A cigarette burned down completely without any movement from the next room. He felt a bit restless inside. What was he doing? Still reading? It was clearly just a coincidence yesterday, so what was he still hoping for?
Jiang Hua’s gaze fell back on the railing of the balcony, and a certain thought began to stir again. The darkness that had originally been lurking in the corners expanded, crushing his already few moral boundaries.
As night deepened, the surroundings fell into silence. The moonlight spilled over the desolate earth, and Jiang Hua effortlessly leaped over the balcony railing. He landed with barely a sound, which was easily drowned out by the rustling leaves.
Moonlight shone through the sliding glass door of the balcony. Jiang Hua reached out and fiddled with it, easily unlocking the door. He moved silently closer, and the candlelight in the room had almost burned out.
Using the moonlight, he approached the bedside. Tong Sui had already fallen asleep, his glasses still on, holding the unfinished book, and the quilt had been kicked aside.
Jiang Hua squatted down. The moonlight seemed to favor him, casting a soft shadow from his long eyelashes.
Jiang Hua’s eyes were filled with inscrutability. He reached to take the book out of Tong Sui’s hands and placed it on the cabinet beside the bed. Tong Sui frowned slightly, as if sensing something, but showed no signs of waking up.
Jiang Hua stared directly at him, no longer needing to hide any emotions. If Tong Sui were to wake up at that moment, he would surely be terrified by the twisted obsession reflected in Jiang Hua’s eyes. However, Tong Sui was far too exhausted and quickly fell back into a steady breathing pattern.
Jiang Hua raised his hand and pushed up his glasses. The weight of the glasses left a red mark on Tong Sui’s delicate skin, and he gently rubbed it with his calloused fingertip. What was once a faint red mark turned bright crimson.
He was too clean. Like a handful of fresh snow, pure as it melted, revealing a clear and transparent essence. Jiang Hua couldn’t help but lean in closer.
But he had merely grown up in darkness, already soaked in decay; no matter how he tried to disguise it, he could not hide his inherently coldness. Tong Sui’s slight affections towards him were only superficial. If they got any closer, he feared he might uncontrollably reveal his most extreme side. At that moment, he would likely regret not running away in time.
Moreover, he was currently engaging in such a disgusting act. Taking advantage of Tong Sui’s slumber, he slipped into his room without permission, a mix of disdain for his own lowered behavior and an irresistible attraction.
Tong Sui carried a sweet fragrance. Though they both used the same shower gel, he carried a scent uniquely his own—faint yet incredibly alluring. Jiang Hua leaned in and took a deep breath near his neck.
The fragrance melded into his breath, filling his lungs, as if it reached every corner of his body, even stimulating his nerves slightly. It seemed that his warm breath had tickled Tong Sui, who tilted his head slightly.
A soft touch brushed against his brow. Jiang Hua was momentarily stunned, lifting his gaze to stare at Tong Sui’s lips. The faintly red hue of his lips was captivating.
He swallowed hard, staring intently, unable to pull himself away from a certain obsession. He didn’t know how long he stared until he finally lowered his head, his hands bracing against the ground, tense.
Even when executing the most dangerous of missions, Jiang Hua had never felt so restrained; his body felt stiff, almost not his own, and his heartbeat had long surpassed the normal rhythm.
He lightly brushed his lips against Tong Sui’s, quickly retreating. Jiang Hua pressed his lips together, savoring and recalling that fleeting feeling. Outside, the moonlight was partially obscured by dark clouds.
The light in the room dimmed. A certain triumphant glimmer danced in Jiang Hua’s eyes. He moved in closer again, this time even parting his lips to lick across Tong Sui’s lips, like a lone wolf testing the taste of its prey.
He pressed his lips against Tong Sui’s repeatedly, even delving deeper along the seam of his lips. Once a certain secret thought was set in motion, it took root deep within his heart and began to grow uncontrollably.
Jiang Hua had forgotten his initial intent, squatting beside Tong Sui’s bed, slowly peeling away his cold facade. Tong Sui had read for an entire day, his eyes were already sore, and his head felt especially heavy from absorbing too much knowledge.
But not long after falling asleep, he experienced a bizarre nightmare. He dreamed of zombies chasing after him. No matter how he ran, it was a dead-end, and he could only watch as the zombies drew closer, cornering him.
The zombies opened their mouths, but he couldn’t smell the nauseating stench of decay. The surroundings continued to collapse around him. The only zombie that remained focused was the one relentlessly devouring its catch, savoring every inch from head to toe.
Until the next day, when the sunlight poured in. Tong Sui woke up sore and heavy-headed, as if lead were weighing him down. He held his head and sat up, causing the quilt to slip off him.
Seeing his glasses and book on the bedside table, Tong Sui tilted his head in confusion; he thought he had only dozed off groggily yesterday.
Tong Sui got out of bed and walked into the bathroom to wash up. He looked closely in the mirror at a tiny cut on his lip.
“When did I get this…?”
After a quick wash, Tong Sui put on his glasses and headed downstairs with his book. He had woken up later than usual, and the members downstairs had nearly finished breakfast and were packing up to set off.
Jiang Hua sat at the dining table, placing a bowl of hot porridge and some side dishes in front of him.
“Thank you.”
Tong Sui took it, scooping up a spoonful to drink. The suddenly Jiang Hua asked, “How did you sleep last night?”