After finishing the accounts, Chi Yu came out. Jiang Mo had already composed himself, lowering his head with a hat to conceal his emotions. He didn’t need to worry about Chi Yu discovering his little secret.
“Brother, Brother said Mom and Dad are cooking, we can go back and eat,” Jiang Mo said.
Chi Yu’s hand was itching, wanting to touch the drooping head in front of him. He could endure it before he touched Jiang Mo, always keeping in mind the words “stop at a certain point” in the billiard room. But now, he could barely hold back. It was reaching the limit.
If the other party had already confirmed their feelings, could he confess directly?
Why did he have to endure these twenty-plus days for no reason?
After leaving the billiard room, Chi Yu noticed the change in Jiang Mo. Previously, Jiang Mo would make an effort to find topics to talk to him about, but now he seemed to want nothing more than to bury his head in the hoodie. Several times, he almost bumped into people nearby.
Just as they were about to collide with someone again, Chi Yu grabbed Jiang Mo’s arm. Jiang Mo was startled and looked at Chi Yu in confusion.
Half of Chi Yu’s face was covered by a mask, but his eyes and brows revealed a smile. “Finally willing to look at me?”
Thump, thump.
His liking had transformed, and his heartbeat was faster than any previous eye contact.
Jiang Mo averted his gaze, feeling guilty. “I-I have been looking at you.”
“Oh, so you were secretly observing me?” Chi Yu breathed a sigh of relief, happy. “I thought you were intentionally avoiding me.”
Jiang Mo: “…” No, you misunderstood me.
Chi Yu bent down, bringing his face close to Jiang Mo’s, and reached up to pull down the mask, saying with a smile, “You don’t have to sneak a peek at me. If you want to see, I can show you anytime.”
He could actually make Chi Yu bend down to talk to him. This was the highest level of treatment, right?
Jiang Mo’s cheeks quickly turned red. Chi Yu’s gaze was too piercing, as if he could see through the little secrets in his heart. Jiang Mo nervously raised his hand and pushed down Chi Yu’s baseball cap. With Chi Yu’s eyes blocked, the nervousness dissipated by half.
Chi Yu’s face was exactly what he considered his ideal, and seeing it up close was overwhelming.
Chi Yu: “…”
[“One second I had a wide smile, the next second I burst out laughing. Jiang, the Atmosphere Terminator, Mo!”]
[“Baby, this is not how you go about dating! I’m getting anxious. Isn’t Chi the Old Pervert’s hint obvious enough?”]
[“Hahaha, don’t you think they’re adorable? If Chi Yu got that close to me, I would definitely run faster than Jiang Mo. It’s amazing that Jiang Mo can hold back.”]
Chi Yu wanted to remove the obstructing baseball cap, but Jiang Mo used all his strength, almost gluing it to Chi Yu’s scalp. Jiang Mo laughed and cried, “Jiang Mo, what are you doing?”
Jiang Mo looked around, glanced at the camera not too far away from them, and whispered to Chi Yu’s ear, “C-Can you stop talking like that?”
The warm breath from Jiang Mo’s words brushed against his ear, and the baseball cap didn’t completely cover Chi Yu’s eyes. Through the gap at the bottom, he could see Jiang Mo’s reddened earlobe.
Chi Yu swallowed and asked, “Why?”
Jiang Mo reminded him, “Your words… they sound too good. Be careful not to get the audience too immersed.”
He also tended to get too immersed.
Did Jiang Mo think that everything he said and did was just an act in front of the camera?
Feeling Jiang Mo’s unease, not wanting to push him too hard in front of the camera, Chi Yu reluctantly straightened his posture and put the baseball cap back on.
Jiang Mo hung his head, his ears turning red.
Chi Yu pointed to the tea shop across the street, changing the subject. “Do you want to have some milk tea? We can buy some to take home, alright?”
His parents, Mr. and Mrs. Lu, were busy with the morning and lunch business. The noodle shop didn’t open in the evenings, and they had nothing to do at home. After coming back in the afternoon, they would sleep until midnight.
