Chapter 24 Whatever we do is normal

 

At the entrance of the infirmary, Zhang Yilang and Chen Pan rushed out just in time to hear those words. 

They exchanged exaggerated glances, their faces twisting in silent commentary—saying nothing yet conveying everything.

The campus doctor stood at the door, hands tucked into the pockets of his white coat. He looked first at Huaixu, then at Jing Zhengxuan, and repeated solemnly, 

"Remember—in moderation."

Huaixu’s face burned hotter, his gaze darting away as he shoved at Jing Zhengxuan. 

"What kind of joke is that?! Who said anything about dating?! Let go!"

"Didn’t the doctor prescribe 'moderate dating' for your health?" 

Jing Zhengxuan was thoroughly amused by Huaixu’s reaction. He released him, glanced at the doctor, then leaned down with a smirk. 

"Don’t doctors hate patients who ignore medical advice?"

Huaixu busied himself straightening his clothes—though there was nothing to straighten—just to avoid eye contact.

He brushed imaginary dust off his sleeves, the tips of his ears crimson, but his tone was deliberately casual. "This is different."

Without waiting for Jing Zhengxuan’s response, he waved at Zhang Yilang and Chen Pan. 

"I’m fine. Let’s go back to class."

"Huh?"

"Oh."

The two approached, Zhang Yilang eyeing Jing Zhengxuan’s expression before tentatively suggesting, 

"Maybe you should go rest with your childhood friend? We’ll ask the professor for leave on your behalf."

Chen Pan nodded in agreement. 

"Yeah, seems like you two have… things to discuss."

Huaixu: "…"

Discuss what?

Discuss dating?!

Impossible!

His dark, bright eyes fixed on his roommates, brows furrowing slightly like a confused deer stumbling into human society.

The two coughed awkwardly and fell silent.

Jing Zhengxuan wrapped an arm around Huaixu, bending down to ask considerately, 

"So, back to absorbing the wisdom of socialism?"

He had memorized Huaixu’s class schedule better than Huaixu himself.

Huaixu nodded. "Mm."

Jing Zhengxuan kept his arm around him as they walked. 

"Then I’ll go with you."

Zhang Yilang and Chen Pan trailed behind.

Huaixu’s fingers nervously pinched the seam of his pants. The distance between him and Jing Zhengxuan felt too close—but they had always been like this. 

They’d even done far more intimate things before without issue.

So why did it feel awkward now?

He stared straight ahead. The trees were still green, the flowers still fragrant.

December in Jincheng was as lush as ever.

The only thing that seemed to have changed was himself.

Huaixu tilted his head slightly, lifting his chin to study the childhood friend beside him.

Noticing his gaze, Jing Zhengxuan turned too. 

"What’s wrong?"

Their faces were barely half a shoulder apart. Huaixu could clearly see his own reflection in Jing Zhengxuan’s eyes—flustered, uneasy, with a hint of nervousness.

He looked away, focusing ahead. 

"Don’t you have class?"

Unlike Jing Zhengxuan, who knew his schedule inside out, Huaixu only had a vague idea of Jing Zhengxuan’s timetable.

Jing Zhengxuan gave his shoulder a light squeeze, still smiling at him. 

"Class isn’t as important as you."

Huaixu: "…"

In the past, he wouldn’t have overthought this.

It was a normal thing to say—Jing Zhengxuan had said similar countless times.

Despite his temper, Jing Zhengxuan had always been gentle with him, often saying warm, reassuring things.

But lately, Huaixu couldn’t hear such words without his mind spiraling. 

They felt inexplicably ambiguous, stirring thoughts he couldn’t control.

Isn’t this normal between close friends?

It’s just emotional expression.

But… is it too frequent?

Huaixu shoved Jing Zhengxuan’s face away, feigning annoyance. 

"Go back to class!"

---

In Huaixu’s self-perception, he was a person devoid of desire.

He saw himself as a machine, methodically navigating daily life and studies. His strong empathy stemmed from his future role as a medical professional—not from any richness of emotion.

But recently, that self-perception had shattered.

Desire had emerged.

Or, more accurately—lust.

Maybe the doctor was right. At his age, he should date moderately to maintain physical and mental health.

