Ever since he started following Lin Shen around for work every day, Lin Wangye hardly ever slept in. Even though his tasks weren’t particularly difficult, just helping out on the side, Lin Shen’s recent work pace was brutal—so much so that Lin Wangye had basically become a full-time on-call workaholic, far worse than the infamous 996 schedule.
Last night, after a bit of drinking, Lin Wangye had gone home, taken a shower, and ended up chatting on the phone with Shi Yuan. He had dozed off mid-conversation without even realizing it and completely forgot to set an alarm.
When he finally opened his eyes and realized he’d woken up naturally, a sudden alarm went off in his head. He yanked off the blanket, threw himself into a quick sit-up, and checked his phone.
He’d slept until almost eleven!
Normally, on mornings like this, he’d already be swamped with a barrage of calls from Lin Shen. But today, his phone was completely silent. Panic prickled at him as he remembered his dad suddenly collapsing yesterday—cold sweat broke out immediately—and he hurriedly dialed Lin Shen’s number.
But, unlike usual, there was no instant pickup.
Frozen on the bed, barely breathing, Lin Wangye sat there dumbfounded for a long moment before frantically flipping through his contacts for Lu Chengxuan. Luckily, the call connected quickly.
“Brother Lu! Why isn’t Old Lin picking up? Where is he? What’s going on?” Lin Wangye blurted out, urgency in his voice.
“He’s still asleep.”
On the other end, Lu Chengxuan’s voice was calm as ever, carrying that steady, unshakable aura even through the phone.
Instantly, Lin Wangye felt himself relax. He sank back into the bed, stretching lazily, and asked in a casual tone, “Are you still at Linhong’s office?”
“Yeah.”
“How’s he doing? Better now? Nothing serious, right?”
“Nothing to worry about.”
“Good. I just woke up—forgot to set the alarm last night, so I overslept. Since he’s still resting, I won’t rush. I’ll clean up a bit and head over soon.”
“Bring some food when you come. I tried buying breakfast twice, but he didn’t get up. It’s gone cold.”
“Okay. If you haven’t left yet, I’ll grab one for you too.”
After that, Lu Chengxuan responded briefly and hung up.
Since Shi Yuan went abroad, the Shenlin eSports hotel had been doing pretty well. Even though the major profits were in Lu Chengxuan’s hands, Lin Wangye’s 20% monthly share wasn’t small, and he quickly managed to save some money.
At first, he was saving up for Xu Suihe’s medical bills.
But Shi Yuan’s progress overseas had far exceeded everyone’s expectations, and he soon started sending money back.
The apartment Shi Yuan had initially rented near the hospital wasn’t bad—not as shabby as their old place—but back then, money had been tight. They had to choose a rental that was relatively cheap.
Now, with no financial pressure, Lin Wangye decided a clean, comfortable environment would be best for a leukemia patient. He found a better apartment complex and moved again with Xu Sui, along with their grandparents.
The new place was still two bedrooms and a living room, but it was much larger than before. Most importantly, it had an elevator. Now, grandparents no longer had to climb stairs every day to cook, shop, or take Xu Suihe to the hospital.
Most of the things in the room had been moved straight from Shi Yuan’s old room.
But he hadn’t had much stuff to begin with.
A few pieces of clothes and shoes for all four seasons, and most of them were already very worn, clearly washed countless times and used for years.
Now, whenever Lin Wangye bought new clothes, he usually got an extra piece of the same style in a different color, one size bigger—so when Shi Yuan came back, they could wear them as matching outfits.
He knew that these old clothes and shoes would probably never be worn again.
Still, when moving, he couldn’t bring himself to throw them away. Each piece was carefully hung in the closet with the new clothes, trying to preserve as many traces as possible of the person he liked in everyday life.
They had never explicitly told Grandpa and Grandma what their relationship was, but Lin Wangye always felt that they understood.
At first, Grandpa and Grandma were kind to him but also showed a subtle caution, the carefulness you’d show toward someone who had saved your life.
After Shi Yuan went abroad, their attitude gradually changed.
Within their familiar kindness, the nervous caution faded, replaced with real concern for a family member.
Lin Wangye only found out later that Shi Yuan had chosen to be honest before leaving, speaking very seriously with Grandpa and Grandma for a long time. He hadn’t told Lin Wangye directly, worrying it might make him uncomfortable.
Grandpa and Grandma were old and had never encountered something like this before.
But for them, the old idea of ‘raising children to support you in old age’ had long died along with all the ways Xu Shengrung had failed them. Their grandson had been dragged down by family for nearly twenty years, suffering countless hardships from childhood.
Everything changed when Lin Wangye appeared.
Perhaps this choice went against social norms, but no one had the right to interfere.
In Grandpa and Grandma’s eyes, their son had been a beast, but their grandson was pure and upright. Lin Wangye had always been a good kid. So when they first heard him say he was dating this boy, they were surprised—but there was nothing they couldn’t accept.
In their old age, their granddaughter had been saved from death’s door, and their two grandsons were caring for them. They could bow a few extra times to the Buddha and feel it was worth it.
