Chapter 104: Resignation

Lips pressed firmly together.

Transcending from an initial subtle chill to an intense heat.

Ji Min supported the youth's waist with one hand, while firmly gripping the wheelchair's armrest with the other.

His muscles were taut, his body rigid like a sculpture frozen in time.

The youth eagerly pressed and rubbed his lips against his own, heedless.

Ji Min wanted to say, "Hold on, something's off with you."

He wanted to suggest, "Focus on recovering first, we'll talk about the rest later."

But remaining still was the utmost restraint he could muster.

He could keenly sense his rationality and concerns slowly crumbling away.

At last, the youth who had been lingering at the edge of his lips, persistently seeking a response, remained unacknowledged.

Frustrated, he gently bit down.

Accompanying the sensation of pain was a fleeting warmth and soft moisture.

Ji Min's eyes suddenly closed.

All restraints came crashing down in a sudden, irresistible surge.

He reached out, placing his hand upon the back of the youth's head, his fingers delving into the soft, velvety strands of hair before suddenly pressing down firmly.

The youth who had originally knelt subserviently at his knees, towering over him in posture, now collapsed gracelessly into a seated position.

Helplessly straddling him, the man's sudden lurch forward caused him to lean back in response.

The illusion of tranquility was shattered, as heavy and urgent breaths assaulted the youth's nostrils.

The originally gently entwined lips had been kissed until they turned red from the biting.

Yet, it was still not enough.

The man infiltrated every inch of the space, even the air within the other's chest cavity was not spared.

The one who had taken the initiative earlier finally began to struggle weakly, pushing back.

But he was firmly held down on the knees by the person in front of him, unable to escape.

Amidst the almost heart-wrenching longing.

Ji Min vaguely recalled the second time he met Lu Ran.

It was in the other tower of the Gemini Building.

The Zhang family had invited him to discuss business.

The Zhang family members lit some random incense in the prepared private room.

Ji Min was very sensitive to such things; before the Zhang family's representative arrived, he left the room and sought refuge in the restroom.

The scent was almost unbearable.

It took Ji Min great effort to suppress his innate restlessness.

But the bathroom door swung open.

Lu Ran entered.

The young man took off his coat as soon as he stepped in.

lifting the hem of the inner T-shirt, revealing a small section of an attractively sculpted waist.

He reached out to undo the button of his jeans.

Unfastening one, his fingers gripped the zipper.

Ji Min recognized the incoming figure.

Recognizing him as the cool-headed youth who had once stood resolutely before his sports car, the very boy he had assisted in the past.

Yet, they misunderstood the intentions of the young lad.

He appeared aloof, like a serene lake without a single ripple.

Only Ji Min knew that the repressed urge within him had resurfaced with intensity.

Yet the youth still gazed up at him with those overly obedient eyes, asking, "Do you need any help?"

What kind of assistance are you seeking?

In what way can I be of assistance?

Ji Min closed his eyes, blocking out the sight before him, and said in a detached tone, "Leave."

His voice was considerably more hoarse than usual.

Yet the youth, with audacious daring, said, "No."

Despite Ji Min consistently referring to himself as an elder.

Even though his feelings towards Lu Ran had always leaned more towards care and affection.

But despite Ji Min's refusal to acknowledge it, that longing had inadvertently taken root from the very beginning.

Like a hidden seed nestled within the rugged and barren crevices of a rock.

And yet, in certain unguarded moments, under the dimness of night, it grew wildly beyond his control.

That was why Ji Min never visited Lu Ran's room at night.

Yet, he lured the boy back to his own domain, deluding himself with a solid yet illusory boundary.

Ji Min reminded himself to be a qualified protector.

He wanted to provide everything that the young man lacked.

Thus, he donned the respectable cloak of a guardian figure.

But only Ji Min knew the truth.

He was unwilling to accept this.

He wanted more, so much more.

Longing to possess, to keep the person firmly within his reach.

He held onto the brightest spark in his life.

As a protector, he vigilantly guarded against his own deceitful intentions.

Until now.

Ji Min still despised his own baseness.

What kind of elder was he?

Just a pathetic excuse to approach the young man cunningly.

Perhaps from the very beginning, his desires had surpassed these boundaries.

