chapter 29 will be released the day after tomorrow instead of tomorrow! it's a little longer and school just started for me (+ i have a tiny translation side project going on) so i've been a little swamped T_T apologies for the delay!
“It’ll be fine.” Zhuang Yan didn’t know if he should laugh or cry, and tried to comfort him. “Just treat the people you don’t know like they don’t exist.”
Xie Ning glanced at him and pressed his lips together.
Even though he wasn’t good at communicating with others, it wasn’t so bad that he couldn’t see strangers. He just didn’t like to talk, normally, so he seemed cold and quiet.
But because Zhuang Yan said he would “meet his parents” just now, he became inexplicably nervous.
Xie Ning asked quietly, “Your parents…”
Zhuang Yan raised his eyebrows. “What’s up? Afraid that my parents won’t like you?”
Xie Ning said, expressionlessly, “I’m just asking.”
“Don’t worry.” Zhuang Yan rubbed his head and said casually, “My mom likes people like you.”
Xie Ning asked, “People who are quieter like me?”
Zhuang Yan lifted the corner of his lip. “My mom’s sense of aesthetic is similar to mine. If I like it, she’ll definitely like it as well.”
Zhuang Yan held back a smile and said, “So since I like you so much, there’s no way my mom wouldn’t like you.”
Xie Ning: “...”
Sure enough, after they entered, Madam Qiao’s eyes lit up as soon as she saw Xie Ning, and kept praising him for being beautiful and elegant.
“You could have just had the butler send these gifts over,” she said as she held Xie Ning’s hand and stared at Zhuang Yan. “How could he let you personally come?”
Madam Qiao was more and more satisfied with him the more she looked at him. She only had one son, Zhuang Yan, who never made her worry as he was growing up.
Outsiders always praised Zhuang Yan for being handsome and talented, but only she knew in her heart that her son’s temper was really bad. If anyone made him unhappy, he’d make sure they were unhappy as well, and he made no lack of trouble when he was in school.
If it wasn’t for her laboriously being pregnant for 10 months with him, Madam Qiao wouldn’t have wanted to deal with him.
Things that you can’t have are the best. Afterwards, Madam Qiao had always wanted a well-behaved and caring daughter.
Xie Ning’s looks were delicate, pretty, and fair, his personality was quiet and shy, and his mannerisms and behavior were mature and polite. These characteristics of his poked her heart, and she sighed in her heart that he was “another family’s kid”.
Xie Ning blushed a little at all her praise, and he felt mostly relieved.
While someone else was talking to Madam Qiao, Zhuang Yan leaned into Xie Ning’s ear and said quietly, “See, I was right when I said my mom would definitely like you!”
“Mmn.” Xie Ning happily replied. He could tell whether Madam Qiao was only being polite to him or if she really liked him, so his expression couldn’t help but brighten.
There were a lot of guests at the Zhuang family‘s house today, and since it was getting late, people came one after another to say goodbye to Madam Qiao.
Madam Qiao and Xie Ning were interrupted every few sentences, and Zhuang Yan, afraid that Xie Ning would feel awkward in the living room, hurriedly said, “Mom, he’s here in place of Elder Xie to greet Grandpa for the New Year, so don’t hold him here the whole time. I’ll take him upstairs to find Grandpa.”
Madam Qiao frowned and stared at him. She wanted to talk to Xie Ning for longer, but she really couldn’t leave at the moment, so she patted Xie Ning’s hand and grabbed a handful of cookies and candies, shoving it into his hand.
“You’re just jealous that NingNing and I were chatting happily.” Madam Qiao had lived overseas for a long time, so her personality was straightforward and she became easily familiar with others. She’d already started to call him “NingNing”.
Xie Ning finally knew how Zhuang Yan’s ego came to be.
Zhuang Yan, pulling Xie Ning’s hand, took him upstairs and turned his head to say, “Don’t worry, NingNing will stay here for dinner, so there’s plenty of time for you two to chat.”
Madam Qiao finally waved her hand and let them go, then turned to the kitchen staff to make a couple of more dishes for dinner.
