You should read this chapter over at Travis Translations – It’s free and the ad revenue is much better for me!
Today is the 24th.
Du You’s domestic worker, someone staying on top of trends herself, said her kids will be home for Christmas, so she wants to spend time with them.
So Du You gave her two days off. Before she left, the auntie has prepared the meals in advance and put them in the fridge.
Then it is the beginning of bossy CEO You‘s hikikomori life.
From this day on, he’s not the bossy CEO, but the shut-in CEO.
The BD he lent attorney Fang has been returned, though for some reason, when reached out for comments the attorney’s face contorted dramatically.
Of course, most movies and TV shows can be viewed online nowadays, but Du You, the loyal fan of ‘Stop Running Away You Bossy School Hunk,’ would of course be supporting it by purchasing the entire set on blu-ray.
When he was about to begin his viewing session though, the doorbell rings.
He thought the auntie might have forgotten something, but then, she had the key, so she didn’t need to.
While pondering, the doorbell rings again.
Du You opens the door to see a familiar figure.
After the snow the other day that stopped midnight, the freezing temperature meant the snow stayed, which actually casts a rather blinding background onto the person.
Qin Ge, in a light brown scarf which also conceals part of his handsome features save for his eyes, is holding a wrapped box-shaped present in his right hand. A sprinkling of snow has dotted white spots among his chestnut-coloured curly hair.
Then, with curling eyes, he says, “merry Christmas.”
“…”
Du You looks downwards at the box. There is a distinct scent of milky goodness mixed with the coldness of the winter air.
He looks back at Qin Ge, answering, “merry Christmas.”
“Free today?”
“Busy.”
Qin Ge tilts his head slightly, “doing what?”
“Being a shut-in.”
Qin Ge, in an understanding tone, “then, I will also accompany gege in the house.”
“…” Du You is watching him. Their gazes clash.
The next second, Du You quickly closes the door, but Qin Ge is quicker than him. The black leather gloved fingers quickly grab onto the edge of the door.
They’re both physically strong. Despite the silence, they are actually in a sort of tug-of-war.
“Go home; you will disturb me.”
If it were others, Du You would probably have let them in.
Yet the lunch last time has taught him that this person severely affects his own pacing. Keeping him around may mean difficulty in appreciating his favourite work.
Qin Ge narrows his eyes slightly. Instead of saying anything back, his other hand hands the box over.
Du You receives it reflexively. It’s transparent at the top which reveals the eight-inch strawberry cake underneath. The smell of milk is even stronger at this distance.
His action being interrupted meant Qin Ge was able to successfully invade into the corridor. The clean, white corridor with not a speck of dust or a single piece of decoration.
“I want to spend Christmas with gege,” he turns around with a smile, “cake?”
“…”
Du You is quite sure it is a bad idea to let him in, but, he did take the present in his hand, so it does not seem bossy CEO-like to chase him away now.
“… alright.”
He closes the door, shutting the snowy landscape outside.
Tea is prepared, the cake is cut, the two sit onto the living room sofa.
On the coffee table is the triangular piece of cake with the red strawberries on the top. There’s a cup of tea next to each one of those.
The sweetness of cake and bitterness of tea is quite the splendid match.
Though there’s one more person than expected, Du You is adamant that his plans go ahead.
So he rises and puts the blu-ray disk into the player.
Qin Ge asks, curious, “a movie?”
“An anime.”
Qin Ge chuckles. He really didn’t think much of it. Even if his gege likes childish things it is still childishly appealing to him.
The anime starts.
[Midnight. Pouring rain. The grassy slope by the river. Someone chasing after another.
The one in front is shorter. Her long hair dancing as she runs. She is not quick enough, and the person behind closes in.
Her arm gets grabbed]
[“Release me!” The girl cries and struggles. Her face a mess of water.
Tears are practically indistinguishable from rainwater on her now.
“You misunderstand!” The boy quickly explains, “I have no relationship with that woman!”
“No relationship?” The girl says, her face pitiful, “she said you two would look at the snow, the stars, the moon; talk about your studies, your homework, all the way to life and philosophy… I haven’t looked at the snow, the stars, the moon; talked about our studies, our homework, all the way to life and philosophy with you.”
The boy’s usual overbearing stance gives way to a tinge of affection seeing this.
“It’s all my fault. I should not have looked at the snow, the stars, the moon; talked about her studies, her homework, all the way to life and philosophy with her.
I promise. I will only look at the snow, the stars, the moon; talk about our studies, our homework, all the way to life and philosophy with you from now on.”]
Qin Ge’s smiling lips seem to be petrified right on his face.
[The girl took it a whole other way, however, “so, you have admitted it! You did those things with that girl!”
“No!” The boy is flustered, “listen to me!”
“No no no!” She shakes her head vigorously. The rain scattering in a fan-like pattern from her shaking, like a happy dog fresh out of bath.]
“…”
Qin Ge closes his eyes for a bit.
