ALCSRB Chapter 57

“Cough—cough—cough—!”

Jiang Mingyi started coughing violently, his eyes reddening and a warm blush creeping across the corners.

Shen Xingyan immediately set down the menu and grabbed a tissue, gently wiping the corners of Jiang Mingyi’s lips. His brows drew together slightly.

“How are you so careless?”

Then he shot a sharp look at An Shi. “What did you say to him?”

“Ask him yourself,” An Shi replied innocently, throwing up his hands and leaning back—only to nearly topple off the stool due to the lack of a backrest.

He quickly steadied himself and threw Jiang Mingyi, who was now blushing from his ears to his neck, a cheeky, knowing look.

Jiang Mingyi finally calmed his coughing, only to catch An Shi’s teasing wink. He instantly bit his lower lip.

Sensing that Shen Xingyan was starting to get a little annoyed, he hurriedly reached out and pressed down on his firm arm, shaking his head.

“I just drank too fast and choked a little.”

Like hell he’d tell Shen Xingyan what was really said. That reaction just now had clearly hit a nerve—his reflex had betrayed his real feelings. A little cover-up was fine, but letting Shen Xingyan know what was going on in his heart? Absolutely not.

“Hey, what did you order?” he asked quickly, changing the subject.

Shen Xingyan’s scrutinizing gaze fell on the boy sitting beside him, head bowed over the menu. The blush still lingered on his pale skin—an obvious, soft pink that was hard to miss.

The warm light spilled gently from above, casting a soft golden glow over the boy.

Shen Xingyan composed himself and handed the menu to Jiang Mingyi.

“I’ve ordered a few dishes. Take a look and see if there’s anything else you want.”

After adding a few more items, Jiang Mingyi finally returned to normal.

The restaurant was quite busy, but thankfully, the dishes didn’t take long to arrive.

After just a few minutes, a server brought out the first dish.

An Shi picked up a pair of disposable chopsticks, snapped them apart, and said, “Don’t mind if I do,” before diving right in.

Jiang Mingyi hesitated only for a few seconds before quickly joining in on the feast.

Seeing how eagerly the two were eating, Shen Xingyan unhurriedly broke apart his chopsticks. His graceful movements stood in stark contrast to the casual and chaotic energy of the other two.

More and more dishes began to arrive at the table. Jiang Mingyi and An Shi ate their way through each one. When they were about halfway full, the grilled fish was finally served.

“The aroma is just irresistible,” An Shi’s eyes lit up as he took a deep whiff, his face full of bliss. “I’m so jealous you guys get to enjoy this kind of food all the time.”

Jiang Mingyi picked up a piece of fish with his chopsticks and, while blowing on it to cool it down, replied between bites, “Well, you still can’t eat late-night meals too often.”

“Why not?” An Shi asked, mouth still full of grilled fish, barely pausing to speak.

“Late-night snacks make you gain weight,” Jiang Mingyi answered.

An Shi rolled his eyes ungracefully. “You? Gain weight? Yeah right. You look like one of those people who could eat endlessly and never put on a pound.”

Jiang Mingyi blinked. “How do you know that?”

An Shi chuckled. “I’ve got a sharp eye, obviously.” He raised a brow playfully. “I have a knack for reading people. I mean, I spotted Ah Yan in a heartbeat back then—otherwise, how would we have become such close friends for all these years?”

Shen Xingyan responded coolly, “Funny, I remember it being you pestering me nonstop.”

An Shi propped his chin on one hand, slowing down his fish-eating. “That’s only because you used to be so cold and distant. Everyone else was too scared to approach you. Only I wasn’t afraid of your icy sarcasm.”

“That’s just because you have thick skin.”

The words Jiang Mingyi had been about to say got stuck in his throat. He looked up, watching the two of them banter with such natural familiarity, and a sour feeling crept into his heart.

He stabbed at a juicy piece of fish with his chopsticks, but his appetite had noticeably waned.

Shen Xingyan noticed his silence and picked out a piece of tender, boneless fish belly for him. “There are no bones in this part.”

Then he turned to An Shi and added, “You really shouldn’t talk so much while eating fish. Aren’t you afraid of choking on a bone?”

