Chapter 38 Goodnight, Sweet Dreams.

Chapter 38 Goodnight, Sweet Dreams.

To prepare for the exam, Ye Tingtong hadn’t returned to Taizi Bay for three weeks.

With only one hour left before the official exam, Ye Tingtong couldn’t focus on his study materials anymore. He opened a mobile app to see what Snowy was up to.

Shen Jin, worried he’d miss the cat too much, had placed a camera in the living room area where Snowy usually roamed. Even if Snowy wasn’t around, as soon as the camera made a sound, Snowy would come trotting over.

Sometimes when the camera adjusted its angle, Snowy, with its sharp ears, would notice and come closer, the whole screen filled with Snowy’s cute, pink, wet nose.

Today, as he rotated the camera, Snowy showed up as quickly as usual, but this time, Snowy was wearing a little outfit with a big bow, in a bright red color that didn’t quite suit Snowy’s sweet face.

Since he wasn’t at home, the only person who could’ve dressed Snowy was Shen Jin. However, looking at the slightly tacky big bow on Snowy’s back, he really couldn’t imagine this being Shen Jin’s style.

At that moment, Shen Jin’s coat was still hanging over the living room sofa.

It was Saturday, and Shen Jin was probably at home.

But in the past, when he used the camera, Shen Jin was either working overtime or staying in the study.

He habitually manipulated the camera to look around, and just as he turned it a small angle, a pair of long legs suddenly came into view. "Snowy is on the left," Shen Jin said.

After speaking, Shen Jin reached out and placed the camera-equipped robot in front of Snowy.

Being too close, the view was filled with a sea of fluffy white fur.

Ye Tingtong, too shy to admit he was using the robot to look at Shen Jin, could only awkwardly stare at Snowy, until Shen Jin called a halt, "The robot’s almost out of power, I’ll go charge it later, you might lose connection."

Ye Tingtong murmured an "oh," wanting to secretly turn the robot to look back at Shen Jin, but Shen Jin anticipated his intention and covered the camera with one hand, "You should get ready for the exam."

The plan failed, but Ye Tingtong wasn’t ready to give up, "I can’t see Snowy anymore."

"It ran away," Shen Jin said, watching the cat circling the little robot, "Don’t worry about it, I’ll pick you up from school after your exam."

Ye Tingtong’s mood instantly lifted, happily agreeing, and even mentally planning the quickest way out after the exam, forgetting to remind Shen Jin to remove his hand from the camera.

After the exam, Ye Tingtong exited the school gate and immediately spotted the car parked by the roadside.

He ran over, opened the passenger door, and got in, "Where are we going to eat?"

Shen Jin leaned over to fasten his seatbelt, "We’re eating at home."

Ye Tingtong was puzzled, "Did Auntie make the meal ahead of time? What’s good today?"

Shen Jin started the car, "You’ll see when we get home."

This made Ye Tingtong sense something was off, he turned his head, looking serious, "Shen Jin, are you hiding something from me?"

Shen Jin tightened his grip on the steering wheel, but he said nothing.

Ye Tingtong looked at him carefully for a few moments, then concluded, "Did you sneak a drink of the soup Auntie made for me?"

He was already quite familiar with Auntie, who thought he was too thin and would always find ways to make nutritious soups for him, saying they were made with imported ingredients, and that the bowl served to him was the most essential. Once, Shen Jin was also present and gave Auntie a glance upon hearing this.

Auntie immediately didn’t dare to say more.

Shen Jin was quite jealous about his matters, although he usually didn’t show it, but at that time, he still sensed Shen Jin’s momentary displeasure with Auntie.

"It’s okay!" Ye Tingtong was very generous, "If you drank it, you drank it, you’re always working overtime, you need to take care of yourself too."

Shen Jin: "."

They quickly returned to their place in Taizi Bay. Ye Tingtong walked briskly, as he hadn’t been back for almost a month, and Tong must have missed him.

The fingerprint lock clicked, and Ye Tingtong pushed the door open. As soon as he stepped inside, a loud "pop" echoed, and colorful streamers exploded in the air.

