When Xiang Mo returned to his bedroom after taking a shower, the person lying on the bed had not left.
He removed the towel hanging around his waist, put on his underwear, and the curve of his firm, round ass tightened as he bent over, making it hard to look away.
Tan Song lifted the blanket, rolled out of bed, and embraced Xiang Mo from behind, burying his face in his neck. He asked in a soft voice, “Can I come over tomorrow?”
“No, you can’t,” Xiang Mo replied without hesitation and as a matter of fact.
Tan Song, seemingly accustomed to Xiang Mo’s indifference, smiled casually, “You really are heartless.”
Xiang Mo never felt that there needed to be any emotions between him and Tan Song.
It was only about fulfilling their physical needs, and maintaining boundaries was the best way to get along.
“We got a new colleague at work recently,” Tan Song took a half step back. “Good-looking and with a nice personality. Should I pursue him?”
It sounded like a new topic, but Xiang Mo could sense that Tan Song was still testing his reaction. It was as if he was not content with the earlier rejection and wanted a different response from Xiang Mo.
At the beginning of their encounters, Tan Song didn’t behave this way, but recently he seemed to be crossing boundaries more and more.
“If you like him, go for it,” Xiang Mo put on his pajama pants, his expression remaining unchanged.
Tan Song examined Xiang Mo for a while, then sighed with a mixture of truth and playfulness, “Forget it, I can’t bear to leave you.”
Their relationship was about sex, not love.
Both of them were health-conscious individuals and didn’t engage in promiscuity. Since becoming regular bed partners, they only had each other.
This kind of relationship seemed intimate but was actually very fragile.
Xiang Mo only knew that Tan Song worked as a salesperson at a car dealership, and Tan Song only knew that Xiang Mo ran an art studio. Besides that, they didn’t know much about each other, even less than their respective friends did.
If Tan Song decided to pursue his colleague, it would naturally mean the end of their sexual relationship. Xiang Mo didn’t mind, as sex was just a diversion in his life, not a necessity. But his nonchalant attitude was seemingly not the response Tan Song wanted.
As he finished getting dressed and picked up his phone, Tan Song was about to leave when the quiet bedroom suddenly filled with a squeaking sound.
The sound came from the floor above, and it was rhythmic. If Xiang Mo guessed correctly, it was the sound of a metal bed moving.
Tan Song couldn’t help but make a clicking sound with his tongue and said in a teasing tone, “The guy upstairs is quite vigorous.”
A similar thought crossed Xiang Mo’s mind.
The “activity” had started above even before Tan Song arrived, took a break, and now was in its second round.
However, unlike Tan Song’s teasing, Xiang Mo furrowed his brow almost imperceptibly, and a hint of displeasure flickered in his eyes.
He truly despised noise.
The place Xiang Mo rented was an old three-story Western-style house. At the elegant courtyard gate hung a sign that read “Brush and Ink Art Studio.” Inside the gate, one could find the small studio hidden in the bustling area.
The studio was furnished with long tables, easels, and various art tools. The walls displayed many works by Xiang Mo and his students.
From the middle of the studio, a wooden staircase led to the second floor. The room on the left, which was usually locked, was Xiang Mo’s private bedroom. The space on the right, with an open door, served as the shared kitchen and bathroom.
Xiang Mo rented the first and second floors, leaving only the third-floor bedroom and balcony vacant.
Since the rent for the old Western-style house was expensive, even a single room came at a cost. Therefore, the bedroom on the third floor had never been occupied since Xiang Mo moved in.
A few hundred meters away, one could reach the most bustling commercial area. Renting a small apartment there was cheaper than renting the room above Xiang Mo.
If it weren’t for the desire to experience the leisure and tranquility of an old Western-style house, or to savor the historical atmosphere of this neighborhood, no one would spend thousands of yuan to rent such a small room.
Except for Du Chi, Xiang Mo’s new neighbor.
Perhaps the sounds from upstairs had sparked his interest, or maybe it was the thought that crossed Xiang Mo’s mind, but Tan Song suddenly turned around as he reached the door and hugged Xiang Mo from behind.
Seeing his approaching lips, Xiang Mo instinctively turned his head away and furrowed his brow. “Don’t do this, Tan Song.”
Kissing was not a part of their relationship as bed partners. Xiang Mo could ignore Tan Song’s verbal tests, but if Tan Song kept crossing boundaries repeatedly, he would end the relationship without hesitation.
“You really don’t consider going further?” Tan Song stepped back with a somewhat helpless expression. “I thought we were a good fit.”
“That’s just what you think,” Xiang Mo replied directly. “If you still want to come over, then don’t bring this up again.”
“Alright,” Tan Song wasn’t a clueless person. Seeing that Xiang Mo had said this much, he stopped making futile attempts.
He walked to the door and turned to Xiang Mo, saying, “See you next week.”
Whether they would meet again remained to be seen, thought Xiang Mo. He didn’t want to ponder the genuineness of Tan Song’s statement about “not wanting to let go” because he himself had no interest in investing in matters of the heart.
Many people believed that marriage was the tomb of love, but in Xiang Mo’s heart, love itself was a tomb. If anyone tried to pull him into that tomb, he would immediately set boundaries.
The next day was a workday, and the studio would only open in the afternoon.
Xiang Mo, still half-asleep, was awakened by a series of footsteps. When he gradually regained awareness, he realized it was the same neighbor from upstairs making the noise.
The old Western-style house was quite old, and its sound insulation was poor. Du Chi also needed to use the kitchen and bathroom on the second floor, making it challenging for Xiang Mo not to be disturbed.
Looking at the time, it was still a little after six.
