Chapter 86

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It appeared as if Xia Xingcheng had just come down the stairs, as if he hadn’t heard anything. When he called out to his big brother and sister-in-law outside the kitchen, Xia Ye and Fang Ying immediately walked out.

Xia Ye asked, “You’re up?”

On the side, Fang Ying was wiping her hands on her apron as she asked, “Did you sleep well? Is Ming ge not awake yet?”

Xia Xingcheng smiled. “He’s awake. We both slept well.”

Fang Ying promptly said, “Then let’s have breakfast, you guys sit down first. The porridge and steamed buns are heating up in the pot, I’ll bring them out for you right away.”

Xia Xingcheng and Yang Youming sat down at the dining table side by side, and Fang Ying soon brought out the warm porridge and steamed buns from the kitchen then served each of them a bowl of porridge.

As Yang Youming received his bowl, he said, “Thank you.” He paused for a bit, then added, “Sorry for the trouble.”

“What are you talking about!” Standing by the dining table, Fang Ying laughed and said, “You don’t know how happy I am to have you here, it won’t even be a problem if you stay for another year.”

Yang Youming couldn’t help but let out a small laugh.

Xia Ye glanced up at Fang Ying wordlessly.

Xia Xingcheng passed Yang Youming a meatbun with his chopsticks. As Yang Youming reached out to take it, he said, “My mom made these herself.”

Yang Youming said, “Then they must be delicious.”

Fang Ying returned to the kitchen to tidy up a little while Xia Ye sat down to have breakfast with them.

Xia Ye said, “Mom and dad went out to the market to buy some vegetables this morning.”

Nibbling on a bun, Xia Xingcheng asked, “Can you still buy vegetables on New Year’s Eve?”

Fang Ying answered, “The market is really busy this morning, all they sell are New Year’s goods and they won’t pack up until noon. When Ding Ding and Dong Dong get up later, your brother and I are planning to take them out shopping. Do you guys want to come with us?”

Xia Xingcheng shot a glance at Yang Youming.

Yang Youming’s head was bowed as he ate his porridge. Hearing their words, he raised his head and grabbed a tissue to wipe his mouth, then said, “I’d like to go, but it’s really inconvenient.”

Normally, the more crowded the location, the more he didn’t dare to go. Once recognised, it’ll bring about a circle of onlookers and cause a lot of trouble.

Xia Xingcheng had it slightly better, but it’d been a long time since he went out and strolled around as he pleased.

Fang Ying sighed. “So famous people have famous people problems.”

Xia Xingcheng laughed. “It’s okay, you guys should be back by noon anyway. What time will second uncle’s family get here?”

Xia Ye said, “Second uncle’s family are also going shopping, they’ll probably be here at lunch.”

Right then, Yang Youming asked, “Are you going to prepare lunch? I can help out.”

Fang Ying quickly said, “It’s already prepared, we’ll have a simple meal for lunch, make dumplings together in the afternoon, and prepare dinner in the evening. You guys just rest, there’s no need to worry about it.”

Xia Xingcheng said to Yang Youming, “Don’t worry, my mom and sis-in-law are very capable.”

Not long after that, they heard Ding Ding yell out from the second floor, and Fang Ying elbowed Xia Ye. “You go.”

Xia Ye’s forehead creased, but he still stood up obediently and made his way to the staircase.

When they finished breakfast, Xia Ye came down the stairs with Ding Ding and Dong Dong who were already dressed.

On the staircase, Ding Ding began to throw a fit at his dad, who said a couple of words to him in return. He then started crying, feeling wronged.

Dong Dong rushed down from the second floor and into the dining room. Seeing Yang Youming and Xia Xingcheng sitting there, he instantly slowed down and dawdled his way over to Yang Youming’s side, looking up at him as he called out, “Uncle Yang.”

Yang Youming smiled at him. “Good morning.”

Dong Dong clasped his hands behind his back and asked Yang Youming, “Guess who I am! Am I Ding Ding or Dong Dong?”

Ding Ding and Dong Dong didn’t actually look completely alike, and it was still fairly easy to tell them apart if you looked carefully. However, the two of them wore the exact same padded jacket today, and they looked one hundred percent similar at a glance.

