Duan Xiubo slammed the door in Mi Rui’s face, almost hitting him in the nose.
Mi Rui held the room keycard he had just gotten, his room right next to Luo Ding’s, but as he stared at the long stretch of dark brown carpet in the hallway, he found himself unable to take a step forward.
He turned around and pitifully squatted in the corner of the hallway.
Seeing Mi Rui’s actions through the peephole, Duan Xiubo clicked his tongue and muttered, “Stubborn fool.”
Inside the room, Luo Ding heard Mi Rui’s reaction and almost cringed in embarrassment. It wasn’t exactly shyness—after all, at his age and having worked in the entertainment industry for so long, he’d long mastered the art of being thick-skinned. But the items Duan Xiubo had sent Mi Rui to buy were way too suggestive. It gave him the same uneasy feeling he got when seeing fans on Weibo clamoring to “lick him” or “have his babies.” It was like being spied on in his private life.
How was Mi Rui going to take this? How were they even going to greet each other tomorrow?
Duan Xiubo, holding the box of condoms, turned around and met Luo Ding’s expressionless face.
Completely unfazed, Duan Xiubo grinned and pointed at the peephole. “Come look!”
Reluctantly, Luo Ding leaned over to take a glance. Seeing Mi Rui squatting pitifully in the corner, Luo Ding’s eyebrow twitched.
“Stop bullying him.”
Duan Xiubo looked aggrieved. “How am I bullying him? I’m just giving him a little heads-up. Otherwise, in the future, if we hold hands or rest our heads on each other, he’s going to give us weird looks. Do you like that?”
Luo Ding thought about it and agreed. Duan Xiubo had always been free of scandals, and Mi Rui probably never once thought about Duan and Luo Ding’s relationship in *that* way. Back when Luo Ding hadn’t yet accepted Duan Xiubo, the latter had been particularly clingy, often trying to get touchy-feely in private settings. Occasionally, Mi Rui would accidentally witness it. Though Mi Rui hid it well, his surprised gaze had made things awkward.
Luo Ding had always cared about how the world saw him, and it was a flaw he hadn’t managed to fix. He paid close attention to the opinions of people around him, his fans, and even his peers. If someone said a song didn’t sound right, he would practice it over and over again; if a dance move was criticized for being stiff, he could spend 18 hours straight in the studio refining it. Fearful of being exposed, judged, or disappointing his fans, Luo Ding had kept his decades-long marriage with Xu Zhen under such tight wraps that apart from Su Shengbai and the person who processed their marriage certificate, no one knew about this huge secret.
It wasn’t just about the moment—if he had to live under constant scrutiny every day, Luo Ding would be incredibly uncomfortable.
At that moment, Luo Ding recognized one of his assistant’s best qualities. “Fang Yuan is still the best. He’s easygoing.”
Wu Fangyuan?
Luo Ding thought back to earlier that day when Fangyuan had been sitting in the passenger seat, going over Luo Ding’s schedule the entire drive. When Fangyuan turned to report on the work, he didn’t even seem to notice when Luo Ding and Duan Xiubo were holding hands or leaning on each other.
Duan Xiubo chuckled quietly to himself but didn’t argue. It wasn’t that Fangyuan was easygoing; he was just… dumb.
But that was fine. Luo Ding liked him that way. Better dumb than too smart. After all, as an assistant managing their day-to-day, Fangyuan’s naivety was a plus. For the clever stuff, they had Gu Yaxing.
Luo Ding opened the closet and pulled out two bathrobes, tossing one onto the bed. “You’re tired; hurry up and take a bath, then sleep. How long has it been since you had a proper rest? I’ve already been up for almost a day and a half.”
Duan Xiubo was still thinking about Wu Fangyuan when he made space for Luo Ding to go into the bathroom. Only after a few seconds did it hit him that Luo Ding was talking about a bath. His eyes widened.
Luo Ding was so nonchalant, not showing the slightest hint of caution or defense. He simply began unbuttoning his shirt right in the room. After undoing a few buttons, he seemed to notice Duan Xiubo’s gaze and turned around, locking eyes with Duan’s fiery stare.
He paused, picked up the bathrobe, and hurriedly slipped into the bathroom.
Once inside, Luo Ding started to worry.
For comfort, he had booked a suite with a large bed. It was perfect for a good night’s sleep, but he had forgotten that large bed suites often had other… implications.
This was a foreign hotel, where the design was a bit too open. The wall of the bathroom facing the room was made entirely of glass. Although part of it was frosted, the frosted section did a terrible job at obscuring anything. From inside the bathroom, Luo Ding could faintly see the outlines of the room. From the room, things would likely be even clearer.
He’d been staying here alone for the past few days, exhausted, and hadn’t noticed this detail. Now, with Duan Xiubo in the room, Luo Ding couldn’t help feeling anxious. After carefully inspecting the bathroom, he finally found a tiny switch labeled “cover.” When pressed, a layer of sheer fabric slowly descended from the ceiling.
Luo Ding: “…What good is this?”
Duan Xiubo stood in the room for a moment, staring at the slightly larger bathrobe Luo Ding had thrown onto the bed. He looked around, but there was no sign of another bed in the room.
He recalled that when Mi Rui had checked them in, he had been specifically instructed to book a room for both him and Luo Ding. Heat surged through Duan Xiubo’s chest, and he felt as though blood was about to pour out of his head. Hastily, he raised a hand to pinch the bridge of his nose.
Raising his arm, he remembered what he was still holding. Glancing down, he saw the small pink package, still sealed in plastic wrap. The cover featured the vague outline of a muscular man, with large, wobbly text on the side: “Textured… Ribbed… Lemon Scent… Comes with a tube of personal lubricant… It’s got everything…”
His hand clenched instinctively, and Duan Xiubo’s heart raced. This was too exciting! Mi Rui had really come through!
