Yan Chuan straightened his back slightly but awkwardly realized that the man’s hand was still on his waist. Because his husband was gently patting his back while the other arm was wrapped around him, they looked as if they were tightly embracing each other. This posture felt too intimate for Yan Chuan, who was a bit uncomfortable.
He couldn’t understand how the man was so sturdy; even his waist felt hard, causing Yan Chuan to feel a bit sensitive. He had noticed this discomfort for some time but couldn’t adjust his position, having to silently endure it. As the unseen monsters receded for the moment, Yan Chuan deeply understood that their current position was inappropriate.
It was he who had climbed onto the man in a daze, initiating the embrace and even wiping his tears on him. His long, straight legs curled beside his husband, with the inner thighs pressed closely against the man. Realizing everything, Yan Chuan’s cheeks flushed, and he instinctively lowered his head.
He tried to prop himself up with his hands to sit up, but his entire body felt limp with no strength. After struggling a few times, he slumped back into the man’s arms again. His dark, soft hair spilled down, messing against his snow-white cheeks.
“You can let go of my hand,” Yan Chuan said, his eyelashes trembling, his voice as soft as a whisper. “I’m going to get up…”
He pushed against his husband, his delicate fingers accidentally brushing against the man’s collar, which made him flinch slightly from the unexpected warmth. Yan Chuan bit his lip and adjusted his husband’s collar.
His husband didn’t push Yan Chuan for an answer but obediently let him go and even helped him a little. After being supported by him, Yan Chuan managed to sit up on the bed, immediately pulling the quilt around himself to huddle in the corner.
Since his own quilt had fallen to the floor, he was now clutching his husband’s quilt. Covering himself, he felt a little more secure and tugged at his nightgown. His calves were no longer exposed to the air, which finally eased his nerves. He cautiously glanced at his husband.
The man was half-sitting up, leaning against the headboard with a relaxed expression as he watched him. However, the damp stain on his collar was prominently visible. Yan Chuan buried his chin deeper into the quilt.
“Baby,” the husband called as he moved the quilt that had covered Yan Chuan’s face aside, his gaze falling on his knees. “What happened here?”
Yan Chuan looked down and saw a patch of purple bruises on his skin. His complexion was white, delicate and soft like a dish of tender jelly. His calves were thin and straight, with only a bit of flesh around the calves, and his knees were elegantly shaped.
Yet now, there was a bruise covering them, a mix of green and purple, and due to not treating it in time, it even had some red mixed in, especially noticeable against his fair skin. The husband reached out, gently rubbing the area.
Yan Chuan flinched, looking helplessly at the solemn man.
“Hmm?”
The husband held his ankle, carefully laying his calf flat on his own lap. Yan Chuan didn’t know how to respond, stammering, “It was just an accident…”
How should he answer this question? Yan Chuan’s mind went blank; he had put on long sleeves and pants to cover up the bruises on his body, not intending to explain how he got hurt.
But plans never go as expected. Who knew why the monsters in the apartment suddenly appeared and subjected him to such strange things? They had forced him to pull down his husband’s quilt, unbuttoning his nightgown and staining its collar.
“An accident?” The husband frowned, his tone filled with concern. “Did you fall somewhere else?”
Yan Chuan instinctively shook his head, but the husband tugged at the quilt around his waist, lifting the sleeve of his nightgown slightly, revealing marks and bruises on his elbows.
Naturally, there were a few other places with similar marks, but they weren’t very conspicuous. With the man’s gaze so intense upon him, Yan Chuan shrank back, making himself appear smaller.
Now there was no way to explain it away with “just an accident.” It didn’t hurt much, but it looked severe. A bruised knee could at least be attributed to a fall, but what could he say about the bruises on his elbows and other areas?
Words of fabrication swirled around his lips, but Yan Chuan still couldn’t bring himself to say anything, letting his lips part slightly as he lowered his head in confusion.
There was no way to evade this. He might as well deal with the monsters in the escape variety show.
Yan Chuan felt annoyed inside, unconsciously biting his lip into silence. He appeared deeply conflicted, as if he had done something wrong outside and was afraid to explain it to his husband.
The husband furrowed his brows, his grip on Yan Chuan’s ankle tightening slightly.
This action felt like a prelude; Yan Chuan met his deep, intense gaze and softly called out, “Husband?”