TuxedoTranslations

Chapter 67

Xia Tong didn’t know why, but just as it seemed he was about to reconcile with Hua Feihua, she suddenly went offline without a word. Xia Tong obediently waited in place for a while, but she never came back online, leaving him feeling a bit regretful.

“What a shame. I thought I was about to make another good friend!” Little Xia Tong had no idea that he had just trampled all over someone’s delicate feelings. He sighed to himself and logged off.

When he left the training room, the base was still quiet. Everyone was likely still asleep or resting. Xia Tong stretched—he was a bit tired too—then headed to his room.

“Aaahhh!” He flopped back onto his bed, limbs sprawled across the soft blankets, and let out a long sigh.

After winning the competition, even lying in this bed felt much more satisfying.

But he wasn’t sleepy. He stared at the ceiling in a daze, and started to feel… bored.

He had just logged out of the game, and couldn’t exactly keep looking at things related to King’s Tomb. But if he didn’t, then… there wasn’t much else to do. The emptiness was suffocating.

So he thought for a bit, got up and grabbed a small basin, neatly folded his dirty clothes, and brought them into the bathroom to wash.

The Zheng family had a housekeeper, but her services didn’t include him, so Xia Tong had always done his own laundry and was quite good at it. After cleaning and hanging up his clothes, he wiped his hands—but the sense of emptiness still hadn’t gone away. If anything, it was stronger.

He lowered his eyes to stare at his toes and slowly began to miss Lin Mingfei.

Ever since King’s Tomb had taken over his life, he had become much more independent. The urgency of survival made him devote most of his energy to mastering the game, and he hadn’t indulged in missing Lin Mingfei in such a clingy, sentimental way for a while now.

He jumped back onto the bed, rolled over, laid on his stomach, kicked his legs lazily in the air, and pulled out his phone to send a message to Lin Mingfei.

Xia Xiaotong:

Gege, where are you?

After about ten minutes, his phone buzzed.

polaris_zero:

At the mall with Old He.

Xia Xiaotong:

Oh, you’re busy then, never mind.

polaris_zero:

Not that busy. What’s up?

Xia Xiaotong:

Oh! Just a little bored.

Xia Xiaotong:

Only a tiny bit, though.

He really did feel kind of embarrassed… always acting like a clingy, helpless little kid. Lin Mingfei was so busy—would he find him annoying? Xia Tong was no longer completely naïve, so he started worrying about these things. He carefully chose his words, trying to sound casual. His ears were even starting to feel warm.

polaris_zero:

Did you take a nap?

Xia Xiaotong:

Nope.

polaris_zero:

Not tired?

Xia Xiaotong:

Not really, I’m fine.

polaris_zero:

So full of energy. Youth really is different.

Xia Xiaotong:

What do you mean? You’re not old either!

polaris_zero:

Compared to you, I definitely am.

After being asked a few questions and teased a bit, the tension in Xia Tong’s heart eased. He felt like they were back to the way things were when they first met—comfortable and close. He relaxed and started chatting more freely.

Xia Xiaotong:

Gege, I used to never be like this. I used to be so content just watching gameplay videos.

Xia Xiaotong:

But now I can actually play games openly… and somehow I feel more bored than ever.

polaris_zero:

That’s normal. Your horizons have widened, and your old life was too limited. Life is supposed to be rich and colorful.

polaris_zero:

You could try picking up other hobbies.

Xia Xiaotong:

Other hobbies? Like what?

polaris_zero:

Like…

polaris_zero:

Now that you ask, I don’t really know what to suggest.

polaris_zero:

Why not ask yourself—what do you really want right now? Something you want to eat? Something you want to do?

Xia Tong pressed the phone to his chin and seriously thought it over.

Xia Xiaotong:

Then I want to see you!

There was no reply for a long time.

Just as Xia Tong was starting to feel confused, over at the mall, Lin Mingfei was bending down to pick up his phone, which had just fallen and slid across the floor.

