Chapter 84 – Great Beauty!
Lin Ganzhi had seen Wenren Yi as a carefree person, never imagining she had such a past. She must have suddenly broken down today after seeing her grandmother’s episode with her own eyes. He had read about many kidnapping cases in the news; ruthless kidnappers would do anything for money. For a family with the Wenren’s resources to be unable to find their relative, it was likely that the worst had already happened.
Lin Ganzhi reached out and placed a hand on Wenren Yi’s shoulder, feeling it tremble. A bitter taste filled his heart. As someone who had already died once, he could only offer comfort from that perspective. “Let’s assume it was you who stayed behind, not your uncle. If you did all that for him, would you want him to live well, or to live in the pain of your death? That includes your grandmother.”
“I know,” Wenren Yi said, wiping her eyes, her voice hoarse. “I understand the logic, but seeing Grandma like this, I just feel awful. I know how much effort she put into my uncle. When Grandma was still at the company, she never confided in the family. Instead, it was me who always needed her to hold and comfort me when I was little. She was the only one who endured everything silently. Now that she’s older and her energy is not what it used to be, the emotional illness has erupted all at once, and treatment is getting harder and harder. I can’t even imagine next year.”
“Wenren, death is the fairest thing in the world. No one can escape it,” Lin Ganzhi said, word by word. “Instead of fighting with the past and future, it’s better to live in the present. Don’t feel like the sky is falling just because your grandmother is sick. For every day she is still in this world, spend more time with her. That’s better than drinking any amount of alcohol here. You can’t change what happened to your uncle, but your grandmother is still here. She might not be able to speak sometimes and might be lost in her own world, but she can still hear your voices. If everyone is crying, do you want her to spend the rest of her life in regret?”
If he had anyone he cared about in that other world, this is what he would want to say to them. The deceased are gone; if the living hold on too tightly, neither side can find peace.
Wenren Yi gradually lifted her head, somewhat surprised by Lin Ganzhi’s words. She usually treated him like a younger brother, but she never expected him to be so clear-sighted about such matters, as if he had experienced it all himself.
“You’re right. Even when Grandma has an episode, she can still hear our voices. I’ll take her out for a walk tomorrow. Ganzhi, can you come with me? And stay here for a few more days,” Wenren Yi said, her mood lifting as she looked at Lin Ganzhi with anticipation.
Lin Ganzhi was about to agree when he suddenly remembered he hadn’t come alone. “I’ll go back and discuss it with Yan Shengping, if he’s not busy with work.”
“For you, he’s definitely not busy,” Wenren Yi blurted out the truth, then looked at Lin Ganzhi’s somewhat dazed expression and asked strangely, “You don’t still doubt your husband’s feelings for you, do you?”
Uh, he was firmly convinced that Yan Shengping had no feelings for him. Weren’t they just acting? “How could I?”
“Look at your guilty face. Let me tell you, even as an outsider, I think CEO Yan’s feelings for you are blatant. Do you understand blatant?” Wenren Yi was wide awake now that they were on this topic.
For some reason, Lin Ganzhi actually wanted to hear Wenren Yi elaborate. He put on a look of someone eager to learn and said, “Then tell me more.”
“Does this even need elaboration? Who would let you lean on their arm and sleep for at least five hours during the second half of a flight? I wanted to ask you to watch a movie then, but CEO Yan couldn’t bear to have you woken up and even shushed me. I was stuffed with PDA the whole trip. If I had known, I would have asked Que Jin to come along, at least I’d have someone to talk to,” Wenren Yi rolled her eyes silently, then added as if remembering something, “And! CEO Yan’s Weibo! Besides the post about cutting ties with the Zhong Family, the latest one is him thanking you for the fountain pen you gave him for his birthday. Tsk, tsk, and you didn’t even reply! What a cold man!”
Lin Ganzhi’s heart skipped a beat. He really hadn’t seen that. Who could blame him when he had tens of millions of anti-fans? He never logged into Weibo unless he had to.
And Yan Shengping hadn’t given him any attitude about it? Or did he post it behind his back, thinking he would never log on to see it? Hiss, why was the boss’s mind so hard to guess?
“I… I didn’t know about this. Maybe I should go like it now,” Lin Ganzhi said, opening his phone. But before he could open Weibo, Wenren Yi stopped him.
“Are you stupid? It’s been days. If you go and like it now, you’ll definitely get flamed!” Wenren Yi knew the nature of some anti-fans all too well; she could even recite what they would say. “It would be better to thank your husband properly tonight. Let me tell you, the soundproofing in our house is super good. That’s my hint. You’ll have to figure out the rest yourself~” Wenren Yi gave him a knowing smirk, all traces of her earlier sadness gone.
Lin Ganzhi was speechless. Her mind was full of dirty thoughts, completely oblivious to the genuine brotherly bond between him and his boss. But speaking of which, Yan Shengping’s acting was surprisingly good. He had originally intended to take the lead as the senior, but it turned out he hadn’t completely fooled Wenren Yi. Instead, it was Yan Shengping who had successfully convinced her.
“Look at you. Alright, hurry back. I won’t keep you two lovebirds from your romance. I’m going to find Que Jin. She should be done with her interview by now,” Wenren Yi said, shooing Lin Ganzhi out.
