Chapter 61: Jiang Liannan
Li Dong almost couldn’t keep a straight face. What a shameless “28.” This guy’s ability to lie with eyes wide open had really grown.
He was choking on irritation inside, but on the surface he pretended to buy it. “Then why did you tell me 25 when we first met?”
“Because I look 25,” said Jiang Liannan and Chen Can had believed it at the time.
“…” Damn it. Why not just ascend to heaven while you are at it.
Li Dong swallowed it and pointed at the bed. “Get up there and clothes off.”
“What for?” Like guarding against a thief, Jiang Liannan clutched his collar. From that movement Li Dong finally realized just how low that neckline was. Was he trying to seduce Chen Wuhou or him?
Honestly, it made him feel a little gross.
“Fine, then I will take you home and we will have nothing more to do with each other,” said Li Dong, walking to his suitcase to put on clothes.
Jiang Liannan froze. He pressed his lips together and stood there sulking.
In their circle he was a known figure. Talent, looks, body, family background, he had it all. People worshiping him was only natural.
How could this junior be so presumptuous?
No way. The kid needed a lesson.
“Can-can.” Seeing Li Dong almost finished dressing, he panicked inside. “How can you say that?” His voice dropped. “We crossed a line. Under your dad’s nose. You should know the stakes.”
Classic wanting to play the saint after playing the whore. He was dripping with the vibe of someone begging to be punished.
Li Dong said nothing and kept dressing.
“The consequences are serious. It is not as simple as you think…” He was begging for a step down, but Li Dong would not give him one. Not one.
“Where is the car key…” Li Dong looked around.
Glancing back, Jiang Liannan spotted it sitting on the nightstand behind him. While Li Dong was not looking, he flicked the key under the bed.
“What was that sound?” Li Dong turned, puzzled, a beat too late to see anything.
“What sound?” said Jiang Liannan, feigning innocence. “I did not hear anything.”
Li Dong was speechless. He pasted a mental label on him: melodramatic little diva. He came over and bent to lift the bed skirt.
“Do not look!” Jiang Liannan pounced and locked his arms around Li Dong’s neck to keep him from exposing the trick. “There is no key under the bed.”
…Li Dong gave up. Peak drama queen. What 28? Try 8 months.
Clinging shamelessly to the junior, the older man’s toes curled with embarrassment. He buried his face in the crook of Li Dong’s neck.
“I am going to straighten up. Careful,” said Li Dong, giving up on the key and, when he stood, bracing a hand over Jiang Liannan’s rear.
The older man on his back said nothing.
On the one hand he wanted to mess around with a fresh piece of eye candy. On the other he wanted his elder persona to remain pristine. Since when did the world work that way?
“Hey?” Li Dong said impatiently. “So what is it now? Are you staying or going?” There were plenty of cars at home anyway. He did not need to drive Liannan’s.
“Mm…” came a muffled nod against his shoulder.
Li Dong wanted to scream. What the f**k did “mm” mean? Staying or going?
“Going?” he asked, already heading for the door.
“Mmph, mmph, mmph…” Jiang Liannan shook his head wildly into Li Dong’s shoulder.
…Give me strength.
Li Dong walked back with a dark face. Walking to the bedside, he said to the koala on his body, “Off. Now. Chop-chop.”
“Okay…” Jiang Liannan obeyed, scrambling down and onto the bed, face burning, and heart racing.
What are you sitting there for like an idiot?
“Clothes,” said Li Dong, still annoyed. “Off.”
“Okay…” Jiang Liannan dove under the quilt and peeled them off piece by piece, tossing each one out.
Encountering such a cooperative old demon, even a battle-hardened veteran driver inevitably felt his blood heat up.
Li Dong pulled off the pants he’d just put on and got into bed.
Upstairs, the bridal chamber could not toss and tumble because the bride was pregnant. Downstairs, the two sirens went at it from midnight to half past two, trading places with great enthusiasm.
“Can-can…” Eyes shut, the old heart of Uncle was tossed so hard he could not take it. “You… you…” How could he be this good. Uncle is dying.
Li Dong ignored him. When it felt like enough, he pulled out and called it. He did not linger in battle.
Then he checked the time. “…” F**k. Two thirty in the morning.
“Can-can…” Sticky as syrup, Jiang Liannan felt around him with pale arms, face too tired to keep his eyes open yet like a little monster waiting to be fed.
Terrifying.
“Sleep. Now,” said Li Dong.
“I cannot. I cannot sleep.” He rubbed his forehead on Li Dong’s shoulder. “Uncle’s heart is very confused… What we’re doing isn’t right.”
