TuxedoTranslations

Chapter 44

Zhuang Yanyu stayed in his hometown for three consecutive days.

During this time, Wen Chenxi kept messaging him, and Zhuang Yanyu mostly replied. To outsiders, it looked like the old brotherly routine.

At least from Zhuang Yanyu’s perspective, it did.

Yet, maybe it was just his impression: ever since Wen Chenxi said he wanted to marry him, he noticed that Wen Chenxi’s messages were slightly different from before.

For example, two nights ago he sent:

【Hug pillow JPG】

【Wen Chenxi: Yuyu, can you sleep without your hug pillow?】

For example, the message he sent last night:

【I can’t sleep… I just feel like something’s missing.】

On the surface, it didn’t look all that different from the messages he sent before, yet Zhuang Yanyu felt there was something different.

Because now he could almost immediately tell that what his brother really wanted to say was—he felt something was missing because Zhuang Yanyu wasn’t there.

However, Zhuang Yanyu still hadn’t replied to Wen Chenxi’s message asking whether he would be returning home tonight.

It was Sunday, and tomorrow would be Monday.

Zhuang Yanyu still had several docks to handle for his current project, and now a firewall project had been added—he couldn’t skip work.

That was why Wen Chenxi asked if he would be returning today.

But the thought of going back meant sleeping with Ah Xi again. What if he kissed him again…

Well, kissing on the lips was okay, he could handle that, but Ah Xi had also kissed other places…

Zhuang Yanyu felt heat rising to his face again.

He picked up a folding fan and fanned himself vigorously, suddenly feeling annoyed with the human body: “Why is it so uncontrollable!”

Old Zhuang came back from farming to find that Zhuang Yanyu had already prepared dinner and was waiting for him. But he looked a bit off, leaning against the wall with his head down, as if reflecting on his misdeeds.

Old Zhuang asked suspiciously: “Xiao Shiyi, what are you doing?”

Zhuang Yanyu said: “Physical cooling… my face is burning.”

Old Zhuang: “Do you have a fever? Why not use ice? There’s some in the fridge.”

“Not a fever,” Zhuang Yanyu muttered to himself. “Just… forgot.”

Then he patted his head: “Brain lagged.”

Old Zhuang looked at his son with concern. Over these three days at home, the boy had seemed so burdened; the idea of Wen Chenxi wanting to marry him really troubled him.

So during dinner, he asked worriedly: “Xiao Shiyi, are you going back after dinner, or in the morning?”

The earliest bus back to the city left at 6:30 a.m., and the next one at noon.

He could catch the morning bus if he got up early enough.

Zhuang Yanyu honestly said: “I haven’t decided yet.”

Old Zhuang put down his chopsticks.

Seeing this, Zhuang Yanyu also stopped eating and looked at his father, knowing he had something to say.

He waited.

Sure enough, Old Zhuang asked: “Xiao Shiyi… are you thinking about whether to marry Xiao Wen?”

Zhuang Yanyu shook his head: “I don’t know.”

He pursed his lips and admitted: “Before Ah Xi told me, I never thought about marrying a human… Dad, you probably think that’s strange too, right?”

Old Zhuang nodded: “Of course. After all, we were different species before.”

Zhuang Yanyu thought so too.

It wasn’t just the species difference.

He had only been in this world for less than half a year. During that time, all he had thought about was becoming Ah Xi’s best brother, and learning to be a good human. His mind didn’t even consider marriage.

Now that his brother said he didn’t want to be just a brother and wanted to marry him, Zhuang Yanyu was completely at a loss. He didn’t know what to do.

The previous life’s boss had only told him to select a brother, but hadn’t said this brother wasn’t just a brother—he wanted to marry him.

All the data he had collected said marriage required two people who loved each other. He had only just begun to understand sadness; what exactly counted as love?

So Zhuang Yanyu felt a little wronged.

He had only wanted a brother.

Zhuang Yanyu said: “I already looked it up online. Ah Xi’s ‘like’ and my ‘like’ are indeed different. But I still don’t know exactly what kind of feeling he has.”

Old Zhuang patted his head: “Xiao Shiyi, don’t overthink. First, learn to be a proper human, then gradually learn more about human emotions. In time, you’ll understand slowly. If you think too much now, your brain will lag.”

Zhuang Yanyu: “Oh.”

He shook his head, once again frustrated with his brain’s “PU” (processing unit).

In the past, he could handle countless problems simultaneously, but now a single emotional issue was nearly causing his brain to explode.

