Luo Xiao swiftly lifted his arms and, in a few quick motions, stripped off his black T-shirt, revealing a well-toned, sculpted torso.
At this point, any other man would probably expect or assume the situation would escalate—after all, a beautiful boy was already straddling him, and the words “take off your shirt” often carried obvious connotations.
But Luo Xiao didn’t.
It wasn’t that he was overly serious or trying to be virtuous—it was instinct. He just knew Wen Ran wasn’t trying to push things further.
Moreover, Luo Xiao was the kind of man who rarely, if ever, let his lower body dictate his actions.
He wanted to kiss Wen Ran, he was undeniably aroused, but he had no intention of actually taking things further—and he wouldn’t act on it.
If Wen Ran tried to drag him into bed right then, he would have left without hesitation, just like the boy who once tried to unzip him in the tent.
As expected, as soon as Luo Xiao removed his T-shirt, Wen Ran’s eyes roamed over him, inspecting every inch deliberately, almost tactilely.
“So beautiful,” Wen Ran murmured.
“This isn’t something built in a gym, right?” he added, fingers hovering and lightly brushing over Luo Xiao’s chest.
“I don’t need the gym,” Luo Xiao replied, ignoring the teasing touch. His eyes darkened, throat working as he spoke.
“Climbing, hiking…all that’s enough exercise.”
That explained why his body looked so natural and fluid, not stiff or artificial.
Wen Ran was awestruck, clearly captivated. His gaze followed the contours of Luo Xiao’s shoulders, chest, and defined abs, every inch seeming like a masterpiece to him.
He couldn’t resist leaning down to kiss Luo Xiao’s shoulder.
Inside, Luo Xiao let out a silent sigh—any normal man would be overwhelmed by this kind of intimacy. His body was already reacting, yet despite it, he didn’t let his hands roam over Wen Ran. They hung at his sides, controlled.
Wen Ran then cupped Luo Xiao’s face, pressing light, gentle kisses to his nose, lips, and mouth corners. As he kissed, he murmured praises: “You’re so good.”
“Has anyone kissed you like this before?” he asked softly.
“No,” Luo Xiao replied, his head lifted, dark eyes half-lidded as he stared at Wen Ran.
He asked in return, “Have you kissed anyone like this before?”
“You’re the first,” Wen Ran said, continuing to kiss him. “It’s because of you that I do this.”
“Not afraid I’m a bad man?” Luo Xiao teased.
Wen Ran giggled, warm breath tickling Luo Xiao’s cheek: “Afraid? I’m betting, aren’t I? Whether I win or not…depends entirely on you.”
Luo Xiao laughed, his chest shaking slightly. “What if you lose?”
“I’ll bite you.”
Playfully, Wen Ran nipped Luo Xiao’s lips lightly, the tiniest pressure from his teeth leaving an electric thrill.
The tiny bite felt like a playful nip from a kitten, and Luo Xiao couldn’t help but laugh.
“Do you always have to talk like that?” he muttered, his body still tense from arousal.
Wen Ran’s smile grew wider, teasing: “You’re really big.”
“Have you… been with anyone before?”
“No.”
Wen Ran kept kissing him, small kitten-like nips, murmuring with each kiss: “Why not?”
Luo Xiao squinted through his half-lidded eyes, his voice low and husky: “Because I never met you before.”
Wen Ran giggled, body trembling lightly.
“And you?” Luo Xiao asked.
“Guess.”
Then, teasing with the tip of his tongue, Wen Ran lightly licked Luo Xiao’s upper lip.
“Don’t do that,” Luo Xiao breathed, then added, “Since you want me to guess… it must be no.”
“And if it were yes?” Wen Ran teased, forehead to forehead, nose to nose.
“No,” Luo Xiao said firmly.
“Why not?”
“Instinct,” Luo Xiao replied, throat rolling as he struggled with the heat and the closeness—Wen Ran was intoxicating, lips and tongue soft and pressing against him.
He wanted Wen Ran to move, yet also didn’t want him to. Heat ran across his exposed skin in a thin sheen of sweat.
Wen Ran chuckled softly, kissing his lips again as he murmured, “Do you like me?”
“Yes.”
“How much?”
“Ten thousand.”
“Really or lying?”
“Really.”
“What do you like about me?”
“You’re beautiful,” Luo Xiao said honestly. “And you’re brave.”
“I also like that you’re the one kissing me first.”
“Do you want… me?” Wen Ran asked boldly.
“Not now,” Luo Xiao replied. “For now, not.”
Wen Ran laughed brightly, like he’d just heard the funniest thing in the world. With that, he slid off Luo Xiao, voice and body returning to normal: “Wanna watch a movie?”
“Sure,” Luo Xiao said, feeling the weight lift from him, though he still lingered on the warmth of their earlier intimacy. He picked up his shirt, put it back on, and grabbed a cup of water from the coffee table.
Wen Ran, already holding the remote, asked: “Any movie you want to watch?”
“Anything’s fine.”
Wen Ran scrolled through, surprising Luo Xiao by picking Interstellar.
He moved the coffee table aside, sat on the carpeted floor, patting the space next to him. Luo Xiao joined him, and they sat close, watching the movie—helicopters of drones chased across fields by the lead character and his children.
“Seen this before?” Wen Ran murmured.
“No,” Luo Xiao said. He rarely watched movies, even popular ones.
“It’s okay. Not boring. If you don’t like it, we can pick another,” Wen Ran said, focused.
Luo Xiao noticed how Wen Ran could switch gears instantly: from playful and teasing to quiet and concentrated. This confirmed his earlier instinct—bringing him home wasn’t about rushing intimacy.
They watched the film quietly for most of the afternoon.
At some point, Wen Ran rested his head on Luo Xiao’s shoulder, arm brushing against him. Luo Xiao didn’t move, only adjusted slightly to make him comfortable.
Both their phones buzzed repeatedly—messages from friends asking if they were dating, shocked and teasing—but neither paid attention.
When Wen Ran finally glanced at them, he simply muted the notifications and returned to sketching at the dining table, capturing Luo Xiao’s half-naked form with uncanny realism.
Dinner was a simple three dishes and a soup, all cooked by Luo Xiao. Wen Ran was pleasantly surprised: “You cook this well!?”
“Delicious!”
Luo Xiao accepted the praise quietly, though he rarely cooked for anyone—this was unusual even for him.
Wen Ran was different. Beautiful, bold, and magnetic—he liked him. Liked him a lot.
After the meal, Luo Xiao prepared to leave. He didn’t let Wen Ran drive him; he walked out on his own.
At the front door, Wen Ran teased: “Weren’t you curious which floor my room was? Leaving so early?”
“Someone said I couldn’t go to the third floor today,” Luo Xiao replied, smirking.
At the door, they stopped, exchanged glances. Luo Xiao leaned down slightly, and Wen Ran immediately understood, lips twitching in a shy, upward curve. He leaned in, brushing Luo Xiao’s cheek softly: “Bye, be safe on the way.”
“I’ll come find you tomorrow,” he added.
“I won’t be around,” Luo Xiao teased back.
Wen Ran glared, but Luo Xiao suddenly tilted his head, pressing a kiss to his forehead: “I’ll wait for you.”
Wen Ran’s heart leapt, a blush climbing his ears—small, perfect joys of love, pure and intoxicating.
Ah—he liked him. So much.