Wilderness Vegetation Chapter 58

Chapter 58

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Dinner was prepared by Shen Zhi, consisting of a few simple, basic home-cooked dishes. While he was in the kitchen, Xu Yan received a call from Lu Sen, asking if he could help with something that evening.

"I'm at another set, there's been a bit of a delay, and the timings clashed. After some negotiation, they only agreed to have you replace me for the shoot," Lu Sen said. "I feel really bad asking you to help out right after you've come back from a business trip..."

"Please stop with the hypocritical politeness," Xu Yan said with a smile. "I'll come over after dinner, within two hours."

"OK, thanks for saving the day, Great Photographer Xu."

Just after hanging up, Xu Nian called, asking Xu Yan where he was, whether he was back, and if he wanted to have dinner at their parents' house.

"I'm back, but let's have dinner another time," Xu Yan replied.

"What's going on?" Xu Nian, like a police dog, immediately sensed something was off. "Where are you, Ge? Are you busy with work right after returning?"

Shen Zhi was just coming back from the kitchen with the last dish. Xu Yan whispered, "No, I'm having dinner with your delicate sister-in-law, don't bother me."

He hung up decisively, cutting off Xu Nian's howl.

Shen Zhi, the "delicate sister-in-law," had already served the meal and was standing by the table, looking at Xu Yan. He asked, "Is something up?"

"There's an impromptu shoot, I need to go back after dinner," Xu Yan said as he sat down. "I won't stay here tonight."

Shen Zhi was taken aback, momentarily not processing the situation. It felt like a child who had finally gotten a beloved candy, only to have it snatched away before they could even warm it in their hands, being told they'd have to wait a bit longer.

"What's wrong?" Xu Yan asked, looking up when he saw Shen Zhi still standing.

"Nothing," Shen Zhi replied as he sat down. "How late will you be? You just got back."

"I don't know, probably till early morning," Xu Yan answered.

After a moment of silence, Shen Zhi asked, "I'll take you there, can I wait for you at your house later?"

"You don't have work tomorrow?"

"When I'm not on a business trip or in a meeting, I can work from anywhere," Shen Zhi didn't mention that he'd taken a month off. The length of time seemed excessive, and he worried Xu Yan might ask why he'd taken such a long break.

Xu Yan thought for a moment. "Forget it." He lowered his head to eat, "I'll take the high-speed train back later, it's quicker. I'll be working late tonight, and waiting around wouldn't be any fun for you. It'd also affect your rest. I have work for the next couple of days, after that, I'll arrange some time off."

He could already foresee their future situation – both constantly busy, travelling everywhere for work, and living in different cities, with not much time to spend together.

But perhaps that wasn't necessarily a bad thing for them.

"Alright," Shen Zhi replied, looking down.

After dinner, Shen Zhi threw the dishes into the dishwasher and took a few oranges from the fridge to make juice. Xu Yan stood next to him and asked, "Why don't you ask me if your cooking was good?"

Shen Zhi gave a faint smile. "It definitely isn't as good as yours." He handed the orange juice to Xu Yan. "See if it's sweet."

Xu Yan had always loved freshly squeezed orange juice, especially in the summer. The fridge always had a few oranges, seven were just enough for two glasses. Shen Zhi's glass had no ice, as his stomach wasn't very strong.

"Sweet." Xu Yan took another sip, and when he looked up, his eyes met Shen Zhi's gaze. Xu Yan quickly averted his eyes, turned around, and awkwardly opened the fridge door, pretending to look inside.

Shen Zhi reached for his glass and took a sip – it was sweet. He had made fresh orange juice many times over the years, but this was the sweetest it had ever tasted.

It had nothing to do with the oranges and everything to do with the person drinking the juice with him.

After finishing the juice, they went upstairs. Xu Yan took the clothes he had changed out of after showering from the washing machine and hung them out on the terrace.

"Remember to help me put them away tomorrow," Xu Yan said.

"Okay," Shen Zhi replied, standing by the balcony door.