When he reached the stairwell, Zhuang Yan suddenly slowed down and smiled at Xie Ning. “This is the first time I’ve seen my mom like someone so much. If I let her pull you away and talk to you any more, she might have named you as a godson right then and there.”
Xie Ning smiled, reserved. “Aunt Qiao...is a very good person.”
After hearing this, Zhuang Yan suddenly stopped and grasped Xie Ning’s wrist, blocking his path in front of the railing. “What about me?”
Xie Ning was startled. He looked around nervously, and after confirming that there was no one else around, quietly asked, “W-What about you?”
Zhuang Yan raised his eyebrow and looked at him. “Am I not good to you?”
Since Zhuang Yan had leaned in so closely, Xie Ning’s uneasy heartbeat became faster. He was afraid Zhuang Yan would notice, and hurriedly said, “You’re also a very good person.”
Caught off guard since he was called a good person, Zhuang Yan paused, and nonchalantly asked, “Then tell me, what are my good points?”
Xie Ning’s ears were red, but he was afraid that Zhuang Yan would block his path forever, so he quietly said, “...Everything about you is good.”
Zhuang Yan still wasn’t satisfied. Originally, he wanted to force Xie Ning to say some more and to clarify what exactly about him was good.
When he looked down and saw Xie Ning’s red face and agitated appearance, though, he froze.
He got shy way too easily.
When Xie Ning met Zhuang Yan’s grandpa, his face was still thoroughly red.
Grandpa Zhuang and Elder Xie were both of retirement age, and had a friendly attitude towards the younger generation.
He asked Xie Ning some questions, and asked after Elder Xie’s health. Xie Ning answered them one by one, seriously.
Grandpa Zhuang lamented, “In the blink of an eye, our grandchildren’s generation are already this old.”
After he finished saying this, he took out a thick red envelope and shoved it into Xie Ning’s hand. “Here, take this.”
Xie Ning quickly tried to push it back, and said, “I don’t need it…”
“This is New Year’s money.” Grandpa Zhuang smiled and patted the back of his hand. “How can you not accept it? Xiao Yan and the others all received one as well. Based on my friendship with your grandpa, and since you and my grandson are also the same, just accept it.”
Xie Ning turned his head to look at Zhuang Yan and saw him slightly nod before he accepted the red envelope.
He felt the thickness when it was in his hand, and was surprised.
After exiting the room, he couldn’t help but ask Zhuang Yan, “Did my grandpa also give you a red envelope?”
“He did,” Zhuang Yan said, “The New Year’s money given by the elders, no matter if it’s a lot or a little, is still from their heart. Just keep it, and if you refuse too much it’ll make them uncomfortable.”
Xie Ning felt relieved after hearing this.
After meeting Grandpa Zhuang, Zhuang Yan didn’t take Xie Ning back to the living room.
There were too many people there, and Xie Ning was neither a friend nor a relative to them, so it would have just been awkward to stay there.
Plus, Zhuang Yan had selfish intentions. He’d already kidnapped Xie Ning into his house, so of course he would want to spend some time alone with him.
Zhuang Yan originally wanted to take him to his own room, but the bedroom is a very private and intimate place. Zhuang Yan didn’t really care too much, but Xie Ning’s personality is sensitive. He was afraid that Xie Ning would become nervous, so he gave it some thought before he took Xie Ning to a small room next to the second floor’s balcony.
“The door to this room is hard to find,” Zhuang Yan raised his head and smiled at Xie Ning. “Nobody other than my family members can find it. I hide here for some peace and quiet if I have nothing to do.”
The small room’s wall that faced the outside was made of glass, and the sun shone steadily into the room, making Xie Ning squint a little.
The room wasn’t very large, but the decorations were exquisite. Next to the wall, there were some unknown plants and pots placed, and there was a soft carpet under their feet. There was also a small table and two chairs in the middle of the room.
If all these were placed on the balcony instead, it would have been extremely suitable for drinking afternoon tea.
Placed in this half-hidden room, however, it became a place for people who were looking for peace and quiet.
Xie Ning turned his head to look at Zhuang Yan, and saw him leaning against the wall. He suppressed a smile and raised his eyebrow at Xie Ning.
