WP Chapter 41

Chen Yi sat there anxiously picking at his fingers. “What do you think they’re talking about in there?”

Zheng Youli: “…”

Chen Yi muttered, “Don’t be fooled by how carefree Jiang Yibai acts. He’s actually pretty easy to trick.”

Zheng Youli: “…”

Chen Yi stood up, then sat back down again, frowning at Zheng Youli. “Say something, will you?”

Zheng Youli glanced at the time and stood up. “I think you already have a pretty clear grasp of yourself. No need to talk to me about it.”

“Hey—” Chen Yi called out, then glanced at the tightly shut guest room door and lowered his voice. “When did you figure out you were gay?”

Zheng Youli thought for a moment. “Around your age, I guess.”

“What made you realize?”

He slung his guitar bag over his shoulder and said, “I had a girlfriend. When I touched her, it grossed me out.”

“Grossed you out?”

Zheng Youli pointed at his own chest. “Too big. It was disgusting. Made me want to cut them off.”

Chen Yi: “…”

Staring at him in shock, Chen Yi instinctively got up and followed him out. “Then did you ever try dating a flat-chested girl? Maybe you just like flat-chested ones?”

Zheng Youli opened the door with a deadpan face. “Do I look like I’m mentally ill?”

Chen Yi: “…”

Talking to Zheng Youli was absolutely draining. It only took three sentences to kill a conversation.

He watched Zheng Youli change shoes and head out. “I heard you’ve got an older boyfriend? Much older? How’d you even pull that off?”

Zheng Youli glanced at the guest room door, then back at Chen Yi. “You don’t stand a chance.”

Chen Yi: “…”

“Mr. Jiang likes Uncle Si. That much is obvious. And Uncle Si likes Mr. Jiang. They’re into each other.”

Chen Yi’s face darkened. He pulled a cigarette from his bag but didn’t light it, just clamped it between his teeth with a roguish look. “That old guy doesn’t know anything. How long can they even last? I’ll just wait for them to break up.”

Zheng Youli nodded. “Good luck with that.”

Chen Yi: “…”

Zheng Youli thought for a moment, then added, “In the meantime, you should focus on school. Learn a few more things.”

“Huh?”

“I really regret not studying harder back then. If I had put in more effort…”

He trailed off, like something had crossed his mind. Shaking his head, he turned and shut the door, not caring what kind of face Chen Yi was making.

Chen Yi frowned at the door, then snapped out of it and got ready to go sabotage the loving couple in the guest room.

He coughed once, tucked the cigarette away, straightened his clothes, and went to knock on the door.

Knock, knock, knock—

There was a moment of silence inside. Then Jiang Yibai came to open the door.

“Oh? Xiao Zheng left already?”

“Mm.” Chen Yi immediately put on a sweet smile. “Teacher, I want to hear you play the piano.”

Si Shaorong was still inside, adjusting his clothes. He had been mulling over what Jiang Yibai said, but as soon as he heard that line, his face darkened halfway. Hugging his laptop, he walked out and said, “I want to hear it too.”

Jiang Yibai: “…”

Si Shaorong shuffled over in his slippers, sat down at the dining table with his laptop, and began working while gesturing with a nod. “Go ahead.”

Jiang Yibai: “…” Go what? You jealous manchild! Could you be any more immature?

Jiang Yibai sat down at the piano and rubbed his fingers. Chen Yi dragged over a chair and sat nearby, propping up his chin as he watched him.

Truthfully, even Chen Yi himself didn’t know when his feelings toward Jiang Yibai started to shift. Maybe it was because Jiang Yibai always sold him out, which made him seem kind of special. Maybe it was because Jiang Yibai never coddled him and was always preaching at him. Maybe it was that dazed look he sometimes had while listening to Chen Yi’s complaints. Or maybe it was simply how good he looked when he played the piano, completely absorbed in it.

There were a lot of maybes, and Chen Yi couldn’t pin it down himself. He just liked coming to see Jiang Yibai, for no particular reason. Even when Jiang Yibai nagged or tattled on him, he still wanted to be around him.

At first, he didn’t think of it as that kind of liking. Not until he saw how close Jiang Yibai was with Si Shaorong. That was when the discomfort crept in, the unhappiness. That was when everything about Si Shaorong started to rub him the wrong way. Only then did he gradually come to understand what those feelings really were.

But even then, he didn’t want to admit it. Still, every time he got close to Jiang Yibai and saw Si Shaorong’s ugly expression, it gave him a little thrill. Like discovering a new toy, he couldn’t stop playing with it.

He never really thought Jiang Yibai would accept him. The age gap was too obvious. Honestly, even he didn’t know what he wanted. Maybe he just wanted to piss off Si Shaorong.

So whether or not Zheng Youli had any useful advice didn’t actually matter. Jiang Yibai was the only idiot who took all of it so seriously.

