Stop Eyeing My Pretty Caretaker - Chapter 10

Chapter 10

While moving, Jian Chen experienced two major shocks today.

First, he had a vague idea that Yesting might be quite wealthy. After all, his military rank seemed very high, and during their first meeting, Yesting had booked out the entire restaurant.

But he hadn’t expected Yesting to be this rich.

Jian Chen stood in front of Yesting’s luxury mansion, gripping his suitcase. The hand holding the handle trembled slightly. He felt the strange illusion that he was “marrying into a wealthy family while bringing a child along.” After a few moments of mental chaos, he began moving his things.

His husband was handsome and rich—could he really be blamed for that? He muttered to himself: This was state-allocated. State-allocated.

Jian Chen convinced himself, cast aside his psychological pressure, and officially moved in.

Dundun finally had his own room here, no longer forced to sleep in a cramped corner of a small house. His habitat was connected to the courtyard behind the mansion. The worry Jian Chen previously had about the cub having nowhere to climb trees as he grew up was finally resolved.

Sucking on a fruit candy given to him by the Vice Executive, Jian Chen wandered through the two-story duplex villa.

He familiarized himself with the layout of the kitchen and bathrooms. Yesting’s bedroom was on the second floor; Jian Chen guessed Yesting would likely refuse to share a bed and would instead give him his own room. Thus, while getting to know the new home, Jian Chen picked out a room he liked best.

It was also on the second floor, close to Dundun’s room, and faced the sunrise. If he opened the window, he could smell the fresh scent of greenery. Jian Chen left the room reluctantly, planning to ask for Yesting’s permission tomorrow.

The man’s home was overall very spacious. Though fully furnished, Jian Chen suspected that if he shouted upstairs, it would produce an echo. The decor was a cool, minimalist style that suited Yesting’s temperament perfectly, but it lacked a “lived-in” feel—it looked more like a place where an AI or a robot would live.

Jian Chen’s second surprise…

Was that the person who said he wouldn’t be home all night suddenly returned.

After the sound of the key in the lock, Yesting returned from the night, locking eyes with Jian Chen who was sitting on the living room sofa. They stared at each other.

The air felt a bit frozen.

Jian Chen’s face was bathed in the warm glow of the lamps. Stunned for a moment, he spoke first: “Did you forget something?”

To his surprise, Yesting’s gaze lingered on the young man for a moment. He replied with a faint “No,” and began taking off his coat and changing his shoes.

Jian Chen: “?”

What’s going on?

Moreover, he realized that Yesting didn’t seem to be planning a brief stay tonight. Based on the fact that the man had changed into loungewear, it seemed he intended to spend his wedding night peacefully at home.

Clutching his book, Jian Chen blinked. He was actually quite happy. After all, the wedding had just ended today. If Yesting stayed out all night, it really would have felt like being “left in an empty bridal chamber.”

Being new to the place, he was somewhat unfamiliar with the house. If Yesting was there—even if they didn’t talk much—at least there was someone with him. After all, the villa was just too empty.

While Yesting was showering, Jian Chen went to Dundun’s room to take his temperature and weigh him. The sleeping red panda stretched lazily after being woken up, letting out a small, spoiled whimper. With his paws tucked behind his ears, he presented a truly indolent sleeping posture to his “little papa.”

Jian Chen couldn’t help but smile. After taking the temperature, he gently lowered the cub’s paws. He looked around—good heavens, Dundun’s room was larger than his own old bedroom. It was ridiculous.

At the same time, Dundun’s room was set to a robot-nanny mode. If the red panda made the slightest movement, Jian Chen’s watch would automatically receive a signal and play a real-time video feed of the room.

Realizing Yesting had arranged this made Jian Chen feel a bit incredulous. Later, when he asked Yesting about it, the man stated that it had been set up by Vice Executive Yu.

Jian Chen: Fine. He was overthinking again.

After finishing his tasks, Jian Chen went downstairs to continue reading in the living room. Yesting’s bookshelf was massive—enough to keep him occupied for decades.

Passing by Yesting’s study, he saw the man had already showered and was sitting in front of a terminal. It seemed he had moved his work from the military headquarters to the house. A faint blue glow projected onto the man’s face, highlighting his handsome, cold features. Droplets of water still clung to his hair as he continued to work.

Jian Chen swallowed. His gaze involuntarily fell on Yesting’s lips. The man’s lips were pale, much like the man himself—cool and distant, without much texture, but the lines were beautiful, carrying a certain “forbidden” charm.

They were also… soft.

