Chapter 27
Not long after Aunt Zhou left, Xiang Mo received an unfamiliar call. The caller ID didn’t show “harassing call,” so he casually answered the phone, only to find that it was Qian Kun.
“Baby, did you receive the flowers?”
Glancing at the nine fresh red roses on the table and then at the students earnestly drawing in the studio, Xiang Mo stepped outside the studio into the small courtyard and replied in a calm tone, “Yes, I received them.”
He didn’t correct the term “baby” because he realized that it would be pointless. He didn’t want to waste his efforts. And in Qian Kun’s eyes, his behavior seemed like an approval, as if the red roses he sent had their intended effect.
“Do you like them?” Qian Kun’s tone sounded quite cheerful. “If you like them, I can send you one every day—”
“I don’t like them,” Xiang Mo interrupted Qian Kun matter-of-factly, “Is there anything else?”
There was silence on the other end of the phone, as if Qian Kun was adjusting his emotions.
Knowing Qian Kun as he did, Xiang Mo was aware that Qian Kun hated it when people disagreed with him. As a charismatic leader, he was used to others obeying him, and if anyone showed the slightest hint of defiance, he would become hostile and even aggressive.
Perhaps provoking Qian Kun would be a good way to handle the situation. This way, Qian Kun wouldn’t harbor any unrealistic fantasies about Xiang Mo.
However, after the prolonged silence, the expected anger didn’t surface. Qian Kun spoke as usual, “There’s an art exhibition at Fang He this weekend, featuring an artist you like. Do you want to go together?”
It seemed that Qian Kun had changed quite a bit during the three years they hadn’t seen each other. He had become more adaptable. Despite Xiang Mo’s coldness, Qian Kun didn’t seem to be bothered at all.
“Not going,” Xiang Mo responded with little emotion, “If there’s nothing else, I’ll hang up.”
The two bunches of red roses were eventually thrown into the trash bin, a waste of Aunt Zhou’s efforts in beautifully packaging them.
During dinner, Xiang Mo was busy with his phone. He and Du Chi had often behaved this way before, sitting at the same table for meals but not interfering with each other most of the time.
However, today was different. Du Chi picked up a piece of steamed pork ribs and put it in Xiang Mo’s bowl, asking casually, “Is your phone that interesting?”
“Hmm?” Xiang Mo chewed on his chopsticks and raised his gaze from his phone to look at Du Chi across the table. “Fang He is having an exhibition this weekend, and I’m checking the opening hours.”
“Most likely from 10 AM to 6 PM,” Du Chi said, “Are you planning to go?”
Xiang Mo scrolled down the phone page, and indeed, it was from 10 AM to 6 PM. He felt a bit strange but didn’t pay much attention. He put the phone down and said, “I’m kind of interested.”
This exhibition featured works from a foreign artist who was skilled in playing with spatial illusions, like a Möbius strip, creating intriguing visual effects.
Thinking that Du Chi probably didn’t know the artist, Xiang Mo had no intention of introducing him. However, Du Chi mentioned a name and asked, “Do you like his works?”
“How did you know?” Xiang Mo was stunned for a moment before adding, “I mean, how did you know it’s his exhibition?”
“Some people in my circle post Fang He’s promotional posters,” Du Chi said.
Ah, that makes sense. People studying design were also related to art, and it wasn’t surprising that some of Du Chi’s circle were connected to Fang He.
“Did you visit my exhibition like this before?” Xiang Mo asked.
“Yes,” Du Chi replied with a smile. “I must say, you truly are an artist with a touch of sensuality.”
Xiang Mo: “…”
He should never have mentioned his own exhibition.
Du Chi rested his elbows on the table and suddenly asked Xiang Mo, “Do you dislike it when I call you an artist?”
At this moment, Xiang Mo realized that Du Chi had finished his dinner when he was putting pork ribs in his bowl, and he had been waiting for him.
In the past, they never cared about such details. Whoever finished eating first would leave first. Despite sitting at the same table, they both had their own pace.
Xiang Mo felt somewhat uncomfortable with this subtle change, but he didn’t want to keep Du Chi waiting for too long. Unconsciously, he picked up his pace.
“Do you still know?” He picked up the last piece of ribs and started eating with focus.
“I don’t know,” Du Chi tilted his head to watch Xiang Mo eat, “You won’t let me bite you, but your body cooperates. You won’t let me kiss you, but you come to kiss me when you climax.”
As they were talking, Du Chi clicked his tongue a couple of times, looking at Xiang Mo with a complex expression. “An artist’s mind is really hard to figure out.”
Hearing these words, Xiang Mo almost choked on the ribs. He admitted that he could be a little difficult to handle, but why did Du Chi make it sound like he was some notorious villain?
“You also make me responsible for you,” Du Chi frowned, “But are you responsible for me?”
