t.i.tle
How To Thank You For Saving Me 救命之恩无以为报
Author
Retrospect
Publisher
CP 长佩文学
Translator
ECirce
Chapter 3
Shen Ji stood at the entrance and stared at Yan Zhuo, who did look pitiful, and shut the door indifferently. Yan Zhuo was so close to the door that his tresses were flicked as the door swung shut. Biting his lower lip, Yan Zhuo looked at his reflection on the door and smoothed his hair, not disheartened at all. Shen Ji could not shun him forever.
After confirming the situation with the receptionist, who drowned him with incessant apologies over the phone, Shen Ji hung up. The moment he opened the door, Yan Zhuo"s eyes lighted up. He stopped ruffling his hair and smiled with delight. "See, I"m not lying. It"s getting cold out here since I also left my clothes in."
The latter part was a blatant lie, so much so that as soon as Yan Zhuo finished, a warm breeze came out of the air conditioner. Yan Zhuo tried to block Mr. Shen from the "cold" wind, as Shen spectated on with clear nonchalance to his exaggerated display of kindliness. Shen Ji gave his approval with an unintelligible sound, arms folded. Yan Zhuo"s glance moved from the hem of his gown into the room, illuminated by a warm, orange light.
Yan Zhuo hugged himself while Shen Ji coldly looked on, "It was freezing. I came all the way from A city and haven"t had dinner. If only Uncle Shen was here…"
Shen Ji raised his eyebrows. From where Yan Zhuo stood, he could see his well-defined nose and slightly curved lips. He knew he should not take it too far and stopped the guilt-tripping babbling. He had nothing much to do with the so-called Uncle Shen. Acquaintances on a few occasions at best.
Shen Ji stepped back and left out some more room. As if fearing he might change his mind, Yan Zhuo could not help but strided in a little too readily. Shen Ji only left the reading lamps on, and it was gloomy inside. Some carefully packed clothes were put on the edge of the bed. He could tell those did not belong to that good-looking guy. Shen Ji"s laptop was beside the clothes. He took it away over Yan"s shoulder and put in on the table. "You sleep here." He pointed at the right half of the bed.
It was an order. Yan Zhuo lifted the blanket and sat down. Shen Ji took out a chocolate bar and threw it at him. He picked it up and responded with a steady, attentive look. "That"s all I have." Shen Ji did not know how to deal with that look, "Eat it, and go to bed."
Yan Zhuo opened the package and took a bite. It was too sugary. "You bought this?" He looked back at him, "This brand is too sweet. Plenty of calories, too."
Shen Ji was never fond of sweets. He was sure someone else gave it to him. Shen Ji knew only one way to shut that chatterbox, and it was with some force. He stood and walked to towards him, "Eat it, then take a shower, then go to bed."
He was three years older of age. Not a significant gap even for schoolkids. And now that he was an independent freelancer, Shen Ji still treated him like a child and ordered him around. After he is done washing up, Yan Zhuo went to the bed and lifted the blanket.
Shen Ji glanced at him as he stood beside the bed and took the shirt off, fair skin on the chest exposed. "I"ve showered before coming here." He explained.
Shen Ji frowned. That sounded wrong. He knew he picked up a timed-bomb due to detonate at any time the moment he let Yan Zhuo in. Soon Yan Zhuo was with only his underwear on. "Sorry, I"m used to it." He said in a matter-of-fact tone, "Can"t sleep with clothes on."
Shen Ji"s eyes went down from his ribs all the way down to the rubber ducks printed on that piece of cloth. A subtle smile shone from his eyes. Yan followed his glance and looked down. There never was pretensions in front of Shen Ji anyway, and pretensions did not get him anywhere in such pursuits. He stepped forward.
"Time for bed," Shen Ji glanced at his bare body, "Ducky."
"Those are chicks." Yan Zhuo tried hard to find an explanation for such inside jokes between intimates. Shen Ji remained silent and suppressed a chuckle. All Yan Zhuo was rewarded for that seductive attempt was a comment on his silly kid"s wear.
"Move closer for an inch and you"re in the corridor." Shen Ji warned him as he stood beside the bed. He was always a man of his words, especially ruthless when it comes to Yan Zhuo.
Slightly disappointed, Yan Zhuo gingerly lied down on the right half of the bed. It was so broad that, as he estimated, it would took some more than obvious rolling around to get close. "Asleep?" Yan Zhuo asked with him chin tucked under the blanket.
"No." Shen Ji briefly closed his eyes.
Yan Zhuo picked up his phone, sent a friend request, and heard the buzz on the other side. "Could you please add me to contact?"
Shen Ji turned his phone off and only told him to sleep. Yan Zhuo only mumbled for a bit but did not stir. Shen Ji turned his back to Yan Zhuo, only to close his eyes and see the cartoons on his underwear. He opened his eyes again in resignation, just in time to see a bundle stirred and withdrew immediately.
He could hear the breathes so clearly. After a few confrontations with Shen Ji, Yan Zhuo was finally curbed. It did not mean that he had learned his lesson, though. He buried his head under the blanket and stared at the cartoon patterns printed on his underwear.
Dammit. It was probably a once-in-a-century opportunity that Shen suffered to share a bed with him. He dared not touch him, though, him being so close behind his back. How he messed up last night was fresh in mind. After a twenty-minute wait lying down, he sneaked into the bathroom and had the issue dealt with. Coming out, he was still playing with the the idea of hugging him. But sleep soon settled on his eyelids and did not leave till it was morning.
It was a phone call.
The thick curtains blocked out most of the light. Yan patted his forehead and picked up the speaker. "h.e.l.lo, sir," said the sweet and professional voice of the receptionist, "it was past 12 mid-day. Mr. Shen has paid and left. Would you like to extend your booking for an extra day?"