As Shi Yuan’s reputation in the design world soared, his income grew quickly. Beyond the necessities for daily life and work, the rest went straight into Lin Wangye’s account.
The Shenlin eSports hotel often had money transfers, and after a while, Lin Wangye worried he might lose track. So he opened a separate account just for the family fund.
Recently, after running around with Lin Shen non-stop, he finally got a chance to sleep in. Wrapped in the covers, he lingered in bed a bit before throwing them off, jumping down barefoot, opening the door, and poking his head out.
“Grandpa.”
“There you are.” Grandpa Xu, sitting at the dining table peeling garlic, smiled. “Up already?”
Lin Wangye nodded. “I’m going to work soon. I need three lunch boxes for the office. Is there enough time to make a bit more?”
“Plenty of time. The rice hasn’t even started cooking yet. Your grandma went out to buy groceries. Want anything special?” Grandpa Xu asked.
“Anything’s fine,” Lin Wangye said, then thought of Lin Shen being a bit of a patient and added, “Something light would be better.”
“Okay, I’ll call her.”
“Alright then, Grandpa, I’ll go back and sleep a bit more.”
“Go ahead. I’ll call you when the food’s ready.”
With that, Lin Wangye turned, closed the door, and ran back to bed, sinking comfortably under the covers.
Since moving in, he had bought new bedding, but the sheets and covers he changed most often were still the ones Shi Yuan had used before. Not entirely out of sentimentality—it was just that over time, the fabric had softened and become much more comfortable.
He lay there for a while, not falling asleep. Pulling out his phone to check the time, he figured Shi Yuan shouldn’t be busy right now and immediately dialed a video call.
The call connected quickly.
Blinking sleepily, Lin Wangye saw the screen shake a little at first, along with some rustling and clattering—Shi Yuan was probably fixing the phone somewhere.
Soon the camera stabilized, showing Shi Yuan sitting upright at a desk. The dim night lighting added some noise to the image, but he still looked stunning.
The camera angle suggested the phone was propped on a surface. From the desk visible below and the lamp’s reflection in his glasses, Lin Wangye guessed Shi Yuan was studying or working.
After surviving Lin Shen’s “hell-mode” schedule, Lin Wangye had toned down his usual school-time energy. Often, to cheer his dad up, he put on a serious, composed front. But the moment Shi Yuan appeared, that serious demeanor melted instantly, replaced by a sticky, childlike charm, his voice slipping into playful, winding tones.
“Still working this late?” he asked.
“I was about to sleep… I was going to call you, then you came through.” Shi Yuan set aside everything on his desk and smiled warmly at him through the screen. “You must be sleeping in today since you haven’t gotten up yet.”
“Mm,” Lin Wangye stretched and yawned. “Old Lin’s resting too—he didn’t call me for work. I’ll wait for the meal to be ready and take it to the office. Maybe drop some off for him too.”
“Is he feeling better?” Shi Yuan asked.
“Nothing serious. I just checked.”
“That’s good.” Shi Yuan’s gaze stayed locked on the screen. Then, leaning closer, he said, “Move your phone back a bit. I want to see you.”
Compared to Shi Yuan’s careful presentation, Lin Wangye was lying in bed, not worrying about framing or angles. The camera only caught his eyes, eyebrows, and forehead.
Being so close to the screen, seeing Shi Yuan’s face suddenly magnified gave him a strange, intimate feeling. He blushed uncontrollably and instinctively buried his face in the covers.
“No! I just woke up… haven’t washed my face yet…”
Shi Yuan, surprised by his shyness, found it amusing and curved his lips teasingly. “Why are you shy now? Haven’t I seen everything before? Remember the time you video-called me and pointed the camera at your blanket while you were… jerking off?”
Late at night, anything goes.
In broad daylight, thinking about all the reckless, naughty things he’d done, Lin Wangye suddenly felt his head start to smoke. He buried his face deeper in the covers and muttered, “What are you saying? I don’t get a word of it…”
“You don’t get it? Fine, I’ll take your word for it,” Shi Yuan said, his face on the screen slightly serious, then he sat back, eyes fixed on the top of Lin Wangye’s head, and softly said, “I miss you.”
Shrinking under the covers, Lin Wangye felt like his heart’s softest spot had been hit dead on. He lifted his head slowly, moving the phone a little away, his eyes glinting with tiny flecks of light.
“I miss you too. Once I finish the bidding stuff, I’ll come see you right away.”
Shi Yuan’s gaze was as gentle as it could be. “No rush.”
They stared at each other through the screen for a long time, neither speaking, yet it didn’t feel awkward. That is, until Lin Wangye noticed something strange.
It was already late at night in Sigwell. Only a desk lamp was on, casting dim light around Shi Yuan. His black loungewear almost blended into the background.
Lin Wangye had been focused on his face, but when he glanced elsewhere, he suddenly noticed the fabric around Shi Yuan’s left shoulder and arm moving.
He couldn’t see exactly what Shi Yuan was doing—but it took him only a second to guess.