It was said that Chi Yu was coming over, so they took a short nap and got up before mealtime.
Lu Yu knew how to cook, but when they got busy with their business, they often had to rely on takeout. They rarely cooked at home.
Jiang Mo returned home with Chi Yu, and the rare aroma of cooked food greeted them.
“Oh, you’re back.” The dining table was filled with dishes, and Mrs. Lu came out with steamed fish. The tiredness from the past couple of days had faded a bit from her face as she glanced past Jiang Mo and looked at Chi Yu, who had walked in.
“Hello, Auntie. I’m Chi Yu,” Chi Yu smiled faintly.
Mrs. Lu froze. Lu Yu had mentioned that Chi Yu would come over, but she had thought he was just a friend of their child coming to visit. Seeing the handsome young man walking out of the screen, Mrs. Lu was left speechless, captivated by his stunning appearance, just like Lu Yu.
Xiao Yu was right. Chi Yu was too handsome.
“Chi Chi Chi…”
“Auntie, you can call me Xiao Chi.” Chi Yu took off his shoes and entered the house, taking the plate from Mrs. Lu’s hand.
“It’s hot…” Mrs. Lu’s reminder came too late, as Chi Yu had already placed the plate on the dining table.
After being apart for nineteen years, Chi Yu, an outsider, could instantly tell that Jiang Mo was the child of the Lu family. Jiang Mo’s personality was inherited from his mother. When Mrs. Lu was nervous, she stuttered, just like Jiang Mo.
“I heard from Mo Mo that you usually go to sleep at this time, and I’ve come here to disturb your rest. I apologize for that.”
“No problem.”
Chi Yu picked up the bag next to the sofa and smiled, “This is a little something from me, for you and Uncle…”
Jiang Mo wasn’t worried at all that Chi Yu would feel awkward. In fact, Chi Yu had great adaptability. He felt more awkward in the living room than anywhere else. Holding the milk tea, he knocked on Lu Yu’s door. Lu Yu had finished his work and was watching a video.
“Brother, your milk tea.” Jiang Mo placed Lu Yu’s portion of milk tea on his desk, glanced at the screen, and his expression instantly froze.
The video playing on the computer screen was their love variety show.
“Why… why are you watching this?” Jiang Mo was both shocked and embarrassed, moving the mouse to try to close the video.
Lu Yu held his hand, raised his head, and smiled mischievously. “I’ve been too busy the past few days and didn’t have time to pay attention to you. You’ve brought your boyfriend home, so shouldn’t I take this opportunity to get to know him?”
Jiang Mo: “…”
Jiang Mo’s face turned red. “N-No, he’s not my boyfriend!”
Lu Yu rolled his eyes, clearly not believing him. “Who are you trying to fool? If it wasn’t for Ya Ya telling me, you wouldn’t have planned on telling me, right?”
He had mentioned how strange Chi Yu’s eyes and tone were back at the train station.
After they returned, Ya Ya caught him in the warehouse and interrogated him. She asked if he went to pick up Chi Yu, and that’s when he learned about Jiang Mo and Chi Yu.
Jiang Mo: “What?”
“You and Chi Yu are recognized as a couple. It’s just a matter of time before it becomes public,” Lu Yu relaxed in his seat, gently pushing away Jiang Mo’s hand. “You should thank me. Ya Ya has been going crazy over your and Chi Yu’s CP. I’ve been holding her back with all my might so she wouldn’t come up.”
Jiang Mo: “…”
Ya Ya was Lu Yu’s employee. Jiang Mo had seen her twice before, and she was usually a very talkative and gentle older sister. But when it came to shipping and work, she could go crazy, which was quite scary. He had only heard about it from Lu Yu and hadn’t witnessed it himself.
Lu Yu pressed the pause button, freezing the frame at the moment when Chi Yu hugged him from behind. It was in the game room when Chi Yu said he was scared, and Lu Yu agreed to let Chi Yu hold him. Jiang Mo hadn’t seen this particular clip before, and seeing his own tomato-red face on the screen, he wanted to hide in a place where no one could find him.
