DCHHLT Chapter 7

This answer made Chu Junshan involuntarily frown. “What?”

“She was just isolated by the other kids,” Liang Xingyuan shrugged, steering the conversation back on track. Placing one hand on the little girl’s shoulder, he rhythmically stroked her shoulder and back, lowering his voice. “Because Guoguo wore a little pink floral dress today, a few boys made fun of her. I just gave them a scolding and was planning to bring her over for some comfort.”

Chu Junshan’s brows knitted slightly, clearly skeptical. “But I didn’t do anything.”

“Yes, but…” Liang Xingyuan looked up at Chu Junshan, paused briefly, and continued, “…kids are easily frightened.”

“…”

Chu Junshan pressed his lips together, his gaze glued to Liang Xingyuan’s face. He stared straight into Liang Xingyuan’s jet-black eyes, as if trying to find a trace of the malice he expected to see in those bright eyes.

Unfortunately, he couldn’t.

During his silence, Liang Xingyuan resumed comforting the child. He skillfully patted the little girl’s shoulder and back, as if instilling in her the kind of courage only adults possessed. His voice was gentle, almost unbelievably warm. “Guoguo is a wonderful little girl. The pink dress is very pretty. They were wrong to make fun of you.

“In this world, everyone might get teased at some point. But when that happens, we shouldn’t cry. Instead, we have to look them bravely in the eye. When you feel offended, tell them directly: ‘Please apologize to me.’

“This is the courage we all need in this world. Teacher Liang has it, and our good Guoguo should have it, too, okay?”

Miraculously, the still-sobbing little girl was calmed. She stopped crying, bit her lip, and gave a shy nod.

Chu Junshan noticed that Liang Xingyuan’s eyes seemed even brighter now, like freshly washed glass beads shimmering with a captivating gleam under the light.

“Guoguo is so wonderful,” Liang Xingyuan smiled. “Afternoon tea time is almost over. Teacher Liang will have Teacher Huahua take you back. Zhuangzhuang and the others said they want to apologize to you. Will you forgive them?”

Guoguo pursed her lips, clearly pondering the question. After a moment, as if coming to a decision, she nodded. “Mm! Thank you… Teacher.”

Soon, a female teacher in a white, knee-length dress walked over. With a warm, gentle smile, she greeted Chu Junshan and Liang Xingyuan, spoke softly to Guoguo, and led her toward the nearby tea room.

“Mr. Chu, what were you going to say to me earlier?” Liang Xingyuan snapped back to the present, belatedly picking up a hint of something unusual from Chu Junshan’s previous behavior.

Chu Junshan’s gaze had been fixed on Liang Xingyuan’s face. Now, he casually pulled his eyes back, adopting a relaxed expression. “It’s nothing. I just think you’re very dedicated to your work, Mr. Liang. Did you always treat the kids like this in the past?”

“Yes!”

Hearing him say this, Liang Xingyuan took it at face value without a shred of doubt. The excitement of being alone with Chu Junshan came surging back over him like a tide.

—Finally, a topic right in his wheelhouse!

“Mr. Chu, this is my job,” Liang Xingyuan explained with a polite smile. “Working in a kindergarten means spending all day with innocent children. Kids are the purest, most wonderful creatures in the world, though naturally, they also possess the most fragile hearts. We have to be very careful to protect their dignity and teach them right from wrong.”

“I see.” Chu Junshan’s eyes curved with a subtle smile. “Mr. Liang really is a very caring person.”

Having handled the unexpected situation, Liang Xingyuan retraced his steps alongside Chu Junshan. “Oh no, not at all. I just prefer dealing with innocent kids. I took that into account when choosing my career back then.”

“Your colleagues told me a few things about your past earlier,” Chu Junshan said.

“!” Liang Xingyuan’s face remained impassive, though he secretly straightened his back. “Oh? What did they say?”

“That you are an upright, highly responsible, and caring young man.” Coming from anyone else, a line like that might have sounded like veiled sarcasm. But delivered in Chu Junshan’s matter-of-fact, cool tone, it sounded like plain, absolute truth. “Is it true?”

“…” Liang Xingyuan hadn’t expected his colleagues to pitch him so enthusiastically, talking him up like salespeople. “It might be a slight exaggeration. What else did they say?”

“No need to be modest. They also said you acted heroically and saved three children all by yourself.”

“…Anything else?”

“When you reached the hospital entrance with the principal, covered in injuries, you still helped direct traffic in the jammed parking lot.”

A quiet flush crept over Liang Xingyuan’s cheeks.

Fortunately, the sun was about to set, allowing him to hide his flustered state in the dimming twilight before Chu Junshan could notice anything unusual.

They were all true. But hearing them from the person he liked… felt a little embarrassing.

They reached the office and ran into several teachers packing up their things, getting ready to head home.

Teacher Xu suggested, “Xiao Liang, why don’t you bring your boyfriend along to the dessert shop?”

Anyone could tell that Liang Xingyuan’s off-key mood all day was completely tied to Chu Junshan.

