Chapter 109: Extra: Proposal (Part 2)

Lin Shuicheng prepared a full table of dishes. Compared to before when he had to handle every step, now he only needed to focus on the cooking stage.

Slicing, blanching, arranging, kneading dough, and other physically demanding tasks were taken care of by Fu Luoyin and Lin Deng.

Today, he made Coca-Cola braised wings, minced meat steamed eggs, and beef tail with tomato and potatoes. The remaining raw meat slices and vegetables were arranged for a yin yang hot pot.

Lin Deng exclaimed, "Brother! Should we bring up that small grill? We can cook the hot pot on one side and grill on the other!"

Lin Shuicheng sighed, "If you want it, do it yourself. I don't feel like moving. Cleaning up the smoke and oil will be a hassle."

Lin Deng mumbled, "We can ask the housekeeper to clean up later." But he too was feeling lazy and didn't follow through with his suggestion.

As a lover of spicy food, Fu Luoyin was forbidden by Lin Shuicheng from eating chili, and was even seated facing the bone broth pot instead of the fiery spicy one. He could only watch longingly and pleaded, "Lin Shuicheng, Teacher Little Lin, let me have just one bite, please."

Lin Shuicheng replied firmly, "No way."

Lin Deng chuckled while scooping his food, but halfway through his laughter, he heard Lin Shuicheng ask, "What did you two eat during the month I was away?"

Lin Deng and Fu Luoyin quickly exchanged glances and chorused, "Canteen food."

The two words echoed powerfully, catching Lin Shuicheng off guard. "Oh...?"

Lin Deng added, "It was terrible."

Fu Luoyin chimed in, "Terrible, indeed. There's no chili even in the cafeteria, you know, the one at Department Seven."

Throughout the meal, neither Lin Deng nor Fu Luoyin found an opportunity to dispose of the snacks outside.

Fu Luoyin had a teleconference, while Lin Shuicheng kept Lin Deng occupied in the living room with homework. Both of them were unable to find a chance to tidy up the snacks or carry out their respective tasks, leaving them frustrated and anxious.

After Lin Deng finished a set of worksheets, it was already half past ten in the evening. Lin Shuicheng continued to tidy up the room, throwing idle items into the buffer zone outside the door. Every time he stepped out, the two people inside would be on edge.

The last time Lin Shuicheng tidied up, he took especially long. He remained outside for several minutes.

Fu Luoyin, who was on a phone call, couldn't endure it after a while. He put down his worksheet, picked up the gray kitten, and went out to find Lin Shuicheng.

He said reluctantly, "Brother."

Lin Shuicheng was crouching on the ground, examining a storage box. Hearing him, he looked up, "Hmm? What's wrong?"

Lin Deng smiled innocently and naively. "Brother, I've finished my exam papers, but I can't find the answers. Could you help me grade them later? There are four sets in total – two chemistry, one math, and one physics."

"Sure, go ahead and play for a while, take a break. Do your listening practice before bedtime and we'll review your mistakes tomorrow," Lin Shuicheng said.

Observing Lin Deng's hesitation, he asked, "Is there something else?"

Lin Deng glanced back at Fu Luoyin and cupped his hands to form a makeshift megaphone, whispering, "I want to know when the two of you are getting married—"

Lin Shuicheng paused for a moment, then chuckled as he lowered his head. "Did he send you to ask?"

"Of course not," Lin Deng hurriedly clarified on Fu Luoyin's behalf. "I was just wondering when we can start renovating and moving. Big Brother, you promised I could have an entire floor for myself. I've already been looking into room designs and have even chosen the wallpaper."

Lin Shuicheng pondered for a moment before saying, "Didn't I tell you this before? It's been decided to locate it within the commercial area of Xing University. They're currently pruning it according to the basic design, and once the partitions and staircase are in place, we'll proceed with the interior decorating. We're looking at about two or three more months."

Lin Deng then inquired, "So you two still have another two or three months before your wedding?"

