Chapter 4 SJC

When Shen Jinnian came out, Gu Yan was still waiting in the same spot.

The shop assistant was surprised for a moment, then looked at Gu Yan and Shen Jinnian with a gaze so suggestive it could almost be described as sticky—"I'm shipping them again."

Shen Jinnian felt like he was about to lose his mind.

He couldn't be bothered to explain.

They had already spent three hours shopping at the mall, and today's physical activity quota had been completely exceeded. He urgently needed to go home, lie down, and recharge.

Fortunately, Gu Yan, this little guy, had some sense and stepped forward to help carry the shopping bags.

Shen Jinnian handed everything over to Gu Yan without a hint of guilt—after all, only a fool wouldn't take advantage of such an opportunity.

But his mouth was still stubborn:

"I'm not going to thank you."

Gu Yan: "Expected."

When had Shen Jinnian ever uttered half a word of thanks to him?

The atmosphere between the two fell into silence again, the air pressure within a three-meter radius around them noticeably lower than elsewhere. It was as if an invisible barrier had formed, and people in the mall even avoided walking near them.

Shen Jinnian and Gu Yan quickly made their way to the mall exit, one after the other. But just as Shen Jinnian stepped out the door, he was almost knocked off his feet by a sudden gust of wind, completely unprepared.

The weather outside had changed without warning.

Thick clouds gathered, and gloom descended abruptly.

The strong wind and heavy rain roared and raged in the city. Umbrellas were blown away by the storm, and shared bicycles were scattered and toppled on the roadside. The bad weather directly trapped the two people in the mall.

Shen Jinnian retreated back inside, planning to call a ride home on his phone.

But to his surprise, the wait time was over two hours—and there was no guarantee he'd even get a ride!

He tried several apps, but the situation was the same everywhere.

Just as Shen Jinnian was pacing around in frustration, Gu Yan stepped around him, tilted his head, and gazed at the weather outside, lost in thought for a moment.

After snapping out of it, Gu Yan gestured in a direction with his eyes and said, "Shen Jinnian, there's a hotel 300 meters northwest."

Shen Jinnian immediately dismissed the idea: "Who carries their ID card while shopping at the mall?"

Gu Yan then added, "If you take a right 10 meters past the hotel, there's a 24-hour convenience store."

Shen Jinnian firmly refused: "There's no way I'm spending the night there."

Leaving aside whether the store owner would even let them shelter there overnight, even if they were allowed, Shen Jinnian wouldn't do it. No bed, no chairs—sitting on the floor like a beggar? No thanks.

Gu Yan turned around and looked down at Shen Jinnian meaningfully.

Finally, he offered another option: "Behind the convenience store, there's an alley. Walk 100 meters straight, and you'll reach my place."

Shen Jinnian: "Your place?"

Gu Yan: "The apartment I rent."

Shen Jinnian hesitated on the surface, but in fact, he quickly analysed the pros and cons in his brain.

If he insisted on waiting for a ride, it could take two, three, four, or even five hours. There were no restaurants or rest areas nearby, and once the mall closed, he'd have to find somewhere else to go.

But if he went to Gu Yan's place...

Why would Gu Yan invite him home?

He asked himself: Would he ever invite a sworn enemy he couldn't stand to stay overnight at his place? Absolutely not.

Gu Yan wouldn't have any plans for him, right?

Did he want to take advantage of his youth and beauty? Did he want to take advantage of his delicate body?

The more Shen Jinnian thought about it, the more his imagination ran wild, and the more alarmed he became.

Gu Yan quietly watched the unpredictable expression on his face, and couldn't help but remind him: "Are you going?"

Shen Jinnian looked up, staring straight at Gu Yan as he probed, "You're being so kind as to invite me to your place?"

Gu Yan replied, "Because I'm going home anyway."

Bringing Shen Jinnian along was no different from picking up a stray cat or dog.

Shen Jinnian pretended to think deeply for a moment, then coughed twice and mumbled, "Fine, I'll go."

