Stop Eyeing My Pretty Caretaker - Chapter 17

Chapter 17

Jian Chen sat in that mall for two hours.

It wasn’t until the night grew deeper and he saw the supermarket’s little robots beginning to line up for their standby room that he finally stood up and started walking home slowly.

Dun Dun was already asleep, his little panda head tilted to one side with a tiny sliver of his tongue sticking out, his four little paws dangling limply due to gravity.

Jian Chen didn’t really want to go home right now; he didn’t know how to face Yestin.

But he couldn’t act as if he were completely ignorant of the situation either.

He didn’t want to talk about it today. When faced with sudden, jarring events, he usually developed a sort of… escapist mentality.

For instance, when he felt dejected or “sunk,” his first reaction wasn’t to furiously hunt down the source to settle scores, but to find a quiet, undisturbed place and have a good sleep.

Sleep allowed him to briefly forget the pain and increased his threshold for endurance.

Thus, the first thing Jian Chen did upon entering the house was to carefully place Dun Dun into his square sleeping pod.

Afterward, as he passed the man’s study, Yestin paused and asked why he was just getting back.

The light outside the door where Jian Chen stood was dim, hiding him in the intersection of light and shadow, making it difficult to discern his expression.

Jian Chen still answered: “Mhm I went to the supermarket.”

His tone was as usual; the other man shouldn’t be able to hear anything different from his normal state.

Jian Chen thought he would sleep first and then sort everything out with Yestin tomorrow. No matter what the final outcome was, one night wouldn’t make a difference.

Like a turtle, his shell was his last line of defense. Before it was peeled away, he decided to enjoy one last night of peace alone.

So, Jian Chen washed up, brushed his teeth, changed into his pajamas, lifted a corner of the quilt, and lay down right at the edge.

If anyone looked in from the outside, they would see a small, curled-up lump beneath the covers. On a king-sized bed large enough for four people to lie side-by-side with room to spare, he occupied only one-fifth of the space.

Jian Chen was always quiet and unobtrusive when processing his sadness.

Late at night.

With his eyes closed, in the space between wakefulness and sleep, Jian Chen felt the bedroom door slowly open.

This time, Jian Chen hadn’t left the small bedside lamp on for the man.

The bedroom was pitch black; he could only vaguely sense a figure entering.

The figure didn’t turn on the light. Jian Chen felt the mattress behind him dip.

In the next second, the quilt was lifted.

It was the same as every other day.

With a warm, familiar aura, the man slowly drew closer from behind, his presence filling the bedding.

It seemed that ever since they had fulfilled their “marital obligations,” the man had made it a habit to take a hot shower after finishing his official business to ensure he wasn’t carrying the chill of the night before quietly lifting the covers and lying down.

Because of the slight movement, Jian Chen became a bit more awake.

But the youth didn’t want to take any action regarding the current situation. His eyelashes fluttered, and he kept his eyes shut tight, pretending to be asleep.

If he kept pretending, maybe he’d actually fall asleep soon.

“Jian Chen.”

The man’s voice rang out abruptly in the night.

Jian Chen’s eyelids twitched, and he pursed his lips.

He chanted in his mind: I’m not listening, I’m not listening. Don’t pay him any mind.

Don’t respond, don’t speak, keep pretending to sleep. He was facing away from Yestin anyway; the man wouldn’t be able to tell he was awake. Just let him think he was truly asleep.

Having made up his mind, Jian Chen maintained a state of “unshakeable” slumber.

“Why are you pretending to be asleep?”

The man’s voice was deep and seemed much closer.

Jian Chen: “!!?”

Wh-why did he lean in…

And he asked so directly. Well, that was indeed Yestin’s style.

But to avoid notice, Jian Chen hadn’t even moved when stray hairs tickled his neck. How did the man find out?

“Your breathing is different from when you are sleeping.”

The man seemed to see through his confusion.

Jian Chen: “…”

As expected of a military officer; he was incredibly sharp in these matters.

Jian Chen sighed silently.

He didn’t want to confront Yestin about “that matter” yet; at the very least, he wasn’t mentally prepared and hadn’t had time to digest his sadness alone.

“Jian Chen, what’s wrong?”

Yestin didn’t seem inclined to let him off, his voice deep, his movements carefully softened.

If tonight’s incident hadn’t happened, Jian Chen would have thought the man was being earnest—carefully paying attention to his emotions. He might have even been inexplicably touched by it.

Seeing that he didn’t speak, the man paused.

