Chapter 36: I Want to Kiss You.

Chapter 36: I Want to Kiss You.

Ye Tingtong desperately hoped he was wrong; he didn’t want to be so cold toward Xiao Yun, who was in a similar situation.

However, Xiao Yun’s intentions were too obvious.

Initially, Xiao Yun seemed indifferent to his help, but as soon as Shen Jin arrived, his attitude shifted noticeably. He left Hu Cheng’s side and gravitated toward Shen Jin. Even on the short walk from the garden to the main hall, Xiao Yun deliberately stayed close to Shen Jin.

At the time, Ye Tingtong thought that his ability to help Xiao Yun also relied on Shen Jin, and perhaps Xiao Yun felt emboldened because of Shen Jin, so his closeness might have been unintentional.

But now, during their conversation, every word out of Xiao Yun’s mouth was about Shen Jin. Even when Yu Mo came to call Shen Jin away, Xiao Yun’s gaze lingered on Yu Mo longer than it did on Ye Tingtong.

Finally, Xiao Yun even hinted at wanting to go home with them, which completely crossed Ye Tingtong’s limits.

The banquet was, after all, held in a five-star hotel, so why would Xiao Yun insist on going somewhere so private with them?

Ye Tingtong wasn’t sure if Xiao Yun’s behavior stemmed from past experiences, making him instinctively seek out the powerful, or if it was just his nature. However, since everyone knew he and Shen Jin were married, Xiao Yun’s actions were not just a personal insult but also a trampling of the goodwill he had shown.

After Ye Tingtong’s warning, the atmosphere grew cold.

Xiao Yun, sensing the tension, tried to smooth things over with a few words, but Ye Tingtong ignored him.

Not long after, Ye Tingtong received a call from his assistant, Liu Hao. "Boss Shen drank too much. I’ve booked two rooms upstairs. Would you like to join us?"

Prince Bay was a bit of a drive, and Shen Jin had been pressured into drinking by too many business associates tonight, so he ended up overdoing it.

Liu Hao, aware of their contractual marriage, thoughtfully booked two separate rooms.

"Shen Group has a stake in this hotel, so it’s safe to stay here," Liu Hao said. "If you’d rather go back to Prince Bay, I can call a driver—"

Before he could finish, Ye Tingtong urgently replied, "Is Shen Jin okay? Where is he? I’ll come over right now!"

His voice showed no hesitation about staying with Shen Jin.

Liu Hao swallowed the rest of his words and sighed, "No need, Boss Shen has already gone to find you."

Having worked with Shen Jin for years, Liu Hao knew that Shen Jin always stayed calm, no matter how much he drank. However, as his assistant, Liu Hao had a good sense of Shen Jin’s alcohol tolerance, and today it was clearly exceeded.

After hanging up the phone, Ye Tingtong put down his phone and noticed a shadow looming over him. Turning around, he saw Shen Jin standing behind his sofa, one hand resting on the back of the sofa, his tone slightly lazy, "Had enough to eat?"

Shen Jin’s tall figure blocked the light above, making it hard for Ye Tingtong to see his exact expression, but it accentuated the sharp contours of Shen Jin’s face. The scent of alcohol blended with Shen Jin’s unique fragrance drifted to Ye Tingtong’s nose, intoxicatingly rich.

Ye Tingtong tilted his head, "How much did you have to drink?"

This was indeed different from the usual Shen Jin.

Shen Jin curled his lips and brushed a strand of hair from Ye Tingtong’s face to the side of his cheek, "A bit too much."

Ye Tingtong blinked, surprised that Shen Jin didn’t try to downplay his drunkenness.

He stood up and draped his coat over Shen Jin’s shoulders again. Shen Jin let him do so, but his gaze never left Ye Tingtong.

The hall was warm, and Ye Tingtong’s cheeks were flushed. The milk cup on the table was empty, and upon closer inspection, there was a faint white trace at the corner of Ye Tingtong’s lips.

Shen Jin reached out and wiped it away, his touch soft and warm.

