SITPOL Chapter 55

 (M) Chapter 55 - Trip to Lijiang (Extra 3, Part 7)

Novel Title: 一生之计在于春 (Spring is the Plan of Life)

Author：御小凡 (Yu Xiaofan)

Translator: K (@kin0monogatari)

Protagonists: 姚锦夕 (Yao Jinxi -MC), 吴洋 (Wu Yang -ML)

*Please read at knoxt.space, the original site of translation. TQ*

֍֍֍

Wang Juan looked back and forth at the two men standing side by side. Only then did she notice that although they weren't holding hands or holding each other, they were standing very close. It displayed an intimate atmosphere.

She finally reacted. A look of embarrassment, akin to being wounded, flashed across her face. "Oh... uh... that's nice. Well, you guys enjoy your stroll. We'll head off first."

Yao Jinxi watched as she nervously took Zhou Ling's hand and walked away. Along the way, Wang Juan accidentally glanced back, only to find Yao Jinxi still looking at them. Startled, she quickly turned her head back and hastened her pace, blending into the crowd of tourists.

Wu Yang didn't rush to say a word. He only finally casually asked, "What were you looking at?"

"Don’t overthink. I just think being young is indeed quite good." They have the ability to easily develop feelings for a stranger. Such emotions were both fleeting and adorable. They were even inexplicably precious. It softened Yao Jinxi's heart. As if sensing his thoughts, Wu Yang reached out and took his hand. He gently shook it. "You're still young, too."

Not young enough to fall into any passionate love at that age again. Have I ever fall into any passionate love at all?

Feeling the hardness of the ring on the hand that held his, Yao Jinxi increased his grip. It caused a slight pain. But the solid texture warmed his heart.

With this person by his side, he could really understand the feeling of love for a lifetime.

"Let's go back," Yao Jinxi suddenly said. His eyes carried a gentle warmth. Wu Yang smiled, "Sure."

The night sky outside the window was incredibly beautiful due to the multitude of stars. But Yao Jinxi had no extra thoughts to appreciate it. He sat astride Wu Yang's thighs with his sweaty hands unconsciously touching the glass. They then left it and started to circle them around the back of Wu Yang's neck.

Wu Yang lowered his head and sucked on Yao Jinxi’s skin, leaving a bright red spot on his collarbone. He then stretched out his tongue to lick the hickey mark back and forth. The hand around his waist guided Yao Jinxi to press himself down on him so that he could take in his dick deeper into his asshole. Yao Jinxi gasped out a groan from his throat and at the same time, the inner wall of his asshole clenched reflexively. He almost leaned back involuntarily but he was pulled by Wu Yang so that he would lie on top of him. The wet end of Yao Jinxi’s dick touched Wu Yang's firm and tight lower abdomen. It rubbed out a sticky trail of water. The pleasure of the head of the dick being squeezed made him almost out of breath. His dick bounced, driving the two small balls below to twitch.

"I can't do it anymore. I really can't do it anymore..." Yao Jinxi groaned in Wu Yang's ear. But he was not quite sure what he himself had said. His hazy brain only became slightly clearer after the other party's movements stopped: "What are you doing...?" Yao Jinxi asked.

Wu Yang closed his eyes as if savouring something unknown. Meanwhile, he rubbed the side of Yao Jinxi's face with the tip of his nose: "Am I not giving you a rest?"

Yao Jinxi glanced at him blankly.

With a smile that always showed his innocence, Wu Yang no longer hugged Yao Jinxi tightly with his hands. Instead, he let his fingertips slowly trail down along the smooth and moist back. They went down to the bended waist and went further down to the part where they were connected.

Wu Yang knew what the scene was like down there. Yao Jinxi’s asshole was stretched to the extreme and opened up for Wu Yang without reservation.

He found Yao Jinxi's mouth and licked his lower lip wetly. He held it firmly with his own mouth and bit it gently. It was like a polite and erotic knock on the door. So Yao Jinxi parted his lips for him, welcoming his tongue to go straight in and entangled his own with his. He allowed him to suck on it while complaining in unclear words: "Hmm… Can’t you just move?”

Wu Yang didn't answer him. He was concentrating on kissing him. His fingers gently teased along Yao Jinxi’s genitals and the edge of his asshole. The taut skin was quite sensitive. A simple touch there caused a tremor in the person in his arms.

"That's enough… Hey… That's enough..." Yao Jinxi tried his best to make his voice sound less lustful and desperate. But he obviously didn't do a good job. However, Wu Yang didn't seem to hear it at all. He still didn't make any unnecessary movements at all.

