Long legs, high looks, and a confession wrapped in dominance—who wouldn’t be over the moon?
And then, add one last lethal factor: *Xiao Yao himself.*
It was enough to send Ti Xiao’s brain into overload.
How could he *not* agree?
But—he was a coward. His brain was always full of drama, scenarios, and wild thoughts, yet when the moment actually arrived, he was utterly speechless. He didn’t even know *what* to say.
*Useless! Useless!* Ti Xiao cursed himself internally.
Xiao Yao had one leg braced against the wall, effectively trapping Ti Xiao in the corner. His arms were crossed, his gaze intense.
With his towering height, he was already looking down at Ti Xiao, but combined with his stern expression, he looked exactly like a mafia boss demanding an answer—like he’d resort to *”say yes or get beat up”* if necessary.
But when Ti Xiao didn’t respond for a long time, Xiao Yao frowned again. The heat in his head hadn’t faded, and frustration brewed in his chest.
Retracting his leg from the wall, he turned and *kicked* Ti Xiao’s door shut.
Then, without warning, he scooped Ti Xiao up in his arms.
And just like that—he *carried him away*.
A real-life abduction.
“Ah!” Ti Xiao yelped. The sudden change in height made him instinctively cling to Xiao Yao.
Arms wrapped around his neck, legs locked around his waist—the position was downright scandalous.
Xiao Yao held him securely with one arm, the other fumbling to unlock and switch on the lights.
The moment the room lit up, a terrifying realization hit Ti Xiao.
*Wait.*
*Wasn’t I… still streaming?!*
Looks like his fans would have to wait a while for the punchline to that joke.
How long?
Well—that depended on Xiao Yao’s stamina.
—
This wasn’t Ti Xiao’s first time at Xiao Yao’s place. Lately, he had practically spent half his time here. He knew the layout by heart—he even knew where Xiao Yao kept his socks.
But *this time*, something felt different.
So *this* was what the world looked like from a tall person’s perspective… How the hell did Xiao Yao even grow this tall? What was he *eating*?
At a time like this, Ti Xiao’s mind *should* have been panicking about the situation, but instead, it was off on some completely random tangent.
Meanwhile, Xiao Yao—though slightly drunk—still had the presence of mind to take off his shoes at the entrance, stepping onto the wooden floor in his socks. The thudding of his footsteps echoed through the quiet room.
Ti Xiao clung to him even tighter, as if afraid of falling. He kept his gaze fixed ahead, avoiding Xiao Yao’s eyes, but his uneven breathing betrayed him, every breath warm against Xiao Yao’s skin.
Wait.
*This isn’t the way to the couch.*
*This is the way to Xiao Yao’s bedroom.*
The moment they crossed the threshold, Ti Xiao caught sight of the bed.
And instantly, his brain exploded.
A lifetime of *”boys’ love fiction and theoretical knowledge”* flashed before his eyes like a cinematic reel. Years of *driving the metaphorical car* and reading *”100 Positions for Male Couples”* had all been burned into his memory—
—and now, they were all *playing out in vivid detail*.
His face turned beet red.
It wasn’t like he hadn’t *thought* about it before.
He’d dreamt about it.
He’d *written* about it.
But now that it was *actually happening*—
*Oh f**k, I’m not ready!*
His mind was in total chaos. His thoughts had even started spiraling to *”Wait, does it hurt the first time?”* when—
Xiao Yao suddenly *stopped walking*.
Then, to Ti Xiao’s complete shock, he *carefully* crouched down and gently set him on the floor.
Then—he plopped onto the bed himself.
**Meow, meow, meow?**
Why wasn’t this going according to the script?!
Ti Xiao was completely dumbfounded. He didn’t know whether to stand or sit. His slippers had fallen off somewhere in Xiao Yao’s living room, so now he could only awkwardly curl his toes against his socks, staring down at the tiny bear pattern on them.
