Chapter 136

The security system in the community automatically opened the gate as it scanned the license plate, allowing the car to drive directly to a small villa. Huo Youqiao opened the car door, stretched out his long arms, and directly lifted Ye Zhi, who was still wrapped in the coat, out of the car. Then, he said to the driver, “Come pick me up tomorrow morning, thank you.”

Using his fingerprint to unlock the door, the motion sensor lights inside the house lit up as Huo Youqiao carried Ye Zhi to the couch.

Knowing that Huo Youqiao didn’t take him home, Ye Zhi remained stiff, sitting on the couch and tightly clutching the coat, afraid of being exposed in his disheveled state. But Huo Youqiao didn’t attempt to take it off him; after placing him down, he left. Ye Zhi heard the door opening, then closing, followed by the sound of water. After a short while, Huo Youqiao returned and without a word, lifted him up and guided him in a direction before setting him down and making sure he stood steadily.

“This is the bathroom, the hot water is ready, take a shower,” Huo Youqiao’s voice was steady, with a magnetic quality that could ensnare anyone. “Come out after you finish, and whatever you need, I’ll provide.”

Ye Zhi was stunned, finally raising his head. His eyes, reddened from crying, peeked out from the collar of the coat.

Meeting his gaze, Huo Youqiao’s tone became solemn. “I promise.”

While waiting for Ye Zhi to shower, Huo Youqiao smoked three cigarettes.

He thought about a lot of things during those three cigarettes.

From their first meeting to the red-eyed farewell tonight, each avoidance, each restraint, didn’t dissipate those feelings but rather intensified them under suppression.

Even his rationality and morality couldn’t suppress them anymore.

He no longer wanted to suppress them.

When the bathroom door opened, Huo Youqiao immediately looked over. There were no clothes prepared for Ye Zhi to change into, so when he came out, he was wearing Huo Youqiao’s bathrobe, which was too big for him, almost dragging on the floor.

It was only in this bathrobe’s contrast that Huo Youqiao noticed Ye Zhi had become much thinner, so thin that his chin was pointed, and his eyeballs seemed slightly protruding.

The two locked eyes, neither moving, even their breathing softened, until the doorbell rang, snapping Huo Youqiao back to reality. He stood up and said, “I’ll go get something.”

Ye Zhi mechanically nodded, “Okay…”

He sat on the edge of the bed, hugging the bathrobe, and listened closely to Huo Youqiao’s conversation with someone, who seemed to be delivering takeout. Soon, the front door closed, and Huo Youqiao returned.

He was holding a bag with a floral pattern, and Ye Zhi couldn’t see what was inside. Huo Youqiao appeared much more relaxed than before. He took out a bottle of water and a box of medicine from the bag, opened the medicine box, removed a pill, and unscrewed the bottle cap, offering them to Ye Zhi. “You got caught in the rain, you might catch a cold. Take a cold medicine first.”

Ye Zhi obediently took the medicine, but his heart sank slowly until Huo Youqiao bent down and said to him, “I’m going to take a shower, it won’t take long, wait for me.”

Ye Zhi’s heartbeat quickened slightly.

Indeed, the man showered quickly, and the bathroom door opened again in less than ten minutes, releasing some steam before being closed by Huo Youqiao.

When Ye Zhi’s gaze fell on him, he felt flustered.

Huo Youqiao wasn’t wearing clothes, only a pair of boxer briefs. Ye Zhi had never seen him exposed like this before, despite their intimacy. Even though he worked in an office setting, his physique was still impressive, with slight chest and abdominal muscles, broad shoulders, long legs, narrow waist, and not a hint of excess fat on his abdomen.

Certain areas appeared particularly large.

Ye Zhi’s face quickly turned red. He desperately wanted to convince himself that Huo Youqiao’s actions might not mean what he thought. Therefore, he didn’t initiate a conversation. However, upon seeing what else was in the bag, the blush spread to his ears.

He had initially thought the bag only contained medicine and water, but now he saw that it also contained condoms and lubricant.