"How's it?" Yu Han asked, his eyes sparkling with anticipation as he hovered beside the table.
This was the first breakfast he had ever cooked for Li Hao, and every cell in his body vibrated with nervous excitement.
Li Hao, who had just managed to choke down a single, rubbery piece of scrambled egg, felt a wave of existential dread wash over him.
The texture was questionable, and the flavor—a truly unique combination of excessive salt and a random burst of fiery spice—made his throat constrict. His face, however, was stubbornly set in an expression of blissful consumption.
He donned an overly bright, spurious smile and met Yu Han's joyous gaze.
The food was, without question, a culinary disaster; a crime against the very concept of breakfast. But looking at the earnest hope swimming in Yu Han's eyes, how could he possibly speak the truth?
Steeling himself, Li Hao forced the remaining contents of the plate into his mouth. "This is incredible, Yu Han! Truly delicious. I want to eat this every day!" he declared, the words sounding horribly fake even to his own ears.
"You really liked it?" Hearing the emphatic praise, Yu Han practically soared, shooting up from his chair in a burst of happiness. "I told you I could cook!"
Meanwhile, Li Hao maintained his painful and fake smile, literally battling to swallow the dense, over-seasoned contents. He chased the awful flavor down with a gulp of water, wincing slightly.
"Yeah, you are really a great cook, Yu Han!" he repeated, his eyes beginning to water profusely from the cumulative spice assault.
"Awwww!" Yu Han cooed, genuinely overwhelmed. "You liked my cooking so much that it made you cry! That's so sweet!"
"This is the worst food I have had in my entire life," Li Hao thought grimly, swallowing the lump in his throat along with the last mouthful. "But since it was made by my dearest love, I suppose I can survive it."
Truly, love knew no limits, and it certainly made one do foolish, self-destructive things.
Yu Han, basking in his perceived success, gently took the chopsticks from Li Hao's hand. He scooped up a fresh, frighteningly green piece of something that resembled parsley-infused onion and held it up to Li Hao's mouth. "Aaaaa… eat more," a genuine, loving smile laced his lips.
Li Hao, who was already full to the point of nausea, still opened wide. A small, genuine tear finally escaped the corner of his eye, driven by spicy pain, but he managed to keep the false, loving smile plastered on his face.
And then, just as Yu Han was about to deliver another crippling bite, a savior arrived.
Ring… ring…
The sound of the doorbell was like an angelic chime, a sudden amnesty from the torture of Russian mafias. Li Hao felt such a surge of gratitude toward the unseen visitor that he mentally decided to donate half of his property to them.
Yu Han gracefully stood up from his chair and paced toward the door.
Meanwhile, Li Hao executed a swift, desperate bolt for freedom, rushing straight toward the bathroom.
"Damn! How can anyone cook this badly?" he muttered, emptying the entire contents of his stomach in one miserable go. He rinsed his mouth repeatedly, trying to scrub away the taste of burnt ambition. "I should enroll him in a professional cooking class immediately."
At the doorway, Gang Zi stood holding a pair of garment bags. He truly was an angel sent to rescue his boss, although he was unaware of the domestic crisis he had averted.
Yu Han greeted him with a warm, proud smile. "Good morning, Mr. Gang! What brought you here so early?"
"Oh, Mr. Li told me to bring him some clothes," Gang Zi said, offering a slight bow.
"Come in, Mr. Gang. Li Hao just finished his breakfast," Yu Han invited him inside.
Both men walked toward the dining area. The plates were still on the table, but Li Hao's chair was empty. "He was here a few moments earlier. Where did he go?" Yu Han scanned the room, bewildered.
"Ah! There he is!" Gang Zi pointed toward Li Hao's figure, who was emerging from the bathroom, looking slightly paler than usual.
"Li Hao, you didn't finish your breakfast, huh?" Yu Han asked, noticing the large smear of food stains on the plates.
Invisible beads of cold sweat formed on Li Hao's forehead. He stammered, scrambling for a believable lie. "Uh—Oh. I… I was… actually, I'm full." He settled on the simplest explanation.
Yu Han narrowed his eyes slightly, scrutinizing Li Hao's face. "You're full? Are you a very light breakfast eater then?"
Li Hao abruptly and emphatically nodded. "Yes! Extremely light."
Gang Zi stood there, glancing between the overly enthusiastic cook and his sickly-looking boss, and asked in genuine astonishment, "You made breakfast for Mr. Li?"
"Hmm. I made him scrambled eggs," Yu Han answered with an undeniable proud smile.
"But, Mr. Li only drinks black coffee in the morning," Gang Zi stated plainly, dropping the truth bomb without realizing the marital devastation he was causing.
Yu Han's gaze snapped back to Li Hao, a playful but sharp intensity entering his eyes. "Huh? Just black coffee?"
Li Hao quickly strode back to the table and sat down, acting casual. "It's fine to eat sometimes in the morning, Yu Han. A man needs variety."
"And that's why my physique is so healthy, despite this morning's ordeal, he thought darkly."
"Mr. Li, these are the clothes you asked for," Gang Zi handed the bags over.
"Okay, I'll go change. Wait for me in the car," Li Hao dismissed him quickly, needing to be alone with his lover before the interrogation escalated.
Gang Zi nodded and politely strode out of the apartment.
