Morning And Evening Chapter 26

The two remained silent the entire way. Chang Ming’an turned on the car radio, playing early winter solstice and Christmas greetings interspersed with music, making it not too quiet for a moment. It was quite late when they arrived home, and after washing up, it was time for bed. It was even colder than yesterday. He Mu was removing her makeup in front of the mirror and about to go into the bathroom to shower when she saw Chang Ming’an charging a newly bought hot water bottle, wrapping it in a towel, and placing it in Mu Mu’s newly replaced enclosed cat bed.

The silence between them didn’t seem like a cold war or stalemate, but rather like an unresolved situation. He Mu didn’t know what Chang Ming’an was thinking. He only knew that he had taken another step forward, and he felt both uneasy and secretly pleased.

He Mu stood in the bathroom, looking at the teeth marks on his lips in the mirror again. He couldn’t help but lightly touch them with his finger, hissing as he gasped. It wasn’t particularly painful, but it wasn’t negligible. He had changed out of his cheongsam and hung it up before removing his makeup, putting on his fluffy loungewear instead. Looking at himself in the mirror, he went over everything that had happened that night in his mind again. A belated shyness surged up like a rising tide, his face flushed, and his mind felt like it was bubbling with boiling water.

Ah…

He Mu groaned inwardly, no longer daring to look in the mirror. He quickly took a shower and lingered in the bathroom for a long time afterward until the white mist had almost completely dissipated before finally leaving.

Chang Ming’an sat on the sofa, holding a book in his hand, but his eyes were blank, as if he was thinking about something. When he heard He Mu push the door open and come out, he subconsciously looked up at him, but quickly looked away after their eyes met, and cleared his throat.

“I’m going to take a shower.”

He Mu nodded and quickly crawled into bed. He found that the electric blanket was already on and the bed was warm. He tossed and turned in bed, waiting for Chang Ming’an.

When Chang Ming’an came in, he had cotton swabs and hydrogen peroxide in his hand. He sat on the bed and said, “Get up.”

He Mu stood there dumbfounded. Chang Ming’an twisted the cap off the hydrogen peroxide bottle and said, “Put some on your lips.”

He then realized what was happening and tried to get out of bed, but Chang Ming’an pulled the blanket back down and said, “Don’t get out of bed, you’ll catch a cold. Just sit up.”

He Mu sat up, clutching the blanket, and reached for the cotton swab with hydrogen peroxide on Chang Ming’an’s hand. Chang Ming’an dodged his hand and said, “You can’t see it.”

He Mu could only tilt his head back slightly, his lips parted slightly, waiting anxiously. Chang Ming’an gently pinched his chin, and the cotton swab tip lightly wiped his lips. It didn’t hurt, but it felt cool. He Mu’s gaze swept over Chang Ming’an’s face, and seeing that he wasn’t looking at him, he half-closed his eyes again, his eyelashes fluttering.

In contrast to the icy touch of his lips, Chang Ming’an’s hands were very warm.

“Alright.”

Chang Ming’an put his things away and saw He Mu still sitting there blankly, his long hair draped over his shoulders, his mouth slightly open, his lower lip slightly swollen from the wound, with some dry, peeling skin around it, and his upper lip slightly upturned, making him look both cute and pitiful. He felt a sudden urge to laugh, but he held it back.

It wasn’t that he didn’t want to talk to He Mu, he just didn’t know what to say.

My mind is racing with thoughts, a jumble of emotions. I feel a pang of regret for taking it out on He Mu. He Mu is innocent. I also feel guilty. He Mu has been so pitiful before, that he’s become so easily tempted by a little warmth, making Chang Ming’an want to treat him even better, yet also feel like a bad guy trying to coax a greedy child with candy.

Chang Ming’an reached out and turned off the electric blanket.

“You can’t leave it on all night, your skin will get all dry and flaky.”

