Chapter 25: Online Gossip
The afternoon sunlight streamed through the sheer curtains, casting dappled shadows on the floor, warming the room and dispelling the winter chill.
The fire in the fireplace crackled and popped.
Xie Yang sat in Qi Xu's lap, leaning against his chest, quietly playing Teamfight Tactics.
He tried to keep his focus on the tablet, resisting the urge to pay attention to the large hand resting on his waist and the occasional wet kisses landing on his neck and shoulders.
Qi Xu seemed to really enjoy kissing him.
Initially, Xie Yang thought Qi Xu wasn't gay. Even if he liked him, he assumed Qi Xu wouldn't quickly accept intimate contact and might even have some aversion to it.
But Qi Xu didn't.
He seemed to particularly enjoy being close to Xie Yang.
Physical contact was the easiest way to close the gap between two people. In the few short hours they'd spent together, Xie Yang felt the sense of distance he had towards Qi Xu diminish significantly.
Qi Xu was no longer the unattainable moon in his heart.
They were just like any ordinary couple, holding hands, hugging, and kissing.
Even doing more intimate things.
Thinking about this, Xie Yang couldn't help but blush.
Qi Xu's warm breath brushed against his ear, sending a tingling sensation through him. His heartbeat accelerated, causing him to shiver slightly in Qi Xu's arms. He tried to pull away, attempting to put some distance between them.
"What's wrong?"
Qi Xu knowingly asked, pulling him back into his arms, turning him to face him by gripping his waist.
Xie Yang's face turned red, his eyes misty as if tears could spill out at any moment.
He bit his lower lip lightly, his gaze avoiding Qi Xu's intense eyes.
He looked like he'd been thoroughly bullied.
Qi Xu stared at him, his eyes darkening, filled with turbulent emotions.
His gaze lingered on Xie Yang, making no attempt to hide the burning desire in his eyes.
The warm palm gently rubbed his waist.
It tickled.
Xie Yang couldn't help but shiver slightly in his arms, wriggling a bit.
"Mm-hmm."
Qi Xu let out a low, muffled sound.
Xie Yang froze, not daring to move again.
So hot.
He could feel Qi Xu's steady breath becoming slightly erratic.
His gaze grew increasingly intimidating.
It felt like Qi Xu wanted to have his way with him at any moment.
He was pulled into Qi Xu's embrace, strong arms holding him tightly. His tablet was taken away and placed casually on the table beside them.
Xie Yang curled up his feet, overwhelmed by the mixture of excitement and shyness.
He lowered his eyelids, not wanting Qi Xu to notice the expectant look in his eyes.
Qi Xu: "Can I kiss you?"
Before Xie Yang could even answer, Qi Xu had pressed him down onto the sofa.
The initially gentle and restrained kiss turned into an entangled exchange as Qi Xu's breathing grew heavier.
He could only slightly part his lips, cooperating, sinking into the flood of Qi Xu's passionate affection.
The long kiss only ended when Xie Yang was almost out of breath.
He shyly closed his eyes, his eyelashes trembling lightly.
Qi Xu gazed down at him, a clear smile on his lips.
He smoothed the messy hair on Xie Yang's forehead and took a deep breath at the crook of his neck. After a while, he got up from Xie Yang's body.
"Take a nap; it's still early."
Qi Xu covered him with a thin blanket.
He then walked into the bathroom.
The sound of running water filled the room. Xie Yang glanced towards the bathroom and immediately blushed.
He wasn't completely devoid of feeling; he initially thought Qi Xu would do something more intimate.
But Qi Xu had stopped.
Xie Yang felt a faint sense of disappointment.
If Qi Xu had wanted to do something, he probably wouldn't have refused.
Because he really, really liked Qi Xu.
After all, possession is part of love.
He also yearned to be with him.
The tablet casually left on the table already displayed [Game Over.]
Unsurprisingly, he had come in eighth place.
Xie Yang exited the game and put the tablet away.
He lay on the soft sofa, lost in thought.
So many things had happened all at once today, making his thoughts a jumbled mess.
Even now, he was still immersed in the joy of being in a relationship with Qi Xu, his mind blank and unable to calm down.
When he was alone, he often wondered if he was really dating Qi Xu.