Yao Jinxi was so furious that he broke apart from holding on to Wu Yang's neck. He pressed his hands on Wu Yang’s shoulders and pushed him down. Wu Yang fell back obediently and looked at his condescending lover as if he was asking for help: "Have you rested enough?"

Because of this movement, half of his dick slipped out from Yao Jinxi’s asshole

"You're so damn..." Yao Jinxi was forced to grit his teeth due to the wild desires in his body. There was an itch under his skin. And the itching was driving him crazy.

He bent one of his legs and put his hand on Wu Yang’s thigh for support. He then sat down on Wu Yang’s dick himself to the bottom without leaving any room and started moving by himself without stopping.

The sweet friction and the impact on the prostate raised the pleasure to a new level. It was a kind of lust that was completely controlled by himself. Yao Jinxi moaned lengthily and closed his eyes. He was completely indulged in it.

Wu Yang's dick was sticky and hard. From the angle where he was lying down on, he could see how closely his dick was connected with Yao Jinxi, constantly moving in and out. He groaned and sat up suddenly. He pulled Yao Jinxi, whose legs had been weak for a long time, and easily turned him over. He then thrusted his dick deep into his asshole.

He plunged his dick so deep into Yao Jinxi, leaving no gap between them. It made Yao Jinxi feel the limit of pleasure that was so intense that it almost felt painful. Yao Jinxi felt that he could ejaculate just like that.

He could feel Wu Yang slowly pumping his waist to go deeper. But he couldn't really swallow more of his dick. However, the slight stimulation of the friction of the pubic hair felt on his asshole made his entire body tremble. The electric current that could sting the skin rose from his lower body to his brain. Yao Jinxi cried unconsciously.

Wu Yang was finally willing to drag out his dick slowly, bit by bit. It was done so slowly that every vein in his body could leave long-lasting traces in his lover's body. The sweet satisfaction brought by squeezing and dragging at the most sensitive place burned the nerves of the two of them. Wu Yang lowered his head and panted. He found Yao Jinxi's hands and pressed them down tightly on both sides of his head. Yao Jinxi laid obediently and weakly under him, with no gaps between the hot and sweaty skin. He spread his legs while trembling and relaxing his muscles just to welcome Wu Yang in.

This action crushed Wu Yang's self-control like a dead leaf. He gave up his patience and thrusted his dick all the way back in and started moving quickly. The sound of body contact echoed in the darkness, illuminated by the stars. Wu Yang leaned down and kissed all the skin he could touch hungrily. He tasted the salty smell of sweat and the sweetness of his lover, filling all his senses and making everything go out of control.

Yao Jinxi kissed him back clumsily, licking his ears and sucking on his earlobes. Finally, Wu Yang turned his head and kissed him back desperately.

There was no skill in this kiss. It was just about passion and affection. They were almost suffocated by the kiss. Wu Yang thrusted in and out as hard as he could. The place where they joined seemed to be able to burst into flames. Yao Jinxi was mumbling something incoherently. It was meaningless though. Nothing makes sense now, except for the overlapping waves of pleasure in his body.

Yao Jinxi curled up his toes, which did not help at all to stop the sounds coming out of his mouth. A shiver ran down his spine and the climax that finally reached his head washed over his brain. He was trembling and breathing violently. His fingers were intertwined with Wu Yang’s. They were held so tightly by Wu Yang that it hurt. The afterglow of the orgasm was so long that he began to feel like he was in a trance.

He lost his ability to perceive time. It took him an unknown amount of time to regain his sense of reality. Wu Yang's dick was still in his body. But there was no feeling of swelling or soreness after the ejaculation. Yao Jinxi responded lazily to Wu Yang's kisses and turned his head to the side to look out the window.

He can still vaguely see the red light of the lanterns beside the eaves.

"I think you..." Yao Jinxi felt the warm and sticky moisture from their intertwined fingers. He asked in between the kisses: "Aren’t you particularly excited tonight?" 

"Huh?" Wu Yang let go of his hand. He stretched it down to grasp Yao Jinxi's semi-erect dick again. "Aren't you too?" Before lust enveloped him again, Yao Jinxi vaguely thought that the starry sky outside was so beautiful.

And the night they spent in Lijiang went on for a very long time.

  【THE END】

֍֍֍

*Translator’s Note: I have not proofread my work. Pardon me for any mistakes. I’d have to say that’s the best way to end a story. Salute to the author! Thanks for reading my translation. See you in my other translations soon! -K

֍֍֍

SITPOL Chapter 52

 (M) Chapter 52 - Trip to Lijiang (Extra 3, Part 4)

Novel Title: 一生之计在于春 (Spring is the Plan of Life)

Author：御小凡 (Yu Xiaofan)

Translator: K (@kin0monogatari)

Protagonists: 姚锦夕 (Yao Jinxi -MC), 吴洋 (Wu Yang -ML)

*Please read at knoxt.space, the original site of translation. TQ*

֍֍֍

Yao Jinxi felt a bit nervous due to the slightly fatigued appearance of Wu Yang. It was to the point that for a moment, he even thought and said, "Maybe we shouldn't have come on this trip after all."