He Mu obediently nodded and shrank back under the covers. But Chang Ming’an unfolded the blanket he was rolling up and covered both of them with it, then piled his own blanket on top, making it heavy with two blankets. Now the two of them were lying in the same bed.

Chang Ming’an turned off the bedside lamp and said, “Mu Mu has a hot water bottle, you need one too. We’ll buy one tomorrow.”

He Mu burrowed his head deeper into the blankets. He felt that Chang Ming’an was warmer than a hot water bottle or an electric blanket. The two of them were wrapped together in the blankets, with only a few centimeters between their arms. The heat from Chang Ming’an’s body was constantly being transferred to him, making his heart beat faster and even making him feel a little hot.

He Mu turned over and lay on his side, his face touching Chang Ming’an’s arm.

The winter solstice is just a few days away, and he has to go back to the place he least wants to go. He felt a brief moment of disappointment, but quickly put it behind him. The bed was warm, and a good night’s sleep awaited him. He could worry about things tomorrow.

After the winter solstice, the days will grow longer and longer, and everything will be alright.

For the first time, He Mu suddenly felt that the future was so promising, simply because there was another person in his bed.

The next day was a workday, so both of them had to wake up very early. The bed was incredibly warm. When He Mu woke up, he was warm from head to toe. It was as if there was a magnet in the blankets, holding him tightly and preventing him from getting out of bed.

“You can take a nap a little longer…”

The magnet spoke.

Chang Ming’an was still half asleep, and his voice was a little hoarse.

He Mu was fully awake, lying in bed with his eyes open, not asleep. In the end, he had to get up with his legs tucked together because of morning erection, and hurriedly wrapped himself in his clothes to go to the bathroom to wash up.

He had a lot of classes today, and after class he had arranged to go to He Jun’s place to participate in their training session. He quickly got ready and peeked through the crack in the bedroom door, just in time to see Chang Ming’an getting up and changing clothes, pulling up his loungewear from the bottom to the top, his back muscles flexing. He Mu blushed and stepped back, saying vaguely, “I’m not eating at home tonight.”

After saying that, without waiting for Chang Ming’an’s reply, he picked up the reluctant Mu Mu, gave him a good rub, slung his backpack over his shoulder, and quickly went out the door.

He Mu walked very fast on his way to the classroom, as if he had a secret gift hidden in his heart that he hadn’t yet opened. But just the fact that it was neatly wrapped up and placed there was enough to make him overjoyed.

After a day of classes, He Mu was full of energy, like he’d been injected with chicken blood. He ate dinner in the cafeteria and was on his way to the small theater for rehearsal when he ran into He Jun, who had just finished eating, at the cafeteria entrance.

“Want to go together?” He Jun said with delight.

He Mu was about to agree when he heard someone call him from behind. He turned around and saw Chang Ming’an, who also seemed to have just finished eating in the cafeteria. He was standing with his hands in his pockets, looking at the two of them.

He Jun quickly replied, “Teacher Chang.”

Chang Ming’an nodded, and asked casually, “Where to?”

He Jun replied, “Rehearsals, for our play, as we’ve discussed before. I’d like you to come and watch.”

Chang Ming’an nodded knowingly and looked at He Mu. He Jun was about to answer when He Mu interrupted, saying, “I… I’ll go take a look.”

Although He Jun was puzzled, he respected the situation and remained silent. Chang Ming’an said, “Are you interested in stage plays?”

He Mu forced a smile and said, “Just a little bit.”

He Jun checked the time and said, “Teacher Chang, let’s go.”

Chang Ming’an responded, and He Jun and He Mu turned and left, but he remained standing. He Mu followed behind He Jun, her high ponytail swinging as usual. She glanced back at Chang Ming’an, but seeing that he was still standing there watching her, she quickly turned back.

Chang Ming’an and the other two only turned back and walked home after they were out of sight of each other at the corner.

Hide him, if you can.

He remembered the idea again.