Hearing You Say Love chapter 36

Take an Inch and Want a Mile

The waiter brought them a thick menu. Jiang Mengyu, sitting at the end, quickly took it and read out a dozen items in rapid succession.

“I’ll order for you guys,” Jiang Mengyu said while flipping through the menu, “I know what you all like to eat.”

“Nonsense,” Yu Dian immediately pointed out, “You only know what Zou Beiyuan likes; everything you just ordered is his favorite.”

Jiang Mengyu flipped back and listed off another dozen items, glancing at Yu Dian: “Surely there’s something in here that you like, right?”

Yu Dian: “Even if there is, it’s just a coincidence. It’d be a miracle if you remembered what I like to eat.”

She didn’t respond, flipping to the last few pages, and then looked at Zou Beiyuan, asking, “Yuan Ge, what drink do you want?”

Zou Beiyuan said: “I’m not drinking; drinking before soaking in the hot springs isn’t good.”

“Right,” Xu Jiadi added: “After we soak in the hot springs tonight, we’ll go eat barbecue and drink a lot then.”

Jiang Mengyu said okay and ordered some drinks, then closed the menu and handed it back to the waiter: “Just bring these first; if we need more, we can add.”

“Wait a minute,” Zou Beiyuan said to the waiter, “I also want an order of salt-grilled ginkgo, sea urchin with black truffle, fish maw and shrimp soup, and chocolate soufflé.”

Jiang Mengyu’s eyes widened in surprise: “Don’t you always avoid ginkgo and black truffle? And why are you suddenly having dessert?”

Zou Beiyuan glanced at the person to his right, “Su Ming likes them.”

Xu Jiadi, sitting opposite him, rubbed his temples in frustration.

He felt his friend was bound to face some trouble soon.

As everyone ate and chatted, Su Ming, while drinking soup, heard Jiang Mengyu say to Zou Beiyuan: “I heard from my brother that you’re going back to the U.S. next month? Is it set? If you confirm you’re leaving next month, I’ll stay a bit longer and go back with you.”

Zou Beiyuan paused, his chopsticks in hand. “Not certain yet; the contract termination hasn’t been settled.”

“How much longer will it take?”

Zou Beiyuan turned his head to look at Su Ming, vaguely responding, “A while longer.”

Su Ming peeled a ginkgo nut and put it in his mouth, realizing the core inside wasn’t fully removed, and it tasted a bit bitter.

…..

After finishing their meal, everyone went to change clothes and prepare for the hot spring.

Jiang Mengyu hadn’t booked a room yet and was carrying her luggage next to Zou Beiyuan. Just before entering the elevator, Zou Beiyuan suddenly realized, “Let’s go; I’ll take you to check in first.”

At 1.77 meters tall, and with 8-centimeter high heels, she towered over the other men, only Zou Beiyuan’s height matched hers.

She leaned her elbow on Zou Beiyuan’s shoulder and jokingly said, “I’ll just go to your room; it’s not like we haven’t slept on the same bed before.”

Zou Beiyuan reacted as if scalded, jumping back suddenly and instinctively glancing at Su Ming’s expression. “Damn it, Meng Jie! Be clear—it was before we turned three!”

Jiang Mengyu responded, “But we still shared a bed.”

Xu Jiadi raised his hand: “I’m sharing a room with him; should I move out?”

Zou Beiyuan quickly pulled her luggage forward, heading to the front desk, “I’ll book you a presidential suite on the top floor; just shut up!”

Jiang Mengyu was always loud and unreserved, and they were used to it.

But at that moment, Zou Beiyuan felt a bit of sweat on his palms. His first reaction was to worry if Su Ming would be upset. However, when he saw Su Ming’s indifferent expression, he wondered why he didn’t seem bothered.

Could it be that he really doesn’t like me?

Then a sense of emptiness filled him.