As for how Jian Chen knew they were soft, that went back to the wedding earlier today. After exchanging rings, a kiss was inevitable.

Whether with a man or a woman, it was Jian Chen’s first time. When he was kissed, the unfamiliar and unprecedented sensation made his hand tremble slightly. Fortunately, the man didn’t seem to notice.

Just thinking back on it made his head feel like it was steaming. Jian Chen quickly looked away and walked downstairs without glancing back.

That night, the two did not disturb each other. One was on the second floor, the other downstairs. It was absolute silence, and the atmosphere was quite harmonious. Though, it didn’t feel like a “wedding night” at all.

Jian Chen finished about a third of the book, rubbed his eyes, and gave a long stretch. He checked the clock: 11:00 PM. Time for bed.

He glanced toward the second floor. The door to Yesting’s study was half-ajar, letting out a sliver of light. Working until now Jian Chen sighed. His husband was truly busy. He couldn’t even rest on his wedding night; the life of a “working man” had no soul. Jian Chen felt a deep sense of sympathy.

Jian Chen walked to the second floor and started hesitating about which room to enter. But after thinking for a while, no matter which one he chose, he needed to ask for Yesting’s opinion.

So, at the half-open door of Yesting’s study, Jian Chen knocked lightly and just peeked his head in. The man started, looking up at Jian Chen.

Fearing he might interrupt the man’s work, Jian Chen kept his voice very soft: “Yesting, I’m going to sleep.”

The man’s fingertips visibly paused. If it wasn’t Jian Chen’s imagination, Yesting seemed to show a flash of surprise at having his train of thought interrupted. He slowly let out a “Hm,” then said, “Okay.”

Jian Chen nodded but didn’t withdraw his head immediately. Instead, he asked softly, “Which bathroom should I use?”

There was one bathroom on the first floor and one on the second. The first floor was for guests, while the second should belong to Yesting. Jian Chen wasn’t sure which category he fell into.

Yesting tapped the edge of the desk lightly, his voice a bit husky: “Use mine.”

“Okay.”

Jian Chen felt his heart racing. He hesitated before asking the next question he was unsure of: “…Um, can I sleep in your room?”

The man’s eyebrows paused.

Jian Chen read that expression it seemed to mean, “Where else did you think you were going to sleep?”

Yesting’s lips moved slightly as he said deeply, “Of course.”

Jian Chen nodded again: “Okay, you keep working. I’m going to shower.”

Yesting didn’t speak. He watched Jian Chen’s peeking head pull away. The small section of light that had been blocked by the youth returned to the floor, reflecting a faint glow.

Yesting raised his hand, staring at the veins on the back of it. The pale blue veins were slowly returning to the normal light green of a human. If he went back to the room now, Jian Chen probably wouldn’t notice anything.

Although Yesting’s terminal was on, it remained stuck on the first page: Risk Assessment for New Class Anti-Matter Cannons. Beside it was the table of contents. He hadn’t absorbed a single thing all night.

At this moment, after being injected with the reagent, Yesting’s senses were more acute than ever. He could hear the mist brushing against the glass, Dundun yawning lazily in the next room, the faint sound of pages turning downstairs, and Jian Chen’s calm, light breathing.

After his shower, Jian Chen dried his hair with a towel. The towel was his own, as were the toothbrush and pajamas. After changing, Jian Chen hung his towel next to Yesting’s and placed his toothbrush cup right beside the man’s.

His face turned a bit red after hanging them up. Seeing everything start to come in pairs meant that he and Yesting were truly living together.

All of this had happened in just six days.

Jian Chen had been a “good kid” since he was small—never standing out, never starting trouble, not even a picky eater let alone a flash marriage. Right now, he truly felt he had done something “big.”

Not knowing when Yesting would return, Jian Chen felt drowsy. He turned off the main light, leaving only a small lamp on the nightstand. The warm light dyed the room in a beautiful glow.

Unsure which side Yesting preferred, Jian Chen hesitated, then lifted the covers on the side near the wardrobe and lay down. He figured if Yesting got up early to change clothes, he could sit on the edge of the bed without Jian Chen being in the way.

Once settled, Jian Chen’s eyes became too heavy to keep open.

Late into the night, the bedroom door opened.

Jian Chen’s eyelashes fluttered. He felt one side of the bed sink, and a strange, slightly cool aura seeped into the bedding. Jian Chen opened his eyes slightly and shivered from the chill.

Yesting’s voice soon rang out: “Cold?”

Jian Chen unconsciously rubbed his pajama sleeves to generate heat. Having been woken up, his voice was soft: “Um a little.”