If possible, he wanted everyone who had seen it to forget about that scene.
How could he be so embarrassed?
“Don’t… don’t watch it.” Jiang Mo grabbed Lu Yu’s hand. “There’s nothing interesting.”
Lu Yu chuckled, not interested in who was dating whom. If it weren’t for Jiang Mo being his younger brother, he wouldn’t have spent so much time watching this cheesy show. He had actually planned to close the video before Jiang Mo came in. But hearing Jiang Mo’s words, he didn’t want to close it anymore.
Shrugging, Lu Yu said, “I also think there’s nothing interesting, but as your older brother, I still need to assess your boyfriend. You’re so naive, what if someone deceives you?”
Jiang Mo became anxious and blurted out, “You didn’t assess me when I was outside. Why do you have to assess me on a video? There’s something wrong with you!”
Laughter sounded outside the door, laughter that was all too familiar.
Jiang Mo stiffly turned his head and saw Chi Yu standing at the door, looking innocent. “Auntie said we can start eating.”
Jiang Mo: “…”
Lu Yu raised an eyebrow and burst out laughing. “Oh~ got it, I’ll listen to you.”
Jiang Mo: “…”
The family rarely sat together to have a meal. At the dining table, Jiang Mo remained as silent as usual, but this time, he was even quieter.
Fans often said that Chi Yu had a cold and distant personality and didn’t like to talk to strangers. Jiang Mo felt the same way.
However, the Chi Yu in front of him broke his previous perception. Jiang Mo didn’t know what method Chi Yu used, but in the ten or so minutes Chi Yu spent in Lu Yu’s room, he managed to build a good relationship with Lu’s parents. Even Mr. Lu, who usually had a serious expression, looked kindly at him.
It was impressive.
Jiang Mo silently ate his meal, and a small piece of crispy meat appeared in his bowl. He looked up, and Chi Yu smiled gently, saying, “Don’t just focus on eating rice.”
Something was off about Chi Yu. Normally, when Chi Yu spoke to him, his tone was very gentle, but now it was overly gentle, giving him goosebumps.
Mrs. Lu smiled and picked up a bite of food for Chi Yu. “Xiao Chi, you should eat more too. This is your uncle’s specialty dish…”
Looking at his parents’ expressions, Jiang Mo had a head full of question marks.
Lu’s parents looked at Chi Yu with the eyes of in-laws looking at their son-in-law.
Did Lu Yu not mention his relationship with Chi Yu to his parents?
Did they also think he brought his boyfriend home?!
Late at night, Lu Xuan followed Mrs. Jiang out of the banquet hall.
In the car on the way back, Mrs. Jiangr lost the smiling face she had at the banquet.
Her face, adorned with exquisite makeup, was reflected in the car window. Lu Xuan saw the woman’s expression on the window, with furrows on her brow and her previously vibrant complexion now appearing gloomy.
Upon returning home this time, Lu Xuan felt that the atmosphere had become heavy. His mother wasn’t as enthusiastic as she usually was when welcoming him back.
As soon as he arrived, his mother took him to attend a banquet hosted by a CEO of a listed group. He stood foolishly with a smiling face among a group of unfamiliar elders. The two-hour banquet exhausted him, and he still had to face the upcoming storm.
“Such a good opportunity, and you couldn’t seize it?”
“How did you lose to Jiang Mo, that useless guy?”
“I was so embarrassed at the banquet that I didn’t even dare to look up…”
Lu Xuan walked slowly into the house, and his mother dismissed the servants just as he had anticipated, bombarding him with a series of questioning.
The woman was wearing an expensive high-end gown, but in the moment she spoke, she tore apart her graceful demeanor.
Lu Xuan’s voice was strained. “I didn’t lose to him.”
He lost to Chi Yu.
Mrs. Jiang Mo frowned. “Didn’t you confidently say that you would soon catch Chi Yu? How did Jiang Mo manage to steal a march on you? And what’s the matter with Lou An?”
