17 Please come to my house for dinner17

Su Ran walked together with Jiang Yi and Ye Qiao. This trip was arranged by Yan Ze, who, along with a few friends, had gone ahead to a neighboring city of their destination. They planned to meet up later in City B.

After disembarking from the plane, they took a private car to their destination.

By this time, Su Ran had changed into lighter clothes. It was his first time traveling out of the province, and the sudden change in temperature left him somewhat disoriented. Within just a few hours, he had gone from late autumn to summer.

Their accommodation was at a resort somewhat removed from the city center, nestled between mountains and sea, boasting beautiful scenery and complete recreational facilities—a perfect choice for a getaway.

The car slowly entered the resort. They had rented a villa here for the next few days.

While still in the car, they spotted two figures standing in front of the villa. Yan Ze was dressed in a strikingly colorful beach casual outfit, wearing sunglasses—flashy and cool, impossible to miss. Beside him stood someone in a suit, as if he had just come straight from work, equally conspicuous yet out of place in this setting.

The car stopped in the villa’s courtyard. Su Ran got out, immediately hit by a wave of heat that felt unfamiliar and uncomfortable.

Seeing them step out, Yan Ze removed his sunglasses and looked over with an excited expression. He tugged on Lu Jin's arm and pointed toward the gate. "Look, a beautiful view."

Lu Jin just felt the oppressive heat and squinted against the dazzling sun, following Yan Ze’s pointing finger.

They saw Su Ran and his companions stepping down from the car. Leading the group, Su Ran wore cool, loose short sleeves and shorts, his fair skin especially striking under the sunlight—no one there was paler than him.

"Wow, all handsome guys," Yan Ze’s two female friends, both from their social circle, exclaimed, clearly pleased they had come. But Yan Ze quickly dampened the mood. "Looks good, right? One pair is actually a married couple."

Lu Jin’s face tightened, his gaze fixed on the dazzlingly pale figure.

"So, Lu Jin, I told you it’d be great here—mountains, water, and good-looking people," Yan Ze said, then cast a disdainful glance at Lu Jin. "You must regret staying home. You didn’t come with us the other day, and now look at you in that suffocating suit. Did you just finish a business meeting?"

Lu Jin ignored him. "Better if you just shut up."

Yan Ze smirked. "You don’t like hearing it, but I’m genuinely curious—what made you change your mind and come so suddenly?"

Lu Jin remained silent, a response Yan Ze was used to. He continued chatting until Su Ran and the others reached them.

Lu Jin’s eyes fell on Su Ran. His face was cold and expressionless, but his gaze was deep, as if lost in profound thought. When Su Ran looked at him, Lu Jin immediately looked away.

"Why is everyone standing at the door?" Jiang Yi asked.

"Waiting for you guys, of course. Come on, let’s go inside together," Yan Ze said.

Just as they were about to turn and enter the villa, a voice called out from the entrance, "Yan Ze, Lu Jin, I’m here."

Everyone looked toward the door to see two young men walking in—one tall and muscular, the other slender and refined.

Yan Ze laughed. "Oh, I thought you wouldn’t arrive until tomorrow." Then he nodded toward the slender one. "Who’s this?"

Xia Mo’an introduced, "I… I’m my third aunt’s cousin’s nephew."

Yan Ze was momentarily stunned by the introduction, suspecting yet another shameless attempt to cling to connections. But the young man looked quite decent.

When Su Ran and his group saw the newcomers, they all froze briefly, especially Jiang Yi, whose expression darkened noticeably. He instinctively glanced at Su Ran, then at Ye Qiao.

Zhou Luo wore a smile, aware of who was on this trip and satisfied that he had achieved his goal by coming.

"President Jiang, what a coincidence," Zhou Luo greeted Jiang Yi. "Didn’t expect to run into you here."

Jiang Yi forced a faint smile, his gaze stern and warning. "Quite the coincidence."

Su Ran’s eyes flicked between the two, visibly displeased, while Ye Qiao’s lips curled into a cold smile.

The day Su Ran went out, he had run into the two downstairs. Zhou Luo looked sweet and affectionate, and at that moment, he actually wrapped his arm around Jiang Yi’s neck and kissed his cheek—Su Ran had witnessed it clearly.

Hence Jiang Yi’s awkward expression when he saw Su Ran.

Ye Qiao’s gaze lingered on the two, the corners of his mouth rising further. This was truly amusing.

They entered the villa, where the housekeeper handed out room keys. There were plenty of rooms, but everyone was curious about why Jiang Yi and Su Ran were assigned separate rooms.