Xiao Yao sat on the bed, one hand resting on his forehead, his elbow propped on his knee. He *looked* like he was deep in thought, but in reality, his mind was a complete mess.
*Confession at the door—check. Dramatic abduction—check. Brought him home—check…*
*Wait. Wasn’t there something missing?*
Through his fingers, his gaze landed on the pair of gray knitted socks in front of him. The little bear embroidered on them seemed to move ever so slightly.
“Come here.”
Xiao Yao’s voice broke the silence.
Ti Xiao’s head snapped up. He saw Xiao Yao reaching out both hands toward him, his expression soft, eyes curved in a way that sent a direct hit to his chest.
His face burned.
He lowered his head again, hesitating for a moment before slowly walking forward.
Before he even reached Xiao Yao, he was *yanked* forward and landed firmly on Xiao Yao’s lap.
The moment he sat down, he was enveloped in a strong, warm embrace.
His teeth and lips accidentally bumped into the frame of Xiao Yao’s glasses.
It *hurt* a little.
But… it was kind of *sweet*, too.
A hot breath brushed against his neck—warm, ticklish, intoxicating. His heartbeat spiked until it felt like it might burst.
“Your heart is beating so fast,” Xiao Yao murmured.
Ti Xiao *froze*.
*Of course it is!* Whose fault did he think that was?!
“Relax, I’m not going to eat you.” Xiao Yao chuckled, pinching his cheek. Soft. Plush. *Very* nice to the touch. “I can’t even see you properly right now.”
Ti Xiao blinked in confusion before realizing—his breath had fogged up Xiao Yao’s glasses. The lenses were now completely white and blurry.
The sight was so ridiculous that Ti Xiao couldn’t hold it in anymore—he burst out laughing. The tension from earlier evaporated in an instant as he reached out to wipe Xiao Yao’s glasses.
“You’re like a kid. Can’t even wipe them yourself?”
Just as Xiao Yao’s vision cleared, he spoke again:
“Aren’t you going to kiss me?”
Instantly—*all* the tension came rushing back.
Ti Xiao’s entire body stiffened.
Xiao Yao’s lips had a natural fullness to them, and after drinking, they were even more flushed, carrying a hint of warmth. His mouth curved slightly—almost as if it was always smiling—sending out a silent invitation.
Ti Xiao swallowed.
*Should… should I kiss him?*
But… what *were* they right now?
Xiao Yao hadn’t even *properly* confessed to him. Did this count as *being together*? And he was drunk—what if he didn’t even *remember* this tomorrow?
*Ah, whatever! If I don’t take advantage of this, I’m a fool!*
Ti Xiao took a deep breath, gathered all his courage, and leaned in—
And just as his lips were about to land, Xiao Yao suddenly let go of him.
Ti Xiao was left sitting there, lips still *puckered*.
“You wait here,” Xiao Yao said with a sly smile before standing up and walking out of the room.
—
*XIAO YAO, YOU ABSOLUTE BASTARD.*
Ti Xiao’s face burned red as he clenched his fists, both hands resting on his knees. The courage he had mustered up just a moment ago had been *completely shattered*.
*You better not think I’m ever kissing you again! I swear, even if I die, I won’t—*
When Xiao Yao came back, he was holding a hairbrush and a hair tie.
Ti Xiao, still fuming, turned his face away, refusing to acknowledge him.
“Turn your face back,” Xiao Yao said.
…And the second Ti Xiao heard his voice, he *immediately* surrendered, his face still red as he begrudgingly turned back—cursing himself for being so spineless.
Xiao Yao crouched in front of him.
For a moment, the scene overlapped with that night—when Ti Xiao had been sick, and Xiao Yao had knelt down to put a hat on his head.
But back then, his eyes had been filled with worry.
And now—
They were filled with *something else entirely*.
The faint scent of snow slipped into the air.
As the teeth of the comb ran gently through his hair, the sensation felt magnified—every little movement, every little sound, even the faint laughter of snowflakes falling outside, seemed crystal clear.
