Chapter 29: Coaxed
Sunday night.
A black sedan slowly stopped at the campus gate.
The car’s interior was silent, each person lost in their own thoughts.
On the way back, Xie Yang kept rehearsing in his mind how he would give Qi Xu a goodbye kiss.
Could he kiss and then run away?
He felt shy and didn’t want to be teased by Qi Xu.
Because he was so preoccupied with this, Xie Yang didn’t notice Qi Xu’s increasingly dark expression.
Nor did he notice the unusually silent atmosphere.
After the car stopped, Xie Yang unbuckled his seatbelt. He clenched the hem of his shirt, his fingertips tense, hesitating for a long time. Finally, he seemed to make up his mind, leaning toward Qi Xu and kissing his cheek.
“See you tomorrow.”
Xie Yang quickly said this and reached for the car door handle, but it didn’t open—it was locked by Qi Xu.
Awkwardly, he retracted his hand and sneaked a glance at Qi Xu.
“W-what’s wrong?”
Qi Xu: “Are you in such a hurry to leave me?”
His voice was flat, with no detectable emotion.
The light in the car was dim, and Qi Xu leaned back in his seat, blending into the darkness, making it hard for Xie Yang to see his expression.
But he could clearly sense that Qi Xu was not in a good mood.
Xie Yang, realizing it belatedly, recalled that Qi Xu hadn’t been happy since they left home.
His eyes reddened instantly, his voice trembling slightly: “I’m not in a hurry. I didn’t mean it that way.”
He didn’t know how to explain.
Xie Yang leaned closer to Qi Xu again, cautiously reaching out to tug at his clothes, “Brother, are you angry?”
Qi Xu tightly held his hand, sighing softly: “I don’t want to let you go. Wouldn’t it be better to stay with me?”
Xie Yang was taken aback.
Qi Xu wrapped his long arm around his shoulder, kissing his soft lips: “Baby, when will you move in with me?”
The unexpected kiss left Xie Yang stunned. His first thought was: Qi Xu isn’t angry, thank goodness.
Then he processed what Qi Xu had said.
Move in together?
Xie Yang suddenly realized it wasn’t just his imagination.
Maybe Qi Xu really did like him a lot.
Perhaps it started when they were in an online relationship, from when he was [Caramel Pudding].
Qi Xu had been deeply attracted to him even after knowing [Caramel Pudding] was him. Qi Xu still liked him a lot.
That’s why, after they started dating in real life, Qi Xu naturally initiated so many intimate acts.
But Xie Yang still felt it was too fast. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to live with Qi Xu; it just felt like everything was happening too suddenly, and he wasn’t mentally prepared.
He didn’t know how to voice his hesitation.
He worried that Qi Xu might feel upset or disappointed by his refusal.
Qi Xu didn’t want to see him struggle, so he chuckled lightly: “Just teasing. Go on inside.”
Xie Yang knew he wasn’t joking.
But since Qi Xu gave him an out, Xie Yang breathed a sigh of relief.
Qi Xu: “Hurry up and go. If you don’t, I won’t let you leave.”
Xie Yang mustered his courage and kissed him on the corner of his lips again. This time, he didn’t shy away but bravely met Qi Xu’s gaze.
“Be safe. Message me when you get home.”
A hint of surprise flashed in Qi Xu’s eyes, and a smile appeared on his lips: “Okay, I’ll message you as soon as I get home, baby.”
He had been coaxed.
…
By the time Xie Yang returned to the dorm, it was already late.
Su Huai was momentarily stunned when he saw Xie Yang, giving him a meaningful look from head to toe.
Xie Yang felt as if Su Huai could see right through him.
Su Huai had liked the post Qi Xu made on Moments.
Did he guess something?
Seeing Xie Yang’s shy demeanor, Su Huai teased, “I thought you were…”
“Ahem—”
Xie Yang coughed a few times to interrupt Su Huai, “I just got off work. Yes, I came back alone.”
Su Huai wasn’t annoyed by the interruption. Instead, he glanced meaningfully at Xie Yang, then at Xi Rui and Song Xingyu, who were engrossed in their game. He pulled Xie Yang aside and whispered, “Do they not know about this?”
Xie Yang shook his head, “I don’t want to make my relationship with Qi Xu public yet.”
Su Huai: “Congratulations, your secret crush came true. You got what you wished for.”
“Yeah.”
Xie Yang responded, and thinking of Qi Xu’s face, a smile spread across his own.
An unexpected twist of fate brought a perfect ending.
Su Huai couldn’t help but murmur, “I can’t believe he agreed to a secret relationship with you.”
With Qi Xu’s personality?
He actually agreed to compromise?
And he let Xie Yang, who seemed so soft, take control?
Could this be a case of one thing overcoming another?
It was truly unbelievable.
