Chapter 69
“First, take a pear, peel it, and cut it into small pieces. Then, prepare an appropriate amount of rock sugar…”
Lin Zheng read from his phone as he retrieved the pear he had bought that morning from the refrigerator.
Gu Lin had been coughing for a while, and Lin Zheng planned to make him a bowl of rock sugar and pear soup to soothe his throat.
The tutorial on his phone looked simple, but doing it himself proved to be a challenge.
This “appropriate amount” of rock sugar… what exactly constituted an “appropriate amount”?
Whatever. He decided to peel the pear first and figure it out later.
Lin Zheng picked up the fruit knife and, in a few swift motions, peeled a clean, beautiful pear.
Though Lin Zheng was a terrible cook and generally at odds with the kitchen, he was quite skilled when it came to peeling fruit.
Following the principle of “don’t get fancy, just peel it clean,” he had no problem at all.
He followed the tutorial, cutting the pear into several pieces of roughly the same size. Then he grabbed a pot from the cabinet and put the sliced pear inside.
After washing the utensils and putting them back, Lin Zheng stretched and skillfully took down a jar of yellow rock sugar from a high shelf.
Although Lin Zheng didn’t usually cook, he was familiar with where everything was in the kitchen from often seeing Gu Lin use them.
In fact, he had personally picked this jar of rock sugar from the shelf when he and Gu Lin had gone grocery shopping together.
He didn’t know the difference between yellow rock sugar and regular rock sugar, but out of curiosity, he had bought three jars.
He had no idea if it tasted good; today was his first time trying it.
After opening the jar, Lin Zheng looked at the yellow rock sugar inside and frowned.
How much should he add?
He reached in, took out a piece, and put it in his mouth.
It didn’t taste very sweet.
Lin Zheng thought for a moment, then lifted the jar and began pouring it into the pot. In an instant, the jar was half empty.
He looked at the amount of rock sugar, which was about the same as the pear.
That should be about right.
He poured a bowl of water into the pot, covered it, and turned on the stove.
Lin Zheng clapped his hands together. All done!
It was such a simple recipe; he refused to believe he could mess it up.
After setting a timer, Lin Zheng glanced outside.
He wondered what Gu Lin was doing.
It was a rare weekend. Once the soup was ready and Gu Lin had drunk it, if he wasn’t busy, Lin Zheng wanted to ask him to watch a movie together.
At home, of course, not out.
Part of it was for Gu Lin’s health, but there was another reason.
He had promised Gu Lin a few months ago that he would watch a movie with him at home, but he had left before they had the chance. When they went to the movies the other day, Gu Lin hadn’t mentioned it directly, but their conversation had reminded him.
Thinking back, although he hadn’t verbally agreed at the time, his silence was probably taken as a yes by Gu Lin. Besides, it wasn’t a big deal. Even if he hadn’t agreed then, if Gu Lin wanted to, he wouldn’t mind watching one with him.
As for the movie, he had already picked it out.
Since he wasn’t sure what genre Gu Lin liked, he had selected one from each, and would let Gu Lin choose later.
Lin Zheng walked into Gu Lin’s bedroom.
Hmm? He wasn’t there?
Lin Zheng then went to the study on the second floor.
Hmm? Still not there?
There was a large balcony on the second floor. Thinking that it was a rare sunny day and maybe Gu Lin was sunbathing, he went to the balcony, but it was empty.
Strange, where had he gone?
He had been here just a moment ago.
Lin Zheng went back downstairs. He remembered seeing Gu Lin in his bedroom earlier, so, not giving up, he opened the bedroom door again.
The bedroom’s color scheme was simple, very much in Gu Lin’s style. Walking in, Lin Zheng could faintly smell the scent that always lingered on Gu Lin, like perfume but not quite.
Gu Lin had a faint, pleasant scent. He had originally thought it was from a perfume he often wore, and because it was so unique, he had even wondered if it was custom-made. But after living with Gu Lin for a while, he realized that Gu Lin never used perfume.
The room was still empty, but as he walked further in, he heard the faint sound of running water from the bathroom.
Suddenly, the water stopped.
Lin Zheng was still wondering what was going on when he saw someone walk out of the bathroom.
His hair was still dripping wet, his bathrobe tied loosely, the collar open to his stomach, revealing the well-defined, hard muscles underneath.
Lin Zheng couldn’t help but swallow.
Gu Lin stopped, looking at the person in his room with some surprise, as if he hadn’t expected Lin Zheng to be there.
“What are you…”
Before he could finish, he saw Lin Zheng spin around abruptly.
“Didn’t see anything. I didn’t see anything at all.”
Abs and pecs were just floating clouds; he hadn’t seen a thing.
Gu Lin was stunned for a few seconds, then a smile touched his eyes.
He walked up behind the person who had turned his back, deliberately getting close and whispering by his ear, “You said you didn’t see what?”
The hot, moist breath on Lin Zheng’s ear instantly turned it red.
Lin Zheng tried to escape, but just as he was about to step forward, an arm blocked his way.
It was pressed against the wall next to him.
He couldn’t go forward, so he tried to go back.
But just as he was about to slip away, another arm blocked him from behind.
Lin Zheng was trapped, unable to move forward or back, caught between Gu Lin and the wall.
“Why are you running? It’s not like I’m going to eat you.”
There was laughter in Gu Lin’s voice.
Lin Zheng had no choice but to face the culprit who had trapped him, saying with a weak sense of righteousness, “Who said I was running? I wasn’t running.”
“Really?” Gu Lin moved even closer.
Lin Zheng stepped back, but the wall was right behind him.
He lifted his chin slightly and said with great conviction, “Of course.”
Just as he was about to lower his chin, a few fingers caught it.
Some were under his chin, and some were on the sides.
“Why don’t I believe you?”
Gu Lin lowered his head, his dry fingertips caressing the skin at the corner of Lin Zheng’s mouth, his voice very close.
Having just come out of the shower, Gu Lin still carried the heat from the bathroom.
That heat made Lin Zheng’s head spin.
The cold wall behind him and the heat in front of him created a stark contrast, making him feel as if he were being tormented between water and fire.
The friction between their skin seemed to ignite a fire, burning his cheeks.
Suddenly, a crystal-clear drop of water fell from the tip of Gu Lin’s hair onto Lin Zheng’s burning face. Lin Zheng’s eyelashes trembled, and the water drop slid down his delicate skin to the floor.
Gu Lin used his fingers to wipe away the water mark on his face.
Wherever his fingertips touched, it was as if a fire had started.
Finally, they landed on those soft lips.
His thumb traced the outline of the lips, and when it reached the highest point, he pressed lightly, and the lips underneath sank slightly.
Lin Zheng’s heart was beating incredibly fast, and he subconsciously held his breath.
A deep meaning appeared in Gu Lin’s eyes.
Gu Lin moved his fingers from Lin Zheng’s lips, his palm moving up to hold his head.
Gu Lin ran his large hand through Lin Zheng’s hair, lowered his head, and after a pause, slowly moved closer to him.
“If you don’t want to, just push me away.”
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