Pei Qingjian firmly said “No” again. Some things just don’t require consideration.
Variety is key—meat one day, vegetables the next. They had meat two days ago, so tonight, he’d enjoy vegetables.
Pei Qingjian shot Lan Xingchen a smiling glance and entered the bathroom.
Lan Xingchen was left alone, sighing in lonely frustration. After all that observation, there were still gaps? Hardware really needed a thorough check!
Soon, Pei Qingjian finished and Lan Xingchen went in to wash up.
Pei Qingjian, meanwhile, went to the wardrobe and got him a thin blanket.
When Lan Xingchen emerged from the bathroom, he saw Pei Qingjian sitting on the bed, playing with his phone. He wrapped himself in a blanket, yet there was still another one beside him.
Lan Xingchen: !!!
He frowned—why were there two blankets again? Last night they’d used two blankets and he hadn’t slept well.
Lan Xingchen went over. Pei Qingjian put away his phone and looked at him, noticing his worried expression.
“What’s wrong?” he asked, puzzled.
Lan Xingchen patted the blanket in front of him. “Do I sleep here?”
Pei Qingjian nodded. “The other rooms aren’t cleaned yet.”
The focus wasn’t the rooms—it was that Lan Xingchen patted the blanket again. “Separate sleeping?”
Pei Qingjian realized immediately.
Tilting his head, he smiled brightly. “Yes. You’re still in the observation period. Do you think sleeping together is appropriate?”
Lan Xingchen: … Okay, that actually makes sense.
He reluctantly lifted the blanket and sat down.
Seeing him on the bed, Pei Qingjian lay down as well. “Then I’ll sleep now.”
“Mm,” Lan Xingchen replied.
Pei Qingjian reached out and turned off the lights with a “click.”
No more than two minutes later, he felt someone snuggling closer.
Pei Qingjian nearly laughed, struggling to contain himself. “What are you doing?”
Finally beside him, Lan Xingchen murmured, “Convenient for observation.”
Pei Qingjian curled a smile in the darkness.
Seeing that he didn’t resist, Lan Xingchen knew his little boyfriend was soft-hearted.
He carefully reached his hand out from under the blanket, finding Pei Qingjian’s.
Pei Qingjian: !!!
His heart skipped a beat. He turned to look at Lan Xingchen.
Lan Xingchen said nothing, silently holding his hand. Something seemed to flow through his heart, and Pei Qingjian let him hold it. After a moment, he gently turned his hand over and held him back.
Lan Xingchen smiled.
Finally, he closed his eyes. “Good night.”
“Good night,” Pei Qingjian replied, his voice gentle.
The air from the AC was cold, but somehow, Pei Qingjian felt warm.
He slept soundly through the night, waking up first as usual.
Lan Xingchen had slept heavily after barely resting the night before. Pei Qingjian, seeing him, wanted to slip out to make breakfast, but just as he moved, Lan Xingchen half-awake, hugged him and murmured, “There’s still time. Sleep a little more.”
He rested his chin on Pei Qingjian’s head.
Pei Qingjian: …
He remembered that yesterday, just after moving in, the fridge had no ingredients. Even if he wanted to make breakfast, he couldn’t.
Might as well sleep a bit longer.
He stayed with Lan Xingchen a while more, until the alarm rang. Then they got up together.
Lan Xingchen didn’t change his clothes—still wearing yesterday’s set.
They went out for breakfast. Pei Qingjian then asked, “You coming home early from work this afternoon?”
Lan Xingchen frowned. “Why?”
“I’m going to conduct a field inspection.”
Lan Xingchen: ???
“What does that mean?”
“In simpler terms…” Pei Qingjian teased, letting Lan Xingchen’s curiosity peak, “moving house.”
Lan Xingchen was ecstatic.
Move where? They were doing a field inspection—he’d be moving back!
He grabbed Pei Qingjian in excitement and planted a kiss on his ear.
Pei Qingjian laughed, gently pushing him away. “What are you doing? The inspection’s not over yet.”
