Chapter 26.2 – Piggy Bank
Novel Title: 一屋暗灯 (Ephemeral Light)
Author：麦香鸡呢 (McChicken)
Translator: K (@kin0monogatari)
Protagonists: 宋谨 (Song Jin -MC), 宋星阑 (Song Xinglan -ML)
*Please read at Novels Space.space, the original site of translation. TQ*
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Since the day Song Jin agreed to let Song Xinglan play cards moderately, Song Xinglan might be late, but he never missed a game at the mahjong table in the village’s small shop.
However, he always won more than he lost. Once, when Song Jin met Song Xinglan’s mahjong friends, one of them asked, “Was your family running a mahjong parlour before? How come your brother, looking like this, is still so good at playing mahjong?”
Song Jin replied, “I don’t know. Maybe he’s had a breakthrough.”
Song Jin got Song Xinglan a piggy bank. Every time Song Xinglan won money, he would put it in the piggy bank. He often used the money to buy snacks and fruits to bring back for Song Jin.
On the night before his reexamination, Song Xinglan took a bath and then squatted at the door of Song Jin’s room, playing with the cat. Ever since one time when he touched Grapefruit without being stopped by Song Jin, he understood that Song Jin allowed him to touch the cat.
Song Jin shut down his computer and turned to look at Song Xinglan. He said, “Someone from the hospital will come to pick you up tomorrow.”
Song Xinglan was stunned for a moment, not understanding what that meant. He stood up and asked, “Pick me up for what?”
“To go to the hospital for a check-up.”
Song Xinglan took a step towards his room and asked again, “Will they bring me back?”
Seeing his serious expression, Song Jin suddenly felt an urge to tease him. So he said, “Probably not. They will find someone else to take care of you.”
Song Xinglan stood there, motionless. He opened his mouth slightly. But he couldn’t say anything.
After a long time, he asked softly, “Ge, don’t you want me anymore?”
Song Jin looked down at his book. “Mm.”
“Why… why not?”
“No reason,” Song Jin said.
Unexpectedly, Song Xinglan didn’t immediately burst into tears and start wailing. He walked to the edge of Song Jin’s bed. He squatted down and looked up at Song Jin’s face as he said, “Ge, I’ll be obedient. I can do anything. I’ll learn to cook for you in the future. I won’t go out to play or play mahjong anymore. I’ll listen to you.”
“Don’t throw me away, please. I just want to be with you.”
Song Jin continued to look at his book. But he didn’t absorb a single word.
He wanted to say ‘no’. But even if it was just to tease Song Xinglan, he found it hard to say.
Song Xinglan slowly embraced Song Jin’s waist. His brother didn’t give him an answer. So he couldn’t help but start crying. His shoulders were trembling. But his cry was restrained.
“I beg you, Ge. Don’t reject me. Don’t abandon me. I can’t be without you…”
“Alright.” Song Jin put down his book and patted Song Xinglan’s head. “I was just kidding. You’ll obediently go with them tomorrow. And they’ll bring you back after the check-up.”
Song Xinglan listened but didn’t speak for a while.
“Hmm?” Song Jin nudged his shoulder. “Are you angry?”
“You lied to me…” Song Xinglan still buried his face in Song Jin’s abdomen, muttering indignantly, “You made me cry again.”
“Who made you cry? You yourself cry so easily.” Song Jin said.
“I just cry easily. I just cry easily.” Song Xinglan murmured as his head nuzzled in Song Jin’s embrace. “You can’t lie to me anymore.”
Song Jin pushed him away gently. “It was just a joke.”
Song Xinglan wriggled around. But at some point, he had climbed onto the bed. He leaned in front of Song Jin and lifted his head. His eyes were still red with tears. He said, “Ge, you can lie to me about anything. But not about this. I’ll take it seriously and be very sad.”
Song Jin, feeling a bit uncomfortable, leaned back slightly. “Oh.”
Song Xinglan stared at his lips. He then leaned over and kissed him lightly.
Song Jin was taken aback. While Song Xinglan had kissed him before, this time, it seemed like the first time with such a close posture and serious expression. When those wet black eyes stared at him, Song Jin was a bit stunned.
“Ge,” Song Xinglan leaned closer to Song Jin’s face again and said softly, “Your face is so red. And so are your ears.”
He kissed Song Jin’s face and said, “It’s hot.”
Then he kissed Song Jin’s earlobe and continued, “This is hot too.”
