Refuse to Confess (24)

In a drowsy state, Bo Xiyun reached out and tried to slip his hand under Yi Zhongshen's blanket. Instinctively, Yi Zhongshen intercepted the gesture, not daring to let Bo Xiyun's hand explore too deeply. He gently stopped the young man's hand when it came into contact with his arm and kept it in place, simply resting the soft palm against his arm.

Clearly exhausted, Bo Xiyun couldn't keep his eyes open and buried his beautiful face into the pillow. His slender back disappeared under the fluffy white goose down blanket, leaving only his hand touching Yi Zhongshen's arm. After a few seconds, he seemed to fall asleep again.

Yi Zhongshen breathed a sigh of relief. His junior indeed needed rest. He glanced at the edge of the blanket, concerned that Bo Xiyun's exposed arm might get cold if not covered properly. However, as he reached to adjust the blanket, he noticed a gentle, shallow movement against his arm.

Bo Xiyun's hand on Yi Zhongshen's arm was now massaging, applying a light pressure in a rhythmic manner. Yi Zhongshen raised his eyes and realized that Bo Xiyun was still asleep, despite his hand's actions.

The scene was both surprising and heartwarming for Yi Zhongshen. Bo Xiyun, even in his sleep, seemed to show concern and care for his senior. Yi Zhongshen couldn't help but smile softly, touched by the gesture.

He decided not to disturb Bo Xiyun and allowed the gentle massage to continue. In the warmth of the embrace, both of them found solace and comfort, and soon, the room was filled with the gentle rhythm of their breathing.

The young man had already fallen asleep, but subconsciously, Bo Xiyun still felt concerned and continued the massage almost unconsciously, wanting to soothe him.

Bo Xiyun's hand movements were light and gentle. After a few moments of soft massages, his actions slowed down and gradually came to a stop. His thin fingers softly rested on Yi Zhongshen's arm, as if they had lost strength and stopped moving.

He fell asleep again.

After a while of resting, his hand seemed to realize there was still a task at hand and abruptly woke up, continuing the gentle massage on Yi Zhongshen's arm.

In the darkness, Yi Zhongshen gazed at the dark ceiling and gently pressed his lips together. He gradually realized that his current state of alertness had little to do with insomnia or stress.

He knew that he couldn't let Bo Xiyun continue the massage, as it was becoming too obvious in its effect.

The intermittent and continuous massage would only prevent Bo Xiyun from getting a proper sleep.

When Bo Xiyun's slender fingers woke up again and started to softly knead Yi Zhongshen's arm, Yi Zhongshen decided to take action. He reached out and firmly grasped the young man's hand, stopping the massage.

The room remained quiet as Yi Zhongshen held onto Bo Xiyun's hand. He didn't say anything, but the gesture conveyed a sense of reassurance and protection.

In the comfort of Yi Zhongshen's touch, Bo Xiyun seemed to settle down, and his breathing gradually became calmer. Yi Zhongshen continued to hold his hand, making sure he felt safe and at ease.

Soon, Bo Xiyun drifted back into a peaceful slumber, the warmth of each other's presence easing away any lingering worries and fears in the darkness of the night.

"Sleep now."

The originally slightly cool fingers warmed up as they were held close, and the touch in Yi Zhongshen's palm felt soft and tender.

Yi Zhongshen's chest gently rose and fell as he spoke softly, "I'm here."

Bo Xiyun didn't open his eyes, but the hand held in Yi Zhongshen's grip moved slightly in response.

Bo Xiyun was too thin, even his fingertips lacked soft flesh, and Yi Zhongshen could feel only a delicate and tender touch when he held them in his palm.

In response to his words, Bo Xiyun's fingers moved slightly, and the slender little finger inadvertently slipped into the spaces between Yi Zhongshen's fingers.

As his fingertips came into contact with the warmth of Yi Zhongshen's hand, they were gently held and stopped moving.

Yi Zhongshen held Bo Xiyun's hand, taking a deep breath in a low voice.

But soon, Yi Zhongshen realized that he had underestimated Bo Xiyun's determination to comfort others to sleep.

Just as Bo Xiyun's hand had quieted down for only a few minutes, he moved his face from the deep bury of the soft pillow and murmured something in a soft voice, still half asleep.

Bo Xiyun was half-dreaming and half-awake, and his words were not clear. Even Yi Zhongshen couldn't make out what he was saying, only vaguely catching a few words.

It seemed like...

"Let me count for you."

Right after that, Yi Zhongshen found out what Bo Xiyun had in mind.

Because he heard the soft voice of the sleepy boy, who was already on the verge of falling asleep, counting with more earnestness than when he was awake.

"One hundred fifty-six, one hundred fifty-seven..."

