FIMA Ch179: Conclusion [Part 3]

The table they were sitting at was tucked into the farthest corner. Since lunch hour had already passed, there were not many people in the restaurant.

Still, the moment Xie Qingxiao’s words left his mouth, the air itself seemed to go still.

Gu Siyuan sat quietly in his chair, his gaze fixed on Xie Qingxiao without moving, his eyes deep as an abyss unchanged for ten thousand years.

A moment ago, Xie Qingxiao had spoken on a rush of hot blood. But after the impulse passed, under Gu Siyuan’s calm stare, he gradually came back to his senses.

Remembering the shamelessly bold words he had just said, he immediately wanted nothing more than to jump straight out the window and escape.

But in order to preserve his dignity, he absolutely could not retreat now. So he simply widened his eyes and stared stubbornly right back at Gu Siyuan.

“Hmph. What are you staring at? Didn’t you hear what I said? So what if I think that way?”

Gu Siyuan withdrew his gaze, lowered his eyes slightly, and nodded. “I heard it. It’s nothing.”

Xie Qingxiao’s heart tightened.

He was afraid Gu Siyuan would keep talking and say something next.

And he was also afraid Gu Siyuan would say nothing at all.

Then, in the next instant, after sitting silent for a few seconds, the man across from him suddenly let out a soft laugh.

The smile was extremely faint, with no clear emotion in it.

But Xie Qingxiao instantly felt as though he had been looked down on.

He licked his lips and, though lacking both reason and confidence, still forced his voice strong. “Y-you… what are you laughing at? Is it funny? Or do you have some objection to what I said?”

Gu Siyuan shook his head with perfect calm. “No objection at all.”

But the moment Xie Qingxiao lifted his eyes, he saw that Gu Siyuan’s gaze was full of laughter deep down, and because of that, he could not believe a word of it.

He had just been about to shoot back again and reinforce his own momentum—

when Gu Siyuan opened his mouth first. “Wanting every world to begin with us in bed the moment we meet. So your thoughts are that unrestrained.”

Unrestrained…

Did that word really need to be used?

Xie Qingxiao almost curled his toes into the floor. For a moment he was so overwhelmed with embarrassment that he did not even have the energy to care whether Gu Siyuan might think his behavior was perverted.

Gu Siyuan raised his eyes and looked at him. “Still… if you were already thinking it, why didn’t you just design it that way? Wasn’t it hard for you to hold back?”

Hold back… hard…

As if he were some desperately unsatisfied person?

This time Xie Qingxiao really did glare so hard his eyes turned red.

This man, who looked cold and abstinent in front of everyone and behind everyone else—how on earth could he… could he so openly and straightforwardly actually discuss this kind of thing with him?

Staring at Gu Siyuan’s face, which remained calm from beginning to end though his eyes clearly carried traces of laughter, Xie Qingxiao could not help feeling as though he were being bullied.

Shame and fury welled up inside him, and he raised his voice a little in protest. “Who says I was holding back? I’m actually very pure. I’m not interested in that kind of thing at all. It’s just because I like you too much, so I wanted to get a little closer to you through that route, that’s all.”

The corner of Gu Siyuan’s lips curved, but he did not speak. The little thing was so good with words that indulging this tiny bit of stubborn nonsense was no issue at all.

But that response only made Xie Qingxiao even more embarrassed and annoyed.

Puffing out his cheeks, he huffed, “Really. I’m not interested in that kind of thing itself at all. The only reason I even had those thoughts is because of you, understand? It’s all your fault.”

“Mm. Whatever you say.” Gu Siyuan’s expression did not change, but the amusement in his eyes deepened further.

As if he were laughing at the fact that Xie Qingxiao was flustered and angry.

How could Xie Qingxiao possibly tolerate that?

He gave a light cough and said with feigned casualness, “I’m serious. This is entirely your fault. I’m just too pure a person and don’t really have many dirty thoughts, so the only way I could think of to get close to you was by the most primitive method. Besides, isn’t it also because in the real world you were never close to me, and I could never have you, that these thoughts even developed? If you’d just let me try things with you earlier and let me understand the reality of it, maybe I would’ve lost interest in you a long time ago.”

Only at this point did Gu Siyuan’s expression finally shift slightly.

