Chapter 53
Xiang Ye held Jiang Chaochao for a long time this time.
A very long time.
Before letting go, Xiang Ye whispered in Jiang Chaochao’s ear, “I love you too,” as a response.
Jiang Chaochao naturally knew that Xiang Ye loved him. Xiang Ye’s love was an undeniable fact. Even someone like Jiang Chaochao, who needed to hear a verbal confession, couldn’t ignore all the small details Xiang Ye showed him.
Otherwise, would he dare to flirt with Xiang Ye?
Otherwise, what was he even busy with?
They continued drinking. Since they were talking about this, Jiang Chaochao shared some of his childhood memories.
Another reason he didn’t want others to pity him was that his childhood wasn’t that bad. He was happy most of the time. He had a lot of money to spend, he could buy whatever he wanted, do whatever he wanted. He chose his own extracurricular classes, he liked piano, he liked violin, he liked drawing, and he excelled in each of them.
Well, his drawing did end up taking a strange path.
But that was also what he liked and wanted.
Just like Xiang Ye said, he was extremely free when he was young. His classmates complained about their parents controlling them, but he didn’t have any of that. He even tried doing things other parents wouldn’t allow their children to do.
“But what my mom said was quite right,” Jiang Chaochao said, “She said I had to be responsible for my own future.”
Xiang Ye: “You’re amazing, understanding this at such a tempting age.”
Jiang Chaochao smiled, “I think she was also saying it to herself.”
Xiang Ye: “Whoever she was saying it to, don’t dwell on the past.”
Jiang Chaochao nodded: “Yes,” he nodded again, “Yes, if you’re moving forward, then look ahead. If you can’t change it, then don’t worry about it.”
Xiang Ye smiled, “I’ve also learned a lot from you.”
Jiang Chaochao: “Really?”
Xiang Ye: “Then can I call you ‘laoshi (teacher)’?”
Jiang Chaochao tilted his head, “You’ve been waiting for this opportunity, haven’t you?”
Xiang Ye laughed. He didn’t say yes, nor did he say no, just continued drinking with Jiang Chaochao.
This time, after talking about his family, it was the only time Jiang Chaochao didn’t feel like he had talked too much, didn’t feel like someone had seen the deepest, most hidden parts of him.
He was willing to show everything to Xiang Ye.
And Xiang Ye naturally gave him the best possible response.
Xiang Ye said he was both childish and mature. Jiang Chaochao didn’t deny it, it’s just that his childishness was only for Xiang Ye to see.
He liked Xiang Ye indulging his little tantrums, he liked Xiang Ye liking his anger, he liked Xiang Ye loving all of him. He didn’t deny that he craved love, and he acknowledged the emotional voids within him, but he felt that as long as Xiang Ye was by his side, he would only get better and better.
At this point, Jiang Chaochao felt it was about time.
Perhaps many people would forget what day it was today.
As they neared the end of their drinks, Jiang Chaochao, using the excuse of going to the restroom, secretly retrieved a small bag from his suitcase.
He had prepared this gift a long time ago, and almost gave it to him on that fake birthday last time, but Xiang Ye insisted on watching him pack, so he took the opportunity to hide it among his clothes in his suitcase. It was quite a feat.
This bag wasn’t as big as the one last time. Jiang Chaochao hid it behind his back as he sat next to Xiang Ye, and Xiang Ye didn’t notice anything.
He even said to Jiang Chaochao, “Look at that star…”
Xiang Ye’s words abruptly stopped, and his gaze shifted to the suddenly appearing bag.
“Happy birthday,” Jiang Chaochao said.
Xiang Ye smiled, “Thank you.”
Jiang Chaochao: “Someone didn’t think I forgot, did they?”
Jiang Chaochao didn’t care about Xiang Ye’s answer and continued,
“Someone didn’t think I would skip celebrating his birthday this time after celebrating it once, did they?”
“Someone didn’t expect me to say happy birthday all day, did they?”
Even if Xiang Ye didn’t mean any of that, it was hard to resist pinching Jiang Chaochao’s cheek.
This person’s mouth was just too good with words.
“Yes, yes,” Xiang Ye played along, “I’ve been waiting all day, almost midnight now, I was so worried.”
Jiang Chaochao laughed happily, “Open it.”
Open it.
