Planting a Love Bite

When Jiang Xu emerged from the shower, dusk had begun to paint the sky. The sparse silhouettes of tree branches were etched against the window, made sharper by the fluorescent light from the living room. It seemed as if both people and scenery were superimposed onto that single pane of glass.

Gu Qingzhou was half-reclining on the bed, sending an email on his laptop. His peripheral vision caught Jiang Xu entering the room, and he subtly averted his gaze, his concentration instantly scattering, unable to focus on the screen any longer.

A hand with distinct knuckles suddenly pressed down on the laptop lid, closing it with a soft click. Gu Qingzhou looked up reflexively, just as Jiang Xu took the computer from his hands. "Staring at a screen at night is bad for your eyes."

The reason wasn't very convincing, considering Jiang Xu himself often played games until midnight. Yet, for once, Gu Qingzhou didn't retort. He simply lowered his head, shifted sideways to make room, and let Jiang Xu in.

Jiang Xu reached over to turn off the main bedroom light, leaving only the bedside lamp on before lying down. The dim, yellowish light cast over them created an inexplicably intimate atmosphere. Having grown up without much experience in this area, Jiang Xu felt a bit unsure now that things were getting real.

Jiang Xu decisively turned off the last remaining lamp. Then, groping in the darkness, he propped himself over Gu Qingzhou. He could feel the other's body tense almost imperceptibly for a moment—likely nervous too.

Jiang Xu called his name softly, "Gu Qingzhou..."

Gu Qingzhou's claim of not being nervous was a lie. His limbs felt somewhere between stiff and limp, and no position seemed right. The strong rhythm of Jiang Xu's heartbeat sounded beside his ear, a faint vibration transmitted through his chest, a testament to how closely they were pressed together. He could even feel a certain part of Jiang Xu gradually awakening.

Jiang Xu had a good physique—not overly muscular nor too slender. It was clear his former title of school bully wasn't unearned. In contrast, Gu Qingzhou was leaner. It was hard to say who would win if they ever got into a real fight.

At some point, Gu Qingzhou's pajama top had slipped to the floor. His exposed skin met the cool air, making it hard to tell which was colder. Jiang Xu's kisses trailed down from the crown of his head, turning Gu Qingzhou's pale, cool skin a soft pink. His slightly cool body gradually warmed under the intimate, fervent kisses.

Gu Qingzhou's voice was different from during the day—lower, a bit hoarse. His hands clutched helplessly at Jiang Xu's back, his dark hair falling with a vulnerable softness. "Jiang Xu..."

Jiang Xu grasped his ankle and hooked it over his own shoulder, proceeding with immense patience through the initial stages, as if afraid of hurting Gu Qingzhou. His voice was low, magnetic, and uncharacteristically serious. "Mm, I'm here."

Sweat beaded on Jiang Xu's back. Gu Qingzhou wasn't faring much better either. He bit his lip, suppressing the pain, his face slightly pale. Suddenly meeting Jiang Xu's strikingly beautiful eyes in the darkness, he glimpsed a deep-seated focus and carefulness within them, and his breath hitched for a moment.

Gu Qingzhou had never seen Jiang Xu look so cautious before. A pang of sadness mixed with joy washed over him. The physical pain was instantly overshadowed by an indescribable emotion, as if they were back in high school, willing to endure anything for each other.

Gu Qingzhou slowly hooked his legs around Jiang Xu's waist. His long legs, bathed in the faint moonlight filtering through the window, gave a fleeting illusion of fragility. He responded passionately to Jiang Xu's kisses while gently nibbling on Jiang Xu's earlobe. His tongue was warm and wet, but the words he breathed out held little emotion. "Move."

Jiang Xu brushed his sweat-dampened hair back, feeling like this was more exhausting than a fight. Thinking it, he inadvertently voiced it aloud. "Damn, I feel more tired than when I used to brawl with a whole group back in school."

Too gentle wasn't right, too rough wasn't right. Nothing seemed quite right.

Gu Qingzhou felt a flash of annoyance. He, the one on the bottom, wasn't complaining, yet Jiang Xu, the one on top, was already whining. He narrowed his eyes silently and bit Jiang Xu's shoulder. "Just move. Who told you to worry about me? If you can't handle it, I'll take over."

A numbing pain shot through Jiang Xu's shoulder. He grunted, thinking Gu Qingzhou really was like a dog, always biting. Hearing this, he pinched Gu Qingzhou's chin, smiling with ambiguous meaning. "Gu Qingzhou, you'd better watch your tone in bed. I'm afraid I might not be able to resist teaching you a lesson."

Gu Qingzhou retorted, "You complain about being tired doing this? I doubt you have the capability."

