WMAW Chapter 15

Zhong Lin was all decked out in big yellow ducks, the bright yellow ones plastered all over him, making him feel incredibly uncomfortable. Seizing the moment while Zhuang Yi went to take a shower, he sneaked back to his own room, intending to grab his plain white comforter to sleep with instead.

Before he could hoist the comforter onto his shoulder, Zhuang Yi burst in and wrapped him up in a tight hug, tumbling onto the bed. Zhong Lin, clad only in a large shirt, ended up buried under the duvet, with just his legs sticking out, flailing about.

“Wife, you don’t want me anymore!” Zhuang Yi was genuinely scared. He had come out of the shower, his hair still wet, to find Zhong Lin gone from the room, and had panicked so much that he rushed out without even putting on shoes. He remembered the days when they lived apart; he would leave early and come home late, only catching a brief glimpse of Zhong Lin at noon. If Zhong Lin didn’t bring him lunch, he wouldn’t see him at all that day, which felt like being sentenced to a life without a wife. With work the next day, he likely wouldn’t see his wife at all.

Holding Zhong Lin in his arms now, Zhuang Yi felt a slight easing of the anxiety and panic in his heart.

“Get off me.” Zhong Lin finally managed to poke his head out from under the duvet, only to find himself face-to-face with Zhuang Yi’s damp, bare torso. He had a sneaking suspicion that Zhuang Yi was attempting seduction, but had no proof.

“You said you’d give me a chance,” Zhuang Yi shifted the goalposts, his weight firmly planted on Zhong Lin, refusing to budge. “Wife, I’ll just sleep holding you, I won’t do anything bad, please don’t leave me.”

Zhong Lin stubbornly refused to yield. His mind flashed back to their wedding night when he had spent a lonely evening weeping in bed, and now he found everything about Zhuang Yi irritating. Physically he was tempted, but emotionally, he was cold and bitter.

“I don’t want you to sleep holding me, you didn’t do it before, it’s too late now,” Zhong Lin huffed, turning his head away, avoiding Zhuang Yi’s damp-eyed gaze.

“I was immature before, I need my wife’s affection,” Zhuang Yi said, swallowing his pride and deliberately trying to tempt him. He watched Zhong Lin’s ears turn red as he took Zhong Lin’s hand and gently guided it across the contours of his own body. He noticed Zhong Lin trembling finely, knowing this move was effective. But clutching Zhong Lin’s delicate hand, Zhuang Yi himself was the first to lose control, unsure who was seducing whom.

Underneath Zhong Lin’s hand was Zhuang Yi’s hot, muscular body, and, angered, Zhong Lin turned back to glare fiercely at him, only to be silenced by Zhuang Yi’s lips on his. He couldn’t push him away this time.

“Wife, do you want the duck or not? It’s free, and I provide excellent service.” Zhuang Yi whispered in Zhong Lin’s ear, promoting himself as a pillow companion, then gently nibbled on Zhong Lin’s earlobe, slowly moving down to his chest. The person beneath him softened into a pliant heap. After having been rough the previous day, Zhuang Yi had no intention of pushing Zhong Lin too hard tonight. He used his hands and mouth more vigorously, determined to prove his worth as an exceptional ‘duck’ to make his wife never want to leave him.

As it turned out, Zhuang Yi indeed had a knack for being a ‘duck.’ Zhong Lin moaned in ecstasy, and when Zhuang Yi carried him back to bed as his ‘big yellow duck’ consort, Zhong Lin had no strength to resist. Ashamed and annoyed at seeing Zhuang Yi looking up at him with that expression while swallowing something indescribable, Zhong Lin could no longer face the once aloof idol.

Turning his back on Zhuang Yi, Zhong Lin spent the night dreaming. In his dreams, he was chased first by a flock of noisy ducks, then by an arrogant goose, which infuriated him so much that upon waking, he punched Zhuang Yi, who was pouting at him.

It turned out that ducks could not earn affection; upon waking, Zhong Lin was ready to leave without looking back. Zhuang Yi, dressed in a crisp suit, sat on the bed, massaging the wrist he had strained while punching, feeling incredibly reluctant to leave. Burdened with several days’ worth of work, Zhuang Yi really had to go to the office today. But in pursuit of his wife, he needed to strike while the iron was hot, not feeling secure until his wife accepted him, Zhuang Yi’s handsome face clouded over.

Zhong Lin really loved to sleep in. He used to get up early to prepare breakfast for Zhuang Yi before going back to bed. Today, he got out of bed only when the sun was high, his legs shaking as he reluctantly headed to the kitchen in his bunny-ear slippers, glancing back at the ridiculously shiny big yellow duck in the sunlight.

