The Complete Guide to the Use and Care (41-end)

42

Chapter Forty-two

For the past few nights Su Yuyang had concentrated on reading the novel and writing a detailed outline, so every morning he had difficulty waking up. Having learned from the previous incident, Ling Miao also didn’t put too much effort into getting Su Yuyang out of bed, so Su Yuyang would often sleep until one or two o’clock in the afternoon. He didn’t even go to the gym any more. To this, Ling Miao only said: “Wasteful. Rich and tasteless.”

Another morning arrived. Ling Miao was woken from his dreams by the sound of his alarm. Thinking that Su Yuyang wouldn’t be up at this hour anyway, Ling Miao wrapped himself back up in his blankets and continued to sleep.

“Aah—” Su Yuyang stretched lazily and the tears he squeezed from his eyes wet his cheeks.

Yesterday, he’d finally finished reading Ling Miao’s novel and had gone to bed early as a result. Although his biological clock was still in some disarray, his eyes had still opened at 10 o’clock or so.

“So hungry…” Su Yuyang grumbled as he walked out of his bedroom.

Someone who has just gotten up, especially someone like Su Yuyang, who was still about 25 percent asleep, has a brain that functions at less than 10 percent capacity. In addition, Su Yuyang’s line of sight was directed upwards, so he didn’t notice underfoot…

Thunk—

Squeak—

“Oww—”

The sounds of crashing objects, a chair moving against the floor, and a human wail came one after the other, and a certain person who was sleeping on the floor covered his head with his blanket. Then he turned over, unhappily said, “Mm,” twice, and the living room regained its quiet.

“Aah!” Su Yuyang sat on the floor and frustratedly rubbing his forehead, which had just engaged in a passionate kiss with the back of a chair.

Su Yuyang’s slightly foggy brain was now completely clear. As the pain subsided some, he raised his head to look for the thing that had tripped him.

Strictly speaking, it was two human legs that had tripped Su Yuyang.

The owner of the two legs was currently facing the wall with his back to Su Yuyang, looking as if he was reflecting on his actions—if he had been standing, that is.

The owner of the legs that had tripped Su Yuyang was, naturally, Ling Miao.

Ling Miao reflexively burrowed his head into his blanket. He occasionally laughed, as if something joyous was happening in his sleep.

Usually, Ling Miao slept later and woke earlier than Su Yuyang, and Su Yuyang wasn’t a sleepwalker, so he had never noticed that Ling Miao’s sleeping location was unsuitable. Mm. Today he realized.

Su Yuyang slowly stood up, walked to Ling Miao’s side, bent at the waist, picked up a corner of the blanket, and pulled up sharply. Feeling the covering being pulled away, Ling Miao’s legs clasped the blanket tight and he rolled back and forth on the ground, pressing the blanket firmly beneath him. Su Yuyang saw this and realized he wouldn’t be able to wake Ling Miao if he didn’t use more force, so he didn’t stand on ceremony.

Su Yuyang let go of the blanket and squatted down. Looking at Ling Miao’s exposed thigh, he put his thumb and forefinger on it and pinched them together, hard.

Several seconds later an ear-splitting yell emanated from Su Yuyang’s house, followed by a half-awake shout: “Su Yuyang, I bought a watch last year! ¹ Goddamn, you don’t have to use that much force, do you?! You’re unhappy, so you pinch me to let it out?”