"It's normal to be tired. We've been driving for eight straight hours. You look worse than me," Wu Yang shrugged it off. Although he usually paid attention to his health, he didn't constantly worry about it. Being identified as a cancer survivor, he believed it was not beneficial to his physical and mental well-being.

Holding Yao Jinxi's hand under the blanket, he reassured him, "I'm fine, don't worry about it. We're here to have fun."

"Well, I guess I'll be worrying about you for the rest of my life," Yao Jinxi retorted, holding his hand in return. His other hand slipped into the cotton vest, touching the area where the surgical scar was. Although the scar was still visible, it had recovered to the point where the texture was no different from the surrounding skin. "Let's rest for a couple more days before continuing. There's no rush anyway."

"As long as you're happy," Wu Yang's voice suddenly lowered. It almost turned into a whisper. "If you keep touching me like that, you'll be responsible for the consequences."

Yao Jinxi moved back a bit. The low point caused by worry turned into something else at the moment: "Aren't you very tired? Are you still in the mood to think about this?"

Wu Yang, who was lying down, turned slightly to look at him. He closed his distance and got his arm on Yao Jinxi’s pillow. They were so close they almost kissed. Yao Jinxi could feel the smiling corners of Wu Yang’s lips and the moist breath falling on his upper lip.

"You want to check it out?"

Yao Jinxi’s hand that was innocently caressing his stomach moved downwards in circles. Wu Yang had been sick for a while now. Although he had lost his six-pack abs on his lower abdomen at the moment, the muscles were still firm without any soft fat. The texture was tight and it felt really good to the touch.

Yao Jinxi raised his head slightly as he took Wu Yang's lips in his mouth. He inserted his tongue. The mint flavour of toothpaste could be tasted everywhere in his mouth. It was so refreshing that the kiss appeared to be pure.

Kissing has always been their favourite activity, sometimes even more than sex itself. This action is as intimate as the penetration of the genitals. Their mouths and tongues were in sync as they touched while their breaths mingled. Nothing could be more intimate than kissing.

It's like taking ‘I love you’ out of their hearts, delivering it directly from the tip of their tongues to the tip of the other person’s tongue. They used the gentlest method to let the other person swallow the feeling, digest it, understand it, and then integrate it into the body and blood.

Men are really not the kind of animals to talk about their feelings constantly. Even a guy like Wu Yang who showed his love openly with his actions very often rarely says the words out loud. Both he and Yao Jinxi prefer to express themselves through what they do.

Yao Jinxi's hands skillfully took off Wu Yang's underwear. The dick in his hands was not yet fully erect. But it was not limp either.

He kneaded it with just the right amount of force and soon it hardened. The curved shapes and swollen blood vessels were very familiar details for him. The head of the dick began to get wet, lubricating the entire shaft as it slid down.

Wu Yang's hand tightened as he brought their chests close together, deepening the kiss with Yao Jinxi.

Knowing that this was a hint, Yao Jinxi slightly increased the strength of his hand, rubbing the dick repeatedly without too much speed. This caused Wu Yang to feel very impatient, but it could prolong the process of accumulating pleasure. Yao Jinxi could tell from how deeply he was kissed that Wu Yang appreciated his hand working down there.

He deliberately exerted force on the protruding tendons and the small hole at the head of the dick. Yao Jinxi held the sexual organ and stroked it downwards. From time to time, his fingertips gently picked at the exposed small hole at the head.

He heard Wu Yang's soft moan of feeling stimulated. Then, the tongue movements in his mouth became more intense and his lower lip was bitten, which made his scalp numb from the stimulation.

Since all his energy was on his hands, Yao Jinxi couldn't cope with the attack on his mouth. He lost all his position. The saliva which he had no time to swallow slid down the corners of his mouth, immediately bringing with it the coolness of the night contrasting the heat felt from his body.

He noticed that Wu Yang had put a hand on his shoulder, trying to change the posture of the two of them. Yao Jinxi was about to move down obediently when he heard him whisper in his ear: "Turn around. I'll do it for you too." After being stunned for a moment, he understood what he meant. Yao Jinxi, who was already feeling hot all over from being tortured and had a semi-erect dick, then smoothly lifted the blanket and lay down on his side.

