I Really Didn't Want the Long Aotian to Be My Wife [Quick Transmigration] - Chapter 14

Wei Zhenge had not taken Jian Yuanbai’s talk of starting a business seriously, assuming it was merely posturing in front of their mutual friends like Fu Pengyi. Although he hadn’t known Jian Yuanbai long, Wei Zhenge had a fair understanding of his situation: a guy whose entire fortune didn’t exceed two hundred thousand was unlikely to start a company.

Besides, it hadn’t even been a week since they’d last seen each other and headed to school. The whole idea just didn’t seem feasible.

But as he followed Jian Yuanbai forward, entering an upscale neighborhood near the school, Wei Zhenge couldn’t help but feel surprised, though he kept his composure and continued to follow.

It wasn’t until Jian Yuanbai took out his keys and entered an elegantly furnished, brightly lit, and spacious house that Wei Zhenge couldn’t help but voice his curiosity, “What is this place?”

Jian Yuanbai placed the keys on a shoe cabinet, then picked up another set, “This is my new house. From now on, it’s our home. Here’s your key.”

The keychain was chubby and round with a cloud pattern, resembling a pillow, and quite adorable—though not to Wei Zhenge’s taste.

He didn’t accept the key immediately, asking instead, “Where did you get the money for this house?”

Jian Yuanbai opened his mouth to respond but then became aware of the tension and concern on Wei Zhenge’s face. Swallowing his initial response, he tempered his words, “Where do you think I got it from? Look at me—where do you think I could make any money?”

Wei Zhenge’s gaze traveled up and down Jian Yuanbai, settling finally on his face—a face so flawless, not even the pickiest person could find a fault, even better-looking than the stars on screen.

He gazed for a long time, so long that Jian Yuanbai had to wave his hand in front of him to catch his attention, “What are you thinking?”

Wei Zhenge replied with a complex expression, his voice so soft, as though afraid that speaking any louder might shatter Jian Yuanbai’s heart, “You… You didn’t become a ‘duck’, did you?”

Jian Yuanbai, puzzled, asked, “Become a what ‘duck’? I don’t even know how to cook.”

Wei Zhenge pursed his lips, his tongue briefly touching his dry lips, struggling to articulate the feelings of discomfort welling inside him, attributing them to the sorrowful path he imagined his beneficent ‘big brother’ had taken.

Seeing that Jian Yuanbai wasn’t confessing, Wei Zhenge was inclined to believe his own suspicions, “It’s nothing… Nevermind.”

Beginning to feel averse to the otherwise nice house, Wei Zhenge fidgeted with his fingertips, suggesting, “You’ve broken it off with her, right? We can just live in that old house. It’s fine.”

“If you’re really short on funds, I can tutor on the weekends,” he continued, inching closer to Jian Yuanbai. His hand reached out as if to pat Jian Yuanbai’s shoulder, but he stopped short, resting his pale finger lightly on Jian Yuanbai’s shoulder instead, “She… How old is she?

Jian Yuanbai felt utterly confused, “What do you mean by ‘broken off’ and how old is she…”

He suddenly looked down at Wei Zhengo, his face full of disbelief as he yelled,

“You thought I’ve become a duck?!!”

“Not the roast duck! But the one referring to men being ‘ducks’?!!”

Jian Yuanbai’s internal system laughed uncontrollably at this, the sound of mirthful laughter was so overwhelming that it nearly took his breath away,

“The way you appear in front of Wei Zhenge is like a vagabond without any means of livelihood. All you have that’s worthy of noticing is your face. It’s not surprising that he would have such a thought, hahahahahaha.”

The system was on the verge of bursting into laughter. It felt as though all of its comedic fuel for the year had been filled, and it was extremely gleeful to finally see Jian Yuanbai at a disadvantage.

Jian Yuanbai, indignantly, grabbed Wei Zhenge’s shoulder, asking emotionally: “Where do you see me as someone capable of being a ‘duck’?”

“I have just gambled on a piece of Imperial Jade, you understand Imperial Jade, don’t you!!!”

There was a misunderstanding, and Wei Zhenge felt so awkward that he wished to hide somewhere. A layer of blush quickly surfaced on his fair face, “No…no… it’s a misunderstanding, Brother Jian.”

