The Withered Tree Always Welcomes Spring chapter 18

The transmission of body warmth is the most palpable way to feel someone’s presence. Shen Jixue dared not apply too much pressure; he could feel Chen Xian’s breathing, the slight rise and fall of his abdomen. The heat emanating from him was almost burning, almost scalding his palm, prompting him to quickly retract his hand.

Thump, thump.

It seemed like his own overloaded heartbeat. Shen Jixue clenched his fists tighter, as if wanting to retain the warmth in his palm a little longer. After what felt like a long wait, he finally calmed down, his heartbeat returning to normal, the warmth in his palm dissipating completely.

He felt dazed; instead of diminishing his curiosity about Chen Xian, that touch had only intensified it. After touching Chen Xian’s abdomen, he wasn’t satisfied; he wanted to know more.

With this in mind, he cautiously placed his hand on Chen Xian’s arm again. Chen Xian’s arms were the part he touched most often; they were undoubtedly strong. Shen Jixue could even feel the veins under his fingers, vivid and full of vitality.

The desire for vitality is instinctive, and his longing for Chen Xian was no exception.

Shen Jixue grew bolder; he moved along Chen Xian’s arm and reached his shoulder. The muscles there were well-developed, exuding strength when he squeezed them.

What kind of person was Chen Xian?

Shen Jixue was incredibly curious. He really wanted to see Chen Xian with his own eyes, but he couldn’t at the moment. Frustrated, he could only rely on his imagination to piece together Chen Xian’s appearance bit by bit.

But he couldn’t imagine Chen Xian’s face. Just as he was about to touch Chen Xian’s face, Chen Xian suddenly turned over. Shen Jixue startled and leaned back, breathing heavily and sitting on the bed.

Chen Xian gritted his teeth, his back to Shen Jixue, saliva seeming to well up from deep in his throat. He dared not swallow, afraid the sound would give away that he wasn’t asleep.

He had always thought himself thick-skinned, not someone who was ticklish. Yet when Shen Jixue’s delicate and soft hands touched his body, a tingling sensation spread all over him.

He didn’t know why he didn’t stop Shen Jixue’s actions, perhaps out of curiosity, perhaps not wanting Shen Jixue to feel embarrassed, or maybe…

Shen Jixue’s restless hands moved again, slowly moving towards his face. Chen Xian couldn’t lie still any longer and turned to lie on his side.

Shen Jixue, startled by the sudden movement, breathed heavily, stiffening his body and refraining from further actions. Would he behave himself? Chen Xian wondered silently. It would be better if he just slept. If this kid kept touching him…

He didn’t know how much time passed, but Shen Jixue finally lay back down on the bed, and Chen Xian’s tense heart relaxed.

As he relaxed, a warm body pressed against his back. Chen Xian was stunned for a moment, then turned his head to sneak a glance. Shen Jixue was curled up, resting his forehead against his back.

Like a rain-soaked animal cub, helpless and seeking closeness to the human who could protect him, Shen Jixue’s vulnerability quickly melted Chen Xian’s unease. He didn’t question why Shen Jixue had acted that way just now. He scooted back a bit to make Shen Jixue more comfortable.

It had been a long time since he had lain with someone. Life on the ship was rough, and even though he was accustomed to the rocking and rolling, people always longed for land. Just like now, feeling solid and secure.

The feeling was subtle. Last time when he returned from a trip, it was Jiang Ying lying beside him. In just a few months, everything had changed. Now it was Shen Jixue, whom he had only known for a couple of weeks. Such is fate.

When he opened his eyes again, Chen Xian felt pressure on his chest and something soft and warm in his arms. He squinted and looked down; Shen Jixue had unknowingly rested his head on him.

On such a hot day, even with the fan blowing, they were still sweating, especially where their bodies touched. Chen Xian wanted to wake Shen Jixue up, but he remembered how early Shen Jixue woke up before. By the time he got up, Shen Jixue would already be neatly dressed and waiting on the sofa in the living room. Rarely did he sleep so soundly; Chen Xian hesitated to wake him.

Forget it, let’s lie in bed a little longer until Shen Jixue wakes up naturally.

The thin sunlight streamed through the window, poised and ready, promising another bright day. In such warm and vibrant weather, just looking at it made one’s blood boil.

Chen Xian stared absentmindedly at the blue sky outside the window. On the ship, the bedroom was enclosed; if you wanted to see such a sky, you had to leave the room and go to the deck. The river wasn’t bad, but for everyone who ran boats, the shore had a fatal attraction.

