Feeling Like I Was Teased

Gu Qingzhou still liked to ask for trouble. The two had only just gotten intimate yesterday, and Jiang Xu was at that hot-blooded age. If he really fanned the flames, he would be the one to suffer in the end.

Jiang Xu's gaze swept past his shoulder, glancing out the window through the gaps in the venetian blinds. He couldn't see anything clearly, but he figured everyone was probably still working. A profound look flashed in his eyes, and then he reached up and pulled off Gu Qingzhou's tie.

"Mm," Jiang Xu finally answered Gu Qingzhou's previous question. "I'm sure."

As he spoke, he lifted his head and captured the other's lips and tongue. One hand with well-defined knuckles cupped the back of Gu Qingzhou's head, forcing him to lower it, while his other hand wrapped the long, thin black tie around in a circle, stealthily entangling Gu Qingzhou's wrist.

"Mmph... Jiang Xu..."

Gu Qingzhou finally sensed that something was amiss. He tilted his head slightly, trying to get a clear look at the situation, but he was trapped in Jiang Xu's embrace, unable to move. He could only watch helplessly as the buttons of his shirt were undone one by one, a slight chill rising on his skin.

Gu Qingzhou restlessly moved his tie-bound wrist. The corners of his lips were flushed from Jiang Xu's kisses, and his voice was low and hoarse as he said, "Not here..."

Of course Jiang Xu wouldn't do it here; he was just teasing Gu Qingzhou. Hearing this, he slowly stopped the lingering kiss. His fingertips rested loosely on the last button that had yet to be undone, sliding lightly in a circle over the fabric as he said nonchalantly, "What are you afraid of? No one can see."

Gu Qingzhou thought that Jiang Xu was never this proactive when they were at home, yet now he was being unbelievably forward. If the two of them stayed in the office for too long, even an idiot would be able to tell something was up. He didn't know how to refuse Jiang Xu, so he could only unconsciously clench his fingertips, unable to either nod or shake his head.

Seeing this, Jiang Xu let out a low chuckle and finally loosened the tie. He looked at him with a half-smile and shamelessly commented, "Your head is full of dirty thoughts."

After speaking, he reached out and buttoned Gu Qingzhou's shirt up one by one, concealing his body under the fabric once more. Finally, he straightened the collar and patted the other's waist, saying, "Behave next time. Don't get handsy."

They had just done it yesterday. If they did it again today, Gu Qingzhou would be half-dead if not completely. Jiang Xu wasn't that much of a beast.

Gu Qingzhou thought that it was clearly Jiang Xu who was being handsy, but considering he was the one who had started the reckless flirting, he kept quiet. He re-tied his tie and then slowly got off Jiang Xu.

Jiang Xu checked the time and realized he had been in the office for a while. Staying any longer would inevitably arouse suspicion. He patted his legs and stood up to leave, but just as he reached the door, Gu Qingzhou pulled him back.

Jiang Xu turned back, a questioning look in his eyes, his voice laced with a smile. "What, can't bear to let me go?"

"Yeah, I can't." Gu Qingzhou was a classic case of 'once the wound heals, the pain is forgotten'. He tilted his head and kissed Jiang Xu, his eyes lowered, and then whispered half-jokingly in his ear, "Actually, if you want to do it in the office, it's not entirely impossible..."

Hearing this, Jiang Xu's eyelid twitched. "Huh? For real?"

Gu Qingzhou didn't speak. He just turned the doorknob, gently pushed Jiang Xu out, and then silently moved his lips. A rare hint of a smile appeared in his usually impassive eyes. "It's not."

...

Damn it...

Jiang Xu glanced at his colleagues in the office, then at the deliberately mischievous Gu Qingzhou. In the end, there was no way he could go back in and deal with him under everyone's watchful eyes. He scratched his hair in frustration and could only return to his seat as if nothing had happened, thinking to himself that he would settle the score when they got back.

The office door was left ajar. Only after Jiang Xu had returned to his seat did it gently click shut.

It wasn't entirely a lie, Gu Qingzhou thought pensively, leaning his back against the door.

