Chapter 44

The sleep thatnight was very peaceful. Tong Yan woke up early in the morning, he couldn’topen his eyes or move his body. He felt that the quilt was still very hot, heatcoming from all directions, he was being embraced– Zhuo Xiang Ming hadn’t left.

The days in thedeep of winter were already very bright. Usually, at this time, even if Zhuo XiangMing hadn’t left the house, he should’ve cleaned himself up and gotten Tong Yanup for breakfast.

”Zhuo XiangMing.” Tong Yan still couldn’t open his eyes, struggling to feel out Zhuo XiangMing’s face, patting, “Late to work.”

Zhuo Xiang Mingtilted his head to kiss his wrist, hugging him full on: “Not goinganywhere this morning.”

Tong Yan was veryhappy to hear this: “Why ah?”

”Why not?”Zhuo Xiang Ming kissed him aimlessly, “I’m taking a vacation.”

But Boss Zhuo, whowas on vacation, couldn’t sleep any longer, because he was roused out of bed byTong Yan. Staying at Zhuo Xiang Ming’s parents’ house, Tong Yan felt embarrassedto linger in bed. But Zhuo Xiang Ming wasn’t dissatisfied, because the two ofthem were squeezed into the small bathroom, and Tong Yan even sat on the countertop to help him shave.

”It smellsgood.” Tong Yan sniffed Zhuo Xiang Ming’s shaving foam, “I want totry it too.”

Zhuo Xiang Ming strokedhis smooth face: “Where will you shave? Eyebrows? You can shave your eyelashes,they’re too long.”

Tong Yan rolled hiseyes a little, pretending to kindly hold up a towel to wipe the droplets on hisjaw, but in reality, he used great force. But when Zhuo Xiang Ming cried out inpain, he couldn’t be ruthless anymore, switching to wiping it gently.

It was not yet eighto’clock, the two were waiting in the small living room. It didn’t take long forLin Yue Hua and Zhuo ZhengDe to come downstairs. Tong Yan didn’t know if the pinchmarks he’d left on Zhuo Xiang Ming’s face were noticeable, sitting like awell-behaved child, saying good morning to Lin Yue Hua.

After exchanging afew words, Lin Yue Hua called Zhuo Xiang Ming to the kitchen. Recently, TongYan realized that the ‘calling to the kitchen’ event wasn’t really about tastetesting. Lin Yue Hua just wanted to say something to Zhuo Xiang Ming. He’d figuredthis out by himself, so he felt like he’d gained a bit of life wisdom.

Taste testing andlooking at something were about equivalent to a private chat.

Zhuo ZhengDe had alsoslipped away to somewhere, so only Tong Yan was left in the small living room.He automatically changed his sitting posture, reclining bonelessly.

A chandelier hungdirectly above the sofa, Tong Yan was so bored that he started counting thenumber of small light bulbs in each circle. When he’d counted up to half, ZhuoJia Shuo’s face appeared above him.

”Good morning,Uncle.” Tong Yan said listlessly.

Zhuo Jia Shuolooked at him meaningfully: “So fatigued? Aiya, you’re still young, let mybrother take a break.”

Currently, Tong Yan’sbrain was moving sluggishly, so he didn’t get his meaning immediately, choosingto ignore him. But Zhuo Jia Shuo was probably also bored to death, because he pokedTong Yan and said again: “I’m really quite curious, you two, hmm …”

Tong Yan asked unhurriedly:“Who two?”

Zhuo Jia Shuo acknowledgedthat he and Tong Yan were both omegas, moreover, Tong Yan was even married.There was no taboo topic in this regard, so he shamelessly asked, “You and mybrother duh, you guys have such different physiques, can you keep up?”

”Pervert!”Tong Yan abruptly said, “I’m telling my husband.”

He got up and bumpedinto Zhuo Xiang Ming as he was walking over: “What’s going on?”

Tong Yan hugged hisarm and looked back at Zhuo Jia Shuo. Zhuo Xiang Ming immediately frowned:“I told you not to bully him.”

Zhuo Jia Shuo was relyingon him for help, so he was temporarily very cooperative: “I got it, and I wasn’tbullying him. What did mom say?”

