Author: hoenimochi (Page 1 of 95)

       Zhou Mo said, “Use three words to describe me.”

       Sitting across from him, Suo Yang took a sip of coffee and thought for a moment. “Handsome, sexy, classy.”

       Zhou Mo nodded in satisfaction. “Very good. I’m very pleased.”

       Suo Yang looked at him and smiled helplessly. “That guy’s here again.”

       When Zhou Mo turned his head, he saw a man walking toward them—white shirt, suit pants, a briefcase in hand.

       “Sigh, I’m really in a dilemma,” Zhou Mo said with a smile. “Being too popular is such a burden.”

       The man walking toward them was named Cheng Sen. They had met on a plane.

       Zhou Mo and Suo Yang were both flight attendants of the same airline. When they first joined, a senior colleague had asked them why they chose this profession.

       Suo Yang said it was because he liked flying, while Zhou Mo’s answer was much more blunt, “The uniform looks cool.”

       The two of them entered the airline together and have always had the best relationship. They have been sharing a house since they started working. They are colleagues, roommates, and good brothers.

       But their personalities couldn’t be more different.

       Suo Yang was always pleasantly polite in social situations. He was on good terms with everyone, but never deeply close to anyone except Zhou Mo. He rarely joined group activities and kept a certain distance: a pseudo-warm guy, and a real iceberg.

       Zhou Mo, on the other hand, was the company’s acknowledged social butterfly. Not long after joining, he had already got to know everyone well—upstairs and downstairs, men and women alike. He was good-looking, silver-tongued, and naturally popular.

       Both of them were popular—not just with coworkers but also with passengers.

       The man approaching them now was one such passenger pursuing Zhou Mo.

       His name was Cheng Sen, a small-time boss at a startup.

       ‘Small-time boss’ sounded nice, but with the word ‘startup’ attached, it meant the business wasn’t very big, had only a handful of employees, and didn’t have much capital either. Guys like that were often more exhausted than ordinary office workers.

       The two of them met on the plane.

       Zhou Mo really was good-looking. He drew attention wherever he stood. Add the flight attendant uniform, and it was almost impossible not to notice him.

       On flights, he often got hit on. Some people directly stuffed business cards into his pocket. Zhou Mo looked like a player, but in reality, he had clear boundaries. He knew exactly what those people wanted.

       A fleeting encounter on a plane usually meant a brief, exciting fling—each taking what they wanted, giving what they needed. Once satisfied, they went their separate ways.

       Zhou Mo had seen plenty of that.

       But that was never the kind of life he wanted.

       He enjoyed being admired and pursued, but he also had his principles.

       He kept all those business cards like trophies. After each flight, when he got home, he would put them into a small metal box. Whenever his confidence dipped, he would take the box out, admire its contents, and recharge his ‘energy’.

       As for Cheng Sen, he really was different from the others.

       The first time they met was when Cheng Sen boarded the plane.

       Zhou Mo was standing at the cabin entrance, greeting passengers when Cheng Sen came on, frowning, talking on the phone, and looking for his seat.

       Zhou Mo had a sharp radar for handsome men. After all, who didn’t like looking at good-looking guys?

       Cheng Sen was handsome, but in a completely different style from Zhou Mo.

       That day, Cheng Sen looked exhausted, like he hadn’t slept for days. Even his shirt was wrinkled. He looked exactly like those pitifully handsome men in Japanese dramas—burned out from struggling through life.

       Zhou Mo took the initiative to help him find his seat, then lingered nearby, sneaking glances whenever he could.

       He overheard Cheng Sen talking about work, and it was about some project that had run into trouble and caused a mess.

       Zhou Mo thought that the world wasn’t particularly kind to handsome men either. Look at those dark circles—life’s really been rough on the handsome men.

       That day, Zhou Mo kept stealing looks at the guy. By the end of the flight, he felt oddly refreshed and content.

       Meanwhile, Cheng Sen hadn’t noticed Zhou Mo at all. He didn’t remember him in the slightest.

       At the time, one of Cheng Sen’s projects had gone wrong. He was overwhelmed, closed his eyes to catch some sleep after takeoff, and once the plane landed, went straight back to work.

       But Zhou Mo couldn’t stop thinking about him.

       Later, for several nights in a row, Zhou Mo even fantasised about that face while ‘comforting himself’ before sleep.

       In their line of work, they met countless people of all kinds. But most were just fleeting encounters—once missed, they were gone forever.

       So when Zhou Mo saw Cheng Sen a second time, he suddenly felt that maybe—just maybe—there really was some kind of fate between them.

       That day, there weren’t many passengers on the flight. While handing out meals, Zhou Mo deliberately chatted a bit more with Cheng Sen.

       That day, Cheng Sen had just wrapped up a project, and his company had officially started turning a profit. His complexion looked better, his mood was good, and he responded to Zhou Mo a few times.

       During the three-plus-hour flight, Cheng Sen occasionally saw Zhou Mo walking through the cabin. Sometimes, when he looked up, his gaze would coincidentally meet Zhou Mo’s.

       Later, Zhou Mo would say, “That was mutual flirting—exchanging glances in secret. Two people who are meant to be together can understand each other’s eyes even if they don’t know each other’s names.”

       But Cheng Sen said, “I knew your name back then. You were wearing a name badge.”

       Anyway, after getting off the plane that day, Zhou Mo ran into Cheng Sen again. This time, it wasn’t a coincidence, but it was because Cheng Sen had deliberately waited there.

       That day, Cheng Sen was in the city on vacation. With his project finished, he had given himself two days off, planning to rest properly by himself.

       But because of Zhou Mo, his plans changed a little.

       They only had a meal together. Both of them harboured improper thoughts toward the other, yet neither said anything outright.

       They ate together, then walked along the seaside of the city, stepping on soft sand.

       Before they parted, Cheng Sen wrote his phone number in Zhou Mo’s palm.

       The sea breeze tousled Cheng Sen’s hair. As he lowered his head to write the number, Zhou Mo kept watching him.

       Once Cheng Sen finished, Zhou Mo glanced at it and quickly memorised the digits.

       Zhou Mo closed his hand and smiled at Cheng Sen. “I can’t guarantee I’ll call you.”

       Cheng Sen smiled too. “That’s fine. I’ll wait.”

       *I’ll wait.

       A week later, Cheng Sen really did receive a call from Zhou Mo.

       The two of them played with ambiguity.

       They ate together, went shopping, and watched movies.

       No confession. No hand-holding. And, of course, no sex.

       Zhou Mo liked this unhurried way of getting along. It made him feel steady and at ease.

       He had met far too many people who approached him with clear ulterior motives. Those people bluntly said they wanted to sleep with him and told him to name his price.

       Sometimes Zhou Mo found it laughable. He wasn’t selling himself, so what were these people thinking?

       This so-called ‘sincerity’ was something he wanted no part of.

       Cheng Sen, on the other hand, was genuinely attractive to him.

       They ate at ordinary restaurants where a meal cost about a hundred per person. Sometimes they wandered around for an entire afternoon without buying anything. When they went to the movies, they simply watched the movie. Afterwards, Zhou Mo liked quietly listening to Cheng Sen share his thoughts.

       It was this kind of ordinary, uneventful companionship that made Zhou Mo feel himself being drawn closer and closer to Cheng Sen.

       Occasionally, there were unexpected moments of physical contact.

       Outside of work, Zhou Mo was always careless. Once in an underground parking garage, he couldn’t remember where they had parked and subconsciously followed the person in front of him—only to be grabbed by the wrist and pulled back by Cheng Sen.

       It was just a light grip, but Zhou Mo instantly felt as if electricity ran through his body, the tips of his ears flushing red.

       Zhou Mo had always thought that this kind of heart-fluttering feeling belonged only to teenagers—pure, naive boys and girls. As people grew older, they became more rational and realistic. In the adult world, it was incredibly rare to be moved purely because of one person.

       Yet Cheng Sen gave him exactly that rare feeling.

       It surprised even Zhou Mo himself.

       But he had to admit he liked it. In those days of slowly getting to know each other, inching closer little by little, life became much more interesting.

       During that period, Zhou Mo spent far less time with Suo Yang. Whenever he had free time, he went to see Cheng Sen.

       Suo Yang asked him, “Are you in a relationship?”

       Zhou Mo smiled. “Do I look like I’m in a relationship?”

       Suo Yang nodded, but Zhou Mo said, “Not yet. We’re in an ambiguous stage.”

       At the time, Suo Yang couldn’t understand the ambiguity, especially one that dragged on for so long. He felt that if two people liked each other, they should just confirm the relationship decisively. If they hesitated, it meant they didn’t like each other enough, and they should each find someone they liked more.

       Of course, later on, Suo Yang came to understand that in relationships, many things aren’t simply black or white. Sometimes this kind of push-and-pull ambiguity has its own unique charm.

       In short, they flirted from summer all the way into winter. Finally, when they made plans to spend New Year’s Eve together, Cheng Sen couldn’t hold back anymore.

       That night, the two of them were wearing thick down jackets, standing amid the crowd.

       They had followed the trend and gone to a small city park to count down the New Year with everyone else. The crowd was packed tight. Even though it was a bitterly cold winter night, the sheer number of people left them sweating.

       Just as the countdown was about to start, Cheng Sen suddenly said to Zhou Mo beside him, “I want to hold your hand.”

       “What?” Zhou Mo didn’t hear him clearly and turned to ask.

       At that moment, the countdown began. The noise was overwhelming, making it even harder for them to hear each other.

       Cheng Sen decided not to say anything more. He suddenly leaned in, their noses touching.

       Zhou Mo smiled, lifted his chin slightly, and their lips met.

       Just like that, amid the New Year’s chimes and the crowd’s cheers, the two of them kissed while pressed together in the mass of people, then intertwined their fingers.

       People around them were watching—watching two grown men kissing in public.

       But they didn’t care. This was something worth celebrating.

       That night, Zhou Mo went home with Cheng Sen. It was the first time he had gone to Cheng Sen’s place after such a long period of ambiguity between them.

       At the time, Cheng Sen really didn’t have much money. All his funds were tied up in the company, and he was living in an old apartment in the suburbs, paying just over a thousand in rent each month.

       He opened the door and let Zhou Mo in.

       Cheng Sen asked, “Do you feel wronged?”

       Zhou Mo sat on the bed, unzipped his down jacket, and asked with a smile, “What should I feel wronged about?”

       Cheng Sen walked over, hung the jacket in the wardrobe for him, then came back and squatted by his legs.

       “Actually, people in your line of work can find partners with pretty good conditions.”

       “Yeah,” Zhou Mo said. “Of course we can. Even fifty-year-old rich men have tried handing me their business cards.”

       Cheng Sen squatted there, looking at him and smiling without saying anything.

       “But I didn’t take any of the opportunities they offered,” Zhou Mo said proudly with a grin. “So now I’ve met the partner with the best conditions.”

       They both understood what the other meant. Zhou Mo wrapped his arms around Cheng Sen.

       “You’re the best one for me.”

       The best?

       Later, people would ask Zhou Mo why he chose Cheng Sen among so many pursuers back then.

       Zhou Mo would say, “First of all, there weren’t that many pursuers.”

       Among those so-called pursuers, some truly tried to court him, but the vast majority sought only physical satisfaction, not genuine interest in him as a person.

       Zhou Mo himself was quite puzzled about it. He didn’t know why he seemed to attract that kind of person so easily.

       Fortunately, he wasn’t someone who would lose his way. By pushing aside those toxic flowers, he discovered the most precious gem hidden behind them.

       That gem was Cheng Sen.

       “Secondly, it wasn’t that I chose Cheng Sen, it was that we chose each other.”

       Love is mutual. Two hearts are drawn to each other involuntarily.

       If someone insisted on asking why it had to be Cheng Sen, even Zhou Mo himself couldn’t really answer.

       “Lastly,” Zhou Mo said, “there’s no reason. If you ask, the answer is fate.”

       Over the years, Cheng Sen’s career flourished more and more. Zhou Mo changed careers and left the airline industry, finding a job that suited him well. The two of them got married abroad and had long since moved into a spacious, luxuriously renovated home. They could dine at high-end restaurants and buy custom-made suits.

       But they would never forget that they met when both of them were at the starting points of their careers. Back then, Cheng Sen’s company was so small it was practically a workshop, and Zhou Mo was nothing more than an ordinary flight attendant working domestic economy-class routes.

       They witnessed each other’s growth and accompanied one another from the lowest points all the way to the peak.

       When they first got together, neither of them thought in terms of ‘blue-chip stock’ or ‘potential stock’. Everything was fate, everything was luck. It was only after choosing love that they realised that, after working hard, they could also have material comfort.

       Years passed. Zhou Mo still loved to play around and make noise, while Cheng Sen would sit nearby, smiling as he watched him.

       When they travelled by plane, they rarely flew economy class anymore. Occasionally, they would happen to be on Suo Yang’s flight. Watching Suo Yang go from domestic to international routes, from economy class to first class over the years, Zhou Mo would sigh at how fast time had passed.

       Time really had flown by.

       He and Cheng Sen had been in love for so long now.

       Come to think of it, their story began thirty thousand feet in the air. The look they exchanged during that flight all those years ago was still vividly clear in his memory.

       The same look back then.

       Later, when Zhou Mo came out to his family, and Cheng Sen was beaten black and blue by Zhou Mo’s father, it was still that unwavering look in his eyes as he looked at Zhou Mo.

       Later still, when they were travelling abroad, and Cheng Sen suddenly knelt on one knee and took out a ring to propose, his eyes were filled with love.

       And now, every morning when they woke up, there was that same sleepy yet smiling look.

       All of it made Zhou Mo feel that there could never be a better choice than Cheng Sen.

       That first time they met, the handsome man whose face was full of exhaustion from work was the best love fate had ever given him.

       =================

       “Getting up?”

       “Let’s sleep a little longer,” Zhou Mo said. “We’re meeting Qian Xiaoke this afternoon. He said he and Jiang Tongyan brought back some free-range chickens from their hometown for us.”

       “Alright,” Cheng Sen said as he pulled the blanket over and wrapped Zhou Mo up snugly. “Then let’s sleep some more. I’ll go with you this afternoon to see the two of them.”

[The End]

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Author’s note:
It’s finished, it’s finished—this one is truly, completely finished now. 

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T/N:
Hopefully I can get to another series I’ve been eyeing soon~
Since the author doesn’t have any intention to make Cheng Sen and Zhou Mo pair a stand alone series, this series concluded their universe~

Thanks for being here all and take care~

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       Jiang Tongyan said, “There are a lot of problems that need to be solved.”

