Chapter 35 The little rabbit had a hard day.

Lin Yi's ears were ringing, and he couldn't hear what he was saying at all.

He leaned back against the soft back of the sofa, laboriously opened his heavy eyelids, and looked down at Chen Zhinan, who was kneeling in front of him.

In the dim light, Chen Zhinan's shadow twisted, swayed, and gradually dissipated into blurry spots of light.

"Chen Zhinan, you should go back first...we'll talk another day." Lin Yi's voice was hoarse and weak as he tried to push away the unsettling approach.

He raised his hand but only unzipped the down vest he was wearing. The turtleneck sweater inside was like a tightly sealed cocoon, binding his burning body.

He could only desperately pull his collar down, revealing a section of his neck that was an abnormally pinkish hue, his Adam's apple bobbing painfully from thirst.

"Your forehead is so hot." Chen Zhinan's fingers touched his skin, and the cool touch made Lin Yi tremble slightly, but it could not dispel the burning heat in his body.

Chen Zhinan got up and turned on the main light in the living room.

A blinding white light poured down instantly, causing Lin Yi to close his eyes briefly, only to feel the unbearable burning sensation become even more pronounced.

"Water...please pour me some water."

Lin Yi used his remaining rationality to think: had his alcohol allergy worsened?

Or is it because you didn't fully recover from your previous cold?

But the emptiness that emanated from the depths of my bones, and the unspeakable feeling, didn't seem to be an allergy or a fever.

Chen Zhinan quickly walked to the water dispenser, filled a glass with warm water, and carefully brought it to his lips.

Lin Yi took the saliva and swallowed it in large gulps. The cool water flowed over his burning throat, and his rationality seemed to be awakened a little by the saliva.

His voice regained its usual coldness: "I can handle this myself. You can go back now. Thank you for today..."

“I…” Chen Zhinan looked at the person in front of her, her cheeks flushed, her eyes hazy but she tried her best to show aloofness to him, her collar was open in a mess, revealing a small part of her delicate collarbone.

Her completely unguarded and incredibly alluring appearance made Chen Zhinan's heart pound. He suppressed the dark thoughts surging in his mind and continued, "Okay, then at least let me help you to the bedroom. You'll easily catch a cold in the living room like this."

"I'll leave as soon as I see you're lying down, okay?"

"I'm not a three-year-old!" Lin Yi's patience was completely exhausted by his physical discomfort and the other party's nagging. "I've said it before, we can't be together! The past is the past, can't you just pretend the old Lin Yi is dead?!"

He was feeling terrible, and Chen Zhinan was still in front of him, stirring up more painful memories and making him even more agitated.

"Lin Yi...you, you never used to yell at me like this." Chen Zhinan looked very sad. "I just wanted to help you. I know you won't forgive me, and I don't dare to hope for it."

"If Auntie hadn't threatened to kill herself back then... I would never have left you! Now, even if we're just friends from the past, don't I even have the right to take care of you when you're sick?"

"My mom...she..."

Lin Yi was momentarily dazed as fragments of long-forgotten memories flashed through his mind.

The intense discomfort prevented him from concentrating on his thoughts, leaving him standing there blankly, as if trying to process that sentence.

Chen Zhinan stepped forward again, supporting his swaying body with her arm, and said in an even softer voice, "It's cold outside, let me help you to your room."

Lin Yi tried to stand up, but as soon as he exerted force, his legs went weak and he fell forward without warning, landing completely in Chen Zhinan's prepared embrace.

He suddenly realized that these were not symptoms of drunkenness or a common allergy, but rather the effects of some kind of drug that caused muscle weakness.

He could only let Chen Zhinan half-support and half-carry him as he walked unsteadily toward the bedroom, his mouth tightly shut, no longer making a sound.

Reaching the bedroom door, Chen Zhinan reached out and pushed it open.

With a soft creak, the heavy wooden door slid open inward, revealing a warm, dark space inside.

A tall figure in a gray bathrobe stepped out of the darkness and stood firmly in the doorway, blocking their view.

Chen Zhinan abruptly stopped, helping Lin Yi take a half-step back instinctively, his concern instantly turning into astonishment.

Lin Yi first noticed the pair of gray plaid slippers that were moving on the ground; those were specially bought for Shen Beidao.

The owner of the slippers is moving.

