Release that Man

Christmas was not really a holiday in China, not even a national holiday. At most, it was a reason for merchants to start a promotion and a reason for young people to gather and party.

While Yao Zhixing had to return home to deal with the promotions, and Little Brother Ye had his own gathering to attend to, Ye Shuang was naturally not rushing back to San Lin City for them. The main reason was the authentic American, Anthony, was making a big fuss about celebrating Christmas. Therefore, she had to sort out a Christmas event for her foreign talent.

After all, Han Chu had already told Ye Shuang that Anthony’s biggest joy in life was partying. If she did not let him party, he would find his own way to party like hacking into the city’s electrical grid to cut off the electricity or to control the traffic lights to flash some Christmas music.

“You already had me work on Thanksgiving; you cannot make me do that on Christmas.”

Anthony did not think he was asking for much—if anything, he felt like he was right.

“These two celebrations are crucial for my country; they’re as important as Lunar New Year and National Day to yours.”

“If you can, then don’t take breaks on Lunar New Year and National Day. I promise to give you a good rest on Thanksgiving and Christmas.”

After returning to San Lin City, three days of male form later, it was December 24th. Ye Shuang was at Anthony’s home to help him decorate the Christmas tree, and she commented snidely, “Our country’s official holidays are longer than America’s. How come I didn’t see you complain during the weeklong holiday for National Day?”

“You can’t say that.” Anthony puffed up his cheeks. “Other than weekend and official holidays, we have paid holidays, and annually that can go up to four weeks, do you have that?”

“F*ck, why am I arguing about this with you?” Ye Shuang felt a headache coming. “In any case, the traditions are different. If you’re so great, go run for president… Come take this ribbon and run around the tree.”

Anthony held the ribbon Ye Shuang passed to him and ran around the Christmas tree several times until he reached the middle of the tree. Then he handed it back to Ye Shuang, who continued to circle it up to the top of the tree. Anthony tilted his head back and nodded in satisfaction. “There has to be a star at the top of the tree… Hmm, this year, no one will put a present inside my stocking. Will you prepare a present for me?”

“What do you want?”

Anthony scratched his face to think about it, and his eyes lit up. “A private cruise!”

“…I can give you a private raft, a handmade one at that. You can use it to cruise the local lake, guarantee it won’t sink, isn’t that meaningful?”

“You want me to go rafting in the middle of winter?” Anthony grumbled.

“You have the face to ask me for a private cruise, so why can’t I ask you to go rafting‽” Ye Shuang scoffed. After she fixed the star on the top of the tree, she jumped down. She did not collapse the stepladders but tried to see what other decorations the tree needed. While she was doing that, Anthony went to fix the Christmas wreath decorated with mistletoe to the front door.

Just as they were busy with their work, Han Chu’s voice came from the door. “Who let you fix a nail on my door?”

“Han Chu?” Ye Shuang turned to look out the door. Han Chu was standing outside the door with a dark face; he was obviously dissatisfied with what Anthony was doing.

When he heard Ye Shuang, he turned to nod at her, and his expression softened slightly. Then he turned to berate Anthony. “Can you use double-sided tape? Later, when the holiday is over, there’ll be a large hole on the door. Can I still use the door then‽”

“Hey, you’re back!” Anthony ignored Han Chu’s stormy attitude. He jumped down the chair and gave Han Chu, who was radiating iciness, a hug and a pat on the shoulder. “It’ll be fine. Look, you can use this nail to hang other things, didn’t your country like that Bagua mirror ¹ ?”

I’m not into Feng Shui; why would I need a Bagua mirror?

Han Chu knew that he could not argue with Anthony, so he glared at him while striding into the house after changing his shoes. He removed his jacket and hung it at the coatrack. He placed his suitcase on the sofa and undid the top two buttons of his dress shirt. He looked around and asked, “Do you need help?”

Anthony returned after hanging the wreath and grumbled behind Han Chu, “Han, how come you’re so much nicer to Xiao Shuang compared to me? Aren’t we good buddies‽”

“I’ve been regretting having you as a buddy.” Han Chu did not hold back. After he rolled his eyes, he bent down to pick up the decoration on the floor. He nodded at Ye Shuang. “Leave the living room to me. Did Tony ask for some other weird demands‽”

“You know him so well.” Ye Shuang sighed. She climbed down from the stepladder and said, “He specified to have a roasted turkey and gingerbread men… Then I’ll leave the living room to you.”

“…Don’t you know how to say no‽” Han Chu was feeling speechless.

