Chapter 38 Declaring Sovereignty

With his hair disheveled by the evening breeze, Zhang Zexuan pushed open the door to the private room with a look of utter despair, muttering, "Why did we choose such a crowded place to eat? We were stuck in traffic for half an hour."

Before he could finish speaking, a figure darted in front of him. Lin Yi covered his mouth with one hand and warned in a low voice, "Shh—! Keep your voice down!"

He closed the door to the private room: "My man is in the next room! Don't let him see us!"

"You...a man?" Zhang Zexuan's mouth was covered, and his mind raced. "Professor Shen?"

Oh my!

Zhang Zexuan was secretly overjoyed, but he tried his best to keep a straight face.

I never thought my silly brother Yi would finally see the light? He realized that old fox Shen Beidao was no pushover and started playing the stalking and checking up on him?

Good! That's progress! Looks like you're not too stupid after all...

He was happily contemplating how to stir up trouble and remind his brother to be careful.

Then Lin Yi let go of her hand and said with a beaming smile, "What a beautiful day! There's a moon and stars!"

He pointed to the deep blue night sky outside the window, where a bright full moon indeed hung, dotted with a few sparse stars.

Lin Yi patted the bulging backpack on the table and chair: "Look, I even brought the inflatable mattress and blanket I use to sleep in the car!"

After dinner, let's find a secluded open space in the suburbs, blow up the mat, spread out a blanket, and lie down to watch the stars and the moon! How romantic!

Zhang Zexuan: "..."

His expression went from "excitement at watching a good show" to "confusion" and then to "utter speechlessness".

Finally, it solidifies into a numb feeling of "Why did I even go out to eat with this love-obsessed guy?"

"Admire? Admire the moon?"

Zhang Zexuan felt his tongue was tied in knots, and he repeated incredulously, "Lin Yi, are you planning to go out to admire the moon with your Professor Shen later?"

Lin Yi looked at him with an expression that said, "How can you be so clueless about romance?", "...Isn't it romantic?"

"...Are you trying to imitate Li Bai from here? Raising a cup to invite the bright moon? Making three with my shadow?"

Zhang Zexuan clicked his tongue and crossed his arms: "Don't blame me for not warning you, I just saw a woman dressed in a flamboyant way go in, she might be your future rival in love."

"You're overthinking it. He's just a colleague," Lin Yi retorted. "The most important thing in a relationship is trust. He told me it's about work at the school, so why should I doubt him?"

Zhang Zexuan was so taken aback by his "innocent" appearance that he almost choked on his breath.

So all that nervousness he was going through just now wasn't to check up on things? Was he waiting for Professor Shen to get off work?

Lin Yi pushed the menu in front of him forward, his words filled with great joy, "Order quickly, order whatever you like. There's a minimum charge for the private rooms here, it would be a waste for me to come here alone."

"Fine! I'm just a tool again, huh?" Zhang Zexuan ground his back teeth, and adhering to the principle of "turning grief into appetite," he began to order a ton of expensive specialty dishes from the menu, specifically targeting the most pricey items.

...

When they were almost finished eating, Zhang Zexuan waved to the waiter and ordered a steamed sea bass, a serving of blanched bok choy, and a bowl of rice, asking them to pack them up.

Lin Yi, munching on a piece of sweet and sour pork ribs, raised an eyebrow upon seeing this and teased, "Xuanzi, your appetite has increased recently. Are you planning to have a late-night snack tonight? Be careful you don't turn into a fat otaku."

Zhang Zexuan paused for a moment, then looked up at Lin Yi. Lin Yi was in such a good mood that Zhang Zexuan couldn't bear to look at him.

He cleared his throat and said in a deliberately casual tone, "Well, this is for your dad. Uncle Xie likes light flavors and enjoys these."

"My dad?" Lin Yi looked up in surprise. "I didn't expect you to be so dedicated, even knowing your boss's dietary preferences."

“My dad has always eaten a light diet, saying it’s to maintain his physique and avoid gaining weight in middle age.”

Zhang Zexuan felt a slight sense of relief and continued to probe, but with an uncontrollable tension: "Lin Yi, I... I plan to work for Uncle Xie from now on. The company's benefits are good, better than me going out and messing around on my own."

