Chapter 89: Next Time… Next Time
“Don’t mention it. Actually, the point isn’t that.” Cheng Ge stopped his movements, his voice getting a bit quieter. “It’s that when I was adjusting the volume, I saw you had added a ‘Lawyer Zhang’ on your phone.”
“I accidentally… well, it wasn’t completely accidental, I just happened to see it. But I didn’t click into it. I didn’t mean to pry into your privacy.”
“What exactly does Cheng Ge want to ask me? You’re being too roundabout now.”
Even as someone as dense as Wen Ling, he could feel that Cheng Ge was currently talking in circles, unlike his usual direct self.
Moreover, in front of Cheng Ge, Wen Ling didn’t care about privacy at all.
Cheng Ge also hated his own hesitance, so he just blurted it all out: “It’s about you asking that Lawyer Zhang those questions regarding a premeditated car accident. And the push notifications were also about car accidents. I just wanted to ask why you were so interested in that back then.”
“But I have to apologize to you first. Back then, it was because of that and some other small coincidences that I asked if you were related to Lin Yuchen’s car accident. My mind was too messy those few days, and I didn’t consider your feelings. I’m very sorry.”
Wen Ling’s gaze fell on Cheng Ge’s toes. After a long silence, he slowly said: “Then I forgive you. But you can’t be like that again. It makes me very sad.” Wen Ling’s slightly frowning face suddenly looked up. “I… I won’t be able to take it.”
Cheng Ge stroked Wen Ling’s face with the back of his hand, sounding very sincere: “I know. My fault. Never again.”
He knew that when Wen Ling said he couldn’t take it, he truly meant it. Wen Ling’s emotional experiences in certain matters would be several or even dozens of times more intense than a normal person’s.
The sense of collapse that had been transmitted to him from Wen Ling’s dream last night—Cheng Ge didn’t want Wen Ling to feel even a shred of that ever again.
“Then let’s pinky swear.” Wen Ling extended his fist, then popped out his pinky finger.
Cheng Ge was stunned for a moment. He felt Wen Ling was truly childish. He smiled and said, “Pinky swear.”
As soon as Cheng Ge hooked his pinky with Wen Ling’s, he was pressed down by Wen Ling’s thumb the next second.
Cheng Ge: “?”
“Aren’t there supposed to be those lines like ‘no lying for a hundred years,’ and then something about what happens if you lie?”
Wen Ling blinked a few times, looking a bit dazed. “What lines?”
“…Never mind. This works.” Cheng Ge pressed his thumb against Wen Ling’s again and said seriously, “I will keep it.”
Wen Ling said, “I believe Cheng Ge.”
Cheng Ge continued cutting Wen Ling’s hair. “Who taught you how to pinky swear?”
“My brother.”
“He taught you like this?” So quick and without any nonsense.
“I don’t remember. I only remember I have to press thumbs.”
With those words, Cheng Ge recalled Wen Ling’s eagerness to press thumbs just now and thought he was quite cute.
“Alright then. Now, are you willing to tell me about the lawyer?”
Wen Ling explained: “I was just investigating Lin Yuchen. Two years ago, he planned a car accident that killed a girl. I was asking about that. I said I would get my revenge. He provoked me like that; I have to pay him back. Revenge.”
Listening to Wen Ling recount this matter which contained a huge amount of information, aside from being surprised, Cheng Ge’s other thought was actually—how was his Xiao Wen speaking a bit… chuunibyou (edgy/middle school syndrome)?
“And I told Cheng Ge not to be afraid. I will protect Cheng Ge, so I will definitely do it.”
Cheng Ge’s eyelashes fluttered. His gaze fell straight into Wen Ling’s clear eyes.
“Then you told me I couldn’t mess around and had to restrain my behavior, otherwise… I’d end up in prison… so I thought of a way to send him in instead.” After saying that, Wen Ling emphasized: “I am law-abiding.”
Cheng Ge just stood there, locking eyes with Wen Ling. It seemed he had much to say, yet also nothing at all.
After a dozen seconds, Cheng Ge started laughing. He said very sincerely, “Our Xiao Wen is so amazing.”
