After strolling around Huimin Street until almost nine o'clock, they arrived at the entrance to the city wall on South Street.
This section of the city wall in the center of Xi'an was built during the Ming Dynasty and was later opened to the public after renovation. Deng Feng bought tickets on the APP and took everyone to the top of the city wall from Yongning Gate.
The Ming City Wall was illuminated by Chinese lanterns at night. The wind was much stronger after we came up. Many tourists and citizens were taking a leisurely stroll, some children were running and playing, and there were patrolling security guards reminding people to pay attention to safety and take pictures in a civilized manner.
Deng Yi was attracted by the charming night view on the city wall as soon as she came up, and took photos with Shi Xiaomin, who was also wearing Hanfu. She wanted to ask Ji Minglun to help take photos, but Ji Minglun was on the phone, so she handed the SLR to Deng Feng.
Jiang Lin walked along the city wall for a while. The bell tower not far away was lit up all over, and the overflowing colors shone like a pearl in the night. He stopped and took out his mobile phone to take a few photos of the scenery.
Ji Minglun's voice came to him unknowingly. He turned around and looked. A gust of wind blew his bangs to the corners of his eyes. He raised his hand to push them away and happened to meet Ji Minglun's eyes as he lowered his eyes to look at him.
The call was from Ji Minglun's mother Cheng Yu, who asked about the trip. Knowing that Jiang Lin was with her son, Cheng Yu wanted to chat with Jiang Lin.
Ji Minglun covered his phone and whispered, "If you don't want to answer it, just make an excuse that you're going to the bathroom."
"No need," Jiang Lin smiled and held out his hand, "I haven't spoken to your mother for more than a year, give it to me."
The phone was handed over. Ji Minglun listened to Jiang Lin talking to Cheng Yu. The familiar tone was the same as before. He couldn't help but think of what Shen Ran had reminded him just now.
But is it really possible
He looked at the people around him out of the corner of his eye.
Shen Ran didn't know how they got along in the past. Although he thought about it carefully and felt that Jiang Lin had done something a bit over the line when he came back this time, it made sense to explain it as Jiang Lin wanting to repair their relationship.
Looking at the row of hotel buildings opposite with their own unique appearances, Ji Minglun turned around, changed into a comfortable posture, leaned against the city wall, and continued to listen to Jiang Lin talking on the phone.
Not far away, Deng Yi and Shi Xiaomin finished their round of photos. They both took out their makeup bags to touch up their makeup. Deng Feng checked the photos he had just taken and turned to find him leaning against the city wall doing nothing. He called out, "Minglun, come and help me. These photos I took are a bit exposed."
Ji Minglun didn't want to move, but he didn't want to be discovered that Jiang Lin was using his phone, so he had to walk over. Jiang Lin chatted with Cheng Yu for a while, and after hanging up, he found that Ji Minglun and the others were still taking pictures, so he put away his phone and thought about what Cheng Yu had said to him.
In addition to asking about his academic progress, Cheng Yu also asked him about Ji Minglun's plans after graduation.
In Cheng Yu's eyes, he and Ji Minglun still have the same close relationship as before, and he also knows that Cheng Yu, like Ji Zhuosheng, hopes that Ji Minglun can take over his business.
If Cheng Yu knew that Ji Minglun was planning to immigrate, he would most likely put pressure on Ji Minglun to ask him to stay.
There was a moment just now when he almost told this matter out of selfishness, but fortunately he stopped himself in time.
He didn't want to upset Ji Minglun, nor did he want to cause trouble for Ji Minglun.
But what exactly did Ji Minglun think? More than ten days have passed.
He was alone at the city wall, daydreaming. Deng Feng came over and leaned beside him to admire the busy night scene below. He also took the initiative to bring up a topic. After chatting for a few words, he found that he was absent-minded, so he asked if he was tired. He said yes, so Deng Feng said, "I didn't sleep well last night. Why don't you go back to the hotel and rest early?"
Jiang Lin just wanted a chance to be alone with Ji Minglun, so after hearing his agreement, Deng Feng walked towards the people who were still taking pictures and suggested going back to the hotel to rest.
Shen Ran didn't care, but Deng Yi didn't want to, saying that it was a rare opportunity for them to go out and have fun, and it would be boring to go back to sleep so early.
Deng Feng asked Shi Xiaomin and Wang Shi again, and they had the same idea as Deng Yi. Deng Feng went to see Ji Minglun again, and Ji Minglun said without thinking, "I'm not going, let them go."
Deng Yi was a little unhappy when she heard that he was not going, but fortunately she did not really force him, and just dragged Shi Xiaomin and Wang Shi down the city wall together. Deng Feng looked at his sister's back, and was worried about her going to the bar in a strange city, so he said that he would go with her, and in the end, only Shen Ran was left walking back to the hotel with the two of them.
Since there were only three of them, Shen Ran walked ahead tactfully, chatting with friends on the phone while walking. Ji Minglun and Jiang Lin lagged behind a few steps, facing the busy but unfamiliar streets. Jiang Lin couldn't wait to go to the hotel and asked him how he was thinking about immigration.
"My mother knows?" Ji Minglun asked back.