Lan Xingchen kissed his ear again, coaxing softly, “It’s fine. You inspect, I just give a quick kiss.”
Two quick kisses! Pei Qingjian thought, but he didn’t bother arguing, letting Lan Xingchen hold him contentedly.
Receiving such great news, Lan Xingchen was barely able to focus on work. Pei Qingjian had to firmly put him back in the car, or Lan Xingchen would have moved him back immediately.
As soon as Shao Kang entered the company, he saw Lan Xingchen looking absolutely triumphant, practically prancing with pride, and thought to himself: Did he really get him back?
He hurried over and asked, “All patched up?”
“Of course,” Lan Xingchen said proudly. “We didn’t even fight.”
“You said you broke up yesterday.”
Lan Xingchen: …
“That was just me not seeing things clearly at the time,” he defended.
A couple just not having their bearings for a moment—how could that count as a breakup? It was merely a temporary lapse.
Shao Kang shook his head in disbelief. “Not seeing things clearly… You’re just lucky little Pei Qingjian has a good temper, otherwise with someone like you…”
He let out two mocking laughs.
Lan Xingchen: … Okay, Pei Qingjian really does have a good temper.
Sweet, soft-hearted, and he likes him—Lan Xingchen couldn’t help but feel almost overly fortunate.
He smiled and nudged Shao Kang with his elbow. “My wife.”
Shao Kang froze for a moment, looking around. “Where? I don’t see anyone.”
Lan Xingchen: …
Lan Xingchen rolled his eyes. “I said my wife, not ‘little Pei Qingjian.’ That’s my wife.”
Shao Kang: ???
Lan Xingchen shook his head. “Well, talking to someone without a wife, you naturally wouldn’t understand.”
Shao Kang: ?????
Shao Kang thought this was absurd. He shouldn’t have bothered yesterday—letting the breakup slide—and now he’s saying this? Probably still wallowing in heartbreak!
“Hmph.” Shao Kang snorted and quickly headed toward his office.
Lan Xingchen watched him go, full of understanding and sympathy. After all, his wife was so wonderful, while Shao Kang didn’t even have a wife—quite a contrast.
That reminded him of the post he had made yesterday. Back in his office, he logged back onto the forum.
The fans online were eagerly waiting.
[Did the OP succeed in wooing his wife? Say something!]
[Looking at this, nine times out of ten, probably not. Seriously, with the OP this slow, how could it work?]
[Ahhh no BE! Must HE!]
[No way… the OP can’t really have successfully wooed his wife, right? I don’t believe it!]
Lan Xingchen: ???
He felt these people were just jealous. How could he not succeed in wooing his wife? With a wife this good, failure wasn’t an option!
He quickly replied to the post: [Thanks everyone, already successfully confessed and entered the observation period ^_^]
The responses came flying in:
[What!!! He really did succeed!]
[No way, the OP really has a wife now?!]
[Fake, right? Your wife’s just acting, waiting to kick you out for ‘unsatisfactory observation.’]
Lan Xingchen: !!!
“No malicious assumptions about my wife!” he scolded.
He added: [Stop talking nonsense. Yesterday we already slept in the same bed for close observation—hand-holding, hugging, kissing—and now my wife has decided to move back to conduct an in-person inspection ^_^]
Fans: ???
[What the hell kind of ‘inspection’ is that?!]
[Damn! You tricked the dog in! You two really know how to play!]
[Why is the OP so slow yet still has a wife? I’m smart and I don’t!]
[So sweet, so sweet! OP and his wife are so sweet, I ship it!]
[Ahhh HE! Happy, spinning, throwing confetti!]
[OP, remember to update us when the observation ends!]
[And the wedding! Make sure to tell us when you get married!]
[Ahhh I want the OP to post a photo, I bet his wife is gorgeous!]
[Of course, anyone who made the OP pick them as a fake boyfriend must be really good-looking!]
Lan Xingchen: No photos, impossible.
Still, he replied one last time: [She really is gorgeous. Super gorgeous. Not just gorgeous, everything about her is perfect ^_^]
Fans: !!!
[My god, OP you’re in love.]
