Chapter 28: Helping You Adapt

Chapter 28: Helping You Adapt

Jiang Yancheng didn't call him out on his fake sleeping or lying; he just found Shen Mian utterly adorable, with his blushing cheeks and ears as he tried to explain himself.

He watched, desire itching at him, a dark glint settling in his eyes. Unable to resist, he pulled Shen Mian closer by the nape of his neck and leaned in to kiss him again.

Closing his eyes, Jiang Yancheng took a gentle sniff at the side of Shen Mian's neck, like a starving beast catching the scent of tasty prey, a satisfied smile curling on his lips. "Baby, you smell so good!"

"I really want to eat you up right now~"

Shen Mian's cheeks flushed crimson at such blunt, fervent words, and he repeated what he had just said: "It's daytime now..."

"What's wrong with daytime?" Jiang Yancheng caught his hand and kissed the back of it. "It's the weekend today; we've got the whole day to ourselves~"

Seeing that Shen Mian's gaze still held a hint of avoidance, Jiang Yancheng's gaze darkened. He gently tilted Shen Mian's chin up, forcing him to meet his eyes.

"Sweetheart, are you planning to pay off last night's debt together with tonight's?" His tone was light, but the threat in it was heavy, impossible to ignore.

Shen Mian was caught off guard, and before he could react, his sleep pants were already yanked down.

His eyes flew wide in panic, a mist quickly welling up in them. Yet he held back from resisting, as if silently giving in to Jiang Yancheng's advances.

His resistance and aversion were plain to see, his body stiff and rigid, as if he were marching to the execution ground.

Jiang Yancheng could feel the shift in Shen Mian firsthand. He gently stroked the face that had gone pale from fear of his closeness and asked softly, "Are you that resistant to me?"

Shen Mian kept his eyes down and stayed silent, but the repulsion was written all over his face.

"If you resist, it's going to hurt." Jiang Yancheng's fingertips traced over his furrowed brow, his voice softening further. "Do you really hate me? Isn't there even a little bit of fondness for me?"

Shen Mian shook his head but kept his lips pressed tightly together, refusing to speak.

"Not repulsed, then?" Jiang Yancheng carefully cupped his face, one hand resting on Shen Mian's still-trembling shoulder. "Then why are you shaking like that?"

Shen Mian bit his lower lip, looking at him with conflicted eyes, his eyes already reddening, a hint of moisture gathering at the corners.

"Is it because you can't accept that I'm a guy?" Jiang Yancheng asked softly.

Over the past few days, he'd noticed that Shen Mian didn't seem very accepting of homosexuality, which was why he was so resistant to their intimacy.

Shen Mian was silent for a long moment before he gritted his teeth and nodded.

Jiang Yancheng's heart sank, but he quickly forced a smile and said, "It's okay, I'll help you get used to it."

"Relax, baby~ This is something beautiful. Don't be afraid." Jiang Yancheng patiently held him in his arms, comforting him. Even though he was aching with discomfort himself, he didn't make any further moves.

Shen Mian's mood finally improved, and feeling the person in his arms calm down, Jiang Yancheng finally kissed him gently.

His kisses trailed down, from Shen Mian's brow to the tip of his nose, then to his cheeks and his pale, white neck.

Shen Mian quietly let him kiss him, deliberately ignoring the certain physical changes in his body.

Until Jiang Yancheng suddenly bent down—

"Ah!" Shen Mian couldn't help but let out a cry, his face instantly turning crimson. He seemed unable to believe he could make such a sound, and even more so, that Jiang Yancheng... he actually...

Shen Mian covered his mouth, mortified and indignant.

"Baby~ You're so sensitive~" Jiang Yancheng lowered his head and kissed the spot again, whispering, "Make more noise, I love hearing it."

"Don't..." Shen Mian's voice trembled as he spoke, but what came out was exceptionally soft and weak. He was both shy and flustered, lowering his head and instinctively pressing his legs together.

But Jiang Yancheng held him down, and the scene got even more...

Shen Mian gritted his teeth, forcing himself not to look down. He tilted his head toward the ceiling, his fingers tightly laced with Jiang Yancheng's, ten fingers locked together.

The unfamiliar sensation was so intense it made his scalp tingle, tears nearly spilling from his eyes. Only then did Jiang Yancheng finally let go, pulling him into his arms for a kiss.

Feeling Shen Mian completely relax, Jiang Yancheng nibbled on his earlobe while reaching into the nightstand drawer to pull something out.