Xia Xingcheng deliberately teased him, “Aren’t you Ding Ding?”

A crying Ding Ding walked over from the stairs. Hearing what Xia Xingcheng had said, he immediately piped up, “Ding Ding is me! He’s Dong Dong!”

Dong Dong said, “I’m Dong Dong.” He climbed up and sat down on the chair beside Yang Youming and tilted his head to look up at the man. “A winter melon’s dong!”

Right then, Fang Ying came out bringing the two brothers’ breakfast, just in time to hear Dong Dong’s words. She said, “You’re not a winter melon’s dong, who told you that you’re a winter melon’s dong?”

Ding Ding sat next to Dong Dong and, following Ding Ding’s example, said, “I’m Ding Ding, a ding melon’s melon—no, a ding melon’s ding.”[1]

“There’s no such thing as a ding melon!” Fang Ying stuffed a steamed bun into their hands. “Hurry up and eat, less talking nonsense.”

When the two brothers finished eating, Fang Ying gave each of them a small hat then took them out with Xia Ye.

Xia Xingcheng and Yang Youming sent them to the door.

One of Dong Dong’s hands was in Xia Ye’s, and as he made his way down the steps, he turned to wave at Yang Youming and Xia Xingcheng.

Seeing this, Yang Youming laughed and waved back. He said, “Bye-bye.”

Dong Dong’s foot tread on empty air, and he almost fell to the ground until Xia Ye grabbed him with one hand and lifted his whole body up before he could topple over. He roared, “Watch where you’re going!” Dong Dong tugged at his clothes and obediently faced the front.

Once they were further away, Xia Xingcheng closed the door and turned back to Yang Youming.

Yang Youming was still watching the retreating figures of Xia Ye’s family.

Xia Xingcheng was silent for a moment, then said, “Ding Ding and Dong Dong are pretty cute, aren’t they?”

Having heard this, Yang Youming let out a chuckle and said, “They’re quite cute.”

They went back to the living room and sat down. It was especially quiet once they were the only two left in the house.

There was a pot of hot tea on the coffee table that Fang Ying had brewed for them before she left. Yang Youming reached out to pick up the glass teapot and slowly poured some tea into the spotless cup in front of him. Then, he pushed the teacup to Xia Xingcheng.

Xia Xingcheng stared at the teacup and asked, “Do you feel unwell?”

Yang Youming raised his head and said in an odd tone, “What?” He didn’t understand what Xia Xingcheng meant.

Xia Xingcheng said, “You drank a lot last night.”

Yang Youming uttered a soft ‘Oh’, “I had a small headache this morning, but I’m fine now.” He was still dressed in the same sweater he wore last night. Purposely lowering his head to sniff at it, he said, “It doesn’t seem to smell like alcohol anymore.”

Xia Xingcheng leaned close to his chest and took a sniff at his sweater, then looked up and said, “It really doesn’t.”

Yang Youming smiled, then touched the top of Xia Xingcheng’s head.

Xia Xingcheng said, “Second Uncle’s family will come over at noon. He only has one daughter who’s still not married yet, so there’s only three people in their family.” He then looked at Yang Youming for a moment and asked, “Do you mind?”

Laughing, Yang Youming asked, “Is his daughter a fan of mine too?”

“No,” Xia Xingcheng couldn’t help but laugh along, then said, “His daughter is Teng Song’s diehard fan.”

Teng Song could be considered the hottest traffic star at present, and he wasn’t even twenty years old.

Yang Youming nodded with a smile.

Xia Xingcheng suddenly said, “Is it hard for you, staying in my house?”

Yang Youming said, “It’s not, your family is really nice and friendly.”

Xia Xingcheng said, “I apologise for what my brother said about you earlier. Please don’t be offended.”

“I’m not offended,” Yang Youming said. “You don’t need to apologise either. I understand that your brother cares about you.”

Xia Xingcheng then said, “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have forced you to come home with me.”

Yang Youming’s voice softened as he told him, “You didn’t force me, I said it myself, your family’s nice and it’s comfortable staying here.”