Was it Qi Xu who had Xie Yang wrapped around his finger, or the other way around? It was hard to tell.
At first, Xie Yang found it surprising too, but now he seemed to understand. Although Qi Xu might feel a bit wronged, he was more eager to be with him.
With a bright smile still on his face, Xie Yang took off his scarf.
Su Huai stared blankly at his movements until he noticed the ambiguous hickey on Xie Yang’s neck.
Su Huai clicked his tongue, “How did he even let you go home?”
Xie Yang was puzzled, “What do you mean?”
Su Huai pointed to his neck and laughed, “That’s quite a mark.”
Instinctively, Xie Yang reached up to touch his neck, recalling how Qi Xu had pinned him in the car for a long kiss in the garage. He had been so flustered and dizzy that he barely noticed the slight pain on his neck, which was quickly overshadowed by a tingling sensation all over his body. He hadn’t realized what Qi Xu had done to him.
Looking in the mirror, he saw the hickey clearly.
Gently touching the purplish-red mark, he recalled many vivid scenes.
Xie Yang bit his lip as a blush spread across his face.
Was Qi Xu doing this on purpose?
Su Huai teased, “Did he devour you? So impatient?”
They’d only been together for a few days, and already there were bite marks on his neck. The situation must have been intense.
Qi Xu seemed like a man who had finally blossomed late, taking full advantage of Xie Yang.
Knowing Xie Yang’s good-natured and obedient personality, Qi Xu probably dictated everything, with Xie Yang not resisting at all, letting Qi Xu have his way.
Qi Xu really lucked out with such an easy catch.
Seeing Xie Yang like this, he must have been thoroughly teased by Qi Xu these past few days.
Xie Yang awkwardly laughed and denied it, “Don’t think too much. We didn’t do anything.”
Just as he was thinking of how to explain it to Su Huai, Qi Xu’s call came through.
Su Huai chuckled, “I get it. Answer the call quickly, don’t keep someone waiting.”
Xie Yang took his phone to the balcony, the cold wind biting at his cheeks as he wrapped his coat tighter around himself. “Brother, did you get home?”
Qi Xu: “Yes, I miss you.”
Xie Yang’s face turned red, his ears tingling.
They had only been apart for about half an hour.
Qi Xu’s straightforward sweet talk always tugged at his heartstrings.
Before he could think of a response, Qi Xu added, “The blanket still smells sweet from you.”
Xie Yang bit his lip, his heart racing.
They were using the same body wash, so the scent was the same.
His face was practically steaming as he softly complained, “Stop saying that.”
Qi Xu chuckled deeply, his lazy voice in Xie Yang’s ear, “Want to play a game?”
Xie Yang hesitated, “They’re playing in a group. I’m afraid it might be noisy for you.”
In truth, he felt that talking to his boyfriend in the dormitory made him feel embarrassed, restrained, and awkward.
Qi Xu: “It’s quiet now, not noisy at all.”
Xie Yang: “That’s because I’m not in the dorm right now, I’m on the balcony…”
“Ah-choo——”
Xie Yang sneezed.
Qi Xu frowned, “Where are you now?”
Xie Yang timidly spoke up, not daring to hide, “I’m on the balcony.”
He had thought that wearing so many layers, it would just be a brief chat, nothing that would cause him to catch a cold.
Qi Xu said, “You’ve just recovered from a cold, and now you’re out on the balcony in the wind.”
Xie Yang dared not speak. He could tell Qi Xu was very angry.
Qi Xu suppressed his emotions, his voice deep and heavy.
“Xie Yang.”
“Is it our relationship that makes you feel ashamed, or do you think we’ll eventually break up so there’s no need to tell anyone?”
“Or perhaps the pressure from public opinion is so great that I’ll forever remain in the shadows, hiding away.”
So fierce.
Xie Yang sniffled and choked out, “I’m sorry, please don’t be angry, okay?”
Qi Xu rubbed his temples helplessly.
How could Xie Yang get into trouble so quickly after they had just separated for a short while?
That’s why he couldn’t leave Xie Yang out of his sight for even a moment.
Qi Xu said, “Go back to the dorm first, don’t stay in the wind. Do you want to take a hot bath?”
Xie Yang followed his words obediently, saying, “Um, I’ll take a hot bath first. Can I voice message you later?”
Qi Xu: “Um.”
His response was just a simple “Um,” but Xie Yang felt he was still very angry.
After hanging up, he messaged Qi Xu.
Caramel Pudding: [I’m sorry.]
Caramel Pudding: [Please don’t be angry QAQ]
CX330: [Not angry, let’s talk after you finish bathing.]
Caramel Pudding: [Okay. Being good.jpg]
He didn’t dare delay too long; the cold wind was giving him a headache.
After taking a hot bath, feeling warm all over, he was still wearing the pajamas Qi Xu had bought for him.
