What If I Ended Up Marrying My Enemy? - Chapter 23

Chapter 23: The Kiss

 

When Yu Zhixue woke up from his sleep, the heavy rain still hadn’t stopped.

 

He slipped on his shoes, washed up as usual, and prepared to head downstairs to find someone. At this hour, Yu Wenxuan was probably downstairs making toast.

 

But downstairs, there was no one.

 

The kitchen, in front of the table, by the window—none of the familiar places held the figure he wanted to see.

 

There was only a prepared breakfast on the table, with a note pressed underneath the plate:
“Something urgent came up. I had to go on a business trip. You were sleeping soundly, so I didn’t wake you. Don’t forget to reheat breakfast before eating.”

 

Yu Zhixue’s heart sank a little. It was supposed to be a rare day off, yet he was alone at home again.

 

Even the lights felt dimmer than usual.

 

He placed the note back under the cup and carried the food into the kitchen. When he arrived, he spotted another sticky note on the microwave.

 

“Fifteen seconds is enough. Remember to wear gloves when you take it out.”

 

That single line, he stared at for a long time. When he finally peeled the note off, something struck him. He suddenly looked up.

 

4:00 AM.

 

Yu Wenxuan had received a call saying there was an issue at the branch office in Haicheng, and he needed to go immediately.

 

He originally wanted to leave right away, but seeing Yu Zhixue’s peaceful sleeping face made him change his mind.

 

He held his phone and lowered his voice, “Give me one hour.”

 

The call was abruptly cut off. It was still too early to wake Yu Zhixue, so instead, after making breakfast, he wrote a note and left it under the plate.

 

He was about to leave just like that, but as he turned around, he remembered something Yu Zhixue had once said—that he hated being alone.

 

After thinking for a moment, Yu Wenxuan sat back down and picked up the pen again.

 

…

 

Yu Zhixue placed the plate down and wandered through the house, discovering many similar sticky notes.

 

In front of the freezer he always opened:

 

“You can eat everything in the fridge, but only half of the cake. I’ll check when I get back.”

 

By the armrest of the sofa:

 

“You can curl up here, but don’t sit in that position for too long. And don’t hug the pillow with your legs crossed—it’s a bad habit for your spine.”

 

By the window on the balcony:

 

“You can open it for ventilation, but don’t open it too wide. The rain will blow in, and you won’t be able to sit on the hanging chair.”

 

“What the hell…”
Yu Zhixue clutched the note in his hand. After a long pause, he chuckled.
“Do I look that clueless?”

 

Wherever he went, another sticky note would be quietly waiting to be discovered. He had no idea how many Yu Wenxuan had posted.

 

He couldn’t count them.

 

…

 

Yu Wenxuan quietly wrote one note after another.

 

He thought he’d have trouble finding the words, but once the pen hit the paper, his thoughts were surprisingly clear.

 

Don’t burn yourself.
Don’t sit in the same place too long.
Don’t eat too many sweets.
…

 

Don’t feel sad.

 

Yu Wenxuan walked around the house with the sticky notes, putting them up in every spot Yu Zhixue might pass through.

 

A few hours later, they might both be standing in these same places. He hoped by then, Yu Zhixue would see these notes and understand what he was trying to say.

 

—I’m with you.

 

Soon, his hands were empty. He walked into the bedroom one last time to glance at the person sleeping on the bed.

 

Yu Wenxuan never thought there would come a day where the only word he could use to describe how he felt was reluctance.

 

…

 

The pile of sticky notes on the table grew thicker.

 

After heating up breakfast, Yu Zhixue returned to the table and slowly ate.

 

He knew this unexpected business trip must have involved something serious, so he didn’t disturb Yu Wenxuan.

 

Somehow, everything seemed a little easier to accept. Yu Zhixue went about the day as usual, occasionally discovering a new sticky note.

 

Until, while rummaging through the fridge, he realized the cookies he baked and stored the day before were gone.

 

The housekeeper had only come by the day before yesterday. Aside from Yu Wenxuan and himself, no one else had been in the house. The culprit was obvious.

 

Yu Wenxuan once said they were the second worst cookies he had ever tasted. But before leaving, he still took them with him.

 

Yu Zhixue gently closed the fridge door.

 

Cooking had never been his strong suit. Because of his health, he rarely entered the kitchen. His first attempt at baking was back in college.

 

To avoid crushing his confidence, his family secretly discussed and agreed to start with something simple: cookies.

