Zhuang Yiyun stood at the door, suddenly feeling a bit anxious.
Yan Yan mentioned he was going to meet someone to see if they were compatible… If they did, would he start dating them?
Dating… He remembered the words he had said at that time. If Yan Yan met someone he liked during the term of their marriage, he had the right to terminate their relationship at any time.
He didn’t hear what Yan Yan said to the other person afterward. But Yan Yan didn’t chat for long, probably out of consideration for his presence, and soon hung up the phone.
“Is there something wrong?”
Zhuang Yiyun opened his mouth, feeling like he should say something, but he couldn’t come up with anything. He couldn’t think of any reason, so he remained silent.
Yan Yan looked puzzled, his eyes filled with the question, ‘Then why did you knock on the door?’
“Anyway, I’m going to play some games.”
“With whom?” Zhuang Yiyun blurted out, he had an instinctive that it was the person who had just confessed.
“With whom? You don’t even know them, why are you asking?” Yan Yan took a couple of steps out, then suddenly stopped and turned to ask him, “You don’t want to play games with me, do you?”
“No.”
“I thought so. Playing games isn’t suitable for Dr. Zhuang. I’m off to play.” Yan Yan waved his hand and disappeared through the doorway of the broadcasting room.
As the saying goes, without desire, one is resolute. It made a lot of sense. Now that he no longer had expectations or demands on Dr. Zhuang, he was very relaxed whether it was in dressing or in demeanor.
Zhuang Yiyun realized that Yan Yan didn’t treat him as if he didn’t exist nor did he reject talking to him. The foundation for their good Interaction during lunch was still there. But even though he was a relationship idiot, he could sense that Yan Yan was treating him differently now. He couldn’t pinpoint what was different, and Yan Yan wasn’t treating him with hostility or anything, but he just felt sad.
Yan Yan made arrangements to duo with Orange, and his fans noticed that their anchor who had just-finished broadcasting was sending traffic to another anchor. Anchor Orange was especially attentive today, working even harder than usual to guide this noob. His attitude was so accommodating that fans began to ship them even more.
The barrage was never short of “truth seeking experts,” and many started speculating about whether Orange had changed his attitude towards Yan Yan after Yan Yan came out. Did he confess? So there was another wave of speculation.
The “Cool Sword Angel” (a nickname made up by Yan Yan’s fans) and the “Milk Aggressive Technique” (referring to Orange’s skillful play) combination, with one being cool and the other supportive, had CP fans screaming.
Fortunately, Zhuang Yiyun didn’t witness this exciting scene; otherwise, he might have had a heart attack. He was exhausted, and after lying down on the bed again, he finally fell asleep.
The next day was the Little New Year and Yan Yan received a call from his mother before he even woke up, asking if he would be coming home for dinner.
*Xiao Nian” (小年) refers to the “Little New Year” or “Preparatory New Year” in Chinese culture. It is celebrated a few days before the Chinese New Year (Spring Festival) and marks the beginning of the Chinese New Year celebrations.
“I won’t,” Yan Yan replied decisively. He hadn’t even fully awakened and had no desire to move. Moreover, it was not like they didn’t see him often.
“If you’re not coming, at least check if Xiao Yun wants to come home for dinner?”
“Xiao Yun?” Yan Yan was partly awakened by this address, and it took awhile for him to realize who his mother was talking about.
Xiao Yun… his mother always calls the younger generation by either ‘Xiao X’ or repeating their name, but that person was a towering 1.9 meters tall and was probably 18 cm long somewhere. Where does the “little” come from?
*“Xiao” translates to “little”.
‘18 cm…’ Yan Yan sneered at himself for having dirty thoughts so early in the morning. Nevertheless, it’s just how men are; he was just more openly flirtatious. There was nothing wrong with that.
“Yes, did you ask Xiao Yun? If you don’t want to come, he might want to. You two haven’t come back for a meal since you got married.”
