Chapter 16 Bro, Do You Like Me

Chapter 16 Brother, Do You Like Me?

A sea of red.

The sight of those alarming red marks—if not for the large patches of sunburn and broken skin, Shi Zai would have almost thought Shu Yangkuo was having another allergic reaction.

Not a pampered child, but a poor soul silently enduring for him.

You big jerk!

Shi Zai’s eyes instantly reddened, tears welling up as he choked out, calling to Yang Yun:

“Yun Bao, turn on the main light.”

“……Okay.”

*Flick*—the moment the harsh light came on, Shi Zai couldn’t pinpoint his exact emotions. Anger, heartache, and sorrow tangled together, making his chest heave. *Drip-drip*, tears flowed like a stream.

But immediately after, he quickly raised a hand to wipe them away, because Shu Yangkuo grimaced even more deeply—the continuously falling tears had stung the wounds, yet he never made a sound. Shi Zai silently backed away, but before he could retreat more than a couple steps, he was pulled down to sit across the man’s hips:

“Brother, are you crazy? Doesn’t it hurt?!”

“It's fine. No crying, Xiao Zai.”

“I will cry! How dare you hurt yourself like this? You’re mine—I won't let you treat yourself this way……”

Shi Zai couldn’t hold back and started crying again, even wanting to raise a hand and punch him, but the chest beneath him was a mess of wounds and redness.

Was it because he was useless? Was that it?

Shu Yangkuo glanced at Yang Yun, who shook his head… Shu Yangkuo lifted his thumb, wanting to wipe the tears from the boy in his arms, but raised it midway then let it fall. His fingers were calloused and rough, and the eyelids of the one in his arms were too tender—what was he to do? Ever since they arrived, the boy had an unending stream of tears, and now he’d made him sad again.

Taking a tissue, he gently dabbed away the tears on the boy’s face. Shu Yangkuo closed his eyes, then opened them again, raw emotion making his chest tremble:

“Since Xiao Zai doesn’t like it, Brother won’t go again.”

“……Is this about whether I like it or not?! Waaah!”

“I was wrong.”

“……Is this about whether Brother was wrong or not?!”

“……”

“Brother doesn’t believe in me, thinks I can’t provide for you both properly…… We clearly agreed to see how things go. Brother promised to stay with me longer—so what are you doing now? Trying to leave me early…… Or does Brother look down on me? I’ve grown up now—I’m a real man, I can take care of you both…… Things will get better, so why is Brother in such a hurry? Why does Brother have to suffer like this?!”

As he spoke, Shi Zai couldn’t help covering his face and crying. Even without looking, the scenes from earlier flashed before his eyes—from chest to back, nothing but abrasions. He didn’t need Shu Yangkuo to say it—he knew exactly what work he’d been doing…… carrying heavy loads! Hauling stone slabs!

He’d done this kind of work before. It was pure back-breaking labor, enough to kill a person by the end of the day. Shi Zai hadn’t done it for long.

He’d already planned out their future—Yang Yun making pottery, Shu Yangkuo using his knowledge…… though he wasn’t sure how exactly, but he could tell Brother had talent, could earn a living with his pen. So why not take it slow? Why brutalize yourself like this?!

He’d requested companionship and warmth, so it was only right to repay it with responsibility and care!

The hardships of the past, the storms they’d weathered—he didn’t want Brother and little brother to walk that path again, to be exposed to that again!

Looks like Brother didn’t even wear a shirt when hauling those slabs…… Shi Zai knew why. Tan Xun’s offhand remark had made Shu Yangkuo realize even one piece of clothing cost him a lot of money, so he couldn’t bear to dirty or tear it. That’s why Shi Zai hadn’t spotted any signs for three whole days.

Shi Zai gradually stopped crying, using the tissue to gently wipe the tears from Shu Yangkuo’s chest, while sniffling:

“If Brother…… if Brother doesn’t believe me, if you feel trapped with me, you can…… you can……”

“Xiao Zai, I don't feel that way. Don’t be afraid.”

“Wuwuwu, but I am afraid. You two are the first people I’ve ever begged to stay in my nineteen years of life. I’m so scared……”

“Xiao Zai, Brother has changed his mind.”

