My Husband is a Younger 'Cool Dog' - Chapter 4

Because he was young and healthy, Jiang Ling had mostly recovered after a night of rest despite falling into the water the previous day. However, he had not slept well and felt somewhat listless.

After being woken up by Old Master Bai, he stepped out of his room with dark circles under his eyes. Fortunately, his black-framed glasses had not broken when he fell into the lake, as they served well to hide his fatigue. As for his father, Jiang Qicheng had rushed back the previous night, claiming there was urgent business to handle at the company.

“A-Ling, how did you sleep last night?”

Jiang Ling nodded blankly. “It was fine. I am just a bit unfamiliar with the bed.”

In reality, his mind had been racing all night with a single question: should he run or stay? His left and right brain had been fighting a war with no clear victor. If he ran away, his current persona would collapse. His grandfather’s perfectly well-behaved grandson would vanish, replaced by a “Bai Zhao” plus version. The old man was elderly and had underlying health issues; he could not handle that kind of shock. But if he stayed, would he really have to transfer schools? What about his brothers back home? And most importantly, how was he supposed to face that man, Huo Junnian?

Thinking about it gave Jiang Ling a headache, and he could not help but sigh. At that moment, he felt a warm touch on his forehead. He looked up and met Old Master Bai’s clouded eyes.

“Why are you sighing at such a young age? Your eyebrows are twisted so tightly they look like they are fighting.”

“Grandfather, I am just thinking about things.”

“Is it very troubling?”

Jiang Ling nodded.

“Then do not think about it for now. Let us eat breakfast first. You can think slowly after eating, and if you still cannot figure it out, then think about it tomorrow.”

Jiang Ling forced a smile to please the old man. “Okay, I will stop thinking. Nothing is more important than a meal.”

Old Master Bai looked at Jiang Ling’s obedient manner and smiled, patting him on the head. “At your age, you should be happy. Play however you want and do not worry about things you cannot solve yet. Go out and play today; staying home all day is boring.”

Jiang Ling suddenly thought of Bai Zhao, who was currently grounded despite desperately wanting to leave. “If my cousin hears you say that, he will start a fuss again.”

Old Master Bai snorted coldly. “He runs wild every day like a forest monkey. He needs to be locked up for a few days to settle his heart. You are different from him; you are much better behaved.”

Jiang Ling felt a pang of guilt. He was not actually that much better. “What if I am not well-behaved? What if I love to play even more than Bai Zhao?” he asked tentatively.

“A-Ling, if you are not well-behaved, does that mean you are no longer my grandson?”

Jiang Ling was stunned. After walking a short distance, Old Master Bai noticed Jiang Ling had not followed. “Why are you standing there? Hurry up and follow me for breakfast.”

“I am coming!” Jiang Ling followed immediately, his smile becoming more genuine.

After breakfast, Old Master Bai took Jiang Ling to his room alone. “A-Ling, come here.”

Jiang Ling obeyed, and suddenly a heavy red envelope was pressed into his hand. He reflexively tried to refuse. “Grandfather, I have money. You do not need to give me.”

“Yours is yours, and this is from me,” Old Master Bai interrupted. “I have not given you much over the years. You were caught in the crossfire of the grudge between your father and me. Take this money so I can feel less guilty.”

After a moment of silence, Jiang Ling replied, “Alright, I will accept it.”

Only then did a smile appear on the old man’s face. “Now go out and play. Your Uncle Huo is already here to pick you up.”

“To pick me up?” Jiang Ling was dumbfounded. “How come I did not know?”

“Do not keep him waiting.”

Jiang Ling’s phone vibrated, and the screen lit up with several unread messages. The most recent one was from the contact he had added yesterday. Huo Junnian’s profile picture was of a quiet river shimmering under the light, reflecting a tranquil and profound atmosphere that matched his personality perfectly. The earliest message had been sent an hour ago: “A-Ling, we are going out to play today. I am waiting for you at the gate.”

Jiang Ling’s finger hovered over the screen for a few seconds before he typed: “Okay, I am coming.”

There were also two unread messages from his father, who had transferred ten thousand yuan and told him to be obedient. “This is your pocket money for these few days. Once you start school properly.” Jiang Ling frowned and exited the chat before finishing the sentence. He knew what his father meant. He wanted him to stay in line. He did not accept the money. He could earn his own living now and would not starve. He had survived much harder times without a penny in his pocket, so he could afford to be stubborn.

As soon as Jiang Ling stepped outside, he saw a Maybach parked by the gate. He stood there for a moment, feeling a strange nervousness. Soon, he saw the man inside the car waving at him. Jiang Ling took a deep breath and walked over. Avoiding things was not his style. He opened the door and sat in the passenger seat.

