Chapter 80 IF / Dating Within the Group
Away’s first overseas tour was scheduled for a foreign “Water City.”
Before departure, Tang Yue had already pored over countless travel guides. He was so excited he refused to sleep. While his assistant was packing his luggage, he ran over to Jiang Shulu and asked, “Captain, have you been here before?”
For the little alien from Planet 9787, life had been truly impoverished. Coupled with the exorbitant cost of spaceship tickets, he had never even attempted interstellar travel.
So, when Tang Yue took a plane for the first time, he discovered that Earth wasn’t as backward as he had imagined.
Although the sensation of flying in a plane wasn’t much different from driving a levitating garbage truck.
Each of them had their own assistant, but in the eyes of the fans, Jiang Shulu was clearly pulling double duty as both the Captain and Tang Yue’s guardian.
Moreover, the dynamic looked suspiciously like bringing a child along, even though Jiang Shulu wasn’t that much older than Tang Yue.
Liu Xichao was checking a list nearby and said to Yao Lixin, “Xiao Yue is way too excited. Usually, he’d be asleep by this time.”
Yao Lixin: “It’s because he’s never been abroad. Look how hyped the kid is.”
Liu Xichao: “I haven’t been abroad either.”
Yao Lixin: “Are you a kid?”
The two of them couldn’t help but glance at the sofa again.
Jiang Shulu was busy to death, practically racing against seconds to fulfill his role as a wealthy heir. Occasionally, when Yao Lixin caught a glimpse of the addendums in his tender documents, he found it terrifying.
He had no idea how the man managed to multitask without making a single mistake.
See, look at that. He put his work down again just to chat with Tang Yue.
Jiang Shulu: “I went there during middle school.”
Tang Yue let out a “Wow.” He was sitting on the carpet, twisting his upper body around to lie prone, holding the tablet with the guide as he asked, “Then have you eaten raw herring and roast duck buns? Oh, and also butter Mara… what was it?”
Jiang Shulu: “Butter Ma Lai Gao (sponge cake), but isn’t that a Chinese dessert?”
Tang Yue: “I saw this person say there’s a floating Chinese restaurant where you can eat while watching the sunset. I want to go.”
Jiang Shulu: “Then we’ll go.”
Tang Yue: “Really?”
Jiang Shulu nodded.
Tang Yue couldn’t help but lean closer. Jiang Shulu naturally offered his shoulder for him to rest on. Tang Yue asked, “Then are we going before the concert or after?”
Jiang Shulu: “The day after the concert. You’ll definitely be too tired on the day of.”
He understood Tang Yue’s stamina particularly well. Just lasting through a concert on stage basically left him dehydrated.
Every time fans released fancams, they were beautiful, sure, but the caption was always a lament about how Didi really had no endurance.
Tang Yue: “What if I want to go on the day of?”
Jiang Shulu: “Then we go on the day of.”
The assistant packing nearby felt her teeth ache from the sweetness, feeling like she had accidentally stumbled onto a couple’s set.
But to describe these two as a “couple” felt like it was missing something.
Perhaps it was because Liu Xichao and Yao Lixin seemed so used to it; it was almost too natural.
It was common knowledge that Tang Yue clung to Jiang Shulu, and Jiang Shulu never shied away from taking care of Tang Yue.
Even the fans didn’t find it strange.
It would probably be stranger if these two ever had a falling out.
Tang Yue: “I also want to listen to the bells, take a boat, and eat pancakes.”
Jiang Shulu: “We’ll do it all. The prerequisite is that you rest well.”
Sitting on the sofa, Jiang Shulu was very accustomed to Tang Yue’s “I wants.” The assistant, silently packing, couldn’t help but compare them to other couples.
She felt it was rare to find someone who responded to every sentence with such emotional attentiveness.
You could hear the care in Jiang Shulu’s tone.
Everyone around was busy. Tang Yue leaned on Jiang Shulu for a while, then went to check his own luggage. Before leaving, he looked like he wanted to do something else.
But there were too many people. He stood on the carpet thinking for a moment, then squeezed Jiang Shulu’s fingers.
Jiang Shulu looked up. “What is it?”
Tang Yue: “I’m going to take a shower.”
Jiang Shulu: “Sleep early. I’ll help you check your luggage one more time.”
Tang Yue: “Isn’t Shulu-ge going to wash?”
Jiang Shulu smiled. “I’ll wash after you’re done.”
Tang Yue felt like he had been rejected and let out an “Oh.”
Not long after, Jiang Shulu went upstairs. He put his things in the bedroom and knocked on the master bathroom door.
Tang Yue had the music playing loudly. His singing voice, along with the original track, drifted out through the frosted glass door. It was a love song in a minor language.
Singing about the stars and moon, all wanting love.
It wasn’t until the interlude that Tang Yue realized someone was outside the door. The frosted glass obscured everything below his shoulders.