Yan Yan thought to himself, ‘Your son-in-law has already flown away, and you’re still talking about him coming back for a meal?’ But it was the New Year, and he couldn’t just casually mention his whirlwind marriage and impending divorce.
“I’ll ask.”
“Alright, please do. I’ll go buy groceries later. If he decides to come, you can also ask him what dishes he likes.”
“Okay.”
After Yan Yan hung up, he checked the time and saw that it was only 7 AM. Great, he felt the full weight of his mother’s enthusiasm.
He reluctantly got out of bed amd went to ask. It’s unusual for Zhuang Yiyun to still be asleep at this hour.
“Knock, knock, knock.”
There was no response from inside.
“Did he be go to work this early?” Yan Yan scratched his head and turned the doorknob. He found it was unlocked and opened the door. As a result, he came face to face with Zhuang Yiyun, who had just come out of the bathroom.
Zhuang Yiyun had clearly just finished showering, with his hair still dripping. Water droplets were falling, dampening his collarbone and chest muscles, enveloping him in a misty veil. He was shirtless, and his loose pants hanging low on his hips. His perfectly defined abdominal muscles were visible, along with a hint of a shadow of his lower abdomen. With one hand holding a towel, the act of raising his arm accentuated the powerful lines of his side muscles.
Yan Yan stared without looking away. Zhuang Yiyun initially had an aloof expression, but was stunned on seeing Yan Yan and his expression softened slightly. He could have used the towel to cover himself, but instead, he continued to dry his hair.
“Were you looking for me?” A silent ambiguity filled the room, and the steam from the bathroom carried the fragrance of Zhuang Yiyun’s shower gel. Yan Yan felt like he had inhaled some sort of aphrodisiac, and the “brotherly attitude” he had put up shattered in front of Zhuang Yiyun’s defined abs.
In the morning, men are usually less resistant to flirting, and Yan Yan instantly had the urge to get closer.
Choosing a tree or a forest… perhaps it was time to reassess?
“Well, you know, men shouldn’t be so blatant.” Yan Yan warned him and advised, “Put on some clothes.” He feared that if he continued to look, his pants might just fly away. It was better to quickly pick up his brotherly feelings, which had fallen apart, and stick them back together. After all, the tree in front of him was just a holographic projection that he couldn’t grasp.
When Zhuang Yiyun put on his shirt, they finally began talking normally.
“Why are you looking for me?”
“Today is the Chinese New Year and my mother wants you to come for dinner. Will you go?”
Yan Yan looked at Zhuang Yiyun, fully prepared to be rejected. He had done his best; he couldn’t force Zhuang Yiyun to come if he didn’t want to.
“Okay, what time are we going?”
Yan Yan was stunned for a moment, thinking he must have misheard. Zhuang Yiyun had just said “we,” when had they become a “we”?
“I’ll get off work early today to pick you up.”
Well, he definitely hadn’t misheard this time. Yan Yan found it strange, but Zhuang Yiyun didn’t seem to find anything unusual. Perhaps he was just being polite to the elder generation? Yan Yan walked out in a daze, suddenly remembering the side quest his mother had assigned.
“What dishes do you like?”
“What gift should I bring?”
Both of them spoke at the same time, and they were stunned by the unusual synchronization. After a moment of pause, they answered each other, with their voices overlapping again.
“You don’t need to bring anything.”
“Any dish is fine.”
Yan Yan was baffled. What was happening? The atmosphere suddenly became awkward.
‘Forget it,’ he thought, ‘I better make my escape.’ Zhuang Yiyun had just finished s and looked clean and fresh, while he hadn’t even washed his face or brushed his teeth yet, and his hair was a mess. If he stayed any longer, it would only lead to more awkwardness.
After leaving the door of Zhuang Yiyun’s room, he pulled back his hair and rubbed the corners of his eyes. Fortunately, there was no secretion accumulated in the inner and outer corners of the eyes from sleep, otherwise it would be too embarrassing.
