Pah, If I Say It Once, I Lose
After returning to Rongcheng from Wangyue Manor, Su Jingyang found it difficult to adjust for quite some time. In the past, Ling Li and A Xuan often came to see him and keep him company. Now, no matter how many times he looked toward the courtyard, that familiar figure would never appear again.
Ever since returning to Rongcheng, Rong Hua had stayed at the Wizard’s residence without showing his face. Rong Ci was busy helping Ming Jiasheng with some sort of soul-stabilizing ritual, and for several days in a row, he only came back late at night.
The hardest stage of raising the children had already passed. The two little ones were obedient and easy to care for now, so Su Jingyang devoted most of his time to accompanying them, which helped fill some of the emptiness in his heart.
Su Jingyang estimated that Ling Li would still need over half a month to reach Jincheng. Preparations for the investiture ceremony would probably take another month or two. At most, within three months, everything would be settled. If Ling Li truly met the protagonist conditions, then Su Jingyang would be able to gain ninety percent of the energy.
Su Jingyang sat beside the children’s small bed, propping his chin on his hand as he sank into thought.
Rong Ci had once said that if Su Jingyang planned to leave, he should say so in advance so Rong Ci could prepare himself. Yet now, Su Jingyang still couldn’t be completely certain whether Ling Li truly counted as a protagonist. Speaking rashly might backfire.
After weighing it again and again, Su Jingyang decided to wait until things were fully confirmed. Even after reaching ninety percent energy, he would still need to complete the remaining requirements to reach one hundred percent. There would be a buffer period.
“Ba-ba, ba-ba…”
Su Jingyang snapped back to attention and looked at Ah-Xi. Ah-Xi stared at him, his soft pink lips pressed together as he continued making the same sounds.
Su Jingyang’s heart softened. Smiling, he lifted the child and planted two loud kisses on his milk-scented chubby cheeks. “Little Fan, you’re amazing!”
Ah-Xi’s eyes curved happily at the praise. He waved his arms, showing off his tiny budding baby teeth as he smiled. Su Jingyang smoothed down the little tuft of hair sticking up on his head and couldn’t resist kissing him again.
“Big Fan, say ‘baba’!”
“Ba-ba-ba-ba-ba…”
A Yu refused to be outdone and immediately joined in. Su Jingyang happily scooped him up too, kissing him while holding one child in each arm.
Encouraged, the two brothers began calling out one after the other, back and forth without stopping.
This was something Su Jingyang had taught them himself. In this era, children should normally call him “die-die,” but the pronunciation of “die” was harder to learn. He decided it was easier to start with “baba.”
“Baba” and “mama” were the easiest words in the world to learn.
Sure enough, after not much teaching, both children could already say it. Their pronunciation wasn’t perfect, but Su Jingyang was still overjoyed. By the time they truly learned to speak properly, he probably wouldn’t be able to wait for that. At least he could indulge himself now.
When Rong Ci returned, the room was still lively. He walked over and sat beside Su Jingyang, casually taking Ah Xi into his arms. Smiling faintly, he asked, “What exactly are you teaching them?”
Su Jingyang’s eyes flickered, a mischievous idea suddenly forming. Putting on a serious face, he said, “You wouldn’t understand. ‘Baba’ is a term from my hometown. It represents a very, very intimate form of address. Ordinary people aren’t even allowed to use it. Since our relationship is good, though, you can call me that too.”
Rong Ci had been idly playing with Ah Xi’s small hand. Hearing this, he lifted his lips and cast Su Jingyang a casual glance. “Oh? Is that so?”
Su Jingyang nodded furiously. “Yes, yes, yes. Go on, call me ‘baba.’ Let me hear it.”
Rong Ci seemed to believe him. His red-tinted lips pressed together slightly, as if about to form the sound. Su Jingyang was so excited his scalp went numb. He stared unblinking at Rong Ci’s mouth, thinking, damn it, I finally got one over on you.
The next moment, Rong Ci rolled his eyes at him without hesitation and let out a mocking snort. “Su Jingyang, could you at least think before lying next time?”
Caught out, Su Jingyang’s expression soured. He huffed indignantly, “Sorry, I don’t have a brain. I can’t think.”
