Chapter 68 part 1
Tang Mian finally got to eat the egg burger he’d been craving for over half a month.
The balloon Liu Xichao had given him was floating in the car, but the atmosphere between the two adults—one driving and one in the passenger seat—seemed a bit off.
Holding the piping hot food in his hands, Tang Mian asked Jiang Shulu, “Didn’t Daddy Shulu have something to tell Xiao Yue?”
Tang Yue replied, “I already know.”
It had been some time since the variety show ended, yet Tang Yue’s popularity hadn’t waned in the slightest.
His agent had carefully selected several endorsements for him, and the faster ones had already launched their promotional campaigns.
As the car drove past the commercial district, Tang Mian could see Tang Yue on the massive LED screens of the high-rises.
City S was completely different from where he had grown up, but for a child, as long as he was with Tang Yue, anywhere was fine.
On weekends, Tang Mian attended equestrian classes with Yao Xuanyu during the day. The other boy occasionally mentioned his family situation.
Yao Xuanyu’s parents were very busy with work. If Yao Lixin wasn’t working, he would usually tag along with her.
Tang Mian, on the other hand, had basically never been separated from Tang Yue.
The longest separation had been those five days, and even then, Tang Yue video-called him every day.
Tang Yue was almost always within Tang Mian’s reach. Now that they had moved into their new home, the little one had declared several times that he wanted to be independent, yet many mornings he still woke up to find himself nestled in the adults’ arms.
With Tang Yue on the left and Jiang Shulu on the right, they would get up, eat breakfast, and head out together.
The home Tang Mian had now was different from the ones he saw in TV dramas.
Jiang Shulu, the former star, always came openly to pick Tang Mian up from class. Seeing the man standing outside, Tang Mian would wave frantically.
Thinking of the voice message Jiang Shulu had sent him later, Tang Mian couldn’t resist pulling out his phone. In the quiet car, filled only with the sound of the stereo, he tapped play.
Tang Yue heard Jiang Shulu’s voice: [I’m just afraid your dad is working too hard. Before, when he had you, I wasn’t by his side to accompany him.]
Tang Yue looked at the man driving.
The car passed the landmarks of City S. The destination on the navigation system was a manually set “Home.”
Back in the group days, Tang Yue had ridden in Jiang Shulu’s car once or twice. He had caught a glimpse of the saved locations back then: Dorm.
Tang Yue glanced at the label on Jiang Shulu’s car navigation now. People occasionally have sudden bursts of memory.
Like the memories from back then.
Dorm, Destination, Apartment, Company, etc.
There had never been a “Home.”
[Destination] was usually a place where Tang Yue and the other members had recorded. That label used to make Tang Yue feel sad.
That day, Tang Yue’s mood had been terrible.
He had suppressed the urge to hug Jiang Shulu, retreating into silence while watching Liu Xichao crack jokes about how “you Jiang family people” all had similar tastes in interior design.
You Jiang family people.
As if they were very close.
But it was different now.
Their return journey followed the same route, they were going to the same place, and they even lay in the same bed.
Tang Yue asked, “How come you secretly send messages to Xiao Mie?”
Jiang Shulu hadn’t expected this reaction from Tang Yue after hearing the voice message. He stunned for a few seconds before breaking into a smile. “How is it ‘secretly’?”
Tang Yue: “You never send voice messages to me.”
Jiang Shulu: “That’s because you said you hated voice messages the most, so I typed.”
Tang Yue: “But I like you. Why would I hate it if you sent voice messages?”
This statement was so blunt—so blunt that Tang Mian in the back seat burst out laughing.
Only after speaking did Tang Yue realize what he had said. instead of addressing the serious matter, he had gotten jealous over something else. He quickly gave a tactical cough.
Tang Mian: “Daddy, you’re so brave!”
Tang Yue huffed, “I’m not like some people, secretly doing bad things.”
That sentence sounded heavily ambiguous. Jiang Shulu laughed despite himself. “What bad things have I done? I haven’t even done them yet.”
Tang Yue: “Anyway, you already decided without discussing it with me.”
