Chapter 29 Twenty-Year-Old Big Puppy

Chapter 29 The Twenty-Year-Old Grown Pup

He had wanted to try again, but ended up getting distracted by the man’s mouth and hands, too dazed to think straight.

Later, Shi Zai tried to copy what was done to him. He had just bitten down, not even gotten a proper taste, when the big guy was abruptly pulled away and accidentally slapped against the corner of his mouth. Before he could grab it again, Shi Zai was pressed entirely into the man’s embrace, his back against the man’s chest, his legs wedged into the heat, making him flush right away.

It was almost the same as letting the horse fully in, so Shi Zai was satisfied, though he made sure to insist they try again tonight.

His words might not have been the most tactful, and Shi Zai almost got smacked for it:

“Bro, the novels say you should try it before marriage, otherwise how would you know if it works?”

“?”

“Hehe…”

He had only laughed twice when Shi Zai covered his buttocks, having been smacked hard by the big guy—hurt way more than a hand slap.

It already felt like he’d been punished.

Seeming like the provocation worked, Shi Zai went to sleep full of anticipation.

The memory made his whole body heat up. The air outside the window grew muggy and warm. Just as Shi Zai was about to yell out—how dare that bastard leave him alone in bed like this so early in the morning?—half a sound had barely escaped when noise suddenly erupted outside the door. Shi Zai went quiet, listening intently.

Before long, he covered his mouth and snickered softly.

Outside the door, Yang Yun hugged his gift, with a pout:

“I want to give Little Brother his birthday gift! You had him all last night, what’s wrong with me seeing him for a little while in the morning?!”

“…Didn’t I say he’s not awake yet?”

“What time is it already! If I go in, he’ll wake up! Jerk! Bad guy! Bad…”

Amid a stream of “bad” complaints, Shu Yangkuo entered the bedroom, locking the door behind him and leaving the little rascal pounding on it outside.

Facing the smiling twenty-year-old grown pup, Shu Yangkuo’s ears turned slightly red. He walked over and hugged him:

“Did the noise wake you?”

“Hehe, I dreamed you were pushing into me the whole time. I reached out but didn’t catch anyone, so I woke up.”

“…”

Not knowing what to say, Shu Yangkuo silently sat him on his lap, letting him wrap his arms around his neck.

But his hands found bare skin, and the front was a little damp still. Shu Yangkuo paused, then turned his head aside and chuckled softly:

“How old are you?”

“Twenty! This only happens because I didn’t get to have it! Brother, you have to feed me tonight, got it?”

“…Mm.”

“Or maybe you could get smaller, or I could use a peeler to make you thinner… Mph.”

Grabbing the back of the person in his arms, Shu Yangkuo lowered his head to silence the annoying mouth. Last night, he had been crying and begging for mercy, and just a few hours later, he was already provoking again without regard for his life. It’s better if this mouth didn’t say anything at all in bed, otherwise he couldn’t guarantee he wouldn’t lose his composure.

After teasing him, Shi Zai was satisfied. He was caught by a pair of large hands and dressed in fresh underwear and shorts, then happily ran out of the bedroom.

His legs were a bit rubbed raw, but it was okay—he’d been ointmented. He just wasn’t quite used to it yet. Changing how he walked, Shi Zai opened the door and saw Yang Yun squatting pitifully by their bedroom door, his hanging head looking utterly forlorn.

Shi Zai couldn’t help but laugh. He pulled him up, and the pink dumpling’s eyes immediately lit up:

“Ge, happy birthday! No matter how old you get, as long as you’re willing, I’ll always be here to joke around with you!”

“Hahaha, of course I’m willing. Just seeing Yun Bao makes me happy.”

“Hehe, this is your birthday gift from me.”

Taking the three vases connected together, Shi Zai pulled the pink dumpling to the sofa to sit down and admire them carefully.

Each vase was about the length of a forearm, with a plump belly and a slender neck. They were elegantly gradient from white to bluish-green, but the bases were adorable: from left to right, there was a small bird, a goofy dog, and a resting lion. Shi Zai understood—the three vases represented the three of them, closely connected.

He really liked it.

