Lu Yu parked the car downstairs and didn’t follow the two of them upstairs.
He needed to go to the warehouse immediately to organize the goods. Business had been good recently, and he had specially made time to pick up Jiang Mo.
“Mom and Dad are probably asleep by now. Be quiet when you open the door,” Lu Yu glanced at the time, took out a few hundred yuan from his pocket, and handed it to Jiang Mo.
He whispered, “If you can’t stay upstairs, you can take Chi Yingdi around nearby. Buy some delicious food and don’t keep them waiting.”
Jiang Mo: “…”
Jiang Mo: “I-I got it.”
This whole setup from Lu Yu was probably learned from Mrs. Lu.
The original owner had been in the entertainment industry for so many years. Even if they were poor, they still had basic living expenses.
Lu Yu and Mrs. Lu seemed to have forgotten about this and always treated him like a child.
It was the first time Jiang Mo had received money from Mrs. Lu, and he felt extremely uncomfortable.
But now, when Lu Yu handed him money, he didn’t feel any psychological burden and accepted it gladly.
When Jiang Mo was still in school, he envied his peers who would always receive money and snacks from their parents whenever they went out. Their parents would worry about them and give them instructions. Meanwhile, he could only stand by and wait for them to return from their parents’ side.
What Lu Yu and Mrs. Lu were doing was also a way of showing concern for him.
After Lu Yu left, Jiang Mo neatly stacked the scattered money. He treated it like a precious treasure and carefully put it into his backpack.
Chi Yu couldn’t help but laugh and silently said to himself, “A little money lover.”
Jiang Mo’s face flushed, he secured his backpack and pointed to the alley entrance, saying, “Let’s go upstairs.”
“Okay.”
Lu’s parents had been busy since early morning and rarely had time to rest, so Chi Yu didn’t let the cameramen follow them.
“You must be tired too. Go and have a meal. I’ll reimburse you through my assistant,” Chi Yu said to the two cameramen.
The two cameramen looked at each other, hesitant to make a decision.
Chi Yu smiled and said, “Everyone needs rest. Don’t overwork yourselves. I’ll contact you when Jiang Mo and I go out.”
Saying so, the two cameramen nodded in agreement.
While Chi Yu was talking to the cameramen, Jiang Mo stood by and watched in a daze. Chi Yu’s words were tactful, but he understood their meaning.
He hadn’t even thought about this, but Chi Yu had actually considered it.
Chi Yu was really kind.
What Jiang Mo didn’t know was that Chi Yu had a reason for doing so. One was not to disturb Lu’s parents’ rest, and the other was a more important reason—
He didn’t want Jiang Mo’s current life to be exposed.
Although the controversies surrounding Jiang Mo had reduced, there were still people who would use his background as a topic for hype.
If he was driven out by a wealthy family, many people would love to expose Jiang Mo’s current situation for a wave of popularity.
They wouldn’t care about Jiang Mo’s feelings and wouldn’t have the rationality to think whether Jiang Mo cared about the changes in his living environment.
Those people would only feel that Jiang Mo was unwilling and would use all sorts of derogatory words and descriptions to imagine how miserable Jiang Mo’s life must be.
…
“This step is loose. Be careful not to trip,” Jiang Mo hadn’t been here for long, but he had gone up and down the stairs several times and was familiar with the pitfalls.
Chi Yu asked, “Have you tripped before?”
Jiang Mo: “…”
He didn’t say anything. How did Chi Yu know? Chi Yu was too clever.
Jiang Mo: “I-It almost happened, but I quickly grabbed the handrail and didn’t fall.”
Chi Yu glanced at the stairs, furrowing his brows slightly. “Shouldn’t it be repaired?”
What if Jiang Mo had really fallen?
“No, it’s not necessary. The residents here know that this place is not safe to walk. When I arrived, I wasn’t familiar with it, and it was nighttime. If it were daytime, I would have noticed,” Jiang Mo raised his hand and pointed to a small wooden board under the handrail. “Look, it’s written here.”
Jiang Mo said so, but Chi Yu was still concerned. He was thinking about something else.
Jiang Mo said he had just arrived…
The change in his status was like night and day. He was ruthlessly driven out of his home by the Jiang family and suddenly came to a strange environment, facing unfamiliar relatives. How did Jiang Mo get through it?
Chi Yu’s steps didn’t stop. As he passed the corner, he looked down at the place with a sign hanging.
Jiang Mo quickly grabbed the handrail. What would have happened if he hadn’t?
It was hard for him to imagine how Jiang Mo had overcome these difficulties.