City side.

Wen Chenxi, not having received a reply from Zhuang Yanyu, didn’t panic.

He had originally thought Zhuang Yanyu would return tonight. To avoid awkwardness, he had invited Ji Zhiyuan and Li Xi to eat together—more people might make Yuyu feel more at ease.

But unexpectedly, Zhuang Yanyu hadn’t replied.

Wen Chenxi guessed he’d probably return tomorrow.

Considering there were only two buses to the city from the countryside, the morning bus would be crowded with people and vegetables and fruits. Worried that Zhuang Yanyu wouldn’t be comfortable, Wen Chenxi called his bodyguard.

After making arrangements, he sent Zhuang Yanyu another message:

【Wen Chenxi: I’ve asked Da Liu to wait near your home. Here’s his number. If you want to return tonight or tomorrow, call him and he’ll take you.】

【Wen Chenxi: If you come back tomorrow, he’ll camp near your home overnight.】

【Wen Chenxi: Don’t worry about him; he has plenty of outdoor experience.】

After sending the messages, Wen Chenxi waited a few minutes. Seeing no reply, he set down his phone.

Li Xi laughed: “Xiao Yuyu hasn’t replied?”

Wen Chenxi hummed in response.

Li Xi chuckled: “What did you even do to scare the kid like this?”

Wen Chenxi didn’t answer.

He wouldn’t complain—it was Zhuang Yanyu who kept teasing him first, which made it impossible for him to resist.

No matter how you look at it, he was in the wrong. And afterward, he didn’t even speak properly, making Yuyu unhappy.

Li Xi saw that he wasn’t saying anything, but he had his suspicions.

After all, these two had been sharing a bed for so long. If nothing had happened, he would start wondering if something was really off with his best friend.

Li Xi poured himself a drink: “Alright, Xiao Yuyu’s a good kid. He’ll probably figure it out.”

Wen Chenxi didn’t drink; he just spun the cup in his hand and said softly:

“I know he’s obedient, but I can’t just sit back thinking that because he’s obedient, he’ll figure it out himself. I can’t do nothing and think I’m not at fault. It’s truly my fault.”

Li Xi patted his shoulder to comfort him.

When he turned back, he saw Ji Zhiyuan still sitting there in a daze. Li Xi nudged his chair with his foot: “What are you spacing out for? Haven’t recovered yet?”

Ji Zhiyuan looked at them pitifully: “I feel like my worldview has been shaken… Last week, didn’t I tell you? One of the top stars in my company suddenly came out, said he had a boyfriend, and wasn’t breaking up! Until then, I thought I was so innocent.”

Seeing two men get along, he wouldn’t have thought anything of it.

“But now, even my best friend likes men…” Ji Zhiyuan’s expression was world-weary. “I don’t think I can ever look at two close male friends the same way again.”

He had indeed lost his innocence.

Li Xi laughed uncontrollably: “What if I tell you I’m bi too…”

Before he could finish, Ji Zhiyuan’s eyes went wide, and he nearly jumped three feet in the air: “Li Xi! Don’t scare me! My poor heart can’t take it!”

He absolutely did not want both of his best friends to be bi!

Li Xi laughed even harder.

Ji Zhiyuan, frustrated, grabbed a throw pillow from the sofa and chased him around hitting him with it.

Wen Chenxi smiled slightly and recorded the scene on his phone, sending the video to Zhuang Yanyu.

【Wen Chenxi: Brothers at odds.】

This time Zhuang Yanyu finally replied, his tone tinged with jealousy:

【At least they have brothers to fall out with; I don’t even have a brother.】

Wen Chenxi smiled.

He knew it—compared to the confession, Yuyu clearly cared more about what he had said before.

【Wen Chenxi: Sorry, it’s my fault.】

He could apologize, but he wasn’t going to take back that sentence.

He hadn’t considered him a brother.

【Zhuang Yanyu: I envy that they have brothers.】

【Wen Chenxi: No need to envy. You can still consider me your brother.】

【Zhuang Yanyu: But you already said you didn’t consider me a brother.】

【Wen Chenxi: Right, so while you consider me your brother, can you also keep in mind that ‘I like you’?】

【Wen Chenxi: Please, little brother.】

【Zhuang Yanyu: …】

Zhuang Yanyu’s face immediately turned red.

This was the “title” he had wanted before, but hearing it from Wen Chenxi’s mouth now somehow felt… different.

It wasn’t the feeling he had imagined before!

And it inexplicably made him feel a bit embarrassed.

