Shen Kuangye thought for a moment, probably tonight's game had scared him.
Lu Xiangyang's mind was still filled with the images from the game. He was a little afraid that when he took a shower, a ghost might pop out of the mirror—or even the toilet…
But he really wanted to shower. He gripped the sleepwear tightly in his hands, his clean, beautiful eyes fixed on Shen Kuangye.
Shen Kuangye thought for a moment and proposed a solution: "Then I'll wait for you outside the door."
Lu Xiangyang didn't seem entirely satisfied, his eyes glancing at Shen Kuangye with some doubt.
Shen Kuangye awkwardly looked away and offered another solution: "Then leave the door open. I'll stand at the doorway and wait for you."
This was the best plan he could think of.
But Lu Xiangyang still seemed a bit hesitant. Shen Kuangye noticed the conflicted expression on his face, and he unconsciously bit his lip.
In the end, Lu Xiangyang compromised: "Alright then."
He opened the door and, before stepping in, reminded him again: "Brother, don't leave, okay?"
Shen Kuangye leaned against the doorframe, tilting his head to look at him, his tone calm: "Mm, I'm not leaving."
Lu Xiangyang entered the bathroom, a bit frustrated.
Blushing, he undressed, and at that moment, his fear faded away. Just thinking about Shen Kuangye standing right outside the door, able to see him if he turned slightly, made him feel a little embarrassed.
He deliberately slowed down undressing, and while adjusting the shower's temperature, he perked up his ears to listen to the sounds outside.
Outside, Shen Kuangye, hearing the faint rustle of fabric from inside, unconsciously breathed heavier.
For a moment, he even wanted to peek at that body he knew so well.
"…"
Shen Kuangye clearly felt certain parts of his body starting to betray him.
He exhaled lightly and opened his phone, planning to play a few rounds of Co-op Hunting to calm himself down.
He knew Lu Xiangyang wanted him to wait outside simply because he was scared of being alone and having no sound. To ease his fear and let him feel his presence, Shen Kuangye thoughtfully turned up the volume.
Inside the bathroom, Lu Xiangyang, cautiously eavesdropping, suddenly heard a familiar sound of Shen Kuangye tinkering with the computer: "…"
He drew a deep breath, barely able to believe his ears.
He was showering with the door open. Shen Kuangye stood at the doorway, not looking at him, just playing a game.
Lu Xiangyang looked down at his own body, a hint of frustration on his face. Did this body hold no attraction for Shen Kuangye? Or had Shen Kuangye, seeing him every day in a past life, already grown bored?
Lu Xiangyang felt a little discouraged.
Suddenly, he wasn't afraid of ghosts anymore—his resentment was stronger than any phantom.
Shen Kuangye, playing his game, suddenly felt a strange chill beside him.
He got up and closed the bedroom window.
But the chill didn't seem to dissipate.
After finishing two rounds, Lu Xiangyang had just finished his shower.
His hair was still wet, water dripping down his fair collarbones. He wiped his hair with a towel and said to Shen Kuangye, "Brother, I'm done."
Shen Kuangye tore his eyes from the game to glance at him, and the previously flawless prophet character, which had survived 80 seconds, was instantly stunned by the Merwoman.
His Adam's apple moved involuntarily as he made a soft sound.
Lu Xiangyang, freshly showered, wore the sleepwear Shen Kuangye had bought for him, his face still slightly flushed, his eyes glimmering with residual moisture, staring directly at Shen Kuangye. Shen Kuangye felt unable to look him in the eye. He lowered his head, grabbed the hair dryer, gestured for Lu Xiangyang to sit on the bed, and handed him the phone.
Lu Xiangyang took the phone, glanced at the screen showing the prophet mounted on the wild chair, and lightly smiled: "Brother, were you just playing Co-op?"
Shen Kuangye nodded and turned on the hair dryer, adjusting it to the most comfortable temperature and speed to dry Lu Xiangyang's hair.
The boy's frame was small and thin. The sleepwear's neckline was a little loose, so Shen Kuangye only had to lean slightly to get a full view.
He swallowed hard, forcing himself not to look.
If Lu Xiangyang knew Shen Kuangye got these thoughts just from drying his hair, he would probably think him indecent.
Shen Kuangye even felt a bit self-disgusted. When he was alone, he never felt this way—but whenever Lu Xiangyang was around, or there was physical contact, these strange and intense thoughts filled his mind.
Even drying his hair felt unbearably long.
Lu Xiangyang sat there in front of him, smelling of the body wash and shampoo Shen Kuangye had picked, wearing the carefully chosen sleepwear, and his little bear slippers.
Everything about him was so lovable.
Shen Kuangye felt completely unfamiliar with himself now, both physically and mentally.
After drying Lu Xiangyang's hair, he dropped a casual, "I'll go shower now," and walked into the bathroom with his sleepwear.
He didn't notice that Lu Xiangyang had been watching him the entire time.
