Knotting the Hair (I)
Sang Li picked up the spoon, gently stirred the bottom of the bowl, and pushed the prepared glutinous rice balls to Cang Jue:
"This is stuffed with shredded radish. You can try it too."
The boy immediately held the slightly hot porcelain bowl with both hands, his face filled with anticipation.
Across the table, He Shu had been persuaded by He Qi with a smile to drink more than half a cup of Tu Su wine. The alcohol was choking him, and a gorgeous pink appeared at the corners of his eyes.
Jin Wu seized the opportunity to grab his arm and tried to reach the sweet and fragrant dumpling in the bowl.
Qingshan, who had been paying attention to the movements here, was quick to touch the kitten's wet nose with his fingertips and press it back.
"Be good, Jin Wu, you've already had dinner today, don't be greedy."
As soon as he finished speaking, a cup of lukewarm Tusu wine was handed to his lips, and the aroma of the wine became stronger.
He Shu was already slightly tipsy, and he leaned towards Qingshan, mumbling something incoherently:
"You drink too..."
A low and joyful chuckle escaped from the other person's lips, and he took a sip from the hand that He Shu extended.
Under the table, where no one could see, Qingshan's palm gently covered and tightly grasped the fingertips that Heshu had hooked on his palm at some point.
Outside the window, the wind and snow were blowing hard. Inside the house, the sound of porcelain spoons colliding with the walls of bowls, whispers and laughter, formed a warm curtain, isolating all the cold and noise outside the world with friendly lights.
The drinking and chatting ended happily until everyone dispersed.
The moon is rising in the east, the cold light permeates the mountains, and the sparse stars fall on the dark blue sky.
The icicles under the eaves were reflected into a glazed color by the lights in the warm house. He Shu stood in the snow in the yard, and his breath condensed into white mist in the cold night.
He was still pinching a freshly made snowman with his fingertips. He was still drunk and his cheeks were flushed. He was acting like a rogue and refused to go back to the house no matter how Qingshan tried to persuade him.
"Look at the green mountains!"
He turned around excitedly and was about to show off the crooked snowman in his hand like a treasure, but before he could finish his words, he was embraced by someone with a faint aroma of wine.
Qingshan wrapped him tightly with the cloak that had already been warmed up. When he lowered his head, his warm lips covered his without any explanation.
He Shu tasted the snow water melting at the corner of his lips. It was cool and clearly tasteless, but he suddenly felt that the taste was as sweet as the peach buds blooming on the branches in spring.
The aftertaste of Tusu wine was still lingering on his teeth. He was dizzy from this sudden intimacy, his eyelashes trembling and he could hardly open his eyes.
In a daze, his back rested against the edge of the antique cabinet in the room, and the cold and hard sandalwood poked his lower back.
A few strands of wet hair stuck to his cheeks. The tiny ice crystals on them were melted by the indoor heating, and the cool moisture quietly seeped into the skin that was closely pressed against the green mountain.
"wait……"
He subconsciously turned his head to avoid it, revealing a red neck. His long, inky hair swept across the rice paper spread on the desk beside him. The paper was covered in ink, just like a newly blossomed winter plum.
"Qing, Qingshan..."
The unfinished words were swallowed between the warm lips and teeth. The palm with thick calluses was slowly passing through the slightly damp hair from the back of his head and touching the sensitive side of his neck. Wherever the palm passed, many tiny down feathers emerged.
Amidst the soft sound of the jade belt hook falling to the ground, that particularly annoying hand had already reached into the crook of his waist, stroking it slowly with a burning temperature, and then slowly stroking upwards along his spine.
He Shu couldn't help but bend his body to dodge, and the cloak draped over his shoulders was kicked to the ground by his unconsciously tensed toes, revealing the scarlet outer garment underneath. The pattern of twined flowers embroidered diagonally on the fabric glowed delicately under the light.
"Nameless... Nameless..."
Qingshan finally stepped back a little, but still kept his head down, murmuring his name, his voice very hoarse.
The hot breath brushed across He Shu's neck, causing a slight shudder.
He took a few deep breaths, as if trying to endure something, but he still held the wrist that was still pressed against his chest, wanting to resist but also to accept, and said in a low and restrained voice:
"We just played in the snow for so long... I'm afraid the cold has gotten to you. Dry your hair first to avoid a headache tomorrow."
He Shu was still in a daze of passion and alcohol, and before he could react, he was taken to the low couch next to the fireplace.
The person holding him picked up a soft cotton handkerchief and gently pressed it across his slightly wet head.
The black hair spread out between the cotton handkerchief, like thick ink smudged on rice paper, and occasionally a few strands would wrap around each other's slender fingers, adding a bit of tenderness.
When the corner of the handkerchief touched the back of his ticklish ear, He Shu couldn't help but shrink his neck, and his shoulder hit the brass heater beside him, making a slight "dong" sound.
"Don't move."
Qingshan chuckled softly and patiently used his fingertips to comb out the tangled hair for him, his tone full of helplessness.
He Shu was already intoxicated, and now the warm breath evaporated the lingering emotions, which surged up again, making him even more confused and weak all over.