The sound of a plastic wrapper being torn open echoed, and Jiang Yancheng caught Shen Mian's hand.

The man's seductive voice, along with his warm breath, sounded by his ear, coaxing softly, "Good boy~ Help me put it on."

...

This time, the ordeal didn't seem to last as long as the night before. Shen Mian soaked in the bathtub again, and by the time Jiang Yancheng carried him out of the bathroom, Shen Mian was already on the verge of falling asleep.

Wrapped in a towel, Shen Mian sat leaning on the sofa, watching Jiang Yancheng strip the damp sheets off the bed, a blush of embarrassment spreading across his cheeks.

He had been so overwhelmed that he had even soaked the sheets.

So embarrassing.

"Do you want to get up and eat something?" Jiang Yancheng asked, coming over after changing the sheets.

Shen Mian shook his head with his eyes closed; he was too sleepy now, just wanting to sleep.

Jiang Yancheng saw how he could barely keep his eyes open and knew he had exhausted him. He didn't bother him further, tucking him into bed.

"Rest well then." He leaned down and kissed Shen Mian's cheek, reluctantly getting up and heading to the study.

When Shen Mian woke up again, it was already afternoon.

His stomach, empty all day, finally protested. He rubbed his belly and sat up in bed.

His body was still a bit sore, but not as severe as last time. Jiang Yancheng's movements had been much gentler this time, with almost no pain at all.

He slipped on his slippers, wandered around the room, and not seeing Jiang Yancheng, went to the bathroom himself.

By the time he had changed and tidied up, Jiang Yancheng had just returned to the bedroom.

"Awake?" Jiang Yancheng looked at him, a faint smile in his eyes.

"Yeah." Shen Mian nodded at him.

"The weather is nice today. Want to go out for a bit?" Jiang Yancheng asked. "You must be hungry, right? I'll take you out to eat."

The aunt had the day off this Sunday, so no one was cooking at home. Jiang Yancheng could make a few simple dishes, but he had been busy with work just now, and there wasn't enough time to cook from scratch.

Shen Mian was indeed hungry and answered quickly: "Okay."

"What do you want to eat?" Jiang Yancheng was in an exceptionally good mood, smiling at Shen Mian the whole time.

Shen Mian said softly, "Anything is fine."

"Is there anything you particularly want to eat?" Jiang Yancheng asked him.

He still didn't know much about Shen Mian's tastes. The first time they met, he had treated him to Western food, but Shen Mian didn't seem to enjoy it much.

He was really craving something... Shen Mian thought for a moment, and suddenly the barbecue he had been craving for a long time but never got to eat popped into his head.

He hesitated for a moment, but he went ahead and said it anyway: "There's a barbecue place near where I work part-time... Can we get that?"

Shen Mian thought that a rich guy like Jiang Yancheng probably wouldn't think much of this student-type food. To his surprise, he agreed right away: "Of course we can."

The two of them drove over to the university town.

On the weekend, the university town was much livelier than on weekdays, and it was right around dinner time. Various food stalls lined both sides of the street, and the smell of malatang, grilled skewers, and hand-grabbed pancakes mixed with the vendors' shouts, full of that lively, down-to-earth vibe.

Shen Mian led Jiang Yancheng to the barbecue restaurant he had been wanting to try for a long time.

Because it was newly opened, the place was newly renovated and looked pretty impressive, but since it was budget-friendly and catered to regular folks, it obviously couldn't hold a candle to the steak place Jiang Yancheng had taken him to last time.

With the weekend crowd, the barbecue place was even more packed. By the time they arrived, the dining area was already completely packed, leaving only two empty tables in the corner. The place was small, and the tables were crammed so close together they were practically touching the next table, like eating at a night market stall.

Shen Mian stood at the entrance and glanced inside. Most of the customers were nearby students, which made Jiang Yancheng in his custom-tailored suit, looking all cold and elegant, stick out like a sore thumb in this noisy, bustling barbecue restaurant.

With an outfit like that, he belonged in some fancy, upscale Western restaurant, not here.

A pang of regret hit Shen Mian. He looked up at Jiang Yancheng: "There are so many people here, maybe we should go somewhere else?"

Jiang Yancheng could see the awkwardness on his face and asked in confusion: "Didn't you want to eat here? Why change?"

Shen Mian pressed his lips together and mumbled: "There are too many people, it's too crowded..."

