Nothing But Pain, Pain, Pain, His Damn Grandmother
Su Jingyang cursed that damn system all over again. After venting, he inevitably fell into thought. According to what the system had said, getting pregnant would not happen in just one go, which meant there was a very high chance he was not pregnant yet.
That realization made him feel slightly better.
The relief did not last long though, because not being pregnant meant he would have to keep doing those things with that man who was trapped in a spring dream.
Just thinking about it made his ass hurt even more.
He had already realized his sexual orientation back in high school. Before entering society, he had hidden it well, and his relationship experience was basically zero. To be honest, he had fantasized about this kind of thing before. Everything he had imagined, however, was based on having feelings first. It was never supposed to be some muddled one-night encounter where he got f*cked half to death.
Looking at the situation now, this clearly was not something that could be settled in one or two times.
Miserable, truly monumentally miserable!
Su Jingyang did not wallow for long. Despite being half-crippled, he still forced himself to get up, because… he was seriously about to starve to death!!!
Forget eating, he hadn’t even had a sip of water since arriving in this world. Adding last night’s physical overexertion on top of that, he was now so hungry his vision was going blurry.
Since things could not be turned around for the time being, sighing nonstop was useless. Life still had to go on. He could not just waste away and starve to death in a broken temple filled with cockroaches and ants.
After dragging himself forward for a while, he suddenly sensed something was off. Something wet seemed to be flowing down from between his thighs. Su Jingyang quickly realized what it was. Even though there was no one around, his face instantly flushed red. He froze in panic for a moment, then followed the sound of water and found a small waterfall. He hurried over, stripped, and rinsed himself off as fast as he could.
By the time he finished fumbling around like that, it was nearly noon. The sun burned fiercely, roasting the mountains and forests. Waves of heat rolled through the air.
After washing himself clean inside and out, Su Jingyang grew reluctant to leave the cool water since it felt too comfortable. After all, this was his first time bathing outdoors in the wild and he was naked. The fear of being seen and offending public decency forced him to hurry up.
He wiped the water from his face, shook himself dry as best he could, and started pulling on his pants and clothes. While dressing, he shook out his still-damp hair.
Suddenly, his hands froze mid-motion. He turned his head sharply and scanned his surroundings.
No one was there.
Confusion filled his mind. He continued getting dressed, yet the feeling of being watched would not go away. Maybe he really was starving himself stupid.
Once dressed, Su Jingyang supported his aching waist and trudged weakly toward the marketplace.
Upon reaching the bustling market, he walked along the street, swallowing hard at every stall. His eyes practically went wide and blank.
He could easily inhale ten huge buns in one go right now, but a timeless problem immediately presented itself.
He did not have a single coin on him.
Even finding work to earn money would not help right away. With no other option, he begged the system to help him temporarily. The system viciously snapped back, “Starve to death, then!”
“…” F*ck this.
Fortunately, after wandering around a bit longer, Su Jingyang discovered a wealthy household distributing porridge. His eyes lit up green with excitement. He rushed over and eagerly lined up, not feeling embarrassed at all despite being mixed in with a crowd of ragged, dirty clothed beggars.
Filling his stomach came first. Only with strength could he find work.
Starving to the point of dizziness, he kept stretching his neck to see how many people were left ahead of him. He was so focused that it took him quite a while to notice the person behind him coughing softly from time to time.
Su Jingyang instinctively turned around and discovered a young man about his height standing behind him. The man looked slightly younger, with fair skin, delicate brows and eyes, and very pale lips. His clothes were old and washed to the point that their original color could no longer be seen. His figure was extremely slender, and his body trembled lightly whenever he coughed.
Su Jingyang took a look at his complexion and asked in a low, concerned voice, “Are you alright?”
The man, who had just managed to stop coughing, clearly had not expected him to speak. He froze for a moment before lifting his gaze, which immediately met Su Jingyang’s round, clear eyes.
After pressing his pale lips together, the young man’s light brown eyes held a faint sense of distance. He replied, “I’m fine. Thank you.”
Su Jingyang heard the coolness in his tone. He smiled faintly without taking it to heart and turned back around.
After that, the person behind him still coughed occasionally, though he was clearly holding it back much more.
Su Jingyang queued for a long time before it was finally his turn. He happily prepared to drink the porridge, yet the moment the servant handed over a ladle full of steaming hot porridge, he froze.
