AWDC Chapter 10
by VolareLin Xi almost lost control. He really wanted to blurt out, “Just because I’m not a girl, you don’t want me?” but ultimately, he couldn’t bring himself to say it due to various concerns.
“Chuang-ge, don’t make fun of me,” he said, retreating from his embrace and distancing himself a little. “It’s probably because I ate hotpot. I feel warm all over right now.”
Warm all over, so his face was red.
“Alright,” Mu Chuang said with a smile, no longer teasing him. “You know how my mouth is, Chuang-ge’s just saying things casually. Don’t take it to heart.”
“Mm.” Lin Xi nodded, responding softly, and then started looking for his towel and toothbrush, preparing to wash his face and rinse his mouth.
Mu Chuang was busy taking a shower. He hadn’t had a chance to clean up since leaving home, and now he felt uncomfortable all over.
After washing up, Lin Xi sat on the sofa, feeling a bit nervous about sleeping with Mu Chuang later.
He thought he should follow the factory’s assignment and live in the male employee dormitory with others; that would be more appropriate.
Mu Chuang’s singing voice came from the bathroom, every sentence inseparable from “brother” and “sister,” singing without any seriousness, directly causing Lin Xi’s heart to feel blocked.
With the melody he sang, he thought of the scenes of him playing around with those women, even guessing that when he wasn’t looking, they might have done even more outrageous things.
As he listened, his mind became confused, dizzy, and eventually he couldn’t even hear Mu Chuang’s voice.
But the truth was, Mu Chuang had stopped singing—
He came out of the bathroom, wearing only a pair of shorts, looking a little unhappy as he searched for his pajamas.
Lin Xi was immediately shocked awake by him coming out in so little clothing on such a cold day.
“Chuang-ge, didn’t you take your pajamas in with you?” he asked, somewhat puzzled.
The other man was three years older than him, but his muscles were much stronger, especially since he was only wearing shorts at the moment, and that area was so developed that his pants couldn’t hide it.
Lin Xi only asked one question before instinctively looking away, avoiding it.
The next second, he heard Mu Chuang’s voice answering him, not as gentle as usual, “Didn’t you hear me call you twice? I asked you to get my pajamas for me, and you’re still sitting here. Now you’re asking me.”
“…?” Only then did Lin Xi realize why his expression was bad. Just now, he had been single-mindedly lost in wild thoughts and really hadn’t heard him.
“Chuang-ge, I…” He quickly stood up, intending to help him find them, but at that moment, he saw that he was already putting them on.
“…I really didn’t hear you. It definitely wasn’t intentional,” Lin Xi explained, adding an apology, “I’m sorry, I’m deaf. I let Chuang-ge get cold.”
He was cautious, like a child being scolded by their parents, his voice even trembling a little.
Mu Chuang glanced at him, seeing him looking aggrieved and pitiful, his heart softened. “Forget it, forget it. Your Chuang-ge is strong. It’s nothing to be cold for a little while.”
He put on his pajamas and then said to Lin Xi, “Why are you still sitting here after washing up? Don’t you know to go to bed and warm up a little?”
“You were smart and clever when you were little. Why are you getting more and more dull as you grow up?” He didn’t know what he was thinking, and he began to criticize him again. Although the starting point was good, the words were so cold that Lin Xi couldn’t bear it.
He stood by the sofa, clasping his hands tightly together. The words he originally didn’t have the courage to say were stirred up by this aggrieved feeling, creating an impulse. “Chuang-ge, how about… I let the factory assign me accommodation tomorrow…”
“Living with you, I’ll be disliked sooner or later.” He only dared to say this last sentence in his heart.
He knew Mu Chuang’s temper. As long as you went along with him, he was easy to talk to. If you dared to go against him, you would suffer.
“Why aren’t you talking? Keep talking!” Mu Chuang stared at him, trying to induce him to say the second half of the sentence, his face as dark as if it was about to rain.
Lin Xi didn’t say anything, lowering his head and daring not to look directly into his eyes. After a while…
His eyelashes were wet.
In his memory, Mu Chuang rarely scolded him. At this moment, the accumulated feelings and grievances were piling up together, making him unable to hold back any longer.
Tears fell like pearls, making Mu Chuang dumbfounded.
“Alright, alright, I’m really giving in to you,” he said, compromising, and pulled him into his arms, his attitude completely softening. “It’s Chuang-ge’s fault. Chuang-ge shouldn’t have scolded you. Don’t cry, be good.”
However, Lin Xi seemed like he hadn’t vented enough of his grievances and was still sobbing softly.
“Do you want Chuang-ge to beg you?” Mu Chuang said, somewhat discouraged, pressing his head into his chest, stroking the back of his hair with one hand, and began to seriously consider why this little boy had suddenly changed so much.
Feeling the subtle change in the person holding him, Lin Xi suddenly stopped crying, afraid that he would be meticulous again and question him again.
It wasn’t that he didn’t want him to know, but that he was afraid, really afraid, that after he knew, he would look at him with a monster-like gaze and then completely distance himself from him.
He retreated from his embrace, instantly becoming well-behaved and obedient, and even squeezed out a smile. “No, it’s all my fault. I made Chuang-ge angry.”
“I’m going to sleep now, I promise I won’t cause any trouble.” After saying this last sentence, he obediently went to bed first.
Except for his shoes, socks, and coat, he was only wearing his long underwear. The small figure curled up in the quilt, looking pitiful.
Mu Chuang’s thoughts were interrupted by his sudden change. Seeing him being obedient, he didn’t pursue the matter any further. He quickly brushed his teeth, washed his face, and followed him to bed.
The weather in early spring was still very cold. Lin Xi curled up in the quilt, not even showing his head, his whole body covered by the quilt, like a little cat.
Mu Chuang couldn’t help but pull him out and hug him to sleep, and then, a parent-like tone came again, “How can you breathe when you’re all curled up inside? You’re inhaling a bunch of stale air. No wonder your body is weak. Leave your head out.”
Lin Xi was confused by this sudden reprimand, and even more confused by this unintentionally teasing action. He originally wanted to sleep a little further away from him, but now he was suddenly being hugged, how could he fall asleep?
He had no mother to take care of him since he was a child, and he always slept alone. No matter how he slept, no one cared.
Now, suddenly being held in Mu Chuang’s arms, and even sleeping on his arm, felt strange, and even fatal.
The other person’s warm breath was spraying on the top of his head, and their bodies were closely attached to each other, making him afraid to relax for a moment, for fear of some kind of reaction, which would be the end of him.
“Sleep well. You’re officially starting work tomorrow. If you doze off, I won’t dare to openly protect you. At least I have to pretend and fine you ten or twenty. Even a little bit of money is still money. Isn’t it better to keep it for yourself?” Mu Chuang continued to educate him in a parent-like tone, unaware of how nervous the person in his arms was.