Chapter 40

Chapter 40

"This morning you looked like you were going to ride until the first snow of the year, and now you don't like it anymore?"

"It's not that I don't like it. I just feel like I can take my time riding from now on—no need to rush like when I was learning."

Rong Yuan said as he put on his bathrobe.

Before coming here, he had never worn this kind of garment, but Gu Shenhan liked to hold him while they slept without clothes every night, and since this was easier to put on and take off, he started wearing it too. At first, he was a bit unaccustomed, but over the past couple of days, he had gotten used to it.

Gu Shenhan sensed a subtle shift, as if in that instant, Rong Yuan had become exceptionally gentle.

Rong Yuan had always had a tender side, but it was usually more lively and sweet. Just now, however, he seemed to radiate a soft and tolerant aura, making people feel inwardly relaxed, as if drifting slowly in warm water.

It was almost instinctive to want to draw closer.

Gu Shenhan couldn't help but embrace Rong Yuan, breathing deeply at his neck: "An An, you smell so good."

Rong Yuan nuzzled against Gu Shenhan's chest: "Let's go eat, husband. I'm hungry."

Dinner consisted of six-grain rice, steamed sea bass, chestnut braised chicken, giant freshwater prawn tofu soup, braised lamb with winter melon, stir-fried green peppers with perilla leaves, and stir-fried garlic sprouts with cured meat and bamboo shoots.

Rong Yuan ate a full large bowl and quite a bit of the dishes.

After eating, he didn't rush to rest. Instead, he pulled Gu Shenhan for a walk along the corridor to aid digestion. If it weren't for his robe, he would have gone outside.

After the walk, he tidied up some notes he had been taking recently before going to sleep.

Late that night, Gu Shenhan wanted him, gently sucking on him.

But he refused for the first time: "Husband, I want to rest tonight."

Gu Shenhan asked, "Not even once?"

Rong Yuan was about to say no, but then suddenly thought—when Gu Shenhan was a child, was he often rejected and had his feelings ignored?

When his parents were not around, did he often feel very lost?

With that thought, Rong Yuan couldn't bear to refuse, and said, "Then can it be gentle? Not as heavy as usual."

Gu Shenhan agreed, softer than ever before, only losing control in the last few moments, getting a bit heavy.

Rong Yuan still felt his care, his whole body warm and cozy, as if wrapped in love, very at ease.

Gu Shenhan also felt a joy he had never experienced. Even though it was just once, he couldn't explain why he felt an involuntary urge to smile. At that moment of climax, nothing mattered except the person in his arms.

His body felt empty, light and airy. And yet also full, leaving no room for resentment or regret.

That night, they both went to bed early for once.

The next morning, energized, Rong Yuan told Gu Shenhan, "Husband, I'm going to take a day off from the company today."

"Going to see Yan Yu?"

"Not just that. I'm also going to pick up Lin Xiaotang. He finally decided to come and help me. From now on, he and Xiao Yu will be at Bishui Bay together, keeping each other company. The three of us plan to make and sell clothes together. Today, I'll go pick him up first, and then we'll clean out the workshop together."

"Alright. Don't tire yourself out. Any heavy lifting, let the movers handle it."

"Mm, don't worry. I'll be very careful from now on."

After breakfast, Rong Yuan helped Gu Shenhan pick out his clothes for the day.

He hadn't done this before, but recently he had started learning. From matching colors and styles to choosing ties and cufflinks, and tying ties, he had learned it all through observation.

Every time, Gu Shenhan wore whatever Rong Yuan picked out, sometimes even deliberately waiting for Rong Yuan to choose for him. He never said he liked it verbally, but his actions spoke for themselves.

Rong Yuan felt that at times like this, Gu Shenhan was like a big kid, satisfied and content to head out after getting what he wanted.

Lin Xiaotang arrived by high-speed rail. He didn't bring much for the move—just two suitcases. Most of his belongings had been shipped and would arrive in a day or two.

Xiao Ke drove Rong Yuan to pick up Lin Xiaotang. Yan Yu waited at Bishui Bay.

For now, they hadn't hired any help. Rong Yuan and Yan Yu both wanted to minimize expenses and see if they could earn money on their own. So, aside from moving and renovations, they tried to do everything themselves.

