The Mushroom Effect - ZhanYi

Chapter 28

On Monday afternoon, Xiao Zhan brought the cooked dishes to the table and called out to the room, "Yibo, it's time for lunch!"

"Coming!" Wang Yibo quickly replied, and his footsteps echoed as he approached.

Xiao Zhan hung his apron back on the kitchen wall and walked out just as Wang Yibo pushed open the door. Today, he had spent another morning holed up in the study playing games.

With the heat period approaching, Xiao Zhan was worried that playing games for too long might make Wang Yibo uncomfortable. He had reminded him last night, and usually, Wang Yibo listened well in such matters. When Xiao Zhan told him not to play, he wouldn't do the opposite. However, this time was different.

Wang Yibo sat down at the dining table, and the obvious dark circles under his eyes didn't escape Xiao Zhan's notice. Xiao Zhan wasn't sure if he stayed up late playing games or had trouble sleeping, but either way, it wasn't good. Sitting down, Xiao Zhan picked up the chopsticks and picked up a rib for Wang Yibo, looking at him with some helplessness. "Yibo."

"Mm?" Wang Yibo had just taken a bite of the rib and looked up at Xiao Zhan, speaking while chewing, "I think the ones you fried last time were even tastier."

"Alright, I'll fry them for you next time." He wasn't in the mood to discuss the recipe for ribs now, so he continued to watch Wang Yibo and asked, "Did you stay up late playing games last night?"

Wang Yibo first replied with an uncertain "Ah" then avoided eye contact. He pinched the chopsticks and lowered his head, picking up some vegetables and putting them in his bowl, "Mm."

"Yibo" Xiao Zhan didn't doubt him, feeling a bit annoyed that he wasn't listening, and put down his chopsticks, saying, "It's alright if you like playing games. I never interfere with that, but you're in your heat period now. It's easy to feel uncomfortable and have trouble sleeping, and you still stayed up playing games..."

"Only last night." Wang Yibo hurriedly interrupted, and when he saw Xiao Zhan's gaze, he quickly explained, "I promise it was just last night. Tomorrow, the season ends, and I haven't reached the King rank yet, so... I'm just one small segment away."

Xiao Zhan didn't understand what "reaching the King rank" meant, and he certainly didn't approve of Wang Yibo staying up late for it. However, Wang Yibo seemed to know that he responded better to gentleness, so he didn't argue. Instead, he tried to negotiate, "Once I reach the King rank, I won't play anymore. It'll be quick, and I'll be done before dinner. I won't stay up late tonight, okay?" Saying that, he picked up a piece of rib and offered it to Xiao Zhan, trying to please him.

Xiao Zhan felt like the rib was a poisoned apple sent by the witch. He looked at Wang Yibo, but still put the rib back. He sighed and said, "I'm worried that you'll feel uncomfortable. Forget it, I'm not your parents. I don't have the right to lecture you. Just be good for these few days, rest well, and smoothly get through your heat period. Do whatever you want after that, alright?"

Wang Yibo's heart skipped a beat, and he paused in his action of picking up the food. He looked at Xiao Zhan, who was calmly eating the spare ribs, feeling even more uneasy. He quickly put down his chopsticks and asked, "Ge, are you angry?"

Xiao Zhan paused for a moment and then shook his head, "No."

"You are angry" Wang Yibo asserted. After a year of being together day and night, they had developed some unspoken understanding, just like how Xiao Zhan could always tell if he was happy or not. He also became familiar with many of Xiao Zhan's habits.

The atmosphere suddenly became heavy, and both of them lost their appetite.

Xiao Zhan put down his chopsticks again and said, "Alright, maybe I am a little angry. Maybe I'm getting old and can't quite understand the appeal of games, but no matter how fun they are, they are not as important as your health. So, for these few days, just be obedient, take good care of yourself, smoothly get through your heat period, and do whatever you want after that. Isn't that fine?"