He watched Jiang Xu working, sometimes idly, sometimes busily, through the window. Even though they were only separated by a short distance, he couldn't bear to let Jiang Xu go.

In Hai City, it usually started snowing around December. He wondered if it would come earlier this year. The weather was getting colder, and no one wanted to work overtime anymore. Everyone packed up early to go home and finish their work. Because the heating was on inside, the glass windows looked a bit misty. Outside, the billboards lit up one by one, their neon lights as dazzling and brilliant as ever.

Jiang Xu waited until everyone had left before taking the elevator downstairs with Gu Qingzhou. Hearing the advertisements for the big New Year's goods sale from the mall outside, he patted the back of his neck and said with a sigh, "It's almost the New Year again."

People don't usually notice it when they're busy, and even often complain that time passes too slowly. But sometimes, they suddenly realize that they have unknowingly passed many days and endured many hardships.

Gu Qingzhou didn't have any particular feelings about the New Year, because most of the time he was alone, so it made no difference. He subconsciously glanced at Jiang Xu, who was beside him looking down at his phone, and suddenly asked, "Do you want to buy some New Year's goods?"

Jiang Xu paused at his words, as he didn't really have a concept of it either. However, he remembered that restaurants closed and food delivery stopped during the New Year, so it was probably a good idea to stock up. He turned off his phone screen and said, "Sure."

The company building was located near a commercial district, not far from a shopping mall. The bright lights inside dispelled the darkening sky and the cold outside, imperceptibly lifting one's mood. As Gu Qingzhou stepped onto the escalator, he suddenly remembered he had never been to Jiang Xu's place. Out of the blue, he said, "How about we buy some groceries and I cook at your place?"

Jiang Xu said, "I don't have a pot at my place."

... Gu Qingzhou subconsciously looked at him. "Why don't you buy a pot?"

A flash of a slacker student's confusion appeared in Jiang Xu's eyes, utterly perplexed. He spread his hands and shrugged. "I don't know how to cook, so why would I buy a pot?"

Gu Qingzhou seriously wondered how Jiang Xu had survived until now. He walked into the mall entrance, habitually scanned his surroundings, and then said, "Let's buy one later."

Jiang Xu actually felt it was unnecessary, since it would only be used once. He chummily put an arm around Gu Qingzhou's shoulder, pulling him into his embrace, and said with a mischievous grin, "Sure, we can buy it. I'll buy it if you come over and cook for me every day. Otherwise, it'd be a waste to just let it sit there."

It was the first time the two had been so intimate in public. Gu Qingzhou wasn't as carefree as Jiang Xu, and his heart skipped a beat. He then glanced sideways at him and asked with a faint raise of his eyebrow, "Why should I cook for you every day? Are you paying me a salary?"

Jiang Xu's smile was enough to make one's face flush and heart race. He still had that same roguish look as his long fingertips tapped suggestively at his own sexy collar. "How about I pay with my body? My figure is pretty good. Think about it."

Gu Qingzhou tossed a pack of bacon into the shopping cart and said, "Not considering it."

"Right. You stopped cherishing me once you got me."

As Jiang Xu spoke, he habitually tossed several packs of different-flavored instant noodles into the cart, only for Gu Qingzhou to put them back. He wasn't disappointed, though, and turned to pick out snacks with renewed interest.

Gu Qingzhou tapped his fingertips lightly. He saw a little boy nearby crying and screaming for chocolate, only to get a light smack on the head from his mother before being dragged away. Then he looked at Jiang Xu, who had returned with an armful of potato chips, and his mood suddenly became a little strange.

Jiang Xu found his gaze a little odd. "What are you looking at me for?"

"Nothing," Gu Qingzhou smiled and retracted his gaze, then glanced into the shopping cart. "You're not picking anything else?"

Jiang Xu said, "No, it's a pain to carry."

Gu Qingzhou bought a lot of fruits and vegetables, which were countless times healthier than the snack foods Jiang Xu had picked. The two of them also picked out a pot before heading to the checkout counter to pay. Gu Qingzhou said, "I bought some frozen dumplings. Next time you're hungry, cook these. Eat less instant noodles."