Rong Ci replied calmly, “You really are giving up entirely.”
“Yes, I am, so what?” Su Jingyang shot back. “Didn’t you cry and insist on staying with someone like me anyway?”
Rong Ci gazed at him deeply and smiled. “That’s right. My heart just refuses to listen and insists on liking you.”
Su Jingyang pressed his lips together, clicked his tongue, and still refused to let it go. “You won’t even call me ‘baba,’ yet you’ve got the nerve to say you like me.”
“Baba?”
“……!!!”
The sudden word hit him out of nowhere. Su Jingyang’s eyes flew open as he completely froze.
Holy sh*t. Rong Ci said it. He actually said it.
Su Jingyang knew Rong Ci already understood the meaning, yet he hadn’t expected him to indulge him anyway. For a moment, Su Jingyang nearly thought he was dreaming.
However, seeing Rong Ci’s utterly unconcerned expression, Su Jingyang’s shoulders slumped. All excitement drained away, leaving him strangely dejected. It felt less like victory and more like being humored by someone indulging a child’s tantrum.
He stared at Rong Ci without saying a word.
Rong Ci smiled and asked, “Do you feel satisfied now? Happy? Sweet?”
Su Jingyang shook his head resentfully. He was used to being crushed by this man and had just wanted to climb over his head once for fun. The result fell far short of expectations.
Rong Ci said, “See? You can’t even take advantage verbally without feeling uncomfortable. What am I supposed to say about you?”
“……”
That stabbed straight through his heart. Su Jingyang found it baffling himself. He’d clearly gained such a huge advantage, yet it somehow felt like he’d humiliated himself instead. Why was that? Was it heaven’s decree that he would always be a step lower than this guy?
As the two of them bickered, the movements of the children in their arms became eerily synchronized. Their grape-like eyes darted between Rong Ci and Su Jingyang. As soon as Rong Ci finished speaking, both children burst into giggles.
Su Jingyang immediately felt mocked by his own kids. Gritting his teeth, he snapped, “Don’t laugh. None of you are allowed to laugh!”
The twins mistook this for play. Their little feet kicked against his legs as they laughed even harder.
Rong Ci summoned the nursemaids to take the children away. He then pulled Su Jingyang onto his lap, wrapping him in his arms. He kissed Su Jingyang’s soft lips and said, “I called you that. Am I qualified to say I like you now?”
Su Jingyang replied, “Barely.”
“Then you…” Rong Ci hooked a finger around a loose strand of Su Jingyang’s hair, gazing into his eyes. A sudden heat rose in his dark pupils, his voice low and smooth, carrying a hint of temptation. “Call me ‘fu jun.’ Let me hear it.”
Su Jingyang’s ears instantly flushed red. He shot Rong Ci a glare. So this bastard had been waiting right here.
It was genuinely hard to say. No matter how much he clenched his teeth, he refused. Rong Ci let out a low laugh and leaned in to kiss him for a while longer before lifting him onto the bed and starting to undo his clothes, pressing down over him.
Rong Ci’s lips brushed his ear, warm breath spilling into it as he murmured, “Then… you can call it out a few more times in bed.”
Su Jingyang spat back fiercely, “Pah. If I say it once, I lose.”
Su Jingyang naturally knew what Rong Ci intended. After giving birth and recovering, he was extremely afraid of getting pregnant again and had only let Rong Ci touch him twice. He still instinctively tried to avoid him before their bodies fully pressed together. The hesitation lasted only a brief moment. In the end, he raised his arms to hook around Rong Ci’s neck and kissed him back, silently praying that nothing would happen.
As darkness fell in the room, the two tangled together on the bed, passion running high. Rong Ci panted and straightened slightly, reaching out to retrieve the ointment.
All of a sudden, Su Jingyang’s vision went black.
Rong Ci, pressed against him, immediately sensed something was wrong and froze. The only sound left in their ears was the mingled sound of their breathing.
This familiar, suffocating black space. This illusory yet terrifyingly real dreamlike realm.
Su Jingyang understood instantly what was happening. Rage exploded inside him. His lips trembled as he sucked in two sharp breaths, finally losing all restraint as he roared, “You dog system, I’m f*cking your goddamn ancestors!!!”
0 Comments