It was the same method Bo Xiyun used to fall asleep before.

Counting from zero to one thousand before going to sleep.

Perhaps because he was half-dreaming and half-awake, Bo Xiyun's consciousness was not entirely clear, and he continued counting from where he had left off before falling asleep.

His voice was soft and carried a thick nasal tone, making those cold and rigid numbers sound gentle.

Upon closer listening, it didn't sound like counting at all.

It sounded more like... being spoiled.

The soft and sticky nasal tone, combined with a slightly tired hoarseness, made the sound reminiscent of fine sugar glazing rolling on the tip of one's heart, creating an itchiness in one's emotions.

The boy continued to mumble, still half-asleep.

"One hundred sixty, one hundred seventy-four..."

He was so sleepy that he even counted the numbers incorrectly.

Yi Zhongshen let out a soft sigh and raised his hand, gently covering the boy's lips. His original intention was simply to make Bo Xiyun stop counting and fall asleep peacefully. However, when his palm truly touched the overly soft and tender sensation, Yi Zhongshen's hand hesitated for a moment.

Under the cover of darkness, the blue veins on the back of his hand faintly trembled, tension evident in his voice.

At this moment, Bo Xiyun, with his lips covered, also half-dazedly opened his eyes and looked somewhat bewildered at Yi Zhongshen's hand.

"Mmm...?"

Yi Zhongshen didn't explain. He lightened the pressure of his hand, then continued from where Bo Xiyun left off.

"One hundred seventy-five, one hundred seventy-six."

His slightly hoarse voice was colder and more distant than Bo Xiyun's counting, but it still carried a calming steadiness, enough to help the boy fall asleep peacefully.

Yi Zhongshen took over Bo Xiyun's task and, in the pauses between counting, softly reminded him, "Close your eyes."

Bo Xiyun's long curled eyelashes blinked, and he obediently closed his eyes.

Yi Zhongshen continued to count in a hushed tone.

Perhaps forgetting, or maybe intentionally disregarding any personal reservations, Yi Zhongshen's hand remained lightly resting on the boy's slim face, not pulling back.

In this state, he quickly noticed the subtle movements under his palm.

It was almost inaudible, Bo Xiyun's soft whisper.

At this point, Yi Zhongshen slightly withdrew his hand and asked in a low voice, "What?"

The boy was in a drowsy state, his eyelashes fluttered lightly, but he couldn't open his eyes. After a few seconds, he murmured again, still in a gentle voice, "Your voice... sounds nice."

With that, Bo Xiyun buried his face in the hand of Yi Zhongshen, which was no longer acting as a pillow but had turned into a soft cradle for his face.

Without any discomfort, he even rubbed his face against the warm palm.

This caused the boy to emit some soft nasal sounds, similar to the gentle purring Yi Zhongshen had witnessed before when scratching the chin of a long-haired golden retriever he once saw at Gu Sheng's house.

"Seventy..."

Yi Zhongshen's low and steady counting voice had stopped.

After a while, he realized that he had completely forgotten where he had left off.

Just a moment ago, the boy was so tired that he was counting incorrectly.

While Yi Zhongshen was awake, he wasn't much better off than his junior, who was half asleep and in a daze.

Yi Zhongshen cleared his throat and started counting again.

"one hundred seventy five, one hundred seventy six..."

His palm was open, and the boy nestled in his hand. The sensation of the soft, tender flesh on his cheek was even more delicate and tender than he had imagined. Yi Zhongshen felt like he was holding a piece of moist jade, or cupping a clear stream.

Even though the boy was already asleep, he continued to nuzzle against Yi Zhongshen's hand, almost instinctively.

After a while, he slowly moved down to gently touch Yi Zhongshen's arm, still half-asleep and half-aware, yearning for something.

In the end, Yi Zhongshen placed the arm that he had previously comforted by his side, and the boy finally stopped nuzzling.

Amidst the low and steady counting, Bo Xiyun pressed his cheek against Yi Zhongshen's wrist and held the firm arm in his embrace, finally falling into a peaceful sleep.

With the soft and warm presence beside him, Yi Zhongshen lost track of how far he had counted.

Gazing at the boy's serene and tranquil face as he slept soundly, Yi Zhongshen let out a gentle sigh.

Though slightly exasperated, Yi Zhongshen couldn't blame himself entirely for his lack of control. No matter how vivid his imagination was, it couldn't compare to the actual sensation he felt.

Bo Xiyun was simply too alluring.

His love was a hundred times stronger than what Yi Zhongshen had imagined, making the originally cold and endless winter night filled with an almost unbearable sweetness.

*

The night's activities seemed to have stretched the usually short rest time to several times its normal length, for better or worse.

