One-way Passage

wkward to go over.”

Ming Luchuan stared at him for a while before mutely sidestepping him and walking in the direction of his bedroom.

Xia Wennan followed closely behind him, asking, “You thought I was eavesdropping, so you deliberately said a few nice things for me to hear, didn’t you?”

“What nice things did I say?”

Xia Wennan refused to take the bait.
“I didn’t listen in on you.
How would I know what nice things you said about me?”

“Right,” said Ming Luchuan.
“And I didn’t say anything nice, so I didn’t do anything deliberately, did I?”

As they arrived at the door of Ming Luchuan’s room, Ming Luchuan opened the door and walked in.

Xia Wennan stopped at the doorway, asking, “We’re not going home tonight?”

“Dad said he needs to think about it,” said Ming Luchuan.
“He’ll make his decision tomorrow morning.”

Xia Wennan then entered the room and said, “I don’t want to spend the night here,” while walking to the bed and sprawling across it.

Ming Luchuan was standing by the bed and looking at his phone, seeming to have received a work-related message.

Ming Luchuan’s words were running through Xia Wennan’s mind.
At the time, separated by a door, he’d only felt the pitter-patter of his heart fluttering.
Now that the man himself was before him, his heartbeat grew faster and faster the more he looked at him.

He wanted to confirm what Ming Luchuan had said in the study and ask him what he was really thinking, but he’d only denied that he had been eavesdropping a second ago; it’s not like he could just slap his own face the next second, so with an itch he couldn’t scratch, he had to make do with teasing Ming Luchuan.

He kicked Ming Luchuan’s leg gently.

Ming Luchuan, who was still looking at his phone, merely grunted.
“Hm?”

“Why did you marry me?” said Xia Wennan.

Ming Luchuan finally looked at him.
He did not, however, respond to the question.

“Your little brother said that you’re using me to oppose your dad,” Xia Wennan added shortly after.

“Really?” Ming Luchuan said impassively.

“I don’t think you are, though.”

Ming Luchuan placed his phone on the bedside cabinet and started unbuttoning his collar.
“What do you think then?”

Xia Wennan sat up, propped up on his palms, his legs still splayed out in front of him.
He delicately caressed Ming Luchuan’s leg with his toe before laughing and said, “You married me because you’re madly in love with me, of course.
You can’t live without me.”

Ming Luchuan looked at him, towering over Xia Wennan.
With downcast lashes and an indiscernible smile in his eyes, he coldly said, “Really?”

Xia Wennan retracted his foot and crossed his legs, arms hugging his chest.
He smiled up at Ming Luchuan and said, “Let’s break it down, shall we? Growing up, you saw how badly Ming Qin treated you, how he solely favoured your two younger brothers; it’s also clear that you don’t get along with them.
You later developed feelings for Duan Ning, but he rejected you.
You’re the type of person who needs love but is also afraid of getting hurt, so the moment Duan Ning rejected you, you gave up on those feelings without hesitation.
And then I showed up.
I, Ming Yan’s chief perfumer, father of pheromone perfumes, and perfume industry genius—such an exceptional young man liked you and also took the initiative to propose to you, so you fell head first right away and couldn’t get out.
Am I right?”

The hint of a smile in Ming Luchuan’s eyes gradually diminished.
As he looked at Xia Wennan, his expression grew focused, and when he heard this, he once again asked coldly, “Really?”

The tilt of Xia Wennan’s head revealed the fair and slender curve of his neck and shoulders.
He seemed to be recalling something.
“You said that it’s not worth investing in unreciprocated feelings.
You couldn’t stand Duan Ning rejecting you, yet despite the fact that I’ve lost my memories for this long, you’ve always waited for me.
When I walked to the door of the civil affairs bureau, you weren’t willing to give me up at all.
So Duan Ning and I aren’t the same, are we?”

Ming Luchuan didn’t respond.

But Xia Wennan was certain that his words had pierced the depths of Ming Luchuan’s heart anyway; he patted his chest, and as he sat there cross-legged, he spread his arms and said, “Come here, I’ll give you everything you want.”

Ming Luchuan gazed at him.

Xia Wennan gave him a smile.

“And what is that?” Ming Luchuan asked, voice low and deep—yet a little unsteady.

Xia Wennan answered, “A loving hug.”