Cheng Yue’s hair was a bit damp. He wore a T-shirt on top and only underwear on the bottom, lying on the bed with one leg pulled open by Ji Xu and the other bent and immobilized.
The position they were in looked somewhat ambiguous.
“Ah…” Cheng Yue frowned and let out a light moan.
“Does it hurt?” Ji Xu continued his actions without stopping, though he eased up a bit.
“Stop rubbing…” Cheng Yue clutched the bedspread tightly, and before he could finish his sentence, he let out another cry of pain.
Ji Xu: “…”
“Shut up.” Ji Xu, unable to tolerate it anymore, slapped Cheng Yue’s bottom. “Can you stop crying just for applying medicine?”
Cheng Yue pouted in grievance, glancing at the bruises and red marks on his inner thighs and buttocks. He shouted defiantly, “You’ve left me bruised. Why shouldn’t I cry out?”
Ji Xu squinted at him for a moment, then grabbed Cheng Yue’s ankles and pressed them towards his chest.
Before Cheng Yue could react, his whole body was folded up. The key was that Ji Xu pressed his waist against Cheng Yue’s bottom, and Cheng Yue began to feel a slightly hard object that made him anxious.
“Hey! Hey, hey, hey!” Cheng Yue hurriedly called for a stop. His waist was quite soft, and though it was fine under the pressure, the awkward position was too strange.
“I won’t cry out anymore!”
Ji Xu sighed helplessly and let Cheng Yue’s legs down.
After applying the medicine, Cheng Yue, nearly falling asleep with his eyes half-closed, was embraced by Ji Xu as soon as he got into bed.
The weather was gradually warming up. With Cheng Yue wrapped in Ji Xu’s arms, Ji Xu sighed but didn’t let go. Instead, he pulled Cheng Yue closer and struggled to reach for the air conditioner remote, turning it on.
As time passed and the days got hotter, the case of Liang Siwei was reheard two weeks later.
Cheng Yue didn’t go. He had an exam that day, but that was just an excuse. He simply didn’t want to go.
Ever since he learned that his parents didn’t die due to an accident but because of Liang Siwei’s actions, he had dreamed of strangling the man.
He feared that he might lose control and do something violent in court.
After school, Cheng Yue didn’t receive any message from Ji Xu about picking him up or any updates on the case.
Suddenly feeling uneasy, Cheng Yue sat in the classroom waiting for a call from Ji Xu. After not receiving one, he slowly went downstairs and out of the school gate.
As soon as he stepped out of the gate, he saw Ji Xu’s car parked not far away.
Cheng Yue’s eyes widened, and he ran over with his schoolbag in hand.
However, Ji Xu, who was smoking and waiting outside, didn’t look his way until Cheng Yue opened the door and sat down. Only then did Ji Xu look at him with surprise.
“School’s out?” Ji Xu quickly put out his cigarette and rolled down the window to let the smell dissipate.
“When did you arrive? Why didn’t you send me a message?” Cheng Yue asked, tilting his head to look at him.
“Just arrived.” Ji Xu smiled at him and wiped the sweat from Cheng Yue’s forehead. “I was about to call you.”
Cheng Yue blinked, believing him, even though he noticed the recently burnt cigarette butts in the ashtray.
“The verdict is out.” Ji Xu’s eyes held a complex expression as he looked at Cheng Yue.
“… What’s the result?” Cheng Yue clenched his fists unconsciously.
“Death penalty.” Ji Xu said.
“That’s great!” Cheng Yue’s eyes widened, and he almost jumped up.
But then, seeing Ji Xu’s silence and his gradually fading smile, Cheng Yue felt confused. “What’s wrong?”
“Liang Siwei filed another appeal.” Ji Xu’s tone turned cold.
Cheng Yue furrowed his brows, gritted his teeth, and said, “On what grounds is he appealing?”
“Liang Siwei insists that he hired the driver only to give your parents a lesson and that the driver lost control because he drank too much to boost his courage.” Ji Xu briefly explained, looking at Cheng Yue whose eyes had turned red with anger.
“Don’t worry, I’ll handle it.”
Cheng Yue looked down in silence for a moment, then thought that Ji Xu might be feeling just as bad, forcing a smile and comforting him, “It’s okay. People like him don’t even deserve a place in hell.”
Ji Xu was stunned, not expecting Cheng Yue to comfort him in return. However, feeling his heart soften, he looked at Cheng Yue’s pained but brave smile and felt a pang of sympathy.
“What are we having for dinner?” Cheng Yue turned his head forward, trying to act natural.
“Cheng Yue.” Ji Xu called out.
“What?” Cheng Yue turned his head towards him.
“Give me a hug.” Ji Xu opened his arms. “I’m feeling down.”
“… Huh?” Cheng Yue was taken aback but quickly hugged Ji Xu. His mind hadn’t fully processed it, but he started comforting Ji Xu, “Don’t be upset, don’t be upset. I’m fine.”
“You little fool.” Ji Xu muttered under his breath and rubbed Cheng Yue’s head affectionately.
After this mutual comfort, just as Cheng Yue was about to release his hug, his stomach suddenly growled.
“Hey…” Cheng Yue looked down at his stomach.
“Hungry?” Ji Xu also glanced at his stomach.
“Seems like it.” Cheng Yue answered. “I’ve been eating a lot lately, but I get hungry really easily.”
Ji Xu smiled and started the car. It wasn’t surprising—Cheng Yue’s height had been increasing over the past few months, especially during the final push of high school.
Naturally, physical and mental exhaustion occurred quickly. Cheng Yue’s chin had become a bit sharp, with no fat on his waist, only a bit on his buttocks.
