Chapter 54

Chapter 54

Shen Muyun opened the bathroom door and examined the lock. It appeared perfectly intact, yet it simply wouldn’t close. Whatever—it was probably some little troublemaker’s doing.

*Knock, knock, knock…*

A knock echoed from the door.

“Huainan, someone’s knocking!”

“Got it, Brother Yun.”

Lu Huainan stepped out of the room and casually pushed the bathroom door open, catching a glimpse of Shen Muyun washing his hair with his eyes closed. He immediately turned away, slipped on a bathrobe, and opened the main door just a crack.

“Mr. Lu, here are the clothes you requested. I’ll leave them by the door.”

“Alright, thanks.”

Listening to the fading footsteps outside, Lu Huainan opened the door a little wider to retrieve the clothes.

He glanced at the contents and smiled, eyes crinkling, then gently pushed the bathroom door open. “Brother Yun, the clothes.”

Shen Muyun hastily grabbed a towel. His skin was flushed from the steam, droplets still glistening, making him feel flushed and restless.

Lu Huainan wore an innocent, bunny-like expression, smiling at Shen Muyun. His gaze was intense and burning, the air thick with hormones. The faint scent of roses intertwined with lemon, evoking romantic thoughts.

“You could just leave them by the door. Hey—hey! Why are you coming in?”

Lu Huainan wrapped his arms around Shen Muyun from behind, resting his head on his shoulder, facing the mirror. He turned slightly and kissed his cheek.

“Brother Yun, tell me—we’re already so close. Why won’t you agree to be with me? What do I need to do? Do you like flowers? I can get you plenty. Or gems? That works too. Or maybe money? I can share shares in the Lu Corporation with you. Brother Yun, what is it you really want?”

Shen Muyun hesitated, his cheeks instantly flushing. He fidgeted nervously, trying to break free from Lu Huainan’s hold, but it was futile. Helpless, he braced his hands against the sink and pouted.

“Well, Huainan, you’re still young. Maybe you haven’t thought it through—maybe it’s just a crush. Besides, you know my reputation in Jiangcheng’s upper circles isn’t great. Not many people like me.”

Lu Huainan nuzzled his cheek, cupping his chin with one hand, facing the mirror. “Brother Yun, that’s not true! I’m 29—I can think for myself, and I have. I just like you. It’s a natural attraction. As for reputation, why worry about what others say? We can’t shut them up anyway. Right, Brother Yun?”

“Huainan, maybe we should spend more time together. What if you discover my flaws?”

Lu Huainan turned him around and gripped his arms. “We’ve known each other long enough. Everyone has flaws—it’s not a big deal. Brother Yun, I don’t want to force you to like me, and I don’t want to do anything extreme. I just want to care for you properly.”

Lu Huainan’s emotions ran high, veins throbbing in his neck, pounding fiercely. Shen Muyun was at a loss for words. The empty bathroom filled only with the sound of their racing hearts.

After a long moment, Lu Huainan released Shen Muyun’s arms. “Sorry, Brother Yun, I got carried away. Finish your shower. These things… shouldn’t be forced. I’ll… go out and cool off.”

He pushed the bathroom door open and stumbled out.

Shen Muyun touched his cheek—where he’d been kissed was still red and warm. He had many reservations, but living in the moment might not be so bad.

“Warning, warning, warning! Dear Host, your emotional levels are reaching a critical point! Please relax! If anything happens to you, I’ll be very sad.”

Shen Muyun turned on the cold water and splashed his face, trying to calm down. But the heat rising from his abdomen kept gnawing at his mind, stubbornly refusing to fade.

“System, can I still escape?”

The System blinked. “No escaping now! Lu Huainan’s affection for you is at 90. How can you run? Your affection for him is also 90. This System doesn’t understand—why are two people who clearly like each other so tangled up? Why not just confess?”

“System, didn’t you hear? Lu Huainan already confessed—it’s the second time. I just didn’t agree. I think… I’m starting to have feelings.”

A heart instantly appeared on the System’s small screen. “If you like him, then be together! Besides, Lu Huainan’s sister has been dying to ship you two. Perfect timing! What’s that saying? ‘Keep the good stuff in the family.’ Anyway, you’re practically part of the Lu family now—can’t change that.”

“But…”

“Host Master, no more ‘buts’! Didn’t we say from the start? Lu Huainan is a once-in-a-lifetime catch—both parents alive, open-minded, and extremely wealthy. Miss this chance, and there won’t be another.”

Shen Muyun sighed, casually drying his hair with a towel. Drops of water pattered onto the counter. He stared at his reflection in the mirror. What should he do? It’s so frustrating. It’s just a main mission—just pretending to be with Lu Huainan. Since when does the TimeSpace Administration meddle with people’s hearts?

When Shen Muyun stepped out of the bathroom, he found Lu Huainan in pajamas, sitting alone at the round table by the window, holding a wine glass. The liquid swirled gently. He gazed outside, a strange emotion in his eyes, occasionally sighing.