”Still mostly outof the question, but it’s not as impossible as last night.” Zhuo XiangMing said, “I’ve said everything I can, the rest is up to you.”

”Ay.”Zhuo Jia Shuo sighed, this time, he was the one who slumped into the sofa.

After that, theatmosphere at the breakfast table also wasn’t very good. Strangely, Lin Yue Hualooked deeply bothered, having no mood to chat with Tong Yan.

Tong Yan was also troubled,a little grateful that Zhuo Xiang Ming hadn’t gone to work.

It may be because theyhaven’t been married for long, but he really couldn’t consider this place hishome. Ordinarily, he wouldn’t choose to come here without Zhuo Xiang Ming. Athome, when Zhuo Xiang Ming wasn’t happy, he would coax him. Although thosetimes were very few, almost none. But here, when someone was unhappy, he alsofelt discomfort, it was very difficult to remain in this environment.

After breakfast,they got ready to go back home. It seemed that Zhuo Xiang Ming wasn’t concernedwith the gloomy atmosphere in the family, not planning to stay behind to resolveit.

Tong Yan stood bythe door, Zhuo Xiang Ming was helping him tie up his scarf. For the first time,Lin Yue Hua didn’t try to persuade Tong Yan to stay longer. Holding Tong Yan’shand, she said to Zhuo Xiang Ming: “Drive safe, take good care of TongTong.”

Zhuo Xiang Ming:“I know.”

Lin Yue Hua said toTong Yan: “Come over whenever you’re bored.”

Tong Yan promised:“I’ll come in three days to pick strawberries.”

Yesterday, Lin YueHua told him that the strawberries in the greenhouse would be ready to eat inthree days. They were currently half red, when they were ready, they would certainlybe big and sweet.

Lin Yue Hua lookeddown and pursed her lips in a smile, but when she raised her head, the smilewas still very broad, as if Tong Yan had told her a joke: “OK, I’ll preserveit for you.”

It was somewhat odd,but Tong Yan was unable to say where it was odd.

As soon as they gotinto the car, Tong Yan took out the key to the aircraft and showed it to Zhuo XiangMing: “Look, mom and Zhuo Jia Shuo sent me a present. I forgot to tell youabout it yesterday.”

Zhuo Xiang Mingglanced at the key: “Is it an aircraft?”

Tong Yan hummed, lookingdown to fiddle with the square-shaped card.

”When will itbe delivered?” Zhuo Xiang Ming asked, “How big?”

Tong Yan:“Zhuo Jia Shuo said it would be delivered last night, it should be parkedon the roof of our house … I don’t know how big it is, he didn’t tellme.”

Zhuo Xiang Ming took the key and carefullyexamined it, saying: “It should be the type with a small bedroom, a recentmodel. The holder doesn’t need a flight permit, since the safety degree of its self-drivingmode surpassed 95% of professional pilots … Actually, I also have one I was planningto gift you, but it’s not completed yet. Do you like it?”

”I’ve neverthought about buying something like this before.” Tong Yan said, “I like it, Ican try taking a nap in the sky sometime. Is this a wedding gift?”

Zhuo Xiang Mingthought about it: “It should be called a Gai Kou Fei.”

”Oh.” TongYan said, “Then, my dad should also give you a gift, right?”

Zhuo Xiang Ming:“I’ve already gotten the gift.”

Tong Yan didn’tknow: “What was it?”

Zhuo Xiang Ming justlooked at him, Tong Yan asked again: “What did he give you?”

Zhuo Xiang Ming:“You.”

Tong Yan blushed,trying to change the subject: “What did you and mom talk about justnow?”

After asking this,he added: “You don’t have to tell me if it’s a secret.”

Zhuo Xiang Ming explainedthe matter about Zhuo Jia Shuo and Tong Yang to Tong Yan. Tong Yan wasn’t particularlysurprised: “Are they getting married soon?”

Zhuo Xiang Ming:“Let’s see what the elders decide.”

Tong Yan asked:“Is mom opposed?”

Zhuo Xiang Ming:“It’s not really opposition, it’s most likely the suddenness of it… mymom always thought that Zhuo Jia Shuo wasn’t seriously seeing anyone. They probablyplanned to matchmake him in a few years, but now, not only does he have apartner, he even wants to get married. Moreover…”

Zhuo Xiang Mingpaused, Tong Yan knew what he’d planned to say next: “It’s to my brother…”

This relationship wasvery complicated, most people wouldn’t want to deal with it.