It looked a bit familiar to him, and Xie Ning’s eyes lit up as he remembered. “Last time when you video called me, were you here?”
Zhuang Yan nodded. “Yes. How is it? This spot is pretty good, right?”
Xie Ning nodded seriously.
Zhuang Yan asked again, “Do you like it?”
Xie Ning said, “I like it.”
Zhuang Yan smiled and said, “Then in the future, I can bring you here more, and--”
He purposely lengthened his sentence and trailed off. Xie Ning, teased by him often, reflexively became nervous and stared at him with large eyes.
Zhuang Yan leaned into his ear and said in a low voice, “No one will bother us here. There’s only the two of us, so we can do whatever we want.”
Xie Ning’s thoughts suddenly went in the wrong direction, and he opened his round eyes even larger. His face blushed immediately and he unconsciously stepped back, almost hitting the chair behind him with his elbow.
“Be careful.” Zhuang Yan helplessly reached his hand out to circle around Xie Ning and block him from hitting the chair. He pulled Xie Ning into his embrace and said, “You’re not even careful in such a small place. If you really did hit yourself on something, it would hurt a lot.”
Xie Ning’s mind went blank for a second, then he immediately broke free of Zhuang Yan’s embrace, his face still red. “It doesn’t hurt.”
Zhuang Yan smiled in spite of himself. “My hand was blocking you just now, so you didn’t hit it. Of course it doesn’t hurt.”
Xie Ning quickly grabbed his hand and saw that the back of his hand was truly red.
“I-I’m sorry.”
Zhuang Yan smiled even deeper. “What are you sorry for? I blocked you on my own.”
Xie Ning bit his lip, and asked, “Does it hurt?”
Zhuang Yan originally wanted to say it didn’t hurt, but seeing how anxious Xie Ning was, he changed his mind and said, “It hurts.”
Xie Ning was truly distressed. He grabbed his hand nervously and asked, “Is there medicine in your house? Where is it?”
Zhuang Yan lowered his head and saw their intertwined hands. He chuckled lightly and said, “I only hit it a little, so it doesn’t need medicine.”
Xie Ning was a little doubtful.
Zhuang Yan comforted him and said, “If you rub it for me a little, it won’t hurt anymore.”
Xie Ning looked at him and was silent for a second.
This time, he realized that Zhuang Yan was very likely teasing him again, but looking at the back of his hand that was thoroughly red, he couldn’t bear it.
It was just rubbing it a couple times anyways; he wouldn’t lose anything.
Xie Ning thought about it this way, and slowly reached out his hand, very obediently rubbing the back of Zhuang Yan’s hand softly.
His fingers were pale, slender, and long, and the feeling of his fingertips was a little cold. He deliberately used not much strength, so Zhuang Yan only felt like there was a feather sweeping across his hand, making his heart itch.
Mr. Rabbit was truly obedient and well-behaved.
Zhuang Yan couldn’t help but think, How can he hit my heart so accurately every time?
Xie Ning rubbed it for a while, and noticing how silent Zhuang Yan was, he asked quietly, “Does it still hurt?”
Zhuang Yan smiled. “It doesn’t hurt anymore.”
How could it stop hurting so quickly?
Xie Ning became more and more sure that Zhuang Yan was just teasing him, and pursed his lips.
Seeing how he was becoming more hesitant, Zhuang Yan calmly held his hand and changed the topic. “What were you thinking about earlier? It made you almost hit yourself on something behind you.”
Xie Ning paused for a moment and said, with a red face, “I-I wasn’t thinking of anything.”
“I don’t believe it.” Zhuang Yan was amused watching him. “What did I say then? Oh, right, I said that we’re the only ones here and nobody would bother us, so we can do whatever we want.”
Xie Ning lowered his head and didn’t look at him.
Zhuang Yan chuckled. “Do you want to do something?”
Xie Ning shook his head and mumbled, “I didn’t want to do anything.”
“Then why don’t you dare to look at me?” Zhuang Yan grasped his chin and forced him to raise his head.
Xie Ning: “...!”
Zhuang Yan looked closely at his blushing face for a while and with great thought, said, “Do you...want to kiss me?”
Xie Ning choked when he heard that.
