Chapter 13 SJC
Shen Jinnian tensed up and feigned complete ignorance as he firmly retorted, “What kid? Are you developing delusions in your twenties?”
Gu Yan remained unfazed. “You just said you had to go home to take care of a child.”
“I must’ve been sleep-talking,” Shen Jinnian said, his large, bright eyes meeting Gu Yan’s. They shimmered like spring water, clear and captivating. “You actually believe dream talk? Idiot.”
“You dream about what’s on your mind.” Gu Yan’s tone carried a hint of amusement. “Or maybe you’re just planning ahead—already thinking about marriage and kids in your twenties.”
Before Shen Jinnian could even get a word in, Gu Yan had already taken the upper hand with his sarcastic remarks.
Shen Jinnian clenched his teeth in frustration, and he wanted to bite down and tear the person in front of him to pieces.
“I'm too lazy to argue with you.” His foot, which had been about to step into his slippers, withdrew onto the bed instead.
He wrapped himself in a thin blanket and left only his fluffy head exposed, putting as much distance between them as possible. “Gu Yan, get out and stay far away from me. Just looking at you raises my blood pressure.”
Gu Yan stood firm. “Then let it rise later. Lunch is ready.”
Shen Jinnian hugged his empty stomach. “I’m not hungry.”
As soon as he finished speaking, his stomach let out an untimely growl and the rumbling sound echoed in the quiet room.
Shen Jinnian was so ashamed that he immediately got into the quilt and covered his head.
As long as he couldn't see the other person's face, he wouldn't be embarrassed.
Gu Yan didn’t rush to pull him out. Instead, he simply asked, “Do you want to eat in the bedroom or outside?”
Shen Jinnian covered his ears, pretending not to hear. “Not hungry.”
“Oh.”
That was it.
Shen Jinnian, suspicious of the sudden silence, slowly moved his hands away from his ears and held his breath, listening carefully.
Nothing.
After a long moment, when the room remained quiet, he cautiously lifted the blanket just a little to peek outside.
Gu Yan was gone.
Relieved, he quickly crawled out of bed and glanced around warily—only to find a small table set up by the bedside, filled with steaming hot dishes. All of them were his favorites.
The rich aroma drifted up with the heat, reaching his nose.
Gu Yan had even prepared a spoon and a fresh pair of chopsticks for him.
…When did he set this up?
As if possessed, Shen Jinnian got out of bed and hesitated in front of the table. If he didn’t eat, he really would starve. But if he did eat, wouldn’t that be slapping his own face?
Gu Yan would think that he had no backbone.
His stomach rumbled again.
Shen Jinnian: "…..."
What backbone? Can it be eaten?
With that, he convinced himself and decisively sat down.
He picked up the chopsticks in his right hand, the spoon in his left, and devoured the meal at lightning speed. By the time he was done, his stomach was full and warm, and felt very happy.
“…Burp.” Shen Jinnian wiped his mouth.
He had to admit, Gu Yan’s cooking skills were impressive. The flavors were incredibly similar to those from his hometown, he felt like he was back to his childhood.
Shen Jinnian stacked the bowl and chopsticks together and carried them out obediently.
Gu Yan was sitting at the kitchen island, eating his own meal at an unhurried pace. His bowl was still half full.
Shen Jinnian avoided his gaze somewhat awkwardly.
He coughed twice. “Your cooking’s not bad. If you can’t find a job in the future, you can work in my kitchen.”
Gu Yan said, “Thanks. Just leave the bowl there.”
Shen Jinnian set the bowl and chopsticks down, pulling the thin blanket around himself.
Just as he was about to head back to his room to continue avoiding Gu Yan, the front door was suddenly pounded on.
Gu Yan instinctively started to get up, but Shen Jinnian beat him to it, walking to the door with confidence. “It’s my delivery.”
