The two of them wolfed down their meal, and it was already past nine in the evening. Mo Xi sat on the sofa, exhausted, thinking back on the entire day. It felt like he had been part of a magical drama, and it had been quite an adventure.
At that moment, Pei Hao poked his head out from the bathroom, raising an eyebrow at him, "I might need your help with something."
"What?" Mo Xi asked.
"I haven't been able to shower for a few days, so..." Pei Hao hesitated in the middle of his sentence, looking at Mo Xi carefully before continuing, "I might need someone to help me wash my body." He said this with a serious expression, tinged with a hint of vulnerability, as if he was genuinely making a reasonable request as a victim, without any ulterior motives.
Mo Xi was taken aback. The doctor had indeed mentioned that his wounds couldn't come into contact with water to prevent infection, so helping a patient wash their body seemed reasonable. But the more he thought about it, the stranger it felt. Who goes to their ex-boyfriend's house to help them wash their body after breaking up?
This didn't match the logical progression in his mind.
Moreover, Pei Hao had abs and long legs. He couldn't guarantee that he wouldn't have impure thoughts while helping him.
"I won't take off my pants, just wipe my back," Pei Hao said, noticing Mo Xi's hesitation. He changed his expression to a pleading one, looking at him with a soft tone that resembled a child's whine, "I feel all sticky and can't sleep."
"...," Mo Xi thought that if he dared take off his pants, he would immediately leave. However, when he turned his head and met Pei Hao's pitiful gaze, he surrendered instantly. He really couldn't resist Pei Hao when he looked at him like that.
After a brief internal struggle, Mo Xi walked into the bathroom like a determined hero, dampened a towel with warm water, wrung it out, and told Pei Hao, "Take off your shirt."
Pei Hao pulled his shirt off hastily, revealing three horrifying wounds on his body. One on his back and one on each arm, resembling the slithering body of a centipede, making it look eerie.
Mo Xi's eyebrows furrowed, and he carefully wiped around the wounds, saying, "If it hurts anywhere, let me know."
"Mhmm."
Pei Hao might have gotten leaner, but after years of exercise, his athletic foundation was still there. His upper body was well-developed, waist was slender, and he maintained the classic inverted triangle shape. His physique was clean, well-proportioned, and pleasant to look at.
Mo Xi suddenly forgave his past self from a few years ago. Pei Hao was appealing both inside and out. Back then, he was younger; how could he have resisted him?
To keep the atmosphere from becoming too awkward and to keep his thoughts in check, Mo Xi started a conversation, "Do you still play basketball?"
"Occasionally, work has been too busy," Pei Hao replied absentmindedly. In the bathroom, there was a large mirror, and he stood sideways, gazing at Mo Xi's serious expression in the mirror. The touch of Mo Xi's warm and soft fingers on his skin transmitted through his nerves, tingling and itching. A certain desire surged in his lower body.
"By the way," Mo Xi suddenly remembered meeting Song Wanqin today and asked, "Why does your mother know me?"
"Oh?" Pei Hao was somewhat surprised. He didn't know that his mother had interacted with Mo Xi today.
"Today, when I was waiting for you at the police station, she came over and asked me where you were," Mo Xi explained.
"I see..." Pei Hao rested his hand on his chin and pondered for a while. He hesitated about whether to tell Mo Xi the truth.
Seeing his curiosity, Pei Hao decided to reveal the truth. He said casually, "Because I came out to her, and she knows I like you."
Mo Xi looked up suddenly, stopping his movements. He looked at Pei Hao with surprise, as if trying to confirm the truth in his words. However, he saw Pei Hao's mouth curl into a smirk, and he burst into laughter.
Damn, what a joke! He was so scared he broke out in a cold sweat!
Mo Xi flung the towel onto Pei Hao's back, rolled his eyes, and muttered, "You're a jerk!" Then, he turned and quickly walked back to the living room.