Lu Xuan found it difficult to speak. If he told his mother about the things Chi Yu said to him in private, would she be even angrier? Would she think he was even more useless?
Lu Xuan clenched his hands tightly, causing his knuckles to turn white.
Jiang Mo… he didn’t lose to Jiang Mo.
“I thought about it, and I don’t have to rely on Chi Yu to succeed. Lou An is not much different from Chi Yu.” Lu Xuan said.
Mrs. Jiang scoffed. “Are you joking with me? How can Lou An compare to Chi Yu? Whether it’s status or family background, Chi Yu is far superior to Lou An.”
Mrs. Jiang was getting even more frustrated. She originally thought Lu Xuan was smart, but he turned out to be more foolish than Jiang Mo.
“Even without relying on anyone, I can establish a firm footing in the industry.” Lu Xuan said earnestly.
“You’re too naive,” Mrs. Jiang sneered.
She rubbed her temples, which were throbbing with pain, her eyes filled with shadow. “Do you think every circle is easy to navigate? It’s true that you’ve achieved something remarkable by making it to the second-tier without any connections or background, but what about the future? Without a network and without a background, what skills do you have to compete for resources with others? You can only stay in your second-tier position, forever inferior to others.”
Mrs. Jiang’s words were not only directed at Lu Xuan but also seemed like a self-mockery.
Lu Xuan was puzzled. “I still have the Jiang family, and I have you, Mother.”
The Jiang family was so wealthy that he didn’t need to worry about resources.
Mrs. Jiang’s face showed a momentary unnatural expression, and she said coldly, “I thought you were different from Jiang Mo, that useless guy. I thought you were smarter and more diligent than him, that you wouldn’t need the family to worry about you. I don’t want you to become another Jiang Mo.”
Lu Xuan’s heart tightened. Did his mother mean that the family wouldn’t provide him with any help?
Wasn’t he a member of the Jiang family? Wasn’t he his mother’s biological child? He came back, shouldn’t his mother do everything to compensate for him?
Mrs. Jiang walked up to Lu Xuan, raised her hand, and touched his face. Her voice was not as severe as before. “I’m sorry, Mom is a bit tired, and my tone was inevitably harsh. Don’t take it to heart, don’t be angry with Mom, okay?”
Lu Xuan’s pale face softened a little.
Mrs. Jiang said, “Your name change process has been completed, and I have discussed it with your agent. In a few days, she will inform your fans. From now on, you will be called Jiang Xuan.”
The same name, a different surname.
Lu Xuan finally showed his first genuine smile since returning home.
After the official announcement, he wouldn’t be Lu Xuan anymore. He would be Jiang Xuan, the young master of the prestigious Jiang family. No longer squeezed into a dilapidated apartment or confined to a narrow room like Lu Xuan.
He had finally escaped that shabby environment and stepped into the place he had longed for.
Since childhood, he had always felt different from the people in the Lu family.
He hated Lu Yu, who called himself the eldest brother, always imposing his control on him, shouting and screaming over trivial matters.
He disliked the stern face of Mr. Lu; he couldn’t feel any affection from him.
He detested the pungent smell on Mrs. Lu. Every time she attended a parent-teacher meeting for him, he would endure the mockery of his classmates.
“Your mom is so tacky.”
“My mom said your mom smells so bad. Doesn’t she take a shower?”
The elegant and glamorous woman in front of him was his real mother, not the woman with messy hair, dirt on her face, and the smell of onions and garlic.
“Is Jiang Mo really with Chi Yu?” The atmosphere eased, and Mrs. Jiang asked again.
“Chi Yu just pities Jiang Mo and helps him everywhere…” Lu Xuan lacked confidence.
He said it with his mouth, but deep down, he already had an answer.
Chi Yu’s attitude was so obvious; Chi Yu was serious.
But he didn’t want to admit it. Admitting it meant that he lost to Jiang Mo.
