《The Complete Guide to the Use and Care of a Personal Assistant》 Chapter 001 The Complete Guide to the Use and Care of a Personal Assistant Translator: Jury Editor: NomNom First Published on Chaleuria ¡ª Chapter One ¡°Damn.¡± The moment the door opened, a sigh sounded over Ji Linxi¡¯s head. He placed his laptop on the bed and laughed, ¡°Dumb cat,1 didn¡¯t find a job again?¡± ¡°Oi, how many times do I have to tell you not to call me dumb cat?!¡± Ling Miao slapped the table and complained, ¡°I¡¯m actually very smart! But you all keep calling me dumb cat all the time, so even if I was smart at first, I¡¯ve become stupid now.¡± Ji Linxi raised his eyes to look at Ling Miao¡¯s melancholy expression, and two words coldly slipped from his lips: ¡°Dumb cat.¡± ¡°Get outta here!¡± Struck by a sudden impulse, Ling Miao grabbed a cup off the table and threw it at Ji Linxi. Ji Linxi moved his head to the side and heard a ¡®thunk¡¯¡ªthe cup had slammed into the ground behind him. ¡°So much anger. Did a relative come by or something?¡± Ji Linxi looked thoughtful. Ling Miao glanced around. Damn, there¡¯s nothing else I can throw in reach. Ji Linxi placed his folded hands on his chest and quietly waited to see what Ling Miao would do next. Ling Miao slammed his hands down onto his laptop¡¯s keyboard and said indignantly, ¡°This company was about to hire me! But then some woman, who isn¡¯t even as qualified as I am, came in and the recruiting person suddenly said, ¡®Sorry¡¯.¡± As if a dam had burst, words poured out of Ling Miao as he told Ji Linxi what had happened at the job fair. The wrinkles in Ji Linxi¡¯s forehead grew deeper and deeper. Eventually, Ling Miao flipped the bird at the ceiling and said, ¡°That stupid pig! It was like I wasn¡¯t even there. When he saw her, his drool almost fell to the ground. She wasn¡¯t even that beautiful, and the layer of makeup on her face could flatten a decent-sized crowd. And that nauseating, cheap perfume that she wore. She¡¯s not as qualified or as skilled as I am¡ªher work isn¡¯t even as good as my first drafts! She just has better fortune in her career than I do! What¡¯s so good about that?! If it¡¯s curves, I have them, too!¡± When Ling Miao finished ranting, Ji Linxi surreptitiously pulled at Ling Miao¡¯s shirt and used it to wipe his face. Then he said disgustedly, ¡°Ling Miao, when you talk, can you not spray people with your spit?¡± ¡°Heh heh, I got upset.¡± Ling Miao smiled in apology and handed him a tissue. ¡°So, in conclusion, you didn¡¯t find a job?¡± Ling Miao nodded, then he suddenly looked at Ji Linxi with a heated gaze. Ji Linxi saw that familiar look and calmly said, ¡°Don¡¯t look at me with that nauseating expression.¡± Ling Miao knew what Ji Linxi meant. He placed both hands against the wall and laid his head against them, then sighed. ¡°Linxi, you¡¯ve got really good luck. Even when you went to interviews, you had good luck with women¡ªno, good luck with men! Regardless. Do you think you have a chance with that department manager of yours?¡± ¡°No chance.¡± While Ling Miao had been talking, Ji Linxi had already opened his laptop back up and was continuing to do his unfinished work. The pattering sound of his typing caused Ling Miao¡¯s thoughts to become even more disorganized. Maybe Ling Miao was too dejected over the events at the hiring fair, but for the rest of the night he could not calm down long enough to write. Looking at a half-written paragraph, Ling Miao could only grimace. ¡°I¡¯m still nine thousand words short for today¡¯s update. My speed right now¡ªit¡¯s looking grim.¡± Ling Miao, one year out of university, ran himself ragged job hunting every day but had met with no success thus far. Aside from being a graduate who could not find a job, he was also a no-name writer of online serial stories. In the year since his graduation, he had scraped by on the little he earned from putting his complete and utter effort into his writing. To Ling Miao, subscribers were more elusive than clouds.2 Ling Miao stared at the ceiling for a while before turning his attention back to his computer. Write ¨C delete ¨C write ¨C delete ¨C write. Ling Miao sank into a hellish never-ending cycle. Compared to the first few thousand words, the last few hundred words usually came quickly. Ling Miao finished today¡¯s update, looked at the time, then heaved a sigh of relief. ¡°Fuck!¡± The one word contained immense resentment, and also a little bit of regret and frustration. Ji Linxi rolled over. Clearly, Ling Miao had woken him. ¡°What are you yelling about?¡± ¡°Fuck this goddamn internet speed!¡± Seeing the time, Ling Miao lowered his voice and grit out through his teeth, ¡°Do you know how much I want to break this router?¡± Ling Miao¡¯s other housemate said: ¡°Ling Miao, calm down. Don¡¯t be reckless. I¡¯m on an important mission. If you break the router, it¡¯ll be you who gets into trouble when you can¡¯t update.¡± The router was just above Ling Miao¡¯s head. If Ling Miao really broke it out of frustration, his other housemates who were watching a video channel on TV and playing a video game, respectively, would be upset about it and not even have anywhere to vent. Their last housemate added, ¡°I mean, I¡¯m video chatting with a babe. If I suddenly go offline, she¡¯ll be sad.¡± ¡°Goddamn it, you sure she can see you in this lighting?¡± Ling Miao swore under his breath, but his eyes remained fixed on his computer monitor. The ¡°00:00¡± was such an eyesore! That¡¯s right, missed it by a minute¡­ no, maybe just by a few seconds, and Ling Miao¡¯s efforts just¡­ like that¡­ Ling Miao really wanted to have a good long cry. One thousand dollars! Every day he worked overtime writing, and every day he wrote and uploaded ten thousand words, and all for what? Wasn¡¯t it all for those one thousand dollars a month? The popular writers easily earned more than ten thousand dollars a month! But Ling Miao survived solely on these one thousand dollars, which he earned with his sweat and tears, and he had not yet found a job. Without these thousand dollars, and without a job, how was he going to survive the next month? [Table of Contents] | [Chaleuria is on Twitter!] Translation notes: [1] Ling Miao¡¯s first name sounds the same as ¡®meow¡¯, so he has the nickname ¡®dumb cat¡¯. [2] clouds, an internet term for lurker. They ¡®float by, and leave no trace that they were there¡¯. Chapter 002 The Complete Guide to the Use and Care of a Personal Assistant Translator: Jury Editor: NomNom First Published on Chaleuria ¡ª Chapter Two ¡°This goddamn internet speed! The upload started at 11:57pm and only finished at midnight. Is there a goddamn conspiracy against me or what?!¡± Ling Miao looked at the router and its flashing green light. Ordinarily, the light was gentle, but now it was blinding to Ling Miao¡¯s eyes. Ji Linxi shook his head. As if to liven up the atmosphere, he joked, ¡°If you wrote a thesis, it should be ¡®On the Importance of Saving Drafts to Doing One¡¯s Best.¡¯¡± ¡°A pity. That wouldn¡¯t earn a penny in our profession.¡± Ling Miao flopped a hand over the side of his bed. Ji Linxi narrowed his eyes at Ling Miao¡¯s hand¡ªLing Miao was flipping him the bird. The moment Ling Miao finished speaking, Ji Linxi heard a ¡®thunk.¡¯ Looking over, he saw that Ling Miao had slammed his laptop shut. ¡°I give up. Bedtime!¡± At the sound of Ling Miao lying down on the upper bunk, Ji Linxi closed his eyes and continued to sleep. Ling Miao, on the hand, was not someone who could fall asleep at will. For a long time Ling Miao did not move. Ji Linxi even thought that Ling Miao had been provoked so much today that his personality had changed, and he was so happy at the thought that his mood relaxed and he prepared to fall into a deep sleep. But then came a laugh so loud it seemed to pierce through the air. ¡°Ha ha!¡± Ling Miao raised his face toward the ceiling and laughed, he even punched the bed twice in agitation. Ji Linxi jumped up from his bed, flustered, and blearily asked, ¡°Ah, an earthquake?¡± Ling Miao laughed and replied, ¡°Nope, nope!¡± Ling Miao¡¯s laughter contained uncontrollable joy. His laughter pelted down on Ji Linxi¡¯s head like a biscuit. Ji Linxi yawned and asked, ¡°Then what¡¯re you so excited about?¡± ¡°I was just reading Shu Yang¡¯s new chapter from yesterday¡­¡± ¡°Get¡ªto¡ªthe¡ªpoint¡ª¡± Ji Linxi drew out every word, exhaustion in his voice. ¡°Shu Yang is hiring a personal assistant!¡± Ling Miao proudly delivered this news as if he had already gotten the position as Shu Yang¡¯s personal assistant. The ¡®Shu Yang¡¯ in question was Ling Miao¡¯s favorite web author. (In other words: Ling Miao was Shu Yang¡¯s die-hard obsessed fan.) Shu Yang¡¯s writing had been being published for five years. He did not have many books, but his first book had already cemented his status as a successful author. In other words, Shu Yang had shot to stardom with his very first book. As for whether Shu Yang had at any point been a no-name writer before he was a successful author, or how many times his books had gone unnoticed¡ªthese things were all secrets hidden beneath his halo. Shu Yang was a very low-key personality. There was basically no information about him, aside from details related to his novels and related matters, online. Photos and such were even rarer. Four years ago, Ling Miao had joined a premium readers group of Shu Yang¡¯s novels. According to the group¡¯s leader, Shu Yang was also in the group, but had never spoken or participated in any events related to his works. It was as if Shu Yang refused to interact with his readers anywhere besides on his microblog, WeChat¡¯s public forums, and the comments sections of his books. People had wanted to doxx Shu Yang before, but all of his information was too vague. Shu Yang¡¯s fans also opposed all attempts to invade his privacy, and Shu Yang himself issued a warning against it. So, the motivation for ¡®doxxing Shu Yang¡¯ had gradually vanished. Three years ago, the online publisher of Shu Yang¡¯s novels had invited Shu Yang to participate in an authors¡¯ gala. Many people had hoped to catch a glimpse of Shu Yang at the gala, but regrettably, Shu Yang had not attended. As a result, Shu Yang became one of the most mysterious figures among successful web novelists. There was a lot of speculation surrounding Shu Yang¡¯s unwillingness to reveal his face, and the one Ling Miao thought was the most plausible was: Shu Yang himself believed that he looked ugly. However, so as not to disappoint his fans, he chose to leave them to their fantasies. Ji Linxi had already guessed Ling Miao¡¯s intentions from his words. Ji Linxi asked, ¡°You¡¯re going to apply?¡± ¡°Why not?¡± Ling Miao¡¯s tone held great confidence and Ji Linxi could not resist dumping cold water on his enthusiasm. ¡°Shu Yang has so many fans. Are you sure about your chances? I think you¡¯ll have a problem even getting an interview.¡± ¡°Hey, do you really have to jinx your bro like that?¡± Ling Miao said flippantly. Ji Linxi rolled over and warned: ¡°I¡¯m going to sleep. If you disturb me again, there will be consequences.¡± Ling Miao closed his mouth and did not respond. He was opening his laptop. Only after turning in the application to Mu Yu¡¯s inbox did Ling Miao fall asleep. Mu Yu was Shu Yang¡¯s editor, and also Ling Miao¡¯s editor. For the next few days, Ling Miao did not set foot outside his door. Aside from eating and writing, he kept refreshing his inbox. Every time, he would hit F5 with anticipation then tab out into his word document with disappointment. Ling Miao looked at his word document and thought: I answered every question on the application completely sincerely. If I don¡¯t make it, that¡¯s fine. But there isn¡¯t even a reply? Even when I send a manuscript that gets shot down I¡¯ll get an email telling me it¡¯s been rejected! At night, when Ji Linxi returned to their rented apartment, Ling Miao was slumped over on his desk and was sighing as he continuously refreshed his microblog. Ji Linxi said expressionlessly, ¡°Told you that you might not make the first cut¡­¡± ¡°Ha ha!¡± Ji Linxi was cut off by Ling Miao¡¯s shout. Ling Miao pointed at his computer screen and said excitedly, ¡°Linxi, I got a reply from Mu Yu. He¡¯s letting me into the interview group!¡± Ji Linxi was speechless. He inhaled sharply then slapped Ling Miao¡¯s head. ¡°Go write your words.¡± ¡°I¡¯m in a very good mood today and I don¡¯t want to write.¡± Ling Miao hummed as he joined the group Mu Yu had sent him an invitation for and clicked into Shu Yang¡¯s novel. Chapter 003 The Complete Guide to the Use and Care of a Personal Assistant Translator: Jury Editor: NomNom First Published on Chaleuria ¡ªl Chapter Three The notice of acceptance arrived quickly. Ling Miao finished reading Mu Yu¡¯s message, then punched the bed and began to laugh. ¡°Ji Linxi, do you know? The interview is at the East Hot Springs Hotel in the south of the city!¡± Ji Linxi had just experienced the concept of ¡®deafening noise¡¯ firsthand. He really wanted to retrieve a high-pressure water gun from the washroom and spray Ling Miao nice and good to dampen his excessive passion. ¡°Ah.¡± Ji Linxi heaved a long sigh. ¡°What¡¯s the big deal about the interview being at the East Hot Springs Hotel in the south of the city?¡± ¡°That means Shu Yang lives not far from me!¡± Ji Linxi, seeing that Ling Miao was about to lift the roof off the house in his excitement, reminded Ling Miao, ¡°When you see the Great Author, don¡¯t get too excited. Or he will see that you¡¯re crazy and think you escaped from an asylum and immediately fail you.¡± ¡°Thanks for the reminder.¡± Ling Miao flopped his hand over the edge of his bed and gently flicked the cup in his palm out. However, Ling Miao never heard the anticipated scream. ¡°I¡¯m going to write.¡± Ling Miao spoke before Ji Linxi could mock him. Ji Linxi heaved a very long humph to express his disdain. Ling Miao¡¯s interview venue was the buffet hall in the East Hot Springs Hotel. As for why it was the buffet hall, not just Ling Miao but most of the interviewees did not know. Mu Yu¡¯s answer to this question: Shu Yang picked the interview venue. Why his choice is the buffet hall, I don¡¯t know, either! ¡°The Great Shu is really a strange person,¡± Ling Miao said as he read the reply. On the day of the interview, Ling Miao woke up bright and early, and washed and dressed before stepping out the door. Ji Linxi looked at Ling Miao, who looked almost unrecognizable, and was stunned for a few seconds before saying: ¡°If you hadn¡¯t told me you were going to an interview, I¡¯d have thought you were going on a blind date.¡± Ling Miao stepped on Ji Linxi¡¯s foot and angrily said, ¡°Hmph, I am going on a blind date. A blind date with a job!¡± ¡°Stupid cat.¡± Ji Linxi met Ling Miao¡¯s eyes and spoke coldly before heading out. Ling Miao said to Ji Linxi¡¯s shrinking silhouette, ¡°Linxi, wait for me, I¡¯m getting my laptop!¡± When Ling Miao left the apartment, aside from his keys and wallet, there were two things he absolutely needed¡ªone was his phone, and the other was his laptop. Ji Linxi once asked Ling Miao why he always needed his laptop with him. Ling Miao¡¯s response: ¡°When I¡¯m bored, I can write, so I don¡¯t waste time.¡± So, when Ling Miao was waiting for interviews, he spent most of his time writing. Maybe this was one of the reasons why Ling Miao had not found a job, yet. Ling Miao stuck the queue tag he received on his waist. He took a deep breath, and walked with firm steps into the hall. Only a few seconds after Ling Miao stepped into the dining hall, he felt assessing looks from all directions. All eyes were directed at the queue tag at his waist. Ling Miao was not in the mood to care about the curious or ill-intentioned gazes. He walked directly to an unoccupied table, sat down, and prepared to write. Not many other people entered the dining hall after Ling Miao. People talked in groups of two or three, slumped on the tables to play on their phones, slept using their phones as pillows, or looked around while eating. Only Ling Miao was still concerned about his side job. Soft music flowed through the air and sunlight filtered through the day curtains onto Ling Miao¡¯s shoulder, warm and lazy. ¡°Aah¡ª¡± Ling Miao stretched. He felt somewhat melancholy: This sunlight and this music are so sleep-inducing. Who the hell can write like this? ¡°May I sit here?¡± A man¡¯s voice sounded. Ling Miao raised his head and a smiling face entered his field of vision. The man¡¯s smile was warm, and the golden sunlight that softly fell across his features and glinted at the corner of his mouth lent a gentleness to his face. Admittedly, this man¡¯s face left a good first impression on Ling Miao. So Ling Miao nodded and said, ¡°Sure.¡± ¡°My name is Yu Yang. And yours?¡± ¡°Ling Miao.¡± Yu Yang¡¯s tone was friendly but, for some reason, Ling Miao felt that Yu Yang had a dangerous presence. Yu Yang cast a searching look towards Ling Miao, and Ling Miao¡¯s heart clenched until he felt like he was about to suffocate. Ling Miao was unaware that the man named Yu Yang had been watching him since the moment he had begun writing. Yu Yang was the last to enter the dining hall and nobody knew when exactly he had arrived. The moment he had arrived, he had walked to and fro through the hall. He would occasionally chat with someone and, at other times, he would listen in on conversations. Most of the time, however, he just walked around¡ªhe did not grab any food, and he did not find a seat. Yu Yang wore a mysterious smile and a thoughtful look occasionally flashed in his eyes. He was clearly different from the other applicants and was as relaxed as if he was simply a guest. Ling Miao could not muster up the motivation to write, so he chatted with Yu Yang on and off. Yu Yang noticed that Ling Miao¡¯s heart wasn¡¯t in the conversation, so he rolled his eyes and changed the subject. ¡°I¡¯ve been watching you since I got here. You¡¯re different from the others.¡± Yu Yang watched Ling Miao with some admiration. Ling Miao was conflicted and thought to himself: Is this person like Ji Linxi¡¯s superior¡­ not straight? [Table of Contents] | [Chaleuria is on Twitter!] Chapter 004 The Complete Guide to the Use and Care of a Personal Assistant Translator: Jury Editor: NomNom First Published on Chaleuria ¡ª Chapter Four ¡°What¡¯s different?¡± Ling Miao looked impatient. He felt that Yu Yang¡¯s words were absurd. Ling Miao¡¯s brain started whirring with a hum. He pointed at Yu Yang and asked: ¡°You said you¡¯d been watching me for a while. Are you planning to do something to me?¡± Ling Miao¡¯s voice shook at the end. Yu Yang froze. Clearly, it had not occurred to him that Ling Miao¡¯s thoughts would turn in this direction. He smiled and explained, ¡°I¡¯m not planning to do anything to you.¡± He paused for several seconds to gather his thoughts, then continued¡ª¡°Like I said before, you¡¯re different from everyone else. You¡¯re very quiet and you¡¯re not anxious. It¡¯s been three hours since the interview with the Great Shu started, but you¡¯re still very calm. It¡¯s obvious that you¡¯re a very patient person. And¡­¡± ¡°If it¡¯s been three hours, then it¡¯s been three hours. Strictly speaking I haven¡¯t waited in vain¡ªI¡¯ve written five thousand words.¡± Ling Miao cut Yu Yang off¡ªhe really had no interest in what Yu Yang was saying. Even having been mercilessly cut off by Ling Miao, Yu Yang still remained smiling. He said, ¡°You¡¯re quite open-minded.¡± Ling Miao rolled his eyes at Yu Yang, and thought, Aside from waiting, what else can I do? Drag the Great Shu out and give him a good beating then ask him why he¡¯s keeping us waiting so long? Ling Miao¡¯s disdainful gaze did not escape Yu Yang¡¯s eyes. Yu Yang did not seem to mind. He was about to change the topic to keep chatting with Ling Miao when Ling Miao suddenly stood up. Seeing Ling Miao picking up his computer and looking like he was about to leave, Yu Yang asked worriedly, ¡°You¡¯re leaving?¡± Ling Miao pointed to the clock and said to Yu Yang, ¡°Bro, it¡¯s twelve. I¡¯m hungry.¡± The two ate lunch together and found that they shared similar tastes. They chatted for a little while longer and Ling Miao¡¯s regard for Yu Yang went up another few notches. They even arranged to play mahjong in the near future when they were both available. Time wore on and Yu Yang made an excuse to part with Ling Miao. Ling Miao opened his laptop and continued to write while Yu Yang meandered about in the dining hall. Yu Yang had spoken to all the interviewees. But no one seemed to have noticed this. In the blink of an eye it was five in the afternoon. Some had already found the wait too long and left. From nine in the morning until now, neither the Great Shu nor the person in charge of the interview had appeared. The interview pool was completely silent¡ªwhen Mu Yu came in at 5 p.m., he had prohibited them from making further small talk. The people still waiting began to grow anxious, and this anxiety quickly spread among the interviewees. One individual could not stop themself from questioning Mu Yu in front of everyone. Mu Yu told that person to go home and kicked out the offending interviewee. After that, everyone else grew quiet. Yu Yang sat in a corner. His eyes rested on his phone, his fingers continuously tapping at the screen. He seemed to be talking to someone. About half a minute after Yu Yang put his phone back in his pocket, there was news among the interview group. ¡°Mu Yu says the location of the last interview is the kitchen of Sister Fang¡¯s Restaurant in the outskirts of the city. Only No. 7, No. 10, No. 18 and No. 24 are to attend the final assessment.¡± Somebody read Mu Yu¡¯s text aloud in a loud voice. No. 7, No. 10, No. 18, No. 24¡ªLing Miao was No. 10, and, if he was remembering correctly, Yu Yang was No. 24. ¡°Why only these people?¡± somebody asked, indignant. Mu Yu replied: Shu Yang has been observing you. He personally chose all the people who are to attend the final assessment. ¡°The Great Shu is here?¡± ¡°The Great Shu is here¡±¡ªthis single line incited havoc. Everyone looked around at one another to ask each other if they were Shu Yang, but everyone shook their heads in denial: I am not Shu Yang! ¡°Actually, it¡¯s plausible that the Great Shu is here. Even though we all knew this was an interview, the atmosphere made us relax and we almost forgot that this was an interview. I think the Great Shu looked at all of our performances and picked the people most suited to be his personal assistant. Only, he picked too many.¡± ¡°All this posturing,¡± Ling Miao said disdainfully after seeing who spoke. ¡°Yu Yang, when did you get so crafty?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve always been crafty. Didn¡¯t you know?¡± Yu Yang¡¯s jaw dropped open from shock, so wide his chin almost reached the floor. Feeling gazes of all kinds from around him, Ling Miao coughed twice. ¡°Ahem. About that, we should go. The final assessment¡­¡± ¡°Heh heh. Ling Miao, let me predict something,¡± Yu Yang suddenly leaned close to Ling Miao and whispered in his ear, his breath hot against Ling Miao¡¯s hair. ¡°Predict? What¡¯re you predicting?¡± For some unknown reason, Ling Miao had started to become afraid of Yu Yang. His voice was even trembling. Yu Yang said confidently, ¡°I think that among the four of us, Shu Yang will choose you.¡± He said this right against Ling Miao¡¯s ear so only Ling Miao could hear. Yu Yang¡¯s breath brushed against Ling Miao¡¯s ear, and Ling Miao¡¯s face burned a little. ¡°I don¡¯t trust what you¡¯re saying.¡± Ling Miao pushed Yu Yang away and rushed down the stairs in a panic. Yu Yang watched Ling Miao¡¯s escaping silhouette and laughed, asking, ¡°Ling Miao, do you know the way?¡± Ling Miao did, in fact, know the way. On the other hand, the other two final candidates did not, so Yu Yang acted as their human GPS. The final interview assessed cooking skill. The first to finish was Ling Miao. Ling Miao waved farewell to the other three interviewees, who were still busy cooking, and whistled as he walked back to his apartment. The other two also finished their dishes not long after Ling Miao¡¯s departure, but Yu Yang was still banging about in front of his pot. After making sure that everyone had left, Yu Yang shut off the stove. He had boiled a pot of plain water. The restaurant owner wore a sullen expression as she packed up the three sets of food. Yu Yang counted out several bills and handed them to the owner, who did not seem any happier after taking the money. ¡°If you weren¡¯t a regular, I would never have let you use the kitchen for some sort of competition.¡± ¡°Big sis Fang, you¡¯re a good person. I¡¯ll go now. You can go back to normal tomorrow.¡± Yu Yang picked up the three sets of food and quickly left the restaurant. [Table of Contents] | [Chaleuria is on Twitter!] Chapter 005 The Complete Guide to the Use and Care of a Personal Assistant Translator: Jury Editor: NomNom First Published on Chaleuria ¡ª Chapter Five Ling Miao returned to his apartment and lay straight down on Ji Linxi¡¯s bed. The dark room was so quiet that Ling Miao could hear his own breathing. Ling Miao looked at a strip of light on the ceiling. The light was from a street lamp, shining in through the window. The light intertwined with the shadowy surroundings. Ling Miao knew very well that the light was not moving, but his eyes insisted that the light was gradually changing, and it eventually came to a stop in the shape of a man¡¯s face. ¡°Yu Yang.¡± Ling Miao whispered the man¡¯s name. ¡°Yu Yang¡­ why the hell did I suddenly think about him?¡± Ling Miao almost shouted. Ling Miao could not calm down even after yelling because this guy, Yu Yang, refused to leave his thoughts. ¡°Ah. Why do I keep thinking about him? Did he poison me?¡± Ling Miao sat up and kept running his hands through his hair. He looked as though he would not be satisfied until he had torn all of his hair out. ¡°Yu Yang, he¡¯s a little strange.¡± Ling Miao recalled some of Yu Yang¡¯s strange behavior during their interactions. ¡°At the restaurant, when he was cooking, he only opened the pot twice to add water. When he took the lid off, I didn¡¯t smell anything. Was he there to interview or was he just passing through? Could it be that he¡¯s the Great Shu? Or the Great Shu¡¯s friend? But he didn¡¯t seem at all like he was the Great Shu!¡± ¡°What¡¯re you howling about? The moment I walked through the door I could hear you yelling,¡± Ji Linxi said, his voice clear and cold. Ling Miao gave him a sidelong look and said irritably, ¡°I met a nutcase at the interview today. At first, he seemed all right. But then¡­ but then when he talked, he kept blowing into my ear. It was annoying.¡± ¡°Annoying? I thought you would be happy.¡± ¡°Like hell!¡± Ling Miao flipped Ji Linxi the bird. ¡°I¡¯m not wasting time talking to you. Writing it is!¡± ¡°Ah.¡± He opened his document, and sighed. ¡°Great Shu, Great Shu. Why do you make yourself so mysterious?¡± Why did Shu Yang insist on being so mysterious? Because some things could be used by others as weapons to attack oneself. ¡°Hrrrgh¡ª¡± After eating and drinking his fill, the man could not hold back a satiated burp. He eyed the two remaining untouched dishes of food and the empty plate of the boiled slices of meat he had finished off. The boiled meat was Ling Miao¡¯s work. The man shook his head slightly, twice. He tapped his left hand rhythmically against the table. With his right hand, he moved the mouse and clicked open a document. It was Ling Miao¡¯s application form. ¡°Ling Miao, Ling Miao.¡± The man murmured Ling Miao¡¯s name, and clicked open two other application forms. ¡°Lin Su, Ye Jin.¡± The man rubbed his temple. His face was locked into a frown, as if he was making a difficult decision. This man was the fabled holy dragon1 whose head could be seen and whose tail could not, the Great Shu Yang¡ªreal name Su Yuyang. Before the interview, Su Yuyang had already had a strong impression of Ling Miao. This was because Ling Miao was the only one among the applicants who had called him a bastard. ¡°The Great Shu is always so secretive. People want to see him but can¡¯t. He¡¯s a bastard!¡± That was what Ling Miao knew about Shu Yang. Su Yuyang thought about Ling Miao¡¯s earlier performance, and his good impression of Ling Miao improved a little bit more. He thought about it in more detail. Aside from Ling Miao, the impressions the other people had left were already fading from his memory, including those of Ling Miao¡¯s last two competitors. ¡°This person Ling Miao appears sharp, but his brain isn¡¯t right. On the surface, he knows everything he should know, but in reality he is very simple. Sometimes, he is too simple, to the point of seeming stupid.¡± ¡°Ling Miao sort of understands me and understands my work. He seems to be a writer of web novels. In that case, he likely knows how to publish chapters. He can edit and upload for me. Most importantly, he cooks well. I won¡¯t have to order takeout for every meal any more. Ah, I¡¯m scared every time I see the delivery guy¡¯s frightening expression.¡± As Su Yuyang imagined eating delicious food every day after he hired Ling Miao, and not having to face the delivery guy with the fierce expression, he even got a bit emotional. He made up his mind. The next morning, Su Yuyang sent out the text message he had written several days earlier. Naturally, the recipient was Ling Miao. The notification woke Ling Miao up. After the notification bell rang, he continued to sleep, and kept sleeping until one o¡¯clock in the afternoon. With his eyes half-closed, Ling Miao walked unsteadily to the bathroom. He had completely forgotten about the earlier text. Ling Miao felt hungry. He opened a cabinet and reached for the instant noodles, then remembered that he had already eaten them all. ¡°Goddamn it. I should¡¯ve bought a box of noodles when I went out yesterday.¡± Ling Miao closed the cabinet door with annoyance. He put on his clothes and yawned as he left the house. Before he went to the supermarket, he checked his savings. There were less than four digits in front of the decimal place, and in the hundreds place was a 3. Ling Miao knew the nearby supermarket well enough to be a shopping guide. The moment he entered the supermarket he instantly cut a path toward the instant noodle section, and took two packs of every flavor. He thought for a moment, then picked up a pack of ham sausages. A month¡¯s worth of food in hand, Ling Miao was satisfied as he walked toward the cashier. As the cashier rang up the bill, he looked at Ling Miao with surprise. Ling Miao coughed in embarrassment before handing over his card. The cashier handed Ling Miao a receipt. Ling Miao glanced at it and was about to sign when he heard a text message notification. Ah, withdrawals go through so quickly. Ling Miao left the supermarket and walked back to his apartment holding a big bag of instant noodles. ¡°Two unread messages?¡± Looking at the notifications, Ling Miao was somewhat surprised. Two unread messages. One was from the bank notifying him of his withdrawal. What was the other? [Table of Contents] | [Chaleuria is on Twitter!] Translation notes: [1] ¡®holy dragon¡¯¡ªa mysterious, hard-to-understand person. Chapter 006 The Complete Guide to the Use and Care of a Personal Assistant Translator: Jury Editor: NomNom First Published on Chaleuria ¡ª Chapter Six Ling Miao uncertainly opened the earlier text. ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Shu Yang. After making my assessment, I have decided to hire you as my personal assistant. Your next steps are to open your email inbox and carefully read the contract I have sent you. Then read it again. If there is nothing you disagree with, please print and sign it, then bring it to the Heartfelt Words Coffee House at (Address). When you are there, call me.¡± When Ling Miao finished reading the message, the instant noodles in his hand hit the ground. Pah¨C ¡°Aah, the noodles all broke!¡± Ling Miao felt his heart shatter piece by piece with a patter-patter sound. But, surely, it shouldn¡¯t be the instant noodles you¡¯re worried about now? Exactly! Soon, things like instant noodles will be far from me! A job! Ha ha, I am about to get my first job. Of course, I¡¯m very excited! But Ling Miao¡¯s joy did not last long¡ªen route to his apartment, his cellphone was stolen! Back at his apartment, Ling Miao was melancholy for a while before he mustered up the courage to borrow money from Ji Linxi. After buying a new cell phone and getting a new SIM card, Ling Miao¡¯s heart stung and stung again. It was so painful that he almost cried. There went next month¡¯s income. Nursing the little bit of sadness, Ling Miao cursed under his breath as he walked towards his apartment. As he passed Heartfelt Words Coffee House, he saw a familiar person. ¡°Yu Yang?¡± Ling Miao was somewhat surprised. ¡°Why is he here?¡± Yu Yang was looking at his laptop with complete focus and did not notice the uncertain gaze from outside at all. Ling Miao watched Yu Yang. Today¡¯s Yu Yang seemed very different from the Yu Yang he remembered. The Yu Yang in his recollection gave the impression of being relaxed. Today¡¯s Yu Yang was someone people would not want to get close to. Yu Yang¡¯s face resembled a block of ice. His stoic expression was an invisible, untouchable barrier that blocked out everything in the outside world. His fingers flew relentlessly over the keyboard at a speed which made Ling Miao want to cut off his own hands. I highly suspect he was an octopus in his past life! Yu Yang¡¯s hands occasionally stopped. Whenever this happened, he would frown, a few seconds after which he would relax, and then, again, the flash of his fingers would leave afterimages. Ling Miao was transfixed by Yu Yang¡¯s hands. When a waiter approached holding coffee, he immediately saw Ling Miao standing outside the shop. The waiter thought for two seconds, placed the coffee by Yu Yang¡¯s hands, and left, but not without first looking Ling Miao over. The waiter walked to the counter and leant down by his boss¡¯ ear to whisper, then pointed at Ling Miao. The boss¡¯ gaze swept past Ling Miao and landed on Yu Yang. Seeing Yu Yang drinking coffee, he gave instructions to the man at his side, then walked toward Yu Yang. ¡°Yu Yang,¡± the boss called lightly. Yu Yang raised his head at the sound. Seeing who approached, his stony expression suddenly melted, and the upward curve of his lips was very gentle. ¡°It¡¯s been a while since you came here.¡± ¡°It has indeed been a while since I came, but you know that I don¡¯t go outside unless I have business.¡± Yu Yang leant backwards and lounged in his chair; soft sunlight fell onto his shoulder, creating an even more indolent image that seeped into the air. A sly look shot through long narrow eyes. He was like a fox waiting for its prey. The boss knew Yu Yang well, and seeing Yu Yang¡¯s expression, he knew that someone was about to run into bad luck. ¡°I¡¯m waiting for someone¡­¡± Halfway through his sentence, Yu Yang stopped. The boss followed Yu Yang¡¯s gaze and saw Ling Miao hurriedly turn around. ¡°Ling Miao!¡± Yu Yang stopped Ling Miao with a shout. Ling Miao pretended not to hear and kept walking forward with his head bowed. Ling Miao was about to vanish from Yu Yang¡¯s field of vision. The boss said, meaning well: ¡°My shop has good soundproofing. From inside you can¡¯t hear anything going on outside, so¡­ Hey, the broken cup is going on your tab!¡± He did not know if Yu Yang had heard him. By the time he finished speaking, Yu Yang¡¯s silhouette had already disappeared. ¡°This guy. He has a crush?¡± The boss was lost in thought, then discovered with joy that Yu Yang had not turned off his laptop! ¡°Ah, I¡¯m bored anyway. I¡¯ll read the novel.¡± The boss had not even scrolled to where he had left off in the story when he heard an earth-shaking shout. ¡°Feng Ji, if you dare touch my laptop, I¡¯ll break all your limbs!¡± Feng Ji was the name of the Heartfelt Words Coffee House¡¯s boss, but Ling Miao only knew one Feng Ji, and he was the male protagonist of The Demonic Song Defying Heaven. ¡°Feng Ji?¡± Ling Miao pronounced softly. ¡°That¡¯s the same name as the main character of Demonic Song Defying Heaven.¡± ¡°Oh, Demonic Song Defying Heaven¡¯s main character is this guy¡¯s namesake.¡± Yu Yang caught up to Ling Miao and pulled him into the shop. Ling Miao was pressed into a chair before he had even finished processing Yu Yang¡¯s words. Ling Miao finally realized what Yu Yang had told him and said in a low voice, ¡°What the hell is your relationship with the Great Shu, really?¡± Feng Ji murmured, ¡°I¡¯ve known him for about seven or eight years, I guess. As for our relationship¡­ strangers¡ªhousemates¡ªlovers¡ªfriends. That¡¯s about right, isn¡¯t it, Yu Yang?¡± [Table of Contents] | [Chaleuria is on Twitter!] Chapter 007 The Complete Guide to the Use and Care of a Personal Assistant Translator: Jury Editor: NomNom First Published on Chaleuria ¡ª Chapter Seven Cough, cough¡ªYu Yang had not at all expected Feng Ji to unceremoniously drag him into this, and the coffee that was about to enter his esophagus went down his windpipe instead. ¡°Right.¡± Yu Yang spat out the one word with difficulty. Feng Ji¡¯s gaze froze for a moment. Although he had told the truth, he had not expected Yu Yang to admit to it so candidly! Yu Yang actually admitted it?! He should staunchly disagree! A thought flashed through Feng Ji¡¯s mind and quickly vanished into the darkness, but Feng Ji¡¯s gaze had already landed on Ling Miao. Did Ling Miao change him? This ¡­. This is too unscientific! Love at first sight doesn¡¯t work like this! Feng Ji had noticed something was wrong, but neither Ling Miao nor Yu Yang had. Ling Miao looked at Yu Yang dazedly. He could not believe what he was hearing. Yu Yang thought that Ling Miao had guessed the truth, and cleared his throat and was preparing to explain when Ling Miao said, ¡°So all this fuss¡­ the Great Shu likes men!¡± ¡°Pfff¡ª¡± Feng Ji could not control himself and the coffee in his mouth came spraying out, as luck would have it, directly onto Yu Yang. ¡°Ha ha! This is too funny. I thought he¡­.¡± Feng Ji doubled over and his laughter did not stop for even a moment. Yu Yang was wearing a white shirt today. The brown coffee stains spread out on the white material and a masterpiece was born. Yu Yang¡¯s expression was shrouded in darkness. Ling Miao felt like he was hallucinating: clouds of black seemed to rise from Yu Yang¡¯s head. ¡°Are you done.¡± Yu Yang lifted Feng Ji up by his collar and said coldly, ¡°I have business with him.¡± Feng Ji understood and said, ¡°OK.¡± Ling Miao looked uncertainly at Feng Ji and asked Yu Yang curiously: ¡°What game are you playing?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll know in a bit.¡± Yu Yang did not explain further and pulled Ling Miao toward the stairs. Ling Miao struggled. ¡°Let me go.¡± Yu Yang did not let go. Ling Miao felt something hot against his ear, and the anger and worry on his face was replaced by a surprised happiness. Yu Yang had said something in his ear that filled him with anticipation. Ling Miao broke free of Yu Yang¡¯s hold and hurriedly ran to the second floor. Feng Ji gave Yu Yang a meaningful smile and Yu Yang gave Feng Ji a punch before heading upstairs. The second floor was Feng Ji¡¯s house. It was small but neat and clean, and precisely because it was small, everything in the room could be seen at a glance. There was no third person here. ¡°Where¡¯s the Great Shu?¡± Ling Miao asked. What Yu Yang had said in his ear was, ¡°The Great Shu is upstairs.¡± In order to see his idol, Ling Miao had rushed to run up here, but now he regretted everything. ¡°Ling Miao, you¡¯re really easy to dupe.¡± Regret overflowed from Yu Yang¡¯s words as his forehead creased. Ling Miao caught the regret on Yu Yang¡¯s face. He thought in confusion, ¡°What¡¯s he regretting? Shouldn¡¯t it be me who¡¯s having regrets? This brain of mine¡­ why did it just short-circuit?¡± ¡°Hey,¡± Yu Yang called, but before he had a chance to continue Ling Miao started rambling agitatedly. ¡°What are you going to do? I tell you, I¡¯m a man, and even though ¡­. though I might not beat you in a fight, but ¡­ I¡­ I can maim you, and make sure that for the rest of your life you can only be, by others¡­.¡± ¡°Are you done?¡± Yu Yang slowly spat out three words, his quiet tone so heavy that Ling Miao found it hard to breathe. Ling Miao¡¯s back was to the wall, one arm positioned horizontally across his chest. ¡°You ¡­ what do you want? Don¡¯t get any closer, I¡¯m trained!¡± Ling Miao¡¯s voice was unstable, occasionally high and occasionally low like a train crossing a mountain range. Yu Yang understood the gist. If he did not explain himself clearly, Ling Miao would never calm down. ¡°I feel that I need to introduce myself.¡± Yu Yang did not take another step forward. He grabbed a chair and dragged it to his side, then sat down. Yu Yang sat on the edge of his seat with his hands folded in his lap, and a faint smile at the corner of his lips. ¡°My real name is Su Yuyang. My pen name is Shu Yang and people call me the Great Shu. You can call me Su-ge.¡±1 ¡°Su Yuyang? So when Feng Ji called you Yuyang, it wasn¡¯t because your name is Yu Yang?¡± Ling Miao laughed. Only when the meaning of everything Su Yuyang said had sunk in did he cry out, ¡°Your pen name is Shu Yang? You¡¯re the Great Shu?¡± Su Yuyang nodded. ¡°Ah¡ª¡± Ptui! A gob of spit landed on the ground in conjunction with Ling Miao¡¯s words. If Su Yuyang had sat just half a meter closer, this gob of spit would not have landed on the ground. Ling Miao¡¯s disbelief was clearly within Su Yuyang¡¯s expectations. He eyed Ling Miao, then moved his gaze toward his own laptop. Ling Miao watched the top of Su Yuyang¡¯s head in embarrassment. His eyes sparkled. He had considered the possibility that Yu Yang was Shu Yang, and when Yu Yang had admitted that he was Shu Yang, Ling Miao had almost run up to hug him, but he had calmed down in that same second. Maybe this guy was lying to him! Su Yuyang turned his laptop screen toward Ling Miao and said confidently, ¡±This is Shu Yang¡¯s dashboard.¡± Ling Miao glanced at it. Indeed, that was Shu Yang¡¯s dashboard. But his expression still said, I don¡¯t believe that you are the Great Shu! Su Yuyang also didn¡¯t bother wasting his breath. He decided to use a more reliable way to prove to Ling Miao that he was Shu Yang! ¡°The name of your microblog.¡± ¡°Zero Seconds Ago.¡±2 Ling Miao reported his microblog name without much resistance. This was also his pen name. Su Yuyang asked, ¡°Your bio says ¡®a no-name writer¡¯?¡± ¡°That¡¯s the one,¡± Ling Miao said huffily. Su Yuyang¡¯s tone made it very difficult for him to stay calm. Ling Miao could not see what Su Yuyang was doing. Less than a minute later, Su Yuyang turned the laptop around again. Shu Yang¡¯s microblog¡¯s front page! Even more surprising to Ling Miao was the newest post: This is the personal assistant I have chosen, @ZeroSecondsAgo. Ling Miao incredulously opened his own microblog and found in his notes a mention and a follow! [Table of Contents] | [Chaleuria is on Twitter!] Translation notes: [1] Su-ge: Big bro Su. [2] Zero Seconds Ago: ¡®ling miao qian¡¯, an almost-homophone for Ling Miao. Chapter 008 The Complete Guide to the Use and Care of a Personal Assistant Translator: Jury Editor: NomNom First Published on Chaleuria ¡ª Chapter Eight Su Yuyang placed the elbow of his left arm on the table at his side and propped his chin on the back of his hand. He crossed his right leg over his left and placed his right hand casually on his right thigh. He leaned slightly against the back of his chair. His entire person radiated an air of indolence, but there was a crafty look in his eyes. Ling Miao was a lot smaller than Su Yuyang. But Ling Miao was standing, so Su Yuyang had to look up at Ling Miao¡¯s face from below. He took in every change in Ling Miao¡¯s expression. Ling Miao looked at his phone with his head bowed, and the furrow between his brows grew deeper and deeper. His fingers continuously slid over the screen, and it was over a minute before he put his phone back in his pocket. Ling Miao took a slow deep breath. He moved his leg forward and stood upright in front of Su Yuyang. Su Yuyang¡¯s eyes showed suspicion. He was about to open his mouth and ask a question when Ling Miao yelled at him: ¡°Su Yuyang, you gigantic bastard!¡± Ling Miao had called him a bastard again. Su Yuyang was indignant, but more than that, he did not understand: How am I a bastard for protecting my privacy? Su Yuyang sat up straight and prepared to reason with Ling Miao, but Ling Miao started yelling, again. ¡°Su Yuyang, you¡¯re not only a bastard but also an idiot! Aren¡¯t you very concerned about your privacy? Then why did you mention me?! Don¡¯t you know that some of your fans really want to know everything about you? When you mentioned me you put me right in the line of fire! So¡­ what the hell are you looking at? Quickly, delete that post! I¡¯m changing my handle now!¡± Ling Miao resembled a cat whose tail had been stepped on. All teeth and claws, he wanted to teach a good lesson to the offender who had stepped on his tail. Only after Ling Miao had let out all his rage did he exhale heavily. Ling Miao¡¯s chest heaved slightly, and the sound of his breathing was audible. All through his rant he had not stopped or drawn breath. Compared to the raging Ling Miao, Su Yuyang was much calmer¡ªhis expression had not changed in the slightest. And Su Yuyang had actually realized something. He felt that it seemed to be raining in the room, and this rain was very strange¡ªwith every word Ling Miao said, a drop fell on Su Yuyang¡¯s face. The rain had now stopped, and Su Yuyang reflexively reached up to wipe it away. When his hand slid over his chin, Su Yuyang realized something¡ªah, it was Ling Miao¡¯s spit. Su Yuyang did not know where to put his hands. Ling Miao saw Su Yuyang¡¯s dilemma, but he did not realize his spit had spattered all over Su Yuyang. Even if he had known, he would have only said: ¡°You deserve it.¡± Su Yuyang looked around the room. He held back an impulse to curse: Goddamn it, there isn¡¯t even any toilet paper! Out of frustration, Su Yuyang could only pick up the clothes Feng Ji had left on the bed to wipe his hand. ¡°Hm.¡± Ling Miao huffed. As for what emotion his huff contained, Su Yuyang had no interest in pursuing. It¡¯s not a pleasant sentiment, and that¡¯s about it. ¡°Do you believe me now?¡± Su Yuyang asked. Ling Miao feigned a chuckle then said coldly, ¡°Believe? Like hell! Yu Yang, Su Yuyang, Shu Yang, Great Shu, my most, most, most beloved Great Author. Do you think I¡¯m a monkey?! Is it fun to mess with me?!¡± Ling Miao had started off calmly, but when he got to ¡®Shu Yang¡¯, he got upset all at once. The volume of his voice increased until it almost burst Su Yuyang¡¯s eardrums. ¡°I have no intention of messing with you.¡± Su Yuyang¡¯s emotions did not change very much. He stood and prepared to explain to Ling Miao, but Ling Miao suddenly yelled, ¡°So what if you¡¯re taller than me?!¡± ¡°Eeh¡ª¡± An inexplicable bout of awkwardness hit Su Yuyang. He thought, This guy gets provoked really easily. ¡°Did you look at the contract?¡± Su Yuyang was silent for a while, then returned to the original topic. Ling Miao coldly said, ¡°How the hell would I have had the time to look?¡± Su Yuyang clicked open the contract document. He placed his laptop on the desk, then said to Ling Miao, ¡°Look at the contract first.¡± Ling Miao read the contract word by word, found no issues, and electronically signed it. After signing the contract, Ling Miao did not feel as happy as he had imagined he would. It was probably the blow he had been dealt by the fact that Yu Yang was Shu Yang. The moment Ji Linxi opened the door, he saw Ling Miao with a lollipop in his mouth, staring at his laptop. Based on Ling Miao¡¯s expression, he was silently cursing someone. Ji Linxi glanced at Ling Miao¡¯s dark expression then asked with worry, ¡°You didn¡¯t pass the interview?¡± Ling Miao turned his head and rolled his eyes at Ji Linxi. He chewed at his lollipop, then rested his chin on his keyboard and said unhappily, ¡°Do you remember the nutcase from yesterday?¡± ¡°From what you said yesterday, he probably likes you. Did he ask for your number or something?¡± ¡°Not only that.¡± Ling Miao¡¯s entire face radiated unhappiness. ¡°That nutcase is my boss. The secretive-as-hell Great Shu Yang, real name Su Yuyang.¡± ¡°So your boss is a nutcase!¡± Ji Linxi looked at Ling Miao with sympathy, and Ling Miao was so touched he almost gave Ji Linxi a bear hug. Then Ji Linxi drove the knife home: ¡°A nutcase with a nutcase! A match made in heaven! Ling Miao, take care of the Great Shu Yang. Maybe he¡¯ll even take you in, and then even if you don¡¯t work, you won¡¯t starve.¡± ¡°Get out!¡± Ling Miao spit out the lollipop stick, which hit Ji Linxi right in the chest and then fell conveniently into the trash can. Ling Miao gnashed at the candy left in his mouth and muttered coldly, ¡°Even if he wants to take me, that¡¯ll depend on whether I want to or not. Besides, maybe it¡¯ll be me who takes him.¡± Ji Linxi looked at Ling Miao and did not say anything. But looking at the faint smile that briefly flared at the corner of his lips, for those three seconds, he must have grieved for Ling Miao. [Table of Contents] | [Chaleuria is on Twitter!] Chapter 009 The Complete Guide to the Use and Care of a Personal Assistant Translator: Jury Editor: NomNom First Published on Chaleuria ¡ª Chapter Nine Perhaps it was because Ling Miao had lived without any regulations for the past year, but on his first day of work, he very graciously arrived late. Standing outside Su Yuyang¡¯s external iron grille door, Ling Miao leaned against the wall as he panted for breath. Goddamn it, it¡¯s fine that he lives on the 10th floor. But there is no elevator? Su Yuyang, are you a masochist, or are you a masochist, or are you a masochist? If Ling Miao still had the strength to speak, he would definitely have shouted that last question. But, regrettably, it hurt to even breathe. ¡°Oho, you¡¯re half an hour late on your first day. You¡¯ve got character!¡± These were Su Yuyang¡¯s first words after he opened the door. They were neither cool nor angry; no emotion could be discerned from them. Ling Miao was trying to get his breath back, and his eyes were somewhat lifeless. He opened his mouth and prepared to explain, but Su Yuyang cut him off: ¡°Make food first.¡± Ling Miao heard the dissatisfaction in Su Yuyang¡¯s voice and humbly shut his mouth. Su Yuyang turned and walked into his apartment, but Ling Miao stayed frozen in place outside the door. Su Yuyang frowned and impatiently took hold of Ling Miao¡¯s hand to drag him through the door. Ling Miao did not even have time to admire Su Yuyang¡¯s house before Su Yuyang shoved him into the kitchen. ¡°Hey, what¡¯s the meaning of this?!¡± Ling Miao took the apron Su Yuyang held out. Oho, this is brand new¡ªit doesn¡¯t even have creases from folding. ¡°Cook.¡± Su Yuyang¡¯s stone-cold voice made Ling Miao tense. He stared at Su Yuyang¡¯s grim expression, and hurriedly put on the apron. He plastered a smile on his face and said, ¡°Boss, what do you want to eat?¡± ¡°That¡¯s up to you, but make it fast.¡± After tossing out his request, Su Yuyang left the kitchen. Ling Miao was about to take a breather when Su Yuyang¡¯s voice came again: ¡°¡®Boss¡¯? I said before to call me Su-ge.¡±1 ¡°Su-ge?¡± Ling Miao tried. ¡°Quickly, go make food!¡± Su Yuyang urged. ¡°Yes, yes, yes.¡± Ling Miao stood on tiptoes and looked around. Only after he made sure Su Yuyang was not outside the kitchen did he relax completely. ¡°Making food. That¡¯s my greatest support skill.¡± Ling Miao whistled, looking extremely pleased. But he very quickly discovered that he had fallen into hell. Looking into the fridge which contained only several cartons of whole milk, Ling Miao ground his teeth as he said, ¡°Make food? Shall I fry air, or braise the northeast wind?2 Shall I steam tap water? If I¡¯m to cook, surely I need ingredients to cook with?¡± Ling Miao shut the fridge door. Then, holding on to his last bit of hope, he opened all the kitchen cabinets. But Lady Luck was not on his side. Rice, oil, soy sauce, vinegar, chilli, spring onion, ginger, garlic¡ªLing Miao found that Su Yuyang¡¯s house contained none of them. ¡°Does this guy never cook at home?¡± Ling Miao felt like he was being played for a fool by Su Yuyang. ¡°Heh. It¡¯s my first day of work, and he puts me on the spot. Damn you, Su Yuyang!¡± Ling Miao ground his teeth as if he were grinding Su Yuyang to bits. Ling Miao was still thinking about why Su Yuyang was picking on him when Su Yuyang spoke, with very unfortunate timing. ¡°Ling Miao, is the food ready? I¡¯m so hungry my stomach is touching my spine.¡± Su Yuyang spoke in a joking tone, but his voice was as weak as a terminally ill patient¡¯s. Ling Miao was angry and did not hear anything out of the ordinary. He opened his mouth and yelled, ¡°Eat, eat, eat, eat¡ªyou only know how to yell that you want to eat! Why don¡¯t you prepare the ingredients for me?! No rice, no oil, nothing¡ªnot even noodles, or frozen food¡ªwhat do you want me to make?!¡± Ling Miao carried out an empty bowl, walked up to Su Yuyang, put the bowl down on the coffee table and snapped, ¡°There, eat. Fried air.¡± Ling Miao¡¯s tone made Su Yuyang frown. He did not understand why Ling Miao was angry. Ling Miao tossed the apron to the ground, dusted off his hands, and said coldly, ¡°Su Yuyang, if you don¡¯t like me, say it. You don¡¯t need to go out of your way to make things difficult for me.¡± At Ling Miao¡¯s reprimand, Su Yuyang was even more confused. He looked at Ling Miao without understanding, and Ling Miao rolled his eyes at Su Yuyang and let out a frosty laugh. ¡°Su Yuyang, you keep playing me for a fool. If you don¡¯t give me an explanation, I¡¯m not leaving.¡± After Ling Miao finished speaking, he sat right down on the sofa. Ling Miao folded his arms across his chest, and rested one foot on the other thigh as he raised an eyebrow and looked at Su Yuyang. Su Yuyang rubbed the bridge of his nose; his entire brain seemed to have turned to paste. ¡°Ling Miao, if something is up, can we talk about it later?¡± Su Yuyang¡¯s voice was gentle, even somewhat weak. Ling Miao, on the other hand, had the air of a superior. He switched the positions of his legs and pretended he had not heard Su Yuyang. ¡°Ling¡­¡± Su Yuyang had barely begun speaking when Ling Miao heard a ¡®thunk¡¯. He raised his eyes to see that Su Yuyang was curled up on the floor. ¡°Hey, are you okay?¡± Ling Miao rushed to Su Yuyang¡¯s side and squatted down. He turned the man¡¯s head, and took one look at the man¡¯s face and got so scared he scrambled back. Su Yuyang¡¯s face was like glue¡ªso white that a sheet of paper would be embarrassed. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Ling Miao gently slapped Su Yuyang¡¯s face. The icy sensation shocked Ling Miao. [Table of Contents] | [Chaleuria is on Twitter!] Translation notes: [1] Su-ge: Big bro Su. [2] wind: ¡®eat the northeast wind¡¯ is an expression for ¡®going hungry¡¯. Another jab at Su Yuyang¡¯s empty fridge. Chapter 010 The Complete Guide to the Use and Care of a Personal Assistant Translator: Jury Editor: NomNom First Published on Chaleuria ¡ª Chapter Ten Su Yuyang¡¯s lips moved slightly like he was trying to tell Ling Miao something, but Ling Miao couldn¡¯t hear anything. Then Su Yuyang raised his hand and pulled Ling Miao¡¯s head down, and Ling Miao lowered his head towards Su Yuyang. He heard Su Yuyang vaguely murmur one word. ¡°Sugar?¡± Ling Miao parroted Su Yuyang, and Su Yuyang nodded. ¡°What sugar?¡± ¡°Room, glucose, water.¡± Su Yuyang weakly named several things. Ling Miao frowned and helped Su Yuyang up. He murmured to himself the few things Su Yuyang had mentioned and entered Su Yuyang¡¯s room. ¡°Glucose?¡± Ling Miao glanced around the room once and noticed the glucose Su Yuyang had mentioned. Now Ling Miao understood why Su Yuyang had been so anxious to eat breakfast. Su Yuyang had low blood sugar, and his condition would easily flare up if he didn¡¯t eat breakfast. After drinking the glucose solution, Su Yuyang gradually came to. Ling Miao considered lecturing Su Yuyang, but remembered that he was in no position to be giving a lecture and said nothing. However, there was one thing he absolutely needed to clarify. ¡°Su Yuyang¡­¡± Ling Miao made a fierce expression, but then he looked at at Su Yuyang¡¯s still-pale face and felt that his earlier tone had been too unfriendly. He paused. ¡°Su Yuyang, you asked me to make food, but there weren¡¯t even any ingredients, so it¡¯s your own fault that you passed out. You can¡¯t fire me because of this!¡± ¡°You¡­¡± Su Yuyang weakly said one word. Two seconds later, he couldn¡¯t hold back a laugh: ¡°Ling Miao, thank you.¡± ¡°Thank me? Don¡¯t jump the gun. I¡¯m not done with you! Explain, why are you making fun of me?¡± Ling Miao quickly resumed his fierce expression. He bared his teeth as he looked at Su Yuyang like he intended to eat him. When his fierce demeanor entered Su Yuyang¡¯s eyes, though, Su Yuyang interpreted it differently: Cute. ¡°For three years I¡¯ve lived here, and for three years I¡¯ve gotten takeout. But the delivery service doesn¡¯t deliver breakfast, so for three years I haven¡¯t eaten breakfast. Then I got low blood sugar,¡± Su Yuyang explained to Ling Miao. Ling Miao gave Su Yuyang a big thumbs-up. ¡°Karma! In those three years, if you had just looked at a recipe book, you could have learned to cook some dishes. You¡­ tsk tsk tsk. Boss master, your fingers sure are precious.¡± ¡°When I was young I tried to learn to cook and got burned badly, so from then on I¡¯ve been scared to go near a stove.¡± Su Yuyang was also frustrated that he hadn¡¯t been able to learn to cook in the past three years. Hearing this, Ling Miao really didn¡¯t know if he should lecture Su Yuyang for being a coward or sympathize with him. At this point, both of them were speechless. Su Yuyang closed his eyes, his thoughts unknown. Ling Miao lowered his head and started reading a novel on his phone. ¡°Ling Miao, let¡¯s go to the supermarket in a bit.¡± Suddenly, Su Yuyang raised a suggestion. Ling Miao agreed: ¡°Sure.¡± Su Yuyang lay on the sofa and Ling Miao sat by his side next to his hand. If Su Yuyang raised his hand, he would be able to touch Ling Miao¡¯s hair. Su Yuyang¡¯s body reacted before his brain, and by the time he realized what he was doing, his hand was already on Ling Miao¡¯s head. Ling Miao raised his head abruptly in response, and distress flashed in his eyes as he narrowed them at Su Yuyang. ¡°Xiao Miao¡­¡±1 Su Yuyang murmured, like he was addressing a lover. Su Yuyang¡¯s voice was hoarse, almost as if he had just cried. Ling Miao¡¯s lips fluttered slightly; he wasn¡¯t sure how to respond. Su Yuyang gently ruffled Ling Miao¡¯s hair, his indulgent smile heart-stirring. Su Yuyang¡¯s hand moved downward along the side of Ling Miao¡¯s face, fingertips lingering against Ling Miao¡¯s soft skin in a caress. Sunlight shined behind Ling Miao, haloing him in a thin veil of gentle light, and making it seem like Ling Miao belonged in a celestial realm. As Su Yuyang¡¯s fingers touched Ling Miao¡¯s soft lips, Ling Miao jumped roughly and stood up, batting away Su Yuyang¡¯s hand: ¡°Su Yuyang, you keep touching my face here and there¡ªeven if you like men, you can¡¯t just take advantage of me! No wonder you stuck to me that day at the interview. I understand completely, now. So you really had designs on me! I¡¯m warning you¡­¡± Ling Miao¡¯s thin lips opened and closed, the pale pink blinding to Su Yuyang¡¯s eyes. Su Yuyang really was blinded, but he ignored his own dizziness. He grasped the back of Ling Miao¡¯s head then moved his own lips forward, and the words Ling Miao had yet to say were smothered between Su Yuyang¡¯s lips. ¡°Hsss¡ª¡± Su Yuyang suddenly let out a pained hiss and released Ling Miao. Su Yuyang¡¯s eyes showed confusion, as if he, too, didn¡¯t understand why he was doing this. ¡°Su Yuyang, even if you are my boss, you can¡¯t have other intentions towards me. And¡­¡± ¡°And?¡± Su Yuyang¡¯s eyes went cold, and the chilly air they radiated could have frozen Ling Miao solid. Ling Miao¡¯s rambling, stubborn attitude instantly softened, and he smiled as he said, ¡°Su-ge, weren¡¯t we going to the supermarket? When should we go?¡± Su Yuyang looked at Ling Miao¡¯s grinning face. This was markedly different from the earlier fierceness. The key point was that there had been no transition between the two. This phenomenon resembled the weather: random, like the abrupt change between a clear, sunny day and a raging thunderstorm. [Table of Contents] | [Chaleuria is on Twitter!] Translation notes: [1] ¡°Little Miao¡±, a common diminutive form. Chapter 011 The Complete Guide to the Use and Care of a Personal Assistant Translator: Jury Editor: NomNom First Published on Chaleuria ¡ª Chapter Eleven ¡°Whoo¡ª¡± The moment Ji Linxi opened the door, he smelled something familiar. Then he heard a well-known noise, and he didn¡¯t need to look to know that Ling Miao was eating instant noodles. ¡°You eat this every day. Careful you don¡¯t become a mummy,¡± Ji Linxi reminded good-naturedly.1 Ling Miao chewed at the noodles, resentment written all over his face, as if the noodles between his teeth weren¡¯t food but Su Yuyang. Ling Miao¡¯s thoughts showed completely on his face. Seeing the situation, Ji Linxi casually asked, ¡°Your first day at work and you¡¯ve already quarrelled with your idol?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t mention that bastard to me!¡± Ling Miao ferociously stuck his chopsticks into the bowl of noodles. ¡°It¡¯s fine that he took advantage of me, but he treated me like menial labor! He lives on the tenth floor, and has no elevator. I carried three big bags of things from the first floor to the tenth and he didn¡¯t even help me. And, even worse, he has no food at all in his house. No seasonings, and he wants me to make food? He¡¯s intentionally poking fun at me. I¡­¡± Ling Miao took a deep breath, then picked up more noodles with his chopsticks and stuffed them in his mouth. ¡°I could talk about his evil deeds for three days and three nights and still not be done. The mere mention of him makes me feel like the sky¡¯s gone dark.¡± Ji Linxi glanced outside the window. Heh, the sky is dark. ¡°Oh, so compared to being used as menial labor and being poked fun at, being taken advantage of is a small thing?¡± Ji Linxi said pointedly as he looked at Ling Miao. His tone was ambiguous and pregnant with meaning. ¡°Fuck, what¡¯re you looking at me like that for?!¡± Ling Miao bowed his head again and ate the noodles in enormous mouthfuls, but Ji Linxi could see that the bases of Ling Miao¡¯s ears were red. ¡°Ling Miao, you actually really enjoyed being taken advantage of by your idol, yeah? Hm, now that I think about it, maybe it was love at first sight once you met the Great Shu,¡± Ji Linxi analyzed. ¡°Go to hell,¡± Ling Miao said without conviction. Ji Linxi¡¯s words¡ªhe agreed with the first half, but the second half¡­ Wait, what¡¯s this ¡°I agree with the first half¡±? Exactly when did I say I agreed? After finishing dinner, Ling Miao began writing. Ji Linxi glanced at Ling Miao and sighed. Ling Miao¡¯s impression of Su Yuyang wasn¡¯t very good, but Su Yuyang¡¯s impression of Ling Miao was the opposite. Su Yuyang stared at the white space in his document. Two hours had passed and he hadn¡¯t written a single word. Luckily, he had several drafts saved, so he didn¡¯t have to worry about not being able to update. For the past two hours, nothing from the novel had occupied Su Yuyang¡¯s brain. In his mind was only Ling Miao, a hazy existence bathed in sunlight; Ling Miao, irritable after having been kissed; Ling Miao¡¯s brilliant red lips. Su Yuyang¡¯s face was expressionless. Thoughtfulness showed in his bright eyes, but the trembling of his Adam¡¯s apple revealed his unease. The whole scene was somewhat strange, but it also gave off an air of calm comfort. It was similar to Su Yuyang¡¯s heart: at odds with itself. ¡°Ling Miao¡¯s personality¡ªsome might consider it good, others might consider it bad. It¡¯s not the kind I like, but he draws a lot of my attention.Today I intentionally bought a lot of things from the supermarket and made him carry it all, and his expression of being angry but not daring to say it¡ªI actually suspected he wasn¡¯t Ling Miao.¡± In Su Yuyang¡¯s mind, images of Ling Miao surfaced: Ling Miao climbing the stairs after returning from the supermarket, Ling Miao asking Su Yuyang to share the burden and Su Yuyang refusing. Even though Ling Miao was already huffing and puffing, he still cursed Su Yuyang softly. None of this, nothing was at all within Su Yuyang¡¯s expectations. Su Yuyang liked to see Ling Miao waving his claws. Every time that happened, Ling Miao would give off an air of, ¡°Even if I don¡¯t kill you, I want to leave bloody scars on your body¡±. Thinking of this, Su Yuyang couldn¡¯t hold back any longer. ¡°Ling Miao, Ling Miao. Tomorrow will come soon, won¡¯t it.¡± Su Yuyang stretched lazily and re-focused his attention on his novel. Just then, his phone rang: it was Ling Miao. ¡°Xiao Miao?¡±2 Su Yuyang called Ling Miao intimately. Ling Miao shuddered and shot back, ¡°Don¡¯t be so familiar. You¡¯re giving me goosebumps and making me want to vomit. Just call me Ling Miao.¡± ¡°Ling Miao¡­ Xiao Miao, what is it?¡± Su Yuyang didn¡¯t care about Ling Miao¡¯s attitude at all. His mouth was on his own face, so he would call Ling Miao whatever he liked. ¡°I¡­¡± Su Yuyang¡¯s form of address shocked Ling Miao, who inhaled deeply, grit his teeth, and said, ¡°Su-ge, what do you want to eat tomorrow morning?¡± ¡°As long as you¡¯re the one who makes it, anything¡¯s fine.¡± Su Yuyang¡¯s tone was gentle, and Ling Miao felt goosebumps rise on his skin, again. Su Yuyang generally got up at nine o¡¯clock in the morning. He walked out of his bedroom and the first thing he saw was Ling Miao curled up on the sofa, catching up on sleep. ¡°Ling Miao?¡± Su Yuyang gently shook Ling Miao, but what he got in return was a hard slap. Ling Miao rolled over and prepared to continue sleeping, but he rolled in the wrong direction. Furthermore, Su Yuyang intentionally didn¡¯t catch him, so Ling Miao rolled directly onto the floor. ¡°Ah, that hurts!¡± Ling Miao¡¯s forehead crashed into the ground. He cried out in pain and also woke up from his doze. Ling Miao sat on the floor and rubbed at the bruised spot. His eyes landed on Su Yuyang, who was hiding a smile at the corner of his lips, and an inexplicable rage rose in his heart: ¡°Su Yuyang, you did this on purpose, didn¡¯t you?!¡± Syu Yuyang didn¡¯t say anything, which made Ling Miao even madder. ¡°Heh, you¡¯re very happy to see me make a fool of myself, right? Right. Next time I¡¯ll sleep my fill before coming over. As for whether you go into shock from low blood sugar, who knows.¡± Having said his piece, Ling Miao got up, picked up the thermos on the coffee table, then walked out the door. [Table of Contents] | [Chaleuria is on Twitter!] Translation notes: [1] Probably referring to the preservatives in instant noodles. [2] ¡°Little Miao¡±, a common diminutive form. Chapter 012 The Complete Guide to the Use and Care of a Personal Assistant Translator: Jury Editor: NomNom First Published on Chaleuria ¡ª Chapter Twelve ¡°Ah.¡± Ling Miao¡¯s words weren¡¯t threatening in the least, but Su Yuyang¡¯s heart still clenched. When Ling Miao walked past, Su Yuyang took the chance to catch him: ¡°I didn¡¯t do it on purpose. I got dizzy because I didn¡¯t eat breakfast.¡± Su Yuyang¡¯s explanation left Ling Miao feeling no suspicion, and even some sympathy, instead. Ling Miao sat down. He opened up the thermos and snapped at Su Yuyang, ¡°Breakfast. Eat quickly. I¡¯ll go back first.¡± ¡°Go back?¡± Su Yuyang frowned. Ling Miao explained: ¡°I left in too much of a hurry and didn¡¯t bring my phone or laptop.¡± Su Yuyang eyed Ling Miao like he was judging the truth of Ling Miao¡¯s words. Ling Miao didn¡¯t discern what Su Yuyang was thinking. Su Yuyang was staring at him and not eating, so Ling Miao hauled Su Yuyang to the sofa, worried for Su Yuyang¡¯s health. ¡°Eat quickly. I woke up really early to make it for you. If you don¡¯t clean your plate, tomorrow you can just drink glucose.¡± Leaving behind this threat, Ling Miao rushed out of Su Yuyang¡¯s house. Su Yuyang tipped the food in the thermos into a bowl. ¡°Congee?¡± Su Yuyang was surprised. Fragrant, soft, and thick congee, fragments of freshly chopped green scallion layered on top alongside little bits of meat, pink peeking through the rice. Inhaling the aroma of the congee, Su Yuyang felt his mouth water uncontrollably. Su Yuyang raised the bowl and took a big gulp of congee. An indescribable taste spread through his mouth, and alongside the taste of the preserved vegetables Ling Miao had prepared to accompany the congee, it made Su Yuyang feel like he was walking on air. He finished his breakfast very quickly, not leaving even a grain of rice behind. Su Yuyang looked at the empty thermos and very much wanted to call Ling Miao and tell him to cook another pot. Ling Miao¡¯s house wasn¡¯t far from Su Yuyang¡¯s, and Su Yuyang calculated the time¡ªLing Miao should¡¯ve arrived by now. So he went to call Ling Miao. The call went through and Su Yuyang heard an unknown man¡¯s voice. ¡°Ling Miao¡¯s gone to work and didn¡¯t bring his cell. What¡¯s up?¡± The man spoke very quickly, like he couldn¡¯t be bothered to speak with Su Yuyang. It left Su Yuyang feeling uncertain. ¡°If there¡¯s nothing, I¡¯m hanging up. I need to go to work,¡± the man said restlessly. Su Yuyang said apologetically, ¡°No¡­¡± Before Su Yuyang could finish, the man hung up. Hearing the dial tone, Su Yuyang almost wanted to cry. On a different note, why would Ling Miao¡¯s phone be in some guy¡¯s hands? Was he Ling Miao¡¯s boyfriend? Su Yuyang suddenly remembered again that Ling Miao had said that he did not like men. ¡°Ling Miao doesn¡¯t like men.¡± Su Yuyang murmured these words over and over, feeling a bit disappointed. Ling Miao went and returned within half an hour. When Ling Miao opened the iron grille door, out of breath, Su Yuyang was sitting on the sofa in a daze. ¡°Hey, Su Yuyang?¡± Ling Miao crossed the room in two long strides, terribly afraid Su Yuyang had fainted. Su Yuyang heard something and turned his head. Seeing Su Yuyang was okay, Ling Miao put down his things: ¡°Glad you¡¯re alright. You were completely still. I thought something had happened to you.¡± Ling Miao collapsed on the sofa and tipped his head back against the back of the sofa. His open lips trembled slightly, and as he spoke his chest heaved: ¡°Su Yuyang, how did I land a boss like you?¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong with me?¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you? You¡¯re a bastard!¡± Ling Miao slammed the sofa arm, hard. ¡°Did you finish the congee?¡± ¡°See for yourself.¡± With those words, Su Yuyang got up and left to his study. Before he closed the door he said softly, ¡°The congee was good. Continue tomorrow.¡± ¡°Since the congee is good, can I have a pay raise?¡± Ling Miao joked. Su Yuyang didn¡¯t reply, and Ling Miao cursed softly and went back to work. Su Yuyang had emphasized before that his bedroom and study were off-limits to Ling Miao. Aside from these two rooms, Su Yuyang¡¯s house did not have other rooms worth exploring, so Ling Miao curled up on the sofa to write. After several days of settling in, Ling Miao had managed to submerse himself into the role of ¡°Shu Yang¡¯s personal assistant¡±. Being Su Yuyang¡¯s personal assistant wasn¡¯t as exhausting as Ling Miao had first imagined. Every day, aside from taking care of Su Yuyang¡¯s three meals, he helped Su Yuyang edit drafts, schedule chapters, and moderate the comments sections of Su Yuyang¡¯s novels. The work was quite simple, and Ling Miao only needed to stay at Su Yuyang¡¯s house for the duration of his work hours. All this was no problem. However, there was one thing Ling Miao could not understand in the least¡ªhe and Su Yuyang could not coexist peacefully, at all. Every day they would quarrel for a few minutes over something trivial. ¡°Hey, Su Yuyang, did you use my laptop?¡± Ling Miao looked at the draft that had become an empty white sheet, and roaring flames were about to burn his heart to ashes. The moment he thought of the fruits of his two days¡¯ effort disappearing, he could only think: ¡°Su Yuyang, you bastard, you messed with my laptop again!¡± Three days ago, Su Yuyang had used Ling Miao¡¯s laptop and caused Ling Miao to lose an unsaved draft. Today, Ling Miao¡¯s draft had, again, disappeared without any rhyme or reason. Of course Su Yuyang would be the prime suspect. Su Yuyang didn¡¯t explain himself and displayed no guilt at all. He said indignantly, ¡°I told you, after you upload the drafts I give you to edit, delete them all. Why didn¡¯t you delete yesterday¡¯s drafts?¡± ¡°I forgot,¡± Ling Miao said casually. ¡°Oh, then I also forgot whether I deleted the wrong document.¡± ¡°Su Yuyang!¡± Ling Miao bit down on his lower lip, but the fire that flowed from his eyes seemed to slide right off Su Yuyang. ¡°Since you have time to quarrel with me, why don¡¯t you find software to recover your draft?¡± Su Yuyang reminded Ling Miao, then went back into the study. [Table of Contents] | [Chaleuria is on Twitter!] Chapter 013 The Complete Guide to the Use and Care of a Personal Assistant Translator: Jury Editor: NomNom First Published on Chaleuria ¡ª Chapter Thirteen ¡°You bastard!¡± Ling Miao grabbed a plastic bottle lying next to his hand and threw it at Su Yuyang, but the bottle hit the door. ¡°If there¡¯s a mark on the door, your pay¡¯s getting docked!¡± Su Yuyang¡¯s emotionless voice sounded. ¡°If I can¡¯t get my document back, you drink glucose tomorrow!¡± Ling Miao replied, unwilling to show weakness. Staring at the empty document, Ling Miao grew angrier the more he thought about it. Suddenly he smiled slyly, and quietly opened Su Yuyang¡¯s author¡¯s dashboard. He glanced at today¡¯s scheduled upload, then let out a cold ¡®hmph¡¯ and deleted it. ¡°Hm, you¡¯ve never failed to update, right? Now I¡¯ve deleted your new chapter. We¡¯ll see if you update!¡± Having deleted today¡¯s scheduled update, Ling Miao felt refreshed. He glanced at Su Yuyang¡¯s tightly closed room door, and he wore a huge smile as he packed up his things and prepared to flee the scene. Su Yuyang was in his room with a headache. He was pretty mad that Ling Miao hadn¡¯t followed his instructions, but not to the point where he would delete Ling Miao¡¯s drafts in order to vent his frustration. He had only moved the draft into a USB drive, and when Ling Miao admitted he was wrong, Su Yuyang would, of course, return the draft to Ling Miao. But Ling Miao was so stubborn¡ªnot only did he not admit his wrongs, he probably didn¡¯t even know what he¡¯d done wrong. As for docking Ling Miao¡¯s pay, Su Yuyang had been making an empty threat. He didn¡¯t think of himself as a petty person, but Ling Miao¡­ Ah, why was it Ling Miao again? Su Yuyang rubbed his temples. For the past few days, his emotions had been led around by Ling Miao, and he had almost forgotten how the word ¡®calm¡¯ was spelled. Anyone familiar with Su Yuyang knew that Su Yuyang seemed to have been born with no temper. He was indifferent towards everything, and the only things he cared about were novels. Su Yuyang had dated many people, but, without exception, they all split up within several months. In addition, it was always the other party who initiated the breakup. The reasons were about the same: You¡¯re better off marrying your novels instead. As a result, Su Yuyang had thought for a while about finding a writer to marry. If they both had the same interests, they would understand each other. When Su Yuyang mentioned this to Mu Yu, the latter said only one thing: ¡°Who¡¯s caught your eye? I¡¯ll play matchmaker.¡± Since Su Yuyang¡¯s previous relationship ended, he had not had feelings for anyone. So, even though he had made a decision in his heart, he had not found the person who made him want to settle down, want to have a normal domestic life. Su Yuyang¡¯s head began to hurt from so many thoughts. He exhaled, clicked open his word document, and began to write. Once Su Yuyang started writing, he found it very hard to stop. He was like the cultivators in martial arts novels. Only when his stomach began to protest did he realize it was dinnertime. Su Yuyang stood up and moved his stiff limbs, then opened the door. ¡°Xiao¡­¡± Seeing the empty living room, Su Yuyang was stunned. He walked into the kitchen to look¡ª again, there was no one there. He looked again and saw that Ling Miao¡¯s things had all been packed up and Ling Miao had left. ¡°He left?¡± Su Yuyang tugged at his hair, very frustrated. He called Ling Miao, but the latter hung up on him. He tried over ten more times with the same result. Ling Miao had been thoroughly frustrated by Su Yuyang, and couldn¡¯t stop himself from sending a text: Su Yuyang, I can¡¯t please you. You¡¯d better find someone else! Su Yuyang replied: I¡¯m hungry. Ling Miao: Not my concern whether you¡¯re hungry or not. If you want food go get it from the fridge. Su Yuyang: I¡¯m hungry. Ling Miao: Even if you starve to death it¡¯s none of my business. Su Yuyang: Xiao Miao, I¡¯m hungry. ¡°Fuck!¡± Ling Miao yelled, and stuck his chopsticks back in the bowl of instant noodles. ¡°Is Su Yuyang acting cute with me?!¡± Ji Linxi lowered his head and looked at the text history, and laughed as he said: ¡°Ah, the Great Writer actually seems pretty adorable.¡± ¡°A pity no one adores him!¡± ¡°Who says no one adores him? Aren¡¯t you his die-hard fan?¡± Having been called out by Ji Linxi again, Ling Miao wasn¡¯t in the mood to play along. He wolfed down the noodles, wiped his mouth, and rushed out of the room. ¡°Where¡¯re you going?¡± ¡°He has low blood sugar and doesn¡¯t know how to cook. I¡¯m worried that if he doesn¡¯t eat dinner he¡¯ll get sick.¡± Ling Miao¡¯s voice got quieter and quieter, and when Ji Linxi walked into the living room he saw Ling Miao hurrying out the door. ¡°Stubborn words but a soft heart. Also, if you don¡¯t go to make food, does he not know how to get takeout?¡± Ji Linxi took another potshot at Ling Miao. ¡°But¡­ he¡¯s so worried about Su Yuyang. It¡¯s not normal.¡± Ji Linxi had thought this far, but he had no intention of investigating any further. He had his own affairs to worry about and didn¡¯t have the time or the mood to interfere in Ling Miao¡¯s affairs. When Ling Miao opened Su Yuyang¡¯s door, he immediately smelled something burning. He looked up and saw that the kitchen was spouting black smoke. Cough cough. Ling Miao could not hold back his coughs. Su Yuyang heard the coughing and surprised joy appeared in his eyes, but he quickly recovered his calm. Ling Miao walked into the kitchen holding his nose. He saw a blackened object at the bottom of a pot and lectured Su Yuyang: ¡°Are you stupid? Even if you can¡¯t use the stove, can¡¯t you use the microwave?¡± ¡°You¡¯re back?¡± Su Yuyang said coldly, like he was very unhappy to see Ling Miao appear in front of him. Ling Miao glared at Su Yuyang, then took the pot from Su Yuyang¡¯s hands and said nastily, ¡°I was worried that somebody had fainted in his own house. Since that somebody doesn¡¯t want me here, I¡¯ll leave.¡± [Table of Contents] | [Chaleuria is on Twitter!] Chapter 014 The Complete Guide to the Use and Care of a Personal Assistant Translator: Jury Editor: NomNom First Published on Chaleuria ¡ª Chapter Fourteen Ling Miao tipped the burned food in the pot into the trash, then filled the pot with cold water and put it back on the stove. ¡°I hope this can be washed clean.¡± Having said his piece Ling Miao turned to leave, but Su Yuyang stepped in front of Ling Miao and barricaded his way: ¡°Xiao Miao, I¡¯m hungry.¡± Hearing Su Yuyang¡¯s wheedling words, Ling Miao was extremely vexed. ¡°Stop being disgusting.¡± Ling Miao batted away Su Yuyang¡¯s hand, then returned to the kitchen and made a bowl of noodles for Su Yuyang. Su Yuyang ate the noodles in silence, one strand at a time. Ling Miao watched him from the side and very much wished to open a hole in Su Yuyang¡¯s head and pour the noodles in. Su Yuyang ate slowly and daintily. Ling Miao sat to one side and prepared to read a novel, but then noticed that a certain Successful Author had not uploaded a new chapter. He muttered to himself under his breath. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Su Yuyang asked. ¡°Nothing.¡± Ling Miao gave off an air of ¡°I don¡¯t want to deal with you.¡± This was a thorny situation so Su Yuyang promptly changed the subject: ¡°Xiao Miao, these noodles you made are good.¡± ¡°The noodles I made¡­¡± Something occurred to Ling Miao, and he interrogated Su Yuyang: ¡°Aren¡¯t you scared of the stove? What made you try to cook for yourself today?¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Su Yuyang was at a loss for words. Ling Miao grit his teeth and a look of realization dawned on his face. He pulled the bowl from in front of Su Yuyang and made a show of dumping it into the trash. ¡°Su Yuyang, you can¡¯t even go a day without making things difficult for me, right? Since our personalities are so incompatible, I think it¡¯s best I resign.¡± Su Yuyang hurriedly reached for the noodles, and as he put them back on the table, Ling Miao took the opportunity to walk to the door. ¡°Xiao Miao!¡± Hearing Su Yuyang¡¯s shout, Ling Miao stopped walking but did not turn back. He said coldly, ¡°Shu Yang, rest assured. I won¡¯t divulge any information about you.¡± Su Yuyang explained, ¡°It¡¯s true I don¡¯t like to use the stove. Today I was so hungry that I plucked up the courage to try, and you saw the result. I burned everything.¡± Su Yuyang¡¯s thoughts had gone something like this: If Ling Miao can control fire like it¡¯s in the palm of his hand, there¡¯s no reason I can¡¯t, right? The facts of the matter indicated that, indeed, he could not. ¡°Why not order takeout?¡± Ling Miao felt like an over-inflated balloon. If Su Yuyang said one more word, he would explode with a loud ¡®pop¡¯. ¡°Ah, I got used to your cooking and can¡¯t stomach takeout any more. Besides, I¡¯ve eaten takeout for three years. If I eat any more I¡¯ll throw up.¡± Su Yuyang chewed his noodles and spoke humbly. ¡°Eat quickly. I still have to wash the bowls.¡± Ling Miao rolled his eyes at Su Yuyang and sat on the sofa to read his novel. Su Yuyang ate the noodles at the slowest possible rate. Ling Miao periodically looked at Su Yuyang¡¯s bowl and noticed that the soup was almost gone, but the noodles were still all there. Ling Miao guessed that Su Yuyang was intentionally delaying him. He let out a ¡®hmph¡¯ and said nothing more. Ling Miao clicked into Su Yuyang¡¯s novel out of habit and saw that there had been no update today. He was about to question Su Yuyang when he remembered that he had deleted the update! ¡°Su Yuyang!¡± Ling Miao suddenly shouted. Su Yuyang dropped his chopsticks on the ground in shock. Su Yuyang raised his head to look at Ling Miao who was pacing back and forth in a panic, regret and worry in his eyes. Su Yuyang¡¯s forehead furrowed unconsciously. He stood up, caught ahold of Ling Miao¡¯s shoulders and asked, ¡°What happened?¡± Su Yuyang¡¯s steady voice soothed Ling Miao¡¯s panic. Looking into Su Yuyang¡¯s kind eyes, Ling Miao felt despicable. Already thinking that Su Yuyang would fire him, Ling Miao stammered, ¡°I deleted today¡¯s upload.¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s all right.¡± Su Yuyang¡¯s tone indicated indifference. But Ling Miao understood it to be something else: Heavens, this is the calm before the storm! Ling Miao watched Su Yuyang eating the noodles and hoped he would eat slower, and even slower. In the best-case scenario, Su Yuyang would never finish eating! ¡°I¡¯m done.¡± Su Yuyang pushed the bowl toward Ling Miao. ¡°Wash up, then come into the study.¡± Su Yuyang threw out these words then returned to the study. Ling Miao¡¯s entire body was frozen. Aside from his eyeballs, no part of his body could move. ¡°Ling Miao, come in!¡± Su Yuyang ordered. Ling Miao scuttled over like a wind-up toy. As he opened the door, he paused again: This is Su Yuyang¡¯s study. Su Yuyang likes men. I am a man. Does he want to, to me¡­ At some point Su Yuyang had opened the door and was enraged to see Ling Miao flustered. Su Yuyang cuffed Ling Miao around the head and yelled, ¡°What the hell are you daydreaming about? Quickly come and edit and publish!¡± Ling Miao did his editing online, so he had not saved a copy of the edited draft. Midnight was approaching and twenty thousand words was a lot of editing to do. Looking at the document before him, Ling Miao was hit by the impulse to cut his own hands off, but he was already suffering the punishment for his rashness. This time, he thought, he had better just edit properly. Ling Miao finished the first round of editing and Su Yuyang did the second round before uploading it. Between the two of them, the twenty thousand words were uploaded by midnight. Only when the last paragraph had finished uploading did Su Yuyang¡¯s tightly wound heart begin to relax. ¡°Ling Miao¡­¡± Su Yuyang was about to tell Ling Miao to go home, but Ling Miao had already lain down on the bed and fallen asleep. Translator note: Hello, thank you for reading our chapter! How are we doing, is the quality of translation and editing OK, or do you think we need more QC? Tell us in the comments ???? [Table of Contents] | [Chaleuria is on Twitter!] Chapter 015 The Complete Guide to the Use and Care of a Personal Assistant Translator: Jury Editor: NomNom First Published on Chaleuria ¡ª Chapter Fifteen Listening to the sound of Ling Miao¡¯s even breathing, Su Yuyang felt a rush of anger¡ªif Ling Miao hadn¡¯t been a busybody and deleted the queued chapter, Su Yuyang wouldn¡¯t have had to waste more than two hours re-editing the same chapter. Even worse, the culprit felt no remorse at all and had even fallen asleep on his bed. He looked at the sleeping Ling Miao. Ling Miao even had a slight smile on his face. Su Yuyang radiated discontent. Not only had Ling Miao burdened him with two additional hours of work by deleting his draft, but Ling Miao also had the audacity to sleep this soundly afterwards. Ah ah ah. Su Yuyang was not someone who easily lost his temper, but today¡­ Su Yuyang could not understand the situation at all and reflexively tossed the thought aside. ¡°Ling Miao!¡± Su Yuyang called loudly, shaking Ling Miao¡¯s body with his hand. Ling Miao retaliated with a slap to Su Yuyang¡¯s face with one hand, mumbling: ¡°Don¡¯t fuss.¡± Then he turned over and continued to sleep. Ling Miao¡¯s mouth was pursed, and his pink lips drew Su Yuyang¡¯s gaze. In front of Su Yuyang¡¯s eyes; Ling Miao¡¯s soft lips, the locks of hair beside Ling Miao¡¯s ears. As if possessed, Su Yuyang bent over; their lips were about to touch when Su Yuyang suddenly came to his senses. Just then, Ling Miao rolled over, and his lips brushed against Su Yuyang¡¯s. Ling Miao did not notice anything out of the ordinary, but Su Yuyang¡¯s heart began to beat furiously. It had only been a gentle touch¡ªit had not been as passionate as his kisses with previous lovers, but the tremors it brought to his heart far exceeded anything he had felt before. Su Yuyang glanced at Ling Miao lying on the bed. It was unclear what was going through his mind, but it was definitely a struggle. Suddenly, Su Yuyang raised a foot and kicked Ling Miao¡¯s butt, hard. Ling Miao rolled from one side of the bed to the other, then smoothly fell onto the ground. After he hit the ground he continued to roll forward; he hit the wall, bounced back, and was only stopped by the bed in his way. Ling Miao was jolted from his dreams. He rubbed at the spot on his head where he had knocked against the bed and groaned in pain: ¡°Hss¡ªahh¡ª¡± ¡°You¡¯re awake?¡± Su Yuyang asked casually, his voice indolent. Ling Miao was very suspicious of his fall to the ground just now, but looking at Su Yuyang¡¯s suspiciously carefree expression he put aside his own worries. He plopped down on the bed in front of Su Yuyang and asked, ¡°Did the upload go through?¡± ¡°Mm.¡± Su Yuyang¡¯s gaze fell on the laptop screen. ¡°It uploaded at the last possible second.¡± Ling Miao could not gather what Su Yuyang was feeling from his words. But Ling Miao secretly celebrated: Su Yuyang is not angry! Ling Miao had had a narrow escape. Ling Miao worried that Su Yuyang¡¯s mood would suddenly change, so with a ¡®heh heh¡¯ he said goodbye and vanished through the door. ¡°This bastard¡­¡± Su Yuyang tapped the table with his fingers, an ambiguous smile lingering at the corner of his mouth. He seemed to be thinking about what kind of lesson to teach Ling Miao. For the next few days, Su Yuyang and Ling Miao¡¯s cohabitation was uneventful. The month reached its end. Near dinnertime, Ling Miao was working in the kitchen. Su Yuyang emerged to get some water. As he returned to his room, he noticed Ling Miao¡¯s busy silhouette and could not tear his gaze from Ling Miao. Ling Miao looked small and slender; he was only 1.75 m tall (5¡¯ 7¡±); his shoulders and waist were both narrow, evoking a protective instinct. Lower down was a tight and firm rump, and skinny jeans outlined the straight and long lines of his legs. After admiring the view of Ling Miao¡¯s back, Su Yuyang¡¯s attention once again turned to Ling Miao¡¯s actions. His gaze lingered Ling Miao¡¯s hands; he saw Ling Miao putting food onto the plates then move to turn around. ¡°Damn!¡± The instant Ling Miao turned, Su Yuyang quickly reacted, but Ling Miao had obviously seen Su Yuyang turn away his head. ¡°Dinnertime,¡± Ling Miao said flatly. He was not angry. Su Yuyang was stunned and mechanically called out a response. Su Yuyang displayed no embarrassment at having been caught peeping. Ling Miao, on the other hand, acted very differently from before. Ling Miao poked at the rice in his bowl with his chopsticks, and occasionally brought several grains to his mouth. Su Yuyang had finished one bowl of rice and was about to tell Ling Miao to get him another, but his words stuck in his throat when he saw Ling Miao¡¯s face. The food in Ling Miao¡¯s bowl did not seem to have lessened. Worry began to show between Su Yuyang¡¯s eyebrows. ¡°Your face is so glum. Is there anything I can help with?¡± ¡°That¡­¡± Ling Miao looked at Su Yuyang and warmth radiated from his eyes. Su Yuyang met Ling Miao¡¯s gaze without a change in expression, but his heart held a little regret: Ah, why was I such a busybody? ¡°Su-ge, it¡¯s the end of the month. My salary¡­¡± Ling Miao said, then closed his mouth. He was about to continue speaking, but could only swallow the rest of his words under Su Yuyang¡¯s stare. Su Yuyang sat up straight and said thoughtfully, ¡±You had half a month of probation. According to our contract, the probation pay is one-fourth of your actual salary. But¡­¡± Su Yuyang stopped, his tone growing cool. Ling Miao had not lost the track of the conversation; he seemed to have anticipated this. He said in frustration, ¡°I¡¯m late to work, and leave early. I don¡¯t finish the tasks you give me, so it¡¯s my own fault if my salary gets docked, but¡­¡± ¡°Since you know all that, then keep eating. I¡¯m going to write.¡± Su Yuyang threw out these words, then left. His retreating silhouette was slightly abashed, but Ling Miao did not see it. [Table of Contents] | [Chaleuria is on Twitter!] Chapter 016 The Complete Guide to the Use and Care of a Personal Assistant Translator: Jury Editor: NomNom First Published on Chaleuria ¡ª Chapter Sixteen Ling Miao was about to become homeless, and, as a result, his thoughts were completely focused on rent. A week ago, his landlord had informed the tenants that the next month¡¯s rent would be raised and had given them a week to find another house. Ling Miao¡¯s other two housemates had found cheaper housing and moved out; he and Ji Linxi had not found suitable housing and intended to continue living there. But Ling Miao simply did not have the money to pay the increased rent. Ling Miao had considered borrowing money from Ji Linxi, but Ji Linxi also had his own difficulties and Ling Miao had only borrowed from him the previous time to buy a cellphone out of absolute necessity. The money he earned from his writing would arrive in the middle of the month, but the landlord collected rent at the beginning of the month. As for asking for help from his parents¡ªLing Miao could not do it. Su Yuyang was Ling Miao¡¯s last hope, but by the looks of it Ling Miao would be better off sleeping on the streets. Ling Miao cleared the table and left without saying goodbye to Su Yuyang. When Su Yuyang exited his room, he saw that the living room was empty. For some reason, guilt blossomed in his heart. Forget it. I¡¯ll go withdraw the money tomorrow. He¡¯s worked hard, after all, Su Yuyang thought, then did not think more about it. The next day, Su Yuyang was woken by a thunking sound. After having his sleep disturbed, he could not go back to sleep no matter what he did. He looked at the clock and grumbled as he got out of bed, rubbed the sleep from his eyes, and went to the bathroom to shower. After he walked out of the shower, he passed by the kitchen. A shadow flashed in front of his eyes; his whole body shuddered as he grew afraid that a thief had snuck into the house. He looked closer and saw that Ling Miao was in the kitchen! ¡°Ling Miao?¡± Su Yuyang called in surprise. Ling Miao smiled apologetically and said, ¡°You can go shower first. Breakfast¡¯ll be ready in a bit.¡± Su Yuyang walked to the living room and his gaze fell on two old suitcases and a plastic packing box. He was very sure that these things were not his. Ling Miao walked over holding a bowl of congee. He had just sat down when Su Yuyang asked, ¡°These are your things?¡± ¡°These ¡­. uh¡­ ¡° Ling Miao hesitated as he did did not know what to say. Su Yuyang ate the congee in small mouthfuls. Clearly, he did not intend to continue inquiring, but he was also prolonging the time he spent eating. Su Yuyang always retreated to his study after eating breakfast, and he did not allow Ling Miao to disturb him during the time between breakfast and lunch. Ling Miao knew Su Yuyang had good intentions, so, naturally, he did not want Su Yuyang¡¯s kind intentions to go to waste. Su Yuyang had almost finished his congee when Ling Miao spoke up: ¡°Su-ge, I was chased out by my landlord.¡± ¡°The contract doesn¡¯t say I have to be responsible for your room and board, right?¡± Su Yuyang stomped Ling Miao¡¯s plans dead with a single line. Ling Miao let out a cold ¡®hmph¡¯ and complained, ¡°If you just gave me my pay, I wouldn¡¯t need to¡­¡± ¡°You still dare to talk to me about pay?¡± Su Yuyang¡¯s initial intention to give Ling Miao his salary was crushed to pieces by Ling Miao¡¯s words, and now he wanted to settle the score with Ling Miao. Su Yuyang was not a petty person, but he did enjoy Ling Miao¡¯s frustrated expressions of repressed rage, so he would occasionally provoke Ling Miao. He didn¡¯t think of this as a bad thing. Su Yuyang glared at Ling Miao who swallowed everything else he had had to say. Ling Miao finished washing the dishes and walked out of the kitchen, only to see that Su Yuyang was still sitting in the living room. Su Yuyang beckoned to Ling Miao and motioned for him to sit down. Ling Miao looked at Su Yuyang and hesitated; probably he was spooked by Su Yuyang¡¯s earlier reaction. This hesitation really did not seem like the Ling Miao Su Yuyang knew, and Su Yuyang shouted: ¡°What are you standing there for? Come over.¡± Ling Miao walked over with mincing steps. Su Yuyang let out a cold ¡®hmph¡¯ as Ling Miao staggered and dropped onto the sofa. Su Yuyang took a deep breath, and Ling Miao thought that Su Yuyang was about to make fun of him. He got what he wanted to say in first: ¡°Do you know where there are apartments for rent?¡± Ling Miao was almost sure that Su Yuyang didn¡¯t know, but in order to not be laughed at, he had to cut Su Yuyang off. Su Yuyang said coldly, ¡°Go to an agent if you¡¯re looking for a place.¡± Ling Miao crawled forward a little, just enough to touch Su Yuyang¡¯s arm. Su Yuyang glared at Ling Miao, who muttered to himself as he retracted his hands. Ling Miao said with his face all smiles, ¡°Then can I live at your house?¡± Ling Miao had already planned this all out. He was going to move into Su Yuyang¡¯s house; this way he could save on rent. If Su Yuyang wanted to charge him rent¡­ his salary was paid by Su Yuyang anyway, so wouldn¡¯t it be fine for Su Yuyang to take it out of his pay? When he had told Ji Linxi of this plan, however, Ji Linxi had only said, ¡°You¡¯re still not awake, right?¡± Su Yuyang showed a considering expression, but this, in Ling Miao¡¯s eyes, already translated to ¡°unwilling.¡± A terrible sigh. Su Yuyang looked to the source of the sound, and Ling Miao¡¯s disappointed and helpless gaze fell into his line of vision. Ling Miao inhaled sharply as if trying to suppress something. He looked at Su Yuyang, and the look in his eyes was so sorrowful Su Yuyang was unable to look at him directly. ¡°Su-ge, it¡¯s not a big deal if you don¡¯t take me in. After all, our relationship is just that of an employer and his employee. Only, I¡¯ve been very busy recently trying to find a house, and may not have time to make you food, or edit and publish your chapters. If it¡¯s quick, maybe it¡¯ll take a week, if not, maybe half a month. During this time, I¡¯ll have to trouble you to order takeout, and edit and publish your drafts yourself.¡± After Ling Miao finished speaking, he jumped up from the sofa and wheeled his luggage toward the door. [Table of Contents] | [Chaleuria is on Twitter!] Chapter 017 The Complete Guide to the Use and Care of a Personal Assistant Translator: Jury Editor: NomNom First Published on Chaleuria ¡ª Chapter Seventeen Ling Miao walked very slowly. He was not anxious. The words from before were his true thoughts. Since he could not stay in Su Yuyang¡¯s apartment, of course, he had to go look for an apartment elsewhere. Ling Miao opened the door and already had one foot over the threshold when Su Yuyang yelled, ¡°Remember to come back and cook.¡± Su Yuyang¡¯s voice was clear and cold, and held no emotion at all. Inexplicably, Ling Miao felt sad. Ling Miao felt that his boss was¡­.. He didn¡¯t even have a place to stay, and his boss didn¡¯t even offer a hand. True, Su Yuyang had no obligation to help, but for better or for worse, Ling Miao was his assistant! Even though he often made mistakes, he still filled Su Yuyang¡¯s stomach very well! Occasionally he quarrelled with Su Yuyang, but Su Yuyang always started it! Ling Miao thought about the bits and pieces of his interactions with Su Yuyang, then thought about Su Yuyang saying ¡®remember to come back and cook.¡¯ His heart felt like it was about to be corroded away until not even ruins remained. ¡°Hey, Su Yuyang.¡± Familiar words said in a familiar voice. Su Yuyang didn¡¯t need to turn his head to know Ling Miao¡¯s expression. He even knew the words that would follow¡ªusually, it was a string of curses. So he did not answer. He would wait until Ling Miao ran out of breath before he opened his mouth. This was the experience Su Yuyang had gained from his time with Ling Miao. ¡°Su Yuyang, have you no compassion? Even if you don¡¯t have compassion, don¡¯t you have any concern as an employer for his employee? I can¡¯t find a place to stay, and not only do you not help me, you still want me to come back and cook for you? Do you really have it in for me? Don¡¯t use the reason of ¡®being used to my cooking and so can¡¯t eat takeout¡¯ or any other excuses to make me have second thoughts. I¡¯m not your wife, and I won¡¯t be cooking for you all your life, so you¡¯d better quickly learn to cook¡ªdon¡¯t look at me, I¡¯m not going to teach you. Oh, that¡¯s right, I forgot, it¡¯s men you like, so you¡¯ll never have a wife. And don¡¯t even think of using salary to intimidate me. I won¡¯t fall for it! And lastly, before I find a place to stay, don¡¯t even think that I¡¯ll do any work for you!¡± Exactly as Su Yuyang expected, Ling Miao shouted the last part like a dam had burst. He glared at Su Yuyang, panting slightly for breath. ¡°Does your guy know you have such a hot temper? If he does, then it¡¯s ample proof that he¡¯s got masochistic tendencies.¡± My guy? Ling Miao was confused by Su Yuyang¡¯s words. Since when did he have a better half? ¡°Single, 23 years and counting!¡± Ling Miao declared proudly. Comprehension dawned on Su Yuyang¡¯s face. He said with surprise: ¡°You¡¯ve lived 23 years, surely you¡¯ve held a woman¡¯s hand before?¡± ¡°Is my mom not a woman?¡± Ling Miao retorted. Ling Miao¡¯s words rendered Su Yuyang speechless, but he quickly recovered: ¡°Ah, Ling Miao, you¡¯ve never kissed anyone, have you?¡± ¡°Of course!¡± Ling Miao rolled his eyes at Su Yuyang. ¡°That time at your apartment, didn¡¯t you kiss me?¡± Su Yuyang was, again, speechless. But why did he get the feeling that something in Ling Miao¡¯s tone was off? Grievance? Lin Miao¡¯s words seemed to carry an undertone of having been wronged, specifically the kind that was ¡®angry, but not daring to say anything.¡¯ Ling Miao resembled a respectable woman who had been molested by a hooligan. At this point, Su Yuyang had begun to understand Ling Miao¡¯s intent. Ling Miao was denouncing him. Mm? That can¡¯t be right. Who compares themself to a hooligan? ¡°Hm.¡± Su Yuyang pretended he hadn¡¯t realized Ling Miao¡¯s intent. He laughed and said: ¡°That¡¯s a kiss? Like I thought, you¡¯re a little boy who¡¯s never been kissed.¡± ¡°You¡­.¡± This time, it was Ling Miao¡¯s turn to be speechless. Su Yuyang enjoyed the view of Ling Miao¡¯s earlobes turning red. Ling Miao¡¯s look of distress almost made him laugh out loud. Maybe he wanted to see Ling Miao even more distressed, because he teased: ¡°Do you want me to tell you what a real kiss is?¡± ¡°Su Yuyang!¡± Ling Miao yelled his name, and Su Yuyang felt that his eardrums were about to burst. ¡°Su Yuyang.¡± Ling Miao¡¯s tone had abated, but Su Yuyang still felt uncomfortable. It was suffocating, like the muggy heat before rain. ¡°Yuyang.¡± Ling Miao changed his form of address. ¡°Yuyang, you¡­¡± Ling Miao kept calling Su Yuyang¡¯s name as if in a daze, and the sorrow and anticipation in his voice hit Su Yuyang¡¯s heart in its softest place. Su Yuyang sighed. He raised his hand to touch Ling Miao, but because Ling Miao was standing in the doorway there were 8-10 feet between them, sofa included. Ling Miao walked over, dragging his suitcase, and stopped in a spot where Su Yuyang could reach him. Su Yuyang lovingly caressed Ling Miao¡¯s hair. A crafty look shot through Ling Miao¡¯s eyes, and this look suddenly brought Su Yuyang back to his senses. Su Yuyang silently cursed, then retracted his hand and said coldly, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you were leaving? Why are you still here?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t want me any more?¡± Ling Miao¡¯s lips trembled; his hands shook on the suitcase¡¯s handle, and tears spilled from his eyes. Su Yuyang was stunned: what stunt was Ling Miao trying to pull by acting like he was being abandoned? ¡°Su Yuyang, don¡¯t you want me any more?¡± Ling Miao sat on the ground and started crying. The low sounds of sobbing were even more heart-rending to Su Yuyang than loud wails. [Table of Contents] | [Chaleuria is on Twitter!] Chapter 018 The Complete Guide to the Use and Care of a Personal Assistant Translator: Jury Editor: NomNom First Published on Chaleuria ¡ª Chapter Eighteen Su Yuyang was silent. Ling Miao covered his mouth and began laughing¡ªa sad expression, a sorrowful laugh, and tears rolling down his face. ¡°Yuyang, we¡¯ve been together so long. Do you really still not understand me?¡± Ling Miao threw out another line which crashed into Su Yuyang, stunning him. ¡°Every day I cook for you, edit for you, upload chapters for you. It¡¯s alright that you¡¯re not grateful, but because of that woman, you misunderstood me and Linxi. Su Yuyang, I was wrong about you. Three years we¡¯ve been together, and it¡¯ll end just like this because of a woman.¡± Su Yuyang felt as if his heart were being squeezed; it hurt¡ªeven though he knew that Ling Miao wasn¡¯t speaking genuinely, Ling Miao¡¯s expression and tone left him feeling helpless. Su Yuyang reached to help Ling Miao up, but Ling Miao mercilessly batted Su Yuyang¡¯s hand away. Looking at Su Yuyang¡¯s helpless expression, Ling Miao laughed and said: ¡°Su Yuyang, Su Yuyang, I really do love you!¡± Having said his piece, Ling Miao started crying again. This time, the description ¡®shake the heavens and wake the dead¡¯ would not be an exaggeration. ¡°I¡­¡± Su Yuyang was about to say something to console Ling Miao when he noticed eyes from outside his door: some were curious, others surprised, others angry. ¡°What¡¯re you looking at? Instead of looking at us, why don¡¯t you console your ¡­ uh¡­ your husband!¡± a woman said suddenly. Her words invited agreement from many others. Su Yuyang had intended to ignore these people, but then he remembered that they were his neighbours that he saw every day. If they spread word of him ¡®abandoning his husband¡¯, his reputation would¡­ Ling Miao still sat on the floor. Su Yuyang squatted in front of him and said consolingly in a gentle voice: ¡°I was wrong. Stay.¡± ¡°Mm.¡± Since Su Yuyang had invited him to stay, Ling Miao had achieved his objective. In order to prevent Su Yuyang from reneging, however, Ling Miao asked again: ¡°Will you chase me away?¡± ¡°No, I won¡¯t.¡± Su Yuyang¡¯s tone remained soft, but in his heart ten thousand ¡®fuck you¡¯ horses thundered by.1 Now that the ¡®happy family¡¯ had reconciled, the people gawking outside the door gradually dispersed. Slam. The exterior gate shut tightly, Su Yuyang took a deep breath and prepared to talk this over with Ling Miao, but his expression and movements were all broadcasting to Ling Miao ¡®I want to hit you.¡¯ Ling Miao shrank into a corner of the sofa. He hugged one of the armrests and warned: ¡°I¡¯m telling you, hit¡­ hitting people is a crime¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going to hit you,¡± Su Yuyang gritted out through his teeth. ¡°But I am going to tell you something: right now, at once, immediately get into the kitchen and cook for me!¡± Cook? Ling Miao pulled out his phone to check the time. Ah, it was almost twelve o¡¯clock. ¡°I¡­ I¡¯ll go right away.¡± Like a fleeing rabbit, Ling Miao disappeared into the kitchen in the blink of an eye. Su Yuyang¡¯s chest heaved. He had to gulp down two large glasses of cool water before the anger in his heart died down. Ling Miao! For the sake of living under Su Yuyang¡¯s roof, Ling Miao had really pulled out all the stops. If Su Yuyang weren¡¯t afraid of tarnishing his reputation, he surely wouldn¡¯t keep Ling Miao, who was ill-tempered and bad at his work, around. When Ling Miao had said, ¡°I really do love you,¡± however, Su Yuyang¡¯s heart had skipped two beats. The food was ready, shortly. Ling Miao lowered his head as he brought it out; he didn¡¯t dare look directly at Su Yuyang, who radiated a terrifying air. As usual, Su Yuyang had eaten all the rice in the bowl in several large bites. He handed the bowl to a stunned Ling Miao: ¡°More rice.¡± Ling Miao did not react. Su Yuyang repeated with emphasis, ¡°More rice.¡± ¡°Eh?¡± Ling Miao¡¯s hands trembled; the chopsticks and bowl both fell on the floor. ¡°More ¡­ more rice. Oh.¡± ¡°What are you worrying about?¡± Su Yuyang said with some irritation. ¡°That ¡­ you¡­ you¡¯re not angry at me, are you?¡± Ling Miao shrank back and watched Su Yuyang carefully. He worried that if Su Yuyang got angry he would toss Ling Miao, luggage and all, out the window. Fuck, this was the tenth floor. If Ling Miao got thrown out, it¡¯d be a miracle if he didn¡¯t die. ¡°Relax. I¡¯m a man of my word,¡± Su Yuyang said with some mockery. There was actually an unsaid second half to that sentence¨C and what about you? I¡¯m a man of my word, and what about you? Even Su Yuyang himself could tell it was strange. If it were said aloud¡­ its flavor might change. Su Yuyang wanted to ask Ling Miao whether the words he said today were true, but¡­ ¡°Ah?¡± Ling Miao said in surprise. Su Yuyang bit his lip¡ªhe had said his thoughts out loud. Ling Miao¡¯s troubled gaze swept back and forth over Su Yuyang; the latter avoided Ling Miao¡¯s eyes out of embarrassment. Suddenly Ling Miao began laughing: ¡°Su Yuyang, you didn¡¯t really think I was interested in you, right?¡±¡± ¡°Hmph, who¡¯d be interested in you?¡± Su Yuyang sneered in reply. ¡°But there was one thing I told the truth about.¡± Ling Miao¡¯s gaze became heated, and the smile lifting the corners of his lips became respectful. ¡°The ¡®I really do love you¡¯ was real.¡± Su Yuyang¡¯s heart stopped, and an inexplicable joy surged forth. At this time, Ling Miao added with his face all smiles: ¡°Great Shu Yang.¡± Su Yuyang couldn¡¯t suppress the rage in his heart any more. He yelled with all the strength in his body: ¡°Ling Miao, go and edit!¡± [Table of Contents] | [Chaleuria is on Twitter!] Translation notes: [1] one variant on ¡®fuck¡¯ sounds very similar to ¡®grass mud horse¡¯ Chapter 019 The Complete Guide to the Use and Care of a Personal Assistant Translator: Jury Editor: NomNom First Published on Chaleuria ¡ª Chapter Nineteen The typos and grammatical errors in this draft were forgivable, but even the main character¡¯s name was spelled wrong, and in more than a few places at that. Ling Miao was furious. If not for the file metadata indicating that the last edit to this document had been made yesterday, Ling Miao would have thought Su Yuyang was pulling another prank on him. It was noon by the time Ling Miao finished editing yesterday¡¯s draft. Ling Miao hurriedly packed up his things and went to the kitchen to cook, but was waylaid by Su Yuyang. Su Yuyang handed Ling Miao a piece of paper. Ling Miao glanced at it quickly and frowned. ¡°What do you mean by this?¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you read?¡± Su Yuyang smiled. ¡°It¡¯s there in black and white. From now on, you are to clean my room and wash my clothes.¡± ¡°Hey, Su Yuyang.¡± Su Yuyang didn¡¯t respond. He folded his arms over his chest and leaned against the wall as he waited for Ling Miao to finish. ¡°I cook and edit for you every day, but you¡¯re not satisfied, and now you even want me to do laundry and clean your room for you? Do you really think you hired a nanny? But wait, Su Yuyang, there¡¯s more! Did you even discuss this with me? What gives you the right to decide everything on your own? Let me tell you, Su Yuyang, don¡¯t go thinking I¡¯m an easy target just because I have nowhere to go.¡± Ling Miao leaned in a little more with every word he said, and by the time he was done he was almost on top of Su Yuyang. ¡°Ling Miao¡­¡± Su Yuyang was about to remind Ling Miao to back away a little when Ling Miao lost his balance and fell onto Su Yuyang. Ling Miao weighed over 130 pounds. Slammed between Ling Miao and the hard wall, Su Yuyang felt like he had sustained internal injuries. More importantly, Ling Miao¡¯s lips were plastered against Su Yuyang¡¯s face. Ling Miao used the wall as leverage to get back on his feet. He lowered his head and rubbed at his lips with the back of his hand; he didn¡¯t dare look Su Yuyang in the eye, so he didn¡¯t see Su Yuyang¡¯s complicated expression. He said in embarrassment, ¡°That¡­¡± ¡°So you really are interested in me.¡± Su Yuyang¡¯s eyes narrowed and he stared at the top of Ling Miao¡¯s head with a teasing expression. ¡°Scram!¡± Ling Miao yelled. Hearing his shout, Su Yuyang was sure that Ling Miao had returned to normal. Su Yuyang lowered his head to look Ling Miao in the eye. A faint smile hung at the corner of his lips. To Ling Miao¡¯s eyes, the smile seemed mocking. ¡°Fuck, what the hell are you laughing at? You need a serving of humble pie¡ªso laundry and room cleaning will still go to the cleaning lady, yes?¡± ¡°Ling Miao, did you fall asleep?¡± Su Yuyang laughed coldly. That was definitely an honest-to-god sneer. Ling Miao cursed softly and shot Su Yuyang a cold look. However, Su Yuyang seemed unaffected, as though he was standing behind a shield. He took the piece of paper he had handed Ling Miao earlier and nailed it to the wall. ¡°Ling Miao, remember one thing: you¡¯re living in my house right now.¡± ¡°So what if I¡¯m in your house?¡± Ling Miao wasn¡¯t stupid. Under the influence of his intense rage, however, his reason had fled the material world. ¡°Idiot,¡± Su Yuyang said, as if frustrated at Ling Miao¡¯s incompetence. ¡°Idiot?¡± Ling Miao repeated, but his tone was charged, full of gunpowder ready to explode. Su Yuyang¡¯s eyes glinted; he knew that he had thoroughly provoked Ling Miao. But Su Yuyang also knew very well that Ling Miao¡¯s temper was quick to flare and also quick to fade, so his expression remained calm. ¡°I¡¯m an idiot? Who¡¯s the idiot here?¡± Ling Miao brandished his hands like he wanted to claw Su Yuyang to pieces. ¡°Never mind that your draft was full of typos and grammatical mistakes, you even spelled the main character¡¯s name wrong! Twenty thousand words! I had to look for them one by one! Do you know how hard that was?!¡± Su Yuyang¡¯s eyes seemed to grow two sizes. Ling Miao expected Su Yuyang to call him stupid again, so he quickly added: ¡°Don¡¯t tell me to find and replace, even if I did that I¡¯d still have to look word by word¡­¡± ¡°Idiot,¡± Su Yuyang gritted his teeth and spat out the word. ¡°Ling Miao, did you pay attention while editing? How do you not know that the main character changed his name and identity? Now you¡¯re telling me to my face that my main character¡¯s name is wrong? Ling Miao, are you not an idiot?¡± After his short rant, Su Yuyang was somewhat out of breath. He gulped at the air and another question occurred to him: When Ling Miao was yelling at me, he didn¡¯t run out of breath. Is he just used to it? Su Yuyang was usually very easygoing, and even his occasional serious words had not made Ling Miao¡¯s ears ring like they were ringing now. Once Ling Miao finished processing what Su Yuyang had just said, he had an epiphany and asked dumbly: ¡°Yan Luo changed his name and identity?¡± ¡°Are you even paying attention to the text?¡± Su Yuyang felt genuine regret¡ªhe shouldn¡¯t have hired Ling Miao based solely on his cooking skill. Ling Miao was a good cook but not a good assistant. Should I find a new assistant? ¡°I¡­ I didn¡¯t read yesterday¡¯s update.¡± Under Su Yuyang¡¯s glare, Ling Miao¡¯s legs gave way. If not for the chair behind him, he would¡¯ve fallen to the floor. ¡°Ling Miao, you¡¯re eating my food and living under my roof. If you can¡¯t even edit properly, then what other tasks can I trust you to do? Do you think I hired an assistant just to cook and edit for me?¡± [Table of Contents] | [Chaleuria is on Twitter!] Chapter 020 The Complete Guide to the Use and Care of a Personal Assistant Translator: Jury Editor: NomNom First Published on Chaleuria ¡ª Chapter Twenty Ling Miao sat in the chair. He lowered the head he had previously held high; he stared at his toes and bout after bout of indignation ran through his heart. Ling Miao was someone who responded to a softer touch but not to force. If Su Yuyang had spoken those words with an angry or sneering tone, Ling Miao definitely would have quarrelled with Su Yuyang. But Su Yuyang seemed to know Ling Miao inside and out; his tone had been light and he hadn¡¯t seemed to be lecturing Ling Miao so much as cajoling an injured cat. Ling Miao had thick skin, but that was when he had the moral high ground. Right now, Ling Miao was in the wrong, so he couldn¡¯t be tough even if he tried. Su Yuyang looked at Ling Miao thoughtfully. A sob sounded as if floating in from afar. The sound landed in Su Yuyang¡¯s ears, causing him to frown. He sighed: ¡°I wasn¡¯t blaming you. I was¡­¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m an idiot.¡± Ling Miao¡¯s self-effacing words cut Su Yuyang off. ¡°College roomies said I was stupid because I talked back to a prof who was already having a bad day. Now¡­ Su Yuyang, I feel terrible. Editing is a pretty easy task, and it¡¯s something I do every day. But I? If the main character¡¯s name is spelled wrong once, that¡¯s not strange, but it was wrong throughout the entire draft and I didn¡¯t suspect a thing. I just went ahead and edited.¡± After a period of silence, Ling Miao begged: ¡°Su Yuyang, give me a chance.¡± ¡°A chance?¡± ¡°Please don¡¯t fire me.¡± Ling Miao raised his head and looked at Su Yuyang; his ordinarily bright eyes had clouded over¡­ Su Yuyang raised his hand and touched Ling Miao¡¯s shoulder, and the upward tilt at the corner of his lips was carefree. ¡°I don¡¯t intend to fire you.¡± Thanks to you! When you¡¯re wearing such an expression, I just can¡¯t say the words to fire you! ¡°Really?¡± Ling Miao¡¯s eyes shone. Su Yuyang smiled and said: ¡°Udon worry1¡ªXiao Miao, I¡¯m hungry.¡± Su Yuyang said the words ¡°I¡¯m hungry¡± very meaningfully, and Ling Miao inexplicably turned red. He batted away the hand Su Yuyang had placed on his shoulder and said, all flustered: ¡°If you¡¯re hungry, then eat.¡± ¡°But you haven¡¯t made lunch, Xiao Miao.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ I¡¯ll go cook.¡± Ling Miao scrambled into the kitchen. Watching Ling Miao¡¯s vanishing silhouette, Su Yuyang laughed under his breath. While Ling Miao was cooking, Su Yuyang entered his study¡ªin order to prevent Ling Miao from forgetting to delete his draft again, Su Yuyang had ordered Ling Miao to use the desktop in the study to edit, while Su Yuyang himself holed up in his bedroom to write. Thinking of Ling Miao changing the main character¡¯s name everywhere he saw it, Su Yuyang decided not to use the undo function, and straight up permanently deleted the document. After the previous incident, Ling Miao hadn¡¯t dared to edit online any more. After washing up, Ling Miao returned to the study and prepared to begin round two of editing, but found that the fruits of his morning labor had disappeared without explanation. A search of the entire hard disk returned no results. ¡°Su! Yu! Yang!¡± Ling Miao shouted in a rage. The grinding of his teeth was as if he wanted to mince the owner of the name to pieces. ¡°Hey, Su Yuyang.¡± Ling Miao¡¯s enraged shout had passed through the walls and entered Su Yuyang¡¯s ears. The familiar prelude let Su Yuyang know to prepare to be on the receiving end of Ling Miao¡¯s rage. But something seemed amiss this time: after a period of time that spanned the length of about one song had passed, Ling Miao had not followed up with anything. The unusual turn of events worried Su Yuyang. After another song-length of time, the neighboring room was still silent. Su Yuyang, who was getting more and more anxious, pulled out his earphones and pushed open the study door like a gust of wind. ¡°Is something the matter?¡± Ling Miao yelled. Su Yuyang stood in the doorway, feeling trapped. Ling Miao did not notice Su Yuyang acting strangely. He slammed his hands on the desktop keyboard and said, ¡°If nothing¡¯s the matter, don¡¯t stand behind me. It¡¯s scary.¡± ¡°Eh¡­ don¡¯t hit my keyboard. It was a thousand bucks.¡± Su Yuyang promptly changed the subject. ¡°Fuck, a simple keyboard costs a thousand bucks. Rich and tasteless.¡± The sour note in Ling Miao¡¯s voice made Su Yuyang feel awkward. Su Yuyang looked at Ling Miao¡¯s resentful expression and felt a tug at his heart. He said hurriedly, ¡°That¡ªcontinue editing. It¡¯s just that the mechanical keyboard sounds good, but please use less force when typing, it¡¯s disturbing me.¡± Without giving Ling Miao time to reply, Su Yuyang closed the study door. ¡°Whoo¡ª¡± Su Yuyang leaned against the door and exhaled. He felt some doubt: Was it a mistake to keep Ling Miao around? Ling Miao¡¯s eyes had not left the door since Su Yuyang shut it behind him. It was as if his gaze was trying to pierce through the door and Su Yuyang¡¯s back to stare directly into Su Yuyang¡¯s heart. It could have been ten minutes or half an hour that passed before Ling Miao turned his gaze back to the monitor. He placed his hand on the mouse but did not know what to do. Su Yuyang had said to type more softly. However, in the time period between Ling Miao returning to the computer to continue editing and Su Yuyang opening the door, Ling Miao had just been reading Su Yuyang¡¯s update from yesterday and had not typed a single word. ¡°Su Yuyang, you really still do want me to leave.¡± Ling Miao¡¯s brain conjured an image of Su Yuyang¡¯s expression as he was standing in the doorway. Ling Miao laughed in frustration, ¡°But if I leave, where can I go? And, Great Novelist, you said I could stay, so I¡¯m going to stay. If, someday, you ask me to leave, I¡­ I¡¯ll figure it out when that day comes.¡± [Table of Contents] | [Chaleuria is on Twitter!] Translation notes: [1] Su Yuyang had a freudian slip and said a food word due to being hungry Chapter 021 The Complete Guide to the Use and Care of a Personal Assistant Translator: Jury Editor: NomNom First Published on Chaleuria ¡ª Chapter Twenty-one It was evening by the time Ling Miao finished editing Su Yuyang¡¯s draft. Ling Miao raised his head to look outside; he had thought that it was still early and the darkening sky shocked him. In May, twilight still fell late. Through the window the dying rays of the setting sun still shone in the sky, the golden light piercing Ling Miao¡¯s eyes. Ling Miao cursed softly and uploaded the edited chapters as quickly as he could. Once the final chapter was in place, he rushed to the kitchen without even pausing for a sip of water. Only after Ling Miao had made dinner did he go to knock on Su Yuyang¡¯s bedroom door. Su Yuyang opened the door, and it was as if he had used his face to wipe the bottom of a pot. It was difficult to differentiate his eyes from the rest of his face. Ling Miao eyed Su Yuyang; Ling Miao¡¯s originally calm face had turned red in the last few seconds, his lips twitched before they pursed tightly, again. He covered his mouth with both his hands. Ling Miao¡¯s strange behavior made uncertainty rise in Su Yuyang¡¯s heart; the latter was about to open his mouth to ask a question when Ling Miao let out a poorly stifled laugh, followed by a seemingly endless string of ¡®ha ha ha ha¡¯s. ¡°Ling Miao, you¡¯re really something¡± Su Yuyang gritted out through his teeth as the remains of his sleepy haze dissipated completely. ¡°Ah! Ha ha!¡± Ling Miao braced himself against the wall with one hand and clutched his stomach with the other; he was even panting a little. ¡°Great Shu, you¡¯re really hardworking! You don¡¯t stop writing even when you¡¯re asleep! But what is this mysterious ability to type with your face?¡± ¡°Hm?¡± Su Yuyang asked. Ling Miao had laughed his fill, but once he saw Su Yuyang¡¯s face again, he could not hold back more laughter. ¡°Su Yuyang, do you know what waffles are? Your face must have met a waffle mold! If you had some syrup, you wouldn¡¯t lose a drop!¡± Ling Miao was laughing so hard he was practically curled up on the ground; the muscles in his face had all seized up. By now, Su Yuyang generally understood the reason for Ling Miao¡¯s exaggerated laughter. He touched his face and silently sighed: the love-bites the keyboard had left on his face were pretty deep. Su Yuyang shook his head and fixed Ling Miao with a somewhat disdainful gaze. Ling Miao wasn¡¯t oblivious, but he also wasn¡¯t especially sensitive; still, he quickly managed to figure out the various emotions swirling in Su Yuyang¡¯s eyes. ¡°Hey, Su Yuyang, what expression is that?¡± Ling Miao angled his chin and demanded. His pale skin was flushed red with rage. Su Yuyang lowered his head and watched Ling Miao¡¯s gradually reddening cheeks. Suddenly he bent down and blew into Ling Miao¡¯s ear: ¡°Ling Miao, you¡¯re very easily amused.¡± Ling Miao couldn¡¯t figure out what Su Yuyang was trying to do by saying such mocking words in such a suggestive way, but his neck flushed even redder. ¡°Xiao Miao, you¡¯re blushing.¡± Su Yuyang teased. Ling Miao raised a hand to his own face. The heat from his skin made him quickly remove his hand. ¡°Scram and go eat lunch!¡± Ling Miao hurriedly turned around to hide his embarrassed face from Su Yuyang. As he turned he also shifted his gaze¡ªhe didn¡¯t want to meet Su Yuyang¡¯s eyes, which were full of such complex emotions that terrified Ling Miao down to the bottom of his heart. Su Yuyang didn¡¯t say anything. Ling Miao watched the dining table from the corner of his eye¡ªSu Yuyang had not headed over to it. Ling Miao was slightly anxious because he couldn¡¯t see what Su Yuyang was doing, but he didn¡¯t have the courage to turn around. Taking a deep breath, Ling Miao stepped forward, and his other foot hadn¡¯t left the floor when he felt something tighten over his wrist. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Ling Miao asked, his voice stony but trembling. Su Yuyang laughed and said, ¡°It¡¯s lunchtime, isn¡¯t it? The dining table is behind you, but where are you going?¡± ¡°Oh, there¡¯s not enough rice. I¡¯m making noodles.¡± Ling Miao¡¯s voice gradually grew quieter. ¡°So, can you let go of me now?¡± In a daze Su Yuyang let go of Ling Miao, who rubbed at his reddened arm and said viciously, ¡°Great Novelist, did you want to crush my wrist to pieces?¡± In the time it took Su Yuyang to say ¡°Uh¡­¡±, Ling Miao vanished from his field of view. Su Yuyang¡¯s mouth fell open for a few seconds before he closed it slowly. Disappointment flashed across his eyes. Sunlight filtered through the day curtains and softly lay over the dining table. Su Yuyang watched a strip of a mischievous beam of sunlight creep over Ling Miao¡¯s shoulder. In this moment, Ling Miao seemed to exist within fog, mysterious and small, but a closer look revealed Ling Miao¡¯s infinite, explosive strength. The block in Su Yuyang¡¯s mind inexplicably vanished. He suddenly thought of adding a character into his novel¡ªa character based off Ling Miao. ¡°Hey, Su Yuyang!¡± Ling Miao¡¯s sudden yell not only cut off Su Yuyang¡¯s train of thought, but it also scared Su Yuyang so much he dropped his chopsticks on the ground. Su Yuyang hurriedly picked them up and wiped them off with a napkin, then feigned calm as he said: ¡°Did you delete my draft again?¡± Feeling Su Yuyang¡¯s disdainful gaze, Ling Miao sneered and thrust his chin forward as he said: ¡°Since you want to eat, then eat. Why do you keep staring at me? Careful you don¡¯t put your food in your nose.¡± Su Yuyang disregarded Ling Miao¡¯s question. He lowered his head and continued to eat, but he raised his eyes to glance at Ling Miao from time to time. Seeing Ling Miao with arms folded over his chest and staring at him with a thunderous face, Su Yuyang lost the desire to eat even though he was so hungry his stomach seemed to touch his spine. ¡°Ling Miao, why do you keep staring at me?¡± ¡°Yeah, why did you keep staring at me just now?¡± Ling Miao shot back unpleasantly. Su Yuyang was caught off guard. Knowing it was futile to argue with Ling Miao, he shut his mouth out of habit. As Su Yuyang ate, he was still designing the character he would base off of Ling Miao. Perhaps it was because his train of thought had been cut off just now, but he could not pick up his previous thread of inspiration or continue it. No matter how he thought about it, he could not construct a solid character in his mind. In frustration, he gave up the idea. Most of Ling Miao¡¯s day belonged to Su Yuyang, but after dinner Ling Miao¡¯s time was once again his own¡ªthat was Ling Miao and Su Yuyang¡¯s agreement. After washing the dishes, Ling Miao opened his laptop and prepared to write. Su Yuyang came out of his bedroom and did not see Ling Miao, but a pattering sound from the study caught his attention The sky was growing darker, but the light in the study was off. Su Yuyang stood outside the room and looked in; light from the laptop screen shone on Ling Miao¡¯s face, giving him a somewhat cold air. Su Yuyang turned on the study light and Ling Miao squinted his eyes at the sudden brightness. He said angrily: ¡°Su Yuyang, what are you doing?¡± Ling Miao was sitting on the bed, wrapped in a blanket; his laptop was placed on the desk over the bed. Su Yuyang frowned at the scene before him. Melancholy and vexation appeared simultaneously on his face. ¡°Xiao Miao, I forgot to tell you something.¡± Su Yuyang rubbed at his temples and opened his mouth with difficulty. ¡°You have two choices for where to sleep at night: the sofa or the floor.¡± The sofa or the floor? Ling Miao¡¯s eyes twitched, as if he were trying to figure out Su Yuyang¡¯s intentions. Half a minute later, Ling Miao slapped the desk hard: ¡°Su Yuyang, I did pull strings to live in your house, but surely you don¡¯t have to treat me like this?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not just you, even I don¡¯t dare to sleep in this bed,¡± Su Yuyang said with a vexed look on his face. ¡°Let me put it this way¡ªthis bed belongs to someone. It¡¯s in my house, but it¡¯s not mine. If you can accept my terms from just now, you can stay. If you can¡¯t¡ªthe door¡¯s that way.¡± Su Yuyang seemed sincere. In addition, Su Yuyang was the apartment owner, so Ling Miao didn¡¯t want to take too many liberties. He resigned himself to his fate and began to pack his things in preparation for going to the living room to sleep. After parsing through what Su Yuyang had just said, Ling Miao¡¯s nosy nature began to rear its head. He prodded Su Yuyang who was standing by the door and asked with a grin: ¡°Su-ge, is the bed¡¯s owner a man or a woman?¡± ¡°Mm¡­¡± Su Yuyang looked Ling Miao over, probably observing whether Ling Miao wanted to know out of curiosity or if he had other intentions. After thinking about the owner¡¯s identity, however, Su Yuyang gave an ambiguous answer: ¡°Could be male or female; could be giving or receiving; could be butch or femme.¡± Su Yuyang rattled this off smoothly as if he had said it countless times¡ªit looked like Su Yuyang¡¯s relationship with the person ran deep! ¡°Oh¡­ I think I understand.¡± Ling Miao said he understood, but Su Yuyang still saw the row of question marks above his head. Still, Su Yuyang had no intention of answering Ling Miao¡¯s question. When Ling Miao arrived he had brought his blanket, his sleeping mat, and some more padding. Now, he put the cotton padding and the sleeping mat down, then put a pillow and the blanket on top; with that, his nest was complete. When Su Yuyang walked out carrying more padding, he saw Ling Miao in his blanket nest, writing. He tossed the padding to the floor and said with surprise, ¡°Ling Miao, you knew you¡¯d have to sleep on the floor?¡± ¡°Wrong~ I got this for school and it¡¯s coming in handy now. But, Su-ge, I didn¡¯t expect you to be this concerned about me.¡± Ling Miao touched the padding Su Yuyang had thrown on the floor, and smiled faintly. Su Yuyang murmured assent and feigned indifference as he said: ¡°The marble is pretty cold, and it¡¯s chilly at night. Put more layers down before you sleep¡ªif you get sick, you¡¯re not the only one who will suffer.¡± Ling Miao stuck his tongue out at Su Yuyang, who made a cutting motion. Ling Miao retracted his tongue immediately before trailing Su Yuyang to the bathroom with his eyes. When Su Yuyang emerged from the bathroom, Ling Miao was still racking his brains over the next scene. Su Yuyang walked over, towelling his hair; water from his hair flew in all directions, much of it landing on Ling Miao¡¯s face. Ling Miao wiped at the water on his face; he raised his head and was about to lecture Su Yuyang when a droplet flew into his mouth. It was just a drop of water, and if it had fallen into his mouth from his own hair he would just have spit it out. But this was water that fell from Su Yuyang¡¯s hair¡­ Ling Miao thought about it and felt uneasy. Ling Miao¡¯s mouth stayed open. He didn¡¯t know whether to swallow or to spit. Su Yuyang grabbed a nectarine and stuffed it in Ling Miao¡¯s mouth. Ling Miao bit into the nectarine and hummed, ¡°You buttering me up? It¡¯s too late!¡± Ling Miao finished the nectarine in two or three bites. Seeing him lick his lips in satisfaction, Su Yuyang said apologetically: ¡°The nectarine wasn¡¯t washed.¡± The nectarine flesh Ling Miao hadn¡¯t fully swallowed now lodged in his throat; in his mind, a second battle was taking place. If he spat it out, Su Yuyang would look down on him, but if he swallowed it, he¡¯d feel wronged. Not knowing what to do, Ling Miao turned his head to look at Su Yuyang, whose relaxed posture made Ling Miao swallow his bite of nectarine alongside his anger. Ling Miao silently cursed Su Yuyang from head to toe, and muttered: ¡°They¡¯re not clean, pray I don¡¯t get sick.¡± Su Yuyang gave a big thumbs-up. Ling Miao yelled, ¡°Su Yuyang, you did this on purpose, right?¡± Su Yuyang shrugged to indicate his innocence. He got a nectarine, took a bite, and said: ¡°Idiot, they¡¯ve been washed.¡± ¡°You¡­¡± Ling Miao felt a bundle of fire bouncing to and fro in his chest, but before he could let it out Su Yuyang stepped up to fill the role of a fire extinguisher. Su Yuyang reminded him: ¡°Tomorrow, wash my clothes. Remember, hand-wash them.¡± ¡°Su Yuyang, you just prepare to wear rags!¡± Alongside the sound of Ling Miao cursing under his breath, a nectarine pit flew toward Su Yuyang, trailing sparks, and landed squarely on the back of Su Yuyang¡¯s head. [Table of Contents] | [Chaleuria is on Twitter!] Chapter 022 The Complete Guide to the Use and Care of a Personal Assistant Translator: Jury Editor: NomNom First Published on Chaleuria ¡ª Chapter Twenty-two The nectarine pit was very hard and Ling Miao had thrown it with all his strength, so he had reason to believe Su Yuyang was in so much pain that he couldn¡¯t talk¡ªif he could talk, he wouldn¡¯t be so silent. Sometimes silence was scarier than anything that could be said, especially when Ling Miao had angered the person in front of him. Ling Miao placed both hands on the keyboard. He looked like he was writing, but in reality, his heart was roiling like a pot of congee. Su Yuyang could get angry, scold him, hit him, and he¡¯d be able to take it. He only hoped that Su Yuyang wouldn¡¯t chase him away. ¡°Ah.¡± A sigh landed in his ear, and in a fit of overstimulation Ling Miao fell off the sofa. Turning to see Su Yuyang next to him, Ling Miao didn¡¯t even register the pain in his butt. He mustered up the strength to scramble away from Su Yuyang, who was considering the nectarine pit in his palm with thoughtful eyes. Ling Miao¡¯s heart clenched. Out of fear that he would die from his rapidly rising blood pressure, he opened his mouth: ¡°That¡­ Su-ge, I¡­ that ¡­ that nectarine pit has my spit on it, quickly, throw it in the bin.¡± Su Yuyang lightly tilted his head; his eyes met Ling Miao¡¯s, and his icy gaze almost froze Ling Miao solid. Ling Miao shuddered and his voice caught as he said: ¡°Su-ge, I¡¯m really in the wrong. I¡¯ll wash your clothes properly¡­¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Su Yuyang¡¯s sigh cut off Ling Miao¡¯s apology. Su Yuyang threw the nectarine pit into the trash, then wiped his hand off with a tissue as he said: ¡°It¡¯s my fault for giving you a hard time, but it was a bit much to hit me with a nectarine pit. Since you apologized, I won¡¯t pursue the matter, either.¡± Ling Miao quickly promised that he wouldn¡¯t do something that dangerous again, so penitent he might as well have been kneeling on the floor. Ling Miao¡¯s strung-up heart didn¡¯t relax until the door to Su Yuyang¡¯s bedroom closed, but he still didn¡¯t know what would happen from now on. Su Yuyang was also sitting uncertainly in front of his computer staring at his draft. In the afternoon he¡¯d fallen asleep while writing, and, just like that, his afternoon¡¯s work had been ruined. He wanted to salvage what he could while he still had a little bit of inspiration. After a few lines, however, Su Yuyang couldn¡¯t continue writing. Every nook and crevice of his mind was occupied with a certain person¡¯s silhouette. This person¡¯s outline was blurry, and his profile looked a bit like Ling Miao¡¯s. However, this person¡¯s movements were incredibly languid; he was nothing like Ling Miao. Su Yuyang¡¯s mind was still caught on Ling Miao¡¯s image from dinnertime. Comparing the scene in his mind to dinnertime¡¯s, the character grew another fraction clearer. ¡°Forget it.¡± Su Yuyang deflated, then sat up straight. ¡°If I can¡¯t come up with it, then I can¡¯t come up with it. This character isn¡¯t essential. Ah, I tried to plant flowers with the best of intentions, but the flowers don¡¯t bloom. Maybe one day I¡¯ll plant a forest and actually be able to bask in the shade.¡± As Su Yuyang went on thinking, his mental block gradually receded, and scene upon scene appeared in his mind. His fingers danced across the keyboard. Because the scenes were already fully formed in his mind, he didn¡¯t have to spend much time thinking. In addition, his typing speed left Ling Miao¡¯s in the dust. By the time Su Yuyang had finished ten thousand words, Ling Miao was still thinking about his plot. ¡°Goddamn it.¡± Ling Miao slammed the keyboard. ¡°What happens next? Do I go to a different place? I can¡¯t go to a different place, the main character still hasn¡¯t gotten one very important thing!¡± When Ling Miao got frustrated, he would begin to pull at his hair. Maybe someday he wouldn¡¯t stop until he was bald. Su Yuyang felt thirsty and left his room to get water. Ling Miao¡¯s frustrated image entered his eyes, and inexplicably, he wanted to laugh. And he actually did laugh out loud. ¡°Su Yuyang, what are you doing out here in the middle of the night?¡± ¡°Seeing you frustrated,¡± Su Yuyang joked as he took a sip of water. Ling Miao glared at Su Yuyang so hard his eyeballs were about to fall out. Su Yuyang packed up his smile and walked to Ling Miao¡¯s side. He looked at the screen and asked, ¡°Writer¡¯s block?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Ling Miao¡¯s strength seemed to have all been spent pulling at his hair, so his reply now was weak. Su Yuyang thought for a bit then turned the laptop to face him. ¡°Let me see.¡± Su Yuyang skimmed Ling Miao¡¯s draft; Ling Miao sat to one side, his breathing gradually evening out. Ling Miao¡¯s gaze occasionally landed on his laptop screen, and occasionally on Su Yuyang¡¯s face. Ling Miao didn¡¯t know what Su Yuyang was looking at, but he noticed that Su Yuyang was frowning. It was just a simple frown, but Ling Miao couldn¡¯t tear his eyes from Su Yuyang¡¯s face. Only because Su Yuyang¡¯s attention was completely on Ling Miao¡¯s draft did Ling Miao have the courage to let his eyes linger on Su Yuyang. This was the first time Ling Miao had observed Su Yuyang so closely. Su Yuyang¡¯s features were ordinary, and on first glance one wouldn¡¯t find him to be particularly eye-catching. But if one were to pay close attention to him like Ling Miao was doing now, one might find that Su Yuyang had an inexplicable draw about him. Su Yuyang radiated a languid air, and in contrast, his attentive expression was striking. The distinct feelings intermingled with each other, and Ling Miao could feel his heart sinking into a mire. Second after second trickled by. Su Yuyang finished reading the five chapters preceding the one Ling Miao had been working on, and thought very hard before asking: ¡°What are you planning to write next?¡± Ling Miao didn¡¯t say anything. Worried, Su Yuyang turned his head, only to find Ling Miao staring at him in a daze. Su Yuyang waved his hand in front of Ling Miao¡¯s eyes. Ling Miao seemed to be in a trance, completely unaffected by the world around him. ¡°Ling Miao?¡± Su Yuyang frantically called Ling Miao¡¯s name as he unconsciously grasped Ling Miao¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Ah?¡± Ling Miao suddenly jerked his shoulder. He looked at Su Yuyang, still somewhat caught up in a daze, but by this time Su Yuyang had regained his composure. He turned the laptop around and sat down beside Ling Miao. He asked, ¡°Where¡¯s your detailed outline?¡± ¡°I only have a rough outline,¡± Ling Miao said self-consciously. Su Yuyang sighed and said with displeasure, ¡°The rough outline, then.¡± Ling Miao clicked open his rough outline for the current volume. Su Yuyang closed the text and began to peruse Ling Miao¡¯s outline, occasionally asking Ling Miao about his thought process. As Ling Miao answered Su Yuyang¡¯s questions, he suddenly had a breakthrough; he finally understood why he was stuck. Su Yuyang yawned, radiating sleepiness: ¡°It¡¯s late. I¡¯m going to bed. You should rest soon, too.¡± Compared to Su Yuyang, Ling Miao wasn¡¯t in a much better state, but he wasn¡¯t like Su Yuyang in that he didn¡¯t have chapters in reserve. His update for the next day still didn¡¯t exist, so he had to stay up all night writing. Seeing that Su Yuyang had retired to his room, Ling Miao made a cup of coffee, then went to the bathroom to splash his face with cold water. With Su Yuyang¡¯s suggestions in hand, the dam of Ling Miao¡¯s writer¡¯s block broke. Hearing the pattering of a keyboard outside his door, Su Yuyang tossed and turned in his bed. By the time the sounds of the keyboard ceased, Su Yuyang was pretty much fully awake. Looking at the night-blue sky, Su Yuyang sighed: When I feel sleepy, the circumstances won¡¯t allow it. Now that I¡¯m not sleepy, the environment is perfect for sleeping¡­ Forcing himself to sleep was a pain even worse than failing to update. Su Yuyang took out his phone and began to read a novel¡ªLing Miao¡¯s novel. Ling Miao was woken by his alarm. He needed to be up early to prepare breakfast for Su Yuyang. Su Yuyang¡¯s routine was fairly set. Previously, Su Yuyang would have been up before Ling Miao had finished cooking breakfast, but today Su Yuyang hadn¡¯t even opened his door by the time Ling Miao put breakfast on the table. Ling Miao worried that Su Yuyang might have fallen ill. He paced for a while in front of Su Yuyang¡¯s door, then decided to knock. ¡°Su Yuyang?¡± Ling Miao did not knock hard, but firmly enough that anyone inside would have heard. When Su Yuyang didn¡¯t answer after five or six knocks, Ling Miao went ahead and opened the door. Su Yuyang was wrapped in his blankets, lying on his side, facing the door. Ling Miao walked up to him and felt his temperature and his breathing; only after Ling Miao ascertained that nothing was wrong did his strung-out heart begin to relax. Since Su Yuyang was still sleeping, Ling Miao prepared to exit the room. As he turned, he caught a glint from the corner of his eye, and looked down to see Su Yuyang¡¯s cellphone. The screen was still on. Ling Miao picked it up and looked¡ªa novel was open in reading view, and the words on the screen were familiar to him. ¡°He¡¯s reading my novel?¡± As the thought occurred to him, Ling Miao felt like he¡¯d been struck by lightning. ¡°Fuck, don¡¯t tell me he fell asleep while reading my novel? That¡¯s ¡­ that hurts my pride.¡± From Ling Miao¡¯s perspective, good novels energized the reader, who then wouldn¡¯t be able to stop reading. He¡¯d completely lost track of time while reading novels before, and then of course when he went to class the following day he hadn¡¯t been awake at all. Ling Miao¡¯s heart had just been indistinctly pinched by Su Yuyang, and the pain was indescribable. Ling Miao was close to smashing Su Yuyang¡¯s phone. But Ling Miao¡¯s heart wasn¡¯t made of glass. Even though it had been battered, it still continued to beat resiliently. ¡°Since I have easy access to a successful novelist, it¡¯ll be good if I can get tips from him. But I don¡¯t know if he¡¯ll agree.¡± Having made up his mind, Ling Miao decided: it¡¯s courteous to be humble after receiving gifts and to be pleasant when you eat other people¡¯s food. Great Shu Yang, you ate the food I cooked, now give me a few pointers, won¡¯t you? Fantasizing that after getting pointers from Su Yuyang his work¡¯s popularity would grow by leaps and bounds and readers would praise it every day, Ling Miao rushed out the door. When Su Yuyang woke up, Ling Miao had still not returned. ¡°Xiao Miao, is breakfast ready?¡± Su Yuyang called Ling Miao out of habit, but the expected reply did not come. Su Yuyang rubbed the sleep from his eyes as he walked to the kitchen. He looked: Ling Miao was not in the kitchen. ¡°Where did he go?¡± Su Yuyang yawned and lay down on the sofa, and a piece of paper suddenly drew his attention. ¡°Su-ge, I went grocery shopping. Breakfast is on the table. If it¡¯s cold, warm it in the microwave.¡± ¡°He didn¡¯t leave?¡± Su Yuyang looked at the note and relief flooded his every cell. Close to noon, Ling Miao returned carrying bags of various sizes and complaining a bit. He said that next time he went grocery shopping he¡¯d drag Su Yuyang with him. Su Yuyang said only three words in reply: ¡°Go and cook.¡± Ling Miao dragged his two big bags of groceries to the kitchen, complaining that Su Yuyang wasn¡¯t helping him. Su Yuyang¡¯s clear voice came: ¡°Xiao Miao, remember to do laundry in the afternoon, and clean my room too.¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Ling Miao choked. He grit his teeth and let out a cold ¡®hmph¡¯: ¡°Su Yuyang, will you die if you don¡¯t remind me to do those things?¡± Laundry¡­ heh heh.Thinking of the clothes he had washed before, Ling Miao grieved for them. [Table of Contents] | [Chaleuria is on Twitter!] Chapter 023 The Complete Guide to the Use and Care of a Personal Assistant Translator: Jury Editor: NomNom First Published on Chaleuria ¡ª Chapter Twenty-three Every afternoon, Su Yuyang would go to a nearby gym to work out and Ling Miao would stay at home to write, but today, Ling Miao was doing laundry. During Ling Miao¡¯s four years in college and the one year since then, he hadn¡¯t even washed his socks, to say nothing of washing clothes. What flummoxed Ling Miao the most was that Su Yuyang had a washing machine at home. So why did he need Ling Miao to wash his clothes by hand? ¡°Tcheh, what¡¯s the difference between washing by hand and using a washing machine?¡± Ling Miao grumbled to himself as he stuffed clothes indiscriminately into the machine, not bothering to sort them by color. ¡°Mm-hmm. I¡¯ll use the machine, it¡¯s not like he can do anything to me!¡± Humming a tune, Ling Miao happily pressed the start button and began to clean Su Yuyang¡¯s room. Su Yuyang walked through the door and glanced around the living room; everywhere he looked, it was cleaner than before. He nodded to himself and was about to call Ling Miao to eat ice cream when he slipped on the floor, almost falling. The bag in his hand wasn¡¯t as lucky. Ignoring the ice cream and popsicles on the floor, Su Yuyang turned around and looked at the culprit of his near fall¡ªa puddle of water. Su Yuyang hesitated to move. Beneath the sunlight that shone into the room Su Yuyang could see a lot of water shining on the floor, and he promptly took back his earlier thoughts¡ªthe ice cream would be wasted on Ling Miao! Su Yuyang then thought: Did Ling Miao intentionally leave all this water on the floor to make me fall? Thinking this, Su Yuyang called: ¡°Ling Miao, get over here!¡± Ling Miao answered with an ¡°Mm!¡± and nothing more. The implications of the perfunctory reply were obvious, and from Ling Miao¡¯s tone, Su Yuyang could tell that Ling Miao was panicking. Ling Miao didn¡¯t show up for a long time, and Su Yuyang¡¯s sense that Ling Miao was intentionally making things difficult for him intensified. Ling Miao¡¯s voice seemed to have come from the balcony. Without thinking too much more, Su Yuyang walked towards the balcony, but he slipped in another puddle of water. This time, he wasn¡¯t so lucky. Thunk¡ªLing Miao heard a loud noise from the living room and asked loudly, ¡°Su-ge, what happened?¡± ¡°Hss¡ªuh¡ª¡± Su Yuyang sat on the ground rubbing his knee and grit out: ¡°Ling Miao, you decided you couldn¡¯t let me end the day without falling on my ass, did you?¡± ¡°What?¡± Ling Miao ran over holding an article of clothing. Seeing Su Yuyang on the floor, he quickly went to help Su Yuyang up. ¡°Su-ge, are you okay?¡± ¡°Exactly how much water did you leave on the floor?¡± Su Yuyang pointed at the shiny parts of the floor. ¡°Those are a lot of traps you¡¯ve set. I think it¡¯d be hard for me not to fall.¡± At this point Ling Miao didn¡¯t even need to hear the insinuation in Su Yuyang¡¯s words to know that he¡¯d gotten himself into a lot of trouble. If this were any other day, Ling Miao would have loudly reproached Su Yuyang, but today he didn¡¯t have a leg to stand on so he just said miserably: ¡°I was just mopping the floor, but used a bit too much water, so ¡­ so it¡¯s like this now.¡± ¡°Mopping the floor? Ling Miao, you don¡¯t need this much water to mop the floor! Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯ve never done chores before.¡± Su Yuyang suddenly wanted to find a block of tofu to hit his head with.1 He just fundamentally could not understand Ling Miao. ¡°I only know how to cook,¡± Ling Miao said awkwardly. You only know how to cook? Su Yuyang began to worry for his clothes. Washing clothes didn¡¯t take a lot of skill, but there were still things one had to pay attention to. Just then, Su Yuyang turned his head and saw an item of clothing tossed over the back of the sofa. If he was remembering correctly, he definitely did not own any tie-dyed clothing. The instant Su Yuyang¡¯s gaze landed on the shirt, Ling Miao fled to a corner of a room and squatted down, doing his best to curl into as small a ball as possible, as if that would keep Su Yuyang from seeing him. Su Yuyang looked the shirt up and down, inside and out, over and over, and came to the conclusion that this shirt was indeed his. But ¡­ the shirt was supposed to be white, wasn¡¯t it? ¡°Ling Miao, oh, Ling Miao. Don¡¯t you know dark clothes and light clothes needed to be washed separately?¡± The words were squeezed out one by one through Su Yuyang¡¯s teeth, every one landing like another stone, heavy in Ling Miao¡¯s heart. Ling Miao tried even harder to curl up into a smaller ball, and he wanted fiercely to find a gap in the ground where he could hide for a while. ¡°That¡­ I¡­ I always washed my clothes like this and never had the color run. Su-ge, clearly it¡¯s your clothes that are bad quality, the dye even comes out¡­ if the color didn¡¯t run, this wouldn¡¯t have happened!¡± Ling Miao sounded indignant, and Su Yuyang felt a throbbing at his temples, feeling like they would explode at any moment. ¡°I told you. You¡¯re healthy but your brain is simple. Looking at you ¡­ You¡¯re a prime example of ¡®simple brain means simple limbs, too.¡¯¡± Su Yuyang looked at his shirt and sighed. ¡°Hey, Su Yuyang.¡± Ling Miao suddenly raised his head, and his eyes were fierce like a war general about to go to battle. He walked up to Su Yuyang and raised his head and shouted, ¡°Yeah, my brain is simple and my limbs are simple. What¡¯re you going to do about it? I didn¡¯t know that dark clothes have to be washed separately from light clothes. What¡¯s it to you? Every day I wash your clothes and cook your meals and clean your room, and keep you fed and clothed and comfortable. If you¡¯re not grateful, that¡¯s fine, but you have so many demands?! Do you really think I¡¯m a clay statue that you can poke and pinch into the shape you want?! If you think I¡¯m not doing it right, then do it yourself!¡± Every word that came from Ling Miao¡¯s mouth was accompanied by a gob of spit that landed on Su Yuyang¡¯s face. Su Yuyang¡¯s complexion first turned green, then gray, and wisps of black smoke seemed to rise from his eyebrows. Ling Miao maintained a haughty manner, but in his heart he felt the galloping of ten thousand fawns. He couldn¡¯t tell what tidal waves were surging beneath Su Yuyang¡¯s calm exterior, and, even more, he couldn¡¯t tell what Su Yuyang intended to do to him. ¡°You¡¯re in the wrong, yet you¡¯re still so indignant. Ling Miao, you¡¯re the first person I¡¯ve met who¡¯s like this.¡± Su Yuyang didn¡¯t hold back his barbed words. ¡°What did I do wrong?¡± Ling Miao got eighty percent louder. ¡°I didn¡¯t know dark clothes needed to be washed separately from light clothes. If you knew, then why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡± ¡°I thought¡­¡± ¡°You thought I knew? Your thoughts are your thoughts, you didn¡¯t even ask! Now that something¡¯s happened, you¡¯re even blaming me. Su Yuyang, you¡¯re really a lot. And also, your eyes are fine. Can¡¯t you see the water on the ground? Or did you fall on purpose in order to have a reason to chase me out? Su Yuyang¡­¡± Ling Miao¡¯s entire demeanor was that of somebody who¡¯s done wrong, then immediately turns around to accuse someone else of a crime. Every word left Su Yuyang speechless and without any means of rebuttal. Su Yuyang really couldn¡¯t take it any longer and yelled with all his might: ¡°Ling Miao, shut your mouth!¡± ¡°My mouth is mine, if I don¡¯t shut it, what are you gonna do to me?¡± Ling Miao bellowed. Su Yuyang suddenly stood up and his shadow fell across Ling Miao. Looking up at the darkness enshrouding his head, Ling Miao shrank into himself: ¡°So what if you¡¯re tall? If I stand on a chair, I¡¯ll be taller than you!¡± Ling Miao promptly set foot on the chair at his side. Su Yuyang grabbed ahold of Ling Miao, who shouted in surprise before feeling his back land against the cold, hard floor. One of Su Yuyang¡¯s hands was by Ling Miao¡¯s ear, the other at his waist. He gathered himself and said slowly: ¡°Ling Miao, I¡¯m not blaming you for anything. I just don¡¯t like your attitude. If you really want to keep being my assistant, then please be more mindful. If you can¡¯t do the things on this piece of paper, please pack up and leave.¡± A piece of paper floated down in front of Ling Miao, who caught it reflexively. The tasks listed on the paper were mostly things Ling Miao already did every day, the only two exceptions that ruffled Ling Miao¡¯s feathers being ¡®washing clothes¡¯ and ¡®cleaning Su Yuyang¡¯s room¡¯¡ªit also seemed that these two tasks had just been added. ¡°Fuck, I¡¯ll do them! It¡¯s just laundry, who can¡¯t do such a simple thing?!¡± Ling Miao crumpled the paper in his hands and tossed the ball into the trash. ¡°Xiao Miao!¡± Su Yuyang¡¯s voice came from the bedroom. Ling Miao heard Su Yuyang¡¯s form of address and knew that Su Yuyang had forgiven him, so the tone with which he replied was also much lighter: ¡°Su-ge, what is it?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve sent a draft to your QQ.2 Quickly edit. This is today¡¯s extra update.¡± ¡°Extra update?¡± Ling Miao felt anxiety rise in his heart, and his voice also grew a lot louder: ¡°Su-ge, I¡¯ll edit right way.¡± Following which Ling Miao ran to the study. ¡°Ling Miao,¡± Su Yuyang couldn¡¯t help but say aloud as he thought of Ling Miao¡¯s joyful expression, Ling Miao¡¯s temper came quickly and left quickly; this gave Su Yuyang a lot of peace of mind. In addition, Ling Miao was his fan, and additional updates would make him jump for joy. Mm, Su Yuyang wasn¡¯t about to tell Ling Miao that today¡¯s additional update was especially for him. At night, Ling Miao made a pot of tomato and pork rib soup. This gave Su Yuyang a shock. Ling Miao attentively ladled out a bowl for Su Yuyang, who drank it in silence while thinking: ¡°Did he realize tonight¡¯s extra update was for him? But¡­ I didn¡¯t say anything. With his intelligence, he probably didn¡¯t guess. And it¡¯s just an extra update, surely he didn¡¯t need to go to such lengths. Or is he trying to make it up to me?¡± Countless ideas were circling in Su Yuyang¡¯s head, but he dismissed each of them. Finally, he arrived at a more reasonable answer: Ling Miao was trying to make amends. The soup Ling Miao had brewed was quite good, and Su Yuyang drank three big bowls in quick succession. Ling Miao ate in small bites; every few seconds he would glance at Su Yuyang. Seeing Su Yuyang¡¯s satisfied expression, Ling Miao was secretly happy: ¡°Heh heh, pork rib soup is one of my god-tier skills. If I can¡¯t take you down with this, then my dad beat me all those years for nothing.¡± After clearing the table, Ling Miao brought out a tray of fruit. Before, Ling Miao had never prepared fruit or made other after-meal desserts. Combined with Ling Miao¡¯s previous consideration towards him, Su Yuyang was sure that Ling Miao was keeping something from him. Ling Miao put down the tray of fruit and was about to return to the kitchen when Su Yuyang called out for him to stop: ¡°If something¡¯s up, just say it. This attentiveness isn¡¯t like you.¡± ¡°Uh¡­¡± Having been seen through by Su Yuyang, Ling Miao felt a little embarrassed. He squatted in front of Su Yuyang and raised his head to look at Su Yuyang: ¡°You¡¯re reading my novel, right? If you have questions, just ask.¡± Su Yuyang was just about to eat a piece of dragonfruit. Upon hearing Ling Miao¡¯s words, his gaze hardened, and the expression with which he looked at the dragonfruit also changed. Ling Miao watched Su Yuyang with anticipation, eyes wobbly and especially pitiful-looking. Su Yuyang tossed the dragonfruit into his mouth, then looked at Ling Miao. At length, he said sympathetically: ¡°I don¡¯t really have any useful suggestions, because your writing¡¯s too terrible.