This was what Cheng Ge most wanted to say in his heart. He originally wanted to say Wen Ling was “good,” but it seemed that just being “good” couldn’t reflect Wen Ling’s massive change and progress.
Wen Ling’s actions were far beyond Cheng Ge’s expectations. He only wanted Wen Ling not to get involved in this mess and not to take the wrong path—to just protect himself well. Yet Wen Ling was able to achieve a reasonable counterattack. This brought Cheng Ge a sense of surprise and accomplishment that was incomparable.
Aside from surprise, there was also a flutter in his heart.
Even if Wen Ling’s words sounded childish, and even though Cheng Ge didn’t think he needed protection, having Wen Ling say he wanted to protect him in such a sincere tone—how could his heart not feel a few ripples of emotion?
Wen Ling pursed his lips slightly and curved his eyes. He took hold of Cheng Ge’s fingers, his expression very well-behaved. “Am I being obedient?”
Cheng Ge’s heartbeat suddenly quickened.
Wen Ling asked again, “Am I especially amazing?”
“Especially impressive,” Cheng Ge said truthfully.
“Since I’m so obedient and amazing, can Cheng Ge trust me the most from now on?” Wen Ling held Cheng Ge with both hands and squeezed his palm. “I want you to trust me the most. Trust me forever.”
Wen Ling used the word “want” and “forever”—such commanding and long-term words. Cheng Ge had never liked such words.
But perhaps it was because of Wen Ling’s softened attitude, or some other emotional factor, Cheng Ge actually wasn’t repelled at all.
He even wanted to agree immediately, to give the answer that would make Wen Ling smile.
“Okay,” Cheng Ge said. He answered quickly, yet with no lack of sincerity. “I trust you the most.”
If it were the old Cheng Ge, he probably would have thought he was crazy. How could trust be given as a “most”? How could one easily give a promise to someone else? But he just had to agree to Wen Ling and put it into practice.
The guy was just too “good” (well-behaved).
Wen Ling smiled, small dimples appearing at the corners of his mouth. “I trust you the most too, Cheng Ge. I only trust you.”
The word “only” was too heavy. Moreover, Wen Ling was someone who couldn’t lie. For a moment, Cheng Ge didn’t know what to say or what kind of reaction to give.
“I really want you to kiss me, Cheng Ge.” Wen Ling tilted his head back slightly, his tone drawn out and lingering.
Cheng Ge suddenly suspected that Wen Ling was actually a creature who knew how to act spoiled.
Cheng Ge leaned down and brought his lips to Wen Ling’s face. He first pressed against Wen Ling’s cheek twice. After a very brief moment of stillness, Cheng Ge cupped the back of Wen Ling’s head and kissed his lips.
Intimate actions spoke louder than words; nothing more needed to be said.
This was the right thing to do.
This time, Cheng Ge kissed him quite differently than before. He put the scissors in the sink, one hand cupping the back of Wen Ling’s head, fingers sliding through his hair, making him tilt his head up. His other hand was on the back of Wen Ling’s neck, squeezing, stroking, and smoothing his fur.
Cheng Ge took Wen Ling’s lips and sucked on them slowly, their lips meeting, moving from shallow to deep.
Even though they were so intimately urgent, Cheng Ge didn’t kiss him aggressively at all, not in the posture of a superior.
Even now, Wen Ling didn’t know how to catch his breath; he easily ran out of air during a kiss. So Cheng Ge led him through the breathing and gave him time to breathe. The hand on the back of Wen Ling’s neck would slide down to his back, comforting him very patiently.
The control was in Wen Ling’s hands. Cheng Ge didn’t dodge at all, only guiding him when Wen Ling was struggling with himself.
The kiss made Wen Ling feel too comfortable. That intimate indulgence made him want Cheng Ge to hold him steadily and kiss him.
Cheng Ge was almost about to pick him up, but just at the last moment, he let go. The hand stroking Wen Ling’s hair comforted him, his breath unsteady: “Later.”
After kissing for a while, he added, “Next time… next time.”
Translator’s Note: THE KISS. Oh my god. Ahhhhhh!!!
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