FIG CHAPTER 60

Zhu Lianzhen could already predict what kind of reaction those three words of his would stir up among the fans.

Of course, no one would go wild in the live chat. On the surface, everyone kept things light and playful, but behind the scenes, things had already exploded, completely out of control. Solo fans brushed it off, claiming he was just making a pun. CP fans, on the other hand, were flipping out: To hell with that, he’s totally dying to make it official!

Zhu Lianzhen wasn’t particularly interested in following fandom drama. He only wanted to carefully observe whether Tan Qing showed any reaction, but the guy had already turned away, drinking water with his back to him, refusing to show his face.

Night had fully fallen in Macau. Zhu Lianzhen continued chatting for another ten minutes or so before turning off the camera and ending the livestream.

“Stop pretending to be mute,” Zhu Lianzhen said. “If you’d just gone live with me from the start, I wouldn’t have had to handle all those questions alone.”

Tan Qing closed the curtains and replied calmly, “Didn’t you handle it just fine?”

Zhu Lianzhen looked at him as he turned around. That handsome face showed no expression and could only be described as indifferent. That reaction wasn’t what Zhu Lianzhen had expected. He gave Tan Qing another glance and asked, “What’s wrong? Did I say something you didn’t like?”

“No.” Tan Qing lowered his head to remove his watch. “I just didn’t expect you to say that. It surprised me.”

Zhu Lianzhen stared at him blankly for a moment, then muttered, “It wasn’t like I was saying it to you… I was joking around with the fans.”

Hearing this, Tan Qing looked up and gave a smile. “I know. Your intentions were harmless, of course. But not everyone has the same sense of boundaries as you do. Someone might take your joke out of context and start twisting it into something malicious.”

Zhu Lianzhen said nothing.

Tan Qing continued, “It’s better to be cautious in the future, Xiao Zhu.”

Zhu Lianzhen couldn’t help curling his lips with a hint of sarcasm. “Thanks for the reminder. Next time, maybe don’t stand behind me during a live stream, watching me the whole time. That’s really crossing the line.”

He cursed Tan Qing a few times in his head, annoyed with himself for even taking that risk to say those three words just now. For what? To coax someone who was clearly putting on an act? And all he got in return was a lecture about being “cautious”? Like he needed that pointed out to him!

At that moment, a knock came at the door.

Before getting up, Zhu Lianzhen didn’t forget to glare at Tan Qing, then walked over and opened the door.

“You two ready? Let’s go eat.” Ji Yunting stood at the door.

“Got it.” Zhu Lianzhen turned toward a certain someone behind him. “You hear that? Time to eat!”

It wasn’t often they came to Macau, and instead of searching for more unique restaurants, they all preferred soaking in the local culture at the bustling night market. As the group moved with the crowd, Koty quickly noticed that Zhu Lianzhen and Tan Qing kept a steady distance from each other. They didn’t talk and walked separately.

Koty seized an opportunity to move closer to Zhu Lianzhen and quietly asked with concern, “Are you two fighting?”

Zhu Lianzhen: “No.”

“Don’t lie, I can tell,” Koty said. “Did you turn him down? Don’t be embarrassed—he’s the one feeling awkward now. If you just talk to him normally over the next couple of days, things will return to how they were. Isn’t there some old Chinese saying… something like ‘Even if the deal falls through, you can still be friends’?”

Zhu Lianzhen clutched his milk tea and frowned. “Who’s embarrassed? And when did we ever have anything like friendship?”

Koty glanced around cautiously, making sure Tan Qing wasn’t paying attention, before lowering his voice again. “See? You’re clearly throwing a tantrum now.. What did he say to you?”

“Nothing. Stop letting your imagination run wild.” Zhu Lianzhen pressed his lips together and didn’t want to keep talking. He quickened his pace and walked ahead.

At the end of the street was a plaza, where many people sat on the steps enjoying the breeze. Tired from walking, the group headed over to rest. There were also plenty of pedestrians out walking their dogs. A tidy little Pomeranian wandered along sniffing around, happily brushing against people’s pant legs.

It brushed past Tan Qing as well. He lowered his head and chuckled. After getting the owner’s permission, he reached out and patted the dog’s head. Apparently enjoying the touch, the puppy nudged into his palm and half-rolled onto its side, completely unafraid of strangers. The dog’s owner was an elderly man who didn’t know them. After joking a bit about his pet, the elder even complimented them on their looks.

Before leaving, Tan Qing took out his phone and snapped a few photos of the dog.

