Ruan Yan turned around and gave Jiang Tingnan a meaningful wink.
Jiang Tingnan was torn between laughter and exasperation.
Ruan Yan was always like this. He started fires and left someone else to put them out, running away the moment he had finished teasing him. Before getting into bed, he shouted his slogans loud and clear. Once they were in bed, all he could do was cover his butt and whimper for his husband, enough to make Jiang Tingnan grit his teeth in frustration.
He raised a hand and pinched the back of Ruan Yan’s neck, lifting him like a kitten. “Go eat first.”
Jiang Tingnan had prepared the dishes in advance. They only needed to be put in the pan.
The sounds of stir-frying rose from the kitchen. Ruan Yan was like a busy little cat, fetching bowls and chopsticks and arranging them neatly on the table.
“Jiang Tingnan!” he called toward the kitchen. “Am I a good wife or what?”
Jiang Tingnan came out carrying a plate of food, an apron still tied around his waist. He was the very picture of a devoted husband, and he praised him as he walked. “You are. My wife is the best. Just look at how neatly you set out the bowls and chopsticks.”
Ruan Yan, “……”
There was no need to praise him quite so seriously.
On their first night in their new home, Jiang Tingnan cooked a whole tableful of dishes. Ruan Yan had gone a while without tasting Jiang Tingnan’s cooking, so he buried his head in his food and ate as though he wanted to swallow the bowl whole.
Jiang Tingnan barely ate anything himself. He was too busy serving Ruan Yan food, picking the bones out of the fish, and peeling shrimp for him.
With his mouth stuffed full, Ruan Yan mumbled, “Honey, why didn’t you tell me you’d rented a place?”
Jiang Tingnan pulled out a tissue and wiped the corner of his mouth. “I wanted to surprise you.”
“Then you have to tell me next time, okay? I still get to make the decisions about major matters in our home.” Ruan Yan spoke with great solemnity.
Jiang Tingnan’s voice held a smile. “Okay.”
Ruan Yan had eaten a little too much that evening. He sat back in his chair clutching his stomach and making little kittenish whimpers, but he did not forget to remind Jiang Tingnan, “Honey, leave the dishes there. I’ll wash them.”
He said it as though he were describing something from a fairy tale.
Jiang Tingnan did not even let the words reach his ears. Pretending he had not heard, he swiftly cleared away the dishes and even cut up a plate of fruit for Ruan Yan to eat afterward.
Clutching his stomach, which felt ready to burst, Ruan Yan slowly shuffled over to the sofa. He began eating fruit while putting on one of his favorite movies.
“Honey! Come watch the movie with me!”
Jiang Tingnan set down the dishcloth and went to wash his hands.
When he came back and sat down at one end of the sofa, Ruan Yan immediately leaned sideways. There was a perfectly good backrest, but he insisted on using his husband as one instead.
Ruan Yan was the sort who was terrible at scary movies but loved watching them anyway. He was timid, yet he enjoyed horror films. When a grotesque face suddenly lunged toward the camera, Ruan Yan let out an “Aah!” and practically leaped into Jiang Tingnan’s arms.
Jiang Tingnan caught him and took the opportunity to place his large hand on Ruan Yan’s butt, unable to resist giving it a gentle squeeze.
“Don’t be scared.” He spoke with feigned sincerity. “Baby, don’t turn around yet. The scary face is still there.”
Ruan Yan hugged him even tighter.
The little cat trusted his husband unconditionally.
The movie had already gone back to its normal plot, but Jiang Tingnan still did not remove his hand. His palm was broad enough to cover half of his wife’s butt cheek. He was especially fond of that spot. He liked touching it, biting it, and kissing it.
After a while, Jiang Tingnan became so absorbed that he was still kneading it when Ruan Yan finally could not take it anymore.
“Honey, are you giving my butt a spa treatment?”
Jiang Tingnan, “……”
He reluctantly let go.
Ruan Yan gave two little snorts and returned to his original position. He propped his foot against Jiang Tingnan’s inner thigh, pressing against it now and then like a kitten kneading milk.
