Draft
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Su Jingyang was ready to set up the pavilion the next day but there wasn't much he needed to do. The stock of food, rice, tea, wine, firewood, tableware were all ordered from Liang Lu's acquaintance who he helped Su Jingyang contact. He only needed to wait for the delivery to arrive, so he didn't have to worry about it at all.
Su Jingyang and Ling Li spent half a day cleaning up and down as well as tidying the store. Ah-Xuan took a small rag in his hand and followed them from behind. After cleaning, they arranged the tables, chairs, and benches wherever they went. The lobby on the first floor plus the second floor totalled eleven tables, Su Jingyang thought that he should be able to handle it when the store finally opens.
Throwing the rag and broom down, Su Jingyang and Ling Li slumped on the chairs. They turned their heads in unison and smiled at each other. Ah-Xuan beat Su Jingyang's leg for a while and then pinched Ling Li's hands for a while, the little guy was very busy.
Su Jingyang went out to buy some rice and vegetables, he was just about to find Ling Li in the kitchen to make some food when Liang Lu suddenly ran over and brought a well-dressed, gentle-eyed woman that looked in her forties.
Su Jingyang didn't know her, so he pulled Liang Lu aside and asked him what he was doing. Liang Lu said that she was someone that could watch over Ah-Xuan in place of Ling Li. She was absolutely reliable and secure and guaranteed to not talk. Liang Lu could testify because the woman was his nanny, she was also a member of the Liang family.
Su Jingyang would've happy to have someone take care of Ah-Xuan, but... after all, she was the nanny of a big family, Su Jingyang was afraid that their small temple couldn't afford such a big buddha¹.
Liang Lu pointed to the woman who was smiling while holding Ah-Xuan and talking to Ling Li, he said: "She likes children and can't stay at home at all. She's also happy to be able to do something. The salary can be discussed, but it's better to be on the more normal rate."
Su Jingyang observed that she was indeed very patient with Ah-Xuan, he decided to keep the person but although wages were discounted, it still had to be reasonable.
Su Jingyang took advantage of the situation and left them to eat, wanting them to taste Ling Li's craftsmanship. Liang Lu, who was used to delicacies of gold and diamonds, was full of praise for Ling Li's craftsmanship, saying that he was capable of making even the simplest food extremely tasty. Once Liang Lu decided to become serious and dignified, his words were actually very convincing, Ling Li, who was still a little worried, felt relieved after hearing this.
Liang Lu assured Su Jingyang again, "As long as I'm still alive, you'll never be short of customers. Don't worry and just go for it."
After Su Jingyang sent Liang Lu and the nanny away, he went to the kitchen and found that Ling Li, who was half-heartedly washing the dishes, was in a daze.
Su Jingyang walked over to help him and asked softly: "What's wrong, are you too tired?"
"I'm not tired," Ling Li glanced back at him, he chuckled and shook his head, "It just... feels like I'm dreaming."
The ashes of his adoptive father had been scattered on this land, preventing him from leaving. He could only survive here with his child, often tossing and turning at night, worrying that Ah-Xuan would be left all alone after his death. Before meeting Su Jingyang, he felt that he would be like this for the rest of his life. But now, there were too many changes and too many differences, the beautiful ones made him feel unreal, but it also made him afraid of losing what he had.
Su Jingyang rolled up his sleeves to wash the dishes and smiled at him, "I'll get better in the future, Ah-Li, don't worry."
Once everything was stable, he would feel more at ease when he leaves.
The next day, some of the things he bought arrived. Su Jingyang closed the doors with Ling Li for a long time to tidy up inside. He went back to take a shower at night and fell asleep.
When he was pulled into the dream, he was in a trance for a while before reacting. He raised his hand and tried to push the man who was kissing his chest away. He couldn't push the man away, instead, his fingers were grabbed by the man and lightly bit.
Su Jingyang just laid down, he subconsciously thought that he couldn't move, but then he suddenly remembered that System no.1 had already given him authority. He had recovered his normal strength in this void dream realm.
