Chapter 23 Big Rooster Little Rooster

Chapter 23 The Big Rooster and the Little Rooster

But now he was wide awake. Breathing in the crisp air and tightly enveloped in the warm embrace, Shi Zai felt as if he were snugly nestled against the man's arms. By the moonlight, he drank in the beautiful sight before him and the wonderful memories from last night, swallowing hard several times.

After lying there for over an hour, Shu Yangkuo also stirred awake. Shi Zai, still awake, immediately scooted up and planted a kiss on his lips as soon as he saw his eyes open.

"Bro! Did you have a good time last night?"

"..."

"It was incredible, heehee... Bro, you're..."

"..."

Unable to stop him in time, a mischievous little hand wandered all over, clumsy and unpracticed, so he just let him play.

A moment later, Shu Yangkuo, with ears flushed red, kissed him back. Lying on his side, he could completely envelop him. In this dim morning light, the little pup could only see him, which gave Shu Yangkuo a peculiar satisfaction, probably because his desire for control was met.

Most of the faint light outside the window was blocked, leaving only a soft dawn glow. Shi Zai couldn't clearly see the expression in Shu Yangkuo's eyes, but he didn't need to—just from the ragged, heavy breathing, the occasional bobbing of his Adam's apple, and the increasingly warm embrace, he knew. Though the man looked imposing and fierce, he was deeply affected by Shi Zai's every move, stirred by emotions hidden in the depths of his heart. This made Shi Zai incredibly happy.

He also felt completely safe; even as the wind whipped heavily against the window, he remained safe and sound within this tightly sealed, scorching embrace.

After playing for a long time, feeling as if he'd been tugging at weeds for hours, Shi Zai was truly in awe of this man's endurance. Comparing it to his own stamina last night and just now, which lasted only about ten minutes, he felt a belated sense of embarrassment. It was like when boys compared who could pee farther as kids—his own time was nothing compared to Shu Yangkuo's. How could it last so long?

Shi Zai replayed it from start to finish in his mind. Well, it was too long, just like a water pipe—a long pipe always takes longer to let water out.

In the end, he couldn't take it anymore; his fingers were really getting calloused. Shi Zai had a brainstorm and offered his belly to the man:

"Bro, that night you nudged against me—did you like it like this?"

"...Don't talk nonsense."

"You did. I felt like you were so excited that night, you could've devoured me..."

As he spoke, Shi Zai scooted downward and pressed his belly against him, taking control of everything.

The stubborn man still wouldn't admit it, but after just a few presses, Shu Yangkuo was almost devouring him again. Shi Zai felt like he was getting rubbed raw.

After the playfulness, Shi Zai suddenly felt sleepy. He drowsily closed his eyes, still letting Shu Yangkuo clean him up.

When he opened his eyes again, Shi Zai found himself already dressed. The sky was fully bright, and he sprang up, clinging to the man:

"Bro, are we going to be late?"

"No, if you eat now, you'll leave just in time."

"Bro already made food? So fast."

Hearing this, Shu Yangkuo carried him into the bathroom, wiped his face, and said calmly into the mirror:

"Xiao Zai made so many pancakes. I just stir-fried a dish."

"...Yang Yun likes pancakes."

"Yeah, he could eat ten pans a day."

"...Why are you being so sarcastic?"

"Stop acting cute."

After a pause, Shi Zai spat out the mouthwash, swatted away the hand trying to stuff a toothbrush into his mouth, and pouted further. Was this stubborn man rebelling, daring to scold him outside of bed?

Just as he was about to criticize him, he heard an extremely soft "baby" whispered in his ear. Shi Zai froze, tilting his head slightly as Shu Yangkuo pressed his face against his shoulder.

What was this about?

Who was the one really acting cute here?

Shi Zai quickly rinsed the toothpaste foam from his mouth and tried to turn around to hug him, but he was held too tightly to move. In that instant, Shi Zai understood—his brother was... feeling for him? Was he so upset he was about to cry?

This was exactly what he was afraid of, which was why Shi Zai had never brought it up. But he was also afraid it wouldn’t be like this, so he hadn’t said anything either.

To be honest, he felt a little happy. Shi Zai tilted his head and managed to kiss the head that had grown out some hair with effort:

"Bro, don’t be so upset. I’ll take you with me tomorrow, okay? I wasn’t trying to hide any hardship—I was just worried you’d get distracted while at the temple. But now that you don’t want to be a monk anymore, we’ll work hard together from now on. Bro, you’re my big tail—let’s work hard and make lots of money together."

"...Thank you, Xiao Zai."

"Huh? What did I say yesterday?"