He quickly shook his head. “No.”
Zhuang Yan raised his eyebrow, saying, “You really don’t want to kiss me? I won’t refuse.”
Xie Ning frantically shook his head, indicating no.
Zhuang Yan disappointedly put his head down and said, “Then, never mind…”
Xie Ning had just let out a sigh of relief when he heard Zhuang Yan continue, “But I want to kiss you.”
Xie Ning: “...”
There was a smile in Zhuang Yan’s eyes, and he softly asked, “Can I?”
Xie Ning suddenly became speechless, shocked at how brazen Zhuang Yan was being, and hated himself for being so weak because he couldn’t resist after being teased just a few times.
And...Zhuang Yan was too naughty. He was obviously the one who wanted to kiss, but he still had to ask if Xie Ning wanted to.
Xie Ning gritted his teeth and refused, saying, “No.”
Zhuang Yan didn’t think that he would be so stubborn this time, and paused for a moment. He realized that he probably teased Xie Ning so much that he really did become anxious.
But Xie Ning’s blushing and embarrassed appearance was too fun, and Zhuang Yan couldn’t resist but tease him a couple times whenever they met.
“If not, then forget it,” Zhuang Yan didn’t try to force him, and pulled him to sit at the table.
Xie Ning’s heart inexplicably flashed once with disappointment.
The sun slowly sank until there was only an afterglow that shone into the room. The light wasn’t too bright, and carried a tone of warm yellow with it.
Zhuang Yan looked at Xie Ning’s silhouette, outlined by the sunset, and felt like his heart was being toyed with.
The corners of his lips curled up slowly, and with a soft voice, he said, “NingNing…”
Xie Ning, who was drowsy because of the light, looked up and also said in a soft voice, “Mmn.”
Zhuang Yan quietly asked, “We’ve already met each other’s parents. When will you give me a label?”
------------------------------
Author’s Note:
ZhuangZhuang: Am I being too gentlemanly? Whenever I want to kiss NingNing, I always ask him if he wants to. I think I should just kiss him!
NingNing: … (blushing)
chapter 29 will be released the day after tomorrow instead of tomorrow! it's a little longer and school just started for me (+ i have a tiny translation side project going on) so i've been a little swamped T_T apologies for the delay!
“It’ll be fine.” Zhuang Yan didn’t know if he should laugh or cry, and tried to comfort him. “Just treat the people you don’t know like they don’t exist.”
Xie Ning glanced at him and pressed his lips together.
Even though he wasn’t good at communicating with others, it wasn’t so bad that he couldn’t see strangers. He just didn’t like to talk, normally, so he seemed cold and quiet.
But because Zhuang Yan said he would “meet his parents” just now, he became inexplicably nervous.
Xie Ning asked quietly, “Your parents…”
Zhuang Yan raised his eyebrows. “What’s up? Afraid that my parents won’t like you?”
Xie Ning said, expressionlessly, “I’m just asking.”
“Don’t worry.” Zhuang Yan rubbed his head and said casually, “My mom likes people like you.”
Xie Ning asked, “People who are quieter like me?”
Zhuang Yan lifted the corner of his lip. “My mom’s sense of aesthetic is similar to mine. If I like it, she’ll definitely like it as well.”
Zhuang Yan held back a smile and said, “So since I like you so much, there’s no way my mom wouldn’t like you.”
Xie Ning: “...”
Sure enough, after they entered, Madam Qiao’s eyes lit up as soon as she saw Xie Ning, and kept praising him for being beautiful and elegant.
“You could have just had the butler send these gifts over,” she said as she held Xie Ning’s hand and stared at Zhuang Yan. “How could he let you personally come?”
Madam Qiao was more and more satisfied with him the more she looked at him. She only had one son, Zhuang Yan, who never made her worry as he was growing up.
Outsiders always praised Zhuang Yan for being handsome and talented, but only she knew in her heart that her son’s temper was really bad. If anyone made him unhappy, he’d make sure they were unhappy as well, and he made no lack of trouble when he was in school.
If it wasn’t for her laboriously being pregnant for 10 months with him, Madam Qiao wouldn’t have wanted to deal with him.