The room was dark. But the moon and stars were beautiful. Their faint light fell on the sheets, making the water stains on the surface of the dicks glimmer obscenely.

Yao Jinxi circled the root of his dick with his fingers. He first licked it back and forth along the surface from bottom to top. The aphrodisiac salty and wet taste was on his tongue, stimulating every nerve and causing his blood to rush to the brain and his lower body.

His underwear was also taken off. His dick fell into Wu Yang’s hot and wet mouth, where he was sucked erotically. The hot air was still lingering on his scrotum.

After breathing quickly and comfortably for a few times, Yao Jinxi felt Wu Yang pushing his tongue on the small hole at the head of his dick as he rubbed the tendons on the shaft with his thumb. These sensitive points were accurately attacked, forcing him to let out a small moan. The tingling sensation extended to his scrotum and his entire lower body was trembling.

Taking a deep breath, he took Wu Yang's dick into his mouth bit by bit, until the glans was inserted into his throat. It caused the muscles there to contract uncontrollably.

Wu Yang's movements paused for a second before he started to deepthroat him.

With tears escaping from the corners of his eyes, Yao Jinxi opened his mouth in vain, trying his best to swallow deeper. He was almost out of breath. The same pleasure came from his crotch and his throat spasmed slightly due to the fear of suffocation. Suddenly, his asshole was heavily massaged. Yao Jinxi's eyes turned dark with pleasure as his lower abdomen almost cramped and he ejaculated.

He calmed down for a while and then he came to his senses after being patted on the head. He still had an erected dick in his mouth. Yao Jinxi tightened the walls of his mouth around the shaft of the dick and moved his head back and forth. The sound of water echoed quite clearly in the air.

Wu Yang never deliberately made things difficult for him. He cooperated to reach climax in his mouth.

After swallowing the semen directly like the other person did, Yao Jinxi slowly returned to the pillow and lay down dizzily. Wu Yang pulled the blanket over the two of them and exchanged a deep, moist and hormonal kiss.

"I won't do more..." Yao Jinxi's voice sounded sleepy. He felt like he was able to ignore everything when he wanted so much to sleep. Orgasm was really laborious. He tilted his head and leaned on the pillow, closing his eyes completely this time: "Let’s just go to sleep and don’t do anything anymore.”

Kissing the corners of Yao JInxi’s eyes, Wu Yang put his arm across his waist and whispered, "Good night."

The night before, they didn't set an alarm clock. But it was Yao Jinxi's phone ringtone that woke Wu Yang up. He woke up quickly and took a few steps to the bedside table to look at the phone.

The name on the screen surprised him. He raised his eyebrows questioningly.

Yao Jinchen.

Normally, they would help each other answer calls since there was nothing they couldn't discuss between them. However, this call seemed to exceed Wu Yang's comfort zone.

Not that he couldn't handle it.

But in the end, Wu Yang just silenced the phone and put it back on the table. He decided to ignore it. He looked back at Yao Jinxi, who was always a heavier sleeper than him. Yao Jinxi showed no signs of wanting to wake up.

So, he quietly got dressed and went out to find some food for breakfast.

When Wu Yang returned, he was surprised to find Yao Jinxi awake, wearing long pants and a T-shirt. He was standing on the balcony with a refreshing expression as he gazed outside.

They had chosen a hotel on the Lige Peninsula. They stayed in a room with a view of the lake. The balcony faced Lugu Lake directly and everything between heaven and earth seemed to be veiled in a faint blue mist. The scenery was so serene that even breathing felt lighter.

"At this moment, I feel like all the previous hardships were worthwhile." Yao Jinxi took a deep breath, feeling like his lungs had been thoroughly cleansed. He was in a great mood.

Placing breakfast on the coffee table, Wu Yang walked over to his side. One of his hands propped on the railing while the other naturally wrapped around Yao Jinxi's waist. "Let me take a few pictures of you."

After all, isn't taking photos and capturing memories a big part of travelling? Yao Jinxi eagerly watched as Wu Yang pulled out the unused DSLR camera. The dark lens was pointed towards him.

He wasn't much of a person who likes taking photos. He didn't fancy taking selfies as well. So he suddenly felt a bit nervous. "What pose should I strike for the best shot?"

"Hmm?" Wu Yang, with a professional demeanour while holding the camera, didn't seem like an amateur. His advice sounded quite reasonable too: "Just relax and give me a smile."

Before Yao Jinxi could figure out how to smile perfectly, Wu Yang had already snapped several pictures in rapid succession, completing the task. Yao Jinxi curiously approached to take a look. Against a backdrop of white and blue, his silhouette appeared in total darkness. It was as if he had been cut out of the bright light.