As soon as the door opened a crack, a gust of cool air rushed in. Standing outside was a neatly dressed middle-aged man in a suit, holding a blue velvet box in one hand.
The man seemed taken aback. He started to say, “Young Master—” but abruptly swallowed the words.
His eyes widened in shock as he took in the sight before him—a young man, unfamiliar, shirtless, with only a thin blanket draped over his shoulders. His features were delicate, his skin fair, and there was even a trace of Gu Yan’s scent lingering on him!
The man: “!!!!”
He had just stumbled upon a huge scandal!
Nervously, he glanced past Shen Jinnian to where Gu Yan was leaning lazily against the storage cabinet. Then, after another quick look at Shen Jinnian, he silently marveled—Young Master Gu really was something.
Shen Jinnian was upset by being looked at secretly, and he took the initiative to ask: "Where are my clothes?"
The man was briefly stunned before realizing that the young man had mistaken him for someone else. Quickly adjusting, he said, “My apologies, sir. One of the items you ordered is out of stock, and we’re expediting the restock. To express our apologies, our store has prepared a small gift for you. We hope you’ll understand.”
Shen Jinnian took the velvet box and immediately noticed the gold-embossed logo on it.
He recognized it.
It was a well-known brand specializing in private customization, only serving upper-class customers, and it is simply hard to get an order.
"Your store is really interesting. You give customers high-end customized perfume as compensation?" It was Shen Jinnian’s first time coming into contact with such a prestigious brand, and his mood instantly brightened as he accepted the gift.
The middle-aged man gave a slight bow. “Just a small token. Your satisfaction is our greatest honor. If there’s nothing else, I’ll return to arrange your delivery.”
Shen Jinnian waved him off. “I’m fine. Just hurry up and send it over.”
“Understood.” The man responded and closed the door carefully with fear.
Shen Jinnian was curious about the perfume and hurried back to the bedroom.
He didn’t notice that the manager who had just apologized to him was now standing downstairs, speaking on the phone with Gu Yan, who was out on the balcony.
The middle-aged man's tone was no longer as cold and stiff as before, and even carried a lot of apology: "I'm sorry, young master, I didn't know there was a guest at home."
Gu Yan said, “Don’t mention it. And don’t talk about this to anyone.”
“Understood.” The man vowed, then hesitated before adding, “Young Master, that perfume just now was an extra gift from Mr. Weisen. I also have the special-order pheromone perfume you requested, along with a handwritten letter from him. When would you like me to send them up?”
Gu Yan replied, “No need.”
The man froze for a second.
Gu Yan added, “And don’t send anything in the future either.”
The middle-aged man hadn’t expected Gu Yan to suddenly break a habit he had maintained for over a decade. Guessing it had something to do with the boy in his apartment, he tactfully responded, “Understood, Young Master.”
Gu Yan hung up the phone.
Just then, he noticed two uniformed staff members downstairs, carrying large shopping bags into the building—clearly delivering clothes for Shen Jinnian.
He stepped out and intercepted them in advance.
After signing for the clothes in Shen Jinnian’s name, he sent the staff away.
Then, he deliberately waited a full thirty minutes before finally bringing the clothes to the bedroom.
Gu Yan knocked on the door before entering. “Your clothes are here.”
Shen Jinnian sprang up from the bed like a carp flipping out of water. “That fast?”
Gu Yan stood at the doorway, just in time to see Shen Jinnian’s excitement causing the thin blanket draped over him to slip down to his chest. He didn’t even notice, leaving his soft pink cherry buds fully exposed to Gu Yan’s heated gaze.
The man was fascinated.
By the time he snapped out of it, Shen Jinnian was already standing in front of him, his sharp gaze fixed directly on his face.
“Gu Yan.” The boy clutched the new clothes in his arms, his voice utterly emotionless. “I’m going to change now. Please go drop dead for a moment.”
Gu Yan turned around with a guilty conscience.
Shen Jinnian sternly added, “No peeking. And don’t imagine things either!”
