The atmosphere fell silent. Zong Yuan frowned, “You find it disgusting?”
Jiang Shengyan’s face was expressionless, brimming with aggression. “Isn’t it disgusting enough?”
He didn’t even know where this anger was coming from; everything he looked at seemed displeasing.
0046 chimed in, “Did you provoke him? He’s a single dog.”
Zong Yuan understood, “Boss Jiang doesn’t need to be angry; I’m single too.”
When the hell did I get angry?
Surprisingly, Jiang Shengyan was actually calmed down by this. His emotions quickly settled. “What’s her name again? Xin? You really like her.”
He immediately regretted saying it as soon as it left his mouth. “Forget it, you don’t have to say anything; I’m not interested in knowing.”
Zong Yuan was momentarily choked by his words, unable to get anything out. His eye twitched and he picked up his bowl to continue eating. Seeing him like this, Jiang Shengyan felt dissatisfied again. “Damn.”
Zong Yuan took a deep breath and, with a stern face, asked him, “What’s wrong with you now?”
Jiang Shengyan paced irritably, “I’m annoyed.”
He turned and glared at Zong Yuan, whose hair was partially damp from the stream, some strands half-dry and half-wet, shining with a golden hue under the sunlight, sparkling in his eyes.
Damn his first love.
In the distance, someone was leisurely riding a tricycle over. Jiang Shengyan maintained a stern face as he watched Zong Yuan finish a bowl of rice. “Are you full?”
Just as Zong Yuan was about to speak, the person on the tricycle arrived, greeting them with surprise, “Mr. Jiang, what are you doing here?”
Jiang Shengyan waved his hand. “Uncle Wang, you can leave now; don’t bother me here.”
This was Uncle Wang.
Zong Yuan interjected, “Wait, what’s in the back of the cart?” He walked over a few steps, noticing the small tricycle was filled with small household appliances.
Uncle Wang looked at Zong Yuan with unfamiliarity. “Who are you?”
Jiang Shengyan’s patience wore thin. “Uncle Wang, you can go now.”
His tone was very cold. Uncle Wang laughed awkwardly, “Alright, I’ll be going then. See you later, Mr. Jiang.”
Zong Yuan looked in the direction he came from and asked 0046, “Are those all electrical appliances?”
“Ah,” 0046 replied sheepishly, “I didn’t pay attention.”
Jiang Shengyan said, “Have you seen enough?”
Zong Yuan turned back. Jiang Shengyan had a half-smile on his face, his anger easily discernible. “Why are you so concerned about my family’s matters?”
Why don’t you ask me, damn it?
Zong Yuan felt a headache coming on again. He lowered his voice and tried to negotiate, “Jiang Shengyan, can you be normal for once?”
It was as if the filament had snapped; the irritation in Jiang Shengyan’s mind suddenly broke, drowning him in confusion. He lunged forward, opening his mouth and biting down hard on Zong Yuan’s shoulder as if Zong Yuan owed him eighty million.
“Damn,” Zong Yuan let out a cry because he forgot to dodge, “Are you a dog or what?”
After being pushed away, Jiang Shengyan licked his lips, looking at the bite mark on Zong Yuan’s shirt. He smirked, clearly in a good mood. “I’m happy to.”
0046 nervously fanned Zong Yuan, saying, “Calm down, calm down. Let’s not argue with him.”
Zong Yuan’s thin lips tightened, his eyes slightly narrowed, looking like he was about to explode with anger. Seeing him like this made Jiang Shengyan laugh instead. He loosened the buttons of his shirt and said, “Come on, I’ll let you bite me too. After I take off my clothes, you can bite me if you want.”
As he spoke, he had already undone more than half of his buttons, revealing most of his chest.
The parts that should be white were white and the parts that should be red were red.
On such a hot day, the sun was intense enough to make any adult restless and he still had to go through this.
Zong Yuan suddenly turned his head, “You better put that on!”
Jiang Shengyan’s face darkened. “You want to bite me, but you won’t. If you dislike me so much—” “I won’t!”
He felt quite wronged, completely ignoring Zong Yuan’s ugly expression. “You should bite me.”
Zong Yuan felt emotionally drained.
He didn’t want to waste any more time with Jiang Shengyan. Picking up the sickle on the ground, he walked toward the wheat field while Jiang Shengyan stood by the water, kicking the ground hard.
In the evening, Chen Hongmei came over to help bundle the wheat. She was startled when she arrived. “Hey, isn’t this Boss Jiang?”
