Chapter 151
Perhaps only in this place could Su Bin muster the courage to say such things.
Here, there were only the two of them. Apart from himself, no one else could see Ellen—he was someone who belonged solely to him.
With a possessiveness that he couldn’t suppress, Su Bin lay on Ellen, wrapping his limbs tightly around him. He closed his eyes, listening to the rhythm of Allen’s heartbeat.
Suddenly, Su Bin felt a tightening around him—Allen’s arms pulled him closer with a strength that seemed to press against his very core. Allen’s chin brushed against Su Bin’s hair, his lips pressing gentle kisses to Su Bin’s earlobe. His heartbeat quickened, and his breathing grew heavier.
Before Su Bin could utter a word, his body was flipped and pinned back onto the bed!
Seriously? They had just… and Allen was already—
The man hovered over him, his piercing gaze locked onto Su Bin. In the flickering candlelight, his handsome face was filled with overwhelming affection.
Finally hearing the words he had longed for, Allen’s heart swelled with emotion.
Little fool, are you still too shy to confess to me in English?
Su Bin stared back at him, dazed. A thought involuntarily crossed his mind: Do you like me too?
He voiced the question in Chinese, knowing Allen wouldn’t understand. He didn’t expect an answer—he simply murmured the words as if talking to himself.
Allen’s lips curled into a smile, a confidence in his expression that made Su Bin feel, for a fleeting moment, that Allen understood him perfectly.
Whether Allen understood or not, his response was the same: he kissed him deeply.
I’ll wait patiently for you to give yourself to me completely.
Though his movements appeared gentle, Allen’s kisses carried a passion that was anything but restrained. Su Bin felt as if Allen wanted to consume him entirely.
What happened next was inevitable. In such an atmosphere, no one could hold back.
They gave in to each other again, as if there were no tomorrow.
This place seemed to possess a magical quality, drawing out emotions effortlessly. No words were needed. A glance, a breath of the shared air, was enough to convey what was in their hearts.
You in me, and I in you.
Su Bin thought to himself, It’s fine if Allen knows how I feel. He’s so smart—he must’ve known I liked him for a while now.
After all, his actions had made it obvious—clinging to Allen and asking for “more.”
But Allen seemed afraid, too, a bit flustered. How strange it was to think that someone like Allen could have fears.
By the end, Su Bin’s voice was hoarse, and his body felt like it had fallen apart. He lay sprawled on the bed, unable to move even a finger. The alcohol in his system had turned into heat and sweat, evaporating into the air.
His mind was still foggy, thoughts sticking together like paste.
Allen seemed to murmur something in his ear, but Su Bin couldn’t catch it. Instead, he fell asleep to the sound of Allen’s deep, magnetic voice.
The next morning, Su Bin woke to a dim room. He squinted at the glass ceiling above, now blanketed with snow. The light was so muted it felt like twilight.
“You’re awake?” Allen greeted him with a morning kiss. “Merry Christmas…”
Was it just Su Bin’s imagination, or was Allen’s tone and expression softer than usual, enough to drown him in tenderness?
“What do you want to eat? I’ll make breakfast,” Su Bin murmured, his face red as he nuzzled against Ellen.
“It’s already afternoon,” Allen chuckled. “You slept the entire morning. Tired from last night?”
Su Bin: “…”
In this timeless place, Su Bin had long lost track of day and night.
They lingered in bed a while longer before finally getting up. Su Bin added wood to the fireplace while Allen opened the heat pipes in the ceiling to melt the snow.
In the kitchen, Su Bin climbed onto the counter to peer out of a small, high-placed window. Outside, the world was a dazzling expanse of white, snow covering everything in sight. The scenery was so breathtaking it felt unreal.
“Ellen, let’s go out and take a look!” Su Bin turned excitedly to Ellen.
Allen smiled, nodding as he lifted Su Bin off the counter.
They donned snow boots and thick coats before heading out. Allen unlocked the door and led Su Bin into the wintry expanse.
The world outside was pure white. Snow reached up to their calves, blanketing the barren landscape in an endless expanse of untouched beauty. The ground, like a massive mirror, reflected the soft light of the sky, dazzlingly bright.
Su Bin trudged through the snow, leaving a trail of footprints behind. Allen followed with a gentle smile, watching Su Bin flit about like a bird released from its cage.
Every few steps, Su Bin glanced back, hesitant to stray too far from Ellen. Only after confirming Allen was close did he relax and fully immerse himself in the joy of the moment.
Snow was a rarity in Hangzhou. Su Bin had only experienced it once before, three years ago during his first year of university.
That rare snowfall, a once-in-a-decade event, had disrupted transportation during the Spring Festival but brought carefree students like him endless joy.
He remembered attending a reunion with his high school friends during that winter break. After dinner and karaoke, they’d gone to their old high school’s field to have a snowball fight.
That day, there were about a dozen of them—Chen Xiaotian, Huang Zhengming, and Guo Li among them—and they all played wildly.
