Contractual Marriage: We’re Meant to Be Together

252. You Must Do Your Best to Protect Me

Translator: Bryan

He had too many misgivings and he had too many ambitions.

He wanted Yan Chuyang’s affections. He wanted his career. He wanted his parents’ recognition and his reputation. He want them all.

But how was that possible?

Just as Wei Qing said, he must make a choice. He couldn’t eat the cake and have it too.

In other words, if Wei Qing had never shown up and Yan Chuyang liked him, Song Huaiqi…

Would he really be able to date Yan Chuyang above board and go public with their relationship?

Maybe he wouldn’t.

He was born in a family in which everybody did everything by the book, and homosexuality was utterly unacceptable.

Even if Yan Chuyang agreed to date him, he would have to keep their relationship secret forever, and Yan Chuyang would have to live like a caged bird.

And maybe he, Song Huaiqi, would marry a woman at the request of his parents so that he would have an heir.

He liked Yan Chuyang, but his feelings for Yan Chuyang were not pure enough.

“Think about it carefully,” Wei Qing said in a deep voice “Yan Chuyang has always respected you. He looks up to you as a big brother. A word of advice: don’t do anything that might cost you what’s left of the closeness between you two.”

With that, Wei Qing turned around and walked out.

“I’ll never tell him,” Song Huaiqi said from behind him. “You overestimate me. I never had the balls to do that, and I still don’t.”

Wei Qing’s eyes darkened momentarily, but he didn’t say anything. He stroke through the glass door of the cafe without a backward glance.

It was twelve o’clock already when he got home. He had just changed into slippers in the hallway and walked into the living room when he heard the sound of kitchenware clanking from the kitchen.

Wei Qing frowned and hurried into the kitchen only to see Yan Chuyang standing hunched over the gas cooker, staring at the knob and studying the flames.

“What are you doing?” Wei Qing took Yan Chuyang by the scruff of the neck, pulled him backwards, turned off the gas and said, “Who said you could come in here?”

“Hey!” Yan Chuyang stomped his foot anxiously. “Why did you turn off the gas?! I’m cooking a meal here!”

“Don’t move.” Wei Qing pushed Yan Chuyang a few paces backwards and said, “Just stay by the cupboard. I’ll turn on the gas for you.”

Yan Chuyang unknitted his brows, obediently stepped back and leaned against the cupboard. Looking at the wok on the cooker, he said anxiously, “Well, turn on the gas. If you let the food stay in the wok for too long, it’ll become unappetizing.”

Wei Qing pivoted around and turned on the gas. Turning the knob to adjust the fire, he asked in a deep voice, “What’s in there?”

“Uh… noodles.”

Wei Qing’s temples twitched. He turned around and, staring at Yan Chuyang in front of him, said speechlessly, “Seriously? Noodles? Why do you keep cooking noodles? Yan Chuyang, is this the only food you know how to cook?”

Yan Chuyang blushed and his eyes were full of shame and embarrassment. “That’s nonsense!” Yan Chuyang demurred angrily, his neck stiff. “I…I can cook a lot of dishes! I’m cooking noodles because you like them! I…I’m doing this for your sake!”

Wei Qing shook his head with a mirthless smile. “I like noodles? Yan Chuyang, when have you ever cooked any noodles without making them inedible? I had to re-cook them every time!”

“But you said only last night that you liked the noodles I cooked!”

“That’s a metaphor,” Wei Qing interrupted him, his face cold.

“It’s the same thing.”

“It’s not,” Wei Qing said in a faintly hoarse voice, stressing every syllable. “I like the thing between your thighs.” With that Wei Qing lifted his head to fix Yan Chuyang with an innocent gaze. “You need to pay attention to the connotation.”

“Wei Qing!” Yan Chuyang was monetarily stunned before he said in disbelief, “Since when have you become as shameless as me?”

He had thought that Wei Qing who cared about his ego very much would never tell any lewd jokes.

Yan Chuyang was confused as to why Wei Qing who had always been a serious man had learned to make such lewd jokes like it was nothing.

“You taught me,” Wei Qing raised his eyebrows, walked to Yan Chuyang, put his arms around him and said, “I married a guy who’s a master of lewd jokes. I need to keep up the pace, don’t I?”

“That’s nonsense,” Yan Chuyang snorted, his hand sliding to Wei Qing’s waist and pulling the lower hem of Wei Qing’s shirt out of his belt. His slightly cool hand burrowed its way inside to fondle Wei Qing’s abs which had a very pleasant touch to them. Yan Chuyang lifted his head and said with mock innocence, “I’ve always been a conservative and reserved gentleman.”

Wei Qing frowned and slapped the back of Yan Chuyang’s hand beneath his shirt. “Get your hand off me. Who said you could touch me? You have the nerve to claim to be a gentleman?”

Wei Qing was afraid that Yan Chuyang’s actions might turn him on again, and that he might lose control of himself. Yesterday Yan Chuyang gave him his virginity, and the process was quite tiring. Yan Chuyang was still young, and he had to show some self-restraint.

Yan Chuyang snorted, moved closer to Wei Qing and slid his other hand beneath Wei Qing’s shirt. His eyes widened as he said, “What’s the problem with me touching you? You became mine last night!”

“Stop it. Just stand there.” Wei Qing gripped Yan Chuyang’s wrists, pulled his hands out and grasped them tightly. Frowning slightly, he said in deadly earnest with a deep voice, “Does it still hurt?”

The look in Yan Chuyang’s eyes abruptly flickered. Eyes downcast, he stuttered, “What…What do you mean? I…I’m fine.”

“Stop playing the hero. Is the ointment I gave you last night useful? Is it swollen?”

“Alas,” Yan Chuyang clapped his hands to his ears. “Why would it ache? I’m a man, and sleeping with my wife is a very enjoyable thing. Why would I feel pain?”

Wei Qing’s temples twitched. “What do you mean by ‘sleeping with your wife’?”

“I was referring to you.” Yan Chuyang lifted his bright eyes and said, “Aren’t you my wife?”

“I’m your husband!” Wei Qing slapped the back of Yan Chuyang’s head.

“It’s the same,” Yan Chuyang stepped back, walked around Wei Qing to the side of the wok, removed the lid to glance at the boiling noodles, picked up the slice, stirred the noodles and said in a low voice, “In my eyes, you’re my wife who needs my protection and love the most.”

Wei Qing’s heart melted. He smiled despite himself, walked behind Yan Chuyang, put his arms around Yan Chuyang’s waist, rested his head on Yan Chuyang’s shoulder and said softly, “Then you must do your best to protect me. I’m very vulnerable.”