…
Lin Jingming pulled up the hotel surveillance footage, but unfortunately, the audio device was malfunctioning, so there was only video without sound.
He watched Shen Hui talking to an unfamiliar couple, and the three of them seemed to have a heated conversation. The woman left in anger first, followed by Shen Hui and the man leaving together, arm in arm.
With no answer to calls and messages, disappearing like a ghost, Professor Lin was so worried he was considering calling the police.
“Who’s staying next door?”
The hotel manager was hesitant. They couldn’t disclose guest information when it was obvious they had left voluntarily.
“My wife went out to pick up lunch and was abducted by a guest from your esteemed hotel. I have reason to suspect that they may be involved in human trafficking or pyramid schemes.”
The manager was initially shocked by the mention of “wife,” but then calmly realized that it made sense, after all, who would stay in a couple’s hotel with their brother?
Lin Jingming pressed his forehead and took out a business card. “Do you want to receive a lawyer’s letter or a court summons?”
On the silver square card, the name of the law firm and Lin Jingming’s identity were printed in a formal manner. The manager’s eyes widened. As a hotel, everyone had something not up to standard; even five-star hotels could be picked apart. It was said that this law firm could tear you apart with just the Consumer Rights Law!
“Show it to him.”
Lin Jingming looked at the neighboring guest information and found it somewhat familiar. After quickly filtering through the people he had recently interacted with in his mind, he finally remembered. This seemed to be the lady for whom Shen Hui was acting as a substitute for a blind date.
He immediately contacted the matchmaker and asked for Dong Qianjin’s phone number.
On the phone, Dong Qianjin, still angry, apparently took Lin Jingming as her confidant. When Lin Jingming asked what happened, she began by explaining how she met her boyfriend.
Lin Jingming watched the surveillance footage and saw Shen Hui’s suddenly pale face after Dong Qianjin’s words. Losing patience, he interrupted her, “If you don’t want me to reveal the replacement of the blind date, please tell me immediately what you said to Shen Hui.”
“It’s nothing much,” Dong Qianjin thought for a moment. “I don’t remember. I just remembered being angry with that idiot and asked Shen Hui for your contact information, saying I don’t need him as a substitute anymore, and I’ll go on blind dates myself. Hey, I didn’t mean it for real. Don’t misunderstand, I don’t have any feelings for you…”
So that was the reason.
Lin Jingming closed his eyes and interrupted her, “How much money did you pay Shen Hui?”
“One thousand five…”
Lin Jingming immediately transferred fifteen thousand to her and said solemnly, “Please don’t mention this again, especially in front of Shen Hui. He’s not anyone’s substitute; he’s my boyfriend.”
“Ah?” Dong Qianjin was dumbfounded.
“What’s your boyfriend’s phone number?”
With Lin Jingming’s imposing manner, Dong Qianjin reluctantly gave a string of numbers before realizing and asking, “Why do you want to find him?”
“To ask where Shen Hui went.”
After hanging up, Dong Qianjin realized that she had just broken up with her boyfriend and had a mouthful of dog food, feeling suffocated.
After asking around, Lin Jingming learned that Shen Hui had gone to the high-speed railway station.
Back home?
Shen Hui hadn’t applied to stay at school this year, so going home was indeed his only option.
Thinking of Shen Hui dragging his tired body back to an empty home alone, Lin Jingming wished he could fly to him right away and hug him.
It wasn’t until he boarded the high-speed train that Lin Jingming, who had always been calm, felt a wave of emotion. While others woke up next to their wives the second day, he spent the morning massaging Shen Hui’s waist and then embarked on a chase over a thousand miles with just a nap.
…
Shen Hui bid farewell to Lao Zhang and returned home. He liked to shop online, and all the deliveries were sent to his home. For convenience, he had left a spare key with his neighbor to help collect the parcels.
Opening the door, the room was filled with piles of boxes, with no place to even step.
Shen Hui struggled through the piles of parcels and entered the bathroom, checking that the water and electricity were working fine, deciding to take a bath first.
But he didn’t bring anything.
In that pile of parcels, it seemed like he had bought towels and underwear?
Shen Hui rummaged through the packages one by one, getting himself covered in dust and sweat, but still couldn’t find them.
Forget it, since he was alone at home, he would just do whatever he wanted.
While Shen Hui was taking a shower, he carefully examined his body and came to a conclusion: Lin Jingming was a beast in sheep’s clothing.
His waist was almost broken.
Shen Hui extended his slender fingers, pressing them on the bruises around his waist, causing him to inhale sharply.