So Zhuang Yanyu simply didn’t reply, pursing his lips and staring at Wen Chenxi’s profile picture several times.

After Li Xi and Ji Zhiyuan finished their antics, they came back and saw Wen Chenxi smiling at his phone. Li Xi asked: “Has Xiao Yuyu replied?”

Wen Chenxi: “Hmm.”

Li Xi, smiling: “Think positively. Tomorrow’s Monday, Xiao Yuyu has to return to work. Won’t you see him then?”

Wen Chenxi thought the same.

Tomorrow, after work, he would find a time to inspect the engineering department and come up with an excuse to talk to someone.

He had already planned both the timing and the excuse.

But unexpectedly, on Monday, not only did he not see Zhuang Yanyu, he found out at the company that Zhuang Yanyu hadn’t even come to work.

Wen Chenxi called his bodyguard, Da Liu.

Da Liu said: “Mr. Zhuang received a call this morning. He didn’t need to go to the company—he went directly to the airport for a business trip. I took him there.”

Wen Chenxi: “…”

He recalled the projects signed by Chen Kang, the dock project leader—S City’s business trip seemed to be scheduled for this week.

He felt like smashing something.

When Chen Kang came to report on the project, he noticed Wen Chenxi’s icy gaze on him.

Chen Kang puffed up his belly and quickly left.

Being a boss was often inexplicably stressful and unapproachable.

For this trip, besides Qin Yiyuan, who was a regular member of the dock project, Zhuang Yanyu also had his assistant Zhou Quan.

Qin Yiyuan had been worried that only he and Zhuang Yanyu were going, and whether the big boss might notice them. He was nervous.

When he found out Zhou Quan was also coming, he relaxed and stuck to Zhou Quan the whole way.

Zhou Quan, however, was even bolder with Zhuang Yanyu. Not only did he get close when talking to him, but whenever Zhuang Yanyu explained something he didn’t understand, Zhou Quan would cling to his arm and whine affectionately:

“Thank you, Brother Zhuang! Brother Zhuang, you are like my second parent, my dad, my master!”

Qin Yiyuan’s expression became complicated: “…

You dare get this close to Zhuang Yanyu? Do you even know who he is?”

This person could very well become another boss of our company one day!

Of course, Qin Yiyuan could only howl that in his heart. Most of the time, when he looked at Zhuang Yanyu, there was a faint melancholy in his eyes.

Ah, such a perfect person.

Good-looking, skilled—why didn’t I meet him first?

Zhuang Yanyu truly lived up to Zhou Quan calling him “Master.” After arriving in City S that afternoon, he immediately took Zhou Quan around to familiarize himself with all the work procedures, explaining every detail and thing to watch out for.

Zhou Quan already had some foundation, and being both diligent and eager to learn, he quickly picked things up. After about a day and a half of guidance, Zhuang Yanyu let him work alongside Qin Yiyuan, telling him to come back if he ran into any questions.

Zhou Quan happily took over Zhuang Yanyu’s workload, leaving Zhuang Yanyu with some free time.

It was then that he received a call from the hotel front desk.

“Mr. Zhuang? You have a package here. Would you like us to sign for it? It’s been delivered to the front desk.”

Zhuang Yanyu froze for a second. “My package?”

He had left straight from his hometown yesterday morning. Many of his clothes were still there. Since City S was colder, his father had packed some thick clothing for him—he came here with just a suitcase.

He had only arrived in City S yesterday afternoon and stayed one night. How could there already be a package delivered to his hotel?

“Is it under my name?”

“Yes, Mr. Zhuang Yanyu, correct?”

“Mm. Please sign for it. Thank you.”

His mind, out of habit, began analyzing what the package could be and who might have sent it.

It didn’t take long for him to figure it out.

After work, Zhuang Yanyu went to the front desk to collect the package.

The box wasn’t small—and fairly heavy.

But the first thing he noticed was the sender’s address.

Although he had already guessed, seeing that the sender really was Wen Chenxi still made him pause for a moment.

Zhou Quan came over to help him move it.

“Brother Zhuang, what is this? Clothes?”

“I don’t know.”

“You don’t? Didn’t you send it to yourself?”

“No, it’s from my brother.”

“Oh, okay.”

By now, Zhou Quan was used to hearing about this “brother.”

After all, Brother Zhuang couldn’t go three sentences without mentioning him—it was actually strange that he hadn’t brought him up much these past two days.

