"Let's have five jin of plain steamed and blanched crayfish. Little Ci can't eat spicy food lately," Shen Yannian told Liang Tian with a smile.
It took Liang Tian quite a while to process those words before he understood what was going on.
Well, damn. Just damn! These two had already done the deed last night! They certainly moved fast.
When Su Cimu saw Liang Tian looking at him with such pity, he was instantly ready to bristle.
But before he could flare up, Shen Yannian soothed him:
"It's all my fault. You'll have to put up with this today, Little Ci. Once you've recovered, I'll bring you here again, all right?"
At that, Su Cimu gave him a look that said, "That's more like it," and let the matter drop.
Once the crayfish, cold beer, and drinking snacks had all arrived, Liang Tian poured each of them a glass of beer.
"Here's to our Mumu taking first place again tonight, and congratulations to Second Master Shen for coming second in his very first exhibition race!"
"Cheers!"
Su Cimu raised his glass and clinked it hard against the other two, then gulped down almost half his beer.
Shen Yannian chuckled and took a couple of sips from his glass.
He didn't like beer and rarely drank it. People in their circle drank red wine and baijiu; in their eyes, beer was rather beneath them.
"Ah- that hits the spot. It's been ages since I enjoyed a drink this much," Su Cimu said with a sigh.
"You don't really like beer, do you, Second Master Shen?"
Liang Tian was good at reading people and could tell at a glance that Shen Yannian wasn't quite comfortable in this setting.
Shen Yannian didn't deny it. He smiled.
"Tsk, a hole-in-the-wall like this obviously isn't classy enough for Second Master Shen. Making someone as important as you eat here with us must be such an ordeal."
"Baby, enough with the sarcasm. I just don't come to places like this often. I'm not looking down on it."
Shen Yannian sighed helplessly. The little ancestor sitting beside him really was hard to please. One wrong move and he would slap a damning label on him.
"Anyway, let me tell you this: whether you're used to it or not, this is how I grew up. If you look down on it, we should break off the engagement now, instead of getting divorced later over incompatible personalities."
"Su Cimu, take that back. Marriage isn't a game. I reminded you of that the night we got engaged."
Shen Yannian's expression turned cold the moment he heard Su Cimu's words.
Su Cimu's attitude toward their marriage displeased him greatly, as though he were someone Su Cimu could abandon whenever he pleased.
Liang Tian was so frightened that he didn't even dare eat his crayfish. He had no idea why things had suddenly become so tense between them.
"Ahem, Mumu was only joking. Don't hold it against him, Second Master Shen. He speaks without thinking," Liang Tian couldn't help saying in Su Cimu's defense.
Shen Yannian said nothing and began shelling crayfish.
After being snapped at by Shen Yannian, Su Cimu was unhappy too. He turned his head away and refused to acknowledge him.
Liang Tian felt terribly awkward and could only eat his crayfish in silence.
Before long, Su Cimu's bowl was piled high with shelled crayfish.
"Eat. I was wrong just now. My tone was too harsh. Young Master Su, you're a generous soul. Don't hold it against me, all right?"
"Hmph. Since you shelled these for me, I'll forgive you this time. Shen Yannian, I hate people talking to me in a lecturing tone, and you're no exception," Su Cimu said, looking at him with utter seriousness.
"All right. I'll remember. It won't happen again."
Shen Yannian felt helpless. Having gotten engaged to someone ten years younger than himself, this was all something he ought to bear.
Seeing the two make up at lightning speed, Liang Tian couldn't help breathing a sigh of relief.
I'm never eating with these two ancestors again. It's too nerve-racking.
For most of this late-night meal, Liang Tian and Su Cimu did the eating, while Shen Yannian was responsible only for shelling crayfish for Su Cimu and attending to him.
Afterward, Liang Tian and Su Cimu nearly hugged each other as they bragged away. Displeased, Shen Yannian separated them and drew Su Cimu into his arms.
"Little Tiantian, how are you getting home? Let my Old Shen give you a ride. He didn't drink, so he can drive!"
"I had a sip. I can't drive. The driver's on his way. He'll take all of us home," Shen Yannian said with utter helplessness, pressing a hand to his forehead.
Even a single sip would make it drunk driving. There was no room for taking any chances.
"Wow, Mumu, your husband's so law-abiding! A thumbs-up for your husband!"
Liang Tian gave Shen Yannian a thumbs-up, then flashed Su Cimu a goofy smile.
The driver arrived shortly afterward.
Liang Tian sat in the front passenger seat, while Shen Yannian sat in the back with Su Cimu in his arms.
"Take him home first. Baby, tell us Liang Tian's address."
Liang Tian was already completely out of it and snoring away, so Shen Yannian could only turn to ask the person in his arms.
"Huh? What address? I don't know... I'm going to sleep. Don't bother me!"
Leaning against Shen Yannian's shoulder, Su Cimu nearly slapped him across the face. Fortunately, Shen Yannian reacted quickly enough to avoid the blow.
"Second Master, what now?" The driver looked at Shen Yannian in the rearview mirror, somewhat at a loss.
Shen Yannian adjusted his glasses, then spoke:
"Back to Huaishan Manor."
"Yes, sir."
Huaishan Manor was the residence Shen Yannian had previously brought Su Cimu to familiarize him with, and it was also the house where Shen Yannian stayed most often.
Once they arrived at Huaishan Manor, Shen Yannian handed the drunken Liang Tian over to Butler Shen to settle in, while he scooped Su Cimu up in his arms and headed straight back to the bedroom.
Back in the bedroom, Young Master Su, who had been sleeping like the dead a moment earlier, suddenly became lively again.
"Huh? Isn't this that old pervert's house? How did I end up here again?"
Shen Yannian's temple twitched. Very good. Calling me an old pervert again. It's time to teach him a lesson.
"Stand still. Don't fidget. I'm taking you to have a bath."
Shen Yannian intended to wash him clean before sinking his teeth into him.
"Huh? Who are you, handsome? You look just like that husband I haven't married yet. Hehe, want to play something exciting?"
Su Cimu poked Shen Yannian's Adam's apple with a finger, his tone full of teasing.
"Oh? What exciting thing do you want to play?"
"Hehe, Old Maid, of course! Whoever loses is the turtle!"
Shen Yannian had no interest in being a turtle. He simply hoisted Su Cimu over his shoulder and carried him into the bathroom, stripped him bare, and put him in the bathtub to soak.
Then he took off his own clothes, stepped into the tub with his long legs, and sat down, letting Su Cimu lean against him as he gently wiped his body clean.
Perhaps because he had soaked in the water for a while, Su Cimu gradually sobered up. When he realized he was taking a "lovers' bath" with Shen Yannian, he wished he were still drunk!
"Sober now?"
Noticing Su Cimu's breathing grow strained, Shen Yannian knew he had probably sobered up.