By the time they got home, it was almost 10 PM.
The villa was brightly lit, adorned with festive decorations in the courtyard and porch. Fang Ming and several house staff were waiting at the door to welcome them.
“Welcome home, sir and madam.”
As soon as he heard the term “madam,” Xia Yang’s ears subtly flushed red.
In the past, he would have found it amusing and wouldn’t have taken it personally. But now, for some reason, he felt a sudden wave of shyness, as if his skin had lost its previous thickness.
The others didn’t notice his embarrassment, but Han Yi caught the pink tinge of his ears. He lightly wrapped an arm around Xia Yang’s waist, seemingly to comfort him.
Fang Ming approached them at that moment. “Sir, supper is ready: red bean buns, salad, spring rolls, and crab meat porridge.”
It was all food Xia Yang liked.
Han Yi turned his head, his hand resting on Xia Yang’s waist. “Do you want to eat something?”
“Hmm…” It was a tough decision.
Xia Yang hesitated, swallowing as he debated. After a few seconds, as if making a significant decision, he shook his head decisively. “Better not, I’ll gain weight.”
He suddenly seemed to care about maintaining his figure.
Han Yi raised an eyebrow slightly, his lips curving into a barely noticeable smile. “That’s not like you.”
Xia Yang: “…”
“Really not eating?”
“No.” The determined figure-conscious person turned away resolutely.
“Alright, then let’s go upstairs and rest.”
They walked side by side, shoulder to shoulder, up the stairs from the living room. The warmth from Han Yi’s hand transmitted through their clothes to Xia Yang’s body.
Two young new maids at the bottom of the stairs looked on with envy. “Wow, sir and madam are so close, even going up the stairs together. They must be deeply in love!”
Xia Yang’s foot slipped, almost missing a step.
The grip around his waist tightened suddenly.
Turning to meet Han Yi’s deep black eyes, he coughed, adjusted his steps, and resumed climbing. As they continued up the stairs, he whispered, “Um, it seems like they’re watching us.”
“Yes,” Han Yi’s voice was calm. “Are you still afraid of being watched? Or does their gaze make you uncomfortable?”
“No, not really,” Xia Yang muttered softly. “It’s just that you suddenly seem like a different person. You’re not cold anymore, not so restrained. Won’t they think I did something to you?”
Han Yi: “…”
Han Yi: “I don’t think so.”
That night, Xia Yang didn’t sleep well. His mind was a mess, and he only truly fell asleep in the early hours. Even in his dreams, he wasn’t at peace, one dream after another, each seeming to feature the familiar man.
The next morning, Han Yi’s knocking woke him up.
Opening his eyes, Xia Yang saw Han Yi standing by his bed, holding something in his hand.
“Happy New Year,” Han Yi said, his tone as calm as ever. Xia Yang rubbed his sleepy eyes and responded, “Happy New Year.” The awkwardness from the change in their relationship seemed to fade a little.
“What’s that in your hand?” Xia Yang’s gaze fell on what seemed to be a small booklet, square and bound in a creamy white cover.
“Could it be your diary?” he asked, his eyes widening slightly.
Scenes from dramas where the male lead reads his diary to the female lead flashed through his mind, filled with emotional, tear-jerking moments. The female lead couldn’t hold back tears even before hearing the whole thing.
If Mr. Han also wanted to use such a cheesy approach…
“It’s not a diary,” Han Yi’s voice interrupted his thoughts, bringing him some relief.
Of course, a serious person wouldn’t keep a diary.
“It’s ‘1001 Things Couples Must Do,'” Han Yi said, flipping through the booklet.
Xia Yang: “…”
The breath he had just exhaled was sucked back in.
“1001 Things Couples Must Do” recently went viral on the internet, presenting romantic tasks for couples in a journal format. Some well-known bloggers even recommended it as a guide for pursuing love.
“You… you actually have this? You really mean it!” Xia Yang exclaimed, looking at him in disbelief.
“I never joke about important things,” Han Yi said. “Like dating.”
Xia Yang: “!”
Dating!
True to his efficient nature, Mr. Han had talked about courting him yesterday, and today it was already on the agenda.
As expected of someone who can achieve great things!
Before he could say more, the booklet was thrust into his hands.
“You pick a page,” Han Yi said, looking down at him with a gentle tone. “Whatever you land on, we’ll do that for our date today.”
Xia Yang hesitated for a moment, fingers brushing the cover but not opening it right away.
For a brief second, he thought of something.
“But what if I have bad luck and land on something inappropriate? Do we do it or not?”
“…I admire your thought process,” Han Yi closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. “If there were anything inappropriate in it, this book would probably be banned.”
“Oh, right, right.” Xia Yang agreed, finding his reasoning sound.
Since it was a popular, widely recommended book, its main theme must align with the mainstream values of a harmonious socialist society.