He had been listless at first, but after Chu Junshan arrived, he visibly brightened up.

…He had even become much more talkative.

Liang Xingyuan used to join his colleagues frequently for after-work hangouts. But today, he felt a sudden, small selfish wish. He wanted to have more time alone with Chu Junshan.

“I’ll pass,” Liang Xingyuan declined politely. “Next time, okay?”

His colleagues, all seasoned in love, understood that a couple in the honeymoon phase couldn’t bear to part. “Alright, alright, go on home! We were actually worried you’d accept. Otherwise, we’d end up playing third wheels. Bye-bye, see you tomorrow.”

Liang Xingyuan and Chu Junshan bade farewell to his colleagues and stepped outside. Liang Xingyuan went to the adjacent garage to fetch his car.

Spring days are always warm, but the nights grow chilly. As soon as the sun goes down, the temperature drops quickly.

Loath to let Chu Junshan freeze in the night air for long, Liang Xingyuan drove his car out faster than he ever had in his life. Reaching the curb, he saw Chu Junshan standing with his back turned, waiting for him. Unwilling to even honk the horn, he rolled down his window halfway, pushed open the door, walked around to the passenger side, and called softly, “Mr. Chu, we can go now.”

Chu Junshan turned around and nodded. “Thank you.”

That simple thank-you left Liang Xingyuan walking on air. It felt as though a sweet piece of candy was melting into syrup in his warm heart, and a soft pink flower quietly blossomed atop his head.

He opened the car door for Chu Junshan, only for the man’s voice to ring out beside him once more: “You don’t need to go through so much trouble next time, though. Just honk.”

Pia! The little flower that had just bloomed on Liang Xingyuan’s head withered at the speed of light.

He took a deep breath, desperately holding onto his persona as a calm, capable, and mature man, telling himself inside: It’s alright.

Soon, Liang Xingyuan got back into the car. The bright overhead light went out, leaving only the breathing light of the smart navigation system blinking in the night.

In the silence, that indescribable, peculiar atmosphere surfaced once again.

“Now, we can talk about the matter between us,” Chu Junshan’s cool, clear voice rang out. “Why do you want to sleep in separate rooms? First of all, I believe that as prospective marriage partners, we should have a certain level of understanding of everything about each other. Secondly, Mr. Liang claims to enjoy a warm family life, so as a qualified marriage partner, I must fulfill my spouse’s imagination of future life. Lastly—”

He paused, turning his head slightly. The deep night dyed his tea-brown eyes, and his luminous, vibrant pupils perfectly reflected Liang Xingyuan’s face. “I haven’t asked until now. Mr. Liang, is there anything about me that you are unsatisfied with?”

The question caught Liang Xingyuan slightly off guard.

Thinking back, ever since their very first meeting, Liang Xingyuan had never once considered this question.

Or rather, in his heart, Chu Junshan had always been a flawless partner.

The request he made that morning was actually out of consideration for Chu Junshan’s feelings. They weren’t close enough for that yet. Liang Xingyuan felt he didn’t know Chu Junshan well enough, worrying that he might compromise or wrong himself just to accommodate the marriage.

And that morning, Teacher Xu’s words had only deepened that thought.

It was entirely possible that Chu Junshan was asexual or aromantic.

Liang Xingyuan didn’t want Chu Junshan to feel wronged because of this marriage. He just wanted to make Chu Junshan happy.

But now, it seemed…

Chu Junshan didn’t look all that happy.

Silence swelled between them. Inside the car was so quiet that the air felt thick enough to congeal, leaving only the vehicle’s air conditioner dutifully whirring, blowing a steady stream of air.

Liang Xingyuan felt a heavy weight in his chest. His brows knitted slightly. In the end, he managed only one word: “No.”

Chu Junshan turned his head. His tea-brown eyes gleamed with a strange light against the flowing darkness. For the first time, Liang Xingyuan saw a full reflection of himself in those eyes.

“Why?”

Their car continued forward, not stopping for the pace of their conversation.

Liang Xingyuan wrestled with his thoughts. He was silent for a long moment. Just as he opened his mouth to speak, he heard Chu Junshan say, “Never mind.”

His voice remained completely steady, as if Liang Xingyuan’s presence hadn’t stirred even the slightest ripple in him.

“We’re here. Let’s talk inside.”

Liang Xingyuan blinked, caught off guard.

Snapping back to reality, he realized that at some point, he had already driven the car right up to their apartment building.

The courtyard was draped in darkness. Beneath the desolate moonlight, the shadows of leaves rustled faintly in the breeze.

Perhaps sensing their arrival, Yaoyaoling burst out of the house at that very moment, barking from behind the courtyard gate: “Woof! Woof woof! Awoo—”

Liang Xingyuan parked the car and turned to look at Chu Junshan.

But Chu Junshan didn’t seem to notice his hesitation. He had already pushed the door open and stepped out, his slender frame swallowed by the darkness.

Liang Xingyuan reached out, but his fingertips only brushed the hem of Chu Junshan’s coat. In an instant, even that slick touch faded away.

