Usually, when he gathered his courage, he possessed a reckless, defiant sense of provocation. Let alone now that he was drunk; he spoke without any filter, willing to say absolutely anything.

Gu Qichi tugged at his sleeve a few more times, rubbing affectionately against his palm like a small animal.

Bo Yu reached out, burying his fingers into his hair. His grip was strong—a rare moment of lost control—as he pulled Gu Qichi’s hair, forcing his head to tilt back.

A sharp sting radiated from his scalp, and Gu Qichi frowned in displeasure. He felt like he was being terribly delicate right now, completely unable to bear even the slightest grievance.

So, before Bo Yu could apply any more pressure, the young man in front of him began to sob, looking deeply wronged in an entirely fake manner: “Bo Yu, it hurts. Be gentler.”

Bo Yu’s eyes darkened a fraction more. If an outsider heard him, they would think Bo Yu had done something terrible to him.

He loosened his grip slightly, but still maintained enough force to make Gu Qichi feel a sting, yet keeping it within a range that satisfied him.

“Didn’t you want to bite me? Come here yourself.”

Once he gave the word, Gu Qichi—still pinned by him—stopped his fake sobbing, looking utterly thrilled.

He leaned in, his hands grasping Bo Yu’s shoulders, and pressed him down as he knelt in front of him.

This way, he wouldn’t have to crane his neck so strenuously.

Gu Qichi opened his mouth and gently bit Bo Yu’s Adam’s apple. His bite was feather-light, as if he were terrified of hurting him.

Soft strands of hair brushed against his jaw. Bo Yu lowered his eyes, watching Gu Qichi’s fluffy head wreak havoc.

From this angle, he could vaguely take in the whole picture. Gu Qichi had thin eyelids, and usually, after just a little teasing, a layer of pink would bloom over them. Today, Bo Yu hadn’t even done anything yet, and his face was already dyed with a large swath of sheer red from the alcohol.

He looked like a trembling flower blooming in spring, ready to shatter in the palm of a hand with a careless squeeze, leaving the fingertips stained with crimson juice and carrying a distinct, botanical fragrance.

But right now, what he smelled wasn’t the scent of flowers or plants, but rather a rich, lingering aroma of wine drifting softly from Gu Qichi’s body.

Bo Yu thought absentmindedly that he couldn’t let Gu Qichi drink this much next time; it wasn’t good for his health.

But in the very next second, this reckless man stuck out his tongue, licking and biting at his Adam’s apple again.

Especially when Gu Qichi noticed the red mole on the side of Bo Yu’s throat turning an even more vibrant red, his interest seemed entirely piqued. His warm breath brushed against the side of Bo Yu’s neck as lightly as a feather. His nose bumped into Bo Yu’s jaw as he leaned in again, sucking and kissing the contour of that red mole.

The wet, smacking sounds of their intimacy echoed in the spacious room, mingling with the crackling sparks from the fireplace. It was exceptionally destructive to one’s rationality.

Sweat broke out on Bo Yu’s forehead, the veins on his arms bulging as he forced himself to endure, stopping himself from hauling Gu Qichi up by the collar.

“Gu Qichi.”

He rarely called him by his full name. Normally, it was wife, baby, darling—he called him all sorts of things, overflowing with a tender sweetness that could melt a person’s heart.

This time, however, his tone carried a strained, barely perceptible tension. If Gu Qichi were sober right now, he would definitely notice that something was wrong with Bo Yu. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say he was on the brink of losing his mind entirely.

But unfortunately, Gu Qichi was drunk. The alcohol paralyzed his brain, swallowing up whatever little capacity for thought he had left. It fueled the wicked, destructive desires in his heart and stirred up his urge to act spoiled and shameless.

Gu Qichi pulled back a little, looking very satisfied with the crystal-clear, glistening red mole in front of him, but very dissatisfied with how Bo Yu had just addressed him.

He interrogated him: “Why aren’t you calling me baby anymore?”

