Chapter 34: Home Living
Translated by Addis of Exiled Rebels Scanlations
Editor: Karai
The culprit, Xu You, bolted as fast as he could. Shi Wenze was still sitting on the floor. He had on a loose-fitting dinosaur T-shirt—the kind so long it hung past his hips—so Lin Su couldn’t really make out the pattern on his boxer briefs. Still, he had to admit, this whole look—sleepy, tousled hair and all—was hitting a little harder than expected. The sunlight slipping through the curtain slits made Shi Wenze’s fluffy bedhead glow, and Lin Su found himself entirely distracted. All he wanted now was to renew his subscription.
“I was asleep five minutes ago,” Shi Wenze defended himself. “Xu You’s the one who suddenly lost it.”
Lin Su gave a noncommittal “Mm.”
Shi Wenze stretched out his hand. “Help me up.”
Lin Su took it. Honestly, college guys these days were on a whole new level. Hunting down wild beasts was one thing, but not being able to stand up straight by yourself? That was something else. Shi Wenze didn’t actually stand—he just looked at Lin Su, confused. “Why are you laughing?”
Was I? Lin Su’s expression twitched, then he admitted, “You kind of look like The Creation of Adam right now.”
That went completely over Shi Wenze’s head. One hand still clinging to Lin Su, he used the other to search his phone. When the oil painting popped up, it did look weirdly familiar. So that’s who I am—The Creation of Adam? But that wasn’t the point. The point was…
Shi Wenze tossed the phone aside, gripped Lin Su’s hand, and instead of standing up, gave him a sudden pull. Lin Su, caught off guard, tumbled forward with a yelp.
“Ah!”
Shi Wenze caught him around the waist, locking him in his arms. He whispered into his ear, protesting, “I’m not that small.”
The warm breath against his skin made Lin Su’s heart pound wildly. How did this guy completely miss the art reference? Why is he focusing on that part?* But then again… Was he really? Just how big was he? I kind of want to find out.
Shi Wenze smelled amazing—just like the amber-scented body wash Lin Su had picked out for him, with a touch of lavender. The T-shirt he was wearing must’ve been washed dozens of times; it was soft, thin, and clung to his lean, well-toned frame. Lin Su’s eyes wandered, his curiosity expanding bit by bit.
Shi Wenze, on the other hand, was equally addicted to Lin Su’s scent. The perfume was light, cool, and lingered faintly in the air. He couldn’t help but nuzzle into Lin Su’s neck, trying to uncover more of his secrets.
He’s this bold without a renewed subscription? Lin Su frowned and gave him a shove. “Go get dressed. Don’t you have work today?”
“I never worked nine-to-five,” Shi Wenze replied lazily, palm still resting on Lin Su’s waist. “I just show up when I get assigned.”
He tilted his head, voice coaxing, “So when can I finally win you over?”
Lin Su was stumped. Isn’t that up to how you perform? How are you trying to book this like it’s a reservation? Why not start a countdown like the college entrance exam while you’re at it? But honestly, a hundred days was too long—youth didn’t last forever, and wasting a single day not touching this beautiful body felt like an affront to life itself.
A handsome man in an old T-shirt was dangerously sexy… though that might’ve had more to do with the fact that said man still hadn’t put on pants.
Lin Su’s thoughts were getting fuzzy. He’d originally planned to take a nap here—but clearly that wasn’t happening anymore. Instead, he tousled Shi Wenze’s fluffy hair and changed the subject. “I want to go out for a bit.”
“Go where?” Shi Wenze asked lazily.
“The home goods store.”
“Buying dishware?”
“Mm.”
Shi Wenze, reminded of the connection between dishware and scumbags, finally let go. Lin Su took the chance to stand up and pretend like nothing had happened. “You go change. I’ll wait downstairs.”
Xu You had vanished along with his study materials—who knew if he’d gone to cram school or Starbucks to soak in the vibes.
Lin Su checked his phone for nearby home goods stores. Sure, you could buy pots and pans anywhere, but malls had a totally different vibe—beds every few steps, staged bedrooms with cozy lighting—it all screamed warm, happy domestic life. The ultimate soft-sell marriage trap. Couples couldn’t skip it.
Shi Wenze didn’t bring his motorcycle—obviously, you couldn’t strap a pile of fragile goods to the handlebars. He seriously considered buying a car. Lin Su immediately vetoed it.
“One car is enough for the two of us,” he said. “Another would just sit there. You keep using the motorcycle—I’ll buy the car. The money we save can go toward the down payment.”
Romantic and practical. Not a penny wasted. Straight to the point. No wonder he was a man of the people—and a brilliant artist to boot.
Since it was a weekday, the store wasn’t crowded. Shi Wenze grabbed a big cart like they were rehearsing for furnishing a new house. Lin Su picked out a few pretty plates and bowls, then reached for a set of cake molds.
“Can you bake?” he asked. Shi Wenze couldn’t, but for love, he could learn on the spot. It’s just cake—piece of cake. Take whatever you want. If I don’t whip up something sugary within three days, I lose.
Lin Su hooked a finger around the cart handle, weaving through the store. Surrounded by the warm, cozy vibes of domesticity, he dove headfirst into the trap of consumerism. In his mind, he was already simulating married life five years in. Three years to marry, five to simulate…
Shi Wenze, meanwhile, couldn’t care less about dishes. What mattered was Lin Su, carefully tapping porcelain to check the quality, then holding it up to the light like a cute little quality inspector. He wanted to toss Lin Su in the cart, check out, and take him home—legally his, wrapped up in a fluffy blanket every day. It was a little romantic and a little unhinged.
