Chapter 183 Dependence and Agreement
The CEO's office lounge had a simple meal ready. Lin Yan had his assistant bring a light bowl of porridge and a side dish, and watched Si Zhui eat it in small bites. The boy must have been truly tired; his eyelids were drooping, but he forced himself to hold on. After each bite, he looked up at him, as if to make sure he hadn't left.
"Take a nap if you're sleepy." Lin Yan took a tissue and wiped the corners of his mouth.
Si Zhui shook his head, grabbed the corner of his clothes and moved closer to him: "I'm not sleepy, I'll accompany you."
Lin Yan didn't try to persuade him anymore. He simply made the office sofa into a makeshift bed and covered him with a blanket. Si Zhui refused to lie down alone and insisted on lying next to his office chair. Lin Yan had no choice but to move his chair closer to the sofa so that he could always see him.
Late at night, the only sound in the office was the soft tapping of keyboards. Lin Yan finished processing the last document, rubbed his aching shoulders, and looked down to see Si Zhui already asleep. The young man curled up on the sofa, his brow slightly furrowed, one hand still clutching the hem of his shirt, like a life-saving piece of driftwood.
He gently pulled out the corner of his clothes and covered Sizhui with a blanket, his fingertips brushing across the dark shadows under his eyes - this child must be really scared.
Lin Yan sat on the carpet nearby, watching Si Zhui's sleeping face in the moonlight. The boy's eyelashes were long, casting a faint shadow under his eyelids. His nose was small, and his lips were moist and shiny from drinking water. He suddenly remembered the first time he saw Si Zhui in Yunshen Pavilion. Back then, the boy was timid, like a frightened deer, but now he dared to cling to his arms and act like a spoiled child, clinging to his clothes and refusing to let go.
It turned out that without realizing it, the child had already regarded him as someone he could rely on.
This realization made Lin Yan's heart both warm and heavy. The warmth was the complete trust, and the heaviness was the weight behind this trust—he had to become stronger to protect this dependence.
When the first rays of sunlight shone through the French windows in the morning, Si Zhui woke up first. He sat up suddenly and subconsciously grabbed the corner of his clothes beside him, but he found nothing.
"Awake?" Lin Yan's voice came from behind the desk.
Si Zhui looked up and saw Lin Yan standing by the window, talking on the phone. He was wearing the same suit he wore last night. The morning light outlined his tall figure, and his profile was particularly clear in the light. He breathed a sigh of relief, quickly got up, ran barefoot to Lin Yan's side, and as usual, reached out and grabbed the corner of his clothes.
Lin Yan glanced down at him, said to the other end of the phone, "That's it for now," and hung up. "Why aren't you wearing shoes?" He frowned and bent down to carry him back to the sofa.
Si Zhui, however, snuggled into his arms, buried his face in his chest, and said in a muffled voice, "I'm afraid you'll disappear again."
Lin Yan's heart felt like it was gently bumped by something, and it softened completely. He raised his hand and gently patted Si Zhui's back, his voice soft and gentle: "No, I'll take you somewhere today."
"Where are you going?" Si Zhui raised his head, his eyes sparkling.
"You'll know when you get there." Lin Yan smiled and rubbed his hair. "Go wash up first. The assistant has brought some new toiletries."
Si Zhui nodded obediently, but still held on to the corner of his clothes and refused to let go until he was pushed into the bathroom, then he reluctantly let go.
Half an hour later, Lin Yan and Si Zhui walked out of the company building. The morning breeze was cool, and Si Zhui subconsciously moved closer to Lin Yan.
"Cold?" Lin Yan took off his suit jacket and put it on him. The jacket still carried Lin Yan's body temperature and a faint woody scent, wrapping Si Zhui in it like a warm shell.
"It's not cold anymore." Si Zhui said with a smile, holding Lin Yan's hand and following closely.
Lin Yan took him to the rooftop terrace of the company. It was filled with green plants and had a small wooden table. The view was wide and one could see the sunrise in the distance.
"Sit down." Lin Yan pointed to the wooden stool.
Si Zhui sat down and watched Lin Yan take out two sandwiches and hot milk from the thermos box. His eyes lit up - they were his favorite ham and egg sandwiches.
"Try it." Lin Yan handed him the milk.
Si Zhui took a big bite of the sandwich and squinted his eyes in satisfaction: "Delicious!"
Lin Yan couldn't help but smile as he looked at him. The sunlight shone on the two of them, making them feel warm. The tension and estrangement from last night seemed to be dispelled by the morning light.
"Si Zhui," Lin Yan suddenly spoke in a serious tone, "From now on, if someone asks you to go somewhere you shouldn't go, do you know what to do?"
Sizhui nodded vigorously, his mouth full of food, and mumbled, "I know! Just say 'no'!"
"Yeah." Lin Yan nodded, "But you don't just have to know how to say 'no', you also have to know why you say 'no'. You don't have to join in all the fun, and you don't have to satisfy all your curiosity. Protecting yourself is more important than anything else."
Si Zhui swallowed the food in his mouth, looked into Lin Yan's serious eyes, and nodded heavily: "I remember it."
"Also," Lin Yan paused and looked at him, "don't be afraid that I'll leave. I'll be here as long as you need me."
These words were like a small stone dropped into the lake of Sizhui's heart, causing ripples. He looked at Lin Yan, his eyes suddenly feeling a little warm, but he didn't cry. He just held Lin Yan's hand tightly and said, "Brother Lin, you can't leave me."
"No, I don't want you." Lin Yan held his hand tightly, the strength of his fingertips carrying the weight of a promise, "Never."
The breeze on the terrace blew gently, carrying the scent of flowers and sunshine. Si Zhui leaned against Lin Yan, sipping milk in small sips, his heart filled with warmth and contentment.
He knew that the fear and grievances of last night were over. He also knew that he would make mistakes again and be taught a lesson by Lin Yan, but he was no longer afraid.
Because he has Brother Lin.
A brother Lin who would teach him a lesson when he made a mistake, but would also stay with him late at night and take him to watch the sunrise in the early morning.
That's enough.
Si Zhui raised his head, looked at the rising sun in the sky, and smiled widely, like a sunflower blooming in the light.
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