Chapter 21

Yu Haiyang first reached out and turned off the lights of the grocery store, then chased him to the front of the stairs, blocking Fang Jianyuan's path. "I'll do it."

"No need," Fang Jianyuan persisted inexplicably, walking up the stairs with the fan in his arms.

Yu Haiyang's arms stretched out and encircled Fang Jianyuan from behind, grabbing the fan and preventing him from continuing his way upstairs.

Fang Jianyuan struggled and firmly took hold of the fan, refusing to let go. During the struggle, the fan knocked into the staircase's metal handrails and made a loud clang that echoed into the night.

Startled, his movements came to a stop, and Yu Haiyang let him go.

After a while, there was the sound of a door opening upstairs, and Fang Jianyuan's mother asked loudly from the second floor, "What are you up to?"

Fang Jianyuan looked up nervously and replied, "It's nothing, the fan in my room broke down so I wanted to get the one downstairs."

His mother said, "Be a little careful!" Afterwards, there was the sound of a door closing.

Fang Jianyuan heaved a sigh of relief, then continued to walk upstairs with the fan in his arms without saying a single word.

Yu Haiyang merely followed behind him.

While walking to the corner of the stairs between the first and second floors, Fang Jianyuan felt that his posture was extremely tiring. He put the fan down, wanting to carry it in a different position.

As soon as the fan touched the ground, Yu Haiyang hugged him from behind.

Fang Jianyuan lost his head out of fear and struggled.

"Shhh—" Yu Haiyang's voice sounded above his head. He used one hand to embrace Fang Jianyuan's waist and lifted him into the air, gently covering his mouth with the other, and said, "Don't disturb your mother."

Then, Yu Haiyang set Fang Jianyuan down on the windowsill. He had stopped struggling, only panting lightly, and Yu Haiyang pressed his hands on the windowsill and confined Fang Jianyuan between his arms.

Yu Haiyang bent down and pressed close to him, whispering, "What's the matter?"

Fang Jianyuan smelled the alcohol on Yu Haiyang and recoiled, his body practically sticking to the glass behind him. He turned away from Yu Haiyang.

Consequently, Yu Haiyang turned his head, insisting on looking him in the eye. "Why are you mad at me?" He obviously hadn't done anything.

Fang Jianyuan didn't answer—there was simply no answer to this question at all. Yu Haiyang hadn't done anything wrong. It was he himself who was unconsciously flustered and avoided him.

"I'm sorry," Yu Haiyang whispered close to his ear.

Fang Jianyuan lowered his eyes and spoke in a voice as sticky as the summer air. "You don't need to apologise to me."

"No." Yu Haiyang suddenly grabbed Fang Jianyuan's hand and pressed it hard on his chest.

Yu Haiyang's chest was warm and damp with sweat, and at this time, Fang Jianyuan could clearly sense that Yu Haiyang was drunk.

Tightening his grip, Yu Haiyang then said, "It's all my fault that my baby is angry."

Fang Jianyuan immediately stopped breathing, and even his ears seemed to be slightly ringing. He looked at Yu Haiyang and was at a complete loss.

Yu Haiyang gazed at him gently. The light outside shone through the window and illuminated Fang Jianyuan's forehead and nose that were entirely covered with perspiration. Yu Haiyang took out a tissue from his trouser pockets and attentively helped Fang Jianyuan wipe the sweat off his face. At the same time, he said, "When you go back and take another shower, don't be angry with gege."

Fang Jianyuan awkwardly turned, "Who's the gege? Shameless."

Yu Haiyang smiled. "Don't be angry with uncle."

There was a faint red that faintly showed through Fang Jianyuan's pale skin.

Yu Haiyang stuffed the tissue that had been used to wipe Fang Jianyuan's sweat back in his trouser pocket, then turned to carry the fan upstairs.

Fang Jianyuan sat on the windowsill for a while, then jumped down and followed him upstairs.

Yu Haiyang carried the fan all the way into his room and put it down, squatted on the ground and plugged it into the power socket, then reached out and turned on the fan.

The fan's blades began to spin not long after, and standing at the doorway, Fang Jianyuan felt a cool breeze.

Yu Haiyang dragged the broken fan to the corner and said, "I'll help you take a look at it tomorrow to see whether it can be repaired. It's too late today. It'll disturb your mom's sleep."

Fang Jianyuan let out a soft 'Mm'.

Yu Haiyang walked up to him, put his hand on the edge of his cheek, and rubbed his ear with his finger. "If you're not happy, tell me. Don't sulk."

Fang Jianyuan murmured, "I'm not."

Yu Haiyang's finger lingered on his ear, reluctant, and after a while, his hands let go and he said, "Good night."

Fang Jianyuan leaned on one side of the door and watched as Yu Haiyang left the room through the remaining space.