Yu Mo and Yu Huanhuan stood on either side of the door, holding party poppers, their smiles radiant: "Happy birthday!"

Streamers rained down, covering Ye Tingtong. He blinked, and after a few seconds, he realized it was his twentieth birthday.

He had never celebrated his birthday before—no one cared enough, and he didn’t want to celebrate alone, so he just ignored it.

Shen Jin removed the streamer from his head and said with a smile, "Happy birthday."

Ye Tingtong looked at the people in front of him, rubbed his eyes, and his voice wavered, "Thank you."

He didn’t expect anyone to remember the birthday he had forgotten and even come to celebrate it for him.

Yu Huanhuan, seeing the redness at the corners of his eyes, pinched his cheek, "Don’t cry. I have something good to show you."

She took Ye Tingtong to a corner of the living room, "Isn’t this your beloved snack cabinet? It used to be cluttered and disorganized. I upgraded it for you—chips, nuts, candies, all sorted. It’ll be much more convenient now."

Yu Huanhuan didn’t buy an expensive snack cabinet but one that best suited Ye Tingtong’s habits and was the most practical.

Ye Tingtong looked at the fully stocked snack cabinet, his heart filled with emotion. He gave Yu Huanhuan a hug, "Huanhuan, thank you."

Yu Huanhuan had always looked out for him.

"How many times have I told you not to call me 'sister'?" Yu Huanhuan muttered, but she let him hug her and patted his back, "Tong, things will get better and better. Every year, even if Shen Jin doesn’t say anything, I’ll celebrate your birthday."

She had brought up celebrating Ye Tingtong’s birthday before, but he thought it was unnecessary and a waste of money.

Though Ye Tingtong used to attend various gatherings and social events, he didn’t enjoy the shallow social scene. When Shen Jin discussed it with her, she directly rejected Shen Jin’s idea of hosting a grand banquet, choosing instead to celebrate at their home in Taizi Bay, where Ye Tingtong felt most comfortable.

Only a handful of them were there, but it was perfect.

Ye Tingtong’s reaction said it all.

"Hey, Tong, am I invisible to you?" Yu Mo clutched his chest, exaggerating his tone, "At least look up and see me?"

Yu Huanhuan pointed to the ceiling, smiling, "Check out what Yu Mo worked on all day."

Ye Tingtong looked up and was stunned when he saw it.

The place was decked out with balloons, mostly pink, with shiny fillings inside, each one blown up to the max, as if they might pop at any moment.

A string of lights hung at the entrance, flashing the words "Happy Birthday."

Yu Mo, seeing Ye Tingtong frozen in place and too moved to speak, coughed modestly, "I was roped into doing some grunt work, pumping up balloons all day. It’s nothing."

He then remembered something and picked up Tong from the floor, "And this outfit, pretty festive, huh? I prepared twenty sets for this little guy. Make sure to switch them up later—it’s like a runway show!"

Ye Tingtong looked at the questionable giant red bow on Tong, "So it was you who chose it."

He knew Shen Jin wouldn’t have such taste.

"Come on, this outfit is awful," Yu Huanhuan, whose aesthetic sense was clearly normal, rescued Tong from Yu Mo’s hands, "And because of this outfit, we almost blew our cover earlier today."

Ye Tingtong thought of something and turned around, his tone a bit stiff, "Are you talking about when I checked the camera?"

Yu Mo couldn’t stop laughing, "Don’t worry, we didn’t see you maneuvering the little robot all over the house looking for Shen Jin."

Ye Tingtong’s face instantly turned bright red. He could even imagine the two of them following the little robot and mocking him.

"Alright, it’s time to cut the cake," Shen Jin rescued the embarrassed Ye Tingtong. "I’ll go to the kitchen to get the cake."

The cake was placed on the table in the living room. Ye Tingtong looked at the design on the cake and was impressed: "Was this custom-made?"

On the cake, there was a little figure wearing a white down jacket with a scarf around its neck. Even though only half of the face was visible, it was clearly him. He was holding a pet leash, and Xue Gao was standing by his feet.