His tone was full of discontent, carrying a hint of overbearing arrogance.

The fingers Bo Yu had tangled in his hair tightened once more, pulling the man away from him. He looked down at Gu Qichi from above, his long, thick eyelashes casting a heavy shadow under his eyes, completely masking the emotions swirling within them.

“Baby, are you happy now?”

This time, Gu Qichi didn’t complain about the pain. Instead, he tilted his head up and looked at him with a beaming smile.

His whole face was flushed, radiant and breathtaking. The corners of his eyes curved upward, his eyelashes trembling lightly. A layer of hazy mist clouded his eyes, yet they clearly reflected Bo Yu’s silhouette.

Suddenly, he leaned close to his ear, adopting the most intimate posture of lovers whispering sweet nothings.

Gu Qichi’s breath was scalding, and that rich scent of wine spilled over again. Before he knew it, Bo Yu was drowning in this nameless ocean.

He kissed the shell of Bo Yu’s ear, his voice very soft, tinged with a hoarseness brought on by the alcohol: “Happy. I’m very happy.”

Before he even finished speaking, he started laughing again. With a fox-like slyness, he looked even more beautiful than the spirits in old folktales. His striking features could steal a person’s soul, and when those watery eyes stared at you, it felt like your very spirit was being sucked in.

The windows had clearly been opened to ventilate the room before they came in, but for some reason, Bo Yu felt the surrounding air growing thinner and thinner.

A scorching, anxious heat bared its fangs and brandished its claws in the confined space, squeezing out the sparse fresh air and making it difficult to breathe.

Bo Yu’s chest rose and fell slowly. As Gu Qichi’s palm slid down, it landed precisely over his left breast.

Right over his beating heart.

Thump—

Thump—

Thump—

Feeling his heartbeat, Gu Qichi loosely curled his fingers, as if encasing the man’s entire heart in his hand.

He had previously read Painted Skin from Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio. The fox spirits in the story killed people just like this. They used the most beautiful skins and the most bewitching methods to drive countless men into an obsessed frenzy. Then, at the very peak of their joy, the fox spirit would mercilessly extend her sharp claws, abruptly snatching and digging out the scholar’s heart.

Bloody, yet still steaming hot.

And that heart would beat for her until the very end.

Gu Qichi thought, if he were that fox spirit, he wouldn’t kill Bo Yu.

He wanted to watch Bo Yu go mad with obsession for him. He wanted Bo Yu’s heart to be entirely within his grasp for the rest of his life, his to take and demand as he pleased.

He wanted Bo Yu to love him.

To love him for a lifetime.

To never let go of his hand, even in death.

As he thought this, his fingers tightened, mimicking a snatching motion.

The lights overhead swayed in dizzying circles. Gu Qichi stared fixedly at Bo Yu, the glare of the lights causing his focus to scatter.

His rationality was completely paralyzed by the alcohol, the thread in his mind snapping. Tears squeezed out from the corners of Gu Qichi’s eyes. He was getting sleepy, his body swaying unsteadily, unable to even kneel upright.

But he stubbornly refused to give up, wanting to express every single thought in his heart.

Because deep down, a faint voice was telling him—

If he said what he was thinking out loud, Bo Yu would be thrilled, and might even reward him.

Fighting off his drowsiness, Gu Qichi parted his lips, brushing against the rim of Bo Yu’s ear.

The crisp, numb sensation carried sparks of electricity, crackling all the way up his nerves to his brain.

Bo Yu wedged one of his legs between Gu Qichi’s knees. The scent of white musk drifted from his body, tangling inextricably with the wine aroma on Gu Qichi, as if materializing into a tranquil sea.

Gu Qichi’s voice was weighed down by heavy exhaustion. He spoke slowly, as if afraid Bo Yu wouldn’t hear him clearly.

“I lied to you just now. I missed one thing I like, I haven’t told you yet.”

His jaw unconsciously rested against the crook of Bo Yu’s neck, his eyelids dropping closed in a display of deep attachment.

