Chapter 79 Welcome Home

Chapter 79: Welcome Home

After a week in the hospital, Shen Ci felt a little reluctant to leave.

The impersonal room had somehow turned into a cozy space with the two of them in it. The fresh flowers on the bedside table were changed daily, and Shen Shiyan had added a desk diagonally across from the hospital bed. He barely went to the office unless he had essential meetings, working instead in the room. On the second night of his stay, Shen Ci casually said the blue-striped bedsheets were ugly, and the next day, Shen Shiyan replaced every piece of fabric in the room with a soft orange-pink color.

He wasn't really into the color himself, but when the salesperson said it could boost your mood, he bought it anyway.

“My flowers.” Shen Shiyan took Shen Ci's small suitcase as he hurried over to grab the fresh lilies on the bedside table.

“D-ddy, let me carry something too. It's not that heavy.” Shen Ci held the flowers with one hand and reached out to Shen Shiyan with the other.

Shen Shiyan bent down and pulled a box of medical cotton swabs from a small bag hanging on the big suitcase, and placed it in Shen Ci's palm. “There.”

Shen Ci laughed. “Treating me like a little kid?”

Shen Shiyan looked at the guy in front of him, who was nearly six feet tall, a faint smile tugging at his lips. He let out a low hum in acknowledgment before saying, “Time to go.”

Shen Ci followed behind him. After the blisters burst, a thin scab formed, and it itched like crazy when it rubbed against his clothes. He kept wanting to scratch at it.

Out of the corner of his eye, Shen Shiyan saw him put the cotton swabs in his pocket and start reaching into his collar again. He cleared his throat softly to warn him.

He quickly pulled his hand out and rubbed his nose sheepishly.

The walk from the hospital building to the parking lot was short. Even though he'd only been inside for a week, Shen Ci felt the last traces of summer heat were now mixed with hints of autumn—not gentle at all, just rushing straight at him. From the hospital, he could see the plane trees lining the street, their leaves still green but not as lush as in midsummer.

“Get in first.” Shen Shiyan opened the passenger door.

On the black leather seat were a pale yellow cushion, a lumbar pillow, and a neatly folded blanket for the AC.

After getting in, Shen Ci glanced at the bare driver's seat, then turned to watch Shen Shiyan load the luggage into the trunk all by himself. He felt like Shen Shiyan really treated him like a kid—like a three- or four-year-old who couldn't do anything.

“There are snacks in the glove box. Take a nap if you're tired.” Shen Shiyan drove steadily, still keeping an eye on Shen Ci.

“I'm almost seventeen.” Shen Ci opened the glove box. It was stuffed with small snacks he usually liked. He grabbed a pack of seaweed snacks. “This isn't the way back to the Shen house, is it?”

It looked more like the way to school.

Shen Ci didn't eat it. He crushed the seaweed through the packaging, making a crunching sound.

“Yeah, we're not going back there.” Shen Shiyan stopped at a red light.

“That's awesome!” Shen Ci exclaimed happily. His reaction was totally different from most people's—he didn't really care where they'd live outside the Shen house, he just felt genuinely happy that Shen Shiyan was taking him away from it.

Shen Shiyan glanced at him. Shen Ci's skin looked better over the past few days, and his eyes were stunning when he smiled.

The car passed Yunxi, went straight a bit, then turned right at the intersection into Yunjing Mansion.

Shen Ci was a bit stunned. This neighborhood didn't have any villas, but its prime location made it the best school district near Yunxi, with sky-high prices.

He didn't snap out of it until the car stopped in a parking spot across from Building 6, Section B.

“What are you spacing out for? Let's go home.” Shen Shiyan resisted the urge to lightly tap him on the forehead.

Shen Ci's eyes were still glued to the facial recognition screen at the unit door as he slowly got out with the flowers.

The door lock clicked open as soon as Shen Shiyan's face got a little closer. Shen Ci followed him into the elevator and up to the 11th floor.

Yunjing Mansion had one apartment per floor. When the elevator doors opened, they were greeted by a fully set-up entryway. On the shoe rack were three rows of shoes—some new styles, some duplicates of Shen Ci's old favorites. Next to it, a glass shelf stood out with eight skateboards on it.

All these things had burned in the fire. Shen Shiyan had bought them back as quickly as he could, and since some were out of print, he had to find replacements.

“Go ahead and open the door.” Shen Shiyan took the lilies from Shen Ci's hand, standing behind him, and said in a gentle voice, “The password is your birthday.”