 

They decided no matter what happened, they’d praise him first.

 

That time, what Yu Zhixue made was far worse than anything he’d made recently. No one in the family could even swallow the cookies to utter a word.

 

Yu Zhixue also took a bite. Seeing his expression, his mother offered him a tissue and asked if he wanted to spit it out.

 

He shook his head and forced himself to swallow.

 

His father tried to lighten the mood with a joke:
“When Ah Xue gets into a relationship, he can use this to test if the person truly loves him.”

 

His sister chimed in:
“Or give them to someone you hate—poison them.”

 

Then, she watched in horror as Yu Zhixue calmly packed up the rest of the cookies and sealed the bag.

 

Wait, is he seriously going to poison someone?!

 

The next day, the bag ended up on Yu Wenxuan’s desk.

 

Yu Wenxuan’s seat was well known on campus. With a bit of digging on the forums, anyone could find it. Yu Zhixue had arrived early, dropped off the bag, and left.

 

By the time Yu Wenxuan finished class, no one was there.

 

A guy who had stayed late asked if he needed anything.

 

Yu Zhixue pulled down his mask slightly, revealing most of his face.
“Did you see something left on the fourth row this morning?”

 

The guy froze.
“…Yu Zhixue?”

 

Hearing his question, the guy put two and two together.

 

That thing on the fourth row—wasn’t that the god-awful cookie Yu Wenxuan shared this morning?

 

He had never imagined the high-and-mighty Yu Zhixue would be the one who made those.

 

Seeing Yu Zhixue’s unimpressed expression, the guy racked his brain and jumped to a conclusion:

 

Maybe some girl who liked Yu Zhixue gave Yu Wenxuan cookies, and now Yu Zhixue’s here to cause trouble.

 

He panicked.
“Uh… I think Yu Wenxuan threw them out.”

 

He figured “threw out” sounded better than “ate them.”

 

“…” Yu Zhixue’s breath stalled, and his voice grew hoarse.
“Didn’t he never throw away gifts from others?”

 

Thinking he didn’t believe him, the guy pointed at the trash can.
“Really, he threw it away.”

 

In truth, Yu Wenxuan had eaten them and just thrown away the packaging.

 

Following his finger, Yu Zhixue saw the familiar wrapper on the rim of the trash can.

 

Suddenly, everything felt painfully ill-timed.

 

Yu Wenxuan, who never discarded anything from anyone else, had thrown away his.

 

“I see.”

…

Yu Zhixue didn’t want to go out. Even alone, he rarely did anything. Deep down, he was always a quiet person. Yu Wenxuan was the only exception.

 

The day passed quickly. He walked around the house, counting the sticky notes he had collected.

 

There were forty-two in total.

 

The world felt strangely quiet—until the doorbell rang.

 

He opened the door, but it wasn’t the person he hoped for. A deliveryman handed him a package and asked him to sign.

 

After signing, he closed the door and opened the box.

 

Inside was a pair of earrings—similar to the ones they had tried on when watching fireworks, but prettier.

 

Yu Zhixue didn’t know when Yu Wenxuan had ordered them.

 

When he opened the door earlier, he finally realized—it was still raining outside.

 

He held the earrings in his hand, grabbed a bottle of soda Yu Wenxuan had casually bought for him, and returned to the bedroom.

 

He opened the window.

 

The sound of rain trickled in, soft and dense, washing away the silence.

 

Yu Zhixue suddenly remembered Yu Wenxuan had been two years ahead of him in school. On the day of his graduation, it had also rained like this.

 

Before graduation, someone spread word that they had arranged a celebration for Yu Wenxuan—anyone could come, no invitation needed.

 

So, that day, Yu Zhixue went.

 

He held an umbrella low, a bouquet in his arms, and inevitably got a little wet.

 

When he approached the venue, he saw Yu Wenxuan talking to Cheng Yu. Cheng Yu nudged him, “Why do you look so distracted?”

 

Yu Wenxuan replied, “Just looking around.”

 

Hearing his voice, Yu Zhixue stayed hidden around the corner.

 

Cheng Yu soon shifted the topic.
“Do you think Yu Zhixue will show up?”

 

Without waiting for a reply, he added, “He probably will, right? I don’t know what his deal is—always staring at you. It’s been two years. What did you do to piss him off?”

 

Yu Wenxuan chuckled softly.
“No idea. Maybe he just doesn’t like me.”

 

The bouquet in Yu Zhixue’s arms trembled slightly.

