Because Ye Xi had been distracted, he hadn’t heard clearly what Bai Yue was asking. It wasn’t until Bai Yue asked a second time that he hastily nodded.
“Oh, okay.”
He had said he’d stay the night, and since it was already eleven, he really should wash up.
All his toiletries and pajamas were already here.
Ever since he’d started tutoring here, Bai Yue’s guest room had practically become his own space, slowly filling with his belongings.
Sometimes even he himself felt a moment of illusion, as if he and Bai Yue were living together.
Only, his carefree ways meant he always left Bai Yue here alone like a neglected wife.
But now Ye Xi’s mind was in chaos, with no energy to spin little fantasies.
He stood up slowly, ready to head to the guest room.
But just as he took his first step, Bai Yue caught his hand.
Bai Yue lowered his eyes, making it impossible to read his expression. His voice was low.
“The guest bathroom wasn’t cleaned yesterday. The tub’s a bit dirty. Use mine instead.”
Ye Xi froze for a second, then after a pause, understood what Bai Yue meant.
He was momentarily confused.
Bai Yue’s apartment had cleaning service several times a week; how dirty could it get just from one missed visit?
But after a brief hesitation, he still nodded obediently.
“Okay.”
And when he said that, Bai Yue’s fingers held onto his for a few more seconds before slowly releasing.
…..
Ye Xi entered Bai Yue’s bathroom.
Despite staying here so long, he had never set foot in it.
He had always been a polite guest, rarely even entering Bai Yue’s bedroom, let alone such a private space.
Now standing inside, he stared dazedly at the carved walls.
It wasn’t much different from the guest bathroom, only larger, with a bigger tub. Like Bai Yue’s bedroom, the tones were cool, almost lifeless, making one doubt the owner ever indulged in relaxation here.
Ye Xi filled the tub and slid in. After some hesitation, he found a bottle of sandalwood bath oil among the English labels.
He thought he’d surely be sleepless that night, so he needed something calming.
The oil hit the water, forming a thin foam, and sandalwood gradually filled the air.
Ye Xi let out a quiet, content sigh.
Sliding deeper into the tub until the water covered his shoulders, he let himself relax.
No matter when, a hot bath was soothing—especially on a sweaty summer night.
But he didn’t soak long. Embarrassed to hog Bai Yue’s bathroom, he was ready to finish after fifteen minutes.
It was then, looking to the rack beside him, that he realized—
There was only a pair of pajama pants. No top.
Ye Xi froze, stunned in the water.
Normally in the guest bathroom, his pajamas were in the closet. Even if he forgot, he could just sneak out and grab them.
But this was Bai Yue’s bathroom.
He looked around hopefully, searching for a spare.
Nothing.
Not even towels, except for one thin bath towel placed under the pajama pants.
Ye Xi: “…”
He thought silently, fine—pants are better than just a shirt.
But just as his hand grabbed the tub rail, ready to climb out, he froze again.
Wait… hold on.
What had the dating instructor stressed to him yesterday?
“Sweetheart, if you’re already staying over at his place, you’ve got to go all in! Put on something sexy and strut in front of him. Find an excuse to call him into the bathroom—say you’re scared to be alone at night and want him to stay with you. Men are dumb, just a little bait and they’ll bite.”
Ye Xi’s fingers tightened on the rail.
He licked his lips, scanning the steamy bathroom.
Bai Yue was only in the living room, separated by one wall.
Rain outside, a bathroom, just the two of them.
Even a good student knew this was the perfect setup for something ambiguous to happen.
Ye Xi instantly grew conflicted.
He finally remembered his mission—half a bottle of wine invested, all for this.
The wine hadn’t worked.
So what about… him?
Just thinking of it made his ears burn.
He felt utterly shameless, as though betraying his ancestors.
If Zheng Yang found out, he’d throw him out on the spot.
But Ye Xi still didn’t get out of the tub.
The bathroom was silent.
Only droplets falling from the tub’s rim pattered softly onto the marble floor.
After a long time, Ye Xi dried his hands and picked up his phone.
As he waited for the call to connect, his heart pounded so fast it felt like it would burst from his throat.
But when Bai Yue finally picked up, he suddenly calmed.
“Bai-ge…” he said softly. “I just realized I forgot to bring my pajamas. And the towel got soaked too. Could you bring me one?”
At that moment, the lone towel was indeed floating in the bathwater, thoroughly drenched.
….
Bai Yue had been sitting in the living room.
The summer rain had come too fast. A moment ago it was pouring, but now only a steady drizzle tapped against the glass, more irritating for its persistence.
When Ye Xi called, he was staring downward, lost in thought.
On the table lay a lighter and a pack of cigarettes. One cigarette was pinched between his fingers, bent out of shape from being fidgeted with, never lit.
Hearing Ye Xi’s request, Bai Yue paused briefly, then raised his eyes to his own reflection in the black TV screen.
“Okay,” he answered crisply.
