The Gentle Man Next Door is a Rabbit - 47

 

TGMNDIAR - 47

After sending the camellias, Xu Mu intended to seize the opportunity to suggest attending the weekend architectural master manuscript exhibition and invite the other party to go together—

But he forgot.

Perhaps because he was too happy at the time, or the taste of the grape juice was too sweet and rich, causing him to completely forget about it.

After returning home feeling frustrated, Xu Mu realized it was useless to dwell on it. If he deliberately went back to mention it, it would inevitably seem a bit strange, so he decided to send a message on his light brain instead.

[Xu: Brother Nian, are you free on Sunday?]

The response came quickly.

[Bai: Yes, why?]

Xu Mu immediately sat up straight from the bed.

[Xu: hjdsklahdk. Link]

[Xu: I recently saw the promotion for this exhibition, it seems quite interesting, want to go together?]

Xu Mu waited silently, watching the "typing" indication, holding his breath unconsciously.

[Bai: Sure]

[Bai: This Sunday, right? What time?

The corners of Xu Mu's lips curled upward, and he typed immediately.

[Xu: Yeah, 9 AM]

[Bai: Okay]

[Bai: Should we bring Yeye?]

Xu Mu hesitated for a moment, his fingers hovering in the air.

[Xu: Ye Ye might find it boring, after all, it's an exhibition of architectural manuscripts, he probably wouldn't be interested, not like an anime like Saiya that's captivating...]

[Xu: Of course, if he wants to go, it's fine]

[Xu: However, Ye Ye might not like it]

[Xu: He's still young, and if the exhibition is too quiet, he might not be comfortable]

Xu Mu hastily typed a few sentences, scratching his head, completely unaware that the biggest third wheel was right beside him.

[Bai: Then let's not bring Ye Ye, he will probably find it boring]

Xu Mu breathed a sigh of relief and replied immediately.

[Xu: Okay, Brother Nian]

On the other side, Bai Nian leaned on his chin, a smile lingering in his eyes, especially when he saw the consecutive messages from Xu Mu, the suggestive meaning was extremely strong.

Perhaps it was a bit mischievous, but he actually found teasing the young man quite enjoyable.

At the same time, he was very happy.

Just like Xu Mu, he was also looking forward to their time alone.

Upon careful calculation, this was the first time the other had invited him out on a date.

Bai Nian lowered his eyelids, unconsciously pressing his lips with his fingertips, gently rubbing them.

Was there anything he needed to prepare...?

-

Xu Mu deliberately woke up early on Saturday, fiddling with his hairstyle in front of the mirror and choosing his outfit.

He now had a good grasp of the American-style preppy look. It is obviously a large-scale project that is carefully crafted, he managed to create a casual and effortless relaxed feeling—

It had to be natural, like he woke up like this in bed.

Because last time, Brother Nian said not to wear something so thin, Xu Mu reluctantly gave up his leather jacket and carefully selected a vintage workwear jacket with a neat silhouette.

He chose a sherpa lining that wasn't too thick, not wanting to appear too bulky.

After all, who wants to look as bulky as a bear?

After finishing everything, Xu Mu found that it was still early, only six o'clock.

Nades diligently cleaned the living room, finding its master to be a hindrance.

"Can't you go back to your room?"

Xu Mu lifted his foot and glanced sideways, "Do you believe I wont dismantle your battery?"

Nades humanoid "hummed" disdainfully, rolling his eyes.

Xu Mu: "..." Damn, that's scary.

He didn't argue with the robot and pulled out the "Tips for Pursuing Someone" that he hadn't finished reading last night, continuing his in-depth study.

Ten minutes later

Xu Mu felt dizzy from all the clichés.

It turns out pursuing someone is so difficult...

Xu Mu folded his hands over his stomach and leaned back against the armrest of the sofa, peacefully closing his eyes.

—It's not that he wasn't trying, but every situation is different. What should he do if Brother Nian doesn't respond well to these techniques?

Xu Mu comforted himself for a while, but couldn't shake off his unease.

He got up again and continued reading.

