Chapter 34: The Little Boyfriend

Chapter 34: The Little Boyfriend

Autumn and winter bring a lot of rain.

It rained on and off for half the night, finally letting up around dawn.

On Monday morning, Shen Mian had class, and Jiang Yancheng always woke up half an hour earlier than him to get ready, and only woke Shen Mian up once he was all set.

When he woke up this morning, it was still early. Jiang Yancheng glanced at the guy all curled up in the blanket, fast asleep, and just couldn't bring himself to wake him.

Since there was no rush, he figured he'd let Shen Mian sleep in a bit.

He stole a kiss on Shen Mian's soft cheek, then got up and went downstairs. The housekeeper had breakfast ready, and the whole place smelled of fresh bread and sweet millet porridge.

"Mr. Jiang, should I pack your breakfast to go today?" the housekeeper asked him.

Jiang Yancheng nodded: "Yes. Pack one up, and add extra porridge."

He remembered Shen Mian really liked porridge, and today the housekeeper had made millet porridge, which was good for digestion—so he could have a bit more.

The housekeeper said "sure" and went off to pack it up.

His phone buzzed in his pocket. Jiang Yancheng took it out, and when he saw a message from Jiang Jianjing on the screen, he put the phone away with a dark look.

He didn't reply. He hadn't replied to last night's message either.

None of it was important anyway—he didn't owe anyone a reply.

Meanwhile, back at the Jiang house, Jiang Jianjing sat stiffly on the sofa, glaring at his phone that hadn't buzzed in ages. He rarely looked this grim. His usually warm, smiling face was now twisted with barely contained rage.

Their social circle was small—any hint of drama spread like wildfire within hours. Especially after Jiang Yancheng showed up at that banquet last night with a male date, so blatantly.

The more Jiang Jianjing thought about what people had told him about last night, the angrier he got. He wished he could drag Jiang Yancheng over right now and give him a piece of his mind.

"Look at him—what the hell is he doing? He's not getting any younger, won't date a single woman, and now he's messing around with a man!" Jiang Jianjing grew angrier the more he thought about it, especially since Jiang Yancheng wouldn't even reply to his messages, which only fueled his rage further.

Qin Wan saw how furious he was and quickly patted his back to calm him down: "Yancheng's been smart and sensible since he was a kid. He's always known his own mind and does whatever he wants. Don't get so worked up—you'll make yourself sick."

"What sensibility? Where exactly do you see that in him? I figured since he was getting older, I'd find him a nice girl from a good family. But no—he goes and digs up some guy from who knows where and brings him to a banquet." Jiang Jianjing's anger flared anew at the mention of it.

Qin Wan sighed: "Man or woman, at the end of the day, it's someone Yancheng likes. If he really loves this person, there's no point in us saying anything!"

"You're defending him. Do you know what people are saying behind our backs? They say he spent the whole night glued to that young guy, even danced with him—everyone saw it." Jiang Jianjing snorted coldly. "Other people keep their boy toys hidden at home, never bringing them out in public. But him? He acts like he wants to shout it from the rooftops. Is that something to be proud of?"

"It might not be a kept lover at all!" Qin Wan thought for a moment, then said quietly, "I heard that kid is stunning—features that stand out anywhere. They say he's got a refined air about him too. Maybe he's some rich family's young master? Maybe the two of them are actually in love, dating of their own free will?"

Jiang Jianjing grew even angrier, his wide eyes filled with fury: "Free will? Does he plan on marrying that boy too?"

Their conversation was loud enough that Jiang Mingye, coming down the stairs, overheard it. He'd been yawning, still half-asleep, but those words snapped him wide awake.

Jiang Mingye came bounding down the stairs: "Dad! What did you just say? My brother... he's actually dating a guy?"

"I wish it weren't true." Jiang Jianjing sighed. "I was originally thinking of making a match with the Sun family. That Miss Sun is beautiful and smart, with impeccable manners. She also runs a branch of the Sun family business—she's more than capable."

"If that match had gone through, Yancheng would've gained a great partner. It would've been a win-win. It was almost settled, but no—he had to go and hug that random guy right in front of Miss Sun. It's absolutely disgraceful!"

Jiang Mingye finally got it. So his dad wanted his brother to go on a blind date, but his brother said no and got himself a boyfriend instead...

Jiang Mingye's head was spinning. It was probably because Jiang Yancheng's untouchable, godlike image was so deeply burned into his brain. He couldn't imagine what kind of person could drag his brother down from the heavens.

