Chapter 56 Lake of Tears

Chapter 56: Lake of Tears

The skin pressed close together became a little damp after a while.

Shen Shiyan used one hand to unlock his phone and checked the time—he had been asleep for nearly three hours. His right shoulder, where Shen Ci was leaning, felt sore in the joints. He glanced down at Shen Ci, still fast asleep, and squeezed his fingers gently.

Most people were here for the rainforest, so they weren’t too into the school-arranged bus tour of the scenery. Quite a few were nodding off.

Around four in the afternoon, they finally arrived at a scenic area hotel in Bincheng.

Shen Shiyan folded the blanket and put it back into the backpack, following Shen Ci off the bus.

“So cool!”

“Ahhh, Yuncheng has been scorching for a month.”

The crowd spread out, gathering in small groups to loosen up their stiff limbs from the long ride.

The weather was unpredictable—the sky could be totally different from one town to the next. One place was clear and sunny, another overcast. The journey from Yuncheng had been mostly good weather, but as soon as they entered Bincheng, they turned up the bus’s AC. When they stepped off, the pre-storm air wrapped around them with a cool breeze, filling up their lungs. It felt like getting drenched in icy seawater after days of scorching heat—refreshing at first, but after a while, it brought a chill, the kind you only get with summer storms.

The group looked pretty impressive in the scenic area. The homeroom teacher, at the front, confirmed the reservation with the front desk and handed out key cards to the parents.

“What a coincidence.” As they waited for the elevator, someone held out a card in front of them—Room 17. Shen Shiyan’s gaze lifted to meet Shen Siyu’s eyes that were half-smiling. “Next door.”

Shen Ci, who knew his manners, spoke faster than Shen Shiyan and called out, “Second Uncle.”

“Still pretending.” Shen Rong stood behind Shen Siyu, glaring with disdain at Shen Ci.

“Second Brother.” Shen Shiyan slid the card marked Room 16 against the back of his phone into his pocket, nodding with a polite smile.

With a ding, the elevator doors opened.

Shen Siyu led Shen Rong into the elevator. “Shiyan, you’re being too distant. Let’s grab a bite later—my treat.”

Since the scenic area was small and parents were accompanying them, there was no danger. They could order takeout or eat at the area’s own restaurants.

Shen Shiyan glanced at his watch and gave Shen Siyu an apologetic look. “Another time, Second Brother. I have a remote meeting at 5:30, and I really can’t skip it.”

There were about twenty people in the elevator. The two Shen executives talked in the cramped space, the atmosphere subtle and tense, with undercurrents flowing. The people behind them tried to stay out of it.

The elevator stopped at the 13th floor, then went back down empty.

“You’re still this dedicated even on vacation—no wonder Dad favors you.” Shen Siyu didn’t waste time on small talk. They walked in the same direction, talking as they went.

Soon they reached Room 16. Shen Shiyan held the card up to the door handle’s sensor, and the lock clicked and opened. “Chonghe isn’t like Antu—we’ve got business everywhere.”

Shen Siyu opened his door, one foot already inside, and smiled at Shen Shiyan. “Catch you later.”

Shen Shiyan nodded, waiting quietly until the other door shut before entering his own room.

The hotel was decently decorated—a room with two beds, but the beds were larger than standard singles, big enough for two people to share if needed.

“What do you want to eat?” Shen Shiyan sat down on the small sofa, scrolling through reviews for nearby takeout. Shen Ci had a sensitive stomach, so they needed a big chain with perfect ratings.

“Anything’s fine.” Shen Ci dug through his backpack on the coffee table, pulling out their pajamas and a blanket and placing them on the bed. He then retrieved two plush bunnies from the inner pocket—keychain pendants. Pinching the rings between his thumb and index finger, he said, “I wanted you two to see the scenery too, but I got sleepy later and forgot. Sorry, little guys.”

Shen Shiyan chose a tomato beef noodle soup from a chain store with a 5.0 rating—should be fine.

