Chapter 42 I want to kiss you, do you agree?
When Zhao Gui was young, he was an alcoholic. After being convicted of "manslaughter," he never dared to drink again. The crime fell on him, weighing him down so much that he could no longer stand up straight.
But when he returned to Chong County this time, his back was straighter than it had been in the past ten years: "I knew it, I wasn't wrong back then!"
He just wanted to clear his name as soon as possible. He thought about everything he saw before he fainted many times a day. When the police questioned him again this time, he could tell the whole story clearly without any loopholes in his words.
More than a decade ago, Lu Shangyan was too young, and he didn't have many memories of it, but he remembered everything his uncle and aunt had done for him over the years.
When he came out of the police station, he breathed a sigh of relief and felt a sense of ease he had never felt before.
When he came to his senses again, he stood on the high platform and saw someone he hadn't seen in a long time—his second uncle, Lu He.
My second aunt said a few years ago that he was working outside and had disappeared without a trace; he might even be dead!
Their tone was full of uncontrollable resentment and curses; they no longer resembled a family at all.
Lu He had lost a lot of weight, and his face was devoid of any energy. He dared not look Lu Shangyan in the eye, but he approached Lu Shangyan without the slightest hesitation.
When they reached the last step, he spoke slowly, feigning ease, "You've grown so much."
He raised his hand, and just as it touched Lu Shangyan's cheek, Lu Shangyan slightly turned his head to avoid it.
Lu He knew everything that happened back then, and he understood Lu Shangyan's hatred for him.
A bitter smile appeared on his face, and after a long while he said, "You've had a tough time these past few days. I admit I'm a coward who only knows how to run away, but this time I won't run away again."
His gaze shifted to Pei Yumin beside him, but he said to Lu Shangyan, "This time, I will return all the truth to you."
Lu Shangyan has been through too much lately, and he no longer wants to shed tears, nor is there anything worth shedding tears for.
Even though the person in front of him hadn't made endless demands on him like others had over the years, he still couldn't forgive this person. The realization that came so late wasn't a real realization for him.
Lu Shangyan didn't give him another glance and walked past him expressionlessly.
Pei Yumin will not interfere with his choices. He will not help Lu Shangyan forgive those he cannot forgive. He only needs to be Lu Shangyan's sharpest weapon, believe in him for everything, and help him cut through all impossibilities. That is enough.
Pei Yumin said, "It won't be long before the truth comes out."
Lu Shangyan never expected that the matter that had trapped him for more than ten years would be resolved so easily. When he heard Pei Yumin's voice, he turned his head to look, and another voice in his heart told him that this matter might not be simple. It was only because Pei Yumin was there and so many people were helping him that it seemed so easy.
He curled his lips into a smile, let out a short chuckle, and stretched his neck: "That's nice."
Despite the sweltering heat that made it hard to keep his eyes open, he felt exceptionally refreshed and invigorated today.
He looked at Pei Yumin beside him and said, "How about I treat you guys to dinner tonight? Anyway, I'll be a rich man soon."
Pei Yumin immediately chimed in: "Wow, sugar daddy, please take care of me!"
Lu Shangyan gently raised his chin, his expression unchanged, but there was a hint of arrogance in his eyes. Pei Yumin knew from his expression that the Lu Shangyan of the past had returned.
"We'll see how you do."
Pei Yumin leaned closer, resting her head on his shoulder with a delicate, boneless grace: "I will certainly serve you well."
Then, feigning a seductive air, she ran her hands over his back and said, "I'll serve you however you want, I'll even warm your bed for you tonight~"
Lu Shangyan pressed his index finger against his forehead and pushed him away a little: "The highest temperature today is thirty-three degrees."
Pei Yumin quickly changed her mind: "Then I will serve you a bath tonight."
Lu Shangyan couldn't take it anymore: "Can't you be normal for once?"
Pei Yumin hugged his arm, rubbing his well-trained chest and arms against him: "Don't you like me doing this, my sugar daddy?"