Yao Jinxi: "..."

Wu Yang: "..."

"Do I really look that dark?" Yao Jinxi touched his face as he curled his mouth. He looked at Wu Yang. "Can you actually take photos?"

Wu Yang calmly put away the camera and smiled. "Your phone rang just now. Did you check it?"

Yao Jinxi was successfully distracted by Wu Yang's remark. "Not yet. Did you answer it for me? Who is it?"

As he spoke, he walked toward the coffee table, eyeing a bag of buckwheat pancakes. He pinched one between his fingers, put it in his mouth, and praised the unexpectedly pleasant texture. He wasn't particularly fond of the sweetness that comes with white sugar. But this mix was just right. The bitterness of buckwheat was hardly noticeable and the texture was incredibly soft, disintegrating into a mouthful of wheat fragrance.

After Yao Jinxi finished a few bites, he picked up another one and used his other hand to check his phone. To his surprise, he exclaimed, "Hmm?"

Wu Yang stayed outside, leaning against the railing and continuing to study the parameters of the DSLR camera. Left alone with his thoughts, Yao Jinxi wondered why Yao Jinchen would be calling him.

After the phone call with Nick, Yao Jinxi no longer felt that Yao Jinchen had anything urgent to inform him about. It seemed that the younger brother was still too impulsive. Why would he go crazy to call someone so early in the morning?

"Do you want to call him back?" Wu Yang, taking a few pictures of the scenery outside, experimented with different exposure points to see the right effect on the camera. He didn't want to end up taking more photos of silhouettes when photographing Yao Jinxi later.

Yao Jinxi put down his phone and started to eat the porridge. "No need. Let him have a good chat with Mom first. He can call back when he's free."

Leaning against the balcony door, Wu Yang asked while taking pictures of Yao Jinxi, "Not going to comfort your brother?"

Ignoring what Wu Yang was trying to convey, Yao Jinxi continued to eat. "Comfort him? How old is he now? Besides, he probably doesn't need my comfort anymore, right?"

With an exaggerated sigh, Wu Yang put down the camera. "You haven't met Nick yet, have you? I regret it. I should have answered that call to experience the charm of his voice. Just a few sentences and the likability is already so high."

"Is there vinegar in this pastry?" Yao Jinxi laughed and gave him a side glance. "Moreover, isn't it your analysis too? Mr. Wu, how's the camera going? I left the responsibility to you. We'll have to show the photos you took to Ruonan and the others when we get back."

"When have I ever disappointed you with what I promised?" Wu Yang raised his eyebrows. He had eaten earlier and patiently waited for Yao Jinxi to finish his meal. "Let's go. We still have a long way to go today."

Yesterday, they hadn't paid much attention to the lakes they passed on the way from Lugu Lake Town to the Lige Peninsula. Following the directions of the innkeeper, they took a mountain trail next to the Mani piles and slowly walked to the viewpoint on Lige Island.

The white pagoda in front of the viewpoint was bathed in pale sunlight. The weathered coloured flags hanging on it fluttered in the wind. The faded colours formed an inexplicable sense of purity against the white pagoda.

Yao Jinxi couldn't help but look up. It was rare to see such a clear sky. They couldn’t see such a sky in City C.

As the daylight intensified, the lake water appeared blue and the sky was also blue. But they never seemed to blend together. From a soft blue to a light pigeon grey, it resembled a watercolour painting gradually unfolding. The pig trough boats gently melded into the expanse of sky and water.

Walking in such a place, their emotions oscillated between excitement and tranquillity. They moved at a slow pace, often being overtaken by others. But it didn't matter. They had already understood that walking slowly on the road allowed them to notice the undiscovered scenery that others might miss.

This place is filled with tranquillity and poetic beauty. It made one feel truly content.

Standing by the shallow shore of the Little Waterfall Village, Yao Jinxi suddenly said, "I feel very happy."

Wu Yang didn't speak. But he deeply agreed. Some things are just like that. They don't need to be spoken by wracking your brains. Simply because they exist, they make you feel grateful. You understand that their appearance in front of you, sharing that seemingly eternal beauty in the brief passage of time, is already a tremendous gift.

Some people brought the same feeling. They may not need to do anything specific. But just by being there, they can change the entire course of your life.

֍֍֍

*Translator’s Note: 

“Is there vinegar in this pastry?" 

‘Vinegar’ is used by the Chinese people to point out jealousy because it tasted sour. So, Yao Jinxi was calling Wu Yang out for being jealous when he said this.

I have not proofread my work. Pardon me for any mistakes.