Su Jingyang gritted his teeth and secretly gathered his strength, he pulled his hand back and pushed again and again, the person on his body was caught off guard by him and lay down on his side. Su Jingyang got up and wanted to hide, but he was quickly seized by the man's iron grip and pulled hard. Su Jingyang had no chance of resistance, so he panted and fell back on top of him.
Su Jingyang struggled for his life, but he was locked within a set of arms and couldn't get free.
The man embraced him and turned over, he pressed him back under him and kissed him passionately with soft lips.
When the hard thing stabbed into his body like a rod of iron, Su Jingyang gritted his teeth and endured it, while pinching the man's arm and secretly cursing his mother. What's the use of restoring his strength, what's the use?! He still couldn't fight this man! Su Jingyang could almost be sure that the man must be someone trained in martial arts, his own strength wasn't enough at all.
However, after a while, Su Jingyang found that not only wasn't his strength enough to overpower the man but that he also shot himself in the foot!
Before, Su Jingyang was soft and weak, he could only lie down and let the man play tricks. But now, this supposedly dim man realized that Su Jingyang had the strength to cooperate, he started to play with him and change to other positions.
Su Jingyang had done very little research on this aspect. In the beginning, he didn't understand the difference. When he was entered the deepest he had been done, Su Jingyang reacted a little slowly. His gasp was stuck in his throat, his face flushed and he shook his head vigorously. He was trembling all over, his tears burst out almost instantly and his breath almost stopped, the sensation of tingles in his back made him have a kind of panic!
He wanted to hide and escape, but his waist was clasped by those powerful hands and he was forced to move up and down and spit out that thing that seemed to grow bigger and bigger. Even though he grabbed, beat, bit hard, the slender hands tightly pinching his waist didn't budge at all.
The man felt Su Jingyang's resistance and seemed a little confused. He didn't know what was wrong with him. Finally, he held him in his arms to comfort him and wanted to kiss him, but Su Jingyang avoided his lips and turned his head away.
Su Jingyang didn't know if he was innocent. He was the one who dragged the man into this mess.
After appearing here, his sense of autonomy was removed and he didn't know what he was doing. Even so, Su Jingyang still couldn't restrain the repugnance in his heart.
The man didn't kiss him, as if a little depressed, his chest silently rose up and down. Su Jingyang closed his eyes, he was exhausted physically and mentally, unable to lift himself.
When Su Jingyang returned to his bed there were still tears on his face, the pain in his butt was about to explode. What's more terrifying is that there still seemed to be something that was stabbing his stomach, constantly churning his internal organs.
Su Jingyang gritted his teeth, he pulled the quilt over to cover his head and there was endless sadness in his heart. There was no way to resist, and the days of violating his hopes seemed to have no end. He really wanted to just go to sleep like this.
Suddenly, the dog system ran out to taunt him: "Don't you trust it? How does it feel to be granted permission by it? Are you unhappy?"
Su Jingyang's breath trembled constantly, he couldn't help but explode: "It's better than being paralyzed! Get out!!!"
Su Jingyang had long been accustomed to talking to the system in his thoughts, but this time he was so annoyed that he only realized that he had spoken aloud after finishing.
Su Jingyang hurriedly covered his mouth, after a while, there was movement in the next room.
Su Jingyang didn't care about fighting with the system anymore, he quickly wiped the tears from his face, pulled himself out of the quilt, and adjusted his breathing within two inhales.
Ling Li had brought a warm candle with him and quickly appeared in front of Su Jingyang's bed. His originally cold face was reflected in the light of the fire, with a soft lustre like warm jade.
Ling Li saw Su Jingyang's wide-open eyes, turbulent hair, wet eyelashes, and the tears on his face. After a while, he drew closer and whispered, "Jingyang, did you have a nightmare?"