Ye Tingtong was busy buttoning Shen Jin’s coat and gave him a puzzled look but said nothing, his expression one of resignation, as if he wouldn’t argue with a drunk.

Suddenly remembering something, Ye Tingtong glanced around the hall, "I haven’t seen Shen Minghuai all this time. I still have something to discuss with him."

Earlier, it was said that he was in the garden, but when he went there, he only saw Hu Cheng and Xiao Yun in a compromising situation.

At this thought, he glanced back at Xiao Yun, still sitting on the sofa, looking somewhat nervous. "I’ll have Assistant Liu arrange a room for you later."

He wasn’t about to toss someone back into the fire after pulling them out.

But Xiao Yun didn’t seem satisfied, looking up at Shen Jin and biting his lip. "Sir, have you had too much to drink? Do you need any help?"

Shen Jin glanced at this person who bore a slight resemblance to Ye Tingtong and replied indifferently, "No need."

Leaving no room for misunderstanding.

But Ye Tingtong was genuinely annoyed now. He glared at the pitiful-looking Xiao Yun and pulled Shen Jin’s hand to leave.

After walking for a while, the person behind suddenly stopped, and Ye Tingtong tugged forward, but there was no movement.

He turned back to find Shen Jin standing behind him, calm and composed.

Ye Tingtong angrily let go of his hand. "If you go back to him, I’ll be really mad."

He gritted his teeth and emphasized again, "Furious."

Shen Jin: "Not going back to him."

He had already had someone look into Xiao Yun. Unlike Ye Tingtong, Xiao Yun wasn’t coerced but chose to degrade himself. He just happened to run into Hu Cheng, a creepy patron who was hard to shake. On the flip side, Hu Cheng also gave him a lot of money to fund his lavish lifestyle.

It was a case of one willing to give and the other willing to take.

He had initially worried that Ye Tingtong might be too soft-hearted and get taken advantage of, but now it seemed there was no need to worry.

Ye Tingtong’s tone still held a bit of his earlier anger, frowning as he asked, "So why aren’t you coming with me?"

"Because—" Shen Jin looked at his puffed-up cheeks and poked them, "The elevator to our hotel rooms is in the opposite direction."

Ye Tingtong: "..."

In the end, it was Shen Jin, who was drunk, who led Ye Tingtong to their rooms. Their rooms were next to each other, and Ye Tingtong should’ve gone to his own room, but after glancing at the person quietly watching him, he thought for a moment and followed Shen Jin inside.

He could tell Shen Jin was really drunk.

But Shen Jin’s behavior was no different from usual. He entered the hotel, glanced around to confirm the environment, then sat on the central sofa, loosened his tie and threw it aside, leaning back on the sofa and closing his eyes to rest.

Only then did Shen Jin’s face show signs of fatigue and drunkenness.

Ye Tingtong looked at him a few times, thought for a moment, walked behind him, and placed his hands on Shen Jin’s temples, gently massaging.

When he used to attend parties with Shen Minghuai, he was occasionally forced to drink. His tolerance was poor, and he would get dizzy after just a little. He always gave himself a massage like this.

After a while, Shen Jin’s expression relaxed a bit. Ye Tingtong thought, "Should I make you some honey water?"

Quick and easy.

Shen Jin didn’t refuse, so Ye Tingtong called room service for honey. The front desk said, "Okay," then remembered something and added, "You were looking for Mr. Shen Minghuai earlier. We just saw him, and he said he’d come by later."

The front desk’s tone was a bit hesitant.

After all, it was a subsidiary of the Shen Group, and the front desk couldn’t hide the room number.

Ye Tingtong replied, "Alright."

He didn’t mean to trouble the staff, and besides, he actually had something to talk about with Shen Minghuai.

However, just as he hung up the phone, he turned around and noticed that Shen Jin had opened his eyes at some point and was now looking at him, "Is Shen Minghuai coming?"

Ye Tingtong was surprised a drunk guy could hear that well. "The reception said Shen Minghuai will come to see me later. I’ll go back after I whip up some honey water for you."

Shen Jin didn’t say a word.

Room service was quick, and the honey arrived promptly. Ye Tingtong prepared the honey water, "Try it."

