AMBTICBPIB Chapter 21

 

“Do you live here? This whole area is just villas, each one costing over a hundred million. Regular people like us could never afford them. If you live here, your family must be incredibly wealthy, right?”

“Don’t rich young masters like you usually have drivers and luxury cars? Do you ever take taxis? What kind of cars do you usually drive?”

The Didi driver up front seemed to be a talkative type. Ever since Chu Yi got in, he’d been chatting non-stop. At first, Chu Yi politely responded a few times, but the driver was so relentless, barely pausing for breath.

Chu Yi sat silently in the back, wanting to tell the driver he didn’t want to talk, but too embarrassed to speak up. After a while, the driver probably realized he was talking to himself and finally quieted down.

But as they approached the entrance to the villa district, the driver was visibly awestruck.

This was his first time entering such an exclusive residential area. He’d only ever driven past it from a distance before. This was where the ultra-rich lived, and he’d heard that even the landscaping was filled with rare trees, each one worth tens of thousands, or even hundreds of thousands, of yuan.

The driver couldn’t help but glance at the young man in the rearview mirror. He realized he was actually a young master from a wealthy family.

As soon as they entered the villa district, the driver began chatting with Chu Yi again, asking about the size and value of his villa.

That evening, Chu Yi had dinner with Jiang Xu and the others. Feeling happy, he drank a can of beer. His alcohol tolerance wasn’t great, so he was now feeling a bit dizzy. The car’s stuffy, poorly ventilated air made him uncomfortable, and he really needed some quiet time, but the driver kept talking.

Thankfully, they soon arrived at the villa’s gate.

The driver stared at the sprawling courtyard and grand villa before him, once again deeply impressed. He felt the stark contrast between people’s lives more acutely than ever.

The passenger in his back seat was from such a wealthy family.

Looking in the rearview mirror, he finally noticed how strikingly handsome the young man was. How had he missed that earlier? A faint scent of alcohol drifted from the back—the young man must have been drinking.

As Chu Yi was about to get out, the driver called out, “Hey, you haven’t confirmed the payment yet.”

Chu Yi: “Should I confirm it now?”

The air in the car felt stuffy. He wanted to get out and breathe some fresh air.

The driver explained, “Last month, I drove a customer halfway across Lan City, and he still hasn’t paid. When I called him today, the number had been disconnected. I lost over three hundred yuan.”

Chu Yi considered this. The explanation seemed reasonable, and he had no intention of skipping out on the fare. He had planned to pay as soon as he got inside. Since the driver seemed distrustful, he quickly confirmed the payment and got out of the car.

As soon as Chu Yi stepped out, the driver followed, feigning concern. “You look like you’ve been drinking. Should I help you inside?”

Chu Yi dodged slightly. “No need, thank you.”

The man persisted, “How about we exchange contact information? If you need a ride in the future, just text or call me, and I’ll come pick you up right away.”

Chu Yi took another step back. “No need, thank you.”

The man continued, “Or maybe we could just be friends? Let’s exchange numbers and get to know each other.”

Chu Yi frowned. Why was this man so persistent? It was getting annoying. In the past, he might have avoided the situation, but Shen Jin had once told him that he needed to speak his mind and stop being so timid.

His tone turned sharp. “I’m sorry, I don’t add strangers. Please stop bothering me.”

The man was about to say something more when a pair of high beams suddenly enveloped them in light. He shielded his eyes with his hand.

A sleek black luxury sedan pulled to a stop, its window gliding down smoothly to reveal Shen Jin’s icy face.

Chu Yi’s face lit up with joy as he stepped forward. “Mr. Shen, you’re back!”

Shen Jin got out of the car, glanced at Chu Yi, then at the man behind him. “Why aren’t you inside? What are you doing standing here?”

The man’s heart trembled at the sight of Shen Jin. His towering height and imposing aura radiated danger. Instinctively, the man knew this was someone not to be trifled with.

The warning in Shen Jin’s eyes confirmed his suspicions: the residents of this place were indeed formidable and untouchable.

The driver, now fully awake, stammered, “I’m just a taxi driver. I’ll leave right away.”

Shen Jin shot him a dismissive glance, and the driver scurried back into his car, starting the engine without daring to linger another moment.

“He didn’t harass you, did he?” Shen Jin asked. He had noticed the driver seemingly bothering Chu Yi from a distance.

Chu Yi shook his head. “No.”

Under Shen Jin’s questioning gaze, Chu Yi confessed softly, “He asked for my contact information, but I didn’t give it to him.”

Shen Jin’s expression softened slightly after hearing the second half of Chu Yi’s sentence. As he spoke, he noticed the faint scent of alcohol on Chu Yi. “Have you been drinking?”

Chu Yi held up two fingers. “Just this small can.”

It was past eight in the evening, and the night had fallen completely, but the courtyard remained brightly lit.

A short path led from the main gate to the villa.

It was already winter, and the wind carried a biting chill. The cold wind made Chu Yi feel slightly dizzy, and he stumbled, bumping into Shen Jin, who was walking beside him.

Shen Jin instinctively steadied him. As Chu Yi collided with him, his wristband vibrated a few times, emitting a faint green glow.

“Are you drunk?” Shen Jin asked.

“I was fine just now, but the wind made me feel a bit dizzy. I might actually be a little drunk.” Chu Yi was still concerned about bumping into Shen Jin. “Did I hurt you?”

“No,” Shen Jin replied.

Whether it was the alcohol or simply getting used to Shen Jin’s stern expression over the past few weeks, Chu Yi no longer felt as intimidated by him as he had at first.

