very lightly, and said silently in a whisper:

"I will make every day of your life as steady as breathing."

The next day was a rare sunny day. Though the winter sun was weak, it was enough to dispel the days of gloom and dampness. Si Qi dragged Shao Wei to town. It happened to be the market day, bustling with people and full of the vibrant atmosphere of life.

They weaved through the bustling crowd, glancing at the stalls displaying a dazzling array of New Year's goods, local delicacies, and handicrafts. Si Qi bought Shao Wei a fur-rimmed warm hat, handwoven by a local elder, and put it on him without further ado. Shao Wei felt a little helpless, but he didn't take it off. The tips of his ears, peeking from beneath the brim, tinged slightly with red.

Si Qi stopped in front of a stall selling sugar paintings and watched the master craftsman scoop up a spoonful of melted syrup with skillful techniques. With a flick of his wrist, a lifelike dragon appeared on the stone slab.

"Do you want it?" Si Qi turned his head and asked Shao Wei.

Shao Wei looked at the crystal clear sugar dragon and shook his head, but there was a hint of imperceptible interest in his eyes.

Si Qi smiled and said to the master, "Please draw a pine tree."

The old craftsman responded, twisted his wrist, and soon a vigorous cedar tree took shape. Si Qi paid, took the sugar painting, and handed it to Shao Wei.

In the sunlight, the amber-colored sugar pine tree shimmered with an alluring luster. Shao Wei looked at the sugar pine tree, then looked at Si Qi's smiling eyes, and silently took it.

He took the candy painting, but didn't eat it right away. He just looked at it. The sunlight filtered through the candy, casting colorful shadows on the ground.

"Let's go," Si Qi naturally took his free hand, "There seems to be a place selling fermented rice dumplings up ahead."

Shao Wei let him lead her as they wandered through the bustling market. The sugar painting in her hand, symbolizing Siqi's pheromone imprint, emanated a sweet, tangible warmth under the winter sun. Surrounding them were the clamor of voices, the aroma of various foods, and the steady warmth of the palms of those around her.

All of this is noisy, ordinary, but extremely real.

Shao Wei lowered his head and gently bit the edge of the candy painting, the sweet and crisp taste melting in his mouth. He raised his eyes, looked at Si Qi's tall back, felt his hand tightly held, and the last trace of the trance of "dream" in his heart completely disappeared.

This is life. This is the rest of their lives, within their reach, warm and real.