Even if Jiang Mo’s background hadn’t been exposed, he would still be living in the Jiang family. But judging by the attitude of that woman in the Jiang family towards Jiang Mo, he probably wasn’t having an easy time.
If it were him, he would find it difficult to be as strong and optimistic as Jiang Mo.
Jiang Mo suddenly stopped, turned around, and startled Chi Yu, who was lost in thought.
“What’s wrong?” Chi Yu chuckled.
Why was he being so rash?
“There’s, there’s something I want to explain to you,” Jiang Mo, two steps higher than Chi Yu, their eyes level, his expression not quite natural.
Chi Yu: “What is it?”
Jiang Mo: “Earlier, when my brother gave me money, did you laugh at me?”
Chi Yu suppressed his laughter and lied, “No.”
Jiang Mo didn’t believe Chi Yu’s words. He had seen Chi Yu laughing earlier.
He stammered as he explained, “W-When I received pocket money from my mom for the first time, I didn’t dare to accept it. I wanted to give it back, but my mom didn’t take it. Then I realized that they don’t know how to interact with me either. It’s their way of expressing concern.”
Chi Yu’s gaze softened, and he softly responded with an “Mm” to Jiang Mo.
Jiang Mo blushed, “I’m only 19 years old. It’s normal for parents to give some pocket money. Did I do something strange when I accepted the money? I-I didn’t hide the money on purpose, nor did I mean to be reluctant to spend money on you.”
He just wanted to treasure the things his brother and mother gave him.
Chi Yu tilted his head back, looking at Jiang Mo in a teasing manner, “Are you saying that you wanted to spend your own money on me?”
Jiang Mo found Chi Yu’s words a bit strange, but the meaning was similar.
He nodded, “Yes, definitely.”
Chi Yu laughed, “Alright, I’ll be waiting for you to spend money on me.”
Jiang Mo: “…” Chi Yu’s response became even stranger.
Jiang Mo remembered his brother’s instructions and opened and closed the door very carefully. Once Chi Yu entered, Jiang Mo pressed him down onto a chair and went to fetch something from another room.
Lu Yu wasn’t wrong. The Lu family’s home was indeed very small. Half of the bedroom space was occupied by a large bed, leaving only enough room for a wardrobe and a desk. The remaining space didn’t allow for walking around freely.
Chi Yu wasn’t interested in Jiang Mo’s bedroom at all. Strictly speaking, the place where Jiang Mo currently lived was where Lu Xuan had lived for over a decade. The items in the room had been replaced, but the traces remained.
The only thing that interested him was the laptop on the desk. It was the only thing in this room that had a connection to him.
Jiang Mo used this laptop to play games with him while sitting here.
The laptop had a protective film on it, and Chi Yu’s fingers lightly brushed over the white cat on the protective film.
Jiang Mo came back with two cups, and Chi Yu withdrew his hand, looking at Jiang Mo.
“There’s only juice in the fridge, is that okay?”
Chi Yu: “That’s fine.”
There was only one chair in the room, so Chi Yu sat on it while Jiang Mo could only sit on the edge of the bed.
The two of them quietly drank their juice, and no one spoke for a while.
Jiang Mo felt uncomfortable all over, and the soft mattress beneath him became uncomfortable.
Just the thought of Chi Yu lying on this bed tonight made him want to take an axe and split the bed in half so that he wouldn’t have to share a bed with Chi Yu.
“Do you want to use the computer?” Jiang Mo asked. It was too awkward to just sit there, and after thinking for a long time, that was the only sentence he came up with.
Chi Yu countered, “If I use the computer, what about you?”
Jiang Mo: “I’ll watch you.”
Chi Yu glanced at the sunny weather outside the window. The climate in City A was warmer than in City Z. It was 2 o’clock in the afternoon, and the sun was shining brightly outside. It was a rare good weather.
Chi Yu: “Are you tired?”
Jiang Mo shook his head. After sitting on the train for so long and taking a nap, how could he be tired?
“Well then,” Chi Yu said, “let’s go on a date.”
Jiang Mo: “…”
“What’s wrong?” Chi Yu assessed Jiang Mo’s expression and asked, “Didn’t you say you wanted to spend money on me? Regretting it?”
Jiang Mo shook his head, “No.”
Chi Yu chuckled lightly, “Then that means you agreed.”
Jiang Mo touched his burning ears, suspecting that Chi Yu was doing it on purpose, intentionally calling going out as a date to embarrass him.
As a resident of City A, Jiang Mo was not familiar with all the places in the city. He had never been to this area where the Lu family lived. After moving here, apart from his parents’ noodle shop, he hadn’t been anywhere else.