Song Jin was bewildered. He leaned back against the bed while Song Xinglan still held on to his waist. As each gentle kiss landed, Song Jin could only reach out to hold onto Song Xinglan’s shoulders. But it seemed like he couldn’t muster much strength. His heart was beating fast, his thoughts were chaotic, and he tried to think about what to do. But he couldn’t find a starting point.
Song Xinglan kissed Song Jin’s forehead and nose, then moved to his chin. Finally, his lips returned to Song Jin’s. But this time, it wasn’t just a light kiss. He sucked on Song Jin’s lower lip. His tongue lightly licked the warm, soft flesh, then slowly probed inside, skimming over the flat teeth, and touching Song Jin’s tongue.
As their wet tongues touched, Song Xinglan tightened his grip around Song Jin’s waist as he tangled with his tongue. He could feel Song Jin’s awkwardness and stiffness. So he moved slowly and gently. He did not dive in rashly. But he only intertwined and sucked with a bit of pressure.
The two of them gradually became breathless. Song Jin clung to Song Xinglan’s shoulders with his eyes closed. It was because he was afraid to see that face and those eyes up close. But he also wanted to wake himself up. So he opened his eyes.
It was a familiar face. It was a bit more mature than before. But he was definitely more gentle and careful than before. He was indeed no longer the person he was three years ago.
Song Jin lost track of time until Song Xinglan lifted his head to look at him. There was a thin strand of saliva connecting their lips. Song Jin was panting. He wanted to say something. But he was speechless.
Song Xinglan lovingly kissed the corner of Song Jin’s mouth and looked at him intently, saying, “Ge, I really like you.”
It felt like something in the centre of his heart suddenly swelled and thumped forcefully. It wasn’t joy, nor was it anger, but a kind of indescribable confusion. Song Jin stared at him blankly for a few seconds before saying, “I’m your biological brother.”
“Is there something wrong with me being your brother?” Song Xinglan didn’t see any conflict between the two. He said, “I like you. And that’s that.”
“We are blood brothers.” Song Jin opened his eyes, seeming a bit bewildered, “I…”
“What’s the big deal?” Song Xinglan interrupted him, “I like you, Ge. We are brothers, so I like you even more. That’s all.”
Song Jin suddenly realised that this was not a multiple-choice question or a judgement question. But it was a subjective one.
In Song Xinglan’s eyes, ethics and morals could be disregarded. He didn’t understand, nor did he care. When he said he liked someone, that was it. There were no other considerations. It was just a pure feeling of liking someone. In fact, because Song Jin was his brother, he liked him even more.
But Song Jin was a normal person. And there were many things he couldn’t help but consider. However, tracing everything back to its origin, it all boiled down to whether he also liked him or not.
If he liked him, perhaps he could also abandon everything else. In fact, from the moment he realised his sexual orientation in junior high school, he had already prepared for many things.
However, while Song Jin might be able to disregard others’ gazes and be with a man, it didn’t mean that Song Xinglan would appear in this option. The person who had trampled over him three years ago, who now stood before him with no memory of anything, even if nothing had happened between them in the past, he was still his own younger brother.
He couldn’t possibly like the Song Xinglan from three years ago. But what about the Song Xinglan in front of him now? What if Song Xinglan had initially treated him with such feelings and attitude?
So, Song Jin suddenly couldn’t find an answer.
He turned his head away and didn’t look at Song Xinglan again. He said, “I’m going to sleep. You go out.”
“Oh.” Song Xinglan stood up straight. He then suddenly said very seriously, “Ge, I’m… hard down there.”
Song Jin felt like his ears were directly set on fire, burning hot and steamy. He pulled the blanket over himself, hiding his face inside. He repeated, “Get out quickly. I’m going to sleep.”
“Okay. Goodnight.” Song Xinglan got off the bed. He just looked at his brother wrapping himself up tightly, with only a little bit of his ear sticking out. His ear was blushing red. Song Xinglan felt an itch in his hand, wanting to touch it. But he was afraid of making Song Jin angry. So he added, “I’m going to bed too.”
Song Jin didn’t respond.
Song Xinglan walked out and closed the door.
After a long time, Song Jin finally peeked his head out from the blanket. His hair had become messy. He turned to look at Grapefruit on the sofa, sitting upright and staring back at him, like a calm onlooker.
“Don’t look.” Song Jin glared at it. He then spoke without much confidence, “If you keep staring, I won’t give you cat food tomorrow.”
Grapefruit flicked its tail and meowed. He then lay down on the sofa, closing his eyes.
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*Translator’s Note: Let us all drop our morality. Hahahahaha! -K
Next update: -Daily-
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