Chapter 35 – You Don’t Like Me
Novel Title: 一生之计在于春 (Spring is the Plan of Life)
Author：御小凡 (Yu Xiaofan)
Translator: K (@kin0monogatari)
Protagonists: 姚锦夕 (Yao Jinxi -MC), 吴洋 (Wu Yang -ML)
*Please read at knoxt.space, the original site of translation. TQ*
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Even though Yao Hong and Yao Jinxi talked until almost dawn, Yao Hong still insisted on going to work. Yao Jinxi couldn’t persuade her. So he accompanied her downstairs for breakfast. As soon as they stepped out of the community gate, they saw Wu Yang leaning against the car, waiting for them.
“This guy is really meticulous in everything. The days he pestered me, his timing to find me during my going to and leaving from work was incredibly accurate. He’s too good at his game,” Yao Hong remarked to Yao Jinxi. “Remember what I told you yesterday. Don’t mess around with romantic relationships. But also don’t be as clueless as me, falling for someone’s tricks.”
Yao Jinxi lowered his voice, feeling embarrassed. “Mom, you’re overthinking things…”
“I’m doing this for your own good. You’re young and may not understand. Nowadays, even heterosexual relationships can easily end. You can’t even get a formal commitment from him. Isn’t it even more insecure for you?” Yao Hong said, looking in the direction of Wu Yang for a while. Her expression showed a hint of confusion. “I still can’t wrap my head around it.”
Wu Yang smiled as they approached him, “Auntie, haven’t had breakfast yet?”
At this point, Yao Hong had composed herself and responded nonchalantly, “Yes.”
Wu Yang had gotten used to her indifferent attitude during this time and didn’t take offence. He smiled and said, “Let’s eat together. And after that, I’ll give you a ride to work.”
Yao Jinxi observed Yao Hong’s distant manner towards Wu Yang and felt sorry for him. Regardless of the situation, Wu Yang was doing this for him. “Where did you stay last night?” he asked.
“Just at the nearby hotel. It was not far,” Wu Yang pointed in the direction next to them. However, his feet moved very familiarly towards the breakfast shop on the street corner. It was evident that it wasn’t his first time there.
It was peak time at that moment and there were no available seats in the shop. Yao Jinxi looked around and keenly noticed that a table was almost finished with their meal. She quickly said to Wu Yang, “You go save a seat over there. I’ll go buy breakfast first.”
Wu Yang smiled faintly and said, “You better accompany Auntie to sit first. Don’t worry, I know both of your tastes well.”
After saying that, he didn’t give Yao Jinxi any time and turned to queue at the window.
Yao Jinxi had no choice but to wait for a table while keeping Yao Hong company. It was as if he was guarding a tree to catch a hare. Breakfast was served quickly and Wu Yang soon brought a plate over.
Naturally, there was soy milk and fried dough sticks that Yao Jinxi liked. Wu Yang placed a bowl of lean meat congee with preserved eggs and another serving of fried dough sticks in front of Yao Hong.
Yao Hong took a sip of the congee and asked, “Are you two heading back to City C today?”
They hadn’t discussed this matter last night. When Yao Hong brought it up in front of Wu Yang, Yao Jinxi instinctively looked at him. Wu Yang calmly replied, “That depends on Jinxi.”
Yao Hong glanced at Yao Jinxi and said, “I think it would be better for you to return early.”
“Mom?” Yao Jinxi couldn’t explain his thoughts clearly to her. He wanted to spend more time with Yao Hong. But the shop in the city was unattended and staying in City L indefinitely was not an option. Besides, Yao Hong had to go to work. So what would he do?
“Isn’t your shop in City C? You’re just going to let it be? Doesn’t Wu Yang have work to do either? How are you both going to make a living?” Yao Hong frowned, expressing strong disapproval of their casual attitude. She tried to educate them seriously. But she remembered they were in a public place. So she lowered her voice and spoke somewhat indistinctly.
However, for the two sitting at the table, her words had a different impact.