Were those kisses real?
What if, in the end, it turned out to be just a dream?
If it was a dream, he didn't want to wake up.
The sound of running water from the bathroom continued for a long time. With so many thoughts swirling in his mind, Xie Yang fell asleep.
Qi Xu came out of the bathroom, bringing a wave of steam back into the living room.
He was wearing a large bathrobe, water droplets still hanging from his hair.
Soft music played in the living room.
There was a small lump on the sofa; Xie Yang had curled up under the blanket and fallen asleep.
Qi Xu slowed his steps and gently approached him.
Xie Yang's skin was very fair, with faint dark circles under his eyes. Even in sleep, his brows were slightly furrowed, unable to hide his exhaustion.
Qi Xu lightly touched his cheek, wanting to brush away the hair that had fallen on his face.
Xie Yang slept lightly. The moment Qi Xu touched him, he woke up, thinking he had fallen asleep while working at the cake shop.
Seeing that it was Qi Xu in front of him and realizing he was still at Qi Xu's house, his expression softened.
Forcing himself to wake up caused a splitting headache. He looked at Qi Xu groggily and said, "Sorry, I fell asleep."
Qi Xu looked at him with concern, his brows tightly knitted.
As Xie Yang rubbed his temples and tried to get up, Qi Xu lifted him from the sofa and carried him to the bedroom amidst Xie Yang's surprised exclamation, gently placing him on the bed.
Qi Xu patted his head and coaxed, "The sofa isn't comfortable. Sleep here."
Xie Yang's drowsiness dissipated quite a bit when Qi Xu picked him up.
He looked around the room cautiously and asked, "This doesn't seem like the guest room?"
Qi Xu: "It's my room."
"I'm not very sleepy anymore. Maybe I shouldn't sleep," Xie Yang said tentatively.
This was Qi Xu's room, and he was even lying on Qi Xu's bed. Just thinking about it made him inexplicably anxious. He lifted the blanket, wanting to get up.
Qi Xu pinned him down on the bed, speaking discontentedly: "What, do you dislike me?"
Xie Yang: "I, I don't, how could I dislike you?"
He liked him too much to even think about disliking him.
Qi Xu kissed him and smiled, "So, do you want me to coax you to sleep?"
Xie Yang was stunned for a moment, then quickly shook his head, saying no.
But Qi Xu's words seemed to be etched into his mind, and he couldn't help but wonder: How would he coax me?
Qi Xu: "Sleep for a while. I'll wake you up when it's time for dinner."
Seeing Qi Xu about to leave, Xie Yang quickly grabbed his hand and asked, "Where are you going?"
He looked at Qi Xu nervously, not wanting him to leave.
Qi Xu leaned down and kissed his forehead, speaking gently: "I have some work to deal with. If I stay in the bedroom, it will disturb your rest. I'll be in the study next door. If you need anything, just call me."
Xie Yang: "Oh."
Seeing Xie Yang's slight disappointment, Qi Xu asked, "Or do you want me to hold you while you sleep?"
If Qi Xu stayed, Xie Yang definitely wouldn't be able to sleep.
Xie Yang shook his head again.
He didn't dare let Qi Xu hold him while he slept.
If their relationship were a bit closer, he might have asked Qi Xu to stay.
But now, he didn't dare ask anything of Qi Xu. Even if Qi Xu did stay, he would probably be too excited to sleep.
Besides, Qi Xu said he had work to do.
Qi Xu tucked him in and, seeing his sleepy expression, said, "Sleep now."
Xie Yang: "Okay."
After Qi Xu left, Xie Yang dared to take a good look at the room.
The room was decorated in a minimalist style, probably because it wasn't frequently used, and there were hardly any personal belongings.
The room was filled with a faint scent of gardenias.
Even the pillows and bedding carried this scent, which was Qi Xu's scent.
Xie Yang took a light sniff.
He felt like he was also covered in Qi Xu's scent.
It gave him a strange sense of satisfaction.
He felt a bit perverted.
Although he was very tired, he was also very excited, feeling a contradictory mix of emotions.
He took out his phone and saved the photos he had secretly taken today into his album, then switched to his secondary WeChat account to start recording bits of his life.
