What If I Ended Up Marrying My Enemy? - Chapter 19
Chapter 20: Breathing Space
Yu Wenxuan had just come out of the bathroom after his shower when he saw Yu Zhixue in front of the cabinet, seemingly rummaging for something.
As he dried his hair, he walked over and asked, “What are you looking for?”
Yu Zhixue had just hidden a photo inside the cabinet. Upon hearing Yu Zhixue ’s voice, he quickly shut the door and avoided the question. “I’m going to shower.”
Yu Zhixue raised an eyebrow at how unnatural he looked but didn’t press further. He stepped aside and said, “Go ahead.”
There was still some lingering steam in the bathroom, blurring the air slightly. Clothes were taken off and placed to the side, and soon the sound of running water could be heard.
Water cascaded from his shoulders, trickling down to his calves before dripping off. Listening to the water and his own breathing, Yu Zhixue mind gradually emptied.
The events of the day suddenly came rushing back: the orange-flavored cake, the fireworks… and finally, what Yu Meng had said—”the second possibility.”
“…”
“Let me ask you something. You guys haven’t done it in a while, have you?” Yu Meng had asked bluntly.
Her words were so direct that Yu Zhixue reached up and touched his earlobe coldly. He hesitated, then nodded.
Yu Wenxuan had lost his memory recently, and Yu Zhixue had also been away on business. Thinking about it, it really had been a long time.
Yu Meng had spread her hands, as if everything made sense now. “That’s the second possibility—he’s sexually frustrated, so he’s trying to seduce you.”
The water soaked his hair and lashes, making it hard to keep his eyes open. Yu Zhixue brushed the droplets away, as if brushing away the mental images as well.
His hair was long, so it took time. Only after a while did he finish showering.
He put on his underclothes, then casually pulled on just a top.
In the mirror, his eyes and hair were still dripping wet. Out of habit, he buttoned the shirt all the way up to the top, then realized and undid a few buttons—down to the collarbones, revealing a small part of his chest.
He stared at his slightly dazed reflection and took a deep breath before walking out.
Yu Wenxuan, sitting on the bed, turned his head when he heard movement.
Yu Zhixue wore only an oversized shirt that barely covered his thighs. His exposed legs were long and well-shaped.
In this scene, Yu Wenxuan’s gaze became unreadably complex.
He looked at him for a couple seconds and was just about to speak when Yu Zhixue, as if sensing something, walked straight over.
Then climbed onto the bed.
Then sat on his lap.
Yu Wenxuan, still lying down, felt hands land on his shoulders. He had no idea what Yu Zhixue was trying to do.
The fresh scent from Yu Zhixue ’s recent shower slowly filled the space. He pressed forward slightly on his knees and subtly rubbed against him.
Yu Wenxuan froze completely, his abdomen tightening.
In that moment of lost reason, his body instinctively reacted in a way that hadn’t happened in a long while.
His hand reached out involuntarily—and touched something soft and still damp.
Seeing the dark glint in his eyes, Yu Zhixue thought to himself: This time, I guessed right.
He leaned forward, lowered his head, and gently asked, “…Do you want to do it?”
Yu Wenxuan was still lost: “What?”
Even though he said that, his hand remained where it was. Yu Zhixue could feel the heat radiating from him, and he doubted that Yu Wenxuan was truly confused.
Then Yu Wenxuan felt a bump to his waist, snapping him back to reality. He looked at the person straddling him.
Water from Yu Zhixue ’s wet hair had soaked into his shirt. One droplet fell into the hollow of his collarbone, and another landed on Yu Wenxuan’s face.
That beautiful face now looked even more enticing—slightly parted lips, soft panting, and the hair tie Yu Wenxuan had bought today still around his wrist.
Yu Wenxuan was no saint. With the person he liked sitting on top of him, he couldn’t help but react.
He gripped Yu Zhixue ’s waist and lifted him slightly, his voice strained:
“And what made you think I wanted to?”
Of course, Yu Zhixue couldn’t throw Yu Meng under the bus, so he said, “Just a guess.”
Yu Wenxuan would have to be a fool to believe that. Based on Yu Zhixue ’s shy personality, even hugging and kissing were probably already pushing his limits—how could he possibly come up with something like this on his own?
Thinking quickly, Yu Wenxuan pieced things together from what had happened yesterday and Yu Zhixue ’s reactions today—he pretty much figured it out.
Sure, it was seduction.
But all he’d really wanted… was for Yu Zhixue to look at him a bit more—not to use this kind of method.
He shut his eyes tightly. When he opened them again, they were calmer. He lifted Yu Zhixue off him and was about to go to the bathroom to take care of things himself.
Yu Zhixue said something under his breath.
Yu Wenxuan: “What did you say?”