“Wow… how did you manage to throw it that far? Shot putting your phone or what?” He Youjin exclaimed in disbelief. “If you don’t want your phone anymore, at least donate it to a school in need.”

Lin Mingfei didn’t say a word. He silently flipped his phone over and looked at the screen, which was completely shattered, with cracks spreading out like a spiderweb.

The severity of the damage to the screen reflected just how shaken he had been by what Xia Tong said to him earlier.

He Youjin, not understanding the situation, walked over and asked, “What happened? Did your phone break?”

“Ah… the screen cracked, but it’s fine. Nothing major.” Lin Mingfei saw He Youjin clumsily trying to get a closer look and instinctively shielded the screen with his hand. He didn’t want him to see the chat with Xia Tong. There was a small, secret sense of joy in his heart. He quickly changed the subject. “Uh… why don’t you check out a few more places? Or maybe look for an online store that does custom orders. New uniforms should have a new vibe.”

He Youjin didn’t suspect anything and cheerfully replied, “Alright then, I’ll go check out some more.”

While He Youjin was happily browsing the store, Lin Mingfei picked up his phone again and continued chatting with Xia Tong through the cracked screen. The splintered display was as chaotic as the whirlwind of feelings Xia Tong had stirred in his heart.

polaris_zero: [Wanting to see me… that doesn’t really count as a hobby.]

Xia Xiaotong: [No? Then I really don’t know what else it could be.]

Even through the broken screen, Lin Mingfei could imagine the little omega resting his pale, soft cheek in one hand, thinking hard but coming up empty—adorably clueless. His heart melted like a piece of maple sugar, sweet and sticky. He couldn’t stop his lips from curling into a smile.

This silly little thing still had so much to learn.

He was just about to call Xia Tong to have a proper talk when He Youjin suddenly came running back excitedly, shouting, “Zero! I just found a super classy shop! You’ve got to come see it! Hurry!”

Helpless, Lin Mingfei quickly typed out a message to Xia Tong and hit send.

polaris_zero: [Why don’t you go chat with those three? Let them keep you company for a bit—they’re all just hanging around anyway.]

Xia Xiaotong: [Okay then.]

Xia Xiaotong: [Make sure you stay safe out there!]

—

Xia Tong closed the chat window, feeling that what Lin Mingfei said made a lot of sense.

Suddenly, he had a brand-new goal—find a hobby! The sense of aimless boredom faded away.

He hopped off the bed and happily ran out of his bedroom.

Next door was Lin Mingfei’s room, and then down the hall were Zhou Yanjun, Shi Ya, and Bo Yu’s rooms. Xia Tong started with the nearest—he tiptoed to the door of Zhou Yanjun’s room and took a deep breath.

He didn’t know if Zhou Yanjun was sleeping, and it felt wrong to wake someone from a sweet dream, so Xia Tong widened his bright eyes and first pressed his ear to the door, holding his breath to listen.

His hearing was sharper than most—otherwise he wouldn’t be able to pick up the enemy paladin’s location in the Plateau Dungeon—so in the stillness, he could vaguely hear some noise behind the door: munching sounds and the rustling of plastic wrappers. Then suddenly—

“Fk! What the hell is this crap?! The screenwriter must be brain-dead! This is total bullst!”

Xia Tong: “.”

Clearly, Zhou Yanjun was not asleep. Very awake, and very spirited.

With that confirmed, Xia Tong raised his hand and knocked—knock knock knock.

“What the—someone’s actually knocking these days? Must be someone from our own base,” Zhou Yanjun grumbled, getting out of bed. “Honestly, I should’ve asked Zero to install a peephole on this door. What if a perv sneaks in and tries to violate my innocence—”

Xia Tong: “…”

The door opened. Zhou Yanjun stood there in just a pair of big boxers, his eyes drooping. “Shorty?” He paused, and something clearly clicked in his brain. He crossed his arms over his chest protectively and said in a strange, wary tone, “What are you here for?”