Immediately, he caught a faint woody scent, like cedar mixed with something else, crisp and refreshing. Because they were going out for leisure, Huo Junnian was dressed less formally today in a simple white shirt and light-colored jeans. He looked less somber and more relaxed. With his ageless face, he looked like a recent college graduate. Sitting together, they did not look like they belonged to different generations, but rather like brothers with a small age gap.

“Good morning, A-Ling.” Huo Junnian looked at him, observing that he seemed more energetic than yesterday.

“Good morning, Uncle Huo.” Meeting again after many years without anyone else around made Jiang Ling feel a complex mix of apprehension, tension, and a tiny spark of excitement.

“Are you feeling better today?”

“Much better.”

“Why did you suddenly decide to take me out?” Jiang Ling asked, swallowing the words “invite me” at the last second.

“It is true that I did not discuss this with you beforehand, which was poor planning on my part. My schedule has been tight, and I happened to be free today. It was too late last night, so I did not want to call and disturb your rest,” Huo Junnian said with a gentle smile. “But mostly, I just wanted to take A-Ling out to have some fun.”

The man was natural, humorous, and approachable. However, Jiang Ling was not used to this level of closeness. His fingers curled at his side, and he pursed his lips. “Thank you, Uncle Huo.”

Huo Junnian raised an eyebrow slightly but said nothing more, only reminding him softly, “A-Ling, we are heading out. Remember your seatbelt.”

As the car drove off, the interior fell silent. Jiang Ling felt a sense of relief, though he noticed he acted differently around this man. He sat upright and remained tense. After all these years, perhaps he wanted to present a different version of himself, matching his current persona: obedient and sensible.

After a while, Huo Junnian glanced at the quiet youth. “Is there anywhere you want to go, A-Ling?”

“I do not know. Do you have a plan for today, Uncle Huo?”

“I do,” Huo Junnian said. “But I do not know if it will be to your liking.”

Soon, they arrived at their destination. Before even entering, Jiang Ling recognized the surroundings and felt a surge of surprise. He had not expected Huo Junnian to take him to a racing track. How did he know he liked racing? Even his father did not know about this hobby. He gave the man a surprised look before quickly averting his gaze.

“We are here.”

They both stepped out of the car. Huo Junnian explained, “You probably have not been to City A’s international circuit. It was built recently and has hosted several international races. There is no race today, but a team is practicing, so I brought you here to play.”

They entered the inner field and went to the spectator stands. Aside from them, the place was empty. Jiang Ling was naturally drawn to the cars on the track. Several racing cars zoomed past, the sound of tires screeching against the asphalt was music to his ears. After watching for a while, the cars came to a stop.

“If you like it, you can give it a try.”

The suggestion was incredibly tempting. However, because he was so happy, he overcompensated by trying to keep his expression neutral. “That might not be good. Would it not be dangerous?” He did not want to seem too excited in front of Huo Junnian. Ordinarily, any teenager would show surprise or curiosity, but Jiang Ling’s lack of reaction was almost unnatural.

Huo Junnian noticed this. He studied Jiang Ling’s face, but the large glasses blocked his view. Still, he caught a hint of interest in the boy’s subtle movements. He smiled meaningfully. “It is fine. There are professional coaches and it is very safe. Let us go down and take a look.”

Jiang Ling nodded with restraint. He followed Huo Junnian to the pit room, where staff were maintaining a car.

“Hello, President Huo.”

As staff members greeted Huo Junnian, he turned to Jiang Ling. “I am going to speak with them for a moment. Wait for me here.”

Jiang Ling was happy to comply. The moment the man turned away, his eyes lit up as he stared at the racing cars. Huo Junnian was keen enough to notice the change. Although the boy was acting well, to an old fox of the business world, Jiang Ling’s clumsy disguise was actually quite cute.

When Huo Junnian returned, he saw the youth peeking around curiously. “You can look around, no need to be so stiff.” He then introduced a man in a racing suit. “Want to experience it? This is Coach Chen. You can ride in the passenger seat for a lap so the trip isn’t wasted.”

Jiang Ling worried that agreeing too fast would make him seem desperate. After three or four seconds, he said, “Uncle Huo, I thought about it. You are right; it would be a waste not to try.”

Huo Junnian smiled. “Then go ahead.”

Jiang Ling soon returned wearing a racing suit. “Uncle Huo, I am ready.”

Huo Junnian looked up, and a flash of admiration crossed his eyes. The youth had taken off his glasses, revealing a delicate face. The red racing suit perfectly outlined his excellent proportions, broad shoulders, narrow waist, and long legs. He looked completely different from before: cool and handsome.

“A-Ling, this suit suits you very well. You look very handsome.”

At the compliment, Jiang Ling’s heart skipped a beat as he met those deep, charming peach blossom eyes. He looked away awkwardly, then worried he was being too obvious, so he looked back down at his toes. Despite his efforts, the blush on his cheeks was impossible to hide. Huo Junnian watched the boy who turned red just from one sentence and thought he was quite the shy child.

