Chapter 43

Chapter 43

"..."

"Just one more small sip."

"..."

"One last sip, and then we're done."

Sip after sip. Jiang Jining simply refused to believe his tricks anymore. He held the soup in his mouth, puffing out his cheeks slightly, his soft, red lips tightly sealed and unyielding, his bright, watery eyes showing the most stubborn resolve.

He didn't want to eat anymore.

"Fine." Fu Yuze conceded defeat. After wiping Jiang Jining's mouth, he watched him swallow bit by bit, a seemingly difficult task, then wrapped him in the blanket. "Don't lie down to sleep right away."

Jiang Jining obediently leaned back.

His whole body felt soft and weak, but there was no trace of discomfort.

Having experienced the correct method to alleviate his heat cycle, his face flushed like a peach, only his eyes visible as he watched Fu Yuze move about, tidying up here and there, looking very domestic.

The blanket slipped down a little.

Jiang Jining's snow-white shoulder was exposed. He looked down and saw a few faint red "mosquito bites." Slowly and leisurely, he slid further down, slipping back under the covers to lie down.

Better to just lie down.

He still wasn't wearing any clothes.

Jiang Jining wasn't even allowed a moment for his soul to wander off. His line of sight was fixed directly on the black-silver trash can. The slightly tilted angle was perfect for a casual toss. The trash can was relatively empty; anything deeper inside couldn't be seen. But right there, hanging on the metal rim, was about one-third of a casually discarded, clear rubber item...

!

Jiang Jining closed his eyes and turned his back.

He was both embarrassed and annoyed that Fu Yuze didn't dispose of the trash properly.

The mound huddled on the large bed vividly expressed immense indignation.

It was a useful item, but it made one feel terribly embarrassed.

Jiang Jining thought about having to deal with it for several more days, and his entire body felt like it was about to melt again...

He was no longer completely ignorant. He now understood all those veiled words the doctor and his mother had spoken. No wonder such embarrassing matters couldn't be discussed openly.

It was all Fu Yuze's fault.

Jiang Jining's mind wandered as he pondered. He touched his flat, soft little belly, recalling that feeling of fullness during the act, and for a moment, he even thought...

Never mind.

Fu Yuze probably wouldn't lie to him.

Late at night, Jiang Jining watched as Fu Yuze finally noticed that condom he dared not even look at. Fu Yuze casually tossed it deeper inside. The smart trash can automatically gathered and sealed the bag: "Hum—"

After washing his hands, Fu Yuze returned, scooped up the kitten who was so comfortable it had sprawled out its belly, gave it a good kiss, and helped him put on clothes. "Do you want to wear underwear?"

Jiang Jining: "..."

"Let's not wear them." Fu Yuze decided for him, casually tossing them onto the newly changed bedding. "Otherwise, I won't know your condition."

Jiang Jining watched as the pants flew away. "..."

The monthly heat cycle that always made him incredibly nervous passed peacefully like this.

Jiang Jining had never tried such an effective relief method before.

That business was extremely physically draining. The previous night, Fu Yuze had tried to feed Jiang Jining, who refused to eat. Yet, by the next morning, Jiang Jining actually began to crave it. He was even willing to eat some things on his own. This dual sense of "fullness" kept him physically fine until the afternoon of the second day.

Uncle Lu and Aunt Tao only asked about it once.

Jiang Jining had initially been a bit nervous about living in the same room with Fu Yuze and the things they did being discovered. But the two of them didn't seem to treat him any differently than usual.

That was good enough.

There was just one thing he couldn't get used to...

Fu Yuze was always afraid he'd be embarrassed, asking almost every hour: "Are you feeling anything?"

By about the fourth time...

Jiang Jining covered his ears, not wanting to hear. In fact, he had been maintaining a very slight sense of discomfort all along. He didn't want Fu Yuze to discover it under the guise of checking. Compared to his past heat cycles, this was insignificant, something he could endure without making a big fuss.

"I'll tell you if I want to."

His voice grew weaker as he said this.

Oh no...

As soon as Jiang Jining uttered the last word, his lower abdomen inopportunely began to feel warm. He had just picked up his book and hadn't flipped through many pages yet. The act of putting it down became slow. Probably about two seconds after he looked at Fu Yuze, the latter's brow twitched slightly. "Has it started?"

"..."

Jiang Jining buried his face in his arms without a word.

Only after being picked up did he bite his lip and complain, "You're not allowed to laugh."

Fu Yuze was sure his expression was normal.

But Jiang Jining, having spent so much time with him, just knew he was laughing. That sense of delight was practically leaking from his eyes.

An intense physical workout was very draining.

Generally, depending on the participants' mindset and baseline conditions, different states are inevitable after the exercise ends—some just want to sleep forever like salted fish, while high-energy individuals draw energy for loving life from it, becoming even more spirited.

In this regard, Jiang Jining truly admired Fu Yuze.

It was *his* heat cycle, after all...

Yet Fu Yuze seemed to dote on it too much.

Jiang Jining did feel comfortable and even enjoyed it a lot, but too much was a bit more than he could handle.

It tired him out so much he drank a great deal of water.

