Husband, Let Me Touch Your Abs - Chapter 191

Lu Yao was just coming out of the bathroom, drying his hair, when he saw the explosion of gift effects on his phone screen.

He quickly sent a WeChat message: “Damn, do you have money but nowhere to spend it?”

“Xiao Lu, you didn’t hear it just now, but your Bei Chuan sings so well!”

“But you shouldn’t be sending gifts. Isn’t that just a waste?” Ten “Carnivals” were worth thirty thousand yuan, and the platform took a 50% cut, which meant they had basically just given money away to the platform for nothing.

“Aiya, it’s just pocket change. Besides, my account needs some traffic anyway. I’ll be launching new products on it soon. You two help me shoot that video, and we’ll do a collaboration directly.”

“OK, have you returned to the hotel?”

“Got back a while ago. Oh, right, let me tell you something creepy.”

“What is it?”

Bai Chi sent a voice message, sounding all jittery: “I suspect that Yi Mingde guy is a little weird.”

“What do you mean?”

“Not only does he know I’m in A City, but he also booked the same hotel as me. And our rooms are right next to each other!”

“Maybe it’s just a coincidence?”

“Damn, how could that be a coincidence? Even if it is, it’s way too spooky. I’m actually a bit scared of him.”

Lu Yao couldn’t help but laugh. “What are you afraid of? He’s not going to hurt you. Besides, doesn’t he like you?”

“I’m scared he’s going to put some kind of voodoo spell on me and make me fall in love with him or something.”

“That’s impossible. He’s not even from the Miao ethnic group.”

“Anyway, this guy is acting all mysterious, and I don’t like it. If he doesn’t leave soon, I might leave early.”

Lu Yao silently mourned for Yi Mingde for three seconds. It seemed Bai Chi really had no interest in him at all.

“To be honest, Yi Mingde isn’t ugly. He just dresses a little dorky. Your taste in fashion is pretty good—help him upgrade his style, and maybe he’ll look better to you.”

“Forget it. Who knows if he’ll even listen? Anyway, I’m heading down to the bar later.”

“Don’t drink too much. Have you forgotten what happened last time with the fake alcohol?”

“I know, I know.”

After hanging up, Lu Yao went back to the bedroom and saw Zhao Beichuan still singing. He poured him a glass of warm water and placed it on the table.

Zhao Beichuan looked up at Lu Yao, and his eyes suddenly lit up because Lu Yao was wearing a peacock-green pajama set after his shower.

Although it was men’s sleepwear, the design was particularly seductive—the entire chest area was sheer lace. Through the delicate fabric, his fair skin was faintly visible, making Zhao Beichuan’s blood surge. He stared so hard he forgot the lyrics.

The comment section was filled with “???????”—question marks rolling across the screen nonstop.

“Why did the streamer stop singing? Is my screen frozen?”

“The background music is still playing, so it shouldn’t be lagging.”

Someone asked, “Did Uncle come over?”

“Hiss… Now I’m really curious. Just how stunning is Uncle to make Chuan-ge so dazed?”

“Streamer, wipe your drool, it’s about to drip!”

“Let me see! Let me see!”

Lu Yao’s face burned bright red. He had bought this pajama set online a few days ago, washed it yesterday, and put it on today to try it out—it fit quite well, but it was definitely too risqué…

“Ahem, stop staring and keep singing.”

Zhao Beichuan turned his head, his Adam’s apple bobbing up and down. Seeing the comments still spamming question marks, he stammered, “N-no, it’s nothing. Uncle just came over after his shower.”

Comments: “Uncle isn’t wearing clothes??”

“He’s wearing them! Stop making things up!”

Zhao Beichuan sighed inwardly—honestly, this was even more tempting than if he weren’t wearing anything at all!

He switched to a fast-paced Cantonese song, Love Story: Part One. Since he was from the northeast, his Cantonese pronunciation was a bit rough, but his voice was so pleasant that it didn’t matter. The comment section lit up with gifts nonstop.

Lu Yao sat beside him, resting his hand on Zhao Beichuan’s thigh. Immediately, Zhao Beichuan grabbed it and pulled it toward his already-standing excitement, pressing down to massage it.

“Heh…” Lu Yao chuckled softly, then suddenly reached over and pulled down his zipper, slipping his fingers inside with practiced ease.

Zhao Beichuan forgot his lyrics again. He licked his lower lip and said, “How about we… end the stream early today and continue tomorrow?”