“…” An Shi was speechless. He glanced over at Jiang Mingyi, who was eating the boneless piece, and said with envy in his voice, “Must be nice to have a doting big brother to pick the fish bones out for you. Guess I deserve to get stabbed by fish bones, huh.”

“If you know you’ll choke, maybe don’t talk so much,” Shen Xingyan said while calmly continuing to pick out fish for Jiang Mingyi.

“I’m bitter. I’m jealous. Just trying to enjoy a midnight snack and I’m getting force-fed dog food,” An Shi muttered the last part under his breath, but it didn’t take a genius to guess what those two words were.

Shen Xingyan didn’t react much, but Jiang Mingyi nearly choked again.

He quickly grabbed the water cup beside him and took a few big gulps to calm himself down.

As the late-night meal was winding down, Shen Xingyan stood up. “I’m going to the restroom.”

The moment he left, An Shi eagerly poured Jiang Mingyi a glass of beer. “Your brother’s seriously that strict with you? He won’t even let you have a drink.”

Jiang Mingyi glanced at the golden liquid in front of him and lowered his eyes. “To be honest, I don’t hold my liquor very well.”

“It’s just beer—it won’t get you drunk.” An Shi filled his own glass to the brim and raised it toward him. “Come on, before your brother gets back, let’s have a drink.”

After a brief hesitation, Jiang Mingyi picked up his glass. “Just one. If my brother finds out, he’ll definitely scold me.”

“Man, he’s that harsh? Scolding you over one drink?” An Shi grumbled.

“He’s not that bad,” Jiang Mingyi took a sip of beer, his voice going soft and fuzzy, as if defending Shen Xingyan.

An Shi finished his glass and poured another. As he drank, he started venting again, “All older brothers are the same—just love to stick their nose in everything.”

Jiang Mingyi was a little curious. “An Shi-ge, do you have an older brother too?”

“Yeah.” At the mention of older brother, An Shi slammed his glass down and clenched his fists angrily. “My brother’s even worse—he won’t even let me wear women’s clothes. It’s just a tiny little hobby of mine. What’s so wrong with crossdressing? It’s not like I’m trying to become a woman. How does that even affect him?”

Jiang Mingyi thought about it and said, “As long as you’re not deceiving people, I don’t think wearing women’s clothes is a big deal.”

“You get me.” An Shi’s vibrant face lit up again with a smile. “How about this—next time, you try it too. Once you try on women’s clothes, you’ll fall in love with it.”

“…No thanks,” Jiang Mingyi quickly shook his head.

When Shen Xingyan returned from the restroom, he found the two of them huddled together, staring excitedly at something on the phone.

He glanced at the screen and immediately frowned. “An Shi, stop dragging my brother into your little kinks.”

Then he reached out and pulled Jiang Mingyi—who was watching intently—back to his seat. But instead of sitting upright, the boy leaned softly against him.

“…”

Jiang Mingyi seemed a bit sluggish, and it took him a few seconds to even realize Shen Xingyan had come back.

He rested his head on Shen Xingyan’s chest, arms wrapped tightly around his waist like a clingy little sloth who had no intention of letting go.

“What happened?” Shen Xingyan frowned and looked straight at An Shi. “You gave him alcohol.”

It wasn’t a question—it was a statement.

“Only three glasses,” An Shi said quickly.

They had agreed on just one, but the conversation had flowed so well they accidentally had two more.

“Just beer. It’s not even strong.”

Shen Xingyan picked up one of the empty bottles and glanced at it. “Not strong for you. But for him, it’s enough to get drunk.”

An Shi looked genuinely shocked. “He did say his tolerance was low… but I didn’t think three beers would knock him out.”

Only now did he notice the obvious signs of drunkenness on Jiang Mingyi’s face—this was seriously not good.

Shen Xingyan’s dark eyes instantly turned cold. “Why else do you think I don’t let him drink?”

“Alright, alright, this one’s on me,” An Shi admitted, patting his own backside as he stood up. “Tonight’s meal is on me. I’ll go pay the bill.”

