Control Freak - Chapter 27
- 1v1, main romance, age-difference, sweet story without angst. The perspective is from the submissive gong character, with occasional scenes from the dominant shou character. The submissive was in a dominant position before meeting the dominant, and the submissive pursues the dominant.
- Not a horror or crime story; no criminal activities, and both characters are good people.
- Characters are 30 years old or older, have had previous relationships (not explicitly described in the story), and the assumption is that they have experienced everything adults do in relationships. If this is not to your liking, please refrain from reading.
- The ex-boyfriend only appears to highlight the dominant character and is not meant to introduce a love triangle drama.
After the restaurant closed for the night, Ye Zhou didn’t leave right away but sat at the bar for a while.
When Fang Ji arrived around 8 p.m., he saw Ye Zhou sitting by the bar counter. The restaurant staff and bar staff got along well, so news often spread between them. Fang Ji had known for a while that Ye Zhou was pursuing Guan Heng and had a sense of inevitability about it. However, lately, whenever Fang Ji tried to find Ye Zhou, he was either leaving early or promptly out by 8, as if afraid that staying a second longer would interfere with his dating.
This time, finally getting a chance, Fang Ji walked straight over, hooking an arm around Ye Zhou’s shoulder from behind to keep him from running off. “Why are you still here at this hour? Not off chasing after your Teacher Guan?”
Ye Zhou glanced back at Fang Ji. “It’s exam season. He’s been busy lately.”
Fang Ji noticed the glass on the table and quickly let go of Ye Zhou, sitting down next to him. “So, how’s it going with you two? Are you together now?”
Ye Zhou thought for a moment, then shook his head. “I don’t know.”
Fang Ji was surprised. “How can you not know? Is he stringing you along?”
“No.” Ye Zhou immediately denied it. “Don’t overthink it, it’s just… complicated.”
Ye Zhou hadn’t told Fang Ji about Yue Shu before because he assumed Guan Heng wouldn’t be involved with him anymore. But now that Yue Shu was back, Ye Zhou was feeling a bit irritated. He avoided the parts he couldn’t say and gave Fang Ji a brief explanation of the situation.
Fang Ji watched as the drink in Ye Zhou’s glass slowly dwindled, but unlike before, he didn’t joke around with him. Although Ye Zhou wasn’t drinking heavily, he normally didn’t touch alcohol at all.
Ye Zhou might not have noticed it himself, but every year around this time, his mood inexplicably dropped. Having known Ye Zhou for more than ten years, Fang Ji was well aware that his parents’ death had been a major blow. Back in high school, Ye Zhou would act out every January, earning quite a few enemies, which eventually led to someone outing his sexual orientation. Fortunately, as Ye Zhou got older, his outbursts became less frequent, and after they started their business together, it hadn’t happened again. Ye Zhou had likely been working hard to manage his emotions, so during this time, Fang Ji always made sure not to argue with him.
As Ye Zhou rambled on, Fang Ji occasionally responded. Then, he added, “Don’t drink too much. I’ll take you home later.”
Ye Zhou stayed until 9 p.m. before deciding to leave. Fang Ji instructed the staff to watch over the place, saying he’d be back shortly. But just as he put on his coat, ready to take Ye Zhou home, he saw Guan Heng standing at the door.
Ye Zhou hadn’t drunk much—he wasn’t at the point of being unable to stand, just a little tipsy. Nevertheless, Fang Ji supported one of his arms over his shoulder to keep him from falling.
Guan Heng calmly observed the two, then walked over and quickly pulled Ye Zhou into his arms. “I’ll take him.”
“Oh, alright.” Fang Ji paused, feeling a little taken aback. Was it just his imagination, or had Guan Heng’s gaze seemed cold just now?
“Guan Heng.” Ye Zhou stood up straight immediately, looking sober, though his face was a bit flushed from the alcohol. “You came to find me?”
Ye Zhou smelled of alcohol, which Guan Heng noticed right away. “You’ve been drinking?”
“Mm…”
Fang Ji wasn’t sure if it was just his imagination, but he had the impression that Ye Zhou seemed especially obedient and well-behaved in front of Guan Heng. Was he seeing things, or had Ye Zhou really gotten drunk? Normally, around this time of year, Ye Zhou’s emotions were quite unstable, and he was prone to outbursts.
Guan Heng glanced at Fang Ji, who was still dazed, and nodded. “I’ll take him home.”
“Alright, alright, sorry to trouble you…” Fang Ji nodded mechanically, still finding the situation hard to believe. None of Ye Zhou’s previous partners had been able to manage him, let alone help him during times like these.
This university professor was something else.
Watching the two of them walk farther away, Fang Ji rubbed his chin. A bold idea popped into his head—maybe Ye Zhou was better suited for someone who could keep him in check.
By the time Ye Zhou saw Guan Heng, most of the alcohol had already worn off, but his head still felt a bit light. His steps were unsteady, almost as if he were floating: “Why are you here? Weren’t you really busy lately?”
Ye Zhou hadn’t intended to drink much tonight, just a little. He hadn’t expected Guan Heng to come looking for him, and the alcohol only amplified his joy, making it impossible to hide.