Xu Yan casually collected a few of Shen Zhi's dry clothes, naturally, just like he used to. He threw them on the bed in the bedroom, folded them one by one, and put them away in the closet.

They didn't engage in idle chatter – it wasn't realistic for them. Shen Zhi quietly followed Xu Yan, watching him open drawers to put away underwear and socks, and then hang up the clothes and trousers in the wardrobe.

Just as Xu Yan closed the wardrobe door, Shen Zhi hugged his waist from behind. Xu Yan's muscles instantly tensed, his awareness of his heartbeat suddenly became clear, as if his entire heart had swelled up. The strong thudding against his flesh was muffled, and Xu Yan heard it. He hadn't done any strenuous exercise, just hung up a few clothes, so the fast heartbeat could only be due to nerves – after all, Shen Zhi had only hugged him.

A burst of warmth spread over the skin where the neck and shoulder met, it was Shen Zhi's breath. Xu Yan felt a tickle in his neck and unconsciously tilted his head, lightly brushing against Shen Zhi's head resting on his shoulder.

Their bodies were pressed too tightly together; Shen Zhi's heartbeat thudded against Xu Yan's back, one beat after another. Since returning to the country, Xu Yan had often feared that Shen Zhi was about to die – there was a genuine panic that he might collapse at any moment. Especially after hearing Tang Yunyan say that Shen Zhi was ill, Xu Yan had many speculations and constant worry. Only now, feeling Shen Zhi's heartbeat, did Xu Yan have a sense of reassurance that "this person is still alive."

Xu Yan pried Shen Zhi's hands off and turned around in his arms to face him. He looked at Shen Zhi – just one look, and a wave of heat rushed up his neck, making his face feel hot. Shen Zhi's gaze was intense yet restrained, but that restraint was like thin ice, barely suppressing the underlying current that Xu Yan could still see and found hard to resist.

In this situation, Xu Yan couldn't bring himself to ask: Are you okay? What's wrong with you?

But the question still needed to be asked. Xu Yan raised his hand to cup Shen Zhi's face, just about to speak, when the room darkened. Shen Zhi lowered his head and bit his lower lip. As their lips met, both of their breaths became uncontrollably heavier. Their lips rubbed against each other, growing wet and hot, as Shen Zhi's tongue pried open Xu Yan's teeth, aggressively intertwining with his. The hand Shen Zhi had on Xu Yan's waist moved up, lifting the hem of his pyjama top, slipping inside to caress Xu Yan's lower back and waist. It felt slightly damp, Xu Yan wasn't sure if it was from his own sweat or Shen Zhi's palms. His other hand moved up Xu Yan's side, gripping the back of his neck in a controlling manner.

It felt like finally drinking water after a long time, barely quenching a deeply accumulated thirst. It was like using a damp cotton swab on parched lips, providing temporary relief – but it wasn't nearly enough. Xu Yan felt like he was half in water and half in the desert, sinking deeper and growing unbearably hot at the same time, struggling to breathe. He kept swallowing, sucking on Shen Zhi's tongue. His tongue felt numb, and his ears were filled with awful sounds of wetness. Xu Yan could only make faint sounds from deep in his throat. Saliva spilt out along the corners of his mouth, tickling as it dripped down his chin.

They separated slightly, and Shen Zhi, close to Xu Yan's lips, murmured something. Xu Yan, in a daze, heard him say, "You owe me."

Owe, what does he owe for? Xu Yan was confused, barely able to catch his breath before Shen Zhi's mouth covered his again. Xu Yan mumbled something, and Shen Zhi's kiss became more forceful, making Xu Yan feel his lips swelling, possibly about to bleed. With the pain, Xu Yan finally understood – Shen Zhi wanted compensation for him not being able to stay the night.

Xu Yan's hand slid from the side of Shen Zhi's face down to his abdomen, almost touching, but Shen Zhi grabbed his wrist and pushed him forward. Xu Yan stumbled back, leaning against the wardrobe.

"Aren't you asking for... compensation?" Xu Yan panted. "Hurry up, I'm in a hurry." He guessed Shen Zhi wasn't satisfied with just using hands, so he was about to kneel down when Shen Zhi quickly pulled him up to stand.