Lin Shuicheng lowered his gaze and pondered for a moment. "Actually, it doesn't have to be that long. We could start with an engagement first. But I...I still need some time. What do you think? I don't want you to miss Brother's wedding, at least wait until after you've taken your college entrance exam?"

With only two or three months left until the college entrance exam, Lin Deng was indeed running out of time, which aligned with what he had mentioned. Nevertheless, such a statement was as good as saying nothing at all.

Lin Deng pondered how to extract more information from Fu Luoyin and asked, "What about the engagement? When are you two getting engaged?"

Lin Shuicheng glanced up at him, then peeked inside where Fu Luoyin was on the phone. A faint smile tugged at his lips. "…Let’s talk about the proposal first. We'll wait for that."

Lin Deng understood.

—It meant they were only waiting for a proposal!

Clapping his hands, he dashed back to his room with the cat in his arms and quickly scribbled a note for Fu Luoyin: "Brother is just waiting for your proposal!!"

He hurriedly stuffed the paper into Fu Luoyin's hand. As Fu Luoyin looked at it, before he could even smile—Lin Shuicheng returned from the entrance and asked, "Where's your homework? I'll grade it for you."

Lin Deng pointed to his room. "It's all in there, Brother."

Lin Shuicheng sized up the pair on the sofa without comment and went to fetch the papers.

In the meantime, Lin Deng sprang up and rushed out to retrieve the two large shopping bags they had bought during the day—fortunately, the eco-friendly bags weren't plastic, so they didn't make any noisy crinkling sounds.

He stuffed the bags under the bed in the master bedroom and then, as if nothing had happened, returned to the living room, sat down properly, shot another disdainful look at Fu Luoyin, and whispered, "Remember what I said—"

Fu Luoyin nodded with understanding, then gave a thumbs up.

Lin Shuicheng fetched four sets of exam papers and a red pen from Lin Deng's room. He also checked the curriculum that Lin Deng was currently following before settling down in the living room to grade the papers.

Putting on his gold-rimmed blue light-blocking glasses, he propped his legs up and laid out the tests next to his PAD. Without a reference answer key, his grading pace was a bit slower as he meticulously went through each question.

Lin Deng watched eagerly beside him, not daring to make a sound.

The Chief meowed and approached, curling up by Lin Shuicheng's hand.

"Your physics is quite good, but your chemistry and math need some work," Lin Shuicheng said. "Your foundation is a bit weak, so this stage might be challenging, but you've made significant progress compared to before. In high school, 99% of the knowledge doesn't require complex thinking; it's mostly about memorization and broad coverage. Solving problems and mastering the concepts are two different things."

Lin Deng quickly nodded. "Just like drowning yourself in practice, right? I followed what you said and started doing real exams and full-length tests. At first, I wanted to cry after doing a dozen sets, but now I'm slowly feeling better."

"Good, well-behaved." Lin Shuicheng stroked his head.

In another room, Fu Luoyin took a break from his meeting. He turned off his phone and cleared his throat. "Seeing how much progress Lin Deng has made, I think we should balance work and leisure. It could also serve as a reward. How about setting a fixed gaming time for him every day?"

Lin Shuicheng glanced at Fu Luoyin, then at Lin Deng.

Lin Deng maintained a composed expression, as if he genuinely didn't understand the topic at hand and was solely focused on studying, attributing everything to Fu Luoyin's nonsense.

Fu Luoyin cleared his throat again. "Well... how about an hour? I think that before bedtime would be suitable. He's twenty now, not like a child who needs excessive sleep. Ten o'clock is still too early."

Lin Shuicheng switched legs, lifting the commander into his embrace while raising an eyebrow at him.

With a captivating gaze shimmering with mirth, Lin Shuicheng glanced at Fu Luoyin, causing the latter's throat to bob in response.

Lin Shuicheng replied, "Sure, why not."

Lin Deng suppressed his excitement, barely holding back an exclamation of joy. He longed to rush over and high-five Fu Luoyin right then.

Tentatively, Lin Deng asked, "So, does that mean it starts tonight?"

Lin Shuicheng nodded. "Mm-hmm. You can take my phone to play with."

