Chapter 24 Part 1

Zhuo Xiang Ming didn’t answer at first, justpulling the thin quilt up a little to cover Tong Yan’s shoulders. Tong Yan againgot closer, his fluffy hair brushing against Zhuo Xiang Ming’s chin. This time,his tone was a little bit aggrieved: “Will we divorce?”

Zhuo Xiang Ming: “Why suddenly ask this?”

TongYan: “I can’t ask?”

Zhuo Xiang Ming: “Of course you can … I just didn’t expect you to askat this time.”

Thetwo people were very close, it was completely the result of Tong Yan shrinkinghimself into Zhuo Xiang Ming’s embrace. The heat he exhaled hit Zhuo Xiang Ming’sneck, and his forehead occasionally brushed Zhuo Xiang Ming’s lower jaw andneck.

The scent of cape jasmine confidently invaded the area, and the alphagave up good-naturedly, acquiescing to Tong Yan’s unintentional unrestrained behaviorof occupying his territory.

“What do you mean?” Tong Yan asked.

Zhuo Xiang Ming: “When we just married, you were very reluctant…”

“No!” Tong Yan immediately retorted, “I had noreluctance!”

“None?” Zhuo Xiang Ming lightly patted his back through thequilt. He made soothing movements, and the familiar pheromones slowly made TongYan’s body relax, but he still refused to reveal his face.

Zhuo Xiang Ming continued: “It’s all right, anyone would feeluncomfortable. It’s just that, I thought you’d ask me about our divorce back then,so I thought about what I should say if you asked, but you never asked.”

TongYan remembered the half-month when he’d avoided Zhuo Xiang Ming, he didn’t eveneat breakfast in order to not run into him. At night, he was also uncomfortablewatching TV together. Dejected, he said, “Because at that time, I wasn’t familiarwith brother.”

“True.” Zhuo Xiang Ming said softly, “Our Tong Tong is akitten that doesn’t recognize strangers, and a little timid.”

Tong Yan objected: “I’m not timid.”

“OK, OK.” Tong Yan’s voice was already very quiet. He put his handon Tong Yan’s nape and kneaded, “Sleepy?”

TongYan: “Hmm …”

Zhuo Xiang Ming again held his back and hugged him: “Then, go tosleep.”

TongYan asked: “What about brother?”

Zhuo Xiang Ming followed along with him and said: “Brother will accompanyyou.”

Whileeating, Zhuo Xiang Ming saw that Tong Yan was behaving oddly. He was verynervous, like a small territorial animal being threatened by outsiders. He wasawkward with Zhuo Xiang Ming, but he also kept peeking at him. When Zhuo XiangMing gave him food, he said thank you, but his head was bowed, and he also refusedto walk upstairs side by side. That lasted until he couldn’t help but squeezeinto the arms of the person he really wanted to occupy, forcefully dyeing Zhuo XiangMing in the scent of cape jasmine.

Ten minutes later, Tong Yan fell asleep. Zhuo Xiang Ming pushed away thestrands of his hair that was blocking his eyes, and quietly rose. But as soonas he took two steps away from the bed, he saw Tong Yan’s face wrinkle, and hegroaned, the hand next to Zhuo Xiang Ming’s pillow grasping a few times, as ifhe was about to wake up.

Withno choice, Zhuo Xiang Ming had to grab the shirt on the back of the chair, theone he’d taken off earlier.

He’dbeen wearing it all morning, there was a lot of alpha pheromones left over onit. Zhuo Xiang Ming carefully opened the quilt and placed it in Tong Yan’s arms.After that, Tong Yan’s face slowly relaxed, and he hugged the shirt, sinkinginto sleep.

The chicken cage in the backyard was just half-built. More than twentychickens were temporarily squeezed into two small square cardboard boxes. Thefeathers were flying randomly and the smell was unpleasant, but Zhuo Jia Shuostood there, watching in interest.

Seeing Zhuo Xiang Ming approaching, he calledout, “Brother, how long do you say father can raise these chickens?”

Zhuo Xiang Ming hadn’t spoken yet when Zhuo Jia Shuo stared blankly, thenhe exaggeratedly fanned his hand in front of his nose, saying, “OMG, you smelllike…”

Zhuo Xiang Ming didn’t bat an eye: “If he wants to raise them, he’ll doit.”

ZhuoJia Shuo teased: “What the hell did Tong Yan do to you? I guess if he licks youall over, you’d also get this effect.”

Zhuo Xiang Ming warned him: “Behave.”

ZhuoJia Shuo immediately said: “Does your child have no plans? Bring a chickenback to play.”

Zhuo Xiang Ming didn’t chitchat with him: “What did you say to TongYan?”

ZhuoJia Shuo replied innocently: “What could I have said to him?”

Thetwo stood on opposites sides of the door. Zhuo Jia Shuo was leaning against thedoor frame, his legs crossed and posture relaxed. But Zhuo Xiang Ming stoodupright, his hands naturally hanging by the sides of his body. His suit wastaken off, and he only wore a thin shirt. His muscles were a little hidden, hisshoulders broad and his waist narrow. Together with his frequently unsmiling face,he looked solemn even in home clothes.

