11 Intimacy

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Luo Wen’s delicate and refined face was filled with indifference as he clutched his books and made his way back to the dormitory. Upon opening the door, his steps involuntarily faltered when he saw who was inside.

It was none other than Xiang Chen, the person who had spoken to him during class that morning. He was sitting on the desk in the dorm room, turning his head to gaze intently at Luo Wen.

“What’s wrong? Disappointed to see it’s me?” Xiang Chen noticed Luo Wen’s sour mood and a curious gleam appeared in his eyes as he leaned closer. “Who did you want to see?”

He lingered on the name on his tongue, speaking with a hint of ambiguity: “Lu... Ming... Zhou? That’s his name, right?”

Luo Wen’s brows knitted slightly, a shadow of displeasure flickering in his eyes. His handsome face darkened as he coldly replied, “What does it have to do with you? Stay away from me.”

Xiang Chen smiled faintly and spread his hands in a helpless gesture. “Alright, but there’s something you should know.”

Luo Wen ignored him.

Xiang Chen continued smiling, though the amusement didn’t reach his eyes. “You know well enough, right? Lu Mingzhou isn’t a good person. If you insist on getting involved with him…”

He lowered his voice, his tone eerie and laced with malice. “Terrible things might happen… maybe you’ll die a miserable death.”

Luo Wen slammed the book down and glared at him, frost forming over his features, chilling to the bone. “What exactly do you mean?”

Xiang Chen swung his legs with ease, still perched on the desk, looking down at Luo Wen with a complicated expression—part hatred, part pity.

Luo Wen found that gaze deeply unsettling, as if he already foresaw fate’s course and looked down on others from a lofty height…

It made him want to gouge out those eyes.

Feeling inexplicably irritated, Luo Wen met Xiang Chen’s stare head-on without flinching.

The other suddenly shivered as if recalling something, frowned, withdrew his gaze, and jumped off the desk.

Luo Wen’s face returned to its usual impassive mask.

A buzzing phone atop the book startled him. Luo Wen reached for it and, seeing the familiar name, pressed to answer.

“Hello.” The deep, mellow voice crackled through the receiver, sending a tingling sensation through Luo Wen’s ears.

“Didn’t you see me just now? You just stormed in without looking.” The voice carried a note of puzzlement and frustration.

Luo Wen was speechless—he hadn’t expected Lu Mingzhou to be waiting outside the dormitory. Such a scene was usually reserved for couples deep in love on campus.

He opened the window and poked his head out, sure enough spotting the tall, long-limbed young master standing beneath the tree, waving at him.

Around him were various couples, clutching and cuddling possessively—men and women alike… no, there was even a male couple.

That pair swayed together, biting each other passionately, even stepping back several paces and accidentally stepping on the young master’s shoe.

“I’ve really had enough, come down quickly!” Lu Mingzhou sent a voice message, suppressing his anger, while the system chuckled incessantly in his ear.

Luo Wen watched this scene from above, his icy brows melting slowly like snow, softening considerably.

Xiang Chen, seemingly busy nearby, was in fact keenly observing every move Luo Wen made. Seeing the shift in his expression, he frowned and stepped forward to peer through the window—also catching sight of the tall, straight figure below.

He restrained himself again but finally couldn’t hold back: “I advise you once more—don’t be blinded by fleeting benefits. That young master Lu isn’t a good man. If you keep entangling yourself with him, the end will be tragic.”

Luo Wen’s expression turned cold. “My matters have nothing to do with you,” he repeated.

He descended the stairs with an indifferent air, while Lu Mingzhou, long suffocated by the couples clinging around him, could only stand by the tree, nearly pushed into the corner.

Lu Mingzhou, cornered against the wall, looked down at the bizarre black shoe print on his pristine white sneakers. A flame flickered in his deep black eyes, veins throbbing: “Can’t you guys just keep it down, you damn gays?!”

Completely excluding himself from the category, Lu Mingzhou had been a genuine heterosexual in his previous life, preferring women. His current indignation momentarily made him forget that fact.

