ALL NOVEL Chapter 43 - "Ah Ting, You're So Handsome":
Chapter 43 – “Ah Ting, You’re So Handsome”:
Su Mu could feel Chu Hanting’s burning gaze on him, making him feel warm all over and inexplicably thirsty. He swallowed and licked his dry lips, his pink ear tips betraying his nervousness.
All these movements were caught by Chu Hanting, who found this little one incredibly adorable. Though he always tried to get close and attract his attention, when all of Chu Hanting’s attention was actually on him, he became unbearably shy. Rather than finding these contradictory behaviors strange, Chu Hanting found them interesting.
Feeling himself about to burn up, Su Mu decided to take the initiative. “Are you uncomfortable in this environment?” Su Mu knew this CEO probably had never been to such a street stall before. He wanted to know Chu Hanting’s honest feelings. If he didn’t enjoy it, they wouldn’t come again – they could go to an upscale, luxurious barbecue restaurant instead, though Su Mu personally preferred these street stalls for their atmosphere.
Seeing Su Mu finally raise his head instead of crying and being shy, Chu Hanting smiled and said, “Not at all. I’ve never experienced this before – it’s quite novel.”
“Th-that’s good,” Su Mu suddenly covered his mouth and nose. Who could understand? His husband was too handsome – looking up suddenly almost gave him a nosebleed. In his suit and tie, looking so dignified… sitting in such a down-to-earth place. The contrast was absolutely heart-racing.
His pounding heart wouldn’t calm down, but fortunately, the grilled skewers arrived at the table, immediately drawing Su Mu’s attention and saving him from his predicament.
Su Mu grabbed one skewer directly, blowing on it to cool it down, while taking another and offering it to Chu Hanting after cooling it enough to not burn his mouth.
“Quick, take it – these taste best when they’re hot.”
With the sizzling meat right in front of his face, its aroma wafting up, Chu Hanting rolled up his shirt sleeves and accepted it with a smile. However, his attention wasn’t on the fragrant grilled meat, but rather on Su Mu.
The young man parted his crimson lips, blew a few times, then took a small bite of the golden-brown meat. His eyes lit up at the delicious taste. Then, unsatisfied with just a small bite, he wrapped his mouth around an entire piece, jerked his head, and quickly stripped the meat off the skewer, getting the whole piece in his mouth.
“Delicious, mmm… you should eat too,” the young man mumbled with his cheeks stuffed full.
Chu Hanting suddenly felt that no matter how fragrant the barbecue was, it couldn’t compare to how enticing the young man was. Focused on eating, the youth’s eyes sparkled with joy, the earlier crying-induced swelling around his eyes had subsided somewhat, and the corners of his eyes crinkled with contentment.
Seeing him eating with such relish, Chu Hanting began to taste his own food while enjoying the pleasant view before him.
Su Mu watched Chu Hanting eating with elegant refinement and frowned, instructing him: “Eating like that, you won’t get the full flavor.”
“Watch, you should do it like this,” Su Mu picked up another skewer, then bit the meat with his teeth and pulled the stick away forcefully, stripping the meat off piece by piece into his mouth.
“This is how you eat barbecue to really enjoy it,” Su Mu smiled happily, sharing his enthusiasm like teaching an adult how to play with a beloved toy.
Chu Hanting smiled and followed his example, enjoying the food heartily.
Su Mu’s eyes curved with deeper satisfaction as he nodded approvingly – a teachable student indeed.
Just then, the shop owner finally had time to bring their beer to the small table, opening the bottles and placing one in front of each of them.
Su Mu’s mouth was already glossy from the oil, his fair lips shining as if wearing lip gloss. After smacking his lips, some cumin powder remained at the corner of his mouth.
Chu Hanting took a napkin and, as if possessed, reached out his long arm to gently wipe the corner of Su Mu’s mouth, cleaning away the oil.
Su Mu, who had been happily lost in his foodie world, trembled while holding the skewer – not from fear, but from the unexpected tender gesture.
After carefully wiping, as Chu Hanting withdrew his hand, his rough fingertips accidentally brushed against Su Mu’s rosy lips. Both men felt an electric shock.
Chu Hanting quickly pulled his hand back, while Su Mu unconsciously touched the spot where the man’s fingers had just been, his face reddening again despite himself.
“Mr. Chu,” Su Mu picked up his beer bottle and raised it, his smile widening, “Let’s have a toast!”
Seeing the young man grinning with lingering blush on his face, enthusiastically inviting him to clink bottles, Chu Hanting couldn’t find it in himself to refuse. “Alright.”
“Clink—”
The crisp sound of clinking glass bottles disrupted both their hearts.
Chu Hanting hadn’t expected the little one to start drinking straight from the bottle, but he didn’t stop him, letting him stand up and gulp it down with a “glug glug.”
The refreshing yet slightly bitter taste spread across his tongue, with the subtle aroma of beer lingering in his mouth.
At first, Su Mu didn’t feel much, but gradually, as the alcohol took effect, he felt a slight tipsiness and euphoria. His already flushed face became even redder, like ripe cherries ready to be picked. It was hard to tell if he was blushing or drunk.
Before long, Su Mu’s gaze became unfocused.
He shook his head and pointed with his finger, wondering why he was seeing two Chu Hantings.
“Ah Ting, why are there two of you?”
His head bobbing up and down, his bright eyes lost their clarity and took on a confused, adorably dazed expression.
“Ah Ting?” Chu Hanting silently repeated these words, his heart trembling.
Had he always thought of him this way? Was this his true feelings coming out while drunk?
No one had ever called him that before. This intimate way of addressing someone made the air feel charged with romance, as if the surrounding atmosphere had begun to heat up.
But it didn’t stop there. The tipsy young man swayed as he stood up, his thin lips curved upward, head tilted, and stumbled to Chu Hanting’s side, lightly tugging at his sleeve.
With a curved smile, he said: “Ah Ting, you’re so handsome.”