Shen Ci hadn't spoken since they entered the neighborhood. His heart had been slowly filling up along the way, and now, standing in front of the matte black door, he could almost guess what was behind it—how many people had planned this surprise for him.

Even though hanging out with Shen Shiyan and his friends had recently helped him forget the helplessness he felt in the fire, his hatred and disgust for the Shen family weighed heavily on him. He felt weighed down, not like his old self.

Shen Ci pressed the numbers that meant so much to him—0602.

The moment the door opened, it was almost exactly as he'd imagined. Everyone he cared about was gathered at the entrance. Confetti poppers went off several times near his ears, white feathers and ribbons landing on his now-shorter hair. Amid the colors, Shen Ci spotted Shen Sicheng, who hadn't been back in China for a year.

A hand gently rested on his shoulder from behind. “Welcome home.”

“Welcome home!!”

Amid everyone's heartfelt greetings, Shen Ci wiped his eyes, but the tears wouldn't stop flowing.

Love and happiness affect a person more than hatred.

“How could you all...” Shen Ci was gently pushed inside by Shen Shiyan. After a moment, he sniffled, a bit embarrassed. “You owe me tears!”

The room's decor was ready-made, with new furniture and warm decorations.

Shen Shiyan set the flowers on the coffee table, grabbed a tissue, and wiped Shen Ci's still-moist eyes. “Don't cry,” he said, a little helpless.

Shen Sicheng circled Shen Ci several times, occasionally tugging at his clothes. “Let me see, let me see.”

“Brother Sicheng, I'm fine.” Shen Ci smiled with narrowed eyes.

The others had visited the hospital daily, so they were used to Shen Sicheng's behavior.

Song Qiuchi walked toward the kitchen island. “I'll check on how my cookies are doing.”

Song Xianghan pulled Gao Mengying along. “Let's go taste them.”

Qi Zizhu held a gift Shen Sicheng had brought back from abroad to pursue her, pondering how to refuse and reciprocate.

Chen Bufan had nothing to do, so he followed Shen Shiyan downstairs to bring up the rest of the luggage.

It was their first time in the house, but the atmosphere was warm and lively. With a “ding,” the oven opened, and the air filled with a rich aroma.

Song Qiuchi: “So successful! Come on, come on!”

Freshly baked sweets were always better than cooled ones. Shen Ci looked at the plate of cookies shaped like the word “peace” and thought selfishly: if only it were the end of the world right now, with everyone trapped in this room—how happy that would be...

Shen Sicheng picked up a cookie and stuffed it into Shen Ci's mouth, then grabbed another and shoved it into Shen Shiyan's mouth as he was setting down the luggage.

The sweetness on his lips interrupted Shen Ci's apocalyptic fantasy of freezing this moment.

Chen Bufan didn't stop eating. “How do you make these? They're better than store-bought snacks.”

Shen Ci smiled. “You'll have to ask our baking master, Xiao Song Classmate.”

Song Qiuchi leaned on Song Xianghan's left shoulder and raised an eyebrow. “Taste them if you want, but don't ask for the recipe.”

Laughter filled the living room. Shen Ci bantered with Song Qiuchi for a bit, then choked on a laugh. Beside him, Shen Shiyan gently patted his back, a faint smile on his lips.

No one brought up the unpleasant matters, and they hung out until almost midnight before calling it a night.

Of the three bedrooms, one had been converted into a walk-in closet by Shen Shiyan. Shen Sicheng, dead tired from a day of traveling, headed straight for the guest room.

Shen Ci was momentarily stunned, his heart, which had been steady, started beating a little faster as he opened the master bedroom door, the one he hadn't stepped into since getting back.

The room was spacious, its layout almost identical to the one in the Shen family's side courtyard, with two beds placed half an arm's length apart.

"D-dad." Shen Ci's heart still pounded. He slipped his arms through Shen Shiyan's, wrapping them around his waist for a second, and rested his cheek on his shoulder. "Thank you."

A very brief hug.

Shen Shiyan wished this brief moment would slow down, that their warmth could get closer and stay longer.

"Shen Ci." Shen Shiyan looked at him. "No need to say thank you."

The room was dark, their gazes locked. Shen Ci's wound was itching, and his face felt like it was on fire.

That night, Shen Ci had trouble sleeping. He felt like a little bear dipped into a honey jar, tasting something different from the long-brewed sweetness.

He couldn't pinpoint what it was, only that when he went to the bathroom, the mirror showed a clear blush on his cheeks.

A young heart might skip a beat in a second, but Shen Ci knew this feeling would take years to figure out.