Stephen sent Chris home before returning to his own house, and it was already late. Opening the door, the lights were on inside, and Joshua was cleaning.

Hearing the sound, Joshua greeted him, "Welcome back."

"Why are you still up so late?" Stephen asked.

Joshua was kneeling on the floor, mopping, and raising his shoulders to brush the hair falling down beside his face.

"It's almost Lunar New Year, so I'm cleaning the whole house. "

"It's so late, do you have to clean tonight?"

Joshua lowered his eyelids, paused his hands, as if he had done something wrong.

"Well, I won't clean today. You should go to rest. I won't bother you," he said, and turned off the vacuum cleaner.

Stephen frowned. He was not blaming Joshua. He didn't know why, but sometimes it was so difficult to communicate with Joshua.

Suddenly, Joshua turned his back and sneezed several times. At the same time, Stephen's phone rang.

He took out his phone, an unfamiliar number, but needless to say, he knew who it was.

"Are you okay?" He reached out and patted his husband's shoulder.

Joshua looked disheveled, his nose was red, and his nose was running. Facing Stephen, he became even more uncontrollable, and then turned his head and sneezed again.

"... " Stephen was speechless and went to get him some tissues.

Joshua held his nose. "It's nothing, maybe just a slight cold. I'll sleep in the study tonight, so I won't infect you... Achoo..."

"It's not that easy to catch a cold."

"Your phone is ringing, it's probably someone looking for you... Achoo..."

Stephen held the phone and walked out. As he walked away, Joshua's sneezing gradually stopped.

He didn't have a cold, but rather a severe allergy to geranium flowers.

Stephen hadn't bought any flowers. It wasn't the most common flower in flower shops, and it wasn't the flowering season either. The most common source of contact was perfume, and Stephen never used a fragrance with that scent, knowing about his allergy.

"Are you home now?"

Stephen stood on the bedroom balcony, blowing the cold wind, gazing at the city's night scenery.

With the Lunar New Year approaching, colorful lights were hanging everywhere, creating a joyous atmosphere.

"Yes."

"You really picked up." Chris sounded surprised.

"If you didn't want me to pick up, then why did you call me?"

Chris' laughter came from the other end, "All because I missed you so much that I couldn't sleep... Can we meet tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow? I have work tomorrow."

"I can come over at lunchtime to have a meal with you?"

"... "

Seeing that Stephen didn't respond, Chris immediately understood his meaning, "Fine, I won't come to see you. After all, the day after tomorrow is Friday."

"You can think about what to eat and where to go."

"Will you listen to me?"

"Of course."

"Wow, then I'll spend the whole day in the hotel without getting out of bed."

Stephen smiled helplessly, "Are you that desperate?"

"Desperate? I'm in my twenties, not like you, already going downhill in that aspect, honey."

This "honey" made Stephen feel very comfortable, "Wait until you've experienced it before you say whether it's going downhill or not."

"I really want to experience it..." Chris leaned closer to the microphone, and his breathing and swallowing sounds came through, his words becoming sticky, "What position do you usually like..."

Stephen returned to the room and poured himself half a glass of whiskey from the bedside table, which usually helped him sleep.

He obviously knew what Chris was doing and deliberately teased him, "Do you really want to know?"

"I do! Hurry up and tell me..."

As the breathing on the other end of the phone grew heavier, Chris reached his peak and suddenly stopped.

With the half glass of whiskey emptied, Stephen put down the glass , "Are you done?"

Chris seemed embarrassed, "Are you really incapable? "

The man let out a soft hum, "You're still young. I'm not as resistant to teasing as you are."

"...Isn't your 'partner' at home?"

"He's here."

Chris suddenly sat up on the bed, "Then you... No, no, I don't have that kind of fetish..."

"He's not beside me, he's in the next room."

"You have separate rooms? Do you have kids?"

"No."

"Then why don't you get a divorce? Someone like you should easily have a romantic relationship, right?" Curious, Chris couldn't help but gossip.

Stephen pulled back his legs, leaning on the desk and suddenly stood up. "I can see that you're tired too. Get some rest early. I'm going to freshen up and rest."

"Don't misunderstand, I have no intention of interfering in your marriage. I'm just a little curious."

"No need to be curious about things that don't concern you."

After taking a shower, Stephen twisted the doorknob of the study room, only to find it locked. He had to knock twice. "Josh, are you asleep?"

There was some rustling inside, and after a moment, Joshua opened the door and stood in the doorway. "What's up?"

"Nothing... I have a business trip tomorrow, just thought I'd let you know."

The day after tomorrow, he had an appointment with Chris, and the apartment near the company was ready. Stephen planned to stay there for one night.

"It's been a while since your last business trip..."

Since parting ways with Jess, he didn't really need to "go on business trips" anymore. Just as he was about to explain something, his husband seemed to have said it casually, followed by another question, "When will you be back?"

"Next Monday... or maybe not, it depends on how the negotiations go."

"Well, I'll pack your luggage for you."

"I can handle it myself. How's your cold? Did you take your medicine?"

"I took it, no worries. Just a minor cold. Take care of yourself out there."

Stephen stared at Joshua's face. Every time he mentioned "business trips," Joshua always responded with the same words, the same expression. There was neither reluctance nor suspicion, just an admonition to take care of himself, as if without him, Stephen couldn't live his life.

He was the one who had strayed, and Stephen didn't know what his husband was expecting.

But it might just be his imagination. Whenever he mentioned a business trip, his husband seemed to sigh in relief.