DCHHLT Chapter 13

While Jiang Chun was still numb with shock, Liang Xingyuan continued talking without pause, seemingly determined to drill the idea that “Chu Junshan is a very good, very perfect person” into his head.

When Chu Junshan put away his phone and walked back in, he immediately sensed that the atmosphere was somewhat different from when he had left.

Jiang Chun was hanging his head. The lively vigor he usually had—the kind that made it seem as though he could overturn heaven and earth—had vanished without a trace. Looking utterly dispirited, he propped his cheek up and nodded from time to time, responding to whatever Liang Xingyuan was saying.

Chu Junshan raised an eyebrow, walked over, and sat back down in his original seat. “What are you two talking about?”

The two of them noticed his arrival and, as though by prior agreement, dropped the subject at once and answered in unison, “Nothing.”

Chu Junshan: “Really nothing?”

The two had formed a united front, firmly thinking to themselves: Chu Junshan absolutely must not find out about this.

“Hurry up and eat,” Jiang Chun said. “If we don’t eat now, it’ll all be cold later.”

Liang Xingyuan had already helped Chu Junshan serve a bowl of soup. Hearing this, he also said gently, “Do you need to go out this afternoon?”

“No need. Just some minor issues. I resolved them over the phone just now,” Chu Junshan said.

Jiang Chun naturally changed the subject. The three of them tacitly agreed not to bring up that little episode from earlier. Liang Xingyuan strictly observed the principles of human social interaction, knowing exactly when to advance and when to retreat. Every topic he brought up was handled with great skill.

As it happened, Jiang Chun was also exceptionally shrewd when it came to dealing with people. With the rather quiet Chu Junshan sandwiched between them, the two of them actually had quite a pleasant conversation.

“You two seem to be getting along pretty well now. When are you planning to get married?”

After observing them throughout the meal, Jiang Chun realized that there had not been the slightest bit of falsehood in anything this man named Liang Xingyuan had said earlier.

He really seemed to want to take good care of Chu Junshan for the rest of his life.

Chu Junshan did not even need to open his mouth. The soup and rice were passed right to his hand.

Chu Junshan had a cleanliness obsession. Precisely because of this, Jiang Chun had rarely gone out to eat with him before. Most of the time, they would just make do with a meal at Chu Junshan’s house. However, this Mr. Liang seemed not to mind this “trouble” at all. He took care of everything, down to the smallest detail, arranging everything properly for Chu Junshan.

Jiang Chun noticed that Chu Junshan, who had always kept men at a distance and was as unawakened as a block of elm wood when it came to such matters, did not reject Liang Xingyuan’s displays of affection. On the contrary, he accepted them with extreme naturalness.

It made people feel as though they were not merely blind-date partners who had known each other for only a few days, but an old married couple who had spent twenty or thirty years together, their lives thoroughly intertwined.

He cautiously assessed Liang Xingyuan’s personal qualities in his mind and ultimately arrived at one conclusion—

Where was he supposed to find another model husband like Liang Xingyuan, one of those twenty-four-filial-piety good husbands?

Jiang Chun felt that they had to strike while the iron was hot. Otherwise, once this chance was gone, there might not be another. If they missed this one, they might never encounter another man in their entire lives who was this good and could also satisfy Chu Junshan.

At this question, Chu Junshan and Liang Xingyuan, who were in the middle of eating, both fell silent at the same time.

For a single second, their gazes quietly met. Very quickly, they looked away from each other again.

“We haven’t decided yet.”

Chu Junshan was the first to speak. He picked up a napkin and leisurely wiped the corner of his mouth. “It depends on what he wants.”

Liang Xingyuan: “!”

He suddenly felt the seriousness of the situation and answered softly, “I think we can put it off for a while longer.”

That had been what he thought from the very beginning.

Chu Junshan did not seem to care much about the process of being in love. He only valued the outcome. But in Liang Xingyuan’s eyes, the kind of love he had was something that would only happen once in his entire life.

For a monster, life was very long, and it was entirely possible for them to change partners many times.

But Liang Xingyuan would not. He seemed like an oddity born among monsters, wanting only to find the one person destined for him. For example, Chu Junshan, who was sitting right in front of him.

He pursued perfection in this relationship as much as possible, unwilling to casually let even a single detail slip by.

Whether it was for himself or for Chu Junshan, Liang Xingyuan did not want to handle things carelessly or settle for something half-hearted.

There was also a deeper reason…

Right now, he still did not know to what extent Chu Junshan could accept monsters.

If, one day, he accidentally revealed one of his tentacles and Chu Junshan discovered it, would he find it disgusting? Would he even be so frightened that he would be completely unable to accept it?

While their relationship had not yet grown as deep as it would become in the future, Liang Xingyuan thought, with great responsibility, that he needed to conduct some preliminary investigation into the prognosis.