But who let him take the initiative to kiss Lin Jingming, and take off his clothes?
The first floor was covered in dust from the parcels, so Shen Hui had to go to the second floor, lift the dust cover, and lie down to sleep.
Stop thinking about Lin Jingming. No matter how much you think about him, he’s not yours.
Lin Jingming arrived close to ten o’clock in the evening, three hours later than Shen Hui. Passing by the high school, the students who were in their senior year were just finishing their evening self-study. The lights at the intersection were bright, guiding the students.
An Old man immediately spotted Lin Jingming and exclaimed loudly, “Lin boy is back? Hey, what day is it? Everyone’s coming back one by one.”
Lin Jingming halted his steps and asked abruptly, “Is Shen Hui here?”
“Yeah, it’s him, looking lost and distracted.”
Confirming that Shen Hui was indeed here, Lin Jingming quickened his pace.
Meanwhile, the second-floor building of Shen Hui’s home remained dark, without a hint of light, just as lifeless as it had been for the past dozen or so years.
Lin Jingming knocked on the door. “Shen Hui, open the door.”
Shen Hui was awakened by the sudden commotion and recognized Lin Jingming’s voice.
“I know you’re back, open the door quickly.”
Shen Hui nervously sat up. Was Lin Jingming really a person? How did he catch up so quickly?
He lifted the blanket to take a look at himself and realized he was naked because he couldn’t find any clothes.
How could he meet anyone like this?
Shen Hui held the blanket tightly. Lin Jingming must have something to say, maybe even discussing serious topics like going abroad. How could he not wear clothes?
Shen Hui decided to play dead.
But Professor Lin would break the door, and he was already familiar with it after the first time.
Lin Jingming gave one final ultimatum. At this point, he felt the inconvenience brought by their identities. If their relationship could be made public, he wouldn’t have knocked on the door. Instead, he would have used a megaphone like a foolish teenager confessing under a girl’s dormitory window, shouting directly at Shen Hui.
Lin Jingming not only had money but also thick skin.
Damn it! Shen Hui, wrapped in a bedsheet, opened a small window crack. “You’re not allowed to break the door. I, I’ll call the police!”
Seeing that Shen Hui finally showed up, Lin Jingming took a step back and saw Shen Hui’s face clearly. “You can call, the law firm can always bail me out.”
Shen Hui: “You illegally entered private property and acted like a hooligan!”
Lin Jingming chuckled. “If the police come, I’ll say I was worried about you fainting at home and broke the door. Maybe I can even get a May Fourth Youth Medal?”
Shen Hui rolled his eyes. A thirty-year-old man still fantasizing about a youth medal was shameless. He hummed, “I’m fine.”
“What’s wrong with you that I need to say it?” Lin Jingming was now being unreasonable. He didn’t break the door but climbed over the wall, stepping on a flower rack on the corner, and climbed to Shen Hui’s window in a few steps.
Shen Hui was stunned and terrified. He tried to stop Lin Jingming with a few words but couldn’t persuade him to stop, so he dared not speak again to avoid provoking Lin Jingming’s temper.
It wasn’t until Lin Jingming braced himself against the window sill, and Shen Hui finally let out a breath, feeling his limbs go weak.
It didn’t matter if his limbs went weak, but it would be disastrous if the bedsheet wrapped around him fell off.
For the umpteenth time, Shen Hui regretted why he didn’t keep any clothes at home in his hometown.
Realizing what the flower thief Lin Jingming had done late at night when he saw Shen Hui naked, Lin Jingming finally understood why clandestine meetings through windows were so common throughout history.
“Give me a hand.” Lin Jingming said.
Shen Hui looked at Lin Jingming suspiciously. This person could climb up without any tools, so why did he need this last step? Was he trying to trick him?
“I haven’t slept since last night. How long do you think I can hold on?” Lin Jingming said calmly.
Shen Hui was scared by his expression. Indeed, he had spent a lot of energy last night… He quickly stepped forward to pull Lin Jingming up, not daring to blink.
“Ah—Lin Jingming!” Shen Hui exclaimed as Lin Jingming pushed him down onto the bed, locking his body with a terrifying strength, no less than the night before.
If he believed Lin Jingming’s words, there must be something wrong!
Lin Jingming held Shen Hui’s cheeks in his hands, his gaze deep. “Why did you run?”
Shen Hui turned his head away. “My legs are attached to me—uh.”
As if to stop him from speaking, Lin Jingming tightened his grip as a warning, indicating that Shen Hui couldn’t run away now.
Shen Hui fell silent.
