The Cannon Fodder Who Fell in Love at Art School - Chapter 15

It was nearly dawn when Fang Chen finally fell asleep. He lay sprawled out, belly-up, sleeping so soundly that he didn’t stir until the sun was high. The knock on the door finally roused him from his daze.

Shuffling in his slippers and rubbing his eyes, he stumbled to open the door.

Outside stood Xis. The man was wearing a black tank top and matching sweatpants. The simple outfit somehow made him look even more imposing the clean lines of his muscles pressed against the fabric, and the veins that trailed along his exposed forearms made his arms look even more powerful.

Fang Chen’s gaze lingered on him without realizing it.

Every time Xis carried him, he did it one-handed. When he used that strength,would those veins stand out even more? Would his muscles tighten under the strain?

Catching the boy’s wandering gaze, Xis’s lips curved almost imperceptibly. His tone, however, stayed calm as ever.
“It’s almost noon. Aren’t you hungry?”

Noon?

Fang Chen blinked in confusion. “Hungry… kind of.”

Without hesitation, Xis reached out and gently pressed down the tuft of hair sticking up from Fang Chen’s head.  Go wash up. I’ll wait for you outside, then we’ll get something to eat.

Fang Chen nodded blankly. “Oh… okay.”

It took him a few seconds back in his room before his sluggish brain caught up and when it did, his face went hot.

Why did he keep staring at Xis like that? He wasn’t usually this… lecherous. Why did he always end up paying special attention to that man’s body?

Knowing Xis was waiting, Fang Chen hurried. He threw on the first set of clothes he could find, splashed some water on his face, and rushed out the door.

When he opened it, Xis was leaning casually against the wall, a cigarette between his fingers. Wisps of smoke curled upward, but as soon as he saw Fang Chen, he stubbed it out immediately.

He also noticed the boy had run out in such a rush that his shirt buttons were unevenly fastened.

Without a word, Xis reached out and began buttoning them for him calm, natural, practiced.

The small motion drew them closer. Fang Chen could faintly smell the smoke clinging to the man’s clothes. He glanced up and from this angle could see only Xis’s Adam’s apple and the sharp line of his jaw above it.

Xis had the distinct, deep-set features of a Westerner. His golden hair, when not styled, fell slightly into his eyes, giving him a cool, almost lazy kind of charm. He looked intimidating, but Fang Chen couldn’t recall ever seeing him lose his temper.

Once the buttons were done, the boy still looked dazed.
What are you thinking about? Xis asked quietly.

Fang Chen snapped back to reality, meeting those gray-blue eyes head-on. His mind blanked. “You.”

Xis raised a brow, voice tinged with amusement. “Me? What about me?”

Realizing how that sounded, Fang Chen wanted to bite his tongue off. He quickly blurted, 

I was thinking… do you smoke a lot?

Xis froze for half a beat, then said, No. Only sometimes. Did you smell it? Sorry.

Fang Chen shook his head quickly. 

No, no, I was just asking. Do you smoke when you’re upset?

He thought maybe Xis was in a bad mood.

Xis looked at him, expression unreadable, the hint of a smile in his eyes. “Not because I’m upset.”

“Huh?”

You wouldn’t want to know. His tone was light. “Come on, let’s go.”

Xis wasn’t a habitual smoker but he couldn’t deny that when certain urges started stirring deep inside, nicotine helped. It dulled the impulse, if only a little.

Helped him hold back longer. A little longer.

Everyone else had already eaten breakfast.
At this hour, it was closer to lunch anyway.

Outside, a linen cloth was spread over a wooden table. A crystal vase sat in one corner, holding a few small wildflowers. On the plates were freshly made blueberry pancakes, still steaming, drizzled with golden honey that gleamed under the sunlight.

Beside them, a glass of warm milk gave off a sweet, comforting scent.

Across from him, Xis held only a cup of jet-black coffee.

Fang Chen had noticed before whenever they ate out, Xis seemed to restrain himself, almost ascetically.

He stuffed a forkful of pancake into his mouth, speaking around the bite,  Do you have to eat some kind of… custom nutrition meals?

Xis gave a brief nod.

Doesn’t that make you hungry?  Fang Chen asked sympathetically.

His lips were soft and pink, glistening slightly from the honey, and as he spoke, Xis’s eyes unconsciously followed the small movements of his mouth. His throat bobbed once.

A little,  Xis admitted.

So pitiful. Fang Chen sighed.

He really was hungry, though he cleared the entire plate and drained his milk too.

Rubbing his full stomach, he asked cheerfully,  So, where are we going next? Are we meeting up with the others?

Xis shook his head.  No need. Just the two of us.

He had Uncle Boer fetch a jumpsuit for Fang Chen, and then led him to the garden to pick blueberries.

Fang Chen held a small metal bucket, following behind Xis with serious determination—until he saw the endless stretch of blueberry bushes and froze.

All of this? he asked, stunned. “You… you eat this many blueberries every year?”

Xis chuckled. Of course not. Most are packaged and shipped out.

