live together
In April, the air in Haicheng is already tinged with a moist warmth. The new leaves of the plane trees gleam with an oily sheen in the sunlight, and the river breeze brings with it a unique blend of river water and city atmosphere.
Liang An stood in the center of the bedroom, looking around the room where he had lived for sixteen years.
On the bookshelf are the certificates he received in elementary school, on the wall are game posters, and on the windowsill is a potted green ivy, his mother's favorite plant. Time has quietly passed, and everything has changed, but this house stubbornly remains in the same place, together with him, commemorating his parents' deep love and cherishing all the beautiful memories of the past.
The doorbell rang.
Liang An took a deep breath and strode to open the door. Ling Xiao stood outside, dressed in a simple white sweatshirt and light blue jeans, looking as refreshing as the sea breeze of the season. He carried several moving boxes in his hand, a warm smile playing on his lips.
"Are you ready?" Ling Xiao asked softly, his keen eyes catching the reluctance in Liang An's eyes.
Liang An nodded and stepped aside to let Ling Xiao in. "Actually, there aren't many things, mainly books and some clothes."
The two began tidying the room. Ling Xiao carefully placed the books from the bookshelf one by one into a cardboard box, handling them as gently as if they were fragile items. Liang An folded clothes, his gaze occasionally drifting to the family photo on the wall—his parents were smiling, and he, ten years old, stood in the middle, carefree.
"Why did you choose to let me move into your house?" Liang An finally asked the question that had been lingering in his mind for a long time.
Ling Xiao put down his book, walked up to Liang An, and looked at him earnestly. "Because every corner here holds memories of you and your aunt and uncle. I don't think we should destroy this beauty. Every brick and tile here will remember everything that happened to you. This is your home, perfectly preserving your happy memories from before you were sixteen. And we," he paused, "should build our new happiness, little by little, in a brand new home."
Liang An lowered his eyes and remained silent, only a burning heat quietly welled up in his eyes, growing stronger and stronger.
“Moreover,” Ling Xiao added, with a hint of teasing, “my place is closer to the school, so I can sleep an extra fifteen minutes in the morning.”
Liang An smiled, the warmth in his eyes instantly dissipating. The two continued packing, the cardboard box gradually filling up. When they reached the desk drawer, Liang An pulled out an old photo album. Ling Xiao leaned over and looked through it with him. In the photos, Liang An was still a young child, embraced by his parents, smiling brightly.
“They must love you very much,” Ling Xiao said softly.
“They will like you too,” Liang An replied, his tone certain.
At three in the afternoon, the last cardboard box was sealed. Liang An stood in the center of the living room, looking around at the space that held all his childhood and teenage memories. Sunlight streamed in through the windows, and dust motes danced slowly in the light, like fragments of time. He carefully held the pothos plant in his hands—one of the few things he had decided to take with him.
“We’ll come back to clean often.” Ling Xiao gently hugged him from behind, resting her chin on his shoulder. “This will always be Liang An’s home. But now we need to have our own home.”
Liang An nodded, closed his eyes, and let the feeling of this moment be deeply imprinted in his memory. Anticipation and reluctance intertwined in his heart, forming a complex yet warm emotion.
The moving truck Ling Xiao had called arrived on time. The two loaded their meager belongings into the truck and locked the door. As the car started moving, Liang An watched the old house recede into the distance in the rearview mirror, a hint of hesitation and longing in his eyes.
Ling Xiao grasped his hand, their fingers intertwined. "Don't be afraid, Liang An. I'm always here."
The car drove through the streets of Haicheng, from the old town to the Binjiang New Area just across the street.
"Welcome home," Ling Xiao said with a smile, taking the pothos from Liang An's hand.
The elevator went straight to the 27th floor. After the doors opened, Liang An saw for the first time the "wedding room" Ling Xiao had mentioned—a spacious three-bedroom apartment. The entrance was a foyer, where a smart mirror wall gently lit up, displaying the time and indoor temperature and humidity.
“It’s voice-controlled and gesture-controlled,” Ling Xiao explained. “You can set your preferred mode.”
The entire space features an open-plan design, connecting the living room and dining room. The color scheme is dominated by sophisticated gray and natural wood tones, accented with deep sea blue and dark gold. The furniture boasts simple yet stylish lines, exuding understated luxury. The smart home system imbues the space with a futuristic feel, while the abundance of greenery and artistic decorations adds a touch of warmth.
“This is the master bedroom,” Ling Xiao pushed open a door. The room was spacious and bright, with an ensuite bathroom and a walk-in closet. “The other master bedroom is across the hall.” He paused, looking at Liang An. “Both master bedrooms are the same size and have ensuite bathrooms. This way, we both have private space and can… be together anytime.”
Liang An nodded, a warm feeling welling up inside him. Ling Xiao always considered things so thoroughly.
In the study, one wall is lined with floor-to-ceiling bookshelves, and the other is a floor-to-ceiling window overlooking the river. The gaming room is equipped with top-of-the-line equipment, two computer desks side by side, comfortable gaming chairs, and posters of their favorite games hanging on the walls.
"When did you prepare all this?" Liang An asked in surprise.
“From the day I decided to invite you to live with me.” Ling Xiao took his hand. “Come on, let’s see your room.”
Ling Xiao pushed open the door to the second bedroom, and Liang An held his breath.
