Chapter 20

“Can’t remember?” Jiang Yi stared at Yang Yunran’s lips, seeing no signs of damage. He felt irritated and confused, but his expression remained blank. “You don’t even know who kissed you?”

Of course I do, it was just a dream where I dreamt of you kissing me!

“I don’t know, I can’t remember,” Yang Yunran’s expression showed a hint of guilt. “It really wasn’t you, right…?”

Jiang Yi made a sound of acknowledgment, glanced at him, then turned his face away, restarting the car. “Are you dating someone else?”

“No,” Yang Yunran glanced at him, saying, “I’m not that fast. Currently, I’m just looking around.”

Jiang Yi remained silent for a long time before calling out his name, “Yang Yunran.”

Yang Yunran responded, “Yes, what is it?”

Jiang Yi’s gaze turned cold. “You’re kissing people without confirming a relationship first?”

“Why not? Do I have to be in a relationship before I can kiss someone?” Although it wasn’t the case, Yang Yunran could tell Jiang Yi seemed quite upset! Letting him continue to be angry didn’t seem like a bad idea. It seemed like Jiang Yi didn’t completely dislike him!

Hearing his response, Jiang Yi fell silent, his lips pursed tightly.

His ex-boyfriend’s profile resembled a masterpiece. Yang Yunran couldn’t help but entertain the idea of reconciling with him. He reached out and lightly tapped Jiang Yi’s arm. “I might have mistaken someone else for you. Don’t be angry.”

Jiang Yi seemed unmoved, only casting a fleeting glance at him, and said, “You promised me last night that you wouldn’t go to those places anymore.”

“I promised you that?” Yang Yunran expressed, “I have no recollection at all.”

Jiang Yi replied, “But you remember other things?”

“I touched your face, didn’t I?” Yang Yunran pondered.

Jiang Yi fell silent for a moment before saying, “Yes.”

Yang Yunran looked contemplative. “Just touched your face?”

Jiang Yi replied, “…Yes.”

Yang Yunran continued, “How did you feel, happy or disappointed?”

Jiang Yi’s lips moved, but he chose not to answer. Yang Yunran laughed heartily, appearing very cheerful. Jiang Yi finally spoke, “I find it difficult to discipline you.” Like a child, acting recklessly and as they please.

Still smiling, Yang Yunran responded, “Then in what capacity will you discipline me, big brother?”

Jiang Yi’s gaze lingered on the traffic light at the intersection, his eyes deepening as they focused. “Well, as your elder brother, don’t go to nightclubs to drink in the future. They’re full of unsavory characters, not a place for you to hang out.”

“Okay, but Jiang Yi, I need to explain something. That shop is actually an investment of mine, so…”

“I went for an inspection; there won’t be any danger.”

Jiang Yi’s expression remained cold: “You should be grateful for that. If not for that, what do you think would have happened if you drank so much? I asked where you were, and you didn’t reply.”

Yang Yunran admitted his mistake: “I know, I won’t do it again… but I didn’t reply on purpose,” Yang Yunran raised his eyelids, stealing a glance at him, “because I felt you didn’t like me anymore, so why bother entangling.”

Jiang Yi remained silent.

He was not very responsive to emotional expressions, and never once said “I love you” to his parents from childhood to adulthood. Not even to his younger brother.

He was reserved by nature, and had a sense of measure in dealing with all emotions, unlike Yang Yunran.

Jiang Yi didn’t tell him that he had searched for him for a long time last night because he was worried about his situation.

Jiang Yi just silently parked the car, took Yang Yunran upstairs, and went to his own home for dinner.

Jiang Yi’s Saudi roommate was also there, but the dining habits of the two countries were different, so they ate separately.

With someone else present, Yang Yunran restrained himself a lot, behaving well at the dining table. Jiang Yi didn’t make many dishes, but they were all dishes Yang Yunran loved, with a preference for sour and spicy flavors.

He ate heartily, and helped Jiang Yi clean up after eating. Jiang Yi rolled up his sleeves, threw the dishes into the dishwasher, and said, “There are fruits and ice cream in the fridge. Help yourself.”

Yang Yunran opened the fridge: “Isn’t this the brand I bought last time? You remembered it specially and bought it for me?”

Jiang Yi said, “Just bought it randomly.”