Su Ran brushed off the question casually, though when he caught sight of Zhou Luo’s smug face, he felt a pang in his chest.

On the third floor, he found his room number and realized Lu Jin was staying right next door. Ye Qiao’s room was diagonally opposite, and Jiang Yi’s was around the corner on another corridor.

***

Su Ran opened his door and stepped inside. The room was spacious and decorated in a vintage style, with heavy curtains patterned intricately. Fortunately, the sunlight was abundant, preventing the room from feeling gloomy. Outside the window stretched a vast lawn and flower beds, the view exceptionally beautiful.

He let the breeze in for a while, then closed the window—the air was warm. Lying stiffly on the bed, his shorts rode up, revealing his pale thighs.

At that moment, his phone rang. Sitting up with legs slightly bent, he sent a message to the group chat, saying they would rest first and gather for dinner at four.

Next door, Lu Jin had just entered his room. His gaze swept around, then landed on the mirror by the bed.

It was a long mirror, about half a meter tall, framed in a worn style. It faced his bed—and directly reflected the bed in the adjacent room. Through it, Lu Jin could see Su Ran sitting on his bed next door, clearly and distinctly.

Lu Jin was momentarily entranced, his eyes fixed on the mirror’s surface. He raised a hand, fingertips touching the cool glass.

Then Su Ran began to undress, pulling his shirt up, revealing his toned, fair stomach. The next second, he tossed his shirt aside, exposing smooth shoulders and delicate collarbones—a beautifully sculpted upper body fully displayed before Lu Jin’s eyes.

Lu Jin’s heart tightened, his breath caught. Then he saw Su Ran tug at his waistband and slowly lower his shorts.

His face flushed red instantly; flustered, he turned away and began tapping the mirror.

At this moment, Su Ran had already removed his shorts when he suddenly heard a sound in the room. Looking around, he realized the noise came from the mirror.

He had been sweating and was about to take a shower, but now, staring at the mirror, a chill ran down his spine.

The vintage decor and that strange noise unsettled him. He got off the bed and approached the mirror, his fingers tracing its surface.

He was tall and slender, his skin smooth with a warm glow. His body was so perfect, as Ye Qiao had said—an artwork.

And this artwork was completely exposed to Lu Jin’s gaze—causing him to flush with heat—while Su Ran remained unaware, inching closer.

The next moment, Su Ran pulled his shorts back on and moved toward the door. Lu Jin’s expression changed—how could he leave like that, not afraid of being seen?

Su Ran pushed the door open just as Lu Jin suddenly burst in, startling him. He leaned out, looking around, then was pushed back inside by Lu Jin.

Su Ran was baffled. "The mirror in my room’s acting weird..."

Lu Jin’s gaze swept over him. Seeing him through the mirror was different from seeing him right in front of him. His ears reddened, and he said, "Put your clothes back on."

Su Ran was confused but obediently dressed. Lu Jin then led him out and took him next door. Standing before Lu Jin’s mirror, Su Ran understood everything.

"Were you the one knocking on the mirror just now?" Su Ran asked.

Lu Jin looked at his innocent face, clearly unaware of the gravity of the situation. "Do you know if I hadn’t been staying here, you’d have been completely exposed to someone else!"

Lu Jin was frustrated, and Su Ran sensed his anger but found it inexplicable. Why would a man be afraid of that?

Suddenly, he remembered his identity. He always prioritized his masculinity over his role as a husband, but others might not see it that way. He needed to be more careful.

"Thanks," Su Ran said, awkwardly rubbing his nose.

Lu Jin’s chest rose and fell. Then he looked seriously at Su Ran. "Don’t ever let anyone see your body again, got it?"

Su Ran didn’t like being lectured as if he were a child about gender awareness. How old was he? But despite his reluctance, he didn’t want to argue. "Got it."

Back in his own room, Su Ran obediently covered the mirror with a towel, still embarrassed by the earlier incident.

After showering and resting, it was time to gather. They dined at a restaurant at the foot of the mountain.

At the table, Yan Ze proposed a trip to the beach, and everyone agreed. Then Ye Qiao held up Su Ran’s hand. "Ran Ran and I won’t join you. He’s coming with me to sketch, right, Ran Ran?"

Su Ran caught Ye Qiao’s look and understood immediately. Of course, he wanted to go with Ye Qiao—there was money to be made!

"Yes, we won’t go with you."

Everyone agreed except Lu Jin, who watched the two holding hands with visible displeasure. He knew their relationship was close, which was normal, but he just couldn’t stand Ye Qiao.

A grown man in a tight tank top, looking like an overtly flirtatious male streamer—who did he think he was trying to seduce?