No bowl!
It felt as though crows were cawing through his mind. He had been so excited by the sight of food that he nearly took off, completely forgetting about this crucial detail.
The servant distributing porridge saw that he was empty-handed and impatiently started chasing him away. “Move along, move along. Don’t block the way.”
Regret filled Su Jingyang’s heart. His gaze lingered on the pot, unwilling to leave. He had never imagined that someone who had not even gone hungry at the orphanage would end up like this one day.
“If you don’t mind, use mine.” The person who had been behind him handed over a coarse ceramic bowl.
Su Jingyang turned around in surprise. Following the other man’s silent gesture, he took the bowl and repeatedly thanked him. The man turned his face away, his expression remaining indifferent.
At last, Su Jingyang managed to get a bowl of porridge. He knew the other person only had one bowl and still needed to use it. To avoid delaying him, Su Jingyang started gulping it down the moment it was filled. The heat made him hop in place, tears almost bursting out.
The young girls helping at the porridge stand saw his sorry state and huddled together to laugh at him in low voices.
By the time he finished, his mouth felt blistered. He hurriedly wiped his mouth and returned the empty bowl. When the other man took it back, Su Jingyang noticed a red mole on his palm. He froze for a moment.
So he was a shuangrenzi.
Su Jingyang had originally planned to wait nearby so he could properly thank him once they were out of line. Unexpectedly, the servant distributing porridge suddenly caused trouble. The empty ladle banged loudly against the pot as the servant sneered viciously. “You two are together, right? One family only gets one portion. Get lost, get lost!”
Seeing this, Su Jingyang rushed back and waved his hands frantically. “No, no, we’re not together. We don’t even know each other.”
The man held his empty bowl, eyes lowered, offering no explanation at all. His entire demeanor was calm and still, like stagnant water.
Su Jingyang tried to explain further. The servant grew impatient and directly shoved people away, extremely rude. Those waiting behind also started urging them to hurry up. A young girl nearby muttered a few words, “Forget it, forget it. Don’t make things hard for them. It’s just a bowl of porridge…”
The servant’s eyes were still full of malicious mockery. In the end, he scooped up a full ladle, deliberately poured most of it back into the pot, and left not even a quarter bowl for the man.
“Consider it charity. Get lost and stop being an eyesore!”
The man pressed his lips together without saying a word. Holding that pitiful amount of porridge, he turned and left.
Watching everything unfold, anger surged in Su Jingyang’s chest. Distributing porridge was indeed an act of charity, and one could not demand too much. This servant, however, was clearly taking the opportunity to deliberately make things difficult, filled with obvious malice.
Staring at the man’s retreating back, Su Jingyang hurried after him. He dragged his aching legs, panting heavily, and finally managed to stop him.
“I’m really sorry. I dragged you into this.” Guilt filled Su Jingyang’s eyes as he apologized.
The man had been confused about being stopped. After hearing the apology, he looked at Su Jingyang’s sunburned red cheeks. A flicker of surprise seemed to pass through his eyes. After his lips moved slightly, he said in a low voice, “It has nothing to do with you. You didn’t drag me down.”
Su Jingyang thought he was just trying to comfort him and felt touched. Then the man added, “You just arrived in this town, didn’t you?”
Su Jingyang was extremely surprised. He had no idea how the man could tell.
“Don’t take it to heart,” the man continued. “They’re deliberately targeting me.”
“Targeting you? Why?” Su Jingyang frowned deeply. This person looked distant, yet he carried a clear, youthful air. He did not look like someone who had committed any great wrongdoing. Why would others target him?
The man shook his head without answering. He only said, “If there’s nothing else, please step aside. There’s an urgent matter at home.”
Su Jingyang quickly moved aside and stopped blocking his way. He still walked alongside him though, saying, “Thank you so much for today. I’ll definitely repay you if I get the chance. What’s your name? Where do you live?”
Holding the porridge bowl, the man coldly tossed out a single sentence. “No need.”
He quickened his steps slightly, blended into the crowd, and soon disappeared from sight.
Unable to chase after him, Su Jingyang stood there regretfully and sighed. He had thought he might make a friend and not feel so lonely.
A bowl of thin porridge was nowhere near enough to satisfy his empty stomach. There was no helping it. Being able to get something to eat at all was already fortunate.