He's incredibly confident in his muscles! When he went out with Tang Suichen before, quite a few people came up to compliment him.
Lu Shangyan, however, remained expressionless, even somewhat speechless. He struggled to pull his hand away and ran to the car to send messages to Zhao Jian and the others.
Pei Yumin: "..."
This trick didn't work, which dealt him a huge blow. And this was a technique that Tang Suichen, who was experienced in love, had personally taught him!
It seems that Lu Shangyan cannot be pleased by conventional means.
As expected of someone he likes, with such unique and one-of-a-kind taste.
Lu Shangyan had no idea what he was thinking. After he got into the car, he instructed him to drive back to the old house first.
He'll have money soon, and maybe he can completely renovate the old house, no longer needing to make do with what he has because of other things.
With his burdens lighter, perhaps he can finally enjoy life.
He once promised to treat Pei Yumin to spicy hot pot for the rest of his life and to many expensive all-you-can-eat barbecues. Perhaps he really can keep his promise.
Pei Yumin kept secretly watching him, afraid that his relaxed demeanor after leaving the police station was an act. But after watching him all the way, there was no sign of disappointment in his eyes, so he temporarily believed that it was all real.
The two didn't work for long. When they came out, Lu Shangyan was covered in sweat. He washed his face and said, "Forget it, I've decided to wait until they return the money to me, then hire some professional cleaners to clean up and renovate the whole house."
After saying that, he added silently with a determined look in his eyes, "This time, I have money."
He has money now, but the case has only just begun, and many key personnel have only returned today. It will take a long time from the start of the trial to its conclusion.
Pei Yumin estimated that even if he came up with additional solutions, it would still take half a month to finish, and he might not be able to keep much of the money he had given out.
Lu Shangyan was also aware of this: "If he doesn't pay it back, I'll sell his house too."
Pei Yumin's face lit up with delight: "Yes, that's how it should be, not giving an inch."
When he turned to get Lu Shangyan a tissue to wipe his face, he saw that the box Lu Shangyan was taking contained a lot of things.
What are all these?
He reached out his hand, about to touch it, when Lu Shangyan grabbed it with his wet hand: "You can't look now."
Pei Yumin was very curious and wanted to sneak a peek when Lu Shangyan wasn't paying attention, but he couldn't disobey Lu Shangyan's words now. After all, he was still in the courtship period and had to show 100% sincerity and not do anything to make Lu Shangyan unhappy.
This is a basic requirement for being a qualified male.
He silently reassured himself, then continued to fetch water and hand paper to Lu Shangyan: "Let's build a grape trellis in the yard, so we can eat all-natural grapes in the future."
Lu Shangyan, with the air of a large farm owner, said, "Want some? Then I'll pack some for you."
-
When they had dinner that evening, Pei Yumin dressed himself up according to Lu Shangyan's clothes. Since Lu Shangyan didn't have a light blue short-sleeved shirt, he wore a shirt with a blue pattern on the left chest.
Once we arrived at the restaurant, I kept puffing out my chest, intentionally or unintentionally, so they could see the pattern on my chest.
Zhao Jian's expression shifted repeatedly, but in the end he couldn't pretend not to see anything, otherwise Pei Yumin would bump into his eyes! He didn't want to get a sty.
So he said disdainfully, "What are you puffing up for? It's so big, is it some kind of second puberty?"
Pei Yumin's smile vanished, replaced by a blank expression and a hint of ferocity. He pointed at Lu Shangyan, then at the little shark pattern on his chest: "Matching outfits!"
Having spent a lot of time with Shi Yu, Zhao Jian, perhaps influenced by what he saw and heard, immediately recognized that Pei Yumin's seemingly inconspicuous short-sleeved shirt was a custom-made piece from a high-end brand, with a custom-designed pattern on the chest, costing over eight thousand yuan! Compared to Lu Shangyan's short-sleeved shirt, which cost no more than twenty yuan, there was absolutely no resemblance to them being a couple's outfit!
Zhao Jian: "......"
