◎”Call me brother.”◎
Lan Yan wore a corduroy Barn-style jacket, the fabric neither too thick nor too thin, perfectly suited to the fleeting early spring weather.
The jacket was moss green, a rich color she rarely bought. Its loose, oversized fit tempered the natural softness of her features, giving her a boyish air.
The car pulled to a stop, and the two of them got out. Liang Jingchuan circled around from the passenger side, hooked an arm over her shoulders, and walked forward.
“…Don’t you think walking like this makes us look like good bros?”
Liang Jingchuan laughed. “You look just like one of my good bros.”
They went up the stairs just like that, arms slung around each other, until they reached the door to 303. Liang Jingchuan lit up the keypad on the password lock, caught her finger, and had her press the code one digit at a time: 147789, the same as his phone.
“Don’t you have hands of your own?”
“Yours work better.” Liang Jingchuan smiled.
“Come on, your hands have been with you all these years.” Lan Yan held back from letting her ears turn red before his did, but it was clearly tough. His skin was now as thick as a veteran’s—he wouldn’t blush easily anymore.
“Oh, it likes the new and tires of the old, I guess.”
The door opened, and Liang Jingchuan quickly leaned down to kiss her, blocking the trash talk she was brewing.
Warmth enveloped the room. As Lan Yan shrugged off her jacket, she asked, “Why haven’t you turned off the heat yet?”
“It’s supposed to cool down again next week. Better wait until the temperature fully warms up, so you don’t get cold when you come over.”
“…What if I don’t come over?”
“Then I just pay a couple extra weeks of gas bills.”
Lan Yan’s lips curved up. Liang Jingchuan took her jacket and hung it up for her.
He opened the shoe cabinet, pulled out a pair of slippers, and tossed them at her feet. The design on the top was a squirrel curled up hugging its own tail.
“…Why’d you buy such childish slippers?”
“Guessed you’d like them.” Liang Jingchuan glanced down at her. “Do you?”
What was there to say? No AI algorithm could match how well he knew her.
Lan Yan smiled and slipped her feet into them, feeling her mental age drop twenty years in an instant.
“Got any water?”
“Grab it from the fridge yourself.”
With her jacket off, she wore a thin white base layer shirt underneath—perfect for the indoor temperature.
The fridge was built into the cabinets. Lan Yan pulled open the door to reveal three shelves, mostly stocked with purified water and the sugar-free tea she liked, aside from some food.
The fridge door’s pockets held various snacks, including gold coin chocolates she occasionally craved. Liang Jingchuan didn’t have a snacking habit, so these were clearly all for her.
Lan Yan took out a bottle of tea, tore open a wrapper, unwrapped a gold coin chocolate, and popped it into her mouth.
Liang Jingchuan finished hanging up the jacket and straightening the shoes, then headed inside.
Lan Yan leaned against the beam separating the dining area from the kitchen and crooked a finger at him.
He walked up to her. Before he could speak, she suddenly rose on tiptoe, hooked her arms around his neck, and kissed him.
Chocolate flavor filled his mouth. He paused for a moment, then slipped his tongue in, sucking and kissing repeatedly until the lingering sweetness was completely swallowed between them.
“Were you trying to lick it off for me that day?” Lan Yan asked breathlessly, still holding onto him.
“Yeah.” Liang Jingchuan knew exactly what she meant—the Mid-Autumn Festival that day. “When you drank juice and had toothpaste foam on your lips… when you ate preserved fruit and licked the plum powder off your fingers… every time…”
He tilted his head, his voice low as he spoke against her ear, like it conducted straight through her bones into her brain.
His words were like sparks, each one igniting hidden desire.
“…All those times you stared at me stone-faced, you were actually thinking stuff like that?”
“Of course not just that.” Liang Jingchuan chuckled softly. “…Want to hear more? Or should I just demonstrate…”
The last word trailed off as she elbowed him in annoyed embarrassment.
Liang Jingchuan rubbed his sore ribs and laughed helplessly, indulgently. “Such strong arms.”
“Next time you pull that, don’t blame me for killing my own kin for the sake of justice.”
“Pull what? Be clear. Can’t think it? Or can’t say it after thinking it?”
“…Can’t say it at a time like this.”