Inside the paper bag were three almost identical boxes. He could already guess what they were without looking.
“Watches,” Xiang Ye said.
Jiang Chaochao: “Yes.”
All watches.
Xiang Ye randomly picked up the first one, and Jiang Chaochao explained beside him, “These three are all very nice. I was struggling to choose one for you, I thought they would all suit you, so I thought, why not buy them all?”
So he bought them all.
What a coincidence, Xiang Ye wasn’t wearing a watch this time.
He only wore a watch occasionally, depending on his mood, or perhaps his memory.
But it couldn’t depend on his mood anymore.
Jiang Chaochao became a bit more demanding, “I’m going to check every day from now on to see if you’re wearing my watch.”
Xiang Ye asked Jiang Chaochao to help him put on the first one, then said: “I will.”
Jiang Chaochao burst out laughing: “You’ve even learned this.”
Xiang Ye: “I still have much to learn from laoshi.”
Jiang Chaochao: “Thank you.”
“It’s really beautiful,” Xiang Ye raised his hand, looking at it from different angles, “Who has such good taste?”
Jiang Chaochao also thought it was very beautiful. It looked even better than he had imagined, who had such magical hands?
“Probably your boyfriend,” Jiang Chaochao replied.
Xiang Ye’s fondness was very apparent. After admiring it for a while, he carefully took it off and opened the second box.
The moment he put it on, Jiang Chaochao sighed dramatically, “Oh my god, whose taste is this good? I can’t stand it.”
Xiang Ye laughed and raised his arm: “I know, right?”
It was so beautiful.
So they admired the three watches for more than ten minutes.
Jiang Chaochao naturally also tried them on, perhaps because his skin was fairer, or because his wrist was thinner than Xiang Ye’s, the watches always looked a bit less impressive on him.
“Gege’s hands look better,” Jiang Chaochao said softly.
Xiang Ye turned to Jiang Chaochao curiously.
Jiang Chaochao: “…”
See, flattery wasn’t for everyone.
He was talking about someone naturally seductive like Xiang Ye.
“What?” Jiang Chaochao asked, “Can’t I compliment you?”
Xiang Ye immediately smiled: “You can, of course you can.”
The star Xiang Ye asked Jiang Chaochao to look at was the brightest one in the sky.
It could also be seen from A City, just from a different angle. They talked about it one night when they were both on their balconies, talking on the phone.
Xiang Ye said Jiang Chaochao was his star.
Actually, Xiang Ye was Jiang Chaochao’s star.
In the end, their Yunnan trip lasted ten days. They visited ancient towns and experienced the local culture, witnessed a proposal on a snowy mountain, went to the seaside, visited the city, and also aimlessly wandered the streets, listening to street musicians sing one song after another.
Chatting until the wee hours under the warmth of the blankets, then making love in the early morning as the sun rose.
Leaving Yunnan, Xiang Ye said the first thing he would do when they returned to A City was buy a video camera. He had just finished testing some equipment recently, so he could take this opportunity to pick the best one.
Jiang Chaochao didn’t object. Relying solely on their phones for the past ten days had been a bit frustrating; they both felt it wasn’t enough.
The good thing about a relaxing trip was that their bodies weren’t tired, but the bad thing was that it was easy to lose oneself in the moment.
For many days after returning, Jiang Chaochao couldn’t focus on his work, everything felt a bit pointless. Why did people even have to work?
And to make things worse, he had more and more work to do.
A week later, because of work, he met Xu Hengzhi, whom he hadn’t seen in a while, in another city, D City.
Xu Hengzhi had also been busy recently, evidenced by the fact that he hadn’t had time to gossip with Jiang Chaochao about him and Xiang Ye.
So the first thing Xu Hengzhi said when they met, “Yo, long time no see, handsome,” was naturally interpreted by Jiang Chaochao as sarcasm.
Jiang Chaochao naturally replied: “Just say what you want to say.”
Xu Hengzhi laughed, “It’s been a while since I heard you curse.”
Jiang Chaochao: “Don’t get too excited.”
Xu Hengzhi: “Wouldn’t dare, wouldn’t dare, who am I?”
Jiang Chaochao glared at Xu Hengzhi.
They had a supper appointment tonight, grilled fish.
As soon as the fish arrived, Jiang Chaochao naturally took out his phone, took a picture, and sent it to a WeChat contact named “Annoying Gege Who Insists I Change His Contact Name.”
