Editor: SleepyMango123
Proofreader: Lore
The weather bureau’s forecast was accurate, and the temperature dropped sharply in the second half of the night.
At five o’clock, Han Cheng woke up once. He was worried about Xia Tian, fearing that he would be very cold.
Han Cheng got up and put on a coat and went out of the bedroom. He walked through the corridor and gently opened the door of Xia Tian’s room.
It was deep in the winter season, and it was still dark at five o’clock in the morning. Han Cheng was careful not to wake Xia Tian up and did not turn on the night light. He just looked at the person on the bed with the help of the dim light on the phone screen.
Fortunately, Xia Tian obediently took out the thick quilt before going to bed and put it on. So, he shouldn’t have been cold. Han Cheng tucked in the quilt corner for him, covered Xia Tian with the coat he was wearing and walked out of the bedroom.
What Han Cheng didn’t know was that the scene when he returned to the room was caught by Aunt Li who was coming upstairs.
Aunt Li was around fifty-two years old this year.
When she was younger, she was young master Han’s nanny. Later, when Han Cheng moved out of the old house after returning to China, Ruan Sihe was worried, so she asked Aunt Li to follow along. However, Ruan Sihe was afraid that her son would think too much and would think that she was monitoring him, and let Aunt Li take care of him during this transitional period. Staying with him was to prevent the newly hired Auntie from moving to and fro when Han Cheng was not eating well. Originally, it was meant for her to return a few months later, but during those two years, Han Cheng and Ruan Sihe were extremely busy and gradually forgot. After this incident, Aunt Li stayed for nearly ten years.
Aunt Li was getting older and slept less at night. At four or five o’clock every day, she wasn’t able to continue sleeping so she would get up to clean the house and prepare breakfast.
Normally, she would definitely not come upstairs at this time, so as not to wake Han Cheng and Xia Tian. But the temperature today dropped so drastically that she was afraid that the two would be freezing and wanted to go upstairs to see if the central thermostat was on.
Before she could finish climbing up the stairs, she saw Han Cheng coming out of the Xia Tian room and then going back to his own room.
Aunt Li instantly understood something.
With a smile on her face, she went downstairs with great relief.
In the past few years, Aunt Li did all the daily purchases for home use. In the past two years, she couldn’t keep up with her physical strength, and the burden was passed on to the family driver. Every morning, Aunt Li made a list of things to buy, handed it to the driver, and he would buy the items and bring them back.
After Aunt Li went downstairs, she added a few more ingredients to today’s menu.
At half-past six, Xia Tian woke up in a daze. Looking at the clothes on the quilt, he then realised that… Han Cheng had visited him last night.
The indoor temperature was indeed much lower, and Han Cheng was worried about him.
Picking up the clothes, the corners of Xia Tian’s mouth raised unconsciously.
After understanding each other’s hearts, Xia Tian learnt something new about Han Cheng every day.
Han Cheng was actually a person who was cold on the outside and hot on the inside.
Except for the confession in the study, Han Cheng seldom spoke with such passion and tenderness.. Not only that, but occasionally, he had a bit of a poisonous tongue and would take advantage of the situation and bully Xia Tian, causing the young man unable to lift his head up for a while. But after removing the outer shell, what was left was Han Cheng’s warmth.
The longer they got along, the more he could feel Han Cheng’s exquisiteness. He could show his strong love for Xia Tian in front of outsiders and also care for him silently and considerately in the middle of the night when no one was around.
Xia Tian happily rolled on the bed while holding onto the clothes Han Cheng left in his room for a while and then got up.
At seven o’clock in the morning, Xia Tian’s cheeks were red, and he went downstairs with Han Cheng’s clothes.
Just as Aunt Li put the breakfast on the table, she raised her eyes to see the clothes in Xia Tian’s hand and smiled tacitly.
She actually didn’t quite understand why Han Cheng had to go back to his room before dawn. Maybe it was the love appeal between the husbands?
Or was it because Xia Tian was young and thin-skinned, and was afraid of seeing Han Cheng coming out of his room in the morning?
