Jing Xun: “!”
The moment he felt the contact of the other man’s dry lips, enveloped in the faint scent of tobacco, it took Jing Xun a full two seconds to react to the fact that he had been kissed.
…He had been kissed, right?
…So, this is what a kiss is.
In Jing Xun’s field of vision, he saw Shen Yijin’s long, straight eyelashes and his high-bridged nose.
There was also the man’s scent, his scorching breath all of it intermingled to surround Jing Xun, making his heart nearly leap out of his chest in that instant.
Jing Xun’s legs turned to jelly, and he subconsciously leaned backward.
However, because Shen Yijin’s long, powerful hand was pressed firmly against the small of his back, he didn’t struggle excessively.
Even though his mind was a complete blank at that moment, Jing Xun still subconsciously felt that he wouldn’t fall.
As he had expected, Shen Yijin held him firmly in place.
But his leaning body pressed against a few piano keys, causing a jarring, dramatic “Duang” to resound, which snapped Shen Yijin back to his senses, causing him to pull away and increase the distance between them.
Jing Xun: “…”
Having been kissed for the first time, Jing Xun could no longer control the color or temperature of his face. It was strange; it was Shen Yijin who had kissed him, yet it was he who had become the shy one…
Feeling far too embarrassed, Jing Xun had to make an excuse about needing to use the restroom, asking for a leave from the CEO before sprinting toward the washroom.
Looking at the cheeks in the mirror, which were still flushed despite being splashed with cold water, Jing Xun couldn’t help but feel surprised by his own reaction.
…He had done everything else, after all; they just hadn’t kissed yet.
So what was the big deal about being kissed? What exactly was he being so shy about?
Feeling baffled, Jing Xun tried to recall the scene that had just occurred: the clean, tidy living room, the pristine white piano, Shen Yijin standing tall with those long legs, holding him and kissing him…
Splash.
Jing Xun turned on the faucet again and splashed his face one more time.
Determined to stop dwelling on the image, he only emerged from the restroom once he had adjusted himself sufficiently.
Shen Yijin was sitting on the sofa with his long legs bent, having turned on the TV at some point.
A resonant, well-articulated bass voice emanated from the television. Jing Xun leaned over to look, only to see two little lion cubs on the screen biting and tumbling over each other in play.
…The Sir was actually watching Animal World.
It wasn’t that Shen Yijin wasn’t allowed to watch Animal World.
It was just… he only wanted to say, if he could watch TV, he should have said so earlier!
Jing Xun then sidled over and watched Animal World together with the “long-legged Sir.”
The little lion cubs on the screen, with their round ears and fluffy, mischievous appearance, were indeed adorable. Every time he saw them practicing hunting or the pride facing a food crisis, Jing Xun couldn’t help but feel his heart constrict with them.
However, being drawn into the TV screen like this made his earlier shyness vanish into thin air.
Even when he sat close to Shen Yijin and had the occasional physical contact, he didn’t feel like it was anything out of the ordinary.
As for why the Sir had kissed him so suddenly, Jing Xun didn’t overly dwell on the question.
After all, none of the big brother’s current actions were suited to being viewed from the perspective of a normal person.
Just like the little lion cubs on the TV flying over to play with their companions, perhaps… it was just a burst of beastliness.
Yeah, literally no other meaning intended.
The lion special ended, and they continued with the orangutan special. Once Animal World ended, they started watching cartoons.
Shen Yijin couldn’t sleep when he was in a bad mood, and Jing Xun stayed to keep him company, not going to bed either… This was the first time he had actively chosen to pull an all-nighter for something other than research or programming; it was purely for the sake of watching TV. Jing Xun even felt a spark of excitement.
His time had always been too precious. Every scrap of energy was also extremely valuable; for Jing Xun, he wouldn’t spend the energy to do things outside of research and study.
Spending an entire night like this, purely for entertainment and肆意揮霍 (wantonly squandering time), was indeed his first attempt.
Jing Xun didn’t even know when he eventually fell asleep. He only remembered feeling tired, so he leaned against the sofa. Later, feeling too sleepy to function, he collapsed onto Shen Yijin’s lap.
And after that…
When he opened his eyes again, the curtains were still drawn, but it was clear that it was already bright outside.