Xia Tong: “…I—” He licked his lips, then suddenly stood straight and said solemnly, “I swear I’m not here to violate your innocence!”

Zhou Yanjun: “…”

At moments like this, if one person isn’t embarrassed, then the other one is bound to die of it.

Clearly, Xia Tong won this round—flawlessly.

Zhou Yanjun hunched his thick neck, defeated. “So what do you want?”

Xia Tong: “Um… can you hang out with me for a bit?”

Zhou Yanjun twitched. “Huh?”

Xia Tong clasped his hands behind his back and said, “I’m a little bored.”

Zhou Yanjun: “Bored… so go get something to eat or something?”

Xia Tong: “Eat what?”

Zhou Yanjun: “…chips, spicy sticks, custard pies, that kind of stuff.”

Xia Tong blinked: “Do you have any?”

Zhou Yanjun: “Emmmm…”

Faced with the clear, innocent eyes of a little omega, Zhou Yanjun couldn’t lie. In despair, he said, “I have all of that. Come on in.”

Xia Tong beamed and lifted his leg to step inside. “Thanks, Fatty!”

Zhou Yanjun suddenly said, “Wait—hold up!”

Xia Tong: “?”

Zhou Yanjun: “Give me one minute!”

He slammed the door shut. A moment later, he opened it again, panting. “You can come in now.”

Xia Tong stepped in, confused, and was immediately stunned by what he saw.

Compared to Lin Mingfei’s room, Zhou Yanjun’s could generously be called a doghouse. From the door to the balcony, clothes were strewn about like a long “red carpet”—from all seasons. The blanket on the bed was shaped into a ring-like nest, surrounded by snacks. Colorful wrappers were piled higher than the clouds in the sky.

Xia Tong’s little mouth dropped open: “Uh… wow…”

“Just step wherever! All the clothes on the floor are dirty, it’s fine!” Zhou Yanjun said. “We used to have housekeepers at the base, and now suddenly we don’t, so I’m not used to it. I was planning to do all the laundry tomorrow anyway.”

Xia Tong said, “Oh.”

Zhou Yanjun coughed, “I do wash my underwear and stuff myself! I’m a person with boundaries!”

Xia Tong replied, “Oh.” He stepped around the “red carpet” and sat obediently on the chair next to Zhou Yanjun’s bed.

Zhou Yanjun, like a giant Totoro, grabbed a handful of oat chocolates and fruit gummies and stuffed them into Xia Tong’s arms, then picked up the remote from the nightstand. “Eat! Don’t be shy!”

Xia Tong’s attention was on the TV screen. “What are you watching?”

“The Temptation of Returning Home,” Zhou Yanjun replied. “Let’s watch it together!”

Xia Tong unwrapped a fruit gummy and popped it into his mouth, excitedly. “Okay duck~!”

And so the two began watching the primetime soap opera together.

Xia Tong: “Huh? Why is that man hugging that woman?”

Zhou Yanjun: “Because they’re dating.”

Xia Tong: “But didn’t he just hug another woman earlier?”

Zhou Yanjun, munching on sunflower seeds, mumbled: “That one’s the mistress.”

Xia Tong: “Mistress? Then was the earlier one number two?”

Zhou Yanjun: “…No, she’s the ex-wife. They’re divorced.”

Xia Tong: “Ex-number-seven? Then this one should be number eight! Why call her the third?”

Zhou Yanjun: “……..”

Five minutes later, Xia Tong was hugging a snack box while being dragged by the collar to the front door and tossed out by Zhou Yanjun.

“Be good, go eat your snacks somewhere else, stop bothering me while I’m watching TV!” Zhou Yanjun said through gritted teeth, slamming the door shut with a bang.

Xia Tong pouted pitifully. “I was just asking questions ‘cause I didn’t understand… what’s the big deal…” He sighed, took a few steps forward, and arrived at Bo Yu’s bedroom.

Knock knock knock.

The door to Bo Yu’s bedroom opened quickly.

“What happened?” Bo Yu asked.

