“Yup.” Zhang Yuwen adored babies. “A child’s attitudes about other people comes from their parents’. Yan Jun trusts me, so Xiao-Qi’s more comfortable being close to me.”
“Ah,” said Huo Sichen, understanding. “That makes sense.”
“Have you ever thought about having kids?”
Huo Sichen snapped back to his senses. “No,” he said. “Never. My older brother has two, and they’re always so rowdy.”
Soon, the train arrived at their station, and everyone disembarked. The resort shuttle bus was waiting at the train station to take them on a journey deep into the mountains, where the hot spring resort lay. Aside from them, surprisingly few guests seemed to be on their way to the resort.
When they reached their destination, they found the manager and the front desk staff waiting outside to greet them. They bowed. “Welcome.”
“Wow!” Zheng Weize, vacationing here for the first time, was bursting with anticipation.
It was clear that the film production company that helped make the reservations had informed the hotel who Zhang Yuwen was in advance. He worried the staff might let something slip in their enthusiasm, but fortunately, they seemed to know not to go too far. He handed over the vouchers, and the resort arranged three rooms for them. The others divided the rooms among themselves while Zhang Yuwen accepted three wooden plaques, each with a key attached.
Zheng Weize reached for a plaque. “I want to share a room with Xiao-Qi.”
“Sure—wait, what?” Zhang Yuwen looked at Chang Jinxing, but Zheng Weize had already taken the key away.
“Then I’ll bunk with Jinxing,” Chen Hong said.
Zhang Yuwen was dying to know what had happened between them. The rooms the resort arranged for their group were all next to each other, and there seemed to be no differences among them, so the room assignments ended up being Zhang Yuwen with Huo Sichen, Yan Jun with Zheng Weize, and Chen Hong with Chang Jinxing.
“Gentlemen, please come with me,” the receptionist said, holding their bathrobes. “The hot spring for men will be downstairs during the night and on the mountain on the fourth floor in the day. Your accommodation is called Crane Hall; it’s in a separate building. Follow the path…”
“Wow!” Everyone was suitably amazed.
Crane Hall had four bedrooms that faced each other in pairs, plus a common area in the center for drinking tea. Hot tea had already been prepared by the staff. The rooms were furnished with Japanese tatami mats. When it came time for bed, someone would come to set out the bedding for them.
“The dining area is across the path to the south,” the receptionist said. “Here, please choose your robes.”
“So comfy!” Zheng Weize entered his room and opened the tatami screen to reveal a terrace with floor-to-ceiling windows. Beyond that was a beautiful, wintry landscape dotted with mountain village houses in the far distance.
The fourth room was unoccupied; they had effectively booked the entire little building for themselves. Zhang Yuwen checked on everyone before returning to his room. By then, it was half past three.
The heating was turned up high. Huo Sichen had taken off his coat and was sitting at the low table in his black sweater, drinking matcha and admiring the scenery outside.
Zhang Yuwen smiled. “This is so much better than the last time.” His memory of their stay at Elephant Gorge was still fresh in his mind.
“Your publisher is really generous,” said Huo Sichen. The resort had taken him by surprise.
“Maybe? Or maybe they just upgraded our rooms because it isn’t fully booked today.”
Everyone had their doors open, perhaps not seeing the need to close them. Honestly, Zhang Yuwen would’ve started to feel awkward if the doors were closed. His relationship with Huo Sichen was no longer just friendship, but they weren’t lovers yet, and somehow, anything they did felt inappropriate.
“What did you bring?” Huo Sichen asked.
“You want to rummage through my bag again?” Zhang Yuwen laughed.
“Just curious.”
Zhang Yuwen had brought along a book on creative writing to read when he was bored. As he unpacked his belongings and put them away neatly, Huo Sichen flipped through the book with apparent interest.
“Don’t force yourself,” Zhang Yuwen said, guessing that Huo Sichen had zero actual interest in it. The book was commonly used by screenwriters, and it could be abstruse even for novelists. Huo Sichen stopped pretending.
Meanwhile, in the rooms across from them, the others had already changed into their bathrobes.
