Chapter 33: Growing Old Together in the First Snowfall

Gu Qiuhang kissed his forehead and reached out to remove his shirt. He gently rolled He Ting’s earlobe between his fingers, kissing his brows and eyes inch by inch.

He Ting let out a sweet, muffled hum and wrapped his arms around Gu Qiuhang’s lean, powerful waist. “Gu Qiuhang, be gentler. Even gentler.”

Gu Qiuhang chuckled softly. “What? Scared? It’s not too late to back out.”

His lips brushed against He Ting’s jaw as he looked up into his eyes.

He Ting’s eyes were half-lidded. “I’m not scared. I’m just a little nervous. Do you… have any experience?”

Gu Qiuhang paused for a moment, then buried his face in the crook of his neck and couldn’t help laughing quietly. “Do you want me to have experience, or not?”

He Ting’s lips were moist and flushed from kissing. He bit his lip, realizing he had asked a rather silly question, and couldn’t help smiling too.

Gu Qiuhang gently nibbled along his delicate collarbone, leaving a string of faint bite marks. Tiny electric shivers spread through his body wherever Gu Qiuhang’s lips and teeth passed.

Unable to bear it, He Ting tilted his head back, exposing his long, slender neck. Without hesitation, Gu Qiuhang bit gently at his Adam’s apple, applying just a little pressure, holding that soft spot between his lips and teeth.

It was as if he had found his greatest weakness. A deep sense of satisfaction filled him, and he alternated between gentle and slightly firmer bites, reluctant to let go.

He Ting’s breathing grew ragged. He raised a knee to push him away, but Gu Qiuhang took the opportunity to part his legs.

Their intimacy continued, unhurried and overwhelming, until He Ting finally trembled and whispered, “Gu Qiuhang, I can’t do this anymore.”

Gu Qiuhang laughed softly against his chest and deliberately teased him. “That’s all it takes? If you’re scared, just admit it.”

Flushed with embarrassment, He Ting shut his mouth tightly and refused to say another word.

Gu Qiuhang had only wanted to tease him. Seeing his reddened eyes, he lifted himself up and looked at him carefully, gently stroking his brow with his fingers.

But He Ting unexpectedly lifted his hips, removed the rest of his clothes himself, and said softly, “Gu Qiuhang, you should take yours off too.”

The restraint Gu Qiuhang had been maintaining snapped instantly.

He Ting was innocent, unguarded, and utterly unaware of how much he was affecting him. All Gu Qiuhang wanted was to pull him tightly into his arms and cherish him completely.

Later, a fine sheen of sweat covered He Ting’s body. Gu Qiuhang gently kissed away every trace of moisture before lifting him into his arms and carrying him into the bathroom.

He Ting kept his face buried against his chest the entire time, never once looking up.

Amused, Gu Qiuhang asked, “Now you’re embarrassed?”

The person in his arms gave a muffled “Mm.”

Even after being placed in the bathtub, He Ting curled into a small ball, still too shy to raise his head.

Smiling, Gu Qiuhang carefully cleaned him, pressing gentle kisses against his delicate skin and watching him shiver.

After a while, He Ting slowly recovered enough to speak. Wrapping his arms around Gu Qiuhang’s neck, he asked timidly, “Gu Qiuhang… why didn’t you… go all the way?”

Gu Qiuhang gently pinched the soft flesh at his waist, brushed back his damp hair, and kissed the corner of his mouth.

“I couldn’t bear to. We can wait a little longer.”

His voice was unbelievably gentle, especially when he said, “I couldn’t bear to.” The words were so soft they seemed as if they would melt away the moment they were spoken.

He Ting lowered his eyes, his face burning, and fell silent.

Secretly, he looked at Gu Qiuhang.

Gu Qiuhang’s skin was a shade darker than his own. His body was beautifully defined, with clean, smooth lines and lean muscles stretched over elegant bones, full of quiet strength.

“Gu Qiuhang,” He Ting said softly, “take me with you when you work out in the future.”

Gu Qiuhang smiled. “I will.”

He dried him with a towel, dressed him in clean pajamas, and carried him back to bed.

Leaning against the headboard, He Ting looked at the inside of his thighs and said, “Gu Qiuhang, look. You rubbed my skin raw.”

Gu Qiuhang had already noticed. The skin wasn’t actually broken, but it was flushed and swollen from friction.

As he carefully applied ointment, he asked, “Will you dare to tease me like that again?”

He Ting thought seriously for a moment before answering honestly, “I don’t know.”

He wrapped his arms around Gu Qiuhang’s waist, curled up against him, rested his head on his chest, and soon fell asleep.

Looking down at the face nestled against his chest, Gu Qiuhang felt happiness overflow in his heart. He couldn’t bear to turn off the bedside lamp and simply watched him, unwilling even to close his eyes.

