It Turns out that I am Beautiful, Strong and Miserable [Quick Wear] - 134

 

ITOTIABSAM | Interstellar Orcs | 134

"It really is Mr. Xie."

Dumbfounded, Xiao Meng raised his hand and rubbed his eyes hard.

At this moment, it had been at least half a minute since Gu Cong was taken away, yet they were still standing in front of the restaurant, staring at each other, blowing cold wind.

"It really is Mr. Xie," slowly repeating after, the girl with short hair sitting next to Xiao Meng's workstation shook her head, thinking she was speaking quietly but actually emphasizing quite loudly, "They even hugged! I saw it all!"

The boss’s partner was unexpectedly right beside her, what a thrill!

"But Gu-ge clearly said his boyfriend is a big celebrity." Thinking of his previous matchmaking antics in the office, Xiao Meng felt like banging his head against a wall, tears welling up in his eyes.

And those analyses about Mr. Xie's changes... Who could have imagined that the owner of those drastically different tie styles, the person who made the boss leave work on time to go home together, was sitting right there in their office, pretending not to hear anything.

"Big celebrity? Mr. Xie definitely qualifies as a big celebrity," another girl countered, counting on her fingers, "Good-looking, has fans, and strong business skills."

"Plus, trending on social media. Which young idol can dominate the internet on their own?" 

Xiao Meng, speechless: That makes sense indeed.

But he still wished he could find a hole to bury himself in.

"Cheer up, at least we were the first to discover the truth before anyone else in the company," the male colleague in his thirties, who looked easygoing, put his arm around Xiao Meng's shoulder and chuckled, "Too bad. Next time we have dinner, Gu Cong must treat us."

With his joke, everyone else relaxed too, teasing each other back and forth:

"Yeah, exactly!"

"Hiding it from us for so long."

"The one who tapped the pen fiercely owes me a big meal!"

— Today was just an accident, but if these two ever officially announce their relationship, thinking about the expressions of the other colleagues in the company, there was actually a bit of anticipation.

Sincerely, Xiao Meng muttered, "Mr. Xie looked quite gentle just now."

"I hope Gu-ge doesn't kneel on the keyboard when he gets home."　　

　　

Of course, there was no keyboard to kneel on.

　　

Buckled in his seatbelt, Gu Cong sat obediently in the back seat of the car, his ears burning red, his right hand covering his eyes, reflecting on how he could have done such a childish thing.

　　

Childishness aside, he was caught red-handed by his overly clever boyfriend, flirting as if he were truly drunk.

　　

"Feeling uncomfortable?" Glancing at Gu Cong in the rearview mirror, Xie Ye slowed down slightly and opened a small crack in the rear window.

　　

Hearing his boyfriend's voice, Gu Cong finally dared to take his hand off his face. The car was lit by a soft night light, and his gaze shifted to the driver's seat.

　　

Xie Ye's hands were very handsome.

　　

Long, fair, with a masculine strength, distinct knuckles, and faint scars that swelled slightly, casually resting on the steering wheel as if they were exquisite works of art framed by a piece of pure black velvet.

　　

Struggling to regain composure, with a hint of a comeback, the red light came just in time. Gu Cong's voice was hoarse as he asked, "Why aren't you using automatic mode?"

In his impression, Xie Ye was not someone who enjoyed driving, purely finding it troublesome. His neatly trimmed nails tapped lightly on the steering wheel, and taking advantage of the fact that they couldn't meet face-to-face at the moment, Xie Ye admitted frankly, "Because I wanted to see you sooner."

—Yet the automatic mode often enforced speed limits, too slow.

In an instant, what seemed like a reachable distance made Gu Cong feel incredibly distant. He began to regret why he hadn't just sat in the passenger seat.

This regret persisted until Xie Ye drove him back home.

The use of the private air track, limited to only a few private cars, was too conspicuous. Worried about being followed by paparazzi, Xie Ye chose the most ordinary one to pick him up. 

The lights in the underground parking lot were warm-toned and somewhat dim. Xie Ye got out of the car but waited for Gu Cong to emerge, yet he did not show up.

Looking through the previously rolled-down car window, sure enough, someone was leaning against the back seat, arms spread out towards him in a coquettish manner, as if they might as well have had "hug me" written on their face.

Fine.

Acting drunk it is then.

A memory popped into Xie Ye's mind of a chat log featuring a little dog wagging its tail while holding a rose in its mouth. Xie Ye opened the car door and reached out, "Let's..."

Before he could finish his sentence, a completely unexpected force came from the fingertips he held, then gripping his wrist, following the momentum, thud, without any guard, Xie Ye fell completely onto Gu Cong's body.

"I wanted to hug you," nestling affectionately into the young man's shoulder, Gu Cong, fueled by alcohol, complained softly, "but I never found the chance."

The posture of suddenly sitting in the back seat was indeed somewhat awkward. Fidgeting uncomfortably, Xie Ye raised his hand and patted the other's head, "Hmm."

Pitiful yet adorable.

However, he forgot that no matter how well disguised on the surface, what someone carved into their bones remained, and upon receiving a response, Gu Cong, who was just "gentle and meek" a moment ago, immediately "took advantage," wrapping his arm around the young man's waist, one loop, then a lift.

Both being male, Xie Ye was tall enough but with a slender frame, while Gu Cong, who exercised regularly, had enough strength to lift Xie Ye and even had the energy to free up one hand to protect the young man's head, preventing him from hitting the car roof.

Quite dangerously, Xie Ye straddled Gu Cong's lap.