“Guess. Guess what I hid from you.”

Bo Yu supported his waist, his hand tracing circles along his tailbone.

He kept his voice low, deep, and raspy, coaxing him like a temptation: “I don’t know. Be good and tell me, baby?”

Gu Qichi pouted, a little dissatisfied, and muttered softly: “You’re so stupid.”

He spoke very lightly, sounding slightly nonchalant but laced with a shy embarrassment. Only when he was pressed right up against his ear did he dare to tell him.

“I also like it when you f**k me until I cry.”

When Bo Yu’s lips and tongue crashed down on his, Gu Qichi groggily opened his eyes. His wrists were locked in Bo Yu’s grip, and he smiled with deep satisfaction.

He knew it. Now that Bo Yu knew, he would definitely reward him.

He whimpered softly and leaned into it.

Tonight, the scent of wine that had haunted Bo Yu all evening was finally passed into his mouth.

It was sweet.

I should let Gu Qichi drink a bit more often, Bo Yu thought aimlessly as he bit down on the tip of his tongue.

…………

…………

…………

Unlike the schedule for the other guests, Bo Yu and Gu Qichi’s final two variety show episodes were compressed together.

Their team would wrap up filming early, a full two weeks ahead of the others.

Since Gu Qichi was about to join a new movie set, his schedule for variety show filming would be tight later on. Plus, the travel destination following Norway was Country Y.

After much consideration from the program director and staff, even though the budget was sufficient, flying back and forth was just too much of a hassle. There was no need to split it into two trips, so with a wave of their hands, they merged the Norway and Country Y trips together to make filming easier.

As a result, before Gu Qichi could even go home and get a proper rest, he was stuffed onto a plane headed for Country Y.

They were flying in first class, but Gu Qichi’s spirits were extremely low.

He was so sleepy he was on the verge of passing out, his head lolling sideways, falling all over the place.

Seeing this, Bo Yu steadied his head and pulled him against his own shoulder. Gu Qichi, who had just been a picture of complete exhaustion, suddenly jolted awake and even shrank away.

This evasive action was instantly noticed by Bo Yu. The man frowned, his tongue pressing against the roof of his mouth as he let out a displeased “Tsk,” before reaching out to pinch his earlobe.

“What are you hiding from?” Bo Yu suppressed his irritation and leaned in to ask.

Gu Qichi closed his eyes and opened them again, the corners of his eyes carrying a rare, flickering dampness.

The temperature inside the plane was much higher than outside. Gu Qichi had taken off his coat, but not his scarf.

A faint layer of sweat trickled down his neck, sticking clammily to his body, making him feel a bit damp.

He curled up in the corner by the window, clearly displaying a defensive posture.

Others didn’t know why Gu Qichi’s mood had shifted so drastically. Wen Xi and Luo Qianqian even assumed the two had gotten into a fight, and Yu Sheng didn’t dare ask too many questions. But Bo Yu knew exactly why Gu Qichi was acting so cold toward him.

A drunk Gu Qichi had been far too obedient, practically letting him take whatever he wanted.

No matter what Bo Yu told him to say or do, Gu Qichi hadn’t resisted. He had even clung to him affectionately, letting Bo Yu do as he pleased.

Although their usual dynamic was somewhat like this, that night, Bo Yu had simply gone too far.

So far that Gu Qichi had nearly broken down.

In the end, when Gu Qichi was crying and begging him, Bo Yu still hadn’t let him go. He had leaned in, gently kissing away the tears on his face, but the words he spoke were cruel.

“I was wrong, wife.” Bo Yu’s hand moved from his earlobe to his cheek, his thumb brushing against the dampness at the corner of his eye.

Gu Qichi still didn’t respond, more than half of his face buried in his scarf, his eyes closed.

He genuinely felt that he could never drink again—or at the very least, he would rather die than drink in front of Bo Yu again.

