Yan Shu thought a lot along the way. The feeling of being troubled by emotions wasn't pleasant. He didn't like this feeling. From a young age, many people had confessed to him, and many had persisted even after being rejected, but he had always been able to handle it. This time was no different.
Since he already had feelings for Xu Chi, he might as well make his feelings clear.
"We're home," Xu Chi said.
Yan Shu came back to his senses and subconsciously replied, "Mm."
He gripped the doorknob, hesitated for a moment, then turned to Xu Chi and said, "Are you free to come over and cook at my place again tonight?"
Xu Chi was stunned for a moment, then smiled. "Okay, I can. I'll clean up and be right over."
Yan Shu nodded and turned to go inside, leaving the door open.
He went into the kitchen, served the rice first, then took the ingredients out of the refrigerator and placed them neatly on the countertop. After washing what needed to be washed, all he had to do was sit on the sofa and wait for the food to be ready.
Yan Shu was quite proficient in these tasks. He had even considered chopping the vegetables ahead of time, but Xu Chi wouldn't let him. He said he had specific requirements for how the vegetables were cut.
Yan Shu didn't understand, but he respected Xu Chi's preference.
Soon, Xu Chi knocked on the door and entered, carrying a plate of fresh fruit.
He changed his shoes at the entrance, walked over to the coffee table, and placed the fruit in front of Yan Shu. His voice was soft and gentle as he said, "Have some fruit to tide you over."
Yan Shu watched his back as he walked into the kitchen, and a jumble of thoughts flooded his mind again.
He and Xu Chi were neighbours first, then coworkers.
Initially, he was simply drawn to Xu Chi's cooking skills. So, he asked him to cook for him, and to his surprise, Xu Chi was more than happy to. It was as if something in his own home was attracting him.
"Once there was one time, then there was a second, a third..."
Yan Shu finally realised today that this kind of relationship was truly abnormal. Xu Chi's movements after entering the room were so practiced, it was as if he was seeing a scene from their cohabitation.
So, this was what it was like to be truly smitten with someone.
Yan Shu pulled his gaze back to his phone and waited quietly.
Xu Chi was busy in the kitchen, not giving it much thought.
The clock ticked on slowly, second by second, until it was six-thirty in the evening, and hot food was already on the table.
Xu Chi set down the bowls and chopsticks, then walked out of the kitchen for the last time. He called out softly towards the sofa.
"Dinner's ready."
"Coming," Yan Shu replied, putting down his phone and standing up to go to the kitchen. He called out, "What do you want to drink? Milk, juice, or alcohol?"
"Just juice is fine."
"Okay."
Yan Shu casually took out two bottles of juice, then closed the refrigerator door. He walked out and handed one to Xu Chi, sitting down opposite him.
Xu Chi took it and thanked him.
Xu Chi's cooking was very much to Yan Shu's taste. He also paid a lot of attention to nutritional balance. No matter what ingredients he was given, he could cook up a nutritious meal of three dishes and one soup.
He wondered who would end up with such a good cook.
Thinking about this, Yan Shu felt a pang of heartache. He lowered his eyes and unconsciously tightened his grip on his chopsticks.
No, he couldn't let himself get carried away by his emotions. He needed to act quickly, before he got in too deep.
Yan Shu pursed his lips and finally spoke, “Actually, there's something I need to tell you.”
Xu Chi's eyelids twitched. He looked up and said in confusion, "What is it?"
"I like men."
Yan Shu's expression was very calm. In fact, he felt that any sexual orientation was normal, as long as he liked it, there was nothing to be ashamed of.
Xu Chi's movements stopped abruptly. He was a little surprised by Yan Shu's directness. Beyond surprise, he nodded, "Yeah, me too."
These simple words left Yan Shu at a loss for words. His mind raced. So, he does too? Does he feel the same way about me? Let's just ask.
Yan Shu didn't want questions, he wanted answers.
"So, do you like me?" Yan Shu put down his chopsticks, raised his head, and stared intently at the person across from him.
The moment their eyes met, Xu Chi's ears turned red, quickly spreading to his entire face. A wave of heat swept through his body, and he quickly averted his gaze.
Hearing Yan Shu's question, Xu Chi's mind short-circuited for a moment.
So, he had finally been found out. Xu Chi felt both uneasy and relieved.
It seemed that his prepared confession would no longer be needed.
He calmed his racing heart, took a deep breath, and suddenly looked into Yan Shu's eyes and replied seriously, "I like you."
Bang…!
A string in Yan Shu's heart snapped. He laughed, "What a coincidence, I like you too."
A clap of thunder echoed outside the window, and a flash of lightning lit up the room before plunging it into darkness.
Xu Chi hadn't recovered yet, his ears still ringing with Yan Shu's words.
It took him a long time to realise that his one-sided love had finally borne fruit.
Yan Shu wasn't much calmer than Xu Chi. The darkness came at just the right time, hiding the blush that was quickly spreading across his face.
After a while, Yan Shu changed the subject and said in the darkness, "The power's out."
Xu Chi was a beat behind. "Yeah."
Then he stood up. "It must be a tripped circuit breaker. I'll go check."
"Wait a moment, I'll get my phone to light the way for you."
Yan Shu felt his way towards the sofa in the dark. Perhaps a little too confident in himself, he walked too fast and unexpectedly bumped his knee into the coffee table leg.
His leg ached, and he almost fell to his knees.
With his eyes unable to see anything, his ears became more sensitive. Hearing the noise, Xu Chi asked anxiously, "What happened? Where did you hit yourself?"
Yan Shu found his phone and, while Xu Chi was unlocking it, used the faint light from the phone's screen to guide Xu Chi to his side.
He helped Yan Shu sit on the sofa and knelt down to examine his injury.
Yan Shu turned on the phone's flashlight and handed it to Xu Chi, "I'm fine, you go check the circuit breaker first."
"Okay," Xu Chi took the phone reluctantly, "You sit still and don't move."
"Mm."
Soon, the room lit up. Yan Shu closed his eyes uncomfortably to adjust.
Xu Chi came in from outside. He closed the door and casually picked up the medicine cabinet from the shoe rack and walked towards Yan Shu.
He knelt in front of Yan Shu and said softly, "Let me see where you got hurt."
Yan Shu rolled up his pant leg, revealing a large bruise on his right knee. His naturally fair skin provided a stark contrast, making it look even more prominent.
Xu Chi frowned and took out a bottle of red flower oil, gently applying it to the bruise and massaging it in.
Yan Shu looked down at his serious expression and realised that his knee didn't hurt anymore. "Actually, it'll heal on its own in a few days."
"This will help it heal faster," Xu Chi said after treating the injury. "Be more careful in the future. You need to apply medicine properly whenever you get hurt."
Yan Shu smiled casually, "Isn't that what you're here for?"
Xu Chi was stunned for a moment, then realised what Yan Shu meant. He blushed and nodded, "Yeah, I'll take good care of you."
"Then I'll trouble you, boyfriend."
"No trouble at all, it's my pleasure."
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