Lin Jingming said, “Because of what Miss Dong said? I’m sorry I didn’t explain clearly. Shen Hui, I’ve never considered you as just a substitute for blind dates. I wouldn’t let a blind date stay at my house or take time off to travel with them… The reason for these things is only one—I like Shen Hui.”
“I feel sorry for joking with that sentence earlier, but since then, that sentence has been true.”
“What do you like about me? I’m poor, without parents…” Shen Hui’s eyes reddened.
“Rebellious again, old man Lin gives me the cold shoulder every day. Your words go in one ear and out the other, you say one thing and do another…”
Shen Hui’s decisive departure three years ago showed that he, Shen Hui, was just a passing figure in Lin Jingming’s life, not worth lingering over.
Shen Hui didn’t say these things; he didn’t want to bring up old matters in front of Lin Jingming, as it would make him seem petty.
Lin Jingming tenderly kissed away the tears at the corner of Shen Hui’s eyes. “I like you. If you want specifics, you’ll have to give me a day to go back and study medical books to describe all your components.”
Shen Hui chuckled through his tears. “Absurd reasoning.”
“I accept everything about you, like everything about you. You’re not allowed to question that, otherwise, I’ll spank you.” Lin Jingming lowered his head and kissed Shen Hui. “Sorry, these words should have been said before we got into bed, but…”
Shen Hui’s cheeks instantly turned red as he mentally completed Lin Jingming’s sentence. However, Shen Hui was too eager and didn’t give Lin Jingming a chance to speak. He didn’t dare listen, afraid that Lin Jingming would say something about an unwritten agreement.
“Are you still going on blind dates?”
“I’ve found a wife, why would I still go on blind dates? We both came back, let’s go see Teacher Lin tomorrow.”
Shen Hui was shocked. “No!” He didn’t dare to be as arrogant as he was before, now that he wanted to be someone’s son-in-law. He couldn’t face him again. He had no face to see him.
Lin Jingming hugged Shen Hui. Although his touch felt good, it was also easy to lose control. Shen Hui couldn’t handle it and needed to rest. It would be better if they parted ways.
Lin Jingming touched his nose, reluctantly letting go of Shen Hui. “Where are your clothes?”
“I don’t have any.” Shen Hui pouted. After racking his brains, he suddenly remembered, “I remember I bought a fully automatic drying washing machine for my house last year. How did I forget about it? Get up, I’ll go install it.”
Lin Jingming followed Shen Hui downstairs, watching his body sway with every step, each step seeming particularly difficult.
Washing machines were easy to find. The two of them studied the instructions on how to install it, and twenty minutes later, they finally washed their clothes.
Lin Jingming had the privilege of witnessing Shen Hui’s ability to squander money, feeling speechless at the sight of all the parcels on the floor.
Shen Hui, embarrassed, hurriedly tidied up the broken parcels from the afternoon. Bending down one moment and sticking his butt up the next, he nearly ruined Lin Jingming’s suit.
Lin Jingming tapped his forehead, reluctantly helping to tidy up.
From a pile of clutter, he found a half-opened parcel.
The apron, made of thin fabric, was solid-colored yet surprisingly expensive.
Lin Jingming wasn’t afraid of Shen Hui spending money; after all, he earned so much, and who else would he spend it on if not Shen Hui? However, Shen Hui’s habit needed to change. He had to learn to prioritize and couldn’t afford to be careless—surviving on just a bit of rice each day while piling up impractical things at home.
“Who says it’s impractical?” Shen Hui retorted, gaining a little favor in Lin Jingming’s eyes. “Why isn’t it worth a thousand? It’s dustproof, oil-proof, and waterproof…”
Shen Hui’s voice grew smaller and smaller, lacking confidence, as these functions seemed to be present even in a ten-dollar apron.
“Well, not bad.” Lin Jingming picked up the apron’s straps, suddenly echoing Shen Hui’s words.
Shen Hui immediately smiled. Of course, his choice wasn’t wrong.
But he forgot the truth he had learned in textbooks. Capitalists are the best at squeezing surplus value, and someone as black-hearted as Lin Jingming would never let even an apron slip through his fingers.
“What else did you buy?” Lin Jingming put away the apron, asking casually.
Shen Hui sat down excitedly, unpacking the parcels for Lin Jingming on the spot. “I don’t know, let me take a look.”
Lin Jingming’s lips curved into a smile as he indulgently watched Shen Hui. However, in his heart, he was planning how to make a lasting impression on him. Moving forward, health would be the top priority.
Discover more from Shy shy shy
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
