Chapter 19: Massaging the Legs

When Yu Xi saw Gu Chuanzhou appear, he quickly ran back to the edge of the fence, his eyes filled with amazement.

However, he wasn’t looking at the rider, but at the horse—jet-black, sleek, sturdy, and handsome. The long mane and tail were slightly curled, so glossy they looked like silk. Every movement caused them to flutter slightly; it was as beautiful as a war-beast walking out of a manga and into reality.

Not far away, Zhang Xingkuo tightened his grip on the reins. Seeing the youth talking so radiantly to the person on horseback, his face contorted slightly.

“See for yourself? Who’s the real show-off here?” he muttered to Sheng Yunjuan beside him.

Sheng Yunjuan pinched the bridge of her nose, offering a rare moment of agreement: “He definitely one-upped you this time.”

Zhang Xingkuo couldn’t bear to keep practicing. He rode over and dismounted in one smooth motion. “Xiao Xi, how about I lead the reins for you?”

Before Yu Xi could answer, Gu Chuanzhou cut in: “Want to come up and try?”

“Really? I want to ride!” Yu Xi was already impatient to try. Gu Chuanzhou’s horse was simply too magnificent for anyone to resist.

“Come.” Gu Chuanzhou dismounted first. He placed his palms around Yu Xi’s slender waist and, with a slight exertion of strength, lifted him up.

Yu Xi felt himself suddenly go airborne, and by the time he realized what was happening, he was sitting steadily in the saddle. A second later, Gu Chuanzhou sat down behind him.

“I’ll take you for a slow lap first,” Gu Chuanzhou’s deep voice vibrated near his ear, while Yu Xi’s back pressed against a warm, solid chest. “Scared of the height?”

Yu Xi snapped back to his senses. “I’m okay.”

This horse was taller and larger than the others, but because Gu Chuanzhou was behind him in control, the panic he felt while learning on his own vanished. Moreover, Gu Chuanzhou’s hands reached around to hold the reins in front of him, effectively encircling Yu Xi in his arms. He felt incredibly safe, as if it were impossible to fall.

“You said you had business at the company; I thought you wouldn’t come.”

Gu Chuanzhou nodded. “I finished early. I wanted to be with you.”

Yu Xi’s eyes curved into crescents. He turned his head slightly and said, “Everyone is here, you don’t always have to carve out time just for me.”

“So,” Gu Chuanzhou lowered his gaze, meeting Yu Xi’s eyes, “it’s not that important whether I’m here or not?”

Yu Xi hurriedly denied it: “No! I’m just worried you’ll be tired. Of course I’m happy you’re here. You’re very important!”

Gu Chuanzhou was only teasing him. Seeing the youth so flustered while trying to coax him, he let out a low chuckle and nuzzled his chin against the back of Yu Xi’s ear. “I know.”

The contact made Yu Xi shrink his shoulder away; his ear felt hot and tingled with an indescribable itch.

They rode together for a while. Yu Xi asked why he was dressed differently, and Gu Chuanzhou explained he was wearing a dressage uniform, which best showcased the beauty of the movements and expressed respect for the art of horsemanship.

“Want to try? I can demonstrate a few simple dressage steps.”

Gu Chuanzhou’s equestrian skills were masterful. He had completely mastered techniques that most found difficult to learn. The movements were graceful and interesting to watch, but they were physically demanding for the rider. After a short while of not being able to keep up with the rhythm, Yu Xi began to feel a bit nauseous from the jostling.

Noticing his state, Gu Chuanzhou immediately stopped. “Need to rest?”

Yu Xi nodded weakly, his expression becoming a bit listless.

Gu Chuanzhou lifted him down from the horse. Once Yu Xi stood steady, he let out a breath and smilingly declined Gu Chuanzhou’s supportive hand. “It’s fine, I’m not that delicate. I can do it myself. You keep going, I’ll go find Yunshu and A-Shen.”

As soon as he left the arena, Zhang Xingkuo rode up to Gu Chuanzhou. “A race?”

