Chapter 15: Shen Jin, please don’t be upset anymore, okay…

Chapter 15: Shen Jin, please don’t be upset anymore, okay...

The next day, after finishing dinner in the cafeteria, Ye Tingtong was heading back to the dorm when he suddenly noticed the bright lights in the small grove downstairs.

Ye Tingtong asked his roommate, "Did they finally fix the lights in the grove?"

Yu Hui looked over, "I saw the work crew this morning. They worked pretty fast."

Song Wu muttered while memorizing formulas, "We’ve reported it so many times before, and they never fixed it. Now, right before the holidays, they put up these bright lights..."

Yu Hui agreed, "Exactly."

Ye Tingtong, though, was happy. That evening, he went downstairs to feed the cats again. This time, he didn’t have to stumble around in the dark because the area was well-lit. He even texted Shen Jin some pictures of the stray cats.

"Ye Tingtong: The school fixed the lights in the grove! Here are some pictures of the cats!"

"Ye Tingtong: *9 images"

Maybe out of habit from social media, Ye Tingtong sent nine photos, showing five cats, each with a name he had given.

Meanwhile, Shen Jin was on a video call.

The project manager was nervously giving his report to Shen Jin.

There had been issues with the recent project, and Shen Jin was extremely dissatisfied. His face was stone-cold as he listened, and the manager prepared for the worst. But Shen Jin glanced at his phone, and when he looked back up, his face softened a bit.

Just as the project manager started to relax, Shen Jin glanced at him, and all warmth disappeared. "Don’t waste my time with this junk. I want to hear a new project proposal at the meeting tomorrow morning."

The project manager was on the verge of tears.

Shen Jin was swamped with work, and Ye Tingtong was buried in finals. They barely talked anymore. Just when Ye Tingtong thought this would go on until winter break, Liu Hao, Shen Jin’s assistant, suddenly texted him.

"Liu Hao: Tomorrow evening is the Shen Group’s annual party. Boss Shen wants you to come. Are you available?"

Ye Tingtong was surprised but replied right away.

"Ye Tingtong: Yes, I am."

"Liu Hao: I’ll pick you up from school early."

Just as they finalized the time, Yu Huanhuan called him.

"I was actually invited to the Shen Group’s annual party," Yu Huanhuan sounded genuinely surprised. "Did you talk to Shen Jin about it?"

The Shen Group’s annual party was somewhat internal, usually inviting only companies with deep collaborations. Someone like her, a socialite with little financial clout, would usually need to be vetted even if someone invited her.

"No," Ye Tingtong was even more confused than she was. "I just found out that the Shen Group is having their annual party tomorrow night. Shen Jin’s assistant said he would come to pick me up."

He had been buried in the library recently and hadn’t been online much.

Yu Huanhuan sensed something else, "He specifically asked you to attend? Is he planning to reveal your relationship?"

Ye Tingtong hadn’t hidden the fact that he and Shen Jin had a contractual marriage.

"I think it’s possible," Ye Tingtong walked to a corner of the library, covering the microphone. "Is that annual party very formal? Is there anything I should pay attention to?"

He had attended many banquets with Shen Minghuai, but most were for leisure, and he didn’t have much to do. He just needed to find a quiet corner to enjoy the food.

For such a grand occasion, he was genuinely nervous.

Yu Huanhuan sensed his nervousness and said, "Come over today, and I'll give you a crash course."

*

The next evening, Liu Hao drove Ye Tingtong to the venue of the annual meeting. After they got out of the car, Liu Hao looked at the person standing stiffly beside him, hesitating to speak.

Ye Tingtong glanced at him, pursed his lips, and remained silent.

This made Liu Hao realize the seriousness of the situation, and he sent a message to his boss.

"Liu Hao: Boss Shen, Ye Tingtong is acting strange. You'd better come and check on him."

Whether it was picking him up from school or getting him styled and changed into clothes, Ye Tingtong kept a serious expression on his face, barely speaking to Liu Hao.

Although Ye Tingtong wasn't a particularly lively person, he usually talked quite a bit. More importantly, Ye Tingtong was always expressive.

Today, Liu Hao looked at the person with a stern face beside him and felt something was very wrong.

