“Jin-ge, why did you block my number?” A cheerful voice rang from the phone, filling the silent air in Fang Yaowei’s condominium.

“I do not wish to be acquainted with you. Is it not obvious?” Chen Jinxuan sighed lightly under his breath. He looked at Fang Yaowei whose face was scrunched into a scowl. Fang Yaowei picked up his spoon and started stirring his fried rice as he threw glances at Chen Jinxuan’s phone.

“But shouldn’t you repay me for that strike that I took on behalf of your sister? A CEO of the esteemed Xiuyan Real Estate wouldn’t be so petty-minded, would you?”

“What do you want?” Chen Jinxuan asked, turning his gaze to the meal Fang Yaowei had prepared. He took up his spoon, scooping a part of the fried rice. Fang Yaowei’s eyes turned to Chen Jinxuan’s spoon. Then, he turned his expectant gaze to Chen Jinxuan.

“Actually… Jin-ge… I hope you do not get angry when you hear it later. Jin-ge, I have a request.” It was not known if Qiyu was doing it on purpose or not, he seemed to be stalling for whatever reason. “Ah, I hear the sound of TV, are you occupied?”

“...Do you even care if I am occupied or not?” Chen Jinxuan sighed as he set his spoon down.

Fang Yaowei hunched his back, pouting slightly when he saw Chen Jinxuan set down the spoon. He stopped stirring the food and set the spoon down too. He kept his hostile stare at the phone in Chen Jinxuan’s grip.

“Jin-ge, don’t be so cold. If you remain this way, you will stay single forever. Such a shame for someone as talented and as good-looking as you—”

“Excuse you, he is taken.” Fang Yaowei snarled at the phone.

“Jin-ge… You are…”

“Of course, he is!” Fang Yaowei hissed, earning an astonished and questioning look from Chen Jinxuan. After blurting it out, Fang Yaowei regretted it a bit. He hated that questioning look from his older lover, but he could not help but feel that whoever it was on the phone was flirting with his beloved. He was not wrong to be jealous! Jin-ge this, Jin-ge that… Chen Jinxuan didn’t even want to talk to that person and even blocked his number!

“Why is he still bugging you when you have blocked him…” Fang Yaowei pouted as he scooped a spoon of fried rice into his mouth. With his mood ruined, even his best menu tasted bland. He wondered who that person was, and he wondered how that man met Chen Jinxuan as well as why Chen Jinxuan gave that person his number, then blocked him. Chen Jinxuan was not the type to do that to someone who he was indebted with. Just who was this man to make his boyfriend feel so repulsive?

“Spill it or I will hang up.” Clearly, Chen Jinxuan was equally annoyed.

“Alright, alright!” Qiyu’s tone became serious. “You mentioned that your sister will want to thank me properly… I… Can I know her name?”

Chen Jinxuan took a deep breath. “Should I say that you are courageous, or should I say you are shameless? How dare you even wish to hit on her.”

“Jin-ge, if I do not try, am I a man?” Qiyu pleaded. “Can I have her phone number?”

“Qiyu, you think I will let you get close to her?”

“Why not?!”

Hearing the shameless man speak, Fang Yaowei rolled his eyes. This man knew nothing about his Xuan-ge at all. Chen Jinxuan did not even let him meet Chen Ling unless it was a coincidence. Why would Chen Jinxuan let a man, whose identity was obscure, approach Chen Ling? The one who wanted to meet Chen Ling most, was him, Chen Ling’s future brother-in-law!

“If that is the case, you would have asked for her phone number not mine.” Chen Jinxuan got up from the chair and walked towards the balcony. He procured a cigarette from his trouser and after setting it between his lips, he took a lighter out to light it. “What exactly do you want?”

“You are right… I should have asked for her number instead, but I was hit on the head and my head was spinning at that time. I only thought of asking her number after you sent her away. So… I asked for yours instead at the hospital…” Qiyu explained, sounding saddened.

Chen Jinxuan breathed out some smoke as he recalled this man’s appearance that day. Qiyu had a white medical mask on, and his dyed brown hair had some stains of blood. What he said was true, he and Chen Ling owed him.

Because Chen Jinxuan was not speaking, Qiyu fell silent too. Shortly after, he inhaled and exhaled, “I was embarrassed to say… My brother borrowed some money, and… That’s why I lost my job because those crooks made a mess at the office…”

“If that is the case, I believe you have something more important to do instead of trying to get my sister’s number?”

“Then, will you give me a chance once I get a stable job?! Jin-ge, thank you! I will keep you posted! Please unblock my number!” Without leaving any room for negotiation, Qiyu ended the call.

Chen Jinxuan kept his phone in his pocket and continued smoking. Fang Yaowei approached from behind and circled his hands around Chen Jinxuan’s slim waist. He rubbed his face on Chen Jinxuan’s shoulder.

Chen Jinxuan paid Fang Yaowei no heed, letting him do whatever.

