Chapter 59 – The Official Love Rival Finally Appears
A new year is arriving, do you guys wanna have a gathering, biding out the old year and ring in the new?
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Happy new you too XD
I think most of us will be busy with exams, let’s do it when school reopens!
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Every university was having their exam week. This was the busiest period of the semester for engineering students. There were barely any Passionate Sword members online, even language students like XuXian were also AFK from the game temporarily, studying from morning till night. In comparison, most of LingYang’s modules only required essays to be submitted, occasionally some essays did not even need a lot of effort to complete. As such, he had a bit more free time than the others, but he also had to go to the library frequently.
YeLang had borrowed a classmate’s book in class today, he went to his dorm to return it at night, and saw him wearing something strange on his arms.
“What are you wearing?”
“Cotton sleeve covers, my mom made them.”
“Why are you wearing them?”
That classmate rubbed the back of his head, a little embarrassed, “I was very naughty when I was younger. When I climbed onto a tree to play I fell down. I didn’t dare to tell the adults, and didn’t realise I broke my bone. Only when I was older did I discover that the bone had healed wrongly. Now it hurts every winter, so my mom made me this to help me keep it warm.”
YeLang nodded, absorbed in his thoughts.
The next day LingYang carried a bunch of books home from the library. Seeing YeLang there, he started complaining about the cold.
YeLang touched his hands, they were really as cold as ice. Without another word, he grabbed his jacket and pulled him out of the house.
“Where are we going?” LingYang followed him passively.
“Shopping.”
“Huh?”
The entire time YeLang held LingYang’s left hand in his pocket, startling LingYang. He had thought YeLang would be very against having any intimate contact with him in public, after all, many innate gays were also unable to do this. As a person who cared very much about his face, he thought YeLang would definitely not be able to do so. He would never have thought that because of him, YeLang could ignore the opinions of others.
YeLang brought LingYang to the department store. The shopping behaviour for guys was different from that of girls. He headed directly for the gloves section. The salesperson welcomed them with a smile, and YeLang was straight to the point, “For him, something warm.”
The salesperson understood, immediately recommending a few different ones. YeLang chose a brown leather pair for LingYang to try, the size was perfect.
The salesperson complimented him, “It suits this student very well, it’s made of sheepskin, it’s very good for keeping warm.”
LingYang laughed, “An antelope wearing sheepskin, why are we doing this to each other.”
(T/N: LingYang has quoted and modified a famous poem that you can read about on wiki here.)
YeLang nodded at the salesperson, “We’ll take it.”
LingYang was speechless at the speed that YeLang made the purchase, “If you bring a girl shopping, you’ll definitely be dumped in the husband storage area.”
Then he thought again, “Actually you don’t even have to turn up, it’s enough for just your card to show up.”
The salesperson passed the bill over, LingYang was about to take it, only to have YeLang accept it first. When LingYang wanted to say something about it, YeLang had already started walking towards the cashier, leaving LingYang behind standing there in both frustration and amusement. Why can’t this guy change his chauvinistic attitude? Also, I’m completely not a girl ok.
The salesperson handed the gloves in a bag to LingYang, “Your interactions are very amusing.”
LingYang could guess what she was implying, in this day and age, out of ten girls nine of them were fujoshis. He hurriedly diverted the topic and started chatting about something else.
YeLang took less than ten minutes at the cashier, by then, LingYang was so close to the salesperson that they could refer to each other as sister and brother. Before they left, she even stuffed a handkerchief in the bag as a gift.
LingYang saw that YeLang was about to head out of the department store, he quickly stopped him. “Since we’re here, let’s look around on the second floor.”
YeLang had never window-shopped before, but since LingYang had asked, he still followed him up to the next storey. The second floor sold shoes and bags for both males and females, naturally, LingYang brought YeLang to the shoes section for males.
“You want to buy shoes?”
“Just looking around.” LingYang’s attention had already been drawn away by all styles and types of boots. It was now winter, the popular season for boots, the shelves were filled with a dazzling array of boots, all catching LingYang’s eyes.
Every time LingYang saw a pair that he particularly liked, he would imagine them on YeLang, fantasies running through his mind.
YeLang watched LingYang study those boots closely. Never in his imagination did he think that LingYang was fantasising about him, only thinking that LingYang was seriously considering buying a pair of boots.
“Are you thinking of buying them?”
“Huh?” LingYang’s attention was pulled away from his fantasies.
“I’ve never seen you wear any before.”
“Ah, I’ve never worn them.” LingYang replied him unhesitatingly.
“Then why are you looking at them?” YeLang could not understand.
