No Ghosting Allowed

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After several days, sitting in the passenger seat beside Pei You once again, Zhou Qingbo inexplicably felt as if they had entered a different world.

Pei You’s car was much like him, clean, neat, and organized. Even though there were no scented products inside, a faint scent of white tea could be detected.

The passenger seat was still adjusted to the angle Zhou Qingbo had set last time, making it appear that no one else had used it recently. Zhou Qingbo adjusted his sitting posture contentedly and lazily stretched his body.

“Finally outdoors.” Zhou Qingbo reclined against the backrest like a boneless creature and muttered, “I’ve been home for so long, I’m growing fur.”

He didn’t bring up the topic earlier, and Pei You had momentarily forgotten about it, but now he recalled Zhou Qingbo’s “coming out process” and couldn’t help but look at him sideways.

“By the way, how’s your family doing?” Pei You asked, “Are they still angry?”

These past few days, when Zhou Qingbo was confined at home, they rarely kept in touch as they used to. Pei You only knew bits and pieces about the “coming out” situation and wasn’t sure how Zhou Qingbo had handled it with his family.

When they met earlier, he was so happy to see him again that he had momentarily forgotten about the topic. Now he remembered and wanted to inquire.

“My older brother and dad are both still angry, but it’s not as bad as you might think.” Zhou Qingbo replied, “My mom is more neutral— for her, as long as I’m doing well, she doesn’t object.”

Even though Zhou Qingbo had spent a while being detained, he had only had a few conversations with his family regarding this matter. He sifted through the useless arguments and explained his coming out process to Pei You in detail.

Pei You’s brow furrowed at first, but as he listened, he gradually relaxed, and his tense shoulders eased.

“Your family is quite understanding.” After Zhou Qingbo recounted the entire process in detail, Pei You sincerely exclaimed, “They really love you.”

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No wonder Zhou Qingbo had developed such a personality, Pei You thought.

Despite growing up under strict parents, Zhou Qingbo had remained carefree and independent. In theory, he should have felt suffocated staying by his strict father’s side, but his personality wasn’t sensitive or irritable. He didn’t seem like someone who grew up under high pressure.

“What’s the matter? Feeling jealous?” Zhou Qingbo teased with a chuckle, “I know they love me, but do you love me?”

Pei You: “…”

“Tell me.” Zhou Qingbo urged playfully, “If you don’t, I’ll be sad.”

From the time they first met until now, Zhou Qingbo’s “being sad” had become so inflated that it seemed he could be heartbroken a hundred times just by a single glance from Pei You, making it seem utterly valueless.

However, no matter how insincere Zhou Qingbo’s words were, Pei You still took the bait every time. He quickly responded with an “Mmm” and said, “I do.”

His voice was soft and gentle, and as he spoke, his lips curled up involuntarily, revealing a contented and faint smile. It was like a feather, landing gently on calm water and causing tiny, almost invisible ripples.

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Having received the answer he wanted, Zhou Qingbo squinted his eyes, his smile like that of a satisfied cat. He became more affectionate in his gestures and couldn’t resist holding Pei You’s hand, playing with it like a precious ornament, touching here and rubbing there.

Zhou Qingbo touched and teased, deliberately not giving him an easy time. His fingertips slid gently back and forth in Pei You’s palm and the back of his hand, bringing a slight cool and itchy sensation.

Pei You shivered under his touch, feeling uncomfortable all over. It was as if Zhou Qingbo’s hand carried a low electric current, a touch that could make his skin tingle.

“…By the way,” Pei You’s gaze flickered momentarily, trying to forcefully divert his attention from their intertwined hands. “Is it okay for us to run away like this?”

Although Zhou Qingbo had explained everything, Pei You still hesitated, unable to resist looking towards the dark alley not far away, and hesitated, “Is it really okay not to let your grandpa know?”

“No need, I’ll call him tomorrow,” Zhou Qingbo chuckled, thinking that Pei You was indeed a good child who hadn’t even run away from home before.

“Since my dad sent me here, it’s implied he’s letting me run away,” Zhou Qingbo said with a smile. “If I were to announce it openly now, that would cause a big fuss.”

Since he put it that way, Pei You eased his worries too. He glanced at their intertwined hands and couldn’t help but consider using the excuse of adjusting the seat belt to separate their hands.

However, Zhou Qingbo seemed to have seen through him. He tightened his fingers before Pei You could pull his hand away, holding onto him firmly.

“Where are you running off to?” Zhou Qingbo said with a smile.

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“Let me fasten your seatbelt,” Pei You said amiably.

“No.” Zhou Qingbo said, “I want to hold onto you for a while longer.”

Zhou Qingbo always had a mischievous streak. He leaned slightly, deliberately lowering his body to get closer to Pei You. His eyes followed Pei You’s, raising his eyebrows playfully. “If you want your hand back, you have to kiss me.”

