ADTCP Ch28

Using “like a baby’s arm” to describe it would be absolutely no exaggeration.

The moment Tao Zhen realized this, thoughts in his head exploded like fireworks, and it was as if a thunderous boom echoed in his ears. Clearly his fever had already broken, yet he suddenly felt his body temperature spike several degrees higher, instinctively struggling to sit up.

Behind him, Zhu Wensheng let out a low, uncontrollable grunt, his voice husky and rough:
“Be good. Don’t move around.”

That scorching heat pressed even closer. Through the thin shorts, it was plastered tightly against his leg, he could almost feel the faint pulsing veins beneath. Rationally, it was normal, but Tao Zhen’s scalp went numb. He swallowed hard:
“Zhu Wensheng…”

He figured Zhu Wensheng still wasn’t fully awake. They were both twenty-year-old young men; waking up aroused in the morning was nothing unusual. Even Tao Zhen, fresh out of a sweaty dream, understood exactly what was happening. A straight man couldn’t possibly have improper thoughts about another guy, it was just a physical reaction.

“I feel really uncomfortable. I want to take a shower…”

Forcing himself to act like nothing was wrong, Tao Zhen lifted the blanket off, cautiously stretching out one leg, trying to shift his hips a little further away from Zhu Wensheng’s… situation.

But the next second, Zhu Wensheng instinctively clamped a hand down on his slim waist, pulling him back so their collarbones pressed firmly together.

That cold, aloof yet devastatingly handsome face didn’t match the raw masculinity of his body. Opening his eyes, Zhu Wensheng pinned Tao Zhen with a stare, his voice firm and brooking no refusal:

“No. We still don’t know if your fever’s completely gone.”

“That’s not-!”

Tao Zhen could hardly take it, his earlobes burning scarlet as if they might drip blood. Trembling, he asked, “If I don’t go shower… then how are you going to deal with your problem?”

Zhu Wensheng’s breathing faltered, his Adam’s apple bobbing belatedly.

Tao Zhen turned, shuffling against the sheets with a rustle, biting his lip. His damp, glistening eyes curved with a smile that was half-endurance, half-teasing:
“I’m right, aren’t I? Don’t worry, my body’s fine. After last night, I don’t even feel any headache anymore.”

“I’ll just go to the bathroom real quick. When I come back out, you can… clean yourself up too. Then we can head out togeth- ”

“Tao Zhen.”

After a moment of suppression, Zhu Wensheng suddenly cut him off.

“If you don’t go shower, then right here, I can deal with it too.”

“……”

Silence fell thick in the air. Tao Zhen’s smile stiffened as his gaze locked with Zhu Wensheng’s black eyes, now stormy and brewing.

A spark roared to life in his chest, primal instinct crackling through him like tiny electric currents racing down a fuse.

Neither could say who moved first. The next moment, Tao Zhen’s wrists were seized, and he collided hard against Zhu Wensheng, only to be kissed with burning force.

Soft golden hair tangled with black, the stark contrast striking to the eye. Tao Zhen was kissed breathless, his hands falling helplessly, until Zhu Wensheng laced their fingers together, holding tight.

The heat between them grew hotter still.

Through the haze, Tao Zhen’s eyes fluttered open, catching the lift of Zhu Wensheng’s double-lidded eyes, those usually cool, dark pupils now blazing with a vivid, indescribable color. He couldn’t pull himself free, and though he was exhausted, though he almost wanted to retreat, soft mewls slipped from his throat. In the next instant, he wrapped his arms around Zhu Wensheng’s neck, pressing a kiss to his jaw.

“Zhenbao, you’re so good.”

The low rasp in his ear made Tao Zhen’s head buzz, his heart floating away. Like whipped cream atop steaming milk tea, his soft little heart melted into sweet clouds under those coaxing words.

Just then, familiar footsteps sounded in the hall.

The door rattled with knocks, followed by Gu Xingzhou’s puzzled voice:
“So weird, no replies in the group chat, no answer to calls… don’t tell me he’s still asleep?”

Tong Xiao muttered, “Maybe, but we’ve got plans later. He can’t keep sleeping. Hold on, let me call Zhenbao, ”

Call him?!

Jolted back to his senses mid-kiss, Tao Zhen instinctively tilted his head, breaking away from Zhu Wensheng’s lips. He made a muffled sound, his movements faltering. It was torment for Zhu Wensheng, who bent his head to latch onto Tao Zhen’s nape instead. His hot tongue dragged across soft pale skin, teeth worrying the delicate flesh there.

“Mm, …” Tao Zhen gasped at the sting.
“Zhu Wensheng…”

The phone by the bed buzzed violently, vibrating in urgent waves like a death knell. Tao Zhen reached toward it in panic, but his fingers kept falling short of the answer button.

“So strange… why isn’t he answering?”

“Maybe his phone died. Let’s just knock again.”

Their muffled chatter, the pounding knocks, and the man’s ragged breathing all tangled together.

Flustered, Tao Zhen stretched his trembling arm in vain, only for it to be caught in a firm grip. Zhu Wensheng brushed his damp black fringe back, voice low:
“Zhenbao.”

