RSDH CH73

The lights were off in the room.

Duan Xingye wasn’t sleeping, though. One hand was wrapped around Cheng Duzhou’s head, pressing it into his chest, while the other hugged Cheng Duzhou’s back.

Cheng Duzhou sniffled from time to time, his body trembling slightly, as if he were incredibly sad and had suffered a massive grievance.

Before long, Duan Xingye felt a large patch of his cotton pajamas getting damp with hot tears.

Ugh—so annoying.

Really annoying.

Whose bumpkin is this clingy and spoiled?

Duan Xingye patted Cheng Duzhou’s back twice, giving him some comfort that couldn’t be called gentle.

“Did I hit you hard by saying I let you off cheap?” Duan Xingye pondered for a moment and asked him. “Can’t I even say it? Besides, I did let you off cheap. When I went to sleep with you before, I wasn’t guarded at all. Who knew what you were thinking in your head?”

“No…” Cheng Duzhou shook his head in denial. His sadness wasn’t about what Duan Xingye thought, but he nodded again and confessed, “Yes, my mind was full of crimes.”

“……”

Duan Xingye tugged at Cheng Duzhou’s hair in retaliation.

Who asked you what you were thinking? This person is truly shameless.

“Either you sleep now, or you explain clearly what’s going on. Otherwise, go wipe your tears outside. Are you letting people rest or not?”

Cheng Duzhou nuzzled against the front of Duan Xingye’s pajamas, took a deep breath, seemingly calming himself down, before lifting his hot face. His deep magnetic voice was extremely hoarse as he said, “In the future, no matter how nasty or heartless your words are, I won’t leave you.”

In the darkness, Duan Xingye looked straight at Cheng Duzhou.

Scolding him to go cry outside is nasty and heartless?

Isn’t he making a fuss over nothing?

But somewhere in his heart, a crack was chiseled open, and warmth seeped in.

Cheng Duzhou’s inadvertent words could always hit the soft spot in his heart.

Duan Xingye stopped looking fierce. He got closer, softened his voice, exhaling like an orchid: “If you think my words are nasty and heartless, why didn’t you think of asking me to speak nicely?”

Cheng Duzhou thought for a moment and whispered, “If I asked you to speak nicely, would you listen?”

Duan Xingye: “No.”

Cheng Duzhou: “…Exactly.”

Duan Xingye hooked his wet eye corner fiercely with his finger and said, “Go to sleep! Crying like a little spotted dog.”

Cheng Duzhou, treated intimately, felt a bit dazed.

Duan Xingye turned over, deciding to ignore him. He needed to rest; otherwise, he wouldn’t be able to get up tomorrow.

After a while.

Duan Xingye felt a warm body press against his back, pulling him into an embrace.

“Won’t lie to you this time…” Cheng Duzhou clasped Duan Xingye’s fingers, his warm breath spraying behind his ear. “Whether you need me or not, and no matter what you think of me, I will stay by your side.”

Duan Xingye closed his eyes, ears tingling, and said calmly, “Sleep.”

Cheng Duzhou finally quieted down.

The next morning, the alarm clock woke them up.

At 6:30, the reserved car arrived at the door on time.

Duan Xingye went out first and messaged Jiang Siqi.

Seen: [What did you say to my husband last night?]

Jiang Siqi went out to party again after leaving the Kan family last night and was just about to lie down. Seeing Duan Xingye’s message, he perked up a bit, thought for a moment, and typed a reply.

Jiang Siqi: [What did your husband say?]

Seen: [If he said it, would I come to ask you?]

Jiang Siqi breathed a sigh of relief, thinking Cheng Duzhou had sold him out.

Jiang Siqi: [Just catching up.]

Jiang Siqi: [What’s wrong with him?]

Duan Xingye didn’t want to spread word of Cheng Duzhou’s embarrassing behavior. His dark eyes cold, he typed.

Seen: [Did you mock him?]

Jiang Siqi: [Mock him? Me? The big star has climbed onto the Forbes list; everyone wishes they could cling to him.]

Duan Xingye knew Jiang Siqi had no need to lie to him. Frowning slightly, he didn’t understand the reason for Cheng Duzhou’s abnormality last night.

Just then.

Cheng Duzhou came out of the small building.

Duan Xingye looked at him and saw him holding a tin box in one hand.

Duan Xingye stared for two seconds. After a wave of familiarity, he fell silent.

That was Cheng Duzhou’s “treasure box” for collecting souvenirs since childhood. It shouldn’t be here; it should have gone to Shanghai when Cheng Duzhou moved.

Phone vibrated.

Jiang Siqi: [So what happened?]

Jiang Siqi: [You’re too nervous about your husband.]

Duan Xingye ignored it, put the phone in his pocket, and watched Cheng Duzhou come to stand in front of him.