Wu Yang good-naturedly smiled without saying a word. Yao Jinxi struggled to ignore Yao Hong’s words, “I’ll go back for a visit then. I’ll come to see you next time.”
“A man can’t just stay by his mom’s side and not go anywhere else,” Yao Hong said seriously. She then picked up a spoon and stirred the congee. After a pause, even though her voice was still somewhat stern, she spoke a bit more softly, “You know where home is now. You can come back anytime.”
As soon as she finished speaking, she began to eat a spoonful of congee. It was as if her previous words were just casual remarks of little consequence.
Wu Yang interrupted Yao Jinxi’s dazed state, “Hurry and eat. The soy milk won’t taste good when it’s cold.”
Yao Hong, upon seeing their interaction, paused her congee eating. “At your age, you still need someone to remind you to eat. It’s no wonder you get sick,” she said. “Do you always act like this? Have you been eating your meals properly?”
In reality, Yao Hong had asked this question several times. Her repetitive nagging felt as comforting as warm water on the skin. Yao Jinxi felt a wave of peaceful happiness and smiled as he shook his head, “No. I’ve been eating my meals on time.”
As he spoke, he picked up a small piece of fried dough stick and took a bite. Inadvertently, he met Wu Yang’s gaze, who seemed to have been looking in his direction with a permissive smile.
Yao Jinxi’s heart seemed to skip a beat. He almost forgot there was a piece of fried dough stick in his mouth.
If it weren’t for this person, Yao Jinxi wondered whether today’s events would have ever occurred. And even if, one day, he could reconcile with Yao Hong, it would definitely be a long, long time from now.
This person had pushed himself to the limits, presenting the best possible scenario in front of him. They are all in his own unique way, gently guiding him forward.
It was all thanks to this person…
Yao Jinxi was lost in thought until he dropped Yao Hong off at work. He and Wu Yang then headed towards City C while he continued to be in a dreamlike state.
“How do you feel?” Wu Yang asked after they paid the toll and got onto the highway. “Are you happy?”
“Happy…?” Yao Jinxi snapped back to reality and turned his head to look at Wu Yang.
How could he not be happy? It was as if a part of him had finally been fulfilled. But precisely because it felt so complete, now, as he looked at Wu Yang, Yao Jinxi couldn’t help but feel like there was something inside him that was about to overflow. It was something he couldn’t bear.
Wu Yang glanced at him, sensing his inner turmoil. He raised an eyebrow. “Hmm? Is there something you want to tell me?”
Yao Jinxi sighed, “…This time, really, thank you.”
“It’s the least I can do,” Wu Yang said casually, keeping his eyes on the road. “As long as you’re happy.”
Yao Jinxi rested his elbow on the window frame and gazed at him for a moment. Suddenly, he said, “Wu Yang, there’s something I’ve been trying to figure out.”
Wu Yang responded with a curious “Hmm? What is it?”
Yao Jinxi took his time and then looked at Wu Yang with great focus. “Why are you so good to me? Even though I helped you before, it’s not to this extent.”
“To this extent?” Wu Yang neither expressed surprise nor denial. Instead, he smiled and asked, “Do you not want me to be good to you?”
This question left Yao Jinxi in silence. His gaze traced along the contours of Wu Yang’s profile. He then said, word by word, “It’s not quite right. You know my sexual orientation, right?”
“Of course,” Wu Yang replied, still smiling. He casually tapped his finger on the steering wheel. He appeared to be in a good mood as he continued, “But what does that have to do with anything? You do like me, don’t you?”
Yao Jinxi: “…”
…Did something just happen that I’m not aware of?
It felt as if he was struck by lightning. Yao Jinxi found himself to feel a bit dizzy. He quickly grabbed onto something in front of him and his facial expression twitched as he asked, “What did you just say? When did I ever say I liked you?!”
“Uh? You don’t like me?” Wu Yang tilted his head slightly and then smiled, “That’s impossible.”
