My Boyfriend Watches Me Like I'm a Thief - Chapter 5

The institute recently took on an urgent project, so I had to stay in its dormitory.

Which meant I had to send Fu Ming pictures of everything: getting up, breakfast, going to work, taking a break for water, lunch.

Once I’d sent the pictures, I still had to submit to his questions.

“Who’s sitting across from you at lunch?!”

“Apart from your own tray, there’s a shadow from the corner of another tray on the opposite side!”

“I can even see someone reflected in your tray! He’s got a buzz cut. He’s a man!”

I…

At this rate, Fu Ming would turn into Sherlock Holmes.

“He’s a new recruit at the institute,” I explained. “My junior from university.

“He’s only just arrived and doesn’t know many people. I’m helping him settle in.”

Fu Ming became even more unreasonable.

“Does he call you Senior instead of Teacher Qi?

“Does he ask you about every little thing, then send you heaps of grateful flattery when he manages to do it himself?

“And after you’ve been talking for a while, does he start reminiscing about university and inviting you to go back there together?”

I was so startled that I dropped my chopsticks.

“How do you know?”

“Because he’s trying to seduce you!” Fu Ming said with absolute certainty.

…

“Impossible. Do you think everyone’s gay?”

I explained patiently, “Studies show there are approximately fifty to seventy million homosexual people in our country, accounting for five percent of the population. In other words, even among a hundred people, there might not be a single gay person.

“You’re overthinking it. Stop being so suspicious.”

After sending the messages, I went back to work.

We worked nonstop for nearly half a month before finally finishing the project.

The institute gave us a few days off.

My junior wanted to invite me to the noodle place back at our university during the break, but Fu Ming drove over and picked me up the moment I finished work that day.

Normally, I always put work first. Since getting together with Fu Ming, though, people at the institute could practically never get hold of me on my days off.

So I missed my junior’s invitation too.

After a holiday spent being close, Fu Ming finally became a little more normal. He stopped constantly imagining things.

My mouth, legs, and backside paid the price.

Even so, afterward he still asked his usual question.

“When are you going to officially acknowledge me?”

Given how often he came to see me, everyone at his company and my institute had already quietly accepted that we were together.

But we couldn’t just bring it out into the open.

I kissed his cheek. “When there’s a chance.”

Fu Ming had never been satisfied with a kiss on the cheek, though.

My former reserve and innocence had melted under his passion, turning into a wild surge of desire.

When I returned to work after the break, I learned that our project had been shortlisted a week earlier and stood a chance of winning an award.

As one of the principal researchers on it, I had to go on a business trip with the professor.

The professor also brought my junior along, saying he was hardworking, bright, and promising, and asking me to mentor him properly.

My junior took care of the hotel reservations. He booked one room for the professor and another for the two of us.

I was a little baffled. “What’s this supposed to mean?”

“Hotels in that area are expensive,” he said. “We should save where we can. Senior, I’ve seen other people book rooms this way on business trips. Two people of the same sex sharing a room—is that something you really mind?

“If it’s inconvenient, I’ll cancel and book separate rooms right now.”

It was indeed common practice.

And he’d asked me beforehand and was being so considerate.

I couldn’t help laughing at myself. Fu Ming had infected me; I was starting to imagine things too.

“It’s fine. I don’t mind. Keep the booking.”

Seeing that I wasn’t going to object, my junior smiled.

“Senior, you didn’t reply when I invited you to the noodle place at our university. If we get the chance this time, we could try somewhere nearby. You’ve helped me so much. I really must treat you to a meal!”

I’d forgotten until he mentioned it. It seemed I’d stood him up.

Feeling a little guilty, I said, “All right.”

On the day of the trip, I was sitting on the plane. My junior was just about to sit beside me when a man in a suit beat him to it.

The man even shot him a deliberate glance.

My junior frowned. “Who’s this? How rude, taking my seat!”

I quickly tugged at Fu Ming to keep him quiet, then looked up at my junior.

“He’s a friend. He’s also traveling on business, so he’s coming along with us. He says you can have his first-class seat, and he’ll sit here. Would that be all right?”

Instead of being pleased, my junior grew angry.

“What gives him the right?”

Fu Ming asked calmly, “You won’t take a first-class seat, but you insist on sitting beside Qi Wen. What’s that supposed to mean?”

“I have things to discuss with Senior. And I can look after him along the way. What’s wrong with that?”

For some reason, the two of them started snapping at each other.

I sighed and pushed Fu Ming away.

“He’s in the wrong. You sit here.”

Seeing Fu Ming get up, my junior happily took the seat.

I stood. “I’m going to the restroom.”

He moved aside to let me through.

But once I left, I never came back.

Fu Ming took me into first class.

To soothe him, I had to sneak him a kiss while nobody was watching.

His lips were still stuck out in an enormous pout.

