AS [EXTRA 3]

Extra 3:  After That (3)

After their intimate moment, Xu Wenhao carried Lü Chenyue to the bathroom to wash up.

The two of them soaked in the bathtub together. Xu Wenhao wrapped his arms around Lü Chenyue’s waist, gently holding him close, and asked softly, “What are you thinking about?”

Lü Chenyue shook his head gently in Xu Wenhao’s embrace. “Wenhao… I regret it…”

“Regret what?” Xu Wenhao exclaimed, startled and anxious, pulling Lü Chenyue back slightly.

Had he done something wrong? Or was the itinerary poorly planned, making Lü Chenyue uninterested? Why would Lü Chenyue suddenly say he regretted it out of nowhere?

“I really… like you, more than myself…” Lü Chenyue said, looking at Xu Wenhao’s slightly angry yet handsome face. He shook his head and smiled softly, tracing Xu Wenhao’s prominent eyebrows with his fingertips. “I was so afraid you might dislike me again, like before. Every day I stayed by your side, I didn’t know what to do, so I didn’t dare bother you. There were so many things I wanted to tell you, but I didn’t know how to say them…”

“Fool,” Xu Wenhao replied gently, “haven’t I said it? Anything you want to tell me, I’ll always listen. Don’t be afraid I’ll get angry. I’d even rather you get angry with me once in a while. I never doubted your feelings for me, and I’m glad you’ve always kept me in your heart. Don’t dwell on past unhappy moments anymore. If you bring them up again, I’ll really be upset because I can’t forgive myself for the invisible harm I caused you back then.”

Xu Wenhao felt a pang of tenderness for his beloved, so adorably careful, always putting him first, and still carrying the invisible wounds from high school. He wished he could give himself a slap for ever letting that happen.

Xu Wenhao smiled softly. “I guess I started caring about you from the day I made you stay at school to do extra assignments. I liked you before you even realized it, so don’t even think about running away from me.”

Lü Chenyue paused, then smiled faintly. “I know you’ve always treated me well. It’s just that I trapped myself, unwilling to step forward. Sometimes I thought… as long as I could be with you like this, I’d be satisfied. But my appetite for you has grown. Before, I told you that as long as you were here ‘now,’ that would be enough…”

Xu Wenhao gazed at him tenderly, listening quietly as Lü Chenyue finished speaking.

“I regret that one thing I said back then… Can I take it back now?” Lü Chenyue asked, holding tightly onto the man who had always protected him. His fingers trembled slightly.

“Of course you can,” Xu Wenhao replied, embracing his beloved and offering more warmth.

“Sometimes I feel that just being together like this is already enough happiness… Can I be a little spoiled with you?” Lü Chenyue’s voice choked slightly, as if afraid that the person he held might disappear from his side.

Xu Wenhao nodded softly. “You can be spoiled with me as many times as you want. I’d be overjoyed.”

“I want you to always stay by my side… Can you?” Lü Chenyue lifted his head to look at Xu Wenhao, gently touching his cheek instead of his brow this time. Even though he had finally spoken his heart, a trace of nervousness still lingered inside him.

Xu Wenhao was momentarily stunned. This was the first time Lü Chenyue had ever told him to “be excessively spoiled.” He grasped Lü Chenyue’s hand firmly and brought it to his lips, pressing a kiss onto it.

“The things I’ve told you… will never change!”

Lü Chenyue’s smile deepened, and then he lowered his head, resting his forehead against Xu Wenhao’s shoulder.

“I hope… I can keep nurturing your appetite even more,” Xu Wenhao said softly, placing a gentle, protective hand over Lü Chenyue’s head. Feeling his beloved finally willing to step out of his own restraints and express himself, he was filled with a joy he could hardly put into words.

Lü Chenyue hugged Xu Wenhao tightly in response.

Xu Wenhao pulled him even closer, whispering by his ear, “Come home with me.” He knew Lü Chenyue longed for a place to call home. “My parents and my sister… they all want to meet you.”

After getting into university, Xu Wenhao had already told his family about the person he liked—Lü Chenyue—and that he loved him deeply. He had worried that if his family strongly opposed it, he might have had to leave home like Lü Chenyue once did. But unexpectedly, his family didn’t oppose him—they supported him.

He shared Lü Chenyue’s story with his family, and they all felt both tenderness and concern. Sometimes Xu Wenhao thought about how Lü Chenyue didn’t always know how to take care of himself, and how his love for him had only grown stronger because of it.

Lü Chenyue was so kind, so gentle, yet always belittling himself. Xu Wenhao didn’t care about his past; to him, Lü Chenyue would always be pure and flawless.

After all the effort to bring back Lü Chenyue’s smile, he never wanted to see it fade again. Xu Wenhao felt that every bit of effort had been so worth it.

He placed his hand over his chest as if to say—I will protect you.

Lü Chenyue felt that warmth rush through him. His eyes welled up, and he looked at Xu Wenhao with a radiant smile. “Alright.”

Finally, he had found a safe harbor of his own, with such a loving partner by his side. Lü Chenyue didn’t want to let him slip away—he wanted to hold on tightly.

Seeing Lü Chenyue’s smile, Xu Wenhao couldn’t help but smile too, pressing a soft kiss to their intertwined hands. Their fingers clasped tightly together.

Lü Chenyue had found his sanctuary, and he would stay for Xu Wenhao alone.

Xu Wenhao wanted nothing more than to remain by Lü Chenyue’s side forever, becoming his lifelong support. They cherished each other more than ever, understanding the value of every moment spent together…

It turned out, happiness was really this simple.

[END]