Tao Zhen’s breath grew quicker, biting down on his hand to stifle it, vision blanking out.

“Don’t rush yet, it’s still early…” Jiang Shan’s voice drifted faintly from outside. Whatever else she said, the conversation beyond the door slowly faded.

Tao Zhen exhaled guiltily, calves cramping as he kicked twice, riding out the shuddering aftereffects. He crawled up from the bed, supported by Zhu Wensheng’s hand trailing down his spine.

Swallowing, he whispered, “You… already dealt with it, right?”

Zhu Wensheng’s damp black hair clung to his forehead, his lips flushed:
“…Mn.”

They locked eyes for a beat before both glanced away, shame and excitement mixing into something unnameable, climbing hotly up their cheeks.

Tao Zhen forced a cough, shaking out his rumpled, sweat-damp T-shirt, before heading with Zhu Wensheng to the bathroom for a hasty clean-up. Once washed and in fresh clothes, he felt like a new person.

Not wanting his friends to worry, he quickly sent a message to the group chat, agreeing to meet downstairs at the restaurant.

The moment they arrived, Tong Xiao and Gu Xingzhou pounced, grilling him on the spot. Tao Zhen could only give a sheepish explanation:
“I didn’t mean to ignore your calls or the knocking… I, uh, got a bit of a fever last night, that’s why.”

“You had a fever? What happened? How are you now?”

Their fierce momentum instantly crumbled, replaced by parental worry as they fussed over him head to toe. Even when he muttered “I’m fine now,” they didn’t relax.

Tong Xiao grabbed his head, pressing her hand to his forehead with a frown:
“I knew it. Your room must’ve had no hot water yesterday, right? You took a cold shower, didn’t you!”

Tao Zhen chuckled guiltily, trying to dodge:
“Um, I don’t know… probably not a big deal… Hey, Xia Xia, what about you? Where did you shower yesterday?”

“Don’t change the subject!” Gu Xingzhou shot him a glare, then blinked at Tong Xia. “Wait, yeah, where did you shower?”

Tong Xia kicked her gullible teammate:
“Obviously I went to Shan Shan’s room!”

Tao Zhen and Gu Xingzhou both raised their brows in identical curiosity.

“…” Tong Xia sighed helplessly, emphasizing, “It was just a shower, don’t overthink it. Jiang Shan’s straight, okay? Different orientation from the start.”

Gu Xingzhou protested: “She let you shower there, that’s a pretty clear hint, no?”

Tong Xia kicked him again: “What hint? She wasn’t going to let me freeze to death, was she? If not a girlfriend, she’s still a friend! That kind of ‘intimacy’ is just a straight girl’s trick. Who knows that better, me or you?”

The two bickered noisily.

But Tao Zhen’s smile stiffened, his lashes fluttering uneasily after a long pause. The fiery warmth in his chest seemed to cool just a little.

A straight girl’s trick… Then what about Zhu Wensheng this morning? Was that just a straight man’s trick too?

He scratched his cheek, mind in a jumble. Looking up, he caught sight of Zhu Wensheng standing with Jiang Shan not far away.

***

The mountain air was fresh, lush greenery filling the view. While Tao Zhen chatted with his friends, Zhu Wensheng went into the restaurant to fetch breakfast, just in time to run into Jiang Shan carrying two trays.

After a brief hesitation, he did something rare: he spoke first.
“About this morning, thank you.”

Jiang Shan paused, quickly caught on, and covered her lips with a graceful smile. “No need. I just asked Xia Xia and the others to go downstairs and check with the front desk. I wasn’t standing outside your door the whole time already.”
“I thought you’d be even more grateful for my reminder last night,” she added, sounding languid and pleased. “After all, you seemed to have had a rather lovely night.”

Zhu Wensheng stilled, more certain than ever of his suspicion from the night before, Jiang Shan was not as simple as she appeared.
But he had no reason to expose her. After holding her gaze for two seconds, he withdrew his eyes and said mildly, “No wonder Tong Xia likes you so much.”

Jiang Shan tilted her head and smiled. Perhaps because the line was so pleasant to hear, she offered one more courteous reminder before leaving with her trays:

“That bespoke Ermenegildo Zegna on you is a bit beyond ‘kept man’ level. Don’t wear it in front of others next time.”

With that, she walked away toward Tong Xia, smiling as she spoke to the girl.

Zhu Wensheng lowered his head, thoughtful, and glanced at his shirt. He only snapped back to himself when Tao Zhen came up to him.
On the small porcelain dish in his hand was a bit of light, easy-to-digest food, suitable for someone recovering. “Hungry?”

Tao Zhen glanced at Jiang Shan and Tong Xia chatting not far away, unconsciously tugged at his hem, and answered lightly, “I’m okay…”
“What were you two talking about?” he couldn’t help asking.

“Nothing. I just thanked her.”
“In passing, when she brought Tong Xia to her room last night, she reminded me your room only had cold water.”

“Oh! So that’s how it was.”
Tao Zhen blinked, the lump in his throat easing, while something faint and indescribably rueful flickered underneath. “No wonder you called me then…!”

All right, Tong Xia had a point. Maybe what Zhu Wensheng felt for him was just a straight guy’s “kindness,” a friend’s concern.

