Chapter 36: Unexpected Guest!

The entrance fell silent.

Xia Ye, caught off guard, bit into an apple, his eyes expressing “absurdity.”

Xie Jing looked at him for two seconds, lifted the corner of his mouth, and said, “Hello.” After that, he turned to Jian Mingzhou casually and said,

“Uncle, why is Chief Editor Xia here?”

Jian Mingzhou, “He’s here to borrow something.”

Xia Ye chuckled, taking the apple down.

Just as he was about to say something, he suddenly realized, “…Mingzhou, did you wash the apples?”

“…”, Jian Mingzhou turned his head. “It’s fine; I just took them out of the fruit basket; they’re still fresh.”

Xia Ye was suddenly infuriated!

“Uncle.” Xie Jing seemed to smile and took the fruit basket from his hand. “Fresh ones are those picked from the tree, and the fresher they are, the less clean they are.”

After saying that, he ignored Xia Ye, who was shaking with anger, and turned and went into the house.

Jian Mingzhou looked at his broad back and opened his mouth.

…What a naturally delivered blow!

After a moment of silence, he patted Xia Ye, “Come in, who let you criticize people?” shamelessly.

Xia Ye just hummed and followed in, with a meaningful look, “So, why is he wearing your clothes?”

“That’s not my clothes.”

“Why not? Didn’t you wear them?”

“They are mine.” Xie Jing was washing fruits next to the sink. He lifted his eyelids upon hearing this and glanced at Xia Ye. “We have two identical ones.”

Xia Ye’s words got stuck for a moment, and he glanced sideways.

Jian Mingzhou, facing his gaze, felt a sudden heat in his heart: Xie Jing, completely unaware of how impure Xia Ye is…! This sounded like they intentionally bought matching clothes.

He added, “Exactly the same.” Wholesale of one size.

Xie Jing nodded again. “So I don’t know if I wore it wrong, or maybe I wore yours, Uncle.”

Jian Mingzhou turned his head and said,Xie Jing!!

The gaze thrown at him from the side became even deeper.

He quickly pushed Xia Ye away. “Alright, I’ll go get the album for you.”

…

The album was in the study.

While Jian Mingzhou was searching on the bookshelf, a fragrance wafted in from the kitchen. Xia Ye leaned against the door,

“Smells good; what are you cooking at home?”

“Tomato seafood stew rice.”

He casually asked, “Do you want to stay and eat before leaving?”

“I just…” Xia Ye was about to speak when he suddenly felt a gaze. He turned his head and saw Xie Jing leaning on the other end of the kitchen counter, his figure calm and tall, his eyelids drooping as he looked over.

Like a guard beast guarding its territory.

He changed the topic with a smirk, “But it’s impolite.”

Jian Mingzhou turned around and said, “?”

Suddenly, his face became thicker, and he wasn’t polite at all.

He handed the album to Xia Ye and went to the kitchen. Xie Jing stood there; he bent over to pick up a bowl from in front of him.

“Xiao Jing, get another set of bowls and chopsticks. Chief Editor Xia is staying for dinner.”

He responded with a low “hmm.”

Jian Mingzhou stood up with a bowl, and he effortlessly took the bowl, saying, “I’ll do it. You sit down.”

As he lifted his head, he saw Xie Jing leaning over to take a spoon from his side.

With a stretch of his long arms, revealing the collarbone above, the black T-shirt clung tightly to his body. From the chest to the abdomen, the tight and smooth lines were clearly visible.

Jian Mingzhou moved his eyes away in awe.

Athletes, do they all have such good bodies?

But even He Yi and the others don’t have bodies like Xie Jing’s…

“How much does Chief Editor Xia eat? Is this enough?” Jian Mingzhou’s thoughts returned, and he turned to see Xie Jing scooping a bowl full of rice, like adding fodder. He couldn’t help but take a breath.

“…he doesn’t eat that much.”

“Is that so?”

