Chapter 25 Part 2

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Perhaps fearing that things would be hard to control in the dark of night, the kidnapper team managed the crew more strictly. All activities had to end before dark.

Dinner was very early. After Zhong Nian finished serving meals, he wanted to swap shifts with someone like at lunch, but an order came from above just in time: crew members were prohibited from privately swapping or covering shifts.

It was hard to say it wasn’t deliberately targeting him.

However, toward the end of serving, certain people came over on their own.

He happened to run into someone dawdling at the back of the line, unwilling to leave. The man blushed as he invited Little Nian to lie on the deck together and watch the moon after work.

“After eight at night, crew are forbidden from lingering outside. Don’t you know the rules?” Zhan Lu strode in boldly and placed a hand on the young man’s shoulder.

The young man turned his head, saw who it was, and his face drained of color. His shoulders trembled nonstop. “S-Second Brother… and Third Brother too? Why are you both here?”

“Same as you, to eat.” Zhan Lu gripped the man’s shoulder and sent him away, then lined up at the end of the queue.

The remaining three or five people ahead didn’t dare entertain any funny ideas. They acted like quails, trembling as they took their meals and left.

In less than two minutes, Zhan Lu reached the counter. He shed his earlier fearsome Yama-like demeanor, held his tray properly, and said politely, “Hello, please give me some food.”

Zhong Nian gave him a fake smile. His spoon shook, dumping all the meat chunks out and giving him a plate of rotten vegetable leaves and diced radish.

Zhan Lu looked down. “Thanks. How did you know vegetables are my favorite?”

“Next.” Zhong Nian tapped the basin.

Zhan Lu wanted to say more, but the person behind subtly squeezed forward to claim his spot.

Zhan Lu’s brows furrowed. The muscles in his exposed arms bulged as he secretly vied for position. “Old Three, what are you doing? I haven’t finished serving yet. Cutting in line is rude.”

Charles didn’t back down, bumping shoulders. “Haven’t you finished? It’s my turn.”

The people eating indoors forgot to chew, mouths agape as they watched, their expressions unfamiliar.

Zhong Nian’s live stream room was extremely lively at that moment, all watching the spectacle.

【Fight, fight.】

【Aren’t you guys the little bosses in the gang? So embarrassing, brothers.】

【Wife, don’t pay them any mind!】

Of course, Zhong Nian had no mood to entertain them. He tossed out, “Help yourselves,” and turned to leave.

The two, who hadn’t come for food anyway, followed, sticking to Zhong Nian’s left and right sides.

Zhan Lu: “Little Nian, I made you doughnuts. They’re delicious…”

Charles: “Deceiving you wasn’t my intention. Tell me any demand you have, as long as you forgive me.”

The two babbled like stereo channels on loop, giving Zhong Nian a headache. He didn’t want to acknowledge them, let alone forgive.

Finally fed up, he stopped, held out his hand to Zhan Lu, and said, “Doughnuts.”

Zhan Lu was stunned for a second, then beamed with joy. He quickly pulled out the kraft paper bag of doughnuts he’d prepared.

Zhong Nian took it, then turned to Charles. “Take the rest of the food up.”

Charles agreed without hesitation. “Sure.”

“I’m going to rest. Bye.” Zhong Nian yawned and waved as he walked away.

He made his exhaustion obvious, successfully halting the two. They didn’t dare follow.

But this bit of response was enough to delight them. They happily went about their tasks—one researching new doughnut flavors, the other delivering meals.

【Wife just lifts a hand lightly, and the whole world kneels like dogs…】

【Weren’t these two pretty good at pretending before?】

【lol, the newbie village instance I cleared back then was this one. I nearly died to someone. Totally different from what I remember.】

…

Zhong Nian returned to the dormitory.

He waited for his roommate Ke Zhengchu to come back, then immediately beckoned him over.

“Zhengchu, come here quick.” He sat on the edge of the bed, eyes curved in a smile.

He didn’t know what he looked like in Ke Zhengchu’s eyes.

Upon entering, Ke Zhengchu saw him kneeling on the bed, clearly fresh from a bath. His hair was blow-dried fluffy and fragrant, the plain pajamas clinging to his slender, even figure.

When he smiled, the lashes at his eye corners curved into a tender arc, filling the air with a sweet, watery peach atmosphere.

The ordinary crew dormitory became warm and soft because of him, taking on new meaning.

Ke Zhengchu’s breathing was slightly ragged. His shirt was soaked with sweat, and the long hair that always hid his brows and eyes now stuck up messily, showing how hurriedly he’d rushed back.

Just to see the youth as quickly as possible.

【Baby, you look like a little wife…】

【Imagine coming home from a day’s work to such a pretty wife waiting on the bed… Can’t go on, or I’ll dream about it for real.】

【Look at Ke Zhengchu like that. Tsk tsk.】

Ke Zhengchu walked over step by step, unconsciously squatting in front of the bed to gaze up at him.

Zhong Nian rarely saw his eyes fully exposed—deep black, like bottomless wells that light couldn’t penetrate, or like dark seas surging under night.

Meeting the gaze now made Zhong Nian a bit uneasy.

He reached out to smooth the hair over Ke Zhengchu’s forehead, covering his eyes properly, before saying, “I brought doughnuts for you. Two of them. Want to eat now?”

Ke Zhengchu nodded. “Yes.”

Zhong Nian smiled and took the paper bag, pulling out one. “This one’s strawberry chocolate. The other…”

He handed the one in his hand to Ke Zhengchu first and took out the remaining one, discovering they were the same.

They smelled delicious, but Zhong Nian didn’t want to eat Zhan Lu’s food.

“I don’t really want to eat. You have them both.” Zhong Nian swallowed the saliva his mouth traitorously produced and gave him the one from the bag too. “Don’t waste them.”

With both hands empty, the fingers that had held the doughnut were smeared with chocolate.

Zhong Nian wanted to get up and wash his hands but hadn’t moved when his wrist was suddenly seized—

Ke Zhengchu took his finger into his mouth and licked it.