Jiang Xu gave him a smiling glance. "Why do you sound just like my mom?"

Gu Qingzhou didn't hear clearly. "What?"

Jiang Xu said, "Washing the pot is such a hassle."

One could become a god if they were lazy enough. Gu Qingzhou felt that Jiang Xu was just half a step away from that realm. He gave him an ambiguous look and said, "Do you think swallowing food into your stomach is a hassle?"

Jiang Xu thought that eating was an enjoyment, but washing a pot was not. He saw that the items had been scanned and was about to pay, but Gu Qingzhou had already paid with his phone, so he had to withdraw his hand.

The two packed the items into shopping bags and walked out of the mall, each carrying one. Jiang Xu bumped Gu Qingzhou's shoulder and said, "I can pay next time."

For Jiang Xu's stingy personality, this was a considerable level of awareness. It could also be said to be the first step he was taking in trying to give. Gu Qingzhou was happy in his heart, but he didn't like how Jiang Xu drew such a clear line between them.

Gu Qingzhou switched the bag to his other hand, his eyelids lifting slightly to look at Jiang Xu. He said in a toneless voice, "Didn't you say you'd pay with your body?"

Hearing this, Jiang Xu's eyebrows twitched. 'I'm screwed,' he thought, 'I've really corrupted Gu Qingzhou.' He didn't usually make these kinds of jokes. Just as he was about to say something, he saw that Gu Qingzhou had already averted his gaze. For once, he wasn't teasing him, but simply reached out and took his shopping bag. "You go get the car."

The two had bought quite a lot of things, and the bags were heavy. Gu Qingzhou dodged his movement. "Let's go together."

It wasn't the first time Jiang Xu thought he was silly, but gradually, many emotions he had never felt before began to well up in his heart. Hearing his words, he could only nod and walk side by side with him. "Alright, together it is."

Jiang Xu actually hadn't been home in a while and couldn't even remember if he had cleaned. He got into the driver's seat, started the car, and glanced at Gu Qingzhou beside him. After a moment of thought, he decided it was better to give him a heads-up. "My place might be a little messy."

Gu Qingzhou was calmer than him. "Mm, I figured."

Jiang Xu: "..."

Jiang Xu's home wasn't actually that messy. Given his profession, there was a limit to how messy it could be. It was just that he hadn't been home in so long that he had misremembered some of the details. When he opened the door and entered, the table was clean and free of trash, and the quilt on the bed was neatly folded. Other than a bit of dust on the floor, there were no other problems.

Jiang Xu placed the shopping bags on the table, then got a clean pair of slippers for Gu Qingzhou. Leaning against the doorframe, he said gleefully, "My place is pretty clean after all. You guessed wrong, didn't you?"

It was Gu Qingzhou's first time here. Although the layout wasn't large, the arrangement was very comfortable. Hearing Jiang Xu's words, he couldn't be bothered to respond and walked over to the kitchen instead. He found that it was indeed spotless, with nothing in it. Luckily, they had bought some seasonings at the mall; otherwise, tonight's dinner would have been a bust.

The sudden presence of another person in a place that was originally for a single occupant was a strange, but not unpleasant, feeling. As Jiang Xu watched Gu Qingzhou cleaning the kitchen, his thoughts started to go off track, and a question he had never considered before, past or present, popped into his head—

Spending a lifetime with Gu Qingzhou might actually be a good choice?

He was lost in thought, looking as if he were in a daze. It wasn't until Gu Qingzhou walked up to him that he looked up and snapped out of it.

Gu Qingzhou asked, "What are you thinking about? I called you several times and you didn't respond."

Jiang Xu crossed his arms, a teasing smile on his face. "I was thinking, my bed is small. It might be a little crowded with two people."

Gu Qingzhou knew he wasn't telling the truth, but he wasn't annoyed. His cool body slipped into Jiang Xu's warm embrace, and with his eyelids lowered, he whispered in his ear, "It's okay. If we hold each other tighter, it won't be crowded."

...