After dinner, the group split into two. Su Ran and Ye Qiao headed in the opposite direction from the others.

Amid the crowd, Lu Jin couldn’t help but glance back. He saw the tall and slender figure moving lightly and relaxed, the two chatting and laughing in harmony.

Yan Ze nudged him. "What’s wrong? You looked unhappy at the table earlier."

"Nothing," Lu Jin replied coldly.

***

"Nothing" yet his face remained stern. Yan Ze said, "You can’t keep that serious—try to be happy."

Lu Jin didn’t listen. He lowered his gaze, feeling the stifling heat of the climate, which made him inexplicably irritable and unsettled, unable to calm his mind to enjoy the moment.

Images of Su Ran flooded his mind—the figure in the mirror, pale and gradually drawing closer, the scene blurring into white light, making it hard to breathe, his heart burning.

Suddenly, the scene shifted: Ye Qiao holding Su Ran’s hand, both in revealing clothes, their carefree silhouettes…

Lu Jin suddenly stopped in his tracks and said, "You guys go ahead. I’m not going."

Then he turned and left, leaving Yan Ze standing there dumbfounded. "Huh?"

***

While everyone rested, Ye Qiao had already scouted a spot—a natural waterfall in the village, remote and seldom visited, perfect for sketching.

After a long walk, Su Ran wiped sweat from his brow but felt uplifted upon arrival.

Water cascaded down, and standing closer, droplets sprayed pleasantly cool.

Ye Qiao looked around, then had Su Ran sit on a large stone beneath the waterfall. The stone was smooth and comfortable to sit on.

Following Ye Qiao’s instructions, Su Ran held a pose as still as possible. Ye Qiao set up his easel nearby and seated himself on a folding chair.

The place was quiet, with only the sound of the waterfall. Su Ran obediently sat on the stone, feet resting on smaller stones, thigh muscles tensed—the sitting area was limited.

Ye Qiao was very quiet while painting, occasionally glancing at Su Ran. This was Su Ran’s first time posing just to be observed, to have every detail of his body traced and replicated on paper.

As the sun began to tilt west, Su Ran finally realized modeling was not as easy as he had imagined. Holding one position for so long made his muscles ache and his backside numb. He glanced at Ye Qiao, intending to move a little, but as he shifted, his leg cramped, and he lost balance, falling straight into the water.

Thankfully, the pool before the waterfall was neither too deep nor too shallow, so he neither hit the bottom nor drowned. He quickly stood up.

Ye Qiao rushed over, relieved to see he was fine, and helped him out. "Ran Ran, are you okay?"

Su Ran shook his head. Water droplets ran down his hair, soaking the grass beneath. Though embarrassed by his fall, he figured the sketching for the day was over.

"Qiao Qiao, can we continue tomorrow?" Su Ran asked, looking up.

His face was wet, eyelashes dotted with droplets, bathed in the warm orange sunlight that made him look almost dreamlike. Ye Qiao smiled, "It’s fine, we’ll stop for today. No big deal. Being wet like this is kind of refreshing, isn’t it?"

Su Ran laughed at his optimism. "Yeah! Very refreshing!"

His loose white half-sleeve clung to his body, water dripping from its hem. He rolled the edge up and twisted it in his hand, water streaming through his fingers.

Unbothered by others nearby, Ye Qiao grasped Su Ran’s arm, his touch cool.

"Ran Ran..."

Su Ran felt a warmth on his skin and looked at Ye Qiao curiously, meeting a gaze that was deep and burning. He instinctively wanted to look away.

"What is it?"

Ye Qiao’s breathing became uneven, his body seemingly ignited. Suddenly, he smiled and said, "I’ll cool down with you."

The next second, Ye Qiao plunged straight into the water. Su Ran stood there, stunned into silence.

Soon Ye Qiao emerged, water cascading down his body. He tossed back his hair and said, "It’s really refreshing."

Su Ran laughed, unsure what else to say, but gradually found himself drawn to Ye Qiao’s graceful muscles.

The cotton fabric clung tightly, accentuating his defined abs. Su Ran envied him immensely. Noticing Su Ran’s gaze, Ye Qiao caught his wrist and pulled him over.

This harmonious scene was exactly what Lu Jin saw when he finally found the secluded spot after wandering the village aimlessly for a long time.

They had chosen such a remote place... why were both soaked through?

Their laughter and chatter made Lu Jin’s temples throb as if about to burst. The sight of Ye Qiao so unabashedly close to Su Ran was utterly shameless.

Lu Jin ground his teeth—this cunning vixen!