“They’re for you,” LingYang looked around. “Husband, what about trying this pair?”
YeLang was a little taken aback by how LingYang addressed him. In public, LingYang had always called him Brother Lang, he had never called him husband in a crowd like this before.
LingYang saw that he did not resist, so he called out to the salesperson, “Please help me get a pair of this in size 43.”
“How do you know I’m a size 43?” YeLang was puzzled.
LingYang realised he had inadvertently revealed something, did he have to tell him his ability at estimating shoes sizes was as accurate as some people’s ability at estimating bra sizes?
“Oh, I took a guess, your feet should be one size bigger than mine… Did I get it right?”
YeLang grudgingly accepted this explanation.
The salesperson brought out a size 43 pair from the storeroom. Only after accepting it did YeLang realised LingYang had picked a dark brown, high cut pair of pirate boots. The design of pirate boots were generally cumbersome, with many straps and buckles, some with actual functions, and some only decorative. It was not easy to tell between them.
After pulling on one side of the boots, YeLang was trying to figure out which straps were functional. Seeing that, LingYang kneeled down. YeLang was stunned, but LingYang had already skilfully fastened all the complex straps and buckles, fastened the shoelaces, and finally straightened the metal decorative skull on top.
The salesperson brought over the other side of the boots, “You should wear both sides to see the full effect.”
This time after YeLang pulled it on, he naturally pushed his foot in front of LingYang, and LingYang again fastened it for him. YeLang stood up and walked in front of the mirror, the effect was really not too bad.
The salesperson also gave a sincere compliment, “Handsome guy, your figure is really suitable for wearing boots. Not everyone can pull off such high cut boots, many people have tried this pair before, but I’ve really never met anyone who carried it off as well as you do.”
Tilting his head, LingYang studied him. He did not feel that the salesperson was just buttering up a customer. This pair of boots on YeLang looked better than he had expected, making his imagination run wild, nearly causing him to lose his self-restraint.
“How’s the fit?”
YeLang took a few steps and nodded his head.
“We’ll take it.” LingYang told the salesperson who happily left to prepare the bill.
This time LingYang grabbed the bill before YeLang could, “You bought me gloves, I’ll pay for this.”
YeLang wanted to speak up, but LingYang interrupted, “I know, you want to say that it’s expected of a guy to pay for a girl. First, I’m not a girl; Second, isn’t it your birthday tomorrow? Take it as your birthday present, ok?”
YeLang could not refute him, and could only allow him to do as he pleased.
The salesperson brought out the shoebox, “Would you like to wear them out?”
YeLang thought that it would be very troublesome to change his shoes back, so he nodded.
The salesperson smiled as she packed the shoes YeLang was wearing originally, “Your interactions are very amusing.”
YeLang did not how to reply her, and turned his head aside.
As LingYang and YeLang left the department store, LingYang’s eyes could not help but drift down periodically. The more he looked, the more he liked them. He did not make a mistake, amongst the people he knew, YeLang was definitely the one who was the most suitable to wear boots, looking good enough to model boots.
YeLang noticed his actions, “You like boots a lot?”
“Pretty much.”
“Why don’t you wear them yourself?”
“I don’t look good in them.” LingYang replied casually, of course he could not let him know the true reason.
YeLang recalled that past incident when Bell unscrupulously made Night Wolf wear the military outfit, “So you like to see other people wear them?”
“Most of all, I like to see Husband wear them.”
“What is this strange hobby of yours?”
LingYang smiled and did not explain, the two words ‘conspiracy theory’ appeared in YeLang’s brain. He’s definitely hiding something from me again.
As LingYang walked along a thought came into his mind, after a period of interaction, he discovered that YeLang could also be considered a boots enthusiast. He often saw him wearing all sorts of boots, and each time they were a different pair… However, boots took up a lot of space. He had been to YeLang’s dorm, although it was spacious but space was still limited, so where exactly was he keeping these boots?
※
Tonight, dinner at LingYang’s house was a little earlier than usual, as BaiLong was going to meet a friend later.
“What friend are you meeting?” XuXian asked at the dining table.
BaiLong looked at LingYang meaningfully, “Meeting an old friend of mine and LingYang.”
LingYang who was picking at his rice jerked, then he continued his motions as naturally as possible. “He’s back?”
“Yeah, it’s the finals, all the people who went on internships are now back.”
From BaiLong’s and LingYang’s expressions, XuXian could roughly guess who this old friend was, but YeLang knew nothing about the situation, “He’s your old friend, aren’t you going to meet him?”
LingYang shook his head, “Not going.”
