cohabitation life

Chapter 2

Waking up early in the morning, Xiao Lang's lower back was sore. After brushing his teeth, washing his face, and taking a shower, he walked out of the bathroom still yawning.

"Kah."

what sound?

In astonishment, he opened the floor-to-ceiling windows to make sure that the balcony was empty, and looked back at the alarm clock on the bed cabinet showing [-]:[-]. At this time, Ajie was making breakfast in the kitchen.

Suddenly, he thought of the little black cat... Could it be in the room?

Xiao Lang walked back to the guest room in three steps at a time, opened the closet, took the cotton shirt and jeans, put them on hastily, not forgetting to take the books needed for today's class, turned around and rushed downstairs.

"Ajie, remember to draw a symbol to suppress evil spirits!"

Shen Shijie put two plates of pancakes on the table, seeing that Xiao Lang had packed up his books and notes, "Are you going out now?"

"Nope. Did you hear what I just said?"

"I heard. What's the reason?"

"The little black cat must be hiding in your room, and I was shocked again."

Shen Shijie handed him the fork, "Why don't you treat it with a normal mind, just as if you had a cat in the house."

"It's easy to say, I'm not afraid of anything but ghosts!" Xiao Lang snorted and poked a piece of pancake with a fork to eat.

Shen Shijie ate slowly, "I thought you were used to it."

"I was afraid in my heart, so I didn't call out." He tried to save face, "I saw A Piao on the road, and I tried my best to pretend I didn't see it. This feeling is much different from seeing A Piao at home."

"It's just a little black cat, you can't tolerate it?"

He stared sideways at Ajie, "It sounds like I'm too narrow-minded... You promised to help me cast out ghosts before, don't you want to keep your promise?"

"I also told you to listen to me." He moved out an additional proviso to suppress Xiao Lang, so as to save him from arguing endlessly.

"You..." Xiao Lang stared blankly, wondering how he could remain indifferent?Still unaffected?Is it human?

"I'm going to get fresh milk." Shen Shijie has his own opinion: spirits haunt our lives. Since yin and yang exist at the same time, the difference lies in whether we can see them visually. They are not deliberately close or used, and have no effect on people—as Grandfather said: Treat each other with respect and there will be no trouble.

After a while, he came back from the kitchen with a bottle of fresh milk and two empty glasses in his hand, and asked, "Would you like to take my car later?"

"No." Xiao Lang pouted.

"Are you afraid that others will find out that we live together?"

"That's not true. Many people in the school know that we are good friends, and it's not surprising that we live together. For example, Li Tianzhe in the department knows that I live with you, and he doesn't think about our relationship. If I hitch a ride, part-time It will be troublesome, I have to run around, there is no reason for you to pick me up."

"I don't have class after 05:30 today, so it doesn't matter if I tutor with you."

Xiao Lang snorted softly, "I mind."

"..." He compromised again.

After breakfast, Xiao Lang grabbed his backpack and a bunch of keys, said, "Goodbye." He opened the door and left without looking back.

Shen Shijie cleaned up the cups and trays, and after a while, he found a mobile phone, business card and note left on the bar. Xiao Lang was only focused on going out but forgot to bring his mobile phone. Really...

PARKING LOT.

Chen Min handed the locomotive keys to Shen Shijie, and said at the same time: "Don't go to refuel, I will be embarrassed."

"I should work hard." Since he borrowed it, he didn't want the other party to lose.

"It didn't take much fuel to ride from here to the campus. You are too strict, aren't you?" He showed a smile, full of affinity.

Shen Shijie knew that he came from a well-to-do family, and his parents were both civil servants. As an only son, he was brought up since he was a child, and he went to a prestigious school all the way until he graduated and was admitted to his first choice.His college peer entered his third year and never heard him talk about relationships outside of his family.Chen Min is quite popular at school, but he has not had a girlfriend so far, which made him wonder if he was "the same kind".

Riding on the motorcycle, Shen Shijie stared at his handsome face. He was upright, with his intern uniform still on, and looked like a doctor.

"Why don't you talk?" Chen Min asked.

"nothing."

"Heh, you are so unpredictable. There are many beauties in your department. You don't want to spend lunch with the beauties in your department, but you want to find buddies?"

"That guy is cute."

