Entwined in the Steam

Deep winter, late night. At a newly built hot springs resort in Cloudhaven, lights shone brightly and faint steam drifted through the air. In the entertainment room on the second floor of the adjoining hotel, elegantly dressed, strikingly handsome young men and women laughed and played boisterously, the whole room wild with energy. "Buzz... buzz..." On the mahjong table, a phone vibrated. Adrian Adler glanced at the caller ID, picked up his phone and stood. "Apologies, please continue without me. I need to take this call." "Ooh, could it be Mr. Adler's little sweetheart checking up on him?" "Haha, who doesn't know Mr. Adler only saves business contacts' numbers in his phone? There's no 'little sweetheart' to speak of." "That's not necessarily true..." Several young men teased Adrian Adler playfully. He smiled. "It's my brother." "Go on, go on. Hurry back so we can keep winning Ethan's money together. Tonight, we'll make sure he loses even his underpants. Hee hee hee..." The man seated at the head of the table lazily lifted his gaze. His indifferent eyes swept over the braggart, and he gave a soft, dismissive snort. He pushed the tiles in front of him forward, his low, gravelly voice tinged with a hint of nonchalance. "Sebastian, why don't you perform a striptease to liven things up?" Sebastian Sterling stared at the tiles and wailed in despair, "Why did I lose again?!" "Strip, strip, strip..." "Take it off..." Seeing their high spirits, Adrian Adler's lips curved into a faint smile. He took his phone and left the private room. He returned in under ten minutes. Sebastian Sterling had already removed his jacket. He'd rolled his shirt sleeves up high and crouched on the chair without a shred of decorum, an unlit cigarette dangling from his lips. Seeing Adrian return, he quipped, "What's this? Big brother checking up on Adrian for his future sister-in-law?" Adrian Adler sat back down and shook his head with a resigned sigh. "What kind of supervision? I sent him a message this morning, and he didn't reply all day. He just remembered he has a brother now, so he gave me a perfunctory call. Barely worth the effort." Sebastian Sterling chuckled. "You know, I barely remember your younger brother. I just recall him being sickly as a child, skinny and small, quiet, never wanted to go out. Is he still like that?" Adrian Adler sighed again. "We've seen many herbalists over the past few years to regulate his health. He's much better now. But he still catches colds easily when the seasons change. When the temperature dropped recently, he had to go to the hospital for two days of intravenous drips." "Tsk tsk tsk. 'Elder brother is like a parent,' indeed." Sebastian Sterling clicked his tongue. "Lucky it's Adrian, able to find time to raise a brother amidst all his busyness. If it were someone like Ethan with such a sickly brother, he'd probably toss him in some forgotten corner to fend for himself. Save the trouble, right, Ethan?" Ethan Hawthorne looked utterly relaxed. He casually uttered, "Mm. Hard to raise, too lazy to raise." His words provoked a burst of collective laughter from the others. Despite Ethan Hawthorne's refined, gentle appearance and his ability to joke with friends, he was, in truth, rather detached and indifferent. He wanted absolutely no part of troublesome affairs. Adrian Adler glanced at him, his smile lingering, unoffended. They played for another half hour or so. By then, the pile of chips in front of Ethan Hawthorne resembled a small hill. Having lost interest, he picked up his jacket and stood. "You all continue. I'm going out for a smoke." Sebastian Sterling, who had lost the most, presuming on their close friendship, protested unhappily, "Hey! Ethan, don't you dare fool us. You'll smoke and then just disappear, won't you?" Ethan waved a dismissive hand and strode out of the private room. Inside the room, it was as if a seal had been broken. Even more raucous revelry erupted. Ethan Hawthorne lit a cigarette in the hallway. After finishing it, he didn't return. Instead, he walked toward the elevators. Ding! The elevator doors slid open. Inside stood a young man wearing a blue coat, wrapped in a scarf, head slightly bowed. Not paying him much mind, Ethan stepped in with his long legs. He reached out to press a floor button when he noticed the button for the 28th floor was already illuminated. He let his hand drop. The elevator ascended. The narrow space was quiet. Ethan Hawthorne was initially looking down, replying to a message on his phone. He glanced up casually and caught sight of the boy in the smooth, reflective elevator door. The boy had squeezed himself into a corner, utterly silent. Ethan raised an eyebrow slightly and surveyed the distance between them. It was probably the farthest possible distance within the elevator. Amusing. He then visually measured the boy's height—it only reached his chin. Hmm... Was he too tall? Had he frightened the boy? Perhaps sensing the gaze upon him, Oliver Adler looked up and met a pair of deep, dark eyes. Through the elevator's reflective surface, their gazes locked. Ethan Hawthorne froze for a moment. The first thought that sprang to his mind was: Do all boys from the South look this pretty? In the mirror, the boy's face was fair and exquisitely delicate. He had a high-bridged nose, slightly full lips tinted a soft pink. His phoenix eyes were as clear and bright as glass, radiating a quiet, distant aura. His chin was hidden beneath a khaki-colored scarf, giving him an oddly well-behaved appearance. Ethan couldn't resist turning to look back. Oliver Adler had already lowered his head again. His hair was a light shade, appearing very soft—like it would feel wonderful to touch. And those long eyelashes casting small shadows on his cheeks... They made his fingers itch inexplicably. Ding! The elevator arrived at the 28th floor. He withdrew his gaze and stepped out first. Unconsciously, he slowed his pace, subtly attuned to the movements behind him. Oliver Adler also exited the elevator, walking slowly. He lowered his head to send a voice message. It was a clear, cool adolescent voice. "Brother, I'm back at the hotel. I'll sleep early. Don't come up to check on me..." Ethan Hawthorne pulled a room key card from his pocket and swiped it to open his door. Hearing the boy's words, he made an educated guess about his identity. So this is Adrian Adler's 'hard to raise' younger brother? He had just entered his room when Oliver Adler reached his own door. After swiping his card, he glanced back at the tightly closed door diagonally across from his, pursed his lips slightly, and went inside. —— The next morning, after coming downstairs for breakfast, Oliver Adler entered a herbal bath room. Steam drifted through the air. The herbal pool gave off the scent of medicinal herbs—not particularly pleasant. But he was used to it. He removed his clothes and immersed himself in the warm water, set a timer, and closed his eyes. He was drifting into a drowsy state when he heard the voice of a resort staff member giving a tour outside. Then, the unlocked door was pushed open. Oliver Adler frowned and opened his eyes. His pupils contracted slightly. He silently sank a little lower, letting the spring water cover his pale shoulders, leaving only his head visible above the surface. Standing in the doorway, Ethan Hawthorne witnessed all his movements. His gaze lingered on the boy's face, flushed pink from the steam, refusing to pull away. Then he saw the boy press his lips together and look over with misty eyes, seeming to silently shoo him away. "Ah! I'm so sorry, so sorry!" the staff member cried out in panic. "Young Master, I didn't know you were here. I apologize, I apologize. Mr. Hawthorne, I... I'll take you to another one..." Ethan Hawthorne's Adam's apple bobbed. He finally pulled his gaze away from that exposed stretch of pale neck and turned to leave. The staff member kept apologizing as she led him into the neighboring room, another herbal bath chamber. The small pools here were built like little thatched huts. The rooms were separated only by wooden planks—airy, but not soundproof. While Oliver Adler's ears were still tinged red, he heard the staff member's voice next door, followed by the sound of a door closing, then the soft rustling of fabric, and finally the gentle splash of someone entering the water... He pressed his lips together tightly and slowly moved to the other side of the pool, putting more distance between himself and the neighboring room. He rested his arms on the edge, the flush on his ears gradually spreading down his neck.