"...Love you, baby."

"Ahhh! Bro said he loves me! Yun Bao, Yun Bao..."

Catching sight of Yang Yun passing by in the mirror, Shi Zai excitedly called out to him, eager to share the good news.

The moment Yang Yun walked back over, Shu Yangkuo immediately straightened up, lowered his head to wash his face, told the two to hurry up, and then went to the kitchen to serve the meal, leaving the two younger ones to laugh and play for a while. He didn’t want to hear them talk about him to his face.

As soon as he left, Shi Zai and Yang Yun looked at each other and burst out laughing. In their family, the tallest one was also the most shy—hahaha.

How adorable.

Happy for his second uncle and also for his older brother, Yang Yun shook his head:

"Older brother, are you happy?"

"Yeah! Last night was so good—bro touched me..."

"Stop, stop, stop!!!"

Instantly, Yang Yun’s face flushed bright red. He meant earlier, when Second Uncle said "love." Wide-eyed, he exclaimed:

"Older brother, get a clue! You can’t just say these things to anyone!"

"...But you’re not just anyone."

"Still, it’s not okay. Besides, I’m still young."

"Hahaha..."

Actually, Shi Zai knew—he wasn’t some clueless fool. He was just so overjoyed that it slipped out.

After setting the table, Shu Yangkuo couldn’t take it anymore. He walked over, grabbed one in each hand, and hauled them to their respective bedrooms to change.

Standing naked by the bed, Shi Zai finally saw his own body:

"Bro, the redness on my belly is way too exaggerated!"

"...It's from playing in the water."

"Could it be an allergy! Are you allergic to your big rooster?"

"..."

This conversation was mortifying. Shu Yangkuo took the blame as the "perpetrator," lowered his head for a closer look—it was just a faint redness, the skin wasn't broken or anything. He hadn’t used much force at all. Still, he crouched down and kissed it, then stood up to soothe him:

"I won't do it again, ge."

"No, I want it like this! I love this kind of allergy!"

"..."

"Next time, we can use my butt too. Brother seems to really like my..."

Before he could finish, Shi Zai was scooped up into the man’s arms and carried out.

Each sentence was more unbearable than the last.

Once out of the bedroom, Yang Yun bounded over too. Shu Yangkuo had no choice but to hold one in each arm. The two little ones were getting even rowdier—who knows what they had been getting into behind his back these past ten days. But it was good. Shu Yangkuo raised his eyebrows and smiled, only for his eyelashes to be tugged by a small hand.

In a way, he really enjoyed watching Shi Zai grow up again from scratch.

Yang Yun too.

Both of them had a mix of inappropriate maturity and innocence—a good thing, though it was reversed: innocent where they shouldn’t be, mature where it wasn't necessary. But there was lots of time, and Shu Yangkuo had plenty of it.

After eating, they had to head out quickly. Shu Yangkuo touched the small box in his pants pocket. Tonight, then.

From last night until this morning, he hadn’t managed to take it out—the little pup was just too greedy.

This morning, all three were in a good mood. They first sent Yang Yun off on the bus to the Pottery Studio, then Xiao Zai accompanied Shu Yangkuo on the bus to the museum. It wasn’t far, just seven stops away, but the morning rush was crowded. Xiao Zai was tucked completely into his embrace. If it weren’t for the crowd, he would've definitely given him a couple more bites and licks. Tch, so greedy.

What a stroke of luck—to have found a brother. And even luckier—the man was just too handsome!

Shu Yangkuo faced the window, hunched over. His height made it impossible to stand straight, but this way, his neck was almost right in front of a very red, little mouth. Hot, moist breath washed over him in waves. Only by turning his face away could he avoid losing control.

Once the little pup’s floodgates opened, there was no stopping him.

Hearing a soft laugh, Shi Zai flushed slightly and secretly pinched Shu Yangkuo’s arm. The man tensed up, unmoving and expressionless... Not fair for only one of them to be affected. Shi Zai blinked and, like last night, whispered "husband" in Shu Yangkuo’s ear.

Good. The man’s entire ear turned redder than the sun outside.

Hmph.

Satisfied, Shi Zai didn’t push it further. The bus soon arrived at their stop, and the two walked hand in hand toward a massive, impressive building.

Chengzhou City Museum.

He signed a temporary contract on the spot—one month probation, and if it worked out, another three months after that. If Shu Yangkuo had anything besides his ID card—like a diploma—the museum might have made an exception to hire him as a full-time staff member with benefits.

The detail and precision of the information he provided on those artifacts had even impressed the university professors next to the museum. Every specialized term came with accurately cited references. Reading through several pages was practically like reading a master’s thesis.