Well, he shouldn't be afraid of trying. What if a blind cat encounters a dead mouse?

-

"Morning, Brother Nian." Xu Mu appeared at the door on time.

Bai Nian responded gently, "Morning." He took out the prepared scarf and draped it around Xu Mu's neck.

"You really didn't wear a scarf..."

Xu Mu blinked, "Ah, I have one in the storage compartment, but..." He resolutely refused to wear such a burden in order to look cool.

"But what?" Bai Nian smiled.

Xu Mu averted his gaze, "Nothing."

In no time, Bai Nian had reached the final step of tying the knot, with a tug, a press, a tie, and it was done.

"Done."

Xu Mu lowered his head, the other person deftly swinging the tassel, slender fingers smoothing out the wrinkles, the black scarf complementing the pale complexion, like a work of art.

"Thank you, Brother Nian."

"Mm." Bai Nian asked again, "What about your hands?"

Xu Mu extended his gloved hand from his pocket, "I have gloves, see, they're on."

Bai Nian raised his eyebrows, unable to express whether he felt regret or something else, and put away the gloves he was about to take out.

"Alright, that's better," he said.

8: 55.

Right on time, when Xu Mu and they arrived at their destination, they found the ticket gate crowded with people, already stretching several meters away.

"It's quite lively." Xu Mu sighed, "I thought with this kind of touring exhibition running for most of the year, there wouldn't be many interested people."

Bai Nian smiled, "Although it's a touring exhibition, each round features new manuscripts from different masters, some of which are limited editions. If you miss them, you miss them."

"Scarcity increases value, especially since they're already treasures. They have a considerable attraction for professionals in the field of architecture, especially when they're endorsed by some masters' names, making them even more enticing."

Xu Mu didn't delve into the content of the exhibition, but only searched for reviews of the exhibition, which were extremely positive, saying that one would regret it for a lifetime if they didn't go.

"Oh, I see."

Bai Nian added, "But actually, if it wasn't for your invitation, I would have found a chance to come anyway."

Xu Mu was stunned for a few seconds, his mind racing.

"Do you have any favorite architectural masters, Brother Nian?"

"Yes."

"Who?"

"Muyuanzi."

"..." Great, he didn't know who that was.

Xu Mu silently noted it down to look it up later.

Bai Nian continued, "Today happens to feature his new manuscript exhibition, the 'Passing' series, which I'm interested in. I’m quite lucky."

"I checked, and it seems like today is the last day of Muyuanzi's new manuscript week, so I thought today would be the most suitable place to see all of his exhibition works."

Bai Nian's smile deepened, "I see, I am extra lucky then."

Xu Mu paused, "In March next year, this exhibition might return once again, and invite Master Muyuanzi's wife to explain his work correspondence and the stories behind it."

Bai Nian looked thoughtful, raising his eyes, "Where did you find this information?"

"Uh, the official website has his star network ID. I searched and found it in his private sharing."

Bai Nian leaned over, "Let me see."

"Mm..."

Today, Bai Nian wore a knee-length overcoat in smog blue, with a round-neck white sweater inside, paired with a low-saturation gray-blue scarf and black trousers, and pure white sneakers.

The whole person was unbelievably soft, like a ray of sunlight in the cold winter, gently falling on the shoulders. Perhaps not scorching, but he couldn't ignore it.

The tassels of the black scarf swayed, intertwining with the hanging gray-blue scarf for a moment, and then gently dispersed.

Xu Mu's gaze moved away from the screen, unconsciously falling on the side of the other's face. The fluffy fabric was against the cheek, his eyelashes trembling slightly, covering his eyes.

"We can go together again next month," Xu Mu said softly, "I'll keep an eye on the updates on the official website then."

Bai Nian chuckled softly, "Okay, thank you for your hard work."

Xu Mu's heart fluttered slightly when he agreed.

They'd make plans for the next time.

...

At one minute past nine, the glass doors of the exhibition opened.

The crowd surged in, a dense mass of people.

The atmosphere inside was relatively quiet, with everyone speaking in hushed tones.

