With those words, he had practically made his position clear.

Previously, he hadn’t been sure of himself, so he had tactfully tested Wei Changchuan, only to be shut down by the man citing the base’s “rules.” But this time, Min Shu saw it clearly: today, he had merely commented a few times on how nice other people’s golden hair looked, and Wei Changchuan had already taken offense. He didn’t believe the man was treating him as just another ordinary rescue subject.

Min Shu watched Wei Changchuan nervously, not wanting to miss a single expression on the man’s face.

Wei Changchuan seemed taken aback that he dared to ask such a thing; a fleeting look of surprise flashed across his face, but his expression quickly darkened as his deep, dark eyes fixed on Min Shu.

In the dim light, his expression was almost stern. Seeing the deep shadow between his brows, Min Shu backed down.

He scurried back under the covers like a little mouse, making a move to crawl into the corner of the bed: “Bro, I shouldn’t have asked. Just pretend I never said anything—”

But before he could move even half an inch, Wei Changchuan grabbed his shoulder. Min Shu’s movements froze abruptly, and with a swift motion, he was pulled right up against the man.

Min Shu’s eyes widened as he felt his calf bump against a hard muscle beneath the blanket; he immediately jerked it back as if he’d been electrocuted. He timidly lifted his head to look up at Wei Changchuan, who was staring down at him, his voice trembling slightly:

“…Bro?”

Wei Changchuan kept his hand on him, saying nothing. His gaze was dark and inscrutable in those deep-set eyes, making it impossible to read his expression.

Min Shu was on the verge of tears, feeling like a rabbit pinned under a tiger’s claws. The tiger couldn’t decide whether to toy with him first or bite him to death outright.

Seeing Min Shu curled up in a ball beneath the soft blankets, Wei Changchuan suddenly raised an eyebrow. He lifted his index finger from Min Shu’s shoulder and brushed it against the young man’s soft cheek:

“Look at you, such a wimp.”

Min Shu shuddered. “Bro…”   He looked up at Wei Changchuan and pleaded softly, “M-my shoulder hurts.”

Wei Changchuan looked at him, letting out a faint snort. He loosened his grip slightly but didn’t let go. His fingers traced up along the young man’s shoulder blades, clasping the slender nape of his neck and pulling the hair at the back of his head into his hand.

Even though his movements were gentle, Min Shu couldn’t help but shiver. It felt as though Wei Changchuan was restraining something beneath that gentleness; his fingers rubbed against the skin at the back of Min Shu’s neck, a touch that seemed both tender and as if he might pinch him hard at any moment.

Wei Changchuan lowered his gaze to look at him. After a long moment, he murmured, “If I don’t play by the rules—” He stopped mid-sentence.

Min Shu held his breath. After a long moment, he saw the man’s sharply defined jaw clench, but he didn’t say anything else. Instead, he turned his face away and turned off the bedside lamp.

The bedroom was suddenly plunged into darkness. Min Shu was startled, but before he could speak, a rustling sound came from beside him. Then, an arm draped over him, enveloping his entire body in scorching heat, even pinning his legs down.

Min Shu found himself completely enveloped by Wei Changchuan in a way that felt almost oppressive. He heard the man issue an order in his ear:

“Go to sleep.”

Min Shu：……

Wrapped up in the blankets and held tightly in Wei Changchuan’s arms, he struggled to lift his head. Glancing at the clock on the wall, which read six o’clock, he had good reason to suspect that Wei Changchuan was deliberately avoiding the issue.

But his courage had been drained time and time again, and he sheepishly admitted that he no longer had the nerve to ask any further. He could only obediently curl up in the man’s arms.

Wei Changchuan, however, seemed immune to the body’s natural rhythms; not long after the lights were turned off, Min Shu heard his long, steady breathing. Having failed to get any answers, Min Shu felt a bit frustrated, but he didn’t have the nerve to say anything, so he could only lie in bed as still as a mouse.

After all, he had only recently recovered from his illness and hadn’t fully regained his strength yet; on top of that, he’d been through so many shocks today. So, after lying there for a while, he eventually drifted off to sleep.

However, Min Shu didn’t sleep for very long.

The dream began warmly and sweetly; with Wei Changchuan there, the bed was always cozy. However, after what seemed like an eternity, Min Shu felt the temperature around him slowly rise until it became almost unbearably hot. He felt sweltering, and an inexplicable restlessness came over him. The dream began to grow chaotic and jumbled, and he started tossing and turning restlessly under the covers.

After what seemed like an eternity, Min Shu bumped into the headboard as he rolled over and jolted awake.

The bedroom was pitch black. Min Shu’s breathing was slightly labored; he raised his hand to his forehead and, sure enough, felt it drenched in sweat. It’s so hot…

Min Shu frowned, realizing he’d kicked the covers off. He turned his head and saw that Wei Changchuan wasn’t beside him. Only then did he notice the light in the bathroom, where the sound of running water was coming from.