After dealing with Tong Yuemei and Gu Donghang’s affairs, Gu Heng left the country once again.

The incident had dealt him a severe blow. His old illness had relapsed, leaving him exhausted and without the energy to manage affairs.

He handed everything over to Gu Qiuhang.

Before leaving, he called Gu Qiuhang into his study and asked about his relationship with He Ting.

Gu Qiuhang answered that once He Ting graduated from university, they would get married.

Gu Heng looked as though he wanted to say something, but in the end, he remained silent.

His era had passed. He no longer had the strength to stop or change anything. Carrying his regrets and unwillingness, he left once more.

Gu Qiuhang became even busier after that, traveling more and more frequently.

But that winter became the happiest time of their lives.

One afternoon after school, snowflakes began to fall.

At first they were like tiny grains of salt, making a soft rustling sound when they struck the ground.

Soon they became great feathery flakes, swirling through the air until a thin white layer covered the earth.

Gu Qiuhang called to say he had to work late and wasn’t sure when he would get home, telling He Ting to eat dinner first.

He Ting was usually very obedient, but for some reason, he stubbornly wanted to go to the company and find him.

He was a little superstitious. In his heart, if lovers could kiss and embrace in the first snowfall, they would never be separated.

He took a taxi, inching through heavy traffic. Beneath the Gu Corporation building, he stopped at a famous beef hotpot restaurant and packed several portions before taking Gu Qiuhang’s private elevator upstairs.

Gu Qiuhang’s secretary was surprised to see him. Although no one ever said it outright, everyone in the company knew how much Gu Qiuhang doted on He Ting.

Gu Qiuhang was still in a meeting, so the secretary suggested that He Ting wait in the office.

He Ting handed over the extra food and asked the secretary to distribute it to the employees working overtime, then carried one portion into the office himself.

He moved a chair to the floor-to-ceiling window and sat watching the snow fall in great sheets, happier than he could remember being in a long time.

He didn’t dare leave, afraid the snow would stop the moment he looked away, as though his watching it could somehow keep it falling.

He waited for a long time, so long that the beef hotpot turned cold, so long that he gradually nodded off.

When Gu Qiuhang entered the office, the first thing he saw was He Ting asleep by the window.

He was sleeping deeply, his body curled slightly, perhaps from the cold.

Gu Qiuhang knelt beside him and studied him quietly.

His lips were slightly parted, and his thick lashes cast soft shadows across his cheeks.

His breathing was calm and even, so clean and peaceful that he seemed almost innocent.

Gu Qiuhang bent down and kissed his forehead and eyes, then gently touched the corner of his lips before carrying him to the sofa and covering him with a thin blanket.

He returned to work with unusual concentration.

For the first time in a long while, happiness filled every corner of his heart.

When He Ting woke up, this was the Gu Qiuhang he saw.

His expression was relaxed and gentle.

For a moment He Ting stared blankly before remembering that he was in Gu Qiuhang’s office.

Then he suddenly exclaimed, jumped to his feet, and hurried to the window.

When he saw that the heavy snow was still falling, he let out a long breath of relief and patted his chest.

His heart was racing, though he wasn’t sure whether it was because he had stood up too quickly or because he had been afraid the snow would end.

Gu Qiuhang quickly came over and wrapped an arm around him before he could bump into the glass.

“What’s wrong?”

“Gu Qiuhang,” He Ting said, “let’s go watch the snow.”

Gu Qiuhang packed up his laptop, noticed the cold beef hotpot on the table, heated it in the microwave, and pulled He Ting down to eat with him.

He Ting ate in a hurry.

The moment they finished, he tugged at Gu Qiuhang again.

“Gu Qiuhang, let’s go watch the snow.”

Gu Qiuhang smiled.

“Let’s go home and watch it there, okay?”

The roads were slippery from the snow, so Gu Qiuhang drove slowly.

By the time they reached home, it was already after two in the morning.

The entire drive, He Ting had stared out the window, afraid to look away.

Hand in hand, they stood in the garden in front of the main house, watching the snow dance through the night.

He Ting removed his hat and slowly wrapped his arms around Gu Qiuhang’s waist, resting his head against his shoulder.

The snow fell heavily.

Before long, a thin layer had settled across their coats and hair.

Gu Qiuhang neither spoke nor moved, letting He Ting hold him as though they were taking part in some solemn ritual.

After a while, He Ting looked up and noticed that the top of Gu Qiuhang’s hair had turned white with snow.

“Is my hair white too?” he asked.

Gu Qiuhang smiled.

“It is.”

He Ting’s eyes curved into a bright smile, shining as though stars had fallen into them.

“Then we can grow old together.”

Gu Qiuhang was completely melted by that smile.

Lowering his head, he cupped He Ting’s face and kissed him deeply.

Their lips and breaths intertwined.

“I’ll cherish you for the rest of my life,” he whispered.

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