Saying that they were going out to play, but in reality, it was Chi Yu who was taking him out.
Chi Yu had been here a few times, so he was more familiar than Jiang Mo. He asked Jiang Mo where he wanted to go, but when he saw Jiang Mo’s puzzled expression, he didn’t inquire further. He would only ask if Jiang Mo was willing before making a decision. In the end, the two of them chose to go to a nearby shopping mall for a stroll.
After watching several episodes of a romantic drama in the past few days, Jiang Mo had gained some popularity. This time, he wore a mask and a hat, just like Chi Yu.
The hidden camera he received from Chi Yu was in his hand, filming them from behind.
The newly built shopping mall was similar to others in many ways. Once you’ve been to one, you’re not particularly interested in the others.
The two of them played in the arcade for a while and then walked around the food court on the upper floor.
Chi Yu didn’t interrupt Jiang Mo’s enthusiasm for paying.
Every time it was time to pay, Jiang Mo’s nerves tightened.
He opened the payment code on his phone in advance, afraid that Chi Yu would snatch the chance away.
Chi Yu found it amusing and thought Jiang Mo was cute.
Chi Yu, like Jiang Mo, wasn’t particularly interested in shopping. The arcade and snack street that attracted Jiang Mo also failed to pique Chi Yu’s interest.
“Do you want to play this?” Passing by a billiards room, Chi Yu pointed to the sign at the entrance and asked Jiang Mo for his opinion.
Jiang Mo: “Sure, but I’ve never played this before.”
Chi Yu immediately became interested, “I’ll teach you.”
…
Chi Yu briefly explained the rules of Chinese billiards to Jiang Mo. The rules were easy to remember, and Jiang Mo understood them immediately. However, when it came to actual gameplay, it became challenging.
Chi Yu specifically rented a private room, free from distractions, and they discarded their masks and hats.
Jiang Mo held the cue stick, and Chi Yu asked him to break. Half of Jiang Mo’s body leaned on the billiards table. Except for his injured hand, he didn’t shake when playing games. The seemingly simple game of billiards was not actually simple.
Jiang Mo took a long time to aim at the target. His hand trembled slightly, and he knew the moment he hit the cue ball that it was a bad shot.
The angle was off, and several balls from the pyramid were scattered, while a few remained clustered together—a failed break shot.
Jiang Mo sighed softly and rubbed his palm.
“Does your hand hurt?” Chi Yu asked with concern.
Jiang Mo: “No, it’s just that it’s my first time playing this, and I feel like I can’t control it well.”
“It’s normal for the first time,” Chi Yu put down his own cue stick and walked to Jiang Mo’s side. Without warning, he pressed down on Jiang Mo’s shoulder, pushing his body downward.
Jiang Mo: “!”
Being suddenly pressed down like that, Jiang Mo was startled and trembled violently.
Exposing his back to someone was a very insecure feeling. Just like the previous hug, Jiang Mo wasn’t worried at all about what Chi Yu would do to him. He knew Chi Yu would maintain boundaries and not do anything inappropriate.
There was some distance between them, with Chi Yu’s chest pressing against him. His arm stretched out, and his slender fingers held Jiang Mo’s wrist, pressing his hand onto the billiards table.
The green billiards table contrasted with their fair hands. Chi Yu spoke by Jiang Mo’s ear, but Jiang Mo couldn’t hear what he was saying, as if he had become deaf.
The wrist held by Chi Yu felt scorching hot. Was it Chi Yu’s temperature or his own?
“You made a mistake with your hand position just now. The correct gesture should be like this.” Chi Yu patiently instructed, his eyelashes lowered. After positioning Jiang Mo’s palm, he released his wrist. Feeling Jiang Mo exhale, Chi Yu inwardly mocked Jiang Mo for relaxing too early. His large hand slid over the back of Jiang Mo’s hand, unintentionally brushing against it.
Jiang Mo bit his lower lip, and the place touched by Chi Yu felt like an electric shock, tingling and numb.
He stayed motionless in Chi Yu’s embrace, afraid to move.
Chi Yu’s other hand suddenly covered his waist, causing Jiang Mo to tense up, not daring to resist, burying his head lower.
“Don’t be so nervous. Is this more comfortable?” Chi Yu’s deep voice lingered in Jiang Mo’s ear, causing his breathing to falter, and his ears turned red.
C… comfortable? What is Chi Yu asking?
[“??? What the hell, can I watch this? What are you two doing? (Facepalm)”]
[“I’ve always believed that billiards tutorials are the most suggestive. Ahhh, even though their bodies didn’t touch, why am I already picturing them hugging each other? (Squeals like a groundhog)”]
[“F*ck, your comment is so weird. I’ve involuntarily turned yellow. Are you doing this on purpose, @Chi Yu???”]
