Sponsored chapter (2/5)
After those words were spoken, Yu Baihan’s leaning body froze for a moment, then slowly retracted.
Caught off guard, he was hit.
He glanced at Lu Huan beside him: … Did they really kiss?
The moment when Lu Huan wiped the corner of his mouth last time.
Kissed, but it seemed like they hadn’t.
Under the eager gazes of all present, Lu Huan pressed his lips and withdrew his fingers from where they were resting on his knees.
In the ensuing silence, Wen Lou couldn’t hold back and urged softly, “What are you waiting for, Brother Lu? Is the kiss so intense that you haven’t gone back to the moment of the first kiss?”
He received a hit on the arm after saying this.
Qi Jue added, “Shh! Brother Lu is composing his response.”
Lu Huan’s hand tightened suddenly.
Yu Baihan: … Let’s not talk about this.
Finally, after a minute-long “inner monologue,” Hardware Wholesalers couldn’t hold back anymore. Yang Xinyuan probed, “Brother Lu, are you in deep contemplation?”
Lu Huan suddenly raised his eyes.
Yang Xinyuan swallowed hard, “This question was aimed at your head, so it’s still not a valid challenge?”
A deathly silence filled the room.
The five friends exchanged glances, and then Qi Jue turned his gaze to Yu Baihan, who was nearby, urgently seeking rescue. “…Baihan?”
Yu Baihan was silent for two seconds, then cleared his throat, “It’s just…”
All collective eyes instantly shifted to him.
From the corner of his eye, Lu Huan’s gaze seemed to turn towards him.
Yu Baihan blushed and started improvising. “It’s soft and warm. It’s crispy and tingling like an electric shock… Lu Huan’s tongue skillfully danced, intertwining and spiraling…”
He described it in such vivid detail that the five friends blushed and their hearts raced, and they all made an appreciative “gulp.”
A hand suddenly shot up to cover his mouth, “Oh!”
Lu Huan looked up, his eyes unusually warm, “That’s enough.”
A dry voice pierced the atmosphere. Yu Baihan met his gaze, feeling as if he was on fire. Lu Huan’s warm breath brushed against the back of his hand, and his lips seemed to graze against the palm.
Yu Baihan’s face was burning: What’s going on?
In any case, Lu Huan was the one tasked with telling the truth, so it was alright for him to embellish a little.
The five friends were abruptly interrupted while enjoying the excitement, and they grew anxious, “Hey! Brother Lu, what are you doing!”
Just as they were shouting, Yang Xinyuan suddenly exclaimed, “Hold on!”
He scrutinized Lu Huan’s ears carefully, “…Brother Lu, are you blushing?”
Yu Baihan:?
A few pairs of eyes turned towards them—
Lu Huan withdrew his hand and stood up, appearing nonchalant. “You’re mistaken.” After saying this, he turned and walked out of the living room, “The alcohol smell is too strong. I’ll go out for some fresh air.”
The tall figure swiftly exited the living room.
The remaining five friends exchanged puzzled glances:
“So, it was just about drinking?”
“I had a feeling. How could Brother Lu blush while discussing his first kiss? After all, even the water bed…”
“Shh!”
Several pairs of eyes shifted back and forth, understanding each other perfectly.
Yu Baihan, “…”
Look at these mischievous minds!
He sighed internally. I clarify; it wasn’t like that~
Moments ago, Lu Huan’s intense gaze was still warm, and Yu Baihan’s face still felt flushed. He decided to excuse himself. “I think I’ll go for a walk too.”
The group of friends immediately nodded knowingly, “Sure, take a stroll, no hurry to come back.”
“Hehe~”
“Hee hee hee~”
“……”
A loud bang resonated as the patio door closed with a rustling sound.
Upon stepping out onto the terrace, Yu Baihan spotted Lu Huan standing on the path at the corner of the courtyard. As he approached, Lu Huan seemed to sense something and swiftly turned his head to glance at Yu Baihan.
A nonchalant question floated in the air, “Why are you here?”
Yu Baihan playfully maneuvered around to face him, subtly seeking credit, “Yu Baihan assisted you. How might you express your gratitude to Baihan?”
Lu Huan’s gaze instinctively fell on his lips.
Yu Baihan froze: OuO
Beside them stood a lush tree. Yu Baihan lifted his face, capturing the dancing shadows of the leaves reflecting in his bright eyes, the dappled sunlight, creating a beautiful play of light and shadow.
Lu Huan observed him, his eyelashes lowering.
Just as their fingers moved slightly, a sudden shadow cast over them, breaking the mottled light.
Lu Huan:?
He quickly pulled Yu Baihan and stepped back. Looking up, he saw the “dancing Baihan” in the courtyard, bending and tilting its head, arm raised as if sweeping over the spot where Yu Baihan had stood a moment ago.
