Chapter 79: YOU WOULD UNDERSTAND WHY I CANNOT STOP

Wang Chengli opened the door before Liuxian reached it.

"Welcome back, Master."

Liuxian handed him two of the bags. "Where is he?" And then bowed slightly "Hello to you too, uncle Wang."

"Master Xue is in his room. He fell asleep about an hour ago."

Liuxian nodded and headed upstairs. He stopped at Guiying’s door, pushed it open quietly and looked in.

Guiying was asleep on top of the covers, still in his indoor clothes, one arm tucked under his pillow and his face turned slightly to the side. His bear slippers were lined up neatly at the foot of the bed.

Liuxian set the bags down carefully by the wardrobe, crossed the room, sat on the edge of the bed, and lay down beside him.

He pulled him close and buried his face in his neck.

Guiying’s pheromones had become something he associated entirely with coming home.

Vanilla, warm, familiar in a way that had crept up on him without announcement.

He stayed like that for a while. Then he pressed a kiss to Guiying’s cheek. Then his temple. Then the corner of his mouth because it was there.

Guiying stirred.

His brow furrowed first. Then his eyes opened slowly, unfocused, taking in the ceiling and then the person considerably closer to his face than expected.

"Liu Liuxian.." he said, his voice thick with sleep.

"Mm," Liuxian said.

"What are you doing?"

"Lying down."

"Why? Why my bed? Why must you trouble me."

"You weren’t using all of it, I fit perfectly.."

-_-

Guiying pushed himself up onto his elbow and looked at him with the expression of someone assembling their complaints in order of severity.

His hair was slightly flattened on one side and his cheek had a faint pillow crease on it.

"You can’t just come in here while I’m sleeping and—"

Liuxian kissed him.

Guiying pulled back. "I wasn’t finished—"

Liuxian kissed him again.

Guiying stared at him, his lips twitching from annoyance.

"I’ll keep kissing you," Liuxian said pleasantly, "every time you try to berate or complain."

Guiying closed his mouth.

He looked at the ceiling.

Then at Liuxian.

Then at the ceiling again with the expression of a man calculating whether any complaint was worth the consequence.

He decided none of them were.

"What time is it?" he said.

"Just past five.." Liuxian said. "We’re going out tonight." He stood and crossed to the wardrobe, opening it to reveal the bags.

He began laying everything out on the bed.

The cream silk blouse.

The ivory corset piece.

The high waisted trousers.

The silver chain belt.

The pearl necklace.

The gold cuff bracelet.

The thin gold ring.

And lastly, the box.

Guiying sat up and looked at everything.

Then he reached for the box and opened it.

Black satin platform heels, crystal embellished ankle strap, small gold charm at the clasp.

He looked at them for a moment. Then at Liuxian.

"They’re beautiful.." he said. "But they’re uncomfortable heels. My feet will be destroyed by the end of the night." He held Liuxian’s gaze directly. "Next time please take into consideration that I’m the one wearing them. I’d appreciate something I can actually walk in comfortably and that is preferably not heels."

Liuxian looked at him.

"I’ll keep that in mind.." he said. This time he meant it.

Guiying nodded, satisfied.

"We’re leaving at seven.." Liuxian said. "I’ll see you downstairs."

He managed to steal a kiss before walking out.

Guiying showered, did his skincare, and sat at the vanity.

Light makeup, the outfit was already doing most of the work.

The wig next, fitted until the hairline sat naturally.

He got dressed deliberately.

The blouse first, then the trousers, the corset piece over it, fastening each hook from the bottom up.

The silver chain belt sitting low on his hip. The pearl necklace at his throat. The gold cuff at his wrist. The thin ring on his right hand.

Then the heels.

He buckled the crystal ankle strap, stood, and took two experimental steps.

He picked up his bag and went downstairs.

Liuxian was at the bottom of the stairs when he heard footsteps above him and looked up.

Guiying came down slowly, one hand light on the railing, the cream silk catching the light with every step, the corset pulling everything into a silhouette that had no business existing in a private residence on a Wednesday evening.

The pearl necklace sat at his throat like it had been made for him. The heels gave him a height and a presence that filled the entrance hall quietly and completely.

Liuxian watched him descend and said nothing until Guiying reached the bottom step.

"You are.." Liuxian said quietly, "the most beautiful thing I have ever seen in my life."

Guiying opened his mouth.

Liuxian walked toward him, took his hand, and kissed the back of it.

Guiying blinked.

Then Liuxian walked around him.

Slowly.

Deliberately.

The full circle of someone who had bought this outfit knowing it would look like this and was now confirming that he had, if anything, underestimated it.

"Liuxian.." Guiying said, his voice caught somewhere between mortified and something else entirely.

Liuxian completed the circle and stood in front of him again.

"Tu es absolument magnifique," he said. "Every single detail."

"Stop.." Guiying said, his ears fully red.

Liuxian reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone.

Guiying stared at it. "What are you doing?"

"Taking a picture."

"You are not—"

"Stand still."

"Liuxian I swear—"

The shutter clicked.

Guiying pressed his lips together with the expression of a man who had lost a battle he had not seen coming.

Liuxian looked at the photo for a moment, then looked back at Guiying with that quiet, steady expression, the one that had no performance in it whatsoever.

"If only you could see yourself the way I see you right now.." he said. "You would understand why I cannot stop."

Guiying looked at him. Something moved across his face, brief and unguarded, the kind of thing that appeared only when a person had been caught completely off guard by sincerity they were not prepared for.

He looked away.

"We’re going to be late," he said.

"We have time," Liuxian said.

"Liuxian."

Liuxian smiled and offered his arm.

"Mon étoile," he said softly.

"What does that mean?" Guiying said, taking his arm.

"One day I’ll tell you," Liuxian said, and walked them both to the door.

Guiying walked beside him and said nothing further but his ears did not cool down for a considerable amount of time.