After heading to the bathroom, Jiang Wu realized he had not brought any slippers. He looked around the bathroom, but there were no extra ones to be found. Just then, the door pushed open, and Shen Yifeng walked in with a pair of slippers.
“Thank you.” Jiang Wu’s eyes brightened; he had not expected Shen Yifeng to be so thoughtful.
Shen Yifeng looked at him without a word, placed the slippers by the door, and walked out. Jiang Wu quickly rinsed his feet and emerged from the bathroom. Seeing the only bed in the room, he suddenly felt awkward. He had come over so abruptly, and he was not sure if Shen Yifeng would mind. Besides, there was only one bed. He personally did not have any issues with sharing it; in his mind, whether Shen Yifeng admitted it or not, they were already friends. Since they were both men, sleeping in the same bed was no big deal. The only concern was whether Shen Yifeng, who seemed like a neat freak, would be comfortable with it.
Shen Yifeng had not bathed yet. He looked at Jiang Wu standing blankly by the bed with his clothes in hand. Assuming Jiang Wu needed something, he asked:
“What is wrong?”
Jiang Wu picked at his fingers, deciding he should ask, but asking someone directly if they were a neat freak felt rude. He phrased it vaguely: “Am I disturbing you?”
Upon hearing this and seeing the expression on Jiang Wu’s face, Shen Yifeng guessed his meaning and could not help but chuckle. To ask this only now, after coming all the way here, if he had not known Jiang Wu’s personality, he would have suspected he was doing this on purpose.
“No.” He paused, then added, “I am not a neat freak.”
Jiang Wu’s eyes instantly curved into crescents. He gave Shen Yifeng a sweet smile and climbed onto the large bed. “I sleep very quietly.”
His meaning was that he would not disturb Shen Yifeng’s sleep. Shen Yifeng nodded slightly and went into the bathroom with his change of clothes without saying anything more. The bed was large, soft, and felt secure; Jiang Wu drifted off to sleep almost immediately.
When Shen Yifeng came out of the bathroom, he saw the boy under the quilt with only his head exposed, eyes shut tight, and breathing rhythmically. Jiang Wu looked incredibly well-behaved in his sleep. No, even when awake, Jiang Wu was well-behaved. He had never seen anyone so obedient. Though delicate, he was not overbearing. He was like an angel fallen to earth, kind, cute, and precious.
Shen Yifeng gently pulled back the quilt and lay down beside Jiang Wu. Just as he lay down, a soft, mumbled voice came from Jiang Wu: “Shen Yifeng, you are done washing. Goodnight.”
Shen Yifeng stiffened, fearing his movement had woken him. But when he looked, Jiang Wu had simply turned over and was sleeping soundly. Shen Yifeng let out a sigh of relief, feeling an inexplicable sense of joy. He whispered back, “Goodnight.”
The room was silent, and the rhythmic sound of Jiang Wu’s breathing filled Shen Yifeng’s ears, making it hard for him to fall asleep. It was the first time in his memory he had shared a bed with someone. While he was not a neat freak, he was very territorial. Very few people were allowed into his private spaces; even his bedroom was off-limits to everyone except Uncle Liu, who came to clean. Today, he had not only allowed Jiang Wu into his room but had let him sleep in his bed. He did not feel the slightest bit of displeasure; in fact, he felt entirely willing.
He subconsciously chose not to analyze why he was acting so strangely. Thinking of that soft goodnight, Shen Yifeng curled his lips into a smile. The feeling of being wished goodnight seemed nice.
When Jiang Wu woke up, Shen Yifeng was already gone. Seeing the bright sunlight outside, Jiang Wu stretched, put on his slippers, and headed back to his room. As soon as he stepped out, he ran into Uncle Liu. Uncle Liu looked surprised to see him coming out of Shen Yifeng’s room, but that surprise quickly turned to delight.
“Morning, Uncle Liu!” Jiang Wu greeted him cheerfully, not feeling the slightest bit out of place for coming out of Shen Yifeng’s room in his pajamas. Of course, this could not be blamed on him; in the past two months, he had completely forgotten that he and Shen Yifeng were supposed to be fiancés in the eyes of others.
