Chapter 21 Stay Tonight

Chapter 21: Stay Tonight

If Shu Yangkuo found out, the stingy man would surely be displeased.

This was Shi Zai’s first instinctive thought, though he wasn’t entirely sure why Shu Yangkuo would be upset. Then it suddenly hit him: last night, Shu Yangkuo had insisted they each have a separate blanket. This man was fiercely possessive of even a part of himself and prone to inexplicable anger. Initially, Shi Zai hadn’t understood and wasn’t pleased, but now that he and Shu Yangkuo were so close, he was happy to indulge this little bit of “pettiness.”

After all, he himself fell within the scope of Shu Yangkuo’s “possessiveness,” hehe.

With one hand, he pulled off his pajamas; with the other, he lifted Yang Yun by the scruff of his neck. The little bird woke up with a smack of his lips:

“Little brother, I dreamed Second Uncle gave me milk.”

“…Oh.”

“No, Second Uncle held it, and little brother fed it to me.”

“…I understand. We’ll love you very, very much.”

“Huh?”

“…It’s nothing. Starting today, we’ll buy you milk so you grow tall!”

“Hehe, little brother drinks too.”

Shi Zai nodded, quickly got out of bed, washed up, cooked, sent Yang Yun off on the bus, then took another bus to Jiang Ziqing’s house to retrieve his shaobing cart from the basement, where it had been for two years.

He had planned this yesterday afternoon. His role in *Twilight’s Rainbow Buttons* wasn’t large, so he recorded in the afternoons, leaving his mornings free to sell shaobing. When he was sixteen or seventeen, he’d sold them for two years—his skills were good, the taste excellent, and he’d saved a decent sum. Even after giving his parents money each New Year, he still had plenty left. Later, feeling too tired and lonely, with little motivation, he’d stopped pushing himself and stored the cart in Jiang Ziqing’s basement.

Now, though not exactly short on money, he’d spent quite a bit like flowing water. He’d told his brother and younger brother not to rush to earn money—he had some—but he couldn’t just sit idle and eat through his savings, especially after renting a place and paying Yang Yun’s tuition. Shi Zai was slightly worried.

Continuing to record audiobooks was an option, but unlike selling shaobing or collecting scrap, it wasn’t steady work every day. Even if Tan Xun mentioned long-term opportunities, he’d only record a few books a year at most. If they became popular, he’d earn more; if not, it was still unstable.

So Shi Zai decided to pursue both paths, and besides, he truly couldn’t stay idle.

It was strange—since taking in the man and the little bird, Shi Zai felt his thoughts changed day by day. But he was no longer lost; all his shifts in thinking had reasons, and he lived fulfillingly for them. His goal was to provide well for his brother and younger brother, so they wouldn’t have to worry about money.

After bringing the shaobing cart home, Shi Zai cleaned and scrubbed it, then went out to buy flour, toppings for the shaobing, and other supplies. Once everything was ready, he tested a batch—the taste was just like before, but this time he made improvements: shaobing with spicy gluten strips, sausages, and eggs, which could be sold for more. One shaobing could now fetch two or three times the previous price, allowing him to earn a bit more.

For five mornings in a row, Shi Zai woke up at three a.m., made two large basins of shaobing, then pushed his cart to Chunyang Square, about three or four kilometers from home. The square was split in two: one half was a job market for early risers heading to work, the other half a morning market. While most of Chengzhou City was still asleep, this place was already bustling. Both workers and early shoppers had a high demand for breakfast.

Shi Zai was generous with the sesame oil, its aroma detectable from a mile away. Every morning, his business was the best.

In an era when some people earned only a thousand or eight hundred a month...

On the sixth evening, Shi Zai didn’t open his stall. Instead, he took Yang Yun to the temple to see the man. They’d been calling every day, but the conversations were brief. Never mind what Shu Yangkuo might be thinking over there; both he and Yang Yun missed him terribly.

