Chapter 69
by LotusSnow began to fall again outside, and it was particularly heavy. In just two hours, a white layer had blanketed the ground and rooftops.
Near the hotel, there is a television tower with a restaurant. Standing on the glass walkway outside the restaurant, one can overlook the entire night view of A City.
However, with the snowfall, the recently cleaned glass surface had become somewhat slippery.
As Mi Zhao walked along, he nearly slipped. Fortunately, Li Sipei caught his arm in time.
He quickly checked the small cake in his hands. Aside from tilting slightly, it was otherwise unharmed.
This small cake was something he had personally made earlier today at a specialty shop. Although he was skilled in cooking, he had never dabbled in baking before. Even with the shop owner personally guiding him, his earlier attempts had been less than ideal.
This was the best-looking one among the cakes he had made, with a tiny candle placed on top.
The wind atop the tower was strong, causing the candle flame to flicker erratically. Mi Zhao had to use his hand to shield it.
“Happy birthday, Li Sipei.” The dim candlelight reflected the radiant smile on Mi Zhao’s face. He held out the small cake and urged in a low voice, “Hurry, make a wish.”
Li Sipei had been holding his arm but, after a moment of silence, moved his hand to cover Mi Zhao’s.
It was a little cold.
So, he wrapped his palms around Mi Zhao’s hands, which were holding the cake tray.
“When did you prepare this?”
“Just today.” Mi Zhao raised his eyebrows slightly, his expression carrying a hint of smugness. “You weren’t serious about making a wish earlier, were you?”
Li Sipei hummed in agreement, smiling cooperatively. “You could tell?”
Mi Zhao thought that anyone with eyes could see how perfunctory Li Sipei had been—even Madam Li had probably noticed but chose not to comment.
He asked, “What did you wish for at the time?”
Li Sipei thought for a moment before replying, “I didn’t make a wish.”
Then, he leaned in with a smile, lowering his voice next to Mi Zhao’s ear, “I just closed my eyes and pretended—I wasn’t thinking about anything at all.”
Mi Zhao had an expression of I knew it before urging again, “Then you can make a wish now. Hurry, the wind is about to blow out the candle.”
Li Sipei’s smile faded as he slowly straightened. He stood face to face with Mi Zhao, with only the small cake between them.
He glanced at the candle, which was flickering, then closed his eyes.
Mi Zhao stared at him intently.
After a while, Li Sipei opened his eyes and blew out the candle.
It was too cold on the glass walkway, so Mi Zhao hurriedly took a few photos of the night view, along with Li Sipei’s back and profile, before heading back into the restaurant with him.
The servers had already set the table with the dishes they had ordered.
Mi Zhao had booked the entire venue for the evening. Apart from the two of them and the service staff, there was no one else in the restaurant. To set the mood, he had even hired a violinist.
The violinist stood by their table, immersed in his music, looking completely absorbed.
Mi Zhao placed the cake in the center of the table. After Li Sipei cut it, they each took half.
Unfortunately, Mi Zhao had eaten quite a bit at the birthday banquet earlier, so he found himself unable to finish his portion.
However, since Li Sipei had barely eaten all night, he ended up finishing the entire small cake by himself.
Resting his face in his hands, Mi Zhao curiously asked, “What did you wish for earlier?”
Li Sipei countered, “Are birthday wishes meant to be revealed?”
“I think not. If you say it out loud, it won’t come true,” Mi Zhao sighed. “Never mind, then.”
Li Sipei smiled at him, put down his fork, and gestured for the violinist to pause.
He then took the violin and stepped into the spot where the violinist had been standing.
Soon, a familiar, lighthearted melody began to play.
Mi Zhao hadn’t expected Li Sipei to know how to play the violin. He stared in a daze until the music stopped. Then, realization dawned on him, and his face instantly grew hot.
“You—you just played…”
“This was my wish,” Li Sipei returned the violin to the musician and looked at Mi Zhao. “This doesn’t count as saying it out loud, does it?”
Mi Zhao’s face turned completely red.
Bridal Chorus
Even though he didn’t understand music, he had definitely heard this popular tune before.
Flustered, he clenched his fingers tightly, about to say something, when Li Sipei sat back down across from him. “After dinner, I’ll take you somewhere.”
Mi Zhao had booked a hotel room downstairs—an expensive suite. He had even decorated it a bit to create a special atmosphere for the night.