A few minutes later, he appeared outside the bathroom, carrying a fresh long robe and a towel.
To make it more convincing, Ye Xi had placed the drenched towel aside and even turned on the showerhead over his chest, pretending to be busy washing.
He heard Bai Yue’s footsteps enter, echoing in the empty bathroom.
Instinctively, he shrank back into the tub.
But it was useless.
The bath oil’s foam had mostly dissolved, only a few bubbles clinging to the surface.
The bath salts had tinted the water pale blue.
But that faint color wasn’t enough to conceal him. With a mere glance, Bai Yue could see his long, straight legs beneath the water—like a mermaid who had just traded with the witch, still unaccustomed to land.
Bai Yue placed the robe and bath towel beside him.
The bathroom was too damp.
Ye Xi’s face, lips, and hair were all covered with droplets of water.
Because of the constant steam rising from the bathtub, his cheeks were flushed pink like a peach—just a light bite and sweet juice would spill out.
He sat in the water, the overhead light shining down directly on him, his skin as white as fresh winter snow. Droplets clung to his body, glittering like pearls rolling across his skin.
Ye Xi hardly dared to lift his head.
He could feel Bai Yue sitting at the edge of the bathtub, handing him the towel.
Meanwhile, his mind was spinning frantically.
What was he supposed to do next?
The dating instructor never covered this part, did she?
The textbook only taught up to the “seduction” step, and after that, wasn’t he just supposed to wait for the other person to pounce?
But Bai Yue didn’t pounce!
Ye Xi was practically in despair.
He lifted his eyes in confusion to look at Bai Yue, not sure whether it was because he had no charm at all, or because this man was truly such a proper gentleman, refusing to overstep a single line.
Biting his lip in frustration, he sank deeper into the sandalwood fragrance in the bathroom, the scent floating on the water’s surface and soaking into his skin.
A few seconds later, he released his lip, his mouth moving as though he wanted to say something, but no words came.
The hot water from the showerhead streamed across his shoulders and collarbone, turning his pale skin a faint pink.
Finally, he reached out to take the towel from Bai Yue’s hand.
But maybe he was too nervous.
The instant he reached, he forgot he was still holding the showerhead.
The showerhead slipped straight into the bathtub, knocking against the edge.
It wasn’t damaged—German-made, very strong—but the crash was loud.
And the water sprayed full force onto Bai Yue’s face.
Head-on.
Caught off guard, Bai Yue was hit directly in the eyes, letting out a low hiss.
I’m finished.
Those two words shot into Ye Xi’s head.
Flustered, he scrambled to shut off the water.
But it was too late.
Bai Yue was soaked just like him now, his white shirt clinging and half transparent, water rolling down his cheeks and dripping from his chin.
He pressed a hand to his eye, still recovering from the sudden sting.
…
“I’m sorry.”
Minutes later, Ye Xi knelt half on the carpet, apologizing incoherently.
He was eaten up with regret, cursing himself inside.
The spray had gone right into Bai Yue’s eyes—eyes were so delicate, who knew if they might’ve been hurt?
But Bai Yue sat calmly at the edge of the bed, not resisting, letting Ye Xi hold his face to check carefully.
Though his eyes were red, there was no real harm.
“I’m fine.”
His tone was light, but distracted, as if his mind were elsewhere.
Ye Xi examined him over and over, finally reassured that nothing was wrong, and only then did he let out a sigh of relief.
He released Bai Yue and slowly stood from the carpet.
After all that, his earlier plan of seducing Bai Yue had completely vanished.
Seducing someone into bed? He’d almost sent Bai Yue to the hospital instead.
Thinking of this, Ye Xi’s mood sank.
Maybe even the heavens were against him.
He shouldn’t have thought of such crooked methods.
He shouldn’t have wanted to trap Bai Yue into sleeping with him, using morality as leverage.
Boys like them, so unlucky, could only belong in a pure youth drama—properly writing a confession letter, leaving it with roses on Bai Yue’s desk…
As these thoughts swirled, he turned, his voice muffled. “Bai-ge, if there’s nothing else, I’ll go now…”
He was about to leave.
But just like before on the sofa, he barely took a step when Bai Yue caught his wrist.
“Wait….”
Bai Yue said.
He looked up at Ye Xi, repeating softly, “I have something to ask you.”
…
When Bai Yue said this, he was still wearing the soaked shirt.
Droplets slid down the fabric, falling onto the silk bedspread and blooming into small circles.
The room wasn’t bright, lit only by a row of floor lamps he’d just switched on.
In the hazy light, Ye Xi’s shadow stretched across the white wall—like a sparrow about to be caught.
Bai Yue stared at him, not missing a single flicker of expression.
He rubbed Ye Xi’s wrist, his brows heavy with intent.
Outside, the rain fell dense and soft, like a lover’s whisper.
And he pressed Ye Xi: “When you called me into the bathroom just now, did you really only want me to bring you a towel?”
He asked, but he wasn’t seeking an answer.
He wasn’t stupid.
