No Ghosting Allowed

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By the time Pei You managed to persuade and trick Zhou Qingbo out of the KTV, it had already been half an hour.

Outside, it was dark and thick as ink. The bustling traffic on the street cast a shallow orange halo, and the late summer breeze brought a faint hint of autumn’s chill.

Zhou Qingbo didn’t know if he was stumbling because he was drunk or intentionally acting stubborn. Almost half of his weight leaned against Pei You, causing Pei You’s neatly worn suit to become messy with wrinkles.

“Walk slower,” Pei You turned his head to look at him and whispered, “There are stairs ahead.”

Pei You’s car was parked by the corner of the road. Half supporting Zhou Qingbo, they walked to the car side by side, with one step deeper and the other shallower, and then Pei You opened the car door.

While inside the KTV, Zhou Qingbo had the energy to play around as he was slightly drunk, but as soon as he came outside and the wind hit him, he started feeling dizzy. Everything around him became a blur, and he walked weakly, letting Pei You care for him.

Pei You gently pulled Zhou Qingbo’s arm off his shoulder, then slightly bent down to settle him into the passenger seat. Just as he was about to straighten up and close the door, Zhou Qingbo held onto him.

“Where are you going?” Zhou Qingbo asked warily.

“I’m driving,” Pei You replied in a soft and gentle tone.

 Zhou Qingbo hesitated for about half a second before letting go of Pei You’s hand.

Pei You closed the passenger door for him and then got into the car from the driver’s side. Zhou Qingbo’s eyes seemed to be glued to him like a radar, following him until he settled down beside him, then Zhou Qingbo slightly lowered his eyes and leaned against the car window.

“Why did you drink so much today?” Pei You asked as he noticed Zhou Qingbo’s lack of movement, thinking he might be getting sleepy. He leaned over, attempting to fasten Zhou Qingbo’s seatbelt.

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The space on the passenger side was tight, not enough for two adult men to maintain distance. Pei You’s arm circled around Zhou Qingbo’s shoulder. He could clearly smell a faint trace of alcohol on him.

That distance was too close. Pei You could see the red string around Zhou Qingbo’s neck with just a glance, along with his slightly open collar. His collar was a bit crooked, revealing half of the sweat-dampened collarbone, rising and falling with his breath.

Warm breath sprayed against Pei You’s neck, bringing a sensation of heat and tickling.

Pei You’s gaze seemed to have been accidentally scalded. He unconsciously moved it away and then shifted it back, deliberately falling on the back of the seat behind Zhou Qingbo.

However, Zhou Qingbo seemed clueless to this closeness. He blinked, seeming to have understood Pei You’s question, but also seeming not to have. In a mismatched tone, he asked, “Why didn’t you answer my call?”

“What?” Pei You helped him fasten the seatbelt buckle, momentarily confused. He said, “Did you call me?”

“I did,” Zhou Qingbo half-closed his eyes and said vaguely, “You didn’t pick up.”

His voice carried a bit of the stickiness of being drunk, sounding a bit pitiful. Pei You took out his phone and glanced at it, only to discover that due to either poor signal or interference from other calls, Zhou Qingbo’s call had been automatically diverted to voicemail without notification.

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“Found it,” Pei You checked the call duration and said, “Maybe I was in the elevator at that time, the signal wasn’t good, and I didn’t receive it. Won’t happen next time.”

Zhou Qingbo was easy to appease. Upon hearing this, he made an agreeing sound, and with a lazy yawn, he said, “Okay… don’t let it happen again.”

“Alright, next time I’ll set a special ringtone for you,” Pei You said and then turned the steering wheel and guided the car back onto the main road. He casually added, “—So, should I take you home now?”

Zhou Qingbo made a tired “mm” sound, seemingly responding.

The car silently merged into the flow of traffic, becoming part of the myriad lights. The light blinked across Zhou Qingbo, and he suddenly remembered the rainy night when he and Pei You were on a business trip to Weinan.

That night, the warm yellow streetlight also passed over Pei You’s face bit by bit, leaving a distinct yet profound impression on him.

Thinking back now, Zhou Qingbo couldn’t really tell whether the comfort and happiness he felt that night came solely from the rain or from the person beside him.

Alcohol seemed to have triggered some hidden feelings in Zhou Qingbo’s heart. His thoughts shifted and he extended his hand and began to search in the direction to his left.

Pei You was driving when he felt something touch his hand. He glanced down and realized that Zhou Qingbo’s hand had sneaked over at some point, hesitantly reaching toward him.

Once he found the right spot, the next moment, Zhou Qingbo’s movements became unabashed. His fingers agilely slipped into Pei You’s palm, carrying a touch that couldn’t be refused, and they interlocked with his.

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He held on so tightly and so naturally, as if Pei You was meant to be held by him. Pei You’s heartbeat instantly skipped a beat. His fingers unconsciously tightened for a moment and then awkwardly loosened.