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
Oe Lejc, “…”
Te Djltjc aegcfv tlr tfjv jcv wfa tlr bkc ojmf.
Pc atf cfza wbwfca, atf lwjuf rtloafv jcv rbjgfv lcab atf rxs, atf “vjcmlcu mbeqif” lcafgaklcfv, qijsoeiis rqjgglcu lc atf mbegasjgv.
“……”
Lf klatvgfk tlr ujhf, eckliilcu ab kjamt oegatfg.
Vtloalcu tlr obmer, Te Djltjc raevlfv Oe Lejc’r rtjgq pjk obg j ofk rfmbcvr yfobgf lcralcmalnfis gfjmtlcu bea ab abemt la.
Crack, his hand was caught.
Lu Huan glanced down, “Why are you poking around?”
Yu Baihan responded, “Just admiring your smooth sea otter-like cheek~”
“…” Lu Huan looked at him for a few seconds before removing his hand, “Let’s go inside.”
“Sure. OvO”
The two made their way back to the terrace and were about to enter the house when Yu Baihan suddenly heard Lu Huan’s voice from ahead.
“Thank you, I’ll consider it.”
With a cheerful “wow–“, he pushed the door open and stepped inside.
Yu Baihan’s eyes brightened!
It seemed that Xiao Lu was genuinely giving it some thought~
—
After their return, they continued playing several rounds of games and then shifted to a few rounds of poker.
The creative chaos of Wuduo Jinhua made following the rules seem too dull. As a result, when Qi Jue and the others turned the living room into a mini KTV, the scene gradually descended into joyful chaos.
Wen Lou and Yang Xinyuan even engaged in a playful water fight with the courtyard water pipes. The splashing water even landed on the legs of the “Dancing Lu Huan”.
…
After some playful antics, dinner was finally ready.
Aunt Zhou prepared a few dishes, and they also ordered some takeout.
A table filled with dishes was set in the dining room, and Yu Baihan and the five golden flowers were all engrossed in happily indulging their taste buds.
During the meal, Lu Huan stepped out to answer a phone call.
After finishing the call, he didn’t return to the dining room but instead sat in the side hall and turned on the computer to catch up on some reading.
Qi Jue and the others glanced in that direction while eating:
“Brother Lu seems caught up in work again.”
“Did our dinner party disturb his work?”
“No way, if he was really swamped, Brother Lu wouldn’t have agreed to the gathering.”
“True.”
Wen Lou analyzed, “It’s probably because the company has just been reorganized…”
He suddenly paused! Hastily covering his mouth, he looked at Yu Baihan nervously. Then, he raised his hand, making a gesture of surrender, “Oops, slip of the tongue.”
Yu Baihan didn’t mind at all and was quite cheerful, “It’s all good~”
Everyone breathed a collective sigh of relief: Their love was indeed deep and solid.
Lemons appeared in Yang Xinyuan’s eyes again, “I envy you.”
Yu Baihan: …
No, there’s nothing to be envious of.
Conversations about Lu Huan’s work swiftly shifted.
Qi Jue inquired of Yu Baihan, “If you get into C University, you’ll have to stay in a dorm. Would that mean being apart from Brother Lu?”
Yu Baihan considered, “Living on campus would be more convenient.”
“In fact, Brother Lu could also buy an apartment near the school. Both of you could live there, and it’s closer to his workplace.”
The five friends began to discuss and contemplate again:
“Great idea, adding another little companion.”
“Oh~~~~ The powerful CEO and his college student spouse!”
“…”
Yu Baihan shot them a glance:
Unbelievable, Yang Xinyuan was already searching for property listings!
Well, they were all a few of Lu Huan’s friends, so let them enjoy themselves.
—
Hardware Wholesalers didn’t leave until past ten in the evening.
After bidding farewell to a few friends, Lu Huan took his laptop and headed upstairs.
Yu Baihan followed him up, “Did you manage the matters regarding the Si family just now?”
“There were some Si family matters.” Lu Huan paused, “And a few other things.”
Yu Baihan glanced at his expression, detecting a trace of coldness in his normally composed profile.
He had a vague inkling of what might be going on.
Lu Huan had ascended to a higher position, and this had secretly fueled envy in many individuals. Particularly those who had anticipated his downfall at the beginning were now left red-faced, hoping for Lu Huan’s downfall.
Even those with no personal grudge against Lu Huan were indifferent.
But there’s an old saying:
Some people delight in watching tall buildings crumble.
Thinking about this, Yu Baihan grasped Lu Huan’s hand, lightly tracing his fingertips over the other’s dry palm, providing a modicum of comfort.
