My Little Boy is Always Teasing Me | Chapter 25 | A Lesson in Roles | Novela.app

Zhang Siyi noticed that his brother was a bit out of it today. In the middle of their conversations, Jiang Yuan would suddenly space out, his expression shifting between a frown and a silly, smitten grin, as if he were possessed. Little did he know, Jiang Yuan was currently agonizing over how to end his nineteen-year streak of single life. Xie Chengnan’s reaction last night was enough to prove that the man wasn't entirely uninterested in men. But upon further reflection, Jiang Yuan wasn't sure if the older man was just thin-skinned and simply felt embarrassed. Just as a straight man might blush when seeing a woman undress, it was often just out of shyness and didn't necessarily mean they had "intentions." Otherwise, there was no way to explain why they had rolled around on the same bed several times without a single spark catching fire. Jiang Yuan sighed, feeling another batch of his brain cells wither away. In the past, he could make people's hearts race just by showing his face. Who would have thought there would come a day when he’d strip down, only for the other person to tuck him in for a purely platonic chat? It was tragic. With a long face, Jiang Yuan asked Zhang Siyi, "Has my attractiveness level dropped lately?" Zhang Siyi gave him a resentful look. "Brother, please leave a path for us common folk to live..." Jiang Yuan knitted his brows and asked, "Then, if a gay guy lies on the same bed as me and has no reaction, what does that mean?" Zhang Siyi shrugged. "Either your roles clash, or the guy just can't get it up." Jiang Yuan was suddenly struck by a realization. He actually didn't know which "number" Xie Chengnan was... As a former straight man who had been "bent" halfway through life, Jiang Yuan naturally assumed he was a One. But thinking about Xie Chengnan’s demeanor... The young master felt the weight of life's hardships once again. He slumped, asking listlessly, "What do you do if the roles clash?" Zhang Siyi was shocked. "Brother, are you thinking about cheating already?!" The shout made Jiang Yuan’s head throb. He said speechlessly, "Which eye of yours sees me cheating?!" "Then why are you asking about clashing roles..." Zhang Siyi finally caught on halfway through. "Are you talking about you and Brother Xie?" Jiang Yuan sighed and nodded. "No way?!" Zhang Siyi looked stunned. "Haven't you two already..." It was only then that Zhang Siyi remembered his brother had never explicitly said he and Xie Chengnan had done anything R-rated. Looking back, he had probably filled in too many blanks with his own imagination. His brother was still in a Platonic stage, nowhere near hitting a home run. Guessing the truth, Young Master Zhang hissed as if he had a toothache. He muttered, "Then that really is a bit tricky..." Jiang Yuan felt defeated. He had finally confirmed the man's orientation, only to get stuck on a critical issue. Why was falling in love so difficult for him? Zhang Siyi kept stealing glances from the side. Seeing his hesitant expression, Jiang Yuan snapped irritably, "If you have something to say, say it." "Ahem." Zhang Siyi cleared his throat. "Well, I think... Brother, why don't you try switching roles?" Jiang Yuan froze for a moment, then immediately balked when he realized what was being suggested. "Why should I switch? Why can't he switch!" Zhang Siyi replied cautiously, "No matter how you look at him, Brother Xie doesn't look like a Zero..." "Do I look like a Zero then?!" Jiang Yuan slammed the table in annoyance. "Where do I look like a Zero?!" Zhang Siyi wiped his face. "Do you want the truth or a lie?" Jiang Yuan: "..." Why did he suddenly feel speechless? Before Jiang Yuan could recover from the realization that he looked like a "Zero," Zhang Siyi began to coax him further. "Brother, you're already bent, so why are you still holding onto that straight-man mindset? What's so good about being a One? Only after you've been a Zero will you know what true bliss is. It’ll definitely open the doors to a whole new world for you~" Jiang Yuan wavered, asking suspiciously, "Really?" Zhang Siyi patted his chest in guarantee. "Truer than gold." He then added, "How about I send you a few movies so you can observe and learn first?" Jiang Yuan thought about it and decided it was a good idea. His knowledge in this area was indeed lacking. Regardless of whether he ended up as a One or a Zero, brushing up on the basics couldn't hurt. After receiving his brother's approval, Zhang Siyi very generously shared several gigabytes from his film library. After dinner, Jiang Yuan locked himself in his room and opened his laptop with a bit of nerves. He wasn't actually as knowledgeable about homosexuality as he acted. Although he had heard plenty of messy stories about the "circle," when it came down to the actual details, he was completely in the dark. Because he was considering the possibility of being a Zero, Jiang Yuan paid special attention to the "bottom" once the movie started. Then, the fearless Young Master Jiang’s fingers trembled as he slammed the laptop screen shut against the desk. He felt physically unwell. The young