Chapter 20

Chapter 20

After a busy day, Xie Yunshen was parched, just waiting to get to the study and snag a bottle of the Yan family's exclusive mineral water.

When he reached the study door and didn't see the two usual bodyguards standing there, he knew Yan Shiqi wasn't in.

He went up to the third floor and checked outside Yan Shiqi's bedroom. Sure enough, the "Two Generals" were standing guard there.

The two guards gave him a brief, indifferent glance and remained motionless.

Xie Yunshen pushed the door open and entered. Yan Shiqi, wearing a white shirt, was sitting on the sofa. Hearing the door open, he looked up to meet him.

Xie Yunshen, looking dusty from the day, walked over to the nearby drinks cabinet, found two bottles of water, and sat down opposite him.

Yan Shiqi watched as he casually wiped a bottle cap against his arm, causing it to pop off, while placing the other unopened bottle in front of Yan Shiqi.

To someone who didn't know better, this scene might have made it seem like he had brought the water himself.

Xie Yunshen tilted his head back and downed his bottle in one go.

Like a desert traveler finally reaching his source of life, his throat worked slowly, swallowing every drop without spilling a bit.

He placed the empty bottle on the table next to Yan Shiqi's. Then, as if participating in a state secret, he adopted a serious, ready posture: "Mr. Yan, what did you want to see me for?"

Yan Shiqi turned a velvet gift box on the table to face Xie Yunshen and said, "Open it."

Xie Yunshen opened the box and saw a set of property deeds and a bank card inside.

"What does this mean?"

"This is from Third Uncle. He was worried you wouldn't accept it, so he asked me to pass it to you and not to reveal it was from him."

"...And yet you revealed it."

"You would have accepted it anyway," Yan Shiqi said.

"...Fair point. As expected of you."

Xie Yunshen picked up the property deeds and glanced at them, his heart skipping a beat: *Wait, do all these old-school wealthy families like giving out over-the-top mansions like Tian Gong Hao Yuan?*

*So, I could actually be neighbors with the male lead.*

*However, this house will probably just be for my grandfather to enjoy. At this stage, I can't leave the Yan family anyway.*

He picked up the bank card. Although he didn't know the amount, it was certainly substantial.

Xie Yunshen glanced at Yan Shiqi, who obligingly met his eyes, but his gaze gave nothing away.

Xie Yunshen realized he had become somewhat disenchanted with money. Since the Yan family reimbursed all his expenses, the balance on his salary card only went up, never down, and with stock dividends, it was always coming in, never going out.

He finally understood the meaning behind what wealthy people said about "the cold numbers in a bank account."

Yan Shiqi looked at him: "If there's anything else you want, you can tell me. As long as the Yan family can manage it."

Xie Yunshen thought seriously: "I do have a thought, but it's not material."

"What is it?"

Xie Yunshen placed his elbows on his knees and leaned forward slightly: "I want to hide in your arms like last time."

"What?" Yan Shiqi wondered if he had misheard.

It wasn't a cautious request but a direct proposal. His expression was utterly frank, as if stating an academic research topic, making the statement seem matter-of-fact.

"Just like last time, when I was drugged and felt like I was dying, I felt very safe in your arms." Xie Yunshen looked directly at him, calm as if giving a work report.

Clearly, if this sentence left this room, it would cause an uproar and draw everyone's shocked and wary attention.

But coming from Xie Yunshen's mouth, everything seemed bizarrely reasonable.

"Alright."

Even more bizarrely, the big shot actually agreed.

Xie Yunshen didn't find it particularly miraculous that Yan Shiqi agreed. He just lowered his head and sniffed his collar: "I haven't showered yet. Do you need me to go wash up first?"

"No need. Wasn't it dirtier last time in the car?"

Yan Shiqi was wearing a shirt and tie, clearly not having showered either.

Xie Yunshen nodded, deeply convinced that the big shot's logic was indeed very sound.

"Then here I come!" Xie Yunshen showed a hint of an excited smile.

Like seeing a snack he really wanted to eat, his long legs took two steps around the coffee table. He lowered himself, leaning against the thick edge of the sofa, wrapped his arms around Yan Shiqi's waist, and buried his head in his chest.

Hiding in his arms, just like last time.

The refined scent of the shirt—a natural plant fragrance mixed with a hint of woody paper—was the aroma of someone constantly surrounded by books.

Although Yan Shiqi was only 175 cm, his frame wasn't small. His shoulders were broad and his palms were thick and warm—the hands of a master strategist from a novel.

When Xie Yunshen held him, he felt a strange sense of satisfaction and security.

*So weird.* He tightened his arms a little more and buried his head a little deeper.

The heartbeat was steady and distinct. Xie Yunshen closed his eyes and sighed: *It's really super different.*

Xie Yunshen felt something was still missing. He paused, grabbed Yan Shiqi's hand, and placed it on his own head.

Yan Shiqi immediately understood, applying a bit of pressure to ruffle his hair.

Xie Yunshen's heart skipped a beat: *Ah, that's it! Exactly the same feeling!*

*Safety feeling PLUS version!*

After a while, Yan Shiqi asked: "How is it?"

"Two more minutes!" Thinking the big shot was urging him to get up, he quickly bargained.

After saying this, he shifted his body to nestle more comfortably in his arms.

Yan Shiqi didn't push him away, just said calmly: "Where have you been these past few days?"

"Seeing a doctor," Xie Yunshen's voice came muffled from his chest.

"Didn't finish last time when you went with Old Fifth?"

"Ahem, the urology department is quite busy, had to queue..."

He seemed to have long since let go of his reputation.

Thanks to Tuo Yiwuyi, he had already been humiliated once anyway.

Yan Shiqi insisted on getting to the bottom of it: "Oh? What kind of private condition?"

"Don’t you understand what ‘private condition’ means?" Xie Yunshen jerked his head up from Yan Shiqi’s chest.

With a look of "oh, I get it now," he realized Yan Shiqi didn’t seem like someone who had the time or energy to care about subordinates, let alone gossip about them.

See?

Yan Shiqi kept looking at him: "Tell me, what is this private condition?"

Those eyes weren’t questioning—they felt more like they were plundering.

"...It doesn’t get hard." Xie Yunshen felt like a dark cloud was hovering over his head, ready to strike him with lightning.

Yan Shiqi said, "No way. Last time when you were drugged, in the car, when you were holding me like this, I thought you were going to crack my kneecap."

"...Yeah, even a sponge could block bullets after taking that drug," Xie Yunshen said flatly, disparaging himself.

He could sense Yan Shiqi smiling.

Xie Yunshen completely let go and pulled out of his embrace.

Yan Shiqi spread his hands: "Two minutes isn't up yet."

"..." Xie Yunshen didn't have the heart to be cruel, but he wasn't about to crawl back in humiliation either.

"Rain check!" He grabbed the box on the table and ran off.

You had to feel a deep respect for Xie Yunshen—the guy truly had nerves of steel.

In the room, Yan Shiqi picked up the bottle of water on the table and studied it in his hand for a while.

Author’s Note:

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Xie, you’re just too adorable.