Jiang Yancheng first thought Shen Mian was bothered by the crowd, but when he saw his gaze frequently falling on himself, he realized Shen Mian was worried he wouldn't be comfortable. Seeing how considerate he was being, a smile tugged at the corners of his lips.

"We're already here, so let's just eat here!" He gave Shen Mian's head a gentle pat. "There's an empty spot over there, let's sit there."

Shen Mian let himself be led to an empty table in the corner.

Although the restaurant had many customers, the food came out pretty fast. Not long after they placed their order, the grill plate and the side dishes they ordered were all brought to the table.

"Sorry, because there are quite a lot of customers in the restaurant today, we'll have to ask you two to grill it yourselves." The waiter who delivered the food apologized softly and threw in two bottles of sour plum juice to make up for it.

The place did offer a grilling service, but when it got busy, they couldn't keep up.

Jiang Yancheng nodded and said: "It's fine, you go ahead and work!" He didn't want anyone else butting in on him and Shen Mian anyway. Grilling some meat was something he could handle himself.

They ordered a ton of food, completely covering the table. Shen Mian rarely ate this kind of barbecue, so he hesitantly picked up the tongs and put a slice of pork belly on the grill, then added a chicken wing.

"You gotta pour some oil first, or it'll burn." Jiang Yancheng rolled up his sleeves and took the tongs from his hand smoothly. "Let me do it!"

Shen Mian knew he wasn't great at grilling, so he didn't fight him over it and just quietly watched from the side.

Jiang Yancheng was pretty good at grilling: with a flick of his wrist, he flipped the pork belly over, golden and crispy at the edges, sizzling with oil, and a rich barbecue aroma immediately filled the air.

Shen Mian hadn't eaten much all day, and the smell was already driving him crazy. Jiang Yancheng caught his eager look, flipped it over, grilled it for another half minute, and brushed on some barbecue seasoning before placing the grilled pork belly slices into Shen Mian's bowl.

"It's done, dig in!"

Shen Mian picked up the perfectly grilled meat and took a bite. The juicy, flavorful meat burst on his tongue—it was exactly what he'd been craving.

He ate with his eyes curved in delight, cheeks puffed out, and eyes sparkling, like a happy, well-fed little cat.

Just a simple barbecue meal, and Shen Mian was this happy and satisfied, his whole face lighting up with joy.

He gets this happy over food—what an easy-to-please little guy. Jiang Yancheng glanced at him and felt his heart soften.

The pork belly on the grill sizzled, and the meaty aroma got even richer with the cumin seasoning. Jiang Yancheng added two chicken wings and a lamb chop to the grill. While grilling, he looked at Shen Mian sitting across from him, and seeing him eat so happily and contentedly, he couldn't help but feel in a great mood, the corners of his mouth lifting gently.

They ate for a while, and customers came and went in waves, yet the place remained packed, showing just how booming the business was.

"Hello, sorry to interrupt." Two fashionably dressed, pretty girls had stopped by their table at some point. One of them, wearing a light purple down jacket, blushed and stared directly at Jiang Yancheng.

With a hint of shyness and expectation in her eyes, she finally gathered the courage to speak: "Sir, hello, could we add each other on contact info and get to know each other?"

There seemed to be a moment of silence in the air, with only the sizzling sound of meat on the grill plate filling the space. Jiang Yancheng lowered his gaze, not answering her immediately, but instead tentatively looked at Shen Mian's reaction across from him.

Shen Mian was also stunned the moment the girl spoke. He had been biting into a grilled chicken wing and stopped mid-action. He wasn't sure what he was feeling at that moment, but he felt inexplicably unhappy.

Just like that time before, when he saw Jiang Yancheng talking to a strange girl at the school gate.

Jiang Yancheng keenly caught the slight downturn of his lips, and the smile in his eyes deepened. He turned his head and politely but distantly declined the girl's request: "Sorry, that's not convenient."

The two girls had only come to ask on a whim, and they didn't look too disappointed when he refused. They smiled, said "Sorry to bother you," and left.

Watching the two girls walk away, Jiang Yancheng also put down the grill rack in his hand. He propped his chin on his hand and watched the person across from him quietly eating, his voice laced with gentle teasing: "Jealous?"

Shen Mian froze, keeping his head down and avoiding his gaze, and only said softly: "No."

He tried to play it cool and reached for the tongs to grill his own meat, but his wrist was pressed down by Jiang Yancheng's palm.

Jiang Yancheng watched him sulking with that stiff face and found him cuter by the second. He simply moved from across to sit beside him: "What else do you want to eat? I'll grill it."