Jing Xun checked the time.
9:40 AM…
Good heavens, not only had he pulled an all-nighter, but he had also slept through half the morning.
Speaking of which, where was the Sir?
Hopping off the bed, Jing Xun searched the bedroom first but found no sign of Shen Yijin.
He came out of the bedroom and checked the living room and kitchen, but when he still found nothing, the study door opened.
At this hour, the sunlight was vibrant. The moment the door opened, the room seemed to overflow with sunlight, and there stood Shen Yijin in his loungewear.
Perhaps because of the loungewear, or because he was bathed in the sunlight, his expression toward Jing Xun was gentle. His deep, pleasant voice sounded simultaneously: “Xiao Xun is awake.”
Jing Xun: “…”
Shen Yijin’s hairstyle was a typical side-part, which was usually kept meticulously groomed when he wore a suit—the classic elite look.
But right now, he looked like he had just showered; his hair was still slightly damp and tousled, falling lightly onto his forehead. He looked no different from a male college student currently in school.
Perhaps he was a bit more imposing in presence, but compared to the usual “Sir,” he looked infinitely more sunny…
It took a long time for Jing Xun to manage to tear his gaze away from this refreshing version of Shen Yijin.
He gave a slight nod. “Morning, Sir.”
“Morning.”
Shen Yijin’s morning conversation was the same: asking if he wanted coffee or whole-wheat bread. Having gained experience, Jing Xun didn’t want to keep having the Sir serve him, so he said very consciously, “I’ll do it myself.”
He glanced behind Shen Yijin once more.
He tried asking, “Is the Sir working?”
“Mm,” Shen Yijin said. “I just processed a few documents.”
“Oh.”
Jing Xun thought to himself that the villainous Sir still had great stamina; he had gone to sleep near 2:00 AM last night, and he had no idea what time Shen Yijin had fallen asleep…
Feeling very sorry that he had fallen asleep midway and hadn’t stayed up all night to keep him company, Jing Xun scratched his soft hair in embarrassment. Not wanting to disturb Shen Yijin’s work, he quickly said, “Then hurry back to your work, Sir.”
He didn’t expect Shen Yijin to call him back once more.
“Thank you for last night, Xiao Xun.”
“……Hee-hee.” Being thanked instead, Jing Xun felt even more awkward. He carefully studied Shen Yijin’s eyes and expression, and realizing that not a trace of last night’s frenzy remained, he felt relieved.
Jing Xun said, “It’s nothing. In the future… uh, if there is anything I should be aware of when you’re not feeling well, Sir, you can tell me in advance.”
“There’s no need to be aware of anything,” Shen Yijin said.
Jing Xun: “?”
Shen Yijin, wearing soft loungewear, lowered his eyes slightly to stare at him.
Jing Xun saw his own reflection in the man’s deep eyes.
He heard the man say clearly, one word at a time: “Xiao Xun only needs to be aware that you should stay by my side.”
Jing Xun: “Oh.”
Stay by his side well, of course he should stay by his side. That was something he had promised the other party from the start.
Seeing nothing wrong with that, Jing Xun smiled and immediately replied, “Okay.”
Opposite him, Shen Yijin’s eyes seemed to darken a shade more.
After exchanging a few words with Shen Yijin, Jing Xun went to wash up. When he came out, the coffee and bread prepared for him by Shen Yijin were already set out in the kitchen.
…The study door wasn’t fully closed. Jing Xun heard Shen Yijin on a phone call inside, seemingly discussing work again, so he didn’t go in to disturb him, instead sitting at the dining table to eat his breakfast.
It was the weekend and there was nothing to do, so Jing Xun ate his breakfast a little more slowly than usual.
Although the whole-wheat bread didn’t have much flavor, it was exceptionally crisp and tasty after being toasted in the bread machine. Of course, there was butter in the kitchen, and he could have spread some if he wanted to.
But Jing Xun didn’t care for that.
After breakfast, he tidied up the dishes and the kitchen. Jing Xun walked over to the shelf to observe Shen Yijin’s plants.
Assistant Jin had watered them yesterday; Jing Xun had no experience in irrigating plants and didn’t dare to touch them haphazardly.
He just thought the plants with the drooping stems and leaves were amazing; they could grow so lush and abundant, giving off a very flourishing vibe.