Zhao Jian: "If you want to say you're wearing matching outfits, then at least make sure his clothes cost over eight thousand yuan each, right?"
Pei Yumin's boasting was completely ruined. He lowered his eyelids and stood next to Lu Shangyan again. Lu Shangyan was waiting for someone and did not hear what they had just said. He only knew that Pei Yumin looked dejected when he returned to his side. Looking at Zhao Jian not far away, he was standing with his hands on his hips and his head held high. He looked like a Chihuahua bullying a Golden Retriever.
Lu Shangyan couldn't help but pat his head.
Pei Yumin immediately perked up. Now he had something to brag about. He turned his head, stretched his neck, and looked at Zhao Jian with a smug expression.
Zhao Jian shrugged, not bothering to argue with him about such trivial matters.
Pei Yumin said, "Tang Suichen and Dai Qin are already sitting in the private room upstairs. Who are you still standing outside waiting for?"
Zhao Jian was about to go upstairs when he heard Lu Shangyan say, "Zhou Keling is helping his sister pack up her stall. But it's already this late, she should be here soon."
Pei Yumin gritted his teeth, feeling that he had asked the wrong question!
This was their "victory celebration banquet," as each of them had done a great deal and contributed a lot of effort.
What did Zhou Keling do? What right did he have to be at their table? And what right did he have to eat with them?
Thinking about this, Pei Yumin felt incredibly awkward. Zhao Jian, not wanting things to get any worse, deliberately went over and added insult to injury: "Pei Yumin, why is your face so red? Could it be that you have heatstroke?"
Pei Yumin glared back, then said in a pretentious tone, "So what if it's hot? Being with Shangshang is the most important thing. If I were the one who was invited, I would never make Shangshang wait this long."
Zhao Jian pouted and walked away without looking back, his departure far from decisive. He wanted to see just how far Pei Yumin could keep up his act!
When Zhou Keling arrived, Pei Yumin was about to explode!
Because they were all wearing clothes of the same color!
As soon as the door to the private room opened, Zhao Jian was drinking tea. But in an instant, he put down his teacup, winked at Pei Yumin, and mouthed meaningfully, "Matching outfits."
Pei Yumin couldn't argue with him, so he simply pretended not to see him and ignored him.
Zhou Keling sat down next to Lu Shangyan on his right.
Pei Yumin originally wanted to sit to his right! Now that his seat was taken, he actually failed to snatch it from Zhou Keling, which is simply unforgivable!
But he couldn't just grab Zhou Keling and throw her into the empty seat next to him in front of Lu Shangyan, so he had to endure it and looked at Zhao Jian.
Because Zhao Jian was sitting to Lu Shangyan's left, he had to have this position. He couldn't afford to lose to Zhou Keling in terms of position from the start, otherwise he definitely wouldn't be able to eat a single bite tonight!
But Zhao Jian, being a shrewd person, pretended not to see his eye signal and just drank water with a blank expression.
Lu Shangyan had no idea that he was secretly treating this dinner party as a battle for love, and even urged him, "There's still a seat next to Tang Suichen."
The private rooms in the county town weren't very big, and although he was now rich, he was only about to become rich, so with his current financial resources, he couldn't afford to book a very large private room.
Pei Yumin stood there, and if he raised his hand, he could probably touch the ceiling, making the place seem crowded.
Zhou Keling glanced at him and began to speak to Lu Shangyan: "You still remember this restaurant? We ate here together when we were in high school, but the previous owner got old and now his son owns it."
The shop isn't big; there are only two people in the kitchen: the owner, a kitchen helper, a cashier, and three other staff members, all of whom are family members of the owner.
This place mainly sells stone pot fish, and after you finish eating, you can add other meats and vegetables to the pot.
Lu Shangyan had eaten it once before, and he still remembered the taste. Of course, it's also possible that he never had the chance or the money to eat it again, so he kept remembering the best thing he had ever eaten.
He handed the menu to Zhao Jian, then asked Zhou Keling, "Have you tried the fish the new owner makes? How did it taste?"