His secondary account had already added Qi Xu's account back.
After he had suggested breaking up that day, during the four days they had no contact, Qi Xu had sent him messages every day.
He saw countless messages saying "I'm sorry."
Qi Xu wasn't angry about him abruptly suggesting the breakup; instead, he kept blaming himself, wondering if he had done something wrong to disappoint Xie Yang, prompting the breakup.
During those days, Qi Xu had been sending friend requests and messages, trying to make amends.
Xie Yang wanted to document his moments with Qi Xu, but the thought of Qi Xu seeing them made him feel embarrassed.
He didn't want Qi Xu to see these.
So he chose: "Only visible to myself."
[My secret crush finally has a happy ending. Hello, my first love.]
The accompanying picture was the bouquet of roses Qi Xu had given him.
[I don't know how long this love will last. I hope it's forever. But even if it has a time limit, that's okay. I hope it lasts a long time.]
[Qi Xu said he likes me, but it still feels unreal. He used to say he didn't like me, and he would frown when he saw me. How did he suddenly start liking me?]
[Even if it's fake, it's okay.]
[I've tasted the sweetness.]
[I'm greedily hoping he will love me for one more day, and then another.]
Xie Yang used his Moments as a place to share his feelings, and it made him feel much better.
Then he opened Qi Xu's Moments and saw that he had posted a new update.
Qi Xu: [Had a very sweet caramel pudding.]
Seeing this message, Xie Yang's face started to heat up. Was he referring to him?
He said he had eaten it.
Xie Yang felt a rush of shyness and covered his face with the blanket.
He couldn't help but overthink every word Qi Xu said.
The humidifier in the room gurgled, the soft bed and Qi Xu's scent all made him feel incredibly secure. Gradually, sleepiness overtook him, and Xie Yang fell asleep.
The sun set in the west.
The sky grew dark, leaving only a small nightlight casting a weak glow in the room.
When Xie Yang woke up, everything was pitch black. Unease and a sense of loss washed over him.
He sat on the bed dazedly for a while before coming to his senses. This was Qi Xu's house, not the dormitory.
It was very quiet.
He carefully got out of bed, tidied up the bedding, then opened the door and peeked out.
Qi Xu, who had been playing on his phone in the living room, heard the door open and immediately walked toward the bedroom. Seeing Xie Yang nervously standing at the door with his flushed cheeks, looking like a soft little cake, Qi Xu felt a pang of affection and pinched his cheek.
"Did you sleep well?"
Xie Yang nodded, obediently letting him pinch his face.
Qi Xu picked him up and carried him to the bathroom, where he filled a basin with hot water.
"Wash your face, and then we can eat."
A new set of toiletries had been prepared in the bathroom. Xie Yang hadn't seen them before he fell asleep. Did Qi Xu prepare them while he was asleep?
During the time Xie Yang was asleep, the housekeeper had come and prepared dinner. Following Qi Xu's request, she made nutritious and light dishes.
Each dish was not large in quantity, but there was a variety, including some of Xie Yang's favorites.
Xie Yang sat obediently while Qi Xu ladled a bowl of soup for him.
Qi Xu: "Tell me if there's anything else you like to eat, and I'll have the housekeeper make it. If we don't go out to eat, how about you come here for dinner every day?"
Xie Yang bit his spoon, looking at him in surprise.
Come here?
Qi Xu: "If you think it's too much trouble, then I'll have the food prepared and sent to the school gate every day. Or, I can order takeout for you."
Xie Yang's scalp tingled. He felt that Qi Xu was trying to supervise his meals.
"It's not necessary. I'll eat properly."
Qi Xu looked at him and said calmly, "Is it because you don't want to see me or because you don't want to eat with me?"
The spoon in Xie Yang's hand fell into the bowl with a "clink," splashing soup onto his hand and clothes. He didn't care about that. He didn't want Qi Xu to be angry, so he hurriedly explained, "That's not what I meant. I just thought it would trouble you too much."
Qi Xu sat down beside him, rolled up his damp sleeve, and carefully checked his hand, frowning: "Did you get burned?"
Seeing Qi Xu's worried expression, Xie Yang paused and shook his head lightly: "You're not angry anymore?"
