Chapter 23

Tong Yan’s clenched fist slowly releasedunder Zhuo Xiang Ming’s hold, and his soft fingertips pressed against Zhuo XiangMing’s palm: “Then, you now …”

Theteenager’s fair cheeks had turned red, the result of getting angry on Zhuo XiangMing’s behalf.

“I’m not finished explaining. He got angry at me, but actually, I alsowasn’t very kind to him. He tore my notebook, and I pushed down his celebrationcake … My personality at that time wasn’t much better than Zhuo Jia Shuo’s.”Zhuo Xiang Ming smiled and said in a relaxed tone, “And like I said, this happenedmany years ago.”

TongYan wasn’t convinced: “Really?”

He smiled at Tong Yan: “You cried after arguing with your big brotheron Thursday night, but didn’t you feel better less than two hours later?”

TongYan was most afraid of Zhuo Xiang Ming brining up his crying: “That’sbecause I was too angry, got it?”

He turned his head away, thinking it looked natural, but actually, itwas a very stiff way to end the dialogue.

TheZhou family house was getting closer, and the dazed Tong Yan suddenlyremembered: “Brother, is Zhuo Jia Shuo home today?”

“I don’t know.” Zhuo Xiang Ming tapped the steering wheel withhis index finger a few times, “It’s Saturday, so he should be, but I didn’tthink to ask. What’s wrong?”

TongYan said anxiously, “Nothing.”

Hewasn’t sure if it was a secret that Zhuo Jia Shuo was dating Tong Yang, andrecently, he didn’t dare bring it up to Zhuo Xiang Ming. Last time, when he haddinner with Tong Yang, he was too busy quarreling to think about asking.

Moreover,Tong Yan was naturally on Zhuo Xiang Ming’s side. He suddenly heard about the terriblething Zhuo Jia Shuo did in his childhood, and his mood was now mixed, he didn’tknow how he should face him.

Butthis problem didn’t confuse Tong Yan for too long, because Zhuo Jia Shuo openedthe door for them. This time, he was very well-behaved, he didn’t provoke TongYan, just obediently calling out to Zhuo Xiang Ming: “Brother, you’re back.”

“Yeah.”Zhuo Xiang Ming said, “Tong Tong was just asking after you.”

Zhuo Jia Shuo blinked: “Me? Whatever for?”

TongYan changed his shoes and straightened up, “Asking if you’re home or not.”

BehindZhuo Xiang Ming, Zhuo Jia Shuo glanced at him warningly, but Tong Yan wasn’tafraid of him. He ran ahead and sat on the sofa next to Zhuo Xiang Ming.

Lin Yue Hua was busy watching the pot, she called out a greeting to themfrom the kitchen, but didn’t come out.

Afew minutes later, Zhuo Jia Shuo tried to find an excuse to call Tong Yanaside: “Come here, I want to show you something.”

TongYan was alert: “Show me what?”

Zhuo Jia Shuo stood in front of him, hands on his hips: “Won’t youknow if you see it?”

TongYan didn’t humor him: “Tell me first.”

Zhuo Jia Shuo said to Zhuo Xiang Ming, gloomy: “Can I eat him?”

Zhuo Xiang Ming: “You’re a grown adult, don’t always make fun of him.”

Zhuo Jia Shuo reluctantly sat down next to Tong Yan, but Zhuo Xiang Mingwas soon called to the kitchen to taste something by Lin Yue Hua. Tong Yanmoved to follow him, but was forcefully dragged back by Zhuo Jia Shuo: “I’dlike a word with you!”

TongYan pushed his hand off and sat far away: “Fine.”

Zhuo Jia Shuo gritted his teeth and said: “That night… were youat the house?”

TongYan nodded: “You don’t remember? In the middle of the night, you entered the houseand threw yourself at my brother.”

ZhuoJia Shuo’s face stiffened, glaring: “You were seeing things!”

“Ah?”Tong Yan unhurriedly said, “I saw you guys kissing.”

ZhuoJia Shuo’s jaw dropped, after a while, he blushed, stuttering: “I-impossible!”

“Howis it impossible? When you guys went upstairs, weren’t you kissing?” Tong Yanpropped an arm on the sofa, his upper body leaning forward a bit, looking into ZhuoJia Shuo’s eyes as he asked, “Are you guys dating?”

Zhuo Jia Shuo didn’t speak, so Tong Yan continued to ask: “When did itstart? Don’t tell me, did you guys already know each other? Ah! When you got medrunk at the wedding, did you and my brother already…”

Whenall was said and done, Zhuo Jia Shuo was much older than him, he couldn’t remaincornered for too long. He quickly responded: “Pretty good, Tong Yan. Seemsyou’re not just a helpless little rabbit.”

TongYan: “You’re complimenting me for being cute and clever?”

” …” Zhuo Jia Shuo said, “You look good, but that attitude is sonot cute. And this can only be called holding a grudge, clever is out of thequestion.”

“Yeah right.”

TongYan didn’t think much about it before, content that Tong Yang was finallyseriously dating someone, but now, thinking about it some more, it was ratherstrange: “I’m married to your older brother, and now you’re dating my older brother?!”