Su Jingyang decided it would be more reliable to hurry and find a job, preferably one that provided food and lodging. That way, many problems could be temporarily solved. After asking around the street and getting rejected over and over, he finally realized just how naive he had been.
Every place he asked wanted an identity plaque. Su Jingyang figured it was similar to an ID card, something that proved who you were. He was a black household registration who had fallen from the sky. Where was he supposed to get something like that?
Whenever people asked later on, he claimed his identity plaque had been lost and was being replaced. After that, once they saw he was a shuangrenzi, some places rejected him outright. Others asked whether he was married.
Su Jingyang said no, and they waved him off.
At the next place, he answered yes. They immediately asked whether he had already given birth. His ears turned red as he said no, and then he was chased away again.
Question marks filled Su Jingyang’s head. Completely confused, he went to ask around discreetly and finally understood.
It turned out that the current empress had issued a decree. Women and shuangrenzi who were working were entitled to leave during marriage and childbirth. During that leave, employers still had to pay half their usual wages and were not allowed to dismiss them without cause. As a result, most shops simply refused to hire women and shuangrenzi altogether.
Wasn’t this somewhat similar to modern society?
Experiencing this kind of hidden discrimination firsthand left Su Jingyang feeling a lump stuck in his throat.
He found a shady spot and squatted down gloomily. Dust covered his body. His brows drooped, and discouragement radiated from him.
Living was easy. Staying alive was easy. Life itself was not easy.
The system appeared at that moment and let out a mocking snort.
Su Jingyang knew exactly what it meant. He lifted his eyelids to stare at the sky, refusing to acknowledge it. After sulking for a bit, he stubbornly went to ask at a clothing shop, which happened to be hiring.
“A shuangrenzi?” The manager lifted his eyes and glanced at him. “Married?”
Su Jingyang nodded vigorously. “Married!”
“Given birth?”
Su Jingyang answered shamelessly, without the slightest guilt. “Yes, yes!” Surviving a couple days of wages came first.
The manager gave him a sidelong look. “Does your husband’s family agree?”
“They agree, they agree.” Seeing hope, Su Jingyang became especially enthusiastic. He patted his chest. “I’m still young. They all agreed I should come out to earn money and help the household.”
The manager seemed to let out a silent, amused snort. He withdrew his gaze, continued tapping his abacus, and said slowly, “Come back once your identity plaque is ready.”
The smile Su Jingyang had forced onto his face gradually faded. His mouth twitched twice.
Still needed an identity plaque.
What was he supposed to do?
Unwilling to give up, he was about to think of a way to muddle through when the manager suddenly spotted someone entering the shop and immediately put on a smiling face to greet them. Su Jingyang turned around and saw a young man dressed in fine silk robes. His brows were well-shaped, his phoenix eyes sharp, and his appearance fairly handsome. His gait, however, was crooked and sloppy, giving him a roguish air.
The moment he entered, his gaze landed on Su Jingyang. He scanned him up and down, then crooked his lips into a deep smile.
Hearing the manager address him as the proprietor, Su Jingyang realized this man was the shop owner. Seeing him smile over, Su Jingyang quickly returned the smile, his eyes bright.
Su Jingyang was actually quite good-looking. His features were upright and clear. Back in high school, he had even made it into the school heartthrob selection. However, his overly round eyes added a touch of brightness and youthfulness to his handsome face, did not fit the cold, aloof male beauty that girls at the time preferred. He lost at the last moment and had sulked for two days over it.
When he smiled now, his brows curved warmly, making him especially likable. The young proprietor kept staring at him, as though something had been struck. He followed with a laugh, even laughing out loud, as if Su Jingyang were particularly amusing.
He immediately asked the manager about him. After hearing Su Jingyang’s situation, the proprietor made the decision on the spot, telling him there was no need to wait and that he could start work immediately.
With the proprietor’s word, the manager naturally agreed. Su Jingyang was overjoyed and quickly began helping out around the shop.
The young proprietor did not leave either. He sat at the guest table, drinking tea at his leisure, watching Su Jingyang introduce clothing to customers. The way he handled things made it hard to believe this was his first day.
Later on, Su Jingyang’s kept rumbling with hunger. After glancing back several times, he finally thickened his face and went over to ask the proprietor for some pastries on the table. Without hesitation, the proprietor handed over the entire plate. Acting like a starving ghost reincarnated, Su Jingyang stuffed several pieces into his mouth and nearly choked. The proprietor kindly handed him tea, watching him drink with a gaze that carried a hint of heat.
