Chapter 23 Shen Jin, give me a hug…

Chapter 23 Shen Jin, give me a hug...

Ye Tingtong was very surprised to see Shen Jin’s thumbs-up on his post.

He thought Shen Jin rarely checked WeChat, especially for things like Moments. He never expected Shen Jin to like his recent post.

Ye Tingtong felt a bit guilty remembering his boast about completing it in [half an hour], but since Shen Jin had liked it, it must be an affirmation of his ability!

After Shen Jin’s thumbs-up, the number of likes on Ye Tingtong’s post shot up, soon reaching 99+.

The comments were all compliments, unlike before when his posts would attract mockery and sarcasm. Now, everyone was admiring and teasing him in a friendly manner.

Ye Tingtong didn’t expect to become so impressive, and he replied to the messages with a smile.

"Nah, I’m not that great."

"Half an hour is easy; if you put in the effort, you can do it too! [Thumbs up]"

"Advanced math isn’t that hard; students just make it seem harder. Doing advanced math is a mental break for me—it’s a piece of cake!"

"I’ve been doing well recently, thanks for your concern."

Amidst the flattery, Ye Tingtong was on cloud nine, even wanting to cross his legs smugly.

But when he lifted his leg, the person across gave him a quiet look.

Ye Tingtong’s high spirits faded, and he sheepishly put his leg down, muted his phone, put it in his pocket, picked up his pen, and buried himself in his studies.

Since the project was going well, Shen Jin came home even after overtime. Sometimes, if it was too late and Ye Tingtong was sound asleep, he wouldn’t hear anything. Still, he’d see Shen Jin at the breakfast table the next morning. Occasionally, when there was an early class, Shen Jin would also drive him to school.

Days passed quietly for almost a week. One day, Ye Tingtong had classes at school. After finishing, he was about to contact Driver Li when he received a call from his grandfather.

Ye Chengliang wanted to meet at a coffee shop near A University to discuss something.

Ye Tingtong hesitated but eventually agreed.

When he arrived, he turned and saw the elderly man sitting by the window.

Ye Chengliang’s hair was mostly white, his face lined with age, and his gaze was gentle.

"Grandpa," Ye Tingtong called and sat down opposite him.

There was already a drink on his seat, and as he sat down, he smelled a strong smell of coffee.

"Just served," Ye Chengliang said kindly. "I know you like espresso, so I ordered it specially."

Ye Tingtong slowly withdrew his hand from the coffee. "I’m not thirsty now; I’ll drink it later. Thank you, Grandpa."

Espresso’s too bitter for him; he didn’t like it.

However, he’d posted espresso photos before, thinking bitter coffee was cool.

Back then, Shen Minghuai had teased him for pretending, but every time they went to a coffee shop, Shen Minghuai would order him coffee with sugar and milk.

Ye Tingtong felt a bit strange. How did Ye Chengliang know his preference? He didn’t have his WeChat, and his neglectful father wouldn’t remember such a small thing.

Ye Chengliang wasn’t clueless and quickly noticed Ye Tingtong’s dislike for the coffee. "Grandpa is old and doesn’t know what young people like. Order something yourself; Grandpa’s treat."

He was about to call the waiter, but Ye Tingtong stopped him. "No need, Grandpa, let’s get to the point!"

He had specifically looked up his class schedule and went out of his way to meet him near the school, so it wasn’t just to buy him coffee.

Ye Chengliang didn’t expect him to be so direct, his cloudy eyes flickered slightly, “You’ve been getting along pretty well with Shen Jin lately, haven’t you?”

Ye Tingtong’s social media activity wasn’t exactly private. Although the focus was on the advanced math exam paper, a hand was accidentally caught in the corner, wearing a limited edition Patek Philippe watch, which only a handful of people could own.

Moreover, the notes on that exam paper were bold and confident, making it easy to associate who had corrected Ye Tingtong’s paper.

Plus, Shen Jin’s unabashed likes...

All signs indicated that Ye Tingtong had a good relationship with Shen Jin, even radiating the kind of sweetness you’d see in newlyweds.

Ye Tingtong looked at the old man with a kind smile across from him and quickly understood that Ye Chengliang was here to try to get something out of Shen Jin, “Grandpa, I can’t interfere with anything Shen Jin does. If you have something to discuss, you can talk to him directly.”

