FSO Chapter 30

Aunt Xue’s call for dinner startled Jiang Wan awake. He opened his eyes to find Dou Ming pinning him down on the bed, kissing his neck and collarbone.

Yes, somehow, his shirt had come off at some point too.

For obvious reasons, the details of what happened next cannot be described.

Jiang Wan gently pushed Dou Ming away and calmly said, “Let’s eat first.”

Dou Ming leaned in again, kissing Jiang Wan’s earlobe, his warm breath tickling his neck. “And after that?”

Jiang Wan scratched his itchy neck, pondering for a moment. “Did you finish your homework?”

Dou Ming: “…”

“Finish your homework first!” Jiang Wan kicked Dou Ming off the bed with a firm voice. “What is a student’s top priority? Answer me.”

Dou Ming sat silently on the floor, looking up at Jiang Wan. His youthful face still carried a hint of innocence, but his exposed upper body, with its firm muscles and sharp lines, was already that of an adult Alpha. The sight made Jiang Wan’s pheromone glands heat up again.

But he held back, reaching for the crumpled shirt lying nearby. The shirt was wrinkled and clearly unsuitable for wearing out in public—it would surely lead to people getting the wrong idea.

Dou Ming stood up, silently putting on his own shirt.

Jiang Wan, barefoot, stepped onto the rug beside the bed and was about to grab a fresh shirt from the wardrobe when Dou Ming went ahead and selected one for him.

“Is this okay?” Dou Ming asked.

Jiang Wan gave a small “mm” in response and took the shirt. While putting it on, he could feel Dou Ming’s eyes on him the whole time.

So, as soon as his head popped through the collar, Jiang Wan glanced back at him.

Dou Ming quickly looked away, turned around, and fetched a pair of slippers for Jiang Wan. He even knelt down, motioning for Jiang Wan to sit on the bed so he could put the slippers on him.

Jiang Wan suddenly felt like a jerk making a poor innocent wife serve him.

He couldn’t help but say, “Playing the pitiful act won’t work. No means no. Like you said earlier, we’ll wait until after you graduate…”

Dou Ming glanced at the box of toys and replied softly, “Okay, I’ll listen to you.”

His obedient behavior made Jiang Wan uneasy. That one glance seemed to contain so many emotions, like “Am I not even as good as those toys?” or “Maybe I should really work on improving my skills.”

Blushing furiously, Jiang Wan tried to explain, “If you hadn’t insisted on checking under the bed, I would’ve forgotten about those!”

Dou Ming gave a noncommittal “oh.”

Frustrated, Jiang Wan huffed, “Believe what you want.” He then pushed open the door and headed downstairs.

Dou Ming, of course, followed him.

In the dining room, Gang Ya, Du Yanlong, and Xue Ma were already seated at the table. As soon as Jiang Wan and Dou Ming entered, all eyes were on them.

Jiang Wan took his seat at the head of the table, his dangerous gaze scanning the room, trying to suppress any nosy questions before they were asked.

Xue Ma sipped her soup and said matter-of-factly, “I’ll change your bedsheets later.”

“!” Jiang Wan nearly choked on his own saliva. “There’s no need! They’re not dirty!”

Xue Ma gave Dou Ming a glance, her expression asking, “Really not dirty?” Seeing Dou Ming’s innocent face, she pondered for a moment and then asked the chef, “Can we make some more nourishing soups tomorrow?”

Jiang Wan quickly interrupted her outrageous suggestion, “Don’t stir things up. Dou Ming is still young. He needs to focus on his studies. We can’t let him get distracted, understand?”

Gang Ya’s eyes widened in curiosity. “Who’s in bad health? Why the need for extra nourishment?”

Du Yanlong thoughtfully fed Gang Ya a takoyaki ball. “Just eat your food and don’t talk. Good boy.”

Gang Ya: “Mmm.”

Xue Ma shrugged. “Xiao Dou has his college entrance exams soon. What’s wrong with giving him a bit of nourishment?”

Jiang Wan gave her a deadpan look. “Is that really what you meant?”

Xue Ma asked with great enthusiasm, “What else could I have meant?”

Damn fox.

Jiang Wan coldly replied, “Fine.” He picked up a roasted chicken drumstick and began nibbling on it in small bites.

But as he ate, his chopsticks slipped, and the drumstick brushed his cheek, leaving a shiny streak of grease on his face.

Dou Ming, who had been watching him the whole time, picked up a napkin and gently wiped Jiang Wan’s face, even dabbing the corners of his mouth.

Throughout the whole process, eight pairs of eyes silently watched.

Jiang Wan’s face burned with embarrassment. He cursed the chicken drumstick and told the chef, “Next time, cut it into pieces. A drumstick this big is hard to eat.”

The chef smiled sweetly. “Why don’t you have Xiao Dou help debone it for you?”

Jiang Wan was growing increasingly annoyed with everyone’s gossipy faces. Keeping his expression stern, he said, “Dou Ming can’t always be here.”

Xue Ma looked surprised. “I thought Xiao Dou would be staying here from now on.” She gave him a sympathetic look. “You’re an only child, right? With the exams coming up, it’s worrying to think of you alone. If you lived with us, you’d have someone to take care of you.”

The chef nodded in agreement. “Kids your age love the cold. What if you catch a cold or a fever? It could mess up everything. And what about food? If you’re ordering takeout, what if it’s unsanitary? If you get food poisoning right before the big exam, all those years of hard work will be wasted.”

Jiang Wan’s heart pounded nervously as he listened. “You all have a point. Dou Ming, why don’t you move in here?”

Dou Ming remained calm, about to decline politely, when Xue Ma, the chef, and Du Yanlong all gave him exaggerated winks. After thinking it over, he changed his answer. “Alright.” He smiled softly at Jiang Wan. “I’ll listen to you.”

Jiang Wan’s face heated up. “I’ll set up a room for you. Don’t get any funny ideas.”

Dou Ming nodded. “Don’t worry, I know. We’ll wait until after I graduate…” He cut himself off in time, but his words still prompted a chorus of “Whoa!” from everyone around the table.

Jiang Wan, face darkening, snapped, “What are you all getting so excited about? Dou Ming and I… We’re just planning a trip together after he graduates.” He turned to smile sweetly at Dou Ming, but his eyes held a sharp warning. “Isn’t that right?”

Dou Ming immediately agreed, “That’s right.”

But Xue Ma pressed on, “So, will you be sharing a room or getting two separate rooms on the trip?”

Crap!

Jiang Wan, exasperated, retorted, “It’s just a plan! We haven’t worked out the details yet!”

Faced with everyone’s expectant gazes, he slapped the table and declared with authority, “No talking at the table! Just eat!”