For a long while.

Ji Min finally released the person in front of him.

Saying 'released' wasn't entirely accurate.

His arms still held the person tightly.

He merely granted a moment's respite for breathing.

"Still doubting my existence?" Ji Min asked.

Lu Ran breathed rapidly.

A layer of moisture, born from lack of oxygen, shone in his eyes.

Upon hearing this, he answered off-topic, "M-My tongue hurts."

"Where does it hurt? Let me have a look."

Ji Min's voice was raspy.

With his thumb, he gently caressed Lu Ran's chin, deliberately avoiding the swollen lips.

The man's tone was too soft, too gentle.

It sounded no different from his usual concerned tone.

Hiding any trace of danger beneath it.

Unconsciously, Lu Ran clung to him, obediently opening his mouth to show the culprit the soreness at the back of his tongue.

Ji Min's eyes darkened.

The fingers cupping the young man's chin tightened their grip, and once more he bent his head to claim another kiss.

Until the gentle knock on the hospital room door interrupted.

Ji Min furrowed his brow and turned around, only to see the doctor and nurse standing there with awkward expressions.

The doctor said sheepishly, "I reckon he should be waking up about now. I've just prepared the examination checklist."

"I don't need any checks. I can be discharged right now," Lu Ran replied.

Upon hearing this, Lu Ran tried to jump down from the bed with bare feet.

Halfway through, he was pulled back.

"We'll go there right away," Ji Min said.

Ji Min didn't put him down.

He carried the teenager in his arms and maneuvered the wheelchair through the hospital corridors with a remote control.

Lu Ran nestled in his lap, his head buried low.

At each checkpoint, he hopped down and, after they passed it, he would voluntarily return to Ji Min's embrace.

"Cold?"

Ji Min reached out to gently caress the ear nestled amidst the youth's strands of hair.

Lu Ran shakes his head.

"I prefer not to gaze at the hospital's ceiling."

Saying this, he pressed his lips together, somewhat uncomfortable.

Finishing the sip only made him feel more uneasy.

"Uh-huh," Ji Min acknowledged, gently covering his eyes with a hand. "Then let's not look."

They continued walking for a while.

Lu Ran shifted his position to get comfortable.

He frowned and said, "Boss, your belt is too rigid, it's digging into me."

"...I apologize."

Ji Min spoke softly.

He shifted slightly and said, "It's not uncomfortable anymore now."

Lu Ran nodded. "Mm."

Seeing how much Lu Ran disliked the hospital, Ji Min didn't let him stay longer than necessary.

After the examination, he sent Lu Ran outside and came back in to retrieve the test results.

To Ji Min's surprise, Lu Ran was in excellent health.

There were no hidden injuries that could cause him pain.

The doctor, after reviewing the reports, said to Ji Min, "Based on the symptoms, while we can't entirely rule out the possibility of neuropathic pain, I lean more towards psychogenic pain."

"Mr. Ji must have heard of phantom pain," the doctor mentioned.

Ji Min furrowed his brow.

"But isn't this only common among amputees?" he inquired.

The doctor shook his head:

"Pain has many psychological aspects. What would be unbearable for ordinary people can be a source of comfort to certain individuals."

The physician elaborated further and provided Ji Min with some literature on the subject.

Upon returning to the car, Ji Min found the man who had been near death in the hospital now bouncing back with vitality.

Back at home, he even took Big Yellow out for their regular hour-long walk, undeterred by the events of the day.

That evening, Ji Min received news from the police.

The driver responsible for the accident had been found to have been under the influence of excessive alcohol.

His family and friends attested that he had a history of alcoholism.

Thus, the investigation concluded that the accident was caused by drunk driving.

When Ji Min heard the outcome, his expression remained calm.

He didn't say much, only instructing Manager Chen to investigate the driver's family's movements further.

That night, Shen Xingyu returned home.

He stood in the courtyard for a moment before heading to Shen Hongyuan's study.

Opening the door, he immediately said, "Lu Ran was in a car accident."

Shen Hongyuan was startled and quickly asked, "What happened? How is he now?"

"Not even bothering to inform the family," Shen Hongyuan complained instinctively. "Did the media capture anything around there? You should pay attention to public relations. At this crucial point, we don't want any unnecessary commotion."