In response, Jiang Xu uttered only three low words, "Asking for trouble!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Gu Qingzhou felt the world tilt. He was forced to kneel on the bed, the back of his hand covered by a damp, sweaty palm. Then, a man's fingers interlocked with his, pressing them firmly against the wall to maintain balance.

Jiang Xu pressed close against Gu Qingzhou's back. Gu Qingzhou vaguely heard a few indistinct, murmured words, "I'll teach you how to be a proper person today."

Gu Qingzhou's vision was already beginning to lose focus. Stimulated physically, a film of moisture gradually veiled his eyes, dampening his thick lashes. The corners of his eyes reddened, as if on the verge of tears, yet his tone held no sign of submission. "How do you plan to teach me?"

Jiang Xu encircled Gu Qingzhou's supple waist and asked with a laugh, "Guess?"

Guess? Guess what?

All Gu Qingzhou remembered was that Jiang Xu's fighting style back in the day could only be described as shameless—he wouldn't stop until the other person was kneeling on the ground calling him 'daddy'. While others went to school to learn, he went to collect 'sons'. The teachers couldn't even control him. Arrogant and unruly, he made people grit their teeth in frustration.

Gu Qingzhou bit his lower lip weakly, his voice hoarse. "I can't guess."

They were gradually finding their rhythm, waves of unfamiliar pleasure rising from various parts of their bodies—especially for Gu Qingzhou. Unbidden tears mingled with sweat as they fell. He was already regretting why he had provoked Jiang Xu earlier.

"Can't guess, huh, deskmate? Mm?" Jiang Xu deliberately used the old form of address.

Gu Qingzhou's limbs had gone soft, his strength spent. The sound in his throat, overly suppressed, sounded like a low whimper. He scratched at Jiang Xu, signaling him not to push his luck any further.

Jiang Xu chuckled, his chest vibrating slightly. "Even if you wanted to call me daddy now, I wouldn't answer."

In the end, he didn't torment him further, switching back to their original position. Jiang Xu reached out to wipe the liquid—whether sweat or tears—from Gu Qingzhou's face. The latter instinctively snuggled closer into his embrace. Seeing this, Jiang Xu whispered close to Gu Qingzhou's ear, "Gu Qingzhou, saying one thing and meaning another is a bad habit. You should fix it."

Gu Qingzhou couldn't speak, his consciousness already scattered. He only remembered Jiang Xu going at it again later, the entanglement lasting until well past midnight.

The bedside lamp was on. The covers were in disarray. The warm yellow light cast a hazy, ambiguous glow. The furnishings were the same as last time, the environment unchanged, the people still the same. Yet, the atmosphere had undergone a complete transformation.

Gu Qingzhou's chest still rose and fell unevenly, his breathing not yet steady. He couldn't help but recall the scene of Jiang Xu leaving last time. That bone-deep despair hadn't fully faded, and his eyelids trembled uncontrollably. Below his collarbone, scattered love bites dotted his skin, stark against his fair complexion, as if he'd been ravaged.

Jiang Xu pulled him into an embrace from behind. "Does it hurt?"

Gu Qingzhou turned, wanting to hold him, but lacked the strength. He could only nestle closer into his arms, then closed his eyes and shook his head silently. After resting for a moment, as if remembering something, he forced himself to get up from the bed, exhausted, wanting to take a shower.

Seeing him unsteady on his feet, Jiang Xu casually threw on some clothes. Acting almost without thought, he scooped Gu Qingzhou up in a princess carry. For a moment, they both froze.

Jiang Xu had always thought carrying a man this way felt awkward, but then again, carrying Gu Qingzhou didn't seem so bad. He paused for a second, then continued walking into the bathroom.

Gu Qingzhou's thoughts were unreadable. He gazed at the man's handsome profile, then after a moment, said slowly, "This is the first time you've carried me like this..."

Jiang Xu, still holding him, turned on the showerhead and started filling the bathtub. His clothes were instantly soaked. He bent down to place Gu Qingzhou in the water, then leaned on the edge of the tub, correcting him, "It's the first time I've carried anyone like this."

As Jiang Xu spoke, his Adam's apple bobbed, inexplicably sensual. His wet black hair was plastered in strands, softening the striking beauty of his features, leaving a sharp, handsome impression. Seeming to know Gu Qingzhou had little strength left, he simply stayed by the tub, clumsily helping him wash.

Gu Qingzhou stared at Jiang Xu's face, losing himself in thought.

He used to look down on people who became desperate over a man. He always believed loving someone required self-respect; that should never be lost. Yet, Gu Qingzhou had become exactly the kind of person he once despised, yet he never truly regretted it.

