Chapter 55 "I won't keep you waiting long."
Amid the faint noise downstairs and the exhaustion from his injuries, Chu Yi fell asleep again in a daze.
He didn't know how long it had passed, but in a state of half-sleep and half-wakefulness, he felt waves of warm and regular breathing coming from the crook of his neck, accompanied by a furry touch that made his skin feel a little itchy.
He was not fully awake yet and his consciousness was hazy. He subconsciously followed the direction of the heat source and reached out his hand to grope towards it in a daze.
What the fingertips touched was not the expected bedding or doll fluff, but a kind of... warm, elastic and real body temperature, the texture of human skin!
This realization instantly pierced his sleepiness like an electric current.
Chu Yi suddenly opened his eyes, his heart stopped for a second, and he almost jumped up from the bed in fright.
However, just as he was about to exclaim, a warm big hand covered his mouth more quickly, blocking out all the sound.
"Shh." A low, hoarse, yet deeply familiar voice sounded close to his ear.
It’s Zhou Ai!
Chu Yi's heart, which had risen to his throat, instantly fell back to its original place, replaced by a violent heartbeat and fear.
He opened his eyes wide, and in the dim light, he could barely see the person who was almost lying on the side of his bed with his head resting on the side of his neck - who else could it be but Zhou Ai?
The two of them were so close that their noses were almost touching. Zhou Ai's hand was still covering his mouth, her palm warm and dry, pressed tightly against his lips. She could even feel his slightly rapid breathing due to fear.
It was quiet all around, with only the occasional chirping of insects outside the window.
In this small and quiet space, the two people's eyes were fixed, and neither of them looked away first. The sound of each other's violent heartbeats was clearly audible, thump, thump, thump, as if they were beating the same drum, and it was impossible to tell whose heartbeat was faster and louder.
With the faint moonlight and starlight filtering through the small wooden window, Chu Yi could clearly see several tiny scratches crisscrossing Zhou Ai's face. Some had already formed dark scabs, while others were still red and looked very fresh. They were obviously scratches caused by branches and thorns on the mountain yesterday.
These scars on his overly handsome face added a bit of wildness and embarrassment, but strangely enough they were not ugly.
Chu Yi calmed himself down, reached out and gently pulled down Zhou Ai's hand that was covering his lips, held it in his hand but did not let go immediately.
He frowned slightly and asked in a low voice, "Why are you here?"
As he spoke, he gestured with his eyes at the rather chaotic position of the two of them at the moment - most of Zhou Ai's body was squeezed on his single bed, with one leg even bent and pressed outside the quilt.
Chu Yi even glanced at the creaking old wooden bed beneath him with some concern, doubting whether it could bear the weight of two grown men. He put on an accusatory look and looked at the guy who had come uninvited and climbed onto the bed without permission.
Seeing him like this, Zhou Ai was not afraid. Instead, she laughed softly, and her chest vibrated slightly.
She rubbed her messy silver hair with her free hand, feeling a little embarrassed. Her eyes looked moist in the dim light, and she complained with a hint of grievance, her voice softening a bit.
"You don't even come to see me..."
The tone was like that of a large dog that had been left out for most of the day and finally couldn't help but sneak over to seek comfort.
Chu Yi was amused by his way of putting the blame on others and his undisguised grievance, and the corners of his mouth couldn't help but rise.
He lifted his foot, which was cast in a heavy plaster and could not move, and looked at Zhou Ai silently - it's not that I don't want to see you, it's that it doesn't allow it.
Zhou Ai followed his gaze and glanced at the troublesome plaster. The expression on her face instantly changed from aggrieved to understanding, and then quickly became righteous.
He adjusted his posture very naturally. Not only did he not get out of bed, but he lay down directly in a more relaxed manner, with his hands behind his head, comfortably occupying the other half of the bed. He looked at Chu Yi with his head tilted, his tone was so calm:
"So, if you don't come to see me, I'll come to see you."
He paused, and even tried to comfort Chu Yi, acting like he was very generous:
"It's okay, it's all the same. You don't have to feel guilty."
Chu Yi felt both angry and amused when he saw him acting as if it was his own thing and acting as the host.
The small wooden bed made a slight sound as it was overwhelmed by the weight of one more person. In the narrow space, the two of them were almost squeezed together shoulder to shoulder, their body temperature transmitted to each other through the thin clothes. The air was filled with a subtle smell that was a mixture of medicine, the fragrance of shampoo and Zhou Ai's unique scent.
Everything seemed to have returned to that isolated cave, but this time, there was no rainstorm and threat of death, only the quiet night and the person beside him...who could not be driven away.
Zhou Ai, who looked calm and had taken the initiative, was actually pretending to be relaxed and free-spirited, even a little bit indifferent, but his heart was actually beating wildly in his chest.
Half of him was worried, afraid Chu Yi would turn cold in the next second and order him to leave for trespassing and getting into bed without permission. But the other half of his mind had already drifted away uncontrollably, immersed in the intimacy of Chu Yi.
This was the first time he lay on Chu Yi's bed.