¡± ¡°Too¡­ too ¡­ terrible?¡± Indignation lodged in Ling Miao¡¯s chest; it couldn¡¯t go up and it couldn¡¯t go down, giving him an awful time. Su Yuyang pretended he hadn¡¯t seen Ling Miao¡¯s expression and said darkly, ¡°Next time, don¡¯t buy dragonfruit. I don¡¯t like them.¡± ¡°Su Yuyang!¡± Ling Miao¡¯s long-repressed anger erupted in an instant. The power of it could have leveled mountains, so, naturally, Su Yuyang¡¯s ears didn¡¯t fare well, either. [Table of Contents] | [Chaleuria is on Twitter!] Translation notes: [1] An idiom for a useless person: ¡®so useless that if you hit a block of tofu with your head, it¡¯s your head and not the tofu that breaks¡¯ [2] QQ: an instant messaging software widely used in China. Chapter 024 The Complete Guide to the Use and Care of a Personal Assistant Translator: Jury Editor: NomNom First Published on Chaleuria ¡ª Chapter Twenty-four After enduring a short period of ringing, Su Yuyang felt his ears return to normal. He touched the shell of his ear and said with disdain: ¡°It isn¡¯t my civic duty to tell you this. I read your novel to help me fall asleep when I can¡¯t.¡± ¡°You¡¯re really a lot.¡± Ling Miao lowered his register. His voice rumbled like the thunder before a summer storm. Ling Miao slumped against the wall and sat, limply, on the cold stone floor. He took a deep breath and said self-deprecatingly: ¡°Yeah, my novel isn¡¯t as popular with readers as yours, but you don¡¯t have to talk about it like it¡¯s worthless, right? You shot to fame with your first book, but god only knows how many times you failed before you got famous. Maybe you were in a worse state than me before you made a name for yourself! So what if you¡¯re a god among novelists now? If you¡¯re so great, then break out of Asia and get famous worldwide! You¡¯re laughing at me, a no-name writer, but what ground do you even have to stand on?¡± Ling Miao could not bear to lift his head and see Su Yuyang¡¯s expression, so he fled into the bathroom without waiting for Su Yuyang¡¯s response. Click¡ªLing Miao softly closed the bathroom door. Su Yuyang watched Ling Miao¡¯s blurred shadow behind the door. Su Yuyang couldn¡¯t see his own expression, but he did know his own feelings¡ªan inexplicable pain was roiling in his heart. While Ling Miao had been speaking, Su Yuyang had tried many times to interrupt, but he hadn¡¯t been able to bring himself to say anything, comforting or chiding. Su Yuyang had quietly listened to Ling Miao denounce him, and only when Ling Miao had closed the bathroom door behind him did he thoroughly understand how much his words had hurt Ling Miao. Ling Miao was easily provoked, and sometimes Su Yuyang would intentionally press Ling Miao¡¯s buttons. Ling Miao would usually fall for it then yell and scream at Su Yuyang. Su Yuyang would speak to him gently, half chiding, half consoling, and when Ling Miao quieted down, the matter would be over. Today was the first time Su Yuyang had encountered Ling Miao¡¯s quiet accusations. The result of his unexpected behavior was mostly extreme fear. Su Yuyang was suddenly not sure if he could make Ling Miao¡¯s state of mind return to normal. Ling Miao looked at himself in the mirror. Frustration and fear were written all over his face. A drop of water slid down his cheek and landed on the back of his hand, still warm from the heat of his body. Su Yuyang¡¯s heart was in disarray. Ling Miao¡¯s heart was similarly uneasy. More than one person had called Ling Miao¡¯s books bad, but the words seemed to gain additional flavor when they came out of Su Yuyang¡¯s mouth. Maybe Ling Miao had already subconsciously rejected the notion that his books ¡®sucked,¡¯ in addition to not caring about other people¡¯s opinions. So when Su Yuyang with his successful author¡¯s halo had mercilessly revealed the truth in front of Ling Miao, it had completely destroyed his confidence. ¡°But since I don¡¯t care about other people¡¯s opinions, why do I care about Su Yuyang¡¯s opinion? Because he¡¯s a successful novelist?¡± Ling Miao splashed cold water on his face in an attempt to calm himself down, but it was mostly ineffective and only worsened his panic. A lot of questions didn¡¯t have answers, like how even Su Yuyang didn¡¯t know why he had pushed out an additional update for Ling Miao, or why he liked poking at Ling Miao¡¯s sore spots. The last rays of the sun vanished in the west, and the city was draped in a cloak of the cold, sparkling lights that streamed in with the night. In the time between sundown and moonrise, Su Yuyang maintained the same position he had been in since Ling Miao had entered the bathroom. Ling Miao¡¯s silhouette still lay unmoving against the frosted glass of the bathroom door. It hadn¡¯t moved a fraction. A few minutes later, the splashing sound of water came from the bathroom, as did the rumble of the water heater from across the apartment. Su Yuyang froze. If not for Ling Miao¡¯s earlier unexpected behavior and the fact that he had stood completely still in the bathroom for such a long time, Su Yuyang would have thought Ling Miao was playing a joke on him after hearing the loud splashing and rumbling. Thinking that Ling Miao must have calmed down, Su Yuyang didn¡¯t linger outside the bathroom like a statue.1 Su Yuyang returned to his bedroom and continued his nightly routine. Ling Miao finished his shower. He didn¡¯t see Su Yuyang when he emerged, but he did see the sticky note Su Yuyang had left for him on his laptop. ¡°Read a lot, write a lot, discuss a lot, rinse and repeat.¡± Ling Miao glanced over the¡­ field guide to writing(?) Su Yuyang had left him and came to one conclusion: Su Yuyang¡¯s handwriting was uglier than his own. (T/N: this ¡®(?)¡¯ was in the original text) Since this dispute, Su Yuyang hadn¡¯t dared to intentionally provoke Ling Miao and Ling Miao hadn¡¯t requested more pointers from Su Yuyang. But Ling Miao did take one piece of advice from Su Yuyang¡ªhe went to re-read his story. What made Ling Miao want to cry the most was that he actually felt that his earlier work was quite a bit better than his current work. To Ling Miao, this way of living was okay, but Su Yuyang had felt uneasy ever since the second night after Ling Miao had moved in. Su Yuyang had lived alone for three years .When Ling Miao first arrived, Su Yuyang wasn¡¯t used to having another person around, but Ling Miao was pretty quiet so it hadn¡¯t perturbed Su Yuyang and Su Yuyang had gradually gotten used to Ling Miao being around during the daytime. Now, life was somewhat different. Now, Ling Miao was in his house 24/7. During the day it was alright since Su Yuyang had already become used to Ling Miao¡¯s presence, but it was different at night. Because of Ling Miao¡¯s work hours, he could only write at night, and his writing time matched up exactly with Su Yuyang¡¯s sleeping time. To someone who was typing, the pattering sound of the keyboard was very energizing. To someone who was trying to sleep, it was an extremely lethal mental attack. Ling Miao had been living in Su Yuyang¡¯s house for a week. One night, Su Yuyang opened his eyes. Looking blurrily at a spot of light on the ceiling, he felt he needed to have a talk with Ling Miao. Su Yuyang pulled aside the covers and walked unsteadily out of the bedroom. Hearing a sound, Ling Miao raised his head to glance at Su Yuyang as he stumbled out of his room. He thought Su Yuyang was getting a drink of water and didn¡¯t say anything, but then Su Yuyang sat down opposite him. Su Yuyang kept yawning and looked like he was about to fall asleep sitting up. Ling Miao said, concerned, ¡°Su-ge, if you¡¯re so tired you don¡¯t have to sit next to me and give me pointers. Go rest early.¡± Su Yuyang narrowed his eyes and rolled them at Ling Miao. He thought: Give you pointers? I want to jab you until you die. Rest? You make so much noise when you type, it¡¯d be a miracle if I could fall asleep. It was a very painful experience for Ling Miao to write when someone near him was staring at him, because he would subconsciously glance at the person from time to time. With an esteemed person like Su Yuyang next to Ling Miao disturbing his train of thought, half an hour went by and Ling Miao had written less than a thousand words. Ling Miao grit his teeth and swore, and his gaze was filled with resentment and even a little fear as he looked at Su Yuyang. Su Yuyang noticed nothing and continued to yawn. Several minutes later, Su Yuyang fell face-first to the ground without faltering. Even though a table separated them, Ling Miao still shot out a hand to catch Su Yuyang. ¡°Fuck. You¡¯re a grown man, sleep properly,¡± Ling Miao grumbled as he dragged Su Yuyang into his bedroom. ¡°You sleep like a pig and your weight¡¯s like one too.¡± Ling Miao threw Su Yuyang on the bed, then caught his breath and turned on the light. Looking at Su Yuyang on the bed, Ling Miao froze, then rubbed his head and said to himself quietly: ¡°Where¡¯s his pajamas?¡± Ling Miao searched the room and found nothing. He got tired of looking, pulled the covers over Su Yuyang, and left Su Yuyang¡¯s bedroom. ¡°Good morning, Su-ge.¡± Ling Miao greeted Su Yuyang weakly. Su Yuyang took a small sip of water from his cup and nodded: ¡°You slept in today.¡± Su Yuyang¡¯s perkiness contrasted sharply against Ling Miao¡¯s lethargy. Ling Miao ferociously chopped at the steamed radish on the chopping board and said resentfully: ¡°Somebody decided not to sleep last night, went to sit on my bed, and distracted me while writing, so I couldn¡¯t think at all. I didn¡¯t finish writing until 4 a.m.¡± Ling Miao was still chopping the radish as he spoke: one slice per two words. Listening to the vegetable knife making contact with the chopping board, Su Yuyang couldn¡¯t help but worry that after the radish, he would be next. But¡­ Su Yuyang was again experiencing ¡®someone who has done wrong but points the finger at others first!¡¯ ¡°Yo, when I disturb you it¡¯s my fault, but when you disturb me it¡¯s reasonable?¡± Su Yuyang leaned against the door and sneered. ¡°You write in the middle of the night, whatever. But you make so much noise, I even suspect you write in the middle of the night on purpose so that I can¡¯t sleep.¡± ¡°What, I disturbed you? I¡¯m in the wrong when I write at night?¡± Ling Miao raised the knife high and sent it crashing down. A bolt of silver flashed before Su Yuyang, and in the blink of an eye he saw the knife sticking straight up from the chopping board. ¡°You¡­¡± ¡°I, what?¡± Ling Miao tilted his head and replied. ¡°I disturbed your sleep by typing at night, that¡¯s my fault. I admit it. Isn¡¯t that enough? Why do I write at night? Is burning the midnight oil really enjoyable? Just think about it. Who takes up most of my day? If I had a choice, I wouldn¡¯t want to write at night, either. Su Yuyang, you¡¯re a successful novelist. You have no idea what a no-name writer like me goes through.¡± ¡°So you¡¯re saying I brought this on myself?¡± Su Yuyang thought Ling Miao¡¯s words were absurd. He rid himself completely of his earlier laid-back attitude and said to Ling Miao with a stern face: ¡°Ling Miao, according to our agreement, your work hours are nine in the morning until the dinner dishes have been washed. Since those are your work hours, they belong to me. But I didn¡¯t say that you couldn¡¯t write during that time, did I?¡± Ling Miao didn¡¯t show any surprise or joy. He licked his lower lip and opened his mouth slowly, already prepared to lose his job: ¡°Shu Yang, Great Shu, you bought my daytime hours, so the things I do during the day have nothing to do with me. Night time is my own time, so is it wrong that I write at night? I¡¯m sorry to have disturbed your sleep, but I don¡¯t have a choice.¡± Yes, you do. You can move out. The words were on the tip of Su Yuyang¡¯s tongue. If he said them, considering Ling Miao¡¯s current situation, the latter would immediately pack his things and leave¡ªSu Yuyang had no doubt about this. But if Ling Miao were to go, would he come back? Su Yuyang showed an aggrieved smile. Upon seeing Su Yuyang¡¯s expression, Ling Miao frowned. ¡°Eat,¡± Su Yuyang suddenly smiled properly and said. A light glinted in Ling Miao¡¯s eyes. His worry didn¡¯t need to be expressed in words. ¡°Ah.¡± Su Yuyang sighed to himself. ¡°Ling Miao, how much longer before I get used to having you around at night?¡± [Table of Contents] | [Chaleuria is on Twitter!] Translation notes: [1] ¡®wang miao shi¡¯, homonym for ¡®stone who stares at (Ling) Miao¡¯. Chapter 025 The Complete Guide to the Use and Care of a Personal Assistant Translator: Jury Editor: NomNom First Published on Chaleuria ¡ª Chapter Twenty-five After breakfast, Su Yuyang didn¡¯t go back to his room to write like he usually did. As Ling Miao finished washing the dishes and emerged from the kitchen, Su Yuyang got up and blocked the way to the study. He looked Ling Miao over and said disdainfully: ¡°Go and change. You¡¯re going out with me later.¡± ¡°Where?¡± Ling Miao wondered if this was how expecting to be sold off felt like. Looking at Ling Miao¡¯s guarded expression, Su Yuyang couldn¡¯t hold back a laugh: ¡°What¡¯re you worried about? Feng Ji¡¯s caf? is reopening after renovations, and I¡¯m gonna pay him a visit.¡± Feng Ji? The person who came to Ling Miao¡¯s mind was no longer the main character of Demonic Song Defying Heaven, but the owner of the Heartfelt Words Coffee House. Speaking of Feng Ji, the first thing to surface in Ling Miao¡¯s mind was Feng Ji¡¯s face¡ªa face which was appealing overall, but with a chill between his brows that stopped people wanting to get closer. And that Feng Ji was Su Yuyang¡¯s ex-lover. Ling Miao suddenly smiled. Su Yuyang was beside him, so he didn¡¯t dare laugh too loudly and had to hold his laughter in. But Su Yuyang¡¯s gaze was still on Ling Miao¡¯s face and Ling Miao¡¯s subtle shifts in expression couldn¡¯t elude his eyes. Ling Miao¡¯s smile could be described with an emoticon¡ªXD. Su Yuyang raised his hand to smack the back of Ling Miao¡¯s head. ¡°Your expression tells me your thoughts are running away again, and in a big way, at that.¡± Su Yuyang¡¯s slap was neither hard nor light, but it still brought a cry of pain: ¡°Hey, Su Yuyang, that hurts! Also, take your paw off my head.¡± Su Yuyang had controlled his strength very well and he knew the slap wouldn¡¯t have hurt Ling Miao. But since Ling Miao said it hurt, Su Yuyang, of course, needed to show Ling Miao the true meaning of pain. ¡°Hey¡ªSu Yuyang, you bastard!¡± Ling Miao lashed out at Su Yuyang as he clutched at the spot on his head where Su Yuyang had rapped him, hard. Su Yuyang dusted off his hands and said, matter-of-factly: ¡°If you have so much time to think about silly things, then think about your novel. Your book probably has no hope of getting popular, so I suggest you wrap it up early and start a new one.¡± ¡°If I wrap it up just like this, it would be a bad ending. I took an oath on my life: I will not become a eunuch and I will not end my books badly,¡± Ling Miao said righteously. ¡°You, Great Shu, on the other hand, gave both Heavenly Domain and Demonic Song Defying Heaven terrible endings. This time¡­ you¡¯ll be continuing the trend?¡± ¡°They¡¯re called bad endings? All the plot points were tied up, the main characters¡¯ arcs were wrapped up. What¡¯s bad about it?¡± Su Yuyang had an air of wanting to have it out with Ling Miao, who was frightened by Su Yuyang¡¯s suddenly imposing manner. Ling Miao quickly changed the subject: ¡°That¡­ didn¡¯t we want to go to Heartfelt Words? Let¡¯s go.¡± Su Yuyang knew very well that his previous two books had ended badly¡ªthe last ten or so chapters were pretty much just their outlines. Su Yuyang had no patience for bad endings, but he¡¯d been unlucky both times: as Heavenly Domain and Demonic Song Defying Heaven were wrapping up some things had happened to Su Yuyang each time, affecting his mood, and he¡¯d sunk into emotional mires. On the one hand, he had tried to use writing to lift himself out of the rut he was in, but on the other hand, his misery had made a mess of his writing, so both books had ended poorly. ¡°Ling Miao, you have pretty strong opinions on the endings of Heavenly Domain and Demonic Song Defying Heaven, yeah?¡± Su Yuyang said half-jokingly. As Ling Miao put the key in the keyhole, Su Yuyang somehow felt that Ling Miao was turning the key in his own side. He murmured to himself then asked: ¡°How about I let you write the ending?¡± ¡°Wha?¡± Ling Miao didn¡¯t seem to have heard Su Yuyang clearly, but the sound of the key hitting the floor was much sharper¡ªLing Miao¡¯s hand had trembled and he¡¯d dropped the key. Su Yuyang picked up the key and didn¡¯t repeat himself. He pressed the key into Ling Miao¡¯s hand and said regretfully: ¡°If you didn¡¯t hear, that¡¯s fine. Let¡¯s go. Feng Ji texted and said he¡¯s here.¡± Having said his piece, Su Yuyang picked up his feet and began to head downstairs, but when he was about to turn onto the next flight of steps he realized Ling Miao hadn¡¯t followed. He yelled for Ling Miao, who continued not to move. Sighing, Su Yuyang took the steps back up two at a time until he reached Ling Miao¡¯s side. He clapped Ling Miao¡¯s shoulder and said, ¡°I only offered to let you write the ending to two books, and you¡¯re totally stunned?¡± Su Yuyang¡¯s eyes crinkled in a smile, and Ling Miao could feel the mockery exuding from Su Yuyang. Ling Miao said coldly, ¡°That narcissism of yours needs to have a limit. Besides, there¡¯re plenty of people out there writing alternate endings to Heavenly Domain and Demonic Song Defying Heaven. Just on their discussion forums alone there¡¯re more than ten threads. I have no interest in rewriting their endings.¡± ¡°The official and the fanmade endings are pretty different, right?¡± Su Yuyang intentionally missed Ling Miao¡¯s point. He looked at Ling Miao thoughtfully, like he was concocting some sinister scheme. Ling Miao shuddered and quickly diverted Su Yuyang¡¯s attention: ¡°You said Feng Ji was already downstairs, move it!¡± Feng Ji¡¯s car was parked at the apartment complex¡¯s entrance, and Su Yuyang and Ling Miao saw it the moment they walked out. Feng Ji was leaning against his car smoking a cigarette, and he waved when he saw Su Yuyang walking over. As his gaze moved to the person beside Su Yuyang, an expression of ¡®sure enough¡¯ passed over his face. Su Yuyang understood Feng Ji pretty well, so he could guess what Feng Ji was thinking from his expression. ¡°My assistant, Ling Miao, you¡¯ve met him before.¡± Su Yuyang destroyed Feng Ji¡¯s fantasies in one go. Feng Ji sighed and said regretfully, ¡°It¡¯s been years. You really haven¡¯t found someone else?¡± ¡°When I meet someone, then we¡¯ll see.¡± Su Yuyang looked at Ling Miao, his heart feeling directionless. Feng Ji let out a ¡®tcheh¡¯, clearly not believing Su Yuyang¡¯s words¡ªboth Su Yuyang¡¯s expression and tone didn¡¯t inspire any trust in Feng Ji. Su Yuyang said, ¡°What about you? It¡¯s been a few years since we¡¯ve broken up and I¡¯ve even dated since then, but you haven¡¯t gone out with anyone, not even once.¡± ¡°When I meet someone, then we¡¯ll see.¡± Feng Ji used Su Yuyang¡¯s words to answer the question, and Su Yuyang, in the same way, let out a ¡®tcheh¡¯. Su Yuyang and Feng Ji chatted animatedly while Ling Miao stood to one side, bored. Ling Miao listened to their conversation, not missing a word, and restlessness rose in his heart. Feng Ji finished his cigarette and Su Yuyang called to Ling Miao to get in the car. Feng Ji glanced at Ling Miao and something froze in his expression, like he¡¯d seen something incredible. Su Yuyang got in the passenger seat. Feng Ji leaned close to his ear and teased, ¡°You¡¯re living together, right?¡± Su Yuyang nodded without thinking. Then he realized something was amiss and asked in shock, ¡°How do you know?¡± ¡°The clothes he¡¯s wearing are yours, right? Ah, Yuyang, considering our relationship, it¡¯s not right that you kept it from me.¡± Feng Ji started the car and glanced at the tired Ling Miao in the rearview mirror. He took a lecturing tone to Su Yuyang: ¡°Just look at your little assistant. Clearly you tormented him pretty badly last night.¡± Su Yuyang rubbed his temples like he was trying to press down his rage. He said, ¡°Feng Ji, if I were driving I¡¯d kick you out.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll kick me out so you can spend quality couple time together?¡± Feng Ji thought out loud. ¡°We aren¡¯t too far from the shop. Shall I get out?¡± Ling Miao raised his head to glance at Feng Ji, his expression dismissive. Feng Ji laughed: ¡°Yuyang, see, he¡¯s glaring at me! Ling Miao, rest easy. Su Yuyang and I are a thing of the past, and of course you don¡¯t have to worry that I¡¯ll get back together with him in the future. Quality horses don¡¯t graze in the same pasture twice.¡± ¡°Rabbits won¡¯t eat the grass in front of their burrows, either,¡±1 Ling Miao muttered. Feng Ji smiled faintly as he looked at Su Yuyang with sympathy. ¡°Your assistant doesn¡¯t think well of you. Yuyang, you¡¯d better work hard.¡± ¡°Heh.¡± Su Yuyang laughed lightly. ¡°He and I are just employer and employee, so you can stop that train of thought right there.¡± ¡°Trains of thought aren¡¯t something you can stop whenever you please.¡± As Feng Ji finished speaking, the car came to a stop. Ling Miao looked at the renovated storefront and was shocked¡ªthe style was so different from before! The previous storefront had a cutesy theme: a white background with an English name on it in pink. This one had a black background and dark gold letters danced over it. Ling Miao stared for a few minutes at the string of dancing Latin letters and then made out two English nouns: wind, sun.2 ¡°Wind and Sun?¡± Ling Miao quietly read the shop name. ¡°Your son?¡± Ling Miao turned and looked at Su Yuyang and Feng Ji curiously. Su Yuyang looked at Feng Ji a bit disdainfully and laughed: ¡°Can he give birth?¡± ¡°Get out!¡± Feng Ji teased. ¡°I can¡¯t, can you?¡± Su Yuyang and Feng Ji locked eyes, and after a few seconds, both of them burst out laughing at the same time. Ling Miao, watching from the side, was bemused. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Su Yuyang called Ling Miao, who seemed a little dazed. Ling Miao made a noise in response, but he didn¡¯t seem to want to move. Su Yuyang very casually placed his hand on Ling Miao¡¯s shoulder and steered Ling Miao into the shop. With Su Yuyang¡¯s backing, the caf? had doubled in size, but Feng Ji still lived on the second floor. Feng Ji ran upstairs the moment Su Yuyang and Ling Miao sat down, and when he came back downstairs, there was a paper bag in his hand. Feng Ji set the bag on the table, then went to Ling Miao and whispered into his ear. Ling Miao rolled his eyes at Feng Ji, then glanced at Su Yuyang who looked confused. Ling Miao sighed bitterly in resignation and moved himself to another table, which still wasn¡¯t very far from Su Yuyang. ¡°Xiao Li said to give this to you.¡± Feng Ji pushed the bag toward Su Yuyang, the laughter in his eyes difficult to hide. Su Yuyang¡¯s expression froze and he averted his eyes from the bag. Feng Ji took a small sip of coffee and said with schadenfreude: ¡°This is an autographed limited edition. Many people who didn¡¯t get it are still crying pitifully. He sent this to you personally¡ªwhat do you have to be dissatisfied with? You look like somebody deleted several days¡¯ worth of your drafts.¡±3 ¡°Pfeh.¡± Su Yuyang furtively glanced at the black bag on the table. ¡°Don¡¯t you understand him? Giving me things means he wants to visit my house. His agents will bother me until I don¡¯t even have time to write. Feng Ji, now I really suspect the reason you didn¡¯t buy a house is to stop him from crashing at your place to relax.¡± Feng Ji shrugged like he was admitting to it. Having concluded his business, Feng Ji turned his attention to Ling Miao, but¡­ Ling Miao had slumped over the table and fallen asleep. ¡°Ling Miao?¡± Feng Ji tried. Ling Miao didn¡¯t answer. ¡°He fell asleep?¡± Feng Ji asked Su Yuyang, uncertain. Su Yuyang said lethargically: ¡°Probably.¡± ¡°Su Yuyang.¡± Feng Ji¡¯s mode of address suddenly changed. Su Yuyang¡¯s deathly quiet eyes suddenly glazed over as he he looked at Feng Ji and nodded. ¡°What are your feelings towards Ling Miao, exactly?¡± [Table of Contents] | [Chaleuria is on Twitter!] Translation notes: [1] ¡®don¡¯t eat grass in front of burrow¡¯: don¡¯t do destructive things on your own doorstep [2] The first word of Feng Ji¡¯s name is ¡®wind¡¯ and the last word of Su Yuyang¡¯s is ¡®sun¡¯. [3] The text uses male pronouns but ¡®Xiao Li¡¯ is most likely referring to someone called Yan Li. (This will make sense later¡­) Chapter 026 The Complete Guide to the Use and Care of a Personal Assistant Translator: Jury Editor: NomNom First Published on Chaleuria ¡ª Chapter Twenty-six Su Yuyang¡¯s phone beeped, cutting off Feng Ji¡¯s words before they had even left his mouth. Seeing Su Yuyang¡¯s troubled expression, Feng Ji could guess who the message was from. Su Yuyang looked at Feng Ji and pretended to brush away tears, then lowered his head and opened QQ. Feng Ji sympathetically patted Su Yuyang¡¯s shoulder and was about to turn to Ling Miao to share the gossip when he heard Ling Miao scream, followed by the waiter apologizing. ¡°What happened?¡± Feng Ji was the store owner and even though Ling Miao might as well be family, Feng Ji still treated him like a customer, so Feng Ji rushed to Ling Miao¡¯s side as quickly as possible (in other words, he turned around). ¡°It¡¯s fine, it¡¯s fine,¡± Ling Miao said dismissively. Feng Ji passed Ling Miao a tissue and Ling Miao froze before taking it. ¡°The coffee¡¯s good, isn¡¯t it?¡± Feng Ji teased. Ling Miao said regretfully, ¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t taste it.¡± ¡°Another cup then.¡± Feng Ji waved over a waiter and whispered some instructions into his ear. The waiter left and returned several minutes later carrying two cups of coffee. ¡°You¡¯re being suspiciously kind.¡± Ling Miao pushed away the cup of coffee that had been carefully set before him to the middle of the table. His wary gaze was trained on Feng Ji¡¯s smiling face. Feng Ji shrugged, then raised his cup of coffee and tasted it. Although Feng Ji was drinking coffee, his attention was still on Ling Miao, who was idly observing the coffee shop¡¯s new furnishings. Suddenly, Ling Miao¡¯s wandering gaze stopped and his eyes lit up with surprise. Feng Ji followed the line of Ling Miao¡¯s gaze. It came to an end on Su Yuyang¡¯s troubled face. Ling Miao had known Su Yuyang for more than a month¡ªnot too long a time, but also not too short¡ªbut he had never seen Su Yuyang this vexed. Even that time when he had deleted Su Yuyang¡¯s chapter, Su Yuyang had only smiled and hadn¡¯t shown any worry at all. ¡°And you say rabbits don¡¯t eat the grass next to their burrows.¡± Feng Ji smiled to himself without feeling. ¡°Ling Miao.¡± Feng Ji lowered his voice and drew Ling Miao¡¯s attention back to him. Ling Miao said ¡°Mm¡± and nothing else, but his gaze told Feng Ji: Spit it out. Feng Ji thought for a while, then tactfully asked the question that had been troubling him: ¡°You¡¯re really just Su Yuyang¡¯s assistant?¡± ¡°Of course not,¡± Ling Miao said carelessly, but Feng Ji could hear boundless resentment in his tone and that made Feng Ji even more certain that his guess was right. ¡°I¡¯m basically his nanny.¡± Feng Ji was still immersed in his joy, so Ling Miao didn¡¯t stand on ceremony and splashed cold water on him. ¡°Editing, publishing, moderating the comments, moderating the discussion forum, publicizing the novel and related materials¡ªI do all of it and don¡¯t complain. Three meals a day I cook for him, that¡¯s fine. I have to eat too, anyway. But he even wants me to wash his clothes and clean his room¡ªokay, I¡¯m standing under the eaves so I have to bow my head, I¡¯ll live with that too. But I do all of this, and he still complains. If he can do all of it better, then why doesn¡¯t he do it? Fuck!¡± Ling Miao packaged up all Su Yuyang¡¯s wrongdoings and spat them out. ¡°He¡¯s taller than me, and uses it to take advantage of me. If I wasn¡¯t smart, I¡¯d already have been molested. Even worse, he says I type too loud at night so that he can¡¯t sleep¡ªhell, I don¡¯t have time during the day thanks to him and he still has the cheek to say that to me! Forget it. The things that bastard does¡ª it makes me mad just to think about them. If I keep talking, I¡¯ll explode.¡± Feng Ji attentively listened at first, but by the end he was wearing an expression of pure schadenfreude. Ling Miao was too wrapped up in himself and so hadn¡¯t seen the change in Feng Ji¡¯s expression, and by the time Ling Miao came back to his senses, Su Yuyang was sitting next to him. ¡°Keep talking. I didn¡¯t even know you had so many complaints about me.¡± Su Yuyang picked up the coffee Ling Miao hadn¡¯t touched and took a small sip. From Ling Miao¡¯s perspective, Su Yuyang seemed to be using the coffee to keep his temper in check. Ling Miao lowered his head and stayed quiet, seemingly considering his next move. Su Yuyang calmly watched Ling Miao¡¯s hair, the black strands shining like silk under the caf¨¦ light. As if possessed, Su Yuyang put his hand on Ling Miao¡¯s head. ¡°Fuck!¡± Ling Miao batted away Su Yuyang¡¯s hand and said angrily, ¡°Gentlemen fight with words, not fists!¡± Feng Ji grinned. ¡°Su Yuyang¡¯s never been a gentleman, especially in¡­¡± Feng Ji intentionally didn¡¯t finish, leaving Ling Miao to fill in the blanks. Ling Miao had a pretty good imagination and instantly figured out what Feng Ji was implying. ¡°You¡­¡± Ling Miao was going to say ¡°you¡¯re shameless,¡± but Feng Ji hadn¡¯t actually said anything. If he called Feng Ji shameless, it¡¯d look like he was the shameless one. Ling Miao really couldn¡¯t think of anything suitable to say in reply. He huffed loudly at Feng Ji, then raised his chin and pointed at Su Yuyang and Feng Ji¡¯s noses. ¡°You¡¯re two of a kind! You deserve to be bedmates!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, we shared a bed before, but now¡­ ahem, continue your conversation.¡± Feng Ji covered his mouth and coughed lightly, but his laugh was impossible to hide. Feng Ji laughed, not out of pride or embarrassment or pity. He was tickled pink, the sort of laughter that caused stomachaches, provoked purely by Ling Miao¡¯s expression. Hah! Ling Miao¡¯s expression¡ªthat¡¯s plaintive, that¡¯s pure jealousy! I don¡¯t believe he doesn¡¯t have some sort of emotional relationship with Su Yuyang, alright?! Above: Feng Ji¡¯s inner monologue. ¡°Hey!¡± Ling Miao didn¡¯t know what Feng Ji was laughing about, but Feng Ji¡¯s red face spoke volumes. ¡°It¡¯s fine, it¡¯s fine. You two chat. I¡¯ll go greet customers.¡± Feng Ji found a good excuse to step out, leaving Su Yuyang and Ling Miao alone. Ling Miao was holding out on the principle of, ¡°in order to keep staying in Su Yuyang¡¯s house, arguments with Su Yuyang should be avoided wherever possible.¡± So there were many things Ling Miao would only dare to say to Su Yuyang¡¯s face when Ling Miao was completely enraged. ¡°Heh.¡± Su Yuyang laughed lightly, and his gentle smile soothed Ling Miao¡¯s anxiety. ¡°It looks like you don¡¯t want to talk. That¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll go find Feng Ji.¡± Leaving Ling Miao frozen to the spot, Su Yuyang carried the two empty coffee cups to the counter. ¡°You¡¯re done chatting already?¡± Su Yuyang grimaced. ¡°He only tells the truth when you provoke him.¡± ¡°Provoke?¡± ¡°Provoke¡ªhe¡¯s the sort who flares up at anything as long as you poke at the right spot.¡± ¡°Do you want to know his feelings toward you?¡± Feng Ji said, suddenly nosy. Su Yuyang rolled his eyes at Feng Ji, who pretended not to see. Su Yuyang sneered: ¡°You think I don¡¯t know his feelings toward me? It¡¯s the admiration of a fan for his idol, the resentment of a worker towards his boss, and a lot of frustration that I have power over him and use it.¡± ¡°Tsk tsk tsk.¡± Feng Ji shook his head in disappointment. ¡°Thinking little of yourself isn¡¯t like you. When I was chasing you, you weren¡¯t like this.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not pursuing Ling Miao,¡± Su Yuyang shot back immediately. That was an abnormally quick reaction. Feng Ji understood the situation now. Both Ling Miao and Su Yuyang didn¡¯t think very well of each other, but¡­ The image of Su Yuyang touching Ling Miao slipped into Feng Ji¡¯s mind without warning. D¨¦j¨¤ vu wrapped around Feng Ji like a net, so tightly he felt he might suffocate. Feng Ji wouldn¡¯t go after something that was no longer his. After all, he was the one who gave up Su Yuyang in the first place. With a deep breath, Feng Ji regained his composure, but Su Yuyang had already vanished. ¡°Hey, Su Yuyang!¡± Ling Miao¡¯s angry shout came. Feng Ji looked in the direction of the sound. Ling Miao had stood up and was yelling down at Su Yuyang. At the familiar opening line, Su Yuyang moved his chair. What a joke¡ªthe moment Ling Miao got upset he¡¯d send spit flying, and Su Yuyang didn¡¯t want to go home drenched. Feng Ji noticed Su Yuyang¡¯s actions and found them strange, but several seconds later, he realized why Su Yuyang had moved. ¡°Su Yuyang, today we¡¯ll have it out! Don¡¯t think that you can do whatever you want to me just because you¡¯re my idol and my boss! It¡¯s just a job! I can quit! Fuck, it¡¯s not like I can¡¯t live without this job!¡± ¡°But if you lose this job you¡¯ll have to sleep under the pedestrian bridge.¡± Su Yuyang calmly watched Ling Miao panicking. ¡°I can take you in,¡± Feng Ji added. ¡°I don¡¯t want that! You two¡¯re in cahoots!¡± Feng Ji was surprised. When did he incur Ling Miao¡¯s ire too? Feng Ji turned his gaze toward Su Yuyang, as if asking what the latter had said to anger Ling Miao. Su Yuyang said honestly: ¡°I said that W&S had good employees and that it wouldn¡¯t be hard to ditch Ling Miao, and that he should come here and learn, but¡­¡± Su Yuyang shrugged, his expression saying, ¡°you see the outcome¡±. ¡°Eh¡­ actually, that¡¯s reasonable¡­¡± Feng Ji hadn¡¯t even finished speaking when Ling Miao glared at him. Ling Miao¡¯s fierce gaze seemed to want to skin Feng Ji alive. ¡°Hey, don¡¯t talk out of your ass! Was that what you meant?¡± Ling Miao was unhappy. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say the staff uniforms here were nice¡­¡± Su Yuyang knew that Ling Miao was going to repeat his words verbatim. Then Feng Ji would laugh at him¡ªthat was actually okay, but if Feng Ji told that other person about this, the next time Su Yuyang met that person he¡¯d definitely have a hard time. ¡°That¡­ Feng Ji, I¡¯m leaving.¡± Su Yuyang cut Ling Miao off, grabbed Ling Miao¡¯s hand and walked quickly out of W&S. It was a sunny day outside, but Su Yuyang felt a chill at his back, dark and foreboding. ¡°Su Yuyang.¡± The source of the chill had deigned to speak. Su Yuyang squared his shoulders and turned around casually. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± ¡°What you said today. Was it genuine?¡± Ling Miao¡¯s tone was steady, calm as a lake. Of course, Su Yuyang knew what the ¡®what you said¡¯ was referring to, but he didn¡¯t know how to answer. [Table of Contents] | [Chaleuria is on Twitter!] Chapter 027 The Complete Guide to the Use and Care of a Personal Assistant Translator: Jury Editor: NomNom First Published on Chaleuria ¡ª Chapter Twenty-seven ¡°Does it make a difference?¡± Su Yuyang replied with a faint smile and kept walking, but he¡¯d increased his pace. Before, Ling Miao would have retorted, ¡°Do you think there¡¯s a difference between eating food and eating trash?¡± but this line didn¡¯t seem suitable for the situation and Ling Miao also had a lot on his mind, so he was silent for a while before catching up to Su Yuyang. Upon returning home, the two didn¡¯t exchange a single word; Su Yuyang went to his bedroom and Ling Miao to the study, both shutting their respective doors, and isolating themselves from the outside world. Time passed quickly and Ling Miao¡¯s phone rang. Hearing the sound, Ling Miao figured out the cause¡ªit was the alarm. Ling Miao shut off the alarm, got up, and walked out of the study. ¡°Ling Miao!¡± Ling Miao was preparing dinner in the kitchen when Su Yuyang¡¯s shout rang in his ears. Ling Miao flinched and the vegetable knife sliced across the pad of his index finger. ¡°Hss¡ª¡± Ling Miao inhaled sharply and watched blood bead on the wound. He frowned and stuck his finger in his mouth. The wound was probably pretty deep; the blood didn¡¯t stop. Su Yuyang¡¯s shout came again. If Su Yuyang¡¯s earlier shout was thunder, this shout was an erupting volcano. If Su Yuyang was this anxious, Ling Miao thought, something serious must have happened. Ling Miao quickly took care of the wound and rushed to Su Yuyang¡¯s room. Ling Miao stood in the doorway and hesitated. ¡°Su-ge?¡± Ling Miao called, testing the waters. Su Yuyang turned his head and looked at Ling Miao. A thick layer of ice seemed to have frozen over his eyes; eddies of icy air shot toward Ling Miao and wrapped him in an icy cocoon. ¡°Come here.¡± Su Yuyang¡¯s steady voice, laced with warmth, melted the freezing air surrounding Ling Miao, but Ling Miao¡¯s heart was still beating furiously. Ling Miao walked with halting steps to Su Yuyang¡¯s side and glanced at Su Yuyang¡¯s monitor. The first thing he saw was a novel, open to reading view. With one glance, he understood why Su Yuyang had called him over. ¡°I¡¯ll fix it right away.¡± Maybe he felt he needed to leave the area of low atmospheric pressure¡ªafter Ling Miao said his piece, he turned and walked away. Su Yuyang¡¯s hand shot out and caught ahold of Ling Miao; he tugged, and Ling Miao stumbled and fell onto Su Yuyang¡¯s bed. ¡°Let go!¡± Ling Miao felt that something bad was going to happen and his heart instantly went cold. Su Yuyang wasn¡¯t looking at Ling Miao¡¯s face and so didn¡¯t guess what Ling Miao was worried about. Su Yuyang¡¯s voice, devoid of the rise and fall of emotion, fell on Ling Miao¡¯s head: ¡°Did I tell you you could leave?¡± ¡°That¡­¡± Ling Miao had shut his eyes, but he could still feel a shadow falling over his head. Ling Miao opened his eyes and averted them from Su Yuyang¡¯s thoughtful gaze. Su Yuyang laughed: ¡°You like my bed that much?¡± ¡°Fuck!¡± Ling Miao shot to his feet, disdainfully brushed himself off, and said coldly: ¡°Who likes your bed? Who knows what kinds of fluids are on these sheets.¡± ¡°Mm, it definitely has my sweat,¡± Su Yuyang blandly replied. Su Yuyang¡¯s ¡®obliviousness¡¯ had once again defeated Ling Miao, who stood up and said sincerely: ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Su-ge, that I didn¡¯t check your newly published chapter in time and made such a rookie mistake. I¡¯ll go and fix it right away.¡± ¡°You even know this is a rookie mistake?¡± Su Yuyang said disdainfully. ¡°Then do you know that if typos or other issues that make reading hard for the reader appear in the text, readers can complain? And do you know that if more than sixty percent of a chapter¡¯s readers complain, the subscription fee on VIP chapters1 needs to be completely refunded to the reader?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you have a three-hour time window to edit?¡± Ling Miao said indifferently. ¡°Three hours?¡± Su Yuyang sneered and Ling Miao¡¯s heart clenched¡ªthis chapter had been published at 10 o¡¯clock in the morning and it was now¡­ 6:23 p.m.! ¡°I¡­¡± Ling Miao didn¡¯t know what to say. Anything he said right now would be wrong. Ling Miao hadn¡¯t seen how many subscriptions Su Yuyang had for this chapter, but he had done the math before and Su Yuyang had about 20 to 25 thousand subscribers. Ling Miao pulled out his phone. If they all paid the lowest subscription price Su Yuyang would still get about $720 in fees. 720¡­¡­ $720 (US$106) was not a small sum to Ling Miao, who felt as if his heart was being cut with a knife. He lowered his head and glanced up toward Su Yuyang. Prior instances where the Great Author¡¯s chapters were refunded due to reader complaints about too many typos and ¡®¡¯ characters2 (aside from dividers) did exist. ¡°$720 to Su Yuyang is just a paltry sum, but if Su Yuyang is trying to use this opportunity to teach me a lesson, he might really make me pay for it. The important thing now is to¡­¡± Ling Miao raised his head sharply and asked in a panic: ¡°Hey, Great Author, will you have to refund your subscribers?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve already refunded them.¡± Su Yuyang opened his author¡¯s dashboard; he didn¡¯t let Ling Miao see his subscriber count, but he showed Ling Miao the news feed¡ªChapter 850 of your work, Massacre of the Nine Heavens, has been reported by readers for an excessive number of typos. After investigating these reports, we request that you refund the subscription fee to the readers, per site rules. ¡°Su-ge¡­ I¡­¡± In a moment, Ling Miao felt that he had entered an icy wasteland; his lips were numb to the point they could not make a coherent sound. Ling Miao stuttered, ¡®I¡­¡¯ for quite a while, but couldn¡¯t say anything more, so he shut his mouth and waited for Su Yuyang¡¯s decision. Su Yuyang closed out of the author¡¯s dashboard and the window automatically refreshed to the reading pane. Even in just this section Ling Miao could see three ¡®¡¯s, and as for typos¡ªeven though Ling Miao was reasonably confident there weren¡¯t any, he couldn¡¯t be a hundred percent sure. ¡°When we left, this chapter had already been published, right?¡± Su Yuyang asked suddenly. Ling Miao said, ¡°Mm.¡± The click of a mouse rang out four or five times. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you check in time?¡± Su Yuyang asked. ¡°I forgot,¡± Ling Miao said frankly, but something clearly wasn¡¯t right. ¡°You didn¡¯t forget.¡± At this point, resignation dripped from Su Yuyang¡¯s words¡ªhe had given up on Ling Miao. ¡°I¡­¡± Ling Miao had barely begun to speak before he couldn¡¯t say any more. It wasn¡¯t that he had nothing to say; it was that everything he could possibly say would be in vain. It had just not occurred to Ling Miao to check for illegal words after the chapter had updated. Although Ling Miao looked at the day¡¯s update and future updates while he was editing, he was well able to separate work and life, so he very happily read Su Yuyang¡¯s update for the day after he got off work. Usually, it was then that he discovered illegal words in the chapter that had been replaced with asterisks, and fixed them. ¡°Ling Miao, now I¡¯m suspecting you¡¯re one of my anti-fans, here to smear my name,¡± Su Yuyang said in a joking tone. A joke? Ling Miao did not think Su Yuyang was joking with him. Before, when Ling Miao had forgotten to delete Su Yuyang¡¯s drafts, Su Yuyang had taught Ling Miao a lesson. This time, Ling Miao had caused Su Yuyang a financial loss¡ªeven if it wasn¡¯t a lot¡ªand Su Yuyang was treating Ling Miao very calmly. So calmly, in fact, that it seemed like the calm before a blustering thunderstorm. Only¡­ Ling Miao was Shu Yang¡¯s die-hard fan. He even read the officially published editions of Shu Yang¡¯s novels; even if Ling Miao were to bankrupt his family to buy everything, he had to do it. Even though the comic adaptation¡¯s art style wasn¡¯t to his taste, he had still grit his teeth and read it. He had even played the game Shu Yang¡¯s novel had been adapted into, and played it every day at that. In the discussion forum, Ling Miao was a lively presence. Every time someone appeared and tried to slander Shu Yang, Ling Miao was always on the front lines of battle. (T/N: Some serial webnovels are later repackaged and published as more traditional novels) This was how he treated Shu Yang, and Shu Yang? All because of a small oversight while updating a chapter, Shu Yang had called him an anti-fan sent to smear his name¡­ Not fully grievance, not fully hatred, not fully resentment¡ªLing Miao¡¯s heart right now was like a bowl in which various seasonings had been mixed into an unknowable paste. Even he couldn¡¯t tell what his feelings toward Su Yuyang were. Just not read Su Yuyang¡¯s novels from now on? He couldn¡¯t do it. Reading Su Yuyang¡¯s novels had become an essential part of Ling Miao¡¯s life. Ling Miao bit down on his lip, eyes gradually reddening. Su Yuyang couldn¡¯t see Ling Miao¡¯s expression, but he heard Ling Miao inhale. The latter was clearly holding something in. Su Yuyang lifted Ling Miao¡¯s chin with a finger and Ling Miao¡¯s hand mercilessly hit Su Yuyang¡¯s forearm. ¡°Say it. What do you want me to do?¡± Ling Miao¡¯s steadfast gaze was like glass: it looked sharp, but would break at the slightest touch. Su Yuyang retorted: ¡°What do you want to do?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll pay for the damages, but I don¡¯t want to lose this job.¡± ¡°That¡¯s all?¡± Su Yuyang didn¡¯t seem satisfied with Ling Miao¡¯s answer. Ling Miao¡¯s mouth fell open. Another possibility had taken root in his mind, but the outcome wasn¡¯t acceptable to Ling Miao. Su Yuyang noticed the change in Ling Miao but didn¡¯t rush him. Su Yuyang stood up and left the room. Ling Miao¡¯s gaze followed Su Yuyang¡¯s departing silhouette, then followed Su Yuyang as he returned. Su Yuyang had gone to the kitchen and made two cups of coffee; he held one and placed the other within Ling Miao¡¯s reach. A bitter feeling burned in Ling Miao¡¯s nostrils and tears threatened to spill from his eyes. ¡°I¡¯ll bear the losses. This assistant job¡ªif you want it back, then take it back.¡± There was no anticipation in Ling Miao¡¯s eyes. To him, Option B was Su Yuyang¡¯s most likely choice, regardless of what Ling Miao wanted. ¡°I¡¯m not an idiot.¡± Su Yuyang sipped his coffee. Ling Miao locked eyes with Su Yuyang; behind the latter¡¯s eyes was the joy of someone who had gotten their wicked way. Su Yuyang held his cup aloft and clinked it against Ling Miao¡¯s, the ring of porcelain against porcelain clear and pleasing. Su Yuyang smiled radiantly and said: ¡°You¡¯re my die-hard fan. If I¡¯m suspecting even my die-hard fan, then something¡¯s wrong with my head. I was just trying to scare you so that you¡¯d know what to do in the future.¡± ¡°So?¡± Ling Miao¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change, but he felt like his heart had been pinched, and the person doing the pinching was Su Yuyang. ¡°So go and make me dinner, idiot!¡± Su Yuyang ordered fondly. ¡°Fuck, my hand¡¯s injured and I don¡¯t want to move it. Instant noodles tonight!¡± Ling Miao announced today¡¯s dinner on the spot and ran towards his second suitcase, ignoring Su Yuyang¡¯s expression of ¡®pain worse than seeing all his effort go down the drain.¡¯ After finishing the noodles Su Yuyang asked, ¡°How¡¯d you injure your hand?¡± ¡°While I was cutting vegetables, someone yelled for me. My hand slipped and this happened.¡± Su Yuyang didn¡¯t say anything more. He definitely knew who Ling Miao¡¯s ¡°someone¡± was referring to. ¡°¡­ I¡¯ll go shower.¡± ¡°Go, go,¡± Ling Miao said impatiently. Hearing the splashing of water from the bathroom, Ling Miao laughed: ¡°Su Yuyang, you think it¡¯s fun to poke fun at me, right? I¡¯ll give you something to laugh about. You really think I¡¯m a doll you can play with as you please?¡± [Table of Contents] | [Chaleuria is on Twitter!] Translation notes: [1] Web novels may have some chapters behind a paywall, known as ¡®VIP chapters¡¯. People holding VIP accounts can pay a small amount of money to read each chapter after it comes out (¡®subscribing¡¯), where the cost of each chapter depends on the wordcount or the progress of the story. ¡®VIP accounts¡¯ are also tiered, where higher tiers pay less than lower tiers for a given amount of words. Ling Miao seems to be considering the case when all Su Yuyang¡¯s subscribers are highest-tier and pay the lowest price. [2] ¡®¡¯ characters are used to automatically censor certain words upon publication Chapter 028 The Complete Guide to the Use and Care of a Personal Assistant Translator: Jury Editor: NomNom First Published on Chaleuria ¡ª Chapter Twenty-eight Ling Miao¡¯s eyes were trained on the glass of the bathroom door. Only when the silhouette on the door began to make the motions of showering did Ling Miao get up and go to the kitchen. What was Ling Miao going to do? Turn off the hot water! This was Chongqing¡¯s1 coolest May in 18 years, and the temperatures were lower than they were during the same time last year. Also, Su Yuyang was someone who wore a jacket as soon as the slightest wind blew. So making Su Yuyang take a cold shower in this sort of weather was like making him wear short sleeves in winter. Even though Ling Miao had turned off the water heater, some hot water still remained in the pipes, so Su Yuyang didn¡¯t immediately realize something was amiss. As the first jet of cold water landed on Su Yuyang¡¯s head, he froze for half a second, then yelled, ¡°Aaah!¡± Ling Miao heard the aggrieved cry come from the bathroom. He covered his mouth and began to laugh, then quickly sat down on the sofa. The water had turned cold without any warning. Su Yuyang listened closely and didn¡¯t hear the rumble of the water heater. ¡°Damn, if the building cut the power they could at least say something first!¡± Su Yuyang cursed as he walked out, head still covered in suds. Ling Miao was sitting on the sofa watching television, still wearing a faint smile. Su Yuyang looked at Ling Miao¡¯s profile and thought to himself: You¡¯re so happy just watching a news channel. You¡¯re really too easily entertained¡­ Su Yuyang took a closer look and frowned thoughtfully. Ling Miao¡¯s smile is too smug! Another thought came to Su Yuyang: Did Ling Miao turn off the water heater? At this point, Su Yuyang had walked into the kitchen to assess the situation. The stove came on, but the plug of the water heater had been pulled. Indeed, it was Ling Miao¡¯s doing! ¡°Ling Miao!¡± Su Yuyang rushed to Ling Miao, grabbed him by the collar, and lifted him up. ¡°Did you turn off the water heater?¡± Ling Miao hadn¡¯t the slightest intention of defending himself and nodded candidly. Su Yuyang looked down at Ling Miao from above, the sparks flying from his eyes burning welts onto Ling Miao¡¯s body, but Ling Miao wasn¡¯t cowed. When Ling Miao had decided to do this, he had already resigned himself to losing his job. Staying by Su Yuyang¡¯s side wasn¡¯t especially tiring, but the man himself exhausted Ling Miao. Sometimes Ling Miao would think: before he met Su Yuyang, he hadn¡¯t offended him in any way. Why did Su Yuyang always give him a hard time? After becoming Su Yuyang¡¯s assistant, he¡¯d indeed done many things wrong, but Su Yuyang had already punished him! Ling Miao could endure all of the above, but the thing that aggrieved him from the bottom of his heart was Su Yuyang suspecting him of being an anti-fan! Shu Yang¡¯s fanbase all recognized Ling Miao as a die-hard fan. When Shu Yang released a new novel, Ling Miao led the fandom. Ling Miao moderated almost every one of Shu Yang¡¯s fan groups and headed almost all of Shu Yang¡¯s books¡¯ discussion forums. But today, Shu Yang himself had said he suspected Ling Miao of being an anti-fan sent to smear his name. Ling Miao usually had a heart of steel, but when it came to Shu Yang he had a heart of glass! Even though Su Yuyang admitted afterward that he had only said what he did to scare Ling Miao, Ling Miao¡¯s glass heart already lay shattered on the ground. A heart of glass with its pieces scattered over the ground could not be mended! ¡°You won¡¯t be satisfied until I kick you out, right?¡± Su Yuyang let go of Ling Miao. He sat down on the sofa and looked up at Ling Miao, but to his surprise, Ling Miao wasn¡¯t perturbed in the least. There was even a sort of relief in Ling Miao¡¯s eyes. Relief? Leaving me is a relief to him? In that case, why did he even apply for the job in the first place? Su Yuyang began to see Ling Miao in a different light, and curiosity and confusion appeared amidst his anger. ¡°Su Yuyang, from the bottom of my heart, I despise you.¡± Disdain tugged at the corner of Ling Miao¡¯s lips. ¡°I¡¯m telling you now. I quit!¡± Ling Miao proudly slammed Su Yuyang¡¯s house keys on the coffee table. The keys dug into his hand and he almost cried out, but his stubbornness made him turn the pained cry into a sneer. Ling Miao opened the door without any lingering regret and slammed the door shut behind him. Su Yuyang reflexively turned his head. Looking at the door Ling Miao had slammed, images of his interactions with Ling Miao flashed before his eyes. He froze for several seconds before grimacing: ¡°He left¡ªso be it. I¡¯m too tired to find another assistant.¡± Su Yuyang took the keys and walked to his room. Suddenly, he caught sight of a roll of something in the corner¡ªit was the bed Ling Miao slept on at night. Beside the padding and blankets were Ling Miao¡¯s two suitcases, one big and one small. The small one held clothes; to Su Yuyang¡¯s recollection, Ling Miao had never opened the other one. As if possessed, Su Yuyang walked over. With a glance, he saw that neither suitcase was locked. Suddenly, Su Yuyang really wanted to open the big suitcase and look inside. Su Yuyang¡¯s hands moved of their own accord; after the thought occurred to him to look, his hands immediately opened the suitcase. As he came to his senses, he saw¡­ ¡°These¡­¡± Su Yuyang was stunned into silence. Surprise, joy, and guilt overflowed in his heart at the same time. Inside Ling Miao¡¯s bigger suitcase were all of Su Yuyang¡¯s books! Su Yuyang¡¯s gaze swept across the spine of every book, and his eyes inexplicably filled with tears. From the first series Heavenly Domain to the current Massacre of the Nine Heavens, Ling Miao had gotten physical copies of every book, including the comic spin-offs. Su Yuyang picked up one of the books, his hands shaking so much that he almost dropped it on the floor. He flipped open the cover with trembling fingers. On the inside cover was his own signature. ¡°Ling Miao. No wonder he¡­¡± Now Su Yuyang understood why Ling Miao was so angry. His fingers traced the spine of every book, stopping between the last book of Heavenly Domain and the first book of Demonic Song Defying Heaven: a slip of paper was wedged between the two books. Missing Heavenly Domain¡¯s complete commemorative edition. Only one thousand copies of the complete commemorative edition of Heavenly Domain had been printed, and the people who had gotten their hands on it were incredibly lucky. It wasn¡¯t in stores any more, but Su Yuyang had kept a set for himself. A thought came to the forefront of Su Yuyang¡¯s mind: Should I give my set to Ling Miao? As this thought appeared, a scene unfolded before Su Yuyang¡¯s eyes: Ling Miao taking the complete commemorative edition of Heavenly Domain from Su Yuyang¡¯s hands. Ling Miao sneering, then hitting Su Yuyang¡¯s head with the book. ¡°I don¡¯t want your charity!¡± After which Ling Miao walked off, chin held high. ¡°Forget it. I¡¯ll think about it when he comes back.¡± Su Yuyang thought that Ling Miao would definitely return because Ling Miao¡¯s things were still here¡ªaside from his cellphone, Ling Miao hadn¡¯t taken anything with him. Icy wind flooded through Ling Miao¡¯s collar and sleeves, sweeping across Ling Miao¡¯s body. Ling Miao shivered and complained quietly: ¡°If I¡¯d known how cold it was, I¡¯d just have held it in and not walked out! No, that¡¯s not right. I want this. Su Yuyang, hmph. Don¡¯t think you¡¯re so high and mighty. You rub me the wrong way, I¡¯ll teach you!¡± Ling Miao had already decided where to go when he exited the building. As he walked out the door he had called Ji Linxi, but the latter was working overtime and wouldn¡¯t get off work until late in the evening. Ling Miao initially thought of going to Ji Linxi¡¯s office to wait for him, but Ji Linxi said that his boss Hu Lin was around and Ling Miao decided he didn¡¯t want to go up after all. Ling Miao waited outside Ji Linxi¡¯s office building. The night wind was so cold that he wanted to curl his entire body into his clothes. Cough, cough¡ªwouldn¡¯t that make you a turtle?! Fuck off, I don¡¯t need you to remind me! Ling Miao was about to freeze solid as Ji Linxi emerged. ¡°Couldn¡¯t you have found a diner to wait in?¡± In Ji Linxi¡¯s eyes was not concern for Ling Miao but two words: Dumb cat! ¡°Fuck, I don¡¯t wanna be glared at by the owner.¡± Ling Miao moved to step on Ji Linxi¡¯s foot, but Ji Linxi nimbly dodged it. Seeing Hu Lin walking over from the corner of his eye, Ji Linxi dragged Ling Miao off. In the car, Ling Miao asked Ji Linxi: ¡°You haven¡¯t eaten, right?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll just make instant noodles at home,¡± Ji Linxi said indifferently. ¡°The restaurants are all closed by now, but barbeque stands might still be open. There¡¯s one near the business district. My treat.¡± Ji Linxi frowned. He looked Ling Miao over from head to toe as if scanning him, and asked suspiciously: ¡°You¡¯re really Ling Miao?¡± ¡°Su Yuyang¡¯s money. Might as well spend it.¡± When Ling Miao said Su Yuyang¡¯s name, his frustration audibly surfaced. Ji Linxi was still wondering why Ling Miao had called him today, but the moment he heard Ling Miao¡¯s tone, he sort of understood¡ªmost likely Su Yuyang had provoked Ling Miao and the latter had run away. Run away? That sounded like Ji Linxi already thought of Ling Miao as Su Yuyang¡¯s property. Ling Miao, Su Yuyang¡¯s property? That was pretty weird to think about. After ordering food, Ji Linxi leaned close to Ling Miao and whispered teasingly in his ear: ¡°Ling Miao, you didn¡¯t kill him and rob him and run away with the loot, did you?¡± ¡°That¡¯s the grocery money Su Yuyang gave me this month. I¡¯m about to resign, so I¡¯ll take the rest as severance pay.¡± ¡°You¡¯re doing pretty well at Su Yuyang¡¯s place. Why suddenly resign?¡± Ji Linxi asked, not understanding. So Ling Miao told Ji Linxi of all Su Yuyang¡¯s evil deeds. He did embellish the details a bit, but everything Ji Linxi heard was the absolute truth¡ªLing Miao¡¯s storytelling ability was really bad. At length, Ji Linxi came to a conclusion: Ling Miao¡¯s letting his pride get in the way again. ¡°Actually, you still kind of like Su Yuyang, right?¡± ¡°Wrong!¡± Ling Miao corrected. ¡°I like Shu Yang, not Su Yuyang! Su Yuyang is just my boss¡ªmy ex-boss. Shu Yang is my idol.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t they the same person?¡± ¡°Not the same.¡± Ling Miao took a sip of wine. As the bitter alcohol trickled down his throat, Ling Miao said blandly, ¡°I like Shu Yang¡­ let¡¯s rephrase that to ¡®I admire him.¡¯ We both use words, but he puts those same words together into exciting and unforgettable scenes, while I¡­ forget it. I¡¯ll cry if I say any more. As for Su Yuyang, there¡¯s only one way to describe him and me¡ªheh heh.¡± Ji Linxi folded his arms over his chest and thought hard. As Ling Miao finished the bottle of wine, Ji Linxi said weakly: ¡°Flawless logic. I don¡¯t get it.¡± ¡°Heh. Even I don¡¯t fully get it.¡± Ling Miao poured himself another glass of wine. Ling Miao¡¯s intention to get drunk was becoming clearer and clearer, so Ji Linxi didn¡¯t dare to drink too much. When Ling Miao lay down on the table, Ji Linxi called for the bill. Of course, Ji Linxi paid for it all. Ji Linxi dragged Ling Miao back to their rented apartment and had just tossed Ling Miao on the bed when Ling Miao¡¯s phone rang. ¡°Su Yuyang. What¡¯s he calling for?¡± [Table of Contents] | [Chaleuria is on Twitter!] Translation notes: [1] Chongqing: the city they live in Chapter 029 The Complete Guide to the Use and Care of a Personal Assistant Translator: Jury Editor: NomNom First Published on Chaleuria ¡ª Chapter Twenty-nine Is he calling to beg Ling Miao to return? No, if Ling Miao was chased out by Su Yuyang, it¡¯d be strange for Su Yuyang to ask him to come back now. After thinking about it, Ji Linxi hung up the phone with a sense of finality. Hearing the dial tone from the receiver, Su Yuyang cursed¡ª¡°Fuck¡±¡ªand tossed his cellphone to one side. He lay on the bed, his mind full of the smug face Ling Miao must be making after hanging up. Su Yuyang jolted. ¡°I can¡¯t do this! It looks like I¡¯m asking him to come back, but I¡¯m just asking him to take his things away, aren¡¯t I?¡± He picked up his phone and called Ling Miao again, and suffered Ji Linxi hanging up, again. Probably worried Su Yuyang would keep calling, Ji Linxi went ahead and turned off the phone. Getting hung up on once was bad enough. After getting hung up on twice, Su Yuyang got more upset the more he thought about it. The third time he called Ling Miao¡¯s number, he got the message¡ª¡®The number you have called is not available.¡¯ Su Yuyang was really frustrated. He wanted to run up to Ling Miao, grab his collar, toss him to the ground, and step on him. The more Su Yuyang thought about it, the more he wanted to go find Ling Miao, but he had no idea where Ling Miao might have gone. ¡°Damn it.¡± Su Yuyang cursed again, then shot Ling Miao a text. Su Yuyang sat upright, his gaze falling onto the blank document. He knew what the next scene would be, but one sentence in, he felt something was wrong. Between writing, then deleting, he suffered until midnight and still hadn¡¯t progressed by even a single word. Closing the document in frustration, Su Yuyang decided to go find the God of Sleep and talk about life. Maybe shooting the breeze would give him inspiration to write. By force of habit, Su Yuyang woke at nine o¡¯clock in the morning, and by force of habit, he sat at the dining table and waited for breakfast. By force of habit, he called out for Ling Miao to hurry it up. The moment the words ¡°Ling Miao¡± left his mouth, they turned bitter. Ling Miao had left last night and only his things remained. Only when Su Yuyang noticed the absence of the sound of pots and pans banging in the kitchen did he suddenly realize that he¡¯d grown very accustomed to living with Ling Miao. He thought about how he¡¯d been disturbed by the noise of Ling Miao writing at night. Now, thinking about it again, he might have just been worried for Ling Miao¡¯s health. Su Yuyang sat frozen, his heart like the empty table¡ªlonely. He¡¯d lived alone for three years. Ling Miao had lived with him for maybe two months. Ling Miao had entered Su Yuyang¡¯s life unexpectedly, and even though on the surface it seemed Su Yuyang and Ling Miao mixed about as well as fire and water, Su Yuyang had accepted this way of life. The moment it had fallen apart, he hadn¡¯t tried to salvage it but had instead let the situation proceed towards its worst possible outcome. Habits often subconsciously remind people of things. Toward Ling Miao, Su Yuyang¡¯s feelings were somewhat close to reliance. Su Yuyang didn¡¯t go on trying to make sense of his relationship with Ling Miao. He was afraid¡ªafraid that he wouldn¡¯t be able to leave Ling Miao. How did I start thinking like this? Su Yuyang raised his head. On his formerly despondent face was a confident smile, but his trembling fingertips betrayed his unease. Ling Miao turned over and promptly fell out of the bed. He didn¡¯t like sleeping on the lower bunk because it was easy to fall onto the floor. At the thud of something falling, Ji Linxi stuck his head out of the bathroom. Seeing Ling Miao rubbing his head as he slowly sat up on the floor, Ji Linxi didn¡¯t say anything and continued brushing his teeth. Which is to say that he had never stopped brushing his teeth. ¡°Head feels terrible,¡± Ling Miao said dejectedly from the floor. Ji Linxi murmured something, but because he was brushing his teeth his words were garbled. Ling Miao doubtfully made a noise of assent. Ji Linxi rinsed his mouth and said, ¡°Consequences of getting drunk. You reap what you sow.¡± Ling Miao glared at Ji Linxi, then looked around at his surroundings. He said thoughtfully: ¡°So after all that fuss I¡¯m still back here.¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s right. Yesterday Su Yuyang called you.¡± Ji Linxi seemed to remember something and handed Ling Miao¡¯s phone over. ¡°It was bothering me so I turned it off. Maybe he was going to ask you to come back. You¡¯d better go back to him.¡± Ji Linxi got ready to leave the house, but not before saying: ¡°You know how the landlord is. You¡¯d better not leave the apartment.¡± ¡°Hey¡­¡± Ling Miao protested, but Ji Linxi eyed him and he relented. Mm. The landlord was indeed very scary. Ling Miao sat on the floor and waited until he felt better before slowly standing up and sitting on the bed. He turned on his phone and, before long, he received a message notification. Hey, come back and get your things or I¡¯ll sell them. The text was from Su Yuyang. Ling Miao was immediately incensed by his arrogant tone. Fuck. Sell it if you want. Just leave the books, Ling Miao replied. Su Yuyang was still regretting his actions when Ling Miao¡¯s message arrived. Seeing Ling Miao¡¯s reply, Su Yuyang momentarily wasn¡¯t sure how to react. So Ling Miao¡¯s most important possession was the books¡ªShu Yang¡¯s books. Su Yuyang: You get back here and help me take these things to the recycling center. Ling Miao: Pah, you¡¯re selling my things and you still want me to move them, Su Yuyang, do you really think you¡¯re my boss or what? I told you, I quit! Also, go on QQ. I¡¯m not rich, I don¡¯t have texts to spend chatting with you. Not long after Ling Miao sent this text, Su Yuyang¡¯s QQ message arrived. 3000WPH: Then I¡¯m selling the books. Mine I¡¯ll sign and sell. ZeroSecondsAgo: Su Yuyang, if you dare sell my books, I¡¯ll spill all your personal info even if I go to jail for it. Won¡¯t even take money. I¡¯ll just use this blog ZeroSecondsAgo, the blog you officially recognized as your assistant¡¯s. 3000WPH: That¡¯s too much. ZeroSecondsAgo: Ah, Su Yuyang, you don¡¯t miss me, do you? Are you changing your tune and begging me to go back? Ling Miao¡¯s words seemed to have struck Su Yuyang right in the heart. For several minutes Su Yuyang didn¡¯t say anything and Ling Miao suddenly became worried. ZeroSecondsAgo: Hey, Su Yuyang, you fainted again? 3000WPH: Thanks for your concern, I¡¯m hanging in there. Also, even if you want to come back I¡¯m not letting you. ZeroSecondsAgo: Hmph, call me sentimental. Oh, also, there¡¯s no food in the fridge. If you¡¯re hungry, get takeout. Just don¡¯t call my cell¡ªif the call¡¯s from you I¡¯ll reject them all! Su Yuyang hadn¡¯t even finished typing his reply when Ling Miao sent another text. ZeroSecondsAgo: I might as well block your number, then I won¡¯t even see your texts. Better for my mood. 3000WPH: Don¡¯t burn your bridges. You¡¯ll be glad if ever you revisit them. ZeroSecondsAgo: Better if this one¡¯s never revisited!! 3000WPH: Talking out of your ass again? We live so close by, we might even run into each other today. ZeroSecondsAgo: If we do, we¡¯d better pretend we¡¯re strangers. I don¡¯t want people to know I¡¯m acquainted with a bastard like you. 3000WPH: Wanna bet on it? If we meet today, you come back and take your things away. ZeroSecondsAgo: If we don¡¯t meet? 3000WPH: Name your price. ZeroSecondsAgo: If we don¡¯t meet, I want you to sign all the books in my suitcase. At this point, Ling Miao realized something was amiss. How did Su Yuyang know he had a suitcase full of books? ZeroSecondsAgo: Su Yuyang, you went through my things and used my things to threaten me?! Don¡¯t you think you¡¯re despicable?! So you¡¯re not only a bastard, your moral character is low too! All these years I¡¯ve admired the wrong person! Having said his piece, Ling Miao went offline. Ling Miao fell onto the bed and clutched his chest. Something seemed to float there, bobbing up and down. It hurt. Before, he had been annoyed by Su Yuyang; now he was disgusted. If memories could be erased, Ling Miao would definitely erase everything that had to do with Su Yuyang. Su Yuyang sent Ling Miao a text, but after a long time without a reply, he looked again. Ling Miao had gone offline. Su Yuyang was a little disappointed: I did go through your things, but I didn¡¯t tell you. Surely you were the one who said you had books? The second half of Su Yuyang¡¯s inner monologue was the text he sent to Ling Miao, but Ling Miao had not seen it. With a hopeful heart, Su Yuyang put the words into a text message and sent it again. Ling Miao was submersed in his despair when the sound of a text pulled him back. Ling Miao unlocked his phone and saw the text presented before him. Looking at the content, Ling Miao¡¯s brain short-circuited: Exactly when did I tell you that I have a suitcase full of books?! Ling Miao opened QQ and confirmed he hadn¡¯t, then opened his texts¡­ Right. Ling Miao would hereby admit he was wrong. ZeroSecondsAgo: Great Shu, I¡¯m sorry! 3000WPH: If you¡¯re sorry, you should show some repentance. ZeroSecondsAgo: Okay, okay. I¡¯ll go over in the afternoon and move my things. 3000WPH: You really don¡¯t intend to go on being my assistant? ZeroSecondsAgo: I¡¯m an anti-fan sent to smear your name. Can you write in peace with a ticking time bomb at your side? Su Yuyang understood: Ling Miao was needling him. At the same time, he also understood that Shu Yang¡¯s place in Ling Miao¡¯s heart was much more important than he had realized. 3000WPH: It¡¯s very stupid for an author to suspect his own die-hard fan. For that, I¡¯ll apologize to you. ZeroSecondsAgo: No need to apologize. I¡¯ve already become your anti-fan. Seeing this, an image surfaced in Su Yuyang¡¯s mind of Ling Miao with his head held high. If Ling Miao had a tail, it¡¯d be pointing straight up. Huff¡ªSu Yuyang couldn¡¯t help it. 3000WPH: So much hot air. ZeroSecondsAgo: Su Yuyang, you watch my things. When both you and I are free I¡¯ll go over and get them, especially that case of books. If a single corner is damaged, you¡¯d better replace it! 3000WPH: What if there are more of them? ZeroSecondsAgo: Hm? 3000WPH: Nothing. I¡¯m going to eat. ZeroSecondsAgo: Eat? You¡¯re eating instant noodles, aren¡¯t you? No worries. Eat your fill. I won¡¯t ask you to pay for them. Su Yuyang was suddenly speechless: How did Ling Miao know his plans? ZeroSecondsAgo: Why¡¯d you go quiet? Did I guess right? Hah hah hah, Su Yuyang, those instant noodles are mine! You¡¯d better get takeout! 3000WPH: ¡­ Petty ZeroSecondsAgo: Speaking of which, I actually am hungry. I¡¯ll go make noodles. Ling Miao said he was going to make noodles. Su Yuyang didn¡¯t know for sure, but what did whether or not Ling Miao made noodles have to do with him? Su Yuyang made some instant noodles then returned to his computer and continued writing the chapter he hadn¡¯t written a word of last night. [Table of Contents] | [Chaleuria is on Twitter!] Chapter 030 The Complete Guide to the Use and Care of a Personal Assistant Translator: Jury Editor: NomNom First Published on Chaleuria ¡ª Chapter Thirty Ling Miao had been gone for three days. During that time, Su Yuyang¡¯s life wasn¡¯t particularly eventful and the only thing that dissatisfied him was that writing took twice as long as it usually did! Looking at his word document, Su Yuyang frustratedly clicked the ¡®X¡¯ on the top right hand side. Su Yuyang sighed and moved his cursor to his browser. Opening his browser, he went, not to his author¡¯s dashboard, but to Ling Miao¡¯s novel¡¯s page. Ling Miao was still updating his novel, but Su Yuyang knew that, come tomorrow, Ling Miao would have to break his update streak. Why? Ling Miao¡¯s laptop was still here and Ling Miao didn¡¯t have copies of his drafts saved on the website. Ling Miao had asked Su Yuyang to upload chapters for him before, so Su Yuyang knew Ling Miao¡¯s username and password as well as the passcode to Ling Miao¡¯s laptop. Ling Miao¡¯s laptop currently lay on Su Yuyang¡¯s desk. Su Yuyang periodically tapped Ling Miao¡¯s laptop, his expression hesitant as he considered whether to remind Ling Miao that his updates were about to run out or to just update for Ling Miao himself. It had to be said that Su Yuyang didn¡¯t wish for Ling Miao to break his update streak. Of course, that wasn¡¯t because Su Yuyang was following the novel but because he didn¡¯t want Ling Miao to blame him for this in future. Knock knock knock: a series of hurried knocks came from the door. Su Yuyang looked at the time on the display. Hmm, takeout has arrived. ¡°Thank you.¡± Su Yuyang handed over the money, face frozen in a grimace. The delivery guy huffed and puffed as he glared resentfully at Su Yuyang. He took the money Su Yuyang handed over and gave back the change. The flab on his face wobbled as he attempted a jovial tone. ¡°It¡¯s all right, just doing my job.¡± After Ling Miao left, Su Yuyang had begun eating takeout again, but the more he ate the harder he found it to stomach. After eating one bite, Su Yuyang pushed the food to one side, got up, and left his room. He returned holding a bag: the print on the side indicated that the contents were instant noodles. Su Yuyang had eaten a lot of instant noodles these past three days. He had to thank Ling Miao for getting two packs of every kind: Su Yuyang hadn¡¯t had to eat the same kind twice. Eating Ling Miao¡¯s noodles, reading Ling Miao¡¯s novel, Su Yuyang suddenly started coughing. Cough cough¡ª Su Yuyang coughed until he was red in the face, his expression pained, as if someone were choking him. ¡°Ling Miao, no wonder you haven¡¯t made your name!¡± Su Yuyang wanted to laugh, but he was currently choking on chilli peppers and could only cough. If Ling Miao were at Su Yuyang¡¯s side, he¡¯d have lunged forward with his vegetable knife and then waited for Su Yuyang¡¯s various counterattacks. Su Yuyang had also looked forward to Ling Miao¡¯s displays of stubborn pride. Unfortunately, Ling Miao had left. ¡°Nothing catches your eye?¡± Ji Linxi walked over holding food and sat down next to Ling Miao. It was the weekend and Ji Linxi didn¡¯t have to work, so Ling Miao had commandeered Ji Linxi¡¯s laptop. Checking four or five job sites, every posting he found was either too far away or had requirements that were too stringent. The gist of it was that Ling Miao hadn¡¯t found a job listing he liked. ¡°Ah. I¡¯m in the tedious process of job hunting again.¡± Ling Miao lay down on the keyboard and weakly dragged over the food Ji Linxi had bought him. Ji Linxi suggested: ¡°Actually, you could look for Su Yuyang. Maybe he changed his mind.¡± ¡°Get out!¡± Ling Miao instantly rejected Ji Linxi¡¯s suggestion then corrected Ji Linxi: ¡°He didn¡¯t fire me. I quit! I¡¯m his die-hard follower and he suspects me of being an anti-fan¡ªI can¡¯t tolerate that!¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t he apologize?¡± ¡°Can apologies mend my broken heart?¡± Ling Miao retorted. ¡°Regardless, even if I have to sleep on the street I won¡¯t bow to that bastard! Ah, Linxi. Does your company have any openings suitable for me?¡± Ji Linxi searched his mind for news about employment opportunities. Ling Miao saw Ji Linxi¡¯s eyes light up and asked excitedly, ¡°They do?¡± Ji Linxi said regretfully: ¡°Yes, and in the same department as me, but with your personality you definitely won¡¯t take it¡ªthat position reports directly to Hu Lin.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve gotta be kidding.¡± Ling Miao wanted to flip a table. ¡°Forget it. I¡¯ll keep looking for other positions and if I really can¡¯t find anything I¡¯ll go apply at your place.¡± Though Ling Miao said so, Ji Linxi didn¡¯t take him seriously; he and Ling Miao both knew that even if Ling Miao passed the screening, Hu Lin would do his best during the interview to kick Ling Miao out of the running. After eating lunch, Su Yuyang continued to write the chapter he hadn¡¯t finished that morning and Ling Miao continued job hunting. It was dinnertime before Su Yuyang knew it. He called the takeout place but the delivery guy said, ¡°I¡¯ll only deliver it downstairs.¡± Su Yuyang laughed. If I were willing to go downstairs, would I be getting takeout? Su Yuyang had gotten a 10th floor apartment because he wanted quiet but now he regretted it a little. Since the delivery guy wouldn¡¯t deliver to his door and Su Yuyang didn¡¯t want to go downstairs, Su Yuyang had no choice but to eat Ling Miao¡¯s instant noodles for a while longer. He ripped open the instant noodle bag and went to get hot water. ¡°Suddenly, I kind of miss Ling Miao¡¯s cooking. If he were willing to deliver food to me every day¡­¡± Su Yuyang¡¯s train of thought suddenly screeched to a halt. Not even a second later, a terrible scream came from Su Yuyang¡¯s mouth. ¡°Hot!!¡± Su Yuyang hurriedly dropped the bowl, but the hot soup and noodles spilled out right over the back of his hand, adding insult to injury. Su Yuyang rushed into the kitchen and poured cold water over the burned area. The back of his hand was boiled red and touching it in the slightest caused him excruciating pain. Su Yuyang frustratedly looked at the reddened back of his hand and thought: With this kind of swelling, how am I supposed to write? Once Su Yuyang realized that he might break his updating streak, he felt as if his heart were being whipped. It hurt to the point he couldn¡¯t breathe. Even more tragically, it was his right hand that was burned! Su Yuyang searched the internet for how to treat a burn. As he searched, the inflamed area began to form boils, and by the time Su Yuyang paid attention to them, they were already the size of beans. ¡°I¡­¡± Su Yuyang looked at the boils and immediately wanted to pop them, but he¡¯d just seen a piece of advice that said they shouldn¡¯t be popped. In the time it took Su Yuyang to blink, the boils grew a little, again. Now he definitely had to go downstairs, whether he wanted to or not. But first he made two posts to his microblog, accompanied by pictures of his injured hand. ¡°Got burned. If I break my update streak, it¡¯s not because I was lazy.¡± Ling Miao opened his microblog and immediately saw Su Yuyang¡¯s post. He dragged Ji Linxi over and pointed at Su Yuyang¡¯s blog: ¡°Ji Linxi, look quick, Su Yuyang¡¯s hand is swollen like a pig trotter! Hah, it¡¯s karma!¡± ¡°You¡¯re too happy about his bad luck,¡± Ji Linxi said coolly, then grabbed the laptop back. Ling Miao hummed dejectedly. He knew Ji Linxi had to work so he went back to his bed and lay down. Su Yuyang returned from the pharmacy. Following the instructions, he rubbed ointment on his burn. As he did so, he glanced at his microblog: during the time he had been out, the list of his reply and reblog notifications had grown longer and longer. He clicked into his notifications and found that all the replies and reblogs were on the one post. There were many concerned messages and also many messages attacking him, but one of them was particularly nasty: It¡¯s karma. This ID wasn¡¯t familiar and didn¡¯t linger on who had sent the message for the time being, assuming them to be an anti-fan. Su Yuyang replied to some of the concerned messages, then very nosily opened the blog page of the person who had sent him the message ¡°It¡¯s karma.¡± The blog name was ¡°Ji Linxi.¡± Su Yuyang went over a list of names in his head and concluded that he really didn¡¯t know this person, but on the navbar on the right side of the blog he found a familiar ID¡ª@WriterZeroSecondsAgo¡ªthis was Ling Miao¡¯s modified username. Ji Linxi posted a lot, mostly about his daily life, and occasionally he posted his design work or advertisements for his company. ¡°This isn¡¯t Ling Miao¡¯s account.¡± Su Yuyang clicked through two pages of the blog, found that this person interacted with Ling Miao a lot, and guessed that it was probably someone Ling Miao knew. Su Yuyang made a conjecture: That post wasn¡¯t Ji Linxi landing a punch on Ling Miao¡¯s behalf; it was Ling Miao who sent it, using Ji Linxi¡¯s account. Situation one: If Ji Linxi wrote the reply, what reason did he have to do that for Ling Miao? They seemed to be only ordinary friends, but did Ji Linxi have those sorts of intentions toward Ling Miao? Situation two: If Ling Miao sent it himself then he is still looking out for news about me! In situation one: Su Yuyang really wanted to drag Ling Miao in front of him and ask him about his relationship with Ji Linxi, but more than that, he wanted to drag Ji Linxi over and give him a good beating, and then ask him what his intentions towards Ling Miao were. But what right did Su Yuyang have to do this? In situation two: Su Yuyang grinned as he looked at Ji Linxi¡¯s blog. Thinking of the possibility that Ling Miao still cared about him, he felt as if the dark clouds outside the window had all turned white. ¡°Suddenly, I miss Ling Miao a little.¡± Hey, it isn¡¯t ¡®suddenly,¡¯ is it? Since the moment Ling Miao left, he¡¯s been lodged deeply in your mind. ¡°Should I go get him back?¡± Su Yuyang was willing to lower himself; he was just worried that Ling Miao wouldn¡¯t be willing to come back. Su Yuyang lowered his eyes and they landed on Ling Miao¡¯s laptop. With a flash of inspiration, Su Yuyang picked up his phone and called Ling Miao. The call went through, which surprised Su Yuyang¡ªdidn¡¯t Ling Miao say he was going to block my number? Did he forget? It¡¯s better that he forgot. That way I don¡¯t have to find another way to contact him. Ling Miao was showering. Ji Linxi heard Ling Miao¡¯s phone ringing and didn¡¯t pick up. After the ringing stopped, Ji Linxi thought that¡¯d be the end of it, but after several seconds the phone rang again. ¡°Ling Miao, your phone keeps ringing. It¡¯s really annoying,¡± Ji Linxi yelled in the direction of the bathroom. The sound of running water stopped. Ling Miao walked out wearing a pair of big pants, the suds on his head not yet washed clean. ¡°You saw it too. I burned my hand, so I need an assistant,¡± Su Yuyang¡¯s gentle voice came through the receiver, and if one were to listen closely, they would hear the prayer in his voice. ¡°I quit! Can I help you with anything else?! If not, I¡¯m hanging up.¡± Ling Miao¡¯s words were loaded with gunpowder, ready to explode, and he hung up without waiting for Su Yuyang¡¯s reply. Ling Miao opened his block list and grumbled: ¡°Fuck. Forgot to block him.¡± Ling Miao added Su Yuyang¡¯s name to his block list, but before he could hit confirm, a text from Su Yuyang arrived. [Table of Contents] | [Chaleuria is on Twitter!] Chapter 031 The Complete Guide to the Use and Care of a Personal Assistant Translator: Jury Editor: NomNom First Published on Chaleuria ¡ª Chapter Thirty-one Ling Miao glanced at Su Yuyang¡¯s text, and his fingers gripped his phone tighter and tighter, as if he wanted to crush it to pieces. Maybe he grew pained at the memory of the money he had spent, because he quickly loosened his grip and threw the phone at the bed, hard. Thunk¡ª The loud sound made Ji Linxi jump. He clutched his pounding heart and asked, ¡°What the hell?! That scared me to death!¡± Ling Miao let out a frustrated ¡®hmph,¡¯ then faced Ji Linxi with a fierce yet tearful expression. ¡°Fuck it, I left in such a hurry that I forgot my computer! Now that bastard Su Yuyang¡¯s using my drafts to threaten me!¡± ¡°Exactly how much of a hurry were you in when you left? Your clothes aside, you didn¡¯t even take your suitcase full of books or your computer. Ling Miao, are you sure you don¡¯t have other feelings towards Su Yuyang? If not, why are you acting so strange?¡± Ji Linxi said faux-thoughtfully in a teasing tone. Ling Miao didn¡¯t see Ji Linxi¡¯s expression, but he could imagine what Ji Linxi¡¯s face looked like from his shit-eating tone of voice. Ling Miao kicked the chair Ji Linxi was sitting in and said witheringly: ¡°Nah, I don¡¯t. What I¡¯m annoyed about is that I really don¡¯t freakin¡¯ want to go back, but he has leverage. Fuck, he went so far as to threaten me. That¡¯s how low of a person he is.¡± Ji Linxi knew Ling Miao was genuinely mad and didn¡¯t provoke him any further. He reminded: ¡°Forget Su Yuyang for a bit. Go wash the shampoo out of your hair, then we¡¯ll see.¡± ¡°Fuck.¡± Ji Linxi¡¯s reminder reminded Ling Miao he had been showering. Su Yuyang had stirred him up so much that his brain only had room for Su Yuyang¡¯s crafty face. The shower should have been refreshing but Ling Miao was extremely frustrated. He¡¯d just mistakenly used Ji Linxi¡¯s facial wash for toothpaste, and it was Su Yuyang who¡¯d made him so absent-minded! ¡°Linxi, what should I do?¡± Ling Miao lay on the bed and said weakly. Ji Linxi retorted: ¡°How should I know what you should do?¡± After a period of silence, Ji Linxi asked: ¡°You don¡¯t want to go back because Su Yuyang maligned you by saying you¡¯re an anti-fan, but Su Yuyang clearly knows you¡¯re not. So why would he say that?¡± ¡°Of course, isn¡¯t it because I didn¡¯t check his chapters after uploading them?¡± Ling Miao was still mad when discussing this matter. ¡°Why didn¡¯t he check them himself? What writer¡¯s this irresponsible?¡± ¡°Dumb cat.¡± Ji Linxi sounded as if he wanted to drag Ling Miao into the bathroom and splash Ling Miao¡¯s fury-addled head with cold water. ¡°Hey, no need to dredge up the past, okay?!¡± Ling Miao sat up, his manner and his movements just like a cat whose tail had been stepped on. ¡°Ling Miao, can you use your head, please? You¡¯ve made a lot of mistakes like this before. Why did Su Yuyang only discover it this time?¡± Ji Linxi suddenly took on a lecturing tone. Ling Miao¡¯s eyes flashed as if Ji Linxi had really reminded him of something. He said carefully, ¡°Su Yuyang trusted me a lot?¡± Ji Linxi said nothing. Ling Miao¡¯s gaze remained on Ji Linxi¡¯s face, as if he¡¯d bore a hole into Ji Linxi¡¯s head should the latter not provide a satisfactory answer. Ji Linxi finished his work and stretched lazily before saying, ¡°I don¡¯t think Su Yuyang is threatening you. I think he couldn¡¯t find another way to get you to go back, so he¡¯s using your drafts to lure you back.¡± ¡°Lure?¡± Ling Miao didn¡¯t understand. Ji Linxi pulled up the text Su Yuyang had sent Ling Miao and explained: ¡°Su Yuyang only said ¡®your drafts are still here, come back.¡¯ He didn¡¯t say what he¡¯d do to your drafts if you didn¡¯t go back. So he¡¯s luring you, not threatening you. ¡°Honestly speaking, Su Yuyang¡¯s actions are very strange. Maybe he really, to you¡­¡± Ji Linxi hadn¡¯t finished speaking when Ling Miao took the phone from him and called Su Yuyang. ¡°Hey, Su Yuyang, if I don¡¯t go back, what will you do to my drafts?¡± Ling Miao asked in a conciliatory voice. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Su Yuyang replied calmly. ¡°But they have a lot of typos. It¡¯s tiring me out.¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Ling Miao was about to retort, ¡°What business is it of yours if I have typos,¡± but that, ¡°It¡¯s tiring me out,¡± struck Ling Miao¡¯s heart. ¡°Is he editing my drafts?¡± Ling Miao¡¯s mouth dropped open with surprise. Ling Miao didn¡¯t reply for a long time. Su Yuyang asked worriedly, ¡°Ling Miao, are you alright?¡± ¡°I¡­ you¡­¡± As if knowing what Ling Miao was going to ask, Su Yuyang laughed and said: ¡°I know you care a lot about doing your best, so I¡¯m editing your update for tomorrow. But your drafts won¡¯t last very long, so if you don¡¯t come back¡­¡± Though Su Yuyang didn¡¯t finish, Ling Miao already understood what Su Yuyang wanted to express. ¡°Isn¡¯t Su Yuyang¡¯s hand hurt? He¡¯s still helping me edit my drafts. I¡­¡± Ling Miao felt as if someone had struck his heart. Upon closer observation, the hand that had struck his heart was covered in boils, like the hand in the photo Su Yuyang had posted on his blog. ¡°You¡­ Never mind, I¡¯d better go back.¡± Ling Miao actually really wanted to ask Su Yuyang to send over the drafts by email, but thinking about the fact that Su Yuyang had hurt his hand and was alone at home with no one to look after him¡ªmore importantly, that Su Yuyang was still editing Ling Miao¡¯s drafts for him¡ªLing Miao¡¯s heart momentarily melted and caused him to say he¡¯d go back. Su Yuyang seemed to have expected, but also not expected, Ling Miao¡¯s answer. Su Yuyang¡¯s face broke into a joyful smile, but his tone didn¡¯t change: ¡°I¡¯ll wait for you.¡± I¡¯ll wait for you. The four simple words didn¡¯t have much emotional inflection, but when Ling Miao heard them his cheeks turned red. Ji Linxi observed the change in Ling Miao and, seeing him turn red, Ji Linxi was curious as to what Su Yuyang had said. But Ling Miao definitely wouldn¡¯t tell him if he asked directly. ¡°Ling Miao, why is your face red?¡± ¡°Ah?¡± Everything would have been just fine if Ji Linxi hadn¡¯t said anything, but now that he had, Ling Miao became aware of his burning cheeks. He touched his face. It was warm. ¡°Aha, look at you. You don¡¯t look like you¡¯re going to see your boss, you look like you¡¯re going to see your husband,¡± Ji Linxi teased. ¡°Get out!¡± Ling Miao jumped off the bed and began packing. Ji Linxi let out a ¡®tsk tsk tsk.¡¯ Ling Miao turned, glared at him, and said: ¡°Spit it out. With a pitiful expression like that, people who didn¡¯t know might think I was abandoning you.¡± Ji Linxi coughed twice and asked nosily, ¡°I¡¯m very curious. Are you this worried because of your drafts or because of Su Yuyang?¡± ¡°He¡¯s waiting for me.¡± Ling Miao carelessly let the words slip, but the moment they left his mouth Ling Miao¡¯s mind went blank for a few seconds. When Ling Miao next looked at Ji Linxi, the latter was watching him with a grin. Ling Miao felt more awkward the more he looked at Ji Linxi¡¯s smile, and hurriedly explained: ¡°That¡­ I¡¯ve got to go write.¡± After which Ling Miao picked up his things and ran. As Ling Miao¡¯s fleeing figure vanished from his sight, Ji Linxi¡¯s expression became thoughtful. Noisy footsteps drew near. The door opened and two people walked in. ¡°Ling Miao¡¯s not here?¡± ¡°Oh, he went back.¡± His train of thought having been disturbed by his housemates, Ji Linxi didn¡¯t try to analyze it further. He heaved a sigh and laughed: ¡°Ah, they¡¯re Ling Miao¡¯s matters. He can just slowly sort them all out with Su Yuyang.¡± On seeing Ji Linxi¡¯s smile, Ji Linxi¡¯s housemates shuddered inexplicably. Ling Miao ran all the way to Su Yuyang¡¯s building then took a deep breath and ran up to the tenth floor. ¡°Ha¡ªHoo¡ª¡± Ling Miao gasped for breath, his pounding heart about to leap out from his throat. Ling Miao didn¡¯t have much energy left to knock on the door. He thought about resting for a while before knocking, but discovered that the door was open. He cautiously pushed the door open wider. In the dark living room there was an especially blinding patch of white light. Ling Miao looked directly at it¡ªit seemed to be a laptop. ¡°You¡¯re back?¡± A surprised voice pierced through the darkness, all the way from the corner of the room to Ling Miao¡¯s ears. Ling Miao called out, ¡®Ah,¡¯ as a black shadow walked toward him. ¡°Su¡­ Su Yuyang?¡¯ Ling Miao asked tentatively. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re back, good. I finished editing the drafts and queued them for your usual time.¡± Su Yuyang¡¯s gentle words soothed Ling Miao¡¯s turbulent feelings. Ling Miao¡¯s gaze followed Su Yuyang¡¯s silhouette, even though all he could see was a shadow. Pah¡ª The sound of a switch being flipped. Light flooded Ling Miao¡¯s eyes and he closed them reflexively. A shadow fell across Ling Miao¡¯s head. He raised his head quickly to see what was blocking the light¡ªit was Su Yuyang. ¡°I was going to sign all the books in your suitcase, but¡­¡± Su Yuyang waved his hand in front of Ling Miao, who grabbed Su Yuyang¡¯s wrist and fussed over the boils on his hand. ¡°They¡¯re bigger than they were in the post.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Su Yuyang laughed it off. ¡°I¡¯ve put medication on it, it¡¯ll be fine in a few days.¡± Su Yuyang lowered his eyes to the bag Ling Miao was carrying. Ling Miao had left empty-handed but returned with a bag. Su Yuyang¡¯s curiosity was piqued. Ling Miao started taking things out from the bag: clothes. ¡°I didn¡¯t bring anything when I left, so when I crashed at Linxi¡¯s place I conveniently took all his things,¡± Ling Miao explained. Just then, a pair of underpants slid out from the bag. ¡°Those are his too?¡± Su Yuyang eyed the underpants on the floor, flames igniting in his eyes with a ¡®whoosh.¡¯ Ling Miao awkwardly picked up the underpants and said in a small voice: ¡°These are new.¡± Ling Miao stood facing Su Yuyang. Su Yuyang¡¯s manner was like a strict teacher, Ling Miao like a student who¡¯d done something wrong. Hearing Ling Miao say the underpants were new, the fire in Su Yuyang¡¯s eyes died down, but something still didn¡¯t sit well with him. ¡°Who¡¯s Linxi?¡± Su Yuyang asked, pretending to be calm. His gaze swept over Ling Miao. ¡°Those clothes you¡¯re wearing, they¡¯re his too?¡± ¡°Linxi? His name is Ji Linxi and we went to university together. Yeah, this shirt is his, too, but it¡¯s a bit big. I¡¯ll go change into another one.¡± Ling Miao grabbed his clothes and went into the bathroom. Ling Miao had moved quickly, causing the bottom of the shirt to billow. [Table of Contents] | [Chaleuria is on Twitter!] Chapter 032 The Complete Guide to the Use and Care of a Personal Assistant Translator: Jury Editor: NomNom First Published on Chaleuria ¡ª Chapter Thirty-two Ling Miao¡¯s silhouette was visible against the glass. It was blurry, but Su Yuyang¡¯s piercing gaze made one think everything was visible in blu-ray quality. Su Yuyang mumbled, ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Are you done changing? I want to shower.¡± ¡°Oh, almost done.¡± Ling Miao had just finished speaking when Su Yuyang heard the lock turning. ¡°Su-ge?¡± Seeing Su Yuyang, Ling Miao called out in surprise. He quickly walked over to Su Yuyang and asked worriedly, ¡°Su-ge, why are you sweating so much?¡± Su Yuyang raised his hand to wipe at his forehead, leaving his palm soaked with sweat. Shaking off the moisture on his hand, Su Yuyang smiled stiffly: ¡°I¡¯ll go shower.¡± ¡°Ah!¡± Ling Miao caught hold of Su Yuyang who already had one foot in the bathroom. He dragged Su Yuyang out and said seriously: ¡°Su-ge, you can¡¯t let your injury touch water or it might get infected. Wait a bit.¡± Su Yuyang hadn¡¯t noticed this issue. He looked at his injured hand and was actually kind of happy he¡¯d injured it. Ling Miao put a resealable bag over Su Yuyang¡¯s right hand and tied it fast with string. ¡°Let¡¯s do this for now. If you have any trouble, call me.¡± Suddenly imagining a scenario in which Ling Miao washed him, Su Yuyang said ¡°Mm¡± and fled into the bathroom. Several seconds later, Ling Miao heard the sound of water splashing on the tiles, but strangely, he didn¡¯t hear the rumble of the water heater. It wasn¡¯t a very warm day and Su Yuyang usually wouldn¡¯t take a cold shower in this kind of weather. Ling Miao was very confused and really wanted to ask Su Yuyang but on second thought, he had no business prying into Su Yuyang¡¯s personal affairs, so he held back his curiosity. Su Yuyang leaned against the tile wall, a chill seeping into his skin. A stream of water battered his head and trickled down his body. He couldn¡¯t hold back a shiver, but he didn¡¯t turn the water temperature up. The water blurred his vision and his mind gradually began to clear. ¡°Heh.¡± Su Yuyang grimaced. ¡°What am I thinking? Have I really repressed myself for too long?¡± His last relationship had ended two years ago. In the two years since then, Su Yuyang had focused entirely on his novels and had given no thought to matters of the heart. It could be put like this: For the past two years, the people Su Yuyang had had the most contact with were the delivery guy and Feng Ji. Online, he mostly interacted with his editor, Mu Yu. The delivery guy wasn¡¯t even up for Su Yuyang¡¯s consideration while Feng Ji was ¡®past tense,¡¯ and Su Yuyang didn¡¯t double dip. Mu Yuy was a married man and Su Yuyang wouldn¡¯t get involved in that. Counting on his fingers, Su Yuyang really didn¡¯t have any suitable people in his orbit. Now that Su Yuyang thought about it, aside from completing Demonic Song Defying Heaven and starting Massacre of the Nine Heavens, his life these past two years was just like plain water. Ling Miao had appeared. What would that do to plain water? Thinking this, Su Yuyang turned off the water. Then he realized something very important and also embarrassing¡ªhe hadn¡¯t brought his bathrobe in! Su Yuyang¡¯s own clothes were already wet. He glanced around the bathroom and didn¡¯t find anything to shield himself aside from his wet clothes. Su Yuyang cursed under his breath then raised his voice: ¡°Xiao Miao, Xiao Miao!¡± ¡°Su-ge, what¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°There¡¯s a bathrobe folded at the head of my bed. Bring it to me!¡± Ling Miao yelled in acknowledgement and Su Yuyang didn¡¯t hear anything more. A knock came at the door. Su Yuyang pulled the bathroom door open a crack and Ling Miao handed the robe in, but when Ling Miao turned to leave he slipped and fell directly against the door. The bathroom door opened inward and as Ling Miao fell, Su Yuyang could only hurriedly dodge. So Ling Miao fell into the bathroom and above his head was Su Yuyang¡­ ¡°Aah¡ª¡± The terrible scream could have broken Su Yuyang¡¯s eardrums. He put on the bathrobe and strode out of the bathroom, leaving Ling Miao alone in a panic on the bathroom floor. Ling Miao¡¯s brain seemed to have frozen up. He lay on the tiles, the water on the floor soaking through his clothes. When Su Yuyang returned to the bathroom, Ling Miao was still in the same position he had left him in. It was as if Ling Miao hadn¡¯t so much as blinked. Su Yuyang squatted by Ling Miao¡¯s side and helped Ling Miao up. Ling Miao reflexively turned his neck so that he was facing Su Yuyang. Ling Miao had seen something he shouldn¡¯t have seen and now facing Su Yuyang was awkward. Su Yuyang, on the other hand, was unruffled. He laughed and said: ¡°The floor is cold, you¡¯ll catch cold if you keep lying there.¡± Ling Miao, who had just recovered his faculties, promptly lost them again. He opened his mouth as if he wanted to tell Su Yuyang something, but he couldn¡¯t make a sound. ¡°That¡­¡± ¡°Hss¡ª¡± Ling Miao raised his hand to push Su Yuyang¡¯s hand away from his back, but when he touched the back of Su Yuyang¡¯s right hand, Su Yuyang inhaled sharply in pain. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Ling Miao didn¡¯t move any more, worried he¡¯d accidentally pop the boils on Su Yuyang¡¯s hand. Su Yuyang smiled indifferently: ¡°What could happen to me? You, on the other hand, should quickly change out of those wet clothes. If you catch a cold I¡¯m not taking care of you.¡± Having said his piece, Su Yuyang went back to his bedroom. Ling Miao clutched the clothes Su Yuyang had handed him and something flashed through his eyes. Ling Miao could feel Su Yuyang¡¯s change in attitude towards him, and internally he was panicking. He didn¡¯t understand why Su Yuyang had changed. He even suspected that Su Yuyang intentionally hadn¡¯t brought his clothes in and everything that had followed had been a part of Su Yuyang¡¯s plan. ¡°That¡¯s really it?¡± Ling Miao didn¡¯t want to believe his imagination. Why would Su Yuyang do that? He likes me? Pfeh! He¡¯s messing with me? He leveled up his messing with me? Thinking it over and over, Ling Miao¡¯s various trains of thought pummeled his brain to mush. If he kept going like this, he would not only fail to make sense of the matter, he¡¯d also make a mess of the things he really needed to think about. If he couldn¡¯t figure it out, he¡¯d stop thinking about it. Ling Miao tossed the matter straight to the back of his mind¡ªin this respect, he was similar to Su Yuyang. Su Yuyang didn¡¯t have many chapters in reserve and because he¡¯d hurt his hand, he switched from updating twice daily to updating once daily. Even so, updating took more than thrice the time it did before! ¡°Ling Miao, I told you to use the Five Strokes1 input method, but you insist on using pinyin. Now you know how awful it is that your typing speed can¡¯t even keep up with my dictation speed, yeah?¡± Su Yuyang yawned and said lazily. Ling Miao narrowed his eyes at Su Yuyang and grit out through his teeth: ¡°I¡¯m not a scribe!¡± Ling Miao typed really slowly¡ªhe¡¯d never denied it¡ªbut coming from Su Yuyang, Ling Miao could only hear it as mockery. Ling Miao didn¡¯t care if other people mocked him but if it was Su Yuyang, it just wouldn¡¯t do. Don¡¯t ask. I don¡¯t know either. (T/N: the above seems to be an author¡¯s note) Ling Miao typed frustratedly. The patter of the keyboard would have seemed especially spirited if Su Yuyang hadn¡¯t been yawning to one side. ¡°Hey, next paragraph!¡± Ling Miao bellowed. Su Yuyang felt a burst of energy. He sniffled and continued dictating: ¡°Three days later, Yan Luo and¡­¡± Ling Miao¡¯s typing speed couldn¡¯t keep up with Su Yuyang¡¯s dictation speed, so Su Yuyang would say one sentence and Ling Miao would finish typing it, and the time dragged on. Mm. The problem here was still that Ling Miao typed slowly. ¡°I say¡­¡± Su Yuyang suddenly walked behind Ling Miao and said slowly and quietly, the breath from his nose tickling the back of Ling Miao¡¯s neck. ¡°Su¡­ Su¡­¡± Ling Miao stuttered a few times without managing to say anything more. Su Yuyang sat down at Ling Miao¡¯s side and said thoughtfully: ¡°Su-su? This form of address is quite intimate. Not even my previous boyfriends called me that intimately.¡± ¡°I¡­ ¡° Ling Miao¡¯s face reddened in an instant. He let out a chilly ¡®hmph¡¯ and said coldly: ¡°Su Yuyang, I¡¯m only your assistant. If you need to relieve your biological needs, go to the appropriate place.¡± Su Yuyang froze. He had only intended to mess with Ling Miao, but Ling Miao¡¯s thoughts had exceeded his expectations. Su Yuyang was frozen to the spot, and Ling Miao rose and prepared to leave. ¡°You¡¯re thinking too much,¡± Su Yuyang said frustratedly. Ling Miao didn¡¯t move. Su Yuyang sighed: ¡°I only wanted to say that you wrote these two phrases backwards.¡± ¡°Mm?¡± Ling Miao looked at Su Yuyang with puzzlement. Su Yuyang pointed at two phrases on the monitor. Ling Miao focused¡ªindeed, they were backwards. ¡°That¡­ Su-ge, I¡­¡± Ling Miao rubbed the back of his head, his expression perturbed. ¡°Sorry, I misunderstood,¡± Ling Miao admitted to Su Yuyang. ¡°Ling Miao, what¡¯re you so worried about?¡± Su Yuyang suddenly changed the topic. Ling Miao said ¡°Ah¡± and looked at Su Yuyang with wide eyes. Su Yuyang propped his chin on one hand and a chill flashed through his eyes: ¡°I like men, and you¡¯re a man.¡± Ling Miao understood Su Yuyang¡¯s meaning, and he took a deep breath and said seriously: ¡°Your attitude towards me scares me.¡± ¡°Before, you used to tease me and mock me and take every chance you could to treat me like garbage. Now? The day I came back, you were so caring that I genuinely panicked. Su Yuyang, your attitude change towards me¡­ it¡¯s very sudden, and I¡­ I can¡¯t get used to it.¡± Ling Miao had finally spoken all the words he had been keeping buried. The weight pressing down on his heart instantly lifted and he felt it become easier to breathe. Su Yuyang had been wearing a faint smile, but now it gradually stiffened. ¡°Xiao Miao.¡± Su Yuyang raised his injured hand and waved it in front of Ling Miao. ¡°My hand¡¯s injured and you¡¯re the only one who can help me. If I don¡¯t treat you well and you abandon me and leave, where¡¯ll I go to cry?¡± Su Yuyang spoke teasingly, and doubt flashed in Ling Miao¡¯s eyes. Su Yuyang stood up as if he had decided something. Ling Miao watched Su Yuyang leave the study, and then¡­ then he didn¡¯t know what he should do next. It was as if¡­ his words had hurt Su Yuyang¡¯s feelings? [Table of Contents] | [Chaleuria is on Twitter!] Translation notes: [1] Five Strokes: a keyboard mapping method that lets you type Chinese characters easily, using keys to indicate radicals. The default typing method is using pinyin (typing out the word phonetically using QWERTY then picking your word from the list) Chapter 033 The Complete Guide to the Use and Care of a Personal Assistant Translator: Jury Editor: NomNom First Published on Chaleuria ¡ª Chapter Thirty-three Su Yuyang sat on the edge of his bed, elbows on his thighs. His steepled fingers supported his chin and the flutter of his lowered eyelids created ripples of shadows over his face. A wind passed by, lifting the curtains high. Su Yuyang felt a chill. He looked up and out the window, but the wind had passed and the curtains had returned to their original position, so Su Yuyang only saw a dark corner. Su Yuyang walked to the window and pulled aside the curtains. The night wind blew against his face, carrying a slight chill, and his confusion seemed to clear a little. He looked up at the ink-black sky and saw several faint pinpricks of light. He had the sudden impression that the twinkling points of silver were mocking him. As for why they were mocking him, he wasn¡¯t sure either. He thought back to Ling Miao¡¯s words, specifically, ¡°Su Yuyang, your attitude change towards me¡­ it¡¯s very sudden, and I¡­ I can¡¯t get used to it.¡± It echoed like a curse in his mind. His attitude change towards Ling Miao¡ªSu Yuyang didn¡¯t feel that his attitude towards Ling Miao had changed. If there had indeed been a change, it was probably because he now needed something from Ling Miao, but this didn¡¯t seem to be the case from Ling Miao¡¯s perspective. Fear, confusion, and a thread of something Su Yuyang couldn¡¯t understand seemed to consume him. An unknown emotion enveloped him like a viscous liquid, making it hard to breathe, but at the same time, it wasn¡¯t that he couldn¡¯t breathe. Su Yuyang was confused again and he suddenly really wanted to find someone to ask what had happened to him. Thought and action were completed simultaneously. Once the thought occurred to Su Yuyang, he put on a jacket and left the apartment. ¡°Su-ge?¡± Su Yuyang passed in front of Ling Miao like a gust of wind. Ling Miao stood frozen to the spot with his mouth open. Seeing Su Yuyang leave the apartment he rubbed his head and said quietly, ¡°Where¡¯s he going at this hour?¡± Su Yuyang drove as quickly as he could. W&S. Su Yuyang raised his head to look at the gold plaque, then took a breath and walked in slowly. Business was better at night than during the day, and there wasn¡¯t an empty seat in the caf¨¦. The moment Su Yuyang entered, Feng Ji saw him. ¡°Hey, big boss, how¡¯d you have time to drop in today?¡± Feng Ji teased. Su Yuyang huffed and puffed as if breathing hurt him: ¡°I have something to ask you.¡± Not ten minutes later, Su Yuyang exited W&S. Feng Ji hadn¡¯t solved his problem, and had instead made Su Yuyang more confused. ¡°You¡¯re not in love with him, are you?¡± Feng Ji¡¯s joking voice echoed in Su Yuyang¡¯s ears. Su Yuyang waved frustratedly at the air around his ears, as if trying to chase away Feng Ji¡¯s voice, but it was useless. Feng Ji folded his arms and learned against W&S¡¯s door. He looked at Su Yuyang¡¯s back and didn¡¯t say anything. There was a hint of a grimace in his faint smile. When they had broken up, he¡¯d been the one to initiate it, and Su Yuyang had instantly said, ¡°Sure,¡± the moment he¡¯d finished speaking. Su Yuyang hadn¡¯t asked why and hadn¡¯t made a fuss. He had just smiled and quietly said, ¡°Sure.¡± In that moment, Feng Ji realized that Su Yuyang hadn¡¯t ever really been in love with him. Because Su Yuyang and Feng Ji had lived in the same room, even after they split up they had still seen each other all the time. At first, Feng Ji had avoided Su Yuyang, but Su Yuyang¡¯s attitude toward Feng Ji hadn¡¯t changed in the slightest. Feng Ji then realized: whether it was before they were dating, while they were dating, or after they split up, Su Yuyang¡¯s attitude towards him hadn¡¯t changed at all. If Feng Ji had even the slightest of lingering feelings for Su Yuyang after the breakup, it was at this realization that he gave up Su Yuyang completely¡ªhe was unable to walk into Su Yuyang¡¯s heart. Memories flooded Feng Ji¡¯s mind and occupied his every brain cell. Feng Ji¡¯s faint smile suddenly turned deviously sweet, anticipation in its curve. Ling Miao seemed to have successfully occupied a corner in Su Yuyang¡¯s heart, but Su Yuyang hadn¡¯t realized what this meant. When Su Yuyang had poured out his frustrations to Feng Ji, Feng Ji had frozen for several seconds before he started laughing. Then he slapped Su Yuyang¡¯s shoulder and said jokingly: ¡°You¡¯re not in love with him, are you?¡± Su Yuyang¡¯s reply was only: ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Feng Ji knew very well that where matters such as relationships were concerned, it was best that outsiders didn¡¯t interfere, so he didn¡¯t go on but instead invited Su Yuyang to leave. ¡°Feng Ji, I¡¯ll leave my car with you and come get it tomorrow.¡± Su Yuyang handed the car keys to Feng Ji, then pulled his coat tight around himself and walked off. Before meeting Ling Miao, Su Yuyang had had four boyfriends. He wasn¡¯t a complete blank slate, but only Su Yuyang himself knew that he hadn¡¯t really fallen for any of them. When each of them had mentioned breaking up, Su Yuyang had agreed without really needing to think about it. It¡¯s not that he wasn¡¯t upset; when his first boyfriend broke up with him, he¡¯d been very sad for a while¡­ eh¡­ probably around three days. Su Yuyang¡¯s first boyfriend was his senior in high school, one year older than Su Yuyang. They had met while organizing a New Year¡¯s party, then worked together on many occasions afterwards. After several interactions, the senior student had started carrying a torch for Su Yuyang and lavished Su Yuyang with attention. Ultimately, the senior student took the initiative to confess and Su Yuyang entered a relationship with him. Su Yuyang and his senior both lived in rented apartments off campus, so naturally they decided to move in together. After that, the senior student discovered Su Yuyang¡¯s various flaws, and the one that he couldn¡¯t stand most was Su Yuyang¡¯s obsession with novels. Whether they were eating, shopping, or lying in bed, Su Yuyang¡¯s hands never left his phone, and his eyes were mostly on some novel or other. The senior student had felt Su Yuyang¡¯s disinterest and someone else was pursuing him, so they broke up amicably and the senior student moved out of Su Yuyang¡¯s apartment. Now, thinking about it, Su Yuyang didn¡¯t know why he had accepted his senior¡¯s confession. Was it just on account of his senior making a lot of effort to pursue him? Su Yuyang¡¯s second relationship was in his first year of university. He had met his second boyfriend during military service. They weren¡¯t in the same company but had been sent to the same platoon, and both of them had similar interests¡ªreading novels¡ªso they had become fast friends. When military service ended, their relationship also gradually changed. They split up also because of novels. Su Yuyang was too obsessed with them, and that passion¡ªas if Su Yuyang could subsist off only novels¡ªwas difficult for Su Yuyang¡¯s second boyfriend to stomach. So he initiated a breakup, and Su Yuyang candidly agreed. Su Yuyang had actually collaborated with his second boyfriend on a novel, but one hundred thousand words in, it ended due to the breakup. The novel which had made Su Yuyang famous, Heavenly Domain, was the rewrite of this failed novel. Su Yuyang¡¯s third boyfriend was Feng Ji. Like the earlier two, Feng Ji had been the one to pursue Su Yuyang. After he confessed, the two got together, then split amicably because of, again, novels. As for the fourth boyfriend, Su Yuyang didn¡¯t even remember his face, but their relationship had progressed along the same lines as before. ¡°Love?¡¯ Su Yuyang walked under the streetlamp and the light drew his shadow long, giving him an air of isolation and loneliness. That feeling is love? Su Yuyang thought hard about the situations with his previous boyfriends, but none of them were similar to his situation now. Su Yuyang rubbed his face with both hands, his frustration growing stronger. A wind blew. Su Yuyang grumbled, sniffled, and quickly walked in the direction of home. When Su Yuyang returned home, Ling Miao was staring intently at his laptop. Su Yuyang walked to stand behind Ling Miao and watched his actions from behind. Ling Miao was reading Massacre of the Nine Heavens. At least, Su Yuyang took one look at the laptop screen and assumed that. Now, he realized that Ling Miao was fixing mistakes! ¡°Xiao Miao.¡± Su Yuyang put both hands on Ling Miao¡¯s shoulders and called gently. He didn¡¯t realize that his tone was charged with affection. The sudden call scared Ling Miao so much his heart beat harder. He clutched his chest and said with feeling, ¡°Su-ge, you scared me to death.¡± Su Yuyang sat down next to Ling Miao and looked at the laptop as he said, ¡°There are a lot of mistakes in the beginning few chapters, right?¡± ¡°Mm.¡± Ling Miao sighed in resignation. ¡°Su-ge, before this, did you just not check your work when you updated?¡± Su Yuyang laughed: ¡°I¡¯m lazy.¡± ¡°Right.¡± Something suddenly occurred to Ling Miao. He turned his head to look at Su Yuyang, saying haltingly: ¡°How did you find the problem in the 850th chapter?¡± ¡°Eh¡­¡± Su Yuyang dithered for a while. He hadn¡¯t wanted to say, but since Ling Miao had asked he had clearly guessed that Su Yuyang hadn¡¯t found the problem himself. In order to avoid the possibility that Ling Miao would get mad and leave, Su Yuyang had to be honest: ¡°My editor told me.¡± Su Yuyang didn¡¯t say he found it himself. Joy flashed through Ling Miao¡¯s heart: at least Su Yuyang trusted him. Su Yuyang noticed the joy in Ling Miao¡¯s eyes. He raised his hand to ruffle Ling Miao¡¯s hair and smiled indulgently: ¡°What makes you so happy?¡± Ling Miao just smiled and said nothing. Su Yuyang sighed, slightly disappointed. Am I in love with Ling Miao? Feng Ji¡¯s words came back to torment Su Yuyang again. Su Yuyang cursed softly and Ling Miao uncertainly let out a ¡°Mm.¡± Su Yuyang didn¡¯t clear up Ling Miao¡¯s doubts; he smiled stiffly, then got up and went to his bedroom. Ling Miao watched Su Yuyang¡¯s departing silhouette and frowned reflexively. In the next while, Su Yuyang tossed Feng Ji¡¯s words to the back of his head. His attitude toward Ling Miao had changed. To Ling Miao, this was a reversion to what it had initially been. The discomfort that had pressured Ling Miao had finally vanished, though he still didn¡¯t understand Su Yuyang¡¯s changing attitude. ¡°Hey, Ling Miao.¡± Suddenly, Su Yuyang shouted from the bedroom. Ling Miao put down the work in his hands and ran over. At some point, Su Yuyang had picked up Ling Miao¡¯s habit: whenever he got very angry, he¡¯d call Ling Miao¡¯s full name, and add a ¡°Hey¡± in front of ¡°Ling Miao.¡± At first, Ling Miao hadn¡¯t noticed anything when Su Yuyang called him like this. Then he¡¯d learned the pattern, so now when Su Yuyang called, ¡°Hey, Ling Miao,¡± he dropped everything he was doing and rushed into Su Yuyang¡¯s room. [Table of Contents] | [Chaleuria is on Twitter!] Chapter 034 The Complete Guide to the Use and Care of a Personal Assistant Translator: Jury Editor: NomNom First Published on Chaleuria ¡ª Chapter Thirty-four The door to Su Yuyang¡¯s room was ajar. Ling Miao peered through the crack in the door to observe the situation inside. He saw Su Yuyang sitting ramrod straight in front of his computer, finger rolling the scroll wheel on his mouse like he was browsing a webpage. Ling Miao took a deep breath and slowly pushed open the door. Ling Miao carefully walked to Su Yuyang¡¯s side. Su Yuyang heard footsteps, turned his head and glanced at Ling Miao, then turned back. When Su Yuyang glanced at Ling Miao, Ling Miao¡¯s breathing almost stopped. Then Su Yuyang turned his gaze back to his computer, and Ling Miao¡¯s heart suddenly went cold. What did Su Yuyang call me here for? Ling Miao didn¡¯t know what to expect. He subconsciously glanced at the page Su Yuyang was browsing, and when he saw the content on the page, his heart skipped a beat: Damn, surely there weren¡¯t mistakes in the update again? After returning to Su Yuyang¡¯s house after the last time when his mistake had led to Su Yuyang misunderstanding him, every time Ling Miao uploaded a new chapter he would immediately scan it for mistakes. In order to reduce the error rate to a minimum, Ling Miao checked every chapter at least three times. So he was confident that the new chapter was completely free of mistakes. Of course, there was the possibility that his eyes had crossed and he just hadn¡¯t seen clearly, so now he had to stand properly by Su Yuyang¡¯s side. Ling Miao bowed his head and waited for Su Yuyang to pass judgment, but ten minutes passed and Su Yuyang hadn¡¯t done anything. The wait was excruciating. Ling Miao¡¯s breathing had slowed, but the simmering unease hastened his heartbeat. Worried that his heart would burst out of his chest and he¡¯d die, Ling Miao became resolute. He grit his teeth and raised his head in preparation to attack first, but the moment he did so he was met with Su Yuyang¡¯s amused smile. I¡¯ve been played? Flashed through Ling Miao¡¯s mind. Before he could react, Su Yuyang laughed lightly: ¡°Ling Miao, you didn¡¯t think I was going to scold you, did you?¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you?¡± As the words left his mouth, Ling Miao instantly felt he¡¯d been too cowardly. He glared at Su Yuyang and grit through his teeth: ¡°Su Yuyang, why the fuck are you messing with me?¡± ¡°Did I say anything?¡± Su Yuyang blinked, innocence written in his eyes. He thought it over again. Su Yuyang really hadn¡¯t said anything at all. He had only called Ling Miao over, and Ling Miao, because of past experience, had subconsciously assumed that Su Yuyang was going to scold him, so¡­ ¡°Fuck.¡± Ling Miao cursed himself. ¡°This goddamn reflex!¡± Su Yuyang didn¡¯t miss Ling Miao¡¯s frustration and dejection. Su Yuyang¡¯s upturned lips pursed and his facial muscles also twitched slightly. Ling Miao caught Su Yuyang¡¯s expression from the corner of his eye. He raised his hand in annoyance, but Su Yuyang had already recovered his usual expression. ¡°Is it very fun to mess with me?¡± Ling Miao had already drawn his conclusions about Su Yuyang¡¯s actions. If Su Yuyang didn¡¯t have a reasonable explanation, Ling Miao would probably find something for Su Yuyang to keep him very busy for a while. Ling Miao¡¯s reaction clearly conveyed his meaning to Su Yuyang, and Su Yuyang also understood. He patted Ling Miao¡¯s shoulder and indicated for Ling Miao to sit down. Su Yuyang picked up a stack of papers from the table and handed it to Ling Miao. Ling Miao glanced at it: it was a contract. Su Yuyang then picked up another two sheets of paper from the table. He pressed one on top of the contract and instructed: ¡°Mail the contract for me, then go to Feng Ji¡¯s place to find me.¡± Then he placed the other sheet of paper on the stack. ¡°This is the ingredient list for tonight, look and see if anything is missing. After mailing the contract, go buy groceries.¡± ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± Ling Miao opened his eyes wide and said in a surprised tone. Su Yuyang nodded. ¡°Fuck you, Su Yuyang.¡± Ling Miao jumped up off the bed and held up the contract like he was about to bring it down on Su Yuyang¡¯s head. Su Yuyang smiled serenely and said candidly: ¡°Don¡¯t ruin the contract.¡± Ling Miao let out a cold ¡®hmph¡¯ and said with annoyance: ¡°It¡¯s just mailing a contract! Couldn¡¯t you have said that earlier? Why¡¯d you have to drag it out? I thought I made some kind of unforgivable mistake!¡± Seeing Ling Miao¡¯s reddened face, lips quirked high, and aggrieved expression, Su Yuyang frowned: ¡°Did I take this joke too far?¡± Ling Miao caught the remorse in Su Yuyang¡¯s eyes, and the frustration in Ling Miao¡¯s heart died down a lot. ¡°That¡­¡± (Ling Miao) ¡°Actually¡­.¡± (Su Yuyang) Ling Miao and Su Yuyang spoke at the same time. Their gazes, trained on each other, naturally met. In that instant of eye contact, Ling Miao quickly turned his head away. Su Yuyang opened his mouth, a hint of disappointment flashing across his eyes. ¡°Actually, I asked you here for one more thing aside from mailing the contract.¡± Su Yuyang cleared his throat and said solemnly, ¡°This morning¡¯s update, please check it again.¡± ¡°What?¡± Hearing Su Yuyang¡¯s words, Ling Miao¡¯s hand shook. The contract almost fell on the floor. Su Yuyang caught the contract, then directed a long and meaningful smile at Ling Miao and walked out of the room. Ling Miao¡¯s eyes moved with Su Yuyang. He watched Su Yuyang walk to the front door, then watched Su Yuyang put on his shoes, then watched Su Yuyang open the door and walk out. The door was about to close when Su Yuyang pulled it open again. He looked at Ling Miao and asked doubtfully, ¡°Aren¡¯t you coming?¡± ¡°I¡­ have stuff here at home I haven¡¯t finished. You go to W&S first. I¡¯ll mail the contract and get groceries, then I¡¯ll go over.¡± ¡°Stuff here at home?¡± On hearing this, Su Yuyang felt something he couldn¡¯t name trickling through his heart. The exterior gate shut with a clang. Ling Miao took a deep breath and fell onto Su Yuyang¡¯s bed. He clutched his chest and waited for his heartbeat to gradually stabilize, then sat up. The computer was still on, the browser displaying the newest chapter of Massacre of the Nine Heavens. ¡°This morning¡¯s update, please check it again.¡± Su Yuyang¡¯s words passed through Ling Miao¡¯s mind. Ling Miao set the contract aside, took a deep breath and grabbed hold of the mouse. The cursor immediately listed to one side, then trembled on the screen. My hand¡¯s shaking. Ling Miao couldn¡¯t understand it. Whether from fear or worry, the moment Ling Miao started reading from the first word of the first sentence, he read the chapter with a concentration he had never had before. When the scrollbar had almost reached the end of the page, he still hadn¡¯t discovered any mistakes. Ling Miao¡¯s gaze froze and his hand trembled even more violently. He had reached the last paragraph of the chapter. At the start of the paragraph were the words ¡°Xiao Miao¡±¡ªand this was not the name of a character in Massacre of the Nine Heavens. ¡°Xiao Miao, you can see this paragraph, can¡¯t you? We¡¯ve lived together for about two months. These two months, with you around, my life has become more than just writing. I feel that my days aren¡¯t as dry as before. You¡¯re a competent assistant. Thank you.¡± If it weren¡¯t for the last two sentences, this paragraph would be like a confession. If the last two sentences were changed to, ¡°Go out with me,¡± it¡¯d be a proper confession. But this was just a thank-you from a boss to his assistant. Even so¡­ warmth trickled through Ling Miao¡¯s heart. His previous disappointment, grievance, and anger dissipated into the wind because of these words. Ling Miao opened a browser window and logged into his work microblog. Shu-ge @ShuYang, I saw what you wrote. But, you can save your thank-yous. Something practical would be better, like raising my salary or something. What¡¯s ¡®give an inch and take a yard?¡¯ Just look at Ling Miao to see. After posting, Ling Miao glanced at the notification indicator at the top-right corner, which instantly made him dizzy. Ling Miao¡¯s work account got many notifications from Shu Yang¡¯s fans every day. Whether mentions or private messages, today¡¯s were much more than usual. On seeing them, Ling Miao nearly fainted. Motherf¨Cer, what are these?? He and Su Yuyang were innocent!!! Cough, cough, that¡ªSu Yuyang¡¯s words had indeed been a little ambiguous. Ambiguous words, plus minds that liked to run away with themselves¡ªparagraphs featuring co-protagonists Su Yuyang and Ling Miao began to fly, and Ling Miao¡­¡­ really wanted to cry! Su Yuyang occasionally flirted with other successful novelists on his microblog for the publicity, and Ling Miao had been happy to gawk from the sidelines. Sometimes Su Yuyang was even next to him when this happened and he¡¯d tease Su Yuyang about it, but he never ever thought that one day he¡¯d become a popular ship with Su Yuyang. At all of this, Ling Miao could only sigh: ¡°High society is really messy.¡± Ling Miao closed out of his blog. The words of gratitude to his assistant that Su Yuyang had secretly added were once again displayed in front of Ling Miao, and Ling Miao considered deleting them. ¡°If I delete it, will it be like denying what¡¯s right in front of my eyes? That sort of blindness?¡± After thinking it over, Ling Miao decided to close the window¡ªwhat he couldn¡¯t see couldn¡¯t vex him, so to speak. Ling Miao glanced at the time and realized he¡¯d dithered around the house too long. Su Yuyang¡¯s phone call also arrived at this time. ¡°I¡¯m coming right away,¡± Ling Miao said before Su Yuyang could say anything. Su Yuyang said, ¡°Mm.¡± Ling Miao asked, ¡°Is there anything else?¡± ¡°I saw your blogpost.¡± Ling Miao¡¯s heart thumped hard: That post was purely a joke. Su Yuyang can see that, right? ¡°That¡­ actually, I¡¯m fine whether or not you increase my salary¡­¡± Ling Miao¡¯s words were genuine. What Su Yuyang was currently paying him was enough for him to live. Besides, Ling Miao lived in Su Yuyang¡¯s house and his food was paid for by Su Yuyang, so he didn¡¯t really need money for much. ¡°Heh, what¡¯re you worried about?¡± Su Yuyang laughed lightly. ¡°Oh, also¡­ mm, just get here first. I¡¯ll wait for you.¡± The call cut off and Ling Miao¡¯s hand froze in the air still holding the phone. I¡¯ll wait for you. I¡¯ll wait for you, again. The moment Su Yuyang said these words to Ling Miao, they became a curse on Ling Miao. Su Yuyang¡¯s voice echoed in Ling Miao¡¯s head. Gradually, everything else he¡¯d said became muffled, and only the words ¡°I¡¯ll wait for you¡± were etched deeper and deeper into his mind. Ling Miao could almost see Su Yuyang¡¯s smiling face: gentle, relaxed, a little bit indulgent. The phone slipped from Ling Miao¡¯s hand and gave a loud thunk as it made contact with the floor. The sound jolted Ling Miao awake. Looking at the phone lying on the ground, Ling Miao felt as if his heart were dripping blood. He hurriedly picked up the phone and checked that it was functioning, then packed up his feelings and walked out of the house. ¡°What the hell kind of medicine is Su Yuyang hawking today?¡± Thinking of Su Yuyang, Ling Miao¡¯s emotions got confused again. [Table of Contents] | [Chaleuria is on Twitter!] Chapter 035 The Complete Guide to the Use and Care of a Personal Assistant Translator: Jury Editor: NomNom First Published on Chaleuria ¡ª Chapter Thirty-five After mailing the agreement, Ling Miao went to the supermarket to buy groceries, then rushed to W&S carrying bags of various sizes. Su Yuyang sat at a window table, eyes fixed on something outside the window, and Feng Ji sat opposite him. Seeing Su Yuyang¡¯s anxious expression, Feng Ji could not help teasing: ¡°Look at you! Before, when you used to wait for me, you weren¡¯t like this.¡± Su Yuyang froze. He didn¡¯t quite understand what Feng Ji meant. Feng Ji sipped his coffee, the bitter taste lingering in his mouth. ¡°When we were dating, every time you waited for me at dinner, you didn¡¯t notice me until I was right in front of you¡ªbecause you were just thinking about your novels. When you talked to me, you seemed completely uninterested. I tried to bring up topics we could talk about but couldn¡¯t find anything at all.¡± Feng Ji took another sip of coffee and said conclusively: ¡°No wonder everyone who dates you ends up breaking up with you. You don¡¯t see us and your heart doesn¡¯t have a place for us. What¡¯s the difference between dating you and dating a scarecrow?¡± ¡°At least at bedtime it¡¯s different,¡± Su Yuyang said pointedly. Feng Ji froze. He looked at Su Yuyang¡¯s faint smile and instantly understood the implications of Su Yuyang¡¯s words. Feng Ji shook his head and sighed, ¡°Yuyang, I suddenly realize your life was really boring before. All day you either studied or read novels. After graduating college, you only have novels left, right? You don¡¯t find life dull? Haven¡¯t you thought about finding something to spice it up? ¡°Other than novels, there¡¯s really nothing that I can sit still long enough to finish doing. Something to spice it up? What? Video games? If I had that sort of time, I might as well write a bit more and earn some more money,¡± Su Yuyang grimaced. Feng Ji pointed at the table. His faint smile was sly, causing Su Yuyang to narrow his eyes. Su Yuyang watched Feng Ji expectantly. Feng Ji made a show of saying thoughtfully: ¡°This place is pretty big. You wouldn¡¯t get in the way.¡± Between the lines, the meaning was: ¡°Su Yuyang, come and work at W&S. You can spice up your boring life and also earn money.¡± Su Yuyang rolled his eyes at Feng Ji. ¡°Can¡¯t you think of a better idea?¡± Feng Ji shrugged, indicating that he could do nothing more about the matter. Su Yuyang narrowed his eyes and leaned against the back of his chair. His chin was lifted, his eyes fixed on the lamp hanging from the ceiling. Feng Ji leaned sideways on the back of his own chair, watching Su Yuyang¡¯s expression intently. Su Yuyang¡¯s clouded eyes were covered in a sheen of light and Feng Ji couldn¡¯t tell what he was thinking. Maybe he¡¯s considering my suggestion. Thinking this, Feng Ji subconsciously turned his head. A hurried figure walked over from afar. Feng Ji closed his eyes then opened them again, and after confirming that he was seeing correctly, his lips lifted. ¡°Yuyang, maybe you should change your way of life.¡± Feng Ji picked the conversation topic back up. Su Yuyang continued to stare at the lamp and indistinct words slipped from his mouth: ¡°Change my way of life? The way my life is now, that¡¯s my choice. If I were to change it¡­¡± ¡°Let me finish talking.¡± Feng Ji suddenly sat up straight. His severe expression gave Su Yuyang no choice but to pay attention to what he was saying. Feng Ji paused, then said slowly, ¡°I¡¯m saying that maybe you should find someone to live with.¡± ¡°Actually, I¡¯ve wanted to settle down for a while.¡± Su Yuyang leaned against the back of his chair, his voice taking on a dreamy tone. ¡°But whether in real life or online, I haven¡¯t found the person I want to settle down with.¡± Feng Ji¡¯s eyes widened slightly. The formerly faraway figure was now right in front of them, and the person had seen him too. The gazes of the two met for several brief seconds, then Feng Ji looked away. Outside the shop, the person seemed surprised. He seemed to slip into a daze as he stood on the other side of the glass, carrying his bags. Su Yuyang had not noticed Feng Ji¡¯s gaze shift and kept murmuring confidently: ¡°Feng Ji, living alone isn¡¯t so bad.¡± ¡°Yuyang, maybe you should take the initiative,¡± Feng Ji counselled. ¡°In your previous relationship, it was always us doing the chasing. Whether you agreed to go out with us because you really liked us, or because you were moved, or because you pitied us¡ªI think even you don¡¯t know. But if you took the initiative to pursue someone, it¡¯d certainly be because you liked them¡ªif there weren¡¯t other influencing factors, of course.¡± Su Yuyang leveled his gaze with Feng Ji¡¯s. Feng Ji¡¯s eyes were crinkled in a smile, but Su Yuyang felt that Feng Ji was waiting for a good show to begin. Su Yuyang had just opened his mouth when an annoyed voice reached his ears. ¡°Damn, it¡¯s hot. Feng Ji, get me a glass of ice water.¡± ¡°Room temperature is fine,¡± Su Yuyang added, and Feng Ji flashed his hand in an ¡®OK¡¯ sign. The new arrival walked in front of Su Yuyang and slammed the things in his hands on the table, saying furiously: ¡°Hey, what the hell do you think you¡¯re doing changing my water to room temperature?¡± Su Yuyang ignored him but Feng Ji answered: ¡°I say, Ling Miao, your listening comprehension needs improvement. Su Yuyang meant that he wants a glass of room temperature water.¡± The annoyed, flustered person carrying bags was, of course, Ling Miao, who had walked for more than ten minutes in the hot sun. ¡°Your water.¡± Feng Ji placed a glass of water beside Ling Miao, who raised the glass and gulped it¡¯s contents down in one go. Su Yuyang sipped his own water. Compared to Ling Miao, Su Yuyang was positively dainty. ¡°You seem to be chatting up a storm, what¡¯re you talking about?¡± Ling Miao slumped into a chair at the table and asked nosily. Su Yuyang glanced at Ling Miao, who turned his head to ignore Su Yuyang. Feng Ji saw them having a fight with their eyes and was thoroughly happy. He intended to continue watching but Ling Miao had turned his gaze on Feng Ji. This guy. Whether out of curiosity, or for some other reason, he really wants to know what we¡¯re talking about. Feng Ji¡¯s mind took a thousand turns, then an audacious conjecture appeared in his mind. ¡°We¡¯re talking about your future lady boss,¡± Feng Ji said lightly. ¡°Mm?¡± Ling Miao made a surprised noise, the curiosity in his eyes intensifying. Feng Ji had continued to watch Ling Miao, and Ling Miao¡¯s reaction was too calm: it was like a drop of water had fallen into a lake. Although ripples appeared on its surface, there weren¡¯t any waves. ¡°Was I overthinking it?¡± Feng Ji couldn¡¯t tell if he felt regret or sadness. He looked at Su Yuyang then at Ling Miao. Su Yuyang¡¯s reaction wasn¡¯t too different from Ling Miao¡¯s own; if anything, Su Yuyang seemed to be a little bit angry. Cough, cough. Feng Ji cleared his throat in embarrassment, then whispered to Su Yuyang: ¡°You guys talk. I¡¯ll go do work. If there¡¯s anything, just call me over.¡± Feng Ji was the boss here and he really didn¡¯t have much work to do, but he couldn¡¯t really sit between Su Yuyang and Ling Miao like a third wheel, could he? So he took over the cashier¡¯s work, and the cashier in turn could only pick up a tray and start serving. ¡°You were hemming and hawing over the phone and not saying anything plainly. Now I¡¯m here, can you spit out what business you have with me?¡± The moment Ling Miao sat down, he tossed out the question he¡¯d been enduring in his heart. ¡°I forgot,¡± Su Yuyang lightly tossed out. His expression was utterly calm. ¡°I¡­¡± Ling Miao slapped the table hard, making the two cups on the table jump. One of them almost fell onto the floor. Ling Miao was making a bit of a scene and drew the attention of the cafe¡¯s customers. Most of them were happy to be spectators to the drama, but Ling Miao didn¡¯t want to keep entertaining them. He grabbed the glass in Su Yuyang¡¯s hand and took a drink of water to quell his rage, then said in a rigidly calm tone: ¡°Su Yuyang, you¡¯re goddamn messing with me again, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°I really forgot,¡± Su Yuyang emphasized, then raised an example: ¡°Surely you have these moments, too? You want to say something, but someone interrupts and you forget, and no matter how hard you think you can¡¯t remember it.¡± Ling Miao had indeed been in such a situation before, but these words in Su Yuyang¡¯s voice just seemed like an excuse. Maybe Su Yuyang came here, first, to mess with him, second, to catch up with Feng Ji, and, third, to see how W&S was doing. Ling Miao said nothing because he didn¡¯t know how to rebut Su Yuyang. Seeing Ling Miao go silent, Su Yuyang also felt his heart go soft. Su Yuyang hadn¡¯t asked Ling Miao over for any business. He came here to tell Feng Ji his worries but the outcome was the same as before¡ªFeng Ji hadn¡¯t solved his problem and had, in fact, confused him even more. Feng Ji, Feng Ji. Right now, Su Yuyang couldn¡¯t even ask Feng Ji to clear the air. Ling Miao had slapped the table loudly. When Feng Ji first heard it, his heart gave a great jump, then he leaned over the countertop to observe the situation on the other side. Feng Ji was pretty far from them and Ling Miao and Su Yuyang were both intentionally talking in low voices so Feng Ji didn¡¯t hear a word of their conversation, but based on Ling Miao¡¯s expression, it definitely wasn¡¯t a happy one. Su Yuyang said something else Feng Ji didn¡¯t hear and Ling Miao actually took the water and splashed it on Su Yuyang¡¯s face. Feng Ji exclaimed, ¡°Fuck,¡± and ran over. He handed Su Yuyang a stack of napkins then pulled Ling Miao to one side and asked quietly, ¡°What are you two doing?¡± ¡°This bastard, actually¡­ actually¡­¡± Ling Miao grit his teeth so hard he was trembling, rage written all over his face alongside a hint of disdain. Feng Ji didn¡¯t understand the situation and looking at Ling Miao¡¯s posture, he wouldn¡¯t be able to get anything useful out of Ling Miao, so he could only pin his hopes on Su Yuyang. ¡°Just a joke.¡± Su Yuyang didn¡¯t intend to explain anything, but his words were an explanation unto themselves. ¡°A joke?¡± Ling Miao sneered wholeheartedly at Su Yuyang. ¡°Su Yuyang, I always thought you were a bastard. Today I changed my opinion of you, but now¡­ hah hah. A bastard will be a bastard. Just like a dog will never stop eating shit.¡± ¡°Ling Miao, that¡¯s going too far,¡± Feng Ji couldn¡¯t keep himself from lecturing. Ling Miao glanced back and forth between Su Yuyang and Feng Ji, then turned all his feelings into a sneer: ¡°I¡¯m going too far? You¡­ that¡¯s right. For better or worse, you¡¯re Su Yuyang¡¯s boyfriend. Of course you¡¯ll help him.¡± ¡°Ex-boyfriend.¡± Su Yuyang corrected. ¡°Is there a difference? It looks the same to me.¡± Ling Miao resembled a hedgehog right now. If anyone were to touch him, he¡¯d put up all the spines on his body and poke a thousand holes in the hand that tried to squeeze him. ¡°Su Yuyang, I think it was a mistake to come back.¡± Ling Miao¡¯s lips trembled as he spoke. ¡°Su Yuyang, your injury¡¯s better, so I can go now, can¡¯t I?¡± Ling Miao mechanically turned around, showing Su Yuyang the sight of his fragile silhouette. Ling Miao lifted his left leg and stepped forward. His right leg had just left the ground when someone caught his arm with a strength like he wanted to snap Ling Miao¡¯s bones. ¡°Go? Where are you going? Your books are still with me.¡± Su Yuyang said the cold words in a pleading tone. Ling Miao froze, his confused gaze landing on Su Yuyang. He didn¡¯t know what to do next. [Table of Contents] | [Chaleuria is on Twitter!] Chapter 036 The Complete Guide to the Use and Care of a Personal Assistant Translator: Jury Editor: NomNom First Published on Chaleuria ¡ª Chapter Thirty-six ¡°Let go,¡± Ling Miao said coolly. Su Yuyang had thought that Ling Miao would make a scene¡ªthat Ling Miao would break free of him then jump up and point at his nose and call him a bastard, or pick up something nearby and fling it at him. But Ling Miao did neither of those things. Ling Miao¡¯s abnormal reaction made Su Yuyang frown. While Su Yuyang was thinking, his grip on Ling Miao gradually went slack. He didn¡¯t notice this, but Ling Miao did. Ling Miao withdrew his hand from Su Yuyang¡¯s. It happened in a split second, but Su Yuyang clearly felt Ling Miao¡¯s skin leaving his fingertips. Su Yuyang¡¯s reaction was slow, and only when Ling Miao had turned and walked toward W&S¡¯s door did he regain his senses. ¡°Xiao Miao!¡± Su Yuyang¡¯s legs were long and he only needed to take two steps forward to catch Ling Miao. On reflex, Ling Miao struggled, but he accidentally used too much strength and punched Su Yuyang right in the chest. The sound of a fist meeting flesh intermingled with the pained sound that emanated from Su Yuyang¡¯s mouth, and Ling Miao¡¯s footsteps slowed. Ling Miao didn¡¯t turn around. Su Yuyang didn¡¯t waste this chance. He walked in front of Ling Miao and looked downward at him. Ling Miao¡¯s head was lowered so that Su Yuyang couldn¡¯t see his expression, but his shoulders were shaking slightly as if trying to hold back the sorrow in his heart. Su Yuyang placed both hands on Ling Miao¡¯s shoulders and Ling Miao sneered coldly. Su Yuyang quickly withdrew his hands, as if he¡¯d been pricked by something spiky, and left them hanging awkwardly at his sides like he didn¡¯t know what to do with them. Whoo¡ªLing Miao took a deep breath as if trying to encourage himself, then raised his head and met Su Yuyang¡¯s glimmering eyes. Su Yuyang¡¯s gaze trembled. Like a puppet on strings, he raised his hands, but under Ling Miao¡¯s disdainful gaze he lowered them again to his sides. Ling Miao¡¯s eyes were red and tears shone in his eyes, but a cold smile lay on his lips. Su Yuyang didn¡¯t know how to describe Ling Miao¡¯s expression. Pained? Frustrated? Dejected? Disdainful? All of the adjectives Su Yuyang knew flew around his mind, but he couldn¡¯t find one that matched Ling Miao¡¯s expression. ¡°Heh heh.¡± A soft mocking laugh slipped from Ling Miao¡¯s lips and Su Yuyang¡¯s gaze retracted a little. As he looked at Ling Miao, the regret in his eyes grew more intense. Ling Miao swiped a hand across his face. This gesture was clearly meant to conceal something, but Su Yuyang couldn¡¯t laugh, even though before he would have taken every opportunity he could to mock Ling Miao. ¡°Su Yuyang, what the hell kind of expression is that?¡± Ling Miao laughed candidly. His entire being radiated a nirvana-like serenity and calm. Su Yuyang couldn¡¯t reconcile the person in front of him with the Ling Miao in his memories, or even the Ling Miao of five minutes ago. But Su Yuyang was also very self-aware and knew that the change in Ling Miao definitely wasn¡¯t because of him. In that case, such a change in Ling Miao only had one explanation¡ªLing Miao was putting on a front. The more indifferent Ling Miao seemed to be, the more bitter the pain Su Yuyang felt in his heart. Ling Miao angled his chin as if he didn¡¯t care that his neck would grow stiff. His gaze was fixed on Su Yuyang¡¯s face; Su Yuyang had lowered his head, not willing to miss even the slightest change in Ling Miao¡¯s expression. The two gazed at each other with the intensity of lovers, but also like enemies in a standoff in which neither was willing to concede. Feng Ji sat to one side and admired the picture of them facing off. In his hand was a cup of coffee; he seemed extremely relaxed. ¡°Sorry, Ling Miao.¡± In the end, Su Yuyang was the one to relent. Ling Miao¡¯s smile grew wider. ¡°If you want to go, I¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going any more,¡± Ling Miao smiled and said. Ling Miao walked to Feng Ji¡¯s side and sat down. He picked up the cup of coffee, seemingly indifferent to whether Feng Ji had already drunk from it, and took a sip. He said with satisfaction: ¡°Of course, if you want to dissolve our employment contract, I have no objections. Mm, if the contract is dissolved, I¡¯ll certainly leave your house, and at that time you¡¯d better not hold my things hostage.¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Su Yuyang was completely defeated. He didn¡¯t want to rebut Ling Miao¡¯s words¡ªit wasn¡¯t that he couldn¡¯t, he just didn¡¯t want to. Su Yuyang only said, ¡±I¡ª¡± and didn¡¯t continue. Ling Miao¡¯s head was still turned to look at him, as if waiting for his next words. Su Yuyang met Ling Miao¡¯s cold eyes, a frustrated smile surfacing on his face. ¡°Let¡¯s go home,¡± Su Yuyang said gently. A muscle in Feng Ji¡¯s face twitched involuntarily. Su Yuyang¡¯s tone and gaze were both too gentle, like a frozen stream starting to flow again after being touched by the spring wind. It was the gentleness one might show to a lover, but Su Yuyang was using it on his assistant. Feng Ji understood something¡ªhe was an outsider in this situation and saw many things more clearly than Su Yuyang himself did. But from the start he¡¯d made up his mind not to interfere with Su Yuyang and Ling Miao, so he chose to stay silent. Su Yuyang picked up the groceries Ling Miao had put on the table. His other hand reflexively reached for Ling Miao¡¯s hand but Ling Miao avoided it and Su Yuyang¡¯s hand caught only air. Without surprise or disappointment, Su Yuyang smiled at Feng Ji and said brightly, ¡°I¡¯m going back. I don¡¯t know when we¡¯ll see each other next.¡± ¡°Very soon.¡± Feng Ji¡¯s smile was radiant. A cold breeze blew across the back of Su Yuyang¡¯s neck. He shuddered and asked in a shaking voice, ¡°If you have something to say, say it. Don¡¯t hem and haw. Are you a toad?¡± ¡°Remember the black bag I gave you before?¡± Feng Ji reminded Su Yuyang. Su Yuyang came to a realization and the confusion on his face gave way to a deeper horror. ¡°Fuck, if he¡¯s here my life will be ruined,¡± Su Yuyang cursed anxiously. ¡°Feng Ji, how about this? Before he gets there, call me, and I¡¯ll hide out somewhere for a couple days.¡± ¡°You¡¯re mad,¡± Feng Ji gave a succinct assessment and was promptly called away by a waiter. Su Yuyang glanced in the direction Feng Ji had gone. Some customers seemed to be quarrelling. Su Yuyang had no interest in spectating. He yelled for Ling Miao and the two prepared to leave, but at that moment Ling Miao heard a familiar voice. ¡°Fucking disgusting!¡± A man¡¯s disdainful shout reached Ling Miao¡¯s ears. Ling Miao incredulously turned his head¡ª standing at the end of his line of sight was Ji Linxi. ¡°Linxi?¡± Ling Miao said softly. Even though Ling Miao had lowered his voice, Su Yuyang still heard the word ¡®Linxi,¡¯ and there was only one Linxi he knew Ling Miao was acquainted with¡ªLing Miao¡¯s good friend, Ji Linxi. ¡°Linxi!¡± Ling Miao shouted in surprised joy. Hearing the familiar shout, Ji Linxi¡¯s first reaction was to think he was hallucinating. Nevertheless, he looked in the direction of the sound. In the instant he saw Ling Miao, his initial anger calmed down, but he hadn¡¯t been calm for too long when his attention was drawn to the person beside Ling Miao. Su Yuyang seemed to notice Ji Linxi looking at him. He stepped forward¡ªone step closer to Ling Miao. This subconscious action made Ji Linxi ponder on it a little. ¡°You like him?¡± A disgusting sneer reached the ears of everyone present. If Ling Miao remembered correctly, the man speaking was Ji Linxi¡¯s superior, Hu Lin! Feng Ji rubbed his temple. He¡¯d been about to defuse the situation but Ling Miao had interfered and now the situation had grown more complicated. With no other recourse, Feng Ji sent a waiter to apologize to the customers and ask them to leave. The silence in the room seemed as thunderous as fireworks to Feng Ji. Sigh. With a sigh, Feng Ji sat down in the corner and said, as if watching a show: ¡°If you¡¯ve got a problem, sit down and solve it. If anyone¡¯s going to be violent, I¡¯ll show him whose fists are harder.¡± Feng Ji¡¯s words were not threatening in tone. His expression was shit-eating, and as for the content, nobody present cared. ¡°You like him?¡± Hu Lin continued to press the matter. ¡°I already said I like women.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I said, too, before realizing my orientation,¡± Hu Lin said. Hu Lin¡¯s persistence made Ji Linxi more and more uneasy. Before, Hu Lin would at least keep his distance, but today, Hu Lin had kissed him. Thinking of Hu Lin¡¯s kiss, Ji Linxi felt as if the Monkey God 1 were wreaking havoc in his stomach. An intense disgust made him retch into the wastebasket. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Ling Miao asked concernedly. Ling Miao was the quickest to help Ji Linxi up. In the instant his hands made contact with Ji Linxi, Hu Lin gave a mocking laugh that was holding back pain: ¡°So you two¡­ heh heh¡­¡± Ling Miao didn¡¯t know if Hu Lin was laughing or crying. He initially wanted to scold Hu Lin, but Hu Lin¡¯s expression rendered him unable to open his mouth. ¡°Hu Lin, that kiss nauseates me,¡± Ji Linxi said heartlessly. ¡°Hu Lin, you¡¯re not the only person on earth who likes your own gender. Why do you have to keep getting up in my business, me, a heterosexual person?¡± ¡°Ji Linxi, if I didn¡¯t like you, it¡¯d be Ling Miao who was hired in the first place.¡± Hu Lin was laughing, mourning seeping through his smile. Something fierce flashed in his eyes, and that sense of, ¡®If I can¡¯t have it, I¡¯ll destroy it,¡¯ burned itself into Ji Linxi¡¯s heart. Hu Lin left, but everyone present understood that Hu Lin hadn¡¯t given up. ¡°Resign,¡± Ling Miao suggested. Ji Linxi shook his head. ¡°I have to give a month¡¯s notice and the job market¡¯s especially hard this year. If I resign and I don¡¯t have a new job, who¡¯ll pay my bills?¡± ¡°Actually¡­¡± Feng Ji, who had been silent thus far, now opened his mouth, but he only got out one word before Su Yuyang glared many holes through him. Feng Ji changed tack: ¡°Actually, as long as he doesn¡¯t cross any lines, you¡¯d better endure it or he¡¯ll give you a hard time.¡± Feng Ji seemed to have meant to say something more, but Ji Linxi knew he could forget all thoughts of ever finding out what it was¡ªhe had seen Su Yuyang glare at Feng Ji. ¡°And this is?¡± Ji Linxi intentionally brought the conversation around to Su Yuyang. Ling Miao glanced at Su Yuyang, his expression radiating, ¡®No one knows who the hell this is.¡¯ Ji Linxi had already guessed Su Yuyang¡¯s true identity. He had deflected the conversation to Su Yuyang in order to ease the tension, but guessing from Ling Miao¡¯s reaction, he¡¯d made a very bad decision. Su Yuyang had no intention of introducing himself. He stood where he was and said loudly, ¡°Ling Miao, let¡¯s go home.¡± Su Yuyang laid emphasis on the words, ¡°go home.¡± For some reason Ji Linxi¡¯s gaze went first to Feng Ji and Feng Ji also looked at Ji Linxi! Feng Ji and Ji Linxi¡¯s gazes crashed head-on. Both sides froze, then exchanged a look. After Su Yuyang and Ling Miao left, Ji Linxi walked to Feng Ji¡¯s side and sat down. They chatted on and off, and surprisingly their topic of conversation was Su Yuyang and Ling Miao. At dinnertime, Feng Ji asked Ji Linxi to stay for dinner, but Ji Linxi refused. ¡°You don¡¯t really hate homosexual people, right?¡± Looking at Ji Linxi¡¯s back, Feng Ji suddenly asked. Ji Linxi froze before giving his own answer. ¡°Hu Lin disgusts me.¡± [Table of Contents] | [Chaleuria is on Twitter!] Translation notes: [1] Monkey God: a mythical figure who wrecked Heaven for the hell of it Chapter 037 The Complete Guide to the Use and Care of a Personal Assistant Translator: Jury Editor: NomNom First Published on Chaleuria ¡ª Chapter Thirty-seven On returning home, Ling Miao didn¡¯t make a scene like Su Yuyang had expected, but he wasn¡¯t as cold as he¡¯d been at W&S, either. He acted normally, to the point that Su Yuyang wondered if Ling Miao had had his soul stolen from his body. Ling Miao brought dinner out. Seeing Su Yuyang in a daze, he tapped Su Yuyang and said gently, ¡°Su-ge, it¡¯s dinnertime.¡± The dishes Ling Miao had made today were all from Su Yuyang¡¯s list, but when Su Yuyang saw the plate of Yuxiang shredded pork,1 pain flashed across his face. Taking the bowl and chopsticks Ling Miao handed over, Su Yuyang had to hold back tears as he stretched his chopsticks towards the Yuxiang shredded pork. ¡°Su-ge, what¡¯s the matter?¡± Ling Miao asked worriedly. Su Yuyang clasped a portion of the shredded pork with his chopsticks and transferred it to his bowl, eating it slowly with the rice, one bite at a time. Su Yuyang hated spring onion to the point that even the smell of spring onion made him nauseated, but today he had to swallow it down. Su Yuyang now deeply understood what it meant to sleep in the bed one made. Su Yuyang had asked for Yuxiang shredded pork. He had asked even knowing that Ling Miao would definitely put spring onion into the shredded pork, instead writing beside the dish name: Don¡¯t add spring onion. Mm. His addendum wasn¡¯t very readable if one didn¡¯t have a magnifying glass at hand. Ling Miao saw the conflict and restraint between Su Yuyang¡¯s brows. The corner of his lips quirked upwards, but his face was blocked by his rice bowl and Su Yuyang didn¡¯t see his secret happiness. That¡¯s right, Ling Miao had seen Su Yuyang¡¯s addendum. Having known Su Yuyang for a while, Ling Miao had long been aware that Su Yuyang didn¡¯t like spring onion, and for a period of time he hadn¡¯t added spring onion to the dishes he made, but clearly Su Yuyang hadn¡¯t noticed. As for today¡ªsince Su Yuyang had asked for Yuxiang shredded pork and intentionally written an addendum that resembled an eye exam, Ling Miao just pretended he hadn¡¯t seen it. If the events from this afternoon hadn¡¯t happened, Ling Miao might¡¯ve followed Su Yuyang¡¯s addendum, but having experienced what happened this afternoon, Ling Miao wouldn¡¯t let Su Yuyang have his way. Besides, he was certain that Su Yuyang wouldn¡¯t give him a hard time. So Ling Miao added an extra helping of spring onion to the Yuxiang shredded pork dish, which ordinarily already contained a lot of it. Su Yuyang, you want to eat spring onion, right? Then eat your fill, heh heh. Yuxiang shredded pork was very delicious and Ling Miao was in a good mood, so he ate an unprecedented three bowls of rice. The shredded pork with extra spring onion, originally prepared for Su Yuyang¡ªLing Miao finished it all off. Ling Miao saw that Su Yuyang¡¯s bowl was still more than half full of rice and said in faux-grievance: ¡°Su-ge, today¡¯s food isn¡¯t to your liking?¡± Su Yuyang waved a hand. A bean-sized drop of perspiration rolled down his temple as he smiled and said, ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good that it¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll go wash the dishes.¡± Like a busy bee, Ling Miao went to wash the dishes immediately after dinner. He finished washing the dishes, then washed Su Yuyang¡¯s clothes from yesterday. Seeing Ling Miao¡¯s busy silhouette, Su Yuyang lay on the sofa and thought, wanting to cry: I really dug my own grave! I just wanted to see Ling Miao mad, but I was unlucky instead. When Ling Miao gets mad, that angry look like he wants to blow a few holes in me but has to endure it is very interesting. Pity, I don¡¯t know if I¡¯ll get to see it again in the future. As Su Yuyang thought along these lines, time slipped away minute by minute. Ling Miao finished his chores and sat down on the sofa. He intentionally sat down heavily so that Su Yuyang, who was sitting on the sofa, was bounced upwards. Su Yuyang¡¯s train of thought was thus interrupted by Ling Miao. A hint of worry flashed across Ling Miao¡¯s face, but he didn¡¯t show it. Ling Miao said softly, ¡°Su-ge, did you check this afternoon¡¯s update?¡± ¡°Hm? You¡¯re around to do the updates now. What do I need to check?¡± Su Yuyang answered worriedly. ¡°Unless you don¡¯t want to continue this job?¡± ¡°Nope,¡± Ling Miao smiled ingratiatingly. ¡°These job conditions are good, and the work isn¡¯t a lot, so for now I don¡¯t want to lose it. But, do you know why I came back?¡± ¡°Mm?¡± Su Yuyang was confused again. Ling Miao looked out the window. The sky hadn¡¯t darkened completely, but the streetlights lining the roads had already come on. Ling Miao said, as if reminiscing: ¡°When I left, I felt that I was walking in a fog. I walked in the direction I thought was right, but I never considered whether this direction was actually right, until Ji Linxi said something to me the night I came back.¡± Ling Miao had brought up Ji Linxi again. Every time Ling Miao mentioned Ji Linxi he¡¯d smile faintly, as if they really were together. Ji Linxi didn¡¯t like men and Ling Miao didn¡¯t like men, but¡­ Su Yuyang really didn¡¯t like Hu Lin very much, but he did agree with one thing Hu Lin had said: That¡¯s what I said, too, before realizing my orientation. Before I knew I liked men, I also thought that I liked women¡ªHu Lin¡¯s words could be translated thus. Su Yuyang felt like someone had pinched his heart, hard. The bitterness that flowed from the bottom of his heart threatened to engulf him. He was somewhat dissatisfied with this outcome, but¡­ Su Yuyang was still immersed in an inexplicable grief when Ling Miao interrupted his mourning. ¡°Do you remember why I left?¡± Ling Miao¡¯s voice was dreamy, as if coming through a misty haze. Su Yuyang shook his head and forced a smile. ¡°Sorry, forgot.¡± ¡°Heh.¡± Ling Miao laughed and Su Yuyang couldn¡¯t tell if it was mocking or frustrated. ¡°I made a mistake in that day¡¯s update, and you joked that I was an anti-fan sent to smear your name. I admitted my mistake and you said you¡¯d said those things to scare me. At the time, I really wanted to punch you so hard you wouldn¡¯t be able to tell north from south, but I restrained myself¡ªif I hurt you, who the hell¡¯s gonna update Massacre of the Nine Heavens, huh? ¡°I already wanted to leave at that point, but before I left I had to make you pay a tiny price, so while you were showering I took the chance to turn off the hot water. ¡°I didn¡¯t leave quietly. I waited until you came out and made sure I saw you getting angry, then I very satisfactorily quit.¡± ¡°Who¡¯d have known that in your rush you forgot to take your things with you, and under my temptation you had no choice but to come back,¡± Su Yuyang said with pride. Ling Miao glanced at him and didn¡¯t comment, but Su Yuyang had already seen in his eyes mockery and¡­ surprise? ¡°Will it kill you not to interrupt me?¡± Ling Miao said, annoyed. Su Yuyang laughed awkwardly. Actually, listening to Ling Miao describe his inner feelings was pretty interesting, wasn¡¯t it? Su Yuyang thoughtfully put a glass of water in front of Ling Miao, who took a sip to wet his throat and then continued: ¡°I won¡¯t mention how happy I was to see your hand get injured. I used Linxi¡¯s microblog to reply, heh heh, you probably didn¡¯t even see it. I won¡¯t go into what it said. ¡°After being happy, I was also pretty worried¡­¡± ¡°Worried that Massacre of the Nine Heavens would stop updating?