TongYan’s eyes opened round.

Zhuo Jia Shuo was sitting next to him, cross-legged. He choked, and stubbornlysaid, “Quiet down! And so what? You guys aren’t really marriedanyway.”

TongYan frowned: “What do you mean?”

Zhuo Jia Shuo said in a low voice: “We’re not in a hurry, when youand my brother divorce, we’ll make another deal.”

He asked Tong Yan: “Didn’t you guys make a deal before? When areyou planning to divorce?”

TongYan: “…”

TongYan: “Go ask your mother.”

Zhuo Jia Shuo: “Every time I ask her, she just scolds me … youdon’t feel it? She desperately wants you guys to become real.”

TongYan: “?”

ZhuoJia Shuo: “It’s true, in fact, while he was still in university, big brother saidthat he wouldn’t get married, and planned to live by himself, but nobody tookhim seriously.” Zhuo Jia Shuo shrugged, “My mother only reacted inthe last two years. Big brother isn’t the type to bluff, but it seemed a bitlate.”

ZhuoJia Shuo: “But whatever. If you guys are waiting for that project, all thedocuments should’ve already been handed over in these two months. Or, are youwaiting for your illness to get better? Or after the college entranceexaminations?”

TongYan was dazed by his interrogation. When are we getting divorced? He didn’t thinkthat he and Zhuo Xiang Ming still needed a divorce.

But it was indeed the deal. Originally, in order to acquire the project,they only needed to conduct a wedding. Living together was already a “sacrifice”Zhuo Xiang Ming made, in order to help Tong Yan’s pheromone stress disorder.

Hispheromone stress disorder was already not critical, if they wanted to, they coulddivorce at any time.

Zhuo Xiang Ming came out carrying two dishes: “What are you guysdiscussing? It’s lunch time.”

ZhuoJia Shuo called out an acknowledgement, and walked a few steps forward, beforerushing back to grab the still sitting Tong Yan. He hissed a warning: “Youbetter keep your mouth shut, got it?”

TongYan refused to acknowledge him and walked away to sit down beside Zhuo XiangMing.

Whileeating, Zhuo Jia Shuo was very well-behaved, and no longer expressed any controversialopinions about Zhuo Xiang Ming feeding Tong Yan.

Zhuo ZhengDe returned home after lunch and directed a pickup truck tounload something in the backyard.

They all went to the backyard to take a look. Several workers were movingaround some steel bars, very disorderly. Lin Yue Hua asked, “What is this?”

Zhuo ZhengDe wiped his sweat and said, “Twenty-six silkies, it was verydifficult to find them. They haven’t eaten any fattening feed, so they’ll begood for your health.”

“It’s too many … this is troubling.”Lin Yue Hua smiled. “Fortunately, Xiang Ming and Tong Tong are here. I’ll stewtwo tonight. One for soup, another for them to carry back tomorrow.”

Zhuo ZhengDe hurriedly agreed.

There were many silkies, if all of them were killed right away, theywould go stale, so Zhuo ZhengDe had decided to raise them in the backyard.

The workers were busy clearing the area to make a chicken cage. Thesmell wasn’t the best, so the group quickly entered the living room again.

Lin Yue Hua was pulling Tong Tong’s hand, and Zhuo ZhengDe on the otherside asked her, “Did you take your medicine?”

Lin Yue Hua: “Yes. How about you? You left so early and mysteriously,have you eaten yet?”

Zhuo ZhengDe had a lot of dirt on his body and sweat on his face, hesaid, “Don’t worry. I’ll go up to get cleaned up first.”

He looked at Tong Yan, and Tong Yan said: “Hello, uncle.”

Zhuo ZhengDe nodded, then turned to Zhuo Xiang Ming, “Just stay thenight, don’t be too quick to leave. There’s some free time now, take your wife upto rest.”

Lin Yue Hua released Tong Yan and smiled, “Yes, you guys should take anap. Go up with him and rest well, let’s go out later.”

She asked Zhuo Xiang Ming: “Is there anything going on today?”

Zhuo Xiang Ming: “There’s nothing, but his school’s sports competition startstomorrow.”

Lin Yue Hua: “That’s all right, just leave early tomorrow. Stay thenight, okay?”

Before coming over, Zhuo Xiang Ming said that they might have to stayovernight, so Tong Yan nodded: “Okay, Auntie.”

Zhuo Xiang Ming’s bedroom was on the second floor, and Lin Yue Hua andZhuo ZhengDe’s bedroom was on the other side of the third floor. The group wentupstairs and separated. Zhuo Jia Shuo stayed by himself on the first floor,saying that he wasn’t sleepy, and that he was going to look at the chickens.Lin Yue Hua said, “Be careful. Don’t get pecked.”

He’dvisited the Zhuo family house twice, but this was the first time he’d enteredZhuo Xiang Ming’s bedroom. The room wasn’t big, but it wasn’t small. There wasa bookshelf, but there were not many books in it, some decorations, but no lived-inatmosphere. It was obvious that the owner wasn’t frequently present.

