Chapter 14
After eagerly counting down the days, Ti Xiao finally welcomed the long-awaited day of his dinner date with Xiao Yao.
But along with it came a cold.
Ti Xiao sneezed loudly, grabbed a tissue to wipe his nose, and then sneezed several more times in quick succession. Even Little Purr kept her distance, afraid of catching whatever the two-legged creature had.
Now he really lived up to his online alias, “Big Achoo.”
The master of shifting blame decided it was all Xiao Yao’s fault for pinching his cheeks that day, which had made him so happy that he took off his thick winter coat while painting.
He completely ignored reflecting on how poor his physical health actually was.
But no matter how bad he felt, even if he had to blow snot bubbles, he was determined to go out and have dinner with Xiao Yao. After all, he had been waiting for this spark-filled moment for a whole month.
With that in mind, Ti Xiao pulled out the bright red long johns his mom had bought him for his zodiac year.
It wasn’t just Ti Xiao who was looking forward to this day—Xiao Yao was too.
For no particular reason, really. If he had to come up with one, it was probably that he could finally repay the favor.
Especially after seeing his first month’s salary deposited into his bank account. It wasn’t much, and he wasn’t short on money, but it still filled him with a sense of accomplishment and excitement that lasted the whole night.
The restaurant had been booked in advance, and he had agreed to meet Ti Xiao downstairs at five.
Xiao Yao glanced at his watch. There were only fifteen minutes left until five.
He rubbed his hands together, unsure if it was from the cold or the excitement.
But in reality, having lived in the UK for years, Xiao Yao had developed a high tolerance for cold weather. The constant damp and chilly rain in the UK had made him unusually resistant to the cold. Even back in China, he only wore a windbreaker or jacket during the winter and never felt particularly cold.
This was in stark contrast to Ti Xiao.
So when Ti Xiao, bundled up in a scarf and a puffy down jacket, saw Xiao Yao wearing just a thin coat with his sleeves rolled up slightly, he furrowed his brows and realized something was off.
One was wrapped up like a ball, standing at a modest height, while the other was dressed neatly, with a slim waist and long legs that made him look like a model.
Add in the height difference, and they looked like a real-life version of “Big Head Son and Small Head Dad.”
When Xiao Yao saw Ti Xiao, he smiled. The jacket Ti Xiao was wearing seemed to be the same one he had on when Xiao Yao first saw him—a soft gray-blue.
A round ball with a little sprout of hair bouncing around—that was Xiao Yao’s first impression of Ti Xiao.
Though his impression had since skyrocketed to new heights.
“Where are we going?” Ti Xiao asked, sniffling, his voice muffled.
Xiao Yao was wearing a slightly oversized black jacket, leaning against the wall with his long legs casually crossed.
Ti Xiao, in his puffy down jacket that reached just above his knees, stood beside him, looking up slightly.
It gave off a “Dad, Dad, where are we going?” vibe.
Xiao Yao didn’t answer his question. Instead, he asked, “Do you have a cold? Did you take any medicine?”
Oh, oh, this little charmer really knows how to care for people.
Ti Xiao felt a small burst of joy inside but still insisted, “No, I just woke up.”
As soon as he finished speaking, he let out a massive sneeze that echoed through the air.
“Stubborn,” Xiao Yao frowned. “Do you have medicine at home? If not, we can buy some on the way.”
*If you think I’m stubborn, why don’t you come and kiss me to find out?*
“It’s fine, it’s fine. I’m in great shape. I don’t need medicine for a cold,” Ti Xiao waved his hand dismissively. “Let’s go, it’s going to get dark soon.”
Despite his words, Xiao Yao added a note in his phone’s memo: *Buy cold medicine for Little Sprout.*
They set off, with Ti Xiao’s face hidden in his scarf, sneaking glances at Xiao Yao. The other man’s expression was as calm as ever, as if nothing could fluster him.
Ti Xiao’s gaze eventually landed on Xiao Yao’s hand, swinging slightly as they walked.
But what Ti Xiao was really thinking was, *I wonder if he’ll pinch my cheeks again today.*
—
The restaurant Xiao Yao had booked was a local specialty spot in Xuancheng. Ti Xiao had been there many times with his family.
