ICY Chapter 19

Chapter 19

The lingering weakness after the trembling left Su Zhao Li unable to walk. He listlessly clung to Jiang Shi’s back, trying his best to stay awake.

“Guess we can’t have the stew now,” he sighed.

“We won’t. I’ll take you home so you can sleep for a while. I’ll make you some congee.”

“I want seafood congee. I still want to eat shrimp.”

“Okay.”

“I want to sleep for a bit.” Su Zhao Li yawned, his voice growing softer until he finally couldn’t help but close his eyes.

“Okay,” Jiang Shi replied softly.

…

By the time Jiang Shi called him awake again, it was already dark outside.

“Are your parents back?” Su Zhao Li asked as Jiang Shi wrapped a blanket around him.

“No, they went to sing karaoke together. They probably won’t be back until very late.”

“That’s good.”

“Let’s go eat.” Jiang Shi carried Su Zhao Li to the living room.

“I’m almost better,” Su Zhao Li said softly in his arms.

“Still won’t do, I’m still going to feed A Li later.”

There weren’t many dishes on the table: seafood congee, two plates of stir-fried greens, and a plate of dry pot shrimp.

“Dry pot shrimp! You went to buy it!” Su Zhao Li looked at him, his eyes shining.

“Yeah, didn’t our A Li want to eat it? But you can only have two.”

“What about the rest?” Su Zhao Li asked pitifully.

“I’ll eat them.”

“Then I want to eat three.” Su Zhao Li pouted.

Only daring to ask for one more with a small request, Jiang Shi found it a little funny. “Okay.”

Seeing him agree so readily, Su Zhao Li immediately felt like he was at a loss. “I want to eat four!” he protested loudly.

“No way,” Jiang Shi refused outright.

“Okay then,” Su Zhao Li thought to himself, already planning.

“You peel them for me.”

Su Zhao Li didn’t lift a finger during the entire meal, eating under Jiang Shi’s care. Only after Su Zhao Li was full did Jiang Shi start eating.

Watching Jiang Shi devour five shrimp in a row as if showing off, Su Zhao Li decided to take action.

He eyed Jiang Shi’s hand holding a shrimp, and while Jiang Shi was peeling it, he suddenly snatched the shrimp away, triumphantly swallowing it shell and all amidst Jiang Shi’s shocked and helpless expression.

“If you’re not going to fight over it, at least spit out the shell,” Jiang Shi said helplessly.

Jiang Shi got smarter after that. After failing to snatch a few more, Su Zhao Li directly snatched food from Jiang Shi’s mouth, grabbing the shrimp that Jiang Shi had just put in his mouth.

Su Zhao Li flashed a victorious and satisfied smile. Helpless, Jiang Shi had to push the shrimp far away and start eating congee and vegetables.

Su Zhao Li had already snatched two extra shrimp, and now he was content. He quietly nestled in Jiang Shi’s arms, watching him eat.

The fact that Father Jiang and Mother Jiang hadn’t returned meant that Father Chu and Mother Chu hadn’t finished either. Su Zhao Li wasn’t in a hurry to leave. While Jiang Shi was washing the dishes, he chose a movie, waiting to watch it with him.

Jiang Shi walked over and handed him orange juice, wrapped his blanket around him again, and then hugged him before starting the movie.

The slow-paced movie quickly made Jiang Shi drowsy. Seeing this, Su Zhao Li couldn’t help but have wicked thoughts again.

He slowly slipped out of Jiang Shi’s arms, carefully stepping into Jiang Shi’s slippers, and walked to the refrigerator. Just as he reached out to grab the dry pot shrimp, a hand suddenly appeared and grabbed his wrist.

Su Zhao Li looked back, caught red-handed.

“Why isn’t A Shi wearing shoes? Oh, the shoes were taken away by me. The floor is so cold, put them on.” Su Zhao Li said nervously after being discovered.

After speaking, Su Zhao Li immediately took off the slippers, directly coiled himself around Jiang Shi’s body, pulled out a hand to hug his neck.

Helpless, Jiang Shi hugged him, touching his head, “You don’t even know to heat it up yourself before eating. How about we eat it tomorrow morning?”

“Mhm, mhm,” Su Zhao Li immediately nodded obediently.

“I’ll send Caregiver Chu a message, is it okay if I sleep here tonight?” Su Zhao Li softened his voice as much as possible and drew circles on his chest, making himself look pitiful and helpless.

Jiang Shi’s face flushed red, and his throat tightened. “Okay.”

Taking a new toothbrush, Su Zhao Li went in to wash up first. He wouldn’t shower tonight; to be honest, his legs were still a little weak.

After quickly washing up, Su Zhao Li came out. He directly burrowed into Jiang Shi’s blanket, poked his head out, and said pitifully to Jiang Shi, “A Shi, can I change clothes before sleeping? It was very uncomfortable when I slept this afternoon.”

“Ah, it was my oversight. I’ll go find you some clothes.”

Jiang Shi opened his wardrobe, picking and choosing among his clothes, finally finding two pieces of clothing and pants that he hadn’t worn much and were very comfortable.

“Hurry up and go wash up, I’ll change on the bed.” Su Zhao Li blushed, chasing him inside.

After changing his top, Su Zhao Li thought about the pants for a long time, but ultimately put them on. He shouldn’t reveal his intentions too early.