Pei Hao was momentarily stunned. He didn't understand why Mo Xi suddenly got angry. He had laughed earlier because he found Mo Xi's startled and terrified expression amusing. Did Mo Xi think he wasn't serious enough? He quickly closed his mouth, reached out to pull Mo Xi back, and encircled him with both arms, saying softly, "I'm sorry, I won't laugh anymore."
Mo Xi was surrounded by Pei Hao's sturdy chest, and he blinked at him in disbelief. He didn't understand why Pei Hao suddenly laughed. He had been laughing because he found Mo Xi's shocked expression amusing, but did Mo Xi think he wasn't taking things seriously? Despite his confusion, he couldn't resist Pei Hao's apologetic gaze. He sighed internally and decided to give in, giving Pei Hao a chance.
After a brief struggle in his heart, Mo Xi gave in and walked into the bathroom. He moistened a towel with warm water, wringing it out before telling Pei Hao, "Take off your shirt."
Pei Hao obediently pulled off his shirt, revealing three rather gruesome wounds on his body—on his back and each of his arms. The marks resembled the coiled body of centipedes, which was rather unsettling to look at.
Mo Xi furrowed his brows, carefully wiping around the wounds. "If it hurts anywhere, just let me know."
"Mhmm."
Pei Hao might have become leaner, but his athletic build from years of exercise still showed. His upper body was well-defined, waist narrow, and he maintained the classic V-shaped physique. His muscles were well-proportioned and attractive. Mo Xi suddenly found himself forgiving his past self from years ago—it wasn't easy to resist someone like Pei Hao, especially when he was younger.
In order to prevent the situation from becoming too awkward and to distract his own mind, Mo Xi struck up a conversation, "Do you still play basketball?"
"Occasionally, work keeps me busy," Pei Hao replied absentmindedly. In the bathroom, there was a large mirror hanging on the wall. Pei Hao was standing sideways, staring intently at Mo Xi's serious expression through the mirror. As Mo Xi's warm, gentle touch traced his skin, transmitting sensations through his nerves, it sent shivers down his spine, and a certain desire began to stir within him.
"By the way," Mo Xi suddenly remembered running into Song Wanqin earlier that day and asked, "Why does your mother know me?"
"Oh?" Pei Hao seemed slightly surprised, unaware that his mother had spoken to Mo Xi.
"While I was waiting for you at the police station today, she approached me and asked where you were," Mo Xi explained.
"I see..." Pei Hao scratched his chin,
contemplating for a while. He was unsure whether to reveal the truth to Mo Xi.
Seeing his curiosity, Pei Hao decided to share the truth. He spoke nonchalantly, "Because I came out to her, and she knows that I like you."
Mo Xi's eyes widened in shock, and he stopped his actions for a moment. He stared at Pei Hao with a mixture of surprise and disbelief, seemingly trying to ascertain the truth behind his words. However, before he could react further, Pei Hao's lips curved into a mischievous smile, and he burst out laughing.
What a prank! Mo Xi was so startled that he even broke into a cold sweat!
Mo Xi tossed the towel onto Pei Hao's back, rolled his eyes, and muttered, "You're such a tease!" Then, he turned and hurried back to the living room.
In the bathroom, Pei Hao didn't retort. Instead, he contentedly used the towel to finish cleaning himself. Humming a cheerful tune, he wiped his body.
Mo Xi's body clock hadn't fully adjusted yet. He had been a bit sleepy in the afternoon while waiting at the police station, and now he was in a state where he could fall asleep as soon as he closed his eyes. He forced himself to stay awake until Pei Hao finished and emerged from the bathroom. Afterward, Mo Xi entered to take a shower himself. He then went to the sofa, lifted the blanket that Pei Hao had been using for the past few days, and crawled into it. His eyes were half-closed as he spoke to Pei Hao, "You sleep in the bed tonight."
"No need, you take the bed," Pei Hao replied, but he didn't get a response. He walked closer and waved a hand in front of Mo Xi's eyes, only to find that Mo Xi's eyes were already half-shut, and his breathing had evened out as he slipped into a deep sleep.