Having had his thunder stolen and watching Yu Xi have such a good time with the other man, Zhang Xingkuo had been suppressing his annoyance.

Gu Chuanzhou didn’t even look at him. “Not interested.”

Zhang Xingkuo laughed disdainfully. “Scared? Dressed up like a peacock in heat—afraid you won’t be able to move?”

However, Gu Chuanzhou ignored the mockery entirely. He showed no emotion. Seeing Yu Xi say something to Sheng Yunshu and then leave the area, Gu Chuanzhou handed his reins to an attendant and walked off the field.

“Where is Xi Xi going?”

Sheng Yunshu glanced up from her e-reader. “Back with the staff to change clothes. He’ll be back in a bit.”

Hearing this, Gu Chuanzhou also headed toward the equipment rooms.

“Sss… ah…”

Once alone inside the private dressing room, Yu Xi could no longer maintain a normal posture. He wanted to sit down and rest, but even that felt painful.

He had been so happy earlier that the dopamine had masked his body’s signals. Now that he had stopped, he realized he wasn’t just a bit motion-sick—his inner thighs were stinging. He didn’t want to spoil everyone’s fun or make them worry, and besides, the location of the discomfort was a bit… embarrassing. So he had kept it to himself.

Inside the cubicle, he sat on a padded stool and pulled off his boots and riding breeches. He spread his legs slightly and looked down.

They were red, though fortunately the skin wasn’t broken. He carefully pressed a finger against the area and immediately hissed, taking a sharp breath. The muscles he had overused while riding were incredibly sore—similar to the feeling of doing a hundred frog leaps in high school PE class.

While he was agonizing over what to do, a man’s voice suddenly came from outside the cubicle.

“Xi Xi?”

Yu Xi jumped, startled. Realizing it was Gu Chuanzhou, he gave a soft response.

“Are you in there?” Gu Chuanzhou’s voice was closer now.

Through the gap at the bottom of the door, Yu Xi saw a pair of riding boots. He replied, “Mhm, I’m about to change.”

Gu Chuanzhou asked directly, “Are you hurt?”

Yu Xi froze for a moment. After two seconds of internal conflict, he chose to hide it. “N-no, I’m not hurt. I’m just a bit tired.”

“If you’re uncomfortable, you should tell me, otherwise I’ll worry even more.” Gu Chuanzhou paused. “I see. It’s my fault. I didn’t do a good job when I took you riding. You don’t want me to feel guilty, so you’re enduring it in silence.”

Hearing Gu Chuanzhou take all the blame, Yu Xi grew anxious. “No! I’m really not hurt. It’s just my legs are a bit sore, it’s no big deal.”

“Is that so?” Gu Chuanzhou still sounded unconvinced. “Xi Xi, open the door and let me see for myself, okay?”

Yu Xi hesitated. But in that brief silence, Gu Chuanzhou’s tone became even more self-reproachful: “As I thought, it’s all because of me…”

Click. The dressing room lock snapped open. The door was pushed ajar just enough to reveal Yu Xi’s face—his hair damp with sweat at the temples and his cheeks flushed. A pair of ink-black eyes looked out with embarrassment. His lips, bitten several times in his internal struggle, were red. Having made a major decision, he spoke: “You… come in.”

Gu Chuanzhou placed a hand on the door, pushed it open, and stepped inside.

The dressing room wasn’t small, but for some reason, the moment Gu Chuanzhou entered, Yu Xi felt an overwhelming sense of pressure. He unconsciously backed away until the back of his legs hit the padded stool, causing him to lose his balance and tumble back onto it.

When he noticed Gu Chuanzhou’s gaze drop downward, Yu Xi instinctively pressed his knees together and placed his hands between his tightly clamped legs.

A second later, he saw the man sink onto one knee before him.

Gu Chuanzhou was still wearing his tailcoat uniform. In this posture, he looked like a loyal knight paying homage to his lord. It wasn’t the first time he had knelt before Yu Xi—the last time was to help him change shoes—but Yu Xi still couldn’t get used to it. He instinctively tried to shrink away.

The moment he moved, his knees were firmly held in place.