He looks over at Du You to find him watching the scene with a serious look as if he is looking at something entirely different from what he just viewed.
Qin Ge is questioning himself for the first time ever in his life.
A few minutes later, that’s an episode.
The system, biting its little handkerchief and tears rolling all over itself [Uuu it’s so depressing. When will they finally resolve their misunderstanding.]
Du You is about to start the next episode when he feels a strange burning gaze, and sees Qin Ge staring at him from the side.
So Du You puts down the remote and asks, “how was it?”
“Huh?”
“This,” Du You points to the TV.
Qin Ge’s face freezes again. His severely bleached eyes were just healed by looking at his gege but now he wants comments?
“…” He lied, “everything gege likes is good.”
“So you like it?”
“I…” Qin Ge says, “will try my best to.”
Good. Du You does a mental fist-pump. Another new fan acquired.
System [Oi oi oi that’s not how it works!]
Another two episodes later and the cake is done.
Mostly in Du You’s stomach. Qin Ge did not eat any at all, and instead was cutting his portion into bite-sized chunks for Du You.
Without the cake distracting him, Du You finally realises after the fact that Qin Ge has not been watching the TV and was instead looking at him all along.
He realises something.
Du You pauses the anime, “is it boring?”
Qin Ge is smiling, “no.”
A pause. Then Du You suggests, “you can go home.”
“No,” an even quicker rejection.
Du You gives it a thought and then hands the remote over.
“You can have it,” he rises, “I’ll go back to my room.”
Qin Ge is looking at the remote, then at Du You’s silhouette, then suddenly asks, “does gege hate me?”
Hearing that, Du You pauses.
Not really to the degree of ‘like’ or ‘hate,’ but he just wants to be left alone.
The voice says again, this time closer, “do you hate staying with me that much?”
Du You turns around to find Qin Ge right by his side now.
He’s half a head taller than him. The curly locks he keeps behind his ear has fell out forward, covering his eyes somewhat.
Du You thought he was angered, but then he sees him smiling again, “I see. You did not change from before, but you are much kinder than before.”
Du You doesn’t remember any ‘before,’ so he is sure he has the wrong person.
“Are you not curious about yourself before the amnesia?” Qin Ge asks.
“I don’t have amnesia.”
Qin Ge seems surprised by the answer. Then he sighs slightly, “gege has forgotten even that.”
He takes another step forward, “if it was the gege from before, you would have just tied me up immediately.”
[Tie, tie him up?] The system seems oddly excited about something.
“Tie me up, then cover up my eyes,” the young man’s expression seem strangely gloomy, “I once thought you hated me, but then, I understood.”
The answer is obvious – the strangely gloomy look is just barely repressed passionate obsessiveness, “this is how gege express your love for me.”
Du You crosses his arms, “are you sure you’re not confusing me with some deranged person?”
Qin Ge chuckles, “gege just has amnesia,” he lightly holds Du You’s arm up, “I will make you remember. Therefore, we need more time together.”
The chestnut eyes are looking gently at him, “stay by my side, alright?”
A few hours pass, and the sky gradually darkens until it has overtaken the skies.
That is when it is lightly snowing again, the ones that melt upon contact with the ground.
So that Du You wouldn’t have to wait for too long, You Haoyu really went all out that day to finish off all his parts. Even so, it’s almost 7 by the time he’s done.
When he leaves the staff room having changed back to his clothes, a female staffer comes and, with reddened cheeks, informs him, “umm… Haoyu, the director said it’s Christmas Eve tonight so he’s treating everyone. If you’re free, you should also come.”
“I’m not free,” You Haoyu is in a hurry, and is walking even when answering. He brushes past her.
Before the staffer can react he has already left her behind. She looks longingly at the fading silhouette, and murmurs, “on Christmas Eve…”
You Haoyu’s family background is completely unknown; even when he was the idol the paparazzi still failed to dig anything up. The people at the set only knew he was living alone.
If it wasn’t family, then what would be the reason for a man to want to quickly excuse himself on the night of Christmas Eve?
She suddenly has a spark of realisation.
Her shoulder gets bumped then, and it turns out to be a good sis of hers.
“Well? Is Haoyu coming?”
She shakes her head, then says, “he was in a real hurry. Do you think he has a girlfriend?”
Her friend shows a look of understanding, “so that material was true.”
“Which one?”
“You forgot? The one about he going out with someone else back when he was being smeared.”
The staffer remembers now.
“So Haoyu gave up his idol career for her to restart again from zero, and is even hurrying back to spend time with her during the holidays?” She has a look of awe, “if only I could meet my own Prince Charming.
The director was treating so most of the people on-set were onboard, and they book a coach to head off; quite lively, for sure.
Meanwhile, the Shen residence is strangely cold despite the fire in the fireplace which fails to warm the atmosphere a little.
Shen Chen’s mother was just informed of Du You not coming by and looks disappointed, “oh, was he taken already?”