Fang Yaowei bit his lower lip and observed Chen Jinxuan’s expression. He knew by heart that Chen Jinxuan was angry. He could not help it. No matter how he thought about it, it felt as if Qiyu was hitting on his Xuan-ge.

Xuan-ge is committed to me, we belong to each other, so why can’t I call him whatever? Why can’t I call him Jin-ge? Why am I limited to only ‘Xuan-ge’?

The longer Fang Yaowei pondered, the more annoyed he was. There were times when he could not understand Chen Jinxuan. He never pried because he was afraid it would make their relationship crumble. He never wanted to fight or quarrel with Chen Jinxuan. It would make him feel terrible and it would make him stay awake overnight.

Finishing that one cigarette, Chen Jinxuan started walking back inside. Fang Yaowei still clung to him. Chen Jinxuan did not seem bothered at all or perhaps, he no longer cared.

At the dining table, he peeled Fang Yaowei’s arms away and beckoned him to eat. Seeing that Chen Jinxuan was no longer angry, Fang Yaowei removed his arms and went to warm their meals up.

The dinner went well and quiet with Fang Yaowei eating two spoonfuls of the meal and staring at Chen Jinxuan as he chewed. This went on repeat. Chen Jinxuan put his focus onto his meals. Soon enough, they finished their meals.

“Xuan-ge, who… was that just now?” Fang Yaowei asked with caution, watching every change of expression on Chen Jinxuan’s face but there was none. Seeing no changes of expression, Fang Yaowei was relieved. It meant Qiyu was nobody to Chen Jinxuan. Still, he thought it was better to be prepared. Besides, he knew just how many people harbour a penchant towards Chen Jinxuan.

Chen Jinxuan looked cold, but he was not apathetic. He may remain expressionless throughout the day, but it was not as if he would not spare a smile. Exactly because he looked cold, when he did something for someone else, it made his action look extremely entrancing. Like that night when he put Fang Yaowei under him on the sofa…

“How is the loan we are going to give the municipality?”

“It should be approved by tomorrow morning.”

“How is the financial plan going on for the executive apartment?” Chen Jinxuan asked as he sipped his water, digressing the topic. Fang Yaowei did not mind it, it showed how unimportant Qiyu was.

“I haven’t started it. I don’t want to work during weekends. I only want to stay with you.” Fang Yaowei looked at Chen Jinxuan pleadingly with his almond eyes. “Please? Movie?”

Chen Jinxuan sighed and nodded. He finished his water and stood up, stacking up the dishes on the table.

Fang Yaowei took Chen Jinxuan’s hands in his hands, smiling. “Xuan-ge, I’ll wash them.”

“Didn’t you say you want to watch a movie together? Go and take a bath first, I will wash these.” Chen Jinxuan said as he picked the dishes up and walked to the kitchen.

Fang Yaowei’s heart skipped a beat. He had always been the one to do the cooking and cleaning. Although Chen Jinxuan cooked and took care of the cleaning occasionally, whenever he offered to do it, Fang Yaowei would always feel exceptionally elated.

Tailing Chen Jinxuan into the kitchen, Fang Yaowei pulled Chen Jinxuan into an embrace from behind again. He chuckled as he placed his chin on Chen Jinxuan’s shoulder.

“I want to see this view every day.” Fang Yaowei said gently. The more he looked at Chen Jinxuan’s profile, the redder his cheeks became. As if possessed, Fang Yaowei placed his lips on the busy man’s nape. Kisses rained and red buds sprouted. He tightened his embrace around Chen Jinxuan’s waist, slowly moving his hips back and forth against it.

A plate slipped off Chen Jinxuan’s grip as he felt something hard pressing against his bum. The kisses that fell on his nape became hotter and hotter as their breathing sped up. Fang Yaowei pulled Chen Jinxuan away from the sink and cornered him on the kitchen’s marble counter. Suppressed whimpers escaped Fang Yaowei’s lips as he buried his face in Chen Jinxuan’s neck. His hands started to slither under Chen Jinxuan’s shirt. Suddenly, Chen Jinxuan grabbed his naughty hands and stopped his advances.

“You said you want to watch a movie…”

“It’s called Netflix and chill.” Fang Yaowei whispered into Chen Jinxuan’s ear sultrily.

Laughter came from the comedy TV program in the living room and mixing with it was the sporadic moans from the kitchen. Behind the blurry sliding door to the kitchen were two shadows entwining on the counter, rocking the silverwares off the counter with each fervent thrust.

“Xuan-ge, I want to do this with you forever.”

“…Forever?”

“Forever, my love.”

The taste was salty with the bitterness from the cigarette. It was an odd incitement to their senses, but who cared when their bodies were tangled? Who cared when all they had in their minds was each other? What no one knew was that one of them felt the bitterness intensified the more their tongues danced, and the closer they became with each thrust, he felt his heart bleed.

If he had known he would feel so bitter, he would have done things differently last year. Unfortunately, he had no power against the stream of time.