Translator: Lynn
Slender and immaculate fingers gently dimmed the light in the open kitchen.
On the dining table rested four delicate porcelain plates, each bearing a culinary masterpiece. An additional plate held a dish of stir-fried pork with fresh bamboo shoots, a tantalizing blend of colors and aromas. The glow of the pendant lights cast a warm and inviting radiance.
Li Weidu unfastened his apron and hung it neatly, then turned his attention to the sink, diligently washing his hands. As he dried the lingering droplets, the doorbell chimed right on cue.
“Ding dong—”
Whenever the home lights were on, Ye Yin1Revised the name to Ye Yin couldn’t be bothered to use his keys.
A petite pink box materialized in front of Li Weidu’s eyes, and beyond the door stood Ye Yin, his sweet smile causing his eyes to crinkle.
“Sorry about that, I bumped into an acquaintance on my way here and it took a bit longer. I brought a dessert to make up for it!” It had become customary—whenever he returned home later than planned, Ye Yin would present a small cake as a form of “compensation.”
It seemed that the typical human thought process operated in this manner: those skilled in crafting cakes naturally possessed a fondness for consuming them.
Certainly, Li Weidu could conjure up an array of sweet, charming, and top-tier pastries. In fact, he had even embarked on a three-month educational sojourn at a renowned French baking school to hone his skills. He had essentially laid the foundation to become a maestro of desserts on a global scale.
However, there was one solitary motivation behind this pursuit—Ye Yin’s fondness for dainty cream cakes.
Li Weidu himself was far from enamored with sugary treats.
Having been afflicted by a severe ailment during adolescence, he was left with a delicate stomach. The consumption of inexpensive, mass-produced cream-based confections would invariably induce agonizing discomfort, robbing him of sleep.
“Thank you, Xiao Yin. I truly appreciate it.”
He had conveyed this information to Ye Yin long ago.
It’s just that Ye Yin never remembers..
…
Spread across the table were an array of delectable dishes, and Ye Yin was delicately handling his spoon and chopsticks, although his mind seemed to be elsewhere.
“What’s bothering you? These dishes are your favorites, aren’t they?”
“I’m sorry,” Ye Yin sighed, his lengthy lashes fluttering as he spoke, “I got quite hungry while I was out this afternoon, so I ended up having a work lunch with my colleagues.”
“Ordered takeout?”
“No, it was a proper restaurant!” Ye Yin quickly interjected, preemptively covering his ears with a fair hand, anticipating the familiar response, and sure enough—
“There aren’t many places outside that provide good quality and fresh ingredients, not to mention controlling the use of oil, salt, and sugar. If you were hungry, why didn’t you call me? I could have prepared something and brought it to you! Or…
“What time will you be done working? Weidu,” Ye Yin playfully interrupted his half-formed thought, “Once in a while~”
“Do I know the colleagues you were dining with?”
Ye Yin paused, and a sudden chill pervaded the air: “…you don’t know them.”
After a few seconds of silence, Li Wei chuckled softly, “But they are all part of the entertainment industry, right? Maybe I’ve heard of them?”
“They’re just regular colleagues, not celebrities.”
“What are their names?”
“Ah!”
Li Weidu averted his gaze and remained quiet.
With his innocent appearance, harmless to both humans and animals and a pair of bright, clear eyes that resembled those of a deer, Ye Yin could even make his impatient or impolite expressions seem imbued with grievance and vulnerability. He was practically immune to frustration.
“If you’re not hungry, let’s have more of the fish soup. By the way, I’ll be attending a science and technology annual meeting in City B this weekend. I might be away for a couple of days. Is that alright?”
Ye Yin’s eyes instantly brightened, “So, you won’t be home on Saturday night?”
“… If you want me to be there, I can come back to spend time with you.”
As the sweet, rich cream cake dissolved in his mouth, Li Weidu wrinkled his brow and forced himself to swallow, experiencing a mild twinge in his stomach.
“No, no, no!” Ye Yin shook his head vigorously and said, “You must attend such a crucial annual meeting as the CEO. Although it might get a bit lonely, I’ll manage.” Nevertheless, his expression clearly conveyed a different sentiment than mere solitude.
In contrast, it felt akin to a child learning that their parents were going out, envisioning the thrill of sneaking onto the computer to play games in secret.
Li Weidu prodded at the cake, unwilling to indulge in groundless speculation.
“Actually, it’s fine if I don’t attend.”
“…”
“I wasn’t eager to go either. If Wei Xuan and Qi Yang hadn’t insisted and dragged me along…”
“Wei Xuan and Qi Yang?” Ye Yin appeared to roll his eyes internally as he lowered his head to blow on the fish soup, “You’ve shown remarkable patience, enduring the company of those two until now? It’s quite a shame; there’s a sense that they owe him something. Qi Yang is even more… he parades himself as being popular, and then he splurges on expensive items, forcing everyone to split the bill for various things, all while maintaining a veneer of hypocrisy.”