Tong Yan turned tolook out the window. Opposite him was the ShiZhong Canal, whichhad just finished construction. After being lit up, the water became a gorgeousmulti-colored river. It was a cascade of colors, deep and shallow, verybeautiful.

He stared at it fora while. Zhuo Xiang Ming drove very slowly, but no matter how slowly he drove, theystill eventually drove past it. Tong Yan shifted his attention to the birdsflying across the horizon.

Zhuo Xiang Ming lookedat his lost in thought expression, finding it adorable. He was obviously verythin, but his cheeks were a bit pouty, and his lips were a very light red. Girlsoften suspected that he was wearing lip balm, but Zhuo Xiang Ming didn’tunderstand this explanation. At this, he recalled the sight of Tong Yan raisinghis head and coughing last night, and his lower body had an untimely reaction.He coughed.

”What’swrong?” Tong Yan looked back and asked, “Cold?”

Zhuo Xiang Ming coughedagain, saying, “It’s nothing.”

Tong Yan turnedaround and sat facing him: “I was thinking just now, it’s fortunate we gotmarried first.”

Zhuo Xiang Ming:“Huh?”

”Think aboutit, if my brother and your brother got married first, then wouldn’t we be theones troubled right now? This outcome is best, we just need to watch a play.”Tong Yan hugged his arm, adopting a play watching pose. Zhuo Xiang Ming smiled,ruffling his hair: “You’re also pretty bad.”

Tong Yan laughedwith him.

When they enteredthe house, Tong Yan felt that something was different. He looked around, thennoticed a few sphere-shaped things on the ceiling and walls, metal, silvercolored.

”What’s this?”Tong Yan stared at them for a while, but didn’t recognize what it was.

”What do youthink it looks like?” Zhuo Xiang Ming replied.

Tong Yan lookedagain, then said: “It looks like the aromatherapy machine in my house. Butwhy did you install so many?”

Zhuo Xiang Ming:“Close enough.”

Tong Yan still wantedto examine, but Zhuo Xiang Ming grabbed his hand and said: “Don’t you wantto go take a look at your aircraft?”

At this, Tong Yan remembered.He was still very concerned, following Zhuo Xiang Ming to the backyard and up tothe roof of the small building nearby.

A dark-gray, standardcircular aircraft with a metallic-gloss was parked there, “Property of TY”was inscribed on the lower right corner of the cabin door. Tong Yan walked alap around the vehicle, Zhuo Xiang Ming taught him how to open the door and inputidentification information. There were some basic decorations inside, most of whatremained required him to install his favorite style. Zhuo Xiang Ming followedbehind him, listening to Tong Yan’s requests.

In the afternoon,Zhuo Xiang Ming still didn’t go to work. Tong Yan didn’t say anything, but he lookedvery happy. He hung out with Zhuo Xiang Ming. Xuan Gui, who was beside them,failed to find a sense of existence many times.

Tong Yan’s powerstation was already complete. He’d made it with Zhuo Jia Shuo yesterday. Heinstalled the power station, but didn’t dare press the on switch, insisting onmaking Zhuo Xiang Ming press it. Zhuo Xiang Ming pressed it, Tong Yan held hisbreath and stared. Two seconds later, the lights in the Xicheng Districtgradually turned on, and one fifth of his Phantom City came to life. Even Zhuo XiangMing let out a sigh of relief, hugging the cheering Tong Yan.

”Aren’t I awesome?”Tong Yan said, “The stuff inside is very complicated.”

Zhuo Xiang Ming:“Very awesome.”

Tong Yan blinked, thenprinted two kisses on his lips: “You also did a good job.”

But Zhuo Xiang Mingdidn’t know what his contribution was, pressing the on switch?

”Is it really okay to not go to the company today?” Tong Yan asked again, “It also seems like no one’s looking for you.”

Usually, even athome, Zhuo Xiang Ming would be sending and receiving emails, and answering afew phone calls.

Suddenly, Zhuo XiangMing’s smile dropped, his expression very serious: “Yes, I won’t go in forthe next two weeks.”