The past hurts were based on Gu Qingzhou's unrequited feelings, on Jiang Xu's heart being elsewhere. But if one day, Gu Qingzhou truly held Jiang Xu's heart, Jiang Xu would be the best person in the world to him...

Perhaps sometimes, lowering your pride to love someone isn't wrong—provided that person is worth it.

Leaning on the edge of the bathtub, Gu Qingzhou quietly watched Jiang Xu, then suddenly said in a small, unreadable tone, "It hurts a bit."

Jiang Xu didn't catch it. "What?"

Gu Qingzhou said, "My body hurts..."

Seeing he was clean enough, Jiang Xu bent down and lifted him from the water. A splash erupted. He gave Gu Qingzhou a slight bounce in his arms, a faint, teasing smile in his eyes that made one's heart race. His tone was decidedly improper, "What can we do? Blame your Xu-ge for being too... generously endowed?"

Then he added, "Be good, I'll apply some ointment for you."

For the first time, Gu Qingzhou shed the icy aloofness he used as a disguise. Leaning against someone's chest, he clearly, without reservation, told him he was in pain.

Gu Qingzhou felt like laughing but didn't. He buried his face in the crook of Jiang Xu's neck, wrapping his arms around his neck, unwilling to let go. Still that same clumsy underachiever from back then, he thought. Closing his eyes, he asked flatly, "Have you ever seen anyone apply ointment for... this?"

Jiang Xu genuinely hadn't. "Not my thing."

After saying this, he placed Gu Qingzhou on the bed and tried to get up, but the latter's arms around his neck held him fast. He could only lean over, bracing himself on either side of Gu Qingzhou, looking down at him. "Gu Qingzhou, are you a sticky rice cake that gained sentience?"

Gu Qingzhou shot back, "And what are you, a miser who gained sentience?"

Jiang Xu was momentarily speechless. He instinctively wanted to refute it but found it eerily fitting. His long fingers rested silently on Gu Qingzhou's knees as he half-teased, half-warned in a low voice, "Keep being so sharp-tongued, and I'll really make you cry and call me daddy. Believe me?"

Gu Qingzhou didn't doubt Jiang Xu would actually do it. Hearing this, he simply released him, wordlessly burrowing under the covers, leaving only a shock of dark hair visible.

Jiang Xu tugged at the blanket. "Hey, careful you don't suffocate."

Getting no response, he smiled, then turned to go take his own shower.

The night had been exceptionally fulfilling, but remembering work tomorrow dampened his mood slightly. Jiang Xu dried his hair, lifted the covers, and got into bed. Before he could even settle, someone had already automatically rolled into his arms, clinging tightly to his waist.

Jiang Xu didn't mind. He had good stamina. He idly stroked Gu Qingzhou's head, feeling genuinely sorry for him, yet also a bit of hypocritical pity. With a curled lip, he teased, "Manager Gu, isn't it a bit pitiful? Tomorrow, you still have to go to work."

Gu Qingzhou ached everywhere. Only his soaring spirits and exhausted body seemed to be at opposite extremes. He pulled Jiang Xu's hand down to rest on his own waist, then clung to him like a koala. "It won't be pitiful if you come to work with me."

Jiang Xu switched to massaging his waist, raising an eyebrow. "When have I not been with you?"

Gu Qingzhou said, "You only come at noon."

Most of the time, he could only glance at Jiang Xu through the office window or, when going out to copy documents, see what he was up to.

Jiang Xu said good-naturedly, "Alright, I'll come find you tomorrow morning too. Is that okay? Any other requests? Speak up while I'm in a good mood."

Gu Qingzhou thought for a moment, then shook his head. "No more."

Jiang Xu thought, That's it? So easily satisfied. He lifted the blanket and glanced down. Seeing the alarming array of purplish marks on Gu Qingzhou's body, he pulled him into his arms, unable to contain his amusement. "Don't you look like I beat you up?"

Gu Qingzhou couldn't be bothered to respond, keeping his eyes closed in silence.

Jiang Xu's fingertips brushed the only unmarked part of Gu Qingzhou's neck. It looked too clean compared to the rest. Unobtrusively, he bent down and planted a love bite on the nape of his neck.

Gu Qingzhou opened his eyes, seemingly smiling with a hint of helpless indulgence. "What are you doing?"

Jiang Xu was preoccupied and didn't answer.

Gu Qingzhou lightly kicked him under the covers, his tone ambiguous. "People will see it."

Jiang Xu measured an inch with his fingers, showing him. "Your shirt collar usually comes to here. I kissed here. Won't be visible."

Oh.

Gu Qingzhou thought, Your math is pretty good.