¡± Su Yuyang couldn¡¯t keep himself from interrupting. Ling Miao glared at him, then rapped him on the head with his fist. Su Yuyang timidly shank back. Ling Miao changed his position and said languorously: ¡°Surprisingly, it wasn¡¯t Massacre of the Nine Heavens not updating I was worried about. The first thing I worried about was actually that the likes of you wouldn¡¯t be able to shower or wash your clothes, and that you¡¯d pop the boils and get an infection. ¡°If Linxi knew what I was thinking, he¡¯d probably laugh a lot, then say, ¡®if you¡¯re so worried about the Great Shu, then go back and look after him!¡¯ ¡°As for what I think¡­ if I went back to take care of someone who couldn¡¯t even tell his die-hard fan from an anti-fan, it means I probably left my brains at the door.¡± Ling Miao picked up the water and took a small sip, sorrow appearing in the smile on his face. ¡°I started job searching again and put aside the matters with you. What I didn¡¯t expect was that you¡¯d take the initiative to call me¡ªeven though it was me who left the job, you did say you wanted to chase me away, right?¡± At this point, Ling Miao pulled out his phone and opened one of the texts Su Yuyang had sent him. The text was only one line: your drafts are still here, come back. ¡°When I saw that text, my first reaction was, Fuck, this bastard Su Yuyang¡¯s actually using my drafts to threaten me. If I meet him outside, I have to give him a good beating. ¡°Of course, I wouldn¡¯t hurt your hand,¡± Ling Miao teased. With difficulty, Su Yuyang pulled up the corner of his lips and gave Ling Miao a forced smile. Ling Miao gave Su Yuyang¡¯s shoulder a hearty slap and said indifferently: ¡°It¡¯s nighttime. If you can¡¯t laugh, then don¡¯t try to laugh, or I¡¯ll mistake your ugly face for your dead ancestor come gallivanting.¡± Su Yuyang didn¡¯t say anything and continued to respond to Ling Miao only with his smile. Ling Miao suddenly pushed Su Yuyang away and made a show of sliding down off the sofa. He said with fright, ¡°Su¡­ Su-ge, don¡¯t scare me. I¡¯m timid.¡± Su Yuyang jabbed Ling Miao¡¯s forehead and joke-scolded: ¡°Who¡¯s scaring who? Also, if you didn¡¯t want to come back, why did you come back? Are the drafts really so attractive?¡± Ling Miao turned his head to look at Su Yuyang. The fear on his face changed visibly to a gentle smile. Ling Miao sat at Su Yuyang¡¯s feet and took a long, slow breath. Su Yuyang lowered his head to look at Ling Miao, who was radiating indolence, and his hand moved of its own accord to Ling Miao¡¯s head, gently caressing the strands of hair. Ling Miao let Su Yuyang touch him and another set of words appeared in his mind. ¡°Linxi said that you weren¡¯t using the drafts to threaten me. ¡®He probably couldn¡¯t think of another way to get you to go back, so he¡¯s using the drafts to tempt you back¡¯¡ªthose were his words. I seem to have gotten the same answer from you. ¡°He also said that you trusted me one hundred percent, so even when you hadn¡¯t known me well you gave me your author¡¯s dashboard to manage, but I not only let down your trust but also showed no remorse. ¡°When he said that, I felt that I was a sinner who couldn¡¯t be forgiven. ¡°So I came back¡ªSu Yuyang, I came back for you.¡± Su Yuyang, I came back for you. As if a replay button had been hit, Ling Miao¡¯s voice repeated the same words over and over again by Su Yuyang¡¯s ear. Su Yuyang¡¯s lips moved and disbelief showed in his eyes. Su Yuyang¡¯s change didn¡¯t escape Ling Miao¡¯s eyes, who had been closely watching him. But Su Yuyang¡¯s surprise was somewhat unexpected¡ªLing Miao had thought that Su Yuyang would mock him and give him a hard time. ¡°Do you want me to go on?¡± Ling Miao asked. Su Yuyang blinked. In the instant he opened his eyes again, he saw Ling Miao faintly smiling as if mocking him, temptation lurking amidst the mockery. [Table of Contents] | [Chaleuria is on Twitter!] Translation notes: [1] Yuxiang shredded pork: a Sichuan dish Chapter 038 The Complete Guide to the Use and Care of a Personal Assistant Translator: Jury Editor: NomNom First Published on Chaleuria ¡ª Chapter Thirty-eight Ling Miao resembled a storyteller, only the story he was telling was that of his own inner world. And unlike some other storytellers, when he got to the exciting parts he didn¡¯t slap the table and say in a raised voice, ¡°To find out what happens, tune in next time¡­¡± to leave the audience with a sense of anticipation. Ling Miao had asked Su Yuyang if he wanted to go on listening. Su Yuyang met Ling Miao¡¯s eyes, and inexplicably he felt that Ling Miao¡¯s bright eyes had been covered by a thin layer of fog. He couldn¡¯t see the emotion behind it, just like he didn¡¯t know why Ling Miao was saying these things today. Su Yuyang didn¡¯t answer Ling Miao¡¯s question but replied with one of his own: ¡°You¡­ Why are you telling me this? This isn¡¯t like you.¡± ¡°Then what is like me?¡± Ling Miao asked with a smile. ¡°If I scolded you to within an inch of your life, is that ¡®like me?¡¯ People have many sides, and they show different ones when they¡¯re feeling different things. When I make a scene, it¡¯s because I give a damn, but now¡­ mm, it¡¯s not that I don¡¯t care, but that I care too much. Su Yuyang, you make fun of me again and again. I¡¯ve had enough. What do you take me for? ¡°To use you as an example: you were the successful writer I admired, then you became my boss. I have respect, dislike, and frustration for you, but what about you, for me? ¡°When we first met, I thought you were a pretty cool guy, but when I found out you were Shu Yang, I was disappointed and angry. ¡°Having lived with you for a while, putting aside the things I did do wrong, what have you done aside from purposely trying to make me angry? ¡°I¡¯m your personal assistant, not a toy you use to relieve your boredom. ¡°Even if you treat me like a toy, I can¡¯t do much about it. You¡¯re my boss after all, right?¡± ¡±I¡­¡± Su Yuyang didn¡¯t feel very able to retort, because he had indeed intentionally provoked Ling Miao on more than one occasion. He liked to see Ling Miao angry. Hearing Ling Miao¡¯s heartfelt words, Su Yuyang was momentarily speechless. He did admit that he was wrong, and an apology generally wasn¡¯t a difficult thing to do, but the words died on his tongue and he couldn¡¯t speak them however he tried. It was as if, the moment he opened his mouth, his relationship with Ling Miao would change, and he wasn¡¯t sure if this change would be for the better. Ling Miao saw Su Yuyang stop himself from speaking and smiled comfortingly, patting Su Yuyang¡¯s shoulder: ¡°Su Yuyang, if you find it hard to do, no need to do it.¡± ¡°A life full of domestic squabbles is colorful, but, Su Yuyang, have you ever considered my feelings? Su Yuyang, I hope that we can be like a normal employer and his employee.¡± Ling Miao looked at Su Yuyang hopefully. ¡°I¡¯ll do my part, and you get your attitude toward me straightened out¡ªif you have a genuine complaint, I¡¯ll take up the challenge,but you, on the other hand, mightn¡¯t be able to take the outcome.¡± Ling Miao was no longer the old Ling Miao, who looked weak and panicked when he encountered a problem, or waved his claws when somebody stepped on his tail. Su Yuyang stared dazedly at the person in front of him, and a phrase appeared in his mind: he¡¯s been reborn. Su Yuyang was unwilling to move his gaze from Ling Miao, as if he hoped to find a trace of the old Ling Miao in the person before him now. But he failed¡ªaside from the face, he couldn¡¯t find any other similarities between the two. ¡°Xiao Miao¡­¡± Su Yuyang softly called Ling Miao, who hummed in response, but Su Yuyang didn¡¯t say anything more. The two gazed at each other and neither spoke. The atmosphere was heavy and Su Yuyang¡¯s breathing grew harder. Ling Miao¡¯s face was blank, but his eyes were crinkled in a smile which seemed to mock Su Yuyang. Su Yuyang had the air of someone who had lost to a top-tier professional. He sighed in defeat and placed his hand on Ling Miao¡¯s shoulder, vowing: ¡°I promise not to intentionally provoke you again, but if there¡¯s something you don¡¯t do well, don¡¯t blame me for being heartless.¡± Ling Miao nodded, then watched Su Yuyang return to his room. The moment Su Yuyang¡¯s bedroom door closed, Ling Miao deflated like a balloon. He slumped bonelessly over the sofa like a starfish, his breathing ragged like he¡¯d just run 1km (? mile). Beads of perspiration rolled down the side of his face, which was as white as if he were terminally ill. ¡°Fuck, I actually did it.¡± Ling Miao stared at the ceiling, his vision slightly blurry. If Su Yuyang had gone all out, Ling Miao would¡¯ve been massacred by his tactics, so the best way was to first restrict Su Yuyang¡¯s abilities. To do that, Ling Miao would have to be several times stronger than him. For the sake of a peaceful life, Ling Miao had no choice but to put on this front. It looked like the outcome was decent. Even though Ling Miao was only acting, his words were heartfelt¡ªthey were sincere words he hadn¡¯t had the courage to tell Su Yuyang to his face before. ¡°Su Yuyang¡¯s temper and looks aren¡¯t scary, so why is it that my legs go weak when he glares at me?!¡± Ling Miao wiped at the cold sweat on his forehead and thought dejectedly: If I hadn¡¯t hatched a plan, I¡¯d have had no chance in the future! Seeing Su Yuyang¡¯s guilty face really feels damn good! If Ling Miao hadn¡¯t been already using all his concentration to try to breathe, he certainly wouldn¡¯t have been able to hold back a laugh. After returning to his bedroom, Su Yuyang didn¡¯t turn on his computer or the lights. He lay on the bed and thought over every sentence Ling Miao had said, but the line, ¡°Su Yuyang, I came back for you,¡± kept jumping out to confound his thoughts. Su Yuyang frustratedly rumpled his hair. If Ling Miao weren¡¯t outside, he¡¯d scream to relieve his frustration. Hearing someone¡¯s heartfelt words, especially heartfelt words concerning oneself, was, on some level, torture to Su Yuyang. In Ling Miao¡¯s eyes, he was someone who toyed with others. What couldn¡¯t be denied was that Su Yuyang had indeed considered using Ling Miao to make his life more exciting and had actually done so. Though Su Yuyang didn¡¯t think he¡¯d done anything untoward, when it was said out loud, even he wanted to call himself despicable. Suddenly, Su Yuyang thought about his conversation with Feng Ji earlier that day. Feng Ji had asked him if he wanted to use something other than novels to spice up his life. At the time Su Yuyang had said, ¡®Other than novels, there¡¯s really nothing that I can sit still long enough to finish doing.¡¯ The laughable thing was that he¡¯d already been using Ling Miao to make his life more interesting. ¡°Using Ling Miao to make my life more interesting? Maybe it¡¯s not really that, but¡­ ah, ah, ah, this is so frustrating! I haven¡¯t been this frustrated in a long time.¡± Su Yuyang ran both hands through his hair until it resembled a chicken¡¯s nest, and he didn¡¯t stop there but went on to punch his pillow. If someone who didn¡¯t understand the situation were to come in now, they might think Su Yuyang had just been dumped. ¡°Yuyang, maybe you should change your way of life.¡± ¡°Maybe you should find someone to live with.¡± Feng Ji¡¯s words returned again. Su Yuyang felt his strength leave him; he didn¡¯t have the energy to think about anything else. Thinking of these words and recalling Ling Miao¡¯s face, Su Yuyang gradually fell into darkness. The second day, something went wrong with Su Yuyang¡¯s biological clock. Ling Miao finished preparing breakfast and Su Yuyang still hadn¡¯t gotten up, so Ling Miao had no choice but to go into Su Yuyang¡¯s bedroom and pull the covers off him. Ling Miao opened Su Yuyang¡¯s bedroom door, and the sight that met his eyes was Su Yuyang spread-eagled on the bed. Su Yuyang hadn¡¯t changed into pajamas last night so he was still wearing the clothes he had worn during the day. Ling Miao looked at the pillow on the floor and exclaimed in surprise, ¡°Fuck me, this guy tosses and turns a lot while sleeping.¡± Ling Miao thought: the floor isn¡¯t very clean. In order to give Su Yuyang no excuse to make him wash the entire set of sheets, Ling Miao picked up the blanket and pillow on the floor and placed them in a pile at Su Yuyang¡¯s side. Su Yuyang had been tortured by Feng Ji¡¯s words to no end. Even when he was asleep he couldn¡¯t escape them, so he hadn¡¯t slept well all night. Ling Miao shook Su Yuyang¡¯s arm, trying to wake him up. Su Yuyang cursed, the words indistinct so that Ling Miao couldn¡¯t tell what they were, but Ling Miao knew it wasn¡¯t anything nice, so he got even more persistent in his attempt to wake Su Yuyang. Su Yuyang sat up with a jerk, glancing around with difficulty. He let out a toneless snort, and against all Ling Miao¡¯s hopes, fell right back down again. ¡°Hey¡­¡± Ling Miao pointed at Su Yuyang as if intending to lecture him, but remembering that Su Yuyang couldn¡¯t hear him, he swallowed the words in his throat, annoyed. ¡°Su Yuyang, Su Yuyang, get up and eat breakfast.¡± Ling Miao patted Su Yuyang¡¯s face. Hearing the pat-pat-pat sound of his palm making contact with Su Yuyang¡¯s face, Ling Miao¡¯s heart became unbearably light. But¡­ Ling Miao decreased the frequency of his blows because he discovered that he had left a red patch on Su Yuyang¡¯s face. ¡°But I didn¡¯t use that much strength?¡± Ling Miao thought doubtfully, his hand returning to touch Su Yuyang¡¯s face. ¡°Ah, this bastard¡¯s skin is pretty good. Smooth and supple, it¡¯s pretty nice to touch.¡± Ling Miao caressed Su Yuyang¡¯s face, fingers tracing circles on his cheeks. Su Yuyang said, ¡°Mm,¡± and his forehead furrowed. Ling Miao didn¡¯t know if he had dreamed something that frustrated him or if Ling Miao¡¯s actions had left him unable to continue sleeping. ¡°Don¡¯t disturb me.¡± Su Yuyang suddenly raised his hand and smacked Ling Miao¡¯s back. Ling Miao momentarily stopped moving his hands. Su Yuyang¡¯s hand on Ling Miao¡¯s back suddenly exerted strength and pressed Ling Miao toward his chest. Ling Miao didn¡¯t react in time. His forehead connected with Su Yuyang¡¯s chin, and as as bone struck bone Ling Miao let out an ¡®Ah¡¯ sound of pain. ¡°Mm.¡± Su Yuyang turned his head, his lips unconsciously brushing Ling Miao¡¯s forehead. ¡°Fuck.¡± Ling Miao cursed softly and struggled to get up, but Su Yuyang pressed him down again. ¡°Someone who¡¯s sleeping has this much strength?¡± Ling Miao asked himself. ¡°Is this bastard intentionally giving me a hard time again? Didn¡¯t he promise he wouldn¡¯t mess with me any more? He would hit his own face? Would Su Yuyang do something like that?¡± Ling Miao was still answering his own questions when Su Yuyang rolled over. ¡°Damn it!¡± Ling Miao cursed again. As Su Yuyang rolled over, his body covered half of Ling Miao¡¯s own. Ling Miao, whose torso was weighed down by a heavy object, felt as if his bones were about to snap. ¡°You bastard Su Yuyang, I @$%^&¡­¡± Ling Miao silently went over all the curse words he knew, then added Su Yuyang¡¯s name at the end. He was even a little out of breath by this point. Since I can¡¯t escape, I might as well sleep. Thinking this, Ling Miao yawned and shut his eyes. [Table of Contents] | [Chaleuria is on Twitter!] Chapter 039 The Complete Guide to the Use and Care of a Personal Assistant Translator: Jury Editor: NomNom First Published on Chaleuria ¡ª Chapter Thirty-nine Su Yuyang was woken by his hunger. His mind was clear but he didn¡¯t open his eyes. He reached out to rub his stomach, which made a timely sound of protest. ¡°Xiao Miao, is breakfast ready?¡± Su Yuyang called out to ask out of habit, but he didn¡¯t get the reply he expected. ¡°Xiao Miao?¡± Su Yuyang yelled more forcefully for Ling Miao, then suddenly felt something wriggle in his arms. He¡¯d just woken up and hadn¡¯t quite gotten his bearings yet, and only after several seconds did he realize something wasn¡¯t right. Su Yuyang opened his eyes, and adjusted to the light before looking down at himself. He lowered his head and saw a black pile of fluff, then some human ears, and lower¡­ because it was under his body, he couldn¡¯t see very well, but he could guess who he was holding¡ªaside from Ling Miao, Su Yuyang couldn¡¯t think of anyone else who¡¯d be in his house at this time. ¡°Ling Miao, why¡¯re you in my bed?¡± Su Yuyang wondered, then suddenly something seemed to jolt his brain. He took his hands off Ling Miao, jumped out of bed and checked his body, then looked Ling Miao over from head to toe. Whoo¨C-as Su Yuyang confirmed that he hadn¡¯t done anything to Ling Miao, his tightly wound heart slowly began to relax. Su Yuyang exhaled heavily and waited for his emotions to calm down completely before he tried to wake Ling Miao. ¡°Xiao Miao, rise and shine,¡± Su Yuyang said coldly. Ling Miao rolled over and ignored Su Yuyang. ¡°Get up, I know you¡¯re awake.¡± Su Yuyang¡¯s voice got colder. Ling Miao curled up and clutched the blanket tighter around himself. Seeing the situation, a smile surfaced on Su Yuyang¡¯s lips: ¡°Ling Miao, do you like my bed so much? If you do, then you might as well move in and sleep with me. This bed is pretty big and can totally handle two men.¡± Hearing Su Yuyang¡¯s teasing, Ling Miao rolled over on the bed and stuck his head out from underneath the blanket. Ling Miao had thought Su Yuyang would definitely be laughing, but instead he saw Su Yuyang¡¯s face was serious with a hint of thoughtfulness, as if considering the plausibility of his own suggestion. Ling Miao lowered his voice and cursed, ¡°Fuck, I¡¯d rather sleep on the floor than share a bed with you.¡± ¡°You¡¯re worried I¡¯ll do something to you?¡± Su Yuyang said, somewhat aggrieved. Ling Miao said dismissively: ¡°Tcheh, what can you do to me? Be careful I don¡¯t break all your limbs.¡± Ling Miao raised his hand and made a chopping motion, while Su Yuyang played along and clapped his hand over a certain part of his body. ¡°Hey, you didn¡¯t need to do that, did you?¡± Ling Miao was speechless at Su Yuyang¡¯s actions. Su Yuyang retorted, ¡°You said you¡¯d break all my limbs, right? I just played along.¡± ¡°Get out!¡± ¡°It¡¯s always ¡®get out,¡¯ you think I¡¯m a ball? I can¡¯t roll, but you seem pretty happy to roll around on my bed.1 Why don¡¯t you get rid of that blanket and give me a demonstration?¡± Su Yuyang¡¯s face suddenly loomed large in front of Ling Miao, who looked at the face genuinely requesting instruction and suddenly he couldn¡¯t find the words to reject Su Yuyang¡¯s request. ¡°Xiao Miao, you really like my blanket that much?¡± Su Yuyang suddenly looked at Ling Miao with an unreadable expression. ¡°You¡¯re not worried that my bodily fluids are on it?¡± Ling Miao suddenly remembered: Su Yuyang had asked him a similar question before, and at that time he¡¯d replied to Su Yuyang with that line. Now Su Yuyang was using his own words against him. ¡°I can¡¯t win this argument.¡± Ling Miao, like an eggplant touched by frost, glared at Su Yuyang and emerged from the blanket. Once Ling Miao emerged from the blanket, Su Yuyang¡¯s gaze was drawn to a certain biological reaction and he realized why Ling Miao hadn¡¯t been willing to come out from the blanket. ¡°That¡­¡± Su Yuyang embarrassedly lowered his head, but his shaking shoulders indicated clearly to Ling Miao: I¡¯m laughing. I¡¯m very nearly laughing out loud. Two red clouds floated to the surface of Ling Miao¡¯s cheeks. He glanced at a very proud something, then raced for the bedroom door. Su Yuyang didn¡¯t go out. He was worried he¡¯d hear something he shouldn¡¯t. He fell back on the bed. The blanket still held Ling Miao¡¯s residual warmth and Su Yuyang¡¯s fingers moved over the blanket cover. Feng Ji¡¯s words surfaced unbidden, then Su Yuyang forcibly crushed them. Su Yuyang had always thought his brain volume was pretty small, so where too many things were concerned, he wouldn¡¯t think about things unless he absolutely needed to, in order not to start too many processes in his brain and accidentally trigger a blue screen of death. Finding someone to live with¡ªwas something that needed to happen by chance, not by design. If Feng Ji were here, he¡¯d give Su Yuyang a good lecture: ¡°Your social circle isn¡¯t even as big as your palm! If you want to meet people, you have to be able to meet people first, right?¡± Su Yuyang tossed aside Feng Ji¡¯s question, and another question appeared: When did Ling Miao get into my bed? ¡°Su Yuyang, come and eat,¡± Ling Miao lifted his head and shouted. ¡°Coming,¡± Su Yuyang answered, but he didn¡¯t move. By the time Ling Miao finished laying the dishes on the table, Su Yuyang still hadn¡¯t emerged from his room. Ling Miao opened Su Yuyang¡¯s bedroom door and saw Su Yuyang haltingly stroking his blanket. He couldn¡¯t help laughing: ¡°Su-ge, do you want my blanket too?¡± Su Yuyang¡¯s brain short-circuited. Seeing Ling Miao¡¯s gaze fall on his hand, he suddenly understood. Su Yuyang said disdainfully: ¡°It¡¯s not like I don¡¯t have my own blanket. Let¡¯s go eat.¡± Ling Miao seemed to still have something to say, so Su Yuyang cut him off. Ling Miao shrugged and watched Su Yuyang¡¯s fleeing silhouette, smiling somewhat in satisfaction. After lunch, Su Yuyang returned to his room to write and Ling Miao began doing chores. Ling Miao was washing clothes when Su Yuyang appeared behind him and said in a spooky voice, ¡°Let¡¯s compete in a word sprint later.¡± Ling Miao flinched and dropped the laundry soap on the floor. In the instant the soap fell from his hand, Ling Miao saw Su Yuyang¡¯s gaze harden behind him, face arranged in an expectant smile. Ling Miao thought about online stories concerning soap, and turned around and eyed Su Yuyang pleadingly as he asked with an ingratiating smile, ¡°Su-ge, can you go out?¡± Looking at Ling Miao¡¯s stammering, fearful appearance, Su Yuyang couldn¡¯t resist. He reached out and pinched Ling Miao¡¯s thin cheek, gave Ling Miao a smile indicating ¡®you can relax,¡¯ then walked out of the bathroom. Facing the bathroom door, Ling Miao picked up the soap and put it carefully back into the box. ¡°Whoo¡ª¡± Ling Miao let out a long exhale. ¡°Word sprint?¡± Like a haunting ghost, Su Yuyang came back. On hearing his voice, Ling Miao¡¯s heart inexplicably began to beat faster, like it was about to burst out of his chest. Ling Miao wrung Su Yuyang¡¯s clothes with a lot of force, gritting through his teeth: ¡°Your typing speed is 3000 words per hour, my speed is 30000. If I compete in a word sprint with you, aren¡¯t I just looking for trouble? I¡¯m not a masochist. I don¡¯t like getting tortured.¡± (T/N: 30000 wph is in the original text but Ling Miao is implied to be a lot slower than Su Yuyang) ¡°My hourly speed is 6000,¡± Su Yuyang corrected. ¡°3000 was my speed five years ago.¡± ¡°So why¡¯re you challenging me to a word sprint?¡± Ling Miao suddenly increased the strength with which he scrubbed the clothes. Su Yuyang could almost hear his clothes crying out to him for help. ¡°Oh, I know,¡± Ling Miao looked at Su Yuyang, realizing something. ¡°You can¡¯t provoke me so you¡¯re doing this to get the satisfaction of frustrating someone? Fuck you, Su Yuyang, are you a sadist?¡± Su Yuyang said indifferently: ¡°I¡¯ll leave that up to your imagination, but are you in or not?¡± ¡°Yeah, why not? But help me hang up the clothes first.¡± Ling Miao brought the wrung-out clothes in a basin to the balcony. He stood by the balcony railing and took down the dried clothes, handing them over to Su Yuyang, who took them and tossed them on the sofa to one side, then handed the wet clothes to Ling Miao to place on the clothes rack. Though it was their first time working together, they cooperated very well. A wash of gold sunlight crept along the windowsill and into the house, the illumination linking Su Yuyang to Ling Miao. Under the sunlight, a gentle warmth flowed between their fingertips, and time seemed to have stopped for them both. As Su Yuyang handed over the clothes, his gaze grazed the side of Ling Miao¡¯s face, and he saw happiness written in Ling Miao¡¯s expression¡­ Led by Ling Miao¡¯s mood, a place in Su Yuyang¡¯s heart that had long been quiet began to stir. After passing the clothes to Ling Miao, Su Yuyang reflexively reached for the next item, but his hand closed on air. Seeing Ling Miao hang the last item of clothing on the rack, Su Yuyang said, ¡°That¡¯s all the clothes. Let¡¯s word sprint.¡± ¡°Alright!¡± Ling Miao had joined many writing groups, but most of the time he just lurked. When people did word sprints, he just watched from the sidelines, so he knew what a word sprint was but hadn¡¯t participated in one before. ¡°Start at four o¡¯clock and end at five o¡¯clock,¡± Su Yuyang looked at the time and said. Ling Miao had no objections and nodded, then asked, ¡°Give me a half-hour head start?¡± ¡°You think too much.¡± Su Yuyang rolled his eyes at Ling Miao. ¡°Then, what¡¯s the wager?¡± Ling Miao asked. The wager? ¡°The loser will bark like a dog on his microblog, what do you say?¡± This wager Su Yuyang mentioned was the one he used most often while word sprinting with his friends. Ling Miao had also seen people who lost a word sprint doing this, so he happily agreed. Su Yuyang and Ling Miao moved their laptops to a spot outside the study. They sat face to face and waited for four o¡¯clock. ¡°Start!¡± Ling Miao reminded Su Yuyang, fingers starting to get busy. Su Yuyang didn¡¯t move. His attention was all on Ling Miao. When Ling Miao typed, his back was straight. His eyes were fixed unblinkingly on his screen and his look of complete focus made Su Yuyang¡¯s heart shudder. Sometimes furrows would appear on Ling Miao¡¯s head, and Su Yuyang guessed Ling Miao had run into a complicated bit. A few seconds or half a minute¡¯s pause later, joy would surface on Ling Miao¡¯s face, then the sound of the keyboard would again ring out by his ear. The sounds from Ling Miao¡¯s keyboard didn¡¯t pause at all. Su Yuyang thought: ¡°You write like this and still say you do 30000wph. Ling Miao, are you trying to lower my guard?¡± Su Yuyang thought he was grimacing, but anyone looking at him could tell that his smile was fond. Stretching lazily, Su Yuyang gathered his thoughts. He stared at his computer and entered ¡®writing mode,¡¯ but his gaze would drift to Ling Miao from time to time. As he kept looking, Ling Miao¡¯s presence consumed Su Yuyang¡¯s field of vision. He¡¯s really getting into it. If I don¡¯t get serious, I¡¯ll feel bad. Thinking this, Su Yuyang returned his attention to writing. This continued to happen, so the final outcome was self-evident. [Table of Contents] | [Chaleuria is on Twitter!] Translation notes: [1] The word ¡®get out/scram¡¯ is the same as ¡®roll¡¯ in Chinese Chapter 040 The Complete Guide to the Use and Care of a Personal Assistant Translator: Jury Editor: NomNom First Published on Chaleuria ¡ª Chapter Forty The moment Su Yuyang¡¯s ¡°woof woof woof,¡± conveniently mentioning @WriterZeroSecondsAgo, was published, a certain group Su Yuyang was in went into a frenzy. Chaos Paste: Everyone look at Shu Yang¡¯s microblog! He lost a word sprint, he finally lost a word sprint! [ROFL][picture of Shu Yang¡¯s microblog] Haphazardly Chopping Firewood: Fuck me, I¡¯m gonna look. Color Setting: Really! I want to go see who it is and instakill him!1 Shu Yang: You all really¡­ ah, I lost by one word. One word! Chaos Paste: One word is still a word. Shu-shu, I just want to say it: you finally lost! Your perfect winning streak is finally broken! [Scatters flowers] Blue Lake: You all have a lot of time on your hands? [Facepalm] Shu Yang: Exactly. You all have so much free time? I¡¯ve written 3600+. You all go write! She-se: Don¡¯t you call yourself 6000WPH? How did you lose that badly? Eh, didn¡¯t you all see? The person Shu-shu mentioned was called ¡®WriterZeroSecondsAgo.¡¯ If I¡¯m remembering right, Shu-shu¡¯s assistant is called ¡®ZeroSecondsAgo?¡¯ Blue Lake: I understand. Chaos Paste: I understand. ¡­¡­ Shu Yang: What do you understand? Blue Lake: You like your assistant, so you lost on purpose to make him happy? Mu Yu: Lake, how many words do you owe me? Color, did you break your update streak yesterday? Paste, what on earth have you been writing these past few days, do you figure that just because you won¡¯t get drawn and quartered, you¡¯ll just phone it in? And you, Haphazard, where¡¯s the new book you promised me? I haven¡¯t seen hide nor hair of it, do you want me to take my laptop to your house before you write the outline? And¡­ Enter Mu Yu, who instantly landed an area-of-effect killing blow. Aside from Shu Yang, every other writer under him was insta-killed and the group chat went silent. Pale Twilight: Yu-ge,2 I¡¯m glad I¡¯m not under you. An Yuan: Heh heh, really? Pale Twilight: The elder is in the house. I¡¯m retreating. Shu-shu, rest in peace. The group chat was quiet and Mu Yu started a private chat with Su Yuyang. Mu Yu: Does your assistant know about your personal matters? 3000WPH: He knows. Mu Yu: You¡¯re not worried about him? 3000WPH: Since I employed him, I need to trust him. From past experience, he won¡¯t spread my personal information. Fuck it, it¡¯s just that I like guys, but I have to hide it and be afraid that people will find out. I haven¡¯t done anything to be ashamed of. Mu Yu: Society¡¯s like that. But I¡¯m just worried it will get out. 3000WPH: We¡¯ll cross that bridge when we come to it. You do know that I already have plans to come out of the closet, but because of your advice I¡¯ve delayed it with no end in sight. Also, did you need me for something? Mu Yu: Demonic Song Defying Heaven¡¯s tie-in game is about to go into beta. Do you want a copy? 3000WPH: Not much interest. After thinking, Su Yuyang added another line: Give me one then. Mu Yu: Didn¡¯t say you weren¡¯t interested? 3000WPH: My assistant might. I saw him playing Heavenly Domain yesterday. Mu Yu: ¡­¡­ 3000WPH: What? Mu Yu: When I get it, I¡¯ll Q you.3 3000WPH: Thanks. Ling Miao had beat Su Yuyang, but only by one word, so he was both thrilled and aggrieved. In addition, this chapter was a complete mess. Ling Miao gradually came to understand that word-sprinting was just asking for trouble. ¡°Ah,¡± Ling Miao sighed in frustration. ¡°Su-ge, why do I always want to delete everything I wrote in a word sprint?¡± ¡°Because you concentrated only on speed,¡± Su Yuyang explained. ¡°Once you do a few more and get into practice, you¡¯ll find that even 3000 words is a trivial matter.¡± ¡°Fuck, who¡¯ll I word sprint with?¡± Ling Miao rolled his eyes at Su Yuyang and added silently, If I word sprint with you every day, that¡¯s more pressure than a mountain! ¡°Ling Miao, are you on QQ?¡± Su Yuyang stuck his head over and asked. ¡°I¡¯m on,¡± Ling Miao said lifelessly. ¡°I sent you a group chat invite.¡± The moment Su Yuyang finished speaking, Ling Miao received the invitation. He clicked on ¡®accept,¡¯ and entered a group called ¡®Permanently Curing Procrastination.¡¯ Ling Miao saw the member list and almost peed his pants, then thought: This is the Great Author Group. The so-called ¡®Great Author Group¡¯ was just a bunch of friends who got together to word sprint and chat, but most of the members were called ¡®Great Authors¡¯ by others, and by and by this group received the name ¡®Great Author Group.¡¯ This was an external name¡ªinternally, they called themselves ¡®word sprint group.¡¯ As for why the editor was arbitrarily in it¡ªthat was Su Yuyang the admin¡¯s doing. He had invited Mu Yu in for stability. ¡°I feel like I¡¯ve grown a duck egg on my head,¡± Ling Miao touched his chest and said. ¡°Su-ge, did you drag me into the Great Author Group in order to terrify me, a no-name?¡± ¡°Great Author Group? It¡¯s just a word sprint group. Go read the rules.¡± After tossing Ling Miao to the wind, Su Yuyang picked up his laptop and left. Ling Miao¡¯s arrival aroused a lot of curiosity, but the moment the group saw Ling Miao¡¯s name they knew Ling Miao¡¯s identity¡ªhe was Shu Yang¡¯s assistant. Some friendly and very curious girls came forward to chat with Ling Miao and try to get some information about Su Yuyang from him. Fuck me, did Su Yuyang push me into a lion¡¯s den? Ling Miao looked at his flashing QQ notifications and silently asked Su Yuyang. ¡°Hey, Su Yuyang, are you fucking messing with me?¡± Ling Miao¡¯s pleading shout came. Su Yuyang was wondering why he could hear so clearly when he turned his head and saw Ling Miao standing in the doorway. ¡°It¡¯s just word sprinting. How am I messing with you?¡± Ling Miao showed Su Yuyang the messages from the girls on QQ. It satisfied Su Yuyang that Ling Miao hadn¡¯t replied to any of them. Shu Yang: Everyone, Xiao Miao¡¯s here to word sprint. If you want to know about me, ask me directly. Su Yuyang sent this message to the group. Somebody replied: Even if we ask you, you won¡¯t say anything. And you don¡¯t let us talk to your assistant either. Hey, Shu-shu, cut your worshipers a break, won¡¯t you? Shu Yang: Hey¡ªthis is a word sprint group, not my fangroup! [facepalm] Mu Yu: Everyone has a lot of free time, of course. With the appearance of the Big Boss, the group chat quieted down again. Su Yuyang asked the group: word sprint, the loser posts ¡®I¡¯m a submissive¡¯ on my blog. All the usual rules apply. I mean, everyone who loses. Sign up now, we start at six o¡¯clock. Xiao Miao, you have to participate. ZeroSecondsAgo: Great Shu, at six o¡¯clock I¡¯m making dinner. Shu Yang: Then eight o¡¯clock. Everyone okay with that? Myriad ¡®that¡¯s fine¡¯s later, Su Yuyang turned to Ling Miao again. ¡°Weren¡¯t you going to make dinner? Why are you still standing there? I¡¯m hungry.¡± Having eaten and drunk his fill and having won his word sprint with Su Yuyang by a single word, Ling Miao was currently extremely motivated. Before opening his document, he even trash talked Su Yuyang: ¡°Su-ge, you¡¯re a submissive!¡± Su Yuyang replied: ¡°You¡¯re definitely submitting.¡± Losing to Ling Miao¡¯s no big deal, but I definitely can¡¯t lose to the guys in the group. Having made up his mind and learned his lesson from earlier, Su Yuyang stayed in his bedroom for the nighttime word sprint. Without Ling Miao around to disturb him, Su Yuyang¡¯s inspiration flowed like a stream. An hour later, Su Yuyang reported a number that made everyone¡¯s jaw drop: 8028! Ling Miao swallowed. He couldn¡¯t help but suspect that Su Yuyang had intentionally lost during the day! ¡°Fuck me, he looks down on me that much?¡± A lightning bolt seemed to shoot across Ling Miao¡¯s head, its silver light striking down his confidence completely. Ling Miao wasn¡¯t at the bottom of the heap, but that didn¡¯t make him the slightest bit happy. His brain buzzed, and he only came to his senses when someone from the group reminded him to post on his microblog. After posting, Ling Miao lay bonelessly on the sofa. He wanted to ask Su Yuyang whether or not he had intentionally lost the word sprint earlier that day, but something seemed to be blocking up his chest and he couldn¡¯t make a single sound. Color Setting: Shu-shu, how much chicken blood did you sacrifice? Shu Yang: I just didn¡¯t want to lose. Blue Lake: You don¡¯t want to lose, so you write 8k in an hour. That¡¯s a new record in this group, right? NeverBreakingUpdateStreak: I looked at the stats and that¡¯s true. Shu Yang, you¡¯re not giving your sworn brothers a chance (¨s¨F¡õ¡ä)¨s¦à©ß©¥©ß Shu Yang: Calm down, calm down. The word sprint group chat was the active window, so Ling Miao didn¡¯t have to click in to see what they had said. Ling Miao didn¡¯t say anything. He stared at Su Yuyang¡¯s ¡®I just didn¡¯t want to lose.¡¯ This line was gradually pushed to the top of the page and disappeared from view. Closing the chat window, Ling Miao stood up and walked to the balcony. He held the railing and leaned his body over. The chilly night air battered Ling Miao¡¯s cheeks and something seemed to be blowing into his face. Ling Miao¡¯s heart was confused. He had thought that he and Su Yuyang could coexist normally, but Su Yuyang would¡ªintentionally or not¡ªchange the rules from time to time, and without negotiating with Ling Miao. ¡°What exactly are Su Yuyang¡¯s feelings towards me? Sometimes he¡¯s cold, the way he¡¯d treat a stranger, and other times he¡¯s gentle, as if toward a lover. Sometimes he¡¯s like a schoolteacher.¡± Ling Miao¡¯s brain was like a tangled pile of hemp. He looked at every strand, trying to find where it began, but the start of the strand of hemp seemed to be playing hide-and seek with Ling Miao, and no matter how Ling Miao tried to find it he couldn¡¯t tidy up the situation. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s a circle,¡± a surprising idea occurred to Ling Miao. Quick, cut it. This was the only way Ling Miao could think of, and to ¡®cut it¡¯ meant¡­ Leaving. Leaving Su Yuyang, once and for all. But first, before leaving, Ling Miao needed to find a job. Su Yuyang didn¡¯t know that his thoughtless actions had caused Ling Miao so much damage that Ling Miao was actually thinking of leaving. Su Yuyang and Ling Miao¡¯s life continued to proceed at a steady pace, with not a single wave in between. The people in the word sprint group seemed to like word sprinting with Ling Miao, and every time someone called a word sprint someone would mention Ling Miao, but Ling Miao seemed to have turned off mention notifications. So, when they were trying to get Ling Miao to word sprint, they¡¯d mention Su Yuyang. After entering the word sprint group, Ling Miao just lurked. Even if someone mentioned him, he wouldn¡¯t emerge, and then he¡¯d be called out by Su Yuyang. That, and Ling Miao almost always appeared together with Su Yuyang. So aside from Lake x Paste, another ship emerged: ShuMiao.? Sometimes Su Yuyang completely didn¡¯t understand what this shipping behavior was about. Even if these people weren¡¯t homosexual, they¡¯d flirt performatively on their microblogs and in the group. But the moment any news regarding homosexuality appeared, they¡¯d start saying this and that about homosexual people¡ªbottom line being that that they didn¡¯t support it. Su Yuyang pinched the bridge of his nose. He felt very tired. Among Su Yuyang¡¯s classmates, there were a few that knew he liked guys. If his photo and phone number were to be made public, he believed his homosexuality would also be leaked. He didn¡¯t want his life to be disrupted by his sexual orientation, so he¡¯d hidden behind a computer monitor and kept himself safe in his tiny closet. [Table of Contents] | [Chaleuria is on Twitter!] Translation notes: [1] ¡®kill¡¯ in the context of online gaming [2] Yu-ge: Big Brother Mu Yu [3]referring to sending a message through QQ. [4]a portmanteau of Shu Yang and Ling Miao¡¯s names. Chapter 041 The Complete Guide to the Use and Care of a Personal Assistant Translator: Jury Editor: NomNom First Published on Chaleuria ¡ª Chapter Forty-one Ling Miao and Su Yuyang¡¯s interactions seemed to have returned to normal, but Ling Miao still preferred the days from before, when he didn¡¯t have to word sprint with everyone. In Ling Miao¡¯s words, that would be: ¡°Fuck it, I have to word sprint with the Great Authors every day, and get tortured by the Great Authors every day. Anyone who¡¯s not a masochist wouldn¡¯t be happy with this, right?¡± Word sprinting had its benefits¡ªLing Miao¡¯s draft stockpile, which would usually run out if he didn¡¯t write for two or three days, was now more fulsome. Now, he wouldn¡¯t have a problem even if he didn¡¯t write for a week. If Su Yuyang didn¡¯t ask him to word sprint, he¡¯d definitely rest for two or three days. A pity. Ling Miao¡¯s wishes didn¡¯t often come true, and now Su Yuyang was knocking on his door again. ¡°Ling Miao, Color is organizing a word sprint. You in?¡± Su Yuyang asked in a somewhat unfriendly tone. Su Yuyang¡¯s voice was sleepy, as if he¡¯d just been woken up. Of course, the person who woke him had been Color Setting. ¡°What time do we start? I have two chapters I haven¡¯t uploaded.¡± After a thought, Ling Miao added: ¡°Yours.¡± Su Yuyang yawned and said, ¡°Three o¡¯clock. You have ten minutes. Go and prepare, and you can upload the chapters after the word sprint.¡± Ling Miao glanced at the time and immediately tabbled over to his own writing document. Actually, Ling Miao didn¡¯t want to word sprint with the group. That group had a WPH of about five or six thousand words on average, which was much better than Ling Miao¡¯s speed of less than two thousand words. But if he didn¡¯t war with Color Settings and the others, he¡¯d have to word sprint one-on-one with Su Yuyang. After thinking about it, it was much less pressure to word sprint with Color Setting and the others. So Ling Miao happily decided that as long as anyone in the group wanted to word sprint with him, he¡¯d agree without a second thought. Su Yuyang dragged his tired footsteps toward the bedroom. Ling Miao heard the sound of slippers hitting the ground, and as the sound gradually disappeared, Ling Miao returned his gaze to his laptop. Whether it was because Color Setting and the others had had enough of Su Yuyang, or Su Yuyang himself didn¡¯t want to word sprint with them, Su Yuyang almost never participated in Color Setting and the others¡¯ word sprints since Ling Miao joined the group. Ling Miao didn¡¯t notice this, but Color Setting and the others did. So when Ling Miao posted another ¡°woof woof woof¡± microblog post, Haphazardly Chopping Wood finally couldn¡¯t take it any more and asked Ling Miao. Haphazardly Chopping Wood: Xiao Miao, is something the matter with Shu-shu? ZeroSecondsAgo: Nope. Haphazardly Chopping Wood: Then why does he never word sprint with us any more? ZeroSecondsAgo: Is that weird? From Ling Miao¡¯s perspective, not word sprintring was normal. Word sprinting¡­ looking at the 140 ¡®woof¡¯s, Ling Miao seemed to be looking at 140 Su Yuyangs clutching their stomachs and laughing while pointing at Ling Miao. Ling Miao was still letting his thoughts run wild when someone in the group expressed puzzlement. Blue Lake: Do you know, he used to be the most enthusiastic in the group about word sprinting? He set up this group in the first place for word sprinting, though later its usefulness as a word sprinting group decreased. Chaos Paste: Ah, I just went to look at the word sprint records Color uploaded and compared them to when Xiao Miao joined the group. I made an important discovery! Blue Lake: If you¡¯ve got something to say, spit it out. Stop hemming and hawing¡ªdo you want to get hit?! ZeroSecondsAgo: There¡¯s quite a lot of info in that sentence. Blue Lake: Mm? Looking at the words that appeared on his screen, Ling Miao realized that a pair of eyes that looked beautiful, but hid knives, were looking at him. He reflexively flinched. ZeroSecondsAgo: That¡­ Great God Chaos, what did you find? Chaos Paste: Since the second day after you joined the group, Shu-shu hasn¡¯t participated in a single word sprint! What? Ling Miao didn¡¯t think this was a big deal. He was about to reply when something clicked in his brain. Ling Miao stared at Chaos Paste¡¯s last sentence, and a hypothesis of his seemed to have been confirmed: Su Yuyang, the bastard, really just wanted to make only Ling Miao¡¯s life miserable! ¡°Good on you, Su Yuyang, is it that fun to torture me? Do you get a thrill out of it?¡± Ling Miao was on the verge of picking up his keyboard and rushing to Su Yuyang¡¯s room. Just as Ling Miao was unplugging his keyboard, Su Yuyang spoke in the group chat. Shu Yang: I just don¡¯t want to torture you all any more. Blue Lake: Tcheh, as if we like being tortured by you. Color Setting: Exactly. But you¡¯ve lost before too, so you have nothing to be smug about. ¡­¡­ Ling Miao didn¡¯t look at what came next. He kept Su Yuyang¡¯s ¡°I just don¡¯t want to torture you all any more¡± on his screen. Ling Miao read Su Yuyang¡¯s words over and over. No matter how many times he read them, he felt that the ¡®you all¡¯ in Su Yuyang¡¯s words didn¡¯t include himself. All right. If Su Yuyang knew Ling Miao¡¯s thoughts, his first reaction would definitely be to jab Ling Miao¡¯s forehead 140 times, then add a scolding, ¡°Idiot.¡± Su Yuyang¡¯s thoughts were nothing like what Ling Miao imagined. Under specific circumstances, Ling Miao had a one-track mind. Once he¡¯d made up his mind about something, it was hard to change it. Regarding the various things Su Yuyang had done to him, Ling Miao first took the position that Su Yuyang had ill intentions toward himself, so if any little piece of evidence appeared that could corroborate his argument, he¡¯d become 100 percent certain of this conclusion. Ah, Su Yuyang is pretty pitiful¡ªhe was maligned by Ling Miao just like that.. Su Yuyang did have reasons for not word sprinting. The pitiful Great Shu Yang was currently holding back his desire to sleep while reading a novel¡ªLing Miao¡¯s¡ªwriting on a piece of paper as he read the chapter. By Su Yuyang¡¯s hand were two stacks of paper. One stack contained sheets that had had been drawn and written on, which, on closer look, resembled the detailed outline of a novel with some annotations in the margins. The other stack was plain paper, which Su Yuyang was currently resting his hand on as his pen left scribbles on them. Su Yuyang had been keeping an eye on the novel Ling Miao was serializing. Although Ling Miao¡¯s novel was a mediocre trend-following piece, he discovered that Ling Miao¡¯s setting and plot had many good points. As for why Ling Miao was still struggling, Su Yuyang could only attribute it to Ling Miao¡¯s poor writing. If the same outline were given to Su Yuyang to write, Su Yuyang could admit he¡¯d do better than Ling Miao in three aspects. Those three aspects were written down on the stack of paper. Su Yuyang rubbed his tired eyes and clicked on the next chapter. These past few days, Su Yuyang had spent all his free time making Ling Miao this detailed outline, so his reading speed had already caught up with Ling Miao¡¯s update speed. The chapter Su Yuyang was reading had been published a few minutes ago. ¡°When Yan Che and Ling Shuang reached Chaos Stone City, the sky had gotten fully dark. ¡°At night, Chaos Stone City looked like a great crouching beast. If anyone provoked it, it would instantly wake up and swallow the invader down, using its teeth to grind them to bits. ¡°Yan Che weighed the jade scroll in his hand, uneasiness furrowing his brow. ¡°Ling Shuang tilted his head and asked, ¡°You¡¯re still considering?¡± ¡°Yan Che put the jade scroll back into the space bag and sighed, ¡°Regardless of whether Su Yuyang¡­¡±¡± ¡°Fuck¡­ me¡­¡± Su Yuyang was reading Ling Miao¡¯s novel. In the new chapter an unexpected character name had appeared¡ªSu Yuyang. ¡®Su Yuyang¡¯ wasn¡¯t as commonplace a name as Zhang Three, Li Four, or Wang Five.1 Surely any of those names could be shoved into the book as filler? Ling Miao, you tossed me into your book as a cameo? Su Yuyang had also put his good friends into his books as cameos before, but that had been a wager for losing a word sprint. Su Yuyang had put that successful author into the book and then tortured his character a lot. With a little doubt, a little anticipation, and a little annoyance, Su Yuyang kept reading. ¡°Yan Che put the jade scroll back in the space bag and sighed, ¡°Regardless of whether Su Yuyang is willing to hand over the three volumes of Calming Heart, this jade scroll belongs to the Su family. It feels like we¡¯re being led by the nose¡­¡± ¡°Yan Che hadn¡¯t finished speaking but Ling Shuang had already understood his meaning. The following scene described how Yan Che and Ling Shuang met Su Yuyang and posed their request to him. Eventually, the Su Yuyang in reality came to a conclusion: The Su Yuyang in the book was born to a wealthy family, but didn¡¯t seem spoiled in the least. He seemed crafty¡ªhe was an antagonist. Su Yuyang was pretty satisfied with this cameo, and began to anticipate Ling Miao¡¯s update the next day. ¡°Mm?¡± Su Yuyang suddenly thought of something and he wasn¡¯t sleepy any more. After pulling up the login screen for author dashboards, Su Yuyang input Ling Miao¡¯s account name. ¡°If I do everything myself, everything will turn out great,¡± Su Yuyang hummed as he clicked open Ling Miao¡¯s update for tonight. Having finished reading the chapter, Su Yuyang had only one word to say: Motherfucker! Su Yuyang could describe this chapter thus: One hell of a plot twist! At first, Su Yuyang had thought that Su Yuyang in the book (henceforth referred to as Su Yuyang #2) was an antagonist, but after reading this chapter Su Yuyang understood that Su Yuyang #2 was a sucker! What kind of plot development is this? Su Yuyang really wanted to pull Ling Miao over and ¡®give him pointers,¡¯ but that¡¯d reveal the fact that Su Yuyang had gone on Ling Miao¡¯s author¡¯s dashboard. At that time, Ling Miao would have leverage over him and he¡¯d not only have to suffer Ling Miao¡¯s flying spit, he might not be able to enter Ling Miao¡¯s dashboard in future. After thinking it over, Su Yuyang suppressed the dissatisfaction and regret in his heart and continued to write the detailed outline. If the same outline was used but Su Yuyang was the writer of this novel, one of the three aspects he¡¯d be better than Ling Miao at was the transitions. Ling Miao¡¯s transitions were very stiff. If it were just in one place it wouldn¡¯t be noticeable, but there were many of them so they became a problem. If a reader couldn¡¯t read smoothly, of course they¡¯d abandon the novel. ¡°Let¡¯s hope Ling Miao isn¡¯t rotten wood,¡±2 Su Yuyang¡¯s confidence in Ling Miao fell a little more. While Su Yuyang was tidying Ling Miao¡¯s novel and writing the detailed outline, Ling Miao was browsing various prominent job sites, and also asking Ji Linxi to watch out on his behalf for jobs he could do. Ji Linxi: Did you pull a muscle again? ZeroSecondsAgo: Su Yuyang keeps finding ways to pick on me! I really fucking cannot do this anymore. Ah, Linxi, actually, having Hu Lin for a boss isn¡¯t that bad, right? Ji Linxi: If that thing at W&S hadn¡¯t happened. ZeroSecondsAgo: Either way, about Su Yuyang¡­ as soon as I find a job I¡¯m leaving here, so look out for me, will you? Ji Linxi: Stupid cat. [Sigh] ZeroSecondsAgo: Fuck! What¡¯s up with you lately? Ji Linxi: I think I should start job hunting, too. Ling Miao continued chatting with Ji Linxi a while longer, then Ji Linxi went offline to work. Ling Miao looked at Ji Linxi¡¯s darkened profile picture and thought about Ji Linxi¡¯s words. He could only sigh to himself. [Table of Contents] | [Chaleuria is on Twitter!] Translation notes: [1] These are generic placeholder names, like John Doe. [2] rotten wood: hopeless case Chapter 042 The Complete Guide to the Use and Care of a Personal Assistant Translator: Jury Editor: NomNom First Published on Chaleuria ¡ª Chapter Forty-two For the past few nights Su Yuyang had concentrated on reading the novel and writing a detailed outline, so every morning he had difficulty waking up. Having learned from the previous incident, Ling Miao also didn¡¯t put too much effort into getting Su Yuyang out of bed, so Su Yuyang would often sleep until one or two o¡¯clock in the afternoon. He didn¡¯t even go to the gym any more. To this, Ling Miao only said: ¡°Wasteful. Rich and tasteless.¡± Another morning arrived. Ling Miao was woken from his dreams by the sound of his alarm. Thinking that Su Yuyang wouldn¡¯t be up at this hour anyway, Ling Miao wrapped himself back up in his blankets and continued to sleep. ¡°Aah¡ª¡± Su Yuyang stretched lazily and the tears he squeezed from his eyes wet his cheeks. Yesterday, he¡¯d finally finished reading Ling Miao¡¯s novel and had gone to bed early as a result. Although his biological clock was still in some disarray, his eyes had still opened at 10 o¡¯clock or so. ¡°So hungry¡­¡± Su Yuyang grumbled as he walked out of his bedroom. Someone who has just gotten up, especially someone like Su Yuyang, who was still about 25 percent asleep, has a brain that functions at less than 10 percent capacity. In addition, Su Yuyang¡¯s line of sight was directed upwards, so he didn¡¯t notice underfoot¡­ Thunk¡ª Squeak¡ª ¡°Oww¡ª¡± The sounds of crashing objects, a chair moving against the floor, and a human wail came one after the other, and a certain person who was sleeping on the floor covered his head with his blanket. Then he turned over, unhappily said, ¡°Mm,¡± twice, and the living room regained its quiet. ¡°Aah!¡± Su Yuyang sat on the floor and frustratedly rubbing his forehead, which had just engaged in a passionate kiss with the back of a chair. Su Yuyang¡¯s slightly foggy brain was now completely clear. As the pain subsided some, he raised his head to look for the thing that had tripped him. Strictly speaking, it was two human legs that had tripped Su Yuyang. The owner of the two legs was currently facing the wall with his back to Su Yuyang, looking as if he was reflecting on his actions¡ªif he had been standing, that is. The owner of the legs that had tripped Su Yuyang was, naturally, Ling Miao. Ling Miao reflexively burrowed his head into his blanket. He occasionally laughed, as if something joyous was happening in his sleep. Usually, Ling Miao slept later and woke earlier than Su Yuyang, and Su Yuyang wasn¡¯t a sleepwalker, so he had never noticed that Ling Miao¡¯s sleeping location was unsuitable. Mm. Today he realized. Su Yuyang slowly stood up, walked to Ling Miao¡¯s side, bent at the waist, picked up a corner of the blanket, and pulled up sharply. Feeling the covering being pulled away, Ling Miao¡¯s legs clasped the blanket tight and he rolled back and forth on the ground, pressing the blanket firmly beneath him. Su Yuyang saw this and realized he wouldn¡¯t be able to wake Ling Miao if he didn¡¯t use more force, so he didn¡¯t stand on ceremony. Su Yuyang let go of the blanket and squatted down. Looking at Ling Miao¡¯s exposed thigh, he put his thumb and forefinger on it and pinched them together, hard. Several seconds later an ear-splitting yell emanated from Su Yuyang¡¯s house, followed by a half-awake shout: ¡°Su Yuyang, I bought a watch last year! 1 Goddamn, you don¡¯t have to use that much force, do you?! You¡¯re unhappy, so you pinch me to let it out?¡± ¡°I was trying to wake you up,¡± Su Yuyang said candidly. Ling Miao¡¯s confused gaze lay on Su Yuyang, as if weighing the truth of Su Yuyang¡¯s words. Ling Miao only gave him the benefit of the doubt because he had no idea at all that he had accidentally tripped Su Yuyang. If he knew, he¡¯d definitely conclude that Su Yuyang was tormenting him¡ªgood old-fashioned revenge! Su Yuyang¡¯s gaze was like a still pool of water: silent, deep, inviting people to investigate whether there were hidden depths beneath the calm surface. Su Yuyang wore a faint smile, some satisfaction showing in his quiet eyes. Ling Miao stared at Su Yuyang¡¯s face as if looking at a rare treasure. The two were like a buffering video: the scene was stuck on this image, but the progress bar kept moving along happily. Su Yuyang¡¯s smile gradually faded. For as long as Ling Miao¡¯s gaze had rested on Su Yuyang¡¯s face, Su Yuyang had also squatted. His legs were going numb, the soreness reminding him that a lot of time had passed, but he kept holding on. He and Ling Miao seemed to be competing: whoever moved first, lost. The silence was finally broken by a noise from outside. From below came the sounds of a man and a woman arguing, followed by the sound of porcelain shattering on the ground. Ling Miao was suddenly energized and came to his senses. When he found that he was staring at Su Yuyang, it was like he¡¯d seen a ghost. He threw himself backwards, but behind him was a solid wall. As warm skin touched the cold wall, goosebumps rose on Ling Miao¡¯s skin. He didn¡¯t know if it was the wall or Su Yuyang¡¯s smile which had made him react. Su Yuyang thought his smile was warm, but Ling Miao could only describe it as: scary! ¡°Su¡­ Su¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re calling me so intimately again. Ling Miao, is this what you call me in your dreams?¡± Ling Miao stammered a little. He was trying to say ¡°Su-ge,¡± but the ¡°Su¡± got said while the ¡°ge¡± couldn¡¯t come out of his mouth. The second time, he¡¯d just opened his mouth when Su Yuyang cut him off. Hearing Su Yuyang¡¯s teasing, Ling Miao mimed vomiting. He flipped Su Yuyang the bird and said disdainfully: ¡°Su Yuyang, you¡¯re too overconfident. In my dreams, I call you¡­¡± The word ¡®bastard¡¯ was about to leave Ling Miao¡¯s mouth when he sensed something wrong. He immediately shut his mouth, turning to Su Yuyang with a challenge in his eyes. Su Yuyang smiled and said, ¡°Say it. I won¡¯t be angry.¡± Su Yuyang¡¯s tone and expression were that of a parent cajoling their child into eating medicine: ¡°This isn¡¯t bitter, it isn¡¯t bitter at all. It¡¯s as sweet as sugar.¡± When the child swallowed it, they¡¯d cry out, ¡°Wah¡±¡ªnot bitter, motherfucker, who the hell says it isn¡¯t bitter?! Su Yuyang¡¯s tricks wouldn¡¯t work on Ling Miao, who harrumphed coldly in response. Su Yuyang was about to say something more when he saw Ling Miao¡¯s exposed thigh and upper body. The words he was about to say mysteriously vanished. Su Yuyang¡¯s eyes had calmed down and Ling Miao couldn¡¯t see the changes in his emotional state. But those unblinking eyes alerted Ling Miao to something. He followed Su Yuyang¡¯s gaze, lowering his head, and saw his own body. ¡°Fuck you, Su Yuyang, what the hell are you looking at?¡± Ling Miao pulled up the blanket to cover himself. He hadn¡¯t forgotten Su Yuyang¡¯s sexual orientation. ¡°Xiao Miao, you don¡¯t wear clothes when you sleep?¡± Su Yuyang teased. Crimson flushed over Ling Miao¡¯s cheeks as he said angrily: ¡°Who says I don¡¯t wear clothes?¡± Ling Miao was incensed by Su Yuyang¡¯s underhanded tactics, the hair on his entire body standing up. He threw off the blanket and exposed his entire body. Yeah, Ling Miao did wear clothes. A pair of boxers, that was all. ¡°Ah, Ling Miao, it¡¯ll be good when your comprehension catches up with your action,¡± Su Yuyang said with a hint of pity. The sound of his words in Ling Miao¡¯s mind had the power of an atomic bomb. Ling Miao was caught in the explosion, and not even his ashes could be found. ¡°Hey, Su Yuyang!¡± Ling Miao snatched the pillow behind him and swung it forward. Su Yuyang, whose legs were numb from squatting too long, didn¡¯t avoid it in time even though his brain saw it coming. Su Yuyang tried to stretch out a hand to block it, but as he raised his hand, Ling Miao¡¯s thick and hard pillow landed right on his face. Su Yuyang¡¯s vision went black and he felt somewhat dizzy. He fell backwards and his rear had an intimate encounter with the floor. ¡°Ling Miao¡­¡± Su Yuyang frustratedly rubbed his temple. In the corner of his eye he could see Ling Miao¡¯s satisfied smile, and in that moment a formerly blurry character in his mind gradually became clear (chapter 22 mentions this). (T/N: this aside is in the text) ¡°Ah, since I made a cameo in Ling Miao¡¯s book, why can¡¯t he play a bit part in my book?¡± At this thought, Su Yuyang actually began laughing out loud. Ling Miao was getting dressed. As his head emerged from his collar, he saw Su Yuyang¡¯s ¡®chilly¡¯ smile and couldn¡¯t repress a shudder. ¡°Ling Miao, I¡¯m about to change my setting, and will be adding a new batch of characters. What do you think about making a cameo?¡± If this were before, Ling Miao would agree without even needing to think about it, but Su Yuyang¡¯s smile just now made him think of only one thing: refuse! ¡°I don¡¯t want that,¡± Ling Miao angled his chin and replied. Having said his piece, Ling Miao kicked Su Yuyang and complained: ¡°Su-ge, you¡¯re blocking me from packing up my things.¡± Su Yuyang¡¯s numb legs had long recovered, but he felt that sitting on the floor was pretty comfortable and had no intention of moving. ¡°Hey, Su Yuyang, we said we were gonna live together peacefully, right? Why¡¯re you starting up again? Do you suffer if you don¡¯t give me hell for just one day?¡± Ling Miao was mad as he rolled up the cotton blanket, heedless of Su Yuyang¡¯s legs on the blanket. ¡°In what way am I messing with you?¡± Su Yuyang felt he¡¯d been maligned. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you have made breakfast for me before I got up? And what happened? I had to get you out of bed, and you still complained loudly at me. Who¡¯s in the wrong here?¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Having been reminded by Su Yuyang, Ling Miao was aware he was in the wrong. He didn¡¯t say anything more and quietly packed up his ¡®bed¡¯ and put it in the corner. Looking at the time, he didn¡¯t need to prepare breakfast any more. Might as well skip directly to lunch. ¡°Su-ge, I¡¯ll go make lunch,¡± Ling Miao said quietly, his silhouette sliding into the kitchen so quickly it was clear that he was trying to avoid Su Yuyang. After lunch, the two entered ¡®writing mode¡¯ again. In the word sprint group, Blue River asked if anyone wanted to word sprint. Ling Miao glanced at it and didn¡¯t have any interest, but someone unexpected replied to Blue Lake¡ªSu Yuyang! Su Yuyang casually called Ling Miao to join too, but Ling Miao rejected him on the spot. ZeroSecondsAgo: Not in the mood. Shu Yang: Are you still upset about the thing from this morning? Blue Lake: ¡­ The thing from this morning? Shu-shu, what have you done to Xiao Miao? [evil smile] Shu Yang: You think too much. Chaos Paste: Shu-shu and Xiao Miao, this is absolutely the rhythm of falling in love! Color Setting: +10086 Haphazardly Chopping Wood: +personal identification number 2 ZeroSecondsAgo: Can¡¯t I word sprint? Really. What have you derailed this thread into? Blue Lake: So it¡¯s happily decided! However, the wager needs to be changed up a bit. The loser must write on their microblog ¡®XXX is dominant, I¡¯m the submissive,¡¯ and the ¡®XXX¡¯ will be chosen from among us by the winner, how¡¯s that? Ling Miao looked at the wager and his eyes almost dropped out of his head. This¡­ what kind of wager was this?! And¡­ Ling Miao¡¯s head hurt. When word sprinting with this bunch of Great Authors, Ling Miao mostly lost! A certain Paste (interrupting): Have you won before? Ling Miao: You know too much, Paste! (The kitchen knife whooshes by and sticks straight up in the chopping board.) [Table of Contents] | [Chaleuria is on Twitter!] Translation notes: [1] ¡®bought a watch last year¡¯: when spoken, sounds like a specific string of curses. Expressing dissatisfaction, frustration, and a feeling of injustice [2] these are variants on +1, in other words, ¡®I agree (a lot).¡¯ 10086 is the customer service telephone number for a Chinese telco. Chapter 043 The Complete Guide to the Use and Care of a Personal Assistant Translator: Jury Editor: NomNom First Published on Chaleuria ¡ª Chapter Forty-three Ling Miao was so shocked his mouth dropped open. He suddenly wanted to see Su Yuyang¡¯s expression, but¡­ alright, he didn¡¯t want to go see Su Yuyang¡¯s expression. He was worried that when he saw Su Yuyang, his own mouth wouldn¡¯t be able to close. A notification for the group flashed. Ling Miao clicked into it. The last message was sent by Su Yuyang. Shu Yang: Let¡¯s change it. Blue Unease: Shu-shu, you aren¡¯t afraid of losing, are you? Shu Yang: I don¡¯t think this is suitable for a wager. Blue Unease: And ¡®woof woof woof¡¯ is suitable? I¡¯m not a dog and I¡¯m willing to post ¡®woof woof woof.¡¯ You¡¯re not gay, so why are you unwilling to post ¡°XXX is dominant, I¡¯m a submissive¡±? Shu Yang: And if I am? Chaos Paste: Shu Yang, what¡¯s that mean? Shu Yang: If I am homosexual? Haphazardly Chopping Wood: Shu Yang, that joke¡¯s not funny. In the group, probably only Ling Miao knew that Su Yuyang wasn¡¯t joking. Seeing the reactions from the group, Ling Miao understood why Su Yuyang wrapped himself up so tightly. Ling Miao didn¡¯t say anything. He exited QQ and went to write. Su Yuyang watched the group messages. After Haphazardly Chopping Wood had spoken, many lurkers now emerged. Pale Twilight: Shu Yang, if you¡¯re homosexual, I¡¯m kicking you. Shu Yang: I¡¯m the admin. Pale Twilight: I¡¯ll leave the group at once and cut all ties with you! Shu Yang: Why? Pale Twilight: No whys. I¡¯m just not comfortable. Shu Yang: I¡¯m not. Su Yuyang spoke against his heart, but his face was all smiles. His clear eyes were blanketed in a layer of mist and no one could see what he was thinking. Haphazardly Chopping Wood: Scared me to death. Professional Struggling Writer of 18 Years: So what if he¡¯s homosexual? Professional Struggling Writer of 18 Years was one of the few female authors in the group. She had written BL before, under a different pen name. Shu Yang: Ah, let¡¯s not talk about this. Keep word sprinting. Su Yuyang worried that the matter would get out of hand, so he quickly got the conversation back on topic, but somebody had caught hold of Professional Struggling Writer of 18 Years and wouldn¡¯t let go, insisting on arguing it out with her. Seeing a good word sprint about to turn into a heated argument, Su Yuyang somewhat regretted bringing up this topic. Su Yuyang had only had a flash of inspiration and wanted to test the group¡¯s reaction to homosexuality, and¡­ ah, Su Yuyang heaved a long sigh. ¡°I¡¯d better keep hiding.¡± Su Yuyang looked at the group chat, where the topic had changed from homosexual people to human rights. Su Yuyang rubbed his temple. He swore that from today on he¡¯d never again discuss anything to do with homosexuality in the group. Suddenly the group chat flashed again. Su Yuyang glanced at the monitor. Mu Yu and An Yuan had appeared at the same time, as if they¡¯d planned it. Both only sent a single exclamation mark. Mu Yu: Everyone, I beg you, give me your drafts! Updating is hard, and if your story¡¯s a recommended one, please don¡¯t break your update streak, or Little Black House 1 will be waiting for you! OTZ An Yuan: Everyone, I beg you, give me your drafts! Updating is hard, and if your story¡¯s a recommended one, please don¡¯t break your update streak, or Little Black House will be waiting for you! OTZ Alright, Su Yuyang understood why An Yuan and Mu Yu were so in sync. An Yuan just copied and pasted Mu Yu¡¯s words. Shu Yang: That¡¯s right, word sprint! Who¡¯s in? Blue Lake: Not in the mood. You go ahead. Following which, a string of people answered in the same way Blue Lake had. Su Yuyang shrugged, and was about to exit QQ to write when a message from Mu Yu arrived. Mu Yu: Just one sentence and you made huge waves. Are you still intending to out yourself? Shu Yang: If there¡¯s a chance, yes. Hiding and sneaking around¡¯s too painful, and my classmates might out me as a homosexual anyway. Mu Yu: Your readers are mostly male. Some things you understand, too. Shu Yang: I understand. But I don¡¯t think that liking the same sex is something to be ashamed of. Mu Yu: Ah, whatever you like. Even if you come out of the closet on your microblog right now, I have nothing to say. As long as you¡¯re not torpedoed by your fans. Shu Yang: Don¡¯t be so pessimistic. Mu Yu: Are you trying to make yourself feel better? Su Yuyang didn¡¯t reply. Mu Yu had correctly identified his inner thoughts. Su Yuyang didn¡¯t reply, so Mu Yu sent another message. Mu Yu: Give the code for Demonic Song Defying Heaven¡¯s closed beta to your assistant. Shu Yang: Thank you. Also, from now on, give the management of novel adaptation rights to Xiao Miao. I¡¯ll give you his QQ. After several seconds, Mu Yu sent a message to Su Yuyang. Mu Yu: He¡¯s actually an author under me. [Black lines] (T/N: black lines: -_-|||) Shu Yang: It¡¯s fate. Ling Miao was still writing so he wasn¡¯t online. When Ling Miao went online and found that the editor was looking for him, his first reaction was, ¡°My updates for the last few days were fine. Does he want to discontinue my book? Fuck, even if I sign a percentage division contract2 I still get discontinued¡ªis there justice in the world?!¡± Mu Yu: Xiao Miao, Shu Yang says to give the management of his novel adaptation rights to you to take care of. Seeing Mu Yu¡¯s words, Ling Miao heaved a sigh of relief, but on reading it in detail, why did he get the feeling that Su Yuyang was giving him trouble? Ling Miao intended to leave, but Su Yuyang had given his novel adaptation rights to Ling Miao to manage. Ling Miao couldn¡¯t help but suspect that Su Yuyang might be trying to use this to tie him here. Ling Miao wasn¡¯t sure how to reply to Mu Yu because once he accepted Mu Yu¡¯s task, he wouldn¡¯t be able to extricate himself from Su Yuyang for a very long time. As Ling Miao had already made up his mind to leave, this was a tragedy to him. Ling Miao stared at Mu Yu¡¯s message in a daze, and with terrible timing, his alarm sounded¡ªit was time to make dinner. Packing up his feelings, Ling Miao stood up and went to the kitchen. After making dinner, Ling Miao went to call Su Yuyang to the table. Su Yuyang glanced at the dishes on the table and suddenly didn¡¯t have much of an appetite anymore. Ling Miao saw that Su Yuyang had his chopsticks raised but wasn¡¯t moving, and asked worriedly, ¡°Why aren¡¯t you eating?¡± Su Yuyang put down his chopsticks and looked at the rice in the bowl which resembled porridge, and asked worriedly, ¡°Is something the matter? These dishes today aren¡¯t up to your usual standard.¡± ¡°I was thinking of something Mu Yu sent me in the afternoon.¡± ¡°That was my suggestion. He¡¯s only my editor but the things he takes care of are far beyond what he should need to be responsible for. After all, you¡¯re my assistant.¡± ¡°And what if I¡¯m not?¡± Ling Miao said dazedly. ¡°Are you intending to resign?¡± Su Yuyang asked jokingly. Ling Miao didn¡¯t answer. He glanced at the pathetic dishes on the table, got up, took it all into the kitchen, then came back with two packets of instant noodles. ¡°We¡¯ll just eat this.¡± Ling Miao looked apologetically at Su Yuyang. Su Yuyang only nodded to indicate he was fine with it. ¡°Xiao Miao, do you think that if readers knew I was homosexual, would there be more of them who renounced me or more of them who supported me?¡± After dinner, Su Yuyang suddenly posed a question to Ling Miao. Ling Miao raised his head, only to meet Su Yuyang¡¯s deathly still eyes. Ling Miao knew that consoling words had no effect on Su Yuyang, and he also knew that Su Yuyang coming out of the closet would make huge waves in his readership. Maybe some would turn from a fan to a casual fan to an anti-fan, or maybe some would, out of pity¡ªpity. That was a strange way to say it. ¡°Either way, you¡¯ve earned enough money. As long as you don¡¯t pick up a gambling habit, you¡¯ve enough to spend for this lifetime. If you want to come out of the closet, wait till you¡¯ve found your other half¡ªwith one more person to share the burden, you¡¯ll be more relaxed.¡± Ling Miao¡¯s voice was steady at first, but at the end he smiled craftily. ¡°You¡¯re in favor of me coming out of the closet?¡± A glimmer flashed across Su Yuyang¡¯s gray eyes. Ling Miao smiled and said: ¡°I like your work, not you as a person. Whether you like men or women has very little to do with me.¡± ¡°But you¡¯re a man.¡± ¡°But I don¡¯t like men.¡± ¡°Maybe you do like men and haven¡¯t discovered it yet.¡± ¡°Even if I like a man, that man won¡¯t necessarily be you¡ªmaybe it¡¯ll be Linxi.¡± ¡°But he doesn¡¯t like men.¡± ¡°Who knows? Mm, maybe I¡¯ll fall for Feng Ji.¡± ¡°But you¡¯re not Feng Ji¡¯s type.¡± Su Yuyang and Ling Miao argued back and forth, neither willing to compromise. From Su Yuyang¡¯s perspective, if Ling Miao fell for a man, that man would definitely be Su Yuyang. Ling Miao, on the other hand, felt that if he fell for a man, that man would definitely not be Su Yuyang. The day passed amidst these arguments, and under Su Yuyang¡¯s strong request (command), Ling Miao had no choice but to move his bed elsewhere. Life had regained its former calm, and Ling Miao gradually took on the duties around managing Su Yuyang¡¯s novel adaptation rights. The only thing that left Ling Miao dissatisfied was that he seemed to have no way to resign, again. After writing the update for several days later, Ling Miao clicked open the document Su Yuyang had just sent over. In the distance, a white shadow arced across the heavens as it shot toward Yan Luo. Yan Luo narrowed his eyes and waited calmly for this elite¡ªhe did not know if the newcomer would be friend or foe¡ªeven though the two were very far apart, Yan Luo could feel a very real pressure. The white shadow came to a halt in front of Yan Luo. On a flying sword stood a man. The folds of the man¡¯s white robes were adrift in the air, as if he were a celestial being. His faint smile was somewhat intimate, but a stunning cold light flashed through his eyes. The white-robed man leapt off the flying sword and made a fist and palm salute3 to Yan Luo. ¡°I am Ling Miao of the Two Heavenly Cities¡­¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Ling Miao was surprised to see his own name appear in Su Yuyang¡¯s book, but his name was pretty normal, and maybe Su Yuyang had already thought of it before. But then he thought about Su Yuyang asking him if he wanted to cameo, and wasn¡¯t sure if Su Yuyang had already decided beforehand to write in a character ¡°Ling Miao¡± or if Su Yuyang was intentionally tossing Ling Miao into the story to have fun with. Ling Miao held back the impulse to question Su Yuyang and continued to edit, but this feeling of empathy was too strong. Ling Miao kept feeling that Ling Miao #2 was actually himself, and reading about Ling Miao #2 getting hit in the face by the protagonist, Ling Miao actually felt his own face hurt. ¡°Motherfucker, can I even edit properly from now on?¡± Ling Miao wanted to smash the keyboard, but then remembered Su Yuyang saying that his keyboard had cost almost a thousand bucks. So Ling Miao vented all his anger on the bed. Actually, Ling Miao could just do this¡ªCtrl+H and change all instances of ¡°Ling Miao¡± to someone else¡¯s name. Inhaling sharply, Ling Miao continued to drag the scrollbar. When he saw the last line, he felt that his lungs were going to burst. [Table of Contents] | [Chaleuria is on Twitter!] Translation notes: [1] Little Black House: a writing program that forcibly removes all other distractions by presenting only a black screen for writing on [2] There are three main types of contracts signed by web novelists: Percentage division: The most common contract type where the author earns 50% of proceeds. Some sites have different rates. Complete purchase: The publisher buys the rights to the novel and pays the author by the word. The author doesn¡¯t own the novel rights, but is guaranteed an income. Percentage division with a minimum: A combination of the other two methods. No matter how the novel sells, the author will get some proceeds, but if the novel sells well and exceeds a given ¡®minimum¡¯, then the extra will be percentage divided between the author and publisher [3] Fist and palm salute: general gesture of goodwill in cultivation novels Chapter 044 The Complete Guide to the Use and Care of a Personal Assistant Translator: Jury Editor: NomNom First Published on Chaleuria ¡ª Chapter Forty-four ¡°Thanks to my assistant Xiao Miao, the friendly sponsor for the character ¡®Ling Miao.¡¯ Relax, I won¡¯t treat you badly.¡± Indeed, it¡¯s me! Ling Miao was glad, but it wasn¡¯t long before the elation turned to worry: ¡°Ah, why did Su Yuyang suddenly toss me into his book?¡± Ling Miao, did you forget that you made the Great Shu cameo in your book? To Ling Miao¡¯s knowledge, Su Yuyang didn¡¯t read his novel, so he didn¡¯t think that Su Yuyang was aware of Su Yuyang #2¡¯s existence. If Ling Miao had known that Su Yuyang knew about Su Yuyang #2, then he wouldn¡¯t have found it strange that he appeared in Su Yuyang¡¯s book, but Ling Miao didn¡¯t know! Ling Miao¡¯s eyes seemed to shoot jets of fire as they scanned the last line of the chapter. He felt that Su Yuyang¡¯s last line needed to be interpreted differently: Relax, I won¡¯t treat you badly. I¡¯ll only torture you ¡®til you die. Ling Miao shuddered and thought: I didn¡¯t provoke you, did I? Why do you suddenly want to torture me to death? Su Yuyang¡¯s actions had unknowingly touched Ling Miao¡¯s most sensitive nerve. Ling Miao¡¯s gaze swept across the line, ¡®Relax, I won¡¯t treat you badly,¡¯ over and over again, his grimace growing. Ling Miao had originally put Su Yuyang into his book for the sheer fun of it, and after several chapters the main character got what he needed from Su Yuyang #2 and the novel changed its setting. Su Yuyang #2 had done his work and could retreat, but since Su Yuyang was treating Ling Miao like this, Ling Miao had to retaliate, of course. ¡°He¡¯s just torturing me in the book. He thinks I can¡¯t torture back?¡± Considering his plan, Ling Miao¡¯s earlier worry vanished completely and was replaced by an inexplicable excitement, as if giving the Su Yuyang in the book some problems by letting Yan Che hit his face was a more joyous event than getting a thousand subscribers. Writers have one very good avenue for venting, which is to put the person you want to beat up into your novel and let your main character teach them a lesson on your behalf. Although doing this won¡¯t cause any real harm to the other party, consider that hundreds, maybe thousands, of people will see the person you dislike getting hit and you¡¯ll feel good! Su Yuyang in Ling Miao¡¯s novel was a neutral character. Now that Ling Miao had the thought to teach Su Yuyang a lesson in the novel, Su Yuyang #2 quickly moved toward the antagonists¡¯ camp¡ªso quickly that even a rocket would be left in the dust. Maybe it was the thought of ¡®torturing¡¯ Su Yuyang, but Ling Miao was suddenly motivated. He opened his writing document and his thoughts flowed like a river, his fingers leaving afterimages in the air. Because the chapters were queued, it was two days later when Su Yuyang saw the chapter Ling Miao had written that day. Because Su Yuyang had a new set of characters, he had used up all his stockpiled chapters. Now he wrote at night to update the next morning and wrote in the afternoon to update at night, so the ¡®competition¡¯ between the two now had a large time difference. Ling Miao had already made up his mind that he was an antagonist in Su Yuyang¡¯s book¡ªa major antagonist¡ªbut to use Su Yuyang¡¯s own words, this antagonist didn¡¯t get a lot of screen time but had a substantial effect on the main character. ¡®Didn¡¯t get a lot of screen time¡¯ suggested that ¡®Ling Miao¡¯ would quickly earn his pay and leave. As Yan Che and Ling Shuang left Chaotic Stone City, they felt a shadow following them. Yan Che pretended not to have noticed it and continued moving forward as planned until they reached the border of the northwest desert. ¡°Su Yuyang didn¡¯t send you here to escort us, surely?¡± Yan Che¡¯s gentle voice came, as if greeting a friend he hadn¡¯t seen in a long time. Su Yuyang had thought that Su Yuyang #2 would keep his neutral alignment until the character went away, but Ling Miao had made different arrangements. Like this, he would definitely become an antagonist in Ling Miao¡¯s novel. ¡°That¡¯s weird. Shouldn¡¯t this guy have rushed over here and given me a good talking-to once he noticed he¡¯d made an appearance in Massacre?¡± Given Su Yuyang¡¯s understanding of Ling Miao, the latter exploded at the slightest spark. Only mud wouldn¡¯t explode at a spark. To give Su Yuyang credit, he didn¡¯t say this out loud. If he were to say this to Ling Miao¡¯s face, Ling Miao would let him know what exactly ¡°exploded after ignition¡±¡ªand this would definitely be something carried out in the dark. Su Yuyang was smart and could guess why Ling Miao was doing this. Controlling the characters in their respective books the two of them would have a showdown without smoke or fire, and without a winner. Ling Miao wrote Su Yuyang into his books to feel better and Su Yuyang continued to write about the character ¡®Ling Miao¡¯ purely to cooperate with Ling Miao. As Ling Miao edited, he noticed that Su Yuyang hadn¡¯t written out his character yet and was tremendously happy. After all, some things were like one hand clapping: if only he played this game, he¡¯d feel petty. ¡°Su Yuyang, Su Yuyang. Since this is what you want to do,] I¡¯ll play with you. We¡¯ll see who kills who first!¡± What was this?? Clearly Su Yuyang was playing along with you! [Wipes sweat and continues.] Daily life was not affected in the least by the violence currently occurring in the books. Ling Miao and Su Yuyang conducted their usual routine and their book-war was completely invisible. The only small difference Su Yuyang noticed was that Ling Miao didn¡¯t discuss the events in Massacre of the Nine Heavens with him any more. Before this, when the two ate dinner, Ling Miao would give Su Yuyang suggestions, but from a point Su Yuyang couldn¡¯t remember Ling Miao had stopped discussing the plot with him. At the start he hadn¡¯t noticed it, but today he suddenly did. Glancing surreptitiously at Ling Miao who was concentrating on eating, a medium-sized knot appeared in Su Yuyang¡¯s heart. Probably, Ling Miao was the only person who could undo this knot. Ling Miao put his bowl down and looked at Su Yuyang, discovering that Su Yuyang¡¯s gaze was fixed directly on him. Su Yuyang¡¯s resolute expression made Ling Miao¡¯s gooseflesh rise. Ling Miao shook himself a little to rid himself of the gooseflesh, then swiftly stood up and cleared the table. The rumble of the water heater emanated from the kitchen. Su Yuyang thought for a moment, then decided to go ask Ling Miao after all. ¡°Xiao Miao.¡± Su Yuyang opened his mouth but didn¡¯t know how to continue. Asking for feedback from readers was something Su Yuyang had done five years ago. After that, even if he didn¡¯t solicit feedback, it appeared in heaps. Now that he needed to ask to Ling Miao¡¯s face, for some inexplicable reason he couldn¡¯t say anything. ¡°What is it?¡± Ling Miao asked blandly. Ling Miao¡¯s back was to Su Yuyang, so he didn¡¯t see Su Yuyang¡¯s contorted expression. But Su Yuyang didn¡¯t say anything more for a while, so Ling Miao had to raise his voice a little: ¡°Ah, the kitchen¡¯s pretty small. If you don¡¯t have any business, get out, and don¡¯t get in my way!¡± ¡°What do you think about Massacre¡¯s last few chapters?¡± ¡°The plot¡¯s moving along well and the endings always make the reader want to keep reading.¡± Ling Miao gave a simple comment, very perfunctory. Neither Su Yuyang nor Ling Miao noticed that their personalities seemed to have swapped. Ling Miao was someone who couldn¡¯t conceal his feelings, but this time, he held them in. Su Yuyang was someone who could conceal them and wouldn¡¯t talk about the things on his mind unless it was absolutely necessary, but today he was the first to get anxious. This had hit a sore spot in Ling Miao, and another unknown emotion was added to the knot in Su Yuyang¡¯s heart. Su Yuyang wasn¡¯t short of breath, but his chest was tight. He needed to find an outlet, so¡­. Returning to his bedroom, Su Yuyang vented all his emotions into the novel. He happened to have written up to a fight scene and he had something to say, so the fight scenes flowed as easily as riding a cloud over running water, murderous and decisive. He almost didn¡¯t have to think at all. Finishing the chapter, Su Yuyang read it over from beginning to end and was quite satisfied, although there were a few too many typos OTZ (T/N: this ¡®OTZ¡¯ and the missing period are in the original text) As for the person who was getting beat up in this chapter¡­ naturally, it was ¡®Ling Miao.¡¯ ¡°Fuck, he beats me up so badly even my childhood love wouldn¡¯t know me. Su Yuyang, you really think I won¡¯t break all your limbs?¡± With this back and forth, the two seemed to be using their novels to wage war, but with the development of the plot, Su Yuyang reached the point where he had no option but to kill ¡®Ling Miao¡¯ off. ¡°He¡¯s dead?¡± As these words left his mouth, Ling Miao felt that his lower jaw had shifted position. He pushed his jaw lightly with one hand and once it had returned to its original place, he slammed down hard on the keyboard: ¡°Fuck you, Su Yuyang, you actually started killing earlier than I did! If that¡¯s the case, I¡¯m not standing on ceremony!¡± Although neither party had said out loud that this was a war, Ling Miao still felt that he had lost. Actually, Ling Miao had also guessed that ¡®Ling Miao¡¯ would die soon, but he hadn¡¯t thought Su Yuyang would write this quickly. Looking at the paragraph describing ¡®Ling Miao¡¯¡¯s death, Ling Miao felt deeply that Su Yuyang had done this intentionally¨Cfuck it, someone fell from the sky and knocked ¡®Ling Miao¡¯ dead! ¡®Ling Miao¡¯ was one of the world¡¯s elites, and he was killed by someone falling! This death was so unjustified. Ling Miao was dissatisfied. He made up his mind that ¡®Su Yuyang¡¯ would die slowly and torturously! A battle without smoke or fire concluded and the end of May arrived. Su Yuyang got up early, ate breakfast, and left the house¡ªwithout calling Ling Miao along¡ªthis was different from his usual routine. Ling Miao watched Su Yuyang¡¯s departing silhouette, and although he had the impulse to find out what was happening, he also knew the meaning of ¡°curiosity killed the cat.¡± Su Yuyang hadn¡¯t left Ling Miao any tasks and Ling Miao wouldn¡¯t find things to do on his own. He went on QQ and a notification lit up in the ¡®tasks¡¯ section not long after. It was a message from Ji Linxi, who had sent Ling Miao news he had anticipated for a long time. ZeroSecondsAgo: You¡¯re saying your company has an opening? Ji Linxi: Hu Lin¡¯s overseas for business and handed the interviews over to the assistant manager. If you want to come, do it now. A lot of people apply to this position. ZeroSecondsAgo: I remember you still have several copies of my resume. Help me reserve a place and I¡¯ll try to settle matters here with Su Yuyang before June. Ji Linxi: You¡¯re really going to give up the assistant job? ZeroSecondsAgo: Although the work is easy and the pay¡¯s pretty good, this boss¡­ heh heh, he¡¯s even more of a bastard than Hu Lin. He¡¯s a king among bastards. Ten-plus minutes later, Su Yuyang returned. ¡°Xiao Miao, come over.¡± Hearing Su Yuyang¡¯s call, Ling Miao trembled and almost deleted what he had just written. He saved the document, and worriedly walked out of the study. [Table of Contents] | [Chaleuria is on Twitter!] Chapter 045 The Complete Guide to the Use and Care of a Personal Assistant Translator: Jury Editor: NomNom First Published on Chaleuria ¡ª Chapter Forty-five It wasn¡¯t that Ling Miao hadn¡¯t seen stacks and stacks of red Grandpa Mao1 before, but when Su Yuyang handed the stack of thin cash bills over, his heart still shook. ¡°Six thousand. Your pay for your work ¡®til now,¡± Su Yuyang said as he handed over the money. (T/N: US$874) Six thousand was a much higher amount than the salary Ling Miao had agreed on with Su Yuyang. Something occurred to Ling Miao, who watched Su Yuyang and said nothing. Su Yuyang saw Ling Miao¡¯s stunned expression and couldn¡¯t help a smile: ¡°What are you waiting for? If you don¡¯t put that away, I¡¯m taking it back.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Ling Miao said, voice unsteady. Su Yuyang smiled again. ¡°This is what you should get. What are you thanking me for?¡± ¡°Uh¡­¡± As Ling Miao held the money, guilt inexplicably rose in his heart¡ªhe was about to leave Su Yuyang, but Su Yuyang just so happened to choose this time to show gentleness. In that instant, Ling Miao suspected Su Yuyang had seen through his plans and was doing this in order to keep him. Su Yuyang didn¡¯t know what Ling Miao was thinking. He raised his head to look at Ling Miao and asked thoughtfully: ¡°Are you going home?¡± ¡°Mm?¡± Ling Miao didn¡¯t understand. ¡°It¡¯s the Dragon Boat Festival.2 We have a three-day holiday from the 31st to the 2nd. If you don¡¯t go home, I won¡¯t give you those days off,¡± Su Yuyang said with a serious face. He looked like a landowner who exploited his workers, or a boss who wouldn¡¯t give an inch. Ling Miao had put the money in his pocket and was about to get his debit card from his luggage when he heard Su Yuyang¡¯s words. He turned and said angrily, ¡°Hey, you already took my weekends. Now you want to take my vacation too? Su Yuyang, how cruel can you get?¡± ¡°You aren¡¯t going home so you¡¯ll be staying here either way. Of course you¡¯ll keep working for me?¡± Su Yuyang had made up his mind and now he refused to let go like it was a matter of life or death. Ling Miao picked up the tissue box from the ottoman and used it to hit the ottoman, hard. He pointed at Su Yuyang¡¯s nose and complained: ¡°That¡¯s not the same! Either way, Su Yuyang, if you don¡¯t let me go on vacation, then I¡¯ll just not show up to work. If you don¡¯t like that, fire me!¡± If you fire me, that¡¯ll be just what I want. ¡°Ah ah ah, don¡¯t mind me.¡± Su Yuyang¡¯s stubborn attitude softened for some reason and he kept nodding as he said: ¡°The 1st to the 3rd. Arrange it however you want. But I¡¯m hungry. Go make food.¡± ¡°Wait.¡± Ling Miao walked to the door as he spoke. Su Yuyang saw Ling Miao slipping on his shoes and guessed that Ling Miao was about to do something. He suddenly instructed: ¡°Xiao Miao, on your way back, buy some yogurt at the supermarket.¡± ¡°Damn, you really take every chance to tell me to do things,¡± Ling Miao complained, but Su Yuyang knew he would definitely buy the yogurt. Ling Miao called Ji Linxi the moment he left Su Yuyang¡¯s house. ¡°Linxi, when is the interview?¡± Ling Miao asked impatiently. Linxi glanced at the calendar and said: ¡°The 30th. We have the 31st off for Dragon Boat, so the company wants to pick someone before the holiday.¡± Ji Linxi glanced around carefully as he spoke. Only when he confirmed that no one was watching him did he lower his voice and say: ¡°I¡¯ve seen the other resumes. Your chances are very good.¡± ¡°Hey, the first time I interviewed you said the same thing and look what happened?¡± Ling Miao was purely teasing. Ji Linxi understood Ling Miao¡¯s meaning. He laughed: ¡°Once bitten twice shy? Relax, this time the assistant manager is conducting the interview. He has a wife and daughter, his relationship with his wife is good and their family life is stable. He¡¯s very meticulous and won¡¯t let someone incompetent through on a pretty face.¡± Ji Linxi¡¯s words were a reassurance but Ling Miao couldn¡¯t help feeling guilty every time he thought about Su Yuyang. Ling Miao was silent for a while and Linxi asked anxiously: ¡°Are you all right?¡± ¡°Su Yuyang paid me for last month.¡± Ling Miao put his hand in his pocket, fingers brushing the money Su Yuyang had given him. The paper bills were cool but Ling Miao felt that he could feel Su Yuyang¡¯s warmth. Ji Linxi understood Ling Miao¡¯s personality. Ling Miao remembered the people who treated him well, and though he didn¡¯t always think of repaying them, he kept a good impression of them. If people treated him badly, he¡¯d also remember that, though in this case it was solely to find an opportunity to pay it back. Even a simple prank would give Ling Miao the thrill of revenge¡ªwhen Ling Miao turned off the hot water while Su Yuyang was taking a bath, it was probably because of this. From Ling Miao¡¯s perspective Su Yuyang had treated him well and also treated him badly, and he remembered all of it. When Ling Miao had to make a decision the good and the bad would be at war and during those times he needed an external force to clear his thoughts for him. Ji Linxi was very suitable to be this ¡®external force.¡¯ Before, Ji Linxi would lay out an analysis of the pros and cons for Ling Miao and make the decision for him. This time, however, he didn¡¯t do as Ling Miao hoped. Ji Linxi tapped a finger on the table, his tone frustrated but his smile huge. ¡°I don¡¯t know how you should decide,¡± Ji Linxi sighed. For the first time Ji Linxi did not give his own opinion or say that his opinion wasn¡¯t what Ling Miao wanted. Ling Miao chatted with Ji Linxi for a while more before hanging up. Walking into the stairwell a piercing golden ray blinded Ling Miao so he couldn¡¯t open his eyes. For all of May, Ling Miao had felt something was off. It had rained all May, the sun only occasionally showing its face. To Ling Miao¡¯s recollection, no past May had had weather like this. Chongqing was a furnace and the temperature in May would usually reach 30-40¡ãC (86-104¡ãF), but this May the temperature had stayed at 22-23¡ãC (71-73¡ãF). In the baking sun Ling Miao walked toward the opposite side of the road. The bank was air-conditioned and Ling Miao shivered as he entered. The combination of heat and cold was very in tune with Ling Miao¡¯s current state of mind. On one hand, the various tricks Su Yuyang had played on him made his heart cold and he wanted very much to cut Su Yuyang¡¯s hands off, but the moment Su Yuyang showed him a little gentleness he felt that Su Yuyang was actually an okay guy and alright to keep around. After depositing the money, Ling Miao reluctantly walked out of the bank and the sunlight again left him unable to open his eyes. ¡°So troublesome,¡± Ling Miao grimaced as he walked toward the supermarket. The supermarket was halfway down a road only accessible by foot. On Ling Miao¡¯s usual route there, W&S was on one side. Ling Miao walked his usual route to the supermarket and was unexpectedly stopped by Feng Ji. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Ling Miao asked, tone unfriendly. Bullshit. You walk under the hot sun for five or six minutes and already you can wring water out of your clothes. Of course you want to get home quickly, but of all things to happen, somebody stands in your way. If you don¡¯t give them a good beating, that¡¯s friendly enough. ¡°You¡¯re not in a good mood,¡± Feng Ji said from under his umbrella. Ling Miao glanced at Feng Ji¡¯s umbrella and thought: Why didn¡¯t I think of taking an umbrella? ¡°Nope,¡± Ling Miao answered angrily then walked past Feng Ji. Feng Ji originally wanted to stop Ling Miao to say something, but then he saw a ¡®white horse¡¯ cruising toward them and had to give up the thought. Feng Ji didn¡¯t want to stand here with the umbrella like a statue either, but a certain someone had instructed him to do so, so he had to do it. Pity he couldn¡¯t out-talk that person. The ¡®white horse¡¯ stopped in front of Feng Ji. The car windows rolled down, the woman inside with big sunglasses wearing a hint of a smile. Though Feng Ji could not see the woman¡¯s eyes he was sure that the woman was staring at him and waiting for him to do something. Feng Ji held the umbrella and didn¡¯t move. The woman gave a ¡®hmph,¡¯ opened the door, and got out. With the passenger seat open, the woman spoke a few words to the driver then closed the door. The car departed. Feng Ji walked up and put the umbrella over the woman¡¯s head, saying dismally: ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you¡¯d get here on the 31st? Why push it forward?¡± ¡°To get used to the venue,¡± the woman said with a yawn, tone indolent with a hint of tiredness. Feng Ji knew the woman had just gotten off a plane and didn¡¯t ask further. He led the woman upstairs, thinking: Why did she come here? Shouldn¡¯t she have gone directly to Su Yuyang¡¯s house as usual? The woman seemed to have guessed Feng Ji¡¯s thoughts. She said with a smile: ¡°If you call Su Yuyang and tell him I¡¯m here, I¡¯ll keep staying here and not leave.¡± ¡°I¡­ Yan Li, Superstar Yan, my small shop isn¡¯t big enough to hold your reputation!¡± Feng Ji wanted to cry. Yan Li, who had started her career at 21, was a very popular idol singer. Wherever she went she would make waves with her music. If her fans knew she was here, Feng Ji could probably shut down shop and wouldn¡¯t be able to live a peaceful life either. Until now Yan Li had not had a single line of gossip appear and Feng Ji certainly didn¡¯t want to be Yan Li¡¯s first rumored boyfriend. ¡°Oh, right. Who¡¯s the guy you were speaking to just now?¡± Yan Li¡¯s inner gossip was inexplicably ignited. Yan Li knew Feng Ji¡¯s personality and the two had fought over a certain someone before. It was also that fight which had cemented the friendship between the three of them. Feng Ji could read Yan Li¡¯s hidden intent. He rolled his eyes at Yan Li and said mysteriously, ¡°The assistant at Su Yuyang¡¯s house.¡± Yan Li looked at Feng Ji thoughtfully. Seeing the laugh in Feng Ji¡¯s eyes she grew even more curious, but Feng Ji had fled! ¡°Fuck!¡± Yan Li cursed quietly, picking up a cardboard roll beside her and throwing it through the doorway. Feng Ji looked at the cardboard roll which had rolled next to his feet, saying in shock: ¡°Lucky I ran quickly.¡± Ling Miao bought the yogurt and several days¡¯ worth of instant noodles for Su Yuyang, then started off home. To avoid running into Feng Ji and getting waylaid, Ling Miao took a different way home. Ling Miao put the yogurt in the fridge then carried the instant noodles over to Su Yuyang: ¡°Su-ge, I won¡¯t be around for the three days of Dragon Boat. I¡¯ve prepared the food for you for those three days.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good, go back and see your parents,¡± Su Yuyang said, downcast. Ling Miao asked curiously: ¡°Aren¡¯t you going home?¡± Su Yuyang stared at the ceiling, a flash of sorrow in his eyes: ¡°My parents don¡¯t let me go back.¡± Something occurred to Ling Miao but in order not to touch Su Yuyang¡¯s wounds, Ling Miao held it back. Su Yuyang saw sympathy in Ling Miao¡¯s eyes and explained: ¡°My parents didn¡¯t chase me out because I was gay. When I came to Chongqing for university, they said: ¡°If you come back alone, I¡¯ll kick you out the door.¡± I came out to my parents when I was in high school. My parents are pretty open-minded, and they¡¯ve accepted the fact that they won¡¯t have a daughter-in-law. Though my mom really wants grandchildren.¡± Ling Miao caught the faint sorrow in Su Yuyang¡¯s expression, but he didn¡¯t know if Su Yuyang¡¯s sadness was out of not being able to bring a partner home or not being able to give his mother grandchildren. [Table of Contents] | [Chaleuria is on Twitter!] Translation notes: [1] Chinese yuan paper money has a picture of Chairman Mao on it [2] Dragon Boat festival: The 5th day of the 5th month of the lunar calendar. Celebrated to remember an advisor who jumped into a river when the state he served was losing a war, and commemorates loyalty. People also race in dragon-shaped boats Chapter 046 The Complete Guide to the Use and Care of a Personal Assistant Translator: Jury Editor: NomNom First Published on Chaleuria ¡ª Chapter Forty-six Of course, Feng Ji hadn¡¯t told Su Yuyang that Yan Li had arrived early so Su Yuyang was still very leisurely reading Ling Miao¡¯s update. ¡°Mm?¡± Su Yuyang¡¯s eyes went wide. He saw that he had died. Su Yuyang didn¡¯t know when Ling Miao had written the chapter, but one thing he could be sure of was that Ling Miao had written it after Su Yuyang had killed off Ling Miao #2. ¡°Ling Miao.¡± Su Yuyang inexplicably smiled. The smile was probably a grimace but it also showed hints of indulgence, so it looked rather ambiguous. Su Yuyang wrote down on paper the detailed outline of this chapter and his analysis, then got up and walked out of the room. It was close to noon and Ling Miao was in the kitchen cooking. Su Yuyang walked to the kitchen doorway and watched Ling Miao¡¯s busy silhouette. A great sense of satisfaction made him feel that life like this was what he needed. After lunch, Su Yuyang called Ling Miao over, which Ling Miao casually refused. Su Yuyang was a little disappointed, which led him to demand a word sprint in the group chat. Nobody replied to him but the great sense of failure turned into motivation and with a cold ¡®hmph¡¯ Su Yuyang began to word sprint on his own. Ling Miao carefully pulled open Su Yuyang¡¯s bedroom door, peeking at Su Yuyang through the crack. Seeing that Su Yuyang was currently completely focused on writing, Ling Miao¡¯s tightly wound heart relaxed. Ling Miao went to the balcony, took his clothes down, and put them in his suitcase. Then he tidied his storage box, and finally his gaze fell on the suitcase containing his books. Every book was one he liked, and he also still hoped that one day Shu Yang would sign the books. But now that the chance was at hand, he gave up because he felt that Su Yuyang was too despicable a person. Just despicable. Ling Miao tidied all his things and waited for Su Yuyang to come out. Su Yuyang came out from his room and immediately saw Ling Miao sitting on the sofa. He said, ¡°Mm,¡± as if not understanding why Ling Miao was sitting there. ¡°Xiao Miao, I¡¯ve sent you a QQ with the draft. When you have time, edit it. I¡¯m going to the gym.¡± Hearing Su Yuyang¡¯s voice, Ling Miao came back to his senses. He nodded and didn¡¯t say anything. Su Yuyang felt that something was off with Ling Miao. His forehead creased and he asked worriedly, ¡°Xiao Miao, did something happen?¡± ¡°Ah?¡± Ling Miao stared at Su Yuyang in a daze, eyes caught between longing and conflict. Su Yuyang had already opened the door but seeing Ling Miao¡¯s state, he became worried and walked back. Su Yuyang sat beside Ling Miao, placing his hand on Ling Miao¡¯s forehead, and after confirming that Ling Miao didn¡¯t have a fever he relaxed a little. Ling Miao let Su Yuyang put his hand on his forehead, let Su Yuyang¡¯s breath fall on his face, and even though his heart called out for him to punch Su Yuyang so hard he¡¯d be left hanging from the wall, his hands tightened into fists but uneasily hung at his sides. Su Yuyang patted his shoulders, saying affectionately: ¡°Take care of yourself. If you get sick, no one¡¯s there to take care of you.¡± ¡°Tcheh.¡± Ling Miao put up a strong front and let out a cold huff. Su Yuyang didn¡¯t say anything, only looked at Ling Miao with a smile. Ling Miao felt that Su Yuyang¡¯s gaze was warm, but in the warmth there were hints of a stronger heat. Ling Miao lowered his head to avoid Su Yuyang¡¯s gaze but his heart was pounding like he¡¯d just run a mile. Ling Miao¡¯s lowered eyes met Su Yuyang¡¯s toes. Suddenly he gave Su Yuyang a punch, using a lecturing tone: ¡°Hey, Su Yuyang, don¡¯t you know to change into slippers when you come in the house?! You tracked dirt all over the ground! I have to clean it again, fuck it!¡± If Ling Miao¡¯s previous tone was warm, now¡­ even though it was still warm, Su Yuyang couldn¡¯t understand how Ling Miao¡¯s emotional state had changed so fast. Su Yuyang froze. Ling Miao pushed at Su Yuyang¡¯s shoulder and said: ¡°Get out, or change your shoes.¡± Remembering that he still had to go out, Su Yuyang hurriedly agreed: ¡°I¡¯m leaving. Don¡¯t make dinner tonight. I¡¯ll treat you to hot pot.¡± The door shut and Ling Miao¡¯s heart jumped. Time passed quietly. Only when Ling Miao estimated Su Yuyang had reached the ground floor did he go over to the window to confirm it. Su Yuyang¡¯s silhouette gradually grew more distant, the ant-sized silhouette finally disappearing before Ling Miao¡¯s eyes. Ling Miao lay on the sofa, looking at his phone, hesitating as he decided whether to call Ji Linxi. ¡°Since I¡¯ve decided to go, why am I still dithering?¡± Ling Miao said self-mockingly, then called Ji Linxi. Yesterday, Ling Miao had informed Ji Linxi that he needed help to move his stuff today, so Ji Linxi had taken the afternoon off. On getting Ling Miao¡¯s call, Ji Linxi actually really wished that Ling Miao would tell him, ¡°Linxi, I¡¯m not moving anymore.¡± But this hope was in direct conflict with reality. ¡°Linxi, he¡¯s gone.¡± Ling Miao¡¯s intentions were clear the moment he opened his mouth. ¡°Roger. I¡¯m on my way.¡± This wasn¡¯t Ji Linxi¡¯s first time at Su Yuyang¡¯s house. He knew the roads and quickly arrived at Su Yuyang¡¯s apartment, where Ling Miao had already opened the door. ¡°Still just these things?¡± Ji Linxi was stunned. ¡°If not?¡± Ling Miao shrugged. The things were piled by the door. Ji Linxi and Ling Miao took several items each and prepared to move them, but a woman blocked their way. ¡°Who are you?¡± The woman leaned against the wall, one leg on the handrail along the stairs, blocking Ling Miao and Ji Linxi¡¯s way. With his way blocked, Ling Miao cursed his bad luck. Looking at Ling Miao¡¯s frown and the frustration on his face, the woman¡¯s gaze instantly sharpened. She narrowed her eyes at the two men in front of her, probing: ¡°You¡¯re thieves?¡± Ji Linxi almost fainted. If they really were thieves, would the woman still be standing there without a scratch? Ji Linxi labeled her ¡°stupid¡± and stared at her, suddenly finding her familiar. Ji Linxi¡¯s gaze swept over the woman, who let Ji Linxi look her over without any frustration or anger. She even corrected her posture. Ji Linxi felt that this woman was like a sheathed sword: the moment it was unsheathed, he and Ling Miao would instantly be killed. ¡°Where¡¯s Su Yuyang?¡± Hearing the words ¡°Su Yuyang,¡± Ling Miao was the first to react. These three words let Ling Miao know that this woman was acquainted with Su Yuyang. Ling Miao¡¯s fingers tightened into a fist. Something seemed to occur to the woman, who pointed at Ling Miao and said in wonder: ¡°You¡¯re Su Yuyang¡¯s assistant!¡± Ling Miao nodded stiffly. ¡°You stole Su Yuyang¡¯s things and are on the run?¡± the woman asked in a joking tone. Ling Miao was about to explain when he heard Ji Linxi¡¯s voice. ¡°Ling Miao, are you going or not? If you¡¯re going, don¡¯t waste time talking to her or Su Yuyang might come back,¡± Ji Linxi said impatiently, then picked up his things and walked towards the stairs. But the woman¡¯s leg was still in the way. ¡°Please move aside,¡± Ji Linxi said hurriedly, his gaze shifty like he was trying to escape something. Watching Ji Linxi¡¯s blank face and hearing his cold tone, the woman thought that people shouldn¡¯t be so cold.Å®ÈËûÓÐÈ㬷´¶øÓÃÌôÐƵÄÑÛÉñ¶ÔÉϼÍÁÖÎõ»ÅÂÒÓлðÐǵÄíø×Ó¡£ The woman didn¡¯t move aside and instead met Ji Linxi¡¯s panicked gaze with a challenging gaze of her own. Seeing that neither Ji Linxi nor the woman were standing down, Ling Miao took a deep breath and said weakly, ¡°I quit, so I¡¯m moving out.¡± The woman shook her head, indicating her disbelief. Ling Miao was also getting impatient. He was worried that the woman was stalling for time¡ªonce Su Yuyang came back, it wouldn¡¯t be nearly as easy for him to leave. Not that Su Yuyang would get in the way¡ªLing Miao was worried that his hard-won resolve to leave would be shaken. ¡°Whether you believe it or not, I¡¯ve resigned,¡± Ling Miao said in a low voice. Ling Miao¡¯s words were steady and sincere, but the woman continued to shake her head. Ling Miao¡¯s patience had been completely worn out. He grit his teeth and cleared his throat: ¡°I have motherfucking quit. Why can¡¯t I leave? Who are you? On what grounds are you poking your nose into Su Yuyang¡¯s business? Even if you can order Su Yuyang around, on what grounds are you trying to mind my business? Are you a decoy sent by Su Yuyang to stall for time? Ah, even if Su Yuyang comes back, I¡¯ll still leave. I¡¯m not happy! I want to leave! If you keep blocking my way I won¡¯t stand on ceremony!¡± ¡°Won¡¯t stand on ceremony?¡± Ripples of emotion surfaced in the woman¡¯s calm eyes, excitement in her faint smile. Right there in front of Ling Miao, the woman pulled out her cellphone and punched in a number, then put it on speakerphone. ¡°Yan Yan, what made you suddenly think to call me?¡± Su Yuyang¡¯s clear voice entered Ling Miao¡¯s ears. This confirmed without a doubt that not only was the woman called Yan Yan friends with Su Yuyang, from Su Yuyang¡¯s familiar tone, their relationship was more than just ordinary. But Ling Miao also heard a different emotion from Su Yuyang¡ª a frustration of wanting to cry and not being able to, sorrow underlying a forced smile as he wiped tears from his eyes. Could be man or woman, dominant or submissive, butch or femme. The words hidden in the depths of Ling Miao¡¯s mind sprang out¡ªthis was how Su Yuyang had described the owner of the bed in the study to Ling Miao. The woman who came looking for Su Yuyang was, of course, Yan Li, who had wanted to give Su Yuyang a fright, but even before seeing Su Yuyang she had met his little assistant who was trying to run away. ¡°I¡¯m at your door. Your little assistant is running away,¡± Yan Li drawled, her teasing tone making Ling Miao go red in the face. Your little assistant, your little assistant. Why did it sound so intimate? ¡°He¡¯s leaving?¡± Su Yuyang shouted in surprise, his shout instantly turning Ling Miao¡¯s earlier ¡°I have motherfucking quit¡± into a lie. Yan Li watched Ling Miao with a cold smile. Ling Miao felt that a gust of cold wind had blown across his neck, and reflexively shrank backwards into his collar. ¡°He¡­ why is he leaving?¡± Su Yuyang murmured to himself. ¡°Why not ask him?¡± The chill in Yan Li¡¯s eyes intensified. Ling Miao tried to hide behind Ji Linxi, but Ji Linxi dragged him back out. ¡°Since Ling Miao doesn¡¯t want to continue working, I think his boss has to take a lot of responsibility for that.¡± Ji Linxi¡¯s voice was completely flat, as steady as an arrow piercing Su Yuyang¡¯s heart. ¡°Yan Yan, let him go.¡± Su Yuyang seemed to be standing in a snowy realm. Even though his arms and legs were almost frozen solid, he still insisted on walking, so of course, he ended up falling. The assistant¡¯s boss had spoken and Yan Li didn¡¯t have a reason to keep Ling Miao any longer. ¡°Ling Miao, you don¡¯t want to go either, do you?¡± Yan Li was still leaning against the wall, her gaze remaining fixed on Ling Miao. Ling Miao seemed to notice it and turned his head toward Yan Li. Yan Li gave him a faint smile and Ling Miao looked away out of discomfort. ¡°There¡¯s something up with these two!¡± Yan Li¡¯s faint smile was crafty and ¡°nosy cells¡± were currently dividing within her body. [Table of Contents] | [Chaleuria is on Twitter!] Chapter 047 The Complete Guide to the Use and Care of a Personal Assistant Translator: Jury Editor: NomNom First Published on Chaleuria ¡ª Chapter Forty-seven In silent agreement, neither Yan Li nor Su Yuyang mentioned the matter with Ling Miao. Su Yuyang had made reservations for hot pot. After Ling Miao had left, Su Yuyang and Yan Li headed over, Yan Li casually calling Feng Ji to join them. Su Yuyang drank glass after glass of beer but didn¡¯t eat much of the food in the pot. Feng Ji cooked a piece of tripe and tossed it into Su Yuyang¡¯s bowl, but Su Yuyang didn¡¯t see it. ¡°Hey, Yan Li.¡± Feng Ji scooted closer and asked worriedly by her ear, ¡°What¡¯s up with Yuyang? Usually when I give him tripe he whacks me with his beer glass. But today he¡¯s only concerned with drinking?¡± Yan Li took the piece of tripe from Su Yuyang¡¯s bowl, put it into her mouth and chewed twice, then spit it out. She took a sip of tea and made a disdainful gesture toward Feng Ji: ¡°No wonder Old Su1 doesn¡¯t eat the tripe you cook. It¡¯s overcooked.¡± Yan Li intentionally changed the subject and Feng Ji didn¡¯t pursue the matter further. Su Yuyang put down his glass and said dejectedly: ¡°Have I failed as a boss?¡± ¡°Why do you think so?¡± Feng Ji asked, but he was silently sighing: You didn¡¯t fail. You¡¯re just not suitable to be a boss. Feng Ji didn¡¯t know how Ling Miao and Su Yuyang usually interacted but from Ling Miao¡¯s complaints against Su Yuyang, although Su Yuyang didn¡¯t exploit his workers, he had done various things to make Ling Miao uncomfortable. Su Yuyang had asked if he had failed as a boss, so Su Yuyang¡¯s current half-dead state had to do with Ling Miao. Thinking of Ling Miao, Feng Ji glanced around and didn¡¯t find him there. ¡°Ling Miao¡¯s not here?¡± ¡°I gave him three days off, and he gave me forever off.¡± Su Yuyang poured another glass of beer, the smile on his face more bitter than a bitter gourd. The bitter taste of beer filled Su Yuyang¡¯s mouth. As it slid down his throat, the sourness almost emerged from his eyes. Su Yuyang finally fell over. Feng Ji settled the bill and wondered how to deal with Su Yuyang. Yan Li said matter-of-factly: ¡°You carry him home, of course.¡± Feng Ji¡¯s legs went weak and he almost knelt in front of Yan Li. Motherfucker! Su Yuyang lived on the tenth floor and there was no elevator! Taking the stairs to the tenth floor was exhausting enough, and he had to carry a 110-pound object on top of that. A wave of dizziness passed over Feng Ji and he was considering finding a couple of strong guys to carry Su Yuyang up to the tenth floor when he glanced again at Yan Li¡¯s grinning face. He instantly put Su Yuyang on his back. In the stairwell, the sounds of Feng Ji panting mingled with the clack of Yan Li¡¯s high heels on the cement floor. Feng Ji was following behind Yan Li, and as he watched Yan Li¡¯s carefree silhouette he couldn¡¯t help complaining: ¡°You¡¯re stronger than me! Why am I carrying him?¡± ¡°Because he¡¯s your ex,¡± Yan Li said matter-of-factly. Fuck, he¡¯s an ex, not a current boyfriend! Feng Ji complained in his heart. ¡°Hey, Feng Ji, I think it¡¯s weird how Ling Miao left. Surely Old Su didn¡¯t do anything to him to make him want to run away?¡± Yan Li looked at Su Yuyang¡¯s unconscious body and asked the out-of-breath Feng Ji. Feng Ji lay against the back of the sofa, breathing great gulps of fresh air. He panted, ¡°Surely Yuyang¡¯s not so starved he eats indiscriminately, don¡¯t you know?¡± ¡°So starved he eats indiscriminately?¡± Thinking of Ling Miao¡¯s appearance, Yan Li then put Su Yuyang¡¯s face beside Ling Miao¡¯s, and finally rejected Feng Ji¡¯s thoughts. ¡°They actually look pretty good together.¡± Feng Ji glanced at Su Yuyang and silently pleaded: Yuyang, I¡¯m not betraying you. I¡¯m telling Xiao Li for your own good. ¡°Xiao Li, I have something to tell you.¡± For some reason, Ling Miao¡¯s old spot hadn¡¯t been rented out, and now that Ling Miao had returned, the landlord jeered as Ling Miao handed over the money and moved back in. Lying on the bed, Ling Miao¡¯s face was steeped in satisfaction. ¡°Linxi, this isn¡¯t a place I can call my own, but I feel very comfortable.¡± ¡°How so?¡± Ji Linxi wiped the sweat from his forehead. ¡°If it were me, I¡¯d prefer a spacious room.¡± ¡°Being back here¡­ Even though the ceiling¡¯s very close to me, I don¡¯t feel pressured. In Su Yuyang¡¯s house, I can¡¯t touch the ceiling, but I feel him above my head such that I can¡¯t stretch out fully. I also have the feeling I¡¯m freeloading and, even scarier, there¡¯s some unknown feeling pressing down on me so that I can¡¯t breathe.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t talk about those things. Go and eat.¡± If Ji Linxi hadn¡¯t mentioned food Ling Miao would have been fine, but now that he had, Ling Miao felt hungry. Seeing Ji Linxi put on his shoes and prepare to go out, Ling Miao frowned and asked: ¡°You¡¯re all dressed up. Going on a blind date?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going out to eat, boy.¡± Ji Linxi raised a hand to smack Ling Miao¡¯s forehead. Ling Miao cursed, then rolled over and said: ¡°Bring me something back.¡± ¡°How do I bring back hot pot?¡± ¡°Hot pot?¡± Ling Miao sat up and licked his lips. ¡°You¡¯re really going all out.¡± ¡°Mm. Company gave me a voucher,¡± Ji Linxi explained. In a great coincidence, the hot pot restaurant that had sponsored Ji Linxi¡¯s voucher was also the restaurant Su Yuyang had made reservations at. The hot pot place was packed and there were few empty tables, but Ling Miao and Ji Linxi were only two people so they ate at a two-person table in the corner. Su Yuyang, Yan Li, and Feng Ji didn¡¯t notice Ling Miao¡¯s presence, but Ling Miao saw Su Yuyang getting carried out by Feng Ji. ¡°Worried about him?¡± Ji Linxi teased. Ling Miao picked up some duck intestine from the pot and put it in his mouth, saying leisurely: ¡°Worried about who? I¡¯m more worried about my job.¡± ¡°The interview¡¯s tomorrow. Nervous?¡± Ji Linxi put down his chopsticks and asked somberly. Ling Miao said confidently, ¡°Relax. I¡¯ll definitely pass.¡± When Su Yuyang awoke the next day, he seemed to already have forgotten the previous day¡¯s events. Looking at the empty table, he yelled out of habit: ¡°Xiao Miao, where¡¯s breakfast?¡± Ling Miao didn¡¯t answer. Su Yuyang went to the kitchen and the bathroom to look¡ªno one was there. He then looked at the corner, where all the things that had belonged to Ling Miao had been moved away. Ling Miao¡¯s things had occupied only a corner of the living room, a space that wasn¡¯t very big, but also wasn¡¯t very small. Now, Su Yuyang felt the living room was very empty. Before Ling Miao, he had never thought this, but now that Ling Miao had left, he felt it. Su Yuyang understood one thing¡ªLing Miao had left an indelible mark on his life. Su Yuyang could distinctly feel something he didn¡¯t understand but should understand growing in his heart, about to emerge. Yan Li moved into Su Yuyang¡¯s house. On the day she arrived she had bunked with Feng Ji for a day, then felt that the place was too small¡ªshe couldn¡¯t even turn over without almost falling out of bed. So, on the second day, she decisively moved into Su Yuyang¡¯s house. Yan Li had come to Su Yuyang¡¯s place to vacation and relax, so of course she wanted to rest well. But Su Yuyang had started yelling very early in the morning and completely chased away her desire to doze. With thoroughly reddened eyes and a head of bed hair like a bale of hay, Yan Li dragged her sore body to the door. ¡°What¡¯re you yelling about? Will you let me sleep?¡± Yan Li yawned and said, ¡°Ling Miao left yesterday, didn¡¯t he? Stop yelling and go and write. If you¡¯re hungry, ask Feng Ji to bring some breakfast over, and bring me some as well.¡± Yan Li turned and entered her room. She lay on the bed but didn¡¯t sleep. ¡°Su Yuyang, yesterday, he was so drunk, but today he doesn¡¯t have a hangover at all. Something¡¯s not right. He¡¯s always been able to hold his drink. Now that I think about it, maybe he was faking drunk yesterday,¡± Yan Li thought to herself, then turned over and kept thinking about Feng Ji¡¯s words from the day before. ¡°If Old Su really has fallen for Ling Miao, then how hasn¡¯t he discovered it? Unless, like Feng Ji said, as a participant he can¡¯t see the full picture? Then what about Ling Miao? Looking at him, his relationship with Old Su doesn¡¯t look like that of a worker with his boss, or a fan with his idol.¡± Yan Li twirled her hair, her mind as much of a mess as her hair. Feng Ji arrived quickly, but he wasn¡¯t delivering breakfast; he was delivering lunch. Yan Li¡¯s status was somewhat unique and Su Yuyang tried not to give outsiders the opportunity to see her. Su Yuyang also didn¡¯t like to go out, so for matters of food they had to trouble Feng Ji. Though Yan Li knew how to cook, whether she did or not depended on her mood. ¡°Yuyang, you have to move house!¡± Feng Ji began complaining the moment he set down the food. Yan Li walked out wearing her pajamas. She rolled her eyes at Feng Ji and laughed: ¡°If someone were to find out I was living here, at least it¡¯s quieter on the tenth floor.¡± ¡°Hey¡­¡± Su Yuyang put his head in his hands. ¡°I don¡¯t want to make the front page of a gossip rag.¡± ¡°Old Su, I think that the person on gossip rag headlines with you won¡¯t be me,¡± Yan Li said somewhat disappointedly. Su Yuyang looked at Yan Li uncomprehendingly. Feng Ji chimed in at the right time: ¡°That other person would be his little assistant, right?¡± Su Yuyang¡¯s eyes closed slowly then opened slowly. The slow-motion movement made Feng Ji¡¯s heart thump¨Che felt like he had been caught red-handed. ¡°He and I are just boss and assistant,¡± Su Yuyang explained gravely. ¡°If you continue to let that train of thought run away¡­ I think I can come up with worse. Do you want to try?¡± Anyone could hear that Feng Ji¡¯s words were purely teasing, but Su Yuyang¡¯s response worried Yan Li. To Yan Li¡¯s knowledge, Su Yuyang was a very outwardly relaxed person. To Feng Ji¡¯s joke today, Su Yuyang would previously have said something like: ¡°Just a gossip-rag boyfriend.¡± But today Su Yuyang had explained himself. From that grave expression, serious tone, and Su Yuyang¡¯s other out-of-character behavior, Yan Li sensed something ambiguous, so faint it could vanish at any time. After lunch, Su Yuyang went back to his room to write. Yan Li and Feng Ji stayed in the living room discussing something, and several minutes later Feng Ji left too. Knock knock. ¡°Come in.¡± Yan Li walked behind Su Yuyang and found him staring at his document in a daze. Yan Li had come in with a motive: she wanted Ling Miao¡¯s contact number. Initially she had intended to ask Su Yuyang for it, but Su Yuyang¡¯s good impression of a soulless body made her give up. She said: ¡°Lend me your phone.¡± Su Yuyang picked up his cellphone from the table and handed it to Yan Li, who opened the contact list and found Ling Miao¡¯s name. She sent the number to her own phone. ¡°Xiao Li, whether they get together in the end or not, I hope you won¡¯t interfere.¡± Feng Ji knew Yan Li very well, so before he left he had reminded her of this. Yan Li saved Ling Miao¡¯s number and thought: If I don¡¯t make a chance for them, even if the seeds of love are there, they might not sprout! [Table of Contents] | [Chaleuria is on Twitter!] Translation notes: [1] Old + the person¡¯s last name: a nickname between friends, usually used to address someone older. Chapter 048 The Complete Guide to the Use and Care of a Personal Assistant Translator: Jury Editor: NomNom First Published on Chaleuria ¡ª Chapter Forty-eight Ling Miao and Ji Linxi went to the company together, but at the door they met the person they least wanted to meet¡ªHu Lin! ¡°Why¡¯d he come back?¡± Ling Miao murmured frustratedly. Ji Linxi was also surprised. According to the schedule, Hu Lin should have returned after the Dragon Boat Festival, but he had returned three days early. The most important part was that if Hu Lin was at Ling Miao¡¯s interview today, Ling Miao would fail with a hundred percent certainty. Hu Lin caught sight of Ji Linxi and Ling Miao. He walked over wearing a warm smile. ¡°Good morning, Manager.¡± Ji Linxi tamped down on the disgust in his heart and greeted Hu Lin, who replied with a bland ¡®Mm¡¯ before his gaze fell on Ling Miao. ¡°He came to interview?¡± Hu Lin asked. ¡°Yes,¡± Ji Linxi replied guardedly. Hu Lin looked at Ling Miao and said pityingly: ¡°A lot of capable people are interviewing today, and the company¡¯s only hiring one person. Linxi, Ling Miao¡¯s in a pretty precarious position.¡± With these meaningful words, Hu Lin went ahead into the company building. Ji Linxi watched his departing back with a cold smile then pulled the conflicted Ling Miao aside: ¡°Don¡¯t stand there like you¡¯re guarding the company door¡ªlet¡¯s go, dumb cat!¡± ¡°You¡¯re the dumb cat.¡± Ji Linxi showed Ling Miao to the meeting room where the interview would be held, gave him some encouragement, and went to his own office. Hu Lin came back. As one of the department leads he was also one of the interviewers. With what Hu Lin had said outside the company, Ling Miao could be sure that his chances of getting this job were zero. Even if he had no chance he still wanted to try. Maybe the other interviewers would let him in? Ling Miao had underestimated Hu Lin¡¯s position in the company¡ªor perhaps he had underestimated Hu Lin¡¯s hatred toward Ji Linxi. Seeing Ling Miao walk out of the meeting room dejected and frustrated, Ji Linxi could already tell that Ling Miao hadn¡¯t passed the interview. ¡°Why did Hu Lin come back early?¡± Ling Miao asked in dissatisfaction. Thinking back to what he had heard earlier, Ji Linxi said apologetically to Ling Miao: ¡°I think he saw your resume and came back specially to stop you from getting hired.¡± ¡°Fuck, I¡­¡± Ling Miao¡¯s curse was cut off by his phone ringing. He glanced at the display: an unknown number, and a foreign number at that. Ling Miao very decisively rejected the call. ¡°Fuck. I didn¡¯t do anything to provoke him!¡± Ling Miao and Ji Linxi both understood why Hu Lin was picking on Ling Miao. Ling Miao hadn¡¯t been blaming Ji Linxi for anything, earlier; he was purely just venting his frustration. Ji Linxi awkwardly cleared his throat. ¡°If you can¡¯t get this job, then get another one, and if you really can¡¯t, then write full-time.¡± Ling Miao rolled his eyes at Ji Linxi and said coldly: ¡°You think I earn four thousand yuana month by writing? If I could, I¡¯d definitely write full time!¡± Ji Linxi didn¡¯t say anything more. He knew Ling Miao¡¯s subscription count. ¡°Let¡¯s go for lunch. My treat.¡± Ji Linxi changed the subject, but Ling Miao¡¯s cellphone rang again. ¡°Fuck, why¡¯s it him?¡± Ling Miao looked at the name on the display and didn¡¯t know whether to swipe left or right. Ji Linxi saw Ling Miao¡¯s frustration and glanced down at the screen. The words ¡®Su Yuyang¡¯ looked pretty funny from here. ¡°You¡¯ve quit and he¡¯s still looking for you. Looks like he liked your services!¡± Ji Linxi said teasingly with a shit-eating expression. Ling Miao raised his leg and brought it down on Ji Linxi¡¯s butt and Ji Linxi stumbled and fell forward. Coincidentally, Hu Lin was walking out of the office just then. The scene before Hu Lin¡¯s eyes made his smile turn into a frown. The phone had stopped ringing and Ling Miao had no intention of calling back. He put the cellphone back in his pocket and prepared to go get lunch with Ji Linxi. Then the cellphone frustratingly rang again! ¡°You¡¯d better take it.¡± Ji Linxi shrugged. ¡°Su Yuyang, if you¡¯ve got something to say spit it out. I¡¯m about to go for lunch.¡± When the call connected, Ling Miao got the first word in before the other person could say anything. His impatience was fully transmitted across the call into the recipient¡¯s ears. The person on the other end of the call laughed¡ªa snicker. ¡°Does a call from Su Yuyang¡¯s phone automatically make the caller Su Yuyang?¡± Ling Miao frowned. He couldn¡¯t find this woman¡¯s voice in his memory bank. It was a woman and she was using Su Yuyang¡¯s phone. Instantly, a face appeared before Ling Miao¡¯s eyes! ¡°Oh, it¡¯s you. Did Su Yuyang ask you to call me?¡± Ling Miao really couldn¡¯t decipher why Yan Li was calling him, so he pushed the blame for Yan Li calling him onto Su Yuyang. Maybe Su Yuyang wanted Ling Miao back but he couldn¡¯t bring himself to say it, so he had to get Yan Li to help. Yan Li laughed again. ¡°Does someone calling you using Su Yuyang¡¯s phone automatically mean Su Yuyang¡¯s looking for you?¡± ¡°We don¡¯t know each other. What business would you have with me?¡± ¡°We don¡¯t know each other but we¡¯ve chatted a little. Don¡¯t we know each other now?¡± Yan Li lowered her voice invitingly. Ling Miao felt a chill across the back of his neck as if a knife had just swiped across it. ¡°I don¡¯t think we have anything in common.¡± Ling Miao repressed the impulse to hang up the phone and kept talking out of politeness. Yan Li wanted to laugh at Ling Miao¡¯s words. She said slowly, ¡°Isn¡¯t Su Yuyang something we have in common?¡± Fine. Ling Miao was sure that Su Yuyang had sent this clown so he decisively hung up the phone. Ling Miao was someone who couldn¡¯t hide his emotions. Whether he was happy or sad, it was always written on his face. Ji Linxi glanced at Ling Miao¡¯s face and knew that Ling Miao was fretting again. He patted Ling Miao¡¯s shoulders and said gently: ¡°Let¡¯s go eat.¡± Ji Linxi and Ling Miao reached the company cafeteria with arms over each other¡¯s shoulders, and in an unfortunate coincidence Hu Lin was also eating there. Ji Linxi and Ling Miao didn¡¯t see Hu Lin, but Hu Lin saw their actions and expressions. ¡°Ji Linxi, you show me sour expressions again and again but you¡¯re so intimate with this guy. In that case, don¡¯t blame me for being cruel.¡± Pah¨C-The wooden chopsticks in Hu Lin¡¯s hand snapped in half. Yan Li looked at the words ¡®Call disconnected¡¯ on the screen and started cursing: ¡°Fuck me, you hung up before I even finished talking. Do you think I can¡¯t get your home address?¡± But thinking of her profession, Yan Li had to suppress her desire to go straight to Ling Miao¡¯s house¡ªexcept as a last resort, she would prefer not to do things that would bring her trouble. Yan Li tossed the phone aside and lay down on the bed. She crossed her arms underneath her head and looked at the ceiling, eyes slowly moving, her forehead creased in a frown. ¡°That¡¯s the only way he¡¯ll agree to meet me, right?¡± Yan Li was perplexed. She really didn¡¯t understand Ling Miao. ¡°Right. I¡¯ve never interacted with Ling Miao, but someone must have!¡± Upon receiving Yan Li¡¯s call, Feng Ji¡¯s face scrunched up. He didn¡¯t even know Ling Miao¡¯s number so how was he to help her arrange a meeting with him? He and Ling Miao didn¡¯t know each other well so what reason would he have to ask to meet? Surely he couldn¡¯t say, ¡°Hey, Ling Miao, you quit the job at Su Yuyang¡¯s place. I don¡¯t know if you¡¯ve found something else, but I¡¯m short-staffed here, do you want to give it a shot?¡± Feng Ji told Yan Li his thoughts. Yan Li slapped the bed and laughed out loud: ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t that work?¡± ¡°What are you planning to do?¡± ¡°Play matchmaker!¡± Yan Li needed Feng Ji¡¯s help so she told Feng Ji everything she had considered. After hearing her out, Feng Ji thought that she made sense, but was it really a good idea to force them together? ¡°Xiao Li, let nature take its course. Ling Miao clearly doesn¡¯t have those intentions towards Su Yuyang, so even if you force them together, it won¡¯t proceed as we want it to.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not still carrying a torch for Old Su, are you?¡± Yan Li asked teasingly. Feng Ji felt not her teasing, but her care for him. Before, he had spent a tremendous amount of energy chasing Su Yuyang and Yan Li had wished them both a long-lived relationship. They had broken up amicably not even a semester later and Yan Li had punched Feng Ji over it. ¡°Not long after breaking up, I understood. Su Yuyang and I can never be together because there isn¡¯t room in his heart for me,¡± Feng Ji said regretfully. Yan Li smiled slyly. She held back her joy and said: ¡°But there¡¯s room in Old Su¡¯s heart for Ling Miao.¡± Feng Ji didn¡¯t reply. He was quiet for a while, then sighed: ¡°You¡¯re the one who can¡¯t let go of Su Yuyang, right?¡± Yan Li replied at once: ¡°Get out! You know my chances with him are nil. Why would I still be carrying a torch for him?¡± Yan Li said it dismissively, and Feng Ji could tell Su Yuyang¡¯s position in her heart wasn¡¯t that of a lover. In silent agreement neither of them spoke. Feng Ji struggled with whether to create a chance for Ling Miao and Su Yuyang, and Yan Li was considering how to create a chance for them without leaving any signs. ¡°Actually, I told Su Yuyang before that he should look for someone to live with. He said he¡¯s wanted to settle down for a while but hasn¡¯t found anyone who¡¯d make him want to have a normal domestic life.¡± Feng Ji spoke very slowly, pausing for what seemed like a century between each word. ¡°Love without an emotional foundation doesn¡¯t last.¡± ¡°How do you know there isn¡¯t?¡± Yan Li interrogated. ¡°Old Su¡¯s shown many feelings toward Ling Miao. Doesn¡¯t that prove it? This morning, Old Su started looking for Ling Miao the moment he got up. This proves that Ling Miao is already in Old Su¡¯s heart. And did you see Old Su today? He looks like a knight who¡¯s lost his fighting spirit. I really wanted to kick him twice and hopefully wake him up.¡± ¡°Ling Miao really has that much power?¡± Feng Ji had long noticed that Su Yuyang¡¯s feelings toward Ling Miao were something different, but he hadn¡¯t thought that Ling Miao would affect Su Yuyang this much. ¡°So, help me arrange a meeting for Ling Miao. Consider it saving Old Su.¡± Yan Li¡¯s tone gradually grew severe. Feng Ji¡¯s hesitation was shaken by Yan Li, and shattered on the spot. ¡°Give me Ling Miao¡¯s phone number.¡± ¡°Hello, who are you?¡± Ling Miao asked anxiously. ¡°Feng Ji.¡± Feng Ji forthrightly made himself known, then explained his reasons for calling Ling Miao. Upon hearing that Feng Ji wanted to give him a job, Ling Miao didn¡¯t even think twice before agreeing to go over. Feng Ji looked at the screen and said, stunned: ¡°He¡¯s really still looking for a job?¡± In the time it had taken Feng Ji to call Ling Miao, Yan Li had already left the house to go to W&S. If Yan Li had left just a couple minutes later, she¡¯d have run into Ling Miao on the way. [Table of Contents] | [Chaleuria is on Twitter!] Chapter 049 The Complete Guide to the Use and Care of a Personal Assistant Translator: Jury Editor: NomNom First Published on Chaleuria ¡ª Chapter Forty-nine When Ling Miao got to W&S, the clothes on his back were so damp with sweat that he could wring water out of them. Yan Li sat in Feng Ji¡¯s room, whistling as she watched a movie and drank iced coffee. Ling Miao stood to one side of the entrance to W&S, hands by his side, a picture of unease. He looked at Feng Ji busy behind the counter and wasn¡¯t sure how to get Feng Ji¡¯s attention. If Ling Miao called Feng Ji by name, like he had done before, he felt that he wouldn¡¯t be able to control his tone. If he were to call ¡®Boss Feng,¡¯ that would sound like ¡®Crazy Boss¡¯1 which wouldn¡¯t be appropriate either. Should he call ¡®Feng-ge?¡¯ Feng Ji was currently checking inventory and didn¡¯t notice Ling Miao at all, but one of the waiters did and bent to Feng Ji¡¯s ear to draw his attention to him. Feng Ji lifted his head, met Ling Miao¡¯s eyes, smiled, and said: ¡°Please sit down for a while. I still have to check a few things.¡± As if meeting his saving grace, Ling Miao wiped away the sweat at his temple, walked to the table nearest Feng Ji, and sat down. Feng Ji¡¯s hands were blocked by the counter and Ling Miao couldn¡¯t see what he was doing. Feng Ji was texting someone to ask them what to do next. Yan Li: Are you stupid? Bring him up, of course! Leave everything else to me. Feng Ji: You sure you can handle it? Yan Li could read between the lines of Feng Ji¡¯s words: If you can handle Ling Miao, that¡¯d be best. If you can¡¯t, then I¡¯ll have to think of a way to send him away. I don¡¯t actually need help in the shop. Yan Li: [Disdainfully] Look at you being petty. Are you jealous of Ling Miao? Feng Ji: Hey¡­ you¡¯re not seeing the whole picture. What even is there to be jealous of? Feng Ji put away his phone and walked towards Ling Miao, who stood up. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Feng Ji gestured toward the second floor and walked up. Ling Miao looked at Feng Ji, perplexed. He remembered that the second floor was Feng Ji¡¯s bedroom, and only Feng Ji¡¯s bedroom. An interview in the bedroom seemed odd no matter how he thought about it and a cold sweat drenched him again. Ling Miao wanted to ask Feng Ji that very moment if it would be fine for him to leave now should he decide he didn¡¯t want the job after all. Seeing Ling Miao pale-faced and frozen to the spot, Feng Ji smiled weakly. He guessed what Ling Miao had misunderstood. Though he didn¡¯t mind being misunderstood, the current situation didn¡¯t allow room for misunderstanding. Fuck, if he let Ling Miao go now, Yan Li would tear him a new one! Feng Ji¡¯s face contorted as he walked to Ling Miao and placed one hand on Ling Miao¡¯s shoulder. Looking down on Ling Miao¡¯s terrified face from above, he said helplessly: ¡°I called you here at someone¡¯s behest, so if you have any questions the person upstairs will answer them for you.¡± ¡°At someone¡¯s behest?¡± Surprise flashed across Ling Miao¡¯s eyes. Did Su Yuyang ask Feng Ji to invite me here? But¡­ Fuck. Why do I keep thinking about that bastard? Ling Miao berated himself. Ling Miao gripped his keys in his hand and slowly followed Feng Ji to the second floor. Feng Ji stood in the doorway and bowed in a gesture of ¡®please enter.¡¯ Ling Miao gripped the keys in his hand tighter as if trying to drive them into his palm. Ling Miao stood in the doorway assessing the situation inside, and only when he was sure nothing was wrong did he set one foot inside. ¡°Hi~¡± A woman¡¯s voice came. Ling Miao was stunned to see the familiar face in front of him, and his forehead furrowed. The woman sat casually on Feng Ji¡¯s bed with her phone in hand, continuing to watch her movie. Her identity had already surfaced in Ling Miao¡¯s mind. He asked in surprise, ¡°It¡¯s you?¡± ¡°What ¡®it¡¯s you?¡¯¡± Yan Li rolled her eyes at Ling Miao in disapproval. ¡°I don¡¯t know your name, so I can only say ¡®you¡¯ or ¡®hey.¡¯ Or should I call you ¡®woman?¡¯¡± Ling Miao let out a ¡®tcheh.¡¯ His disdainful expression shook Yan Li. This is Ling Miao? ¡°If nothing¡¯s the matter, I¡¯m leaving.¡± Realizing he¡¯d been played by this woman, Ling Miao wasn¡¯t too happy and his bad mood showed in his tone. What irked Ling Miao most was that Feng Ji had been in cahoots with this woman to make a fool of him! But, Ling Miao, Feng Ji is on better terms with Yan Li than with you, right? Ling Miao hadn¡¯t given Yan Li any time to reply. The moment his words left his mouth he began to move, and Feng Ji, who had been waiting by the door, had also left to attend to other business. ¡°Are you looking for work?¡± Yan Li asked casually. Ling Miao¡¯s footsteps slowed, but a second later he started walking again. Yan Li said unhurriedly, ¡°There are many things it¡¯s not convenient for me to do, and I didn¡¯t bring my assistant with me. Old Su is lazy and Feng Ji is minding the shop, so I need someone to help me do things.¡± ¡°What¡¯s it to do with me?¡± Ling Miao said coldly. ¡°That¡¯s your business, just like my being unemployed is my own business.¡± ¡°I¡¯m here for a month. I¡¯ll give you ten thousand. How¡¯s that?¡± Yan Li didn¡¯t accept that ¡®everything could be solved with money,¡¯ and she didn¡¯t know if Ling Miao was a gold-digger, but for her good friend she was willing to put down collateral¡ªif ten thousand wasn¡¯t enough, then one hundred thousand. (10,000 yuan: 1,458 USD. 100,000 yuan: 14,584 USD.) Ten thousand for one month. Ling Miao had to admit he could be persuaded. Having ten thousand bucks would lessen the pressure on him to find a job. ¡°Deal!¡± Ling Miao agreed on the spot for fear Yan Li would renege. In reality, Yan Li was even preparing to up the price. Ling Miao had agreed to Yan Li¡¯s demands for his own survival but he had forgotten one thing¡ªYan Li was currently living in Su Yuyang¡¯s apartment! Now that Ling Miao had become Yan Li¡¯s temporary assistant, Yan Li told him some basic information about herself. When Ling Miao heard Yan Li say she was a singer, his first reaction was disbelief. Later, Feng Ji verified Yan Li¡¯s words. Ling Miao wanted to cry as he looked at Yan Li who was laughing. ¡°You did this to me on purpose!¡± Ling Miao sniffed. ¡°Fuck you both¡ªyou dug a hole so I¡¯d fall in, and I fucking jumped! If we run into the paparazzi, I @#$%^&¡­¡± Ling Miao let out a string of curses on Feng Ji, Yan Li, and all their relatives. Yan Li couldn¡¯t take it any more and stepped on Ling Miao¡¯s foot to make him quiet down. Yan Li stretched lazily, like a cat that¡¯d gotten the cream, and laughed: ¡°If you¡¯re worried about the paparazzi, then you¡¯d better watch out for yourself. Also, if anyone finds out I¡¯m staying at Old Su¡¯s, all his personal business will be exposed. This chain reaction¡­ Pfeh. It¡¯s pretty exciting.¡± ¡°Sure excites you. Fuck¡ªah¡ª¡± The moment Ling Miao said ¡®you,¡¯ the sole of Yan Li¡¯s shoe landed a kiss on Ling Miao¡¯s butt. No sooner had the word ¡®Fuck¡¯ left his mouth than his hip suffered a hard pinch between two fingers. ¡°Yan Li¡­ fuck, you kicked me again!¡± Ling Miao jumped on Feng Ji¡¯s bed and stretched out an arm to stop Yan Li from reaching him. Yan Li¡¯s legs were long and even though she couldn¡¯t reach Ling Miao with her hands, the sole of her shoe still made contact with Ling Miao¡¯s thigh. ¡°Call me Yan-jie. If you keep calling me Yan Li you¡¯ll attract attention.¡± Yan Li ran a hand through her long hair to tame it, then asked Ling Miao, ¡°Can you drive?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Ling Miao had had his license for a long time, but had almost never driven. He told Yan Li about his situation upfront and Yan Li sighed: ¡°Practice more and you¡¯ll be good.¡± W&S gradually filled with people. Yan Li was worried she¡¯d be recognized if she went downstairs now, so she prepared to leave when the crowd had thinned. Feng Ji went downstairs to work, leaving Yan Li and Ling Miao on the second floor. Yan Li lay on the bed watching her movie while Ling Miao sat to one side reading a novel. Suddenly Yan Li called: ¡°Xiao Miao, I want a cappuccino and some tiramisu.¡± Ling Miao understood that this was his first task as Yan Li¡¯s temporary assistant, so he went downstairs without any complaint to ask Feng Ji for what Yan Li wanted. Back on the second floor, Yan Li eyed him like a hungry wolf might eye a plump sheep. Ling Miao flinched and the coffee in his hand almost fell to the floor. ¡°That¡­ If nothing¡¯s the matter, I¡¯d like to go home first.¡± ¡°What are you going home for?¡± Yan Li asked in surprise. ¡°You¡¯re my assistant. You should be with me.¡± ¡°Where do you live?¡± The moment the words left his mouth, Ling Miao wanted to hit himself with a brick. Seeing Ling Miao¡¯s frustrated expression, Yan Li didn¡¯t explain further. Ling Miao looked at Yan Li and asked, ¡°I just moved out of Su Yuyang¡¯s house. Surely it¡¯s not very good for me to move right back in?¡± Yan Li said dismissively: ¡°If you don¡¯t want to, that¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll ask Feng Ji¡ªit¡¯s even free labor.¡± Yan Li was trying to rile him up¡ªLing Miao could see right through it, but certain things still held great attraction for him, so he said with resignation: ¡°I¡¯ve got to go back to pack.¡± Yan Li yawned and said sleepily: ¡°I¡¯ll sleep for a bit. When there are fewer people around I¡¯ll go with you.¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Yan Li fixed Ling Miao with a gaze and Ling Miao lost all desire to speak. This was Ling Miao trying to make himself remember that Yan Li was doing him a favor, most likely. Feng Ji arrived to inform them that they could leave. Yan Li stretched lazily and glanced at the sky outside, the bright sunlight piercing her eyes. ¡°What time is it?¡± ¡°Half past six.¡± ¡°Xiao Miao, weren¡¯t you going back to get your things? Let¡¯s go.¡± Ling Miao took the keys from Feng Ji. This was the first time he had held car keys since he got his driver¡¯s license, and his hands trembled, not out of excitement but out of anxiety. Yan Li saw the sweat rolling down Ling Miao¡¯s face and decisively took the keys for her own safety. Following Ling Miao¡¯s directions, Yan Li drove the car to Ling Miao¡¯s rented apartment. To her surprise she discovered that it wasn¡¯t far from Su Yuyang¡¯s house! ¡°You live pretty close to him,¡± Yan Li observed with surprise. Ling Miao shrugged to indicate his frustration. ¡°A pity. He lives under his own roof, but I live under someone else¡¯s.¡± Ling Miao got out of the car and went into the apartment complex. Yan Li also got out and yelled: ¡°Hey, Ling Miao, wait for me!¡± Yan Li caught up to Ling Miao quickly, which gave Ling Miao a sense of failure. Fuck, this woman¡¯s legs are longer than mine! ¡°You sure you want to go up with me?¡± Ling Miao asked uncertainly. Yan Li was a celebrity, and if they ran into the paparazzi or her fans they would have a hard time explaining their relationship. Yan Li pushed Ling Miao. ¡°Go, go, go. What¡¯re you dithering about for? Even I¡¯m not worried so why are you?¡± Ling Miao had left in a hurry and hadn¡¯t brought his keys, so Ji Linxi had to open the door. ¡°I thought you¡­¡± Ji Linxi¡¯s words came to a halt the instant he saw Yan Li. [Table of Contents] | [Chaleuria is on Twitter!] Translation notes: [1] ¡°Feng¡± sounds the same as ¡°crazy¡± Chapter 050 The Complete Guide to the Use and Care of a Personal Assistant Translator: Jury Editor: NomNom First Published on Chaleuria ¡ª Chapter Fifty Ji Linxi knew Ling Miao had gone for an interview. Seeing that Ling Miao hadn¡¯t returned for a while, he had assumed that Ling Miao had gone out for dinner with his new colleagues, so he was surprised when Ling Miao appeared at the door. But the woman beside Ling Miao surprised him even more. Ji Linxi wasn¡¯t surprised that the woman was Yan Li; he was surprised that Ling Miao brought a woman home at all. Dumb cat, since when do you have a girlfriend? Ji Linxi quickly recovered from his shock and said calmly: ¡°I thought you weren¡¯t coming back for dinner.¡± ¡°Yan Li, my temporary boss.¡± Ling Miao briefly described Yan Li¡¯s relationship to him. Ji Linxi looked at Ling Miao, perplexed, and thought: Temporary boss? You sure she¡¯s not a temporary girlfriend? Eh, a temporary boss can also be a temporary girlfriend! Ji Linxi¡¯s expression was still stunned, but his eyes were teasing as he glanced at Yan Li. Ling Miao figured out the reason for Ji Linxi¡¯s attitude change before Yan Li did: ¡°Linxi, you¡¯d better focus those runaway thoughts on your work. Yan Li¡¯s really just my temporary boss, and I¡¯m her temporary assistant.¡± ¡°An assistant job again?¡± Ji Linxi wasn¡¯t too satisfied with Ling Miao¡¯s choice, but since Ling Miao had already accepted it, Ji Linxi couldn¡¯t interfere and could only wish him well: ¡°Hopefully you¡¯ll stick it out longer this time.¡± ¡°Just a month.¡± Ling Miao awkwardly rubbed the back of his head. Ji Linxi was speechless, but Yan Li expressed her dissatisfaction: ¡°Are you just going to leave your guests outside?¡± Ji Linxi glared at Yan Li and laughed: ¡°I didn¡¯t bar the door and not let you in or anything. But I indeed don¡¯t welcome uninvited guests.¡± Ji Linxi¡¯s cold tone and dismissive gaze would have made anyone want to punch his face in, but looking at his gentle smile, the violent anger in Yan Li¡¯s heart mysteriously quieted down. Ling Miao didn¡¯t know if anything had happened between the two of them but Ji Linxi had never been cordial to Yan Li, so this turn of events made him curious. Ji Linxi had been carrying a knife when he came out, which Yan Li hadn¡¯t noticed but Ling Miao had. So Ling Miao was sure that Ji Linxi had been in the midst of making dinner. He showed Yan Li into the bedroom and poured her a glass of water, then turned and went into the kitchen. ¡°Linxi, you haven¡¯t eaten?¡± Ling Miao found a suitable topic of conversation and the sound of Ji Linxi chopping vegetables stopped. Ji Linxi turned to look at Ling Miao and said ¡®Mm¡¯ tiredly. Ling Miao went over. Seeing the messy stove, he patted Ji Linxi¡¯s shoulder and pulled him aside: ¡°If you go on like this, the cucumbers will turn to mush.¡± He took over the cooking, leaving Ji Linxi with arms folded over his chest and leaning against the cabinets, as if trying to learn by watching. In the past when this happened, Ji Linxi would return to the bedroom to lie down and wait for dinner. Today he was acting unusually. Ling Miao turned and asked, ¡°Is it because of Yan Li?¡± Ji Linxi didn¡¯t answer, so Ling Miao turned to look at him curiously. ¡°You don¡¯t have any beef with Yan Li, right? If so, why are you so cold to her?¡± ¡°No beef, but I don¡¯t want to get too close to her to save me trouble down the road.¡± Ji Linxi¡¯s abrupt explanation conveyed clearly to Ling Miao that he knew Yan Li was a celebrity, and that should he get too close to her and the paparazzi find out, he¡¯d have a bad time of it. This worry had also crossed Ling Miao¡¯s mind but there was one fortunate out¡ªas long as Yan Li didn¡¯t go out, who would know she was in Su Yuyang¡¯s apartment? What Ling Miao found strange was that Ji Linxi recognized Yan Li. Ling Miao narrowed his eyes at Ji Linxi, whose forehead furrowed. He knew that whatever Ling Miao was about to say wouldn¡¯t be nice. ¡°Linxi, you recognized Yan Li at once. You got Monkey fire eyes?¡±1 Ling Miao¡¯s lips curved into a smile so wide it almost split his face in half. Ji Linxi was speechless. He rolled his eyes, walked over, and jabbed Ling Miao¡¯s forehead, explaining: ¡°Dumb cat, I advertised a product she was the spokesperson for.¡± Yan Li was getting bored sitting in the bedroom. Thinking that there was no one else in the house for now, she left the room. As she passed by the kitchen door, she heard Ling Miao say her name, so she put her ear to the door to eavesdrop on their conversation. She was surprised that Ji Linxi had recognized her at a glance. Just because Ji Linxi didn¡¯t make a big deal out of recognizing her didn¡¯t mean that other people wouldn¡¯t. Yan Li was worried in hindsight: she had followed Ling Miao upstairs without thinking twice. It was fortunate that there was no one else in the house or she¡¯d have had to shower in several tons of distilled water to clear her name regarding her relationship with Ling Miao. ¡°Linxi, bring the food out.¡± Ling Miao passed Ji Linxi the plate of cucumber sprinkled with seasoning. On hearing this, Yan Li swiftly returned to the room and sat down. The door opened and Ji Linxi walked in holding a plate. Yan Li picked up her cup of water and took small sips, her gaze periodically flickering upwards to look at Ji Linxi. Ji Linxi watched Yan Li thoughtfully, so Yan Li lowered her head so that Ji Linxi couldn¡¯t see her expression. Ji Linxi¡¯s gaze didn¡¯t leave Yan Li for a long time. He didn¡¯t say anything, either, which made Yan Li panic. She slammed the cup on the table, angling her head upwards to meet Ji Linxi¡¯s searching gaze and said angrily: ¡°What are you looking at? Never seen someone drink water before?¡± Ji Linxi¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change but his tone got a little bit colder: ¡°I¡¯ve never seen anyone use someone else¡¯s mug and then forbids the owner of the mug from looking at it.¡± ¡°Hm? The mug is yours?¡± Ji Linxi picked up the mug and looked it over, telling Yan Li definitively: ¡°I use the same type as Ling Miao, but I¡¯m sure this is mine. It¡¯s got my signature on it.¡± ¡°Do you want my autograph?¡± Yan Li said, as if offering up a great treasure. Ji Linxi froze. He hadn¡¯t thought a star such as Yan Li would take the initiative to autograph something for him, but he also wasn¡¯t interested. ¡°I signed the cup to differentiate it from Ling Miao¡¯s. If you want to practise your autograph, I can call the landlord. I think he¡¯d be very happy to sell your autograph.¡± Ji Linxi said the mocking words in a bland tone, his bright eyes unmoving. Yan Li¡¯s attention had long been drawn to Ji Linxi¡¯s clear eyes, so no matter what he said, she didn¡¯t react. Not because she didn¡¯t care, but because she simply hadn¡¯t heard. Ji Linxi blinked, cutting off Yan Li¡¯s gaze. ¡°What were you saying?¡± Yan Li asked apologetically. Ji Linxi smiled: ¡°Nothing. I¡¯m not your fan, so your signature means nothing to me.¡± ¡°Eh¡­¡± Yan Li wasn¡¯t a prideful person, but the only people she had come into contact with in the last few years were the people she worked with or her fans. They had one thing in common, which was that Yan Li was the center of their world. She was used to people liking her and doing everything for her, and also used to rejecting people. Even though she was a carefree person, Ji Linxi¡¯s rejection still upset her. Fortunately Yan Li was a pretty calm person and she didn¡¯t stay upset long. Dissatisfaction dissipating into the wind, only Ji Linxi¡¯s smiling face remained in Yan Li¡¯s mind. Clearly she had misinterpreted Ji Linxi¡¯s sneer as an actual smile. Ji Linxi looks a bit slow, and gives a first impression of, ¡®I¡¯m dumb and can be bullied by anyone, please take advantage of me.¡¯ But anyone who talks to him can tell that this is a front¡ªhe is actually pretty smart. Yan Li¡¯s lips curved into an elegant smile which resembled a crescent moon hanging in the sky. Ling Miao and Ji Linxi walked in carrying food, but neither of them carried utensils. Yan Li asked awkwardly: ¡°Do you have a bowl and some chopsticks?¡± Ji Linxi crossed over to the table where there was a plastic bottle, took a pair of disposable chopsticks, and tossed them in front of Yan Li. Then he went to the other table, picked up a lunchbox, and set it before Yan Li. Yan Li looked at the things in front of her, aware they were utensils Ji Linxi had provided for her, but¡­ ¡°Not to your liking?¡± Ji Linxi asked with his mouth full. Yan Li separated the chopsticks and asked calmly: ¡°This is your lunchbox?¡± ¡°Our roommates aren¡¯t around. I wouldn¡¯t give you their things to use,¡± Ji Linxi explained coolly. Ji Linxi had planned to eat alone so he hadn¡¯t prepared many ingredients, but Ling Miao had made three dishes and a pot of soup. ¡°Mm!¡± Yan Li¡¯s eyes went wide. She pointed at the Yuxiang shredded pork and said: ¡°The shredded pork is good. You made it?¡± Her words were directed at Ji Linxi. Ji Linxi raised his head to tell Yan Li with his eyes: He made it. Following which Yan Li stopped speaking. Ling Miao shoveled rice into his mouth, staring at Yan Li and Ji Linxi all the while and thinking: Do these two really have some unspeakable secret? Can¡¯t be right. Yan Li seems to have it out for me. Is Su Yuyang doing something behind my back again? Maybe it was Su Yuyang¡¯s idea in the first place to have Yan Li ask me to be her temporary assistant. The moment Ling Miao thought about Su Yuyang he seemed to turn into a lit firework. If not extinguished in time, he¡¯d explode brilliantly. Ji Linxi saw the change in Ling Miao¡¯s eyes. He reached out to tap Ling Miao¡¯s head with the wide end of his chopsticks, asking casually but very worriedly: ¡°Dumb cat, what¡¯s the matter now?¡± ¡°Nothing,¡± Ling Miao said irritably. From Ling Miao¡¯s tone it was clear that something was on his mind. Yan Li casually followed up: ¡°Sure you¡¯re alright?¡± Ling Miao glanced at Yan Li and stuck his chopsticks ferociously into his rice bowl, then took several bites of rice as if he were hiding behind the bowl. Yan Li awkwardly lowered her head, not wanting to look at Ling Miao but also not wanting Ji Linxi to discover what she was thinking. She turned her attention back to the food. Yan Li¡¯s chopsticks had just touched the stack of Yuxiang shredded pork when Ji Linxi¡¯s chopsticks flew onto the scene and knocked the pork away. Yan Li slammed her chopsticks on the table and yelled: ¡°What the hell is wrong with you two? You¡¯re either wearing a sour expression or getting in my way. If I¡¯m a thorn in your eye, why did you let me in?¡± ¡°Did I ask you to come?¡± Ji Linxi continued to eat leisurely as if Yan Li wasn¡¯t shouting. Yan Li couldn¡¯t very well pick up her chopsticks and keep eating, but she couldn¡¯t just leave, either, so caught between a rock and a hard place, she stood to one side watching Ji Linxi and Ling Miao eat. Ling Miao put down his bowl and met Yan Li¡¯s fiery gaze. He asked in a low voice, ¡°Did Su Yuyang ask you to give me the assistant job?¡± [Table of Contents] | [Chaleuria is on Twitter!] Translation notes: [1] This is referring to the Monkey God from the popular novel Journey to the West, who has super-vision that can tell the truth from pretense or disguise. Chapter 051 The Complete Guide to the Use and Care of a Personal Assistant Translator: Jury Editor: NomNom First Published on Chaleuria ¡ª Chapter Fifty-one Yan Li retorted: ¡°What does it have to do with Su Yuyang that I asked you to be my assistant? Or is it that you can¡¯t leave Su Yuyang behind, so whenever anyone associated with him appears in front of you, you subconsciously think Su Yuyang sent them? Ling Miao, do you think so highly of yourself or do you think so badly of Su Yuyang?¡± Yan Li wasn¡¯t giving Ling Miao a hard time. Her calm voice only spoke fact. Ling Miao stared at his toes in silence. Ji Linxi wanted to speak up for him but also didn¡¯t want Yan Li to misunderstand, so he didn¡¯t say anything. Yan Li sat down again, picked up her chopsticks, and didn¡¯t stand on ceremony. Ji Linxi glanced at her. Seeing her wolf down the food he couldn¡¯t help but to mock: ¡°Are you the reincarnation of a hungry ghost?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t know anything about a hungry ghost or reincarnation.¡± Yan Li chewed her food, oblivious about her image as she said, ¡°But I can tell you for sure that I¡¯m very hungry. Fuck, for the sake of my figure I haven¡¯t eaten a good meal all year. My manager already doesn¡¯t like me coming to Su Yuyang¡¯s place because the moment I get here I can¡¯t control my appetite and he can¡¯t contact me. A month¡¯s rest means I gain ten kilos1 and then I have to spend another month losing weight. In total, that¡¯s two months of work time wasted. Heh heh. So you understand.¡± Yan Li¡¯s smile was childlike. The pure joy in her eyes infected Ji Linxi, whose cool attitude towards Yan Li was shaken. Yan Li cleaned the plates on the table at lightning speed and gave a satiated burp at the end. Ji Linxi couldn¡¯t hold back his laughter: ¡°Aren¡¯t stars concerned about their image?¡± Yan Li rolled her eyes at Ji Linxi, her gaze like that of a teacher looking at a slow student. She wiped her mouth with a tissue and said happily, ¡°Preserving image depends on the time, location, and people present. Here, what do I have to care about?