The bedding beneath him seemed to be stained with the unique scent of his owner, a very clean and somewhat distant smell.
It is like a magnolia flower blooming in the early morning, cool and distant, but if you smell it carefully, you can find a very light, fresh and astringent taste similar to citrus peel in the base note, which vaguely hooks Zhou Ai's olfactory nerves.
This breath enveloped Zhou Ai completely, causing his heartbeat to become disordered and his blood to flow faster. The palms of his hands hidden at his sides were already covered with a thin layer of sweat, which was sticky and hot.
He held his breath, secretly turned his head and looked at Chu Yi beside him.
Chu Yi didn't look at him, nor did he speak. He just lay there quietly, his eyes fixed on the small wooden window.
Outside the window is the deep night sky of the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau. On the dark blue sky, there are a few exceptionally bright stars scattered like scattered diamonds.
Zhou Ai's heartbeat calmed down a bit, and she followed his gaze. The quiet night was gentle, and an indescribable impulse suddenly surged in her heart.
"Do you want to go..." He almost blurted out, his voice a little dry due to nervousness and some hidden expectation.
Before he could finish his words, he suddenly turned over and pressed Chu Yi under him.
The distance between the two people was instantly compressed to the extreme, and their bodies were almost pressed together perfectly.
Zhou Ai's arm was resting on Chu Yi's ear, and their hot breaths intertwined without any obstruction. The delicate balance in the air was instantly broken, the temperature rose sharply, and a dangerous ambiguity filled the air that was about to explode.
Chu Yi was obviously startled by this sudden movement. His pupils dilated slightly, and he could clearly feel the heavy weight and hot body temperature of another man coming from above.
Zhou Ai's eyes were frighteningly deep in the dim light, filled with strange and palpitating emotions that almost swallowed him up.
Seeing that the atmosphere was about to get out of control, Chu Yi's Adam's apple rolled, and a hoarse voice finally rang out, breaking the suffocating silence:
"Where are you going?"
At the same time, he stretched out his hand and placed it on Zhou Ai's strong chest, exerting a little force, trying to push away the "mountain" that suddenly pressed down.
The heartbeat beneath his palm was the same as his own, fast and heavy, making his palm hurt.
This gentle push and question instantly made Zhou Ai sober up a lot.
He suddenly came to his senses and realized what he had just done. His cheeks and ears turned red, and even his neck was covered with a layer of crimson.
"I...I...I said..." Zhou Ai jumped away from Chu Yi in a panic as if she was scalded, and almost staggered out of bed. Her movements were so flustered that she almost knocked over the chair next to her.
He didn't dare look Chu Yi in the eye again. His heart was still beating wildly, and shame and embarrassment were almost overwhelming him. He quickly walked to the small wooden window, as if looking for a lifeline, and suddenly pushed it open completely.
The night breeze suddenly rushed in, bringing with it the unique cool scent of grass and trees in the mountains, slightly dispelling the heat in the house.
Zhou Ai turned his back to Chu Yi and took several deep breaths before trying to make his voice sound normal. However, his red ears completely betrayed him:
"Let's... go look at the stars."
————
Looking back later, Chu Yi found that he couldn't tell where he had lost his mind.
Perhaps it was the trance of surviving the disaster that still lingered, or perhaps it was the pure expectation in Zhou Ai's eyes that were surprisingly bright in the night that was too scorching, or perhaps... it was just that through the crack in his own heart that was forcibly pried open, a desire for something beyond "normal" also sneaked in.
He actually... obediently let Zhou Ai help him put on his coat and hat, then watched the man turn around and carefully half-kneel down in front of him, waiting for him to lie on top of him.
But before actually lying on top of him, Chu Yi placed his hand on Zhou Ai's shoulder and couldn't help but ask again: "Are you sure your injury is okay?"
He had seen the horrific bruise on Zhou Ai's back with his own eyes. How long had it been since then?
When Zhou Ai heard this, instead of answering directly, he made a move that left Chu Yi dumbfounded.
He quickly zipped up his jacket all the way, then pulled the lapels to the sides, revealing the thin T-shirt underneath. The outline of the bandages was even faintly visible. He tilted his head, his lips curled up in a scoundrelly yet innocent smile, his tone lazily and slightly provocative:
"How about Dr. Chu check it out himself? Can he see if I can handle it?"
The ambiguity in these words and the rogue look of "letting you pick it" instantly ignited Chu Yi's shame and anger.
Without even thinking, he lifted up his good leg that wasn't in a cast and kicked Zhou Ai's calf hard with considerable force.
"Shut up! I'll carry you on your back!" Chu Yi scolded in a low voice, but his ears became hot uncontrollably.
Zhou Ai was kicked, but he laughed softly. He zipped up his clothes neatly, held Chu Yi firmly, stood up, and walked out of the hut step by step.
Late at night, Yuntou Village was completely silent, with only the occasional distant barking of dogs and the rustling of wind through the rice paddies. The air was cool and clean, carrying the fresh scent of earth and rice seedlings.