Before noon, Xia Xingcheng’s parents and his second uncle’s family returned together, followed by Xia Ye, Fang Ying, and the twins.

Both Xia Xingcheng’s second uncle and second aunt didn’t recognise with Yang Youming. They had no particular concept of movie stars and simply treated him as a friend Xia Xingcheng had brought home. His older cousin Xia Xiaorui, however, was still extremely excited to meet Yang Youming even though she liked other celebrities. She asked Yang Youming for an autograph and also took a picture with him with her phone.

Xia Xingcheng instructed Xia Xiaorui not to leak the fact that Yang Youming was spending the New Year at their house.

Although Xia Xiaorui was very reluctant, she still guaranteed that she would absolutely not reveal anything and that she’d only post the photos with Yang Youming later on in the future without telling anyone where she met him.

By the afternoon, the men in the family sat around the living room drinking tea and chatting while Ding Ding and Dong Dong ran around the house playing pretend as a king and his bodyguard.

Xia Xingcheng’s second aunt and sister-in-law helped his mom wrap dumplings and prepare dinner in the kitchen. Only Xia Xiaorui sat in the living room, surfing the internet on her phone, not taking her eyes off her phone all afternoon.

Xia Ye said to Xia Xiaorui, “You’re not going to the kitchen to help out?”

Xia Xiaorui didn’t even bother looking at him and merely replied, “Why aren’t you going?”

Xia Ye said, “You’re a girl, how are you going to get married if you don’t learn how to cook?”

Xia Xiaorui turned and rolled her eyes. “I’m not married, and I don’t need you to raise me either, what’s it to you?”

Second Uncle Xia, who was sitting to her side, said to his daughter, “Xiaorui, watch how you’re talking to your Ye ge. Where are your manners?”

Xia Xiaorui mumbled, “I don’t know where his manners are either.”

With a cup in his hands, Xia Xingcheng’s mood hadn’t been particularly high. He would turn to glance at Yang Youming from time to time, only to see the man earnestly listening to the two elders talk, but as long as no one addressed him, he would seem a little out of sorts, staring at the TV program absent-mindedly.

In the evening, the family sat down to have New Year’s Eve dinner and eat dumplings. The entire first floor was brightly lit, and the lively sounds resounded from the TV in the living room.

Fang Ying had just moved the dumplings from its pot to a plate and placed them on the dining table when Ding Ding stood on his chair and, with half his body lying on the dining table, he reached out to take one.

“It’s hot!” Fang Ying quickly shouted. “Xia Ye, hurry up and get him down!”

Xia Ye reached out to lift Ding Ding off the table, then said a few words to chide him and forbid him from climbing up the table again.

Second Uncle Xia grabbed a bottle of wine and poured wine for everyone.

Yang Youming, however, took away the empty wine glass in front of him and said to them, “I drank too much yesterday, I really can’t drink today.”

Xia Ye was just about to say something when Xia Xingcheng stood up and said, “If Ming ge doesn’t want to drink then just let him be, don’t force him.”

It was probably because his attitude showed too much nervousness, but Second Uncle Xia was startled for a moment.

Papa Xia got up to smooth things over. “Xiao Yang did drink a lot with me last night. It’s the New Year today, everybody can do as they please.”

Second Uncle Xia thereupon laughed and said, “No drinks then, eat more food instead.”

Although Yang Youming didn’t drink, he talked and laughed with Xia Xingcheng’s family throughout the meal and even took the initiative to pour wine for them. When this lively New Year’s Eve dinner was over and everyone got up to go watch the Spring Festival gala in the living room, Yang Youming said that he had some things to deal with and went upstairs to his room first.

He didn’t show the slightest bit of displeasure or impatience, and no one thought that he left first on purpose. Only Xia Xingcheng saw Yang Youming go upstairs, and he watched the gala with his family for a few minutes before he pretended to receive a call and also headed to the second floor.

When he entered his room, Xia Xingcheng saw that there was only a small light on in the room, and Yang Youming was sitting on the bed, leaning on the headboard and looking at his phone.

He closed the door and walked up to Yang Youming, asking, “Aren’t you going to watch the gala?”

Yang Youming raised his head and smiled at him. “No, you go watch with mom and dad.”