¡± Yan Li had shown Ling Miao and Ji Linxi a side she showed only to her closest friends. Her actions shocked Ji Linxi. ¡°Done eating?¡± Ji Linxi glanced at the table. Yan Li said, satisfied, ¡°I¡¯m done. I¡¯ll go wash the dishes.¡± Yan Li offered to wash the dishes. Ji Linxi looked at her as if witnessing a miracle. Yan Li expertly stacked the dishes and bowls from big to small, then picked up the chopsticks on the table. Under Ji Linxi¡¯s shocked gaze, she walked to the kitchen carrying the dishes. Ji Linxi anticipated the sound of breaking dishes, but it didn¡¯t come, and his esteem for Yan Li rose another few points. Not long later she yelled: ¡°Linxi, come over and help me!¡± Strictly speaking, this was only the second time Ji Linxi had met Yan Li. To call someone using such an intimate form of address after only having met twice¡ªJi Linxi mentally gave her the label of ¡®very familiar with others.¡¯ ¡°What happened?¡± Ji Linxi answered as he walked to the kitchen. Seeing Yan Li on her toes, arms reaching to put the plates back in their cabinet, Ji Linxi realized why Yan Li had called him here. With his additional height, Ji Linxi very easily put the plates back where they should be. Yan Li was frustrated for a while by Ji Linxi¡¯s height. Several beads of sweat appeared on her forehead and she raised a hand to wipe them away, her breath slightly heavy as she said, ¡°Thanks.¡± ¡°Yan Li, I find that you¡¯re not as¡­ mh, irritating¡­ as I imagined.¡± Ji Linxi assessed. From the start, Ji Linxi had faced Yan Li coldly. Now, he flashed her a slight smile and Yan Li felt as though her world had opened from a freezing winter to a warm field where flowers bloomed in spring. Through the window, a piercing ray of sunlight landed surreptitiously on Ji Linxi¡¯s shoulder, giving his faint smile a radiant color. Yan Li felt a little floaty, as if she¡¯d had too much to drink. She stared at Ji Linxi with a silly grin. His face seemed stoic but could actually show many expressions. The reason for Ji Linxi¡¯s smile had long vanished, but he didn¡¯t understand what Yan Li was smiling about, so he just continued to smile along with her. Both sides were unable to read the intention of the other, but were smiling because they were looking at each other. A strange atmosphere filled the cramped kitchen. Maybe that atmosphere could be called ¡®ambiguous.¡¯ Ling Miao didn¡¯t know what had happened between Ji Linxi and Yan Li. His thoughts had long been led away by Yan Li¡¯s words: ¡°Maybe you can¡¯t leave Su Yuyang behind.¡± ¡°Is it really that I can¡¯t let go of Su Yuyang?¡± Ling Miao kept asking himself. ¡°But I had no regrets at all when I left, and I don¡¯t have any wish to go back,¡± he answered himself. Several seconds later he raised a new question: ¡°Then why is it that whenever someone linked to Su Yuyang looks for me, I immediately think it¡¯s Su Yuyang asking me to go back? Can I really not let go of Su Yuyang?¡± After all the questions had flashed through Ling Miao¡¯s mind, he returned once again to the starting point. Ling Miao was like someone walking on a treadmill. No matter where he picked as a starting point, he¡¯d return to it eventually. This wasn¡¯t what Ling Miao needed or wanted. ¡°Su Yuyang, Su Yuyang, why do you keep bugging me and not letting go?¡± Ling Miao suddenly lay down on the table, drawing on the table with his finger in frustration. If one could see Ling Miao¡¯s lines, they would definitely form the words Su Yuyang. ¡°Aah¡ª¡± Ling Miao ruffled the hair on his own head as if he wanted to pull it all out. Hearing the commotion in the room, the two people in the kitchen came to their senses. Yan Li blinked and asked in fright: ¡°Why is Ling Miao screaming so terribly?¡± In the time it took Yan Li to speak Ji Linxi had vanished before her eyes. She couldn¡¯t help thinking: ¡°These two, surely they aren¡¯t¡­? Mmhm, something¡¯s up!¡± Yan Li¡¯s ¡®nosy cells¡¯ began to run amok again. If Ji Linxi had seen her expression, the image she had worked so hard to change would have collapsed again. ¡°Hey, wait for me!¡± Yan Li followed swiftly. Yan Li walked into the room to see Ling Miao lying on the desk and Ji Linxi sitting on the bed. Ji Linxi said: ¡°Fuck, I thought there was a thief in the house.¡± ¡°Wha¨C?¡± Yan Li thought she¡¯d heard wrong, but immediately after Ling Miao said: ¡°Hey, Linxi, you¡¯re only worried about your laptop but not about me?¡± Tsk tsk, look at you acting all pitiful like a wife who¡¯s been dumped, Yan Li silently exclaimed. She wasn¡¯t done exclaiming when Ji Linxi¡¯s voice broke through her train of thought. ¡°You can still yell, which proves you¡¯re fine, right? On my laptop there¡¯s a new program for the company. It¡¯s a trade secret. If I lose it, I can¡¯t afford to take responsibility,¡± Ji Linxi said with trepidation. ¡°I¡¯m a living, breathing person. Compared to those inanimate things, I should be much more important, right?¡± ¡°Dumb cat!¡± This guy¡¯s a bastard boyfriend! The moment Yan Li¡¯s train of thought started it just didn¡¯t stop. Ling Miao¡¯s thought processes were sometimes less acute and sometimes shockingly incisive. Normally Ling Miao would have noticed Yan Li shipping him and Ji Linxi, but this time Ji Linxi was the first to notice. Ji Linxi instantly caught sight of Yan Li¡¯s affectionate expression. He¡¯d seen it a lot in the office, so the moment he saw it he understood what Yan Li was thinking. Ji Linxi secured his laptop, stretched lazily and said: ¡°You¡¯ve eaten and drunk, dumb cat, now go shower with me.¡± ¡°You¡¯re a man. Everything you have, I have too. What¡¯s there to look at?¡± Ling Miao said with a disgusted expression. ¡°Also, you don¡¯t like men, but you like to shower with men?¡± Ji Linxi shrugged to indicate he thought it was a pity. Though Ji Linxi was watching Ling Miao when he shrugged, Yan Li felt that Ji Linxi was doing this for her eyes. But¡­ it was indeed a pity. Hey, your euphemistic explanation was because of that? I can¡¯t even put on my shipping goggles?3 I started down this train of thought and now I can¡¯t stop, alright? I¡¯ll run away crying! Now imagine the various emotions in Yan Li¡¯s heart; the conflict, the frustration, the desire to cry. Ji Linxi went to the bathroom and Yan Li finally turned her attention to Ling Miao. Ling Miao¡¯s pitiful look made Yan Li mad, so she decidedly kicked Ling Miao twice: ¡°Hey, who¡¯re you playing dead for?¡± ¡°For you,¡± Ling Miao said weakly. Yan Li sat beside Ling Miao and asked kindly, ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°I was thinking about whether it¡¯s true that I can¡¯t let go of Su Yuyang.¡± ¡°Ah?¡± Yan Li was first shocked, then she laughed out loud. She patted Ling Miao¡¯s shoulders and consoled: ¡°Why are you thinking so much? You¡¯re making yourself uncomfortable, isn¡¯t that masochistic? Or do you like hurting yourself?¡± ¡°You¡¯re the masochist!¡± Having been provoked by Yan Li, Ling Miao instantly revived. He said proudly: ¡°I don¡¯t have masochistic tendencies!¡± ¡°Am I good at healing you, or were you not that hurt in the first place? You revived so quickly.¡±2 Ling Miao¡¯s attitude had changed so quickly that Yan Li gave him a silent word of praise. ¡°I¡¯m not you. I don¡¯t lose blood every month,¡± Ling Miao replied without pulling his punches. Yan Li huffed and reminded: ¡°I let you come back to pack your things. You¡¯ve eaten and drunk your fill. Now won¡¯t you get to work?¡± ¡°Yes, yes, yes. I¡¯ll pack immediately.¡± Having been yelled at by Yan Li, Ling Miao momentarily assumed the expression of a maid being bullied by her mistress. As Ling Miao wouldn¡¯t be staying long at Su Yuyang¡¯s place, and this place was also close to Su Yuyang¡¯s place, he only took a couple of changes of clothes and his toiletries. Ling Miao packed his things and yelled to Ji Linxi who was still in the bathroom: ¡°Linxi, I¡¯ll stay this month at Su Yuyang¡¯s house. Tell the landlord I haven¡¯t moved out.¡± ¡°Yo, you really do have that guy in your heart!¡± Ji Linxi walked out of the bathroom wearing only a pair of big pants, wet hair sticking to his skin, drops of water rolling down his chest and glimmering like crystals under the sunlight. J Linxi picked up a dry towel hanging on the balcony and casually towelled his hair. Water shot everywhere. Everything Ji Linxi did replayed in slow motion in Yan Li¡¯s mind. Her eyes were fixed on the water droplets sliding down Ji Linxi¡¯s chest, and the not-very-defined six-pack on his abdomen¡­ Yan Li didn¡¯t look any further downwards. She turned her head and pulled at a corner of Ling Miao¡¯s shirt: ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Yan Li didn¡¯t realize that Ji Linxi had already memorized her expression. [Table of Contents] | [Chaleuria is on Twitter!] Translation notes: [1] 10 kilos: 22 pounds [2] Shipping goggles: looking at two people¡¯s interactions and being biased towards interpreting them romantically [3] They are using video game terminology. Also, the word for heal means ¡®add blood¡¯ Chapter 052 The Complete Guide to the Use and Care of a Personal Assistant Translator: Jury Editor: NomNom First Published on Chaleuria ¡ª Chapter Fifty-two Ji Linxi pretended not to have seen Yan Li¡¯s expression. He tossed the towel to one side, picked up the hairdryer, and started drying his hair. As Ling Miao was standing beside Ji Linxi, the hot air from the hairdryer landed on Ling Miao¡¯s face and Ling Miao said angrily: ¡°Fuck, step aside.¡± Ignoring Ling Miao¡¯s complaints, Ji Linxi teased, ¡°When are you coming back? Or are you staying there for good?¡± ¡°What do you mean ¡®staying there for good?¡¯¡± Ling Miao picked up his things. ¡°I told you to tell the landlord to reserve my bed for me. If you¡¯re still worried, should I come back every day to see you?¡± Watching the scene unfold, Yan Li¡¯s earlier panic was completely wiped away. Her eyes opened wide as she watched the ¡®squabbling lovers¡¯ and she momentarily didn¡¯t know what to do. That¡­ these two aren¡¯t lovers, surely? Does it do them any good to performatively flirt in front of me? Is Ling Miao acting coy? Ji Linxi drying his hair looked like he was performing some kind of very practiced dance! Fuck, I didn¡¯t come here for nothing, right? Yan Li suppressed the welling emotions, but the audible sound of her swallowing revealed that, in her heart, one hundred thousand ¡®fuck you¡¯ horses were thundering by.1 The scene in front of Yan Li was so beautiful, she almost didn¡¯t dare to look. She drew a deep breath, steadied herself, and said slowly: ¡°Ling Miao, it¡¯s getting late. We should be getting back, right?¡± She had asked a question, but her tone made it clear that it was an order. Ling Miao glared at Ji Linxi then reminded him: ¡°Remember to tell the landlord!¡± ¡°Relax. As long as you pay rent on time he won¡¯t give you a hard time.¡± Ji Linxi looked anxious to see Ling Miao out the door. Ling Miao kicked Ji Linxi and said fiercely: ¡°What¡¯s that expression? You look like you can¡¯t wait to kick me out. I should punch you!¡± Ji Linxi watched Ling Miao with a faint smile and said: ¡°Scram.¡± Then he turned his head away and, in that moment, his gaze met Yan Li¡¯s shining eyes. The glimmering crystalline shine over her eyes drew his attention and didn¡¯t let go. Ling Miao prepared to leave carrying his things, but found that Yan Li stood frozen to one side. He looked again and realized she and Ji Linxi were staring besottedly at each other. He stood to one side and observed them both, and in that moment he really wanted to push Ji Linxi and let him and Yan Li have a long and passionate kiss. But then he considered the consequences of this push and felt that they¡¯d be pretty serious. Suppressing the impulse, Ling Miao leisurely sat down, pulled out his phone, and started reading a novel. Although Ling Miao and Su Yuyang had had a falling out, Ling Miao still read Su Yuyang¡¯s novel every day. Now he opened the chapter Su Yuyang had updated that afternoon; if he remembered correctly, he hadn¡¯t looked this one over yet. In other words, if there were typos or things like that, it definitely had nothing to do with him. So, when he saw more than ten typos, he couldn¡¯t help complaining: ¡°Fuck, Su Yuyang, doesn¡¯t the lazy bastard check before he updates a chapter? Or does he think that with all his money he won¡¯t miss the subscription fees for this chapter? Fuck it, such a waste! I don¡¯t understand how these Great Authors think!¡± Ling Miao¡¯s shout wasn¡¯t a big deal. At most, the neighbours might scold him harshly. The thing was that his shout brought Ji Linxi and Yan Li back to their senses. Yan Li and Ji Linxi simultaneously turned to look at Ling Miao, who was still muttering curses at his phone saying he would lodge a complaint with the site against Su Yuyang. Yan Li watched Ling Miao impatiently wave his claws around, frozen to the spot. She pulled at Ji Linxi¡¯s pants and asked, ¡°Ling Miao, he¡¯s¡­ concerned about Su Yuyang?¡± ¡°Looks like it,¡± Ji Linxi replied in a lukewarm tone. His forehead was furrowed and his expression was conflicted as he looked at the top of Yan Li¡¯s head. Please pay attention to the fact that Ji Linxi, after showering, was wearing only a pair of big pants¡­ only a pair of big pants¡­ ¡°I still think something¡¯s wrong with this picture. Linxi, doesn¡¯t Ling Miao dislike Su Yuyang? If Su Yuyang gets into trouble, shouldn¡¯t he be happy?¡± ¡°Maybe it isn¡¯t dislike he feels towards Su Yuyang.¡± Ji Linxi lowered his gaze to his own pants, Yan Li¡¯s hand was still caught in the fabric, and although she hadn¡¯t pulled on them, Ji Linxi somehow got the feeling they were sliding downward. Ji Linxi was about to remind Yan Li to let go when Ling Miao suddenly let out a bark of laughter: ¡°Hahaha! Su Yuyang, it¡¯s karma! You lazybones, you idiot, you fool!¡± Ling Miao¡¯s emotional about-face was too sudden. In a fit of excitement, Yan Li¡¯s hand slipped, and the moment she exerted strength, Ji Linxi¡¯s pants¡­ ¡°Whoo¡ª¡± Ji Linxi let out a long breath, celebrating that he¡¯d caught his pants in time. Yan Li felt an obstructing force and raised her head to look at Ji Linxi in confusion. Ji Linxi said tonelessly, ¡°I only have pants on.¡± Yan Li thought: Why are you telling me this? Ji Linxi pointed at Yan Li¡¯s hand. Yan Li said, ¡°Uh,¡± and let go of Ji Linxi¡¯s pants like she¡¯d been electrocuted. She didn¡¯t explain, only kept up a smile¡ªan awkward smile. In contrast to Yan Li¡¯s embarrassment, Ji Linxi was a lot calmer. He walked behind Ling Miao, voice cold as a ghost¡¯s as it entered Ling Miao¡¯s ears: ¡°Ling Miao, if you¡¯re still not leaving, are you planning to stay the night?¡± Ling Miao was still immersed in his own inner world. He didn¡¯t seem to have heard Ji Linxi and continued to smile to himself. Ji Linxi raised his voice¡¯s volume by eighty percent and said impatiently, ¡°Ling Miao, time to scram.¡± ¡°Scram? You scram!¡± Ling Miao raised his phone and made a face at Ji Linxi, then turned to look at Yan Li. ¡°Go?¡± Ling Miao twitched his mouth toward the door. Yan Li had recovered herself and had returned to being just the Yan Li whom Ling Miao knew. It was as if nothing had happened between her and Ji Linxi just now. Hey, what¡¯s ¡®as if nothing had happened?¡¯ Nothing did happen, alright? [kicks the floor] Yan Li put on her sunglasses and stuck her hands in her pockets. She cleared her throat and instructed: ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± She strolled toward the door, then turned and waved to Ji Linxi: ¡°Bye, Linxi.¡± ¡°Bye,¡± Ji Linxi replied out of politeness. Yan Li saying bye to Ji Linxi had already shocked Ling Miao so much he couldn¡¯t shut his mouth, and on top of that she had also called him Linxi¡ªhey, when did they get so familiar?¡ªWhat surprised Ling Miao even more was that Ji Linxi actually replied to Yan Li! Heck heck heck¡ªdidn¡¯t Ji Linxi have a lot of problems with Yan Li? How had their relationship changed so quickly that they¡¯d exchange such friendly goodbyes? When did they start carrying out some illicit relationship? Ling Miao certainly lived up to his novelist profession¡ªhis imagination was much more vivid than Yan Li¡¯s¡ªbut¡­ Looking at his own inner world, Ling Miao felt that this line of thought was getting more and more scandalous and he couldn¡¯t even go on making it up. Returning to the real world, Ling Miao watched Ji Linxi and Yan Li in a different light. Ji Linxi could tell at once that Ling Miao was letting his thoughts run away in the wrong direction. He walked over and rolled his eyes at Ling Miao, then slapped the back of Ling Miao¡¯s head with one hand and bellowed: ¡°If you have so much free time to ship us, you should go think about your novel instead.¡± Ji Linxi hadn¡¯t used a lot of force, and neither he nor Ling Miao felt pain, but Yan Li got worried: ¡°Is your hand alright?¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright. He¡¯s pretty thick-skinned.¡± Ji Linxi, playing along with Yan Li, was giving Ling Miao a hard time again. Ling Miao thought: Who did I offend this time? It¡¯s fine that Ji Linxi gives me a hard time, but he teams up with Yan Li to give me a hard time? ¡°Let¡¯s go, dumb cat.¡± Yan Li picked up Ji Linxi¡¯s nickname for Ling Miao and called him by it. Ling Miao stumbled after Yan Li, then suddenly remembered how Yan Li had called him and asked: ¡°Who told you I was nicknamed dumb cat?¡± ¡°Linxi.¡± ¡°You know him very well?¡± Ling Miao asked curiously. Yan Li rolled her eyes at Ling Miao: ¡°This is the second time we¡¯ve met.¡± Second time they met, and with no special association¡­ ¡°You look confused. Ask away,¡± Yan Li said. Ling Miao said, testing the waters: ¡°I think Linxi is special to you and you treat Linxi differently too. I think there¡¯s something between you two.¡± ¡°There¡¯s something between you two.¡± Yan Li slapped Ling Miao¡¯s shoulder, the force almost sending him tumbling down the stairs. Yan Li wasn¡¯t like Ji Linxi; her slap to Ling Miao¡¯s back wasn¡¯t symbolic. She had used a lot of force and Ling Miao felt like his shoulder had shattered. ¡°Yan Li, we¡¯re in public. Could you restrain yourself? Someone might take pictures.¡± Ling Miao reminded Yan Li, well-intentioned. ¡°If someone takes pictures, then I have no choice but to admit you¡¯re my boyfriend.¡± Yan Li shrugged and strolled downstairs like a butterfly flitting through flowers. Ling Miao looked at the star who was acting like a child and suddenly worried about what his life would be like for the next month. ¡°Yan¡­ Yan-jie, you can¡¯t throw me under the bus like that!¡± Ling Miao chased Yan Li downstairs. Ling Miao walked to Yan Li¡¯s car where Yan Li was sitting in the back on the phone with someone. Ling Miao didn¡¯t know whether to get in the driver¡¯s seat or the passenger¡¯s seat, so he stood outside the car and waited for Yan Li¡¯s instructions. Yan Li glanced at Ling Miao and tossed the car keys to him. Ling Miao understood and opened the door on the driver¡¯s side. This was his first time driving since getting his license. He¡¯d be kidding himself if he said he wasn¡¯t worried. He started the car and haltingly drove onto the road. Fortunately, the end-of-day rush hour had already passed, and Ling Miao¡¯s strung-up heart relaxed quite a lot. Ling Miao drove into the parking lot, and after trying five times, still couldn¡¯t reverse into the parking spot. Yan Li couldn¡¯t take it any more, shooed Ling Miao out of the seat, and reversed into the spot on her first try. ¡°Your skills can be improved,¡± was Yan Li¡¯s assessment of Ling Miao as she led the way out of the parking lot. Ling Miao followed Yan Li upstairs. They didn¡¯t run into a single person on the way, which both surprised Ling Miao and made him glad. Ling Miao stood in front of Su Yuyang¡¯s door and fidgeted, wondering whether to open the door. Yan Li got impatient waiting, and besides, everyone who passed by eyed the two of them curiously. Worried that the cops would arrive and give them trouble, Yan Li pulled Ling Miao aside and opened the door herself. As the door opened, Su Yuyang¡¯s voice floated out. Ling Miao, who was about to step inside, retracted his foot. [Table of Contents] | [Chaleuria is on Twitter!] Translation notes: [1] one variant of ¡®fuck¡¯ sounds like ¡®grass mud horse¡¯ Chapter 053 The Complete Guide to the Use and Care of a Personal Assistant Translator: Jury Editor: NomNom First Published on Chaleuria ¡ª Chapter Fifty-three Hearing the lock turn, Su Yuyang reflexively turned his head. When he saw Yan Li had returned, his eyes didn¡¯t linger. He turned back and continued his conversation on the phone. Yan Li walked in, went to her room, and changed her clothes. he returned to the living room and didn¡¯t see Ling Miao. She took a second look and saw Ling Miao still frozen in the doorway. Yan Li called: ¡°What¡¯re you standing there for? Come in!¡± ¡°Mm?¡± Yan Li¡¯s voice made Su Yuyang notice something was off. He glanced at the door and saw Ling Miao hesitating. ¡°Xiao Miao?¡± Su Yuyang called out in surprised joy, but his joy didn¡¯t last long. ¡°Mom, there¡¯s really nothing. He¡¯s not my boyfriend, only my assistant. Really.¡± Yan Li had dragged Ling Miao in so he heard Su Yuyang¡¯s words, clear as crystal, but only half of it stuck in his mind. Su Yuyang was currently on the phone with his mom, but Ling Miao didn¡¯t seem to have noticed this as he walked up to Su Yuyang and said seriously, ¡°Su Yuyang, I¡¯m not your assistant. I already quit. I already quit!¡± Ling Miao¡¯s voice was loud. Su Yuyang was about to remind him to quiet down before his mom heard it and misunderstood, but it was already too late. Su Yuyang¡¯s mom said: ¡°Since he¡¯s quit and doesn¡¯t want to be your assistant any more, then let him be your boyfriend.¡± Cough cough¡ª¡±I¡­¡±¡ªcough cough¡ªSu Yuyang must have choked on his own spit because he started coughing violently, his hand falling reflexively on Ling Miao¡¯s shoulder. Ling Miao slapped Su Yuyang¡¯s hand away as if he¡¯d been stuck with a needle. The ¡®pah¡¯ sound was crisp and clear. Su Yuyang didn¡¯t need to look to know that his hand was turning red. Ling Miao chided: ¡°Take your paws away. If my clothes are dirty, are you gonna wash them?¡± Of course, Su Yuyang¡¯s mom heard this too. Su Yuyang heard his mom say: ¡°Xiao Yu,1 you don¡¯t wash your clothes? Don¡¯t tire him out. You still should wash your own clothes.¡± Ling Miao and Yan Li couldn¡¯t hear Su Yuyang¡¯s mom¡¯s words, but Su Yuyang¡¯s expression could be described as ¡®extremely colourful,¡¯ even brighter than an artist¡¯s palette. Seeing a droplet of sweat roll off Su Yuyang¡¯s head alongside Su Yuyang¡¯s worried and frustrated expression, Ling Miao suddenly wanted to laugh. ¡°Haha¡­ Hey, Yan Li, why¡¯d you hit me?¡± Ling Miao¡¯s teasing words hadn¡¯t even left his mouth when Yan Li rapped his head from behind. Ling Miao clutched his head and was about to protest when Yan Li dragged him into Su Yuyang¡¯s room. Ling Miao looked at Yan Li, not understanding. Yan Li put her hands on her hips, looking like she was about to start scolding him. ¡°Are you stupid? Su Yuyang¡¯s on a call with his mom. Do you really have to keep making noise? Also, do you know what his mom most wants? She really wants her son to bring home a boyfriend. From what I know of his mom, you¡¯re already on her ¡®potential daughter-in-law¡¯ list.¡± Yan Li looked at Ling Miao with pity. Ling Miao glared at Yan Li and thought: Fuck, what¡¯s that expression? You¡¯re supposed to pity me, but you¡¯re clapping your hands and delighting in my misery? Also, don¡¯t think you¡¯re hiding it well¨C I¡¯m looking at your mouth! Don¡¯t tell me that¡¯s not a smile! ¡°Nonsense, nonsense, nonsense!¡± The three words, said in quick succession, perfectly vented all his current feelings. He looked at Yan Li and said bad-temperedly: ¡°Who¡¯s her daughter-in-law? Better you than me! You and Feng Ji, that¡¯s who her daughters-in-law are!¡± Yan Li heaved a long sigh and placed her hand on Ling Miao¡¯s shoulder. She said regretfully, ¡°It¡¯s a pity. I like guys, but my chromosomes aren¡¯t XY, so it¡¯s impossible between us. Besides, his parents know his orientation. As for Feng Ji, heh heh¡­ to tell you the truth, I fought Feng Ji for Su Yuyang before, and I lost completely. ¡°Feng-zi2 and Old Su were together before, but now, both of them have put it behind them. Besides¡­¡± Yan Li¡¯s words came to a sudden halt. Obviously, the part after ¡®besides¡¯ was the important part. Just as obviously, Yan Li didn¡¯t intend to say it. Ling Miao had no intentions of asking further, since Yan Li clearly wanted to tell him, whatever it was. Besides, the person who¡¯s walked into Su Yuyang¡¯s heart is you, Ling Miao. In the end, Yan Li didn¡¯t tell Ling Miao. As she and Feng Ji had agreed, they wouldn¡¯t do anything concrete to interfere with Su Yuyang and Ling Miao. The door opened and Su Yuyang walked in, sweating. Yan Li got up to give him the place facing the fan, and Su Yuyang unceremoniously sat down. Ling Miao had been sitting beside Yan Li, but now that Su Yuyang had sat down, Ling Miao prepared to get up. His butt hadn¡¯t even left the bed when Su Yuyang¡¯s hand pressed down on his own, fast as a bolt of lightning. Then Su Yuyang took ahold of it like he might hold a baby¡¯s hand. ¡°You came back?¡± Specks of light shone in Su Yuyang¡¯s eyes like stars glimmering in the night sky. Ling Miao had intended to pull his hand away from Su Yuyang¡¯s, but as he caught sight of Su Yuyang¡¯s hopeful expression he lost his strength. Ling Miao didn¡¯t know how to reply and he let Su Yuyang continue holding his hand. Seeing the scene that was very nearly romantic and heartwarming, a secret happiness rose in Yan Li¡¯s heart. She quietly left the room and even thoughtfully closed the door behind her, as if really hoping that something would happen between the two. ¡°Feng-zi, I tell you¡­¡± The moment Yan Li returned to her room she phoned Feng Ji and explained the situation there. Feng Ji listened and then sighed: ¡°With Ling Miao¡¯s personality and Yuyang¡¯s emotional stuntedness¡­ you want them to understand the true feelings in their hearts? I tell you, dream on.¡± Yan Li didn¡¯t expect to be shot down by Feng Ji. She lay on the bed with her leg cocked, saying confidently, ¡°With me around, Old Su will find it very easy to understand his intentions! Mm hm, Feng-zi, wait and see the fruits of my labor. I don¡¯t believe I can¡¯t settle these two in a month!¡± Feng Ji brushed aside the black lines3 that had appeared on the side of his head and thought: Yan Li, Yan Li, when did you switch professions to matchmaker? And a matchmaker who doesn¡¯t stick to the script, at that! Feng Ji didn¡¯t continue this topic of conversation. He changed the subject, saying seriously: ¡°Xiao Li, it¡¯s the 30th. The concert¡¯s on the 1st. Aren¡¯t you going to rehearse?¡± ¡°Mm?¡± Yan Li froze. The tone and the content¡­ didn¡¯t sound like they would have come from Feng Ji¡¯s mouth. Rehearsal¡­ ¡°Fuck, I forgot.¡± Yan Li jumped up from the bed. ¡°That¡­ Lin-jie¡¯s contacted you, right? I¡¯ll go call Lin-jie back, bye-bye~¡± Upon returning to Chongqing, Yan Li had changed her number. Her manager didn¡¯t yet know, so she had gotten in contact with Feng Ji instead¡ªthis was typical. Yan Li contacted her manager and arranged a rehearsal time, then left her room. Yan Li hadn¡¯t closed Su Yuyang¡¯s door completely¡ªthis was so that she could peek. Pushing open the door just a crack, Yan Li opened her eyes wide to see the scene inside, but she was disappointed¡ªonly Ling Miao was in the room. ¡°What¡¯re you looking at?¡± Su Yuyang¡¯s frustrated voice came. Yan Li turned to look and saw someone with half his face swollen walking out of the bathroom. ¡°You tried to molest him and got punched?¡± Seeing Su Yuyang¡¯s face, Yan Li patched in with her own imagination what had happened in Su Yuyang¡¯s room after she left. Some sort of flirtation, some sort of entanglement, some sort of¡­ what would one call it? Su Yuyang¡¯s face was swollen and his teeth were indistinguishable from the rest of his mouth, but the single sentence from him destroyed Yan Li¡¯s fantasies. ¡°He said he was your temporary assistant. When you leave, he¡¯ll leave. So I said I wanted to continue employing him, and he can continue staying here. But who knew? The moment I said this, his fist came flying. He said something like, ¡®Su Yuyang, you only want to take advantage of me. I¡¯m not here to sell my body.¡¯¡± Su Yuyang sat on the sofa, his forehead furrowed as he thought about how to make Ling Miao stay. His eyes were full of self-blame and his faint smile was frustrated. These expressions, put together on a single face, were extremely bizarre no matter what angle they were seen from, so Yan Li didn¡¯t look at Su Yuyang directly. Low sounds of laughter came from Su Yuyang, almost like sobs. ¡°Yan Yan, what happened to me?¡± ¡°How would I know?¡± She said out loud that she didn¡¯t know, but secretly she had guessed: Maybe you have feelings for your little assistant, but your slow mind hasn¡¯t realized it. Will you only figure it out when you lose him? ¡°You¡¯ll only figure it out when you lose him?¡± Yan Li repeated in a low voice. Su Yuyang saw Yan Li¡¯s lips move but no sound came out, so he asked curiously: ¡°What did you say?¡± ¡°Nothing,¡± Yan Li smiled sincerely, stretched lazily, and said: ¡°I¡¯m going to shower. You figure things out with your little assistant.¡± Suddenly, the door to Su Yuyang¡¯s room opened and Ling Miao walked out, puffed up from anger. He retorted, ¡°Who¡¯s his assistant? I¡¯ve already quit.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Yan Li thought, then amended: ¡°I¡¯ll go shower. You figure things out with my little assistant.¡± Yan Li took her towel to the bathroom, leaving Ling Miao and Su Yuyang in the living room. The atmosphere could be described in one word: awkward. ¡°Is your face alright?¡± To soothe the atmosphere, Ling Miao spoke first. Su Yuyang said indifferently: ¡°Even if I¡¯m disfigured, it¡¯ll be fine. I don¡¯t rely on my face to make a living.¡± Ling Miao complained silently: You say it like I rely on my face to make a living. ¡°Also, why don¡¯t you check before you update?¡± Ling Miao asked in a lecturing tone. Su Yuyang watched Ling Miao with confusion. He didn¡¯t know what Ling Miao was referring to or why Ling Miao had this question at all. ¡°Are you concerned about me?¡± A possibility occurred to Su Yuyang and his tone grew excited. Ling Miao hmphed coldly and angled his chin: ¡°I just want to have a good reading experience.¡± Su Yuyang laughed and said with embarassment: ¡°I¡¯ll be more careful next time.¡± ¡°There will be a next time? Why don¡¯t you go edit!¡± Ling Miao mock-raised his fist like he was about to punch Su Yuyang, but seeing Su Yuyang¡¯s still-swollen face he angrily put his arm back down. ¡°Xiao Miao¡­¡± ¡°We¡¯re not that close,¡± Ling Miao cut Su Yuyang off. ¡°Ling Miao?¡± Su Yuyang called uncomfortably. ¡°Mm.¡± ¡°In the future, you¡¯ll still cook?¡± ¡°As if you would?¡± Ling Miao rolled his eyes at Su Yuyang. ¡°In the future, I¡¯ll cook.¡± Ling Miao said this casually, but he didn¡¯t give an end date! Su Yuyang started smiling for no reason. [Table of Contents] | [Chaleuria is on Twitter!] Translation notes: [1] Yuyang -> nickname Xiao Yu [2] Feng-zi: a diminutive of Feng Ji¡¯s name, like Ling Miao -> Xiao Miao. Feng-zi also sounds the same as ¡®crazy,¡¯ and in Yan Li¡¯s thoughts/speech it is written with the words for ¡®crazy.¡¯ [3] Black lines: the vertical ones in manga panels, like this: -_- ||| Chapter 054 The Complete Guide to the Use and Care of a Personal Assistant Translator: Jury Editor: NomNom First Published on Chaleuria ¡ª Chapter Fifty-four Yan Li and her manager had scheduled a time to rehearse, so she got up early that day. Ling Miao was preparing breakfast in the kitchen. Su Yuyang smelt the fragrant sweetness of congee, opened his door, and made a beeline for the kitchen. Ling Miao skilfully cubed some steamed radish, then grabbed a handful of cowpeas and cut them into small pieces. Clouds of steam rose from the pot. Ling Miao put the minced meat he had prepared beforehand into the pot and waited for it to turn white, then dropped the cowpeas in. Cowpea with minced meat and congee was Su Yuyang¡¯s favorite summer meal. Looking at Ling Miao¡¯s busy silhouette, Su Yuyang¡¯s gaze gradually grew unfocused, and the sleepiness in his face giving way to faint happiness. Su Yuyang¡¯s attention was elsewhere, so he didn¡¯t notice Ling Miao turn around. Ling Miao saw Su Yuyang smiling and yelled, ¡°What are you looking at? Are flowers growing on my face?¡± Su Yuyang was shocked by Ling Miao¡¯s shout and his wits returned: ¡°I came to see if you¡¯d made breakfast. I¡¯m hungry.¡± ¡°Why do I care whether you¡¯re hungry?¡± Ling Miao sounded like he¡¯d heard a very bad joke. ¡°If you¡¯re hungry, make your own food.¡± ¡°Hey, didn¡¯t you say yesterday that you¡¯d cook?¡± Su Yuyang asked, surprised, some worry in his eyes. Ling Miao set the congee and the dishes on the table and yelled to Yan Li¡¯s room: ¡°Yan-jie, breakfast¡¯s ready.¡± ¡°Coming.¡± Yan Li had wanted to shower a long time ago, but she had seen Su Yuyang standing in the kitchen entrance when she first opened the door. She had wanted to see what would happen between these two, so she had shut the door again without a sound¡ªleaving a crack she could peek through. Who knew that they¡¯d start butting heads first thing in the morning, making Yan Li feel even more awkward about going out. Now she heard Ling Miao calling her and had no choice but to go out and join them. Yan Li straightened her clothing and walked out, her emotions strung tight. ¡°Xiao Miao¡­¡± ¡°We¡¯re not that close.¡± Ling Miao mercilessly cut off Su Yuyang¡¯s words. Su Yuyang froze and unwillingly swallowed the words that had risen in his throat. Yan Li lowered her head to drink her congee but continued to watch Su Yuyang. Seeing Su Yuyang¡¯s expression of ¡®having something to say but not being able to say it,¡¯ she sighed: There¡¯s still a long way to go! Su Yuyang bad-temperedly hmphed. Ling Miao let out a delighted noise: ¡°Mm-hm.¡± With a sigh, Su Yuyang said weakly, ¡°Ling Miao, please get me a bowl of congee.¡± ¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t make your share,¡± Ling Miao decisively rejected Su Yuyang¡¯s request. He got himself a bowl of congee and sat down, completely ignoring Su Yuyang. Su Yuyang¡¯s anger came to a boil and he slammed his chopsticks on the table. Yan Li was shocked by the sudden sound and her head shot up, her gaze landing on Su Yuyang¡¯s enraged face. She kicked Su Yuyang under the table indicating to him that he should calm down, but Su Yuyang glared at her and indignation seemed to shoot like smoke from his nostrils. Ling Miao continued watching Su Yuyang, whose nostrils kept flaring. Su Yuyang¡¯s expression of ¡®trying to hold back anger and not explode¡¯ made Ling Miao¡¯s heart sing: ¡°Good! Very, very good! Su Yuyang, you like to mess with me, right? Now I¡¯ll mess with you, and if you don¡¯t die from it I¡¯ll change my last name to yours!¡± If you don¡¯t die from it, I¡¯ll change my last name to yours? Xiao Miao, you¡¯d better remember your own words! Ling Miao¡¯s mood had improved, and he drank his congee faster as a result. Not a minute had passed before he¡¯d already finished his bowl. As Ling Miao got himself a second serving, Su Yuyang smacked Ling Miao¡¯s hand with a chopstick, and Ling Miao flinched in pain and let go of the ladle. ¡°Why¡¯d you hit me?¡± Ling Miao complained. Su Yuyang folded his arms across his chest and said calmly: ¡°I paid for the ingredients, and now I don¡¯t want you to eat any.¡± ¡°You want to eat raw rice? Cowpeas, radish¡ªyou¡¯ll eat them all raw?¡± Ling Miao wouldn¡¯t back down. Su Yuyang said self-righteously, ¡°Of course, I¡¯ll eat them processed.¡± ¡°These things on the table. I processed them! So I¡¯m not letting you have any!¡± Ling Miao was like a cock ready for a fight. His head was held high and his feathers were spread to show his pride. Su Yuyang held the line: ¡°I paid for the ingredients.¡± Ling Miao huffed and said dismissively: ¡°Yan-jie¡¯s the one who wanted food.¡± Cough cough¡ªSuddenly hearing Ling Miao mention her name, Yan Li choked on her congee. Ling Miao and Su Yuyang simultaneously glanced at her and she awkwardly covered her mouth as she coughed. ¡°You two continue. Don¡¯t mind me.¡± Su Yuyang and Ling Miao turned their gazes back on each other. Yan Li felt that sparks were flying between them¡ªshe could almost hear the crackle of fireworks going off. ¡°Then the food¡¯s for Yan Yan to eat. What right do you have to the food?¡± Su Yuyang used Ling Miao¡¯s own words against him. He thought Ling Miao would be rendered speechless, but Ling Miao smiled like a cat that got the canary, spread his hands and smiled: ¡°Yan-jie said that she¡¯s responsible for my food and board.¡± Another violent fit of coughing. Yan Li looked at Ling Miao in bewilderment and thought, When did I say that? But Yan Li wasn¡¯t willing to hit Ling Miao in the face. Silence is golden, silence is golden, Yan Li repeated to herself, and didn¡¯t look at either Su Yuyang or Ling Miao. Yan Li didn¡¯t say anything, so Su Yuyang didn¡¯t know if what Ling Miao said was true, but Ling Miao said happily: ¡°Silence is admission. Su Yuyang, if you want to eat, pay up. Taking out the ingredient cost, I¡¯ll charge you five yuan for this breakfast.¡± Ling Miao stretched his hand out to Su Yuyang, who put a red Grandpa Mao in it and said fiercely: ¡°I don¡¯t have a five-yuan. Take this hundred for twenty days!¡± Ling Miao put the money in his pocket and said generously: ¡°I¡¯ll give you a discount. Today is on me.¡± Su Yuyang glared at Ling Miao and sat down to eat, but didn¡¯t find an extra bowl. He gave a derisive snort and glanced at Ling Miao in dissatisfaction. He smiled as he said, ¡°Boss Ling, don¡¯t you give your customers bowls and chopsticks?¡± ¡°Chopsticks are next to you, bowls are in the kitchen. Go get your own,¡± Ling Miao said with his mouth full as he drank congee. Su Yuyang took a deep breath. Ling Miao¡¯s current attitude infuriated him, and if not for Yan Li to one side warning him to watch himself, he¡¯d certainly have picked up Ling Miao and tossed him out. As for whether he would toss Ling Miao out through the window or through the door¡­ he genuinely didn¡¯t know Like a crazed bull, Su Yuyang made for the kitchen in a rage. He didn¡¯t take a bowl, however, instead taking the ladle usually meant for soup. Ling Miao had brought the entire pot of congee to the dining table. Su Yuyang walked out of the kitchen, picked up the whole pot, and put it in front of himself. He tipped most of the meat and cowpeas into the pot, then used the ladle to wolf down the food. As Yan Li watched Su Yuyang act like a child throwing a tantrum, her mouth fell open and she couldn¡¯t close it. She suspected that Su Yuyang was either possessed or had gone insane from writing novels. Ling Miao stared at Su Yuyang. He hadn¡¯t thought that a single line from him would make Su Yuyang explode. Fuck, I only asked you to get your own bowl. Did you need to do this? Also, I still want porridge! Aaaaaaaaaah! Ling Miao silently howled. He glared at Su Yuyang angrily and was about to say something to stop him when Yan Li pulled at his sleeve. ¡°What exactly went down between you and him?¡± Yan Li asked worriedly. Ling Miao could see Yan Li¡¯s worry for Su Yuyang in her eyes, and only then did he realize something was wrong here. Ling Miao didn¡¯t know how to answer Yan Li. She said worriedly: ¡°In school, this guy was famous for being a cool cucumber. Calm and cool. Aside from novels, nothing stirs his emotions. He¡¯s always been like that, but Feng-zi told me that since you appeared, he¡¯s no longer the same. So I want to know what went down between you two to make him change so much.¡± Yan Li observed Su Yuyang with a sigh. On hearing her words, Ling Miao¡¯s heart jolted as if someone were jumping up and down in it. Ling Miao thought over the various details of his interactions with Su Yuyang and grimaced: ¡°What could have gone down between me and him? Every day, he gives me hell, I quarrel with him, and after we quarrel life returns to its normal calm. That¡¯s just it. Over and over. ¡°After a while, I started to feel that he was intentionally messing with me. It¡¯s like not messing with me for a single day would kill him. So I quit. No one can stand a boss who picks on you every day with the worst of intentions, right? As for that, I did talk to him, but¡­ bottom line is, a leopard never changes its spots.¡± From this, Yan Li could be even more sure of one thing: To Su Yuyang, Ling Miao was something special. In the time it took Yan Li and Ling Miao to have this quiet conversation, Su Yuyang had finished the pot of congee. He wiped his mouth and said reluctantly, ¡°Ah, there¡¯s too little congee.¡± Ling Miao laughed coldly: ¡°Next time I¡¯ll make an entire pot for you, using your soup pot, and if you don¡¯t finish it¡­¡± Ling Miao didn¡¯t mention the consequences, but his strange smile made the hairs on Su Yuyang¡¯s back stand up. If Su Yuyang remembered right, that soup pot was four times the height of the one before him now! Having eaten and drunk her fill, Yan Li went back to her room to do her makeup. Ling Miao washed dishes in the kitchen and Su Yuyang stood idly in the kitchen doorway watching Ling Miao do the dishes. Ling Miao felt a pair of eyes on his back and turned to see Su Yuyang watching him with a faint smile. Ling Miao threw the dishcloth in his hand toward Su Yuyang, warning: ¡°Keep looking and I¡¯ll throw a bowl next time.¡± The dishcloth didn¡¯t hit Su Yuyang¡¯s face. Su Yuyang picked up the dishcloth and walked to Ling Miao¡¯s side. Ling Miao wanted to tell Su Yuyang to leave, but Su Yuyang¡¯s dejected face made his words stop dead in their tracks. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Ling Miao asked coldly. Su Yuyang put a hand on Ling Miao¡¯s head. His faint smile was slightly sorrowful. He asked, ¡°Why do you hate me so much?¡± Ling Miao retorted, ¡°You hated me first.¡± Su Yuyang asked: ¡°Since when do I hate you?¡± ¡°You keep playing tricks on me. What is that, if not hate? Su Yuyang, sometimes I really don¡¯t understand you. You clearly hate me, but you still want me to be your assistant. I quit, and you want me to come back. What exactly is it you¡¯re trying to do?¡± [Table of Contents] | [Chaleuria is on Twitter!] Chapter 055 The Complete Guide to the Use and Care of a Personal Assistant Translator: Jury Editor: NomNom First Published on Chaleuria ¡ª Chapter Fifty-five What are you trying to do? Ling Miao¡¯s words beat against Su Yuyang¡¯s heart like a drum. Su Yuyang asked himself, too: What am I trying to do? To Ling Miao, Su Yuyang¡¯s hesitation was an admission¡ªan admission of hatred toward Ling Miao. Ling Miao put the bowls away and tidied the kitchen. As Ling Miao did this, Su Yuyang stood as still as a statue in the middle of the kitchen. Though Ling Miao found Su Yuyang obstructed him by standing there, he didn¡¯t want to talk to Su Yuyang so he didn¡¯t try to chase Su Yuyang out. ¡°Xiao Miao¡­¡± Su Yuyang called out out of habit, but Ling Miao didn¡¯t need to cut him off; he stopped of his own accord. Su Yuyang gave a faint smile, its bitterness spreading over his face as he said: ¡°Ling Miao, I only want to be your¡­¡± Su Yuyang stopped. ¡°Fuck!¡± Yan Li¡¯s surprised and elated exclamation came. Su Yuyang and Ling Miao¡¯s gazes shot toward her like twin rays of light. When Yan Li had finished packing, Ling Miao hadn¡¯t yet come out of the kitchen, so she went to the kitchen to take a look. As she reached the entrance she saw Su Yuyang inside, and Ling Miao didn¡¯t seem happy. She hadn¡¯t made a sound and had instead waited to watch the show, so she heard every word the two had said. ¡°Ah, these two¡­¡± Yan Li hadn¡¯t finished her exclamation when she heard Su Yuyang say, ¡°Ling Miao, I only want to be your¡­¡± Even though Su Yuyang hadn¡¯t finished speaking, his stopping point really let the imagination run wild. So, Yan Li instead exclaimed, ¡°Fuck!¡± Having been noticed by Su Yuyang and Ling Miao, Yan Li coughed twice to cover up the awkwardness. She rubbed her head and forced a smile: ¡°Ling Miao, we should go. Take me to Feng-zi¡¯s place.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to rehearse?¡± Ling Miao ignored Su Yuyang¡¯s half-finished sentence and slid out of the kitchen. ¡°My manager doesn¡¯t know I¡¯m here and I don¡¯t want to reveal where I¡¯m staying, so Lin-jie and I usually meet at Feng-zi¡¯s shop,¡± Yan Li explained simply, then took out her phone to call Yang Lin. Ling Miao opened the door and had one foot past the doorway when someone grabbed his hand, hard. Turning his head, he saw Su Yuyang looking at him with a longing expression. Ling Miao remembered Su Yuyang hadn¡¯t finished speaking, and jeered: ¡°Su Yuyang, you want to be my¡­?¡± Su Yuyang seemed to have been stabbed by something. Every inch of his skin hurt, and his hand which had grabbed hold of Ling Miao now fell away, nerveless. ¡°Will¡­ you still come back?¡± Su Yuyang asked haltingly. Ling Miao shook his head. ¡°Yan-jie isn¡¯t here, so I don¡¯t need to be here either.¡± Yan Li couldn¡¯t believe her ears. Wasn¡¯t her leaving the perfect opportunity for them to interact? The plot already wasn¡¯t progressing as she would have liked, and now one of the main characters was going missing¡ªthe show had gone completely off script! Yan Li was extremely anxious. Su Yuyang didn¡¯t continue to try to make Ling Miao stay. He dejectedly turned, went to the sofa, sat down, and pulled out a pack of cigarettes from the drawer to his side. As Ling Miao was about to close the door he heard a small click from inside the house. It was the familiar sound of a lighter. A cigarette was clutched between Su Yuyang¡¯s teeth, and he brought the hand holding the lighter closer to the cigarette. Whoo¡ªSu Yuyang tilted his head back slightly and let out a breath. White smoke drifted from his mouth, thinning as it rose, giving Su Yuyang¡¯s already desolate face an even more desolate air. Ling Miao stared at Su Yuyang like he¡¯d been possessed. Over and over, Su Yuyang put the cigarette in his mouth, took a deep breath, then took it away and slowly spat out the smoke. Su Yuyang¡¯s head was surrounded by a cloud and Ling Miao couldn¡¯t see his expression clearly. But Ling Miao wanted to be near him, wanted to comfort him, wanted to smooth his creased forehead, wanted to¡­ ¡°Ling Miao?¡± Yan Li gently patted Ling Miao¡¯s shoulder. Ling Miao gave a start. He looked at Yan Li¡¯s concerned expression and forced a smile: ¡°I¡¯m fine. Let¡¯s go.¡± Yan Li sighed: ¡°Look at you, your mind¡¯s elsewhere. Just stay here. It¡¯s alright if you¡¯re not paying attention now, but if you don¡¯t pay attention while driving that¡¯s not good. I kind of like being alive.¡± Ling Miao was well aware that he currently wasn¡¯t in a good place. He couldn¡¯t drive like this, but he also didn¡¯t want to be alone with Su Yuyang . ¡°Yan-jie, I¡¯ll go to W&S too.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll go¡­¡± Yan Li found it strange and was about to ask why, but Ling Miao had already vanished around the corner. Yan Li cut her words short and shook her head. Yan Li turned and saw Su Yuyang smoking. Like a lit firework, she rushed into Su Yuyang¡¯s house, snatched his cigarette and put it out on the ottoman. Su Yuyang stared at Yan Li in shock, as if saying, ¡°Didn¡¯t you leave?¡± Yan Li had intended to lecture Su Yuyang, but his slightly reddened eyes and watery gaze made her temper cool. She channeled all her emotions and thoughts into a single word: ¡°Idiot!¡± Yan Li tossed the word out, then rushed out the door. Slam¡ª A deafening noise sounded and Su Yuyang felt the apartment shake. Su Yuyang understood that Yan Li was mad¡ªmad at him. He didn¡¯t know the reason, but he guessed it had to do with Ling Miao. ¡°Ling Miao, Xiao Miao.¡± Su Yuyang dejectedly stared at the ceiling. In the smoke that had not yet cleared he could see Ling Miao¡¯s face. Xiao Miao, I just want to be your boss. I just want you at my side. Su Yuyang¡¯s own thoughts scared him. He jumped up from the sofa, the words I just want you at my side echoing in his mind. ¡°A strange feeling.¡± Su Yuyang laughed drily. Whether Su Yuyang really didn¡¯t understand or was trying to run away from it, from beginning to end he never let his thoughts about his feelings toward Ling Miao go in a certain direction. Not thinking about it didn¡¯t mean it didn¡¯t exist. Under specific conditions, some things you don¡¯t want to face will take the shortest path to appear in front of you, and when that happens, you¡¯ll have nowhere to run. As Yan Li drove toward W&S, Ling Miao took out his phone to make a call. ¡°Hey,¡± a thick voice came. Clearly the owner of the voice had been asleep. Ling Miao glanced at the time and was surprised. He said: ¡°Is red rain falling?1 You¡¯re still asleep?¡± ¡°Dumb cat, I don¡¯t work today!!!¡± the person on the other end yelled, very upset that Ling Miao had interrupted his sleep. Ling Miao slapped his forehead and said apologetically: ¡°My work days aren¡¯t the same as yours, I forgot.¡± ¡°So what did you call for?¡± The person on the other end was, of course, Ji Linxi. He was off work today and had taken the rare chance to sleep in, but Ling Miao had mercilessly woken him. ¡°You¡¯re invited to dinner.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why red rain will fall.¡± Ji Linxi¡¯s voice grew much clearer and Ling Miao guessed he¡¯d been forced to get up. ¡°Since you¡¯re treating, I won¡¯t hold back. Just say where.¡± ¡°W&S.¡± With the location arranged, the call ended. Yan Li had guessed who Ling Miao had called but she still asked: ¡°Who did you ask out? Your girlfriend?¡± ¡°Someone like me can get a girlfriend?¡± Ling Miao said self-effacingly. ¡°I asked Linxi.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t want to be alone with Old Su that much?¡± Yan Li inquired. Ling Miao watched the trees by the side of the road fly by through the car window, his eyes thoughtful. ¡°I¡¯m very scared,¡± Ling Miao said out of nowhere. He might have been answering Yan Li¡¯s question or murmuring to himself. Yan Li asked: ¡°Scared of what? He won¡¯t eat you.¡± Yan Li had emphasized the word ¡°eat,¡±3 and Ling Miao knew her intended meaning. Ling Miao actually wasn¡¯t worried that Su Yuyang would do something to him. If he¡¯d worried about this, he¡¯d never have moved into Su Yuyang¡¯s house in the first place. Ling Miao¡¯s fear toward Su Yuyang was still due to the old problem: Su Yuyang¡¯s attitude. Ling Miao didn¡¯t know just what Su Yuyang¡¯s feelings towards him were. Though he had discussed this with Su Yuyang before, the facts indicated that the discussion had failed. Discuss it again? Ling Miao didn¡¯t have the courage. ¡°If I was worried he¡¯d do something to me, why would I move into his house in the first place?¡± Ling Miao grew pensive. ¡°Yan-jie, something seems to be standing between me and Su Yuyang.¡± ¡°What thing?¡± Ling Miao couldn¡¯t think of what that thing might be, but Yan Li knew: it was the paper in the window!3 The hardest thing wasn¡¯t not knowing, but knowing and not being able to say anything. Yan Li thought about this bitterly as the car came to a stop in front of W&S. Yang Lin was still on the way and W&S was currently busy. Yan Li wouldn¡¯t get out of the car and Ling Miao worried she¡¯d be bored so he waited with her in the car, making halting conversation. Ji Linxi reached W&S and didn¡¯t see Ling Miao inside. He asked Feng Ji, who didn¡¯t know either. Ling Miao only realized he was late when he got Ji Linxi¡¯s call. ¡°Dumb cat,¡± Ji Linxi said as he got in the car. Seeing Ji Linxi get in, Yan Li froze. This man! Things were fine when he wasn¡¯t around, but why did her heart want to leap out her throat the moment she saw him? Ling Miao huffed: ¡°Don¡¯t dredge up the past!¡± ¡°What past?¡± Yan Li turned around curiously, glimmering eyes pressing Ji Linxi. Ji Linxi remained expressionless. His stoicism had a calming effect on the people around him. ¡°Don¡¯t say it!¡± Ling Miao commanded. Ji Linxi ignored Ling Miao¡¯s sincere wishes. He reminisced: ¡°¡®Miao¡¯ and ¡®meow¡¯ have the same sound, so Ling Miao¡¯s nickname was ¡®cat.¡¯ Once, in class, he talked back to a teacher who was already in a bad mood, and the teacher threatened to fail him. So, now there¡¯s the word ¡®dumb¡¯ in front of ¡®cat.¡¯¡± ¡°So ¡®the past¡¯ refers to him talking back to the teacher?¡± ¡°Because of that incident, he didn¡¯t get a scholarship that term¡ªthat was the single time he didn¡¯t get a scholarship.¡± Ji Linxi twisted the knife. ¡°You¡¯re an honor student!¡± Yan Li gave Ling Miao a thumbs-up but Ling Miao felt the teasing in it. ¡°Hey¡­¡± Ling Miao punched Ji Linxi¡¯s chest, neither light nor hard, and laughed: ¡°Ji Linxi, hoes over bros?¡± ¡°Ji Linxi?¡± Yan Li suddenly screeched. ¡°Your surname is Ji?¡± [Table of Contents] | [Chaleuria is on Twitter!] Translation notes: [1] Red rain falling: an impossible event happening. [2] in CN, ¡®eat¡¯ can also mean ¡®sleep with¡¯ [3] Referring to grid windows, which in China sometimes have paper in between for privacy. This is maybe a metaphor for ¡®something easy to break through¡¯. Chapter 056 The Complete Guide to the Use and Care of a Personal Assistant Translator: Jury Editor: NomNom First Published on Chaleuria ¡ª Chapter Fifty-six ¡°Did you think my surname was Lin?¡± Ji Linxi laughed unkindly: no wonder Yan Li had called him ¡®Linxi¡¯ from the start.1 She had thought that was his full name. Yan Li knew she¡¯d made a moderate faux pas, but embarrassment flashed across her face for only a split second before she returned to her usual confident self. Linxi, Linxi. Since she had already gotten used to it, she wouldn¡¯t bother changing what she called him. As for what Ji Linxi thought¡­ Ah, he won¡¯t dislike me just because of what I call him, right? That¡¯s not right. I¡¯m not close to him, so why am I thinking about it so much? But I¡¯ll feel uneasy if I don¡¯t think about it¡ªvery uneasy in a lot of ways. Motherfucker, it¡¯s the feeling of one hundred thousand ¡®fuck you¡¯ horses thundering through my heart. Countless thoughts flashed through Yan Li¡¯s mind. Every time a new one appeared, the frustration on her face intensified. Ji Linxi watched her, baffled. ¡°You¡¯re not agonizing over what to call me, right?¡± Ji Linxi¡¯s smile reached his eyes, the upward turn of his lips mesmerizing. Yan Li huffed heavily as if conceding Ji Linxi¡¯s point. Ling Miao asked curiously: ¡°It¡¯s just a name. What¡¯s there to agonize over?¡± Ji Linxi and Yan Li rolled their eyes at him at the same time, provoking Ling Miao to cry out: ¡°Damn, you two don¡¯t have to be so in step, you know? Or do you just have a spiritual connection when it comes to tormenting me?¡± Yan Li hummed and said with satisfaction: ¡°Maybe we¡¯re this in step about everything.¡± Strands of sweetness wrapped Yan Li¡¯s heart, but she simultaneously noticed a scent of danger. This danger was about Ji Linxi. It¡¯s like¡­ I have feelings for this guy! Thinking this, Yan Li reflexively smiled. Ling Miao couldn¡¯t stand it any more: ¡°Yan-jie, your smile¡¯s too cloying! Put it away, put it away.¡± Yan Li picked up a tissue and tossed it at Ling Miao, saying: ¡°¡®Too cloying,¡¯ you say. I think you¡¯ve eaten too many sweets!¡± ¡°How do you know I meant sweet and not oily?¡±2 Ling Miao teased. Ling Miao gave a long and meaningful smile. His gaze hovered between Yan Li and Ji Linxi, as if Ji Linxi and Yan Li were a loving couple currently displaying affection in front of him! Yan Li turned to ask Ji Linxi: ¡°Ji Linxi, do you think my smile is sweet or oily?¡± Ji Linxi was surprised that Yan Li would turn the conversation to him. He stared at Yan Li, carefully considering, before saying: ¡°Sweet.¡± ¡°Do you like it?¡± Yan Li asked casually. Yan Li¡¯s words instantly froze the atmosphere in the car. Ling Miao¡¯s gaze continued oscillating between Ji Linxi and Yan Li. The difference from earlier was that he was now completely shocked¡ªsurely Yan Li didn¡¯t have a crush on Ji Linxi? Ji Linxi¡¯s expression hadn¡¯t changed too much; he probably wouldn¡¯t be perturbed even if the sky fell. Hearing Yan Li¡¯s question he smiled faintly: ¡°As long as your fans like it.¡± Yan Li froze. This question was an objective one: even though there were two choices, there was only one answer. But Ji Linxi had twisted the question into a subjective one and given an answer from his heart. Yan Li had forgotten that if the question was objective, she should have laid out the choices, not hidden them. Ji Linxi had given Yan Li an unexpected answer, but Yan Li kept the conversation going. She asked: ¡°Will you become my fan?¡± ¡°Are you an architect?¡± Ji Linxi retorted. ¡°Don¡¯t you listen to music?¡± ¡°Occasionally.¡± ¡°So, listen to my music. Maybe you¡¯ll like it.¡± ¡°No need.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I¡¯m busy lately.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll download it for you.¡± Yan Li¡¯s childish actions rendered Ji Linxi incapable of responding. Looking into Yan Li¡¯s sincere eyes, he didn¡¯t know how to reply. Ji Linxi had encountered a problem he had never met before, and he had no one to talk about it with. His forehead furrowed. Yan Li looked at Ji Linxi with a smile, as if enjoying a work of art. Ling Miao leaned back in his chair. Listening to Ji Linxi and Yan Li¡¯s idle chatter, he suddenly felt sleepy. How much free time do these two have? Ling Miao¡¯s gaze gradually grew unfocused. As he was about to go to the God of Sleep, a ringtone sounded at just the wrong time. Then came Yan Li¡¯s panicked voice: ¡°Lin-jie, are you here?¡± ¡°Traffic jam on the highway. Where are you? Are you safe?¡± Yan Li glanced around at her surroundings and verified that there were no suspicious people before saying: ¡°I¡¯m outside Feng-zi¡¯s store. I didn¡¯t see anyone following me.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what time I¡¯ll be there. If I¡¯d known I¡¯d have asked you to come over,¡± Yang Lin said dejectedly. Yan Li was secretly joyous: The longer you take to get here, the better. The moment Ling Miao opened his eyes he saw Yan Li¡¯s scheming smile. He shuddered, then pulled at Ji Linxi¡¯s clothes. He pulled out his phone and typed: Yan Li¡¯s interested in you? Ji Linxi¡¯s eyes went wide, then narrowed again. He squinted at what Ling Miao had typed and recalled his encounters with Yan Li, which weren¡¯t many in number. Ji Linxi wasn¡¯t sure either exactly how Yan Li felt about him. He took the phone and typed: You¡¯d have to ask her. Ling Miao: ¡°You can¡¯t feel it? Ji Linxi: How many times have I met her? If I said she has feelings for me, would you believe it? Either way, I don¡¯t believe it. Ling Miao: Can¡¯t say for sure. Don¡¯t forget, the heaven-defying concept of ¡®love at first sight¡¯ exists. Ji Linxi: Love at several sights still doesn¡¯t compare to love growing over time. Ji Linxi seemed to be implying something but Ling Miao didn¡¯t understand it, and he didn¡¯t want to give Ji Linxi a chance to get one up on him, so he pretended to understand and replied: Love growing over time? Heh heh, Linxi, didn¡¯t know you were that sort of guy. As Ji Linxi saw these words Ling Miao thought his face went green. Compared to Ji Linxi¡¯s implications, Ling Miao¡¯s meaning was simple, violent, straightforward, and deep. Ji Linxi: You¡¯d better go think about your novel. Hey, when you asked me to dinner, did you mean stay in the car all day? Ling Miao: Wait till Yan-jie¡¯s gone and then we¡¯ll talk, alright? It¡¯s not right to leave her in the car alone! Ji Linxi: You could wait at Su Yuyang¡¯s house Ji Linxi typed this far, then stopped. He¡¯d guessed why Ling Miao had asked him to dinner. He didn¡¯t pass the phone to Ling Miao because he hadn¡¯t finished typing, but Ling Miao saw that he wasn¡¯t typing any more and was confused. Ling Miao touched Ji Linxi and asked quietly: ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Ji Linxi continued typing where he had left off: Ling Miao, did you ask me out to avoid Su Yuyang? Ling Miao snatched the phone and scowled at Ji Linxi, saying angrily: ¡°Do you really have to say it out loud?!¡± ¡°Since I¡¯ve already said it, what are you gonna do?¡± Ji Linxi said, playing the rascal. Ling Miao clutched his phone and considered using it to knock a hole in the head of the person sitting opposite him so he could take a look to see if something was wrong with its internal structure. Yan Li had finished her phone call. She tossed the phone on the dashboard, yawning as she said: ¡°My manager¡¯s stuck in traffic on the highway. We might not make the rehearsal today.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Ling Miao¡¯s tone could be described as: dejected. Extremely dejected. Yan Li was also conflicted. Heavy traffic on the highway was normal, and even a traffic jam lasting two hours wasn¡¯t out of the ordinary. Ling Miao really did not want to waste the entire day here. Mostly because the atmosphere in the car was very tense and Ling Miao was afraid that staying in here would make him explode and die. ¡°I¡¯m thirsty. Asking Feng Ji for some water.¡± As if running from trouble, Ling Miao got out of the car and shot toward W&S. Ji Linxi sat there, not leaving; however, he also felt awkward staying, so he pretended not to have seen Yan Li¡¯s hopeful glance. Even as Yan Li hoped sincerely, Ji Linxi flung open the car door and left. In the moment Ji Linxi ran out the door, Yan Li felt that her soul had flown away with Ji Linxi. She was about to open the door and chase after him when her hand stopped mid-motion. Who is he to me? Why do I care about what he does? But if I don¡¯t catch up with him, I won¡¯t be able to stand it. Fuck you, Ji Linxi! Am I contagious? Why¡¯re you running so fast? Yan Li thought aggrievedly. Am I that scary? Ji Linxi, I will find you and get to the bottom of this! Having found an open-and-aboveboard reason, Yan Li put on her cap and sunglasses and got out of the car as if she owned the place. As the familiar silhouette entered Feng Ji¡¯s field of vision, he almost choked on his coffee. He violently coughed several times and immediately invited Yan Li to the second floor, then tossed after her a certain person who had been leisurely enjoying good food in a corner. Seeing Yan Li sitting on Feng Ji¡¯s bed, Ling Miao wanted to cry! Miss Demands-a-lot, could you really not just wait in the car for your manager? He silently wiped away the tears in his heart and grinned: ¡°Yan-jie, do you have any instructions for me?¡± ¡°Where¡¯s Ji Linxi? I want to see him!¡± Yan Li resembled a spoiled princess. Nobody dared to defy her orders, no matter how unreasonable. Ling Miao went downstairs to look for Ji Linxi, all the way thinking about what Ji Linxi might have done to offend Yan Li, but he couldn¡¯t come up with anything. Ji Linxi could guess why Feng Ji had suddenly dragged Ling Miao off, and when Ling Miao came back and invited him up to the second floor he wasn¡¯t too surprised. But what Ling Miao asked after that did surprise him. Ling Miao asked: ¡°What on earth did you do to offend Yan-jie? I feel like she has bad intentions toward you.¡± Ji Linxi replied candidly, ¡°Nothing.¡± Ji Linxi¡¯s candor was not faked. He really couldn¡¯t think of how he had offended Yan Li, aside from being unfriendly the first time they met. Yan Li had looked for Ji Linxi to talk about life and Ling Miao had felt awkward standing to one side, so he didn¡¯t follow Ji Linxi upstairs. Feng Ji walked over holding sweets. Ling Miao raised his head and looked at him, not understanding: ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°I think you¡¯re here avoiding something.¡± Feng Ji wasn¡¯t inquiring, but stating a fact. Ling Miao¡¯s hand froze around his cup. He admitted it, as there was no need to lie to Feng Ji: ¡°Feng Ji, you should buy a lottery ticket. Indeed I¡¯m here to avoid something.¡± ¡°Do you want to talk about your feelings toward Su Yuyang now?¡± Feng Ji seemed to have changed the conversation topic, but Ling Miao instantly understood¡ªthis was what Feng Ji had wanted to ask all along. This was the real subject. ¡°My feelings toward Su Yuyang?¡± Ling Miao took a deep breath then sank into his memories. [Table of Contents] | [Chaleuria is on Twitter!] Translation notes: [1] Calling someone by just their first name is informal and reserved for friends. People typically call someone they just met by their surname + first name. [2] the CN word for ¡®cloying¡¯ is used in both the word for ¡®sweet¡¯ and the word for ¡®oily¡¯, in a food context. Chapter 057 The Complete Guide to the Use and Care of a Personal Assistant Translator: Jury Editor: NomNom First Published on Chaleuria ¡ª Chapter Fifty-seven Ling Miao seemed to have slipped into a state of zen, ignoring everything happening around him. Feng Ji chewed on a cookie, eyes fixed on Ling Miao as if he were a treasure. Ling Miao blinked and ripples surfaced within his his initially calm gaze, the faint smile on his lips either mocking or frustrated. He took a small sip of the coffee in front of him, smiled, and said: ¡°Yan-jie asked me earlier why I didn¡¯t want to be alone with Su Yuyang. Now, you¡¯re asking me my feelings towards Su Yuyang. Feng Ji, this makes me suspect that both of you are spies Su Yuyang sent.¡± Feng Ji had clasped the cookie between two fingers. At Ling Miao¡¯s words the cookie fell to the plate and broke in two. Feng Ji rubbed his nose, his eyes flashing as if in confirmation of Ling Miao¡¯s guesswork. Ling Miao picked up a cookie and stuffed it in his mouth, saying approvingly: ¡°Tastes good. You baked these?¡± Hey, you changed the subject too fast, didn¡¯t you? I can¡¯t follow! Feng Ji silently complained but his face remained calm. Feng Ji was worried Yan Li¡¯s motive would be exposed, so he chose to keep silent instead. But this silence made Ling Miao even more sure that his suspicions were accurate. Ling Miao picked up another cookie but didn¡¯t put it in his mouth, instead tapping the plate with it. He didn¡¯t tap very hard, and the sound the biscuit made on contact with the porcelain wasn¡¯t loud, but it was crisp. Feng Ji snatched the cookie from Ling Miao¡¯s hand and tossed it in his mouth, chewed several times, and swallowed. ¡°It¡¯s nothing, really. Just curious. If you don¡¯t want to say, it¡¯s fine,¡± Feng Ji said candidly. Ling Miao¡¯s eyes narrowed, confusion radiating from his narrow eyes. Feng Ji spread his hands, like he¡¯d made a mistake but wasn¡¯t bothering to make amends: ¡°If you don¡¯t believe me, I can¡¯t do anything about that. If you really won¡¯t let it go, then go ask Su Yuyang. I think that if you go and ask, he¡¯ll be happy to answer you.¡± Ling Miao smelled a plot in Feng Ji¡¯s words. Feng Ji¡¯s expression hadn¡¯t changed, but there was laughter in his eyes, and Ling Miao concluded that Feng Ji was digging a trap for him to fall into! Since he now knew it was a trap, he certainly wouldn¡¯t jump. He gathered his thoughts and said indifferently: ¡°If he didn¡¯t send you, then he didn¡¯t send you. If I ask Su Yuyang, he might even think I have a victim complex or the like.¡± Feng Ji didn¡¯t dare go on chatting with Ling Miao and found an excuse to leave. At the same time, another question presented itself to him: I asked the same question as Yan Li, on a different occasion, and Ling Miao noticed something was up. When did Ling Miao become this streetsmart? Ling Miao didn¡¯t know of Feng Ji¡¯s worries, and he didn¡¯t think too much about his own affairs either. Right now, he was more worried about Ji Linxi. Yan Li and Ji Linxi weren¡¯t that close. No matter how he looked at it, there was something deeply wrong with Yan Li asking Ji Linxi to talk alone. As for what the issue was, Ling Miao did have an answer. Yan Li is interested in Ji Linxi! Ling Miao had guessed correctly this time. Yan Li did sort of like Ji Linxi. As Ling Miao kept thinking about it, he let his thoughts run away and started imagining Yan Li and Ji Linxi¡¯s romantic relationship. Just as everything was progressing beautifully, Ling Miao heard a set of disorderly, hurried footsteps. He glanced over to the source of the sound, Ji Linxi appeared before Ling Miao, looking calm but actually panicking. Ling Miao jeered: ¡°Ji Linxi, is there a tiger chasing you? Why¡¯re you running so fast?¡± Ji Linxi smiled slyly. ¡°Not a tiger. Your boss.¡± Ling Miao froze. He hid a cough and laughed: ¡°What? I didn¡¯t say anything.¡± Ji Linxi sat opposite Ling Miao. Feng Ji walked over and asked: ¡°What would you like?¡± Ling Miao wasn¡¯t very used to Feng Ji¡¯s professional tone. He shuddered and felt his gooseflesh rise. Boss Feng, please sweep the gooseflesh off the floor.1 Feng Ji grabbed the menus and resumed his lackadaisical manner. He slapped the menus on the table and asked lightly: ¡°What would you two handsome lads like?¡± Ji Linxi ordered a steak. Ling Miao, not used to Western-style food, ordered coffee and a slice of cake. ¡°If you don¡¯t like Western food, why did you come here?¡± Ji Linxi wanted to laugh but couldn¡¯t, so his tone sounded strange. Ling Miao suddenly grew curious about what Ji Linxi and Yan Li had talked about, so he leaned over until his head was in front of Ji Linxi and asked nosily: ¡°What did you two chat about?¡± ¡°She asked me if she was scary, and I said no. Then she asked me why I was avoiding her. I said she and I weren¡¯t close, and it was awkward being alone together. She kept asking if I could go see her concert, so I said I had to work overtime at home. She didn¡¯t keep talking, just shoved a ticket into my hands and tried to kiss me in the process¡ªI dodged it.¡± Ji Linxi¡¯s tone was even and factual, and he used the simplest words to convey his conversation with Yan Li to Ling Miao. But Ling Miao zoomed in on the last sentence and let out a loud ¡°Wow!¡± and then was insta-killed by Ji Linxi¡¯s glare. Ling Miao watched Ji Linxi as if delighting in his frustration, saying with a grin: ¡°She¡¯s definitely interested in you! How many times have you guys met? Ah, Ji Linxi, I find that your luck with both men and women is through the roof!¡± Hu Lin had fallen for Ji Linxi at first sight, and although it wasn¡¯t love at first sight with Yan Li, it wasn¡¯t love that grew over time either. Either way, it¡­ it was very enviable! Especially for Ling Miao, who¡¯d lived twenty-two years and had never dated anyone. Ji Linxi could see Ling Miao¡¯s envy, but he hadn¡¯t wanted this luck with women and men. Eh¡­ actually, having luck with women wasn¡¯t so bad. As for luck with men¡­ it¡¯d depend on fate, just on fate. ¡°Yan Li¡¯s someone who takes action.¡± Feng Ji¡¯s chilly voice came, full of sympathy towards Ji Linxi. ¡°Fuck, you were eavesdropping?¡± Ling Miao jumped up and slapped the table as he complained. ¡°Boss Feng, it¡¯s unprofessional to eavesdrop on your customers¡¯ conversations, isn¡¯t it?¡± Feng Ji straight up pretended Ling Miao didn¡¯t exist and ignored his words. He looked at Ji Linxi and took the tone of someone who had been there before: ¡°Xiao Li¡¯s one who takes action. She¡¯ll do what she wants to do without thinking twice, just like when she was pursuing Yuyang.¡± At this point, Feng Ji intentionally slowed down, glancing at Ling Miao out of the corner of his eye. He saw Ling Miao watching him as if listening to gossip. Feng Ji was somewhat dejected. He sighed and continued: ¡°So, if Xiao Li has feelings for Ji Linxi, what I mean to say is¡ªJi Linxi had better make preparations for various surprises to occur in his life!¡± Ling Miao was disappointed not to hear what he wanted to hear, and said listlessly: ¡°I thought I¡¯d hear some mysterious secret, but¡­ Boss Feng, don¡¯t string people along, alright?¡± ¡°This is a secret? All thirty people in our class knew about it.¡± Feng Ji tossed his head and walked toward another table of customers, showing Ling Miao the view of his carefree back. ¡°Linxi, don¡¯t be sad.¡± Ling Miao patted Ji Linxi¡¯s shoulder encouragingly. Ji Linxi had long recovered his calm and didn¡¯t panic even at Feng Ji¡¯s warning. It was as if it wasn¡¯t him Yan Li was pursuing. Ling Miao had anticipated Ji Linxi¡¯s calm and had also guessed that Ji Linxi had already formulated a counter-plan, but didn¡¯t know if his tactics would be useful against Yan Li. Ling Miao prayed that all Ji Linxi¡¯s counter-tactics would be useless! Ling Miao was enjoying the delicious food in front of him (¡­ are you sure it¡¯s the good food?) when his cellphone suddenly rang. He cursed resentfully, but when he saw his phone¡¯s display screen he put on a smile: ¡°Yan-jie, what are your instructions?¡± ¡°Lin-jie is about to get here. Are there a lot of people downstairs?¡± ¡°Full house.¡± Ling Miao said only two words. Yan Li frustratedly cursed: ¡°Fuck, I shouldn¡¯t have come in!¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine if you come down now. Everyone is eating and won¡¯t notice you,¡± Ling Miao suggested. Yan Li retorted, ¡°What if I¡¯m discovered? I don¡¯t want rumors flying about me. What¡¯s more, I don¡¯t want my gossip rag boyfriend to be a gay man.¡± Yan Li¡¯s words weren¡¯t disparaging Feng Ji¡ªshe just didn¡¯t want Feng Ji to be misunderstood or to bring Feng Ji or Su Yuyang any unnecessary trouble. At Yan Li¡¯s stubbornness, Ling Miao had no recourse. He turned and asked Ji Linxi: ¡°Linxi, Yan-jie¡¯s coming down now. What do you think she should do?¡± ¡°Walk down.¡± Ji Linxi¡¯s tone was hard, as if he didn¡¯t want to exert a lot of mental effort on Yan Li¡¯s matters. Yan Li only heard Ling Miao asking Ji Linxi the question, but not Ji Linxi¡¯s answer, so she asked: ¡°What did Ji Linxi say?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you call him Linxi? Why the change?¡± Ling Miao asked, pretending to be surprised. Yan Li grit her teeth. ¡°We¡¯re not that close, so it¡¯s not suitable for us to call each other with names reserved for close friends.¡± Ling Miao could hear Yan Li¡¯s dissatisfaction and grievance, so he very wisely didn¡¯t tell Yan Li Ji Linxi¡¯s response. He changed the subject: ¡°Are you hungry? Should I bring something up to you?¡± ¡°If you take this long to remember I haven¡¯t eaten, I might already be dead, alright?¡± Yan Li said in a joking tone. Ling Miao didn¡¯t respond because he saw a middle-aged woman walk in and head straight for Feng Ji. He seemed to come to a conclusion, and only glanced once at the middle-aged woman before ignoring her. The woman was Yan Li¡¯s manager, Yang Lin. She didn¡¯t stay very long. She ordered several sets of takeout, picked them up, then left W&S. ¡°Hey, you went mute?¡± Yan Li said irritably. Ling Miao stammered: ¡°Your manager came in. She chatted with Feng Ji a while then ordered some food to go.¡± ¡°Probably asking about me.¡± Yan Li got even more frustrated and she paced about the room. ¡°When there are fewer people downstairs, give me a phone call.¡± Ling Miao hadn¡¯t finished but Yan Li hung up the phone. Putting his phone back in his pocket, Ling Miao looked at Ji Linxi in boredom. At least, Ling Miao thought he was wearing a bored expression. Ji Linxi panicked under Ling Miao¡¯s gaze and asked unsteadily, ¡°What are you looking at me for?¡± ¡°Linxi, if Yan-jie clings onto you and doesn¡¯t let go, what will you do?¡± ¡°If Su Yuyang continues to pick on you, what will you do?¡± Ji Linxi had kicked the question back to Ling Miao, but Ling Miao didn¡¯t seem to have noticed. He said weakly, ¡°He can try, but I can hide.¡± ¡°She can try, but I can hide?¡± Ji Linxi borrowed Ling Miao¡¯s answer. The customers in the shop gradually trickled out, leaving W&S emptier than before. At this time, Ling Miao gave Yan Li a phone call. Having gotten the signal, Yan Li hurried downstairs. Ling Miao kept staring at the stairs. His heart leapt as he saw Yan Li¡¯s silhouette. Suddenly, Yan Li said in shock, ¡°Old Su?¡± [Table of Contents] | [Chaleuria is on Twitter!] Translation notes: [1] in CN the expression is ¡®gooseflesh falls all over the floor,¡¯ where the EN equivalent is just ¡®gooseflesh.¡¯ Ling Miao¡¯s thought is referring to this expression. Chapter 058 The Complete Guide to the Use and Care of a Personal Assistant Translator: Jury Editor: NomNom First Published on Chaleuria ¡ª Chapter Fifty-eight Old Su? To Ling Miao¡¯s recollection, Su Yuyang was the only person Yan Li called ¡®Old Su.¡¯ Su Yuyang is here? Shock exploded like a clap of thunder in Ling Miao¡¯s mind as his body froze to the spot. Ji Linxi seemed to think that Ling Miao¡¯s reaction wasn¡¯t strong enough because he remarked: ¡°Su Yuyang¡¯s here. Your ex-boss.¡± He¡¯s an ex-boss, not an ex-husband! Ah, pfeh pfeh pfeh! What ex-husband?! I bought a watch last year!1 Ling Miao glared fiercely at Ji Linxi as if trying to turn Ji Linxi to mincemeat with his eyes, but Ji Linxi had put up his shields so Ling Miao¡¯s glare had no effect on him. Taking advantage of Ling Miao¡¯s skill cooldown time, Ji Linxi twisted the knife: ¡°Actually, bosses can become husbands too, right?¡± Damn, Ji Linxi, can you read minds? How do you know what I¡¯m thinking? Fuck it! Ling Miao¡¯s heart was about to burst, but he couldn¡¯t display this emotion or he¡¯d be tormented by Ji Linxi until he went red in the face even if he hid in a crack in the earth. Yan Li¡¯s shout had not only aroused the attention of Ling Miao and the others but also attracted many curious gazes. Yan Li strode steadily toward the door as if the curious gazes all around weren¡¯t directed at her. Whether it was because she had no makeup on or because nobody in the shop knew of her, nobody called out Yan Li¡¯s name. Yang Lin heard Yan Li¡¯s voice and silently grimaced. As she stepped out of the car she threw a gaze backwards, and she inwardly broke into a cold sweat as she saw the shadow in the corner. The person mightn¡¯t have heard Yan Li¡¯s words, but Yan Li¡¯s expressions didn¡¯t lie. Just as she worried about what to do next, a man jumped out of the car¡ªthis was Yan Li¡¯s official assistant, and if Yang Lin remembered right, his surname was Su! Su Cheng hurried to Yan Li and said with a smile, ¡°Yan-jie, it¡¯s getting late. We should go.¡± As Yan Li reached the door, Su Yuyang stood aside to let them pass. Yan Li walked by as if she hadn¡¯t seen Su Yuyang at all. As Yan Li left without much fanfare, a weight lifted off the hearts of several people present. Only Ling Miao¡¯s heart seemed to have had an even bigger stone put on it. Having sent Yan Li off, Su Yuyang raised his head and looked in Ling Miao¡¯s direction. Ling Miao was originally watching the doorway, but now that Su Yuyang glanced over he quickly averted his gaze and turned his face a little to the side so as to not let Su Yuyang see his face. Ling Miao didn¡¯t try to conceal his actions at all. This reaction left Su Yuyang with a bad taste in his mouth¡ª as if he had drunk a large cup of bittergourd juice, his mouth, stomach, and heart were all full of bitterness, Ji Linxi seemed to be in a good mood. He was smiling and also gave Su Yuyang a friendly nod and hello. The corner of Su Yuyang¡¯s mouth twitched in response to Ji Linxi¡¯s greeting. The two had only exchanged glances, but Feng Ji felt that they¡¯d already been in a hundred-round fight. Su Yuyang and Ji Linxi¡¯s relationship seemed to resemble that of two straight lines drawing closer together¡ªthey looked like they might cross, but in reality they didn¡¯t. Of course, if someone were to build a bridge between the two lines that would be another matter altogether. Feng Ji was inwardly shocked but he maintained a calm expression. He walked to Su Yuyang¡¯s side, put his hand on Su Yuyang¡¯s shoulder and hooked his arm around Su Yuyang¡¯s neck. In the manner of a rascal harassing a girl he asked, ¡°Yuyang, you had time to come over here today?¡± ¡°I¡¯m hungry.¡± Su Yuyang glanced toward Ling Miao as he said this, his tone both helpless and frustrated. Feng Ji warned: ¡°Don¡¯t think you can eat and drink for free because you¡¯re here. Give me an autographed book in exchange.¡± Feng Ji said the last sentence into Su Yuyang¡¯s ear. Su Yuyang glared at Feng Ji as if asking: ¡°Did you get out of the wrong side of the bed today?¡± Feng Ji jumped back as if he¡¯d been shocked and said haltingly: ¡°Don¡¯t glare at me. I can¡¯t cook if my hands are shaking.¡± With these words, Feng Ji disappeared from Su Yuyang¡¯s sight like a rabbit fleeing a tiger. Su Yuyang laughed lightly: ¡°This guy.¡± Feng Ji went to the kitchen to work. Su Yuyang glanced about the room, then walked resolutely toward Ling Miao¡¯s table. Ling Miao saw the shadow gradually approach and his body reflexively shrank inward. Su Yuyang¡¯s eyes were fixed on Ling Miao so he took in Ling Miao¡¯s every move. Seeing Ling Miao¡¯s childish actions, Su Yuyang didn¡¯t know what kind of expression to face him with, or what tone he should take to say what he was about to say. There were a lot of things Su Yuyang didn¡¯t know, so he chose to remain silent instead. His footsteps stopped about 1 meter (3.25 feet) from Ling Miao and he stood there like a pillar. Ling Miao had watched Su Yuyang the whole time, so he noticed when Su Yuyang stopped, and he stopped his own movement too. Ji Linxi saw Ling Miao¡¯s tantrum-like actions and could not help saying: ¡°You two are a farce. One doggedly pursues, one dodges and avoids. I¡¯m saying it now¡ªSu Yuyang, if you like Ling Miao, then you¡¯d better knock him out, take him away, and do what can¡¯t be undone. If you¡¯re just toying with him, then quickly get out of his sight. That¡¯s better for you, for him, and for me.¡± Su Yuyang¡¯s neck rotated stiffly as he turned to face Ji Linxi. Ji Linxi was smiling, but his tone remained chilly, and within the cold there was also a hint of teasing. It made Su Yuyang really want to hit him, so much so that Su Yuyang had already tightened his hand into a fist. But it was undeniable: Su Yuyang was in absolute agreement with some of the things Ji Linxi had said. Su Yuyang seemed to be ill. His voice was weak, as if he¡¯d drop dead at any point. He said: ¡°Ji Linxi, I don¡¯t understand a lot of things, but I just don¡¯t want Ling Miao to leave. I want to keep being his boss.¡± Having responded to Ji Linxi, Su Yuyang returned his gaze to Ling Miao and asked: ¡°Xiao Miao, after Yan Li leaves, are you willing to keep being my assistant? I swear, I really, really will not provoke you on purpose any more!¡± Su Yuyang¡¯s expression was grave, his tone certain and sincere. Before, Ling Miao would already have had been moved. But, heh heh. Ling Miao put one hand on the table as he walked around it. He raised one eyebrow and looked at Su Yuyang, his proud expression decorated with a mocking smile: ¡°Su Yuyang, do you think I¡¯m stupid? I fell for the trick once, do you think I¡¯ll fall twice?¡± ¡°Who¡¯s the trick?¡± A cursed voice came from behind Su Yuyang as Feng Ji appeared holding food. Su Yuyang and Ling Miao¡¯s conversation had weighed down the atmosphere in the whole caf¨¦, but the moment Feng Ji¡¯s words came out the weight not only intensified, it now also contained something Ling Miao didn¡¯t dare examine. Ling Miao didn¡¯t show it and instead used a cold smile to cover his speechlessness. Ji Linxi stopped mid-drink, then pretended he didn¡¯t hear anything and continued drinking his water. Su Yuyang just ignored Feng Ji¡¯s presence. Seeing Ling Miao¡¯s stubbornness made him think the situation was unsalvageable. He didn¡¯t continue begging Ling Miao to stay. He stepped forward so that he was in front of Ling Miao and looked down on Ling Miao from above. Ling Miao raised his head to meet Su Yuyang¡¯s glistening silver eyes. He saw the sorrow Su Yuyang hid beneath his smile, and the source of Su Yuyang¡¯s sorrow happened to be him. Ling Miao forced himself to turn around so he wasn¡¯t looking at Su Yuyang, but Su Yuyang chose that moment to speak: ¡°When Yan Yan leaves, you will, too?¡± ¡°Of course I¡¯ll leave,¡± Ling Miao said, leaving no room for discussion. ¡°And what if you haven¡¯t found a job by that time?¡± Su Yuyang asked. His tone and expression both revealed his anxiety. Ling Miao thought about it and said, ¡°You¡¯re cursing me?¡± ¡°I¡¯m mentioning a possibility,¡± Su Yuyang explained. ¡°You can¡¯t rule it out.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll keep looking!¡± Ling Miao said self-righteously, then added: ¡°If you keep saying stuff like ¡®you can¡¯t find one,¡¯ I¡¯ll punch you¡ªI¡¯ll punch you in the face!¡± ¡°But you can¡¯t rule out the possibility,¡± Su Yuyang said with a faint smile. ¡°Also, it¡¯s fine if you hit my face. I don¡¯t rely on my face to eat.¡± Fuck, forgot this guy¡¯s skin is so thick it could be used to mend the Great Wall, Ling Miao silently complained. Su Yuyang¡¯s words left Ling Miao speechless. He sighed and pleaded: ¡°Su Yuyang, can you please stop pestering me like a haunting ghost? I really, really have no interest in being your assistant. If you want to find another assistant, I¡¯m sure your fans will be very happy to sign up.¡± ¡°But¡­ I don¡¯t want anyone other than you.¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Ling Miao had no reply and could only say viciously: ¡°I said I¡¯m not going back and I¡¯m not going back!¡± ¡°Not even today?¡± ¡°Yan-jie¡¯s not there.¡± Su Yuyang didn¡¯t say anything more. He took the food from Feng Ji and walked to a different table, sitting back to back with Ling Miao. Ji Linxi saw Su Yuyang¡¯s dejected silhouette. He thought he understood, but many things couldn¡¯t be understood just on a feeling. Yet, many other things were understandable only on a feeling. Feng Ji shook his head with pity. Ji Linxi happened to see Feng Ji¡¯s face, and the two exchanged a look before Feng Ji walked upstairs. Ji Linxi found an excuse to leave his seat. If Ling Miao were to turn his head, he would discover that Ji Linxi had followed Feng Ji upstairs. ¡°What did you want to say about Ling Miao and Su Yuyang?¡± Feng Ji got straight to the point. Ji Linxi said in a low voice: ¡°Su Yuyang doesn¡¯t understand the situation because he¡¯s looking at it from the inside.¡± ¡°What are you going to do?¡± ¡°It¡¯s none of my business. Why would I interfere?¡±Ji Linxi turned the question back on him. Feng Ji understood why Ji Linxi would do this, but he was also confused. ¡°Ling Miao¡¯s your close friend. Aren¡¯t you going to help him in secret?¡± ¡°Both of us can tell that Su Yuyang¡¯s interested in Ling Miao, but can you tell Ling Miao¡¯s feelings toward Su Yuyang? It¡¯s not nearly as strong as Su Yuyang¡¯s reaction¡ªit isn¡¯t even flirtatious. In sum, I¡¯m not going to get my friend in trouble for someone I have nothing to do with.¡± ¡°Get him in trouble?¡± Feng Ji¡¯s sensitivity made him wary. Ji Linxi slapped Feng Ji¡¯s shoulder and explained: ¡°Don¡¯t think about sexual orientation. I just don¡¯t want Ling Miao to be led astray only to realize he isn¡¯t romantically interested in Su Yuyang. You and Yan Li are trying to bring them together, but do you know what Ling Miao thinks? We all know he¡¯s running away from Su Yuyang. Even if he had even a little interest in Su Yuyang, after being chased around by Su Yuyang like this, any goodwill he might have had has long since been squashed.¡± Ji Linxi¡¯s words were like a bat to Feng Ji¡¯s head and cleared his thoughts. He and Yan Li were on Su Yuyang¡¯s side so they wanted the best for Su Yuyang, but Ji Linxi was standing on the other side of the problem and was looking at it from the other direction, so he clearly saw many things they hadn¡¯t thought about. Feng Ji took a deep breath and asked, ¡°Ji Linxi, can I ask you a favor?¡± [Table of Contents] | [Chaleuria is on Twitter!] Translation notes: [1] bought a watch: @#$%&@#%$^&@. Chapter 059 The Complete Guide to the Use and Care of a Personal Assistant Translator: Jury Editor: NomNom First Published on Chaleuria ¡ª Chapter Fifty-nine ¡°If you¡¯re asking me to sound out Ling Miao¡¯s feelings for Su Yuyang, I¡¯m telling you now¡ªforget it!¡± Ji Linxi smiled faintly as he looked at Feng Ji, ridicule plain on his face. Feng Ji froze. He guessed Ji Linxi¡¯s thoughts and grimaced: ¡°You¡¯re right. Xiao Li and I care about Yuyang because we¡¯re close friends, and you and Ling Miao are also close friends. Everything Yan Li and I do, we do hoping that Yuyang can escape from these emotions which are about to make him snap at any time. What you do, you do to protect Ling Miao. It¡¯s only natural that you¡¯re not willing to help me.¡± Ji Linxi narrowed his eyes at Feng Ji. Feng Ji was speaking casually but Ji Linxi could tell he was hiding unease and frustration. Ji Linxi patted Feng Ji¡¯s shoulder and consoled: ¡°It¡¯s best to let them solve their own problems. Even if Ling Miao¡¯s interested in Su Yuyang in that way, what can you do? Encourage Su Yuyang to pursue Ling Miao? Looking at Su Yuyang, he¡¯s confused. If you forcibly open a way for him not knowing if it¡¯s right or wrong, what happens next will be beyond your control. If the end result isn¡¯t one you want, who¡¯ll you go crying to?¡± Feng Ji lay down spread-eagle on his bed and said helplessly: ¡°Only Su Yuyang knows how he feels about Ling Miao, but¡­ Su Yuyang doesn¡¯t know, either. Xiao Li and I guessed he likes Ling Miao, but he¡¯s a blockhead, and if you don¡¯t tap him a little and provoke him a little he might go a lifetime not understanding. By the time he gets it, Ling Miao might have already gotten married and had kids.¡± ¡°Honestly, I did suspect before that Ling Miao had feelings for Su Yuyang,¡± Ji Linxi suddenly tossed out. This seemed to energize Feng Ji, who cried out excitedly: ¡°Surely not? Then you¡­¡± ¡°Then I quickly decided otherwise.¡± Ji Linxi followed up by pouring cold water over Feng Ji, thoroughly cooling Feng Ji¡¯s heart. Feng Ji sat up on the bed, glaring at Ji Linxi who laughed: ¡°I remember one day when Ling Miao came back early from Su Yuyang¡¯s place. He was very angry, like he wanted to skin Su Yuyang and use his skin to make clothing, but the moment he got a text from Su Yuyang he went running straight back. He said he was worried Su Yuyang would die from low blood sugar. After that, a few other things happened that made me think ¡®Ling Miao likes Su Yuyang like that.¡¯ Then Ling Miao moved out of Su Yuyang¡¯s house and I got the message loud and clear: Ling Miao¡¯s concern for Su Yuyang is that of a fan for his idol, and an employee for his boss.¡± Feng Ji completely gave up the notion of asking Ji Linxi to probe Ling Miao¡¯s feelings on the matter. Now, he even considered telling Yan Li to put a stop to the plan, which was very likely to fail. But knowing Yan Li, she¡¯d only end the plan once Ling Miao had returned to Su Yuyang¡¯s side. Ji Linxi saw Feng Ji go silent for a long time and also noticed the hesitation in his eyes. He suddenly asked: ¡°Feng Ji, did you ask Su Yuyang before what he thinks of Ling Miao?¡± ¡°About Ling Miao¡­ Su Yuyang¡¯s talked to me twice about him. I told him both directly and indirectly that he might¡¯ve fallen for Ling Miao, but he didn¡¯t take it to heart at all.¡± Feng Ji¡¯s smile grew even more helpless. ¡°Maybe Yan Li and I really got it wrong. But then how do you explain everything he does to Ling Miao? For someone to pester someone else like Su Yuyang is doing¡ªthey have to either hate the person, be interested in the person, or have made a bet with someone. Thinking about these three scenarios, the only possible one is that Su Yuyang¡¯s interested.¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Ji Linxi was cut off by Ling Miao¡¯s terrible scream from downstairs. ¡°Su Yuyang? Su Yuyang?¡± Ling Miao frantically called Su Yuyang¡¯s name as if his beloved was about to die in his arms. Feng Ji and Ji Linxi exchanged a look and rushed downstairs. Su Yuyang was lying in Ling Miao¡¯s lap as Ling Miao looked on helplessly, frantically called his name. Feng Ji and Ji Linxi exchanged a look in tacit understanding. Feng Ji¡¯s eyes were delighted while Ji Linxi wore a despondent smile. Feng Ji was the boss and Su Yuyang¡¯s good friend, so he rushed over as quickly as he could. He sent away the onlookers and looked at Su Yuyang¡¯s pale face. He picked Su Yuyang up, then walked toward the second floor. Feng Ji¡¯s steps were steady, but there was worry in his calm too. Ji Linxi stood aside and let Feng Ji carry Su Yuyang upstairs, and Ling Miao watched them go. Only after most of Feng Ji¡¯s body had disappeared from view did Ling Miao stand up and walk unsteadily toward the stairs. Ji Linxi watched Ling Miao¡¯s unsteady, tottering steps thoughtfully. He wondered: He¡¯s so worried about Su Yuyang. Is this a fan¡¯s concern for his idol or concern for his beloved? Ling Miao had already walked up to Ji Linxi, who didn¡¯t stand aside. Ling Miao gave Ji Linxi a look, but Ji Linxi¡¯s eyes were resolute. Ling Miao reflexively turned to walk around Ji Linxi, but Ji Linxi nimbly blocked his way again. ¡°Stand aside!¡± Ling Miao bellowed. Ji Linxi gave a start as if Ling Miao¡¯s powerful energy had physically impacted him, but he quickly recovered. He stood stoically like an upright pillar in front of Ling Miao. ¡°I want to see him.¡± Like an eggplant touched by frost, tears shone in Ling Miao¡¯s eyes, and his pleading expression almost made Ji Linxi give in. ¡°Don¡¯t you hate him?¡± Ji Linxi asked. Ling Miao explained: ¡°He¡¯s my idol. If he¡¯s sick, who¡¯s gonna write for me to read?¡± ¡°His books are the only ones you read?¡± One line from Ji Linxi rendered Ling Miao¡¯s argument useless. Ling Miao¡¯s hands balled into fists at his side, veins rising on the back of his hands in anger. Ji Linxi pretended he hadn¡¯t seen it and continued: ¡°Ling Miao, if you want to go, I¡¯m not going to stop you, but I hope you¡¯ll think one thing through. Why are you this concerned for Su Yuyang? Do you like him, and if so, what¡¯s the nature of your liking for him? If you can¡¯t figure those two things out, I advise you to stay here. If you go up, you¡¯ll just bring him even more trouble.¡± Hearing Ji Linxi¡¯s words, all the strength left Ling Miao¡¯s body and he fell to the ground like a terminally ill patient. Ji Linxi helped him up, called for a glass of warm water, and put it in front of him. ¡°Think about it. I¡¯m going upstairs to check on the situation.¡± Ji Linxi patted Ling Miao¡¯s shoulder. Su Yuyang lay on the bed, his pallor much better than before but still terrifyingly pale. Ji Linxi asked in a low voice, ¡°How is he?¡± Feng Ji said sarcastically: ¡°It¡¯s the same old issue. He won¡¯t die. At most, he¡¯ll be weak for a few days.¡± Seeing that Ji Linxi had come up alone, he asked in disappointment: ¡°Where¡¯s Ling Miao?¡± ¡°I asked him to stay downstairs to think a few things over. Once he¡¯s thought it through, he¡¯ll come up. If he can¡¯t figure it out, what¡¯s the use of him seeing Su Yuyang?¡± The corner of Ji Linxi¡¯s mouth twitched. ¡°Actually, Ling Miao¡¯s pretty concerned about Su Yuyang.¡± ¡°Seeing how frantic he was just now, I agree with you.¡± Feng Ji thought about how Ling Miao had looked just now and couldn¡¯t help smiling. A pity Su Yuyang hadn¡¯t seen it. ¡°If Su Yuyang could have seen Ling Miao earlier, he¡¯d surely have laughed at Ling Miao,¡± Feng Ji guessed. Ji Linxi didn¡¯t respond. Time passed, minute by minute. Yan Li called to check on the situation and Feng Ji reported it to her as-is, then Ji Linxi heard an exasperated voice: ¡°What the fuck are these two doing? If they get their affairs in a muddle, that¡¯s fine, but they make us worry along with them? Damn it!¡± Ji Linxi laughed coldly: ¡°You were the one who poked your nose in, right?¡± Hey, worrying for a good friend is poking my nose in, now? What about when you worried about Ling Miao? Feng Ji glanced at Ji Linxi¡¯s expression and put the phone on speaker, intending to make trouble. ¡°Feng-zi, I¡¯ll ask you. What¡¯s Ji Linxi doing?¡± Hearing his own name, Ji Linxi gave a start and almost fell down the stairs. ¡°Ji Linxi? You¡¯re suddenly concerned about him, do you have a secret you can¡¯t tell?¡± Feng Ji teased. Yan Li suddenly lowered her voice: ¡°Yeah, I like him like that. Bite me?¡± As her pleased voice reached Ji Linxi¡¯s ears, he couldn¡¯t keep his balance any more. He uncrossed his legs so he was standing straight and unfolded his arms. Thankfully, having learned his lesson from before, he was standing inside the room with his back to the wall. ¡°Bite you? I¡¯m not a dog.¡± Feng Ji let out a ¡®tcheh¡¯ but he was looking at Ji Linxi. Feeling Feng Ji¡¯s eyes on him, Ji Linxi slowly walked over. Feng Ji put his finger to his lips indicating to Ji Linxi to stay silent. ¡°Hey, Feng-zi, I¡¯m at the stadium. Rehearsal¡¯s about to start. If there¡¯s anything, I¡¯ll call you tonight.¡± Yan Li was still speaking when Feng Ji heard Yang Lin hurrying her in the background. Yan Li quickly exchanged a few more words then hung up the phone. ¡°How do you feel?¡± Feng Ji quirked an eyebrow and asked. Ji Linxi said expressionlessly in a calm tone: ¡°She¡¯s free to like whoever she wants, and I¡¯ll also choose who I like.¡± Ji Linxi didn¡¯t want the conversation to linger on him so he looked at Su Yuyang and asked: ¡°How long will he sleep?¡± ¡°Half a day, maybe a day. It depends. The longest he slept was three days.¡± Feng Ji shrugged. ¡°Ling Miao¡¯s still not here. Looks like he was stumped by your question. What exactly did you ask him?¡± ¡°Just to think through a few things.¡± Ji Linxi¡¯s smile was mysterious. Feng Ji shuddered and said haltingly: ¡°If you¡¯re smiling like that, I think he won¡¯t figure out the answer in this lifetime.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll keep him here?¡± Feng Ji didn¡¯t know where Ji Linxi¡¯s thoughts had leaped. A second ago he¡¯d just been talking about Ling Miao, and now he¡¯d turned the conversation to Su Yuyang. Feng Ji shook his head: ¡°If I keep him here, where will I sleep?¡± ¡°Let Ling Miao take him home,¡± Ji Linxi suggested. Comprehension dawning, Feng Ji looked at Ji Linxi. He nodded, and his lips curved slowly into a smile. [Table of Contents] | [Chaleuria is on Twitter!] Chapter 060 The Complete Guide to the Use and Care of a Personal Assistant Translator: Jury Editor: NomNom First Published on Chaleuria ¡ª Chapter Sixty Ling Miao slumped bonelessly over the table like a heap of wet dirt. All around, curious, concerned, or greedy gazes swept over him, but he ignored them all. The only thing that had made his expression change was just now, when a man had called out ¡°Su¡ª-¡± Not Su Yuyang. These words were all that slipped through Ling Miao¡¯s mind. Why are you this concerned for Su Yuyang? Do you like him, and if so, what¡¯s the nature of your liking for him? Ji Linxi¡¯s words circled repeatedly in Ling Miao¡¯s mind. Again and again they sounded, like the cry of cicadas in summer. Concern for Su Yuyang? Since when am I concerned about him? Ling Miao thought self-effacingly. But¡­ when Ling Miao thought about Su Yuyang¡¯s paper-white pallor, and his breathing that seemed like it would stop at any time, his hands reflexively balled into fists at his sides. He felt strongly that he was trying to hold something tight in the palm of his hand. All this time, Ling Miao¡¯s liking for Su Yuyang was just that of a fan for his idol¡ªliking, mixed in with respect. All along Ling Miao had thought this, but now Ji Linxi¡¯s words made him think about it again. As he thought it over, his mind started to become confused. As if looking for a needle in a haystack, Ling Miao searched again and again, but without tools in his hands, he failed again and again. ¡°Are you dead?¡± A man¡¯s teasing voice reached Ling Miao¡¯s ears. Ling Miao blankly raised his head to look at the speaker, whom he only glanced at before lowering his head again. He sat down beside Ling Miao and turned Ling Miao¡¯s head to look at him. He smiled as he said: ¡°Ah, Su Yuyang can¡¯t keep lying in my house, right? So, I¡¯ll trouble you to bring him home.¡± The man was Feng Ji. Ling Miao was about to retort when he saw Ji Linxi walk over carrying Su Yuyang on his back. Su Yuyang¡¯s arms dangled in front of Ji Linxi¡¯s chest like two limp noodles. His pallor looked much better than before, but Ling Miao¡¯s heart still went cold when he looked at it. Ji Linxi walked around Ling Miao and carried Su Yuyang out. Ling Miao got up and was about to go after them but stopped when he saw Feng Ji¡¯s laughing eyes. Feng Ji tilted his head and asked: ¡°Do you have anything to say?¡± Ling Miao froze, then shook his head. ¡°This is Yuyang¡¯s old illness. It¡¯s not clear why it flares up, but based on past experience, he¡¯ll be fine once he sleeps for a while. If he doesn¡¯t wake up in a week, call me.¡± As Feng Ji got to ¡®a week¡¯ the smile on his face had completely gone, and his eyes were full of despondence. ¡°He¡¯s seen a doctor before, right?¡± Ling Miao said, his breathing erratic, anxiety filtering through his voice so that anyone listening could hear his worry. Feng Ji took a deep breath and patted Ling Miao¡¯s shoulder. ¡°He did, but it didn¡¯t help much. Take care of Yuyang. These are the things you need to watch out for.¡± Taking the paper Feng Ji proffered, Ling Miao read the dense set of instructions on the page. Surprised, he asked: ¡°You often took care of him before?¡± ¡°I was his housemate and once was his boyfriend. If I didn¡¯t take care of him, who would? Oh, Xiao Li did too.¡± Feng Ji seemed to worry that Ling Miao would misunderstand, so he added Yan Li to the list too. He wasn¡¯t lying, technically. ¡°Yuyang¡¯s illness comes and goes.¡± Feng Ji lit a cigarette and said thoughtfully: ¡°A doctor once mentioned this possibility: Yuyang does this in self-defense. He¡¯s trying to run away from something but can¡¯t escape it, so he avoids it in this way.¡± ¡°What¡¯s he running from?¡± Ling Miao¡¯s eyes flashed as if he had found a way to make Su Yuyang wake up. Feng Ji shook the ash from his cigarette, the conflict deepening on his face. ¡°Running from having to make a decision, running from having to think. How would I know what he¡¯s avoiding? After all¡­¡± Feng Ji cut himself off halfway. Ling Miao pressed: ¡°Feng Ji, after all what? Tell me!¡± Ling Miao¡¯s worry, Ling Miao¡¯s unease, Ling Miao¡¯s concern for Su Yuyang¡ªthe various emotions Ling Miao demonstrated gave Feng Ji a glimpse of an opportunity. If he couldn¡¯t find a way in on Su Yuyang¡¯s side, perhaps he could find one on Ling Miao¡¯s side¡­ At this point Feng Ji started to doubt again. ¡°If we tell Ling Miao our thoughts like they¡¯re fact, will Ling Miao be led by them, so that he makes a decision that isn¡¯t from his heart?¡± ¡°Feng Ji?¡± Ling Miao called urgently. Feng Ji gave a start. With a dry laugh he said: ¡°Ah? What is it?¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t finish saying what you wanted to. What¡¯s after ¡®After all¡­?¡¯¡± Ling Miao was less hurried than before. He had covered all his panic with calm, his brilliant eyes showing his resolution. No matter what Feng Ji said, he would accept it. Feng Ji took a drag on his cigarette. He watched the white smoke rise and envelope Ling Miao in a thin veil. Everything blurred aside from Ling Miao¡¯s eyes, which were unusually bright. Feng Ji asked thoughtfully: ¡°Ling Miao, you¡¯re so concerned about Su Yuyang. Why is that?¡± ¡°A fan for hs idol,¡± Ling Miao replied without even thinking twice. Feng Ji nodded. ¡°Indeed. So, go and take care of your idol.¡± Ji Linxi carried Su Yuyang to the car, and for a long time Ling Miao didn¡¯t follow. He stood at the door and looked in. Seeing Feng Ji and Ling Miao talking he went back to the car. Ji Linxi had just shut the car door when Ling Miao walked over. ¡°You drive.¡± Ling Miao sat in the back of the car, supporting Su Yuyang. He rearranged Su Yuyang¡¯s sitting position so that he¡¯d sleep more comfortably. Ji Linxi watched Ling Miao¡¯s actions in the back seat and grimaced. After Ji Linxi and the others had left, Feng Ji sent a text to Yan Li giving her a summary of what had transpired at W&S. At the end, he gave his own conclusion: Even if we think that Ling Miao¡¯s liking for Su Yuyang is of the romantic kind, Ling Miao isn¡¯t wrong either. Everything he did for Su Yuyang is something a fan would do for their idol. We¡¯d better retreat. Feng Ji had thoroughly washed his hands of the matters between Ling Miao and Su Yuyang. Matters of the heart needed to be discovered by oneself. The push and pull from outsiders might seem to accelerate the development of the relationship, but it might also cause the relationship to fall apart due to a weak foundation. Yan Li seemed to be resting. After sending the text, Feng Ji received a reply before long. Yan Li¡¯s reply was a single word: Alright. The matter concluded, Feng Ji felt much more relaxed but his chest still felt heavy. A white horse cruised steadily among the cars. It had to be said that Ji Linxi drove much better than Ling Miao. W&S was about a ten-minute walk from Su Yuyang¡¯s house, but Ji Linxi also took ten minutes to drive the same distance. On the way, Ling Miao looked out the window, but his hands subconsciously stroked Su Yuyang¡¯s cheek. The car pulled up beside Su Yuyang¡¯s apartment. Ling Miao was still looking out the window and didn¡¯t get out of the car. Ji Linxi turned around and called: ¡°Ling Miao, we¡¯re here.¡± Ling Miao didn¡¯t respond. Ji Linxi got out of the car and opened the rear door, yelling: ¡°Ling Miao, we¡¯re here, get out of the car!¡± Ling Miao¡¯s blank expression shifted a little. He looked at Ji Linxi and asked: ¡°Linxi, why did you come over?¡± ¡°We¡¯re here.¡± ¡°So fast?¡± Ling Miao showed surprise, his mouth even dropping open exaggeratedly. Ling Miao resembled a terminally ill patient, as if his life would be harvested by the Grim Reaper at any time. Ji Linxi had lived with Ling Miao for five years and understood him pretty well. Ling Miao was thick-skinned, quick to panic when something went wrong, and as explosive as a barrel of gunpowder. But at any time, you could feel the spark of life coming from him. In five years, this was the first time Ji Linxi saw Ling Miao like this: his entire being like a withered tree in the desert. Withered branches tangled together, as if a single spark would set him alight and turn him to ash. Ji Linxi wasn¡¯t sure how to get Ling Miao to recover. All he could do now was help Ling Miao carry Su Yuyang upstairs. Without them realizing, the day had grown overcast with dark, gray clouds covering the clear sky. Without warning, rain began to fall. Ji Linxi stood outside the car, rain quickly soaking him through, but Ling Miao didn¡¯t seem to notice Ji Linxi¡¯s pitiful state. He picked Su Yuyang up and cradled him, murmuring: ¡°Su Yuyang, this guy¡ª he¡¯s afraid of the cold. Even if it¡¯s just a little wind, he wants a jacket. The weather today is strange. It¡¯s June, but it¡¯s still so cool. That¡¯s not normal.¡± Ji Linxi let the rain keep falling on him. This wasn¡¯t because he didn¡¯t want to get an umbrella to shelter under, but because Ling Miao¡¯s words had frozen him to the spot. Shock exploded through Ji Linxi¡¯s heart. He looked at Ling Miao and asked: ¡°You¡­¡± Hugging Su Yuyang, Ling Miao said tenderly: ¡°Linxi, I think I understand.¡± ¡°Understand what?¡± Ji Linxi asked hopefully. Ling Miao just smiled and didn¡¯t say anything. ¡°Whatever it is you understood, I believe you made the right choice.¡± Ji Linxi patted Ling Miao¡¯s shoulder encouragingly. Ji Linxi popped the trunk, picked up an umbrella from a corner, and held it out to Ling Miao. ¡°Go upstairs. I¡¯ll park the car.¡± Ling Miao looked at the umbrella in Ji Linxi¡¯s hands and pushed it back. ¡°I¡¯ll park the car. You go back first. I was going to treat you to dinner, but I got you rained on instead.¡± Ji Linxi said dismissively: ¡°I¡¯ve been rained on before. Only¡­ can you get Su Yuyang up on your own?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t underestimate me!¡± Ling Miao called softly, a smile on his lips. ¡°Linxi, if¡­¡± Hesitation, fear, worry¡ªa lot of emotions mingling together, Ling Miao suddenly looked at Ji Linxi with a complicated expression on his face. Ling Miao¡¯s expression, his starting and stopping, and the fact that he said he¡¯d ¡®understood¡¯ before¡ªJi Linxi guessed what Ling Miao was about to say. Ji Linxi patted Ling Miao¡¯s shoulder and said comfortingly: ¡°Like I said, I believe you made the right choice. Since I believe in you, I¡¯ll support you.¡± With that, Ji Linxi pressed the car keys into Ling Miao¡¯s hands, opened the umbrella, and walked toward his apartment. ¡°Thank you, Linxi.¡± Ling Miao watched Ji Linxi¡¯s departing back grow blurrier the further he went, and the gratitude in his heart deepened. If it wasn¡¯t for Ji Linxi, if it wasn¡¯t for Feng Ji, Ling Miao thought, there were things he might not have understood in his lifetime. He might have passed some people by and regretted it for life. ¡°Su Yuyang, now I understand. I understand why I¡¯m so concerned about your feelings toward me, why I¡¯m concerned about you. Su Yuyang, wake up, quickly. I¡¯ll tell you first thing after you wake up. So, please don¡¯t run away from me any more. Please, wake up!¡± Ling Miao said quietly by Su Yuyang¡¯s ear. A kiss landed on Su Yuyang¡¯s lips. The rain outside pattered joyfully against the car¡¯s windows, as if stealing a peek at the sweetness within. [Table of Contents] | [Chaleuria is on Twitter!] Chapter 061 The Complete Guide to the Use and Care of a Personal Assistant Translator: Jury Editor: NomNom First Published on Chaleuria ¡ª Chapter Sixty-one Ling Miao expended herculean effort to haul Su Yuyang upstairs. ¡°Fuck you, Su Yuyang, you should lose weight.¡± Ling Miao laughed as he put Su Yuyang on the bed and pulled a thick blanket over him. Ling Miao tucked Su Yuyang in and laughed, ¡°Su Yuyang, I haven¡¯t seen anyone who dislikes the cold as much as you do. It¡¯s raining today, so I¡¯m tucking you in. Don¡¯t say you¡¯re cold! Or should I pull the blankets off and let you freeze? Maybe if you¡¯re freezing, you¡¯ll wake up?¡± Ling Miao caressed Su Yuyang¡¯s icy cheek. He couldn¡¯t hold the smile on his face any longer. Tears glistened in his eyes and he said softly, ¡°Su Yuyang, Feng Ji says you might be running away from something and that¡¯s why you chose to fall unconscious. Su Yuyang, I thought about it over and over, and there¡¯s only one person you might be trying to avoid: me. Maybe, like me, you don¡¯t know your own heart, and in the midst of that struggle, you chose to hide instead. If you¡¯re awake, you¡¯ll think stray thoughts, so you decided to sleep instead. ¡°I don¡¯t know how long you¡¯re going to sleep. I don¡¯t know how long you want to sleep. ¡°Su Yuyang, please wake up.¡± Ling Miao leaned over and kissed Su Yuyang. It was like kissing an ice cube. After settling Su Yuyang, Ling Miao called Feng Ji to report that all was well. Then he called Ji Linxi and asked him to bring some things over. Several minutes later a knock came at Su Yuyang¡¯s door. Ling Miao glanced at Su Yuyang lying on the bed, saw he hadn¡¯t woken up from the noise, and was disappointed. Ling Miao opened the door. Ji Linxi stood outside the door, looking thoroughly pitiful. In his left hand he held a suitcase. His right arm was around a board. ¡°I¡¯ve brought your books and desk. If you need anything, call me. I¡¯ll be ready for instructions 24/7,¡± Ji Linxi said as he panted for breath. Ji Linxi hadn¡¯t said anything too passionate, but ¡®I¡¯ll be ready for your instructions 24/7¡¯ made Ling Miao¡¯s nose ache. The tears that had wanted to fall but couldn¡¯t now finally left his eyes. Ling Miao buried his head in Ji Linxi¡¯s chest and started crying loudly. ¡°Linxi, why are things like this?! Why did I figure it out only after he went into a coma? Linxi, did you see from the beginning that I liked him more than a fan likes an idol? Linxi, why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡± Ji Linxi let Ling Miao wipe his tears on his clothes and consoled gently: ¡°I had suspected for a while that your feelings for Su Yuyang had changed. But then you made me question my suspicions again. Ling Miao, I¡¯m very happy that you now see your own heart clearly. Even if Su Yuyang can¡¯t hear you now, he¡¯ll wake up someday.¡± ¡°If¡­¡± ¡°What nonsense are you saying?¡± Ji Linxi¡¯s tone suddenly grew severe, as if he were a teacher lecturing a student. ¡°Ling Miao, I think you¡¯ve been scared silly.¡± ¡°I¡¯m silly even when I¡¯m not scared. It¡¯s been so long and I couldn¡¯t even see my own heart clearly. If I¡¯m not silly, who is?¡± Ling Miao half-laughed, half-cried. Ji Linxi huffed, pointed at the person lying on the bed, and said: ¡°Of course there are people sillier than you. Isn¡¯t Su Yuyang one of them?¡± Su Yuyang couldn¡¯t see his own heart clearly, and couldn¡¯t see your feelings, either. Ah, both of you are silly. Don¡¯t blame Su Yuyang for not sensing Ling Miao¡¯s feelings. Ling Miao hadn¡¯t expressed them at all, and without any indicators, how would Su Yuyang know? Ling Miao had only figured out his feelings for Su Yuyang due to an external stimulus. A fan¡¯s like for his idol and the love for his lover¡ªLing Miao had finally distinguished the two different feelings, but the other main character, Su Yuyang, had now fallen into a coma. Perhaps Heaven felt that their love hadn¡¯t yet been tested and so had laid down this little trial. As for whether, once the trial had passed, they¡¯d experience the joy of lovers becoming family or the tragedy of a love not meant to be¡ªall that would come later. Ling Miao looked at Su Yuyang and agreed: ¡°He¡¯s pretty silly. He just couldn¡¯t find an exit. Did he need to try to avoid it in this silly way? If he wakes up, I¡¯ll have to have a good laugh at him so that he never treats me this way again.¡± As Ling Miao spoke, the tears he had tried very hard to stop now started flowing again. Ling Miao¡¯s body gradually sank downward. Ji Linxi looked at his shaking shoulders and listened to his dry sobs. Ji Linxi couldn¡¯t think of any words to console Ling Miao, so he watched Ling Miao quietly and waited for Ling Miao to come back to life. ¡°Linxi, I¡¯m so scared.¡± Ling Miao sat on the floor hugging his knees. ¡°I¡¯m afraid of spilling my heart to Su Yuyang. I¡¯m afraid he¡¯ll reject me. Linxi, what do you think? If Su Yuyang knows I like him, will he still keep me by his side?¡± Ji Linxi thought for a while and said, said in a deliberately happy voice: ¡°Maybe after he finds out you like him, he¡¯ll want to keep you even more. Even if he doesn¡¯t like you, if he keeps you, love may grow over time and that isn¡¯t bad either.¡± ¡°Love may grow over time?¡± Ling Miao laughed, a carefree and satisfied sound. Ji Linxi noticed Ling Miao¡¯s change in expression and knew that Ling Miao had come to a decision. He took a breath and said faux-casually: ¡°Dumb cat, you finally did the smart thing for once!¡± Ling Miao angled his head and asked: ¡°Then can we get rid of the ¡®dumb¡¯ part now?¡± Ji Linxi huffed: ¡°I just said you were smart, but now you¡¯re dumb again. Dumb cat, take care of yourself!¡± ¡°I will. And what about you? What are your feelings toward Yan-jie? Feng Ji said she¡¯s someone who takes action.¡± Ling Miao changed the thrust of the conversation and turned the topic directly to Yan Li. Ji Linxi inwardly cursed Ling Miao but his face was still a cool mask. He said in a low voice: ¡°My feelings toward Yan Li? No feelings. I just don¡¯t want to make entertainment mag headlines.¡± Ling Miao said hopefully: ¡°Making entertainment mag headlines isn¡¯t so bad! And I think Yan-jie¡¯s a pretty good person. You can think about it!¡± Ji Linxi didn¡¯t understand. He looked Ling Miao over from head to toe, as if verifying that the person in front of him indeed was the Ling Miao he knew. Feeling Ji Linxi¡¯s gaze sweep back and forth over him, Ling Miao pretended not to understand, but he was secretly joyful. Ji Linxi asked: ¡°Ling Miao, how much did Yan Li pay you?¡± ¡°Not a cent!¡± Ling Miao said somewhat resentfully. ¡°She will give me me ten thousand in salary, but I¡¯ll only get it when she leaves. So she hasn¡¯t given me a cent.¡± ¡°Then why are you so enthusiastic about matchmaking her?¡± Ji Linxi looked at Ling Miao with some disdain but Ling Miao seemed not to feel it. Ling Miao put a hand on Ji Linxi¡¯s shoulder, put his foot up on the chair and shook his leg, and continued to give advice: ¡°Didn¡¯t your mother force you to go on blind dates? Now a ready-made one has arrived at your door. Not taking it would be a waste.¡± Ji Linxi batted away Ling Miao¡¯s hand and violently jumped back, only stopping when his back was to the sofa. ¡°Ling Miao, are¡­ you all right?¡± Ji Linxi asked worriedly. Ling Miao cursed: ¡°Fuck, what would be wrong with me?¡± Ji Linxi narrowed his eyes at Ling Miao. At first he hadn¡¯t noticed anything, but now he figured out what was wrong. Ling Miao¡¯s mood had changed too quickly. At first, he had seemed half dead. Now, not only was he lively, he seemed to have endless energy. Ji Linxi took a deep breath then slowly exhaled. He repeated this motion several times then opened his mouth: ¡°Ling Miao, take care of yourself. I¡¯ll come again tomorrow.¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing to do here. Why would you come? Stay at home and finish your design!¡± Ling Miao said resentfully. Ji Linxi gave an ¡°Mm¡± of agreement. ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯ll go.¡± ¡°Get out~¡± Ling Miao made a dismissive motion. The door shut with a slam. Ling Miao picked up the things Ji Linxi had brought and went into Su Yuyang¡¯s room. Ling Miao nudged Su Yuyang to onethe side of the bed, then climbed on and set up the bedside desk. ¡°Su Yuyang, I¡¯m not sleeping on the floor any more,¡± Ling Miao turned on his laptop and said affectionately. ¡°So, loan me half your bed for now. If you don¡¯t say anything, I¡¯ll take it that you agree.¡± The laptop started up and the first thing Ling Miao did was open a browser and go into Su Yuyang¡¯s author¡¯s dashboard. He glanced at the scheduled chapters, then looked at the unscheduled chapters. Going by Su Yuyang¡¯s twice-daily update schedule, the drafts would last until the 14th. Two weeks. Ling Miao wasn¡¯t sure if Su Yuyang would wake up. ¡°Su Yuyang, if you don¡¯t wake up, who¡¯ll write Massacre for me to read? Hey, wake up, quick!¡± Ling Miao stuck his foot under the blanket and kicked Su Yuyang. Su Yuyang didn¡¯t react. Ling Miao laughed: ¡°Su Yuyang, you¡¯re like a scarecrow. you can¡¯t speak and you can¡¯t move, but it¡¯s pretty fun like this, no? You can¡¯t hear what I say, so I can say everything I want to say. I won¡¯t say good things twice, so if you don¡¯t hear it, you¡¯ve missed it for good.¡± But Su Yuyang, if you want to hear it, there are things I could say for a lifetime. As long as you ask. As long as I am able to say them. [Table of Contents] | [Chaleuria is on Twitter!] Chapter 062 The Complete Guide to the Use and Care of a Personal Assistant Translator: Jury Editor: NomNom First Published on Chaleuria ¡ª Chapter Sixty-two Yan Li called in the evening to inquire after Su Yuyang. Ling Miao replied that he was fine, but from his tone Yan Li could tell that things were not ¡®fine.¡¯ Evidently, things were not fine in the least! Yan Li sighed and didn¡¯t say more. Ling Miao comforted her, telling her to rest easy and to prepare for the concert instead. He would take care of Su Yuyang. Yan Li wasn¡¯t sure if Ling Miao would take care of Su Yuyang properly, since he didn¡¯t get on well with Su Yuyang. But upon further thought, aside from Ling Miao, there wasn¡¯t anyone else suitable to take care of Su Yuyang. Feng Ji? Forget it; he has a business to run. She herself was a woman. Unless¡­ Ji Linxi? Forget it. Better Ling Miao. ¡°Thank you, Ling Miao,¡± Yan Li said sincerely. Ling Miao smiled and lowered his eyes, looking at Su Yuyang lovingly. He said softly: ¡°Nothing to thank me for. Yan Li, I love Su Yuyang, so I¡¯ll take care of him properly. When he wakes up, I¡¯ll tell him.¡± ¡°What?¡± Yan Li cried out. Ling Miao heard a woman¡¯s scream and the sound of a foot stamping¡ªprobably, Ling Miao¡¯s words had scared Yan Li so much that she had lost her balance and almost fallen. Yan Li clutched her chest and panted lightly: ¡°Ling Miao, if you scare me to death, I don¡¯t have a second life!¡± Ling Miao retorted: ¡°I¡¯m telling the truth. How is that scaring you?¡± Yan Li paced back and forth in the room and asked uncertainly: ¡°Ling Miao, you¡¯re not joking, are you?¡± ¡°Why would I lie to you? Or should I say, why would I lie to myself?¡± Ling Miao¡¯s voice grew gentler. Yan Li could hear Ling Miao¡¯s regret and fear, so she put away the suspicion in her heart. She exhaled and said thoughtfully: ¡°Mountain roads are winding. This is a real twist. Tsk tsk tsk, Ling Miao, for a while you were raring to avoid Su Yuyang for life. Now, you refuse to leave Su Yuyang. I really can¡¯t understand people in love.¡± ¡°I just don¡¯t want to regret anything.¡± Ling Miao sighed. ¡°People are like that sometimes. Too many things at once makes the mind freeze up, but if there¡¯s a stimulus, things will become clear again. Su Yuyang¡¯s coma made me afraid. I¡¯m scared he¡¯ll stay like this and not wake up. When I saw him in my arms, when I saw the color disappear from his face and felt his skin grow cold¡­ looking at him and feeling the various signs that he was going from bad to worse, I felt like I¡¯d fallen into an ice cavern. It was cold and dark, and I didn¡¯t have the strength to call for help. ¡°Speaking of which, I think I fell for Su Yuyang a long, long time ago, but I just didn¡¯t see things clearly. ¡°Yan-jie, I don¡¯t want to regret, so even if¡­ even if he really doesn¡¯t wake up, I want to be with him to the end.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be silly,¡± Yan Li berated. ¡°Of course he will wake up. Do you have such little faith in him?¡± Besides, with you around, can he die in peace? Ah, pfeh pfeh pfeh! Ling Miao didn¡¯t hear Yan Li¡¯s silent complaints, and what she had said to him entered his ears but not his heart. Always plan for the worst. Ling Miao was like that. Su Yuyang not making it¡ªwas definitely the worst-case scenario. ¡°Yan-jie, thank you.¡± Ling Miao said this solely for Yan Li¡¯s benefit. Yan Li didn¡¯t know Ling Miao well, so when Ling Miao said this she believed he¡¯d taken her words to heart. If she had been Ji Linxi, she would already have been on the way to Su Yuyang¡¯s house. Yan Li looked at the time and asked: ¡°Xiao Miao, I know this isn¡¯t the right time, but I still want to ask you something. Can I?¡± Ling Miao said dismissively: ¡°Ask away.¡± ¡°What¡¯s Ji Linxi¡¯s number, and where does he work?¡± Yan Li asked haltingly, evidently embarrassed Ling Miao laughed delightedly. As his laughter reached Yan Li¡¯s ears, she went red in the face. Ling Miao exclaimed, ¡°Yan-jie, you get shy too?¡± ¡°Up yours.¡± Yan Li was fooled by Ling Miao¡¯s laughter. She put away the kid gloves and returned to her usual demeanor. Ling Miao laughed even more delightedly, and it took another curse from Yan Li for him to stop. He said, still giggling: ¡°What will I get if I tell you?¡± Yan Li had anticipated Ling Miao would negotiate terms. She said generously: ¡°We can exchange. You tell me about Ji Linxi, and I¡¯ll tell you about Su Yuyang!¡± It¡¯s a little unethical to sell information about my friends, but Old Su, for the sake of getting me a boyfriend, forgive me this once! Also, it might be that selling information about you gets you love! What Ling Miao feels for you is definitely true love! It had to be said that Ling Miao found Yan Li¡¯s terms very attractive. But there were things he wanted to find out on his own, so he refused. ¡°I know a lot about Su Yuyang, but you don¡¯t know anything about Ji Linxi except his name. It¡¯s a pretty unfair exchange!¡± ¡°Then what do you want? As long as I can do it¡ªeven if it¡¯s my skin you want¡ªI¡¯ll do it!¡± Yan Li conceded defeat. She really couldn¡¯t think of anything else she had that might interest Ling Miao. ¡®Even if it¡¯s my skin you want, I¡¯ll do it?¡¯ Yan-jie, exactly how much do you love Ji Linxi? Or are you talking big since it costs nothing?¡¯ Ling Miao pretended to think about it a little, then said: ¡°Yan-jie, actually, there¡¯s nothing I want. I just wanted to test you. Linxi¡¯s my good friend, and I hope he finds someone who loves him and whom he loves. Although I think your feelings for him grew too quickly, I believe that you truly love him. I like Su Yuyang, so I trust his friends. Maybe people would call me silly for saying that, but I¡¯m an idiot through and through.¡± As Ling Miao spoke, his tone grew more and more sorrowful. Yan Li was afraid Ling Miao would have a breakdown, so she quickly made an excuse and hung up the phone. Since returning home, Ling Miao had been editing Su Yuyang¡¯s drafts. If not for Yan Li¡¯s call, he would have completely forgotten the time. Ling Miao looked at the words ¡®Call ended¡¯ on the screen, then tossed the phone to one side. Hie gaze landed on Su Yuyang, whose movements and expression were exactly the same as they had been earlier that afternoon. Ling Miao kissed Su Yuyang, then got up and went to the bathroom. Ling Miao filled a basin with warm water and returned to the room. He soaked a towel in the water and wrung it half-dry. Forehead, eyes, nose bridge, nose tip, jaw, temple, ears. As if polishing an intricate piece of porcelain, Ling Miao didn¡¯t leave any corner untouched. After cleaning his face, Ling Miao pulled aside the blanket and carefully removed Su Yuyang¡¯s shirt. He rubbed Su Yuyang¡¯s body with a wet cloth, just as thoroughly, not missing a spot. Once his upper body had been cleaned, Ling Miao removed Su Yuyang¡¯s trousers. And then he wasn¡¯t sure how to proceed. Su Yuyang¡¯s lower body had to be cleaned too, but that was too intimate. Su Yuyang and Ling Miao¡¯s relationship, currently, was just that of people who knew each other. ¡°Fuck, we¡¯re both men. What you have, I also have. I¡¯m not afraid of you!¡± Ling Miao gave himself some encouragement and decidedly stripped off the last of Su Yuyang¡¯s coverings. Actually, there was a second half to Ling Miao¡¯s sentence: Fuck, it¡¯s nothing I haven¡¯t seen before! After cleaning Su Yuyang¡¯s body, Ling Miao put pajamas on Su Yuyang and covered him with a blanket. He took the dirty clothes into the bathroom, following which there was the splashing sound of water. Ling Miao stood under the showerhead and let the warm water run over his tired body. Tears brimmed in his slightly reddened eyes. ¡°Su Yuyang, Su Yuyang, Su Yuyang¡­¡± Ling Miao murmured Su Yuyang¡¯s name, as if repeatedly calling to Su Yuyang would make him hear his plea. As if, when Ling Miao returned to the bedroom, he would see Su Yuyang with his eyes open and Su Yuyang would say: ¡°Xiao Miao, you¡¯re back?¡± ¡°Su Yuyang, didn¡¯t you want me to come back? Now I¡¯m back, but you¡¯re fucking unconscious. You¡¯re a bastard, a complete and utter bastard!¡± Ling Miao¡¯s heartrending cries were muffled by the sound of the water. He clutched his chest and leaned against the wall, slowly sliding down to sit on the tiled floor. An unknown amount of time later, a phone rang. Ling Miao shut off the water and walked out without putting his clothes on. It was Su Yuyang¡¯s phone ringing. ¡°¡®MM?¡¯¡± Looking at the screen, Ling Miao was confused. ¡°Hello?¡± Ling Miao¡¯s voice was hoarse, so unpleasant that the callee almost hung up. Only, she had called her son, but the person who had picked up wasn¡¯t her son, so she was suspicious. ¡°Where¡¯s Xiao Yu?¡± Ling Miao glanced at Su Yuyang lying unresponsive and grimaced: ¡°He¡¯s writing.¡± ¡°Who are you and why is my son¡¯s phone with you?¡± The woman¡¯s suspicions lessened a little but her tone was hard. Now Ling Miao understood what ¡®MM¡¯ referred to. He sniffed and replied: ¡°Hello, Aunt. I¡¯m his assistant, Ling Miao.¡± ¡°An assistant? The one who quit, or a new one?¡± Su Yuyang¡¯s mother asked curiously. ¡°The one who quit, but I¡¯m back now.¡± ¡°Since you quit, don¡¯t be an assistant any more. Be Xiao Yu¡¯s boyfriend¡­ I mean¡­¡± Su Yuyang¡¯s mom¡¯s words were garbled. She seemed to be trying to explain something, but it turned into a weak sigh. Ling Miao was aware of her worries. He explained: ¡°Aunt, you don¡¯t need to worry. I know Su-ge likes men.¡± ¡°Then you¡­¡± Su Yuyang¡¯s mom began, then stopped again. ¡°I? I like¡­ I like men too.¡± Ling Miao caressed Su Yuyang¡¯s face, his tone full of love. On hearing this, Su Yuyang¡¯s mom¡¯s initial worry was instantly replaced by joy. She probed: ¡°Then what do you think of Xiao Yu?¡± ¡°He¡¯s very good,¡± Ling Miao said approvingly. ¡°But he doesn¡¯t seem to like me. Aunt, matters of the heart can¡¯t be forced.¡± Ling Miao said this for Su Yuyang¡¯s mother¡¯s benefit, but also for his own. He had made up his mind that before confirming Su Yuyang¡¯s feelings toward himself, he wouldn¡¯t tell Su Yuyang that he liked him! Mm, he¡¯d also remember to tell Feng Ji, Yan Li, and Ji Linxi so that they wouldn¡¯t carelessly let the cat out of the bag. ¡°Ah.¡± Su Yuyang¡¯s mother shook her head weakly. She hadn¡¯t seen her son in several years, and of the men who had been at Su Yuyang¡¯s side, she hadn¡¯t wanted to let go of a single one. She just hoped her son would bring one home to see her soon. ¡°Aunt, do you want Su-ge to come to the phone?¡± Ling Miao said nervously. ¡°No need,¡± Su Yuyang¡¯s mother said considerately. If Su Yuyang knew she had called, he¡¯d definitely come to the phone, but she knew he shouldn¡¯t be interrupted while writing. So she asked Ling Miao to tell Su Yuyang that she had sent dumplings and to remember to sign for them. ¡°Su Yuyang, your mother sent dumplings over. If you don¡¯t wake up, I¡¯ll eat them all and not leave a single one for you!¡± Ling Miao bent down and kissed Su Yuyang, and didn¡¯t break away for a long time. [Table of Contents] | [Chaleuria is on Twitter!] Chapter 063 The Complete Guide to the Use and Care of a Personal Assistant Translator: Jury Editor: NomNom First Published on Chaleuria ¡ª Chapter Sixty-three Ling Miao couldn¡¯t sleep. The instant he fell asleep, he dreamed that Su Yuyang had stopped breathing. Looking at the empty and quiet room, the ghost stories he had read before now all came to mind and he had even more trouble sleeping. He looked for something to do. He took out his phone and turned on the flashlight. With the guidance of the light, he turned on the light in the room. Silver lamplight filled the room, calming Ling Miao instantly. He put the bedside desk up, then felt thirsty. He glanced around the room and noticed a cup by the laptop. The cup was only half-full, with a lid beside it. Ling Miao surmised that Su Yuyang had drunk half of it, then forgotten to put on the lid. Ling Miao hadn¡¯t the courage to go out and get more water. He stopped caring about whether this cup was Su Yuyang¡¯s. He walked over, picked it up, and took a great gulp. He was about to return to bed when his gaze was drawn to a stack of papers on the desk. The paper on top of the stack was densely covered in writing. As Ling Miao glanced at it, he saw words like ¡®Chapter XX.¡¯ ¡°The outline of a new novel?¡± Ling Miao¡¯s eyes lit up. The fear in his heart dissipated and was replaced with excitement. He picked up the paper and started reading closely. There were two colors of ink on the paper, black and red. Black seemed to be a plot outline, red seemed to be suggestions. Ling Miao had only to read two chapters before he was sure that this wasn¡¯t the outline of a new book. Su Yuyang was writing suggestions, or something similar, for an existing book. Finishing one sheet, Ling Miao picked up another sheet. The stack of paper was arranged so that the latest chapters were on topin front. After Ling Miao discovered this, he looked at a few sheets in reverse order and found that Su Yuyang¡¯s feedback was extremely incisive. If edits were made according to Su Yuyang¡¯s suggestions, this book would be passable, even if it wasn¡¯t a work of art. Ling Miao envied the author of the book being reviewed in these pages. He even thought about asking Su Yuyang to critique him. If Su Yuyang didn¡¯t agree, he¡¯d use good food to tempt him. If Su Yuyang still didn¡¯t agree, Ling Miao would use the surefire tactic of pestering him. But Su Yuyang had written his critique in such detail. It had to be an incredibly taxing effort, both mentally and spiritually. Ling Miao picked up another sheet and began reading in detail. Suddenly, two words made his heart stutter¡ª¡¯Xiao Miao.¡¯ ¡°Xiao¡­ Xiao Miao?¡± Ling Miao looked closely, then looked again. He had seen correctly. Ling Miao fished out the last sheet in the stack. At the top, written in red and center aligned: ¡®Hundred Transformations Deity: Detailed outline and someone¡¯s suggestions.¡¯ ¡°This¡­he actually wrote this for me?¡± Ling Miao clutched the thin sheet of paper, his lips trembling as he tried to find the words to describe his current emotional state. He sat down on the bed in shock. Looking at the hundreds of sheets of paper on the desk, his breathing gradually grew erratic. Su Yuyang had written about each chapter, from the first to the most recent one numbering over 700, on a separate sheet of paper. 700+ chapters is about 2 million words¡­ ¡°Since when has Su Yuyang been fixing it?¡± Ling Miao looked at Su Yuyang tenderly. He caressed Su Yuyang¡¯s pallid face with a finger, laugh-scolding: ¡°Idiot, the book¡¯s already this bad. What¡¯s the point of fixing it? Even if you want to help me, wait for me to start a new book! Fuck it, I was going to end it early because of you! I learned from you and was gonna just write an outline for the last few chapters. Ah. I keep thinking that after Hundred Transformations, I¡¯ll make a new penname. A penname with a bad history¡ªthe less I use it the better.¡± If Su Yuyang could hear Ling Miao¡¯s words, he¡¯d surely jeer: ¡°It¡¯s just a failed book. Who cares if you have a bad history?¡± Ling Miao took out his phone and opened his novel. Summarizing Su Yuyang¡¯s comments, he started reading it from the beginning. It had to be said: Su Yuyang was an excellent writer and an excellent reader. He saw many of the problems in Ling Miao¡¯s novels. These were problems Ling Miao could have found for himself, but there was no way he could read his own novel from a reader¡¯s point of view. Initially, Ling Miao had intended to just read Su Yuyang¡¯s suggestions. Trying to edit would just be masochistic. Of writing, editing, and reading, editing was easily the most painful part and the one that frustrated Ling Miao the most. So, sometimes he didn¡¯t even bother editing typos. I don¡¯t have many subscribers anyway, so it doesn¡¯t matter if I have to refund. That was Ling Miao¡¯s way of thinking, and probably one of the reasons his novel was failing. But then Ling Miao thought about how Su Yuyang had painstakingly given feedback, and about his own feelings for Su Yuyang. If Ling Miao didn¡¯t edit he¡¯d feel uneasy, so he decided to edit! A phone was fine for reading a novel, but editing definitely needed a laptop, so Ling Miao opened his laptop. When one completely immerses oneself in something, time passes without one realizing it. It was, again, a phone call that pulled Ling Miao back from his state of complete concentration. This time, the call was from Feng Ji. ¡°Hello?¡± Ling Miao¡¯s hoarse voice sounded even worse than it had last night. Like a broken flute, it made earsplitting noises. Feng Ji had also guessed that Ling Miao wouldn¡¯t be in a good state, but hearing Ling Miao now, things were even worse than he had expected. ¡°I found a doctor. He¡¯ll head over in a bit. Are you at home?¡± ¡°A¡­ a doctor?¡± Ling Miao didn¡¯t notice his voice starting to tremble. He put on a strong front and said: ¡°Why a doctor?¡± ¡°How many days can he go without eating or drinking?¡± Feng Ji rolled his eyes, though Ling Miao couldn¡¯t see it. ¡°Actually, I would suggest you send him straight to the hospital. But he doesn¡¯t like going to the hospital, so if he wakes up and finds himself there, he¡¯ll wage a cold war on you until you kneel and beg for forgiveness,¡± Feng Ji said with the air of experience. ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I said, one week!¡± Feng Ji explained. ¡°Even though, before, he only slept three days at most, the doctor says that if it lasts a week, something is wrong!¡± ¡°Feng Ji, you¡¯re joking, right?¡± Hearing the timespan Feng Ji had mentioned, the time difference was too much. His worry turned to anger and exploded out. Feng Ji laughed coldly and said, not understanding: ¡°Ling Miao, I don¡¯t understand you. Before, you did everything you could to run away from Su Yuyang. Now that you understand your feelings, you stick to Su Yuyang like glue like you¡¯re afraid he will disappear. This is quite the drastic and sudden change.¡± Ling Miao didn¡¯t assuage Feng Ji¡¯s worries. He retorted: ¡°Was it Yan-jie who told you I like Su Yuyang?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve realized my feelings, but Su Yuyang may never wake up. This feeling of having gotten something, but being about to lose it¡ªit¡¯s like trying to hold water in my hands. No matter what I do, the water will slip through my fingers. I¡­ I want to hold on to Su Yuyang. At least, I want to understand whether he hates me or not.¡± ¡°I think you understand why Su Yuyang chose to go into a coma.¡± ¡°I know what to do.¡± Ling Miao took a deep breath and encouraged himself. ¡°So, as long as the knot in his heart is undone, he¡¯ll wake up, right?¡± ¡°Logically, that should happen.¡± Feng Ji didn¡¯t say anything definitive. He didn¡¯t want¡­ ¡°I understand. Thank you, Feng Ji.¡± ¡°Ling Miao, do you think you¡¯re already Su Yuyang¡¯s boyfriend?¡± Feng Ji said meaningfully. Ling Miao was thunderstruck. Feng Ji had poured cold water all over him, thoroughly cooling his heart. That was right. Everything he was doing now, he did placing himself in the position of being Su Yuyang¡¯s boyfriend. But if he didn¡¯t consider himself Su Yuyang¡¯s boyfriend, what reason would he have to stay by Su Yuyang¡¯s side and care for him while he was unconscious? Thinking about it more, why was Feng Ji reminding him of this? Was Feng Ji still carrying a torch for Su Yuyang? The terrifying notion flashed through Ling Miao¡¯s mind, and his hand trembled so much that he almost dropped his phone. Ling Miao¡¯s long silence made Feng Ji realize he¡¯d said something wrong. He glanced at his phone screen¡ªthe call was still going. He hurriedly explained: ¡°Ling Miao, I just hope you don¡¯t get in too deep. I don¡¯t want you to be unable to extricate yourself once Su Yuyang wakes up!¡± Silver light flashed through Ling Miao¡¯s mind again. He stood frozen, looking out the window, and grimaced. ¡°Thank you, Feng Ji. Relax. I¡­ understand.¡± You don¡¯t understand anything! Feng Ji was about to yell into the receiver, but there were customers in the shop and he didn¡¯t want to be too brazen so he clamped down on his emotions. After taking several deep breaths, he asked: ¡°What time are you free? I¡¯ll bring the doctor over.¡± ¡°Anytime is fine.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be right over then.¡± Feng Ji¡¯s afternoons were busier than his mornings. Since Ling Miao had no preference for time and Feng Ji was worried about Su Yuyang, he decided to go immediately. The doctor Feng Ji had called was his high school classmate. It wasn¡¯t the first time the doctor had examined Su Yuyang. The last time the doctor saw Su Yuyang, he was still Feng Ji¡¯s boyfriend. This time Su Yuyang¡¯s ¡®boyfriend¡¯ wasn¡¯t Feng Ji, but Ling Miao. The doctor gave Su Yuyang a cursory examination, then put him on an IV drip. The doctor suggested taking Su Yuyang to the hospital for further examination, but Ling Miao shook his head and refused. The doctor mentioned some things to take note of, and Ling Miao invited him to stay for lunch. The doctor decisively refused. Feng Ji spread his hands helplessly. After seeing the doctor off, Ling Miao sat weakly on the bed. ¡°Su Yuyang, I¡¯m back. What scars are there still left in your heart?¡± Ling Miao murmured, seemingly talking to himself. ¡°I say, do you really intend not to wake up? Fuck it! If you don¡¯t wake up, I¡¯m taking you to the hospital in the morning! If you wake up in the hospital, don¡¯t blame me!¡± Ling Miao didn¡¯t know whether his threats had made it to Su Yuyang¡¯s ears. His smile grew more desolate, but he kept on smiling. ¡°Su Yuyang, let¡¯s make up.¡± Ling Miao put his hand on Su Yuyang¡¯s and held it gently. ¡°I¡¯m not leaving any more. Will you wake up? Su Yuyang, how long are you going to sleep? I said, I¡¯m not leaving! If you don¡¯t wake up, I¡¯ll leave at once! I¡¯ll go somewhere you¡¯ll never see me again, and you just wait to regret it!¡± But, Su Yuyang, the day hasn¡¯t come when you said you don¡¯t hate me. How can I bear to leave? Ling Miao¡¯s five fingers interlaced with Su Yuyang¡¯s. He felt something moving in his palm and turned excitedly to Su Yuyang, asking fervently: ¡°Su Yuyang, you can hear what I¡¯m saying, right? Quickly, wake up! If you wake up, I won¡¯t leave! As long as you don¡¯t chase me out, I won¡¯t leave, for as long as I live!¡± [Table of Contents] | [Chaleuria is on Twitter!] Chapter 064 The Complete Guide to the Use and Care of a Personal Assistant Translator: Jury Editor: NomNom First Published on Chaleuria ¡ª Chapter Sixty-four After lunch, Ling Miao massaged Su Yuyang. The doctor had instructed him to do this in order to prevent muscle atrophy. ¡°Su Yuyang, you¡¯re not pretending to be in a coma because you want me to keep taking care of you, right? Frankly, I¡¯ll keep taking care of you even if you wake up, so you don¡¯t need to worry.¡± Ling Miao gently kneaded Su Yuyang¡¯s calf. ¡°Also, Yan-jie¡¯s concert is soon. I remember you said you¡¯d go. Are you going to leave Yan-jie hanging? The online game for Demonic Song Defying Heaven is about to go into beta and I want you to play it with me. Your drafts are about to run out. Even though they¡¯ll last till the 14th when going by your twice daily update schedule, I¡¯m thinking of publishing a few more chapters a day.¡± Like a nagging wife, Ling Miao¡¯s hands and mouth were constantly in motion. ¡°Do you still remember Ji Linxi? He¡¯s my housemate. Yan-jie¡¯s fallen for him and is pursuing him. If you wake up, you might be able to give her tips. Oh, yes. I¡¯m also editing my novel according to your suggestions. This is both mental and physical exercise, and without you here I don¡¯t have the motivation to do it. ¡°Su Yuyang, if you¡¯re not awake, no one picks on me, and that¡¯s boring. Even though I¡¯m mad that you intentionally messed with me, without you, I feel like something is missing. Getting used to something is pretty terrifying. Su Yuyang, don¡¯t let me get used to life like this. I want you at my side even if you annoy me every minute of every hour. ¡°Hey, Su Yuyang, are you playing a joke on me? Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s gone too far? Wake up! If you don¡¯t, I¡¯ll cut you!¡± Ling Miao gazed at Su Yuyang¡¯s serene face with a fierce expression, his hands gradually coming to a stop. ¡°Bastard. Motherfucking bastard.¡± Ling Miao cursed with a laugh. He might have been cursing Su Yuyang or cursing himself. Light rain had begun to fall outside the window again. Bean-sized droplets fell against the gutter, the pitter-patter further disrupting Ling Miao¡¯s already tangled thoughts. Ling Miao covered Su Yuyang with a blanket, sat to one side, and continued to edit. ¡°Ah, Su Yuyang. I thought about this scene for a long time, and you guessed right. It¡¯s a huge plot point. I¡¯ll only reveal it at the end.¡± As Ling Miao edited, he kept talking to Su Yuyang, but the only reply was the unceasing sound of the rain. Not having received a reply from Su Yuyang, Ling Miao smiled bitterly and shook his head. The sound of keys clacking filled the room. The pattering of the rain and clacking of the keyboard wove together in harmony, producing a sorrowful song. ¡°Fuck you, Su Yuyang. If I do say so myself, this is the best part in the entire book, but you criticized it like it¡¯s worthless. Do you believe I¡¯ll hit you?¡± Ling Miao stared at the computer monitor and his forcibly upturned lips now sagged. He seemed to really be angry. It was as if Su Yuyang were standing at his side. ¡°Mm¡­¡± A faint hum came. Ling Miao¡¯s hands froze and he listened closely before laughing: ¡°Ah, I¡¯m hallucinating.¡± Ling Miao continued hammering away at the keyboard, but besides the sounds of his typing and the falling rain, there was now also the sound of someone groaning. Ling Miao slammed hard on the keyboard, turning to yell at Su Yuyang: ¡°If you¡¯re awake, open your eyes! Don¡¯t hem and haw and make noise!¡± Su Yuyang didn¡¯t open his eyes but Ling Miao saw his lips move. Ling Miao couldn¡¯t read lips and couldn¡¯t tell what Su Yuyang was trying to say, but Su Yuyang had definitely regained consciousness! ¡°Bastard, you¡¯re finally reacting!¡± Ling Miao kicked Su Yuyang and started laughing behind his hand, tears running from his eyes. Perhaps Ling Miao¡¯s kick had been effective, because Su Yuyang¡¯s eyelids fluttered like a stage curtain about to rise. Ling Miao got out of bed and moved all his things out of Su Yuyang¡¯s room. As Ling Miao entered Su Yuyang¡¯s room again, he saw a pair of glazed eyes. Su Yuyang stared at Ling Miao slowly walking in, his dry lips curving with effort into a smile. Ling Miao had long put away his true feelings, but his acting skills weren¡¯t that good and if one looked hard enough, they would discover the excitement, agitation, and frustration in his eyes. Ling Miao folded his hands in front of his chest and said ill-temperedly to Su Yuyang: ¡°You¡¯ve slept more than a day. Slept your fill?¡± ¡°I fainted again?¡± Su Yuyang looked at Ling Miao apologetically. Ling Miao huffed coldly, displeasure evident on his face. He complained: ¡°You¡¯re aware you fainted? Since you know you¡¯re sick, get treatment! Thankfully it happened in Feng Ji¡¯s shop. If you were outside and fainted while walking, nobody would help you!¡± As Ling Miao scolded Su Yuyang, Su Yuyang let out a snort of laughter. He said softly: ¡°Ling Miao, the way you look now is exactly like my mother when she scolds me.¡± ¡°Fuck!¡± Ling Miao bared his teeth and cursed. Something occurred to him and he slapped his forehead, suddenly saying: ¡°Your mom called yesterday. She said she sent you dumplings, but the express delivery hasn¡¯t gotten here yet. Your phone¡¯s here. Call her yourself.¡± Having said his piece, Ling Miao turned as if to leave. Su Yuyang reached out to stop him, but the distance between them was too far and Su Yuyang fell onto the floor. Ling Miao heard the crash, turned around, and saw Su Yuyang¡¯s body sliding to the floor. ¡°Su Yuyang, you¡¯re not only a bastard but also an idiot.¡± Ling Miao cursed as he helped Su Yuyang back to the bed and made him lie down. Thankfully, he¡¯d taken the IV out several minutes earlier, or¡­ Tsk tsk tsk, blood would flow like a river. ¡°It¡¯ll be a few days before Yan Li comes home. Are you going to leave already?¡± Su Yuyang watched Ling Miao with a hopeful, pleading gaze as Ling Miao covered him with a blanket. Ling Miao said angrily: ¡°You¡¯re really stupid. With you like this, do I have the peace of mind to leave? Relax. As long as you don¡¯t send me away, I won¡¯t leave.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Su Yuyang forced out a smile. Suddenly, Su Yuyang covered Ling Miao¡¯s hand with his own, but then he moved his hand away after several seconds. Su Yuyang¡¯s entire body was weak, and in addition, Su Yuyang thought that Ling Miao didn¡¯t want him to touch him¡ªof course, Ling Miao wouldn¡¯t want Su Yuyang to put his hand on his even for a few seconds. Su Yuyang didn¡¯t notice, but Ling Miao had noticed Su Yuyang¡¯s caution. It seemed that Ling Miao¡¯s repeated expressions of disgust for Su Yuyang had caused the latter to become wary of him. Ling Miao turned his own hand over and grabbed Su Yuyang¡¯s hand, which was slightly warm. He watched Su Yuyang with laughing eyes and said gently: ¡°Su-ge, even after Yan-jie has left, I¡¯ll still stay. As long as you don¡¯t send me away.¡± ¡°How could I send you away?¡± Ripples appeared in Su Yuyang¡¯s deathly still eyes, and the excitement on his face made Ling Miao¡¯s smile grow even wider. ¡°Call Aunt. I have to tell Feng Ji and the others that you¡¯re awake.¡± Ling Miao plugged headphones into Su Yuyang¡¯s phone, stuffed the earbuds in Su Yuyang¡¯s ear, then dialed Su Yuyang¡¯s mom¡¯s number. Ling Miao exited Su Yuyang¡¯s room, turned, and went into the bathroom. ¡°Feng Ji, Su-ge¡¯s awake,¡± Ling Miao said, voice trembling. ¡°He¡¯s calling his mom right now. Feng-ge, can I ask you a favor? Don¡¯t tell Su Yuyang that I like him.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± Feng Ji didn¡¯t understand. ¡°Su Yuyang showed that he didn¡¯t dislike me, but he might not like me, either. So I don¡¯t want to be too disappointed.¡± Ling Miao leaned against the wall. The chill from the concrete permeated through his thin clothes and caressed every inch of his skin. ¡°I won¡¯t say a word.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t hint, either!¡± Ling Miao pinpointed Feng Ji¡¯s train of thought and added. Feng Ji admitted defeat. ¡°Even through the phone you can tell what I¡¯m thinking. Ling Miao, you¡¯re good.¡± ¡°Heh,¡± Ling Miao laughed lightly. ¡°Thank you, Feng-ge.¡± Having informed Feng Ji, Ling Miao now called Yan Li. Even though she wasn¡¯t too happy about it, she also agreed to respect Ling Miao¡¯s choice. Ling Miao told Ji Linxi last. Ji Linxi sighed: ¡°You¡¯ve changed a lot.¡± ¡°Because I love someone.¡± ¡°Ling Miao, before, you¡¯d wear your heart on your sleeve. Now¡­ time has taught you a lot of things,¡± Ji Linxi said thoughtfully. Ling Miao could tell Ji Linxi had a hidden meaning, and guessed that Ji Linxi had encountered a problem of his own. He asked: ¡°What happened?¡± Ji Linxi let out a sound that might¡¯ve been self-effacing laughter. He was about to say everything was fine, but since Ling Miao had asked, if he didn¡¯t talk about it Ling Miao would worry even more. Ji Linxi caressed the flower petals at his side with a finger and looked out the window, thinking of Hu Lin¡¯s expression when the flowers had arrived for Ji Linxi. He said with melancholy: ¡°Today, I got a flower. When I signed for it, Hu Lin walked over and knocked the card that came with it to the floor. Fuck it, even when I¡¯m out on vacation I run into Hu Lin.¡± ¡°Who sent the flowers?¡± Ling Miao realized the pointlessness of the question the moment he spoke the words. Yan Li had definitely sent them. ¡°I don¡¯t know. The card just had the word ¡®Yan¡¯ written on it.¡± Ji Linxi¡¯s voice grew colder. Ling Miao shuddered and thought: And you still say you don¡¯t know? You¡¯re fully aware who sent the flower. Then he got worried. ¡°What are you going to do?¡± Ling Miao¡¯s tone didn¡¯t change, but his expression was excited like he was waiting for a good show to start. Ji Linxi toyed with the flower as he laughed: ¡°What can I do? Of course I¡¯ll send it back to her.¡± ¡°Send it back?¡± Ling Miao asked dubiously. ¡°By the time she¡¯s back, it would¡¯ve wilted, right?¡± Ji Linxi seemed to have planned things out completely. He said slyly: ¡°Why would I wait for her to come back? Don¡¯t forget she gave me a ticket to her concert. Front-row seat.¡± To gift a flower then have it returned in front of several hundred thousand people¡ªLing Miao guessed Yan Li¡¯s expression would be one for the history books. He suddenly considered going there to see Yan Li in person. ¡°Is it alright that you¡¯re doing this?¡± ¡°What¡¯s not alright about it?¡± Ling Miao, I really don¡¯t have feelings for Yan Li, so I don¡¯t want her to waste her time on me. More than that, I don¡¯t want her to mess up my life.¡± Ji Linxi named his reasons and Ling Miao had no grounds to oppose. Ling Miao could imagine Yan Li¡¯s despondence when she got the flower. He begged: ¡°Do what you want, but don¡¯t make Yan-jie upset.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be happy to be her friend. As for being boyfriend and girlfriend¡­ forget it.¡± ¡°Right¡­¡± ¡°Xiao Miao?¡± Ling Miao hadn¡¯t finished his sentence when he heard a weak voice calling. Ling Miao said frantically: ¡°He¡¯s calling for me. We can talk about it tomorrow.¡± ¡°Su-ge, what happened?¡± Ling Miao hung up the phone and rushed over. [Table of Contents] | [Chaleuria is on Twitter!] Chapter 065 The Complete Guide to the Use and Care of a Personal Assistant Translator: Jury Editor: NomNom First Published on Chaleuria ¡ª Chapter Sixty-five Ling Miao panted as he stood in the doorway. He considered going into the room, then hesitated again. Seeing this, Su Yuyang laughed: ¡°What are you standing there for? Get me a cup of water.¡± He shot Ling Miao a look. Ling Miao took two steps in and picked up Su Yuyang¡¯s cup from the writing desk. ¡°Cold water or hot water?¡± Before Su Yuyang could speak, Ling Miao made the decision for him: ¡°Better hot water. You don¡¯t like the cold.¡± Su Yuyang wanted to say, Just because I don¡¯t like the cold doesn¡¯t mean I can¡¯t drink cold water! But seeing the resolute look in Ling Miao¡¯s eyes, he nodded in silent agreement. Ling Miao turned and left the room, but Su Yuyang¡¯s gaze lingered at the doorway. Soon, Ling Miao returned with a full cup of water. He hadn¡¯t brought the lid with him, and he was also walking quickly, so some of the water sloshed out and wet his clothes. Su Yuyang took the cup and took a small sip. Seeing the wet spot on Ling Miao¡¯s chest, he said jokingly: ¡°Your clothes are thirsty, too?¡± ¡°Ah?¡± Ling Miao lowered his head to look, then rubbed his head and said awkwardly: ¡°I¡¯ll go change.¡± He got up and walked out, but Su Yuyang¡¯s cold voice came from behind him: ¡°Your clothes are in my room, aren¡¯t they?¡± Ling Miao froze and cursed silently Fuck. I moved everything else out, but I forgot my clothes! Ling Miao wasn¡¯t sure when Su Yuyang would wake up, so he had moved basically all his things into Su Yuyang¡¯s room. When Su Yuyang seemed about to wake up, he had moved his things back out, but he had forgotten his clothes in the nightstand. o(¨s¡õ¨t)o Ling Miao mechanically turned his head and smiled ingratiatingly. ¡°Ah, Su-ge¡­ you should rest. I¡¯m going to change.¡± Ling Miao walked to the other side of the bed, retrieved his clothes, and fled. Su Yuyang watched Ling Miao¡¯s fleeing back, a smile appearing on his face without his knowledge. Several minutes later, Ling Miao returned. Su Yuyang was in the same position as before. Ling Miao walked over and turned Su Yuyang¡¯s body to face the other direction, berating him: ¡°Aren¡¯t you tired of lying like this?¡± Su Yuyang kept smiling and didn¡¯t say anything. Ling Miao was both angry and happy. He covered Su Yuyang with the blanket and said in resignation: ¡°Forget it. Since you¡¯re sick, I won¡¯t quibble. What do you want to eat tonight?¡± Su Yuyang looked thoughtful, and Ling Miao very patiently waited for his answer. ¡°Congee,¡± Su Yuyang said with effort. Ling Miao asked: ¡°Preserved egg lean meat congee, or corn soup, or green bean soup, or pumpkin congee?¡± ¡°You decide.¡± Su Yuyang continued to speak in the manner he did before. He really didn¡¯t have much energy. Su Yuyang¡¯s current condition made Ling Miao¡¯s heart ache, so he didn¡¯t keep asking. He put the lid on the cup and put it on the nightstand, instructing: ¡°If you need anything, call me. I¡¯m going to write.¡± ¡°Stay here beside me.¡± Su Yuyang glanced to the side. ¡°I remember you have a bedside desk.¡± ¡°With you looking on, how can I concentrate on writing? Also, is it really okay for me to write on your bed?¡± Ling Miao rolled his eyes at Su Yuyang. Su Yuyang was aware of this, and said indifferently: ¡°As you wish, then.¡± Ling Miao went out, but came back not even a minute later. He set up the bedside desk and sat on the bed. Su Yuyang teased: ¡°With me looking on, how can you concentrate on writing?¡± ¡°I¡¯m training myself, all right?¡± Ling Miao retorted. A few seconds later Su Yuyang heard the sound of the keyboard. He turned his head, raised his eyes and looked at Ling Miao¡¯s expression of concentration from below. The sound of the rain outside grew louder, pounding against the glass as if trying to make its way inside. Ling Miao frowned: his train of thought had been interrupted by the rain outside. ¡°Fuck,¡± Ling Miao cursed softly. He turned and looked at Su Yuyang and said weakly, ¡±Writer¡¯s block.¡± ¡°Mm?¡± Su Yuyang looked at Ling Miao in confusion. Ling Miao took out the detailed outline of Su Yuyang¡¯s feedback on his novel. He laughed in satisfaction, like he was tugging on Su Yuyang¡¯s pigtails: ¡°Su Yuyang, you read my novel pretty closely.¡± ¡°I did it out of boredom. Read it and have a good laugh, that¡¯s enough.¡± Su Yuyang didn¡¯t seem to care too much. He didn¡¯t even ask how the notes had landed in Ling Miao¡¯s hands. Ling Miao carefully put all the papers back in a stack, then put a binder clip on them. He said treasuringly: ¡°I want to keep all of these.