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Chapter 173 Putting together provisions for his husband
Pan Lei said he planned to prepare a lavish feast for his husband and opened the refrigerator, only to find instant noodles inside. He was so enraged that he couldn't say anything. He wanted to point at Tian Yuan's nose and tell him that he wasn't supposed to eat junk food like this. He wanted Tian Yuan to try eating out because the food would be fresher, but after picturing half-cooked steaks, he realized he couldn't ask Tian Yuan to eat out and gave in.
But he had to think of something. He couldn't allow Tian Yuan to consume two boxes of instant noodles in a month.
Tian Yuan took a hot bath, and Pan Lei massaged his tight muscles once again. Tian Yuan was greedy for Pan Lei's craftsmanship after spending more than half a day being loving in bed. He changed his clothes and took Pan Lei to the supermarket.
Pan Lei appeared to enjoy visiting this foreign land. After all, it was more open-minded. When they went shopping in China, simply walking hand in hand drew raised eyebrows, prompting Pan Lei to ask, "What are you looking at? What if I lose my family's husband because it's so crowded?" Pan Lei merely disregarded those annoying passersby, continued holding hands. He also believed that it didn't matter who he was in love with. Love was unaffected by the gender of the person with whom one fell in love. It was wonderful to love each other, even if their relationship drew gossip. Their parents and relatives agreed, so who cared about the individuals who didn't know shit? They were a happy and sweet couple. When others mocked them, he guarded Tian Yuan as if he were his treasure, this meticulous care allowing him to challenge everyone. He was the happiest man on the planet.
In foreign countries, there were fewer tinted glasses[1]. When they walked out the door, Pan Lei wrapped his arm around Tian Yuan's waist. He was lightly embracing Tian Yuan to his side, but no one cared. When there were a lot of people, he drew Tian Yuan closer to him.
Mrs. Jennifer noticed it and simply smiled at them. The neighbors Tian Yuan met often noticed it as well, but they only nodded and greeted Tian Yuan. Foreigners were used to such things and didn't see it as a problem.
They didn't have to be concerned about anyone's expression, and they didn't have to worry about gossip. They simply fell in love and adored one other. All they wished for was acceptance; they didn't need anything else.
Pan Lei was frantically purchasing items. He put seafood, eggs, meat, and veggies in huge plastic bags. He hadn't even swept the snack area. Finally, he bought flour bags and almost emptied the shelf.
The supermarket was only a short distance away. They walked there, and when they returned, they took a cab.
The refrigerator couldn't hold it at all, so Pan Lei rolled up his sleeves and got to work.
He stewed meat in a large wok, fish in a small pan, and soup in a pot all at the same time. Tian Yuan only needed to relax and eat cherry tomatoes while watching him bustle around.
Pan Lei began kneading dough, chopping meat, slicing green veggies, peeling and mincing prawns, and beating eggs. He was awfully busy.
"I'm afraid you won't be able to eat well on your own, so I'll wrap you some more wontons and dumplings and freeze them. If you don't want to dine outside, when you come home, boil some water and place the dumplings in it so you can eat hot food to your heart's content. I'll make a variety of stuffings so you don't grow weary of eating the same thing. Pork stuffing, celery stuffing, and three-ingredient stuffing are all options. I'm going to make some soup and freeze it. Simply reheat it when you’re ready to eat. I won't be with you for at least 23 days, so I'll cook for you for the next 20. You've lost weight. If things continue like this, I'm afraid I'll really have to carry you home in a bird cage."
Tian Yuan's lips curved up in a cheerful smile. Pan Lei adored him and treated him as though he were a treasure in his heart.
"What if I'm sick of dumplings?"
"Then I'll persuade Zhang Hui to start a restaurant here and feed you for a year. You are not allowed to use a knife."
Pan Lei took his hand and drew out the finger with a portion of the nail missing.
"I told you you must not use a knife, but you didn't listen. Look, it's almost in danger."
"Make more of whatever you're cooking. He Lian occasionally comes here to dine."
Tian Yuan began rolling the covers while Pan Lei began making the stuffing. When everything was finished, the two of them began wrapping dumplings together. They had relatively few opportunities to cook together. Pan Lei usually cooked by himself. Tian Yuan's only responsibility was to observe and then eat. Pan Lei let him cook dumplings because no knife was required.
"Ask him for food expenses. Why should he eat my baby's food? Pinch it firmly, baby. Otherwise, it will break apart when you boil it. You'll end up with soup instead of dumplings."
"OK!" Tian Yuan said, then tightly folded the wrappers and placed them in a refrigerator drawer to freeze. The stuffing was then changed. This time, three fresh items - prawns, meat, and eggs with a hint of chives - were used. They prepared yet another batch of dumplings. Because the dumplings in the drawer had already dried, Tian Yuan transferred them to a Ziploc bag, which Pan Lei labeled - pork and leek stuffing.
Dumplings with various fillings were placed in Ziploc bags, and Tian Yuan was free to eat anything he pleased. Pan Lei prepared more than ten different types of dumpling fillings all at once, making sure there were fifty or sixty of each style of dumpling, enough for Tian Yuan to enjoy three times. He had enough food for a month this way.
When someone truly dotes on you, they demonstrate it by their actions rather than simply their words. Pan Lei prepared many types of wonderful foods for Tian Yuan and made every effort to come over and accompany him. Even if he could only join Tian'er for a few days, he intended to pamper him like a prince during the time he was with him.
