After finishing the hotpot, when it was time to take a taxi back, there’s only two available. Ruan Tian went to her home across the river alone, while Chen Rui and Jiang Yuanyuan went back to their school in one car. With six people remaining and only one car left, everyone tacitly chose to let Xia Zhiye and Song Yan take the second car.
And the second car did not send them back to the dormitory of No. 3 Middle School, but stopped at the entrance of Wine Alley.
When Song Yan was taken out of the car by Xia Zhiye, before he could react, he saw the last moving vehicle on the road quickly leaving his field of vision.
This place was not far from the dormitory of No. 3 Middle School. It took about six or seven minutes to walk there, plus, it’s currently snowing, so their paces would be slower than usual.
Originally, Song Yan was still irritated due to the embarrassment of being caught trying to kiss in the hotpot restaurant. He was about to lose his temper and ask Xia Zhiye if he had nothing better to do. However, in the next moment, he felt like time had frozen – the next thing he registered was a warm feeling on his neck, as someone tied a scarf over it.
When he looked up, he saw Xia Zhiye holding the transparent umbrella he got from the restaurant, looking down at him, “Can you stay at my house tonight?”
“…”
Song Yan lost his temper instantly.
Although this was not his first time—
But today was the first night of their relationship. Precisely with this context, Xia Zhiye invited him to stay the night in his house, where there’s only one bed.
Song Yan felt something strange going on.
He fell silent for two seconds.
Then Xia Zhiye said in a very warm tone, “Tomorrow morning, my grandmother will cook longevity noodles for my birthday. If I live in school, I won’t be able to eat it. Since my parents are now gone, I want to hear the first birthday greeting from you.”
“…”
For some reason, Song Yan felt that there was a hint of sadness in Xia Zhiye’s warm voice. It’s something that Song Yan first heard, something that had never been revealed before.
Maybe it’s because he missed his parents.
It’s logical – it’s his birthday, and the family he loved so much was no longer around. Even if Xia Zhiye has already reached adulthood, it’s very normal to feel sad for such a situation.
Song Yan felt that his refusal at this time would only stamp him as a cold, inhumane person. With a lowered head, he let out a voice of assent, and continued it with: “Let’s go, then.”
The two youths, under one umbrella, continued walking side-by-side at a slow pace. The alley was quaint on this snowy night.
Still, the gentle snow fluttered down, to the ground, to the top of the umbrella, to Xia Zhiye’s exposed shoulder.
But for some reason, Song Yan felt that this umbrella was extra large. It was able to cover his body from the cold wind and snow very well. He felt warm.
He walked slowly, thinking of the tinge of sadness in Xia Zhiye’s voice. After a brief moment of silence, Song Yan whispered, “When your parents are still here… I think you should be a very happy child.”
At that time, he can attend a good school, can play in a band with his friends, and has no obligation to take care of his family’s monetary needs as a teenager.
Song Yan’s whispers blew a wind of nostalgia to Xia Zhiye. He remembered that every birthday, his mother would cook enough to fill the table. However, the taste wasn’t very good, but his father would always put on a big smile and laughter, praising his wife’s cooking skills and making sure all the foods were eaten clean.
That’s the definition of love he learned from his parents – unconditional companionship, care, tolerance, and accommodation.
So he took Song Yan’s hand, intertwining their fingers together in a lover’s hold, then clasped it tightly. “We’ll live happily ever after, too.”
They will be happy in the future.
“But we’re out of money now.”
“?”
Song Yan’s tone remained cold and calm. “The condition for me not to transfer back is that I only get 800 yuan per month for living expenses.”
Xia Zhiye: “…”
After a short while, Xia Zhiye realized what Song Yan meant. He couldn’t help but let out a low laugh.
What did he do to give Song Yan the impression that he was so poor? It was to the point that this eldest young master was so worried about their financial status that he didn’t register the romantic atmosphere.
Xia Zhiye thought Song Yan was so cute.
However, Song Yan was serious and worried.