Lin Xiaotang and Rong Yuan sat in the back seat. Lin Xiaotang said, "It's fine. I can cook. Just tell me what you want to eat. If I don't know how, I can look up tutorials online. I'm pretty good at replicating dishes. I can also help clean the house."

After his parents passed away, he lived in their house with his older sister and brother-in-law. He had started cooking all three meals from a young age, so his culinary skills were decent.

The reason he could afford to buy Hanfu during his school years was thanks to his cooking. On holidays and weekends, he would cook for other people's homes, walk dogs, feed cats, and bake pastries to sell to nearby residents. That was how he supported his hobbies.

Rong Yuan said, "Then Xiao Yu and I will do the dishes and clean up."

Lin Xiaotang agreed.

He was also quite nervous about coming. After thinking it over for so long, he felt that this decision was rather impulsive.

He and the former Rong Yuan had been close friends for many years, but he had only met this new Rong Yuan a few times.

Were they close? Strictly speaking, no. But he still felt an inexplicable sense of closeness with this new Rong Yuan. And he really wanted to know if, one day, he could learn something about his old friend through this new one. Even just confirming that the other person was doing well would be enough.

When the car arrived at Bishui Bay, Xiao Ke unloaded the two suitcases and left after seeing them inside.

Only Rong Yuan and his two close friends remained in the house.

He introduced them to each other—though it was a bit unnecessary, since Lin Xiaotang and Yan Yu had already met a few times on video calls. Still, he made a formal introduction.

Yan Yu, the youngest and most straightforward, acted like they were old friends and pulled Lin Xiaotang down to sit: "From now on, can I call you Xiao Tang Ge? I'll leave the meals to you, and I'll handle the rest of the work."

Lin Xiaotang said, "No problem. I hope we get along well. Just let me know your dietary preferences."

Yan Yu said "Sure" and led Lin Xiaotang to choose a room.

After settling in, the three of them went to familiarize themselves with the nearby amenities, had lunch together to welcome Lin Xiaotang, and then visited the fabric wholesale market to check prices and accessories.

The fabric market was very close to Xian Cheng—just across the street and about five or six hundred meters away, so they also went there.

Rong Yuan bought some fine black cashmere yarn and a knitting tutorial book. He didn't buy embroidery thread, though. He wasn't doing much embroidery yet, and his schedule wasn't fully arranged. When he took orders, he planned to use his own thread first, then replenish as needed—the most cost-effective approach.

Finally, they went to the supermarket, got a membership card, and bought ingredients for dinner before heading home.

Yan Yu drove them everywhere in the afternoon. The youngest of the group, he usually stayed up late, and after walking around most of the day, he was tired. He flopped onto the sofa: "Xiao Tang Ge, how about we don't cook dinner tonight and just order takeout? You were traveling this morning too, so you must be tired."

Lin Xiaotang was in decent physical shape and kept a good routine, so he wasn't too exhausted. He smiled and said, "It's fine. You rest. I'll take it slow and prepare something. Let's try to avoid takeout as much as possible."

Yan Yu recalled the taste of fried chicken from delivery and frowned involuntarily: "Yeah, it's not great. I usually sleep late, so I always have a midnight snack. But the kitchen is already closed by then, and I don't want to ask them to get up and cook for me in the middle of the night. So I end up eating takeout at night. I've gotten tired of it too."

His brother usually didn't say anything about it, because he ate the same way.

Maybe from all those late nights at internet cafes, both brothers were night owls. Even though their life was better now, they didn't seem to mind eating junk food much.

Lin Xiaotang said, "Then I'll make you some food that you can heat up in the evening. That should be better than ordering takeout."

Yan Yu threw his arms around Lin Xiaotang. "Brother, why didn't you come sooner!"

Rong Yuan smiled and said, "I knew you two would get along."

Yan Yu said, "Xiao'an Gege, you can stay here at night too. You don't have to hang out with Han Ge every day."

Rong Yuan absent-mindedly touched his stomach. "I'll come to stay long-term eventually. No rush. But what about you two? Won't you be scared staying here alone at night?"

Yan Yu spread his hands. "Not at all."

Lin Xiaotang: "I'm fine too. Besides, I'll have company from now on."

He often stayed home alone when he was very young, so he had long gotten used to being scared. If there was one thing he worried about most on this trip, it was that he might mess up.