The room was much larger than he had expected. A spacious bed was placed against the wall, with bedding in Liang An's favorite deep blue. A desk, bookshelves, a walk-in closet, and an ensuite bathroom were all present, their design style harmonizing with the rest of the house. The most striking feature was the enormous floor-to-ceiling window, which almost filled the entire wall. It was afternoon, and sunlight streamed through the window, filling the room. The river shimmered, boats glided slowly by, and the city skyline on the opposite bank was faintly visible through the thin mist.
"You can see the river during the day, and the night view is even more beautiful." Ling Xiao walked to the window, gently pressed a button, and the smart curtains slowly closed and opened again. "It's fully automatic, but you can also do it manually."
Liang An walked to the window, his fingertips touching the cold glass. From here, Haicheng looked like a flowing painting. He remembered the window of his old house facing the alley, a window brimming with the vibrant life of the city. And here, it was the pulse of the entire city.
“I’ve also prepared your usual toiletries in the bathroom,” Ling Xiao continued. “There are a few new clothes in the closet, bought in your size. If you don’t like them, we can exchange them. And…” He pointed to the bedside table, “there’s a small box there. Open it and take a look.”
Curious, Liang An walked over and opened the box. Inside was an exquisite key and a smart pendant necklace.
“The key belongs to this room, and the pendant controls all the smart devices in the room; it also serves as an access card,” Ling Xiao explained. “This room is yours, entirely yours. You can invite me in anytime, and you can let me out anytime.”
Liang An gripped the key and pendant tightly, the coolness of the metal gradually warming with his body heat. He raised his head, gazing into Ling Xiao's deep eyes, a thousand words stuck in his chest, but in the end, they all boiled down to one sentence: "Thank you, Ling Xiao."
Dinner was takeout ordered by Lingxiao from a high-end restaurant that requires reservations a week in advance. The food was exquisite, like works of art. They shared the meal, talked about school, the upcoming midterm exams, and their plans for the May Day holiday.
After dinner, the two cleaned up the dishes together.
As dusk fell, the lights on the opposite bank of the river lit up one by one, like stars falling to earth. Ling Xiao checked the time and smiled mysteriously: "There's a little surprise at eight o'clock. Wait for me by your window."
Liang An, curious, did as he was told, standing in front of the French windows, looking at Haicheng under the night sky. Ling Xiao stood behind him, gently wrapping her arms around his waist, resting her chin on his shoulder.
At 8:00 AM sharp, hundreds of drones took off from the shimmering river, their rotors cutting through the damp wind, their fuselages lighting up one after another, spelling out a huge, star-like message against the dark sky: "Welcome to our home, my darling." The words were a warm gold, shining brightly in the night, visible from almost the entire city.
Liang An was stunned, his mouth agape, but he couldn't utter a sound.
Immediately afterwards, a sound came from the river, and clusters of fireworks soared into the sky, blooming into dazzling flowers in the night. Gold, silver, blue, and red lights illuminated the river and also Liang An's fair face. They rose one after another, forming a smiling face in the air.
“Ling Xiao, this…” Liang An turned around, his voice choked with emotion.
“It took me a long time to get permission,” Ling Xiao explained softly, gently wiping away Liang An’s tears with his thumb. “I want you to know that you deserve such a grand welcome, and you deserve all the good things.”
Liang An could no longer control herself and threw herself into Ling Xiao's arms, holding him tightly. The light from the fireworks shone through the window, casting ever-changing colors on them.
Liang An looked up and, in the afterglow of the fireworks, saw his reflection in Ling Xiao's eyes, and the dazzling night sky. They slowly drew closer until their lips touched. The kiss was tender and affectionate, carrying the weariness of moving, the unease of the new environment, and the overflowing emotion of the moment.
Ling Xiao's hand slid from Liang An's back to his waist, applying slight pressure to bring their bodies closer together. Liang An could feel Ling Xiao's accelerated heartbeat, synchronized with his own. The kiss deepened, tinged with urgency and longing. They stumbled onto the bed, Ling Xiao on top, his hands braced on either side of Liang An, his breathing rapid.
Fireworks were still blooming sporadically in the distance; inside, only the light filtering through the window and the sound of their intertwined breaths filled the room. Ling Xiao's fingers slid along Liang An's collar, unbuttoning the first button. Liang An didn't stop him, but simply closed his eyes, feeling Ling Xiao's touch—gentle and restrained.
“Liang An,” Ling Xiao’s voice was hoarse, “I think…”
Liang An opened his eyes and saw the longing and struggle flickering in Ling Xiao's eyes. He knew what might happen tonight if things continued. They were lovers, deeply in love, and taking that final step seemed like a natural progression. However, just as he was about to give in, Ling Xiao stopped.
He propped himself up, took a few deep breaths, and then buttoned Liang An's clothes back up, his voice laced with amusement and restraint, "Not tonight. Tonight is only about welcoming you home, not... anything else."
Liang An sat up, his heart feeling as if it were being gently enveloped. A bittersweet, burning emotion surged within him, spreading from his eyes to his nose. He turned his head away, avoiding Ling Xiao's intensely affectionate gaze that seemed to drown him.
“Our first time,” Ling Xiao said earnestly, holding Liang An’s hand, “should be when we’re adults, when we’re both 100% ready. Not the chaotic night after we move.”
Liang An nodded slightly, her body trembling slightly as she instinctively pressed herself against Ling Xiao's chest.
Ling Xiao gently kissed his forehead. "Okay, go wash up. Tomorrow we'll go shopping together to make this house feel more like 'our home'."
That night, Liang An lay on the unfamiliar bed, yet felt an unprecedented sense of peace. Outside the window, the night view of Haicheng shone like a starry river; inside, Ling Xiao was in the room opposite, separated only by a wall.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com