Xie Jing scooped out a bit more and casually said, “Last time I saw you guys eating so late, I thought Chief Editor Xia could eat a lot.”

Xia Ye’s ears twitched: ?

—

Three bowls of rice were quickly served on the table.

Jian Mingzhou and Xie Jing sat together, and Xia Ye sat across from them.

As soon as they sat down, Xia Ye smirked, “Oh… are all the cooks at home, kids?”

Jian Mingzhou was about to nod when there was a soft sound beside him.

Xie Jing’s chopsticks rested on the edge of the bowl.

Not knowing which point he had touched, Jian Mingzhou felt pressure in the center of his eyebrows as Xie Jing looked straight at him. After pursing his lips and speaking lightly,

“Hmm, this way, I can make Uncle’s favorite dishes without spending money outside.”

Jian Mingzhou, listening with a subtle sense of familiarity…

While he was reminiscing, Xia Ye suddenly looked over, his gaze conveying a message: Are you gossiping about me?

“…” How could that be? Jian Mingzhou furrowed his brows.

Nonsense; Xiao Jing was just making ordinary small talk.

Xia Ye insisted: What has blinded your eyes?

During the eye contact, there was another light sound beside them.

Xie Jing put down his bowl and turned to ask, “Uncle, what drink do you want? Shall I get it?”

The conversation was interrupted, and Jian Mingzhou said, “I’ll have fruit juice.”

Turning his head, Xie Jing asked, “What about Chief Editor Xia?”

Xia Ye hinted, “Tea.”

Xie Jing nodded and got up to fetch water as if nothing had happened. His broad shoulders swayed as he passed, and his back was stable and handsome. Jian Mingzhou’s gaze lingered for two seconds before retracting.

Then he looked helplessly at Xia Ye. What were you chatting about in front of Xiao Jing?

Xia Ye just said to Xie Jing, “Oh, nothing important. Kids, this is the world of adults.”

Xie Jing tapped his fingertips, quietly looking over.

Jian Mingzhou, feeling breathless: What world of adults? It sounds even weirder!

He calmed down and said, “But that has nothing to do with us. We are a mixed-gender psychiatric hospital.”

At the dining table, “…”

—

Xia Ye left after finishing his meal.

Jian Mingzhou turned to the sink area and said, “Today, I’ll wash the dishes, Xiao Jing.”

Xie Jing had already turned on the water. “I’ll do it.”

His hands had just touched the foam when he suddenly paused. “Forgot to tie the apron. Uncle, can you help me tie it?”

Jian Mingzhou took the apron over and said, “Sure.”

After putting it around his neck, Xie Jing turned back to continue washing.

Jian Mingzhou stood behind him, facing the tense back in front of him. The shoulder blades moved, and the back groove disappeared into the waist. The apron’s straps wrapped around the narrow waist, and as he tied it, his fingertips were surprisingly unsteady.

Whether it was nervousness or Xie Jing’s strong aura, he wasn’t sure.

In manga terms, it should be called “A”…

As Jian Mingzhou was focusing, Xie Jing suddenly spoke.

“Uncle, I’m also off this weekend.”

“What?” He looked up.

Xie Jing lowered his head to wash the dishes. “Training camp gets one weekend off each month, and this week is the break. I was thinking of going out with you.”

Jian Mingzhou was stunned: Last month, it seems that they did have two days off for He Yi’s birthday…

He spoke gently, “I’m sorry, it coincides with the team-building. Are you also planning to go out with friends for a nearby trip?”

The conversation paused. Xie Jing turned and asked, “Can I also go on the trip?”

Jian Mingzhou blinked, “Of course.”

Xie Jing nodded and turned back. Jian Mingzhou walked to his side and said, “I’ll bring you some local specialties this time. Do you want something sweet?”

“No need, Uncle. I don’t eat sweet things lately.”

“Oh, then I’ll choose for you.”

Xie Jing didn’t object and glanced at him, saying, “Alright, you go and rest over there for a while.”