Gu Qichi used to enjoy seducing Bo Yu purely because he knew he firmly held the reins to Bo Yu’s madness. But he had overestimated himself and underestimated Bo Yu. When Bo Yu truly went crazy, it wasn’t something he could handle at all.

Gu Qichi had zero desire to experience something like that a second time.

He couldn’t take it.

Bo Yu lowered his eyes, his expression unreadable as he glanced at the exposed sliver of Gu Qichi’s wrist, feeling a rare sense of defeat.

“I know I was wrong, wife. Don’t be mad anymore, okay?”

Perhaps his tone was just too sincere, or perhaps it was because he had lowered his pride so completely, but Gu Qichi finally opened his eyes this time, though his face remained expressionless.

Unable to hold back, he cursed softly: “Bastard. Psycho.” Deeming that not harsh enough, he thought for a moment and added another word: “Pervert.”

Bo Yu took it all in stride with an even temper, not daring to utter a single word in his own defense.

After scolding him for a good while, Gu Qichi’s anger finally subsided a bit. He rested his head against the edge of the airplane window, his voice heavy with exhaustion: “Bo Yu, I’m so tired. Stop messing with me.”

Bo Yu agreed to every word.

Once Gu Qichi fell deeply asleep, he helped adjust his posture and gently guided Gu Qichi’s head back onto his shoulder.

The flight didn’t last very long, so when Gu Qichi got off the plane, he was still groggy, his head drooping as he yawned continuously.

He didn’t open his eyes until the car sent to pick them up arrived at their destination.

When they reached their accommodation, it was Bo Yu who carried him upstairs.

Gu Qichi slept for a very long time, struggling to wake from his dreams only as evening approached.

Having gone too long without water, his lips were parched. Opening his eyes in a daze, he habitually reached for the bedside table.

Sure enough, a cup of warm water was sitting right there.

Afraid that he would get thirsty, Bo Yu always left a glass of warm water by his bed.

Thinking of this, Gu Qichi’s earlier anger dissipated a little more. But immediately after, his stomach let out a growl.

He was so hungry.

He hadn’t eaten much last night to begin with, and then he’d been bullied all night long.

As his mind wandered, he suddenly realized the room he was in looked inexplicably familiar.

As if he had been here before.

Before he could think too deeply about it, the door opened with a click. Bo Yu walked in holding some bags, navigating the room with practiced ease.

He didn’t show the slightest hint of dissatisfaction over Gu Qichi’s tantrum. Acting as naturally as if they had never fought, he placed the takeout food on the nightstand, sat on the edge of the bed, and reached out to feel his forehead.

“Do you still feel unwell?”

Gu Qichi shook his head hesitantly. He looked much more awake, though his expression was still a bit listless.

Bo Yu brushed his bangs aside. Beneath his palm, the temperature of Gu Qichi’s forehead wasn’t high.

He breathed a sigh of relief; at least he wasn’t sick, and he didn’t have a fever.

“Do you want to go out for a walk?” Bo Yu asked again. As he spoke, his hand moved down to clasp Gu Qichi’s wrist, stroking it gently.

Gu Qichi’s legs felt sore, his waist hurt, and he involuntarily felt lazy. He shook his head and leaned back, looking completely ready to rot in bed.

He just wanted to sleep. He didn’t want to go anywhere.

Bo Yu didn’t rush him. He just looked at him with a smile.

Unpacking the takeout, he coaxed softly: “Eat something before you go back to sleep.”

Bo Yu fed him this entire meal. Gu Qichi didn’t even have to lift a finger, and Bo Yu’s movements were fatally practiced.

Watching from the monitors in the back, the director couldn’t help but sigh: “Teacher Gu is so lucky. My husband doesn’t have nearly that much patience with me.”

The other staff members chimed in, laughing and discussing: “Teacher Gu and President Bo are newlyweds, after all. Young couples are definitely a bit more sickeningly sweet.”

The director sighed again: “This is way too sweet. But the audience loves watching it.”