¡± Seeing Ling Miao¡¯s childish actions, warmth trickled through Su Yuyang¡¯s heart. It made him happy that Ling Miao treasured the feedback he had taken great pains to put together. Su Yuyang¡¯s hand landed on Ling Miao¡¯s leg, and Ling Miao gave a start and jerked his leg away. Su Yuyang¡¯s hand closed on air and even though his expression didn¡¯t change muh, he didn¡¯t feel too good about it. Ling Miao saw Su Yuyang¡¯s disappointment and regret, packed up his feelings and said gratefully: ¡°Thank you for your feedback. I¡¯m editing according to your suggestions.¡± Editing was an extremely painful task and Ling Miao¡¯s novel was more than two million words long. Even reading all day and all night, it¡¯d still take four or five days to finish, and as for editing¡­ that wouldn¡¯t be doable in less than two months. Seeing Ling Miao haggard from editing, Su Yuyang¡¯s tone grew sympathetic. ¡°It¡¯s more than two million words long. Don¡¯t bother editing. It already failed anyway.¡± If Su Yuyang had said this in a mocking tone, Ling Miao would have given him a good scolding, but Su Yuyang had said it sympathetically so Ling Miao couldn¡¯t get mad at all. Ling Miao tapped his own hand with a sheet of paper and said resolutely, ¡°Even if it¡¯s failed, I¡¯m going to finish editing it. Maybe it¡¯ll get popular after it¡¯s done?¡± ¡°Maybe.¡± Su Yuyang didn¡¯t have the energy to retort, but he made a different request. ¡°While you¡¯re editing the novel, don¡¯t update any new chapters.¡± Ling Miao glanced at Su Yuyang and said in a strange, hopeful tone: ¡°If I don¡¯t write, I don¡¯t get recommended and I don¡¯t get the effort bonus. If I don¡¯t have money, I can¡¯t eat. Unless I live off you?¡± ¡°You can,¡± Su Yuyang agreed without even thinking about it. The moment he said it he felt it wasn¡¯t appropriate, and under Ling Miao¡¯s amazed gaze he added: ¡°I mean, continue being my assistant, and I¡¯ll pay you. Then you¡¯ll have money, won¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Fuck, that¡¯s a completely different meaning from ¡®live off you,¡¯ all right?!¡± Ling Miao made a face at Su Yuyang, who laughed. Probably because Su Yuyang had laughed, Ling Miao relaxed and also joined in laughing. Suddenly, he thought of something and grinned. ¡°Yan-jie¡¯s concert. Are you still going?¡± ¡°Tomorrow, right?¡± Su Yuyang remembered the time. ¡°Do you think I can still go?¡± Ling Miao was slightly disappointed, but remembering that Su Yuyang might still have his ticket he grew invigorated again. Ling Miao asked: ¡°Su-ge, do you have a ticket to Yan-jie¡¯s concert?¡± ¡°You want to go?¡± Su Yuyang¡¯s eyes flashed as he thought: Ling Miao isn¡¯t Yan Li¡¯s fan, right? Why is he so excited? Does he have a secret he can¡¯t tell? Curiosity is human nature, and although Su Yuyang wasn¡¯t a very curious person, since the matter had to do with both Yan Li and Ling Miao his curiosity was completely roused. If Ling Miao didn¡¯t tell him, he wouldn¡¯t give Ling Miao a good time in the next few days. Ling Miao said secretively: ¡°I want to go see a show.¡± ¡°See a show?¡± The concert wasn¡¯t a play. What show was there to see? Ling Miao¡¯s words made Su Yuyang even more determined. Su Yuyang nodded. ¡°I have a ticket, but only one.¡± ¡°Su-ge, you don¡¯t want to go anyway, so why don¡¯t you¡­¡± ¡°I suddenly want to go.¡± Su Yuyang cut off Ling Miao, who took a deep breath like he was about to yell at Su Yuyang. Su Yuyang raised one pleased eyebrow at him. Ling Miao slowly exhaled and pleaded: ¡°Su-ge, I¡¯m begging you. Give me the ticket?¡± ¡°You¡¯re not Yan Li¡¯s fan. Why do you suddenly want to see her concert?¡± Su Yuyang finally revealed his true motive. ¡°It¡¯s like this¡­¡± Ling Miao recounted in detail the events of Yan Li falling for Ji Linxi, then sending a flower to him, and Ji Linxi¡¯s reaction and response. Then he pleaded again: ¡°Su-ge, I really want to see Yan Li¡¯s reaction for myself when she receives the flower back.¡± ¡°This isn¡¯t a reason.¡± Su Yuyang felt that Ling Miao definitely had some deeper reason, so he didn¡¯t give in. Ling Miao finally gave up. He said calmly, ¡°I want to stop Ji Linxi.¡± ¡°I accept this reason.¡± Su Yuyang finally gave in, but before Ling Miao¡¯s joy could sink in Su Yuyang twisted the knife: ¡°But I can¡¯t give you my ticket.¡± ¡°Motherfucker¡­¡± Ling Miao cursed. Su Yuyang had been watching Ling Miao¡¯s expression closely, so Ling Miao¡¯s excitement didn¡¯t escape his eyes. Su Yuyang also noted the instant the excitement turned to dejection, and dejection turned to frustration. Even though Su Yuyang was secretly happy, his expression remained calm. Ling Miao had tried pleading once and failed, then tried pleading again and failed again, so he had to throw up his hands in defeat: ¡°Since you¡¯re like that, then I won¡¯t go. It won¡¯t be me who¡¯s upset.¡± Unexpectedly, Ling Miao didn¡¯t flare up, but his dissatisfaction was evident on his face. Su Yuyang rolled over to be closer to Ling Miao. Ling Miao was sitting on the edge of the bed and could fall off at any moment, and now that Su Yuyang had suddenly rolled closer he scrambled for balance and almost fell down. He glanced warily at Su Yuyang rolling closer and asked nervously: ¡°Su¡­ Su-ge, what are you doing?¡± Su Yuyang patted Ling Miao¡¯s leg and consoled him: ¡°Don¡¯t be upset. Although I can¡¯t give you my ticket, I can give you Feng Ji¡¯s.¡± ¡°Ah?¡± Ling Miao was still a little disbelieving. ¡°Call Feng Ji for me,¡± Su Yuyang said affectionately. Ling Miao dialed Feng Ji¡¯s number and Su Yuyang told him to put it on speaker. Ling Miao was surprised that Su Yuyang would let him hear his conversation with Feng Ji. ¡°Feng Ji, Ling Miao wants to go to Yan Li¡¯s concert. I¡¯m co-opting your ticket,¡± Su Yuyang said slyly. Feng Ji let out a curse, then Ling Miao heard his voice, pitchy with emotion: ¡°I thought Ling Miao was calling to tell me you had died! I didn¡¯t expect that you¡¯d woken up!¡± ¡°You really want me to die?¡± ¡°Scram!¡± Feng Ji said ill-temperedly. ¡°If you want the ticket, fine, but give me an autographed book in exchange!¡± ¡°Sorry, I can¡¯t. Also, your ticket¡¯s already with me, so¡­¡± Su Yuyang didn¡¯t go on, but decisively hung up the phone. It could be surmised that, on the other end of the line, Feng Ji was cursing out Su Yuyang for being despicable. ¡°Done!¡± Su Yuyang said with a sense of accomplishment as he looked at Ling Miao, who smiled and said nothing. [Table of Contents] | [Chaleuria is on Twitter!] Chapter 066 The Complete Guide to the Use and Care of a Personal Assistant Translator: Jury Editor: NomNom First Published on Chaleuria ¡ª Chapter Sixty-six ¡°What are you smiling about?¡± Su Yuyang asked curiously. Ling Miao put away his smile and made a fierce expression. ¡°Hmph. So what if you got the ticket? Are you going to gift it to me?¡± This time it was Su Yuyang who was rendered speechless. He pursed his lips and shrugged. Ling Miao let out a cold huff and jumped off the bed. ¡°Not gifting you, but troubling you,¡± Su Yuyang said awkwardly. ¡°Mm?¡± ¡°I need to go to the toilet,¡± Su Yuyang said in a low voice, his gaze trained on Ling Miao¡¯s face. The moment he saw anything amiss on Ling Miao¡¯s face, he¡¯d beat the retreat he had already planned. Contrary to Su Yuyang¡¯s expectation, Ling Miao did not seem disdainful or put out in the slightest. In fact, he said self-effacingly: ¡°You¡¯ve been lying down all day and you drank so much water. It¡¯d be surprising if you didn¡¯t need to go. Ah, why didn¡¯t I think of this first?¡± Su Yuyang looked at Ling Miao in shock, as if the person in front of him was an alien lifeform who¡¯d barged into his apartment. Ling Miao slapped his forehead in frustration and said guiltily: ¡°Su-ge, I wasn¡¯t considerate enough.¡± Ling Miao pulled away the blanket and Su Yuyang saw that his pants had been changed. He asked in surprise, ¡°Did you change my clothes?¡± ¡°If I didn¡¯t, would Yan-jie do it?¡± Ling Miao put Su Yuyang¡¯s arm around his own shoulder and helped Su Yuyang up. Su Yuyang¡¯s legs were still weak and most of his weight was supported by Ling Miao; Ling Miao was half-dragging him along. Su Yuyang heard Ling Miao panting and felt a stirring of guilt. Ling Miao helped Su Yuyang to the bathroom, but seeing Su Yuyang not moving, he suddenly came to a realization. He helped Su Yuyang stand against the wall and hurriedly said: ¡°Er¡­ you¡¯d better hold onto the wall. I¡¯ll go out first.¡± Su Yuyang didn¡¯t seem to have the strength to hold himself up. Ling Miao had just stepped away when something heavy fell on his shoulder, and he didn¡¯t need to turn around to know that Su Yuyang had fallen on him. Whether Su Yuyang was just pretending or really didn¡¯t have the strength, Ling Miao knew he wouldn¡¯t be able to leave. Alright, he¡¯d be Su Yuyang¡¯s crutch. Ling Miao resignedly patted Su Yuyang and stammered, ¡°Er¡­ I¡¯ll stay right here, then. You take care of it.¡± As Ling Miao spoke, two red clouds floated quickly onto his cheeks. Ling Miao touched his cheeks¡ªthey could practically be used to cook congee. ¡°Cook congee?¡± Ling Miao yelled, shocking Su Yuyang so much his hands shook and he almost did the deed without having pulled down his pants 0.0. ¡°Su-ge, can you hurry up?¡± The toilet flushed and Su Yuyang said calmly, ¡°I¡¯m done.¡± Su Yuyang having relieved his biological needs, Ling Miao helped him back to his room, turned, and rushed to the kitchen. ¡°Whoo, the pot hasn¡¯t burned.¡± Ling Miao clutched his chest in relief, then tipped rice into the water boiling in the pot. Ling Miao finished his work in the kitchen and didn¡¯t even have the time to take a breath before returning to Su Yuyang¡¯s room. He had left for the kitchen in such a hurry, he hadn¡¯t even covered Su Yuyang with a blanket. He hoped Su Yuyang hadn¡¯t felt cold. As Ling Miao covered Su Yuyang with a blanket, he said jokingly, ¡°Hey, Su Yuyang, you won¡¯t become an invalid, right?¡± Su Yuyang realized this was only a joke, but he pretended to think very hard about it and gave Ling Miao a heart-stopping response. Su Yuyang said: ¡°If I become an invalid just like that, the money I¡¯ve earned should be enough to last me my remaining days. But I don¡¯t know whether you¡¯re willing to continue taking care of me.¡± I¡¯m willing. Of course I¡¯m willing. Ling Miao bit back the response he had been ready to say and retorted: ¡°Why should I continue taking care of you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m your boss!¡± Su Yuyang said matter-of-factly. ¡°Tcheh, if you keep talking, I¡¯ll quit!¡± Ling Miao made a shooing motion. Su Yuyang felt wronged and said pitifully: ¡°You brought up the topic! Why can¡¯t I keep talking about it?¡± ¡°Because I forbid it!¡± Ling Miao tyrannically put his hands on his hips, his fierce gaze saying: If you keep talking, I¡¯ll end you in less than a minute! Su Yuyang shut his mouth, tight. Suddenly, his phone rang. Ling Miao accepted the call and put the phone to Su Yuyang¡¯s ear. Several seconds later, Su Yuyang said ¡®alright¡¯ and Ling Miao put the phone away. ¡°My mom¡¯s dumplings are here. Can you go get them?¡± Su Yuyang said in a conciliatory tone. Aside from Ling Miao, who else was around to get them? Ling Miao said, ¡°Life is hard!¡± and walked out. Su Yuyang watched Ling Miao¡¯s back, an indescribable feeling filling his heart. Even though he didn¡¯t understand the feeling at all, he enjoyed it very much and hoped it would remain forever. Speaking of Mom, there was something Su Yuyang hadn¡¯t told Ling Miao. ¡ªFlashback¡ª Having received a phone call from her son, Mom was so happy her voice trembled. As usual, she asked how Su Yuyang was doing and Su Yuyang replied that everything was well. Eventually, the topic of conversation came around to Su Yuyang¡¯s love life. Every time they talked about this, Su Yuyang would say, ¡®There¡¯s no suitable person around me,¡¯ and gloss over it, but he wasn¡¯t so lucky this time. Mom had heard this excuse from Su Yuyang countless times. Before, she had just given up, but now that Su Yuyang had a good candidate right there, she wouldn¡¯t let go of this chance. She said emphatically: ¡°Xiao Yu, I don¡¯t want to force you into anything, either. But I haven¡¯t seen you in years. Could you just bury the hatchet with your dad?¡± ¡°Mom, you taught me since I was young that I must keep my word. Since I promised dad, whether I said it out of anger or not, I¡¯ll do what I promised.¡± Su Yuyang¡¯s resolute tone made Mom so angry her whole body trembled. Her reddened eyes filled with tears but she held them back, taking care that her voice didn¡¯t waver. She probed: ¡°It¡¯s really not possible between you and your assistant? He seems like a good person, and he likes men too. You could try dating for a while, and if it doesn¡¯t work out we can talk about it then. What do you think?¡± ¡°Xiao Miao likes men?¡± Su Yuyang cried out in shock, but he was still weak so his voice wasn¡¯t loud enough to reach Ling Miao¡¯s ears. Mom was similarly surprised. She asked, ¡°You didn¡¯t know? He told me himself yesterday that he liked men. He also said you seemed to dislike him.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t dislike him, but I don¡¯t like him either.¡± Su Yuyang gave an ambiguous answer. Mom understood his intent and sighed: ¡°I know matters of the heart can¡¯t be forced, and I also know that once you start being stubborn even the sky falling won¡¯t be enough to move you. Ah, Xiao Yu, if one day I die, will you come back to see me?¡± ¡°Mom, don¡¯t do anything silly!¡± Su Yuyang cried out in worry. Never mind death¡ªif Mom were to say that she felt even a little unwell, Su Yuyang would rush back immediately. ¡°Xiao Yu, don¡¯t keep cooping yourself up at home. If you have time, come back. Treat it like a holiday. If you don¡¯t come back, I might forget what you look like.¡± Mom¡¯s frustration weighed on his heart like a mountain. ¡°Mom, I¡¯ve wanted to find someone and settle down for a while, but I just haven¡¯t found anyone.¡± ¡°You¡¯re at home every day. Who can you find? If you don¡¯t go out, be careful I don¡¯t go right over and pull you out!¡± Mom threatened. Su Yuyang reassured her: ¡°I promise I¡¯ll definitely come back this year, all right?¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t come back, I¡¯ll go over. Your agreement with your dad is that you can¡¯t come home, not that I can¡¯t go over there. Even if he doesn¡¯t miss his son, I do! I want to know if you¡¯ve lost weight or gained weight¡­¡± Su Yuyang¡¯s mother rambled for a long stretch, then turned the conversation back to Ling Miao. ¡°What¡¯s your assistant¡¯s name again? Xiao Miao?¡± ¡°His name is Ling Miao, and usually I call him Xiao Miao,¡± Su Yuyang explained. ¡°Oh, in that case, when you come back, bring him too so I can see him¡­¡± ¡°Mom¡­¡± Su Yuyang heaved a long sigh. He had almost emptied all the air from his lungs and he had used a wheedling tone, but Su Yuyang¡¯s mom was unmoved. She said firmly: ¡°I won¡¯t eat him! Or do you think that your mom is scary, so you don¡¯t let me meet anyone?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll bring him back, alright?¡± Su Yuyang wanted to cry. Was this Mom wanting to see her daughter-in-law, or Mom leaving him an avenue of retreat, or Mom cutting off his avenue of retreat? None of this was important! ¡ªEnd Flashback¡ª As Su Yuyang¡¯s recollection ended, he heard Ling Miao complaining: ¡°Su Yuyang, next time there¡¯s a delivery, you pick it up yourself! Ten floors! I¡¯m dead tired!¡± ¡°You¡¯re my assistant. It¡¯s your job to do these things,¡± Su Yuyang said leisurely. Ling Miao couldn¡¯t think of a retort and huffed: ¡°Dinner tonight is congee and dumplings! Fuck, I¡¯ve been away so long. The porridge better not have burned!¡± Ling Miao departed swiftly, as if he was riding the wind. Su Yuyang thought he had angered Ling Miao again and shouted after him: ¡°Xiao Miao, where are you going?¡± Ling Miao walked back over carrying the bundle and said ill-temperedly, ¡°I¡¯m making dinner! No time for chitchat!¡± ¡°Ah, I thought¡­¡± Surprise shone in Su Yuyang¡¯s eyes, and Ling Miao saw the elation in his gaze. Ling Miao felt Su Yuyang¡¯s sincere joy and was infected by it. With a gentle smile, he picked up a pair of scissors, turned, and walked out of the room. Only when Ling Miao¡¯s silhouette had disappeared did Su Yuyang turn his head back. The rain had gradually stopped, but the sky was still a solid wall of gray. Su Yuyang took a deep breath, then slowly exhaled. He seemed to be trying to exhale all the frustration in his heart, but it didn¡¯t have much effect. Su Yuyang¡¯s faculties weren¡¯t very sharp where emotions were concerned, but in other areas, they were. Su Yuyang sensed that Ling Miao¡¯s feelings toward him had changed, but he couldn¡¯t tell if the change was just a pretense or Ling Miao¡¯s true intentions. Several days ago, the things Su Yuyang did today would have made Ling Miao spout smoke from his ears. Today, Ling Miao was not only not angry, but he didn¡¯t even seem to want to be angry. Though Su Yuyang had hoped for this change to happen in Ling Miao, even more than that he wanted to know how Ling Miao was going to get back at him. Ah, Su Yuyang, it¡¯d be better if your faculties were sharper where emotions were concerned. Then Ling Miao wouldn¡¯t have to wait so long. [Table of Contents] | [Chaleuria is on Twitter!] Chapter 067 The Complete Guide to the Use and Care of a Personal Assistant Translator: Jury Editor: NomNom First Published on Chaleuria ¡ª Chapter Sixty-seven Dinner was congee and dumplings, as Ling Miao had said. But Ling Miao hadn¡¯t made preserved egg and lean meat congee, or corn soup, or green bean soup, or pumpkin congee. Ling Miao brought the congee and dumplings into Su Yuyang¡¯s room. He put the congee on the nightstand then helped Su Yuyang up. He helped Su Yuyang rest his back against the headboard, then feared Su Yuyang¡¯s back would be uncomfortable and attentively put a pillow behind Su Yuyang¡¯s back. After doing all of this, Ling Miao pulled the bedside desk over. Ling Miao positioned the desk, then put the congee and dumplings on it. He had already cut the dumplings into small pieces and put sugar on them. Su Yuyang frowned quietly as he looked at the white sugar in the bowl. A sweetly cloying feeling was spreading in his chest as his stomach gradually rebelled. Su Yuyang kept swallowing, trying to calm his stomach, but it didn¡¯t have any effect. Su Yuyang didn¡¯t like sweet foods. Dumplings were fine, but dumplings with sugar¡­ he glanced into the bowl again and almost fainted. Ling Miao had lowered his head to blow on the congee and didn¡¯t see the expression on Su Yuyang¡¯s face. As Ling Miao was bringing the spoonful of congee to Su Yuyang¡¯s mouth, Su Yuyang quickly recovered his calm. Ling Miao had brought the congee to Su Yuyang¡¯s mouth so Su Yuyang had no reason to refuse. Besides, he didn¡¯t have enough strength to eat on his own. Su Yuyang slowly opened his mouth and Ling Miao impatiently stuffed the congee into Su Yuyang¡¯s mouth. Su Yuyang¡¯s eyes widened in confusion: He was so gentle earlier, but suddenly he¡¯s violent? Ling Miao took another spoonful of congee and brought it to Su Yuyang¡¯s mouth. Su Yuyang opened his mouth and took the spoon in, then Ling Miao pulled the spoon out. Most of the congee had entered Su Yuyang¡¯s mouth but some stained the corner of his lips. Ling Miao took a tissue and wiped the remains from Su Yuyang¡¯s mouth, laughing: ¡°Su Yuyang, even when you eat congee you drip all over the place. Is there a hole in your jaw?¡± Su Yuyang stuck out his tongue and licked his lips, saying thoughtfully: ¡°It¡¯s just plain congee, but it¡¯s delicious. I want more.¡± Su Yuyang opened his mouth and said ¡®aah.¡¯ Ling Miao laughed lightly, probably at Su Yuyang¡¯s childishness. Ling Miao had made only plain congee, but the fragrant softness and the faint sweetness of the sugar on the spoon made Su Yuyang take bite after bite. Soon, he had finished the congee. Looking at the empty bowl, he frowned and pursed his lips in dissatisfaction. ¡°I¡¯m still hungry.¡± Ling Miao glanced at Su Yuyang like he resented him for being troublesome, but he didn¡¯t say ¡°I¡¯m not going.¡± ¡°I¡¯m getting more congee. Don¡¯t move!¡± Ling Miao warned, then took the empty bowl and the dumplings out of the room. Only when Ling Miao left did Su Yuyang notice that Ling Miao hadn¡¯t fed him any of the dumplings. ¡°How did he know I don¡¯t like dumplings with white sugar?¡± Su Yuyang still hadn¡¯t puzzled out the answer when Ling Miao returned, this time with only one bowl. ¡°Mm?¡± Su Yuyang let out a surprised sound. Ling Miao scooped a spoonful of congee and asked, ¡°¡®Mm,¡¯ what?¡± Su Yuyang laughed, ¡°Mincemeat and cowpeas.¡± As Ling Miao got the congee, he had also added mincemeat and cowpeas to the bowl. Now Ling Miao brought the congee to Su Yuyang¡¯s mouth and said in a huff: ¡°If you don¡¯t like dumplings, you should have said so! I made one too many!¡± Su Yuyang was stunned. His mouth fell open and he couldn¡¯t close it. Ling Miao took the chance to shove another spoonful of congee in and Su Yuyang reflexively shut his mouth. Su Yuyang swallowed the congee in his mouth and the spoon appeared before him again. This time Su Yuyang didn¡¯t open his mouth to take it in, instead asking hesitantly: ¡°How did you know I don¡¯t like dumplings?¡± ¡°The way you looked at the dumplings in the bowl, it was like you were looking at the contents of a toilet. You hated it so much. If I couldn¡¯t even notice that, how would I look after a sick person like you?¡± Having said his piece, Ling Miao¡¯s anger intensified and his feeding motions also became rougher. Su Yuyang worried that the spoon would poke his throat and stopped Ling Miao mid-motion. ¡°Ah, I¡¯m full!¡± Ling Miao seemed not to have heard Su Yuyang¡¯s words and continued spooning the congee. With no other recourse, Su Yuyang continued eating. When the second bowl was empty, Ling Miao tossed the bowl onto the nightstand. Ling Miao was about to take away the bedside table when Su Yuyang hurriedly called out to stop him. ¡°Ah, leave it like that!¡± Ling Miao understood, nodded, and took the bowl out. This time, Ling Miao was gone for a longer time. Su Yuyang propped his head against the headboard, Ling Miao¡¯s busy silhouette drifting through his mind. Once Su Yuyang was idle, he started thinking of many things. ¡°When I first met Ling Miao, all signs pointed to him not being homosexual. Then why did Mom say he liked men, and also that Ling Miao had told him that himself? Did Ling Miao start liking men after he met me? Who made him go crooked?¡± Name after name slid through Su Yuyang¡¯s mind: there was Feng Ji, Ji Linxi, himself, the security guy, and the delivery guy. One by one, Su Yuyang eliminated them all, including himself. ¡°Might it be someone online?¡± Thinking of this, ripples of emotion appeared in Su Yuyang¡¯s quiet eyes. He didn¡¯t know who Ling Miao associated with online, and he had no way of finding out. ¡°Ah.¡± Su Yuyang shut his eyes in frustration. When he opened them again, Ling Miao had appeared in the doorway, another bowl of food in hand. Ling Miao chewed, swallowed, and said apologetically: ¡°Su-ge, do you want to watch a movie or something?¡± So he¡¯s worried I¡¯m bored? Warmth rose in Su Yuyang¡¯s heart. ¡°Do what you need to. I¡¯ll wait for you.¡± Ling Miao¡¯s hands froze. His whole mind was suddenly occupied by Su Yuyang¡¯s words, ¡®I¡¯ll wait for you.¡¯ This was the third time Su Yuyang had told him ¡®I¡¯ll wait for you,¡¯ and each time Ling Miao had heard these words, his reaction had been different. Probably because his state of mind had been different each time. Su Yuyang didn¡¯t know that his careless words had deeper meaning to Ling Miao. Seeing Ling Miao frozen to the spot he called worriedly: ¡°Xiao Miao, are you alright?¡± Ling Miao was jolted by Su Yuyang¡¯s shout. He forced a smile and said: ¡°What¡­ what could be the matter?¡± But his voice trembled violently and his expression was unnatural, so Su Yuyang didn¡¯t believe him. Before Su Yuyang could ask further, Ling Miao disappeared from the doorway. Su Yuyang stared at the ceiling and continued to think about the people Ling Miao might have fallen for. Every time he thought about that person not being himself, he felt as if his heart was on a metal slab being roasted over a fire. Su Yuyang wanted to hold his heart so it wouldn¡¯t hurt so much, but he couldn¡¯t raise his hands, so he could only drift amidst the torturous pain. This mental anguish cut far deeper than any bodily hurt ¡°Do¡­ do I like him?¡± Su Yuyang¡¯s eyelashes fluttered and he turned his face slowly toward the door. An interminable amount of time later Ling Miao finally appeared before Su Yuyang again, and Su Yuyang¡¯s tight heart instantly found release. ¡°Xiao Miao,¡± Su Yuyang called Ling Miao passionately. Ling Miao seemed to be under a spell; he couldn¡¯t even take even half a step forward. ¡°Xiao Miao,¡± Su Yuyang called again, but this time he didn¡¯t put unnecessary emotion into it. Like the spell had lifted, Ling Miao moved toward Su Yuyang, half a step at a time. Su Yuyang felt that his heart was lying underneath the soles of Ling Miao¡¯s shoes. Every step Ling Miao took left a gouge on his heart, and blood seeped from the wounds. This was his first time feeling like this in all his years of living. This is love? Su Yuyang asked himself. Ling Miao had walked in front of Su Yuyang, who raised his head to Ling Miao¡¯s panicked expression, then turned his head away. As long as he didn¡¯t have to see Ling Miao. That was what Su Yuyang thought. Ling Miao panicked. Su Yuyang saying ¡®Xiao Miao¡¯ had made him panic because it had given him the feeling, ¡®Su Yuyang likes me back,¡¯ but the next ¡®Xiao Miao¡¯ he had said without feeling had doused Ling Miao in cold water. ¡®He likes me back¡¯ is just my imagination. They liked each other but both thought the other didn¡¯t like them back. If Yan Li were here, she¡¯d point at Su Yuyang hiding his face and scold him. ¡°If you like someone, then tell them outright! Who cares if he likes you back or not? Strike first and get the upper hand! Maybe he likes you back, or maybe he thinks you¡¯re alright and you can try being together?¡± But Su Yuyang wasn¡¯t Yan Li and he had worries of his own. Ling Miao lowered his head to look at Su Yuyang, who had turned his head to look out the window. Aside from the rain, the surroundings were silent. Like a space through which Death had passed, the silence, pressure, and even the air they were breathing gradually seemed to solidify. As if worried he¡¯d be suffocated by the weight, Ling Miao finally spoke. He asked Su Yuyang: ¡°Do you need your laptop?¡± ¡°Mm,¡± Su Yuyang let out a simple sound. Ling Miao put Su Yuyang¡¯s laptop on the desk and asked him what he needed. Su Yuyang asked Ling Miao to sign into YY1 and go to his chatroom. Ling Miao wrote down Su Yuyang¡¯s username and left Su Yuyang¡¯s bedroom. The audiobook of Su Yuyang¡¯s novel was currently playing in the chatroom. Su Yuyang watched the fans discussing the plot and the game¡ªDemonic Song Defying Heaven¡¯s tie-in MMO. ¡°Demonic Song Defying Heaven¡¯s MMO¡ªLing Miao has probably played it.¡± Before Su Yuyang¡¯s eyes, a scene of Ling Miao playing the game while complaining appeared. He couldn¡¯t hold back a laugh. ¡°Xiao Miao?¡± Su Yuyang called Ling Miao¡¯s name with all his strength but he didn¡¯t know if his hoarse voice would reach Ling Miao¡¯s ears. Several seconds later Ling Miao appeared before Su Yuyang like a gust of wind. Su Yuyang asked with a smile: ¡°The activation code for Demonic Song Defying Heaven¡¯s beta. Do you have it?¡± Su Yuyang remembered that Mu Yu had given it to Ling Miao. Ling Miao nodded. ¡°The game company gave me lots of them. I was going to set up a giveaway.¡± The more Ling Miao spoke the more dejected he got. In his eyes, Su Yuyang¡¯s words drew a clear line between him and Su Yuyang. Their relationship was just that of an assistant and his boss. Su Yuyang, did you notice something, and so you¡¯re telling me to know my place? Ling Miao felt as if his heart was immersed in saltwater. The strength seemed to have been sapped from his body, but he continued standing like a statue in front of Su Yuyang. [Table of Contents] | [Chaleuria is on Twitter!] Translation notes: [1] YY: YY Yu Yin (YY Sound of words), a Chinese social networking site. Chapter 068 The Complete Guide to the Use and Care of a Personal Assistant Translator: Jury Editor: NomNom First Published on Chaleuria ¡ª Chapter Sixty-eight Su Yuyang had no objections to Ling Miao¡¯s plan. He asked about the general execution, then the two fell silent again. ¡°If there¡¯s nothing¡¯s else, I¡¯m leaving.¡± Ling Miao didn¡¯t want to remain in Su Yuyang¡¯s room. He felt like he was suffocating. Su Yuyang glanced at the rain outside the window. He suddenly thought of rushing out and letting the rain wash away his confusion. ¡°You¡­ why didn¡¯t you go back?¡± Su Yuyang asked hesitantly. In the few months Su Yuyang had known Ling Miao, Ling Miao had never mentioned his own parents. This probably meant that either his parents weren¡¯t around any more or he¡¯d fallen out with them. Of course, it was also possible that he just didn¡¯t want to talk to Su Yuyang about it. ¡°How come you suddenly ask about my parents?¡± Ling Miao replied casually. He really seemed unwilling to discuss his parents. Su Yuyang didn¡¯t hear displeasure in Ling Miao¡¯s voice, but Ling Miao¡¯s words let Su Yuyang know not to ask further. Su Yuyang explained in reply: ¡°You mentioned my mom, which made me think of your parents. You probably haven¡¯t been back home for a long time, right? Since it¡¯s the holidays, go back and visit them. If you don¡¯t want to talk about it, it¡¯s fine. There¡¯s nothing more for you to do here.¡± Su Yuyang didn¡¯t want to ask further, so Ling Miao, being contrary, now wanted to tell him. ¡°When I graduated, I fell out with my parents because of job issues. So I left home. I haven¡¯t talked to them in a year. If anything¡¯s the matter, they¡¯ll text me. If they call, I just hang up.¡± ¡°You¡­¡± ¡°You gonna lecture me?¡± Ling Miao raised an eyebrow at Su Yuyang, as if to say: That makes two of us. If you¡¯re a pot, don¡¯t call the kettle black. Six of one, half a dozen of the other. Su Yuyang didn¡¯t say anything and Ling Miao continued, smiling with some satisfaction, ¡°Actually, my relationship with them has warmed quite a lot. But I still haven¡¯t found a job, so I can¡¯t bring myself to go see them.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve found one now, haven¡¯t you?¡± ¡°You¡¯re right!¡± Ling Miao slapped his forehead. ¡°Heh heh, Su-ge, I¡¯ll go home right now.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± Su Yuyang called after Ling Miao longingly. Ling Miao turned his head and asked in confusion: ¡°Didn¡¯t you tell me to go back?¡± ¡°Are there still buses now?¡± Su Yuyang found a reason to keep Ling Miao here, but regrettably Ling Miao had two ways to counter his reasoning. ¡°My house is in Nanping. The light rail is still running, and even if it stopped, I can still get a taxi. It¡¯s pretty far from here to Nanping for a bus!¡± Su Yuyang was worried Ling Miao would really leave, and that the leaving would be of the permanent sort. He couldn¡¯t hold himself back any more and said: ¡°It¡¯s so late. I¡¯ll worry about you.¡± Ling Miao heard the sincerity in Su Yuyang¡¯s words. His heart melted and he dropped the notion of going back, but he still wanted to make the trip home to see his parents. ¡ªDividing line¡ª Su Yuyang¡¯s appearance had surprised Ji Linxi, but on second thought, this was the natural progression of events. Since Su Yuyang had woken up, of course he would attend his good friend¡¯s concert. He could also explain his condition so that Yan Li wouldn¡¯t be worried. The concert was that evening. They set out early that morning to avoid most of the traffic on the. Su Yuyang had rested all night so he woke up earlier than even Ling Miao and started to pack, mostly tidying Yan Li¡¯s room. According to Su Yuyang, when the concert ended, Yan Li would definitely accompany the three of them home. Ling Miao had no opinion but Ji Linxi laughed: ¡°I don¡¯t think she¡¯ll come home with us tonight.¡± Ling Miao and Su Yuyang exchanged a look of silent understanding. Ji Linxi, your good friend intends to ruin your plans! And even if Ling Miao doesn¡¯t ruin it, you¡¯ve underestimated Yan Li¡¯s heart. It isn¡¯t made of glass and it won¡¯t break the moment it¡¯s dropped. Su Yuyang inwardly grieved for Ji Linxi¡¯s plan, which was destined to fail. Ling Miao was somewhat proud. Thinking that his actions might bring about a marriage, he got pretty emotional~ But, Ling Miao, do you really think that Ji Linxi won¡¯t object to his good friend ruining his plans like this? Su Yuyang had thought of this, but remembering how close Ji Linxi and Ling Miao were, he grew jealous. Right then, he really wanted Ji Linxi and Ling Miao to have a falling-out. Hm, if they fall out, I might be able to take advantage of the opportunity. At this point, a certain Great Author had already begun to imagine the scenario where Ji Linxi fell out with Ling Miao and he took advantage of the opportunity to bring Ling Miao home. A pity¡ªJi Linxi slammed on the emergency brake and Su Yuyang¡¯s beautiful fantasy burst like a bubble, not even the remains could be seen. ¡°Fuck!¡± Ling Miao cursed. ¡°Is he courting death?!¡± Ling Miao rubbed his chest and looked at Su Yuyang with trepidation. Though Ling Miao had had his license for two years, he very rarely drove. It would be suicide to ask him to drive on the highway. Although Su Yuyang looked to be in good health, Ling Miao was afraid something would happen to him, so he gave the keys to Ji Linxi. So now, Ji Linxi was driving. Su Yuyang sat in the back and Ling Miao sat in the passenger seat. Initially, Su Yuyang had wanted Ling Miao to sit beside him, but Ling Miao said he wanted to look at the scenery and had sat up front. Su Yuyang had cursed inwardly: ¡°Fuck, if I¡¯d known it¡¯d be like that, I¡¯d just have taken the train.¡± They entered the tunnel and Su Yuyang began to feel sleepy. He yawned, put in his earphones, and started to doze. By the time they exited the tunnel, Su Yuyang had fallen asleep. Ji Linxi glanced in the rearview mirror and saw Su Yuyang sleeping in the position of a chick eating grain. He reminded: ¡°Ling Miao, Su Yuyang¡¯s asleep. He looks about to fall over. You¡¯d better go sit in the backseat.¡± Ling Miao turned his head to look at Su Yuyang. He was about to say ¡®Who cares about him?¡¯ but the motion of Su Yuyang¡¯s head lolling against the back of the seat broke down his last line of defense. Su Yuyang was tall and the car wasn¡¯t big enough to lie down comfortably in. Ling Miao sat beside Su Yuyang, letting Su Yuyang¡¯s head rest on his shoulder. Ji Linxi slowed the car down so Su Yuyang could sleep more comfortably. ¡°When are you going to tell him?¡± Ji Linxi asked out of the blue. ¡°Tell him what?¡± Ji Linxi had already said ¡®Dumb cat¡¯ before Ling Miao registered what he¡¯d said. ¡°Looking at you, I don¡¯t think you¡¯re going to say anything.¡± Ji Linxi¡¯s voice grew teasing. ¡°I ask you, are you just going to carry on with him like this?¡± Ling Miao lowered his head to look at Su Yuyang, his thumb lovingly caressing Su Yuyang¡¯s cheek. He laughed lightly: ¡°He and I are always separated by a fine line. Even if I like him, so what? He may not like me.¡± ¡°Dumb cat. You can tell him you like him. If he doesn¡¯t like you back, you can make other plans, but what if he does like you?¡± Ji Linxi said impatiently. Ling Miao¡¯s smile grew bitter. He said: ¡°I think he figured out I like him, or he wouldn¡¯t have set me straight yesterday.¡± Ji Linxi wasn¡¯t sure how to respond. He sighed and concentrated on the road ahead. If he continued talking to Ling Miao, he¡¯d have the impulse to jump up and knock some sense into him. ¡°Linxi, put on some music,¡± Ling Miao suddenly said. Ji Linxi turned on the stereo. Ling Miao wasn¡¯t familiar with the songs currently playing, and he didn¡¯t expend effort to listen to the lyrics, but every song sounded so melancholy. ¡°Yan Li?¡± Ji Linxi looked at the singer¡¯s name and laughed lightly. ¡°Mm?¡± Ling Miao said in curiosity. Ji Linxi said: ¡°These are Yan Li¡¯s songs. I looked just now but didn¡¯t see music by anyone else in the playlist.¡± As Ji Linxi retracted his hand, his finger slid across the screen. The song stopped, and another one started up. It was music either way, it didn¡¯t matter which song they listened to. Besides, Ling Miao didn¡¯t have an opinion so Ji Linxi didn¡¯t change it. The opening of this song sounded familiar to Ling Miao, and when the lyrics began he suddenly remembered which song it was. Maybe out of empathy for the situation the lyrics described, Ling Miao began to sing along without thinking: Sometimes, sometimes I believe all things come to an end There are times for reunions and times for goodbyes Nothing will last forever But I, sometimes Would rather choose to hold on Until we have seen everything there is to see Maybe you will accompany me to see our friendship last a lifetime I still haven¡¯t made red bean for you Brewed it into a long unhealing wound And in sharing it Understand better the sorrow of pining I still haven¡¯t truly felt The gentleness of a waking kiss Could be by my side Only you pursue the freedom of solitude Sometimes, sometimes I believe all things come to an end There are times for reunions and times for goodbyes¡­ ¡­¡­ As Ling Miao sang, tears filled his eyes. Ji Linxi heard the sobbing from behind him. Listening more closely to the lyrics, Ji Linxi silently yelled at himself: Dumbass! And skipped to the next track. The soundscape changed in an instant: the deeply sentimental air was replaced with a lively tune. Ling Miao was stunned for a moment before he asked: ¡°Why¡¯d you change it?¡± Ji Linxi sighed, ¡°If we keep listening to Red Bean I worried the car might flood.¡± Ling Miao didn¡¯t understand what Ji Linxi was saying, and Ji Linxi didn¡¯t explain. It was several minutes later when Ling Miao finally got it. Ling Miao raised a hand to wipe the tears from his face. He glanced at Su Yuyang and said, ¡°Change it back.¡± Ji Linxi didn¡¯t answer Ling Miao, but the strains of the familiar song gave Ling Miao his answer. Ling Miao started singing along again. He sang from beginning to end, but this time, even though his eyes were full of tears, he didn¡¯t let a single one fall. ¡°When all the scenery has faded, maybe you¡¯ll still accompany me to see our friendship last a lifetime.¡± It was as if Ling Miao was telling Ji Linxi his innermost thoughts, and Ji Linxi gave Ling Miao his onlooker¡¯s response: ¡°Ling Miao, I recommend you confess.¡± But I, sometimes Would rather choose to hold on Until we have seen everything there is to see Maybe you will accompany me to see our friendship last a lifetime Ling Miao wasn¡¯t willing to let go, but he also didn¡¯t want to hold on too tightly. One thought: ¡®He has someone he likes, but that person¡¯s not me, so I can¡¯t ruin his choice.¡¯ The other thought: ¡®He doesn¡¯t like me, and doesn¡¯t dislike me either, and only wants to maintain the proper distance.¡¯ Both of them wouldn¡¯t reveal their own feelings before knowing what the other thought of them. Idiots, the both of them! Ji Linxi thought. The car pulled up to the hotel they¡¯d booked. Ling Miao woke Su Yuyang, then departed on his own. [Table of Contents] | [Chaleuria is on Twitter!] Chapter 069 The Complete Guide to the Use and Care of a Personal Assistant Translator: Jury Editor: NomNom First Published on Chaleuria ¡ª Chapter Sixty-nine It was past six o¡¯clock when Ling Miao returned to the hotel. He looked as pitiful as a refugee. Su Yuyang took a bite of his dumpling, eyeing Ling Miao plaintively, as if blaming him for having been gone too long. Ling Miao pretended not to see Su Yuyang¡¯s look. He walked to Ji Linxi¡¯s side, took a dumpling from the steamer in front of Ji Linxi, and stuffed it in his mouth. ¡°Whoo, whoo,¡± Ling Miao fanned his open mouth. ¡°Hot, hot!¡± he exclaimed with his mouth full. Ji Linxi rolled his eyes at him and laughed: ¡°Dumb cat, these are soup dumplings.¡± Ling Miao swallowed the dumpling, took a bite of congee and said: ¡°How would I know you were eating soup dumplings? Also, the concert is about to start. You¡¯re still taking your sweet time to eat?¡± ¡°We were waiting for you.¡± Su Yuyang¡¯s cold voice came from behind. He put a steamer of dumplings in front of Ling Miao. ¡°Eat something. The concert will be pretty long.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± Ling Miao rubbed his head and looked awkwardly at Su Yuyang. ¡°I already ate.¡± Su Yuyang said ¡°Mm,¡± the coy tone of voice startling Ling Miao, who picked up his chopsticks and took a dumpling to put in his bowl. ¡°I¡¯ll eat. I¡¯ll eat, all right?¡± Ling Miao plaintively took a bite of his dumpling, lips pouting. Su Yuyang gently caressed Ling Miao¡¯s hair, saying indulgently, ¡°Eat more. You¡¯re too thin.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t gain weight!¡± Ling Miao complained. Hearing Ling Miao acting cute, Su Yuyang was delighted and he forgot that he was angry at Ling Miao for having left him at the hotel. Ji Linxi ate his dumplings, his gaze flickering between the two of them. Su Yuyang seems to be interested in Ling Miao, but now Ling Miao¡¯s attitude toward him seems to have cooled. Ah, what is the matter with these two? ¡°I¡¯m full.¡± Ji Linxi wiped his mouth and Su Yuyang glared at him as if blaming him for speaking at the wrong time. Ji Linxi felt wronged: Am I wrong for saying I¡¯m full? Then Ji Linxi saw Ling Miao put down his chopsticks too. Of the ten dumplings in the steamer, he had only eaten a couple. Now Ji Linxi understood why Su Yuyang had glared at him, but it wasn¡¯t good to force others to do things, either. More than that, Ji Linxi didn¡¯t think he¡¯d done anything wrong so he intentionally spoke against Su Yuyang: ¡°Xiao Miao, if you can¡¯t eat any more then don¡¯t force yourself. Don¡¯t make yourself sick.¡± ¡°And you, Su Yuyang. Xiao Miao said he ate before he came, but you keep forcing him to eat. Do you want him to die?¡± Ji Linxi looked at Su Yuyang in challenge, sparks flashing in his eyes. Ji Linxi radiated protectiveness and possessiveness for Ling Miao, which made something flare in Su Yuyang¡¯s heart. Su Yuyang slammed his chopsticks on the table and hummed: ¡°Hey, I don¡¯t want people saying I abuse my employees!¡± ¡°So forcing him to eat isn¡¯t abusing him?¡± Ji Linxi shot back. ¡°I didn¡¯t force him.¡± Su Yuyang knew he hadn¡¯t a leg to stand on, so even his tone was weak. Ji Linxi pulled Ling Miao outside. As he passed Su Yuyang he said victoriously: ¡°Since Xiao Miao doesn¡¯t want to eat, then he won¡¯t eat. If you haven¡¯t finished, keep eating. We¡¯ll wait for you in the parking lot.¡± Having said his piece, Ji Linxi didn¡¯t give Su Yuyang time to answer and dragged Ling Miao toward the elevator. Before the elevator arrived, Ji Linxi turned to glance at Su Yuyang, who was still sitting where he had been. He didn¡¯t look like he wanted to follow, but he wasn¡¯t continuing to eat either. ¡°What¡¯s up with you today?¡± Ling Miao asked Ji Linxi timidly. Ji Linxi lowered his head to look at Ling Miao and sighed, ¡°I¡¯m testing someone!¡± ¡°Su Yuyang?¡± Ling Miao guessed. ¡°Who else?¡± Ji Linxi grimaced. ¡°Even the dumb cat is smart for once, but he¡¯s still dumb.¡± ¡°Hey¡­¡± Ling Miao let out a displeased sound. The elevator arrived and Ji Linxi got in first. Ling Miao glanced behind him. Su Yuyang was still sitting in the same position, as if he had turned to stone after they left. Ling Miao¡¯s heart clenched, and under Ji Linxi¡¯s hurrying he despondently got into the elevator. ¡°Linxi, you¡¯re not yourself today,¡± Ling Miao suddenly said. Ji Linxi looked at the elevator panel and said thoughtfully, ¡°How am I not myself?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll tell you a joke¡ªI think you¡¯re fighting Su Yuyang out of jealousy.¡± As Ling Miao said this, silent joy spread over his face. Ji Linxi rolled his eyes at Ling Miao and laughed: ¡°I¡¯m not only fighting him out of jealousy¡ªI¡¯m fighting him out of jealousy over you.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what it feels like.¡± Hearing Ji Linxi¡¯s teasing, Ling Miao started to laugh too: a self-defeating laugh. ¡°Looks like my performance was a success,¡± Ji Linxi said craftily. ¡°Performance?¡± Just then, the elevator reached the ground floor. Ling Miao got out, but Ji Linxi continued fumbling about in the elevator. ¡°Linxi, we¡¯re here,¡± Ling Miao reminded. ¡°I know,¡± Ji Linxi replied, then continued doing what he was doing. ¡°Linxi¡­¡± Ling Miao walked over worriedly, but before he reached the elevator doors, Ji Linxi got out and the door closed. ¡°What did you do?¡± Ling Miao asked curiously. Ji Linxi stretched lazily and said tiredly: ¡°Bought some time.¡± Then he got into the other elevator and did the same thing. As for what Ji Linxi had done¡ªhe had pressed the buttons for all the floors. Of course, if someone couldn¡¯t wait and didn¡¯t mind walking down ten flights of stairs, Ji Linxi wouldn¡¯t mind. Back in the car, Ji Linxi planned to take a long nap. That afternoon, he hadn¡¯t slept well due to the sounds of Su Yuyang typing. Just as Ji Linxi shut his eyes, Ling Miao asked, ¡°Linxi, why are you fighting Su Yuyang on my behalf?¡± Ji Linxi turned to look at Ling Miao, who worried he¡¯d misunderstand and added: ¡°You don¡¯t like men, so surely you¡¯re not fighting him over me¡­¡± Ji Linxi rubbed the bridge of his nose. He glanced around to make sure Su Yuyang hadn¡¯t come downstairs before saying: ¡°I don¡¯t like men, but someone does. Maybe the person that someone likes is you? After the tests I¡¯ve done today, the chances of that person liking you are about seventy percent.¡± Ji Linxi had been about to say ninety percent, but he felt that Ling Miao wouldn¡¯t believe it if the chance was too high, so he rated the chances as neither high nor low. Ling Miao let out a snort¡ªclearly, he didn¡¯t believe Ji Linxi¡¯s words. Ling Miao had already made up his mind to conceal his crush on Su Yuyang until one day in the future when Su Yuyang dug it out with his own hands. If Su Yuyang didn¡¯t come and dig it up, then Ling Miao wouldn¡¯t touch it either, forever. ¡°I¡¯ll just be his assistant. That¡¯s enough,¡± Ling Miao said leisurely. Ji Linxi looked at Ling Miao suspiciously, but Ling Miao¡¯s smile was reticent and Ji Linxi wasn¡¯t sure how to persuade him to talk it out with Su Yuyang. Since he couldn¡¯t figure out a way, then he wouldn¡¯t think about it. Let the two fumble about in the dark; it wasn¡¯t him who suffered, at any rate. Ah, being a heartless person is much easier. Ji Linxi yawned. ¡°I¡¯ll sleep a while. Wake me when Su Yuyang¡¯s here.¡± Ji Linxi closed his eyes again. The parking lot wasn¡¯t quiet and Ji Linxi didn¡¯t sleep very well, but his heart was calm. As he calmed down, he suddenly thought of Yan Li and his plan for that night. He had placed the flower Yan Li had given him in the trunk; although it had wilted a little, this was the effect he needed. Yan Li, Yan Li. I hope that when you get the flower, you¡¯ll give up. You and I walk different roads, and I don¡¯t want to be entangled with someone like you. Ji Linxi thought of the expression Yan Li would wear when she got the flower, and his lips lifted into a faint smile. Ling Miao saw Ji Linxi had fallen asleep. He wanted to sleep too, but the moment he shut his eyes, Su Yuyang¡¯s face appeared before his eyes. Maybe the person that someone likes is you? Ji Linxi¡¯s words jumped out in Ling Miao¡¯s mind. If one has a crush on someone, of course one will hope that one¡¯s crush likes them back. Ling Miao hoped the person Su Yuyang liked was him. Now he thought about certain things Su Yuyang had done and felt that, maybe, the person Su Yuyang liked was indeed him. But his certainty was also accompanied by doubt: Ling Miao doubted his own thought process. Frankly, this was torturous, but Ling Miao had no way of stopping himself from thinking it. Pain radiated through Ling Miao¡¯s body from his heart to his fingertips, and he curled up in the hopes of lessening it, but the pain only intensified until every cell in his body was immersed in it. In Ling Miao¡¯s twenty-two years of life, this was the first time he¡¯d fallen for someone, and the first time he realized how torturous love was. This was the first time he realized that love for someone could be so strong he¡¯d be willing give up his own life, but he also didn¡¯t know why he loved Su Yuyang so much. He couldn¡¯t tell what about Su Yuyang entranced him so much he¡¯d stay by Su Yuyang¡¯s side even if he passed out from the pain. ¡°Su Yuyang.¡± Ling Miao called his name and felt the pain in his body lessen, but the pain in his heart intensified. ¡°Su Yuyang¡­¡± Ling Miao said this name for the umpteenth time. As he raised his head to look out the window, he saw a familiar silhouette walking in their direction. ¡°Linxi.¡± Ling Miao softly roused the sleeping man, but he met a pair of clear, bright eyes¡ªJi Linxi had woken long ago. ¡°You¡¯re awake?¡± Ling Miao laughed drily. Ji Linxi shot Ling Miao a look and sighed: ¡°You kept calling Su Yuyang¡¯s name. How could I sleep?¡± Ji Linxi rubbed the bridge of his nose and turned to the man outside the window. Ji Linxi rolled down the window and said: ¡°It¡¯s getting late. Get in the car.¡± Su Yuyang pretended not to hear. He circled around to Ling Miao¡¯s side of the car and said: ¡°Get in the back.¡± Ling Miao looked at Ji Linxi, who shrugged to indicate his indifference. Looking at Su Yuyang¡¯s resolute gaze, Ling Miao knew he wouldn¡¯t rest until he moved to the back seat. It was getting late and Ling Miao didn¡¯t want to tarry too long here, so he got out of the car and sat in the back with Su Yuyang. ¡°Su Yuyang, what exactly do you want?¡± Ling Miao¡¯s gaze drifted out the window, but his words were directed at the man next to him. ¡°Ling Miao, I¡­¡± Su Yuyang hurriedly started to explain, but as the words reached his lips he hesitated again: The person he likes isn¡¯t me! ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°I¡¯m tired. Lend me your shoulder for a while.¡± Ling Miao didn¡¯t say anything but moved toward Su Yuyang, who pillowed his head against Ling Miao¡¯s shoulder and slowly closed his eyes. ¡°People don¡¯t see the whole picture of their own situation, and an onlooker sees the situation more clearly,¡± Ji Linxi sighed, then started the car. The car stereo was still playing Yan Li¡¯s songs but there didn¡¯t seem to be many of them, because Ling Miao heard Red Bean again. He didn¡¯t hear a lot of it, because Ji Linxi skipped the song the moment he heard the intro. Ling Miao didn¡¯t stop him. Then, like he was playing a prank, Ji Linxi skipped backward again. Su Yuyang, love grows over time, love grows over time. Ling Miao silently thought this, then lowered his gaze to sweep over Su Yuyang¡¯s peaceful face. But Su Yuyang chose this moment to open his eyes. [Table of Contents] | [Chaleuria is on Twitter!] Translator¡¯s note: CGPA is halfway through! o/ Chapter 070 The Complete Guide to the Use and Care of a Personal Assistant Translator: Jury Editor: NomNom First Published on Chaleuria ¡ª Chapter Seventy Su Yuyang had caught Ling Miao off guard. They stared at each other for almost half a minute before they hurriedly averted their gazes. Self-effacement shot across Su Yuyang¡¯s eyes. He nestled his face into Ling Miao¡¯s shoulder and put his cheek against Ling Miao¡¯s neck, feeling the beat of Ling Miao¡¯s heart. Su Yuyang¡¯s soft hair swept across Ling Miao¡¯s neck, tickling him. Ling Miao reflexively reached out to scratch it, and as he lowered his hand he touched Su Yuyang¡¯s head. Su Yuyang raised his head to look at Ling Miao but Ling Miao didn¡¯t seem to notice and kept looking out the window. The car window was covered in a layer of water droplets. The rain hadn¡¯t stopped since this morning. The weather was just strange this year. It had rained almost every day, and the one sunny day had reached almost 40¡ãC (104¡ãF). Like Su Yuyang¡¯s attitude to Ling Miao and Ling Miao¡¯s response, it seemed mostly predictable, but the one time Su Yuyang had been gentle to Ling Miao, it had suddenly terrified Ling Miao. Su Yuyang had seen Ling Miao trying to escape and remembered it well. He moved his head from Ling Miao¡¯s shoulder and shifted his body in the other direction. He watched the landscape outside the window flashing by. The raindrops lengthened into slender threads as they were blown by the wind, wrapping him like a cocoon and making him feel suffocated. As they neared the stadium, the traffic on the roads grew heavier. Ji Linxi slowed the car and occasionally glanced in the rearview mirror to check on the situation behind him. The silence between Ling Miao and Su Yuyang was within his expectations, though he thought it a pity. From a different perspective, maybe one day in the future when they both realized each other¡¯s feelings and remembered this day, they would treasure each other even more. The strains of Yan Li¡¯s music drifted in the car. Su Yuyang¡¯s phone began to ring in harmony with the music. The call was from Feng Ji. Feng Ji had gotten a ticket from Yan Li and was currently waiting at the stadium for the three of them to arrive. ¡°On the way. Traffic jam,¡± Su Yuyang rumpled his hair and said with frustration. Feng Ji said, lightly mocking, ¡°Ah, I¡¯m already inside. You left earlier than me, but you¡¯re still on the road?¡± Feng Ji¡¯s words were tinged with the flavour of enjoying their difficulties. Su Yuyang played along with Feng Ji: ¡°I don¡¯t know why this happened either. Ah, if I¡¯d known earlier I would have gone with you.¡± Ling Miao¡¯s heart clenched when he head Su Yuyang¡¯s words. His shoulders shook, but Su Yuyang had his back to Ling Miao so he didn¡¯t see. Feng Ji laughed. ¡°With me? Forget it. You¡¯d have a terrible time.¡± Feng Ji¡¯s voice suddenly dropped and he said softly: ¡°Xiao Li¡¯s here. Talk later.¡± ¡°Hey¡­¡± Su Yuyang still had things to say to Feng Ji, but Feng Ji ignored him completely and hung up. Xiao Li¡¯s here, so we¡¯ll talk later? What logic is this? Su Yuyang huffily put his phone back in his pocket, shifted his position, and went back to sleep. Ji Linxi yawned and thought morosely: Don¡¯t sleep! Don¡¯t you know sleepiness is infectious? The car in front finally moved. Ji Linxi started the car and followed. Several minutes later the three reached the stadium. The line for admission was already very long, but the three of them didn¡¯t need to stand in line. Holding the VIP tickets Yan Li had given them, the three walked through the priority lane into the stadium. Su Yuyang called Feng Ji to ask him exactly where he was, but he¡¯d only exchanged two sentences with Feng Ji before the voice on the other end changed to a woman¡¯s. ¡°Old Su, you¡¯re here?¡± Yan Li seemed excited. Su Yuyang had already heard from Ling Miao that Yan Li liked Ji Linxi, so he knew exactly why Yan Li was excited. Su Yuyang sighed in grievance: ¡°I came, but it¡¯s not just me who came. Feng Ji, Ling Miao and¡­ Ji Linxi are here too.¡± Su Yuyang paused before saying the last name. Yan Li¡¯s giggling came through the phone¡ªit was her shyness at having been seen through. ¡°Why is Feng Ji in the dressing room?¡± Su Yuyang asked curiously. Yan Li¡¯s laughter turned crafty, but she didn¡¯t explain. ¡°Yan Yan, why are you still on the phone? Prepare to go onstage,¡± Yang Lin called. Yan Li stuck out her tongue to indicate her dissatisfaction and Yang Lin¡¯s expression grew dark as she walked over with a murderous expression. Yan Li hurriedly tossed the phone to Feng Ji: ¡°You talk to him. I¡¯m leaving.¡± ¡°Hey, why¡¯re you in the dressing room?¡± ¡°Because I¡¯m a worker here,¡± Feng Ji said helplessly as he lowered his head to the name tag hanging from his neck. ¡°But I¡¯ll be part of the audience once I take off this tag. Heh heh. Yan Li didn¡¯t have an extra ticket, but I wanted to see the concert so this was the only way.¡± Su Yuyang mentally praised Yan Li¡¯s quick thinking as they got to their seats. All three of them had gotten their tickets from Yan Li, so the seats were next to each other. ¡°Ah, we¡¯ve found our seats. It¡¯s the first row in front of the stage. Come over later,¡± Su Yuyang reminded. Feng Ji said, ¡°OK,¡± then hung up the phone. The three of them settled in. From left to right: Su Yuyang, Ling Miao, Ji Linxi. Ling Miao had wanted Ji Linxi to sit between him and Su Yuyang, but under Su Yuyang¡¯s dagger-like scrutiny, Ji Linxi, fearing for his life, had chosen to sit to Ling Miao¡¯s right. Ling Miao had hesitated and wondered whether to switch seats with the person on Ji Linxi¡¯s right, but Su Yuyang commanded him to sit down and Ling Miao obligingly sat to Su Yuyang¡¯s right. Ji Linxi held the roughed-up flower in his hand, a laugh in his eyes as he watched the stage. People poured into the stadium and the surroundings gradually grew rowdy. Ji Linxi took out his earphones and put them in his ears. Ling Miao watched Ji Linxi¡¯s relaxed manner, took Ji Linxi¡¯s left earbud out of his ear, and put it into his own ear. Seeing this, Su Yuyang took the bud from his own right ear and stuffed it in Ling Miao¡¯s other ear. Ling Miao was shocked by the sudden music. He turned and glared at Su Yuyang, who said coldly: ¡°Don¡¯t take it off.¡± Ling Miao asked, ¡°Why? Even though you¡¯re my boss, you can¡¯t force me to listen to the songs on your phone!¡± Could it be? Is the person Ling Miao likes Ji Linxi? Su Yuyang abruptly raised his head and looked at Ji Linxi who was smiling. As if aware that Su Yuyang was looking at him, Ji Linxi turned his head and smiled gently at Su Yuyang. In Su Yuyang¡¯s eyes, that smile was a challenge. ¡°Fuck it.¡± Su Yuyang grit his teeth, hands balling into fists. If Ji Linxi did anything unseemly, he¡¯d fuck it all and give him a good beating. But Ji Linxi didn¡¯t. He just smiled, then returned his eyes to the stage. Su Yuyang tensed and waited for Ji Linxi to cut his rationality short. Before Ji Linxi could do anything, Feng Ji walked over. As one of the workers, Feng Ji had access to the whole stadium. Since the seat beside Su Yuyang was still empty, Feng Ji sat down in it. The atmosphere was tense. Feng Ji coughed twice, cleared his throat, and said, ¡°The concert¡¯s starting. What are you glaring at each other for? Look at the stage!¡± As Feng Ji finished speaking, the lights all around dimmed and two blinding white spotlights appeared on the stage. From one side of the stage, a figure slowly walked out. ¡°Good evening, everyone! I¡¯m Yan Li, and thank you for coming tonight!¡± Yan Li was the emcee for her own show, which surprised Ji Linxi. Seeing Ji Linxi¡¯s surprise, Feng Ji explained: ¡°Yan Li¡¯s concerts are always like this. She hosts them too.¡± As Yan Li finished her opening speech, thunderous applause and cheers rose from all directions like the roar of the ocean. As if rehearsed, every person called Yan Li¡¯s name. The thunderous shouts left Ji Linxi convinced of the strength of Yan Li¡¯s fans, and gave him a new opinion of Yan Li herself. ¡°I¡¯m very happy to have a concert in my hometown. So, I dedicate this first song to my hometown!¡± Having said her piece, Yan Li raised her hands in the air and backup dancers swarmed onto the stage from all directions. The concert had officially begun. Ji Linxi watched Yan Li on the stage and couldn¡¯t tear his gaze away. Yan Li on stage and the Yan Li he knew seemed to be two completely different people. As the first song ended, Ji Linxi was still immersed in Yan Li¡¯s radiance. The song changed, and Yan Li took the image of a countryside girl on the stage. The melancholy music and sentimental lyrics made Ji Linxi feel that Yan Li was the girl described in the song, and he almost wanted to rush onstage to comfort her. ¡°Fuck. Do you need to make people sad the moment it starts?¡± Ling Miao said huffily. Su Yuyang was calm as he smiled and said, ¡°The theme of the concert is ¡®The love letter I can¡¯t send,¡¯ so the sadness is going to continue.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the point of a love letter? Why not just confess?¡± The moment Ling Miao said the words he frowned, but soon his eyes lit with surprise: I¡­ can I write my confession into my book? The same notion had occurred to Su Yuyang. Since I can¡¯t tell him to his face, I¡¯ll just write it in the section for author¡¯s notes! The concert was still ongoing. Su Yuyang looked at the program on the back of the ticket and told Ling Miao: ¡°The concert¡¯s about to go into halftime.¡± At halftime, Yan Li wouldn¡¯t rest. She was going to invite a fan onstage. Lights on both sides of the stage went on. Yan Li turned around to look at the big screen, which cut to Yan Li¡¯s face, then spotlights roved over the audience. ¡°Stop!¡± Yan Li yelled out the command and the spotlight stopped. Ling Miao felt the light hurt his eyes and almost thought it had chosen him, but then he looked at the big screen and realized the person chosen was Ji Linxi who was sitting beside him. A stagehand walked over and invited Ji Linxi on stage. Ji Linxi looked pleadingly at Ling Miao, who stared at his toes and completely ignored Ji Linxi¡¯s pleas for help. Ji Linxi was helpless. He asked the stagehand: ¡°Can I bring this flower?¡± ¡°Let me check it.¡± The stagehand checked Ji Linxi¡¯s flower and confirmed nothing was amiss then led Ji Linxi to the stage. Ling Miao cursed softly: ¡°Fuck. He¡¯s really going to deliver it?¡± ¡°Weren¡¯t you going to stop him?¡± Su Yuyang laughed coldly. Ling Miao glared fiercely at Su Yuyang. He had intended to scold Su Yuyang but then he met Su Yuyang¡¯s eyes and couldn¡¯t say a word. ¡°Dumb cat.¡± Su Yuyang¡¯s hand gently stroked the back of Ling Miao¡¯s head. ¡°Why are you interfering in their matters?¡± Su Yuyang said this against Ling Miao¡¯s cheek, hot breath blowing into Ling Miao¡¯s ear, their positions charged with implications. All around them the lights had dimmed and Su Yuyang got up the courage to put his lips to Ling Miao¡¯s temple, but he didn¡¯t linger there, just brushed past as if the contact had been an accident. Ling Miao felt his cheeks and ears burning. His heart kept pounding. ¡°Hey, why are you molesting me?¡± Ling Miao pretended that Su Yuyang was teasing him. Su Yuyang looked disgusted: ¡°Who wants to eat old tofu?¡±1 ¡°I like it,¡± Ling Miao said self-righteously, meeting Su Yuyang¡¯s eyes which were full of meaning. If one year was the difference between old tofu and tender tofu, then to Ling Miao, wouldn¡¯t Su Yuyang be old tofu? [Table of Contents] | [Chaleuria is on Twitter!] Translation notes: [1] ¡®eat tofu¡¯: take advantage of someone Chapter 071 The Complete Guide to the Use and Care of a Personal Assistant Translator: Jury Editor: NomNom First Published on Chaleuria ¡ª Chapter Seventy-one Ling Miao realized he¡¯d said the wrong thing and haughtily turned back to the stage. Su Yuyang brushed his thumb over his lips, his smile growing gradually more bitter. Ji Linxi had already handed the flower to Yan Li, but Ling Miao had missed her reaction. He pouted in frustration and glared murderously at Su Yuyang. On the stage, Ji Linxi stood smiling awkwardly. Ling Miao listened to the chatter all around and knew Ji Linxi had made a faux pas, but he didn¡¯t know what Ji Linxi had done. He glanced at Su Yuyang and huffed: ¡°You made me miss a show!¡± Su Yuyang looked at Ling Miao like he was an idiot and reminded: ¡°Ling Miao, you can watch the rerun on TV tomorrow.¡± ¡°Mm? Is it broadcasting live today?¡± ¡°Like you don¡¯t know.¡± Su Yuyang shook his head. He really wanted to write the words ¡®dumb cat¡¯ on Ling Miao¡¯s forehead. His intelligence snubbed by Su Yuyang, Ling Miao didn¡¯t argue further. Who knows whether Su Yuyang has a follow-up blow? Ling Miao thought, then returned his attention to the stage. Yan Li coughed, maybe out of dejection. Her smile was radiant but Ling Miao thought it looked forced. Yan Li laughed: ¡°Since you can¡¯t sing my songs, you pick one you know. I¡¯ll sing along.¡± ¡°¡®Red Bean,¡¯¡± Ji Linxi said without a second thought, his gaze sweeping reflexively over Ling Miao. The corner of Ling Miao¡¯s mouth twitched. When he heard Ji Linxi say ¡®Red Bean,¡¯ he knew that Ji Linxi intended this song for him. Yan Li followed Ji Linxi¡¯s gaze and found with surprised joy that Su Yuyang and Ling Miao were also sitting there. ¡°Why ¡®Red Bean?¡¯¡± Yan Li spoke against Ji Linxi¡¯s ear so Ji Linxi was the only one who could hear. He frowned and said with difficulty, ¡°It¡¯s a very long story. To summarize, this song has to do with Ling Miao. Ah, I¡¯ll tell you this¡ªI think Su Yuyang has feelings for Ling Miao, but for some unknown reason he¡¯s also decided to conceal his true feelings. But I need someone to confirm it. I¡¯m entrusting you with that.¡± Ji Linxi said the above in one breath and then quickly distanced himself from Yan Li, as if worried he¡¯d steal the headlines from Yan Li tomorrow. ¡°Hey¡­¡± Yan Li glared at Ji Linxi, who continued smiling serenely. ¡°Just now, I asked why he chose ¡®Red Bean.¡¯ He said he wanted to sing this song for someone who¡¯s currently here. In that case, let me and this gentleman give to everyone, ¡®Red Bean.¡¯¡± As Yan Li spoke, Ji Linxi¡¯s head hung even lower with the frustration and awkwardness of having his intentions exposed. Ji Linxi internally gave Yan Li a begrudging thumbs-up. With a satisfied smile, Yan Li waved her hand and began. The intro to ¡®Red Bean¡¯ started. Yan Li slid into her persona, leading Ji Linxi with the lyrics. Ji Linxi wasn¡¯t a bad singer¡ªin fact, Ling Miao recalled he¡¯d won the school talent competition three times. ¡°Sometimes, sometimes I believe all things come to an end. There are times for reunions and times for goodbyes. Nothing will last forever¡­¡± As the song continued, Ji Linxi¡¯s voice was the only one remaining. Yan Li stood at Ji Linxi¡¯s side, watching him worshipfully. The camera, which was focused on her, let the almost twenty thousand people at the venue bear full witness to her adoration. The clear, low male voice reverberated through the stadium. All the audience was captivated by Ji Linxi¡¯s singing. As the song ended, Ji Linxi realized the stadium was dead silent. ¡°A thank-you to this gentleman for singing. May I know your name?¡± Yan Li was somewhat choked up, like something had touched the bottom of her heart. Ji Linxi¡¯s face clouded over. He took a deep breath to steady his heart, then said with a faint smile: ¡°Linxi.¡± Of course, Ji Linxi wouldn¡¯t say his real name in front of this many people. He was also using this name to tease Yan Li, who now looked at him in a somewhat different light. But she also controlled her feelings very well. She would go back home with them anyway, so there would be plenty of time for questioning later. Heh heh, Ji Linxi, prepare to defend yourself! ¡°He sings pretty well,¡± Feng Ji said approvingly. Ling Miao remained pretty calm, as he had known all along that Ji Linxi was a good singer. Though he wasn¡¯t quite on the level of professional singers, he could be considered quite talented among hobbyists. Ling Miao turned and looked at Su Yuyang¡ªheh, if one didn¡¯t know him they might think Justice Bao1 once again walked among the living. Looking at Su Yuyang¡¯s face, Ling Miao couldn¡¯t resist: ¡°Linxi doesn¡¯t sing that badly. Why the dark face?¡± Su Yuyang had seen Ling Miao¡¯s captivated expression and thought he was immersed in Ji Linxi¡¯s voice. The corners of Su Yuyang¡¯s lips twitched and he forced a smile: ¡°He sings well, but he¡¯s still not comparable to Yan Li.¡± ¡°But he can definitely defeat you soundly.¡± To one side, Feng Ji twisted the knife and was met by Su Yuyang¡¯s lethal gaze. Su Yuyang¡¯s current feelings were pretty complicated. From Ling Miao¡¯s expression, he¡¯s very much enjoying Ji Linxi¡¯s singing. But I can¡¯t sing. I can¡¯t play video games, so I can¡¯t happily play co-op with him. As for cooking¡­ Ling Miao leaves me more than ten blocks in the dust. No matter how I think about it, aside from writing faster than him, I¡¯ve nothing to offer. Weh weh weh¡ªI¡¯m not happy!! Su Yuyang was inwardly crying bitterly. He really wanted Ling Miao to console him, but Ling Miao took a leaf out of Feng Ji¡¯s book and stuck another knife in. He said, ¡°Ah, Su-ge. Is what Feng-ge said true? Can your singing scare the whole stadium away?¡± ¡°Heh heh. If you want to listen, I¡¯ll sing to you every day,¡± Su Yuyang said with a contrived smile. Guided by the stagehand, Ji Linxi returned to his seat. Ling Miao didn¡¯t ask him about Yan Li¡¯s reaction, but Ji Linxi asked him for a tissue. Ling Miao handed Ji Linxi a tissue. In the light from the stage, Ling Miao saw that Ji Linxi was perspiring heavily. Then Ji Linxi asked Ling Miao for water, and after wetting his dry throat, he finally relaxed. Ling Miao eyed Ji Linxi hesitantly and asked: ¡°You¡¯ve sung onstage before. Why are you so tense?¡± ¡°There are twenty thousand people here! How can the two thousand people from that time at school compare to this?¡± Ji Linxi¡¯s voice was shaking. ¡°But compared to someone like you who gets weak at the knees when you have to speak in front of a class of twenty people, I think I was pretty calm.¡± ¡°Fuck, you¡¯re picking on me again!¡± Ling Miao said angrily and kicked Ji Linxi. In Su Yuyang¡¯s eyes, Ling Miao and Ji Linxi were having a lovers¡¯ spat. Fuck this ¡®lovers¡¯ spat¡¯ nonsense! Su Yuyang silently yelled, then turned Ling Miao toward him and said ill-temperedly, ¡°Where¡¯s the water?¡± Ji Linxi tossed the bottle over and said with no expression: ¡°Here. Don¡¯t worry, I didn¡¯t put the bottle to my mouth.¡± Su Yuyang twisted the bottle cap open and put his mouth to the bottle, gulping down about half of its contents. Ji Linxi thought Su Yuyang¡¯s actions were childish and laughable but he was glad on Ling Miao¡¯s behalf: Su Yuyang¡¯s very petty when it comes to matters concerning Ling Miao. No one would believe Su Yuyang hasn¡¯t fallen for him! Su Yuyang didn¡¯t see eye to eye with Ji Linxi, and Ji Linxi didn¡¯t feel much goodwill toward Su Yuyang either. So when Ji Linxi thought of Su Yuyang torturing himself, he was internally happy¡ªhowever, this would make Ling Miao sad. Ji Linxi glanced sympathetically at Ling Miao, who was currently locking gazes with Su Yuyang. Ji Linxi didn¡¯t disturb them. Having packed up his thoughts, Ji Linxi concentrated on Yan Li, listening to her voice get higher and floatier. The two-hour concert ended when Yan Li said, ¡°Goodbye.¡± The fans, wanting more, kept chanting Yan Li¡¯s name. Their chorus was powerful and Ji Linxi had the impulse to start shouting with them. Yan Li returned to the dressing room and slumped in her chair, letting the employees do what they wanted to her. Makeup off and clothes changed, Yan Li slouched even lower in her chair, her body aching. But she still watched her manager out of the corner of her eye. Yang Lin stood in front of the dressing room with arms folded across her chest, radiating Don¡¯t you think of escaping. Yan Li¡¯s phone beeped. She glanced at it: Feng Ji had sent a text. ¡°When are you coming? Everyone¡¯s waiting for you.¡± Yan Li: Lin-jie¡¯s standing guard outside. I can¡¯t go out QAQ Feng Ji: Do you need my help? Yan Li: How¡¯ll you help? Feng Ji: Don¡¯t worry about it. Find an opportunity and come out. Yan Li: What exactly are we doing? Feng Ji didn¡¯t reply to Yan Li¡¯s text. Yan Li cursed then stuffed her phone in her pocket. Yang Lin glanced at Yan Li¡¯s pocket with ill will. She stuck out her hand and said in an uncompromising voice, ¡°Give it here!¡± ¡°Lin-jie,¡± Yan Li pleaded, ¡°It¡¯s just a month. Didn¡¯t we always do this before?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve let you do what you want too long. This time, no way!¡± Like an emperor, Yang Lin didn¡¯t accept opposition from anyone. Yan Li twisted her body and wheedled: ¡°Lin-jie, I¡¯m begging you. I need a rest. I¡¯ve been preparing for the concert for the past month. I¡¯m about to break down.¡± Yang Lin didn¡¯t give in: ¡°No!¡± ¡°Lin-jie.¡± Yan Li stood up, her voice hardening. ¡°Lin-jie, I understand what you mean. I took two months off and that hurt the company. But I¡¯m a person, not a machine. I need rest, and the company¡¯s fine with me doing this. If you force me to work and my health suffers, that¡¯ll be an even greater loss to the company.¡± Yan Li was sometimes very stubborn, and when she got stubborn no one could control her. Yang Lin knew Yan Li was speaking sense. She softened her tone and said, ¡°Surely you can at least tell me where you¡¯re staying?¡± ¡°Sorry.¡± The single word revealed Yan Li¡¯s attitude. Yang Lin used the same word to indicate her intent, then the two had a standoff in the dressing room. The silence was shortly broken. A man in a stagehand¡¯s uniform rushed over saying there was something important Yang Lin needed to handle. Yang Lin looked at the person, only half-believing him. Just then, her cellphone rang. She gave some instructions to the stagehand, then left. The ¡®stagehand¡¯ was Feng Ji. Feng Ji glanced outside. After confirming Yang Lin wasn¡¯t in the vicinity, he ran out with Yan Li. By the time Yang Lin returned, Yan Li and the others were already on the highway. ¡°Ah, freedom~¡± Yan Li was like a bird leaving a cage, her joyous laughter echoing through the car. Until she discovered Ji Linxi was driving. Since Ji Linxi was driving, Yan Li didn¡¯t want to distract him. She turned her attention to Ling Miao. Under her razor-sharp gaze, Ling Miao shuddered: ¡°Yan¡­ Yan-jie, if you have something to say, say it. Don¡¯t look at me like that. It makes me worried you¡¯ll do something to me.¡± ¡°Yan Li.¡± Ji Linxi had guessed what Yan Li was about to do and gave her a warning. Yan Li huffed in frustration, then turned her gaze to Su Yuyang. Several seconds later, Su Yuyang received a text message on QQ. Yan Li: Do you have feelings for Ling Miao? [Table of Contents] | [Chaleuria is on Twitter!] Translation notes: [1] Justice Bao: a man with a dark complexion. Ling Miao is saying Su Yuyang has a dark expression. Chapter 072 The Complete Guide to the Use and Care of a Personal Assistant Translator: Jury Editor: NomNom First Published on Chaleuria ¡ª Chapter Seventy-two Su Yuyang froze. His gaze drifted towards Ling Miao, who stared out the window with his cheek in his hand. His eyes were half-closed and Su Yuyang couldn¡¯t tell if he knew Su Yuyang was looking at him. Su Yuyang¡¯s motions hadn¡¯t been abrupt, so it wasn¡¯t especially easy to tell. A moment¡¯s effort later, Su Yuyang returned his gaze to his phone. Su Yuyang: From where exactly do you get that I like Ling Miao? Yan Li: Old Su, do you think I didn¡¯t see you getting jealous in front of the stage? Yan Li hadn¡¯t seen Su Yuyang¡¯s jealousy firsthand, but Ji Linxi had. In order not to arouse Su Yuyang¡¯s suspicions, Ji Linxi and Yan Li talked it overand agreed to take advantage of both Ji Linxi¡¯s firsthand experience and the fact that Su Yuyang couldn¡¯t be sure whether Yan Li had seen what happened. Yan Li would probe Su Yuyang, and they would use his response to verify Yan Li¡¯s conjecture that Su Yuyang liked Ling Miao. Su Yuyang: What did you see? Yan Li: You and Ji Linxi were fighting over water. I recall that the concert doesn¡¯t allow you to bring drinks in, but you had a bottle of water, which the three of you must have brought in to share. After Ji Linxi sang on stage, his throat would of course be dry and it¡¯s natural that he would want to drink water. He got the water from Ling Miao and only took a sip before you snatched it. You even put your mouth to the bottle. Your relationship with Ji Linxi isn¡¯t so good that you¡¯d indirectly kiss him, right? And then you had this expression as you looked at Ling Miao. That made me even more sure you have feelings for him. Su Yuyang: My expression as I looked at Ling Miao? What expression? Su Yuyang hadn¡¯t seen his own expression, but he also doubted that Yan Li had clearly seen it. Yan Li stared at Su Yuyang, and as he turned his head to look at her, he met her eyes which were full of certainty. She really saw it? Su Yuyang¡¯s suspicion lessened a fraction. As his self-doubt grew, so did his certainty that Yan Li had indeed seen his expression. But it also wasn¡¯t very reliable to conclude from his expression that he liked Ling Miao, right? Su Yuyang¡¯s thoughts drifted a little. Suddenly, his phone buzzed. Yan Li: What expression? You couldn¡¯t wait to kill Ji Linxi with a slash of a knife, and you couldn¡¯t wait to announce to Ji Linxi that Ling Miao was yours. At this point I started to feel bad for Feng Ji. Think of him¡ªhe spent a herculean amount of effort to pursue you, but you were only together a short while before amicably breaking up. Not only did you not try to hold on to him, the impression I got was that you couldn¡¯t wait for him to go find someone new. But Ling Miao¡ªyou two haven¡¯t even had any real relationship progress, but already you want to eliminate anyone around him who might become your competition. It¡¯s actually the first time I¡¯ve seen possessiveness that strong. Hey, Su Yuyang, I think you¡¯re very childish. Su Yuyang: What kind of hellish logic is this? Yan Li: Not hellish logic. You want to keep hiding it, but you also can¡¯t find a way to refute me. It¡¯s your helplessness showing, that¡¯s all. Give me a solid answer. Do you like him? Su Yuyang gave a mocking laugh, successfully drawing Yan Li¡¯s attention. Yan Li metSu Yuyang¡¯s eyes confidently and Su Yuyang¡¯s eyes grew darker. Yan Li kept watching him to see him turn toward Ling Miao, then despondently turn back to face her. ¡°Mm.¡± Su Yuyang closed his eyes and his chin dipped. ¡°I knew it!¡± Yan Li patted Su Yuyang¡¯s shoulder, her smile more crafty than ever. Su Yuyang suspected that Yan Li had played him¡ªthinking more deeply about it, Yan Li had been absolutely certain from the start. Maybe she really was leading him. But even if she was, so what? Now that Su Yuyang had told his secret to someone, his heart felt much lighter. But Su Yuyang didn¡¯t enjoy his relaxation for very long before he saw Yan Li excitedly tapping her phone screen. He moved over to take a look: Yan Li was chatting on QQ with an ID he didn¡¯t know. As for the contents of their conversation¡­ eh, the font size was a little small and Yan Li¡¯s hand was blocking part of it. Su Yuyang only caught sight of a few words, not even enough to form a sentence. Yan Li was currently sending Ji Linxi screenshots of her chat with Su Yuyang and discussing with Ji Linxi how to make one of them confess their feelings to the other. Ji Linxi: Let¡¯s go for Su Yuyang. Yan Li: Why? I think Old Su¡¯s about to give up on Ling Miao. On the other hand, Ling Miao looks like he won¡¯t let go so easily. Ji Linxi: You¡¯ve known Ling Miao for a while now, so surely you understand him a little. Ling Miao¡¯s relationship with Su Yuyang was ruined by Su Yuyang himself. Ling Miao can pick up the pieces, but it will be different this time around. Before, Ling Miao didn¡¯t understand his own heart and he thought that Su Yuyang disliked him. If Su Yuyang disliked him and he didn¡¯t like Su Yuyang either, out of sight, out of mind was the best way to go. But now Ling Miao knows he likes Su Yuyang. When you¡¯re hated by the person you like¡­ everyone reacts differently. The feeling Ling Miao gives me is that, although he won¡¯t give up, he won¡¯t say anything either. Yan Li: Old Su doesn¡¯t look like he¡¯ll say anything, either. Then what do we do now? Ji Linxi: Provoke Su Yuyang. Ling Miao hid his feelings very well, but Su Yuyang didn¡¯t! The moment Ling Miao gets close to me, Su Yuyang gets flustered. Once he can¡¯t take it anymore, I believe he¡¯ll tell Ling Miao everything. Yan Li: You sure? How do you understand Old Su better than me? Ji Linxi: He and I are both men. Our thought processes are more similar. Yan Li was just about to refute Ji Linxi when her phone buzzed. Su Yuyang had sent a text. Su Yuyang: Please keep it a secret that I like Ling Miao. You can¡¯t even tell Feng-zi. Yan Li: Why? Why don¡¯t you confess to Ling Miao? Su Yuyang: He¡­ seems to already have someone he likes. I suspect it¡¯s Ji Linxi. ¡°Pfffff¡ª¡± Yan Li exhaled the breath she¡¯d been holding. She clutched the seat and couldn¡¯t stop laughing. Su Yuyang saw her laugh until her stomach hurt; he knew she had started laughing after seeing his text, which made him uneasy. He asked worriedly: ¡°What are you laughing about?¡± ¡°I¡¯m laughing because you¡¯re silly.¡± Yan Li clutched her stomach¡ªshe really had laughed so much it started hurting. Su Yuyang was even more confused and was about to ask further when Yan Li stopped laughing. She waved her phone and tapped at the screen. After a while, Su Yuyang¡¯s phone vibrated. Yan Li: Old Su, you¡¯re so silly it hurts. Su Yuyang: Could it be that the person Xiao Miao likes is not Ji Linxi? Yan Li realized she¡¯d said too much and had almost let the cat out of the bag. She quickly tried to salvage the situation. Yan Li: As for who Ling Miao likes, ask him yourself. Old Su, I remember you¡¯re not so thin-skinned. Take out your real thick skin and let Ling Miao see your talented side. Maybe he¡¯ll fall to his knees at your feet. Su Yuyang: You¡¯re being evil. Yan Li: You¡¯re thinking too much XD Su Yuyang didn¡¯t continue the pointless argument with Yan Li, but her words had shocked him. If he were to ask Ling Miao who he liked, he might actually get an answer. Whether that person was Ji Linxi or not, Su Yuyang wanted to keep Ling Miao by his side. He believed that love would grow with time. Su Yuyang didn¡¯t reply to Yan Li, who didn¡¯t continue to send Su Yuyang messages either. She and Ji Linxi were currently chatting up a storm, but what made Yan Li unhappy was that their topic of conversation was the matter between Ling Miao and Su Yuyang! Heaven and earth, I want to talk to Ji Linxi about the two of us! Yan Li wanted to cry as she unlocked her screen. They briefly discussed the plan to agitate Su Yuyang, then the conversation stopped. Yan Li glanced outside the window but couldn¡¯t clearly see the street signs. She asked Feng Ji how long it¡¯d take to get there. Feng Ji did some mental calculation and said, ¡°Half an hour.¡± Half an hour! That¡¯s a long time. I can¡¯t waste it, can I? Yan Li leaned to one side, which made it convenient to glance at Ji Linxi. His hands were folded on his stomach, his head tilted slightly upward and resting on the back of the seat. He looked as if he were sleeping. Yan Li wasn¡¯t sure how to strike up a conversation. Then she glanced at the flower behind the seat and had an idea. Ji Linxi¡¯s phone buzzed. He dismally sat up straight, yawned, and opened bleary eyes to read the text. Yan Li: Thank you for the flower. Ji Linxi: You sent it, anyway. Yan Li: I sent it? Ji Linxi stared at Yan Li¡¯s text, then looked at the one he had just sent. Several fireworks seemed to be going off in his head. Yan Li¡¯s performance on stage had infected Ji Linxi so he had taken off the card attached to the flower, hoping Yan Li wouldn¡¯t recognize the true origin of the flower, but now he¡¯d let the cat out of the bag himself. Ji Linxi: Sorry, He didn¡¯t give a reason. From the beginning Yan Li had been aware of Ji Linxi¡¯s attitude toward her, but now this flower delivery showed Ji Linxi¡¯s¡­ loathing¡­ for her? Yan Li really couldn¡¯t find the words to describe the situation, and the word ¡®loathing¡¯ slid quietly into her mind. ¡°Not loathing, surely?¡± Yan Li¡¯s mood dropped into an abyss. Ji Linxi saw that Yan Li hadn¡¯t replied and deleted his own half-written message. Now the car had really gone silent. The rain grew heavier, pelting the windows as if trying to break the glass. Feng Ji exited the highway and drove to Su Yuyang¡¯s apartment. Su Yuyang woke Ling Miao, who might or might not have been sleeping, and they left the car first. They confirmed that no one was following them, then called Yan Li to come out. Feng Ji watched the three go into the building, then drove the car to the next stop. ¡°Your relationship with Yan Li has improved a lot,¡± Feng Ji murmured. Ji Linxi picked up his phone and waved it at Feng Ji, grimacing. ¡°Now I know what it¡¯s like to lie in the bed I made myself. My relationship with Yan Li will drop to freezing point from here.¡± ¡°What happened?¡± Feng Ji¡¯s curiosity was awakened and he even slowed down the car. Ji Linxi gave a brief account of what had happened between him and Yan Li. Before he even finished, Feng Ji started laughing: ¡°You underestimate Yan Li. She¡¯s a stubborn personality you can¡¯t beat down. The more you treat her like this, the stronger her fighting spirit gets. Either way, your life from now on won¡¯t be very calm.¡± ¡°As long as I don¡¯t make entertainment mag headlines, that¡¯s fine.¡± Ji Linxi smiled helplessly. ¡°Ah, I¡¯m the only single man left!¡± Feng Ji exclaimed. (Actually, Feng Ji, it¡¯d be strange if you ended up the only single man left!) [Table of Contents] | [Chaleuria is on Twitter!] Chapter 073 The Complete Guide to the Use and Care of a Personal Assistant Translator: Jury Editor: NomNom First Published on Chaleuria ¡ª Chapter Seventy-three Yan Li was living in Su Yuyang¡¯s house again. This didn¡¯t inconvenience Ling Miao, although there was one thing he did have a very strong objection to. But he had no other choice¡ªhe had to listen to Yan Li¡¯s instructions. ¡°Xiao Miao~¡± Yan Li shouted, dragging out his name. Her indolent tone gave Ling Miao goosebumps. Ling Miao put down the work in his hands and rushed to Yan Li¡¯s room. He picked up the card Yan Li had put on the desk, then turned without another word and walked out. Every day, Ling Miao had to go to the florist, personally select flowers, attach Yan Li¡¯s handwritten card, then finally have the florist send them to Ji Linxi. If Ling Miao showed even a sliver of resistance, Yan Li would hold Ling Miao¡¯s secret over his head¡ªthat Ling Miao had feelings for Su Yuyang. At first, Ling Miao had suggested just telling the florist what to write on a card and leaving the flower selection to them, but Yan Li didn¡¯t agree; she said she had to write the card herself in order for it to be meaningful, and the flowers needed to be personally curated in order to show sincerity. So she had to trouble Ling Miao to do leg-breaking work every day. Now that the Dragon Boat Festival had passed, Ji Linxi returned to his everyday rhythm of shuttling between two points: work and home. But on his first day back at work, his peaceful cycle was interrupted by a bouquet of flowers. When he got the call from the flower delivery guy, he initially thought someone had gotten the address wrong. Then he saw the signature on the card and he understood¡ªthe flowers were from Yan Li. Ji Linxi couldn¡¯t understand why Yan Li would send the flowers to his office. If Hu Lin saw this, he would torment Ji Linxi to death. Ji Linxi had left the office empty-handed but come back with a big bouquet of roses. The whole office stared at him curiously. Ji Linxi didn¡¯t want to explain too much; he returned to his seat, put the flowers on the floor, and continued working. Several minutes later he got a call from Ling Miao, and what Ling Miao said confirmed that the flowers were from Yan Li. Ling Miao also told Ji Linxi that Yan Li would send him flowers every day. If not for fear of being recognized, she¡¯d even deliver them herself. At this point, Ji Linxi was bathed in cold sweat. ¡°So, you¡¯re her accomplice now?¡± Ji Linxi said thoughtfully. Ling Miao felt his character had been insulted. He said angrily, ¡°I¡¯m not an accomplice! She¡¯s my boss! I can¡¯t not listen to her, can I?¡± ¡°Profit over friends, eh? Ling Miao, I¡¯ll tell Su Yuyang that you like him!¡± Ji Linxi said slyly. Ling Miao got flustered and his tone grew dismal: ¡°Ah, you and Yan Li really are a match. Without discussing it, you¡¯re both using the fact that I like Su Yuyang to threaten me.¡± Black lines slid down Ji Linxi¡¯s face. He asked suspiciously: ¡°You¡¯re saying she¡¯s using the same thing to threaten you?¡± ¡°If not, why would I be so obedient?¡± Ling Miao said aggrievedly. Ji Linxi said, half-believing: ¡°Ah, so that¡¯s why! Ling Miao, I say, you might as well confess to Su Yuyang. Then I¡¯ll have an easier time of it, too.¡± ¡°No!¡± Ling Miao summarily rejected Ji Linxi¡¯s suggestion. ¡°You¡¯ll have an easier time of it, but I won¡¯t. If I confess to Su Yuyang but he doesn¡¯t like me back, how will I stay at his place? What I¡¯m waiting for now is for Su Yuyang to fall for me. In any case, I¡¯m going to stick to his side. I believe love will grow over time between us!¡± Ling Miao¡¯s attitude was resolute, and Ji Linxi knew it was futile to try to persuade Ling Miao otherwise. But the moment he thought about Yan Li sending him flowers every day, his head started hurting. This was even worse than editing drafts. In order to return his life to its original state, Ji Linxi had to convince Ling Miao very unambiguously that Su Yuyang liked him. Ji Linxi composed himself and said in the surest tone he could manage: ¡°Ling Miao, actually, the person Su Yuyang likes is you. If you don¡¯t believe me, go and confess.¡± ¡°Quit kidding!¡± Ling Miao said self-effacingly, glancing at a certain someone in his room. ¡°He doesn¡¯t like me. If he does, why doesn¡¯t he tell me?¡± ¡°You¡¯re not telling him either, are you?¡± Ji Linxi retorted. ¡°Ling Miao, for the sake of both our peaceful lives, listen to me!¡± Ji Linxi¡¯s tone was aggrieved and Ling Miao almost fell for it. ¡°Like hell I¡¯ll go along with it!¡± Ling Miao cursed softly. ¡°I called just to let you know, not to get your advice. Also, the thing about Su Yuyang liking me¡ªdid he tell you that himself? If he didn¡¯t, I don¡¯t believe it!¡± ¡°Of course Su Yuyang didn¡¯t personally tell¡­¡± Ji Linxi suddenly cut himself off, then a familiar voice reached his ears: ¡°Ji Linxi, don¡¯t slack off during work hours!¡± Ling Miao heard a man¡¯s angry voice in the background over the phone and could guess who the speaker was. He worried Hu Lin would give Ji Linxi a hard time and said: ¡°I¡¯ll let you get back to work.¡± Ji Linxi didn¡¯t explain, so Ling Miao mercilessly hung up the phone. Ji Linxi couldn¡¯t contact Yan Li now, either. Looking at the flowers that took up more than half the table, Ji Linxi thought he might as well put them back on the floor for now, then he grabbed his mouse and continued editing the photo he was working on. On the other side of the call, Ling Miao stood frozen, phone still in hand. In his mind, Ji Linxi¡¯s words repeated: Actually, the person Su Yuyang likes is you. Ji Linxi had never deceived Ling Miao before, so Ling Miao trusted Ji Linxi¡¯s words implicitly. But when Ji Linxi had said that Ling Miao was the person Su Yuyang liked, Ling Miao was momentarily befuddled. ¡°Xiao Miao!¡± Su Yuyang¡¯s shout broke Ling Miao¡¯s train of thought. Ling Miao haphazardly stuffed his phone back in his pocket and entered Su Yuyang¡¯s room. ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Su-ge?¡± ¡°The closed beta for Demonic Song Defying Heaven. How are preparations going?¡± The little hope that had flared in Ling Miao¡¯s heart was now extinguished by Su Yuyang¡¯s words. As Su Yuyang¡¯s assistant, he was responsible for many matters, but when Su Yuyang gave him orders he felt that Su Yuyang was reminding him of their proper relationship. But, Ling Miao, a boss and his subordinate can also be together happily! He¡¯s not called ¡®dumb cat¡¯ for nothing! ¡°I¡¯m still negotiating with the game company.¡± Ling Miao¡¯s voice grew cool. Su Yuyang did not reply and Ling Miao said: ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯ll go first.¡± Su Yuyang continued to stay silent. Ling Miao looked at Su Yuyang, concluded he didn¡¯t have any other instructions, and prepared to leave. ¡°Wait!¡± Suddenly, Su Yuyang called out to stop Ling Miao, who already had both feet out the door. Ling Miao turned and smiled. ¡°What else is there?¡± ¡°Uh¡­¡± Su Yuyang didn¡¯t seem to have thought it through. Su Yuyang had stopped Ling Miao simply to spend a little more time with him. After returning from Yan Li¡¯s concert, Su Yuyang felt that Ling Miao was drawing further away from him. He didn¡¯t think he¡¯d done anything inappropriate, but Ling Miao maintained a lukewarm attitude toward him. Many of Ling Miao¡¯s actions seemed to be following a script. Ling Miao took it as Su Yuyang¡¯s mischievous nature showing through and that Su Yuyang was poking fun at him again. He smiled with indifference: ¡°When you¡¯ve thought of it, let me know. I¡¯m going to write.¡± ¡°Write?¡± Inspiration struck Su Yuyang and he stopped Ling Miao again: ¡°Xiao Miao, a word sprint! Let¡¯s word sprint!¡± Su Yuyang was talking excitedly, but Ling Miao replied with indifference: ¡°Let¡¯s ask the people in the writing group and do a group sprint, how¡¯s that?¡± Su Yuyang immediately sent a message to the writing group and quickly received five or six replies. Everyone in the group was aware of each other¡¯s writing speed: Su Yuyang was the only one who could get up to 8000 words an hour, so he and Haphazardly Chopping Wood formed a team. The remaining people formed their own teams too. Su Yuyang had intended to ask Ling Miao to join his group, but Ling Miao had already asked Blue Lake. This made Su Yuyang so mad he almost broke his keyboard. Su Yuyang asked Ling Miao why he hadn¡¯t joined up with him and Ling Miao said self-righteously: ¡°For fairness!¡± Fuck! Su Yuyang regretted training Ling Miao to type faster. Now, he glared at the words ¡®Blue Lake¡¯ with a terrifying expression, as if he was trying to murder Blue Lake over the internet. Su Yuyang¡¯s chest was heavy with repressed rage, but Yan Li was at home so he couldn¡¯t break things to vent his feelings. The only thing he could do was thoroughly vent all his anger through his fingers. The graph of his typing speed formed a straight upward slope. Under Su Yuyang¡¯s duress, Ling Miao sat opposite him. Looking at Su Yuyang¡¯s anger-reddened eyes, Ling Miao couldn¡¯t calm his own feelings. The scene he wrote was a mess, and he couldn¡¯t write quickly, either. An hour passed quickly. When the time came to report results, Su Yuyang had written almost 10,000 words, but Ling Miao hadn¡¯t even written a thousand. ¡°Su-ge, are you all right?¡± Ling Miao asked Su Yuyang, who was breathing heavily. Su Yuyang¡¯s fingers had cramped and his fingertips were trembling. He forced a smile: ¡°I¡¯m fine. Just shocked by my own pace. But what about you? You seemed distracted today. You didn¡¯t even hit 1000 words. That¡¯s not your normal pace.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Ling Miao hung his head and wasn¡¯t sure how to reply. He couldn¡¯t tell Su Yuyang that he had kept looking at him while writing and hadn¡¯t managed to write properly as a result! Su Yuyang reached around the two laptops to touch Ling Miao¡¯s face. The burning sensation made Su Yuyang worried. He quickly stepped in front of Ling Miao: ¡°Xiao Miao, why is your face so hot?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± Ling Miao batted away Su Yuyang¡¯s hand and fled Su Yuyang¡¯s room. Ling Miao dashed into the bathroom. Looking at his own reddened face in the mirror, he cursed: ¡°Fuck, why are you so useless? You were just thinking about his angry and concentrating face when he was writing. Why are you going red? You can¡¯t go red in front of that bastard!¡± Su Yuyang¡¯s expression as he was writing once again surfaced in Ling Miao¡¯s mind. Su Yuyang¡¯s bright, clear eyes had stared at the laptop screen in concentration, his fingers playing a wondrous melody over the keyboard without stopping. The curve of his smile was like a peach blossom in spring. Ling Miao was very aware that he was sinking deeper and deeper into this crush which might or might not have a happy ending. Ling Miao wasn¡¯t intentionally avoiding Su Yuyang. He had no choice but to avoid him. He feared that he¡¯d show his feelings in front of Su Yuyang. He feared being mocked by Su Yuyang, and he feared that Su Yuyang would distance himself from him because of this. ¡°Ling Miao, get it together!¡± Ling Miao splashed his face with cold water. When his cheeks had stopped burning, he walked out of the bathroom. He instantly walked into something soft. A familiar scent entered his nostrils and he greedily breathed in deeply, then swiftly pushed the man away. ¡°Sorry,¡± Ling Miao said, head lowered. Ling Miao stepped to the side to go around Su Yuyang, but Su Yuyang grabbed him. Su Yuyang looked down at Ling Miao¡¯s soft hair. His hand slid across Ling Miao¡¯s stiff back and he asked worriedly, ¡°Xiao Miao, I¡¯m worried about your current condition. Do you want a couple of days off?¡± ¡°Old Su, you¡¯ve got it wrong, right?¡± Yan Li¡¯s laughing voice came. ¡°Ling Miao¡¯s my assistant now. If he goes on vacation, it¡¯s me who has to approve it.¡± As Yan Li finished speaking, she pulled Ling Miao into her own room. Su Yuyang felt an emptiness in his hand. By the time he realized what had happened, Yan Li had already closed the door to her room. [Table of Contents] | [Chaleuria is on Twitter!] | [Buy your translation team a coffee?] Chapter 074 The Complete Guide to the Use and Care of a Personal Assistant Translator: Jury Editor: NomNom First Published on Chaleuria ¡ª Chapter Seventy-four Yan Li didn¡¯t say a word. After returning to the room, she just sat on the bed and played a video game. Ling Miao thought that she had pulled him in because she had something to say to him, but not only did she say nothing, she was playing her game as if he wasn¡¯t there. Ling Miao opened his mouth to speak and heard Yan Li yell: ¡°Control the BOSS¡¯s Hatred attack, Nanny, quick, heal! And you, little guy, where are you going? The boss¡¯s Hatred attack might change target! Ah, finally, it¡¯s done. Let¡¯s split the equipment.¡± As Yan Li completed the dungeon, her mood also got much lighter. Even her words seemed to float: ¡°I¡¯ve done this dungeon every day for half a month. I finally beat it! Heh heh. Ling Miao, do you want to play too?¡± ¡°Er¡­ if nothing¡¯s the matter, I¡¯ll just go.¡± Video games. Since arriving at Su Yuyang¡¯s house, Ling Miao hadn¡¯t played many video games. On the few occasions he did play he was just running support for his gamer friends. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to play, I won¡¯t force you. If you want to go out, I won¡¯t stop you, either. But are you sure you can face Su Yuyang right now?¡± Yan Li¡¯s words seemed to have flipped a switch in Ling Miao, who froze. Yan Li continued, ¡°Ling Miao, I don¡¯t really understand you. To be precise, I don¡¯t really understand what you¡¯re thinking. If you like him, say it. If you keep it to yourself, you¡¯re not the only one who suffers.¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid.¡± The syllables left one by one through Ling Miao¡¯s teeth. ¡°Being afraid is not a reason,¡± Yan Li laughed. ¡°I like Ji Linxi, and I¡¯m saying it out loud. Do you think I¡¯m not afraid? But, I don¡¯t know what I¡¯m afraid of. Or should I say, that¡¯s not fear. You¡¯re just nervous. If you can¡¯t say it out loud, you can do it another way. You¡¯re writing a novel, aren¡¯t you? Write what you want to tell Su Yuyang into the book, and I¡¯ll make him read it when the time comes.¡± ¡°Surely I don¡¯t need to tell everyone, right?¡± Ling Miao had indeed considered writing his confession into his book before. Although it didn¡¯t have many subscribers, it was pirated, and confessing in the book would mean confessing in front of all his internet friends. It¡¯d be fine if he succeeded, but if he failed he would have no way of facing Su Yuyang. ¡°Dumb cat!¡± Yan Li sighed. Yan Li had promised Su Yuyang not to say anything about his feelings for Ling Miao so she had to hold it in, but hiding this information was genuinely burdensome. Heavens above, why did I dig a hole and jump in? Yan Li stared at the ceiling and silently mourned. ¡°Yan-jie, I¡¯ll leave now.¡± ¡°I have something to ask you.¡± Yan Li looked at Ling Miao hopefully. ¡°When Ji Linxi got the flower, how did he react?¡± Ji Linxi¡¯s reaction? The question troubled Ling Miao. If he told the truth, it¡¯d be a blow to Yan Li, but if he lied, he¡¯d be letting her down. Conflict. ¡°How should I say¡­¡± Ling Miao ruffled his hair and looked hesitant. Yan Li slammed the keyboard and said, enunciating each word: ¡°Tell it like it is.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a long story.¡± Ling Miao briefly described Ji Linxi¡¯s reaction and suggested: ¡°Yan-jie, sending flowers to Ji Linxi is a total waste. I guarantee that the ones you sent are currently lying on the ground.¡± ¡°What?¡± Yan Li looked at Ling Miao in disbelief, but her shock only lasted a short while before she said with satisfaction, ¡°As long as he didn¡¯t throw them in the garbage.¡± ¡°The wastepaper bin at his feet isn¡¯t big enough for your flowers,¡± Ling Miao hemmed and hawed as he stuck the knife in deeper. ¡°Hmm, I don¡¯t believe I can¡¯t move him!¡± Yan Li¡¯s fighting spirit grew stronger and her tone grew more resolute. Compared to her, Ling Miao had given up before the battle even started. As if influenced by Yan Li¡¯s fighting spirit, Ling Miao suddenly thought of a way to confess to Su Yuyang. But the thought didn¡¯t linger long in his mind before it was cut off by a shout from Su Yuyang. ¡°Su-ge¡¯s calling me. I¡¯ll go first.¡± Ling Miao ran out like a gust of wind. Hearing footsteps outside the door, Su Yuyang raised his head to look at Ling Miao entering. He instructed, ¡°I¡¯ve sent you the drafts through QQ. Just like before.¡± Ling Miao was about to say, ¡°I¡¯m not your assistant now,¡± but he looked at Su Yuyang¡¯s tired face and quietly sat down. Time slipped by, minute by minute. Ling Miao stared intently at his laptop, scrutinizing every word and every punctuation mark. Su Yuyang was still writing, and occasionally glanced up and caressed Ling Miao¡¯s hair with his eyes. Gradually, Su Yuyang spent more and more time daydreaming. He stared at Ling Miao in a daze, and stared at his draft in a daze, and stared out the window in a daze. ¡°Alright!¡± Ling Miao said briskly. Su Yuyang froze, his stunned gaze meeting Ling Miao¡¯s tired eyes. Su Yuyang said lovingly: ¡°Don¡¯t write today. Just looking at your face I can tell you¡¯re tired.¡± ¡°If I don¡¯t write, can I live off you?¡± Ling Miao said without a second thought. Su Yuyang put both hands on Ling Miao¡¯s shoulders and said sincerely: ¡°If you¡¯re willing, you can live off me for a lifetime.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°So, you¡¯re willing?¡± Su Yuyang¡¯s eyes shone with anticipation and excitement. His hands trembled. Ling Miao had lowered his eyes to his feet, and it was impossible to tell what he was thinking. Does Su Yuyang really like me or is he messing with me? Ling Miao felt as if he had fallen into a giant whirlpool. Willingness and unwillingness pulled him in opposite directions, and he felt that he was about to be torn in half by the violent force. For a long time Ling Miao didn¡¯t say anything, so Su Yuyang assumed he was unwilling. Su Yuyang¡¯s hands fell from Ling Miao¡¯s shoulders. Ling Miao¡¯s head shot up. The disappointment in Su Yuyang¡¯s eyes was hidden behind his bitter smile. He patted Ling Miao¡¯s shoulders and said, as if explaining himself: ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Also, it¡¯s time to prepare dinner.¡± Ling Miao glanced at his watch. It was neither late nor early. Since Su Yuyang said to prepare dinner, Ling Miao would prepare dinner. When it was time to take off, Ji Linxi packed up his laptop and walked toward the office door. ¡°Ji Linxi, you forgot your flowers!¡± A well-intentioned colleague reminded him. Ji Linxi turned and glanced at his colleague, saying coolly: ¡°Just leave it there.¡± Hu Lin was staying behind to take care of some matters, so after the rest of the office had trickled out, he was the only one still in the office. He put down his work and strode toward Ji Linxi¡¯s workstation. The bright red roses entered his field of vision and he saw red, a fire burning in his heart. ¡°Ji Linxi!¡± Hu Lin picked up the flowers Ji Linxi had put on the ground, crushing the soft petals in his grip. His hand tightened as if he was squeezing, not the flower but, the neck of the person who had sent it to Ji Linxi. Had Hu Lin given up on Ji Linxi? He had, but he also hadn¡¯t. Hu Lin hated Ji Linxi because Ji Linxi had heartlessly rejected him! But today Ji Linxi had received flowers from someone else. Everyone knew what roses symbolized. Ji Linxi had accepted someone¡¯s flowers, so even if he¡¯d left the flowers on the ground and forgotten them, it made Hu Lin jealous and made his hatred for Ji Linxi grow deeper! ¡°Ji Linxi, since you didn¡¯t accept me, don¡¯t even think of accepting anyone else! Ji Linxi, just wait. If I don¡¯t get back at you, I¡¯ll change my surname to yours!¡± Ji Linxi returned to his apartment. His housemates watched him with meaningful expressions¡ªthe sort that signified nosiness. Ji Linxi looked confused. His housemate pointed at his bunk and said, ¡°The florist sent it this afternoon. You weren¡¯t here, so I signed for it.¡± This bouquet was even bigger than the one Ji Linxi had gotten at the office. It completely occupied his bunk. As usual, a card was attached. Ji Linxi opened it and read it: the contents were the same as the one he got at the office. Are you willing? Yan paid for these. Yan Li. Ji Linxi put down the things in his hands and rushed out the door, making a call as he did so. ¡°You don¡¯t have to do this.¡± The moment the call connected, Ji Linxi spoke as fast as he could. ¡°The more you do this, the more repulsed I feel. We can be friends, just not boyfriend and girlfriend. You like me, but that doesn¡¯t mean I have to like you. Sending me flowers every day has really disrupted my life. I respect your life, so please respect mine.¡± Ji Linxi said all of this in one breath and panted a little when he was done. Listening to Ji Linxi breathing hard, Yan Li frowned. You really aren¡¯t willing to even talk to me a little longer? Yan Li took a deep breath and said, not giving up: ¡°Then I won¡¯t send flowers. Tell me, what should I do?¡± ¡°You can do nothing at all.¡± Yan Li¡¯s tone made Ji Linxi inwardly panic, but what Yan Li had said suggested there was room for compromise. ¡°Yan Li, let our relationship progress naturally. Not all love grows from friendship, but I think that love that grows from friendship is strongest.¡± ¡°And also weakest,¡± Yan Li said, as if throwing a tantrum. Ji Linxi smiled awkwardly and didn¡¯t continue. The next day, Ling Miao finally didn¡¯t need to go up and down ten floors of stairs anymore, but he had a new task: he needed to pick out a very, very good tablet. Ling Miao had found it strange when Yan Li instructed him to do it. Did Yan Li do art? Once Ling Miao had chosen one and Yan Li came to pay, the address she filled in informed Ling Miao who it was for. This tablet was a gift for Ji Linxi! Ji Linxi already had a tablet, but as far as Ling Miao knew it was gathering dust in a corner. Ling Miao also didn¡¯t know how Yan Li had learned that Ji Linxi drew. ¡°Don¡¯t tell Ji Linxi the tablet is from me!¡± After paying, Yan Li instructed gravely. Ling Miao raised his hand. ¡°Yan Li, I swear I won¡¯t tell Ji Linxi that the tablet is from you.¡± Even if I don¡¯t say, he¡¯ll figure it out! Yan-jie, if you¡¯re going to send something this valuable, surely you need to wait a while? Ji Linxi received it the next day. It was sent to his office again. After he removed the packaging and saw what was inside, he almost dropped the tablet. Although tablets all looked about the same, their prices differed a lot, and the invoice happened to be right on top! ¡°Ji Linxi, I didn¡¯t know you were rich!¡± A colleague came by to give him a hard time. Ji Linxi¡¯s forehead furrowed deeply. He looked at the invoice worriedly. ¡°Take this away!¡± Ji Linxi lowered his voice. His icy tone passed quietly through the air, making everyone in the office shiver. ¡°I didn¡¯t give it to you for free,¡± Yan Li had already thought of how she was going to refuse. ¡°I want you to draw the cover for my new album, and the art for the lyric book too!¡± ¡°Take it away!¡± Ji Linxi¡¯s voice grew colder. ¡°Bring it yourself!¡± Yan Li also didn¡¯t give in. She would also get to see Ji Linxi, whom she hadn¡¯t seen in a while. Ji Linxi picked up the tablet and invoice and and hurried out of the office, but suddenly a black shadow appeared on the ground in front of him. Everyone in the office held their breath, not daring to make a sound, worried that their temperamental boss would turn his ire on them. ¡°If you leave, don¡¯t come back!¡± Hu Lin pointed at the office door and said implacably. [Table of Contents] | [Chaleuria is on Twitter!] | [Buy your translation team a coffee?] Chapter 075 The Complete Guide to the Use and Care of a Personal Assistant Translator: Jury Editor: NomNom First Published on Chaleuria ¡ª Chapter Seventy-five Ji Linxi arrived at Su Yuyang¡¯s house. Neither Su Yuyang nor Ling Miao was in and Yan Li was still asleep. Knock knock knock. A frantic knocking came from the door. Clearly, the person knocking was using a lot of force. It woke Yan Li, who complained with annoyance, ¡°Ling Miao, go open the door.¡± Then she pulled the blankets up and went back to sleep. Less than a minute later, the knocking started up again. ¡°Ling Miao¡ª¡± Yan Li raised her voice and shouted Ling Miao¡¯s name but got no response at all. ¡°Where¡¯s he gone?¡± Yan Li unhappily got out of bed and ran a hand through her messy hair as she walked barefoot to the door. ¡°Ah¡ªwho is it?¡± Yan Li opened the door in a bad mood. The door opened to reveal Ji Linxi, panting for breath. Yan Li stared at him for several seconds and frowned. ¡°Linxi? Are you here for Ling Miao? He¡¯s not here.¡± She wasn¡¯t fully awake yet; her voice was hazy, the indolence in it especially piercing to the ears. Ji Linxi seemed entranced by the voice. He stared at Yan Li, seeming to forgetting why he had come. ¡°Linxi?¡± Yan Li called softly. Ji Linxi had a burst of energy and his head cleared. He held out the tablet to Yan Li and said coldly, ¡°Take this back. As for finding someone to draw your album cover and the art for your lyric book, I suggest you ask Ling Miao. Compared to him, my skills are garbage.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°No buts about it.¡± Seeing that Yan Li wasn¡¯t taking the tablet, he put it on the shoe rack and warned again: ¡°Yan Li, if you keep disturbing my life, I think we don¡¯t have to stay in touch.¡± Ji Linxi had reverted to the attitude Yan Li had seen when they had first met: cold and heartless, as if he cared about nothing around him aside from himself. Yan Li stared at the tablet on the shoe rack and slowly picked it up. Ji Linxi turned and headed for the stairs, his footsteps swift, as if worried Yan Li would chase him down. But Yan Li was a star and had to be careful that her address was not revealed, so of course she wouldn¡¯t stick to him like glue. As soon as he went down a few floors, he wouldn¡¯t need to worry about Yan Li any more. Yan Li held the tablet in her hand and stared after the fleeing Ji Linxi. She bit her lip, ripples of emotion surfacing in her eyes. Her breath came faster; she seemed to be holding something back. Ji Linxi¡¯s silhouette disappeared around the corner, the sound of his footsteps growing fainter until they could no longer be heard. Yan Li clutched the box in her hand. Preparing for the worst where the paparazzi were concerned, she picked up her feet and headed for the stairs. Yan Li didn¡¯t know how many floors Ji Linxi had gone down. She prayed she¡¯d catch up with him before he left the apartment. ¡°Ji Linxi, Ji Linxi¡­¡± Yan Li recited Ji Linxi¡¯s name. Her footsteps grew more hurried and she almost lost her footing several times. ¡°Ji Linxi!¡± On the third floor, Yan Li finally glimpsed Ji Linxi¡¯s silhouette and called out. Ji Linxi turned to look at Yan Li, frowning with unease. He started going faster down the stairs. ¡°Ji Linxi, don¡¯t you run!¡± Yan Li had made up her mind to catch Ji Linxi, and the more he ran the more she wasn¡¯t willing to give up. Ji Linxi seemed not to hear Yan Li¡¯s shouts. His resolute footsteps made Yan Li¡¯s heart sink lower and lower until she had to use her last resort. Wasn¡¯t Ji Linxi worried about making entertainment mag headlines? Yan Li didn¡¯t keep pursuing. She yelled: ¡°Ji Linxi, stop right there! If you don¡¯t stop right there, I¡¯ll keep chasing you, and if we¡¯re found, I¡¯ll say you¡¯re my boyfriend!¡± Ji Linxi had already reached the ground floor. In a few more steps he would be out of the apartment, but he came to a sudden stop at Yan Li¡¯s words. The loud sound of footsteps reverberated in the stairwell, growing clearer. Yan Li clutched the handrail, hard, as if trying to break it in half. The silhouette of a man appeared before Yan Li, and her serious expression showed a hint of surprise. She was about to speak but Ji Linxi spoke first: ¡°Despicable.¡± Yan Li understood his meaning but she didn¡¯t care. She took a deep breath and steadied herself before saying, ¡°Surely there¡¯s a reason you rejected me?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t like you, so I rejected you. I detest being forced, so I rejected you. I don¡¯t want to get into trouble, so I rejected you.¡± Ji Linxi stopped, shooting a mocking gaze toward Yan Li, whose hands trembled. Her body went weak. If she hadn¡¯t been holding the handrail and keeping herself upright through force of will, she¡¯d definitely have fallen. It might¡¯ve been better if she had fallen over, since she would have been able to see Ji Linxi¡¯s reaction. Those were her thoughts, but in reality, she remained upright. ¡°I¡¯m starting to dislike you, Yan Li,¡± Ji Linxi said in a joking tone. Her heart felt as if it had been whipped, pain spreading to every cell. ¡°You dislike me,¡± Yan Li said self-mockingly. ¡°Since you dislike me, then leave.¡± ¡°Are you kidding me?¡± A familiar voice came from downstairs. ¡°Su Yuyang, why didn¡¯t you tell the postman to bring it upstairs?¡± Ling Miao yelled as he panted for breath. ¡°I¡­¡± Su Yuyang had only gotten the one word out when he turned and saw Yan Li standing barefoot in pajamas with hair so messy he wanted to mess it up even more. As for the man standing in front of Yan Li¡ªSu Yuyang thought he recognized the silhouette of his back. Yan Li was standing there, so there was no doubt this man was Ji Linxi. Su Yuyang swallowed his words and began again: ¡°Ji Linxi, since you¡¯ve come all this way, come upstairs and join us. You¡¯re just in time for lunch.¡± Ji Linxi spat out coldly, ¡°No need.¡± Then he turned and walked toward the exit. Ling Miao could tell that something was off with Ji Linxi. Then he looked at Yan Li¡¯s reddened eyes and the things in her hands, and surmised what had happened between the two of them. He put the parcel down on the ground and patted Su Yuyang¡¯s shoulders, saying, ¡°I¡¯ll go check on Ji Linxi. You move these books up by yourself.¡± ¡°Hey¡­¡± Su Yuyang expressed his dissatisfaction, but Ling Miao had already run downstairs. ¡°Damn it, Ling Miao!¡± Su Yuyang grit out. A shadow fell over his head and Su Yuyang looked worriedly at the woman walking toward him. Yan Li bent down to pick up the parcel Ling Miao had put on the ground. Su Yuyang hurriedly stopped her: ¡°I can take these up myself.¡± Yan Li ignored him and put the parcel on her left shoulder, holding it with her left hand. In her right she held the tablet that had been meant for Ji Linxi. She walked unsteadily up the stairs. Ji Linxi knew that Yan Li was strong; for her, even carrying a drum of water up ten floors wasn¡¯t a problem. Under this tense atmosphere, however, Su Yuyang had not intended to ask Yan Li for help. On the other hand, she had volunteered. Carrying the books, Su Yuyang slowly climbed the stairs, stopping now and then to rest. When he got to the tenth floor he found Yan Li standing at the door, holding her burden. She must have left in such a hurry that she hadn¡¯t brought her keys and had to wait at the door for Su Yuyang. He opened the door and Yan Li threw the tablet to the ground then headed straight to her room. The door shut with a slam, scaring Su Yuyang who almost dropped his burden on his foot. Ling Miao had followed Ji Linxi out, so both Su Yuyang and Yan Li now had no lunch. ¡°I¡¯ll make lunch.¡± Yan Li walked out after changing and headed for the kitchen under Su Yuyang¡¯s disbelieving gaze. ¡ª-Dividing line¡ª Ling Miao caught up with Ji Linxi and followed him back to his apartment. Seeing that Ji Linxi had put his laptop on the table, Ling Miao noticed something wrong. Usually, Ji Linxi took lunch at his office. Ji Linxi started up the laptop and logged straight in to an online game. Ling Miao sat to one side, not sure how to ask about the day¡¯s events, but Ji Linxi saw through him and laughed: ¡°I was fired.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Ji Linxi turned and glanced at Ling Miao as if saying: Why do you think? Remembering the scene he had seen in the stairwell, Ling Miao suddenly understood why Ji Linxi had been fired. Ah, having a petty boss is life-threatening. Ling Miao looked at Ji Linxi sympathetically and consoled: ¡°So you¡¯re fired. With your skills, you don¡¯t have to worry about finding another job.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t talk about it. It actually is inconvenient for me to find a job.¡± Ji Linxi suddenly started typing faster, as if he was venting all his frustration in the game. Ji Linxi¡¯s lips were tightly pursed, his upset apparent in the lines on his forehead. Once Ji Linxi was done speaking, Ling Miao sat beside him, saying nothing, and watched him game. Ling Miao either didn¡¯t want to interrupt Ji Linxi¡¯s game or had nothing else to say. Ji Linxi killed off several people who tried to ambush him, then took a few screenshots. After he had vented enough he logged out of the game. ¡°Let¡¯s eat.¡± Somewhere in the time Ji Linxi was gaming, Ling Miao had made lunch. Ji Linxi glanced at the dishes on the table, picked up his chopsticks, and ate in silence. ¡°I don¡¯t know what happened between you and Yan-jie, but I¡¯ll go talk to her. Even if I can¡¯t get her to give up, I¡¯ll do my best to get her to stop interfering in your life,¡± Ling Miao said, as if swearing an oath. Ji Linxi glanced at him and said blandly, ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯ve wanted to quit for a while now.¡± Ling Miao fully supported the second half of that sentence. With a boss like Hu Lin who both had designs on Ji Linxi and easily got jealous, the earlier he resigned, the better. ¡°So, now you¡¯ll have to look for a job?¡± Ling Miao suddenly grew pleased at Ji Linxi¡¯s misfortune. ¡°Yeah,¡± Ji Linxi dragged the word out. ¡°But don¡¯t give me job hunting advice. I think if I follow your advice, I definitely won¡¯t be able to find a job.¡± ¡°Eat your food! How do you have so much crap to say?¡± Ling Miao stayed at Ji Linxi¡¯s place until just before dinnertime, when Su Yuyang called. But it was Ji Linxi who picked up the phone. ¡°Where¡¯s Ling Miao?¡± Su Yuyang heard the voice wasn¡¯t Ling Miao¡¯s and put up his defenses. Yan Li watched Su Yuyang from behind and observed that all his hair was standing on end. ¡°Making dinner,¡± Ji Linxi said offhandedly. Fuck, he¡¯s making dinner for this guy! A small fire ignited in Su Yuyang¡¯s heart and he yelled: ¡°Tell him to come to the phone!¡± ¡°I told you, he¡¯s making dinner! He¡¯s busy!¡± Ji Linxi¡¯s tone changed, becoming pleased. This small fire in Su Yuyang¡¯s heart multiplied and bloomed into enormous jets of fire. Su Yuyang forcibly suppressed the rage in his heart and grit out: ¡°His boss is starving at home! Tell him to come back!¡± Ji Linxi felt that Su Yuyang wasn¡¯t angry enough and continued to provoke him. ¡°Even if he goes back, he has to finish cooking my dinner first!¡± ¡°Ji Linxi¡­¡± Su Yuyang felt as if he were about to explode. On the other end, Ji Linxi unceremoniously cut him off. ¡°If you don¡¯t want Ling Miao to associate with me, then get some rope and make him a leash. Then he can¡¯t run even if he wants to.¡± ¡°Do you think I don¡¯t want to?¡± Su Yuyang yelled furiously. Ji Linxi feigned realization. He said in surprise, ¡°Su Yuyang, you¡¯re in love with him?¡± ¡°Su Yuyang¡¯s in love with who?¡± The moment Ling Miao returned, he heard Ji Linxi¡¯s words. The plate in his hands trembled and the food almost fell to the floor. [Table of Contents] | [Chaleuria is on Twitter!] | [Buy us a coffee?] Chapter 076 The Complete Guide to the Use and Care of a Personal Assistant Translator: Jury Editor: NomNom First Published on Chaleuria ¡ª Chapter Seventy-six ¡°Su Yuyang¡¯s in love with¡­¡± Ji Linxi deliberately dragged his words out. Ling Miao¡¯s breath caught in his chest, going neither up nor down. Su Yuyang was so angry he paced back and forth in his room. Yan Li got so dizzy watching him, she forcibly grabbed the phone from him. ¡°What time are you coming back?¡± Yan Li asked ill-temperedly. Ji Linxi heard Yan Li¡¯s words and gave a derisive laugh: ¡°Come back? Come back where? This is my home!¡± ¡°Lin¡­ Ji Linxi¡­¡± Yan Li yelled, but before she finished her sentence she heard the line cut off. ¡°Fuck!¡± She stared at the words, ¡®Call ended,¡¯ on the screen and yelled, completely ignoring her image, ¡°The moment he heard my voice he hung up. Am I that terrifying?¡± ¡°You¡¯re not terrifying,¡± Su Yuyang said lightly. ¡°He¡¯s probably scared.¡± ¡°Tcheh.¡± Yan Li huffed unapologetically, then tossed the phone back to Su Yuyang, who looked at the phone between his legs and wondered whether to call Ling Miao¡ªfirstly, to ask when he¡¯d be back, and secondly, to explain the situation to him. Su Yuyang didn¡¯t want Ling Miao to have the impression he was in love with someone else. If you don¡¯t want to be misunderstood, then confess! After some more hesitation, Su Yuyang picked up his phone and dialed Ling Miao¡¯s number. The moment Ling Miao saw it was Su Yuyang calling, he rejected the call without a second thought. Su Yuyang¡¯s heart skipped a beat as he considered the possibility that Ling Miao had hung up the phone. Ultimately, he couldn¡¯t come to any other conclusion. Like an eggplant touched by frost, Su Yuyang curled up on the sofa and stared at the ceiling. Light and shadow intertwined on the ceiling, creating a real yet fantastical image. Suddenly, Ji Linxi¡¯s face flashed before his eyes: laughing, mocking Su Yuyang¡¯s dogged state. Su Yuyang shot into a sitting position on the sofa. He had missed one possibility¡ªit might have been Ji Linxi who hung up the phone. At the thought, Su Yuyang¡¯s hands mysteriously began to tremble. He worried that something had happened between Ling Miao and Ji Linxi, but then he began to laugh helplessly: ¡°If they¡¯re in love, then no matter what they¡¯re doing, I have no reason to interfere, right?¡± Though Ji Linxi had said he didn¡¯t like men, maybe he had met the man he liked and thus realized his true orientation. That was the situation Su Yuyang feared. ¡°Motherfuck¡ª¡± Su Yuyang couldn¡¯t help yelling. ¡°Ahh¡ª¡± His bloodcurdling scream lasted a long time as he vented all his panic, fear, and unease. Yan Li was listening to music in her room when Su Yuyang¡¯s shout passed through the walls, which were very soundproof. She tensed, realized something was wrong, and ran out. Su Yuyang¡¯s face had gone completely red. His eyes looked about to pop out of his head. Yan Li clutched the doorframe in fear. Right now, she didn¡¯t want to get close to Su Yuyang. Yan Li had known Su Yuyang for many years, but this was the first time he had scared her to the bottom of her heart. The panicked expression on Su Yuyang¡ªif she didn¡¯t know better, she¡¯d worry someone had poisoned him. A quiet person who explodes is this terrifying! Yan Li looked on with terror at Su Yuyang, who had finally calmed down, but she still didn¡¯t dare to draw closer. Su Yuyang seemed to notice that Yan Li was watching him and turned his head to look at her, his reddened eyes brimming with tears. Yan Li walked over slowly. She sat at Su Yuyang¡¯s side and consoled: ¡°Old Su, I¡¯m worried with you like this, but I don¡¯t know how to help you calm down. You like Ling Miao, but you insist on holding it in. You¡¯re bringing it on yourself.¡± ¡°Ling Miao has someone he likes.¡± Su Yuyang seemed near death. He was speaking in a voice so small it sounded as though he was about to disappear. ¡°And the person he likes can¡¯t be you?¡± Yan Li probed. ¡°Maybe you like each other but are both worried that the other doesn¡¯t like you back, so you bury your true feelings? Wouldn¡¯t it be interesting if you were tormenting each other like that?¡± ¡°And how would you know that the person he likes is me?¡± Su Yuyang refuted. ¡°Forget it, Yan Li, you don¡¯t have to console me.¡± ¡°Idiot.¡± Yan Li couldn¡¯t hold back the insult. ¡°I told you already, the person Ling Miao likes is you! Could you just have a little confidence? If you don¡¯t try, how will you know that the person he likes isn¡¯t you? Is it really good if you¡¯re just standing to one side guessing blindly and working yourself up? Alright, it¡¯s your body. Abuse it however you wish. What business is it of mine? Every day I¡¯m worried for you and worried you¡¯ll do something foolish, but alright, now I know I¡¯m worrying over nothing. You don¡¯t deserve my worry! You just stay here and torture yourself. If I don¡¯t see you, I won¡¯t get mad because of you!¡± Her loud voice reverberated in Su Yuyang¡¯s ears, followed by the sound of Yan Li angrily slamming the door shut. Su Yuyang stood stunned, looking at the tightly closed door. Yan Li¡¯s words reverberated in his mind. Is the person Ling Miao likes really me? But then why would he distance himself from me? He and Ji Linxi are so close, but he keeps intentionally putting distance between us. How can I not suspect that the person he likes is Ji Linxi? But Yan Li said it so confidently¡­ I¡­ Su Yuyang¡¯s mind was about to explode. He ran both hands through his hair like he was trying to rip it all out. ¡°Ahh¡ª¡± Su Yuyang yelled out the window with all his strength. A baby crying, a dog barking, a person cursing. After Su Yuyang¡¯s yell, he received three responses. Su Yuyang pretended not to hear the person cursing at him and he began laughing weakly as he leaned against the windowsill. Yan Li had gone downstairs. Hearing Su Yuyang¡¯s shout, she hurriedly walked to a spot where she could see the window to Su Yuyang¡¯s living room and looked upward to check on the situation. Seeing that Su Yuyang wasn¡¯t trying to jump, she let out the breath she¡¯d been holding and texted Su Yuyang: I¡¯ll go find Ling Miao. Don¡¯t do anything silly. A minute later she got a reply. Su Yuyang had said, Go quickly and come back quickly. The streetlights on either side of the road were bright, but they were cordoned off. Under the cover of the bamboo plants lining the pavement, Yan Li reached the base of Ji Linxi¡¯s apartment building without incident. She looked up at Ji Linxi¡¯s apartment. From where she stood, she could see the kitchen. The light was still on. She looked left and right to verify that no one was following her before plucking up the courage to go upstairs. A knock came at the door. Ji Linxi thought that one of his housemates might have forgotten the key and opened the door without a second thought. When the door opened, Ji Linxi was stunned, then anger surged forth. His blank face seemed to be carved from wood, underlining his unfriendly sentiment toward Yan Li. His large stature blocked the door so that Yan Li couldn¡¯t go in. Ling Miao, likewise, couldn¡¯t see the situation outside. Ji Linxi had been gone for half a minute and still hadn¡¯t come back, so Ling Miao asked: ¡°Linxi, who is it?¡± Ji Linxi put his hand on the door handle and said as he pulled the door closed, ¡°A crazy woman.¡± ¡°I am a crazy woman.¡± Yan Li was satisfied with the epithet Ji Linxi had given her. Ji Linxi had intended to close the door, but was met with a great resistance. He looked down and saw that Yan Li was tugging the door in the opposite direction. The two pulled the door in opposite directions, one inward, one outward. Neither was willing to let go, so they had a contest of strength in the doorway. Ling Miao finished his dinner. Seeing that Ji Linxi still hadn¡¯t come back, he worried that something had happened to Ji Linxi and walked out. He saw Ji Linxi standing, trembling, in the doorway. He asked worriedly: ¡°Linxi, what¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°He doesn¡¯t want me to come in.¡± Yan Li¡¯s leisurely voice came. ¡°Ji Linxi, I¡¯m looking for Ling Miao.¡± Yan Li pointed at Ling Miao inside. ¡°Come in.¡± Ji Linxi helplessly gave up arguing with Yan Li. Silently, he swore that he¡¯d never challenge Yan Li to a contest of strength again! As Yan Li stepped through the door she caught sight Ji Linxi rubbing his arm. She said proudly, ¡°If you challenge me to a contest of strength, I¡¯ll show you helplessness.¡± Ji Linxi didn¡¯t reply. He watched Yan Li warily, worried she¡¯d do something to Ling Miao. Yan Li seemed very calm. She sat on Ji Linxi¡¯s bed and her gaze unintentionally flicked to the computer screen. She saw that Ji Linxi was currently submitting his resume online. Ji Linxi had a job, but now he was submitting resumes. Was he job-hopping? Yan Li had quarrelled with Ji Linxi earlier today, so she subconsciously considered that maybe Ji Linxi was job hopping to avoid her. Her heart felt like it was soaked in lemon juice. She raised her head to look at Ji Linxi and said defeatedly: ¡°You don¡¯t have to resign because of me. If you don¡¯t want me to disturb your life, then I won¡¯t.¡± ¡°You¡¯re thinking too much.¡± ¡°He didn¡¯t resign because of you.¡± Two men¡¯s voices rose. The first was Ji Linxi¡¯s, the second was Ling Miao¡¯s. Ji Linxi glared at Ling Miao as if berating him for saying too much. Ling Miao shrugged and explained, ¡°He was fired by his jealous boss. Linxi¡¯s boss likes him and wanted to date him, but Linxi refused. He got so mad that he messes with anyone who tries to get close to Linxi until they run at the very sight of Linxi.¡± Ling Miao succinctly described Ji Linxi and Hu Lin¡¯s relationship. Yan Li was intelligent and Ling Miao believed she¡¯d figure out what had caused Ji Linxi¡¯s firing. The already tense atmosphere grew even heavier. The air itself seemed to congeal so that nobody could breathe. Yan Li didn¡¯t say anything. She bit her lip and looked guiltily at Ji Linxi, who heartlessly turned his head away and said coldly, ¡°Ling Miao, when are you leaving?¡± On the surface, Ji Linxi was chasing his guest Ling Miao away, but both Yan Li and Ling Miao knew that Ji Linxi was actually chasing Yan Li away. ¡°We¡¯ll go immediately.¡± Ling Miao didn¡¯t wish to see Ji Linxi and Yan Li¡¯s relationship get even worse, so the only thing he could do was to take Yan Li and leave immediately. He turned to Yan Li. ¡°Yan-jie, let¡¯s go back.¡± Yan Li looked at Ji Linxi, unwilling to leave things like this. Her lips trembled: ¡°Ji Linxi, is it really impossible between us?¡± Ji Linxi turned to look at Yan Li, who maintained a smile. Though her voice betrayed her fear, Ji Linxi saw resolution in her eyes. After a long time, a phrase, light as smoke, slipped from between Ji Linxi¡¯s lips. ¡°Let¡¯s talk.¡± [Table of Contents] | [Chaleuria is on Twitter!] | [Buy us a coffee?] Chapter 077 The Complete Guide to the Use and Care of a Personal Assistant Translator: Jury Editor: NomNom First Published on Chaleuria ¡ª Chapter Seventy-seven Ji Linxi was going to talk with Yan Li, so Ling Miao didn¡¯t want to be a third wheel. ¡°You two talk. I¡¯ll go.¡± Ling Miao waved and left the room, considerately shutting the door behind him. He walked out of the apartment complex and directly toward Su Yuyang¡¯s apartment. He pulled open the door to the strong smell of tobacco, which promptly caused him to start choking and coughing. The living room was dark. Ling Miao saw the faint silhouette of a person in the light streaming through the window from the streetlamps outside. A glowing red dot bobbed up and down. Ling Miao stood stunned in the doorway, staring at the red dot in surprise. He had lived with Su Yuyang for several months now but had never once seen the man smoke. He had assumed that Su Yuyang didn¡¯t smoke. But now, seeing the burning end of the cigarette draw a graceful curve through the air, he could tell Su Yuyang was a veteran smoker. Su Yuyang heard the cough in the doorway and thought Yan Li had returned. He didn¡¯t pay much attention and didn¡¯t even glance in Ling Miao¡¯s direction. Snap. Gentle light showered down from the ceiling. It was too bright for Su Yuyang¡¯s eyes, which had grown accustomed to the dark. Su Yuyang shielded his eyes with one hand and waited for his eyes to get used to the sudden brightness before moving his hand away. Su Yuyang sat up and looked straight ahead. The first thing he saw was a pair of legs. Yan Li had been wearing a long skirt when she left, so Su Yuyang knew the person in front of him wasn¡¯t her. The hand holding the cigarette trembled and scattered ash over the floor. Without any wind, the ashes just lay there quietly. Ling Miao snatched the cigarette from Su Yuyang¡¯s hands and stubbed it out in the ashtray, then sat down quietly at Su Yuyang¡¯s side. Su Yuyang suddenly let out a cold laugh. Ling Miao turned to look at Su Yuyang, his expression a mixture of surprise, incomprehension, and affection. Ling Miao hadn¡¯t even been gone for several hours. How had Su Yuyang already become this haggard? And why were his eyes so red? Had he cried? The confusion in Ling Miao¡¯s eyes grew deeper. ¡°Su¡­¡± ¡°Xiao Miao.¡± The moment Ling Miao opened his mouth to speak, Su Yuyang unceremoniously cut him off. Su Yuyang turned his head, staring at Ling Miao in a daze. Ling Miao hurriedly looked away, not wanting Su Yuyang to see his expression or read anything from it. ¡°Xiao Miao.¡± Su Yuyang called his name softly. Su Yuyang¡¯s trembling fingers covered Ling Miao¡¯s own. Ling Miao¡¯s hand was cool, and tenderness showed on Su Yuyang¡¯s face. He took Ling Miao¡¯s hand in both of his own, brought it to his mouth, and blew on it. Ling Miao¡¯s fingers seemed to unfreeze and trembled slightly beneath Su Yuyang¡¯s warm breath. As Ling Miao¡¯s fingers moved within Su Yuyang¡¯s hand, Su Yuyang¡¯s heart grew happy. He caressed Ling Miao¡¯s palm and laughed lightly, ¡°Why are you so cold?¡± Su Yuyang¡¯s tone was affectionate, which made Ling Miao feel that Su Yuyang loved him. However, Ling Miao then felt that it was only an illusion. Su Yuyang continued exhaling. His initially lowered eyes now rose slightly and saw two red clouds float to Ling Miao¡¯s cheeks. Su Yuyang became happier: Ling Miao wasn¡¯t repulsed by him. Could it be that, like Yan Li had said, the person Ling Miao liked really was him? Su Yuyang¡¯s smile grew wider. His gentle smile made Ling Miao flustered for some reason. Ling Miao shuddered and yanked his hand from between Su Yuyang¡¯s as he said haltingly: ¡°Why are you holding my hand? If you want claws, I¡¯ll get them for you tomorrow. Do you want chicken feet, duck feet or goose feet?¡± ¡°Cat paws,¡±1 Su Yuyang said with a faint smile. Ling Miao¡¯s eyes grew wide and he said in disbelief, ¡°Su-ge, the supermarket doesn¡¯t sell cat paws!¡± ¡°The paws of a dumb cat!¡± Su Yuyang said in a joking tone. Distress flashed across Ling Miao¡±s eyes. He stood up and walked unsteadily toward the bathroom. Su Yuyang stood up and caught hold of Ling Miao, who tried to pull free. Su Yuyang tugged hard and Ling Miao fell into Su Yuyang¡¯s arms. Ling Miao¡¯s head fell against a warm chest. He twisted his neck to look at Su Yuyang, but the back of his head met resistance from a trembling hand. Ling Miao¡¯s head was pressed against Su Yuyang¡¯s chest, so he couldn¡¯t move. Ling Miao then tried moving his body, but a pressure arrived at his waist. A strong, firm hand was placed there, pressing his body to Su Yuyang¡¯s. Ling Miao didn¡¯t know why Su Yuyang was doing this, but he resisted from the bottom of his heart. ¡°Su Yuyang.¡± Ling Miao¡¯s face was buried in Su Yuyang¡¯s chest and his voice was muffled. Su Yuyang said, ¡°Mm.¡± His warm tone left Ling Miao with no way to answer. ¡°Su Yuyang¡­¡± Ling Miao tried again. Su Yuyang caressed Ling Miao¡¯s back, his chin brushing Ling Miao¡¯s hair. Hearing Ling Miao say his name, he kissed Ling Miao¡¯s hair and said, ¡°Xiao Miao, there¡¯s something I can¡¯t say to you directly, but I think you know what it is.¡± Su Yuyang let go of Ling Miao¡¯s head. Ling Miao, who now had his full range of movement back, looked up at Su Yuyang, who was smiling gently and looking back at him. He met Su Yuyang¡¯s eyes which were full of passion. ¡°Su Yuyang¡­¡± Ling Miao was about to say something, but stopped himself. Su Yuyang didn¡¯t reply, just watched Ling Miao in hopeful silence. Ling Miao took a deep breath. His thoughts had become a mess under Su Yuyang¡¯s scrutiny. He knew what he wanted to say, but as the words reached his lips they became all jumbled. He couldn¡¯t say it. He gave up trying. ¡°Hey, let me go,¡± Ling Miao said ill-temperedly. Su Yuyang grinned, then let go of Ling Miao. On getting back his freedom, Ling Miao ran into Yan Li¡¯s room. Su Yuyang wanted to cry as he considered Ling Miao¡¯s choice. Fuck, why did you go to Yan Li¡¯s room? Ling Miao closed the door and locked it. After completing this series of actions, he leaned against the wall and breathed. To be frank, when Su Yuyang had hugged him just now, he had thought his heart might come to a stop. As Ling Miao was hugged by the person he loved, and felt that person¡¯s heartbeat, it seemed to influence the beating of Ling Miao¡¯s own heart. But the moment Ling Miao had left Su Yuyang¡¯s arms, he felt that his heart wasn¡¯t listening to him any more. It seemed to resent Ling Miao for leaving the other heart, and jumped frantically like a little child whose toy had been taken away. Su Yuyang, what exactly are you trying to say? Ling Miao¡¯s back was to the wall. As his heartbeat returned to normal, he again tried to figure out Su Yuyang¡¯s words. If you don¡¯t say it, how would I know? Ling Miao¡¯s head seemed to be full of clay. He couldn¡¯t think at all. Ling Miao slid down the wall and sat on the floor. An interminable amount of time later, a knocking came at the door. The frantic knocking roused Ling Miao from his thoughts and he slowly got up and opened the door. Outside the door was Yan Li, her face darker than the bottom of a pot. Ling Miao didn¡¯t ask. Looking at Yan Li¡¯s expression he could tell that her talks with Ji Linxi had fallen though. He left through the door and a loud sound came from behind. Su Yuyang stood in front of him with arms folded, worry written across his face, only, Ling Miao didn¡¯t know who he was worried for. Ling Miao glanced to either side. Aside from the bathroom, there wasn¡¯t anywhere else he could go to hide. As if guessing Ling Miao¡¯s thoughts, Su Yuyang caught hold of Ling Miao who still hadn¡¯t moved, and pulled him into his room. As Ling Miao struggled, Su Yuyang pulled harder. Ling Miao knew that his wrist would definitely be rubbed red. ¡°Haven¡¯t figured it out?¡± This was different from the violence of just now when he had had a tug of war with Su Yuyang. Now, Su Yuyang¡¯s tone and expression were gentle, and they flowed over the back of Ling Miao¡¯s hand like a clear stream. Ling Miao sat on the bed and looked up at Su Yuyang, whose smile reached his eyes. Ling Miao¡¯s heart shuddered and he reflexively moved his body backwards. ¡°Xiao Miao, am I that scary?¡± Su Yuyang asked aggrievedly. Ling Miao laughed softly and said dismissively, ¡°You¡¯re pretty scary now. Also, what exactly did you want to say to me?¡± Ling Miao had hit a mental block, and Su Yuyang hadn¡¯t given him any hints. He really couldn¡¯t figure out what Su Yuyang wanted to tell him. Is he going to say he likes me? Fuck, I haven¡¯t fully woken up, have I? Ling Miao answered his own question, then rejected the answer. Still, everything Su Yuyang did today had let Ling Miao feel the love Su Yuyang had for him. ¡°Su Yuyang, I¡­¡± As the atmosphere continued to sink, a dissonant sound came¡ªLing Miao¡¯s ringtone. ¡°Uh, sorry, I¡¯ll take this call.¡± Ling Miao glanced at the screen, rolled off Su Yuyang¡¯s bed and stood in the corner to take the call. The call was from Ji Linxi. ¡°Has Yan Li gone back?¡± ¡°She¡¯s back, but her expression¡­ Linxi, what exactly did you do to her?¡± Ling Miao¡¯s tone was berating. Ji Linxi sighed and said in frustration, ¡°When you log into your microblog tomorrow, you¡¯ll know. Fuck it.¡± ¡°What has Yan Li¡¯s dark face got to do with my microblog?¡± Forgive Ling Miao¡¯s currently slow brain¡ªhe couldn¡¯t think very well at that moment. ¡°But she¡¯s back home, that¡¯s good.¡± Ji Linxi let out a breath. ¡°Right, Ling Miao. Did you see Su Yuyang¡¯s update today?¡± Ji Linxi had changed the topic so quickly that Ling Miao¡¯s brain hadn¡¯t caught up. Ling Miao said in confusion, ¡°I haven¡¯t seen it. What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°No wonder you¡¯re so calm.¡± Ji Linxi¡¯s sympathetic tone suddenly made Ling Miao¡¯s head clear. Su Yuyang didn¡¯t say anything, but he thinks I¡¯ll see it. Did he really write what he wanted to say to me into the chapter? Fuck! Though Ling Miao didn¡¯t know what Su Yuyang had said, the moment he thought of the person he liked telling him something in front of ten thousand people¡ªmaybe even a hundred thousand people¡ªa flame rose in his heart. ¡°What did he say?¡± Ling Miao asked curiously. Ji Linxi laughed slyly. ¡°Go and see for yourself, then you¡¯ll know.¡± Ling Miao cursed Ji Linxi for being unreliable and Ji Linxi laughed, ¡°Ling Miao, Ling Miao, remember to treat me to dinner!¡± ¡°Hey, you haven¡¯t told me anything. Why should I buy you a meal?¡± Ling Miao glanced at Su Yuyang as he spoke, but his gaze hadn¡¯t remained on Su Yuyang for even a second before he glanced away. If Yan Li¡¯s expression was like the bottom of a pot, Su Yuyang¡¯s was even darker than the bottom of a pot! ¡°Ling Miao, you¡¯ll see something you¡¯ve been waiting for.¡± As if in exchange for the meal, Ji Linxi gave Ling Miao a hint. ¡°Something I¡¯ve been waiting for?¡± Ling Miao wanted to ask further, but Ji Linxi hung up the phone. Ling Miao put his phone away, not understanding, and a shadow fell across him. Something soft touched his lips and his eyes went wide. With difficulty, he raised his head to look at the person towering over him. ¡°Xiao Miao.¡± Su Yuyang¡¯s voice echoed by Ling Miao¡¯s ear like a curse. Ling Miao stood frozen as Su Yuyang kissed his lips, his face, and his ears. ¡°Xiao Miao, I love you.¡± Su Yuyang¡¯s low voice reached Ling Miao¡¯s ears and slid across his heart. [Table of Contents] | [Chaleuria is on Twitter!] | [Buy us a coffee?] Translation notes: [1] The same word is used for hands/feet/paws here. Chapter 078 The Complete Guide to the Use and Care of a Personal Assistant Translator: Jury Editor: NomNom First Published on Chaleuria ¡ª Chapter Seventy-eight ¡°Xiao Miao, I love you.¡± The words completely occupied Ling Miao¡¯s mind and heart. The person who had spoken them was Su Yuyang, the person he secretly loved. Ling Miao gazed at Su Yuyang in disbelief. He couldn¡¯t find mockery in Su Yuyang¡¯s face¡ªinstead, he saw sorrow in the depths of Su Yuyang¡¯s eyes. Was it sorrow at his disbelief? Ling Miao¡¯s lips trembled; he wasn¡¯t sure how to respond. Su Yuyang threw an arm around Ling Miao and pulled him into a hug, as if worried someone might snatch him away. Several minutes later, Su Yuyang slowly let go of Ling Miao. Su Yuyang forced a smile as he caressed Ling Miao¡¯s hair. He did his best to tamp down on his disappointment as he laughed: ¡°Like I thought, I shouldn¡¯t have said anything.¡± ¡°You love me?¡± Ling Miao¡¯s tone betrayed his self-doubt. ¡°Su Yuyang, I¡­¡± ¡°Do you love me?¡± Su Yuyang asked the question back. Facing Su Yuyang¡¯s hopeful eyes, Ling Miao couldn¡¯t say no. Besides, he did love Su Yuyang. Ling Miao buried his face in Su Yuyang¡¯s chest and nodded. ¡°Xiao Miao.¡± Su Yuyang said his name passionately. Ling Miao wrapped an arm around Su Yuyang¡¯s waist, pressing his body more firmly against Su Yuyang¡¯s. In response, Su Yuyang put his own arm around Ling Miao¡¯s waist. A low sobbing came from his chest and Su Yuyang asked worriedly, ¡°Xiao Miao, what¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°Bastard, do you know that when I figured out I loved you, I was afraid I¡¯d lose you forever,¡± Ling Miao said with a laugh. ¡°When you fainted in front of me and Feng Ji said you were running away from something, I was so scared and so unhappy and so upset. I thought that if you never wake up, then I¡¯ll have to stay by your side forever. That sucks!¡± Su Yuyang caressed Ling Miao¡¯s waist and said apologetically, ¡°Sorry for worrying you. I¡¯m also sorry I didn¡¯t see your feelings earlier. But, you didn¡¯t see that I liked you either, did you?¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t show it!¡± Ling Miao said self-righteously. Su Yuyang patted Ling Miao and said ill-temperedly, ¡°You were thinking about Ji Linxi the whole time. How would you see my feelings? Also, since you like me, why did you get so close to Ji Linxi and be so intimate with him?¡± Su Yuyang was making Ling Miao account for his actions after the fact¡ªhe would settle the score with Ling Miao on each and every count! Mm, he was definitely jealous. Listening to Su Yuyang¡¯s childish words, Ling Miao laughed through his tears. He wiped his tears on Su Yuyang¡¯s shirt and said pitifully, ¡°I thought you hated me. Also, don¡¯t tell me that what you wrote in your novel was, ¡®Xiao Miao, I love you.¡¯¡± ¡°What I wrote in my novel¡ªgo see for yourself. I¡¯ll go shower.¡± Su Yuyang bent down, kissed Ling Miao on the forehead, affectionately patted him on the head, then picked up his pajamas and left the room. Ling Miao clicked into Su Yuyang¡¯s newest chapter. The first line: I¡¯m going to confess to the person I love. Additional update for karma! Additional update for karma? Ling Miao stared at the words and started laughing. Ah, Su Yuyang, if the person you¡¯re confessing to doesn¡¯t like you back, no matter how many extra updates you make, it won¡¯t change that! Ling Miao kept reading. By the end of the main text, he still hadn¡¯t seen anything unusual. Ling Miao saw a dividing line and inhaled sharply. The text below the dividing line was probably what Su Yuyang wanted to say to him. To the person whom I¡¯ve known for three months and who is living in my house: There are many things I can¡¯t say to your face. Probably because I¡¯m afraid of failure. I know you¡¯re reading my book, so I¡¯m trying this out. I¡¯m writing my words here because I believe you¡¯ll definitely see it. I love you. Let¡¯s be together. If you have no feelings for me, then pretend you haven¡¯t seen this. We can continue as we are. Ling Miao finished reading Su Yuyang¡¯s words to ¡®a certain person¡¯ and his nose began to hurt. He breathed in and tilted his head back so that the tears wouldn¡¯t fall, but why did he want to cry at all? Ling Miao sat in front of the laptop. He wanted to respond somehow, but the moment his fingers touched the keyboard his mind short-circuited. Besides, he¡¯d already told Su Yuyang the words he¡¯d kept in his heart. Would he also need to turn those words into text so that hundreds of thousands of people could see? Ling Miao frustratedly rumpled his hair as he thought back and forth. Suddenly, he saw the word ¡®read¡¯ on the screen. He typed Read in the comment box and was about to click send when he remembered that he was logged into his own writing account. Ling Miao registered a new account with the name, ¡®The person living in Shu Yang¡¯s house,¡¯ and posted the comment: Read. Then Ling Miao finished reading Su Yuyang¡¯s updates for the last few days and went on QQ. The group chat had exploded. Human nature is gossipy and Su Yuyang was a secretive person, so now that he¡¯d confessed publicly in his novel, the discussion group talked about nothing else. Someone said that doing it this way would cause misunderstandings. Others said it was brilliant, and someone else said it wasn¡¯t romantic enough¡ªif she¡¯d been the one Su Yuyang confessed to, she certainly wouldn¡¯t accept. Ling Miao finished reading the group messages, then the QQ icon flashed again. Ling Miao opened it. The text was from Mu Yu. Mu Yu: You¡¯re sure? Ling Miao thought it odd that Mu Yu would suddenly send a text like this. He entered a question mark in the text box, then found that the font and color of the text weren¡¯t his own. Ling Miao was at a crossroads. He wasn¡¯t sure if he should close out of the window and pretend he hadn¡¯t seen anything, or wait for Su Yuyang to come back. Something pressed against his back. Two slender fingers tapped on the keyboard and a sentence appeared on the screen: Find a time. I¡¯m coming out of the closet. Ling Miao turned to look at Su Yuyang in surprise. Su Yuyang bent down and kissed Ling Miao on the lips, and Ling Miao turned his head back with a huff. ¡°I¡¯ll go.¡± Su Yuyang was chatting with Mu Yu and Ling Miao felt awkward being here, so he decided to leave the room and write. As he got up, Su Yuyang pressed him back down and said, ¡°It¡¯s to do with you anyway. Stay.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± Ling Miao still thought it inappropriate but since the owner of the QQ had said so, Ling Miao would be pushing his luck to refuse. Su Yuyang stood behind Ling Miao, arms encircling Ling Miao as he rapidly typed. Mu Yu: You¡¯ve thought it through? 3000WPH: I hid it for so many years because I was worried that people knowing I was homosexual would bring me trouble. But since someone¡¯s willing to bear that burden with me, I¡¯m not afraid of anything. Looking at Su Yuyang¡¯s words, Ling Miao murmured, ¡°Who¡¯s willing to bear it with you?¡± Su Yuyang rested his chin on Ling Miao¡¯s head and sighed, ¡°Ah, the person at home said he¡¯s not willing to bear it with me. Yu-ge, I¡¯m sad.¡± Su Yuyang typed as he spoke. Ling Miao said angrily, ¡°Hey, do you need to tell your editor all this?¡± ¡°Then are you okay with announcing it or not?¡± Su Yuyang asked slyly. ¡°Whatever you want.¡± Ling Miao didn¡¯t bother salvaging the situation. Mu Yu: Looks like he¡¯s not prepared! 3000WPH: He hasn¡¯t prepared to come out of the closet. I have. Mu Yu: In that case, I wish you happiness. Ling Miao looked at Mu Yu¡¯s words and suddenly pouted. He asked Su Yuyang as if interrogating him: ¡°Why do I feel like you and Mu Yu are unusually close?¡± ¡°Oh, do I detect jealousy in the air?¡± Su Yuyang laughed open-mouthed. Ling Miao caught Su Yuyang at the waist and pinched. A cry broke the night sky, and the infants who had gone to sleep were once again awakened. Ling Miao turned to glare at Su Yuyang, blame in his eyes. Su Yuyang rubbed the sore spot and said aggrievedly, ¡°If you hadn¡¯t pinched me, would this have happened?¡± ¡°You deserve it, but the kids are innocent.¡± Ling Miao rubbed his temple. Now he knew how painful it was to hear five or six infants crying all at once. ¡°Xiao Miao.¡± Su Yuyang hugged Ling Miao from behind, his chin tucked into Ling Miao¡¯s shoulder. He whispered, ¡°What I said today¡ªI wasn¡¯t joking.¡± ¡°Mm, I know.¡± ¡°So, you¡¯re really ready to face the pressure from the outside world?¡± Su Yuyang asked worriedly. Ling Miao took Su Yuyang¡¯s hand, brought it to his mouth and kissed it. He whispered, ¡°It¡¯s you who¡¯s coming out of the closet, not me. Why would I be pressured?¡± ¡°Bastard,¡± Su Yuyang said with a grin. ¡°I¡¯ll mention you. Relax.¡± Su Yuyang¡¯s hand was still near Ling Miao¡¯s lips, and the moment Ling Miao heard these words he unceremoniously bit down. Of course, Ling Miao hadn¡¯t used any force and there wasn¡¯t a single tooth-mark left on the skin. ¡°Hurts.¡± Su Yuyang pretended to have been wounded and made a crying face. ¡°If you¡¯re physically hurt, my heart hurts.¡± Ling Miao kissed the back of Su Yuyang¡¯s hands where he had bitten down. ¡°Su Yuyang, when are you announcing it?¡± ¡°Mm?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll make another handle so you can mention that one,¡± Ling Miao said slyly. Su Yuyang¡¯s eyes were blanketed by a layer of gray. He pulled his hand out of Ling Miao¡¯s and turned Ling Miao¡¯s chair to face him. Su Yuyang squatted on the floor and placed his hand over Ling Miao¡¯s. ¡°If you aren¡¯t ready, then you don¡¯t have to bear it with me. I hid myself away because I didn¡¯t want my homosexuality to be made public, but what¡¯s the point of hiding it? Besides, now I have you. I want to love you openly, and I want everyone to know that you, the dumb cat, are mine. Su Yuyang¡¯s.¡± ¡°Su Yuyang, I¡­¡± ¡°Call me Yu,¡± Su Yuyang corrected. ¡°Xiao Yu?¡± Ling Miao felt awkward calling him by a one-word name, so he added ¡®Xiao¡¯ in front of it. Su Yuyang¡¯s face darkened and he said coldly, ¡°You¡¯re not my parents.¡± ¡°Yuyang?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what my friends call me.¡± ¡°Old Su?¡± ¡°Yan Li will kill you.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Ling Miao fell silent.¡± Su Yuyang knew that his and Ling Miao¡¯s relationship wasn¡¯t official yet, so making Ling Miao change his form of address was rather demanding. ¡°If it¡¯s hard, then don¡¯t try. I think you¡¯ll call me that in future.¡± ¡°Su Yuyang, let¡¯s come out of the closet!¡± Ling Miao suddenly changed the subject. ¡°I want everyone to know that you, the Great Author, are mine!¡± [Table of Contents] | [Chaleuria is on Twitter!] | [Buy us a coffee?] Chapter 079 The Complete Guide to the Use and Care of a Personal Assistant Translator: Jury Editor: NomNom First Published on Chaleuria ¡ª Chapter Seventy-nine Su Yuyang wasn¡¯t sure what to do about Ling Miao¡¯s sudden attitude change. His current state of mind was that of a parched person who suddenly saw a glass of water but discovered the water was so hot it was difficult to drink. Su Yuyang stood frozen as he stared at Ling Miao, who looked up and gazed back at Su Yuyang. Ling Miao raised a hand and patted Su Yuyang¡¯s cheek. ¡°Why are you giving me that frightened look? Don¡¯t you know I¡¯m timid?¡± Su Yuyang affectionately ruffled Ling Miao¡¯s hair and said quietly, ¡°If you¡¯re scared, then come here. I¡¯ll protect you.¡± Su Yuyang stood up and opened his arms, indicating to Ling Miao to come over. Ling Miao punched Su Yuyang¡¯s chest and laughed, ¡°Who needs your protection? I don¡¯t need to be protected by a bastard!¡± ¡°Xiao Miao.¡± Su Yuyang¡¯s tone suddenly grew grave and Ling Miao¡¯s grin instantly disappeared. He thought he knew what Su Yuyang was going to say and watched Su Yuyang with a resolute expression. Su Yuyang took a deep breath. Feeling that he¡¯d been seen through, he didn¡¯t know what to say either. ¡°Not a lot of people I know in real life read my microblog,¡± Ling Miao said out of nowhere. Light flashed through Su Yuyang¡¯s eyes; he understood Ling Miao¡¯s meaning. Su Yuyang laughed, ¡°My followers are mostly fans of my book, and some people from the companies I¡¯ve worked with and some online friends.¡± Of Su Yuyang¡¯s online friends, probably less than five had seen him in real life. ¡°I¡¯ll go post on my microblog.¡± Su Yuyang bent to kiss Ling Miao¡¯s forehead. Su Yuyang opened his microblog and was instantly drawn in by the trending topics: #YanLiKissesMysteriousGuy #OurQueenHasABoyfriend? He forgot all about making a post about coming out of the closet. He clicked on the thread with trembling hands. Su Yuyang clicked on the pictures the top-level poster had embedded. In the photo, a woman was pressing a man up against a streetlight and kissing him; from the man¡¯s posture, he hadn¡¯t been expecting it. The first three photographs were from a distance, the last few, close-up. The woman in the photo was clearly Yan Li, and the man¡­ couldn¡¯t be anyone but Ji Linxi. ¡°Xiao Miao!¡± Su Yuyang called Ling Miao in a panic. Ling Miao said faux-leisurely: ¡°Did you get mobbed by angry fans the moment you came out of the closet?¡± Ling Miao¡¯s tone showed his happiness at Su Yuyang¡¯s misfortune and his expression was disgustingly sweet. But as Ling Miao caught sight of the content on the screen, his smile froze and his jaw dropped open so wide it almost came unhinged. Ling Miao pointed to the picture on the screen and said disbelievingly: ¡°Fuck, Ji Linxi got taken advantage of?¡± Three black lines slid down the side of Su Yuyang¡¯s head. He was speechless, then said, ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you be worried that Yan Li was secretly photographed?¡± ¡°What¡¯s so surprising about it?¡± Ling Miao didn¡¯t care. ¡°Yan Li¡¯s protective detail isn¡¯t very good, and the paparazzi are very good at finding an in. It¡¯s not strange that she got photographed. But, tsk tsk¡ªYan Li¡¯s too forceful. She even kissed Ji Linxi!