He narrowed his eyes, and when he looked up, that gaze sweeping over felt so deep it was almost frightening.

“…”

Xie Qingxiao’s small body shivered on the spot.

For no clear reason, a bad premonition spread through him.

Still, Gu Siyuan was Gu Siyuan. Very quickly, he returned to normal and only answered lightly, “Oh? Is that so?”

Xie Qingxiao nodded firmly. “Mm. Exactly. Do I look like someone who’s sexually frustrated? I’m just—”

“Put it down.”

At that moment, Gu Siyuan suddenly spoke loudly toward the direction behind him.

“…” Xie Qingxiao.

Xie Qingxiao whipped around at once, only to meet a pair of eyes filled with complicated emotion.

At some point, the server bringing their dishes had arrived. Who knew how long she had been standing there, or how much of their conversation she had heard? Her expression was far beyond awkward and shocked—she stood there stiffly with the plates in her hands, as though her entire body had frozen.

Heh heh…

In despair, Xie Qingxiao slowly turned back around.

Well, he definitely would not have the courage to come back to this restaurant ever again.

Gu Siyuan, however, acted as though nothing at all had happened. He simply said to the server in his usual calm voice, “Sorry. You can put them down now. Thank you for your trouble.”

“Ah… alright!”

The server finally came back to herself from the shock, carefully set the dishes onto the table, and then slowly walked away.

Even though they were indoors, her retreating figure somehow gave the impression of someone left in chaos by a storm.

Gu Siyuan picked up a set of utensils and handed them to Xie Qingxiao. “Eat.”

Xie Qingxiao looked up and stared fixedly at Gu Siyuan.

He really could not understand Gu Siyuan anymore.

After hearing words that were basically a confession from him, after hearing about all the rather outrageous things he had done, Gu Siyuan had not shown any particularly strong reaction at all. Instead, the two of them had somehow gone back and forth bickering over bizarre side topics for quite a while.

So what exactly did that mean?

Did it mean Gu Siyuan had already accepted all those things he had done? Or was he simply trying to handle it coldly by ignoring the confession altogether?

Xie Qingxiao’s eyes fell to Gu Siyuan’s hand holding the chopsticks. His fingers were long but not slender, the bones distinct, the palm broad—one look was enough to tell that it belonged to a grown man. And once it exerted even a little force, it would surely be terrifying, impossible to struggle free from.

His dark eyes moved slightly.

As he reached out to take the chopsticks, he deliberately brushed the back of that hand very quickly with two of his fingers.

He considered his movement lightning-fast. He had successfully taken advantage and felt thoroughly accomplished.

So he could not help smugly sneaking a glance at Gu Siyuan, as if wanting to see some helpless expression on his face.

But who was Gu Siyuan?

Faced with such a tiny little harassment, his expression showed almost no change at all. He only looked at Xie Qingxiao and let out a light snort. “I’ve taken note of it.”

“Ah…” Xie Qingxiao looked slightly awkward. “Taken note of what?”

Gu Siyuan said word by word, his voice cool, “Verbal teasing at least three times today. Touching me to take advantage once.”

Taking note of that?

Gu Siyuan’s presence was too strong, and Xie Qingxiao’s heart could not help giving a little jump.

But on second thought, there actually did not seem to be anything all that scary about it. In fact, maybe this could even become an opportunity instead of a crisis.

He immediately raised one elegant brow smugly. “What, Boss? You’re taking note of it because you want revenge? I’m not afraid at all. If you have the guts, then just return it in exactly the same way.”

Gu Siyuan gave him a half-smile. “You’re dreaming quite beautifully.”

Xie Qingxiao felt a little disappointed and said stubbornly, “Hmph. Real men dare to act.”

“Dare to act?” Gu Siyuan cast him a light glance. “I thought real men preferred doing things with real blades and real guns.”

When he said the last word, Xie Qingxiao had the distinct feeling Gu Siyuan had intentionally deepened the tone.

At once, a strange heat of embarrassment crept up his spine.

But when he looked carefully again, Gu Siyuan’s expression was still completely calm.

Gu Siyuan picked up a boiled shrimp with his chopsticks, placed it on the plate, slowly peeled it with those long fingers, and then set the peeled shrimp into the dish in front of Xie Qingxiao. “Try it.”

Xie Qingxiao was instantly delighted.