Xia Xingcheng didn’t leave and simply asked him, “You’re going to bed this early?”

Yang Youming lifted his phone and waved it in front of him. “I’ll play with my phone for a while.”

Xia Xingcheng watched him in silence for a while, then abruptly said, “How about we get out of here?”

Yang Youming was a little surprised. “Right now?”

Xia Xingcheng said, “Yeah, right now. There’s no one outside, I’ll take you around the place I grew up in.

Yang Youming looked at him.

Xia Xingcheng reached out and pulled him up from the bed. “Let’s go.”

Yang Youming had just taken two steps when he said, “They’ll all think it’s strange if you go out now.”

Xia Xingcheng said, “We won’t go through the front door.”

“Mm?”

Xia Xingcheng let go of his hand and walked over to the window to open it. The cold air quickly streamed in, and he poked his head out and looked around, then said, “Let’s sneak out.”

Yang Youming shook his head. “It’s too dangerous.”

“It’s not dangerous,” Xia Xingcheng took Yang Youming’s coat and draped it over his shoulders then took his own and put it on.

Yang Youming’s brows faintly creased, looking very disapproving, but he still slid his arms into his coat sleeves as he watched Xia Xingcheng put on his coat, then bent down to help him zip up his coat, slowly pulling it up.

“You really want to go out?” Yang Youming looked down at him.

Nodding, Xia Xingcheng grabbed a mask and helped Yang Youming put it on his face, looking a little unusually excited. “I’ve climbed down once before, it’s not dangerous. I’ll go down and catch you later.”

Yang Youming went to the window to peer outside. The light coming from the first floor window was hidden by an eave. If you stepped on it then carefully jump off from there, it shouldn’t be too big of a problem. He turned around and slightly lowered his mask before saying, “I’ll go down and catch you.”

Xia Xingcheng immediately tried to stop him, but Yang Youming had already climbed out the window, his hands grasping the window sill as he stepped on the eave of the first floor window.

“Be careful,” Xia Xingcheng’s heart clenched tightly.

Yang Youming said, “It should be fine if you don’t get taken for a thief.”

Xia Xingcheng leaned across the window and reached out to grab Yang Youming’s arm. Yang Youming patted the back of his hand reassuringly. “It’s okay.” With that, he shifted to the corner of the window little by little and gripped the protruding metal window ledge, then slowly crouched down until he could grab the edge of the eave. Bracing his body with his hands, his feet dropped down until both arms were straight, then let go and jumped to the ground.

Yang Youming straightened up and looked up at the second floor window, lightly dusting off his hands. The place he landed was directly facing the first floor dining room window, the lights in the room were off, but there were lights and noise coming from the living room.

Xia Xingcheng sucked in a deep breath, then climbed over the window and reached out to close it before following Yang Youming’s example and moving to the corner, gripping the window ledge and slowly crouching down.

Yang Youming looked up at him, seeming a little nervous, but he didn’t make a sound.

Xia Xingcheng didn’t use his hands to prop up his body to slowly lower himself down, but turned around with difficulty and jumped down instead.

Yang Youming hurriedly stretched out his hands to catch him.

After Xia Xingcheng jumped, he felt that it was a little high, and the impact on his body as he reached the ground was not small. Yang Youming hugged his waist to stop his falling motion, which led to an aching waist, but he still stood on the ground smoothly without spraining an ankle.

The next second, Xia Xingcheng hugged Yang Youming and moved close to eagerly kiss his lips.

Yang Youming was hugging him, and he had just found his footing when Xia Xingcheng pounced on him. He couldn’t help falling back a couple of steps before he steadied himself to bear his fierce kiss.

☆

The author has something to say

I said that there won’t be abuse. There are no stand-ins, don’t worry.

☆ ☆ ☆

[1] the dong in dongdong’s nickname is 咚, but he’s saying that it’s the dong in donggua (冬瓜) aka winter melon, and that’s why dingding followed up with his dinggua/ding melon… Ah, kids.

t/n – no dog abuse! but background-ish angst is up ahead folks.

⟵ Chapter 85 | TOC | Chapter 87 ⟶

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