JOH CH51: So What

Su Yiran thought about how Ting-ge had pinned him down and kissed him hard for a long time last night. His legs still felt a little weak. He said, “Ting-ge, calm down.”

No need. Really, no need.

Practicing kissing techniques by trying to tie cherry stems into knots with your tongue or whatever…

Gu Yuanting calmly nodded and gave Su Yiran a gentle smile: “I’m very calm. Be good, Ranran. Come here, be obedient.”

When Su Yiran saw that soft smile on Ting-ge’s face, a chill ran down his spine. He instantly remembered many nights from deep in his memory. Every time Ting-ge got triggered by something he said and suddenly went a little crazy in bed, he always smiled like that first…

And then, he was doomed. Being kissed to tears was the least of it…

Su Yiran remembered those moments of losing all self-control and feeling utterly shy. As the feeling returned, his legs really did go weak—no, even his waist began to give out.

Shivering inside, he quickly said to Gu Yuanting, “I-I don’t think you’re calm. I’m sleepy. Let’s wash up and go to bed.” As he spoke, he supported himself against the wall and tried to head to the wardrobe for pajamas to sneak into the bathroom.

Seeing that Ranran wasn’t cooperating, Gu Yuanting had no choice but to come over and catch him as he tried to escape.

Su Yiran: “…”

The moment Gu Yuanting’s hand touched him, he noticed that Ranran’s body was unbelievably soft. Surprised, he leaned close and whispered in his ear with a chuckle, “Why is Ranran so soft, hmm?”

Gu Yuanting’s low, amused voice tickled Su Yiran’s sensitive earlobe, making him tremble. Dizzy, he mumbled, “Hmm… I don’t know…”

Seeing the faint blush on Su Yiran’s fair earlobe, Gu Yuanting couldn’t help but take it into his mouth. That little suck on his sensitive spot sent a jolt through Su Yiran’s nerves, making his limbs go weak. He slumped into Ting-ge’s arms.

Gu Yuanting, satisfied, held him tightly. A smoldering fire burned in his eyes as he gently commanded, “Kiss me, Ranran.”

Hearing his warm tone, Su Yiran didn’t dare provoke his strange mood swings. Obediently, he looked up and gave him a soft kiss, then buried himself in his chest.

Gu Yuanting, pleased, lifted his chin, not allowing him to hide.

Su Yiran knew Ting-ge was going to kiss him. With his gentle teasing, he even started to look forward to it. After all, what was a kiss? They had kissed countless times already.

Come to think of it, would practicing tying cherry stems really help?

Curious again, Su Yiran even wanted to hurry Ting-ge up.

Gu Yuanting finally leaned down and kissed his lips. He started with a gentle taste, then when Ranran relaxed a bit, launched into a passionate, intense kiss.

Su Yiran was overwhelmed by the intensity. When the kiss finally ended, he heard Ting-ge ask, “How was it? Did it feel good? Have I improved?”

Completely dazed, Su Yiran couldn’t even speak: “…”

…Yes. Very useful.

Gu Yuanting had already made this into his daily practice assignment. He took it seriously. When Su Yiran didn’t answer, he kissed him again—many times—to demonstrate his “hard-earned progress.”

Su Yiran: “…” Sob.

---

…

In the days that followed, Su Yiran’s protests were in vain. Every day, he had to “practice” with Gu Yuanting, occasionally facing impromptu reviews and make-up sessions. His lips always felt numb and swollen…

While chatting with his parents, Su Yiran nervously touched his lips. Feeling nothing abnormal, he finally relaxed, though he still shot Ting-ge a glare.

Tomorrow, Su Papa and Su Mama would be leaving. On their last day, the family just stayed home to talk and spend time together.

They’d been in City A for almost a month now, taking care of Su Yiran the whole time—especially Su Mama, who gave endless instructions to both Su Yiran and Gu Yuanting.

During their stay, they even accompanied Su Yiran to a prenatal check-up, and he also took them to his dessert shop to try their signature sweets.

Now that the New Year period had passed, and with their family’s poultry farm back in the village needing attention—they had asked relatives to help, but now the relatives were busy—it was time to return.

Having seen how attentive Gu Yuanting was to their “baby” and how well the household was run (with a housekeeper helping out), Su Mama and Su Papa were reassured and ready to go.

Initially, they’d been worried when Gu Yuanting was found by his biological family—a wealthy one. They were concerned that, having suddenly become rich, he might change. Many people did after being thrust into that kind of lifestyle.

Su Mama had even planned to stay behind while Su Papa returned alone to manage the farm. But seeing how well Su Yiran was cared for and realizing that the couple couldn’t really have their private moments while the parents were around, she decided to return with Su Papa for now and come back closer to the due date.

At the moment, Su Yiran was showing his parents the vegetables he grew in the greenhouse, with Gu Yuanting nearby.

Since Su Yiran had more free time now, and Ting-ge wouldn’t let him do this or that—not even much livestreaming—he started growing veggies as a hobby, something he’d done as a kid in both lifetimes.

The sunny greenhouse at home was filled with plants, and he had his own little plot for vegetables. It had been a month since they moved in, and the lettuce he planted right after moving had already matured.

Su Mama picked a head of lettuce and weighed it. “Oh wow, it’s pretty heavy. It grew well—big and round!”