Jiang Shulu: “You’re entering a peak period in your career. I don’t want something like this to affect your stage performance.”
Tang Yue: “But I’ve already experienced the best stage.”
For a shoot a few days ago, Tang Yue had gotten highlights in his hair.
As the car turned a corner, the streetlights outside spilled through the window. Tang Yue’s hair looked as if it were dusted with glitter, making Jiang Shulu’s heart tremble even with just a peripheral glance.
Tang Yue: “I don’t want you to do things ‘for my own good’.”
He muttered, “Brother Shulu, you’re always like this.”
When they arrived home, Tang Mian hopped and skipped over to change his shoes. Jiang Shulu watched Tang Yue take off his coat and asked, “What do you want to eat tonight?”
He then asked Tang Mian, who was turning on the TV.
Tang Mian: “I ate two egg burgers, I can’t eat anymore.”
Tang Yue: “I want to eat Buddha Jumps Over the Wall.”
Jiang Shulu: “…”
Tang Yue: “I want to eat Yipin Pot.”
Jiang Shulu sighed. “Are you torturing me?”
Tang Yue stood on his tiptoes slightly to hook his arm around Jiang Shulu’s neck. “Then hug me.”
Jiang Shulu carried him straight up the stairs on his back.
Tang Mian turned his head. “Aren’t you guys eating?”
Jiang Shulu: “Your dad seems to plan on eating me first.”
Tang Mian decided not to get involved in adult affairs. He called Yao Xuanyu to ask if he was free to play games together.
The new house was filled to the brim by Tang Yue, even the corners.
The wall at the curve of the staircase was hung with photos and Tang Mian’s doodles. When Liu Xichao visited once, he said the “stench of love” was too strong and it made him twisted with jealousy.
Yao Lixin, however, thought the photo wall was nice and planned to set one up herself when she got back.
Jiang Shulu: “What did that sentence mean?”
Tang Yue rested his chin on Jiang Shulu’s shoulder, closed his eyes, and gave a hum. The ending note curled up slightly, sounding like a pout.
Jiang Shulu: “The part about me finding out too late.”
Tang Yue: “It’s just…”
Tang Yue: “Don’t get angry if I say it.”
Jiang Shulu: “Who exactly is the one getting angry at me right now?”
His voice carried a smile as he told Tang Yue about the events of the day.
What the doctor said, and the sincere sharing from their brother-in-law, Jiang Xiujun.
Tang Yue: “Is it because of a sense of responsibility? But I heard Third Brother say that back when same-sex marriage wasn’t allowed, lasting even half a year was considered impressive.”
Jiang Shulu: “I’m not from their circle, I don’t care about that.”
The stairs weren’t long, but Jiang Shulu walked very slowly.
Time seemed to slow down in moments like this. Downstairs, the sound of the children’s channel Tang Mian was watching drifted up.
The sensor light in the small living room upstairs turned on. The tulip-shaped lamp glowed, its light warming the heart.
Jiang Shulu: “But of course I have to be responsible for the person I love.”
Tang Yue rubbed his cheek against Jiang Shulu’s cheek and said, “The first time I did that with you, you were underneath me.”
Jiang Shulu chuckled. “Is that the special thing about you aliens?”
The lingering impression Jiang Shulu gave people was that his smile never reached his eyes. Many said he was a flower blooming in winter—unrelated to prosperity, yet different from Tang Yue’s type of loneliness.
Both were restrained.
But Tang Yue felt that even Jiang Shulu’s laughter was moving.
Just like now, pressed against him, feeling the vibration of Jiang Shulu’s Adam’s apple as he spoke, Tang Yue couldn’t help but reach out and touch it.
Jiang Shulu tossed him onto the beanbag in the small living room. It was so soft Tang Yue let out a yelp.
Immediately, he was tackled.
The filling in the beanbag was incredibly soft, just like Tang Yue’s heart at this moment, and just like Jiang Shulu’s hair running through his fingers.
It was the kind of softness shared when nose tips touched and kisses happened uncontrollably.
Jiang Shulu: “Does doing it that way result in a child?”
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