A sweet yet unfamiliar joy surged in Pei You’s heart. Like soundless rain, it gradually soaked his entire being.

Liking someone was indeed a mysterious thing, Pei You thought. Such a simple gesture could make him so content, content enough to temporarily break his own rules and order.

The traffic signal ahead turned from red to green. While Pei You knew he should follow the driving rules, emotionally he was unwilling to let go of Zhou Qingbo’s hand. So, he gently pressed the accelerator, then tightened his grip on Zhou Qingbo’s hand and drove off..

Zhou Qingbo quietly allowed Pei You’s actions. It was Pei You who felt a bit embarrassed. His eyelashes trembled unconsciously. He cleared his throat and, searching for words, said, “By the way, you still haven’t given me your address.”

Pei You had taken him home before, but each time he had dropped him off at a nearby parking area, not knowing which building and unit Zhou Qingbo lived in.

Inside the car, it was quiet, and only the car’s audio system played soft instrumental music. Pei You waited for a response for a moment but got none. When he turned to look, he realized Zhou Qingbo had fallen asleep at some point.

Zhou Qungbo tilted his head, leaning against the car window, his breathing rising and falling, sleeping peacefully. Yet, he still held onto Pei You’s hand tightly, as if grasping onto a precious treasure that he didn’t want to lose even in his dreams.

Pei You stared at him, unknowingly filling the entire gap of the red light with his gaze. It was only in the sound of a honk from a car behind that he snapped back to reality, quickly withdrawing his gaze and continuing to drive forward.

Unable to get any information of the specific apartment number from the tipsyZhou Qingbo’s mouth, Pei You thought for a moment. He ended up finding a five-star hotel near QingShan and booked a room for Zhou Qingbo to stay the night.

The short rest in the car seemed to restore a bit of Zhou Qingbo’s spirits. By the time they reached the hotel, he had just woken up. Although he still seemed a bit groggy, he could at least walk on his own.

He didn’t seem to have any objections to staying at the hotel. He obediently let Pei You lead him to the front desk to check-in, and then he was guided upstairs and settled into the room.

“I’ve informed the front desk to look after you,” Pei You handed a wet towel to Zhou Qingbo, speaking warmly. “Just remember, you need to wake up early tomorrow, go back home and change clothes before going to work.”

Zhou Qingbo’s ears perked up when he heard “wake up early.” He slumped his head, grunted sullenly, indicating that he understood.

The expression on his face was the same as when he usually acted pitiful and playful. Pei You couldn’t help but smile, tapping the towel in his hand.

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“As long as you understand, don’t forget,” Pei You said. “If you don’t need anything else, I’ll leave now. Rest well.”

Pei You stood up to leave as he said that. However, before he could take a step, Zhou Qingbo suddenly grabbed his wrist.

“Where are you going? Another blind date?” Zhou Qingbo seemed to have a radar for this matter, instantly becoming agitated. He complained, “You have me, yet you’re still going on blind dates? The guy from the last blind date wasn’t sincere. I scared him off for you last time, and you’re still—”

The words “you’re still” were left hanging, either because he hadn’t figured out what to say next or he just restricted himself.

Pei You had become used to this situation after experiencing it once. This time, being accused, he actually remained calm. He did have a new blind date set up by his mother, but he didn’t know how Zhou Qingbo had found out about it.

Moreover, Zhou Qingbo seemed to care about this matter a lot, to the point of becoming a bit clingy. However, Pei You didn’t know why, but his heart softened. He looked at Zhou Qingbo with a serious and slow gaze, and explained to him.

“I didn’t go on the blind date,” Pei You said earnestly. “I turned it down.”

Zhou Qingbo’s expression went blank for a moment, and his sluggish brain processed the sentence slowly. Then he followed up with, “…Why did you turn it down?”

It was he who didn’t want him to go, and yet he was asking why. Pei You looked at him deeply, implying his question, “What do you think?”

Zhou Qingbo seemed to have forgotten about his coercion and coaxing Pei You to admit his feelings in the KTV earlier. He wrinkled his brows in confusion, as if feeling ashamed of himself for “interfering too much.” At the same time, he hoped that Pei You would give him an answer.

Trying to communicate with a drunk person was pointless, but Pei You’s patience towards him seemed to exceed the norm. After waiting for a while and thinking Pei You wouldn’t respond, Zhou Qingbo suddenly stepped forward and hugged Pei You tightly.

The embrace was intimate, with one arm around Pei You’s shoulder and the other around his waist, as if he wanted to envelop him completely.

Pei You sensed a possessiveness from this embrace, so he gently moved his fingertips, not struggling.

“You’re so cunning—” Zhou Qingbo said stubbornly, hugging him even tighter. “The method I taught you was to flirt with others, why are you using it on me?”

“Is it not allowed?” Pei You asked in return.

Zhou Qingbo was caught off guard by the question and fell silent for a moment. With a vague surrender, he replied, “it is.”

“…it is allowed,” he said.