-K

*GLOSSARY: 

1. Mani piles = Mani stones which are intentionally placed along the roadsides and rivers or grouped together to form mounds or cairns or sometimes long walls, as an offering to spirits of place or genius loci. Creating and carving mani stones as devotional or intentional process art is a traditional sadhana of piety to yidam.

2. Lige Peninsula and Lugu Lake = 

3. The island =

Next update: 2023.12.02

֍֍֍

SITPOL Chapter 50

 (M) Chapter 50 - Trip to Lijiang (Extra 3, Part 2)

Novel Title: 一生之计在于春 (Spring is the Plan of Life)

Author：御小凡 (Yu Xiaofan)

Translator: K (@kin0monogatari)

Protagonists: 姚锦夕 (Yao Jinxi -MC), 吴洋 (Wu Yang -ML)

*Please read at knoxt.space, the original site of translation. TQ*

֍֍֍

The endless pile of pleasure finally broke through a certain critical point. Yao Jinxi’s toes curled up and his skin crawled. His intestines were twisted layer by layer by the dick that was going in and out of his body. A white light flashed in front of his eyes as he climaxed. It overwhelmed him continuously for a long time.

When Yao Jinxi recovered from his daze, Wu Yang also ejaculated inside him at about the same time. They had had sex so many times before and this had developed a synchronicity between them.

Yao Jinxi sighed exhaustedly: "Cleaning is so troublesome."

He felt tired after ejaculation. But this tiredness felt good. Wu Yang kissed his sweaty forehead as he said, "Anyway, there's a sheet covering the sofa. I'll wash it."

Yao Jinxi raised the corner of his mouth and declared, "Haven't you always been the one washing it?"

They didn't use condoms this time so their bodies and back were sticky with semen. But Yao Jinxi delayed cleaning: "I'll lie down for a bit longer..."

"Be careful not to get sick," Wu Yang warned. As soon as he spoke, Yao Jinxi turned to the side facing the back of the sofa, presenting his smooth back to Wu Yang. He was making it clear that he didn't want to be disturbed.

Wu Yang, unable to do anything about it, patted Yao Jinxi's head and said, "It'll be your turn after I finish washing."

Hearing Yao Jinxi's perfunctory response, Wu Yang, feeling helpless, turned off the air conditioner for him and went into the bathroom to take a quick shower. After filling the bathtub with hot water, he went out and caught the half-asleep Yao Jinxi. The two of them took a bath together.

A week later, Yao Jinxi's flu finally got better. He and Wu Yang got up early in the morning. Fortunately, it was summer. So the replacement clothes didn't take up much space. They packed everything, including a box of mineral water and pomelo juice, into the trunk.

Last night, the two of them went to the supermarket. Originally, they just thought about the inconvenience of buying things on the way. So they brought some easy-to-carry food for the journey. However, with Yao Jinxi's excited mood, as if they were going on an outing, he accidentally filled up an entire shopping cart.

Wu Yang teased him,”'Are you really that excited?”

Yao Jinxi chuckled a few times as he swiped his card to pay without any stress, “Isn't it a bit hypocritical for someone who specifically bought a camera to call me out?”

Wu Yang: “...”

"Don't be pretentious. Suddenly having an interest? You clearly couldn't even figure out what the focal length was before." Yao Jinxi pushed the cart to the storage platform and stuffed a plastic bag into his arms. "Help me pack."

All five bags of snacks were now piled up on the back seat. Yao Jinxi casually grabbed a matcha-flavoured biscuit and pulled one out. He made a crisp sound as he bit into it. Meanwhile, he gazed at the brightening sky outside. His face was full of interest.

Despite having just crossed the threshold of his thirties, he occasionally still looked like a child. Living a simple life on ordinary days, apart from being even more cheerful and relaxed, Yao Jinxi's personality hadn't changed much compared to when he first met Wu Yang. It seemed like time hadn't left a mark of hardship on his body.

Wu Yang cherished him a lot and was willing to make any effort to maintain this version of him. He used to be so busy, working hard for no reason. That was especially during the severe period of depression when everything seemed meaningless.

Now, Wu Yang is very grateful for his abilities and the efforts he initially made. He managed to allow his loved one to live a relatively relaxed and carefree life without having to worry too much.

"Wanna try one?" Yao Jinxi turned his head and broke apart a green biscuit stick. He held it to Wu Yang's mouth. "The matcha flavour is not bad. It is tastier than chocolate. Should've bought only this."

Wu Yang slightly turned his head and took the biscuit stick in his mouth. He ate it in a few bites. "There are other flavours too. Why not try some more?"

"Good point." Yao Jinxi would eat a few bites of snacks and then chat with Wu Yang to break the monotony of the long, unchanging journey. He intended to keep the driver from dozing off during the seemingly endless road ahead.