¡± ¡°Hey¡­¡± Unbridled joy had appeared on Ling Miao¡¯s face as he spoke Ji Linxi¡¯s name, and Su Yuyang wasn¡¯t pleased to see it. He said jealously: ¡°Are you unhappy because you didn¡¯t get kissed?¡± As he spoke, Ling Miao¡¯s vision went dark and a face loomed before his eyes. As Su Yuyang spoke he had stood up and turned to face Ling Miao, then wrapped an arm around Ling Miao¡¯s waist and pulled him close. Amidst Ling Miao¡¯s surprise, Su Yuyang lowered his head and bit Ling Miao¡¯s lips. ¡°Mmph mmph mmph (you bastard)!¡± Ling Miao¡¯s hands forcefully beat Su Yuyang¡¯s back, but Su Yuyang didn¡¯t notice. He wrapped his arms more tightly around Ling Miao and kissed more forcefully. Ling Miao knew that struggling was futile, so he instead put his hands on Su Yuyang¡¯s waist and hugged him tightly. Su Yuyang¡¯s kiss was very clumsy but Ling Miao could feel his passion. When Su Yuyang was done biting Ling Miao¡¯s mouth, he let go. Ling Miao¡¯s cheeks had gone thoroughly red and at the time Su Yuyang let him go, he hadn¡¯t gotten his wits back. Looking at Ling Miao¡¯s dazed eyes, Su Yuyang teasingly blew on Ling Miao¡¯s neck. Ling Miao shot back into awareness. ¡°Fuck!¡± Ling Miao cursed softly. ¡°Su Yuyang, all you know is how to take advantage of me.¡± ¡°This isn¡¯t taking advantage. This is being romantic.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just us here. Who¡¯s there to put on a show for? Also, I haven¡¯t agreed to be your anything. What right do you have to be romantic with me?¡± Ling Miao didn¡¯t want to admit that he¡¯d enjoyed Su Yuyang¡¯s kiss very much, although it hadn¡¯t been very comfortable. ¡°You!¡± Su Yuyang looked at Ling Miao with a faint smile and said, ¡°When did your mouth get so hard?¡±1 ¡°If my mouth wasn¡¯t hard, you¡¯d have bitten me to shreds,¡± Ling Miao snapped. Now that Ling Miao had said it, Su Yuyang wasn¡¯t so confident any more. He hurriedly turned his gaze to his computer, pointed at the screen, and asked Ling Miao: ¡°What is Ji Linxi going to do?¡± ¡°How would I know what he¡¯s going to do?¡± Ling Miao suddenly understood something. He touched Su Yuyang¡¯s shoulder and said with satisfaction, ¡°You¡¯re not jealous of Ji Linxi, right?¡± ¡°So what if I am?¡± Su Yuyang narrowed his eyes at Ling Miao, who saw danger in Su Yuyang¡¯s gaze. Thinking of Su Yuyang¡¯s kiss just now, Ling Miao shuddered and swore never to use such a foolish method to dispel Su Yuyang¡¯s jealousy again. This time Su Yuyang had kissed him but next time, it might be¡­ Fuck, why do I think I¡¯d bottom? Ling Miao berated himself in his heart. ¡°I¡¯ll call him and ask.¡± Ling Miao pulled out his phone and prepared to call Ji Linxi, but Su Yuyang snatched the phone away. Su Yuyang¡¯s actions were within Ling Miao¡¯s expectations, but he¡¯d done it so quickly¡­ Ling Miao looked at Su Yuyang in fright. Su Yuyang asked curiously, ¡°Why are you looking at me like I¡¯m a tiger? Do you want me to eat2 you?¡± At the end, Su Yuyang¡¯s tone changed. The low voice seemed to be inviting Ling Miao. If Ling Miao hadn¡¯t caught on in time, he might have nodded. While Su Yuyang was distracted, Ling Miao snatched the phone and ran out. Su Yuyang heard someone start knocking at the door. Several seconds later he heard the door shut and he shrugged helplessly. ¡°Ah, I have a good friend but not a boyfriend. My life is hard!¡± As Su Yuyang complained, a blogpost materialized under his fingers. After verifying that the content and the person he mentioned were both accurate, he hit send. Su Yuyang didn¡¯t care what reactions the blogpost would evoke. He cared only about one person¡¯s reaction. Yan Li was currently curled up in a corner of the room, her phone vibrating at her feet. Ling Miao walked over to look and saw that the caller was just a string of numbers. Yan Li didn¡¯t reject the call but didn¡¯t pick up, either, which indicated that that she knew who was calling. ¡°Yan-jie?¡± Ling Miao called quietly. Yan Li looked up at Ling Miao, then looked down again. ¡°Linxi must hate me.¡± ¡°Actually¡­¡± He hadn¡¯t finished when his own phone rang. The display showed: Ji Linxi. [Table of Contents] | [Chaleuria is on Twitter!] | [Buy us a coffee?] Translation notes: [1] There is a wordplay here: ¡°hard mouth¡± == stubborn [2] ¡®eat¡¯ also has the connotation of ¡®sleep with¡¯ Chapter 080 The Complete Guide to the Use and Care of a Personal Assistant Translator: Jury Editor: NomNom First Published on Chaleuria ¡ª Chapter Eighty ¡°Linxi¡¯s calling,¡± Ling Miao quickly explained, then went to a corner to take the call. Yan Li¡¯s head shot up when she heard Ji Linxi¡¯s name. She continued watching Ling Miao¡¯s back. Ling Miao and Ji Linxi¡¯s conversation didn¡¯t last long before Ling Miao turned around and walked to Yan Li. He handed her the phone and said, ¡°Linxi¡¯s looking for you, but your line was busy so he called me instead.¡± Yan Li took the phone with trepidation. Ling Miao looked at her and started walking away, though he was still worried. After Ling Miao left Yan Li¡¯s room he didn¡¯t know what to do. He looked at the tablet on the ottoman and had the sudden impulse to draw. He hadn¡¯t picked up a stylus in very long¡ªnot because he was refraining from drawing, but because he thought it was too troublesome. His parents had forced him to take classes in the first place. Su Yuyang walked out of his room and saw Ling Miao drawing furiously. Su Yuyang walked stealthily behind him and saw him intent on his drawing. It was a chibi-style drawing, and there were two people in it: two men kissing. In that instant, Su Yuyang felt that Ling Miao was drawing the two of them. ¡°What are you drawing?¡± Su Yuyang suddenly bent close to Ling Miao¡¯s ear and said gently. Ling Miao¡¯s hand jerked and his pen shot across the board. His heart hurt for his drawing. ¡°Drawing avatars,¡± Ling Miao said aggrievedly. ¡°When I¡¯m done, I¡¯ll send one to you to use.¡± Ling Miao looked at Su Yuyang with a grin and Su Yuyang felt a sense of foreboding, but looking at the drawing on the screen, he concluded he hadn¡¯t anything to worry about. He decided that even if Ling Miao drew a pile of poop, he¡¯d use it. Su Yuyang went back to his room and continued refreshing Yan Li¡¯s forum topic. He ignored all the new replies, mentions, and private messages in his inbox. Before Ling Miao replied to the message, he wasn¡¯t going to bother with these messages whether they were well-wishes or antagonistic. About an hour later, Su Yuyang¡¯s QQ lit up. He didn¡¯t recognize the icon. He moused over the flashing icon and a familiar ID reached his eyes¡ªthe message was from Ling Miao. Xiao Miao: Matching icons. Change yours. 3000WPH: ¡­why does my icon have ¡®submissive¡¯ written over it? Xiao Miao: Because I¡¯m the dominant one! [Smirk] 3000WPH: [Black lines] You have a lot of free time. Xiao Miao: Are you changing yours or not? 3000WPH: I¡¯ll change it! Of course I¡¯ll change it. Even if you drew a pile of poop I¡¯d change it. Since it¡¯s a chibi of me, of course I will! Su Yuyang changed his avatar and reminded Ling Miao to change the icons for his microblog and IM. Ling Miao said, ¡®Alright,¡¯ and rushed off, but Su Yuyang smiled to himself from the side. I hope you¡¯re not too shocked when you see the number of mentions you have. Su Yuyang hadn¡¯t finished the thought when Ling Miao¡¯s surprised shout came: ¡°Damn, so many mentions?!¡± Ling Miao had gone onto his own account, not his assistant-to-Su-Yuyang account, so the hundred-odd notifications gave him a huge shock. Ling Miao opened the first page of his notifications list and immediately realized what had happened. He picked up his laptop and threw open Su Yuyang¡¯s room door, yelling: ¡°If you¡¯re gonna make a post, tell me first! Let me make mental preparations!¡± Su Yuyang looked at Ling Miao with total calm. He shrugged to indicate his indifference. ¡°I¡¯m used to it.¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah. You¡¯re a Great Author and you¡¯re used to hundreds of notes and reblogs on every blog post, but I¡¯m just a no-name writer! If I get ten notes, I¡¯m happy. Getting a hundred notes just gives me a fright!¡± Ling Miao said agitatedly. As Ling Miao spoke he navigated to Su Yuyang¡¯s microblog and found the post Su Yuyang had made about coming out of the closet. ¡°Many of you will have seen, in my latest chapter, my confession to a certain someone. Now I¡¯m announcing who I was confessing to¡ªmy assistant, @WriterZeroSecondsAgo. Yes, the person I like is a man. I am gay. I made this post to tell Xiao Miao: Xiao Miao, we can openly be in a relationship now!¡± There were no passionate words in the post, nothing that evoked deep feeling¡ªin fact, it was somewhat comedic. But Ling Miao felt its warmth and affection. He clicked reblog. Su Yuyang tried to see what he was adding to the post but Ling Miao stopped him. ¡°Scram, go to one side. You can see it later.¡± ¡°You can look now.¡± Two or three minutes later, Ling Miao called Su Yuyang to look at the blog. Su Yuyang¡¯s curiosity intensified. He opened his mentions and immediately saw the one from Ling Miao. ¡°Yu.¡±1 Ling Miao¡¯s reblog contained only the single word. Other people might not read much into it, but it dealt a shocking 500-tonne blow to Su Yuyang¡¯s heart. He joyfully turned around, only to see Ling Miao¡¯s completely blank face. His joy was swiftly replaced by worry. ¡°What is it, Xiao Miao?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t know what to say to you, so I just sent you one word, a word from your name.¡± Ling Miao looked at Su Yuyang with trepidation, like a child who¡¯d done something wrong. Su Yuyang hugged Ling Miao and said, ¡°So what if people know? Xiao Miao, when I hid myself away in the past, it was partly because I didn¡¯t want my homosexuality to bring me trouble and partly because I wasn¡¯t sure I could do it alone. But now, I think that my previous worries were just me giving up on myself. So what if I¡¯m homosexual? I can still live my life well. I want to speak up for myself, and besides, I have you now. I know it¡¯ll make you angry, but I still have to say it. If you¡¯re at my side bearing this burden with me, then even if it¡¯s a road paved with broken glass, I¡¯ll still walk it and not look back.¡± ¡°Bastard.¡± Ling Miao laughed and raised his head to kiss Su Yuyang¡¯s face. ¡°Su Yuyang, I¡¯m not coming out of the closet to my parents for now. They¡¯re different from your parents¡ªthey definitely won¡¯t accept that I¡¯ve fallen for a man.¡± ¡°That¡¯s all right,¡± Su Yuyang said understandingly. ¡°If it¡¯s like you say, then even if we go all the way, they still won¡¯t approve of us being together.¡± ¡°Tcheh, before my parents agree, don¡¯t even think about doing anything to me!¡± Ling Miao backed away hurriedly. Su Yuyang walked slowly toward Ling Miao. For every step Su Yuyang took, Ling Miao backed away a step. Finally, Ling Miao¡¯s back came into contact with something cold and hard and he was forced to stop. Su Yuyang took an open stance and bent down to look Ling Miao in the eye. Panic flashed in Ling Miao¡¯s eyes. His eyes darted in all directions to avoid looking directly at Su Yuyang. ¡°Xiao Miao, you think too much.¡± Su Yuyang jabbed Ling Miao¡¯s forehead. ¡°Some things have to be consensual on both sides. I don¡¯t like using force.¡± ¡°Tcheh.¡± Ling Miao hadn¡¯t a leg to stand on but he put on a strong front: ¡°Be careful I don¡¯t step on you!¡± Ling Miao raised his fist, pride in his face. Su Yuyang rolled his eyes at him and said in surprise, ¡°So that raised thing is your foot?¡± ¡°Fuck you¡­¡± Ling Miao was about to punch Su Yuyang when the door opened. [Table of Contents] | [Chaleuria is on Twitter!] | [Buy us a coffee?] Translation notes: [1] This is the ¡®Yu¡¯ from Su Yuyang¡¯s name, which Su Yuyang asked Ling Miao to call him before Chapter 081 The Complete Guide to the Use and Care of a Personal Assistant Translator: Jury Editor: NomNom First Published on Chaleuria ¡ª Chapter Eighty-one ¡°Yan-jie?¡± Ling Miao smiled awkwardly when he saw who was at the door. Yan Li wasn¡¯t upset to see Su Yuyang hugging Ling Miao. She handed the phone to Ling Miao and said in frustration, ¡°Help me convince Ji Linxi.¡± ¡°Convince him of what?¡± Ling Miao asked, not understanding. Yan Li rubbed her temple and lay down on Su Yuyang¡¯s bed. She said in a low voice, ¡°I want Ji Linxi to move into Old Su¡¯s house for now. His address was revealed and I¡¯m pretty sure reporters will come knocking before long. They still don¡¯t know about this place. We can discuss our next steps once he¡¯s here.¡± Ling Miao knew Ji Linxi¡¯s temperament: he wasn¡¯t a stubborn man. As long as things weren¡¯t set in stone, he¡¯d still be open to a change of plans. But once he had backed himself into a corner, no amount of convincing would work. Ling Miao dialed Ji Linxi back and asked, ¡°Yan-jie, what did you tell Linxi?¡± ¡°I asked him to come over so the reporters wouldn¡¯t give him trouble. I told him what I thought, but he said he didn¡¯t care.¡± The more Yan Li spoke the more angry she got. ¡°Ah, he says he doesn¡¯t want trouble, but he isn¡¯t worried about getting mobbed by reporters?¡± ¡°That¡¯s because he knows that he can¡¯t avoid the trouble any more. Instead of hiding and running, he might as well face it head-on.¡± Ling Miao immediately figured out Ji Linxi¡¯s thought process, and he was fairly on the mark. By the time he finished speaking, Ling Miao had already reached Ji Linxi, who seemed to have guessed that Ling Miao would call him. As the call connected, Ling Miao didn¡¯t have the chance to say anything before Ji Linxi said, ¡°Tell Yan Li to forget about it. I¡¯m not going over.¡± Ling Miao shrugged and cast Yan Li a helpless glance. She said ill-temperedly, ¡°What did he say?¡± ¡°He said to forget about it. He¡¯s not coming over,¡± Ling Miao murmured. ¡°Ah, what¡¯s all this? Su Yuyang and I just cleared up a matter and now something¡¯s up with the two of you.¡± ¡°You say it like it¡¯s my fault,¡± Yan Li said aggrievedly. ¡°If Ji Linxi hadn¡¯t made me mad, would I have kissed him? And I didn¡¯t know there were reporters nearby. Ah, the paparazzi¡ªthey always find a way!¡± Yan Li kept running her hands through her hair as she cursed the person who¡¯d taken secret photos of her. Su Yuyang felt bad for her hair and reached out to stop her. She looked up at Su Yuyang and pouted: ¡°Su Yuyang, what should we do?¡± ¡°Admit that Ji Linxi is your boyfriend or say nothing,¡± Su Yuyang said coldly. Yan Li stared at Su Yuyang. Seeing his somber expression, she suddenly laughed: ¡°Old Su, the way you¡¯re saying it¡ª you don¡¯t want Ji Linxi to come over? Is it because of his relationship with Ling Miao?¡± ¡°So what if it is?¡± Su Yuyang threw an arm around Ling Miao and said, like he was declaring possession, ¡°Ling Miao¡¯s mine. Even if Ji Linxi has known him for longer than I have, and knows him better, my future with Ling Miao will be longer!¡± ¡°In that case, why are you worried about Ji Linxi coming over?¡± Yan Li said meaningfully. Su Yuyang glanced at Yan Li, then at Ling Miao who was frowning. He sighed, ¡°I just don¡¯t like it! You don¡¯t have to look at me like that. It¡¯s true, I¡¯m jealous, but so what? My boyfriend¡¯s close to someone else. If it were you, you wouldn¡¯t be comfortable either, would you?¡± ¡°That¡¯s true,¡± Yan Li agreed. Ling Miao¡¯s gaze swept from Su Yuyang to Yan Li. He said in a low voice, ¡°If you two are going to keep flirting in front of me, will you at least consider my feelings?¡± ¡°It¡¯s you two who are being affectionate in front of me.¡± Yan Li huffed and made a face like she was about to cry. Su Yuyang let go of Ling Miao and sat beside Yan Li, consoling: ¡°Yan Yan, I won¡¯t interfere with you and Ji Linxi. Also, even if I don¡¯t agree to let Ji Linxi stay, you¡¯re going to let him in anyway, aren¡¯t you? As for whether Ji Linxi is willing to come over, that¡¯s up to whether you can convince him.¡± Ling Miao blinked at Su Yuyang, as if to ask why he¡¯d suddenly changed his tune. Su Yuyang threw his arm around Ling Miao and bent close to his ear: ¡°Yan Yan is really doing this for Ji Linxi¡¯s own good, and I was thinking too much and spoke rashly. Ji Linxi, you, me, Yan Li¡­ the relationship between the four of us is pretty messy.¡± Ling Miao heard Su Yuyang¡¯s words and understood what he was thinking. Ling Miao replied, ¡°You¡¯re thinking way too much, aren¡¯t you? I think I¡¯d better reconsider being with someone who overthinks this much. Ah, Su Yuyang, come to think of it, I haven¡¯t agreed to be your boyfriend. If I go back on it now¡­¡± Ling Miao hadn¡¯t finished speaking when his lips were blocked by something soft. Then he heard the click of a camera shutter and frantically turned his head in the direction of the sound. Yan Li was waving her phone like a cat who¡¯d gotten the canary¨Cin her phone was recorded the scene of Su Yuyang kissing him. ¡°Ling Miao and Old Su sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G¡­ I¡¯ll make a blog post later.¡± Yan Li made a show of humming a song. Su Yuyang said with indifference, ¡°Remember to mention me, then everyone will know that you¡¯re living at my place. Then everyone will wonder about your relationship with me, and¡­¡± ¡°Stuff it.¡± Ling Miao kicked Su Yuyang and stopped him from continuing. ¡°You overthink from morning ¡®til night. Aren¡¯t you exhausted?¡± ¡°Always prepare for the worst-case scenario. You can¡¯t go wrong,¡± Su Yuyang said matter-of-factly. Suddenly, Ling Miao¡¯s phone buzzed. He picked it up uncertainly and glanced at the screen, which displayed the words Call ended. ¡°Ah?¡± Ling Miao exclaimed in frustration. ¡°I didn¡¯t hang up the phone just now. Linxi probably heard most of our conversation.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine if he hears it,¡± Yan Li said leisurely. ¡°Then he knows what we¡¯re thinking.¡± Ling Miao was still worried and called Ji Linxi again, but only got the voicemail. ¡°Linxi turned off his phone!¡± Ling Miao exclaimed in surprise. ¡°Did someone sell his contact details?¡± ¡°Most likely,¡± Yan Li stood up uncertainly. ¡°Ling Miao, get on QQ and contact Ji Linxi.¡± ¡°Already on it,¡± Ling Miao said helplessly. Ji Linxi: My phone keeps ringing so I had to turn it off. Say whatever you need to here. ZeroSecondsAgo: Linxi, come over to Su Yuyang¡¯s place for the time being. It¡¯s safer than where you are now. Ji Linxi: Will Su Yuyang let me in? ZeroSecondsAgo: He says that if you¡¯re willing to come over, he won¡¯t stop you. Ji Linxi: I¡¯m worried that he¡¯ll regret it when he sees me. ZeroSecondsAgo:1 Regretted it many times already, a few more won¡¯t matter. Yan Yan is very worried about you. She¡¯s afraid that her mistakes got you into trouble. Also, once you get here, we can devise a plan of action. You two have to get your stories straight. Ji Linxi: Shu Yang? Since you say so yourself, it¡¯d be rude of me not to come over. I¡¯ll stop by later. There are reporters at the door right now. Ling Miao looked at the words on the screen and suddenly got annoyed. These two were getting on far too well, weren¡¯t they? [Table of Contents] | [Chaleuria is on Twitter!] | [Buy us a coffee?] Translation notes: [1] This is probably Su Yuyang talking via Ling Miao¡¯s account, going by the way he refers to Yan Li as ¡®Yan Yan¡¯. Chapter 082 The Complete Guide to the Use and Care of a Personal Assistant Translator: Jury Editor: NomNom First Published on Chaleuria ¡ª Chapter Eighty-two While they were waiting for Ji Linxi, Yan Li¡¯s phone didn¡¯t stop ringing. Su Yuyang couldn¡¯t take it any more and picked up the phone. Yan Li glared at Su Yuyang and complained, ¡°Let it ring. I¡¯ll put it on silent.¡± ¡°Lin-jie is worried about you. Also, if you and Ji Linxi coordinate your stories, you¡¯ll have to coordinate with your manager and your company too, right? If your stories don¡¯t match, it¡¯ll invite even more gossip.¡± Yan Li took several deep breaths then answered the phone. ¡°Lin-jie.¡± Yan Li controlled her frustration, but her tone was still cold. Yang Lin exhaled loudly. She didn¡¯t blame Yan Li for leaving on her own, or for getting herself onto headlines. She just asked consolingly, ¡°The reporters haven¡¯t found you yet?¡± Hearing Yang Lin¡¯s words, Yan Li momentarily was¡¯t sure what to say. When Yang Lin didn¡¯t get a reply from Yan Li, she continued, ¡°I guess they haven¡¯t. If they do, just tell them the woman in the photo isn¡¯t you, just someone who looks a lot like you.¡± ¡°He¡¯s my boyfriend!¡± Yan Li said resolutely. ¡°If reporters ask, that¡¯s what I¡¯ll say.¡± ¡°Yan Li!¡± Yang Lin¡¯s patience had run out and she said, ¡°You¡¯ve been in the public eye for many years and never had a hint of gossip.¡± ¡°So, this time, it won¡¯t be gossip! And the woman in the photo¡­ anyone who knows me can tell that it¡¯s me! Instead of insisting it¡¯s someone else, I might as well admit it, and admit that the man is my boyfriend! Also, I¡¯ve seen the reporter¡¯s blog posts. Aside from photos, they even have a video. That¡¯s clear evidence that the woman is me. How do you want me to explain?¡± ¡°You¡¯re digging your own grave!¡± Yang Lin seemed to have given up trying to persuade Yan Li. She grit out through her teeth, ¡°Come back at once!¡± ¡°I¡¯m waiting for him,¡± Yan Li whispered. Yang Lin didn¡¯t know where Yan Li was, so she couldn¡¯t do anything but fret and wait for Yan Li to come back of her own accord. Yan Li was silent for a while before saying, ¡°I¡¯ll go back with him.¡± ¡°Discuss it with him.¡± Yang Lin had no recourse and could only helplessly agree with what Yan Li had planned. ¡°Once you announce that he¡¯s your boyfriend, you need to have the same story about how you met and how you started your relationship. In your life together in future, you can¡¯t let the reporters get any leverage on you. Can you do that?¡± ¡°I will.¡± As Yan Li ended the call with Yang Lin, Ji Linxi arrived. Ji Linxi¡¯s hair was in disarray, black circles under his eyes. His clothes were disheveled, too. Looking at his pitiful state, Yan Li said apologetically, ¡°Sorry. I brought you a lot of trouble.¡± Ji Linxi glanced at Yan Li and didn¡¯t reply. Ling Miao quickly headed over to defuse the situation: ¡°Linxi, drink some water.¡± Ji Linxi drank the water. His gaze swept over Yan Li, who plucked up the courage to meet his emotionless eyes. She asked in surprise, ¡°Linxi, you don¡¯t blame me?¡± ¡°I¡¯m at fault, too,¡± Ji Linxi said, as if blaming himself. ¡°If I hadn¡¯t said that, you wouldn¡¯t have done it. In the end, if I¡¯d cleared the air with you earlier, things wouldn¡¯t have gotten to this state.¡± Ling Miao was thoroughly confused by Ji Linxi¡¯s words. He tugged at Su Yuyang¡¯s hand and asked in confusion, ¡°What charades are they playing?¡± ¡°How would I know?¡± Su Yuyang said dismissively. ¡°As long as they know, it¡¯s fine. I forbid you from butting in blindly,¡± Su Yuyang warned Ling Miao. Ling Miao huffed: ¡°What ¡®butt in blindly?¡¯ Su Yuyang, you really don¡¯t care about Yan-jie?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t care, but we need to settle our own matters.¡± Su Yuyang dragged Ling Miao into his own room, then turned back to Yan Li and Ji Linxi: ¡°Ling Miao and I have to reply to the well-wishes that have come in from all over the world. As for how to settle your matter, you two discuss it.¡± Su Yuyang opened the comments page of his blog and Ling Miao stared. ¡°So many. How long will it take you to reply to them all?¡± Su Yuyang laughed. ¡°It¡¯s me who has to type, not you.¡± Several hundred comments. Whether they were well-wishes or well-meaning advice, Su Yuyang patiently replied to each one. As he got to one of them, he suddenly began laughing: ¡°This guy, Feng Ji! He says he¡¯ll send us a big cake in the shape of a condom!¡± ¡°Eh¡­¡± Black lines ran down Ling Miao¡¯s forehead. ¡°If he dares send a condom-shaped cake, I¡¯ll put up a profile for him on a dating site.¡± Hearing Ling Miao¡¯s reply, Su Yuyang replied: Feng-zi, Xiao Miao @WriterZeroSecondsAgo says that if you dare send a condom-shaped cake, he¡¯ll put your profile up on a dating site. Su Yuyang clicked reply, and by the time Ling Miao registered what had happened, the post had already been sent. ¡°Hey, Su Yuyang, why did you reply to Feng Ji with what I said?¡± Ling Miao pressed his hand over Su Yuyang¡¯s own and moved the mouse, intending to delete the reply, but it was too late. Ling Miao opened the new message. Feng Ji had replied¡ªI¡¯m waiting. ¡°A lot of people wish me well.¡± Su Yuyang replied to all his comments, then sighed. ¡°But a lot of people think I¡¯m kidding, too. Someone said I broke up his OTP.¡± ¡°It¡¯s your fault for always flirting with a certain other Great Author on your microblog,¡° Ling Miao huffed. ¡°No way. I¡¯ve got to make a blog post to stake amy claim. Remember to reblog it.¡± ¡°You need to stake ayour claim?¡± Su Yuyang grabbed the phone from Ling Miao, caught Ling Miao¡¯s chin with his other hand, and landed a kiss on Ling Miao¡¯s lips. Click¡ª The shutter sounded. Su Yuyang had taken a picture of himself kissing Ling Miao. Su Yuyang did a few things with Ling Miao¡¯s phone, then returned the phone to Ling Miao. Looking at the top post on his blog, Ling Miao punched Su Yuyang¡¯s chest and yelled, ¡°Why did you post the photo?!¡± Su Yuyang waved the phone. ¡°Staking amy claim.¡± ¡°Hey¡­¡± Ling Miao wanted to say, No matter how I look at it, this is you staking your claim. It should be me staking my claim, alright? But he hadn¡¯t finished speaking before Su Yuyang cut him off. ¡°Let¡¯s go out and see.¡± Ling Miao and Su Yuyang left the room and saw Ji Linxi and Yan Li sitting side by side on the sofa. Ji Linxi was moving a pen over a piece of paper, and Yan Li was giving him comments. About half an hour later, Yan Li stretched lazily and said, ¡°Finally, done.¡± ¡°Done with what?¡± Su Yuyang¡¯s voice was so quiet Yan Li almost didn¡¯t hear it. ¡°I say¡­¡± ¡°Xiao Miao¡¯s asleep,¡± Su Yuyang reminded. Yan Li glanced at Ling Miao sleeping in Su Yuyang¡¯s arms and said enviously, ¡°It¡¯s really nice to have a human pillow.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about it.¡± Su Yuyang¡¯s gaze drifted to Ji Linxi, who was wearing a dark expression. ¡°What are you two doing?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll know once I make this blog post.¡± Yan Li took out her phone and started snapping pictures of the paper in Ji Linxi¡¯s hand. [Table of Contents] | [Chaleuria is on Twitter!] | [Buy us a coffee?] Chapter 083 The Complete Guide to the Use and Care of a Personal Assistant Translator: Jury Editor: NomNom First Published on Chaleuria ¡ª Chapter Eighty-three ¡°This is the answer.¡± That was Yan Li¡¯s blog post, alongside five photos. Su Yuyang looked through the photos and understood what Ji Linxi had drawn. He¡¯d made his and Yan Li¡¯s story into a comic for all Yan Li¡¯s fans to see. ¡°It¡¯s straightforward, clean, and saves us trouble,¡± Yan Li said, yawning. ¡°As for the rest, we¡¯ll discuss it when I wake up.¡± Yan Li stumbled into her room. Su Yuyang picked Ling Miao up and prepared to go to bed, too, but then he remembered Ji Linxi was still here and said, ¡°Ling Miao usually sleeps on the floor. His blanket and sleeping mat are over there¡ªyou can use them for tonight.¡± ¡°I thought you¡¯d chase me away,¡± Ji Linxi said with a hint of teasing. Su Yuyang looked down at Ling Miao sleeping in his arms and said mock-fiercely, ¡°As long as you don¡¯t have designs on Ling Miao, we can still be friends.¡± ¡°If I had designs on Ling Miao, he¡¯d already be mine. Would you even have had the chance to get to him?¡± Ji Linxi said dismissively. Su Yuyang huffed and went silent.. Aside from Su Yuyang, everyone else slept well that night. As for why Su Yuyang didn¡¯t sleep well¡ªthe reason was evident from the look of resentment in his eyes. Yan Li usually slept past noon, but she had to visit Feng Ji today so she woke up early and helped Ling Miao make breakfast. Su Yuyang walked out, prominent dark circles under his eyes. Ji Linxi teased: ¡°Did you sleep late last night? Or are you listless because some of your needs are unmet?¡± Su Yuyang slumped on the table and said weakly, ¡°Try being kicked for an entire night and see if you sleep well or not.¡± Pah¡ª The sound of dishes hitting the table. Su Yuyang raised his head. Ling Miao was looking at him threateningly. ¡°I¡¯ll get rice.¡± Su Yuyang fled into the kitchen. Breakfast was filled buns, steamed bread, and congee. The table was silent except for the sounds of slurping congee. The atmosphere was so tense Ling Miao couldn¡¯t keep eating. Su Yuyang looked at him with concern and Ling Miao sighed, ¡°Hey, everyone. Can we not act like it¡¯s the end of the world? It¡¯s so miserable, I don¡¯t even want to eat any more.¡± Su Yuyang drank the last gulp of congee, then took a steamed bun, ripped off a corner, and tossed it in his mouth. He asked, ¡°Yan Yan, what are you and Ji Linxi planning to do?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve already announced that he¡¯s my boyfriend, so he¡¯ll go back with me.¡± Yan Li briefly explained their plans. ¡°He doesn¡¯t have a job now, anyway, so I¡¯ve arranged for him to be my assistant. To everyone else, he¡¯s my boyfriend and my assistant. To insiders, he¡¯s just my assistant¡ªinsiders meaning the five of us, of course.¡± ¡®Five of us¡¯ meant Yan Li, Ji Linxi, Su Yuyang, Ling Miao, and Feng Ji. ¡°When are you leaving?¡± Su Yuyang asked hopefully. Yan Li read Su Yuyang¡¯s intent. She hemmed and hawed like she was still considering it. Ji Linxi had figured out Su Yuyang¡¯s hopes too and smiled slyly. ¡°Of course, we¡¯re leaving next month. What do you say, A-Li?¡±1 ¡°A-Li?¡± Cough¡ªWhether Ling Miao was shocked by Ji Linxi¡¯s term of address for Yan Li or had choked on his congee, Ling Miao¡¯s violent coughing made Su Yuyang sympathetic. He stroked Ling Miao¡¯s back and said gently, ¡°Are you all right?¡± ¡°What¡¯s with this ¡®A-Li¡¯ thing?¡± Ling Miao coughed. Ji Linxi grimaced. ¡°A certain someone insists I call her that. She says it¡¯s more intimate.¡± ¡°Linxi, if you don¡¯t like it, then you think of one,¡± Yan Li said crossly. Ji Linxi consoled, ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t like it. I¡¯m just not used to it.¡± ¡°Use it a few more times, then you¡¯ll be used to it.¡± Yan Li rolled her eyes at Ji Linxi. Ling Miao inhaled sharply. The scene before him was just too strange. It¡¯d already be good if Ji Linxi and Yan Li didn¡¯t strangle each other¡ªnow, they were even acting intimate, like they really were lovers. This performance was Oscar-worthy and it really was a waste of talent that they didn¡¯t pursue a career in acting. After breakfast, Ling Miao and Su Yuyang left the house. They were going back to Ji Linxi¡¯s apartment to pack up Ji Linxi¡¯s things and terminate his lease. Su Yuyang asked Ling Miao to pack his own things, too. Ling Miao said that he¡¯d pack but would continue to lease the apartment so that when he dumped Su Yuyang he¡¯d still have a place to go. Su Yuyang just replied that he¡¯d never give Ling Miao the chance to dump him. Yan Li had publicly announced Ji Linxi¡¯s status, but many reporters still wanted to interview her and crowded around the base of Ji Linxi¡¯s apartment. As Ling Miao opened the door, the reporters¡¯ eyes all shone like wolves seeing a fat sheep. ¡°Damn,¡± Ling Miao cursed from the depths of his heart. His hands trembled as he unlocked the door. Ji Linxi didn¡¯t have many things; they all fit in one suitcase. As for Ling Miao, he didn¡¯t have anything aside from his case of books. The moment Su Yuyang and Ling Miao left, the reporters rushed up. The reporters asked about their relationship to Ji Linxi, whether they knew when Ji Linxi had started the relationship with Yan Li, and other such questions. Su Yuyang and Ling Miao had discussed this already. No matter what the reporters asked, they wouldn¡¯t say anything¡ªthey¡¯d pretend to be mute. They left the rented apartment but didn¡¯t head home. They went to W&S¡ªYan Li and Yang Lin had decided that they would leave that day. In order to reduce trouble, Feng Ji had placed Yan Li in a separate room. Su Yuyang and Ling Miao arrived at the same time as Yang Lin. Yang Lin didn¡¯t go into the room. She waited in the main hall for Yan Li. Yang Lin didn¡¯t know Su Yuyang and Feng Ji didn¡¯t introduce them, so her gaze only lingered on Su Yuyang for a brief moment before she looked away. Feng Ji dragged Su Yuyang and Ling Miao into the room. ¡°Ah, I haven¡¯t even finished using my vacation,¡± Yan Li said reluctantly as she looked at the suitcase. Su Yuyang smiled and said, ¡°You can still rest once you¡¯re back in Beijing.¡± ¡°Either way, the way back won¡¯t be calm.¡± Yan Li¡¯s head started to hurt as she thought about Yang Lin. Ling Miao put the suitcase in Ji Linxi¡¯s hands and suggested, ¡°If you can¡¯t be Yan-jie¡¯s assistant, go be with Yan-jie¡¯s manager¡­¡± ¡°Ling Miao, be careful I don¡¯t tell your parents about you and Su Yuyang.¡± Yan Li glared at Ling Miao. ¡°Stop!¡± Ling Miao was about to retort when Feng Ji made a halting motion. ¡°If we keep dragging this out, the reporters are going to get here.¡± Yan Li hugged Su Yuyang, then Feng Ji. She put on her cap, took Ji Linxi¡¯s arm, and left the room. Looking at their departing backs, Ling Miao couldn¡¯t tell if he was feeling happy or frustrated. Su Yuyang saw that Ling Miao seemed unhappy and asked, ¡°Missing Ji Linxi already?¡± ¡°What¡¯s there to miss?¡± Ling Miao laughed. ¡°Only¡­ I¡¯m glad that I fell for a web novelist and not a singer like Yan Li who¡¯s in front of crowds day and night.¡± ¡°It¡¯s because I can¡¯t sing. Or I might have signed at the same company as Yan Li, at the same time.¡± ¡°If that happened, we wouldn¡¯t have met, would we?¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m glad!¡± [Table of Contents] | [Chaleuria is on Twitter!] | [Buy us a coffee?] Translation notes: [1] A-Li ¨C an endearing nickname, the ¡®Li¡¯ from Yan Li Chapter 084 The Complete Guide to the Use and Care of a Personal Assistant Translator: Jury Editor: NomNom First Published on Chaleuria ¡ª Chapter Eighty-four Now that Yan Li had left, Su Yuyang and Ling Miao started their life together. The days passed peacefully. Every day, they word sprinted and cleared video game dungeons. Occasionally, Su Yuyang would check his fan group or listen to Ling Miao chat to his fans on a YY channel. Most people didn¡¯t know about Su Yuyang¡¯s relationship with Ling Miao, but several of the fan group moderators knew that Ling Miao was the person their Great Author loved. One afternoon, Su Yuyang was writing when his thought process was broken by maniacal laughter from the living room. The laughter stopped and Su Yuyang heard Ling Miao say: ¡°Interview Shu Yang? And I have to do it? Tofu, why are you doing this? If I bring this up to him, I¡¯ll have to sleep in the hallway tonight!¡± Several seconds later Ling Miao said, ¡°No, no.¡± Hearing Ling Miao¡¯s resolute attitude, Tofu said wistfully, ¡°In that case, I won¡¯t force you. But you really won¡¯t even just try?¡± An exclusive interview with Shu Yang? Sounds good! New provocative text appeared in the public channel. Tofu looked at it and said, ¡°Excuse me, Xiao Yu From Su¡¯s House, please shrink your font size. If you don¡¯t, I will have to invite you to leave.¡± ¡°Xiao Yu from Su¡¯s House?¡± Ling Miao stared at the ID.The name struck a chord in his heart. As the chat box refreshed quickly, Ling Miao had to scroll a little before he saw Xiao Yu from Su¡¯s House¡¯s message: An exclusive interview with Shu Yang? Sounds good! He agreed? Ling Miao looked at the screen thoughtfully. He internally fought with himself then glanced at Su Yuyang¡¯s door. Su Yuyang and Ling Miao wrote separately. But today, Ling Miao didn¡¯t feel like writing and Tofu had something to talk to him about, so he¡¯d gone on YY. He couldn¡¯t figure out Su Yuyang¡¯s intentions. He sighed and told Tofu, ¡°Tofu, something came up and I have to go for a while.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll go ask the Great Shu about the interview?¡± Tofu asked excitedly. Ling Miao said, ¡°Mm,¡± and conveniently poured cold water on Tofu: ¡°Don¡¯t get your hopes up.¡± ¡°Xiao Miao¡­ no, Mrs. Shu¡­ pfeh, that¡¯s worse.¡± Tofu wondered what to call Ling Miao. Ling Miao, hearing the two forms of address, said helplessly, ¡°You¡¯ve called me Xiao Miao for so long, why change it now? It¡¯s like you want to make sure everyone knows my relationship with Shu Yang.¡± ¡°After today, everyone knows anyway, right?¡± Tofu said happily. ¡°Tofu, are you digging a hole for me to jump in?¡± Ling Miao laughed. ¡°I¡¯ll go find Shu Yang. Wait for my news.¡± Ling Miao had just finished speaking when Su Yuyang heard a knock at the door. ¡°Come in.¡± Ling Miao pushed the door open, but stopped in the doorway. He asked, as if publicly denouncing Su Yuyang for a crime, ¡°Xiao Yu from Su¡¯s House, that was you, wasn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°So obvious?¡± Su Yuyang said in frustration. ¡°Ah, I¡¯ll go make a different name that¡¯s harder to recognize.¡± ¡°Forget it,¡± Ling Miao said coldly, ¡°I know your name is Su Yuyang so I could tell that Xiao Yu from Su¡¯s House was you. Tofu and the others don¡¯t know.¡± Seeing that Ling Miao was upset, Su Yuyang cajoled, ¡°Xiao Miao, you¡¯re upset?¡± ¡°Not upset.¡± Ling Miao looked at Su Yuyang and sighed. ¡°I just think that you hiding in plain sight among us is kind of deceptive and playing with our feelings.¡± Su Yuyang got up and walked to Ling Miao¡¯s side. Ling Miao looked at him and said, ¡°Sit down. You¡¯re too tall and it puts pressure on me.¡± Su Yuyang ignored Ling Miao¡¯s dissatisfaction. He mused, ¡°That exclusive interview Tofu was talking about¡­ I think it¡¯s not a bad idea. And since we don¡¯t intend to keep hiding ourselves, I don¡¯t need to keep dodging it, either. It¡¯s just an interview. I¡¯ll treat it as repayment for the fans¡¯ support all these years.¡± ¡°You have a plan?¡± Ling Miao looked at Su Yuyang hopefully. Su Yuyang let his gaze drift and pretended not to have seen Ling Miao¡¯s hopeful expression. He said, ¡°As for how to conduct this interview, how fans are to participate, and whether there are prizes¡­ you and the rest of the mod team can take care of it.¡± ¡°Oh, then I have some ideas.¡± Ling Miao¡¯s sly laugh made Su Yuyang¡¯s heart clench, a sense of foreboding spreading through his body. He feared Ling Miao would give him a hard time. Su Yuyang didn¡¯t try to hide his worry. Ling Miao patted Su Yuyang¡¯s shoulder and consoled, ¡°Great Author, don¡¯t be too worried. I won¡¯t kill you. I¡¯ll just ask some insensitive questions.¡± ¡°Can I ask for the host to be someone other than you?¡± Su Yuyang laughed drily. Ling Miao spread his hands and shrugged. Cough, cough. ¡°Ah, I¡¯m back.¡± Ling Miao dragged out the words, pretending he wasn¡¯t sure how to say them. ¡°The Great Shu said no?¡± Tofu had expected the outcome, but he was still disappointed. Ling Miao coughed twice and said apologetically, ¡°Sorry, he¡­ agreed.¡± ¡°Mm?¡± Tofu was shocked. ¡°Xiao Miao, you¡¯re telling the truth?¡± ¡°Would I lie to you?¡¯ Ling Miao pretended to be angry. ¡°Heh heh.¡± Tofu kept asking, ¡°When do we start?¡± ¡°That¡­ let¡¯s talk in the little black house.¡± Ling Miao entered the little black house. The channel¡¯s ¡®little black house¡¯ was a private chatroom where the mod team of Shu Yang¡¯s fan group held their meetings. Su Yuyang watched the number of people in the room rapidly increase and really wanted to see what was happening, so he opened a side chat with Ling Miao. ¡°Xiao Miao, give me the password to the little black house.¡± Fangroup ZeroSecondsAgo: Figure it out yourself! Fangroup Xiao Yu From Su¡¯s House: How am I supposed to guess it? Give me a hint. Fangroup ZeroSecondsAgo: It¡¯s to do with you. Fangroup Xiao Yu From Su¡¯s House: Hey, tell me properly! Ling Miao didn¡¯t reply. Su Yuyang pinged Ling Miao a few more times but he still didn¡¯t receive a response, so he gave up. To do with me? Su Yuyang looked at the password box and thought about things that had to do with him that could be used as a password: birthday, surname, penname¡­ A series of possible passwords flashed through his mind. Su Yuyang tried all of them but none succeeded, and he finally gave up. Now that Ling Miao had done this to him, Su Yuyang didn¡¯t feel like writing any more. He went to the kitchen, sat beside Ling Miao, and outright looked at the chat to see and hear what the mod team was talking about. Ling Miao glanced at Su Yuyang and said in the chat: ¡°The Great Shu is worried we¡¯ll mess with him, so he took my earphone and is listening in now.¡± Tofu controlled his excitement and said, ¡°Great Shu, I¡¯m so glad you agreed to this interview. But I must tell you, we¡¯re already done planning it. Would you say something to me, please?¡± If Tofu was a girl, Su Yuyang would definitely have agreed¡ªbut he was a guy, so Su Yuyang glanced at Ling Miao. Ling Miao turned his head away from Su Yuyang, who couldn¡¯t tell what Ling Miao was thinking, and didn¡¯t say anything. ¡°Say it,¡± Ling Miao nodded, smiling wistfully. ¡°Hello, everyone. I¡¯m Shu Yang.¡± Whether it was because Su Yuyang was nervous or because Ling Miao was there, his voice trembled. But that wasn¡¯t the issue. The issue was that, after today, everyone would know of his, Shu Yang¡¯s, deep love for Ling Miao. [Table of Contents] | [Chaleuria is on Twitter!] | [Buy us a coffee?] Chapter 085 The Complete Guide to the Use and Care of a Personal Assistant Translator: Jury Editor: NomNom First Published on Chaleuria ¡ª Chapter Eighty-five Su Yuyang said in a frustrated tone, ¡°Hey, Xiao Miao, my reputation¡¯s ruined forever.¡± Ling Miao rolled his eyes at Su Yuyang and said dismissively, ¡°You have a reputation?¡± Su Yuyang was about to retort when a cry reached his ear: ¡°Great Shu, do you have to PDA? Won¡¯t you spare a thought for us single people?¡± ¡°And people like me who¡¯ve just broken up.¡± Su Yuyang gave an awkward cough. ¡°Er, you all carry on. I¡¯ll go write.¡± Su Yuyang fled and Ling Miao sighed, ¡°You scared him off. Let¡¯s continue discussing.¡± ¡°Haven¡¯t we finished discussing?¡± Tofu asked in confusion. Ling Miao said slyly, ¡°I just thought of something new. We planned to interview him over text, but now I think we should do it over voice. What do you think?¡± Tofu and the others immediately understood¡ªLing Miao was digging a hole for Su Yuyang to jump in! Given Su Yuyang¡¯s attitude toward Ling Miao, he¡¯d definitely jump right in, so there was no reason for Tofu and the others to disagree. Soon, the new interview plan emerged. Ling Miao stared at his laptop in a good mood. Su Yuyang, Su Yuyang, prepare to take that! Ha ha ha ha! Ling Miao made posts on his microblog and on the web novel discussion forum soliciting interview questions. Someone replied to the thread with doubt, to which Ling Miao replied: Shu Yang is my boyfriend. He paused, then added: Whether you believe that is up to you, but remember to tune in to the interview on YY @#£¤%. ¡°Fuck!¡± After replying to all the comments on the thread, Ling Miao tossed his mouse aside in a fit of anger. He said in frustration, ¡°Hey, Su Yuyang, why don¡¯t they believe I got you to give an interview?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never done an interview with the web novel site, and I¡¯ve rejected countless fan interview invitations. Now you suddenly say I agreed to your interview. Think about it. It¡¯s not that likely,¡± Su Yuyang analyzed. ¡°I¡¯d better clarify in my endnotes.¡± As Su Yuyang finished, he opened his dashboard and added a note about having accepted the interview. Very soon after, someone posted a screenshot of the chapter content to the novel discussion forum. Only now did everyone believe that Shu Yang, who had thus far maintained his secrecy, was about to show himself before his audience. As for the person claiming to be Shu Yang¡¯s boyfriend, some people were still suspicious, but most believed he was who he claimed to be. For the next few days, Ling Miao didn¡¯t dare log into his forum account¡ªthe volume of private messages would make him pee his pants. Su Yuyang and Ling Miao¡¯s days were still filled with bickering, but Su Yuyang was very content. After a week of collecting questions and a day organizing them, Tofu handed the list of fan questions to Ling Miao, who glanced over them and didn¡¯t find any glaring issues. Su Yuyang surreptitiously circled around behind Ling Miao and glanced at the laptop screen, then moved close to Ling Miao¡¯s face and asked in his ear, ¡°Xiao Miao, you sure you want to ask me this question?¡± Su Yuyang had blown his breath behind Ling Miao¡¯s ear, tickling Ling Miao. Ling Miao said angrily, ¡°Talk properly. Why are you blowing on me?¡± Su Yuyang reached his arms over Ling Miao¡¯s shoulders and crossed them in front of Ling Miao¡¯s chest, resting his chin on Ling Miao¡¯s shoulder. He laughed, ¡°Your ears are red.¡± Ling Miao could feel his ears turning hot, and now that Su Yuyang had pointed it out, he felt like they were on fire. Ling Miao pinched the back of Su Yuyang¡¯s hand and said fiercely, ¡°Yeah, my ears are red. So what?¡± Su Yuyang kissed the shell of Ling Miao¡¯s ear and pointed to a line of text on the screen. He suggested, ¡°You¡¯d better get rid of this one. I¡¯m worried you won¡¯t be able to spit it out when the time comes.¡± ¡°Mm?¡± Ling Miao hesitated as he looked at the line Su Yuyang pointed at. His eyes went wide: ¡°That fucker Feng Ji asked this, didn¡¯t he? Fuck me, he¡¯s really gonna make a condom-shaped cake for us?¡± ¡°If I know Feng Ji, he actually will do it. Tsk tsk, he even says it¡¯ll be one of a kind. I want to punch him,¡± Su Yuyang teased. Ling Miao knew that Su Yuyang was joking but he still replied seriously: ¡°Hit him a couple more times.¡± On the day of the interview, Ling Miao made preparations on YY. Su Yuyang couldn¡¯t bear to interrupt Ling Miao while he was working but he was nervous¡ªLing Miao still hadn¡¯t told him the format of the interview. To Su Yuyang¡¯s knowledge, web authors usually did their interviews on QQ, but the way Ling Miao was acting, it¡¯d most likely be on YY¡ªover audio. ¡°Doesn¡¯t he know I easily get anxious? I¡¯ll get stage fright if I have to talk in front of so many people!¡± Su Yuyang paced back and forth in his room. His footsteps grew quicker and also louder, making Ling Miao unable to concentrate on preparations. Ling Miao picked up the tissue box and tossed it at Su Yuyang, who yelped in pain, turned, and said, ¡°Why¡¯d you hit me?¡± ¡°Great Shu, can you sit down and quietly wait for the interview to begin?¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Su Yuyang had intended to say, ¡°I¡¯m nervous and I¡¯m trying to walk it off, can¡¯t I do that?¡± But looking at Ling Miao¡¯s murderous gaze, Su Yuyang decided to shut his mouth instead. Su Yuyang sat by Ling Miao¡¯s side, watching the channel chat. Ling Miao occasionally left a comment but mostly sat and stared. Su Yuyang turned to look at Ling Miao and found that Ling Miao was shaking his leg. This made Su Yuyang happy: So he¡¯s also nervous, like me? The interview was scheduled to start at eight o¡¯clock sharp. At nearly eight, Ling Miao got up and went to the toilet, then took several deep breaths to soothe his nerves. After that, he stared at the clock. At 7:59 p.m. Ling Miao reminded, ¡°Recorder, please prepare.¡± Eight o¡¯clock arrived and Ling Miao announced, ¡°The interview starts now!¡± ¡°The number of people in this channel has hit a new high. Most of you here are fellow writers or people who have come just to see the fabled Shu Yang. Today, you¡¯ll only be hearing his voice and not seeing him in person, but I think that since Shu Yang is willing to show himself today, you¡¯ll definitely get a chance to see him in future. For now, I¡¯m the interview host, Zero Seconds Ago. Now, let¡¯s invite Shu Yang, the Great Shu, to say hello.¡± ¡°Good day, everyone. I¡¯m Shu Yang,¡± Su Yuyang said, pressing closer to Ling Miao¡¯s microphone. A new voice had emanated from Ling Miao¡¯s account¡ªthe voice of the mythical Shu Yang. The channel erupted with discussion. Su Yuyang laughed drily: ¡°I¡¯m not on YY yet, so I¡¯m using Xiao Miao¡¯s account for now. Xiao Miao is my boyfriend, as many of you know, so I don¡¯t have to hide anything, do I?¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± Ling Miao wiped his face and glared at Su Yuyang, saying, ¡°We indeed don¡¯t need to hide, but do you really have to be affectionate in public?¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Su Yuyang said slyly. Suddenly Ling Miao really wanted to dig a hole and bury himself in it. Ling Miao didn¡¯t want to continue discussing this topic with Su Yuyang. He opened the document containing the questions and warned, ¡°You, sit over there! Don¡¯t look at the questions!¡± Su Yuyang turned his gaze elsewhere and only turned back when Ling Miao spoke. ¡°Great Shu, you¡¯ve always maintained an air of secrecy. What made you accept this exclusive interview?¡± Ling Miao asked the first question and the interview began. But the way Su Yuyang was looking at Ling Miao made Ling Miao uneasy! [Table of Contents] | [Chaleuria is on Twitter!] | [Buy us a coffee?] Chapter 086 The Complete Guide to the Use and Care of a Personal Assistant Translator: Jury Editor: NomNom First Published on Chaleuria ¡ª Chapter Eighty-Six The channel was silent. Ling Miao looked uneasily at Su Yuyang, who watched him with a faint smile. The two continued looking at each other as if they¡¯d already forgotten they were conducting an interview. Tofu was keeping track of the time, and after three minutes of neither Su Yuyang nor Ling Miao reacting, he called out worriedly, ¡°Great Shu?¡± Ling Miao¡¯s heart jumped. He came back to himself and glared at Su Yuyang, seemingly asking, ¡°Fuck me, what are you playing at? Answer the question!¡± Su Yuyang looked at Ling Miao¡¯s pouting lips and felt mischievous. He caught hold of the back of Ling Miao¡¯s head and pressed his lips close. ¡°Mm?¡± A fractured whimper slipped from Ling Miao¡¯s lips. Su Yuyang pressed close to Ling Miao¡¯s ear and laughed softly, ¡°Hey, be reserved.¡± ¡°It¡¯s you who has to be reserved!¡± 15,000 ¡®fuck you¡¯ horses thundered across Ling Miao¡¯s heart. Su Yuyang gave a dry cough, dragging Ling Miao¡¯s attention back to the topic at hand. He said apologetically, ¡°I¡¯m a little nervous and just drank a glass of water. As for why I accepted this interview, it¡¯s in order to thank my fans, and also because it was Xiao Miao who invited me.¡± ¡°So, Great Shu, if anyone else had extended the invitation, you wouldn¡¯t have agreed?¡± Tofu asked with interest. Su Yuyang laughed and said, ¡°It¡¯s not that I wouldn¡¯t agree. All of you are here because you like my works, after all. Of course I must integrate myself with you so that you will like my works even more. An interview is one of the ways to get to know me, so if I have free time, I can do it.¡± ¡°Then why did you maintain your secrecy before?¡± Ling Miao asked. Su Yuyang said, ¡°Uh¡­¡± a few times, then said thoughtfully, ¡°I¡¯m gay. Although many people online are accepting of that, most people are still against it. I was worried that the fact that I like men would bring me trouble. But after I started a relationship with Xiao Miao, I stopped worrying as much. By announcing my relationship with him, I¡¯m telling everyone that I now have a lover, and also warning anyone who looks down on Xiao Miao that this person is mine.¡± ¡°Feels like an episode of ¡®The Tyrant CEO Has Fallen for Me,¡¯¡± Tofu said, holding back a laugh. Ling Miao exhaled, speechless. He said coolly, ¡°Can we continue with the interview?¡± ¡°Keep going, keep going.¡± Ling Miao asked the third question. The interview continued smoothly, answer after question. Tofu occasionally interrupted with humorous interjections. ¡°Ah¡­ Great Shu, this is a fun question. Someone asks¡ªif he sends us a condom-shaped cake, will you accept it?¡± Ling Miao quickly read the question. Su Yuyang looked at Ling Miao, surprised that he¡¯d read it aloud after all. Ling Miao glanced at Su Yuyang, satisfaction written over his face. Su Yuyang laughed. ¡°If he sends it, I¡¯ll accept it.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not worried that your address will be revealed?¡± Ling Miao followed up. Su Yuyang was about to answer when his phone rang. ¡°My mom called,¡± Su Yuyang explained. ¡°Hey, mom,¡± Su Yuyang greeted affably. On the other end, Su Yuyang¡¯s mom said hopefully, ¡°When are you bringing Xiao Miao back to see me?¡± Su Yuyang asked in shock, ¡°How do you know I¡¯m in a relationship with Xiao Miao?¡± Su Yuyang¡¯s mom huffed. She said reproachfully, ¡°How do I know? I¡¯m on your YY channel listening to your interview! You¡¯ve been with Xiao Miao for some time, and you still haven¡¯t come back! Or did you not have plans to come back in the first place?¡± ¡°Mom, it¡¯s really not that I don¡¯t want to go back. Xiao Miao and I just got into a relationship. I want to stabilize it before I go back with him,¡± Su Yuyang grumbled, his tone aggrieved. Su Yuyang¡¯s mom kept nagging: ¡°No! Bring him back tomorrow!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t look for excuses! If you¡¯re not here tomorrow, the day after that I¡¯ll be at your door!¡± Su Yuyang was well aware what his mother was like. If she said she¡¯d be at his door the day after tomorrow, she would definitely be there. Getting from his old place to here required taking an overnight train, and Su Yuyang didn¡¯t want to wear his mother out so he nodded and responded: ¡°As for going back, I have to discuss it with Ling Miao.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll get the tickets at once.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll definitely go back this month!¡± Faced with his mother¡¯s resolution, Su Yuyang had no recourse but to agree. ¡°As long as you promise. Mm, quick, go back to the interview. It¡¯s not good to keep people waiting,¡± Su Yuyang¡¯s mom said joyfully. Su Yuyang¡¯s brain ground to a halt. Something his mother had previously said now surfaced in his mind: I¡¯m on your YY channel listening to your interview! Su Yuyang was curious. How did his mother find out he was doing this interview? ¡°Xiao Yu?¡± Su Yuyang¡¯s mom called softly. ¡°Xiao Yu, I¡¯m following your blog. Of course I know you¡¯re doing the interview.¡± ¡°My microblog?¡± Su Yuyang¡¯s jaw was almost on the floor. Since when does Mom know how to use a microblog? ¡°The kids in the chat are getting impatient. We¡¯ll talk when you come back.¡± Su Yuyang¡¯s mom hung up. Su Yuyang sat down beside Ling Miao and said awkwardly, ¡°Mom asked me to bring you back. She said this month. If we don¡¯t visit within this month, I guarantee she¡¯ll show up here on the first day of next month.¡± Su Yuyang pointed at the door. ¡°Ah?¡± Ling Miao asked in surprise. ¡°This is too quick, isn¡¯t it?¡± Su Yuyang sighed helplessly, then asked with feeling, ¡°So you agree?¡± ¡°Agree!¡± Tofu¡¯s joyful voice came. Both Su Yuyang and Ling Miao froze. Su Yuyang gave a meaningful smile as he gazed at Ling Miao¡¯s frustrated expression. Ling Miao really wanted to find a crack in the ground and disappear into it. Su Yuyang consoled: ¡°It¡¯s fine that they heard it¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s not you who showed your emotions, so you don¡¯t care?¡± Ling Miao shut off the mic and snapped. Su Yuyang turned the mic back on and said, ¡°Sorry to have kept you waiting. Let¡¯s end the interview here. Xiao Miao¡¯s getting shy.¡± Su Yuyang had just finished speaking but immediately there were giggles in the channel, and the text channel kept updating with well-wishes. ¡°Actually, the consequences of coming of the closet weren¡¯t as bad as you thought.¡± Ling Miao mischievously patted Su Yuyang¡¯s face. Su Yuyang wrapped an arm around Ling Miao and pulled him over, pressing his head into his shoulder. He stroked Ling Miao¡¯s back: ¡°Xiao Miao, actually, I saw someone curse us.¡± ¡°Is there? You must have seen wrongly.¡± Su Yuyang didn¡¯t continue. The surroundings went silent. Ling Miao raised his head and met Su Yuyang¡¯s eyes, which were filled with a complicated emotion. He said haltingly, ¡°Hey, you¡¯re really taking me home?¡± ¡°I have to go back no matter what.¡± Su Yuyang didn¡¯t make a decision for the both of them. Su Yuyang and Ling Miao¡¯s relationship had progressed too quickly. It wasn¡¯t as if they were registering their marriage the minute after they met, but Su Yuyang still wasn¡¯t fully sure of Ling Miao¡¯s feelings for him. Of course, Su Yuyang didn¡¯t mention his worries. He was still afraid. ¡°Take me.¡± Ling Miao laughed. His radiant smile was like the stars in the night sky: brilliant but distant. Su Yuyang felt that the sight before his eyes wasn¡¯t real. ¡°Great. I¡¯ll buy tickets tomorrow.¡± Su Yuyang caressed Ling Miao¡¯s face. Ling Miao placed his hand over Su Yuyang¡¯s and held it tightly. [Table of Contents] | [Chaleuria is on Twitter!] | [Buy us a coffee?] Chapter 087 The Complete Guide to the Use and Care of a Personal Assistant Translator: Jury Editor: NomNom First Published on Chaleuria ¡ª Chapter Eighty-seven The next day, the audio and text transcripts of Su Yuyang¡¯s interview were released on his microblog and the web novel discussion forum. Su Yuyang hadn¡¯t even had time to look at the comments when Mu Yu called. Ordinarily, Mu Yu contacted Su Yuyang through QQ unless the matter was urgent. Su Yuyang remembered that the last time Mu Yu had called him was to discuss the tie-in game for Demonic Song Defying Heaven. Surely this call wouldn¡¯t be about the rights to Massacre of the Nine Heavens? Su Yuyang answered the phone with trepidation. The call went through and Mu Yu¡¯s gentle voice came: ¡°Congratulations, Shu Yang.¡± Su Yuyang asked uncertainly, ¡°Congratulations for what?¡± Mu Yu laughed happily. ¡°Demonic Song Defying Heaven¡¯s game is going into beta, you and Ling Miao are together, and, most importantly, you¡¯re taking him to meet your parents.¡± On hearing this, Su Yuyang could tell why Mu Yu had come looking for him. He glanced at the calendar and guessed, ¡°You¡¯re asking me to go to the Authors¡¯ Gathering?¡± The Authors¡¯ Gathering was an event the web novel site hosted every July. The purpose of the event was to get their authors out of the house and do something outside, and to network with each other and their editors. Mu Yu had invited Su Yuyang many times to participate in the Authors¡¯ Gathering, and also the Authors¡¯ New Year¡¯s Party at the end of the year, but Su Yuyang had refused without exception every time. This time, Su Yuyang wanted to refuse again, but Ling Miao was staring at him hopefully. Su Yuyang asked, ¡°You want to go?¡± Mu Yu hesitated. What do you mean, I want to go? I have to go! On second thought, Su Yuyang didn¡¯t seem to be asking him. He remembered that the other person in Su Yuyang¡¯s house was also a web novelist and instantly realized who Su Yuyang was asking. Mu Yu coughed and said meaningfully, ¡°Shu Yang, you can bring a plus-one to the Authors¡¯ Gathering.¡± Hearing Mu Yu¡¯s words, Su Yuyang said resentfully, ¡°Yu-ge, you¡¯re being underhanded!¡± ¡°So what? You¡¯ve already accepted an interview from your fangroup. It won¡¯t matter if you participate in one more company event, right?¡± Su Yuyang was still hesitant, but Ling Miao very much wanted to see what the mythical Authors¡¯ Gathering was like. He would also be able to mingle with several authors, other than Shu Yang, whom he also liked very much. Ling Miao folded his arms and stood in front of Su Yuyang. His voice was calm but his tone carried a threat as he said, ¡°You decide whether you¡¯ll go or not, and I¡¯ll also decide whether I¡¯ll go or not.¡± The two phrases ¡®go or not¡¯ were referring to different destinations. Mu Yu wasn¡¯t listening too closely, so he didn¡¯t give his opinion, but Su Yuyang understood what Ling Miao meant. But Su Yuyang didn¡¯t understand: it was a very ordinary Authors¡¯ Gathering. Why did Ling Miao want to go so much? ¡°You want to go so much?¡± ¡°I want to network with successful authors!¡± ¡°There¡¯s a successful author in your house. Where else do you need to go to network?¡± Su Yuyang asked suspiciously. Ling Miao rolled his eyes at Su Yuyang and huffed, ¡°You say it like you¡¯re the only successful author. There are other successful authors I like, so don¡¯t get too cocky.¡± ¡°There¡¯s a difference between like and like,¡± Su Yuyang said, like he didn¡¯t mind. Ling Miao found this surprising. Since when is Su Yuyang this generous? (Su Yuyang, generous? Change ¡®other authors¡¯ to Ji Linxi and see if he¡¯s still generous.) Since Ling Miao wanted to go and see for himself, Su Yuyang thought that he could also take the chance to meet Mu Yu, and said yes to Mu Yu. After Su Yuyang had accepted Mu Yu¡¯s invitation, Mu Yu said thoughtfully, ¡°Shu Yang, Great Shu, you¡¯re really a high roller! I asked you one year, two years, and you never came. But once your boyfriend asks, you agree. I¡¯m sad!¡± Mu Yu¡¯s tone was dismal but Su Yuyang didn¡¯t think he was sad at all. He pretended to console: ¡°Yu-ge, when we meet at last, let¡¯s have a drink!¡± ¡°Sure, I look forward to it!¡± Mu Yu¡¯s bright laughter reached Su Yuyang¡¯s ears and Su Yuyang began laughing too. As the call ended, Su Yuyang asked Ling Miao to pack quickly so they could leave. Su Yuyang¡¯s old home was in Chengdu, which was also where the Authors¡¯ Gathering would be held this year. This was why Mu Yu had so enthusiastically invited Su Yuyang to participate. They got on the train. Ling Miao yawned, leaned against Su Yuyang¡¯s side, and went right to sleep. Su Yuyang smiled helplessly, then put a coat over Ling Miao so he wouldn¡¯t catch cold. Passersby gave them strange looks, curious looks, and excited looks, but Su Yuyang ignored them all. He held onto Ling Miao¡¯s waist and gazed out of the window at the raindrops flying by. The entire way, Su Yuyang was thinking about how he would introduce Ling Miao to his parents and his responses to all the questions his mom might ask. It wasn¡¯t his strict father, but rather his excitable mother who caused him the most headaches every time he went home. Should he tell Ling Miao beforehand so that Ling Miao could pray for luck? Before they left, Su Yuyang had called his mother to let her know when they would arrive at the station. On the way, his phone rang every half hour¡ªit was Su Yuyang¡¯s mother calling to check on them. Faced with his mother¡¯s myriad questions, Su Yuyang was helpless. On top of that, most of the questions his mother asked had to do with Ling Miao, which made Su Yuyang jealous. His mother said she¡¯d been concerned for him for more than twenty years, so now she would concern herself more with her daughter-in-law. Daughter¡­ in-law. Su Yuyang wasn¡¯t sure what expression Ling Miao would have when his mom called him that. The trip was more than two hours long. Su Yuyang looked out the window the whole time, his gaze calm but his mind busy. Ling Miao leaned against Su Yuyang¡¯s side and slept soundly on his shoulder. He woke up once in the middle, looked out the window, then continued sleeping. It was midday when they reached Chengdu, and Su Yuyang¡¯s mother was already waiting at the station. ¡°Mom.¡± Su Yuyang felt awkward when he saw his mother. Ling Miao was still one third asleep, so although they had left the train he still stuck to Su Yuyang¡¯s side. Su Yuyang¡¯s mother not only didn¡¯t think Ling Miao rude, she was even happy¡ªher son had found a partner who clung to him like this, so surely he wouldn¡¯t be jilted again. ¡°Xiao Miao?¡± Su Yuyang called Ling Miao softly, trying to wake him. Ling Miao yawned and looked at Su Yuyang with sleep-hazy eyes, and Su Yuyang hadn¡¯t the heart to keep trying. Su Yuyang¡¯s mother got in her car but Su Yuyang was still dithering. She called, ¡°Get in the car! Your dad¡¯s waiting.¡± Ling Miao might not have woken up fully or he might have slept too long¡ªeither way, he couldn¡¯t keep his eyes open. As they waited for the traffic light, Su Yuyang¡¯s mother got a sly smile on her face. ¡°He looks so tired. Xiao Yu, how long did you keep him up?¡± Su Yuyang wasn¡¯t sure how to respond to his mother¡¯s question. He grimaced, ¡°Mom, you¡¯ve been reading BL novels again, haven¡¯t you?¡± After Su Yuyang¡¯s mom found out her son was gay, she had started reading up on matters regarding homosexuality. She¡¯d gotten addicted to BL novels, so she sometimes would let her train of thought run away. ¡°No, I¡¯ve been reading your book. The main character of Demonic Song Defying Heaven is your ex-boyfriend, right?¡± ¡°Ex-boyfriend?¡± Ling Miao was roused from his sleep. He looked at Su Yuyang and bellowed, ¡°You¡¯re with your ex-boyfriend again?¡± ¡°Not ¡®again.¡¯ He¡¯s been with him all along.¡± That was a woman¡¯s voice containing some slyness. Ling Miao rubbed his head and asked uncertainly, ¡°Who is this big sis?¡± Su Yuyang began to laugh out loud. He tamped down on his laughter and said, ¡°Big sis? This is my mom.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± Ling Miao¡¯s brain short-circuited. [Table of Contents] | [Chaleuria is on Twitter!] | [Buy us a coffee?] Chapter 088 The Complete Guide to the Use and Care of a Personal Assistant Translator: Jury Editor: NomNom First Published on Chaleuria ¡ª Chapter Eighty-eight Ling Miao glanced carefully at the driver but couldn¡¯t see anything. Su Yuyang¡¯s mom saw Ling Miao¡¯s actions through the rearview mirror and smiled faintly. ¡°Xiao Miao, if you¡¯re tired, go on sleeping.¡± Ling Miao¡¯s heart skipped a beat and he inwardly grieved: Ah, I definitely haven¡¯t left a good impression on Su Yuyang¡¯s mom. I hope she doesn¡¯t give me and Su Yuyang a hard time because of this. Su Yuyang saw Ling Miao¡¯s troubled expression and inexplicably wanted to have a little fun with him, so he made a show of sighing: ¡°Xiao Miao, don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°What do I have to worry about?¡± Ling Miao said stubbornly. Su Yuyang took a deep breath and slowly moved his gaze to look out the window. Now Ling Miao was even more worried. Su Yuyang smiled as he gazed out the window: Ling Miao¡¯s reaction had once again proved that Ling Miao cared about him, and that strengthened his resolve to keep walking down this road with Ling Miao. Ling Miao carefully scooted over to Su Yuyang¡¯s side and poked Su Yuyang¡¯s waist. Su Yuyang turned and asked, ¡°What is it?¡± Ling Miao leaned close to Su Yuyang¡¯s ear and said, ¡°Su Yuyang, did I make your mom mad?¡± ¡°No.¡± Su Yuyang shifted into a more comfortable position. He faced Ling Miao and put a hand on Ling Miao¡¯s shoulders, pressing down slightly to indicate to Ling Miao that he could relax. Ling Miao¡¯s forehead was deeply furrowed and he said softly, ¡°Su Yuyang, your mom doesn¡¯t answer me much, and she doesn¡¯t look at me in too friendly a manner. I¡­¡± ¡°You can see her eyes?¡± Su Yuyang cut straight through Ling Miao¡¯s wild imagination. ¡°When we eat you¡¯ll find out whether she¡¯s satisfied with you or not. Also, later, don¡¯t call her Big Sis.¡± As Su Yuyang said the last bit he couldn¡¯t contain his laughter any more. Ling Miao¡¯s face instantly reddened and he tried to explain: ¡°I¡­ I really didn¡¯t know she was your mom¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say ¡®your mom¡¯ later, either.¡± Su Yuyang cut Ling Miao off and reminded: ¡°Don¡¯t call her big sis, or aunt, or auntie, or ¡®your mom¡¯ or ¡®Su Yuyang¡¯s mother¡¯ or ¡®Su¡¯s mom.¡¯¡± ¡°Then what do I call her?¡± Ling Miao¡¯s frown grew even deeper. The furrows in his forehead looked like they had been carved with a knife. Su Yuyang instructed: ¡°Aside from what I just mentioned, what do you think you can call her?¡± ¡°Po-po?¡±1 ¡°Po-po?¡± Su Yuyang looked at Ling Miao in astonishment, terror on his face. Ling Miao asked in trepidation, ¡°No?¡± ¡°Ha ha!¡± Su Yuyang pounded the car seat, exhilaration on his face. ¡°Ah, Mom, did you hear Xiao Miao? He wants to call you Po-po!¡± Ling Miao kicked Su Yuyang in frustration and whined, ¡°What are you laughing about? If I can¡¯t call her Po-po, what can I call her?¡± ¡°No, no, no!¡± Su Yuyang couldn¡¯t stop laughing. ¡°Calling her Po-po is fine¡ªmy mom¡¯s happy! Can¡¯t you tell the car¡¯s going much faster?¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Ling Miao looked at Su Yuyang clutching his sides with laughter and suddenly understood how he¡¯d tickled Su Yuyang. Grandma and mother-in-law were not the same thing! Clearly, Su Yuyang had interpreted it differently than Ling Miao had meant it. In other words, Ling Miao had trapped himself. Actually, it wasn¡¯t really a trap. ¡°Ah¡­ calling her Po-po isn¡¯t appropriate!¡± Ling Miao tried hard to salvage his mistake. Su Yuyang nodded in agreement. ¡°¡®Po-po¡¯ is likely to be misunderstood, but a different form of address won¡¯t be.¡± ¡°Mom?¡± Ling Miao asked tentatively. ¡°Mm.¡± An answer came from the front of the car. ¡°Xiao Miao, is something the matter?¡± Fuck! Ling Miao internally raised an alarm. Things were progressing too quickly! And like this¡ªlike this he¡¯d be trapped by Su Yuyang and his mother into becoming a part of their family. Though Ling Miao had already made up his mind to spend his life with Su Yuyang and calling Su Yuyang¡¯s mother ¡®Mom¡¯ was a matter of time, for some reason Ling Miao felt a thorn in his heart. Su Yuyang looked at Ling Miao¡¯s dark expression and asked uneasily, ¡°Xiao Miao, are you carsick?¡± Ling Miao shook his head and didn¡¯t respond. He looked ahead, his lips opening and shutting¡ªhe seemed to want to ask something but was unable to do so. The car stopped in front of a restaurant. Su Yuyang¡¯s mother parked the car, took Ling Miao¡¯s arm, and walked on ahead into the restaurant. ¡°You¡¯re the third boyfriend Xiao Yu brought back, and I think you¡¯ll be the last,¡± Su Yuyang¡¯s mother said with confidence. ¡°The third?¡± Ling Miao didn¡¯t seem to have noticed the point she was making. ¡°The first was Feng Ji, the second¡­ oh, I¡¯ve forgotten his name. You¡¯re the third, but definitely the last.¡± Su Yuyang¡¯s mother emphasized ¡®the last¡¯ again. Since Su Yuyang¡¯s mother was so confident in his and Su Yuyang¡¯s relationship, Ling Miao, on the contrary, began to grow doubtful. Ling Miao suddenly fell silent. Su Yuyang¡¯s mom gazed up at his uneasy expression and asked lightly, ¡°Ling Miao, are you alright?¡± Ling Miao forced a smile and said, ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Anyone could tell he had something on his mind, but nobody called him out on it. He opened the door to the restaurant¡¯s side room. In his line of vision was a man with a pleasant face but cold eyes. The man¡¯s gaze swept over Ling Miao, and Ling Miao¡¯s heart skipped a beat. He reflexively stepped backward. Su Yuyang¡¯s mom placed her hand on Ling Miao¡¯s back to steady him, then looked up at the middle-aged man and lectured, ¡°If you scare Ling Miao away, where are you going to find another son for me?¡± At this point Ling Miao was certain that this man was Su Yuyang¡¯s dad. Even though Su Yuyang had given Ling Miao guidance (that really couldn¡¯t be termed guidance), those were instructions for Su Yuyang¡¯s mother. What about for Su Yuyang¡¯s father? Ling Miao turned his head and looked at Su Yuyang pleadingly. Su Yuyang¡¯s dad huffed loudly and Ling Miao whipped his head back around in fright. ¡°You¡¯re Ling Miao?¡± Su Yuyang¡¯s dad asked in a very unfriendly tone, as if Ling Miao were his enemy and not his son¡¯s lover. ¡°I¡¯m Ling Miao.¡± Ling Miao¡¯s smile was stiff. Su Yuyang had already walked to Ling Miao¡¯s side, and now he took Ling Miao¡¯s hand and strode into the room. ¡°Dad, I¡¯m back,¡± Su Yuyang said, back straight. ¡°This is my lover, Ling Miao.¡± Lover. This was the first time Su Yuyang¡¯s dad had heard this word from his son. On both previous occasions, when Su Yuyang had introduced Feng Ji and the other guy whose name he¡¯d forgotten, he had used the term ¡®boyfriend.¡¯ Su Yuyang¡¯s dad saw Su Yuyang¡¯s resolution. He grew curious about Ling Miao and his gaze directed at Ling Miao grew colder. ¡°Call him dad,¡± Su Yuyang leaned close to Ling Miao¡¯s ear and reminded. Ling Miao looked at Su Yuyang and thought silently, Your dad¡¯s eyes are piercing me to the bone. Are you sure that when I call him dad he won¡¯t immediately cut me to pieces? ¡°Greet him. My dad looks fierce, but he isn¡¯t as fierce as he looks.¡± ¡®Not as fierce as he looks.¡¯ In other words, he is a very fierce person. Su Yuyang¡¯s head hurt more than normal. He regretted not informing Ling Miao of his parents¡¯ situation earlier. The two times he had brought his boyfriends home before, his dad had also put them on the spot like this. But Feng Ji and the other person had called him ¡®Uncle,¡¯ while Ling Miao was to call him ¡®Dad.¡¯ Ling Miao leaned against Su Yuyang, whose hand was at Ling Miao¡¯s waist to give him strength. Time passed one second at a time. Su Yuyang and Ling Miao stood in the doorway of the side room. Su Yuyang¡¯s dad ate and drank slowly. Every time he reached for more food, Su Yuyang¡¯s mother knocked at his chopsticks so that he couldn¡¯t eat in peace. ¡°Dad.¡± Ling Miao¡¯s voice was as quiet as a mosquito, but Su Yuyang¡¯s dad looked satisfied. He said severely, ¡°Come in.¡± Su Yuyang and Ling Miao sat down. Su Yuyang¡¯s dad asked, ¡°Xiao Miao, do your parents know about you and Xiao Yu?¡± [Table of Contents] | [Chaleuria is on Twitter!] | [Buy us a coffee?] Translation notes: [1] this is used to refer to both ¡®grandma¡¯ and ¡®mother-in-law¡¯. Chapter 089 The Complete Guide to the Use and Care of a Personal Assistant Translator: Jury Editor: NomNom First Published on Chaleuria ¡ª Chapter Eighty-nine The atmosphere in the room was already tense, and now it felt like there was a pump sucking the air out of the room. Ling Miao hung his head and said nothing. Su Yuyang held Ling Miao¡¯s hand under the table. Observing Ling Miao, Su Yuyang¡¯s dad guessed that Ling Miao hadn¡¯t told his parents about his relationship with Su Yuyang. Su Yuyang¡¯s dad said with displeasure, ¡°Ling Miao, since your parents don¡¯t know about you and Xiao Yu yet, I can¡¯t accept you calling me ¡®Dad.¡¯ When your parents approve of you and Xiao Yu, then call me that.¡± He got up and walked out of the room. Ling Miao looked at Su Yuyang nervously, and his panicked gaze made Su Yuyang¡¯s heart hurt. Su Yuyang squeezed Ling Miao¡¯s hand and laughed, ¡°My dad¡¯s like that. Don¡¯t worry. Just remember that I want to be with you and I¡¯ll get rid of all obstacles. If your parents don¡¯t agree to our being together, and you don¡¯t want to upset them, we can separate for a while, but I won¡¯t give up.¡± ¡°Am I someone who gives up, then? Ling Miao smiled with satisfaction. ¡°I fell out with my parents because of job reasons. Do you think I won¡¯t elope with you?¡± ¡°Elope?¡± Su Yuyang¡¯s mom said, surprised. Ling Miao and Su Yuyang turned their heads to look at her, but she was still leisurely eating. Seeing the two look at her, she said casually, ¡°Where will you elope to? Just stay right here with me. If Xiao Miao¡¯s parents don¡¯t agree to the two of you, I¡¯ll convince them.¡± Su Yuyang¡¯s mom patted her chest and assured. Ling Miao said awkwardly, ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°What¡¯s there to thank?¡± Su Yuyang¡¯s mom asked back. ¡°This has got to do with my son¡¯s happiness. As his mother, of course I¡¯ll help him! Xiao Yu, what are you both standing there for? Eat!¡± Ling Miao looked at the doorway and said worriedly, ¡°Is Uncle all right?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, he won¡¯t starve.¡± Su Yuyang¡¯s mom dismissed it but Ling Miao sensed a hint of gunpowder in her voice. When they got home, Su Yuyang¡¯s dad wouldn¡¯t have a good time! ¡°Right, Xiao Miao, are you still Xiao Yu¡¯s assistant?¡± Su Yuyang¡¯s mom suddenly asked. Ling Miao nodded. Su Yuyang¡¯s mom banged her chopsticks and lectured, ¡°Xiao Yu, why are you still asking Xiao Miao to be your assistant?¡± ¡°Eh¡­¡± Ling Miao raised his head to look at Su Yuyang¡¯s enraged mom and explained on Su Yuyang¡¯s behalf, ¡°Actually, I don¡¯t really count as his assistant, but sometimes he¡¯ll ask me to help him with some things.¡± ¡°Mm, that¡¯s better. I tell you, Su Yuyang, treat Xiao Miao better. Where will you find a man as good-tempered and good-looking as Xiao Miao nowadays?¡± Su Yuyang¡¯s mom warned. Su Yuyang lowered his head and continued eating, giving no sign that he was going to reply. No matter what his mother said, he just smiled. Ling Miao thought that Su Yuyang¡¯s behavior was very strange and kicked Su Yuyang, who leaned close to his ear and said, ¡°When my mom talks, just listen. If you answer, she won¡¯t stop talking.¡± The meal concluded amidst Su Yuyang¡¯s mother¡¯s various warnings. Su Yuyang¡¯s mom held onto Ling Miao¡¯s arm again when they left, and as they walked she enumerated Su Yuyang¡¯s various flaws. Su Yuyang was walking behind the two of them. Hearing his mom put down her own son, he couldn¡¯t tell if he was sad or happy. His parents had acknowledged Ling Miao. He felt like a weight in his heart had been put down. When they got to the parking lot, Su Yuyang¡¯s father was already in the car. On the way back, Su Yuyang¡¯s dad drove. Su Yuyang¡¯s mom shunted Su Yuyang to the passenger seat and sat with Ling Miao in the back. Ling Miao blinked his eyes pleadingly at Su Yuyang, who spread his hands helplessly. Seeing their interaction, Su Yuyang¡¯s mom said aggrievedly, ¡°Xiao Miao, do you not like me?¡± Ling Miao smiled and explain, ¡°No, I¡¯m just not used to it.¡± Su Yuyang¡¯s dad said severely, ¡°Hmph. You¡¯re not acting like an elder.¡± Ling Miao¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Su Yuyang¡¯s mom took Ling Miao¡¯s hand and said with feeling, ¡°When Su Yuyang¡¯s dad found out he was gay, he almost beat him to death. My heart is soft and I couldn¡¯t bear to see Xiao Yu getting hit, so I tied his dad up and Xiao Yu fled. Actually, at first I thought this was a sickness, too, and went online to look for a cure. But the more information I found the more I felt this wasn¡¯t a reversible situation, so I stopped trying to make Xiao Yu change. I just gave him two rules: firstly, not to deceive women because of pressure from the outside world, and secondly, not to come back before he found a boyfriend. He hasn¡¯t done either. The first boyfriend he brought back was Feng Ji. I¡¯m not sure why, but I felt that Xiao Yu didn¡¯t have feelings for him, so I asked Xiao Yu to end it, and not long after that, Feng Ji dumped him. The second one¡ªthat, who was it¡ªI didn¡¯t like his personality so I asked Xiao Yu to leave him, and likewise, they separated after a few months.¡± ¡°Xiao Miao, I¡¯ve said a lot to you. Firstly, I feel that you and Xiao Yu do have feelings for each other. Secondly, I don¡¯t want Xiao Yu to keep being alone.¡± ¡°Mom¡­¡± Ling Miao tentatively called. As expected, a cold ¡®hmm¡¯ came from the front. Su Yuyang¡¯s mom held Ling Miao¡¯s hand and said to the person who had huffed, ¡°¡®Hmm,¡¯ what ¡®hmm?¡¯ If you scare Ling Miao away, you find another son for me!¡± ¡°His parents haven¡¯t even agreed. If you ask him to change his form of address now, will his parents blame you?¡± Su Yuyang¡¯s dad snapped. ¡°Also, you¡¯re putting someone else¡¯s son on this path of no return, and keeping it from them. Even if we haven¡¯t met I know that Ling Miao¡¯s parents won¡¯t agree to the two of them.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you just say something nice?¡± ¡°I¡¯m only telling the truth!¡± ¡°You!¡± Su Yuyang¡¯s mom was rendered speechless by Su Yuyang¡¯s dad, not because she couldn¡¯t rebut, but because she saw the sadness in Ling Miao¡¯s eyes. Su Yuyang¡¯s mom caught Ling Miao¡¯s shoulder and consoled, ¡°Xiao Miao, when you have time, tell your parents about you and Xiao Yu. If they agree, then we two sets of parents can meet. If they don¡¯t, then I¡¯ll go see them.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°No buts,¡± Su Yuyang¡¯s mom said firmly. ¡°Since you¡¯re both willing, why wouldn¡¯t they let you be together?¡± Ling Miao didn¡¯t reply. The car kept moving, making frequent stops. Ling Miao raised his head to the gray sky and his heart grew even heavier. ¡°Don¡¯t overthink so much,¡± Su Yuyang¡¯s voice suddenly came at his ear. Ling Miao turned his head to look¡ªSu Yuyang and his mom had switched places while Ling Miao wasn¡¯t paying attention. ¡°Not thinking about it doesn¡¯t mean it won¡¯t happen,¡± Ling Miao said worriedly. Su Yuyang laughed: ¡°Since it hasn¡¯t happened, don¡¯t go thinking about it. It¡¯ll wear on your nerves if you think too much. And since I¡¯m home, let¡¯s have a good time for a few days. When the Authors¡¯ Gathering is done, I¡¯ll accompany you to your old home to see your parents.¡± ¡°I¡¯m worried¡­¡± ¡°Xiao Miao, whether the thing you¡¯re worried about happens or not, you¡¯ll have to face your parents eventually.¡± Su Yuyang laughed lightly. ¡°The quicker you die, the quicker you reincarnate!¡± Seeing Su Yuyang¡¯s resolution, Ling Miao swallowed the words he had been about to say. While they still had time to have fun, they would have fun! [Table of Contents] | [Chaleuria is on Twitter!] | [Buy us a coffee?] Chapter 090 The Complete Guide to the Use and Care of a Personal Assistant Translator: Jury Editor: NomNom First Published on Chaleuria ¡ª Chapter Ninety For the next few days, Su Yuyang took Ling Miao to see the sights and enjoy good food. When they grew tired, they¡¯d find a secluded spot to sit and flirt. In the evening when they got home, Su Yuyang¡¯s mom would have prepared a table of sumptuous dishes for them. Su Yuyang¡¯s dad was out entertaining so he didn¡¯t come home for dinner, which helped Ling Miao relax. Though Ling Miao had already eaten a lot during the day, when he saw the delicious food on the table his appetite rose again. In addition, Su Yuyang¡¯s dad wasn¡¯t around so Ling Miao didn¡¯t feel pressure and was able to eat an extraordinary amount. Seeing Ling Miao sweep the table clean like he hadn¡¯t eaten in three days, Su Yuyang howled, ¡°Xiao Miao, if you get fat I¡¯ll dump you.¡± Ling Miao didn¡¯t answer, but Su Yuyang gave a sharp cry. He raised his eyes and saw Su Yuyang¡¯s mom moving her chopsticks away from Su Yuyang¡¯s head. Su Yuyang held the place his mother had rapped and said in frustration, ¡°Mom, which of us is your son, exactly?¡± Su Yuyang¡¯s mom said with pride, ¡°Both of you!¡± When Ling Miao heard Su Yuyang¡¯s mother¡¯s words, the base of his ears went hot. He continued eating in silence, warmth trickling through his heart. After dinner, Su Yuyang went to shower. Ling Miao cleared the table while Su Yuyang¡¯s mom washed dishes. After clearing the table, Ling Miao returned to the room and went on the internet. Looking at the single bed in the room, Ling Miao thought about what had happened last night, cursed softly, then turned his attention to his laptop. ¡ªWhat happened yesterday night¡ª Su Yuyang¡¯s house wasn¡¯t big and only had two bedrooms. Due to Ling Miao and Su Yuyang¡¯s relationship, they had to share a room. Ling Miao wasn¡¯t opposed to any of this since he¡¯d been sharing a bed with Su Yuyang for some time now. But why was the bed in Su Yuyang¡¯s room a single?! Su Yuyang¡¯s bed was a single bed and fairly spacious for the six-foot tall Su Yuyang. But with another 5¡¯ 7.5¡¯¡¯ Ling Miao in it, it felt like sleeping on the sofa. Ling Miao said he was going to sleep on the floor but Su Yuyang strongly opposed it and said that if Ling Miao really went to sleep on the floor, he¡¯d carry him back onto the bed. Ling Miao objected but Su Yuyang overruled the objection and shoved Ling Miao onto the bed. Ling Miao turned his head away to avoid Su Yuyang¡¯s passionate gaze. He struggled and tried to stand up, but Su Yuyang held his arms firmly against the bed and pressed onto his legs, too. Ling Miao struggled harder. Su Yuyang took in Ling Miao¡¯s panicked, fearful expression and understood what Ling Miao was afraid of. He let go of Ling Miao and said apologetically, ¡°Sorry, I was too rash. Also, I wasn¡¯t thinking of doing anything like that. I just don¡¯t want you to sleep on the floor. If you¡¯re worried I¡¯ll do something to you, I¡¯ll sleep on the floor.¡± Panting slightly, Ling Miao curled up into himself and said uneasily, ¡°That¡­ Su Yuyang¡­ I¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say anything.¡± Su Yuyang ran his hands through Ling Miao¡¯s hair. ¡°Go to sleep.¡± Su Yuyang went to the cabinet, got a blanket, and lay it over the floor like he was really going to sleep on the floor. Ling Miao got up and hugged Su Yuyang, saying with guilt, ¡°The floor¡¯s cold.¡± ¡°The bed¡¯s too small. We won¡¯t both fit.¡± ¡°We can sleep on our sides?¡± In the end, Su Yuyang couldn¡¯t out-argue Ling Miao and had to lie on the bed. Ling Miao lay down facing the door and Su Yuyang lay on his side behind Ling Miao, his arm resting on Ling Miao¡¯s waist. Ling Miao seemed to be worried he¡¯d fall off the bed. He scooted backward, closer to Su Yuyang, who used his arm at Ling Miao¡¯s waist to pull Ling Miao closer. Ling Miao wasn¡¯t used to it and twisted his body. Suddenly his cheeks flamed red and he didn¡¯t dare move any more. Su Yuyang pressed his lips to Ling Miao¡¯s ear and said in a low, inviting voice, ¡°Xiao Miao, don¡¯t move. It¡¯s unbearable.¡± Ling Miao buried his head in his pillow and really stopped moving. Su Yuyang pressed his body closer to Ling Miao¡¯s, who felt as if all the air in his lungs was being squeezed out. Su Yuyang nudged Ling Miao¡¯s hair with his chin and said sleepily, ¡°Sleep. Tomorrow, we¡¯re still going out to have fun and you have to be awake for it.¡± Ling Miao mumbled something which Su Yuyang couldn¡¯t hear. Su Yuyang made a questioning noise and Ling Miao said softly, ¡°It¡¯s all right.¡± ¡°You¡¯re really all right?¡± Su Yuyang¡¯s arm at Ling Miao¡¯s waist exerted some strength, pressing Ling Miao and Su Yuyang¡¯s bodies even closer. Ling Miao could feel Su Yuyang¡¯s warmth. Su Yuyang¡¯s motions were charged with a threat and Ling Miao gave up struggling. ¡°If you¡¯re like that, I won¡¯t be awake tomorrow!¡± Su Yuyang understood what Ling Miao was hinting at, but he pretended not to get it. He asked uncertainly, ¡°My situation? What situation? What does my situation have to do with whether you¡¯re awake tomorrow?¡± Su Yuyang understood and pretended not to, but Ling Miao couldn¡¯t pretend to be confused. He rolled over and faced Su Yuyang, placing one hand on Su Yuyang¡¯s waist and pinching hard. ¡°Yes, yes, yes. You don¡¯t understand. Since you don¡¯t understand, I¡¯d better sleep in the living room.¡± Ling Miao sat up, picked up the pillow and blanket, and started to walk out. ¡°Ah, ah¡­¡± Su Yuyang pounced onto Ling Miao and hugged him. ¡°If you go out, Mom will toss me out the door tomorrow!¡± ¡°You don¡¯t understand, right?¡± ¡°I get it, I get it!¡± Su Yuyang sat up and said with perfect comprehension, ¡°I¡¯ll go shower. You sleep first!¡± Looking at Su Yuyang¡¯s hurriedly fleeing back, Ling Miao felt as if his cheeks were on fire. Su Yuyang returned to the room nearly twenty minutes later. Su Yuyang scooted closer to Ling Miao, who felt the iciness of his skin. Su Yuyang turned on the light, took out his laptop, and said, ¡°You go to sleep first. I¡¯ll write.¡± Ling Miao didn¡¯t move. Su Yuyang looked at him uncertainly. Seeing the patches of color on Ling Miao¡¯s cheeks, Su Yuyang teased, ¡°Xiao Miao, your face is very red. Are you thinking of weird things?¡± ¡°You¡¯re the one thinking weird things! Go to sleep!¡± Ling Miao pulled the blanket over his head and Su Yuyang reminded well-intentionedly, ¡°If you¡¯re going to cover your head with your blanket, be careful you can still breathe.¡± ¡°Who needs you to care!¡± Ling Miao¡¯s muffled voice came. Su Yuyang sighed. ¡°Now you don¡¯t want me to care? If you¡¯re frustrated to death, will I have to be single for life?¡± ¡°Who believes it?¡± Ling Miao snapped. ¡°Actually, I don¡¯t believe it either,¡± Su Yuyang said thoughtfully. ¡°Ah, maybe I¡¯ll go find one right now¡­¡± ¡°Scram!¡± Ling Miao flung off the blanket and yelled, ¡°If you dare find someone else behind my back, I¡¯ll get a knife and kacha you.¡± Su Yuyang eyed Ling Miao, heat flaring in the bottomless depths of his eyes. Ling Miao recognized it for what it was, but he couldn¡¯t accept it right now. Ling Miao covered himself with the blanket again. Su Yuyang sighed and smiled helplessly. Ling Miao heard the pattering of a keyboard and his heart gradually calmed. The second day, Ling Miao was shocked awake, Su Yuyang went to shower again, then Su Yuyang took Ling Miao out to see the sights. ¡ªEnd flashback¨C Ling Miao finished editing the draft Su Yuyang had written in the middle of the night then uploaded his own draft. He was preparing to shower when Su Yuyang¡¯s phone rang. [Table of Contents] | [Chaleuria is on Twitter!] | [Buy us a coffee?] Chapter 091 The Complete Guide to the Use and Care of a Personal Assistant Translator: Jury Editor: NomNom First Published on Chaleuria ¡ª Chapter Ninety-one Ling Miao grabbed the phone and glanced at the display. It was from someone called Zhou Mu. Ling Miao was about to tell Su Yuyang that someone had called when Su Yuyang¡¯s shout came: ¡°Xiao Miao, who is it?¡± ¡°Zhou Mu.¡± ¡°Answer it for me.¡± ¡°Hm?¡± Ling Miao let out a startled noise. Su Yuyang didn¡¯t hear his reaction and didn¡¯t respond, but the ringing of the phone stopped. After several seconds it rang again and Ling Miao didn¡¯t hesitate this time. ¡°Hello?¡± ¡°Shu Yang, what time are you coming?¡± Shu Yang? Hearing the form of address used, Ling Miao was shocked. Not many people knew that Su Yuyang was Shu Yang, and the other person had used Su Yuyang¡¯s penname and phone number. Ling Miao couldn¡¯t guess at all who this could be. ¡°May I know who this is?¡± ¡°You¡¯re not Shu Yang?¡± The other party was also surprised, but he quickly understood. He laughed and said, ¡°You¡¯re Ling Miao, right? I¡¯m Mu Yu. Your and Shu Yang¡¯s editor.¡± ¡°Ah? Oh, uh, Shu Yang¡¯s in the shower. You¡­¡± ¡°Oh, I see.¡± Hearing Ling Miao¡¯s hesitation, Mu Yu¡¯s tone was understanding. He laughed drily and said, ¡°In that case I won¡¯t disturb you two. I called to confirm when he¡¯d arrive at the hotel so we can send someone to greet you.¡± At this time, Su Yuyang walked out. Ling Miao eyed Su Yuyang¡¯s body and, going by his expression, he was more than a little shocked! Ling Miao cursed inwardly, tossed the phone to Su Yuyang, then got his clothes and walked into the bathroom. Over the phone Mu Yu told Su Yuyang that there would be a secret guest at this Author¡¯s Gathering, one with a strong relationship to Su Yuyang. No matter how Su Yuyang probed Mu Yu refused to say who it was, causing Su Yuyang to feel very curious. He really wanted to rush right over to the hotel to question Mu Yu. Su Yuyang wasn¡¯t too excited or curious, but Mu Yu¡¯s tone was absolutely incorrigible! After ending the call with Mu Yu, Su Yuyang opened his document and started to write, but he hadn¡¯t written even a few words when his phone rang again. ¡°Yan Li?¡± Su Yuyang looked at the phone¡¯s screen and wondered if it was displaying the wrong information. Yan Li and Su Yuyang rarely contacted each other by phone; they mostly corresponded over microblog. Before, when Yan Li had called, it had meant trouble for Su Yuyang. Su Yuyang uneasily slid the answer button across the touchscreen, but before he could say anything Yan Li¡¯s sly laughter came through the phone. ¡°Surprised to get a call from me, eh?¡± she said with satisfaction. Su Yuyang rubbed between his eyes and said exhaustedly, ¡°Do you need to come to my place to take shelter again? Sorry, I¡¯m at my old house.¡± ¡°I know you¡¯re at your old house.¡± Yan Li giggled and Su Yuyang could hear the joy in her voice. He grimaced. ¡°You guessed I¡¯m not doing well over here? Forget it, let¡¯s not talk about me. What do you need?¡± ¡°Nothing. I just wanted to ask you if you have time the day after tomorrow. There¡¯s something I need your help with.¡± ¡°The day after tomorrow?¡± Su Yuyang looked at the calendar. ¡°The day after tomorrow I have to be at a gathering my web novel site is organizing. I might not have time.¡± Yan Li let out a noise of disappointment. She thought about it then said wistfully, ¡°Then forget it.¡± After ending the call, Su Yuyang narrowed his eyes and looked out the window. Ling Miao sneaked over to Su Yuyang¡¯s side. Looking at Su Yuyang¡¯s worried face, he put his hand on Su Yuyang¡¯s and said tenderly, ¡°Did something happen?¡± Su Yuyang put his hand over Ling Miao¡¯s and grimaced. ¡°Yu-ge just told me that there would be a mystery guest at the Authors¡¯ Gathering and it¡¯s someone related to me. Then Yan Li called and asked if I had time the day after tomorrow, saying she had something she needed my help with. The two calls aren¡¯t related but I get this feeling that they have to do with each other. It¡¯s weird, right?¡± Ling Miao rolled his eyes at Su Yuyang and asked uncertainly, ¡°Yan Li is the spokesperson for Demonic Song Defying Heaven. Didn¡¯t you know?¡± ¡°Mm?¡± Su Yuyang jumped up from his chair. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡± Ling Miao was stunned. ¡°I thought Mu Yu had told you.¡± If Su Yuyang had known earlier that Yan Li was the spokesperson for Demonic Song Defying Heaven, he¡¯d have done anything he could to get the game company to find someone else! For some reason, Su Yuyang felt that letting Yan Li be the spokesperson would put him in a precarious position. Seeing Su Yuyang¡¯s worried expression, Ling Miao teased, ¡°Su Yuyang, why are you so worried? Are you afraid Yan-jie won¡¯t play the female protagonist well?¡± ¡°The¡­ female protagonist?¡± Su Yuyang was momentarily dizzy. ¡°My female protagonist¡¯s personality is the complete opposite of Yan Li¡¯s!¡± ¡°I heard the game company say that they¡¯re asking Linxi to be a spokesperson for Demonic Song, and the character they want him to play is Feng Ji. Pft¡­¡± Thinking of Ji Linxi playing the part of Feng Ji, Ling Miao couldn¡¯t restrain his laughter. ¡°After I found out that Feng Ji is Feng Ji, every time I read Demonic Song I imagine Feng Ji¡¯s face. Oh my god, if Linxi is playing Feng Ji, I won¡¯t be able to take it!¡± Seeing that Ling Miao was about to asphyxiate from laughter, Su Yuyang was worried he¡¯d actually die from it. With the best of intentions he put his arms around Ling Miao and shoved Ling Miao onto the bed. Ling Miao was stunned by the sudden attack and froze. He looked at Su Yuyang leaning over him in a daze, his heart pounding uncontrollably. This tactic is effective! Joy rose in Su Yuyang¡¯s heart and he moved closer to Ling Miao, whispering in his ear, ¡°Xiao Miao, when you¡¯re like this I want to¡­¡± Su Yuyang hadn¡¯t finished speaking when he felt something pinch his thigh. The flesh was slowly being twisted, as if whatever had caught it wanted to tear the flesh off. ¡°Oww¡ª¡± Su Yuyang let out an agonized yell. The pained screams sounded over and over and Ling Miao couldn¡¯t bear to hear it any more but he also needed to teach Su Yuyang a lesson. Su Yuyang kept trying to do those things to him so, in order for Ling Miao to defend his own territory, he¡¯d have to let Su Yuyang¡¯s thigh down. ¡°Xiao Yu, Xiao Miao, what¡¯s the matter?¡± Su Yuyang¡¯s mom¡¯s worried voice started up outside, followed by Su Yuyang¡¯s dad¡¯s severe scolding: ¡°You two restrain yourselves or get out!¡± ¡°Be gentle,¡± Su Yuyang yelled aggrievedly. Ling Miao let go of Su Yuyang¡¯s flesh and lectured, ¡°You were being dishonest!¡± At Ling Miao¡¯s side, Su Yuyang rolled over and looked up at the ceiling with dejection. The footsteps at the door gradually grew farther away. Ling Miao turned his head to look at Su Yuyang¡¯s worried expression and said apologetically, ¡°I¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say anything. I was too impatient.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t tell you¡¯re a person who¡¯s so difficult to satisfy,¡± Ling Miao teased. Su Yuyang turned his head to look at Ling Miao. He was about to say, ¡°Try and you¡¯ll find out,¡± but the pain in his thigh reminded him that the consequences for teasing Ling Miao were serious. Su Yuyang ruffled Ling Miao¡¯s hair and helped Ling Miao up: ¡°Your hair isn¡¯t dry. Don¡¯t lie down.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t intend to lie down,¡± Ling Miao mumbled. Su Yuyang walked to the cabinet to get the hair dryer, turned, and motioned for Ling Miao to come over. A warm breeze blew over the top of Ling Miao¡¯s head and melted Ling Miao¡¯s heart. [Table of Contents] | [Chaleuria is on Twitter!] | [Buy us a coffee?] Chapter 092 The Complete Guide to the Use and Care of a Personal Assistant Translator: Jury Editor: NomNom First Published on Chaleuria ¡ª Chapter Ninety-two Su Yuyang¡¯s mom drove Ling Miao and Su Yuyang to the hotel where the Authors¡¯ Gathering was taking place. Strictly speaking, it was Su Yuyang driving while Su Yuyang¡¯s mom and Ling Miao sat in the back chatting. Su Yuyang¡¯s mom seemed to like Ling Miao a lot and seemed to be afraid Ling Miao would dump her son. The whole way she told him about their family matters. Su Yuyang, listening in, really wanted to find a crack in the floor to hide in. But then he would look at Ling Miao, who didn¡¯t seem uncomfortable and even seemed to be enjoying it. Su Yuyang internally thought, It¡¯s good that he can take it. If he dumps me because of my mom, where would I go to cry? Probably because Su Yuyang didn¡¯t want his mom to scare his lover away, he drove right at the speed limit. Half an hour later they arrived at the hotel. Mu Yu was already standing outside the hotel. He saw Su Yuyang and Ling Miao get out of the car but was unsure if the person in front of him was Su Yuyang or not. One¡¯s ID photo usually looks very different from one¡¯s in-person appearance. Su Yuyang hadn¡¯t seen Mu Yu in person before, but he had seen many photos so he recognized at a glance that the person outside the hotel who seemed hesitant about whether to approach was his editor, Mu Yu. Su Yuyang held onto Ling Miao¡¯s hand and walked slowly over. Seeing Su Yuyang and Ling Miao holding hands Mu Yu was immediately sure that this person (he looked them over from the ground up) was the Great Shu Yang whom he had only spoken with but never seen! Mu Yu had kept it a secret that Shu Yang was going to attend this Authors¡¯ Gathering, so he had come to greet them himself. ¡°I¡¯m Mu Yu,¡± Mu Yu said carefully. Su Yuyang smiled more broadly. He hugged Mu Yu tightly and said ardently, ¡°I¡¯m Shu Yang. Thank you, Yu-ge.¡± Seeing that Su Yuyang didn¡¯t restrain himself, Mu Yu didn¡¯t dither about either. He laughed brightly: ¡°No need for thanks.¡± ¡°At first, the first novel site I submitted my book to didn¡¯t sign my book. If not for you giving me a contract, I wouldn¡¯t be where I am today.¡± Su Yuyang was genuinely grateful to Mu Yu. At the time, having been rejected by the web novel site, Su Yuyang had been thoroughly disillusioned, to the point he almost smashed his computer. When he was on his last legs, Mu Yu had given him a percentage division contract. In the end, this proved that Mu Yu had good judgment. ¡°And this gentleman is¡­?¡± Mu Yu turned his gaze to Ling Miao, but since he knew that the person in front of him was Shu Yang, the person at Shu Yang¡¯s side didn¡¯t need an introduction. Su Yuyang held onto Ling Miao¡¯s hand and said with pride, ¡°My lover, Ling Miao, also your author, Zero Seconds Ago.¡± ¡°Yu-ge,¡± Ling Miao called timidly. Mu Yu heard Ling Miao¡¯s timid voice and wasn¡¯t sure how to respond. He looked awkwardly at the two in front of him and said, ¡°Shu Yang, I didn¡¯t tell management that you¡¯d be here so you don¡¯t have to sign in. This is your room key¡ªit¡¯s a single. I have other authors to meet so I won¡¯t accompany you up.¡± Mu Yu had specially mentioned that it was a single, which made Ling Miao turn red. Ling Miao cursed inwardly: Yu-ge, thank you for being so considerate of us! I¡¯m going to cry! Ling Miao had turned red. Mu Yu assumed he was embarrassed and didn¡¯t think more on the matter. Su Yuyang toyed with the card in his hand and dragged Ling Miao toward the room. ¡°Let¡¯s go. Are you standing here for people to look at?¡± ¡°Right, Yu-ge.¡± Su Yuyang was halfway on his way when he suddenly turned around again. The sound of his voice made Mu Yu jump. Mu Yu was currently attending to another author and indicated for Su Yuyang to hold on. After arranging the room for the other author, Mu Yu walked over. Su Yuyang said, ¡°That mystery guest is Yan Li, right?¡± Su Yuyang smiled with pride, but Mu Yu thought that Su Yuyang¡¯s expression was asking for a beating. He was genuinely surprised that Su Yuyang had guessed that their special guest was Yan Li. They hadn¡¯t announced the mystery guest at all and only a few people knew the identity of the guest. Yesterday, he¡¯d only mentioned briefly that the mystery guest was related to Su Yuyang and Su Yuyang had immediately guessed that it was Yan Li. That didn¡¯t make sense, did it? Just as Mu Yu was wracking his brains, Ling Miao walked over. He put his phone in his pocket and said, ¡°Yan-jie¡¯s here and she asked us to go to her room.¡± ¡°Yan-jie?¡± ¡°Yan Li!¡± Su Yuyang drew close to Mu Yu¡¯s ear and said, ¡°Forgot to tell you that Yan Li and I were university classmates and good friends. Her boyfriend, Ji Linxi, is Xiao Miao¡¯s good friend.¡± Su Yuyang patted the petrified Mu Yu and entered the elevator along with Ling Miao. Yan Li was in a suite with a living room. When Su Yuyang and the others arrived, Yan Li was practicing her dance routine. Ji Linxi sat to one side in silence, his stony face keeping everyone at a thousand-yard distance. ¡°You¡¯re here?¡± Yan Li glanced at the both of them and completed her motion, then stopped. ¡°What do you need help with?¡± Su Yuyang asked, curious. Yan Li pointed at her throat. ¡°My throat¡¯s not feeling too good. My performance tomorrow will be affected, so I was hoping you¡¯d help me.¡± ¡°She practised too much in the cold wind all night, so her voice is half gone. And the song she has to sing tomorrow has several lines that need a lot of vocal power. She hopes that you can sing those lines.¡± Ji Linxi was like a block of ice¡ªevery word from him was glacial and penetrating. Ling Miao flinched and probed, ¡°She stood out in the cold wind all night, you say. Does that have something to do with you?¡± Ji Linxi glanced at Ling Miao and a heavy sound emanated from his lips: ¡°Yes!¡± Ling Miao was rendered speechless and he looked pleadingly at Su Yuyang. Su Yuyang ruffled his own hair, clearly upset. He paced back and forth in the room muttering something under his breath. The sight made Yan Li dizzy and she yelled, ¡°Stop! Old Su, just answer with one word. Yes or no?¡± Yan Li finished speaking and frowned. Su Yuyang said awkwardly, ¡°My singing¡¯s bad and you know that¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t think I¡¯m intentionally singing badly in order to make it seem like you¡¯re a better fit than Ji Linxi,¡± Yan Li cut Su Yuyang off. Su Yuyang turned his eyes on Ji Linxi and said with surprise, ¡°Weren¡¯t you going to be the spokesperson for Demonic Song¡¯s online game with Yan Li? Surely it¡¯s better if you two sing a duet?¡± Yan Li didn¡¯t even glance at Ji Linxi and stared into Su Yuyang¡¯s eyes. Su Yuyang was terrified by Yan Li¡¯s uncompromising gaze. There was definitely something up between Yan Li and Ji Linxi! Ling Miao ignored Su Yuyang¡¯s pleading gaze. His eyes darted between Ji Linxi and Yan Li, but he couldn¡¯t discern anything. He scooted over to Ji Linxi¡¯s side and sat down, asking warily, ¡°Linxi, have you and Yan-jie fallen out?¡± ¡°Has it ever been calm between us?¡± Facing Ling Miao, Ji Linxi¡¯s expression calmed down a little, but the moment he glanced toward Yan Li his gaze grew icy. ¡°Linxi, you two¡­¡± ¡°All right, Ji Linxi!¡± Yan Li was like an exploding volcano. ¡°I was just suggesting that you accept the role for Demonic Song¡¯s game. Do you really have to act like I¡¯m selling you?¡± Compared to Yan Li¡¯s rage, Ji Linxi was much calmer. He said calmly, ¡°What right do you have to negotiate with the game company on my behalf?¡± Ji Linxi¡¯s words landed like a hammer nailing Yan Li firmly to the wall. [Table of Contents] | [Chaleuria is on Twitter!] | [Buy your translation team a coffee?] Chapter 093 The Complete Guide to the Use and Care of a Personal Assistant Translator: Jury Editor: NomNom First Published on Chaleuria ¡ª Chapter Ninety-three ¡°You¡¯re right, I don¡¯t have that right.¡± Yan Li¡¯s smile was desolate. ¡°But I hoped it would go better than this. You becoming my assistant was a temporary measure, and now you have a great opportunity to do more. It won¡¯t incite any ill-intentioned speculation from the paparazzi, either. Why won¡¯t you agree? Are you really content just to be my little assistant?¡± ¡°How do you know I¡¯m not content?¡± Ji Linxi¡¯s tone warmed and contained a hint of flirtatiousness. Ling Miao scooted behind Su Yuyang and pulled Su Yuyang to one side, murmuring, ¡°Ji Linxi¡¯s attitude towards Yan Li has changed too drastically, right?¡± Yan Li and Ji Linxi had only been away for two weeks, but their relationship had already changed a lot. Maybe not from Yan Li¡¯s perspective, but Ling Miao put the pieces together from the way Ji Linxi looked at her and what he had said. He made a daring conjecture: Ji Linxi¡¯s feelings toward Yan Li had changed! Su Yuyang looked thoughtfully at the pair of them facing off. His mouth twitched and he guessed, ¡°Maybe, now that they¡¯ve been alone together for a while, Ji Linxi understands the real Yan Li and has fallen for her. In that case, now they don¡¯t have to worry that the paparazzi find out they¡¯re acting.¡± Ling Miao pulled at Su Yuyang¡¯s arm, indicating for him to lower his head. Su Yuyang complied and Ling Miao whispered into his ear. Su Yuyang¡¯s expression changed from confusion to shock then realization. After hearing Ling Miao¡¯s plan in full, Su Yuyang patted his chest and promised, ¡°Rest assured, I¡¯ll complete the task you¡¯ve given me!¡± ¡°Scram!¡± Ling Miao laughed and threw a punch at Su Yuyang, who caught Ling Miao¡¯s fist in an open hand and brought it to his lips for a kiss. Yan Li and Ji Linxi¡¯s gazes had been drawn by Ling Miao¡¯s shout and now they observed Ling Miao hitting Su Yuyang and Su Yuyang kissing Ling Miao¡¯s fist. ¡°Hey.¡± Yan Li angled her neck and put her hands on her waist, eyes radiating fierceness. She looked like she was about to beat Su Yuyang up. Su Yuyang looked at her in confusion and she huffed, saying angrily, ¡°You two, do you really want to show such PDA in front of me? Is it a good idea? Is it?¡± ¡°What¡¯s not good about it?¡± Su Yuyang smiled faintly and looked at Ji Linxi. ¡°What do you think, Ji Linxi?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know!¡± Ji Linxi spat out the words as if he was venting, then he pushed past Su Yuyang and Ling Miao toward the door. Ling Miao angled his chin toward Yan Li. Su Yuyang, understanding his meaning, signaled ¡®OK¡¯ with his fingers. Under Yan Li¡¯s uncomprehending gaze, Ling Miao swiftly ran out as if to chase Ji Linxi down. Wait! Yan Li mechanically turned her neck to face Su Yuyang head-on. She saw that Su Yuyang was calmly watching the doorway. This doesn¡¯t make sense! This makes no sense at all! Su Yuyang is allowing Ling Miao to chase after Ji Linxi! When he and Ling Miao weren¡¯t yet together, he hated seeing Ji Linxi. Now he¡¯s letting Ling Miao go look for Ji Linxi? Did he forget to take his meds before he left the house this morning? Su Yuyang saw Yan Li looking at him with surprise flashing in her eyes. He asked uncertainly, ¡°Yan Yan, is there something on my face?¡± ¡°Nothing dirty on your face, but what about in your heart?¡± ¡°What could there be in my heart?¡± This time Su Yuyang was thoroughly confused. Yan Li wasn¡¯t sure what to say, either. She ran a hand through her already messy hair and said in frustration, ¡°If there¡¯s nothing, then there¡¯s nothing. Also, you¡¯re letting Ling Miao go look for Ji Linxi?¡± ¡°Ji Linxi won¡¯t kidnap Ling Miao.¡± Su Yuyang sat at Yan Li¡¯s side, perfectly calm. ¡°Unless you¡¯re worried Ling Miao will kidnap Ji Linxi?¡± ¡°If he wants to be kidnapped, then he can go get kidnapped. What¡¯s it got to do with me?¡±1 Yan Li¡¯s voice got higher and higher. Su Yuyang hurriedly advised, ¡°Don¡¯t get angry, don¡¯t get angry. It won¡¯t be good if we¡¯re overheard.¡± ¡°Me?¡±1 Yan Li didn¡¯t care at all. ¡°Did I say too little? Don¡¯t you say it too? My dad and mom say it too!¡± ¡°I¡­ forget it, I won¡¯t quibble with you over this.¡± Su Yuyang knew that this was only lip service and it wouldn¡¯t mean much to keep pursuing it. After a pause, Su Yuyang said, ¡°Xiao Miao said I should agree to sing the duet with you. He said that since you¡¯re the spokesperson for the game adapted from my novel, I should help you.¡± ¡°You¡¯re fairly obedient to Ling Miao.¡± Yan Li smiled broadly. ¡°What did your parents say?¡± ¡°My mom didn¡¯t give Xiao Miao a hard time and asked him to call her mom immediately. As for my dad¡­ ah, I¡¯d better get past Ling Miao¡¯s parents first.¡± At the mention of Ling Miao¡¯s parents, Su Yuyang¡¯s head started hurting. ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about me. What about that song you want to sing?¡± ¡°It¡¯s that advertising song with the same name as the game, Demonic Song Defying Heaven, of course!¡± Su Yuyang had never heard that song before! Under Yan Li¡¯s threats, Su Yuyang was forced to remain in Yan Li¡¯s room and practise the song with her. When Ling Miao and Ji Linxi returned, Su Yuyang was lying on the ground panting for breath. ¡°Are you all right?¡± ¡°Sing, ¡®I¡¯ll love even if I die,¡¯ who knows how many times and you¡¯ll know how I feel right now.¡± Under Yan Li¡¯s teaching, Su Yuyang had finally figured out how to sing that part. Seeing that Ji Linxi had come back, Su Yuyang didn¡¯t think he should stay, either. He found an excuse to leave and took Ling Miao with him. On the way back to their room, Su Yuyang asked Ling Miao what he¡¯d talked with Ji Linxi about. Ling Miao spread his hands: ¡°Nothing. I just walked around the hotel with him and went to see where we¡¯d be taking lunch tomorrow.¡± ¡°How is the decor going?¡± ¡°It¡¯s done. We¡¯re adjusting the sound.¡± They talked as they walked and quickly arrived at their room. Su Yuyang¡¯s room was a single and on the same floor as the other authors¡¯. Su Yuyang felt a little bad that Mu Yu had to keep him under wraps like this. Mu Yu was currently standing outside Su Yuyang¡¯s room smoking a cigarette. When he saw Su Yuyang coming he took another cigarette and handed it to Su Yuyang, who smiled and refused. Ling Miao looked curiously at Su Yuyang: Su Yuyang probably did want to smoke¡ªhe¡¯d seen it before! Mu Yu had come looking for Su Yuyang to get his opinion on how to introduce him tomorrow. ¡°Yu-ge, you don¡¯t have to make such a big deal out of it. I¡¯m not some big name,¡± Su Yuyang said humbly. Mu Yu laughed and said, ¡°Mostly it¡¯s because no one knows who you are. Your appearance will make waves.¡± ¡°Compared to Yan Li, won¡¯t I just be an ant underfoot?¡± Su Yuyang said aggrievedly. ¡°You¡¯ll go onstage before her!¡± Mu Yu explained. ¡°How about together?¡± Ling Miao took Su Yuyang¡¯s hint and interrupted. ¡°He and Yan-jie are friends, anyway. We¡¯ll just discuss it with her and it¡¯ll be fine, won¡¯t it?¡± ¡°No need to discuss.¡± Ji Linxi appeared like a ghost in Su Yuyang¡¯s room. Actually, Ji Linxi had arrived a long time ago but he had been waiting for Ling Miao¡¯s signal. He glanced at Ling Miao, then turned to Mu Yu and said, ¡°A-Li has agreed.¡± Mu Yu and Su Yuyang exchanged a few more words. Probably feeling that his presence here was extraneous, Mu Yu made an excuse and left. After Mu Yu left, the room went totally silent. Ji Linxi asked, ¡°What the hell are you two selling?¡± [Table of Contents] | [Chaleuria is on Twitter!] | [Buy your translation team a coffee?] Translation notes: [1] Yan Li is using a rude/arrogant form of ¡®me¡¯. Chapter 094 The Complete Guide to the Use and Care of a Personal Assistant Translator: Jury Editor: NomNom First Published on Chaleuria ¡ª Chapter Ninety-four Ling Miao froze. Had Ji Linxi noticed something? Su Yuyang was calmer than Ling Miao and didn¡¯t panic at Ji Linxi¡¯s probing. Analyzing Ji Linxi¡¯s words, he could tell that Ji Linxi had noticed nothing. Su Yuyang raised his eyebrows and looked at Ji Linxi with a challenge in his eyes. ¡°Something that¡¯ll make you unhappy.¡± ¡°Oh yeah?¡± Ji Linxi laughed coldly. ¡°Then I¡¯ll wait to see it.¡± Ji Linxi left the room and Ling Miao said with trepidation, ¡°I¡¯m shocked. Has Linxi seen through our plan?¡± ¡°Even if he saw through our plan, does that make it unworkable? Besides, me and Yan Li¡ªhe can tell at a glance that it¡¯s an act, no?¡± Ling Miao looked at Su Yuyang in shock and scolded, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you remind me earlier?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that I didn¡¯t remind you, but that you¡¯re stupid!¡± Su Yuyang jabbed Ling Miao¡¯s forehead and Ling Miao stepped on Su Yuyang¡¯s foot in retaliation. Su Yuyang¡¯s cry of pain reverberated through the room. The second day, Ji Linxi woke Su Yuyang and Ling Miao. Under Ji Linxi¡¯s teasing gaze, they walked into the dressing room. Yan Li had already changed clothes. She wore Han attire in river-blue¡ªthe outfit the female protagonist of Demonic Song Defying Heaven usually wore. Su Yuyang hadn¡¯t described the female protagonist¡¯s appearance in detail, but he grew inexplicably excited seeing Yan Li before him now. It was as if the character from the book was standing before him now¡ªor perhaps Yan Li¡¯s appearance now was the one he wished the protagonist in his book to have. ¡°Very pretty!¡± Su Yuyang said in approval. Yan Li mischievously blinked and said invitingly, ¡°Is this the Luo Ying in your imagination?¡± Su Yuyang smiled and didn¡¯t say anything. He took the clothes Ling Miao handed him and headed for the changing room. Su Yuyang¡¯s outfit was also Han attire, but because they were pressed for time, his wasn¡¯t tailor-made and the fit was large on him. Su Yuyang¡¯s costume was black, like Feng Ji¡¯s in Demonic Song. Yan Li had finished her makeup and now she stood to one side watching Su Yuyang do his. Ling Miao took photos. ¡°Xiao Miao, don¡¯t put them online!¡± Su Yuyang had guessed what Ling Miao was about to do and instantly cried out to prevent it. Ling Miao said aggrievedly, ¡°I¡¯ll post them only after you¡¯re done, how about that?¡± Then he turned the camera on Yan Li, who looked into the viewport with a cold, arrogant look on her face. ¡°Yan-jie, let¡¯s take a photo together!¡± ¡°Sure! Remember to send it to me!¡± Yan Li reached out as if holding Ling Miao¡¯s neck and Ling Miao pretended to be choking. While Ling Miao and Yan Li were having fun taking photos, Su Yuyang watched their reflections in the mirror and smiled helplessly. His gaze was drawn to Ji Linxi, who was standing in the corner, and a crafty expression shot through his eyes. Since Ji Linxi had come in, everyone had completely forgotten him, whether intentionally or not. Ji Linxi stood in the corner, his hands curled into fists at his sides. The veins in the back of his hands popped and he seemed as if he were trying hard to suppress something. An employee came in to remind the performers that they should prepare to go onstage and Ji Linxi made a noise to indicate his existence. ¡°A-Li, three minutes to showtime.¡± Yan Li didn¡¯t seem to have heard Ji Linxi. She didn¡¯t even reply. She said to Ling Miao, ¡°Xiao Miao, remember to record later!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t record my ugly side, or you¡¯ll get it when we get home!¡± Su Yuyang intentionally put the emphasis on certain words. To one side, Yan Li teased, ¡°Oh, you two have exciting night lives!¡± Ling Miao felt his face burning. He was about to grab Ji Linxi and leave, but thinking of his own plan he forced himself to change direction and walk toward the auditorium. The intro to Demonic Song Defying Heaven started up and Ling Miao could feel his blood pumping. ¡°Under the setting sun we walk, and the sky suddenly changes. Bound by the word of our contract, our lives are fated to be extraordinary.¡± Yan Li¡¯s clear bright voice came from one side of the stage. By the time the first verse had ended, she was standing center stage. ¡°The plot gradually surfaces. Truth begins its long slumber. Alone I search but find no trace. Who will share this world with me?¡± A rich and deep man¡¯s voice came from the other side of the stage, harmonizing with Yan Li¡¯s. ¡°Kill! Escape the chains of fate. Kill! Break the walls between spaces. The music of a thousand souls, become one song that defies the heavens!¡± The last part was sung together, and the atmosphere created by the two seemed to break through to the sky. Many people at the scene were shocked. On the big screen, an image of Yan Li and Su Yuyang was displayed. Yan Li¡¯s presence surprised many people, but even more were wondering who the person singing the duet with her was. ¡°Damn, that guy¡¯s good looking!¡± Suddenly, Ling Miao heard two women at the table behind him discussing. ¡°Do you think I should go ask him for his number?¡± My man, and you want to get involved with him? You¡¯re not worried I¡¯ll go after you? Ling Miao had his phone raised, recording the performance. After he finished internally cursing the women he began internally cursing himself: Fuck, people do go by appearances. If I¡¯d known I wouldn¡¯t have let him go onstage! Now he¡¯s getting ogled by women! No, I have to let everyone know that this guy is mine! With this thought, Ling Miao almost rushed up onstage. That is, he would have, if Ji Linxi hadn¡¯t caught Yan Li and kissed her. ¡°Fuck, what just happened?!¡± Ling Miao was shocked. He hadn¡¯t noticed himself getting distracted, hadn¡¯t seen what happened on stage. Only when the crowd started shouting in surprise did he get his wits back, and then he saw Ji Linxi kissing Yan Li. ¡°Uh¡­¡± The announcer, who happened to be Mu Yu, pushed his glasses up awkwardly. Su Yuyang walked to Mu Yu¡¯s side intending to defuse the situation, but Ji Linxi spoke first: ¡°Su Yuyang, I know what you¡¯re trying to do. Yes, I¡¯ve fallen for Yan Li. I know you did it on purpose, but when I see you being intimate with her I can¡¯t stand it! And then I remember your relationship with Xiao Miao. Su Yuyang, you¡¯d better go back to your Xiao Miao!¡± Ji Linxi had said this into Su Yuyang¡¯s ear. Mu Yu must have heard a little, but everyone else heard nothing. ¡°Good evening! I¡¯m Yan Li!¡± Yan Li¡¯s gentle voice came. Probably because Ji Linxi had kissed her in front of so many people, her heart was panicking and her voice trembled a little. The moment Yan Li started speaking, she attracted most of the attention. Seeing everyone¡¯s eyes on her, she said, panting slightly, ¡°My boyfriend got jealous when he saw me with another man. Don¡¯t blame him, everyone. ¡°Today, I¡¯m here as the spokesperson of Demonic Song Defying Heaven¡¯s tie-in online game. I took on this role, not only because I like this book very much, but also to support my good friend Shu Yang. He¡¯s here today, too.¡± As Yan Li spoke, she held her arm out and pointed toward the man in black Han attire beside Mu Yu. ¡°The man who sang Demonic Song Defying Heaven with me just now is the book¡¯s author, Shu Yang!¡± ¡°He¡¯s Shu Yang! He¡¯s so handsome. How can he be gay?¡± The woman behind Ling Miao was talking again. Fuck! If he wasn¡¯t handsome, why would I have my eye on him? Ling Miao thought fretfully, then on impulse he rushed up on stage so quickly the security didn¡¯t even have time to react. ¡°Hey, Su Yuyang.¡± Ling Miao¡¯s voice suddenly came, his tone fierce. The successful author saw that Ling Miao seemed to want to eat him and thought, What did I do wrong now? [Table of Contents] | [Chaleuria is on Twitter!] | [Buy your translation team a coffee?] Chapter 095 The Complete Guide to the Use and Care of a Personal Assistant Translator: Jury Editor: NomNom First Published on Chaleuria ¡ª Chapter Ninety-five It wasn¡¯t surprising that Yan Li had made an appearance at the Authors¡¯ Gathering as the spokesperson for the online game adaptation of Demonic Song Defying Heaven. After all, one of the objectives of this gathering was to promote the game. Yan Li¡¯s appearance was a pleasant surprise but Su Yuyang¡¯s appearance was astonishing. This guy never showed his face! What demonic wind blew him here today? The video of Yan Li and Su Yuyang¡¯s duet of ¡®Demonic Song Defying Heaven¡¯ quietly and quickly spread through the Internet. Some of Su Yuyang¡¯s die-hard fans heard the news and quickly visited the website to view Shu Yang¡¯s performance. The thread on the web novel forum stayed at the top of the first page and never dropped. Ling Miao was the person who had posted the thread. The video included the backstage preparations and the performance onstage. As for what happened after he rushed onstage¡ªJi Linxi had filmed it for him. ¡°Isn¡¯t this Su Yuyang?¡± Tang Xuan looked at the man on the screen and the water he had been drinking sprayed out of his mouth onto the computer monitor. Hs eyes bugged out so wide they almost rolled out of his face. Tang Xuan hadn¡¯t spoken with Su Yuyang since they graduated university, but Su Yuyang¡¯s appearance hadn¡¯t changed much in these few years, so when Tang Xuan saw the face on the screen he immediately recognized the man in front of the camera as Su Yuyang. Su Yuyang, a person he knew and yet was also a stranger. Tang Xuan and Su Yuyang had met during university military training. They weren¡¯t in the same platoon, but they were in the same company and even stood next to each other. Regarding Tang Xuan and Su Yuyang¡ªthe two had become friends due to novels, and then had grown to understand each other deeply. Tang Xuan¡¯s feelings toward Su Yuyang had also changed from platonic to romantic. He had been worried that Su Yuyang would detest him before he confessed, but after he found out that Su Yuyang also liked men, events logically culminated in the two of them pursuing a relationship. But Su Yuyang¡¯s obsession with novels made Tang Xuan unsure if Su Yuyang had agreed to be with him out of love or in order to discuss novels in depth. The second reason was laughable! That¡¯s right. Tang Xuan was Su Yuyang¡¯s second boyfriend. Tang Xuan watched Su Yuyang in the video and internally lamented. At first, he and Su Yuyang had started co-writing a novel, but it had been abandoned only 100,000 words in due to their breakup. After that, he had written several books on and off, but all of them had flopped, without exception. Now he looked at Su Yuyang. His first book Heavenly Domain had secured his place as a successful author; his second book Demonic Song Defying Heaven had solidified it completely; and by the third book he was a publicly recognized legendary writer. ¡°Tang Xuan, you¡¯re watching videos on the clock? No bonus for you this month!¡± The supervisor¡¯s strict voice came from behind. Tang Xuan turned and saw his supervisor¡¯s jaundiced face. Tang Xuan glanced back at his screen. The video was black, but a voice was still coming from it. A person yelled, ¡°Hey, Su Yuyang!¡± ¡°If you want to watch this video so much, should I put you on a long leave so you can watch your fill at home?¡± The supervisor threatened. Tang Xuan slowly let out a breath, moved his mouse to the top right corner of the browser, and clicked the ¡®X.¡¯ The supervisor huffed and turned to leave, jeering as he did: ¡°So what if you see someone being successful. Your own books, no one reads them¡­¡± Tang Xuan didn¡¯t hear the remainder of what was said but he grit his teeth and clenched his fist for fear that he would accidentally punch his supervisor. The supervisor knew that Tang Xuan wrote novels because he had caught Tang Xuan printing his contract. He had not only searched out Tang Xuan¡¯s novel, but had also sent the site address to the entire office. From then on, the supervisor would needle Tang Xuan whenever he saw him, and would always use the greeting, ¡°Great Author Tang Xuan, when do you intend to go full time?¡± The entire office knew that Tang Xuan and the supervisor did not get along. No doubt, this was due to the event three years ago when Tang Xuan completed a case which had stumped the supervisor for a long time. Ever since then, the supervisor had looked for ways to keep Tang Xuan down. In order to talk more conveniently with Tang Xuan, he moved Tang Xuan¡¯s desk to right under his nose. Someone advised Tang Xuan to quit and that person was later fired. Since then, most people who were friendly with Tang Xuan gew distant from him, until he became a lonely presence in the office. Tang Xuan opened his case file and continued doing the work the supervisor had assigned. Seeing the tiny print, Tang Xuan glared at the supervisor hatefully and the supervisor bellowed, ¡°What are you looking at? Have you finished your work?¡± Tang Xuan tapped away at the keyboard and thought about how Su Yuyang was living now. He could not help but sigh: If I hadn¡¯t broken up with Su Yuyang back then I¡¯d be living an idyllic life now even if I didn¡¯t work! Then he thought about the supervisor¡¯s perpetually dark face, how his colleagues had distanced themselves from him, and Su Yuyang¡¯s annual income¡­ as the various imaginings piled up, Tang Xuan had an audacious idea¡ªhe would look for Su Yuyang, and reconcile with him! Though he knew Su Yuyang had a new boyfriend, he believed that since Su Yuyang had chosen him once, even so many years later, he still had the charm to make Su Yuyang choose him again! Now that Tang Xuan had made up his mind, his mood improved. He fantasized about the life he would have, free of burdens, once he reconciled with Su Yuyang. He really wanted to laugh out loud and inform the entire office: Fuck it, I¡¯m going to leave these terrible and regimented days far behind! ¡°Aah¡ª¡± Something hit Tang Xuan¡¯s head and he cried out in pain. He reflexively turned to look at the supervisor, whose smiling face turned dark as soon as he saw Tang Xuan. He had picked up the packaging of a product close at hand and tossed it at Tang Xuan: ¡°What are you looking around for? Go and do your work!¡± ¡°Fuck it. When I reconcile with Su Yuyang, I¡¯ll buy your entire company and make you call me grandpa every day!¡± Tang Xuan thought angrily and reluctantly continued filling out the form. When Tang Xuan got home, he lay down and didn¡¯t move a finger. But thinking of Su Yuyang, whose whereabouts were unknown, he sat up like a wind up toy. He took out his phone and pulled up Su Yuyang¡¯s number. Tang Xuan hadn¡¯t called this number since they broke up. He wasn¡¯t sure if Su Yuyang had changed his number. Or perhaps Su Yuyang had already forgotten him completely. His thumb hovered over the call button. The surety Tang Xuan had felt in the office had completely dissipated. He was worried that Su Yuyang would refuse to meet with him. He was even more worried that Su Yuyang had forgotten him. The screen darkened. Tang Xuan saw his tired expression reflected in the screen and he imagined he also saw his supervisor¡¯s nauseating expression and heard his supervisor¡¯s mocking laughter. He unlocked the phone again and hit the call button. A pleasant ringing came from the receiver. Tang Xuan¡¯s entire body shook, as if someone was shaking him. Su Yuyang and Ling Miao were currently watching the video Ling Miao had recorded. At the part where Ling Miao went onstage, Su Yuyang¡¯s phone rang. Su Yuyang¡¯s phone was beside Ling Miao¡¯s hand. Su Yuyang asked, ¡°Who¡¯s calling?¡± ¡°Tang Xuan.¡± ¡°Tang Xuan?¡± Hearing the unfamiliar name, Su Yuyang¡¯s forehead furrowed. He didn¡¯t remember this person. Ling Miao noticed Su Yuyang¡¯s conflicted expression and asked, ¡°If a name¡¯s showing up, it¡¯s a contact in your phone. It¡¯s someone you know, right?¡± ¡°Tang Xuan.¡± Su Yuyang murmured this name to himself over and over, and suddenly his expression grew grave. He took the phone from Ling Miao and walked out, panic on his face. Ling Miao observed Su Yuyang¡¯s actions from one side and noticed his confusion, his panic, and his unease. Who exactly was Tang Xuan? Ling Miao¡¯s heart clenched and unease began to roil within him. Several minutes later, Su Yuyang came back. ¡°What happened?¡± Seeing Ling Miao trembling from head to toe, Su Yuyang asked worriedly. Ling Miao forced a smile. ¡°Nothing. Oh, yeah, who was that?¡± ¡°An old friend invited me to meet tomorrow,¡± Su Yuyang said casually. ¡°Tang Xuan likes novels, too. We once started co-writing one, but we didn¡¯t finish it. Don¡¯t watch the video any more. Let¡¯s sleep.¡± As they lay down, Su Yuyang murmured to himself: ¡°Tang Xuan hasn¡¯t contacted me in a long time, and the moment he got in touch he wants to meet alone. What reason would he have to look for me?¡± Co-wrote a novel before? Could it be that person? Haven¡¯t been in contact for a long time, meeting alone. In his downtime, Ling Miao had heard Feng Ji talk about Su Yuyang¡¯s dating history. Su Yuyang¡¯s second boyfriend had co-written a novel with Su Yuyang, but it was discontinued when the two broke up. Was this Tang Xuan Su Yuyang¡¯s second boyfriend? Ex-boyfriend, haven¡¯t been in contact for a long time, suddenly got in touch, and wants to meet privately¡­ Ling Miao thought a lot about this and the more he thought the more chaotic his mind became. Was he looking for Su Yuyang to reconcile? Ling Miao lay in Su Yuyang¡¯s arms with his eyes wide open, unease intensifying in his heart. Ling Miao didn¡¯t know when he fell asleep. When he woke up, the person beside him was gone and the place where he had lain was cold. Clearly, Su Yuyang had been gone for a while. Did Su Yuyang go to meet Tang Xuan? Ling Miao shot up into a sitting position on the bed. ¡°Su Yuyang, you must be at home, right?¡± Ling Miao tore off the blankets, stepped barefoot on the ground, then searched room after room for Su Yuyang. He even checked the storeroom, but Su Yuyang wasn¡¯t there. ¡°Right, phone!¡± Ling Miao picked up the phone by his side and dialed Su Yuyang¡¯s number. A familiar ringtone came from the bedroom. Ling Miao followed the sound. Su Yuyang¡¯s phone was vibrating on the nightstand and the screen read, ¡®Home.¡¯ ¡°Su Yuyang, where the fuck did you go?¡± Ling Miao yelled, holding Su Yuyang¡¯s phone. [Table of Contents] | [Chaleuria is on Twitter!] | [Buy your translation team a coffee?] Chapter 096 The Complete Guide to the Use and Care of a Personal Assistant Translator: Jury Editor: NomNom First Published on Chaleuria ¡ª Chapter Ninety-six ¡°Tang Xuan, Tang Xuan. Who might know Tang Xuan?¡± Ling Miao sat dejectedly on the bed, turning Su Yuyang¡¯s phone over and over in his hand as if it were Su Yuyang¡¯s own hand. But there was no warmth. The sensation of holding it was like holding a block of ice. ¡°Tang Xuan and Su Yuyang were university friends, so, someone who¡¯s likely to know Tang Xuan¡­¡± Ling Miao considered people who might know Tang Xuan and suddenly came across a likely candidate. With an attitude of ¡®worth a try,¡¯ Ling Miao picked up his phone and dialed Feng Ji¡¯s number with trembling fingers. ¡°Xiao Miao, what¡¯s up?¡± Feng Ji¡¯s tone was light, like he was in a good mood. ¡°Feng Ji, I¡­¡± Ling Miao started to speak, then stopped, evidently very uneasy. ¡°¡±What¡¯s the matter?¡± Feng Ji asked worriedly. ¡°Su Yuyang knows a person called Tang Xuan, right? Who is Tang Xuan?¡± ¡°Su Yuyang¡¯s boyfriend before me,¡± Feng Ji said without thinking twice. Only after he finished did he realize the situation wasn¡¯t good, and was about to explain more but the call had ended. Feng Ji thought about calling back to explain the situation properly, but a customer arrived and he had to go greet them. A former lover? Now that Ling Miao knew Tang Xuan¡¯s identity, panic rose in his heart. From Su Yuyang¡¯s reaction, Tang Xuan had not contacted him for a long time, but now that he had suddenly gotten in touch with Su Yuyang, Ling Miao couldn¡¯t help but panic regardless of how he looked at it. Tang Xuan had invited Su Yuyang to meet. Su Yuyang had not only agreed, he also hadn¡¯t brought his phone with him. It was as if he didn¡¯t want Ling Miao to contact him. Ling Miao had previously had a hard time calming down, and now Su Yuyang¡¯s actions had re-ignited the turbulence in his heart¡ªhe wasn¡¯t sure when he would regain his calm. Time passed, minute by second. Ling Miao stood frozen to the spot like a statue, his palm sweating around the phone he gripped tightly. A long time had passed and Su Yuyang hadn¡¯t returned or even given him a phone call. Ling Miao wondered if they¡¯d rekindled their old romance the moment they met. Then sparks might meet dry wood, and¡­ Or perhaps the two were currently in a certain room of a certain hotel doing things even he and Su Yuyang hadn¡¯t done before. As time dragged on, Ling Miao thought about it more and more. He felt as if his insides were being squeezed by a pair of hands. If those hands used even a bit more force, his insides would explode from the pressure. Ling Miao had been forced into a corner, and now he looked at Su Yuyang¡¯s phone and came up with an idea! He couldn¡¯t contact Su Yuyang, but might he be able to contact Tang Xuan? Ling Miao found Tang Xuan¡¯s name in the contacts, took a deep breath, and called the number. Su Yuyang and Tang Xuan were currently on the return train. They made conversation on and off; most of the time it was Tang Xuan asking the questions while Su Yuyang gave perfunctory answers. Everyone around them could see Su Yuyang¡¯s cool attitude toward Tang Xuan. The atmosphere between the two was certainly somewhat awkward. Tang Xuan¡¯s phone suddenly rang. Su Yuyang heard the ringtone and found it somewhat familiar¡ªfuck, wasn¡¯t this the song Demonic Song Defying Heaven that he and Yan Li had sung together? Tang Xuan glanced at the display, then at the man at his side, and suddenly realized who must be calling. Tang Xuan smiled and rejected the call. Su Yuyang asked, ¡°You¡¯re not taking that?¡± ¡°Unknown number,¡± Tang Xuan smiled and said. ¡°What about your guy?¡± Tang Xuan brought up Ling Miao with no good intentions. Su Yuyang narrowed his eyes at Tang Xuan¡¯s faint smile and momentarily wasn¡¯t sure what intentions Tang Xuan had in mentioning Ling Miao. ¡°He¡¯s still asleep and I don¡¯t want to wake him,¡± Su Yuyang replied carefully. ¡°Also, don¡¯t get any ideas about him. If you hadn¡¯t threatened me,I wouldn¡¯t have come to meet you.¡± Su Yuyang said the last part into Tang Xuan¡¯s ear. Tang Xuan¡¯s face fell and a dark smile appeared on his face. ¡°You¡¯re so worried about him? Su Yuyang, I¡­¡± The train was almost at the station. Su Yuyang cut Tang Xuan off: ¡°Lend me your phone.¡± ¡°Where¡¯s yours?¡± ¡°Left it at home.¡± Su Yuyang took the phone from Tang Xuan, who didn¡¯t see what Su Yuyang was doing, but he was sure of one thing¡ªthat call just now was from that guy Zero Seconds Ago. You¡¯re trying to ruin my reconciliation with Su Yuyang. Zero Seconds Ago, I won¡¯t allow it! Su Yuyang returned the phone to Tang Xuan just as the train got to the station. ¡°It¡¯s almost time for lunch. What shall we eat? My treat.¡± Tang Xuan quietly saved the number Su Yuyang had just dialed. Su Yuyang didn¡¯t notice Tang Xuan¡¯s actions. Even if he had, he wouldn¡¯t say anything. That number was Feng Ji¡¯s anyway. ¡°No need for you to treat.¡± Su Yuyang coldly rejected Tang Xuan, then walked toward W&S. ¡°Wind and Sun?¡± Tang Xuan looked at the strange shop name, then walked in with Su Yuyang, curiosity in his heart. Su Yuyang was currently talking to someone. Tang Xuan¡¯s gaze swept over the person; he seemed familiar. Tang Xuan walked over to Su Yuyang and sat down opposite him. The person turned his attention to Tang Xuan. ¡°What would you like to order?¡± Tang Xuan picked several dishes and the server left. The server was Feng Ji. On the train, Su Yuyang had called Feng Ji. Su Yuyang had chosen to eat at W&S so that Feng Ji could be his witness when he explained everything to Ling Miao. Nothing would have happened between him and Tang Xuan. Seeing Tang Xuan appear, Feng Ji now understood why Ling Miao was suddenly asking him about Tang Xuan. Feng Ji passed the order form to the kitchen, then sat behind the bar observing Su Yuyang and Tang Xuan. His fingers slid over his phone screen and his tightly knit forehead indicated he was deep in thought. Should I tell Ling Miao? Feng Ji could guess what Su Yuyang was thinking coming here today. Su Yuyang hadn¡¯t told Ling Miao about Tang Xuan¡¯s identity, either, so he was likely hoping to settle everything now. ¡°This guy Tang Xuan¡­ he didn¡¯t show his face for a few years, and now that Ling Miao and Su Yuyang¡¯s relationship is established but not that stable, he shows up again? Did he time it like this?¡± Just as Feng Ji was about to worry himself to death, his phone rang¡ªthe display indicated that it was Su Yuyang calling. Su Yuyang was right in front of him and Su Yuyang hadn¡¯t called him with his own phone earlier. Most likely, this was Ling Miao calling. ¡°Feng Ji, could you get in touch with Tang Xuan for me?¡± Ling Miao¡¯s voice was more steady than before, and Feng Ji frowned even harder. Su Yuyang had his back to Feng Ji so Feng Ji couldn¡¯t see his expression, but Tang Xuan¡¯s radiant smile didn¡¯t seem forced at all. This indicated that Su Yuyang was probably giving Tang Xuan the time of day. This situation made Feng Ji uneasy. In order to not get on Ling Miao¡¯s bad side, he had to sell Su Yuyang out. ¡°Su Yuyang and Tang Xuan are here. Come over.¡± Su Yuyang didn¡¯t realize when Ling Miao entered the shop. Feng Ji pointed to Tang Xuan¡¯s table and Ling Miao gave a grateful look, then slowly walked over. Ling Miao intentionally stood in front of Su Yuyang, then sat down at the table next to them. Su Yuyang¡¯s heart skipped a beat and his forced smile completely fell from his face. [Table of Contents] | [Chaleuria is on Twitter!] | [Buy your translation team a coffee?] Chapter 097 The Complete Guide to the Use and Care of a Personal Assistant Translator: Jury Editor: NomNom First Published on Chaleuria ¡ª Chapter Ninety-seven As Ling Miao passed in front of Su Yuyang, Su Yuyang¡¯s expression changed drastically. Tang Xuan noticed the change in Su Yuyang¡¯s expression and followed Su Yuyang¡¯s gaze to where a young man was placing an order. Tang Xuan didn¡¯t make the connection that the man was Zero Seconds Ago. He took one glance at Ling Miao, then looked away. Before, Tang Xuan and Su Yuyang had chatted a lot, most of which was Tang Xuan probing whether Su Yuyang still had lingering feelings for him. After several exchanges, Tang Xuan was sure that Su Yuyang didn¡¯t have any leftover feelings for him, but that didn¡¯t stand in the way of him asking to get back together. Quite the reverse¡ªhe felt that this was a prime opportunity to get to know each other anew. ¡°Yuyang.¡± Tang Xuan suddenly took Su Yuyang¡¯s hand. ¡°All this time, there¡¯s something I¡¯ve always regretted.¡± A smile flashed across Su Yuyang¡¯s eyes. Tang Xuan was finally getting to the point. Going by his gestures, the words that followed wouldn¡¯t be a good time for Su Yuyang! Su Yuyang slowly pulled his hand from between Tang Xuan¡¯s own. He picked up his coffee and took a small, deliberate sip. ¡°If you have something to say, say it.¡± While Su Yuyang spoke, he diverted some of his attention toward Ling Miao, who seemed completely indifferent. Ling Miao¡¯s expression was calm; he didn¡¯t seem to blame Su Yuyang for leaving him behind to meet another man. At least, that was how Su Yuyang consoled himself¡ªLing Miao didn¡¯t know Tang Xuan¡¯s identity, so he was able to sit there quietly. His being there was certainly a coincidence. Su Yuyang thought this far and let out a breath. He made new plans¡ªthe moment Ling Miao¡¯s expression showed even the slightest change, he would take Ling Miao and leave immediately. As for Tang Xuan, he could go to hell! Ling Miao seemed to notice Su Yuyang looking at him. He turned his head and smiled faintly at Su Yuyang, then turned away again. Su Yuyang¡¯s heart began pounding hard; the cool look in Ling Miao¡¯s eyes was stirring his emotions. Does Ling Miao know something? If he knows about my and Tang Xuan¡¯s relationship, knowing him, he wouldn¡¯t be this calm, would he? Not right, not right! The more Su Yuyang thought the more he noticed the difference in Ling Miao today. If he was at W&S just by coincidence, then when he saw me here why didn¡¯t he seem surprised¡­ that¡¯s fine, but he even pretended not to know me. Did he already know that I was here? At this point, Su Yuyang turned to look at Feng Ji, who had been keeping an eye on the situation. Unsurprisingly, the moment Su Yuyang turned he met Feng Ji¡¯s eyes. Feng Ji furtively lowered his head and pretended to be busy. ¡°Feng Ji!¡± Su Yuyang was howling in his heart. He only prayed that Feng Ji hadn¡¯t told Ling Miao about his relationship with Tang Xuan. ¡°Yuyang, your face is so pale. Are you not feeling well?¡± Tang Xuan asked with concern and tested Su Yuyang¡¯s temperature with his hand. Su Yuyang batted Tang Xuan¡¯s hand away from his forehead and said dismissively, ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Su Yuyang edged backward, as if to increase the distance between himself and Tang Xuan. Tang Xuan seemed not to have seen it. He stirred his coffee with the spoon, but his hands weren¡¯t steady and a lot of the coffee slopped out. Clink¡ªthe crisp sound of the spoon hitting the tea dish. Tang Xuan folded his hands on the table, his eyes on his thumbs rubbing the webbing between his thumb and fingers. ¡°Yuyang, all these years I¡¯ve regretted one thing very much, and that¡¯s breaking up with you back then.¡± Tang Xuan paused. Seeing that Su Yuyang was neither repulsed nor interested, he continued. ¡°After breaking up, I thought about looking for you to reconcile, but you had gotten together with Feng Ji. Then we graduated, and found a job, and I left the area¡­¡± ¡°If you really wanted to reconcile back then, you¡¯d have contacted me long ago. You have my number and could have gotten in touch at any time. You don¡¯t have to come out now and pretend.¡± Su Yuyang cut Tang Xuan off and laughed coldly. ¡°Tang Xuan, I already have a lover.¡± ¡°You really love him?¡± Tang Xuan felt that Su Yuyang was joking. ¡°Yuyang, I understand you. We¡¯re best suited to each other. We can do things you like together, and we can¡­¡± ¡°He also can¡­¡± Su Yuyang noticed a change in Ling Miao¡¯s expression. He prepared to clear the air with Tang Xuan, then take Ling Miao and leave. Then he noticed Ling Miao coming over. Ling Miao pulled out the chair beside Su Yuyang and sat down. He picked up Su Yuyang¡¯s coffee and drained it in one go. He pursed his lips and said disdainfully, ¡°Su Yuyang, you came out for coffee without me knowing. This coffee doesn¡¯t taste too good¡ªof course, that could also be because the air here isn¡¯t good. Tsk tsk. Something¡¯s polluting the air.¡± Ling Miao¡¯s words were pointed and Su Yuyang laughed inwardly: Xiao Miao, your needling is too unpracticed. Tang Xuan had observed all of Ling Miao¡¯s motions and words as well as Su Yuyang¡¯s expressions, and guessed the identity of the uninvited person: Zero Seconds Ago. ¡°May I know who you are?¡± A friendly smile lay on Tang Xuan¡¯s face as he started plotting how to make Ling Miao lose face in front of Su Yuyang. Ling Miao glanced at Tang Xuan and his expression didn¡¯t change, but he was laughing out loud in his heart: Motherfucker, he looks like a dead fish. Going by appearances, I leave him more than ten blocks in the dust! Ling Miao didn¡¯t answer Tang Xuan. Su Yuyang looked at Ling Miao gently, and both treated Tang Xuan as if he were empty air. Tang Xuan¡¯s smile grew forced. Just as he was about to lose his smile, Ling Miao finally spoke. ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°Tang Xuan, Su Yuyang¡¯s boyfriend,¡± Tang Xuan challenged. ¡°Tangyuan?¡±1 Ling Miao looked at Tang Xuan in surprise. He sized Tang Xuan up, then needled: ¡°You¡¯re so skinny. If you¡¯re still called tangyuan, what will the tangyuan do?¡± ¡°You¡­¡± Tang Xuan¡¯s smile had completely vanished. First round, Tang Xuan loses! Tang Xuan inhaled and was about to refute Ling Miao when Ling Miao glanced at him and said dismissively: ¡°You¡¯re just Su Yuyang¡¯s ex-boyfriend¡ªan ex-boyfriend is an ex-boyfriend. In front of me, the official boyfriend, everyone who has gone before me is just garbage.¡± Tang Xuan bit his lower lip and spat out two words: ¡°Oh, really?¡± Ling Miao sat up straight, a smile hanging at his lips. He exclaimed, ¡°If all of Su Yuyang¡¯s ex-boyfriends are like you, then I should indeed dump him. Hey, don¡¯t get excited. I don¡¯t want to dump him¡ªif I dump him, where do I go to find another Su Yuyang? Besides, the boyfriends Su Yuyang found after you are all quite all right, which proves that he was just blind when he was with you.¡± Hearing Ling Miao¡¯s words, Su Yuyang couldn¡¯t sit still any more. He lost his balance and almost fell onto the floor. Feng Ji had arrived at some point. He caught Su Yuyang and fortunately saved him from disaster. Tang Xuan constructed his rebuttal in his head, but before he could speak Ling Miao piped up again. ¡°Ah, tangyuan¡­¡± ¡°Mm?¡± Tang Xuan answered reflexively. ¡°Feng-ge, do you serve tangyuan?¡± Ling Miao turned to ask Feng Ji. Feng Ji didn¡¯t realize the meaning of Ling Miao¡¯s words and replied, ¡°I have glutinous tangyuan. Do you want some?¡± ¡°I¡¯m hungry. I want to eat tangyuan.¡± Ling Miao rubbed his stomach and said apologetically. ¡°Since you¡¯re hungry, let¡¯s go home.¡± Su Yuyang was worried Ling Miao would say more things he couldn¡¯t respond to, and quickly pulled Ling Miao in the direction of the exit. Tang Xuan quickly caught hold of Su Yuyang and showed a pitiful look: ¡°Yuyang, let¡¯s go back together!¡± Ling Miao looked at Su Yuyang like he was watching a show. Su Yuyang mercilessly threw off Tang Xuan¡¯s arm: ¡°Tang Xuan, you were the one who dumped me in the first place. Now you have the nerve to ask me to come back. Do you have the right?¡± As Su Yuyang finished, he caught Ling Miao¡¯s fingers with his own and walked out of the shop. Su Yuyang¡¯s mocking expression lingered in Tang Xuan¡¯s mind for a long time. He seemed to hear his supervisor¡¯s mocking voice again. Various mocking words rushed at him from all directions, pushing Tang Xuan toward the door. Su Yuyang, Su Yuyang, I won¡¯t let you go! A savage smile spread over Tang Xuan¡¯s face, his gaze locked on Su Yuyang¡¯s departing back. [Table of Contents] | [Chaleuria is on Twitter!] | [Buy your translation team a coffee?] Translation notes: [1] Rice balls (¡®tangyuan¡¯) sounds close to ¡®Tang Xuan¡¯ Chapter 098 The Complete Guide to the Use and Care of a Personal Assistant Translator: Jury Editor: NomNom First Published on Chaleuria ¡ª Chapter Ninety-eight Su Yuyang held onto Ling Miao¡¯s hand, feeling that the entire situation was surreal. Ling Miao¡¯s calm was outside of Su Yuyang¡¯s expectations. Ling Miao¡¯s composure worried Su Yuyang to no end¡ªif Ling Miao was really unruffled, that would be fine, but if this was the calm before the storm¡­ Su Yuyang lowered his head and looked from the the corner of his eyes at Ling Miao¡¯s expressionless face. Ling Miao seemed to notice it and turned his head to meet Su Yuyang¡¯s searching gaze. He asked, ¡°Is something the matter?¡± Su Yuyang smiled and shook his head, the weight in his heart lifting a little. Just as Su Yuyang was about to let out the breath he was holding, Ling Miao stopped walking. Ling Miao slowly extracted his hand from Su Yuyang¡¯s grip. He walked in front of Su Yuyang so that they were standing face to face and said with a smile: ¡°You¡¯re fine, but I¡¯m not fine. I know your relationship with Tang Xuan, so I want to know why you went to see him behind my back.¡± Su Yuyang met Ling Miao¡¯s eyes with a steady gaze. He saw the hope and fear in Ling Miao¡¯s eyes. He rested both hands on Ling Miao¡¯s shoulders and smiled gently. ¡°The matter between me and Tang Xuan¡ªI¡¯ll settle it myself. If you knew what it was, I worry that you¡¯ll overthink it.¡± ¡°If you leave without a word, I won¡¯t be worried?¡± Ling Miao retorted. ¡°Your expression when you got Tang Xuan¡¯s call told me everything. Your relationship with him wasn¡¯t simple. Then you told me later that you¡¯d started co-writing a novel with him¡ªyou probably don¡¯t know this, but I know from Feng Ji that you had an ex-boyfriend you co-wrote a novel with. Putting all the pieces together, do you think I¡¯m overthinking it or justified in being worried? Su Yuyang, I want to go on living peacefully with you, but Tang Xuan¡¯s appearance¡ªno matter why¡ªis going to affect our lives to some degree. Some things can be talked away, but some¡­ mm?¡± Ling Miao¡¯s words were stopped by a pair of soft lips. Strong arms encircled Ling Miao¡¯s body. Ling Miao angrily struggled, but he was gripped even tighter in return. Su Yuyang and Ling Miao¡¯s quarrel had already incited murmurs from the people around them, and Su Yuyang worried that they¡¯d attract even more attention, so he ignored the surprised gazes from all directions and daringly kissed Ling Miao. Ling Miao frowned. Su Yuyang¡¯s kiss made him uncomfortable, but more importantly, he couldn¡¯t breathe. ¡°Mm!¡± Ling Miao angrily stepped on Su Yuyang¡¯s foot. Su Yuyang¡¯s brow furrowed in pain and he reluctantly let go of Ling Miao. Ling Miao panted for breath, his face red from anger or embarrassment. He huffily turned and walked ahead. Su Yuyang followed quickly behind. Gradually, Su Yuyang realized that Ling Miao was walking in the wrong direction. This¡­ Ling Miao was going back to his own apartment? Thinking of this, Su Yuyang quickly took two steps forward and caught Ling Miao as he was about to go through the gate. ¡°Let¡¯s go home.¡± ¡°When the matter with Tang Xuan is settled.¡± Ling Miao didn¡¯t struggle because struggling would definitely attract the attention of the security guard on duty. He let Su Yuyang drag him, but his tone made his attitude clear. Su Yuyang pulled Ling Miao to him and Ling Miao stubbornly turned his head away so that he wasn¡¯t looking at Su Yuyang. Su Yuyang felt helpless, but standing at the gate to the apartment complex was too attention-grabbing, so he pulled Ling Miao into the complex. It was a rare clear day, but there was still a slight chill in the air, so there weren¡¯t many people outside. Su Yuyang and Ling Miao sat down in a pavilion. Su Yuyang still held Ling Miao¡¯s hand, and Ling Miao still didn¡¯t look at Su Yuyang. Su Yuyang looked at the anger on Ling Miao¡¯s face and laughed faux-lightly: ¡°Xiao Miao, I¡¯m both happy and sad that you¡¯re like this.¡± Ling Miao didn¡¯t show any reaction at all. ¡°Your attitude now makes me think of when we first met.¡± Su Yuyang¡¯s tone was gentle with a hint of flirtatiousness. He reminisced, ¡°At the time, if I made you the slightest bit unhappy, you¡¯d shout and scream at me and complain that you wanted to resign. I like how you were then¡ªit was annoying, but I could feel that you actually were happy. Our relationship now isn¡¯t what it was back then, but the situation now is quite like it was then. I made you mad. But you didn¡¯t throw your temper at me. You didn¡¯t throw your temper at me, but I still feel your wordless anger. It¡¯s a very suffocating feeling and I don¡¯t know what to do to make you go back to the usual you. Tang Xuan¡¯s appearance is very sudden and I don¡¯t know why he¡¯s here either. But you can rest assured. I¡¯ll definitely settle this matter.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Ling Miao looked at Su Yuyang suspiciously. Su Yuyang¡¯s downcast heart suddenly ignited and he nodded furiously. ¡°Really! Are you still not relaxed around me?¡± ¡°If I could relax around you, I wouldn¡¯t need to worry so much.¡± As Ling Miao spoke he suddenly got choked up. Ling Miao clapped his hand over his mouth so his sobs wouldn¡¯t come out, but the muffled sounds were especially clear in the quiet space. Su Yuyang scrambled for a tissue and gently wiped away the tears gathering in the corners of Ling Miao¡¯s eyes. He asked worriedly, ¡°Xiao Miao, what¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Ling Miao¡¯s punch landed on Su Yuyang¡¯s shoulder. ¡°I¡¯ve been worried since last night. Worried that Tang Xuan was your ex-boyfriend, worried that he was looking for you to reconcile, worried that he¡¯d snatch you away! And then you fucking left that early in the morning. That¡¯s fine, but you didn¡¯t even take your phone, so I couldn¡¯t even find you to ask for an explanation! I was imagining you had rekindled your old love at first sight and then went to a hotel to¡­ to wind yarn balls! ¡°At this point, I couldn¡¯t sit still any more. I held onto a strand of hope and called Tang Xuan, but he rejected the call outright. I¡¯m unbearably stupid. I actually tried to contact you through my suspected love rival. ¡°Fuck it¡ªwhat suspected love rival. He¡¯s clearly a love rival!¡± Ling Miao said haltingly. Every sniffle seemed to pinch Su Yuyang¡¯s heart. ¡°I¡¯m the bastard. I shouldn¡¯t have left my phone at home when I went.¡± Su Yuyang hugged Ling Miao tightly and consoled, ¡°I won¡¯t leave you unable to contact me again.¡± ¡°Scram!¡± Ling Miao cursed and broke free of Su Yuyang¡¯s hands. ¡°But, you really thought Tang Xuan and I would¡­¡± Su Yuyang mentally completed what Ling Miao had probably been thinking based on the expression Ling Miao had worn, and couldn¡¯t hold back a snort of laughter. ¡°Xiao Miao, do you really have to give me gift-wrapped to a person like that? ¡°Even imagining it isn¡¯t okay!¡± Su Yuyang tyrannically added. ¡°Give you gift-wrapped to someone else? Mm¡­¡± Ling Miao hung his head and began thinking hard. Su Yuyang saw this and couldn¡¯t help complaining: ¡°Hey, hey, hey, are you really going to do that?¡± Ling Miao looked at Su Yuyang with reddened eyes. Under the bright light of the lamp, Su Yuyang could clearly make out Ling Miao¡¯s expression. ¡°Xiao Miao¡­¡± Su Yuyang wasn¡¯t in a joking mood any more. Ling Miao bit down on his lip, his worried expression piercing Su Yuyang¡¯s heart. Su Yuyang stood up and looked at the apartment complex¡¯s gate. He said lightly, ¡°Xiao Miao, let¡¯s go home.¡± Ling Miao took the initiative to hold Su Yuyang¡¯s hand and stood to leave. ¡°Xiao Miao, why are you worried about me?¡± Su Yuyang suddenly asked. Ling Miao said, ¡°Ah,¡± to indicate he didn¡¯t understand. Su Yuyang knew that Ling Miao was trying to laugh it off. Why does Ling Miao have no faith in me? Looking at Ling Miao, Su Yuyang panicked! [Table of Contents] | [Chaleuria is on Twitter!] | [Buy your translation team a coffee?] Chapter 099 The Complete Guide to the Use and Care of a Personal Assistant Translator: Jury Editor: NomNom First Published on Chaleuria ¡ª Chapter Ninety-nine Tang Xuan¡¯s appearance had indeed affected Ling Miao and Su Yuyang. His appearance had let Ling Miao and Su Yuyang understand their relationship better and drawn them closer together. If Tang Xuan knew that his looking for Su Yuyang had actually improved Ling Miao and Su Yuyang¡¯s relationship, he might vomit blood onto his computer monitor. Su Yuyang and Ling Miao continued their peaceful lives as if Tang Xuan had never appeared. Every day they word sprinted and squabbled. Occasionally, Su Yuyang would go to the kitchen and ¡®help¡¯ Ling Miao under the pretext of trying to learn to cook. Ling Miao¡¯s assessment of this: ¡°Damn it, you¡¯re here to make things difficult for me, aren¡¯t you?¡± From the above one can tell that Su Yuyang is a kitchen murderer. As long as he was there, Ling Miao¡¯s dishes would either be burnt or have too much salt. Several incidents later, Ling Miao warned Su Yuyang severely: ¡°If you come into the kitchen when I¡¯m cooking again, you¡¯re sleeping under the overpass!¡± Due to going home and participating in the Authors¡¯ Gathering, Ling Miao and Su Yuyang¡¯s chapter stockpiles had run out. So, these past few days, both of them practically lived in the little black house. They stockpiled about a week¡¯s worth of drafts before Ling Miao relaxed. Of course, Su Yuyang¡¯s stockpile was more than three times¡¯ Ling Miao¡¯s own, going by days. It was rare that they didn¡¯t have to scramble for chapters. For the past week Ling Miao had gotten up early every day to churn out his chapters, so he decided that the next day he¡¯d let himself sleep until he woke up naturally. But plans don¡¯t survive contact with reality. Early the next morning, Ling Miao was awoken by a phone call. Ling Miao let out a string of curses at the caller before even seeing the display. Su Yuyang had gotten used to waking up past nine. Hearing Ling Miao¡¯s sleepy curses and asked curiously, ¡°Who¡¯s calling that you¡¯re cursing them so badly?