Jiang Ling practically fled to the passenger seat of the car to escape the man’s gaze. As the car started, the massive G-force made him forget his embarrassment. Usually, such an impact makes people dizzy, but Jiang Ling felt nothing but pure excitement. When the lap ended, they returned to the station.

Huo Junnian was waiting, but when the youth did not get out immediately, he walked over with concern. “A-Ling, are you alright?”

Jiang Ling, still caught in the rush of speed and passion, blurted out, “That was so exciting!” It felt amazing. He wanted to do it again. But as he turned and met Huo Junnian’s warm, smiling eyes, he froze.

He quickly suppressed his smile and squeezed out an awkward grin. “I was a bit scared.”

“That is normal,” Huo Junnian comforted him. “The first time is always a bit overwhelming.”

“Do you have a driver’s license, A-Ling?”

Jiang Ling had planned to get one this year, but being dragged to City A had ruined that. “Not yet.”

“When do you plan to get one? After the college entrance exam is a good time.”

“We will see.”

Huo Junnian then looked at the boy’s legs. “I heard from your father that your leg was injured. How is it now? Any lingering effects? I know some experts if you need a checkup.”

Jiang Ling broke into a cold sweat. “Thank you for your concern, but it is not necessary. The doctor said it is perfectly fine and recovered well.”

Noticing the sweat on the boy’s forehead, Huo Junnian asked, “Are you tired? Do you want to rest for a bit?”

“Okay.”

By the time they finished resting, it was already noon. “Are you hungry, A-Ling? Let us go eat.”

On the way to the restaurant, Huo Junnian asked, “Did you like the arrangement today? I remember when you were little, you loved the movie Speed and Passion and said you wanted to be a racer when you grew up, so I brought you here.”

Jiang Ling was stunned. He had not expected the man to remember things he had said as a child. He remembered the movie they watched together and a dream he had mentioned in passing. Jiang Ling’s high spirits suddenly plummeted. He could not describe the feeling; it was like drinking a large can of soda and having bubbles constantly popping in his chest. It felt sour and swollen.

“Thank you for the arrangement. It was very thoughtful and wonderful. I appreciate it, but,” Jiang Ling paused, his eyelashes trembling. “But people change. I do not like it that much anymore.”

Huo Junnian arched an eyebrow in surprise but said nothing.

They arrived at a famous local restaurant. Inside the private room, Huo Junnian looked at the menu. “I remember you liked spicy food as a child?”

Jiang Ling stiffened, feeling the man’s gaze. “I did like it when I was little, but I eat it less now. A person’s tastes cannot stay the same forever, right, Uncle Huo?” And he could not be the same as he was when he was little.

Huo Junnian was taken aback for a moment, then a smile broke across his face. “Then what flavors does A-Ling like now?”

Jiang Ling picked at his fingernails and looked down. “Sweet things, I suppose.”

Huo Junnian nodded and closed the menu. “It seems A-Ling has changed a lot over the years. You are right; what one likes as a child is not necessarily what one likes as an adult. I should not use the childhood version of you as a benchmark for who you are now. We can talk about your current interests later. I am very curious.”

Jiang Ling’s heart pounded. He hardly dared to look the man in the eye. After a while, he coughed and said with a red face, “Actually, there is not much to notice. Only some hobbies are different.”

“Then what do you like now? So I can plan ahead for the next time we go out.”

“Next time?” Jiang Ling’s breath hitched. They were going out again? Under Huo Junnian’s serious gaze, he had no choice but to make up a few things on the spot.

Finally, the day ended. By the time they returned to the x, it was late at night. The Maybach stopped at the gate, and Jiang Ling let out a sigh of relief. The day had not been physically exhausting, but maintaining the act was draining. He felt as if his facial muscles had frozen.

“Thank you for today, Uncle Huo. I had a great time,” Jiang Ling said politely, preparing to say goodbye.

Huo Junnian sat silently, half of his handsome face hidden in the shadows. Under the dim light, he looked almost otherworldly. Jiang Ling felt the man watching him with a gaze that felt heavy and pressuring. He swallowed nervously and felt a sudden urge to run.

“Uncle, goodbye!” He grabbed the door handle, wanting to jump out.

Huo Junnian narrowed his eyes, a faint, unreadable smile playing on his lips. The next second, he grabbed Jiang Ling’s wrist. The warmth from the man’s palm made Jiang Ling’s scalp tingle, and he froze in place.

The man’s voice, sexy and slightly hoarse, whispered in his ear.

“Since you had a good time today, A-Ling, do you still hate me?”

Jiang Ling turned into stone. He remembered those words all too well. He had said them himself years ago:

“Huo Junnian, I hate you! Let us end our friendship. I never want to see you again!”

Support My Husband is a Younger ‘Cool Dog’