And it was a guy, of all things? That person definitely had some serious game.

...

After finishing his Monday morning classes, Shen Mian returned to the dormitory to rest.

Jiang Yancheng had packed him way too much breakfast, and he hadn't even finished it by the afternoon. Not wanting to waste it, he decided to just eat the leftover porridge for lunch.

Cold porridge wasn't as good as warm, but it was still soft and sweet. Just as Shen Mian finished eating it all, he received a message from Jiang Yancheng asking how he was doing.

The other asked if he had eaten properly.

Shen Mian felt a bit guilty and didn't dare admit that he'd made do with leftover porridge from the morning. He told a small lie, saying he'd eaten stir-fried dishes at the cafeteria.

He had just sent the message to Jiang Yancheng when Jiang Mingye and the others came back.

Jiang Mingye walked in front, his voice loud and complaining: "My brother actually likes men, and he even came out publicly—I really didn't see that coming!"

"My dad is about to lose his mind. He nearly smashed the coffee table at home."

Shen Mian's heart skipped a beat at those words, and he couldn't help but tighten his grip on his phone.

Jiang Yancheng... had he told his family about their relationship?

"I don't know what he was thinking, suddenly finding a man? My dad originally wanted him to get engaged to some young lady, but last night he showed up at a banquet with his little boyfriend in tow, and now the whole circle knows." Jiang Mingye kept complaining.

Shen Mian sat quietly, his long eyelashes trembling slightly. He took in every word Jiang Mingye said, and a wave of turmoil rose in his otherwise calm heart.

So it was last night's banquet that his family had found out about.

His father was so angry—he must not be able to accept Jiang Yancheng being with a man. If his father started investigating, would he dig up everything about them?

The more Shen Mian thought about it, the more anxious he became. It felt as if all the blood in his body had frozen in an instant.

Jiang Mingye and the others were still discussing it, chatting animatedly.

"Honestly, homosexuality is pretty common these days. There are several couples at our school too—I remember one that's pretty famous," Sun Yang said casually.

Chen Tao, curious, couldn't help asking: "Who? Which couple is famous?"

Sun Yang said in surprise: "Those two from the sports school and the music department next door. They publicly declared their love at the fountain right at the start of the semester and caused quite a stir back then. You guys didn't know?"

"Who cares about two men dating?" Jiang Mingye scoffed, his tone full of disdain and rejection. "What's so good about homosexuality? Just thinking about it is disgusting."

Jiang Mingye's words landed squarely on Shen Mian's ears. His face turned pale instantly, and his fingertips dug hard into the flesh of his palms.

Chen Tao and the others hadn't expected Jiang Mingye to react so strongly, so they deliberately teased him: "Weren't you just saying your brother likes men? You used to worship him the most. If you say homosexuality is disgusting, does that mean you think your brother is disgusting too?"

The moment the words were spoken, Jiang Mingye's expression changed. He frowned in irritation, his face full of confusion and resentment: "I really don't understand what my brother is thinking! How did he suddenly end up liking men? With his conditions, he could find any woman he wants. Why does he have to like a man?"

Jiang Mingye had idolized his older brother, who was several years his senior, like a myth since childhood. But now that the myth had been shattered, he was the one who couldn't accept it, and resentment naturally brewed in his heart.

He really wondered what kind of fox spirit had come along and charmed his brother away. And he'd never even heard Jiang Yancheng mention it—maybe the two had only met recently. Could that person really be as beautiful as an immortal?

"Maybe the guy your brother likes really is good-looking. Some men these days are even prettier than women—when they act cute, you can't resist at all," Sun Yang added fuel to the fire.

"Prettier than a woman? That's just a sissy, isn't it?"

"Either he's put a spell on your brother, messed with his head, and made him suddenly fall head over heels for him."

Chen Tao and Sun Yang went back and forth joking, their teasing reaching Shen Mian's ears. His cheeks burned, and even the tips of his ears visibly reddened. He nervously fidgeted with his fingers, a knot of embarrassment and anxiety tightening in his chest, making it hard to breathe.

At that moment, his phone rang.

Shen Mian, already feeling guilty from eavesdropping, jumped at the piercing ringtone. He quickly reached for his phone, only to see "Jiang Yancheng" flashing on the screen.

Shen Mian didn't dare pick up in the dorm, so he quickly hit decline.