"What do you think...?" he asked cautiously, his eyes fixed on Lin Yi.

"What opinion could I possibly have?" Lin Yi shrugged, picking up a piece of crisp cucumber salad with his chopsticks. "This is your own life; as long as you're happy, that's all that matters."

“However…” He paused, then tilted his head slightly as if remembering something, “Didn’t your parents always want you to take the civil service exam? Would they agree to you working in a private company forever?”

"Ugh!!" Zhang Zexuan avoided Lin Yi's probing gaze, picked up his water glass and took a sip. "They... don't care about me anymore."

“My son is growing up, he’s starting to have his own ideas and wants to pursue his own…” He paused suddenly, his voice becoming somewhat unsteady, “…his own happiness.”

Lin Yi keenly noticed the slight unease in his expression, put down his chopsticks, and stared at Zhang Zexuan for a few seconds.

Suddenly leaning closer, he asked, "Zhang Zexuan, you don't happen to be in a relationship that your family doesn't approve of, do you?"

He noticed a suspicious blush that flashed across Zhang Zexuan's face, even spreading to his ears.

That's really strange!

Zhang Zexuan has always been as thick-skinned as a city wall, and he is always shameless in front of his brothers.

This kind of "shy" expression appears on his face as frequently as Halley's Comet hitting the Earth.

Zhang Zexuan stood up abruptly: "Who's in a relationship! Don't talk nonsense!?"

His reaction, which seemed like he was trying to cover something up, only made things worse.

Lin Yi looked at him suspiciously: "You said that at the karaoke bar, why are you so excited?... Is it someone I know?"

*

In the next private room, the dinner was also drawing to a close.

Seven or eight people sat around the round table, mostly leaders from various colleges of Jiangzhou University. The atmosphere was harmonious yet tinged with official politeness.

The table was littered with cups and plates. After a few rounds of drinks, the older professors looked tired, and their voices gradually lowered.

Shen Beidao sat to the right of the main seat, his posture still upright.

He didn't drink much tonight, and spent most of the time listening, occasionally chiming in at just the right moment, demonstrating both professionalism and the humility of a junior.

Seated in the main seat was the dean of the School of Foreign Languages ​​at Jiangzhou University, an elderly scholar nearing sixty, with somewhat gray hair but still in high spirits.

Several colleagues got up to say goodbye, and Shen Beidao also stood up to shake hands with each of them.

Soon, only Shen Beidao and the dean remained in the private room.

Shen Beidao walked to the dean's side, took out a cigarette case from his suit pocket, handed one over, and then bowed to light it for him.

"Dean, would you like me to call a designated driver for you?" Shen Beidao's voice was gentle and polite.

The dean took a deep drag of his cigarette, slowly exhaled the smoke, and waved his hand: "No need, the driver is waiting downstairs."

He raised his eyes and looked at Shen Beidao through the misty smoke, his eyes filled with obvious appreciation: "Little Shen, you've worked hard these past few days."

This collaborative project with Germany involves a national-level award selection; you'll need to put in a lot of effort to handle the follow-up.

Shen Beidao responded: "This is my job, it's what I should do."

The dean nodded, then suddenly changed the subject, his tone becoming casual and even a little joking: "Just now at dinner, Old Zhao said he wanted to introduce you to a girlfriend, but you were like a log, not saying a word."

Shen Beidao smiled but didn't respond to the question. He simply said, "I've been really busy with work lately, so I don't plan to think about personal matters for the time being."

"No matter how busy you are with work, you can't neglect your personal life." The dean flicked his cigarette ash, leaning forward slightly, showing the concern of an elder. "Xiao Shen, what do you think... about Fang Yu?"

Shen Beidao's smile faded slightly, but he still maintained a proper expression and said, "Teacher Fang Yu has strong work ability and solid professional skills. Students also have a high opinion of her. She is an excellent teacher."

"I'm asking you," the dean said, his voice laced with an unavoidable probing, "what do you think if she were your girlfriend?"

"Dean..."

The dean interrupted him, saying, "My daughter is proud and keeps all her thoughts to herself."

The dean shook his head, his tone a mix of helplessness and reminder, "Since you joined the company, I've noticed she's interested in you. But she told me you seem to be against marriage?"