What was wrong with him? Didn’t he no longer care about his image in front of Zhuang Yiyun?
After returning to his own room and getting ready, Yan Yan called his mother. “I’ll come home for dinner tonight.”
“Really?” His mother’s cheerful and surprised response made Yan Yan feel that his disheveled appearance in the morning was not a big deal.
“Yes, both I and your Xiao Yun will be coming.”
“Then, what groceries should I buy?”
“Mom, don’t you know what I like?”
“Who asked you, you brat? I’m asking about Xiao Yun.”
“Xiao Yun, Xiao Yun. Is it that you only care about Xiao Yun now? Am I, Yan Yan, no longer worthy? He is easy to manage, he eats anything.”
Qian Ruqing was very dissatisfied with this response and continued to inquire, “There must be preferences. Everyone has them. Who usually cooks for you two? You spend every day together, and you don’t know? I’ll call him.”
Seeing that his mother about to end the call, Yan Yan was afraid she would stir up trouble with unnecessary remarks, so he quickly changed his tone, “He likes home-cooked dishes, not a big fan of spicy food, but he can eat an extra bowl of chili-fried pork with rice. He also likes mushroom dishes, and his favorite soup is kelp soup. As for seafood, you can make your signature garlic butter shrimp for him.”
Qian Ruqing’s face lit up the more she listened. Amazing, their little troublemaker seemed to know everything like the back of his hand and cherished his husband dearly. What a perfect choice for a partner! Needless to say, their relationship must be excellent. The key point was that it seemed like Xiao Yun could really capture this child’s heart.
“Alright, alright, Mom knows. I’ll wait for you to come home for dinner tonight.”
Yan Yan shivered all over. What had gotten into his mother? She suddenly sounded so greasy, had she gone off the deep end?
Just because he knew her beloved Xiao Yun’s food preferences, she was this happy? Did she now consider him her own son?!
After hanging up the phone, Yan Yan went to the living room and immediately saw Zhuang Yiyun standing there. He usually never dressed this formally, but today, he was wearing a complete suit, with his overcoat casually draped over the sofa. He stood there nonchalantly, with broad shoulders, a slim waist and long legs—his proportions were extraordinary. He even wore accessories, a watch, cufflinks, everything. When a mature man puts on suits, he was like a walking hormone.
Having been assaulted by two rounds of top-tier male charisma this morning, Yan Yan was now dumbfounded. What was wrong with this man today?
Oh right, he was going to work. Was this attire for Luan Qing to see? Well, seems like the dog man does have a mortal heart, it’s just not for him.
Zhuang Yiyun had dressed up nicely, all prepared to visit Yan Yan’s home in the evening. It was fortunate that he didn’t possess telepathy; otherwise, he might not have just suffered a mild heart attack but dropped dead on the spot.
Yan Yan wanted to head to the kitchen, but his eyes and feet didn’t listen to him. He hesitated, and his ears perked up, listening to what was happening over there.
He was so pathetic; Zhuang Yiyun wasn’t here for his viewing pleasure.
But beauty was a public resource. What was wrong with looking?
A battle raged in his mind, with no resolution.
Cooking, cooking and filling his stomach was more important.
At this moment, there were footsteps behind him, one step after another, steady yet somewhat urgent. Following them was Zhuang Yiyun’s voice. “What do you want for breakfast?”
Yan Yan turned around and asked in return, “Why do you care what I eat?”
“I… don’t I have a share?”
Damn it, why was this man acting so pitiful? Oh right, Zhuang Yiyun cooked noodles last night, and he had taken care of him in the hospital all night.
Yan Yan thought coldly, so what? How many meals had he made for Zhuang Yiyun in the past? He wanted to suddenly act like an ancestor after just one meal?
“There’s nothing. Just one serving of noodles.” He pointed to a one-pound bag of unopened noodles in the open cabinet that was beckoning toward both of them.