After Shen Kuangye went in, Lu Xiangyang lowered his gaze to his now-blackened phone screen and sighed, not really in the mood to play.
He looked at his fair, slender, weak-looking legs and slightly toned stomach, seriously considering whether he should start working out.
He even opened an app and began searching for tutorials.
But the exercises were exhausting, and he was panting after only a few reps.
Meanwhile, inside the bathroom, Shen Kuangye let out a soft sigh, his hair soaked, his mind replaying the flash of white he had just seen.
This thought made him feel he might need to linger in the bathroom a little longer.
By the time Lu Xiangyang checked his phone for the fourth time, Shen Kuangye finally emerged.
His hair was wet, a black towel casually draped over his shoulders.
Lu Xiangyang still smelled that familiar scent from the bathroom.
After a few impulsive moments, Shen Kuangye had completely calmed down.
He grabbed the hair dryer from the bedside table, preparing to enter the bathroom, but Lu Xiangyang quickly sat up, volunteering: "Brother, I'll dry your hair."
Shen Kuangye's hair was very soft.
That was Lu Xiangyang's first reaction as he touched it.
He knelt on the bed. Shen Kuangye's back was to him, giving Lu Xiangyang a clear view.
They didn't speak while drying his hair. Lu Xiangyang stole glances at Shen Kuangye's sharp profile.
No matter how he looked, it was beautiful.
If Shen Kuangye still looked like he used to, Lu Xiangyang imagined it and felt his heart skip several beats.
After finishing, Lu Xiangyang mysteriously said, "Brother, I want to show you some photos. You have to tell me honestly which one you like, okay?"
Shen Kuangye: "...?"
A hint of confusion appeared in his eyes. Lu Xiangyang placed the phone in front of him, showing a half-naked, muscular man.
Shen Kuangye: "…"
He looked at Lu Xiangyang, puzzled: "Why are you showing me this?"
Lu Xiangyang pursed his lips, avoiding a direct answer: "Just look first, then tell me."
Shen Kuangye suppressed his discomfort and patiently continued flipping through the photos Lu Xiangyang gave him.
The second photo was a thinner, half-naked man.
The third, fourth, and so on—all different types of men.
After viewing them all, Shen Kuangye fell into long silence.
This felt like a real cleanse for his soul. The agitation Lu Xiangyang had caused moments ago vanished, leaving him feeling desireless.
Yet Lu Xiangyang kept asking, "Brother, which one do you like?"
Shen Kuangye's mind grew even more complicated.
"All of them don't appeal to you?" Lu Xiangyang asked in shock.
How could that be? Did Shen Kuangye prefer more muscular men?
Shen Kuangye, a reflective person by nature, immediately thought Lu Xiangyang was trying to hint at something.
Was he suggesting he should change his body to match the men in the photos?
He instinctively met the gaze of the muscular man on the screen: "…"
His expression of disdain was too obvious.
"None of them appeal to you?" Lu Xiangyang pressed.
Shen Kuangye shook his head.
"Baby," he finally relented, shifting his gaze to Lu Xiangyang's face, feeling slightly relieved inside. "Can you tell me why you wanted to show me these?"
Lu Xiangyang, not getting an answer, sulked and pulled the phone back, trying to make an excuse: "I just wanted to know what kind of male body you like."
Shen Kuangye narrowed his eyes dangerously, finally understanding what Lu Xiangyang was up to.
But Lu Xiangyang never did anything without reason—though he hadn't realized it himself.
"Why did this question suddenly come up?" Shen Kuangye thought. Someone must have planted the idea in Lu Xiangyang's head—Tsuki? Or Shen Luoyu? Or someone else.
Lu Xiangyang felt embarrassed and didn't want to explain, so he closed his eyes: "I feel dizzy… Brother, I'm going to sleep now. Good night."
Shen Kuangye wasn't about to let him off. He grabbed Lu Xiangyang's wrist and leaned over him, his gaze intense.
"If you don't tell me, you're not sleeping tonight."
Lu Xiangyang, unable to resist the pressure of that gaze, reluctantly opened his eyes and asked: "Brother… am I not attractive to you?"
His tone was extremely wronged and sad.
After seeing him in such a vulnerable state, Shen Kuangye, who had just been stirred up, was momentarily speechless: "?"
"I don't have any muscles."
Lu Xiangyang said this, showing his arm—very fair, very thin, still scented with body wash after the shower. No trace of masculine allure.
"Who told you I like muscles?" Shen Kuangye almost laughed in exasperation.
So Lu Xiangyang thought he liked those muscular guys?
"Sometimes I really wonder what goes on in that little head of yours all day," Shen Kuangye said, gently pinching his face.
"Don't show me those photos. I don't like any of them."
He leaned in closer, his ears flushing red from the unfamiliarity of speaking so openly:
"I like you exactly as you are.
Do you understand?"