Su Huai saw him and casually pointed to the takeout on his desk, “Xiao Xie, your takeout.”
Xie Yang: “I didn’t order takeout. Did they deliver to the wrong place?”
Su Huai: “Then who ordered it for you.”
He struggled to suppress the urge to roll his eyes.
Ever since Qi Xu asked about Xie Yang last time, they hadn’t talked. Originally, they weren’t in frequent contact, just default WeChat friends. Qi Xu suddenly contacting him was definitely unusual, but he never expected it to be about delivering takeout to Xie Yang!
It wasn’t that being asked to help with a takeout was a big deal, but Qi Xu hadn’t contacted him in ages, and every time he did, it was about Xie Yang. Tsk.
He had a feeling this would happen more often in the future; he’d become a tool between Qi Xu and Xie Yang.
He had already prepared himself for this.
Qi Xu actually said, on such a cold day, he was worried Xie Yang would catch a cold, so he asked for his help.
Why wouldn’t he catch a cold?!
He was also cherished and pampered like a precious cabbage!
D*mn it.
His own fresh cabbage had been dug up by a pig, and now it was emitting a sour smell of love.
Xie Yang awkwardly said, “Thank you.”
As soon as he said that, Qi Xu’s message came through: [I’ve ordered ginger soup for you, finish it all.]
Seeing his two roommates still busy ranking in their game, presumably too busy to pay attention to him, Xie Yang messaged Qi Xu: [Do you want to video call?]
As soon as he sent the message, Qi Xu’s video call came in.
Xie Yang quickly put on his Bluetooth earphones, set his phone on his desk, adjusted the screen toward him, and answered the call.
Qi Xu: “Baby.”
Although wearing earphones, Xie Yang felt an inexplicable sense of shame that his other roommates couldn’t hear Qi Xu’s voice.
Looking at Qi Xu on the video call, Xie Yang shyly responded.
He opened the takeout to let Qi Xu have a look and half coquettishly, half complainingly said, “It’s a big bowl.”
For someone who didn’t like ginger, it was simply a disaster.
Qi Xu: “You have to finish it all.”
Xie Yang whispered, “Um, I’ll video call you to supervise.”
He wanted to tell Qi Xu that it didn’t matter if his roommates found out.
He didn’t want Qi Xu to feel aggrieved about their relationship; he should learn to adapt slowly.
The soup was very hot, and Xie Yang drank it slowly. Qi Xu had been watching him eat for two days, and finally, he wasn’t so shy anymore and began to relax gradually.
Always having to maintain his image was tiring for him.
Instead, Qi Xu should slowly accept his imperfections.
After finishing a big bowl of ginger soup, he felt feverish all over.
Chasing away the cold, Xie Yang felt much more comfortable.
Although he didn’t like ginger, he also didn’t want to get sick or take medicine.
As he was passing by Xie Yang’s bed on his way to the restroom, Xie Rui glanced casually at Xie Yang and noticed him video calling someone. He couldn’t help but tease, “When did Xiao Xie start dating?”
Song Xingyu peeked over and looked in Xie Yang’s direction, “Xiao Xie is dating?”
Xie Yang smiled shyly and didn’t deny it, “Um, yes.”
Song Xingyu: “Congratulations.”
When Xie Rui went to the restroom, he couldn’t shake the feeling that the guy on the screen seemed familiar, but he hadn’t looked closely enough. He wondered if he had seen him somewhere before.
After using the restroom, Xie Rui wanted to sneak another look, but Xie Yang wasn’t in his original seat anymore.
Maybe he was overthinking it, and Xie Rui didn’t dwell on it.
Xie Yang lay on his bed and voice messaged Qi Xu. He didn’t notice his current position, revealing a lot of skin, and the clear kiss mark on his neck.
Qi Xu felt some regret.
He should have left more marks.
Qi Xu: “What do you want to eat tomorrow for lunch?”
He couldn’t wait to see Xie Yang.
Xie Yang looked at him hesitantly, “Su Huai and I agreed to have lunch together.”
Qi Xu: “Where are you eating and what are you having?”
Xie Yang: “There’s a new hotpot place in the cafeteria that we want to try.”
Qi Xu: “What time for lunch?”
Xie Yang: “Around twelve.”
Qi Xu asked in detail, and Xie Yang didn’t think much of it, assuming Qi Xu wanted him to report his schedule.
The next day at noon, when Xie Yang and Su Huai walked into the hotpot restaurant, they saw a familiar figure sitting at the table next to theirs.
When Qi Xu saw him, he raised his eyebrows slightly.
CX330: [I heard this new hotpot place has a good reputation, so I came to try it out.]
CX330: [What a coincidence, I didn’t expect us to be neighbors.]
Xie Yang: “…”
As long as you’re happy.
Qi Xu 😂😂