Something cool pressed against his forehead, bouncing slightly. Ti Xiao reached up and touched it—
A tiny ponytail.
Xiao Yao had gathered his bangs and tied them into a small tuft on top of his head.
“Hmm,” Xiao Yao mused, flicking the little tuft with a finger. “When I first met you…”
He tilted his head slightly, an impish smile on his lips.
“You looked just like this. *Little Sprout.*”
The man crouching in front of him looked up with a smile that reached the corners of his eyes. His fondness was clear and unfiltered, so pure that there was no room for doubt—only sincerity, through and through.
People say that snow has no scent, that whatever you smell is simply the fragrance of your own heart.
If that were true, then from the very beginning, Ti Xiao had smelled *love*.
“You… You haven’t even confessed to me yet,” Ti Xiao mumbled.
But Xiao Yao acted as if he hadn’t heard a thing. Instead, he pulled Ti Xiao back into his arms, letting him sit on his lap, cupping his face with both hands. Then, with a quiet reverence, he pressed a kiss to Ti Xiao’s smooth forehead.
A soft “mwah” echoed in the snowy night—like a flower blooming gently in the cold.
“Be with me, won’t you?” Xiao Yao asked, cradling Ti Xiao like a precious treasure—too afraid to let go, yet hesitant to hold too tightly, as if a single touch could melt him away. His fingers pinched Ti Xiao’s soft cheeks, itching to take a bite but restraining himself.
“No…” Ti Xiao stammered, feeling even more embarrassed now that his bangs weren’t there to shield his forehead. “You haven’t even said you like me. I won’t be with you.”
His words sounded firm, but his whole body was already melting into Xiao Yao’s embrace.
Xiao Yao was probably *a little* drunk. He completely ignored Ti Xiao’s protests, rambling on in his own world.
“Be with me, okay? I thought you were cute the first time I saw you—so cute that I wanted to bring you home.”
“The way you eat is especially cute too. Just watching you eat makes me happy. At first, I thought it’d be enough just to have meals with you. But then I got greedy. I wanted to see you all the time, wanted you in every part of my life.”
“I want to be with you. I want to kiss you, hug you, hear you say my name in all kinds of ways, in all kinds of voices.”
“I’ve never liked anyone before. You’re the first and only one. I’ll be good to you, I promise. If you want the stars, I’ll give them to you.”
Normally so reserved, Xiao Yao was suddenly *overflowing* with words—one romantic line after another, each more heart-stirring than the last.
But still, not a single *proper* confession.
Ti Xiao’s face was turning redder by the second. But he was stubborn—if Xiao Yao wasn’t going to say it, he wasn’t going to back down. “Fine. I want a star. Give me one.”
“Look at me.” Xiao Yao cupped Ti Xiao’s face again, pressing their foreheads together. “Look into my eyes.”
When you fall for someone, their eyelashes tremble like the flutter of a butterfly, their gaze shimmers like a sky full of stars.
Xiao Yao whispered, “Do you see it?”
Ti Xiao met his gaze. Xiao Yao’s long lashes quivered slightly, and the light in his eyes flickered like tiny galaxies spilling over.
“Do you see it?” Xiao Yao asked again. “Isn’t it beautiful?”
God, this man was *shameless*—using his good looks like a weapon. Ti Xiao huffed and muttered, “Yeah, it’s beautiful.”
Xiao Yao grinned, pinching Ti Xiao’s face a few more times. “You’re adorable. Can I kiss you?”
Here we go *again*.
Ti Xiao remembered what he had sworn earlier:
*”Even if I suffocate, I will never kiss you!”*
But… technically, *this* was Xiao Yao asking to kiss *him*.
Which… wasn’t exactly the same as what he had sworn…
And honestly… it didn’t sound *that* bad…
Just as he was about to say “okay,” Xiao Yao suddenly cut in—
“When are you going to show me your comics?”