master, watching such a film for the first time, felt his entire worldview shatter. He covered his face, completely unable to look at the content. With trembling hands, he took out his phone and sent a WeChat message to Zhang Siyi. **Your Little Baby Yuan:** I think... **Your Little Baby Yuan:** I'm straight again... **Your Little Baby Yuan:** Dead straight! Perfectly straight! **Z.sy:** ????? Professor Xie, who was currently typing code in the studio, had no idea that the "kiddo" just one room away had forcibly "straightened" himself back out because of a movie. When Xie Chengnan came downstairs, he saw Jiang Yuan leaning against the kitchen counter, gulping down half a glass of water before cursing under his breath, "Fuck!" Scenes from those eye-searing, restricted-rated movies were currently flashing through his mind like a revolving lantern. He felt that if this continued, he didn't know if Xie Chengnan would be "unable," but he himself would definitely be "unable." Seeing his shifting expressions, Xie Chengnan walked over with concern. "What's wrong?" Hearing the voice, Jiang Yuan looked up and met Xie Chengnan’s deep, focused eyes. In an instant, he felt himself "bend" again. Then, by some strange impulse, he glanced at the man’s crotch, and instantly felt himself "straighten" again. Just like that, he went from bent to straight to bent, falling into a state of total confusion and bewilderment. The older man had no idea about the internal war the kid was fighting. Seeing his dazed and soul-shaken appearance, Xie Chengnan thought he was having another episode. He reached out with his long arms and picked him up from the front. "Where is the medicine?" Jiang Yuan was startled and instinctively wrapped his legs around the man's waist. He stammered, "Medicine... what medicine?" Xie Chengnan gave him a deep look without speaking, and Jiang Yuan knew then that the man had found out about his depression. "Sorry," Xie Chengnan said. "I was so worried yesterday that I called your grandfather to ask." Jiang Yuan buried his face in the man's shoulder, not feeling particularly angry. "I didn't mean to hide it from you. I just didn't want you to look at me like a patient." "I know." Xie Chengnan placed him steadily on the bed in the master bedroom and looked down at him solemnly. "But Yuan, I hope you'll tell me the moment you feel unwell. I looked up some information last night; they say this illness relapses easily, and in severe cases, patients might even have suicidal thoughts..." Jiang Yuan knew Xie Chengnan was worried about him. He reached out to cup the man's face, reassuring him, "I promise you, if I feel unwell, I'll tell you immediately." "Good." Having received the promise, Xie Chengnan finally breathed a sigh of relief. Only then did he have the energy to ask, "So, do you want to tell me what was wrong just now?" To his surprise, as soon as he finished speaking, Jiang Yuan’s fair little face instantly turned a shade of red so deep it looked like it might bleed. "No... it was nothing..." Jiang Yuan’s eyes darted around guiltily. Xie Chengnan looked at him suspiciously, guessing he was hiding something. However, seeing that it wasn't a physical ailment, he didn't press further. He stood up and patted Jiang Yuan’s head helplessly. "Then get some rest early. Don't overthink things." As he stood up straight, Jiang Yuan’s face happened to be level with his crotch. Those "indescribable" scenes flashed through the young master's mind frame by frame again, and his brain automatically replaced the actors' faces with theirs. Jiang Yuan: "..." Feeling his heart thumping wildly against his ribs, the young master finally understood. It wasn't that he wasn't bent; it was that he wasn't *entirely* bent. He probably only had a reaction to Xie Chengnan... Xie Chengnan also sensed that their current positions were a bit strange. He silently took a step back and cleared his throat. "Ahem, then sleep early. I'm going back." Jiang Yuan slowly clutched his chest, looking up at him with a pitiful expression. "My chest hurts..." Xie Chengnan: "..." Jiang Yuan: "Rub it for me." Xie Chengnan: "..." *I suspect you're lying to me, but I have no evidence...* Despite suspecting the kid was acting, Professor Xie resigned himself to his fate. He reached out and rubbed the boy's chest a few times. Once finished, he asked with a wooden face, "Better?" The young master was utterly shameless. "Much better. Why don't you just sleep here tonight? If I feel unwell, I can call you." Xie Chengnan: "..." The two stared at each other for a long time—one looking conflicted, the other looking pitiful. In the end, Professor Xie admitted defeat. Xie Chengnan sighed. "I'll go get my quilt." The young master asked with a very serious face, "Wasn't your quilt taken to be washed?" Xie Chengnan looked blank. "When was it washed? Why didn't I know?" The young master revealed a pure and harmless smile. "Oh, I washed it when I got home from school. Yeah, you were probably still in the studio then." No matter how slow Xie Chengnan was, he finally realized it now. The kid had planned out the entire evening perfectly, just waiting for him to walk right into the trap. ***