Gu Yan answered in a steady voice, “Got it.”
In fact, he didn't need to imagine, he had seen the scenery completely just now, without missing a single thing, and he even remembered that the color of the cherry fruit was tender pink, delicious and tempting.
Shen Jinnian quickly put on his clothes. “Okay.”
Gu Yan slowly turned around and took in the sight of this young master in his new clothes.
Shen Jinnian seemed to like wearing shirts, especially tucking half of the hem into his pants. Gu Yan guessed that he wanted to create a bohemian style to match his SS rank Alpha majesty.
But what Shen Jinnian didn’t realize was that this style only accentuated his slender waist and the round curves beneath his fitted trousers, making him even more enticing.
Gu Yan’s eyes darkened.
Shen Jinnian shot him a glare. “What are you staring at?”
Gu Yan took the chance to compose himself. “You look good.”
“Pervert,” Shen Jinnian shuddered. “Don’t use your Omega-flirting tricks on me. It’s disgusting.”
“I’m not flirting. Just being honest.” Gu Yan’s voice was sincere, with no hint of teasing.
“Well… I guess that means your taste isn’t completely awful.” Shen Jinnian basked in the praise, tilting his chin up proudly, practically wagging an invisible tail.
For once, he didn’t bicker with Gu Yan. Instead, he happily went to collect his damp clothes from the balcony.
Gu Yan asked, “Are you heading home?”
Shen Jinnian shot back, “What else? You want me to stay and celebrate the New Year with you?”
Gu Yan hesitated. “Living together without any status isn’t ideal, is it?”
Shen Jinnian’s vision went black.
The words hit his brain like landmines, exploding in rapid succession, leaving his thoughts in complete disarray.
He didn’t even dare to fully process what kind of shameless, outrageous thing Gu Yan had just said.
Pervert. Absolute pervert!
He really should let his omega fans see how vulgar and disgusting the cool school idol they admire is in private.
“Stop spouting nonsense!” Shen Jinnian resisted the goose bumps all over his body, picked up his clothes and walked quickly towards the door.
Gu Yan moved to follow him out.
But Shen Jinnian frowned and held out a hand to stop him. “Stay right there. Maintain a safe distance between AA.”
Gu Yan sighed. “I’ll walk you out.”
“No need. I feel safer walking alone.”
As if worried Gu Yan might chase after him, Shen Jinnian bolted out of the complex. He even ran an extra block before pulling out his phone to hail a ride.
Watching Gu Yan’s residential area shrink in the distance until it completely disappeared from view, he finally felt at ease.
Twenty minutes later—
He stood outside Chen Han’s dorm room.
He pricked up his ears and listened for a while. After confirming that there was no crying inside, he tiptoed to push the door open.
The baby was scribbling on the notebook with a pen on the bed. The moment he saw Shen Jinnian enter, he immediately dropped the pen, stretched out his chubby arms, and called out, “PaPa~”
Shen Jinnian naturally picked up the child.
Chen Han’s expression was serious. “You went home with Gu Yan?”
Shen Jinnian placed a gift box on the table and asked in surprise, “How did you know?”
“The whole campus knows now,” Chen Han said, exasperated.
“It was just because he accidentally got my clothes dirty, so I went back with him to wash them. It’s not a big deal.”
“That’s such a classic excuse,” Chen Han sighed. “The perfect opening to a domestic romance drama.”
“???” Shen Jinnian pulled out the damp clothes from the bag and tossed them in front of Chen Han as proof. “We were really just washing clothes.”
The baby in his arms keenly smelled the cedar pheromones belonging to Gu Yan on the clothes, and happily stretched out his white and tender little fingers and shouted: "Pa! PaPa!"
Gu Yan remained unfazed. “You just said you had to go home to take care of a child.”
“I must’ve been sleep-talking,” Shen Jinnian said, his large, bright eyes meeting Gu Yan’s. They shimmered like spring water, clear and captivating. “You actually believe dream talk? Idiot.”