Although he was angry at Song Minghai at that time, now he had time to cool his head off and deeply think about it. 800 yuan a month was not enough for him to drink a cup of milk tea every day, not to mention that he has to subsidize Xia Zhiye and take care of grandma. He also wanted to buy a doll for Little Mahjong.
In his mind, it’s not going to be alright at all.
Song Yan felt a little irritable when he thought of this. “What are you laughing at?”
“It’s nothing.” Xia Zhiye suppressed a smile, “I’m just thinking that it doesn’t matter if you don’t have any money, I’ll just earn money to support you.”
Song Yan didn’t think much about it. He bluntly asked, “How can you make money? Start a business and go public?”
“That won’t work, I can’t do illegal things. Besides, I have to protect my body like a jade for our Yan-ge.” Xia Zhiye said slowly, a teasing smile bloomed on his face, “But I can get money from accompanying people in games. I have this ‘rich and beautiful young lady’ client who’s especially generous. She’s also easy to chat with, so I’ll just need to rely on her, and we’ll be set.”
After finishing speaking, Xia Zhiye felt that the hand he was holding froze a little. He restrained a smile on his face, trying not to be caught. He then turned his head to look at Song Yan, and asked knowingly, “Why, is our Yan-ge jealous?”
Song Yan: “…”
Jealous, my ass.
‘That “rich and beautiful young lady” is none other than me. You earn my money to support me. Are you fucking crazy?!’
But thinking that Xia Zhiye didn’t know that he was that “young lady”, Song Yan felt that Xia Zhiye should have good intentions. With a straight face, he said, “I’m not jealous. Anyway, don’t rely on that kind of avenue, it’s not reliable in the long run.”
Forget it, using his own money to support himself was better than this vixen Xia Zhiye really being looked at by some rich woman.
Thinking of this, Song Yan felt a little sour in his heart, turning his voice cold. “But you can find anyone you like, it’s none of my business.”
“How is it none of your business?”
Xia Zhiye stopped.
Song Yan, who was being held tightly by him, had to stop and turned to look at him.
The two stood face to face under the umbrella. Xia Zhiye looked down at him and said, “You are my boyfriend now, my business is your business, and vice versa. So if you are not happy about what I’m doing, I will no longer do it. If you don’t have money, I will earn money to support you. This is how things are supposed to be.”
The right and proper way of life.
Song Yan thought, ‘How come I never found out that Xia Zhiye was so traditional1I think it can also mean “chauvinistic”, but Song Yan wasn’t using it in a 100% negative manner? So traditional it is. Idk though… before?’
–But it did make his heart beat faster, somehow.
At this moment, Xia Zhiye took the opportunity to pat his head and said, “I know you don’t like your dad, don’t like that home, so you don’t have to go back. I’ll take care of you. Anyway, I’ll definitely take better care of you than your dad. At least I’ll make sure you’re plump and healthy.”
His heart beats even faster now.
Song Yan avoided his gaze, feeling awkward. “Are you talking of caring for me or raising a pig? You don’t have any money yourself, and yet, you’re talking big about taking care of me.”
“Actually, I have money…”
“Oh.” Before Xia Zhiye could finish speaking, Song Yan gave a cold sigh, “If you have money, then why did you find a rich woman and be her accompanying player? If you have money, why didn’t you buy toys for Little Mahjong? If you have money, why can’t you afford a scarf? Did you think I’m stupid and easy to fool?”
“…”
In Song Yan’s rhetorical question, Xia Zhiye faintly smelled the scent of imminent death.
After a brief silence, he felt that the truth of his financial status still needs to be considered for the long run. Otherwise, a hasty decision will make him sleep here forever, and his birthday will become his death’s anniversary instead. On top of that, Song Yan will spend the rest of his life as a widow in the juvenile detention center.
So he changed my mind immediately. “I mean I will have money in the future, so don’t worry.”
Song Yan did not deny this.