Zhuang Yi, busy all morning, drank a cup of coffee, feeling his stomach burn a little. Now without his pampered wife, Zhuang Yi was acutely aware of who used to make breakfast every day. While waiting for his assistant to bring up a lunch box, he took out his phone to message Zhong Lin.

“Wife, are you up? I had the driver leave some steamed buns on the dining table. Don’t eat them if they’re cold. There are also some cakes in the fridge.”

“Wife, today the finance report said they finally found the mistake with the missing $20.50.”

“Wife, I miss you so much.”

“Wife, why do you smell so sweet? I think of you and feel sweet.”

Zhuang Yi’s stomach growled as he sat upright, holding his phone seriously. The assistant manager, ready to report for work, knocked several times without a response and then peeked inside, quickly retreating. Jokingly, it seemed like Zhuang Yi was discussing multi-billion-dollar projects, so it was better to keep quiet at such a crucial moment.

“Wife, can you wait for me tonight? I won’t be off work early, but I want to have dinner with you.”

“Please? But don’t go hungry, wife.”

“Why aren’t you answering me, wife? I feel like crying.”

Zhuang Yi was so focused on typing that he didn’t notice the notification sounds with each line he sent. When he finally looked up, Zhong Lin was standing across from him, arms crossed, a big yellow duck lunch bag hanging from his wrist.

Zhong Lin’s face was expressionless, but inside, he was kicking himself for having nothing better to do than come here to dote on him. Before he could speak, Zhuang Yi, taking big strides, scooped him up in a tight embrace.

“Wife!” Zhuang Yi, like a stray dog suddenly brought home, forgot himself in his excitement.

Zhong Lin, lifted off the ground, spun around as the lunch bag clattered. He shouted, “Hey, hey, hey, that’s the clam soup I stewed!”

Zhuang Yi, chastised, sat obediently on his knees at the coffee table, licking the soup that had spilled on the lid. After many days, finally tasting his wife’s cooking again, Zhuang Yi felt both moved and ashamed. He resolved in his heart to work even harder as a ‘duck,’ to properly repay his wife.

After tidying up the dishes, Zhuang Yi wrapped his arms around Zhong Lin’s waist, escorting him downstairs while whispering in his ear, “Wife, don’t bring me food anymore. I love eating what you cook, but I don’t want you to work so hard. Plus, I want to eat with you. I’ll come to you for meals, okay? Today was just really busy.”

Surrounded by employees saluting him, Zhong Lin’s face turned beet red. He found Zhuang Yi’s transformed clingy personality overwhelming.

“Is that okay?” Zhuang Yi persisted.

“Understood. I’ll bring something when I have time, and we can eat together. If I’m too busy, I won’t send it,” Zhong Lin said, being escorted by Zhuang Yi to his studio. He had never shown affection for Zhuang Yi in public before, and now, his face flushed and diminutive, he was irresistibly cute.

“Then let me know in advance when you’re coming, and I’ll come down to meet you,” Zhuang Yi couldn’t resist kissing Zhong Lin at the door.

“Sss—” Pei Jue, sitting on a couch in the outer office, couldn’t help but make an incongruous noise. He had brought a friend to discuss a music collaboration with Zhong Lin and didn’t expect to witness such an exciting scene.

While he had been complaining about Zhuang Yi over WeChat, his body told another truth. Pei Jue clicked his tongue in amazement, standing up to greet the visibly jealous Zhuang Yi.

Zhuang Yi’s eyes flickered between Pei Jue’s blond friend and another stylish young man, his jealousy spilling everywhere. Dressed in a stiff, immaculate suit and with meticulously combed hair, he felt decidedly outclassed here.

Pei Jue’s friend, a popular actor looking to produce a track for his fans, was an appealing alpha with chestnut curls falling over his eyes and a delicate face exuding a noble aura.

“Aren’t you leaving, Boss Zhuang?” Pei Jue chuckled as he watched Zhuang Yi, who seemed lost by Zhong Lin’s side. When it came to work, Zhong Lin was utterly focused, listening intently to his client’s needs and leading them to his office, completely forgetting about his ‘big yellow duck’ husband trailing behind.

Watching Zhong Lin surrounded and busy, Zhuang Yi was once again struck by the charm of his wife at work. After consuming a huge jar of jealousy, feeling sour and numb, and not wanting to disturb Zhong Lin, he could only slowly walk back to continue his own work.

As joyful and proud as Zhuang Yi had been upon arrival, he left feeling as sorrowful and dejected.

That’s it, he thought, he needed to dye his hair, today, right after work.