SM Chapter 68

Chapter 68: Looking Forward to Our Next Night

Chapter 68: Looking Forward to Our Next Night

In a dream.

Ye Lai stood at the entrance of a back alley by a pub.

The fishy smell in the alley was overwhelming, churning Ye Lai’s stomach, but his feet seemed glued to the ground, unable to move.

The back door of the neighboring grilled fish restaurant opened, and a man with a cigarette in his mouth, holding a fish-killing knife and a basin of bloody water from cleaning fish, glanced at him. Suddenly, he raised his hand and splashed the basin of water near Ye Lai’s feet.

Something splattered on Ye Lai’s face, his skin instantly burning with pain. Besides the pain, a fishy stench drilled into his nostrils.

“Ye Lai, you don’t deserve Sheng Mingqian. You’d better stay away from him.”

The man spoke, one sentence after another.

“Ye Lai, how much does it cost to sleep with you once?”

“Ye Lai, Ye Lai, Ye Lai…”

Countless voices pierced his eardrums.

Sheng Mingqian appeared out of nowhere, pressing Ye Lai’s face against his chest. Then, something else flew over and landed on Sheng Mingqian’s collar, a few drops of sticky liquid seeping into his neck, the fishy stench even stronger.

“Who the hell are you? Get lost…” Sheng Mingqian roared, turning his head. The man trembled with fear.

“Director Sheng, haven’t you seen the news? Ye Lai, he…”

In the darkness, the cold glint in Sheng Mingqian’s eyes could kill. With just one look, the man swallowed the rest of his words, too frightened to say another word.

In the dream, Ye Lai was both a participant and an observer.

Ye Lai watched himself clutching Sheng Mingqian’s clothes tightly, struggling to breathe. The surrounding air seemed to solidify, his nostrils filled with Sheng Mingqian’s scent, mixed with a hint of fish. A buzzing sound filled his ears, blurring his vision.

Sheng Mingqian’s palm gently stroked his trembling back, then lifted his chin, wiping the dirty water from his face: “I’m late. It’s okay now. Let’s go home, we’re going home.”

There was wind in the dream, the piercing chill blowing on Ye Lai, penetrating his skin and burrowing into his bones.

The buzzing in his ears was brushed away by Sheng Mingqian’s fingers, gradually dissipating, his vision clearing again.

“Ye Lai, Ye Lai…” Sheng Mingqian was startled awake from his sleep, hearing Ye Lai’s rapid breathing beside him. He guessed that Ye Lai was having a nightmare, propped himself up on his arm, and softly called his name near his ear.

Ye Lai heard Sheng Mingqian’s voice, his stiff fingers twitched. After a few seconds, he slowly released Sheng Mingqian’s clothes in the dream, his chin shrinking downwards, trying to bury himself in his collar.

There was no collar to hide in. Sheng Mingqian’s warm palm supported his face.

Ye Lai pulled himself out of the dream. His glued-down legs stepped off the alley steps, his body feeling weightless. He took a deep breath, fully awake.

Sheng Mingqian felt his forehead covered in sweat: “What’s wrong? Did you have a nightmare?”

After a long while, Ye Lai hummed in agreement and hid his face in Sheng Mingqian’s chest.

“What dream?”

“A dream I can’t escape.”

Ye Lai didn’t leave the house for two days. Sheng Mingqian stayed home with him the entire time.

Besides answering phone calls from friends, Ye Lai didn’t go online, didn’t look at his phone, didn’t read the news, and didn’t pay attention to the trending topics. From morning till night, he stayed in the study, buried in writing.

He still wouldn’t show it to Sheng Mingqian.

He didn’t know if the paparazzi were still outside the door, if cameras were still pointed at them. Sheng Mingqian opened all the curtains in the house, acting like he didn’t care if they took pictures.

On the third day, Sheng Mingqian was called away early by Lin Han. The movie promotion had to continue.

Ye Lai was still sleeping, eventually woken up by his ringing phone. It was Guang Haobo’s call.

“Xiao Bo,” Ye Lai rubbed his eyes, holding the phone. “What’s up?”

“Ye Lai, it’s me. Last time, you said you’d come to my house for dinner in a couple of days. I wanted to ask, are you coming for lunch or dinner today?”

Ye Lai wasn’t fully awake yet, and was stunned for a moment. After a few seconds, he remembered that he had said he’d go to Guang Haobo’s house for dinner in a couple of days when he dropped Guang Haobo off at his place from the airport that day.