Pei Hao was momentarily dumbfounded. How tired must he be to fall asleep like this?
Under the dim light, Mo Xi's eyelashes fluttered like the wings of a small butterfly, gently fanning with the rhythm of his breathing. Pei Hao reached out and lightly touched them with his fingers, causing the delicate eyelashes to tremble for a moment, as if they were startled. Pei Hao couldn't resist bending down and planting a soft kiss on Mo Xi's forehead. He watched him for a while, a smile playing at the corners of his lips, before gently lifting him up and laying him on the bed.
The next morning, Mo Xi woke up groggily and found himself in Pei Hao's bed. He rolled off the bed and walked to the living room, only to discover that Pei Hao was still sleeping on the couch. Mo Xi rubbed his head, vaguely recalling the scenes where Pei Hao had put him in bed the previous day.
The couch was small, and Pei Hao was tall. He had to curl up to barely fit on it, which made Mo Xi feel uncomfortable just looking at it. He walked over, picked up the half-fallen blanket from the floor, and covered Pei Hao with it. Afterward, he went to the bathroom to freshen up and changed into clean clothes before heading out to buy groceries.
Mo Xi closed the door quietly, and Pei Hao was awakened by the clanging sounds coming from the kitchen. He got up and leaned against the kitchen door, watching Mo Xi busily moving up and down with a spatula. For a few seconds, he lost himself in the sight. This scene was so familiar to him. During the year when he had lived with Mo Xi, this scenario had played out almost every morning. Even in the days that followed, he had replayed this scene countless times in his mind, all alone.
Seven years of time, full of twists and turns, seemed like they had returned to square one.
The gentle sunlight shone on Mo Xi's delicate bangs. The steamer in the kitchen emitted faint white steam. Despite the beautiful morning, Pei Hao felt oddly uneasy. He wished time could freeze at this moment forever, but he knew he couldn't hold onto it. In a few days, Mo Xi would fly to the United States without looking back. With a simple press of a delete button, he could erase everything that had happened in these past few days, leaving Pei Hao alone in a world of memories and endless yearning.
Seeing him standing dazed at the doorway, Mo Xi felt puzzled and called out, "Pei Hao?"
"Hmm?" Pei Hao looked up at him with a bewildered expression.
"Drink this glass of lemon water," Mo Xi handed him a glass of water he had prepared. The doctor had recommended Pei Hao to consume more vitamin C for faster wound healing.
"Okay," Pei Hao obediently took the glass and finished it in one gulp. He looked at the person in front of him with a thoughtful expression, realizing that Mo Xi hadn't changed at all. He was still the person who was gentle to his core. Like a spring breeze in March, Mo Xi could always calm all of Pei Hao's volatile emotions. Always fussing over him, caring for him meticulously and wholeheartedly, Mo Xi's genuine concern enveloped him, making him feel cared for and comforted.
How ignorant he was in the past to have drifted apart from such a good person.
Unnoticed by Mo Xi, a hint of disappointment appeared on Pei Hao's face. Mo Xi pointed to a small box on the table and said, "There's also pain relief..."
Before he could finish his sentence, the doorbell rang. Pei Hao had lived here for almost half a year and had never had any visitors before. He looked puzzled, unable to figure out who would come to visit him so early in the morning.
Was it the building management? Had someone gotten the wrong door?
Pei Hao walked a few steps to the door and opened it, only to be stunned by the person standing in front of him.
Song Wanqin stood at the door, carrying bags of various sizes. Seeing Pei Hao frozen in place, she complained, "Hurry and take these. They're quite heavy."
"What are you..." Pei Hao began to ask why she was here, but he suddenly remembered that Qin, the lawyer, had asked for his address yesterday, saying they needed it to send him some documents.
Could it really be... that he wasn't prepared for this?
Despite Song Wanqin's usual appearance of gentleness and harmlessness, she was quite astute. The people she employed were not to be underestimated either. Pei Hao had known this since childhood. Based on his many years of understanding, he felt that when Song Wanqin turned cunning, even Pei Yi Xin, his own brother, wouldn't be her match.