“It used to be,” Shen Beidao said calmly, “but not anymore.”

The dean smiled. "Then would you be willing to give it a try with Fang Yu?"

Shen Beidao remained silent for a few seconds.

The air in the private room seemed to freeze.

He put down the lighter, looked up at the dean, and said in a steady voice, "Dean, thank you for your kindness and Professor Fang's. However, I already have a boyfriend."

The dean was clearly somewhat surprised, then laughed. His smile held a seasoned tolerance, but also a hint of dismissiveness.

"That's alright! Young people, it's never a bad thing to get to know each other and compare things."

"As long as you haven't reached the point of discussing marriage, the choice is still in your hands."

He paused, looked at Shen Beidao, and his admiration for him didn't diminish in the slightest: "Besides, judging from what you're saying, you haven't been dating for very long, have you? Who can say for sure about matters of the heart?"

Shen Beidao gently shook his head, his expression turning serious: "Dean, I've always been serious about matters of the heart. Teacher Fang Yu and I aren't really a good match."

The dean raised an eyebrow and pressed, "What's wrong with it? Fang Yu has a good personality, and you're in the same profession, so you have common ground. Tell me, what's wrong with it?"

Shen Beidao took a deep breath.

He knew that some things had to be made clear tonight.

He raised his head, his gaze calmly meeting the dean's probing eyes, and said, word by word, "Because I have no interest in romantic relationships with women."

He paused briefly, and under the other person's suddenly frozen gaze, continued to utter the most crucial words in that calm, almost indifferent tone:

"I'm gay."

...

Lin Yi's phone vibrated; it was a message from Shen Beidao:

"It's almost over. Go wait for me in the car; the air conditioning is already on."

His eyes lit up, and he immediately replied: 【Okay~】

Then, he said to Zhang Zexuan, who was still leisurely sipping his tea, "You can eat slowly, I'm leaving now! I've already paid the bill!"

"Huh? Leaving already?" Before Zhang Zexuan could say anything more, Lin Yi had already grabbed his backpack and slipped out of the private room like a nimble rabbit.

The underground parking lot was dimly lit, and the air carried the unique coolness of the underground.

Lin Yi quickly found Shen Beidao's familiar black Mercedes SUV, unlocked it with a mobile app, and Shen Beidao had given him access to the car app in advance.

Hehe, exclusive privileges!

Rounding up, that means he's practically half the owner of this "cute Benben".

As he opened the car door, a warm breeze from the air conditioner rushed out, dispelling the chill from his body.

He climbed into the back seat, put down his backpack, and began excitedly carrying out his "romantic plan."

He took out the portable inflatable mattress and manual air pump from his backpack and started inflating the mattress to test its quality.

With a hissing sound, the flat cushion slowly inflated, filling the entire rear seat space.

He then laid out a soft cashmere blanket, adjusted the position, and nodded in satisfaction.

"Perfect! Once we drive to a scenic spot, Professor Shen and I can lie down and watch the stars together!"

After he had finished his tinkering, he looked out the car window and saw that the elevator door had opened.

Shen Beidao walked out, his posture upright and his steps steady. He was a handsome man who stood out from the crowd!

Lin Yi, with a lovesick expression, exclaimed, "My boyfriend is so handsome! He walks like he's on a runway!"

Lin Yi smiled and was about to roll down the car window to wave when he suddenly stopped, his smile freezing on his face.

There was another person following behind Shen Beidao.

A woman wearing a beige knitted dress with a light brown trench coat over it.

She was wearing high heels and walking with an elegant gait. She was tilting her head slightly and saying something to Shen Beidao. The dim lighting in the parking lot outlined her delicate profile and perfectly styled curly hair.

"Isn't this teacher Fang Yu? I saw him at the centennial celebration."

The little bit of excitement in Lin Yi's heart deflated like a punctured balloon.

He frantically grabbed the mattress, which wasn't fully inflated, found the air valve, quickly released the air, and then haphazardly stuffed the deflated mattress and blanket into the back seat.

He wanted to open the car door, but hesitated.

He saw that Shen Beidao stopped and turned to look at Fang Yu, who was catching up with him.

Shen Beidao: "Teacher Fang Yu, you haven't left yet?"

