AMBTICBPIB Chapter 27

 

Chu Yi watched as Shen Jin carefully placed the plush toy on the bedside table, arranging it neatly. It made Chu Yi feel like he had given a truly precious gift.

From the moment they returned home until now, Shen Jin hadn’t asked Chu Yi why Chu Chengxu had come to see him.

Nor had he inquired about what they had discussed.

Everyone knew Chu Yi’s relationship with the Chu Family was strained. He was merely a tool to them. Since he had come here, the Chu Family had never once asked about him, never cared if he was doing well, because no one cared about a tool.

Yet now, Chu Chengxu had come looking for Chu Yi, his motives obvious. When he failed to get what he wanted, Chu Chengxu had erupted into a torrent of abuse.

Chu Yi thought that if Shen Jin hadn’t arrived in time, he might have lost control and cried in front of Chu Chengxu. He absolutely didn’t want to shed tears before him.

Whenever Chu Yi felt lost and helpless, Shen Jin always appeared before him at just the right moment.

Though Shen Jin didn’t ask for details, Chu Yi volunteered, “Chu Chengxu came to see me today. He asked what was happening with the Shen Family and what you were doing.”

Shen Jin raised an eyebrow, looking at him with gentle warmth. “Mm.”

Chu Yi said, “I told him I didn’t know anything.”

Shen Jin knew this, of course. Not just Chu Chengxu, but many others were trying to pry for information. These people wouldn’t dare approach him directly, instead probing his associates for details.

Seeing Shen Jin’s silence, Chu Yi grew anxious, wondering if he had said something wrong.

Suddenly, Shen Jin asked, “Did he yell at you?”

He had noticed Chu Yi’s red eyes earlier. Chu Yi’s emotions were easy to read; his eyes couldn’t hide anything.

Chu Yi blinked in surprise, not expecting this question. He stared at Shen Jin in disbelief.

Their eyes met.

When facing Chu Yi, Shen Jin’s gaze lacked the chilling intensity that had intimidated Chu Chengxu moments before.

*So this is how beautiful Shen Jin’s eyes are when they’re not fierce,* Chu Yi thought. Shen Jin’s eyes were deep and profound, framed by perfectly sculpted brows and lashes, as if meticulously carved without a single flaw. His face was truly exceptionally handsome.

Looking back on that moment, Chu Yi often wondered why he had been unable to hold back his tears. It seemed like such a trivial matter in retrospect.

Just like now, Chu Yi recalled Chu Chengxu’s harsh words. He and Chu Chengxu had no real connection, so he shouldn’t have teared up over them. It wasn’t worth it.

He had assumed Shen Jin hadn’t noticed, or wouldn’t care even if he had. But when Shen Jin suddenly asked him that question, Chu Yi felt a warmth in his heart. *So this is what it feels like to be cared for.* All his grievances suddenly seemed insignificant.

Chu Yi smiled. “It’s all right now.”

Shen Jin: “Really? You’re sure you’re okay?”

Chu Yi nodded. “Really, I’m fine.”

Shen Jin: “You can tell me about things like this in the future.”

Chu Yi noticed Shen Jin seemed different today, gentler than usual. “Okay, I’ll tell you everything from now on.”

With Shen Jin back and the matter nearly resolved, Butler Wen’s worries of the past few days vanished. He hummed an old tune as he cooked, his heart light with joy.

Chu Yi, who was drinking water, caught the melody. “Uncle Wen, I don’t think I’ve ever heard that song before, but it’s really nice.”

Butler Wen felt the generational gap keenly. “It’s an old song. This song is older than you are. You weren’t even born when it came out.”

Chu Yi: “…That does sound pretty old, then.”

Butler Wen pondered for a moment. “It seems this song is about the same age as Shen Jin.”

Chu Yi blurted out, “That’s not an old song at all! Shen Jin is so young!”

Butler Wen chuckled at his remark.

Dinner was ready, a particularly lavish spread. Chu Yi eagerly offered to help Butler Wen carry the dishes.

Seeing he couldn’t dissuade him, Butler Wen relented, but cautioned, “Be careful not to burn yourself. There are cotton gloves if you want to wear them.”

“No need,” Chu Yi replied. “I’ll be careful.”

Chu Yi cheerfully carried the plates to the table, arranging the bowls and chopsticks.

When Shen Jin arrived, he noticed several refrigerator magnets stuck to the fridge—the ones Chu Yi had bought that day. The cold appliance seemed to have gained a warmth of its own, no longer so dull thanks to the adorable animal magnets.

The aroma of food wafted from the kitchen, where Uncle Wen’s busy figure could be seen. After Chu Yi finished setting the table, he glanced up and saw Shen Jin smiling—a warm and ordinary scene.

For the past few days, Shen Jin had been immersed in political intrigue, suspicion, and resentment. Though he handled it with ease, the constant maneuvering left him weary and gave him a headache.

In the eyes of others, he was a ruthless, heartless, and merciless man, inspiring both fear and awe.

Every evening, Chu Yi would send Shen Jin a message, sharing photos of the meals Uncle Wen had prepared and reminding him not to forget to eat.

It was Chu Yi who had initially been most afraid of Shen Jin, the one who would burst into tears from a single glance.

During those days, Shen Jin found himself looking forward to evening, eager to see the menu and photos Chu Yi would send. As soon as he finished his work, he rushed to the school to pick up Chu Yi.