The professor, who sometimes did archaeological work there, was present during the contract signing. He voiced his praise openly, which made Shi Zai thrilled. He immediately asked if his brother could go to college. Of course, it was possible—it just depended on whether Shu Yangkuo was willing to put in the effort.

He could take the college entrance exam as a private candidate, do a correspondence degree, or attend a private university. Once in college, he could work while studying. Shi Zai’s eyes lit up instantly. But this was something they needed to plan for carefully over time.

In the morning, Shi Zai stayed with Shu Yangkuo at the museum. After touring upstairs and downstairs, Shi Zai asked:

"Brother, what do you think? Why didn’t you say anything earlier?"

"...Let’s take it one step at a time."

"Hey, using my lines now? Well, no rush. Just work for a bit first and see how you like it."

"Does Xiao Zai want to study?"

Hearing this, Shi Zai widened his eyes, looking as if to say, "Brother, are you joking?" Shu Yangkuo, despite receiving an ancient education, had been a crown prince and learned everything he should have, especially excelling in liberal arts... But him? He was illiterate! What studying?

Seeing his reaction, Shu Yangkuo knew he’d been too impatient and shook his head:

"Not asking you to start from scratch... Brother will teach you to read first, okay?"

"Oh, alright then. But don’t be too strict, okay? You know, I fall asleep as soon as I look at scripts."

"...Okay."

Although Shi Zai agreed, he blew it off. Compared to making money, he had absolutely no interest in studying. He’d long passed the age for learning to read, and starting from scratch now felt unnecessary. Even for recording audiobooks, he could just memorize them verbatim anyway.

In the afternoon, he went to the recording studio to finish the last part of his script.

In the evening, Bai Jixiang and the others insisted on having a meal together. It was hard to decline their enthusiasm, and since Shi Zai intended to stay in the industry, he called Shu Yangkuo and Yang Yun and went to the gathering. Everyone had gotten along well recently—a great team. Tan Xun even handed out red envelopes during the meal.

Looks like they really planned to poach him and start their own thing later.

Under the moonlight in Lüfeng Residential Area, two figures stood beneath the trees. Shi Zai spotted them from afar, but he was dead drunk and not fully conscious. Pointing at the two under the trees, he slurred to the person beside him:

"Xiao Bai, l-look, see that? There... are two big roosters! N-no, one big rooster, one small one, hic..."

Bai Jixiang was sweating profusely—partly from supporting a wriggling little drunkard. If he’d known Shi Zai couldn’t hold his liquor, he would’ve stopped everyone from urging him to drink. Just one beer had done this. On the other hand, the two people coming to pick up the drunkard—especially the nearly two-meter-tall man—if he’d been carrying an iron chain, Bai Jixiang would’ve definitely labeled him a "gangster" and bolted.

Even without the chain, he looked tough—handsome, but with a fierce expression.

Especially when he saw Bai Jixiang’s hand supporting Shi Zai—that look, tch, seemed like he wanted to chop it off.

From a distance, Bai Jixiang smiled at the man striding toward them. Before he could speak, he had no idea how the man covered four or five meters in an instant. In the blink of an eye, Shi Zai was already nestled obediently in the man’s arms.

Tch, this clingy vibe.

During the meal, after Shi Zai got drunk, Bai Jixiang and the others had heard enough of his rambling—going on about his ge and didi. Now, Bai Jixiang quickly smiled and said:

"You must be Shi-di’s husband, right?"

"..."

"Well, Shi-di didn’t drink much, just one beer..."

Before he could finish, Bai Jixiang inexplicably shut up. He’d thought the man’s expression softened, but after he added that, icy glares were back on him like shards of cold. To avoid being treated like a watermelon, Bai Jixiang kept quiet.

Just as he was about to say goodbye and leave, the little drunkard in the man’s arms spoke up:

"Big rooster, be polite! You have to greet Xiao Bai!"

"..."

"Hurry up! Give your man some face! We’re all friends, friends! Hehe!"

Shu Yangkuo held the waist of the person in his arms tightly—soft like marshmallow—ready to carry him home. But the little pup insisted, demanding he greet this skinny man who looked like he’d blow away in the wind. Why should he?

After a pause, Shu Yangkuo, without looking up and keeping his gaze fixed on the person in his arms, said calmly:

"Hello."

"...Haha, hello, big brother."

But the little drunkard wasn’t satisfied yet, refusing to be picked up. He snuggled in the embrace, tilting his flushed little face upward:

"Can the big rooster talk?! You should 'crow'!"

"Ha ha ha ha..."