 

When the two went inside, he waited a while before leaving the flowers at a sheltered corner.

 

“Creak—”

 

The door opened.

 

Yu Wenxuan looked up at the sound. Their eyes met. He paused briefly, then smiled softly.

 

Yu Zhixue hadn’t figured out what expression to return before Yu Wenxuan looked away, as if it were just a casual glance.

 

Just like many times before, Yu Zhixue stood off to the side, quietly watching without approaching.

 

He suddenly realized they were two lines destined to run apart. They had only intersected for a moment three years ago.

 

Yu Wenxuan was probably relieved—they’d never cross paths again.

 

For two full hours, everyone offered congratulations to Yu Wenxuan—everyone except Yu Zhixue.

 

As the event ended, Yu Zhixue finally stepped in front of him, blocking his path.

 

Yu Wenxuan looked at him and asked with calm unfamiliarity, “Is there something you need?”

 

Such a normal question—yet it stung.

 

After a long silence, Yu Zhixue said, “Yu Wenxuan, congratulations on graduating.”

 

Yu Wenxuan didn’t expect such calmness. He replied lightly, “Thank you.”

 

As he brushed past Yu Zhixue and opened the door, the wind chime rang. The sound of rain was loud.

 

…

 

So loud, it made Yu Zhixue’s chest ache.

 

When he was the last to leave, he realized—he had chosen a bad spot.

 

The flowers had been soaked, the ink on the card smeared beyond recognition.

 

He stared at them for a few seconds, then bent down and picked them up again.

…

His head was spinning, but his emotions were surprisingly clear.

 

He had assumed the old memory had made him upset, but soon he realized something was off.

 

It wasn’t just that.

 

He belatedly picked up the half-empty drink bottle and looked at the ingredients. Sure enough, it contained alcohol.

 

Just like back then—the rain, the alcohol-blurred mind—it all brought him back to that moment in time.

 

Back before they were together, when he acted like nothing mattered.

 

So, when Yu Wenxuan finally returned, having taken the earliest flight home and opened the door…

 

He felt a strange, surreal sense of displacement.

 

Yu Zhixue looked at him with eyes that were once soft and flickering—now cold, just like back in university.

 

Yu Wenxuan closed the door.
“Are you feeling unwell?”

 

Yu Zhixue approached. As he got closer, he caught a faint scent on Yu Wenxuan—one that wasn’t familiar.

 

A hint of women’s perfume.

 

He looked at him calmly and stated, “You smell… off.”

 

Yu Wenxuan wasn’t sure if he was jealous. He sniffed himself and realized it was faint but there.

 

He’d been rushing around meeting people—no women, but maybe he’d brushed against someone who wore perfume.

 

Thinking that through, he opened his mouth to explain.
“Today, I—”

 

Yu Zhixue was already irritated. He didn’t want to listen.

 

He was annoyed at the perfume, annoyed at the “thank you” from graduation.

 

Yu Wenxuan still wore his formal suit, tie neat and tight.

 

Yu Zhixue glanced at it, grabbed the tie, and yanked him down roughly.

 

Yu Wenxuan was stunned by the sudden force. Something was definitely off with Yu Zhixue today.

 

Their faces were close. Yu Zhixue stepped onto his shoes, tiptoed, and kissed him.

 

Yu Wenxuan froze.

 

The kiss was urgent and clumsy—his tongue shyly probing at Yu Wenxuan’s lips.

 

Yu Wenxuan tasted a hint of sweetness and the sharp burn of alcohol. He grabbed Yu Zhixue’s shoulders, trying to stop the kiss.

 

But as if sensing his intention, Yu Zhixue pulled back just a little, a thin strand of saliva trailing between them. He leaned close to Yu Wenxuan’s lips and softly called:

 

“Husband.”

 

His pupils were unfocused, unable to see clearly under the haze of stimulation.

 

Tears blurred his vision, yet every sensation on his body was unmistakably vivid.
It was so intense that even the way he clutched the bedsheets looked helpless.

 

“Ah—!”

 

As if trying to escape, his body arched backward uncontrollably.
But before he could move far, he was pulled tightly back into the warmth behind him.

 

His mouth was still covered, so he couldn’t make a sound—He could only tremble as he sobbed through the cracks between the fingers pressing his lips, his whole body quivering.

 

“Shh…”
The man behind him lowered his head slightly, voice hoarse and restrained as he murmured, “Be good… Next time, let me hear it properly.”