“Wuwuwu…… Wh-what?”

Shu Yangkuo raised a hand, patting the person in his arms gently on the back, sighing:

“Brother has changed his mind.”

“……Wh-what?”

“Brother and Yang Yun will never leave Xiao Zai.”

“!!!!!”

Almost instantly, Shi Zai knelt up straight, excitement nearly bursting through his chest, roaring, racing, making lights flash before his eyes. Even though it was night, it was as if he saw a red sun bearing all three of them, incredibly beautiful.

Trembling, Shi Zai wiped away his tears, straightened up, leaned down, and gently kissed Shu Yangkuo’s reddened eye corner.

This man could cry too—had shed tears for him.

This man would finally never leave him again. Never.

From the reddened eye corner to the lips, Shi Zai gave a fierce bite, leaving the last tear on Shu Yangkuo’s lips. The tear mixed with blood from the broken skin—he knew now why Shu Yangkuo had been holding himself back…… so he would help him let go.

He seemed to understand something.

Shi Zai cupped the face he cherished most, meeting gentle eyes that held only him:

“Brother, do you like me?”

“Yes.”

“I mean……”

“I like you.”

Shi Zai opened his mouth, then suddenly didn’t know what to say. Only now did he understand what true liking meant—not just being able to kiss, but also vowing to spend a lifetime together, having only each other, changing one’s destined path for the other.

He blinked, raising a hand to brush against long eyelashes:

“Brother liked me all along, didn’t you?”

“……”

“Hehe, why be shy? I get it now—Brother liked me all along! I liked Brother all along too!”

“……”

Long eyelashes fluttered, half-lowered. Shu Yangkuo, ears reddened, had nothing to say.

Shi Zai uncontrollably recalled scenes from the past, suddenly smiled, and lifted Shu Yangkuo’s eyelid:

"Brother asked me before... Don't you like me wearing little skirts?"

"...No."

"Oh, then I'll wear them for Yang Yun in the future."

"Don't you dare!"

"Hahahaha..."

Watching Shi Zai finally burst into laughter, Yang Yun couldn't help but laugh too—the silly little guy had finally caught on.

He was also happy for Ershu; the status he wanted had finally come tonight, otherwise... hehe. The old man probably would have had to swallow his pride and go to the temple. A naive young one meeting experienced passion—it's like dry wood meeting flames, hehe.

Just as he was about to sneak out quietly, Yang Yun was grabbed by Shi Zai, who was still immersed in joy:

"Yun Bao, Brother said he likes me!"

"Hehe, then hurry up and kiss him."

"I want to kiss you too!"

"No way!"

"Hahahaha..."

Shi Zai climbed down from Shu Yangkuo's chest and ran to Yang Yun's small bed, the folding bed swaying under their antics. He now understood what Yang Yun meant by their relationship being different—it was a different kind of liking, but just as deep.

He cupped the pink dumpling's face, planted several kisses on his forehead, and said seriously:

"Yun Bao, my liking for you won't be any less. It's different from how I feel about Brother, but you're just as dear to my heart..."

"Ah, I know, little brother. Only you were silly enough not to get it."

Yang Yun felt a bit embarrassed for some reason and stuck his tongue out at Ershu, who was watching him, hehe. If they didn't know how sincere and passionate Shi Zai was toward people, he might have misunderstood the little brother's affection, hehe.

He'd never heard such an open confession before.

How could someone lay their whole heart bare like this for them?

With everything out in the open, Shi Zai's heart bubbled with joy, sweeter than honey, but after the bliss—the issue still needed resolving:

"Brother, even so, you didn't have to work so hard. You know I'd feel bad for you."

"Brother has a heart too, and he would feel bad too."

"..."

Darn it, how did Shu Yangkuo become so smooth with words? Shi Zai blushed again.

Before he could say anything, Shu Yangkuo added:

"Xiao Zai is also Brother's responsibility."

"I know! But Brother doesn't need to rush. We still have savings at home, and I'm great at earning money..."

"I know. Xiao Zai has always been capable, even before becoming a man."