"Ha! Do you want to be honest? When I saw him for the first time, he was wearing blue overalls and black rain boots on his feet. I thought he was a "country vulgar" from some farm and forestry farm. From a distance, he could be heard shouting at the other end of the hallway at the top of his voice, "Who knows the blond-haired 'A Dou Boy'? He wants to pay back 800 yuan."

"I got a friend for 200 yuan, which is a great value for money." Shen Shijie said lightly, as soon as he started the engine, he rode far away in a short while.

Chen Min is still stuck in place, quite envious of his good luck, and only spent 200 yuan.

Turning around and walking back to the gate of the attached hospital, he suppressed his smile and thought to himself that even if he spent 2 yuan in savings, he would not be able to keep anyone.Although I take a step back, the sea and the sky are brighter, but I still have a trace of regret in my heart. I drank that night...

Shen Shijie took advantage of his lunch break to hand over his mobile phone to Xiao Lang.

"Thank you." He scratched his head with a slightly embarrassed expression, "I've been wondering if I dropped my phone on the way this morning."

"You forget everything, do you still want business cards and notes?"

"You don't need to keep it. I already have Papa Liu's phone number on my phone, and I've written down the address."

"Yes, me too."

"Ah, it's not stable yet, why do you remember?"

Shen Shijie took it for granted: "Prepare for a rainy day. After you stabilize, if you are too tired one day, I can help you substitute for the class."

It sounds so nice...Xiao Lang muttered in his heart: Ajie definitely has the characteristics of a terrifying lover. Whether it is the phone number of his hometown, the mobile phone number of his classmates, or the contact person of his tutor, Ajie knows everything.

Shen Shijie raised his legs and leaned against the seat casually.Since the beginning of school, Xiao Lang rarely spends a short time with Xiao Lang at the open-air coffee bar outside the agricultural products exhibition center.

"What are you thinking?"

"No..." Xiao Lang looked left and right, and noticed that some girls were passing by or standing outside the exhibition center. It was the same as before, no matter where Ajie went, they always attracted attention.

"Are you driving here?"

"No. I borrowed a motorbike from Chen Min, and parking is more convenient."

"Oh." Xiao Lang also knew Chen Min to the extent of nodding his head.

Suddenly, someone shouted: "Shen Shijie——"

Shen Shijie followed her reputation and recognized her as Lin Peiyu, a member of the tennis club. "What's up?"

"It's a coincidence that I met you here for dinner." She hugged the book, with a sweet smile on her face, especially the rolling eyes, flapping her thick false eyelashes, as if she could speak.

Xiao Lang has an impression of her. She is a department student in the history department. She usually wears a pink top with a miniskirt or shorts, revealing a pair of slender beautiful legs. The index of her whole body is [-]%—what does she want?

She said generously: "I want to ask you to guide me in tennis skills. In this year's tennis tournament, I was placed in Group A by the coach. I thought I could compete with you outside the school, but I didn't expect you to quit the tennis club. "

"Sorry, I can't help you. I'm too busy to play clubs. Regarding the game, you can ask the coach to borrow the video disc of the game and make a copy to study the opponent's ball path."

"That's it...then are you free during the holidays?"

"I'm not free." He refused flatly.

She looked disappointed, she bit her lower lip with her white teeth, hugged the book for a while before turning back to her companion.

Xiao Lang couldn't take his eyes off for a long time, thinking that she could play the role of Sadako in horror movies, "Ajie, her hair is so long that it can be thrown to her waist even in a ponytail. The shampoo and conditioner I usually use to wash my hair The silk essence will definitely run out soon..."

Shen Shijie just paid attention to the other party's feet, "She is wearing a pair of red canvas shoes, which are not suitable for playing tennis."

Xiao Lang came back to his senses, "Why?"

He explained, “Each school has a different court design; there are hard courts, grass courts and clay courts. If a player goes off-campus to compete, a pair of tennis shoes is enough to handle these three courts.”

"Oh. Didn't the coach require members to wear tennis shoes?"

"This is an activity that is free to participate in. Even if the coach has a standard, not every member will obey it. Girls especially pay more attention to dressing. The coach will turn a blind eye and close his eyes within the scope of not causing sports injuries. .”

"Tsk tsk..." Xiao Lang looked at him from head to toe, no matter what clothes he was wearing, he was handsome, and when he was wearing nothing, his physique was even more impressive. "The girls who entered the tennis club this year are probably as disappointed as her, right?"

