My Little Boy is Always Teasing Me | Chapter 34 | Shaky Hands and Sincere Hearts | Novela.app

While Xie Chengnan began researching the technical aspects, Jiang Yuan was busy interacting with Jason on Weibo. **Young Master Yuan:** *Replying to @JasonIsJasonToday: Have you made the bed? Have you swept the floor? How do you have time to browse Weibo? [Dog-head emoji] //@JasonIsJasonToday: It’s not a coincidence, it’s really me. Jason has started a Weibo account too!* Jiang Yuan scrolled through the replies. Most people assumed the account was run by Nan Yuan Technology—a standard marketing gimmick to generate hype using the "Nan-Yuan Couple" tag and promote the company’s robotics business. This guess was half-true and half-false. Jiang Yuan was at a loss, unsure how Jason could prove he was a robot and not a human on the internet; it was both frustrating and hilarious. Following the events of the previous day, the attention they received when Xie Chengnan dropped Jiang Yuan off at school had noticeably increased. Fortunately, the atmosphere at Nancheng University was open-minded. The students were mostly just curious, showing no signs of hostility. Xie Chengnan observed for a moment before finally relaxing. "I have to go into the lab today, so I’ll likely be busy until quite late. Have Siyi eat dinner with you. I’ll try to get home as early as possible." "Got it." The young master stood there obediently, his finger secretly hooking around Xie Chengnan’s pinky. "I’m heading up then. You go to the office." Xie Chengnan arched an eyebrow. The boy had been so passionate yesterday; why was he being so cold today? Just as Professor Xie leaned down to claim his "benefits," he was pushed away—not too hard, but firmly—by his boyfriend. Xie Chengnan: ??? Jiang Yuan cleared his throat and greeted the elderly professor standing behind his boyfriend, who had been waiting for them to finish. "Good morning, Professor Duan." Xie Chengnan turned around, looking surprised. "How did you find your way here? I was planning to swing by the research institute to pick you up in a bit." Professor Duan, carrying his briefcase, looked at Xie Chengnan and then at Jiang Yuan, a knowing smile spreading across his face. "Ahem. Yesterday, I was having a drink with Professor Li, who teaches Microeconomics. I mentioned I was visiting your company today, and it turns out he knows you. He told me to catch a ride with him and wait here, saying I’d definitely run into you." Jiang Yuan’s morning class happened to be Microeconomics. Having come out so thoroughly that even his subject professor knew about it, the young master felt a bit awkward. He rubbed his nose and said sheepishly, "You two carry on. I’m heading up first." Xie Chengnan, however, was perfectly composed. He pulled his boyfriend close, pressed a tender kiss to his forehead, and said softly, "Call me if anything happens." Professor Duan: "Cough, cough, cough..." The young master glared at the "old rogue," his ears turning bright red as he bolted. Jiang Yuan sat through half the lecture with his head propped on his hand, feeling bored. Eventually, he and Zhang Siyi hid in the back row to play PUBG together. "Bro, someone’s on me!" Zhang Siyi whispered urgently for help. After looting a crate, Jiang Yuan checked Zhang Siyi’s position and set up his sniper rifle. However, he missed two shots in a row, and the opponent pinpointed his location, taking him out with a headshot. "Tsk." Jiang Yuan took off his headphones. "I’m done. My 'hand-feel' is off today." Zhang Siyi was eliminated shortly after. He rubbed his chin, pondering. "Bro, you’re off your game today. Why are your hands shaking so much?" Jiang Yuan froze for a second before slamming Zhang Siyi’s head down onto the desk. "Whose hands are shaking?" Zhang Siyi didn't understand why his cousin was suddenly so angry. He felt a bit wronged. "You usually get a kill with every shot. You’ve played three rounds today and haven't hit a single person with the sniper." Knowing exactly why his hands were shaking, the young master’s embarrassment turned into rage. "Shut up! You talk too much!" Zhang Siyi silently shut his mouth, unsure of what he had said wrong. Jiang Yuan pulled his hand back. "How’s that guy from last night?" "Brother Xie sent me the money, and I gave him two hundred thousand. It’s enough for him to fix his nose and get some bone shaving while he’s at it." Zhang Siyi didn't care much. "As long as the money is right, he won't dare cause trouble." Jiang Yuan was somewhat speechless. "You know exactly what kind of people they are. Why do you still hang out with them?" The corner of Zhang Siyi’s mouth twitched into a rare, bitter smile. "I just wanted to find others like me." He finished and leaned on the desk, looking at Jiang Yuan. "Bro, do you remember what happened back in high school?" Jiang Yuan naturally remembered. When Zhang Siyi’s heart first stirred in high school, he fell for one of his buddies. That guy was originally straight and had a girlfriend, but after Zhang Siyi confessed, he accepted—perhaps because he found it novel and exciting, or perhaps because he really did like Zhang Siyi a little. At first, things were great. They went to school and came home together, sticking to each other like glue. The most "outrageous" thing they did was hide from others to steal a quick hand-hold or a hug. Zhang Siyi was very generous to his boyfriend. Limited edition sneakers, the latest phones—he bought them all as soon as they hit the market to please him. But as time went on, the young and hot-blooded couple inevitably felt some restlessness. That was when the conflict began. The guy realized he couldn't accept kissing a man, let alone any other intimate acts. After being rejected multiple times, Zhang Siyi grew frustrated, feeling the other person was a liar who had only pretended to be gay for the money. The relationship ended on a sour note. The jerk intentionally told everyone about Zhang Siyi’s sexual orientation, while he himself—having had a girlfriend before—washed his hands of the whole thing. Zhang Siyi said in a low voice, "For a long time after that, I was alone. Everyone looked at me like I was a freak, terrified that being near me would make others think they were gay too. Fortunately, I