Shen Jin took a sip and said indifferently, "It’s too hot."

Ye Tingtong was puzzled. He’d checked the temperature earlier, and it should’ve been lukewarm.

He grabbed the cup from Shen Jin, tipped it back, and took a huge swig. The taste was good, and before he knew it, he had drunk a large amount. Looking at the significantly reduced water level, he felt a bit embarrassed, "I accidentally drank most of your honey water..."

Shen Jin finished the remaining bit, "It’s fine."

Ye Tingtong was again impressed by Shen Jin’s calm demeanor, but then he realized something was off—were they sharing the same cup?

He glanced at it, wondering if he was imagining things, but it seemed like they had drunk from the exact same spot.

Ye Tingtong’s face turned red instantly, completely forgetting the initial discussion about the water temperature, "Uh... I’ll fix you another cup."

While adding honey, Ye Tingtong inexplicably crouched to check the rim, trying to spot two lip prints to prove they hadn’t drunk from the exact same spot.

But after looking, he not only found no second mark, but the faint trace was blurred by the steam, making it hard to see.

Just as Ye Tingtong got distracted, there was a knock at the door.

Ye Tingtong set down the spoon and headed for the door. Before he could reach it, Shen Minghuai’s voice came from behind the door, "Uncle, is Tingtong here with you?"

Shen Minghuai had knocked on the next door for a while with no answer. Knowing Shen Jin’s room was next to Ye Tingtong’s, he figured they might be together now.

But since they’d booked two rooms, it hinted their relationship wasn’t what people said. Even if they were together now, Shen Minghuai didn’t make a big deal of it.

For him, this was the best he could hope for.

Shen Minghuai knocked on the door again, "Tong, I heard you wanted to talk to me. If you can, could you unblock my number? It’d make it way easier to talk."

"By the way, it’s been a while since I’ve been to school. Are there any teachers about to fail me? Could you tell me about it?"

His tone was light and nostalgic, a topic unique to the two of them.

Ye Tingtong’s hand was already on the doorknob, about to turn it, when a hand pressed against the door, stopping him from opening it.

Shen Jin tilted his head to look at him, his dark eyes deep, "Is my honey water ready?"

Ye Tingtong was momentarily stunned, "Not yet."

Shen Jin glanced towards the bar, "I’m a bit thirsty."

Shen Jin rarely made requests of him, so Ye Tingtong immediately forgot about the person outside and quickly ran back, "I’ll get it ready right away, just wait a moment."

He stirred the honey into the water, and this time Ye Tingtong secretly took a sip to ensure it wasn’t too hot before carrying the cup towards the door.

Outside, Shen Minghuai was still talking, "Uncle, I know you’re listening."

He had heard the conversation.

"I've already persuaded my mom. If I work hard, she’ll let me be with Tingtong, which means we can get the blessing of my family. But now, grandma’s always had it out for you and Tingtong, and she’s been giving Tingtong a hard time during the New Year’s Eve dinner."

"Uncle, can you return Tingtong to me? I can take care of him now."

Shen Jin stood in front of the door, silent.

Ye Tingtong arrived late and didn't hear any of this. He handed the honey water over, and Shen Jin drank it all, being polite about it.

Ye Tingtong took the cup back, ready to put it away, but as he turned, he was suddenly pulled into a gentle hug.

Shen Jin rested his chin on Ye Tingtong's shoulder, his tone indifferent, "Not allowed."

Ye Tingtong was momentarily stunned before realizing that Shen Jin thought he was going to open the door to find Shen Minghuai. He wanted to turn around and explain, but the arm around his waist pulled him closer, clearly not giving him the chance.

Even the usually rational Shen Jin could be a bit of a handful when drunk.

His warm breath tickled Ye Tingtong's ear, making it itch slightly. Ye Tingtong turned his head to speak but overlooked the closeness between them, and his lips barely brushed against Shen Jin's cheek.

The mood changed in an instant.

The breathing by his ear paused for a moment, and Ye Tingtong's eyes widened, just as confused.