Having finished moving around the living room with nothing to do, Jing Xun went back to his old trade.
The game company was very satisfied with the sub-program he had uploaded yesterday, saying that after Monday, when their finance department was back to work, they would pay his first installment of remuneration.
Because of this, Jing Xun was full of motivation and intended to push the deadline even further ahead.
About an hour passed like this when the doorbell suddenly rang.
The bar counter where Jing Xun was located was right next to the entrance, making it very convenient for him to run over and open the door. He glanced toward the study and, seeing no movement from Shen Yijin, opened the video intercom at the door.
An image of a young man appeared on the screen.
A moment later, Jing Xun opened the door for the young man.
The visitor was another of Shen Yijin’s assistants, Little Tang.
Jing Xun had added Little Tang on WeChat previously; although they hadn’t really communicated, they at least knew of each other’s existence.
Seeing him in person now, Jing Xun was taken aback.
The man had a cute, baby-faced appearance and looked very young.
He was also carrying… two large bags of vegetables?
“You must be Mr. Yan, right? Hello, Mr. Yan, I’m CEO Shen’s assistant.”
Not only did he have a baby face, but Assistant Tang also had large, round eyes, which made him feel very approachable when he smiled.
Jing Xun greeted him with a smile and helped take the bags of vegetables from him. A short while later, Shen Yijin came out of the study, and that was when Jing Xun learned that, to express his gratitude for Jing Xun’s company last night, Shen Yijin was going to cook him a lunch personally…
The Sir cooking?
The Sir actually knows how to cook??
Jing Xun didn’t even know how!
Having grown up in an orphanage, he should have been very independent, but his health was simply too poor—his childhood had almost been spent in a constant state of dizziness. Because of this, from the director down to the other children, no one dared to let Jing Xun do any work.
This resulted in Jing Xun having never even entered a kitchen in his entire life.
Fortunately, he had earned money later a lot of money, enough to improve the environment of the orphanage and provide for many children to study—which he used to repay Director Auntie and his playmates thoroughly, so he didn’t seem quite so useless…
But why would the villainous Sir know how to cook?
Weren’t the overbearing CEOs in books all people who had others feed them and clothe them, and were busy with official duties all day long?
“Haha, doesn’t Mr. Yan know? The Boss studied abroad when he was very young, and he took care of his own daily life,” Little Tang said.
Jin Zheheng was resting today. Little Tang had originally come to deliver a file to the Boss, but halfway there, the Boss told him to buy some vegetables on the way… This had actually given Little Tang quite a shock.
Little Tang: “But the Boss probably hasn’t been in the kitchen for many years; he’s just too busy.”
Jing Xun: “…”
Little Tang added hastily: “Oh, Mr. Yan, please don’t misunderstand. I only know these things because my brother was a classmate of the Boss when he was studying abroad… Sigh, no, my brother and the Boss were just ordinary classmates, Mr. Yan, you must not misunderstand!”
Jing Xun: …?
Misunderstand what?
Jing Xun looked confused.
However, although the young man Little Tang felt a bit silly-fufu, he was actually just a bit naive and had a very good heart and was quite cute.
Taking advantage of the time Shen Yijin went back to review documents, they chatted for a bit. Jing Xun later learned that Little Tang’s brother, “Big Tang,” was indeed the Boss’s college classmate, but Big Tang was now developing his career abroad, and Little Tang had just graduated from college this year and hadn’t found a job yet, so he was working as an assistant for the Boss temporarily.
Besides that, Jin Zheheng turned out to be Shen Yijin’s college alumnus as well.
Shen Yijin had returned to the country two years ago, but Assistant Jin had started working for the Boss three years ago; he heard it was because the Boss had been far too prominent and capable back in school, so many people were willing to work for him.
Naturally, Shen Yijin was also the youngest and the one who had skipped the most grades among all his classmates.
“When it comes to the Boss’s glorious history, my brother says he could talk for three days and three nights,” Little Tang looked at Jing Xun with worship. “Mr. Yan, you are truly amazing.”
Jing Xun was puzzled. “Why amazing?”
Little Tang stared at him, his eyes blinking, his worship overflowing: “My brother said that when the Boss was in school, the admirers he rejected added up to three figures; you are the first one to successfully ‘get to the top’!”