Xue Gao is quite lively, and sometimes Ye Tingtong would take him for walks in the neighborhood with the leash.

Ye Tingtong couldn’t help but squat down and take a closer look, exclaiming again: "It really looks just like me."

Shen Jin: "Glad you like it."

Ye Tingtong tilted his head, his eyes sparkling: "Of course I like it!"

Yu Mo poked Shen Jin’s arm, "Hey, what are you playing dumb for? I took credit for blowing up the balloons, and you’re still hiding it?"

Don’t think he didn’t notice the subtle look of relief on his face.

Ye Tingtong exclaimed, "Hiding what?"

"This!" Yu Mo gestured towards the cake, "He made this cake, and the little figure on it was the only successful one after consulting countless experts."

There’s still a pile of failed attempts in the kitchen that he hasn’t cleaned up yet!

Ye Tingtong’s eyes widened in surprise, "Really? Shen Jin, you’re amazing!"

"We both have a knack for making cakes!"

This made everyone laugh, and Yu Mo added fuel to the fire, "Why didn’t you compliment me for blowing up the balloons? Playing favorites, huh?"

Ye Tingtong, unusually, didn’t argue with him, "You’re awesome too! And Sister Huanhuan is amazing!"

His equal praise left everyone satisfied.

When it came time to blow out the candles and make a wish, Ye Tingtong closed his eyes and silently wished: "I wish Yu Huanhuan makes a lot of money, I wish Yu Mo happiness every day, I wish Shen Jin’s business goes smoothly."

"Finally, I hope I can stay this happy forever."

After making the wish, Ye Tingtong puffed out his cheeks and blew out the candles in one go.

Ye Tingtong cut the cake and handed out slices, slyly giving Shen Jin the biggest piece.

The cake wasn’t large, and they polished it off while chatting.

Yu Huanhuan sighed, "If I told people I ate a cake made by Shen Jin himself, would anyone believe me?"

"Even if I said it, no one would believe it," Yu Mo scraped the cream off his plate, looking particularly cherishing.

After eating and drinking, Yu Mo took out a bottle of red wine and handed it to Ye Tingtong, "This has been in my collection for a while—it’s yours now."

Yu Huanhuan sent him a red envelope with a five-figure sum.

After giving the gifts, the two left. Ye Tingtong couldn’t bring himself to eat the little sugar figure on the cake and carefully packed it and put it in the refrigerator.

Closing the refrigerator, he turned around to see Xue Gao gnawing on a ribbon on the floor. He crouched down to grab it, but Xue Gao darted off with the ribbon in its mouth.

Shen Jin came out of the kitchen carrying a bowl of noodles and saw two figures, one big and one small, darting around the house.

"Don’t eat that!" Ye Tingtong was frantic, trying to reason with the cat, "Your stomach is sensitive; chewing on random stuff could upset it!"

As Snowflake was about to bolt again, a slender hand reached down, pinching the back of its neck and effortlessly pulling out the ribbon it had in its mouth, "The living room’s a mess; I’ll keep it in your room for now."

"You’re still hungry, right? There’s noodles on the table."

After today’s exam, he was drained, and that little cake wasn’t enough to fill him up, so he obediently sat down on the chair to eat.

After a few bites, he noticed the noodles were thin and long, like longevity noodles, and belatedly realized that Shen Jin had made him longevity noodles.

Once the cat was taken care of, Shen Jin started cleaning up the living room.

Ye Tingtong glanced at Shen Jin out of the corner of his eye, who was bending over sweeping the ribbons.

As a natural leader, this task should’ve seemed out of place, but Ye Tingtong found it surprisingly natural.

Probably because Shen Jin had never put on airs in front of him, giving off the vibe of a smart, dependable guy.

The sound of the broom and Ye Tingtong slurping noodles blended into a cozy, peaceful rhythm.

Ye Tingtong even polished off the soup and took the initiative to wash the dishes in the kitchen.

Shen Jin spoke up, "I’ll do it."

"No need," Ye Tingtong didn’t turn his head, "The cook shouldn’t have to do the dishes too."