If the bottle of red wine hadn’t made it clear enough, then Ye Xi sitting low in the bathtub had been an invitation.
He wasn’t some saint.
When his crush went so far, how could he remain unmoved?
Ye Xi froze at the question, caught completely off guard.
“I…”
His mouth opened, throat dry, unable to form words.
Bai Yue’s gaze locked on him, like a lion lying in wait, eyes fixed on its prey.
With a slight pull, he brought Ye Xi back into his arms.
He parted his knees, guiding Ye Xi to sit on his lap.
Ye Xi, dazed, let himself be moved like a lost soul.
Their eyes met.
Bai Yue looked at the boy in his arms. The gray bathrobe he had chosen for Ye Xi suited him perfectly.
Slowly, he leaned in—almost like a kiss, but his lips brushed near Ye Xi’s ear.
His voice was low. “Why no answer? That’s not polite.”
He asked again, “Did you really just need a towel?”
Ye Xi shivered in his embrace.
His mind was mush, his hands clutching Bai Yue’s shirt, words stumbling.
“No…” he murmured faintly.
“Then why?”
Bai Yue pressed.
His stare was sharp, nothing like the refined, gentle senior everyone knew.
Now he was reckless, brazen—his closeness like the edge of a blade at Ye Xi’s throat, forcing him to speak.
Yet at the same time, like a devout knight, if Ye Xi only nodded, giving him the slightest mercy, he would kneel in eternal surrender.
Ye Xi felt Bai Yue’s lips brush his neck, sending a tremor through him.
Bai Yue knew.
Bai Yue knew he liked him.
The realization surged through Ye Xi like a tidal wave, breaking down every defense.
He clutched at a button on Bai Yue’s shirt, seeking a fragile anchor.
After a pause, he lifted his gaze.
He had loved this man since he was fifteen, always from afar.
He knew Bai Yue liked rainy days—he had watched him through the classroom window on stormy evenings, earbuds in, listening to music in the opposite corridor.
He knew Bai Yue liked apple pie, and had secretly baked one for him.
He knew Bai Yue’s favorite film was Legend of the Star Thief, so he had watched the whole series.
He had even trailed after Bai Yue to the same concert once, sitting in the very back, eyes fixed on him from afar.
And now, the person he loved most in the world was holding him close, gazing at him as if he were precious and irreplaceable.
Ye Xi didn’t know why, but at this moment his heart ached endlessly.
His eyes reddened, seeing Bai Yue—yet also seeing all those years of secret, silent longing.
His damp, monsoon-soaked youth had been devoted entirely to loving this one person.
Softly, he said: “Because I like you. I wanted to seduce you.”
He looked at Bai Yue, and once the words spilled out, they didn’t stop, carried by reckless momentum.
After tonight, he might never have the courage again.
“I don’t even know when I first started liking you. Maybe it was that summer when I was fifteen, when I saw you napping in the corridor, a book on your chest, and when I walked closer, you suddenly opened your eyes and smiled at me.
“Or maybe that winter after school, when you saw no one came to pick me up and asked if I wanted to go home with you. You bought me milk tea, let me stay the night, and watched variety shows with me, guessing who the culprit was.
“Or maybe it was that New Year, when you visited my house and gave me a red envelope—you whispered that you hadn’t even given Zheng Yang one, only me, because he was a little older and could do without it.”
At this, tears welled in his eyes until they fell, one drop landing on Bai Yue’s hand.
And then he realized—why that year the red envelope had been only for him.
Why Zheng Yang, though only a few months older and Bai Yue’s closest friend, hadn’t received one.
All along, in his world of growing up, everyone else who came by had only ever seen Zheng Yang.
But Bai Yue had seen him.
He knew the reason, too, so he never went seeking pity.
What Zheng Yang had, he didn’t feel jealous about.
Because those things were meant for Zheng Yang.
But why would someone bypass Zheng Yang and secretly give him gifts only for him?
Bring him his favorite snacks when visiting, the comics he liked, the stamps he was collecting…
Ye Xi looked into Bai Yue’s eyes, forcing himself to hold back the prickling in his nose.
Tears blurred everything, making Bai Yue’s face hard to see.
But he knew Bai Yue was watching him.
He whispered the question he had longed to ask.
“Bai-ge, do you like me too?”
The answer came as a kiss, soft and landed on his lips.
Bai Yue kissed Ye Xi’s mouth gently, then trailed upward—kissing his nose, his damp cheek, his tear-filled eyes.
Finally the kiss rested on Ye Xi’s forehead.
Just like that day at the hotel in the snowy mountains—on his birthday.
The difference was that winter had turned to summer; the seasons had passed.
His sleeping beauty finally woke, opened his eyes, and truly saw him.
“I do.” Bai Yue held Ye Xi, their foreheads pressed together.
“At that fireworks festival, when I looked at you, I wanted to kiss you like this.”
“I don’t just hope you’ll be by my side next year. What I want is every year after this—morning and night, you by my side.”
