Chapter 32 After Raising for So Long

Chapter 32: The One He Raised

Shen Qingci was wrestled awake.

It felt like something heavy was pressing down on him, a suffocating tightness in his chest making it difficult to breathe.

He frowned and opened his eyes, his vision blurry at first before gradually clearing.

Seeing the person beside him, he froze for a moment. He did have a vague recollection of Lu Lin coming, but he had thought it was all a dream.

Lu Lin had him in a tight embrace, one arm wrapped around his waist, legs tangled with his, clinging to him like an octopus.

His fluffy head was buried in Shen Qingci’s neck, warm breaths brushing against his skin, tickling him.

It was still raining outside, a gentle patter, with faint daylight seeping through the gaps in the curtains, casting a dim, grayish glow in the room.

Shen Qingci shifted, trying to break free from the overly tight embrace.

But the moment he lifted his leg—

He froze completely.

Because of his struggle, he felt it clearly and unmistakably—something hard pressing against his thigh.

Warm, firm, and impossible to ignore.

Shen Qingci’s brow instantly furrowed.

Of course, he knew what it was.

For a grown man, in the morning, such a physiological reaction was normal.

But the problem was…

The person holding him now was Lu Lin.

The child he had raised for eight years.

The same guy who had been giving him the cold shoulder just yesterday and had climbed into his bed in the middle of the night.

Shen Qingci took a deep breath, his eyes turning cold.

Then, without hesitation, he lifted his leg and kneed Lu Lin hard, while simultaneously wrenching himself free.

Lu Lin was kicked straight off the bed.

The thud of him hitting the floor was loud, accompanied by a muffled groan.

Shen Qingci sat up, leaning against the headboard, and stared coldly at the person on the floor, who still looked dazed and clearly not fully awake.

Lu Lin sat barefoot on the floor, his hair disheveled, eyes half-open, as if he hadn’t yet grasped the situation.

He looked up at Shen Qingci, his pale, haggard face filled with confusion and a hint of grievance.

Shen Qingci ignored him.

He threw off the covers, got out of bed, and, leaning on his crutch, walked toward the bathroom.

As he passed Lu Lin, he didn’t even spare him a glance.

The bathroom door closed, and the sound of running water came from inside.

Lu Lin remained sitting on the floor, stunned for a while before slowly realizing what had happened.

He looked down at himself—his clothes were crumpled, still stained with mud from the villa garden the day before.

Then he glanced at the bed, where a small, faint stain marred the pristine white sheets.

Lu Lin’s face instantly paled.

He scrambled to his feet, standing by the bed, staring at the stain, his fingers unconsciously twisting together.

Like a child who had done something wrong, waiting for a scolding.

When Shen Qingci walked out of the bathroom, this was exactly how he found Lu Lin.

He walked over to the bed, his gaze falling on the stained sheet before lifting to look at Lu Lin. “You slept in my bed all night wearing these dirty clothes?”

Lu Lin trembled, his head hanging even lower, fingers tightly gripping the hem of his shirt, lips pressed together until they turned pale.

This demeanor was exactly the same as the Lu Lin from a week ago—the one who had been cautious, acting cute, and eager to please in front of him.

It was a stark contrast to the cold, distant Lu Lin from the past few days, who had talked back and fought back.

Shen Qingci began to wonder if Lu Lin truly had a split personality.

Just as he was about to speak, a knock sounded at the door.

“Mr. Shen, there are documents that need your signature,” Lin Wei’s voice came from outside.

Shen Qingci glanced at Lu Lin but said nothing more. Leaning on his crutch, he turned and left the restroom.

As he reached the door, he tossed back a remark, “Clean up before you come out.”

---

In the office.

Shen Qingci sat behind his desk, taking the documents Lin Wei handed him.

He lowered his head to review them, preparing to sign, when he noticed from the corner of his eye that Lin Wei seemed off.

Her eyes were red, as if she had been crying.