¡± Ling Miao ruffled his hair and said, upset, ¡°Who kno¡­¡± The word ¡®knows¡¯ hadn¡¯t left his mouth completely when Ling Miao¡¯s complaint instantly changed to surprise. ¡°Tofu?¡± ¡°Tofu? What tofu? Are we eating tofu this afternoon?¡± Su Yuyang asked in confusion. Ling Miao didn¡¯t explain anything to Su Yuyang. He slid the answer call button and asked with hesitation, ¡°Tofu, you called me so early in the morning. Do you want to meet irl?¡± Su Yuyang heard the words ¡°irl meetup¡± and his ears immediately perked up. He walked over and leaned down by Ling Miao¡¯s ear to try to hear what Tofu was saying, but Ling Miao very decisively rolled over on the bed to avoid Su Yuyang¡¯s eavesdropping. ¡°Haven¡¯t you been on the forums these few days?¡± Tofu¡¯s anxious voice came. ¡°Though it¡¯s nothing major¡­ ah, can¡¯t say it¡¯s nothing major, either. It¡¯s got to do with Shu-ge¡¯s reputation. You¡¯d better get on the forums and take a look.¡± ¡°Exactly what happened?¡± Tofu was so anxious that Ling Miao couldn¡¯t follow his train of thought. Besides, this matter had to do with Su Yuyang, which woke Ling Miao up completely. He glanced at Su Yuyang and asked hurriedly, ¡°Tofu, quickly explain exactly what happened.¡± ¡°Someone made a callout thread in the forums. He¡¯s saying that Shu-ge¡¯s Heavenly Domain plagiarized an unfinished book of his. He linked his novel and a comparison. The book¡¯s published earlier than Heavenly Domain and the contents in the comparison match up. Although there are only a hundred thousand words in that book, some of Heavenly Domain¡¯s setting and plot, even some of the content, matches that book¡¯s. And¡­¡± ¡°Tofu, I¡¯ll get on the forum and look,¡± Ling Miao said before Tofu could finish. He needed to see and understand this with his own eyes before he could retaliate. Ling Miao grabbed Su Yuyang¡¯s laptop and put it in front of him. Su Yuyang saw Ling Miao¡¯s panicked look and the worry in his heart intensified. He sat by Ling Miao¡¯s side to see what Ling Miao was doing, but Ling Miao shoved him away. ¡°Su Yuyang, I¡¯m hungry.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll steam some buns.¡± Su Yuyang knew that Ling Miao was intentionally telling him to go, so he went to the kitchen and put some buns in the steamer. He didn¡¯t go back to the room. ¡°It was a call from Tofu.¡± Su Yuyang suddenly remembered who Tofu was. He knew how to contact Tofu, too. Su Yuyang joyfully reached for his phone and was about to go on QQ to contact Tofu but,tragically, he had left his phone in the room. Would it arouse Ling Miao¡¯s suspicions if I went back to get it now? Su Yuyang mused. Through the open door, Su Yuyang glimpsed Ling Miao¡¯s deep frown. ¡°Looks like he¡¯s encountered a thorny matter. But why didn¡¯t he tell me?¡± Su Yuyang was momentarily engulfed in confusion. ¡°Fuck!¡± Ling Miao cursed angrily. He was so riled up he didn¡¯t keep his voice down. Hearing Ling Miao¡¯s curse, Su Yuyang awoke from his confused reverie. Then he remembered that he still had buns steaming in the kitchen and rushed to the kitchen to turn off the stove. The water in the pot had boiled off. Fortunately he had realized in time. Ling Miao wasn¡¯t in the mood to eat steamed buns, but Su Yuyang still brought the steamed buns in. While setting the steamed buns down, Su Yuyang took the opportunity to glance at the laptop¡¯s screen. ¡°Xiao Miao, I¡¯ll put the steamed buns here. Eat them while they¡¯re hot,¡± Su Yuyang said softly. Ling Miao said, ¡°Mm,¡± in response. Su Yuyang used to trawl the web novel discussion forums, too, but he hadn¡¯t logged into his account in three or four years and he wasn¡¯t sure if his account was still useable. After setting the steamed buns down, Su Yuyang quietly took his phone and left the room. Ling Miao would find out if he got in touch with Tofu, but not if he went on the forum. As for which thread Ling Miao was looking at¡ªSu Yuyang surmised he would have to check the threads one by one and determine that from the thread contents. The forum still looked like it did four to five years ago: users needed to log in before they could post questions. Su Yuyang put in his username and password but was notified that the username or password was incorrect. ¡°The username or password is incorrect?¡± Su Yuyang was surprised. He recalled very clearly that the account name was the combination of his and Tang Xuan¡¯s surnames, and the password was his birthdate¡­ Suddenly Su Yuyang understood. Both he and Tang Xuan knew the password to the account and the email address the account was tied to. Su Yuyang tried to log into the associated email account, but he already knew the outcome¡ªthe username or password is incorrect. Tang Xuan had taken away Su Yuyang¡¯s web novel forum account. Su Yuyang didn¡¯t think that was such a big deal, but his dislike for Tang Xuan grew considerably. It was inconvenient to register a forum account on mobile, but Su Yuyang was anxious to know what had made Ling Miao both panicked and angry. With no other recourse, he got in touch with Tofu. Su Yuyang found Tofu¡¯s ID in the fangroup and sent Tofu a message in a separate window. 3000WPH: Tofu, you called Ling Miao today? Tofu Box: Mm. Uh¡­ you¡¯re the Great Shu? 3000WPH: I¡¯m Shu Yang. But ignore that for now. I want to know what you told Xiao Miao. Tofu Box: He didn¡¯t tell you about such a big thing? 3000WPH: He didn¡¯t tell me. Looks like he doesn¡¯t intend to tell me before the matter is settled. I saw him on the forums looking at a thread, and I wanted to go look, too, but someone hacked my old handle, so I came to ask you. Tofu Box: This¡­ Some guy on the forum is saying your Heavenly Domain plagiarized his book and he uploaded a lot of evidence. Now everyone is fighting in the thread. I only just found out today when I checked the group, then I got in contact with Xiao Miao. Great Shu, can I add you on QQ? Su Yuyang didn¡¯t reply to Tofu¡¯s message. Tofu stared dejectedly at the screen but a moment later he understood: The Great Shu is probably busy dealing with the plagiarism matter. ¡°Heavenly Domain was plagiarized?¡± Su Yuyang had more or less guessed who had posted the thread, but he didn¡¯t wish to step up and explain the situation so soon. ¡°Xiao Miao, I think you can handle this matter.¡± Su Yuyang thought: Since Ling Miao isn¡¯t willing to tell me I¡¯ve been attacked, that means he can handle this properly. Now that Su Yuyang had stopped worrying, he accepted Tofu¡¯s friend request, then tossed his phone to one side. [Table of Contents] | [Chaleuria is on Twitter!] | [Buy your translation team a coffee?] Chapter 100 The Complete Guide to the Use and Care of a Personal Assistant Translator: Jury Editor: NomNom First Published on Chaleuria ¡ª Chapter One Hundred When Ling Miao heard Tofu say that someone on the forum was exposing Su Yuyang for plagiarizing, his first reaction was of course, ¡°Who the fuck is this green-eyed person trying to drag Su Yuyang to their level.¡± Tofu said that the other party had proof, but Ling Miao just wanted to throw it in their face. Ling Miao had been on the forums for four or five years and had seen many callout threads and fight threads. The evidence in these threads was usually embellished to some degree, so even though Tofu said the evidence was very, very reliable, Ling Miao didn¡¯t believe it. He clicked on the thread. The first thing he looked at was the OP¡¯s ID¡ªIAmCallingOut¡ªLing Miao wasn¡¯t familiar with this ID. The second thing he looked at was the account registration date¡ªthree days ago. Ling Miao clicked into the account profile and found that the person had only started one thread. He had made many replies, but they had all been made in the last three days and they were all replies to comments on Su Yuyang¡¯s plagiarism thread. A new account, which had only posted the one Callout: Shu Yang¡¯s ¡®Heavenly Domain¡¯ plagiarized the abandoned book ¡®Destruction of Heaven!¡¯ thread, and the replies were suspicious too¡­ All in all, it was very likely that this person was trying to ruin Shu Yang¡¯s reputation. Ling Miao began to read the thread with the attitude he would take to reading a joke, and also the attitude of someone ready to fight 300 rounds with his opponent. But when Ling Miao saw the evidence posted in the thread, his heart immediately jumped. The contents were very disadvantageous to Su Yuyang, and they didn¡¯t look exaggerated. In fact, Ling Miao couldn¡¯t find evidence of tampering at all. Su Yuyang had really plagiarized? Ling Miao¡¯s own suspicions began to rise, but he quickly denied them. Firstly, Su Yuyang¡¯s talent obviously showed in Demonic Song Defying Heaven and Massacre of the Nine Heavens. Secondly, Ling Miao didn¡¯t believe Su Yuyang would plagiarize. But the evidence was laid out before him and he had to be careful. Ling Miao rolled the scroll wheel downward and saw the name of the first replier to the thread. He slapped the bed: ¡°Fuck, it¡¯s this guy!¡± The first reply to the thread was from ProfessionalHoleDigger. Ling Miao had a strong impression of this guy. It could be said that the two were enemies. When Ling Miao saw a post from this guy, he would look for content in it he could refute. If he couldn¡¯t find anything, he would pretend he hadn¡¯t seen the post. If he did find something¡­ anyone in the forum who had been there a while knew that if the moderators didn¡¯t close the thread, it would explode. ProfessionalHoleDigger was a dedicated Shu Yang hater. He had said in a previous thread that he read the official versions of all novels except Shu Yang¡¯s, which he pirated. Just on that comment alone Ling Miao had had a 300-post argument with him which had only stopped when the moderators stepped in. The moment Ling Miao saw that the first reply was this guy, and the time between the thread being posted and the first reply was only a few seconds, he let out a cold laugh. ¡°Heh¡ªhe¡¯s green-eyed again.¡± Ling Miao DMed a friend and asked for two IP cards. On investigation, IAmCallingOut had the same IP as ProfessionalHoleDigger. ¡°I was right!¡± 452# ZeroSecondsAgo: The IPs of the OP and the first reply are the same and they were posted only a few seconds apart. Clearly, the thread was posted by the first replier. Shu Yang¡¯s hater posted a callout thread saying Shu Yang plagiarized. This implies Shu Yang didn¡¯t plagiarize. Very quickly, Ling Miao¡¯s assessment got a reply. 456# IAmCallingOut: ¡°The IPs of the OP and the first reply are the same¡­¡± You¡¯re Shu Yang¡¯s boyfriend, of course you¡¯re biased towards him. I¡¯m very suspicious that you didn¡¯t even read the contents of the OP before accusing me and the first replier of being the same person. If you say that Shu Yang didn¡¯t plagiarize, then please refute me with evidence. If you can¡¯t, then shut up! Of course, if you can get Shu Yang himself to explain, that will be even better. I¡¯m sure he will have nothing to say against it. Seeing the reply, Ling Miao was speechless. Evidence? Where would he get evidence? From Su Yuyang? No one would be more sure than Su Yuyang as to whether he had plagiarized. But Ling Miao didn¡¯t want Su Yuyang to know of this¡ªfirstly because Su Yuyang was already exhausted from pushing out drafts for the past few days and Ling Miao didn¡¯t want to tire him out even more with this matter, and secondly because he believed he could settle this matter himself. Su Yuyang asked Tofu to register a forum account for him, then kept refreshing the callout thread. When he saw Ling Miao¡¯s reply and the OP¡¯s response, he went silent. The thread continued to grow in size, but none of the new replies were Ling Miao¡¯s. Su Yuyang looked up and glanced into the bedroom. Ling Miao¡¯s face was partially blocked by his laptop, but Su Yuyang could see that his pallor wasn¡¯t good. He hasn¡¯t replied in so long. He probably really isn¡¯t sure how to reply. Su Yuyang got up and walked slowly over to Ling Miao¡¯s side. As the light around Ling Miao dimmed, he quickly shut his laptop and asked warily, ¡°What are you looking at?¡± Su Yuyang lifted his hand to gently rub Ling Miao¡¯s creased forehead and fussed, ¡°Seeing you like this makes my heart hurt. Tell me what the matter is and I¡¯ll share the burden with you.¡± ¡°No!¡± Ling Miao said stubbornly. ¡°You¡¯re tired from rushing drafts for the past few days. I¡¯ll settle this myself.¡± Su Yuyang raised the cover of the laptop and sighed, ¡°If you could settle it yourself, you wouldn¡¯t be pouting so much.¡± Su Yuyang tapped Ling Miao¡¯s lips with a finger. Ling Miao cursed and said in dissatisfaction, ¡°Someone made a callout post on the forum saying that you plagiarized, but I don¡¯t believe it.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t plagiarize,¡± Su Yuyang laughed gently. ¡°The OP is definitely ProfessionalHoleDigger!¡± Ling Miao said angrily. ¡°He¡¯s a dedicated Shu Yang hater. If there¡¯s even one typo in your chapter, he¡¯ll write a whole rambling thread on it, and none of the replies ever have the same content.¡± ¡°ProfessionalHoleDigger?¡± Su Yuyang read the name softly aloud. Ling Miao heard Su Yuyang speak but didn¡¯t clearly hear the content. He asked, ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°This ID is very familiar.¡± Su Yuyang had previously already guessed who had posted the thread. Now, he was completely sure. Aside from that person, he couldn¡¯t think of who else might have this account name¡ªthat is, if that person had been using this account all along. ¡°You¡¯re on the forums too?¡± Ling Miao¡¯s curiosity rose. Su Yuyang stared at ¡®ProfessionalHoleDigger¡¯ and could imagine the real person¡¯s expression. A smile that was vicious and satisfied, as if he had successfully carried out some plan. ¡°I was on for a couple of years, then I stopped after writing Heavenly Domain.¡± Su Yuyang seemed to be reminiscing about the time he wasted on the forums. Ling Miao looked at his face in profile and an inexplicable affection rose in his heart. Su Yuyang closed out of the browser, pulled Ling Miao to him, and laughed. ¡°Go cook. I¡¯m hungry. Also, ignore this idiot.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°No buts.¡± Su Yuyang put his index finger on Ling Miao¡¯s lips. ¡°Xiao Miao, I¡¯ll settle this matter.¡± ¡°No!¡± Ling Miao yelled. ¡°I can¡¯t let someone slander you like this! Even if you can take this, I can¡¯t!¡± ¡°But what if this really is my fault?¡± Su Yuyang¡¯s expression grew grave. Ling Miao looked at him in shock. Did he really plagiarize after all? [Table of Contents] | [Chaleuria is on Twitter!] | [Buy your translation team a coffee?] Chapter 101 The Complete Guide to the Use and Care of a Personal Assistant Translator: Jury Editor: NomNom First Published on Chaleuria ¡ª Chapter One Hundred and One Su Yuyang seemed to notice what Ling Miao was worried about. He consoled, ¡°I promise I didn¡¯t plagiarize, but Heavenly Domain does have some problems.¡± Even hearing Su Yuyang¡¯s reassurance, Ling Miao couldn¡¯t let it go. Su Yuyang reached around Ling Miao¡¯s head to press it into his shoulder. He kissed Ling Miao¡¯s hair and said, ¡°Xiao Miao, I promise you that I¡¯ll give you¡ªand everyone¡ªan answer tomorrow.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Ling Miao asked uncertainly. Su Yuyang laughed lightly. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t lie to you. But now there is something more important than plagiarism that I have to explain to you.¡± ¡°What?¡± Ling Miao honestly couldn¡¯t think of anything more important than explaining the plagiarism issue to the readers. Su Yuyang took Ling Miao¡¯s hand and put it on his stomach, his other hand going to Ling Miao¡¯s waist. He said aggrievedly, ¡°Xiao Miao, I¡¯m hungry.¡± Ling Miao¡¯s lips parted slightly. He seemed to be thinking of some unsavory things! Su Yuyang couldn¡¯t hold back a laugh. ¡°What are you thinking of? My stomach is hungry, not my¡­ some other place. Unless you want to¡­¡± Su Yuyang said some extremely flirtatious things into Ling Miao¡¯s ear, the warmth of his breath making Ling Miao¡¯s ears turn red. Ling Miao¡¯s face burned. He snatched back his hand and said, flustered, ¡°Then let me go. I¡¯ll make food.¡± Su Yuyang bent down and kissed Ling Miao¡¯s forehead before letting him go. As Ling Miao¡¯s silhouette disappeared before him, Su Yuyang¡¯s smile also disappeared. He clicked on his favorite contacts list in QQ, then went into a group where he found that person¡ªTang Xuan. Aside from Tang Xuan, Su Yuyang didn¡¯t know of anyone who could log into the author dashboard for Destruction of Heaven (the book the callout post reported Heavenly Domain as plagiarizing) and who would call him out for plagiarism so many years after Heavenly Domain was finished. Destruction of Heaven was the abandoned book Su Yuyang and Tang Xuan had started writing together. Su Yuyang clicked into a chat window and sent a message to Tang Xuan. 3000WPH: I was wondering why you came to look for me after five or six years had passed. Seeing the forum post, I realized you figured out that Shu Yang and Su Yuyang were the same person. So you came to me and asked to reconcile, with a motive. Tang Xuan: So what if I know? 3000WPH: You posted the forum thread, didn¡¯t you? Tang Xuan: Mm? What thread? 3000WPH: Don¡¯t act like you don¡¯t know. Since I¡¯ve found you, that means I¡¯m sure it¡¯s you. You changed ProfessionalHoleDigger¡¯s password too, right? It¡¯s not like you don¡¯t have a forum account. Why use mine? Tang Xuan: Yours? That name belongs to both of us. 3000WPH: Since it belongs to both of us, then tell me the new password. Tang Xuan: But now the name is mine. If you came to me about the account, you can go back now. 3000WPH: Edit the thread. If you don¡¯t, wait for me to punch your face. Tang Xuan: Ah, punch my face? You¡¯ll be punching your own face, probably. Heavenly Domain took some of its setting, plot, and content from Destruction of Heaven. You can¡¯t deny that. 3000WPH: I know you spent a lot of blood and tears on Destruction of Heaven¡¯s setting, plot, and content. And Heavenly Domain is indeed a spinoff of that. You had a hand in Heavenly Domain¡¯s success. If you want to take a cut of the profits from Heavenly Domain, I don¡¯t mind. Tang Xuan: How much? A hundred thousand or a million? Or ten million? 3000WPH: Ten million? Tang Xuan, don¡¯t go overboard. A million. That¡¯s my bottom line. Tang Xuan: I¡¯m going overboard? Su Yuyang, the one going overboard is you! Without Heavenly Domain, would you be as successful as you are now? Without Destruction of Heaven, would you have been able to write Heavenly Domain? Don¡¯t play the fool. Everything you¡¯ve achieved today was brought about by Destruction of Heaven. You think you¡¯re getting rid of me with just one million? You earned five million in the last year alone!? 3000WPH: In that case, we don¡¯t need to talk further. But I still advise you to edit your thread or ask the moderator to delete it. Tang Xuan: Su Yuyang¡ªfifteen million. Any less than that and you can wait to be ruined! Su Yuyang was currently taking screenshots. When he saw Tang Xuan say this, he only smiled coldly. 3000WPH: A single plagiarism callout thread will ruin me. Tang Xuan, are you really that naive? Tang Xuan: What about you cheating people out of their feelings? You¡¯re gay but you wooed a woman and let her fall in love with you. That woman¡¯s Yan Li. 3000WPH: Don¡¯t drag other people into our matters! Tang Xuan didn¡¯t reply. 3000WPH: Tang Xuan, I know you¡¯re reading this. If you really drag Yan Yan into this, I¡¯ll fight you to the death! Tang Xuan still didn¡¯t respond. Su Yuyang looked at his gray icon and yelled, ¡°Fuck it. It was the right choice to hide myself in the first place!¡± The moment Ling Miao walked in he heard Su Yuyang cursing up a storm. He glanced at Su Yuyang¡¯s expression again: Su Yuyang looked calm but his gaze radiated murderous intent. Ling Miao felt a chill and his hand trembled, causing the chopsticks to fall to the ground. Su Yuyang was dragged back from the haze of rage by the sound of the chopsticks hitting the floor. He saw Ling Miao¡¯s panicked expression, mixed with fear, and hurried over. He picked up the chopsticks and caressed Ling Miao¡¯s face: ¡°You look so panicked.¡± The more gentle Su Yuyang¡¯s smile, the more worried Ling Miao felt. He held onto the hand Su Yuyang had placed on his face, looked up, and asked, ¡°You can¡¯t solve it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a big problem. You¡¯ll know tomorrow.¡± Su Yuyang caught hold of Ling Miao¡¯s hand in return and walked toward the dining table. After lunch, Su Yuyang immediately contacted Yan Li in the hopes that she would be willing to stand up at the right time and slap Tang Xuan in the face. But he dialed both her numbers and got only the answering machine. He then got Ji Linxi¡¯s number from Ling Miao, but similarly got the answering machine. ¡°Damn it, what are these two up to?¡± Su Yuyang stared at his phone and felt a sudden impulse to dash it to the ground. Calm down, calm down! Su Yuyang internally warned himself. Fuck, have I been influenced by Ling Miao? Why do I start panicking the moment things go wrong? Ling Miao looked at Su Yuyang pacing back and forth in the room and started to get dizzy. He quietly stood in Su Yuyang¡¯s way. Su Yuyang didn¡¯t notice and crashed into him with a thunk, sending Ling Miao stumbling back several steps. Ling Miao regained his footing and cursed under his breath. Su Yuyang thought he was cursing him and said apologetically, ¡°Sorry, did I hurt you?¡± Ling Miao waved a hand to indicate he was fine, causing Su Yuyang¡¯s worries to diminish a little. Ling Miao glanced at Su Yuyang¡¯s dogged look¡ªhe cried to the heavens and they didn¡¯t answer; he cried to the earth, which also gave no response. Ling Miao actually started laughing: ¡°Su Yuyang, this is the first time I¡¯ve seen you panic like this. It¡¯s like you need to go No. 2 but can¡¯t find a toilet and can¡¯t do it outside either.¡± Su Yuyang rolled his eyes at Ling Miao and said haltingly, ¡°It¡¯s your influence. You still dare laugh.¡± Ling Miao¡¯s face fell and he pretended to be angry. ¡°Oh, in that case, I¡¯d better leave you. If you stay with me too long you¡¯ll start to struggle with your writing too.¡± ¡°Go!¡± Su Yuyang hugged Ling Miao and said tyrannically, ¡°Where are you going?¡± ¡°Go where? To Feng Ji¡¯s, of course!¡± Ling Miao hummed. ¡°Feng Ji?¡± Su Yuyang¡¯s eyes lit up, and he bent down and kissed Ling Miao hard. ¡°Dumb cat, you¡¯re smart sometimes, too!¡± [Table of Contents] | [Chaleuria is on Twitter!] | [Buy your translation team a coffee?] Check out Chaleuria¡¯s new original novel Rest in a Demon¡¯s Embrace! Translation notes: [1] 1 million yuan: 144K USD; 5 million yuan: 719K US Chapter 102 The Complete Guide to the Use and Care of a Personal Assistant Translator: Jury Editor: NomNom First Published on Chaleuria ¡ª Chapter One Hundred and Two Su Yuyang and Ling Miao rushed to W&S at lightspeed. As they walked through the door they saw Feng Ji with his hand resting on his chin, dazedly staring ahead. Ling Miao wanted to say something to draw his attention, but Su Yuyang pulled him back. ¡°Xiao Miao, look.¡± Su Yuyang pointed. Ling Miao looked in the direction Su Yuyang was pointing and his gaze landed on a youth¡¯s profile. The youth¡¯s eyes were clear and bright like a clear lake, and his faint smile was like a fresh breeze that rid one¡¯s heart of all frustrations ¡°You like him? Ling Miao teased. Su Yuyang said aggrievedly, ¡°Since I¡¯ve had you, everybody else is just like floating clouds. I haven¡¯t got my eye on him, but someone¡­¡± Su Yuyang deliberately dragged out his words as he turned his gaze towards someone who didn¡¯t notice Su Yuyang¡¯s teasing glance and continued to look at the busy man in front of him, occasionally letting out a quiet laugh. ¡°Would the two of you like a table?¡± A low, musical male voice came. Ling Miao stared at the man whom Feng Ji was staring at, but before he could speak, a loud voice cut him off. ¡°An Yan, go do your work. Leave them to me.¡± The man called An Yan blankly turned his head, clearly curious as to why Feng Ji was so worried. Feng Ji strode over to separate An Yan and Ling Miao. An Yan rubbed his head uncertainly and walked in the direction of the kitchen. Feng Ji had a dark expression as he watched the two people in the doorway who were holding back smiles. He said coolly, ¡°You don¡¯t visit my humble abode unless you have business. What do you need?¡± At the mention of business, Su Yuyang¡¯s expression grew grave. He glanced around and made sure no one was watching him before saying, ¡°You have Yan Li¡¯s manager¡¯s phone number, right? Help me get in touch with her.¡± Hearing Su Yuyang¡¯s anxiety, Feng Ji took out his phone and asked, ¡°What do you need Lin-jie for?¡± Su Yuyang sighed and said frustratedly, ¡°Fuck it, it¡¯s Tang Xuan making trouble. Ah, I¡¯ll tell you later. Help me get in touch with Lin-jie first.¡± ¡°What does Tang Xuan have to do with Lin-jie?¡± Feng Ji asked in confusion. Su Yuyang explained, ¡°I want to get in touch with Yan Li but both Yan Li and Ji Linxi¡¯s cells go to voicemail. Xiao Miao reminded me that Yan Li¡¯s manager is in touch with you, so I looked for you instead.¡± The call got through to Yang Lin. Feng Ji exchanged pleasantries with her then handed the phone to Su Yuyang. ¡°Lin-jie, I¡¯m Yan Li¡¯s friend. There¡¯s something urgent I need to talk to her about, but I couldn¡¯t get in touch with her so I was hoping you could pass on the message to her¡­¡± Su Yuyang gave a summary of why he had asked Feng Ji to call Yang Lin. Yang Lin didn¡¯t seem to be interested in listening further. She said impatiently, ¡°Yan Li¡¯s currently in isolation training and she can¡¯t be disturbed.¡± When she finished, she hung up without waiting for Su Yuyang to respond. ¡°I¡­¡± Su Yuyang grit his teeth and held back the impulse to hit redial. He passed the phone back to Feng Ji and said worriedly, ¡°I think I¡¯m going to make tabloid headlines.¡± ¡°Su Yuyang, I heard you mention Tang Xuan just now. Did he post the thread?¡± Ling Miao watched Su Yuyang with a grave expression. Su Yuyang rubbed his face and said with extreme exhaustion, ¡°Yes, he posted it. He probably noticed that I got famous and also am earning a lot of money, so he wanted to get back together with me. After I rejected him, he posted the thread accusing me of plagiarism. The plagiarism issue is easy to explain, but he told me that he¡¯s going to expose me for leading Yan Li on.¡± ¡°As for me and Yan Li¡ª Feng Ji knows that it was Yan Li pursuing me at the time. After she learned I was gay, she gave up quite easily.¡± Feng Ji shook his head and said sorrowfully, ¡°Going by Tang Xuan¡¯s character, he¡¯ll say it was you who chased Yan Li.¡± ¡°Think about it. I¡¯m gay, but I went to chase a woman. How many people are going to look down on me for it? Also, the other party is Yan Li. Her diehard fans are going to mob me, and if that happens I won¡¯t be able to talk over them even if I go at 8000wph.¡± Su Yuyang seemed to have already seen the future. If Yan Li didn¡¯t stand up and explain¡­ ¡°Yan Li¡¯s in isolation training. I can¡¯t contact her and I can¡¯t contact Ji Linxi, so now I can only wait for Tang Xuan to make his next move.¡± Su Yuyang rubbed his temples and smiled helplessly. ¡°I just hope that when Yan Li¡¯s company sees the thread, they¡¯ll let Yan Li out to explain. Or else I¡¯ll be greeted with rotten eggs the moment I walk out my door.¡± ¡°At the time I¡¯ll pretend not to know you,¡± Feng Ji said disdainfully. ¡°That¡¯s my matters for now. What about yours?¡± Su Yuyang suddenly changed the topic and looked at Feng Ji meaningfully. Feng Ji understood what Su Yuyang was asking. He really wanted to pretend not to understand, but that¡¯d be low of him so he hummed: ¡°You¡¯re allowed to get together with your employee, but I can¡¯t date my worker?¡± ¡°The point is that he doesn¡¯t have his eye on you!¡± Ling Miao splashed cold water from one side. ¡°Besides, he might have a girlfriend.¡± Feng Ji felt one hundred thousand ¡®fuck you¡¯ horses thundering through his heart. This arrow from Ling Miao had stuck right in¡­ Feng Ji clutched his chest. Like a terminally ill patient, he said with difficulty, ¡°My predecessor in love troubles, your heart is so hard that you¡¯re willing to see me¡­¡± ¡°Boss, are you all right?¡± An Yan¡¯s panicked shout came. Feng Ji looked at An Yan awkwardly. He stood up straight and forced a smile: ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± An Yan looked Feng Ji over and said fearfully, ¡°Your voice was so weak, it scared me.¡± Ling Miao and Su Yuyang exchanged a look: Something is up with An Yan! Su Yuyang patted Feng Ji¡¯s shoulder and said into Feng Ji¡¯s ear: ¡°This guy¡¯s quite worried about you. Maybe he really is interested in you. Take a chance.¡± Feng Ji let out a ¡®tcheh¡¯: ¡°I don¡¯t know whether he¡¯s interested in me, but for me, it was love at first sight.¡± ¡°Tsk tsk, I couldn¡¯t tell.¡± To one side, Su Yuyang and Feng Ji were shooting the breeze. On the other side, Ling Miao walked in front of An Yan and blocked his way. An Yan asked confusedly, ¡°Do you need something?¡± ¡°Do you have a girlfriend?¡± Ling Miao asked, greatly daring. Hearing Ling Miao¡¯s question, Feng Ji and Su Yuyang instantly paused their conversation and pricked up their ears to hear An Yan¡¯s answer. ¡°Mm?¡± Ling Miao¡¯s question made An Yan¡¯s expression change slightly. An Yan¡¯s narrow eyebrows knit together slightly, wariness gleaming in his bright eyes. He seemed to have noticed Ling Miao¡¯s ill intentions and backed away several steps in order to consider Ling Miao. Ling Miao smiled faintly and let An Yan look him over. ¡°What does it have to do with you whether I have a girlfriend?¡± An Yan said, his expression cold. Ling Miao didn¡¯t answer. He then asked, ¡°Then do you have a boyfriend?¡± Cracks formed in An Yan¡¯s wary facade and panic seeped through. Ling Miao watched every change in An Yan¡¯s expression, and when he saw the confused look in his eyes, he laughed lightly. An Yan sensed the slight mockery in Ling Miao¡¯s laugh and a line of fire rose in his heart. He said, ¡°Hm, why do you care whether I have a boyfriend? Really. Is your mouth only concerned with other people¡¯s business?¡± As An Yan finished speaking, he picked up the serving dish and swiftly departed to the kitchen. Ling Miao suddenly laughed out loud, causing people around him to look at him. Feng Ji and Su Yuyang also looked at him curiously, but he just kept laughing. Ah ah ah, Feng Ji. To punish you for hiding Su Yuyang¡¯s crush on me from me, I won¡¯t tell you that guy turned red! Ling Miao laughed maniacally to himself. [Table of Contents] | [Buy your translation team a coffee?] Check out Chaleuria¡¯s new original novel Rest in a Demon¡¯s Embrace! Chapter 103 The Complete Guide to the Use and Care of a Personal Assistant Translator: Jury Editor: NomNom First Published on Chaleuria ¡ª Chapter One Hundred and Three Ling Miao¡¯s laughter didn¡¯t last long. A phone call from Tofu made his heart, which had relaxed after much difficulty, clench again. Su Yuyang saw Ling Miao frowning and the faint smile on his face also disappeared. Su Yuyang observed the change in Ling Miao¡¯s expression and his eyes narrowed to slits, his entire body giving off a cold wave that shunted everyone else a thousand miles away. Feng Ji felt the change in Su Yuyang¡¯s aura. He scooted to the side and asked quietly, ¡°What happened?¡± Su Yuyang shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m not sure either, but looking at Ling Miao, it¡¯s nothing good.¡± Ling Miao put away his phone and his expression was dark as he looked at Su Yuyang. Su Yuyang probed, ¡°Did Tang Xuan do something again?¡± ¡°Tofu just called to tell me that Massacre¡¯s comments section is flooded. They all come from different accounts, but the content is about the same.¡± Ling Miao moved close to Su Yuyang¡¯s ear and lowered his voice: ¡°Every comment mentions the plagiarism story. I think Tang Xuan posted them. Tofu also said that he checked the whole comments section and found that soon after the forum thread was posted, there were already people going to the comments and asking about the plagiarism issue. Although the moderators deleted a few comments, there are still some that slipped through. But this is the first time it¡¯s been flooded like this.¡± ¡°The comments are all posted by accounts where the names are just strings of numbers.¡± ¡°Tang Xuan¡­¡± Su Yuyang¡¯s words had just left his mouth when his phone rang. From the display, Su Yuyang already knew what the other party was calling him for. ¡°Yu-ge,¡± Su Yuyang greeted lightly. Mu Yu looked at Massacre¡¯s comments section and said gravely, ¡°Someone¡¯s leaving comments saying you plagiarized. I asked the IT department to check, and the IP addresses are different for each account. ¡°I saw the forum thread too. The evidence is against you. ¡°Shu Yang, I believe you didn¡¯t plagiarize, but so many days have passed. You should at least give everyone an explanation.¡± Su Yuyang sighed and said apologetically, ¡°Yu-ge, thank you for believing me. I originally intended to gather all the materials before posting a thread to clear the air, but since the other party has made a move, it¡¯ll be admitting guilt by not saying anything now.¡± ¡°I believe my own judgment,¡± Mu Yu said with full trust. After ending the call with Mu Yu, Su Yuyang turned his gaze toward Ling Miao. Seeing Ling Miao¡¯s expression, which was even darker than before, he asked worriedly, ¡°What happened now?¡± ¡°The forums for Heavenly Domain, Demonic Song Defying Heaven, Massacre of the Nine Heavens, and even the Shu Yang forum are all exploding,¡± Ling Miao stared at his phone screen and said. Every word seemed forced through his teeth. ¡°Tofu¡¯s currently deleting threads, but more keep popping up.¡± ¡°Tell Tofu to resume deleting tomorrow,¡± Su Yuyang said softly. ¡°Let¡¯s go home and I¡¯ll make a thread to clear the air on this plagiarism matter.¡± ¡°Then the matter with Yan-jie?¡± Ling Miao asked uneasily. Su Yuyang said helplessly, ¡°Since we can¡¯t contact her now, we can only wait for Tang Xuan to make a move. If we explain before he does anything, it¡¯ll give people a bad impression.¡± They said their goodbyes to Feng Ji and hurried home. In order to save time, they took the back way. They were hurrying along when a familiar, cold, male voice came from behind them. ¡°Su Yuyang.¡± On hearing one¡¯s name, one will usually stop and turn around. But Su Yuyang didn¡¯t want to have any contact with the owner of this voice, so he walked even faster, so fast that Ling Miao couldn¡¯t keep up¡­ ¡°Hey, Su Yuyang, are you bullying me for having short legs?¡± Ling Miao yelled, panting, at the person in front of him. Ling Miao¡¯s shout forced Su Yuyang to stop. Su Yuyang turned and looked at Ling Miao, his gaze sweeping casually over the other man. The other party also looked at him¡ªor should it be said, the other party had been watching him all along. The man gave off an air of satisfaction, a mocking sneer on his lips. He stood straight in front of Su Yuyang and Ling Miao, whistling a tune in challenge. Looking at the man in front of them, Su Yuyang reflexively stepped in front of Ling Miao. His action incited the man to give a mocking laugh: ¡°Su Yuyang, am I that scary? Relax, I won¡¯t do anything to your guy.¡± Ling Miao wasn¡¯t willing to hide behind Su Yuyang, either. Hearing the man¡¯s merciless mocking, the fire that had already been burning in his heart now flared even higher. Ling Miao pushed Su Yuyang¡¯s arm away from his chest and stepped in front of the man. Taking advantage of the man¡¯s surprise he punched the man in the stomach. The man stumbled several steps backward, pain twisting his face, but he was still laughing maniacally. The man stumbled to Su Yuyang¡¯s side and said in a low voice into Su Yuyang¡¯s ear, ¡°Su Yuyang, fifteen million. I¡¯ll give you three days.¡± This man was Tang Xuan, of course. Tang Xuan had blown a lungful of hot air into Su Yuyang¡¯s ear and an unnameable disgust rose in Su Yuyang¡¯s heart. Su Yuyang pushed Tang Xuan away and said, revolted, ¡°Wherever you go, even the air makes me want to vomit.¡± Tang Xuan seemed not to sense Su Yuyang¡¯s disgust. He exclaimed, ¡°As long as I¡¯m alive, the air will contain my presence. Su Yuyang, will you vomit so much you die?¡± ¡°How I die doesn¡¯t have a single thing to do with you,¡± Su Yuyang said coldly, then pulled Ling Miao as if to leave. Ling Miao broke free of Su Yuyang¡¯s hold and the fist he had already made now landed unceremoniously in Tang Xuan¡¯s stomach. This punch was fast and furious and contained Ling Miao¡¯s bottomless hatred toward Tang Xuan. Tang Xuan had the opportunity to dodge, but he didn¡¯t. He laughed out loud as he took Ling Miao¡¯s blow. As Tang Xuan was hit he fell flat on the floor. His laugh grew even more piercing, tears shining in his eyes. Ling Miao rotated his wrists and looked from on high at Tang Xuan on the ground. It might have been Tang Xuan¡¯s laughter that provoked him, but Ling Miao took two steps forward and drew back his fists again. Su Yuyang caught them again. Why again? When Tang Xuan had gotten close to Su Yuyang just now, Ling Miao had already readied his fists to strike. But Su Yuyang had noticed this and Ling Miao¡¯s fists landed in Su Yuyang¡¯s palm. Su Yuyang grabbed Ling Miao and said, ¡°You¡¯ll get your hands dirty if you hit him.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll just clean it with ethanol.¡± Ling Miao tried to get free of Su Yuyang but no amount of struggling worked. Ling Miao had exhausted his strength and he yelled at Su Yuyang: ¡°Su Yuyang, let me go! If I don¡¯t beat him to a pulp today, my surname isn¡¯t Ling!¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t your surname Su?¡± Su Yuyang teased. If Su Yuyang had said this when Ling Miao was calm, Ling Miao¡¯s face would probably have gone burning red, but now Ling Miao¡¯s restraint was hanging only by a thread and Su Yuyang¡¯s words completely destroyed what remained of it. ¡°Su Yuyang¡­¡± Ling Miao bellowed. With a mysterious reserve of strength he broke free of Su Yuyang¡¯s hold, but after he shouted he collapsed on Su Yuyang¡¯s shoulder¡ªSu Yuyang had knocked him unconscious with one chop of his hand. Su Yuyang glanced at Tang Xuan panting on the ground, his eyes radiating thoughtfulness. Tang Xuan panted for breath, one hand clutching the place Ling Miao had struck. He held out three fingers on his other hand and waved them in front of Su Yuyang: ¡°Remember, three days.¡± [Table of Contents] | [Buy your translation team a coffee?] Check out Chaleuria¡¯s new original novel Rest in a Demon¡¯s Embrace! Chapter 104 The Complete Guide to the Use and Care of a Personal Assistant Translator: Jury Editor: NomNom First Published on Chaleuria ¡ª Chapter One Hundred and Four Su Yuyang piggybacked Ling Miao home. Once home, Su Yuyang lay on the sofa and didn¡¯t move at all, but that hateful face kept surfacing before his eyes as if egging him on to post the clarification thread. Su Yuyang clicked into the forums. The callout thread Tang Xuan had made was on the first page. Su Yuyang copied the thread URL and began to write his own. Ling Miao must have been woken by his hunger, because the moment he awoke he complained about being hungry. Su Yuyang had ordered takeout while writing the thread, so when he heard Ling Miao say he was hungry, he immediately went to the kitchen to heat up the food. Su Yuyang carried the food back to the living room. Ling Miao sat in front of the laptop, staring intently at the screen. Su Yuyang didn¡¯t know what he was looking at. Su Yuyang sat at Ling Miao¡¯s side and Ling Miao felt the light darken around him. He turned to look at Su Yuyang and asked, ¡°You knew all along it was Tang Xuan who posted the thread?¡± Ling Miao pointed at the screen. Under his finger were the QQ logs of Su Yuyang and Tang Xuan¡¯s conversation. ¡°When you said the thread was posted by ProfessionalHoleDigger, I guessed it was him. Then I went to find Tang Xuan to confirm and it really was him.¡± Su Yuyang put the dishes in front of Ling Miao. ¡°The food¡¯s warmed up. You should eat.¡± ¡°I remember you saying that you were on the forums for a couple years. How come the account you used to post the thread was registered today?¡± Ling Miao asked curiously as he ate. Su Yuyang let out a long ¡®Aaaaaah.¡¯ His strange tone of voice made Ling Miao¡¯s gooseflesh rise. Su Yuyang clicked on the plagiarism callout thread and scrolled the mouse wheel, stopping on the first reply. He pointed at the ID and said, ¡°That was originally my account. Tang Xuan also knows the account password and he must have changed it at some point.¡± Ling Miao leaned forward to see. Fuck, it¡¯s ProfessionalHoleDigger. What? The ProfessionalHoleDigger account used to belong to Su Yuyang? Ling Miao looked at Su Yuyang in shock. He couldn¡¯t close his mouth, which was full of food, so some fell out. Su Yuyang got a tissue to clean a grain of rice from the corner of Ling Miao¡¯s mouth and said with a smile, ¡°Look at you. The food¡¯s all falling out. Shut your mouth and swallow.¡± Ling Miao obediently shut his mouth and swallowed his food. Then he looked at Su Yuyang in a daze, confusion written in his eyes. A terrifying thought surfaced in Su Yuyang¡¯s mind: Did I knock him silly? ¡°Damn it!¡± Ling Miao suddenly shouted excitedly. ¡°Ha ha! Tang Xuan and I really are fated to be archenemies!¡± Ling Miao¡¯s eyes shone with the fervor of a starving vagabond who had seen exquisitely delicious food. Su Yuyang was, in turn, confused by Ling Miao¡¯s words and asked, ¡°How are you and he fated archenemies?¡± ¡°I told you before, right? ProfessionalHoleDigger is a dedicated Shu Yang hater, while I¡¯m your die-hard fan. It¡¯s pretty normal that we don¡¯t see eye to eye. But among your online haters, he¡¯s my only archenenemy. And there¡¯s a reason for that. ¡°He said before that all the novels he reads are the official releases, except for yours, which he pirates. ¡°My issues with him started with that. Since then, I keep a watch on all the threads he posts. If there¡¯s anything I can shoot him down on, I won¡¯t have mercy.¡± Ling Miao pridefully angled his head like a cat demanding a reward from its owner. Su Yuyang understood Ling Miao¡¯s meaning and rubbed Ling Miao¡¯s head. With a gentle, flirtatious tone he teased, ¡°Childish, dumb cat.¡± Ling Miao put down the bowl and batted away the hand Su Yuyang had placed on his head. He said angrily, ¡°Yes, I¡¯m childish. What can you do about it?¡± Su Yuyang caught the back of Ling Miao¡¯s head and fiercely kissed Ling Miao¡¯s lips. ¡°I like you like this.¡± ¡°Su Yuyang, what¡¯s gotten into you today?¡± ¡°Xiao Miao, I¡¯m scared of losing you.¡± Su Yuyang rested his forehead against Ling Miao¡¯s collarbone, his arm encircling Ling Miao even tighter. ¡°When you hit Tang Xuan, did you not think about the consequences? If you hurt him and he called the police¡­¡± Su Yuyang didn¡¯t continue but he had already gotten his meaning across to Ling Miao. Now that Su Yuyang reminded him, a wave of regret rushed up in Ling Miao¡¯s heart. He said in self-blame, ¡°When I saw his hateful face and heard him threatening you, I couldn¡¯t control myself so I hit him.¡± ¡°In the future, don¡¯t be so rash,¡± Su Yuyang kissed Ling Miao and said. ¡°But how did Tang Xuan know where we were?¡± Ling Miao said thoughtfully. ¡°Was he following us?¡± Ling Miao¡¯s words reminded Su Yuyang of something and he sank into deep thought. Ling Miao continued refreshing the thread and explaining the situation to the fangroup. Su Yuyang¡¯s thread had already gotten many replies. Some people impugned Su Yuyang¡¯s character and said they would move from the position of passerby to anti-fan. Some people said that it was ¡®seriously bitchy¡¯ for Tang Xuan, who had previously dumped Su Yuyang, to want to reconcile now that that Su Yuyang had made his name. Some said that Tang Xuan was trying to do damage now that his attempt at reconciliation had been rejected. Some said that Tang Xuan was taking the opportunity to blackmail Su Yuyang. Reading the myriad responses in the thread, panic grew in Ling Miao¡¯s heart. He looked for Tang Xuan¡¯s response but didn¡¯t find it. He scrolled to the end of the thread but still hadn¡¯t found a reply from Tang Xuan. ¡°Surely two punches from me aren¡¯t enough to land him in the hospital?¡± Ling Miao suddenly grew scared. A pair of hands landed on Ling Miao¡¯s shoulders. Ling Miao put his hands over the person¡¯s hands and said worriedly, ¡°After you posted your thread, Tang Xuan hasn¡¯t replied at all. I¡¯m worried¡­¡± ¡°This thread wasn¡¯t for Tang Xuan to read. Why does it matter whether he replies?¡± Su Yuyang laughed. ¡°Besides, even if Tang Xuan is following us, so what? What¡¯s he going to do, kidnap us? Mm, there¡¯s a group message.¡± Su Yuyang pointed at the laptop and Ling Miao returned his attention to it. He read the new message in the group and patiently replied. Su Yuyang¡¯s thread wasn¡¯t very timely but it assuaged the unease in people¡¯s hearts. The plagiarism incident had passed, as long as Tang Xuan didn¡¯t appear again to disturb the peace. [Table of Contents] | [Buy your translation team a coffee?] Check out Chaleuria¡¯s new original novel Rest in a Demon¡¯s Embrace! Chapter 105 The Complete Guide to the Use and Care of a Personal Assistant Translator: Jury Editor: NomNom First Published on Chaleuria ¡ª Chapter One Hundred and Five The dark room was like a large paper box closed on all six sides. Fragments of light shone through narrow cracks into the room, where the faint outline of a person moved. Piercingly bright light shone from a corner and a computer chimed as it started up. Tang Xuan slowly sat down with a cup of coffee. The screen illuminated his pale and twisted face. ¡°Hss¡ª¡± As he sat down, he moved the tender part of his abdomen and he could not hold back a low groan. He leaned against the back of his chair and opened a browser window. Su Yuyang¡¯s clarification thread had been posted publicly so everyone could read it, including Tang Xuan. To other people, this thread was meant as an explanation. To Tang Xuan, this thread was meant as a slap in the face. Though hitting Tang Xuan¡¯s face had also made Su Yuyang¡¯s hand hurt¡ªafter all, every action is met by an equal and opposite reaction. This morning, Tang Xuan and his supervisor had fought. Tang Xuan had hit his supervisor, who had fired Tang Xuan without a second thought. Tang Xuan wasn¡¯t resentful¡ªin fact, he was somewhat satisfied. After he got the 15 million from Su Yuyang, he thought, he¡¯d buy up this little company and let the supervisor have a taste of being humiliated every day. Tang Xuan left the company. When he got home he quickly packed his things then went to find Su Yuyang. As he got to the ground floor of Su Yuyang¡¯s apartment, Su Yuyang and Ling Miao just happened to walk out. Tang Xuan was curious what the two were going to do, so he followed them without a sound. It wasn¡¯t clear to Tang Xuan why Su Yuyang and Ling Miao had gone to find Feng Ji, but when Su Yuyang and Ling Miao left W&S, he continued to follow them. Though Ling Miao and Su Yuyang seemed to be in a hurry, their hands were still tightly linked. It gave Tang Xuan the feeling that no one would ever be able to separate them. He wouldn¡¯t stomach this! It should have been him standing at Su Yuyang¡¯s side! Even though he had once given Su Yuyang up, Su Yuyang should now be his! Why was the person Su Yuyang chose not me? I¡¯m the only one who can stand at his side! Dissatisfaction, hatred, and countless other negative emotions accumulated within Tang Xuan. He was like a balloon into which a pump kept pumping air, heedless of his ability to withstand it. ¡°Phoo¡ª¡± A loud explosive sound became the words, ¡®Su Yuyang,¡¯ and emanated from Tang Xuan¡¯s mouth. The person in front of Tang Xuan didn¡¯t slow down; his legs moved faster beneath him and his stride grew longer. As a result, even though he was still holding onto Ling Miao¡¯s hand, the two eventually separated. ¡°Hey, Su Yuyang, are you bullying me for having short legs?¡± Ling Miao panted as he yelled at a certain someone who was walking quickly. That person was forced to stop. Su Yuyang turned around and his gaze fell without hesitation on Ling Miao. At Tang Xuan¡¯s side his hands curled into fists, his angry expression radiating murderous intent. Su Yuyang seemed to have noticed this because he used his body to shield Ling Miao¡­ Tang Xuan looked at the popular threads on the forum¡¯s main page. His gaze landed on a thread titled ¡®I Am Shu Yang¡¯ and his reminiscence abruptly stopped. The words ¡®I Am Shu Yang¡¯ were especially glaring. Tang Xuan narrowed his eyes like a hunter whose long-awaited prey had finally taken the bait. A crafty smile lay on his face. ¡°Finally can¡¯t sit still?¡± Tang Xuan sneered as he picked up his coffee and took a big gulp. The black coffee slid down his gullet and reinfused him with life. A hoarse laugh sounded from his throat. Tang Xuan skimmed the contents of the main thread. Su Yuyang¡¯s narration was fairly calm; throughout the entire thread there wasn¡¯t a single exclamation mark. ¡°Su Yuyang, my next move¡ªyou¡¯d better prepare to take it.¡± Tang Xuan dragged the scrollbar to the bottom and entered a number in the reply box. ¡°Aah¡ª¡± Tang Xuan let out a short groan. It had to be said that Ling Miao¡¯s punches from that afternoon had indeed hurt him. He had intended to go to the doctor and get Ling Miao landed in jail, but considering the next step of his plan, he restrained himself. Tang Xuan looked at the bruising on his stomach and a vicious look shot over his face: ¡°Ling Miao, I¡¯ll repay you tenfold, a hundredfold for these two punches!¡± Through Tang Xuan¡¯s anticipation, Ling Miao¡¯s unease, and Su Yuyang¡¯s thoughtfulness, the night passed peacefully. The first thing Ling Miao did on waking up the next morning was to get on his phone to check the replies on the forums. Ling Miao had just tapped on the thread when a hand landed on the screen. Ling Miao¡¯s back was to Su Yuyang¡¯s chest so that there was no space between their bodies. It was hard for him to turn around so he lowered his head and bit the back of Su Yuyang¡¯s hand. ¡°Aah¡ª¡± A piercing scream broke the silence of morning. Su Yuyang looked at the back of his hand bearing Ling Miao¡¯s teeth marks and groaned, ¡°If you¡¯re hungry, go make food! My hands are for making money for you to live off, not for you to eat.¡± ¡°Scram. Who wants to live off you?¡± Ling Miao said angrily. ¡°LIke I don¡¯t earn money? The monthly payout from my novel is enough to pay the utility bills!¡± ¡°Yes, yes.¡± Su Yuyang encircled Ling Miao¡¯s waist with both arms and kissed Ling Miao¡¯s hair. He said gently, ¡°Xiao Miao, I¡¯m hungry.¡± ¡°Let me go. I¡¯ll go make breakfast.¡± Su Yuyang could hear Ling Miao¡¯s resentment. He consoled: ¡°Ling Miao, I know you want to see if Tang Xuan has replied, but is it really important whether he replies?¡± ¡°He even stoops to using Yan-jie to threaten you. A despicable person like that¡ªyou¡¯d better be careful.¡± Ling Miao huffily got out of bed. Su Yuyang must have been provoked by the words ¡°despicable person.¡± He recalled when he had first met Tang Xuan. At that time, Tang Xuan had been pure and demure with a natural friendliness. When he spoke he was carefree and his every action drew the eyes of others. Tang Xuan now¡­ Su Yuyang couldn¡¯t tell what had changed Tang Xuan and he didn¡¯t know what Tang Xuan would do next either. All he could do now was do his best to stop Tang Xuan. Su Yuyang picked up the phone Ling Miao had left by his pillow and unlocked it. His eyes landed on the clarification post he had made. The thread had grown several pages since yesterday. Su Yuyang started from the last page and worked backwards, and on the third from last page he saw ProfessionalHoleDigger. Tang Xuan¡¯s reply contained only the number 3 and a string of ellipses. ¡°Meaning three days?¡± Su Yuyang looked at Tang Xuan¡¯s reply and Tang Xuan¡¯s vicious face from yesterday surfaced in his mind. Ling Miao made breakfast and came over to call Su Yuyang. Seeing Su Yuyang¡¯s deep frown, his heart sank too. ¡°Did Tang Xuan say something?¡± Ling Miao asked worriedly. Su Yuyang raised his head to look at Ling Miao and sighed. ¡°He¡¯s reminding me that we only have three days.¡± ¡°So what do you plan to do?¡± Ling Miao curled his hands into fists. Su Yuyang walked over and hugged Ling Miao. ¡°My plan? My plan is¡ªif it¡¯s time to eat, then we¡¯ll eat. If it¡¯s time to drink, then we¡¯ll drink. Every day, write a little and read the forums¡­¡± ¡°Su Yuyang!¡± Ling Miao¡¯s shout cut short the words Su Yuyang had clearly meant as a joke. Su Yuyang caressed Ling Miao¡¯s hair like he was smoothing fur: ¡°As for this matter, it¡¯s not big, but it¡¯s not small either. The key is Tang Xuan¡ªif he doesn¡¯t post, then nothing will happen¡­¡± ¡°Then you intend to give him the 15 million?¡± Ling Miao rolled his eyes at Su Yuyang, his lips protruding so far out in a pout they could reach the sky. [Table of Contents] | [Buy your translation team a coffee?] Chapter 106 The Complete Guide to the Use and Care of a Personal Assistant Translator: Jury Editor: NomNom First Published on Chaleuria ¡ª Chapter One Hundred and Six Su Yuyang pushed Ling Miao to the dining table and pressed him into a seat. He explained, ¡°If I give him the 15 million, he might want 20 million next time. You think it¡¯s easy for me to earn money by writing? I get a few dozen million so easily?¡± Su Yuyang got Ling Miao a bowl of rice. Seeing that Ling Miao was still unhappy, he continued, ¡°Yan Li¡­¡± ¡°Call the police.¡± Ling Miao slammed the table. ¡°If we can¡¯t do this, we¡¯d better hand it over to the police.¡± ¡°Call the police?¡± Su Yuyang¡¯s face went dark. He looked at Ling Miao and sighed, ¡°Xiao Miao, this matter involves Yan Li. She¡¯s a public figure. I don¡¯t want this to become something people can use against her in the future.¡± ¡°You saw Tang Xuan¡¯s attitude¡­¡± Ling Miao felt as though he was going to explode. He slammed down so hard on the table that the dishes and chopsticks jumped. Su Yuyang took advantage of Ling Miao¡¯s open mouth to stuff a steamed bun into his mouth. The steamed bun blocked Ling Miao from saying more. Ling Miao bit down harshly on the steamed bun, his resentful gaze locked on Su Yuyang¡¯s face. Su Yuyang lowered his head and ate his breakfast. He didn¡¯t meet Ling Miao¡¯s eyes. Ling Miao let out a cold huff. ¡°Once Tang Xuan posts that thread, won¡¯t this matter be spilled either way? When that happens¡­¡± ¡°When that happens it¡¯s Yan Li¡¯s headache,¡± Su Yuyang started laughing heartlessly. Su Yuyang got Yang Lin¡¯s telephone number from Feng Ji. After breakfast, he contacted Yang Lin again, but he¡¯d only spoken a few sentences when Yang Lin hung up again. Su Yuyang wrote what he was going to say into a text message and sent it to Yang Lin, whose reply was: Don¡¯t take a joke too far. ¡°Ah.¡± Su Yuyang lay down on the bed and sighed. Ling Miao was currently writing. Hearing Su Yuyang¡¯s sigh, he turned his head and said, ¡°Tang Xuan?¡± ¡°Yang Lin.¡± Su Yuyang rubbed the bridge of his nose in frustration. ¡°I told her everything and asked her to tell Yan Li and tell the management company to make official preparations, but she thought I was joking.¡± At the last bit, Su Yuyang smiled helplessly. ¡°When it happens, they¡¯ll know if it¡¯s real or fake,¡± Ling Miao said full of anger. Su Yuyang lay spread-eagled on the bed, watching the ceiling with blank eyes. In his ears was a pattering sound. Tang Xuan¡¯s vicious smile lay before his eyes, and he considered how to stop Tang Xuan from making another thread. Out of nowhere, his phone rang. Su Yuyang rolled over and picked up his phone from his nightstand. When he saw the display, he almost dropped the phone. ¡°Fuck!¡± Su Yuyang cursed in surprise. ¡°Xiao Miao, Yan Li actually called me.¡± ¡°You¡¯re sure?¡± Ling Miao asked worriedly. He feared that Su Yuyang had thought too much about Yan Li and started imagining things. Su Yuyang put the phone on speaker mode, then took the call. ¡°Just now, Lin-jie asked me if I had any illicit relationships with a man in university and let someone get dirt on it. I thought about it and the only person I liked in university was you. So there¡¯s no way I could¡¯ve gotten into a relationship with a man. Then Yan-jie showed me your text message and I was so shocked I¡¯m not feeling well.¡± Yan Li lowered her voice, as if not wanting the people next to her to hear. Su Yuyang rubbed his temple, feeling a headache coming on, and said, ¡°You remember Tang Xuan, right?¡± ¡°Him? Haven¡¯t you two been broken up for many years? Why suddenly bring him up? Is he the one who¡¯s going to post the thread?¡± Yan Li asked in surprise. Su Yuyang said, ¡°Mm,¡± gathered his thoughts, and continued speaking. ¡°After he found out I was Shu Yang, he looked for me and wanted to reconcile. I rejected him and he made a forum post accusing me of plagiarism. Although I¡¯ve averted the plagiarism issue, he still threatened me saying that if I didn¡¯t give him 15 million, he¡¯d spill the beans on our history. Of course, that¡¯s with the events reversed¡ªI pursued you and made you fall for me then told you I was gay¡­¡± ¡°I bought a watch last year!¡±1 Eh¡­ these words were violently whispered. Yan Li definitely didn¡¯t want the person behind her to hear them. But she did cut Su Yuyang off. Yan Li said, ¡°Tang Xuan escaped from a psychiatric ward, did he? He wants to exchange a forum post for 15 million? We just have to explain the matter first and then it¡¯ll be fine, won¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Sounds like you have an idea.¡± Su Yuyang¡¯s heart was lighter than before and his tone of voice grew much more carefree. ¡°Just wait to be mentioned!¡± Yan Li smiled with satisfaction. ¡°Ah, Old Su, thank you for your message. I haven¡¯t touched my phone in three days.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ is the isolation training still going fine?¡± Their business concluded, they began chatting. Finally, when Yang Lin coughed, Yan Li wistfully hung up the phone. Hearing Yan Li¡¯s last sob, Su Yuyang¡¯s smile grew even more radiant. Ling Miao glared at Su Yuyang and thought, Look at you delighting in someone else¡¯s misfortune! Now that the worrying matter had been concluded, the dark clouds over Su Yuyang¡¯s face had disappeared, but he still felt that Ling Miao wasn¡¯t very happy. Su Yuyang lay face down on the bed then propped himself up with his arms and raised his head slightly to look at Ling Miao. ¡°Xiao Miao, the matter with Tang Xuan is about to be solved. What¡¯s still worrying you?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, either.¡± Ling Miao frustratedly ruffled his hair. ¡°My chest feels heavy. Sometimes it feels like I¡¯ll suffocate.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t breathe?¡± Su Yuyang got up and opened the window. Cool raindrops fell on Su Yuyang¡¯s face and he complained, ¡°Ah, it rains every day.¡± Ling Miao breathed in the fresh air outside the window and his breathing eased. His chest still felt heavy, but he didn¡¯t tell Su Yuyang that. ¡°Ah!¡± Ling Miao suddenly yelled out. Su Yuyang¡¯s heart clenched and he asked hurriedly, ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°I forgot to cook!¡± Ling Miao left these words and ran to the kitchen. Su Yuyang glanced at the time. It was 11:30 a.m. After lunch, Su Yuyang kept refreshing Yan Li¡¯s microblog. Two hours of refreshing later, he still hadn¡¯t seen a post in which Yan Li mentioned him. Just as Su Yuyang was considering whether to call Yan Li and ask, her microblog finally updated. Yan Li: To the person I loved then and the person I love now. @ShuYang, @JiLinxi. Text version¡­ Su Yuyang was glad from the bottom of his heart: This is definitely it! The blog post was accompanied by an image, which Su Yuyang clicked into. The first line of text on the image was, ¡°About Shu Yang¡ªa person I once loved.¡± In the post, Yan Li described her and Su Yuyang¡¯s history without holding anything back. Su Yuyang gave three great guffaws and then suddenly very much wanted to see Tang Xuan¡¯s expression. Ling Miao had also seen Yan Li¡¯s post. He exclaimed with surprise, ¡°This move of Yan-jie¡¯s is brilliant!¡± Su Yuyang laughed. ¡°We can settle this without calling the police. Now, even if Tang Xuan makes a forum post, I¡¯m not going to stop him.¡± As Su Yuyang spoke, he clicked reblog, then tossed Tang Xuan the link to the post. ¡°Heh.¡± Tang Xuan finished reading Yan Li¡¯s long post and a hoarse sneer emanated from his dry throat. Thinking about the post that was halfway written, he tamped down on the dissatisfaction brimming in his heart. A terrifyingly cold laugh echoed through the pitch-black room: ¡°Su Yuyang, you think you can beat me like this? Aren¡¯t you and Ling Miao in love? Let¡¯s see how you love each other when one of you is dead!¡± [Table of Contents] | [Buy your translation team a coffee?] Translation notes: [1] an expression that sounds like a string of curses. Chapter 107 The Complete Guide to the Use and Care of a Personal Assistant Translator: Jury Editor: NomNom First Published on Chaleuria ¡ª Chapter One Hundred and Seven Ling Miao opened his eyes and saw only darkness. He confusedly stared into the dark and thought, Even if the sun¡¯s gone down, surely it¡¯s not so dark to the point where I can¡¯t see anything? Suddenly, Ling Miao felt something covering his eyes. He raised one hand to move the thing blocking his vision, but his arms only moved horizontally before he felt a light ring over his wrist. If he hadn¡¯t tried to move his hand, he wouldn¡¯t have discovered this¡ªand that his hands could only move a very short distance. Ling Miao then tried to move his legs, but he could similarly only move his legs a very short distance. All Ling Miao¡¯s limbs had been immobilized. He could only move his neck and his waist. I¡¯ve been kidnapped? A terrifying notion flashed across Ling Miao¡¯s mind. Fear battered every part of his body like roiling waves. Reflexively, Ling Miao started yelling: ¡°Who is it? Fuck it, who kidnapped me? Get the hell out here! Fucker¡ªmmph¡ªmmph¡­¡± Every shout was louder than the last, and what he got in return was a ball-shaped thing shoved in his mouth. Ling Miao stuck his tongue on top of the ball-shaped object, trying to push it out, but something pushed back on the other side of the ball. Ling Miao¡¯s tongue had gone numb and he still couldn¡¯t push it out, so he had no recourse but to give up. He couldn¡¯t see anything, so he listened especially acutely. Soft footsteps sounded by his ear. That person lifted Ling Miao¡¯s head and Ling Miao felt something thin and long extend from the corners of his mouth then knot together at the back of his head. Ling Miao now couldn¡¯t say anything at all. Ling Miao¡¯s mouth was open and the saliva he couldn¡¯t swallow dribbled from the corner of his mouth. The warm liquid gradually cooled as it left his mouth, sliding soundlessly over his skin. Ling Miao twisted his body in resistance to the person¡¯s actions. The person looked at Ling Miao on the bed, who was struggling like a fish out of water. A dry and hoarse laugh spilled from his throat, satisfaction in the sound. Ling Miao heard the person laugh and momentarily stopped struggling. He didn¡¯t want to become a joke to others, especially his kidnapper. The person saw that Ling Miao had quieted down. Seeming to lose interest, he turned and left. Ling Miao heard the footsteps gradually growing distant and the fear in his heart quieted. He began to recall the events before his kidnapping. In the morning when Ling Miao made breakfast, he had discovered that there was not much vegetables and meat left in the fridge. He asked Su Yuyang to accompany him to the supermarket to shop for groceries. Su Yuyang had told Ling Miao regretfully that he needed to go to the post office to pick up a parcel¡ªthe postman for Su Yuyang¡¯s area was ill and couldn¡¯t deliver today. Non-urgent mail would be delivered tomorrow but urgent mail had to be picked up personally. Coincidentally, Su Yuyang¡¯s mail was extremely urgent. The publisher had sent him books that he needed to sign immediately and send back. Even more coincidentally, the post office and the supermarket were in opposite directions. Su Yuyang went to the post office and Ling Miao went to the supermarket. When Ling Miao grocery shopped, he did it aimlessly. He took whatever he felt he needed so by the time Su Yuyang had autographed all the books and filled out the postage, Ling Miao still hadn¡¯t returned. The hungry Su Yuyang called Ling Miao to hurry him home to cook. Ling Miao ambled to the cashier to pay then took a shortcut home. Ling Miao left in too much of a hurry and hadn¡¯t observed his surroundings well. Even if he had discovered someone following him, he would probably have assumed it was someone who was also trying to take a shortcut home. The back way! Ling Miao tried to recall what happened next, but the next image that came to mind was the darkness he had seen when he woke up. Suddenly, he put the pieces together: he had been kidnapped in the back road. Someone who had taken him from a back road must be someone who was familiar with the area. That person must have been following him since he left the apartment. Ling Miao¡¯s breathing grew ragged. He was angry at himself for being careless and also at the act of kidnapping that had been done to him. The sound of footsteps started up again and they sounded like they were getting closer. Ling Miao involuntarily held his breath. The footsteps stopped beside him. Ling Miao turned, trying to see his kidnapper, but all he could see was blackness. ¡°Mmph mmph mmph (who are you!)¡± The person ignored Ling Miao¡¯s meaningless shouting. He put a cup by Ling Miao¡¯s head. Ling Miao heard the thunk and feared that the person was going to hurt him, so he obediently stopped shouting. Several seconds later, he felt a pair of hands untying the restraints at the back of his head. Then a hand lifted his head and something cold touched his lips. Initially, he wanted to reject the thing the person had shoved into his mouth, but the feeling at his lips was water. Ling Miao thought: Water is the fountain of life. If I don¡¯t drink water, I won¡¯t live even a few days. Even if he put something in the water, it¡¯s not a big deal. He began gulping the water, moving his stiff facial muscles in the process. Cough, cough¡ª Ling Miao had drunk too quickly and started choking. He coughed violently. The cup of water left his lips and Ling Miao¡¯s head violently fell. The back of his head landed on the headboard with a thunk. ¡°I¡ª¡± Ling Miao was about to curse again when the gag was shoved into his mouth again. ¡°Mmph! Mmph! Mmph!¡± Ling Miao violently shook his body. The person let out a cold sneer. Ling Miao huffed and ignored what the person was doing to him. Does Su Yuyang know I¡¯ve been kidnapped? Ling Miao dazedly looked into the pitch-black world and saw Su Yuyang¡¯s silhouette. Why did he want to kidnap me? For money? Or¡­ Suddenly, Ling Miao thought of the most likely possibility, which was also the most terrifying¡ªhis kidnapper was Tang Xuan! Ling Miao wanted to ask the person next to him¡ªare you Tang Xuan? But something was stuffed in Ling Miao¡¯s mouth and aside from drooling and expressing sounds of anger and resistance, he couldn¡¯t do anything. Out of nowhere, an ice-cold hand touched his skin. Ling Miao shuddered and his gooseflesh rose. The hand seemed to be carved from ice; Ling Miao couldn¡¯t feel human warmth from it at all. Ling Miao felt the fingers slide from his wrist up his arm toward his shoulder. The ticklish feeling made Ling Miao shudder. What is he going to do to me next? The fingers had reached Ling Miao¡¯s chest. They stopped. Ling Miao¡¯s heart was strung up in his throat¡ªhe didn¡¯t know what the person would do next. ¡°Heh heh.¡± Another chilling laugh. ¡°Ling Miao, Su Yuyang hasn¡¯t held you before, right?¡± The words struck Ling Miao like thunder from a calm sky, almost reducing him to ashes. The owner of this voice was Tang Xuan! [Table of Contents] | [Buy your translation team a coffee?] Chapter 108 The Complete Guide to the Use and Care of a Personal Assistant Translator: Jury Editor: NomNom First Published on Chaleuria ¡ª Chapter One Hundred and Eight Ling Miao resembled a drowning man. He couldn¡¯t cry out for help and his body was suspended in the water, quietly sinking. To Ling Miao¡¯s knowledge, most kidnappers wouldn¡¯t let their victims see their face. If someone familiar to the victim was committing the crime, they wouldn¡¯t let the victim know who they were, either. ¡°Why did Tang Xuan let me know it was him who kidnapped me?¡± Ling Miao¡¯s heart skipped a beat. ¡°Unless he¡¯s preparing to¡­ me¡­¡± Thinking of the worst-case outcome, Ling Miao¡¯s hair all stood on end. He swallowed down the word ¡®kill.¡¯ Tang Xuan couldn¡¯t see the look in Ling Miao¡¯s eyes, and in the dark room he couldn¡¯t see Ling Miao¡¯s expression either, but he was very happy. Tang Xuan patted Ling Miao¡¯s face and said in disgust, ¡°Ling Miao, aren¡¯t you and Su Yuyang in love? If you die, do you think Su Yuyang will follow you, or will he find someone new?¡± He¡¯s really going to kill me? Fear shot through Ling Miao from the soles of his feet to the top of his head, almost splitting his body apart. Ling Miao twisted his body to show his resistance. Tang Xuan laughed coldly and placed his hand on Ling Miao¡¯s waist, slowly caressing. Tang Xuan¡¯s actions agitated Ling Miao. After a period of shuddering, Ling Miao didn¡¯t dare move any more. Tang Xuan looked at Ling Miao, who had calmed down, with satisfaction, and laughed, ¡°Ah, no wonder you can¡¯t say anything. I forgot to take out the gag.¡± As Tang Xuan spoke, Ling Miao felt a pair of hands raising his head. Several seconds later, the thing in Ling Miao¡¯s mouth fell out. ¡°Despicable!¡± Ling Miao spat. ¡°Tang Xuan, you¡¯re really fucking despicable. If I get out of here alive, I¡¯ll cut you into a thousand pieces! I¡­¡± Suddenly, cold metal pressed against Ling Miao¡¯s face, scaring him so much he shuddered. He flinched and said, ¡°I¡­ I¡­¡± ¡°You, what you?¡± Tang Xuan patted Ling Miao¡¯s face with the knife. ¡°Don¡¯t you know angering your kidnapper is a very dangerous move? If I¡¯m angry, and I¡­ to you¡­¡± Tang Xuan didn¡¯t say what he was going to do to Ling Miao, but his actions indicated his intentions. The back of the knife slid down Ling Miao¡¯s face and cut gently at Ling Miao¡¯s neck. Ling Miao¡¯s whole body shuddered and his limbs stiffened. ¡°Tang¡­ Tang Xuan, it¡¯s against the law to murder. You¡­¡± ¡°Ling Miao, you really are naive!¡± Tang Xuan¡¯s mockery cut off Ling Miao¡¯s words. ¡°Kidnapping isn¡¯t against the law now? Kidnapping is also a capital crime, so if I kill you, I¡¯ll even stand to gain. I¡¯ll die either way.¡± As Tang Xuan finished, he became vicious. He caught hold of Ling Miao¡¯s neck, as if he would end Ling Miao¡¯s life like this. ¡°Tang Xuan¡­¡± Ling Miao spat out the words with difficulty, but before he finished, the gag was shoved into his mouth again. Fuck, fuck, fuck! Ling Miao internally cursed up a storm. If this thing is stuck in my mouth the whole time, my mouth will become stiff! Fucking Tang Xuan! I don¡¯t believe that I can¡¯t get out of here before you kill me! Fucker, I don¡¯t know what¡¯s happened to Su Yuyang. Thinking that Su Yuyang must be beside himself with worry, Ling Miao actually began laughing. Su Yuyang currently resembled a headless fly. He paced back and forth in W&S so much Feng Ji got dizzy looking at him. No one dared come into the shop, so Feng Ji closed the shop door and let Su Yuyang pace as much as he wanted. An Yan was somewhat puzzled by Feng Ji¡¯s instructions. Feng Ji pointed at Su Yuyang who was currently rushing about like a spinning top and said, ¡°Big Boss has just lost his wife.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about this. If there¡¯s time, I¡¯ll explain everything to you, but right now go close up shop. There aren¡¯t any customers, anyway. An Yan was still confused. But since the boss had decided, who was he, a worker, to quibble? Feng Ji glanced at An Yan¡¯s back, his gaze sweeping over An Yan¡¯s broad shoulders, narrow waist, upturned buttocks, and long legs. He fell into a daze: Ah, he has an A+ body. I want to hug him. ¡°You¡¯re drooling.¡± A cold clear voice came from one side, the chill making Feng Ji shiver. Feng Ji turned to look at the man radiating the chill. He made a show of wiping his mouth and said, ¡°Where do you think Ling Miao would go?¡± ¡°If I knew where he was, would I be wasting time here?¡± Su Yuyang snapped. Ling Miao had been missing for almost a day. Yesterday, after Su Yuyang had ended the call with Ling Miao, he had waited at home for Ling Miao. But a couple of hours had passed and Ling Miao still hadn¡¯t come back. He called Ling Miao again, but the phone was turned off. Su Yuyang didn¡¯t know what had happened to Ling Miao, so he called all their mutual friends. But Yan Li and Ji Linxi were in Beijing, so only Feng Ji fit the bill. When he called Feng Ji, Feng Ji said he hadn¡¯t seen Ling Miao. Now Su Yuyang was anxious. He couldn¡¯t sit or stand still, so he went to Feng Ji¡¯s to try to find calm. ¡°You also know that you¡¯re wasting your time here?¡± Feng Ji laughed. ¡°You¡¯ve been here for almost an hour. That time might have been better spent at the police.¡± ¡°The police?¡± Su Yuyang slapped his head. ¡°Fuck, why didn¡¯t I think of calling the police.¡± As Su Yuyang finished he walked towards the door. Su Yuyang was in a hurry and wasn¡¯t looking where he was going, so he collided with An Yan who was walking in his direction. ¡°Ow¡ª¡± Su Yuyang¡¯s stomach had knocked into something hard. He rubbed at the sore place and said in pain, ¡°An Yan, what are you holding?¡± ¡°Something fell from the sky and landed in front of me¡­¡± ¡°Are you hurt anywhere?¡± Hearing An Yan¡¯s words, Feng Ji instantly ran up to him and checked him over from head to toe. ¡°No¡­ nothing.¡± An Yan shyly avoided Feng Ji¡¯s gaze. He passed the box to Feng Ji and asked curiously, ¡°The words ¡®Su Yuyang¡¯ are written on the box. Is there someone called Su Yuyang here?¡± ¡°Su Yuyang?¡± Su Yuyang grabbed the box and looked. Indeed, his name was written on it. The box was tightly secured with rubber bands. Feng Ji got a pair of scissors, which Su Yuyang used to open the box. Inside the box lay a cellphone, a pair of shoes, and a photograph. Su Yuyang was very familiar with all three things in the box: Ling Miao¡¯s phone, Ling Miao¡¯s shoes, a photo of Ling Miao¡­ Ling Miao in the photo looked like a corpse. Su Yuyang¡¯s lips trembled and every muscle in his face twitched. With trembling hands he picked up the photo of Ling Miao, confused gaze on Feng Ji. He asked, ¡°Is this Ling Miao?¡± Feng Ji nodded. ¡°Then is he¡­¡± Dead? Su Yuyang hadn¡¯t the courage to ask. Feng Ji seemed to know what Su Yuyang was thinking. His hand came down on Su Yuyang¡¯s head and he shouted, ¡°You really want Ling Miao to die so much?¡± Su Yuyang was in no mood to joke with Feng Ji. He clutched the photo of Ling Miao and walked unsteadily in the direction of the door. Suddenly, Feng Ji called him. ¡°Su Yuyang, wait!¡± Su Yuyang turned around blankly. Feng Ji picked up the box and showed the bottom to Su Yuyang. There was a big character on the bottom: ¡®Xuan.¡¯ Xuan. The ¡®Xuan¡¯ in ¡®Tang Xuan.¡¯ [Table of Contents] | [Buy your translation team a coffee?] Chapter 109 The Complete Guide to the Use and Care of a Personal Assistant Translator: Jury Editor: NomNom First Published on Chaleuria ¡ª Chapter One Hundred and Nine ¡°Tang Xuan.¡± Su Yuyang hatefully recited this name. ¡°I should have guessed it was him. Aside from him, who would kidnap Xiao Miao?¡± Su Yuyang squatted on the floor in self-blame, saying regretfully, ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have let him go alone to the supermarket. If I¡¯d been with him, Tang Xuan wouldn¡¯t have had the chance to strike.¡± ¡°Why do you have so many regrets?¡± Feng Ji said gently. ¡°The most important thing now is to find Tang Xuan and save Ling Miao.¡± ¡°Right, find Tang Xuan.¡± After Feng Ji¡¯s reminder, Su Yuyang¡¯s thoughts were less confused than before. As if carefully planned, Su Yuyang¡¯s phone rang just as he pulled it out in order to contact Tang Xuan. The incoming call was from an unknown number. ¡°Hello?¡± Su Yuyang¡¯s voice trembled. ¡°Have you gotten the package?¡± Tang Xuan said in challenge. Hearing Tang Xuan¡¯s voice, the fire of anger instantly flared in Su Yuyang¡¯s heart. He bellowed, ¡°Tang Xuan, let Xiao Miao go!¡± Quiet laughter emanated from Tang Xuan¡¯s throat, full of mockery. Su Yuyang¡¯s breathing grew heavier just listening to it. He could feel himself on the edge of breaking. ¡°Tang Xuan, you fucking talk to me!¡± Su Yuyang yelled into the phone, his voice so loud he might bring the building down around them. Tang Xuan¡¯s manic laughter grew louder and he said viciously, ¡°Tomorrow morning, nine-thirty, at the Mountaintop Gardens. I¡¯ll wait for you there.¡± ¡°Tang¡­¡± Su Yuyang was forced to swallow his words as the other party hung up. He looked at the words ¡®Call ended¡¯ on the screen. With no other outlet for his anger, he threw the phone at the ground to vent. ¡°Ahh¡ª¡± His repressed regret was awakened again by Tang Xuan¡¯s call. Su Yuyang, who had been teetering at his breaking point, finally couldn¡¯t control his emotions any more. With all his strength he gave an ear-splitting yell. Feng Ji¡¯s heartbeat rapidly quickened in his fright. An Yan looked worriedly at Su Yuyang. He moved close to Feng Ji¡¯s ear and said, ¡°Boss, aren¡¯t you going to console him?¡± Feng Ji rubbed his temples and said in frustration, ¡°Aside from catching the person who kidnapped Ling Miao and putting him in front of Su Yuyang and giving him a good beating, what can soothe his heart which has gone off the rails?¡± Su Yuyang must have been tired. After he quieted down, he sat unmoving in a corner, his ordinarily clear eyes covered with a sheen of deathly stillness. Tears glistened in his eyes. Feng Ji walked to Su Yuyang¡¯s side and placed his hand on Su Yuyang¡¯s shoulder. He squeezed gently. ¡°What did Tang Xuan say?¡± ¡°Tomorrow morning, half past nine, at the Mountaintop Gardens.¡± Su Yuyang repeated Tang Xuan¡¯s words. ¡°The Mountaintop Gardens?¡± Feng Ji said softly, his brow furrowing thoughtfully. The Mountaintop Gardens was a park, but it was located in a dense forest halfway up the mountains and it contained many twisting and hard-to-walk pathways. Aside from a small badminton court, there were few signs of habitation. Tang Xuan had arranged to meet Su Yuyang at the Mountaintop Gardens and it definitely wouldn¡¯t be at the badminton court. No one knew what could happen in a dense forest. If Tang Xuan acted cruelly, no one would even know how Su Yuyang and Ling Miao died. ¡°Very obviously, Tang Xuan has a plan,¡± Feng Ji said worriedly. Su Yuyang took a deep breath. He raised his head to look up at his good friend, whose face showed concern. He smiled: ¡°No matter what his plan is, he has Xiao Miao, so I have to go.¡± ¡°I think it¡¯s still safer to call the police.¡± Feng Ji again suggested Su Yuyang call the cops. This time, Su Yuyang wasn¡¯t as decided as he was last time. He said uncertainly, ¡°I¡¯m worried that Tang Xuan will jump the gun and do something to hurt Ling Miao.¡± ¡°He already kidnapped Ling Miao. Is that not jumping the gun enough? I¡¯m worried that if you keep delaying, Ling Miao really will get hurt,¡± Feng Ji advised patiently. Su Yuyang shook his head. ¡°Tomorrow I¡¯ll go meet Tang Xuan and we¡¯ll see then.¡± Su Yuyang got up and walked to the door. An Yan watched Su Yuyang dejectedly leave, then saw Feng Ji watching Su Yuyang with a helpless expression. He asked curiously, ¡°Boss, what¡¯s up with you two?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not something between us, it¡¯s a guy being silly,¡± Feng Ji said in frustration. ¡°Fucker, if you don¡¯t call the police, I will, all right? At that time, no need to thank me!¡± Feng Ji exclaimed helplessly. Su Yuyang left W&S but didn¡¯t go home. Like a wandering spirit, he drifted to the Mountaintop Gardens. He climbed from the foot of the mountain to the mid, then without stopping, continued to rush toward the mountaintop. Without warning, rain began to drift down from the sky. It fell with soft sounds upon the layered leaves. Su Yuyang walked aimlessly on the trail. The rain passed through the canopy onto him and a chill seeped into his skin. If Ling Miao were around he would put a jacket on Su Yuyang then keep nagging. So Su Yuyang thought. Since Ling Miao had entered Su Yuyang¡¯s life, Su Yuyang rarely noticed the weather. If there was rain and wind, Ling Miao would give him more clothes and add a blanket; if it was hot, Ling Miao would considerately place a short-sleeved shirt by his pillow. He never had to worry about the household chores because Ling Miao was there for everything. Although Ling Miao still dyed his white shirts in all colors when he washed them and still left water on the floor¡­ Su Yuyang thought about the myriad things Ling Miao did for him. A sudden, inexplicable fear engulfed him and he slowly squatted on the ground, curling up into himself to keep his body warm. Without Ling Miao, surely Su Yuyang¡¯s world would collapse? The raindrops slowly grew larger. Su Yuyang¡¯s shirt was already soaked through. Su Yuyang inhaled sharply, unsteadily stood up, and continued moving forward. But he didn¡¯t move to the other side of the mountain; he turned around and went back down. He couldn¡¯t falter now. He was going to save Ling Miao. Ling Miao wasn¡¯t sure when he had fallen asleep. When he woke up, he was impressed by himself: Fuck, I slept so soundly. No! Ling Miao opened his eyes and looked around carefully. He found something strange: the thing covering his eyes had been taken away! The gag in his mouth had been removed, too. Even so, his limbs were still secured. Ling Miao inwardly cursed: If you¡¯re going to free me, free me completely! What¡¯s the deal with keeping my hands and legs tied! But Ling Miao was still pretty excited to be able to see. The interior of the room was still dark. The only light came from the high, small rectangular hole in the wall. ¡°You¡¯re awake?¡± A ghostly voice drifted from somewhere and Ling Miao turned his head, trying to see where Tang Xuan was. Suddenly, cold light flashed past Ling Miao¡¯s eyes. That seemed to be the light glinting off a knife. Tang Xuan was currently sitting under the rectangular hole and Ling Miao was so shocked he gave a full-body flinch. Tang Xuan was holding a knife, waving it in the light. It gleamed and Ling Miao shrank away as he saw it. ¡°I¡¯ve asked Su Yuyang to meet tomorrow morning.¡± Tang Xuan¡¯s voice, devoid of emotion, exploded like a silenced grenade in Ling Miao¡¯s head. Ling Miao asked warily, ¡°What are you going to do?¡± Tang Xuan sneered. ¡°What do you think I¡¯m going to do?¡± Ling Miao didn¡¯t say anything. Actually, he wanted to say, ¡°You¡¯re going to kill me,¡± but if Tang Xuan replied, ¡°As you wish,¡± he¡¯d choke to death on his own spit. Tang Xuan raised his hand and glanced at the time. He said with anticipation, ¡°It¡¯s nine in the evening. We still have twelve and a half hours.¡± [Table of Contents] | [Buy your translation team a coffee?] Chapter 110 The Complete Guide to the Use and Care of a Personal Assistant Translator: Jury Editor: NomNom First Published on Chaleuria ¡ª Chapter One Hundred and Ten Rain fell like a waterfall from the sky. The roar of flowing water was especially apparent in the silent night. Occasionally, cars rushing past created giant waves, and the rainwater splashed as it fell midair and made contact with the ground. Su Yuyang felt as though his heart was being beaten by drumsticks, the thunk thunk thunk growing more intense with every passing heartbeat. Outside the window, the wind blew the rain sideways. The silver lamplight clearly illuminated each drop of rain. Su Yuyang stood in front of the window and gazed at the forest in the distance. The Mountaintop Gardens was concealed by the forest before Su Yuyang¡¯s eyes. Maybe Xiao Miao is currently in that forest, Su Yuyang thought impassionedly. His hand, resting on the windowsill, clenched reflexively into a fist. Xiao Miao, wait for me, Su Yuyang called silently. After waking up, Ling Miao didn¡¯t dare shut his eyes again. He stared at the narrow rectangular hole and observed the changes in the sky. Ling Miao stared at the sky in a daze, the sound of rain echoing in his ears. Even though it was night outside, the dark and silent room didn¡¯t have a light on. To Ling Miao¡¯s recollection, this room had never had a light on. Probably, there were no lights in this room at all. That was all Ling Miao could think about. Ling Miao lay on the bed and listened to the sounds of rain outside. His face was turned to the light. The drops of clearly defined rain were like glistening silver needles¡ªneedles that were piercing his chest. Ling Miao felt his heart hurt. Without warning, the rain began to fall on Ling Miao¡¯s face. It was cool, and Ling Miao couldn¡¯t help thinking: It¡¯s windy outside. The temperature¡¯s probably low. Did Su Yuyang put on more clothes? He dislikes the cold so much. If he forgot to wear more clothes¡­ Ling Miao¡¯s thoughts drifted to Su Yuyang. ¡°Su Yuyang, you¡¯re going to meet Tang Xuan tomorrow. Don¡¯t let anything happen to you!¡± Ling Miao showed a worried expression. A pale yellow glow came from the corner and Ling Miao¡¯s gaze was drawn to it. He saw a man holding a candle walking slowly over. The room, which had been dark all along, was now illuminated. Ling Miao, who was used to the dark, found the candlelight piercing to his eyes. ¡°Tang Xuan, what are you doing?¡± ¡°What am I doing?¡± Tang Xuan¡¯s savage face suddenly came close to Ling Miao¡¯s. He only stopped when their noses were almost touching. Tang Xuan seemed to be trying to disgust Ling Miao. He raised his hand and caressed Ling Miao¡¯s face, which was trembling in fear. He sneered, ¡°Of course, it¡¯s to see your expression clearly.¡± Because of their close proximity, Tang Xuan¡¯s hot breath landed on Ling Miao¡¯s face. An inexplicable disgust rose in Ling Miao. He said in revulsion, ¡°Scram!¡± Tang Xuan watched Ling Miao¡¯s reaction with satisfaction. He said wickedly, ¡°I really should let Su Yuyang see you now.¡± ¡°You¡­¡± ¡°Ling Miao, say, should I kill you in front of Su Yuyang, or rape you in front of Su Yuyang?¡± Tang Xuan stared into the flickering candlelight and asked with amusement. Ling Miao didn¡¯t want to choose either. He grit his teeth and aimed a cold glare at the satisfied Tang Xuan. He said haltingly, ¡°Why don¡¯t you do it to yourself.¡± Tang Xuan¡¯s smile froze. He opened his eyes wide¡ªclearly he hadn¡¯t thought Ling Miao would retort like this. Tang Xuan only froze for a few seconds. Then he looked Ling Miao over from the bottom up. He caught the flash of panic through Ling Miao¡¯s eyes and mocked: ¡°You¡¯re just putting on a front.¡± ¡°Ling Miao, I think I should knock Su Yuyang unconscious, then let him see you panting beneath me, then kill you with one blow. You¡¯ll die in endless shame and Su Yuyang will live the rest of his life in a nightmare.¡± ¡°What do you think?¡± Ptui! A gob of spit landed on Tang Xuan¡¯s face. ¡°If you like performing in front of people so much, then you should do it to yourself. If you want to kill someone, kill yourself! What¡¯s killing me worth?¡± ¡°Kill myself? If I die, won¡¯t you and Su Yuyang be thrilled?¡± Tang Xuan grabbed the knife by the pillow. With a whooshing sound, he stuck it next to Ling Miao¡¯s ear. He lowered his voice and snarled, ¡°Since Su Yuyang makes me unhappy, then I¡¯ll make him unhappy. I¡¯ll shame you and kill you. It¡¯ll ease the hatred in my heart and torture Su Yuyang.¡± ¡°The moment I think about Su Yuyang cradling your defiled body and howling as he cries, as if he can¡¯t wait to die, I get so happy I want to take you and rush to Su Yuyang immediately.¡± ¡°Fucking pervert!¡± Another gob of spit landed on Tang Xuan¡¯s face, but Tang Xuan wiped it away with indifference. Tang Xuan set the candle down on the cabinet, then picked up the gag and walked over. Looking at the thing in Tang Xuan¡¯s hand, Ling Miao¡¯s gaze radiated fear. The gag was much bigger than Ling Miao had expected. As he thought about how long his jaw would be kept open by this thing, he reflexively shut his mouth tight. Tang Xuan had anticipated Ling Miao¡¯s reactions. Without a word, he used his other hand to pinch Ling Miao¡¯s nose shut. Ling Miao could still hold his breath at first, but after half a minute had passed, he couldn¡¯t sustain it any more and opened his mouth. Tang Xuan took the opportunity to shove the ball gag into Ling Miao¡¯s mouth. ¡°Ling Miao, enjoy your last good dream!¡± Tang Xuan blew out the candle and the world fell back into darkness. But how could Ling Miao sleep? Ling Miao greedily gulped in the air he hated. His eyes, which showed his fear, gradually cleared. Death seemed inevitable. But he didn¡¯t want Su Yuyang to watch him die. And Tang Xuan even wanted to humiliate him in front of Su Yuyang. Bite my tongue and kill myself? He couldn¡¯t even shut his mouth right now, so how would he bite his tongue? Starving to death wasn¡¯t realistic either. Did he have to wait for Tang Xuan to kill him with the knife? The rain continued all night. Su Yuyang stared at the gradually lightening sky. His heart had calmed. He warned himself to stay calm because Ling Miao was waiting for him. Su Yuyang went to the bathroom to shower and left the apartment around nine o¡¯clock. Tang Xuan sat by the bed. In his left hand he held the knife, in his right, the cloth he was using to polish it. He cleaned the knife until it shone. Feeling Ling Miao¡¯s body shudder, Tang Xuan mocked: ¡°Scared? Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll kill you with a single stroke.¡± ¡°Mm mm mm!¡± Ling Miao grew uneasy again. Click¡ª the sound of a lighter. The candle was set alight again and Ling Miao¡¯s gaze immediately landed on Tang Xuan. Tang Xuan turned and met Ling Miao¡¯s eyes. Ling Miao saw the heinous smile on Tang Xuan¡¯s face. He wasn¡¯t sure how to react, but he looked at Tang Xuan with a terrified gaze holding a hint of a plea. Without realizing, his eyes filled with tears. Tang Xuan saw Ling Miao begging for mercy and a sense of achievement overflowed in his heart. He bent down close to Ling Miao¡¯s ear and said, ¡°I want you to suffer and beg for your life in front of Su Yuyang.¡± As Tang Xuan finished, he picked up the knife and swiftly departed through the door. [Table of Contents] | [Buy your translation team a coffee?] Chapter 111 The Complete Guide to the Use and Care of a Personal Assistant Translator: Jury Editor: NomNom First Published on Chaleuria ¡ª Chapter One Hundred and Eleven The after-rain air was clean and fresh, and carried the scent of flowers and dirt. He took a deep breath, and felt as if all the frustration in his heart had been washed away. The young man wearing a tight black tank top stood on a high stone ledge. He had one hand in his pocket, the other wrapped around something long and thin. His gaze lay on the badminton court below the ledge. The man¡¯s face was handsome and his exposed shoulders were full of strength. The tight tank top outlined his firm chest. If not for his cold smile and vicious gleam in his eye, he would definitely be approached by many forward men and women. Time passed, minute by second. The man stood still on the spot like a wooden post. Suddenly, the man¡¯s eyes lighted with an excited gleam. Su Yuyang arrived at the badminton court, panting for breath. He bent at the waist and put his hands on his thighs, taking in great gulps of fresh air. There were three roads that passed through the Mountaintop Gardens¡¯ entrance, but all of them passed by this badminton court. After that, there was only one path that led to the mountaintop, which was the one under the man¡¯s feet. People who lived in the area would sometimes scale the mountain for exercise. Most people stopped when they reached the badminton court and didn¡¯t walk towards the mountain peak. Tang Xuan hadn¡¯t told Su Yuyang the exact meeting place. In order not to miss Tang Xuan, Su Yuyang had intended to walk all three roads that led through the garden¡¯s entrance. Su Yuyang had passed by the badminton court once, but hadn¡¯t seen Tang Xuan, so he had quickly left. This was Su Yuyang¡¯s second time passing the badminton court. This time, the road he walked was the one opposite the one the man was standing on, so the moment he looked up, he saw the man. Su Yuyang moved his tired and sore legs, walking with difficulty towards the man. Although Su Yuyang couldn¡¯t clearly see the man¡¯s face, he was very sure that the man was Tang Xuan. Tang Xuan saw Su Yuyang walking in his direction and didn¡¯t dawdle. Tang Xuan turned and ran toward the mountain peak. Su Yuyang¡¯s gaze was firmly locked on the running Tang Xuan¡¯s back. Su Yuyang cursed, picked up his legs, and gave chase. But Su Yuyang had already expended a lot of his strength and he hadn¡¯t rested long. As he gave chase, he lost track of Tang Xuan. By this time, Su Yuyang had already entered a patch of dense forest. Aside from the rocky path beneath his feet and the streetlights on either side, Su Yuyang couldn¡¯t see any sign of habitation. ¡°Tang Xuan, get back out here!¡± Su Yuyang believed it was far enough from the badminton court that the people down there wouldn¡¯t be able to hear him, so he shouted without worry. Su Yuyang¡¯s voice shocked a flock of birds, which squawked, spread their wings, and shot into the air like arrows. ¡°Tang Xuan, don¡¯t skulk! I know you¡¯re here!¡± Like a raging bull, Su Yuyang raised his head and looked around at the trees in all directions. He didn¡¯t find a trace of Tang Xuan up in the trees either. ¡°Fuck it!¡± Su Yuyang cursed angrily. ¡°Tang Xuan, didn¡¯t you want to meet me? What are you hiding for? Fuck it, come out. Get out here right now!¡± ¡°Aha, aha.¡± Tang Xuan¡¯s dismissive laughter came from behind. Su Yuyang turned around in shock and saw Tang Xuan leisurely walking towards him. Tang Xuan gave Su Yuyang a once-over and jeered, ¡°Great Author, you¡¯ve stayed at home too long. All your skills are out of practice. At one time, you represented our school and won first place in a varsity long distance event.¡± After the short rest, Su Yuyang¡¯s breathing came a lot easier, but he was still panting a little. Su Yuyang asked with uneven breath, ¡°Where is Xiao Miao?¡± The moment Su Yuyang opened his mouth, he asked about Ling Miao. The smile on Tang Xuan¡¯s face was instantly replaced by viciousness. Tang Xuan looked at Su Yuyang, who seemed to be raring to drink his blood and eat his flesh, and said in a low voice, ¡°You want to know where Ling Miao is? Catch me and you¡¯ll find out.¡± As Tang Xuan finished, he turned and ran towards higher ground. Without any other recourse, Su Yuyang had to grit his teeth and follow. Tang Xuan seemed to be leading Su Yuyang in circles in the forest. Sometimes Tang Xuan ran on the fallen leaves and sometimes on the rocky path. After several rounds, Su Yuyang finally discovered this. ¡°Tang Xuan, we keep circling each other here. What exactly do you want to do?¡± Tang Xuan slowly walked up to Su Yuyang. He raised his hand and tried to wipe the sweat from Su Yuyang¡¯s face, but Su Yuyang mercilessly batted him away. Tang Xuan said disappointedly, ¡°I just wanted to wipe your sweat for you.¡± ¡°Stop disgusting me.¡± Su Yuyang looked at Tang Xuan hatefully. Tang Xuan raised his head and looked toward the sky, but he saw only the dense canopy of leaves. ¡°There are many satellites in the sky. There are many satellites used for position tracking in the sky, too.¡± Tang Xuan said words that seemed unrelated to the current situation, but Su Yuyang¡¯s heart seemed to have been struck by something. ¡°Did you call the police?¡± Tang Xuan asked calmly, but there was desperation in his eyes. Alarm bells were going off in Su Yuyang¡¯s head. He kept his cool and said coldly, ¡°I called the police.¡± Tang Xuan slowly let out a breath. Tears were actually collecting in his eyes. He laughed in self-mockery: ¡°Indeed, I was too naive. Su Yuyang, why do you think I¡¯m so naive? I still imagined that we could be together. Now, I see¡­ heh. Now I see that I can give you up, but Ling Miao has to die!¡± Tang Xuan had been holding a long stick wrapped in cloth in his hand, and now he held it horizontally in front of his chest. He pulled at a corner of the cloth covering and slowly pulled it away. As the cloth covered less of the object, the wrinkles in Su Yuyang¡¯s forehead grew deeper and deeper. Tang Xuan with the knife looked like a demon who would kill without blinking an eye. Su Yuyang felt worry unlike anything he had felt before. He felt as if his heart had been placed on a red-hot metal sheet. His mind was as muddled as a boiling pot of congee; he couldn¡¯t focus on anything at all. Tang Xuan looked at the panicked Su Yuyang and ordered, ¡°Su Yuyang, give me your phone and watch, and pull all the buttons off your shirt!¡± Su Yuyang understood Tang Xuan¡¯s intent. He handed his phone and watch to Tang Xuan, then yanked all the buttons off his shirt and put them in Tang Xuan¡¯s hands. Tang Xuan put the things into a plastic bag he had pulled out of a trash bin, then tossed them aside without hesitation. ¡°After all these years, you¡¯ve changed a lot, but you haven¡¯t changed your habit of wearing button-downs,¡± Tang Xuan suddenly exclaimed. ¡°Everything about you has changed,¡± Su Yuyang said somewhat wistfully. ¡°Tang Xuan, I can give you money, and I can be with you¡­¡± ¡°None of that is important any more!¡± Tang Xuan angrily cut Su Yuyang off. ¡°Su Yuyang, although it¡¯s hypocritical of me to say these things now, I still want to say them.¡± ¡°When I broke up with you it was because I could tell you didn¡¯t love me and I didn¡¯t want to waste my time by your side. But after breaking up with you, I¡¯ve been single up until now. ¡°When I wanted to reconcile with you, it wasn¡¯t only after finding out that you were Shu Yang. I just thought about¡­¡± ¡°What you¡¯re saying doesn¡¯t matter any more.¡± Su Yuyang used Tang Xuan¡¯s own words against him. ¡°I just want to know where Xiao Miao is.¡± ¡°Xiao Miao?¡± Tang Xuan laughed lightly. ¡°He¡¯s in hell.¡± [Table of Contents] | [Buy your translation team a coffee?] Chapter 112 The Complete Guide to the Use and Care of a Personal Assistant Translator: Jury Editor: NomNom First Published on Chaleuria ¡ª Chapter One Hundred and Twelve The temperature in the mountains was slightly cool. To Su Yuyang, it was very cold. He had left in a hurry that morning and hadn¡¯t brought a jacket. Without buttons, he couldn¡¯t button his shirt either. The cold wind struck his abdomen and he shivered. ¡°You still don¡¯t like the cold?¡± Tang Xuan said with satisfaction. Su Yuyang glared at Tang Xuan and didn¡¯t say anything. Tang Xuan didn¡¯t continue trying to get a reaction either. He looked at the mountaintop and said, ¡°Ling Miao is up there.¡± Su Yuyang seemed to be infused with chicken blood 1 when he heard this. He ignored the low temperature and asked, ¡°Really?¡± ¡°It¡¯s up to you whether you believe it.¡± Tang Xuan sat down. Su Yuyang looked down at Tang Xuan from above, his forehead creasing as he thought hard. Some of Tang Xuan¡¯s actions today really seemed strange to Su Yuyang. Tossing the phone was to prevent tracking; that was understandable. Leading Su Yuyang in circles then stopping in a place that was still a little way from the mountaintop was completely incomprehensible to Su Yuyang. He wants me to look for Ling Miao myself? Su Yuyang guessed. Su Yuyang carefully looked Tang Xuan over. In one hand, he held a knife. The other was resting casually on the ground. He was gazing somewhere in the distance, as if it wasn¡¯t him who had brought Su Yuyang here. What the hell is Tang Xuan thinking? Su Yuyang thought hard about it, then he got an idea. Su Yuyang started walking toward the mountain peak. He looked back every three steps. Seeing no reaction from Tang Xuan, he grew more daring and started looking back every five steps. ¡°Hey,¡± Tang Xuan suddenly called, shocking Su Yuyang so much he almost fell off the path. Su Yuyang stood still where he was and didn¡¯t speak. Tang Xuan got up, still holding the knife. He dusted off his trousers and smiled coldly as he walked toward Su Yuyang. Tang Xuan stopped about a meter (3 feet) from Su Yuyang. He used the knife to point in a certain direction and said, ¡°This way.¡± Su Yuyang looked in the direction Tang Xuan indicated and saw only the blurry shadows of trees. ¡°There¡¯s no path?¡± Su Yuyang asked warily. Tang Xuan motioned in answer to Su Yuyang¡¯s question. The soft give of the leaf litter under Su Yuyang¡¯s feet made him very uneasy. After an interminable amount of time, Su Yuyang¡¯s legs began trembling. Fatigue invaded his limbs, and if not for the thought that Ling Miao was still waiting for him, he would long have fallen over. Looking at Tang Xuan who was still sprightly, he suddenly understood why Tang Xuan had stopped to rest. ¡°Fuck it, this bastard¡­ ahh!¡± Suddenly, Su Yuyang cried out in surprise. Tang Xuan glanced back at him curiously. Su Yuyang¡¯s gaze met Tang Xuan¡¯s. Less than a second later, Su Yuyang disdainfully moved his gaze elsewhere. Tang Xuan sneered. ¡°If you want to see Ling Miao, keep up. Don¡¯t think I¡¯ll let Ling Miao go if you fall to your death.¡± ¡°In other words, no matter what, you won¡¯t let Ling Miao go.¡± Su Yuyang sneered. Tang Xuan¡¯s gaze swept downward. He looked at his own knife and said, ¡°Yes, no matter what, I won¡¯t let Ling Miao go. And¡­¡± Tang Xuan cut himself off halfway. He kept walking forward. Su Yuyang grit his teeth and followed. Several twists and turns later, light reached his eyes. Tang Xuan stopped in front of a patch of long grass. He pulled the grass asideand said to Su Yuyang, ¡°We¡¯re here.¡± ¡°Here?¡± Su Yuyang looked at the wooden door in surprise. He would never have guessed that Tang Xuan had kept Ling Miao locked up in a place hidden by long grass. It was the feeling of finding an elite¡¯s hiding place. Su Yuyang was so excited he forgot that Tang Xuan was following him. He pushed open the door and was about to enter when he felt a pain in the back of his head. Darkness covered his eyes. Tang Xuan placed Su Yuyang over his shoulders and said coldly, ¡°You brought everything on yourself.¡± Ling Miao heard the movement outside and he made a muffled sound. Tang Xuan said irritably, ¡°Don¡¯t groan. I¡¯ve brought your man.¡± ¡°Mm mm mm!¡± Ling Miao wriggled more violently. Tang Xuan had said that Su Yuyang was here, but he hadn¡¯t heard Su Yuyang¡¯s voice or a second set of footsteps! ¡°Oh, you want to know where he is?¡± Tang Xuan¡¯s footsteps drew nearer. ¡°He¡¯s on my shoulders.¡± Click¡ª The candle was lit and a pale yellow light illuminated the small house. Ling Miao looked up and saw Su Yuyang lying on Tang Xuan¡¯s shoulders like a corpse. He glared at Tang Xuan hatefully, an angry growl emanating from his mouth. Tang Xuan put Su Yuyang on the bed. Under Ling Miao¡¯s watch, he tied Su Yuyang¡¯s hands, then passed one end of the rope through a metal ring on the roof and the other through a metal ring in the ground. With another piece of rope, he tied Su Yuyang¡¯s feet. After doing all of this, Tang Xuan sat by Ling Miao¡¯s side, picked up a piece of bread, and began wolfing it down. Su Yuyang regained consciousness. The darkness before his eyes made him panic, and even more frightening, his hands and legs were tied up! ¡°Tang Xuan, where the fuck did you go?¡± Su Yuyang cursed heavily. ¡°Let me go!¡± ¡°You¡¯re awake?¡± Tang Xuan¡¯s voice was completely emotionless. He relit the candle and sneered. ¡°Since you¡¯re awake, let the game begin.¡± Using the weak candlelight, Su Yuyang forced himself to look around at his surroundings, then his gaze dropped to the spot by Tang Xuan¡¯s side. Su Yuyang and Ling Miao were face-to-face as if connected by a straight thread. At this point, Ling Miao had already sat up and Su Yuyang could clearly see his expression. Tears tracked down Ling Miao¡¯s face, continuing to roll from the corners of his eyes. Something was still stuffed in his mouth and his arms were hung up by his sides. ¡°Tang Xuan, let Ling Miao go!¡± Su Yuyang struggled. ¡°Tang Xuan, you¡¯re crazy!¡± ¡°If I¡¯m crazy, then you both forced me into it!¡± Tang Xuan waved the knife at Su Yuyang. ¡°If not for you high-and-mighty people persecuting me, would I have reached this point? It¡¯s your fault, it¡¯s all your fault! You and you! The two of you brought this on yourselves!¡± ¡°Even if I¡¯ve let you down, this has nothing to do with Ling Miao!¡± Su Yuyang twisted his wrists with all his strength, trying to get free of the rope. Tang Xuan sneered. ¡°I told you before, you both have to die!¡± As Tang Xuan finished, he caught hold of Ling Miao¡¯s T-shirt, pulled the fabric taut, and slit it open with his knife. Tang Xuan caught hold of the opening and pulled the T-shirt apart . Su Yuyang seemed to understand what Tang Xuan was about to do and yelled in a craze, ¡°Tang Xuan, let go of Xiao Miao! I¡¯ll take his place¡­!¡± ¡°A pity. I have no interest in you!¡± Tang Xuan touched Ling Miao¡¯s warm and soft skin with the tip of his finger. ¡°I want to see you go crazy. When Ling Miao is screaming, I want to hear you scream even more pitifully than him! Ha ha ha!¡± Tang Xuan smiled savagely. Then he cut away the two sleeves so that Ling Miao¡¯s upper body was totally exposed. Helpless tears seeped from Su Yuyang¡¯s eyes. He could only watch Ling Miao¡¯s body being exposed and curse inwardly, Feng Ji, why the fuck haven¡¯t you arrived! ¡°Su Yuyang, watch carefully. Watch how I destroy your Xiao Miao!¡± Tang Xuan¡¯s demonic laughter struck Su Yuyang¡¯s every nerve. [Table of Contents] | [Buy your translation team a coffee?] Translation notes: [1]¡®infused with chicken blood¡¯: Su Yuyang had a burst of energy. Chicken blood was a home remedy, where the belief was that the antibodies in the chicken blood would act against whatever was ailing the person. Chapter 113 The Complete Guide to the Use and Care of a Personal Assistant Translator: Jury Editor: NomNom First Published on Chaleuria ¡ª Chapter One Hundred and Thirteen Thunk. Suddenly, a loud sound came from behind Su Yuyang and an agitated expression leapt to his face. He looked at Tang Xuan and sneered, ¡°Tang Xuan, you¡¯ve nowhere to run!¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t thought of running since I found out you called the police,¡± Tang Xuan said calmly. Su Yuyang saw that Tang Xuan wasn¡¯t panicking. His heart began to beat furiously as if it would leap out of his chest. Several rays of white light shot in from outside. After the light, five or six people followed. The sudden brightness blinded Tang Xuan. By touch alone, he picked up the knife by the bedside and held it against Ling Miao¡¯s body. He waited until his eyes had grown accustomed to the light, then observed clearly the situation inside the house. Several policemen carrying torches stood on both sides of the house. Feng Ji and one policeman were currently untying Su Yuyang and several policemen were outside the door, awaiting instructions. ¡°It¡¯s a party in here!¡± Tang Xuan laughed. His knife was poised at Ling Miao¡¯s neck. ¡°Tang Xuan, let go of Ling Miao!¡± a policeman shouted. Tang Xuan ignored the policeman. He pulled out another knife hidden beneath the bed and cut the leather rope restraining Ling Miao¡¯s hands and legs. Then he picked up Ling Miao and stood in a corner. Light glistened coldly off the blade of Tang Xuan¡¯s knife. One could tell at a glance that it was extremely sharp. Tang Xuan watched Su Yuyang steadily and said, ¡°Su Yuyang, I¡­ don¡¯t move!¡± No one could guess what Tang Xuan had originally wanted to say, but the words ¡®Don¡¯t move¡¯ were filled with threat. No one could tell whether he was threatening the policemen or Ling Miao. Tang Xuan bent to Ling Miao¡¯s ear and said, ¡°I don¡¯t mind making an opening in your throat.¡± As he spoke, the hand holding the knife pressed down a little more. Ling Miao felt something cold at his throat, then pain. Though he couldn¡¯t see his neck, he could guess from Su Yuyang¡¯s shock and worry that he¡¯d been injured. The shallow cut seeped fresh scarlet blood, but the wound wasn¡¯t deep and the bleeding quickly stopped. ¡°Tang Xuan, what do you want to let Ling Miao go?¡± Su Yuyang pleaded. ¡°I beg you, let him go. Let him go.¡± He walked toward Tang Xuan one step at a time. The torches thoroughly illuminated the originally dark house. Tang Xuan could see the expressions and actions of every person present. He saw Su Yuyang walking toward him in a panic. He laughed, ¡°Su Yuyang, since you love Ling Miao so much, then go¡­ eh¡ª ah¡ª¡± Tang Xuan prepared to deal the killing blow to Ling Miao, but he didn¡¯t expect Ling Miao to bend down and bite his hand. Ling Miao seemed to be thinking Even if I can¡¯t kill you, I¡¯ll take my pound of flesh. He bit down on Tang Xuan not only to vent his anger, but with the determination from knowing he was going to die. Tang Xuan¡¯s terrible cry echoed through the small house. The knife fell to the floor with a clunk. Before Tang Xuan could react, Su Yuyang grabbed Ling Miao. Just as Ling Miao and Su Yuyang were about to reach each other, Tang Xuan brought the other knife down toward Ling Miao. Su Yuyang saw the situation was dire. He pulled Ling Miao to him and spun around. ¡°Ahh¡ª¡± Su Yuyang let out a low groan and fell onto Ling Miao¡¯s shoulder. The policemen went up and pulled Ling Miao and Su Yuyang over. Tang Xuan saw that there was no hope of killing Ling Miao and Su Yuyang now. He raised the knife to his own throat. The policeman that was about to subdue him froze mid-motion. ¡°Su Yuyang!¡± Ling Miao patted Su Yuyang¡¯s face and called. ¡°Su Yuyang, Su Yuyang, don¡¯t scare me!¡± Ling Miao called Su Yuyang¡¯s name in a panic, but Su Yuyang didn¡¯t react to Ling Miao at all. ¡°Su Yuyang, if you¡¯re dead, I¡¯m going straight into Feng Ji¡¯s arms!¡± Ling Miao threatened. Feng Ji, who was standing to one side, knew Ling Miao was joking, but he couldn¡¯t help explaining himself to his good friend: ¡°The person I love is An Yan. This dumb cat Ling Miao is too dumb. I don¡¯t have the fortune of having him!¡± ¡°It¡¯s good that you know!¡± Su Yuyang opened his eyes and said weakly. ¡°You¡¯re fucking messing with me?¡± It was a line that should have been said angrily, but Ling Miao teared up as he said it. Su Yuyang raised his head and kissed the tears from Ling Miao¡¯s face, saying tenderly, ¡°Don¡¯t cry. It¡¯ll wash away the last of your intelligence. If you get any more stupid than you are now, I won¡¯t want you any more.¡± ¡°Screw you,¡± Ling Miao laughed. ¡°Ha ha!¡± Tang Xuan¡¯s terrible laughter broke the heartwarming scene. He looked at Ling Miao and Su Yuyang and said haltingly, ¡°Ling Miao, do you remember what you said to me last night?¡± As Tang Xuan finished speaking, he pulled at the knife at his throat without hesitation. Blood spurted like a fountain and dyed Ling Miao¡¯s world red. A warm liquid was falling on Ling Miao¡¯s face. He reached to touch it, then looked down at his hand. It wasn¡¯t blood.1 The words Tang Xuan had spoken before he killed himself now played themselves on repeat in Ling Miao¡¯s mind. Alongside the loop, there was something else: If you want to perform in front of an audience so much, then do it to yourself! If you want to kill someone, kill yourself! So, he killed himself because of what I said? Ling Miao¡¯s vision went black and he fainted away. [Table of Contents] | [Buy your translation team a coffee?] Translation notes: [1] The original text says the liquid isn¡¯t blood, but also doesn¡¯t say what it is Chapter 114 The Complete Guide to the Use and Care of a Personal Assistant Translator: Jury Editor: NomNom First Published on Chaleuria ¡ª Chapter One Hundred and Fourteen Tang Xuan had lost too much blood and passed away before the 1201 arrived. Though Su Yuyang had been injured by Tang Xuan¡¯s knife, the wound wasn¡¯t deep and he wasn¡¯t incapacitated. Ling Miao was the only one who remained unconscious in the hospital. The doctor said that Ling Miao had suffered a shock, which was why he was unconscious. As for what shock Ling Miao had received, Su Yuyang was uncertain. Before Tang Xuan killed himself, he had said to Ling Miao, ¡°Ling Miao, do you remember what you said to me last night?¡± What had Ling Miao said to Tang Xuan? Two days had passed since they had rescued Ling Miao. These few days, Su Yuyang had kept vigil by Ling Miao¡¯s bedside. In his free time he took out his phone and watched a video. It was the video Ling Miao and Feng Ji had recorded at the Authors¡¯ Gathering. ¡°Hey, Su Yuyang.¡± At this point in the video, the screen was all black. It was when Ling Miao had rushed onstage. Su Yuyang pressed pause and said to the unconscious Ling Miao, ¡°Xiao Miao, when you rushed up onstage it gave me a huge fright. I thought¡ªYan Li and I singing a duet and flirting with each other was something you encouraged, so how could you suddenly get mad?¡± Ling Miao didn¡¯t respond. His eyes were tightly shut and he slept soundly. Su Yuyang gazed at Ling Miao. After a long time had passed and Ling Miao still hadn¡¯t responded, he continued the video. A commotion happened, then the video came up in color. Going by the angle, the videographer had switched their filming angle from the side view to the front view. ¡°Why did you come?¡± Su Yuyang asked in a panic. Ling Miao crooked his finger indicating to Su Yuyang to lower his head. Su Yuyang complied. Ling Miao caught hold of Su Yuyang¡¯s head and presented his lips. ¡°Wahh¡ª¡± ¡°Fuck, what¡¯s all this?¡± ¡°The Great Shu¡¯s boyfriend has appeared?¡± ¡­¡­ ¡­¡­ Su Yuyang paused the video again and grimaced. ¡°Xiao Miao, you suddenly kissed me. If my heart weren¡¯t strong, I¡¯d have fainted.¡± ¡°If you faint, I won¡¯t take care of you,¡± Feng Ji said wryly. Su Yuyang looked up to see his good friend standing in the doorway. Then he looked back down to check the time. It was lunchtime. Su Yuyang hadn¡¯t left the ward in the past few days. His meals were all brought by Feng Ji and An Yan. Now Feng Ji held the food out near Su Yuyang¡¯s hand. Su Yuyang took it and placed it on the cabinet to one side. Seeing this, Feng Ji sighed. ¡°Where¡¯s An Yan?¡± Su Yuyang looked around and didn¡¯t see Feng Ji¡¯s shadow. At the mention of An Yan, Feng Ji wilted like an eggplant in frost. He gave a long sigh and complained: ¡°Future mother-in-law is sick. Xiao An got a call and went home. It¡¯ll probably be a week before I see him. Ah, my tragic life.¡± ¡°Shut up.¡± Su Yuyang rolled his eyes at Feng Ji. ¡°At least your Xiao An is still alive and kicking, unlike¡­¡± Su Yuyang¡¯s eyes darkened. He looked at Ling Miao and said slowly, ¡°Unlike Ling Miao, who just lies there.¡± Feng Ji patted Su Yuyang¡¯s shoulder in encouragement. ¡°Everything will get better. What did the doctor say?¡± Su Yuyang shook his head. ¡°The same thing again.¡± ¡°What exactly was the shock Ling Miao received?¡± Feng Ji asked in confusion. Fire suddenly flared in Su Yuyang¡¯s gray eyes. He tamped down on his anger and grit out, ¡°Remember what Tang Xuan said before he killed himself? I suspect Xiao Miao¡¯s unconsciousness has something to do with what he said.¡± Feng Ji said angrily, ¡°Fuck it. That bastard Tang Xuan. It¡¯s fine that he¡¯s dead, but even when dead he doesn¡¯t let us live in peace. Don¡¯t tell me he killed himself at Xiao Miao¡¯s provocation.¡± ¡°What he and Xiao Miao said to each other, only they know. Only two people know the truth, and one¡¯s dead and one¡¯s unconscious.¡± ¡°Ling Miao!¡± Feng Ji suddenly yelled angrily at Ling Miao. ¡°That bastard Tang Xuan kidnapped you and you fall unconscious because of something he said. Do you know how worried Su Yuyang is? He forgets to eat and drink because of you. He keeps watching the video you made before you fell unconscious and talking at you. If you really love him, then wake the fuck up!¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough!¡± Su Yuyang called lightly to stop Feng Ji. Feng Ji said, out of breath, ¡°Even if you can¡¯t bear to scold him, I can. I¡¯ll scold him awake.¡± Su Yuyang turned to see his good friend red-faced. He said gratefully, ¡°Thank you, Feng Ji.¡± ¡°If you really want to thank me, let me take a year¡¯s vacation. I want to travel around the world with An Yan.¡± Feng Ji didn¡¯t stand on ceremony and directly stated what he really wanted. Su Yuyang smiled. ¡°You¡¯re the boss. Why are you asking me for leave? Also, did An Yan agree to be with you?¡± It hurt. Su Yuyang had given Feng Ji an arrow to the knee. Feng Ji was grateful he wasn¡¯t standing, or he would have had a fine fall. ¡°I haven¡¯t confessed to Xiao An,¡± Feng Ji said in frustration. ¡°I don¡¯t know what Xiao An feels for me either. Until I know his true feelings for me, I won¡¯t confess. If I confess and he agrees immediately, I¡¯ll be even more worried.¡± ¡°Did I cast a shadow of doubt in your heart?¡± Su Yuyang teased. Feng Ji nodded and said with a serious expression, ¡°It¡¯s all your fault!¡± ¡°Pft¡ª¡± cough cough! Su Yuyang had been eating. At Feng Ji¡¯s scare, he neatly spat out a mouthful of rice. ¡°Big Boss, I¡¯m saying it now¡ªI¡¯m taking a year¡¯s vacation!¡± Feng Ji hummed. Su Yuyang sighed. ¡°Get An Yan to agree to be your boyfriend, then we¡¯ll talk. As for a year-long vacation, if you¡¯re gone, who¡¯ll watch the shop?¡± ¡°You and Ling Miao!¡± Hearing Ling Miao¡¯s name, Su Yuyang¡¯s eyes which had slightly brightened now went dark again. Feng Ji¡¯s joy was also quenched by Su Yuyang¡¯s desolation. Feng Ji looked at Su Yuyang¡¯s mostly untouched food and threatened, ¡°If you don¡¯t eat anything and faint, there won¡¯t be anyone to take care of Ling Miao.¡± ¡°Threatening me is all you know how to do.¡± Actually, Feng Ji¡¯s words weren¡¯t threatening in the least, but Su Yuyang started eating again. Su Yuyang swept the dishes clean, but Feng Ji didn¡¯t take the tableware and leave as he usually did. Su Yuyang looked at Feng Ji curiously. Feng Ji sighed, ¡°Without An Yan, it¡¯s boring in the shop.¡± ¡°But weren¡¯t you fine without An Yan before?¡± Su Yuyang laughed drily. ¡°You don¡¯t understand this feeling?¡± Feng Ji retorted. Su Yuyang understood Feng Ji¡¯s feelings, of course. When you get used to having someone by your side, and then that person suddenly leaves, you can¡¯t get used to it for some time. The only thing outside Su Yuyang¡¯s expectations was that Feng Ji¡¯s feelings for An Yan ran so deep. He and Ling Miao had grown their love over time, but Feng Ji had fallen for An Yan at first sight. An Yan seemed to have a little interest in Feng Ji, but it wasn¡¯t certain. All that could be said was that Feng Ji hadn¡¯t succeeded in getting his husband yet. He needed to keep trying. ¡°Yuyang, tell me, do you think Xiao An likes me?¡± Feng Ji said sorrowfully. ¡°If he¡¯s straight, I¡­¡± ¡°This is the real reason you stayed, right?¡± Su Yuyang arched an eyebrow. Feng Ji laughed drily, then slyly said, ¡°I¡¯ll have to trouble you with this matter.¡± Then he picked up the takeout containers and left happily, leaving Su Yuyang grimacing alone. [Table of Contents] | [Buy your translation team a coffee?] Translation notes: [1] 120: China¡¯s equivalent of 911 Chapter 115 The Complete Guide to the Use and Care of a Personal Assistant Translator: Jury Editor: NomNom First Published on Chaleuria ¡ª Chapter One Hundred and Fifteen Morning light pierced the cloud cover and shone into the room through the gap between the curtains, disturbing the peaceful stillness in the room. Su Yuyang opened his eyes and stared blearily at the golden light. The vexing rain had finally stopped. Sunlight shone on his face, bringing a hint of warmth. Su Yuyang raised his head and looked at Ling Miao. The sunlight shone on Ling Miao¡¯s face, laying a soft golden glow over his pallid face. Su Yuyang stared at him in a daze, a hint of a smile at his lips. Feng Ji pushed open the door and entered, and the first thing he saw was Su Yuyang¡¯s besotted expression. He stood awkwardly in the doorway¡ªit was difficult to go forward or back. ¡°Feng-ge, why don¡¯t you go in?¡± An Yan¡¯s uncertain voice came. Feng Ji hurriedly pulled An Yan away and prepared to flee the scene, but An Yan¡¯s call had shocked Su Yuyang awake and now Su Yuyang inwardly grinned as he watched the two of them. ¡°I brought breakfast,¡± Feng Ji explained. Su Yuyang gratefully nodded. While Su Yuyang ate, Feng Ji looked closely at his face. Su Yuyang had gotten much thinner than before. His skin was gray and his hair was in disarray. The bruising under his eyes could be a national treasure. Feng Ji surmised that after a few more days Su Yuyang would be as thin as a bamboo pole. ¡°An Yan, when did you come back?¡± Su Yuyang had noticed that Feng Ji was staring him and found a topic to redirect Feng Ji¡¯s attention. An Yan snapped, ¡°This morning.¡± An Yan was someone who couldn¡¯t hide his feelings and he didn¡¯t try to hide anything in front of Feng Ji. Su Yuyang saw the dissatisfaction on An Yan¡¯s face and the faint traces of hatred, so he didn¡¯t keep pressing the matter. But Feng Ji explained from one side: ¡°Xiao An was tricked into going back for a blind date. Last night he phoned me to go and save him. When he left, his mom was still yelling at him.¡± ¡°Tsk tsk.¡± Su Yuyang appeared calm, but inwardly he was happy at the misfortune: Feng Ji¡¯s future mother-in-law seemed not to have a good temper! ¡°Hm. She¡¯s not only sick, it¡¯s a terminal illness.¡± An Yan¡¯s countenance was cold and his tone was unfriendly, as if the person he was talking about wasn¡¯t his own mother. Su Yuyang surmised that An Yan didn¡¯t have a good relationship with his family and didn¡¯t ask further. He gulped down his breakfast and told Feng Ji, ¡°I¡¯m done.¡± Feng Ji glanced at the container: it was fairly clean. Satisfied, Feng Ji packed up the tableware and said to An Yan, ¡°Xiao An, I¡¯ll take out the trash and go to the toilet on the way. Wait here for me. Yuyang, take care of Xiao An for me.¡± An Yan was a grown man and his health was fine, but Feng Ji had told Su Yuyang to take care of An Yan. That was entirely extraneous. But Su Yuyang knew what Feng Ji meant. He looked passionately at Ling Miao and thought, Xiao Miao, An Yan and Feng Ji are about to get together. Yan Li is showing PDA on her microblog every day and I can tell she and Ji Linxi are very happy. Now it¡¯s just you and me left. We started a relationship first, but now that everyone has found their happiness, you¡­ Xiao Miao, when you wake up, we¡¯ll go back to see your parents, then get married. I want to keep you by my side all my life. No one can take you away! An Yan stared at Su Yuyang¡¯s profile. He saw the passion and resolution in Su Yuyang¡¯s eyes. Though he couldn¡¯t tell what Su Yuyang was thinking, he was envious of Ling Miao. He also wanted someone as passionate as Su Yuyang by his side. As An Yan thought this, his gaze drifted reflexively to the doorway. That person hadn¡¯t come back yet. Fuck, did he fall into the toilet? Suddenly, An Yan felt an impulse to run to the bathroom and look for Feng Ji. Just as An Yan had picked up his feet and was about to go, Su Yuyang¡¯s questioning voice came: ¡°An Yan, Feng Ji said to wait here for him.¡± An Yan frowned and said worriedly, ¡°But he¡¯s been gone so long¡­¡± ¡°Are you worried that he fell into the toilet?¡± Su Yuyang teased. ¡°Or are you worried he¡¯s been stolen away by a beautiful girl?¡± ¡°Even a woman who looks like an angel from heaven couldn¡¯t steal him away!¡± An Yan said haughtily. Su Yuyang said ¡°Mm.¡± Did Feng Ji already tell this guy that he likes men? An Yan¡¯s reply confirmed Su Yuyang¡¯s conjecture. An Yan hummed, ¡°Maybe he¡¯s been kidnapped by a silver-tongued, good-looking man!¡± ¡°Pft¡ª¡± An Yan¡¯s expression as he spoke was that of someone who was about to try to catch their lover cheating. Su Yuyang was unable to keep a straight face and broke into a smile. He tamped down on his impulse to smile and said, ¡°Feng Ji doesn¡¯t like people who are good with words. He likes people like you.¡± ¡°Ah?¡± A process in An Yan¡¯s brain suddenly stopped responding. Su Yuyang gravely repeated: ¡°Feng Ji has never liked people who are good with words. He likes quiet, meticulous people. For example¡­ you.¡± Su Yuyang deliberately dragged the words out. At the point where An Yan was about to be unable to breathe, he spat out the word ¡®you,¡¯ and simultaneously pointed at An Yan. ¡°You¡­ how do you know?¡± An Yan¡¯s reaction was a little slow. He probably needed to clear his cache. Su Yuyang smiled slyly. ¡°Feng Ji told me. If you don¡¯t believe me, go ask him.¡± ¡°I¡­ I¡­¡± An Yan stuttered for a while and didn¡¯t get anywhere. His face seemed to be on fire¡ªit was so red that Su Yuyang couldn¡¯t help smiling again. ¡°An Yan, you have feelings for Feng Ji, don¡¯t you?¡± An Yan¡¯s eyes went wide with surprise. An Yan had thought he hid it well, but he had never imagined that Su Yuyang would find him out. ¡°You haven¡¯t known him long. Was it love at first sight?¡± Feng Ji¡¯s love at first sight for An Yan had already surprised Su Yuyang. If An Yan had also fallen for Feng Ji at first sight¡­ damn, would this still be a fun game? An Yan had already been caught totally off guard by the discovery of his crush. Now Su Yuyang¡¯s further conjecture left An Yan no choice but to nod obediently. ¡°You two, really¡­¡± If Feng Ji were here, Su Yuyang would laugh. Su Yuyang pulled out his phone from his pocket and said into the receiver, ¡°Feng-zi, did you hear that?¡± ¡°I heard it,¡± Feng Ji said excitedly. Several seconds later, an out-of-breath person appeared in the doorway of the sickroom. The person took two big steps to stand in front of An Yan and hugged him tightly, as if the sky would grow desolate and the ground old before he let go. An Yan suddenly fell onto a warm, broad chest. At first he struggled a little, but as he heard the man repeating ¡°Xiao An, Xiao An¡­¡± by his ear, his arms encircled the man and hugged him back. ¡°Feng-ge.¡± ¡°Xiao An,¡± Feng Ji called his lover¡¯s name passionately. An Yan said aggrievedly, ¡°Feng-ge, I can¡¯t breathe.¡± Feng Ji let go of An Yan. He kissed An Yan¡¯s lips and smiled: ¡°We both really are silly.¡± ¡°So you¡¯re a match made in heaven,¡± Su Yuyang suddenly said. Feng Ji and An Yan turned to look at Su Yuyang, and they separated from the hug. Though Su Yuyang was smiling, both An Yan and Feng Ji saw the dejection and envy he was trying very hard to hide. ¡°Yuyang¡­¡± Feng Ji wanted to comfort Su Yuyang, but Su Yuyang spoke first and cut him off: ¡°Relax. I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°Xiao An and I will go back first. If there¡¯s anything, just call.¡± Feng Ji and An Yan left. In the quiet room, only the low voice of a man could be heard: ¡°Xiao Miao, please, wake up quickly.¡± [Table of Contents] | [Buy your translation team a coffee?] Chapter 116 The Complete Guide to the Use and Care of a Personal Assistant Translator: Jury Editor: NomNom First Published on Chaleuria ¡ª Chapter One Hundred and Sixteen Su Yuyang wrung out a towel and meticulously cleaned every part of Ling Miao¡¯s body. ¡°Xiao Miao, when I was in a coma, this was how you took care of me, right?¡± Su Yuyang smiled and said, ¡°Suddenly, I realize that both of us have pretty fragile hearts. The moment we get agitated, we fall unconscious. Why did you make the same choice I did?¡± Hss¡ªSu Yuyang had made too large a movement and pulled at the wound on his back. A heart-piercing pain made him cry out. Su Yuyang rested a while until the pain subsided then continued his work. As he cleaned Ling Miao¡¯s body he kept talking: ¡°Xiao Miao, did you find taking care of me too tedious, so now you¡¯re getting me to repay you with interest? Actually, even if you wake up, I¡¯ll take care of you like I¡¯m doing now. I just fear you won¡¯t want me to take care of you at that time. ¡°Ah, yesterday Yan Li was showing PDA on her microblog again. Feng Ji and An Yan are also together now. I¡¯m envious and jealous. Hey, Ling Miao, if you don¡¯t wake up, I¡¯m finding someone else!¡± Su Yuyang said, deliberately using a ferocious tone, but his eyes betrayed his love for Ling Miao. ¡°Xiao Miao, I don¡¯t know what you said to Tang Xuan, and I don¡¯t know whether Tang Xuan killing himself had anything to do with what you said. But I believe that no matter how big the matter is, running isn¡¯t a solution,¡± Su Yuyang said warmly. ¡°So, open your eyes, and we¡¯ll face all the problems together, okay?¡± Ling Miao didn¡¯t move. Su Yuyang inhaled sharply, his voice choking up: ¡°Just now, a couple of nurses passed by. They laughed when they saw me talking to myself. They¡¯re probably laughing at me for being silly, but I don¡¯t care. If you¡¯ll wake up, what does it matter if people call me silly?¡± At first, only a few of the nurses had known of Su Yuyang and Ling Miao¡¯s relationship, then the news had spread. Now, all the doctors and nurses on every floor knew about his relationship with Ling Miao. Somebody had even recognized Su Yuyang and asked him for his autograph. Su Yuyang¡¯s thoughts were all on Ling Miao. As he autographed, his hands were trembling and his handwriting was crooked, which made him feel bad. But that nurse had been rather adorable. Thunk thunk. A knock at the door. Su Yuyang turned and looked¡ªit was the nurse. ¡°Great Shu, you¡¯re cleaning Ling Miao again?¡± The nurse walked carefully over carrying some books. Su Yuyang nodded and smiled. Looking at the books in the nurse¡¯s hand, he smiled and said, ¡°Need another autograph?¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± The nurse seemed embarrassed. ¡°Great Shu, my boyfriend and I are both die-hard fans of yours. We met in your fangroup. I want to give him a set of your books when I propose to him¡­¡± After saying this much, the nurse¡¯s voice was unsteady, as if worried she would hit a sore spot in Su Yuyang¡¯s heart. Su Yuyang smiled; he didn¡¯t mind. He replied to the nurse: ¡°After meeting me, you want to propose marriage with a set of autographed books?¡± ¡°There are too many books, and I can¡¯t carry that many at a time, so I could only bring a few over at a time.¡± The nurse looked shyly at Su Yuyang. Su Yuyang understood. He asked, ¡°How many are left?¡± ¡°These are the last two.¡± The nurse hurriedly placed the books in front of Su Yuyang, who said apologetically, ¡°I¡¯m cleaning Ling Miao right now. You can leave the books there and I¡¯ll sign them and give them to you later. Also, you can write down you and your boyfriend¡¯s names too.¡± ¡°Thank you, Great Shu!¡± The nurse wrote down her and her boyfriend¡¯s names, placed the books on the cabinet, then excitedly ran out. Seeing the nurse¡¯s joyful demeanor, Su Yuyang smiled along with her. He kissed Ling Miao and said, ¡°Xiao Miao, my books are matchmakers. It¡¯s a pity you didn¡¯t see the nurse¡¯s expression or you¡¯d also be infected by her joy. Ah, Xiao Miao, she wants to propose to her boyfriend with a set of my autographed books. When I propose to you, just me will be enough, right?¡± As Su Yuyang finished, he began to laugh. As he laughed, tears flew from the corners of his eyes. Su Yuyang inhaled deeply. He packed away the towel and the washbasin, then picked up the books the nurse had placed on the cabinet. Seeing these two books, Su Yuyang could not help exclaiming: ¡°Fuck, a limited edition copy of Demonic Song Defying Heaven.¡± Su Yuyang hadn¡¯t been paying attention the first few times and hadn¡¯t noticed the nurse¡¯s books. Today he looked closely at them. This set of books was limited to 1,111 copies in the entire country; even he didn¡¯t own a copy. Su Yuyang signed the books and wrote his well-wishes. Then he put the books aside for the nurse to pick up when she got back and took out his phone to watch videos. But before he could open a video, his hand went numb from the vibration of QQ notifications. They were messages from the fangroup. ¡­¡­ There were too many messages and Su Yuyang didn¡¯t read them all. He just looked at the most recent few. Fangroup Circles: The Great Shu didn¡¯t update this morning? Fangroup Tofu: No, he didn¡¯t. Fangroup Circles : This doesn¡¯t make sense! If an update is delayed or he¡¯s only updating once, he will notify us beforehand. He¡¯s done that for five years. Today, why¡­ ah, I¡¯m not used to this. ¡­¡­ Su Yuyang had drafts stockpiled but he hadn¡¯t queued them. Now that Ling Miao was in this state, he wasn¡¯t in the mood to worry about his book. He thought about it then got in touch with Mu Yu to ask him to post a chapter mentioning that he was taking a leave of absence. Then he opened a side chat with Tofu and told him to notify the group and the forum. Tofu didn¡¯t ask why. He told Su Yuyang to take care, then began to post the notices. Having settled the matter of his book, Su Yuyang began to watch a video. Su Yuyang hadn¡¯t watched for very long before the nurse returned. Su Yuyang glanced at her and handed the books over. The nurse said, ¡°Thank you,¡± and retreated. She was very agitated. When Feng Ji got there, he passed by the nurse who was walking out happily. ¡°Why is she so happy?¡± Feng Ji grinned. Su Yuyang explained, ¡°She¡¯s my fan and asked me for an autograph. She wants to propose to her boyfriend with my autographed books.¡± ¡°Pft¡ª¡± Feng Ji couldn¡¯t control his laughter. Feng Ji placed the food in front of Su Yuyang and asked, ¡°It¡¯s been seven days. Ling Miao is still the same?¡± ¡°Still the same.¡± Su Yuyang caressed Ling Miao¡¯s hand. Though Su Yuyang seemed to be in good spirits, Feng Ji and Su Yuyang had been friends for many years and Feng Ji could see through Su Yuyang¡¯s pretense at a glance. ¡°Write,¡± Feng Ji suddenly suggested. ¡°Not in the mood.¡± Su Yuyang gripped Ling Miao¡¯s hand tightly. Feng Ji said, ¡°You need to change your mood up. Or, the way you are now, I guarantee that you¡¯ll be sleeping in the next room tomorrow. I was going to suggest you go out and take a walk, but you definitely won¡¯t. So, try using your keyboard to vent your feelings. If you¡¯re worried the noise from the keyboard will disturb Ling Miao, I can give you pen and paper. Xiao An!¡± At Feng Ji¡¯s call, Xiao An placed Su Yuyang¡¯s laptop, a stack of paper, and a pen on the cabinet. ¡°You rascal.¡± Su Yuyang grimaced. Feng Ji picked up the pen and scribbled on the paper. He said, ¡°You don¡¯t have to write anything formal or logical. Even doodles are alright.¡± Su Yuyang ran his hands over his laptop. Excitement in his fingertips, he opened the laptop and tapped at the keys a few times. Remembering the word sprints he¡¯d had with Ling Miao, Su Yuyang inexplicably began to smile. He didn¡¯t notice that Ling Miao¡¯s fingers were gently tapping the bedsheet. [Table of Contents] | [Buy your translation team a coffee?] Chapter 117 The Complete Guide to the Use and Care of a Personal Assistant Translator: Jury Editor: NomNom First Published on Chaleuria ¡ª Chapter One Hundred and Seventeen Ling Miao had woken, but what made Su Yuyang unsure whether to laugh or cry was that it was the sound of the keyboard which had woken Ling Miao. The doctor had only this to say: the sound of the keyboard had agitated Ling Miao¡¯s mind, so he had woken. Su Yuyang had called him for nearly half a month and Ling Miao had given him no reaction at all. He¡¯d typed for only two hours and Ling Miao had woken. This made him both happy and melancholy. Feng Ji received Su Yuyang¡¯s call and rushed over like he was on fire. As he entered the sickroom he saw Su Yuyang¡¯s face, which was sorrowful and joyful at the same time. After hearing from Su Yuyang the reason Ling Miao had woken up, Feng Ji very traitorously began to laugh. Su Yuyang glared at Feng Ji, who smiled and said, ¡°So your place in Ling Miao¡¯s heart isn¡¯t as high as his books?¡± ¡°Up yours,¡± Su Yuyang laughed. ¡°What are you doing here? Go do what you need to do.¡± Mm, Su Yuyang had called Feng Ji over to be menial labor. Since Ling Miao had regained consciousness, Su Yuyang didn¡¯t intend for him to remain in the hospital. The doctor had also allowed him to be discharged. Feng Ji had no intention of being menial labor. He sat down and said mysteriously, ¡°I think something¡¯s not right with Ling Miao.¡± Su Yuyang grew doubtful. He had thought that Ling Miao¡¯s current condition seemed good. Feng Ji pointed at Ling Miao¡¯s face and explained, ¡°Examine his expression. There¡¯s no light in his eyes. His whole face looks blank, like he¡¯s a scarecrow.¡± Now that Feng Ji mentioned it, Su Yuyang took another look¡ªindeed, that was the case. Ling Miao¡¯s responses to both the doctor¡¯s questions and the policeman¡¯s interrogation were slow, his movements stiff, like he was a puppet. ¡°Doctor.¡± Su Yuyang pulled the doctor to a corner and asked worriedly, ¡°Xiao Miao¡¯s like a puppet. Will he not return to how he previously was?¡± ¡°It¡¯s hard to say,¡± the doctor said wistfully. ¡°Mostly, it¡¯s because he still has a knot in his heart. If the knot in his heart can be undone, he¡¯ll naturally return to his prior condition. As for what the knot is, you¡¯ll have to find that out yourself.¡± The knot in his heart? Su Yuyang thought deeply. Is it Tang Xuan? Su Yuyang returned to the sickroom and found that the police officers had left. Ling Miao was staring at the ceiling, his eyes dark. He was like a grassy plain burned to the ground after a fire¡ªwithout a hint of life. Su Yuyang went slowly over to Ling Miao¡¯s side. He grasped Ling Miao¡¯s hand and kissed it: ¡°Xiao Miao, the doctor says there¡¯s a knot in your heart. Tell me what you¡¯re thinking. Didn¡¯t you want to keep walking down this road with me? In that case, I want to share your pain. Tell me, won¡¯t you?¡± Ling Miao¡¯s lips parted and shut as if he was saying something. Su Yuyang moved closer to listen, but he didn¡¯t hear anything. ¡°Xiao Miao¡­¡± Su Yuyang squeezed Ling Miao¡¯s hand, low sobs slipping from between his lips. Ling Miao turned to look at Su Yuyang, and although his gaze was still blank, his eyelashes twitched. Feng Ji had been observing Ling Miao¡¯s expression the whole time, and the change on Ling Miao¡¯s face didn¡¯t escape his eyes. Feng Ji walked to Su Yuyang¡¯s side and said joyfully, ¡°Ling Miao is reacting to you. When you cried, his expression changed.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Su Yuyang looked at Ling Miao with surprised joy and said passionately, ¡°Xiao Miao, if you really care about me, tell me what your troubles are. I¡¯ll share them with you, and solve them with you.¡± Su Yuyang had more or less packed all of Ling Miao¡¯s things before Feng Ji had arrived. Now Feng Ji picked up the suitcases and told Su Yuyang, ¡°I¡¯ll bring the things down first. You and Ling Miao come quickly.¡± ¡°Thanks,¡± Su Yuyang said with a smile. ¡°Forget it,¡± Feng Ji said dismissively. ¡°You¡¯ve said thanks too many times recently. It¡¯s devalued now. Besides, if you really want to thank me, give me something concrete.¡± Feng Ji wasn¡¯t really asking for something material; he was reminding Su Yuyang of something. Su Yuyang suddenly understood and said, ¡°A year¡¯s vacation, right? Sure, but, with Xiao Miao like this¡­¡± ¡°When you can give me the vacation, just let me know,¡± Feng Ji said understandingly. ¡°Right now your main task is taking care of Ling Miao.¡± When Feng Ji had gone, Su Yuyang checked the sickroom and verified they hadn¡¯t left anything behind, then said to Ling Miao, ¡°Xiao Miao, let¡¯s go home.¡± Su Yuyang helped Ling Miao sit up and put on socks and shoes. As he was about to carry Ling Miao off the bed, Ling Miao began struggling. ¡°You want to walk on your own? But¡­¡± Su Yuyang looked at Ling Miao with worry. Ling Miao got out of bed on his own and walked to the door. Su Yuyang picked up his things and frantically followed. ¡°Xiao Miao, wait for me.¡± In the elevator, Su Yuyang ran into the nurse who had wanted his autograph. He found out that her proposal had succeeded and was happy for her. At the same time, he thought about when he should propose to Ling Miao. At the thought of proposing, Su Yuyang reflexively clenched his hands, which were still holding Ling Miao¡¯s. Feng Ji leaned against the car. Looking at the loving couple walking slowly over, he couldn¡¯t help adding: ¡°You two are really slow. You weren¡¯t doing R-rated things in the sickroom, were you?¡± Su Yuyang cursed, ¡°Scram. If you want to do R-rated things, close the door and do it with your An Yan.¡± Feng Ji drove Su Yuyang and Ling Miao home. After more than ten days away, Su Yuyang thought he would definitely return to a dusty house, but¡­ fuck, why was it so clean? And why was there the smell of delicious food? The person in the kitchen heard the noise, stuck his head out, and asked, ¡°You all are back?¡± Su Yuyang focused his eyes. The person in front of him wearing an apron¡ªwho could it be if not An Yan? An Yan held the pot handle as he greeted the three of them. Suddenly, he cried out, ¡°Fuck, the meat!¡± As he spoke, his silhouette vanished. ¡°Sit down. The food will be ready shortly,¡± An Yan said hurriedly. Feng Ji saw the surprise on Su Yuyang¡¯s face and explained, ¡°An Yan and I came every day to clean. An Yan heard that Ling Miao was discharged from the hospital today and took the initiative to cook. He says it¡¯s to celebrate.¡± Su Yuyang laid Ling Miao on the sofa. He looked at Feng Ji and was about to thank him but Feng Ji instantly cut him off: ¡°Don¡¯t say thank you. My ears can¡¯t take it.¡± Su Yuyang smiled and a rascally expression appeared on his face. He said, ¡°Hey, Feng Ji. You¡¯re working really hard for that year-long vacation.¡± An Yan walked out of the kitchen carrying food. Hearing the exchange between Su Yuyang and Feng Ji, he asked curiously, ¡°What year-long vacation?¡± Feng Ji laughed drily and said dismissively, ¡°I¡¯ve worked for Su Yuyang for so long. I suddenly wanted a vacation, so I asked for one.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s eat.¡± An Yan¡¯s tone was somewhat unfriendly. Su Yuyang watched Feng Ji delightedly and thought, You can take your time explaining to An Yan. You can lie to him, even though your words are true. After eating the food without tasting it, Feng Ji took An Yan and left. Su Yuyang remained in the kitchen washing dishes and Ling Miao kept watching Su Yuyang busy himself in the kitchen. [Table of Contents] | [Buy your translation team a coffee?] Chapter 118 The Complete Guide to the Use and Care of a Personal Assistant Translator: Jury Editor: NomNom First Published on Chaleuria ¡ª Chapter One Hundred and Eighteen Ling Miao did feel it. Su Yuyang¡¯s shouts, Su Yuyang¡¯s tears, Su Yuyang¡¯s hug¡­ Ling Miao felt everything from Su Yuyang, but he couldn¡¯t respond, because he felt that he didn¡¯t deserve to receive it. The moment when Tang Xuan drew the knife across his throat, Ling Miao felt that he was a murderer. Since the time Tang Xuan had killed himself, Ling Miao had thought: If I hadn¡¯t said those words, would Tang Xuan not have killed himself? Even though Ling Miao understood that Tang Xuan didn¡¯t deserve his sympathy, when a lively human life disappeared before his eyes, and had even hinted before he died that his death had to do with Ling Miao¡ªno matter how Ling Miao tried to suppress the fear and self-blame in his heart, he couldn¡¯t calm down. Tang Xuan might have been using his death to exchange for a lifetime of unease for Ling Miao. Ling Miao had to admit that Tang Xuan had succeeded. With his own blood he had made Ling Miao guilty and left Ling Miao unable to face Su Yuyang¡¯s deep love. Although Su Yuyang said he¡¯d share all difficulties with Ling Miao, how could Ling Miao bear to let Su Yuyang, who was already upset, fall into the abyss of suffering? The seeds of evil Ling Miao had sowed himself, he must now reap. Maybe one day in the future Ling Miao¡¯s heart would know salvation, but before that time came, he couldn¡¯t accept all that Su Yuyang was giving him. Yu, you wanted me to call you that, but I can¡¯t bring myself to. I can only call you that silently in my heart. Ling Miao looked at Su Yuyang¡¯s departing silhouette and stretched out his hand, wanting to touch those broad and strong shoulders. His fingers caught only air and weakly fell. Ling Miao couldn¡¯t reach¡ªhe couldn¡¯t reach Su Yuyang. Ling Miao¡¯s vision went blurry and he felt water fall from his eyes. He raised his hand to wipe away the annoying tears, and used the utmost effort to lift his lips in a smile. His eyes, full of love, expressed all his feelings. I love you, Ling Miao said silently. Su Yuyang put back the last bowl and pressed his hands on the counter next to the sink. He angled his head upward and took a deep breath then exhaled slowly. He did this several times before walking to the living room with a smile. Ling Miao seemed to have fallen into a daze while watching. He didn¡¯t notice that Su Yuyang was about to turn, so the moment Su Yuyang turned around, he met Ling Miao¡¯s eyes, which were full of love. Su Yuyang ran into the living room. He drew the panicked Ling Miao into a hug, kissed Ling Miao¡¯s hair, and said agitatedly, ¡°Xiao Miao, I know you have feelings for me, and I know it¡¯s not real that you don¡¯t care about me. After what happened, I fully understand your place in my life.¡± Su Yuyang held on tighter to Ling Miao¡¯s arm. Ling Miao¡¯s hand was tightly pressed against Su Yuyang¡¯s chest. He smelled the faint scent of soap on Su Yuyang¡¯s clothes and his breathing grew shallow. He breathed the scent that belonged to Su Yuyang in greedily; he wanted to impress it firmly in his mind. Su Yuyang kissed Ling Miao¡¯s forehead and murmured, ¡°Xiao Miao, I want to go see your parents. Let¡¯s go tomorrow.¡± Ling Miao¡¯s eyes shot open. He raised his head and his gaze met Su Yuyang¡¯s laughing eyes. As Su Yuyang met Ling Miao¡¯s gaze, he froze: Ling Miao¡¯s eyes were filled with fear. Ling Miao flinched and pushed Su Yuyang away. He rushed to Yan Li¡¯s room. With a click, the door locked. He wants to see my parents. Why so suddenly? Ling Miao paced back and forth uneasily. ¡°Xiao Miao!¡± Su Yuyang pounded on the door. ¡°Xiao Miao, when you were unconscious I made up my mind that when you woke up we¡¯d go see your parents. I¡¯ll show them all the cards in my hand¡ªI want to marry you!¡± Ma¡­ marry? Ling Miao¡¯s legs went weak and he collapsed onto the floor. He wants to marry me, but¡­ can someone like me marry him? I¡­ I¡¯m not good enough. I¡¯m not good enough to marry him. Hearing the commotion in the room, Su Yuyang panicked. He yelled, ¡°Xiao Miao, wait for me. I¡¯ll get the key.¡± With trembling hands Su Yuyang pulled out some keys from his pouch, but the keys to both rooms looked about the same. There were four keys. The third key Su Yuyang tried opened the door. ¡°Xiao Miao!¡± As Su Yuyang opened the door he saw Ling Miao sitting on the ground. He helped Ling Miao up and asked worriedly, ¡°Are you hurt?¡± Ling Miao didn¡¯t answer. He stared at Su Yuyang, then suddenly leaped into Su Yuyang¡¯s arms and started crying loudly. Su Yuyang stood there helplessly. Ling Miao¡¯s cries, gradually growing louder, woke him from his daze. He patted Ling Miao¡¯s back and said gently, ¡°Tell me what¡¯s the matter. If you keep it in your heart, you¡¯ll be miserable and I¡¯ll be even more miserable than you.¡± Ling Miao didn¡¯t say anything. He looked up at Su Yuyang, then stood on tiptoe and placed his lips over Su Yuyang¡¯s. Su Yuyang looked at Ling Miao in shock, but Ling Miao had his eyes closed and part of his face was blocked, so Su Yuyang couldn¡¯t see his expression. Su Yuyang held on to Ling Miao and spoke into Ling Miao¡¯s ear the words that expressed his love: ¡°Xiao Miao, I love you, so I won¡¯t allow you to hurt yourself. I don¡¯t know why you¡¯re being so forward today, but I¡¯m afraid that if we go all the way, you¡¯ll regret it later. So, when we wake up, I¡¯ll pretend nothing happened.¡± When Ling Miao woke up, it was early morning. He shook his body and found it somewhat difficult to move. He moved Su Yuyang¡¯s arm from his waist, then pulled back the blankets and slowly got out of bed. Standing by the bedside, Ling Miao frowned as he looked at the man on the bed. He seemed to be making a difficult decision. After a long time, he finally moved. One minute, ten minutes¡­ Su Yuyang let out a whine, bringing Ling Miao back to his senses. Yu, I love you, Ling Miao said silently. Ling Miao watched Su Yuyang longingly. Several seconds later, he inhaled sharply, hardened his heart, and turned his head away. He walked to the desk, retrieved a stack of paper and a pen, then walked lightly out of the room. [Table of Contents] | [Buy your translation team a coffee?] Chapter 119 The Complete Guide to the Use and Care of a Personal Assistant Translator: Jury Editor: NomNom First Published on Chaleuria ¡ª Chapter One Hundred and Nineteen A chill of unknown origin invaded Su Yuyang¡¯s body. Su Yuyang curled up and wrapped the blanket tightly around himself, but the chill still enveloped him, as inescapable as if it were his own skin. Su Yuyang felt that he needed to add another blanket, but when he opened his eyes, the sight he saw was blinding. ¡°It¡¯s morning.¡± Su Yuyang rubbed his bleary eyes. ¡°Xiao Miao?¡± Su Yuyang reached for Ling Miao but couldn¡¯t find a trace of him on the bed. He touched the spot where Ling Miao had slept the previous night and it was cold¡ªLing Miao had been gone for a long time. ¡°Xiao Miao?¡± Su Yuyang called loudly but didn¡¯t get a response. He hurriedly got out of bed and rushed out of the room looking for Ling Miao. There wasn¡¯t any sign of Ling Miao in the living room or the kitchen or the bathroom¡­ finally, Su Yuyang¡¯s gaze fell on Yan Li¡¯s room door. The door was shut. Su Yuyang crept over, not realizing he was shivering. He turned the doorknob but it stuck halfway. The door was locked. ¡°Xiao Miao, are you in there?¡± Su Yuyang pounded on the door. He believed that with this commotion, even if Ling Miao was asleep, he¡¯d wake up from the disturbance. But Su Yuyang¡¯s hopes were futile¡ªLing Miao didn¡¯t hear his shouts. ¡°The key!¡± Su Yuyang murmured and swiftly returned to the room to look for the key. He vaguely remembered that the keys had been beside his laptop, but when he went to get it, he didn¡¯t see it. ¡°Where did the key go?¡± Immense fear engulfed Su Yuyang and he stumbled out of the bedroom. Suddenly something gleamed on the ottoman. Su Yuyang rushed up to it and immediately recognized the thing that had shone: his keys! He opened the room door and saw wads of paper all over the floor. He picked one up at random and unfolded it. He felt as if he had been struck by thunder. The writing on the paper had been scribbled over, but the contents could still be made out. On the paper was written: Yu, I left. Sorry¡­ Su Yuyang felt his hands tremble. He picked up another wad of paper and couldn¡¯t unfold it. ¡°Feng Ji¡­ Feng Ji¡­¡± Su Yuyang repeated Feng Ji¡¯s name. He needed someone to help him and Feng Ji was the first person he thought of. When Feng Ji got Su Yuyang¡¯s call, he could tell the situation wasn¡¯t good. He sent a text to his employees giving them the day off, then took An Yan to Su Yuyang¡¯s house. ¡°Fuck it, why did he get an apartment on the tenth floor? There isn¡¯t even an elevator.¡± Feng Ji stood in the doorway out of breath, complaining about Su Yuyang¡¯s life choices again before he went in. He swore that when he bought a place he¡¯d definitely get one on the second floor. He dug out his key, opened the door, and fell weakly into the house. ¡°Su¡­ Su Yuyang.¡± Feng Ji called Su Yuyang¡¯s name with difficulty, but Su Yuyang didn¡¯t give any reaction. Fuck it. I rushed over so quickly. Surely nothing has happened to him? Feng Ji didn¡¯t bother changing his shoes and rushed straight to Su Yuyang¡¯s room, but he didn¡¯t see anyone. As Feng Ji was hesitating, Su Yuyang appeared. Su Yuyang¡¯s eyes were red and tears shone in his eyes. In his hand was a sheet of paper. He repeated: ¡°He¡¯s gone¡­ he¡¯s gone¡­¡± Feng Ji felt that the Su Yuyang before him was no more than a sack of skin. He said worriedly, ¡°Yuyang, what happened?¡± Su Yuyang¡¯s lips trembled and he looked tearfully at Feng Ji. He opened his mouth but no sound came out. Feng Ji snatched the paper from his hands and began perusing it. Su Yuyang, I¡¯m very scared right now. I¡¯m scared that you¡¯ll suddenly wake up and see me writing this letter. If you¡¯re reading this letter, then you can¡¯t see me. Though it hasn¡¯t been long since I woke up in the hospital, I¡¯ve thought about many things. Honestly, I¡¯m very tired. I¡¯m very tired of being with you. It¡¯s emotionally exhausting. Tang Xuan¡¯s death made me feel very guilty. Maybe me saying this will make you want to punch me, but I¡¯m a very fragile person. Seeing Tang Xuan die in front of me¡ªmaybe even because of my words¡ªI feel that I¡¯m a murderer. I can¡¯t face you. I can¡¯t face anyone. Su Yuyang, I¡¯m very tired. I want to find somewhere I can be quiet for a while. A place without you where I can calm down and think some things over. No need to worry. I won¡¯t kill myself. If you wait for me to come back, I¡¯ll take you to see my parents. If you can¡¯t wait any more, then find someone and have a good life. Yu, I love you. The writing on the paper was messy, and the words had been written and scribbled over many times. Each of Ling Miao¡¯s pen-strokes was forceful and the paper was torn in many places. Clearly, Ling Miao¡¯s hands had been trembling as he wrote. ¡°Yuyang¡­¡± Feng Ji wasn¡¯t sure how to console Su Yuyang. He sighed softly and fell silent. An Yan arrived at the doorway and immediately felt the tension. He quietly walked over to Feng Ji¡¯s side and pointed at Su Yuyang, who was sitting on the sofa in a daze. Feng Ji pulled An Yan onto the balcony and sighed, ¡°Ling Miao¡¯s gone and he took Su Yuyang¡¯s soul with him.¡± ¡°Why did Ling Miao go?¡± An Yan asked, not understanding. ¡°Doesn¡¯t he have feelings for Su Yuyang? Why did he make Su Yuyang this sad?¡± ¡°He probably doesn¡¯t want Su Yuyang to be even more sad. Or maybe Ling Miao is a selfish person. For his own peace of mind, he injures Su Yuyang all over,¡± Feng Ji said helplessly. ¡°Ling Miao really is foolish. This isn¡¯t his fault at all. Why does he want to take it all on himself?¡± An Yan shook his head in opposition. He refuted, ¡°If Ling Miao¡¯s love for Su Yuyang is as deep as Su Yuyang¡¯s love for him, then now that he¡¯s separated from Su Yuyang, he must be having a bad time too. And you said that Ling Miao left with guilt in his heart, so he must be hurting worse than Su Yuyang.¡± ¡°But he¡­¡± Feng Ji wasn¡¯t sure how to explain to An Yan. He passed Ling Miao¡¯s letter to An Yan and let An Yan find the answer for himself. An Yan took in the letter¡¯s contents with a glance. After reading Ling Miao¡¯s letter, he sank into silence. Feng Ji touched An Yan¡¯s head and smiled. ¡°Is his guilt justified?¡± ¡°It might not be guilt,¡± An Yan said thoughtfully. ¡°Although I didn¡¯t see Tang Xuan kill himself, but from what I know of the situation, Ling Miao might have had a fright. Only he doesn¡¯t know it¡¯s fear. And then Tang Xuan¡¯s words before he killed himself also had an influence. It subliminally tells Ling Miao to feel guilt, so he feels guilt.¡± Feng Ji looked at An Yan in astonishment. He said in pleased surprise, ¡°I didn¡¯t think your brain could be this useful.¡± ¡°Tcheh. You say it like I¡¯m an idiot,¡± An Yan hummed. ¡°If I¡¯d known, I would have asked you to counsel Ling Miao.¡± Feng Ji looked at his friend, who resembled a statue, and said. ¡°How about¡­ counseling Su Yuyang?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not a psychiatrist,¡± An Yan said, but he still walked toward Su Yuyang. It might have been An Yan¡¯s great capability, or it might be that Su Yuyang had thought it through on his own, but half an hour later Feng Ji saw that Su Yuyang¡¯s spirits seemed slightly better than before. ¡°I don¡¯t know where Ling Miao has gone, but I¡¯ll do everything I can to find him!¡± Su Yuyang swore. Achoo! Ling Miao sneezed. ¡°Caught a cold?¡± The woman asked with a hint of reproach. Ling Miao calmly shook his head, but his surface calm couldn¡¯t conceal the panic in his heart. [Table of Contents] | [Buy your translation team a coffee?] Chapter 120 The Complete Guide to the Use and Care of a Personal Assistant Translator: Jury Editor: NomNom First Published on Chaleuria ¡ª Chapter One Hundred and Twenty The woman looked at Ling Miao, only half believing him. She said with some disdain, ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Ah,¡± Ling Miao jeered. The woman asked if he had caught a cold not because she was concerned about him but because she worried Ling Miao would pass the cold to her. The woman then asked, ¡±Why did you come back?