But since Li Sipei had made a different plan, he agreed.
By the time they finished dinner, half an hour had passed. They took a cab.
The car headed toward A University and stopped outside a residential complex nearby.
The buildings in the complex were low-rise, with a maximum of six floors. Mi Zhao followed Li Sipei into the elevator and up to the sixth floor, where Li Sipei unlocked an apartment with his fingerprint.
The apartment had already been renovated, fully furnished, and stocked with all necessary household items. The balcony was filled with lush green plants.
Mi Zhao sniffed the air but didn’t detect any formaldehyde smell, meaning the renovation had been completed long ago.
A vague suspicion formed in his mind, but he didn’t voice it.
Li Sipei drew the curtains and turned on the lights to their brightest setting before saying, “Take a look around and see how you like it.”
Mi Zhao didn’t hold back and explored the space. It was a duplex apartment with five rooms—one was a study, another a walk-in closet, one was a guest reception room, another was a storage room, and the last, the largest, was the only bedroom.
A two-meter-wide bed sat in the center, neatly made with pillows and blankets in place.
The central heating filled the house with warmth. Mi Zhao took off his coat, tossed it onto the sofa, and plopped down on the bed.
The mattress was soft—his body sank into it slightly before bouncing back.
Sprawling out in a starfish position, he lay on the bed.
Li Sipei entered the bedroom, crossing his arms and leaning against the wall, watching him.
Mi Zhao raised an eyebrow. “Are you moving?”
“Mm,” Li Sipei replied. “Not just me—you too. We’ll move in together.”
“Where’d you get this place? Don’t tell me you borrowed it from a friend again.”
“I bought it—secondhand, but the previous owner never lived in it.” Li Sipei explained, “New apartments need renovations, and even after that, they require time to air out. Buying a secondhand place allows us to move in right away.”
Mi Zhao’s lips curled up, but he still pretended to be calm. He turned to his side, propping his head up with one hand, and lifted his eyelids to glance at Li Sipei. “In such a hurry? When do you plan to move in?”
Li Sipei also smiled, lowered his hands, and stepped closer to Mi Zhao.
Before Mi Zhao could react, his hands and feet were pinned down. Li Sipei’s face was so close that his warm breath seemed to melt into Mi Zhao’s own.
Taking the opportunity, Mi Zhao raised his arms and wrapped them around Li Sipei’s neck.
Li Sipei gave him a quick, bird-like peck on the lips, his deep eyes locking onto Mi Zhao’s. “When do you want to?”
“You?”
“Tonight?”
Mi Zhao burst into laughter, reaching up to tug at the hair on the back of Li Sipei’s head. The strands at the roots were slightly stiff, a bit prickly to the touch, but oddly satisfying to play with.
“I even booked a room at the hotel by the TV tower—the most expensive suite. Wouldn’t it be a waste not to go?”
“It’s fine, I’ll have someone cancel it.”
“It can’t be canceled now. The refund deadline has already passed,” Mi Zhao murmured, lifting his head to nibble on Li Sipei’s ear, his teeth grazing the soft lobe.
He felt like he had been led astray by Li Sipei. He never used to enjoy biting people.
Li Sipei didn’t resist, letting him nibble as he pleased. When Mi Zhao finally released him, Li Sipei pressed a light, punishing touch to his lips. “It can be canceled.”
Mi Zhao blinked.
Li Sipei couldn’t resist kissing him again. “That hotel is mine.”
Mi Zhao: “…”
All this time, he had worked tirelessly to earn money, wanting to give Li Sipei a good life, only to realize that Li Sipei was the real big shot.
At this moment, the “big shot” wrapped him in a hug and generously offered, “Even if it can’t be canceled, I’ll have them refund your money.”
Mi Zhao fell silent, staring at Li Sipei for a long moment. Then, suddenly, he reached up and clung to the other man’s back, whispering, “Aren’t you curious about your birthday gift?”
Li Sipei’s voice held a hint of doubt. “Wasn’t the cake you made my gift?”
“That would be too stingy.” Mi Zhao let go and sprawled across the soft bed, spreading his arms wide. “Help me take off my clothes.”
Li Sipei’s gaze darkened. He stared at Mi Zhao for a couple of seconds before obediently lifting his sweater.
Underneath, Mi Zhao wore a loose gray knit and an undershirt. With both layers bundled together, they were easily peeled off in one go.