Helplessly, I asked, “What else do you want me to do?”

It wasn’t as if I could let him have his fun on a plane.

He pulled his suit jacket over his head.

“Hmph.”

…

Resigned, I lifted the jacket and kissed him.

***

The flight lasted two hours.

My mouth hurt.

My chest hurt.

My hands hurt too.

After getting off the plane, I rejoined the group.

My junior greeted me eagerly. “Senior, are you tired? Let me carry your luggage.”

“No need.” Fu Ming wedged himself between us and crowded him aside.

He was still with us when we reached the hotel.

Watching Fu Ming stay beside me the whole way, my junior finally couldn’t resist asking, “Senior, isn’t your friend here on business? Doesn’t he have his own things to do?”

“He’s staying at the same hotel,” I explained.

“Then your luggage…”

“He’s booked me another room. I won’t be sharing yours.”

I patted his shoulder. “Enjoy having some time to yourself without me.”

He was a nice person, but a little too eager to please.

Surely an ordinary new recruit wouldn’t actually want to share a room with his superior?

This worked out perfectly. I wouldn’t have to inconvenience him either.

He lowered his head. “…All right, Senior.”

It was a large symposium. Apart from the awards ceremony, it gave us a chance to exchange ideas with other research institutes.

As soon as I’d put down my luggage, I went to that evening’s session.

The discussion was thoroughly satisfying. I learned a great deal.

When we all ate together afterward, my junior attentively put food on my plate and poured wine for each of the senior colleagues.

While pouring mine, he spilled a little. A few drops seeped inside my collar.

In a fluster, he grabbed a tissue to wipe it away.

Just before his hand reached my collarbone, a large hand stopped him.

“No need,” Fu Ming said.

He took a tissue and gently wiped it away himself.

My junior clenched the tissue in his hand. “What are you doing here?”

Fu Ming sat beside me, once again separating us.

“I’m a sponsor. Am I not allowed to come?”

Given his position, nobody dared say anything.

My junior sat back down.

He still tried to put food on my plate, but Fu Ming stopped him each time.

“Your chopsticks have your saliva on them,” Fu Ming said. “Dirty.”

My junior went still, then quietly settled back into his seat.

I knew Fu Ming’s suspicions were acting up again.

I tugged at him. “Stop making trouble. He’s my junior. He only graduated this year. He’s just twenty-three. Why are you picking on him?”

Fu Ming huffed. “I’m only twenty.”

Oh. Right.

He behaved so maturely that I often forgot his age.

But that didn’t excuse bullying anyone.

One word from these rich people could turn an ordinary worker’s world upside down. At the very least, I didn’t want Fu Ming to become someone who used his power to push people around.

“Whatever the case, don’t let me catch you targeting him again.”

After dinner, Fu Ming’s secretary called him away.

I went to the restroom.

When I came out, my junior was hovering outside.

“Are you all right?”

The moment he saw me, he apologized.

“I’m sorry, Senior. You’re not angry with me, are you? Did I upset your friend?

“I’m sorry. I’ve only just started working. I didn’t know where to draw the line.”

“It’s fine,” I reassured him. “I’ve already told him off. It was his fault.”

Suddenly, my junior took my hand.

Perhaps I imagined it, but he seemed to scratch my palm.

He looked at me with bright eyes and was about to speak when a large hand knocked his away.

“You’re pulling that shit right in front of me?” Fu Ming swore. “Do you think I can’t see what you’re doing? You manipulative little fake!”

He even tried to kick him.

I slapped him.

“Fu Ming! Didn’t you say you would change?

“What do you think you’re doing now? Are you going to interfere even with my normal social life?”

He pointed at my junior.

“I saw him scratch your palm. It means he wants to hook up! You think I don’t know what he’s after?

“He’s a scheming, manipulative little fake! Don’t let him fool you!”

Hadn’t Fu Ming said he’d never been in a relationship? Why did he seem to know more about gay men than I did, when I was gay myself?

Of course, all I had to go on was his word. How could I know whether he’d dated anyone before?

What if he was like Lu Shang, with dozens of girlfriends behind him, calling me his first love when I was really just the first man he’d dated?

I looked at Fu Ming. “You’re accusing my junior for no reason. Apologize to him.”

“Why should I apologize? You’d rather trust an outsider than me?”

I pressed a hand to my forehead, my head aching.

“It’s not that I don’t want to believe you. It’s that you suspect everything.

“You pushed Lu Shang out and pursued me. Was that because you wanted to win, or because I was something new? Do you really like me?

“If you do, why are you always doubting me? Am I that untrustworthy in your eyes? Just because I crossed a line with you, do you think I’ll cross it with anyone?”

Fu Ming pinned me against the wall.

“Qi Wen! What are you saying?”

“Fu Ming, I’m tired. Can you give me some time to think this relationship over?”