       When he said this, Qian Xiaoke was eating ice cream.

       It was winter in the north, with cold winds howling outside, but the house was warm as spring. Sitting on the sofa, watching TV while eating ice cream was practically a god-tier life.

       “What problems?” Qian Xiaoke asked. His mouth was smeared with cream as he tilted his head up. “Husband, wipe my mouth for me.”

       Jiang Tongyan worked without complaint, pulling out a tissue to wipe his mouth.

       “Slow down,” Jiang Tongyan scolded him. “That’s the third one already. Are you sure your stomach won’t hurt?”

       “It won’t!” Qian Xiaoke said proudly. “When I was younger, I could eat five in one go!”

       After wiping his mouth, Jiang Tongyan smiled and pinched his cheek. “You’re still young now.”

       Qian Xiaoke pursed his lips and smiled, continuing to lean against him while eating his ice cream.

       “Didn’t you say there were problems to solve just now?” Qian Xiaoke touched his stomach. “I’m not aborting the kid.”

       Jiang Tongyan chuckled softly. “No one asked you to abort anything. What are you thinking?”

       Qian Xiaoke licked his lips. “Then what is it?”

       “You tell me,” Jiang Tongyan said, rubbing his stomach as if Qian Xiaoke were really pregnant. “Which of those houses did you actually like?”

       After New Year’s Day, Jiang Tongyan had taken Qian Xiaoke to look at several houses.

       One was in their current residential complex, measuring a little over 200 square meters. It was barely acceptable. The reason it was barely acceptable was that Jiang Tongyan thought 200 square meters was far too small. In his view, it had to start at three hundred at a minimum. To this, Qian Xiaoke commented, “You rich people are really outrageous.”

       In addition to this house, another one was near the company. The neighbourhood facilities were average, but the layout was great. Jiang Tongyan especially liked the large balcony. When they went to see the place, he even started imagining himself and Qian Xiaoke doing this and that out on the balcony.

       But compared to those two, the one Jiang Tongyan liked the most was a villa in the suburbs. Three stories, over five hundred square meters, with small yards in both the front and back. They could grow flowers and plants together. It was quite romantic. This place could be called Jiang Tongyan’s dream house. The only problem was that it was too far from the company. If they moved there, commuting every day would take over three hours round-trip. Normally, that might be manageable, but if Jiang Tongyan went on a business trip one day, and Qian Xiaoke still couldn’t drive, even getting a taxi there would be difficult. It would be very troublesome.

       Three houses, each with its own pros and cons.

       Jiang Tongyan explained his thoughts to Qian Xiaoke and then handed the final decision over to him.

       “You’re the one spending the money,” Qian Xiaoke said. “You decide.”

       “All good men listen to their wives,” Jiang Tongyan said. “You choose. Pick the one you like most.”

       How should he put it?

       Qian Xiaoke liked all of them.

       But liking them was one thing. He also liked Daniel Wu.

       Qian Xiaoke licked the ice cream stick and fell into deep thought.

       “What are you thinking about?” Jiang Tongyan leaned over and bit Qian Xiaoke’s cheek.

       “The house thing is still up to you,” Qian Xiaoke said, biting the stick and looking at him. “But there’s something else I want to discuss.”

       “Go on.”

       “The New Year holiday is coming up,” Qian Xiaoke tilted his head at him. “Where are you spending it? Going back to the U.S.? Or to your grandparents’ place?”

       That reminded Jiang Tongyan.

       “I almost forgot about that,” he said. “What about you? What are your plans?”

       “Me?” Qian Xiaoke pursed his lips. “Of course I’m going home for the New Year. I heard you foreigners don’t celebrate Spring Festival.”

       “I’m not a foreigner, I just grew up over there.” Jiang Tongyan said, clutching his chest and starting to sing ‘My Chinese Heart’ to him.

       “Then where are you spending the New Year?”

       Jiang Tongyan actually hadn’t planned it.

       When he was abroad, he rarely celebrated the Lunar New Year. There was no holiday for it. At most, he would go home at night and boil some dumplings just for the occasion. Now that he was back in China, logically he should spend it with his grandparents. But the two elderly people had been taken on a trip by Jiang Tongyan’s parents some time ago and wouldn’t be back until after the New Year.

       Jiang Tongyan had become a left-behind ‘child’.

       “Wife,” Jiang Tongyan said, wrapping his arms around Qian Xiaoke’s waist. “I’m so miserable.”

       “…What’s wrong?”

       “In a little while, you’ll leave and go home for a family reunion,” Jiang Tongyan fake-cried while hugging him. “I’ll be left alone, guarding an empty room. I’m so pitiful.”

       Qian Xiaoke was completely confused. “How are you guarding an empty room? Aren’t you going to your grandparents’ place?”

       “They went travelling with my parents. They won’t be back until after the New Year.” Jiang Tongyan was deeply committed to the bit. He released Qian Xiaoke, held his shoulders, and said dramatically, “Wife, I’m fine. You don’t need to worry about me. You just need to take good care of yourself and our child. I’ll stay here and wait for you to come back.”

       “…Jiang Tongyan, that’s enough,” Qian Xiaoke said, lifting a hand to scratch his chin. “What I wanted to say was, if you don’t mind, you can come home with me for the New Year.”

       When Jiang Tongyan heard that, he was immediately displeased. “What are you talking about?”

       “Huh?”

       Was it not okay? If he didn’t want to, then forget it.

       “What do you mean ‘don’t mind’?” Jiang Tongyan slapped his thigh. “I’m immensely honoured, all right! Arrange it, arrange it immediately. When did you usually start your holiday in previous years? This year we’ll start earlier, two days earlier. As soon as we’re on holiday, we leave!”

       Using power for personal gain, exploiting public resources for private benefit.

       Jiang Tongyan was an expert at that.

       And so, this year, Qian Xiaoke ended up with the longest Spring Festival holiday of his life. With his wealthy husband in tow, they first took the high-speed train and then a long-distance bus, finally arriving at the gate of the small rural courtyard where his family lived.

       Qian Xiaoke said, “You’ve never been to the countryside before, have you?”

       He really hadn’t.

       Jiang Tongyan found everything fresh and novel. Looking at the chickens in the yard, he asked, “Aren’t they cold?”

       “Probably,” Qian Xiaoke said. “That little shed over there should be for them.”

       In truth, Qian Xiaoke didn’t know either.

       Before his parents suddenly moved here, he himself had never come to the countryside. Still, the place was fun because he could chase chickens, which was very entertaining.

       Wearing padded gloves, he grabbed the iron gate and shook it hard, shouting inside, “Open the door! Open the door! Stop hiding inside and pretending you’re not there! I know you’re home!”

       He yelled for quite a while before someone finally came out.

       Standing beside him, Jiang Tongyan was nervous to the extreme. He suddenly understood why Qian Xiaoke had been so frightened when he had first met Jiang Tongyan’s parents.

       Now it was his turn to meet his parents-in-law. He was panicking.

       Qian Xiaoke’s mother had been inside cracking sunflower seeds. When she heard someone outside shouting nonsense, she thought Qian Xiaoke’s father must have secretly borrowed money from loan sharks and that the creditors had come to collect the debt. But when she opened the door, it turned out to be her own child.

       “What are you shouting for like that?” she said. “Isn’t there a doorbell?”

       Qian Xiaoke turned his head and only then noticed that there really was a doorbell.

       There hadn’t been one the last time he came back!

       This had definitely been installed recently.

       Jiang Tongyan silently complained to himself: Was this really Qian Xiaoke’s home? Forget not having a key; he didn’t even know where the doorbell was. Had he been kicked out of this family or what?

       As if to prove that her son hadn’t been kicked out, Qian Xiaoke’s mother came out and opened the door, pulled her son into her arms, and kissed him on the cheek. “Why have you gained weight? Haven’t you been working properly?”

       Qian Xiaoke pouted. “Don’t say I’ve gotten fat!”

       Jiang Tongyan snickered at the side. He had meant to keep a low profile, but he accidentally let out a laugh.

       Only then did Qian Xiaoke’s mother look at Jiang Tongyan, who was standing there.

       Qian Xiaoke pulled Jiang Tongyan over and introduced him. “This is my partner.”

       “Hello, Auntie,” Jiang Tongyan said, behaving with extreme obedience, almost exactly like Qian Xiaoke when he had first met Jiang Tongyan’s parents.

       However, Qian Xiaoke’s mother fell silent.

       “Mom, what’s that look supposed to mean?”

       It was strange.

       Both Qian Xiaoke and his mother thought it was strange.

       Qian Xiaoke thought her expression was strange.

       His mother thought it was strange that her son had actually found a boyfriend, and such a handsome one at that.

       “Hello, hello,” she said, sizing up the tall, handsome young man in front of her. “You’re xiao Jiang?”

       “Yes,” Jiang Tongyan said very politely. “My name is Jiang Tongyan. I’m Xiaoke’s… boyfriend.”

       When Qian Xiaoke had told his mother on the phone that he was bringing his boyfriend home, she had said, “Don’t fool people.”

       Who would have thought he really brought one back?

       “Mom, we’re cold.”

       “Oh, right, hurry inside.” Only then did Qian Xiaoke’s mother snap back to herself and quickly usher the two kids into the house.

       It had snowed a while ago, and someone in the yard had built an especially ugly snowman.

       Qian Xiaoke asked, “Who built that? It’s so ugly!”

       “Your dad did.”

       Qian Xiaoke said, “Very artistic!”

       Jiang Tongyan laughed inwardly: So you know how to do face-changing too.

       A chicken blocked Jiang Tongyan’s path. One man and one chicken stared at each other, and Jiang Tongyan stopped in his tracks.

       Qian Xiaoke and his mother were walking ahead and didn’t notice anything happening behind them at all. After all, who would imagine that a grown man nearly 1.9 meters tall would be afraid of a hen?

       Jiang Tongyan sidestepped to the right, and the chicken followed.

       He sidestepped to the left, and the chicken followed again.

       Jiang Tongyan thought to himself: Are you trying to kill me?!

       Walking ahead, Qian Xiaoke suddenly felt like something was missing. When he turned around, he discovered that his beloved husband was actually locked in a standoff with a chicken.

       “What are you doing?” Qian Xiaoke called out. “You can come out and play with the chicken later. Get inside and warm up first.”

       Jiang Tongyan thought: I want to go inside too, but the problem is that it won’t let me.

       Why was this chicken more protective of the house than a dog?

       Seeing that he wasn’t moving, Qian Xiaoke pursed his lips. “Hurry up, hurry up, it’s so cold!”

       Jiang Tongyan went all in. After all, Qian Xiaoke’s mother had turned around to look at him too.

       It was fine to embarrass himself in front of his wife, but he absolutely could not embarrass himself in front of his mother-in-law.

       Holding his breath and mustering his courage, Jiang Tongyan lifted his long leg and stepped over the hen’s head.

       The hen clucked twice and ran off elsewhere.

       Jiang Tongyan let out a breath of relief, hurried over, and smiled as he apologised to his mother-in-law.

       Qian Xiaoke truly was his mother’s son. The two of them shared one thing in common: they liked handsome men.

       As long as Jiang Tongyan was good-looking, everything could be forgiven.

       “Come on, go inside,” Qian Xiaoke’s mother said with a warm smile. “You two haven’t eaten yet, have you? I’ll stew a chicken for you later!”

       Very good.

       Stewed chicken.

       Jiang Tongyan glanced back at the chicken that had just frightened him and sneered inwardly: You’re finished. Very soon, you’ll be eaten by me.

       Petty Jiang Tongyan felt a surge of vindictive satisfaction rise in his heart.

       They went inside, and Qian Xiaoke shouted, “Qian Daguo! Your precious son is back!”

       Qian Daguo.

       Qian Xiaoke.

       You could really tell they were father and son just from hearing the names.

       Jiang Tongyan grew nervous again, worried that his father-in-law might not like him.

       In fact, he was worrying a bit too much.

       Qian Xiaoke’s father had been inside listening to crosstalk while shelling peanuts for his wife. When he heard his son’s voice outside, he was quite surprised.

       The door opened, and Qian Xiaoke, bundled up thickly like a zongzi, ran in cheerfully.

       “Long time no see, sir!”

       Qian Daguo still had peanut kernels resting in his palm. He turned his head to look and said, “Who are you?”

       Qian Xiaoke’s delicate body trembled. He turned back to his mother and asked, “Has my dad lost his memory?”

       “No,” his mother said. “It’s because you’ve gotten fat.”

       Very heartbreaking.

       Qian Xiaoke almost wanted to howl at the sky: I really haven’t gained that much weight! Can you not exaggerate so much!

       Qian Xiaoke’s father spotted the tall, handsome man standing behind at a glance. Although Jiang Tongyan and Qian Xiaoke were usually quite improper when together, in public they both had an outstanding presence, making it hard not to notice Jiang Tongyan.

       “This is my boyfriend.” Qian Xiaoke pulled Jiang Tongyan over, hooked his arm through his, and even leaned his head against him as he said sweetly, “He’s already proposed to me.”

       “Hello, Uncle.”

       Qian Xiaoke’s father carefully looked Jiang Tongyan up and down, then turned back to ask Qian Xiaoke, “You spent a lot of money, right?”

       “Huh? What?” Qian Xiaoke was confused.

       “How much did you pay to hire him?” his father said. “That handsome, he must be pretty expensive, right?”

       Well then. He had taken Jiang Tongyan for a fake boyfriend he had rented.

       “Oh come on!” Qian Xiaoke stomped his feet in grievance. “We’re real! What is wrong with you two?”

       Was he really their biological son?

       How could parents doubt their own son’s ability to pick up men like this?

       Jiang Tongyan stood to the side, holding back laughter, not saying a word, just enjoying the show.

       He found Qian Xiaoke’s parents genuinely interesting, and it was no wonder they had raised someone as interesting as Qian Xiaoke.

       After a round of explanations from Qian Xiaoke, his parents finally accepted the fact that their son, who was good at nothing and ranked first in causing trouble, had really found a boyfriend who was highly educated, good-looking, and from a well-off family.

       “Incredible,” Qian Xiaoke’s mother said. “How did a little unlucky thing like you get such good luck in this kind of matter?”

       Qian Xiaoke said smugly, “Probably because I’m cute.”

       The first meal that cute Qian Xiaoke and his boyfriend had after coming home was chicken stewed with mushrooms. Unfortunately, the chicken Jiang Tongyan ate was not the one that had scared him earlier, but one that Qian Xiaoke’s father had gone out to buy. As for why they had to go out and buy chicken when they raised chickens themselves, his father explained it like this:

       “The ones in the yard are pets we raise at home,” Comrade Qian Daguo said. “How can pets be stewed and eaten?”