Wei Changchuan had gone to take a shower.

Realizing this, Min Shu turned his head. His throat felt dry, so he sat up in bed. But the moment he moved, his body froze.

He hadn’t fully shaken off the drowsiness of sleep yet, but the moment he moved, the nerves in his limbs awakened, faithfully relaying sensory feedback from every part of his body. Min Shu leaned stiffly against the headboard, his cheeks rapidly flushing from pale pink to crimson. He looked down in disbelief, his face etched with shock.

He… he could do it again! Heaven hasn’t forsaken me!

Min Shu was almost moved to tears. He had truly believed that his broken body was doomed to remain this way for the rest of his life, but he never expected he’d actually be able to do it! Although Min Shu didn’t think he was capable of much, he was still a man after all. Even if his body wasn’t in perfect condition, his ability in this area was of great significance—it was tied to what little male pride he had left.

Just as he was basking in his elation, the sound of running water in the bathroom stopped, followed by the sound of the door swinging open.

Min Shu froze. He looked up and saw steam wafting out of the bathroom as a tall figure appeared in the doorway—it was Wei Changchuan, fresh out of the shower.

Min Shu’s mind went blank with a sudden jolt, and only then did he belatedly realize the awkwardness of the situation. He frantically grabbed the blanket to cover himself before Wei Changchuan could reach him.

By the time Wei Changchuan reached the bed, she had barely managed to drape the blanket around her waist. She forced herself to compose her expression before looking up at him:

“Bro… did you take a shower?”

Wei Changchuan stood by the door, saying nothing.

The bedroom lights were off, and only a warm, yellow glow seeped in from the direction of the bathroom, illuminating Wei Changchuan’s sturdy, upright silhouette.

Min Shu narrowed his eyes. He couldn’t make out Wei Changchuan’s expression, but he glanced curiously toward the bathroom—the door was open, and the light was still on.

Wei Changchuan was always careful in everything he did, seeing things through from start to finish. He would always turn off the lights and lock the door after taking a shower, so he couldn’t help but feel a little puzzled. Min Shu turned his gaze back; Wei Changchuan hadn’t spoken or moved. He furrowed his brow and reached out in the darkness: “Bro, why are you just standing there?” But as soon as he touched him, Min Shu got a huge shock.

Wei Changchuan’s hand was very cold, his skin damp and chilly, not yet completely dried off. Min Shu first grabbed his wrist, then felt his way upward, touching an arm covered in icy water droplets.

Min Shu’s eyes widened in surprise. “Bro, why is your hand—” He stopped mid-sentence, suddenly realizing something. Wei Changchuan had taken a cold shower.

And in the middle of the night, why would a man take a cold shower? The reason was obvious.

Min Shu thought of the venison in the curry from dinner and abruptly pulled his hand back as if he’d been electrocuted, his cheeks flushing bright red.

By then, his eyes had adjusted to the darkness, and he suddenly noticed that Wei Changchuan wasn’t wearing a shirt—only a bath towel tied around his waist. In the dim, soft glow of the bathroom, the contours of his chest and abdomen were clearly visible.

“Bro—” Min Shu yanked his hand back as if electrocuted, his tongue stumbling: “W-what are you—”

Wei Changchuan remained silent, but if Min Shu’s eyesight had been sharp enough, he would have seen that the skin on his chest was flushed, the veins on the side of his neck and the backs of his hands were bulging, and his eyes were a deep, unyielding black—his entire body was taut with tension.

But Min Shu couldn’t make out his expression, and so he missed the last chance to detect any signs of alertness.

On the other hand, Wei Changchuan, relying on his mutated, superior night vision, took in every subtle nuance of Min Shu’s expression.

The young man seemed quite embarrassed; his thin skin flushed crimson with desire, and he stood with his shoulders hunched against the wall, one hand clutching the blanket at his waist, as if terrified he might discover it.

Wei Changchuan watched him for a moment, then raised his hand to brush his hair back, letting out a derisive chuckle:

“What are you hiding?”

His voice was even lower and hoarser than usual, carrying a lingering heat that exploded in Min Shu’s ear, sending a jolt of electricity down his spine, turning his face and ears bright red.

Wei Changchuan was usually very serious, even strict, and Min Shu hadn’t expected him to be like this when he let his guard down. He shifted and almost immediately felt the effect of Wei Changchuan’s words; his breathing grew rapid.

In his fluster, Min Shu felt ashamed, but that was quickly followed by a strong sense of reluctance.

He knew full well that he liked guys, and just a few hours ago he’d been beating around the bush, refusing to come out and say it plainly—and now here he was, teasing him again.

Min Shu felt hot—not just physically, but emotionally as well. He clenched his teeth, glanced at Wei Changchuan, and, deciding to go all in, pulled back the covers:

“What?” His face flushed, he straightened his back, trying to look open and honest, and looked up at Wei Changchuan: “Are you going to help me?”