[“Damn, this isn’t a billiards table at all. It’s obviously a bed! Ahhh!”]
[“Hehe, your eyes lit up when you heard Jiang Mo couldn’t play billiards. You were waiting for this! @Old Dog Chi @Hooligan Chi”]
“You should choose a posture that makes you comfortable. The ball can sense the player’s mood. If you feel uncomfortable, the shots will be bad.” Chi Yu’s tone suddenly became serious, and he released the hand supporting Jiang Mo’s waist.
Jiang Mo let out a breath, but before he could fully exhale, Chi Yu grabbed his right hand. He was enveloped by Chi Yu, their hands overlapping, and he almost dropped the cue stick from his hand.
Chi Yu’s face was against his face, and their hair intertwined.
Jiang Mo subtly turned his head and stole glances at Chi Yu.
Chi Yu’s expression was serious, like a strict teacher, completely different from his rich inner self.
This was a proper lesson. The billiards table cloth was a refreshing green, but Jiang Mo’s mind was filled with unspeakable thoughts.
He’s done for, he’s turned bad.
The pool cue slid through the tiger’s mouth, and the white ball rolled quickly, pushing a colored ball into the pocket.
“Nice shot.” Chi Yu’s smiling voice entered Jiang Mo’s ears, and he felt a heat rising through his body, making him feel restless.
He… he didn’t want to learn anymore.
The weight on his body finally disappeared, and Chi Yu released Jiang Mo’s hand and straightened his body.
Jiang Mo remained dumbfounded, leaning on the pool table without coming back to his senses.
[“Yi Qiao: Darling, are you still savoring the moment? The ball Chi Yu sank didn’t go into the pocket; it went straight into your heart, right?”]
[“Chi Yu: Please don’t use cheesy lines to represent me.”]
[“I really suspect Chi Yu is teasing the cat!!! He’s teasing Jiang Mo!”]
[“Ah, let go of adorable Jiang Mo and let me take over. I know how to play pool. Let me teach him!”]
His left hand was once again grabbed by a warm large hand, and Jiang Mo stood up straight, looking at Chi Yu with confusion.
Chi Yu lowered his eyes, his brows furrowed, and his fingertip gently brushed against the tiger’s mouth on Jiang Mo’s left hand as he asked, “Does it hurt?”
When Chi Yu had him break, he was too nervous, and the pool cue remained on the tiger’s mouth. Suddenly, the cue stick exerted force, causing the tiger’s mouth to be slightly scraped, resulting in some pain.
When Chi Yu asked, he didn’t feel it was too painful, so he habitually answered that it was nothing.
Chi Yu asked again, and Jiang Mo gave the same answer, “It doesn’t hurt.”
Chi Yu picked up Jiang Mo’s pool cue and carefully inspected it. This pool hall had been open for many years, and the equipment had never been replaced. It was his oversight that Jiang Mo’s pool cue had a few burrs.
Chi Yu applied a bit of pressure with his fingers, pressing down on the skin of Jiang Mo’s tiger’s mouth. Jiang Mo frowned slightly, and Chi Yu held Jiang Mo’s chin, forcing him to lift his head, reproachfully saying, “Little liar.”
Jiang Mo: “…”
Chi Yu’s grip on his chin didn’t exert much force, and Jiang Mo could easily break free.
This was the first time Chi Yu had shown an angry expression toward him, and Jiang Mo was frightened, forgetting to struggle.
Chi Yu: “It clearly hurts, so why did you say it doesn’t?”
Jiang Mo pursed his lips and explained in a low voice, “I… I really didn’t feel it was very painful.”
“It hurts a bit, so you endure it, right?” Chi Yu asked.
Jiang Mo honestly nodded, and as he moved, the tip of his chin kept poking Chi Yu’s palm.
Chi Yu found it a bit ticklish, and his heart suddenly softened.
All his anger dissipated, and unable to resist, he brought his fingertips together, pinching Jiang Mo’s slightly chubby cheek.
So soft.
Jiang Mo: “???”
[“Teacher Chi, how does it feel?”]
[“Ah, who’s gone crazy? Is it me who’s gone crazy, ahhh!”]
[“@Chi Yu, what’s wrong with you? One second you’re angry because he doesn’t listen to you, and the next second you’re like, “Oh well, his face is so nice to touch, can’t resist it.””]
[“Hahaha, isn’t Jiang Mo, who has to endure being pinched like a pufferfish, too adorable?”]