       Qian Xiaoke was stunned, once again marvelling at the powerful logic of his parents.

       In any case, the meal was eaten very happily.

       After eating and drinking their fill, Jiang Tongyan and Qian Xiaoke, a pair of clumsy fellows, helped clean up and even proactively offered to wash the dishes. Still, they were chased out to play by Qian Xiaoke’s mother.

       Already thirty and still being treated like kids was rather embarrassing.

       They said it was embarrassing, but their bodies were very honest.

       Qian Xiaoke and Jiang Tongyan put on their coats and went out for a walk.

       The small village where Qian Xiaoke’s parents now lived actually had quite a nice environment, with few people, quiet, and clean.

       The two of them strolled leisurely along the small path. Qian Xiaoke said, “To be honest, I haven’t really come out for walks much either.”

       While they were out walking, they received a call from Qian Xiaoke’s mother and were given orders to go buy soy sauce from the small supermarket at the village entrance.

       Haitian soy sauce, the biggest bottle.

       Qian Xiaoke asked, “Will it be reimbursed?”

       “Ask again, and I’ll crack your head open.”

       Look at that. What a terrifying mother.

       Jiang Tongyan listened with a broad smile as Qian Xiaoke bickered with his mother on the phone, only daring to laugh out loud after Qian Xiaoke hung up.

       “What are you laughing at?”

       “At how cute you are, and how cute your family is.” Jiang Tongyan thought of how Qian Xiaoke’s father had kept sneaking glances at him during the meal, and later, taking advantage of a moment when no one was paying attention, had come over with a stern face to tell him that he absolutely had to dote on their Xiaoke properly. Thinking about it, he felt that this whole family was truly adorable.

       ‘Cuteness’ was really one of the most precious qualities in the world. Being able to meet them, Jiang Tongyan felt he was truly a bit too lucky.

       Qian Xiaoke said, “Will you feel uncomfortable spending the Spring Festival here?”

       Jiang Tongyan took hold of Qian Xiaoke’s hand, which was wrapped in thick cotton gloves, and said, “You’re here. How could I possibly feel uncomfortable?”

       ===========

       Jiang Tongyan had not properly celebrated the Spring Festival for many years. Back when his grandparents were still living abroad with them, the elders had taken the holiday very seriously. When Chinese New Year came around, they would still insist that everyone make dumplings with a strong sense of ritual and watch the Spring Festival Gala together. But later, with Jiang Tongyan busy at work and his grandparents returning to China to spend the New Year there, he had completely lost any sense of ‘New Year atmosphere’ over the past few years.

       Early on New Year’s Eve, Jiang Tongyan and Qian Xiaoke were dragged out of bed to hang lanterns and paste couplets. The lanterns were bought at the village entrance, while Qian Xiaoke’s father handwrote the couplets.

       Top line: Get rich, get rich, get very rich.

       Bottom line: Prosperous blessings, prosperous blessings, blessings for the whole family.

       Horizontal scroll: My family is really great.

       Qian Xiaoke stared at the couplets, his head full of question marks.

       “Dad, are you sure you really want to paste these up?” Wasn’t it a bit overly ridiculous?

       “Paste them,” Qian Daguo said proudly, hands on his hips. “Don’t you think my brush calligraphy is written really well?”

       The handwriting was genuinely good. After all, he had practised seriously. As for the wording…

       Fine then.

       Qian Xiaoke exchanged a glance with Jiang Tongyan. They decided to humour his dad and make him happy. Paste them.

       The two of them obediently put up the couplets. Jiang Tongyan then pulled Qian Xiaoke over to take a selfie in front of the door and posted it to his Moments, visible only to Cheng Sen and Shen Huiming.

       Another snowfall came down, making this Spring Festival feel even more atmospheric.

       Under Qian Xiaoke’s mother’s rallying cry, the family of four held a ‘snowman-building competition’. They split into pairs, and the losing team would be responsible for making dumplings that night.

       Naturally, Qian Xiaoke’s parents formed one team, and the two younger ones formed the other.

       Normally, a game like this was not something to take seriously. You were supposed to let the parents win and make them happy. But neither Qian Xiaoke nor Jiang Tongyan knew how to make dumplings, so for everyone’s sake and to ensure a good New Year, they could only give it their all and defeat the older couple.

       That said, Qian Xiaoke’s father truly had an impressive artistic foundation. The snowman he built was so abstract that, if he did not say it was a snowman, no one would have guessed.

       After the snowmen were finished, Qian Xiaoke’s parents went back inside to warm up, leaving the two kids to continue playing in the yard.

       They were both thirty years old, yet they were making a racket like children.

       Qian Xiaoke and Jiang Tongyan had a snowball fight in the yard covered in thick snow, chasing each other around like idiots.

       Running along with them were several chickens. Qian Xiaoke ran in front, Jiang Tongyan behind him, and right on Jiang Tongyan’s heels was a plump hen clucking nonstop.

       The scene was absurdly comical.

       In the end, both of them worked up a sweat and went back inside to change clothes.

       On New Year’s Eve night, eating the reunion dinner and watching a Spring Festival Gala full of things to complain about turned out to be great fun.

       After they had eaten and drunk their fill, Qian Xiaoke’s father took the two of them into the yard to set off fireworks. Jiang Tongyan was clumsy and even burned a hole in his sweater.

       Once they had played enough, Qian Xiaoke’s father was called back inside by his mother to make dumplings. At midnight, they would sit around the television to see who would bite into a dumpling hiding a coin or a sugar ball.

       Left in the yard with nothing to do were Qian Xiaoke and Jiang Tongyan. The two of them squatted by the doorway, drawing little figures in the snow and murmuring sweet, overly affectionate words to each other.

       Qian Xiaoke said, “In the new year, I hope I can learn more things and not hold you back.”

       Jiang Tongyan shamelessly replied, “Learn more things? Bed skills?”

       Then he was pecked on the butt by a chicken that suddenly appeared.

       Startled, Jiang Tongyan fell straight into the snow, getting a mouthful of it.

       Qian Xiaoke laughed so hard he completely lost all sense of decorum just as he was about to mock Jiang Tongyan, the other man grabbed him in one motion and pulled him into his arms.

       The two of them lay in the snow and started fooling around again, rolling back and forth, back and forth, like two complete idiots.

       Qian Xiaoke’s mother stood by the window watching outside and said to her husband, “Our son is…”

       “A man who acts spoiled has the best fate,” Qian Xiaoke’s father said while wrapping dumplings. “A son who’s married off is like water that’s been spilt. I think we can skip giving him New Year’s money this year.”

       Qian Daguo looked up and said to his wife, “Give it to me instead.”

[End]

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T/N:
Qian Da(big) guo
Qian Xiao(small) ke

Basically everyone will one they are father and son because one is big and the other is small ꉂ(≧▽≦)

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       Jiang Tongyan, this ‘domineering CEO’, was truly shameless!

       But Qian Xiaoke liked it.

       Qian Xiaoke said, “How can you be like this…”

       As he spoke, his cheeks and ears were red. Without realising it, he began imagining the two of them doing this and that on that big executive desk. It was utterly improper, but he liked it so much.

       “Sigh, I’m pretty shameless too,” Qian Xiaoke sighed sincerely from the bottom of his heart.

       “That’s good,” Jiang Tongyan said as he clung to him. “Being shameless toward your own husband is worth encouraging.”

       Qian Xiaoke chuckled. As he laughed, he started getting handsy with him.

       Both of them were getting into the mood, planning to bid farewell to the year right there in a way that was ‘elegant yet not lacking in sexiness’, when Qian Xiaoke’s phone rang.

       The caller was Zhou Mo.

       “Ignore him,” Jiang Tongyan muttered.

       “No, I have to answer.”

       It was like this. Right now, Zhou Mo was extremely important to Qian Xiaoke, someone like the God of Matchmaking, a go-between, his very own little Cupid. He had to cherish him and try to grant any request he made.

       After all, he and Jiang Tongyan had met at Zhou Mo’s birthday party.

       Jiang Tongyan clung to Qian Xiaoke like a giant pendant, his face full of resentment as he listened to Qian Xiaoke on the phone.

       “Sure, sure!” Qian Xiaoke said. “No problem, we’ll go!”

       The moment he heard the words ‘we’ll go’, Jiang Tongyan was startled and suddenly had a bad feeling.

       After Qian Xiaoke hung up, Jiang Tongyan asked, “Where are we going?”

       “Tonight we’re going to spend New Year’s Eve with Zhou Mo and the others!”

       Qian Xiaoke’s face was full of excitement. Jiang Tongyan’s face was full of refusal.

       Jiang Tongyan had plans for New Year’s Eve.

       His plan was to drag Qian Xiaoke into staying home and eat a big feast, then crawl under the covers together to watch horror movies. While watching, Qian Xiaoke would get scared and burrow into his arms, and then, accompanied by the shrill screams of the movie, the two of them would have sex like crazy.

       How thrilling!

       How wonderful!

       Why did they have to crowd together with Zhou Mo and the others?

       Why couldn’t affectionate couples be given a bit of private space?

       “Qian Xiaoke, calm down,” Jiang Tongyan said. “Isn’t it nice for us to sleep together at home on New Year’s Eve?”

       Wasn’t it nice?

       ‘Sleeping together’ at home, from this year into the next. How beautiful.

       Qian Xiaoke held his phone, smiling until his cheeks puffed up. He said to Jiang Tongyan, “Since the two of us got together, we still haven’t properly had a meal with Zhou Mo and Cheng Sen… Think about it. Before, they were always showing off their affection in front of us. This time, we can show ours back.”

       Qian Xiaoke really understood Jiang Tongyan. In this regard, Jiang Tongyan’s vanity was unimaginably strong. As long as he was told he could show off his affection, he would abandon everything and jump right in.

       Sigh. A man in his thirties, in love for the first time, was just that fond of showing off.

       Sure enough, Jiang Tongyan’s eyes immediately lit up.

       Sleeping together could be done anytime, but showing affection required the right timing.

       “Alright, we’ll go,” Jiang Tongyan said. “What time?”

       “Zhou Mo is contacting restaurants. It’s not easy to book one today. He said he’ll tell me once it’s set.”

       Jiang Tongyan suddenly had an idea. He snapped his fingers, then pulled Qian Xiaoke toward the door.

       “We should get prepared before we go.”

       “Prepare what?”

       After locking the door, Jiang Tongyan put a hat on Qian Xiaoke and tied his scarf, treating his little darling like a child.

       Hand in hand, Jiang Tongyan and Qian Xiaoke entered the elevator. “Let’s buy matching couple outfits. If we’re going to show affection, we need to get the details right. As the saying goes, details determine success or failure.”

       Qian Xiaoke couldn’t help laughing at how childish he was.

       “Then do you want to wear it with me?”

       “Yes!” Qian Xiaoke raised his hand. “Can I choose the style myself?”

       “Yes!” Jiang Tongyan didn’t even care about the camera in the elevator and directly kissed his cheek. “Your husband approves!”

       Qian Xiaoke smiled and shot him a sideways glance, thinking: If you didn’t approve, I wouldn’t wear it.

       Because Jiang Tongyan handed this ‘important responsibility’ over to Qian Xiaoke, it directly resulted in a thirty-year-old man, nearly one meter ninety tall, sitting in a high-end restaurant wearing a yellow Pikachu sweater and eating with Zhou Mo and the others.

       Qian Xiaoke didn’t feel there was anything wrong with it at all. On the contrary, he thought that Jiang Tongyan like this was unbelievably cute and made him want to kiss and hug him immediately, regardless of the setting.

       As for what Zhou Mo and Cheng Sen thought when they saw Jiang Tongyan dressed like that, it wasn’t important at all. Because they were not the main lead.

       The main lead, Jiang Tongyan, was still in a pretty good mood. Even though he felt it was overly childish, as long as Qian Xiaoke liked it, he was happy. This man was just that principled.

       The four of them sat in the restaurant eating steak and drinking red wine. Jiang Tongyan attentively cut Qian Xiaoke’s steak, practically wanting to feed it to him bite by bite.

       Zhou Mo said, “I really didn’t expect Old Jiang to be like this when he’s in a relationship.”

       Qian Xiaoke smiled so hard his eyes nearly disappeared. He chewed the meat in his mouth, swallowed, then asked Zhou Mo, “What was he like before, when he was with you guys?”

       Qian Xiaoke was quite curious.

       Because ever since they met, the Jiang Tongyan Qian Xiaoke had seen was basically a walking comedy act, always saying and doing amusing things with a straight face. Even now, when Qian Xiaoke thought back on everything that had happened between them, he could still laugh out loud.

       Jiang Tongyan was really adorable. This wasn’t just lovers’ bias.

       Zhou Mo looked at Jiang Tongyan, then said to Qian Xiaoke, “Before, I always thought of him as a career-focused social elite, a promising young man with a sharp mind and extremely high IQ and EQ.”

       Qian Xiaoke’s head filled with question marks. He looked at Zhou Mo, then at Jiang Tongyan beside him, who was wearing a Pikachu sweater.

       “Are you serious?” In Qian Xiaoke’s view, although Jiang Tongyan was three years older than he, the two of them together were just a pair of love-brained idiots. No matter how he looked at it, he couldn’t see Jiang Tongyan as someone with ‘extremely high IQ and EQ’.

       Cheng Sen nodded from the side. “He really was like that before.”

       There were even more question marks over Qian Xiaoke’s head.

       He asked carefully, “Could it be that I lowered his intelligence?”

       Jiang Tongyan, who was sitting there drinking red wine, nearly choked. To stop Qian Xiaoke from overthinking, he hurried to explain, “You enriched my life.”

       Qian Xiaoke turned his head to look at him, not understanding.

       “My life used to be too boring,” Jiang Tongyan said. “Life was dull, and I couldn’t find a partner, so all I could do was focus on my career.”

       Qian Xiaoke asked quietly, “Then… once you start dating, you don’t focus on your career anymore?”

       Jiang Tongyan thought to himself: If you can date, who still bothers with a career?

       But that didn’t fit his domineering-CEO persona. A domineering CEO had to love both romance and career, and be strong at both.

       Jiang Tongyan said, “In the past, I put one hundred percent of my energy into work. But after meeting you, because you’re just too cute, I reluctantly allocated eighty percent of my energy to you. Only eighty percent, don’t get too c0cky.”

       He started spouting nonsense with a perfectly straight face, to the point that the two people across from him were rolling their eyes, while Qian Xiaoke beside him was smiling like a peach blossom in full bloom.

