Chapter 47: Absolute Territory

The next day, at the editorial department.

Bang. A stack of books was piled on the desk.

Jian Mingzhou was still choosing in front of the bookshelf.

The feeling of being struck yesterday was too vivid, and the faint palpitations still lingered.

The touch in his palm. The eye contact.

And the intense sound of his own heartbeat…

He shook his head and focused, pulling out another manga.

It must be that he has been reading too many similar mangas.

Xie Jing’s preferences were too close to what he liked, and the contrasting feelings hit his weak spot… to the point where scenes from manga often floated in his mind.

He needed to quickly read something else to stop these wandering thoughts.

One manga after another was pulled out.

Just as he was selecting, Xia Ye passed by from behind and casually glanced over. “What are you looking for? There haven’t been any new mangas recently, and those that suit your taste should be…”

His words paused, looking at the cover:

[Perverted Glasses XX.] [Night of Tentacles] [Forced in the Office…]

“…”

Xia Ye pushed his glasses. “What’s wrong with you? You’re scaring me with that expression.”

Jian Mingzhou tried to sound casual, “I’m just changing my taste.”

“Your change in taste is too drastic. Don’t you like mature uniforms, wolf-dog seme, and contrasting cute ukes the most?”

Every word Xia Ye said stabbed him in the heart.

Finally, it gathered into a tangible image.

A combination of mature appearance, uniform, wolf-dog seme, and contrasting cuteness…

Jian Mingzhou’s mind was filled with vivid pictures.

Feeling like he was struck again, he quickly suppressed it. Holding the manga, he said, “I just suddenly felt that those were a bit too bland.”

He finished speaking, and Xia Ye leaned against the side without saying anything.

Jian Mingzhou was about to take the manga away when he suddenly heard, “Are you taking these home to read?”

“Yeah, is that not okay?”

Xia Ye suddenly grinned, “Ha-hmm~!”

Jian Mingzhou, “…”

What’s with this strange symptom?

He steadfastly looked at Xia Ye.

Xia Ye stopped smiling and patted him casually. “Your life is a bit bland. It needs some excitement.”

Jian Mingzhou couldn’t stand his expression, caring, “Did you go to the pantry yesterday?”

His companion’s smile faded. “No.”

“Oh, you didn’t drink water all day.”

“…” Xia Ye compromised, “When I went, there was no one inside.”

Jian Mingzhou, then trying to change the topic, “Oh, a day without drinking water.”

“…,” Xia Ye, seeking an alternative, said. “When I went, there was no one inside.”

Jian Mingzhou picked up the manga, “Ha-hmm~”

A dark atmosphere instantly filled the room.

…

After work, Jian Mingzhou brought the manga home.

He finished work early today, and Xie Jing hadn’t returned yet.

He threw the heavy backpack onto the sofa, sat down, and randomly picked a manga to read.

[Chains rattling, clattering.]

[Choose for yourself. Good. A mature man’s face approaches. One hand pinching his chin…]

“You can choose to call me the old seme or call me dad…”

…Damn! Jian Mingzhou’s fingertips trembled.

Is this what mature-themed mangas are like nowadays?

He was flipping through a few pages slowly, and suddenly, he heard the sound of the door opening. Then it slammed shut.

Xie Jing was back.

“Uncle.” Footsteps approached.

There were still manga piles next to Jian Mingzhou.

Now, standing up and taking them away would be too conspicuous. He continued flipping through the pages. “Hmm, back already?”

“I’m back…”

The voice paused, and Xie Jing stopped behind him.

Several book covers were spread open on the sofa. His gaze swept over them, and keywords caught his eye: wealthy older men, the empire’s old generals, wild bosses, May-December romances…

Xie Jing’s eyelids twitched again: [So it’s a Dad]…?

The living room suddenly became somewhat quiet.

The air seemed to condense.

Jian Mingzhou, with his back to Xie Jing, didn’t know what had happened. Just as he was about to turn around, he suddenly heard Xie Jing’s calm and slow voice:

“Uncle, do you like this?”

He said, “Older, mature men.”

Jian Mingzhou felt that there was a hidden meaning in his words. He clenched his fingers and tried to sound casual.

“I’m just exploring some new types.”

The air seemed to loosen a bit, and the backrest of the sofa behind him sank slightly. Xie Jing leaned down. “Hmm… is it good-looking?”

His warm breath and voice were close to Jian Mingzhou’s ear.

Jian Mingzhou steadied his emotions and looked at the manga.

Actually, the content was not bad—just not hitting his sweet spot and even a bit too forward.

He reluctantly said, “… It’s quite good-looking.”

After a moment of silence by his side, Xie Jing stood up and said, “Hmm.”