It seemed this house would soon welcome a second master, Uncle Liu thought, remembering the old master’s instructions. His smile grew even more enthusiastic. “Morning, Little Jiang. Are you hungry? Breakfast is ready.”
Jiang Wu headed into his room, calling back with a smile:
“I know, thank you, Uncle Liu!”
His voice was crisp and sweet, like a cool summer breeze. Uncle Liu found himself liking Jiang Wu more and more; he laughed so hard his wrinkles bunched together, and he immediately pulled out his phone to call the old master. He had to tell him that the matter was as good as done.
Oblivious to the misunderstanding, Jiang Wu freshened up and went downstairs for breakfast. He found Shen Yifeng in the living room watching the financial news.
Jiang Wu greeted him naturally: “Morning, Shen Yifeng!”
His tone was very light, as if he were in a good mood. Shen Yifeng looked over. “Morning.”
“Are you not going to work today?” Jiang Wu glanced at the clock; it was past 9:00 AM.
Shen Yifeng answered: “It is Sunday.”
He meant that it was his day off. But I have never seen you rest on a Sunday before, Jiang Wu thought. He did not voice it, instead asking, “Have you eaten?” Though he knew Shen Yifeng would have already eaten, it was just a polite gesture.
Sure enough, Shen Yifeng said without looking away: “Yes.”
Jiang Wu went to the dining room. Today’s breakfast was salted bone and corn congee. The meat was soft and fell off the bone, the salty aroma blending perfectly with the sweet rice. Combined with fresh shrimp dumplings filled with crayfish, each plump and crystal clear, Jiang Wu felt like the happiest person in the world.
When he returned to the living room, Shen Yifeng was gone.
Where did he go? Jiang Wu wondered.
Too full to sit still, Jiang Wu decided to take a walk in the backyard. He passed through the living room, followed the path around the pond, and reached the back garden. There was a glass flower house there. It was small but exquisite, filled with all kinds of flowers.
From his vantage point, Jiang Wu saw a figure inside. He had been wrong; it was not Uncle Liu pruning the branches; it was Shen Yifeng.
Shen Yifeng wore gray loungewear and a mask, holding shears as he focused intensely on pruning a plant. Jiang Wu could not clearly see what kind of flower it was, as Shen Yifeng’s body blocked most of it. Jiang Wu was surprised, not because Shen Yifeng was gardening, but by his attitude. It was the first time he had seen that cold, impassive face show such gentleness. His movements were tender and cautious, as if the flower were a precious treasure. It seemed Shen Yifeng did not just like the flowers; he cherished them deeply. It was hard to imagine Shen Yifeng having such a side.
Since peeking at others was impolite, Jiang Wu watched for only a moment before walking away.
The weather was wonderful, the sun bright, and the breeze gentle. Jiang Wu decided to find a pavilion to lie down in. The backyard was huge, featuring several pavilions, rockeries, and fountains. Curiously, every pavilion was fitted with a hanging wicker chair, and the decor was warm and cozy, a sharp contrast to the cold, stark style of the main house. He doubted that someone like Shen Yifeng would ever lie in a wicker chair, yet they were there. Jiang Wu did not know why, but he did not ask.
He chose the nearest pavilion, took off his shoes, and lay down in the hanging chair. He loved the sensation of the sun and the breeze. He pulled out his phone to read some manga. After a while, the sound of a piano drifted from the direction of the flower house.
Someone was playing. Jiang Wu put down his phone and listened. The piece was A Farewell, the notes soaring and sorrowful. He felt a sudden urge to go see. Before he could get close, the music changed. It was a simple, lively tune: Scarecrow Dance. Its rhythmic, happy tone contrasted sharply with the previous song. Jiang Wu recognized it because his cousin had played it constantly in his past life.
Following the music, Jiang Wu arrived at the flower house and found Shen Yifeng playing the piano.