Xia Tong looked up innocently. “Can you hang out with me for a bit, Little Bo?” He raised the snack box like a peace offering. “I can share my snacks with you!”

Bo Yu was a little stunned. “Did you win the match and now you’re too excited to sleep?”

Xia Tong nodded, “Emmm… something like that!”

Bo Yu said, “Then come on in.”

Xia Tong obediently followed Bo Yu inside and saw sunlight spilling onto the balcony of Bo Yu’s bedroom, where there were pots of green plants — spider plants, cacti, and a row of lush little potted plants, each cute and different.

Bo Yu was watering a pot of azaleas. Xia Tong leaned in curiously. “Wow, are all these flowers and plants yours, Little Bo?”

Bo Yu: “Yeah.”

Xia Tong: “This spider plant is so pretty!! And this — this big yellow flower is beautiful too!”

“That’s a September chrysanthemum, it blooms in autumn. And that one over there,” Bo Yu pointed to another pot, “that’s an evergreen azalea that’ll bloom next spring. In summer, I usually raise jasmine. It smells really good when it blooms.”

“Wow, you’re amazing!” Xia Tong clapped like he’d just discovered a whole new world. “Little Bo, teach me, please? I want to learn how to grow flowers too!”

Bo Yu: “Ah, there’s really nothing much to teach. It’s easy. Just water them regularly.”

Xia Tong cheered, “That’s still amazing! I’m gonna go out and buy some flowers right now!” He turned to leave, but Bo Yu grabbed him.

“Hey, no need to go through all that.” Bo Yu said, “Here, how about I give you a succulent first? They’re the easiest to take care of and look super cute too.” As he spoke, he picked up a tiny pink pot from the windowsill with a chubby succulent in it and handed it to Xia Tong.

“It’s so cute!” Xia Tong cradled the tiny succulent lovingly. “So when I water it, I just—”

Bo Yu froze. “Hey, wait! That one you can’t—”

Before he could finish, it was too late. Xia Tong had already eagerly grabbed the watering can Bo Yu was just using and aggressively poured it all over the poor little succulent…

Five minutes later, Xia Tong stood dejectedly outside Bo Yu’s room and turned to look at Shi Ya’s door.

“Timer…” he whimpered as he knocked. “Shi Ya-ge, wahhhh! ”

Click. The door opened. Shi Ya looked surprised. “What’s wrong, little Xia Tong? What happened?”

Xia Tong said meekly, “I drowned Little Bo’s succulent plant waaahhh! ”

Shi Ya was stunned, then burst into laughter. “Oh, that’s all? Don’t worry, Bo Yu has tons of succulents. Losing one isn’t a big deal.”

“I’m so dumb! I can’t even take care of a plant!” Xia Tong cried in frustration.

“Plant care is an art, you know! It’s not like you’re a pro.” Shi Ya ruffled his hair and comforted him. “If it were me, I wouldn’t be able to do it either. I could even kill a cactus.”

“Really?” Xia Tong rubbed his eyes. “Then what were you doing, Shi Ya-ge…?”

“Me? Nothing much, just chilling.” Shi Ya smiled and stepped aside. “Wanna hang out?”

“Okay…” Xia Tong nodded and walked in.

Shi Ya’s bedroom had a completely different vibe from the others — much more artsy. There were two dried flowers in a vase on the nightstand, an oil painting on the wall, and a minimalist Z-shaped bookshelf on the desk, filled with hardcover books, seemingly classics.

“Sit wherever you like, the bed’s fine too.” Shi Ya said with a lazy grin. He was wearing loose, drapey loungewear pants, reclining at the head of his bed like a laid-back medieval noble, knees slightly bent.

Xia Tong noticed a fashion magazine spread out on the bed.

“Shi Ya-ge, is your usual hobby reading magazines?” he asked.

“Sort of? I like collecting little trinkets,” Shi Ya replied. “Sigh, my cousin’s birthday is next month, and I want to give her a brooch. She’s an omega too. Since you’re here, help me pick one out.”