Lin Yi felt a sudden tightening around his waist, an irresistible force pulling him from that uncomfortable embrace and locking him firmly into another, more solid chest.

With his ear pressed against the warm chest, he could clearly hear the rapid heartbeat and the icy question that seemed to freeze the air:

What are you doing at my boyfriend's house?

"It seems Mr. Chen not only enjoys stalking, but also likes to barge into other people's private spaces uninvited?"

Chen Zhinan's face paled. He stared in astonishment at the suddenly appearing Shen Beidao, then glanced at Lin Yi, whom he was holding tightly in his arms. His tender thoughts were somewhat exposed under the other's all-knowing gaze.

He explained, "I...I just brought Lin Yi back. He drank too much at the party and wasn't feeling well..."

"Oh, I see." Shen Beidao nodded slightly, his tone unfriendly. "Then your mission is complete, you can leave now."

"But Lin Yi still has a fever! He needs someone to take care of him!" Chen Zhinan was unwilling to leave just like that, trying to grasp at the last bit of "legitimate reason".

"Mr. Chen's kindness is truly touching."

Shen Beidao's tone carried a deliberate approval, "However, there are many ways to care for others. The children in welfare homes crave companionship, and the elderly in community hospitals need care."

Mr. Chen would be better off channeling this excessive "love" into broader and more legitimate charitable causes.

He lowered his head and gently smoothed Lin Yi's sweaty hair. "As for my boyfriend's health, there's no need for an outsider to worry about it. After all, I am Lin Yi's man."

Chen Zhinan opened his mouth, but under that powerful and cold pressure, he couldn't find a single word to argue. His face turned pale, and he could only turn around in a sorry state and leave in a hurry.

The door was closed gently.

The world suddenly fell silent, leaving only the slightly rapid breathing of the two of them.

In Lin Yi's hazy consciousness, all that remained was the steady heartbeat coming from Chen Beidao's chest and his "polite" retort just now.

My boyfriend, even his swearing is so cultured... Seriously, was I too rude just now...?

He thought vaguely, his lips twitching unconsciously, feeling that the embrace was so warm it made him drowsy.

Then, he was gently lifted up and placed on the soft bed.

“Professor Shen… Professor Shen… Linus…”

He closed his eyes, murmured the other person's name, and reached out his arms to the air, wanting a hug.

However, the expected gentle reassurance did not come.

Shen Beidao's voice rang out from very close above, "Lin Yi, tell me..."

His fingertips gently traced Lin Yi's burning cheeks. "What were you doing in the living room just now?"

Lin Yi blinked blankly, trying to focus his gaze, "...Huh?"

"Are they kissing?" Shen Beidao asked again, his voice even lower and deeper.

"No!" Lin Yi denied almost reflexively. His remaining rationality brought him back to his senses, and he hurriedly explained, "Nothing happened between him and me. I just... I just lay on the sofa for a while, and I felt a little unwell just now..."

"Then why?" Shen Beidao's fingertips slid down, gently lifting his waistband, a barely suppressed tremor finally showing in his voice, "Your clothes have been taken off like this?"

He paused, as if using all his strength to ask the next question:

Did he help you take it off?

"If, if I had come out just one minute later..." Shen Beidao's voice choked with emotion.

Lin Yi even felt a drop of warm liquid unexpectedly drip onto his bare neck, burning his skin and causing it to shrink.

"Have you done something that I cannot accept?"

The continuous questioning was like a bucket of cold water, waking Lin Yi from his confused state of mind.

He struggled to sit up, half-propping himself up: "I didn't! Nothing really happened between him and me..."

The words came to an abrupt halt.

When he looked down, he was shocked to find that his sweater had been completely removed without him noticing.

He was currently shirtless, his skin flushed an unnatural red in the dim light.

Now, it seems that any explanation is pale and powerless, leaving one speechless.

Lin Yi rushed over without hesitation and hugged Shen Beidao tightly: "Don't be angry... okay?"

Although, although it seems like a misunderstanding, I really never thought about getting back together with him!

I don't like him either! I like you, really! Honey... I love you so much, so much, please don't stay silent..."

As he spoke, he almost closed his eyes and fell asleep.

Shen Beidao felt a shiver run through her heart when he called her "husband" in a trembling voice, and the coldness she had been trying to suppress almost crumbled.