Jiang Tingnan was practically suffering because of him.
He thought Ruan Yan was doing it on purpose, but when he turned to look at him, Ruan Yan was still absorbed in the television. He was eating strawberries, and the juice had reddened his lips, making them look especially pink and pouty beneath the lights.
Without realizing it, Jiang Tingnan edged closer to him, wanting to be nearer to his wife, closer still.
Suddenly.
A strawberry was pressed against his mouth.
Ruan Yan looked at him innocently. “Honey, are you craving strawberries? You seem to keep swallowing.”
Jiang Tingnan stared at him expressionlessly.
He was craving something.
He was craving his wife.
He bit down hard and took the strawberry away. As though he had imagined it was something else, he bit and licked it, eating that single strawberry in an outrageously suggestive way.
Jiang Tingnan glanced at the progress bar.
There were still forty minutes left in the movie.
He could not wait even four minutes.
After holding out for another two minutes, Jiang Tingnan suddenly stood up, his expression looking less than pleasant.
Ruan Yan glanced up at him lightly.
Jiang Tingnan said in a low voice, “Wife, I’m going to take a shower.”
“Go ahead.” Ruan Yan pretended not to understand and turned his attention back to the television. He spoke carelessly, “I’m not some cruel taskmaster. You don’t need to report to me before taking a shower.”
Jiang Tingnan nearly choked on his breath.
Unwilling to give up, he asked again, “Aren’t you coming with me?”
The hint could not have been clearer.
But Ruan Yan had completely changed from how enthusiastic he had been upon entering the apartment, as though he had already forgotten all about that “such a big bed.”
“I’m not taking one. You go ahead. Oh, stop standing there and blocking my view. I can’t see anything.”
Jiang Tingnan clenched his fists slightly, then silently sat back down.
Ruan Yan nudged him with his foot. “Why did you sit back down? Didn’t you say you were going to shower?”
Jiang Tingnan caught his ankle and said quietly, “I was worried that if I went to shower and the ghost came out, you’d be scared.”
Ruan Yan held back a laugh and softened his voice. “Honey, you’re so nice.”
Jiang Tingnan wanted the ghost to appear as soon as possible so that his wife would throw himself into his arms, but he was also afraid that if the ghost did appear, he would not be able to restrain himself when he held Ruan Yan and would end up… getting called a pervert.
To his surprise, despite all his suffering and torment, the movie ended without the ghost ever appearing.
Jiang Tingnan thought bitterly.
Useless.
He lowered his head and glanced down again.
It was useless too!
As the ending theme began to play, Ruan Yan yawned. “I’m getting a little sleepy.”
When he turned his head, he found Jiang Tingnan staring at him with shining eyes.
Ruan Yan smiled sweetly. “Honey, which room am I sleeping in tonight?”
Jiang Tingnan’s brain rarely short-circuited, but it did so for a moment now. “There’s only one bedroom, baby. Of course we’re sleeping together.”
Ruan Yan shook his head. “I just remembered something. Jiang Tingnan, we still aren’t legally married.”
It was true. They were not legally married.
Same-sex marriage would not be legalized for several more years.
Even if they wanted to register now, they had no way to do so.
Jiang Tingnan froze in place. He had not expected Ruan Yan to suddenly say something like that. His lips moved, and for once, his mind went blank. “Baby……”
Ruan Yan smiled again. “But you’ll be my husband sooner or later anyway, so sleeping in the same bed shouldn’t count as anything, right?”
Jiang Tingnan let out a breath of relief and hurriedly nodded. “Right, right.”
“But we can only sleep innocently, okay?” Ruan Yan said considerately. “After all, you like sleeping innocently best, right?”
Jiang Tingnan choked.
Fine.
Fine, fine, fine.
How had he forgotten? Ruan Yan never let anything go.
Back in the corrugated metal room at the construction site, he had rejected Ruan Yan’s invitation to “sleep in a less innocent way.” He had never imagined Ruan Yan would hold a grudge over it until now.