Aunt Li couldn’t figure it out. She was afraid if she were to pierce this layer of window paper1To pierce the window paper is an allegorical sentence, the complete statement is: pierce the window paper-brighten up; it is a metaphor that something or someone’s problem is exposed., Xia Tian would be even more embarrassed. So she pretended not to see anything and went back to the room by herself.
Xia Tian sat down and smiled at Han Cheng. “You came to see me last night? Were you afraid that I was freezing?”
“I’m afraid you might catch a cold again.” Han Cheng smiled, “Hurry up and eat.”
Xia Tian looked at the breakfast on the table, dumbfoundedly. “How come there are so many dishes today…”
In the middle of the table, there was a small casserole of steaming wolfberry black-bone chicken soup, two drawers of lamb stuffed steamed buns on the left, two tiers of shrimp, scallops and fungus siu mai2Shumai is a type of traditional Chinese dumpling, originating from Hohhot. In Cantonese cuisine, it is usually served as a dim sum snack. In addition to accompanying the Chinese diaspora, a variation of shaomai also appears in Japan and various southeast Asian countries. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shumai. On the right, were two dishes of soft and delicious red bean yam cake. In front of them was a bowl of black bean chestnut fragrant rice porridge each.
The table was filled to the brim and all were well-known medicinal properties for strengthening the waist and kidney.
Han Cheng smirked and did not touch that pot of wolfberry black-bone chicken soup or steamed mutton buns. He ate a bowl of porridge and added two pieces of yam cake.
Xia Tian, who had little knowledge of his surroundings, didn’t realise the underlying meaning in this table of medicated meals. He ate until his belly was slightly bulging and stated as if he understood. “Aunt Li is really considerate.”
Han Cheng was taken aback. He lightly pressed the corner of his mouth with his napkin and said, “What do you mean?”
“She knows that I have been working hard recently and made such a scrumptious breakfast.” Xia Tian had a big appetite and ate for two. He looked at Han Cheng and said, “You’re only eating this much?”
Han Cheng smiled faintly and said, “I don’t like to eat such greasy food in the morning.”
“That is also true… Seeing that it’s winter, Auntie might be afraid you are eating only vegetarian dishes and your immunity is low.” Xia Tian served Han Cheng a bowl of soup. “I’ve just tasted it. It’s not greasy.”
Han Cheng smiled and gently pushed aside the small soup bowl. “I’ve eaten it. After you finish eating, change your clothes and wear thicker ones.”
Xia Tian agreed and went upstairs to change clothes and get his school bag after eating.
As usual, Han Cheng sent Xia Tian to school.
After watching Xia Tian enter the school gate, the driver turned around and escorted Han Cheng to the company.
Han Cheng called Ruan Sihe, informing her that during the new year, he would go back home together with Xia Tian
After both of them were together, Han Cheng found a chance to tell Ruan Sihe about the two of them.
Ruan Sihe had always liked Xia Tian. She was afraid that Han Cheng would find dubious strangers in the future, so she was naturally happy. She repeatedly told Han Cheng to get along well with Xia Tian, and then told him that telling Zhou Yun should not be too hasty and to give her buffer time. She would eventually accept it.
Ruan Sihe asked about Xia Tian’s preferences and so on. She had planned to go to Zhou Yun’s house two days later and was deciding what kind of gifts would be good to give.
Listening to Ruan Sihe’s endless talk, Han Cheng suddenly felt that the feeling of celebrating the new year became stronger. It was a lively experience that was never seen in previous years. This rare feeling made Han Cheng look forward to the new year.
After hanging up the phone, Han Cheng sarcastically reminded himself that what he was looking forward to was not the Chinese New Year at all.
The drinker’s heart is not in the cup.3To have ulterior motive; have an axe to grind. Used to express that the original intention is not here but in other aspects.
At noon, Han Cheng had something to do while Xia Tian had to stay in school for supplementary classes. Both of them were busy. In the evening, there was heavy snow, and the condition of several main roads were not very good. As Han Cheng was worried, he cancelled the evening business entertainment and went to fetch Xia Tian home.
