Singlehood Syndrome

Xiang Mo’s first kiss was probably during high school.

Out of curiosity, he had kissed a male classmate, but neither of them felt anything special, so it ended without any further developments.

Xiang Mo had pondered why there were no feelings during that kiss and concluded that he didn’t like the other boy. As a result, he formed a peculiar viewpoint that kissing was something only two people who liked each other could do.

In itself, this perspective wasn’t strange, but considering it in the context of Xiang Mo’s committed relationship with Tan Song, it made Tan Song feel quite perplexed.

As the lips before him enlarged infinitely, tainted with the intoxicating scent of alcohol, Xiang Mo inexplicably started thinking about the composition, contemplating how to capture the sensuality of these lips on paper. He was momentarily stunned, lost in thoughts of sketching and adding colors to replicate the alluring lips.

“If you keep looking at me like that,” the lips, not treated as inanimate objects, moved on their own, showing off a hint of teeth, “I’ll be unable to resist kissing you.”

Suddenly, his drifting thoughts snapped back, and an overwhelming sense of shame crept up Xiang Mo’s spine, spreading throughout his body.

He must have been influenced by the passionate kiss of the young couple downstairs, causing these strange thoughts to surface involuntarily.

Seeing Du Chi’s lips slightly curling, teasing him in a somewhat familiar manner, Xiang Mo realized that Du Chi had the same idea — he thought Xiang Mo wanted to kiss him.

Xiang Mo swore he didn’t.

Since he couldn’t answer Du Chi’s previous question about kissing, he didn’t want the atmosphere to take an awkward turn.

He glanced down at the lovey-dovey couple below, regained his composure, and asked Du Chi nonchalantly, “Did you act like this when you were in school?”

Du Chi seemed like a bad student, and he probably engaged in early romance. However, his answer was unexpected, “No, I didn’t.”

Xiang Mo was surprised, but Du Chi continued, “I didn’t do things so secretly.”

Indeed, it matched Du Chi’s style.

“What about you?” Du Chi suddenly asked Xiang Mo.

“I only started dating in college.” No early romance and no need to act secretly.

Suddenly, he thought of his ex-boyfriend who left him, and the topic lost its appeal. Xiang Mo’s gaze drifted away, and he didn’t feel like reminiscing, saying, “It was dull.”

“It’s indeed uninteresting.” Du Chi chuckled softly, “Being single is more comfortable, right?”

“Except for Ye Xing,” Xiang Mo was slightly curious, “Has no one else pursued you?”

With Du Chi’s charm and qualities, there should be no shortage of admirers. But considering what Du Chi had said, Xiang Mo speculated, “Or do you prefer being single?”

“Yes,” Du Chi replied, “I don’t want anyone to disturb me when I’m focused on something.”

It resonated with Xiang Mo.

If he planned to relax by himself, even if he did nothing, he wouldn’t want anyone to disturb him. Perhaps some people remained single due to a busy work schedule, but for Xiang Mo, it was simply that he didn’t want to share his time with others.

However, compared to Xiang Mo’s leisure time, Du Chi seemed to emphasize “focus on something.” Xiang Mo found it strange and asked, “Are you very busy with work?”

Xiang Mo wasn’t one to pry into others’ private lives, but after confirming Du Chi’s preference for being single, he felt a subtle change in his mentality. He no longer had to be overly cautious since both of them could maintain clear boundaries.

“A bit,” Du Chi rested his elbow on the balcony railing, gazing at the distant skyscrapers, “There’s a lot to handle during the early stages of starting a business.”

“You’re starting a business?” Xiang Mo was slightly taken aback.

“Isn’t it obvious?” Du Chi turned his gaze from afar and looked at Xiang Mo with a hint of amusement.

To Xiang Mo, it wasn’t that obvious. Who in the early stages of a business would rent such an expensive office in an old Western-style house?

Well, he was different. He needed the atmosphere of an old house for his art studio, which would attract more students. However, Du Chi apparently didn’t need to meet clients, so why not choose another place that wouldn’t affect his work?

Could it be because it was close to the second-hand bookstore? Or perhaps this environment stimulated his creativity better?

Xiang Mo wanted to continue asking, but the next questions would involve money, and he hesitated to broach the topic. He decided to wait for Du Chi to talk about his business, but he heard Du Chi suddenly ask, “Why don’t you hold art exhibitions anymore?”

This private question came out of nowhere, and Xiang Mo hadn’t figured out how to answer when Du Chi continued, “I’ve heard about it.”

Xiang Mo was puzzled, “How did you know?”