Huaixu wanted to be healthy. But when it came to romance, he was utterly clueless.

What does love feel like?

What does liking someone feel like?

Senior Xie Kaiyan had confessed to him—and he wasn’t the first. Countless people had professed their feelings over the years, yet Huaixu had never felt a thing.

That was why he’d labeled himself "human-machine."

But now?

Now, Huaixu had learned to sneak into his bathroom and wash his own underwear in secret.

He never wanted Jing Zhengxuan to handle his soiled briefs again.

Too humiliating!

Dreaming of that almost every night? Definitely not something a "human-machine" would do.

Since Jing Zhengxuan usually did his laundry, it didn’t take long for him to notice something amiss—

For days, Huaixu’s laundry basket had been devoid of underwear.

Given Huaixu’s fastidiousness, this was not normal.

Jing Zhengxuan investigated—and, predictably, found the freshly washed briefs hanging in Huaixu’s bathroom.

Clutching the damp garment, he looked heartbroken. "A-Xu, since when are we so distant?"

Huaixu: "…"

Speechless, he snatched the underwear from Jing Zhengxuan’s hands and tossed it into the trash like a hot potato. Softly, he explained, "It’s not that. I just… wanted to handle my own things."

Jing Zhengxuan’s cool, narrow eyes reddened slightly, his expression wounded.

Pinching the bridge of his nose, he murmured, "You’ve changed, A-Xu."

Huaixu: "…"

He didn’t know how to respond.

He had changed.

Now, he was grateful they slept in separate rooms. If he had to share a bed with Jing Zhengxuan every night, he’d die of shame.

A solution struck him:

Wash the soiled ones myself. Let him handle the rest.

With that in mind, he patted Jing Zhengxuan’s shoulder placatingly. "Alright, alright. From now on, you can wash my underwear, okay?"

Jing Zhengxuan sniffed, hesitant. "Really?"

Huaixu nodded. "Really."

Only then did Jing Zhengxuan smile, clasping his hands. "A-Xu, these hands are meant for holding scalpels. Leave the laundry to me."

Huaixu stared at him, then lowered his head with a quiet, "Mm."

Jing Zhengxuan ruffled his hair and left, satisfied.

The moment the door closed, Huaixu collapsed onto his bed, despairing over his increasingly frequent wet dreams.

A quick online search revealed many shared his plight—and the solution was simple, echoing the doctor’s advice but more direct:

Get acquainted with your own hands.

Huaixu tried.

It felt… lacking. Nowhere near as satisfying as in his dreams.

Am I doing it wrong?

Then he remembered something he’d heard of but never seen—

Adult films.

Another search.

As everyone knew, such resources weren’t exactly accessible via public search engines.

Huaixu came up empty.

He’d have to ask someone.

But who?

Jing Zhengxuan was out of the question.

Not only was it unclear whether Jing Zhengxuan even had such materials, Huaixu could never bring himself to ask.

He scrolled through his contacts, scrutinizing each name.

He knew many people, but thanks to Jing Zhengxuan’s overprotectiveness, he had few close friends. He barely kept in touch with high school classmates.

At university, beyond Zhang Yilang’s trio, he was only close with the traditional music club—most of whom were girls.

Absolutely impossible to ask them.

As for Xie Kaiyan, he was the senior who had been rejected by him. How could Huaixu have the nerve to ask him about this? Besides, based on his understanding of Xie Kaiyan, the other guy probably didn’t have such resources anyway.

As for Zhang Yilang and the other two, the moment he asked them, Jing Zhengxuan would likely find out immediately.

What difference would that make from directly asking Jing Zhengxuan himself?

Huaixu wasn’t stupid enough to do something like that.

After much deliberation, the only person left was Shu Jinwei.

Shu Jinwei didn’t have Jing Zhengxuan’s WeChat, and the two of them were like-minded friends. 

Plus, Shu Jinwei seemed to know a lot about relationships, so asking him shouldn’t be a problem, right?

Huaixu lay on his bed, deep in thought, before finally making up his mind and opening his chat with Shu Jinwei.

[Sun]: [A kitten suddenly appears]

Shu Jinwei: What’s up?

After hesitating for a moment, Huaixu mustered up the courage to send the message.