They carried the box back to Zhuang Yanyu’s room. Qin Yiyuan was about to head back to his own but looked at Zhou Quan, hesitating to speak.

Zhou Quan, ever eager, said, “Brother Zhuang, want me to open it for you? I can help organize things.”

“No need,” Zhuang Yanyu said.

Zhou Quan looked like he wanted to insist, but Qin Yiyuan pulled him aside and whispered,

“It’s almost evening. Why are you still hanging around Xiao Yu’s room?”

“I just want to help him unpack.”

“Two men alone—he didn’t ask you to help. Don’t stay, or people might misunderstand.”

Zhou Quan blinked, confused. “Huh? Misunderstand? We’re both guys, what’s there to misunderstand?”

Qin Yiyuan just sighed, speechless.

Meanwhile, Zhuang Yanyu had already opened the box.

The first thing he saw was a vacuum-packed pillow.

He froze.

Underneath it were some thick clothes neatly packed in bags. They were all new—he didn’t remember buying any of them.

He’d only been in A City for less than half a year, where it was hot, so he’d only bought summer clothes. His long sleeves had all been prepared by his father.

He took one of the shirts out. Without even checking the size, his eyes—like precise measuring tools—had already “scanned” that they’d fit him perfectly.

Beneath the clothes, there was also a new phone and a charger for his old one.

On top of the new phone was a note, written in handwriting he knew very well.

To Yuyu:

Your new phone’s arrived. I figured you’d need it, so I sent it over. It’s colder in City S—wear warmer clothes.

If you can’t sleep at night, hug the pillow. Don’t lose sleep.

—Wen

Zhuang Yanyu pressed his lips together.

Zhou Quan looked at the pillow curiously. Since it was still in the vacuum bag, he couldn’t see who was printed on it.

“Brother Zhuang, is that a pillow? Who’s on it? I didn’t know you liked this kind of merch!”

Qin Yiyuan, however, looked complicated.

Here it comes again—the big boss’s possessiveness, late but unmistakable. Even when he’s not physically here, he still has to remind anyone who might linger in Xiao Yu’s room exactly how strong his presence is.

Just seeing that pillow brought back the shadow of the last time the big boss had scared him senseless.

Zhuang Yanyu picked up the pillow and said to the two of them, “I’ve got it from here. You guys should rest early.”

Zhou Quan nodded. “Okay, bye Brother Zhuang! Message me if you need anything!”

“Mm.”

As the door closed, Zhuang Yanyu faintly heard Qin Yiyuan say to Zhou Quan,

“In this society, even between two men, there should be boundaries.”

Zhou Quan: “…What? You don’t mean that, do you? Whoa!”

Zhuang Yanyu listened for a bit longer, but their voices faded away.

“Even between two men, there should be boundaries.”

He thought over the phrase while opening the vacuum bag. The pillow slowly expanded back to its original shape.

He buried his face in it and inhaled the familiar scent, sighing in relief.

These past few days—without his pillow A Xi, without his brother A Xi—he really hadn’t been sleeping well.

Zhuang Yanyu held the pillow for a while, then took out the new phone.

It was the latest model from Azure Tech. He hadn’t gotten it directly through the company—it was one he’d personally ordered online.

Since the phone was in high demand and supply was limited, he’d waited nearly half a month for it to arrive.

Supervisor Xu had even told him he was being ridiculous—he could’ve gotten it at an internal discount, yet he’d gone and bought it at full price online.

But Zhuang Yanyu’s reasoning was simple: he just wanted to help boost sales.

After all, this was his good brother’s company.

Once he transferred everything from his old phone to the new one, he hesitated a bit, then sent a WeChat message to Wen Chenxi:

[Zhuang Yanyu]: The package arrived.

Barely two minutes after sending it, his phone started ringing.

Zhuang Yanyu glanced at the caller ID and quietly answered.

On the other end came Wen Chenxi’s voice.

“Back at the hotel?”

“Mm.”

“See if you need anything else—if there’s something you forgot, tell me and I’ll send it over.”

Zhuang Yanyu thought for a moment. “No, nothing.”

There was a brief silence, then Wen Chenxi asked,

“Yuyu, can we video call?”

“Hm?”

“Haven’t seen you in days.”

“Oh.”

“Then I’ll hang up now.”

Just seconds after the call ended, a WeChat video request popped up—so fast it was as if Wen Chenxi feared he’d change his mind and not answer.

Zhuang Yanyu hesitated for a few seconds before accepting.

Wen Chenxi’s face appeared on the screen.

The man was still dressed in a suit, wearing rimless glasses. Maybe it was the effect of the screen, but through the faint digital filter, Zhuang Yanyu thought his brother looked even more handsome than usual.

Especially those eyes—fixed on him through the camera, as if the distance between them had disappeared, their worlds compressed into this small glowing frame.

Neither of them spoke at first.

Wen Chenxi looked intently at him, as though trying to make sure that in the few days apart, nothing about Zhuang Yanyu had changed. His gaze was serious, almost tender.

Perhaps that raw, open longing in his eyes was too much; Zhuang Yanyu suddenly felt embarrassed and shifted his gaze to look behind Wen Chenxi.

“You’re still at the company?”

A soft “Mm.”

“Haven’t gone home yet?”

“I got off work, but I don’t feel like going back.”

“Why not?”

“It’s lonely. Quiet. And Yuyu’s not here.”

“…Oh.”

Zhuang Yanyu didn’t know what to say to that.

Wen Chenxi, on the other hand, asked gently,

“Have you been eating properly these past few days?”

“Yes.”

“Then why do you look thinner?”

“I haven’t. The camera’s just not accurate.”

“Have you finished unpacking your clothes?”

“Not yet.”

“Go ahead and finish, but don’t hang up.”

So, Zhuang Yanyu propped the phone up and began folding the clothes Wen Chenxi had sent.

“Did you try them on yet? Are they too big?”

“No need. I can tell just by looking—they’ll fit.”

Wen Chenxi smiled faintly.

“Mm. Yuyu’s eyes are like a detector.”

That hit a sensitive nerve.

“Don’t say that. I’m not a robot—my eyes aren’t detectors.”

“Alright, I won’t say it.”

Zhuang Yanyu countered with his all-purpose phrase, “Robots don’t have hearts. I do. I can get hurt.”

Wen Chenxi, unable to bear even the thought of him being hurt, quickly soothed,

“It’s my fault. I shouldn’t have said that. I apologize to Yuyu.”

The trick worked—Zhuang Yanyu’s tightly pressed lips curved into a tiny dimple, a quiet satisfaction flickering in his eyes as if he’d found a secret weapon.

“All those clothes have been washed already—just iron them and you can wear them.”

“I can tell. They smell like the laundry detergent from home. When did you buy them?”

At the word home, Wen Chenxi felt an inexplicable warmth spread through his chest.

“A while ago.”

He had actually started preparing clothes for every season the moment Zhuang Yanyu decided to move in—he just hadn’t had a chance to give them yet.

“Oh.”

Once he started ironing, Zhuang Yanyu fell silent, focused on his task.

Wen Chenxi didn’t interrupt—he just watched quietly, worried he might burn himself.

The hotel room wasn’t large—one of the standard executive rooms near the harbor, fairly nice for the area.

But to Wen Chenxi, it still felt too small.

By the time Zhuang Yanyu finished ironing all the clothes, nearly an hour had passed. His perfectionism wouldn’t allow him to stop until every crease was perfectly smoothed out.

When he finally put the iron away, he was ready to shower.

He hesitated about ending the call, but Wen Chenxi spoke first:

“Then let’s hang up for now. Tell me when you’re done showering, okay?”

“Alright.”

Just as Wen Chenxi was about to hang up, he suddenly heard Zhuang Yanyu say,

“I just realized—I won’t be matching with your brother Zhou Qingcheng’s model after all.”

“…What?”

Zhuang Yanyu’s tone turned quiet.

“I’m not even considered your brother anymore… How could I compare to your real brother?”

What if, one day, he got exposed—and Zhou Qingcheng wanted to dissect him?

Then A Xi would definitely side with his real brother, wouldn’t he? They were blood-related, after all.

Wen Chenxi: “…”

He suddenly remembered Yuyu’s inexplicable fear of his younger brother.

After thinking for a bit, he changed his approach and said,

“Then, Xiao Yu, have you ever thought about this—if you and I got married, he’d become your younger brother. You’d be his elder. He’d have to listen to you. He should be the one afraid of you.”

At that, Zhuang Yanyu’s eyes slowly widened. “???”

Author’s Note:

PS —

Zhuang Yanyu: Wait… it works like that?? (suddenly intrigued!)

Zhou Qingcheng: So your marriage is built on my fear??

Wen Chenxi: Never thought my little brother would turn into a tool for sweet talk. (But hey—if the wife likes it, what can I do?)

Feel free to buy me a coffee/show your support on ko-fi! Thank you ❤