Chapter 38 You're Done
If you want to become a Dou Zong strongman among ninjas, your cultivation level must at least be on par with Meng Weishen.
On the first day without Qin Shi Huang's wake-up call, Meng Weishen didn't get a good night's sleep. Five minutes before seven o'clock, driven by his powerful biological clock, he opened his eyes.
Thinking that this was also the first day that Qin Shihuang lost his owner's company, and that people on the Internet said that dogs would be very anxious when they were away from their owners, Meng Weishen could no longer feel sleepy.
Jiang Ranxu's bedroom door was still closed. Meng Weishen lowered his footsteps, hurriedly spat out the toothpaste foam, zipped up his jacket to his neck, and went downstairs to walk the dog.
It turned out that he was overthinking it.
He couldn't find the dog in the house. Only a few gnawed and broken stuffed animals lay on the crawling mat, helping him to pinpoint Qin Shi Huang's whereabouts the previous night. The dog had already slipped into the yard through the small door in the living room.
Qin Shi Huang's tail flickered, his front paws raised high, resting on the iron mesh in the yard, his muzzle desperately reaching out to the next yard. Meng Weishen was just muttering about some kind of dog trap in the next yard, when he leaned over to take a look. Well, there was a spotted dog next door, too, generously raising its beautiful buttocks for Qin Shi Huang to sniff.
The spotted dog next door also has brown and white fur, a size larger than a Beagle, and a rather unique look. At first glance, it looked like a long-haired Beagle with a permed head. Then, after searching, I realized it's actually a Springer Spaniel.
Perhaps every little girl (or little dog girl) can't resist the charm of a long-haired man, not even the neutered Qin Shi Huang. The two dogs swap positions, Qin Shi Huang's turn to turn his back, and the muzzle of the neighboring dog is stuffed into the iron mesh.
Meng Weishen had no intention of interfering with the dogs' socializing, but he happened to see the excited little red-lipped dog next door trying to get into the mesh. He was immediately shocked, finally understanding why fathers-in-law were so dissatisfied with their sons-in-law.
He put Qin Shi Huang on a leash and dragged him inside, ruthlessly ruining Er Gou's date. The long-haired man with the lipstick in his hand was left standing there in melancholy.
The community's location, far from the city center, means the land is not at a premium, allowing for generous landscaping and recreational facilities. The extensive artificial landscape makes it a natural dog-walking destination, with lakes, lawns, and a court—it's only a matter of time before Qin Shi Huang finally nosed it all in.
Meng Weishen took the dog for a walk along the artificial stream path and walked out of the community.
The beagle is incredibly energetic, and even after an hour of training, it remains in full charge. When it runs, its large ears whip around in the air like propellers, ready to take off at any moment.
Meng Weishen was the first to admit defeat. He was about to find a breakfast shop to rest when he received a call from Jiang Ranxu.
"You can't find anyone this early in the morning. Do you have to get up so early to walk the dog?"
"It's so early every day, it's already formed my biological clock. And Qin Shi Huang has more energy than even a gym student. You'll know when you take a walk next time."
Jiang Ranxu chuckled on the phone and said calmly, "You just like being with dogs."
Meng Weishen shuddered again, his scalp as tight as a pigtail. "I walked the dog and came to the door of KFC. What do you want for breakfast? I'll bring it to you. Cloud toast? Hash browns? And a sparkling American coffee?"
"Don't buy useless things. I've made breakfast at home." Jiang Ranxu said, "Come back early."
There was no urging in the other party's tone, but Meng Weishen didn't dare to delay any longer and dragged the dog towards home.
His fingerprint had already been recorded on the door. Meng Weishen easily opened it, and the rich aroma of butter kissed his cheek. His stomach suddenly rumbled, and he walked towards the restaurant like a madman, realizing that the butter aroma must come from the slices of ciabatta.