       “Don’t be like that,” Qian Xiaoke said shyly, lightly punching him with a soft little fist. “You still need to put more thought into your work.”

       “It’s fine, there’s no need,” Jiang Tongyan said as he grabbed Qian Xiaoke’s hand and kissed it. “The money in our family is enough for the two of us to squander all the way into our next lives. We’ve got money. No worries.”

       After saying that, Jiang Tongyan suddenly seemed to remember something. He pulled Qian Xiaoke’s hand up for the two people across from them to see. “See that?”

       Zhou Mo glanced at the diamond ring on Qian Xiaoke’s hand. “I’m not blind yet.”

       Qian Xiaoke didn’t usually wear the engagement ring. It was really too flashy and inconvenient for work. But not wearing it didn’t mean he didn’t carry it with him.

       His diamond ring was kept in his small double-strap backpack every day, ready to be deployed at any time, like right now.

       “We’re preparing to get married,” Jiang Tongyan said with unmistakable pride. “After the New Year, we’ll take our Xiaoke back to the U.S. to get married.”

       Cheng Sen sneered. “He doesn’t have marriage leave.”

       “That’s fine,” Jiang Tongyan said. “No worries.”

       He laid it out logically to Cheng Sen. “First, after New Year’s Day, he’ll be transferred upstairs and be under my management. If I say he has leave, then he has leave.”

       Cheng Sen rolled his eyes.

       “Second, even if there’s no leave, taking personal leave is still no problem. It’s just a pay deduction, right? Deduct it. We have money!”

       Cheng Sen rolled his eyes again.

       Qian Xiaoke felt embarrassed and secretly pinched Jiang Tongyan’s thigh, telling him to stop talking.

       Zhou Mo was laughing so hard at the two of them that his head started to hurt.

       “You two, that’s enough already. Why are you showing off your affection in front of us?”

       “I’m not deliberately showing off,” Jiang Tongyan said with a faint smile. “It’s just genuine emotion spilling out.”

       Cheng Sen mocked him. “Someone really should record you and let you see exactly what kind of face you’re making right now.”

       Zhou Mo propped his chin on his hand and looked at the two of them across the table, muttering, “Come to think of it, it’s pretty magical. One birthday party of mine brought together two pairs of lovers.”

       He sighed to himself. “Maybe I really am the reincarnation of the God of Matchmaking.”

       “I think you were demoted to the mortal world for randomly matching people up,” Jiang Tongyan said. “The red strings you tied back then weren’t like this. We all relied on ourselves and brought this upon ourselves.”

       “Hubby,” Qian Xiaoke said, patting him. “That’s not how ‘brought it upon ourselves’ is used.”

       “Then how is it used?” The two of them started discussing idioms.

       Zhou Mo laughed as he watched them and said, “That’s true. It was my poor judgment. If I had known you were this kind of person, I really shouldn’t have tried to match you up with Suo Yang. The vibes of you two were completely different.”

       When he heard Suo Yang’s name, Qian Xiaoke nodded and said, “Right. One is a realistic-style handsome guy, and the other is…”

       Jiang Tongyan turned to look at him. “Watch your wording!”

       “One is a chibi-style mega cutie.”

       Jiang Tongyan was very satisfied with that description and rewarded him with a passionate kiss.

       “…I really messed up,” Zhou Mo said. “Why did I even call you all out to eat together?”

       Cheng Sen smiled and rubbed Zhou Mo’s hair. “Let Old Jiang pay later.”

       “I think that works.”

       Jiang Tongyan was in a good mood that day. Paying the bill was no problem at all. Money wasn’t an issue.

       To show that he was a wealthy and powerful domineering CEO, he even ordered an extra steak for Qian Xiaoke, afraid that his little darling wouldn’t get enough to eat.

       A domineering CEO in love was just that considerate. Jiang Tongyan leaned close to Qian Xiaoke’s ear and whispered, “Eat more, baby. After we get home tonight, we’re going at it until dawn. You need to replenish your energy in advance.”

       As for New Year’s Eve, Zhou Mo actually had other plans. He was the kind of person who couldn’t stay still, the type who would go clubbing if there was a holiday, and if there weren’t one, he would create a reason to go clubbing anyway.

       Originally, he had planned for the four of them to go out and have fun after dinner, drink a bit and dance, and ring in the new year that way.

       Of course, at first, this plan involved two more people, but they had refused his invitation. As for those two heartless men, one was named Shen Huiming, and the other was Suo Yang.

       Zhou Mo had come to realise that among all his friends, Qian Xiaoke was still the cutest.

       Little did he know that his sincerity was misplaced. The reason these two had agreed to come eat together wasn’t that they genuinely wanted to ring in the new year hand in hand with this ‘old married couple’, but simply to show off their affection.

       When the meal was almost over, Zhou Mo brought up his plan to go clubbing for New Year’s. Qian Xiaoke turned his head and looked at Jiang Tongyan.

       Qian Xiaoke only looked silly and dumb on the surface. In reality, he was pretty shrewd. He let Jiang Tongyan be the bad guy.

       Jiang Tongyan didn’t mind being the bad guy at all. It wasn’t like he hadn’t been one before.

       “No,” Jiang Tongyan said. “After we finish eating, Xiaoke and I are going home.”

       “Home?” Zhou Mo’s fork nearly fell out of his hand. “Are you even human?”

       Jiang Tongyan nodded righteously. “From a biological standpoint, we should be.”

       Zhou Mo rolled his eyes. “Every last one of you, ungrateful.”

       “What do you mean by that?” Jiang Tongyan asked.

       “I’m your matchmaker! You two, and the couple who didn’t come. You all get partners and forget about me,” Zhou Mo muttered with a pout. “Doesn’t your conscience hurt at all?”

       Qian Xiaoke stepped in to smooth things over with a grin. “Don’t you still have Chairman Cheng? The two of you can spend a sweet, cosy time together. How nice is that?”

       Zhou Mo looked at Cheng Sen and sized him up.

       “It is pretty nice,” Zhou Mo said. “But it’s the two of us every year. There’s no novelty anymore.”

       See? That was the stark contrast between new and long-term couples.

       Qian Xiaoke and Jiang Tongyan, as a newly formed couple, were at the stage where they wanted to cling to each other for every holiday. Zhou Mo and Cheng Sen, on the other hand, had been clinging to each other for years and had run out of new stuff to do, so they could only look for stimulation from the people around them.

       Cheng Sen smiled, suddenly raised his arm to pull Zhou Mo over, leaned in, and gave him a quick kiss.

       “Oh my!” Qian Xiaoke said dramatically, covering his eyes. “Improper sights should not be seen!”

       Jiang Tongyan forcefully pried his hands away from his face. “What are you pretending for?”

       Qian Xiaoke peeked through the gaps between his fingers at the two of them kissing, then said to Jiang Tongyan, “Those two never get affectionate in front of us usually. They’re very principled.”

       Although Zhou Mo looked wild, compared to Qian Xiaoke and Jiang Tongyan, he and Cheng Sen were much more reserved. Cheng Sen was a proper boss and would absolutely never do shameless things like that in front of his company or employees.

       Only Jiang Tongyan was thick-skinned.

       “Chairman Cheng is my boss,” Qian Xiaoke said. “I actually saw the two of them kissing. Am I going to be silenced?”

       He clung to Jiang Tongyan’s arm. “I’m so scared I won’t see the sun of the new year.”

       Jiang Tongyan couldn’t help laughing at him. “I’m your boss too. When you get affectionate with me, why aren’t you worried I’ll silence you?”

       Qian Xiaoke pressed his lips together and looked at him with a smile. With face full of smiles, he said, “Because you’re my husband.”

       Over there, the other two had only shared a simple kiss, yet over here, these two had already started clinging to each other again.

       Zhou Mo said, “Alright then. Looks like it’s a good thing we’re not spending New Year’s with those two. I really can’t stand them like this.”

       Zhou Mo suspected the two of them had magnets implanted in their bodies, the kind that attracts opposites. One was a flirtatious top, the other a flirtatious bottom. Of course, they attracted each other.

       After the four of them finished eating, Jiang Tongyan went to pay the bill very proactively. When they stepped outside, Cheng Sen mentioned the apartments he had been looking at recently, saying there were two that were pretty good and that they could take a look after New Year’s Day.

       Once Cheng Sen and Zhou Mo had left, Qian Xiaoke asked Jiang Tongyan in a low voice, “Are you really planning to buy a place?”

       “Yeah,” Jiang Tongyan said. “I’ll buy a house sooner or later after I come back to settle down.”

       The two of them stood by the roadside and noticed light snow began to fall from the sky.

       “Well, look at that,” Jiang Tongyan said. “Last day of the year, and the heavens are being pretty cooperative.” He raised his hand and caught the snowflakes in his palm. “Even throwing in a bit of snow to set the mood.”

       Qian Xiaoke placed his own hand on Jiang Tongyan’s palm and held it, then said, “Old Jiang, I want to ask you something.”

       “Sure,” Jiang Tongyan said. “Now, or when we get home?”

       Jiang Tongyan clasped both of Qian Xiaoke’s hands, rubbing them and blowing warm air over them. “Cold?”

       Actually, it was quite cold.

       It was the end of the year, already deep into the twelfth lunar month. In the north, this season was genuinely cold.

       “Let’s talk when we get home,” Qian Xiaoke said. “We can chat while we wait for the New Year, say some heartfelt things.”

       Qian Xiaoke had actually already thought it through. Even if Jiang Tongyan had not turned down Zhou Mo’s suggestion to spend New Year’s together, he would still have found an excuse to say ‘next time for sure’, because he had started outlining and drafting a few days earlier. He had been preparing to have a proper conversation with Jiang Tongyan on this day of bidding farewell to the old and welcoming the new.

       Things had progressed quickly between them. From meeting to getting together, from bickering nonstop to being inseparable, all of it combined had not actually been very long. Although Qian Xiaoke had gradually come to accept that he was living a dreamlike, sweet life, he still felt that fate had been overly kind to him and that he needed to take things more seriously.

       Qian Xiaoke and Jiang Tongyan rarely got together to say anything truly serious or heartfelt. The two of them were always laughing and fooling around, glued to each other. They had told plenty of cheesy things already, and Jiang Tongyan’s gift with words seemed to be fully spent here. But it could not go on like this forever.

       They still needed to be more sincere.

       Before, Qian Xiaoke had never been able to find a good moment, because neither of them had much self-control. They would barely start talking before ending up in bed.

       That would not do. Tonight, no matter what, Qian Xiaoke was determined to finish saying what was in his heart before indulging in bodily pleasures with Jiang Tongyan.

       The two of them got into a taxi. Jiang Tongyan said, “The day after tomorrow, let’s go look at cars.”

       “Huh?”

       “We should have bought one a long time ago,” Jiang Tongyan said, squeezing Qian Xiaoke’s hand. “Taking taxis to and from work every day is too inconvenient.”

       Qian Xiaoke nodded. He admitted he knew nothing about cars. He only knew that Mercedes was expensive, and that a Chery QQ was more suitable for him.

       That said, suitable or not, the old Qian Xiaoke had never really thought about buying a car. Putting aside whether he even had the money, he had not even gotten his driver’s license.

       Over the years of working, his real wish had always been to buy a small electric scooter. It would be flexible and would not get stuck in traffic. How great would that be.

       “What are you thinking about?” Jiang Tongyan noticed that he had been spacing out on and off ever since they left the restaurant. “What kind of car do you like?”

       “An Aima electric scooter,” Qian Xiaoke said. “I did some market research before. This brand seems pretty good.”

       Jiang Tongyan froze for a moment, then wrapped an arm around him and laughed.

       By the time they got home, it was already close to eleven. According to Jiang Tongyan’s original plan, the two of them should have gone to shower and then done adult things. The timing would have been perfect. A half-hour shower, a bit of fooling around together in the water, then some proper intimacy afterwards. When the clock struck twelve, release on one side, New Year’s on the other.

       Very enjoyable.

       But that was not Qian Xiaoke’s plan for today. Today, he wanted to be sincere.

       “I bought some alcohol,” Qian Xiaoke said. “Let’s shower first, then go out on the balcony, drink and talk while we wait for the New Year. Okay?”

       Jiang Tongyan thought to himself that this was not the New Year’s Eve he had imagined.

       He had been planning on getting dirty!

       But since Qian Xiaoke said so, there was no reason for Jiang Tongyan to refuse.

       “Do you have something on your mind?” Jiang Tongyan asked, a little worried, as he hung up Qian Xiaoke’s down jacket.

       Qian Xiaoke grinned foolishly at him. “Yeah. I’m going to confess to you properly.”

       Jiang Tongyan did not believe that for a second. He pinched Qian Xiaoke’s cheek and scooped him up in his arms. “Alright then. Let’s shower first. After that, you can give me a proper confession.”

       Qian Xiaoke was very sincere. He had been planning this evening for more than a week.

       After the two of them finished showering, they came out wearing matching pyjamas, took the alcohol, and went out to the balcony.

       The alcohol Qian Xiaoke had bought was the kind of fruit wine with such a low alcohol content that it was almost negligible. It tasted good and was not overly sweet, perfect for setting the mood.

       They sat on the small chairs on the balcony. Jiang Tongyan said, “When we buy a bigger place in the future, let’s make a big balcony.”

       Jiang Tongyan remembered that Qian Xiaoke had said before that he liked big balconies.

       Hearing this, Qian Xiaoke smiled until his eyes curved into little crescents. “Okay.”

       He poured wine for Jiang Tongyan, pressed his lips together, and did not know how to start.

       The two of them really were not suited to this kind of atmosphere.

       From the very beginning, Qian Xiaoke and Jiang Tongyan had been a comedy duo. Suddenly switching to something heartfelt made Qian Xiaoke feel shy all of a sudden.

       “You’re really strange today,” Jiang Tongyan said. He took a sip of wine and leaned over to kiss him. “So sweet.”

       “Am I sweet, or is the wine sweet?” Qian Xiaoke asked.

       “The wine isn’t sweet,” Jiang Tongyan said with a deliberate grin. “So tell me, which one is sweet?”

       Qian Xiaoke smiled and pointed at himself. “Me.”

       The two of them looked at each other and grinned stupidly. After laughing for a bit, Qian Xiaoke raised a hand and rubbed his nose. “I don’t know how to start.”

       Jiang Tongyan held his wine glass and looked at him in confusion. After a few seconds of silence, he suddenly slapped his thigh. “Qian Xiaoke, don’t tell me you’re breaking up with me.”

       “Huh?” Qian Xiaoke’s delicate frame jolted. “What?”