Feeling reassured, he flipped open the booklet to a random page in the middle.
His eyes fell on the page: “1001 Things Couples Must Do, #69: Go to a temple to make a wish and pray for blessings.”
“Perfect,” Han Yi nodded. “Suitable for a first date of the New Year.”
Xia Yang looked up at him, a smile spreading across his face. He felt lucky; compared to other options like “exploring a haunted house,” “giving each other a bath,” or “writing a letter and reading it to each other,” a temple visit for blessings seemed not awkward, not challenging, and something they could enjoy together.
After breakfast, they left the villa together. Xia Yang wore a short white down jacket, while Han Yi’s was black, looking almost like matching couple outfits.
The day was chilly, the wind a bit sharp, but the sky was clear, and the sunlight warm, making the day pleasant.
As the car door opened, Han Yi got into the driver’s seat. Xia Yang, initially opening the back door, hesitated when he saw this. He closed the back door and climbed into the front passenger seat instead.
“What’s this? You’re driving yourself today? No chauffeur?” Xia Yang asked, puzzled.
“No chauffeur,” Han Yi replied, pulling the seatbelt across and buckling up. He tapped his fingers on the steering wheel. “It’s our first date; I don’t want any distractions.”
Xia Yang: “…”
Xia Yang: “!”
Wow, is this really the Han Yi he knows? Once this cold statue opens up, he plays it straight!
He was taken aback.
The road was relatively clear, and after half an hour of driving, they arrived at a resort area in the suburbs of A City. The temple they were heading to was nestled within this scenic area, surrounded by mountains.
Xia Yang put on a hat, sunglasses, and a mask, fully equipped, and got out of the car with Han Yi. They walked along a boardwalk up the mountain.
After about ten minutes, they overheard a conversation between a young couple behind them.
“Maybe we shouldn’t go,” one of them said.
“Huh? Why not? We’re already here.”
“I just remembered, someone once said that couples who visit temples tend to break up. It’s very superstitious but apparently very accurate. Doesn’t that scare you?”
Hearing this, Xia Yang froze, instinctively stopping in his tracks.
“What’s wrong?” Han Yi noticed his companion’s unusual reaction and turned to look at him.
“Let me tell you a ghost story,” Xia Yang relayed the superstition he’d just overheard, his expression unusually serious. “They say couples who visit temples tend to break up. It’s scary.”
“Oh,” Han Yi took in the gravity on Xia Yang’s face and raised an eyebrow slightly. “So, couples shouldn’t visit temples, right?” He emphasized the word “couples.”
Xia Yang: “…”
Damn, why am I being so foolish?
He and Han Yi aren’t even a couple, so why is he overthinking this?
“Oh, no, that’s not…”
His lips moved awkwardly, unsure what to say next. Just then, he felt Han Yi’s warm hand on his shoulder and heard his deep, soothing voice.
“The Buddha blesses those destined to be together. Such ‘superstitions’ don’t apply to us. Don’t overthink it.”
The warmth from Han Yi’s breath brushed against Xia Yang’s cheek, sending a gentle shiver through him. It felt like vines were growing in his heart, gently tugging at him, stirring a soft, cloud-like emotion.
…
After about twenty minutes of climbing, they arrived at the temple. Surrounded by towering peaks, the temple stood impressively amidst lush pine and bamboo. The architecture was grand, and the murals inside were elegantly exquisite.
Two ancient, gnarled trees stood in the courtyard, their branches adorned with wish plaques. As the mountain wind blew, the red ribbons fluttered gracefully among the branches.
Since open flames weren’t allowed in the temple, free incense was provided at the entrance. Seeing that only a few people were present, Xia Yang quickly took some incense and turned to Han Yi, instructing seriously, “I looked up the specific prayer incantation for this temple. You need to silently repeat in your mind: ‘I am [name], from [place], and I wish for [specific wish].'”
“Okay,” Han Yi nodded, facing the temple, eyes forward. Following Xia Yang’s instructions, he held the incense and began, “I am Han Yi, from A City, and I have three wishes…”
“Wait, wait,” Xia Yang quickly tapped his arm to interrupt. “You need to say it in your heart, silently. You can’t say it out loud.”
“Silently? I’m afraid the Buddha won’t hear me,” Han Yi replied. “These wishes are very important.”
Xia Yang: “.”
He wanted to say something more, but Han Yi had already turned back and continued where he left off.
“This person beside me is Xia Yang, someone I have a special relationship with. My three wishes all concern him.”
“First, I wish for his health; second, I wish for his happiness; and third,” Han Yi paused slightly, clearing his throat to make his voice clearer and more resolute, “third, I wish that in the near future, he can like me, just as I like him.”
Keep me fueled with caffeine! Support me on Ko-fi! It helps a lot ! Thank you so much ♡(´･ω･)(･ω･`)♡
Thanks for the chapter