After a short silence, Zhuo Jia Shuo said: “I asked him when youguys would get divorced.”

Zhuo Xiang Ming: “Don’t try it again.”

ZhuoJia Shuo pursed his lower lip, saying unapologetically: “You think I bulliedhim? How? Why did you guys get married? Everyone knows why, so what’s wrongwith me asking?”

Zhuo XiangMing turned to look at him. At the start, Zhuo Jia Shuo returned his look, butnot long after, he looked away, his jaw tight and his breathing short, hischest undulating.

Seeing him like this, Zhuo Xiang Ming also stopped oppressing him withpheromones, sighing, he said, “Your problem with Tong Yang has nothing todo with my marriage with Tong Yan. You should figure it out yourself, if youcontinue this way, you’ll only make yourself unhappy.”

Zhuo Jia Shuo wanted to retort, but Zhuo Xiang Ming said, “How mucholder are you than Tong Yan? If we weren’t married, and we met on the street asstrangers, it wouldn’t be strange if he called us uncles. As an elder, you knowthat he’s sick, and he’s uncomfortable with pheromones. You couldn’t stand theway I oppressed you just now, is there anything wrong with doing this to him,think about that.”

“Wait!“Zhuo Jia Shuo frowned, “When did I ……?”

Hehad no hostility towards Tong Yan. He just saw how he obediently followed afterZhuo Xiang Ming, even consciously or unconsciously acting spoiled, andconstantly calling out ‘brother’, and how Zhuo Xiang Ming always had a smilefor him, but was always very polite yet taciturn to others. Plus, he was Tong Yang’syounger brother, he couldn’t help but want to constantly tease him.

Zhuo Jia Shuo tried to remember, when they were talking, maybe heunintentionally released an unfriendly concentration of pheromones … but itwasn’t deliberate.

ZhuoJia Shuo: “I didn’t do it on purpose … Is he all right?”

“I know.” Zhuo Xiang Ming glancedat him, “If something went wrong, would you still be standing here watchingchickens?”

Thetwo of them were not lacking in fights, or more accurately, Zhuo Jia Shuo wasnot lacking in losing fights to Zhuo Xiang Ming.

As a child, Zhuo Xiang Ming was very reserved. He didn’t visit them often,and when he did, he was very cold, like he was looking down on them. Zhuo JiaShuo was also despicable, when he saw this, he felt ruthless, and wanted toprovoke him even more. But once Zhuo Xiang Ming was pissed off, he made him suffer.He had fists and pheromones to his advantage. In short, they didn’t meet often,and most of their meetings didn’t end well.

Zhuo Jia Shuo shuddered hopelessly.

Thekitchen was behind them. Zhuo Jia Shuo went in to find two cans of beer in therefrigerator, and handed one of them to Zhuo Xiang Ming. Zhuo Xiang Ming tookit but didn’t drink. Zhuo Jia Shuo looked at him, and Zhuo Xiang Ming said: “Ihave to go up soon.”

Theimplication was that he was afraid of stimulating Tong Yan.

“… It’s just a can of beer.” Zhuo Jia Shuo said, “We’re the sameomega, but I’m not so blessed.”

ZhuoXiang Ming said naturally: “He’s still young.”

ZhuoJia Shuo: “Don’t tell me, you don’t even drink at home?”

Zhuo Xiang Ming declined to comment.

Zhuo Jia Shuo was even more surprised: “What about smoking? I thoughtyou were a bit strange recently … Did you quit smoking?”

Zhuo Xiang Ming said impatiently: “He’s not only sensitive topheromones, every irritant affects him.”

” …”

Zhuo Jia Shuo took a few sips of beer and said, depressed: “When I waseighteen, why didn’t mother send me to be a child bride? Sixteen is fine too. Iwas also pretty developed at fourteen.”

This shameless remark went unanswered, so Zhuo Jia Shuo kicked Zhuo XiangMing’s shoes: “What the hell, brother? Do you have a son or a wife? But… to me, it looks like Tong Yan doesn’t have that desire. Seems like hereally thinks of you as a brother. How do you feel about that? Heart-broken?”

“Ah, I know!” Zhuo Jia Shuo squeezed his beer can until it caved in,“Did that little brat get anxious because of my questions? Wow … Then he’salso interested in you, right? You don’t have to show off, you already look soproud of yourself, no need to swagger around with his scent all over your body…”

Zhuo Xiang Ming stuffed the cold beer can back into Zhuo Jia Shuo’shand, then turned to go upstairs, leaving behind some meaningful words: “Ifyou learn to control your mouth, your and Tong Yang’s situation will get ahundred times better. Perhaps you guys would’ve gotten married three years ago,and I’d have a nephew by now.”

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T/N:

Chicken –lit.translation. But I think he’s implying something else. I know chicken is slangfor a prostitute, but since there’s a box of chickens in front of them, I’llgive ZJS the benefit of the doubt.

To celebrate her story going VIP, the authormade chapter 24 3x as long as a regular chapter, so it’s in parts.