Things that you can’t have are the best. Afterwards, Madam Qiao had always wanted a well-behaved and caring daughter.
Xie Ning’s looks were delicate, pretty, and fair, his personality was quiet and shy, and his mannerisms and behavior were mature and polite. These characteristics of his poked her heart, and she sighed in her heart that he was “another family’s kid”.
Xie Ning blushed a little at all her praise, and he felt mostly relieved.
While someone else was talking to Madam Qiao, Zhuang Yan leaned into Xie Ning’s ear and said quietly, “See, I was right when I said my mom would definitely like you!”
“Mmn.” Xie Ning happily replied. He could tell whether Madam Qiao was only being polite to him or if she really liked him, so his expression couldn’t help but brighten.
There were a lot of guests at the Zhuang family‘s house today, and since it was getting late, people came one after another to say goodbye to Madam Qiao.
Madam Qiao and Xie Ning were interrupted every few sentences, and Zhuang Yan, afraid that Xie Ning would feel awkward in the living room, hurriedly said, “Mom, he’s here in place of Elder Xie to greet Grandpa for the New Year, so don’t hold him here the whole time. I’ll take him upstairs to find Grandpa.”
Madam Qiao frowned and stared at him. She wanted to talk to Xie Ning for longer, but she really couldn’t leave at the moment, so she patted Xie Ning’s hand and grabbed a handful of cookies and candies, shoving it into his hand.
“You’re just jealous that NingNing and I were chatting happily.” Madam Qiao had lived overseas for a long time, so her personality was straightforward and she became easily familiar with others. She’d already started to call him “NingNing”.
Xie Ning finally knew how Zhuang Yan’s ego came to be.
Zhuang Yan, pulling Xie Ning’s hand, took him upstairs and turned his head to say, “Don’t worry, NingNing will stay here for dinner, so there’s plenty of time for you two to chat.”
Madam Qiao finally waved her hand and let them go, then turned to the kitchen staff to make a couple of more dishes for dinner.
When he reached the stairwell, Zhuang Yan suddenly slowed down and smiled at Xie Ning. “This is the first time I’ve seen my mom like someone so much. If I let her pull you away and talk to you any more, she might have named you as a godson right then and there.”
Xie Ning smiled, reserved. “Aunt Qiao...is a very good person.”
After hearing this, Zhuang Yan suddenly stopped and grasped Xie Ning’s wrist, blocking his path in front of the railing. “What about me?”
Xie Ning was startled. He looked around nervously, and after confirming that there was no one else around, quietly asked, “W-What about you?”
Zhuang Yan raised his eyebrow and looked at him. “Am I not good to you?”
Since Zhuang Yan had leaned in so closely, Xie Ning’s uneasy heartbeat became faster. He was afraid Zhuang Yan would notice, and hurriedly said, “You’re also a very good person.”
Caught off guard since he was called a good person, Zhuang Yan paused, and nonchalantly asked, “Then tell me, what are my good points?”
Xie Ning’s ears were red, but he was afraid that Zhuang Yan would block his path forever, so he quietly said, “...Everything about you is good.”
Zhuang Yan still wasn’t satisfied. Originally, he wanted to force Xie Ning to say some more and to clarify what exactly about him was good.
When he looked down and saw Xie Ning’s red face and agitated appearance, though, he froze.
He got shy way too easily.
When Xie Ning met Zhuang Yan’s grandpa, his face was still thoroughly red.
Grandpa Zhuang and Elder Xie were both of retirement age, and had a friendly attitude towards the younger generation.
He asked Xie Ning some questions, and asked after Elder Xie’s health. Xie Ning answered them one by one, seriously.
Grandpa Zhuang lamented, “In the blink of an eye, our grandchildren’s generation are already this old.”
After he finished saying this, he took out a thick red envelope and shoved it into Xie Ning’s hand. “Here, take this.”
Xie Ning quickly tried to push it back, and said, “I don’t need it…”
“This is New Year’s money.” Grandpa Zhuang smiled and patted the back of his hand. “How can you not accept it? Xiao Yan and the others all received one as well. Based on my friendship with your grandpa, and since you and my grandson are also the same, just accept it.”