Su Bin vividly remembered exchanging snowball volleys with Huang Zhengming for what felt like ages. Meanwhile, Chen Xiaotian was building a snowman with two other girls. Su Bin had wanted to join them, but Huang Zhengming pulled him back, stuffing snow down the back of his neck. The icy chill made him yelp as they continued their snowball battle.
Just as they were fully immersed in their fight, Guo Li ambushed them both, landing a hit on each. Laughing, Su Bin and Huang Zhengming called a truce, teaming up to take down Guo Li together.
Chen Xiaotian watched from afar, her laughter ringing through the air.
That day, everyone’s smiles were genuine, their joy palpable and real. It felt so close, as though it were still happening right in front of him.
The memory tugged at Su Bin’s heart, and he found himself missing them.
He shook his head, trying to dispel the sentiment, and turned his gaze toward Allen in the distance.
Allen wasn’t the kind of person who would join him in a snowball fight or run wild through the snow. Instead, he strolled leisurely, leaving careful footprints in the pristine snow. From time to time, he stopped, squinting at the sky as he extended his hand to catch falling snowflakes.
Allen seemed less like a man of the mortal world and more like a creator of the earth itself, as though all of this had been brought into existence at his whim.
His presence was so extraordinary that it often felt surreal.
“Ellen!” Su Bin called out loudly, his voice echoing in the snowy expanse.
But the snow, an excellent sound absorber, swallowed the shout instantly. In this open, echo-less field, his voice seemed weak and powerless.
Startled by how quickly his voice vanished, Su Bin rushed back and flung himself into Allen’s arms, holding him tightly.
“What’s wrong?” Allen asked, his tone steady as always.
Su Bin didn’t know why, but a sudden fear of losing Allen had gripped him.
He raised his eyes, lips trembling slightly, and said, “Let’s go back.”
Allen raised a brow. “We’ve only just come out. Had enough already?”
“I’m afraid you’ll get cold,” Su Bin insisted.
“I’m fine,” Allen replied.
Still, Su Bin shook his head stubbornly. “Let’s go back. I feel a little cold too.”
Allen hesitated for a moment, then said, “Alright.”
The blankets in the bedroom were still messy from earlier. After stoking the fire for warmth and having a quick meal, the two of them returned to bed. Snuggled under the covers, they watched the snow atop the skylight slowly melt away, revealing the bright sky.
But the brightness didn’t last long before the sky darkened once more. Night had fallen.
Su Bin drifted into sleep, but it wasn’t peaceful. He had a nightmare in which Allen left him, just as Chen Xiaotian had once abandoned him, walking away without so much as a backward glance. No matter how desperately he called out, Allen couldn’t hear him.
Then he realized it wasn’t that Allen couldn’t hear him—it was that he couldn’t make a sound. He was standing in the snow, voiceless and helpless, his silent screams filled with despair.
“Su Bin… Su Bin!”
Allen’s voice pulled him back to reality. He woke with a start, drenched in cold sweat.
“A nightmare?” Allen asked, looking at him with concern.
Su Bin stared blankly at the man before him. As his senses returned, he murmured pitifully, “Lance…”
Allen kissed him, stroking his back and soothing him with a gentle voice. “I’m here. Don’t be afraid.”
I’ll never leave you. Not ever.
Because when I leave this world, I’ll take you with me.
Su Bin nuzzled against Allen’s chest, whispering silently in his heart: I’m sorry, Ellen.
I’m sorry—it’s not that I don’t trust you.
I’m sorry—the thought of death separating us terrifies me more than betrayal ever could.
I’m sorry, Ellen—I can’t bear to be alone with only you.
In the days that followed, the snow showed no signs of stopping. By the time they opened the door, the snow outside had piled up to their knees. The middle-aged man who delivered their food hadn’t come for two days.
Su Bin grew anxious. It had nearly been 14 days, and he worried the snow would block the roads, preventing Robert from even getting a car through.
Meanwhile, Allen remained unbothered, sitting by the fire with a book in hand, sipping tea without a care in the world.
Su Bin sidled up to him and asked, “If this keeps up, won’t we get buried alive by the snow?”
Allen replied calmly, “Then we’ll just sleep and wake up next spring.”
For a moment, Su Bin was stunned by Allen’s deadpan delivery before realizing he was joking.
“I’m not a snake! If I hibernate like that, I’ll be dead by spring!” Su Bin exclaimed.
Allen glanced at him with amusement. “Are you afraid of death?”
“Of course I am! Aren’t you?” Su Bin retorted.
Allen shrugged. “Why should I be?”
“But you don’t want to die either!” Su Bin argued.
“That’s true,” Allen admitted. “I enjoy living, so I cherish my time alive. But I don’t fear death. Death itself is insignificant to us—when we exist, death has not yet come. And when death comes, we no longer exist.”
“But… but…” Su Bin wanted to argue further, but Allen’s reasoning left him speechless.