       “No way, right?” Jiang Tongyan was so frightened that electricity shot from his tailbone straight to the top of his head. He even mentally prepared himself for crying, making a scene, and threatening drastic measures. “I don’t agree!”

       “Huh?”

       “Qian Xiaoke, you love scammer,” Jiang Tongyan cried dramatically. “You tricked my body and my heart, and now that you’ve had enough fun, you’re going to dump me. Are you even human?”

       Watching Jiang Tongyan fake-cry like this, Qian Xiaoke felt that Jiang Tongyan had really chosen the wrong profession. If he had gone into acting back then, he would probably be a top star by now.

       “I didn’t,” Qian Xiaoke said, poking Jiang Tongyan in the chest. “I just wanted to tell you that I really, really love you.”

       Really, really love you.

       Qian Xiaoke shed his usual joking demeanour and looked at Jiang Tongyan very seriously. “I actually wanted to say this a long time ago. Even though you don’t fit at all the image of my dream lover that I started imagining when I was twelve, that doesn’t matter at all. Because starting from when I was twenty-seven, my dream lover has been you.”

       Back in college, Jiang Tongyan had a classmate who was some unknown rapper. When that rapper confessed to his girlfriend, he had specially written a song for her. Back then, everyone said, “It’s not scary when a rapper acts like a thug. What’s scary is when a rapper sings a love song.” Now Jiang Tongyan wanted to revise that saying.

       It was not scary when a comedian was unserious. What was frightening was when a comedian spoke sweet words of love.

       When Qian Xiaoke started saying things like this, Jiang Tongyan really could not handle it.

       “Why did you suddenly think of saying all this today?”

       “Because today is a very special day,” Qian Xiaoke said, hooking Jiang Tongyan’s little finger with his own. “It’s the end of the year.”

       Jiang Tongyan smiled. “Yeah. Special.”

       He scooted a little closer to Qian Xiaoke and held his hand. “You suddenly getting this serious actually makes me kind of embarrassed.”

       Qian Xiaoke was embarrassed too. The two of them really were not suited to this kind of tone.

       “Then I’ll say it quickly,” Qian Xiaoke said. “After I’m done, we can do some very inappropriate things.”

       Jiang Tongyan laughed out loud. “As expected, you really are a minion¹little yellow(pervert).”

       Qian Xiaoke chuckled and leaned into Jiang Tongyan’s arms.

       “I really liked a lot of people before,” Qian Xiaoke said. “But none of them liked me.”

       “That’s because they were blind.”

       “Yeah,” Qian Xiaoke said. “Daniel Wu, Takeshi Kaneshiro, Takuya Kimura, Shun Oguri. None of them liked me.”

       “…?” Weren’t they supposed to be getting sincere here? What was this turning into?

       “Of course, I also knew very well that, given my actual conditions, they wouldn’t have looked twice at me anyway.”

       Jiang Tongyan honestly did not know how to respond to this.

       “I thought I was going to die alone,” Qian Xiaoke said. “Because you know, I don’t want to settle.”

       I didn’t know that.

       But thank goodness you didn’t settle for someone else back then, or the two of us probably never would have ended up together.

       Jiang Tongyan said nothing aloud, but his thoughts were extremely active.

       “I’ve been thinking a lot lately about how we first met,” Qian Xiaoke said with a smile. “The first time was at Zhou Mo’s birthday party. I was actually already a bit drunk at the beginning.”

       Even though everyone said fake alcohol ruined people, Zhou Mo’s real alcohol was no joke either. It had turned a perfectly good kid into a mess of snot and tears.

       To this day, Jiang Tongyan still remembers that night, when Qian Xiaoke cried like a tear-soaked mess while clinging to him and shouting, “Gege! I’m so miserable, gege! I’m just a little napa cabbage in the field that no one loves, about to rot away!”

       It had been ridiculous.

       “But at the very beginning, I still had a bit of rationality left,” Qian Xiaoke said. “So I helped Mr Shen create an opportunity to be alone with that handsome guy Suo Yang.” After saying that, he laughed sheepishly.

       That was true. They had all been at Zhou Mo’s birthday party. When it came time to dance, Qian Xiaoke was left without a partner. He happened to see that Shen Huiming was alone as well, so he went over to him. Later, he noticed that Shen Huiming’s eyes were glued to Suo Yang, while Suo Yang’s dance partner at the time was Jiang Tongyan. Tipsy Qian Xiaoke had plenty of little tricks up his sleeve. After all, he had read so many boys’ love novels. What tricks didn’t he know?

       At the time, Qian Xiaoke helped Shen Huiming out, and only later did he realise that, in some unseen way, he had also helped himself.

       When the song ended, and everyone switched partners, he deliberately switched with Suo Yang. That was the first time he got up close with Jiang Tongyan.

       After the dance, Qian Xiaoke went off to drink again. After that, he remembered nothing. When he woke up, he was naked, lying next to Jiang Tongyan. At the time, he truly thought he must have gotten drunk and slept with this man.

       And so the story of this pair of bickering lovers began.

       As Qian Xiaoke reminisced, his eyes inexplicably grew sore and swollen, as if he might cry.

       “Good thing you helped Shen Huiming back then,” Jiang Tongyan said with a smile. “Otherwise, the four of us would probably all still be single.”

       Jiang Tongyan also knew in his heart that it was impossible for him and Suo Yang to be together.

       Back then, Zhou Mo had wanted to set them up, and he had himself thought Suo Yang met every standard of his ideal partner. But ideals were ideals. When facing Suo Yang, he had never felt the kind of heart-pounding excitement he felt with Qian Xiaoke.

       “So really, I’m actually very smart,” Qian Xiaoke said, rubbing against him. “Husband, I really think I’m incredibly lucky.”

       Jiang Tongyan raised his hand and gently rubbed his hair.

       “So am I.”

       “No, no, I’m luckier than you,” Qian Xiaoke said. “Because you’re just too good.”

       “What nonsense are you talking?”

       “It’s not nonsense. I’m serious,” Qian Xiaoke said. “Let me say this first. I’m not feeling inferior.”

       Jiang Tongyan laughed. “Alright. Go on.”

       “I just think that, from an outsider’s point of view, no matter how you look at it, I’m not worthy of you.”

       Jiang Tongyan frowned. “What worthy or not worthy? Don’t think like that. Besides, the two of us dating and getting married has nothing to do with anyone else.”

       Qian Xiaoke bit his lip and smiled. “Right! That’s what I think too! And I think that even though my other conditions really don’t match yours, my love isn’t mixed with anything fake at all. That’s enough.”

       “So good,” Jiang Tongyan said contentedly, giving Qian Xiaoke a loud kiss.

       “Mmph! I’m not done yet,” Qian Xiaoke said, gently pushing him away. “But even so, I still have to work harder.”

       “Work harder at what?” Jiang Tongyan teased him on purpose. “Giving me children?”

       “You’re so annoying! Be serious!” Qian Xiaoke touched his stomach. “I’m already pregnant with twins, a boy and a girl. What more do you want from me?”

       Here he went again.

       Jiang Tongyan held him, laughing and crying at the same time.

       But this was exactly the Qian Xiaoke he loved, like a little sprite, forever filling his life with vitality.

       “I just think I need to become better too,” Qian Xiaoke said softly, held in Jiang Tongyan’s arms, his chin resting on Jiang Tongyan’s shoulder. “Husband, I don’t have any impressive degrees, no amazing background. I’ve always just muddled along, drifting through life. Even though it looks like I’ve been working hard and living seriously, in reality, I’ve already settled far too comfortably into the status quo.”

       “Hm? Did someone say something to you?”

       “No,” Qian Xiaoke said. “I just suddenly figured some things out.” He kissed Jiang Tongyan’s neck lightly. “You’re the one who made me want to become better.”

       Qian Xiaoke had once seen a theory that said good love was something that allowed both people to become better. Truly loving partners did not have to look only at each other, but stood side by side, looking in the same direction.

       Because of Jiang Tongyan, Qian Xiaoke wanted to become better.

       Jiang Tongyan stood on a high mountain peak. Even if Qian Xiaoke could not climb all the way up to stand beside him, he still did not want to remain content with being ordinary and crouching at the foot of the mountain. At the very least, he wanted to try to walk up to the mountainside.

       “I’m Jiang Tongyan’s wife,” Qian Xiaoke said with soaring morale. “How can I admit defeat? I’ve already made a study plan. In the new year, I’m going to start working hard.”

       Jiang Tongyan held him tightly. He really wanted to tell Qian Xiaoke that there was no need to work hard, that any version of Qian Xiaoke was his treasure. But after a second thought, when he spoke, what came out were words of encouragement instead. “You’re the smartest, most badass seductive bottom in the whole world. The position of Chairman Jiang’s personal assistant is reserved for you. One day, you’ll earn the qualification to move your workspace from the front desk to the office next to mine, without having to trade your body to climb the ranks.”

       Qian Xiaoke laughed, his eyes turning red. He acted spoiled in Jiang Tongyan’s arms, nodding and murmuring his agreement.

       “I’m so happy,” Qian Xiaoke said.

       As soon as he finished speaking, the bells outside rang.

       In the small square not far away, many young people had gathered to count down to the New Year together.

       The bells rang. Fireworks exploded.

       The night was lit up.

       The New Year arrived.

       Jiang Tongyan gently kissed Qian Xiaoke. “Baby, Happy New Year.”

       Qian Xiaoke’s eyes shone as he looked at Jiang Tongyan. “Husband, Happy New Year.”

       The two of them kissed on the balcony and accidentally knocked over the wine bottle beside them. No one cleaned it up because the two of them held each other and went back inside to do very inappropriate things.

       Before his clothes were taken off, Qian Xiaoke quietly slipped an envelope out of his pyjama pocket and tucked it under Jiang Tongyan’s pillow. It was a love letter he had written for him, a full two pages long.

       He would let Jiang Tongyan read it after they were done.

       This was the first gift Qian Xiaoke gave him in the new year.

       At the end of the letter, Qian Xiaoke wrote:

       Lu Xun once said: Jiang Tongyan must spend his entire life together with Qian Xiaoke.

       Alright, Lu Xun never said that. Shakespeare actually said that line.

       But no matter who said it, you still have to grow old with me together, understood?

 

[End of Main Text]

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Author’s Note:

That’s the end of the main story. There will be a bonus chapter featuring Qian Xiaoke and Jiang Tongyan. Some readers previously said they wanted to see Zhou Mo and Cheng Sen as well, so they won’t be getting a separate novel, but they’ll be arranged into a bonus chapter too.
This story was written purely to be fun. There aren’t any complicated plot twists or heavy drama. The goal was simply to make people laugh, and I really did enjoy writing it.
Thank you to everyone for your support over the past two months. Thank you to readers who supported the official release, thank you all for your tips and comments. I hope Qian Xiaoke and Jiang Tongyan brought you some happiness as well.
The next story will probably be Liang Duo Who Pretends to Sleep. If we’re destined to meet again, I’ll see you in the extras. If we’re destined again, I’ll see you in the next story.

Thank you all very much for your support. I will continue to work hard. 

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T/N:
It’s long rightttt???? Loooonnnngggg
I’m dead, lol
Let me recuperate before doing the last 2 chapters
Also I’m not sure if I will translate any of the author’s work again but well… We’ll see~

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       Jiang Tongyan and Qian Xiaoke truly deserved to be called a match made in heaven; both of them were exceptionally good at ruining the mood.

       Jiang Tongyan had just been genuinely moved, only for Qian Xiaoke’s sudden singing, wildly off-key and soaring straight to the Southern Heavenly Gate, to interrupt him. Before he knew it, he laughed out loud.

       Children who ruined the atmosphere had to be punished, so Qian Xiaoke was hoisted onto Jiang Tongyan’s shoulder and carried back to the bedroom to ‘receive punishment’.

       Because Jiang Tongyan completely failed to behave like a decent human being that night, Qian Xiaoke’s alarm rang five times the next morning before he finally struggled upright in bed, hair sticking up like a chicken’s nest.

       His failure to wake up early completely derailed his plans.

       He had originally intended to perform well, to get up early and prepare a hearty breakfast for Jiang Tongyan’s parents. Instead, the moment he opened his eyes, it was already later than his usual wake-up time, while the lecherous landlord Jiang Tongyan beside him was still sleeping soundly.

       “Hey, stop sleeping,” Qian Xiaoke said, tugging on Jiang Tongyan’s ear. “Get up.”

       No sooner had he said it than Jiang Tongyan pulled him back into his arms.

       “Don’t mess with me,” Qian Xiaoke said. “I need to make breakfast for Mom and Dad!”

       Jiang Tongyan forced his eyes open with effort, looked confused for a moment, then smiled.

       “That was a pretty smooth change of address,” he said, kissing him once.

       “I haven’t brushed my teeth, don’t kiss me!”

       “Oh? Now I’m not even allowed to kiss you if you haven’t brushed your teeth?” Jiang Tongyan pouted. “Funny, considering someone was yelling for his husband to kiss him before his eyes were even open. Love has…fallen apart just like that.”

       Qian Xiaoke was fully awake by now. He laughed, kissed Jiang Tongyan once anyway, then climbed out of bed. “Seriously, get up. Mom and Dad are waiting.”

       “Relax, they won’t wake up until the afternoon,” Jiang Tongyan yawned. “They’re jet-lagged.”

       Qian Xiaoke, who had never been abroad and never experienced jet lag, suddenly understood. Leaning against Jiang Tongyan, he asked, “Then how come you never had jet lag before?”

       Jiang Tongyan thought to himself, because once I got off the plane, certain physical activities took priority, and jet lag had to make way for passion.

       Love really was something.

       “I’ll go to the office with you later,” Jiang Tongyan said. “This afternoon, see if you want to take leave.”

       “Huh? Why take leave?”

       “To take my parents around a bit. But no need to force yourself; if you really feel uncomfortable, I can go with them myself.”

       “No!” Qian Xiaoke said immediately. He did inevitably feel nervous around Jiang Tongyan’s parents, but he genuinely liked them and could feel that Jiang Tongyan’s family members were all kind and gentle people.

       He liked people like that.

       “They don’t come often. Of course I should accompany them.”

       It was already year’s end, and the company’s projects were wrapping up. Everyone was lazily waiting for the New Year to arrive, and even visiting clients were few in number. Qian Xiaoke figured he should at least take half a day off to accompany them; otherwise, it would look like he didn’t value them, which would be rude.

       “This afternoon we’ll take them to eat the snail noodle soup,” Jiang Tongyan stretched and went to wash up with Qian Xiaoke. “Let them broaden their horizons.”

       Qian Xiaoke was brushing his teeth when he heard that and nearly swallowed the toothpaste.