“Oh.” Fang Chen nodded, then started carefully plucking berries one by one and dropping them into the bucket.

The soft thunk thunk thunk sound they made as they hit the metal bottom was oddly satisfying.

After he’d filled half a bucket, Fang Chen straightened up, stretching his sore back and immediately, Xis stopped him.

If you’re tired, we can head back. We’re just here to have fun, not to see how many you can pick.

Fang Chen lifted his half-filled bucket proudly.  It’s fine! I’ll make blueberry jam later you can try it.

Xis’s lips curved faintly. “I’d like that.”

The sun grew warmer as they worked. Fang Chen took off his gloves and walked beside Xis toward the exit. Out of the corner of his eye, something swayed and when he turned his head, he froze.

A huge spider hung from a branch right next to him, close enough that he could see the colored markings on its body.

For two seconds, his mind went blank then he let out a muffled squeak and launched himself straight at Xis.

Hearing the sound, Xis turned only to have the boy throw himself into his arms.

A lamb running straight into the wolf’s den.

Instinctively, Xis caught him, holding him tight.

Feeling Fang Chen trembling in his arms, he softened his voice. “What is it? What did you see?”

Fang Chen clung to him like an octopus, face buried against Xis’s neck, eyes squeezed shut.

He didn’t dare look again. He could only hope it had been his imagination.

Chapter 15 (continued)

“A spider. A big one—and colorful,” Fang Chen mumbled into Xis’s chest, his voice trembling. “It must be poisonous.”

Xis frowned slightly and glanced toward where the boy had been looking. He recognized it immediately—a garden orb-weaver, common on the farm and completely harmless. But he didn’t explain that. Instead, he reached up and patted Fang Chen’s back gently.
“Don’t be afraid. It’s gone now.”

Fang Chen still refused to move. He clung to Xis tightly, as if glued to him. “Let’s go… please, let’s just go!”

Growing up where he did, Fang Chen had always had a deep-rooted fear of anything with too many legs—snakes, bugs, spiders, all of it.

Without another word, Xis simply tightened his hold and carried him out of the garden. He didn’t speak, but one of his hands stayed free, rhythmically patting Fang Chen’s back in reassurance.

They’d already walked quite a distance when Fang Chen began to feel something was off. He hesitated, then slowly peeked up.

Wait a minute… weren’t they almost back at the cabin?

He blinked, finally realizing that he was still being carried—arms wrapped around Xis’s neck like a koala. Embarrassed, he squirmed to get down, but instead of letting go, Xis’s grip only tightened.

Fang Chen stammered, “Y-you… what are you doing?”

“Aren’t you scared?” Xis asked calmly.

Well… technically, yes. He had thrown himself at the man.

Feeling guilty, Fang Chen lowered his voice. “But… we’re already out.”

Xis gave a quiet “mm,” but didn’t loosen his arms.

Fang Chen grew flustered, kicking his legs lightly. “Put me down already!”

Xis looked down at him. The boy was glaring up with wide, dark eyes, his lips slightly pursed in anger.

He was upset—but he looked so pretty like that. So… endearing.

Xis’s lips pressed together for a brief moment before he finally set him down.

The moment Fang Chen’s feet touched the ground, he stepped back several times in a hurry, raising his head warily to study Xis. But the man’s expression was calm, unreadable, as if nothing unusual had happened.

Then why had he held him so tightly?

Was he just imagining things?

Fang Chen hesitated, bit his lip, and murmured, “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” Xis said politely, his tone mild. “This is my farm, after all. Of course I should protect you.”

Fang Chen lowered his head. “I… I’m going to change my clothes.”

Xis smiled faintly. “Alright. Take a rest if you’re tired.”

Fang Chen nodded, ducking his head again as he hurried back to his cabin.

Xis watched him go, his warm gaze slowly darkening. Those gray-blue eyes followed the boy’s figure until it disappeared completely from sight.

A few minutes later, Joey appeared out of nowhere, sidling up beside him with a grin. “So… how far have you two gotten?”

He had wanted to ask Did you sleep with him yet?—but decided he liked his life too much to risk it.

To his surprise, Xis’s tone remained indifferent. “We haven’t started.”

“For real?” Joey’s eyes widened in disbelief. He was a man who lived for pleasure—physical intimacy, not romantic ideals.

Xis finally turned his gaze toward him, calm but cold. “So don’t joke about him again. He’s not like everyone else.”

Just as the boy had said himself—they came from different worlds, with different cultures. Here, people were open, direct, passionate. But Fang Chen was reserved, cautious, unwilling to bare every emotion.

That was why, even though Xis had wanted to strip this shy little lamb the first day they met, he’d restrained himself until now.

Because when you like someone—you respect them.

Joey spread his hands helplessly. “Then are you sure he even knows you’re pursuing him?”

Xis fell silent.

Meanwhile, inside the nearby cabin, Fang Chen paced in circles, his expression dark.

What does that even mean? What does he mean, What on earth is going on with this Xis?