A runny fried egg sits atop a slice of bread, adorned with tomato and beef sauce. The heat from the wok lifts the buttery aroma into the air. Plus, there's a blueberry milkshake for a satisfying breakfast.
Meng Weishen rolled his hands in foam several times, and before the water droplets on the back of his hands had dried, he sat down impatiently.
Just as he touched the bread slice, Jiang Ranxu stopped him in time: "Take a photo and send it to your fitness coach first."
“…Oh, yes.”
Meng Weishen put the bread aside for the moment and took out his cell phone to take a picture.
A thought quietly crept into his mind: Jiang Ranxu knew him very well, and would know him more and more, because the other party had gradually taken control of every corner of his life.
It was an infiltration, and he was defenseless from beginning to end.
As soon as he took his first bite of the egg-covered bread, Meng Weishen had already dismissed the idea. He'd only ever had such a treat in his senior year of high school: a hot meal at home. What else was there to worry about?
Meng Weishen took charge of the dishwashing. When he finished, Jiang Ranxu was still in the bedroom picking out clothes, with a few rejected shirts scattered by the bed.
The other party didn't close the door. Meng Weishen leaned against the door frame and asked, "Do you have any plans for today?"
Without warning, Jiang Ranxu removed the remaining shirt. Fortunately, his back was facing him, so he couldn't be too frank. Meng Weishen felt a little embarrassed, but deliberately avoiding him would only make it more awkward, so he just stood there without moving.
Jiang Ranxu calmly picked up another shirt, his phalanges moving gracefully as his arms exerted force. "Today is the hospital's open day. A group of elementary school students will be attending an event this afternoon, and I have to be responsible for their reception."
"Why dress so formally? I thought you were going on a date."
Jiang Ranxu glanced back at him and said, "The one who took out the wallet was the mother of an elementary school student."
Meng Weishen suddenly understood and nodded repeatedly.
He thought of the unfinished acting work from last night: "You said last night that you would continue practicing today. Is there anything you need me to do?"
"You'll know in a moment." Jiang Ranxu gave another order, "If you don't have any other plans today, come with me to the hospital."
Jiang Ranxu had to familiarize himself with the script and schedule for the afternoon's activities, while Meng Weishen was responsible for driving him to work. Only after they arrived at the hospital did Jiang Ranxu tell him what the day's practice would entail.
Jiang Ranxu opened his left hand to him:
"Hold my hand and let go when I tell you to."
A mushroom cloud exploded in Meng Weishen's mind, and he subconsciously took a few steps back. "The clinic staff are all your colleagues. Wouldn't it be awkward to be intimate in front of them?"
Holding hands is a minor issue, but holding hands in front of strangers you barely know is more than double the shame; it's like being forced to perform K-pop dances at an annual meeting.
"You won't feel awkward if you get used to it." Jiang Ranxu's reason was sufficient and justified. "It's awkward meeting colleagues, so wouldn't it be awkward meeting your mother? So you have to get used to it in advance."
The fake marriage was his own idea, and it was also to fool his mother. Meng Weishen had no way out. He closed his eyes, made up his mind, and grasped Jiang Ranxu's cold fingers, and followed him into the outpatient building.
The two held hands and walked towards the event venue, accepting the ambiguous gazes of passers-by.
Every colleague asked, "Doctor Jiang, is this your boyfriend?" The receptionist and the radiologist had even met Meng Weishen several times. "Your boyfriend looks familiar. Has he been to our clinic for dental treatment before?"
Jiang Ranxu also took the trouble to clarify: "No, we are already married."
Their wedding was indeed so fast that it could catch up with the Fuxing Express. Everyone who heard about it was surprised, and after a brief pause, they kept saying "Congratulations".
This was Meng Weishen's first time being the subject of gossip, and he was terribly embarrassed, his palms sweating uncontrollably. Jiang Ranxu fetched a tissue and wiped the sweat off him, but didn't stop him.