“Stream a little longer,” Lu Yao interrupted.

“Huh?”

Lu Yao mischievously squeezed. “Keep streaming.”

“O-okay, okay.” Zhao Beichuan took a deep breath. Just thinking about the thousands of viewers watching the stream while Lu Yao was doing that with his hands—it was an indescribable thrill that sent shivers straight up his spine. He reached an entirely new level of hardness.

The live chat remained oblivious, still requesting songs. Zhao Beichuan propped his forehead with one hand, struggling to focus.

In the end, he picked a song he knew by heart and sang it with his eyes closed. The moment he finished, he shut off the stream and pulled Lu Yao onto his lap, kissing him fiercely.

“Did you like that?” Lu Yao withdrew his hand and wiped it clean.

Zhao Beichuan nodded. “I liked it. I liked it very much.”

Bai Chi changed into a flashy wine-red shirt, sprayed on some cologne, and ran his fingers through his hair before shoving his hands into his pockets and heading downstairs.

There was a small bar next to the hotel. He had been there once before. The alcohol was terrible, but the bartender was a little hottie, exuding a rebellious charm that was exactly his type.

Last time, when Bai Chi asked for his contact info, the guy mixed him four drinks and said he’d give it to him if he finished them. Bai Chi downed them all but blacked out from the alcohol, completely forgetting about the whole thing. Now that he had some free time, he figured he’d go see that brat again.

As soon as he walked in, the heavy scent of alcohol filled the air. Bai Chi took a deep breath, recalling last time’s awful fake liquor—definitely a near-death experience. But for the sake of flirting, he was willing to take the risk.

Maybe because of the cold weather, the bar wasn’t very crowded. Only a few customers sat in the dimly lit corners. The young bartender was playing on his phone behind the counter.

Bai Chi smirked and sauntered over, settling onto a barstool without saying a word, propping his chin up as he studied the guy.

The bartender looked about 23 or 24—not much younger than Bai Chi—but Bai Chi had never minded a little “May-December romance.”

The bartender stayed absorbed in his phone for a while before finally noticing Bai Chi. He immediately put it down and walked over. “Hey, handsome, what can I get you?”

Bai Chi chuckled. “Have you forgotten something?”

The bartender froze. “Oh, you’re the drunk guy from last time.”

So not cute. Way to hit a sore spot.

“It’s not my fault, baby. You mixed that drink way too strong.”

The bartender silently thought: I literally combined the strongest liquors I had. Of course, it was strong. But damn, I didn’t expect him to come back.

“Last time, you promised me your WeChat. Are you the kind of guy who doesn’t keep his word?”

“Of course not… Bro, let me buy you a drink today.”

“Sure.” Bai Chi leaned lazily against the bar, pulling out a cigarette and lighting it.

He was a seasoned player. He could tell this kid was trying to get him drunk again just to avoid giving out his contact.

So boring. Bai Chi suddenly felt tired.

Thinking back on all the boyfriends he had been with over the years, some had loved him deeply, and some he had loved deeply, but never once had he encountered a love that was truly mutual.

He was genuinely envious of Lu Yao, who had a stable relationship where both partners gave themselves to each other completely, untouched by any ulterior motives.

Bai Chi thought of his ex-boyfriend. If it weren’t for the messy family drama, maybe they could have lasted longer. After all, he had even tolerated the fact that the other man’s body wasn’t in the best condition for such a long time.

“Bro, your drink is ready.”

Bai Chi stubbed out his cigarette in the ashtray beside him, picked up the glass, and sniffed it. The strong scent of vodka hit him immediately. One glass of this, and he would probably be out cold. Just as well—tonight, he wanted to get wasted.

He pulled out his phone, scanned the QR code nearby, and sent 520 over. Then, he lifted his glass and downed the drink in one go.

“Hey…” The bartender was startled. This was a seriously strong drink—if he downed it like that, something could go wrong!

As the alcohol slid down his throat into his stomach, a powerful burning sensation made Bai Chi furrow his brows tightly. Almost instantly, his cheeks flushed a deep red.

To be honest, in the gay community, his looks definitely put him in the “top-tier” category. Unfortunately, this was just a regular bar, and the bartender was as straight as they came. Otherwise, he might not have been able to resist Bai Chi’s teasing.

“Bro, are you okay? Should I take you back to your hotel?”