At the very least, he should test the waters and see exactly how Chu Junshan felt about ordinary tentacles.

Jiang Chun had no idea what Liang Xingyuan was thinking right now. Although he was anxious inside, since Chu Junshan himself had not said anything, it was even less appropriate for an outsider like him to comment. “All right, you two really are something else. The emperor isn’t anxious, but the eunuch is. I’m practically worried to death over Chu Junshan. Oh, right, you two haven’t met each other’s parents yet, have you? Find some time to meet up together. And remember to call me when you do. I’ve been craving Uncle Chu’s chestnut-braised chicken!”

“What are you so anxious about?” Chu Junshan’s cool voice rang out. “Do you want us to hurry up and get married so you can come along as part of my dowry?”

Jiang Chun: “…”

He seriously considered how safe it was to stay by Chu Junshan’s side, swallowed, and said sincerely, “I-I wouldn’t say no to that…”

A faint smile curled at the corner of Chu Junshan’s lips. “Get lost.”

Seeing his smile, Jiang Chun was finally certain of it. Chu Junshan really was happy when he was with Liang Xingyuan. 

“As if I’d go with you just because you wanted me to.” Jiang Chun laughed and cursed back. “Once you’re done eating, get going, get going. Look at you, you old ancestor—living the good life at home, eating and drinking whatever you please, with Teacher Liang there to wait on you. Meanwhile, I still have to be a miserable corporate slave, wiping the ass of clients who never do anything remotely human. You two keep eating. I’m leaving.”

After saying that, Jiang Chun also said goodbye to Liang Xingyuan and was the first to walk out of the private dining room.

Chu Junshan was gradually finishing his meal as well. With his eyes lowered, he reached out to hook the coat hanging over the back of his chair.

However, before he could touch his coat, another hand picked it up. The next second, the coat was shaken open and gently draped over Chu Junshan’s shoulders: “The wind is strong outside. Put your coat on first.”

Chu Junshan’s hand, which had originally been about to grasp the edge of his coat, paused for a moment. The next second, Liang Xingyuan swiftly helped him put the coat on and said with complete naturalness, “Let’s go.”

Liang Xingyuan had already paid the bill in advance when ordering. Now, he walked side by side with Chu Junshan. Both were tall and well-proportioned, with striking, handsome bearing. As they walked through the restaurant together, they drew the attention of the diners around them.

Liang Xingyuan asked softly, “Are we going home now?”

“Not yet.” Chu Junshan turned his head, his gaze meeting those black eyes. “I’m going back to my own place to pick up a few things, then I’ll go home afterward.”

Liang Xingyuan gave a sound of acknowledgment. It was only after walking several steps that the realization slowly dawned on him—

What Chu Junshan had just said was… that he was going back to his own place, and then “going home” afterward.

“Home” turned out to mean their home.

Liang Xingyuan lowered his head slightly, doing his utmost to restrain the corners of his mouth, which were almost impossible to keep from curling upward.

How could Chu Junshan be so good at this…? No wonder Chu Junshan had said that he did not need to read those love manuals. He only needed to ask him for advice.

Liang Xingyuan took a deep breath and earnestly committed the sweetness this tiny detail had brought him to memory, silently having one of his brains record it.

“Don’t drive,” Chu Junshan said. “I’m only picking up a few documents and some of my collection. That place isn’t far from this restaurant, so we can take a walk and digest our food.”

Liang Xingyuan had no objections whatsoever to this. If Chu Junshan got too tired to walk, that would be fine, too.

Maybe he could carry him in his arms.

Would Chu Junshan wrap his arms around his neck like the protagonists in novels did?

Liang Xingyuan seriously imagined it for a while, but still couldn’t quite picture it.

Then… would he be willing to let him carry him?

Liang Xingyuan fell into deep thought. The two of them continued walking like this for a while, until at some point, Chu Junshan’s voice suddenly sounded beside him.

“Are you planning to just walk like this?”

Liang Xingyuan froze for a moment, not understanding right away. “Hmm?”

“Looks like Teacher Liang still hasn’t realized that we’re in a relationship now.” Chu Junshan stopped where he was, slightly raising his eyes as he extended one slender, fair hand. “Want to hold hands?”

His eyes narrowed slightly. An unreadable emotion flickered through his eyes, which held a trace of interest, as he closely watched every change in expression that appeared on Liang Xingyuan’s face.

However, contrary to what he had imagined, Liang Xingyuan did not immediately take his hand.

Liang Xingyuan lightly bit his lower lip, concealing his troubled expression.

…Of course, he wanted to hold hands with Chu Junshan.

But just now, he had actually hesitated over which one of his tentacle-“hands” he should extend to hold Chu Junshan’s hand!

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