But once busy, longing had to be set aside temporarily. Once Shu Yangkuo returned home, Shi Zai wouldn’t push himself like this.

Each carrying a large basket of shaobing, they went to Chaolin Temple. Before entering, Shi Zai pinched Yang Yun’s little cheek, and the pink dumpling immediately nodded in understanding. They shared a smile, and as soon as they pushed open the temple gate, they saw Shu Yangkuo shouldering a shoulder pole, about to go out. He halted abruptly:

“Xiao Zai, what brings you here?”

“Hehe, if we didn’t come, someone would be pitiful! Did you miss me, Ge?!”

“What are you carrying?”

“Did you miss me, Ge?!”

“Such dark circles under your eyes—haven’t been sleeping well lately?”

“Did you miss me, Ge?!”

“Have you eaten? Ge can come home early.”

“Did you miss me, Ge?!”

Shu Yangkuo glanced to the side where two young monks were watching them curiously. His ears reddened slightly as he nodded:

“I did.”

“Haha, I knew it! But I wanted to hear you say it! Are you happy, Ge?”

“Happy.”

“Hehe, I can tell—you’ve turned into a curious child.”

With that, Shi Zai handed the two baskets of shaobing to Shu Yangkuo, asking him to take them to the temple for their evening meal. When Shu Yangkuo returned quickly, Shi Zai answered each of the earlier questions one by one.

As for why he hadn’t been sleeping well, it was naturally because “I missed Ge so much I couldn’t sleep.”

As for why he made shaobing, it was to express gratitude to Chaolin Temple.

Neither had eaten dinner yet, so Shu Yangkuo led Shi Zai and Yang Yun into his monk's quarters. It was their first time in such a room, and they were curious, eyes wide with curiosity as they looked around. It would be even better if Shu Yangkuo wore monk’s robes too.

The room was simple but carried a unique tranquility. A long heated brick bed ran alongside the window, with two panels open. The evening breeze drifted in gently, carrying the freshness of spring and the silence and peace of the mountain temple. Living long in such a place would naturally make one calm and peaceful, but looking at the old-fashioned guy now, his eyes held a faint smile and anticipation—where once there was only night, now they were full of him.

Shi Zai no longer felt insecure as he once did; he stood firmly in the center of this man’s heart.

It almost made him afraid to meet his gaze—this was the first time he felt the intense warmth in Shu Yangkuo’s eyes, so alluring. But Shi Zai’s returning look lasted only a moment before he blinked and picked up a mushroom with his chopsticks to offer it. The man’s ears turned red, haha.

Yang Yun talked incessantly about his ceramics class. Shi Zai didn’t have much to say—Shu Yangkuo already knew that book thoroughly. So he occasionally held the man’s hand, delighting in even the slightest emotional reaction from the old-fashioned guy. Moreover, today the man was experiencing unusual emotional changes. When Shi Zai placed his hand on Shu Yangkuo’s thigh, he clearly felt an intense heat, yet Shu Yangkuo held back and didn’t move.

He just stopped looking at Shi Zai, lowering his head to eat seriously. Yang Yun finally got annoyed:

“Is Second Uncle even listening to me?!”

“…Be a little more considerate.”

“Hmph!”

Yang Yun put down his chopsticks—he’d long since finished eating—and ran outside to look at the moon.

As soon as he left, Shi Zai started laughing loudly:

“Ge, are you feeling uneasy? Hahaha!”

“…No.”

“Liar!”

Saying this, Shi Zai tried to see, but Shu Yangkuo quickly pulled him back, seating him sideways on one thigh. Shu Yangkuo gently held Shi Zai’s back to keep him from moving around, citing “this is a Buddhist sanctuary—no misbehaving allowed.”

Shi Zai laughed heartily again, his heart itching with delight—he loved how this rigid man was stirred by him, hehe.