It was a bit embarrassing, but Yan Yan believed that as long as he wasn’t embarrassed, the embarrassment was all Zhuang Yiyun’s. He didn’t change his expression as he took out the huge bag of instant noodles and started preparing it right in front of Zhuang Yiyun.
Zhuang Yiyun left the kitchen helplessly, walked to the door, then turned back and earnestly reminded, “Your digestive system is still weak. Eating too much at once won’t be good for you. If you really want to eat, make sure to eat small, frequent meals.”
Yan Yan: “…”
Great, he got a taste of his own medicine. The destructive power of straight steel man-style attacks always exceeded his imagination. Who could eat a whole pound of noodles for breakfast? At least it would take an athlete at the national level.
Yan Yan pretended not to hear and remained silent. It wasn’t until Zhuang Yiyun left for work that he finally started cooking the noodles. How could he cook with Zhuang Yiyun around? If he cooked too much, he’d seem like a glutton. If he cooked too little, he’d come off as obedient.
The dog man’s counterattack was lethal…
Zhuang Yiyun, who didn’t have any plans of a counterattack and didn’t eat breakfast made by Yan Yan, was still in a good mood when he arrived at the office.
Not long after starting work, Ke Mingcheng came to his office. He had finally caught someone’s handle and wanted to watch the excitement. He entered and asked, “Is Yan Yan okay now?”
Zhuang Yiyun subconsciously frowned when he asked about Yan Yan. He looked at his old classmate warily, and replied in a flat tone, “He’s fine now.”
“Alright, that’s good. Old Zhuang, are you in a good mood today?”
“What’s the matter?” Zhuang Yiyun’s tone became cold again.
“Why is your attitude like this? I simply didn’t report your husband’s situation on the spot, and you’re going to sentence me to prison?”
“Nonsense.”
“So he’s not your husband?”
Ke Mingcheng’s gaze fell on the scratch on Zhuang Yiyun’s face. Just as Yan Yan had guessed, Ke Mingcheng’s initial reaction was that Yan Yan had scratched him.
Ke Mingcheng thought: ‘It seems like there’s progress; any intimate contact could potentially be the seed of love, especially if he got scratched by a little wildcat.’
“He and I…”
Ke Mingcheng stared at Zhuang Yiyun and waited. The latter struggled for awhile but failed to speak.
Ke Mingcheng waved his hand, “Alright, alright, don’t make it difficult for yourself. Speaking of which, what’s the good news today?”
“Today is the Little New Year.”
“Are you kidding me? When have you ever celebrated the Little New Year? I’ve never even seen you celebrate the Lunar New Year.”
“We’re going to Yan Yan’s house for dinner tonight.”
Ke Mingcheng suddenly seemed to understand why Zhuang Yiyun was dressed this way today. When visiting the in-laws, one should put on their best display. With Zhuang Yiyun dressed like this, could he still deny that he cared about Yan Yan? There was no need for further thought; anyone could smell it from a mile away.
“Did you prepare a gift then?”
“Yan Yan said there’s no need.”
“He said no need, so you didn’t prepare? You’re quite generous.”
Ke Mingcheng had come to eat melons but paid a huge price. At 4 o’clock in the afternoon, he moved all the gifts he had been sent to buy from his office and car trunk and placed them in Zhuang Yiyun’s car. Then he patted Zhuang Yiyun’s shoulder with an earnest tone, “Hurry up and get off work. Show more enthusiasm towards your elders. If you can’t speak, learn from an old classmate like me.”
Zhuang Yiyun assessed him with a glance but didn’t say anything. However, when he reached downstairs, he felt nervous when he thought about the pile of gifts in the car trunk. He had been there before, so what was wrong today?
The author has something to say:
Vice President Ke: What’s going on? How could you not be nervous when meeting your mother-in-law? Right, Yan Yan?
Yan Yan: Huh? What did you say? I’m not nervous; I’m just irritated. Gege is playing mind games with me.