Cheng Duzhou glanced at Duan Xingye, then lowered his gaze, pried open the lid, and held the box with both hands.

Duan Xingye hesitated, lifted the lid, and found a folded piece of lined paper placed on top of a pile of photos, greeting cards, and small handicrafts.

Duan Xingye knew what was written on the paper, but he hadn’t expected Cheng Duzhou to leave the box here.

Last time Cheng Duzhou confessed, he asked if Cheng Duzhou had seen it. No wonder Cheng Duzhou couldn’t remember.

Duan Xingye felt hot inside, and a bit uncomfortable. If Cheng Duzhou hadn’t discovered it, it might have been better if he never knew that Duan Xingye had tried to make him stay. Looking back at the past now, he felt awkward himself.

He was just about to ask Cheng Duzhou what he was doing with this box.

Cheng Duzhou took a long, deep breath, his voice trembling slightly, his eye rims showing signs of turning red again.

“!!!”

Duan Xingye’s heart skipped a beat. He suddenly understood why Cheng Duzhou was crying last night and saying things like “won’t lie to you this time.”

“Alright! Who cares about this kind of thing!”

Afraid Cheng Duzhou would be moved to tears by the sight, Duan Xingye immediately grabbed the paper, crumpled it into a ball, and threw it into the flowerbed.

—”Xingxing!”

Duan Xingye looked towards the voice. His grandfather came out from the back door of the kitchen carrying a bag, walking a bit fast.

Grandpa arrived in front of them, opened the bag, and said, “You and Duzhou take this to eat on the way.”

Duan Xingye looked inside. There were insulated bowls with Dan Dan noodles—one red and spicy, one not spicy—and food boxes with double-cooked pork buns.

From the corner of his eye, he saw Cheng Duzhou step into the flowerbed, bending over to search.

“……”

Someone cared.

Cared to death.

Just said this bumpkin sometimes had nerves so thick it was annoying, and sometimes was so sensitive it drove people crazy.

Duan Xingye ignored him and took the bag from his grandfather. “Airports sell breakfast; why did you get up so early to cook?”

“Don’t buy outside,” Kan Dashan said. “You came back in a hurry; I couldn’t make more of your favorite dishes.”

Duan Xingye: “Wait for next time.”

“Eh, okay.” Kan Dashan rubbed his big, withered-tree-like hands and nodded, but his expression was somewhat lonely.

He knew Duan Xingye was busy, even busier during holidays, and didn’t know when the next time would be.

Duan Xingye sighed in his heart, hugged his grandfather, and patted his back: “In October, the second half of the year, I’ve requested annual leave. Old man, don’t always stay at home; go out for walks more.”

“Okay,” Kan Dashan said. “You, Duzhou, take good care of yourselves outside.”

Duan Xingye: “I know.”

They said goodbye at the garden gate; no one mentioned Kan Yu.

After returning from Yu City, Cheng Duzhou’s one-week break ended, and he went to a new filming location out of town.

Duan Xingye threw himself into recording his new song. He was about to participate in the All-China Music Awards next week as the opening guest performer. Moreover, as a nominee for Best Male Singer this year, he faced more public opinion than in previous years, so the whole team was very busy.

The couple wouldn’t meet again until Travel Together started the honeymoon trip.

The night before Cheng Duzhou left, he sat on the rocking chair holding the cat, rocking while holding his phone, adding and subtracting on the calculator, looking somewhat worried.

Duan Xingye asked him what was wrong.

“I’m estimating my assets,” Cheng Duzhou said. “If it’s enough, I’ll retire before thirty. I really can’t stand being away from home for months.”

“……”

No, how did you stand it the past two years?

Duan Xingye picked up the grey-blue small dolphin plushie and hit him on the head: “You have absolutely no career ambition, Cheng Duzhou!”

Cheng Duzhou put away his phone and handed Matchmaker to Duan Xingye.

“What.” Duan Xingye skillfully hugged the cat.

“You come.” Cheng Duzhou signaled him to sit on his lap.

Duan Xingye ignored the cat hair on his clothes and sat on him.

Cheng Duzhou hugged Duan Xingye and leaned back on the recliner, while Matchmaker the cat nestled comfortably in Duan Xingye’s arms.

The family of three rocked and rocked.

Cheng Duzhou pressed his lips against Duan Xingye’s shoulder, was quiet for a while, and mumbled: “I just don’t have career ambition. I just want to hold my wife on a warm kang (bed).”

“…” Duan Xingye said, “Please correct your thinking. Don’t always think about lying flat (slacking off) at a young age.”

“Okay.” The bumpkin looked wrinkled.

Duan Xingye didn’t want Cheng Duzhou to lie flat because he knew once Cheng Duzhou stopped working, he would have nowhere to use his energy and would definitely torment him endlessly.

Duan Xingye then changed the subject: “But we should slow down the pace.”