“Mr. Xiao Yao, right?” The waitress checked the reservation list. “I’m sorry, but the large table you reserved isn’t available right now. It’ll take some time before one opens up. But since there are only two of you, would you mind sitting at a couple’s table?”
A couple’s table?
Xiao Yao was stunned, while Ti Xiao was delighted.
The reason Xiao Yao had booked a large table was that he wasn’t sure what Ti Xiao liked to eat, so he had ordered a lot of dishes. A couple’s table wouldn’t have enough space for all that.
He thought for a moment, then decided to ask Ti Xiao for his opinion.
Just as he turned to Ti Xiao, he heard a long, rumbling “gurgle—” from Ti Xiao’s stomach.
Well, that settled it. Xiao Yao turned back to the waitress. “A couple’s table is fine. Please take us there.”
“And could you bring some extra tissues? My friend has a cold,” he added.
Ti Xiao, sniffling, patted his stomach in satisfaction, thanking it for the perfect assist.
The couple’s seating area was in a separate section, with soft, warm orange-pink lighting and gentle piano music playing in the background. The entire area exuded a romantic atmosphere, a stark contrast to the noisy main dining hall, living up to its “couple’s” name.
The section was mostly filled with couples—men and women, men and men, women and women—all quietly enjoying their meals. But as soon as Xiao Yao, towering like a skyscraper, appeared at the entrance, whispers and curious glances immediately shot his way.
Ti Xiao followed behind Xiao Yao, feeling a bit annoyed. He wished he could block all those gazes.
*Stop looking, stop looking. He’s mine.*
Xiao Yao, seemingly used to such attention, ignored it completely. He simply scanned the area and chose a seat where the warm air from the heater could reach them.
As soon as they sat down, their phones buzzed almost simultaneously.
Ti Xiao’s was a notification from Weibo. His comic had reached a critical plot point, and readers were clamoring for him to “drive the car” (i.e., add some steamy scenes). He was considering whether to throw in a little fan service to keep his readers hooked.
Across the table, Xiao Yao was also looking at his phone, his long fingers tapping the screen occasionally.
Ti Xiao peeked at Xiao Yao through the fringe of his slightly too-long bangs, wishing his eyesight was 20/20.
It looked like Xiao Yao was looking at a photo, but Ti Xiao couldn’t make out what it was.
On Xiao Yao’s end, it was a message from Naomi, and indeed, it was a photo.
The photo showed a mixed-race baby with striking blue eyes, long lashes, and a head of fluffy brown curls. Anyone who saw it would undoubtedly say the child was adorable.
But no matter how cute the baby was, Xiao Yao couldn’t bring himself to feel happy.
Ti Xiao cautiously glanced at Xiao Yao, who was frowning slightly, his lips pressed into a thin line. His entire face screamed unhappiness.
Ti Xiao really wanted to reach out and smooth those furrowed brows.
But all he could do was sigh softly and reply to the readers demanding steamy scenes.
**Replying to @DidTheAuthorDriveToday:** Yes, yes, yes. Tonight, we’ll meet at Mount Akina.
It looked like he’d be working overtime again tonight.
As Ti Xiao put down his phone, Xiao Yao’s phone buzzed twice.
**Naomi:** Are you really not going to come see him?
Xiao Yao was about to reply when someone called his name from nearby.
“Xiao Yao?”
The man who called out was wearing a black sweater. His eyes were narrow and slightly upturned, giving him a somewhat delicate appearance. He was also taller than Ti Xiao.
In Ti Xiao’s eyes, this guy would make a perfect villainous side character in a comic.
But to his surprise, when Xiao Yao looked up, the frown on his face softened slightly. “Li Yi? What are you doing here?”
Li Yi replied, “This place isn’t yours. Why can’t I be here? More importantly, you came back to the country and didn’t even tell me? After all the errands I ran for you for three years?”
Xiao Yao didn’t answer, just smiled.
Ti Xiao sat on the couch, confused.
This “villainous side character” seemed to know Xiao Yao well. Were they high school classmates? Or middle school?
“You’re still the same, keeping everything to yourself. You didn’t tell anyone when you left the country back then either,” Li Yi said with a shrug, then turned his gaze to Ti Xiao. “But speaking of which…”
Li Yi gave Ti Xiao a slightly flirtatious nod.
“Is this your boyfriend?”