Guang Haobo didn’t understand what “in a couple of days” meant, and thought it really meant two days.

He hadn’t left the house these past few days, and Sheng Mingqian wasn’t home today either. Ye Lai couldn’t stay put anymore. He sat up, rubbed his hair, and became a little more awake: “Xiao Bo, I’m coming. I’ll be there in a bit.”

“Okay, then I’ll start preparing the dishes now.”

“Don’t rush, I’ll come help you with it later.”

Ye Lai quickly got up and took a shower. Before leaving, he went to the study to put away his manuscript.

Sheng Mingqian’s upcoming movie promotion activities in several cities were still on the desk. Last night, his assistant had called to confirm the schedule, and Sheng Mingqian had written it down on paper while listening.

Ye Lai glanced at the paper. The cities were written first, followed by the dates.

Nan City, the day after tomorrow.

Wujiang, three days later.

Bincheng, half a month later.

Ye Lai randomly grabbed a car key and drove to Guang Haobo’s house, making sure that no one was following him along the way. He couldn’t bring any messy trouble to Guang Haobo’s house.

Ye Lai first bought some fruits and vegetables at a nearby supermarket. As soon as Guang Haobo opened the door, Ye Lai, carrying things in one hand, ruffled Guang Haobo’s hair with the other: “Xiao Bo, how can you be so cute, so honest?”

Guang Haobo didn’t understand what Ye Lai meant, and just smiled foolishly at him.

Guang Haobo’s house was rented, about the same size as the apartment Ye Lai had rented before. Ye Lai looked around and realized that Guang Haobo lived alone: “Xiao Bo, do you live by yourself?”

“Yes,” Guang Haobo nodded, “I live by myself.”

“Can you manage by yourself?” Ye Lai had heard Chen Yu Chuan say that Guang Haobo didn’t remember directions very well. Living alone, he wondered if he could take care of himself.

Guang Haobo picked up the things and walked towards the kitchen, turning back to talk to Ye Lai as he walked: “I can do it myself. Before I got married, I always lived by myself. I remember the way from home to the cafe where I work. I won’t wander around other places.”

“That’s good. You must be careful,” Ye Lai rolled up his sleeves and followed Guang Haobo to the kitchen to help, “It’s not the weekend today, aren’t you working at the cafe?”

“I quit.”

“Why did you quit?”

“I want to leave, go back to my hometown.”

“Where are you going? Isn’t your hometown here?”

“It’s my childhood home, in Bincheng,” Guang Haobo spoke more fluently when he talked about his former home, “My home is by the sea, very beautiful, like the island at Chuan Ge’s wedding. Since coming back from the island, I’ve been homesick, wanting to go back…”

“If you’re homesick, go back.”

Ye Lai stayed until evening. Sheng Mingqian came to pick him up. Both of them had driven their own cars, but Sheng Mingqian insisted on going back in one car with Ye Lai, saying he would come back to drive the second car tomorrow.

Sheng Mingqian drove, and Ye Lai kept an eye on the road conditions. No one was following them. When they arrived home, he specifically looked at the poplar tree opposite the gate, but still didn’t see anyone.

The Hermosa in the living room had been replaced with fresh ones, the tight buds about to bloom.

Ye Lai continued to write his new book, while Sheng Mingqian was on the phone with Lin Han talking about the movie.

Lin Han called again in the evening. Sheng Mingqian was in the shower. Ye Lai held the phone and knocked on the bathroom door.

“Mingqian, it’s Brother Han’s call. He’s called twice already.”

“Can you answer it for me?” Sheng Mingqian’s voice came through the door, “Ask him what’s up.”

Ye Lai turned and pressed the answer button, holding the receiver to his ear. Before he could speak, Lin Han’s loud, laughing voice came through: “How is it? The photographer I found is pretty good, right? He took clear pictures of you and Ye Lai. I’ve seen them, and there’s nothing wrong with the video. We can release it directly. You want to give Ye Lai a sense of security, this is the most direct way. It’ll save those people from asking every day, and shut them up. The onlookers will watch the excitement for a couple of days and then disperse.”

Lin Han talked non-stop. Finally, when he finished, Ye Lai spoke: “Brother Han, it’s me, Ye Lai…”

As soon as Ye Lai spoke, Lin Han was silent for five seconds and hung up the phone.

