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Open World 25

Xie Xi felt that the right was his own but also that the left was his own. He struggled for a moment before closing his eyes and casually picking one. Any one of them would do since Jiang Xie had already used both of them.

He hadn’t thought about it before but today, Xie Xi’s face became hot and the hand holding the cup lacked strength.

He spent a while mixing warm water before taking it to the study.

Jiang Xie was still writing blessings. He was focused, his hands slender and the exposed arms were also powerful. Many times, Xie Xi felt that Jiang Xie wasn’t a teacher who stood at the podium or a man holding a brush.

He didn’t have the atmosphere on him but once he did these things, he made people feel it was natural.

Jiang Xie was amazing. He made people feel that he could do everything well. This type of self-confidence that came from the heart was something that Xie Xi didn’t have. Even if they were alone, even if they only had themselves, they both lived different lives.

Xie Xi’s lips curved and his eyes were gentle. He was really fortunate to meet Jiang Xie, really lucky.

Xie Xi came over with the water while Jiang Xie was writing. He got up just as Xie Xi leaned over, the two people nearly hitting each other.

Jiang Xie held his hand. “Be careful.” If the cup spilled then all the words he wrote would be gone.

Xie Xi’s eyes curved as he smiled.

“What’s the matter?”

Xie Xi told him, “Teacher is stained with ink?” He pointed to the left cheek.

Jiang Xie smiled. “It isn’t good to eat ink. Is it this side?” He could feel which side it was but he deliberately missed.

“It’s here.” Xie Xi kept pointing.

Jiang Xie accurately missed the correct position. “Here?”

Xie Xi felt helpless. “Don’t move. I’ll wipe it for you.”

Jiang Xie immediately put down his hand and moved his face closer. “Hurry and wipe it or I will become a big cat.”

He leaned closer, his different-coloured eyes making him look like a precious cat apart from the ink. Xie Xi picked up a paper towel and carefully cleaned it.

Jiang Xie stared at him. “Can it be wiped off?”

They were close and it was like his ears were being blown on. Xie Xi was red as he said, “I can but… you should hurry and wash you fash.” A dry tissue wasn’t clean.

Jiang Xie smiled and deliberately asked, “How is your face so red?”

Xie Xi, “!” His eyes looked panicked and it was like a certain person’s soul was gone.

“Is it red?” Xie Xi opened his mouth, his face even redder. He placed a hand on his face and reluctantly muttered, “Probably…”

Jiang Xie cleared his throat and helped find an excuse. “It is too hot in the house?”

Xie Xi immediately exclaimed, “Yes! The temperature is a little high! I’ll go adjust the air conditioner!”

Jiang Xie stood still, his whole body feeling like it was floating. “Okay.” It was fine to lower the air conditioner since he was in desperate need of cooling.

The two people finished writing the blessings and Xie Xi placed them on the ground to dry.

Now that he was calm, he stared at his lame words and smiled. “My writing is so ugly.” It was like an ugly duckling mixed with the swans.

Jiang Xie spoke like he knew what Xie Xi was thinking. “The ugly duckling grew into the most beautiful swan.”

Xie Xi wasn’t interested in practicing his writing and said, “Unfortunately, it won’t grow up.”

“That’s fine. People who know how to feel appreciation will always regard them as treasures.”

This was too straightforward. Xie Xi’s heart jumped and his hands clenched uncontrollably. Jiang Xie stopped and changed the topic to give Xie Xi a chance to breathe. “Let’s go. It isn’t early and we have to buy the new year’s goods.”

“Good.”

They changed their clothes to go out and Jiang Xie told him, “Just go to a nearby supermarket. It is estimated that the roads would be blocked for the distant one.”

It was the 26th of the 12th lunar month and many people were on holiday. The roads would undoubtedly be blocked.

Xie Xi had no opinion. He didn’t think there was anything lacking at home but now was too convenient. He might not need to buy new year’s goods but he could buy fresh ingredients.

Still, it was New Year’s Day and something would seem missing without the goods.

He and Jiang Xie had never celebrated the new year with anyone else and they particularly valued it. There was a type of compensation mentality, as if they had to make up for what they missed previously. Even if they didn’t have anything to buy, they should celebrate seriously!

The two people parked the car and entered the supermarket together. In the past few months, they had often visited the supermarket together. They ate at home all day and buying ingredients and meat was indispensable.

Jiang Xie pushed the trolley while Xie Xi chose things. Jiang Xie asked, “Do we went to add a new bowl for the new year?”

“No, we have enough bowls.”

“Adding a new bowl is the custom.”

Xie Xi thought about it. “I remember that adding a now bowl is to pray to add new people to the family in the coming year?”

Jiang Xie really didn’t know this. “Is that so?”

“It should mean to have many children and grandchildren.”

Jiang Xie instantly gave up on the new bowl. “We are enough. There is no need for more people.”

His words made Xie Xi jump and his thoughts become chaotic.

Jiang Xie added, “We should buy some paper cuttings. We can’t only place blessings on the windows.”

Xie Xi nodded. “Okay.”

Jiang Xie picked up some window paper cuttings and threw them into the trolley.

Xie Xi glanced at it and whispered, “Isn’t this used for marriage?” There was a big ‘double happiness’ character on it. (A symbol of good luck, especially for marriage)

Jiang Xie replied, “It doesn’t matter. A new year is a happy event and we should have many blessings to place on the windows.”

XIe Xi stated, “This is a double happiness.”

The word was for marriage but there was also the meaning of double happiness!