This time, Fu Yuze's timing was off when he returned from cooking. Jiang Jining had already been awake for a while, having dressed himself and curled up on the large balcony to look at the night view.

He had learned his lesson once before.

Fu Yuze was not comfortable with how things were.

He pulled a long side table over to set down the food, settled Jiang Jining on the edge of the bed, and began feeding him. Jiang Jining took the spoon and asked, "Where is the birthday present I sent you?"

He had looked, but it hadn't been anywhere in the house for the past two days.

Fu Yuze's mind raced, searching for clues. He replied first, "A-Ning, my birthday is on the second day of the second lunar month."

He would definitely remember anything Jiang Jining gave him.

"The second day of the second lunar month..."

Jiang Jining quickly realized something was wrong.

Bian Jiacheng's birthday had been on the tenth day of the ninth lunar month...

Wait, that's not right. He clearly remembered there was a year-and-a-half age difference between the two of them; their birthday feasts couldn't possibly be held back-to-back!

"You thought you sent me something for my birthday, didn't you?"

Fu Yuze considered this matter just as important as getting Jiang Jining to eat. "Who delivered it for you?"

"Bian Jiacheng."

Jiang Jining was somewhat upset.

It was perfectly normal for A-Han not to know Fu Yuze's actual birthday; it must have been Bian Jiacheng who deliberately deceived both of them... Not only had he tricked him, but he'd also lost the gift.

Fu Yuze asked first, "What was it?"

"A dark box." Jiang Jining, since he thought it was lost anyway, told him: "Inside was a stand carved like a tree stump that I and a woodworking master worked on for several days. I'm not very skilled, and the stand is a bit rough. If it's lost, then just forget about it."

Fu Yuze couldn't just forget it. He asked, "When was it delivered?"

Jiang Jining thought carefully before giving a date.

Upon hearing it was a time after their breakup, Fu Yuze's heart softened. He urged him to finish his meal and went downstairs, returning ten minutes later with a perfectly intact black case.

Found it!

"The item was packaged and left at the security booth. They thought it was valuable, so they registered and locked it away. The shift change that day was quick, so no one noticed." Fu Yuze saw the meal tray was just as he'd left it; he'd barely eaten a thing. He added, "Not eating anymore?"

Jiang Jining used his beautiful eyes to feign innocence.

Fu Yuze had roughly figured out his habit of not liking to eat after sex, so he didn't insist. He cleared the side table. The outer packaging of the case he brought in was a bit dirty. He placed it on a book, wiped it, and carefully opened it.

Jiang Jining rested his chin on his hands, lying by the bedside watching him.

A wooden stand nearly the height of a forearm, carved to look like sturdy, gnarled branches, its grain polished smooth and even. The wooden posts and grooves on it could hold many different things depending on their use.

Without a second thought, Fu Yuze cleared everything from the bedside table and placed it there with both hands.

*To put it here?*

Jiang Jining had originally thought it would be best placed in the study.

Fu Yuze, right in front of him, took the wristwatch from the drawer and set it on display, then removed the bead bracelet from his own wrist and hung it up. Finally, he had Jiang Jining take out his hairpin and place it in the central slot. "It fits perfectly."

The stand instantly came to life, holding their respective personal items as if they were one.

"In a few days, we'll have Uncle Lu adjust the bedroom layout." Fu Yuze held him, chatting idly about daily life: "The clothes ordered earlier were all delivered on time by sister-in-law. I'll clear out the walk-in closet for you."

Jiang Jining, arranged by his few words, said bluntly, "When did I ever say I wanted to move in and sleep with you?"

Besides, Fu Yuze's illness was already cured.

These past few days, holding him, he could clearly sleep soundly until dawn.

"I want A-Ning to sleep with me every day."

Not only did Fu Yuze mimic his speech, but he also had no sense of shame: "Don't you really like my bed?"

Jiang Jining: "..."

He did like it.

Fu Yuze's bed suited his taste perfectly.

It was softer than the Luohan bed and chaise longue covered in silk and satin he used at home, and it had smart temperature control and angle adjustment. It was also very comfortable for rocking during that activity.

The phone on the cabinet rang. Jiang Jining was closer and, having not yet thought of a countermeasure, picked it up for him.

"Uncle~"

A little milky voice came through.

Seeing Jiang Jining was also captivated, Fu Yuze let him listen along to Xingxing's increasingly standard cute talk, whose expressions of affection also struck right at the heart: "Come home."

Fu Yuze calmly stroked Jiang Jining in his arms; the feel of his face was even better than that of the one-year-old Xingxing. "Uncle will be back in a couple of days, baby. Whose phone are you using to call me?"

"Grandma's, oh..."

Xingxing's voice grew softer, probably having lifted the phone.

Zhou Yeying's easygoing and relaxed voice came through: "Made up, right? Steward Lu told me you've been much better lately. Any plans to bring someone home for a visit before the end of the year?"

Jiang Jining looked up at Fu Yuze and heard him say, "No rush."