The housework in LingYang’s place was divided as such, XuXian was in charge of cooking, and LingYang in charged of washing up. Although he also did not like to wash the bowls, but he could not keep letting XuXian take care of all the household chores.
Just as LingYang finished washing a bowl, YeLang walked over and placed his hand under the tap. He immediately frowned, “Why are you using cold water?”
LingYang felt that this was completely normal, “The water heater in this old-style place is ancient, by the time the water heats up all the bowls would have been washed already.”
“But you still shouldn’t use cold water.”
LingYang could not help but laugh, “You think I’m a girl on her period? I can’t even touch cold water?”
YeLang wanted to say that this could easily cause a chronic effect on his injury, but he decided not to mention anything about LingYang’s hand. “You go ahead, I’ll wash them.”
Crash —— It was the sound of breaking china.
The two of them turned around, XuXian had accidentally dropped a bowl when collecting them, it shattered on the floor.
At that moment XuXian was also amazed, he could not believe it, that male supremacist YeLang, that always thought that household chores were women’s duties, that YeLang, would actually take the initiative to request to wash the bowls? Was he still that YeLang he knew since young?
XuXian crouched down to pick up the fragments, but BaiLong grabbed his wrist, “Don’t move, I’ll do it.”
※
The next day was New Year’s Day, the start of the new year, and also YeLang’s birthday. LingYang suggested going swimming to celebrate it.
Although everyone felt that going swimming in the cold winter day was somewhat stupid, but they could not deny LingYang who just conquered his fear of water. They left together, heading for an indoor swimming complex in the city.
The facilities of this swimming complex were pretty good, there was also a jacuzzi and a hot spring. There were not many people there in winter, going in the morning, it was as though they had booked the entire place. Everyone suddenly felt that this idea of LingYang was not too bad.
The four of them stayed there from ten in the morning til three or four in the afternoon before leaving. YeLang was the first to exit the complex, and noticed someone standing under the streetlight across the road.
That person had both hands in his pockets, leaning against the streetlight. His head was slightly bowed, his legs crossed, his entire body weight on his right foot, the tip of his left foot on the ground. It looked very casual, but there was an indescribable feeling to it as well.
A passerby would normally not attract YeLang’s attention, but that person was dressed in a very eye-catching manner, a desert-camouflaged outfit that was rarely seen in the city, a khaki coloured pair of desert boots. Even though that person was motionless, his wild temperament could not be hidden, YeLang could not help but take a few more looks at him.
He thought that LingYang would definitely mention his approval of those boots.
Should he also get himself a pair?
Hearing a familiar voice behind him, he turned around and saw LingYang and BaiLong snarking at each other as they walked out. BaiLong was the first to notice the person across the street, he patted LingYang’s shoulder and tilted his chin towards there, signalling him to look.
LingYang looked over, that person under the streetlight also looked over, as though through silent communication. Their eyes met.
The two people separated by the road, neither speaking, neither moving, watching each other.
A strange feeling welled up in YeLang, his intuition told him that something was starting to be wrong.
The author has something to say:
You have to be careful using a claw machine to kill the author, what if you end up injuring yourself as well, how damaging! Poor Player [MourningChild_] are you still ok?
[Battle] <ScentedSleeve] threw a landmine!
[Battle] <OpposingRiver> threw a hand grenade!
[Battle] <MisterInk> threw a hand grenade!
[Battle] <MourningChild_> threw a hand grenade a hand grenade a hand grenade a hand grenade a hand grenade a hand grenade!
Don’t think JJ is a weak little bottom, he’s a wolf in sheep’s clothing =_,=
Two items dropped:
[Brother Lang’s Pirate Boots]
And here for a fight,
[MengHu’s Desert Boots]
Previous Chapter | Table of Contents | Next Chapter
- ISMM Chapter 45 - May 11, 2023
- BTTC Chapter 55 - April 25, 2023
- BTTC Chapter 54 - April 18, 2023
The timing of the chapter release and your update… what a coincidence!
Thank you for the update and your hard work 😊. We can now move past this and get to the S&M.
what nooooo the boot kink was inspired by the old crush?? that almost ruins it…
LY is such a service sub kekekeke
Ahh the old flame (one sided. Or is it….? 😏) has appeared. Brother wolf, please guard your antelope!
Thanks for the chapter and
Happy chinese new year!
Merciful deity, please end our suffering with more updates!
Thank you very much for the update~!!!
Time for YL to get more boots ovo
Thank you and Happy Chinese New Year.
I see where LingYang developed his type from.
Heheh for a minute there I was really thinking the actual love rival was actually boots.