"No, Auntie just asked you what you were going to do after graduation, and I said I didn't know."
"If Auntie knew, she would stop it, right?"
"Yes, so don't talk about this first."
Jiang Lin pursed his lips and pressed the corners of his mouth downward: "Have you thought about it?"
Ji Minglun didn't answer. He took out a cigarette from his pocket, lit it, took a puff, and then asked, "So what are your plans after graduation?"
Holding the strap of the sports chest bag, Jiang Lin said, "I don't know."
"Ever thought about staying in Los Angeles?"
“I want to go back to Xiamen to work.”
After walking a few more steps, Ji Minglun's voice was interrupted by a passerby who was talking loudly on the phone. Jiang Lin could only hear it clearly the second time.
He said, "I thought you never thought of coming back."
Jiang Lin shook his head, lowering his head slightly, his dense eyelashes hiding the emotions in his eyes. After walking a few steps forward, Ji Minglun said, "Do you also think it's better for me to go?"
"No," Jiang Lin stopped and blurted out when Ji Minglun turned around and looked at him, "Actually, I don't want you to immigrate."
"Then I won't be able to see you when I want to in the future."
At the end of his speech, Jiang Lin's voice was a little hoarse. Ji Minglun stood sideways, the sparks on his fingertips ignited wisps of green smoke, the lights of the luxury store next to him were too bright, Jiang Lin couldn't see Ji Minglun's expression, but soon, Ji Minglun walked towards him.
When he got to him, Ji Minglun stretched out his right hand from his pocket and pressed it on his head, ruffling his hair. When he raised his hand to tidy it up, he heard Ji Minglun say with a smile: "Let's go, go back and rest."
Jiang Lin was actually very depressed when he got an ambiguous answer in the end, but he also knew that he had no right to insist on an answer. Back in the hotel room, Ji Minglun asked him to take a shower first, but he didn't want to soak in the bathtub that looked so comfortable, so he took a shower and came out.
He didn't bring any toiletries on this trip. The hotel's scented shampoo and conditioner had the scent of gardenia. Ji Minglun smelled it when he walked past him and felt very comfortable. Later, when he went into the bathroom and smelled it again, he found that the smell was a bit intoxicating.
When taking off clothes, I kept thinking about Jiang Lin wearing a T-shirt and cotton shorts after taking a shower, a pair of long white legs, and the loose legs of his shorts. If he sat in an incorrect posture, he would see things he shouldn't see. I don't know if he would show his underwear when he slept at night.
Thinking about all these things, his body soon reacted. Considering that they still had a whole night to spend together, he adjusted the water flow to the maximum and used the sound of water to cover up his release. When he came out, Jiang Lin was already on the bed, lying on his left side.
The lights in the room were off, leaving only the mermaid table lamps on both sides of the bed with soft light, creating an ambiguous atmosphere.
Ji Minglun walked to the right side, lifted the quilt and glanced at Jiang Lin who had his back to him.
Jiang Lin had just blow-dried his hair, and the soft ends of his hair were scattered on the pillow, and his slightly long bangs blocked his eyes. Seeing him motionless, Ji Minglun walked to the wall, adjusted the air conditioner to the 26 degrees he was used to, and turned off the desk lamp.
Lying back on the bed, Ji Minglun looked at the ceiling, and soon turned his head to the right involuntarily. Jiang Lin had not moved at all, as if he was asleep. The outline of his body in the dark rose and fell slightly with his breathing frequency, in a very regular manner.
After looking for a while, Ji Minglun gently turned around, turned his back to Jiang Lin and closed his eyes.
After lying in this position until half of his body was numb, Jiang Lin finally moved, turned around to look at Ji Minglun's back, and held on for more than half an hour. He was too sleepy to continue, so he quietly approached Ji Minglun and buried his face in the back of Ji Minglun's neck.
Smelling the familiar sandalwood and cedar scent between the man's hair, Jiang Lin fell asleep peacefully. Neither of them woke up at night. In the morning, Ji Minglun opened his eyes first and found a chest pressed against his back. Jiang Lin's breath fell on the back of his neck, and a leg squeezed between his legs.
Because they were too close, Jiang Lin's sensitive part was two inches below his waist. That position made him feel inexplicably awkward, and he thought it would be great if they could switch positions.
He just wanted to do it, but he couldn't do it, so he closed his eyes again, wanting to feel the hug of Jiang Lin again. He lay there for an unknown amount of time, and just as he began to feel drowsy again, the person behind him moved, and then he heard Jiang Lin's breathing become a little rapid.
He couldn't look back, and could only judge by feeling that Jiang Lin should have woken up. Not only was he awake, but the mattress behind him also sank slightly. Jiang Lin propped himself up and looked at him, but seeing that he was still sleeping, he lay back down.
Feeling somewhat empty, Ji Minglun waited for Jiang Lin to withdraw his hands and feet, but there was no movement behind him. After a while, Jiang Lin's chest pressed against his back again, and his cheek buried in the warm back of his neck and rubbed it, and then he stopped moving.
Opening his eyes, he stared at the brown leather sofa a few steps away, and felt that the skin on the back of his neck was numb and tender, as if it had been touched by static electricity.