Chapter 27 – The Three Thousand Crackers of Jubilation

Guan Lan: “I’m sorry, it’s all my fault.”

Zhuang Lin’s beautiful youthful dreams were shattered into pieces by these words.

Zhuang Lin’s tone gradually turned cold: “I didn’t ask you to take responsibility. There’s no need for this, is there?”

Guan Lan: “That’s not what I meant… You should understand.”

Zhuang Lin snorted: “I don’t understand. Please, Teacher Guan, don’t rush to play the saint and take everything upon yourself. We’re all adults; it was consensual. Don’t make it seem like it was rape. To be honest, I was the one who benefited more from this. Does saying that hurt your ass?”

It didn’t hurt before, but now that he mentioned it, Guan Lan realized it really did.

Guan Lan sighed and turned to bury himself under the covers.

On his side, after finishing his words, Zhuang Lin cursed himself in his heart for being too stubborn.

What was he doing? It was the morning after, the perfect time to set the mood, and here he was, insisting on having the last word. Couldn’t he just soften up a bit? Where was the demeanor of a top?

He wasn’t unaware that Guan Lan’s mental state wasn’t right last night, so it was natural for him to have some emotional fluctuations upon waking up. He should have been gentle and comforting, but instead, he had to win this argument. What kind of temper was that?

As the pursuer, he had made a huge breakthrough. It was only natural for Guan Lan to feel conflicted, yet here he was, fighting back. Wasn’t that just stupid?

After adjusting his mindset, Zhuang Lin started to cozy up to Guan Lan again.

Zhuang Lin: “Teacher Guan, can you give me a score?”

Guan Lan: “What?”

Zhuang Lin: “Isn’t it an international custom to give a score the next morning, evaluating each other’s performance?”

What kind of custom was that?

Guan Lan: “I can’t score you. I have no one to compare you with.”

Zhuang Lin: “…Really?”

Guan Lan suddenly realized he had said something he shouldn’t have.

Sure enough, Zhuang Lin was thrilled: “So last night was your first time as a bottom?”

Guan Lan buried his face in the pillow, refusing to look at him.

Zhuang Lin thought, this wasn’t just a major breakthrough; this was an epic breakthrough!

Zhuang Lin: “Then compared to yourself?”

Guan Lan: “Compared to myself how?”

Zhuang Lin: “Weren’t you always a top before? How does my performance compare to yours?”

Guan Lan was too embarrassed to admit he had never even been a top, so he brazenly said, “You’re still a bit worse than me.”

Zhuang Lin turned him over and kissed him hard on the lips: “Although I don’t have anyone to compare with either, I’ll give you a hundred points.”

He instantly felt rejuvenated, so happy he wanted to sing: “Rest well. I’ll make you something to eat.”

Zhuang Lin actually got out of bed completely naked. Guan Lan’s eye level was right at his crotch, and he felt like his eyes were going to burn out.

Guan Lan faintly heard the sound of the fridge opening and closing, the stove turning on, and Zhuang Lin humming in the kitchen. He slowly pulled the covers over his entire body.

At that moment, he thought, I just lost my virginity without any preparation. I didn’t even shave my leg hair.

Zhuang Lin was quick and soon brought a steaming bowl of noodles to his bedside.

Zhuang Lin: “Your kitchen only has instant noodles and microwave meals. I saw some soup I sent you earlier in the fridge, so I used it as a base to make some noodles. You should have something warm in the morning.”

Guan Lan: “Thank you. It smells great.”

Zhuang Lin watched him eat for a while, then spoke softly: “Do you mind if I ask who else lives here?”

Guan Lan froze mid-bite.

Zhuang Lin: “I took a wrong turn when I came out of the kitchen and ended up in the guest room.”

Zhuang Lin: “Or maybe I should ask— I’m not the third wheel here, am I?”

Guan Lan: “No, don’t worry. It’s a friend who’s staying here temporarily.”

Zhuang Lin also thought that since they were staying in separate rooms, it probably wasn’t that kind of relationship. Since Guan Lan didn’t want to reveal who it was, he didn’t press further.

Zhuang Lin: “You should take the day off and rest at home today. Don’t go to work.”

Guan Lan: “You’re the one who shouldn’t neglect your work. Didn’t you skip an event yesterday? Don’t tell me you have nothing today either.”

What work? What kind of work? The warmth of the bed was too good to leave for the court.

But seeing Guan Lan struggling to maintain his composure while clearly being extremely embarrassed, Zhuang Lin kindly decided to leave: “I’ll go then. Rest well.”

Guan Lan: “Be careful on the road. I won’t see you out—mmph—”

Zhuang Lin: Kiss and run—what a thrill.

Though for some reason, his lips felt a bit sore?

Zhuang Lin got into his van and headed to the magazine shoot. His assistant, Ma Yaoyao, stared at his face for a full ten seconds before hesitantly saying, “Brother Lin… Did you have fun last night?”

Zhuang Lin: “Yeah, it was fun.”

Ma Yaoyao: “Should I lend you some lipstick to cover it up? If Sister Fei sees it at the shoot, she’ll be furious.”

Zhuang Lin didn’t understand: “Cover what? See what?”

Ma Yaoyao took out a small mirror from her bag and handed it to Zhuang Lin.

Zhuang Lin looked and saw a deep, glaring bite mark on his lower lip, still bleeding slightly.

Zhuang Lin grinned at the mirror, then took out his phone and started taking selfies.

Ma Yaoyao: I might be working for a fake celebrity.