Chi Yu didn’t continue teaching Jiang Mo how to play pool, which suited Jiang Mo just fine. Chi Yu’s teaching was overwhelming for him, and if they were to continue, he would probably faint directly on the pool table.
Chi Yu went out and asked the front desk for a first aid kit. Jiang Mo obediently sat in his place, resembling an elementary school student being seriously reprimanded, waiting for Chi Yu to come back.
He raised his hand and examined his left hand under the light. His hand was indeed fine; Chi Yu had made a big fuss over nothing.
But receiving Chi Yu’s concern made him feel happy.
Chi Yu returned with the first aid kit, and Jiang Mo immediately put his hand down.
“Give me your hand.” Chi Yu squatted in front of Jiang Mo and reached out for his hand.
Jiang Mo blinked and obediently placed his hand in Chi Yu’s palm.
[“Haha, do you think you’re an animal tamer?”]
[“Jiang Mo, don’t be so obedient. Can’t you respond to his tone with anger too?”]
[“Feeling like a domineering boyfriend, has Teacher Chi changed his style?”]
[“Oh, oh, can I adopt a little treasure like Jiang Mo?”]
Chi Yu’s gaze was focused as he used tweezers to remove the thorns stuck in Jiang Mo’s skin. It was only when the thorns were pulled out that Jiang Mo felt the pain.
“It hurts?” Chi Yu raised an eyebrow, looking at Jiang Mo.
Receiving Chi Yu’s gaze, devoid of warmth, Jiang Mo muttered a reluctant “Hmm.”
Chi Yu didn’t say anything and removed all the remaining thorns. He put the tweezers back into the first aid kit, but his sleeve was tugged by a force. He looked up and met Jiang Mo’s somewhat innocent gaze.
“Are you angry?”
He could sense that Chi Yu was angry, or rather, he was angry with him.
Chi Yu’s lips pressed into a straight line. He wasn’t angry at Jiang Mo; he was just frustrated with himself for being unable to make Jiang Mo rely on him.
Seeing Jiang Mo’s rare appeasing appearance, he instinctively softened.
Jiang Mo: “C-Can you not be angry anymore?”
Chi Yu still didn’t say anything.
Jiang Mo: “I-I will tell you from now on.”
Chi Yu sighed, unable to resist, and took out a strawberry candy that had been brought over from the front desk. He tore open the wrapper and softly said, “Open your mouth.”
Jiang Mo, being clever this time, didn’t ask anything and obediently opened his mouth.
The strawberry candy was forcibly stuffed into his mouth, and the sweetness melted on his tongue, gradually spreading. The pain in his hand was offset by this sweetness.
“Remember what you said.” Chi Yu took out a cotton ball soaked in iodine and applied it to the tiger’s mouth1 on Jiang Mo’s hand. “I’m not angry at you, I’m just worried. Your hand is important, and if it gets hurt, I’ll blame myself.”
…
Chi Yu went to the front desk to pay, while Jiang Mo waited for him at the door, with passersby walking in front of him.
Jiang Mo spread his five fingers on his left hand, and the band-aid on the tiger’s mouth showed signs of loosening due to the stretching of his fingers.
Jiang Mo quickly pulled his fingers back, pressed the band-aid, and slowly lifted his hand. Through his mask, he carefully kissed the band-aid.
Chi Yu had told him more than once that his hand was important.
There was nothing strange about that statement. Hands were indeed important. Chi Yu just casually said it, but for Jiang Mo, it held a different meaning.
Ever since his hand started having problems, intense training never ceased. No one had truly cared about him.
Everyone in the team wanted to squeeze out the last bit of value from him. They pressured him from all directions, regardless of whether it hurt or not. They pushed him, encouraged him, and forced him to win the matches.
It was just a prick from a thorn, which didn’t hurt at all for Jiang Mo, who had undergone dozens of hand surgeries.
There was no point in crying out in pain.
A severe hand injury wasn’t an excuse for losing a match. Those who praised you when you won could easily turn around and mock you after losing.
Retire.
Whose fault is it if you can’t protect your own hand?
You’re getting such a high salary, show some results! Which professional player doesn’t have a single flaw? Are you the only fragile one?
Only Chi Yu would care about him.
Jiang Mo’s eyes gradually became moist. He lowered his hat, his eyelashes wet with tears, and his disrupted breathing concealed by the mask.
What should he do? It seemed like he had truly fallen for Chi Yu.
Note :
- “Tiger’s mouth” refers to the area between the thumb and index finger, also known as the anatomical snuffbox ↩︎
FINALLY~!~!
Now kiss
Acho que sinto algo… dor por ter acabado :'(
Bem, obrogado pelo capítulo!