Zou Beiyuan handed his credit card to the front desk, and while Jiang Mengyu registered, he unconsciously tapped his fingers on the counter, showing signs of anxiety.

Jiang Mengyu leaned against the counter, resting her arm on her head as she looked at him, “What’s wrong? You’ve been acting a bit weird since you got back.”

Zou Beiyuan was still lost in thought, contemplating Su Ming’s earlier reaction, unsure if it reflected any unhappiness, and didn’t hear what Jiang Mengyu asked, “Huh?”

“I aked,” Jiang Mengyu raised her hand, attempting to flick his forehead, “Why are you so distracted?”

Zou Beiyuan turned his head away, “I’m not.”

Jiang Mengyu stared at him intently, “I know you too well. Come on, who is Su Ming to you?”

Suddenly hearing the name of the person he had been thinking about, Zou Beiyuan paused his breathing, his fingers that had been tapping the counter stilled, “Just a friend.”

“A friend, and yet you treat him like that? You think I’m blind?” Jiang Mengyu had known him since they were kids and understood him too well. She dropped her playful tone and quietly asked, “Zou Beiyuan, tell me honestly, is he your boyfriend?”

Zou Beiyuan was taken aback for a moment, “No.”

It seems like he doesn’t like me…

Jiang Mengyu frowned, her eyes slightly reddening, “In over twenty years of your life, aside from your mom, can you remember what anyone else likes to eat?”

Just then, the front desk finished processing the paperwork and handed the room key to Zou Beiyuan, “Sir, your room is ready.”

Zou Beiyuan handed the room key to Jiang Mengyu and turned to walk ahead. Jiang Mengyu stared at his back for a while, sniffled, and then picked up her luggage to catch up.

….

The sky was completely dark now.

After changing, Zou Beiyuan didn’t wait for Xu Jiadi and went downstairs to find Su Ming himself.

The hot springs were divided into indoor and outdoor areas. Through a massive glass wall, he could see the outdoor hot spring area, where the trees were dark silhouettes, and soft yellow lights illuminated the outlines of pavilions and the rippling water in the pools.

Su Ming was already there, inside one of the indoor pools with Chen Muchao and Ling Shanshan, and the three of them were communicating in sign language.

The atmosphere was harmonious, creating a small world that only they could enter. Zou Beiyuan felt envious; he wanted to chat with Su Ming like that.

There was a faint smell of sulfur in the air. Su Ming was submerged in the water up to his chest, his skin as white as fragile porcelain. He had a slender, fit body, and when he signed, his shoulder blades moved gracefully.

Beneath the water, the light refraction made it hard to see clearly, but Zou Beiyuan could imagine his delicate waist and cute, rounded butt.

That time they encountered a heavy rain in the mountains and stayed at a guesthouse together, Zou Beiyuan caught a glimpse of him that lingered in his mind until now.

It was also during that trip that Zou Beiyuan discovered Su Ming’s true colors as a big tease.

Unable to help himself, Zou Beiyuan smiled lightly as he walked to the edge of the pool, removed his bathrobe, and hung it up before stepping barefoot into the water.

The water in this pool wasn’t deep, reaching just to the hem of Zou Beiyuan’s shorts. He noticed Su Ming turn to look at him, and he instinctively tightened his abs. Under Su Ming’s unabashed gaze, he slowly walked over to him step by step.

His physique was strong and tall, with muscles in his back and shoulders exuding an extraordinary sense of strength, as if his collarbone was covered with a layer of fine muscle. His broad and thick shoulders, curved chest muscles, and defined abs made him hard to look away from, instantly drawing the attention of everyone in the area.

As he moved, the water in the pool soaked his black swim trunks.

He seemed to have a good understanding of his own size, so he wore two layers of swim trunks, which concealed the prominent parts beneath the fitted material.

Su Ming glanced up regretfully and happened to meet Zou Beiyuan’s eyes as he looked at him.

Zou Beiyuan sat down very close to Su Ming.