“You dream about what’s on your mind.” Gu Yan’s tone carried a hint of amusement. “Or maybe you’re just planning ahead—already thinking about marriage and kids in your twenties.”
Before Shen Jinnian could even get a word in, Gu Yan had already taken the upper hand with his sarcastic remarks.
Shen Jinnian clenched his teeth in frustration, and he wanted to bite down and tear the person in front of him to pieces.
“I'm too lazy to argue with you.” His foot, which had been about to step into his slippers, withdrew onto the bed instead.
He wrapped himself in a thin blanket and left only his fluffy head exposed, putting as much distance between them as possible. “Gu Yan, get out and stay far away from me. Just looking at you raises my blood pressure.”
Gu Yan stood firm. “Then let it rise later. Lunch is ready.”
Shen Jinnian hugged his empty stomach. “I’m not hungry.”
As soon as he finished speaking, his stomach let out an untimely growl and the rumbling sound echoed in the quiet room.
Shen Jinnian was so ashamed that he immediately got into the quilt and covered his head.
As long as he couldn't see the other person's face, he wouldn't be embarrassed.
Gu Yan didn’t rush to pull him out. Instead, he simply asked, “Do you want to eat in the bedroom or outside?”
Shen Jinnian covered his ears, pretending not to hear. “Not hungry.”
“Oh.”
That was it.
Shen Jinnian, suspicious of the sudden silence, slowly moved his hands away from his ears and held his breath, listening carefully.
Nothing.
After a long moment, when the room remained quiet, he cautiously lifted the blanket just a little to peek outside.
Gu Yan was gone.
Relieved, he quickly crawled out of bed and glanced around warily—only to find a small table set up by the bedside, filled with steaming hot dishes. All of them were his favorites.
The rich aroma drifted up with the heat, reaching his nose.
Gu Yan had even prepared a spoon and a fresh pair of chopsticks for him.
…When did he set this up?
As if possessed, Shen Jinnian got out of bed and hesitated in front of the table. If he didn’t eat, he really would starve. But if he did eat, wouldn’t that be slapping his own face?
Gu Yan would think that he had no backbone.
His stomach rumbled again.
Shen Jinnian: "…..."
What backbone? Can it be eaten?
With that, he convinced himself and decisively sat down.
He picked up the chopsticks in his right hand, the spoon in his left, and devoured the meal at lightning speed. By the time he was done, his stomach was full and warm, and felt very happy.
“…Burp.” Shen Jinnian wiped his mouth.
He had to admit, Gu Yan’s cooking skills were impressive. The flavors were incredibly similar to those from his hometown, he felt like he was back to his childhood.
Shen Jinnian stacked the bowl and chopsticks together and carried them out obediently.
Gu Yan was sitting at the kitchen island, eating his own meal at an unhurried pace. His bowl was still half full.
Shen Jinnian avoided his gaze somewhat awkwardly.
He coughed twice. “Your cooking’s not bad. If you can’t find a job in the future, you can work in my kitchen.”
Gu Yan said, “Thanks. Just leave the bowl there.”
Shen Jinnian set the bowl and chopsticks down, pulling the thin blanket around himself.
Just as he was about to head back to his room to continue avoiding Gu Yan, the front door was suddenly pounded on.
Gu Yan instinctively started to get up, but Shen Jinnian beat him to it, walking to the door with confidence. “It’s my delivery.”
As soon as the door opened a crack, a gust of cool air rushed in. Standing outside was a neatly dressed middle-aged man in a suit, holding a blue velvet box in one hand.
The man seemed taken aback. He started to say, “Young Master—” but abruptly swallowed the words.
His eyes widened in shock as he took in the sight before him—a young man, unfamiliar, shirtless, with only a thin blanket draped over his shoulders. His features were delicate, his skin fair, and there was even a trace of Gu Yan’s scent lingering on him!