At this moment, Jian Yuanbai didn’t quite grasp what he was saying. His face was still full of rage, but his mind was elsewhere.

Their shoulders were linked, and the two people were close enough to feel each other’s breath, close enough that Jian Yuanbai could see Wei Zhenge’s eyes darting away in embarrassment.

Close enough for him to see, to see the red blush surfacing on Wei Zhenge’s beautiful face, that soft pink color, like petals of peach blossoms, gently floating onto a calm river, creating ripples in his feelings.

Grasping onto it would probably be soft, like mild pink cotton candy. Jian Yuanbai thought, his hand stretched out, trying to pinch that chubby little cheek.

Wei Zhenge was very uncomfortable under his gaze, he stepped back and couldn’t help but shout, “Brother Jian, don’t be mad.”

The way Wei Zhenge withdrew and called out to him brought Jian Yuanbai back to reality, causing him to realize he was supposed to be angry, doing something very childish – he crossed his arms and huffed, walking away.

For some reason, Jian Yuanbai felt a sense of loss for not managing to pinch that chubbiness, but that sense of loss was fleeting, like a floating feather, it was quickly drowned by his disturbed feelings.

Jian Yuanbai didn’t go far, he just sat on the sofa in the living room, Wei Zhenge reluctantly sat next to him. As soon as he sat down, Jian Yuanbai moved away, and Wei Zhenge also followed him.

The two shared the sofa, each time Wei Zhenge moved closer, Jian Yuanbai shifted positions, until he sat at the corner of the sofa. When there was no more room to shift, Jian Yuanbai got up and was about to leave.

Wei Zhenge pressed down on his shoulder, a mix of amusement and helplessness in his voice, “Are you a child? You’re being so childish.”

Jian Yuanbai quipped instantly, “I’m not a child; I’m a duck.”

…

Wei Zhenge, feeling a tad awkward, pursed his lips lightly, “I was wrong. I shouldn’t have spoken carelessly without understanding the situation.”

“Hmph.”

“It’s all because Jian Ge, your face is too handsome. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have let my mind wander there, right?”

“Hmph…”

“Are you hungry? How about I make some food? Maybe some sobering-up soup? Warm up your stomach?”

“Hmph!!” Jian Yuanbai stood up to leave.

Wei Zhenge wasn’t adept at apologizing, running out of words after a brief attempt and clearly getting nowhere with the change of subject as indicated by the reaction he received. He tugged at the corner of Jian Yuanbai’s shirt as he stood up.

The pull was firm, Jian Yuanbai could easily tear away but he didn’t.

For clinging to his shirt corner, sitting on the soft sofa looking up at him, the little pillow’s ears turned a deep red while he softly pleaded, “Brother, don’t be mad anymore.”

He paused for a moment, sounding a bit dejected, “Don’t ignore me.”

Jian Yuanbai struggled to keep from smiling, but it was a losing battle, “It’s getting late, we should rest.”

It sounded indifferent and perfunctory, but Wei Zhenge smiled anyway—a smile that curved his eyes and turned his ear tips pink, which was decidedly more attractive than Jian Yuanbai’s half-hearted attempt. When Jian Yuanbai saw his smile, he was stunned for a good two seconds.

Jian Yuanbai coughed awkwardly, clunkily changing the subject, “I’m going to take a shower.”

After all, it was a house worth over nine million. The bathroom was a separate room, while both the master and secondary bedrooms had their own vanities and en suite restrooms.

When Jian Yuanbai, fresh from the shower wrapped only in a towel, emerged, he found Wei Zhenge standing by the lightened doorway of the secondary bedroom as if waiting for him. Jian Yuanbai asked with a hint of puzzlement, “What’s the matter?”

Wei Zhenge shook his head, his gaze soft, “Goodnight, Jian Ge.”

After saying that, he closed the door as if he had waited deliberately for Jian Yuanbai to finish showering, all to say goodnight.

Jian Yuanbai muttered to himself in discontent, “This Xiao Zhentou, only bothers to affectionately call me brother when he’s upset. Any other time, he’s just coldly calling me Jian Ge.”

The System taunted, “Or what, shall I call you Brother Duck?”