“We still have seven hours of driving tomorrow.” He put in the order and opened a video Song Xianghan had sent, showing a makeup artist working on Song Qiuchi.

In the video, the young girl wore heavy makeup, making her monolids look more defined, the glitter and rhinestones in her eyeshadow making her appear radiant.

“Right, I’ll let you see tomorrow.” Shen Ci patted each bun’s head impartially before putting them back in the backpack’s inner pocket.

Before Shen Shiyan could reply, Shen Ci’s phone rang—a video call from Song Qiuchi.

“How is it?” Song Qiuchi’s face appeared on the screen, proudly showing herself off to Shen Ci.

“Beautiful.” Shen Ci complimented sincerely, moving past the sofa to sit beside Shen Shiyan, tilting the phone to reveal half of Shen Shiyan’s face.

“Brother.” Song Qiuchi blinked, then revealed the two aunts cuddling behind her.

Song Xianghan waved at the screen, teasing, “Congratulations, Shen, on finally getting a break. How’s your back?”

“It’s fine.” Shen Shiyan moved aside expressionlessly until he was out of the frame.

“Sister Xianghan, my daddy is twenty-two—how could his back be bad?” Shen Ci popped a mint he’d taken from his bag into his mouth.

“Xiao Ci, whether his back is good isn’t for you to decide.” Song Xianghan laughed, and the others on the call joined in. Gao Mengying changed the subject, “Xiao Ci’s almost fifteen, isn’t he? Doesn’t calling him ‘daddy’ feel awkward?”

“Not awkward, Sister Mengying.” Shen Ci felt a coolness in his throat. “I’m used to it.”

“Hey, help me pick which hairband looks better.” Song Qiuchi set the phone on the table, holding up a champagne-colored band and a rose-gold one, asking Shen Ci.

His throat felt a bit tight from the coolness. Shen Ci spat the half-sucked mint into the trash, took a breath, and said, “The left one—yeah, the champagne one. It matches your dress.”

“Great minds think alike.” Song Qiuchi tossed the rose-gold one back into her suitcase and started adjusting herself in front of the mirror.

There would be entry checks before the concert. After a few more words, Song Qiuchi hung up in a hurry and left.

The coolness in Shen Ci’s throat faded a bit. He checked the time. “Daddy, you need to start your meeting.”

Shen Shiyan got up to pick up the takeout at the door, then locked it. Through the insulated bag, he could smell a faint tomato broth aroma.

“No meeting—just talk.” Shen Shiyan unpacked the bags at the long table, mixing the separated noodles and soup from two bowls. “Come eat.”

Shen Shiyan was mostly silent while eating. He frowned after the first bite—the noodles were too chewy.

He looked at Shen Ci. “Noodles are tough. Let’s order something else.”

Shen Ci, tempted by the delicious-looking dish, took a big bite, swinging his legs. “Not tough—really tasty.”

Shen Shiyan finished his bowl in silence, watching Shen Ci pop the last piece of fried egg into his mouth, patting his belly contentedly.

While washing up, he thought about giving the takeout app a bad review—it clearly said the noodles were soft and the soup fragrant.

Because of the double sleeping bag, Shen Ci didn’t pester Shen Shiyan to sleep together for once. After showering, he obediently climbed into his single bed.

The storm that had been brewing all evening finally poured down just as Shen Ci was about to fall asleep. The room was cool even without the AC, occasional lightning flashes brightening it. The heavy rain outside created a natural white noise, and both breathed steadily.

In the early hours, the rain stopped. Shen Shiyan was startled awake by faint sobbing sounds.

His feet touched the cold floor, but he paid it no mind. He stepped over to Shen Ci’s bed, pulling down the blanket slightly to reveal Shen Ci’s eyes and lashes, wet with tears. A few drops had gathered at the bridge of his nose and the hollow of his eye, forming small teardrops like a tiny lake.