Back at the hotel, Koty quietly asked Zhu Lianzhen in the hallway, “Want me to switch rooms with one of you two?”

It was a thoughtful gesture at the right time, but Zhu Lianzhen just shook his head. He and Tan Qing returned to the room, one after the other.

Zhu Lianzhen had no idea what to say to him, so he simply sat on the edge of the bed scrolling on his phone. The moment he opened Weibo, the first thing on his homepage was a new post from Tan Qing.

Posted just two minutes ago, it was a photo of that same fluffy white Pomeranian from earlier that evening.

The caption said just three words: “Serious about it.”[mfn]This is also a pun with their names. “Zhen” in Zhu Lianzhen’s name means “serious”. So it can sound like he is saying “I want to acknowledge (Zhu Lian)zhen[/mfn]

The comment section was calm, full of people gushing over how cute the dog was, but the reposts were an entirely different story, fans letting their imaginations run wild.

Top repost 1: Huh? Serious about what? About Zhu Lianzhen?

Top repost 2: Did you two get drunk tonight or something… Don’t do this, you’re scaring me…

Top repost 3: Hmm, totally not seeing how the pic and the caption connect. Is this some kind of secret code?

Top repost 4: “I choose love” and “Serious about it”… Are you trying to kill us!

Zhu Lianzhen’s fingers froze mid-scroll. He turned to look at Tan Qing in surprise, not sure how to phrase things, so he just asked directly, “Don’t you know how to avoid suspicion?”

Tan Qing strolled over and sat down beside him. “I do.”

“?” Zhu Lianzhen tilted his head and looked at him. “So now you get to act all righteous? I’m the only one who has to be cautious? Isn’t that a double standard?”

“Being cautious is one thing. Responding to you is another.” Tan Qing turned to face him, eyes full of sincerity. “Xiao Zhu, how come you’re so oblivious to romantic hints today?”

Zhu Lianzhen sucked in a breath, narrowed his eyes, and leaned in close to Tan Qing’s face. He let out a cold laugh. “You really are unmatched when it comes to twisting the truth. Who was the one who didn’t get the romantic hint first? And now you’ve got the nerve to turn it around on me? Do you even have a conscience?”

Tan Qing’s lashes trembled slightly. His gaze slowly dropped from Zhu Lianzhen’s nose bridge downward. “Yeah, it’s my fault. So you tell me, what kind of reaction were you hoping for?”

As he finished speaking, he lifted his eyes and stared directly into Zhu Lianzhen’s bright pupils. Zhu Lianzhen instinctively wanted to look away, but then clenched his hands and forced himself to meet the gaze calmly.

“You could’ve just…” Zhu Lianzhen started, his voice growing smaller, “You know, pretended to be shy or something?”

A flicker of surprise seemed to cross Tan Qing’s eyes, and then the corners of his lips curved deeper as a laugh slipped out. At first, it seemed like a fleeting reaction, but for some reason, the laughter stretched on longer than expected.

“What are you laughing at? Did you lose your mind?”

Tan Qing didn’t hold back, still laughing softly as he lowered his neck, resting his forehead against the crook of Zhu Lianzhen’s shoulder. The tip of his nose touched the skin at Zhu Lianzhen’s neck, his breath brushing against it completely.

Zhu Lianzhen felt his face heat up and frowned. “You’re the one who told me to say it, and now you’re laughing.”

“Mm. Must be because I have no conscience.” Tan Qing’s forehead gently nuzzled the skin where Zhu Lianzhen’s shoulder met his neck. “I laugh when I’m shy.”

Zhu Lianzhen didn’t believe his nonsense for a second. All he thought was: When do you ever not laugh?

Tan Qing’s eyes were half-lidded. He let out a barely audible sigh. The curve of his lips slowly faded back to its original shape as he said in a low voice, “You’re really warm.”

Zhu Lianzhen gave him a scornful glance down. “Whose fault do you think that is?”

Tan Qing slowly lifted his head, brushing his lips against Zhu Lianzhen’s ear, then his cheekbone, then his face. Each touch was feather-light. Zhu Lianzhen felt ticklish from the contact, his face getting hotter. Finally, he blurted out, “Can’t you just start by kissing my mouth directly?”

“Your mouth isn’t warm.”

“You just have to piss me off to be satisfied, don’t you—”

Before he could even finish the complaint, his mouth was sealed by a fierce kiss. As if Tan Qing had been waiting for the exact moment his lips parted, he slipped right in, pried open his teeth, and tangled their tongues together.