The next moment, a hand rested on Jian Chen’s waist. That hand seemed to want to pull Jian Chen from the edge of the bed toward his chest.

“Don’t.”

Jian Chen suddenly spoke, his voice light and small.

Like a spring that had been compressed for a long time, even the movement was minuscule.

Jian Chen’s lips trembled, and he suddenly felt his voice go a bit choked.

He hesitated for a moment and whispered: “Please don’t touch me, Yestin Cole.”

The man’s movements stopped.

The air fell into a dead silence.

Jian Chen knew he had broken two taboos.

Don’t use the word “please,” and don’t use the man’s full name—these were things Yestin had instructed.

Well, Jian Chen admitted this tiny act of rebellion made him feel a little “cool,” a sense of standing tall.

At the same time, Jian Chen suddenly felt a bit of regret. He still shouldn’t have spoken; now he couldn’t keep pretending to sleep. Although he wasn’t ready to lay his cards on the table, he seemed to have lost the choice.

In this instant, many thoughts popped into Jian Chen’s head.

Regarding property, Jian Chen thought: everything belonged to Yestin, he wanted nothing. Jian Chen could go back to the days of renting with roommates, but… what about Dun Dun’s custody?

The man liked the panda so much; surely he would fight him for it?

Admittedly, Yestin’s villa had a forest in the back where Dun Dun could climb trees at will once he reached adulthood. The house was large enough for Dun Dun to live independently in a room. Logically and practically, the man seemed more suited for custody than he was.

Jian Chen felt his nose turn sour with sadness again.

But before he could speak, suddenly, he felt himself…

Become weightless.

It happened in an instant.

His body, which had been curled up in the blankets, was scooped up in one go.

The quilt slid off his soft pajamas.

Jian Chen’s pupils shrank in shock, and he lost his composure. But like a wild rabbit snatched by a giant eagle, his neck was already held firm by sharp, strong talons; he couldn’t break free at all.

Jian Chen took a light breath and realized he was being held by the man, sitting in his lap.

He instinctively tried to get down, but the hand on his waist was like a branding iron, leaving him unable to move an inch.

Realizing he couldn’t change the current situation, Jian Chen felt he was the most pathetic victim of betrayal in the world.

orz

He wasn’t necessarily at an advantage in an argument, let alone a fight. And now, great his personal freedom was being restricted.

Seeing that he couldn’t get down, Jian Chen stopped struggling.

He realized his arms had accidentally climbed around the man’s neck during the panic of being lifted, and he quickly lowered them.

Yestin noticed Jian Chen’s movement and was slightly taken aback.

Even the man himself didn’t realize that he seemed to have developed an emotion akin to panic.

Jian Chen was avoiding his touch, telling him not to touch him, and now, he wouldn’t even look at him. His head was lowered, hair falling between his brows, showing not a shred of expression.

Then, he saw that Jian Chen’s jaw was a bit wet.

A teardrop slid down the youth’s cheek, trailing to the corner of his jaw, gathering into a drop before falling onto Jian Chen’s pajamas.

It vanished instantly.

“…”

Yestin’s pupils slowly constricted.

After a moment, that surprise slowly faded.

In its place was a visible, gradual cooling, eventually turning into an unmistakable ferocity hidden within his gray-gold eyes.

“Jian Chen, why are you crying?”

The man’s voice was a statement deep, concise, and sharp.

“Who made you cry?”

When those words rang in his ears, Jian Chen instinctively shivered.

It wasn’t anything else but the aura Yestin was giving off heavy and cold, as if the air itself had solidified.

It was as if… he was angry because Jian Chen was crying.

It was a chilling kind of anger.

Jian Chen was also a bit shaken by this unfamiliar aura.

But then he thought: What am I afraid of?

The one in the wrong was Yestin; he couldn’t be intimidated.

Face him head-on!

Jian Chen gritted his teeth and suddenly asked: “Don’t you already have a family?”

“Why did you marry me?”

“I saw it today. You were with a very beautiful lady, walking out of the mall hand-in-hand.”

“…”

The air was quiet.

The man seemed to freeze, not speaking for a long time.

Jian Chen, who was waiting for an explanation or a flat-out confession, saw that Yestin remained silent. After ten seconds, his heart turned cold.

The man was… silently admitting it.

Poor Jian Chen.

Poor Dun Dun.

But after a while, Jian Chen felt something was off.

Yestin, who rarely showed any expression or mood, seemed to be…

Letting a trace of a smile show while holding him.

But it stopped quickly, returning to normal.

Jian Chen: “???”