Su Yiran got excited and started discussing gardening tips with his parents—how to pick seeds, how to fertilize, which veggies were easier to grow—with passionate enthusiasm.

Gu Yuanting watched from the side, loving every second of it.

He couldn’t join the conversation and felt a little left out.

In his mind, he already added “learn about farming” to his to-do list.

Lately, he’d been feeling very confident about his kissing skills and was proud of himself.

He began fantasizing about kissing Ranran passionately among the vegetables.

He glanced around the sunny greenhouse and started thinking it was perfect for… other, more intimate things.

“Ting-ge? Ting-ge?” Su Yiran called out, puzzled to see him standing there dazed.

Gu Yuanting snapped out of it to find Su Papa and Su Mama already holding two heads of lettuce and ready to go. He shot Su Yiran a deep look, then stepped forward to help carry the vegetables.

Su Yiran shivered for no reason. “…Why do I have a bad feeling?”

Just then, Su Papa looked back at the vegetable patch and said, “We were thinking, if you two get tired of the big city, you could always come back and take over our few acres of land and the poultry farm… but now…” His tone was full of regret.

Gu Yuanting: “…”

Su Yiran: “…”

Su Yiran suddenly remembered—during his college days, every few calls home, his parents would bring up the idea of him and Ting-ge taking over the farm. He always thought it was a joke… but apparently, they were serious.

Feeling touched, Su Yiran said, “Mom, Dad, you’re so good to us.”

As they chatted and walked back to the living room, Su Papa laughed, “If we don’t look after you, who else should we care for?”

Thinking back, Su Papa sighed, “It’s hard to believe… you’re both grown now. Back then, I never imagined you two would end up married, and now you even have a child on the way.”

Gu Yuanting: “…”

Su Mama also sighed at how fast time flew, “Just the other day, I dreamed about when you were kids. It still feels like you’re just little children.”

Su Yiran nodded in agreement, reminiscing about their childhood. “Time flies.” Then, filled with emotion, he turned to look at Gu Yuanting with a gentle gaze. “Ting-ge, we’ve been together so many years now. It feels like everything just happened yesterday.”

Gu Yuanting: “…”

Su Mama added with a grin, “And now you’re having a baby! Oh my!”

Gu Yuanting: “…”

Su Papa continued, “Back then, I really never imagined you’d get married. I remember when I first saw Tingting, he was just a little thing lying in a hospital bed. So pitiful. Only a younger little one sitting beside him, taking care of him.”

Su Mama also recalled that time, tearing up. “That damn human trafficker… taking away my little baby.” As she remembered those painful days, tears streamed down her face. “He was so thin, all skin and bones.”

When Su Yiran was six, he was kidnapped. They searched for over two years before getting word from the police—he had been forced into a criminal beggar ring.

They rushed to the town hospital and finally found him. That’s when they also first met Gu Yuanting.

At the time, Gu Yuanting had no one to claim him. He only remembered his name. The family took him in and raised him.

Su Yiran, seeing his mom cry, panicked. He handed her tissues and hugged her. “Mom, it’s okay. That was so many years ago. The bad guys have been punished. Look how good things are now. Please don’t dwell on it anymore.”

Su Papa regretted bringing it up and also tried to console her.

Gu Yuanting joined in too, but inwardly, his thoughts had drifted to his past life.

In his previous life, after finally escaping the beggar ring and causing enough of a stir to alert the police, the gang was busted. The children were rescued, many injured, and taken to hospitals.

Some were reunited with family, others sent to orphanages. Gu Yuanting was severely injured—his left leg crippled—and had no memory of his family.

At first, he was hopeful, watching the other kids get picked up by their families. But no one came for him.

He was going to be sent to an orphanage, but fearing revenge from remaining gang members, he fled the city and tried to find work in a nearby town.

He was too young and disabled. No one would hire him. By chance, Su Yiran’s parents met him at the market and, out of kindness, took him in.

He didn’t know the family who took him in were the same people who, in the beggar ring, had betrayed him and indirectly caused his disability. He recognized “Su Yiran,” and Su Yiran recognized him. Eventually, Su Yiran’s actions left the family with no choice but to abandon him.

Even the kindness he thought he’d found was lost.

Unlike the original version of Gu Yuanting in this world.

He now knew that in this timeline, the original Gu Yuanting had escaped with Ranran. Because they got medical help quickly, his leg was saved—just left with a chronic condition.

While hospitalized, Ranran had always stayed by his side, and when Su Yiran’s parents found them, they took both boys in.

And later… he and Ranran…

Gu Yuanting didn’t want to think about what came after. His fists clenched tightly on the couch.

Then suddenly, a soft hand covered his, and he heard Ranran’s concerned voice: “Ting-ge.”

Su Yiran noticed something wrong. Clearly, Ting-ge was thinking about the past, and he grew worried.

Gu Yuanting snapped out of it and saw Ranran looking at him, full of concern and affection. “Ting-ge, it’s okay. I’m here.”

His clenched fists slowly relaxed, and Ranran gently held his hand, even lifting it for a comforting kiss.

Gu Yuanting looked deeply at Su Yiran. Finally, his heart softened.

Yes, the original Gu Yuanting had those first twenty years with Ranran.

So what.

From now on, all the decades to come—he would spend them with Ranran.