Zhuo Xiang Ming walked in behind Tong Yan. He closed the door and saidto Tong Yan, who was standing beside the door: “Are you tired? Take a nap.”

TongYan nodded and walked over, lying face down on one side of the bed.

Zhuo Xiang Ming pulled the curtains closed, and placed a glass of wateron Tong Yan’s bedside. Then he changed into a thin sweater and sat down on theother side of the bed: “Can we sleep together?”

TongYan’s face was buried in the pillow. He mumbled an agreement, patting themattress: “Sleep here.”

AfterZhuo Xiang Ming covered Tong Yan with a thin quilt, he laid down. Tong Yan pulledback his hand and tucked it under his stomach.

The two have never slept in the same bed, the light scent of cedarwoodand cape jasmine quietly filled the closed room. It felt different, but not strange.

After a while, Tong Yan called out: “Brother.”

Zhuo Xiang Ming responded softly: “Yes?”

TongYan: “Never mind.”

But then he called out again: “Brother …”

Zhuo Xiang Ming chuckled gently: “What are you up to?”

TongYan didn’t respond, so Zhuo Xiang Ming reached out to scratch his neck:“What happened?”

TongYan cringed away: “Never mind.”

ButZhuo Xiang Ming refused to let him off, he got up, flipping Tong Yan over. The gapbetween their strength was too wide, after being held down by his shoulders, TongYan couldn’t move, and he also couldn’t reach Zhuo Xiang Ming with his legs. Hecould only glare: “Hurry up, let me …”

Afterthe thick blackout curtains were closed, there was almost no light in the room,but Tong Yan’s face had been buried in the pillow, so his eyes had already adjustedto the darkness. After the short struggle, Zhuo Xiang Ming had gotten very closeto him in order to hold him down, and his eyes were smiling: “Then say it,why were you calling me?”

TongYan felt his face heating up, his heartbeat was also too loud, quickly becomingabnormal.

For a split second, he was inexplicably afraid that Zhuo Xiang Mingwould discover his nervousness, so he wanted to quickly come up with a reasonto make Zhuo Xiang Ming let him go.

“M-my mouth hurts.” Tong Yan stuttered. “Maybe because, I justbrushed my teeth. The guest room toothbrush was, um … too hard. My gums feel alittle sore.”

“Really?” Zhuo Xiang Ming firmly said, “Let me take alook.”

He pinched Tong Yan’s cheeks, and Tong Yan trembled a bit, only to hearZhuo Xiang Ming offhandedly ask, “Why is your face so hot?”

TongYan began to struggle in earnest: “It’s just a little hot … you’re pushing medown, it’s too hot.”

But Zhuo Xiang Ming was obviously more concerned about something else: “Areyour gums bleeding?”

TongYan really wasn’t behaving, Zhuo Xiang Ming had no choice but to press down hislegs with his own leg, “Behave, open your mouth for brother to take a look.”

Tong Yan stubbornly turned his face, refusing to cooperate. Zhuo XiangMing still coaxed him: “Tong Tong, come on, I’ll let you go after I take alook.”

TongYan knew that his mouth just felt a tiny bit sore, not even painful, andcertainly not bleeding. But Zhuo Xiang Ming was so insistent, that Tong Yan hadno choice but to open his mouth to show him.

The room was too dark to see clearly, so Zhuo Xiang Ming turned on thebedside lamp near Tong Yan.

He suddenly froze.

TongYan had already closed his eyes tightly, his eyelids and eyelashes weretrembling, and, at Zhuo Xiang Ming’s request, his mouth was opened slightly, buthis blush was so severe, it looked like he’d been bullied.

Puttingaway his blank look, Zhuo Xiang Ming pinched Tong Yan’s face to check insidehis mouth, but the warm yellow light not only illuminated Tong Yan’s flushedskin, it also revealed the timid pink tongue in his mouth.

Click.

Zhuo Xiang Ming turned off the light again. When he let go, Tong Yanclosed his mouth: “How is it?”

“Huh?” Zhuo Xiang Ming said, “Oh … it’s a little red, butthere’s no bleeding. I’ll give you another toothbrush tonight.”

TongYan said, “We’re not going home tonight.”

Zhuo Xiang Ming said, “Yeah.”

He laid back in his former position, after a while, Tong Yan slowlyshifted closer.

ZhuoXiang Ming looked at his crappy pretending to sleep expression, and reachedacross the quilt to hug him: “Asleep?”

“Yeah.”

ZhuoXiang Ming pinched his nose: “Little liar.”

Afterthe awkward feeling passed, Tong Yan’s clinging gained more confidence, hemoved closer again, completely burying himself in Zhuo Xiang Ming’s embrace, appearingvery dependent, like an obedient small animal. His face stuck to Zhuo XiangMing’s chest, he mumbled: “Brother.”

Zhuo Xiang Ming lightly touched the back of his head: “Yes?”

TongYan whispered: “Will you divorce me?”

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T/N:

this is troubling- 这一通折腾的, unsure of translation

Progress boyos. Too bad ZJS was the one whoinstigated it.