He asked coldly, "What do you mean?"

"Let me tell you what you mean." Xiao Lang turned his face away, very upset - Ajie is too handsome, and has a lot of love; he is also a human being, so why is there such a difference.

Shen Shijie watched quietly that the guy in front of him was jealous, maybe one day he would ask for a talisman to chop peach blossoms - he was looking forward to it.

Xiao Lang rode a locomotive and found the military dependents' village according to the address. Some of them still retained the style of Japanese-style buildings. With the reflection of the street lamps, we could vaguely see the branches of the banyan tree in the courtyard stretching, and the air roots hanging down outside the wall. The height of the potted plants is scattered; the spray-painted graffiti on the wall is colorful, which has dried up the racial conflicts at the end of the last century. So far, it has been hidden in the corner of the city building, and it is a unique tree.

Several children were chasing each other in the alley, laughing and playing.Xiao Lang looked around, went back and forth twice, but couldn't find the house number 36, and couldn't help muttering: "Tsk, the house numbers of the previous residents were not in order, and the numbers jumped out of order every other alley, like going through a maze... ..."

Turning into another alley, the two rows of wooden houses on the left and right looked old. He looked at the house number while riding, and finally found Liu's house at the end.

He parked the locomotive beside a fence, looked up, and was amazed that the magnolia trees outside the fence had grown so lushly that they had crossed the border. How could no one have cut off some of the branches, so they were not afraid of being blown down by the strong wind when the typhoon came?

He stepped forward and rang the doorbell, and after waiting for a while, the door was opened by an old gentleman, about 60 years old, with a Futai figure, around his shoulders, but with a very friendly smile.

"Hi, I'm the new tutor Xiao, and I'm looking for Papa Liu."

"I am, please come in."

"Okay..." He was stunned for a moment, thinking that Liu's father should be middle-aged, but he didn't expect it to be so different.

Entering the house, looking around the living room of about four or five square meters, there is a TV set, a set of sofa tables and chairs, a stack of newspapers on the shoe cabinet by the door, and several framed paintings hanging on the wall of the living room. Certificates and photos, one of which is quite eye-catching is the portrait of the old lady.

Uh... Her rigid face was quite serious, and a pair of dead fish eyes seemed to be staring at herself, making her uncomfortable.

Liu Xiaoyu paused eating, looked up at the new tutor.

Father Liu introduced: "This is Teacher Xiao."

"Hello." Xiao Lang greeted with a smile, showing two small canine teeth.

"Oh, hello, Mr. Xiao. My name is Liu Xiaoyu." His voice is not out of childishness, he is slightly fat, short, with round eyes, flushed cheeks, and a rather pleasing appearance.

The father and son are very similar, but they look like grandparents.Xiao Lang secretly estimated that Liu's father was about 40 years old before he had a child. Who else is in this family?

Liu's father greeted: "You sit down, you are welcome."

"Thank you." When he met his parents for the first time, he tried his best to be cautious and polite, so as not to let people go out.

Father Liu sat down opposite him and said, "My house is relatively small, and I eat all three meals in the living room. Have you eaten it? If you don't mind it, let's eat together."

"Thank you, I already ate."

Liu's father didn't force it, and cut straight to the point: "I told you on the phone that my son is promoted to the first grade of junior high school this year, and his grades in every subject are good, but his grades in mathematics are not satisfactory. I am worried that if he continues like this, he will continue to It will be more difficult to study in the future, and I will definitely not be admitted to the ideal school in the future.”

"Well, I understand what you mean."

"Before, I hired a female tutor to teach him homework, but this child is naughty, and he lost popularity." Liu's father looked helpless.

Xiao Lang said: "Actually, the brain development of boys is not as mature as that of girls of the same age, and the part of self-control also varies from person to person. This is the result of research by scholars and experts. Boys' brain development needs more She doesn't reach maturity until she's 24, so there's a reason why she behaves naughtier than girls."

"That's it..." Liu's father was even more worried, "Children's aptitude is not better than others, and boys are naturally slow to mature... Wouldn't it be impossible to improve their academic performance to the best?"

"Uh," Xiao Lang was startled, and promised, "I will try my best to teach him."

"Then please."

