"...I'm sorry."
Bo Xiyun quickly composed his emotions, as if he wanted to hide his sadness as soon as possible, not wanting to trouble the other person for too long.
He rubbed his eyes with the back of his hand and changed the subject, speaking softly.
"I'll turn off the lights first."
Leaving the main light on might attract the attention of his family, so Bo Xiyun turned off a few ceiling lights before turning back.
Only one lamp remained in the room, casting a soft, yellowish hue as it transitioned into nighttime mode.
Then, Bo Xiyun picked up two of the herbal sachets that Ms. Song had brought and hung them on the wall.
The sachets emitted a faint and soothing fragrance, devoid of any bitterness, making one feel as if their emotions had calmed down considerably.
After completing these actions, Bo Xiyun had indeed managed to conceal his emotions quite well.
He walked back to Yi Zhongshen and was about to ask how Yi Zhongshen planned to leave when he heard Yi Zhongshen's voice.
Out of the blue, Yi Zhongshen spoke, asking, "Will it be cold?"
Bo Xiyun, who had been keeping his head down, lifted his gaze upon hearing the question, looking a bit puzzled.
He was wearing pure cotton pajamas, which accentuated his slender and delicate figure. The fuzzy collar of the pajamas provided extra warmth, and the boy's fair, graceful neck was exposed, making him appear even more fragile.
Vulnerable to the slightest breeze.
Bo Xiyun, however, remained oblivious and just shook his head, saying, "I'm not cold."
He didn't want Yi Zhongshen to worry about him any further, especially after Yi Zhongshen had already done so much to help him.
Despite receiving this answer, Yi Zhongshen still approached him.
Before coming closer, Yi Zhongshen reached back to close the bedroom door, isolating the room from the outside world, including the study and the game room.
Although the room was already equipped with central heating, after the door was shut, Bo Xiyun suddenly felt the surroundings become warmer.
He couldn't tell whether it was the bedroom's temperature being slightly higher or if it was the warmth brought by Yi Zhongshen's proximity.
Under the night light, the room had an even more intimate ambiance than when the main light was on.
The warm-toned light accentuated the delicacy and smoothness of Bo Xiyun's exposed neck, with a faint warm glow resembling gentle ripples in the slender collarbones. Soft contours cast deep and shallow shadows, as if every bit of light and shadow had been transformed into the texture of an oil painting. It tempted one to want to touch the slender body with their own hands.
After such a touch, one would understand even more.
The sensation of physical contact would be even more alluring than the most extreme imagination.
Still somewhat dazed, Bo Xiyun heard Yi Zhongshen's question.
"Are you comfortable with the kiss?" Yi Zhongshen's voice remained calm and indifferent, devoid of any discernible change from his usual demeanor.
With this facade in place, Yi Zhongshen managed to trick Bo Xiyun into thinking it was a casual inquiry.
"En." Bo Xiyun responded, his voice slightly subdued.
When Bo Xiyun answered like this, he even nodded slightly, his response appearing particularly sincere.
Yet, he still felt a bit at a loss.
"I'm sorry..." he managed to say, but before he could finish, Yi Zhongshen kissed him.
Yi Zhongshen pressed down from above, their lips meeting for the first time, the tenderness consistent with before.
The warmth that transferred between them was even more pleasant than the already perfectly adjusted room temperature.
Bo Xiyun couldn't help but be reminded of the temperature difference between them. It was as if his body audaciously treated Yi Zhongshen as the best source of warmth.
A sense of guilt surged within him.
But these fleeting thoughts couldn't last for long. Within an instant, they were swept away without a trace.
"Mmm, ah... ah...!"
The friction of their lips remained gentle, yet it had become irresistible. Their breaths tangled like drifting snow, and in a mere moment, the battlefield of their lips was conquered. Tenderly and completely, every inch was claimed by an oath, imprinted with undeniable marks.
Bo Xiyun had never experienced something like this before. Even the first kiss, after suppressing and restraining so much, had taken him numerous days and contemplation to finally utter those words:
"I can accept it."
But now, this kiss was exchanged while both were fully conscious, and its impact was a hundred times more powerful.
Surprisingly, the first to be taken aback seemed to be Bo Xiyun's mind, caught off guard and utterly unprepared. However, his body reacted even before his mind, succumbing to a softness he hadn't anticipated.