Jian Mingzhou drifted away to read manga, saying, “Okay.”

He settled on the lazy sofa, comfortably reading a couple of pages of manga. Suddenly, he realized: Wait a minute. Xie Jing cooked the meal, washed the dishes, and now he’s supposed to rest?

Jian Mingzhou’s pupils trembled slightly.

Indeed, something was gradually infiltrating his life!

…

The weekend quickly approached.

After work on Friday, they went directly to Qingyan. Jian Mingzhou had packed his luggage the day before.

When he was packing clothes, he saw the new pajamas he had bought, dried, and never worn. It seemed like a good idea to bring them along.

The next day, he picked up his luggage and headed out.

“Xiao Jing, I’m leaving. Make sure to eat well.”

Xie Jing leaned against the dining table, sipping on milk. He looked up and blinked lightly. “Hmm.”

After saying goodbye, Jian Mingzhou left.

It was the post-holiday break, and they were going on a team-building trip right after work. The entire day in the editorial department was spent in an excited and slack mode, continuing until five in the afternoon.

As the time arrived, everyone stood up with a clamor, “Work hours are over! Let’s go on the team-building.”

“To Qingyan Hot Springs! Hot springs!!!”

The drive to Qingyan took about an hour and a half.

The editorial department went there together by bus.

Shaking along the way, chasing the sunset glow, they finally arrived at their destination when the evening was about to fall.

The Qingyan Hot Springs hotel was built halfway up the mountain.

Jian Mingzhou got off the bus and looked around. The entire accommodation and hot springs were connected in a dark dusk, with lights scattered high and low, resembling a starry sky.

It didn’t look like a manga at all; it even had a bit of a dreamy quality.

He couldn’t resist taking a picture and sending it to Xie Jing.

【Mingzhou】: Xiao Jing, I’ve arrived. [Picture] Does it look good? Do you feel like you’re there? ^^

A reply came after half a minute.

【Jing】: It looks good, and I feel like I’m there ^^

Jian Mingzhou smiled slightly.

As he was about to put away his phone, his gaze suddenly froze.

“…” Wait a minute. Feel like you’re there?

He stared at the sentence, trying to understand it. The wooden door a few steps away suddenly creaked open.

As if confirming his guess,

Jian Mingzhou looked up and saw Xie Jing walking out into the dusk. The familiar figure was enveloped in a faint light, stopping in front of him, lowering his eyes with a smile.

“Uncle, how come you guys just arrived?”

“…”

Jian Mingzhou’s eyes widened slowly. Even more dreamlike!

Could he be still asleep?

In the dark surroundings, his colleagues seemed to be collecting luggage and taking selfies near the bus. For the moment, no one has noticed this side.

His heart beat a bit unexpectedly faster. “Xiao Jing, how did you?”

“Uncle, you said I could go on the trip.”

“But why did you come to Qingyan too?”

The night obscured the surroundings in an ambiguous haze.

During their gaze, Xie Jing’s eyes, which were slightly lowered, revealed a warm glow. In the quiet breath of Jian Mingzhou, he spoke gently.

“I came to see the world of adults.”

“…”

As his heart rate slowly settled, Jian Mingzhou took a deep breath and said, “Xiao Jing, there’s no such thing as the world of adults here.”

“It’s all normal…”

Midway through his words, a loud crash came from the side!

The bus with the words “Zaojiang Publishing” stopped in front of them. As the door opened, a familiar figure suddenly leaped out—a young eagle taking flight—

Then, supporting his arms, he leaned against the wooden railing, displaying a charming pose.

“Everyone from the Zaojiang team, you…”

The door, which Xie Jing hadn’t closed, slammed shut, and he tumbled inside! He looked up, met the silent gazes of Jian Mingzhou and Xie Jing, and…

“…”

Jian Mingzhou’s gaze lingered.

Damn it, why is Duan Tingfang here?