As a result, he was the one who dozed off on his own.

When Yao Jinxi woke up, they were already close to the first destination. Seeing Yao Jinxi awake, Wu Yang turned off the air conditioner. He rolled down the window, letting in the cool breeze of Yuecheng in, refreshing them.

"Let's go directly to the hotel. Let's not rush for today." Yao Jinxi leaned closer to Wu Yang, feeling somewhat apologetic. "I should take over driving for a bit."

"It's okay. Driving calmly is more efficient." Wu Yang paid the toll for the highway and continued driving. "I'll take you to a barbecue tonight. It's a local specialty."

This statement smoothly aroused Yao Jinxi's appetite. The snacks he had been eating on the way seemed to disappear from his stomach instantly: “Have you been here before?”

Wu Yang glanced at him distractedly and calmly denied, “I just searched for it on Baidu and found out about it.”

The hotel had been booked by Wu Yang online in advance. It was located next to Qionghai. The girl at the reception with a sweet smile processed their registration. Even when she saw the matching rings on their ring fingers, she didn't show any curiosity about why two adult men only needed a room with a large bed.

She warmly introduced popular attractions nearby and expressed with a bit of regret, saying that if they had come a little earlier, they could have caught the lively Torch Festival.

"Well, next time then. There will be another chance." Wu Yang gracefully expressed his gratitude and led Yao Jinxi out to find something to eat.

As it approached evening, the summer sunlight shimmered on the surface of Qionghai, casting a gentle glow. The evening breeze was just right, brushing against their skin like a lover's hand—warm and tender.

Walking leisurely along the riverbank, Wu Yang and Yao Jinxi discussed the plans for their journey. "Do you want to stay here for a day? Or should we continue driving?"

"Let me take over driving tomorrow," Yao Jinxi indirectly gave his answer. They were just passing through this place and he hadn't really planned to spend much time exploring here.

His phone suddenly rang.

Yao Jinxi took it out and saw Yao Hong's name flashing on the screen, which was quite strange. They had agreed to call Yao Hong later in the evening. But unexpectedly, Yao Hong took the initiative to call them first.

Over the past five years, Yao Hong had aged a bit. While her spirits were still good, her personality was not as stubborn. They could have quite a chat during their phone calls and it was no longer that to-the-point style.

"Mom? We've arrived. Nothing happened on the road. It was a smooth journey." He looked at Wu Yang and smiled when their eyes met. He could hear the sound of cat meows and Yao Hong's gentle voice soothing the cat through the phone. It sounded even softer than when she used to coax him to sleep. He couldn't help but chuckle, "We're about to have dinner now. Mom, don't spoil Xiao Huang too much. You shouldn't raise a cat like a child."

Yao Jinxi could sense that there was something amiss in Yao Hong's words and tone. He found it odd but didn't inquire actively. Instead, he casually continued the conversation, "Tomorrow, we'll be heading to Yunnan. It'll probably take us a day on the road. Yeah, we'll be careful. Okay, got it."

Yao Jinxi's steps paused as he lifted his eyebrows in surprise. Then, a slight frown appeared. "You're saying Jinchen is coming back? At this time? No, he hasn't contacted me. A direct flight tomorrow?"

This was Yao Jinchen's first return to China after going to the United States.

When Yao Jinchen didn't come home for the Chinese New Year the following year he went there, Yao Jinxi had called and argued with him. After that, the two brothers hadn't been in contact.

He did not come home during the Chinese New Year or any holiday, why would he come back now?

"Did he tell you... ah... Does he want us to come back?" Yao Jinxi halted. There was a hesitant expression on his face. Clearly, Yao Hong had given him a negative answer. "I see."

After a few more words, Yao Jinxi hung up the phone. His mind was heavy with thoughts.

"What's wrong? Your brother is coming back? That's unusual," Wu Yang naturally embraced his waist, guiding him to resume their steps. "He wouldn't be coming back just to disturb our trip, would he?"

Yao Jinxi helplessly laughed, saying, "Is it necessary to go to such lengths? He's already a manager over there. Can't he be more mature?"

"If he's not being childish, why hasn't he contacted his family for so long? Why hasn't he come back for the Lunar New Year in so many years?" Wu Yang pointed out with a sharp analysis, "So, I'm really curious. Has he truly come to terms with things? Or is he coming back to strike against me after building up his strength?"

"Oh come on. Do you really have paranoia?" Yao Jinxi couldn't help but laugh at his playful teasing. "He told Mom that he wants to bring someone back to meet the family."

As he spoke, he sighed, "He's already this grown-up. But he still acts without much consideration."