Xia Zhiye was smart, good-looking, young, well-liked, talented, and reliable in doing things. No matter which angle he looked at it, Xia Zhiye was a young man brimming with talent and potential. He definitely will be rich in the future.
“Let’s talk about that later.”
Song Yan awkwardly threw out this sentence.
Xia Zhiye patted his head with a smile. “No need to talk about it later, I won’t let our Eldest Young Master suffer now.”
Song Yan slapped his hand instead. “Who the fuck are you calling Eldest Young Master?”
“It’s not Eldest Young Master? So it’s Princess instead?”
“Fuck you.”
Song Yan was about to punch Xia Zhiye.
However, Xia Zhiye grabbed his clenched fist and pulled him into an embrace, looking into his eyes and chuckled softly, “I won’t leave. In the future, if we can’t afford dry cleaning for our clothes, I’ll wash them by hand. If we want to eat something delicious on the weekends, I’ll buy the groceries and cook. And with my intelligence and talent, I can make enough money to support our Eldest Young Master for his needs. So, you don’t have to endure other people’s nonsense anymore. I’ll take care of you.”
Although Xia Zhiye was joking, he looked at Song Yan too seriously. As a result, Song Yan felt a tinge of hotness on the corner of his eyes, and he averted his gaze quickly. “I can take care of myself.”
“Mhm, our Yan-ge is so capable; he can surely take care of himself. But, I’m a bit traditional in this aspect, I hope that my boyfriend won’t have a worse life after being with me. It should only get better. So, Yan-ge, can you give me a chance to show myself, alright?”
Even though he’s struggling and living a tough life, Xia Zhiye still wanted to treat him well, to take care of him and his every need. What a fool.
Song Yan wanted to raise his head to curse to release this tightness in his chest. But when he was met with Xia Zhiye’s earnest and sincere gaze, all the cold curse words instantly melted between his lips and teeth.
Xia Zhiye looked down at him and said softly, “Song Yan, I’m serious. The first time you got drunk, I brought you home. At that time, in my home, you said to me that no one had loved you since your childhood till now. At that time, I was thinking that it would be great if I could always love you in the future. Now I am your boyfriend, so you can try to rely on me in the future.”
He wanted Song Yan to rely on others, without any feelings of shame or fear.
This was the first time Song Yan really believed this sentence.
Because the person who said this was Xia Zhiye.
The wind whistled in the distance, rattling the dead trees’ branches. He faintly heard the first chime of midnight from a clock tower somewhere.
He looked at Xia Zhiye and said coldly, “Bow your head.”
Xia Zhiye: “?”
Song Yan: “Come here.”
Xia Zhiye: “…”
Xia Zhiye thought he had made too many mistakes and crossed Song Yan’s boundaries. He already accepted his fate. He closed his eyes and lowered his head, preparing for his death.
But then, he only felt the corner of his lips touching something. Something soft yet cold to the touch.
“?”
He had a guess, but it felt too delusional. Xia Zhiye opened his eyes, and then saw Song Yan slightly on tiptoe, with trembling eyelashes, awkwardly kissing him.
His usually well-coordinated and slender limbs became stiff, seemingly unable to find a comfortable position. His eyelashes trembled nervously. The typically calm and indifferent cool guy was now behaving like a child caught stealing candy for the first time.
And when Song Yan noticed that Xia Zhiye opened his eyes, he quickly moved his lips away and mumbled a “Happy Birthday” before preparing to run.
However, he was arrested by a certain Detective Xia by the waist, and was brought back. Then, with a familiar move, he pressed him against the wall, laughing softly, “You kissed me and ran? Where did this little rascal come from?”
“You’re a damned idiot… Mmh.”
The umbrella fell to the ground. Without the protection of the umbrella, the fluttering snowflakes landed on the two young men’s black hair and closed eyelashes, as if silently blessing them.
It was a long, long time before a breathy whisper of “No, stop kissing.” sounded.
The other young man only let out a soft laughter. “Little fool, you don’t remember to breathe? No worries, I’ll teach you.”
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