In the past, forget Gu Siyuan taking the initiative to peel shrimp for him—even if he peeled shrimp for Gu Siyuan, he would probably just be refused and told it was a waste of time.

He carefully picked up the shrimp like it was some precious treasure and popped it into his mouth. His cheeks puffed slightly like a little squirrel’s, and he only felt that this shrimp tasted absurdly sweeter than usual.

Across the table, Gu Siyuan sat there quietly watching him eat the whole time.

After swallowing it with some reluctance, Xie Qingxiao narrowed his eyes in a smile and said, “Thank you, Boss.”

“Mm. As I should.” Gu Siyuan nodded.

Xie Qingxiao kept smiling at him, waiting for Gu Siyuan to peel the next one.

Shrimp peeled by Gu Siyuan was the most delicious thing in the world.

But the Gu Siyuan across from him, instead of being tactful and continuing as expected, merely continued to watch him quietly.

Xie Qingxiao frowned his pretty brows. “Boss, the shrimp…”

“Mm, the shrimp.” Gu Siyuan dropped his gaze toward his own completely empty plate. “So where’s mine?”

“Ah?” Xie Qingxiao did not react for a moment.

Gu Siyuan sounded entirely matter-of-fact. “Courtesy demands reciprocity. You haven’t peeled one for me yet.”

Xie Qingxiao: “…”

After one second of silence, Xie Qingxiao reached out and began peeling shrimp.

Mm. Truly worthy of being the boss.

Nothing ever developed according to how one imagined it would.

…

This lunch took several times longer than any meal they had ever shared in the past.

The moment they got into the car after leaving the restaurant, Xie Qingxiao turned his head and asked Gu Siyuan, “Boss, are we heading back to the institute now?”

Gu Siyuan looked at him, his tone lifting slightly. “Are young people these days all so enthusiastic about work? Does a date only include eating one meal?”

Well, yes.

Working under a major workaholic like you, who would dare not be enthusiastic?

…Wait, no.

A date?

Gu Siyuan had said date?

Xie Qingxiao’s eyes widened instantly. Their meal just now had been a date?

He… had been on a date with Gu Siyuan?

Staring hard at him, Xie Qingxiao asked urgently, “Boss, did you just say date? The two of us were on a date?”

The moment the words left his mouth, his heart started pounding wildly.

“What else would it be?” Gu Siyuan said casually.

He leaned back against the seat, loosened the cuffs of his shirt, and rolled the sleeves up to his forearms, revealing beautifully lined muscles.

Xie Qingxiao secretly drooled for a while while staring at them. Then, thinking of something, he could not help asking, “Boss… when you say date, you mean the ordinary, worldly, kind of cheesy romantic-love kind of date, right?”

Gu Siyuan raised a brow. “Worldly? Cheesy? Mm. The adjectives are fairly fitting. But isn’t that just basic etiquette after two people start dating?”

Dating?

A relationship?

He was now in love with Gu Siyuan—and had gone on a date with him…

A grin immediately glued itself to Xie Qingxiao’s face. In his mind, little figures were leaping and cheering, and his thoughts floated off to who-knew-where.

Gu Siyuan glanced at him and said softly, “Or are you actually the type who prefers something more direct?”

Xie Qingxiao blinked. “Direct? …”

Gu Siyuan nodded in an understanding way. “Then again, that makes sense. You are, after all, someone who wanted each world to begin in bed. Ordinary and normal dating procedures like this probably leave you dissatisfied and impatient. You favor intimate and direct physical contact more.”

“…” Xie Qingxiao.

Actually, a date and a meal was quite fun too.

Actually, just now he really had not been thinking in that direction at all.

But now, inside his heart, he really was thinking a little bit in that direction.

That was perfectly normal. After all, he had been longing without fulfillment.

“What’s wrong? Is there some problem with that? Real men are all like this—straightforward and direct, never dragging things out,” Xie Qingxiao said, lightly coughing a few times and turning his face toward the window so as to hide every trace of his dirty little thoughts.

He continued in a roughened voice on purpose, “Once a relationship’s established, of course all kinds of more intimate things ought to be experienced as soon as possible.”

Hearing that, Gu Siyuan could not hold back his laughter any longer. “Ha…”

Hmph…

Xie Qingxiao’s heart had already been pounding hard enough, and now even the backs of his ears turned red. He had actually been laughed at by Gu Siyuan.