Seeing Chu Yi about to carry the soup, Shen Jin stepped forward. “I’ll take it.”

Uncle Wen had specially prepared *Gastrodia elata* pigeon soup, piping hot and steaming. Shen Jin found it odd that Chu Yi, who had been badly burned before, showed no lingering trauma and dared to handle such scalding dishes.

This was the first time in days that Shen Jin had been able to sit down and enjoy a peaceful meal.

Today, Butler Wen had prepared salt-baked chicken, cooked entirely without water. Large-grained salt was stir-fried until completely dry, then used to encase the chicken in a clay pot. The chicken was buried under the hot salt, preserving its natural sweetness.

This wasn’t factory-farmed chicken; it had been raised naturally on their farm.

This salt-baked chicken turned out incredibly tender and juicy, with no gamey taste whatsoever, only a subtle sweetness. Chu Yi clearly loved it, gnawing on a drumstick with obvious relish.

Shen Jin seemed to understand why Uncle Wen enjoyed cooking for Chu Yi so much. Even watching Chu Yi eat made his own mood lift.

As Chu Yi chewed on the drumstick, his hands and lips became slick with oil. Noticing Shen Jin watching him, he paused, wondering if his enthusiastic eating style might be too boisterous for Shen Jin’s refined tastes. After all, Shen Jin always ate with such elegant restraint.

Just as he was about to put the drumstick down, another fragrant, golden-brown drumstick landed in his bowl.

“Eat this one too,” Shen Jin said.

Chu Yi stared for a moment before replying happily, “Okay!”

Seeing his eyes crinkle with delight, Shen Jin thought to himself,

*He’s this happy over a chicken drumstick?*

Observing their increasingly frequent interactions, Butler Wen remarked from the side, “Chu Yi has been wandering around the courtyard every day when he gets back, checking if your car is here, seeing if you’ve returned.”

Chu Yi’s face flushed crimson. He had assumed Uncle Wen hadn’t noticed his aimless wandering. “I… I just think the courtyard is really pretty, so I wanted to look around more,” he stammered.

The explanation sounded unconvincing. The vast courtyard was nothing but lawn, the same lawn year-round. And now that it was winter, the grass wasn’t even as vibrant green as before.

Shen Jin genuinely hadn’t known this. He glanced at Chu Yi, his ears flushing slightly, and lowered his head to continue gnawing on his chicken leg, embarrassed.

Back in the car, Chu Yi had asked if he was still leaving. So he’d been waiting for Shen Jin’s return all these days? This person kept everything bottled up inside, never saying a word.

Unconsciously, Shen Jin’s voice softened. “I shouldn’t be so busy anymore. I should be able to come home every day now.”

Chu Yi hummed in acknowledgment, his cheeks puffing out slightly from the food in his mouth, making him look rather adorable.

Perhaps feeling guilty for his recent absences, Shen Jin wanted to make it up to Chu Yi. “Where would you like to go this weekend? I’ll take you. Do you want to go to the racing club? We could go this week.”

Unexpectedly, Chu Yi shook his head. “No need. I have plans this weekend.” With Shen Jin so busy, how could he possibly have time to spend with him?

Shen Jin nodded noncommittally. Butler Wen glanced at Shen Jin and casually asked, “Going shopping with classmates?”

“No,” Chu Yi replied, shaking his head. “It’s a social gathering.”

Shen Jin’s head snapped up.

Oblivious to Shen Jin’s reaction, Chu Yi continued, “It’s organized by the senior brothers and sisters. They call it a social gathering, but it’s really just a meal.”

He hadn’t initially wanted to go, but his Senior Sister had insisted, urging him not to feel obligated—it was just a meal, after all, meant to be lively and fun. Chu Yi finally agreed, having heard that the buffet at their social gathering was quite good.

After he finished explaining, the table fell silent. Chu Yi suddenly realized something and looked at Shen Jin. “Can I go?”

Technically, he and Shen Jin were already married.

Shen Jin replied calmly, “Of course you can.”

“Great!” Chu Yi exclaimed. “Don’t worry, I’m just going to eat and join the fun.”

Shen Jin hummed in acknowledgment.

Probably surprised that Shen Jin had actually agreed to let him attend the social gathering, Chu Yi was overjoyed and wanted to show his gratitude. “Let me serve you some soup.”

Before Shen Jin could respond, Chu Yi stood up to ladle soup for him.

After serving Shen Jin, Chu Yi said, “Uncle Wen, I’ll get you a bowl too.”

The *Gastrodia elata* pigeon soup had been simmering for hours, its broth clear and free of greasy oil, making it exceptionally delicious. Even the *Gastrodia elata* itself was tender and flavorful.

After finishing his first bowl, Chu Yi immediately poured himself another.

He drank with obvious delight, but Shen Jin frowned slightly, sensing an inexplicable unease.

The bracelet remained unresponsive.

Butler Wen observed the entire exchange, a wry smile tugging at his lips. It seemed Shen Jin still had a long, long way to go on the path of love.

---

😩 “Have I… frightened you guys? Or disappointed you somehow?? Is that why my Ko-fi’s been silent lately? 🥲 Please tell me if I’ve done something wrong—I promise I’ll fix it! Just give me one month and I’ll get back to regular updates, pinky swear! 💔☕️”