Xie Jing left the living room.

Jian Mingzhou felt a slight relief, but then he started to worry: Did Xie Jing’s question about “older men” imply something? Would he think that Jian Mingzhou was suggesting…

He just wanted to change his taste and clear his mind. But should he say that he doesn’t find “older men” cute?

Jian Mingzhou thought about it, feeling a bit warm around the ears. He deliberately organized his thoughts.

If not cute “older men,” then he finds cute “younger men”…

Suddenly, there was a movement behind him, and his train of thought was interrupted.

Before he could turn around, a pile of manga suddenly fell “whoosh” beside him, covering his manga about older men. Then, leaning from behind, Xie Jing said,

“Uncle, do you want to read my newly bought manga?”

His long arms circled around Jian Mingzhou’s side, as if hugging him across the sofa.

Jian Mingzhou’s heartbeat accelerated suddenly, and his breath paused. Although there was a sofa between them, it felt as if Xie Jing had embraced him directly. He looked down. “What?”

The manga was spread out in front of him, and he saw: [Living Together for 9 Days] [What’s wrong with having a brother? [Discovering the roommate’s secret…]

Damn! This is…

Jian Mingzhou’s blood surged to his ears in an instant, and the tips of his ears turned red.

Xie Jing picked up another one.

As he leaned down, closing the distance, his head naturally rested on Jian Mingzhou’s shoulder.

“Younger, living together, don’t you like this?”

Chin lightly brushed against the shoulder, and the feeling of being struck last night returned. His mind became a mess, and Jian Mingzhou didn’t find his words for a while. Finally, trying to stay calm,

“…I don’t like it. Go outside.”

After a moment of silence, Xie Jing chuckled. “Go where?”

Oops, they were both in the living room.

Jian Mingzhou held back for two seconds, “… From my absolute territory.”

Xie Jing, “…”

The earlobes behind him turned completely red.

His gaze dropped for a moment, and then his Adam’s apple moved slightly. Unable to resist, he bit his lip, stood up, and moved to the sofa.

Separated by a pile of manga, he obediently stayed outside Jian Mingzhou’s absolute territory.

After sitting down, Xie Jing picked up, [What’s wrong with having a brother? ], “Uncle, I think this one should be much better than the ones you brought back.”

Jian Mingzhou’s thoughts returned at this moment.

“Aren’t you the one who said to stick to your own territory?”

Xie Jing flipped through the pages and said, “But I can also recommend something.”

“…,” Jian Mingzhou widened his eyes.

This is unbelievable… Xie Jing even wants to recommend him!

He glanced at the pages that hit his sweet spot and couldn’t resist the flutter in his heart. Maintaining composure, he said,

“I got it; you can put it down.”

The manga was then placed in his hands.

Xie Jing stood up accommodatingly and said, “I’ll go cook first, Uncle.”

After he said that, he walked towards the kitchen.

Jian Mingzhou pursed his lips, looking at the pile of manga in front of him. …Is the meal not ready yet?

—

After having a meal with actual nutritional value.

Jian Mingzhou sat back on the sofa.

The “older men” and “younger men” manga were piled up, and he didn’t bother moving them; he just sat down where he was.

The computer was also on the coffee table.

He had to receive the manuscript from the new author tonight, so Jian Mingzhou kept WeChat open on the desktop. He was reading manga for a while when he noticed that he had been added to a group chat.

【Class 1 Classmates Reunion Group】

He remembered what Zou Wensong said about the class reunion.

The messages had already flooded the group.

Everyone had changed their nicknames, and familiar names flooded the screen.

Jian Mingzhou slid the mouse slowly to climb up the chat.

As a shadow flickered by his side, Xie Jing, who had finished tidying up, sat down and asked, “Still working?”

“No, it’s about the class reunion.”

Jian Mingzhou didn’t close the chat interface.

He felt that he had shown Xie Jing his most embarrassing side, and it seemed like there was nothing he couldn’t let others see.

Moreover, his defensive line against people seemed to be getting lower and lower.

Not only did he allow Xie Jing to hold and touch him, but he also cared about whether his rejection would make Xie Jing disappointed.

Jian Mingzhou’s fingers on the table curled slightly.

This kind of mood is just like…

Just as he was thinking, a casual voice behind him said,

“Uncle, do you still have a class flower?”

Jian Mingzhou’s heart skipped a beat, and looking up, he saw the screen being filled with lively messages.

By the way, is the class flower coming?

Class flower, class flower, calling the class flower~

“…”

Jian Mingzhou just responded with a nod to the messages.

Next to him, Xie Jing slid down from the sofa and crouched beside him.

A large figure with long arms and legs.