“No need, I’m just going to the restroom.” Bai Chi grabbed his phone and stumbled toward the bathroom, feeling an overwhelming urge to throw up.

As soon as he left, Yi Mingde followed after him. He had been watching from the corner for quite some time—if that bartender had made even one wrong move toward Bai Chi, there was no way he would have let him off.

Inside a bathroom stall, Bai Chi clutched the toilet, dry heaving. Since he hadn’t eaten anything that evening, his stomach was empty except for the alcohol, leaving him with nothing to throw up.

The high-proof liquor burned his stomach lining, causing an unbearable fiery pain. Damn… If he had known this would happen, he wouldn’t have teased that kid. The alcohol was so strong—wasn’t he afraid of poisoning someone?

As the alcohol seeped into his system, his mind began to blur. He swayed slightly, staggering out of the stall to rinse his face.

When he looked into the mirror, he suddenly realized that someone was standing behind him.

Startled, he shuddered, but upon closer inspection, he recognized Yi Mingde.

When did this kid get here?

Bai Chi flicked the water off his hands, turned around, and looked at Yi Mingde with a teasing smirk. “Are you following me?”

Yi Mingde moved his lips but didn’t say anything—he was indeed following him.

“You like me that much, huh?” Bai Chi leaned in closer, wiping his wet hands on Yi Mingde’s plaid shirt. The scent of citrusy cologne mixed with the strong vodka filled Yi Mingde’s nostrils, making him momentarily dazed.

“Mm…”

“Have you done it before?”

“?” Yi Mingde froze, unsure if the “doing” he was referring to was the same as what he understood.

“I don’t do the top position. It’s too tiring for me.”

“I-I-I can do it!”

“Wouldn’t we know if we tried?” Bai Chi grabbed his collar and kissed him directly.

At first, Yi Mingde was so nervous that he forgot how to breathe. His entire body was stiff as he stood there, allowing Bai Chi to nibble on him.

“Tsk.” Just when Bai Chi was about to lose interest, Yi Mingde suddenly snapped out of it and took control of the kiss. He turned the tables, opened his mouth, and tightly sucked on Bai Chi’s probing tongue, licking, biting, and chasing after it as their tongues tangled together. Bai Chi was kissed so thoroughly that he couldn’t even swallow his saliva in time, and it dripped down his chin, soaking into the collar of his shirt, leaving a visible stain.

When the kiss ended, Bai Chi lay on Yi Mingde’s shoulder, panting heavily. It was hard to imagine that such a rigid and old-fashioned country bumpkin would be such a good kisser, and his mouth even carried a pleasant lemon scent.

Bai Chi licked his lips, still unsatisfied. Maybe he could give this a try~

*

On Tuesday morning, Lu Yao and Zhao Beichuan arrived at the hospital early.

Today was the day of Zhao Guangsheng’s surgery. Zhao Beidou and Zhao Shinian had also come. The whole family was hoping that their father would wake up after the operation.

At 9:30 a.m., after the nurses completed the final pre-surgical checks, they pushed the hospital bed toward the operating room upstairs.

Lu Yao supported Zhao Beichuan as they followed behind, while Zhao Beidou and Zhao Shinian stayed by their mother’s side. Worry was written on everyone’s faces.

Even though the doctor had said there was a 60% chance that he would regain consciousness, if the surgery failed, they would lose their father forever…

Just as they were about to enter the operating room, Zhao’s mother suddenly rushed forward and grabbed her husband’s hand. “Guangsheng, you have to survive! You can’t leave me alone!”

Xiaonian covered his mouth, sobbing as tears fell. Zhao Beichuan and Zhao Beidou’s eyes also turned red.

Lu Yao stood silently by the side, praying in his heart. It had to be successful. Everything would be okay!

Time ticked by, second by second, with everyone’s nerves stretched taut.

At some point, Lu Yao and Zhao Beichuan had unconsciously clasped hands. The two of them sat on the bench, motionless, staring at the operating room door.

Standing nearby, Zhao Shinian turned his head and was startled when he noticed. He immediately tugged at his younger brother.

“What’s wrong?” Zhao Beidou asked in confusion.

“Shh…” Xiaonian gestured toward their older brother and Lu Yao.

Zhao Beidou immediately understood. The two of them moved in front, subtly blocking the view of their clasped hands so their mother wouldn’t see.

But at this moment, Zhao’s mother wasn’t paying attention to anything else. Her whole mind was consumed by worry for Zhao Guangsheng.