[Front row watching the fool!]
[You wanted to just be friends before? Unbelievable!]
[Ahhh, curious how gorgeous she really is, I want to reach through the internet!]
[So sweet, ship them endlessly!]
Lan Xingchen had work to do, so after chatting with the fans for a while, he stopped replying.
He finished his work early, even before four, and left work early to pick up Pei Qingjian.
Seeing him at the door, Pei Qingjian noticed immediately. “Did you leave early?”
“No,” Lan Xingchen explained. “I didn’t take a lunch break, so I finished today’s work ahead of time.”
Hearing this, Pei Qingjian couldn’t help but feel concerned for him.
“Aren’t you tired?”
“Of course not,” Lan Xingchen said, brimming with energy.
He scooped Pei Qingjian up, lifting him completely off the ground.
“Where should we start moving first? How about starting with you?”
Pei Qingjian laughed, pushing his shoulder. “Start with the suitcase, not me.”
Move him?
Lan Xingchen smiled at him. “But I want to move you first.”
He said, “Other things can wait. We can always buy more, but you’re one of a kind. I need to move you back and keep you safe.”
Pei Qingjian felt a little shy. “Who taught you this?”
Lan Xingchen: “Learn it? Why? Isn’t it just what I think and feel?”
Pei Qingjian’s eyes curved into a smile.
“All right, later I’ll let you carry me again, but first help me get this suitcase downstairs.”
Lan Xingchen reluctantly put him down.
Together, they got the rest of the things into Lan Xingchen’s car.
Pei Qingjian closed the door and got in.
In just two short days, he had moved out of Lan Xingchen’s place, and now he was moving back in.
Same car, same luggage, same person—but the mood was entirely different.
Pei Qingjian rested his head against the window, watching the scenery fly by, feeling an inexplicable lightness in his chest.
The drive was quick. In less than half an hour, they arrived at Lan Xingchen’s building.
As soon as Pei Qingjian unbuckled his seatbelt, he heard Lan Xingchen say, “Don’t move.”
“Why?” he asked, puzzled.
Lan Xingchen didn’t answer verbally. He got out, walked around to Pei Qingjian’s side, and opened the door.
With a gentle hand, he lifted Pei Qingjian out of the car.
Pei Qingjian: ???!!!
Embarrassed, he said, “What are you doing? Put me down.”
“You promised I’d carry you back myself.”
“That doesn’t mean like this.”
Pei Qingjian glanced at the empty underground parking lot. It was deserted now, but who knew if someone might come by soon?
“Let me down first. Once we reach the door, then you can carry me.”
Lan Xingchen pouted slightly, unwilling to release him.
Pei Qingjian tugged at his coat. “Hurry up.”
Hearing that, Lan Xingchen could only reluctantly set him down.
Pei Qingjian went to the trunk, opened it, and took out his luggage.
Lan Xingchen joined him, carrying some of the boxes.
They rode the elevator up to the proper floor.
When the doors opened, Pei Qingjian stepped out first, standing by the door to wait for Lan Xingchen.
Lan Xingchen reached into his pocket and took out the key he had given Pei Qingjian before.
“Here.” He handed him the key and fixed his gaze on him. “No more giving this back.”
Pei Qingjian smiled, nodding gently.
He let go of the suitcase handle and opened his arms.
“Weren’t you going to carry me back? Go ahead.”
Lan Xingchen immediately put the suitcase down and scooped him up again.
Pei Qingjian couldn’t help laughing.
Lan Xingchen carried him all the way to the sofa before setting him down.
He bent slightly, eyes focused on Pei Qingjian sitting on the sofa.
Pei Qingjian found himself staring back, the air thick with unspoken tension.
“Is this okay?” Lan Xingchen asked.
Even though his words were vague, Pei Qingjian knew exactly what he meant.
He tilted his face up and closed his eyes softly.
Lan Xingchen cupped his face, and the next second, Pei Qingjian felt the sensation of petals landing on his lips.
“Welcome home,” Lan Xingchen whispered.
On his lips, near his ear, and in his heart.