After all, they were both Alphas. No matter what twisted ideas Gu Yan might have, it wouldn't compromise his purity.

Hearing this, Gu Yan didn't head out immediately. Instead, he turned back into the mall and asked a staff member for an oversized cardboard box that was earlier used to hold the baby formula. He flipped it over and cut two large holes on one side.

Just as Shen Jinnian was wondering what Gu Yan was up to, Gu Yan suddenly plopped the box over his head. The two holes perfectly aligned with his eyes.

Shen Jinnian: "..."

Ahhhhhhhh!

He was a noble young master from high society! How dare this peasant Gu Yan try to ruin his sophisticated image!

Just as Shen Jinnian was about to angrily tear off the cardboard box, Gu Yan suddenly grabbed his wrist, and explained while trying to comfort him, "The rain outside is too heavy. We need something to shield us on the way home."

Shen Jinnian snapped, "If it's so ugly, why don't you wear it?"

Gu Yan lifted the bags full of baby formula and diapers in his hands. "I don't have any free hands."

Shen Jinnian took a deep breath, grabbed the corner of Gu Yan's clothes and pulled him to his side, and the shoulders of the two suddenly pressed tightly together.

Before Gu Yan could react, the large cardboard box was suddenly placed over his head as well. In his ear, he heard Shen Jinnian's smug huff.

"If I'm going to look ridiculous, you're coming with me!"

After saying that, Shen Jinnian did not give him a chance to regret, and dragged Gu Yan into the storm. Worried that Gu Yan might not see the way or keep up, Shen Jinnian hooked an arm through his and gripped the edge of the cardboard box tightly with his other hand.

The two of them ran like fools on the zebra crossing in the rain with cardboard boxes on their heads.

They didn’t stop until they had sprinted all the way into the alley behind the convenience store. Only then did Shen Jinnian toss the cardboard box aside and let Gu Yan lead the way. The two of them, thoroughly drenched, made their way into an old residential complex. After some twists and turns, they finally found a unit tucked away in a corner. Fortunately, the apartment itself wasn’t a mess.

The moment they stepped inside, Shen Jinnian let out a sigh of relief.

Gu Yan turned up the heating and then rummaged through his wardrobe and pulled out a robe for Shen Jinnian. "Go take a hot shower. You’ll catch a cold if you stay in those wet clothes."

Shen Jinnian took the robe but suddenly caught a faint scent of pheromones. "Is this... one you’ve worn before?"

Gu Yan nodded. "Only once. I don’t have any new ones at home."

Shen Jinnian hesitated for a moment but ultimately decided to endure the discomfort. Better to wear Gu Yan’s used robe than to stay in his sticky, wet clothes. A real man could adapt to any situation.

Gu Yan added, "The bathroom’s on your right. The water temperature is already set, so you can use it directly. There’s a pink strawberry-scented body wash you can use."

Shen Jinnian nodded, but then his ears turned red as he thought of something. "Uh, Gu Yan... do you have, um, that at your place?"

Gu Yan was slightly stunned: "Sorry, I don't have a strong sexual desire, so I haven't bought that one."

Shen Jinnian's face turned red: "... I mean do you have new underwear? My clothes are all wet!"

Someone with a dirty mind sees everything as dirty!

"Oh." Gu Yan raised the corner of his lips almost imperceptibly: "There are no new ones, only the ones I have worn."

"Forget it," Shen Jinnian muttered. A real man can adapt to any situation—twice over. He could just wring out his clothes and let them dry. It would have to do.

With that, Shen Jinnian ended the conversation and headed into the bathroom.

As soon as he stepped inside, he froze.

Maybe it was his imagination, but the scent of pheromones in the bathroom seemed much stronger than outside—so strong it felt as if Gu Yan were standing right beside him, releasing an overwhelming amount of pheromones.

And there was something strange about Gu Yan’s pheromones.

Logically, an Alpha should only feel disdain, disgust, or a desire to suppress another Alpha’s pheromones. But as a double-S-rank Alpha, why did he feel... why did he feel...

The urge to submit.