He even wondered if Ye Tingtong had been bribed or threatened. Was he planning to cause some trouble at Shen Group's annual meeting?

Less than three minutes after sending the message, the busy Shen Jin appeared at the hotel entrance.

Ye Tingtong didn't expect Shen Jin to come out personally. He stopped acting like a puppet beside Liu Hao, his feet reacting faster than his brain, and he moved closer to Shen Jin.

Shen Jin was wearing a black suit, his figure tall and straight. Backlit, his features were sharp, and even though his face wasn't clearly visible, one could sense the mature and restrained aura emanating from him.

As he got closer, Ye Tingtong looked up and finally saw Shen Jin's face clearly—it felt somewhat unfamiliar.

He had been buried in the library recently and hadn't realized it had been so long since he last saw Shen Jin.

Shen Jin noticed Ye Tingtong's unusually focused gaze and reached out to smooth the wind-tousled hair behind his ear. "Your hair has grown."

The brief touch on his cheek not only broke the sense of unfamiliarity but also shattered Ye Tingtong's cool facade. The cheek that had been touched felt like it was on fire, instantly turning red. "I've been too focused on studying lately and forgot to get a haircut."

After saying this, Ye Tingtong reached up and pushed his bangs back.

No wonder he felt like his vision was slightly blocked earlier...

Liu Hao winced at Ye Tingtong's rough hair fix.

The hairstylist had spent nearly an hour on Ye Tingtong's hair, only for it to be completely undone in one swipe!

Ye Tingtong also realized he had messed things up and shot a nervous glance at Liu Hao, about to apologize, when Shen Jin spoke up, "It's fine, no big deal."

Liu Hao didn't seem to blame him either.

Ye Tingtong had good features, and with his face fully exposed, he looked strikingly handsome, which turned out to be another advantage.

With no one holding it against him, Ye Tingtong felt relieved, his expression turned composed again as he stood upright beside Shen Jin.

Liu Hao couldn't help but shoot his boss a look, hoping he would probe further, but Shen Jin didn't seem to notice anything wrong and calmly led Ye Tingtong into the venue.

Entering the main hall, despite his mental preparation, Ye Tingtong was still stunned by the scene before him.

The hall was bright and opulent, with a beautiful champagne tower standing in the center. The aroma of wine filled the air, glittering under the lights. On the stage, a band played a grand and melodious tune. People moved about with glasses in hand, toasting and chatting, their faces lit with polite smiles.

Ye Tingtong quickly spotted Yu Huanhuan in the crowd, who quietly gave him a thumbs-up.

Ye Tingtong took a deep breath and muttered to himself—

Stay composed, talk less, and use eye contact to command respect.

He combined what Yu Huanhuan taught him with his observations of Shen Jin to arrive at this key point.

He was basically a small-town guy who hadn’t experienced much of the world. He grew up with his mother, and the most conniving thing he’d ever done was haggling at the market.

After his mother’s death, he was taken in by the Ye family, but he was almost an adult by then, and the Ye family had no intention of grooming him. Ye Tingtong had no idea how to behave in high-society settings.

When he attended gatherings with Shen Minghuai before, he often overheard people gossiping about him behind his back, saying that even designer clothes couldn’t mask his lack of sophistication.

Among them were even "friends" who had gotten to know Shen Minghuai through him.

From then on, at parties, he just stuck to eating.

At least food wouldn’t judge him or stab him in the back.

Ye Tingtong thought he’d grown thick-skinned enough for this crowd, but walking beside Shen Jin, he couldn’t shake his nerves.

He was scared of making a fool of himself—and even more scared of embarrassing Shen Jin.

As Ye Tingtong fixed his expression, he saw a waiter approach Shen Jin and say respectfully, "Boss Shen, the old lady wants to see you now."

Ye Tingtong started to follow Shen Jin but was blocked by the waiter, "The old lady only called for Boss Shen."

Shen Jin turned back, tousling Ye Tingtong’s slightly messy hair, "I'll come find you later."

Feeling Shen Jin’s hand, Ye Tingtong’s serious face softened, and he hurriedly lowered his head, muttering an "Oh."