Yang Yunran took out three boxes, Jiang Yi said he didn’t want any, so he put back one box and went to find Jiang Yi’s Saudi roommate: “Faisal, this is for you.”

Because Yang Yunran was particularly friendly, Faisal took it and the two chatted for a while. Yang Yunran asked him about his major, how long he had been in the United States, blah blah, chatting for ten minutes.

While eating ice cream, Yang Yunran introduced himself as Jiang Yi’s friend and younger brother, studying for a master’s degree at Deberman.

Finally, with Faisal inviting him to visit Abu Dhabi, Yang Yunran invited him to visit China as a conclusion.

By this time, Jiang Yi had already cleaned the kitchen spotlessly, like an ultra-clean countertop. Before Faisal went back to his room, he told Yang Yunran, “Having Evan as a roommate is really lucky! He is keen on cleaning the room and cleans it twice a day. You are his first friend to bring back. The yogurt and ice cream in the fridge, he bought them for you, right? Because he never eats these.”

Yang Yunran looked at Jiang Yi from ten meters away and smiled.

Faisal went back to his room.

Yang Yunran walked into the kitchen and leaned against the refrigerator. “Busy little bee, all done cleaning?”

Jiang Yi had finished cleaning for about five or six minutes already. He didn’t want to interrupt their conversation with his roommate, so he spent five minutes wiping a glass panel in the kitchen.

“All done.” Jiang Yi washed his hands, turned around, and looked down at Yang Yunran. “I’ll take you home.”

“Oh, why don’t you just take me to the beach then?”

Jiang Yi asked, “You want to go to the beach?”

“The weather’s nice today, and I don’t want to waste it sleeping at home,” Yang Yunran said. “Will you take me? If not, I’ll just take a taxi.”

“I’ll take you.” Jiang Yi asked him, “Have you finished your homework?”

“It’s almost done. Trust me, I’m really fast at doing homework.” Yang Yunran watched him enter the room and followed him in. He asked while entering the bathroom, “Can I use your mouthwash?”

Before Jiang Yi could answer, Yang Yunran added, “Don’t worry, I won’t touch the mouth of the bottle. I’ll pour it directly into my mouth, definitely not having an indirect kiss with you.”

Jiang Yi picked up his charging phone and car keys. “Go ahead and use it.”

While Yang Yunran rinsed his mouth, he observed Jiang Yi’s bathroom, which was particularly small. There was only a mini washbasin with a toothbrush, toothpaste, and shaving cream on it. In the drawer, there was Listerine mouthwash and an electric shaver, along with a rolled-up hairdryer.

All his personal items were minimalistic. Yang Yunran disliked this brand’s peppermint-flavored mouthwash because it was too spicy.

Unexpectedly, Jiang Yi had bought two large bottles of it on sale!

The bathroom was even more minimalistic, with only a bottle of shower gel and shampoo, not even a conditioner! But Jiang Yi had cleaned the shower glass extremely well; there was not a single water droplet, almost completely transparent, probably due to some chemical treatment.

A man whose life had no color at all.

Yang Yunran asked if he had a beach mat. Jiang Yi found a picnic mat from the storage room and asked if it was okay to use. “We used it during last year’s team building.”

Yang Yunran nodded and went downstairs with him, then got into the car.

As the spring temperature gradually rose, the noon sun was shining brightly, causing Yang Yunran to take off his jacket in the car, revealing the gray sweater inside.

Jiang Yi had been here for three years and had only been to Carson Beach once. It only took about half an hour to drive there. He set up the navigation and asked Yang Yunran, “What do you want to do at the beach?”

Yang Yunran was playing with his phone. “I want to go on a date.”

Jiang Yi held the steering wheel and glanced at his phone screen, which seemed to be a messaging interface. He asked, “With whom?”

“I don’t know, still asking.”

“Let’s see who’s available.” In fact, Yang Yunran didn’t ask at all; he was just waiting for Jiang Yi to volunteer.

He never expected his ex-boyfriend to stay silent! Absolutely silent! He didn’t know what his mouth was for.

He just replied with an “oh” to himself.

About five minutes passed, and Jiang Yi spoke up, “Have you asked yet?”

Yang Yunran replied, “Not yet.”

Jiang Yi: “Hmm.”

Yang Yunran: “…”

Yang Yunran looked up from his phone screen, “Jiang Yi, did we make any agreements last night?”