As they walked on, they spoke less.

Bai Nian suddenly stopped, gazing for a long time at a corner of the exhibition area.

Xu Mu also stopped.

He carefully read the text introduction next to it, densely packed on a board.

【"Love Nest" - For My Wife, Mrs. Bai Qi】

Xu Mu read through it attentively, probably a touching love story. 

From acquaintance, to love, marriage, and having children, the other party designed a set of houses for his wife that suited her preferences, and even personally participated in the decoration.

Bai Nian took a few steps forward, gazing at the yellowed manuscript, and said softly, "Muyuanzi's style has always been known for its ruggedness, but the layouts of these houses are unusually delicate, with many thoughtful designs for loved ones..."

He smiled, "The power of love."

Xu Mu didn't know Muyuanzi, but still responded with a fitting "Mm."

"What a very special gift, his wife must be very happy."

"Would you like it, Ah Mu?" Bai Nian asked with a smile.

Xu Mu paused, "Would I like it?"

"If someone gave you this gift... would you like it?"

No one would give him such a gift, he wasn't— 

Xu Mu cleared his throat, "Yes, I would like it. It's very beautiful, as it says, it's a love unique to an architect."

Bai Nian's eyes flickered slightly, a smile playing on his lips.

Xu Mu continued, "Unfortunately, I'm still a novice. Not to mention master-level, even my basic skills are lacking. I don't think I could give such a gift."

He changed the subject, "But if it were at your level, Brother Nian, it should be no problem. Your partner would be very happy. I don’t know who would be so lucky."

Bai Nian chuckled. He thought the young man was indirectly talking about himself, and softly replied, "What do you think?"

Xu Mu blinked, "I don't know. It depends on what type of person Brother Nian  likes... Ah, have you ever thought about what your future partner would be like?"

He said it calmly, but his heart was pounding.

Bai Nian shook his head, "No."

"Not even a little?"

"Just someone with good chemistry, I guess."

"...” Well, that's a generic answer.

Bai Nian decided not to tease Xu Mu anymore and continued, "Alright, I do have some preferences. Someone with a good personality, handsome appearance, looks cool on the outside but is warm-hearted and caring. I prefer someone younger too. They... also enjoy taking care of others."

Xu Mu mentally checked off each point, trying to fit himself into the description.

Good personality is a matter of opinion.

Handsome appearance, a bit subjective, let's put it aside for now.

Looks cool on the outside? Well, he knew Bai Nian liked that type, cool and aloof. He made a mental note to hit the gym harder when he got back.

Warm-hearted... if he had to, he could be.

Caring, no problem at all.

Younger... this one—

"Brother Nian prefers younger ones, huh," Xu Mu hesitated, "How young? Just turned eighteen? How much further?"

"It's not good if they're too young..." he sounded a bit sour.

Bai Nian didn't expect Xu Mu to interpret it that way.

But he continued teasing the young man with a smile, "Nineteen."

Xu Mu frowned. Wait, that would mean... No, he was nineteen now!

"Well, younger is good."

Bai Nian was delighted. He patted Xu Mu's shoulder, "Yeah, you're great at nineteen, full of youth and vitality. Any younger, and I wouldn't be able to handle it."

Xu Mu froze for a moment, "Uh, really?" He stuttered, thinking Bai Nian was teasing him.

He lowered his voice, "Brother Nian, do you prefer the same sex or the opposite sex?"

Bai Nian casually replied, "You know about my physical condition. To be precise, I'm more attracted to males."

Xu Mu suddenly remembered that Bai Nian was... bisexual.

His eyelids blinked faster, his mind spinning. If he liked both, then surely he had a preference, right?

Ignoring whether it was appropriate or not, Xu Mu asked in a hushed voice, "So, Brother Nian, do you prefer to top or bottom..."

Bai Nian was a bit surprised. He glanced over, noticing Xu Mu's flushed ears.

A trace of amusement spread to his lips.

He wanted to continued teasing him, he leaned closer to Xu Mu's ear and exhaled softly.

"... I prefer to be conquered."

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