Chapter 59: Jiang Liannan
Yesterday in the group chat, Feng Mantang had not the heart to ask. This morning, he saw Lao Si’s Moments again and the vibe was all wrong. It did not look like someone freshly heartbroken.
That was good in theory, but he could not shake a bad feeling, like a final flare before the end. Pah, not exactly that, but something unusual like that.
Back when things between Old Wu and Lao Si had been ambiguous, Old Wu rarely mentioned Chen Can in front of him.
Because he knew Lao Si was petty. Bringing up Chen Can would make Lao Si unhappy.
In those days, Old Wu still cared about such things. Later, like most men who had been around someone too long, he lost patience.
A man as emotional as Lao Si had been strung along by Old Wu for more than ten years. The brothers all thought he would snap and then find someone worthy of a lifetime.
They thought too much. Lao Si still pined after Old Wu. Ten oxen could not drag him back. He was obsessed as if under a spell.
He probably could not let go in the future either. He was doomed to stay on the same dark road.
Yesterday Lao Si chatted cheerfully with Chen Can in the group and then added him as a friend. Was he swallowing his pride for Old Wu, retreating step by step?
As the second brother, Feng Mantang’s heart twinged. “Lao Si, why do this to yourself? If you are unhappy, do not force it.” He tried to counsel him. Say whatever in front of Old Wu, fine, but posting to Moments on purpose, like he wanted everyone to know he was getting along with Chen Can? What???
“Brother Man, you mean the wedding?” Jiang Liannan said, “I am not forcing it. It is what I should do.”
Even if love was gone, there was still brotherhood. He understood that.
Feng Mantang thought, why is this brother so sensible? It hurt to look at.
“Alright. I will drive and pick you up tonight. Come with the three of us,” he said. He worried Lao Si would come alone, pitiful, with no one to hand him tissues if he cried. Tragic.
“No need. I will drive myself,” Jiang Liannan coughed lightly. “I have a bit of a cold. I do not want to pass it to your little Tianbao.”
“That works,” said Feng Mantang.
After hanging up, Jiang Liannan stood before his closet picking clothes. He frowned, then pouted, grumbling under his breath, “Ugly.”
He had never felt anything off about his clothes before. Tonight, rummaging through the wardrobe, he felt everything looked old fashioned and unwearable.
“Forget it. I am not showing my face anyway…” he muttered, pulling on a low-key summer outfit. The neckline dipped a little, showing nice collarbones and a sliver of pale skin.
One look in the mirror, and he felt like the flirty bottoms at his bar whom he used to look down on, radiating loneliness and chill every second.
He could not help it. He just wanted to dress like this.
Turning overnight into the kind of person he had always hated, his face darkened.
He refused to admit it, but he was itching for a man.
And he definitely refused to admit any “thirty like a wolf, forty like a tiger” nonsense, or that vulgar saying about sucking up dust. All garbage.
At the mirror, he styled his hair differently than usual, put on a face mask, grabbed his keys and drifted out the door on unsteady feet.
At the hotel where Chen Wuhou held the wedding banquet, Li Dong was spinning in circles.
He was the groom’s son. Plenty of errands depended on him, so he was naturally busy.
Not many in the capital knew him well. Quite a few only learned today that Chen Wuhou had a son this grown.
“Can-can!” From across the crowd, Feng Mantang spotted the boy at once.
“Uncle Man.” Li Dong turned, surprised, then smiled, particularly handsome.
Fu Changyin leaned toward Feng Mantang and said, “This kid is trouble waiting to happen.” In fact, Chen Can did not look that much like his father. He must have taken after his mother. His features and lines were much softer than Chen Wuhou’s. He should be a gentle type.
“Yeah,” said Feng Mantang, thinking of Jiang Liannan’s Moments.
He sighed.
There were many people. It was not easy for Li Dong to cross the room.
The two uncles watched the boy calmly part the crowd, moving with grace.
“Uncle Man, Uncle Yin.” At their side, Li Dong smiled with lips pressed together, pure from head to toe.
“Hey.” Feng Mantang patted his shoulder. “Tall. What are you, one ninety?”
“No, one eighty-five,” Li Dong said.
Fu Changyin chuckled. “Taller than your dad. He is only one eighty-four.” Up close, he admired the boy a little. He had two daughters at home and felt a twinge of envy.