"Yes." He sat upright, and it always happened every time he took on a new case—generally, parents are concerned that their children lose at the starting point, and often ignore that their own values ​​have a decisive impact on their children's education.

Since everyone has different talents, exploring children's talents is also a part of education. If parents only see the disadvantaged side of their children and hate iron for steel, once the parent-child relationship becomes tense, they may lose everything in the end.Just like a farmer who sows seeds, he has to figure out what the seeds are?It is simply a fantasy to expect mango seeds to grow into apple trees in the future.

He didn't smile, holding back these words so as not to mess up his work.

Liu Xiaoyu ate slowly on purpose, thinking to himself, I wonder if the new teacher Xiao is fierce or not?

After the meal, Liu Xiaoyu took Mr. Xiao into a Japanese room behind the living room. There was a low square table on the tatami mats, a few cushions were scattered around, and whiteboards, marker pens, and erasers were all available on the walls.

In formal teaching, Xiao Lang started from the first unit of the text, explaining positive and negative numbers and absolute value, and tutoring students in calculation exercises.

Liu Xiaoyu listened quietly like a puppet, and was more interested in Teacher Xiao's voice than the math problems.

In a blink of an eye, the time was approaching, Xiao Lang looked through his in-class math quizzes and assessment papers at school and failed all of them. He only got [-] or [-] points in the exam, which doesn't mean he is an idiot.

"Did you know that this society is a pyramid structure composed of many industries. We are educated to improve our character and morals and absorb knowledge. Working hard to study and get high marks does not mean that we will be able to achieve something in the future. The so-called action The number one scholar, setting your ambitions and goals, moving towards your dreams is much more important than studying hard. Have you ever thought about what you want to do in the future?"

Liu Xiaoyu shook his head, "I don't know."

Xiao Lang asked unwillingly, "What's your interest?"

Liu Xiaoyu scratched his head with the pen holder, thinking that adults can only reason and ask children what to do and what not to do. Teacher Xiao is also an adult, and he is probably just like his father.

"I don't know," he said.

Xiao Lang returned the math assessment and family contact book, and encouraged: "It doesn't matter if you don't know it now, interest can be cultivated. For example, a primary school student I teach is not satisfactory in arithmetic and word recognition, but he likes drawing pictures most. Talent, if he maintains this interest and continues to learn painting, he is very likely to become an illustrator or animation master, or even an artist in the future.”

"Oh." Liu Xiaoyu took the initiative to ask, "Ms. Xiao is leaving?"

"Well, see you next time."

"Goodbye." He took out the Chinese textbook from his schoolbag and sneaked a peek at Mr. Xiao leaving the Japanese room.

In the living room, Father Liu put down the newspaper, got up and opened the door to see off the guests.

Before Xiao Lang left, he mentioned to Liu's father that this month's tutoring fee would be collected during the next lecture, and that the handouts were ready-made, so there was no need to purchase additional ones.

Father Liu said that there was no problem. After the person left, he looked back at the certificates on the wall, each of which proved that he had put in as much effort in cultivating his children as anyone else.His eyes were fixed on the commemorative photo of the eldest son who graduated from a higher education institution, and he didn't notice that the younger son was hiding by the wall, looking at his father and sighing deeply.

Passing by the leisure station, Xiao Lang stopped to buy iced drinks as usual, and would always chat with the female shop assistant he knew well.

She was concerned: "Did you go well to teach at my boss's house?"

"It's going well."

The shop assistant said with a smile, "My boss is a nice person and takes good care of his employees. Besides, I have worked here for several years, and I have never heard him scold the employees, but I often hear him talk about his son."

"Um."

"His son didn't make trouble, did he?"

"No, I think he is quite obedient. From the outside, he looks like he is in the fifth or sixth grade of elementary school. He matures later than boys of the same age."

Taking advantage of the fact that there were no other visitors, the female clerk reassuredly said, "You have to take care of yourself, that brat left two tutors in anger before."

Xiao Lang was surprised: "What did he do? Shouldn't the tutor scold him a few words and threaten to sue him?"

"Hey, no." The female clerk whispered: "He doesn't like math, so he deliberately plays tricks; he thinks the female teacher speaks aggressively, asks the female teacher what cup size her chest is, why doesn't she wear a short skirt or make-up, He also intentionally scares people by saying that there are ghosts in the house... In short, even my boss has nothing to do with him, so I hired a male tutor this time."