However, when Bo Xiyun woke up in the early morning, he felt incredibly well-rested. Despite going to bed late, he didn't feel the least bit tired. It was as if all his fatigue had completely dissipated, and he felt like he was leisurely soaking in a gentle, warm spring.

Subconsciously, he closed his eyes and nuzzled towards the most comfortable and warm source.

It smelled so good.

His sensory awareness awakened before his consciousness fully returned. Bo Xiyun took a slow deep breath and noticed a faint fragrance lingering between his lips and teeth.

He liked Yi Zhongshen's scent, that unique fragrance of frosty coldness, reminiscent of snow.

Before, Wu Ying had asked Bo Xiyun to help pick out many perfumes, and at the time, he didn't quite understand why so many people were willing to spend a lot of money on additional scents.

But in this moment, as the scent enveloped him, Bo Xiyun suddenly began to understand.

If there was a perfume that smelled like Yi Zhongshen, he might consider buying it once he saved enough money.

Bo Xiyun was still half-awake when he had this thought, and as he gradually became more conscious, he realized that something was off.

Why was Yi Zhongshen's scent here?

Bo Xiyun remembered that he had gone to sleep next to Yi Zhongshen last night, but they had slept separately.

He shouldn't be able to smell it so clearly.

With some hesitation, Bo Xiyun opened his eyes and immediately saw Yi Zhongshen's neck, which was just a breath away. It was so close that he could see the blue veins under the skin and the slender Adam's apple.

"..."

Bo Xiyun blinked his eyes several times in disbelief.

The current situation made him more alert, and upon waking up, he became acutely aware that something was not quite right.

Bo Xiyun realized that the gray blanket he had wrapped himself in before going to sleep seemed to have been pushed aside, and now most of it was covering Yi Zhongshen instead. Without the barrier of the blanket, Bo Xiyun found himself directly pressed against Yi Zhongshen's chest, feeling not only his cool and snow-like scent but also the warmth of his body.

...And even more surprising, Bo Xiyun was cradling Yi Zhongshen's arm in his embrace.

How did he end up on Yi Zhongshen's side of the bed?

Bo Xiyun couldn't help but reflect on his behavior. Was he so fond of Yi Zhongshen's scent that he unconsciously snuggled up to him in his sleep?

Bo Xiyun could tell that it was his own issue because Yi Zhongshen's sleeping posture was neat and composed, with no signs of stretching or leaning.

...Except for the arm that Bo Xiyun was holding onto.

But for some unknown reason, Bo Xiyun had somehow moved from the other side of the bed and curled up in Yi Zhongshen's embrace.

What made Bo Xiyun even more reflective was that he had just unconsciously snuggled closer to Yi Zhongshen's chest, as if using him as a warm water bag.

Ever since winter began, Bo Xiyun often woke up with cold hands and feet, and no matter how thick the blankets were, they still felt icy. He had started morning exercises partly because he felt that he was too susceptible to the cold and found it difficult to warm up.

After days of morning exercises, Bo Xiyun had indeed seen some improvement in his condition compared to before.

However comfortable the morning exercises were, they couldn't compare to the direct warmth Bo Xiyun was experiencing now. He lay silently in the cozy embrace of Yi Zhongshen, feeling both reluctant to leave and unable to stop reflecting on his behavior.

...Even though it was comfortable, he shouldn't be snuggling up to someone like this.

What brought some relief to Bo Xiyun was that Yi Zhongshen, who was sleeping next to him, seemed undisturbed and hadn't woken up because of his movements. Yi Zhongshen's breathing was steady, indicating that he had rested well last night.

Bo Xiyun swallowed slowly, holding his breath, as he carefully attempted to move away.

He still had Yi Zhongshen's arm wrapped around him, so he couldn't just let go abruptly. Instead, he had to make slow and cautious movements, trying not to disturb Yi Zhongshen's sleep.

Thankfully, the hotel bed was good enough that even if he shifted or turned, it didn't make much noise.

After what felt like an eternity, Bo Xiyun finally managed to inch away, no longer pressing tightly against Yi Zhongshen.

He breathed a sigh of relief and was about to continue his effort to return Yi Zhongshen's arm to its original position.

However, the next moment, Bo Xiyun's waist was suddenly pulled tight. Despite his efforts to move away, he was immediately pulled back into Yi Zhongshen's warm embrace, even closer than before. Yi Zhongshen's hand cradled the back of Bo Xiyun's head, gently pressing him closer to his chest.

Bo Xiyun found himself once again enveloped in the warm embrace, fitting perfectly against Yi Zhongshen with no gap between them.

______________________________________

Tn: Author... orz

This chapter left me speechless... I want one YZS for myself ;(

Enjoy <3