The man: “!!!!”
He had just stumbled upon a huge scandal!
Nervously, he glanced past Shen Jinnian to where Gu Yan was leaning lazily against the storage cabinet. Then, after another quick look at Shen Jinnian, he silently marveled—Young Master Gu really was something.
Shen Jinnian was upset by being looked at secretly, and he took the initiative to ask: "Where are my clothes?"
The man was briefly stunned before realizing that the young man had mistaken him for someone else. Quickly adjusting, he said, “My apologies, sir. One of the items you ordered is out of stock, and we’re expediting the restock. To express our apologies, our store has prepared a small gift for you. We hope you’ll understand.”
Shen Jinnian took the velvet box and immediately noticed the gold-embossed logo on it.
He recognized it.
It was a well-known brand specializing in private customization, only serving upper-class customers, and it is simply hard to get an order.
"Your store is really interesting. You give customers high-end customized perfume as compensation?" It was Shen Jinnian’s first time coming into contact with such a prestigious brand, and his mood instantly brightened as he accepted the gift.
The middle-aged man gave a slight bow. “Just a small token. Your satisfaction is our greatest honor. If there’s nothing else, I’ll return to arrange your delivery.”
Shen Jinnian waved him off. “I’m fine. Just hurry up and send it over.”
“Understood.” The man responded and closed the door carefully with fear.
Shen Jinnian was curious about the perfume and hurried back to the bedroom.
He didn’t notice that the manager who had just apologized to him was now standing downstairs, speaking on the phone with Gu Yan, who was out on the balcony.
The middle-aged man's tone was no longer as cold and stiff as before, and even carried a lot of apology: "I'm sorry, young master, I didn't know there was a guest at home."
Gu Yan said, “Don’t mention it. And don’t talk about this to anyone.”
“Understood.” The man vowed, then hesitated before adding, “Young Master, that perfume just now was an extra gift from Mr. Weisen. I also have the special-order pheromone perfume you requested, along with a handwritten letter from him. When would you like me to send them up?”
Gu Yan replied, “No need.”
The man froze for a second.
Gu Yan added, “And don’t send anything in the future either.”
The middle-aged man hadn’t expected Gu Yan to suddenly break a habit he had maintained for over a decade. Guessing it had something to do with the boy in his apartment, he tactfully responded, “Understood, Young Master.”
Gu Yan hung up the phone.
Just then, he noticed two uniformed staff members downstairs, carrying large shopping bags into the building—clearly delivering clothes for Shen Jinnian.
He stepped out and intercepted them in advance.
After signing for the clothes in Shen Jinnian’s name, he sent the staff away.
Then, he deliberately waited a full thirty minutes before finally bringing the clothes to the bedroom.
Gu Yan knocked on the door before entering. “Your clothes are here.”
Shen Jinnian sprang up from the bed like a carp flipping out of water. “That fast?”
Gu Yan stood at the doorway, just in time to see Shen Jinnian’s excitement causing the thin blanket draped over him to slip down to his chest. He didn’t even notice, leaving his soft pink cherry buds fully exposed to Gu Yan’s heated gaze.
The man was fascinated.
By the time he snapped out of it, Shen Jinnian was already standing in front of him, his sharp gaze fixed directly on his face.
“Gu Yan.” The boy clutched the new clothes in his arms, his voice utterly emotionless. “I’m going to change now. Please go drop dead for a moment.”
Gu Yan turned around with a guilty conscience.
Shen Jinnian sternly added, “No peeking. And don’t imagine things either!”
Gu Yan answered in a steady voice, “Got it.”
In fact, he didn't need to imagine, he had seen the scenery completely just now, without missing a single thing, and he even remembered that the color of the cherry fruit was tender pink, delicious and tempting.
Shen Jinnian quickly put on his clothes. “Okay.”
