Chapter 115 Fine, Hubby

Chapter 115: Sure, Husband

The first big reunion in four years.

"To wait for you, I kept postponing my wedding with Mengying." Song Xianghan poured champagne for Shen Ci, Gao Mengying sitting beside her, smiling.

Shen Shiyan was hanging Shen Ci's coat and, glancing at the nearly full glass, gently reached out to stop him.

"Xiao Ci's all grown up, why are you still stopping him from drinking?" Gao Mengying slapped Shen Shiyan's hand back. "We already drank together at Etos last year."

Song Xianghan's hands trembled with laughter.

"Exactly." Shen Ci echoed, his hand taken by Shen Shiyan. "Then you can get married this year, Sister Xianghan! I want to be the best man!"

Song Qiuchi wore gold-rimmed glasses; her features had fully matured. She was dressed in a dark brown blazer dress, poised and intellectual.

"No spot for a best man." She pushed up her glasses. "Our male-female ratio's off, so you're assigned to the bridesmaids."

Shen Ci's smile froze.

"Is that appropriate?" Shen Ci leaned against Shen Shiyan, his tone wistful.

"You're already the most suitable candidate." Qi Zizhu looked at him. "Bufan's a dark-skinned jock, and as for Shen Sicheng..."

Shen Sicheng cast a hopeful glance at her, and Qi Zizhu thought for a moment, unable to find a good adjective before Shen Shiyan interjected—

"A returned arms dealer cross-dressing as a bridesmaid? That's pretty awkward."

Chen Bufan slung his arm around Shen Sicheng's shoulder, laughing uncontrollably. "Feels like any second he'll pull out a gun, hahahaha..."

Shen Sicheng sometimes really regretted accepting Shen Shiyan's bribe, getting himself involved for just a few pieces of rock.

"Get lost." He took a gulp of wine. "If I did pull it out, I'd shoot you all."

Shen Ci didn't really care whether he was a best man or a bridesmaid, as long as Song Xianghan and Gao Mengying were happy.

"Xiao Song, why are you going into business again?" Shen Ci straightened up and leaned over to Song Qiuchi. "I thought you'd consider becoming a manager for some little idol."

Chen Bufan downed the rest of his drink. "From now on, we'll have to call her Little Boss Song."

"Didn't I tell you before that the three or four idols I used to chase all confessed to me?" Song Qiuchi's expression was calm. "But actually, I just threw some money and resources at them."

Shen Ci was a bit confused. "What does that have to do with you going into business?"

"Because I feel the entertainment industry is hopeless. I wanted them to walk a path of flowers, but they wanted to date me. That's terrifying, okay?" Song Qiuchi looked into Shen Ci's eyes. "I figured it's better to just return and take over the family business."

Shen Ci was stunned. "..."

But probably influenced by Song Xianghan, Song Qiuchi picked up the ropes quickly. The new company invested in by the Song family flourished under her management.

They ate and chatted noisily until late at night. Shen Sicheng got drunk again—yet again.

"If we ever bring Brother Sicheng out drinking again, we're all dogs." Song Qiuchi propped him up on one arm, her high heels stomping loudly.

Chen Bufan supported him on the other side, and together they hoisted Shen Sicheng up and carried him to the car.

"Feeling sick?" Shen Shiyan rubbed Shen Ci's stomach gently as the car drove smoothly. Shen Ci leaned against Shen Shiyan's right shoulder, his eyes half-closed.

"Sick." Shen Sicheng from the left shoulder answered for him. "Gonna throw up."

The temporary designated driver looked over from the rearview mirror and silently pulled two small black plastic bags from his suit pocket, handing them to the back seat.

"Thanks." Shen Shiyan took one and handed it to Shen Sicheng, then opened the other and hung it over his ear.

"Don't mention it." The driver chuckled. "I deal with drunk passengers all the time in this job. Just helping out. Really hard to clean if it gets on the car."

Shen Ci hadn't felt dizzy outside, but after sitting in the car for a while, he felt unwell. The world spun, and his mind wasn't clear.

"Brother, you're really a good person." Shen Ci, dazed, pulled out Shen Shiyan's phone from his pocket, opened WeChat Pay to scan the QR code, and scanned the back of the driver's pitch-dark head for half a minute. "Brother, why isn't this QR code working?"

Shen Shiyan: "..."