Xie Ning turned his head to look at Zhuang Yan and saw him slightly nod before he accepted the red envelope.
He felt the thickness when it was in his hand, and was surprised.
After exiting the room, he couldn’t help but ask Zhuang Yan, “Did my grandpa also give you a red envelope?”
“He did,” Zhuang Yan said, “The New Year’s money given by the elders, no matter if it’s a lot or a little, is still from their heart. Just keep it, and if you refuse too much it’ll make them uncomfortable.”
Xie Ning felt relieved after hearing this.
After meeting Grandpa Zhuang, Zhuang Yan didn’t take Xie Ning back to the living room.
There were too many people there, and Xie Ning was neither a friend nor a relative to them, so it would have just been awkward to stay there.
Plus, Zhuang Yan had selfish intentions. He’d already kidnapped Xie Ning into his house, so of course he would want to spend some time alone with him.
Zhuang Yan originally wanted to take him to his own room, but the bedroom is a very private and intimate place. Zhuang Yan didn’t really care too much, but Xie Ning’s personality is sensitive. He was afraid that Xie Ning would become nervous, so he gave it some thought before he took Xie Ning to a small room next to the second floor’s balcony.
“The door to this room is hard to find,” Zhuang Yan raised his head and smiled at Xie Ning. “Nobody other than my family members can find it. I hide here for some peace and quiet if I have nothing to do.”
The small room’s wall that faced the outside was made of glass, and the sun shone steadily into the room, making Xie Ning squint a little.
The room wasn’t very large, but the decorations were exquisite. Next to the wall, there were some unknown plants and pots placed, and there was a soft carpet under their feet. There was also a small table and two chairs in the middle of the room.
If all these were placed on the balcony instead, it would have been extremely suitable for drinking afternoon tea.
Placed in this half-hidden room, however, it became a place for people who were looking for peace and quiet.
Xie Ning turned his head to look at Zhuang Yan, and saw him leaning against the wall. He suppressed a smile and raised his eyebrow at Xie Ning.
It looked a bit familiar to him, and Xie Ning’s eyes lit up as he remembered. “Last time when you video called me, were you here?”
Zhuang Yan nodded. “Yes. How is it? This spot is pretty good, right?”
Xie Ning nodded seriously.
Zhuang Yan asked again, “Do you like it?”
Xie Ning said, “I like it.”
Zhuang Yan smiled and said, “Then in the future, I can bring you here more, and--”
He purposely lengthened his sentence and trailed off. Xie Ning, teased by him often, reflexively became nervous and stared at him with large eyes.
Zhuang Yan leaned into his ear and said in a low voice, “No one will bother us here. There’s only the two of us, so we can do whatever we want.”
Xie Ning’s thoughts suddenly went in the wrong direction, and he opened his round eyes even larger. His face blushed immediately and he unconsciously stepped back, almost hitting the chair behind him with his elbow.
“Be careful.” Zhuang Yan helplessly reached his hand out to circle around Xie Ning and block him from hitting the chair. He pulled Xie Ning into his embrace and said, “You’re not even careful in such a small place. If you really did hit yourself on something, it would hurt a lot.”
Xie Ning’s mind went blank for a second, then he immediately broke free of Zhuang Yan’s embrace, his face still red. “It doesn’t hurt.”
Zhuang Yan smiled in spite of himself. “My hand was blocking you just now, so you didn’t hit it. Of course it doesn’t hurt.”
Xie Ning quickly grabbed his hand and saw that the back of his hand was truly red.
“I-I’m sorry.”
Zhuang Yan smiled even deeper. “What are you sorry for? I blocked you on my own.”
Xie Ning bit his lip, and asked, “Does it hurt?”
Zhuang Yan originally wanted to say it didn’t hurt, but seeing how anxious Xie Ning was, he changed his mind and said, “It hurts.”
Xie Ning was truly distressed. He grabbed his hand nervously and asked, “Is there medicine in your house? Where is it?”
Zhuang Yan lowered his head and saw their intertwined hands. He chuckled lightly and said, “I only hit it a little, so it doesn’t need medicine.”