Qin Qiong stood in the middle of the hall, surrounded by a crowd. She was holding a young girl's hand, smiling warmly as she chatted away, "Meimei, you're twenty this year, right? Time flies—it feels like just yesterday you were a little kid, clinging to my leg and begging for snacks!"

Wang Mei shyly clung to Qin Qiong’s arm and cooed, "Auntie Qin, that was so long ago!"

As they chatted, she suddenly spotted Shen Jin, her face turning red, "Brother Shen Jin, you're here!"

Her mother was close with Qin Qiong, and Wang Mei often visited the Shen residence as a child, making her almost like a childhood friend to Shen Jin.

Shen Jin nodded in response, looking at Qin Qiong in the center of the crowd, "Mom, you called for me."

Qin Qiong pushed Wang Mei toward Shen Jin, smiling, "You little girl, don't stick with us. I've called Shen Jin over, so go with him and meet some people outside."

Meeting people in this context clearly had a special meaning.

Wang Mei was about to respond when Shen Jin stepped back, putting some space between them, "Mom, I don’t have time to look after Miss Wang, and I've brought someone with me today. I'll have him come meet you later."

Qin Qiong didn't expect Shen Jin to defy her in front of so many people, her face darkening, "I told you to take Meimei with you. Why are you bringing up unrelated people?"

She’d already noticed the boy Shen Jin brought in and even had someone investigate him. It turned out he was just the illegitimate son of a minor family, which almost made her lose her cool in front of everyone.

She felt like she and Shen Jin were always clashing. Every time she recovered enough to appear in public, Shen Jin would go against her.

At Shen Minghuai's engagement party last time, she had everything arranged, but Shen Jin left early, disappearing without a trace. She had to bite her tongue and smooth things over with others.

Seeing the tension, the people around quickly tried to mediate, "Don't be angry, Shen Jin is just joking!"

Wang Mei stepped forward to pat Qin Qiong's back, "Auntie Qin, don't get too upset. I'll stay here with you and won't go anywhere."

At this, Qin Qiong's anger flared even more. She pointed at Shen Jin, "Are you going to listen to me today or not?"

Shen Jin looked up, his expression calm but cold, "Last time, I drank the tea you gave me."

Growing up, even though he hadn’t spent much time with Qin Qiong, he’d always gone along with her wishes. He never intended to take the shares she held; he could earn his own.

He was emotionally distant and didn’t crave Qin Qiong’s maternal affection. Still, she was his mother, and he couldn’t stand her scheming against him like that.

If Qin Qiong hadn’t gone to such extremes, he might have indeed followed her wishes and married the person she chose.

Qin Qiong hadn’t expected Shen Jin to air such dirty laundry in front of everyone. Her face flushed with anger, and she hurled the wine glass in her hand at Shen Jin.

The glass missed Shen Jin’s face due to the distance, but the red wine splashed all over his pants. The deep red wine trickled down his suit pants and dripped onto the floor.

No one had ever seen Shen Jin so disheveled, and the crowd fell silent in shock.

But then, Qin Qiong suddenly broke into a violent coughing fit, grabbing everyone’s attention.

The commotion caught many eyes, and Shen Jin’s older brother, Shen Qingshuang, rushed over. He steadied Qin Qiong and barked at Shen Jin, "You’re always so arrogant, and now you’re upsetting Mom. Don’t you know she’s not well?"

Shen Jin watched Qin Qiong’s relentless coughing with a detached expression.

Qin Qiong’s face was red, but she was just too furious to back down, pretending to be weak.

Shen Jin figured Qin Qiong was just unhappy about Shen Group slowly slipping into his hands. She’d retreated to the old mansion, claiming illness, subtly signaling her displeasure at Shen Group being handed to Shen Jin.

Sure enough, once Shen Qingshuang showed up, Qin Qiong seemed to regain her composure, her eyes welling up with grievance.

Shen Jin observed their mother-son display, a cold glint in his eyes. "Go ahead and handle this. When you’ve calmed down, I’ll bring someone to see you."

*

In another corner, Yu Huanhuan glanced at Ye Tingtong, who looked worried, and quipped, "Stop staring; it’s not going to sprout flowers."

Right before Shen Jin and his mother’s argument blew up, the waitstaff had discreetly cleared the area. The attendees were all sharp, eavesdropping intently, but no one dared to step into the fray.