Jiang Xie pointed to the character. “You are on the left and I am on the right. Won’t we have happy things in the next year?” (He is referring to the characters, which are 囍. Wiki link with more info: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Double_Happiness_(calligraphy))

Happy events were the same as happiness! Although a happy event was truly good! But… but…

Jiang Xie pondered. “Child, your thoughts are very dangerous.”

Xie Xi suddenly looked up, feeling like his mind had been read.

Jiang Xie asked him, “Is it hard to be happy in the next year? Don’t you want Teacher to be happy?”

Xie Xi, “……”

He found he had no chance of winning when it came to ‘reasoning.’ Jiang Xie’s plot succeeded and there was no need to mention how happy he was.

How could Xiao Xie be so cute? It really made people want to fool him.

Then Jiang Xie thought about it and felt distressed. The child was too lacking in love that he didn’t know how to properly refuse when someone was good to him.

Jiang Xie didn’t want Xie Xi to refuse. He was willing to fill up all of Xie Xi’s missing things.

They were almost checking out when Xie Xi remembered the soy sauce was almost finished. The soy sauce section was slightly far away. Jiang Xie told him, “Wait, I’ll get a bottle.” Xie Xi asked with no confidence, “Teacher, can you recognize the right type?”

There were many soy sauce brands and he was afraid that Jiang Xie would buy the wrong one.

Jiang Xie replied, “Is it okay to buy the most expensive one?”

Xie Xi, “…” Well, there was no problem.

Xie Xi felt went to line up at the cash register. He was standing at the end of the queue when a voice was heard, “Xiao Xie?”

Xie Xi was surprised and turned to see Sun Muqing pushing a trolley. He smiled, “Brother.”

Sun Muqing smiled slightly and scratched his head. “It looked like you from behind but I didn’t expect it to be you.”

They hadn’t seen each other for a while. Originally, Sun Muqing had private work that he asked Xie Xi to help with but Xie Xi accepted Jiang Xie’s job. He couldn’t do both and found Sun Muqing to apologize and refuse.

Sun Muqing didn’t say much. He only said that he would find Xie Xi if there was another opportunity.

Xie Xi felt a bit guilty because of this and chatted for a bit longer.

Sun Muqing asked him, “Are you alone?” He looked at Xie Xi’s shopping trolley and found that many of them were expensive items from the import area.

Xie Xi was slightly nervous as he replied, “There is a family member.”

“Oh.” Sun Muqing didn’t ask much. “You look more energetic than you are at school.”

Xie Xi always bowed his head to hide from people at school and they generally didn’t notice his face. Sun Muqing had more contact with him and knew that Xie Xi was beautiful. He just hadn’t expected that Xie Xi would be so beautiful with no glasses and his hair pushed up.

Xie Xi smiled and didn’t know how to answer. He was a bit nervous and afraid that Jiang Xie would return at this time. He felt it wouldn’t be easy to explain if Jiang Xie was seen by Sun Muqing.

Fortunately, the person in front of Sun Muqing finished. Sun Muqing went forward and said, “Then I’m going first. I’ll see you at school.”

Xie Xi nodded. “I wish you a Happy New Year in advance.”

Sun Muqing repeated the same words and checked out first.

Xie Xi waited a bit longer before Jiang Xie came over with three bottles of soy sauce. “There was a promotion. It said that if we buy three, we can get one free.”

Xie Xi blinked. “Buy three, get one free. Is the free one to be sent to us?”

Jiang Xie’s face had a question mark. “It isn’t given at the time of settlement?”

Xie Xi laughed. “Of course not! We have to bring it directly when we buy it.”

Jiang Xie, “…”

Xie Xi handed the shopping trolley to him and said, “Wait, I’ll go check.”

It was rare to see Teacher Jiang’s mistake and Xiao Xie’s mood was particularly good.

The two of them bought a full trolley and filled three large shopping bags. After putting away the shopping trolley, Jiang Xie carried two bags while Xie Xi carried one.

They placed the bags in the trunk of the car and Xie Xi sorted things again because he was afraid the bottles and cans would collide with each other and break.

His back was turned so he didn’t see Sun Muqing in the distance. Sun Muqing was far away and only saw Xie Xi acting intimately with a tall man.

He froze and sneered in his heart, ‘No wonder why my private work wasn’t accepted. He has a gold lord and took advantage of his good looks.’

It wasn’t too early when Xie Xi and Jiang Xie returned home. Xie Xi started cooking while Jiang Xie wanted to help. Xie Xi couldn’t stop him and had to give him the task of washing vegetables.

Comrade Old Jiang did a very serious job and the skin of the tomatoes was almost washed away!

Xie Xi smiled at the sight and almost cut his own hand. They cooked the meal and both of them were a bit tired after eating.

Xie Xi told him, “I’ll take a shower first.” After going outside, the most comfortable thing was to take a shower.

Jiang Xie said he had something to deal with and went to the study.

Xie Xi went to the bathroom with a bath towel. He just washed his head and his body was covered in bubbles. He was able to wash them off when the original rapid water flow suddenly… disappeared!

Xie Xi’s eyes widened and he couldn’t believe it.

There was really nothing. Two drops of water dropped from the shower head and couldn’t even wash away a small bubble.

Why did the water stop? Surely they didn’t forget to pay the water bill because of the new year?

No, the water would stop just because they forget to pay the bill! A notice would just be posted on their door.

It was over. Surely a water pipe wasn’t broken…

Then Jiang Xie’s voice was heard from outside, “I received a text message stating that a water pipe in the area burst and is being repaired. Can you wash?”

Xie Xi couldn’t wash. He was covered in bath bubbles!