TLSMLMMM Chapter 23

Tempted by the words “to make the couple’s relationship closer,” Chu Junlie glanced around to make sure no one he knew was nearby, then quickly slipped into the pajama shop.

“Hey there, I saw you looking at the set in the display window earlier. Interested?” The shop owner raised an eyebrow, smiling knowingly as if to say, you know, I know.

“That one, the pajamas themselves look nice.” Chu Junlie’s ears turned a little red. “But I’m actually looking for something… I can wear.”

“Oh!” The shop owner nodded in complete understanding.

“Let me guess,” the owner mused while standing by the shelf, glancing at the tall, well-built, and handsome young man in front of him. “Your husband’s not as passionate as before, huh?” After thinking for a while, he took out a set of plush pajamas and held them up in front of Chu Junlie.

At the words ‘your husband’, Chu Junlie’s lips parted as if to explain, his face growing redder by the second, but he didn’t know how to respond.

“When you’re just starting to spice things up, don’t go overboard,” the owner advised earnestly. “It might backfire. You have to take it step by step.

If your husband has a bit of a… particular taste, this one would suit you perfectly.”

The owner held up the plush pajamas again, studying Chu Junlie’s expression. Then, with a sudden look of realization, he said, “Ah, I get it! It’s your wife who’s lost interest in you, isn’t it?”

“It’s not!” Chu Junlie immediately refuted, his face flushed as he looked away.

“We’re… newlyweds.”

“Congratulations on your marriage,” the shop owner said, rubbing his chin. Although still a bit confused about the situation, he remained professional and continued recommending his products enthusiastically.

“The design for this pajama set was inspired by the Big Bad Wolf disguised as Grandma in Little Red Riding Hood. Look these ears on the hood can stand up, and they’re super soft and fluffy to the touch,” the shop owner said, showing off the product. “There’s also a white apron in front, and a zipper at the bottom, very convenient…”

Before the owner could finish, Chu Junlie turned his head away, his face red. “How much?” he asked.

The owner held up a number with his fingers. Chu Junlie’s expression immediately changed, and with a blank face, he started haggling. Under the intensity of his glare, the shop owner involuntarily lowered the price to the bare minimum. Chu Junlie gave a small nod, scanned the payment code, and transferred the money.

“Wrap it tightly,” he instructed, glancing toward the door again. “Don’t let even a bit show.”

The owner, feeling a bit unwilling to settle for such a small sale, studied him for a moment before suddenly asking,
“So, what do you usually wear at home?”

“Tank top and long pants,” Chu Junlie answered quietly. “Is there a problem with that?”

“A big problem!” The owner’s tone turned serious. “You have zero sense of seduction, how is your wife supposed to fall in love with you?”

Hearing the words “make your wife love you,” Chu Junlie felt his blood rush, and he asked anxiously, “Then… what should I do?”

“You need a bit of charm nothing too obvious, but enough to create a feeling,” the owner said with a mysterious smile, pulling a rack of men’s briefs over.

“What about these?” Chu Junlie asked, puzzled.

“Look closely. See the patterns and logos along the edges?” The owner pulled out a magazine and pointed at models showing just a hint of their waistband.

“Do you think they’re showing that edge just for the logo? Of course not!” the owner said solemnly. “It’s fashion—fashion that carries a teasing allure! A tool that sparks imagination!”

Chu Junlie’s eyes went slightly blank, trying to process this.

“Think about it,” the owner continued earnestly. “If your wife sees you the same way every day, she’ll get bored. You need to give her something fresh, something to imagine. That’ll definitely reignite her desire!”

Half-understanding, Chu Junlie nodded, his eyes falling to the magazine as he stared at the male models in deep thought.

“I’ll take one. I’ll try it out first.”

“Just one? What about washing?” The owner looked down at his pants. “Do you have gray sweatpants?”

“No.” Chu Junlie shook his head honestly.

“Then one’s not enough, you need the right pairing.” The owner took out a brand-new pair of gray sweatpants, his tone brimming with enthusiasm. “Don’t ask me why it has to be gray—just trust me, buy it!”

With a dazed expression, Chu Junlie left the pajama shop carrying a large bag. The owner waved cheerfully after him from the door. “Come again next time, young man!”

—

At the old family home, Si Yunyi was keeping his father company. The old man’s spirits were decent, chatting on and off, though he kept forgetting what he had just said and repeated himself three or four times until his throat went dry.

When it was time for the old man to rest, Si Yunyi tucked the blanket around him and quietly stepped out of the room.

“Yunyi.” A man in a white coat approached, he had been waiting for a while.

“Dr. Ren.” Si Yunyi nodded at his former colleague. “Thank you for coming. I truly appreciate your help.”

“No need for thanks I’m being well paid for this.” Dr. Ren smiled faintly, but after glancing toward the old man’s closed door, his expression sobered.

“My diagnosis is about the same as your attending physician’s. The most important thing now is to make sure he’s comfortable and able to live the rest of his days with dignity.”

Si Yunyi’s eyes darkened slightly. “Can you give me an approximate timeframe… based on your judgment?”

Dr. Ren hesitated, then said, “Around next July.”

Si Yunyi lowered his gaze. That was almost exactly what had been described in the book.