They were the furthest back, and with the crowd in the way, they couldn’t make out a thing.

Ye Tingtong craned his neck to see, "Why would they argue in front of everyone like that?"

Aren’t these people all about saving face?

"Who knows," Yu Huanhuan shrugged. "Focus on yourself! Shen Minghuai’s here."

At Shen Group’s annual gala, nearly every Shen family member showed up, and Shen Minghuai was no different. But he was with his fiancée, Liang Yuting. Though his eyes lingered on Ye Tingtong, he had to hold back because of her presence.

Yu Huanhuan watched him for a bit, unsure what excuse Shen Minghuai had made to ditch Liang Yuting, before he finally made his way over.

As he got closer, Shen Minghuai took in Ye Tingtong’s evening attire, and his eyes sparkled.

He’d always thought Ye Tingtong looked awkward and dated in a suit. But this outfit was a game-changer; the crisp white suit fit perfectly, the tailored waist accentuated his slim frame, and the bow tie gave off a retro charm, making Ye Tingtong resemble a medieval prince.

Shen Minghuai gazed at him, but Ye Tingtong didn’t even notice, too busy craning his neck to catch the distant drama.

Reluctantly, Shen Minghuai looked away and greeted Yu Huanhuan first, "Huanhuan, you’re here too?"

Yu Huanhuan smiled insincerely, "Young Master Shen, could you not call me that?"

Was Shen Minghuai out of his mind, suddenly trying to build some rapport with her? When he stood with Ye Tingtong before, Shen Minghuai didn’t even spare her a glance.

Now, on the Shen family’s home turf, Shen Minghuai was actually giving her face, which felt quite unusual.

Ye Tingtong, seeing that he really couldn’t get a glimpse of the situation over there, reluctantly withdrew his gaze.

Shen Minghuai, noticing his interest, took the initiative to speak, "Grandma and Uncle have always had a strained relationship. They usually don’t talk much, but today they somehow ended up arguing directly."

Ye Tingtong was about to find an excuse to slip away with Yu Huanhuan, but he didn’t expect Shen Minghuai to bring up Shen Jin. He subconsciously responded, "Isn’t Shen Jin the youngest child? Shouldn’t he be the most cherished?" Usually, the youngest child is the most precious. Last time on the cruise ship, when he was idly observing people, he saw that the Shen family patriarch held Shen Jin in high regard, his eyes full of admiration when talking to outsiders.

He figured Shen Jin was born with a silver spoon in his mouth, a rich kid from a prominent family. With his outstanding abilities and his parents’ favor, he managed to take over the Shen Group.

Shen Minghuai was surprised by how much Ye Tingtong cared about Shen Jin’s business, his eyes filled with intense curiosity, clearly hoping to learn more from him.

Shen Minghuai couldn’t help but think, though it was out of place, that it felt like the first time in ages Ye Tingtong had actually looked at him.

Before, he’d gone to school to find Ye Tingtong several times, but Ye Tingtong was always either in the library or holed up in the dorm, working on problems. Every time he returned, Ye Tingtong didn’t even look up, just muttering a quick "You’re back!" to the other guys in the dorm.

"Grandma’s never been fond of my uncle," Shen Minghuai moved closer to Ye Tingtong, his arm almost touching him. "There are a lot of rumors out there. Some say Grandma nearly died giving birth to him, and her health took a nosedive, which made her resent him."

Ye Tingtong wasn’t buying it. "Your grandma did go through a lot, but that resentment shouldn’t be directed at Shen Jin! It’s not like he asked to be born. He’s completely innocent!"

"Shen Jin’s not some ungrateful son. Your grandma shouldn’t hate her own son over something he couldn’t control."

Shen Minghuai felt a pang of jealousy hearing Ye Tingtong’s obvious defense. "Why do you care so much about my uncle?"

Ye Tingtong usually stayed out of other people’s business. In the past, when Shen Minghuai got into fights, Ye Tingtong would hide until things calmed down before checking on him.

But now, if no one was stopping him, Ye Tingtong would’ve gone straight to him.

Seeing Shen Minghuai’s suspicious expression, Ye Tingtong’s heart dropped. He wasn’t sure when Shen Jin planned to announce their marriage, so for now, he had to keep it from Shen Minghuai.