With a slight bow, he could see Gu Cong's eyes looking back at him, amber in color, the curvature of his lips harmless as they tilted downwards, but the motion of his hand was completely reversed, precise and swift, as he closed the car door.

Too aware of how this position would make him feel, Xie Ye subconsciously reached for the door lock, only to have his left wrist caught by Gu Cong.

"I'm so happy." The slightly rough fingertips of Gu Cong gently rubbed against that small patch of delicate skin, preempting any move Xie Ye might make, as he bumped his elbow outward.

Slowly, the window rolled up.

Elevated just like the window, were Gu Cong's lips.

Gu Cong lightly kissed the young man's beautiful Adam's apple, petite chin, and finally lingered on the earlobe, tinged with a spreading blush: "Xie Ye, I'm so happy."

Happy to love the person he loves, and equally loved in return, willing to soothe his anxieties and fill his sense of security.

At the dinner, Gu Cong only had two drinks for appearance's sake. His voice was slightly hoarse, but there was no unpleasant smell emanating from him. Instead, there was a faint scent of alcohol. In the cramped "confines," the palm of Xie Ye's hand was pressed against the other's chest, feeling the erratic heartbeat. Xie Ye tilted his head slightly, trying to avoid the overwhelming itch of desire.

However, tonight, Gu Cong was unusually assertive. His broad palm pressed against the back of Xie Ye's neck, hidden beneath his shirt, applying pressure.

Foreheads touching, breaths intertwining with different rhythms, Xie Ye wanted to say something, but continuous kisses seized the moment he opened his mouth, engulfing him in passion.

...

In the end, Xie Ye had no memory of how they made it home.

All he remembered was his hand tightly gripping Gu Cong's shoulder, gasping heavily as if on the verge of death, trying to escape by leaning back, but constrained by the limited space in the car, with nowhere to hide. Again and again, he was pulled back, his waist encircled, pinned in place.

So tired.

He was too exhausted to even lift a finger.

Perhaps he cried, or perhaps he didn't. The lights on the car ceiling flickered violently, like a small boat rocking back and forth in the waves, leaving him utterly drained and hoarse.

By the time he touched the bed, the young man, wrapped in a simple bathrobe, instinctively "avoided danger" and instantly transformed into a tiny cat right under Gu Cong's eyelids.

He had just been bathed, his hair not yet dry. As he turned into a cat, his little head remained damp, his pointed ears standing up as he shook uncomfortably.

Helplessly chuckling, Gu Cong set aside the hairdryer and went back to the bathroom to get a dry towel.

Realizing he had gone too far this time, as he wiped the cat dry, he sank his fingertips into the silver-white fur, kneading it like a massage.

"Meow."

Perhaps feeling comfortable, the silver-white cat let out a very light meow, its throat following with a contented purr. Its two pink paw pads wobbled as it lifted them, reaching forward to grab Gu Cong's wrist and kneading it gently.

His lips couldn't help but curl into a smile, as Gu Cong leaned down and kissed the delicate pink nose of the other, "So cute."

The next moment, a black wolf several times the size of Xie Ye appeared out of thin air, like a dragon guarding a treasure, lying on the bed, lightly hooking its tail and skillfully wrapping the silver-white cat in its front legs.

"Goodnight."

"Sweetheart."

The rose that silently witnessed everything was eventually taken down, its most intact bloom preserved as an everlasting specimen, tucked into a paper book in Xie Ye's apartment.

Time marched on steadily, and the plot in the original work gradually reached its conclusion. The cooperation between Ark Technology and the Huo family went smoothly, and the protagonist, Xia Bai, a game designer, began to shine both within and outside the industry.

However, none of this mattered to Xie Ye.

Three months after the dinner and picking up their acquaintance, his relationship with Gu Cong remained publicly known only in a small circle: Xiao Meng was usually a gossip, but when it came to friends' privacy, he strictly adhered to the principle of "keeping his mouth shut".

With him setting an example, other employees also followed suit. On one hand, it was because of Xie Ye's status, and on the other hand, it was out of fear that any leakage of information could harm Gu Cong in the eyes of the public, potentially affecting their relationship.

But in reality, neither Gu Cong nor Xie Ye cared about the so-called social status.

Xie Ye possessed wealth that most people would envy, while Gu Cong also shone brightly in his own field. A person's excellence should not be solely measured by money.

However, recently, Gu Cong did need to rely on his saved salary.

With a weather system fully simulating that of ancient Blue Star, as the New Year approached, the outdoor temperature had already dropped below zero degrees, and there had been several snowfalls, leaving everything covered in white.

On such days, obviously, working overtime was not suitable. After parking the car, Xie Ye, wearing a long down jacket identical to Gu Cong's, held an unopened cup of milk tea in his hand, his face mostly covered by a light-colored woolen scarf.

"Cold?" Arriving intentionally a few minutes late, the movie had already started, and no one would notice them. The light snowflakes drifted down, and Gu Cong reached out, "Come here."

Although the newly bought milk tea was warm enough, Xie Ye still allowed Gu Cong to hold him, their fingers intertwined as they intimately squeezed into Gu Cong's pocket together.

The side entrance of the cinema was very close, their footsteps side by side, leaving light creaks in the snow that had yet to be cleared. In a daze, Xie Ye suddenly felt something icy and cold on his ring finger.

Round.

The size just right to snugly fit his finger.

On such an ordinary and routine day.

"It's nothing," knowing Xie Ye's aversion to constraints and worrying more about putting too much pressure on him, Gu Cong smiled and tilted his head, explaining softly, "Just wanted to give it to you."

After all, besides Xie Ye, his ring would never have another owner.

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