Raise his salary! No explanation needed!
The sound of running water from the bathroom reached his ears, and Duan Xiubo was still inexplicably thrilled. On impulse, he glanced toward the bathroom.
That look made him tremble even more.
The lights in the room were dim, with only half of the ceiling lamps near the window on, and the television was off. In contrast, the bathroom was much brighter.
The glass was blurry, and behind it was a layer of creamy white gauze. Although Duan Xiubo couldn’t see clearly from outside, Luo Ding’s silhouette was outlined sharply against the light.
To make matters worse, the top and bottom parts of the frosted glass weren’t frosted at all. Luo Ding was tall, and through the gauze, Duan could clearly make out the showerhead and Luo Ding’s raised arms as he scrubbed his hair. His toned legs were even more exposed.
Duan Xiubo sat down at the edge of the bed, staring at the glass, his thoughts in turmoil. It felt as if a kitten was pawing at his heart.
Luo Ding took an unusually long shower.
When the water finally stopped, Duan Xiubo’s heart leaped. He was still clutching the box in his hand, as if it were burning him, so he tossed it onto the bed. A second later, he picked it up again. Feeling embarrassed by his own reaction, he carefully placed the box on the nightstand.
The box fell over. He picked it up again and propped it neatly against the wall.
Luo Ding, towel-drying his hair, opened the bathroom door. He wore the smaller bathrobe, neatly tied. But it was still a bathrobe, and since he was wearing the smaller one, there wasn’t much coverage below the knees. The neckline was folded into a V-shape, and no matter how much he adjusted it, a sliver of ivory-colored chest peeked out.
His expression was neutral as he glanced at Duan Xiubo without a second thought. “The water’s pretty hot.”
Duan Xiubo: “…Mm.” Luo Ding’s calmness only made Duan Xiubo feel even more awkward.
Grabbing his own robe, Duan quickly headed into the bathroom. Steam and the scent of cleaning products hit him, and just the thought that Luo Ding had just been here, completely undressed, made Duan Xiubo feel even hotter.
Through the bathroom’s glass, he saw Luo Ding sitting on the bed, his side facing the bathroom. Remembering the shadowy outlines he had seen earlier, Duan stood there, frozen. He stared at his growing… reaction, too embarrassed to even touch it.
If he made any sudden moves, Luo Ding would definitely see it from outside…
Duan Xiubo couldn’t even remember the last time he had been this flustered. When he had first pursued Luo Ding, he had considered taking a more aggressive approach. Back then, confidence, persistence, and even being a
bit forceful were all part of his plan. But now, he didn’t have the guts. Every move he made, he worried about how it would affect Luo Ding’s perception of him. He feared Luo Ding might be disappointed in who he truly was, so he began to feel a strange sense of insecurity.
In the room, Luo Ding caught a glimpse of Duan Xiubo’s shadow in the bathroom and could only sigh. Did Duan really see everything that clearly just now?
He started feeling restless and confused, not sure what exactly was bothering him. His eyes wandered back to the bathroom glass, and just as Duan Xiubo began to take off his pants, Luo Ding quickly averted his gaze.
As he did, his eyes landed on the box of condoms neatly propped against the wall on the nightstand.
The box was slightly crumpled from being squeezed. Luo Ding considered picking it up to take a look, but he hesitated, worried that Duan Xiubo might notice and feel awkward. So instead, he stood up and drew open the curtains, admiring the twinkling lights of the city outside.
This hotel was located in the heart of Milan. Most major cities around the world looked more or less the same. Tall buildings, busy streets, and streetlights lining the roads like threads of silk. The hotel’s windows only allowed those inside to see out, which made the room feel darker compared to the soft glow of the outside world.
After a while, Luo Ding heard the soft sound of footsteps behind him. In the reflection of the window, he saw a man in a white bathrobe slowly approaching.
Duan Xiubo wrapped his arms around Luo Ding from behind, taking the white towel from his hand and tossing it onto a nearby chair. He kissed the prominent bones at the back of Luo Ding’s neck.
The person in his arms was slender. With a light tug, he could easily pull Luo Ding closer. His skin, still cool from the shower, had a faint sheen of moisture.
Duan’s lips didn’t leave him as they moved from his neck to his shoulder blades.
Luo Ding’s body only tensed for a brief moment before he relaxed. He trusted this man.
Turning his head, Luo Ding sought out Duan Xiubo’s lips, brushing them lightly. “Should we close the curtains?”
Duan Xiubo gazed at him, not responding with words but instead extending his arm to pull the curtains shut, making his stance clear.
The overhead lights cast a warm glow over the deep brown curtains, and the room was bathed in soft, dim lighting.
Luo Ding relished the intimacy, and Duan Xiubo did too. Their jobs often kept them apart, so they had to rely on phone calls to express their longing for each other. But neither of them was particularly good with words, so the calls often felt dry. Only physical touch—kissing, hugging—felt like real intimacy, enough to ease the loneliness of being apart and make them want to savor the moment.
Once the ice was broken, there was no need for hesitation. Luo Ding’s robe became disheveled as Duan Xiubo’s warm hands slipped inside. Luo Ding wrapped his slender arms around Duan’s neck, his hands gently rubbing Duan’s short hair. Being shorter, Luo Ding had to stand on his tiptoes, leaning almost his entire weight on Duan Xiubo.
Duan gladly accepted, his arms sliding lower to lift Luo Ding’s waist and pull him close.
Keep me fueled with caffeine! Support me on Ko-fi! It helps a lot ! Thank you so much ♡(´･ω･)(･ω･`)♡
thank you for the chapter 🥰🤭