Yang Yun laughed first, followed by Bai Jixiang, but after just two laughs, both clamped shut under an icy glare.

Shu Yangkuo raised his hand but ultimately lowered it again, unable to bring himself to discipline the little puppy. He lifted the person fully into the crook of his arm and used his other hand to reach for the phone in his pocket. He had called Yang Yun several times, but each time the receiver said "it was turned off," scaring him so much he almost called the police.

Pulling it out, he saw it really was powered off. Shu Yangkuo turned to carry the person back, but the one in his arms struggled again:

"Old fossil, who said you could touch me!"

"..."

"Hands off! Monks shouldn’t get close to... women! And... shouldn’t get close to men either... ah!"

In the end, a light swat landed on the little puppy’s hip.

Under the tree shadows, Bai Jixiang watched them enter the building. Luckily, Tan Xun knew Shi Zai lived here, otherwise how could he have gotten him back so quickly? With anyone else, he could just leave them with someone, but Shi Zai—even though he couldn’t say where home was, he kept insisting on going back.

He even talked about having a "harem" at home—absurd.

He wondered if the man from earlier knew about that. Probably not. If he did, who knows what would happen.

From afar, he could still hear Shi Zai rambling drunkenly—things like "monks can’t stand the smell of alcohol, let the little rooster carry me," and "why is the big rooster so cold tonight, is he sad because he can’t lay eggs?" Bai Jixiang shook his head and laughed.

Having returned to this world, the only reason for living was the person in his arms.

As for that "Xiao Bai," Shi Zai had told him about him before, and Yang Yun had forwarded some messages. Every time Shu Yangkuo heard or saw those, he couldn’t help but... besides Tan Xun and Jiang Ziqing, now there's another. But there was nothing he could do.

Friends—they were all rare friends to Shi Zai.

The drunk man in his arms shifted, perhaps uncomfortable. Shu Yangkuo moved him to the other thigh. The one in his arms was drowsy, almost asleep. Shu Yangkuo fingered the gift in his pocket—nearly a full day and night had passed, and he still hadn’t managed to give the gift.

He sighed softly and gestured for Yang Yun, who was sitting obediently nearby with worried eyes, to come closer. Shu Yangkuo took out a small cloth bag:

"Yang Yun, address me as big brother from now on."

"...Second Uncle?"

"When clouds gather, rain follows—you were never just a little bird."

"...Big brother—sob..."

With a whimper like a puppy, Yang Yun threw himself against Shu Yangkuo’s other side, burying his head and nuzzling, tears dampening Shu Yangkuo’s shirt. He knew—he knew the cold, silent second uncle... no, big brother—was good to him. But he was used to being afraid, used to reading people’s faces to know whether to laugh or stay quiet, so toward big brother... as little brother said, he often acted ingratiatingly too.

Because big brother had saved him—how could he ever repay this kindness?

He had defined himself as Shu Yangkuo’s devoted pet forever, content to bring even a moment’s smile within his sight. But it turned out like this—he was never just a bird or a pet. What was he? He was another person who mattered in big brother’s heart.

Before Yang Yun could bury his head deeper, little brother pushed him, still tipsy:

"Little rooster?! Why are you snuggling into my arms again?"

"..."

"If you’re willing to call me 'Mom'... hiccup, I’ll be your mommy, hehe..."

Hearing this, Yang Yun shrunk back. The big brother who had been gentle with him just moments ago now his face darkened—hmm, when he's stern, he's truly stern.

He quickly sat up straight and explained:

"Big brother, we only slept together five nights, no hugging. Little brother sleeps very still, and I didn’t burrow... one morning I thought I was holding the large stuffed cat little brother gave me."

"How old are you still playing with plushies?"

"...Little brother insisted on giving it to me. If you want one, ask him yourself."

"No need."

Yang Yun "hmph"-ed, not daring to say "don’t treat little brother like your plushie." He lowered his head and opened the small cloth bag, then immediately grinned and rubbed against Shu Yangkuo’s shoulder... Sometimes he wasn’t really afraid of big brother—just like how little brother sometimes acted boldly and sometimes timidly in front of big brother. After all, they were both still young, and facing a tall, imposing big brother whose mere presence commanded respect, they couldn’t help but feel fear.

Especially when doing something mischievous—hehe.

Afraid as they were, their respect and love were genuine. Inside the cloth bag was a small bracelet with a jade clasp shaped like a cloud. Yang Yun knew immediately what it meant. Lifting his face, he curved his eyes into a smile:

"Thank you, big brother. I really like it."

"Mm, grow up safely."