Li Dong pushed his head away without ceremony. “If you feel guilty, stop holding me.” Want to steal a bite without any risk? Dream on.
“It is not guilt.” Thick-skinned, he glued himself right back on while low-key cursing himself. “I am jealous of your dad, maybe?” He was secretly pleased. “Ever since you showed up, my obsession with him has faded a lot.”
Give it time and not liking Chen Wuhou would be inevitable.
But Jiang Liannan couldn’t be happy either. He’d just jumped from one fire pit to another.
Li Dong said nothing. Every time after rolling in the sheets, he’d crave cigarettes.
“I do not dare like you either,” said Jiang Liannan with self-mockery. If only he were truly 28, at least they would be the same era.
35 and 20. They might as well be father and son.
It hurt so much he wanted to crawl out of his skin.
“I know you think I am scummy, but I cannot keep being scummy for many years.” In a few years when his looks faded, he would be destined to die alone. “Can-can, your Uncle Lian is what he is. If you pity me, keep me company a few days more…”
He started crying, which was why he had the nickname crybaby.
With a grown man sobbing in his arms, Li Dong was both angry and soft. “Enough.” He patted the uncle’s head. “As long as you promise me that you’ll forget the last relationship as soon as possible, I'll stay with you.”
“Really?” He lifted a tear-streaked face, stunning features like pear blossoms in rain.
“Really.” Li Dong cupped the back of his head and kissed him slow and sweet. “I can be your boyfriend.”
“!!” He forgot to breathe. “But…” They would have to date in secret. No one around them could ever know.
“Do not rush. Take it slow,” Li Dong said, kissing his eyes, then pressing him into his arms. “Sleep now. Good night.”
Jiang Liannan’s heart pounded. He felt light as if his soul had drifted out. “Can-can, I…” He bit down and still did not dare confess that he was already thirty-five.
“Enough talking. Sleep,” said Li Dong, pressing his head down. “Do you want a bedtime story too? Do not be that delicate.”
“That is not…” He hesitated into silence and fell asleep in Li Dong’s arms.
Early the next morning, he woke up. Nestled beside Li Dong, a pair of beautiful, seductive eyes were dull and lifeless. “What have I done…”
From the night he ran into the little hottie at Cat Ears, he had been reckless down a straight line, tossing dignity and status into the garbage.
If Chen Can so much as leaked a whisper, it would be enough to finish him.
He knew that plainly, but… he covered his face. He did not want to regret it at all. He was full of hope for the future.
The little boyfriend beside him was still sleeping. His handsome, youthful sleeping face was very cute.
He grabbed his phone. Click. A shot of Li Dong’s beautiful sleeping face.
He lay back down, leaned on his little boyfriend’s shoulder, and happily went back to sleep.
“Knock, knock, knock.” A bit after nine, Chen Wuhou came to knock. “Can-can, still sleeping?”
Li Dong opened his eyes and found a lump asleep on his chest, pinning him down. “…Dad, what’s up?”
The sound woke Jiang Liannan. “Morning…” he murmured and closed his eyes again.
“Come down for breakfast. Su Ye is up,” called Chen Wuhou.
“!!” Eyes flying open, panic flooding his face, he clutched Li Dong and trembled. “Can-can…” The man’s dad hit people. He had a violent temper.
“Don’t be afraid.” Li Dong said, making a silencing gesture, then answering Chen Wuhou, “Okay, I will come down in a bit.”
“What about me?” Jiang Liannan pointed at himself, not daring to raise his voice.
“Wait here,” said Li Dong.
He looked entirely displeased, so Li Dong hugged him and kissed him once. “Be good. Just a little while. I will come right back up.”
“Fine. I will wait here,” he mumbled.
“Wash up first.” Li Dong ruffled his hair. “I will bring you breakfast.”
“Okay.” He slapped the hand away. “Do not touch my head.” He pulled the quilt up and wrapped himself.
Li Dong shook his hand out, dressed, and washed up. “I am heading out. See you in a bit.”
“See you…” said Jiang Liannan.
The moment Li Dong left, he loosened the quilt and got up, went to Chen Can’s suitcase and rummaged.
He found a pair of underwear and put it on.
Then a short-sleeved T-shirt. Put it on.
Such a long T-shirt. Jiang Liannan stood in front of the mirror to look. It covered his snow-white thigh roots.
Downstairs in the living room, Li Dong, Chen Wuhou, and Su Ye ate breakfast together.
“Breakfast here tastes better, right?” asked Chen Wuhou.
“Yeah,” said Li Dong.