Qi Xu didn't say anything.
Xie Yang bit his lip, his eyes instantly turning red.
Qi Xu: "Why are you crying? Xie Yang, right now I'm the one pursuing you, trying to make you happy."
Xie Yang suddenly froze.
Qi Xu: "How could I get angry with you over such a small thing? I just want you to eat well. I'm very worried about your health. I've been thinking for a long time that if we had the chance to meet, I would like to live together with you and take care of you, make you healthy and happy. I want to make your life better so you don't have to struggle so much."
Xie Yang lowered his eyes and softly said, "I'm doing fine. It's not that hard."
Qi Xu: "But my heart aches for you."
From their earlier conversations, Qi Xu had sensed signs of hardship in Xie Yang's life, and it made his heart ache.
Xie Yang felt a warmth in his eyes and hugged Qi Xu's waist, lying in his arms.
To think someone cared about his well-being.
…
The food prepared by the housekeeper was delicious. Qi Xu didn't eat much; he was busy peeling shrimp and placing a bowl full of shrimp meat in front of Xie Yang.
Xie Yang then realized that the shrimp were for him.
He had thought Qi Xu enjoyed peeling and eating them one by one.
While Qi Xu went to wash his hands, Xie Yang took out his phone and snapped a picture of the bowl of shrimp, saving it to his album.
Even though it was a small thing, he wanted to remember it.
After dinner, it was still early.
They snuggled on the sofa, ready to play games together. Qi Xu had just logged in when Sheng Fei invited him to join a game, and the phone call came through the next second.
Sheng Fei got straight to the point: "Join us for a five-man team."
Qi Xu ignored him and instead whispered to Xie Yang, "Sheng Fei wants us to join a five-man team. Do you want to play with them?"
Remembering the last time they played a five-man team, when his poor skills had caused Sheng Fei to lose his promotion match, Xie Yang hesitantly said, "But I'm not very good. I'll just drag you down."
Before Qi Xu could respond, Sheng Fei exclaimed, "D*mn, Old Qi, who are you with? Is someone there? I'll kick out the random player, and you two come in."
Qi Xu: "Don't worry. If anyone scolds you, I'll scold them back."
Xie Yang: "…"
He was a bit curious about how Qi Xu would scold someone.
As soon as Xie Yang joined the room, he realized it was full of familiar faces: Song Xingyu and Xi Rui. It wasn't much of a surprise.
Qi Xu turned on his mic and said, "I'll go bot lane with Caramel Pudding, you guys can take the rest."
Sheng Fei: "D*mn, Old Qi, go jungle. Why are you taking my position?"
Qi Xu: "Fine, I'll leave."
Sheng Fei: "No, I'll go mid. Old Song, you go jungle."
Song Xingyu: "I'm not going. Xi Rui can jungle. I'll go top."
Xi Rui, slightly slower to respond: "Fine."
Sheng Fei kept thinking about the support player's ID, feeling it looked and sounded familiar.
Suddenly, he exclaimed, startling everyone in the room.
Song Xingyu: "What's up, did you see a ghost?"
Xi Rui snarked: "What's got you so jumpy? Makes me think you've never seen the world."
Sheng Fei, in shock, said, "Old Qi, is your support a guy?!"
Xi Rui: "So what if Old Qi brought a guy? Is that so shocking?"
Song Xingyu: "It's rare, but not enough to freak out over."
Sheng Fei said sternly: "You guys don't get it!"
Qi Xu let out a cold snort: "Hmm? You have a problem with that?"
Sheng Fei stammered: "N-no, I don't."
He suddenly remembered that he had been the one to add the support player. He even talked about setting Qi Xu up, not knowing the support was a guy!
Had he unintentionally meddled? Qi Xu being gay wasn't his fault, right?
He recalled warning Qi Xu against online dating, saying the other person could be a 200-pound girl or a burly man.
Sheng Fei was shocked to realize his worst fears had come true.
His good buddy had turned gay!
Qi Xu didn't plan to tell Old Song and Xi Rui, so it couldn't come from him.
Sheng Fei noted that the support player hadn't spoken on the mic, meaning they were likely together in person. How intense was this online romance?!