Although Mrs. Jiang didn’t say it, he could sense it. Mrs. Jiang was a strong-willed person, and Jiang Mo had been by her side for 19 years. In a way, they were both mother and son.
As her biological son, he couldn’t lose to Jiang Mo.
Mrs. Jiang breathed a sigh of relief. It was good that it wasn’t true. After driving Jiang Mo away, she thought Jiang Mo would rot in a corner.
Unexpectedly, that little waste quickly got together with Chi Yu. If she had known it would turn out like this, she wouldn’t have driven Jiang Mo away. She could have used Jiang Mo to establish a relationship with the Chi family.
Before Lu Xuan came back, she was extremely anxious. But when she heard what Lu Xuan said, she finally felt relieved.
Mrs. Jiang straightened Lu Xuan’s disheveled tie, her gentle tone carrying a sense of authority, and advised, “Don’t foolishly mix with Lou An anymore, and don’t continue being naive. Chi Yu is the best choice. Jiang Mo pitiful? Aren’t you pitiful after wandering outside for so many years?”
The weather was cold. After a simple wash, Chi Yu was the last one to use the bathroom. The lights in the living room had long been turned off, and Lu’s parents and Lu Yu were already asleep. Jiang Mo’s room still had the lights on, the door half-opened, as if deliberately left for him.
The soundproofing of the house was poor. Chi Yu treaded lightly and returned to Jiang Mo’s room. Jiang Mo was already in bed.
There were two blankets on the king-size bed, and Jiang Mo sat on the inner side. The light yellow blanket wrapped him like a zongzi1.
He lifted his head when he heard the door closing, and his wet, messy hair stuck to his cheek, his eyelashes quivered, resembling a startled little deer.
Chi Yu: “Are you going to sleep?”
“I… I was waiting for you.” Jiang Mo nervously held his phone, countless messages from his friends flooding the lit screen. But he had long lost the mood to pay attention.
This sentence in this scene was very ambiguous, and Chi Yu knew that Jiang Mo spoke unintentionally.
With a simple phrase, it gently landed in his heart.
Why is he so obedient?
“Shall I turn off the light?” Chi Yu’s finger rested on the power switch.
“Okay.”
With a ‘click,’ the room plunged into darkness. Not complete darkness, though. With the light pouring in from the opposite side, Chi Yu could see all of Jiang Mo’s movements.
Jiang Mo lay down, quietly pressing himself against the inner wall.
A smile curved on Chi Yu’s lips as he imagined that if he was together with Jiang Mo, he wouldn’t give Jiang Mo a chance to do this anymore. He would dig Jiang Mo out of the blanket and lock him in his embrace.
If Jiang Mo liked to cuddle, he would let him cuddle as much as he wanted in his embrace.
The mattress beside him sank, and Jiang Mo immediately grew quiet. He closed his eyes, and his other senses became more acute.
In the silence, Chi Yu’s steady breathing filled the room. Amidst the cold and sharp scent of cedarwood, another fragrance abruptly intruded, the refreshing smell of grapefruit, the scent of his favorite shower gel.
Their scents blended together.
Jiang Mo slowly raised his hand and touched his own face. It was burning hot.
Luckily, the lights were off, and Chi Yu couldn’t see.
“Chi Yu.”
Jiang Mo softly called out this name. At first, it felt unfamiliar, but gradually he grew accustomed to it. However, every time afterward felt just like the first time, cautious and careful.
“What’s wrong?”
Chi Yu couldn’t sleep; he lay flat, listening to Jiang Mo’s breath.
He didn’t expect Jiang Mo to suddenly call out to him.
Jiang Mo: “S-sorry, my brother misunderstood.”
“Misunderstood what?”
Jiang Mo: “H-he thought we were… in a relationship.”
Darkness can hide everything, and it allowed Chi Yu to let out a carefree smile. His tone was calm when he spoke, “Are you saying that your brother misunderstood that I am your boyfriend?”
Jiang Mo: “…”
Chi Yu: “He didn’t misunderstand. We are in a relationship.”