Jing Xun: “…Uh.”
So… was this a compliment?
“Successfully get to the top”… that really wasn’t the case.
Jing Xun still hadn’t figured out how he and the Sir had reached this point today.
Having delivered the goods, Little Tang had finished his task for the day. He was a chatterbox; although he looked curious about Jing Xun and wanted to continue chatting, he didn’t dare linger in an area where Shen Yijin was present.
Before Little Tang left, Jing Xun suddenly remembered something and asked him: “Does Assistant Tang know where they sell game consoles nearby?”
“What kind of game console?”
Jing Xun described it roughly. He hadn’t played before, only knowing that such things existed, which could be played with controllers or sensors worn on the body.
Little Tang said: “The two types you mentioned, I remember the Boss has both.”
“?” Jing Xun widened his eyes. “He has both?”
“Yeah… you know the Boss is prone to having a bad mood, right? Previously, Brother Zheheng put two game consoles here. Let me see…”
As Little Tang said this, he really found two large game packaging boxes in the cupboard near the TV.
Jing Xun: “…”
Thinking of the way Shen Yijin had said categorically yesterday that he didn’t have any game consoles… well, maybe the big shot didn’t know they were there.
And Jing Xun felt that the probability of this “maybe” being true was very, very high.
Because the packaging on those two boxes was still brand new; they had never been opened.
Jing Xun thought that if Shen Yijin felt bad again next time or became emotionally unstable, they could play some games; perhaps that would be easier than simply watching Animal World to help him forget his pain.
But it was a little embarrassing to say even though he had won the robotics competition several times in a row, Jing Xun really hadn’t played or had any contact with game consoles…
“No problem, they are very easy to pick up; I’ll demonstrate for you and you’ll know!”
The enthusiastic Assistant Little Tang, after opening the packaging, skillfully operated the TV. Soon, the game interface appeared on the screen. Little Tang flipped through the catalog and let out an envious sound: “Tsk tsk, so many games and the Boss doesn’t play them at all; what a waste!”
Jing Xun: “…Which one is fun?”
Little Tang’s eyes brightened further: “There are a few that are especially fun.”
And so, to demonstrate for Jing Xun, they soon started a game.
The game Little Tang started was similar to PUBG (Chicken Dinner), except the setting took place in the Middle Ages, but it was still a two-person team looting, running away, or picking up crates.
Although Jing Xun hadn’t played before, he had a high comprehension and learned fast; basically, within two minutes, he had grasped the essence of the controls.
Turning back to shoot an enemy in the head, Jing Xun’s movements were as smooth as flowing water.
This caused Little Tang to shout in excitement from the side: “Wow wow, Mr. Yan, you’re too amazing!”
Jing Xun had been quite calm originally, but when checking the enemy’s equipment, he discovered a weapon that looked quite powerful and couldn’t help but smile radiantly.
He asked Little Tang: “Assistant Tang, how do you use this thing?”
Assistant Tang let out another exclamation: “Holy crap, crystal ball! Too lucky! Save, you must save; you might be able to pass the level!”
Jing Xun didn’t know how to save, so Little Tang reached over to teach him how to do it.
And so, Shen Yijin, who had just finished reviewing documents and come out of his room, saw the two people sitting side-by-side on the living room floor, eagerly and almost hand-in-hand discussing the game screen.
“Boss.”
Shen Yijin likely had a naturally strong aura that made people automatically notice his presence at all times. Not long after he appeared in the living room, Little Tang quickly dropped the controller and stood up from the floor.
Shen Yijin’s indifferent gaze flickered over him before he walked toward the kitchen.
“I’m going to cook. Little Tang, stay for a meal as well.”
Little Tang: “?”
Why was the Boss’s tone clearly a declarative sentence, but it sounded completely unlike an invitation to stay for a meal, but rather like he was asking him: Do you actually want to stay for a meal?
Little Tang quickly shook his head to indicate no, saying he had an appointment with a friend for lunch and was leaving right now.
Kidding, it was obvious the Boss wanted some private time for the two! How could he dare stay to eat!
Moreover.
The faint, indifferent glance the CEO had given him earlier still made him feel a chill down his spine.