When he got to the kitchen and saw the pile of cake bases in the corner of the stove, along with the slightly messy cream, he suddenly realized why Shen Jin didn’t want him to wash the dishes.

Shen Jin stood at the kitchen door, his expression slightly stiff, "Just needed a few more tries."

Ye Tingtong patted his shoulder understandingly, "I get it."

Not everyone’s as talented as him, nailing a cake on the first try and scoring an eight out of ten!

Ye Tingtong’s little smirk was hard to miss, Shen Jin held back a smile, "Hmm, next time you teach me."

Ye Tingtong gave him an OK sign.

After stuffing himself, Ye Tingtong went to wash up, and after finishing, he instinctively headed to the study to find Shen Jin. Passing by the living room, he inadvertently saw the red wine on the table.

Since it was a gift from Yu Mo, Shen Jin didn’t put it in the wine cabinet, likely leaving it for him to decide.

Ye Tingtong licked his lips and sneaked the red wine back to his room.

On the other side, Shen Jin took out a document from the study, double-checked for errors, and sent a message to Ye Tingtong.

"Are you free? Come to the study."

After sending the message, he waited ten minutes, but Ye Tingtong didn’t reply. He was just about to go out and check when he heard a scratching sound at the door.

At first, he thought it was Snowflake, but after listening for a while, he realized it wasn’t. Snowflake’s scratching was very regular, unlike now, now heavy, now light.

Shen Jin walked to the door, and as soon as he opened it, someone slumped into his arms.

Ye Tingtong looked up and mumbled, "Didn’t you call me here? Why did you open the door so slowly?"

Shen Jin made sure the study door wasn’t locked, looking at Ye Tingtong’s red face, he leaned in and indeed smelled a hint of alcohol.

Ye Tingtong stared at the handsome face right in front of him, gulped nervously, and before Shen Jin could react, he kissed his cheek, letting out an exaggerated smack.

Shen Jin was caught off guard by the sudden move. "Did you have some of that wine Yu Mo sent?"

The wine tasted good, but it was pretty strong.

Ye Tingtong, clinging to Shen Jin's neck for balance, nodded meekly.

Worried Ye Tingtong might tire from standing, Shen Jin walked to the desk in the study, planning to guide him to the chair. But Ye Tingtong pushed down on his shoulders, so Shen Jin had no choice but to sit, and Ye Tingtong settled onto his lap.

They’d never been in this position before.

Ye Tingtong nuzzled into Shen Jin's neck, and Shen Jin glanced down, noticing Ye Tingtong’s red ears.

He brushed his hot earlobe. "Shy, but you’re still sitting here?"

This wasn’t something Ye Tingtong would normally dare to do.

Ye Tingtong defended himself, "The chair’s too hard."

Hinting he only did it because Shen Jin’s lap was comfy.

Shen Jin chuckled, about to say something, when Ye Tingtong raised his hand to cover his mouth.

Ye Tingtong: "It’s my birthday, so I’m in charge. No questions allowed."

No logic, but full of confidence.

Shen Jin obeyed, staying silent for a moment, and then Ye Tingtong was unhappy again. He lowered his hand and frowned. "Talk."

Shen Jin played along, "How much did you have?"

Ye Tingtong held up a finger, looking mysterious.

Shen Jin guessed, "A little?"

Ye Tingtong shook his head.

"A bottle?"

Ye Tingtong looked at him like he was clueless. "Half! The other half is left for you to drink."

If it weren’t for Shen Jin’s message interrupting, he might have finished it. The wine was really good, so smooth.

Shen Jin really couldn’t guess this answer, but perhaps because the alcohol was slow to take effect, Ye Tingtong’s eyes were still clear. He spread out the document on the table. "I called you to the study to sign. Take a look at this."

This was the birthday gift he prepared for Ye Tingtong.

A transfer of some fixed assets, including houses and cars, so that Ye Tingtong could live well just by collecting rent.

Moreover, this document nullified the agreement before the marriage registration. After signing, even if they divorced, Ye Tingtong could still get the property he was entitled to within the legal scope.