Shen Muyun walked over and took the glass from him.

“Huainan, easy on the alcohol.”

Lu Huainan’s eyes were slightly red from alcohol. He propped his chin in his hands and looked up at Shen Muyun.

“Brother Yun, is it really so hard to admit you like me? I really want to just tie you up, lock you away in a dark room, and make you mine forever.”

“Huainan, you’re drunk. We have to deal with the relocation issues tomorrow.”

Lu Huainan stood up, unsteady, leaning against Shen Muyun. The scent of grapes mixed with roses was intoxicating.

“Brother Yun, work can wait. But why can’t you spare some love for me? I can feel that you like me.”

Shen Muyun held Lu Huainan tightly. Their body heat mingled, and the tension in the air intensified.

Lu Huainan was slightly taller than Shen Muyun. Losing his balance, they fell onto the nearby bed.

Suppressing his racing heart, Lu Huainan reached up and caressed Shen Muyun’s cheek. “Brother Yun, I’m only three years younger than you. I’m not a child—I know the difference between love and not love.”

Shen Muyun struggled to adjust his position but was pinned firmly by Lu Huainan, unable to move. “Huainan, we can take it slow. We have time—no need to rush.”

Lu Huainan, drunk and confused, mumbled, “Says who? Who knows how many others have their eyes on you? During the Lu family engagement arrangement, I was miserable. Brother Yun, I met you first—why did Lu Luozhi get to be engaged to you?”

Shen Muyun chuckled hoarsely. Wow, Lu Huainan was still hung up on the engagement.

“When did you meet me first? Didn’t you just return from the U.S. recently?”

Lu Huainan clutched Shen Muyun’s clothes, complaining, “I don’t care! I met Brother Yun first! I’m being stubborn, so what? I’m younger—Brother Yun should give in to me.”

Shen Muyun gently patted his back. “Okay, okay, you’re young—I’ll indulge you. So, young Lu, it’s bedtime. If you keep crushing me like this, how can either of us sleep? I can barely breathe. If the chemical plant’s air didn’t kill me, but I suffocate here—that’d be such a pity.”

Lu Huainan rubbed his eyes, immediately rolled off, and pulled Shen Muyun into his arms. “Brother Yun, there’s no pillow here. I need to hold you to sleep—it makes me feel secure.”

Shen Muyun shook his head helplessly, surrendering to Lu Huainan’s embrace. “Fine, but no moving around.”

“Mm, I promise I won’t move.”

Soon, Lu Huainan’s breathing deepened. Shen Muyun, too, could no longer resist the sleepiness.

Lu Huainan’s eyes snapped open. He gazed at Shen Muyun in his arms, kissed his neck, and held him contentedly as they drifted to sleep.

By the time they woke, sunlight flooded the room, the sun warming the bed comfortably.

Lu Huainan woke first, watching Shen Muyun’s closed eyes. He gently traced his eyelids, leaned down, and gently kissed his forehead.

“Brother Yun, good morning.”

Shen Muyun, bothered by Lu Huainan’s eyelashes, mumbled drowsily, “Stop moving, Albel…”

Lu Huainan frowned slightly and whispered in Shen Muyun's ear, "Who is that?"

Shen Muyun jolted awake instantly and glanced awkwardly at Lu Huainan beside him. "Well, Huainan, I must have been half-asleep. Albel is a Czech Wolfdog I raised."

"Hey, Brother Yun, so you thought I was your dog? By the way, Brother Yun, I drank too much last night—did I say anything strange? I can't really remember."

Shen Muyun stretched his arms and checked the time. "Well, not really. We still need to check on the resettlement households today. Fortunately, things at the chemical plant went quite smoothly. It seems every time I work with you, we're twice as productive."

"True, it's always like that. But Brother Yun, don’t forget—you still owe me a favor."

Shen Muyun was momentarily taken aback. "Of course, I remember. Alright, lazybones, time to get up. If we dawdle any longer, today’s work will be wasted."

"At your command, Brother Yun. But your clothes seem a bit too big. I told my secretary, but somehow they bought the same size. Guess we’ll have to try using garment clips."

Shen Muyun hurried to the bathroom and noticed some faint red marks on his neck. The two of them together might give people the wrong idea.

"Huainan, do you have a high-collared shirt? It looks like mosquito bites here, but they weren’t there yesterday."

Lu Huainan gently touched Shen Muyun’s neck, his fingers brushing over the skin. "Could be. Fall mosquitoes are worse, after all. Too bad the clothes I bought aren’t high-collared—I don’t like them anyway."

Shen Muyun sighed. "Let’s leave it for now. We’ll deal with it when we get back. If it’s still noticeable, we can use concealer."

"Pfft, Brother Yun, it’s really not a big deal. It actually looks quite nice. If we’re almost ready, let’s head out. Let’s try to get everything settled today so we can go home."