Ye Lai stood by the bathroom door the entire time. Sheng Mingqian came out of the shower, his foot not completely out yet. Ye Lai leaned over, stood on tiptoe, raised his arm and hooked it around Sheng Mingqian’s neck, and looked up to kiss Sheng Mingqian’s chin. Then, he moved up bit by bit, approaching Sheng Mingqian’s lips, which were still covered in a layer of water mist, and bit down hard.

Sheng Mingqian groaned in pain, and Ye Lai released his teeth.

Slowly, the biting turned into a passionate kiss, chasing each other, with Sheng Mingqian gaining the upper hand.

Sheng Mingqian had been holding back these past few days, wanting to crush Ye Lai, grind him into his body. But he could also feel a trace of resistance in Ye Lai’s heart.

Tonight, Ye Lai was so proactive for the first time. How could Sheng Mingqian resist? He threw the towel he was using to dry his hair, bent down to support Ye Lai’s legs, and lifted his entire body up into the air. Ye Lai hugged Sheng Mingqian’s neck tightly.

Their lips never parted. Sheng Mingqian carried Ye Lai, taking a few steps to the bed, and pushed Ye Lai down onto the bed.

In the chaos, Ye Lai’s toes kicked the light switch, the blinding white light overhead instantly turning black.

With the cover of darkness, Ye Lai’s actions became more and more direct, tearing open the bathrobe on Sheng Mingqian, his palms pressed against his chest, feeling the warmth in his palms, and Sheng Mingqian’s strong, rapid heartbeat.

“You’re doing this on purpose,” Sheng Mingqian was still touching Ye Lai’s lips, constantly caressing them, his voice rough, “I can’t hold back.”

Ye Lai also responded forcefully: “I can’t hold back either.”

Sheng Mingqian didn’t say anything more, kissing Ye Lai bit by bit, from his forehead to the back of his feet. His right hand supported his ankle, kissing the scar on the back of Ye Lai’s foot a few times, as if as long as he kissed it a few more times, he could erase the scar.

The air was churning, breaths were boiling. Ye Lai even heard a crackling sound in his ears. He knew exactly what the sound was. It was the shell on his body, being shattered by Sheng Mingqian.

The shattering sound, one after another.

Like the moment the Hermosa bloomed, petals crowding against petals, intense emotions in full bloom, after a stunning flash, a faint fragrance wafted through the darkness.

A night of upheaval.

The Hermosa also bloomed all night.

Sheng Mingqian didn’t wake up until noon the next day. However satisfied he had been last night, the moment he opened his eyes, he felt a deep sense of loss, like he had just experienced a skydiving jump.

Ye Lai wasn’t in bed. There was no one in the room, and no one in the study either. Ye Lai’s manuscript was also gone from the desk.

“Ye Lai, Ye Lai, are you home?”

Sheng Mingqian didn’t give up, searching for someone room by room, but there was still no one.

Sheng Mingqian ran downstairs, standing in the middle of the living room, turning around and around, wanting to call Ye Lai’s name again. His eyes suddenly looked at the vase on the dining table.

The vase was already empty, with a piece of paper pressed underneath. He quickly walked over, pulled out the note, and glanced at it.

It was definitely Ye Lai’s handwriting.

Dear Director Sheng, crossed out.

Dear Mingqian:

The weather is really nice today, a big sun. Finally, there’s a bit of a warm spring breeze. The curtains weren’t drawn, and when I woke up this morning, even our intertwined toes were warmed by the sunlight.

It’s still a bit stuffy staying at home all the time, so I’m going to Bincheng with a friend to relax and write some things in peace.

This morning, I read the news and someone else took pictures of an unidentified flying object, saying it might be aliens. I’ve always believed in the existence of aliens since I was a child. I wonder what aliens really look like, two eyes and one mouth?

Maybe they won’t be too good-looking…

Under the news about the suspected aliens, there’s our video.

Our video is good-looking, high-definition, with perfect angles, without any flaws. The photographer you chose is really good, don’t forget to give him extra money.

The Hermosa that bloomed this morning was really beautiful. I took the flowers with me, I’m sorry to leave you with just an empty vase, but I couldn’t help it. I feel very happy when I see the Hermosa.

Oh, and there’s one more thing that makes me happy. Although it’s been a few months, our bodies are still so, so, so perfectly in sync. Last night was very pleasant, like lying in the petals of the Hermosa.

I have to admit that your body still makes me addicted.

Looking forward to our next night.

Signed, Ye Lai.