Chapter 42 He’s Crying

Chapter 42: He's Crying

At three PM, Lu Lin arrived at Qingye Company on time.

He held today's irises in his arms, their deep purple petals edged with a velvety sheen, looking unreal in the afternoon sunlight.

But today, he didn't just bring flowers; he also brought a photo frame.

Lu Lin walked into Shen Qingci's office like he owned the place. Shen Qingci was sitting behind his desk, going through papers, and didn't even look up when he heard footsteps.

"Brother," Lu Lin called out, his voice very soft.

Shen Qingci just grunted, still not looking up.

Lu Lin walked to the desk and put the flowers in the vase.

Then, holding the photo frame, he looked around Shen Qingci's desk and finally set it down on the left side of the computer screen.

From this position, as long as Shen Qingci looked up at the screen, he'd see it out of the corner of his eye.

"Tap."

The frame hit the desk with a soft tap.

Shen Qingci finally raised his head.

His eyes landed on the photo.

The guy in the photo was wearing a dark gray suit and a deep blue tie, holding a big bunch of irises in his arms.

He was turned slightly, his pretty eyes looking softly at the camera.

Looking at the photo placed on the desk, Shen Qingci's brow furrowed slightly, a strong feeling of his space being invaded washing over him.

He looked up and glanced at Lu Lin.

Lu Lin was leaning over the desk, his face really close to Shen Qingci's—so close their breaths almost mixed.

"Brother," Lu Lin said, his voice low, kind of whiny, "Is the photo good? I just took it."

Shen Qingci looked again, this time more carefully.

Lu Lin had always been good-looking; he'd known that all along. But more than his appearance, what bothered him was—who was Lu Lin thinking of when he took this photo?

Was it him?

Shen Qingci was startled by the thought that popped into his head.

He thought it was totally ridiculous, stopped looking at the photo and turned his head suddenly.

But he forgot how close Lu Lin was.

"Mm."

A muffled sound.

Shen Qingci's lips smacked right into Lu Lin's face.

More like, they hit the corner of Lu Lin's mouth.

Warm, with a little wetness.

Shen Qingci froze. So did Lu Lin.

Two seconds later, Shen Qingci straightened up with a blank face.

Then he looked up and shot Lu Lin a cold glare.

His eyes clearly said: Why are you so close?

But Lu Lin totally missed the message.

Lu Lin stayed leaning over, his fingers lightly touching his own lips, his eyes a little dazed, like he was savoring that brief touch.

He touched…

Brother's lips…

So soft…

Wet and sweet.

Lu Lin's breath quickened.

His eyes slowly darkened, like an abyss churning underneath.

I wanna kiss him… I wanna hold him down, kiss him hard, kiss him till he can't breathe, kiss him till his eyes get red, kiss him till… he cries.

This thought spread through his head like wildfire, almost burning away all his reason.

His look turned wild, intense, obsessive, like he wanted to devour the person in front of him.

Shen Qingci watched Lu Lin's expression change, his frown getting deeper and deeper.

He could tell something was off with Lu Lin.

His eyes… were way too dangerous.

Like he wanted to swallow him whole.

He lifted his cane and tapped it lightly on Lu Lin's shin.

The sharp sound snapped Lu Lin out of his daydream.

Lu Lin snapped back to reality, realizing he'd lost control, and his face went pale instantly.

That look just now… did Brother see it?

Will he think I'm gross? Will he be scared? Will he leave because of it?

Lu Lin's face was panicked, his voice a little shaky: "Brother, I…"

"You're going to therapy today."

Shen Qingci interrupted him, his voice calm.

Those beautiful eyes still held no emotion—no disgust, no fear, not even surprise.

Lu Lin's heart sank.

Shen Qingci's lack of concern completely provoked him.

He was afraid of seeing disgust in Shen Qingci's eyes, but even more afraid of seeing nothing at all.

Because that would prove—

That in Shen Qingci's eyes, he was just a mentally ill child.

Lu Lin clenched his hands under the table, the sting in his palm bringing him back to his senses.

He nodded, his voice as gentle as he could make it: "Okay, brother. Will you stay with me?"

Shen Qingci had already lowered his head to handle paperwork. At his question, he only gave a low "Mm."

Without even looking up.

---

The psychological clinic was in a quiet area on the west side of the city, a standalone villa with a yard full of plants and a nice environment.

The doctor was a middle-aged man in his fifties, with gold-rimmed glasses and a gentle manner.

Lu Lin pushed the door open first. When Dr. Chen saw him, he greeted him casually: "Mr. Lu, you're here. I was surprised to get your appointment—I thought you had given up on treatment."

Then his gaze landed on Shen Qingci, and he paused.

"And this is...?"

Shen Qingci stood next to Lu Lin, leaning on his cane, his voice calm:

"I'm Lu Lin's guardian."

Dr. Chen: "..."

He looked from Shen Qingci to Lu Lin, his expression a bit complicated.

He remembered that Lu Lin's guardian... died in a car accident ten years ago.

Besides, these two looked about the same age—Shen Qingci even seemed a little younger than Lu Lin.

Dr. Chen didn't think much of it. He pointed to the sofa: "Please, have a seat."

Dr. Chen asked Lu Lin a few basic questions, then nodded and said, "You're doing a lot better than before."

Shen Qingci listened nearby, his eyes fixed on Lu Lin. He didn't think Lu Lin looked that good, unless he had been even worse off before.

Dr. Chen glanced at Shen Qingci and said tactfully, "Sir, during the treatment, you'll need to wait outside."

Shen Qingci frowned but followed the doctor's advice, getting up with his cane.

He looked at Lu Lin, who was staring at him with wide eyes, his look full of unease.

"I'll be right outside," Shen Qingci said.

Lu Lin nodded, letting out an uneasy "Mm."

Shen Qingci walked out of the treatment room and gently closed the door.

He sat down on a chair in the hallway and took out his phone to handle work.

After finishing the emails in his inbox, Shen Qingci was about to get up and check on things when his phone rang.

Without hesitation, he walked to the window and took the call.

Ten minutes later, he hung up and got ready to check on the treatment room.

Through the glass in the door, he could clearly see Lu Lin lying on the treatment chair, eyes squeezed shut, brow furrowed, his forehead covered in cold sweat.

His limbs were restrained, his body thrashing wildly, red marks forming on his wrists from the struggle, and the bite guard in his mouth was almost chewed through.

Lu Lin was sobbing in despair, as if going through the most agonizing moment in the world.

Frowning, Shen Qingci pushed the door open and walked in.

Dr. Chen saw him and paused: "Sir, the treatment isn't over yet..."

"He's crying," Shen Qingci said.

His voice was cold, his eyes even colder.

Dr. Chen explained, "This is a necessary part of trauma therapy. He has to face those memories on his own to..."

"I said," Shen Qingci interrupted, his voice even colder, "he's crying."