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Chapter 48.2 – Roller-Coaster Kiss
On the way back, Lin Jiang bought some food and drinks. The two of them went back and sat on the couch, watching a movie while eating.
Shen Ju, like an inquisitive child, rummaged through Lin Jiang’s room, asking about this and that.
In the end, he pulled out two bottles of red wine. “Lin Jiang, is this wine expired?”
Lin Jiang glanced over. “It shouldn’t be. Old Mao and the others brought them last time.”
“Can I have some?”
“Sure. The corkscrew’s in the kitchen.”
Shen Ju obediently went to open the wine. After some effort, he happily returned with the bottles to share with Lin Jiang.
The TV played a classic old movie. Lin Jiang liked to sit on the rug, leaning against the couch, stretching his legs comfortably as he snacked on sunflower seeds, thoroughly engrossed.
Shen Ju really liked this kind of Lin Jiang. He couldn’t help but sit down next to him, leaning in close. “Captain, want some?”
Lin Jiang glanced at him and gave a soft hum of agreement.
Long eyelashes cast uneven shadows in the dim light, looking like butterfly wings.
Shen Ju felt the swirl of emotions rising inside him. He quickly downed half a glass of wine to quiet the restless thoughts crowding his mind.
Although the movie was old, it was truly a classic.
Shen Ju watched it with Lin Jiang, thoroughly engrossed. They went through half a bucket of sunflower seeds, and the wine on the table was soon finished.
Lin Jiang’s legs grew numb from sitting, so he shifted positions, his knee accidentally pressing against Shen Ju’s leg.
Truth be told, Shen Ju’s legs were also numb, but he loved the feeling of Lin Jiang leaning against him too much, so he didn’t dare move.
The alcohol fermented in his stomach, and his mind began to grow hazy.
Lin Jiang’s laughter drifted softly beside him, playful and light—like a cat quietly scratching at his heart.
Shen Ju’s eyes darkened slightly, his thoughts constantly lingering on Lin Jiang beside him.
The movie ended, and the wine was gone.
Feeling a bit uneasy, Shen Ju stood up. “I’m going to take a shower.”
“Alright.”
Lin Jiang sat for a while longer before getting up to turn on the lights.
The wine hadn’t seemed strong at first, but now it was hitting hard, leaving him dizzy and sluggish.
As he stood, Lin Jiang nearly stumbled. Hearing the sound of Shen Ju showering, the room suddenly felt unbearably hot.
He got up and went downstairs, bought two bottles of sour plum juice, and drank one himself to sober up.
By the time he returned upstairs, Shen Ju had finished showering.
The freshly showered puppy couldn’t find his owner and ran around barefoot. Hearing the door open, he pattered over. “Did you go out to buy something? What did you get?”
Lin Jiang took off his shoes. “Sour plum juice. Drink some to sober up.”
Shen Ju nodded. He had just finished showering, but his body felt cold, and the alcohol buzz had also faded quite a bit.
Lin Jiang lightly touched Shen Ju’s arm and suddenly flinched. “You took a cold shower?”
Shen Ju nodded.
“What if you catch a cold?”
“Won’t happen. I always shower like this.”
Lin Jiang glanced at his wet hair that wasn’t even dried, his bare feet touching the cold floor, and saw the chill radiating off him. He sighed deeply.
“Have you forgotten about your last cold already?”
He fetched a pair of slippers from the cabinet and grabbed a clean towel, vigorously wiping Shen Ju’s head without mercy.
“Captain,” Shen Ju grasped both of Lin Jiang’s hands, his voice somewhat hoarse, “I can’t see.”
Underneath the messy hair appeared a pair of puppy eyes, staring straight at him. The puppy’s movements were gentle, but his strength was strong. When he looked up at him, it had a hint of cheeky rebellion, as if the subordinate was challenging the superior.
Perhaps it was the alcohol, but the look in both their eyes was far from innocent.
Lin Jiang was half-kneeling on the couch, suddenly aware that their positions were somewhat inappropriate. His first instinct was to stand up, but Shen Ju didn’t let go of his hand.
When he tried a second time, Shen Ju abruptly pulled Lin Jiang’s hand behind his own neck.
Caught off guard, Lin Jiang stumbled onto him, their distance closing infinitely until their lips were just a breath apart.
Under the dim, ambiguous lighting, he clearly saw Shen Ju’s throat move.
Shen Ju seemed desperate to kiss him, yet restrained by their unspoken agreement. His pupils flickered uncertainly as he whispered, “Is this okay?”
The apartment’s warm lighting was already charged with a certain intimacy, especially in the stillness of the late night.
A soft halo of light bathed Shen Ju’s profile, his whole body exuding a damp vitality. The jade pendant hung around his neck, starkly red and white against his skin.
Lin Jiang felt himself slipping under the spell, quickly turning his face away. “Put your clothes back on.”
But Shen Ju tugged his hand further behind him, his voice hoarse. It won’t be like on the roller coaster—just one kiss.”
The air between them was thick with ambiguous tension—so palpable that Lin Jiang almost regretted not acting on it.
He parted his lips but didn’t pull away, the warmth of the alcohol quickly tinting his cheeks with a soft blush.
Shen Ju tentatively leaned in, brushing their lips together. Both hearts pounded wildly, as if engaged in a silent tug-of-war, each testing the other’s intentions.