Not only was Jiang Jining lulled to drowsiness by his patting, but he also perked up to listen to Fu Yuze's back-and-forth replies: "I know. Before, it was Shishu who was busier. I never intended to live my own life away from home indefinitely. Has Dad already persuaded you to think of me as that rebellious?"

Jiang Jining chuckled.

Fu Yuze smiled and looked at him.

Zhou Yeying on the other end of the phone also fell silent.

Jiang Jining immediately covered his mouth and blinked, only to hear a soft voice from the other side: "Uncle is laughing."

Xingxing snorted twice through his nose, also imitating laughter.

"Both of you, get to sleep early."

Zhou Yeying was amused by her eldest grandson.

Fu Yuze acknowledged and bid farewell to Xingxing. The little one said in a milky voice, "Good night, Uncle... Good night to you too, Ningning."

Jiang Jining was very surprised.

"Probably my mom taught him that."

Fu Yuze said, quite matter-of-factly, "Xing Zai hasn't seen you in ages; he probably doesn't remember you well."

Jiang Jining thought that made sense and smiled, "I like him a lot."

"Xing Xing likes you too."

Fu Yuze planted a kiss on the top of his head, smiling.

He remembered Jiang Jining often talked about his little nieces and nephews at home, as well as his pleasant interactions with Xing Xing back when Xing Xing was just a toddler. He couldn't help but ask, "When you were at home, did you ever think about settling down and having kids?"

Jiang Jining nodded without hesitation.

Fu Yuze paused imperceptibly before regaining his composure, feeling guilty for bluntly dashing Jiang Jining's hopes and closing off his options. The Fu family had no precedent for this kind of relationship, and even adopting a child wouldn't be easy.

Suddenly, he heard a soft whisper:

"Don't I have you now?"

Fu Yuze felt as if he had been injected with a potent dose of tenderness. This tenderness grew more intense by the second, its meaning shifting as the night wore on. Now with some experience, he unconsciously began to open up willingly.

However, when he casually slipped a hand under the covers to check...

Fu Yuze froze.

"...That's just how my heat cycle is," Jiang Jining whispered to him.

So Jiang Jining had been in this state all day. Understanding this, Fu Yuze felt a bit helpless. He slid his hand to Jiang Jining's waistband, gently lifting his hips. "Why do you never tell me about this?"

Jiang Jining obliged by raising his legs to let Fu Yuze remove his pajama pants.

The blanket slipped down a little.

Jiang Jining was truly pampered and delicate. He had a naturally fair complexion, but his joints were tinged with a faint pink. His legs were shapely and snow-white, and as he bent them unconsciously, he noticed Fu Yuze staring intently. It didn't feel like the first time. He asked, "Do you like looking at my legs that much?"

Fu Yuze met his innocent, curious gaze.

Now he was being blunt about it...

Jiang Jining never realized how bold his words could be.

Since that was the case, Fu Yuze decided not to hold back either. He pulled Jiang Jining closer with one hand, touching him all over. "I like every part of you."

Jiang Jining's eyes gradually grew hazy as he haltingly shared his thoughts, "Before... when I was at the hospital getting my cast removed, I overheard Bian Jiacheng say my legs were too thin. I thought that was a bad thing..."

But Fu Yuze seemed to really like them.

Mmph!

Jiang Jining's cheeks flushed crimson as he looked up at Fu Yuze, a hint of a pout in his eyes. He gently shook Fu Yuze's arm.

What was he doing...

This was clearly the moment he needed him most.

Fu Yuze cupped the back of his head, tilting it upward. Their eyes remained locked like this, and even when Jiang Jining tried to lower his gaze, it was futile—Fu Yuze saw every flicker of expression and reaction, leaving him nowhere to hide.

Fu Yuze kissed him as a warning. "Bian Jiacheng is a pervert."

Jiang Jining: "..."

Right now, someone else was even more of a pervert.

But he truly couldn't resist this either. Just as he was about to speak up boldly, he felt Fu Yuze pull back completely, retrieving a thin packet from under the pillow and holding it before his eyes.

Blushing, Jiang Jining took it and began to tear it open when a strange thought suddenly popped into his head. With no experience to speak of, he blurted it out: "...What would be different if we didn't use it?"

Fu Yuze: "..."

Don't say things that drive people crazy.

Jiang Jining didn't ask again. Someone clearly wouldn't allow it, and of course, he didn't dare take the risk himself. Yet even as he lay back on the pillow, he still felt somewhat insecure. Slowly and unconsciously, he took Fu Yuze's hand and placed it against his chin.

Fu Yuze's eyes darkened. "What's wrong?"

You know.

Jiang Jining's eyes were filled with trust.

Fu Yuze had briefly done this once before during a moment of passion. In that moment, Jiang Jining felt as if he were clinging to a sturdy tree trunk. With something solid to rely on, he didn't mind revealing his soft and vulnerable side.

Fu Yuze truly understood him well. When he asked, his voice was incredibly gentle. "On your neck, right?"

"...Mhm, you can hold me there."

Jiang Jining nestled his warm cheek into Fu Yuze's palm.

Fu Yuze: "..."

He'd had a taste of nothing but sweetness these past few days, and it was utterly delicious.