He bit his lip, wanting to say something, but as he looked up, he was drawn into Shen Jin's deep, dark eyes, his intense and possessive gaze making it hard for him to speak.

Shen Jin lowered his gaze. Ye Tingtong's lips were soft, a healthy shade of red, and when he pursed them, they formed a smooth, inviting curve.

He moved in closer.

Ye Tingtong closed his eyes nervously, but then he felt a slight coolness on his neck. Looking down, he saw a translucent jade pendant hanging in front of him.

It was a piece Shen Jin had bought tonight, said to be warm in winter and cool in summer, a jade of exceptional quality.

Shen Jin released his hold, "No need to be scared."

Ye Tingtong tucked the jade into his clothes, head down, saying nothing.

He wasn’t scared in the least.

Shen Jin stood behind him, looking at the pale, vulnerable nape of Ye Tingtong's neck, and said softly, "If you want to open the door, go ahead."

He didn’t meddle in Ye Tingtong’s usual social life; Shen Minghuai wasn’t really a threat to him.

But perhaps the alcohol had dulled part of his rationality, and that nagging feeling of displeasure still hung over him. Just moments ago, he had impulsively wanted to press Ye Tingtong against the door, letting the person outside hear them being intimate.

It was very disrespectful.

The door was right in front of them, and without any restraint, Ye Tingtong could leave at any time.

Ye Tingtong's hand was already on the doorknob. Shen Jin rubbed his temples, trying to shake off the frustration.

But before he could react, Ye Tingtong suddenly turned and threw himself into Shen Jin's arms, his arms tightly wrapping around Shen Jin's waist.

Shen Jin instinctively held the person in front of him.

Ye Tingtong buried his face in Shen Jin's chest, his voice muffled, "If you're unhappy, just say it. See, I didn't want you to go find Xiaoyun, and I said it directly."

Why was Shen Jin so stubborn? If he didn't want him to leave, he should just say so.

He’d always been a good listener.

Shen Jin looked at the fluffy head in his arms and was silent for a moment. "You're right."

"I don't want you to go find Shen Minghuai, he's a bother."

Ye Tingtong nodded in agreement. "Then I won't go."

Yu Hui's favor wasn't urgent anyway. Besides, he could just have the hotel staff pass on the message. As for whether Shen Minghuai would go to school or not, that wasn't his concern.

While Ye Tingtong was deep in thought, Shen Jin suddenly raised his hand and lifted his face. "There's one more thing."

Ye Tingtong blinked. "Go on."

Shen Jin leaned in closer, their noses barely touching. The air between them was sweet with the scent of honey, though Shen Jin's breath carried a faint trace of alcohol, intoxicatingly so.

"I want to kiss you."

Ye Tingtong's eyes widened as he looked at the person before him. In that moment, their breaths seemed to grow hot. He instinctively turned his head, but Shen Jin held his chin, not letting him escape.

Shen Jin repeated, "I want to kiss you."

He'd been wanting to do it ever since they had the honey water.

Ye Tingtong was surprised Shen Jin had picked it up so quickly after just one lesson. His face turned red, he lowered his gaze, and softly murmured his consent.

Shen Jin's kiss started with his usual gentleness but soon grew more insistent. Their lips and tongues tangled together, and Ye Tingtong seemed to taste the alcohol too, leaving him feeling lightheaded. All he could do was clutch at Shen Jin's collar, responding with a blend of naivety and bewilderment, obediently tilting his head back and opening his mouth, completely surrendering the initiative to Shen Jin.

He even caught the faint, suggestive sound of wetness...

Shen Minghuai was at the door, knocking again. "Uncle? Is Tingtong really not with you?"

Ye Tingtong was pressed against the door, his hazy consciousness briefly clearing. He shyly turned his head, and a burning kiss landed on his neck. "Shen Jin..."

Before he could finish, his lips were gently kissed, and Shen Jin whispered, "Don't make a sound."

Ye Tingtong, blushing, exchanged a glance with Shen Jin and hid in his arms, signaling that he would be obedient.

Then, he heard Shen Jin let out a soft chuckle, his voice low and husky as he spoke.

"He's not here."