Her husband hmphs, “don’t know about that, but it’s our own son that told him not to come.”
She immediately casts a gaze of condemnation at her son hearing this.
Shen Chen knits his brows, “I didn’t say that.”
“Do you want me to mimic what you said?” His father is not backing off and starts after clearing his throat.
“‘Though it’s a family gathering, since you’re alone anyway, come if you want.'”
Like father, like son, especially with their voices. The mimicry is quite successful, almost as if it was the real deal.
Shen Chen endures a second round of cringiness from the reenactment.
“Dad!” He sounds angry.
“Did you really say it that way, Chenchen?” His mother seems quite shocked as she looks forlornly at him, “it’s mummy’s fault; I didn’t teach you the art of conversation.”
“Mother…” Shen Chen sounds a bit embarrassed.
“Nevermind that, darling, we can’t force him to anyway. Maybe he really is uninterested,” his father says as he pours wine for his wife.
She recalls that night and how her son told her he was uninterested in romance for now, and nods, “I know. We shouldn’t force it,” she sighs, “it’s really a missed opportunity though…”
“…”
These disappointed parents are too much for Shen Chen to deal with as he walks outside.
“Chenchen, where are you going?”
“To pick him up,” he rubs his brows and turns his head around, “then it’s fine, right?”
The two parents look at each other after the son departs.
“Honey,” she says, a tinge of concern in her tone, “was our acting too over the top?”
“Don’t worry, if we didn’t do it, he would never have let go of his pride,” he takes a sip of water, “really, you didn’t see how depressed he was after getting rejected that day. Us parents should just give him the opportunity to make up for it.”
Shen Chen gets onto his car, buckles his seatbelt, and adjusts the rearview mirror.
He sighs lightly as he puts his hands on the steering wheel.
He is picking the person up only because of his parents’ demands. Definitely, definitely not because he is trying to make up for something.
After mentally preparing himself, he starts the engine.
Snow removal vehicles have cleared the road up now. Currently, two cars are driving along to the same destination on the road accompanied by happy Christmas tunes.
About an hour later, a nanny van slowly comes to a stop.
A young man steps off in a thick black puffer jacket and a black mask which covers up most of his face. There is a present in his hand.
He says something to the people in the vehicle before closing the car door and the nanny van drives off.
His feet plants footprints one by one on the thick snow. Some snow lands on his cap as well.
He adjusts his hat as he looks at the mansion in front of him. The lights are on; the owner is at home.
You Haoyu was walking fast initially, but then, as he approached, he slowed down, before finally reaching the door and is about to press the doorbell.
Before he can do that, though, footsteps from behind him approaches. Closer, closer.
Sasaeng fan?
You Haoyu furrows his brows as he looks back but he sees a man coming along in light gray overcoat and a black cardigan with high collar on the inside. His bangs are brushed back to reveal his chiselled, handsome features.
He certainly looks nothing like a sasaeng fan; one of Du You’s customers?
Shen Chen is examining You Haoyu as well.
He’s covered up, alright, with a cap and mask, but he is almost able to confirm his identity the moment he laid eyes on him.
Besides celebrities few would choose to dress this way.
So Shen Chen quickly recalls the little celebrity sharing a late-night snack with Shen Chen that day. His brows furrow.
Not just late-night snacks, but even a companion on Christmas Eve?
He is quite sure Du You would not personally reach out to celebrities to be their sugar daddies, so he concludes rather rashly that it is this person shamelessly clinging to Du You’s thighs.
You Haoyu can feel the hostility in the air, and tchs, “what are you looking at.”
Shen Chen pauses.
An immature brat as expected, not being able to hold back on their emotional impulses.
He ignores him, and walks to the door all the same, going to press on the doorbell.
Yet, his arm gets blocked.
You Haoyu waves his hand away and presses on the doorbell he hesitated on for a long time just now without hesitation this time.
Shen Chen’s eyes twitch. His hand grips into a fist as he retracts his hand.
About a minute passes.
A rather agonising minute for the two of them. Perhaps noticing their inherent conflict of interest, neither speak to defuse the situation any.
They just stand there in front of the door, awkwardly, and pointedly.
The door opens.
The warm air and delicious smell of food comes out. Seeing the familiar figure, they both speak.
“Du You.”
“Mr. Du.”
Their voices overlap. They both furrow their brows and stare down each other.
Then they realise there is also an unfamiliar young man standing besides Du You after the door opens fully.
This one person feels even more imposing than any of the three of them.
The young man smiles seeing them, and, as if declaring his ownership, he closes in on Du You and puts his hand on his shoulder.
He asks despite knowing the answer, “who are they, gege?”
Author’s notes: …
TL’s notes: … I think I thought the novel was good when I skimmed over all these clothing descriptors and how their faces looked. So I recommend you do the same if like me, you’re more than slightly annoyed at this point.
Also, I don’t know what was up with that author’s note either.
Oriental Rabbit 
Lmao serious case of jugemu in that anime.
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