Masturbating.
“Don’t do that,” Lin Wangye’s face flamed hot, his mind unwillingly filling in the blanks. He couldn’t help sneaking another peek. “I’m the only pervert in this house—you have to control yourself, or you’ll ruin it for everyone else.”
Caught, Shi Yuan stopped pretending.
He didn’t try to hide the soft breaths escaping his throat. Slightly lowering his head, he lifted his right hand to hold the camera frame. The lamp’s reflection flashed across his glasses, and he laughed lightly. “Then I guess I’ll disappoint you.”
Lin Wangye made a soft “tch” at the screen, but his smile didn’t waver. After a moment, he deliberately moved the phone closer.
Then, he stuck out his tongue and quickly licked his upper lip in a half-circle.
Immediately, he noticed the person on screen pause briefly. His eyes darkened for a moment, and his chest heaved more noticeably.
“Looks like you’re still not as perverted as me,” Lin Wangye said with a triumphant smile, teasing, “You don’t even dare point the phone at yourself. Coward. I do.”
Shi Yuan stayed silent for a few seconds, then tilted his head slightly and curved his lips, looking at him. “Holding the camera would shake it… this way, I can see you more clearly.”
Lin Wangye froze. The next second, his face went bright red, and he hurriedly buried it in the covers.
“Ahhh…”
After recovering from the shock of Shi Yuan’s words for a moment, Lin Wangye noticed the screen had gone quiet. Cross-border video calls often cut out due to network issues, and he thought it had dropped, reaching to redial—but as he pulled his hand back, he realized the call hadn’t ended. Instead, the camera had switched from the front to the rear.
The area under the desk was dark, but he could still make out some shapes through the blurry image.
At that moment, Lin Wangye realized more clearly than ever that he wasn’t the only one completely fired up and restless.
This wasn’t something even imaginable for Uncle Shi from his past life. Even Xu Suinian from two years ago wouldn’t have been capable of something like this.
Just then, Shi Yuan’s voice, low and tinged with a subtle current of mischief, came from the phone’s speaker.
“You were pretty cocky before… why so quiet now?”
“What’s the big deal?” Lin Wangye stared straight at the screen, heart pounding as he replied.
“It’s not like I haven’t had it before.”
The words dropped, and the screen seemed to pause mid-frame. Then, abruptly, it went black with a soft ‘snap’—the phone had been hurriedly set down on the desk.
After a few moments, the screen returned to normal, switched back to the front camera.
By this time, Lin Wangye had been rolling around on the bed with the covers, excitement building. When he noticed the screen was active again, he grabbed the phone, a triumphant grin spreading across his face.
Shi Yuan had calmed down by then.
He propped his head on his hand, looking at Lin Wangye with indulgent eyes, his tone gentle but teasing. “Hope I can control myself and not hurt you… you’re a little reckless.”
Lin Wangye tilted his head and raised an eyebrow.
“Can’t help it—you spoiled me.”
“Blame me,” Shi Yuan murmured, looking down and smiling.
They chatted a bit more, but Lin Wangye knew Shi Yuan still had unfinished work, so he didn’t linger. A few minutes later, he hung up.
When lunch was almost ready, Lin Wangye lazily got out of bed, washed up, packed three lunch boxes, and headed to Linhong’s headquarters.
The lounge door was wide open. Lin Wangye stepped in carrying the food and immediately noticed a strange scent in the air.
It wasn’t the smell itself that was odd.
It was that Lu Chengxuan’s car perfume shouldn’t be here.
Lin Shen was awake, leaning on the bed playing a game. Lu Chengxuan sat at a corner desk, busy with something, and stood to help bring the lunch to the table when he saw Lin Wangye approach.
The strong perfume masked any other lingering smells. Lin Wangye, completely unaware of what it was hiding, approached the bed, puzzled, and lifted the covers.
“Did you change the sheets?”
Lin Shen shrugged. “Had to wash them—spilled some drinks on them.”
“Oh, okay.”
Lin Wangye didn’t think much of it and headed to the table to call him for lunch—but saw Lu Chengxuan put the food straight on the bed. He quickly asked, concerned.
“Aren’t you feeling better? Why not get up?”
“Too lazy,” Lin Shen muttered, glancing at the lunch box filled with boiled greens, scrambled eggs with lettuce, and stir-fried potatoes with green peppers, and shook his head. “Even disaster relief meals aren’t this bland.”
Lin Wangye didn’t mind at all. He sat at the table and opened the boxes. “You’re still sick. I figured you shouldn’t eat anything too spicy, so I had Grandpa and Grandma make this for you.”
“Go out and buy me a roasted chicken.”
Lin Shen couldn’t bear the all-green menu. He pushed the lunch aside, slowly picked up his controller, and flicked a brow at Lu Chengxuan.
“I just started eating meat again. Can’t touch something this plain.”
Hello, everyone ヾ(＾∇＾). I hope you enjoyed the story! If you’re feeling generous, please buy me a coffee, share/comment on my translated works! Check out the link below for early chapters. (๑>ᴗ<๑)
