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Another tattoo artist, carrying a toolkit, came out of the partition and whistled subconsciously upon seeing Long Jia’s chest muscles.
“Quite the catch,” the young woman said playfully: “Sir, since it’s our first meeting, let me remind you.”
“Removing a tattoo is painful, so don’t casually get your lover’s portrait or name tattooed.”
Long Jia was already scanning a QR code to pay, his voice indifferent: “He’s already my ex-boyfriend.”
“Go on, why are you giving me money?” Owner Shen quickly pushed his phone aside, gesturing for the young worker to cool off elsewhere: “Really decided?”
“Decided.” Long Jia lowered his head towards his chest: “Here, a black swan, with a long neck, beautiful feathers, fierce eyes, looking like it pecks people every day, I only want that one.”
Huo Ren was thinking about how to first get his brother back to wash his face and cool his head.
He wasn’t sure if he should tell Bo Jue about this.
Not far away, Owner Shen had already started sketching the tattoo design for Long Jia, and Huo Ren’s phone vibrated twice in his pocket.
It was a voice message from Pei Ruye.
“Ren Ren,” the man’s voice was warm: “I’ve been too busy lately, haven’t contacted you in a long time.”
“I asked a friend to leave a gift in the office on the sixteenth floor, about two hours later, remember to pick it up.”
“Happy holidays.”
Huo Ren hadn’t contacted him for a long time, glancing at Long Jia while listening to the voice message again.
“Okay, I’ll go later.”
Long Jia was dissatisfied after a long look, finally taking the pen to draw one himself.
Fierce yet cute, irresistibly adorable.
“How long will it take?”
“Thirty to forty minutes,” Owner Shen said leisurely: “Shall we start?”
“Mhm,” Long Jia let him rub alcohol on his chest, frowning: “Ink it deeply.”
Tattooing indeed hurt.
The first needle was so painful he instinctively wanted to run away, and it didn’t get numb afterward, hurting from point to surface.
Long Jia silently endured it, sweat forming at his temples.
Huo Ren and the young tattoo artist squatted on each side, one wiping sweat, the other handing tools to the master.
Huo Ren thought about the matters related to Pei Ruye for a while, his thoughts drifting somewhat helplessly when he returned to the present.
He vaguely felt that temporarily breaking up was the right decision.
Once this busy period was over, Crown could legitimately fade from the entertainment industry, and then everything would be easier to discuss.
But such rational analysis and choices were too painful.
Feeling guilty, he didn’t dwell further, shifting the topic instead.
“How many people get tattoos on their chest?”
“Not many, because it hurts.” The young woman glanced at Huo Ren, earnestly explaining: “The skin on the chest is thin, nerves sensitive, it definitely hurts when inked.”
“Most people choose the shoulder, outer arm, or leg for tattoos, areas that are thick and durable, and heal quickly.”
Huo Ren nodded, wrapping his coat tighter: “The chest must hurt the most.”
“The most painful place is actually the hand, especially the palm,” the young woman laughed: “But who gets a tattoo on their palm for no reason? Metabolism there is most active, nerves dense, not only does the tattoo fade easily after, but it can really knock someone out from pain.”
“Some people choose it.” Owner Shen switched to a finer needle, casually saying: “But by that stage, it’s no longer just about getting a tattoo.”
Huo Ren listened with some curiosity but didn’t dare to ask further.
The black swan itself had a simple design, positioned over the heart, so it could accompany Long Jia to sleep every day.
As they headed back, Xie Lianyun sent a message saying Bo Jue had already gone to sleep, his mood not too good.
On the way back, Huo Ren was driving.
Long Jia curled up on the other side of the window, the pain lingering like the aftertaste of strong liquor.
“I’m much better,” he said in bits and pieces: “Is Xiao Bo okay?”
“He’s already asleep.” Huo Ren paid attention to the steering wheel, glancing sideways to check the road: “Actually, a few days ago, I told Yun-ge.”
“Told him what?”
“Next February, whether we get the crown or not, we all need to take a break, to properly rest.”