He tilted his head back slowly, his deep brown pupils reflecting the other's focused and gentle features. The delicate scent of the Perilla bath beans lingering in his hair drifted away with his movements, lingering between their nostrils.
Suddenly reaching out, he grabbed Qingshan's wrist that was being wiped for him, and then buried his hot cheek deeply in the man's palm, which was still wet with melted snow.
"What's wrong?"
A gentle whisper that could drip water echoed in his ears. Feeling the warmth and nostalgia in the palm of his hand, He Shu's mouth couldn't help but rise a little.
"It's so hot... Aoyama..."
He deliberately dragged out the tone, and the voice was sticky.
"I don't want to stay by the fireplace...it's uncomfortable..."
Closing his eyes, he turned his face to the side and rubbed it in Qingshan's palm, then pulled open most of his collar, revealing the skin underneath that was already flushed like peach blossoms.
"If you keep rubbing like this...my hair...will be faded."
As he spoke, he suddenly felt a sense of emptiness beneath him, and subconsciously hugged Qingshan's neck tightly.
When he opened his eyes again, he had been steadily picked up by the man, walked into the inner room in a few steps, and slowly placed him on the bed covered with thick and soft bedding.
A strand of hair scattered on his shoulders was lifted up by someone. Qingshan's eyebrows were too soft in the dim candlelight, but the bitterness that could not be concealed still quietly overflowed from his eyes.
"It won't be white again, Nameless."
His fingertips gently stroked the soft black hair, his voice firm and solemn,
“No more…”
A warm body approached along with whispers, and the hot breath passed over the skin, causing waves of fine numbness.
He Shu's arms, which were supporting his back, softened, and he grabbed Qingshan's clothes, and the two of them fell onto the soft bed together.
The two heads were buried in the mauve quilt, their breaths intertwined and entangled in an instant, unable to distinguish one from the other, so ambiguous that it was unsettling.
"Of course not, I was just joking with you!"
He Shu turned sideways and picked up a strand of the other person's black hair that was scattered on the quilt with his fingertips and started playing with it.
He smiled casually,
"Hahahaha... Qingshan is so drunk and stupid that he can't even hear this!"
"I'm drunk..."
When He Shu heard this, his eyes fell on Qingshan's suddenly silent profile, and his laughter gradually subsided.
He moved closer, resting his cheek gently on the other's solid and reliable shoulder, and his voice became very soft, as if he was talking in a dream.
"I want to be with Qingshan... let's grow old together... together, we'll grow old together..."
The back of the hand was completely wrapped by a warm palm, and the strand of hair that I was playing with could no longer be held, and fell down from the fingertips.
"In life and death, we will be together..."
Qingshan hummed softly, and suddenly turned over, his nose almost touching Heshu's, and looked into his eyes with a burning gaze, with a trace of uncontrollable throbbing.
"We'll never be apart... Wuming, was that what you just said?"
He Shu stared blankly at the pair of eyes so close to him, and forgot to breathe for a moment.
Qingshan's laughter, filled with joy and satisfaction, resonated deeply in his chest and was transmitted to his body.
Suddenly coming to his senses, he covered the other person's mouth in embarrassment, his eyes wandering, and he stammered in reply:
"How would I know..."
Her wrist was held tightly again, and soft and intensive kisses spread like spring rain, spreading all the way from the palm to the slender finger bases, and then to the slightly raised knuckles... Finally, it landed tenderly on the fingertips, and pecked and kissed them reluctantly for a few more times before letting up.
He could no longer bear this lingering affection, and abruptly withdrew his hand, burying his burning red cheek in the soft quilt, leaving only the tips of his ears, which were red as blood, exposed, and lowered his voice to scold:
"What are you reading... I don't understand..."
He Shu was flustered and tried to roll over to lie flat, but the man got there first and blocked his movement with his knee. Then, he forcefully squeezed between his trembling legs, trapping him in the small space of his arms.
"It was my fault……"
Qingshan readily admitted his mistake. He leaned over and his breath, scented with wine, brushed against Heshu's ear.
"But Wuming... my feelings are just like this... I want to be with you day and night, forever..."
The loose undershirt had been pulled down to the elbows at some point, revealing He Shu's fair and smooth shoulder and neck skin, which was currently being fondled by someone, leaving behind some ambiguous crimson traces.
His black hair was a little messy and stuck to his sweaty collarbone, swaying with his rapid breathing.
The drunkenness and passion dyed the corners of his eyes as if they were painted with rouge, which was gently brushed by Qingshan's fingertips, and gently kissed away the tears that were about to fall.
On the plain white screen, two figures intertwined, indistinguishable from one another. The occasional sob that escaped was quickly silenced by a deeper kiss, transforming into a broken gasp.
The cold moonlight passed through the window lattice, poured into the room, and quietly illuminated the pair of small clay dolls standing side by side on the desk by the window.
One holds a book, the other holds a koi fish, they lean on each other intimately in the remaining warm light of the lantern, as if they are whispering, telling their own story that will last forever.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