As the name suggested, that’s the situation.
“Reporting to Xiang Ye?” Xu Hengzhi asked.
Jiang Chaochao put down his phone: “Just showing him.”
Just then, his phone vibrated. Jiang Chaochao unlocked his phone, which he had just locked.
Annoying Gege Who Insists I Change His Contact Name: “Looks delicious.”
Jiang Chaochao: “Tastes good too.”
Putting down his phone, Jiang Chaochao heard Xu Hengzhi chuckle.
Jiang Chaochao: “What are you laughing at?”
Xu Hengzhi: “Still a bit unaccustomed to you being in love.”
Jiang Chaochao: “What’s the difference?”
Xu Hengzhi: “A huge difference. The cold and aloof ice prince has transformed into a sweet and charming didi.”
Jiang Chaochao: “…Crazy.”
Having not seen each other for a while, Xu Hengzhi had a lot to talk about: his work, his love life, and his parents who kept urging him to get married as soon as he got home.
He talked about his melancholy, and his anxieties.
Then he suddenly said, “Jiang Chaochao, I envy you so much.”
Jiang Chaochao was stunned for a moment, then laughed, “Tell me more about this ‘envy.’”
Xu Hengzhi: “Rich, handsome, your parents don’t control you, you’re doing work you like, and the person you like also likes you,” Xu Hengzhi chuckled, “You’re living the male lead’s life.”
Jiang Chaochao said: “A happy male lead.”
Xu Hengzhi laughed, “You’re really…”
Jiang Chaochao: “What’s wrong with me?”
Xu Hengzhi suddenly felt something was amiss, “Don’t tell me you tricked me into complimenting you.”
Jiang Chaochao smiled secretly, “Did I?”
Xu Hengzhi: “You’ve learned some bad things, Jiang Chaochao.”
After praising Jiang Chaochao, he felt even more hopeless about his own life. He had even been criticized by his boss this afternoon, and Xu Hengzhi almost burst into tears.
“Then, probably because it wasn’t enough, he ordered two more bottles of alcohol,” Jiang Chaochao, back at the hotel, said to Xiang Ye on the phone.
Xu Hengzhi had a point, Jiang Chaochao had become very clingy.
He picked up his phone almost as soon as he parted ways with Xu Hengzhi.
An intense feeling of longing, very unfamiliar, very enjoyable.
Xiang Ye asked, “Did you drink?”
Jiang Chaochao: “No, he ordered beer.”
Xiang Ye: “Don’t you like beer?”
Jiang Chaochao: “I don’t. I have something I like better now.”
Xiang Ye chuckled, “One day, my dad’s going to come after me.”
Jiang Chaochao: “Then you’re doomed.”
Xiang Ye: “I’ll drag you down with me, and tell my dad…”
Xiang Ye paused noticeably, clearly wanting to say something. Jiang Chaochao took the opportunity to ask, “And then?”
“Say, ‘Dad, don’t be angry,’” Xiang Ye paused for half a second, “‘I drank with my baby.’”
Jiang Chaochao exclaimed loudly, but he said, “Go ahead, go tell him now.”
Xiang Ye: “I might.”
Jiang Chaochao: “Go on.”
Xiang Ye suddenly said at this moment, “My mom knows about my sexual orientation.”
Jiang Chaochao didn’t react: “Huh?”
Xiang Ye: “Mm-hmm.”
Jiang Chaochao: “You’re, very sudden.”
Xiang Ye chuckled: “First day knowing me?”
Even after all this time, even after so many sudden remarks, Jiang Chaochao was still caught off guard.
So Xiang Ye continued, “I can introduce you to my mom first.”
Jiang Chaochao instantly panicked, “Are you serious?”
Xiang Ye: “I am.”
Just as Jiang Chaochao was about to say something, a new message notification popped up on his phone.
Jiang Chaochao made a confused sound.
Xiang Ye: “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing, my mom,” Jiang Chaochao looked at his phone, “Asked if I’m back from Yunnan, she wants to see me.”
“Hello?”
It was very quiet on Xiang Ye’s end.
Xiang Ye: “I’m here.”
Jiang Chaochao: “Not talking?”
Xiang Ye was silent for a moment, then, “What does she want from you?”