Just as he was about to place it on his lap, Shi Zai noticed a line of small text with pinyin on the side of the base: “Happy family, never apart.”

Yang Yun snuggled closer, clinging to Shi Zai’s shoulder:

“These three vases are us, filled with endless love, fresh every day. Just like the flowers outside the window—last month it was magnolias, this month it’s catalpa flowers—never-ending. Big Brother and I will keep you smelling wonderful every day, hehe!”

“My Xiao Yunbao—come here, let me give you a kiss. How are you so wonderful…”

As he spoke, Shi Zai gave a kiss on Yang Yun’s forehead. The pink dumpling turned his cheek: “The cheek too!” Shi Zai laughed and kissed his cheek. The little rascal then pouted his lips, but under a cold gaze from behind, Shi Zai pushed the mischievous head away, laughing heartily.

Yang Yun naturally noticed the jerk’s stare and secretly leaned closer to Shi Zai’s ear:

“Big Brother never kisses me.”

“Hahaha, I’ll make him kiss you on your birthday.”

“No way, he’d bite me hard! I’m just a fragile little bird.”

“Hahaha, how are you so adorable…”

Shi Zai really couldn’t stop laughing. He hugged the pink dumpling’s head and mussed it up, shaking him until he wobbled.

Shi Zai had come to realize that whenever Yang Yun deliberately told tales or blamed Shu Yangkuo, it was actually a little trick to attract attention. It was similar to how Shi Zai would say bold things to tease him and get a rise out of Shu Yangkuo. The cold, quiet man rarely expressed himself or showed much emotion, which sometimes made people wonder, so they both acted this way.

But Yang Yun’s “no” was essentially the same tsundere attitude as his big brother’s, haha.

Amid two calls of “time to eat,” Shi Zai and Yang Yun happily skipped over to the dining table.

Knowing Shu Yangkuo hadn’t given his gift yet, Shi Zai deliberately said:

“Someone thought last night counted as a gift? It doesn’t, and last night wasn’t completed.”

“Hahaha, Ge, aren’t you ashamed!”

“Tsk, kids shouldn’t be so knowledgeable.”

“Hmph, after all, in my life before last, I was an eight-thousand-year-old big bird!”

Hearing this, Shi Zai started teasing the pink dumpling again:

“Oh, a big bird, huh? Then let me ask—have you ever mated with other birds?”

“…Ge, can’t you act properly!”

"Hahahaha, so you're just a little baby bird!"

Clatter—their chopsticks were knocked to the floor in the midst of their playful tussle.

Shu Yangkuo sighed softly, bent down to pick them up, and replaced them with clean ones. The two were still wrestling, so he walked over and gave each a light punch. Only then did the two younger ones settle down, snorting at each other but finally eating properly.

It seemed rules would have to be set from now on—at the very least, no talking or fooling around during meals.

Shu Yangkuo continued eating in silence, listening expressionlessly as the two began whispering and teasing him again.

So happy! So happy! Shi Zai muttered to himself while stealing glances.

After the meal, Shi Zai was pulled into the bedroom by Shu Yangkuo to change into a new short-sleeved shirt. With tears welling in his eyes, Shi Zai lifted his face and rubbed against him:

"Brother, how can you love me so much?"

"If you like it, I’ll make you more."

"I love it so much! You’re even better than a mom! No, you’re better than all the moms in the world! I love you! Brother, I want us to have so many lifetimes together. In the next life, you be my mom, and in the one after that, I’ll be your mom. I want to give you all the different kinds of love in the world!"

Filled with intense, straightforward, tender love, his heart racing wildly, Shu Yangkuo held him tightly, responding only by lowering his head for a deep kiss.

Countless "I love you"s passed from his shaking embrace into the other’s little heart, their souls merging in that moment.

Catching his breath as he opened his eyes, Shi Zai came back to his senses and immediately looked down to admire the shirt—a simple cotton white short-sleeve, but upon closer inspection, the careful details emerged: around each cuff was embroidered a circle of little red suns, and at the hem was the initials "KZ," the first letters of the last characters of both their names. The stitching wasn’t delicate, but it revealed countless nights of secret effort.

Shi Zai could easily imagine the tall man holding a tiny needle, sewing stitch by stitch just for him.