But overall, he still looked too thin.
Since Ji Xu noticed Cheng Yue’s weight loss, he hadn’t taken him out to eat at restaurants. He asked a mother from the firm who had a high school senior for her meal plans and copied them.
Every meal, morning, noon, and night, Cheng Yue had nutritious food, sometimes with extra evening snacks.
Despite this, Cheng Yue still just managed to maintain his weight without losing more.
After dinner, Ji Xu lifted Cheng Yue’s T-shirt.
“What are you doing…” Cheng Yue, sitting cross-legged on the sofa and reading a book, giggled as Ji Xu touched his stomach, feeling a bit ticklish.
“Why aren’t you gaining any weight?” Ji Xu frowned and pinched Cheng Yue’s waist.
Cheng Yue was sensitive around his waist. When Ji Xu pinched him, he immediately bent over laughing, “Hahahahahaha…”
“Stop laughing.” Ji Xu pressed him down on the sofa and pinched his buttocks. “Why does it feel like you’ve lost weight again?”
“Bastard!” Cheng Yue laughed uncontrollably from being touched. “You just want to touch me!”
“I’m touching you,” Ji Xu said with a smile, giving Cheng Yue a light bite on the lips.
Cheng Yue quickly tilted his head to kiss back, his hand reaching Ji Xu’s back.
The atmosphere in the living room changed in an instant.
During this period when Ji Xu and Cheng Yue were being affectionate, the time for Liang Siwei’s appeal rehearing came around quickly.
This time, Cheng Yue specifically took a leave and followed Ji Xu into the courtroom.
He wanted to see with his own eyes how Ji Xu would personally deal with this scum.
Cheng Yue had recently developed some myopia; he had to squint to clearly see Ji Xu sitting there.
This was also Cheng Yue’s first time seeing Ji Xu standing in the courtroom.
Calm and confident, reserved yet sharp, Ji Xu’s powerful aura made him seem almost radiant in Cheng Yue’s eyes.
To Cheng Yue, Ji Xu always had that glow.
Just like in all the cartoons he watched as a child, where heroes always appeared with a powerful light.
Ji Xu was his hero, saving him with warmth and passion, holding his hand.
When the judge’s gavel struck down, Cheng Yue lowered his head and rubbed his warm eyes.
The appeal was rejected, and the original verdict was upheld.
Liang Siwei was sentenced to death and would pay with his life.
The long-delayed truth and the death penalty were no longer important; nothing could bring his parents back.
But at least, he still had Ji Xu.
“Let’s go,” Ji Xu said, standing in front of him with a smile and extending his hand. “Let’s go home and have dinner.”
After Cheng Yue and Ji Xu returned home, they chose an auspicious day to place his parents’ ashes in the cemetery.
As Cheng Yue watched the dirt and gravestone completely cover the jade urn he had brought back from the hospital alone, he suddenly felt that his parents were truly gone.
Ji Xu squeezed his palm and was about to say something when Cheng Yue, who had been silent, spoke up.
“My dad was very strict. He always scolded me when I was little. Once, he made me stand under a tree during a thunderstorm as punishment, and suddenly a lightning bolt struck the tree…” Cheng Yue spoke slowly.
“I was so scared that I fainted. After that, I was terrified of thunder and really disliked my dad. I always went against him.”
“Later, when I got into a fight at school and broke my head, my dad scolded me again. The next day after school, he blocked the kid who had hit me at the school gate. In front of his parents, he scolded him for over an hour and then made him stand as punishment. I didn’t know about this at first…” Cheng Yue said with a soft laugh.
“My mom told me later. She said that when I came back that day with blood all over my head, my dad was so angry that he overturned a table.”
Ji Xu frowned and looked down at him, gently touching the red area under his eyes, holding him with concern.
“My mom was strict too. When she said something, no one else could say otherwise. My dad was always beaten by her, but she was also very gentle. She taught me to draw when I was little.” Cheng Yue rested his forehead against Ji Xu’s chest.
“She loved buying me clothes, shoes, and organizing all kinds of gatherings because she wanted to introduce me to everyone. She thought I was great…”
“Cheng Yue…” Ji Xu began to speak.
“Look, I never got to tell them I love them.” Cheng Yue looked down with a smile, his voice a bit hoarse. “Just a little too late.”
“It’s okay. They will know,” Ji Xu patted his back.
“Ji Xu,” Cheng Yue suddenly lifted his head.
“What’s up?” Ji Xu looked at him.
Cheng Yue stared at him while slowly placing his hand into Ji Xu’s palm, matching each finger, their hands tightly interlocked. “We’ll be together forever.”
Ji Xu looked at their tightly clasped hands, slowly tightening his grip, and solemnly said, “Mm.”
After returning home, Cheng Yue was forced into high school review, and Ji Xu was thrust into the role of househusband.
The househusband was currently unhappy because he couldn’t do anything as the high school student needed to focus on studying.
But the househusband was also very happy because the high school student’s birthday was approaching.
Author’s Note:
Househusband Ji: The adult gift package will be delivered tomorrow. Please receive it.
Sleepyblue’s corner:
We’re nearing the end, guys! Thank you for staying up until this point with our lovely MCs ^ ^. This would be my last translation project in a while so if you guys want to read more of my works, I would be happy to recommend these :> 🎉
- After being forced to marry an ugly husband (BL)
- What to Do When I Become a Koi and Fall into the Male God’s Bathtub (BL)
- Sea Monster Alliance (BL)
- Sweet Reward (BL)
If you liked the story so far please do consider supporting me on ko-fi, it would mean a lot (to this struggling student T__T)