Luo Wen just stepped out of the dorm and overheard the indiscriminate outburst, recalling the lingering looks Lu Mingzhou had cast on him several times, and the intimate things they had done together. He was silent for a long while.

He did not expose Lu Mingzhou, but stood firmly in front of him from a short distance.

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Lu Mingzhou, however, naturally wrapped an arm around Luo Wen’s waist, complaining, “Why stand so far away?”

The two men nearby looked a bit embarrassed at first, but seeing Lu Mingzhou touch the handsome youth’s waist so casually, they quickly fell silent.

“Who’s got a straight guy hugging someone’s waist?” one guy exclaimed in shock.

“Yeah, who’s got a straight guy hugging someone’s waist?” his partner echoed softly.

Lu Mingzhou paused, then awkwardly pulled Luo Wen away.

Once in the car, he covered his face, still a bit hopeful, and asked the system, “You’re from outer space tech, right? You should know—last life I was a hardcore straight guy.”

The system stared at him and replayed, “Who’s got a straight guy hugging someone’s waist?”

Lu Mingzhou shuddered, racking his brain but unable to retort.

He drove Luo Wen home, his mind still foggy, sitting on the sofa for a long time before coming back to himself.

Seeing him hold his forehead, looking out of sorts, Luo Wen didn’t disturb him. Instead, he quietly pulled out a clean set of clothes from his suitcase and headed to the bathroom.

In the past few days, due to his injuries, Luo Wen had resisted the urge to shower, resorting to wiping himself down with a wet towel—an arduous task. But today, his obsession with cleanliness would no longer allow it.

Turning on the faucet, a clear stream of water flowed.

Luo Wen raised his right hand, which was healing faster, and slowly, laboriously aimed it at his shoulder blade.

The warm water cascaded over his body. His nose still faintly caught the sharp scent of medicine. He closed his eyes slightly, concealing the thoughts and confusion in his gaze.

The deal between him and Lu Mingzhou had always been unfair. Apart from quickly curing his mother’s illness, Luo Wen hadn’t hoped for anything else.

But now… things seemed different.

Not only was the other party unlike the ruthless and arrogant character rumored, but he also seemed to treat Luo Wen in an unexpectedly considerate way.

A haze of bewilderment appeared in Luo Wen’s eyes as his hands gently wiped his cheeks.

Was it because of this face that others considered “decent”?

For some reason, Xiang Chen’s earlier words suddenly echoed in his mind.

Frowning, Luo Wen felt a sudden, inexplicable irritation. He lowered his gaze to the splashing water at his feet, eyes fixed unblinkingly.

“Luo Wen, where are you?” Lu Mingzhou called from outside. Soon the bathroom door was knocked, and his voice, tinged with anger and worry, came through: “Your body isn’t healed yet. Why are you showering now? The wounds might get infected.”

Luo Wen came back to himself, the chaotic feelings vanishing at the sound of his voice.

He sighed and looked down at his almost unmarked, pale body. He furrowed his brows, thinking it was ridiculous: would wounds really get infected at this stage?

But he wasn’t the type to argue, so he quietly opened the frosted door, revealing half a wet head.

Facing Lu Mingzhou’s worried and handsome face, Luo Wen slowly uttered two words as if to explain: “Won’t be.”

Lu Mingzhou was flustered.

Luo Wen’s damp hair clung softly to his forehead, and his delicate, exquisite face flushed lightly from the bathroom’s warmth. His eyes, usually cold and detached, now shone clear and moist. Paired with the strands of hair falling to either side, he looked pure and obedient.

Seeing this, Lu Mingzhou felt as if he’d grown several years younger, and his usual long-winded admonishments suddenly died on his lips.

Damn it, how did he fall for this trick? At that moment, Lu Mingzhou realized he might not be as straight as he thought.

The system watched silently and quipped, “So you finally realized.”