“Hey? Lao Yin, where is your little Sweetie?” asked Feng Mantang. “Let her meet Can-can. Wouldn’t that be nice?”
The Fu family’s eldest girl was sixteen, as sweet as her name. With the suggestion out loud, her father also felt it was a good idea.
“She is on summer break at her grandmother’s,” Fu Changyin said. “School starts in September. They can meet then.”
Sixteen and twenty were not far apart. A boy three or four years older than a girl was normal.
By the time little Sweetie graduated college, Chen Can would have been working two or three years. Perfect time to marry.
“What do you think, Can-can?” Feng Mantang slung an arm around Li Dong as they chatted.
Li Dong glanced toward the doors. “Another guest just came.”
Feng and Fu looked and were both startled. Their Lao Si was dressed to kill, yet half his face was hidden behind a big mask. The most stunning face in the capital, covered up. Such a pity.
They were not exaggerating. There was no one better-looking in the whole city than their Lao Si. Covering his face was a shame.
“Lao Si, over here,” called Fu Changyin, then said to Li Dong, “That is your Uncle Nan. Of the four of us, he is the best-looking. Later, make him take off the mask so you can see.”
Feng Mantang added, “Best-looking, but unlucky in love. All these years and still no one who truly cares for him. We all got married. He is the only one drifting.”
Others went home to wife and kids on a warm bed. Lao Si went home to an old father. Pitiful, if you thought about it.
Jiang “Unlucky in Love” Liannan lifted his eyes to the small group. His old back twinged as he walked over.
He kept his eyes lowered, afraid to look too closely. The closer he got, the faster his heart jumped, afraid Chen Can would recognize him.
“Brother Man, Third Brother…” He finally reached them and pressed his voice down. Then those watery eyes circled once around Li Dong. “You must be Can-can. Hello, I am your Uncle Nan.”
Li Dong’s heart sank. His face was especially well-behaved as he greeted, “Hello, Uncle Nan.” He did not act especially warm, even if last night he had read Jiang Liannan a bedtime story.
Jiang Liannan felt a wave of disappointment. It hadn’t felt like this before. The young man had been especially gentle with him…
“You really do have a cold? Your voice is hoarse,” said Feng Mantang.
“Yes, cough, cough.” He lifted his slender white fingers to rub his throat. “A bit of a cold, so I am wearing a mask to avoid infecting you all.”
Then he noticed Chen Can glance down at his chest.
Without a ripple on his face, he moved his hand to touch his ear. The tiny, showy motion to draw a gaze, sly and a little saucy.
“Alright, now that Lao Si is here, let us sit,” said Fu Changyin, leading them to the main table.
The families were already seated, with half the seats still open.
Li Dong scanned once. He pulled out a chair with no one on either side. “Uncle Nan, sit here.” A bit away from the younger folks.
“Thank you.” That lifted his mood a notch. He sat down like a princess served by a prince.
Then the prince sat right beside him.
So warm. It really made people fantasize uncontrollably, unable to stop themselves from wanting to act spoiled.
“Tea, Uncle Nan.” Li Dong poured and set the cup in front of him.
“Thanks, Can-can…” Head lowered, he felt complicated. The tea looked so good, but he did not dare lift his mask to drink.
He wanted Chen Can to keep looking at him, and also did not want him to look. He was a bundle of contradictions.
“Can-can, about what I mentioned,” said Feng Mantang. “Your Uncle Yin’s little Sweetie is very pretty. Uncle Man thinks you two could try dating.”
Jiang Liannan froze, then held his breath, sneaking a look at the youth beside him.
What would he say? Was it really necessary to date at his age?
“Sure, if we are a match,” said Li Dong.
Clatter. His utensil hit the floor.
The whole table looked over. He stood up in a fluster, pushing his chair back to pick it up.
“I got it,” said Li Dong. He ducked under the table too, fingers reaching the spoon first. Then he hooked an arm around Jiang Liannan’s neck, yanked down his mask, and kissed him.
Jiang Liannan’s eyes flew open. “Mph…” So he had recognized him long ago. He went blank. “Mmm…” Any more and this would go very wrong.
The kiss lasted about three seconds. Li Dong let go, came up like nothing had happened, and set the spoon back on the table.
Two beats later, Jiang Liannan sat down again, mask back in place.
His face burned like asphalt in midsummer. His heart yelled, we have been found out! Happy. Pah, no, worried. If the boy said anything, he would be finished.