Shen Qingci’s hand paused, but he didn’t ask. Instead, he simply signed the documents and handed them back.

Lin Wei took the papers, lowered her head, and said, “Thank you, Mr. Shen,” before turning to leave.

Shen Qingci watched her slightly unsteady retreating figure, his fingers lightly tapping on his crutch.

Everyone has their own life.

Everyone has their own troubles.

He had no right to interfere, and he shouldn’t.

Because interfering meant forming bonds, creating complications, and taking on another person’s emotions.

And what Shen Qingci hated most were emotional entanglements and complications.

He just wanted to live simply, rationally, and quietly.

The door to the private lounge was pushed open.

Lu Lin stood at the doorway, still wearing the same dirty clothes, barefoot, with disheveled hair, his eyes cautiously fixed on Shen Qingci. "Gege, I don’t have any toiletries."

Shen Qingci looked up at him.

His aloof eyes held no particular emotion, but Lu Lin could sense that Shen Qingci was angry.

Shen Qingci watched him for a few seconds, then pressed the intercom button on the desk. "Send a set of men’s toiletries and essentials to the president’s office. The size… just one size larger than mine."

After hanging up the intercom, Shen Qingci stopped paying attention to Lu Lin and began to work on the files in front of him.

Lu Lin stood by the door. Seeing that Shen Qingci wasn’t paying him any attention, he walked softly over to the sofa and sat down, careful not to make a sound.

The assistant soon delivered the items. Lu Lin took them, whispered a "thank you," and then looked back at Shen Qingci. "Gege, I…"

"Go wash up."

Lu Lin murmured an acknowledgment, gathered the items in his arms, and returned to the lounge.

The sound of running water came from the bathroom.

Shen Qingci set down his pen, leaned back in his chair, and rubbed his temples.

His head was throbbing.

---

Half an hour later, Lu Lin emerged, now clean.

Shen Qingci was studying a document, his brow furrowed tightly.

It was a partnership proposal from a top domestic AI technology group. The terms they offered were demanding, but their technology was indeed cutting-edge.

Qingye Company was just starting out. If they could cooperate with this group, it would save them a lot of time and trouble.

The problem was that the other party’s threshold was too high. For a new company like Qingye, it would be difficult to get on their radar.

Shen Qingci tapped the document lightly with his fingers, weighing his next move.

Just then, Lu Lin walked over.

He stood in front of the desk, looked at the document, and suddenly spoke up. "Gege, I have a connection with them. I know their CEO too. I can make an introduction for you."

Shen Qingci looked up at him.

Lu Lin’s eyes were bright, brimming with expectation, as if saying, "See, I’m useful. I can help you."

Shen Qingci was silent for a few seconds, weighing the pros and cons.

A direct introduction would indeed save a lot of time on courting them and bypass the tedious bureaucratic red tape, allowing direct dialogue with their top management.

For Qingye Company, this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Shen Qingci nodded, offering a rare compliment:

"The kid turned out to be pretty useful."

Lu Lin’s eyes instantly lit up like stars upon hearing the praise.

The smile on his face was almost impossible to hide, the corners of his mouth uncontrollably lifting. That genuine, heartfelt joy even made Shen Qingci pause for a moment.

"I’ll make the call. Wait for me, Gege." After saying this, Lu Lin eagerly hurried over to the sofa area, took out his phone, and began making calls.

Shen Qingci watched his excited back, his fingers lightly tapping on the desk.

His expression was complicated.

In front of others, Lu Lin was almost indestructibly strong, but in front of him, he could become as happy as a child getting candy from just a single compliment.

He would show a completely unguarded, soft side in front of him.

Just like…

a dog he'd raised for years.

Usually fierce and protective outside, but in front of its owner, it would still wag its tail, ask to be petted, and expose its softest belly.

Shen Qingci suddenly felt… this analogy was a bit strange, yet it fit Lu Lin perfectly.