"Then...?"

Shu Yangkuo sighed softly, simply sat up, letting the boy apply medicine to his chest and back as he slowly shared his recent thoughts. He never imagined he'd one day confide in a boy eight years his junior—it wasn't in his nature, but now it was possible.

His boy had grown up and given him status.

Over half an hour, through Shu Yangkuo's steady narration and Yang Yun's occasional smiling interjections, Shi Zai went from confusion to shock, then from astonishment to feeling bad... So Brother and little brother really were time-travelers!

No, they were people with two identities: both the pottery figures and pottery little bird he had once restored and played with, and also the crown prince and his young attendant from the Great Tang Dynasty over a thousand years ago. Yang Yun was saved by Shu Yangkuo during a hunt when he was twelve and was truly an ancient mythical green luan bird. After the eldest prince died, Shu Yangkuo became crown prince at thirteen. Later, unwilling to engage in political struggles with the third prince and the empress dowager's faction, he voluntarily gave up his title at twenty-six. After half a year of lay Buddhist practice, just as he was about to truly become a monk, he somehow ended up here with Yang Yun.

Perhaps because both loved ceramics, Shu Yangkuo had collected many treasures, and Yang Yun had crafted many little trinkets in the palace, including figurines of themselves. Likely after the dynasty fell, they existed in the world as pottery figures until Shi Zai discovered and repaired them.

They were reborn through his efforts.

Those thousand-plus years felt like a single night.

But their one night felt like Shi Zai had waited millennia.

No wonder they had such a strong emotional connection—it was such powerful destiny.

But what cracked Shu Yangkuo's strong heart was that the Great Tang Dynasty didn't exist at all. From the first time he saw the twelve dynasties in books, to historical dramas after historical dramas, to dynasty history explanations, there was no trace of the Great Tang Dynasty in history.

So what did he and Yang Yun count for? What did those lingering memories mean?

He had originally planned to supplement the Great Tang Dynasty's history into a book, both as a record and to earn money. He had already written one-tenth of it when he discovered this shocking truth. If this world was real, then those past twenty-seven years were an illusion.

Continuing to write would make him a laughingstock.

Forget whether history had swallowed the Great Tang Dynasty; looking ahead with Shi Zai, what could Shu Yangkuo even do? Everything he learned as crown prince was useless now, and the only dynasty history he could write supplementary material for had no chance of publication... hence this last resort.

Hearing this, Shi Zai blinked:

"Brother, since you were the crown prince, I've seen on TV things like music, chess, calligraphy, painting..."

Before Shu Yangkuo could speak, Yang Yun laughed first:

"Hahahaha!"

"Yun Bao, what are you laughing at?"

"Second Uncle preferred archery and horseback riding, teasing cats and dogs..."

Before he could finish, Yang Yun stopped at Shu Yangkuo's deep voice saying "Yang Yun," exchanged a glance with the little brother, and both laughed quietly.

Hehe, the crown prince was kind-hearted but didn't care for official duties—probably never wanted to be crown prince from early on.

They chatted late into the night. Later, Shi Zai hugged each of them in turn, still carefully comforting them:

"Brother, Yun Bao, really, don't worry. We have our whole lives ahead of us; we'll find what we want to do. The day after tomorrow, we'll go to Zhengzhou together. There are more opportunities there—I'll do voice acting, Yun Bao can learn pottery, and Brother can explore libraries and museums. You'll find inspiration."

Hearing them agree one after another with "okay," Shi Zai added:

"Tomorrow, let's visit your 'place of rebirth.' Since there were pottery figures and pottery little bird, maybe there are other treasures..."

"No!"

Shi Zai laughed heartily, shaking his head:

"Not to find treasures like you two—only you matter. I mean, what if there are other valuables you collected back then? Digging them up and selling them would make us rich! Tsk, I should've dug deeper back then."

"..."

"......"

The next day, by the desolate ruins in the western suburbs of the town, the three brothers were actually going all out digging with shovels, and unexpectedly!!

Shi Zai immediately jumped up, excitedly babbling:

"Brother actually came with a dowry!!!"

Author's Note: