TuxedoTranslations

Chapter 47

In Zhou Quan’s eyes, their Brother Zhuang, Zhuang Yanyu — even though he looked tall and skinny, with thin arms and legs and not a hint of toughness about him —

His image was still incredibly strong and dependable, like a stabilizing pillar.

As long as he was there, there was nothing they couldn’t handle.

At least, that’s how Zhou Quan saw him.

Zhou Quan had never imagined Zhuang Yanyu would have this side to him—

Like a big stuffed doll, obediently held in someone’s arms, not moving at all, letting the other person knead and squeeze however they liked.

Zhou Quan: “???”

How did their Brother Zhuang suddenly become so soft?

Was this still the Brother Zhuang in his heart?

Qin Yiyuan was also extremely embarrassed.

The chair in his hand — he couldn’t throw it, but he couldn’t keep holding it either.

After a long moment, Qin Yiyuan finally came back to his senses. He quickly grabbed Zhou Quan’s wrist and turned to leave.

“Sorry to bother you… please continue!”

Zhou Quan was yanked so fast that he stumbled out the door — and could still be heard yelling:

“My shoe!”

Then a hand reached back in along the wall, fumbling here and there.

Finally it found the shoe, grabbed it, and yanked it out of the room.

The two of them hadn’t even decided which direction to run when Wen Chenxi’s voice came from inside.

“Come back in.”

Zhuang Yanyu clearly noticed — when Wen Chenxi spoke to others, his tone sounded gentle, but there was always a faint, hard-to-notice pressure behind it.

It felt a bit like the “aura” his previous hosts used to have.

Zhuang Yanyu couldn’t help sneaking another couple of glances at him.

Wen Chenxi rubbed Zhuang Yanyu’s head, and only when Qin Yiyuan and Zhou Quan reluctantly walked back in did he withdraw his hand and let Zhuang Yanyu sit back down.

Zhuang Yanyu still didn’t realize that what he’d just done with Wen Chenxi was something that could very easily be misunderstood. He looked at Zhou Quan, puzzled.

“Why were you two running?”

Zhou Quan opened his mouth.

“I—I don’t even know. Qin-ge was the one dragging me…”

Zhou Quan looked at Qin Yiyuan.

Zhuang Yanyu also looked at Qin Yiyuan.

Yeah — why were you running?

Qin Yiyuan suddenly felt enormous pressure — because he realized the big boss was also staring at him.

He laughed awkwardly twice.

“Ahem… I just — didn’t realize it was a misunderstanding. It was embarrassing, s-so I just…”

I mean — what, was he supposed to stay and watch you two flirting?

If it had been anyone else, maybe it wouldn’t have mattered.

But this wasn’t just anyone — this was the big boss. And he… had once even thought about stealing the boss’s corner piece…

Zhuang Yanyu didn’t think that far. He handed the menu to Zhou Quan.

“Pick what you want. Order for yourself.”

“Oh — okay.” Zhou Quan sat down in a daze, picked up the menu, then suddenly remembered something.

“Brother Zhuang, we almost thought you’d been kidnapped just now.”

Zhuang Yanyu: “?”

So Zhou Quan explained.

He and Qin Yiyuan had waited in the private room for quite a while, but Zhuang Yanyu never showed up.

Meanwhile, the assistant kept saying they were “right behind” and would be there soon.

Most importantly — when he said this, the assistant had looked really suspicious.

The more they thought about it, the more uneasy they felt. Their minds even started filling with ten different scenarios of how Zhuang Yanyu might have been harmed.

So, relying on their height and strength, they pressured the assistant — and finally learned that President Shen had booked another private room and wanted to apologize to Engineer Zhuang alone.

Those two words — “alone” — sounded really wrong in Qin Yiyuan’s ears.

Why apologize “alone,” of all things?

And besides — the person who’d actually been wronged was Zhou Quan, not Zhuang Yanyu.

Even though the assistant kept saying over and over:

“Our President Shen just couldn’t swallow his pride. He didn’t want too many people seeing him humbled, so he wanted to apologize in private. There’s really nothing else going on — he just cares about saving face!”

Qin Yiyuan and Zhou Quan still couldn’t relax. After getting the room number, they grabbed a chair and rushed over.

At the door, the waiter tried to stop them. Things felt urgent, so Qin Yiyuan didn’t think twice — he kicked the door open.

Who would’ve thought — Zhuang Yanyu was here, but the other person wasn’t President Shen at all, it was Wen Chenxi?

After hearing what happened, Wen Chenxi gave Qin Yiyuan a once-over.

“You’re pretty vigilant.”

Qin Yiyuan could only laugh awkwardly and didn’t dare say anything.

The reason he was so “vigilant” — was because Zhuang Yanyu was good-looking.

He dared say that someone like Zhuang Yanyu was absolutely top tier in their circle — the kind that was especially easy to attract trouble.

Even if he didn’t take the initiative, there would still be plenty of people who just couldn’t help getting close.

And because Qin Yiyuan himself was like that, he was particularly sensitive in this regard.

But things like that were absolutely unsayable. If he said it out loud, he was dead.

“The private room was my reservation,” Wen Chenxi said. “The chairman was probably just being overly cautious and made it sound too serious.”

What he’d originally planned was to have everyone present here, so he could support Zhuang Yanyu in front of President Shen.

But President Shen had probably just been chewed out by the chairman — he couldn’t wait for the private room, so he rushed ahead, stopped the car halfway, and apologized to Zhuang Yanyu right there.

Zhuang Yanyu wasn’t very interested in any of this. He repeated what he always said:

“I’m really good at fighting. You don’t have to worry about me.”

Qin Yiyuan and Zhou Quan didn’t believe him at all.

The only one who believed him was the person who had actually seen him fight — Wen Chenxi.

He rubbed Zhuang Yanyu’s fist and said,

“Still, be a little more careful next time. It never hurts to stay alert.”

Zhuang Yanyu: “Oh.”

Wen Chenxi took his hand.

“Let me see — did it hurt when you hit him?”

Zhuang Yanyu showed him his fist.

“No. I used technique, not force.”

He explained to Wen Chenxi:

“It’s the kind where, even without using much strength, if you hit the right spot, the person won’t be able to stand properly and won’t have the strength to fight back. I can teach you next time.”

Wen Chenxi carefully checked his hand. Seeing that it didn’t even turn red, he was relieved — there really wasn’t any problem.

He smiled.

“You’d teach me?”

Zhuang Yanyu: “Yes.”

Wen Chenxi:

“I thought it was your exclusive secret skill.”

Zhuang Yanyu:

“It is exclusive.”

“Even an exclusive skill can be taught to me?”

“Yes. You’re my brother.”

“What about after tomorrow, when I’m not your brother anymore — will you still teach me?”

Zhuang Yanyu gave him a resentful look.

How had he never noticed before that A-Xi could be this bad?

Always poking at the sore spots!

He frowned.

“If you’re not my brother, then I won’t teach.”

Wen Chenxi was amused inside, but on the surface he still put on a disappointed expression.

“Mm. Well, since it’s exclusive, I shouldn’t expect too much.”

Zhuang Yanyu pressed his lips together. He couldn’t hold back — and still quietly pulled Wen Chenxi back into his “inner circle.”

“…It’s not that exclusive.”

If A-Xi really wanted to learn, then… it wasn’t impossible.

This time, Wen Chenxi truly laughed, his eyes filled with warmth.

“Thanks, Yu-yu. Even when I’m not your brother, you still treat me as one of your own.”

Zhuang Yanyu: “…Oh.”

If they weren’t brothers, then how could he possibly be “one of his own”?

A-Xi wasn’t his dad, after all.

Zhuang Yanyu couldn’t quite figure it out.

If A-Xi wasn’t a “brother,” then what would he be?

As he kept thinking, he faintly felt that A-Xi was somehow… different from others to him.

While they were talking, the dishes they’d ordered arrived.

Wen Chenxi first served Zhuang Yanyu a bowl of soup.

“It’s cold here. Drink some — warm your stomach.”

Zhuang Yanyu: “Oh.”

While Zhuang Yanyu drank his soup, Wen Chenxi used the serving chopsticks to pick out a big piece of fish, then patiently deboned it.

Only after removing every last bone did he place it into Zhuang Yanyu’s bowl.

“Try the fish from this sea area. See if it tastes better than the fish back in City A.”

Zhuang Yanyu: “Oh.”

He started eating.

He didn’t talk much while eating.

To match his habits, Wen Chenxi also stayed quiet.

But his attention never left Zhuang Yanyu.

When he saw the food in Zhuang Yanyu’s bowl was almost gone, he refilled it ahead of time.

When he saw him set his chopsticks down, he handed him a spoon before he even asked.

When he saw him put the bowl down too, he handed him a napkin.

Wen Chenxi was already long used to these things — and Zhuang Yanyu’s expression didn’t show anything unusual either. It was clear the two of them were already very accustomed to this kind of quiet, effortless understanding.

This made Qin Yiyuan and Zhou Quan — sitting across from them — desperately wish they could disappear on the spot.

Actually, there was no need for them to disappear.

It probably didn’t even occur to the other two that the pair sitting across from them still existed.

It was supposed to be a four-person dinner, yet somehow, these two managed to make it feel like a candlelight date.

They hadn’t said a word — but the atmosphere was warm, gentle, intimate, with even a hint of…

An old married couple still being romantic.

Zhuang Yanyu had almost finished eating before he suddenly remembered that Zhou Quan and Qin Yiyuan were still sitting across from him.

Seeing how miserable they looked — especially Qin Yiyuan, normally so talkative but now completely silent —

He chewed, swallowed his food, and asked:

“Why aren’t you two talking?”

Qin Yiyuan said dryly,

“Ah… haha… talking less while eating — healthy eating starts with me.”

Zhou Quan: “Yeah, yeah, right.”

Zhuang Yanyu nodded, clearly approving.

“You’re right.”

Then he suddenly remembered something.

“Wait — did I introduce you guys yet?”

Qin Yiyuan and Zhou Quan: “…”

No need, right?!

Who doesn’t know the big boss?

Zhuang Yanyu said,

“A-Xi doesn’t know you yet.”

Oh. True.

They knew the big boss — but of course the big boss wouldn’t know small employees like them.

So Zhuang Yanyu introduced the two of them to Wen Chenxi, and then added:

“I mentioned them to you before. Do you remember?”

Through the lenses of his glasses, Wen Chenxi’s eyes very subtly swept over Qin Yiyuan.

“Mm, I remember. One likes spacing out, and the other likes watching you space out. Those two colleagues.”

Zhuang Yanyu: “Right.”

Wen Chenxi:

“Then which one is the one who likes watching you space out?”

“Pfft—cough cough cough!”

Qin Yiyuan sprayed an entire mouthful of soup, which dripped down from the corner of his lips onto his clothes. Startled, he jumped up.

“Uh—my clothes got dirty. I’m gonna go wash up in the bathroom first…”

And then he bolted as if something terrifying were chasing him.

Zhuang Yanyu withdrew his gaze.

“It’s him.”

Wen Chenxi gave a soft little hum — got it.

Lucky he ran fast.

After dinner, Wen Chenxi drove them back to the hotel.

He originally planned to drop Zhuang Yanyu off and leave.

Ever since he confessed and scared Zhuang Yanyu into hiding at home for several days, Wen Chenxi had become especially careful about this kind of thing — terrified he might cross a line again and make Zhuang Yanyu uncomfortable.

So even though he was staying at the same hotel, he had booked a separate room. He wasn’t planning to sleep together tonight.

But unexpectedly, Zhuang Yanyu just naturally assumed they’d be sharing a room again. After bringing him upstairs, he asked:

“Where are your clothes? Do you want me to iron them for you?”

Wen Chenxi froze for a second — his clothes were in his own room upstairs.

Before he could answer, Zhuang Yanyu continued,

“They in the car? Want me to grab them?”

Wen Chenxi quickly caught his hand.

“No need — I’ll ask Da Liu to bring them… bring them up.”

Zhuang Yanyu didn’t think much of it.

“Oh.”

He moved the pillow aside.

Back at Wen Chenxi’s house, he always slept on the left side — so he instinctively shifted to the left now, leaving the right side free.

“You’re still sleeping on the right?”

Wen Chenxi: “…Sure.”

Given the situation, there was no way he could say he’d actually booked another room. He simply messaged the bodyguard to send his luggage over.

Soon, the suitcase arrived.

While Wen Chenxi bent down to get his clothes, Zhuang Yanyu stood beside him and asked,

“What time is your flight tomorrow?”

“8:20 in the morning.”

Zhuang Yanyu calculated, his brows knitting.

“It takes an hour and twenty-three minutes to get to the airport. So at the very latest… the very latest, you have to leave by six-thirty.”

Wen Chenxi: “Mm. It’s fine. I’ll be quiet in the morning — I won’t wake you.”

Zhuang Yanyu didn’t respond.

He wasn’t worried about being woken up — he just felt the schedule was too rushed.

If not for coming to S City, Wen Chenxi could have just flown straight from City A. Why make the extra trip?

And the only reason he’d come — was to see him.

Zhuang Yanyu looked at him. He honestly didn’t understand why the other person wasn’t bothered by all the trouble — just to come here.

To him, it felt like such a waste of time.

And wasting time, in his view, was not a good habit.

After a full day, Wen Chenxi worried he might smell, so he showered first.

When he finished, Zhuang Yanyu went next.

After showering, he lay down on the bed without hesitation, leaving half the space for Wen Chenxi.

Wen Chenxi stood at the bedside, hesitating.

He wasn’t sure if he’d be able to hold himself back — not hug him, not kiss him.

He suspected that this Yuyu had forgotten what the two of them had done before on the same bed.

Taking a slow breath, he forced himself to calm down, then lay beside him.

As soon as he lay down, Zhuang Yanyu instinctively snuggled over, rubbed lightly against him, found a comfortable position, and closed his eyes.

Wen Chenxi’s body stiffened, then gradually relaxed.

Seeing that Zhuang Yanyu stayed still, seemingly ready to sleep, he whispered,

“Yuyu — going to sleep already?”

“Mhm. You have to get up early. Don’t stay up tonight.”

Wen Chenxi’s hand gently rested on his forehead, on his brows — not daring to move lower.

Zhuang Yanyu opened his eyes to look at him.

“Go to sleep. I’ll wake you tomorrow, or you’ll be late.”

Wen Chenxi smiled.

“Okay. I’ll listen to you.”

After a moment of hesitation, he lowered his head slightly and kissed Zhuang Yanyu on the forehead.

That one kiss instantly brought back all the intimate memories Zhuang Yanyu had tried so hard to suppress.

Memories he’d deliberately avoided thinking about resurfaced — and his face flushed bright red.

Instinctively, he touched his forehead, then stared at Wen Chenxi’s lips, his heart filled with complicated emotions.

He couldn’t help thinking:

A-Xi kissed my forehead…

Is he going to kiss my mouth next?

Should I refuse? Or…

His gaze was too direct — locked onto Wen Chenxi’s lips — impossible to ignore.

Maybe he didn’t even realize what he was doing.

Wen Chenxi let out a breath, covered his eyes with his large hand, and said hoarsely, with a hint of helplessness, “Stop looking. Go to sleep.”

“Oh.”

Zhuang Yanyu answered muffledly.

Even though, in his heart, he really didn’t want his bro to actually kiss him on the mouth…

When his bro really didn’t kiss him, Zhuang Yanyu somehow felt a bit disappointed.

The next morning, Wen Chenxi left early to catch his flight. Zhuang Yanyu only walked him downstairs and didn’t go any farther.

Wen Chenxi said, “I can make it home the day before National Day. What about you?”

Zhuang Yanyu calculated the project schedule. “Me too.”

Wen Chenxi: “Then I’ll wait for you at the airport?”

Zhuang Yanyu nodded. “Buy a ticket around the same time as mine, that way no one has to pick us up twice.”

“Okay. Bye, Yuyu.”

“Bye.”

Zhuang Yanyu watched Wen Chenxi’s car drive farther and farther away, and only when he could no longer see it did he finally look away.

He went back to the hotel room and sat on the bed.

His gaze fell on the throw pillow, and suddenly a wave of strong emotion surged up inside him.

Axi had just left — and he already kind of missed him.

So this is what people call… longing?

Maybe because Wen Chenxi had spoken to someone in advance, the following stages of the project went extremely smoothly. Almost no one came to point fingers or interfere; they only needed to manage the schedule and quality themselves, making sure the new system would be finished before the holiday.

Maybe everyone just wanted to go home, wanted their break — even Qin Yiyuan and Zhou Quan became incredibly diligent.

Work that originally needed five days took them only three. They finished two days early.

“Finally, vacation! Did you guys buy your tickets yet?” Qin Yiyuan asked.

Zhou Quan said, “The train tickets were gone ages ago. There are still plane tickets, but they’re all full price.”

“That’s fine, the company will reimburse us. Then we’ll leave tomorrow?”

Zhuang Yanyu said, “I’m leaving the day after tomorrow.”

“The day after?” Zhou Quan and Qin Yiyuan exchanged glances, then asked curiously, “Why the day after? Gonna stay in S City another day to have fun?”

Zhuang Yanyu said, “No. Axi’s flight is the day after tomorrow.”

Qin Yiyuan said sourly, “…You’re not even departing from the same place.”

Zhuang Yanyu gave him a puzzled look. “As long as we land in the same place, it’s fine.”

Qin Yiyuan: Fine. Guess this single dog doesn’t understand romance.

Zhou Quan smacked his lips and couldn’t help saying, “Brother Zhuang, I suddenly feel like you and the boss are really sweet.”

He was no longer the clueless newbie he’d been.

Ever since that dinner, Qin Yiyuan had told him about the relationship between Zhuang Yanyu and the big boss.

Zhou Quan was shocked — but even more impressed.

Even the big boss ran around taking care of their Brother Zhuang. All he could say was: Brother Zhuang is awesome.

Zhuang Yanyu was confused. “Sweet?”

Qin Yiyuan explained, “It means your relationship is like eating candy — sweet and happy. Makes people jealous.”

Zhuang Yanyu said, “We’re not dating.”

Qin Yiyuan and Zhou Quan were both stunned. “What?? That doesn’t count as dating?”

Zhuang Yanyu frowned, reflecting. “This is dating?”

He felt that his relationship with Axi didn’t seem to have changed much.

Even though Axi said he liked him and didn’t see him as just a bro anymore…

Whenever he needed a bro, Axi would switch right back into bro mode.

So lately, whenever they had time, they still kept chatting. At night, they video-called — right up until they fell asleep.

It really wasn’t any different from before.

If that was dating…

Then dating Axi didn’t actually seem bad at all.

With that thought, his heart felt like it had grown wings, eager to fly back and tell Wen Chenxi.

If this is love — then he could do it.

On the day of his return, after Zhuang Yanyu arrived back in City A and got off the plane, he thought to himself that he absolutely had to tell Axi right away.

Wen Chenxi’s plane landed twenty minutes earlier. When he saw that Zhuang had landed, he sent him an address and said he’d wait there.

Following the signs, Zhuang Yanyu walked over — and sure enough, he saw Wen Chenxi.

“Axi.”

He called out to him.

Wen Chenxi had already noticed him. Smiling, he reached out and ruffled his hair. “You’ve worked hard.”

Zhuang Yanyu leaned into his hand. “Where’s the car?”

Wen Chenxi pointed behind him. “Right here.”

Zhuang Yanyu said, “I have something to tell you. Let’s talk in the car.”

“Okay.”

Wen Chenxi had the bodyguard take the luggage and opened the car door.

The next second—

“Surprise!”

A brown-haired young man pounced toward them, shouting excitedly:

“Big bro! Sis-in— uh, Xiaoyu! Surprised? Happy? Bet you didn’t think I’d come pick you up!”

Wen Chenxi: “…Acheng?”

Zhou Qingcheng: “Yep! I’m back! Isn’t it super surprising?!”

Wen Chenxi: “…”

He thought: It’s over — and quickly looked at Zhuang Yanyu.

He saw Zhuang yank his hand out of Wen Chenxi’s grasp, muttering under his breath, “Sorry, sorry, wrong person, wrong person…”

At the same time, he grabbed his luggage and turned to leave.

Wen Chenxi: “…”

Zhou Qingcheng: “??”

—

Author’s note:

PS —

Zhuang Yanyu: My acting was pretty good, right? Should be fine, yeah? If I leave now, I can still make it, right?

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