Reason had already begun to crumble in Lin Jiang’s mind. For a fleeting moment, he thought maybe he should forget it and give in.
The moment he relaxed, Shen Ju seemed to sense his surrender and mustered the courage to lean in again, kissing him properly this time.
The kiss lingered, long enough for Shen Ju to taste the sweetness on his lips.
Unable to resist, he murmured, “Lin Jiang, your lips are sweet.”
Lin Jiang raised an eyebrow and looked at him, with a hint of something seductive in his eyes, “Like it?”
Shen Ju hummed in agreement. “ do. I really do.”
His hands burned like fire as they cradled Lin Jiang’s face. Every time he tried to regain his composure, the sweetness on his lips dragged him back under.
And it wasn’t just sweet—there was a faint hint of mint too.
He hadn’t drunk much, so why did he feel so dizzy and out of control?
Lin Jiang opened his eyes slightly, taking in Shen Ju’s utterly unrestrained state on the couch, a sliver of rationality returned.
“Wait!” He pressed Shen Ju’s hand gently, “Are you sure you’ve really thought this through?”
Shen Ju nodded, the tips of his ears burning red, yet his gaze was startlingly clear. “I want to be with you. If you’re scared, I’ll be beneath you.”
Lin Jiang almost cursed him out—such a love-brained person.
He held Shen Ju’s hand firmly again, urging him to calm down. “Shen Ju, listen to me carefully. I’d only do this with my future partner. Think it through carefully before answering me.”
Shen Ju calmed down and nodded again, “I’ve thought it through.”
“And one more thing,” Lin Jiang said seriously, locking eyes with him. “There can be no betrayal in my relationship. I need to be the most important person in your heart. Whether it’s your family, friends, brothers—no one can come before me.If you take a single step back, it’s over between us, do you understand?”
“Understood.” Shen Ju gripped his wrist, closed his eyes and kissed him deeply. “Lin Jiang, if I ever betray you, I’d never forgive myself. If that day ever comes, don’t hesitate and throw me away—that would be the worst punishment for me.”
Although Lin Jiang wasn’t entirely sure if Shen Ju really loved him that deeply, those words struck a chord in his heart.
Lin Jiang still didn’t let go. “One last question—what are we now?”
Drunk and warm, Lin Jiang felt like a rare jade, a gentle blush glowing through the pure white. Just holding him close made Shen Ju’s heart feel like it was about to melt.
Shen Ju was momentarily stunned before suddenly realizing what he meant. He laughed and said, “Boyfriend. You’re my boyfriend.”
He pulled Lin Jiang even closer. He really never dreamed that he could truly have Lin Jiang. The intoxicating scent of desire clung to Lin Jiang, and no matter how deeply he breathed it in, it was never enough.
“Lin Jiang, I’m really happy.”
“Right now, I don’t want anything else. I just want you.”
Shen Ju’s feelings were so genuine that Lin Jiang could feel his heartbeat pounding fiercely under the skin as they embraced. It was like he could never get enough—his lips kept pressing against Lin Jiang’s fingers, softly and endlessly.
Lin Jiang loosened his grip, letting himself sink fully into Shen Ju’s arms.
At that moment, time seemed to stand still. Nothing else mattered. Just holding each other was enough.
After a while, when there was still no movement, Lin Jiang couldn’t help but ask, “Aren’t we going to do it?”
Those words shattered Shen Ju’s restraint. Suddenly, he lifted Lin Jiang, flipping him over, and pressing him down on the couch, using all his strength to deeply kiss him.
Both of them had a little wine in their systems, their clarity blurred.
But Lin Jiang thought it was just right—any more sober and he might have held himself back.
Shen Ju also wanted to be gentle with him. He had longed for Lin Jiang for so long and now that he finally had him in his arms, he wanted to devour him whole.
The kiss was intense and overwhelming, leaving no room to breathe, every second wrapped tightly in his overflowing affection.
Lin Jiang could sense the depth of Shen Ju’s feelings—and truth be told, he was moved too. But in this uncharted territory, a flicker of nervousness still lingered.
By the time the kiss ended, Shen Ju hadn’t gone any further.
Instead, he held Lin Jiang tightly, both of them squeezed together on the couch as he tried to calm himself down.
Lin Jiang had just felt like Shen Ju was going to devour him completely, but unexpectedly, at the last moment, he suddenly stopped.
Confused, Lin Jiang asked softly, “You’re not going to?”
Shen Ju shook his head and buried his face in Lin Jiang’s neck. “Not doing it. We didn’t prepare anything. It would definitely hurt.”
It wasn’t as if they had to go that far to be satisfied. Just holding him like this was enough. He even began to understand those who pursued only platonic love because the connection of souls truly surpassed everything else.
Shen Ju murmured against his neck, “Lin Jiang, can you hold me too?”
There was a heartbreaking tenderness in his tone that made Lin Jiang tighten his embrace without hesitation.
Sometimes desire truly can’t compare to the power of an embrace.
Shen Ju found himself falling deeper and deeper for Lin Jiang—truly, madly in love. The thought of ever having him and then losing him someday was enough to drive him insane.
“You won’t leave me, right?”
“Mm.”
Lin Jiang’s voice gave Shen Ju a sense of stability. He took his hand and kissed it gently, gradually drifting into sleep as they curled up together on the couch.
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