Xiang Mo found it strange, “How am I not responsible for you?”
After all, he had been drained completely last night. What more did Du Chi want?
“Just look at you,” Du Chi said, “Talking while chewing on ribs, and you dare talk about paying attention to your figure?”
Realizing that Du Chi was talking about image management, Xiang Mo blushed slightly while biting on the rib.
He usually never talked while eating, and he found himself doing it just to make sure this annoying dog didn’t wait too long for him.
He swallowed the food in his mouth and glared at Du Chi irritably, “Don’t talk to me during meals from now on.”
With that said, Xiang Mo lowered his gaze, not noticing the faint smile that appeared on Du Chi’s lips.
Lately, Du Chi had been taking Sanmao for walks later in the evening, as it was scorching hot outside just after dinner.
Today was no exception. When Xiang Mo finished tidying up the kitchen, he noticed that the sun was just beginning to set. He stepped out of the kitchen and ran into Du Chi, who was holding Sanmao, heading downstairs. Xiang Mo casually asked, “Just going out?”
Du Chi’s voice sounded, “Want to go for a walk?”
Xiang Mo didn’t have the habit of going for a walk after dinner, but he had taken Sanmao out around this time before. After a brief hesitation, he replied, “Sure.”
Sanmao’s favorite place was the small park near their old Western-style house. In the evening, many neighbors came to walk their dogs there, and quite a few of them had female dogs.
Even though Sanmao had been neutered and had no balls, he still enjoyed playing with female dogs.
Du Chi handed the leash to Xiang Mo, and the two of them walked shoulder to shoulder while watching Sanmao, making sure he didn’t bother the female dogs. Du Chi, on the other hand, chatted with the neighbors.
Despite the Corgis looking quite similar, Du Chi could distinguish which one was “Hua Hua” and which one was “Dian Dian.” Most of the neighbors knew Sanmao, including the one they had encountered during their previous walk. The neighbor greeted them warmly, “So you are a family.”
Strictly speaking, they weren’t, but Xiang Mo didn’t feel like explaining. He left the socializing to Du Chi and focused on enjoying the breeze and the walk, taking care of Sanmao.
The hesitation before leaving turned out to be unnecessary worry. Xiang Mo thought he might not like the feeling of breaking his routine, but in reality, he felt quite fine after going out with Du Chi. He didn’t feel like his time was being taken away; instead, he felt it was well-spent.
On their way back, Xiang Mo handed the leash back to Du Chi. Sanmao always liked to sniff the butts of the female dogs, and Xiang Mo was getting tired of pulling him.
The three of them leisurely strolled back, and as they approached their courtyard, Xiang Mo spotted a familiar figure at the entrance.
“Baby, why didn’t you answer my call?” Qian Kun approached them, stopping in front of them. He was shorter than Du Chi but exuded an air of elegance in his well-tailored suit, making him seem more imposing than the laid-back Du Chi.
Xiang Mo didn’t bring his phone with him, so there was no intention to ignore the call intentionally. He didn’t feel like explaining, and he was about to ask Qian Kun what he wanted when he saw Qian Kun suddenly turn to Du Chi and say, “Hello, my baby mentioned you are his neighbor.”
Even a fool could tell that Qian Kun was asserting his dominance. Xiang Mo pursed his lips, feeling a bit displeased.
Next to him, Du Chi didn’t show any reaction, casually looking at Xiang Mo and asking, “Am I your neighbor?”
According to their plan, at this point, Xiang Mo was supposed to say: “No, you are my husband.”
But for some reason, he hesitated, and the words “husband” were stuck in his throat.
Although he had mentioned this term before in front of his students, he had never formally called anyone his husband.
He turned to Du Chi, using his eyes to ask for help: Can you say it instead?
Du Chi raised an eyebrow and replied with his eyes: Solve your own problems.
In theory, Du Chi was just a stand-in, and how to use a stand-in should be Xiang Mo’s decision. If Xiang Mo wasn’t willing to stand up for himself, then the stand-in had no reason to do it either.
Xiang Mo pursed his lips, took a deep breath, and looked at Qian Kun as he said slowly, “He, he is…”
“Isn’t he your neighbor?” Qian Kun interrupted.
“He is my…” Xiang Mo still couldn’t say those two words, and he sought help from Du Chi again with his eyes.
Perhaps due to their understanding, Xiang Mo somehow had confidence that Du Chi would help him out of this situation. However, Du Chi only gave him a fleeting glance and said coldly, “I am his neighbor.”
After saying that, he took Sanmao back into the courtyard.
Stunned, Xiang Mo stood still, watching Du Chi’s departing figure. Only after some delay did he react to the fact that Sanmao seemed to be angry?
Xiang Mo: Why is this not going as planned?
Du Chi: Heh.