They were so close that Pei You could see Zhou Qingbo’s bright eyes when he lowered his gaze. Zhou Qingbo’s eyes were filled with almost overflowing amusement, fixed on Pei You’s with intensity. Despite his submissive posture, their joined hands conveyed a strong sense of dominance.

With a thought, Pei You leaned forward slightly and lightly kissed the corner of Zhou Qingbo’s lips.

“Like this?” Pei You asked.

Zhou Qingbo didn’t say anything, instead, he turned his head slightly, leaned in, and briefly kissed Pei You. Then he said, “like this.”

Having gained the upper hand, Zhou Qingbo released Pei You’s hand contentedly, allowing him to adjust the seat belt. The car slowly pulled away from the alley entrance.

The intimacy that night seemed to have exceeded some boundaries. Even after the car had entered the main road, Pei You still felt a bit flushed. On the other hand, Zhou Qingbo seemed to adapt well, visibly more joyful.

“Where are we going?” The navigation in the car didn’t lead to Star River Bay. Zhou Qingbo glanced at the screen, knowingly asked, “Are you kidnapping me?”

“We’re going to the new apartment,” Pei You habitually ignored the latter part of his sentence and replied, “I’ve already set it up.”

Pei You had always taken Zhou Qingbo’s words to heart. During the days Zhou Qingbo was confined, Pei You had rented an apartment and gradually moved in some necessary items.

Fortunately, the lease for the place wasn’t long, and it was a newly decorated house. So, with just a few soft furnishings, it was ready to be lived in.

Even though Zhou Qingbo joked about wanting a “palace,” he was actually easy to please. He didn’t care where Pei You took him; he was just excitedly tagging along, showing genuine interest in the scenery along the way.

For the first time in his life, Zhou Qingbo was going to live with someone he liked. He felt inexplicably excited and found everything fresh. He even took an extra look at the colored garbage bins by the entrance of the new residential area.

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“We’re here.” The elevator doors slid open. Pei You stepped out first, then reached back to block the doors with his arm, saying, “This is the one.”

The new apartment still retained a faint scent of the soft furnishings, and a faint hum from an air purifier could be heard upon entering. Zhou Qingbo stood by the doorway, not immediately stepping inside, but instead taking a moment to look around.

Everything in front of him was completely unfamiliar, yet Zhou Qingbo blinked and suddenly felt an indescribable sense of belonging.

This is our home, Zhou Qingbo thought.

The new apartment, with its natural wood-colored style, was furnished with new pieces. Coffee tables, sofas, and even a large-screen TV connected to a gaming console were there. Zhou Qingbo glanced around and noticed a small bar counter about two meters high near the dining area.

Beside the bar counter was a small wine cabinet, about the height of a person, containing a few bottles of basic liquor.

Zhou Qingbo’s gaze lingered on that corner for a while, his fingers unconsciously curling, and he couldn’t help but touch his fingertips.

—Pei You didn’t drink, so it was obvious who those drinks were prepared for.

“I didn’t know what you’d like, so I didn’t buy much,” Pei You explained. “Once you tell me what you prefer, we can get more later.”

Zhou Qingbo remained silent. He turned his head, pursed his lips, and smiled at Pei You.

This smile was different from the ones before. It wasn’t simply contentment, nor did it carry the usual playful aura. It seemed deeper, as if it held more complex emotions.

“I like it,” Zhou Qingbo said. “Whatever you buy is fine.”

When he said this, his face didn’t hold the usual liveliness. His tone had a sense of depth, yet it wasn’t bitter. It was like peeling off the outer layer of jade, revealing the warm and translucent core beneath.

Pei You paused for a moment, not having the chance to fully discern this subtle change, before Zhou Qingbo had already composed his expression, stepping into the apartment.

Pei You followed him inside and then seemed to recall something. He reached into the small storage box at the entrance and pulled out a key.

“By the way, Qingbo,” Pei You said. “Here, take this, the key to the apartment.”

The key was newly cut, with a small plain loop attached. Zhou Qingbo turned to look at it and found that the loop was about the size of a finger. He couldn’t help but smile.

“Just giving it to me like this?” Zhou Qingbo deliberately teased, “So easily?”

Pei You seemed to not understand why giving a key required any complex process. He blinked, his face showing a slightly confused and blank look.

Realizing that hinting at him wouldn’t work, Zhou Qingbo decided not to bother with the effort. He placed his hand over the back of Pei You’s hand, not taking the key from him, but instead holding onto his hand and slipping the plain circle loop over his own ring finger on the other hand.

“Alright, done,” Zhou Qingbo said, entertaining himself. “I accept.”

He slightly lowered his head in this position and, while holding Pei You’s hand, lightly kissed his knuckles.

“Congratulations, Mr. Pei,” Zhou Qingbo smiled. “Starting today, we are family.”