If I Can’t Get the Male Lead, I’ll Just Be a Salted Fish Chapter 73

The next day, Qin Shu brought Xie Lanzhi to meet his family.

If Xie Lanzhi’s family of three was like the combo of domineering CEO, sweet little wife, and genius baby, then Qin Shu’s family of four was like kindly big boss, domineering boss lady, straight-laced eldest son, and goofy youngest son.

With his arm slung naturally around Xie Lanzhi’s shoulder, Qin Shu introduced him to his family openly: “Dad, Mom, big brother, this is my favorite senior at school. He came specially to spend the holiday with me.”

Xie Lanzhi greeted them politely. Qin Hua shook his hand and said: “You’re the senior who took care of Qin Shu that time he got drunk? Thanks for that.”

Xie Lanzhi smiled lightly. “It was nothing.”

“My senior takes care of me better than anyone in the universe,” Qin Shu cut in. “Both times I ran into car trouble, he handled it for me. He helps me review, buys me duck necks, and even—” And even let him grow up overnight, from boy to man. Of course, that part didn’t need to be told to his parents just yet. Coming out was necessary, but there was no rush. He was nineteen, Xie Lanzhi was twenty—time was on their side. Step by step, like a frog in warm water, was the best strategy.

Every chance he got, Qin Shu wanted to help his boyfriend score points with his family. But Xie Lanzhi used strength to show him—he didn’t need it.

Qin’s mother beamed. “This young man is really handsome, and looks reliable too. Our Little Shu is scatterbrained, like a little kid. I’ll trouble you to look after him more at school.”

Xie Lanzhi glanced at the “little kid” and said: “Auntie, don’t worry.”

Qin’s father pulled Qin Shu aside and said: “Little Shu, spend more time with your senior these days. He came all this way for you, you need to host him properly. Later I’ll transfer you some money, so you two can have fun.”

Qin Shu was more than happy. “Got it, Dad. You guys just do your thing, don’t worry about us.”

They all had a meal together. Qin’s mom liked good-looking young men— the more she looked at Xie Lanzhi, the more she liked him. She picked food for him three times, for her sons once each, and not once for her husband.

Yesterday, Xie Lanzhi had gone at it too long. Qin Shu had really been made sore, and he still wasn’t feeling great today, so after the meal they went back to the room.

Once they got out of the elevator, with no one else around, Xie Lanzhi asked: “You okay?”

“Nope.” Being with his family and Xie Lanzhi together made Qin Shu feel like the center of attention, and he couldn’t help acting spoiled. “Carry me.”

Xie Lanzhi went to squat in front of him. “Get on.”

The room was only a short walk from the elevator. Xie Lanzhi walked unhurriedly, Qin Shu’s cheek pressed against his back, the sea breeze giving him a tipsy feeling.

“Brother.”

“Mm?”

“My mom really likes you.”

Xie Lanzhi smiled. “My mom likes you too.”

“In the future, we only need to win over my mom. My dad’s henpecked, he won’t dare go against her.”

“My dad’s the same.”

“Huh?” Qin Shu imagined what Xie’s father was like, surprised. “No way, your dad’s henpecked too?”

“No,” Xie Lanzhi said, “but he spoils my mom blindly. As long as she says something’s good, he won’t say otherwise.”

“Blindly spoiling…” Qin Shu kissed the back of Xie Lanzhi’s ear. “I’ll blindly spoil you too.”

“I’ll be waiting.”

Back in the room, Xie Lanzhi said he wanted to check Qin Shu’s wound. Qin Shu flatly refused at first, insisting he was fine, but Xie Lanzhi’s one line—“Where’s that blind spoiling you promised?”—made him lie down on the bed with tears in his eyes so Xie Lanzhi could check.

“Looks like it’s healing well.”

Qin Shu buried his head in the seal plushie’s belly and mumbled: “You know, in novels, whenever there’s a ‘check the wound’ scene, what comes after is usually, uh, something fun.”

Xie Lanzhi raised his brows. “So you want it again?”

“I don’t!” Qin Shu protested, wronged. “I just said it casually.” …Wait, why “again”?

Xie Lanzhi leaned down from behind, voice low: “But I want it.”

Color rose beautifully across Qin Shu’s body. “Oh. Then…”

And so Xie Lanzhi reviewed everything Qin Shu had taught him yesterday, applying it flexibly.