Liang Jingchuan nodded in understanding. “Then I can say it while we’re doing it…”
No surprise, the second elbow strike came. Liang Jingchuan was prepared this time—he caught her arm deftly, then hoisted her right up and carried her straight inside.
“…What are you doing?”
“Nothing you’d expect.”
Lan Yan paused, then angrily opened her mouth to bite the side of his neck.
“I don’t mind, but people might see.” Liang Jingchuan laughed as he walked. “Last time you scratched me, your ex saw it.”
Lan Yan froze, unsure how to react for a moment. “…Did he figure it out?”
“I haven’t told him yet. I mentioned resigning, and he reacted pretty strongly. Figured I’d take things one at a time.”
“Is he a three-year-old? Needs coddling? You signed a work contract, not a sell-your-soul pact.”
“Alright, next time I’ll tell him exactly that.”
Lan Yan paused, then said softly, “I’m not badmouthing my ex. I’m not that petty.”
“You’re so cute.”
“…I’m just talking normally. Don’t be so love-brained.”
“I don’t want to be, but I’m terminally ill with it.”
“…Liang Jingchuan, you’re so cheesy right now!”
“Alright, shutting my mic.” Liang Jingchuan stopped in front of the bookshelf behind the desk and set her down. “Time to unwrap gifts.”
Lan Yan’s feet touched the floor.
The bookshelf had enclosed cabinet doors on both sides, with open shelves in the middle. Liang Jingchuan nodded toward one of the doors, signaling her to open it.
Lan Yan grabbed the handle and pulled it back.
Inside were three rows of shelves, from bottom to top, piled full of gift boxes.
Lan Yan counted them—they matched the number of years they’d known each other.
She turned back to Liang Jingchuan, utterly puzzled. “…You gave me gifts every year.”
“Yeah. But these are the ones I really wanted to give you.”
Turbulent emotions surged in her chest. Lan Yan waited for them to settle a bit before asking, “Where should we start?”
“Up to you…” Liang Jingchuan thought for a moment, then reached up to the top shelf and took down a small gift box. “How about this one? Your first birthday with Chen Boyu.”
He seemed able to talk about it without a ripple now.
Lan Yan took it, unwrapping the packaging while recalling what Chen Boyu had given her that year—a hot new color crossbody bag from some luxury brand. He’d had someone bring it back from France. But he hadn’t known she hated chain straps.
The wrapping paper was blue, printed with cute little animals. It was so pretty that she unwrapped it carefully, afraid to tear it. Luckily, after sitting there so long, the tape had lost its stickiness and peeled off smoothly.
Inside was a paper box a bit bigger than her palm, and when she opened that, a black velvet jewelry box.
Necklace or bracelet, she figured. But when she opened it, the bracelet lying on the black velvet lining still took her breath away.
She didn’t know what stone it was—each bead was lustrous, a misty blue like starlight scattered throughout. Tilted in the light, it shifted to a faint gray.
A tiny tag hung from the string, bearing the piece’s name.
【Blue Smoke】.
“Moonstone. Sri Lankan old mine blue moonstone. But the gem itself isn’t that valuable, so it’s not worth much,” Liang Jingchuan said.
“…Gifts aren’t measured by how much they’re worth.”
“Yeah.” Liang Jingchuan smiled.
Lan Yan slipped the bracelet onto her wrist and moved on to the next one.
All the gifts were like this bracelet—not necessarily expensive, but each carried the same thoughtful ingenuity.
For instance, 200 sheets of specialty paper in a gradient from lightest to deepest blue; a navy cloak he’d personally tie-dyed; a Great Blue Flash Butterfly specimen made by a friend; a treasure blue retro CD player he’d scavenged from a foreign antique market; a custom Rain-Over-Sky-Azure tea set…
These were the ones he wanted to give—not the generic Bluetooth speakers, scented candles, hand creams, or coffee beans that anyone could give or receive.
“…Are you trying to give me every shade of blue in the world?”
“Because blue is my whole world.”
Liang Jingchuan looked down at Lan Yan’s face and smiled. “…Why are you crying again?”
Lan Yan dodged his fingers, choking up. “You’re really the worst…”
“Alright, alright, I’m the worst.” Laughing, he leaned in lower, gazed at her for a moment, then kissed the tear at the corner of her eye.