Shen Xingyu studied Shen Hongyuan's expression carefully before slowly and gradually releasing a sigh of relief.

"Dad, he's fine. He managed to avoid it at the last minute," Shen Xingyu informed.

Shen Hongyuan patted his chest. "Thank goodness."

"Um." Shen Xingyu nodded.

There wasn't much for the two of them to talk about as father and son.

He turned to leave the study.

Just as he was about to step out, he turned back to look at Shen Hongyuan and said with an almost solemn tone,

"Dad, everything will be fine for the Shen Corporation."

Shen Hongyuan was taken aback for a moment before he nodded. "Okay, okay."

After deciding to undergo the surgery soon, Ji Min became busy.

He worked until the early hours of the morning and inevitably woke up late the next day.

When he reached the dining room, he looked up towards the second floor.

Seeing this, Butler Chen said, "Young Master Lu Ran has already left for school."

"Did he get up so early today?" Ji Min furrowed his brow.

"He said he had too much sleep yesterday and isn't tired," the butler Chen replied.

Ji Min paused before ambiguously adding, "Never mind."

Lu Ran didn't bring up the kiss in the hospital room that day.

And Ji Min didn't ask again.

The choice had always been in Lu Ran's hands.

Always.

If Lu Ran wished for him to step back, he would retreat.

Only when granted permission would he approach.

Besides...

The surgery was imminent.

What if he didn't make it off the operating table?

Lu Ran was indeed busy.

Due to the car accident, their department had mid-term exams the very next day, and these exams counted towards their credits.

He had been working hard for half a semester; he couldn't let it all go to waste.

On the final day of the mid-terms, the last exam was in the morning.

There were no classes in the afternoon.

But Lu Ran didn't return until then.

Ji Min didn't go to the company; instead, he held a meeting with Ji Corporation's management team in the study at home.

Lu Ran waited for a while before the study door finally opened.

A string of high-ranking executives filed out.

After greeting Lu Ran, they engaged in small talk in twos and threes before exiting Ji's grand entrance.

Lu Ran peered into the study.

The study door was ajar.

Ensuring everything he brought was in order, Lu Ran then ventured into Ji Min's study.

Ji Min was still seated behind his desk.

There was an aura around the man that warned others not to disturb him while he worked.

Hearing the sound, he initially thought it was someone who had previously left, now returning with concerns about the meeting's proceedings.

Lifting his gaze, he was taken aback upon seeing Lu Ran.

"Back already?" Ji Min raised a hand to massage his temples.

He quickly checked the time again and said,

"Are you hungry? I've been occupied for quite a while. Dinner should be ready in the kitchen..."

Lu Ran gazed at the fatigue etched around Ji Min's eyes for a moment.

Then, he pulled out the chair in front of Ji Min's desk and sat down across from him.

The young man had a serious expression, still holding a stack of documents, which startled Ji Min.

In no time, Lu Ran took out an envelope and pushed it toward him, saying earnestly, "This is my resignation letter."

Upon touching the envelope and seeing the words "resignation letter" written on it, Ji Min felt as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over his head.

All the residual busyness from his work vanished instantly.

The man's lips moved, vainly attempting, "A resignation letter? Why do you want to resign?"

But that wasn't what he truly wanted to ask.

Upon finishing his question, he hastily provided an answer, "I disagree. Are you dissatisfied with your salary, the accommodations, or... something I've done?"

Sitting across from him, Lu Ran was unprepared for this response and also fell into a daze.

After a long while, the young man frowned in distress, deep in thought.

Ask him, "But... if you don't resign, how can you be my boyfriend? I don't engage in office romances."

Ji Min froze in astonishment.

Lu Ran gazed at him with narrowed eyes, dissatisfaction etched on his face. "And we've already kissed! How can we not be in a relationship?"

Boyfriend, let's date.

Pausing for a moment in a daze.

Ji Min gradually withdrew his body that had leaned forward in haste.

"Cough."

The man cleared his throat softly, slowly retracting his steadfast and unequivocal rejection.

In a rather unmanly manner, he said,

"Resigning... isn't entirely out of the question."