Lu Huan flexed his fingers, holding onto Yu Baihan’s fingertips.
Yu Baihan spoke softly, “It’s alright. As long as you become stronger, stronger…”
…
The fingertips were released, and then his face was pinched into a fish’s mouth again.
Lu Huan glanced at him, “Head upstairs and freshen up.”
“Okay.” O3O
·
After Yu Baihan went back to his room and finished washing up, it was nearly midnight.
He climbed into bed after finishing his routine.
Possibly due to drinking ample water tonight, he woke up after merely an hour of sleep.
Yu Baihan switched on a desk lamp, got up groggily, and made his way to the bathroom. He began to fully awaken after washing his hands, pushing open the bathroom door.
Turning his head, he suddenly came face to face with a tilted face outside the window—
His heart skipped a beat!
A face exactly like his own swayed by the window for a moment, then swiftly retracted.
Subsequently, a slender arm extended out of the window with a “crash”.
Yu Baihan, “…”
Damn, a dancing inflatable!
His heart was racing; luckily, he had just been to the bathroom.
Yu Baihan stood there for a while, his drowsiness completely shaken off, and his heartbeat yet to calm down.
He pressed against his chest, preparing to go downstairs and have some milk to steady his nerves.
Opening the door and stepping out, as he passed by Lu Huan’s master bedroom, a faint light peeked through the door’s crack.
Yu Baihan: Why isn’t Lu Huan asleep?
He paused, pushed the door open, and went inside.
The door creaked open, and Lu Huan sat on the bedside, reading a book with the light on.
Hearing the movement, Lu Huan looked up. “Can’t sleep?”
Yu Baihan opened his mouth, turned his gaze, and suddenly noticed the two closed curtains, “…”
Then he closed his eyes and met Lu Huan’s gaze.
As they locked eyes, an indescribable understanding passed between them.
After a moment, Yu Baihan took a breath and stepped forward, closed the bedroom door behind him, and sat down beside the bed, looking intently at Lu Huan.
Lu Huan quirked an eyebrow when he saw the look, “What are you up to?”
Yu Baihan gazed at him for a few seconds, then regained his composure: … Never mind, Lu Huan is a victim too.
He pressed his chest, “I must text Wen Lou.” After saying this, he instinctively reached for his pocket, only to remember he hadn’t brought his phone.
Yu Baihan was about to get up and return to his room when a phone was handed in front of him.
He looked up: ?
Lu Huan simply handed him the phone, “You wanted to send a message, right?”
Well, since Lu Huan was genuinely being helpful,.
He’d make use of it gratefully~
Yu Baihan accepted the phone and opened WeChat, revealing a list of frequent chats dominated by work-related messages.
Scrolling down, he found Wen Lou and began typing with his fingertips.
[Lu Huan]: Are you still awake?
[Lu Huan]: I can’t seem to sleep. [Smile]
Lu Huan glanced over at the messages, then back at Yu Baihan, a subtle expression on his face.
After sending the messages and exiting the chat, Yu Baihan noticed his own profile picture a few rows above.
Profile description: [Baihan]
A warm feeling of intimacy washed over Yu Baihan as he realized that “Baihan” without a surname felt quite endearing. To him, “Baihan” represented his true self—Yu Baihan.
With a contented smile, he returned the phone to Lu Huan.
Lu Huan gave him a curious glance, “You seem quite pleased. Did sending a message make you that happy?”
Yu Baihan grinned at Lu Huan, generously sharing his joy, “You just earned [Baihan’s Cohabitation] points in your account~ Ding!” After saying this, he lifted the quilt and slipped under it with a playful swiftness.
Lu Huan looked at him, somewhat bemused, “Are you asking me to lie down, too?”
Yu Baihan playfully poked Lu Huan’s arm. “Come on, get in bed quickly.”
Lu Huan pointed out, “I have work at the company tomorrow.”
So what?
Yu Baihan insisted, “Then hurry up and get in bed!”
Lu Huan sighed, seemingly giving in, and put down his phone and books before lying down and lifting the quilt.
Yu Baihan nudged his arm and said, “Turn off the lights.”
Lu Huan extended his arm and turned off the bedside lamp with a quick press, enveloping the bedroom in darkness.
The earlier unease caused by “The Dancing Couple” had dissipated. Now, Yu Baihan felt the embrace of sleep creeping over him, and he took advantage of it, snuggling into Lu Huan’s arms.
He nestled into his designated “radish pit” with expertise and contentment, whispering, “Good night, Maka Lu Huan.”
A soft breath warmed the top of his head, followed by a playful pinch on the back of his neck, causing Yu Baihan to emit a soft hum.