Yao Jinxi’s mind was buzzing. His thoughts laid bare by the other person’s words. Not only that, Wu Yang was so confident and self-assured it was almost maddening.
Most importantly, he couldn’t even refute it.
How could he possibly refute it? Did he really have to say insincere things at this point?
Yao Jinxi’s heart felt like it had reached its peak. He was extremely nervous yet strangely weightless. He inexplicably fixed his gaze on Wu Yang several times over, nearly forgetting what he wanted to say. His face turned beet red.
Seeing Yao Jinxi’s stunned and intensely embarrassed expression, Wu Yang couldn’t help but discreetly increase his smile. That was despite the fact that he really wanted to pull him into a hug and comfort him.
His smug smile clearly provoked Yao Jinxi. Yao Jinxi turned his head in silence to look out of the window, feeling a growing sense of frustration and unwillingness burning inside him.
Wu Yang gently consoled, “Don’t let it bother you too much. It’s not your fault.”
Yao Jinxi: “…”
Yao Jinxi’s face twisted into an angry smile. He gritted his teeth as he asked, “Can we stop the car? Now? Immediately?”
“Oh, we can stop right up ahead,” Wu Yang obediently parked the car on the highway’s emergency shoulder and sat up straight, asking, “What’s the matter?”
“What’s the matter?” Yao Jinxi, who had finally reached his breaking point, grabbed Wu Yang’s collar and snarled, “I’ve had enough of you! So what if I like you? Is it such a big deal? Who gave you the right to assume that I should like you?”
Wu Yang held onto the flailing Yao Jinxi to prevent him from losing his balance. He laughed heartily, watching Yao Jinxi use his apparent frustration to conceal his true emotions. His mood was so good that words couldn’t describe it.
I’ve calculated everything. So you’ll definitely like me.
Finally, having achieved his goal, Wu Yang took a deep breath, relishing the satisfaction of this moment. He felt that this moment was enough to comfort all the frustrations he had experienced in his life.
“I mean, you…” Yao Jinxi’s ears turned red as he reluctantly retreated. He was trying to stay composed. “Aren’t you going to react to this in any way?”
Wu Yang responded, “I’m very happy.”
He held Yao Jinxi’s hand and placed it on his chest, where, in contrast to the calm and gentle expression on his face, his heartbeat was racing rapidly. “I’m really, truly happy,” he said.
The elevated heart rate was right under his palm. Yao Jinxi’s fingers curled slightly. It was as though the rhythm of that heartbeat was transmitted through his hand, drumming at the same frequency within his own heart.
Yao Jinxi looked up at Wu Yang. His gaze was clear and open, revealing a willingness to expose his true self. This sincerity was more touching than any words, especially when those captivating eyes were focused solely on him.
He felt like he understood something in that moment.
“…Really, you even let me be the one to say this first? You’re so stingy,” Yao Jinxi said, tilting his head slightly just as Wu Yang bent down. The two of them were momentarily stunned by this unspoken understanding.
Then, they both burst into laughter.
Wu Yang half-closed his eyes. His lowered eyelashes gave a touch of captivating tenderness. He softly laughed and said, “Don’t say that. I think I fell in love with you first, okay?”
A car roared by on the outside. Inside the car, their breaths exchanged silently between their lips.
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*Author’s Note: About this chapter, I have something to explain. Why did Wu Yang do everything but couldn’t bring himself to speak and waited for Boss Yao to start the confession first? Well, this goes back to an earlier time…
Wu Yang: Who told him to say it was impossible for him to like me back then?
Yao Jinxi: …
╭(╯w╰)╮ My son, your man is so sensitive. There’s nothing I can do about it…
PS: Everyone, please be aware that updates other than at 7 o’clock are just typo corrections. Today, I’m going to fix some typos from the earlier chapters. If you see a pseudo-update, don’t click into it… (T^T)
-YXF
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*Translator’s Note: I really didn’t expect this kind of confession between them. I laughed and squealed hahaha -K
Next update: 2023.11.15
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