The familiar male body suddenly pressed close beside him, and Shen Mian stiffened. The tongs he had just held for less than two seconds returned to Jiang Yancheng's hand. He then gave up trying and focused on eating instead.

Jiang Yancheng watched him eat slowly, and a few more smiles appeared at the corners of his lips: "Baby, I remember when you added me back then, you also said you got my contact info on the street?"

His light question caught Shen Mian off guard. The barbecue he had just put in his mouth was swallowed without chewing, stuck in his throat halfway down, and he coughed violently.

His eyes turned red from coughing, and a few glistening tears wet his long, thick eyelashes.

Seeing him like this, Jiang Yancheng immediately lost the mood to tease him. He quickly patted his back to soothe him and poured a glass of water, bringing it to his lips: "Drink some water first."

Shen Mian held the cup and took two sips, finally managing to swallow the piece stuck in his throat. The coughing stopped, but his face was still flushed red, like a ripe tomato.

Seeing that he was better, Jiang Yancheng's raised heart finally settled a bit. He sat close to Shen Mian and continued with the previous topic: "I remember I never casually give my contact info to anyone outside. So how did you add me back then? Did you get it from my younger brother?"

Shen Mian felt his face heat up under the questioning, but he knew he couldn't hide it, so he nodded with a reddened face.

Jiang Yancheng saw him with his head lowered, looking shy and embarrassed in such an adorable way, and his heart nearly melted. He leaned over to wipe the corner of Shen Mian's mouth that had been stained with barbecue oil, and said in a gentle voice: "Alright, I'll stop teasing you. Eat properly now!"

He placed the freshly grilled lamb chop with its crispy, slightly charred skin onto the plate in front of Shen Mian and refilled most of his juice glass.

Shen Mian secretly glanced at the person beside him from the corner of his eye, saw his actions, and gently pursed his lips, his body unconsciously relaxing a bit.

...

After finishing the barbecue, Shen Mian was so full he felt uncomfortable, and even his usually flat stomach was slightly bulging.

After eating, Jiang Yancheng took him to the nearby night market to stroll around and digest the food.

The night was like water, with crowds bustling and noisy on both sides of the street. Jiang Yancheng held Shen Mian's hand and walked slowly. He occasionally rubbed Shen Mian's palm with his fingertips and looked up to see the other's reaction.

Noticing something off in his expression, Jiang Yancheng asked with concern: "What's wrong? Not feeling well?"

Shen Mian hesitated for a moment, then shook his head. "I'm fine... maybe I just ate too much and feel stuffed."

Jiang Yancheng, hearing this, relaxed a little. He couldn't help but laugh softly as he reached out and pinched Shen Mian's cheek. "You little glutton~"

"Don't eat so much next time." He pulled Shen Mian closer and gently rubbed his stomach, his tone full of concern. "That must be uncomfortable, huh?"

Shen Mian shook his head awkwardly and muttered a quiet "It's okay."

"There's a small open-air courtyard behind our place. If you like grilled meat, we can have a barbecue anytime." Jiang Yancheng told him.

"Mm..." Shen Mian murmured in agreement.

Jiang Yancheng wrapped his arm around Shen Mian's waist, about to rub his stomach again, but Shen Mian pushed him away with a red face. "We're out in the street... stop..."

Seeing how much he resisted, Jiang Yancheng gave up and instead took his hand, leading him into a nearby pharmacy to buy some digestive medicine.

"If you're feeling unwell, want to head home first?" Jiang Yancheng asked, holding up the medicine.

Shen Mian tensed up at the question, clutching the hem of his clothes as he spoke softly. "I... I have an early class tomorrow morning. Could I... go back to the dorm tonight?"

"Don't go back." Jiang Yancheng tightened his grip on Shen Mian's hand. "I'll take you back tomorrow morning."

He leaned down, his warm breath brushing past Shen Mian's ear. "I want to hold you when I sleep."

Hearing such an intimate remark, Shen Mian couldn't help but recall the sheets that had gotten soaked this afternoon. His ears grew redder and redder, his cheeks burning as if on fire.

He was twenty years old, not a three-year-old kid. A grown man his age... how could he do something so embarrassing?

"Then you can't... you can't..." Shen Mian stammered for a long time, but he just couldn't get the words out.

Jiang Yancheng raised an eyebrow curiously. "Can't what?"

"Can't... take so long." Shen Mian said in a small voice, his head lowered, his voice barely a whisper.