[Sun]: Do you have any… resources?

Shu Jinwei: ? What kind of resources? Musical theater?

[Sun]: No, I mean… that kind…

Shu Jinwei: That kind? What kind?

[Sun]: You know… adult films…

Huaixu bit his finger nervously, but the other side replied with a string of laughing emojis, making him flush with embarrassment.

[Sun]: [Sweat] Never mind, forget it.

Shu Jinwei: No, no, no! I do! Wait a sec!

Shu Jinwei: Do you want hetero or homo?

[Sun]: There’s a difference?

Shu Jinwei: Of course! There are tons of categories.

Huaixu thought about it. 

He had never considered himself gay, so he asked for hetero.

Shu Jinwei immediately sent him several links in rapid succession, leaving Huaixu stunned.

[Sun]: This many?

Shu Jinwei: These things often get taken down, so the more the better.

Shu Jinwei: [Fidgeting fingers] I specially asked someone else for these, so treasure them, okay~

[Sun]: […]

[Sun]: [Thanks]

Now that he had the resources, Huaixu naturally wanted to check them out.

Although his biology class had briefly covered topics related to sex, it was all very surface-level, focusing mainly on contraception and STD prevention.

Huaixu first quietly got out of bed to lock the door, then put on his headphones, buried himself under the covers, and clicked on one of the videos.

He thought he’d feel the same rush as in his dreams, but… nothing. He felt nothing at all. In fact, he even yawned.

This couldn’t be right. He tried other videos, but the result was the same—none of the content aroused him.

Huaixu refused to believe it. He clicked through every link Shu Jinwei had sent him, opening multiple videos from each, but the outcome remained unchanged—

He felt absolutely nothing for adult films!

Time flew by as he explored, and before he knew it, it was past 1 a.m.

Huaixu lay face-down in the blankets, staring dejectedly at his unenthusiastic little friend, utterly confused.

Was this a physiological issue?

But he had wet dreams—and plenty of them.

So why did adult films do nothing for him?!

The next day, Huaixu couldn’t get up for class.

As someone with a weak constitution, he needed plenty of sleep, which was why he usually went to bed by 10 p.m.

Missing even a little sleep made it hard for him to get up, let alone after accidentally staying up past 1 a.m.

Jing Zhengxuan knocked on his door in the morning, but after several tries with no response, he grew worried. 

When he tried the handle, he found the door locked from the inside. Panicked, he immediately fetched the key and opened the door.

Upon entering, he saw Huaixu peacefully asleep in bed and let out a sigh of relief. 

Tiptoeing to the bedside, he then noticed the dark circles under Huaixu’s eyes.

Jing Zhengxuan: “…”

His expression darkened as he glanced around, trying to figure out why Huaixu had stayed up so late. Then, he spotted the phone lying on the bed, still connected to headphones, the paused screen displaying an explicit scene between a man and a woman.

Jing Zhengxuan’s brows furrowed, his chest rising and falling sharply. After a long moment, he closed his eyes, rubbed his temples in resignation, and quietly left the room.

He took the day off for both Huaixu and himself, then took a shower and returned to Huaixu’s room wearing a smooth, cool robe.

His gaze involuntarily drifted back to the phone. With a sharp glare, Jing Zhengxuan turned off the screen and placed both the phone and headphones on the bedside table.

Then, he silently slipped under the covers, sliding an arm beneath Huaixu’s neck as he lay on his side, watching the person in his arms.

Sunlight filtered through the curtains, casting a dim yet visible glow in the room, creating a hazy, almost intimate atmosphere.

The light danced across Huaixu’s face, casting faint shadows.

Jing Zhengxuan couldn’t resist tracing the contours of his face with a finger.

Huaixu’s beauty wasn’t just skin-deep—his bone structure was exquisite, but what was even more captivating was his soul.

Jing Zhengxuan would never forget the day he fell ill as a child, how Huaixu had nervously yet resolutely fed him medicine.

He had genuinely cared—enough to push past his own fear to take care of him.

Jing Zhengxuan had never seen that kind of expression on any other child. The others had only feared him, never bothering to look beyond his temper to understand his true intentions.

Back then, he hadn’t understood what that feeling was. It wasn’t until he grew older that he realized—it was the joy of having his soul seen and acknowledged.