In the end, he didn’t misbehave. Shi Zai knew this was a temple; otherwise, he’d come every night. First, he didn’t want to distract Shu Yangkuo, and second, it wouldn’t look good for the monks to see. That’s why he’d waited until today.

Shi Zai tilted his head slightly:

“Brother, you said earlier you could come home early?”

“Yeah, only now you ask?”

“Hahaha, I heard it earlier! I was too excited to remember to ask.”

“You only know how to tease…”

“I only know what?”

But there was no response. Shi Zai turned his face a bit more sharply and saw that Shu Yangkuo had also turned his head to the side, not looking at him, with his eyes slightly lowered, looking quite pitiful. Shi Zai pursed his lips—tsk, so petty, just because I touched his hand a few times earlier.

As if he only wanted the body and not the heart.

He quickly cupped his face to coax him, but before he could kiss him, the old-fashioned man pushed him off his lap, stood up, and turned his back to him.

Shi Zai was laughing inwardly—so much fun. He decided not to tease anymore and went out to find Yang Yun to look at the moon. The pink dumpling hadn't gone far, squatting on the ground holding his face in a daze. When he saw Shi Zai approaching, Yang Yun quickly said first, "Little guy, I wasn't thinking about anything. When Second Uncle used to meditate, I'd do this too." Shi Zai smiled. "No need for that now. Come on, let's go watch your Second Uncle give a sermon."

Like stagnant water finding a fresh source, Shu Yangkuo could no longer enter deep meditation; his heart was drawn to his surroundings. Looking back at the past from today, the events of the Great Tang Dynasty were indeed like fleeting clouds, leaving behind only a few memorable fragments. Especially during those six months of practicing as a lay Buddhist—the past was like withered wood in water, but now his heart was always stirred by some breeze or moon shadow, no longer devoid of life, but filled with hope.

This trip was well worth it.

Though Shi Zai didn’t fully understand, he felt happy and relieved, staring unblinkingly up and down at the man at the front—tall, broad, steady, and solemn—yet he could detect a unique, flexible crack belonging only to him, moved for him, stirred by emotion. Shi Zai watched even more intently—so handsome.

Just as his gaze moved from the bulging chest muscles down to the abdomen, the man tugged at his clothes and even used his hand to cover his stomach. After a moment of confusion, Shi Zai burst into inward laughter—seriously?!

When he looked up again, he caught sight of the "smiling face button" on Shu Yangkuo’s robe—oh, so that’s how it is, hehe.

Seeing the man’s ears faintly redden, Shi Zai quietly slipped out of the lecture hall. If he stayed any longer, the old-fashioned man wouldn’t be able to continue.

He stood outside the courtyard gate for a while and heard a burst of giggles from one of the eastern dormitory rooms. It seemed to be a boy, not much older than him, lively and cute. Shi Zai glanced in that direction but then heard soft crying—was it a new young monk or...?

Then he heard a "Brother," so definitely not a young monk.

As he watched, the door creaked open, and the boy who had been laughing and crying ran out, holding up his phone and saying, "Brother, let me show you the moon at the temple. Sweetie and I miss you so much! Come back soon and kiss me..." Shi Zai didn’t listen to the rest and walked toward the courtyard. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught a clear glimpse of the boy’s face—his eyes bright and spirited, with a touch of untamed wildness, very vivid and striking.

Tsk, Chao Lin Temple has more going on than expected.

Shi Zai smiled—he has a brother too! Before he could reach the lecture hall, the evening session had concluded. Shu Yangkuo and Yang Yun hurried out one after another. When the man saw him, he opened his mouth as if to speak but hesitated. Shi Zai perked up a brow, waiting for him to speak first.

The mountain temple grew quiet again, with only the occasional coo of night birds. Shu Yangkuo took a light breath, met his gaze, and spoke:

"Stay here tonight."

Author's Note:

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The boy in this chapter is named "Xian Chen," the protagonist of the upcoming story "Picked Up a Mute Alpha and a Crazy Beta," which is fully written with a total of 280 chapters.