A long time later, the man’s deep, magnetic voice rang out in the darkness:

“Jian Chen, that person… was my mother.”

…

“I told her about our marriage.”

“She wants to meet you tomorrow.”

Before Jian Chen fell asleep, his head was still in a daze.

Yestin didn’t cheat.

And tomorrow… he was going to meet Yestin’s parents?

Although the order was a bit off marrying first and meeting the parents later—then again, his marriage with Yestin had never followed the usual rules.

Jian Chen also finally remembered that he hadn’t seen Yestin’s parents at the wedding either.

Of course, Jian Chen had grown up in an orphanage and had no parents of his own to attend.

He couldn’t help but wonder if the man had refrained from inviting his elders just to be considerate of Jian Chen’s feelings…

Though he wouldn’t have minded that much.

He also wondered if Yestin’s parents would be angry about that.

Jian Chen’s thoughts began to wander, so he patted his head, forcing himself to go to sleep quickly.

Before falling asleep, Jian Chen felt himself being held in someone’s arms through his hazy consciousness.

Christmas Day.

In the early morning, Jian Chen woke up very early.

The man also left early, likely to clear up time for the evening; he would be busier during the day.

Thinking of this, Jian Chen felt a bit of sympathy for Yestin.

Being a Chief isn’t easy.

Having taken a temporary day off from the institute, Jian Chen rarely had a full day of free time.

If it were a normal day, the slow-paced Jian Chen could have a fulfilling day researching new snacks for Dun Dun, accompanying the little merman, or simply staring out the window.

And he wouldn’t feel bored at all.

But this Christmas Eve was a bit different.

He hadn’t had the chance to put up the Christmas decorations he bought last night, and he had to go see the man’s parents in the evening. So Jian Chen found a small stool, took out the Christmas tree stickers, stood on his tiptoes, and pasted them to the top of the floor-to-ceiling windows.

The little robot didn’t need sleep, so it activated early, following behind Jian Chen, stretching its arms to hand him stickers and bells.

Jian Chen patted the robot’s head and said: “Thank you.”

The robot displayed a “blushing.jpg” and replied: “You’re welcome, you’re welcome.”

Jian Chen first decorated some of the more spacious glass in the house with Christmas tree stickers, bells, and Santa’s red hats. Looking down, there were also candy gift boxes piled on one side of the floor.

Sure enough, once the holiday decorations were up, his and Yestin’s villa immediately gained a bit of a “lived-in” feel.

Unlike the usual cold feeling, Jian Chen felt they were only missing a Christmas tree now.

If it were placed by the sofa in the hall, it would definitely permeate the whole home with a thick Christmas atmosphere.

He wondered if the little panda would be interested in the Christmas tree; Jian Chen thought curiously, after all, Dun Dun had an instinct for climbing trees.

Next, Jian Chen found the few bundles of small fireworks he bought last night and secretly stuffed them into his backpack.

He thought that if tonight’s dinner ended early, he could set off a few. Even if the man wasn’t interested, showing them to Dun Dun would definitely make for a memorable night.

After preparing all this, Jian Chen began to “loaf around,” making milk cakes for the little panda and سپس coaxing Dun Dun to sleep.

He also picked out a few types of small fish that Javier loved most and looked up some tutorials. Although he didn’t know if a merman’s taste would be the same as a human’s, the distinction between raw and cooked meat wouldn’t hurt the little merman’s stomach.

If he actually succeeded, maybe Javier would fall for fried or roasted cooked fish.

But Jian Chen didn’t make too much; after all, the little merman was still too small, and changing tastes should be a gradual process.

Unexpectedly, the little merman liked it very much.

He quickly finished off the plate of small fish, wiped his mouth, and looked at Jian Chen a bit shyly.

Jian Chen patted Javier’s head as encouragement.

Having an appetite is a good thing!

Jian Chen was very gratified. After all, before the little merman moved from the institute, he was far too thin; increasing his food intake was appropriate.

Then he picked out two orange fish with high nutritional value and handed them to Javier.

The little merman finished them off quickly.

Jian Chen: “…”

He’s so good.

To have raising a cub be this worry-free—as a temporary guardian, Jian Chen felt he was gratified to the point of having no regrets.

At this moment, Jian Chen heard the sound of the living room door opening.

He glanced down at his watch; it was already that time. It must be Yestin returning.

So he turned to Javier and said: “Uncle is going out for a bit, I’ll be back in about four or five hours. If you’re hungry, find the little robot and point to which fish you want to eat.”

Jian Chen had considered calling himself “Big Brother,” but thinking about it, having a four-month-old cub call him “Big Brother”… Jian Chen felt he shouldn’t be so thick-skinned.

The little merman nodded.

Jian Chen was about to stand up when he suddenly heard behind him… or more accurately, from the bathtub, a very small, weak, but somewhat anxious voice:

“Jian… Jian Chen.”

“??!!!”

Jian Chen realized that after the little merman spoke, he was completely stunned.

Although he had thought before that since Vianne could speak human language, as Vianne’s cub, Javier might also have that ability, in Jian Chen’s mind, the little merman was still too small. Being able to understand simple words was already impressive.

Actually learning human language seemed far off.

And just now, the little merman had spoken his first “human word” since birth.

It was actually his own name.

Beyond the shock, Jian Chen looked at the little merman with a bit of a loss.

He glanced down at his watch: December 26, 2269, 16:30. Javier had learned to speak on this day.

It was truly a day worth commemorating, but Jian Chen was about to head out and could only communicate with the little fellow when he returned.

The bathroom door opened.

Yestin seemingly couldn’t find Jian Chen and eventually came to the bathroom.

Then he saw this scene.

The little merman extended a fair finger and pointed to its forehead.

It looked at Jian Chen, but quickly looked away.

Under Jian Chen’s surprised gaze, a flush slowly spread across that exquisite face.

Jian Chen: “?”

What does he want me to do?

Jian Chen was briefly stunned, then noticed the little merman’s expression.

It couldn’t be… he wants me to kiss his forehead again, right?

Jian Chen smiled helplessly and gently. Earlier he had acted disgusted and jumped back into the water immediately after being kissed.

But as a guardian, no one can refuse a cub’s affection.

Just as he was about to lean over, a large hand suddenly covered his lips.

Jian Chen: “??”

The man’s face was calm, but his body honestly scooped Jian Chen up, leading the youth outside while his voice was deep and cold:

“There’s no time.”

Evening.

Jian Chen and Yestin changed clothes, went out, and got into the car.

Watching the scenery dash past the window, Jian Chen’s heart beat a little fast, and his palms were cold.

It would be a lie to say he wasn’t nervous.

No one is not nervous when meeting their partner’s parents.

It was just that his marriage situation was a bit special.

Yestin’s parents probably didn’t know yet that he and the man had no emotional foundation; more accurately, they had joined together for Dun Dun’s sake.

Jian Chen decided he would perform well tonight and leave a good impression on Yestin’s parents. At the very least, he couldn’t let them question the suitability of the matched marriage.

As for Dun Dun, Jian Chen was very proud and confident. He didn’t need to do anything; as long as he brought the little panda over, Dun Dun would handle the rest on his own!

After all, in this world, no one can refuse a round, chubby panda cub with such peak-tier looks.

After driving for about half an hour, the car stopped in front of a large, high-end restaurant.

The deepening sunset and the night overlapped, painting the sky in warm tones. The building before them had already activated its external lights, illuminating a small section of the night beside the structure.

Jian Chen was indeed a bit surprised.

Because in his mind, buildings like this were either grand hotels or massive shopping malls.

As a restaurant of this caliber, Jian Chen could already vaguely estimate the consumption level.

The two entered the hall. Dun Dun, who had been sound asleep, was startled awake by an exclamation.

“They’re here!! Little Ye’s Dad!”

Startled, Dun Dun kicked his legs.

The little panda, just having woken up, looked at the grand and unfamiliar restaurant lobby, his dark eye circles quivering, at a loss.

Jian Chen also paused, turning toward the sound of the exclamation.

He saw a young-looking couple sitting on a sofa not far away.

Just like the lady he saw last night, the woman was tall and today wore dark, long clothes. She still had black, wavy curls and looked very young, not at all like the man’s mother.

Jian Chen felt embarrassed for the mistake while also thinking that with Yestin having such a young and beautiful mother, it was understandable that he had misidentified her…

As for Yestin’s father, Jian Chen was a bit surprised; he finally knew where Yestin’s aura came from. The man’s looks combined the softness of his mother with the firmness of his father. At the same time, his lips were thin, and the bridge of his nose was deep and superior, which was why he had an unapproachable aura.

“Hello there!” The woman who stood up walked over quickly, introducing herself with a smile: “I’m Christine, Little Ye’s mom.”

Looking up close, Jian Chen realized the distance last night had been a bit far and he hadn’t seen her clearly. Now, he remembered what the man had told him Yestin’s mother did indeed look like a Russian.

With features comparable to a model’s, she had long black hair, but silver strands were growing at the roots. It wasn’t at all jarring; instead, it looked very unique and fashionable.

This confirmed for Jian Chen that Christine’s long black hair was likely… dyed.

As the four of them stood together, Jian Chen realized that Yestin’s parents were also very tall.

It seemed the genes were powerful; even if Christine took off her high heels, she would still be slightly taller than Jian Chen.

Looking at it this way, Jian Chen seemed to be… the shortest one.

Jian Chen took a silent hit to his self-esteem.

He wasn’t tall, but he was still 178cm.

How did he get this feeling… of being a child surrounded by a group of giant elders.

Christine’s gaze landed on Jian Chen, looking him over carefully. The surprise in her eyes was almost impossible to hide as she exclaimed:

“Goodness, Yestin, where did you find this little beauty? How is he so good-looking!”

Jian Chen was a bit choked up, his face turning red instantly. The self-introduction he had prepared was a bit stumbling, his voice light and soft: “…Hello, my name is Jian Chen. I am Yestin’s matched partner. Please… look after me in the future.”

aa Christine suddenly stopped talking.

Jian Chen: “?”

Did… did he say something wrong?

Should he not have introduced himself as a matched partner? Did Yestin’s parents prefer free-choice romance?

Unexpectedly, Christine slowly covered her chest, her voice softening: “How is he so cute?”

Jian Chen: “??”

Christine asked: “Little Ye, can I give him a kiss?”

“No.”

Yestin rejected coldly.

At this moment, the little panda in Jian Chen’s arms suddenly let out a cry.

It drew everyone’s attention.

Christine’s eyes slowly widened. She said in surprise: “Is this our family’s little cub?”

Yestin’s father also looked quite surprised.

Jian Chen nodded. He had gradually gotten used to the reactions of passersby and friends after taking Dun Dun out, but as a national treasure, Dun Dun didn’t have that awareness.

He still often got so scared his legs shook.

That was the case right now.

After all, Yestin’s parents had such strong auras; it was basically Yestin × 2. Adding Yestin himself, it was Yestin × 3.

Where had a little panda ever seen such a scene?

Christine covered her mouth, her heart trembling from the cuteness of the beautiful Dun Dun. She leaned over and looked at the little fellow for a long time before rubbing her hands and making a request: “Chen Chen, can I hold it?”

Jian Chen nodded.

In terms of seniority, Christine and Yestin’s father were Dun Dun’s grandmother and grandfather. Wanting to hold their grandson was perfectly fine.

Except…

As Christine held the panda’s round body and pulled outward, Dun Dun’s four legs tightly gripped Jian Chen’s neck, refusing to let go for dear life.

“…”

It was as if he had returned to the spirit of the time when eight large men couldn’t pull him away.

In the end, it was Yestin who assisted Jian Chen, loosening each paw one by one, before Dun Dun finally left his Little Dad’s embrace.

Dun Dun sat blankly in Christine’s arms, not coming to his senses for quite a while.

Then he began to “ying ying” cry, looking very aggrieved.

Before they sat down, Yestin’s father suddenly moved a small white bag from under the table to the top and untied the tightly knotted string.

Then, silently, he handed it to Jian Chen.

Jian Chen: “?”

Christine said: “Yestin said you like eating candy, so we found all the fruit and milk candies on the market. There should be your favorites in there. Tell Mom and Dad when you find them, and we’ll buy you more.”

Jian Chen: “?!”

How did Yestin say he liked eating candy?

Although he’d have a couple if there was nothing to do,

He really… didn’t like them to this extent!

If he ate all of these, Jian Chen felt he wouldn’t have any teeth left.

And being fed candy like this by his in-laws, Jian Chen felt his self-esteem had taken a tiny hit.

But while he was too embarrassed to refuse, he still accepted them with thanks.

Christine said with a smile: “Let’s eat first, then leave a little room in your stomach so we can cut the cake later.”

Jian Chen: Wait… cake?

Do we eat cake for Christmas?

Christine seemingly saw Jian Chen’s confusion and explained: “Today, you see, is Little Ye’s birthday.”

…

?!

Jian Chen: !!!!

Today is Yestin’s birthday?!

Yestin’s birthday is on Christmas Day? Why didn’t that man show it at all!?

He hadn’t given Yestin any congratulations or signs all day. Even if the man didn’t like celebrating and noise, or refused to wear a birthday hat, he should have at least had a bowl of longevity noodles in the morning.

Jian Chen felt like he had severely… neglected his husband.

So, during the cake-cutting part later, Jian Chen cut a huge piece for the man, filling the plate to the brim.

Yestin: “…”

The man’s gaze slowly fell on Jian Chen, whose ears were beet red. The corners of his lips rose in a microscopic, imperceptible curve.

After seeing off Yestin’s parents, Jian Chen picked up the little panda again and tucked it into his down jacket.

The two came out of the restaurant.

Fortunately, they had brought an insulated box before driving over. Jian Chen untied the panda and put it inside the box to prevent it from being hit by the cold.

By now, it was late at night. A cool breeze brushed past, and the atmosphere of Christmas was everywhere in the streets.

There were even life-sized statues of Santa Claus on the roadside benches.

Small colored lights covered the lawns, shrubs, and various glowing buildings, making the whole street look incredibly warm. Combined with the deep blue sky decorated with stars, it was indescribably beautiful.

Jian Chen wore a light white down jacket, a thick scarf covering his jaw. White steam rose from his lips, and his earlobes were bright red from the cold.

Yestin looked at him for a while, then looked away.

The man paused and suddenly said: “I’m sorry.”

“?”

Jian Chen was startled and asked: “What’s wrong?”

“I should have sought your consent before meeting my parents,” Yestin said calmly.

Jian Chen slowly suppressed the surprise in his heart.

This was indeed Yestin’s way—no matter what it was, he was accustomed to seeking consent before doing it.

Jian Chen wrapped his scarf tighter, feeling his heart beat a bit fast.

“Yesterday was more like an announcement to you,” the man said after a long pause. “You worked hard today.”

Jian Chen pursed his lips and widened his eyes slightly.

“No,” Jian Chen paused and said: “I was very happy to meet your parents.”

“I was also worried they wouldn’t be able to accept that I’m a man.” Jian Chen smiled faintly and said softly: “But today they didn’t seem surprised at all, and they liked Dun Dun very much. It was really… good.”

“Even if you hadn’t arranged it, I would have brought it up myself sooner or later.”

The tips of his hair were blown up slightly by the cold wind. Jian Chen’s fair fingers curled slightly as he pulled down the scarf covering his lips. He paused and said:

“I also want to get to know you a bit better.”

The man pursed his lips and didn’t speak.

At this moment, a blooming sound suddenly erupted in the sky above.

Not far away, someone shouted: “Fireworks!”

Jian Chen looked up at the sound. He saw a huge firework suddenly bloom in the dark night sky, agile light rushing out in order before scattering, instantly illuminating the whole sky.

The pupils of the people on the ground also bloomed with brilliant colors.

Yestin’s attention, however, didn’t seem to be on the fireworks.

Jian Chen suddenly remembered something and quickly jogged to the car, taking a small plastic bag from the back seat.

In another small bag, he found a lighter.

The plastic bag was tossed back into the car, and Jian Chen took out the small fireworks he had bought beforehand about seven or eight of them.

Jian Chen took the lighter and lit them one by one.

The first lit fireworks quickly made a rustling sound, and along with the bright, light color, they illuminated the youth’s face bit by bit.

After lighting two, Jian Chen put away the lighter and began using the ones already lit to touch the remaining unlit ones.

Finally, all the small fireworks were lit.

In the brilliant, small yet grand fireworks, Jian Chen shouted:

“Yestin, happy birthday.”

Twelve seconds later, the fireworks went out one after another, and peace returned.

Jian Chen: “…”

It seems I bought fake fireworks.

Normally, would they go out in twelve seconds?

Black-hearted merchants, cheating people’s feelings!

Jian Chen sighed, feeling a bit of regret.

 But why did Yestin have no reaction all this time?

Was he truly the type who didn’t like celebrating birthdays?

Jian Chen thought they should probably head home soon.

Christmas nights were quite cold.

Jian Chen’s nose bridge slowly let out a breath as he rubbed his hands, which were cold from setting off fireworks. He looked up and asked the man: “Shall we…”

“Jian Chen.”

Yestin interrupted him.

Jian Chen was slightly startled: “Mm?”

Yestin’s voice gained a trace of raspiness—it was still that magnetic, deep voice, and he was still that expressionless man.

He lowered his gaze, the mist from his breath deep and heavy as he said slowly:

“Do you consent to me kissing you?”

Jian Chen’s heart jumped violently; he thought he had misheard:

“What?”

Yestin repeated: “May I kiss you?”

Jian Chen’s face suddenly became burning hot:

“Y-yes.”