“When I wanted you to come back for high school, you refused,” said Chen Wuhou with a laugh, remembering how his son loved to butt heads with him back then.
Li Dong thought, that had been peak rebellious phase. His relationship with Chen Wuhou was not good.
In the time it took to say a few words, he’d finished an entire plate.
“Dad, I have a girl upstairs,” Li Dong said, pointing up and lifting a plate of food. “You two eat. I am taking this up to check on her.”
“This brat…” muttered Chen Wuhou.
“He…” Su Ye looked embarrassed.
“It’s fine,” said Chen Wuhou. “School starts soon.” Even if he did not live on campus, he probably would not come back much.
Boys were not like girls. They were not homebodies. Letting them run free was fine.
Su Ye exhaled. “So that is it.” Good. Living with a stepson would be awkward either way. “Kids are grown. It is more convenient to live on their own.”
“Right,” said Chen Wuhou. “Exactly.”
Upstairs, Li Dong knocked with a plate in hand. “Uncle Lian, it is me.”
Hearing his boyfriend, Jiang Liannan opened the door, scowling. “20 minutes.”
“What is wrong?” Li Dong set the plate down. There was a cup of soy milk on it too.
“Girls do not even take that long to eat breakfast,” said Jiang Liannan.
He took the soy milk and sipped.
Li Dong noticed that when he ate, he was slow and elegant.
Which reminded him that the way he had eaten last night had definitely been on purpose.
“You…” Then he saw it. The T-shirt. “My clothes.”
“Oh. Yours,” said Jiang Liannan, eyes down. “Mine all smell like alcohol. I wanted something clean.”
“You do not need to explain,” said Li Dong. “Wearing your boyfriend’s clothes is only natural.”
“Mm.” He nodded, the corners of his lips lifting. “Your breakfast tastes pretty good.”
“Eat more if you like,” said Li Dong.
A little cloud passed over Jiang Liannan’s heart. So perfunctory already. Was he getting bored the moment he had him?
“Can-can,” he said. “Did you forget to tell me good morning?”
Li Dong’s first reaction was a blank stare.
He immediately put down his fork, eyes going misty. The dramatic diva had logged back on.
“Oh, right. Morning,” said Li Dong. “I am too used to being single and do not have the habit yet.” He quickly promised, “I will remember.”
When they finished, Li Dong found a cap and tugged it over his head. “Come on. My dad is on the third floor right now.”
“Then let us hurry,” said Jiang Liannan, hugging his arm as they went quickly downstairs.
In his own car at last, he exhaled.
Hooking up with Chen Can under the roof of the bridal couple on their wedding night was a bit too thrilling. He shivered.
“Can-can, let us keep this between us,” he said, gripping Li Dong’s shifting wrist.
“Of course,” said Li Dong. “If my dad finds out, he might break my legs.”
Jiang Liannan thought, whose legs would be broken was still uncertain.
“Hey.” His hand drifted onto Li Dong’s thigh. “You do not mind that I am old?”
Li Dong thought a second. “28 is not bad.”
“…” He shut his mouth and behaved the whole way.
At his door, Li Dong parked, returned the car key, and said, “Uncle Lian, successfully delivered you home. I should go.”
The delicate, fragile beauty stood in the wind, silent.
Those long, straight legs. One foot, then the other.
What a little diva.
“I will walk you up,” Li Dong surrendered.
“My dad is home.” The drama-king uncle blinked, gazing at the boyfriend he had just reeled in. “Come to my bar tonight.”
Li Dong nodded and said nothing.
“Can-can.” He hooked a finger. “I will do what I promised. You do not get to go back on yours either.”
“Got it,” said Li Dong. “Go on.”
“Mm.” He let go, turned, and went inside.
While he was still within Li Dong’s line of sight, he kept it graceful and composed. The moment he was out of sight, his entire vibe flipped.
“Done for, done for, done for…” He fumbled around in a panic, not knowing what to do first.
Call and book all kinds of nourishing herbs and ingredients? Ask a friend to ship men’s skincare?
“Hello, Third Aunt? That brand you said was great last time… Yes, that one… Do they have a men’s set? Send me a few.”
“Hello, Second Uncle? If you have good stock, save some for me… No, no, not for Dad’s stew. Why cannot I have it? I am nearly forty too.”
“Hey, Xiao Zhang…” After a round of calls, he finally felt better.
He tossed the phone down and went to the mirror to count the fine lines at the corners of his eyes.
Was there gray at his temples?
The face was alright, skin pale and tight. But days of drinking and late nights had left his eyes dull, his face pale, not dewy enough.