“Bei Dao,” Fang Yu’s voice was somewhat clear in the empty parking lot. She took a slight breath, as if she had made up her mind, and said, “Actually, I… I’ve always had something I wanted to tell you.”

Shen Beidao's gaze swept past her, quickly glancing at the direction of his car. The car windows were tinted dark, making it impossible to see inside.

He assumed Lin Yi was still waiting in the car, which put his mind at ease, but he maintained a polite yet distant attitude: "Hmm? Is there anything else about work that needs to be explained?"

"It's not work." Fang Yu stepped forward, closing the distance between them, and looked up at Shen Beidao:

"I want to try again, Bei Dao, I really... really like you!"

I know you might be busy with work and haven't noticed me, or you might think we're just colleagues, but could you give me a chance? We can try starting as friends..."

As she spoke, she seemed somewhat agitated, and in a moment of urgency, she reached out and grabbed Shen Beidao's forearm.

Shen Beidao frowned slightly. "I already told the dean that I have a boyfriend."

He gently brushed her hand away.

His voice remained steady, but it was a few degrees colder than before, as he tried to draw a clear line: "Teacher Fang, I think our relationship is limited to that of colleagues."

If my words or actions in any way caused you to misunderstand, I apologize.

He paused, then looked back at his car, this time with a hint of helplessness in his voice: "My boyfriend is still waiting for me in the car. If he sees what just happened, I'm afraid I won't be able to explain it when I get home tonight."

"Boyfriend?" Fang Yu's face drained of color, revealing a bitter and disbelieving expression. "Bei Dao, you...you didn't just make up this excuse to reject me, did you? I've never heard of you being..."

She didn't finish her sentence.

With a loud "bang," the passenger door of the SUV not far away was opened.

Lin Yi got out of the car and walked towards them.

He only saw Fang Yu grab Shen Beidao's arm in the car, and couldn't hear what they were saying, but he was very well-mannered and managed not to get angry because of the intimate and proactive gesture!

He walked to Shen Beidao's side, naturally reached out, and grabbed the wrist that Fang Yu had just touched. His fingertips tightened slightly, as if wiping away some non-existent trace, or as if making some kind of silent declaration.

Then, he looked up at Fang Yu, forcing a smile that he thought was very "well-behaved and sensible," but which actually appeared somewhat stiff due to jealousy: "Brother Bei Dao, who is this...?"

Lin Yi tried his best to maintain his composure, but his words still carried a hint of sarcasm: "Did I interrupt your conversation?"

Shen Beidao immediately noticed Lin Yi's subtle movements and emotions.

He turned Lin Yi's hand around and grasped it in his own, squeezing it firmly. Then he looked up at Fang Yu, a clear smile curving his lips, his tone unusually gentle:

"Teacher Fang, let me introduce you. This is my boyfriend, Lin Yi."

Fang Yu's gaze fell on the two's clasped hands, then moved to Lin Yi's overly young, handsome face with a touch of childishness, and his fashionable blond hair that was exceptionally striking even in the dim light.

Shock, embarrassment, disbelief... a variety of emotions flashed across her face, finally settling into a kind of scrutiny and doubt.

Her gaze lingered on Lin Yi's face for a moment, then her tone turned serious, even questioning: "Is he... a student at our school?"

She looked at Shen Beidao, her eyes regaining a sharp edge: "Beidao, you should know very well that our school's code of professional ethics for teachers and student management regulations explicitly prohibit romantic relationships between teachers and students. This is a serious violation of discipline and will affect your future."

These words seemed to intensify the chill in the parking lot.

"I'm not..." Lin Yi was about to explain.

Shen Beidao continued, "Professor Fang is overthinking it. He is not a student of Jiangzhou University."

He paused, a hint of coldness creeping into his voice: "My interactions with him are entirely in accordance with the law and social morality. I don't think I need to explain that to anyone. But since Professor Fang has asked and seems to have some misunderstanding, I feel it's necessary to clarify."

“He is not my student, nor has he been, nor will he ever be. He is my lover, the person I have carefully chosen and want to spend my life with.”

Lin Yi looked at Shen Beidao in surprise: ...To spend a lifetime together?

Fang Yu was speechless after hearing his words, her face turning red and white in turns, and the morally superior questioning posture she had just displayed instantly collapsed.