Xie Ning was a little doubtful.
Zhuang Yan comforted him and said, “If you rub it for me a little, it won’t hurt anymore.”
Xie Ning looked at him and was silent for a second.
This time, he realized that Zhuang Yan was very likely teasing him again, but looking at the back of his hand that was thoroughly red, he couldn’t bear it.
It was just rubbing it a couple times anyways; he wouldn’t lose anything.
Xie Ning thought about it this way, and slowly reached out his hand, very obediently rubbing the back of Zhuang Yan’s hand softly.
His fingers were pale, slender, and long, and the feeling of his fingertips was a little cold. He deliberately used not much strength, so Zhuang Yan only felt like there was a feather sweeping across his hand, making his heart itch.
Mr. Rabbit was truly obedient and well-behaved.
Zhuang Yan couldn’t help but think, How can he hit my heart so accurately every time?
Xie Ning rubbed it for a while, and noticing how silent Zhuang Yan was, he asked quietly, “Does it still hurt?”
Zhuang Yan smiled. “It doesn’t hurt anymore.”
How could it stop hurting so quickly?
Xie Ning became more and more sure that Zhuang Yan was just teasing him, and pursed his lips.
Seeing how he was becoming more hesitant, Zhuang Yan calmly held his hand and changed the topic. “What were you thinking about earlier? It made you almost hit yourself on something behind you.”
Xie Ning paused for a moment and said, with a red face, “I-I wasn’t thinking of anything.”
“I don’t believe it.” Zhuang Yan was amused watching him. “What did I say then? Oh, right, I said that we’re the only ones here and nobody would bother us, so we can do whatever we want.”
Xie Ning lowered his head and didn’t look at him.
Zhuang Yan chuckled. “Do you want to do something?”
Xie Ning shook his head and mumbled, “I didn’t want to do anything.”
“Then why don’t you dare to look at me?” Zhuang Yan grasped his chin and forced him to raise his head.
Xie Ning: “...!”
Zhuang Yan looked closely at his blushing face for a while and with great thought, said, “Do you...want to kiss me?”
Xie Ning choked when he heard that.
He quickly shook his head. “No.”
Zhuang Yan raised his eyebrow, saying, “You really don’t want to kiss me? I won’t refuse.”
Xie Ning frantically shook his head, indicating no.
Zhuang Yan disappointedly put his head down and said, “Then, never mind…”
Xie Ning had just let out a sigh of relief when he heard Zhuang Yan continue, “But I want to kiss you.”
Xie Ning: “...”
There was a smile in Zhuang Yan’s eyes, and he softly asked, “Can I?”
Xie Ning suddenly became speechless, shocked at how brazen Zhuang Yan was being, and hated himself for being so weak because he couldn’t resist after being teased just a few times.
And...Zhuang Yan was too naughty. He was obviously the one who wanted to kiss, but he still had to ask if Xie Ning wanted to.
Xie Ning gritted his teeth and refused, saying, “No.”
Zhuang Yan didn’t think that he would be so stubborn this time, and paused for a moment. He realized that he probably teased Xie Ning so much that he really did become anxious.
But Xie Ning’s blushing and embarrassed appearance was too fun, and Zhuang Yan couldn’t resist but tease him a couple times whenever they met.
“If not, then forget it,” Zhuang Yan didn’t try to force him, and pulled him to sit at the table.
Xie Ning’s heart inexplicably flashed once with disappointment.
The sun slowly sank until there was only an afterglow that shone into the room. The light wasn’t too bright, and carried a tone of warm yellow with it.
Zhuang Yan looked at Xie Ning’s silhouette, outlined by the sunset, and felt like his heart was being toyed with.
The corners of his lips curled up slowly, and with a soft voice, he said, “NingNing…”
Xie Ning, who was drowsy because of the light, looked up and also said in a soft voice, “Mmn.”
Zhuang Yan quietly asked, “We’ve already met each other’s parents. When will you give me a label?”
------------------------------
Author’s Note:
ZhuangZhuang: Am I being too gentlemanly? Whenever I want to kiss NingNing, I always ask him if he wants to. I think I should just kiss him!
NingNing: … (blushing)