Beneath the stark white skin, a winding green vine had been inked into his flesh, dotted with five or six small, purple-and-white morning glories.
The vine started from his navel, snaking around his left waist and extending further.
Against the vibrant colors, Mi Zhao’s abdomen seemed even paler than snow.
Under Li Sipei’s surprised gaze, Mi Zhao flipped over.
The vine looped around his lower back, coiling like a nimble little snake before disappearing between his legs.
Lying on his stomach, Mi Zhao couldn’t see Li Sipei’s expression, but he could clearly feel the shift in his breathing—suddenly heavier, rougher.
He tried to turn back to look, only to have Li Sipei press his head down.
“When did you get this?”
“After I left the hotel last time. I went back to school and booked an appointment with a tattoo artist.” Li Sipei’s grip was light, his slender fingers resting gently on Mi Zhao’s head. But Mi Zhao didn’t struggle, burying his face into the soft bedding, his voice muffled. “Do you like it?”
Li Sipei didn’t answer.
“From now on, only you will know where the other end of the vine leads.” Mi Zhao reached back, fumbling until he found Li Sipei’s hand resting against the bed. He guided it behind him. “Don’t you want to take a closer look?”
His nose was smothered against the sheets, making his breathing uneven. His voice carried a slight tremor.
Li Sipei was silent for a long time before finally leaning down, his breath ghosting over Mi Zhao’s lower back. “What made you decide on this?”
The unexpected warmth made Mi Zhao shudder involuntarily, his dangling feet curling at the toes.
His legs tensed, hips sinking lower.
“I wanted a mark that only you could see.” Mi Zhao struggled to turn his head, lowering his gaze to meet Li Sipei’s. He tried to appear calm, but his tongue stumbled, his eyelashes trembling. “That’s your birthday gift.”
Li Sipei looked at him expressionlessly, something unreadable swirling in his dark eyes, giving his gaze a dangerous edge.
Mi Zhao’s breathing quickened.
The next second, his face was covered by a large palm. Before he could protest, the hand was gone—only to slide under his legs and lift him into a bridal carry.
Startled, Mi Zhao let out a yelp, instinctively wrapping his arms around Li Sipei’s neck. “Your leg—”
“It’s fully healed.” Li Sipei strode toward the en-suite bathroom.
The space was as big as Mi Zhao’s dorm room. The shower and bathtub were close to each other, but Li Sipei didn’t have the patience to fill the tub. He set Mi Zhao down under the shower instead.
With a turn of the knob, cold water poured down before quickly turning warm. Steam filled the bathroom, curling in the air.
Li Sipei barely had time to take off his outer coat; his white dress shirt was instantly drenched, clinging to his frame. His hair was wet too, strands falling messily over his forehead. He raked them back, exposing his full brow and sharp, handsome features.
Just as Mi Zhao steadied himself under the water, Li Sipei spun him around.
He was now facing the wall, palms pressed against the heated tiles, chest against the surface, his entire back exposed to Li Sipei’s gaze.
“Li—Li Sipei?”
“Mm.” Li Sipei’s response was quiet, accompanied by the sound of him crouching down.
The position made Mi Zhao feel incredibly vulnerable. His voice trembled. “What… are you doing?”
“Seeing where the vine leads.”
That’s what he said, but he didn’t move for a long time.
Enduring his embarrassment, Mi Zhao lifted onto his toes. As the seconds ticked by, he gritted his teeth and asked, “Did you see it?”
“Mm.” Li Sipei’s voice held a hint of laughter. “A very familiar place.”
It took a moment for Mi Zhao to realize Li Sipei was teasing him. Flustered, he snapped, “Damn it, you made me wait this long—can you even do it?”
The words had barely left his mouth when a sharp sting spread across his backside. Mi Zhao gasped, sucking in a breath.
“Li Sipei, you hit me—” He paused, suddenly realizing, “Wait… you bit me?!”
His face burned in an instant.
The water cascading over him might as well have been boiling. He felt scalded, barely able to stand.
“Li Sipei, are you part dog? It’s one thing for you to bite my face, but my—my ass?!” Mi Zhao was furious, trying to turn around, only to be firmly held in place.
Li Sipei rose behind him, voice thick with amusement. “Now, do you still think I can’t do it?”
The water continued to stream down, but Mi Zhao could no longer feel its warmth.
His entire body was even hotter—his blood felt like it was boiling.