After Jiang Shi got into bed, Su Zhao Li directly burrowed into his arms. Having slept enough in the afternoon, Su Zhao Li wasn’t very sleepy now. After Jiang Shi told his parents, he lay down and patted Su Zhao Li’s back.

“What did you say to your mom and dad?”

“I told them there’s congee in the pot, so they can drink some if they’re hungry when they get back, and that you’re not feeling well and will be staying at our house, so they can’t make a lot of noise when they come back.”

“They still make a lot of noise?”

“Of course, my mom gets very excited every time after she sings karaoke. Once, she couldn’t stand me sleeping, so she dragged me up and made me sing with her at home all night. Luckily, the old man who lived downstairs from my house at that time was hard of hearing, and there was no one living upstairs, otherwise I don’t know how lively the homeowner group would be the next day.”

“Haha, so cute.”

“Be good, aren’t you sleepy?”

“Not really, tell me more, I want to listen.”

“Okay.”

…

At eleven thirty, Mother Chu and Mother Jiang, who had just come out of the KTV after singing to their hearts’ content, opened their phones and saw messages from Su Zhao Li and Jiang Shi. The difference was that one had a smile on her face that couldn’t be hidden, while the other had a look of dismay, constantly trying to convince herself.

“Anyway, there will be many more things like this in the future. Just get used to it, and it’s good if they like each other.” Mother Chu said to herself.

“Our car is here, we’ll go first.” Mother Chu said to Father Jiang and Mother Jiang.

“Okay, be careful on the road.”

After seeing the three off, Mother Jiang nudged Father Jiang, “Hey, anyway, it’s not far, let’s walk back and get some fresh air.”

“Sure, but why did you, someone who never stands when they can sit, change your ways?”

“It’s nothing, let’s go home later so we don’t disturb the children.”

After slowly walking for about half an hour, the two arrived home.

“Son…” Mother Jiang quickly covered Father Jiang’s mouth.

“Lower your voice.”

“Mmm, mmm, I said our son left some congee, I’m hungry, do you want to eat some?”

“Yes, take the pot into the room to eat, don’t disturb the children.”

“Okay.” Although Father Jiang didn’t understand Mother Jiang’s words and actions tonight, he did as she said. It was rare for Mother Jiang to actively ask for quiet.

…

The next morning, Su Zhao Li was woken up by the sound of his phone ringing. He ignored it at first, letting the phone ring.

Because as soon as he opened his eyes, he saw Jiang Shi’s handsome face up close. At this time, Jiang Shi was also woken up, looking at him.

As they looked at each other, they smiled at each other. Su Zhao Li buried himself in Jiang Shi’s arms, his face slightly red.

Jiang Shi helped Su Zhao Li answer the phone and put it to his ear. It was Mother Chu, urging him to come back earlier.

“I’ll go make you breakfast.” Jiang Shi got out of bed.

“How is it, is your body okay?” Jiang Shi opened the blanket, touching and pinching Su Zhao Li here and there.

“I’m fine, I’m fine.” Su Zhao Li smiled and dodged, Jiang Shi touched his ticklish spot.

“You go wash up first, I’ll change clothes.”

“Wear this outfit I have on today.” Su Zhao Li said in his ear.

Jiang Shi’s entire person turned red, and he became incoherent, unable to speak properly.

“Hurry up and go.” Su Zhao Li pushed him.

When Su Zhao Li came out after washing up, Jiang Shi had already changed clothes and was waiting for him. It was the clothes he had worn to sleep in last night.

“So obedient.” Su Zhao Li pinched his face.

“What do you want to eat this morning?”

“Yesterday’s shrimp.” Su Zhao Li answered him with bright eyes, “And small wontons, would that be too much trouble?”

“No trouble at all, I’ll make whatever A Li wants to eat.”

Mixing the filling, wrapping the wontons, putting them in the pot to cook, and stir-frying the shrimp that he had peeled last night, Jiang Shi also made him a few egg pancakes.

Su Zhao Li watched and took pictures at the kitchen door the whole time, occasionally adding a few words of praise, making Jiang Shi extremely happy.

“Ah—this one’s not hot, try it.” Jiang Shi spooned a wonton for Su Zhao Li, saying.

“Delicious.”

“Eat more.”

The meal was completely devoured by the two of them. When he left, Mother Jiang, who was still half-asleep and not fully awake, got up to see him off.

“A Shi, I’m going to see my mom and dad in a few days, will you go with me?”

Jiang Shi touched his head, “Okay.”

Su Zhao Li let Jiang Shi go back when they reached downstairs, wanting him to bear the questioning storm at home himself.

But in fact, things didn’t go as he thought. Mother Chu, drowsy and muddled, saw him return on the sofa and went back to her room to continue sleeping, the whole house peaceful and harmonious.

After entering the house, Su Zhao Li began to pack up the letters he had written to his parents this year, which were like a diary. He would write down what he had done during this time so that he would be afraid that he would forget which things he did, so that his parents would have a smaller part in his life.

He had written many letters, packed tightly in the drawer. He would write down what happened yesterday, he would tell his mom and dad that he was doing well, that he had met a very good person, that he had met someone who would go through everything with him in the future, that he had met someone who loved everything about him, that he had met someone who cared for him.

I will also love him and cherish him for a lifetime, Su Zhao Li wrote at the end.