The kissing started from there.
Liang Jingchuan picked her up and carried her away from the scattered wrapping paper and gift boxes that would have to wait, heading to the sofa.
Her base layer shirt came off; even with her skin exposed to the air, she didn’t feel cold.
From her higher vantage, she could look down and see Liang Jingchuan’s half-lidded eyes, his thick lashes resting low, his nose like carved jade, and his lips flickering in and out of view amid the white.
“Yanyan…”
He didn’t undo it—just exposed from the top edge.
Liang Jingchuan’s fingers lightly touched the white fabric, his amused breath brushing her skin. “…Just like high school.”
Her style, or her high school girl taste.
Lan Yan’s ears burned. “…Who’s fault is it that you peeked?”
“You left it on the towel rack and didn’t take it. Blame me for that too?”
…There had been a time or two when she’d forgotten to grab her underwear after showering.
“What kind of stuff does a good student like you think about every day…” Lan Yan suddenly gasped in pain, like electricity shooting up her spine. Pain wasn’t the only sensation.
“I’m not.”
No time for more words—they both were lost.
Since she’d showered before heading out that evening, Lan Yan took it without much trouble.
What she couldn’t accept was Liang Jingchuan’s crisp white shirt, still neatly worn.
Every rise and fall she made sent ripples through the air, all captured in his deep, dark eyes.
Lan Yan bit her lip hard and reached up to cover his eyes. He laughed once, then wrapped his arm around her.
The rough fabric rubbed against her, sending a shiver through her body.
Liang Jingchuan gently combed the damp strands of hair stuck to her cheek with his fingers.
His fingers trailed down, gathering the spreading ripples into his palm, followed by his warm breath.
He looked up at her, a casual nonchalance in his deep eyes.
Her mind went blank with a boom.
Liang Jingchuan hissed, his voice muffled as it reached her ear. “Don’t clench, Yanyan…”
Lan Yan soon exhausted her strength.
Liang Jingchuan held her up, about to thrust upward, when his phone vibrated on the coffee table.
He ignored it, but the call kept going for over ten seconds without hanging up.
Liang Jingchuan had no choice but to hold her and lean over to grab the phone.
But that movement made her whole body jolt from the deep penetration, drawing a “urgh” from her.
Liang Jingchuan chuckled lightly, slid the phone over with his arm, and glanced at the screen.
“Chen Boyu.” He raised a brow slightly. “Want to pick up?”
Lan Yan believed he was fully capable of answering the call while continuing—he had that streak of vengeful destructiveness in him.
“Better not.” Liang Jingchuan hung up directly. “I don’t want outsiders hearing my girlfriend’s voice.”
The end of his words synced almost perfectly with the start of his movements.
Lan Yan felt like she was falling and could only cling tightly to his shoulders.
Her breaths grew more and more rapid, her muffled whimpers more fragmented.
“Yanyan…” Liang Jingchuan’s hair tips darkened with thin sweat, his eyes darker than usual. He watched her, tempting her to accept his invitation to fall together.
She collapsed into his arms like a reed, taking a long time to recover her breath from the near-suffocation.
Liang Jingchuan said nothing, just lightly stroked her goosebumped back with his palm, kissing her sweaty forehead and cheeks in turn.
Once she finally caught her breath, he asked softly, “Want me to carry you to the shower?”
She nodded.
When Liang Jingchuan stood, Lan Yan glanced down—his fine deep gray trousers were soaked through.
“Pay for my dry cleaning.” Liang Jingchuan reached out to scratch under her chin.
She opened her mouth to bite his finger, and he immediately pulled back, pretending to be scared.
Liang Jingchuan carried her to the bathroom door, opened it one-handed, went in, and then set her down.
He turned on the shower first, waited for the water to heat up, pointed to a fresh bath towel on the rack, and opened the door to leave.
A hand grabbed his wrist.
She bathed in the cool white light of the overhead lamp, the flush still lingering on her skin, giving her a seductive, glamorous allure.
Liang Jingchuan’s Adam’s apple bobbed slightly.
Her eyelashes fluttered as she looked at him, but she said nothing.