A craniotomy—if it failed, survival would be impossible.

Over the years, she had often complained that her husband’s vegetative state was a burden on the family. But no matter what condition he was in, as long as he was breathing, he was still alive. Their children still had a father.

If he died… Liu Chunyan didn’t dare think about it. The mere thought of it made her heart ache unbearably.

A little after 10 a.m., a medical assistant came out and asked them to sign a critical condition notice.

Before the surgery, Zhao Beichuan had already signed four or five consent forms. Now, as he picked up the pen again, his hand trembled uncontrollably. Lu Yao reached out and patted his back reassuringly. “It’ll be okay. Don’t panic.”

Zhao Beichuan took a deep breath, picked up the pen, and wrote his name.

11 o’clock, 12 o’clock, 1 o’clock…

The surgery had already lasted more than four hours and still wasn’t over. The longer it took, the more anxious they became. Zhao Beichuan could no longer sit still. He stood up, supporting himself against the hallway wall.

Lu Yao helped him up as well. Zhao Beidou went downstairs and bought a few bottles of water, handing them to everyone.

Zhao’s mother unscrewed a bottle and took a sip. Just then, the light above the operating room door suddenly went out. She immediately shoved the water bottle back into her son’s hand and hurried to the door.

Soon, voices could be heard inside.

Dr. Yan walked out, removing his gloves and outer surgical gown while washing his hands.

“Family of Lu Guangsheng.”

“We’re here! We’re all here!”

“How’s my dad?” Zhao Beichuan limped forward, anxiously asking.

Dr. Yan’s expression was relaxed. “The surgery went even better than expected. His brain waves just now were already approaching those of a normal person. After suturing is complete, he’ll be sent to the ICU for observation for a few days. If everything goes well, he’ll be transferred back to a regular ward.”

Zhao’s mother was so overwhelmed that her tears gushed out in an instant. “Thank you… thank you so much! You’re the savior of our family!”

“Don’t say that. It’s also because you never gave up over the years that you were able to reach this point. There’s no need to wait here any longer—head back to the ward. A nurse will come to find you later.”

Zhao Beichuan asked, “Can I see my dad?”

“You’ll be able to take a quick look from outside the ICU later.”

The family returned to the ward. Just the thought that their father might soon be discharged filled the children’s faces with unconcealable joy.

The family members of the patient in the next bed saw their bright expressions upon returning and couldn’t help but ask, “Sister-in-law, did your husband’s surgery go well?”

“Yes! The doctor said it was very successful!”

“Congratulations! You’ve finally made it through!”

Liu Chunyan wiped her tears with a smile and nodded. “We’ve made it through. Once he wakes up, we’ll go back to our hometown.”

“That’s wonderful. I just wish my husband would wake up soon too…” The woman glanced at the unconscious man in the bed, her face full of sorrow.

“He will wake up!”

*

That afternoon, the family stood outside the ICU, looking at their father lying on the hospital bed. His head was wrapped in gauze, and tubes were connected all over his body.

A nurse stood nearby, monitoring his condition at all times to ensure immediate intervention if necessary.

Zhao’s mother suggested, “Since we don’t have to stay and watch over him, let’s all go out for a meal together. Consider it a celebration for your father’s successful surgery!”

“Yes!” Xiaonian and Xiaodou immediately agreed.

Zhao Beichuan glanced at Lu Yao, who nodded.

They didn’t go far and chose a small restaurant near the hospital. During the meal, Zhao’s mother seemed to return to her old self. She had always been a warm and straightforward northern woman—loud, efficient, and hardworking.

“Xiao Lu, if you ever get a chance, come visit our hometown. Auntie will make you braised chicken with mushrooms! Those hazel mushrooms are wild and taste amazing. I won’t brag, but I guarantee this dish is my specialty!”

“Alright! I’ll definitely go!”

Zhao Beichuan smiled as he picked up some food for Lu Yao. “Xiaonian, Xiaodou, your final exams are coming up, right?”

“In a little over ten days.”

“For now, stop coming to the hospital and focus on reviewing at school. Once winter break starts, you’ll have plenty of time to take care of Dad.”

“Got it.” These two kids always listened to their eldest brother, and even Zhao’s mother trusted his judgment. Without him, their family would have fallen apart.

Halfway through the meal, Zhao Beichuan’s phone rang. The moment he answered, he abruptly stood up.

Everyone was startled. “What happened?”

“Dad… Dad woke up!”