Ruan Yan turned around and hummed a little tune as he went to wash up and go to bed, completely ignoring Jiang Tingnan behind him.
Jiang Tingnan had bought all new bedding for the bedroom, in colors Ruan Yan liked. The bed in their old dormitory had been so small that Ruan Yan had not even dared turn over too vigorously. Now, lying comfortably on this large bed, Ruan Yan let out a blissful sigh, rolled over into Jiang Tingnan’s arms, and planted a series of little kisses on his chin. “Honey, you’re amazing. You found us a new place so quickly.”
Jiang Tingnan closed his eyes. He was still aroused, so could Ruan Yan please stop teasing him?
But he could never bear to push his wife away. Instead, he held him even tighter, lowered his head, and gently inhaled the scent of his hair. “Baby smells so good.”
Ruan Yan said, “Oh,” then added, “That’s probably the shampoo.”
“No, it’s your scent. You’re an 0.”
“？”
Ruan Yan struggled to lift his head. “That’s an O, not a zero. Of course I really am an O, but the one with a scent is the O… Forget it. You wouldn’t understand anyway.”
Jiang Tingnan hurriedly hugged him. “I understand, I understand. It’s just been so long that I don’t remember clearly. Teach me again. Was it something about a reproductive cavity?”
Ruan Yan, “……”
The beads on his abacus were practically bouncing off my face.
He shoved hard against Jiang Tingnan’s chest. “Let go of me. I’m going to sleep.”
Jiang Tingnan leaned over and kissed Ruan Yan’s face haphazardly, calling out to him again and again. “Baby, baby.”
Ruan Yan bent one leg, his knee pressing right against him. He rubbed it lightly and said, “I’m really sleepy.”
Jiang Tingnan looked wordlessly at his wife’s bright, sparkling eyes. He certainly did not look sleepy.
He took a deep breath and released him. “All right. Go to sleep.”
Huh?
They were really going to sleep?
Ruan Yan’s eyes shifted. He appeared to lie back obediently, but in reality, he slipped a hand beneath the covers.
Jiang Tingnan hissed and sucked in a sharp breath. His voice dropped low. “Weren’t you going to sleep? Why are you moving around?”
Ruan Yan blinked. “Honey, do you know what Abeibei is?”
Jiang Tingnan narrowed his eyes at him, his expression darkening.
Ruan Yan continued on his own. “Abeibei refers to the strong attachment a person develops toward an object they have used for a long time.”
He deliberately put extra emphasis on the words “used for a long time.”
A vein twitched at Jiang Tingnan’s temple.
Ruan Yan did not loosen his grip. “I have to hold my Abeibei when I sleep.”
“……”
Jiang Tingnan let out a heavy breath.
Sometimes he really suspected that Ruan Yan had been sent by the heavens specifically to torment him.
“Didn’t you say we were sleeping innocently?”
“We are.” Ruan Yan sounded innocent. “You sleep however you want.”
How was he supposed to sleep like this?!
Jiang Tingnan’s voice dropped. “Are you going to let go?”
Was that a threat?
Ruan Yan’s eyes went wide. “Why should I let go? No! This is my Abeibei!”
Still calling it that, was he?
A surge of heat rose in Jiang Tingnan’s lower abdomen.
He suddenly rolled over and pressed Ruan Yan beneath him with one large hand. Ruan Yan was delighted, laughing as he struggled to crawl away. “Domestic violence! Is anyone going to stop him?! Jiang Tingnan is beating his wife!”
Jiang Tingnan laughed despite himself.
“Smack.”
He raised his hand and swatted Ruan Yan’s butt with a whoosh of air. He did not use any force. He was only trying to scare him with the noise.
Ruan Yan laughed uncontrollably. “What are you doing… hahaha, why are you getting embarrassed and angry? You hit people just because I won’t do it with you, huh……”
Jiang Tingnan laughed and scolded him. “You little bastard!”
He raised his hand again and smacked Ruan Yan’s butt twice.