“Yuwen!” Zheng Weize called out. “Are you guys going to the hot spring?”
“Later! You all go ahead.” Zhang Yuwen may have been the one who chose the hot spring, but he was still a little uncomfortable at the thought of being completely naked with his roommates.
Chen Hong came out of the room opposite theirs and pulled Zheng Weize back. “Come on, don’t bother them…”
Zhang Yuwen and Huo Sichen exchanged a glance. The awkwardness between them intensified.
“Let’s change into our bathrobes.” Zhang Yuwen took a bathrobe, sat at the table, and removed his shirt. “Aren’t you changing?”
Huo Sichen put the book down and hesitated for a moment.
“I’ll see it all later anyway,” said Zhang Yuwen, “so what are you shy for? Strip!”
Huo Sichen was unexpectedly hesitant. Zhang Yuwen came over and made to strip him himself. “Okay, okay,” Huo Sichen said hastily.
He got up to close the door, but Zhang Yuwen said, “They’re gonna see you later anyway. Does it make a difference?”
Huo Sichen was lost for words. Zhang Yuwen started laughing, and Huo Sichen closed the door partially. Trying his best to maintain his composure, he undid his belt.
Zhang Yuwen, now completely undressed, stood in his naked glory. Huo Sichen stopped what he was doing and turned to look at him. With one hand holding his bathrobe, Zhang Yuwen made a “What?” expression, openly allowing Huo Sichen to look.
Remarkably, Huo Sichen blushed! He looked at Zhang Yuwen, his Adam’s apple bobbing, and took a sudden step toward him. Zhang Yuwen knew he wanted to kiss him, but the door was still open, so he made a “no” gesture. Huo Sichen stopped advancing and started stripping.
“Is the purpose of the hot spring to inspect the goods first?” Huo Sichen joked.
Zhang Yuwen was skilled at controlling the situation even at times like this. “It’s to let you inspect the goods. So, are you satisfied?”
Zhang Yuwen was scrutinizing Huo Sichen right back, and he discovered to his surprise that Huo Sichen’s physique was even better than his own. Slim when clothed, toned when naked, and he even had well-defined pecs!
Oh no! A certain part of Zhang Yuwen began to stir. He’d thought he’d be able to keep his cool today after he relieved himself the night before.
That was when he discovered why Huo Sichen had acted so bashful, and why he kept avoiding him when he was changing into his robe:
Huo Sichen was hard.
His cock looked even bigger than Zhang Yuwen’s at its peak. That made sense; he was taller than Zhang Yuwen and had broader shoulders and longer fingers.
Zhang Yuwen’s eyes curved in a smile. “You…”
Huo Sichen tried to make his disobedient little friend calm down, but it only became harder. “It’s been a long time since I’ve… You know,” he explained, wrapping himself in the bathrobe.
“So you were lying about dreaming of me last night?” said Zhang Yuwen, skeptical.
Huo Sichen’s face turned even redder. He changed the subject. “We going to soak in the hot spring now?”
“I’ll ask the guys?” Zhang Yuwen said. “Do you want to show it to everyone?”
Huo Sichen was lost for words, his face beet red. He waved his hand to tell Zhang Yuwen not to say any more. Sitting with his back to Zhang Yuwen, he did his best to calm himself. Zhang Yuwen found this adorable. He wouldn’t have minded topping him.
A sexual stirring rose within him, Huo Sichen its target. Zhang Yuwen pictured, thrillingly, having this tall, long-legged, elite man panting under him.
Across from them, Zhang Yuwen saw Chang Jinxing changing clothes. Yan Jun was on a phone call in the common area. Zhang Yuwen sat down beside Huo Sichen. “Let’s wait a while.”
Huo Sichen was back to his usual self. “I found a chess set. Shall we play? Do you know how?”
The room had Monopoly and a chessboard. “Will you get angry if you lose?” Zhang Yuwen asked as he set the chessboard up.
“Nope. I’ll go easy on you and let you take back moves.”
“Oh, really? We’ll see about that. I never take back a move.”
“That’s a good habit to have. Life is like a game of chess. No going back, no regrets.”