But that was fine. Tao Zhen quickly talked himself around. After all, their “relationship” had the word “contract” behind it. However far it went, he was the one getting the better end.

As for this morning, mutual help, perfectly normal.

Surely it wasn’t because he liked Tao Zhen that he’d done all that… right?

***
After eating breakfast by the floor-to-ceiling windows, they adjusted the next two days of plans. Considering Tao Zhen hadn’t fully recovered, they canceled activities that required lots of energy and scheduled lighter ones instead.

The intense rock-climbing park and surfing adventure were ruthlessly struck off the list, replaced by an aquarium day trip and a boat ride to a museum… In the end, even the patient himself couldn’t stand the school–field trip vibe. Tao Zhen insisted his fever was completely gone and urged everyone to just play as planned.

Only then did the group relax and book tickets for the water park.

The October weather was beautiful, sunny without being harsh, shadows of trees swaying. The blue sea rolled in waves, the surf washing fine white sand and tossing up shells of all sizes.

Slides, flumes, kayaking… Childish as these attractions were, they easily washed away a lot of worries.

They played until the sky was tinged orange-red, then finally left the park, wandering the beach back toward the hotel.

To ward off a relapse, everyone threw on a comically huge towel over their dry clothes after changing. The vibe shifted instantly from tropical Hawaii to down-to-earth Northeast bathhouse.

Gu Xingzhou rebelled the hardest, trying to make the towel look stylish, and wailed, “This thing is too ugly! What if my crush sees me?”

Tong Xia was toweling Jiang Shan’s hair and burst out laughing. “If the road’s uneven, don’t blame your shoes, look.”

She pointed to Tao Zhen, mostly wrapped in a blue towel. Even so, he still looked slim and lovely; his bright gold hair was fluffy, setting off his cool fair skin, like a rich young master on holiday in an American show.

Beside him, Zhu Wensheng was no less eye-catching: black hair and eyes, combing his wet hair back with his fingers, forehead clean, brows and eyes cold and handsome. A towel slung over one shoulder, like a male model fresh off a seaside ad.

The two standing together had very different charms, but the same result: you couldn’t look away.

Irritated, Gu Xingzhou started acting up again. Tong Xia dodged and begged for mercy, then teamed up with Tao Zhen to flatter him a few times.

They might tease, but honestly all five of them were ridiculously good-looking. Their lively antics drew plenty of glances from nearby.

Soon, a girl came over wearing a blue staff badge and holding a signup sheet.
She pushed up her glasses, hiding reddened eyes, clearly nervous. “Um, hello, handsome guys and pretty girls! I’m with Dayu Bay’s promo team, in charge of a couples’ ‘kiss wall’ activation over there. If any couple among you is willing to go kiss by the wall and let us take a Polaroid to stick on the photo wall, task complete, and you’ll get a surprise gift.”

“I was wondering… would any of you be interested?”

Being addressed so earnestly, all five froze. Tao Zhen blurted out first, “Do you have a quota? How many are you short?”
“Just two more!” the girl said excitedly, her nose stinging as if tears might fall again. “If you’re willing, it would be just right…”

It was almost dark and she still needed two photos. If she missed this group, who knew how many more people she’d have to approach.

Tao Zhen’s brain heated up. “We can!”
As soon as he said it, he instinctively turned to look at Zhu Wensheng. The black-haired boy happened to lower his eyes, meeting him with an unreadable look.

“Mm.” A few seconds later, Zhu Wensheng spoke. His voice was as cool as ever, though oddly a shade quicker. “Up to you.”

Tong Xia bit her lip, looking like she wanted to say something. Jiang Shan, however, let out a soft laugh and answered for her, “We can too.”
Tong Xia stared, shocked. Jiang Shan winked slyly and hushed her: “Aren’t we helping her?”

The staffer visibly relaxed and thanked them with a broad smile.

As she led them to the activation spot and started to split them into pairs, a thought suddenly struck her,

Why were the two guys and two girls standing apart from each other?

Seeing her lift the Polaroid with a blank look, the usually silent-as-a-chicken Gu Xingzhou sighed and smiled. “Didn’t see that coming, did you?”

Three men and two women, and not a single heterosexual pair among them.

Tao Zhen studied the girl for a few seconds, a touch nervous. “Is that not allowed?”

She blinked, then hastily waved her hands. “No, no, it’s fine! You two can stand a little closer to make the kiss easier. I’ll count down.”

“Three ”
The sun had slipped completely beneath the horizon, leaving only a band of peachy orange afterglow against the deep-blue velvet night.

“Two ”
A crescent moon hung overhead. Tongue-tied, Tao Zhen smiled instinctively at the camera, almost forgetting what he was supposed to do.

“One”

Zhu Wensheng turned his face, the reflection of Tao Zhen’s smile gentle in his dark eyes. There was a tenderness there that was hard to name.
He bent slightly and brushed a kiss at the corner of Tao Zhen’s mouth. “Zhenbao.”

Their shallow breaths mingled with the salty, damp sea breeze, cool to the touch.
The Polaroid snapped and fixed the moment in place.