As soon as the door closed, Yu Han asked, his tone softening, "Li Hao, would you like me to pack you a lunch box, just in case?"
Li Hao sauntered toward him, seizing the opportunity to change the subject entirely. He cupped Yu Han's cheeks, his thumb gently stroking the soft skin, and gently kissed his soft lips.
He pulled back and smiled genuinely this time. "I don't want to trouble you. You should get ready for your class. Actually, I will drop you off at your college, okay?" he proposed, ensuring that Yu Han would not be in the kitchen long enough to attempt to pack anything.
A shy, lovely smile appeared on Yu Han's lips, reminiscent of a newly wed bride. He chuckled lightly and bumped his head against Li Hao's shoulder. "Don't worry, I can go on my own. You should head to your office."
"But I want to spend more time with you," Li Hao murmured, pulling Yu Han close in a firm embrace, resting his chin on the younger man's head.
Yu Han lightly punched Li Hao's chest in mock annoyance. "You are so cheesy, huh!"
"Only for you," Li Hao smirked, sealing the moment with another kiss.
___________
"Why didn't you do anything last night?" Yang Zi asked, trying to sound casual as he took a long sip from his boba tea, carefully avoiding Shi Wang's eyes.
Shi Wang, his hands still gripping the steering wheel, tore his gaze from the bustling road to steal a quick glance at Yang Zi.
A slow smirk played on his lips. "What exactly did you want me to do, Zi?" he countered.
Yang Zi's breath hitched. The sudden eye contact sent a jolt through him, making his heart pound erratically. He immediately fixed his gaze on the passing scenery outside the window, pretending intense interest in a particularly dull lamppost.
Shi Wang chuckled, a deep,and resonanted sound that vibrated in the confined space of the car. "Don't worry," he drawled, his tone laced with mischief, "I promise I'll never disappoint you again."
Yang Zi nearly choked on his tea. He gulped frantically, trying to compose himself. Without turning his head, he managed, "What do you mean by that?"
"Just what I said," Shi Wang replied, his voice dangerously smooth. "Next time, I'll make sure to stock up on lube and condoms."
This shameless bastard just delivered the revelation as if discussing the weather, utterly casual, completely disregarding the storm he was brewing beside him.
But the seemingly innocuous words hit Yang Zi like a tidal wave. The boba tea he'd been happily sipping spluttered out of his mouth in a messy spray, followed by a violent coughing fit.
Oh, for heaven's sake! he thought, still rasping for breath. I barely escaped his trap last night, and he's already planning for the 'next time'? How in the world am I supposed to take... that thing inside me? That's never going to happen! Even though I like him, that's just... that's far too much for me!
Shi Wang reached over, stretching a hand to gently pat Yang Zi's sputtering back. "Tsk, tsk, Yang Zi," he murmured, his voice laced with mock concern, "Go easy there. No need to get so worked up."
Yang Zi shot him a venomous glare, finally recovering. "We are not doing that! Not ever!"
Shi Wang merely laughed, a devious, unrepentant sound, and playfully ruffled Yang Zi's hair. "As you say."
We'll see about that, Shi Wang mused silently, a glint in his eyes. I knew from the start you were a challenge, and I've always enjoyed things that are difficult to get. You're the only one for me, my precious Yang Zi.
Yang Zi, still fuming, glanced at him from the corner of his eye. Geez! What the fuck is going on in his mind? How could he just agree to me so easily? He's definitely up to something.
A few minutes later, the car finally reached its destination: the college. However, the scene before them was far from normal. The college grounds were unusually chaotic, a massive crowd gathered around the parking lot entrance. Shi Wang had to honk repeatedly, inching forward through the throng.
"Why is it so crowded today?" Shi Wang wondered aloud, craning his neck. "Is there some kind of event happening?"
Yang Zi was equally bewildered. "I don't know about any event. This is the first time I've ever seen such a crowd here."
The car moved inch by agonizing inch, the congestion turning what should have been a five-minute drive into a painstaking fifteen-minute crawl.
After battling the relentless swarm of students, Shi Wang finally managed to pull into a parking spot.
Yang Zi, who was consumed by curiosity, practically shot out of his seat and stepped onto the asphalt, eager to discover the source of the commotion.
He flagged down a boy who was rushing past. "Hey, what's going on over there? Why's everyone so worked up?"
The boy's face lit up with excitement. "Don't you know? It's Li Hao! Li Hao is at our college! Students are trying to get his photo. I'm going to try and catch a glimpse of him too!"
At the mention of Li Hao's name, the color drained from Yang Zi's face, leaving him alarmingly pale.
Shi Wang, who had just finished parking, stepped out of the car. Seeing Yang Zi's sudden change, he asked, "What's wrong, Yang Zi? You look like you've seen a ghost."
Yang Zi gritted his teeth, clenching his jaw so tightly his muscles bunched. "Li Hao," he hissed, "He's the one responsible for this entire ruckus."
"What?!" Shi Wang exclaimed, his eyes widening in surprise. "But... what is he doing here?"
"How would I know, huh?" Yang Zi snapped.
"Alright, alright, let's go see," Shi Wang said, his expression hardening.
He grabbed Yang Zi by both shoulder and gently but firmly propelled him forward into the dense crowd.