"Well, Mom," Pei Hao took the bags from Song Wanqin and smiled with some consideration, "how about you come back in a few days?"
"Why wouldn't a mother be allowed to visit where her son lives?" Song Wanqin glanced at him, pushed past him, and walked straight inside.
Pei Hao took a few steps to catch up and changed his tone to a pleading one, "Mom, please!"
At any other time, he wouldn't have cared whether his mom knew his address or not. However, mainly because Mo Xi was here, he was worried that Song Wanqin might give him a look or say something harsh, which would make things even worse in the future.
"Fine, fine," Song Wanqin waved her hand impatiently at him, "just finish putting away the things." She had initially thought of making soup for Pei Hao, but upon seeing his reluctant expression, she realized there was probably someone else at home.
Meanwhile, Mo Xi was in the kitchen frying small fish. Upon hearing the sound of the door closing, he continued without lifting his head and instructed, "Take the pain relief medicine quickly."
The person at the door didn't respond. Mo Xi flipped the fish in the pan, added a pinch of salt, and continued, "Today's meal should be light. The doctor said not to eat anything too heavy."
The person at the door removed their scarf, walked into the kitchen doorway without haste, and calmly directed their gaze toward the kitchen. They asked, "What are you making?"
As soon as Mo Xi heard the voice, his heart leaped to his throat. He looked up and saw the person clearly, causing him to freeze and become too nervous to speak.
Helplessly, Pei Hao shrugged from behind, indicating that he was just as powerless.
After all, with whatever had happened between him and Pei Hao, Mo Xi was guilty within himself. At first, he felt a bit lost and didn't know how to handle the situation. But upon further thought, just because Pei Hao's mother recognized him didn't mean she knew about their past relationship. Right now, he was merely preparing breakfast for a patient; there was no reason to be nervous.
He couldn't afford to lose his composure.
A series of thoughts flashed through Mo Xi's mind, and he finally managed to calm his nerves. He cleared his throat and replied, "Egg custard, vegetable congee, and pan-fried fish."
Song Wanqin, expressionless, looked at the fish in the pan and said, "Try to eat less fried food."
"Okay." Mo Xi nodded as if he were a chick pecking at grains.
Song Wanqin continued to walk into the kitchen, placing the groceries she had bought into the refrigerator. As she did so, she suddenly realized that her groceries had somehow ended up mixed in with the others.
"Did you go grocery shopping this morning?" Song Wanqin asked Pei Hao.
Pei Hao tilted his head to glance at the refrigerator, then pointed to Mo Xi, saying, "He went."
"Oh." Song Wanqin didn't say anything more. She just looked at Mo Xi with a meaningful gaze. All the groceries she bought were based on a consultation with a doctor this morning. Whether the person in front of her had genuine intentions or not, it seemed that he had taken Pei Hao into consideration.
Normally, Pei Hao was so busy that he hardly had time to cook. He looked at the fridge, which was now brimming with groceries, feeling a bit troubled. With so much food, he wondered if it would last until next year.
Mo Xi continued to work in the kitchen, while Song Wanqin didn't enter Pei Hao's bedroom. She was afraid of seeing something she shouldn't, which made her feel uncomfortable. Instead, she roamed around the living room, and to her delight, she noticed that there were no cigarette butts in the ashtray. As soon as she entered, she had sensed something different. Upon closer inspection, she realized there was no lingering smell of smoke.
By social norms, Mo Xi should have invited Song Wanqin to stay for breakfast, but he found it hard to bring himself to do so. If she stayed, it might lead to the most awkward breakfast of his life. So, when she said she was leaving, Mo Xi merely replied, "Take care, Auntie."
Song Wanqin didn't pay it much attention. After a few more instructions to Pei Hao, she closed the door and left. As she walked away from the elevator, she immediately took out her phone and made a call, saying to the person on the other end, "Please gather more information about that person named Mo Xi. The more details, the better."