The Mushroom Effect - ZhanYi

Chapter 23

"Well, it's not that it's not okay..." He rarely felt embarrassed, especially in front of Wang Yibo. Rather than being awkward, he felt more shy, although he thought he shouldn't be shy as a person in his thirties.

Xiao Zhan glanced at the elevator and touched his nose, saying, "I never thought about asking you to cook. You don't have to do this. It's good for me to cook for you."

The sound of the prompt "ding" rang, and the elevator doors opened. Wang Yibo followed Xiao Zhan into the elevator, and his heartbeat quickened.

"It's good?" He heard himself ask, "Why is it good for you to cook for me?"

"Because..." Xiao Zhan's fingertips trembled, almost pressing the button for the floor above. He collected himself and pressed the target floor button after adjusting his fingers. He smiled and said, "I enjoy cooking, and it's even better when there's someone waiting to eat. It's nice."

Was it nice for anyone to wait and eat? Wang Yibo replied with an "Oh" and didn't say anything more.

After realizing his feelings for Xiao Zhan, Wang Yibo's sensitive thoughts only increased. He pondered over many things. For example, when Xiao Zhan said that, he started to wonder, Is Xiao Zhan's tenderness and thoughtfulness only for him, or is he just naturally a caring person who treats everyone this way?

This question had been bothering him for almost a year. He used to think it was strange to ask, but now he understood why he wanted to ask, and therefore he didn't dare to ask. What's the difference between asking this question and confessing?

Unaware of each other's inner thoughts, the elevator quietly arrived at their floor. At the end of the corridor, the glow of sunset spilled over the windowsill as they returned home.

Xiao Zhan placed the keys on the shoe rack and closed the door. Wang Yibo was about to bend down to change his shoes when Xiao Zhan stopped him. He looked at Xiao Zhan in confusion, and Xiao Zhan held his hand, saying, "Don't bend down, you've finally stopped feeling dizzy."

How can he take off his shoes without bending down? Before he could ask, Xiao Zhan answered him—naturally crouching down to help him change his shoes.

Wang Yibo was dumbfounded, his face turning red, and he instinctively backed away, leaning against the shoe rack. He struggled to speak, "Zhan, Zhan ge."

Xiao Zhan looked up at him, unaware that he had done something wrong. He lowered his head again and said, "Lift your foot, can you cooperate a bit? Xiao pengyou"

"I..." Wang Yibo felt his legs trembling, and his head was spinning as if congested. He couldn't even lift his leg anymore, and he whispered, "You can get up, I'll do it myself. Ge, you don't have to... How can I..."

"There's nothing to be embarrassed about, Yibo. Why do you feel embarrassed about every little thing?" Xiao Zhan said helplessly, holding his ankle and lifting it to remove the shoe.

Wang Yibo was so nervous that his whole body stiffened. He turned his head away, afraid to look at Xiao Zhan, his face turning red all the way to the base of his neck.

"Put on your slippers" Xiao Zhan stood up and said.

Wang Yibo obediently responded with a mosquito-like sound, forgetting what he had intended to do. He put on his slippers and stood still, watching Xiao Zhan change his shoes. Xiao Zhan placed their shoes in the shoe rack and turned his head with a smile, saying, "What's wrong? Your face is still red?"

"No." Before he could finish his sentence, he raised his hand to touch his face, more than just flustered.

"Oh, it's no big deal. Haven't your parents taken care of you like this when you were sick? Haven't you been embarrassed in more embarrassing situations? Are you only awkward like this?" Xiao Zhan joked, "You never had this many embarrassing moments before."

"That's what my parents do." Wang Yibo's face turned even redder, and he exclaimed in embarrassment and anger, "Are you my dad or my mom? Can you do the same things they do?"

Xiao Zhan continued to smile and said, "Yes, I can." He lowered his head and then lifted it again, wrapping his arm around Wang Yibo's shoulder, leading him back to the bedroom. "If you need it, why can't I do it?"

Wang Yibo was shocked and speechless. Xiao Zhan continued while walking, "We're married, and this is how we'll spend our lives together. Our parents are already old, and we'll have to take care of them in the future. We don't have children, so if we don't take care of each other, what will we do when we grow old? Shall we live together in a nursing home?"

That would be truly miserable, but Wang Yibo couldn't help but feel warmth in Xiao Zhan's embrace as they walked into the bedroom. It felt like the beginning of spending the rest of their lives together.

"I'm six years older than you. Right now, you're still young, so it's my job to take care of you. In the future, when I grow older before you" he paused and then laughed, turning on the bedroom light. He jokingly said, "Remember how I treat you now, and treat me the same way later. Don't you dare find fault with me, okay?"

"I won't." He should have laughed, as Xiao Zhan was just joking, and he couldn't expect him to take care of him in his old age. But he couldn't give a non-serious answer.

Perhaps it was the dusk, he could already see Wangjiang riverside and the banyan tree, Wang Yibo and Xiao Zhan with gray hair, walking hand in hand under the sunset. That image was so beautiful, surpassing the unreachable blue sky, making him anticipate a lifetime of growing old together.

"I'll remember, I'll remember it all." Wang Yibo looked at Xiao Zhan and smiled. "And you have to keep treating me like this, or else I'll get back at you in the future."

"You're quite clever, eating from a bowl and looking into the pot, and even making conditions for me." Xiao Zhan pinched his face, prompting him to roll onto the bed.

Wang Yibo glanced around and said, "If you scold me, I'll remember."

"Hey, you heartless kid." Xiao Zhan playfully threatened to hit him, and Wang Yibo burst into laughter. He sat back on the bed, loosening his tie, "Are you going to hit me? I'll remember that too."

"I won't hit you." Xiao Zhan withdrew his hand, tugged at the tie, and walked over to Wang Yibo. He smiled and said, "How can I dare to hit you, my honorable sir."

Wang Yibo took off his tie, his eyes filled with a mischievous glint, a look he often displayed before turning eighteen.

Xiao Zhan squatted down and took his tie. Wang Yibo asked, "What are you doing? I'm going to change clothes." Xiao Zhan teased, "Yes, I'll help you change. How can such a precious person like you change clothes by yourself? I'm the only one serving you, and it's already a hardship for you."

Wang Yibo burst into laughter instantly, "Come on, your mind is so small? Look at you, with your strange and ambiguous expression. It's so hilarious."

"Laugh all you want." Xiao Zhan said, then stood up, not continuing the teasing. He kicked Wang Yibo's leg and said, "Change your clothes and lie down for a while. Don't play 'King of Glory,' and don't set the air conditioner too low. I'll go cook, and after we eat, you can take a shower."

Wang Yibo watched him and smiled, waiting for him to finish speaking. "Got it, Mom."

Xiao Zhan clicked his tongue, turned around, and pointed at him, saying, "If you call me that, I'll really hit you. It's a mother's duty to discipline her child."

"Oh." Wang Yibo lifted his chin slightly and acted cute, saying, "I'm sorry."

"Hurry up and change your clothes." Xiao Zhan said impatiently, but he walked back to the bedside, picked up the remote control, helped him turn on the air conditioner, and adjusted the temperature and airflow direction before leaving.

Wang Yibo unbuttoned his uniform and looked at the door as it closed silently.

His fingertips brushed against the warm skin on his chest, and the cool breeze from the air conditioner fluttered the window curtains.

He took off his uniform, stood up, and grabbed his pajamas, catching a glimpse of the last rays of sunlight. They were vibrant and beautiful, confidently shining outside his window, as if showing off their beauty.

Suddenly, Wang Yibo thought to himself, "If only Xiao Zhan wasn't so outstanding."