”Ah?” TongYan looked back, “Two weeks?”

Tong Yan was sitting on his heels in front of Zhuo Xiang Ming, his face a little red because of the excitement just now. His eyes were sparkling, very attractive, very beautiful.

Zhuo Xiang Ming recalledhow he and Tong Yan stood in front of the dressing mirror in the aircraft amoment ago. He had a realization when he saw their reflection in the mirror. He’dalways known that Tong Yan was youthful and beautiful, but he didn’t know thatthere was such a huge contrast when he stood next to Tong Yan.

The vivid youthfulnessof eighteen years old had flown far away from him many years ago. His body andthoughts were long used to wearing adult attire, even his facial expressionswere the same.

Dazed and clever,fresh and old-fashioned, a radiant cape jasmine flower standing beside a cedarwoodtree that had already experienced a severe winter. Thinking of this, his heart hadimmediately given birth to many moods, mixes of guilt and possessiveness.

Zhuo Xiang Ming:“The things installed at home are not aromatherapy machines, but pheromonecollectors.”

Tong Yan opened hismouth slightly, many things flashing through his mind, soon coming to anunderstanding. When marking during estrus, in order to avoid disturbing otherswith the huge concentration of pheromones in the house, a pheromone collector wasnecessary.

But it was commonto install just one or two units, at a glance, their home had at least four orfive.

”Originally, Iwanted to wait until your natural estrus, but I talked to the doctor a few times.He thought it would be safer for you to be marked during an estrus incited by analpha.” Zhuo Xiang Ming shifted closer to Tong Yan, “A forced estrus ismore intense, but because I’ll be directing the marking process, I can feelmore confidence. Tong Tong …”

Tong Yan asked:“Did you tell mom about it?”

Zhuo Xiang Mingfroze, he hadn’t expected this to be the first question he asked:“Yes.”

Tong Yan was dazedfor a moment, then he leaned into his embrace, saying in a low voice, “I getit, why else would mom laugh when I said that I’ll come over to pickstrawberries in three days. Why are you like this? How else can I pickthem?”

”Do you knowwhat we’re discussing right now?” Zhuo Xiang Ming felt affectionate and amused,looking down to pinch his pouty cheeks, “Can we not tell anybody when we won’tbe leaving the house for so long? Your father also knows. There are manystrawberry plants out there, I’ll definitely find a place to bring you to pick them.”

Tong Yan continuedwith the irrelevant chatter. Zhuo Xiang Ming sensed that he was nervous, but healso knew that he was just nervous, not opposed. The two chatted quietly for awhile, then Tong Yan suddenly said: “T-then…” He pulled Zhuo Xiang Ming’s handto his stomach, his face buried in Zhuo Xiang Ming’s shoulder socket, not allowinghim to look at his face. His voice was almost inaudible, “If it’s not duringestrus, the reproductive cavity, can it be opened?”

If the reproductivecavity doesn’t open, how could it be called ‘marking’? Zhuo Xiang Ming strokedhis back, kissing his ear very dotingly: “Yes, we’re not in a hurry, takeyour time.”

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T/N:

Uncle- TongTongcalls ZJS ‘Xiao Shu’ again, which means both ‘brother-in-law’ and ‘uncle’.Since it’s not something he usually calls him, I assumed he was teasing him again.

Gai Kou Fei- No English equivalent sorry. Definition: a gift of money given byparents on both sides after a wedding, to their new daughter-in-law orson-in-law. Funnily enough, it translates to bribing your son/daughter-in-lawto call you mom/dad.

ShiZhong Canal- ShiZhong translates to ‘weightlessness’ and ‘canal’was originally river. Idk if ShiZhong is the name of the canal or somethingelse, so I left it in. Artificial rivers aren’t really a thing, especially inthe middle of a city, and they’re usually called canals. So, there you go.

reproductive cavity- 生殖腔, lit. translation. I feel like translating it to womb, but idk.Maybe I’ll make TongTong say womb and ZXM say reproductive cavity, since thatfits their personalities.

FOD vol 3 is completely re-translated. Go read it. It took a lot of hard work. I felt like smashing my keyboard every time I saw an idiom. Which was often.