"Not that," Shen Zhi said, staring closely at Xu Yan, "You owe me a night next time."

Xu Yan, still in a daze, didn't think too deeply about it and agreed readily, "I'll definitely make it up to you."

The suitcase that had been brought upstairs just a couple of hours earlier was now taken down again as Shen Zhi drove Xu Yan to the high-speed rail station.

"Are you ill?" Xu Yan finally asked in the quiet car.

Shen Zhi's grip on the steering wheel tightened briefly, but he replied calmly, "Low blood sugar, and my stomach isn't in good shape."

"And your hand?"

"Not great either."

"Is there anything else that's not okay?"

"No."

Shen Zhi kept his eyes on the road, avoiding eye contact with Xu Yan to ensure he could answer smoothly.

"Do you have any medical reports or lab results? Let me see them."

"I do," Shen Zhi answered. "I'll send them to you when I get back."

Xu Yan had the right to know, Shen Zhi understood this. It was something he would have to tell him someday, but now wasn't the time., they had only just started over.

At the station, Xu Yan put on a mask and unbuckled his seatbelt. "You don't need to get out; parking here too long will result in a fine."

He reached to open the car door, but Shen Zhi grabbed his arm, turned, and kissed him. Xu Yan obediently opened his mouth, returning the kiss while mentally counting down, "5, 4, 3, 2, 1..."

As time ran out, he pushed Shen Zhi away by the shoulders. Shen Zhi leaned in again, pecking him on the corner of his mouth a few more times before saying, "Be careful on the road."

"Hiss..." Xu Yan licked his lips, the pain from being bitten earlier intensifying after this kiss. As he got out of the car, he added, "It hurts, be gentler next time."

The back of his neck also ached from Shen Zhi's grip, in this regard, Shen Zhi hadn't changed at all.

Xu Yan grabbed his luggage from the trunk and headed into the station. Shen Zhi started the car but kept his gaze on Xu Yan's departing figure. He saw Xu Yan suddenly stop amidst the crowd, turn around, find Shen Zhi's car among the traffic, and wave.

He was saying goodbye, but Shen Zhi quickly turned his head away, not watching him any longer.

Xu Yan probably would never understand how unbearable this scene was for Shen Zhi, always reminding him of that glance at the airport three years ago and the countless silent farewells in his dreams since then, the despair of about to lose someone for a long time.

A few minutes after entering the station, Xu Yan boarded the high-speed train. He stowed his suitcase and sat down. Less than a minute later, he received a call from Shen Zhi.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing." Compared to the noisy train carriage, Shen Zhi's side was particularly quiet. He said, "I just wanted to make sure."

To make sure that this was just a brief separation and that they would see each other again soon.

"Mhmm, I just got on the train," Xu Yan replied, "You're calling while driving?"

"Parked on the side of the road." Shen Zhi sighed softly. "I just don't want..."

A passenger in the next seat stood in the aisle, so Xu Yan got up to let them pass and asked, "What?"

"Nothing, I'll hang up first, just finish your work and get some good rest tonight."

"Okay, drive safely." After the call ended, Xu Yan felt a vague sense of unease but couldn't pinpoint it, leaving him unable to think further.

Shen Zhi sat in the car, staring at the darkened screen. It turned out that that possession was not a perfect thing, for him, having Xu Yan made him crave more security from him. Perhaps it was a symptom of his condition, but he couldn't feel completely at ease – it would take time.

He leaned against the steering wheel and murmured to himself, "I don't want to wake up."

———

The author has something to say:

Shen Zhi: Wife, go and do your work, I'm fine by myself, really, I'm fine. QAQ

[Hi Zhi, your wife is about to find out about your illness.]

‿︵‿︵ʚ˚̣̣̣͙ɞ・❉・ ʚ˚̣̣̣͙ɞ‿︵‿︵

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Translator Notes

Please feel free to comment any mistakes I made so I can improve and do better as I go through the book.

Translated: October 6, 2024 by Angel

Edited: October 27, 2024 by Angel