“Right, don’t forget to wake up early tomorrow. President Bo has set up some things again.”

Remembering something, she turned to confirm with the staff to ensure they didn’t forget due to negligence.

“Don’t worry, Director Yang. The props team teachers headed over ages ago.”

Hearing this, Director Yang finally relaxed.

Bo Yu had booked this place himself. No one could have predicted that a CEO like him would pass up the local five-star hotels and, after much selection, book a student apartment for himself and Gu Qichi.

The production team had gotten their approval and set up the cameras in advance so they wouldn’t look too frantic during filming.

However, thinking back to what Bo Yu had said on the show about his first meeting with Gu Qichi, Director Yang could more or less guess what was going on.

“To prepare a surprise every time they visit a new place… men like that are rare indeed,” she said with a laugh, turning to leave.

It was getting late. If she kept staring, Bo Yu was bound to get annoyed.

But Bo Yu didn’t do anything tonight. He simply held Gu Qichi, lying on that small bed, his eyes open, thinking about who-knows-what.

If Gu Qichi had been in better spirits today, or if he had taken a closer look at the room’s layout, he would have realized that this place was very familiar.

Because he had lived here for a period of time, and he had even saved someone and brought them back here.

The flower shop downstairs had been bought by Bo Yu years ago, and people had been running it ever since.

Everything remained exactly as it was. After all their twists and turns, he and Gu Qichi had finally returned here.

In the darkness, Bo Yu stared at Gu Qichi. He was sleeping deeply, the fair skin of his nape covered in bite marks of varying depths. A single glance proved they were fresh—bitten not long ago.

He reached out, pulling the man tightly into his embrace, a profound sense of satisfaction blooming in his heart.

An unknown amount of time passed before he finally fell into a deep sleep, holding Gu Qichi in his arms the entire time.

……

……

The next day, Gu Qichi woke up very early. He looked vibrant and refreshed, no longer completely drained like yesterday.

Bo Yu had woken up even earlier than him. A clean set of clothes was laid out on the table.

Seeing that he was awake, Bo Yu handed him a cup of hot water. Only after he finished drinking did Bo Yu wave him over: “Come here and get dressed.”

Gu Qichi threw off the covers, stepped into his slippers, and walked over slowly. Out of habit, he opened his arms wide and threw his entire body into Bo Yu’s embrace, completely devoid of yesterday’s resistance.

Bo Yu’s mood brightened, the corners of his lips curving up involuntarily.

With practiced ease, he helped Gu Qichi put on his clothes. His movements were incredibly careful, carrying a strange sense of solemnity.

The outfit was unusual, entirely different from the style Bo Yu typically picked out for him. It was just a very ordinary white t-shirt and long pants.

Over it, he slipped on a white down jacket.

He himself was dressed very simply: a white dress shirt and black suit trousers. It wasn’t his usual haute couture style; instead, he looked somewhat like a working waiter.

After quickly washing up, before they even stepped out of the room, there was a knock on the door.

The accompanying PD came to the door with a character card in hand. She gently waved a blindfold: “Teacher Gu, for today’s mission, you and Teacher Bo need to be blindfolded.”

Gu Qichi put on the blindfold without any suspicion.

The staff led the two of them outside.

Down four flights of stairs, out the door, turn right, a five-minute walk…

Familiar memories were awakened bit by bit. A certain door was pushed open, and the wind chimes on the porch let out a crisp, clinking sound. Gu Qichi couldn’t control himself from turning his head back.

Even with his eyes blindfolded, he could still smell the floral scent of the shop.

This place was…

His blindfold was lifted, light suddenly flooding in, and Bo Yu’s face became clear inch by inch.

Holding a bouquet of green Eustoma (Lisianthus), he stood opposite Gu Qichi and asked him slowly: “Do you know the flower language of Eustoma?”

Gu Qichi’s eyelashes fluttered, and he nodded slowly: “I know. It’s unchanging love.”

Just like back then. Just like their first meeting.

Our love remains unchanged.