Zhou Keling shook her head: "I heard about the change of owners from someone else. After eating with you last time, I haven't eaten at this restaurant again. I just want to come back with you again when I have the chance."
“We made a promise before, that I would treat you to a meal last time, and you would treat me to one in the future. I have always remembered it and have been waiting for it until now.”
Lu Shangyan said, "Then you are truly loyal."
Zhao Jian suddenly realized: "No wonder Zhou Keling came today too."
After their last meeting, Zhou Keling and Zhao Jian exchanged contact information and became quite familiar with each other. Now, hearing him say this, she could still laugh and joke with him: "What, can't I come?"
Zhao Jian said, "Of course I welcome it, but I don't know what someone is thinking."
When Lu Shangyan came to his senses, he realized that Pei Yumin had been sitting to his left at some point, and Zhao Jian had moved to the seat next to him.
Upon seeing his gaze, Pei Yumin immediately smiled innocently: "Of course I welcome him. The only one who isn't welcome is Tang Suichen. He's going through a divorce right now and is in a bad mood."
Tang Suichen was watching the commotion when he was suddenly blamed: "I will never get a divorce in my life! Stop cursing me!"
Pei Yumin pretended not to hear his rebuttal and looked at Lu Shangyan with a smile: "I just didn't expect that there were so many agreements between you."
“Last time when we went to the temple fair, you left with Shangshang, and I waited for him at the hotel for a long time.”
Zhou Keling sensed a threat in the tone again: "Is that so?"
Pei Yumin nodded and continued, "After all, it was already very late. If we hadn't slept together, it would have been fine, but since we were sleeping together, as soon as I saw the empty bed, I knew he hadn't come back yet. I was so worried."
He deliberately said they slept together, without even mentioning that there were two beds, just to mislead people and let someone know that his relationship with Lu Shangyan was very close, far beyond what he, the "class monitor" he hadn't seen for years, could compare to.
But Zhou Keling completely ignored his tactic: "No wonder you were worried. Shang Yan was very busy at the time and didn't have time to answer your calls."
“It would have been better if I had answered, but he was busy and couldn’t pay attention to you at all. Later, his phone was turned off. I told him to find him a charger so he could charge it and call you back, but he was only thinking about helping me and didn’t let me go find one.”
Pei Yumin was so angry she wanted to bite her teeth, but she still squinted and smiled, pretending to be harmless: "What did he help you with?"
Zhao Jian couldn't help but say, "You were being ambiguous in your words just now. Anyone who didn't know better would think he was helping you in bed."
Pei Yumin had also understood the meaning behind Zhao Jian's words, but he did not ask as directly as Zhao Jian did, because he knew that once he asked, he would fall completely into Zhou Keling's trap. However, he did not expect that Zhao Jian would ask everything so directly!
Since then, the situation has become very unfavorable for him!
He turned to stare at Zhao Jian, his former "relationship coach," and asked in a low voice, "Whose side are you really on?"
Zhao Jian disagreed and replied in a voice only the two of them could hear, "Didn't you want to know? I'm just trying to find out for you."
Pei Yumin was actually starting to look forward to it, and began to stare intently at Lu Shangyan.
He didn't believe Zhou Keling's words; he only believed Lu Shangyan.
But Lu Shangyan said, "What he said is indeed true. I was in bed at the time, and I really didn't have time to come and pick him up..."
Before he could finish his sentence, Pei Yumin couldn't take it anymore. He stood up abruptly, turned around, and walked out.
Since things have come to this point, there's no point in him staying any longer.
Lu Shangyan was puzzled and quickly chased after him, but Pei Yumin ran extremely fast, and no matter how many times he called out, he did not stop.
They reached the corner of the stairs, where the staircase was particularly narrow, allowing only about one person to pass at a time. Just then, someone came up, and Pei Yumin couldn't go down. He paused for a moment at the corner, and Lu Shangyan managed to grab him.
Lu Shangyan frowned and asked him, "What's wrong with you? Why did you suddenly leave without saying a word?"