       He stared at him wide-eyed. “Are you crazy?”

       Those were his parents-in-law! Even if they didn’t go to a high-end restaurant, they couldn’t possibly be taken to eat the snail noodle soup!!

       It wasn’t that there was anything wrong with it; it was just that elders might not like it.

       Jiang Tongyan deliberately teased him. “Didn’t you do the same thing to me before?”

       “That’s different!” Qian Xiaoke rinsed his mouth and spat out the foam. “Be serious!”

       The serious Jiang Tongyan obediently did not take his parents to eat snail noodle soup that afternoon, but the four of them did go out for a meal of spicy hot pot.

       Jiang Tongyan’s parents were far more knowledgeable than Qian Xiaoke had imagined. His mother said, “I can even make spicy hot pot myself!”

       Qian Xiaoke immediately perked up and earnestly asked his mother-in-law for tips on how to make it. The two of them grew closer because of it.

       Later, Jiang Tongyan complained, “Who would’ve thought the secret to you becoming good friends with my mom was asking her how to make spicy hot pot…”

       Jiang Tongyan’s parents really didn’t stay long. They had come back mainly to visit Jiang Tongyan’s grandparents, and they just visited them by chance.

       Before leaving, they told Qian Xiaoke that when he had time, he should come with Jiang Tongyan to meet the grandparents, saying the two elderly people were really eager to see him.

       Qian Xiaoke obediently agreed, but he had already decided to push the next round of meeting with the elders further into the future. Making him go through this again so soon would be like taking the college entrance exam twice in a row. It was far too tormenting. As a poor student, he truly couldn’t handle it.

       After seeing Jiang Tongyan’s parents off, New Year’s Day was just around the corner.

       After New Year’s Day, Qian Xiaoke would be moving upstairs to work. Before the holiday, with help from his colleagues, he packed his things into cardboard boxes and moved them upstairs.

       Upstairs were all newly established departments. For the time being, there were only a few mid-level managers; most of the staff under them would only report for duty after New Year’s Day.

       Qian Xiaoke carried boxes upstairs together with a colleague. As soon as he came up, he saw Jiang Tongyan holding a damp towel and wiping Qian Xiaoke’s desk.

       A dignified domineering CEO was secretly wiping his own delicate wife’s desk. Such a considerate, perfect man made it impossible not to envy Qian Xiaoke.

       The colleague’s heart practically exploded. Who could have imagined that Chairman Jiang, who was usually stern-faced and rarely chatted with them, turned out behind the scenes to be a full-on wife-doting maniac? This colleague who was helping with the move nearly wanted to drop everything in his hands and run back downstairs immediately to spread the gossip.

       Jiang Tongyan. The good man.

       That label was firmly slapped on him from then on.

       Faced with everyone’s gazes, Jiang Tongyan remained calm and unbothered. Qian Xiaoke, on the other hand, was the one who became embarrassed first.

       “Uh, well…” Flustered, Qian Xiaoke hugged the large box and hurried forward, while saying to the colleague helping him, “You can just put it here, I’ll do it myself…”

       As it happened, the more panicked a person was, the easier it was to make a fool of themselves.

       Qian Xiaoke planned to take a few quick steps forward to set down the box in his arms so he could help with the one the colleague was carrying. In his rush, he tripped over himself, pitched straight forward, and successfully fell into his man’s arms.

       The colleague’s emotions were extremely complicated. On one hand, the gossip material had become even richer; on the other, there was a sour ache in their heart, as if they had turned into a freshly squeezed lemon.

       Why was it that other people could have such sweet love?

       Everyone was working the same job. Qian Xiaoke, this… was being good at acting spoiled made life easier?

       The colleague sighed, set down the things in their hands, then silently retreated, choosing to exit quietly and gracefully, leaving this blissful paradise to the affectionate couple.

       After the colleague left, Qian Xiaoke muttered, “Great, I embarrassed myself again.”

       “Not embarrassing,” Jiang Tongyan said, rubbing his head. “Everyone’s already used to it.”

       With a complicated mood, Qian Xiaoke finished moving his things before getting out of work. He followed Jiang Tongyan on a walk around the empty office area and, in the end, was pulled into Chairman Jiang’s large private office.

       Qian Xiaoke put on a reserved, modest air. “Chairman Jiang, what are you doing?”

       His back was pressed to the wall. He pursed his lips, and when he spoke, his voice was soft and sweet, looking as if he were resisting yet welcoming at the same time.

       Jiang Tongyan looked him over, closed the door properly, and said with a smile, “What do you think I’m doing?”

       “Oh my!” Qian Xiaoke said dramatically, grabbing his own collar. “I’m not that kind of person! I won’t use my body in exchange for a promotion!”

       “…You’re quite principled, little front-desk clerk!”

       “Of course! I’m a front-desk clerk with integrity!”

       “Integrity?” Jiang Tongyan laughed. “Then what are you doing right now?”

       At that moment, the little front-desk clerk surnamed Qian, who was declaring himself full of integrity, already had both arms wrapped around Chairman Jiang’s waist.

       Jiang Tongyan put on a serious expression. “I’m a domineering CEO with integrity.”

       Qian Xiaoke pouted. “What domineering CEO has integrity?”

       He leaned closer. “Domineering CEOs think about nothing all day except using their power to prey on tasty little front-desk clerks.”

       “What kind of novel have you been reading now?”

       “A new work by author Qian Xiaoke, ‘One Thousand and One Nights With the Domineering CEO’.”

       “Where did you publish it? I’ll go give you a tip.”

       Qian Xiaoke leaned against him and grinned foolishly. “I haven’t written it yet. Instead of tipping, you might as well use that effort to kiss me.”

       As he spoke, he rose onto his toes and tilted his head up, moving closer.

       Qian Xiaoke was genuinely a little happy that day. After all, tomorrow was New Year’s Day. Saying farewell to the old and welcoming the new made him feel light and floaty, not to mention that this year’s New Year’s Eve was different from before.

       Ever since he started university, almost every New Year’s Eve had been spent alone.

       Back when he was a student, his roommates were all locals or lived only one or two hours away by car. Before New Year’s Day, they would all go home, leaving the entire dorm with just him, a pitiful little kid. The first year he spent New Year’s alone, Qian Xiaoke cried for more than two hours, pathetically.

       Later, he gradually got used to it. He understood that as an adult, one was destined to learn how to endure loneliness. Still, every year, whenever he had a chance to make a wish, he would hope that the heavens would grant him a boyfriend who could accompany him during the holidays. If that really wasn’t possible, an ordinary friend would do. But the heavens were too busy, with too many people’s wishes to fulfil. He had queued for several years, and this year, it was finally realised.

       This year, Qian Xiaoke finally did not have to spend New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day alone.

       He hugged Jiang Tongyan and took the initiative to ask for a kiss, only to have his mouth covered.

       “So bold, little front-desk clerk!”

       Qian Xiaoke frowned, anxiously demanding a kiss.

       “Kissing is fine,” Jiang Tongyan said, “but this counts as you seducing me. I won’t give you a chance to rise through the ranks.”

       When Qian Xiaoke heard that, he directly bit Jiang Tongyan’s hand. “You’re so annoying!”

       As he said this, Qian Xiaoke pushed Jiang Tongyan to the corner and kissed him forcefully in a very ‘domineering’ way.

       The two of them kissed with intense entanglement. After all, it was the new office’s ‘first kiss’. Their state was excellent, so good that Jiang Tongyan became hard.

       “So shameless,” Qian Xiaoke said, blushing. “You really have no sense of shame!”

       “I can be even more shameless. Want to hear it?” Jiang Tongyan looked at Qian Xiaoke and wickedly raised his eyebrows.

       Qian Xiaoke put on an innocent expression, tilted his head, and asked, “What?”

       Jiang Tongyan pointed at the solid wood executive desk. “See that desk?”

       “I’m not blind.”

       “Prepared for you.”

       “Huh?” Qian Xiaoke was shocked. “You want me to work there?”

       “No, no, no.” Jiang Tongyan leaned close to Qian Xiaoke’s ear and, imitating the classic ‘wicked smile’ from novels, he said, “It was specially prepared for you so that we can do naughty stuff on it.”

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       Qian Xiaoke only ate half full for this meal. He really didn’t dare to eat too much, fearing he would ruin his image in his parents’ hearts.

During that meal, Qian Xiaoke only ate until he was about half full. He really didn’t dare eat too much, afraid of ruining the image he had built in Jiang Tongyan’s parents’ minds.

       He needed to create the image of a delicate, lovable little thing, not the kind of foodie who, once food was served, would ‘sweep through it like the autumn wind scattering fallen leaves’ and wishing he could lick the plates clean.

       No, absolutely not.

       Even though recently, both he and Jiang Tongyan had pretty much become the latter.

       Jiang Tongyan asked him, “You’re done eating?”

       “Mm, I’m full,” Qian Xiaoke said with a well-behaved smile. “It was really delicious. I’m stuffed.”

       Jiang Tongyan hesitated, then suppressed a laugh and said, “Alright, then let’s leave it at that.”

       Jiang Tongyan’s parents had no idea that Qian Xiaoke was putting on an act and said worriedly, “Xiaoke ate so little. Was it not to your taste, or is your stomach uncomfortable?”

       “No, no,” Qian Xiaoke hurriedly waved his hands to explain. “I’ve always had a small appetite.”

       Delicate little cuties like me live off dew, you know!

       Jiang Tongyan, standing to the side, was holding back laughter so hard he was about to injure himself internally. In his head, he was ranting nonstop: Qian Xiaoke! That’s enough already! Don’t you dare cry from hunger in the middle of the night!

       Qian Xiaoke actually still wanted to eat. He really loved today’s dishes. But since he had started acting, he had to carry it through to the end. He could only endure it.

       After dinner, it was already quite late. The family of four sat in the living room chatting. Qian Xiaoke was wound tight with nerves, extremely well-behaved, and tried his best not to interrupt. Only when he was directly asked a question, did he answer seriously, like an elementary school student being called on by the teacher.

       By the end of the evening, Qian Xiaoke was so exhausted that his head felt dizzy. He felt that meeting the parents didn’t just drain mental energy; it also drained physical energy. Right now, he was tired and hungry, and even felt like he had lost several pounds.

       When it was time to rest, Jiang Tongyan took his parents next door to stay. His mother said a bit unhappily, “Can’t you tear down that wall in the middle? Otherwise it feels like a married couple living separately.”

       As soon as Jiang Tongyan heard this, he knew his mother had clearly misunderstood. Whether that wall was torn down or not had long since stopped mattering, because from the very first day he and Qian Xiaoke confirmed their relationship, they had been sleeping in the same bed every night.

       Well, that wasn’t entirely precise. It should be said that, except for when Jiang Tongyan was away on business trips, the two of them slept in the same bed the rest of the time. As for when Jiang Tongyan was on business trips, Qian Xiaoke wasn’t lonely either. Jiang Tongyan’s body was forced to leave, but his soul remained in his little boyfriend’s bed.

       Two utterly hopeless people.

       “This is a rented place. How can we just tear down a wall whenever we want? Please be rational,” Jiang Tongyan said.

       “Then just buy it,” Jiang Tongyan’s mother said casually, clearly not short on money. “It’s just that this place is a bit small. If you two get married, it would be a little shabby as a marital home.”

       When Jiang Tongyan heard this, he laughed to himself and thought that her words absolutely could not be heard by Qian Xiaoke. Otherwise, that guy would start feeling sad again and sigh about the vast gap between the rich and the poor in the world.

       That kid was very sensitive.

       Jiang Tongyan settled his parents in next door, chatted briefly, made plans to accompany them sightseeing the next day, and then jogged back to Qian Xiaoke’s place next door.

       When Jiang Tongyan returned, he didn’t see Qian Xiaoke. He searched around and finally found the guy in the kitchen, sneaking food like a little mouse.

       “Is this really necessary?” Jiang Tongyan laughed at him. “If you weren’t full, you could’ve just kept eating. Why pretend to have a bird’s appetite?”

       “I just want to leave a good impression on your parents.” Qian Xiaoke said while eating. “I was afraid they would think I eat too much and start worrying that I would eat you into poverty.”

       “You’re really overthinking it,” Jiang Tongyan laughed. “My family has plenty of money. Even ten of you couldn’t eat us poor.”

       “Oh wow! Jiang Tongyan, you’re really imagining things nicely, huh!”

       “What am I imagining?”

       “Ten of me all revolving around you. Sounds great, doesn’t it?”

       Jiang Tongyan pictured it in his head and nearly got a nosebleed.

       One Qian Xiaoke pounding his back, one Qian Xiaoke massaging his shoulders, one Qian Xiaoke kneading his legs, one Qian Xiaoke fanning him. Of the remaining four, two were tucked under his arms on each side, and the last two stood to his left and right, praising him wildly. They wouldn’t even need to say much. Just calling him an unparalleled top would be enough.

       Amazing.

       Just thinking about it felt amazing.

       Of course, the even better content wouldn’t pass censorship, so Jiang Tongyan kept it to himself.

       After all, for him, shared joy was never as good as enjoying it alone.

       Late at night, the two of them got clingy again in the kitchen. Qian Xiaoke, who had vowed to lose weight, ate and drank his fill, then rubbed his round belly. “Is this… not very good?”

       Jiang Tongyan had originally wanted to tease him, but then he suddenly remembered how he had upset him at dinner because of this exact issue. Better not bring up a sore spot again.

       He leaned over and touched Qian Xiaoke’s round, puffed-up belly, grinning as he said, “It’s fine. Totally normal. After all, you’re pregnant with twins, a boy and a girl.”

       “Why are you so greedy?” Qian Xiaoke slapped his hand away. “Twins my ass. I’m only pregnant with one, and it’s a monkey!”

       “Wukong?”

       “The Six-Eared Macaque¹Six-Eared Macaque is a major antagonist and one of the most powerful characters in Wu Cheng’en’s fantasy novel Journey to the West, best remembered for closely impersonating Sun Wukong!”

       Jiang Tongyan was so amused he nearly laughed himself to death right there in the kitchen. He wrapped an arm around him and led him outward, gently rubbing his belly as he did. “I’m telling you, you really shouldn’t do this in the future.”

       Qian Xiaoke shot him a sideways glance.

       “I already told you, just be yourself. Whatever you’re like, we all like you,” Jiang Tongyan said. In truth, his heart ached for him.

       Qian Xiaoke usually looked carefree and easygoing, but in reality, he was a very delicate-minded person. So delicate that ever since the two of them got together, whenever Jiang Tongyan went on a business trip, it was always Qian Xiaoke who packed his luggage, arranging everything neatly. And every single time, Qian Xiaoke would randomly slip a small note into the pocket of one piece of clothing. On it, he would write: Miss me!

