MAPF Chapter 20

Chapter 20: Startlingly White: The Fair Nape, Shoulders, and Back

Sun Yinan was rendered speechless by Xie Shiwei’s retort. He led his entourage away in a fit of anger, not forgetting to threaten Xie Shiwei to wait and see, promising to make him regret it sooner or later.

He Qin allowed Xie Shiwei to stick close, increasingly feeling that rather than amnesia, he seemed to be possessed.

In the past, Xie Shiwei would definitely have been provoked by Sun Yinan’s words, flying into a rage and cursing. Now, he could calmly retort.

Moreover, the chokehold he delivered was ruthless and accurate, a stark contrast to his former clumsiness in fights, where he couldn’t even land a punch.

Truly fascinating.

.

The three entered the store.

This store was a top-tier suit tailor, where customers selected the fabric and style of the clothes, designed the details of the collar, cuffs, and seams, and the designer simultaneously presented design drafts. Only after both parties reached an agreement and the measurements were taken would the production begin.

Xie Shiwei wandered around the store, politely declining all of Zhang Yingjun’s enthusiastic suggestions on colors and styles. After discussing with He Qin, they chose a silver-gray Italian fabric. The pants were a simple, classic straight-leg style, and the jacket was a fitted, three-button design. Their initials were embroidered in dark gold thread on the peak lapel, and a white magnolia petal was sewn onto each cuff.

“Why choose magnolia?” He Qin asked.

“There was a magnolia tree in front of my house when I was little,” Xie Shiwei said casually.

“That’s not right,” Zhang Yingjun said. “The villa where Shiwei’s family lives has camellias planted in front of it, not magnolias.”

Xie Shiwei froze, realizing he had misspoke.

In front of the building where he lived as a child, there was indeed a magnolia tree. Whenever it bloomed, the neighbor aunt would pick the flowers for him, saying that the fragrance was calming and that he should put a few by his bedside when he slept.

Back then, he could sleep soundly whenever he smelled the fragrance of magnolia.

Unfortunately, he would never see that tree again.

Xie Shiwei smiled regretfully, “I remembered wrong. Then let’s change it to camellia petals.”

The clerk picked up an eraser to remove the petals from the sketch, but He Qin said, “Let’s keep the magnolia. It matches better.”

Xie Shiwei’s heart fluttered, and he looked up at He Qin. But He Qin was seriously checking the next detail with the designer, not giving him even a single glance.

With the design finalized, a handsome young male clerk walked over with a measuring tray.

Xie Shiwei was overjoyed, “Are you measuring me first?”

He Qin glanced at him, discerning a hint of expectation and eagerness on Xie Shiwei’s face.

The clerk stepped back three steps upon hearing this, “Mr. Xie, the store has a rule that couples and legal partners must measure each other. We are only responsible for organizing records and verifying them.”

Xie Shiwei said regretfully, “Why is that?”

“Please understand, we have had employees measuring customers get complaints about inappropriate touching. Actually, it’s just customers getting jealous and not wanting the clerks to have direct contact with their loved ones.”

Xie Shiwei scorned, “Who’s so unreasonable? Isn’t that making things difficult for you! Don’t worry, I definitely won’t complain.”

Another clerk said somewhat awkwardly, “You were the one who complained about us last time. Have you forgotten?”

Zhang Yingjun whispered, “Your wedding tuxedo was also tailored here. You said a child was seducing He Qin and got him fired by complaining.”

Xie Shiwei’s vision went black.

Seriously speechless.

He laughed three times and said, “My bad,” before heading into the measuring room with He Qin.

The measuring room was a space of about four square meters, with two separate, fully enclosed compartments inside.

The clerk said at the door, “Since shirts and vests also need to be tailored, please take off your tops so we can get the most accurate chest, waist and hip measurements.”

Xie Shiwei and He Qin tacitly chose to do it themselves, each walking into a compartment and locking the door.

He Qin quickly took off his suit and shirt, only to realize that the measuring tape and marker were with Xie Shiwei.

“Xie Shiwei, you didn’t give me the tools,” he said.

Xie Shiwei, struggling with his clothes in the next compartment, didn’t hear him. He had rushed out this morning and grabbed a set of clothes from the closet to throw on.

Now he realized that the clothes were a two-piece set. When he took off the cashmere sweater, there was a black silk lining underneath, full of knotted thin straps and irregular hollow-outs.

It looked very improper.

And he had unfortunately stuck his right arm out of the huge hollow under his shoulder. No wonder he felt so strange all the way, and his right arm was so chilly.

Xie Shiwei painstakingly untied everything he could, but the strap near his lower right shoulder got tighter and tighter, and he couldn’t take it off.

He Qin, waiting for a response, knocked on the wooden board of the compartment and raised his voice, “Xie Shiwei, give me the measuring tape and marker.”

Xie Shiwei heard him this time and saw that all the tools were with him.

Resigned, he picked up the tray and knocked on He Qin’s door in this strange outfit, “Here you go.”

The door was pulled open from the inside, and Xie Shiwei’s eyes widened at He Qin’s bare upper body.

Holy crap! So unreserved!

He Qin’s body was like his face, sculpted. His whole body was full of healthy, smooth, and strong muscles. His pectoral muscles were full, his abdominal muscles were distinct, and his shark lines extended to his slightly loose waist, paired with vaguely visible veins on his arms, simply perfect.