"Could you please provide your payment code?" Shen Shiyan grabbed Shen Ci's wrist.

"Oh, oh, no need for that. I'll just charge what I'm supposed to." The driver waved his hand. "Even though we're not well-off, we have enough to eat and wear. Don't need extra."

Shen Shiyan smiled and pinched Shen Ci's cheek.

"I know you don't need it, but my partner is young. If he doesn't thank you today, he'll make a fuss when we get home." Shen Shiyan looked helplessly at Shen Ci, who was insisting on scanning, and patiently explained to the driver, "Please take it and leave me a business card. I'll call you next time."

Hearing the word "partner," the driver was visibly stunned for a long moment, slowing the car down.

In the end, Shen Ci succeeded in using Shen Shiyan's phone to transfer a thousand yuan to the driver.

Seeing that it was difficult for Shen Shiyan to get two drunk people upstairs alone, the driver helped stuff Shen Sicheng, still wearing the black plastic bag, into the elevator before leaving.

Shen Ci wasn't a heavy drinker, but he handled his liquor well. Once inside, he sat on the shoe bench in the foyer, slowly and carefully untying his shoelaces.

Shen Shiyan felt at ease for the moment and went to take the still-babbling Shen Sicheng to the guest room. When he came out, Shen Ci had already taken off his shoes and socks.

"Shen Ci." Shen Shiyan called his name softly, walking up to him. "Does your stomach hurt?"

Shen Ci shook his head and reached out his hand.

Shen Shiyan bent down to pick him up. Shen Ci wrapped his legs around Shen Shiyan's waist, his head resting sideways on his shoulder. With one hand, Shen Shiyan held him, and with the other, he took his phone from the cabinet by the door and sent a message in the group to confirm they were safe.

"Shen Ci, are you sober?" Shen Shiyan sat down on the bed with him in his arms. Shen Ci didn't let go and didn't move.

"Sober." His voice was very soft as he replied. "Why aren't you... calling me 'wife' anymore?"

As he said it, Shen Ci felt a bit confused. Why was he being both a bridesmaid and a wife? Somehow, he got a little annoyed, thinking they were treating him like a little girl.

But he quickly calmed himself down, because he thought girls were wonderful, so being a little girl wasn't so bad.

"Like hearing it?" Shen Shiyan stroked his back.

"It's okay." Shen Ci turned his head and continued resting on his shoulder, his breath hitting Shen Shiyan's neck.

"Then I won't call you that anymore." Shen Shiyan loved seeing him like this and couldn't help teasing him.

"Then call me 'husband.'" Shen Ci sniffed his neck and kissed it.

"Still want to sleep tonight?" Shen Shiyan's tone was seductively light.

Shen Ci used some strength to rip a button off Shen Shiyan's shirt, threw it on the ground, then slipped his hand inside, his cold hand pressing against his heart.

"Don't want to sleep." Shen Ci groped around randomly. "Want to sleep with you."

“No backing out now.” Shen Shiyan stood up, carrying him toward the bathroom, his voice low and pleasant.

During the bath, Shen Shiyan clipped Shen Ci’s long hair up at the back of his head. The bathtub felt a bit small for two, but thankfully Shen Ci was well-behaved, sitting still in Shen Shiyan’s arms.

He let Shen Shiyan work up a thick lather on his body, his mind wandering.

As if thinking of something, he leaned in with a pout to press his lips against Shen Shiyan’s.

The bathroom was steamy and hot, and Shen Ci’s face was flushed a pretty pink.

After kissing until he was slightly out of breath, he dizzily pulled away from Shen Shiyan, looking into his eyes, and asked, “Would it really not be weird for me to be… a bridesmaid?”

“Not weird at all,” Shen Shiyan kissed the corner of his mouth. “Just start getting used to it now.”

Shen Ci didn’t understand: “Get used to what?”

“Being a bridesmaid,” Shen Shiyan nuzzled his nose against Shen Ci’s. “Later, you’ll have to be my bride.”

Shen Ci was stunned for a moment, then argued with him, “You be the bride. I want to be the groom—I’ll marry you.”

Shen Shiyan absolutely loved this look on him—those bewildered, fawn-like eyes blinking as he said something dead serious.

“Fine, then,” Shen Shiyan used the pad of his thumb to wipe a bit of foam off Shen Ci’s chin. “Husband.”