Chapter 55
The next morning, Ye Zhi didn’t see Huo Youqiao come downstairs. He didn’t dare to go up and check on him, so he simply prepared a larger breakfast and left ingredients for lunch before heading to work. After finishing his morning shift, he quickly left the office and took the circular line back home.
He wanted to prepare lunch for Huo Youqiao.
Upon entering the house, the familiar scent of pheromones still lingered in the air, reminding Ye Zhi of the fantasies that had occupied his mind the previous night, making him somewhat uneasy.
Ye Zhi hurried to the kitchen to make lunch as quickly as possible. Summoning his courage, he finally went upstairs. He had barely reached the staircase when he saw Huo Youqiao smoking on the balcony.
Huo Youqiao did smoke, but not heavily—only two or three cigarettes a day—so Ye Zhi rarely saw him smoking. At this moment, he was sitting in a chair, showing only half of his profile. The smoke swirled around his face, accentuating his features, making Ye Zhi’s heart race. He was momentarily speechless.
Huo Youqiao noticed him first. He immediately stubbed out his cigarette in the ashtray and stood up. “You’re back early?”
Ye Zhi had left a note saying he would return at noon to make lunch, so Huo Youqiao wasn’t surprised to see him.
Ye Zhi replied, “Yes, big brother, I’ve made lunch. Are you hungry?”
Huo Youqiao smiled, “Just in time, I’m hungry.”
His cheeks were still slightly flushed, and as he approached, the overwhelming scent of pheromones assaulted Ye Zhi’s senses. In that instant, Ye Zhi held his breath, fearing any sign of his inner turmoil. Despite his efforts to remain calm, he couldn’t maintain his composure. As they walked downstairs together, he missed a step and stumbled forward.
The man in front of him caught him.
Strong arms wrapped around his waist, another hand bracing his back. Ye Zhi’s nose brushed against Huo Youqiao’s chest, and the very scent he tried to avoid flooded his senses, filling his lungs and spreading heat through his body, making his heart race wildly.
A wave of shame washed over him as he quickly tried to regain his footing, pushing against Huo Youqiao but failing to break free. Instead, the arms around his waist tightened.
Huo Youqiao’s voice, strained and a bit hoarse, commanded, “Don’t move.”
Ye Zhi froze, not daring to move.
The susceptibility period often triggered sexual impulses, something that even inhibitors couldn’t fully suppress, hence the need for home isolation and rest. For most people, this period might only cause some irritability, but Huo Youqiao’s ongoing fever indicated his symptoms were more severe.
This was a consequence of prolonged abstinence.
Ye Zhi hadn’t fully understood this until he discreetly researched it online the previous night, gaining more insight into the matter. Hearing Huo Youqiao’s unusual breathing, feeling his excessive heat, and even sensing the bulge below his waist, Ye Zhi blushed, realizing how serious Huo Youqiao’s condition was to be so out of control.
“You shouldn’t have come back.” The raspy voice sounded again above his head, not accusing, just stating a fact.
Ye Zhi was flustered, whispering, “I-I didn’t mean to. I just thought… I’d come back to make you lunch.”
Huo Youqiao asked, “To repay me for ordering takeout for you last time?”
That wasn’t the real reason. Ye Zhi wanted to repay him, but this time wasn’t about equivalent exchange. He simply couldn’t bear the thought of Huo Youqiao having no lunch at home, so he came back without hesitation. He would do it every day if necessary.
But such an answer would reveal too much of his inappropriate feelings, so Ye Zhi quietly murmured, “Yes,” adding softly, “I thought… I wouldn’t affect you…”
He was, after all, a man and not particularly attractive. Even if in heat, he wouldn’t likely be seen as a release outlet.
Much less arouse any desire.
Upon hearing this, the arm around his waist stiffened, then gradually relaxed, finally releasing Ye Zhi.
Ye Zhi sensed the turmoil within Huo Youqiao, felt his effort to control himself. His mind in a whirl, Ye Zhi suddenly looked up, meeting Huo Youqiao’s gaze, and with a surge of courage, asked, “Do you need my… help?”