"It looks like there's no planned arrangement." Wu Yang, lost in thought, suddenly chuckled. "Do you think he's bringing back a guy or a girl?"

Bringing someone home openly to introduce them to the family clearly indicated a serious relationship. It was something only someone with Yao Jinchen's erratic personality would do—with no prior information and just bringing them home out of the blue.

Yao Hong mentioned that Yao Jinchen didn't elaborate much, saying everything would be discussed the next day.

"Seriously, how hasn't he grown up at all these years? He always keeps things under wraps. And now he just brings someone home out of the blue."

"I don't know..." A hint of concern appeared between Yao Jinxi's eyebrows. If Yao Jinchen was bringing back a girl, that would be one thing. But what if it was a guy?

Casually strolling alongside, Wu Yang suddenly asked, "If he likes men, does that upset my Godmother?"

"What?" Interrupted from his scattered thoughts, Yao Jinxi looked at him in surprise. "What are you talking about? How is that possible?"

"Yeah, except for yourself, you have no responsibility for anyone else's actions." Wu Yang's hand moved up and embraced his shoulder. There weren't many pedestrians on the road. The people there were only immersed in their own world. No one noticed anything unusual about their interaction. Wu Yang tilted his head and smiled, "So, whether your brother brings back a guy or a girl, you don't need to take responsibility, right?"

Without even saying a word, Yao Jinxi’s thoughts were guessed correctly by Wu Yang. It was the result of spending several years of time together. Yao Jinxi felt as if the dark clouds in his heart had been easily dispersed. He pursed his lips, leaning his head against Wu Yang's shoulder. "I guess I haven't grown up much either."

"It's okay." Wu Yang's throat emitted a light chuckle, saying naturally, "I quite like it that way."

The barbecue place was slightly different from that in City C. The shop owner even offered a somewhat peculiar popcorn. It was not too sweet. It was filled with the original aroma of grains. Yao Jinxi didn't want to eat too much, fearing it would bloat up his stomach.

Wu Yang ordered a grilled fish but most of it ended up in Yao Jinxi's stomach. Their current diet tended to be light. But occasionally, on such events, Yao Jinxi was always willing to eat a bit more, even though he couldn't handle spicy food as well as before.

In the end, his stomach was mostly filled with tea. Now, even walking felt like a clattering symphony of water in his tummy.

Thinking about having to drive the whole day tomorrow, Yao Jinxi rubbed his stomach. "Tomorrow, I'll drink less water... Otherwise, where on the road will there be so many toilets?"

"If you close your eyes and be ignorant," Wu Yang's tone sounded sincere, as if he were earnestly guiding someone towards the right path. "Everywhere is a toilet."

Yao Jinxi: "..."

"Are you really not considering maintaining some semblance of dignity in front of me?" He raised an eyebrow, teasing, "We're approaching 7 years of being together, aren't you worried that your charm has dwindled to the point of being nonexistent?"

Hearing his words, Wu Yang adopted a thoughtful expression. "Why do I feel like my charm should be increasing in your eyes?"

Yao Jinxi was about to mock him for becoming shameless when he heard Wu Yang say with a smile, "Besides, during the time I was lying in the hospital, what kind of state that you never saw me in? Actually, at that time, I was thinking I won't be able to show off in front of you for the rest of my life."

Bringing up that past incident, the anxiety and hardships of that time seemed so far away now. They had settled into memories, becoming an important part of their shared life experiences. Now, every time they thought about it, a bittersweet warmth would surge in their chests.

Regardless of favourable or adverse circumstances, illness or health, admiration or respect, their love remained unwavering.

Yao Jinxi took Wu Yang's hand and chuckled softly, "You're handsome enough, why bother showing off?"

As they had a long journey ahead of them the next day, the two of them didn't do anything excessive that night. They slept pure and soundly. The next morning, they got up early. Yao Jinxi, as usual, waited until Wu Yang woke him up. He reluctantly got out of bed and quickly brushed his teeth with the toothbrush that had already been smeared with toothpaste.

The road from Yuecheng to Lugu Lake was challenging. It was over a hundred kilometres of gravel road. To arrive on the same day, setting out early was a wise choice.

There was a new receptionist at the front desk; another sweet-smiling girl. She recommended a tourist map to them, saying, "The weather is good today. And the road conditions should be better. Wish you a pleasant journey."

֍֍֍

*Translator’s Note: I’m reiterating… Pardon me for any mistakes since I have not proofread this. So, what do you guys think? Will YJC bring home a girl or a guy? -K

*GLOSSARY: 

1. Baidu is Chinese google.

Next update: 2023.11.30

֍֍֍