Ye Shuang was equally speechless. “This half month when I was away, he stuck to my little brother like glue. He even went to my parent’s home to fix the television and air-conditioner and helped my father correct his operating system. If I don’t make this Christmas dinner for him, he would take a bowl to my parent’s place to beg, so how can I say no‽”

Beg was an exaggeration, but Anthony definitely would not be ashamed to appear at Ye Shuang’s parent’s home. He had a cute baby face and was completely harmless in Mother Ye’s eyes. Combined that with a good job and good education level, in the eyes of the two Ye parents, Anthony was one of the best candidates for their son-in-law.

Ever since the DNA change, Ye Shuang’s parents had become so worried about her marriage. Other girls would have until they were thirty before their parents pressured them about marriage, but Ye Shuang was roasted before she was twenty-five. Mother Ye would even go to the television station to buy a commercial to help promote her daughter; naturally, she was a sucker before this kind who volunteered himself.

Han Chu heard the key point immediately. He turned scoffed at the smiling Anthony. “So, you’re holding her parents hostage, huh‽”

Anthony lowered his head to wipe at the non-existent tears at the corners of his eyes. “I just don’t want to spend Christmas alone. When I was in America, Christmas meant turkey and gingerbread men.”

“You liar!” Han Chu’s calm voice was filled with knives. “Which Christmas did you not spend kissing girls? Other than a few gingerbread cookies, I never once saw you sitting quietly at the dinner table.”

“Kissing girls?” Ye Shuang, who had almost reached the kitchen, turned back and then remembered something. “Wait, isn’t it a tradition that guys can kiss any women who pass under the mistletoe?”

No wonder Anthony gave up the larger wintergreen wreath and insisted on booking a mistletoe wreath. Ye Shuang walked out, with the cleaver flashing in her hands. “I’m not too familiar with the tradition, but I’m sure Tony wouldn’t trick me with cultures that I don’t understand, right?”

Dare to play dumb‽ That depends on whether you can fight me or not.

“Erm…” Tony had tears in his eyes. “This is a big misunderstanding!”

…

With Han Chu at home, Anthony was whipped into shape. Initially, he had planned to act cute to get out of the work, but now, he was hauled to decorate the rooms and spring cleaning.

Didn’t you say you want to have a classic Christmas‽ Great, then don’t ask the girl to help you cook. If you’re so insistent, go do some spring cleaning.

Han Chu knew Anthony would not ruin his home, and that was why he allowed Tony to stay at his place. However, as a male, he also understood that Tony would not pay much attention to cleanliness. Ye Shuang also would not ask an hourly maid to come clean Anthony’s place. If someone saw the banned items in Anthony’s room, the first they would do was not clean but call the police.

Therefore, when Ye Shuang was busy in the kitchen making the gingerbread dough, Anthony was chased by Han Chu to go wipe the floor. When Ye Shuang was pressing the dough into gingerbread man shapes, Anthony was hauled by Han Chu to wipe the windows. When Ye Shuang was stuffing the turkey, Anthony was ordered by Han Chu to clean the bedsheets. When Ye Shuang took the roasted turkey out of the oven, Anthony was being chased into the bathroom with cleaning supplies.

“Is this really okay? After all, he’s a foreign guest.” When Ye Shuang came out with the plates, she was speechless. She had never seen Anthony so obedient before. Normally, it was Anthony ordering people around, but today, it was the complete opposite.

“The meal will taste better after some labor.” Han Chu sat in the cleaned living room, typing on his laptop, and said lightly, “Tony is actually a good homemaker. Western kids know how to look after themselves. If you starve him for a week, he will even make a restaurant-level steak.”

“I agree that labor will make one appreciate food better, but I don’t think cleaning the toilet will improve one’s appetite.” Ye Shuang put down the plate and went to the fridge to grab a bottle of red wine. Then she brought out mashed potato, a bacon quiche, green salad, and spaghetti.

After Han Chu came back from washing his hands and took his seat at the table, Ye Shuang asked, “Shouldn’t we wait for Tony? Christmas Eve dinner will be more atmospheric with a whole family, right?”

“Our country doesn’t have that kind of atmosphere to begin with. Even if you give Tony a bowl of instant noodles, it’ll be fine.” He might have said so, but Han Chu did not pick up the utensil. He pulled the plate of gingerbread man to himself and used his finger to pick up one of the cookies. With a snap, he munched on the man’s head.

“Don’t tell me you purposely came back to celebrate Christmas with him‽” Ye Shuang smiled.

It might have been a coincidence that Han Chu returned home on this day, but she felt it felt more like caring friendship. Obviously, the relationship between Han Chu and Anthony was not as bad as Han Chu liked to say.

He finished the rest of the cookie and shrugged. “That’s because I pity him.”