"Is he so skinny?"

"Surprised?"

"It was an accident... However, he is now in adolescence, and it is normal for him to be curious about the opposite sex." Xiao Lang recalled the past, "Like when I was in middle school, I had a crush on a girl in my class, and then I started to care about my hairstyle , appearance and height, the uniforms you wear every day must be changed and washed, and when they are wrinkled, you will quarrel with grandma to buy an iron. Handsome."

"In the end, did you confess to the girl you like?"

"No. I was stupid back then. I only dared to peek at people and approach them intentionally or unintentionally."

He put his hands on his hips, and really didn't want to think about the follow-up, which made him super upset-back then, when he was sketching outdoors in art class, he couldn't die to hear the girl he had a crush on speak ill of him with other female students; Tanned, with five-part hair, not tall, with a loud voice, the whole person looks vulgar, unlike the monitor who is good at homework and born fair and clean.

From then on, when he was hit, he worked hard to kill the monitor in class, at least one thing he could win.

"When I get to know that brat better, I'll tell him that he can't be rude to girls, and he can't let girls be rude to him. And you have to take care of your body, and you must not do some uncomfortable behaviors. It constitutes sexual harassment, and the consequences will be arrested by the police." He has a righteous face.

The female clerk handed him two drinks and agreed with a smile: "It's good to scare him, at least let him understand that some jokes are not for girls."

"Of course." He took his drink, turned around and left, and suddenly remembered that Ajie had sexually harassed him during the summer—fuck, why didn't he think of going to the police?

Shen Shijie stayed in the study room, inspecting the seal seal gifted by the white-haired old man, which was no different from ordinary wooden seals. its function.

For a long time, thinking that he didn't have talisman paper or cinnabar ink at hand, Xiao Lang asked him to draw a talisman to suppress evil spirits, just to try the effect of the talisman blessed by the divine seal.

After a while, he left the study, went to the living room, took a bunch of keys, and went out.

A few minutes later, Xiao Lang returned home, so hungry that his chest was pressed against his back, and he shouted loudly in the living room: "Ajie——"

After waiting for a while, there was no sound from upstairs or downstairs.He rolled his eyes and muttered, "Where did he go..." He drank his drink, went to the kitchen, opened the refrigerator to find food.

He boiled a pot of hot water to cook the dumplings. While waiting, he turned on the TV to make the room sound so as not to be too deserted.

I can't help but miss the days when I stayed at the house. I have roommates as company at night. Even though it's noisy with a few big boys living together, it's better than being abandoned at this time.

When the dumplings are cooked, he immediately turns off the fire.

Eating dinner alone, watching TV absently, but thinking about Ajie's whereabouts, what is Ajie doing when he is not around?Apart from the schoolmates they both know, how many friends does Ajie have?Who do you talk to the most?If you are invited by a girl, will you refuse every time?

He couldn't help suspecting that, based on Ajie's conditions, there was no guarantee that he wouldn't meet someone who misfired. Maybe Ajie was dating a girl at the moment, and men and women could take it all... Fuck it!If Ajie dares to do this, the little brother better rot!

outside the door.Shen Shijie took the key and inserted it into the keyhole, and immediately received the message—so Xiao Lang missed him that much? !The root of the tooth tightened, and there was an urge to kill someone!

He opened the door and entered the house, threw the car keys, a stack of three-color talisman papers and stationery on the table, and stared coldly at the guy who looked up.

Xiao Lang glanced at his clothes as usual, and peeked at the table, it turned out that Ajie was going to buy Wushu supplies.

Shen Shijie sat down beside him without saying a word, staring at him and continuing to eat dumplings.

Xiao Lang still suspected that Ajie would be able to buy these things back after dating.In any case, to steal fish, you must know how to wipe your mouth, so as not to leave any clues... He tilted his head and sniffed if there was any perfume smell on Ajie's body?

Shen Shijie stared at his head, simultaneously receiving his thoughts and actions.

Xiao Lang raised his face and stared at him too. "Why don't you talk?"

"Hmm..." It was wonderful, Shen Shijie realized that he could see through Xiao Lang's thoughts.

As soon as he changed his mind, he didn't feel anything when he thought about the cars in the parking lot. The same thing happened when he picked up the car keys. His eyes fixed on Xiao Lang, and he sensed that he was a little nervous.There is nothing more mind-reading than this. In the field of religion, it is called "other-mindedness". If you think about it from a scientific point of view, how did it come about?