Chen Yi stared at Jiang Yibai’s profile. After a moment, something felt off. He turned his head and saw Si Shaorong at the dining table staring straight at him.

There was nothing friendly in that look, just cool scrutiny. The sight of it immediately made Chen Yi’s rebellious streak act up. The more someone disliked him, the happier he became.

So he deliberately scooted even closer to Jiang Yibai, looked Si Shaorong straight in the eye, and gave him a wink with a smile.

He thought Si Shaorong would snap. He was looking forward to it, grinning to himself like he was watching a good show, ready for the fireworks.

But this time, Si Shaorong didn’t react the way he expected. Instead, the man looked as if something had just clicked. With a faint raise of his brows, he calmly closed his laptop and sauntered off into the guest room.

He even closed the door behind him.

Chen Yi: “???”

He had been completely ignored, his provocation brushed off as if it didn’t even deserve a reaction. Frowning in confusion, he retraced his steps. Was his expression off? Was that wink just too lame?

Just then, Jiang Yibai stopped playing.

“Between the two of you, you’re definitely the more childish one.” Jiang Yibai gave a helpless smile, glanced at the now-shut door, then turned back to the baffled Chen Yi. “But you’re still young, so it’s normal.”

That instantly pissed Chen Yi off. “I’m not a kid.”

“Then go home.”

Chen Yi stood up. “You’re kicking me out again!”

“You have your own home. Staying here forever isn’t a solution,” Jiang Yibai said. “I’ll have a proper talk with your mom.”

Chen Yi, visibly agitated, grabbed his jacket and made for the door. “I’m not going back!”

“Chen Yi.” Jiang Yibai stood up and looked at him directly. “Running away doesn’t solve anything. If you don’t see yourself as a child, then handle things like an adult.”

“What adult…” Chen Yi spun around and shouted, “Adults and children, that’s just some line you people came up with! Some people live their whole lives and still don’t measure up to a child!”

“True.” Jiang Yibai nodded, stepped forward, and pulled the hidden cigarette out from Chen Yi’s sleeve. Looking him in the eye, he said, “Then act like a man. Face your problems. Don’t run from them.”

“I…”

“Even if your dad’s not leaving right away, he’s going to leave eventually. Not everything in life goes the way you want. Nine times out of ten, it won’t. That’s the norm. You have to learn to accept it.”

Chen Yi was breathing hard, frozen where he stood, glaring at Jiang Yibai. “You’re lecturing me again?”

“I’m not lecturing you. There are things you might not understand now, but one day you will.” Jiang Yibai lit the cigarette, stuck it in his own mouth, and took a deep drag. “I’m not capable of rushing your growth. You have your own timing. What you’re meant to understand, you’ll understand eventually. I just want to tell you this. Rather than hiding like this, take advantage of the time your parents are still here. Be with them. Try to get along. Don’t waste it.”

Jiang Yibai added, with a hint of glee, “Your dad’s going to end up going to the UK anyway.”

Chen Yi: “…”

“Do the math. The more time you waste here with me, the less time you’ll have with him. Doesn’t sound like a good trade, does it?”

Chen Yi didn’t want to keep talking. He pulled out the keys, threw them to the floor, grabbed his bag, and stormed off.

The front door slammed with a loud bang. Si Shaorong opened the guest room door and poked his head out. “He’s gone?”

“His mom’s downstairs. He’s about to get caught the moment he steps out.” Jiang Yibai waved his phone.

Si Shaorong looked at Jiang Yibai, his gaze a little complicated. Just earlier, they had promised each other not to shut the other out anymore, to let each other in. The fact that Jiang Yibai had just opened up about his thoughts was already a big step.

Running away doesn’t solve anything.

Si Shaorong had heard that line. And he thought to himself, He sure has plenty to say when giving advice to someone else.

Jiang Yibai stood there with the cigarette in his mouth, staring blankly at the floor for a moment. Then he suddenly said, “You asked me before where my parents lived. I didn’t answer.”

Si Shaorong froze for a second and stared straight at him.

Through the thin veil of smoke, Jiang Yibai said quietly, “They passed away. Right before I graduated from college.”

He said nothing more.

Si Shaorong didn’t press him. He grabbed his jacket and said, “Wanna go on a date?”

Jiang Yibai stubbed out the cigarette and waved away the smoke in front of his face. Behind the smoke, his face lit up with a cheerful grin. “Sure. I wanna watch a movie and eat hotpot.”

Si Shaorong nodded. “Hotpot it is.”

Jiang Yibai added, “And drinks tonight. Let’s go to Li Xun’s place.”

Si Shaorong turned to glance at Jiang Yibai. He could sense that Jiang Yibai was finally ready to tell him the truth, and despite the flutter of anticipation and nerves in his chest, he forced himself to stay calm and nodded steadily. “Alright.”

They had never gone on a proper date before. It was late summer now, with the end of the holiday approaching. Cicadas screeched themselves hoarse in the trees.