 

Yu Zhixue didn’t respond. He couldn’t.

 

His voice was completely wrecked, stuck in his throat, unable to come out.
Only tear after tear kept falling from his flushed cheeks.

 

In the stifling silence, only his gasping breaths and the man’s low voice remained near his ear.
He was utterly at the mercy of the other.

 

After a long while, Yu Wenxuan finally let go, pulling Yu Zhixue tightly into his arms.

 

Yu Zhixue’s entire body was trembling, like fragile glass on the verge of breaking.
His cheeks were streaked with tears, lips slightly parted as he tried to breathe, voice hoarse and barely audible.

 

Yu Wenxuan wiped away the tears from his face slowly, lowering his head to kiss him softly while coaxing:

 

“Don’t cry… I’m back now. I won’t leave you alone again.”

 

Yu Zhixue buried himself in his chest and, after a long pause, let out a soft, trembling whisper:

 

“…Liar.”

 

Yu Wenxuan chuckled, ruffling his hair, and said:

 

“Then I’ll lie to you for the rest of my life.”

 

Yu Zhixue’s pupils were unfocused—he couldn’t see anything clearly from the overwhelming stimulation.

 

He vaguely heard Yu Wenxuan’s teasing voice beside his ear again.

 

“Didn’t you want me to like you more?”

 

“Hmm?”

 

Yu Wenxuan pinched his chin and turned his face toward himself. Yu Zhixue’s lips trembled as he tried to speak, but couldn’t get a sound out. He was forced to meet Yu Wenxuan’s eyes. The moment their gazes locked, Yu Wenxuan lowered his head and kissed the tip of his nose.

 

“Then you have to behave,” he coaxed in a gentle tone, “Don’t cry, alright?”

 

Yu Zhixue couldn’t say a word. He could only tremble uncontrollably in Yu Wenxuan’s arms.

 

He had always been sensitive, especially when it came to emotions. He wasn’t good at suppressing them. So now, with the added disorientation and the flood of feelings building up over the past few days, it all burst out uncontrollably.

 

“I didn’t want to cry…” he said in a hoarse voice.

 

Yu Wenxuan hugged him tighter and kissed the corner of his eye, replying softly, “I know.”

With just one word, Yu Zhixue was able to leave Yu Wenxuan helpless and completely ignited.

One person losing his mind is not the same as two people in chaos.

The consequence of Yu Wenxuan being brought down with him is that the situation is completely reversed.

Yu Zhixue no longer has the initiative, but is Yu Wenxuan suppressed kiss.

Even though he has kissed many times before, Yu Zhixue is still not quite able to grasp the exchange of breath.

The two stumbled along the way until they reached the bed, where his hands were restrained by Yu Wenxuan and pressed on top of his head, pinching his face and kissing him deeply.

Yu Zhixue wanted to use his mouth to breathe, but the tip of his tongue was entangled and sucked, completely helpless. It was only when tears started to fall from his eyes that Yu Wenxuan let go.

He coughed twice and then breathed heavily. His eyelashes were wet with tears, and he looked very confused and beautiful.

At other times, Yu Zhixue’s tears could make Yu Wenxuan’s heart ache. But now, Yu Wenxuan wanted to see what his tears looked like as they slid down his chin.

Yu Zhixue was still panting when Yu Wenxuan broke his face over and kissed him again, only this time it was a little more gentle, “Didn’t you come here to recruit me, why are you still shedding tears?”

“I don’t even dare to bully you.”

Yu Zhixue’s long hair was scattered on the snow-white pillow, Yu Wenxuan then saw the ear clips he was wearing on his ears, he reached out to flick them, and pulled them a bit nastily.

Feeling the stinging pain on his ear, Yu Zhixue finally came back to his senses.

His face was still covered in tears, and his body was in a mess, a far cry from his usual glazed appearance.

His arm was still trembling, hooked Yu Wenxuan’s neck, used the force to lean over and kissed again, his voice trembling with water vapor: “Do you like me? You have to like me.”

Yu Wenxuan’s action was a pause.

Yu Zhixue looked at the person in front of him, this is both his current partner, but from the perspective of memory, can also be said to be the Yu Wenxuan.

The words that he had kept silent and did not open his mouth five years ago were now expressed in the confusion of awareness, “Don’t always pass me by, like me a little more.”

Yu Wenxuan didn’t know why Yu Zhixue was suddenly so insecure, perhaps because he hadn’t seen anyone of his own in the past two days.