Zhu Lianzhen was worried he’d run out of air again, so he barely returned the kiss before giving up and letting Tan Qing take over. But once his mind stopped focusing on breathing, his body started responding more easily to desire. He couldn’t help but lean in urgently, arms wrapping tightly around Tan Qing’s neck.

He lost his balance once his arms were no longer supporting him, but Tan Qing seemed to have anticipated it. He wrapped an arm around Zhu Lianzhen’s lower back in advance and gently lowered him onto the bed.

The overhead light was bright and blinding. Zhu Lianzhen’s dazed eyes opened slightly as he gazed at Tan Qing’s face so close to his own. They were so near that when Zhu Lianzhen blinked a few times, his eyelashes brushed against Tan Qing’s skin.

Tan Qing slowly drew back his tongue, keeping his gaze locked on Zhu Lianzhen’s pupils while placing a soft kiss at the corner of his mouth. Suddenly, he murmured, “Xiao Zhu,” his tone trailing with a hint of lingering desire.

Zhu Lianzhen breathed heavily. “Hm?”

Tan Qing turned his face so their foreheads touched. “You get even warmer when you’re pissed off.”

“Do I?” Zhu Lianzhen’s mind felt hazy. All he could feel was the heat pooling tight in his chest, begging for release. He just wanted to kiss him again. Keep going.

He lowered his eyes, and one hand slipped from behind Tan Qing’s neck, lightly tapping Tan Qing’s lips with his fingertips. His voice came out in a soft hum from his nose. “Then why aren’t you helping me cool down?”

He didn’t realize he sounded like he was acting like a spoiled child. Tan Qing’s lips curved slightly before he tilted his head again and kissed him.

Tan Qing’s arm moved, sliding from Zhu Lianzhen’s lower back to his abdomen, then downward. With a click, he unfastened the buckle of Zhu Lianzhen’s belt. When Tan Qing’s fingers brushed against his stomach, Zhu Lianzhen flinched reflexively, but then gradually relaxed again, sinking into the kiss and desire, surrendering himself completely to Tan Qing’s lead.

Tan Qing wrapped his hand around him, moving in a steady rhythm, while the other hand slid into the hair at the back of Zhu Lianzhen’s head. A thin sheen of sweat formed on Zhu Lianzhen’s forehead and neck, his skin glowing a milky white under the overhead light. Maybe it was from the intensity of the kissing, but his lips were starting to go numb, leaving only indulgent moans escaping through his teeth, all swallowed up by Tan Qing.

The air shifted from scorching to heavy and sticky. Zhu Lianzhen lowered his gaze, feeling like his legs had lost all strength. All the heat in his body seemed to pool in one place, rising again and again, all of it caught in Tan Qing’s hand.

Zhu Lianzhen’s breathing turned ragged, letting out stifled moans. He pressed his lips together, refusing to continue the kiss. Reaching out, his palm brushed over the obvious bulge beneath Tan Qing’s clothes. Just as he was about to make his next move, the hand that had been cradling the back of his head suddenly let go and caught his wrist.

Zhu Lianzhen pursed his lips again, his eyes slightly unfocused as he rasped, “Don’t you want to…”

Tan Qing’s gaze deepened. He nudged him with his nose, the corners of his lips lifting with a trace of teasing amusement. “Spare me, Zhu Lianzhen.”

Zhu Lianzhen felt an inexplicable flutter in his chest, and the next moment, a rush of overwhelming pleasure surged upward, crashing through him and carrying him straight to release. He gasped in surprise and instinctively clung to Tan Qing, pressing his whole body against him.

He tilted his head back, unable to help the few moans that escaped. A moment later, he came back to his senses, let go of Tan Qing, and slumped against the headboard as if all strength had drained from his body.

Lowering his gaze, he saw stains on both his jeans and Tan Qing’s shirt. Tan Qing happened to be wearing pure black, making the contrast especially stark. Zhu Lianzhen quickly looked away, only to notice that Tan Qing’s right hand was even more soiled, the fluid slowly trailing down from his palm to his wrist.

Without a word, Zhu Lianzhen reached for some tissues, but when he turned back, he saw Tan Qing raise his arm and was just about to bring it to his mouth.

“Wait, you—” Zhu Lianzhen began, intending to stop him, but the other suddenly shot him a sharp look.

The lighting in the room was bright, clearly illuminating the blue veins on the inside of Tan Qing’s wrist, with the liquid tracing their path in winding streaks.