After marrying Shen Jin, the Ye family wasn’t the first to approach him, especially his so-called father, who would call to harass him from time to time, trying to gain benefits from Shen Jin, all of which he refused.

Finally, he was so annoyed that he blocked Ye Guodong on everything.

He would never have dared to do such a thing before, but now, with Shen Jin around, Ye Guodong could only fume in silence.

However, he didn’t expect that Ye Chengliang, at such an old age, would still come to play the middleman.

“Tingtong, you must have heard about the Ye family’s current dire situation,” Ye Chengliang sighed, “If it weren’t for desperation, I wouldn’t trouble you. After all, the Ye family owes you and has no right to ask for your help.”

“But I can’t stand to see the company I built from the ground up fall apart like this,” Ye Chengliang’s tone was bitter, “At least, when I’m six feet under, I won’t see it, and my heart won’t ache.”

Ye Tingtong’s hand at his side clenched, his lips pressed tightly together, silent.

Ye Chengliang glanced at his clenched fist, “I’ve also talked to Shen Jin. Could the Ye family partner with you on this government bid? After all, the Ye family has a lot of experience in bridge construction.”

However, the Ye family had several issues in recent years, leading to a major hit to their reputation and gradually being replaced by some emerging companies, including the Shen Group.

Collaborating with the Shen Group wasn’t without benefits; they provided experience and technology, while the Shen Group would handle the financial side, a win-win situation.

However, Shen Jin didn’t even take his call, only an assistant answered, saying that Boss Shen had no such plans for now, which sent his blood pressure through the roof.

Despite the anger in his heart, Ye Chengliang showed none of it on his face, “Shen Jin refused to cooperate with us, wanting to take on such a large government project alone. He’s young and brash. I’m not just doing this for the Ye family, but for himself as well.”

Ye Tingtong picked up a spoon and stirred the coffee in front of him, “Grandpa, I’m not following what you’re saying.”

He wouldn’t interfere with Shen Jin’s work, nor did he want Shen Jin to lose money.

Since Shen Jin wanted to take it all, he’s got the skills and the guts to pull it off.

Ye Chengliang’s heart tightened, his voice becoming more authoritative, “I know you hate the Ye family, but after all, you share the same blood as us. If it weren’t for desperation, I wouldn’t be stooping to beg a younger person at my age.”

“That scoundrel Ye Guodong has done many wrongs before. If you help the Ye family this time, I promise he won’t approach you again.”

Ye Tingtong paused his stirring, almost spilling the cup due to the lack of control in his hand.

He put down the spoon, somewhat dazed, looking at the coffee stains on the table.

Ye Chengliang thought his words had moved him and pressed on, “If Shen Jin still refuses, it’s okay. See if you can sneak a peek at the bid proposal from his study. That way, we can cater to his preferences, and Shen Jin will surely consider cooperating with the Ye family.”

“Leave this to you, don’t disappoint your grandpa.”

*

When Driver Li picked up Ye Tingtong to return to Prince Bay, the person in the back seat was clearly distracted. Even after arriving, he still sat there dazedly, with no intention of getting out of the car.

“Young master, we’ve arrived,” Driver Li reminded, “Did something happen? You finished class much later than usual today.”

Ye Tingtong came back to reality, "The teacher held us back after class, and with the heavy exam workload, I was figuring out my study plan."

With that, he opened the car door and stepped out.

It was Friday, and Shen Jin didn't stay late at work and came back early. After dinner, they hung out in the study like they always did.

Shen Jin handled work, while Ye Tingtong reviewed his studies.

Before diving into his studies, Ye Tingtong usually had a bunch of little quirks.

Sometimes, he'd fidget by shaking his leg, or complain that the scratch paper wasn't nice enough, going back to his room to grab a fresh stack. Or he'd feel thirsty, drinking all the water on the table in one go, then dawdling to pour another cup.

After about half an hour of this back and forth, he'd either get a sharp look from Shen Jin or just get bored, and then finally get down to studying.

This time, Ye Tingtong was unexpectedly quiet, keeping his head down to read. However, his hand holding the pen didn't move for a long time, and he occasionally glanced at Shen Jin.

Coincidentally, the bid proposal was in the study, placed blatantly next to his notebook, within easy reach.