He grabbed Pei Yumin's arm and made him turn around. The moment he saw Pei Yumin's face, he realized that he was actually angry, but he had no idea what Pei Yumin was angry about.
If it were anyone else, Lu Shangyan would definitely be too lazy to ask or care. Even if there were misunderstandings, he wouldn't bother to resolve them. If they couldn't be friends in the future, then so be it.
He could see that the person opposite him was Pei Yumin. Seeing Pei Yumin's appearance, he felt a little anxious: "What's wrong with you? Are you angry?"
Pei Yumin always acted carefree and irreverent in front of him, occasionally acting silly and mischievous. He seemed to have never seen Pei Yumin lose his temper with him. Even if Pei Yumin was angry, it was only directed at others.
This is the first time I've ever been angry with him.
Realizing this, Lu Shangyan gripped his arm even tighter, as if afraid that he might slip away again if he wasn't careful.
But this was his first time experiencing anything like this, and he was a little at a loss. He asked in a stiff voice, "If there's a problem, we need to solve it. Don't just stay silent."
Pei Yumin raised his eyelids, his breath trembling. He knew that Lu Shangyan should be protected the most during this time, and it would be most wrong of him to lose his temper with Lu Shangyan at this moment.
But he just couldn't help it.
"Have you ever even considered me?"
Lu Shangyan was taken aback: "What do you mean by that?"
There are many people eating now, and more people are coming up while they are talking. Moreover, this store is not big, and people downstairs can see them talking from this spot. Some people have even started to sit there openly and watch the show.
Lu Shangyan just wanted to resolve the problem quickly. He had no other choice but to grab Pei Yumin's arm and forcefully drag him to a private room.
Seeing that Pei Yumin kept his head down and seemed uninterested, he asked again, "What exactly do you mean?"
There was a hint of urgency in his voice, which made Pei Yumin instinctively look up at him: "You know I like you, yet you still tell me that you're in the same bed with him."
"Even if I like you a lot, I can't stand this. I'm not that magnanimous to accept that the person you like is in bed with another man!"
Lu Shangyan blinked, his mind blank for a moment, and it took him a long time to come back to his senses: "Didn't I tell you? I thought he was with him because we were fixing the bed, not doing... doing what you're thinking."
He finished speaking with difficulty, only to hear Pei Yumin raise his voice and say, "Repair the bed? What kind of bed repair did you do!"
Lu Shangyan said, "In high school, the school organized a social practice activity, which required us to do volunteer work at nursing homes and nearby orphanages regularly. At that time, no one was willing to be in a group with me, but he was. Over time, we became friends, and he was my only friend during high school."
"We were busy with our studies in the second semester of our senior year, so the school stopped letting us do volunteer work. But we made a promise that we would visit the orphanage more often when we had time."
“As you know, I’m actually an orphan, so when he brought it up again a few days ago, I didn’t think much of it and went with him. I miss the children there too.”
"At the time, it was because many of the children were getting old and there weren't enough beds, so he moved some old beds that he didn't need to use. We were just repairing those beds. I was worried that we wouldn't be able to get them to sleep at night, so I was very busy and didn't have time to call you back."
"If I had known you thought this way about me, I definitely would have called you back."
Pei Yumin listened to him talk for a long time, his face turning red. Lu Shangyan became more and more afraid to look him in the eye as he spoke, and finally simply lowered his head.
Why were you running? You should have just asked me.
Pei Yumin felt that Lu Shangyan seemed to care about him even more than he had imagined.
Although it was an inappropriate occasion and time, he couldn't help himself again: "Then let me ask you now, I want to kiss you, do you agree?"
-----------------------
Author's Note: Lu Shangyan: Are you really angry? I'll explain, explain, and explain some more! [Pitiful]
Pei Yumin: At a time like this, you should actually corner me against the wall and force a kiss! [Shrug]
[Cat paw][Cat paw][Cat paw][Cat paw]
Finally, I can write something sweet... I'm so excited!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