He sneaked a glance. The youth’s posture was upright and handsome, features calm, eyes gentle. So devastating, so handsome. Maybe he liked him, just a little~
“Sweetie is still young. Dating can wait. Meeting is fine,” said Fu Changyin. “If you want to date when you are older, Uncle will not stop you. Hah, becoming in-laws with Old Wu would be nice. Family ties on top of brotherhood.”
A basin of cold water dumped over Jiang Liannan, chilling him to the bone.
“I’ll listen to Uncle Yin,” Li Dong said. “Even if we do not end up as in-laws, we can still be good siblings.” He smiled and, under the tablecloth, brushed Jiang Liannan’s fingers with his own.
Jiang Liannan’s eyes narrowed. His heart went cold. He decided Chen Can was the same kind of man as Chen Wuhou, eating from the bowl while eyeing the pot. He wanted a wife and child and also wanted to play.
Feeling the fingers yank away in anger, Li Dong did not react on the surface. He kept chatting easily with the others.
Jiang Liannan could easily sense that this young man sitting beside him was very outstanding and excellent. In the future, he’d be the object of everyone's pursuit.
He sat in silence.
Twenty minutes passed in a blink. He did not speak to the kid or meet his eyes, and he definitely did not touch him.
Then the wedding music rose, which meant the bride and groom were about to enter.
The room fell quiet and everyone turned to the doors.
“Lao Si, hold it together,” said Feng Mantang, coming over to pat his shoulder on purpose.
The groom and his pregnant bride were about to appear. He did not want his brother breaking down during the ceremony.
Terrified he would say more, Jiang Liannan stepped on his shoe to shut him up.
With Chen Can here, he could not say a word about him and Chen Wuhou.
“Brother Man, go sit. I am fine,” he murmured. Then he saw Chen Wuhou walk in, sharp in a suit.
At nearly forty, he still had a great figure. He moved down the red carpet with steady grace, the unique charm of a middle-aged man on full display.
Jiang Liannan stared blankly at Chen Wuhou, full of worship.
As he passed, Chen Wuhou glanced this way, then mounted the steps, turned, and bowed to the guests. “Good evening, everyone. I am Chen Wuhou.” The pause drew applause. “Thank you all for making time to attend my wedding…”
He did not really hear the rest. He had turned dazedly to the door. The bride glided in like fresh snow, her happiness so bright it made people jealous.
To put on a wedding dress and marry the man you love was the dream of so many shous.
Few could realize it.
Either they met the wrong man or they could not have what they wanted.
Li Dong watched Jiang Liannan stand up from the table and drift off, saying he felt unwell and needed the restroom.
The music kept playing. The bride’s father had just handed her to the groom. Rings had not been exchanged and they had not kissed yet.
“Lao Si…” Everyone looked after him with worry.
Li Dong sat a moment longer, then stood. “I will go check on Uncle Nan.”
A tall, lean figure moved down a silent corridor, only the cameras catching the way he walked, fingers loosening his collar, every gesture tinged with unrestrained ease.
Strong arms pushed open the restroom door. Li Dong saw Jiang Liannan facing the entrance, hands propped on the sink counter, seemingly crying.
This kind of silent crying was somewhat annoying. Li Dong would rather Jiang Liannan wail loudly than see him cry secretly over the scum gong.
He stepped in and closed the door.
“Who is it?” Startled, he turned. When he saw Li Dong, the panic in his eyes became tension. He turned back without speaking.
“Uncle Lian,” Li Dong said. “Do you like my dad?”
Jiang Liannan’s eyes widened blankly, then lowered in humiliation. He couldn’t believe that Chen Can had long known about his feelings for Chen Wuhou.
So the boy would definitely think he was shameless, flirting with father and son at the same time.
He bit his lip and admitted recklessly, “Yes. I like your dad.” He could not bring himself to add that he had never had a physical relationship with Chen Wuhou.
“The night I went to the bar, you already knew who I was.” Li Dong’s voice was cool, emotionless.
It felt like a punishment. He could not bear the boy’s misunderstanding and cold tone. “No. I never slept with your dad. I only slept with you.”
“I asked if you knew I was Chen Can when you started flirting with me,” Li Dong cut in.
“…” He was speechless. He looked aside and tears pattered down.