Ye Tingtong didn't absorb a single word from the book; instead, the bid proposal kept distracting him, making him really anxious. Just as he was about to make up an excuse to step out for a breather, Shen Jin's phone rang, and the other person stepped out first to take the call.

"Wishing you good luck in advance," Yu Mo's casual voice came through the receiver. "Such a big deal, don't forget to take me out for a feast."

Shen Jin stood by the floor-to-ceiling window in the living room, looking at the distant flickering neon lights, he said casually, "It's still up in the air, and you're already trying to mooch off me?"

"Tsk, mooch? That's not a nice thing to say. This is about celebrating the win with you, got it?" Yu Mo snorted, "Besides, why act like it's a mystery? Who else could possibly win this bid?"

Among the bidders, the Shen Group stood out the most. Plus, Shen Jin had put in a lot of effort to connect with the government, so failure was unlikely.

Shen Jin didn't confirm or deny.

Yu Mo sensed something was off, "What? Is there a problem with this bid?"

Shen Jin wasn't the humble type; in the past, he would've already agreed and told Yu Mo to get the champagne ready.

Shen Jin didn't say a word.

Lowering his eyes, he suddenly noticed two pots of lush succulents under the floor-to-ceiling window, hidden in a corner as if afraid of being seen.

To the right, next to the wine cabinet, there was a simple snack cabinet, stuffed full. The puffed potato chips were too big, making the drawer unable to close properly.

On the sofa, there was a pillow with a cartoon pattern, completely mismatched with his leather sofa. Yet, it was something he saw every day, and he only noticed it now.

Shen Jin suddenly asked an unrelated question, "If I built a high wall, but the other person took a detour and left from the other side, what should I do?"

Ye Tingtong's concern for the bid proposal was written all over his face.

Yu Mo was baffled, "What riddle are you trying to solve?"

Shen Jin didn't expect him to provide an answer, "Never mind, I'll hang up."

After hanging up, Shen Jin didn't return to the study immediately. He glanced at the time; nearly twenty minutes had passed before he started walking back.

When the study door opened, Shen Jin saw Ye Tingtong startle, his back stiff and awkward.

Shen Jin sat back in his seat, pretending not to notice the misplaced bid proposal. He pulled out the advanced math notebook from under Ye Tingtong's hand—it was clean, but the corners were filled with messy scribbles, some so forceful that the paper was torn.

"Stuck on a problem again?" Shen Jin put the notebook back, looking at Ye Tingtong, who was deeply bowed, "You can ask me."

Ye Tingtong didn't respond for a long time. Finally, he slowly raised his head, his eyes red, "Shen Jin, I'm sorry."

Shen Jin gave him a silent look. "What are you sorry for?"

"After class today, my grandfather came to see me. He asked me to steal your bidding proposal. After they reviewed it, they would come to cooperate with you."

Ye Tingtong rubbed his eyes heavily, like a child who had done something wrong, his voice choking towards the end. "I didn’t refuse at that time."

Shen Jin picked up the proposal on the table. "So, did you show it to him?"

Ye Tingtong’s gaze fell on the proposal, then moved away as if it was hot. After a moment of silence, he whispered, "No."

"I think he’s lying to me. He doesn’t want to cooperate with you, but to take advantage of your proposal."

Shen Jin’s movements paused almost imperceptibly.

Ye Tingtong spoke very seriously, and he deliberately avoided looking at the bidding proposal. His expressions and body language all conveyed one message—

Ye Tingtong had not betrayed him.

Shen Jin’s hand holding the proposal slowly loosened. "You did the right thing. He’s definitely up to no good."

Ye Chengliang’s plan was definitely not that simple. If he really got hold of the bidding proposal, he would immediately leak it to competitors to seek greater benefits for himself.

If the truth came out, Ye Tingtong would be the one pushed out to take the blame.

The crime of leaking commercial secrets...

Shen Jin took a quick look at Ye Tingtong’s red eyes, figuring that if he told him, Ye Tingtong might break down in fear.

However, what he didn’t tell Ye Tingtong was that the proposal in the study was a decoy. The real one had already been encrypted and securely stored. There’s no way it would be here.

Ye Tingtong looked at Shen Jin’s calm expression and also realized something was wrong. "You already knew I wanted to steal the proposal?"

Shen Jin gave a nod.