Huo Ren softly adjusted his breathing and tone, gazing towards the end of the snowy road.
“Yun-ge came to me with regrets.”
After knowing about Chi Ji’s depression, Xie Lianyun became quiet for a long time, even walking softly.
“Ren Ren,” he had drunk too much at a dinner party, leaning on Huo Ren afterwards in a hoarse voice of confession.
“I can’t help thinking, if Xiao Chi were free, he might become happier.”
“Sometimes I feel, whether it’s the seventeenth floor or Corona, suddenly they’ve become prisons locking us in.”
It wasn’t supposed to be like this.
The weather was too cold; Huo Ren turned up the car’s heater, still curling his fingers while driving, trying to avoid the winter wind beside the window.
“Next year, no matter the outcome, after OSC, we’ll all take a good rest.”
Not chasing the release schedule for new songs, nor caring about the chaos and filth in the circle, whether we’re top-tier or has-beens, what outsiders say doesn’t matter.
He’s not waiting anymore.
Family is most important.
Nothing is more important than his family.
When he spoke these words, Xie Lianyun was silent for a long time before hugging him tightly.
“Ren Ren, you’ve also worked too hard for too long.”
“We’re not in a hurry, we have a long, long life to walk together.”
Long Jia, awakened by the coolness, smiled and ruffled his hair.
“You’re the one who needs rest the most, Ren Ren.”
“Next year we’re going to get the crown, of course, we’ll go on vacation— if we don’t get the crown, Yao Yao might really bite someone in frustration.”
When they opened the door to come home, Mei Shengyao was sitting at the doorway, hugging them as they entered, comforting Long Jia by patting his back.
“It’s okay,” Long Jia whispered: “Your Bo-ge and I are adults, we can handle these things well, don’t worry.”
After ensuring they were alright, Huo Ren quickly tidied himself up and hurried to the sixteenth floor.
He gradually realized that the six of them were completely linked together.
Each person’s pain, joy, and even their breaths were shared, with no one ever overlooking anyone.
This actually provided a great sense of security.
Huo Ren walked quickly through the corridor, knocking on the door of Pei Ruye’s office out of habit before turning the handle and walking in.
Then, he walked into a warm embrace.
“I’m sorry… I’ve missed you so much.”
The man lowered his head to kiss his hair gently, his arms tightening around his waist inch by inch.
“Valentine’s Day ends in two hours.”
“I almost didn’t make it back in time, I arrived just five minutes ago.”
He really shouldn’t be here.
There’s a negotiation continuing at seven in the morning tomorrow. He can only stay here for two hours before catching a red-eye flight to the neighboring city for his schedule.
Huo Ren thought he was dreaming.
He lifted his head to see Pei Ruye’s face under the dim light, his lover’s tired smile and messy hair, his eyes reddening.
“So much has happened recently,” he murmured. “I don’t even know what to do.”
“Teacher, kiss me, hold me again.”
Pei Ruye held him next to the sofa, wrapped them in a blanket, and lit a Tarocco blood orange candle.
Then quietly fulfilled the lover’s duty, giving him a slow and gentle long kiss.
Not lovers, unable to confirm their feelings, unable to meet often, they were like lovers that didn’t exist.
They were also the candles that kept each other breathing.
Huo Ren hadn’t seen him for seven months, and when they kissed again, hooking their necks, the dense touch of their lips made him tremble unconsciously.
Long-ge and Jue-ge worried about losing control and making mistakes, concerned that the romance itself would pose burdens and risks to the crown.
He felt exactly the same.
“As Valentine’s Day ends,” Huo Ren spoke hurriedly, “shall we do this again next year, okay?”
Next year… By next year, perhaps, everything will have settled.
The eldest brother would go into business, and Xie Xie would pursue music.
Jue-ge would occasionally return to guide Xiao Huan in playing the piano, while he and Chi Chi would study in the United States or the United Kingdom.