He raised a hand to cover his mouth and nose. He could not tell whether he was sad because Chen Wuhou was getting married or because he had lost all elder’s dignity before Chen Can.
The boy must look down on such an uncle, who had deliberately seduced his father’s brother’s son while secretly in love with a man who already had a wife and child.
He looked down on himself too. Outsiders might think he was untouchable, the darling of heaven. Inside, he was filthy and contemptible, making people want to spit.
After tonight, his actions would be exposed. He’d lose all his halos and become an object of everyone’s scorn.
“Uncle Lian, I am not angry that you flirted with me,” said Li Dong. “I feel sorry for you because you fell for my dad.”
“Huh… huh?” Tear-streaked, he looked up, stunned. “What did you say?” Feel sorry?
Shouldn’t Chen Can be angry and expose his wrongdoing?
“My dad is straighter than straight. Liking him is useless. You might as well like me.” Li Dong patted his own chest. “If you are sad and want to cry, I have a reliable shoulder. Whether you want to use it is up to you.”
He went stupid. “What do you mean ‘might as well like you’…” The line made his heart quiver. He was practically bubbling.
He felt that Chen Can liked him, but he was not ready to accept it. His heart was still attached to Chen Wuhou. But he could not deny the fresh meat was right. Chen Wuhou was straight. Keeping it up would only hurt.
“I will not like someone whose heart likes my dad, unless he only likes me,” Li Dong said, showing a hint of impatience. “Enough talk. I am going to count to three. If you do not come over, I will take it as you giving up.”
“What?” He panicked. “Hey…” Was he serious?
Li Dong lifted a hand and started. “One, two…”
Before he finished three, Jiang Liannan bolted forward like a rabbit, threw his arms around Li Dong’s waist and burrowed into his chest. “You are awful…” He was too ashamed to raise his head. “Happy now?”
“Not really. Too early to be happy.” In the next breath, Li Dong tipped his chin up and took his plump lips, playing with him thoroughly.
“Mmph…” His lashes fluttered fast. He looped his arms around Li Dong’s shoulders and went boneless, handing over his whole weight to a boy fifteen years younger.
Li Dong’s eyes went darker. Boldly, he steered him into a stall, slid the lock, and the two of them stayed inside for twenty minutes before coming out.
“…”
When they emerged, Jiang Liannan looked dazed, pupils unfocused. He needed to lean on Li Dong to stand.
“Uncle Lian?” Li Dong patted his cheeks with wet, cool hands to bring the heat down.
“What did you do to me?” When he came around, he pushed Li Dong’s hand away in flustered anger. “Something is wrong with me…” His heart kept lurching. He kept wanting to touch the other and wanted the other to touch him too.
“What feels wrong?” asked Li Dong. “Let me see.” He lifted that white-jade hand and kissed it gently.
Just now, he had coaxed this jade-white hand to service him, and after some shy hesitation the other had agreed, then eventually took initiative with his mouth.
“…” He could not name what was wrong. He felt Chen Can was deliberately seducing him, and that he was not nearly as harmless as he looked.
“Come on. Let’s go back,” Li Dong said, smoothing his clothes with an even tone.
Jiang Liannan stood behind, his expression very complex, as if taking one step forward meant falling into an abyss.
“Uncle Lian?” Li Dong looked back and called softly, tender as silk, reaching out a hand.
The supreme temptation. He knew he could not refuse. Tormented, he took that hand.
“Can-can, are you just playing?” A 20-year-old outstanding boy, as elusive as the wind.
“How do you want me to answer that?” Li Dong tilted his head. “We are not yet at the stage to discuss that.” He stepped out of the restroom, released his hand, and kept a polite distance.
“You little brat…” Jiang Liannan ground his teeth. Then why come seduce him into doing that just now?
Now the bed had been shared, and that unspeakable play tried, and he still said they were not even at the stage to discuss it?
He was fuming. If he could go back to that moment, he would bite him hard.
Author’s Note:
【Mini Theater ① New and old forces bicker】
Jiang Liannan: Scumbag!
Xi Xingling: You have no right to say that!
Jiang Liannan: Sl*tty chicken, shut up!
Xi Xingling: Old fossil, shut up!
Jiang Liannan: Ahhhh, so angry! (Pitter patter shedding tears, so wronged)
Xi Xingling: Then be good and go along with Dong-ge… (soft-hearted baby Ling)
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