He patted his own head and muttered, “You’re really not hurt? I think I might have hurt myself a little.”

Butler Wen, seeing the two men enter together, was curious. “How did you two come back together?” One had been at a business dinner, while the other had been out with classmates all evening.

What surprised Butler Wen most was seeing Shen Jin supporting Chu Yi. Shen Jin rarely got so close to anyone, so their relationship must be growing stronger.

Chu Yi explained, “We met at the door.”

Butler Wen noticed something unusual about Chu Yi. “Chu Yi, why is your face so flushed?”

Outside, the dim light had obscured the details, but indoors, it was clear that Chu Yi’s eyes were slightly watery, the corners tinged red, and a faint blush covered his cheeks.

He looked like he had been crying, but Shen Jin knew Chu Yi hadn’t.

Feeling dizzy from the cold wind, Chu Yi said, “Uncle Wen, I’m fine. I just had some wine with dinner.”

Butler Wen immediately offered, “I’ll make you some hangover soup. It’ll help you feel better.”

“Thank you, Uncle Wen,” Chu Yi replied.

As the hangover soup simmered, Shen Jin changed his clothes and came downstairs. “Uncle Wen, you should go rest now.”

It was already past nine o’clock, and Uncle Wen usually retired to his room by this time—his biological clock was remarkably consistent.

Over the past few weeks, Shen Jin and Chu Yi’s relationship had progressed significantly. Seeing Shen Jin supporting Chu Yi earlier had reassured Butler Wen. “Alright, just two more minutes and you can turn off the heat. Make sure he drinks it once it cools down.”

When Chu Yi changed and came downstairs, his head was still a little dizzy. He sat on the sofa to wait, and when he looked up, he saw Shen Jin in the kitchen.

“Where’s Uncle Wen?” he asked.

Shen Jin, seeing that the hangover soup was nearly ready, turned off the heat. “He went to rest.”

“Thank you for your trouble,” Chu Yi said.

When the soup had cooled enough, Shen Jin carried it into the living room, intending to wake Chu Yi. But he found Chu Yi asleep on the sofa.

His eyes were closed, and he was sleeping soundly.

Shen Jin set the bowl on the coffee table and leaned in to wake him.

Under the soft light, Chu Yi’s thick eyelashes stood out, each strand distinct. As he slept, they fluttered slightly.

Shen Jin froze, realizing this was the first time he’d seen Chu Yi up close.

Chu Yi’s skin was fair and delicate, with a faint downy fuzz visible on his cheeks. When Chu Yi had first arrived at the Shen family, Butler Wen had told Shen Jin that the boy was very handsome, but Shen Jin had never paid much attention.

Now, gazing at Chu Yi’s sleeping face, Shen Jin finally understood what Uncle Wen meant. Chu Yi truly possessed extraordinary beauty.

Back upstairs, Chu Yi changed into a light blue wool sweater. The fresh, clean color made his skin appear even fairer and enhanced his endearing charm.

Shen Jin gently nudged Chu Yi’s shoulder. “Wake up. Drink this hangover soup before you go back to sleep.”

Disturbed from his deep slumber, Chu Yi mumbled incoherently, but didn’t wake up.

Shen Jin called out again. This time, Chu Yi didn’t even groan, merely furrowing his brow as if annoyed by the interruption.

Shen Jin stared at the figure on the sofa. “If you don’t wake up, you’ll be sleeping on the downstairs sofa all night.”

Only Chu Yi’s breathing answered him. Shen Jin frowned.

*If you can’t handle alcohol, why drink it?*

The living room fell silent, the hangover soup on the coffee table steaming gently.

Shen Jin frowned, then bent down and lifted Chu Yi into his arms.

As he held Chu Yi, Shen Jin realized how surprisingly light he was. Though Chu Yi looked slender, he felt even more frail in his arms.

As they climbed the stairs, a faint, sweet scent drifted from Chu Yi’s body—a delicate, milky fragrance that was both pleasant and comforting.

*So that time Chen Ye carried Chu Yi after he fainted from heatstroke, he must have noticed this faint milky scent too.*

Shen Jin carried Chu Yi to his room and laid him on the bed.

This was the first time Shen Jin had ever entered Chu Yi’s room.

After tucking Chu Yi into bed, Shen Jin prepared to leave. But Chu Yi, still half-asleep, suddenly woke and unconsciously grabbed Shen Jin’s hand.

Chu Yi blinked, staring intently at Shen Jin with clear, bright eyes. Just as Shen Jin thought he had fully woken up, Chu Yi grinned and said, “Mr. Shen, you’re so handsome.”

Shen Jin immediately knew Chu Yi was completely drunk. When sober, Chu Yi would never dare to grab his hand so boldly, let alone squeeze his fingers. Since his mother’s death, no one had ever dared to say such a thing to him.

“Hmm?” Shen Jin replied.

Chu Yi squeezed his hand twice more, his expression earnest. “Mr. Shen is really, really handsome. Even more so when he’s not scolding me, heh heh.”

As if he were merely dreaming, Chu Yi closed his eyes and drifted back into a deep sleep.

Shen Jin stared down at him, speechless.

He glanced at the back of Chu Yi’s left hand. The skin was now completely healed, showing no trace of the burn he had once suffered.

Though fully recovered, Chu Yi must have endured terrible pain. That scalding soup… and Chu Yi, who was so afraid of pain.

Shen Jin felt a strange sensation in his heart.

He glanced down at his wristband, but there were no alerts.