“Yes,” Jiang Yi didn’t look at him, “You promised me you wouldn’t ignore my messages and wouldn’t communicate with Jimmy anymore.”

Yang Yunran replied, “Jimmy is my friend, why would I agree to that? Impossible.”

Jiang Yi politely said, “You promised, are you going to back out now?”

“You can’t make such demands while I’m drunk, of course, I’m going to back out!” Yang Yunran didn’t take it seriously at all, “And if I don’t communicate with Jimmy, who will help me find a boyfriend?”

“Me,” Jiang Yi said.

Yang Yunran: “…………”

It’s ridiculous, to rely on an ex-boyfriend to find a boyfriend.

Yang Yunran propped his forehead, vaguely feeling that a similar conversation had happened last night. Because he said he couldn’t find anyone better than Jiang Yi, couldn’t like anyone else, so Jiang Yi said he would help.

Yang Yunran looked complicated, “Are you serious?”

Jiang Yi’s voice was calm and flat, “Yes, I’ll go to school to help you see if there’s anyone suitable. I don’t think the ones Jimmy finds for you are reliable.”

Jiang Yi always thought his concern for Yang Yunran was out of care because taking care of him gave birth to a sense of responsibility. Since there was a responsibility, he couldn’t let him go astray.

Otherwise, if Yang Yunran continued to associate with people like Jimmy, and then dated Evan and Aden from last night and got into group sex?

He was really afraid that the obedient Yang Yunran would turn bad, and become rebellious and unrecognizable.

Just like his younger brother Jiang Wei, the responsibility he didn’t fulfill towards Jiang Wei, he could up for and give to Yang Yunran.

Yang Yunran was silent for a moment, then bewildered for a moment, and said, “Do whatever you want.”

They would arrive at their destination in a few minutes. Jiang Yi asked him again, “Did you find someone?”

“I found someone, a guy named Evan,” Yang Yunran looked at him.

Jiang Yi frowned, “The one from last night?” He looked like a male model who was there to accompany drinks, and Jiang Yi immediately disapproved, “He’s not acceptable.”

Yang Yunran asked, “Then who is?”

Jiang Yi paused.

“I don’t know any of your friends… He seems more inclined to Yang Yunran, who actually has no friends. Jimmy definitely can’t be considered a friend.

He’s just a drinking buddy.

They reached their destination, and Jiang Yi parked the car.

Yang Yunran, wearing a hat and carrying a picnic mat, got out of the car. The sea breeze brushed against his face as he still looked down at the route. Actually, he didn’t plan to find someone else. If Jiang Yi wasn’t willing or didn’t take the initiative, he’d just play by himself.

Jiang Yi got out of the car, put on sunglasses, locked the car door, and asked him again, “No one’s accompanying you?”

Yang Yunran: “There is.”

The wind billowed Jiang Yi’s navy blue shirt, his hair flying, his expression faint. Sunglasses perched on his high nose, concealing his eyes. He said, “That drinking buddy won’t do.”

Yang Yunran’s facial features were shadowed under the black baseball cap. He looked at him for a moment, then continued walking towards the beach without saying a word.

Seagulls flew past, there were some elderly people walking on the beach, and children were playing in the sand. Reeds leaned northwards in the sea breeze.

Jiang Yi followed behind him. Yang Yunran said, “Why are you following me? Do you want to be my bodyguard?”

“I’m accompanying you.” Jiang Yi quickly walked to his side, slightly bent to take the picnic mat he was carrying, and his fingers lightly touched Yang Yunran’s hand. He said, “Let the drinking buddy go back.”

“One after another with the drinking buddy, big brother, you’re so rude.” Yang Yunran didn’t even add those two duck friends.

Jiang Yi reached out, “If you don’t say, I’ll take it. Give me your phone.”

Yang Yunran didn’t have their friends’ contacts. He couldn’t give him his phone. He quickly turned around and said, “…Fine, fine, fine. I’ll tell him not to come.”

Jiang Yi’s hand fell empty, “Delete it.”

Yang Yunran smiled slightly, “Is there a reward for deleting it?”

Jiang Yi said no. Yang Yunran looked at him, quickly edited the note of an intermediary in his phone to “Evan,” and said to Jiang Yi, “He’s on his way.”

Jiang Yi helplessly said, “…Deleted. I’ll give you a reward. What do you want? I’ll buy it for you.”