ASSHKHME Chapter 43
by VolareA single autumn rain brings a chill, and after last night’s downpour, the morning air was icy.
It wasn’t until the sixth alarm clock rang tirelessly that Chen Zhuo, who was huddled under the covers, finally deigned to emerge.
He muttered a string of curses, then stewed for another five minutes before stretching languidly, turning over to sit up, his eyes glazed over, staring blankly into the air.
He seemed to be pondering why people have to wake up early.
The rich, burnt aroma of coffee wafted through the air.
Chen Zhuo peeked inquisitively over the edge of his bed, his gaze meeting Xie Yu’s clear, bright eyes.
His brow twitched slightly, “How are you…” His voice was a little hoarse from just waking up. He cleared his throat, “Cough, Xie Yu? What are you doing here?”
Xie Yu was holding a cup of instant black coffee, dark circles under his eyes, showing that he hadn’t slept well last night, but it didn’t detract from his handsomeness. He said in his usual irritating way, “This is my dorm, can’t I be here? Where else am I supposed to go?”
Neither of them showed any embarrassment about their passionate kiss from the night before.
Even though they both knew that once hormones had burned so fiercely, they couldn’t be undone, it felt natural, just greeting an ordinary, sun-drenched morning, with subtle hints of sweetness.
Chen Zhuo chuckled and rolled his eyes at him, rustling as he started to change clothes. “What did you buy me for breakfast?”
Xie Yu took a sip of his instant coffee, watching Chen Zhuo climb down the bed ladder, his gaze sweeping over the silver chain bracelet on his slender white wrist. He rattled off the dishes, “Beef pie, tea egg, millet porridge, and a banana.”
Chen Zhuo, shuffling in his slippers, frowned at the food on the table. “I don’t have much of an appetite in the morning, I can’t eat that much.”
Xie Yu reached out and pinched Chen Zhuo’s slender waist, which was hidden under a loose hoodie. “You need to eat more if you want a healthy body.”
“Tsk,” Chen Zhuo swatted Xie Yu’s hand away, grabbing his toothbrush and cup and heading out. “Don’t get handsy, we’re not that familiar.”
Xie Yu stood up and leaned against the balcony doorframe, swaggering. “We’ve already kissed, you were all over me last night, biting my nipple, why didn’t you say we weren’t familiar then? Now you’re putting on an act.”
Chen Zhuo’s cheeks flushed slightly, realizing that this kid had completely given up on shame and was now just acting brazenly.
Chen Zhuo glared at Xie Yu through a mouthful of toothpaste foam, quickly rinsed his mouth, and tried to retort without admitting defeat.
Xie Yu suddenly grabbed his cheeks, leaned down and kissed his pursed lips, smiling mischievously, “Minty.”
Chen Zhuo splashed him with water in disbelief, rubbing his mouth vigorously with the back of his hand, acting disgusted. “I told you to think, not to harass me.”
Xie Yu wiped the water off his face, acting like a rogue. “Theory is just empty talk, practice yields true knowledge, understand?”
Chen Zhuo was backlit, his hair tips illuminated gold by the sunlight, his handsome face flushed, written with annoyance. “Get lost, are you using me as a lab rat?”
“What’s with the temper? Why are you getting angry over a joke?” Xie Yu glanced at his watch and urged him, “Hurry up and eat, we’re going to be late.”
Chen Zhuo couldn’t stand to be at a disadvantage in any argument. “If you don’t like my temper, leave, why are you waiting for me?”
After snapping at Xie Yu, Chen Zhuo cupped cold water and splashed it on his face, drying it with a soft towel, then took out his bottles and jars and applied them to his face, patting and tapping.
Xie Yu used to get up early and leave early, so this was the first time he’d seen Chen Zhuo fussing over these things. He opened his mouth to complain about how slow and troublesome he was.
But looking at Chen Zhuo’s fair, tender face, Xie Yu swallowed back those unpleasant words.
Chen Zhuo had squeezed out too much moisturizing essence, so he held his hand up, looked at Xie Yu, and without a word, smeared it on his face.