Yu Zhixue gripped the bed sheet beneath him and repeated softly, “Do you want me to help you?”
The room fell silent.
In that heavy stillness, Yu Zhixue heard the sound of footsteps approaching. Yu Wenxuan was walking back.
Even though he had already said something like that, he was still nervous and embarrassed, biting his lip, fingers fidgeting.
Yu Wenxuan pushed him down on the bed, long hair fanned out around him. He held his waist and said in a low voice:
“…Say that again.”
From the moment his waist was gripped, Yu Zhixue started trembling slightly, barely able to find his voice. He mumbled nervously, “…Do you want me to help you?”
The hair tie on his wrist was pulled off by another hand. Yu Wenxuan hadn’t expected his self-taught braiding skills to come in handy in this context.
He moved quickly and tied Yu Zhixue ’s hands with the hair tie.
Then he used the back of his hand to give a light smack to the inside of his thigh.
“What are you even thinking?”
The flesh on his thigh quivered from the hit and quickly turned pink. Yu Zhixue let out a short, muffled moan and curled up.
Seeing him stay put obediently, Yu Wenxuan finally went back to the bathroom to take a shower.
About ten minutes later, he returned to find Yu Zhixue still in the same position. Yu Wenxuan leaned down to untie the hair tie from his wrists.
He also gently parted his thighs to check. He hadn’t used much force—there was only some redness.
The moment Yu Zhixue ’s wrists were free, he immediately reached out to hug Yu Wenxuan.
Yu Wenxuan hooked his arm under his knees and carried him up. His voice was unreadable:
“Try this again, and I’ll tie you to the bed for a whole day.”
Yu Zhixue knew it was an empty threat, but still buried his face deeper against Yu Wenxuan, the cool tip of his nose brushing against warm skin.
He didn’t mind being tied up—he just hated not being able to reach Yu Wenxuan.
Seeing him walk toward the door with him in his arms, Yu Zhixue asked, “Where are we going?”
Yu Wenxuan pinched his chin and gestured toward the wet bed.
“If you want to sleep there, I can put you back.”
Yu Zhixue hadn’t considered this at all. Based on experience, if something had really happened tonight, a little water would be nothing—the whole bed would be a disaster.
Seeing him go silent again, Yu Wenxuan carried him to the guest room he had stayed in previously. He found a blanket tucked in a corner and laid it on the bed.
Only then did he place Yu Zhixue down and went to fetch a clean towel, tossing it onto his damp head.
The towel fell onto Yu Zhixue ’s face, blocking his vision. He grabbed the edges and began drying his hair slowly.
Yu Wenxuan suddenly recalled their first meeting, when he saw Yu Zhixue downstairs trying to tie his own hair—what a mess that had been.
Now, after drying off a bit, Yu Zhixue pulled the towel away.
To Yu Wenxuan’s eyes, he looked like a bedraggled kitten with messy, still-dripping hair.
He sighed and took the towel back, helping him dry again—he was surprisingly practiced at it now, his touch firm but gentle.
Yu Zhixue tilted his head, watching his focused expression, lips pressed together.
After drying his hair, Yu Wenxuan even blow-dried it for him. Then he crouched to feel the warmth of his legs with the back of his hand.
When it was all done, he returned to the main bedroom, found clean clothes, and placed them beside Yu Zhixue . Turning away, he said, “Get changed and go to sleep.”
With everything arranged so thoroughly, Yu Zhixue changed clothes and buried himself under the blanket—head and all—until Yù Wénxuán patted him through the covers.
He finally peeked his head out to see the lights already off. Yu Wenxuan had lifted the blanket and slid in beside him.
Yu Wenxuan was genuinely tired, but for some reason Yu Zhixue was wide awake and couldn’t sleep.
He recalled the complex look in Yu Wenxuan’s eyes when he had exited the bathroom and now really wanted to know what that had meant.
But Yu Wenxuan’s eyes were closed, his breathing slow and steady. Yu Zhixue stared, afraid to disturb him.
Once he seemed truly asleep, Yu Zhixue called his name quietly. No response.
Only then did he reach out and gently touch his eyelids—as if trying to count every single eyelash on his face.
“When you looked at me like that, what were you thinking?” he whispered, more to himself than anyone.
“…”
Suddenly, Yu Wenxuan’s voice rang out in the dark, raspy with sleep:
“I was thinking… why is your hair still dripping?”
In that moment of clarity, Yu Zhixue suddenly understood what his nonsensical line had meant.
His fingers trembled and quickly withdrew.
It wasn’t doubt. It wasn’t lust. It was just concern—why is your hair still dripping? Will you catch a cold?
Yu Wenxuan felt him tremble and assumed he’d startled him. A bit helpless, he added:
“Next time you want to do something naughty, try not to be so obvious.”
“…It’s a little ticklish, baby.”