He took Yu Zhixue into his arms, and while holding his face and pecking him, he said, “I like you.”

“I like you, I only like you, I will always like you.”

Yu Wenxuan said this with every kiss, until Yu Zhixue’s spine relaxed.

It was only after the vulnerability in her heart had been well soothed that Yu Zhixue suddenly realized how subtle this gesture was.

Especially since the two of them had just kissed each other in a chaotic manner.

Yu Zhixue stood up and wanted to change her position, and just as he ducked back a little, ready to go down, he was grabbed back by his arms around his waist again.

This time his back was against Yu Wenxuan.

Yu Wenxuan covered his mouth with his hand, bringing a slight sense of suffocation, his slightly cool lips pressed against the back of his neck: “Baby, make it up to you once.”

He said this and his hand went down.

Yu Wenxuan didn’t often do this kind of thing, his technique was quite ordinary. But Yu Zhixue’s reaction was huge, shaking violently, tears hitting the back of Yu Wenxuan’s hand.

He bites Yu Zhixue’s ear, his breath drilling into his ear, “Your voice is so loud, is it this comfortable?”

After quite a while, Yu Wenxuan finally pulled out a tissue to wipe his hands, then carried Yu Zhixue to the bathroom to wash up.

 

Yu Zhixue had already been drunk, and after everything that just happened, he fell asleep the moment he hit the bed.

 

Yu Wenxuan covered him with the blanket before going to deal with himself once more.

 

At last, he lay beside Yu Zhixue, pressed a kiss to his already swollen lips, and wrapped his arms around him before falling asleep.

…

Yu Wenxuan felt as if he was in a slightly dim room. He had no idea where he was until the door opened.

 

His mother walked in and turned on the lights. “Most of the guests are here. When are you planning to come down?”

 

The light made him squint. “In a minute.”

 

Seeing how indifferent he looked, his mother sighed.

 

“Can you show a little more enthusiasm for your own birthday? I just saw some of your classmates downstairs—at least go greet them, okay?”

 

Yu Wenxuan fastened the cuff he had just undone, got up, and followed his mother downstairs.

 

The star of the birthday banquet had finally arrived, and plenty of people eager to curry favor with the Yu family quickly gathered around him.

 

Everyone knew Yu Wenxuan was the only heir of the Yu family’s main branch. Naturally, he was doted on heavily.

 

“Young Master Yu looks so composed. I heard you’re already involved in the company’s operations. Looks like it won’t be long before you take over completely.”

 

Yu Wenxuan smiled. “Not quite.”

 

But inwardly, he felt nothing—only annoyance and boredom.

 

He offered a few polite replies before subtly signaling his mother with a glance.

 

She stepped in between him and the group, shielding him. “Your friends are over there. Go catch up with them.”

 

Freed from the vortex of attention, Yu Wenxuan made his way to the group of classmates.

 

Upon seeing him, they greeted him with birthday wishes and mentioned they had placed their gifts on the pile.

 

“Thanks,” Yu Wenxuan said.

 

In truth, they weren’t especially close, and after two years post-graduation, they’d grown even more distant. A bit of small talk was all they managed before they stopped trying to socialize further.

 

Yu Wenxuan was glad for the peace. He accepted a drink but didn’t take a sip.

 

He just held the glass, looking as though he were listening to their conversation—his mind had long wandered elsewhere.

 

His aimless gaze only stopped when it caught sight of someone.

 

His grip on the glass tightened. He took a sip of the alcohol and, seemingly casual, interjected during the group’s conversation: “Yu Zhixue is graduating soon, right?”

 

The once lively atmosphere paused for a beat. It wasn’t that anyone had a problem with Yu Zhixue—it was just… surreal to hear Yu Wenxuan asking about him.

 

“Yes,” someone replied. “I saw on the school forum recently that he’s interning at his family’s company.”

 

“You’ve graduated already and still check our school’s forum?” another person teased.

 

“…Ever heard of personal hobbies?!”

 

Yu Wenxuan gave a noncommittal “Mm” and didn’t pursue the topic further. The conversation naturally died there.

 

So then—why had Yu Zhixue come to his birthday party?

 

Yu Wenxuan stared at the figure illuminated from behind by the light. From just that silhouette, he immediately recognized him and couldn’t take his eyes away.

 

The air conditioning in the hall seemed turned up too high. His whole body felt overheated and restless.

 

His thoughts were still stuck on Yu Zhixue. Just as he reached up to loosen a button, he realized something was off. This heat—it was unnaturally intense.