“Hmm?” Cheng Duzhou tilted his head to look at him.

Duan Xingye leaned back against Cheng Duzhou’s chest and picked up his hand. The long scar on the back of Cheng Duzhou’s hand was almost invisible now, leaving a very faint flesh pink color.

Cheng Duzhou thinking of retiring before thirty wasn’t just because he had both luck and strength in the entertainment industry, but also because he walked ten years’ worth of others’ paths in five years. Squeezing himself so desperately to earn so much money—Duan Xingye never envied, only felt heartache.

“Agreed. From now on, you have to go home with me to visit relatives once a year, travel together at least once a year, vacation time per year cannot be less than two months, and when filming out of town, come back at least two days a month.”

After Duan Xingye finished speaking, he didn’t get a response. Turning his head, he saw Cheng Duzhou gazing at him, his deep, bottomless eyes revealing an inscrutable look.

Duan Xingye suddenly felt his face heat up, realizing he might be too clingy. Seeing Cheng Duzhou laughing at him, amidst embarrassment, he slapped Cheng Duzhou’s hand hard: “What are you looking at! You are a man with a family now; still thinking about not being home all day? Then everyone might as well not get married…”

Before he could finish, Cheng Duzhou covered his mouth.

Duan Xingye glanced at him with burning eyes, full of indignation.

Cheng Duzhou took out his phone again, arms hugging Duan Xingye, chin resting on Duan Xingye’s shoulder. He opened the memo in front of him and typed while saying:

“Visit relatives at home twice a year… Must go home around Spring Festival. If you miss home at other times, I’ll accompany you too…”

“Travel abroad at least twice a year… Agreed, at least twice. Otherwise, what’s the point of earning so much money if we can’t go out to play.”

“Accept no more than three movies a year, ensuring filming time doesn’t exceed nine months… The rest of the time I’ll arrange according to your schedule.”

“Take leave to go home once a month when filming out of town… Can we add one more?”

Cheng Duzhou clearly listed four points in the memo and looked at Duan Xingye.

Duan Xingye asked, “What?”

Cheng Duzhou continued typing, reading word by word: “When I’m on vacation, you’re not allowed to find me annoying. You have to touch me, kiss me, and cherish me as much as possible.”

“……”

Duan Xingye glanced at him sideways.

Really pushing his luck.

Cheng Duzhou brought up the brush tool and handed the phone to Duan Xingye: “Sign.”

Duan Xingye suddenly felt this scene was familiar. Pursing his lips, he signed his name at the bottom of the phone screen.

Then, Cheng Duzhou also signed. After putting away the phone, he looked at Duan Xingye with smiling eyes.

Duan Xingye: “What are you smiling foolishly about?”

Cheng Duzhou rocked the recliner, hugged Duan Xingye, and whispered in his ear: “Thank you… for being willing to invest time.”

Duan Xingye’s face heated up again.

It seemed like Duan Xingye was making demands on Cheng Duzhou, but in fact, to achieve those things, both had to put in equal effort. Visiting relatives, traveling—both had to arrange work schedules in advance. If Cheng Duzhou specifically took leave to come home, Duan Xingye wouldn’t leave him hanging; he had to spend time accompanying him.

Duan Xingye was forced to be lonely before and didn’t think it was bad, but Cheng Duzhou had entered his world. Duan Xingye thought he couldn’t devote himself entirely to work anymore; that would be no different from the widowed-style marriage of the past.

Work is for living, not plundering life. Since they have a family, they might as well both slow down and learn to manage this relationship together.

Duan Xingye lay back properly, humming proudly: “My awareness is much higher than yours.”

“Yes.” Cheng Duzhou chuckled lightly, hot breath spraying all over his ear.

But after a while, Duan Xingye found Cheng Duzhou was still very close to his ear, rubbing against it, the atmosphere gradually becoming humid.

Duan Xingye pursed his lips righteously and looked at the cat.

Cheng Duzhou scooped the cat up with one hand and put it in the nest beside the chair. “Mn, Matchmaker says she wants to sleep. Let’s sleep too.”

“……”

“……”

Matchmaker looked at them with round eyes, full of spirit.

After the couple established new life goals, they spent a sweet night together.

Duan Xingye thought he had soothed the person well.

The next morning, before going out.

Cheng Duzhou looked at the luggage at the door for a long time, turned around, rested his head on Duan Xingye’s shoulder, and hummed half-dead: “Save me—already starting to miss home…”

Duan Xingye was expressionless: “……”

…

Three minutes later, Duan Xingye personally delivered Cheng Duzhou downstairs and packed him into the car heading to the film crew.

__

Author’s Note:

Kindergarten, Teacher: Children, what do you want to do in the future?

Teacher Duan (small face proud): Singer.

President Cheng (raising hand properly): Stay-at-home husband.