He took a deep breath and shot back, "So what?"

Shen Minghuai: "?"

Shen Minghuai was thrown off. Ye Tingtong rarely spoke to him like this, clearly snapping back and calling him nosy.

Even when they were close, Ye Tingtong had never stood up for him like this.

"I was just repeating what people are saying," Shen Minghuai said sourly. "Why are you so mad?"

"There are even crazier rumors I haven’t mentioned."

Ye Tingtong said flatly, "None of it’s true, anyway."

This blind defense really ticked Shen Minghuai off. "My grandma’s a kind person. She wouldn’t just give my uncle a hard time for no reason. When I was a kid, I heard people say my uncle was born out of wedlock, the result of my grandpa’s affair. That’s why Grandma hates him and doesn’t want him inheriting the Shen Group."

"My uncle’s not exactly innocent, either!"

His tone dripped with disdain for illegitimate children.

Ye Tingtong froze for a second, unusually silent.

Yu Huanhuan, who’d been enjoying the drama, immediately pushed Shen Minghuai away. "What’s the point of bringing up baseless stuff? We don’t care about your family drama."

Seeing Ye Tingtong’s silence, Shen Minghuai realized he’d gone too far. "Tong, I wasn’t targeting you."

He just couldn’t stand Ye Tingtong blindly defending Shen Jin. In his frustration, he’d used the term "illegitimate child" to belittle Shen Jin, forgetting that Ye Tingtong was often attacked for the same reason—a sore spot for him.

Ye Tingtong glanced at him and walked away.

Shen Minghuai immediately tried to follow, but Yu Huanhuan blocked him. "Young Master Shen, leave him alone for now."

"I wasn’t insinuating anything," Shen Minghuai said anxiously. "I was just confused and said something stupid. Let me explain."

Yu Huanhuan didn’t budge. Once Ye Tingtong was out of earshot, she looked at Shen Minghuai coolly. "You’re acting strange, Young Master Shen. You used to ignore Tingtong, but now you’re all over him."

She smirked at his stiff expression. "Did you only realize your feelings for him after losing him? We’re not falling for the whole 'I’ve changed' act."

Yu Huanhuan had been a witness, seeing Ye Tingtong chase after Shen Minghuai countless times.

Whenever Shen Minghuai was doting on some girl, that girl could also tease Ye Tingtong, just like Shen Minghuai did.

Ye Tingtong was thick-skinned, thinking it was the price of Shen Minghuai's protection.

But Yu Huanhuan felt stifled. Now, with Shen Jin backing him up, Ye Tingtong's life was much more comfortable than before. Yet, Shen Minghuai showed up with an ambiguous attitude, stirring the pot, which really ticked her off.

Shen Minghuai had no comeback and had lost the best chance to pursue Ye Tingtong.

Yu Huanhuan shot him a look, "Mr. Shen, you should really focus more on your fiancée."

With that, she turned and left gracefully.

Once she was done with Shen Minghuai, Yu Huanhuan sent a message to Ye Tingtong.

"Yu Huanhuan: Hiding in a corner crying, are we? I grabbed some pistachios; come and have some."

"Ye Tingtong: Not crying. Save some pistachios for me; I’ll be back after I find Shen Jin."

Yu Huanhuan raised an eyebrow. This kid had grown; he knew to go to Shen Jin to vent his frustrations.

Ye Tingtong didn’t have much trouble finding Shen Jin. With Liu Hao's guidance, he arrived at a dressing room on the second floor of the venue.

Liu Hao mentioned that Shen Jin’s clothes were dirty and he was changing.

Ye Tingtong knocked on the door, and Shen Jin's calm voice came from inside, "Come in."

When he pushed the door open, Shen Jin was buttoning his shirt, his back to him.

From this angle, Shen Jin’s broad shoulders and long legs stood out even more. The sleeves of his shirt were rolled up, revealing his lean forearms. When he raised his arm, the smooth, powerful lines were unintentionally revealed, radiating a quiet strength.

Shen Jin seemed like a very strong person, but even the warm light in the dressing room couldn’t chase away the chill he gave off.