Jian Yuanbai retorted, “Wipe that smirk off your face, Brother Duck.”

Jian Yuanbai: “…Has anyone ever told you, you’re really not good at conversation?”

The System responded coldly, “I could say the same about you.”

Ignoring it, Jian Yuanbai dries his hair and lies down on the bed. He thought of Wei Zhenge saying goodnight to him under the warm light, and suddenly asked, “Is it customary for family members to say goodnight to each other?”

It seemed like he didn’t need an answer from the System, and mused: “Is this what being a family feels like? Not bad.”

In the same house, just separated by a wall in different rooms, Wei Zhenge closed his eyes. What flashed before him was the image of Jian Yuanbai wearing a single towel, his hair wet and dripping down.

The soft hair couldn’t bear the weight of the water droplets. Drops of water fell from his hair ends, some were caught by his collarbone, some slid down his chest, leaving wet streaks on his well-defined, smoothly contoured, and stunningly shaped abs.

His figure was quite good, Wei Zhenge thought, his mind wandering.

Translator Footnotes:

開公司 (kāi gōngsī): In Chinese, kaī gōngsī means ‘to start a company.’ The expression reflects ambitions or entrepreneurial endeavors.

做鴨 (zuò yā): This is a slang term implying that a man has become a gigolo, colloquially referred to as a ‘duck’ in the context of providing companionship or sexual services to others for money.

她 (tā): Pronoun used for “she” or “her” in Mandarin. This usage in the conversation raises Wei Zhenge’s suspicions about Jian Yuanbai having a secret relationship with a woman for financial benefits.

“鴨” (yā): The term “duck” in Chinese society is a slang used to denote a male prostitute or gigolo. This might be a source of confusion for non-Chinese readers if not explained but provides a cultural insight into slang terms used within the Chinese-speaking community.

“帝王綠” (dìwánglǜ): Imperial Jade refers to a specific type of jade, highly prized in Chinese society for its bright emerald-green color

“就像輕飄飄的羽毛一樣” (jiù xiàng qīngpiāopiāo de yǔmáo yīyàng): The phrase “like a floating feather” is a popular Chinese idiom used to describe things or feelings that appear and disappear quickly, abruptly, or with no apparent weight or significance. In this context, it is used to describe Jian Yuanbai’s fleeting sense of loss.

“混混” (hùnhùn): The term refers to someone who isn’t very ambitious, typically lazy, and lacks a steady job. Its connotation can be slightly negative and demeaning. In this context, it refers to the system’s view of Jian Yuanbai as an aimless person.

“哥哥” (gege): Commonly translated as “brother”, in Chinese culture denotes someone older, and in many contexts, it is used to express closeness or reverence towards the older person being addressed.

“小枕頭” (xiao zhentou): A nickname which translates to “little pillow” but may not make much literal sense without context. In the story, it’s an affectionate term that implies softness or something that is comforting.

“醒酒湯” (xingjiu tang): This “sobering-up soup” is a traditional remedy often consumed to relieve the effects of alcohol consumption. This detail provides insight into Chinese home remedies and care.

“鴨” (yā): Similar to the prior note, this term refers to a ‘male prostitute’ or a ‘gigolo’. In this context, it is used as a nickname in a teasing manner.

“你真的很不會聊天” (nǐ zhēn de hěn bù huì liáo tiān): Translated directly it means “You really don’t know how to chat”. In Chinese culture, it basically refers to someone who lacks social skills or does not know how to carry a lively conversation.

“頭髮濕漉漉” (tóufā shī lùlù): This phrase describes the wet hair, and “濕漉漉” (shī lùlù) refers to the state of being ‘sopping wet’. Here, it adds a vivid imagery to Jian Yuanbai’s appearance.

“塊塊分明，線條流暢形狀漂亮的腹肌” (kuài kuài fēnmíng, xiàntiáo liúchàng xíngzhuàng piàoliang de fùjī): Each Chinese character has a figurative meaning in this phrase. Each phrase combined gives a vivid description of Jian Yuanbai’s abdominal muscles, referring to their well-defined and beautifully shaped features.

Don’t worry Jian Yuanbai… You know that a husband is also a family, right?!?

Let me know what you guys think about this chapter!

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