Chapter 22: Sunglasses at Night
Wang Ming: “…”
What kind of aesthetic sense does my natural-born fiancé have? Wang Ming wondered.
Then again, does he have an aesthetic sense? Wang Ming looked at the depressed uncle and questioned everything he knew.
Just as Wang Ming was questioning life, Ao Chen dramatically appeared.
Wang Ming: “…”
“Going out?” Wang Ming greeted him.
“Mm.” Ao Chen nodded, but that was it. He didn’t intend to say where he was going.
Wang Ming understood.
If Ao Chen said he’d been to the underworld, Wang Ming wasn’t sure he’d feel good about it.
“You two met?” Ao Chen looked at the rather inconspicuous depressed uncle, then at Wang Ming.
“Yes, this big…older brother said he’s your pet.” Wang Ming summarized the encounter with a sigh.
Ao Chen: “…”
“To be precise, he’s my personal guard.” Ao Chen said.
Wang Ming: “…”
Depressed Uncle: “…”
So that’s it, Wang Ming thought.
But if he’s a personal guard of a dragon, what’s his true form?
A turtle? Wang Ming suddenly thought of a plausible answer.
“From today on, he’ll probably be staying here. Sorry for the inconvenience,” Ao Chen said as Wang Ming pondered this.
“That’s fine, it’s just…” Wang Ming looked around their small apartment.
“I’ll sleep on the lawn downstairs, as long as I’m not too far away,” the depressed uncle offered.
Wang Ming: “…”
“That’s too rough,” Wang Ming blurted out.
“It’s fine, I’m used to it. But I’ll come back for three meals a day, and maybe wash up here,” the depressed uncle said.
Wang Ming looked at Ao Chen with some reluctance, but Ao Chen didn’t seem to mind.
After all, he’s his pet…guard. Since Ao Chen didn’t see a problem, Wang Ming decided not to worry. He was just a factory worker, while these people could summon wind and rain, create armies from beans.
Evening came again.
Wang Ming came home from work, expecting to hear sounds of a great battle, but all he heard was the sound of old men playing Chinese chess in the courtyard.
I’m so dumb, Wang Ming realized. Even if there’s a fierce battle in the spirit world, ordinary people wouldn’t be able to see it.
Wang Ming felt clever, and even asked Ao Chen if he should give his guard an extra drumstick to boost his spirits, since he always looked so depressed.
Ao Chen: “…”
“No, thank you,” Ao Chen politely declined.
“He can eat the same dinner as us,” Ao Chen said.
Wang Ming: “…”
You should be nicer to your bodyguard. He’s risking his life to protect you, Wang Ming thought, though he didn’t say it aloud. His sympathy for the depressed uncle was evident.
Ao Chen: “…”
“He’s just here to guard the place, not participate in any battles. You’re overthinking it,” Ao Chen, having seen through Wang Ming’s thoughts, pointed out.
Wang Ming: “???”
What about the bodyguard thing? Wang Ming thought. Isn’t he supposed to protect you? So this depressed uncle… older brother, just sitting on our lawn protects you? That’s incredible!
While Wang Ming was mentally ranting, he noticed Ao Chen looking at him with amusement.
Wang Ming: “…”
“Can you read minds?” Wang Ming asked.
“I don’t initiate it,” Ao Chen said evasively.
Wang Ming: “…”
Wang Ming decided to be more careful when thinking badly about others.
“Alright,” Wang Ming nodded resignedly.
“What do you want to eat tonight? I’ll see if I can make it,” Wang Ming said.
“Anything’s fine.”
Since the catering service had caused “irreparable emotional trauma” to Wang Ming, Ao Chen had gradually become more accustomed to street food, and now he could eat it with Wang Ming without any qualms.
“Don’t bother cooking, you worked all day. Let’s order takeout,” Ao Chen said.
“Delivery fees are expensive. Tell me what you want, and I’ll buy it,” Wang Ming volunteered.
“Then I’ll go with you,” Ao Chen agreed.
Wang Ming: “…”
Wang Ming looked at Ao Chen, a strikingly handsome man like a male movie star, and felt a little self-conscious about going out with him.
Ao Chen, noticing Wang Ming’s furtive glances, immediately understood.
Ao Chen: “…”
Ao Chen waved his hand, and donned a pair of dark sunglasses.
“Is this better?” Ao Chen asked Wang Ming.
Wang Ming: “…”
He just looks like a movie star, now he’s dressed like one, they’d be crazy not to think he’s a celebrity, Wang Ming thought.
“I have a couple of old-man shirts, if you don’t mind…” Wang Ming suggested.
Chapter 23: Matching Outfits
Ao Chen: “…”
“I’d rather not,” Ao Chen said.
“But thank you for the offer,” Ao Chen added, after his blunt statement.
Wang Ming: “…”
Are all princes this blunt now? Wang Ming thought.
Or maybe they’re all bald, Wang Ming’s mind wandered.