“Not even one more month?” he asked quietly, trying to negotiate with fate.

“I can only promise to do my best,” Dr. Ren sighed. “But sometimes… when it’s time to let go, you have to. Holding on too tightly won’t change anything.”

After a moment of silence, Si Yunyi nodded.

“By the way, where’s your fiancé today?” Dr. Ren asked casually, glancing around. “I attended your engagement banquet—it was quite a scene.”

“He’s not my fiancé anymore,” Si Yunyi replied calmly. “He’s my legal spouse now.”

Dr. Ren froze. By the time he processed the words, the man before him had already walked to the door.

Watching that familiar back, Dr. Ren felt a twinge of bittersweet emotion and called out, “Congratulations on your marriage!”

Si Yunyi didn’t turn around or slow his steps. The night breeze lifted a few strands of his long black hair as he raised a hand in silent acknowledgment of the blessing.

—

When Si Yunyi got home, it was already eleven. The lights were still on. As he opened the door, he noticed a pot of honey black tea on the table, it must have been brewed a while ago.

Honey black tea, being more oxidized, contains fewer tea polyphenols and is gentler on the stomach. The addition of honey made it nourishing, too. Si Yunyi guessed that Chu Junlie had looked it up on his phone and picked these ingredients from what they had at home.

“Mr. Si,” came Chu Junlie’s voice.

Si Yunyi looked up from the table to see a large, fluffy figure walking toward him. For a second, he almost thought it was their dog, Lie Feng, standing upright until he realized it was actually Chu Junlie, dressed in the plush pajamas.

It was autumn in Hong Kong City, cool mornings and evenings, but still warm indoors. Watching Chu Junlie approach in that thick, fuzzy outfit, holding out a cup of honey tea with bright eyes, Si Yunyi couldn’t help but blink.

He accepted the cup and asked gently, “Is your room cold?”

“No!” Chu Junlie shook his head quickly. Then, standing before Si Yunyi, he pulled the hood over his head, revealing the two soft, upright ears, and said in a small, hesitant voice:

“This… this feels really soft. Mr. Si, you can touch it if you want.”

Si Yunyi stayed quiet for two seconds. Seeing that Chu Junlie wouldn’t look up unless he touched it, he finally raised a hand and gently brushed the furry animal ear on the hood of the pajama.

Feeling the light touch on his head, Chu Junlie lifted his gaze. His ears had already turned completely red.

Although Mr. Si had only touched the pajama’s hood, Chu Junlie couldn’t help but imagine those long, fair fingers softly rubbing and pinching his own ears instead.

How blissful that would feel.

“Thank you, Mr. Si.” A faint flush spread across Chu Junlie’s cheeks. Nervous and shy, he didn’t know what else to say.

“Thank you for the tea.” Si Yunyi took a small sip of the honey black tea. The honey had been used sparingly, leaving just a hint of sweetness exactly the way he liked it.

“I’m glad you like it, Mr. Si.” Chu Junlie’s face brightened in delight. He swayed slightly, cheeks red, and said softly, “Good night, Mr. Si,” before turning to head back to his room.

Si Yunyi lifted the cup again for another sip, but then his peripheral vision caught something. Looking closer, he realized that hanging from the back of Chu Junlie’s fluffy pajamas was a long, wolf-like tail.

As Chu Junlie walked away, the tail swayed between his legs —back and forth, back and forth creating a strange, indescribable feeling in Si Yunyi’s chest.

Lie Feng, who hadn’t followed his master out earlier to avoid embarrassment, poked his head halfway out of the bedroom when he saw his owner return with a face flushed bright red. The dog finally let out a sigh of relief.

That night was their first night after officially registering their marriage. Lie Feng watched as his master rolled around the bed, clutching the red marriage booklet with a huge smile on his face. With a long-suffering look, the dog picked up his own bed in his mouth and went to the bathroom. Chu Junlie, meanwhile, gazed down at the photo of the two of them on the certificate, his heart overflowing with warmth and satisfaction.

The next morning, Si Yunyi was sitting at the dining table. He had just taken a sip of warm milk when Chu Junlie came out, carrying a plate of egg rolls and setting them down beside the cheese-and-ham toast. He took off his apron, revealing a loose, sleeveless tank top underneath.

The armholes were cut very wide. From where Si Yunyi sat, he could clearly see the smooth, full curve of Chu Junlie’s chest and with every movement, even more was revealed.

That sip of milk suddenly became very hard to swallow.

After breakfast, when Chu Junlie stood up to clear the table, Si Yunyi noticed that he was wearing gray sweatpants and just above the waistband, the edge of his underwear, complete with its logo, peeked out.

Si Yunyi began to understand, at least a little.

Long Aotian, it seemed, was experimenting with something new.

Perhaps sensing the silence, Chu Junlie glanced down at his loose tank top and asked, a bit embarrassed, “Mr. Si, I only wear these at home… do you mind?”

“You have the freedom to dress however you like,” Si Yunyi replied calmly. Just as he finished speaking, his phone on the table buzzed twice.

He glanced at the new message, his gaze pausing briefly before he looked back at Chu Junlie.

“I might be going to the restaurant where you work today—with a friend. Do you mind?”

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