He walked off with his phone to settle the check, and Shen Xingyan had no choice but to support the now-limp boy in his arms.

“Ge,” Jiang Mingyi looked up at him with misty, doe-like eyes, his voice soft and sticky-sweet. The alcohol had blurred his focus—his gaze couldn’t even land properly.

He stared at Shen Xingyan and pouted as he slapped him lightly. “Ge, stop shaking… you’re making me dizzy.”

His hand was warm and soft, and the strength of his slap was so light it was barely felt. Still, Shen Xingyan gently took his hand and held it in his own.

“I’m not shaking. You are.” Shen Xingyan sighed helplessly and steadied him. “If you’re dizzy, close your eyes and rest for a bit.”

Jiang Mingyi butted his forehead against him. “No. It’s too noisy.”

The night snack crowd made for a naturally noisy environment—people chatting, clinking plates, occasional laughter.

“I’ll take you to the car to rest.”

“Okay~” Jiang Mingyi beamed. “Ge, carry me.”

Shen Xingyan, who was just about to stand up, paused for a moment. He glanced at the boy holding out his arms like a child, asking to be carried, and couldn’t help feeling a bit helpless.

Supporting Jiang Mingyi’s body, he said softly, “I’ll piggyback you.”

Not getting the hug he wanted, Jiang Mingyi looked visibly disappointed. He pouted, lips red and full like cherries.

Shen Xingyan glanced at him, then turned around and hoisted him onto his back. “Be good.”

That simple, gentle phrase made the sulking boy immediately settle down on his broad back, obedient and quiet.

When An Shi came out after paying, he saw Shen Xingyan carrying Jiang Mingyi out of the restaurant on his back.

The late-night diners around them started to notice the two, curious glances and subtle stares drifting in their direction.

But Shen Xingyan paid them no mind. He walked past without a flicker of reaction, his steady steps heading toward the parking lot, the glow of the lights slowly fading behind them.

Jiang Mingyi, groggy and dazed, rested his head on Shen Xingyan’s shoulder, swaying with each step. His warm breath brushed against Shen Xingyan’s ear, causing a faint tickle.

Shen Xingyan paused slightly in his stride and turned his head. Right there, close enough to kiss, was a beautiful face.

Thick lashes cast shadows over his delicate eyes, hiding them from view. His high nose bridge gave way to slightly parted, rosy lips that exhaled a faint breath of warmth.

There was a light flush across his pale cheeks—not obvious, but it added a striking splash of color to his fair complexion.

It wasn’t the first time Shen Xingyan had seen Jiang Mingyi drunk, but every time, it felt a little different.

With their bodies so close, two heartbeats began to align, falling into rhythm as the distance between them and the world behind grew. In that quiet, fleeting moment, it felt like their hearts were connected—relying on one another, understanding one another without words.

As the light from the streetlamp hit his eyes, Jiang Mingyi slowly opened them in a daze. The first thing that came into view was a long, slender neck and a perfectly handsome side profile.

“Ge?” It took his sluggish brain two whole seconds to realize he was being carried on Shen Xingyan’s back. Instinctively, he tightened his arms around Shen Xingyan’s neck.

Shen Xingyan gave him a little bounce by supporting his bottom and asked with great patience, “What’s wrong?”

“Am I heavy?” the boy asked in a soft, pitiful voice.

Shen Xingyan’s lips curved slightly. “A little.”

The person on his back fell silent for a moment.

“Then I won’t eat late-night snacks ever again,” the boy muttered with a bit of grievance. “I knew eating at night would make me gain weight.”

Shen Xingyan chuckled softly and reassured him, “You’re not fat. Carrying you is just right.”

“Still, I shouldn’t eat at night. What if I do get fat?”

The rambling voice gradually quieted down. Just as Shen Xingyan reached the car, a faint whisper came from behind him: “Ge, I like you…”

The voice was so soft that Shen Xingyan didn’t catch it at all.

He frowned and asked, “What did you say?”

No answer.

Behind him, everything had gone quiet. When he turned slightly to look, he saw the boy’s peaceful sleeping face. Shen Xingyan furrowed his brow, feeling as if he had just missed something important.