After returning, as expected… dinner was much better than breakfast. It was much more scrumptious and healthier.
Xia Tian marvelled at the profound cultural heritage of the Han family and sighed while eating. “Uncle Han, does your family make up for the twelfth lunar month? Is it the same as confinement?”
Han Cheng shook his head and quietly clarified, “No, but it might prepare the newlyweds for their honeymoon.”
Xia Tian was stunned, looking at the bowl of soft-shelled turtle soup4Turtle soup is a soup or stew made from the meat of turtles. Differing versions of the soup exist in some cultures and are viewed as a delicacy.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turtle_soup in front of him that had already been more than half drunk. Instantly… he understood.
“Although I don’t know what Auntie misunderstood.” Han Cheng picked some light dishes for himself and said, “However, even if we were really on a ‘honeymoon’, I don’t need to eat these things.”
Han Cheng looked at Xia Tian’s blushing face and asked, “What’s wrong with you?”
Xia Tian quietly put the turtle soup aside and followed Han Cheng to eat vegetarian dishes.
That night, Xia Tian, who had been struggling for more than a month, was distracted.
It was not known if the table of supplementary food had worked, or Han Cheng’s suggestion was more disturbing. Xia Tian, who had entered just half a year of adulthood, had his mind filled with something discordant the entire evening.
Not to mention, because of the cold weather, the two moved their workplace from the study room to Xia Tian’s room tonight. Xia Tian’s room used to be an infant room so there were more floor heating pipes than in other rooms.
Xia Tian imagined the scene where Han Cheng came to his room to tuck the quilt for him last night and felt warm and ambiguous.
Xia Tian was no longer a child. He had already understood what he needed to know. Now he was in an agreement with Han Cheng. “That aspect” had long been thought of.
It was just that Han Cheng had always been restrained in this aspect, and it seemed like he was not particularly interested. Xia Tian felt embarrassed to mention it and wanted to wait to let nature take its course.
But today, he inexplicably wanted to be intimate with Han Cheng.
“The indoor temperature is much better today. It shouldn’t feel cold. Just don’t kick the quilt away at night.” Han Cheng closed his textbook and looked at the time. “It’s almost midnight. You should rest early. I’ll go back first…”
“Today…” Xia Tian was heartbroken, and his voice couldn’t be lower, “Can you… not go back?”
Xia Tian tried his best to calm his expression, but the beast in his heart had exposed itself.
Han Cheng was stunned. His eyes that looked towards Xia Tian instantly brought some unspeakable desire and hope.
He took a deep breath, restrained the beast in his heart, and glanced up and down Xia Tian with a soft smile. “Tonight, that bowl of turtle soup. Is it working?”
Xia Tian blushed and was annoyed that he said something stupid on impulsiveness. He laughed and wanted to take back what he had said before. “I just suddenly…”
“Of course it is okay to purely accompany you. I can also help you solve some of the lower body matters, others…” Han Cheng looked at Xia Tian. His eyes scorched. “You have to go to class tomorrow, don’t seduce me anymore and make me become a beast, okay?”
Xia Tian subconsciously said, “I don’t even have to go to school…”
“If you don’t see the coffin, you won’t shed tears.5(Actual words:不見棺材不落淚) is a cautionary tale that suggests you are unknowingly (though it should be obvious）on a bad course. It further suggests that you will not realize your folly until the worst has happened. This can also be a warning of inaction until it’s too late to take action.” Han Cheng smiled, raised his hand and gently pinched Xia Tian’s lips. “Did you listen to me? If you don’t listen, I will leave.”
Xia Tian blushed and nodded: “Listened…”
That night, Han Cheng did not leave Xia Tian’s room.
3 thoughts on “Chapter 42”
Lol, good going Auntie! Thanks for translating!
Xia Tian is so straightforward now! Well, kind of.
Thanks for the chapter!
Aweeeee!! ☺☺☺☺