âWhich part of me is good-looking?â Su Tang tilted his head back, feeling a little embarrassed.
âEverywhere is good-looking.â Qian Zhu poked Su Tangâs forehead and said, âYour eyes are good-lookingâtheyâre big and bright, and every time you look at me, my heart starts to race.â
Su Tangâs face turned red. Heâd never thought that Qian Zhu would gush over his beauty with such sincerity. Qian Zhuâs flattery was so excruciatingly detailed that it was enough to make anyone on the receiving end flustered.
Qian Zhu noticed Su Tangâs blushing countenance and only continued to sing his praises. He smiled, âYour mouth is nice to look at as well; itâs pink like a peach petal and very soft. Did you know, every time I look at you, I feel the urge to bend down and kiss you?â
âStop it!â Qian Zhuâs words made Su Tang feel like his entire body was burning up. He quickly covered Qian Zhuâs lips that then planted a kiss on his hand. It made Su Tangâs palm itch and burn, to the point that even his heart started to itch.
âYour little hands are also lovely, fair and tender to the touch. You also have a tendency to hook your finger on my hand; each time you catch it, you hold on tightly and donât let go. Every time I hold your hand, I feel like holding it for all eternity.â
Though Su Tang hurriedly withdrew his hand, Qian Zhu continued to speak. âYouâre attractive from top to bottom. I like the scent of your body, I like your voice, I like the way you smile, I like everything about you. In my heart, youâre the best-looking.â
âIâŠâ Su Tang felt his heartbeat accelerate and start to go haywire. It was akin to a drum which had lost its tempo, the rhythm chaotic and all over the place. And yet, Su Tang still enjoyed this feeling.
He didnât know what was up with Qian Zhu todayâhe liked to spew this kind of sweet nonsense and it made Su Tang feel as if he was bathing inside a can of honey. It left Su Tang afraid to breathe or speak, and itâd only take a single move for the sweetness to overwhelm his heart.\n
âDo you remember that time you said I was good-looking? How did I reply to you?â Qian Zhu asked.
Su Tangâs heart shot straight into the heavens with a swoosh, and it had no intention of landing. He was thrilled to the point that his speech mightâve been impaired had he opened his mouth to utter even a few words.
âYou said, said there was no one better-looking than you.â Su Tang replied in a low voice.
âWrong.â Qian Zhu shook his head. âAt the time, I said that you were the best-looking.â
âYou didnât say that thenâŠâ Su Tang quietly glanced at Qian Zhu and thought for a while before weakly saying, âBut the meaning is the same.â
âCorrect, theyâre one and the same.â Qian Zhu resisted the urge to smile and pinched Su Tangâs face. âLittle cutie.â
Su Tang puffed out his cheeks, but he didnât look mad at all. It instead looked like a way to cover up his embarrassment. He muttered ârogueâ under his breath, cursing at Qian Zhu, though it looked more like flirting.
Qian Zhu lifted him higher, and Su Tang, without thinking, wrapped his arms around Qian Zhuâs neck. He buried his face in the crook of his shoulder and spoke in an almost inaudible tone, âIâm reluctantly letting you carry me, en, Iâll praise you.â
âAi, then thank you baby for your praise.â Qian Zhu smiled, his eyes forming the shapes of crescent moons. It felt as if the sun had shone its rays over a frozen snow cap on a mountain, slowly melting the frost away.
âGood-looking.â Su Tang lifted his head and stared at Qian Zhu for a while. He rushed to peck Qian Zhu, speaking coquettishly, âI want to get down and walk. Good Qian Zhu, put me down.â
âOkay. If youâre tired, tell me, and Iâll carry you.â Qian Zhu finally gave in to Su Tang and agreed to put him down. The only reason he did so was because Su Tang had kissed him.
The number of times Su Tang had taken the initiative to kiss him wasnât many, and they were often fleeting and light, like a dragonfly grazing the surface of the water. Despite its briefness, Qian Zhu still liked Su Tangâs kisses beyond words, especially because of the cautious look on the otherâs red face. Heâd speak coquettishly and make Qian Zhu forget everythingâno matter what Su Tang asked him to do, he would agree without hesitation.\nLet alone if it was such a small request.