Half-squinting his eyes, he thought that the surface of the brain hemisphere was covered by the light gray, wrinkled cortex, and the cortex was composed of the main neuronal cells, with different neurons scattered throughout the six layers of gray matter, producing different functions in different regions .

For example, the area of ​​the brain responsible for recognizing sounds has more gray matter in professional musicians than in the general population.Then the ability of "Hexintong" belongs to the somatosensory perception area. Does it mean that the gray matter in the brain may increase in the near future?

"Don't be so weird, okay..."

Shen Shijie pulled back his thoughts and stared at Xiao Lang's dark pupils.

Xiao Lang felt uncomfortable when he looked at him, and he was inexplicably terrified, like a victim lying on the operating table about to be dismembered, while Ajie was a calm and perverted killer.

Shen Shijie raised his eyebrows. The more he thought about it, the more outrageous he became, and he needed repairs.

"Uh..." Xiao Lang cleared his throat, please: "If it's okay, please go away. I will collect the dishes myself. There is a drink on the bar for you. I want to read a book later..."

"Well, I also have something to do." Shen Shijie got up, closed the floor-to-ceiling curtains, pressed the light switch several times in succession to change the brightness of the crystal lamp, and took the remote control to turn up the volume of the TV.

Xiao Lang was startled: "Aren't you afraid of disturbing the neighbors?"

"Well, I'm afraid you will be noisier." He planned ahead.

"What do you mean? Why did you make it into a small lamp? I still need to read later, and I'm not used to reading in my room... ah——" Dazed, he was suppressed by Ajie on the sofa, and his handsome face was kept in close-up Zooming in, the attempt to persecute is clearly revealed.

Shen Shijie lifted his shirt, causing him to scream: "Hey...what are you doing...I don't want...don't go too far..."

"You will."

Taking off his shirt, Xiao Lang hurriedly pulled back the restraints on his lower body, but Shen Shijie's strength was even better.

"Ah!" Xiao Lang landed unsteadily, with one foot still hanging on the sofa.

Shen Shijie threw away his trousers and stared at him closely. Xiao Lang was startled by his abnormality and couldn't help moving back.

In an instant, he turned over and fled, and Shen Shijie quickly dragged him back.

Xiao Lang turned around and called, "Why are you crazy?"

Shen Shijie hung behind him, unbuttoned his trousers, and attacked his elastic buttocks.

"Oh...it hurts!" Xiao Lang fell on the ground, grasped the carpet tightly, and took deep breaths, the burning sensation of the hard object penetrating into his body was like a fire.

Shen Shijie opened his buttocks and kept rubbing them for a few times. When stimulated by desire, transparent body fluid would be secreted and wet his tight vagina. It is estimated that he would not be in pain for too long.

"Woo...Damn it..." Tears welled up in his eyes, he didn't like the feeling of being forced, "Damn..."

Shen Shijie poked him twice before asking, "You want me to wear a cuckold?"

"How can I!" He cried aggrievedly.

"Very good." He reached out and held Xiao Lang's avatar, stimulating his congested erection. Once the human brain receives the message from the external sex organ, it will look forward to the pleasure.

"Do you like this pose?"

"I like your big head!" He was in so much pain.

Shen Shijie withdrew, turned him over, and inserted him again, "Now?"

Xiao Lang faced it in embarrassment, choked up: "You are really hateful... What are you going crazy..."

"Well, I want you to experience it. If you are not in love with each other, even if your body responds, it is meaningless to do it." He couldn't put it down and teased him, and his desire continued to contradict him, shaking him again and again.

Xiao Lang groped around, trying to hit him with something.

"Don't be too busy." Shen Shijie grabbed his hand and hooked his neck, and kissed his cheek with his lips.

Xiao Lang was stunned for a moment, his eyes reflected his half-smile expression without blinking, and suddenly had the illusion of being played by him...

Shen Shijie said, "Which one do you think is more important, emotion or carnal desire?"

Xiao Lang didn't even think about it, and couldn't answer at all.

"I choose both, but only one. Do you remember?"

Xiao Lang nodded, buried his face into Shen Shijie's neck, clasped his hands firmly, and gradually lost his breath...