Thinking about it made Sheng Fei even more unsettled.
Xie Yang whispered in Qi Xu's ear, "Can I play Yuumi?"
Qi Xu: "You can play whatever you want. The important thing is to have fun."
Xie Yang hesitated: "Should I pick a better engage champion?"
Qi Xu: "Don't worry, just pick first. They'll adjust accordingly."
Xie Yang nodded.
But he was still worried because he wasn't good at playing engage champions. He feared making a mistake that would cost them the game.
Since it was a five-man team, he decided to play Yuumi first to test the waters. If it didn't go well, he'd sit out the next game.
Seeing how nervous he was, Qi Xu comforted him: "Don't worry. It's just a game. Win or lose, it doesn't matter."
Xie Yang didn't relax despite Qi Xu's reassurance. The unpleasant memory of his previous experience still cast a shadow.
He clung to Qi Xu, watching him last-hit minions intently.
Qi Xu turned and kissed his cheek, smiling: "Good boy."
The unexpected kiss successfully distracted Xie Yang from his anxiety.
Their bot lane played steadily. Xi Rui didn't even need to come down to help; they were dominating the lane.
Meanwhile, Sheng Fei was having trouble in mid lane, distracted by thoughts about Qi Xu and repeatedly getting solo-killed.
Xi Rui teased: "Sheng Fei, are you trying to feed the mid laner?"
Sheng Fei looked at his 0/3 record and coughed lightly: "What's the rush? I'll turn it around soon."
Song Xingyu: "I suggest you stop feeding."
Sheng Fei: "Xi Rui, just come help me gank once."
Xi Rui: "Didn't you hear Old Qi? Help the strong, not the weak. Play safe in mid; I'm going bot to farm kills."
Sheng Fei was about to retort when he saw Qi Xu and Yuumi invading the enemy's blue buff area. He hurriedly shouted, "Stop! Old Qi, what are you doing?! That's my blue!"
Qi Xu: "Who said it's yours? Is your name on it? You're 0/3 and you still want blue?"
Sheng Fei: "…"
Sheng Fei: "I'm a mid-lane mage. Don't you know how badly I need blue?"
Qi Xu: "If you can't manage your mana, why play mid? You're playing Orianna and can't even beat Fizz. What are you complaining about?"
Xi Rui and Song Xingyu burst out laughing.
Song Xingyu: "Yeah, Xiao Fei, do you need Daddy to teach you how to play mid?"
Sheng Fei was at a loss for words.
It had been a while since he'd heard Old Qi roast someone.
Qi Xu finished off the blue buff and gently said to Xie Yang, "Baby, come take the blue."
Xie Yang was a bit stunned.
Was it okay for a support to take the mid-lane's blue buff?
That "baby" slipped out, and the previously noisy three suddenly fell silent.
Did they hear wrong?
Did Qi Xu just say "baby"?
Who was he talking to?
The support Yuumi?
But wasn't the support a guy?
Xie Yang's voice was soft, so Xi Rui and Song Xingyu didn't hear it clearly.
But Sheng Fei had said it was a guy.
Xi Rui appeared to be AFK in their jungle but was actually frantically messaging Song Xingyu on WeChat.
Xi Rui: "O-o-o-o-o-old Qi is gay?!"
Xi Rui: "Is he dating the support named Caramel Pudding?"
Xi Rui: "Oh my god, the world has gone mad. Old Qi is really in a relationship, and his partner is a guy!"
Xi Rui: "If you told me the world was ending tomorrow, I'd believe it."
Song Xingyu: "Sheng Fei clearly knows about this. Let's ask him after the game."
Xi Rui: "Okay."
Xie Yang, still in a daze, got off Qi Xu to take the blue buff and then reattached to him. He sensed the team was now in an awkward silence.
He couldn't help but shyly whisper to Qi Xu, "D-don't call me that."
They must have heard it.
He never expected Qi Xu to come out so openly in front of his friends.
This was too much.
After clearing the enemy's jungle monsters, Qi Xu hid in a bush to recall.
Taking advantage of the moment, he pinched Xie Yang's chin and kissed his soft lips.
The sound of the kiss, a clear "mwah," transmitted through the voice chat.
Now the voice chat fell completely silent.