Li Weidu remained silent.
Those two… were his closest friends.
“Also, Weidu, is the flavor of this fish soup milder today? It doesn’t seem to match your usual standard?”
The thick, white broth was consumed and lost within its depths.
The open kitchen faced the dining table. Li Weidu lifted his gaze leisurely, catching sight of Ye Yin’s fingers nimbly dancing across the screen, his face illuminated by the soft glow.
“…Xiao Yin.”
“Xiao Yin!”
Even after calling out several times, Ye Yin remained oblivious. Li Weidu’s lips curled gently, but his eyes acquired a faint touch of melancholy.
“Xiao Yin, who are you… texting? You look so elated.”
Shaken from his reverie, Ye Yin seemed to snap out of it, accidentally knocking his phone against the edge of the bowl containing the piping-hot fish soup, causing the liquid to cascade over the table.
—
Zhu Ling had been overseas shooting a new music video for two consecutive weeks. Upon his return, it coincided with… their wedding anniversary.
Ji Kai stood at the doorway with a celebration cake he had ordered early in the morning, his head tilted as he pondered for a considerable duration.
Perhaps they should commemorate this day in a carefree manner, and then… address the issue of Ye Yin’s situation tomorrow?
Sigh…
He shook his head. “Confrontation” might be too grand a word for the situation. After all, it was all mere conjecture—about Zhu Ling and Ye Yin. He had no solid evidence, and neither did Li Weidu.
“Sometimes, you don’t really need any ‘proof’, right?” Mr. Li had mentioned it in the coffee shop that day.
“Interactions between people who spend their days and nights together can be complex and abnormal. Often, a single glance or subtle gesture is enough to elucidate the situation. I find it hard to believe that you haven’t noticed anything at all.” His words resonated like a condemnation.
However, when Ji Kai finally opened the door, he was greeted by a floor covered in candles and a weary-looking big star waiting on the sofa. Upon seeing the radiant smile that illuminated Zhu Ling’s face upon his entrance, along with a massive bouquet of roses positioned behind him, suspicion crept into Ji Kai’s mind.
He found himself wondering whether he had been overthinking things and fabricating a drama where there was none.
“Baby bear, happy third wedding anniversary!”
Accepting the large bouquet of fragrant blooms, Ji Kai buried his face in the damp petals, catching the lingering scent of red roses. Memories of their first Valentine’s Day together flooded back.
Back then, Zhu Ling’s daily expenses barely scraped by a meager 30 yuan.
Yet, he had spent twenty yuan to buy Ji Kai a single rose.
[It’s not really necessary to waste money, considering how inflated flower prices are on Valentine’s Day…]
Ji Kai had felt a twinge of sympathy for him, but Zhu Ling had simply smiled.
[Brother Kai, even if I can’t give you anything else, at least this small gesture of care won’t miss you.]
Since then, roses have become a staple for every anniversary and Valentine’s Day. Reflecting on it, Zhu Ling hadn’t changed at all; he remained a devoted man and lover through and through.
His slender fingers brushed over the petals, feeling a slight unease against his skin.
Frowning, Ji Kai gripped Zhu Ling’s wrist, noticing a Band-Aid wrapped around the tip of his hand.
“What happened? How did you hurt yourself?”
“I accidentally scraped it yesterday. It’s nothing major, just a minor injury. I was trying to earn some winter provisions for my baby bear. It’s worth it!” Ji Kai was puzzled, “Winter provisions?”
“Ah…”
Zhu Ling appeared a bit drowsy, yet his eyes twinkled like stars, “Because ‘Baby Bear’ is planning to hibernate in the winter? Then, you won’t have to worry anymore?”
His eyes suddenly welled with emotion.
He wasn’t sure why, but a simple joke had moved him so deeply.
If he truly were a bear in the wild…
Then came the chilly winter, and while nestled alone in his den, he would long for Zhu Ling’s presence beside him.
He would undoubtedly cherish him. He would cradle him and cocoon him in warm, brown fur. As long as he was there, solitude and disturbance would be banished. For wherever he was would be Ji Kai’s happiest abode.
After all this time together…
Even if their beginning was humble, like an abandoned village, they had gradually constructed a sturdy, high wall. What is Ye Yin? What is Ye Yin’s boyfriend? Just because they paraded their faces and spewed nonsense to incite doubt, must he suspect his own family?
A frail guy with a narrow waist and blond hair, featuring a single eyelid and a pompous attitude!
Perhaps it’s because those two aren’t doing well themselves that they can’t bear to see others doing well! A pair of lunatics deliberately trying to stir up chaos—why should he pay them any heed?
Please let me know if there are typos/mistakes in the chapter.
Support me on ko-fi for faster releases ^^