“My name is Liang Lu. Call me Young Master Liang from now on.”
“Mmnh…” Su Jingyang mumbled in response. After finishing his drink, he went back to stuffing his face, completely missing the look in Liang Lu’s eyes.
That was how Su Jingyang stayed on at Liang Family Tailor Shop, helping sell clothes. The shop only provided lunch, yet Su Jingyang was already very satisfied. After finishing work each day, he returned to the ruined temple to sleep.
On this night, just as he laid down on the straw, the system’s cold voice rang out. Only then did he realize that five days had already passed.
The red mole on his palm had not darkened.
So… he once again became the protagonist of someone else’s spring dream for an entire night.
Probably because the man felt it was a dream, he truly had no consideration for him whatsoever, unrestrained. Catching hold of him, the man would launch into fierce ramming. Moreover, being young with good stamina, he easily refused to let him go. Even forcing himself to find some twisted enjoyment was impossible.
Nothing but pain. Pain and more pain. His damn grandmother!
The next day, when Su Jingyang arrived at the shop, his legs were still trembling and weak. Liang Lu came by to inspect the shop. With no customers around, Su Jingyang listlessly wiped the counter with a rag. A mosquito bite was swollen on his face, so Liang Lu went over to chat and check on him.
“How did you end up in such a sorry state? You got bitten by mosquitoes, and your clothes are all wrinkled. Don’t tell me you don’t even have a place to live?” Liang Lu asked.
Su Jingyang’s hands paused. He looked at him in shock.
His dazed expression seemed amusing. Liang Lu tapped his head with the fan in his hand. “Enough pretending. I could tell from the start that you were lying. This Young Master here just didn’t feel like calling you out. Tell me, did you come over from Rongcheng?”
The tone sounded light and airy, more like flirting than questioning. Su Jingyang forced a stiff smile. So Liang Lu had known from the very beginning. He subtly stepped away from Liang Lu’s overly close body and went to wipe the other side of the counter.
Young Master Liang treated him quite well. Seeing him wear the same clothes every day, he gifted him a new outfit and even advanced part of his wages.
Su Jingyang should have been grateful, but he increasingly sensed that Liang Lu’s attention toward him was a bit too much.
Liang Lu’s looks and character were decent, yet Su Jingyang had no intention of starting a relationship in this world since he would leave sooner or later.
Su Jingyang did not directly deny Liang Lu’s words. He had never even heard of Rong City, and the system had not told him about it either.
Liang Lu did not press further. Leaning to the side and fanning himself, he smiled knowingly. “The Lord of Rongcheng recently issued an order allowing citizens to marry outsiders. This town borders that city, and lately I’ve noticed quite a few unfamiliar young faces mixed in. You definitely came from there.”
Su Jingyang had no idea what kind of place Rongcheng was. He continued to stay silent and look profound. Let Liang Lu think whatever he wanted.
In the end, Liang Lu said to him, “If you truly have nowhere to stay, just live in the shop. There’s a small partition room. A worker used to sleep there on the floor. It’s a bit cramped, but you’re thin, so it shouldn’t be a problem.”
After thinking it over, Su Jingyang felt it was acceptable. There was precedent, and it was not improper. He nodded gratefully. Rain had fallen the day before, and the ruined temple leaked badly. He had practically soaked in water all night, which had been miserable. He had no money to get sick either. Having a place to block the wind and rain was perfect.
A customer happened to come in to look at clothes. Su Jingyang took the opportunity to stop chatting and went over to greet them. After the customers left, he walked them out. His gaze swept outside by chance, catching a familiar, slender figure flashing past.
It was him.
The man who had lent him the porridge bowl.
Because of what happened that day, guilt had lingered in Su Jingyang’s heart. He found himself thinking about him for no reason. Seeing him now sparked an indescribable little thrill. Stuck guarding the shop, he could not chase after him. He stretched his neck, following the retreating figure with his eyes.
Liang Lu sidled up beside him, following his line of sight. “Why are you staring at him?”
When Su Jingyang heard him say this, he turned back to him in surprise and asked, “You know him?”
Liang Lu curled his lips into an unclear smile. “Know him? Of course I know him. What happened back then caused quite a stir. There aren’t many people in this town who don’t know him.”
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