——————————————————

When Chen Jin heard the historic news, he immediately went out to buy three thousand firecrackers.

Chen Jin: “I’m not there, so I can’t cook you red eggs. I’ll just set off some firecrackers from afar. Beijing has banned fireworks, but no one’s enforcing it here. You can listen to the noise from there and feel the festive atmosphere.”

Guan Lan: “Stop messing around! I’m really troubled! How am I supposed to face Zhuang Lin now? I still have to produce his album!”

Chen Jin: “Hahaha, that kid is really something! I always thought he had guts, but I didn’t expect him to have this much guts!”

Guan Lan didn’t have the heart to admit that he was the one who initiated it.

Guan Lan: “What should I do? What’s our relationship now? I held out for thirty years. How did I lose control last night and let my lower half take over?”

Chen Jin: “Let me ask you this: how did it feel to let your lower half take over?”

Guan Lan: “…It felt pretty good.”

Chen Jin: “Exactly. Let your brain take a break sometimes. Stop overthinking everything. Go with the flow, and your life will be much easier.”

Chen Jin drove to a remote area, lit the firecrackers, and started recording a video to send to Guan Lan.

When the smoke cleared, someone emerged as if they had sprung from the firecrackers and said to Chen Jin, “What’s the occasion? So happy?”

Chen Jin was startled.

Chen Jin: “Why are you here?”

Yang Peiqing: “I followed you all the way here.”

Chen Jin: “Driving a Bentley on this dirt road and parking so close to the firecrackers—you’re really something. Be careful not to chip the paint on your car.”

Yang Peiqing: “If it chips, I’ll just get it fixed.”

Chen Jin thanked him for not saying, “If it chips, I’ll just get a new one.”

Yang Peiqing: “You’re like a kid, playing with this kind of stuff.”

Chen Jin: “Of course, it’s a joyous occasion.”

Yang Peiqing: “What’s the occasion? Should I give you a red envelope?”

Chen Jin briefly imagined what Guan Lan’s expression would be if Yang Peiqing actually gave him a red envelope and couldn’t stop laughing.

Yang Peiqing looked at him wistfully: “It must be a really big occasion for you to be this happy.”

Chen Jin: “Don’t bother asking. I won’t tell you. But this matter has nothing to do with you or me.”

Yang Peiqing: “Then what about you and me? Is there something between us?”

In the wilderness of a foreign land, amidst the howling wind, he finally asked this question.

Only the sound of the wind answered him.

Yang Peiqing: “Our Yang family has a strict moral code. We don’t get involved in messy affairs. Our family is devoted, and couples are always loving. Look at my parents—they’ve been married for over fifty years. They’re almost eighty now, and they still travel the world hand in hand.”

“My eldest brother, when he was pursuing my sister-in-law, she didn’t want to marry into our family, thinking she’d have to stay home and take care of the family, sacrificing her career. My brother promised her he’d fully support her career and they’d only have one child. Later, when they unexpectedly had Shi Shi, he felt guilty, worried that my sister-in-law would have a hard time at her age. So when Shi Shi was born, they registered her under my sister-in-law’s surname. They’ve been famously loving for over twenty years. Who wouldn’t envy them?”

“My sister, she and her husband aren’t career-driven or money-minded. They’re both university professors. They both love flowers. When they were dating, if one of them went on a trip or a business trip, they’d always bring back a pot of local flowers for the other. Last week, they celebrated their twentieth anniversary. My sister went on a business trip to Hangzhou, and my brother-in-law went to a conference in Paris. When they returned, they met at the airport, each holding a pot of flowers.”

“My second brother, he’s still single, but not because he’s a playboy. It’s because he’s too serious about relationships and doesn’t want to marry just for the sake of continuing the family line, hurting himself and the other person. He’s been running such a big entertainment company for so many years, and it’s all been clean—no shady dealings.”

“Our family—only I’m the failure, struggling for so many years and still can’t figure out how to win over my own wife.”

Chen Jin was silent for a while, then suddenly said, “You have a sister? Is her name Yang Peiling?”

Yang Peiqing: “Yes. Do you know her?”

Chen Jin: “…No, I just guessed based on your family’s naming obsession.”

Chen Jin: “What would your family name a fifth child?”

Yang Peiqing: “We had it planned. If it was a girl, she’d be named Pei Ying. But my dad thought too many kids would be too much trouble, so he refused to have another.”

Chen Jin laughed so hard he almost fell over. The Yang family’s obsession with naming was definitely at an advanced stage.

Peiming, Peiling, Peining, Pei Ying, Peiqing—

Chen Jin: “Wait, your name doesn’t fit the tone. Shouldn’t you be called Yang Pei Qing?”

Yang Peiqing sighed: “I was named Yang Pei Qing as a child, with ‘Qing’ meaning ‘clear.’ But I thought it was too feminine, so I changed it.”

Chen Jin couldn’t stop laughing: “Qing is a good character. I’ll change my name to Chen Jin Qing—Chen Jin with the sun and green.”

Yang Peiqing was so exasperated he had no temper left: “I poured my heart out to you, and this is the response I get?”

Chen Jin: “I’m staying at Guan Lan’s place because I’m planning to renovate my own house.”

Chen Jin: “Besides the two variety shows I’m currently doing and this interview program, I’m also in talks for a reality show next year.”

Chen Jin: “I get along well with my colleagues now. I also have a really good friend.”

Chen Jin: “So, Qing’er, can you be patient and wait for me?”