After watching for a while, Chen Xian became more and more awake, but there was no sign that the person in his arms was waking up. He couldn’t lie still anymore. Just as he was hesitating whether to wake Shen Jixue, Shen Jixue suddenly turned his head on his chest, and the next moment, his beautiful eyes opened.

“Wake up?”

The pounding of the heartbeat in his ears was like a drum, startling Shen Jixue, who was still drowsy. He almost screamed in surprise, then suddenly remembered what happened last night—lying beside him was Chen Xian.

It was Chen Xian.

The name Chen Xian seemed to hold some kind of magic. Shen Jixue didn’t get up; instead, he placed his hand on Chen Xian’s chest, slowly tracing outward from the position of his heart.

The steady heartbeat beneath his palm felt so real that it was almost unbelievable. After Shen Jixue’s hand lingered on Chen Xian’s chest for a moment, he continued to stroke upward. The sensation of his fingertips was somewhat firm and rough—it was Chen Xian’s clavicle. Even the hollow of his neck felt exceptionally smooth. Shen Jixue had always thought of Chen Xian as a sharp-edged man, but when he reached the neck, he was surprised by its roundness.

Moving further up was Chen Xian’s neck, his Adam’s apple, and then his face. Shen Jixue was curious about Chen Xian’s appearance, especially since he hadn’t touched him last night. His curiosity was like a ripe apple hanging from a branch, swaying as if about to fall, making one’s heart itch.

Chen Xian stared at Shen Jixue’s face without turning away. Shen Jixue was so innocent that all his emotions were displayed on his face. He might not even be aware of his own desires and curiosity, which were evident in his somewhat vacant eyes.

What was he curious about? He was just an ordinary man, as ordinary as could be, even more hesitant and indecisive than other men. Chen Xian couldn’t imagine what would attract Shen Jixue’s curiosity about someone like himself.

Realizing that Shen Jixue wanted to touch his face, Chen Xian finally couldn’t hold back and interrupted his movement once again.

“Awake?”

The deep voice seemed to startle Shen Jixue. His raised hand trembled, quickly retracting. For a blind person to try to hide from Chen Xian, who had good vision, was undoubtedly self-deception.

But Chen Xian didn’t expose him. Acting as though nothing had happened, he helped Shen Jixue up by the arm.

Shen Jixue breathed a sigh of relief, thinking his little gesture had gone unnoticed. He believed he had concealed it well, but in fact, his expressions were poorly controlled, all seen by Chen Xian.

Chen Xian found it both amusing and helpless. He really wanted to ask straightforwardly, knowing Shen Jixue’s expression would surely be fascinating, embarrassed, and uncomfortable, completely at a loss. Thinking of Shen Jixue like that, Chen Xian couldn’t bring himself to tease him.

“Let’s get up and have breakfast. Otherwise, it’ll be almost lunchtime.”

Chen Xian got out of bed first this time, not letting Shen Jixue manage alone. Shen Jixue sat on the edge of the bed, and Chen Xian immediately moved his shoes within reach.

As Shen Jixue’s toes touched the shoes, he reached out, and Chen Xian caught his hand again.

“Thank you.”

Chen Xian knew Shen Jixue wasn’t that independent. He longed for someone to help him. Earlier, he might have been afraid of causing trouble for him, but now that he had chosen to help, he didn’t mind doing it better.

There were still some noodles at home, so Chen Xian cooked a big pot. The two of them shared it. The noodles, swollen with water, were easy for Shen Jixue to eat. Even Chen Xian was a little surprised by his appetite.

After breakfast, he applied some medicine to Shen Jixue’s knee, rubbing it where bruises were visible.

“If I’m home and you need to go somewhere or get something, just tell me, and I’ll go with you,” Chen Xian whispered. When he wasn’t at home, it was a special circumstance. Shen Jixue had to do everything himself. But when he was around, he would help as much as he could.

This time, Shen Jixue didn’t resist like before. “Okay.”

So obedient, so cooperative. Chen Xian looked at Shen Jixue, who held his arm, trusting him completely this time.

Chen Xian felt relieved and wanted to pat Shen Jixue’s head, but his hands were covered in medicine. “I’ll go wash my hands.”

Shen Jixue turned like a toy following commands, immediately turning in the direction of the bathroom. Chen Xian watched, feeling his heart soften. Shen Jixue could really tie someone down; he couldn’t bear to be away from him for even a moment.

Before he finished washing his hands, the landline in the living room rang. Chen Xian poked his head out and said to Shen Jixue, “Xiao Shen, could you pick that up?”

Feeling his way to the landline, Shen Jixue picked up the receiver. “Hello? Who’s this?”