Halfway out, Lin Ganzhi put on the brakes and turned back with a suspicious look. “I thought it was strange during the show last time. You and Sister Que Jin, is there… something going on?”
Wenren Yi smiled deeply but didn’t answer directly. “Little kids shouldn’t meddle in adult affairs for now. Go play with your husband.”
Lin Ganzhi could only rage impotently at the closed door.
After being kicked out, Lin Ganzhi had no choice but to embark on the journey to find his husband—ah, no, his brother.
When he reached the door to their room, Lin Ganzhi opened it quietly, only to find the lights still on. Yan Shengping was sitting on the bed in his pajamas, reading a book. Hearing the noise, he looked up and saw Lin Ganzhi. A faint smile graced his lips, like a jade statue coming to life with a smile, dazzlingly beautiful.
Lin Ganzhi swallowed hard and asked, “Why aren’t you asleep yet?” He had been at Wenren Yi’s for at least an hour. Now that he finally had a break from work, why wasn’t he taking the opportunity to rest?
“If I fell asleep before you came back, what would your friend think if she walked you back?” Yan Shengping patted the spot next to him, his reason seeming quite legitimate. “Brush your teeth and come to bed.”
Lin Ganzhi nodded obediently and pattered off to the bathroom. As he spat out the first mouthful of water, it suddenly dawned on him: they were on the same floor, and he was a grown man in his twenties. What was there to walk him back for?
After washing up, Lin Ganzhi leaped onto the bed in a single bound, momentarily forgetting that his benefactor was also on it. The two of them made eye contact. The former’s eyes were smiling, while the latter’s were a bit awkward.
“Ahem, I was just testing how sturdy this bed is,” Lin Ganzhi said, about to lift the covers and slip in, only to realize there was only one quilt on the bed.
It wasn’t that he hadn’t slept with Yan Shengping before, but never while fully conscious. Now, suddenly required to share a quilt, Lin Ganzhi’s movements froze completely.
“Do you hate sharing a quilt with me?” Yan Shengping asked in a low voice, a hint of disappointment in his tone.
Lin Ganzhi quickly shook his head, lifted the quilt, and dove in to show his loyalty. After a moment, he poked his head out from under the covers, revealing his large, watery almond eyes. “I was afraid you wouldn’t be used to it.”
“It’s fine if it’s you. When we’re outside, we have to keep the act up all the way. Thanks for your hard work,” Yan Shengping said as he reached out to turn off the light. The spacious, magnificent room was instantly plunged into darkness.
Lin Ganzhi’s mind was a bit muddled. What did he mean, “it’s fine if it’s you”? Could someone please translate that for him?
The door was closed, so what was the point of acting? Even if the Zhong Family had a hundred times the nerve, they wouldn’t dare to spy on them here. Wenren Yi wouldn’t just barge into their room. Who was Yan Shengping acting for now? Damn, was he being paranoid?
The more Lin Ganzhi thought about it, the less he could sleep. Suddenly, he heard a hiss beside him.
The weather in the United States had been quite cold recently, definitely around zero degrees. The air conditioning in the room was on, but that was just his own body temperature. It didn’t apply to the patient next to him.
“Yan Shengping, are you cold?” Lin Ganzhi asked worriedly in the darkness.
A very low, hoarse voice came from beside him. “It’s fine. I’ll be okay once I fall asleep.”
That’s fine? Are you planning to freeze solid in your sleep and then have me sent away? Lin Ganzhi’s mother-hen instincts kicked in again. His warm body wiggled over to Yan Shengping like a caterpillar. When he was pressed against Yan Shengping’s arm, he stopped and asked with concern, “Is this better?”
In the darkness, the old beast’s lips curved into a calculating smile. Unfortunately, Lin Ganzhi had his head buried and didn’t notice a thing.
“I’m fine. I’ve gotten used to it over the years. Don’t lean against me, you might catch a cold.”
Huh? How could you catch a cold from sharing body heat? Who was Yan Shengping looking down on? He was a self-heating furnace, okay? A strange sense of competitiveness spurred Lin Ganzhi to push himself up and burrow into Yan Shengping’s embrace. The scent of cold wood filled his nostrils, and he could feel the tips of his ears burning. He said in a muffled voice, “I’m boiling hot. Hold me so you don’t get cold.”
Yan Shengping looked at the little foolish fox who had willingly snuggled into his arms, the smile in his eyes nearly overflowing. You came to me on your own. You’re not allowed to take it back later.
“Then thank you, Ganzhi,” Yan Shengping whispered, wrapping his arms around Lin Ganzhi’s back.
Lin Ganzhi stiffened for a moment, then shyly nuzzled his head against Yan Shengping’s chest, obediently letting him hold him. This was the benefactor who paid him a million a month. What was a little hug? Even if he got screwed… well, he’d still come out on top. After the divorce, he might not find such a handsome top again. Ever since his plan was exposed, Yan Shengping had been nothing but gentle with him. Smart, decisive, and a great beauty. A top-quality bottom like this was hard to find even with a searchlight.
“What, can’t sleep?” Yan Shengping’s voice sounded from above his head, tinged with a lazy drowsiness.
“Huh, how did you know?”
“Your head keeps burrowing into my chest. Even for sleep-moving, the speed is a bit too fast. It’s not realistic.”
There’s something even more unrealistic. Wenren Yi said your feelings for me are so blatant!