He had been focused on Su Ming and reached out to touch his shoulder. “Are you cold?”

Su Ming shook his head and used sign language to say: A bit hot.

The gesture for “hot” involved spreading his fingers slightly and moving his hand from his forehead to his cheek. It was the first time Zou Beiyuan saw Su Ming make this motion, and he mimicked it with confusion, “What does that mean?”

“He said he’s a bit hot,” Ling Shanshan helped translate.

Zou Beiyuan felt a stir in his heart and asked Ling Shanshan, “How come you know sign language too?”

Ling Shanshan smiled warmly at Zou Beiyuan, knowing Su Ming liked him: “I’m a sign language teacher; I teach children at a special education school.”

Zou Beiyuan nodded. “So it’s the kind of school Su Ming went to when he was a child?”

“Yeah,” Ling Shanshan said, “but it’s a bit different now; the teaching methods are more scientific.”

Zou Beiyuan was about to ask her about learning sign language as an adult when Xu Jiadi and a few others came over, all changed and noisy.

Yu Dian and Jiang Zufan were a heavyweight boxer and a martial arts enthusiast, respectively. Both had broad shoulders and long legs, with their robes not fully closed, revealing obvious muscle lines. Su Ming glanced at them and mentally graded them.

Hmm, Little Wolf gets a hundred points, and the two of them get eighty.

Zou Beiyuan noticed Su Ming’s gaze and abruptly stood up, blocking Su Ming’s view of the others with his body.

Su Ming: ?

Zou Beiyuan reached out and pulled him: “It’s a bit hot in here; let’s go to the outdoor hot spring.”

With a splash, Su Ming stood up from the water, slick with hot spring water flowing down his body, the snug swim trunks clearly showing his slim waist and abdomen.

His skin, soaked in warm water, had turned slightly red, as if brushed with a hint of blush.

Zou Beiyuan’s gaze passed over him, feeling his throat tighten, even too scared to look again.

He pulled Su Ming out of the pool and wrapped him in a bathrobe, his movements somewhat rough, like a temperamental wolf guarding its food.

Finally, he tied the robe’s belt tightly around Su Ming’s waist.

Su Ming: …

Xu Jiadi and Jiang Mengyu, walking behind, saw this scene. Xu Jiadi covered his forehead with his hand and muttered, “Oh no, oh no, this friend is a lost cause.”

Chen Muchao, holding Ling Shanshan’s hand, also emerged from the pool and put on their bathrobe. The group then strode out through the glass door.

The outdoor hot springs were small, with smooth cobblestones forming the edges of the pools, scattered among the trees, the shimmering water reflecting warm yellow light.

Ling Shanshan and Jiang Mengyu, having become friendly, went to find a pretty spot to take photos, leaving the remaining men to choose a pool and chat together.

Su Ming and Zou Beiyuan sat side by side on the underwater steps, Su Ming resting his hands on either side of his body, occasionally brushing against Zou Beiyuan’s arm.

Chen Muchao and Xu Jiadi began to play around, and since no one was there to converse with Su Ming in sign language, he seemed a bit bored, staring blankly at the water’s surface.

His face was wet, and the tips of his hair were also damp, sticking to his slender shoulders.

The dim light filtered through the trees, illuminating his face and revealing an unusual purity and gentleness, like an innocent mermaid brought ashore by humans.

Zou Beiyuan watched him, entranced, as his fingers slowly moved underwater until they touched Su Ming’s hand.

Su Ming noticed this subtle movement and gently lifted his head, not pulling away.

So Zou Beiyuan took a step further and placed his fingers over Su Ming’s hand.

The others were laughing loudly, oblivious to this side, so Su Ming withdrew his hand slightly, and then wrapped Zou Beiyuan’s rough, long fingers in his palm.

Author’s Note:

Zou Beiyuan: He didn’t pull away; he even held my hand. Does that mean I can be a bit bolder?