The blazing sun made it hard to keep one’s eyes open. Dappled shadows from the leaves scattered across the pavement, as if sunlight had shattered on the ground.

They went to see a movie and ended up in a couples’ theatre. The red loveseat they sank into came with matching heart-shaped cushions, unbearably cute.

They munched on popcorn, drank cola, and after the movie, wandered around the food street on the top floor of the mall.

They ate fried chicken cutlets and skewers, used a coupon to try McDonald’s new pudding soft serve, then curled up in the bookstore on the second floor, flipping through books and chatting in hushed voices.

The moment books came up, Si Shaorong had a lot more to say. He recommended several titles to Jiang Yibai and even bought two differently bound editions of The Moon and Sixpence.

“Maugham’s writing is excellent,” Si Shaorong said as he enthusiastically shared his favorites. He even brought up Jiang Yibai’s own novels.

“I’ve read a few of your stories,” he said seriously. “The concepts are solid. You’ve got a sharp imagination, which really suits the online fiction market.”

“But you often lose sight of the core,” he continued. “You write too much based on your emotions, and that tends to muddle the hierarchy of events. Sometimes, the parts you think are important don’t actually need to be written out, or they could be expressed another way. You pack so much feeling into such a short reading span that it ends up being overwhelming.”

He sipped his tea and asked, “You get what I mean?”

Jiang Yibai grinned and bit on his drink’s straw, looking at him. “I get it, Professor Si.”

Si Shaorong paused, then let out an embarrassed chuckle. “I just think you’ve got room to grow. Maybe try being more deliberate. Work on a detailed outline, prioritize scenes and characters more clearly.”

“Take your latest piece, Two or Three Things—”

Jiang Yibai cut in, “That’s my diary.”

Si Shaorong: “…”

He glanced around, then leaned in and looked at his radiant, grinning boyfriend across the table. “Your diary is way too dramatic.”

Jiang Yibai gave a low hum and drawled lazily, “It’s my diary. I’ll write it however I want.”

Si Shaorong was instantly distracted. “Can we talk about how it’s always you on top?”

Jiang Yibai raised a brow. “So you’re saying… sometimes you want me to bottom?”

Si Shaorong gave a little cough.

Jiang Yibai couldn’t help it. He shifted in his seat and said, “I need to pee. Want to come?”

Si Shaorong: “…”

It wasn’t the weekend, so the mall wasn’t crowded. The second-floor bathroom was clean and quiet, carrying a faint scent of perfume.

Jiang Yibai pushed open a stall door. After confirming no one else was around, he pulled Si Shaorong into one of the stalls and shut the door behind them.

Jiang Yibai pressed Si Shaorong against the stall door and leaned in to catch his lips between his teeth.

“Being bottom is okay with you?”

Si Shaorong undid Jiang Yibai’s belt, reached down, and mumbled against his lips, “Let’s make a schedule. Monday, Wednesday, Friday for you. Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday for me.”

Jiang Yibai burst out laughing. “And Sunday?”

“Rest day.”

Jiang Yibai laughed so hard his whole body trembled. Si Shaorong took the opportunity to flip him around and pin him against the door instead.

Jiang Yibai didn’t even bother resisting. Only virginal little guys like this were so hung up on keeping score.

He shifted his hips slightly. Si Shaorong tugged his pants all the way down, right to his ankles.

It was summer, and they were both lightly dressed. Si Shaorong pushed up Jiang Yibai’s T-shirt, and without being told, guided it into his mouth. Jiang Yibai bit down on the hem, revealing a lean, toned body. His chest, with two pink buds, was exposed. His underwear was half-loosened. The sight was pure temptation.

Si Shaorong pressed in close. Jiang Yibai flicked one leg and kicked off a pant leg, then lifted a leg and hooked it lazily behind Si Shaorong’s calf.

Si Shaorong instantly grabbed the inside of Jiang Yibai’s thigh. His grip was a little too hard, leaving visible finger marks.

Jiang Yibai let out a soft hiss. Si Shaorong leaned down and gave one of those adorable pink buds a rough squeeze, while his other hand gripped them both together and started stroking.

…

Si Shaorong must have been too worked up. He came twice. The second time, the sticky warmth slid along the edge of Jiang Yibai’s tempting entrance. His eyes reddened, and he instinctively started to thrust again, but Jiang Yibai managed to stop him just in time, keeping things from going too far.

After they finished and their breathing calmed down, Si Shaorong pulled out some wipes and carefully cleaned them both, checking that nothing was left behind before stepping out of the stall.

Jiang Yibai’s face still held a faint blush as he smiled at his boyfriend. “How come you’ve been so hard to satisfy lately?”

Si Shaorong’s ears turned bright red. He stayed silent.

Jiang Yibai added, “You’re the one who said we needed a schedule. Next time, I’ll make sure you’re good and fed.”