Tang Yue shook his wet hair and looked at Jiang Shulu through the glass.
Jiang Shulu asked, “Why aren’t you taking a bath?”
Tang Yue didn’t dare to soak. He quickly rinsed off and came out wrapped in a towel.
It was obvious he was in a rush; there were water trails all over the floor.
His hair had been scrubbed haphazardly and was still dripping.
Tang Yue: “Because I came to have an affair.”
Jiang Shulu: “…”
Jiang Shulu dried him off a bit more and asked, “No need to be in such a rush, right?”
Tang Yue: “Because we’re going to a place I haven’t been, I can’t sleep.”
Jiang Shulu laughed. “How many places haven’t you been to?”
Tang Yue: “Lots and lots.”
Music started playing downstairs. Not long after, the assistants finished packing and left one after another.
A car would come to pick them up for the airport early tomorrow morning.
Jiang Shulu: “There will be plenty of chances in the future. You might even find it boring.”
Tang Yue: “I won’t, as long as you go with me.”
He was already used to circling Jiang Shulu into his future plans, and smiled to himself. “Maybe we’ll even have a baby.”
Jiang Shulu: “What?”
Tang Yue asked, “Do you like children?”
Jiang Shulu: “Men and men can’t have children, Xiao Yue, you know that.”
Tang Yue hadn’t even put on his bathrobe properly before being pressed to the side by Jiang Shulu to dry his hair. He felt like he was being treated like a kitten.
His way of protesting was to hug Jiang Shulu’s waist, then say muffledly, “What if there is one?”
The youth buried himself in the Captain’s arms, unable to see Jiang Shulu’s expression under the light.
These words had great lethality; Jiang Shulu stopped drying his hair.
Tang Yue’s breath sprayed onto Jiang Shulu’s body. The hug was tight, almost squeezing into the other person’s body.
Jiang Shulu: “We agreed, not until after disbandment…”
Tang Yue: “I didn’t mean that. I just said what if…”
Jiang Shulu still didn’t know the person in his arms was an alien. He just felt Tang Yue was unique; listening to him speak made him feel relaxed and happy.
Jiang Shulu: “Then I’ll have to work very hard.”
Tang Yue: “Just use a bit more force.”
He even offered advice seriously. Jiang Shulu laughed out loud, reminding Tang Yue to turn over.
The curtains were drawn tight; the room was only lit by the bedside lamp. Jiang Shulu looked at the person nestled in his arms and said sincerely, “Xiao Yue, can you mention this kind of thing a little less in the future?”
Tang Yue didn’t quite understand. He turned his head slightly. That face was excessively beautiful under the dim light, with water droplets still hanging on it like tears.
Tang Yue: “Why? I was just saying it.”
His hand rested on Jiang Shulu’s leg. “I know my limits. We’ll wait until after it ends. Only kissing once a week. If the situation is special…”
He leaned back further. Jiang Shulu groaned and said helplessly, “I mean, it’s hard for me to endure.”
Tang Yue looked like this, yet his words seemed half-innocent half-suggestive, making the listener question if they were overthinking.
Tang Yue felt it.
He gave an “Oh.” “So Shulu-ge isn’t indifferent.”
Tang Yue smiled and turned around, ignoring that his bathrobe was still damp, and tackled the man directly onto the carpet. “I thought I was the only one like this.”
He lay on top of Jiang Shulu, cupping the other’s face. “So Ge, you also have feelings for me…”
Before he could finish, his mouth was blocked.
Tang Yue struggled, wanting to say didn’t we agree on kissing once a week? Why break the rules?
But he soon stopped struggling.
Outside, the wind howled. Downstairs, Liu Xichao put on a classic Mandopop hit. Yao Lixin seemed to have gone to play games, telling him to sleep early.
It was so quiet around them, yet so noisy.
Heartbeats and breathing were uncontrollable. Tang Yue’s bathrobe belt, which hadn’t been tied properly, came undone.
Jiang Shulu’s shirt was soaked through. He kissed the star that had suddenly barged into his life until his chest heaved, still reminding Tang Yue to dry off before coming out next time he showered.
Tang Yue’s face was red. He covered his eyes and mumbled, “The bathrobe thing… isn’t entirely because I didn’t dry off.”
Jiang Shulu stopped in time, but Tang Yue felt terrible.
Tang Yue: “Shulu-ge breaks the rules every time.”
Jiang Shulu: “Sorry.”
Tang Yue: “Then apologize to me with your hand.”
Jiang Shulu froze for a moment, then asked word by word, “Are you sure?”
Tang Yue’s courage had been nurtured by Jiang Shulu. The timidity of the little alien from Planet 9787 had been cared away, replaced by a bit of spoiled smugness.
He said, “Ge, can’t you do it?”
Jiang Shulu: “Then don’t make a sound.”