While Wang Ming was lost in thought, Ao Chen glanced at him, then waved his hand, changing his clothes to match Wang Ming’s style, though with subtle differences to avoid being mistaken for twins.
“Is this alright?” Ao Chen asked Wang Ming after the transformation.
“It’s…pretty normal…I mean…everyday,” Wang Ming started, quickly correcting himself, his survival instincts kicking in.
Ao Chen: “…”
Ao Chen and Wang Ming went out to buy food.
As they went down the stairs and passed the lawn, they heard snapping sounds from the bushes.
Wang Ming: “…”
Ao Chen: “…”
“Checkmate!”
As the two looked at each other, a familiar voice came from the bushes.
It was the depressed uncle.
Wang Ming craned his neck and looked into the bushes. He saw a group of old men gathered around a small stone table in the green space, watching a chess game.
Wang Ming: “…”
Wow, I didn’t expect that, Wang Ming was amazed.
Ao Chen took a step forward, but Wang Ming stopped him.
“Not good,” Wang Ming said thoughtfully.
“Silence is golden when watching chess,” Wang Ming whispered to his fiancé.
“I just wanted to ask him what he wants for dinner, if he has any preferences,” Ao Chen said.
“I’m not hungry yet, it’s okay to wait a bit. What about you?” Wang Ming considered.
Ao Chen: “…”
“I’m even less hungry,” Ao Chen said.
Wang Ming: “…”
Wang Ming suddenly seemed to realize something and looked at his fiancé.
“Don’t tell me you’re one of those people who can survive on air and dew?” Wang Ming asked incredulously.
Ao Chen’s usual impassive expression showed a flicker of surprise as he looked at Wang Ming.
“Don’t look at me like that,” Wang Ming scratched his head sheepishly.
“Don’t let my low education fool you, I have pretty good insight,” Wang Ming said.
Ao Chen: “…”
What surprised me wasn’t your insight, but that you actually used an idiom, Ao Chen thought. But this time, he showed some social grace and didn’t say it.
“Then, let’s wait here for a while,” Ao Chen suggested after his clumsy attempt at social grace.
“Okay, no problem,” Wang Ming nodded.
He used to enjoy watching the village elders play chess under the trees back home, and seeing it in the city was a pleasant reminder, easing his homesickness.
“Do you like watching this? Do you play yourself?”
Seeing Wang Ming’s enjoyment, Ao Chen asked.
After asking, he felt a little surprised.
He wasn’t interested in other people’s affairs, and leisurely entertainment wasn’t his preferred topic.
Before Ao Chen could think further, Wang Ming nodded: “I don’t play myself, but I like watching.”
“Mainly, we didn’t have much entertainment back home. This is fun to watch, it’s about seeing the everyday life of people,” Wang Ming chatted casually.
Ao Chen: “…”
Everyday life isn’t just something humans like to watch, Ao Chen thought.
“I like to join in the fun, I’m not very ambitious,” Wang Ming said.
Ao Chen: “…”
At least this personality isn’t unpleasant, Ao Chen thought.
“That’s good, simple and peaceful,” Ao Chen nodded, genuinely agreeing.
“I think so too,” Wang Ming said.
“Simple and peaceful is the best.”
While Wang Ming and Ao Chen chatted, the depressed uncle emerged from the bushes.
“What are you two doing?” The depressed uncle looked at Wang Ming and Ao Chen, puzzled.
Ao Chen: “…”
Seeing Ao Chen didn’t speak, Wang Ming spoke first: “We’re waiting for you. We’re going to buy food, what do you want?”
“Oh,” The depressed uncle nodded, then thought for a moment.
“Let’s have a full imperial banquet,” the depressed uncle said.
Wang Ming: “…”
Why don’t you just ask for the moon? Wang Ming thought.
Then he reconsidered, figuring the uncle had probably been to the moon before, and he’d be the fool if he asked.
Wang Ming: “…”
Dealing with the spirit world is such a loss, Wang Ming thought.
Just as Wang Ming was thinking, Ao Chen said, “Let’s just have something simple for dinner.”
“Alright, let’s order a full-course meal from Bada Tower,” the depressed uncle said, seemingly undemanding.
Wang Ming: “…”
“We’re just going to the market to buy some food.”
Before Wang Ming could faint, Ao Chen spoke first.
Depressed Uncle: “…”
The depressed uncle muttered to himself, thinking that Ao Chen, the picky prince, seemed to be accommodating this cheap prince-consort, which was news to him.
Thinking this, the depressed uncle couldn’t help but look at the soon-to-be-divorced couple.
And then he noticed something.
Depressed Uncle: “…”
“Are you two still planning on getting a divorce?” the depressed uncle asked a question that might be offensive to ordinary people but might be fine in the spirit world.
Wang Ming: “…”
Ao Chen: “…”
“Older Brother, what do you mean by that?” Wang Ming asked, confused.
“To me, it looks like you two aren’t going to divorce,” the depressed uncle said.
“After all, you’re wearing matching outfits,” the depressed uncle said, pointing at Wang Ming and Ao Chen’s similar outfits.