Huaixu understood him.

Holding the one who understood him, Jing Zhengxuan breathed in Huaixu’s signature peach scent.

Huaixu was a very still sleeper, barely moving, his breathing steady.

But this time, for some reason, the person in his arms suddenly turned over and burrowed deeper into his embrace.

His head nestled right under Jing Zhengxuan’s chin, the familiar peach scent growing even richer.

Jing Zhengxuan took a deep breath and tightened his arms around him.

Then, he noticed that Huaixu still wasn’t settling down.

Jing Zhengxuan was wearing a silky V-neck robe, fastened only by a sash at the waist. Once lying down, it inevitably exposed a generous expanse of his chest.

And the usually well-behaved Huaixu, now in his sleep, kept nuzzling his face against Jing Zhengxuan’s chest, as if he loved it and couldn’t get enough.

Jing Zhengxuan: “…?”

He smirked, but then his gaze fell on the phone on the bedside table, recalling the paused video. His eyes darkened, and he pulled Huaixu even closer.

Just as he was feeling conflicted, something under the covers perked up.

Jing Zhengxuan: “?”

He looked down at the person still snuggling into him, emotions swirling in his chest.

His eyes darkened further as he tugged the robe open even wider…

That afternoon, Huaixu jolted awake.

He’d had another wet dream!

His underwear was… again!

Ahhhh!

Wait!

Whose perfectly sculpted pecs were these?!

Hold on—

Why was Jing Zhengxuan here?!

And why wasn’t he wearing his robe properly?!

Why was the neckline gaping so wide?!

Wait.

Maybe he was still dreaming.

Because…

Hah.

Huaixu closed his eyes again.

When he reopened them, the well-defined chest was still there, 

his childhood friend’s soft breathing audible, and Huaixu’s arm was still wrapped around the other’s waist.

And…

His underwear was still…

He’d have to wash them again…

Huaixu cautiously glanced upward. Jing Zhengxuan was drowsily rubbing his eyes, 

instinctively pulling him closer as his lips curled into a faint smile. 

“Awake?”

Huaixu froze, then subtly arched his back to scoot away. 

“Y-yeah… I’m up.”

Jing Zhengxuan suddenly threw off the covers, staring at his thigh in confusion. 

“Huh? What’s this?”

Huaixu guiltily covered himself. 

“Probably just sweat, haha… ha.”

As he spoke, Jing Zhengxuan ran a slender finger over the spot and brought it to his nose, sniffing.

Huaixu: “…”

Was that something you could just sniff?!

He stiffened, barely remembering to breathe.

Before he could protest, Jing Zhengxuan licked his finger and murmured, 

“Tastes kinda sweet.”

Huaixu nearly passed out.

Was that something you could just taste?!

Huh?!

Even if it had fructose or something, it shouldn’t taste sweet, right?!

He bolted upright and smacked Jing Zhengxuan’s hand away, his face burning with embarrassment. 

“Why would you put that in your mouth?!”

Jing Zhengxuan, caught off guard by the slap, 

blinked in surprise before pointing at Huaixu’s pajama pants in sudden realization. 

“A-Xu… you… I…”

He gestured between them, looking utterly shocked.

Only then did Huaixu realize he’d given himself away in his panic. 

He quickly covered himself, but it was too late.

“D-don’t get the wrong idea,” 

Huaixu said, deciding to own it now that he’d been caught. He got out of bed and headed for the bathroom. 

“It’s a normal physiological reaction. I’m studying medicine—I know.”

The last part sounded more like he was trying to convince himself than anyone else.

“Also, go rinse your mouth,” 

he added, glancing back sheepishly.

The bed was large, and Huaixu had to walk around it to reach the bathroom. 

Before he could make it past the foot of the bed, 

Jing Zhengxuan suddenly yanked him back down.

Huaixu yelped as he landed on the mattress. 

“What are you doing?!”

Jing Zhengxuan straddled him, knees on either side of his hips, hands planted beside his head as he gazed down at Huaixu. 

“If it’s a normal physiological reaction, then let me help you.”

Huaixu: “…”

Eyes wide with indignation, he pushed against Jing Zhengxuan’s chest. 