Lin Deng was always well-behaved. Despite having access to the finest electronic devices provided by Lin Shuicheng, he feared his lack of self-control. All his games were downloaded onto Lin Shuicheng and Fu Luoyin's phones, requiring him to seek permission before playing.

He promptly began gaming on the side sofa.

Lin Shuicheng, on the other hand, took another shower and, after emerging, also lounged on the sofa.

Fu Luoyin was seated on the couch, and Lin Shuicheng laid down directly on his lap, his damp hair brushing against Fu Luoyin's inner thigh.

Without hesitation, Fu Luoyin grabbed the towel beside him to cushion Lin Shuicheng's head as he dried his hair, muttering, "You're getting spoiled."

Ever since they started living together, Lin Shuicheng had stopped blow-drying his hair himself; Fu Luoyin always took care of it. But since it was summer and not as easy to catch a cold, Fu Luoyin let him be, gently patting him dry.

Freshly showered, Lin Shuicheng smelled sweet and felt soft as he nestled warmly onto Fu Luoyin's leg. He wore only Fu Luoyin's shirt, buttoned up to the second button, and a casual pair of shorts. Looking down, one could glimpse his delicate collarbone and glistening, moist skin.

Fu Luoyin felt a bit thirsty —— during the over one month that Lin Shuicheng had been away, he had also abstained from physical desires for just as long.

He reached out to touch Lin Shuicheng but hesitated several times, considering that Lin Deng was present.

—He suddenly understood the meaning behind Lin Shuicheng's smile.

By speaking up for Lin Deng, he seemed to have dug a hole for himself: for every extra hour Lin Deng spent gaming, an hour was deducted from his and Lin Shuicheng's intimate moments at night.

**Time was precious, and their loss at this moment was immeasurable!!

His Adam's apple bobbed, and the tense skin on his neck exuded a scorching warmth. There was even a subtle reaction — just as Fu Luoyin was feeling numb and seeking an excuse to regain clarity, Lin Shuicheng suddenly sat up, grabbed a blanket, and pulled it up to his ear, pressing himself deeper into its embrace.

Their warm breaths suddenly drew closer.

It was almost... a position for a kiss, their faces almost touching.

Fu Luoyin's entire body went numb.

His mind was blank, his senses numbed.

Lin Shuicheng's voice was slightly hoarse: "Let's play games in your room later, okay? Leave your phone in the living room tomorrow."

Lin Deng was in the middle of a fierce team battle: "Huh?"

"I need to talk to your brother-in-law about something," Lin Shuicheng said. "Something adults discuss."

Lin Deng clicked his tongue and yelled, "Ugh, I can't take it anymore! Can you at least slow down with the PDA?"

Lin Shuicheng chuckled, his laughter also a bit husky: "You're twenty years old now. I won't interfere with your love life. Just try to make us proud."

Compared to Fu Luoyin's restraint, Lin Shuicheng had always been more relaxed in front of Lin Deng. When Lin Deng had awakened, Lin Shuicheng had taken the opportunity to give him a crash course on sex education and love, seriously explaining the relationship between partners and family members, so that Lin Deng wouldn't develop the idea that his "older brother was being stolen away."

The fact that Lin Deng could now interact closely with Fu Luoyin without any issues was not only due to Lin Deng's own outgoing and lively nature, and their shared interests in some ways, but also thanks to Lin Shuicheng's guidance.

Lin Deng retreated to his room, still staring at his phone.

Fu Luoyin abruptly pulled Lin Shuicheng up, his voice as hoarse as his own. "Are you being naughty?"

Looking up at him, Lin Shuicheng replied slowly, "If I were truly wicked, I wouldn't have let Dengdeng go back to his room."

In a low voice, Fu Luoyin asked, "Since when have you become so playful?"

Lin Shuicheng lifted his gaze, his eyes shimmering with a captivating glow. He pretended to be clueless, clearing his throat and saying, "Are you hungry? If you are, we can use that grill Dengdeng found to make some BBQ? If you're craving something spicy, how about I marinate the meat with ginger juice, black pepper, and spices?"