Tan Qing’s expression was blank as he methodically licked his wrist, and then his Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed it all down.

Zhu Lianzhen’s brows twitched, his throat tightening. He stared blankly, not knowing what to do. The tissue in his hand was already soaked with sweat, crumpled into a ball.

Tan Qing got up and walked into the bathroom while undoing the buttons on his shirt. A short while later, Zhu Lianzhen heard the shower turn on.

Only then did he finally exhale in relief, tossing the crumpled tissue away and grabbing a few new ones to wipe off his clothes and the bedsheet.

Afterward, he lay back on the bed to rest, his mind drifting to what Tan Qing had said earlier: “Spare me.”

It took him a moment, but then he understood what Tan Qing had meant.

It was something that happened a long time ago. It was inevitable for two hot-blooded young men to get carried away sometimes, but they didn’t always have the time to fully indulge themselves, so Tan Qing would help him out the way he did just now. Seeing how Tan Qing seemed naturally good at it, Zhu Lianzhen figured he must have some talent too and took it upon himself to return the favor.

He figured that with practice he’d get better, and surely he could satisfy Tan Qing as well. But every time he felt like he was finally getting somewhere, Tan Qing would sigh softly, press his hand down, and guide him to the right rhythm.

At first, Zhu Lianzhen thought Tan Qing was just teaching him. But later, Tan Qing stopped letting him do it altogether, saying it was better to handle such personal matters himself. Zhu Lianzhen couldn’t help wondering if Tan Qing was being overly considerate or worried he’d get tired and dirty his hands. It made him feel a bit embarrassed. But soon, he figured out that Tan Qing’s words were just a tactful excuse, and what he really meant was: Your handjobs are terrible.

Zhu Lianzhen didn’t know how to defend himself. After all, it wasn’t like they could literally feel each other’s sensations, so it made sense that he hadn’t gotten the hang of it yet… But it didn’t warrant a “Spare me” level of rejection!

After a while, the sound of water in the bathroom stopped.

Zhu Lianzhen walked to the door, knocked on the glass, and entered directly. He cleared his throat and said, “You sure you don’t want to let me try? What if I got better?”

Tan Qing lowered his head to wrap the towel around himself. Droplets still clung to his torso, tracing the lines of his muscles to his waist. Tilting his head, he looked over. “What if?”

Zhu Lianzhen didn’t wait to respond. He noticed something more important: the air in the bathroom was slightly cool, completely lacking the warmth that should have followed a shower.

“You showered with cold water?” Zhu Lianzhen frowned and turned to look for the bathroom heater switch. “Turn on the hot water and wash again.”

Tan Qing turned a deaf ear, wrapped himself in a bathrobe, casually swept his wet hair back, and walked straight out of the bathroom. Zhu Lianzhen followed behind and turned on the warm air from the AC, not exposing his act of feigning ignorance. He only said, “Before I finish my shower and come out, you’d better have your hair dried.”

Zhu Lianzhen turned on the hot water and cleaned the marks off his body. In his mind, he kept replaying the scene from earlier when Tan Qing pressed his lips to the inside of his wrist, and the look in his eyes as he stared at him. It was impossible to tell whether it was cold indifference or burning desire.

His head was dizzy from the steam. After a quick rinse, he hurriedly shut off the water, dried off, and left the bathroom.

Tan Qing was leaning against the headboard, looking at his phone. Zhu Lianzhen walked over and touched his hair. Only after confirming it was mostly dry did he feel at ease. He turned off the lights and lay down beside Tan Qing.

Neither of them seemed ready to fall asleep. Zhu Lianzhen reached out and touched the skin Tan Qing had left exposed. Sure enough, it still felt chilly.

“Do you insist on catching a cold and getting sick?” Zhu Lianzhen said.

Tan Qing set down his phone. “If I get sick, won’t you take care of me?”

“I’m busy all day, I don’t have time for you. Go book an appointment with a neurologist yourself.”

Zhu Lianzhen thought of the last time Tan Qing had a fever. He still didn’t know whether it had been intentional. But that wasn’t important now. What mattered was the brazen behavior at this moment.

It was unclear who leaned in first, but the warmth between them gradually spread from a single kiss. Their lips met softly, slowly, melting into each other in the quiet of the night.

Even as Zhu Lianzhen sank into it, he couldn’t help but wonder: did Tan Qing really believe he had to create certain conditions to get his attention? Or was Tan Qing just naturally this cautious, and he had simply never noticed it before?