Gu Yan slowly turned around and took in the sight of this young master in his new clothes.
Shen Jinnian seemed to like wearing shirts, especially tucking half of the hem into his pants. Gu Yan guessed that he wanted to create a bohemian style to match his SS rank Alpha majesty.
But what Shen Jinnian didn’t realize was that this style only accentuated his slender waist and the round curves beneath his fitted trousers, making him even more enticing.
Gu Yan’s eyes darkened.
Shen Jinnian shot him a glare. “What are you staring at?”
Gu Yan took the chance to compose himself. “You look good.”
“Pervert,” Shen Jinnian shuddered. “Don’t use your Omega-flirting tricks on me. It’s disgusting.”
“I’m not flirting. Just being honest.” Gu Yan’s voice was sincere, with no hint of teasing.
“Well… I guess that means your taste isn’t completely awful.” Shen Jinnian basked in the praise, tilting his chin up proudly, practically wagging an invisible tail.
For once, he didn’t bicker with Gu Yan. Instead, he happily went to collect his damp clothes from the balcony.
Gu Yan asked, “Are you heading home?”
Shen Jinnian shot back, “What else? You want me to stay and celebrate the New Year with you?”
Gu Yan hesitated. “Living together without any status isn’t ideal, is it?”
Shen Jinnian’s vision went black.
The words hit his brain like landmines, exploding in rapid succession, leaving his thoughts in complete disarray.
He didn’t even dare to fully process what kind of shameless, outrageous thing Gu Yan had just said.
Pervert. Absolute pervert!
He really should let his omega fans see how vulgar and disgusting the cool school idol they admire is in private.
“Stop spouting nonsense!” Shen Jinnian resisted the goose bumps all over his body, picked up his clothes and walked quickly towards the door.
Gu Yan moved to follow him out.
But Shen Jinnian frowned and held out a hand to stop him. “Stay right there. Maintain a safe distance between AA.”
Gu Yan sighed. “I’ll walk you out.”
“No need. I feel safer walking alone.”
As if worried Gu Yan might chase after him, Shen Jinnian bolted out of the complex. He even ran an extra block before pulling out his phone to hail a ride.
Watching Gu Yan’s residential area shrink in the distance until it completely disappeared from view, he finally felt at ease.
Twenty minutes later—
He stood outside Chen Han’s dorm room.
He pricked up his ears and listened for a while. After confirming that there was no crying inside, he tiptoed to push the door open.
The baby was scribbling on the notebook with a pen on the bed. The moment he saw Shen Jinnian enter, he immediately dropped the pen, stretched out his chubby arms, and called out, “PaPa~”
Shen Jinnian naturally picked up the child.
Chen Han’s expression was serious. “You went home with Gu Yan?”
Shen Jinnian placed a gift box on the table and asked in surprise, “How did you know?”
“The whole campus knows now,” Chen Han said, exasperated.
“It was just because he accidentally got my clothes dirty, so I went back with him to wash them. It’s not a big deal.”
“That’s such a classic excuse,” Chen Han sighed. “The perfect opening to a domestic romance drama.”
“???” Shen Jinnian pulled out the damp clothes from the bag and tossed them in front of Chen Han as proof. “We were really just washing clothes.”
The baby in his arms keenly smelled the cedar pheromones belonging to Gu Yan on the clothes, and happily stretched out his white and tender little fingers and shouted: "Pa! PaPa!"
· · ────── ꒰เฆ·✦·เป꒱ ────── · ·
Hey guys, sorry for the lack of updates these past few days—I had a major exam yesterday.
Since we’re getting close to Chapter 20, I’ve been thinking about starting a Patreon for this novel and my future BLs. There will be just one tier ($3) that gives access to all content—at least 5 chapters a week, and more if time allows. Free updates will still be twice or thrice a week. I will also release supporter-only chapters on ko-fi too~
You could leave anonymous comments to express your opinions if you don't wanna login!
<3
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