Du Chi replied, “I heard about it.”

Xiang Mo wanted to ask where Du Chi had heard about the exhibition, but his phone suddenly vibrated with a WeChat message from Tan Song.

【Tan Song: Did you change the front door code?】

After Tan Song had left last time, Xiang Mo indeed changed the password, letting Du Chi come up with the numbers.

However, that wasn’t the main point now. Since Tan Song knew the password had been changed, it meant he was currently downstairs.

In the next moment, Tan Song’s call came through, and Xiang Mo realized that he had oversimplified things, thinking that cutting off contact would naturally lead to their relationship fading away. But now it seemed that they still needed to have a final resolution.

Having a convenient tool at hand, Xiang Mo looked at his phone screen and said to Du Chi, “You are my friend with benefits.”

Du Chi’s voice was filled with confusion, “Friend?”

“Friends with benefits.”

As Xiang Mo descended from upstairs and opened the courtyard gate, he found Tan Song waiting at the door.

Tan Song naturally stepped into the courtyard, as if nothing had ever happened between him and Xiang Mo.

“Mo Mo—”

Even the way he called Xiang Mo was exactly the same as before, refusing to change no matter what Xiang Mo said.

From the direction of the art studio, lazy footsteps approached. Du Chi, wearing slippers, came to Xiang Mo’s side, casually putting his arm around his waist and asked, “We have a guest?”

Unlike last time, where Du Chi was just an observer, this time, he fully played his role as a tool.

Tan Song glanced at Du Chi’s hand, looking slightly puzzled. Xiang Mo still felt uncomfortable in such a situation, pursed his lips, and said, “I have someone else now.”

When the situation reached this point, a decent adult should no longer pursue the matter, at least Xiang Mo didn’t misunderstand Tan Song on this point.

He quickly accepted the current reality, sighed, and asked Xiang Mo, “It’s over, right?”

“Yes,” on Xiang Mo’s side, it had ended long ago.

“Okay.” Tan Song nodded, seemingly unsure of what to say. In the end, he simply said, “Take care.”

“You too,” Xiang Mo replied.

The matter was resolved smoothly, just as expected. Xiang Mo climbed up the wooden stairs and went back upstairs, briefly emptying his mind.

There wasn’t much to ponder or reflect upon. Tan Song was like a friend met during a journey, encountered and parted ways with in a plain and unremarkable manner.

Throughout one’s life, there are too many such passersby. Once you get used to it, it doesn’t feel like much.

As Xiang Mo reached the bedroom door on the second floor, he stopped and turned around, intending to thank Du Chi. However, just at that moment, Du Chi, who had been following closely behind him, suddenly pressed him against the door, without any warning or explanation, and kissed him passionately.

Their lips collided in the dim light, accompanied by the unbearable warmth of their breaths, like an accidental collision yet also as if it had been planned for a long time.

Xiang Mo couldn’t even push him away in time. By the time he reacted, Du Chi’s tongue had already invaded his mouth, wreaking havoc inside.

What was happening??

Xiang Mo’s mind was a little muddled.

Compared to Du Chi, Tan Song was way too polite. He always sought Xiang Mo’s consent in everything, and if Xiang Mo said no, he would never force anything.

But Du Chi was different. He completely disregarded reason, and when he said he would do something, he did it, overpowering Xiang Mo, leaving him no room to refuse.

However, Xiang Mo wasn’t a fragile little flower. He bit Du Chi hard, making him wince in pain and back off, glaring at him and asking, “What do you think you’re doing?”

“Hisss—” Du Chi frowned, rather displeased, and retorted, “Wasn’t it you who said we should be friends with benefits?”

“That was…,” Xiang Mo tried to explain.

His intention had been to be “friends with benefits” for a short while, but only while Tan Song was around. After Tan Song had left, that situation had clearly come to an end. How could Du Chi not understand that?

Wait a minute, something’s not right.

Xiang Mo almost forgot how malicious this big dog could be. He suddenly realized that Du Chi deliberately misinterpreted his words. After all, Xiang Mo hadn’t been very clear, so Du Chi just pretended not to understand.

“I didn’t mean that,” realizing that being verbose was pointless, Xiang Mo gave a straightforward response, not giving Du Chi any more room for misunderstandings.

“This won’t do, artist,” Du Chi clicked his tongue twice, shaking his head, and looked at Xiang Mo as if he were a scoundrel. “You don’t mean that, so stop messing around.”

“I didn’t!” ——

On the way upstairs, as he watched the swaying hips in front of him, Du Chi suddenly decided he no longer wanted to be a tool doge.