Ye Tingtong looked at the dense words on it, each of which he could understand, but when combined, he found it very difficult to comprehend.

He frowned, directly picked up the pen, and signed at the bottom right corner.

Shen Jin had already signed above.

Seeing that Ye Tingtong had decisively put down his pen in less than a minute, Shen Jin couldn’t help but laugh. "Aren’t you worried I’d sell you out?"

Ye Tingtong suddenly looked up upon hearing this, feeling both shocked and wronged. "Why are you selling me? I’m not worth much."

He reached for the pen to scribble out his signature, but Shen Jin was faster, closing the document and pushing it aside.

Ye Tingtong's face fell. "Shen Jin, you’re being mean."

He tugged pitifully at Shen Jin's sleeve. "Don’t sell me. I’ve got half a bottle of wine left—it’s worth more than I am."

He kissed Shen Jin's chin and nose to appease him. His face flushed deeper, and he looked away. "Why do you smell like me? It’s so nice."

He poked Shen Jin’s Adam’s apple with his finger.

His playful expression showed he’d forgotten he might be sold.

Shen Jin’s gaze darkened as he grabbed Ye Tingtong’s hand, cupped the back of his head, and kissed him deeply.

There was no reason to hold back now.

Ye Tingtong had learned to breathe during the kiss, but Shen Jin’s intensity still left him gasping. He weakly pushed at Shen Jin’s chest, and after a moment, Shen Jin released him.

Ye Tingtong’s lips were now even redder than his cheeks.

Shen Jin didn’t wait. He turned Ye Tingtong’s face back and kissed him again.

They’d shifted from sitting side by side to facing each other. Ye Tingtong tilted his head back, his eyes glazed from alcohol and lack of air, but his lips stayed parted, inviting Shen Jin’s touch.

Saliva trailed from his mouth, but Shen Jin kissed it away.

Shen Jin let him go, but Ye Tingtong, craving more, leaned in again. He nuzzled against Shen Jin, occasionally licking his lips.

His innocence was irresistible.

They were both breathless by now. Ye Tingtong shifted uncomfortably.

Shen Jin tried to adjust their position, but Ye Tingtong clung to his neck, even biting him.

"I’m not scared of pain," Ye Tingtong said, eyeing the veins on Shen Jin’s neck. After a pause, he added, "I can handle your quirks."

He straightened up, cupped Shen Jin’s face with his hands, and spoke seriously, "I don’t mind the weird clothes, the collar, or even the tail. I can deal with all that, but—"

"Just no whips, okay?" He hated whips.

Fortunately, Shen Jin didn’t have the quirks Ye Tingtong imagined. The process was gentle, but not as easy as Ye Tingtong had thought. He remembered crying and begging to go back to his room, but after crawling a few steps, Shen Jin grabbed his ankle and pulled him back.

Shen Jin wasn’t as accommodating as usual. He kissed away Ye Tingtong’s tears, called his name in a hoarse voice, and even coaxed him, calling him "baby" and praising him for being good.

Ye Tingtong’s desire to escape was gradually worn down, and in the end, his voice was hoarse.

Under the combined effects of physical exhaustion and alcohol, Ye Tingtong had no strength left. He was pulled into Shen Jin’s embrace, and he instinctively found the most comfortable position, hugging Shen Jin’s waist. He murmured drowsily, "Can you not be so rough next time?"

He wouldn’t really run away.

Shen Jin pushed Ye Tingtong’s damp hair back. "I’ll try."

With that promise, Ye Tingtong felt sleepiness overtake him, but then he noticed Shen Jin taking his right hand and slipping something cool onto his ring finger.

Ye Tingtong wanted to see, but Shen Jin covered his eyes.

His vision went dark, but the hands covering his eyes were incredibly warm, just like Shen Jin's.

Ye Tingtong curled his fingers, feeling the distinct metallic feel, and placed his hand on his chest.

"Shen Jin, I like you."

I really, really like you.

Shen Jin kissed his forehead, "I feel the same way."

I love you too.

Goodnight and sweet dreams.

—The End—