Zong Yuan looked up, but under the dim light of the trees, it was hard to see anything clearly.
“What happened? Did you fall asleep?”
Zong Yuan casually wiped his hands with the towel that Chen Hongmei brought over and hurried to the tree. Jiang Shengyan was leaning against the tree, sleeping soundly, his mouth moving as if he were dreaming, looking carefree.
Zong Yuan sighed, reached out, and patted Jiang Shengyan’s face. “Boss Jiang, Jiang Shengyan, wake up.”
Jiang Shengyan swatted his hand away and turned to continue sleeping.
Zong Yuan tugged at his ear, “Jiang Shengyan, it’s getting dark.”
Jiang Shengyan remained motionless.
Chen Hongmei walked over from behind. “How can you sleep here? Really, there are too many mosquitoes and ants on the ground.” She suggested, “Ah Yuan, why don’t you take Boss Jiang home? He can’t just fall asleep here.”
Zong Yuan lifted one of Jiang Shengyan’s arms. “Mom, wait until I get back to move him. You can’t handle it alone. I’ll take him home and come back right away.”
With a heave, he lifted Jiang Shengyan onto his back and headed toward his home with ease.
Chen Hongmei watched their departing figures, shaking her head as she continued bundling wheat.
Jiang Shengyan was jolted awake on Zong Yuan’s back. He opened his eyes groggily and it took him several seconds to realize what was happening. Zong Yuan’s back was broad and warm, providing a sense of security. For reasons he couldn’t understand, he stubbornly kept his mouth shut, not making a sound, and quietly closed his eyes again, pretending he was still asleep.
0046: What is this human doing? Is he awake or not?
“Zong Yuan, he seems to be awake.”
Zong Yuan slowed his pace and turned his face toward Jiang Shengyan on his back. “Jiang Shengyan.”
The person on his back was still fast asleep, offering no response at all.
Feeling uneasy, Jiang Shengyan was tense. Zong Yuan said slowly, “Pretending to be asleep.”
“I’m not!” He reflexively protested as he sat up, only to realize he’d been played when he met Zong Yuan’s raised eyebrow. Jiang Shengyan struggled, “I just woke up.”
Zong Yuan didn’t put him down; Jiang Shengyan’s home was not far ahead. “I’ll pretend I didn’t notice you were faking it; you just stay lying there.”
“Such a nuisance,” Jiang Shengyan complained while obediently lying on his back, feeling Zong Yuan’s solid muscles. “Why are you doing this?”
Because I need to observe your home, you idiot.
Zong Yuan joked, “I’m worried Boss Jiang slept so much his legs will be weak and he won’t be able to walk.”
Jiang Shengyan scoffed, “Men who get weak in the legs are usually kidney deficient. Sorry, but my kidneys are just fine.”
Zong Yuan: “Shut up.”
He had already arrived at the door and knocked. It was still Aunt Lin from this morning. She looked surprised to see Jiang Shengyan on Zong Yuan’s back, her expression filled with concern. “Oh dear, what happened to Mr. Jiang?”
Just as Jiang Shengyan was about to tell Zong Yuan that no one was home, he furrowed his brow. Didn’t he tell Aunt Lin to go back?
Zong Yuan replied, “Boss Jiang just fell asleep.”
Aunt Lin sighed in relief and called into the room, “Old Wang, come here for a moment!”
Zong Yuan glanced at Aunt Lin.
Uncle Wang rushed out with a screwdriver in hand. “What happened? What’s going on?”
“Oh, Mr. Jiang, what’s wrong with him?”
He dropped the screwdriver, wanting to help Jiang Shengyan down from Zong Yuan’s back, but Zong Yuan took a step back, avoiding his hand. “Where is Boss Jiang’s room? I’ll just take him there.”
Aunt Lin smiled. “That works too. Come on, Zong Yuan, follow Aunt Lin.”
Jiang Shengyan felt at ease lying on Zong Yuan’s back.
Zong Yuan laid Jiang Shengyan down on the bed and turned to Aunt Lin. “Aunt Lin, you can get busy. I’ll wipe him down.”
Aunt Lin nodded quickly. “Yes, yes, wipe him down. He shouldn’t sleep like this in such hot weather.”
She closed the door and Zong Yuan kicked Jiang Shengyan’s foot. “Hey, it’s time to wake up.” He looked around Jiang Shengyan’s room, only to hear a rustling sound from the bed.
Jiang Shengyan squinted his eyes and without a word, he began to undress. “Didn’t you say you were going to wipe me down? Come on.”