Looming in front of him with a strong presence, Xie Jing looked at him like a [big dog squatting] expression pack.

“Is the class flower beautiful, Uncle?”

Jian Mingzhou glanced aside and said, “… It’s okay.” Then he asked, “Why are you asking about this?”

“You know I like you.”

Xie Jing’s arm rested on his knee as he looked at him. “Isn’t it natural to feel a sense of crisis?”

… How can Xie Jing be so straightforward?

Jian Mingzhou blushed, paused for a moment, and calmly said, “There’s no need to feel such a sense of crisis.”

As the words fell, Xie Jing seemed to freeze for a moment.

Then a glint appeared in his eyes, and he asked slowly without blinking, “What does that mean, Uncle?”

Jian Mingzhou pursed his lips, choosing not to speak.

In the two seconds of silence, the screen jumped!

Class flower, please say something too. @Jian Mingzhou

“…”

“…”

Jian Mingzhou closed his eyes gently. He knew it.

Xie Jing remained silent for a long time before speaking, “Uncle, no wonder you wanted to be a nurse…”

“Xiao Jing,” Jian Mingzhou opened his eyes, gentle, “don’t say things you shouldn’t.”

“Okay.”

…

The class reunion was scheduled for Saturday night.

Dinner at six, not far from Jian Mingzhou.

At close to five, he prepared to take a shower.

As soon as he picked up the change of clothes, Xie Jing returned from training. Seeing him, he asked,

“Uncle, are you showering now?”

“Yeah, I’ll go to the class reunion after getting ready.”

Jian Mingzhou entered the bathroom.

Closing the door, he turned on the shower.

Steam rose, and the misty glass faintly revealed a well-proportioned figure. The hot water meandered on the ground with a gentle sound.

At the sound of rushing water, his thoughts easily drifted away.

Sometimes he remembered his green student days, and sometimes he thought of Xie Jing during his student days.

During this period, it seemed to be filled with warmth and frankness.

Thinking back, there seemed to be a lingering warmth in his chest.

While Jian Mingzhou was lost in thought, he suddenly felt a coolness on top of his head.

A sudden splash of cold water, and his whole body shivered. He hurriedly turned off the water! He also kicked away the stool at his feet, and it rolled and hit the door with a bang.

Damn it… Jian Mingzhou trembled slightly. Xie Jing poured cold water on his lingering warmth.

Soon there was a commotion outside the door, and then two knocks:

“Uncle, what’s wrong?”

“The water suddenly turned cold.”

“I’ll take a look.” Xie Jing’s figure disappeared quickly. Jian Mingzhou wiped his hair casually, put on his clothes, and the person at the door came back.

“It seems like there’s no hot water. Do you want…”

“It’s okay; I just finished washing.”

Jian Mingzhou said as he pushed the door open—

The door opened, and Xie Jing was standing outside the bathroom.

The sun had not set yet, and the daylight poured in from the balcony.

Jian Mingzhou still carried the remaining chill on his body.

He raised his head to say something, but Xie Jing reached out and touched his neck. The dry palm felt hot in contrast and accidentally brushed against his earlobe, making him shiver.

“It’s so cold.”

Jian Mingzhou was suddenly like being scalded! He instinctively turned his head, his heart pounding hard. “Don’t…”

This was the first time he avoided Xie Jing’s touch.

In front of him, he seemed to pause for two seconds.

Then Xie Jing withdrew his hand and asked in a low voice, “Sorry, Uncle, I just wanted to see if you felt cold.”

He turned around and picked up a coat from the sofa.

The coat gently fell on his shoulders.

Jian Mingzhou raised his eyes to see Xie Jing, who had lowered his eyelashes and looked a bit low. However, without saying anything else, he just gently pursed his lips and said,

“Blow your hair dry first.”

Emotions seemed to be tangled in his heart.

Before Jian Mingzhou could figure it out, he spoke again, “Xiao Jing, I didn’t mean that.”

Xie Jing paused for a moment and looked at him.

Jian Mingzhou grabbed the coat on him and said, “It’s not about rejecting you. It’s just that you suddenly touched me, and I was a bit flustered, subconsciously…”

The figure in front of him suddenly tilted. Xie Jing hugged him and buried his head.

The light seemed to suddenly disappear.

Jian Mingzhou opened his eyes slightly, and his heartbeat collided in front of him. “What?”

Hugging his arm through the coat, the warmth seemed to continuously transmit to his slightly cool body.

“Uncle, what are you saying?”

Xie Jing hugged him and then nestled into his shoulder. His voice sounded like it carried a smile, muffled in his soft coat. “I’m getting too self-aware.”

“Like this, it’s as if I’m saying I like you.”