He majored in textile design, which was about designing fabrics, not garments. It was only in the process of studying these things that he developed a love for Hanfu, and he had picked up some art on the side.

When looking for a job, he was torn between choosing a field related to his major and something he truly loved. That was the main reason he had hesitated until now to come.

In the end, his sister and brother-in-law pressured him to the point of discomfort. Thinking that even after earning money, he could save very little and would have to give most of it to the family, he still wanted to move out. Since he had to move anyway, he might as well take a gamble. After all, even if he did work on Hanfu, it didn't mean he had to throw away everything from his major; he could still work in related industries.

Moreover, Rong Yuan was very sincere. He didn't ask for rent or any money, saying he could contribute with technical know-how. He only needed to contribute his knowledge and skills from the Hanfu community.

So now he was afraid of letting Rong Yuan down.

Rong Yuan said, "Otherwise, I always worry about you two living outside. If you were alone, you couldn't look out for each other if something came up. Now that you're living together, I'm less worried."

Yan Yu said, "Don't worry, Xiao'an Gege. I heard the security here is great. Actually, I was thinking of adjusting my sleep schedule. Xiao Tang Gege, can you help me? Look, I stay up late all the time and I'm breaking out. Your face and Xiao'an Gege's face are so fair. I can't stay up anymore. I'm the youngest, but looking at my face and hair, I seem like the oldest."

Lin Xiaotang couldn't help but laugh. "That might be a bit tough. When I wake you up, you mustn't be mad at me."

Yan Yu vowed emphatically, "Absolutely not."

Lin Xiaotang went to put away the food, refrigerating what needed refrigeration and freezing what needed freezing. Rong Yuan learned and helped out. Yan Yu was tinkering with the computer.

Rong Yuan hadn't seen a computer when he visited last time, but now one had suddenly appeared. He asked Yan Yu, "Xiao Yu, did you buy the computer?"

Yan Yu was slightly stunned. "Didn't you buy it?"

Rong Yuan was dumbfounded. How could he have bought a computer? He could barely use one. Even if he had money, he wouldn't know how to buy the right one.

Rong Yuan sent a message to Gu Shenhan: "Honey, did you have someone deliver the computer to Bishui Bay?"

Gu Shenhan called directly. "I was wondering when you'd see it. Finally noticed?"

Rong Yuan said, "Xiao Yu saw it first. Why did you suddenly buy this?"

Gu Shenhan had come home early today and was in the study. "I swung by the tech mall after work this afternoon and figured I'd set one up in your study here. Then I figured you'd need one there too, so I brought three extra. But the one there is different from the one here. The one here is the same series as mine—obviously a couple-exclusive set."

Rong Yuan stepped aside and said, "Thank you, honey."

"Just a verbal thank you?"

"Then what do you want?"

"You know perfectly well."

"Oh! I get it!" Rong Yuan said. "You want to poke my face, right? Don't worry, honey. This time I absolutely, positively won't misunderstand!" He emphasized "absolutely" and "positively."

Gu Shenhan: "..."

To tease him once and he remembered it for so long. This stingy old man.

Gu Shenhan looked at the wallpaper on the new computer. "When are you coming back?"

Rong Yuan said, "I'll be back after dinner."

Gu Shenhan left the computer on the entire time.

It was almost dark when Rong Yuan finally finished eating.

He came out, thinking Xiao Ke had come to pick him up, but when he got in the car, he saw Gu Shenhan was there too.

"Honey, why are you here too?"

"What do you think?" Gu Shenhan noticed the bag Rong Yuan was holding. "What's that?"

"I won't tell you," Rong Yuan said teasingly.

Gu Shenhan didn't press further.

After returning home, Rong Yuan rushed to the study to check out the new computer. But when he clicked the mouse, he was stunned by the desktop wallpaper.

It was his family from another world—the very painting he had created. Only this time, it included both him and Gu Shenhan.

Rong Yuan's eyes teared up. After a moment, he smiled and said, "Honey, you should have done this next year."

"Why?"

"Because if you do it now, you'll have to do it again next year."

"Why?"

Rong Yuan took Gu Shenhan's hand and gently placed it on his own abdomen, saying joyfully, "Because you're going to be a father."