Guan Heng kept his arm around Ye Zhou’s shoulders, though now it was more of a protective gesture. “When I saw your house lights were off, I thought I’d come check on you.”
“Mm.” Ye Zhou found the posture a little strange, like Guan Heng was shielding him, but this rare chance to be so close made him reluctant to break the moment.
The two didn’t say much on the way back, but it didn’t feel awkward.
At the door, Guan Heng pulled out the key to unlock the gate. Ye Zhou watched him quietly for a moment before suddenly speaking: “Can I go to your place?”
With a soft click, the door opened, and Guan Heng turned to look at him.
Ye Zhou wasn’t drunk, but for some reason, the alcohol still made him feel a bit lightheaded. It was only now that he realized how much he cared about this matter. He was eager to step into Guan Heng’s personal space, but he was also worried about making him uncomfortable: “Uh, I…”
Guan Heng, however, didn’t turn him down. “Once you come in, you might not be able to leave.”
“Mm.” Ye Zhou nodded at first, but then, thinking he’d misheard, he let out a confused, “Huh?”
Guan Heng chuckled. “Just kidding.”
“Oh.” Ye Zhou froze for a second before reacting. Why had he been looking forward to that? So, Guan Heng could joke like this too—kind of cute.
Guan Heng had already opened the door to his home and turned on the light. “Come on in.”
Ye Zhou stood in place for a moment before following him inside. The living room was neat and tidy, furnished entirely with wooden furniture—probably high-quality teak. There was a faint but pleasant wood scent in the air, similar to the one on Guan Heng himself. This somehow reminded Ye Zhou of the day they kissed. The alcohol coursing through his system increased his circulation, making him feel inexplicably warm.
Guan Heng took off his coat and hung it on the rack by the entrance. He did the same with Ye Zhou’s jacket. “Make yourself at home.”
“Okay.” Ye Zhou wasn’t in a rush to sit down. Instead, he looked around curiously. He still felt a bit surreal, like things were going more smoothly than he’d imagined, making his earlier overthinking seem a bit silly.
Guan Heng didn’t treat Ye Zhou like a guest. He went straight into the kitchen and came back with a glass of honey water to help sober him up.
Ye Zhou wasn’t actually drunk, but he couldn’t refuse Guan Heng’s kindness. “Thank you.”
Guan Heng’s kitchen was quite empty, clearly not used often. As Ye Zhou drank his honey water, he glanced around at the furnishings. The house was filled with warm tones, with wooden furniture taking up the most space, which was different from what Ye Zhou had imagined. He had thought someone like Guan Heng would prefer cool tones or a gray palette, which seemed more fitting for a mature man. But the wooden theme also worked, giving the place a natural warmth.
Guan Heng poured himself a glass of water and leaned back against the dining table. “Satisfied with what you see?”
Ye Zhou smiled. “Very nice.”
“Want to take a tour upstairs?”
Ye Zhou froze for a moment. The layout of their homes was pretty similar, and upstairs would be more personal—mainly the bedroom. He couldn’t help but wonder what Guan Heng meant by this. Was he overthinking it? But before his brain could catch up, his mouth already responded, “Sure.”
Guan Heng calmly set his glass down and gestured to Ye Zhou’s cup. “Finish your honey water first.”
Ye Zhou wasn’t sure what wild thoughts had crossed his mind, but he suddenly felt very thirsty, his Adam’s apple bobbing as he gulped down the honey water. He followed Guan Heng upstairs. There were two rooms on the second floor—one was clearly Guan Heng’s bedroom, and the other looked like a study. The study door wasn’t fully closed, leaving a crack through which he could glimpse bookshelves and a desk, though he couldn’t make out what books were on it.
Ye Zhou glanced briefly at it, thinking that the furniture seemed to be the same as what he’d seen when Guan Heng moved in. He didn’t notice that Guan Heng, who was walking ahead, had turned and stopped, and he walked right into him.
Ye Zhou wasn’t walking fast, so the bump didn’t hurt. But the sudden closeness left almost no space between them, their bodies nearly pressed together. Guan Heng’s face was now just inches away, and getting closer. Once again, Ye Zhou caught that pleasant cedar and musk scent on him.
With the alcohol clouding his judgment and weakening his self-control—or maybe it was the lure of Guan Heng’s scent—Ye Zhou tilted his head slightly, wrapped his arms around Guan Heng’s neck, and boldly kissed him.
Guan Heng tasted the faint sweetness of honey from Ye Zhou’s lips.
One arm around Ye Zhou, Guan Heng reached back with the other, quietly closing the door to the study.
Storyteller MiniPickleTL's Words
- 1v1, main romance, age-difference, sweet story without angst. The perspective is from the submissive gong character, with occasional scenes from the dominant shou character. The submissive was in a dominant position before meeting the dominant, and the submissive pursues the dominant.
- Not a horror or crime story; no criminal activities, and both characters are good people.
- Charact
deedy
oh, is there something to hide in the study ?
thx for the chapter ! (ㅅ* ˘ *)