Xie Yu frowned, pursed his lips, and mumbled, “Hey, what are you doing? I’m a man, I don’t use this stuff.”
Chen Zhuo’s playful side emerged, kneading his face like dough, patting it. “It’s all men’s skincare products. I’m telling you, it’s practically winter already, and when the north wind blows, your skin will get rough quickly if you don’t take care of it.”
Xie Yu pushed Chen Zhuo’s hand away, covering his face, which had been reddened by his playing. “I don’t rely on my face to make a living.”
Chen Zhuo ignored him, looking in the small mirror to fix his messy hair, spraying it with hairspray and tousling it.
Then he put on his decorative black-framed glasses, matching his hoodie and sneakers for the day, looking well-behaved, handsome, and particularly young.
A few months ago, Xie Yu would never have imagined that one day he would patiently wait for a man to get ready, and even enjoy it.
Teenagers of eighteen or nineteen were pure and lewd, wanting to pin their beloved girl under them, and blushing at her bright smile.
Xie Yu propped his chin on his hand and stared at Chen Zhuo, looking him up and down. The other man was definitely male.
But the dreams were real, the impulses were real, and the desire was even more real.
Xie Yu rubbed his face, looking through his fingers at the wood grain on the table. Could I really be gay?
Chen Zhuo didn’t know Xie Yu’s inner thoughts. He glanced at his watch and finished his breakfast leisurely. “We don’t have time, I’ll eat the banana on the way.”
Xie Yu took a deep breath, his expression unchanged, and nodded. He picked up the keys to Chen Zhuo’s electric scooter and got up to leave.
But then Chen Zhuo pulled out his perfume bottle.
Xie Yu snatched the perfume from his hand, his patience wearing thin. “Why are you spraying this stuff? Who are you trying to attract? All you do is attract attention. You know we don’t have time, why are you still dawdling? I finally know why you’re always rushing to class, you…”
Chen Zhuo interrupted his rambling, blinking. “I’m spraying it for you to smell.”
Xie Yu’s patience took root, sprouted, and grew again. He said awkwardly, “Okay then, go ahead and spray it.”
This kid was so easily fooled. Chen Zhuo suppressed the urge to smile, sprayed a little on his wrist and rubbed it on his neck.
Then he quickly slung his shoulder bag over his shoulder and rushed out. “Hurry, hurry, hurry! Let’s go! Class starts in fifteen minutes! Rush, rush, rush!”
Xie Yu was speechless. “…………”
Chen Zhuo saw that he hadn’t followed and turned around to urge him, “Let’s go, what are you dawdling for? We’re going to be late.”
Xie Yu laughed in exasperation, striding forward, hooking his arm around Chen Zhuo’s neck, and rubbing his head hard. “You’re really asking for it.”
Chen Zhuo yelled, “My hair! I just fixed my hair! You’re annoying.”
“That’s exactly why I’m annoying you.”
Xie Yu hadn’t paid attention before, but now he realized that Chen Zhuo’s electric scooter looked like a small motorcycle.
The main seat and the back seat were on the same level, and the space was very small. If two people sat together, they would almost be touching.
Xie Yu unlocked the little electric scooter and pushed it out. He felt displeased at the thought of Zhao Jiashu being so close to Chen Zhuo every day.
Chen Zhuo swung his long leg and sat down behind him, his face against Xie Yu’s back, his legs pressed against Xie Yu’s legs. “Gogogo! Twist the throttle all the way.”
Xie Yu twisted the throttle, and the little Yadi slowly sped off.
After raining all night, the ground was still wet, and some potholes were filled with water. When the scooter drove over them, Chen Zhuo would grip Xie Yu’s clothes tightly and lift his legs to prevent his pants from getting splashed with mud.
Xie Yu curled his lips, noticing that Chen Zhuo had reached into his coat pocket and felt his waist, and silently tensed his muscles.
When getting off the scooter, Chen Zhuo deliberately bumped his butt against Xie Yu’s, grinning wickedly as he winked at him and ran into the teaching building.
Xie Yu stood there petrified.
He suddenly realized that there was a question he had automatically ignored: Was Chen Zhuo the top or the bottom?