       Qian Xiaoke was exactly that kind of person, the kind people couldn’t help but dote on.

       Although lately Qian Xiaoke no longer talked about differences between them or anything like that, Jiang Tongyan could still feel the pressure he was under.

       At the company, colleagues wouldn’t say anything directly to him, but when interacting with Qian Xiaoke, there were definitely changes. They even stopped chatting and gossiping with him as much as before.

       No one was deliberately isolating Qian Xiaoke, but after all, Qian Xiaoke was family with Jiang Tongyan. There was always a gap between ordinary employees and management, and being caught in the middle made things very hard for him.

       And that was just the situation at work.

       Qian Xiaoke never complained to him. He was cheerful every day, but the pressure he carried was definitely not small.

       “Baby,” Jiang Tongyan said, “what do I have to do to make you feel at ease?”

       Qian Xiaoke froze for a moment and turned to look at him. “Why are you saying that?”

       Jiang Tongyan pulled him over to the sofa and sat down, letting Qian Xiaoke lie across his lap while he gently massaged his belly.

       “I thought about it seriously,” Jiang Tongyan said. “The reason you’re so worried and so tense is nothing more than the fact that I haven’t given you enough security.”

       “That’s not it…”

       “It is,” Jiang Tongyan sighed. “I should’ve reflected on this a long time ago.”

       Qian Xiaoke frowned and poked his chin. “Don’t be so serious. It’s not your problem, it’s mine.”

       “It is my problem,” Jiang Tongyan said, grabbing his hand and kissing it. “If I could make you feel that no matter what happens, no matter what others say or think, I’ll always stand firmly by your side, then you wouldn’t have all these worries.”

       It was rare for Jiang Tongyan to be this deeply emotional, to the point that Qian Xiaoke didn’t even know what expression he should be wearing.

       Qian Xiaoke sat up, swung a leg over and straddled Jiang Tongyan’s lap, wrapped his arms around his neck, and said in a coaxing, clingy tone, “It really isn’t that. I’m just… I mean…”

       He pressed his lips together, a little embarrassed to say it out loud.

       “You’re my wife.”

       “Hey! That’s not what I meant!” Qian Xiaoke laughed. “What I mean is, I really don’t doubt you at all. You’re already very good to me. I’m serious.”

       Jiang Tongyan curled his lips. “Bullshit.”

       Qian Xiaoke laughed and tugged at his face. “Who despises themselves like that?”

       “Aren’t I standing up for you?”

       “You don’t have to!” Qian Xiaoke hugged him and muttered softly. “Actually, my thinking is really simple. The reason I’m so nervous is that I don’t want to make things hard for you.”

       “Hm? What do you mean?”

       “Hehe.” Qian Xiaoke laughed. “Of course I know you love me and that it has to be me. After all, I’m already pregnant with your twins.”

       Jiang Tongyan laughed and gave his butt a light smack.

       “You can’t abandon the three of us, or I’ll ruin your reputation, so that part I’m not worried about.”

       He really made it sound convincing.

       Jiang Tongyan couldn’t help laughing.

       “And it’s not because I feel inferior. I’m not inferior at all. Someone as lovable as me is something you couldn’t find even with a lantern.”

       “That’s right,” Jiang Tongyan agreed. “I think you’re absolutely right.”

       Having been praised, Qian Xiaoke was delighted. With his ears tinged red, he burrowed into Jiang Tongyan’s arms.

       “Then what is it, exactly?” Jiang Tongyan really couldn’t figure him out. Just now Qian Xiaoke said he didn’t want to make things hard for him, but what hardship was there for him?

       “I’m worried that in this whole world, only you and I think I’m a rare and precious little darling, while your parents don’t think so. That after meeting me, they’ll feel we’re not suitable and ask us to break up,” Qian Xiaoke said seriously. “At that point, you definitely wouldn’t agree, and I wouldn’t just take the money and leave either. Between bread and love, I still want to choose love.”

       Qian Xiaoke spoke from the heart, and Jiang Tongyan listened with his heart. Once they were both fully in it, they couldn’t help feeling a little moved.

       “You would definitely end up arguing with your parents because of me,” Qian Xiaoke looked up at him. “That’s what I’m worried about. I don’t want you to have conflicts with your family, so I want to do my best to be good enough, hoping I can make them satisfied. That way, they won’t oppose us being together, and you won’t have to fight with them.”

       Jiang Tongyan raised a hand and covered his face.

       “What’s wrong?” Qian Xiaoke tilted his head and looked at him.

       “What am I supposed to do?”

       “Huh? What do you mean?” Qian Xiaoke was completely confused.

       “My baby is beautiful and kind-hearted, not only loving me but also understanding me and considering me in everything. How did I end up with such good fortune…” Jiang Tongyan fake-cried dramatically. “I’m moved. I want to cry.”

       Qian Xiaoke stared at him. After a few seconds, he started singing to him, “Men cry, cry, cry, it’s not a crime…” and then hiccupped.

---

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       Although Qian Xiaoke always felt that he was someone who had ‘seen the big world’, he was also very clear that the so-called grand scenes of domineering CEO families, the kind where someone said “Here’s five million, leave my son,” were things he had only ever seen in novels. When he actually had to meet in person parents-in-law who were rich, good-looking, and carried themselves with exceptional grace, his legs started going weak all over.

       Although Jiang Tongyan told Qian Xiaoke not to care so much and that he only needed to be himself, beauty was in the eye of the lover. When your lover thought you were a bit silly, that was called being genuine. When others saw it, that was called being truly… stupid.

       Although Jiang Tongyan’s parents looked very kind and were also especially good-looking, Qian Xiaoke’s mind was still clear. These were his parents-in-law. He absolutely could not slack off. The moment he did, his relationship with Jiang Tongyan, which was already not optimistic in his imagination, might very well collapse on the spot.

       Otherwise, why would one say that Comrade Qian Xiaoke had such a rich inner world? No one had ever told him that their relationship was not favoured, but after years of being steeped in melodramatic novels, he had already constructed an entire saga in his head about the love-hate entanglement between a wealthy elite family and a poor boy.

       That kind of love was tragic and moving. Unfortunately, true love could not overcome capital and power, and in the end, it still met a tragic conclusion.

       This was probably just the fate of a poor boy like him.

       “What are you thinking about?” Jiang Tongyan pinched Qian Xiaoke’s butt. “Did you go out without wearing long johns?”

       “I didn’t,” Qian Xiaoke said. “What kind of seductive bottom wears long johns?”

       “You made me wear them, and you didn’t wear them yourself. Is that appropriate?”

       “I made you wear them because I thought you would be cold,” Qian Xiaoke said righteously. “That’s a manifestation of my love for you.”

       “Cut it. I’ll have to keep an eye on you tomorrow morning.” After saying that, Jiang Tongyan suddenly realised something was off. “Don’t change the subject. What were you thinking about just now?”

       The two of them were getting ready to cook. Recently, Jiang Tongyan and Qian Xiaoke had genuinely been working hard on their cooking skills. Not long ago, Jiang Tongyan had accidentally seen an advertisement and was about to sign them both up for some kind of ‘New Oriental’ cooking class.

       Qian Xiaoke actually could not quite understand why Jiang Tongyan had suddenly become so enthusiastic about cooking.

       Jiang Tongyan’s explanation was that cooking relieved stress.

       For him, cooking really did relieve stress, but it had to be stated beforehand that it only worked when he was cooking for his own family. Outsiders did not count.

       Outsiders wanted to eat food cooked by Chairman Jiang?

       Don’t even think about it.

       He was stingy like that.

       As the highly motivated Jiang Tongyan prepped the ingredients, Qian Xiaoke helped out beside him. When Jiang Tongyan turned his head and glanced over, he saw that this guy had a strange expression, and who knew what he was mulling over again.

       “I’m just worried that what if Uncle and Auntie don’t like me,” Qian Xiaoke said. “Do you think Auntie might give me five million and tell me to leave you?”

       As soon as Jiang Tongyan heard that, he laughed so hard he nearly flung the cleaver out of his hand.

       “Can you stop reading weird novels?”

       “They’re not weird!” Qian Xiaoke said. “This kind of plot is super common!”

       “That’s still a novel,” Jiang Tongyan said solemnly. “And it’s way too unrealistic. How could five million be enough? No matter what, it should be ten million.”

       “Huh?” Qian Xiaoke stared at him in shock, his mouth opening into a perfect circle, big enough to stuff an egg into.

       “If she really does that to you,” Jiang Tongyan said, “you should ask for an outrageous amount. Demand ten million.”

       Qian Xiaoke narrowed his eyes at him. “I smell a conspiracy. Are you planning to wait until I get the money and then elope with me? That way, you get both the person and the money. As expected of you, Jiang Tongyan!”

       Jiang Tongyan looked at him and smiled. “No. I was thinking that if you take the initiative to ask for money, that’s extortion. Extortion is a crime. If you commit a crime, you get arrested. If you get arrested, you go to prison.”

       “…You’re so annoying!” Qian Xiaoke shot him a glare.

       Jiang Tongyan laughed nonstop. “As expected of me, Jiang Tongyan!”

       After joking around for a bit, Qian Xiaoke was not as nervous as before.

       “You really don’t need to be scared,” Jiang Tongyan said after teasing him, adding a few considerate words. “I know my parents. My family knew my sexual orientation eight hundred years ago, and I told them about our relationship on the first day we were together.”

       “The first day?” Qian Xiaoke said. “You sure moved fast.”

       This rotten man, Jiang Tongyan, was actually lying.

       He did not tell them on the first day they were together. He told them before they were even together, saying, “Look, in the future, I’m going to marry him.”

       He was thick-skinned to the extreme.

       “Qian Xiaoke.”

       “Mm?”

       “I know you won’t be able to relax completely no matter how I persuade you, but I hope you understand that my family and I will be happy and blessed that you can join us.” Jiang Tongyan suddenly said sentimentally, “We don’t need you to have any extraordinary family background or cultural education, nor do we need you to have the temperament and height of a supermodel or the delicate face of an actor. All we need is the cute and ordinary Qian Xiaoke.”

       Jiang Tongyan turned around to look at him. When he saw that guy standing there stupidly with a head of Chinese cabbage in his hands, he couldn’t help laughing. “But then again, you’re not ordinary either.”

       “How am I not ordinary…” Qian Xiaoke’s heart was racing. He realised that he was used to Jiang Tongyan’s usual clingy, unserious manner. The moment this man became serious and spoke sincere words of affection, he had no ability to fend it off at all.

       How could he be that handsome?

       “I really am very ordinary,” Qian Xiaoke said. “You don’t need to comfort me.”

       “I wasn’t comforting you. I can’t even be bothered to comfort people,” Jiang Tongyan said. “I was just telling the truth.”

       He put down the cleaver in his hand, took the Chinese cabbage that Qian Xiaoke had almost torn to pieces, and went to wash it.

       “I’ve seen plenty of the world too. I’ve seen all kinds of beautiful men and women, yet I fell so deeply in love with you to death, and you’re telling me you’re ordinary? That’s basically questioning my taste!”

       After hearing this, Qian Xiaoke successfully latched onto the main point. “You fell in love with me to the point dying?”

       The tips of Jiang Tongyan’s ears turned red. He snorted twice through his nose and ignored him.

       Qian Xiaoke laughed and leaned over to wash the cabbage with him, even bumping his arm with his small shoulder. “You fell in love with me to death!”

       Jiang Tongyan rolled his eyes.

       “Chairman Jiang, you’re making me really embarrassed like this!” Qian Xiaoke said smugly, his delight practically making his nonexistent rabbit tail grow longer.

       “Embarrassed? You look pretty pleased with yourself to me.”

       “No, no,” Qian Xiaoke laughed so hard he couldn’t stop. “I’m so shy I can’t even bear to look at you!”

       He said that, but when Jiang Tongyan turned his head to look at him, Qian Xiaoke still quickly stood on tiptoe and planted a kiss on him.

       After all that fooling around in the kitchen, Qian Xiaoke really did gradually relax. It was just that Jiang Tongyan’s parents, who were waiting outside to eat, saw that the kitchen door still hadn’t opened and didn’t dare go in to ask. They could only listen to the alternating chorus of growls from their own stomachs and silently regret having let the two of them cook in the first place.

       Because Qian Xiaoke and Jiang Tongyan kept interacting so frequently in the kitchen, their cooking efficiency was low, and by the time the four of them finally sat down to eat, it was already quite late.

       Still, the fact that Jiang Tongyan could make braised pork with glass noodles, chicken stewed with mushrooms, sauerkraut ribs, and three earthly delicacies¹a classic, savory Northeastern Chinese home-style dish made from three common underground vegetables: eggplant, potato, and green pepper, stir-fried together, often after being briefly deep-fried, creating a dish that’s rich, flavorful, and a super popular side for rice surprised his parents greatly.

       “All Northeastern dishes,” Jiang Tongyan’s father said. “Not bad, not bad. They’re done pretty well.”

       “More than pretty well,” Jiang Tongyan bragged smugly. “Otherwise, how could I have fed Xiaoke into getting this chubby?”

       Qian Xiaoke, who had been eating with his head down, froze on the spot. His eyes almost teared up, his chopsticks nearly clattering onto the floor.

       Jiang Tongyan had meant it as a joke, and also as a roundabout way to show that the two of them were living well together. He just hadn’t expected Qian Xiaoke to take it so much to heart.

       For someone who was a ‘seductive bottom’, gaining weight was practically the destruction of his ‘career’. It was deadly serious.

       Qian Xiaoke couldn’t help pursing his lips.

       “What nonsense are you talking about?” Jiang Tongyan’s mother shot a glare at her son for speaking improperly. “Xiaoke looks great. Where is he fat?”

       Qian Xiaoke looked at Jiang Tongyan’s mother with a heart full of gratitude.

       Mama Jiang continued scolding her son. “What fat or not fat? Health is what matters most. If you like it, then eat. Being able to eat is a blessing in itself!”

       “Yes, yes, you’re absolutely right,” Jiang Tongyan replied obediently.

       “Xiaoke, don’t listen to him,” Mama Jiang said after finishing her lecture of her tactless son, then turned to comfort the clearly somewhat hurt Qian Xiaoke. “You’re not fat at all. You’re adorable. Auntie just likes kids like you!”

       Qian Xiaoke became embarrassed, truly embarrassed this time.