He shouldn’t look forward to the crown’s retirement, but as long as they secure that crown, they could completely detach from the fame and fortune scene, with no more regrets or concerns.
If they don’t secure it, then it’s also fine to rest, to relax on a vacation.
Pei Ru lived with clarity, understanding this was the most subtle inquiry.
He pressed his forehead against Huo Ren’s, his voice carrying a smile: “So what if we do?”
Huo Ren didn’t expect to be teased at this moment. Tentatively, he kissed the corner of his lips, anxiously saying, “Did you understand?”
“A teacher should never kiss a student like this.” Pei Ru leaned in, rubbing his cheek against his lips tenderly, “There are still two hours to go, consider this an extra reward.”
Huo Ren felt a weight lifted off his shoulders, even feeling grateful internally for him to think in such a way.
“You have to go far and high,” he used his fingers to comb through Huo Ren’s hair, his voice warm and powerful, “You’re almost there, just hold on a little longer.”
Huo Ren fully sank into his embrace, hugging the man tightly and humming softly.
He learned to enjoy these last two hours just like him.
This was Pei Ruye’s first Valentine’s Day with Huo Ren, filled only with peace and joy, holding him was already enough.
“If I were to admit a selfish desire,” his voice was husky, pausing for a long while, “Ren Ren, please… don’t fall for someone else.”
Huo Ren was startled for a moment, instinctively wanting to object.
“You have no idea how wonderful you are.” Pei Ruye couldn’t bear being away from him for too long, now burying his face in Huo Ren’s neck, each sentence sounding like a sigh and a plea.
“Your light shines too brightly, attracting too many admirers.”
Huo Ren remained silent for a long while, finally breaking into a laugh.
“Teacher, do you know how long I’ve liked you?”
“That year I first debuted, when you came to see me at the zoo in the middle of the night, I couldn’t bear the thought of letting you leave.”
Pei Ruye’s breathing paused, his voice rough, “I’ve always felt you were too dependent on me back then.”
“Even dependence wouldn’t lead to dreams in the middle of the night,” Huo Ren slowly said. “Teacher, have you never dreamt of me?”
They both recalled certain unspeakable moments, then laughed quietly to themselves.
The atmosphere tonight was pleasant, yet it wasn’t time to take that step.
Moreover, two hours were hardly enough.
Just hearing him openly admit those few sentences made Pei Ruye feel as though there were schools of dolphins leaping and singing in his heart.
He began to reveal many things to Huo Ren that had been kept hidden before.
How he had felt jealous from afar countless times, how he would often look at his photos when the pressure from work became unbearable, how he longed to spend Christmas and Thanksgiving with him, and how the number of times he missed him was too many to count.
The man held him close, softly calling him “Ren Ren,” exposing the softest parts of his heart, far removed from the cold, ruthless businessman known in the corporate battles.
With each word spoken, Huo Ren’s heart raced uncontrollably.
He never imagined that his teacher’s sweet nothings could be so lethal.
The affection they held for each other was tinged with careful admiration.
They were leaders and followers, loyal devotees to one another.
This made their love both intense and pure.
Pei Ru caught his wrist, letting him listen to the heartbeat at his chest, and kissed the side of his forehead.
Huo Ren obediently pressed his right ear against his chest.
“…I love you.” The man tightened his grip on his hand, his gaze lowering as he spoke with a steady heartbeat, “I love you so much that I can’t bear to leave you.”
If it weren’t for laying a path for Huo Ren’s future, he wouldn’t have endured with what could be described as terrifying perseverance, abstaining from seeing, watching, kissing — a separation that lasted half a year.
His beloved deserves a brighter, more splendid future, deserving to stand above thousands, possessing an unmatched pinnacle.
Huo Ren knelt on his legs, lifting Pei Ru’s face to kiss him once more.
Their lips soft, carrying a hint of the sharp aroma of gin, the touch on the heart was especially entwining and lingering.
“I am yours, everything is yours,” he whispered, “Kisses, longing, love, body, soul, all solely belong to you.”
“Teacher, wait for me a little longer.”