Qian Zhu held Su Tangâs hand and leisurely strolled about the streets. The sun rose slowly, so summer days were hot and devoid of breeze, and although the heat was enough to drive some people crazy, the two continued to hold hands; even when their hands were covered in sweat, they wouldnât let go.
Su Tang discreetly scratched Qian Zhuâs hand, which then retaliated by kneading its fingers into Su Tangâs palm. Su Tang stared at Qian Zhu, who sent back a smile. He mumbled something again, and Qian Zhu put his ear next to Su Tangâs mouth, prompting him to speak louder.
At moments like this, Su Tang wouldnât pay any attention to him. Heâd pretend to be upset but wouldnât let go of Qian Zhu. Sometimes, if he was really angry, he would shake Qian Zhuâs hand around. If he wasnât able to shake his hand off, heâd bite it. After heâd bitten it, his anger would dissipate.
There were times where Su Tang found their dynamic rather strange; it didnât matter if it was lovers or married couples, their days of living together would be filled with trouble. But he and Qian Zhu had never experienced that. This was because Qian Zhu always coaxed Su Tang and looked after him.
Would Qian Zhu one day grow tired of indulging him? The thought made Su Tangâs heart fill with dread.
However, his sadness was short-lived; the streets were bustling with people and filled with various interesting toys. It was different from the immortal realm.
Qian Zhu bought Su Tang some peach-flavoured candy, and when he bit into it, he found that it was sweet.
âWas it tasty?â Qian Zhu asked, cocking his head to the side.
âItâs tasty, and a little sweet.â Su Tang nodded his head. Qian Zhu wordlessly ushered Su Tang to a shaded spot to let him finish his food.
After all, it was a hot day and sugar melted easily, making a mess of Su Tangâs clothes. It wasnât a comfortable experience.
\nTime flew when they were having fun. Night soon fell and the darkened sky was filled with clouds that looked like fire. It brought with it countless numbers of peopleâs passions and hopes.
After the two ate at Ling Long Pavilion, they rented a boat but not a captain. There were only the two of them on it, and the lakeâs breeze was so strong that they had no need to use the paddles. All they had to do was follow the direction of the water and wind to slowly drift to the middle of the lake.
The number of people who rented boats werenât few, but still, the Moon Lake was long and wide. The lake was in the shape of a crescent moon and it encircled the capital, while the boat theyâd rented was akin to a flat boat, one which had a sense of tranquility to it.
Su Tang sat on the edge of the boat, his bare feet dangling in the water and generating small splashes. Under the clear, radiant moonlight, Su Tang rested his head on Qian Zhuâs shoulder and glanced up at the flickering kong ming2 lanterns in the sky. He listened to the sounds of the pipa3 that was carried down the river by the wind, slowly drifting into the distance after gracing oneâs ears with its gentle melody.
âItâs so pretty here.â Su Tang whispered.
âEn.â Qian Zhu nodded and put his arm around Su Tang before asking, âHow does it compare to the immortal realmâ
âTheyâre both beautiful. The immortal realm is desolate while the human realm is full of life. Although both sceneries are beautiful, they are very different places.â
Su Tangâs comparison was rather interesting. Upon hearing his reply, Qian Zhu asked again, âIf you had to pick, which one do you prefer?â
âEnâŠâ Su Tang thought for a while before he replied, a little confused, âHow do I say it, I like it when you smile at me, but I donât like it when you smile at others; the best way to treat others is when youâre cold to them like ice. Itâs, Itâs similar to this logic.â
Qian Zhu raised his eyebrows. Su Tang continued, âI like bustling places, but when youâre not by my side, I have no interest in them. Even though the immortal realm is rather barren, when youâre beside me, I feel that place is good.â
When he finished speaking, he slowly looked down, his thoughts still jumbled. Su Tang noticed that Qian Zhu had yet to respond even after a few moments of silence, and he began to grow anxious. Unable to resist it, he tugged on the corner of Qian Zhuâs clothes and quietly asked, âWhat are you thinking about? Why arenât you speaking?â
âMe?â Qian Zhu finally looked back and said to Su Tang, âI was thinking about how I really wanted to kiss you. What should I do?â