Du Chi had a habit of going for a morning run and would leave at exactly seven every morning.
He had only moved in three days ago, but he had already woken Xiang Mo up three times.
Especially last night, the annoying “creaking” sounds kept him awake until midnight. Xiang Mo had thought that after being disturbed by such noise, Du Chi might skip his morning run, but it turned out that he still went as scheduled.
Bearing with it for a while could lead to calm seas and open skies.
Xiang Mo repeated this phrase in his mind and gradually fell back asleep.
Adults often face annoyances, and most rational people choose to endure. The frustration from being awakened faded as he grew drowsy again.
However, after some time, Xiang Mo was once again disturbed by a series of “ping-ping-pong-pong” sounds.
Frustrated, he drew the curtains aside to locate the source of the noise. He saw Du Chi crouched in the yard, working on his heavy-duty motorcycle with a wrench.
That’s right, in the corner of Xiang Mo’s beloved courtyard, an incongruous black motorcycle had appeared, completely at odds with the artistic ambiance of the studio.
Xiang Mo suddenly regretted not renting the entire old building. He earned a decent income from selling paintings and running the studio, enough to afford the expensive rent. If he had known he would end up with a neighbor like this, he would have gladly spent the extra money for some peace and quiet.
After washing up in the bathroom, repeating the mundane tooth-brushing ritual, Xiang Mo’s initial frustration gradually subsided.
“Well, at least Du Chi is a clean person,” he thought.
Toiletries were neatly organized in the bathroom, and there were clear distinctions between his and Du Chi’s belongings. After using the kitchen, it would be cleaned promptly, leaving no dirty stains.
It was indeed a rare find to have a roommate who valued cleanliness. However, Xiang Mo couldn’t stand the noise factor, and there was no way around it.
Coming down from the second floor to the first, he found Three Meow patiently waiting by her food bowl. Calico cats were known for their aloof personality, but Three Meow was an exception. She had grown up in the studio and would rub against people’s legs when she saw them, earning her the title of “Sea Queen” in the studio.
After pouring cat food into Three Meow’s bowl, Xiang Mo brewed himself a cup of invigorating coffee and headed out to the yard.
“Good morning, Mr. Du,” Xiang Mo greeted.
The mid-April weather was quite pleasant. The sunshine felt just right on the skin, but the scent of motor oil that pervaded the entire yard was a deterrent, which was the only thing preventing Xiang Mo from thoroughly enjoying this peaceful morning.
“Good morning, Teacher Xiang.”
Du Chi had just finished his work, covered his toolbox, and stood up from behind the motorcycle.
He was wearing a light gray short-sleeved shirt, with a slight moisture on the back of his neck, indicating that he had just taken a shower not long ago. Xiang Mo had noticed this when he was washing up in the bathroom earlier. He believed that if they were close enough right now, he might smell the same scent.
“Are you busy?” Xiang Mo asked.
It was a mere polite greeting, without much substance.
“I’m done already. I was just doing some maintenance,” Du Chi replied, lowering his gaze, preparing to remove the cloth gloves on his hands.
Xiang Mo stood on the first step, conveniently at eye level with Du Chi. In professional terms, Du Chi’s eyes were on the same level as Xiang Mo’s gaze. When Du Chi lowered his head, Xiang Mo could clearly see the height of his nose.
Xiang Mo had painted many portraits, both from plaster models and real people, and while the classic proportions of facial features were not uncommon, someone like Du Chi, who surpassed the standard proportions and had such distinctive features, was a rarity that even Xiang Mo hadn’t painted much of.
Shifting his thoughts, Xiang Mo got to the point. “That’s good. I have something to discuss with you.”
Du Chi paused in removing his gloves, raising his eyes to look at Xiang Mo. “What is it?”
“The sound insulation in this old building isn’t very good. When you’re walking around upstairs, could you try to be a bit quieter?”
Compared to his earlier annoyance, Xiang Mo was being quite polite. After all, in a neighborhood like this, it was best to avoid causing any unnecessary hard feelings.
But Xiang Mo didn’t want to waste his breath either.
Du Chi seemed like a laid-back person, and Xiang Mo was concerned that he might not take the request seriously, so he added with a hint of implication, “Your bed doesn’t seem to be of very high quality. It made noise all night last night.”
After making this statement, Xiang Mo took a sip of his coffee with his gaze lowered.
The notion of a whole night was a slight exaggeration; the noise had actually stopped around 1 a.m.
Xiang Mo exaggerated intentionally to let Du Chi know that, while he sounded polite, he was actually quite displeased.
Du Chi seemed to understand the hint. He chuckled and removed his gloves, saying, “Alright, Teacher Xiang, I’ll keep that in mind from now on.”
Unexpectedly, the matter was so easily resolved. Xiang Mo politely said, “Thank you,” and turned to walk away.
As he walked away, he could hear the sound of gloves hitting the motorcycle seat behind him, accompanied by Du Chi’s lazy voice, “Teacher Xiang.”
Xiang Mo stopped and turned to look at Du Chi.
“Indeed, the sound insulation in this old house isn’t great.”
Du Chi stopped the movement of his gloves hitting the seat and met Xiang Mo’s gaze. His sincere look contained a hint of mischief, causing Xiang Mo to have an unsettling feeling.
Xiang Mo had expected him to say something like “I can’t do much about it” or “Let’s just try to understand each other.” However, Du Chi had a smile playing at the corner of his lips as he considerately reminded him, “Your bed’s noise is quite loud too.”
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A note at the beginning: “Uke has always been a bottom, and there won’t be any role reversal. There are scenes with other people in the first chapter, but there won’t be any more later. Please exit promptly if this is an issue for you!”
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