¡± ¡°This is my home. I¡¯ll come back when I want to. Have you any say?¡± Ling Miao jeered. He tossed his chopsticks on the table then showed her his cold and haughty back to look at. Slam¡ªthe sound of the door slamming shut. ¡°Ling Miao, do you still treat this as your home? You come when you want and go when you want. I think you¡¯re treating this place like a hotel!¡± The woman yelled at the door Ling Miao had shut. ¡°I think you couldn¡¯t make it outside and can¡¯t bring yourself to ask your dad for money, so you came back! Back then we found a good job for you and asked you to go to work but you looked down on this and that, and look at you now¡­¡± ¡°Have you said enough?¡± Ling Miao opened the door and yelled at the woman. ¡°If you¡¯re done, then eat. Fuck it, even when you¡¯re eating the food isn¡¯t enough to occupy your mouth. How big is your mouth? Oh, that¡¯s true. Your appetite¡¯s pretty big.¡± Ling Miao gave the woman a pointed look then picked up his things and prepared to go out. ¡°Ling Miao, if you step out of this door, don¡¯t come back!¡± the woman threatened. Ling Miao snatched back the hand he had placed on the door handle. He wasn¡¯t worried, but he was well aware that if the woman said she wouldn¡¯t let him in he definitely wouldn¡¯t be allowed in. The woman looked with satisfaction at Ling Miao. His defeated expression gave her great pleasure. She sneered, ¡±Go! Just try to go!¡± Ling Miao glared at the woman. He turned his back to the laptop and walked to the bedroom. As he passed the woman, he said calmly, ¡±I¡¯m just not leaving this house, then.¡± The woman was just trying to provoke Ling Miao; it was her most commonly used tactic when she was unhappy. She thought that it would be useful as usual this time, but the reality was different. ¡°Ling Miao, you¡¯re already twenty-three. You still have the cheek to eat and live at your father¡¯s expense. When you go out, you¡¯re not even worried the neighbors laugh at you!¡± The woman made another move. Ling Miao said nonchalantly, ¡°If they want to laugh, let them laugh. Besides, how do you know I haven¡¯t earned money?¡± The woman saw Ling Miao vanish before her eyes and was so angry she stamped her foot. Several minutes later Ling Miao walked out holding a plastic bag. He placed the bag in the woman¡¯s hand and said coolly, ¡°There¡¯s 2400 yuan here. I¡¯ll pay 300 yuan every month for water, electricity, gas and internet. Of course, the grocery bill is in there too.¡± The woman took the money. Her anger was momentarily curtailed and she said unhappily, ¡°Three hundred a month with prices as they are now. Besides, what about the rent?¡± ¡°Rent?¡± Ling Miao found this absurd. ¡°You probably don¡¯t know, but the title deed has my and my dad¡¯s names on it.¡± Ling Miao looked at the woman¡¯s stunned expression and was indescribably pleased. The effect of Tang Xuan¡¯s suicide on him seemed to have completely vanished. This woman was Ling Miao¡¯s stepmother, Hu Yueyuan. She had married into the Ling family not longer after Ling Miao¡¯s birth mother had passed away. Ling Miao could not help suspecting that before his mother passed away, Hu Yueyuan had already gotten together with his father. This is also a good time to mention that Hu Yueyuan was two years older than Ling Miao. Before she married, she was Ling Miao¡¯s dad¡¯s colleague. After they married, she became a housewife. Oh, forgot to mention one more thing¡ªthe job they found for Ling Miao was Hu Yueyuan¡¯s old job. From the above it can be surmised that Hu Yueyuan and Ling Miao mixed as badly as fire and water. ¡°Ling Miao!¡± Hu Yueyuan called Ling Miao¡¯s name through gritted teeth. Ling Miao had put in earphones and cranked his laptop¡¯s volume up to maximum, hoping that the soothing music would calm his heart. After leaving the house he shared with Su Yuyang, Ling Miao momentarily hadn¡¯t been sure where to go. Ling Miao was worried Su Yuyang would call the police, so he didn¡¯t want to stay in a hotel or an internet cafe. Ling Miao had walked aimlessly, dragging his suitcase. After wandering for two hours, he ended up at the light rail station. ¡°Looks like I have to go home,¡± Ling Miao grimaced. Frankly, he didn¡¯t feel like that was his home: his mother wasn¡¯t around any more and his father was often away on business. The only link the place had to him was that the title deed had his name on it. Before entering the station, Ling Miao went to the bank and withdrew some money, then took the first train home. As Ling Miao expected, the only person at home was that woman. She was awakened from her doze so she wasn¡¯t happy to see Ling Miao, and the moment Ling Miao stepped through the door she began quarrelling with him. Ling Miao ignored Hu Yueyuan¡¯s presence, put his things in the dusty bedroom, and began to clean. Hu Yueyuan cursed unhappily, then went back to her bedroom to continue sleeping. At breakfast their conflict had finally exploded. Hu Yueyuan was still muttering curses in the living room. Ling Miao turned up the volume as high as he could but couldn¡¯t drown out Hu Yueyuan¡¯s voice, so he turned off the music and opened up a novel. Out of habit Ling Miao clicked on Massacre of the Nine Heavens. He found that Massacre¡¯s last update date was yesterday morning and the chapter title was ¡®Leave of absence.¡¯ Ling Miao didn¡¯t dare open the chapter to see its contents, but he accidentally touched the trackpad and the chapter opened. ¡®Shu Yang¡¯s lover is sick so he may not update for some time. Hope everyone understands.¡¯ The attached name was ¡®Shu Yang¡¯s editor, Mu Yu.¡¯ ¡°Indeed!¡± Ling Miao touched the words ¡®Shu Yang¡¯s lover¡¯ on the screen and felt both touched and guilty. When Su Yuyang had burned his hand, he still insisted on writing, but when Ling Miao got sick, Su Yuyang stopped updating in order to to take care of him. Su Yuyang placed Ling Miao in a more important position than his own self, but Ling Miao¡­ For some reason, Ling Miao thought of Tang Xuan again¡ªas if Tang Xuan and Su Yuyang were bound together in his mind, the moment Ling Miao thought about Su Yuyang, thoughts of Tang Xuan would follow. ¡°Tang Xuan, you got your wish.¡± Ling Miao held his chest where his heart was. Waves of pain struck his heart like the tide. Ling Miao had left his phone at Su Yuyang¡¯s place. He didn¡¯t dare go on his microblog now or QQ or the forums. He didn¡¯t even dare log into his web novel account let alone post chapters. Su Yuyang, do I have the courage to face you? Ling Miao asked himself. All morning, Ling Miao had been refreshing the chapter index for Massacre of the Nine Heavens as well as the main page of Su Yuyang¡¯s microblog. He registered a new account and quietly followed Su Yuyang but Su Yuyang hadn¡¯t updated his microblog for close to two weeks. ¡°Su Yuyang, how are you doing?¡± Ling Miao murmured to himself. He moved the cursor to Massacre¡¯s chapter index and hopefully pressed F5. Miraculously, Massacre now had one more chapter than before! Because it was a VIP chapter Ling Miao couldn¡¯t read it without registering an account, but this implied something about Su Yuyang¡¯s current state¡ªhe was doing fine. ¡°Su Yuyang, you must update every day so I know you¡¯re fine.¡± Ling Miao satisfiedly read the title of the new chapter, but suddenly his gaze froze. [Table of Contents] | [Buy your translation team a coffee?] Chapter 121 The Complete Guide to the Use and Care of a Personal Assistant Translator: Jury Editor: NomNom First Published on Chaleuria ¡ª Chapter One Hundred and Twenty-one There were parentheses at the end of the chapter title and within them was written: Xiao Miao, I¡¯ll wait for you. ¡°This¡­ he¡­¡± Ling Miao couldn¡¯t believe his eyes. The news of Su Yuyang and Ling Miao¡¯s relationship had long spread through the Internet and everyone felt the sweet romance between them. No matter how one looked at it, the line, ¡®Xiao Miao, I¡¯ll wait for you,¡¯ gave the impression that they had had a falling out. ¡°Exactly what is wrong with Su Yuyang?¡± Ling Miao very much wanted to question Su Yuyang but he hadn¡¯t the courage. He shifted his gaze from the chapter title onto the chapter contents. Though it was a VIP chapter Ling Miao could still read the first hundred or so words. The first line of the chapter contained the same words: Xiao Miao, I¡¯ll wait for you. Su Yuyang seemed to have anticipated that Ling Miao would look out for his updates and that Ling Miao would log in, and had written the words he wanted to say to Ling Miao into the chapter title and the first line of the chapter which everyone could see. Su Yuyang had said to Ling Miao, ¡®I¡¯ll wait for you.¡¯ This was a temptation¡ªone that Ling Miao could not resist, but every time he wished to follow it back to Su Yuyang¡¯s side the guilt in his heart wrapped him like an invisible but very secure string so that he could only struggle. ¡°Su Yuyang.¡± Ling Miao softly called Su Yuyang¡¯s name as if Su Yuyang was currently right by his side gently pulling him into a hug. It was very hard for Ling Miao to calm down so he turned off the laptop. He walked to the bookshelf and slid his finger over the spine of every book. On closer examination, the books were all authored by the same person¡ªShu Yang. Ling Miao pulled a book out at random, took it to the window, and slowly flipped it open. On the inside cover was signed the name ¡®Shu Yang,¡¯ and beside the introduction was written ¡®Su Yuyang.¡¯ Ling Miao wasn¡¯t sure when Su Yuyang had autographed these books. Now that he had returned home and coincidentally flipped open a book, he was shocked to see the autograph. Ling Miao closed the book and stared at the traffic flowing outside the window. It was noisy but it calmed his heart. He didn¡¯t think about Su Yuyang and he didn¡¯t think about Tang Xuan, but his finger slid back and forth over the book cover. Near noon, Feng Ji and An Yan who had gone out to look for Ling Miao now returned. They wore excited expressions and Su Yuyang asked ardently, ¡°Do you have news of Xiao Miao?¡± Feng Ji took a drink of water and panted, ¡°I went to his apartment, but no one was there. A janitor said that he saw Ling Miao as he was going to work in the morning. He said that Ling Miao was walking down the street with two suitcases. He didn¡¯t look too well and when he walked he wasn¡¯t focused and almost got hit by a car.¡± ¡°Then which direction did he go in?¡± Su Yuyang couldn¡¯t contain his joy. It was as if he would find Ling Miao soon. Feng Ji said regretfully, ¡°We went in the direction the janitor said but didn¡¯t find anything. Mostly, he left too early, so aside from street cleaners there weren¡¯t many people on the road and not many people saw him. No one at the nearby hotels and internet cafes has seen him, either.¡± Su Yuyang¡¯s smile froze on his face. The corner of his mouth twitched and he said, ¡°This is already very good.¡± Ling Miao had two suitcases with him. Su Yuyang knew that one of the suitcases contained only his books. When Ling Miao had left, he hadn¡¯t taken many things with him, but he had taken Su Yuyang¡¯s books. Su Yuyang¡¯s laptop screen displayed his chat history with Mu Yu. Su Yuyang had pleaded with Mu Yu to check Ling Miao¡¯s account login history. Initially, Mu Yu hadn¡¯t been willing to disclose private information about the account, but because of Su Yuyang¡¯s relationship with Ling Miao and Su Yuyang¡¯s pleading, Mu Yu had agreed very reluctantly. The results disappointed Su Yuyang. The IP of the last login on the account was Su Yuyang¡¯s IP. Su Yuyang wasn¡¯t sure if Ling Miao would keep up with Massacre¡¯s updates, either. Now, he tried every avenue by which he might be able to talk to Ling Miao: the novel, his microblog, a private message, the forums, the QQ group. He left a message in every place Ling Miao might appear. An Yan was preparing food in the kitchen. Feng Ji couldn¡¯t bear to disturb Su Yuyang and slipped into the kitchen too. An Yan and Feng Ji walked out of the kitchen holding food and Feng Ji called, ¡°Su Yuyang, it¡¯s lunchtime.¡± Su Yuyang didn¡¯t even raise his head. ¡°I¡¯ll come after writing this bit. You two eat first.¡± Feng Ji tenderly watched Su Yuyang¡¯s busy fingers. He walked over and blocked the laptop screen: ¡°I think your fingers are going to go dead. Can¡¯t you take care of yourself?¡± Su Yuyang looked at his shaking fingers. He shut his eyes and said, ¡°These hands of mine¡ªif they can¡¯t keep him by my side, what does it matter if they go dead?¡± Pah¡ª Like an enraged lion, Feng Ji punched Su Yuyang viciously in his face and knocked him to the ground. He picked Su Yuyang up by the collar and shouted, ¡°You fucking look at yourself now. Are you still the Su Yuyang I know? Where did your carefree manner go? Do you think Ling Miao will be happy to see you like this? Or do you think that if you¡¯re dead, Ling Miao will come back? You¡¯re a fucking coward! If you can write so much your fingers go dead, why don¡¯t you use the time to look for Ling Miao?¡± Feng Ji punched Su Yuyang again. An Yan worried that Feng Ji would escalate the matter further, and hurriedly went up and caught Feng Ji¡¯s arm. Feng Ji pulled free of An Yan¡¯s grip, took two steps forward, and prepared to punch Su Yuyang again. An Yan encircled Feng Ji¡¯s waist with his arms and yelled, ¡°Feng Ji, come to your senses!¡± Feng Ji panted for breath. Suddenly he noticed the phone Su Yuyang had left on the ottoman. He picked up the phone and snapped photos of Su Yuyang then opened up his microblog. This is what he¡¯s like now! @WriterZeroSecondsAgo¡ªFeng Ji Feng Ji made a post with a photo attached to Su Yuyang¡¯s microblog. The only indication he was still rational was that he didn¡¯t send a private message and he didn¡¯t link this blog post to their friend group. Su Yuyang in the photo could only be described as ¡®invalid.¡¯ He seemed to be a completely different person compared to the lively persona he had presented at the Authors¡¯ Gathering. Very soon, Su Yuyang¡¯s phone began vibrating. Su Yuyang¡¯s good friends had all sent questions but Feng Ji ignored them all. Suddenly, Su Yuyang¡¯s phone rang. The display read ¡®Yan Yan.¡¯ Yan Li had called to question Su Yuyang and find out what had happened between him and Ling Miao. Feng Ji answered the phone. He briefly summarized the events and Yan Li cursed, ¡®Idiot,¡¯ then asked Ji Linxi if he had any ideas. Ji Linxi and Ling Miao had known each other longest, so he probably understood Ling Miao better than the others. It had to be said that Su Yuyang hadn¡¯t thought of Ji Linxi because he was preoccupied feeling sorry for himself. And even with Ji Linxi, it wasn¡¯t definite that they would find Ling Miao. But another person would bring new ideas and it might be Ji Linxi¡¯s analysis that eventually led Su Yuyang to find Ling Miao. Ji Linxi indicated that the pressure on him was mountainous. But Ling Miao had had a history of leaving home, so Ji Linxi did have some ideas. [Table of Contents] | [Buy your translation team a coffee?] Chapter 122 The Complete Guide to the Use and Care of a Personal Assistant Translator: Jury Editor: NomNom First Published on Chaleuria ¡ª Chapter One Hundred and Twenty-Two Ji Linxi analyzed: ¡°Ling Miao has left home before. At the time, he had a bad fight with his dad over his job, so he packed up and came to my place. This time the situation¡¯s different. He can¡¯t come to me and he can¡¯t look for people who know me. ¡°If Ling Miao¡¯s still in the city, he¡¯ll probably go to his high school or junior high classmates for help. All his junior high classmates are in Nanping, and that¡¯s where his home is, too.¡± ¡°You mean, he might have gone home?¡± Feng Ji followed Ji Linxi¡¯s words. ¡°Which part of Nanping does he live in?¡± ¡°That, I¡¯m not sure about,¡± Ji Linxi said regretfully. ¡°But I heard that Ling Miao¡¯s relationship with his stepmother isn¡¯t good and his dad is often away on business, so it¡¯s not very likely that he¡¯ll go home.¡± ¡°I think it¡¯s more likely he went home than that he looked for his ex-classmates,¡± Feng Ji smiled and said. ¡°I¡¯ll tell Su Yuyang to get in touch with Ling Miao¡¯s classmates, and if we can¡¯t find him then we¡¯ll have to go to Ling Miao¡¯s old home and look.¡± Feng Ji hung up the phone then picked up Su Yuyang who was as limp as wet clay. He dusted Su Yuyang off and said, ¡°Ji Linxi said that Ling Miao might have gone to look for his middle school classmates, or went home. I suggest you get in touch with his middle school classmates, and if there¡¯s no news of him, then go to his old home and look.¡± A ray of sunlight shot through Su Yuyang¡¯s gray eyes. He pressed Feng Ji¡¯s hand and said ardently, ¡°Really?¡± ¡°It¡¯s possible.¡± Feng Ji didn¡¯t want to be too definite. ¡°But since it¡¯s possible, we have to try, right? I suggest looking in Ling Miao¡¯s yearbook and the phone book and getting in touch with those with phone numbers first.¡± ¡°I know a faster way,¡± An Yan, who had not spoken until now, said. ¡°Look at Ling Miao¡¯s call history and see who he¡¯s gotten in touch with recently. Check his recent messages on QQ, too.¡± ¡°Might anything fall through the cracks?¡± Feng Ji asked uncertainly. Su Yuyang had already unlocked Ling Miao¡¯s phone and logged into Ling Miao¡¯s QQ. ¡°Ling Miao¡¯s phone was with me all along and he didn¡¯t touch it. I just checked the last login time on all his QQ handles. The main account was on the day he was kidnapped. The secondary account, even longer.¡± Su Yuyang looked dejectedly at his laptop. Now he had to place his last hope on ¡®Ling Miao went back to his old home.¡¯ ¡°Does Ji Linxi know where Ling Miao¡¯s old home is?¡± ¡°He only knows it¡¯s in Nanping. He doesn¡¯t know the address.¡± Su Yuyang thought about the people who might know Ling Miao¡¯s old address and suddenly his eyes lit up. 3000WPH: Yu-ge, Xiao Miao¡¯s contract was mailed to his old house, right? Aside from Mu Yu, Su Yuyang really couldn¡¯t think of anyone else he knew who might know Ling Miao¡¯s address. Mu Yu: I checked. There are two return addresses. Why? 3000WPH: Can you tell me the first address? I want to go to his old home and look for him. Mu Yu: This¡­ You¡¯re putting me on the spot. 3000WPH: Yu-ge, I¡¯m begging you. Mu Yu: Begging won¡¯t help. I¡¯m surprised, though, that going by your relationship with Ling Miao he hasn¡¯t brought you home to see his parents. 3000WPH: Thank you, Yu-ge. I¡¯ll do other things in the meantime. Su Yuyang didn¡¯t read Mu Yu¡¯s reply. Now, he only wanted to know where Ling Miao¡¯s old home was. Like a headless fly Su Yuyang searched the house. He was trying to find something useful from the things Ling Miao had left behind. ¡°Let¡¯s help him,¡± An Yan sighed. Feng Ji held An Yan back and shook his head. ¡°Let him do it. Let¡¯s go to Ling Miao¡¯s apartment.¡± Ling Miao had left some of his things at the apartment. Feng Ji intended to go and see if they could find any clues. Su Yuyang had turned his apartment upside down but hadn¡¯t found anything of use. Su Yuyang sat on the floor in a daze, sunlight falling in a thin veil over him. He looked at the sun setting in the west and hopelessness flowed through his blood, from his heart to every part of his body. ¡°Su Yuyang, I found it!¡± The sound of Feng Ji panting could be clearly heard. Su Yuyang looked in the direction of the sound but didn¡¯t see any sign of Feng Ji. As he got to the doorway he saw Feng Ji standing at the corner, holding the handrail and out of breath. Seeing Su Yuyang looking at him, Feng Ji waved something white in his hand. Su Yuyang took three steps forward and took it. It was something very familiar to him¡ªa contract! ¡°The contract Ling Miao signed with the web novel site?¡± Su Yuyang looked with surprise at the name ¡®Ling Miao¡¯ on the contract. He asked agitatedly, ¡°Feng-zi, how did you find this?¡± Feng Ji had sprinted the whole way back and now he couldn¡¯t say a single word. An Yan ambled up just in time to hear Su Yuyang¡¯s question. He explained on Feng Ji¡¯s behalf, ¡°Feng-ge and I found this at Ling Miao¡¯s apartment. On the way, we also moved the things he left at the apartment over here.¡± ¡°The landlord didn¡¯t give you a hard time?¡± ¡°Not a soul was in the apartment,¡± An Yan smiled and said. An Yan and Su Yuyang helped Feng Ji back into Su Yuyang¡¯s apartment. Su Yuyang used Ling Miao¡¯s phone to send a text to the landlord explaining the situation. He took the two contracts Feng Ji had brought back. One of them had Ling Miao¡¯s school as the return address and the other return address was the same as on Ling Miao¡¯s envelope! ¡°Xiao Miao.¡± Su Yuyang touched the address on the contract and his hands trembled with emotion he could not repress. He decided to go to Ling Miao¡¯s old home! ¡°Ah, where are you going?¡± Feng Ji caught hold of Su Yuyang and asked. Su Yuyang said matter-of-factly, ¡°Looking for Xiao Miao.¡± ¡°Stop right there!¡± Feng Ji looked Su Yuyang over and laughed, ¡°Go look in the mirror. If you go out like that, you¡¯ll be lucky if you aren¡¯t mistaken for a hobo.¡± Su Yuyang had been frantic since Ling Miao¡¯s disappearance. A week ago, under pressure from Feng Ji, he had shaved his beard, showered, and changed his clothes. The clothes he was wearing now were from one week ago. His hair was so greasy that, in Feng Ji¡¯s words, ¡°if we scraped the oil from your hair, we¡¯d be able to cook a dish of food.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°Besides, if you go to Ling Miao¡¯s old house, you might not get to see Ling Miao, but you will very likely meet his father and stepmother. If you go like this you won¡¯t leave a good first impression. Be careful or they might not hand their son over to you,¡± Feng Ji said in a tone like he was asking for a beating. But Su Yuyang seemed to be concerned about something other than the first impression. He asked in shock, ¡°Stepmother?¡± ¡°Ji Linxi mentioned it,¡± Feng Ji explained. ¡°It¡¯s gotten dark and I¡¯m hungry. Xiao An, let¡¯s make dinner.¡± Feng Ji pulled An Yan towards the kitchen. Su Yuyang touched his chin; the beard was scratchy. He went to the bathroom, looked in the mirror, and was shocked: ¡°Ah, this¡­¡± Su Yuyang was very sure that the person in the mirror was him, but if he were to meet his future in-laws looking like this, he¡¯d probably be kicked out immediately. Su Yuyang turned on the hot water and began to shave. Thinking that he would get to see Ling Miao tomorrow, his spirits lightened. But Ling Miao¡¯s mood was the opposite of his. [Table of Contents] | [Buy your translation team a coffee?] Chapter 123 The Complete Guide to the Use and Care of a Personal Assistant Translator: Jury Editor: NomNom First Published on Chaleuria ¡ª Chapter One Hundred and Twenty-three This is what he¡¯s like now! @WriterZeroSecondsAgo¡ªFeng Ji When Ling Miao saw the blog post, the sky outside the window was growing colorful. Ling Miao found it laughable. He got out a novel and prepared to read, but he fell asleep listening to the sound of traffic honking outside the window. Hu Yueyuan was watching television in the living room. She huffed when she saw Ling Miao come out of his room. Ling Miao ignored her. He went to the kitchen, made dinner, wolfed it down, and returned to his room. He turned on his laptop and went to Su Yuyang¡¯s blog. Instantly, his heart hurt. The exclamation mark in the post conveyed all of Feng Ji¡¯s feelings¨Chis anger, his despondence, his inability to understand Ling Miao¡¯s actions. Ling Miao couldn¡¯t read many of Feng Ji¡¯s emotions but he did feel Feng Ji¡¯s anger. Ling Miao looked at the man in the photograph. He was unkempt, his cheeks sunken, and his normally clear eyes were dark. Ling Miao touched the image of Su Yuyang¡¯s face on the screen, his shaking fingers tracing Su Yuyang¡¯s eyes, lips, and nose. Why are you torturing yourself? Ling Miao seemed to be asking Su Yuyang and also seemed to be asking himself. Why is there such a rift between us? What did I do wrong? Or does heaven not wish for us to be happy? Some questions have no answers. Even if someone could answer Ling Miao, he might not accept that person¡¯s answer. Maybe time was the ¡®person¡¯ that could solve all problems. Su Yuyang opened a new tab and made a new post to his microblog. ¡°Xiao Miao, tomorrow I will go look for you. Wait for me.¡± The simple words made Ling Miao uneasy. Although he was sure Su Yuyang didn¡¯t know where he was now, there was great confidence in Su Yuyang¡¯s words, as if Su Yuyang already knew Ling Miao had gone back to his old house. Su Yuyang probably doesn¡¯t know I¡¯m at my old house. Even if he guessed I¡¯m here, he doesn¡¯t know the address. Thinking this, Ling Miao calmed down a little. Then a terrifying notion suddenly flashed through his head: If Su Yuyang gets the address from Mu Yu, won¡¯t my location be revealed? Ling Miao didn¡¯t want to see Su Yuyang. He didn¡¯t want to see Su Yuyang before he had thoroughly thought matters through. He packed his things and prepared to leave. Hu Yueyuan passed by his door and, seeing him in a panic, jeered: ¡°Oh, did you kill someone? Or steal something? Are you going on the lam?¡± ¡°Kill¡­ kill someone?¡± Ling Miao flinched. He raised his head and glanced at Hu Yueyuan. He put on a strong front: ¡°Do you want to try? See if I can kill you?¡± ¡°You¡­ you¡¯re sick!¡± Ling Miao¡¯s gaze was as sharp as a knife and his smile was hard and cold. Hu Yueyuan was afraid Ling Miao really would do violence to her. She left swiftly, trembling. As soon as Hu Yueyuan left, Ling Miao deflated like a pricked balloon. He moved weakly to the door, shut it, and leaned against it, his body sliding slowly downward. Ling Miao squatted on the floor, his hands around his calves and his forehead on his knees. He was like a lost child now, confused and helpless, facing the danger of being kidnapped and sold by traffickers at any time. Inwardly, Ling Miao wished for Su Yuyang to help him find the way home, but Su Yuyang seemed to also not know the way. Reason told Ling Miao to run far away from Su Yuyang, to leave here quickly before Su Yuyang arrived, but the desire in his heart was gradually gaining the upper hand. Ling Miao was as still as a statue. After several hours passed he suddenly raised his head. ¡°Su Yuyang, there are some things we have to hash out face to face!¡± Ling Miao grimaced. It was late at night and the neon lights outside had gradually gone out. Several streetlights were still lit, creating a lonely atmosphere. Ling Miao braced himself on the windowsill and looked to the distance. He seemed to see Su Yuyang¡¯s busy silhouette. A blink of an eye and the world went dark again. Su Yuyang was currently hunting through his closet for clothes as if he really were going to meet his in-laws the next day. A clean and neat button-down, light-colored jeans, white sneakers, a clean head of hair, and a sleepy face. All in all, a student¡¯s look. Su Yuyang looked with satisfaction at himself in the mirror. He forced his lips into a smile, looking incredibly confident. No matter how he looked at it, he looked like he was about to go take an important examination. On deeper thought, finding Ling Miao and possibly also meeting his future in-laws was indeed an extremely important examination of life to Su Yuyang. Su Yuyang planned to board the first train so he didn¡¯t sleep all night. As the time drew closer, he left the house. Feng Ji called as Su Yuyang waited for the train. Of course, it was to ask about Su Yuyang¡¯s preparations. Su Yuyang said everything was okay. Feng Ji asked if he should bring An Yan and go with Su Yuyang¡ªif Su Yuyang couldn¡¯t settle things, An Yan would be able to help. Su Yuyang very decisively rejected this offer. What a joke. Ling Miao was Su Yuyang¡¯s lover, of course Su Yuyang needed to bring him home himself. As opposed to getting An Yan to help, he might as well wait for Ling Miao to come back of his own accord. A pity¡ªSu Yuyang didn¡¯t have the patience to wait for Ling Miao to come back on his own. Ling Miao¡¯s condition worried him to no end. In the train carriage, Su Yuyang got excited every time his phone vibrated. But he was disappointed time after time because he was anticipating a message from Ling Miao. Whether on his microblog, the forum, or the group chat, Su Yuyang saw no messages from Ling Miao as he arrived at the stop where he had to get off to transfer lines. He¡¯s avoiding me, Su Yuyang thought despondently. Compared to the emptiness on Line 6, Line 3 was always very crowded. Nevertheless, Su Yuyang still found a less crowded corner to stand in. He made a microblog post: On line 3. It¡¯s so packed. Ling Miao didn¡¯t sleep well all night. Though he had made up his mind to talk it through with Su Yuyang, he still felt that once Su Yuyang got here the events that came to pass would make everyone unhappy. Ling Miao lay on the bed and stared at the ceiling for more than two hours. Reflexively he reached for his phone on the nightstand and didn¡¯t find anything, then remembered that his phone was at Su Yuyang¡¯s house. He turned on his laptop and went on his microblog. His dash contained only Su Yuyang¡¯s microblog. ¡°On Line 3. It¡¯s so packed.¡± Seeing Su Yuyang¡¯s latest blog post, Ling Miao panicked. He¡¯s really coming to find me? Before Ling Miao had stopped panicking, a new post notification arrived. Su Yuyang had reblogged the blog post with an addition: Xiao Miao, wait for me. ¡°Indeed¡­¡± Ling Miao stared in a daze at the words ¡®Wait for me.¡¯ He replied, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll wait for you.¡± ¡°We are approaching Nanping¡­¡± Hearing the announcement, Su Yuyang put away his phone and walked toward the train door. Although he didn¡¯t like being shoved about by people, his heart was relatively light. Su Yuyang asked for directions all the way. After seven or eight twists and turns, he finally arrived at the neighborhood where Ling Miao¡¯s parents lived. Knock knock. A clear knock came from the door. Ling Miao thought agitatedly, Has he arrived? [Table of Contents] | [Buy your translation team a coffee?] Chapter 124 The Complete Guide to the Use and Care of a Personal Assistant Translator: Jury Editor: NomNom First Published on Chaleuria ¡ª Chapter One Hundred and Twenty-four Ling Miao wasn¡¯t sure if the person was Su Yuyang, so he suppressed his agitation and didn¡¯t go to open the door. Hu Yueyuan was in the shower. Hearing the knock, she shut off the water and called, ¡°Ling Miao, open the door!¡± Ling Miao pretended not to hear and continued reading his novel and listening to his music ¡°Ling Miao, I told you to open the door! You¡¯re too lazy!¡± Hu Yueyuan wrapped a towel around herself and cursed as she opened the door. She was still cursing as the man standing at the door awkwardly asked, ¡°Might I ask¡­¡± ¡°Mm?¡± Seeing the outsider, Hu Yueyuan put away her anger and showed a smiling face instead. She looked over the man at the door from head to toe and was pleasantly surprised: This man is pretty handsome, but the bags under his eyes ruin his looks. Ah, a pity. The man at the door was Su Yuyang. He saw Hu Yueyuan examining him and flushed slightly. He shuddered and hurriedly asked, ¡°Is Ling Miao in?¡± ¡°Ling Miao?¡± At the mention of Ling Miao, Hu Yueyuan¡¯s tone grew cold and she took an unfriendly attitude toward Su Yuyang too. She asked coldly, ¡°What are you looking for him for?¡± Su Yuyang noticed Hu Yueyuan¡¯s change in attitude toward him. He thought, Why did her attitude change the moment I mentioned Ling Miao? Su Yuyang looked at Hu Yueyuan and surmised she was about thirty. He guessed that she might be Ling Miao¡¯s older sister. If Ling Miao¡¯s parents favored boys over girls and she¡¯s Ling Miao¡¯s big sis, it¡¯s possible that she has some resentment toward Ling Miao. ¡°You¡¯re Ling Miao¡¯s big sis?¡± Su Yuyang guessed. ¡®Big sis?¡¯ Hu Yueyuan let out a laugh. ¡°I¡¯m his mom.¡± Su Yuyang was stunned. He stood frozen to the spot. Feng Ji¡¯s words surfaced in his mind: ¡®If you go to Su Yuyang¡¯s old house you might not find Ling Miao, but you might find his father and stepmother.¡¯ ¡°Aunt?¡± Su Yuyang tried. Su Yuyang looked about twenty-three or twenty-four, about Hu Yueyuan¡¯s age. Hearing a man her age call her ¡®aunt¡¯ made her anger flare. She yelled, ¡°Fuck you, what ¡®aunt?¡¯¡± and made to close the door. Su Yuyang hurriedly held the door open and asked, ¡°Before you shut the door, tell me if Ling Miao came home.¡± She didn¡¯t know what relationship this man had to Ling Miao, but just going by how gently he said ¡®Ling Miao,¡¯ Hu Yueyuan knew that their relationship wasn¡¯t simple. And anyone who treated Ling Miao well was her, Hu Yueyuan¡¯s, enemy! ¡°No!¡± Hu Yueyuan shouted with all her strength, the sound ringing in Su Yuyang¡¯s ears. Ling Miao hadn¡¯t returned, so Su Yuyang also had no reason to linger. Here was the most unlikely but also the most likely place. Now Su Yuyang had lost his lead. Do I really have to call all of Ling Miao¡¯s classmates in his year in the phone book? Desolately, Su Yuyang turned around and started exhaustedly toward the stairs. ¡°Hey, old woman.¡± Ling Miao¡¯s jeering voice came as Su Yuyang was about to start down the stairs. Su Yuyang turned and saw that the closed door was now open. Ling Miao was coldly watching the woman who had opened the door earlier. ¡°Xiao Miao!¡± Su Yuyang joyfully ran up to hug Ling Miao but Ling Miao pushed him away. ¡°My room. Wait for me.¡± Ling Miao¡¯s tone was cold and doused Su Yuyang¡¯s joy at once. ¡°I¡¯ll wait for you.¡± Su Yuyang smiled. It was forced; he smiled as if he were crying. If Ling Miao¡¯s tone had been a little more flirtatious an outsider listening might think: It¡¯s a date? And Su Yuyang¡¯s answer also seemed to be saying: It¡¯s a date. Even though Ling Miao behaved coldly, Hu Yueyuan still sensed that something wasn¡¯t right between him and Su Yuyang. She crossed her arms over her chest and said pointedly, ¡°Your relationship with that man isn¡¯t ordinary, is it?¡± Ling Miao glared at her and said in a hard voice, ¡°You¡¯re not my mom. Don¡¯t interfere in my matters.¡± Ling Miao turned and left. As he turned, he accidentally caught Hu Yueyuan¡¯s towel. Someone happened to be going up the stairs and caught a flash. ¡°Ahh¡ª¡± Hu Yueyuan¡¯s piercing scream reverberated through the building. She hurriedly shut the door and rushed to the bathroom. Su Yuyang sat in front of the laptop and Ling Miao silently howled at the bad turn of events. Displayed on the laptop screen was Su Yuyang¡¯s microblog. Hearing movement behind him, Su Yuyang turned his head to see Ling Miao walking toward the room. Ling Miao closed the door then stood unmoving in the doorway. ¡°What about your stepmother?¡± Feeling the atmosphere was awkward, Su Yuyang opened his mouth first, but the moment the words left his mouth the atmosphere grew even heavier. Ah, what silly thing did I do! Su Yuyang thought in internal self-reproach. Everything Hu Yueyuan and Ling Miao did had indicated only one thing: We¡¯re as incompatible as fire and water. ¡°Towel fell off and a man saw her,¡± Ling Miao summarized. He wouldn¡¯t tell Su Yuyang that he was the one who pulled the towel away. ¡°This blog post¡­¡± Su Yuyang tried to change the subject but Ling Miao cut him off. Ling Miao said in a low voice, ¡°I have something to say to you.¡± Su Yuyang¡¯s expression froze. He smiled. ¡°If you don¡¯t say anything, I can¡¯t see you, either. You¡¯ve been avoiding me but now you¡¯ve shown yourself of your own accord. I thought that you might have something to say to me. I also know that hearing it will injure my heart again.¡± Su Yuyang¡¯s eyes were full of love as he looked at Ling Miao. He seemed to be saying: No matter what you say, I¡¯ll accept it, but please don¡¯t leave me. Now that the scene he had rehearsed in his mind a hundred times had really appeared before his eyes, Ling Miao wasn¡¯t sure how to begin. ¡°If you can¡¯t say it¡­¡± ¡°I feel guilt.¡± Su Yuyang¡¯s words must have provoked Ling Miao because the moment Su Yuyang opened his mouth, Ling Miao cut him off. ¡°I feel guilt,¡± Ling Miao repeated. ¡°Tang Xuan¡¯s death makes me feel like a sinner. Even though he kidnapped me, even though he wanted to kill me, it¡¯s him who died in the end. Because I told him, the day before, that ¡®if you want to kill someone, kill yourself!¡¯ I didn¡¯t think he¡¯d really¡­ I saw him die before my eyes and felt as if I had killed him myself. Su Yuyang, you can¡¯t understand how I feel. ¡°The moment I think of this, I can¡¯t face you. I feel like I don¡¯t deserve your love. I¡­¡± Ling Miao choked up. He spilled all the words he had buried in his heart, like he was stripping away his heart layer by layer to reveal to his lover the most ugly side within. ¡°Who deserves my love, and who doesn¡¯t¡ªthat¡¯s for me to decide. I won¡¯t give it to anyone who doesn¡¯t deserve it.¡± Su Yuyang walked up to Ling Miao and kissed away his tears. ¡°You¡¯re the person I give all my love to. I have given it to you, so I hope that you will treasure it.¡± ¡°It¡¯s too heavy.¡± Ling Miao started sobbing out loud. ¡°Su Yuyang, your love is too heavy. I can¡¯t bear the weight of a life!¡± Su Yuyang kissed Ling Miao¡¯s forehead, the corner of his eye, his lips, and said quietly, ¡°Xiao Miao, don¡¯t blame yourself. My love for you has nothing to do with Tang Xuan!¡± Ling Miao stared at Su Yuyang tearfully and asked, ¡°Why?¡± [Table of Contents] | [Buy your translation team a coffee?] Chapter 125 The Complete Guide to the Use and Care of a Personal Assistant Translator: Jury Editor: NomNom First Published on Chaleuria ¡ª Chapter One Hundred and Twenty-five ¡°Dumb cat,¡± Su Yuyang said intimately. ¡°I already fell for you before Tang Xuan showed up. Whether he appeared had no effect on my love for you.¡± ¡°Tang Xuan knew you before I did,¡± Ling Miao whined. ¡°So what if he knew me first?¡± Su Yuyang asked. ¡°Even though I was with him before, I didn¡¯t have feelings for him. Not at the time, and even less now. Maybe you¡¯ll think me heartless for saying it, but that¡¯s the truth. My first boyfriend, or Tang Xuan, or Feng Ji, or that guy I¡¯ve forgotten the name of¡ªI didn¡¯t love any of them. At most, I liked them.¡± ¡°Then why did you date them?¡± Ling Miao asked. Su Yuyang frowned, as if trying to remember why he had agreed to date them. After a while, he said, ¡°I liked them. When they confessed, it seemed logical to agree. ¡°But as we spent more time together, they couldn¡¯t feel love from me, so they wanted to break up. ¡°That¡¯s probably how it went. ¡°But you¡­ I won¡¯t let go.¡± ¡°Su Yuyang, Tang Xuan¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t talk about him any more, all right?¡± Su Yuyang begged Ling Miao. ¡°I know there¡¯s no way you can pretend that Tang Xuan never appeared, but please, don¡¯t think about him, and don¡¯t talk about him. And don¡¯t say that my love is too heavy for you and that you can¡¯t bear it. ¡°If you¡¯re uneasy, let¡¯s go to Tang Xuan¡¯s grave and see.¡± The word ¡®alright¡¯ was on the tip of Ling Miao¡¯s tongue when he suddenly shook his head: ¡°I don¡¯t dare to see him. If not for what I said, Tang Xuan probably wouldn¡¯t have killed himself. Now, he¡­¡± ¡°Xiao Miao, you¡¯re not feeling guilt. You¡¯re afraid.¡± Su Yuyang thought back to An Yan¡¯s analysis. ¡°What Tang Xuan said to you was leading. It was a subliminal message that led you to feel guilt. Tang Xuan didn¡¯t want us to be happy, so before he died he twisted the knife, and you fell into his trap.¡± Su Yuyang slowly led Ling Miao out of the guilt he thought he felt toward Tang Xuan. Thoughtfulness flashed across Ling Miao¡¯s face, and the change in his gaze made Su Yuyang¡¯s heart lift. Ling Miao¡¯s mind was occupied completely by Tang Xuan: Tang Xuan¡¯s actions, his words, his expression. Tang Xuan¡¯s poisoned words broke through Ling Miao¡¯s recollection and exploded, leaving Ling Miao¡¯s ears ringing. Su Yuyang stared at Ling Miao¡¯s face, which was momentarily pained, then joyful, then still. He clenched his fist so hard that the veins stood out on the back of his hands, testament to his worry. Several minutes later, Ling Miao panted slightly as a mocking smile appeared on his face: ¡°Su Yuyang, I¡¯ve been so silly.¡± Su Yuyang stared at Ling Miao in surprise. Ling Miao¡¯s eyes were bright, a faint smile on his lips. Su Yuyang hugged him tightly and tamped down on his joy as he said, ¡°Ling Miao, you¡¯re back. You¡¯re finally back.¡± ¡°Su Yuyang, tell me, why was I so silly?¡± Ling Miao said self-effacingly as he looked at Su Yuyang. ¡°Why did I fall into Tang Xuan¡¯s trap so easily? Why did I feel guilt over someone trying to ruin our happiness? Why did I¡­¡± Su Yuyang placed his hand on Ling Miao¡¯s lips, preventing Ling Miao from continuing to reproach himself. He consoled, ¡°I¡¯m around, so you can keep being dumb.¡± ¡°But I don¡¯t want to do anything that makes you worry,¡± Ling Miao said in dissatisfaction. ¡°I¡¯m a grown man. Why must you protect me like a child?¡± Seeing the childish expression on Ling Miao¡¯s face, Su Yuyang was delighted. He smiled. ¡°I didn¡¯t treat you like a child and I don¡¯t think you bring worry. I just wanted you to know that I¡¯ll be behind you forever. You can do what you like, but of course I¡¯ll watch over you from the side so you don¡¯t go down the wrong path.¡± ¡°I love you.¡± Ling Miao stood on tiptoe and kissed Su Yuyang. Su Yuyang reciprocated and deepened the kiss. ¡°Mm, don¡¯t,¡± Ling Miao let out a soft whine. Su Yuyang nibbled on Ling Miao¡¯s ear and said, ¡°Why did you leave a note and go?¡± ¡°I wanted to go somewhere to have peace.¡± Knowing Su Yuyang was settling the score, Ling Miao was fairly compliant and let Su Yuyang bite and touch him. Su Yuyang bit down on Ling Miao¡¯s earlobe like it was punishment and cursed in a low voice, ¡°Dumb cat. Luckily I found you, or you¡¯d ¡®have peace¡¯ until the cows came home.¡± Warm hands reached for Ling Miao¡¯s waist and he let out a giggle. He pressed down on Su Yuyang¡¯s hands and said, ¡°Don¡¯t touch my waist, it tickles.¡± Su Yuyang slyly said, ¡°Mm.¡± ¡°Ha ha! Su Yuyang, you bastard!¡± Ling Miao cursed as he laughed, but only laughter was left in the end. ¡°Su Yuyang, you¡¯re really a bastard.¡± Su Yuyang tickled Ling Miao, who laughed until he was boneless. At the end he yelled at Su Yuyang, who saw that he really was angry and stopped. Now Su Yuyang was lying down holding Ling Miao. Neither of them spoke, just listened to each other breathing, happiness and contentment written over both their faces. But life is full of ups and downs, and just as one thinks the matter is over, new frustrations come one after the other. ¡°Ling Miao, Ling Miao!¡± Shouts intermingled with banging at the door, shocking Su Yuyang so much that a bead of sweat rolled down his face. Ling Miao seemed very calm; he¡¯d long gotten used to it. ¡°Your stepmother?¡± Su Yuyang asked. Ling Miao replied, ¡°Mm.¡± ¡°Your relationship with her is quite bad.¡± Su Yuyang stated it with certainty. ¡°She was my dad¡¯s colleague before, and she married into the family not long after my mom died.¡± Ling Miao hadn¡¯t said much but Su Yuyang got a lot of information from the one sentence. Hu Yueyuan was still banging on the door, her words getting uglier and uglier. ¡°Ling Miao, you¡¯re shut up in there with a man and letting out all those shameful noises. Someone might hear and call you sick!¡± Hu Yueyuan raised her voice as if wanting the entire building to know what Ling Miao and Su Yuyang were doing together. ¡°Ling Miao, you¡¯re fooling around with a man! Your dad¡¯ll be angered to death! Your mom will crawl out of her coffin and curse you for being unfilial!¡± Su Yuyang felt Ling Miao go rigid at Hu Yueyuan¡¯s mention of his mother. [Table of Contents] | [Buy your translation team a coffee?] Chapter 126 The Complete Guide to the Use and Care of a Personal Assistant Translator: Jury Editor: NomNom First Published on Chaleuria ¡ª Chapter One Hundred and Twenty-Six Hu Yueyuan had to admire the beautiful scene before her. She smiled excitedly: ¡°Ling Miao, you¡¯re really involved with this man! Your dad doesn¡¯t know, does he? If I told him about this¡­¡± She didn¡¯t finish her sentence, the threat left hanging to make him panic. Hu Yueyuan waited for Ling Miao to name his terms of his own accord. Ling Miao didn¡¯t say anything but Su Yuyang sat up from the bed and asked, ¡°Your terms?¡± Hu Yueyuan was very satisfied with Su Yuyang¡¯s answer. She looked at Su Yuyang with approval and thought wistfully, Why is a man like that with Ling Miao? It¡¯s a blasphemous waste. ¡°I want Ling Miao to move out.¡± Hu Yueyuan didn¡¯t stand on ceremony. Since she had a handle on her enemy, she had to use it well! How else would she live up to her discovery? ¡°I also want his name off the title deed!¡± ¡°Just that?¡± Su Yuyang asked nonchalantly, a mocking expression on his face as if Hu Yueyuan¡¯s demands were chump change. Hu Yueyuan was even more pleasantly surprised. She activated every brain cell to think about what else she could get from Su Yuyang and Ling Miao. ¡°Two hundred thousand!¡± Hu Yueyuan thought about it and decided on something material. ¡°Aside from what I said just now, I also want two hundred thousand!¡± Ling Miao shrugged nonchalantly. Su Yuyang glanced at Ling Miao, took a cigarette from his pocket, and lit it. White smoke rose from between Su Yuyang¡¯s pale lips, veiling him thinly. He stared out the window, a mocking smile on his lips. He said in a low voice, ¡°That¡¯s a little much, isn¡¯t it?¡± Hu Yueyuan was stunned. She retorted, ¡°Didn¡¯t you ask me to state my terms?¡± ¡°I said state your terms, so you stated them. So if I ask you to¡­ scram, you¡¯ll scram?¡± Su Yuyang tapped the ash off his cigarette. He was dismissive of Hu Yueyuan. Su Yuyang was about to say, ¡°If I ask you to die, you¡¯ll die?¡± But he was worried about provoking Ling Miao, so he switched from ¡®die¡¯ to ¡®scram,¡¯ decreasing the severity by a lot. Ling Miao shot Su Yuyang a grateful look, which Su Yuyang didn¡¯t discover but which Hu Yueyuan did. She interpreted Ling Miao¡¯s look as being flirtatious. Now that Hu Yueyuan had been played by Su Yuyang and also thought she saw Ling Miao flirting with him, her anger flared. She huffed and cursed, ¡°People like you and Ling Miao should burn to death!¡± Slap¡ª A crisp slap reached Su Yuyang¡¯s ears and he looked at Ling Miao whose expression was calm. ¡°Have you said enough?¡± Ling Miao was like a block of ice. His gaze and tone radiated a chill and Hu Yueyuan trembled. Hu Yueyuan might have been slapped silly by Ling Miao, because she clutched her face and stood frozen to the spot not knowing what to do. Tears of incomprehension, shame, and anger leaked from the corners of her eyes and fell. ¡°What are you looking at? If you¡¯re done talking, then scram.¡± Ling Miao kicked Hu Yueyuan out of the room and shut the door with a slam. For a while, neither Ling Miao nor Su Yuyang had anything to say. They lay side by side on the bed and looked at the ceiling. ¡°I didn¡¯t realize you smoked,¡± Ling Miao breathed in the faint scent of tobacco and reproached. Su Yuyang explained, ¡°I quit long ago. I only smoke when I¡¯m frustrated or when I need to calm down.¡± ¡°And just now?¡± ¡°To calm down!¡± Su Yuyang laughed lightly. ¡°She was so aggressive, I had to smoke in order to calm down! Actually, I brought these cigarettes for your father but he wasn¡¯t home.¡± ¡°My dad doesn¡¯t smoke,¡± Ling Miao said. ¡°Thankfully he¡¯s not at home today. You, too¡ªwhy didn¡¯t you check before coming?¡± ¡°It¡¯s my fault, alright?¡± Su Yuyang bit down on Ling Miao¡¯s ear. ¡°Let¡¯s go home.¡± Ling Miao pressed his face to Su Yuyang¡¯s chest, feeling the warmth of Su Yuyang¡¯s body. He said softly, ¡°I want to take everything with me.¡± ¡°Everything?¡± Su Yuyang was stunned. He looked at the things in the room and asked, ¡°Do you think the two of us can take all of it? Besides, taking the train won¡¯t be easy while carrying so many things.¡± ¡°Then you¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll help you pack!¡± Before they packed, Su Yuyang called Feng Ji and asked him to drive over and bring a change of clothes in the process. On hearing ¡®change of clothes,¡¯ Feng Ji was overjoyed. Su Yuyang knew what Feng Ji was imagining and didn¡¯t explain, only hurried Feng Ji over. By the time Ling Miao and Su Yuyang had packed, Hu Yueyuan had woken up. Ling Miao had forgotten to lock the door. Hu Yueyuan turned the door handle and the door opened. ¡°Ling Miao!¡± Hu Yueyuan completely lost her reason. The moment she entered the room she rushed toward Ling Miao, and Su Yuyang and Ling Miao were taken aback by her speed and power. Before either could react, Hu Yueyuan had Ling Miao by the throat. The things in Ling Miao¡¯s hands scattered over the floor. His mouth was open but he couldn¡¯t get a breath of air. His hands pushed at Hu Yueyuan, trying to push her away from him, but it was futile. Su Yuyang went up to pry Hu Yueyuan¡¯s hands away but Hu Yueyuan was extraordinarily strong and not only did Su Yuyang fail to pry her hands away, he was almost sent sprawling to the floor. Seeing Ling Miao gradually grow weaker, Su Yuyang had to be vicious¡ªhe knocked Hu Yueyuan unconscious. Cough cough! Ling Miao was dizzy due to lack of oxygen. He sat on the bed and took deep breaths, staring at Hu Yueyuan all the while. Su Yuyang hugged Ling Miao from behind and said regretfully, ¡°I almost lost you again.¡± Ling Miao took ahold of Su Yuyang¡¯s hand to give Su Yuyang strength: ¡°With you around, it¡¯s a little hard to take my life.¡± ¡°What about her?¡± Su Yuyang looked at Hu Yueyuan and asked. Ling Miao said coolly, ¡°Let¡¯s just leave her there. If she wants to talk about us, let her talk. My dad will find out sooner or later, anyway.¡± [Table of Contents] | [Buy your translation team a coffee?] Chapter 127 The Complete Guide to the Use and Care of a Personal Assistant Translator: Jury Editor: NomNom First Published on Chaleuria ¡ª Chapter One Hundred and Twenty-seven When Feng Ji reached Ling Miao¡¯s apartment complex, Su Yuyang and Ling Miao were still packing up Ling Miao¡¯s things. Feng Ji found Ling Miao¡¯s house with the address Ling Miao had given him. Su Yuyang¡¯s shirt could no longer be worn and out of habit, he tossed it to the side. The moment Feng Ji entered the house he saw Su Yuyang walking around half-naked. ¡°Yo, you two get pretty into it!¡± Feng Ji looked at the buttons all over the floor and said meaningfully. Su Yuyang rolled his eyes at Feng Ji and stuck out his hand. ¡°Give me the clothes.¡± Feng Ji stood in the doorway and glanced around. He looked at the empty bookshelves and the empty closet and said in surprise, ¡°Is Ling Miao moving house?¡± ¡°This place doesn¡¯t really count as my home.¡± Ling Miao¡¯s motions halted and he spoke in a low voice. ¡°I think that in the future I¡¯ll have only one home and that¡¯s with Su Yuyang.¡± Ling Miao turned his gaze to Su Yuyang, who coincidentally also raised his head to look at Ling Miao. The two smiled as their eyes met, and all was said nonverbally. ¡°Tsk tsk tsk.¡± Feng Ji ruined the mood. He glanced at the time and hurried them: ¡°Quickly. Xiao An is still waiting for us for lunch.¡± Hearing Feng Ji¡¯s sour tone and the anticipatory look in his eyes, Ling Miao asked, ¡°Since you can¡¯t bear to be away from your Xiao An, why didn¡¯t you bring him with you?¡± Feng Ji sighed helplessly. ¡°A few boxes of books, a suitcase of clothes. Damn, you¡¯re even taking your desktop computer. Su Yuyang¡¯s so poor the only thing he owns is money. Won¡¯t he buy you even a computer?¡± Feng Ji tapped the things Su Yuyang and Ling Miao had packed. Ling Miao touched the box containing his computer and his lips lifted. His eyes glazed over with a warm expression and he said, reminiscing: ¡°My mother bought me this computer. It¡¯s probably the only thing she left behind.¡± His sorrowful tone brought tears to everyone¡¯s eyes. Su Yuyang caressed Ling Miao¡¯s hair and consoled, ¡°When are you taking me to see your mother? I have to answer to her for taking her son away.¡± ¡°Mm.¡± ¡°Ah ah ah, let¡¯s go. I¡¯m hungry.¡± Feng Ji felt that the atmosphere now was too heavy and quickly spoke to defuse it. Thankfully, this building had an elevator. If there wasn¡¯t one, carrying the things in the room down eight flights of stairs would leave the three of them so tired they wouldn¡¯t even be able to drive. On the way back, Ling Miao kept talking and Su Yuyang occasionally answered him. Eventually, Ling Miao fell silent. He turned his head to see that Su Yuyang had leaned against the car window and fallen asleep. Ling Miao scooted over to Su Yuyang¡¯s side. He lightly pulled Su Yuyang¡¯s head to rest on his shoulder so that Su Yuyang would sleep more comfortably. ¡°He¡¯s very tired.¡± Feng Ji suddenly spoke. Ling Miao froze and guilt surfaced in his eyes. Feng Ji continued: ¡°When you were unconscious, he stayed by your side the whole time. Every day I¡¯d bring him food and he¡¯d either be cleaning you, or holding your hand and telling you he loved you, or staring at you in a daze. ¡°He used to be a man full of life, and because of you, he turned into a dead fish. Seeing him grow more haggard day by day, I really wanted to drag you off the bed and give you a good beating. But Su Yuyang protected you and I couldn¡¯t even scold you. ¡°Actually, come to think of it, I didn¡¯t have the right to hit you or scold you. I could only hope that you would wake up sooner.¡± ¡°Thank you, Feng Ji.¡± Ling Miao wasn¡¯t sure what to say and could only say ¡®thank you¡¯ to express his feelings now. ¡°You and he are a match made in heaven,¡± Feng Ji laughed. ¡°I¡¯ve heard more thank yous lately than in the last year, and almost all from the two of you. It¡¯s lost its meaning.¡± Feng Ji¡¯s manner was carefree with a hint of a smile. Ling Miao watched Su Yuyang with a tender expression, his fingertips tracing the bags under Su Yuyang¡¯s eyes. He fussed: ¡°He never used to have eyebags. He slept early and woke early. He had very good living habits.¡± ¡°It¡¯s all due to you, dumb cat, who walked into his life and now can¡¯t escape,¡± Feng Ji teased. ¡°You seem listless too. Do you want to sleep a while too? Relax, I won¡¯t sell you and Su Yuyang off.¡± ¡°Wake me when we get there.¡± Ling Miao kissed Su Yuyang¡¯s face, then shut his eyes. Feng Ji called An Yan to update him on the situation. An Yan said he¡¯d prepare lunch immediately. W&S wasn¡¯t open today and An Yan was the only one in the shop. Feng Ji parked the car and woke the two men who were sleeping soundly. ¡°We¡¯ve only been away a day but it feels like a year,¡± Ling Miao said as he looked at his surroundings. Su Yuyang went up and took Ling Miao¡¯s hands. He said gently, ¡°We¡¯ll never leave again.¡± Ling Miao nodded. An Yan had prepared an entire table of dishes. As Su Yuyang and the others walked through the door, they immediately smelled the delicious scent of food. Feng Ji swallowed, cleared his throat, and called, ¡°Xiao An, we¡¯re back.¡± An Yan heard Feng Ji¡¯s shout. He picked up a plate of food and exited the kitchen. ¡°Feng Ji, get the utensils.¡± ¡°Roger!¡± Feng Ji followed closely behind An Yan, looking like a dog who¡¯d been praised by his owner. Ling Miao was so surprised he couldn¡¯t shut his mouth. He asked in shock, ¡°Damn, is this the Feng Ji I know?¡± ¡°This is the real Feng Ji!¡± Su Yuyang exclaimed. ¡°He treated you like that, too?¡± Ling Miao¡¯s tone suddenly grew severe. Su Yuyang seemed to notice he¡¯d said something wrong. He listed his body from side to side as if trying to dismiss the matter. But looking at Ling Miao he knew that if he didn¡¯t explain himself, Ling Miao wouldn¡¯t let it go. ¡°He¡¯s quite subservient,¡± Su Yuyang admitted, and tried his utmost to remember the time when they were dating. ¡°When we were dating, he did almost everything for me. If I was even a little bit unhappy, he¡¯d get worried.¡± ¡°He even washed your underpants?¡± Ling Miao asked darkly. ¡°I washed them!¡± Su Yuyang denied. ¡°That¡¯s too personal. Better to wash them myself.¡± ¡°Hmph!¡± Ling Miao huffed, his chin angled up slightly as he pouted, looking very put out. Su Yuyang got up and covered Ling Miao¡¯s pink lips with his own. Ling Miao was shocked by the sudden kiss and if not for Su Yuyang holding him up, he would definitely have fallen on the floor. Feng Ji and An Yan walked out, one carrying utensils and the other the lunch dishes. As they got to the counter they saw Su Yuyang and Ling Miao kissing and Feng Ji sighed, ¡°Ah, hey, if no one was around you¡¯d already have gone all the way, yes?¡± Su Yuyang let go of Ling Miao¡¯s lips and looked at Feng Ji in challenge. ¡°If you¡¯re envious, there¡¯s someone next to you too.¡± Su Yuyang¡¯s words were very forthright, and when An Yan heard them his face went instantly red. Feng Ji sighed, ¡°Let¡¯s eat.¡± ¡°Ha ha!¡± Su Yuyang and Ling Miao began laughing in unison and An Yan¡¯s face grew even redder. Around the lunch table, Feng Ji mentioned the one-year vacation again and Su Yuyang very generously approved it. After lunch Feng Ji drove Su Yuyang and Ling Miao home, but he wasn¡¯t going to help Su Yuyang carry Ling Miao¡¯s things upstairs! Su Yuyang and Ling Miao had to force themselves to move all the things on their own. After they finished moving the several huge boxes, they didn¡¯t even have time to catch their breaths before Su Yuyang¡¯s phone rang. [Table of Contents] | [Buy your translation team a coffee?] Chapter 128 The Complete Guide to the Use and Care of a Personal Assistant Translator: Jury Editor: NomNom First Published on Chaleuria ¡ª Chapter One Hundred and Twenty-Eight Su Yuyang hadn¡¯t even the strength to raise his phone. He put it on speaker, then slid the answer call button. ¡°Hello¡­¡± Su Yuyang dragged his voice out, sounding exhausted. ¡°You sound like you just fought a war.¡± The man¡¯s voice was low, a teasing note in his tone. Su Yuyang must have been tired out of his mind; he felt that the man¡¯s voice was familiar, but he couldn¡¯t recall who it was. He turned his head to look at the name of the person he was speaking to and was shocked¡ªit was Mu Yu. ¡°Yu-ge, we were moving things,¡± Su Yuyang said after a short pause. He had recovered some and his voice was a little stronger. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± ¡°Is Ling Miao better?¡± Mu Yu asked. Su Yuyang thought doubtfully, Yu-ge¡¯s concerned for Ling Miao¡¯s health out of nowhere. Something is up! Su Yuyang smiled and said, ¡°He¡¯s much better.¡± ¡°It¡¯s like this. Massacre of the Nine Heavens¡¯ tenth volume is about to go on the market. The publishing house wants you to attend their book signing event 1 on the 15th of July in Guangzhou, and asked me to ask if you¡¯d be willing to attend,¡± Mu Yu said awkwardly. Even though Mu Yu seemed hesitant, Su Yuyang still heard Mu Yu¡¯s hope in his words. Su Yuyang had been a writer for five years and had published many books, but he never attended book signing events, whether they were organized by the web novel site or the publishing house. He had received several invitations to book signings in the beginning, but after he repeatedly refused them, people had stopped inviting him. Now, another invitation had come. It was probably because he had revealed himself, and the publishing house thought that he might be willing to participate in this book signing event, so Mu Yu had been tasked with asking him. Su Yuyang thought about it and deemed it more prudent to refuse. The matter with Tang Xuan had affected Su Yuyang greatly and he was worried that he would be putting Ling Miao in danger again. ¡°Sorry, Yu-ge, I won¡¯t be able to go,¡± Su Yuyang said apologetically. ¡°I¡¯m still really worried about Ling Miao and can¡¯t travel far.¡± ¡°Oh, is that so.¡± Mu Yu was a little disappointed, but he quickly regained his calm: ¡°If you can¡¯t go, then I¡¯ll inform the publisher.¡± ¡°Why can¡¯t you go?¡± Ling Miao suddenly asked. Su Yuyang had put the phone on speaker, so Ling Miao had heard his conversation with Mu Yu loud and clear. At first Ling Miao had thought Su Yuyang would agree, but contrary to his expectations, Su Yuyang had refused. Hearing Ling Miao, Mu Yu seemed to see the light at the end of the tunnel and continued to listen quietly. Su Yuyang said worriedly, ¡°I¡¯m worried about you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine right now,¡± Ling Miao refuted. ¡°Besides, there¡¯s nothing wrong with going out to have a little fun. If you coop yourself up at home all day, you¡¯ll grow mushrooms.¡± Su Yuyang could tell that Ling Miao was looking forward to attending the book signing. He looked as if he was about to go on a date with his beloved. Fuck, will his ex show up at the signing event? A terrifying notion surfaced in Su Yuyang¡¯s mind, but he quickly reassured himself. He was Ling Miao¡¯s first relationship! Su Yuyang was outwardly silent, but his mind didn¡¯t have a moment¡¯s peace. The moment he denied one imaginary scenario, another one appeared. It disquieted him. From Ling Miao¡¯s perspective, Su Yuyang was expressing his position through silence. I¡¯m not going. What can you do to me?¡± ¡°Hmph!¡± Ling Miao huffed heavily and Su Yuyang was shocked back to his senses. He asked, ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Ling Miao said stubbornly, ¡°This book signing¡ªwhether you go or not, I¡¯m definitely going!¡± ¡°Are you going to a meetup or to see your lover?¡± The words escaped Su Yuyang¡¯s mouth without passing through his brain, and as they reached the air Su Yuyang felt as though he¡¯d seen the apocalypse. ¡°Seeing my lover?¡± Ling Miao repeated this line, an aura of danger emanating from his narrowed eyes. Su Yuyang¡¯s heart skipped a beat. He looked at Ling Miao, who had gone silent, and mentally constructed words preparing to explain himself. ¡°Seeing my lover, my ass! I think you¡¯re the one going to meet your lover. You¡¯re pretending to reject the invitation but really you just don¡¯t want me to follow you because you¡¯re worried I¡¯ll get in the way, yeah?¡± Ling Miao¡¯s shouts were like a thunderstorm and Su Yuyang couldn¡¯t defend himself at all. ¡°Xiao Miao, Xiao Miao, don¡¯t get worked up. I was wrong, alright?¡± Su Yuyang pleaded. He seemed about to get on his knees to ask to be spared. ¡°You looked like you were really looking forward to it, like you were looking forward to a date. I got worried and overthought it.¡± ¡°You have a healthy imagination.¡± Ling Miao was quite satisfied with Su Yuyang¡¯s explanation and his anger faded. ¡°So are you going to the book signing?¡± Ling Miao¡¯s smile held a threat as he asked. Would Su Yuyang dare to say no? Did he dare? If he did, wouldn¡¯t that indicate he was guilty? So he said, ¡°I¡¯m going!¡± The words were as resolute as a dying man¡¯s last words. ¡°I¡¯ll notify the publisher,¡± Mu Yu¡¯s surprised voice came, then the call was cut off. Su Yuyang and Ling Miao had been speaking in dialect, and Mu Yu hadn¡¯t fully understood, but Su Yuyang¡¯s tone more than illustrated the problem. ¡°You didn¡¯t hang up?¡± Ling Miao asked in shock. Su Yuyang said wistfully, ¡°I thought he hung up. Our quarrel just now, he heard everything?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine with it?¡± Ling Miao turned around dismissively and began to pack his things. The closet in Su Yuyang¡¯s room took up an entire wall, but Su Yuyang really didn¡¯t have many clothes. ¡°Top is mine, bottom is yours.¡± Ling Miao divided the space, then tossed Su Yuyang¡¯s clothes on the bed. ¡°Hey¡­¡± ¡°You have an issue with that?¡± ¡°No!¡± ¡°If not, pack quickly!¡± The two fussed around for a long time before the closet was orderly. At the top of the closet was Ling Miao¡¯s T-shirts, and in the lower half were Su Yuyang¡¯s button-downs. On the left, their trousers were placed side by side. Looking at the full closet, Su Yuyang¡¯s heart also felt full. He hugged Ling Miao and kissed him: ¡°Now I feel like this is home. Our home.¡± Ling Miao replied, ¡°That¡¯s right. Our home.¡± The sky gradually darkened. Ling Miao glanced at the time¡ªit was 6:30pm and time to make dinner. ¡°Ah,¡± A sigh came from the kitchen. Su Yuyang was still admiring their shared closet. Some things were bugging him so he moved them around, then took a photo. Hearing Ling Miao¡¯s sigh, Su Yuyang asked, ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°We didn¡¯t get groceries!¡± Ling Miao said in frustration. ¡°I don¡¯t want to go downstairs right now. We¡¯ll have instant noodles tonight.¡± Su Yuyang indicated he had no objection. The instant noodles in Su Yuyang¡¯s house were the ones Ling Miao brought over initially. He had thought they would sit until they expired, but now they were going to eat them after all. After cooking the noodles, Ling Miao fried two eggs. Su Yuyang pulled out his phone and kissed Ling Miao while the other wasn¡¯t looking. With a snap, a portrait of happiness was captured. ¡°I brought him home,¡± Ling Miao read out the words Su Yuyang had typed in. Su Yuyang turned and laughed. He added three photos: him surprise-kissing Ling Miao, a photo of them at dinnertime, and a photo of their closet. Ling Miao grabbed Su Yuyang¡¯s phone, tapped the screen a few times, then returned it to Su Yuyang. Su Yuyang looked at the new blog post and felt like crying. ¡°Are you trying to tire me to death?¡± [Table of Contents] | [Buy your translation team a coffee?] Translation notes: [1] Web novel publishing houses organize collective book signing events, and their published authors are invited to attend and sign books for their fans Chapter 129 The Complete Guide to the Use and Care of a Personal Assistant Translator: Jury Editor: NomNom First Published on Chaleuria ¡ª Chapter One Hundred and Twenty-Nine ¡°11£¬,1,11^¡­¡± Su Yuyang muttered as he typed on the keyboard. Ling Miao scooted over to listen. Oh, Su Yuyang was complaining. If Ling Miao hadn¡¯t already known the reason for Su Yuyang¡¯s grievance, he might have thought Su Yuyang had a grudge against the number 11. Last night, when Ling Miao had grabbed Su Yuyang¡¯s phone and posted the blog post Su Yuyang had drafted, he had also used Su Yuyang¡¯s account to reblog it with the addition, ¡°Tomorrow, I¡¯ll upload 11 chapters to celebrate.¡± Su Yuyang looked at his saved drafts, then looked at his hands, then at the sly expression on Ling Miao¡¯s face. He momentarily felt that the whole world had gone dark. Fangroup Tofu: Wait for the Great Shu¡¯s 11 chapters today. Tofu posted this good news in the group. Fangroup Little Apple: 11 chapters? What 11 chapters? Fangroup Tofu: The Great Shu made a blog post yesterday saying he will upload 11 chapters today. Fangroup Gourd Doll:1 11 chapters? It¡¯s not Singles¡¯ Day. Fangroup Tofu: [Image] Tofu sent a screenshot of Su Yuyang¡¯s microblog to the group chat, which exploded at once. Countless lurkers now surfaced. Fangroup Unseen: And here we see a ripe display of PDA. I¡¯m crushed. [Crying] Ling Miao leisurely watched the conversation in the group chat, occasionally telling Su Yuyang what was going on in the chat. Even though Su Yuyang had his earbuds in and was listening to music, he could still hear Ling Miao¡¯s words. As he was constantly being interrupted, he couldn¡¯t get his writing speed up. ¡°Ah, Great Shu, Yi-mei is crying in the chat. She said your blogpost yesterday agitated her.¡± Su Yuyang didn¡¯t reply to Ling Miao. He typed faster and faster, sparks flying from between his fingers and the keyboard. Su Yuyang was now truly experiencing what ¡®getting into trouble with one¡¯s mouth¡¯ meant. Ling Miao¡¯s ¡®11 updates¡¯ was intended to be a lesson for him! Su Yuyang had spoken too quickly without thinking, and now his hands were suffering the consequences. Su Yuyang wasn¡¯t resentful; in fact, he even found it to be sweet. Didn¡¯t Ling Miao¡¯s anger indicate that his heart contained only Su Yuyang? At this thought, Su Yuyang had a burst of energy. So what if it was 11 updates? Even if it was 21 updates, Su Yuyang wasn¡¯t worried! Of course, Su Yuyang wouldn¡¯t tell Ling Miao what he was thinking. If Ling Miao really made a ¡®21 updates¡¯ blog post for him, he wouldn¡¯t have anywhere to cry. ¡°Xiao Miao, you¡¯re not writing?¡± Su Yuyang finished a chapter and took a break in preparation to continue writing again. Seeing Ling Miao doing nothing, he almost forgot what he himself had to do, and couldn¡¯t help reminding Ling Miao. Ling Miao said with indifference, ¡°I¡¯ve already broken my update streak, so I won¡¯t get this month¡¯s effort bonus. I¡¯ll update again next month.¡± Seeing Su Yuyang start a new chapter, Ling Miao stretched lazily and said, ¡°However much you¡¯ve written, send it to me. I¡¯ll edit it.¡± ¡°You bastard.¡± Su Yuyang smiled in satisfaction before sending the drafts to Ling Miao. ¡°Fuck, you¡¯ve only written three chapters in two hours. You¡¯re letting down your 8000wph speed!¡± Ling Miao said in surprise. Su Yuyang blinked, forcing out a couple of tears which he wiped away, and said, ¡°A certain someone keeps interrupting my thought process. Ten thousand words in two hours is not bad.¡± Ling Miao said hello in the group then went invisible. Su Yuyang opened the group chat. After reading the day¡¯s chat logs, he smiled helplessly: Ling Miao is pretty cute. After lunch, Su Yuyang continued writing. Ling Miao didn¡¯t interrupt him, as if worried that continuing to vex Su Yuyang would leave Su Yuyang unable to finish the day¡¯s updates. Without Ling Miao¡¯s interference, Su Yuyang¡¯s writing speed significantly increased, but he still wasn¡¯t satisfied. He asked the word sprint group if anyone wanted to word sprint, but no one dared rise to the challenge because they knew they would suffer at his hands. ¡°Word sprint with me,¡± Ling Miao pulled off his headphones and said. ¡°Sure.¡± The companionship of his lover was like being infused with 3 pounds of chicken blood.2 In minutes, Su Yuyang had produced a chapter. ¡°Finally done.¡± Su Yuyang looked at his shaking hands and let out a long sigh. Ling Miao went up and took Su Yuyang¡¯s hand. He fussed, ¡°If I¡¯d known, I¡¯d have put down 10 updates.¡± Su Yuyang almost spat blood. He forced a laugh: ¡°11 updates, I can still handle. Besides, doesn¡¯t 11 mean ¡®for a lifetime¡¯?¡±3 ¡°11 is also Little Singles¡¯ Day.¡±? Ling Miao let go of Su Yuyang¡¯s hand, but Su Yuyang grabbed his hand instead. Su Yuyang held Ling Miao¡¯s hand and looked up at Ling Miao, his gaze gentle: ¡°11 is actually your promise to me, right? To be by my side for a lifetime.¡± Ling Miao¡¯s cheeks went red. He lowered his head, not daring to meet Su Yuyang¡¯s eyes, ashamed of having been seen through. But Ling Miao would never admit it. He said stubbornly, ¡°What ¡®for a lifetime?¡¯ I still have several decades to live. I might find someone better than you¡­¡± ¡°Mhm?¡± Su Yuyang let the noise out through his nose, a threatening air about it. Ling Miao stopped himself in time and smiled ingratiatingly: ¡°It¡¯s difficult to find someone better than you. Having you is enough. Right, you should rest for a while. I¡¯ll edit.¡± Su Yuyang got up from the seat and Ling Miao took Su Yuyang¡¯s place in front of the laptop to edit the drafts. As Ling Miao edited, the black lines on his forehead grew so long and heavy they pressed him into the table. He turned, about to complain to Su Yuyang, but saw Su Yuyang lying on the bed, seemingly asleep. Ling Miao sighed and bemoaned the tragedy of life, editing the inexplicable typos as he did so. What gave Ling Miao the biggest headache was that Su Yuyang used the Five Stroke typing method, so he could only try to fix some of the typos going by context.? Su Yuyang really was exhausted. The moment his head touched the bed, his eyes closed. When he opened his eyes again, it was already dark. ¡°Xiao Miao.¡± Su Yuyang¡¯s muffled voice came. Ling Miao turned and asked, ¡°You¡¯re hungry, aren¡¯t you. What do you want? I¡¯ll make it.¡± ¡°Fried rice. Noodles are fine, too.¡± ¡°You wait.¡± Ling Miao turned and went to the kitchen. Su Yuyang glanced at the screen and found that Ling Miao was writing. ¡°You have a large pile of things to be doing, but you¡¯re still editing for me.¡± Su Yuyang¡¯s lips lifted slightly. His faint smile completely showcased the joy in his heart. Several minutes later, Ling Miao came back carrying a fragrant plate of egg fried rice. Su Yuyang smelled the fragrance of the food and reflexively swallowed, the look in his eyes like that of a hungry wolf that had spotted a flock of sheep. Ling Miao laughed, ¡°Look at you. Someone who didn¡¯t know the situation might think I starved you for a few days.¡± ¡°I really am hungry.¡± Su Yuyang rubbed his stomach aggrievedly. Su Yuyang took the plate of fried rice from Ling Miao and immediately began wolfing it down. Ling Miao gazed at Su Yuyang, a heartfelt smile on his face, but the smile was also sorrowful as he gradually sank into his memories. Several minutes later Su Yuyang had demolished the fried rice on the plate. Not a single grain of rice was left. Su Yuyang met Ling Miao¡¯s eyes which were full of sorrow and his heart sank too. At some point, Ling Miao recovered. He reminisced, ¡°My mom didn¡¯t cook well, but she liked to cook for my dad. My dad didn¡¯t like the food mom cooked for him, so he ate quickly and went back to the bedroom, but my mom would be very happy¡­¡± Ling Miao didn¡¯t finish his sentence. He didn¡¯t have the courage. ¡°Tomorrow, take me to see your mom?¡± Su Yuyang put an arm around Ling Miao and said gently. [Table of Contents] | [Buy your translation team a coffee?] Translation notes: [1] ¡®Gourd Doll¡¯: also a homophone for a well known lewd song. Singles¡¯ Day: 11/11. [2] Chicken blood: a home remedy that is said to increase energy. [3]The CN expression for ¡®for a lifetime¡¯ is ¡®one life, one world¡¯ and so can be represented by 11 [4]Little Singles¡¯ Day: 1/1, a redux of Singles¡¯ Day on 11/11. [5]with Five Strokes entry method, it¡¯s more difficult to tell from the typo what the author had intended to write. Chapter 130 The Complete Guide to the Use and Care of a Personal Assistant Translator: Jury Editor: NomNom First Published on Chaleuria ¡ª Chapter One Hundred and Thirty Drizzles of rain drifted through the air. From a distance, it looked as if the entire world were shrouded in a white veil. Ling Miao stood at the entrance to the public graveyard, his palms covered in a sheen of sweat. Su Yuyang carried incense and flowers in one hand, an umbrella in the other. Seeing Ling Miao¡¯s unease, he passed the incense to the hand holding the umbrella and grasped of Ling Miao¡¯s hand, hoping to give him strength. Ling Miao glanced gratefully at Su Yuyang then stepped into the graveyard. Ling Miao, familiar with the way, quickly found his mother¡¯s grave. Su Yuyang lit the incense and put the fresh flowers before the gravestone. Ling Miao touched the photograph on the gravestone and called lightly, ¡°Mom.¡± The woman in the photograph was ordinary and unadorned. Her smile was calming. As Su Yuyang looked at Ling Miao¡¯s mother, the last of the uneasiness remaining in his heart vanished. Ling Miao had not visited his mother¡¯s grave for a long time. In a low voice, he recounted the events of the past several months. ¡°Mom, I said I¡¯d come visit you every month, but I haven¡¯t been here in a long time. I hope you don¡¯t hold it against me. ¡°A lot of things happened in these few months. I found my first job and the person I love. I was kidnapped and almost died. Now that I think about it, it¡¯s been pretty exciting.¡± Su Yuyang stood behind Ling Miao holding the umbrella over him and heard every word Ling Miao said. When Ling Miao mentioned the happy things, Su Yuyang smiled; when Ling Miao¡¯s mood fell, Su Yuyang grimaced. Sometimes Ling Miao laughed like a child and Su Yuyang stared at him, besotted. Ling Miao¡¯s emotions rose and fell, and Su Yuyang¡¯s heart also rose and fell. Ling Miao finished telling his mother about his recent life. Even though his eyes reddened and welled with hot tears, he didn¡¯t let a single one fall. ¡°Just cry,¡± Su Yuyang said tenderly. Ling Miao shook his head and wiped away his tears. He touched his mother¡¯s portrait and said, ¡°My mom didn¡¯t like to see me cry. She said that whether I met difficulties or obstacles, tears weren¡¯t the way to solve the problem. People who only cry when they encounter difficulties will always be weak. She was only willing to see my tears when they were happy tears.¡± ¡°But sometimes it¡¯s better to cry.¡± Su Yuyang drew closer to Ling Miao and pressed Ling Miao¡¯s face into his shoulder. ¡°Cry. Your mom can¡¯t see.¡± Ling Miao shook his head. ¡°I promised my mom never to cry in front of her.¡± Nevertheless, his tears fell downward like rain from the sky and soaked Su Yuyang¡¯s shirt. Hearing the soft sobs, Su Yuyang caressed Ling Miao¡¯s back, his resolute gaze lying on Ling Miao¡¯s mother¡¯s portrait. Silently, he vowed: I will take good care of Ling Miao. Please rest assured, Mom. The rain intensified, pattering down on the umbrella. Wind swept the land and icy-cold raindrops fell against Ling Miao. Ling Miao moved. He encircled Su Yuyang¡¯s waist with both arms, getting as close to Su Yuyang as he could. Su Yuyang looked at him in confusion and asked, ¡°Are you cold?¡± Ling Miao pressed himself against Su Yuyang, his voice somewhat muffled as he said, ¡°It¡¯s windy. I¡¯m worried that you¡¯re cold.¡± ¡°Dumb cat,¡± Su Yuyang said indulgently. ¡°Oh, right!¡± Ling Miao suddenly let go of Su Yuyang. Now Su Yuyang did feel cold but he didn¡¯t show it. Ling Miao took hold of Su Yuyang¡¯s hand and said to his mother, ¡°Mom, this is the person I love. His name is Su Yuyang and he is a man. He¡¯s a professional author and he treats me very well. I¡¯m content when I¡¯m with him. I know you really wanted to see my children, but I have to apologize to you. Since the person I love is a man, I won¡¯t be able to give you a grandchild.¡± ¡°Mom, rest assured. I will take good care of Ling Miao and I won¡¯t let him suffer. Every month from now on, I¡¯ll come with him to see you, until we both can¡¯t walk any more.¡± Ling Miao was stunned when Su Yuyang opened his mouth. He looked at Su Yuyang in surprise and when Su Yuyang had finished he asked, ¡°What did you call my mom?¡± ¡°¡®Mom?¡¯¡± Su Yuyang didn¡¯t feel that anything was wrong. ¡°You call my mom ¡®Mom.¡¯ Can I not call your mom that way, too?¡± ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± Ling Miao slapped his forehead. ¡°Su Yuyang¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re still calling me by my full name?¡± Su Yuyang heaved a long sigh. The sound was so disgusting that Ling Miao¡¯s gooseflesh rose. Ling Miao thought hard about it and came up with the perfect form of address. He looked at Su Yuyang and said gravely, ¡°Great Shu!¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Su Yuyang was so mad he couldn¡¯t speak. The anger lodged in his chest, not going up or down. Ling Miao saw Su Yuyang go red in the face and laughed accommodatingly. ¡°Great Shu, don¡¯t be angry! It¡¯s my fault, alright?¡± Now that Ling Miao was smiling, all the melancholy in the air dissipated like clouds. Su Yuyang didn¡¯t nitpick at Ling Miao calling him ¡®Great Shu¡¯ either. He pretended to be angry and said, ¡°Your Great Shu is magnanimous and won¡¯t quibble with you on this.¡± ¡°Oh, the Great Shu is really angry. I¡¯m so scared.¡± Ling Miao grinned but neither his expression nor his actions indicated that he was ¡®scared!¡¯ ¡°You win.¡± Su Yuyang had thoroughly surrendered. Ling Miao smiled with satisfaction and said joyfully to his mother, ¡°Mom, I¡¯ll go now. I¡¯ll come back to see you next month.¡± As he finished, he pulled Su Yuyang in the direction of the road back down the mountain. ¡°Wait.¡± Su Yuyang suddenly called out to Ling Miao to stop. Ling Miao looked at Su Yuyang curiously. Su Yuyang¡¯s gaze was steady. One of Su Yuyang¡¯s legs gradually sank downward until his knee touched the ground, then his other leg bent too. Su Yuyang knelt before Ling Miao¡¯s mother¡¯s grave. He kowtowed to Ling Miao¡¯s mother then got up and held Ling Miao¡¯s hand. Ling Miao asked, stunned: ¡°You, just now¡­¡± ¡°Giving thanks.¡± Su Yuyang smiled faintly. Ling Miao was about to ask what for when Su Yuyang cut him off. Su Yuyang asked, ¡°When will you take me to see your dad?¡± Now that Su Yuyang had mentioned Ling Miao¡¯s dad, the atmosphere grew awkward. Ling Miao¡¯s relationship with his father was clearly bad, but he was his dad after all. Since Su Yuyang wanted to marry his son, surely he had to meet the man, right?¡± ¡°My dad will do everything possible to prevent us from being together,¡± Ling Miao said with no room for doubt. ¡°So, it¡¯s better that we don¡¯t go to see him.¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t going to ask his permission.¡± Su Yuyang¡¯s eyes were determined and his hand tightened on Ling Miao. ¡°I am going to inform him that I am marrying his son.¡± In front of Ling Miao, Su Yuyang had a resolute expression and the air of an emperor looking down over his kingdom. His deep eyes contained only Ling Miao. Ling Miao was drunk on Su Yuyang¡¯s presence and he said in a daze, ¡°Su Yuyang, you seem like a stranger to me right now, but I love you like this.¡± ¡°Xiao Miao,¡± Su Yuyang called passionately. He lowered his head and closed his mouth over Ling Miao¡¯s own, his tongue tracing every detail of Ling Miao¡¯s lips. Ling Miao angled his head up and stood on his toes to reciprocate the kiss. Heedless of the time and place, they continued kissing. [Table of Contents] | [Buy your translation team a coffee?] Chapter 131 The Complete Guide to the Use and Care of a Personal Assistant Translator: Jury Editor: NomNom First Published on Chaleuria ¡ª Chapter One Hundred and Thirty-one Su Yuyang and Ling Miao¡¯s days could be described as ¡®calm as water.¡¯ They squabbled less than before, but the sound of typing in their room never ceased. Sometimes it was because they were writing, other times because Ling Miao was gaming. Occasionally Ling Miao¡¯s groans would rise into the air while Su Yuyang leisurely watched him complain. Of course, Su Yuyang also sometimes touched Ling Miao¡¯s waist and blew into Ling Miao¡¯s ear so that Ling Miao couldn¡¯t concentrate on writing at all. ¡°Su Yuyang, where are your hands going?¡± Finally, Ling Miao exploded. He caught hold of a certain someone¡¯s hands which were wandering about his waist and fiercely glared at the man. Su Yuyang disappointedly retracted his hands and said unhappily, ¡°All day you¡¯re either writing or gaming. I¡¯m bored and lonely!¡± ¡°Scram!¡± Ling Miao said angrily. ¡°If not for some bastard whose hands were itchy and deleted my drafts, would I need to write so frantically? Fuck, fuck, fuck!¡± Ling Miao slammed the keyboard hard, flames of anger dancing in his eyes. Su Yuyang guiltily picked up a book and pretended to read. Ling Miao called, ¡°Hey.¡± Su Yuyang¡¯s hand jerked and the book fell directly onto Su Yuyang¡¯s foot. The book was as thick as the Modern Chinese Dictionary and it was a hardcover book at that. ¡°Ow!¡± Su Yuyang cried out in pain. He squeezed out two tears, sniffed, and said aggrievedly, ¡°It hurts.¡± Ling Miao huffed, ¡°You deserve it. It¡¯s retribution for your itchy hands!¡± ¡°I really didn¡¯t delete your drafts on purpose,¡± Su Yuyang explained for the umpteenth time. ¡°I thought those were resources I had downloaded. Why didn¡¯t you name your drafts properly?¡± ¡°Su Yuyang, don¡¯t do this while I¡¯m not in a good mood¡­¡± Alongside Ling Miao¡¯s shouting, Su Yuyang¡¯s phone rang. He gestured for Ling Miao to be quiet and said softly, ¡°It¡¯s from Yu-ge.¡± ¡°Hmph!¡± Ling Miao folded his arms and turned his head away. Su Yuyang internally cried nonstop. ¡°Yu-ge, what is it?¡± Su Yuyang said with a hint of gratefulness. None of his earlier grievance could be seen in his bright eyes. Mu Yu said: ¡°I wanted to confirm your trip details. What time are you getting to Guangzhou? The organizers will send someone to greet you.¡± The book signing! Su Yuyang slapped his forehead. He had never attended a book signing before and these past few days had been so relaxed he had completely forgotten about it. If not for Mu Yu¡¯s reminder call he might only have remembered it when he saw blog posts about the book signing event. ¡°This¡­¡± Su Yuyang wanted to say something, then stopped. Mu Yu laughed. ¡°You forgot?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll book us flights now.¡± Su Yuyang scooted over to Ling Miao¡¯s side and asked Ling Miao to book a flight for him, but Ling Miao said, ¡°I knew you¡¯d forget. I already booked them.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Su Yuyang asked in surprise. ¡°Udon worry.¡±1 Ling Miao indicated for Su Yuyang to move aside then continued to immerse himself silently in the patter of his keyboard. Su Yuyang asked Ling Miao, ¡°Xiao Miao, when did you book the flights?¡± Ling Miao rolled his eyes at him. ¡°The day you agreed. We leave the day after tomorrow, in the morning.¡± ¡°The morning flight the day after tomorrow,¡± Su Yuyang told Mu Yu. ¡°Ling Miao¡¯s more reliable than you are,¡± Mu Yu assessed. Su Yuyang flushed and explained, ¡°I¡¯m getting old and my memory is going.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t be older than me!¡± ¡°Heh heh.¡± Su Yuyang laughed embarrassedly. Mu Yu and Su Yuyang made small talk for a little while more, then hung up. After Su Yuyang hung up, a question that had troubled Su Yuyang for a long time now surfaced in his mind: Why is Ling Miao looking forward to this book signing so much? Su Yuyang had asked Ling Miao, who had answered, ¡°Some authors I like will also be attending the event. It¡¯s a rare opportunity, so of course I must go get their autographs.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not the only author you like?¡± Su Yuyang¡¯s tone was aggrieved. Ling Miao stared at the ceiling, speechless, thinking: This guy¡¯s possessiveness is this strong? Ling Miao huffed, ¡°I like many authors. Like Haphazardly Chopping Wood, Professional Struggling Writer of 18 Years, and Chaos Paste. Of course, my favorite author is Shu Yang, and my favourite person is Su Yuyang.¡± Although Ling Miao had listed him at the very end, wasn¡¯t the last performance always the most important? Su Yuyang suddenly placed his hand at the back of Ling Miao¡¯s head and, while Ling Miao was stunned, quickly lowered his head to place his lips over Ling Miao¡¯s. ¡°Mm!¡± Ling Miao let out an unhappy noise. Su Yuyang pretended not to hear. He kissed Ling Miao passionately as if he wanted to make Ling Miao melt. Ling Miao slowly let down his resistance, his hands encircling Su Yuyang¡¯s waist. ¡°Xiao Miao.¡± Su Yuyang¡¯s voice was low as he called Ling Miao in anticipation. ¡°Mm?¡± Ling Miao hummed through his nose, his dazed eyes meeting Su Yuyang¡¯s agitated ones. ¡°Xiao Miao.¡± Su Yuyang called Ling Miao¡¯s name, his kisses moving from Ling Miao¡¯s lips to Ling Miao¡¯s nose, the corners of Ling Miao¡¯s eyes, Ling Miao¡¯s forehead, and Ling Miao¡¯s ears. The room was silent aside from the breathing of the two men which was gradually growing heavier. Suddenly, a phone rang. The originally pleasing music now seemed piercing and Su Yuyang let go of Ling Miao with a muttered curse. Ling Miao touched his face; it was burning. ¡°Fuck, what is it?¡± Ling Miao also guessed that without the ringing, he and Su Yuyang would already be lying on the bed. Cough cough. Ling Miao raised his eyes to Su Yuyang, who had ¡®I am very vexed¡¯ written all over his face. Su Yuyang glanced at the display. The call was from Feng Ji. ¡°What does this guy want?¡± Su Yuyang tousled his hair in vexation and asked in an unfriendly tone, ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°Xiao An has finally agreed to travel the world with me. One year¡¯s vacation time¡ªyou¡¯ll give it to me now, right?¡± Feng Ji said excitedly. Su Yuyang¡¯s eyes flashed and he teased, ¡°Surely you didn¡¯t call me the moment Xiao An agreed, right? What are you so anxious for?¡± ¡°Before Xiao An regrets it.¡± Feng Ji¡¯s laugh was very satisfied. ¡°I¡¯m planning to leave next week. When will you and Ling Miao come to familiarize yourself with the shop?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going with him to Guangzhou the day after. Let¡¯s talk again when we have time,¡± Su Yuyang replied. ¡°Get in contact with me when you come back.¡± Su Yuyang could hear the disappointment in Feng Ji¡¯s voice but he had no choice. The mood was ruined and Ling Miao seemed to be shying away from him, so Su Yuyang sighed and opened his computer. The next day, Ling Miao got up early to pack. Su Yuyang sat like a boss to one side watching Ling Miao pack. Thankfully he didn¡¯t instruct Ling Miao to do things, or Ling Miao might have tossed the suitcase at Su Yuyang¡¯s face. The weather in Guangzhou was good when they arrived. Following the instructions Mu Yu had left, Su Yuyang got in touch with the person who was assigned to greet them. Looking at the person who had come to receive them, Su Yuyang was briefly stunned. He looked familiar but Su Yuyang couldn¡¯t remember his name at the moment. Su Yuyang searched desperately through his mind but nobody in his recollection matched up to this person in front of him. The man who had come to receive them was similarly stunned. He looked Su Yuyang over, and though he also felt that he had seen Su Yuyang before he couldn¡¯t remember where. Ling Miao stood to one side observing the two and interpreted their thoughtful gazes as flirtation. It had to be said that Ling Miao wasn¡¯t overthinking it; the atmosphere between the two was definitely strange. Cough cough. Ling Miao coughed twice and introduced himself: ¡°I¡¯m Shu Yang¡¯s lover, Zero Seconds Ago.¡± Everyone present knew each other by their online names, and after this they might not meet again, so Ling Miao didn¡¯t mention his real name. The man was stunned and laughed, ¡°I¡¯m Xie Ruoyan, here to greet Shu Yang.¡± ¡°Xie Ruoyan?¡± Su Yuyang frowned. Then he looked at Xie Ruoyan in shock and said, ¡°You¡¯re from Chongqing, you once attended high school at XX school, and you¡¯re gay.¡± Although Su Yuyang was asking, his tone was certain. The moment Su Yuyang spoke Ling Miao¡¯s eyes narrowed. Under Ling Miao¡¯s calm exterior, one hundred thousand ¡®fuck you¡¯ horses were thundering by. Su Yuyang¡¯s words¡ª¡°you¡¯re gay¡±¡ª almost made him curse out loud. Fuck, this isn¡¯t your ex-boyfriend, right? That was what Ling Miao wanted to say. Xie Ruoyan¡¯s mouth fell open, surprise in his eyes. He thought: Shu Yang not only writes fantasy novels, but knows magic too? On second thought, he was probably overthinking it. He calmed himself and asked curiously, ¡°How did you know?¡± Su Yuyang sighed; he was slightly disappointed. Now that Su Yuyang had sighed and indicated that he was disappointed, Ling Miao got angry. ¡°Hey, Su Yuyang, he isn¡¯t your ex-boyfriend, right?¡± Although Ling Miao¡¯s words were dismissive and he was smiling like it was all a joke, Su Yuyang felt cold. He felt as if someone had put him into a freezer. The thing was that Ling Miao was right! ¡°Xie-ge,¡± Su Yuyang called, smiling. Xie Ruoyan seemed to have been splashed with cold water. His face twitched and he stiffly raised his arm to gesture at Su Yuyang. ¡°You¡¯re Su Yuyang?¡± ¡°Xie-ge, long time no see.¡± Compared to Xie Ruoyan¡¯s shock, Su Yuyang seemed much more calm. Even his tone of voice didn¡¯t change. Ling Miao¡¯s eyes narrowed and he said with a grin, ¡°You¡¯re ex-classmates?¡± Danger. Su Yuyang eyed Ling Miao¡¯s smiling face. The dangerous air emanating from Ling Miao¡¯s body made Su Yuyang shudder. Xie Ruoyan noticed something was wrong and hurriedly said, ¡°Plane travel is tiring. I¡¯ll take you both to the hotel.¡± Xie Ruoyan didn¡¯t say a word the whole way there. Su Yuyang stared at the scenery outside the window while Ling Miao stared at Su Yuyang. To Su Yuyang, Xie Ruoyan was not only an ex but also his first relationship. It¡¯s said that feelings from the first relationship were the hardest to extinguish, and Su Yuyang¡¯s feelings for Xie Ruoyan were very complicated. When Xie Ruoyan graduated the two broke up, and although Su Yuyang had kept all of Xie Ruoyan¡¯s contact details, he had never thought they would meet again, and in front of his current lover at that. The atmosphere was so heavy it was hard to breathe. At the hotel, Xie Ruoyan took Su Yuyang to his room, briefly summarized the afternoon¡¯s proceedings, and left. Ling Miao stood at the window, from which the hotel¡¯s main entrance could be seen. He watched Xie Ruoyan¡¯s car leave then turned to question Su Yuyang. ¡°What is your relationship to him?¡± [Table of Contents] | [Buy your translation team a coffee?] Translation notes: [1] Callback to the food pun Su Yuyang made a long time ago Chapter 132 The Complete Guide to the Use and Care of a Personal Assistant Translator: Jury Editor: NomNom First Published on Chaleuria ¡ª Chapter One Hundred and Thirty-two ¡°Xie Ruoyan and I?¡± Su Yuyang looked at Ling Miao with a faint smile then smiled broadly: ¡°We were high school friends.¡± As Su Yuyang spoke, Ling Miao stared into his eyes. Su Yuyang¡¯s eyes were calm; he didn¡¯t look as if he were lying. Upon further thought, Su Yuyang indeed wasn¡¯t lying. He had just concealed his deeper relationship with Xie Ruoyan. ¡°Is it?¡± Ling Miao¡¯s lips quirked into a cold smile. Su Yuyang stared at Ling Miao. For some unknown reason, the Ling Miao in front of him now seemed like a stranger. Ling Miao¡¯s entire body was radiating a cold air. Su Yuyang felt as though he was standing in a blizzard. His limbs felt frozen solid and he couldn¡¯t move. He could only look at Ling Miao in confusion. Ling Miao sighed, ¡°If you were really only school friends, then you two wouldn¡¯t have been so agitated at the airport. In front of the two of you I feel like a third wheel.¡± Ling Miao¡¯s tone was sorrowful and radiated helplessness. Su Yuyang knew very well that even if he tried to hide it now, he couldn¡¯t guarantee that Ling Miao wouldn¡¯t find out about his relationship with Xie Ruoyan from some other source. At that time it¡¯d be even more difficult for him to explain himself. Su Yuyang looked at Ling Miao and said slowly, ¡°He was my first boyfriend.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Ling Miao nodded. ¡°You actually met again here. The world¡¯s really small.¡± Su Yuyang had intended to go along with Ling Miao and dismiss the matter, but now he saw that Ling Miao¡¯s shoulders were shaking slightly and his eyes were glistening. Although Ling Miao¡¯s tone had been steady, his expression betrayed him. He was afraid. Su Yuyang pulled Ling Miao to him, hugging him as he consoled, ¡°Xiao Miao, Xie Ruoyan and I are in the past. I don¡¯t know how we could have met today.¡± ¡°It¡¯s all just a coincidence.¡± Ling Miao¡¯s words were certain but Su Yuyang felt a hint of mockery. ¡°Xiao Miao, you think I already knew that the person assigned to meet me was Xie Ruoyan?¡± Su Yuyang suddenly felt that Ling Miao was incomprehensible. If Ling Miao was jealous, Su Yuyang would be happy, but Ling Miao seemed to have reached a dead-end conclusion and Su Yuyang had no other recourse. Anger rose in his chest but he couldn¡¯t express it toward Ling Miao. He took a deep breath and suggested, ¡°I think you need to calm down.¡± ¡°You¡¯re the one who needs to calm down.¡± Ling Miao struggled free of Su Yuyang and said in a low voice, ¡°I don¡¯t think Xie Ruoyan only recognized you when you prompted.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± To Ling Miao, Su Yuyang¡¯s question had two possible meanings. Firstly, Su Yuyang hadn¡¯t understood Ling Miao. Secondly, Su Yuyang had understood what Ling Miao meant, but was questioning why he was suspecting Xie Ruoyan. ¡°Are you really confused or pretending to be confused?¡± Ling Miao retorted. ¡°I¡¯m suspicious of Xie Ruoyan. Maybe Xie Ruoyan came with the same motive as Tang Xuan!¡± ¡°I believe in Xie-ge¡¯s character,¡± Su Yuyang assured. ¡°He and Tang Xuan are different kinds of people.¡± ¡°People change,¡± Ling Miao argued. ¡°Tang Xuan now, was he the same Tang Xuan whom you knew before? Tang Xuan changed. Xie Ruoyan may also not be the Xie Ruoyan from before.¡± ¡°But he might be?¡± Su Yuyang used Ling Miao¡¯s own words against him. Ling Miao paced back and forth in the room, thinking hard about how to refute Su Yuyang¡¯s words. Su Yuyang got dizzy watching him. He caught hold of Ling Miao¡¯s arm and tried to persuade him: ¡°I believe in my senior. Can you believe in me too?¡± Looking at Su Yuyang¡¯s sincere and certain eyes, Ling Miao almost agreed. Then he shook his head and said, ¡°Right now I only believe in myself and in the truth.¡± ¡°Xiao Miao, what¡¯s gotten into you?¡± Su Yuyang couldn¡¯t restrain himself from shouting. The Ling Miao before him¡ªwas this still his Xiao Miao? Since when had his Xiao Miao become so suspicious and incomprehensible? ¡°I¡¯m just making preparations for the worst-case scenario.¡± Ling Miao¡¯s emotions weren¡¯t perturbed in the slightest, as if the ¡®Xiao Miao¡¯ Su Yuyang was calling was not himself. Su Yuyang thought over what Ling Miao had said in this room, from start to finish, hoping to discover therein the reason for Ling Miao¡¯s change. Regrettably, Su Yuyang couldn¡¯t recall a lot of it. Suddenly, two words flashed through his mind. Shock appeared on his face. Tang Xuan. Su Yuyang¡¯s eyes shot open. He went up to Ling Miao, looked downward at Ling Miao¡¯s stubborn expression, and said tenderly, ¡°Is it Tang Xuan? I know that the matter with Tang Xuan affected you heavily, but I didn¡¯t think¡­¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t think that I¡¯d become paranoid because of it? As long as an ex-boyfriend of yours appears, I¡¯ll think that he has ill intentions towards you and towards me, yes?¡± Ling Miao sneered as he filled in the words Su Yuyang was unable to say. He pushed Su Yuyang away and walked toward the door. Su Yuyang hurriedly caught up to him and asked, ¡°Where are you going?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you say I needed to calm down? I¡¯m going to look for a deserted place and calm down.¡± Ling Miao batted away Su Yuyang¡¯s hand, his cool tone making Su Yuyang feel as if he had fallen into an icy cave. ¡°I¡¯ll go with you.¡± Su Yuyang worried that Ling Miao would again write a letter and leave, and his heart jumped into his throat. Ling Miao could probably tell what Su Yuyang was thinking. His expression didn¡¯t change, but a hint of mockery appeared in his eyes and he laughed, ¡°Relax. I won¡¯t leave. I just think I really need a bit of time to be alone.¡± Ling Miao emphasized ¡®alone.¡¯ Su Yuyang worried that following Ling Miao would have the opposite effect than desired, so he instructed, ¡°If anything¡¯s wrong, call me. I¡¯ll be in the room.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll come back before two o¡¯clock,¡± Ling Miao said pointedly. Two o¡¯clock. That was when Xie Ruoyan had said they would go to see the venue. Ling Miao left the hotel by himself. Since he wasn¡¯t familiar with the area he didn¡¯t go too far. He followed the footpath and wandered aimlessly. He could tell that he had changed because of the matter with Tang Xuan. Tang Xuan¡¯s appearance had worn on Ling Miao¡¯s nerves and made them fragile. Ling Miao wasn¡¯t worried that Su Yuyang¡¯s ex-boyfriend would fight for Su Yuyang over him. He was worried that Su Yuyang would get hurt again. Though not everyone was as insane as Tang Xuan, people were hard to predict. Someone who called you brother one moment might stab you in the heart the next. Ling Miao didn¡¯t wish to tell his worries to Su Yuyang. If he told Su Yuyang, one person¡¯s pain would become two people¡¯s pain. ¡®Sharing the burden¡¯ was a joke of a concept. As Ling Miao walked, he didn¡¯t know where he was going. When his phone rang, he was surprised. The call was from Su Yuyang. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Where did you go?¡± Su Yuyang asked worriedly. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you¡¯d be back before two o¡¯clock?¡± ¡°Ah?¡± Ling Miao rubbed his head and asked groggily, ¡°It¡¯s two o¡¯clock already?¡± So Ling Miao hadn¡¯t looked at the time, Su Yuyang let out the breath he¡¯d been holding and informed him, ¡°It¡¯s two-thirty. Xie-ge arrived a long time ago.¡± Alarm bells went off in Ling Miao¡¯s heart when he heard that Xie Ruoyan had arrived. He looked around at the nearby buildings and said, ¡°I¡¯m at XX station.¡± ¡°Xie-ge, Xiao Miao is at the XX station,¡± Su Yuyang said to Xie Ruoyan. Following which, Ling Miao hear the door shut, then Su Yuyang speaking: ¡°Stay there and don¡¯t leave. Xie-ge and I will come get you.¡± Several minutes later a car stopped in front of Ling Miao. Su Yuyang rolled down the window and called Ling Miao to get in the car. After Ling Miao got in the car, Su Yuyang also got in the back seat. The whole way, Su Yuyang frequently glanced at Ling Miao, but Ling Miao stared out the window the whole time, coldly showing Su Yuyang his profile. Xie Ruoyan observed the two through the rear mirror. Seeing Su Yuyang want to speak, then stop, he silently sighed on Su Yuyang¡¯s behalf. After Su Yuyang had recognized Xie Ruoyan at the venue, Xie Ruoyan could clearly feel Ling Miao¡¯s change in attitude toward him and Su Yuyang. This change wasn¡¯t for the better. Xie Ruoyan noticed Ling Miao¡¯s enmity toward him but said nothing. Ling Miao¡¯s cool attitude toward Su Yuyang could only be dissolved by Su Yuyang himself. It was best for Xie Ruoyan to stay silent. On the whole, although Xie Ruoyan felt a little guilty toward Su Yuyang, he wouldn¡¯t express anything. The book signing was the next day and the venue was still being frantically decorated. Xie Ruoyan led Su Yuyang and Ling Miao to Su Yuyang¡¯s booth. The books and a pen had already been arranged on the table, and the backdrop was a giant poster of Massacre of the Nine Heavens. Ling Miao suggested: ¡°Su Yuyang, stand in front of the poster.¡± ¡°Mm?¡± Su Yuyang seemed doubtful but his body was already moving. Su Yuyang watched Ling Miao raising his phone and immediately struck a pose. With a click Ling Miao captured Su Yuyang¡¯s satisfied smile. Following which Ling Miao took another few photographs of the venue. Su Yuyang saw that Ling Miao was like a happy rabbit leaping about the place. None of his earlier desolation could be seen at all, and cheerfulness overflowed in Su Yuyang¡¯s heart. ¡°You fell out with him?¡± Xie Ruoyan asked nosily. Xie Ruoyan¡¯s sudden words jolted Su Yuyang out of his thoughts, making his heart pound. Su Yuyang clutched his chest and said, ¡°Nothing, just¡­¡± Su Yuyang started, then stopped, then smiled helplessly. Following which an employee called Xie Ruoyan away. Su Yuyang got tired of standing and found a chair to sit in, his gaze following Ling Miao around. Following Ling Miao¡¯s path, Su Yuyang got an overview of the venue. Su Yuyang discovered that there were about fifteen authors participating in the book signing. They were all fantasy authors and he was familiar with most of them. At the same time, Su Yuyang understood why Ling Miao was looking forward to this book signing so much¡ªmany of Ling Miao¡¯s favorite authors were present, so he could collect countless signatures at the same time. He just wasn¡¯t sure if, after collecting a set number of signatures, he¡¯d be able to summon the holy dragon. Ling Miao excitedly took many photographs. Just as he was preparing to go back to Su Yuyang, he tragically found that he had lost his way. As Ling Miao looked around, a familiar voice came: ¡°Are you lost?¡± Xie Ruoyan had no intention of mocking Ling Miao, but Ling Miao interpreted it as Xie Ruoyan mocking him. ¡°I just went to look around,¡± Ling Miao said stubbornly. ¡°Let¡¯s go back or Su Yuyang will get anxious,¡± Xie Ruoyan said in a friendly manner. Ling Miao huffed and ignored Xie Ruoyan, who fell silent and continued walking. Ling Miao picked up his feet and followed close behind. Ling Miao¡­ I have to find a time and talk with him, Xie Ruoyan thought. [Table of Contents] | [Buy your translation team a coffee?] Chapter 133 The Complete Guide to the Use and Care of a Personal Assistant Translator: Jury Editor: NomNom First Published on Chaleuria ¡ª Chapter One Hundred and Thirty-three Xie Ruoyan walked in front of Ling Miao. Even though Ling Miao¡¯s expression was resentful, he still accompanied Xie Ruoyan without incident. Seeing the two appear before him, Su Yuyang¡¯s jaw dropped. ¡°Yuyang, is your jaw unhinged?¡± Xie Ruoyan teased. Su Yuyang shut his mouth and stammered, ¡°No¡­ nothing. Why is Xiao Miao with you?¡± ¡°He¡­¡± Xie Ruoyan let out a faint laugh. Ling Miao huffed and cut off Xie Ruoyan. He snapped, ¡°Met him on the way back.¡± Ling Miao was being stubborn and Xie Ruoyan didn¡¯t call him out. Ling Miao was hostile toward him, so if he called Ling Miao out now and Ling Miao turned on him, Su Yuyang, being caught in the middle, would have a hard time too. Xie Ruoyan glanced at the time and asked, ¡°Do you have plans for the afternoon?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Writing.¡± Su Yuyang and Ling Miao spoke at the same time. Xie Ruoyan pretended not to have heard Su Yuyang¡¯s voice and said regretfully, ¡°Since you¡¯re going to write, I won¡¯t take up any more of your time. The book signing starts tomorrow morning at 9:30. We¡¯re about done for today, too, so I¡¯ll take you both back.¡± Su Yuyang grimaced as he said, ¡°Alright,¡± while Ling Miao looked at Xie Ruoyan approvingly. In some ways, Xie Ruoyan was to Ling Miao¡¯s liking. But Ling Miao couldn¡¯t yet tell if Xie Ruoyan was friend or foe, so he wouldn¡¯t express any of his goodwill toward Xie Ruoyan. Su Yuyang didn¡¯t want to write at all. They had come out to have a good time¡ªwhy did he have to write?! The patter of keyboards echoed through the room alongside Ling Miao¡¯s frequent cursing. Su Yuyang turned his head to look at the busy Ling Miao and asked, ¡°Xiao Miao, how much longer will this dungeon take?¡± ¡°Five minutes.¡± Ling Miao was fighting his way through a large dungeon which he and his guild had already been battling for twenty minutes. Su Yuyang lay on the bed and sighed, ¡°Five minutes ago, you said five minutes more¡­¡± If Ling Miao turned his head now, he would definitely see Su Yuyang¡¯s aggrieved look and his unspeakable despondence. Su Yuyang was very familiar with the dungeon Ling Miao was tackling; after all, he was the one who had created it. Now he regretted making that pocket dimension so large and complicated. Ten minutes later, Ling Miao¡¯s guild exited the dungeon and divided the loot. The team leader asked if they wanted to head to the next dungeon. Ling Miao glanced at Su Yuyang, who was idle, and had the sudden impulse to call Su Yuyang to play with him. Su Yuyang was happy to accept Ling Miao¡¯s invitation and the two passed the afternoon playing video games. After dinner, Ling Miao resumed dungeon crawling while Su Yuyang took up his laptop and forced himself to write. Su Yuyang had a new patron, and his usual protocol was to make an additional update for them. So he was currently rushing the additional update. Like this, the two pushed the matter of Xie Ruoyan to the back of their minds. Ling Miao wasn¡¯t willing to mention him while Su Yuyang was afraid to mention him. Su Yuyang did not sleep soundly that night because Ling Miao kept moving. When they woke in the morning, Ling Miao looked at Su Yuyang¡¯s bloodshot eyes and said in surprise, ¡°Fuck, Su Yuyang, what happened to your eyes?¡± Su Yuyang looked at the culprit, yawned, and said, ¡°Not used to this place, so I didn¡¯t sleep well.¡± Su Yuyang appeared exhausted. Xie Ruoyan looked Su Yuyang over thoughtfully and smiled. ¡°Yuyang, did you sleep well last night?¡± Su Yuyang knew that Xie Ruoyan was imagining some unsavory scenarios and didn¡¯t bother to explain. He entered the car, leaned against the seat, and began to catch up on sleep. Ling Miao and Xie Ruoyan¡¯s eyes inadvertently met and sparks flew everywhere. Ling Miao dismissively turned his head away, got in beside Su Yuyang, and possessively held Su Yuyang¡¯s hand. Xie Ruoyan only found Ling Miao¡¯s actions childish. He smiled and didn¡¯t take Ling Miao¡¯s challenge to heart at all. The car moved smoothly. Ling Miao stared at the buildings outside the window and suddenly became wary. He said coldly, ¡°This isn¡¯t the route we took yesterday.¡± Xie Ruoyan explained, ¡°We¡¯re picking someone up first.¡± The car stopped in a residential area. As Xie Ruoyan¡¯s car stopped, a youth wearing casual clothes and a smile walked over. He opened the passenger side door and got in, saying as he fastened his seatbelt, ¡°What took you so long?¡± There was complaint in his tone, along with a hint of whining. Xie Ruoyan said indulgently, ¡°I asked you to come with me, but you insisted on lazing in bed and now you say I¡¯m late. What justice is there in this?¡± ¡°Hmph,¡± the youth huffed, then he noticed the two people in the back seat. His gaze slid over Su Yuyang and Ling Miao¡¯s faces, his calm expression indicating that he had already known others would be in the car. At the venue, Ling Miao shook Su Yuyang awake. Seeing the crowd lining up outside the venue, Su Yuyang exclaimed, ¡°Fuck. There are so many people.¡± Xie Ruoyan went to park the car and Su Yuyang and the others took out their documents and entered the venue. The hall was deserted. Aside from the workers, only the authors participating in the book signing were there. While the venue remained empty, Ling Miao went to visit the booths of all his favourite authors. By the time Xie Ruoyan came in, Ling Miao was just getting the signature of the last author. The moment Ling Miao saw Xie Ruoyan walking towards Su Yuyang, he took his book and rushed back. But before he had reached Su Yuyang¡¯s side, a surprising scene unfolded before his eyes. Xie Ruoyan turned around, went up to the youth, and hugged him. Ling Miao had just arrived beside the two of them and he heard Xie Ruoyan say to the blushing youth, ¡°Follow me closely. Don¡¯t get lost again.¡± Fuck, what is the meaning of this? Su Yuyang looked at Ling Miao with a smile, satisfaction flashing in his eyes as he seemed to say: Look, I told you that Xie-ge has no intentions towards me, right? Ling Miao received Su Yuyang¡¯s satisfied gaze and glared back, stamping his foot in dissatisfaction. ¡°Let me introduce you. My lover, Lin Ming.¡± Xie Ruoyan was looking at Ling Miao as he spoke, his meaning extremely clear: I have a lover. Don¡¯t worry that I¡¯ll snatch your Su Yuyang away. Lin Ming smiled shyly, his ears redder than red beans. Ling Miao awkwardly touched the back of his head and smiled. ¡°Ling Miao. Su Yuyang¡¯s lover.¡± ¡°Not hostile towards me any more?¡± Xie Ruoyan looked at Ling Miao and raised an eyebrow. Ling Miao shrugged. ¡°When enemies understand each other, there is no enmity any more. I apologize to you for my earlier behavior. Some things happened that made me sensitive. I hope you won¡¯t hold it against me.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good. When will you be going back? We should have a meal when you¡¯re free,¡± Xie Ruoyan suggested. ¡°We¡¯re planning to stay for a few more days before going back,¡± Ling Miao said, clearly planning something. Su Yuyang understood Ling Miao¡¯s meaning. The two showed sly smiles and Xie Ruoyan, looking at them, shuddered. Once the book signing started, Su Yuyang was like a wheel on a car: he wasn¡¯t idle for a minute. Xie Ruoyan was maintaining order around the booths and also had to take care of Lin Ming, who had no sense of direction, and he was already perspiring heavily. Only Ling Miao stood to one side idly, looking like he was about to fall asleep. A soft snoring started up. Su Yuyang turned to look. Ling Miao had fallen asleep in a chair. A fan of Su Yuyang who was waiting for his signature saw this. Even though she outwardly remained calm, her heart was thudding. Looking at Su Yuyang¡¯s gentle eyes and his indulgent smile, the identity of the man who was sleeping to one side needed no further explanation from Su Yuyang. ¡°Great Shu, your boyfriend fell asleep. It¡¯s cute.¡± The fan suddenly spoke up, pulling Su Yuyang¡¯s attention back. ¡°Ah?¡± Thud¡ª In a panic, Su Yuyang knocked the books to the ground. At the thud, Ling Miao was startled awake. ¡°Su Yuyang, what happened?¡± Ling Miao pouted and asked blearily. ¡°It¡¯s not a problem.¡± Su Yuyang guiltily lowered his head and continued signing. A shadow appeared at Su Yuyang¡¯s side. Su Yuyang turned to see Ling Miao standing to one side, organizing the books that had been knocked into disarray. Probably because his lover was at his side, Su Yuyang was encouraged and his signatures grew noticeably faster. Even though his hand was cramping, he wore a faint smile. When the book signing concluded, it was nighttime and the sky was dark. Su Yuyang collapsed into a chair and rubbed his cramping hand. ¡°Now I think that my previous decision not to participate in the book signing events was a good one.¡± Su Yuyang said the words like he was finally free. ¡°Might I have a signature, please?¡± A timid voice came. Su Yuyang cried in his heart, the tears almost submerging his body, but he still smiled and said, ¡°Sure.¡± Looking up at the person in front of the table¡ªfuck, who would it be, if not Lin Ming? And Ling Miao stood beside him. Xie Ruoyan had gone to do his work and handed Lin Ming to Ling Miao to take care of. Ling Miao stuck close to Lin Ming and didn¡¯t leave even an inch of space between them. When Xie Ruoyan returned he saw Lin Ming¡¯s contented smile and asked curiously, ¡°What happened that made you smile so happily?¡± ¡°I got an autograph from the Great Shu, look!¡± Lin Ming showed Xie Ruoyan Su Yuyang¡¯s signature as if he was presenting a treasure. Xie Ruoyan looked at the signature, then gave Su Yuyang a grateful look. Lin Ming suggested they eat dinner at home, and Su Yuyang and Ling Miao indicated that was fine. Ling Miao and Lin Ming were busy in the kitchen while Su Yuyang and Xie Ruoyan tidied the table in the living room. Their faces showed their happiness. Su Yuyang sighed, ¡°Now that I met you again, it feels like we broke up only yesterday, but it also feels like our relationship was in a previous life.¡± Xie Ruoyan looked at the two busy in the kitchen and asked worriedly, ¡°Did Xiao Miao have a bad experience?¡± Su Yuyang briefly recounted the events with Tang Xuan. Xie Ruoyan suggested that Su Yuyang tell Ling Miao about his previous boyfriends as a precautionary measure. Su Yuyang counted on his fingers; aside from the one whose name he didn¡¯t even recall, Ling Miao had met all his previous boyfriends. Thinking about it again, there was no need for this. Around the dinner table, the laughter didn¡¯t cease. The four interacted like longtime friends, talking and laughing late into the night. On returning to the hotel, Su Yuyang lay on the bed and Ling Miao lay down beside him Ling Miao wrapped an arm around Su Yuyang¡¯s waist and said possessively, ¡°Su Yuyang, you¡¯re mine, and no one can snatch you away.¡± The two were still immersed in sweetness when Ling Miao¡¯s phone rang at a terrible time. Looking at the unknown number on the screen, Ling Miao hung up out of habit. Before long, the number called back again. Ling Miao frustratedly answered it. ¡°Ling Miao, this is Hu Yueyuan¡­¡± [Table of Contents] | [Buy your translation team a coffee?] Chapter 134 The Complete Guide to the Use and Care of a Personal Assistant Translator: Jury Editor: NomNom, Cien First Published on Chaleuria ¡ª Chapter One Hundred and Thirty-four Hearing the words ¡®Hu Yueyuan,¡¯ Ling Miao inexplicably felt disgusted. He wanted to hang up but he also knew Hu Yueyuan was well aware of his dislike for her and wouldn¡¯t call him for something unimportant. Ling Miao asked coldly, ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Hu Yueyuan¡¯s tone was mocking. ¡°If you don¡¯t come back, you won¡¯t get to see your dad for the last time. I wasn¡¯t going to call you since you don¡¯t have a close relationship with him, but he wanted to see you, so I had to call.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong with him?¡± Ling Miao¡¯s face was calm and his tone impatient, his voice indicating his attitude. As Hu Yueyuan said, he didn¡¯t have the greatest feelings for his father. But it was his father after all, and it would be cold-blooded of Ling Miao not to inquire after him now that something had happened. Hu Yueyuan glanced at the man sleeping soundly on a bed and sneered, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with him? He¡¯s ill!¡± ¡°He¡¯s so healthy, how could he have gotten sick?¡± At that moment, Ling Miao suspected Hu Yueyuan was playing a trick on him and he felt the urge to hang up the phone. Sensing Ling Miao¡¯s thoughts, Hu Yueyuan finally got to the point: ¡°A certain someone upset him, and now he¡¯s lying in the hospital.¡± ¡°I¡¯m in Guangzhou right now. I¡¯ll be back in Chongqing tomorrow. Which hospital is he in?¡± Ling Miao¡¯s heart clenched at Hu Yueyuan¡¯s words and he could only think one thing: His father had found out about him and Su Yuyang. Hu Yueyuan gave him the name of the hospital and room number then hung up. As the call ended, Ling Miao¡¯s fingers gradually lost their strength. The phone fell from his hand to the ground with a thunk. Seeing Ling Miao¡¯s worried expression, Su Yuyang didn¡¯t ask. He silently picked up the phone and gently put his arms around the other man. Ling Miao was shivering. Su Yuyang caressed his back, hoping to reassure him, but Ling Miao trembled even more violently, as if someone were shaking his body. ¡°Whatever it is, we can take care of it tomorrow. Let¡¯s sleep,¡± Su Yuyang said gently. Ling Miao stared at Su Yuyang and replied haltingly, ¡°My dad might know about our relationship. He¡¯s currently in the hospital.¡± Even though Ling Miao wasn¡¯t close to his father, he wasn¡¯t cold-blooded. At the thought that his dad might have collapsed from stress because of him, guilt and self-reproach welled up in Ling Miao and he felt he couldn¡¯t possibly face his father. Su Yuyang froze for a moment. Then he consoled Ling Miao, saying, ¡°What are you worried about? Even if the sky falls, I¡¯ll pick it up. Even if your dad wants to hit you or scold you, I¡¯ll take your place. Even if he kicks you out of his house, I¡¯ll take you in. Honestly, my family register only has my name on it, it¡¯s lonely.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to be entered in your family register,¡± Ling Miao retorted. ¡°You talk like I¡¯m going to marry you!¡± His fist landed on Su Yuyang¡¯s back and Su Yuyang mimed vomiting blood. The other man hadn¡¯t held back his punch. Fortunately, Su Yuyang was strong, or else he might have really sustained internal injuries. ¡°Alright, alright! I won¡¯t register you.¡± Su Yuyang smoothed Ling Miao¡¯s hair and thought, You¡¯re already living in my house. How long will it be before you¡¯re registered as my family? Ling Miao was unaware of Su Yuyang¡¯s thoughts. If he¡¯d known, he would have probably threatened to move out of the man¡¯s house. Hmph. You have your defenses but I have a ladder to climb walls. We¡¯ll see who surrenders first. The matter of who would enter whose register was an issue that had only been brought up incidentally and the rest of the night passed uneventfully. In the morning, Xie Ruoyan took the two to the airport. Before Xie Ruoyan left, Ling Miao stated that, if he had the chance, he would visit him and Lin Ming. But Su Yuyang found this strange: When did the two of them get so close? He even thought it funny. The first time Ling Miao and Xie Ruoyan had met at the airport, the atmosphere had been one of drawn swords and strung bows. In a few short days, the two had become good friends. Su Yuyang could only exclaim at the wonders of the world. Because they had gotten up early and Ling Miao hadn¡¯t slept his fill, he leaned against Su Yuyang¡¯s shoulder the moment they boarded the plane to catch up on sleep. Su Yuyang tenderly watched Ling Miao, noting how exhausted he looked. Ling Miao had tossed and turned in bed the previous night. Su Yuyang had been awoken by him many times, but he didn¡¯t wake his restless lover. While Ling Miao still slept, Su Yuyang had quietly switched to the other bed. Now that Ling Miao could finally sleep soundly, Su Yuyang naturally couldn¡¯t bear to disturb him. However, his own mind was restless. The more Su Yuyang thought, the more he felt some things were odd. There was someone who knew of his relationship with Ling Miao and who might have told his dad. Mulling it over and over, Su Yuyang could only think of Hu Yueyuan. On the way to the airport, Ling Miao had recounted in detail the phone call with Hu Yueyuan the previous night. But when Su Yuyang compared all the facts, he realized something disturbing. From what he knew of Hu Yueyuan, if Ling Miao¡¯s father had really found out about him and Ling Miao, Hu Yueyuan would be so pleased her tail would point to the sky. She would be pleased, not mocking. ¡°Hu Yueyuan didn¡¯t say who exactly angered Ling Miao¡¯s dad. Ling Miao just assumed his father had fainted because of him. It was to make Ling Miao admit his own guilt, right? This woman! I thought she was simple and straightforward, but she¡¯s quite calculating.¡± After analyzing the matter, Su Yuyang came to a conclusion: Before they were sure whether Ling Miao¡¯s father knew of their relationship, they should proceed under the assumption that he didn¡¯t know. Su Yuyang looked at Ling Miao¡¯s furrowed forehead and tenderly smoothed the wrinkles. ¡°Xiao Miao, you always have me.¡± He glanced at the time; the plane was about to take off. Pulling out his phone, he sent a text to Feng Ji, then turned it off. Feng Ji was currently entangled with An Yan, and the sound of a text message interrupted their good time. Already upset, Feng Ji almost broke his phone upon seeing the contents. He called Su Yuyang to object but Su Yuyang had already turned off his phone. Feng Ji called Ling Miao and got the same response. ¡°Su Yuyang, I vehemently request an extension of my vacation!¡± Feng Ji kissed An Yan¡¯s reddening cheeks and lamented, ¡°Yuyang and Xiao Miao are back. I have to go to the airport to pick them up. You continue sleeping.¡± An Yan curled up in the blankets and nodded. His shy expression drove Feng Ji wild. Feng Ji finally learned the meaning of ¡®trouble comes in twos.¡¯ Not only did Su Yuyang¡¯s text interrupt his good time, but it also forced him to delay his vacation. The moment Su Yuyang climbed in the car, he told Feng Ji about Ling Miao¡¯s father falling ill. With no other choice, Feng Ji helplessly accepted the truth of the matter. Su Yuyang suggested that Feng Ji hire two other people but Feng Ji said that he preferred to delay his vacation in order to cut costs. To this Su Yuyang replied, ¡°Just wait.¡± On the way to the hospital, Su Yuyang told Ling Miao his theory. Ling Miao listened then sank into thought. After a long time, he finally had an idea: ¡°How about this? I¡¯ll go in first and test the waters with my dad. If it¡¯s nothing to do with us, we¡¯ll just leave. If they know about us, then I¡¯ll arrange for you to meet him.¡± ¡°No, I want to meet your dad. As your employer.¡± Su Yuyang¡¯s eyes took on a mischievous glint. [Table of Contents] | [Buy your translation team a coffee?] Chapter 135 The Complete Guide to the Use and Care of a Personal Assistant Translator: Jury Editor: NomNom, Cien First Published on Chaleuria ¡ª Chapter One Hundred and Thirty-five ¡°You really want to go with me?¡± Ling Miao asked, standing in front of the elevator. Su Yuyang nodded resolutely. ¡°Why not? If your dad really knows about us, I want to see his response and whether you even have to worry on the one hand, and I can protect you if anything does happen on the other hand. If your dad doesn¡¯t know, we¡¯ll take things as they come¡± Though Ling Miao was somewhat unwilling, Su Yuyang¡¯s attitude was clear: He wouldn¡¯t change his mind. Feng Ji parked the car and walked over. ¡°You¡¯re not going back?¡± Su Yuyang asked. Feng Ji froze. Stunned, he replied, ¡°Why, do I need to go?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know when Ling Miao and I will be able to go back. Or we can drive back on our own if you leave the car here,¡± Su Yuyang suggested. Feng Ji happily tossed the keys to Su Yuyang upon hearing this. Heh heh, he wasn¡¯t going to waste time here with Su Yuyang and his husband. An Yan was still waiting for him at home! ¡°This guy, he¡¯s way too excited, right?¡± Su Yuyang said as he watched Feng Ji¡¯s swiftly departing back. Ling Miao didn¡¯t reply to Su Yuyang. He merely stated, ¡°The elevator¡¯s here.¡± Perhaps because they were on an elevator or simply due to his misperception, Su Yuyang felt that the person next to him was trembling. He turned to look at Ling Miao and asked with concern, ¡°Are you all right? If you¡¯re worried, we can go back and try again in a couple of days.¡± Ling Miao shook his head stubbornly. ¡°I want to know what¡¯s going on.¡± The elevator ascended very slowly because someone entered or exited on almost every floor. Suddenly, Ling Miao smiled. ¡°My relationship with my dad isn¡¯t very good because I¡¯m afraid of him.¡± ¡°Mm?¡± Ling Miao rarely mentioned his family to Su Yuyang. Now that he¡¯d brought it up of his own accord, Su Yuyang was interested. He quietly listened. ¡°From a young age,¡± murmured Ling Miao, ¡°I started learning to cook from my dad. When I did something poorly, he¡¯d hit or kick me. I was terrified of being hit, so I learned to be very attentive. In my rebellious phase, I began to resent him and our relationship grew colder. Then, my mom died. And not long after that, Hu Yueyuan married into the family; that¡¯s probably when our relationship completely soured. ¡°I haven¡¯t seen him much since then. He¡¯s rarely home. He¡¯s either training abroad or in some hotel kitchen. I haven¡¯t seen him at all since moving out. ¡°I¡¯m afraid of my dad¡¯s fists. If he really knows about the two of us, tell me, do you think he¡¯ll beat me until I¡¯m crippled? Thankfully, this is a hospital. The emergency room¡­.¡± ¡°What nonsense are you saying?¡± Su Yuyang interjected reproachfully. The elevator had finally arrived at their floor and he pulled Ling Miao out. Ling Miao was too lazy to look for the room. He gave Hu Yueyuan a phone call and, after a short wait, the woman reluctantly came to get them. She snapped, ¡°I told you which room your dad was in, why didn¡¯t you come over yourselves?¡± ¡°Too lazy,¡± Su Yuyang drawled. Hu Yueyuan glared at Su Yuyang, turned, and towards her husband¡¯s sickroom. Ling Miao¡¯s father was propped up against the headboard watching TV. ¡°Ling Miao¡¯s here,¡± Hu Yueyuan declared. Her husband turned to the doorway. His gaze swept past Hu Yueyuan and landed on Ling Miao¡¯s face. He ignored Su Yuyang, who found a chair and sat down instead of making his presence known. He lowered his head to read a novel. Ling Miao¡¯s dad treated him like a visiting friend or relative of the bed next door. Ling Miao¡¯s father¡¯s bright eyes swept over his son. Ling Miao¡¯s whole body tensed and his gait grew unsteady. ¡°How long has it been since we last saw each other?¡± His father¡¯s voice was severe, like that of a reigning emperor. Ling Miao bit his lip and didn¡¯t respond. His dad continued, ¡±I heard you still haven¡¯t found a job?¡± ¡°Who did you hear that from?¡± Ling Miao asked with a sneer. ¡°My workplace is hiring. If you still haven¡¯t found a job, I¡¯ll talk to my manager tomorrow and see if he¡¯ll employ you.¡± His dad didn¡¯t answer the question. Su Yuyang frowned. He could tell at a glance that Ling Miao¡¯s father was a self-centered man. He had arranged a job for Ling Miao without even asking his son¡¯s opinion. People like that were difficult to deal with! But, who said Ling Miao didn¡¯t have a job? Su Yuyang was Ling Miao¡¯s boss! Su Yuyang put his hands in his pockets and was about to get up and explain when he heard Ling Miao say resolutely, ¡°Not going.¡± He glanced at Su Yuyang, indicating that he shouldn¡¯t move. Su Yuyang looked at Ling Miao curiously, a mysterious smile on his face. This matter between father and son, he would let them settle it. Nevertheless, Su Yuyang wasn¡¯t in the mood to continue reading his novel. He openly watched Ling Miao and his father. As Su Yuyang¡¯s gaze swept past Hu Yueyuan, her poisonous expression sent a chill through him. ¡°You¡¯re already twenty-three. If you don¡¯t settle down, what will you have to offer when you get married?¡± Ling Miao¡¯s dad said righteously. Hearing his father¡¯s words, Ling Miao and Su Yuyang both let out the breath they¡¯d been holding. It looked like he didn¡¯t know about the two of them. Ling Miao shrugged indifferently. ¡°Whether I get married is my business. It doesn¡¯t have a single thing to do with you.¡± ¡°You!¡± The father threw off his covers and climbed out of bed. A slap landed directly against Ling Miao¡¯s face. The older man railed, ¡°When men grow up, they bring someone into the family! When women grow up, they marry into someone¡¯s family! Tomorrow! Tomorrow, you will go on a blind date! Yueyuan, didn¡¯t you collect the pictures of a number of candidates for Ling Miao? Let him choose!¡± Ling Miao¡¯s cheeks flamed red. He looked at Su Yuyang, his heart aching to the point of breaking. He couldn¡¯t help but to stand up and confront his dad. Ling Miao yelled, ¡°It¡¯s my life! I can handle it on my own!¡± His words were for both his father and Su Yuyang. Su Yuyang clenched his fist as he struggled to stand still. Ling Miao¡¯s dad raised his hand to slap his son yet again, but this time Ling Miao blocked it. For the first time, he defied his father. His father looked at him in shock, like he didn¡¯t recognize the man in front of him. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about my job,¡± Ling Miao said haltingly. ¡°Even more, you don¡¯t have to worry about my marriage. If not for Hu Yueyuan telling me you had almost died, I wouldn¡¯t have even come to see you.¡± Ling Miao let go of his father¡¯s arm and called out, ¡°Su Yuyang, let¡¯s go.¡± Seeing the man hurrying after his son, Ling Miao¡¯s father picked up the cup at his side and hurled it at Su Yuyang. ¡°Aahh!¡± The author cried out in pain. Upon hearing Su Yuyang¡¯s cry, Ling Miao stopped and turned back to him. ¡°Are you alright?¡± he asked. ¡°What is your relationship to him?!¡± Ling Miao¡¯s dad¡¯s gaze flashed dangerously, as sharp as a knife. ¡°Lov¡ª¡± ¡°I¡¯m his boss,¡± Su Yuyang said, smiling as he looked at Ling Miao¡¯s dad. ¡°Boss?¡± Hu Yueyuan, who had been quiet for a long time, let out a mocking laugh. She said coldly, ¡°I think they¡¯re lovers. If not, would an employee call his supervisor by name?¡± Ling Miao¡¯s father¡¯s gaze hardened. He asked, ¡°Are you and he really in that kind of relationship?¡± [Table of Contents] | [Buy your translation team a coffee?] Chapter 136 The Complete Guide to the Use and Care of a Personal Assistant Translator: Jury Editor: NomNom, Cien First Published on Chaleuria ¡ª Chapter One Hundred and Thirty-six ¡°I thought you would reflect on yourself after I left home, but, you¡¯re as selfish as ever.¡± Ling Miao didn¡¯t answer his father¡¯s question. He held on to Su Yuyang¡¯s hand and smiled coldly. ¡°I came here with a sliver of hope but all I got was disappointment. That¡¯s right, Su Yuyang and I are in a relationship! We¡¯ve lived together for several months now.¡± ¡°Let go!¡± His father rushed forward and tried to separate the pair¡¯s interlaced fingers. ¡°How can a man be with a man?! Even if you aren¡¯t ashamed, I am!¡± he said, aggravated. The argument in the sickroom attracted the attention of others. Su Yuyang bent next to Ling Miao¡¯s ear and whispered, ¡°We¡¯re like animals in a zoo.¡± ¡°So what?¡± Ling Miao didn¡¯t care at all. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with me loving you? I want to be with you!¡± He emphasized every word. His father grew so furious his hands trembled. He pointed at Ling Miao and gritted out, ¡°You¡­ you¡­ you¡­¡± He repeated, ¡®you,¡¯ for a while without saying anything else Then, he fell backward. Reacting quickly, Hu Yueyuan caught him and helped him into bed in a panic. The doctor arrived immediately. After asking what had happened, he told Ling Miao, ¡°Your father received quite a shock, one big enough to affect his heart and cause him to faint. While I understand your situation, if you don¡¯t want your father¡¯s life to be in danger, it¡¯s best that you follow his wishes.¡± Ling Miao was silent. Releasing Su Yuyang¡¯s hand, he stood by the sickbed like a statue. The doctor¡¯s words echoed through Ling Miao¡¯s mind: If you don¡¯t want your father¡¯s life to be in danger, it¡¯s best that you follow his wishes. From behind, Su Yuyang approached his lover and placed his hands on Ling Miao¡¯s shoulders. ¡°I think, when your dad wakes up, he¡¯ll have a lot to say to you. I¡¯ll go back first,¡± he offered. ¡°Su Yuyang.¡± Ling Miao turned around and hugged the departing Su Yuyang, his forehead against the author¡¯s back. Hoarsely, he said, ¡°I¡¯m scared.¡± ¡°What are you scared of?¡± ¡°I remembered Tang Xuan.¡± Ling Miao¡¯s breath was uneven and his voice shook. He hugged Su Yuyang tightly and sobbed, ¡°I¡¯m scared that another person is going to die because of me! Su Yuyang, I feel terrible! I don¡¯t know what to do. Su Yuyang, tell me, what should I do?!¡± The author gently took the hand clinging to his waist. He turned to face Ling Miao, who looked like a small, pitiful animal abandoned by its owner and in need of love. Wiping away the tears from the corner of Ling Miao¡¯s eyes, Su Yuyang tenderly said, ¡°Do what your heart really wants to do. But, no matter what you decide, promise me you won¡¯t hurt yourself.¡± He was well aware what Ling Miao was thinking. ¡°But¡­¡± Ling Miao lay against Su Yuyang¡¯s chest, unable to say the words. Su Yuyang smiled. ¡°When your dad¡¯s situation is stable, we¡¯ll sit down and have a proper talk. He just can¡¯t take the shock right now,¡± he said. Ling Miao didn¡¯t have the strength to argue. In the parking lot, Su Yuyang took the car and left. Ling Miao stood by the side of the road, looking in the direction the other man had gone. He silently thought, One week. Give me one week. Ling Miao sat in the hospital room reading a novel. His father gradually opened his eyes. Finding his son at his side, his gaze held only anger. ¡°Where¡¯s that man?¡± he snapped. Ling Miao didn¡¯t even look up. ¡°He left,¡± he replied coldly. ¡°Hmph! Good thing he left or I¡¯d have broken his legs!¡± exclaimed the father fiercely, his eyes sharp as daggers. Ling Miao laughed frostily. ¡°Who knows who¡¯d end up with broken legs?¡± ¡°Is that any way to speak to your father?¡± ¡°If a father doesn¡¯t act like one, why must his son?¡± ¡°Tomorrow, you¡¯ll go on a blind date. Yueyuan, show him the photos,¡± Ling Miao¡¯s dad huffed. A while ago, he had told Hu Yueyuan to gather photos from relatives and friends. He had intended to call Ling Miao after a few days and schedule the dates. The current situation was convenient¡ªhe had one less phone call to make. Hu Yueyuan took a stack of photographs from her bag and handed them to Ling Miao. ¡°Here¡¯s a portion of them. The rest are at home. If necessary, I¡¯ll go get them.¡± The young man didn¡¯t even look at the photographs. Pulling one out, he tossed it on the bed. Hu Yueyuan turned the picture over and glanced at the name on the back. She then pulled out her phone to contact the girl¡¯s mother. 10 minutes later, the two had arranged a meeting place and time. ¡°I¡¯ll go home first,¡± Ling Miao said tiredly. His dad asked warily, ¡°Where to?¡± ¡°Your house.¡± Ling Miao picked up his luggage and walked in the direction of the exit. Hu Yueyuan reminded him, ¡°Tomorrow, ten o¡¯clock at XX Teahouse.¡± Ling Miao seemed to not have heard. With a dark expression, Hu Yueyuan¡¯s husband instructed her, ¡°Tomorrow, go with Ling Miao to meet the girl.¡± Ling Miao returned to his icy room and collapsed like a corpse onto the bed. He couldn¡¯t agitate his father, he needed to obey his father¡¯s wishes. Ling Miao¡¯s head hurt. Without warning, Ling Miao¡¯s phone rang. He weakly pulled it out. Seeing the display, all his strength was sapped from his body. The ringing stopped. Several seconds later, Ling Miao received a text message Su Yuyang: I just got home. Ling Miao let out the breath he¡¯d been holding. He wanted to reply to Su Yuyang, but he couldn¡¯t get his fingers to move. ¡°Fuck it!¡± Ling Miao tossed the phone onto the bed in frustration. Before long, another text arrived from Su Yuyang: Take care of yourself. When you¡¯re done, call me. Ling Miao stared at the author¡¯s message in a daze, and a smile reflexively surfaced on his lips. With shaking fingers, Ling Miao responded, ¡°Got it.¡± He thought about it, then also replied, ¡°I¡¯m going on a blind date tomorrow.¡± Ling Miao couldn¡¯t guess what expression Su Yuyang was making now. He stared at the text message as if he could see the other man through the phone. Not long after his text, Ling Miao received a reply from Su Yuyang. Mm. Take care of yourself. And, if anything comes up, call me. Also, don¡¯t ignore my calls. I¡¯ll worry. ¡°Got it.¡± After chatting with Su Yuyang a while longer, the pressure in Ling Miao¡¯s heart no longer felt as heavy. He turned over and stared at the ceiling, thinking about how to extricate himself properly from tomorrow¡¯s situation without upsetting his father. The next morning, Hu Yueyuan woke Ling Miao. She was dolled up and dressed to the nines, as if she had walked out of a portrait. Though he felt nothing but dislike for her, Ling Miao had to admit that Hu Yueyuan was a beautiful woman. She dragged him out of the house despite it being quite some time before the appointment. At the teahouse, Ling Miao stared at his phone. Hu Yueyuan glared at him and snapped, ¡°Don¡¯t look so frivolous. If a girl sees you like that, she might just turn and leave.¡± Ling Miao thought, That would be perfect. He ignored Hu Yueyuan and continued reading his novel. Half an hour later, the girl arrived one minute before the appointed time. A shadow fell across the opposite seat, and Ling Miao raised his head to look. Two women sat down opposite him: One was about 40, the other in her 20s. The younger woman was probably his date. Noticing she, too, looked frustrated, Ling Miao smiled. I might be able to get out of this scot-freeunscathed! [Table of Contents] | [Buy your translation team a coffee?] Chapter 137 The Complete Guide to the Use and Care of a Personal Assistant Translator: Jury Editor: NomNom, Cien First Published on Chaleuria ¡ª Chapter One Hundred and Thirty-seven Xia Can, the girl who was Ling Miao¡¯s date, noticed that Ling Miao didn¡¯t even look at her or seem to care about her at all. Happily, she thought, Looks like this guy was also forced to be here like me! The two parents chatted in a friendly manner. However, seeing the impatient looks on both of their children¡¯s faces, the mothers¡¯ expressions soured. Hu Yueyuan awkwardly suggested, ¡°It¡¯s probably because we¡¯re here that they¡¯re too embarrassed to talk. How about this? Let¡¯s go and leave them to it.¡± ¡°Xia Can, seize this opportunity, or you really won¡¯t be able to get married,¡± Xia Can¡¯s mother said gravely. With that, the moms disappeared around the corner. Ling Miao put his phone away. ¡°I was forced to be here,¡± he said quietly. ¡°Also, our orientations aren¡¯t compatible. So, I¡¯ll just go.¡± ¡°¡®Orientations aren¡¯t compatible¡¯?¡± Xia Can¡¯s eyes brightened. ¡°You¡¯re gay?¡± ¡°You too?¡± Ling Miao raised an eyebrow. ¡°I¡¯m not,¡± Xia Can replied regretfully, ¡°but I have a friend who is. Do you want me to introduce you to him?¡± Xia Can looked at Ling Miao hopefully, but Ling Miao shook his head apologetically. ¡°There¡¯s someone I like, and we¡¯re already living together,¡± he explained. Understanding the general situation, Xia Can sighed and looked quite at a loss. Ling Miao rose to go downstairs, but Xia Can stopped him. ¡°I dare say they¡¯re chatting downstairs. If you go down now, you¡¯ll end up on the wrong end of the gun.¡± As Ling Miao thought about it, Xia Can¡¯s words did make sense. He sat down and continued reading his novel. The first blind date passed in reading novels. When he got home, Hu Yueyuan asked how things went, and Ling Miao said their personalities hadn¡¯t been compatible. He had wanted to say ¡®gender incompatible,¡¯ but Hu Yueyuan would definitely convey his words verbatim to his dad. And his dad wasn¡¯t to be upset so Ling Miao couldn¡¯t speak his heart. In the next few days, Ling Miao¡¯s time was spent either on dates or traveling to them. His script for each date was always the same: ¡°I¡¯m on this date because I was forced. Our orientations are incompatible.¡± Upon hearing this, some girls called him a pervert, and some simply turned and left. Others suggested marriage¡ªbecause they, too, were homosexual¡ªbut Ling Miao turned them down. Time passed quickly. The condition of Ling Miao¡¯s dad improved greatly and he was soon to be discharged from the hospital. The day he was released, Ling Miao went to the hospital to bid his father goodbye. When he reached the ward, he heard the sounds of quarrelling. Ling Miao¡¯s father was arguing with his apprentice, the very apprentice who had angered the man enough to land him in the hospital in the first place. ¡°Scram!¡± The father yelled at the apprentice. The apprentice helplessly sighed and left. ¡°What are you here for?¡± The old man snapped as Ling Miao entered. Ling Miao said coolly, ¡°Since you¡¯re well again, I don¡¯t have to keep up this act. I¡¯m here to say goodbye, and I won¡¯t be coming back.¡± ¡°Traitor!¡± Ling Miao¡¯s dad picked up the cup at his side and hurled it at Ling Miao, who didn¡¯t dodge. Suddenly, Ling Miao felt something tighten around his body and he fell into a warm embrace. He didn¡¯t have the chance to see who was hugging him when a gentle hum came from above his head. ¡°Su Yuyang?¡± Ling Miao, surprised and worried, turned to face his lover. He asked anxiously, ¡°Were you injured?¡± Su Yuyang didn¡¯t respond. He pressed Ling Miao into his shoulder, and his arms tightly encircled the man¡¯s body as if to mold Ling Miao to himself. Returning the hug, Ling Miao complained, ¡°Why did you block the cup for me? If he wants to hurt me, let him.¡± Su Yuyang listened to Ling Miao¡¯s childish whining and laughed. ¡°I blocked it and it hit my shoulder. If I didn¡¯t block it, it would have hit your head. You¡¯re already stupid. If you¡¯d been hit, you¡¯d be completely silly! And then, what would I do for the rest of my life?¡± Su Yuyang and Ling Miao flirted with one another heedless of time and place. As he watched, Ling Miao¡¯s father felt his blood pressure rise. ¡°You two, get away from each other!¡± He stepped forward and tried to separate the pair. But, the moment he touched Ling Miao, he heard a slightly breathless woman¡¯s voice say, ¡°In-law,1 I think we should have a talk!¡± ¡°Why is Mom here?!¡± Ling Miao looked at the person before him in shock. It was Su Yuyang¡¯s mom! ¡°Xiao Yu said you¡¯d run into difficulties and came to me. This boy¡­ Really! You should have come to me the day you got back. You put it off and put it off and now, even though it¡¯s been so long, you still haven¡¯t done a thing! In the end, you needed me to come along.¡± ¡°I only just thought of it!¡± Su Yuyang said, aggrieved. ¡°¡®Mom?¡¯¡± Ling Miao¡¯s dad was livid at the way his son addressed the woman. ¡°And who are you?¡± ¡°Oh, I forgot to introduce myself!¡± Chagrined, Su Yuyang¡¯s mom slapped her forehead. ¡°I¡¯m Su Yuyang¡¯s mom and your in-law. Though this is the first time we¡¯re meeting, my son has told me about you.¡± ¡°Who¡¯s your in-law?¡± The father looked thoroughly unconcerned, and his gaze dismissive as he looked atSu Yuyang¡¯s mother. Ignoring the man¡¯s glare, she recalled, ¡°At first, when I found out that Xiao Yu liked men, my reaction was about the same as yours. I also wanted to take my son to be cured or find a wife for him. But, as I grew to understand the gay community, I no longer objected to Xiao Yu being homosexual. I just hope the person he likes isn¡¯t a criminal and won¡¯t hurt him.¡± ¡°Hmph!¡± Clearly, Ling Miao¡¯s dad thought the woman¡¯s words were a farce. ¡°Like mother, like son!¡± he yelled. ¡°Now I know why your son is like this! Your entire family is crazy!¡± ¡°You¡­!¡± Su Yuyang couldn¡¯t remain calm as his mother was insulted. He raised his fist and was about to hit Ling Miao¡¯s dad when his mom restrained him. ¡°I already told you I would take full responsibility for this matter. You two just sit and wait for the result,¡± she declared confidently. His mother approached Ling Miao¡¯s dad. She took out a tablet and showed the man the resources she had prepared. ¡°This is all the information I gathered at first. I hope reading it will help you.¡± The ward went quiet. Ling Miao¡¯s father stared at the tablet. His expression changed from dismissive to shocked, from shocked to grave. After a long time he said, ¡°Is this true?¡± Su Yuyang¡¯s mom nodded. ¡°If you don¡¯t believe it, you can do your own research. I¡¯m sure, afterward, you¡¯ll make the same choice I did. Because you¡¯re Ling Miao¡¯s father. If even their own families don¡¯t stand by Su Yuyang and Ling Miao, their lives will be much more difficult! I¡¯m not asking you to understand them completely, but, please, don¡¯t stop them. Now that the children are grown and can think on their own, we can¡¯t interfere. As long as they live well, we, as parents, only need to wish them well.¡± ¡°It sounds better spoken than sung,¡± a mocking voice interjected. Everyone turned to see Hu Yueyuan with a disdainful expression and her arms folded. ¡°Ling Miao, who¡¯s this?¡± Su Yuyang¡¯s mom studied Hu Yueyuan. ¡°Hu Yueyuan,¡± replied Ling Miao coldly. ¡°Ling Miao¡¯s stepmother,¡± Hu Yueyuan added haughtily. ¡°¡®Stepmother¡¯?¡± Su Yuyang¡¯s mother looked at her in surprise. ¡°Xiao Miao, did she forget her meds? Quick, get a doctor here to look at her head.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no cure for stupid.¡± Su Yuyang calmly twisted the knife. ¡°You¡­!¡± ¡°Enough!¡± Ling Miao¡¯s dad abruptly interrupted the quarrel. [Table of Contents] | [Buy your translation team a coffee?] Translation notes: [1] ¡°In-law¡±: a casual/familiar form of address between a person and their child¡¯s spouse¡¯s parent. Chapter 138 The Complete Guide to the Use and Care of a Personal Assistant Translator: Jury Editor: NomNom, Cien First Published on Chaleuria ¡ª Chapter One Hundred and Thirty-eight ¡°No matter how much you try to convince me, I won¡¯t agree to them!¡± Ling Miao¡¯s dad yelled. ¡°How can a man be with a man? Ling Miao, if you still acknowledge me as your father, cut off all contact with him!¡± Su Yuyang steadily watched Ling Miao, who looked into Su Yuyang¡¯s eyes. Su Yuyang¡¯s face was calm, his eyes bright. Ling Miao held Su Yuyang¡¯s hand and smiled coldly at his father. ¡°These last few days, I¡¯ve thought about it a lot. I figured you wouldn¡¯t agree to me and Su Yuyang no matter what. Since you¡¯ve said so yourself, then I¡¯ll do as I¡®ve been thinking. Su Yuyang, let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Ling Miao!¡± His father¡¯s low voice was full of anger, but Ling Miao seemed to not have heard him. Holding Su Yuyang¡¯s hand, he didn¡¯t look back as he left the room. In the car on the way back, Ling Miao leaned on Su Yuyang¡¯s shoulder and didn¡¯t speak. With worry written on his face, Su Yuyang kissed his lover¡¯s hair. ¡°I thought we could leave leisurely,¡± Ling Miao choked out. ¡°But, now that we¡¯ve left, there¡¯s a weight in my heart. I feel like I can¡¯t breathe.¡± Su Yuyang¡¯s arm circled Ling Miao¡¯s back, and he gently rubbed at his arm. ¡°All things have a turning point, right?¡± Su Yuyang comforted him. ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°Alright, alright.¡± Su Yuyang¡¯s mom couldn¡¯t take it any more. ¡°Since you¡¯ve made your decision, just keep moving forward. What¡¯s the point in thinking about all this now? Are you planning to go back and wait for your father¡¯s blessing before you¡¯ll be with Xiao Yu? To me, it looks like if you go back you¡¯ll be driven crazy by your father or tormented to death by your stepmother.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going back.¡± Holding Su Yuyang¡¯s hand, Ling Miao resolutely declared, ¡°I believe my decision was right.¡± Everything seemed to become calm once again. Ling Miao and Su Yuyang passed their days slowly, but their peace was soon broken by a phone call. When Su Yuyang took the call, Feng Ji¡¯s curses came through the receiver, ¡°Hey, Su Yuyang, you¡¯re back now! Come and take a shift!¡± Su Yuyang switched the phone to his other ear and put a finger in his traumatized ear. ¡°What¡¯s the hurry? When I finish writing Massacre, I¡¯ll take over the work.¡± ¡°Fuck, you¡¯ve gotta be joking with me! It¡¯ll be next year by the time you finish Massacre!¡± Feng Ji complained with dissatisfaction. ¡°I¡¯m going to take Xiao An and go on vacation right away!¡± ¡°If you really can¡¯t wait, then close the shop,¡± Su Yuyang suggested, ruffling his hair. He really, really didn¡¯t want to mind the shop! Feng Ji was furious now. He slammed the table and complained more loudly, ¡°One whole year?! If the shop closes for a year, what will I eat? Do you think I¡¯m a successful author like you and have income even if I don¡¯t write?¡± As Feng Ji spoke, he began sobbing. ¡°Stop! I¡¯ll head over, alright?¡± Su Yuyang was thoroughly defeated by Feng Ji. ¡°Xiao Miao, Feng Ji wants us to come over.¡± Su Yuyang stretched lazily and hummed. ¡°Just a minute; I have two hundred words left.¡± Ling Miao¡¯s voice was muffled around the lollipop in his mouth. Su Yuyang scooted over behind Ling Miao and hugged him. He kissed Ling Miao¡¯s ear and said, ¡°It¡¯s been three hours. How are you still on this chapter?¡± Ling Miao turned and slapped Su Yuyang¡¯s head. He rubbed the offended spot gently and said helplessly, ¡°Writer¡¯s block.¡± Ling Miao¡¯s forehead creased. His wry and dispirited gaze inexplicably made Su Yuyang smile. Su Yuyang pressed several keys on the keyboard, shutting down all the processes. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Ling Miao asked, panicked. Su Yuyang tenderly reasoned, ¡°Let¡¯s go out for a walk and change your mood. Looking at you these last few days, you¡¯ve been either writing or playing games. You even wanted me to cook.¡± Sigh. Ling Miao pulled aside the curtains and looked out the window. The sky was dark, as if it would rain at any time. Above the sidewalk, the leaves on the trees swayed slightly. It seemed there was a wind blowing, as well. ¡°It¡¯s windy. Remember to put on a jacket.¡± Ling Miao reminded Su Yuyang. He was just buttoning up the last button of his shirt. Hearing Ling Miao¡¯s words, Su Yuyang stopped, then smiled. ¡°The temperature¡¯s not that low today. A little wind¡¯s nothing.¡± A little wind? On the way home, Ling Miao glanced at Su Yuyang who was shivering uncontrollably. Ling Miao pulled at Su Yuyang¡¯s hands and said reproachfully, ¡°I told you to wear a jacket, but you were stubborn. Now you¡¯re cold?¡± Su Yuyang smiled and didn¡¯t say anything, but his hand tightened around Ling Miao¡¯s. Hand in hand, the two leisurely walked to W&S. On the road, they encountered many curious gazes but the sweetness in both their smiles didn¡¯t falter. Feng Ji saw the couple laughing and talking as they entered. They seemed intent on displaying PDA1 for an audience, and Feng Ji couldn¡¯t help but tease, ¡°When did you become conjoined twins? Even when you¡¯re walking, you¡¯re together.¡± With satisfaction, Su Yuyang replied, ¡°We¡¯ll be together for a lifetime.¡± Feng Ji glared sourly at Su Yuyang. Grinning as he pulled out the aprons he had prepared beforehand, Feng Ji handed them to the couple. ¡°Xiao An and I are leaving next week. This week, you two can get used to the place.¡± Su Yuyang took an apron and passed it to Ling Miao. ¡°What about you?¡± Ling Miao asked. ¡°I¡¯m the boss, so I just have to sit to one side and watch,¡± responded Su Yuyang matter-of-factly. ¡°Fuck.¡± Ling Miao took the other apron and put it on Su Yuyang before he could react. Seeing that Ling Miao and Su Yuyang had familiarized themselves with the shop, Feng Ji and An Yan prepared to go on their vacation. Afterward, the following scene repeated at W&S every day: A young and handsome man leisurely stood at the cash register. Although his handsome brow was gently creased, his whole appearance was very likeable. Whenever someone started staring at him, an angry voice would say, ¡°Xiao Miao, what are you daydreaming about?¡± Then, the owner of said voice would possessively embrace the man and gently kiss his cheek. In response, Ling Miao would indicate his head hurt. And sometimes, the scene would go like this: ¡°Su Yuyang, take these things to the customers at table five¡­ Su Yuyang, clear table three¡­ Su Yuyang¡­ Su Yuyang¡­¡± The man called ¡°Su Yuyang¡± bustled about nonstop like a spinning top. The man who was making him work was the youth behind the counter. In time, everyone was able to guess the relationship between the two. Some curious people would go up to the register and ask Ling Miao many questions, which were all fielded by Su Yuyang. After a day of hard work, Ling Miao collapsed on the bed the moment he got home. Su Yuyang tapped Ling Miao and told him to shower. Ling Miao turned over and whined, ¡°I¡¯m so tired. I¡¯ll take a nap first.¡± ¡°You¡¯re all sweaty,¡± Su Yuyang said disdainfully. ¡°If you don¡¯t go, I¡¯ll carry you there.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go, alright?¡± Ling Miao picked up his pajamas and dragged his tired body to the bathroom. Su Yuyang opened his laptop and continued writing the chapter he had not finished during the day. When Ling Miao returned after his shower, he saw that Su Yuyang was still writing. ¡°You¡¯ve had a tiring day, don¡¯t write any more. Why don¡¯t you rest early?¡± Ling Miao suggested with concern. ¡°I feel fine.¡± Su Yuyang¡¯s face was carefree and not a hint of tiredness could be seen. ¡°Besides, I¡¯m about to write the ending. I want to write it all in one go.¡± ¡°Then, I¡¯ll sleep first.¡± His voice thick with sleep, Ling Miao couldn¡¯t take it anymore. He nestled into the blankets and quickly fell asleep. It was 2 a.m. when Su Yuyang finished writing the ending. The man on the bed was sleeping like a baby, his pouted lips a faint pink. Drawn in by the scene before him, Su Yuyang bent down and pressed his lips gently to Ling Miao¡¯s own. The other man seemed to notice. He gave a whine and twisted his head. Su Yuyang frantically raised his head. Seeing that Ling Miao hadn¡¯t woken up, he let out a breath. He hugged his lover from behind so that Ling Miao¡¯s back was flush against Su Yuyang¡¯s chest. Feeling the warmth from Ling Miao¡¯s body, Su Yuyang¡¯s lips lifted in a contented smile. ¡ªDivider¡ª Su Yuyang and Ling Miao¡¯s daily life was filled with squabbling. Su Yuyang would wear a dark expression because other people were staring at Ling Miao and wouldn¡¯t look away. Then, Ling Miao would give instructions to Su Yuyang with an even darker expression, leaving Su Yuyang so busy he had no time to watch Ling Miao. At home, Su Yuyang prepared his new book while Ling Miao wrote. This was the quietest and happiest time for them. The pair sat back to back on the bed, busy with their own things. When they got tired, one would rest for a while against the other¡¯s shoulder. Ling Miao often fell asleep as he rested. When this happened, Su Yuyang would help Ling Miao edit his chapters and upload them on time. Every so often, Su Yuyang and Ling Miao would receive photographs and postcards from Feng Ji. Heh, Feng Ji had even met up with Yan Li! Feng Ji and An Yan¡¯s vacation was still ongoing but it had to be cut short for one thing: Yan Li and Ji Linxi were getting married! Cough, cough, according to Yan Li, she was pregnant. ¡°Fuck! Linxi¡¯s moving too fast, isn¡¯t he?¡± Reading Yan Li¡¯s letter, Ling Miao gained some respect for Ji Linxi. Su Yuyang only said, ¡°I don¡¯t think Ji Linxi started it.¡± ¡°Neither do I.¡± Feng Ji grinned. ¡°Yan Li has such a strong personality, and Ji Linxi is awkward. I don¡¯t think he would initiate it.¡± ¡°You¡¯re back!¡± Su Yuyang turned to see Feng Ji and An Yan standing at the shop entrance. Yan Li and Ji Linxi¡¯s wedding took place in her hometown. Yan Li couldn¡¯t do everything herself, so the preparations were basically handed over to Su Yuyang and Ling Miao. Now that Feng Ji was back, Su Yuyang could hand off a lot of things. ¡°Xiao An, let¡¯s get married too!¡± Feng Ji suddenly suggested. An Yan took hold of Feng Ji¡¯s hands and shyly nodded. Su Yuyang watched Ling Miao¡¯s back and concluded, Marriage is a pretty good idea. Ling Miao felt a chill at his back. He shuddered and turned to see Su Yuyang¡¯s dangerous smile. ¡ªEND¡ª [Table of Contents] | [Buy your translation team a coffee?] And they lived happily ever after, the end! Thank you for following Ling Miao and Su Yuyang on this journey. Translation notes: [1] PDA: public display(s) of affection