“Okayy!” Xia Tong perked up again, happily trotting over.

He carefully looked through each page of the display before pointing to one of them and saying, “This dog with a sunflower head is so cute! The design is really creative, and the colors are great! I think your cousin will definitely love it!”

“Uh, it is pretty cute,” Shi Ya said hesitantly, “but… that’s not a dog with a sunflower head. That’s a lion.”

Xia Tong: “?”

—

Feeling utterly useless, little Xia Tong walked out of Shi Ya’s bedroom, dejected. His head hung low like an overripe persimmon.

As he passed by Zhou Yanjun’s room, he turned instinctively and went straight in—only realizing once inside that he had entered the wrong room. He had accidentally wandered into Lin Mingfei’s bedroom.

Xia Tong stood there for a moment, took a deep breath, and had to admit—Lin Mingfei’s room gave him a greater sense of belonging.

He lifted his head and looked around, carefully examining the room’s furnishings.

It was neat and bright. On the nightstand sat a headphone case and a Bluetooth speaker. A game disc, missing its lid, lay on top of the set-top box.

Back at the Zheng household, Zheng Linchuan’s mother liked to watch old-fashioned TV dramas, so they had a stockpile of discs. Sometimes when everyone was out, Xia Tong, bored from being locked inside, would sneak into the storage room to play a few. He knew that discs with scratched backs would freeze or sometimes not work at all.

So he walked over and carefully placed the game disc back into its case and closed the lid.

He paused, suddenly feeling that helping out Lin Mingfei like this… actually felt pretty good.

Ah… if only Lin Mingfei weren’t so self-disciplined! Even the bedsheets were neatly laid without a wrinkle—there was hardly anything Xia Tong could help with!

He looked around, then suddenly spotted a small bamboo basket out on the balcony.

The basket clashed completely with the rest of the room’s decor. Xia Tong walked over and peeked inside, discovering it was full of sweaty undershirts and underwear!

The little omega’s eyes gradually lit up.

—

The custom clothing shop He Youjin found was pretty great. Lin Mingfei had almost decided to finalize the deal, but the frugal He Youjin insisted on haggling. He was currently deep in heated negotiations with the store’s agent. Lin Mingfei, slightly exasperated, stood aside to wait. Suddenly, his phone buzzed.

Xia Xiao Tong is calling you via video chat.

Lin Mingfei answered.

“Gege! Gege!” the little omega’s excited face filled the screen as he cheerfully exclaimed, “I’ve found my hobby!”

“Oh?” Lin Mingfei blinked, then chuckled. “That’s great! What is it?”

Xia Tong declared, “I can help you do laundry!”

Lin Mingfei’s smile turned confused.

“Laundry?” he asked blankly. “I don’t have any dirty laundry for you to wash though?”

“Says who! I found a whole basket of your clothes right here!”

Xia Tong flipped the camera around to show the basket stuffed with undershirts and underwear. The little omega’s spirited voice rang out offscreen: “I’ll go fetch some water now! I’ll wash all of them clean for you, hehe!”

Lin Mingfei: “Wait! Hold on a second!”

Xia Tong: “Huh?”

Lin Mingfei quickly said, “Zoom the camera out a bit.”

Xia Tong: “Oh, okay.”

As the camera panned out, Lin Mingfei finally saw the full view of the bamboo basket.

“Those aren’t my clothes,” he said through clenched teeth. “I sure as hell don’t wear cape-sized undershirts! And I definitely don’t wear pants with oversized waists!”

Xia Tong, baffled: “Ah… so then?”

“Put me on speaker,” Lin Mingfei growled, barely containing his anger. “Then point your phone toward the right side of the balcony and turn the volume up to max.”

Xia Tong: “Okay! Done!”

Lin Mingfei took a deep breath and roared:

“Zhou Yanjun!!! If you sneak your damn underwear into my room one more time, I swear I’ll rip your head off and shove it up your ass!!!”

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