Pan Lei washed his clothes, cooked for him, and used clamps to tightly connect the flower racks outdoors. He attached a protective net to all the windows and tested all the old connections to guarantee there was no power leakage and no fuses would blow.
He walked upstairs and downstairs to check for rodents and to brush the dust off the bookshelves.
"This bag is full with dumplings, and that bag is filled with wontons," he nagged Tian Yuan. "When cooking the wontons, heat up some soup and add the wontons. Don't eat instant noodles the regular way. Cook them, whip a few eggs, and serve them with some small dumplings. It's also a quick supper."
Tian Yuan smiled, leaned in close, hugged him from behind, rested his head against his back, and held his waist.
It's fantastic that he can come.
Silence and loneliness, emptiness and powerlessness, all of these bad emotions could f*ck off. He had Pan Lei, therefore he only had room for joy and happiness. Tian Yuan sincerely wanted to hug him like this, keeping holding him until they grew old.
"Acting spoiled, are we?"
Pan Lei smiled, but he just stroked the hand on his waist and continued his rambling.
"I don't want you to leave; I want you here with me."
"Then I'll be an army deserter and court martial-ed, Ancestor. Then I won't be able to take care of you."
Tian Yuan also knew he was causing unnecessary trouble, but he didn't want to let him go, so he just embraced him like this.
Pan Lei went to check on the soup, tasted it, thought it was good, put some soup in a little bowl, and patted his hand.
"Try it."
Pan Lei held the bowl and fed Tian Yuan the soup while he stretched his head out. Tian Yuan retreated and laid on his back again after drinking.
"The spare ribs are done; do you want to eat a piece?"
Tian Yuan shook his head on Pan Lei’s back. He wanted to act shamelessly right now, leaning on Pan Lei’s back till he was tired of it. He didn't care about anything. Even if someone said he had a childish temper, he would still act like a spoiled child.
How old was Tian Yuan? He was twenty-nine following the Chinese New Year, but Pan Lei saw him as a five- or six-year-old kid in need of extra spoiling.
He switched off the stove, turned around, and wrapped his arms around Tian Yuan. He lifted him onto the kitchen counter, squeezed between his knees, and wrapped his arms around his waist. Tian Yuan cupped his hands around his face and leaned against Pan Lei's forehead. Two people in love, head to head, looking into each other's eyes and smiling under the warm light.
It's unclear who turned his head, pecked and kissed, then separated, pecked and kissed softly, separated again, going back and forth several times. Pan Lei tightened his arms around him, cradled him in his arms, and kissed him passionately.
He Lian burst in with a boom and began shouting before even entering the kitchen.
"Tian Yuan, I just heard from Mrs. Jennifer. Did you go shopping with a handsome guy? You dare to go shopping with a man behind Leizi’s back? You are too bold."
He Lian yelled as he stormed into the kitchen. Tian Yuan was sitting on the kitchen counter, hugging and kissing a handsome man.
The loud voice came to an abrupt halt.
Tian Yuan always had a warm smile and a mild attitude, like a modest gentleman, gentle and elegant. But who could have imagined that he was being held in the arms of a man, that his face was rosy, his eyes were moist, and that he was charming after being so intensely kissed? His look reflected the indolence that comes from being well-loved. This gentle-as-jade man turned out to be mensao[2] which made him even more soul-stirring.
"He Lian."
Pan Lei extended his arm and hid Tian Yuan's face in the crook of his shoulder to hide his face. He knew Tian Yuan was thin-skinned, and he must be embarrassed to be caught making out with him.
"Pan, Pan Lei?"
He Lian finally calmed down and looked surprised at the tall and strong man.
"It's no surprise that it's you! Tian Yuan is so obsessed with you; there's no way he would go for a walk with a handsome guy and even hug him intimately. That French man at school has been chasing you, but you're not interested. How can a boyfriend appear out of nowhere in just a night? When did you arrive, Pan Lei? We haven't seen each other in ages. I think it's been over ten years."
He Lian appeared delighted, as did Pan Lei, but he still grasped the key point.
He raised Tian Yuan's chin.
"Honey, you never seemed to tell me over the phone that you're being pursued by a Frenchman. What exactly is going on, hmm? Tell me."
Tian Yuan pushed Pan Lei away and jumped off the kitchen counter, no longer shy or what not. He also learned to be shameless now that their make out session was over and began to greet the guest.
"He Lian, you’ve arrived just in time. Join us for dinner."
Tian Yuan was yanked back by Pan Lei.
"He Lian, you eat by yourself. We husbands need to talk about this Frenchman."
Keep the truth hidden and don't report the facts - what Family Rule number was this? It seemed that a certain someone needed to copy the family rules a hundred times.
He Lian dashed off to grab the tableware and explained: "It’s really nothing. There’s a guy who exclaims "My God! Isn’t this the beautiful man from the East?" when he sees Tian Yuan. You're also aware that what foreigners believe to be handsome men and beautiful women are all regarded ugly in China. But he irritates Tian Yuan and this fellow always hides far away when he sees him, yet that guy pursues him."
Pan Lei cupped Tian Yuan's face.
"It's okay, baby; I'll go meet that stupid fool."
Footnotes:
[1] A metaphor for prejudices people have.
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