Tang Yue: “I definitely…”
The next day on the company chartered plane, Liu Xichao saw Tang Yue walking toward him and asked, “Why aren’t you sitting with Jiang Shulu?”
The other party involved was sitting across the aisle, solemnly reading financial news.
Tang Yue didn’t even look at Jiang Shulu. He asked Liu Xichao, “Is it bad that I want to be close to San-ge?”
Liu Xichao uttered an “Uh.” “Of course it’s fine.”
It was just too abnormal.
Before the plane took off, Liu Xichao messaged Jiang Shulu.
[Liu Xichao]: Did you two fight? [Liu Xichao]: Not because Tang Yue wants to go out and play after the concert, right? [Liu Xichao]: No way, right?! [Jiang Shulu]: No.
But he really didn’t know how to say it.
Tang Yue solemnly promised he absolutely wouldn’t, and then…
Thinking of it, Jiang Shulu wanted to laugh a little.
Yao Lixin, sitting next to him, didn’t understand why someone could smile like that while reading financial news.
He thought: Is the Captain crazy with joy because his home life is too depressing and now he’s out playing with us?
Only Tang Yue put on his eye mask early, planning to have a good sleep.
But it was too hard. When he closed his eyes, his mind was filled with Jiang Shulu’s slightly shocked expression, and the helplessness after wiping his face with the back of his hand.
So embarrassing, how could I not control myself?
Tang Yue thought: I even bit the Captain. Will it heal by the concert the day after tomorrow?
With hundreds of cameras pointed at them then, someone was bound to ask how he got that, right?
Someone asked that very night.
During dinner, the manager noticed the teeth marks on Jiang Shulu’s palm and asked, “How did you… get that?”
Obviously, Jiang Shulu wouldn’t have bitten himself.
The manager looked at Tang Yue.
Tang Yue really wanted to pretend to faint from hunger, but under everyone’s gaze, it wasn’t very feasible.
Liu Xichao on the side also saw it. He looked at Tang Yue and asked teasingly, “You bit the Captain?”
Liu Xichao: “Quite satisfying, actually.”
Jiang Shulu: “Don’t take your personal grudges out on me.”
Yao Lixin knew clearly in his heart but pretended to be ignorant on the surface. “Did you two fight last night? Or did Xiao Yue insist on taking a bath and the Captain wouldn’t let him?”
Tang Yue loved taking baths, but he would fall asleep because it was too comfortable, choking himself several times. So Jiang Shulu rarely let Tang Yue bathe alone.
Or he would guard outside.
This behavior was too parent-like and had been roasted by Liu Xichao.
Tang Yue didn’t expect Yao Lixin to come up with a reason for him, so he nodded repeatedly.
Jiang Shulu also nodded. “Yes, he even bit me.”
Manager: “Xiao Yue, no matter what, you can’t bite people. How are we going to cover this…”
She was truly worried and went to the next table to find the makeup artist.
The teeth marks on the upper palm near the index finger were really hard to cover. It almost became the explosive point of this concert, second only to Jiang Shulu’s platinum long hair.
#Jiang Shulu Teeth Marks# #Away Overseas Tour#
The discussion data after the day ended was scalp-numbing.
Tang Yue didn’t dare say a word, appearing a bit stiff during the interview.
After asking about their feelings on the performance, the reporter couldn’t help but ask the trending question: “Many fans are concerned about the teeth marks on your hand. May I ask who bit you?”
— Definitely not self-inflicted! It would be too weird for Jiang Shulu to bite himself! — But it’s easy to think dirty… so that. — Yao Lixin, you were watching the show live, dying of laughter. — Why is Liu Xichao smiling so unfathomably? — Tang Yue! Tang Yue, don’t hide from the camera ahhh!
The young Captain tucked one side of his golden hair behind his ear. As he took the microphone, he glanced at Tang Yue, who was almost hiding behind him.
He unceremoniously pulled the person out. “He bit it.”
— Sorry, but it’s really hard not to ship this!! This is too too too… that!! — Why did Tang Yue bite him! Thinking of some strange scenes. — If they can bring it to the table and talk about it, surely there’s nothing ambiguous, otherwise they would have hidden it.
The youngest member, with his hair tied in a small bun at the back and wearing a lip ring, looked at the camera reluctantly.
His blue eyes were full of apology. “I bit it. I’m sorry.”
Jiang Shulu smiled and put his arm around his shoulder. “Good teeth. Your punishment is to treat me to roasted pancakes tonight.”
— So why did he bite him!! — Being so open about it means there’s definitely no problem, right? — The manager said Tang Yue secretly took a bath again, and Jiang Shulu covered his mouth afraid he’d choke, so he resisted. — Thinking about that scene is still weird! Why do you all think it’s father-son affection!! — If it’s not, Jiang Shulu is too inhumane!! Insane!
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