Lu Mingzhou had no heart to argue with the system and felt this behavior was childish. Clearing his throat, he said, “Do you really have to wash?”

He frowned deeply, his handsome face full of disapproval.

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Luo Wen lowered his eyes, gripping the shower head. The water splashed continuously onto his feet, not very hot, yet he involuntarily curled his toes.

He was deeply reluctant, but if he didn’t wash soon, he’d start to smell. His face showed no sign of this, but he muttered slowly, “Dirty, can’t stand it.”

Lu Mingzhou knew this was a flare-up of Luo Wen’s cleanliness obsession. From how meticulously he always cared for his belongings, it was obvious.

He had planned to stop him, but seeing Luo Wen’s shirt soaked halfway through and the stubborn look in his eyes, he sighed. What choice was there? Might as well just wash.

The second young master rolled up his sleeves, pushed open the bathroom door, and stepped inside.

“…You!” Luo Wen’s eyes widened in surprise as the other’s body pressed close, his ears flushing crimson.

Lu Mingzhou looked surprised too, glancing at Luo Wen’s still somewhat intimidating hands, and said gruffly, “You really should wash yourself. Otherwise, people will say I’m abusing a patient.”

He was hinting at the nurse who often looked down on him with disdain.

Luo Wen thought of her too, a faint smile curving his lips, a trace of amusement in his dark eyes.

“Take off your clothes,” Lu Mingzhou instructed, as if it were a solemn task, though it was clearly serving someone.

The mist and steam from the shower blurred Luo Wen’s shy brow. Though it wasn’t the first time he had undressed in front of Lu Mingzhou, nor as awkward as their first night together, he still felt somewhat embarrassed.

His long, black, curled lashes trembled, and despite his deep blush, he couldn’t help but sneak a glance at Lu Mingzhou’s reaction.

The other’s phoenix-shaped eyes lifted slightly, losing their usual calm and coldness. Accented by two faint tear moles beneath them, his gaze grew more sensual and alluring.

Lu Mingzhou had no intention of seducing him, yet this unintentional allure stirred the heart profoundly.

…This villain was dangerously captivating. Lu Mingzhou gasped inwardly, silently acknowledging that this was a deadly ultimate villain—a villain who could kill. Looking at Luo Wen now, his heart was calm as a monk who had beaten the wooden fish in a temple for decades, pure and detached.

He said, “Put those hands on my shoulders.”

Luo Wen’s heart fluttered wildly as they drew closer, instinctively wrapping his hands around Lu Mingzhou’s shoulders.

Lu Mingzhou took the shower head from his hands. Their noses nearly touched, so close it seemed their breaths might meld together.

He squeezed some of his usual body wash and hesitated, “I’ll just wash your upper body. Your wounds aren’t healed yet, so don’t stay under the water too long.”

At this point, refusing would be pretentious. To put it bluntly, they had already been intimately close before, and his hands had tenderly touched many parts of this body.

Luo Wen lowered his gaze, long lashes shielding the expression in his eyes, and nodded lightly.

The fine, soft foam slid gently over his collarbone and shoulder blades. Lu Mingzhou’s movements were gentle and slow, as if afraid of hurting him.

The bathroom was warm and fragrant. Luo Wen’s black hair was wet, softly resting on his forehead, his cheeks flushed faintly.

He had never been this close to anyone—not even his own mother.

He remembered how he had grown up so fast, able to read and tidy the house at a young age.

His mother seemed forever lost in love with that man, staring out the window day after day, waiting for him.

If the man arrived on time, it was fine; if not, Luo Wen would be scolded harshly, tugged by the ear.

He did not hate her. Though she was flawed, she never abandoned him. He only felt sadness—perhaps this was her only way of venting her frustration and resentment.

Luo Wen’s thoughts drifted until his lowered eyes met the gaze of the man holding him. Only then did he feel a semblance of reality.

He silently tightened his arms around the man’s, and through the misty water vapor, he suddenly whispered, “Why are you so good to me?”