Ye Tingtong’s thoughts were written all over his face. Plus, Driver Li told him that Ye Tingtong was in a bad mood today and mentioned seeing the Ye family’s car at the school gate, worried that the Ye family might target Ye Tingtong again, so he mentioned it to Shen Jin.

Putting it all together, the facts were clear.

Ye Tingtong couldn’t clearly describe the feelings in his heart, feeling lost and weighed down. He murmured, "Shen Jin, my grandfather isn’t the man I thought he was."

He always thought Ye Chengliang was different from Ye Guodong, just too old to prevent the Ye family’s shady dealings. Perhaps, his grandfather was kept in the dark.

But the other party’s guess about his coffee preferences and knowing he could freely enter Shen Jin’s study made Ye Tingtong clearly realize that his grandfather was not unaware.

Even, his grandfather was in on the Ye family’s surveillance and coercion.

This realization felt like a huge, invisible weight pressing on Ye Tingtong’s chest, so heavy it was hard to breathe.

Ye Tingtong gave Shen Jin a helpless look.

He thought Shen Jin would comfort him, but Shen Jin picked up the phone and dialed Driver Li’s number. "There are some things you need a clear answer to."

At the moment he asked Yu Mo, Shen Jin already had the answer in his heart.

If the high wall didn’t work, then build a cage—one with no escape.

The call connected quickly, and Driver Li sounded confused. "Mr. Shen?"

Ye Tingtong quickly responded, "It’s me, Driver Li."

Because the call was distorted, Driver Li didn’t notice anything unusual about Ye Tingtong. "Ah, young sir! Do you need a ride somewhere? I’ll be there to pick you up right away."

"No," Ye Tingtong said, biting his lip and glancing uncertainly at Shen Jin.

Shen Jin had stopped working, just quietly keeping him company. Ye Tingtong initially wanted to escape, but seeing Shen Jin, he felt he shouldn’t be so cowardly.

He took a deep breath and asked the question that had been weighing on his mind, "Driver Li, did you give those photos I sent you to Ye Guodong? Have you been in touch with anyone else?"

Whenever Shen Minghuai gave him expensive gifts, if he didn’t share them on social media, Driver Li would take photos and send them along.

But even when he turned in the photos on time, Ye Guodong would sometimes call to yell at him, and after he explained, it seemed like Ye Guodong caught on to something, and would just say a few things before hanging up.

Back then, Ye Tingtong felt something was wrong, but he didn’t dwell on it.

Driver Li was surprised Ye Tingtong brought this up. "Usually, I hand them over to your father, but every Sunday I put together a summary and send it to the old master."

Ye Tingtong stayed quiet for a while before speaking with difficulty, "I see."

That slim chance was completely gone.

Ye Chengliang had always known, knowing that his young grandson, who looked up to him, was locked in the basement, starved, whipped, and beaten up.

Maybe these orders came straight from Ye Chengliang.

After the call ended, Ye Tingtong opened his eyes, watching as a large teardrop suddenly fell on his exercise book, followed by one after another, silently falling.

He just thought, in this world, he could have a relative, one who wasn’t so harsh, a blood-related relative.

It turns out that was also a luxury.

Shen Jin, who had walked over to him at some point, lifted his chin, wiping the wet tears from his face with his thumb, frowning, "He’s not worth your sadness."

Shen Jin had thought that with such a long buffer, Ye Tingtong would be stronger.

Ye Tingtong, hearing Shen Jin’s cold and unfeeling tone, also wanted not to cry, but he just couldn’t help it.

Shen Jin felt the small pool of water about to accumulate in his palm and suddenly felt regret.

He couldn’t impose his own standards on Ye Tingtong.

Ye Tingtong sensed Shen Jin’s dilemma. He sniffled heavily, "I’m not that sad, I just can’t stop."

He tried very hard not to make a sound.

Shen Jin looked at Ye Tingtong’s restrained appearance, emotions surging in his heart. He said in a deep voice, "What do you want?"

Cake, milk tea, or expensive luxury items.

Even if Ye Tingtong wanted that bidding plan, he might foolishly hand it over.

Ye Tingtong’s eyelashes trembled, and after a while, he spoke, his voice thick with a nasal tone and a hint of pleading, "Shen Jin, hold me."

As soon as the words fell, he was enveloped in a warm embrace.

Ye Tingtong closed his eyes, slowly raising his hands to grab Shen Jin’s clothes, his shoulders shaking a few times, and he cried out loud.