“…”

Liang Xingyuan lowered his eyes, paused for two quiet seconds, then pushed his door open and got out, following Chu Junshan inside.

Yaoyaoling was completely oblivious to the dark undercurrents surging between his old master and his new one. As usual, he dragged his little bowl along with a clatter, his dog eyes gleaming brightly as he gave Liang Xingyuan frantic hints.

“Woof woof woof woof woof!!!”

Liang Xingyuan kept his eyes lowered, lost in his thoughts. He had no time to deal with Yaoyaoling.

With his hopes dashed, the pup could only turn to pledge allegiance to Chu Junshan, his barks softening into a noticeably sweet, tender whimper: “Woof woof awoo~”

Chu Junshan caught Yaoyaoling as he leaped over, casually ruffling the fluffy little dog’s head. “What is he saying?”

Liang Xingyuan cast a complex look at Yaoyaoling, who was shamelessly fawning for affection, silently cursing the dog as a shameless little flirt in his mind. Meanwhile, he smiled and answered Chu Junshan, “He probably wants some freeze-dried treats.”

Liang Xingyuan fetched the bag of treats from the cabinet, briefed Chu Junshan on the maximum amount Yaoyaoling could eat, and quietly headed toward his room.

Since Chu Junshan hadn’t brought it up, he figured he should take the initiative…

Liang Xingyuan walked toward the bedroom, looking back with every step, quietly watching the man and dog getting along in perfect harmony.

That treacherous traitor Yaoyaoling put on a shamelessly adorable face, nuzzling back and forth in Chu Junshan’s lap like a spoiled child. Chu Junshan didn’t push him away either, extending his hand to stroke Yaoyaoling’s fur with his pale, slender fingertips, his posture exceedingly gentle.

For a split second, Liang Xingyuan felt he had made the wrong choice.

If he had known, he wouldn’t have bothered being human. He should have just been a big, fluffy dog.

…He really wished he could swap souls with Yaoyaoling right now.

Liang Xingyuan silently sulked in the corner, drawing imaginary circles to curse Yaoyaoling. He resolved in his heart that when Chu Junshan wasn’t around, he would give the dog a proper discipline session. He couldn’t just let him nestle into Chu Junshan’s arms whenever he pleased.

Thankfully, Chu Junshan soon left Yaoyaoling’s side.

From inside the bedroom, Liang Xingyuan heard him enter the bathroom. His hands involuntarily picked up the pace.

He had to get the new room ready before Chu Junshan came out. Otherwise, Liang Xingyuan felt he might lose control and ask Chu Junshan to stay after all.

Chu Junshan wouldn’t be happy. They couldn’t move in together so quickly without a proper commitment. It wasn’t fair to Chu Junshan.

Besides, he knew that human society placed great importance on proper etiquette. He wanted to give Chu Junshan a grand, passionate courtship, not some half-baked arrangement. But when on earth could he actually carry out that plan…?

Burdened by a heavy heart, Liang Xingyuan dawdled over his packing while letting his mind wander, completely failing to notice that the door, which had been left ajar, was pushed open from the outside.

“What are you doing?”

Liang Xingyuan’s pupils contracted slightly as he turned around, visibly startled by Chu Junshan.

In the next second, an even greater visual shock swept through Liang Xingyuan’s mind, crashing like a tidal wave that completely obliterated the mental fortress he had spent all evening painstakingly building—

Beneath the dim light, Chu Junshan was wearing a set of silk pajamas gathered from who-knows-where. Having clearly just stepped out of the bathroom, his hair was damp with steam, though he didn’t look disheveled in the slightest. The wet ends hung softly, a few dark strands clinging to his cheek, trembling gently with his breath.

—

Looking further down…

Two buttons of his light beige silk pajamas were undone, gaping open toward Liang Xingyuan to reveal a wide expanse of delicate, snow-white skin and prominent, slender collarbones.

A round droplet of water pooled in the hollow of his collarbone and quivered for a brief moment with Chu Junshan’s movement, trailing down the contours of his skin before disappearing into the shadows of his shirt.

Liang Xingyuan felt his breathing stop. The human heartbeat he had been imitating so well froze instantly, completely forgetting how to beat.

His throat felt suddenly parched. His Adam’s apple bobbed up and down as he tore his gaze away from Chu Junshan’s face with great effort, answering, “I—I’m packing up.”

“You still haven’t answered my question,” Chu Junshan said, tilting his head slightly as his fingertips rested against the cherry-wood doorframe. “Why are you planning to sleep separately? Do you not like me?”

“N-No, that’s not why.” Even through his nervousness, Liang Xingyuan answered without a moment’s hesitation. He gritted his teeth, struggled for a second, and finally confessed the truth: “Aren’t you… uninterested in sex?”

Chu Junshan lifted his eyes, a bright, starlike gleam shimmering in their depths. He narrowed his eyes slightly and flexed his wrist, crooking his slender fingers to beckon him over, much like calling over a puppy. “Who told you that? Come here.

“Why don’t you come see for yourself whether I really am or not?”

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