She glanced at the boy's hand, which was still tightly held even in the "questioning" situation; the protective posture was so intense it was almost palpable.

She knew that her "struggle" tonight had not only failed completely, but also seemed so inappropriate, even somewhat embarrassing.

"Oh, I see... I misunderstood." She forced a smile. "I'm sorry to have bothered you."

After she finished speaking, she turned around somewhat hastily and walked quickly to the other end of the parking lot.

Until her figure disappeared around the corner, Lin Yi tried to pull his hand away from Shen Beidao's grasp, but he couldn't.

He raised his head, staring at Shen Beidao with his beautiful eyes, which clearly conveyed:

I am very unhappy!

Come quickly and comfort me!

Otherwise, you're dead!

Shen Beidao looked at him, who was puffed up with anger and bluffing, like a little animal defending its territory but ending up feeling wronged.

The slight annoyance she felt from being pestered vanished instantly, leaving only a feeling of tenderness and an urge to pull him into her arms.

But he knew that laughing now might make things worse, so he tried to keep a straight face, but his voice betrayed his laughter: "Get in the car first, it's cold outside, why are you dressed so lightly again?"

Lin Yi raised his head: "I'm young and vigorous, I'm not even cold with my bare bottom exposed!"

"Okay, okay... wait until we get back and turn on the air conditioning before you go naked, just so I can see it all by myself."

"Shen Beidao, you shameless..."

He pulled Lin Yi to the car, opened the passenger door, watched Lin Yi get in, and then went around to the driver's seat.

The car door closed, and in the enclosed space, a warm breeze gently blew, carrying Lin Yi's faint, refreshing scent to Shen Beidao's nose.

Shen Beidao didn't start the car immediately. Instead, he turned to the side and looked at Lin Yi, who was still turning his face away and only showing him the back of his head.

"Jealous?" He reached out and gently poked Lin Yi's puffed-up cheeks. The touch was soft, and he could no longer hide the amusement in his voice.

"Who's jealous!" Lin Yi retorted immediately, turning around and glaring at him fiercely, but unfortunately, it had no intimidating effect; instead, he looked like a bluffing kitten.

"Professor Shen is so charming~~~ He has admirers wherever he goes, and they call him 'Bei Dao, Bei Dao' so affectionately! I've never called him that before!"

"He even reached out and grabbed your arm! Is he going to jump into your arms next? If I weren't here, you two would have already kissed!"

He got angrier and angrier as he talked, and when he thought of what had just happened, he really wanted to pounce on him and bite him to vent his anger.

Looking at his adorable way of bringing up old grievances, Shen Beidao's heart melted completely.

He suddenly leaned in and gently pecked Lin Yi's lips before he could continue his "accusation."

"!!!" Lin Yi was speechless, his eyes widening even more.

Lin Yi's inner monologue: At a time like this! How dare they kiss me?!

"Did you just call me 'brother'?" His warm breath brushed against Lin Yi's face. "Say it again?"

"No! You misheard!" Lin Yi's face instantly turned bright red, and he denied it outright.

Shen Beidao looked at him seriously and began to honestly explain the situation: "First of all, I dodged her hand and immediately pushed it away, and clearly told her that I have a boyfriend."

"Secondly, 'Bei Dao' is a common way of addressing someone among colleagues. If you don't like it, I will pay attention in the future or remind the other person to use a different term of address."

Lin Yi's face was still flushed. He snorted in disdain, but his motionless posture clearly showed that he was listening very attentively.

"And, most importantly..."

Shen Beidao grasped Lin Yi's hand again, this time not at the wrist, but by enveloping his entire hand, and then slowly and firmly placed his palm against his left chest.

Through the high-quality shirt fabric, Lin Yi could clearly feel a steady, strong, and slightly rapid heartbeat emanating from it.

Thump, thump, thump...

Shen Beidao's voice was deep and sincere, echoing in the cramped carriage:

"This place can only accommodate one cute little rabbit with jealousy, a fiery temper, great drawing skills, and super ambition, with dyed golden fur. I don't like any other species."

He nudged him, pulled his hand back, raised his head, and retorted calmly, "...Hmph! Who are you calling inhuman?"

-----------------------

Author's Note: I've put both chapters together, my darlings~