“Xi Xi, don’t clamp so tightly.” Gu Chuanzhou’s expression was calm, as if he saw nothing wrong with his posture. His focus was entirely on Yu Xi’s legs. “Open your knees a bit.”

His voice was low and soft, coaxing him. In this private space, it felt magnetic.

Looking at Gu Chuanzhou’s handsome face so close to his legs, Yu Xi’s stiff knees inexplicably gave way under the gentle pressure of the man’s palms.

Gu Chuanzhou kept his head lowered, his line of sight almost level with the opening.

The youth’s body was slender and thin, his waist narrow, but in certain places, there was a surprising amount of soft flesh. The curve from his thighs to his hips was soft and full—just perfect. When tightly wrapped in white breeches, those curves were fully revealed, trembling slightly during walking or riding… it was impossible to look away.

The thought of the countless gazes that must have landed on Yu Xi filled Gu Chuanzhou with a jealous rage. The urge to hide him away had nearly broken through his logic a dozen times; he had fought desperately to suppress it and act like a normal person.

“Chuanzhou-ge?”

Seeing Gu Chuanzhou staring in silence, his palms tightening around his knees, Yu Xi called out with a mix of confusion and unease.

Gu Chuanzhou instantly retracted his dark thoughts, looking up with a faint smile. “Fortunately, the skin isn’t broken or bleeding. No need for medicine. Since it’s muscle soreness, I’ll use massage to help you relieve it.”

Yu Xi wanted to say he could do it himself, but Gu Chuanzhou explained further: “I have experience with leg pain from riding, and I know the right techniques. If I knead them for you, you’ll be fine soon. Otherwise, you won’t even be able to walk straight tomorrow.”

Yu Xi could only nod. “…Okay. Then, sorry for the trouble.”

Then, Gu Chuanzhou’s hands moved away from Yu Xi’s rounded knees and gripped the sore muscles of his thighs.

The moment the white gloves touched the soft flesh, Yu Xi let out a soft whimper and reflexively recoiled. The small sound echoed in the dressing room. Yu Xi’s ears turned crimson as he explained incoherently, “No, I… I… your gloves make me uncomfortable, they’re too rough…”

Gu Chuanzhou froze for a second before apologizing and pulling his gloves off.

When he touched him again, Yu Xi felt no discomfort other than the burning heat of the man’s palms. Gu Chuanzhou’s technique was indeed excellent; he could pinpoint the exact spots of soreness. His hands were exceptionally large, enough to wrap around half of Yu Xi’s thigh. His fingertips circled with perfect pressure, combined with the kneading of his palms.

At first, Yu Xi was embarrassed, but he gradually began to feel comfortable. He unconsciously let out small hums and even lifted his legs to cooperate. He squinted like a cat having its chin scratched, his cheeks flushed and tiny beads of sweat forming on the tip of his nose—whether from the heat or something else.

His tense spine went soft, leaning against the back wall, hands propped on the stool as he relaxed completely.

“Is the pressure too heavy? Is the spot right… should I press a bit further in?”

Yu Xi heard Gu Chuanzhou’s low, soft inquiry. Just as he was about to answer, an ill-timed call rang out from outside.

“Xiao Xi, are you still in there?”

It was Zhang Xingkuo.

Yu Xi immediately held his breath, lifting his head in alarm. His legs snapped shut instinctively, instantly trapping Gu Chuanzhou’s hands between them.

He heard Zhang Xingkuo’s footsteps searching for him outside. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Gu Chuanzhou part his lips as if to say something. Without thinking, Yu Xi reached out and covered the man’s mouth.

“Shh…”

Gu Chuanzhou’s eyes flickered, expressing either confusion or surprise, but he obediently remained still and silent. He glanced down at his hands, which were now clamped tightly by the softest part of Yu Xi’s body. His breathing grew heavy.

Yu Xi bit his lip hard. He had no idea how to explain his current behavior or his panic. He just had a gut feeling: Zhang Xingkuo must not know that, at this moment, Yu Xi was bare from the waist down while Gu Chuanzhou knelt before him, massaging his legs…