Fortunately, the clinic held a "Little Doctor Experience Officer" event that afternoon, so Jiang Ranxu was sent away to tend to the cubs. A row of young doctors, all donning white coats, learned proper toothbrushing techniques under the guidance of doctors and nurses. Later, there was a simulated consultation session, with parents acting as patients and the cubs assisting them with dental work. It was like playing house in dentistry.
No matter how many times he stepped into the dental clinic, Meng Weishen was always fascinated by Jiang Ranxu at work.
Rather than having a filter for Jiang Ranxu, it's more accurate to say he has a filter for any job that's "valuable." Although he couldn't accurately explain the "value" of his work, he only knew that the sweatshop he worked in was a complete disaster.
The last free clinic session was over, and the photographer hired by the hospital arranged seats for everyone and prepared to take a set of promotional photos.
Meng Weishen seized the opportunity and thrust a bouquet of white roses with blue edges into Jiang Ranxu's arms. He had just slipped out to order them, and the petals still had fresh drops of water on them.
Just as Meng Weishen was about to give up his position, Jiang Ranxu grabbed his hand and kept him in the camera.
On a lazy night, the two of them had dinner near their workplace to avoid the evening rush hour before slowly driving onto the Fourth Ring Road.
Jiang Ranxu found a transparent glass bottle, removed the bouquet wrapping paper, and placed a few white roses diagonally into the water.
Meng Weishen sat on the sofa and fiddled with the TV in the living room, projecting the 1995 version of "Ghost in the Shell".
At the moment when Kusanagi Motoko revealed her mechanical prosthesis under her windbreaker, Jiang Ranxu's legs wandered past the screen and turned off the chandelier in the living room.
Celluloid animation from the last century became the only source of light.
In silence, Jiang Ranxu took the seat beside him, touched his right hand, and gently stroked the ring on his ring finger.
Perhaps he was already accustomed to physical contact with Jiang Ranxu, but Meng Weishen felt a sense of calm. He returned the squeeze, grasping his fingers. Their fingertips were still cold, barely covered in flesh. He felt as if he were holding a genuine mechanical prosthesis.
He whispered, "Jiang Ranxu, when did you move out of your home? I mean, your parents' home."
Jiang Ranxu was particularly silent, and only the characters' obscure dialogues could be heard in the room.
When Meng Weishen was about to give up, Jiang Ranxu replied, "I've never lived at home. I've always lived in a school dormitory. I moved out after graduation."
"Why?"
"I don't get along with my parents." Jiang Ranxu said, "Besides, I was the same age as you when I graduated with my doctorate. It wouldn't be appropriate for me to live at home."
Meng Weishen actually wanted to know the reason why they "didn't get along". Jiang Ranxu already knew him very well, and he also wanted to know more about Jiang Ranxu.
But Jiang Ranxu didn't give him a chance. He gently shook off his fingers and said, "It seems you are already used to holding hands. Let's stop here today."
——
[Wesley Meng] Hello, Attorney Li, Dr. Jiang and I are already living together. But he hasn't asked me for rent, so there's no financial dealings, which is why I didn't tell you before.
[Li Yingxuan] Living together wasn’t your suggestion, was it?
[Wesley Meng] Yes.
[Li Yingxuan]…
[Li Yingxuan] Fortunately, you two are gay, otherwise you would have come to consult me about the issue of child support for the second child next time.
[Wesley Meng] How can we have a baby? We're not really gay, we won't have sex.
[Li Yingxuan] If you are still confused about your sexual orientation at the age of 28, I suggest you contact a youth psychological counseling expert. A lawyer cannot help you.
[Wesley Meng] But getting married is indeed much more complicated than I imagined.
[Wesley Meng] I thought marriage was just a formality, simple. But now everything in my life is tied to marriage, and I feel like I'm being constrained.
[Li Yingxuan] Wesley, I really don’t have time to play with you.
[Li Yingxuan] You ignored the advice and insisted on getting married quickly. Now that the matter is done, do you regret it? In short, you are doomed. You have completely lost your freedom.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