“Help with what?! Get off!”

Then, he realized his hands were pressed directly against Jing Zhengxuan’s pecs—

the firm, smooth texture a hundred times more vivid than in his dreams.

Huaixu: “!”

In a flash, he yanked Jing Zhengxuan’s robe closed and snapped, 

“Get off! And wear your clothes properly!”

Jing Zhengxuan frowned, as if recalling something.

A moment later, he said, 

“I tied it properly before I fell asleep.”

In other words, Huaixu had been the one to undo it.

Huaixu’s face burned even hotter.

That… was entirely possible.

At least, the current him was absolutely capable of such… uh… beastly behavior.

He really wanted to swear.

Fuck!

Embarrassment gave way to anger. 

Huaixu desperately wished he could vanish into thin air, but Jing Zhengxuan kept him pinned.

Sure, the wet dreams were to blame, but it wasn’t like he could control them. 

Why humiliate him like this?

In his fury, Huaixu had a burst of inspiration. Bracing his hands against the bed, 

he abruptly slid upward, escaping Jing Zhengxuan’s hold, and dashed barefoot into the bathroom.

Once he calmed down, though, he felt terrible.

Not only had he made Jing Zhengxuan a recurring guest in his wet dreams, 

but he’d also smeared the guy’s thigh in reality.

And Jing Zhengxuan 

had sniffed it! Tasted it!

…

What kind of madness was this?!

Frustrated, Huaixu stripped and stepped into the shower.

The bathroom was a suite, with separate areas for the sink, toilet, and shower.

Once the doors were closed, they were completely isolated from each other.

After his shower, Huaixu pushed open the shower door—and nearly jumped out of his skin.

Jing Zhengxuan was standing at the sink.

Upon closer inspection, he was scrubbing something.

The anger Huaixu had just managed to suppress flared up again,

his entire body turning into a bubbling, red-hot magma of embarrassment.

Jing Zhengxuan was washing his underwear.

The underwear he’d… messed up.

The ones he’d planned to wash after his shower.

For a moment, 

Huaixu didn’t know what to say.

Should he be touched? 

Ashamed?

Or should he question whether Jing Zhengxuan had lost his mind?

Thankfully, he’d remembered to bring a change of clothes,

or the situation would’ve been even more awkward.

But even so, Huaixu was at a complete loss.

Jing Zhengxuan, while scrubbing the underwear, watched his every move in the mirror.

Noticing Huaixu’s flustered but forcibly composed expression, 

Jing Zhengxuan smiled at his reflection. 

“Done showering?”

Huaixu: “…”

Since when was this a normal topic between friends?

He stayed silent, and Jing Zhengxuan smiled again. 

“I smelled it.”

Huaixu: “?”

Jing Zhengxuan flipped the underwear over and kept scrubbing, 

his eyes still on the mirror. 

“It’s sweet.”

His tone was casual, as if he were discussing the weather.

Huaixu: “…”

His face burned hotter and hotter. 

If he were a volcano, he would’ve erupted countless times by now.

Jing Zhengxuan turned on the faucet and added, 

“No need to be embarrassed. We’re adults—this is normal. Like you said, a physiological reaction. You’re studying medicine, so you’d know.”

Huaixu: “…”

He desperately wanted to leave, but his legs refused to move, 

as if nailed to the floor by invisible spikes—painless but torturous.

Huaixu stiffly nodded. 

“Right. Normal.”

Jing Zhengxuan wrung out the underwear, lips quirking. 

“So, me helping you is also normal.”

“…” 

Huaixu stared at the veins on Jing Zhengxuan’s hands, brows furrowing in confusion. 

“How would you help?”

Then, he suddenly realized he’d skipped a crucial step and quickly backtracked. 

“How is that normal?!”

Jing Zhengxuan turned around, shook out the underwear, and effortlessly pulled a hanger from the cabinet, 

hanging the freshly washed garment in the spot where Huaixu usually dried his underwear in secret.

His movements were natural, without a hint of impropriety, as if this were the most ordinary thing in the world.

Once done, Jing Zhengxuan walked up to Huaixu and said earnestly, 

“Between us, everything is normal.”

Huaixu: “…”

No, you—

---

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