Steam rose, gradually filling the air with white mist.
Her figure vanished into the mist as she cleaned up. Liang Jingchuan knelt on the ground.
Warm water soaked his black hair and clothes, splashing down his back.
Lan Yan wanted to retreat, but her shoulder blades pressed against the cold tiles, sending a chill straight to her bones in an instant.
“I’m letting you shower with me, not so I can…”
“I know.” Liang Jingchuan smiled, his voice muffled by the sound of the water. “Don’t hide. Why are you always so scared?”
“…Afraid you wouldn’t like it.”
Things like this carried too much psychological burden if the other person wasn’t completely willing.
“How could I not? I like it a lot.” Liang Jingchuan’s voice grew lower, carrying a joking tone. “…At your old school, how did you only learn so little?”
“…” Lan Yan was startled. “You brought it up yourself…”
“Why can’t I? I’m not jealous of him anymore.” His voice grew even more muffled. “…I know you like doing it with me more…”
Lan Yan’s palm pushed lightly on the top of his head, but he caught her wrist and neutralized it.
“…Believe it or not, I’ll kick you.” She issued an empty threat.
“Then you know even better that what I’m saying is true.” Liang Jingchuan laughed with complete confidence.
The conversation faded, leaving only the splashing of water, mingled with a light patter like drizzle.
Lan Yan had never felt so helpless, adrift like a leaf in the current, with only one anchor point.
And that anchor wasn’t even under her control.
“Yanyan…”
The steam was thick, blocking her view and making even the voices she heard sound muffled.
Liang Jingchuan didn’t need her response. Amid the churning water sounds, he said hoarsely, “Call me brother.”
“…” She bit her lip and said nothing.
His breath moved away, teasing her anticipation. Liang Jingchuan’s voice took on a mischievous lilt. “Louder. I didn’t hear you.”
“I didn’t…”
“Oh. Alright, then I’ll wait…”
“Liang Jingchuan!…”
He knew her reactions like the back of his hand and understood that at this moment, he could most easily make her yield. So he waited patiently.
His hot breath drew near and far by turns, tugging relentlessly at her taut nerves.
This bastard.
Lan Yan covered her face, her voice trembling uncontrollably. “Brother…”
“Hm?”
“…”
“Finish your sentence.”
“Brother, please…”
“Good.”
The mist grew thicker, obscuring all vision. The air swirled like a rapidly rotating vortex, dragging her down into its deep center.
Liang Jingchuan stood up at the right moment and tightly pulled her into his arms as she slid downward uncontrollably.
She curled up in his embrace, seeming to take in breath but forget to exhale.
Her senses overloaded; even the warm water hitting her skin made her shiver.
“Yanyan.”
Lan Yan naturally couldn’t give any response.
Liang Jingchuan chuckled to himself. “We should switch our names.”
Lan Yan didn’t understand and blinked.
Liang Jingchuan leaned to her ear and whispered, “You produce more water.”
“…” Lan Yan turned her face and bit his lip.
She didn’t hold back and tasted a faint metallic tang of blood. Startled, she quickly let go.
Liang Jingchuan wasn’t annoyed at all. He smiled, his expression one of utter delight.
He turned off the faucet and fetched a bath towel, wrapping her up.
She clutched it tightly with both hands, only her head poking out as she looked at him with an unpleasant expression.
“I’m all wet. I won’t hold you. Go outside and put on some clothes so you don’t catch a cold. I’ll finish showering and come out to blow-dry your hair.” He paused. “Then I’ll coax you.”
“Who needs your coaxing?”
“Oh, not mad anymore?”
Lan Yan left the bathroom in a huff.
When she’d unwrapped the gifts earlier, her top had gotten some dust on it. Having just showered, Lan Yan was reluctant to put on her old clothes.
She rummaged through Liang Jingchuan’s closet and pulled on a white T-shirt.
She sat on the sofa, slowly drying her hair with the bath towel until it no longer dripped.
Moments later, the bathroom door opened. Liang Jingchuan emerged with a bath towel wrapped around his lower half. As he passed the sofa, his gaze swept over her, and he paused, the corners of his mouth curving up.
Lan Yan shot him a glare and threw a throw pillow at him. He caught it steadily.