His voice gradually softened.

It didn't seem like Fu Luoyin was interested in what he was suggesting.

With his fingers gently holding Lin Shuicheng's chin, he said, "Are you trying to seduce your husband? You even propped your leg up in front of me while grading papers, huh?"

The tip of the foot subtly brushed against his calf, yet when one looked at him, he appeared serene and composed. Lin Shuicheng gazed down at his exam paper, his golden-rimmed glasses adding a touch of abstinent charm to his persona. His hidden red mole concealed his aura.

Their implicit intimacy was veiled behind an innocent facade.

Fu Luoyin pressed against the back of Lin Shuicheng's head, whispering, "If you want to play, let's play for real, shall we?"

...

In the dead of night, Fu Luoyin tucked Lin Shuicheng in, then got out of bed to open the window for some ventilation.

Clad in a robe, he waited for the sultry atmosphere in the room to dissipate before returning to the bedside. Gazing down at Lin Shuicheng, who had already fallen asleep, Fu Luoyin leaned over and kissed his eyelids.

Lin Shuicheng slept soundly, accustomed to Fu Luoyin's affectionate gestures before bedtime. He merely mumbled softly in his daze, drawing even closer to him.

On the bedside stood a stack of thin notepads, handy for jotting down urgent matters they might encounter in the morning.

Fu Luoyin tore off a sheet, folded it, and carefully cut a narrow strip of paper. Then, he gently held Lin Shuicheng's hand, meticulously looping the paper around his finger.

Just as he finished circling the ring finger, Fu Luoyin gently slid the paper ring off, noting down Lin Shuicheng's ring finger size.

Next, he compared it with his own and jotted down the length of the strip on a separate piece of paper, tucking both under the lamp on the bedside table.

Throughout this process, a smile couldn't help but curve at the corners of Fu Luoyin's lips.

He whispered softly, "You're waiting for my proposal, right? How long do you plan to wait?"

Lin Shuicheng breathed deeply in his sleep, vaguely aware of someone talking, which disrupted his slumber. Irritated, he opened his mouth to bite at something, only to find nothing there.

Fu Luoyin laid down and pulled Lin Shuicheng into his embrace, giving him another kiss.

The next morning, Fu Luoyin was awakened by the pungent smell of scallions.

He shot up to find that Lin Shuicheng was no longer in bed.

Scattered across the pristine white sheets were bits of punctured green onion and a few muddy white radishes. Startled, Fu Luoyin looked under the bed and found an even bigger mess – the inflated chip bag had been shredded by Chief and the gray kitten, while the instant noodle packets were strewn all over the floor. The shopping bags had also been dragged out from beneath the bed by the two felines, God knows how long ago.

Fu Luoyin: ???

He immediately got out of bed and went outside to check. Lin Deng had left for school, while Lin Shuicheng was nowhere to be found in the living room.

There were faint sounds coming from the workspace.

With a trembling heart, Fu Luoyin approached cautiously. Upon opening the door, he saw Lin Shuicheng turn around at the distillation bench, their eyes locking.

Fu Luoyin: "..."

He slammed the door shut.

From inside, Lin Shuicheng's voice sounded cool and detached, "Fu Luoyin, clean the bedroom and give the two cats a bath. As for the rest, I'll discuss it with Lin Deng when he gets back from school."

Fu Luoyin: "... ..."

The two cats mewed as they approached. Fu Luoyin glanced down at them, then suddenly recalled something. He rushed into the bedroom and flipped on the bedside lamp.

The note that had been under the lamp was gone.

Fu Luoyin seized the commander, locking eyes with its emerald-green feline gaze, and inquired, "Did you eat it? Huh? Let's make a deal, if you did, just meow for me, okay? This concerns Lin Shuicheng and my lifelong happiness!"

The commander glanced at him, tilting its head as if to bite, but Fu Luoyin set it down and then plucked up the little gray cat.

"Or was it you?" Fu Luoyin asked.

Little Fu tilted its head back at him, its golden cat eyes radiating innocence.

Fu Luoyin: "............"