But in the next instant, he felt warmth at the side of his face and under his chin. A low, magnetic voice, carrying a faint breath of heat, landed directly against the side of his face.

“If you don’t want to drag things out, why are you turning your head away?”

Gu Siyuan reached out and caught him by the chin, forcing him to turn back.

Then he bent down, lowering his head slowly closer, and their breathing gradually began to mingle.

Inside the narrow car, smelling that clear cold scent from Gu Siyuan’s body, Xie Qingxiao felt tiny threads of numb itching rise from the tip of his nose to the roots of his ears and all the way into his heart.

Then a layer of warm softness covered his lips, and his whole body shivered lightly.

They had kissed and embraced countless times in those worlds before, and so after only a brief touch, all the familiar sensations hidden deep in Gu Siyuan’s mind came rushing back.

He was no longer satisfied with a mere tentative taste of a kiss.

His tongue swept over Xie Qingxiao’s soft lips and pressed against that neat row of white teeth, while the hand holding the slender neck slowly shifted to the back of his head, carrying a pressure that allowed no refusal. “Open your mouth.”

“Mm…” Xie Qingxiao let out a soft sound and immediately parted his lips halfway, revealing a small bright-red tongue.

Breath tangled. Lips and teeth entwined and collided.

Inside the closed, narrow, silent backseat, every human sensation was magnified to the extreme.

Xie Qingxiao wrapped both arms around Gu Siyuan’s neck, tilted up his chin, and kissed him back in lingering turns.

Gu Siyuan looked cold to the extreme as a person, but in matters like this, he was astonishingly rough and domineering.

Though this was only a kiss, Xie Qingxiao had the feeling that he was being truly entered and possessed by him. Every now and then, a few soft little hums spilled from the corner of his mouth, clear as anything in the quiet interior of the car.

No one knew how long passed.

Only when Xie Qingxiao was nearly out of breath did the kiss finally come to a slow end.

By then, the insides of their mouths and the scent on their bodies were already completely full of each other.

Xie Qingxiao collapsed against Gu Siyuan, breathing slowly while trying to steady himself.

When he lifted his head, his eyes happened to catch the rearview mirror. Seeing the reflection of himself there—cheeks and neck flushed pink, eyes damp and shimmering, looking full of springtime desire—it was almost unbearable to witness.

Tsk…

He sighed and turned his head to look at Gu Siyuan.

Although the collar of that white shirt had been tugged somewhat wrinkled by him earlier, after a bit of straightening it was basically impossible to see anything unusual now. And on Boss Gu’s face there remained the same cold, indifferent expression as always, while the look he cast over was sharp and clear as if nothing at all had happened.

Xie Qingxiao instantly felt dissatisfied.

Gu Siyuan noticed his expression at once and reached out, directly lifting him from the side and settling him onto his own lap.

“Ah—”

Caught off guard by the sudden movement, Xie Qingxiao gave a startled little cry, but his slender arms wrapped around Gu Siyuan’s neck almost automatically. Then, full of smug pride, he asked back, “And just what is this supposed to be?”

There ought to be a limit to how many dirty lines one person could say in a single day.

Gu Siyuan let that one pass and instead asked, “What do you want to do next?”

Leaning against him lazily, Xie Qingxiao replied, “Don’t you have your worldly dating etiquette rules?”

Gu Siyuan’s fingers passed lightly through his soft hair. “Aren’t you the straightforward real man?”

Xie Qingxiao felt that for the first time in his life, his usually sharp tongue really could not win against Gu Siyuan.

He gave a little huff. “Then let’s each step back once and combine the two. Something both direct and worldly.”

Gu Siyuan nodded in approval. “According to worldly rules, after lunch one ought to go watch a movie or go shopping.”

Xie Qingxiao gave a small cough, his voice dropping several degrees. “Then according to real-man rules, we should go straight home and get into bed now. So how exactly are we supposed to combine that?”

Gu Siyuan let out a soft laugh. “I have a home theater, so…”

Xie Qingxiao jerked his head up so fast that the top of it knocked directly into Gu Siyuan’s chin. Eyes bright with excitement, he blurted out, “So after combining the two, right now we should go to your home theater and do… that.”

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