"Okay, I’ll help you look after little brother too!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Shi Zai, hearing the words "little brother," jolted awake again. Rubbing his eyes drowsily, he wrapped both arms around the broad shoulders and neck, nuzzled, and muttered:

"Don’t let the little rooster watch me... Big rooster, let’s go back to our nest."

"...Okay."

"You have to say 'crow'! So dumb! Big rooster, did you scold the little rooster earlier?"

"..."

Completely helpless, Shu Yangkuo swept the person into his arms, whispering soothing words in his ear as he carried him back to the nest—no, back to the room.

Behind them, Yang Yun pursed his lips—how undignified! He’d probably actually let out a "crow."

Second Uncle... no, big brother used to be an iron-willed nobleman of imperial descent who wouldn’t bend his back for anyone—a fierce tiger. Who would have thought he’d become such a devoted partner now, saying things that made Yang Yun blush? Even "sweetheart"—someone who rarely spoke actually spouting sweet talk one day.

But it was also good. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have heard big brother say these things to him even in three lifetimes.

Bedroom.

Shi Zai had been cleaned up, feeling warm and tingly, and mostly sober. He opened his eyes:

"Big rooster, did you peck at my stomach?"

"..."

Shu Yangkuo looked down at himself... his pajama bottoms were on properly. The puppy was babbling again.

Shu Yangkuo was about to speak when Shi Zai burst into laughter, acting completely silly. Shu Yangkuo smirked:

“Little chick?”

“…You’re the little chick! I’m a mighty phoenix!”

“Oh, little phoenix, settle down.”

“…You big rooster! Pheasant!”

What kind of nonsense is this? Shu Yangkuo chuckled softly; the drunken puppy was actually quite amusing:

“Can a pheasant marry a phoenix?”

“…That depends on how capable you are? Let me check—pretty impressive…”

Shu Yangkuo couldn't avoid it fast enough, took a sharp breath, and eventually moved the hand away. When it came to saying such things, he really couldn't compete.

He had no idea how the topic had turned this way.

To prevent the little phoenix from going on and on, Shu Yangkuo brought over the water cup nearby and fed him another drink, finally occupying the little phoenix’s mouth. But as soon as the mouth settled, other parts got restless—the person in his arms broke free, stuck his butt up on the bed… insisting he was a phoenix.

…Shu Yangkuo held back again and again, gave a light pat to the soft curves, which frustrated him, so he simply pulled him back into his arms and held him properly.

It was a restless night.

Shi Zai needed to pee and felt thirsty, fidgeting around until he finally woke up. The moment he opened his eyes, he wrinkled his nose:

“Who’s been drinking? Old man, you’ve gone bad?!”

“…”

“What’s on my neck? Brother, did you put a collar on me?”

“…”

As soon as he pushed the door open, Shu Yangkuo heard the little pup chattering away, truly capable of spouting absurdities.

Shu Yangkuo walked over, sat him on his lap:

“Do you like it?”

“Brother—did you get it from the temple?”

“Mm, the front says ‘Lucky Boy,’ the back says ‘For Ages’—do you remember?”

Xiao Zai nodded heavily; he understood the meaning behind “Lucky Boy, For Ages.” He also knew what the little gold lock around his neck meant. When they were young, all the siblings in the family had one—though not gold, the peach wood meant the same thing.

—Blessings, safety.

Protecting little children as they grow up safely.

Among the twelve children in the family, only Shi Zai didn’t have one.

He wiped the corner of his eye, red, but quickly sniffled and suppressed his emotions. He had one now, Shi Zai had one—he was no longer the past “Ten-Pup,” but the “Xiao Zai,” “Little Brother Pup,” “Lucky Boy” belonging to his brother and younger brother.

A boy blessed with good fortune.

Shu Yangkuo didn’t take the reward from Chaolin Temple, exchanging it instead for two small blessings.

Not only was Shi Zai making up for their past, but this man, who was more than a blood brother, was doing the same.

Shi Zai wrapped his arms around his neck, looked up, and gave him a kiss, his eyes full of devotion:

"Brother (ge), from now on, you're my real brother (ge)."

"..."

"What's wrong? Are you unwilling?"

"...If you want to call me something, call me 'elder brother' (dage)."

What's the difference? Blinking his eyes, Shi Zai understood the answer from the tall man's slightly reddened ears and realized the distinction between the two. Hehe, alright then, "elder brother" (dage) and "brother" (ge) are not the same... Otherwise, it would always keep Shu Yangkuo dancing on the edge of taboo, haha!

Feeling the need to urinate, Shi Zai lifted his face:

"Hey, Brother (ge), if you help me pee, can you stop holding last night against me, okay?"