In the darkness, Lu Huan’s voice sounded, “Good night, Maka Baihan.”
“……”？
—
The following day, Lu Huan headed to work.
Upon waking up, Yu Baihan returned to his room. As he stood in front of the mirror, brushing his teeth, a sudden realization struck him:
Did Lu Huan really call him “Maka Baihan” last night?
Mischievous Maka Lu Huan, indeed~
Sticking to his routine, he read in his room. In the afternoon, he received an unexpected message from Xue Qin, containing several application forms and web links.
[Xue Qin]: [webpage sharing] [file]
[Xue Qin]: C University’s postgraduate entrance examination summer camp. Decide if you want to attend. [Smile]
Yu Baihan’s attention was caught by that smile.
The friendly tone now seemed more like a subtle threat due to that expression.
He composed himself and clicked on the webpage—
The postgraduate entrance examination summer camp was set to take place at C University’s main campus and span approximately a week. During this period, mentors from the Faculty of Liberal Arts of C University would offer guidance, assessments, and discussions with students in various majors.
Overall, it appeared to be a valuable learning opportunity.
Yu Baihan decided not to rush into filling out the form. First, he sent a screenshot of the summer camp promotional page to Lu Huan.
[Yu Er]: Can I attend this? [picture]
Lu Huan responded promptly.
[Fish]: Of course, it’s a rare opportunity.
[Yu Er]: But you won’t be restricting me, right~OuO
Participating in the summer camp was usually fine, but considering the current unusual circumstances, and given that Lu Huan had just reminded him to be cautious of Si Yanding’s tactics.
“……”
[Fish]: When does summer camp start?
[Yu Er]: In ten days.
The other end seemed silent for a moment before responding with a simple “OK.”
“OK”? That essentially meant it was approved.
Yu Baihan turned back to his computer, filled in the required information, and sent it to Xue Qin.
…
When Lu Huan returned for dinner that evening, Yu Baihan sought confirmation once more, “Are you sure it’s okay for me to attend the summer camp?”
Lu Huan washed his hands, then turned to exit the kitchen, saying, “Just go.”
Yu Baihan inquired further, “And what about my older brother?”
“Deal with that matter within ten days.”
“Resolve the delay?”
Lu Huan paused and glanced at him, “Remember how your eldest brother lost half his property to your second sister?”
Yu Baihan poked his arm playfully, “Stop with the riddles, explain it simply.”
“……”
His neck was pinched again.
Lu Huan let go and continued upstairs, a faint smile playing on his lips, “After your second sister took his property, she vanished. Si Yanting still thinks I swindled it all.” Quite the tangled situation.
Yu Baihan couldn’t resist touching Lu Huan’s back.
…it felt rather weighty.
There seemed to be a slight shiver down Lu Huan’s spine as his hand passed, and then his hand was grabbed.
Lu Huan held his fidgety hand and led him upstairs, “Don’t dig into it. I was too lazy to clarify with Si Yanting earlier, but it seems necessary now.”
He spoke with a smile, “After all, being betrayed by a trusted relative hurts more than betrayal from an outsider. Don’t you think so?”
Yu Baihan suddenly realized: oh~ shift the blame elsewhere.
Since they couldn’t immediately resolve the “Mad Critic” issue, let it simmer internally and divert attention.
He pinched Lu Huan’s finger and complimented, “Our Commander Lu is truly sharp!”
In a few steps, the two stood by the master bedroom’s door.
Lu Huan let go of his hand, turned the doorknob, and looked back, “So you can attend your summer camp with peace of mind.”
Yu Baihan’s heart warmed, “Got it.”
Commander Lu wasn’t just intelligent; he was also quite reassuring.
He watched Lu Huan about to enter the bedroom after turning around, but suddenly called out, “Lu Huan.”
Lu Huan turned to him, “What’s the matter?”
Yu Baihan’s lips curled into a shy, expectant smile. He gazed at Lu Huan, his slender eyelashes fluttering lightly, as if brushing over someone’s heart.
“Before I head to the summer camp, is there still an unfulfilled thank-you gift from you?”
Lu Huan seemed to hold his breath, his grip on the doorknob tightening slightly. Then he averted his gaze and cleared his throat, “Yes.”
After a few seconds, his earlobes turned red as if trying to explain something, “…I remember.”
Having said that, he turned around and walked into the bedroom, closing the door behind him.
What’s this unfulfilled thank you 🎁?
Thanks for the chapter 💞
I will pause reading here, I’m gonna go back reading by December. Hopefully there’s gonna be enough chapters that I can read by that time. Thank you for your hard work translator Lynn!!🫶
Maybe it’ll be completed by then (hopefully). Thanks for reading ⁺o(⁎˃ᴗ˂⁎)o♡