Su Jingyang could only admit that. He slowed down his movements, not wanting Ling Li to see that something was wrong, and said to him in a slightly hoarse voice: "I'm fine, you should go back to sleep."
Ling Li frowned, "What kind of nightmare could make you cry like this? I'll accompany you." Putting the lamp on a side stool, Ling Li took off his shoes and went to bed.
Su Jingyang's body tensed for a while, his body was full of traces and smells from an affair. He was afraid that Ling Li would discover it.
But Ling Li didn't get inside his quilt, he just lay down with his clothes on and reached out to pat his shoulder through the quilt. His eyes flashed with soft light, "Don't be afraid, go to sleep."
The tip of Su Jingyang's nose was full of the faint smell coming from Ling Li's body, his irritable heart was soothed and he gradually eased down.
Su Jingyang breathed a sigh of relief and said to Ling Li: "I'm really fine, I'm already too old."
"You're not that old, still like a child." Ling Li said.
The corners of Su Jingyang's mouth couldn't help but twitch twice after hearing what he said, he retorted in a very low voice, "You're two years younger than me..."
Ling Li said: "Alright, I'm listening to any movements from Ah-Xuan, I'll go back once you fall asleep."
"Sure," Su Jingyang moved the quilt to include him in it and laid on the bed with a dazed expression.
Su Jingyang felt Ling Li watch him quietly, occasionally stretching out his hand and patting him twice on the shoulder. Su Jingyang couldn't remember when he went to sleep.
When Su Jingyang woke up the next day, he tried to wipe away the haze in his heart but he still did what he should do, after all, life would still go on. But this time he was ravaged and walked with his legs a little awkwardly. Ling Li noticed and asked in concern, but he could only vaguely say that it was just a leg cramp.
After eating breakfast, Su Jingyang suddenly remembered that he had forgotten to return Ah-Yi's clothes. He took the clothes and knocked on his door, but there was no response for a long time. Did he go out this early morning?
He and Ling Li stayed in the Lin Ji pavilion for several days without paying attention to the situation next door. Su Jingyang waited listlessly for a while, but no one came out. He put the clothes back home and went to Lin Ji pavilion with Ling Li and Ah-Xuan. Liang Lu said that the signboard had been completed and would be delivered today, they could officially open once they were ready.
Hearing the steps of the few people outside, Ah-Yi, who was lying on a recliner with his arms crossed, slowly opened his eyes; they were freezing.
He dreamt again, a dream once in every five days.
A fiery body, soft lips, clean temperament, and low breaths... all intertwined into an enchanting dream that had been entangling him for a long time. He seemed to have discarded everything, once immersed in the dream, indulging himself in entanglement with that wonderful body, doing his best to enjoy as much as he could.
Every time he woke up from this dream that seemed long but short, clear but vague, and true but vain, he would be in a trance for a long time before returning to his senses.
He had always wondered if he had been caught by some witchcraft. But no one knew better than himself, he would never be controlled by these things, but he couldn't find any other flaws.
The dream last night had almost forgotten, but those hot tears seemed to be deeply embedded in his heart, even if he wanted to forget it.
For the first time, he felt more strongly than ever that the person in the dream seemed to be forced and unwilling. If this really was just a dream of nothingness, then he should be the highest authority, but if it wasn't a dream, then the same situation would repeat itself again. What was the solution? How does he control his behaviour? What does he need to do to find the person in his dreams?
Ah-Yi lowered his long eyelashes, his eyes were full of ill-temper and his expression became increasingly dark and unpredictable.
At that moment, a slender figure intruded using the open window, red skirts billowed with graceful movements. As soon as she came in, she approached in the direction of the recliner, talking while walking, her voice sounding extremely unpleased, "Rong Ci, why is there a chicken in your yard?"
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Notes:
1- Basically saying that she would outrank them, their employer.
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PastTimer: A new character! Sorry, I'm late, my phone had been glitching as of late and I need to do several papers in an unpractically short timespan. Wish me luck! <3