Qin Shu’s back was pressed against Xie Lanzhi’s chest. He couldn’t see Xie Lanzhi’s face, and panicked a little, always turning back to look for him. “Brother…”

Xie Lanzhi kissed the back of his neck and clasped the hand propping him on the bed. “I’m here.”

Qin Shu ended up lying in bed for half the day yet again. That evening, dragging his half-wrecked body, he went with Xie Lanzhi to the hotel’s rooftop infinity pool.

The infinity pool wasn’t open to the public, charged a high fee, and so was relatively quiet. Lying at the pool’s edge, you could see the endless ocean and bonfires on the beach.

Soaking in the water melted away much of Qin Shu’s fatigue, and even his waist didn’t ache so much. Xie Lanzhi swam a lap of freestyle, and as soon as he stopped, two young women approached him.

They wore sexy bikinis, pale-skinned, slim-waisted, long-legged—the kind of girls straight men would swear innocence upon seeing.

One of them said: “Brother, your stroke is so textbook! Can you teach us?”

Xie Lanzhi replied coolly: “No. I’m afraid someone would get upset.”

With things said that clearly, the women wouldn’t embarrass themselves. They said “what a pity” and swam off. Xie Lanzhi looked at his junior brother’s sour expression and deliberately asked: “What’s wrong?”

“I’m jealous.” Qin Shu muttered. “If I’d known, I’d have kept my nails.”

Xie Lanzhi: “?”

“So I could scratch a few marks on your back, let’s see who dares hit on you then.”

Xie Lanzhi’s gaze darkened. “That trick only works when we’re swimming.”

“True…” Qin Shu said. He needed to think of something that could show his claim on Xie Lanzhi at all times.

Not long after, another eye-catching man showed up. His face couldn’t compare to Xie Lanzhi’s, but his body was exaggerated—where Xie Lanzhi’s muscles were naturally well-proportioned, his were obviously gym-sculpted, his six-pack looking rock-hard.

Qin Shu couldn’t help glancing a few times, when suddenly Xie Lanzhi caught his wrist. “Come.”

Qin Shu was baffled. “Huh? Where to?”

“You like looking, don’t you? Let’s go closer so you can see more.”

Qin Shu laughed helplessly. “What are you doing, I was just casually looking.”

“You stared for over ten seconds.” Xie Lanzhi’s voice was cool. “Isn’t looking at me enough?”

“Enough, enough!” Qin Shu clasped Xie Lanzhi’s hand underwater and gave it a shake, smiling. “You’ve cured my face-obsession completely.”

So it was clear: Xie Lanzhi wasn’t just a salted egg yolk (innocent outside, dirty inside), he was also vinegar-essence.

So the male god wasn’t perfect—but Qin Shu still liked him like crazy.

After swimming, they took a walk on the beach. Barefoot in the fine sand, shoes in hand, the sea water cool at their feet, the distant hum of other tourists in the background.

Qin Shu said: “Brother, I want to do something childish.”

“Do it.”

Qin Shu picked up a stick, drew two big hearts, and inside them wrote: “Lanshu” and “Ningcheng.”

“May Lanshu and Ningcheng be together forever—Oli-give!”

Xie Lanzhi said: “Looks like you’ve completely moved past your reversed-CP trauma.”

Qin Shu feigned depth: “They’re all my friends. As long as they’re happy together, who’s on top or bottom doesn’t matter.”

“Funny, I remember I said something like that to you more than once.”

Qin Shu looked up and grinned. “Well, that’s because Baby is one centimeter shorter than Ning Ning. Whatever, age-gap tastes pretty sweet too.”

Xie Lanzhi also smiled. “Let’s head back.”

Qin Shu brushed off the sand on his hands. “Okay. Brother, carry me to King of Glory tonight.”

“Better not stay up too late—what do you want to do tomorrow?”

“Tomorrow… the same as today.”

“If we do the same thing, I’m afraid you’ll get bored.”

“That’s what daily life is. I like daily life.”

Xie Lanzhi took his hand. “I thought you’d want to try something new and exciting.”

Qin Shu thought to himself: dating you is exciting enough already—if it gets any more exciting, I won’t be able to take it. “Brother, have you seen that anime Nichijou? There’s a line in it: The ordinary days we spend may actually be a series of continuing miracles.”

—Every ordinary day with you, for me, is a miracle.

End of main text

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