Zhou Ai carried Chu Yi on his back and walked on the narrow ridge of the field, one step deep and one step shallow, but his steps were extremely steady.
They stopped at the end of a relatively flat and open field. Zhou Ai carefully put Chu Yi down so that he could sit firmly against her, then used the thick coat he brought with him to cushion the cold muddy ground before sitting down next to him.
When they looked up, they both held their breath almost at the same time.
Without the light pollution of the city and the obstruction of wooden houses, the night sky of the plateau was like a huge curtain, presented to them without reservation.
Countless stars densely dotted it, far brighter and more magnificent than what I had glimpsed through the window before.
The Milky Way, like a hazy, luminous jade belt, stretched across the sky, so clear it seemed within reach. The stars twinkled quietly, sometimes bright, sometimes dim, sometimes clustered, sometimes scattered.
Surrounding it are rolling mountains that appear inky black in the night, at the foot are fields that smell of moist soil, and in the distance are scattered lights of the village.
It seemed as if there were only the two of them and the vast starry sky between heaven and earth.
"So beautiful..." Chu Yi raised his head and couldn't help but sigh softly. All his thoughts and distractions were washed away by the starry sky at this moment, leaving only pure shock and tranquility.
Zhou Ai stopped looking at the stars, his gaze fell on Chu Yi's profile.
The starlight outlined Chu Yi's delicate jawline and slightly raised neck. Her eyes, which were always cold and aloof, were now filled with the reflection of the galaxy, which was astonishingly bright and soft.
"Yeah, it's very beautiful." Zhou Ai responded in a low voice, her voice incredibly gentle.
He wasn't just talking about the starry sky.
Chu Yi seemed to notice his gaze, turned his head slightly, and met Zhou Ai's focused gaze.
Their eyes met under the bright starlight. There was no more panic and temptation, only an indescribable calm and tacit understanding.
Zhou Ai quietly stretched out his hand, and very slowly and tentatively hooked his little finger around Chu Yi's fingers at his side.
Chu Yi's fingers felt the other person's warm fingertips and trembled slightly, but he did not dodge.
Zhou Ai's heartbeat went out of control again, but he didn't go any further. He just gently hooked the slightly cold finger.
The two of them sat side by side on the edge of the field, the night breeze blowing gently, bringing a hint of coolness. No one spoke, and they quietly looked up at the unchanging starry sky above their heads.
I don't know how long they sat side by side quietly like this. Chu Yi heard Zhou Ai's gentle voice floating over with the evening breeze. The voice was not as lazy or teasing as his usual voice, nor as anxious and domineering as before, but it was a cautious and almost pious gentleness.
"Chu Yi," he called him. Chu Yi turned his head slightly and met Zhou Ai's passionate gaze.
Zhou Ai's peach blossom eyes shone startlingly bright under the starlight, clearly reflecting the dazzling Milky Way, yet only containing the shadow of Chu Yi. That light was brighter and more focused than any of the stars above his head.
"Are you..." Zhou Ai paused, as if she needed to gather up some courage before she softly asked, "You won't keep me waiting for long?"
He is still waiting for that answer.
In the cave, Chu Yi asked him to wait patiently for the final answer on whether the "stage-specific relationship" would change.
Chu Yi's heart seemed to be gently bumped by these words. It didn't hurt, but it caused dense and sour ripples.
His gaze slowly moved down from Zhou Ai's eyes to the fingers of the two that had been secretly hooked together at some point.
Zhou Ai's little finger was still stubbornly wrapped around his, and the warmth of her fingertips was transmitted through her skin bit by bit, bringing with it a presence that could not be ignored.
Once upon a time, Zhou Ai was like a star in the sky to him.
Dazzling, eye-catching, existing in another world that is beyond his reach.
He was used to looking up, used to keeping his distance, and even drew a line for himself in his heart, telling himself: How can a mortal reach the stars? Just look at them. If you get close, you will be burned, disappointed, and lose.
But at this moment, the brightest and most unruly star in the sky actually fell beside him.
Dusty and bruised, she clumsily yet stubbornly cleared a path for him and carried him through the muddiest and most dangerous situations. Now, with her head raised and her eyes filled with starlight and expectation, she obediently, even a little humbly, asked him for an answer.
The star came down to earth, was touched by the worldly life, gained warmth, could cry, laugh, be afraid, and also... waited for him so carefully.
Chu Yi looked at the two people's intertwined fingers, then raised his eyes to look at Zhou Ai's face, which appeared particularly clear under the starlight, and even had a bit of boyish nervousness.
Under the gaze of those eyes, the wall in his heart finally seemed to make a tiny sound like ice breaking, as if it could no longer bear the weight.
Chu Yi was silent for a few seconds, then very gently, with his backhand, used his little finger to hook Zhou Ai's fingers tighter.
This subtle movement made Zhou Ai's pupils shrink suddenly and he held his breath.
Then, he heard Chu Yi's voice, "Hmm."
It's just one word, but it weighs more than a thousand pounds.
Chu Yi didn't look at him, but looked back at the starry sky above his head, and added softly,
"I won't keep you waiting long."
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