 

He lowered his hand and dug his nails into his palm, forcing some clarity back. The pain helped. His smile became gentler. “Excuse me.”

 

With that, he turned and quickly made his way upstairs.

 

When he returned to his room and looked in the mirror, sure enough—his face and neck were flushed.

 

Yu Wenxuan lowered his gaze and splashed cold water on those areas.

 

Water trickled down his face. He wiped it off with a hand just as someone knocked on the door.

 

He ignored it, but the knocking only grew louder and more insistent, grating on his nerves. He scowled and opened the door.

 

A stranger stood outside—a woman, looking timid, though the emotions in her eyes were anything but innocent.

 

She spoke while inching closer to him.

 

Her heavy perfume was overwhelming. For every question she asked, Yu Wenxuan had only one reply: “Get lost.”

 

From his expression, she thought her plan had succeeded. Just as he was about to shut the door, she reached out to stop him.

 

This was a once-in-a-lifetime chance—she couldn’t let it slip away.

 

Yu Wenxuan paused.

 

She thought, Men really are all the same. Just a little initiative and they’ll take the bait.

 

Yu Wenxuan stared at her hand gripping the doorframe and said coldly, “I’ll give you three seconds to move your hand. Otherwise, you won’t need it anymore.”

 

Though sweat had already formed on his forehead, his expression remained composed, and his disgust was unconcealed.

 

The woman saw the look in his eyes and realized he meant every word. She quickly withdrew her hand, and the door slammed shut, nearly hitting her in the nose.

 

Yu Wenxuan hadn’t expected to fall for such a stupid trick. Just as he was about to take a cold shower, another sound came from the door.

 

Seriously? This again?

 

He opened the door, expression dark.

 

He wasn’t against hitting women if necessary, and just as he was about to kick out, he stopped when he saw who it was.

 

The person at the door had their head lowered, slender back straight, hands behind them. Their exposed skin was dazzlingly pale.

 

Yu Wenxuan stared for a long time, barely believing it.

 

There was only silence until the person looked up and quietly asked, “Can I come in?”

 

Yu Wenxuan: “…Yu Zhixue?”

 

Yu Zhixue didn’t understand why he repeated his name and responded with a soft, “Hm?”

 

Yu Wenxuan couldn’t process it right away. When Yu Zhixue saw he wasn’t responding, he simply stepped through the door and even shut it behind him.

 

As the distance between them shrank, Yu Wenxuan suppressed the heat crawling into his bones. “What are you doing?”

 

Yu Zhixue revealed what he had behind his back. “Bringing something.”

 

“A birthday gift?” Yu Wenxuan couldn’t think of any other reason.

 

“Mm.”

 

“Why didn’t you just leave it downstairs?”

 

What kind of gift needed to be delivered in person and inside his room?

 

Even Yu Zhixue didn’t know the answer. He looked confused. “Was I allowed to leave it downstairs? Aren’t birthday presents meant to be given in person?”

 

Yu Wenxuan hadn’t noticed anything odd earlier since Yu Zhixue had only spoken a few words. But now, with a full sentence, he caught how his words were slightly slurred.

 

The scent of alcohol, once masked by his cologne, became unmistakable when Yu Wenxuan leaned closer.

 

Now he understood why he’d never seen Yu Zhixue drink during college. “You shouldn’t drink anymore.”

 

Yu Zhixue: “Okay.”

 

Thankfully, he was only slightly disoriented—not completely incoherent.

 

“Now that you’ve given the gift, can you leave?” Yu Wenxuan bit the inside of his cheek.

 

“Why?”

 

Anyone with a shred of awareness would know what was going on with him right now. Only Yu Zhixue could still ask “why.”

 

Yu Wenxuan’s voice turned hoarse. He looked him in the eye and said bluntly, “I was drugged. Understand?”

 

Knowing Yu Zhixue’s mind was muddled, he gave him time to process it. But even after ten seconds, the other didn’t move.

 

Only a silence heavy with implication remained.

 

After two years, the two met eye-to-eye again. But this time, the air between them was no longer sharp with rivalry.

 

Yu Wenxuan’s heavy breathing mixed with Yu Zhixue’s silence, and the room pulsed with an unspoken tension.

 

Yu Wenxuan’s expression darkened. “…Is it what I think it is?”

 

Truth be told, the only reason he’d fallen into such a basic trap was because Yu Zhixue had looked so serious in the corner earlier.