In short, his complexion was bad.
But he knew no matter what he used, he could not beat a young man’s fresh skin.
35 was 35. There was no going back unless he reincarnated.
What a depressing truth.…
He dove headfirst into his quilt, giving off waves of I-want-to-die. Why am I this old, this old, ugh!
Ping. The Brothers’ Chat WeChat group lit up.
Chen Wuhou: @All Free this weekend? Come to my place for a little get-together and try Su Ye’s cooking?
Fu Changyin: Sister-in-law is pregnant. How can you let her cook?
Chen Wuhou: She will not cook. She will supervise, teach the chef some of her hometown dishes.
Feng Mantang: That’s fine but still be careful. Pregnancy is tough.
Chen Wuhou: She is four months now. Doctor says the baby is healthy, hahahaha.
His happiness came through even across the screen.
Jiang Liannan: This weekend, right? Sounds good.
He would get to see his little boyfriend. Why would he say no?
Suddenly, he felt like he had a harbor. His resentment toward Chen Wuhou faded a great deal all at once.
Chen Wuhou: @JiangLiannan Lao Si, how is your cold? You drank last night. Any headache after you got home?
Fu Changyin & Feng Mantang: “!!” Again. Lao Wu never learns. Married and still poking Lao Si.
Jiang Liannan: Much better. I feel okay today.
He had rolled with his little boyfriend all night. To be honest, his back ached this morning.
But his heart was very, very happy. Heh.
Chen Can: Weekend dinner? Okay. I will be there.
Jiang Liannan: “!!” Their Can-can appeared. Sweet~
Feng Mantang: Lao Si, what is wrong with you?
If you’re queuing up to reply, your reaction time is too slow.
Jiang Liannan: Nothing. Okay, I am done chatting. I am going back to sleep.
He slipped into Li Dong’s private chat. “Can-can, did you get home?”
Li Dong: “No. I am out buying books.”
“Oh, you are about to start school… Which books do you need? Uncle will buy them,” typed Jiang Liannan. He still did not know Li Dong’s major. Now was the time to ask so he could prepare things.
“History,” said Li Dong. “No need to buy me books. Covering what I spend on books works.”
“Naughty. That is the same thing,” he replied with a grin, and transferred money. “Is 5,000 enough? I will send more if not.”
“Enough.” Li Dong accepted it and, while picking books in the shop, sent a voice message. “Want to nap or keep chatting with me?”
He touched his face. “Nap.” He needed to be bright-eyed to see his boyfriend tonight.
“Nighty,” said Li Dong, battle-hardened. When he wanted to, he could warm the main shou into a puddle.
“Nighty…” He did not puddle. He just turned into a little daze.
For this post he had to block the whole brotherhood. “I finally met someone who tells me good morning, good night, and all kinds of good, [smiley]”
Besides his brothers, there were people from the scene.
Shou A: Nan-ge is off the market?
Gong B: Really caught off guard by this news [covering face] [covering face]. Can you tell us who won the beauty?
Shou C: Whoever matches Nan-ge must be very outstanding.
Shou D: Just consider me nosy, but yesterday someone just had their wedding, and today you got out of singlehood, uh…
He did not sleep but replied one by one. “Yes, taken.”
“Telling you is fine. He is younger than you, better looking, richer, gentler, just great.” Who even was this. Looked like a worshipper. Blocked.
“Mm, very outstanding.”
“You know you are nosy and you still posted?” He glanced at the nick. Who was that? Straight to block list.
Replies done, he slept.
When Li Dong came out of the bookstore, he saw the uncle’s Moments.
Such middle-aged young man heart. It was… a lot.
Chen Can: …
Those dots were “Can-can” in his remarks.
“What do the ellipses mean?” asked Jiang Liannan. He could not guess his little boyfriend’s mood. They were not the same generation and it made him nervous.
“No meaning,” said Li Dong. “Just typed casually.”
Silence. “Can-can, I want you to say what you think. I do not want to guess.”
One thought floated up in Li Dong’s mind. This guy’s in love.
Author's Note:
【Little Theater ② – The Troubles of Young Li Dong】
Li Dong: Every partner has a love brain. As a normal man, I'm a bit desperate.
Xiuxiu: I'm not a love brain.
Li Dong: How do you explain often blushing looking at me?
Xiuxiu retreats in defeat.
Yao-gege: I'm not a love brain.
Li Dong: You’re just thinking with your lower half.
Yao-gege retreats in defeat.
Uncle Lian: I'm not... forget it, I'm a love brain.
Wuwuwu.
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