Bo Xiyun had never imagined that someone would kiss him so fully, leaving him completely unaware of anything else, his entire focus absorbed by the kiss itself.
It wasn't until a slight ache echoed through his knees that he finally registered his body sinking. Just as he began to lose his balance, strong arms wrapped around his waist, steadying him. With his attention briefly pulled away from the deep kiss, he realized that he was being held securely.
But even as he relaxed slightly, the grip around him tightened once more, intensifying the kiss.
Bo Xiyun found himself standing against one side of the room, with a wall behind him. There was nowhere to retreat, and the only option left was to be in the arms of the other person.
Breaths were captured, and the space between their lips was filled with a cold yet gentle breath, akin to the chill of a snowy wilderness. Ironically, his body was infused with warmth that contrasted sharply with the cold, as if he couldn't escape even if he wanted to, trapping him in this immersive experience.
He was left to be engulfed in this overwhelming sensation.
Suddenly, layers of curtains lit up, and the outside world was once again accompanied by the sound of fireworks.
"Sizzle... Boom—"
This round of fireworks was evidently more splendid than before, with various explosive sounds blending together. The Lunar New Year was a rare occasion for city B to enjoy fireworks, and the once-silent bundles of fireworks seemed to release their own fervor at this moment.
The night sky was adorned with sparkling stars, illuminating the dark canopy with brilliance. Even the window drapes were penetrated by the fireworks, transforming into a dazzling array of vibrant colors.
However, this grand display of fireworks, despite its stunning beauty, paled in comparison to the deep and prolonged embrace of their kiss this time.
Becoming nothing more than a backdrop.
Beneath the fireworks, Bo Xiyun couldn't even hear the sounds of some fireworks igniting. His flushed ears were already filled with the wet sounds of their embrace.
The sounds of their breathing, low and slightly hoarse, were not masked by the water sounds. It was as if beyond the warmth and tranquility, even his sense of hearing was being fully overtaken. All senses were completely occupied.
While the actions of the young man remained considerate, it was hard to ignore the deep undertones of aggressiveness.
In the time they had spent together before, Bo Xiyun gradually became accustomed to the gentleness and honesty of his senior, familiar with his self-restraint and patience.
However, he only realized belatedly that this senior was still a resolute and dominant person.
His vision had already blurred, and Bo Xiyun's eyes were moist, but he remained trapped in the embrace of the snowy scene. His breaths came in irregular and hushed intervals.
(Tn: The "snowy scene" here is a metaphorical description of the intense and overwhelming emotions and sensations that Bo Xiyun is experiencing during the passionate kiss. Just as a snowy scene can be serene and captivating, BXY's emotions are like a snowy landscape, filling his senses and leaving him entranced.)
His senses were overwhelmed by the other person's presence, yet the air he could breathe was too thin and scarce. Unconsciously, a soft moan escaped him, tinged with a heavy nasal quality.
As if it could make any difference, he soon realized that even the movement between their lips and teeth had become gentler.
However, contrary to his expectations, the other person didn't release him.
In the next moment, he was drawn into an even deeper kiss.
"Mm... mmm..."
In the past, Bo Xiyun had experienced motion sickness. When he stepped onto solid ground, he felt as if he was swaying and rocking on a ship amidst huge waves.
However, at this moment, it was as if he had been plunged directly into an endless deep sea of waves.
There were no gaps anymore; he was descending into the sea.
Yet, there was no pain at all.
Every crest of a wave lifted him gently and steadily.
The kisses that Bo Xiyun had thought were "acceptable" before were not the same. It wasn't until he was fully immersed in the sea that he truly experienced the difference.
How fiercely does a usually silent heart surge and thrive?
Like beneath a calm sea surface, hiding whirlpools capable of world-ending chaos.
Only then does one come to know.
The coldest and calmest.
Burning the hottest.
(Tn: The usually silent and restrained heart, how tumultuous and exuberant it can be. Like the hidden undercurrents and whirlpools beneath a calm sea surface, capable of world-shattering destruction. Only when experienced does one truly understand. The coldest and most serene on the surface. Burning with the hottest intensity.)
Bo Xiyun was no longer certain when this kiss ended. By the time he gradually came back to his senses, the fireworks outside had already returned to silence.