 

He had no idea what dose the woman had used, but even pain was no longer enough to suppress the burning restlessness inside him.

 

His voice was forced through gritted teeth as he gave Yu Zhixue a final warning: “I’m counting to five. Leave, now.”

 

“Five… four…” Yu Wenxuan shut his eyes tightly and began to count.

 

Yu Zhixue’s hand clenched at his sleeve. “No need to count.”

 

“Then leave—” Yu Wenxuan hadn’t finished when the reply came.

 

“I meant it,” Yu Zhixue said calmly.

 

……

 

For the first time, Yu Wenxuan discovered that Yu Zhixue’s skin was cold.

 

He grabbed his wrist and pressed it to his burning cheek—then couldn’t resist biting him.

 

Yu Zhixue was pinned against the wall by his wrist, eyes lowered. A few buttons on his shirt had been undone.

 

Yu Wenxuan bent down again, tilting his head for a kiss. Neither of them had any experience; it was clumsy and naive.

 

When Yu Wenxuan finally pulled back, Yu Zhixue looked up and licked his lips. “Let’s go to the bed.”

…

His legs were pinned down tightly, with no chance of escape. Yu Zhixue buried his face into the pillow, only able to let out ragged breaths.

 

The one once cold as snow was now soaked in sweat, just like him. Tears and sweat dampened the pillow.

 

Amidst the chaos, Yu Zhixue’s long hair was tugged. He heard Yu Wenxuan murmur from behind, “So you do cry.”

 

Honestly, it wasn’t the best experience.

 

Yu Wenxuan wasn’t exactly gentle. Coupled with the effects of the drug, the entire night had left him mostly numb.

 

After who knew how long, Yu Zhixue was finally carried into the bathroom, legs still trembling.

 

When Yu Wenxuan woke up, the first thing he saw was a thoroughly “battered” Yu Zhixue.

 

Running into your old rival again after two years—especially at your own birthday party—should’ve gone one of three ways:

 

1. 1. 1. 1. A mutual cold war, full of sarcasm.

 

1. 1. 1. 1. Ignoring each other completely, maintaining civility.

 

1. 1. 1. 1. Sleeping together.

 

He didn’t know how Yu Zhixue would react once he sobered up, but truth be told, Yu Wenxuan had no regrets.

 

Yu Zhixue’s tears were beautiful. The way his shoulder blades quivered beneath the strain—also beautiful.

 

Looking at the still-sleeping figure beside him, Yu Wenxuan quietly washed up before sitting by the bed again.

 

It was summer, so the blanket was thin. One of Yu Zhixue’s calves was exposed.

 

Yu Wenxuan stared for a while, then reached out to stroke the sharp bone of his ankle and gently rubbed the still-visible bite mark on his leg.

 

Something inside him seemed to quietly fill.

 

He waited at the bedside for a long time before Yu Zhixue stirred, finally woken by the morning light.

 

Yu Zhixue lifted a hand to shield his eyes. When he tried to sit up, he nearly collapsed again. His voice was hoarse and his throat sore: “What time is it…?”

 

Yu Wenxuan passed him a glass of water he’d prepared earlier. “Eleven.”

 

Watching Yu Zhixue drink silently, he asked, “How much do you remember about last night?”

 

Yu Zhixue lifted his face and said, “I don’t have a habit of blacking out.”

 

In other words, he remembered everything.

 

Yu Wenxuan didn’t know how Yu Zhixue viewed what had happened—whether he saw it as an accident that never occurred, or something else entirely.

 

He lowered his gaze, looking at the kiss marks on Yu Zhixue’s shoulder. The scratches on his back seemed to resurface in sensation—but it wasn’t pain this time.

 

Sunlight poured in through the window. Yu Zhixue’s fingertips, gripping the blanket, were slightly pale from tension.

 

Yu Wenxuan asked:

 

“Yu Zhixue, have you ever thought about getting a boyfriend?”

…

The scene in his mind was abruptly shattered. Yu Wenxuan suddenly sat up in bed, supporting his face with a hand.

 

Too real. Too vivid.

 

It didn’t feel like a dream at all—more like a memory.

 

Although Yu Zhixue had mentioned before that they had been together, it was always in vague, passing comments. Yu Wenxuan’s imagination wasn’t strong enough to fabricate such detailed scenes from a few offhand remarks.

 

So it must have actually happened. It was likely the beginning of their relationship, something from his lost memories.

