It was suffice to say that Shen Zhifan’s emotions at this moment were rather complex.
Yan Shuo’s eyelids were slightly droopy, like he didn’t have much energy and he seemed quite out of it. As if he was unhappy, his inky eyes calmly stared at him. One could make out a hint of anger, but otherwise, it was deeply hidden.
Being upset by himself, and yet not saying anything – it was as if he had a bone to pick with someone.
Shen Zhifan inexplicably thought of small children; when they were stubborn they were just like this, sulking alone, waiting for the whole world to come and coax them, yet stubbornly refusing to say why they were angry.
…The kind of kid that really worried people.
He could only brace himself and accept the ‘flowers’.
Not to mention, even though they were messy, the roots had been neatly chopped. At least, there wasn’t any leftover dirt. Of course, Shen Zhifan wasn’t really sure if there was any soil underneath the warm snow.
So, even though it was a hideous mess of grass, one could somehow still discern a little of Yan Shuo’s diligence.
Yan Shuo’s eyes seemed to brighten, but his mouth was still tightly closed. Since his appearance was so righteous and handsome, this serious expression of his was extremely imposing. Normally, no one would dare to be impudent in front of him.
It was just that, if it weren’t for the obvious childishness in his eyes, Shen Zhifan would be a little more intimidated.
“…Thank you for the flowers?”
Shen Zhifan accepted the flowers, yet the other was still motionless. He could only test the waters and appease him.
“I really like them.”
Yan Shuo was silent, with the integrity of someone modelling for a painter, and stared at him, completely immobile.
…Shen Zhifan felt a surge of helplessness.
My male god, what exactly are you trying to do ah? Is it not enough for me to bow down to you?
Shen Zhifan tried to think like a child – a light bulb went off, and he immediately asked, “You…want a reward?”
Yan Shuo’s eyes brightened.
Shen Zhifan thought this was promising, and continued, “What kind of reward do you want, hm?”
Yan Shuo’s eyelids fluttered downwards. Though his expression didn’t change much, one could vaguely see that he was a little ashamed as he meekly glanced around.
Clearly, he wasn’t willing to speak, his appearance saying ‘you have to guess.’
Shen Zhifan, “…”
Enough! Could his male god stop going around in circles?
Shen Zhifan had almost kneeled down to him.
After being embarrassed for a while, Yan Shuo lifted his frosty – yet still childish – gaze, quietly staring at him again.
And continued to do so, motionless.
Shen Zhifan fell silent, then thought of another point he could use to placate him. He picked out the longest weed of the bunch, which had a tiny bud on top. In this bundle of weeds, it was the only one that could almost be counted as a ‘flower’. He hesitantly offered it to Yan Shuo.
“I’ll give you a flower too?”
Yan Shuo considered the flower for a moment, the straight line of his lips bending a little. It seemed like he happily accepted it, but kept staring calmly at Shen Zhifan.
Shen Zhifan, “…”
Even that didn’t work?
Shen Zhifan felt that he really had no more tricks up his sleeve. He didn’t know what reward the General wanted, and he didn’t know what the General liked most either.
Besides, he was still confused as to what age the esteemed General was right now too ah.
He sighed, leaning back onto the sofa. Before him was the General, bent down on one knee. This kind of pressure wasn’t ordinary.
“I’m really tired, General, don’t torment this one anymore. Just tell me, alright?”
He gave up and asked.
Sure enough, the other didn’t say anything.
“Aren’t your legs numb yet, General? How about I massage them for you?”
Yan Shuo was still silent.
Shen Zhifan felt like he was dealing with a bashful, stubborn, handful of a child. Really, he was at the end of his rope, but he still couldn’t bear to let Yan Shuo keep kneeling like this – he actually had the urge to kneel down with his male god.
He let out a sigh. In the end, he could only helplessly laugh and touch the General’s face, watching the other’s hesitant eyes. In a low voice, he said, “My General ah, what exactly do you like the most?”
He wasn’t counting on an answer, so he might as well touch a little while the other was unaware.
However, the other man finally moved. Just as Shen Zhifan reached out, a warm palm covered his hand.
Shen Zhifan’s heart jumped.
Yan Shuo intertwined his fingers with the hand underneath his own.
Yan Shuo’s eyes brightened even more, and it seemed like his gaze deepened as well. His lips parted slightly, his expression somewhat excited, yet also somewhat aggrieved.
At that moment, it was as if Shen Zhifan had forgotten to breathe again.
He followed Yan Shuo’s eyes closely, momentarily forgetting whether the other man was being sincere or not.
He recalled his question from before.
——“My General, what do you like the most?”
Shen Zhifan’s throat moved slightly, eyes landing on the hands covering his own. There were faint scars on those palms, and those fingers were calloused. They were probably from operating mechs for so many years.
Actually, Shen Zhifan’s own palms weren’t soft at all, but the backs of his hands were smooth, so he could feel that rough, hot palm even more distinctly.
Their fingers were intertwined.
In conjunction with the question he’d just asked, it seemed like some sort of amazing answer was about to come to light.
“…Flowers.”
The esteemed General suddenly spoke, aggrieved. Shen Zhifan abruptly realised that he’d accidentally dropped a bit of grass just then. He quickly reigned in his emotions and was about to pull his hand out from under Yan Shuo’s, in order to pick up the ‘flowers’.
However, it seemed like the other man realised he was about to pull away, and held tighter onto Shen Zhifan’s hand.
Shen Zhifan froze. Looking down, he saw that Yan Shuo’s eyes had a hint of anger in them, and was dumbstruck.
But soon, he didn’t even have the strength to stay dumb.
Almost completely naturally, the other exerted a bit of force on the hand that was holding his and easily stood up, directly pressing him down onto the sofa.
Shen Zhifan had only felt a burst of strength; unprepared, he immediately toppled backwards, about to fall onto the sofa cushion.
However, his head didn’t meet the sofa – a hand had long been waiting there to catch him.
Just as Shen Zhifan’s mind was still in disarray, the back of his head was cupped in Yan Shuo’s palm. Then, his eyes widened, pupils contracting.
The other man kissed him gently and sincerely.
He carefully traced over his lips at first, then softly nipped at them. In the end, Yan Shuo pried open his mouth and invaded in one fell swoop.
Without leaving any room to move, he kissed him thoroughly. Feeling impulsive, yet restraining himself; his kisses were both rough and gentle, blending together inseparably.
——“You.”
——“I like you the most.”
Death: I can already imagine szf’s reaction, and all I can say is…orz