       He felt that he shouldn’t have had a little sulk at the dinner table. If Jiang Tongyan had annoyed him, the two of them could talk about it later after they got home. He hadn’t expected Mama Jiang to comfort him like this.

       Jiang Tongyan looked at Qian Xiaoke, then at his own mother, and suddenly felt a sense of crisis. He felt that his position as the top one in Qian Xiaoke’s heart was in grave danger.

       “Baby,” Jiang Tongyan hurried to make amends, “I shouldn’t have made that kind of joke that made you uncomfortable just now. I’m sorry, okay?”

       Once he said that, Qian Xiaoke felt even more awkward.

       The whole family was coaxing him, making him seem small-minded instead.

       Qian Xiaoke hurried to explain, “It’s fine, it’s fine. I really am fine, I…”

       He suddenly felt that he was terrible with words and didn’t know how to defuse the awkwardness at all.

       Flustered, he looked at Jiang Tongyan and suddenly realised that in moments like this, he always subconsciously sought help from him. Was this what people called love?

       Because of love, no matter what happened, the first thing he wanted to do was rely on the other person?

       Jiang Tongyan smiled and raised his hand to rub Qian Xiaoke’s soft hair. “You’re the cutest.”

       Qian Xiaoke pressed his lips together, his heart feeling both sour and warm.

       “How about I eat more too? I’ll eat myself into a big fatty and let you poke my belly every day, okay?”

       Qian Xiaoke finally couldn’t hold it in and burst out laughing. “Hey, don’t be like that!”

       He laughed, and Jiang Tongyan’s parents, sitting across from them, laughed as well. Watching the two kids be so cute even when having a little spat, the couple felt comforted too.

       “Alright, eat properly now,” Mama Jiang said when she saw that the two of them had shown enough affection. She took the initiative to steer things back on track. She said, “So you see, even in an intimate relationship, you need to pay attention to your wording and sense of proportion, and also be mindful of the other person’s feelings. Mom hopes that when you run into problems in the future, you’ll be able to resolve them like this. It’s not just about who gives in a step, but more about understanding each other.”

       Jiang Tongyan and Qian Xiaoke nodded obediently, silently conveying: Mom, we’ve learned.

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T/N:
Happy New year all~
This series will also come to an end soon around.. hmm? 6 chaps more?
I’ll upload everything by this month tho, so dw
After this I will able to take one more series and there’s one series that I’ve been thinking to take either that or I’ll make the server mod create a request series channel~

---

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       As the saying goes, even an ugly bride has to meet her parents-in-law.

       Qian Xiaoke was not ugly, but he felt he was not ready.

       Mainly, his figure was not ready.

       Speaking of which, this was all Jiang Tongyan’s fault. Before the two of them got together, Qian Xiaoke had been a slender, beautiful boy… Of course, the word ‘boy’ was entirely his own opinion. Jiang Tongyan had reminded him before that at twenty-seven, he counted as a young adult.

       But that was not the point. The point was that after getting together with Jiang Tongyan, Qian Xiaoke had been raised far too well. Jiang Tongyan practically wanted to order a whole table of nourishing chicken soup for Qian Xiaoke every time they finished doing those shameful things, to replenish the energy he had lost.

       And, by the way, to replenish himself as well.

       They had not even been together that long, and the two of them had both gained weight happily.

       Jiang Tongyan said, “You’re the only one who thinks we’re fat. I think our figures are pretty good.”

       As he spoke, he pinched Qian Xiaoke’s face, which had grown rounder and even cuter.

       “So cute.” Jiang Tongyan said this from the bottom of his heart. He genuinely felt that Qian Xiaoke was cute, cuter than the expensive plush toys in shopping mall display windows.

       The kind you wanted to hold to your chest and knead and squeeze.

       Qian Xiaoke strongly disagreed with this assessment and retorted, “People say that you only call someone cute when you want to praise them but can’t find any other good qualities.”

       Jiang Tongyan sneered. “Who taught you that crooked logic?”

       “That’s just how it is.”

       “‘Just how it is,’ my ass,” Jiang Tongyan said. “Cute is the highest level of praise for a person. What do you know?”

       Qian Xiaoke, who supposedly ‘didn’t know anything’, still felt a little pleased inside when he heard Jiang Tongyan say that.

       “Besides,” Jiang Tongyan went on, “how many kilos have you gained?”

       “Compared to when we first got together, 3 kilos,” Qian Xiaoke said pitifully.

       A peerless beauty bottom was not allowed to get fat!

       Three kilos were already too much!

       Jiang Tongyan rolled his eyes. Seeing him make such a fuss about losing weight every day, he had thought Qian Xiaoke had gained thirty kilos.

       “Three kilos doesn’t count as fat. You can even keep going.”

       “How does it not count as fat?” Qian Xiaoke covered his face in sorrow. “Three kilos of flesh. I suspect it all went to my face.”

       Qian Xiaoke was just that kind of unlucky person. Other people gained weight quietly and could hide the flesh, but as soon as he gained weight, his face was the first to show it.

       Jiang Tongyan thought this was pretty good to look at.

       “Very well-fed-looking. My parents will like it,” Jiang Tongyan said, and to further ‘comfort’ Qian Xiaoke, he added, “Just like the chubby New Year poster dolls they used to paste on the walls when they were kids.”

       And then Qian Xiaoke really almost fainted.

       In any case, no matter what, Qian Xiaoke had not managed to lose his ‘fat’, and his parents-in-law had already arrived. Whether he wanted to meet them now or not, he had to.

       Jiang Tongyan pulled Qian Xiaoke along to change clothes and go downstairs to pick them up. To highlight Qian Xiaoke’s cuteness, he deliberately put that hat with bunny ears on his head.

       Qian Xiaoke said, “Hey, I’m not wearing that!”

       Jiang Tongyan did not understand. “Isn’t this your true form? You wear it every day. What’s wrong today?”

       “I want to be more mature today,” Qian Xiaoke urged him to hurry up. “I’m already twenty-seven. I can’t be like a kid.”

       Jiang Tongyan held the hat in his hand and followed him out the door. “Aren’t you a twenty-year-old beautiful boy?”

       “I’m a sexy young adult!” Today, Qian Xiaoke refused to be cute. He felt that parents would definitely want their son to find a boyfriend who looked mature, steady, and reliable, like Boss Shen’s flight-attendant boyfriend.

       For someone like him, who bought a knitted hat with a pair of bunny ears attached, it looked like an immature kid at a glance. Parents would not feel at ease.

       For the sake of meeting the parents, Qian Xiaoke had worried himself sick.

       However, in the elevator, Jiang Tongyan still put the hat on him.

       Jiang Tongyan said, “Why are you so nervous?”

       “How could I not be nervous? This is meeting your parents,” Qian Xiaoke said. “But come to think of it, thank goodness I clean the place diligently every day. Otherwise, with underwear and condoms flying around everywhere, they would probably faint when they came in.”

       Jiang Tongyan put an arm around him and laughed. “I’ll clean up in the future.”

       “Better not,” Qian Xiaoke muttered. “If you clean, you’ll just hire a cleaning service. That would be really embarrassing.”

       As the elevator reached the first floor, Qian Xiaoke’s little heart was pounding wildly.

       “Husband, I’m nervous.”

       “Don’t be nervous.” Jiang Tongyan took his hand and kissed it. “I’ve told them about you. They’ve also seen photos of the two of us.”

       “Photos? Like, photos of us together?” Qian Xiaoke’s delicate body jolted, his eyes widening round. “Bed photos of us?”

       “What kind of things are you thinking about?” Jiang Tongyan raised his hand and flicked him on the forehead. “Be normal.”

       “I’m just livening up the atmosphere.” Qian Xiaoke took a deep breath. Of course he knew Jiang Tongyan would never send their bed photos to his parents. That would mean he had completely lost his mind.

       “When you see them later, you don’t need to be nervous.” Jiang Tongyan squeezed his shoulder. “You don’t need to force yourself to act like anything in particular. Just be the real Qian Xiaoke, and they’ll like you like crazy.”

       “You’re just sweet-talking.” Qian Xiaoke did not believe him at all.

       “I’m serious,” Jiang Tongyan said. “I know my parents. They like kids just like you the most.”

       “…I’m not a kid!”

       Jiang Tongyan laughed and flicked the bunny ears on Qian Xiaoke’s hat, then casually tugged at his ears as they walked, tugging the whole way. It was extremely childish and extremely unlike a proper domineering CEO.

       When the two of them walked out, Jiang Tongyan’s parents were happily chatting with the neighbourhood security guard.

       Jiang Tongyan had considered opening the outer gate for them earlier, but worried they might wander around the complex and not find the building, which would be even more troublesome. It was better for the two of them to come down and get them directly.

       Speaking of which, Jiang Tongyan’s parents were quite talkative people. In just a few minutes, they were already itching to introduce girlfriends to the single, handsome security guard.

       If a girlfriend was not suitable, then a boyfriend was not entirely out of the question either.

       “Dad, Mom.” Jiang Tongyan called out to them, making Qian Xiaoke’s heart tremble.

       Qian Xiaoke timidly followed behind Jiang Tongyan, exactly like the little book attendant who used to trail after a rich young master in ancient times.

       Hearing their son’s voice, Jiang Tongyan’s parents immediately turned around in delight. Mother Jiang went straight over and gave her son a warm hug.

       The three of them had not seen each other for a while, and they truly missed one another.

       After the hug, Mother Jiang tilted her head and looked at the cute little boy standing slightly behind Jiang Tongyan. “You must be Xiaoke, right?”

       Although Jiang Tongyan had repeatedly emphasised to his mother that Qian Xiaoke would be twenty-eight next month, she still felt he was just a little boy. He was not tall, and he was cute-looking. How did he look anything like twenty-eight? Eighteen would have been more believable.

       Being suddenly called out, Qian Xiaoke jolted, his foot slipping as he nearly made a fool of himself.

       Fortunately, he steadied himself in time and did not leave his future parents-in-law with the first impression of ‘this one’s an idiot’.

       Qian Xiaoke obediently greeted her. “Hello, Auntie.”

       After that, he turned to Jiang Tongyan’s father. “Hello, Uncle.”

       Everyone in Jiang Tongyan’s family was tall. Not to mention the two men, even Jiang Tongyan’s mother was 175 centimetres tall. In high heels, she was taller than Qian Xiaoke.

       The four of them together, Xiaoke was the shortest.

       As they walked home, Qian Xiaoke felt as if he had arrived in the land of giants. The pressure was immense.

       Mother Jiang leaned close to her son and whispered, “Xiaoke is even cuter than in the photos!”

       Qian Xiaoke walked to the other side and could not hear what they were saying, but after seeing the two of them whispering, he grew so nervous that his palms started sweating in the dead of winter.

       What were they saying?

       Were they talking about how short he was?

       Being short was one thing, but he was also fat!

       And being fat aside, he was also dumb!

       Qian Xiaoke pouted.

       If they disliked him for being dumb, he could read more books and newspapers. If they disliked him for being fat, he could eat fewer snacks and sleep more. But if they disliked him for being short, there was really nothing he could do. At his age, he was basically not going to grow any taller.

       Should he go buy some height-increasing insoles in bulk?

       Qian Xiaoke’s head was full of wild thoughts, so many that his little brain was about to explode.

       Jiang Tongyan’s father probably felt that his son and wife were neglecting this young man, so he deliberately moved over and walked beside Qian Xiaoke.

       He meant well and wanted to keep the ‘boy’ company, but he had no idea that his actions only made the already-not-relaxed ‘boy’ feel even worse.

       Qian Xiaoke stiffened his back and started walking with his arms and legs moving on the same side.

       Seeing Qian Xiaoke’s strange gait, Jiang Tongyan’s father suddenly grew worried.

       The four of them finally arrived home. When they stepped out of the elevator, Jiang Tongyan introduced, “This side is Xiaoke’s place. Next door is mine.”

       “Why are they separated?” Jiang Tongyan’s mother asked, her question coming from the depths of her soul.

       “It’s a rented apartment,” Jiang Tongyan said. “We’ve been looking at houses recently and are planning to buy one after the New Year.”

       Qian Xiaoke’s delicate body jolted again. He thought, since when have we been looking at houses? Jiang Tongyan, don’t spout nonsense!

       What Jiang Tongyan said was half true and half false.

       Recently, he really had been asking Cheng Sen to help inquire about ready-to-move-in units that were bigger, better renovated, and more conveniently located. He just had not told Qian Xiaoke yet, because he had not found anything he liked so far.

       Qian Xiaoke briskly stepped forward to open the door. When he inserted the key, his hand was shaking.

       This was really too pathetic.

       He was always saying that Jiang Tongyan had not seen the world, but what about himself?

       Just meeting his parents-in-law, and he was scared like this.

       Mother Jiang kept smiling as she sized Qian Xiaoke up, finding this child truly interesting.

       The interesting child Qian Xiaoke opened the door and, like a doorman, ushered them inside, helped them take out the slippers, and attended to everything with great thoughtfulness and politeness.

       Jiang Tongyan said, “You two rest for a bit. Xiaoke and I will cook.”

       They had not eaten since getting off work, and it was the perfect time to eat together as four.

       “I’ll do it,” Jiang Tongyan’s father said, putting his things down. “What ingredients do you have at home?”

       “No need. You sit with Mom,” Jiang Tongyan said, wrapping an arm around Qian Xiaoke as they headed for the kitchen. “The two of us have made huge progress in our cooking lately. Let us show you what a real chef looks like.”

       As he spoke, the two of them went into the kitchen and even closed the door behind them.

       Jiang Tongyan’s parents both looked toward the kitchen. Jiang’s mother said, “Cooking is just cooking. Why did they close the door?”

       Of course, it was because they wanted to be affectionate.

       The useless Qian Xiaoke curled up in his husband’s arms and muttered, “I was scared to death, scared to death. What did Mom say to you?”

       “Oh?” Jiang Tongyan teased. “You’re already calling her Mom?”

       Qian Xiaoke’s face flushed red. “Don’t mess with me!”

       Seeing that he was genuinely nervous, Jiang Tongyan raised his hand and ruffled Qian Xiaoke’s hair hard, laughing as he said, “My mom said you’re cute and even wants you to be her godson.”

       “Really?” Qian Xiaoke’s eyes lit up.

       “Really, but I turned her down.”

       “Why?” Qian Xiaoke felt wronged.

       “If you became her godson, then I would be your older brother,” Jiang Tongyan said. “An incestuous romance does sound exciting, but from a moral standpoint, it’s not exactly encouraged.”

       Jiang Tongyan kissed Qian Xiaoke’s warm lips. “You’d better just honestly be my wife and my mom’s daughter-in-law.”

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