 

Yu Wenxuan looked at his hand and mentally crossed out the word “future.”

 

If these were truly lost memories, then perhaps “future self” wasn’t the right term—because it had always been him from the beginning.

 

His movement had been noisy. Yu Zhixue, already a light sleeper, slowly opened his eyes and asked drowsily, “Had a nightmare?”

 

He hugged Yu Wenxuan and patted his back. “It’s okay now.”

 

Yu Wenxuan, watching him struggle to keep his eyes open just to comfort him, gently pressed him back down. “It wasn’t a nightmare. I was just thinking. Go back to sleep.”

 

Yu Zhixue tried to resist a bit more, but he was too tired. Being held down on the pillow for a while, he soon fell back asleep.

 

Yu Wenxuan thought, I need to reorganize all of this.

 

He got out of bed and grabbed a pen from the desk in the study, but after a while, couldn’t find an unused notebook.

 

So he went back to the master bedroom. He remembered stuffing some blank notebooks into a drawer beside the bed while working on emails there.

 

He gently pulled open the drawer. Instead of a notebook, he saw a photo placed face-down. He took it out for a look—instantly familiar.

 

It was a photo from the time they watched the fireworks.

 

Come to think of it, Yu Zhixue had placed something in the drawer when they got home that day. He hadn’t expected it to be this.

 

Yu Wenxuan pulled out a notebook from beneath the photo, then placed the picture back where it had been—like nothing had happened—and gently closed the drawer.

 

He sat in the study and started writing, filling up two pages before suddenly remembering lunch hadn’t been prepared yet. So he put the notebook down and headed downstairs.

 

He walked to the fridge and checked on the small cake.

 

Good—still half left. He hadn’t eaten too much.

 

After confirming that, he pulled out a few ingredients to throw together something simple. He figured Yu Zhixue would be waking up soon, and he didn’t have time for anything elaborate. Besides, he was getting hungry too.

 

Meanwhile, Yu Zhixue woke up after another half hour.

 

This time, he didn’t open his eyes—he fully woke up.

 

The rain had passed, the alcohol had worn off, and the cold sense of anxiety from the previous night had vanished. Yu Zhixue, expressionless, ran a hand through his hair and began to recall what had happened.

 

He had yanked Yu Wenxuan’s tie and kissed him aggressively, called him “husband,” and—while still kissing him—had stubbornly asked, “Do you like me?”

 

And in the end, he’d… been served.

 

After piecing it all together, Yu Zhixue pursed his lips and thought, Maybe I should pretend I don’t remember anything. After all, Yu Wenxuan had lost his memory—who knew if it was even real?

 

He noticed the other person had vanished. Just as Yu Zhixue opened the bedroom door, the smell of food wafted up from downstairs.

 

Yu Wenxuan was almost done with the food. When he heard footsteps, he didn’t even look up and said, out of habit, “Take the noodles out. Be careful not to burn yourself.”

 

As expected, compared to words on a sticky note, Yu Zhixue preferred hearing Yu Wenxuan fuss over him in person.

 

He carefully carried the noodles out, grabbed some utensils, and sat at the table.

 

Yu Wenxuan tidied up the kitchen, washed his hands, and came out. “Why aren’t you eating? No appetite?”

 

Yu Zhixue looked at him. “Waiting for you.”

 

Yu Wenxuan found it hard to connect this well-behaved Yu Zhixue with the one who had yanked his tie and kissed him last night.

 

He picked up his chopsticks, lifted a bit of noodle, and said, “Does my scent still smell the same now? I showered.”

 

Yu Zhixue: “……”

 

Speak of the devil.

 

He quickly sipped some soup, eyes lowered. “What scent?”

 

Yu Wenxuan: “Don’t remember what you said last night?”

 

Yu Zhixue’s eyes looked clear and innocent, like he truly didn’t recall: “No. The drink I had yesterday had alcohol in it. My head was spinning.”

 

Yu Wenxuan said nothing. Just as Yu Zhixue thought the topic had been dropped, he suddenly said:

 

“You said you don’t have a habit of blacking out, remember?”

 

Busted. Completely busted.

 

Yu Zhixue lowered his head, preparing to eat noodles and play dead.

 

But the next second, something hit him. He looked up, stared into Yu Wenxuan’s eyes, and hoarsely asked, “…How do you know?”

 

Yu Zhixue had only told Yu Wenxuan once that he never blacked out.

 

And that was—three years ago.
At that birthday party.