Ruan Yan suddenly stopped moving and fell silent.
The smile faded from Jiang Tingnan’s face. He frowned. “What’s wrong? Did I hurt you?”
He knew how much force he had used.
But then again, his wife was only eighteen. His skin was probably incredibly delicate. Maybe Jiang Tingnan really had been too rough without realizing it.
Growing anxious, Jiang Tingnan reached for Ruan Yan’s pants, intending to pull them down and check. Ruan Yan clung tightly to them, his voice warping with panic. “Don’t. What are you doing……”
Jiang Tingnan paused and narrowed his eyes.
Something was wrong.
He gripped Ruan Yan by the waist and, ignoring his struggles, forcibly turned him over.
He looked just like a kitten suddenly laid out on its back, exposing its soft, fluffy belly.
Jiang Tingnan’s gaze moved downward.
Ruan Yan’s entire face had gone completely red. His ears and neck were flushed as well. He did not know where to put his hands, whether to cover himself below or hide his face.
Jiang Tingnan chuckled. “Just two swats and you’re already… You useless little bastard. You were still acting all tough with me. You really need to be taught a lesson.”
Ruan Yan ended up covering his face, though he spread his fingers wider to reveal his round eyes. He had always been stubbornly defensive. “It’s not that. It has nothing to do with you. I was thinking about something else just now.”
The moment the words left his mouth, Ruan Yan regretted them.
He had only said it casually to save face, but Jiang Tingnan was horribly possessive. He probably would not just let it go.
Sure enough, when he looked up again, Jiang Tingnan’s expression had already darkened.
“No, honey, I……”
His pants were suddenly yanked down.
This was still the bear-print pajama set Jiang Tingnan had bought for him the week before last. Ruan Yan could not help whimpering. “Slow down. Don’t tear my pants.”
Jiang Tingnan gave a cold snort. “You’re still worried about your pants? Worry about your butt instead. Tell me, who were you thinking about just now?”
Ruan Yan struggled to sit up. “I have no idea what you’re talking about. I’m going to sleep.”
This time, Jiang Tingnan did not indulge him.
He held Ruan Yan firmly in place, his dark eyes fixed intently on him. After staring for two seconds, he suddenly lowered his head.
Every word Ruan Yan had been about to say caught in his throat.
Jiang Tingnan had always liked doing this. He could not bear to let Ruan Yan do anything for him, but he loved taking care of his wife.
He loved the way Ruan Yan’s eyes turned red and the way he panted with his mouth open.
Ruan Yan clenched the bedsheets, then slowly loosened his grip.
It had been a long time since his mind had gone this blank. It was as though lightning had exploded inside his head, leaving him completely incapable of thought for a moment.
He wanted to get away, but all he could do was helplessly clamp his legs around Jiang Tingnan’s head.
Before long, Jiang Tingnan raised his head. Right in front of Ruan Yan, his Adam’s apple rolled up and down as he swallowed, and his dark eyes were filled with amusement.
Ruan Yan took several deep, ragged breaths and gradually came back to himself. When he saw Jiang Tingnan’s expression, he instantly puffed up like an angry kitten. Even though his legs were still weak, he kicked at him. “Why are you laughing? I… I’m still young, okay? It’s normal for me to finish quickly!!”
Jiang Tingnan truly could not hold it in anymore and laughed softly. “Yes, baby is still young.”
That was right. His Yan Yan was only eighteen.
Jiang Tingnan did not dare imagine what would happen if his ten-years-older self had encountered the Yan Yan of today. He would probably have gone mad, wanting to lock Ruan Yan inside the house so he could keep him all to himself, never letting anyone else see him.
His young, inexperienced lover was like a tiny feathered hook, stirring Jiang Tingnan’s heart into utter chaos.
When his love overflowed, he wanted nothing more than to tear out his entire heart and give it to Ruan Yan.
Jiang Tingnan could not help leaning closer to kiss his wife.
Ruan Yan slapped a hand over Jiang Tingnan’s mouth.
“Go brush your teeth, aaah!!”