On the nearby hanger hung the clothes Shen Jin had worn earlier. The expensive black suit was clearly stained with wine, even the socks and shoes were marked, and a faint bitter smell of wine lingered in the dressing room.

The usually meticulous Shen Jin had been publicly splashed with wine—a scene Ye Tingtong couldn’t picture.

He suddenly felt a pang of sadness.

Shen Jin finished buttoning his shirt, turned around, and saw Ye Tingtong standing there, head hung low in dejection, his usually spiky hair limp against his scalp, mirroring his mood.

"Yu Huanhuan told me," Shen Jin stepped forward, looking down at the person in front of him, "Does it bother you?"

After they got their marriage certificate, Ye Tingtong forwarded Yu Huanhuan's contact to him, saying she was his best friend and hoped to introduce her to Shen Jin.

Yu Huanhuan was very tactful. After adding her as a friend, she only exchanged a few daily greetings with him, nothing more.

Just now, Yu Huanhuan specifically sent him a message, saying Ye Tingtong was upset because Shen Minghuai had insinuated about his illegitimate child status, and hoped Shen Jin could be more understanding.

Shen Jin wasn't good at comforting people. Ye Tingtong was like a quail, shrinking his head, and he couldn't analyze the other's thoughts through expressions, "Look up."

The semi-commanding tone made Ye Tingtong instinctively obey.

Because of the height difference, Ye Tingtong slightly tilted his head up. The warm light fell on his face, clearly illuminating his beautiful face, and also revealing the corners of his mouth that were pressed down.

Like a soft, wounded animal cub.

Shen Jin reached out and pressed the corner of his mouth, "I can go and teach Shen Minghuai a lesson."

The warm touch on his lips made Ye Tingtong instinctively purse his lips.

Shen Jin released his hand, "Sorry."

But when he moved, Ye Tingtong suddenly grabbed his hand and pressed it to his face, "It's okay."

Ye Tingtong sensed that Shen Jin needed his help.

He asked Shen Jin, "Are you sad?"

His palm felt warm and soft, and when Ye Tingtong spoke, his cheeks puffed up, with a slight vibration. Shen Jin stayed silent for a moment.

Noticing his silence, Ye Tingtong whispered, "In the past, even my mother used to call me a bastard. I’d cry loudly every time, not understanding why she would say such things to me."

"After hearing it so many times, I gradually realized that not all mothers love their children." Ye Tingtong spoke earnestly, "We can’t choose where we come from, so let people say what they want."

Ye Tingtong buried his face in Shen Jin's palm, as if trying to share strength.

Shen Jin realized that Ye Tingtong wasn't here to complain about his grievances but to comfort him.

That sad look was full of empathy.

Seeing that Shen Jin was only staring at him with no change in his mood, Ye Tingtong felt he was awful at comforting people.

However, Shen Jin didn’t resist touching his face, his fingertips gently brushing his cheek. His dark eyes were like an unfathomable sea, impossible to read.

After a second of eye contact, Ye Tingtong suddenly did something incredibly bold. He reached out and tightly hugged Shen Jin, murmuring, "In the past, after my mother scolded me, she would just hug me, and I would feel better."

"Shen Jin, don't be sad, okay?"

Shen Jin froze in place.

He’d long grown used to Qin Qiong’s indifference, feeling only respect but no familial affection. He wasn’t really sad, just confused as to why his mother always looked at him as if he were an enemy.

He’d once believed the rumors that he was illegitimate and even went for a DNA test, which confirmed that he was indeed Qin Qiong's child.

But it didn't matter anymore; he’d long outgrown the need for maternal love.

Yu Mo once joked that his heart was harder than stone, and Shen Jin fully agreed with that.

But now, he felt a crack in his seemingly indestructible heart, and Shen Jin thought this wasn't a good thing.

Ye Tingtong really wasn't good at comforting people, hugging him so tightly it felt almost suffocating. The neatly pressed shirt wrinkled due to his unrestrained actions. Shen Jin should have pushed him away, but as he raised his hand, he slowly lowered it again.

He felt a part of his heart becoming soft, just like Ye Tingtong's voice telling him not to be sad.

After a long while, Shen Jin heard his own voice, slightly hoarse and deep.

"Okay."

He wasn't sad anymore.