As Lin Su looked through a rack of throws, Shi Wenze leaned his head on his shoulder. “Tired.”
“Does yellow look good?” Lin Su asked.
“Yeah.” Shi Wenze slipped an arm around his waist, fingers wandering.
Lin Su’s side went numb from the touch. He stomped on Shi Wenze’s foot. “What the hell are you doing? There are cameras everywhere. Are you trying to go viral?”
Shi Wenze let go with a pout. “Where there are no cameras?”
What is wrong with this guy? Lin Su wondered. Back in the bedroom, all he did was rub against him like a needy rottweiler. But now, out in public, he was suddenly all about testing camera blind spots?
Lin Su tossed a throw into the cart, grabbed Shi Wenze’s chin, and warned, “My subscription hasn’t been renewed yet.”
Shi Wenze was determined to win “Best Customer Service.” Dragging the cart behind him, he chattered nonstop. “You don’t even need a subscription. Full VIP treatment—free, on the house, upgraded perks, too. The kind only available for 18+.”
An auntie nearby overheard and lit up. “Young man, where’s the free stuff?”
Shi Wenze: “…”
Lin Su was laughing up ahead, cracking open a scented candle. The rose smell was rich. Just as he lowered his head to sniff it, a pair of arms slipped around his shoulders.
Naturally, he lifted the candle and offered it. “Here, smell—” Don’t. Where did you even come from?
Du Siyue leaned in and sniffed obediently. “It’s okay, I guess. It kind of smells like roses. But why did you look so sentimental sniffing an aromatherapy candle? You freaked me out.”
Lin Su, expression blank, took the candle away. No one had asked for his opinion. “Shut up.”
“What are you doing here?” Du Siyue glanced around. “Are you here with your mom? I was actually thinking of inviting her out to dinner sometime.”
“My mom didn’t come.” Lin Su brushed his hand off. “Why are you wandering around in the middle of a workday?”
“Who said I wasn’t working? I’m just here to check on the store. My dad’s thinking about buying out that shopping mall across the street.” Du Siyue pointed. “If you’re just aimlessly browsing, why not come take a look with me? I don’t think the foot traffic over there is great.”
“No time. I’m meeting a friend.”
Du Siyue immediately pulled a wounded expression. Which vixen is it this time? Am I not still the most important one in your heart?
Lin Su opened another candle. “You two aren’t even in the same category.”
Du Siyue frowned. “There are categories now?”
Lin Su explained patiently, “Shi Wenze. He’s my pre-booked boyfriend.”
Du Siyue gasped like he’d been punched in the gut. “Hold on—something this huge, you’re just gonna drop it on me with no warning? I need time to process!”
Lin Su gave him a look. “What’s wrong with you? He’s my boyfriend, not yours. What exactly do you need to prepare for? You’re not allowed.”
Du Siyue thought this was completely unreasonable but quickly connected the dots. “So that’s why you tore into me about the Cangda art exhibit. That painting—was it from Shi Wenze? No offense, but his taste—ow!”
Lin Su withdrew his hand. “You’re the one with no taste.”
Tears welled up in Du Siyue’s eyes. How could he value love over friendship so crudely? I even pulled strings to get VIP tickets for you!
Lin Su was unmoved. “What VIP tickets?”
“Xia Jiayang,” Du Siyue said, exasperated. “Didn’t your sister say she likes him? His group’s making a surprise appearance at the Chengdu Music Festival next week. Totally hush-hush.”
“Three tickets,” Lin Su said, holding out his hand.
“But you just hit me,” Du Siyue complained.
Lin Su glanced toward the approaching Shi Wenze. “I’m working on a new persona right now—as Xia Jiayang’s diehard fan. If you forget that, I’ll keep hitting you.”
Du Siyue was baffled. “What kind of twisted little roleplay are you two into?”
Lin Su corrected him. “He’s not my boyfriend yet. He will be, but not yet. Got it? Repeat it back.”
“Hell no,” Du Siyue grumbled. “I’m not a damn idiot.”
Shi Wenze had just come back from the restroom. Seeing Du Siyue there surprised him, but he still walked over and greeted him politely. Du Siyue took one look at the pile of cookware, towels, and blankets in the cart and glanced back at Lin Su with an expression full of unspeakable judgment. Not even officially dating and already shacking up? No boyfriend ethics at all. Shameful.
“You’ve got three seconds,” Lin Su said calmly, “to disappear.”
Unlike Xu You, Du Siyue knew when to retreat. When Lin Su said disappear, he vanished without another word.
“What were you two talking about?” Shi Wenze asked.
“He got tickets to a Xia Jiayang concert next week. It’s still confidential. Want to come?” Lin Su asked.
Shi Wenze didn’t really get the appeal of this Z-list celebrity who seemed to hold concerts every other week like he was some global superstar. But he didn’t ask, because asking would only reveal that he still had no idea what Teacher Xia actually looked like—total fake fan behavior. So instead, he just smiled. “Sure.”
Listening to that fast-talking, Tianjin-style rap again? No big deal. If it’s something you like, I’ll like it too. Sounds kind of romantic, actually.
Coincidentally, Lin Su was thinking the same thing. Maybe it was the long-term brainwashing from Lin Lu, but once upon a time, just hearing rap made his head throb. Now, he was willing to suffer—for love.
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