met Brother Sheng back then. He brought me into the gay scene and I realized there are actually many people like me in this world. Otherwise, I probably would have ended up depressed." Jiang Yuan patted Zhang Siyi’s shoulder. He hadn't expected his seemingly carefree cousin to be harboring so much. It was as if a floodgate had opened; Zhang Siyi bared his heart to Jiang Yuan for the first time. "I know that scene is messy, but is the 'Second-Generation' circle any better? Those people only play with me because of my status as the Zhang family’s young master. They might not say it to my face, but who knows what they’re thinking behind my back. Since it’s all about my money anyway, it doesn't matter who I play with. Why make myself miserable?" Zhang Siyi might look foolish, but he was actually very clear-headed. Jiang Yuan’s luck compared to Zhang Siyi’s was likely that he realized his orientation late. The people surrounding him now wouldn't distance themselves just because he was gay, because they were pragmatic and had clear objectives. Jiang Yuan leaned back against his chair, thinking how ridiculous the world was. The surname he loathed the most had ultimately become his greatest source of confidence. It was truly ironic. Jiang Yuan reached out and ruffled Zhang Siyi’s hair. "I won't nag you about your poor choice in friends anymore. But you should still find a proper boyfriend and have a real relationship. Don't just mess around." "Is it that I don't want to?" Zhang Siyi looked at him miserably. "Everyone in that circle is like that, and I don't dare look for a straight guy again." Zhang Siyi sighed. "Sometimes I really envy you. Brother Xie is so excellent and so devoted to you. He’s even willing to 'stay vegetarian' just to be with you. That’s definitely true love." "Tsk." The young master thought of those missed shots today and his legs, which were still a bit sore from the friction. He gritted his teeth and said, "Don't you think about it—if it weren't for him, would I be 'bent'? Would I be worrying about this crap? It’s all his fault!" *** President Xie, who was currently leading Professor Duan on a tour of the laboratory, suddenly let out a loud sneeze. Shen Qinian handed him a tissue. "Caught a cold?" "I'm fine." Xie Chengnan rubbed his nose. "Maybe A-Yuan is talking about me." Vice President Shen rolled his eyes, refusing to swallow this serving of "dog food." Professor Duan was studying a robot frame on the workbench. Xie Chengnan introduced it to him. "This is my latest concept: a medical home robot." Professor Duan adjusted his glasses. "That sounds novel." Xie Chengnan continued, "The initial considerations are basic diagnostic functions and emergency response capabilities for sudden illnesses." "Tell me more?" Professor Duan asked curiously. "For example, full-body scanning and blood testing functions." Xie Chengnan turned on the wall projector to show Professor Duan his designs. "After testing, the data can be sent in real-time to a specialist. The doctor can then determine the cause and prescribe a medication plan. As for emergency capabilities—say someone has a sudden stroke at home—the medical robot can quickly identify the cause and perform appropriate first aid, maintaining the patient's vital signs as much as possible until the ambulance arrives." Professor Duan’s eyes lit up. "If this succeeds, it will be a breakthrough in multiple fields!" Xie Chengnan said modestly, "It’s still in the early R&D stages. Because it involves medical issues, we still need to seek help from professionals." Professor Duan immediately pulled out his phone and began scrolling through his contacts. "What kind of experts do you need? I know some old professors—some study viruses, some human immunity, others are in clinical medicine or genetic diseases... I can't really tell them apart. You tell me what you're looking for, and I'll ask for you." Shen Qinian stood by, dumbfounded. He eagerly poured another cup of tea for Professor Duan. "Oh, my dear Professor Duan, you really are our savior!" The Vice President was moved nearly to tears. These old professors were the type of people you couldn't hire even with money. When Xie Chengnan had asked him for people, Shen Qinian had almost rolled up his sleeves to fight him. Professor Duan waved his hand and sighed with emotion. "What AI researcher hasn't had the ambition to change the world? Unfortunately, my abilities are limited; I have no hope of seeing it in my lifetime." He patted Xie Chengnan’s shoulder. "I really want to see how far you boys can go. I can't help much with other things, but over the years, I’ve met many friends in research. I can act as a bridge for you." "You are far too modest," Xie Chengnan said seriously. "I’ve been looking for an opportunity to formally thank you. Without your help, our company wouldn't have been able to go into production so quickly." "I just moved my lips a bit; it’s your own talent that did the work." Professor Duan didn't think much of it. "I heard from Mayor Sun that you’ve decided to donate a hundred robots to the city?" Shen Qinian explained the cooperation agreement between the two parties. Professor Duan asked curiously, "How are those robots coming along?" Xie Chengnan stood up and smiled. "Let me take you to see them." "Let's go, let's go." Professor Duan’s excitement was high. "I wanted to see that little robot of yours last time, but I was too embarrassed to ask." Xie Chengnan laughed. "If you're interested, you're welcome to come to my place anytime to see him. This batch of robot volunteers are derivatives of Jason. They don't have as much autonomy, but their safety and stability are higher—after all, they’ll be placed in public spaces." Professor Duan nodded in agreement. "You’ve considered that well." *** **Glossary** Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation ---|---|--- 微观经济学 | Microeconomics | The subject Jiang Yuan is studying. 老流氓 | Old rogue / Scoundrel | A teasing/affectionate term Jiang Yuan uses for Xie Chengnan. 手感 | Hand-feel | A gaming term referring to one's state of performance or "touch." 家庭医疗型机器人 | Medical home robot | Xie Chengnan's new R&D project. 南城大学 | Nancheng University | The university the characters attend (often abbreviated as Nan Da).