But he simply let Lin Yi hug him tightly like a frightened koala, while his fingertips gently played with the slightly protruding thorns on the other's bare back.

"But," he lowered his eyes, his voice tinged with aggrieved accusation, "you won't even sleep with me, yet you say you like me?"

Lin Yi didn't have time to think about what he was saying; he just hugged him tighter and rubbed his cheek against his silky robe.

Anyway, no matter what you say today, I won't let go. You're mine, you belong to Lin Yi. You can't stop belonging to Lin Yi just because you're angry, hmph...

I won't force you to do anything.

Shen Beidao's voice was low and hoarse, tinged with inferiority and disappointment, "But why are you so proactive when you're with him? Am I not attractive enough, or... do you actually not want me that much?"

"No way!!" Lin Yi suddenly looked up, his eyes red with anxiety, his voice distorted by excitement and the lingering effects of the drug. "You know, when men... when men drink too much, they... they 'go on strike'! He didn't 'go to work' today! We have to wait until he 'goes to work normally' before we can... um..."

His words were cut short by a sudden kiss.

Shen Beidao cupped his face and kissed him deeply... until Lin Yi was almost out of breath, then pulled away slightly, his nose touching Shen Beidao's.

"Okay, I know," Shen Beidao coaxed him. "I know you had a tough day. Did you suffer any injustice?"

Lin Yi nodded, nodding vigorously.

His thumb gently caressed Lin Yi's lips, his eyes as deep as the night. "It's alright, Teacher Shen is very dedicated... He can work year-round without a break, always on call, and... He's especially good at stepping in at crucial moments..."

He stepped back slightly, his gaze fixed intently on Lin Yi's hazy eyes: "My dear CEO Lin...would you like to personally experience my work capabilities?"

When Lin Yi's remaining rationality met the unfathomable darkness in Shen Beidao's eyes, he could no longer think straight.

Isn't Shen Beidao the same?

He leaned over Lin Yi, the dark undercurrent in his eyes gradually freezing and transforming into a suppressed scrutiny.

"Um……"

Lin Yi's breathing was exceptionally clear in the quiet air, his eyelashes trembling wetly, and the cry of pain he let out was not fake.

Having received a response, Shen Beidao fell silent, focusing solely on his silent "work," working diligently and tirelessly.

Until Lin Yi's voice became somewhat flustered, like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, "...It hurts."

...

Shen Beidao abruptly stopped, beads of sweat forming on his forehead. He stared into Lin Yiying's eyes, which were filled with physiological tears. The helplessness and dependence in those eyes extinguished his raging flames like ice water.

"Relax, baby." His voice was so low and hoarse it sounded more like a plea filled with pain. He placed his palm on Lin Yi's tense waist, gently massaging and pressing with a soothing force. "Look at me, Yi Yi will be alright..."

...

Time has lost its meaning.

Lin Yi seemed to have fallen into a deep sleep for a while, or perhaps he was in a state of semi-consciousness.

I vaguely heard Zhang Zexuan's voice halfway through, but it was indistinct and seemed to be coming from a very far place.

When he was awakened again by the soreness in his body, the burning heat inside him had subsided, replaced by an extreme sense of exhaustion.

"What time is it?" His voice was terribly hoarse, and his throat was dry.

The bed next to him was empty; Shen Beidao was not there.

He got up and put on his slippers. The moment his feet touched the ground, a wave of weakness washed over him, accompanied by a sharp, dull pain in his lower back, causing him to stagger and almost lose his balance.

He leaned against the wall to catch his breath before slowly moving forward and pushing open the bedroom door.

Just outside the door, they bumped into Shen Beidao, who was about to push the door open and come in.

The man had changed out of his bathrobe and was wearing his ill-fitting clothes.

"Why are you up?" Shen Beidao immediately stepped forward to support him. "I just cooked some porridge. I'll call you when it's ready. You can sleep a little longer."

"What time is it?" Lin Yi leaned against him. "My phone isn't in the bedroom."

"It's not even seven o'clock yet." Shen Beidao pressed him down to sit. "Lie down, your husband will go get it for you."

As Lin Yi watched him leave, images from yesterday flashed through his mind...

"Wait a minute! Why is there a position where I'm sitting on him?"

This is a very bad situation.