Jiang Mo: “…”
Chi Yu turned over, facing Jiang Mo, daringly peeking at him in the darkness.
“We even managed to hide it from your brother. We can definitely hide it from others.”
Jiang Mo’s heart almost jumped to his throat, then settled back down because of Chi Yu’s words.
So that’s what it meant.
“W-We’re really amazing,” Jiang Mo sighed.
Chi Yu chuckled softly, “Yes, we are.”
But you’re the most amazing one, clueless no matter how much I hint.
“My brother told my parents about you. They misunderstood, just like my brother. Don’t worry, I’ll explain it to them in the future.”
Chi Yu: “It’s okay, I don’t mind at all.”
“And, um,” Jiang Mo faced the wall, as if doing so would give him the courage to speak to Chi Yu, “Can I make a request?”
“What?” Chi Yu raised his hand, using his finger to trace Jiang Mo’s outline.
“When we’re in public, what you said to me at the mall… Can you, um, not speak to me like that anymore?” Jiang Mo said.
Chi Yu’s fingertip paused, and the smile disappeared. “Did I make you angry?”
“No, it’s just… the way you speak, I can’t handle it.”
Chi Yu: “Hmm?”
Jiang Mo: “You… Did you hear me?”
Chi Yu: “Hmm.”
Jiang Mo: “Let’s… let’s go to sleep, I’m tired.”
Chi Yu: “Goodnight.”
“Goodnight.”
Jiang Mo’s Adam’s apple bobbed in the darkness. Chi Yu’s raised hand finally grew tired, and his large palm slowly reached toward Jiang Mo, his fingertips touching Jiang Mo’s hair.
Jiang Mo didn’t resist nor was he startled by Chi Yu’s sudden action; he was already asleep.
Chi Yu took a deep breath, withdrew his hand, and covered his eyes with his arm, a self-deprecating smile curling his lips.
Going crazy.
He shouldn’t have acted like a gentleman. No matter how well-dressed he appeared, he was still a wild beast.
Chi Yu didn’t know how long he stayed awake in the pitch-black night. The buildings across had turned off their lights, making the room even darker than before. The mattress beside him shifted, and warm breath washed over him as a furry head rolled onto his shoulder.
Chi Yu opened his eyes and lowered his head to see the creature that grew on his shoulder.
When assigning beds, Jiang Mo had timidly mentioned that he didn’t sleep well and was afraid of falling off the bed at night, so he chose the inner position.
Jiang Mo wasn’t lying; his sleeping position was indeed poor.
It wasn’t him who was excessive, but Jiang Mo was the one who went too far first.
Chi Yu lifted his unburdened hand and pinched Jiang Mo’s cheek.
Jiang Mo felt someone messing with him but wasn’t awakened by it. In his dream, he pursed his lips and instinctively sought warmth, nuzzling into Chi Yu’s embrace.
Chi Yu’s fingertip landed on Jiang Mo’s fleeting dimple, gently pressing it.
He turned over, hugged Jiang Mo through the blanket, and planted a kiss on Jiang Mo’s forehead using the back of his hand.
“Goodnight, future boyfriend.”
Note :
- Sticky rice dumpling ↩︎
Might be a little strange, but I feel a bit of pity for Lu Xuan. He’s a schemer and a climber, but he doesn’t know what he’s in for in the Jiang family. He’s got this fantasy of what his life is like, he’s arrogant and proud of having wealthy parents, but he’s also ignorant that they’re actually vampires in disguise. I don’t think he actually realizes just how stingy they are with their child’s pocket money or how exploitative they are, so he can only walk into their trap unguarded. He’s also 19 and has time to change. He’s blinded by the glitz and the glam from Jiang Mo’s previous time as a rich celeb and his idea that he can do better and go further and that he deserved all those resources. In the future, all he hates about the Lu family may become that which he misses.
By how he talked abt the poor parents who raised him, how disgusted he was with them I don’t feel any pity for him at all. I hope he lives a miserable life within the Jiang family. It’s what he deserves.