Yesting paused in the darkness. Jian Chen felt the man get up and leave the bed. Shortly after, the sound of water came from the bathroom.

Jian Chen opened one eye, vaguely seeing the fog on the frosted glass. Yesting… he didn’t go to take a hot shower, did he?

Jian Chen woke up a bit more, and the brief conversation became clearer. Did the man go to shower just because he said he was cold?

A few minutes later, Yesting stepped out of the bathroom, his body and hair slightly damp with mist. He didn’t get back into bed immediately but left the bedroom instead. Jian Chen propped himself up, looking in the direction Yesting had gone, feeling confused.

Soon, he heard the sound of a hair dryer. Jian Chen lay back down, now completely awake.

After a while, the man returned to the bedroom, lifted the covers, and lay down. This time, his body was warm, his breath was warm, and even his clothes radiated a cozy heat. Perhaps it was Jian Chen’s imagination, but he felt his own face begin to burn.

Yesting might be more suited to being a lover than I imagined.

Jian Chen didn’t know what to say. Since Yesting didn’t speak either, he simply closed his eyes and pretended to be asleep. The last small lamp was turned off. The night grew quiet.

Jian Chen lay there with his eyes closed, his thoughts wandering. Yesting’s side was very quiet; he was likely asleep. After lying in one position for a long time, Jian Chen wondered if he should roll over now that Yesting was deep in sleep.

So, he turned.

Then, the man’s voice spoke: “Can’t sleep?”

Jian Chen whispered, “Sorry, did I wake you?”

Yesting’s voice paused, sounding even more magnetic in the dark as he said slowly, “I wasn’t sleeping.”

“Oh…” Jian Chen replied softly.

Since neither of them could sleep, what should a newlywed couple sharing a bed talk about? Jian Chen searched his mind rapidly, but he truly had no experience in this area.

“Why can’t you sleep?” It was Yesting’s voice.

Jian Chen thought for a moment. He couldn’t exactly say Yesting had woken him up with the cold, so he circled around the truth: “Maybe because of the wedding.”

It was normal. Most couples would be too excited to sleep on their wedding night. If Jian Chen was one of them, it wouldn’t be strange.

Yesting: “I’m sorry.”

Jian Chen: “?”

Yesting paused, then continued: “Before kissing you, I should have asked for your permission.”

Jian Chen’s face turned bright red instantly. That kind of thing really doesn’t need my permission!

But thinking back, Yesting really did pay attention to that. Even before hugging him for the first time, he would ask for his opinion. It was a huge plus. Jian Chen felt both embarrassed and touched by the sense of happiness Yesting’s habits provided it was a contradiction.

His voice was a bit stuttered as he tried to smooth out his words: “It’s okay. You don’t have to ask my opinion for every single thing. After all, it’s a marital obligation.”

Jian Chen added, “You can do whatever you want with me.”

“…”

The moment he said it, he felt something was extremely wrong—especially that last sentence.

Jian Chen pursed his lips, the redness spreading all the way to the back of his ears. The atmosphere truly went silent. Yesting didn’t speak. It was so quiet they could hear each other’s light breathing and heartbeats. The darkness felt infinite.

“Jian Chen, today wasn’t an obligation,” Yesting’s voice suddenly said.

Not an obligation.

Jian Chen mulled over that phrase, feeling like he didn’t quite understand, and unsure if he should understand. After all, Yesting always gave off a “don’t touch me” vibe.

Jian Chen waited a while. Until it seemed Yesting might have fallen asleep, Jian Chen turned slightly toward him, his voice very light: “Can I ask something?”

Yesting’s voice was deep: “Hm?”

The question seemed difficult to voice. Jian Chen paused, organizing his words for a long time: “If it’s not an obligation… then… does that mean we don’t have to ‘do it’ (sex)?”

When he said those words, Jian Chen felt like his face was going to burn through. But since they were sharing a bed, some things had to be clarified. They were adults, Jian Chen reminded himself; sexual behavior is a normal part of human development, nothing to be ashamed of.

Besides, it seemed Yesting didn’t really need it. He himself was a man; normally, people might not be able to “go through with it” with him. And since they both married for the sake of the panda, asking this was perfectly logical.

…

In the darkness, they couldn’t see each other’s expressions, but Yesting’s breathing seemed to change:

“We do.”

Jian Chen’s heart leaped. It was an unexpected answer. His neck felt hot as he suddenly became incoherent: “Okay.”

He licked his lips, thought for a moment, and followed up: “Then today? Or in the future?”

“…”

In the darkness, all senses and time were infinitely stretched and magnified.

Yesting said, “Now.”