After kissing his Yi Zhongshen, Bo Xiyun remained enveloped in his embrace. Yi Zhongshen leaned down, placing gentle and tender pecks, as if offering solace after the surging waves.
Or perhaps, there was simply no desire to break away(stay away from each other).
Barely realizing how enticing he had become, Bo Xiyun's body was filled with alluring sweetness, emanating silently from every inch of his pale skin tinged with a faint blush.
Coating his damp, swollen lips and tender, soft tongue, as if applying an endless layer of tantalizing honey.
Beneath layers of snowy scenes, Bo Xiyun's senses seemed shielded, and after a while, he vaguely heard a soft voice by his ear.
It was Yi Zhongshen asking him, "Do you feel it now?"
A warm sensation kissed his delicate earlobe, turning the tender flesh even redder.
"Am I comfortable?"
(Tn: This is what I could understand from the text)
With his wet, reddened eyes open, Bo Xiyun was slightly stunned.
He realized that his words had been remembered by his senior.
Yi Zhongshen was using his actions to show him.
His own feelings.
The direct response of his body was being conveyed most sincerely, with no deception.
Like Yi Zhongshen's heart towards him.
Never a trace of deceit.
The warmth traced along the graceful curve of Bo Xiyun's jaw, capturing the vividness of his lips once more.
Whispering it gently.
A kiss, like an unspoken declaration of love(affection).
*
In the end, Bo Xiyun, who had weakened at the knees, managed to walk back on his own.
Still, it was Yi Zhongshen who carried him back to the bed.
The light and soft goose down blanket covered Bo Xiyun's slender figure. Yi Zhongshen took a moment to look, then after tucking him in, finally averted his gaze.
Bo Xiyun's gaze was still a bit unfocused, his whole being feeling dizzy. The soft and warm cheeks were tinged with a faint blush. His complexion overall was pale, yet it seemed like all the vibrant colors of the world were concentrated in his slightly swollen, soft lips, creating an incredibly enchanting sight.
Yi Zhongshen's chest silently rose and fell a few times before he finally regained his composure.
Wait, he should prepare to leave soon.
He had come tonight under the cover of darkness, just a pure coincidence. Yi Zhongshen had never imagined—never thought he would be this fortunate.
Yet Bo Xiyun was gradually accepting him, making an effort and recognizing him.
It was no longer as if he were in a dream.
Because this was already sweeter than the most extravagant dream, a hundred times over.
Seeing that Bo Xiyun still seemed a bit dazed, Yi Zhongshen tucked the corner of the blanket around him. As he tried to lull him to sleep, he suddenly heard the distant and solemn sound of a bell outside the window.
Perhaps drawn by the sound, Bo Xiyun's gaze gradually returned. He tilted his head and looked in the direction from which the bell sound came.
"Zhongguan Lou," Yi Zhongshen explained in a low voice. "It's midnight."
(Tn: "Zhongguan Lou," refers to a bell and drum tower often found in traditional Chinese architecture. It's a structure where bells and drums are placed to mark the passage of time and important events. It signifies the ringing of the bells at midnight to mark the beginning of the new year.)
Supporting himself on the soft pillow with one hand, he looked down at the young man beneath him, whose heart was now completely occupied by him. His voice was deep and magnetic.
"Happy New Year."
The sight of the person in front of him turned to look at him. The soft and moist lips moved, and the voice, hoarse and barely audible, delivered the latter half of the sentence clearly:
"... Happy."
(Tn: "Happy New Year" in Chinese is "新年快乐" (Xīnnián kuàilè). 快乐(kuàilè) means happy.)
It still carried a strong nasal tone.
The Adam's apple of Yi Zhongshen's throat moved slightly along with the tension in his jaw muscles. He asked softly again:
"Have you made a New Year's wish?"
The person nodded slightly, and in the movement, a faint rustling sound emerged from the down feathers of the blanket.
The words fell into his ears, tickling his heart even more.
Unaware of it all, Bo Xiyun continued to gaze at Yi Zhongshen, watching quietly for a while. Then, he softly asked:
"Senior..."
His originally clear voice still held a trace of hoarseness, but this time, it was impossible to misunderstand.
"Are you... thinking of kissing me again?"
_____________________________________________
Tn: BXY no!!!!!!!
I am worried about his lips, whatever you guys might think, it's uncomfortable to say the least.