The three guys chatting heard the commotion and all turned to look at him, as if they'd only just noticed there was someone else in the room.

Jiang Mingye narrowed his eyes, staring at him without any pretense.

Shen Mian looked flustered, his cheeks and ears flushed pink against his fair, jade-like skin, making him look more animated than when he usually kept his face blank and said nothing.

Jiang Mingye thought back to what Chen Tao and the others had just said: a man prettier than a woman...

There really was one in their dorm room.

But knowing his brother, he probably wouldn't go for some hick from a backwater mountain village.

Even if he was good-looking, especially in women's clothes...

Before Jiang Mingye could fully recall the image of Shen Mian in that maid dress at the coffee shop, the guy sitting there suddenly shot up, grabbed his phone, and bolted out.

...

The sudden call from Jiang Yancheng startled Shen Mian.

As soon as he hung up, the man texted him on WeChat:

"Baby, why'd you hang up on me?"

Shen Mian's fingers trembled as he quickly replied, "It's not a good time right now."

Jiang Yancheng: "Oh."

Jiang Yancheng: "You got some other guy around you? That inconvenient?"

Seeing his jealous text, Shen Mian felt a mix of anxiety and helplessness. Plus, he didn't want to stay in the dorm anymore, and he definitely didn't want to hear his roommates gossiping about him. So he just got up and hurried out.

The moment Shen Mian left the dorm, his phone rang again. He glanced at the screen—Jiang Yancheng again.

Clutching his phone, he walked over to a big, secluded tree near the dorm and finally picked up.

"Baby~ What were you up to just now?" Jiang Yancheng asked on the other end.

Shen Mian pulled himself together and tried to sound calm: "Nothing, I was just... in the dorm room."

"Oh?" Jiang Yancheng dragged out the syllable. "Too scared to pick up my call in front of my brother?"

Hearing that deep, magnetic voice, Shen Mian's heart, which had been racing a moment ago, calmed down a little.

He spoke up: "Your brother was saying in the dorm that your dad found out you took me to the banquet last night, and he's really pissed..."

"Mm." Jiang Yancheng replied flatly, like he already knew.

Shen Mian was still hesitating when the other side spoke again: "Don't worry about them. What they think doesn't matter."

Jiang Yancheng said it lightly, like he couldn't care less what his own father thought of him.

Surprised, Shen Mian couldn't help asking again: "Are you sure it's really okay?"

"Won't you two... fight over this?"

Or was it that someone poor like him just couldn't understand how rich families' father-son relationships worked?

"It's fine," Jiang Yancheng said softly. "When the time's right, I'll take you to meet them."

"..." W-what?

Shen Mian froze.

What did Jiang Yancheng just say? He was just Jiang Yancheng's little lover, but Jiang Yancheng said he wanted to take him to meet his parents?

Why would a little lover need to meet the parents? Was that how rich people's side pieces worked?

And Jiang Yancheng's father disliked him so much—even if he did go, wouldn't he just get thrown out?

"Why aren't you saying anything? Feeling shy?" Jiang Yancheng teased over the phone.

"Nooo~" Shen Mian mumbled, "I'm not going..."

"Not going where?"

"Not going to meet your parents," Shen Mian said. "Only people who are about to get married meet the parents. I'm just your little lover."

There was a long silence on the other end.

"Little lover, that's how you see yourself?" The man chuckled softly on the phone.

Then what was all that hard work learning to be a good boyfriend for? Did it count as him just being studious?

Shen Mian gave a soft "mm" and explained quietly: "You're keeping me right now, I'm paying off my debt—so we're in a lover relationship."

Another brief silence, then a low, muffled laugh: "Alright~ little lover."

"That title sounds pretty nice."

"Since you've called yourself my little lover, shouldn't you be trying to make your sugar daddy happy?" Jiang Yancheng said gently.

Shen Mian bit his lip, completely unaware he'd walked right into Jiang Yancheng's trap again: "How do you want me to... make you happy?"

"Call me something nice, then say 'I miss you.'" Jiang Yancheng commanded softly.

"..."

"Do I have to say it that way~" Shen Mian's face turned bright red, and he clutched at his clothes in embarrassment.

Jiang Yancheng said softly: "Don't whine."

"I'm not~" Shen Mian protested softly.

"Then say it." Jiang Yancheng coaxed him on the other end.

Caught between pressure and coaxing, Shen Mian finally steeled himself and said it:

"Hubby, I miss you~"