He Qin took the measuring tape and pen from the tray, noticing Xie Shiwei’s naked gaze, and imperceptibly straightened his back, “Xie Shiwei, if you want to look, don’t make it so obvious.”

Xie Shiwei looked away guiltily, but said righteously, “You’re the one who’s half-naked. It’s not like I asked for it. If you feel offended, I just won’t look in the future. There are plenty of handsome guys. I’ll look at other people in the future.”

He Qin’s eyes twitched, and he said coldly, “Whatever. But what’s with your outfit?”

The person in front of him had his right shoulder and arm exposed, and the black clothes had hollow-outs everywhere, with the fair skin peeking out here and there, looking extremely provocative.

Xie Shiwei moved closer to He Qin with a hint of embarrassment, turned his back, “I was too rushed to get dressed this morning, and I didn’t put it on right. Can you help me untie the strap behind my shoulder?”

He Qin pulled, and the strap came undone easily.

The silk clothes scattered for the most part in an instant, and Xie Shiwei’s slender nape and half of his back were exposed to He Qin.

Startlingly white.

Xie Shiwei cried out “Damn it” in horror. Ignoring He Qin’s reaction, he rushed back to the compartment and locked the door.

Once the two people’s measurements were taken, the clothes were put into production.

He Qin went to the parking lot to get in the car and handle work, and Xie Shiwei went shopping with Zhang Yingjun, helping him pick out a snazzy white suit, had a big meal, and went home with He Qin.

.

That night, the two men lay on two beds separated by a wall.

Xie Shiwei tossed and turned, his mind filled with He Qin’s muscles, then the scene of his clothes half-falling off in front of He Qin.

The initial panic had passed, and shyness slowly took over, along with some embarrassing frustration, and he couldn’t fall asleep for a long time.

Meanwhile, He Qin, whose sleep quality was always superb, lay down and closed his eyes, only to have a patch of snow-white appear in his mind.

The fair nape, shoulders, and back.

The scene of Xie Shiwei’s clothes falling open lingered, becoming even clearer, causing him to rub his temples irritably.

Finally, both of them got out of bed and left the room, meeting on the connecting terrace.

The terrace was much colder than the warm indoors.

In the winter night, a cold wind blew, and the confusing and strange emotions in their hearts were blown away.

Xie Shiwei asked casually, “Can’t sleep? Because of work?”

He Qin nodded.

Xie Shiwei said offhandedly, “Me too. I’m going to the company soon, and I’m a little scared.”

“Take it one step at a time. Start with the simplest work. Many things aren’t as difficult as you think.”

After a moment of silence, Xie Shiwei gathered his courage, “He Qin, I don’t think I’ve ever asked you if you can accept homosexuals.”

That patch of white flashed before He Qin’s eyes again.

Fire rose in his heart, and he didn’t answer, his face cold.

Xie Shiwei saw He Qin frown and said quickly, “Don’t misunderstand. I just want to understand your bottom line. If you don’t like being around homosexuals, you can tell me early on, and I won’t force you to be friends with me.”

In this world, although same-sex marriage was legal and people were used to seeing same-sex couples, the mainstream of marriage was still a man and a woman, and many people thought that homosexuality was immoral.

He Qin said, “I support any form of love and marriage, and I don’t discriminate against anyone.”

“That’s good.” Xie Shiwei was relieved and smiled, “I’m purely gay.”

He Qin: “…I can tell.”

Xie Shiwei suddenly became curious about He Qin’s relationship status.

This world had changed after he came. Would He Qin’s future destined person still be Bai An? Did he have someone he liked now?

Curiosity took over, and Xie Shiwei boldly asked, “He Qin, seriously, what kind of person do you like, women or men? Cute or sexy?”

“I don’t know.”

Xie Shiwei scoffed, not believing it at all, “Didn’t you like anyone when you were in adolescence?”

“No time.” He Qin gave him a mocking look, “I had to go to school during the day and help out at the company at night and on weekends. In the little free time I had left, I had to deal with you. I never thought about who I liked, but I was very clear about who I disliked.”

Xie Shiwei touched his nose, “Okay… then what’s your ideal type like? You must know that, right?”

He Qin turned to look at Xie Shiwei.

Xie Shiwei was propping up his chin, his hair soft, his eyes hazy in the moonlight, looking like a innocent animal waiting to be fed as he anticipated his answer.

A vague thought suddenly popped into his head, and He Qin said, “Maybe someone worth protecting.”

Xie Shiwei understood, “Bai An?”

He Qin was silent for a while, “…No.”

“But so far, the person you’ve protected the most is him.”

“It’s different.” He Qin didn’t want to talk about it anymore, leaving a “good night” and leaving.

Different? How was it different?

Xie Shiwei clicked his tongue as he watched He Qin’s back, thinking, “Just be stubborn.”

He Qin’s persona in his mind had now become a full-fledged unattainable, abstinent, tsundere (someone who is outwardly cold but inwardly kind) stomach-warming gong (the male partner in a BL relationship).

After his rational analysis and scientific deduction, He Qin was 100% gay; otherwise, he would at least mention liking girls when talking about his ideal type.

He did treat Bai An specially, but he hadn’t realized that the love and protection for his younger brother could also develop into love. After all, they were not related and were only nominally called brothers.

Most importantly, from a certain point of view, the only person in this world who didn’t dislike He Qin’s “inability” (medical condition) was Bai An, and the only person who regarded the scheming Bai An as an innocent little white flower was He Qin.

How could they not be a match made in heaven?