This wasn’t just a shirt; Shi Zai knew his brother was using it to tell him that with Shu Yangkuo, he would receive a love greater than a mother’s.

Glancing out the window, Shu Yangkuo realized it was time to go out. He lifted the squirming puppy from his chest and carried him in his arms. As they headed out, he wondered if they should move somewhere else someday.

Lately, he’d been reading a lot of psychology books. Perhaps a change of environment could help someone fully leave the past behind.

Noticing his distraction, Shi Zai nudged closer and tugged Shu Yangkuo’s ear:

"Brother, did you make more money? We’ve been taking taxis everywhere lately, hehe."

"It’s all saved in your account."

"Great! I’ll give you another two hundred as pocket money."

"No need, I still haven’t spent all the money Xiao Zai gave last time."

"Then spend more! We're doing pretty well now."

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We can always make more money.

Every so often, Shi Zai would give his brother and little brother two hundred in pocket money—it always came in handy when they were out.

He thought for a moment, then lifted his face:

"Brother, you should sometimes buy your colleagues snacks, drinks, ice cream, oh and cigarettes. I’ll get you a wallet later. Don’t be reluctant to spend, and don’t rush to earn. We're doing good now. Spend when you need to, and if you run out, just ask me, okay?"

"Okay."

His hand resting on Shi Zai’s shoulder, Shu Yangkuo reached up and gently pinched his small earlobe, feeling deeply moved. Listening to the one in his arms dote on him—from clothes and socks to his job, covering every detail—Shu Yangkuo let out a soft sigh, content.

Turning around, Shi Zai then gave Yang Yun the same lecture, hoping pink dumpling would make more friends.

As they spoke, they arrived at their destination—a famous downtown mall. Shi Zai thought they were going shopping, but instead, he was led to a jewelry store on the first floor. Puzzled—he already had a little gold lock around his neck, and there was no space for more—he heard Shu Yangkuo tell the clerk, "Let’s look at men’s rings."

???

Shi Zai’s face instantly lit up with excitement. He looked up, his big eyes sparkling. Shu Yangkuo smiled, completely smitten, and lowered his head to press a kiss against those bright eyes. To him, the person nestled by his side was a radiant little sun.

This was the first time he’d been kissed in public. Shi Zai blushed immediately—since when had this man gotten so bold?!

Hehe, I love it.

Their display drew giggles from Yang Yun and a blush from the clerk. She’d seen it all, but in her heart, she thought, "They’re perfect for each other." Hearing the tall man ask for "men’s rings," she took the initiative to show them a selection of men’s couple rings.

As he tried them on, Shi Zai kept talking nonstop:

"Brother, why are you giving me a ring? Why, why? Does this one look good? How about this one?"

"…"

A string of questions. Shu Yangkuo’s ears reddened slightly. He took the ring Shi Zai had chosen—a pair of platinum bands, each adorned with two tiny engraved sprigs of grass. Lifting the boy’s—no, the young man’s—slender middle finger, he steadying his trembling heart and slid it on, then kissed his finger:

"Baby, happy birthday. You are my second life. I will love you forever… I’m not good at speaking… In life, I am yours; in death, I am your ghost. A thousand years isn’t enough. I will stay with you lifetime after lifetime. Even if Xiao Zai one day no longer needs me, I will never leave."

"…"

Almost before the last word had fully landed, Shi Zai stood on tiptoe and kissed Shu Yangkuo.

He had long sensed that this stubborn man loved with an obsessive, extreme intensity. "In death, I am your ghost"—Shi Zai suddenly thought, if he were to die first one day, this man would likely lie in the coffin holding him, going with him.

After the kiss, some onlookers started applauding and cheerful laughter. Blushing, Shi Zai opened his eyes:

"Brother, don’t worry. I will never not need you. You are mine."

"Mm, I’ve claimed you. You’re mine."

"Hehe, you big fool. I’ve always been yours. I’m willing to be claimed by you."

As soon as he finished, the finger wearing the ring was stroked firmly. Suddenly blushing a little, Shi Zai wondered—what did this "claiming" mean?

Looking up, Shi Zai met an intense, possessive gaze and finally began to understand.