The next morning, when Lin Hao woke up, he found Shen Yu looking exhausted, like he’d been up all night.
He leaned in and asked, “Didn’t sleep well?”
Shen Yu hadn’t just slept badly—he hadn’t slept at all.
With Lin Hao so close, Shen Yu couldn’t help but avert his gaze. “What do you want for breakfast?”
Lin Hao knew him too well. Seeing Shen Yu dodging like that, just like he had so many times four years ago, Lin Hao reached out and turned his face to look him in the eyes. “What’s wrong?”
Shen Yu: “…”
Lin Hao’s blunt instincts kicked in. “Don’t tell me you regret it already?”
Regretting after just one try—seriously…
Shen Yu immediately said, “No!”
Lin Hao’s irritation faded, and he asked, “Then what’s up? Why are you acting weird?”
Shen Yu was silent for a long moment before he finally whispered, “Is this… real?”
Was last night real? Was the Lin Hao in front of him real? Were they really together now?
Everything had happened so suddenly. He was terrified that if he closed his eyes, he’d open them to find himself alone again, like every night for the past four years.
Lin Hao paused, then grinned, showing his little dimples. “Shen Yu, can you get a grip?”
For some reason, seeing Shen Yu like this made Lin Hao feel completely at ease.
So that cold, aloof President Shen was just an act—deep down, he was still the same anxious, timid guy.
Shen Yu squeezed his hand tightly.
Lin Hao’s heart turned to mush. He leaned in and kissed him. “Do you really love me that much?”
Shen Yu just looked at him, silent, but his eyes were already overflowing with deep affection.
Lin Hao pressed his forehead to Shen Yu’s and sighed, “Too bad I only just found out.”
If he’d known sooner, he never would have left.
Maybe he wouldn’t have understood these feelings back then, but he never would have let Shen Yu down.
Anything to do with Shen Yu, he’d always take seriously.
Shen Yu’s voice was hoarse as he spoke. “Lin Hao.”
“Yeah?”
“Don’t mess with me.”
Lin Hao’s eyes curved mischievously. “No deal.”
Shen Yu’s pupils contracted.
Lin Hao hurried to clarify, “We’re going to be together every day from now on. Of course I’m going to tease you.”
Teasing and messing around aren’t the same.
He’d never play with Shen Yu’s feelings, but he would tease this “scaredy-cat” of his.
Just like he always had—stealing his water bottle, using his pens, filling his phone with games, even wearing his shoes.
Well… now that they were adults, their shoe sizes didn’t match anymore.
So… he’d just wear his slippers!
Shen Yu, though, was only focused on the first part. He stared at Lin Hao. “You said we’ll be together every day.”
Lin Hao nodded firmly. “Yup!”
Much later, they talked about Qin Sijie again.
Lin Hao hesitated, “Don’t you think she looked a little like you?”
Shen Yu was caught off guard.
Lin Hao said, “Back when you were seventeen or eighteen, you were as pale as tofu, and when you didn’t smile, the corners of your eyes drooped. You even had that little mole…”
He pulled out an old graduation photo, pointing at the quiet, fair-skinned girl. “See? You both have a tiny mole under your eye. It’s small, but on pale skin it really stands out.”
Lin Hao said, “Back then, I was clueless. I just thought she looked good.”
But was it Qin Sijie he thought looked good, or was it Shen Yu? Seventeen-year-old Lin Hao had been too dense to tell the difference.
Because everyone always said boys should like girls.
But really, liking someone has nothing to do with any of that.
The only thing that matters is understanding your own heart.
Lin Hao looked at the Shen Yu in front of him and said, “Actually, you two aren’t alike at all. No one could ever look as good as you…”
Before he could finish, Shen Yu pulled him into a fierce kiss.
The words were so sweet, it felt like Lin Hao’s mouth was full of sugar.
That soft, sweet warmth finally melted all of Shen Yu’s defenses.
For the first time, he truly felt—the nightmare was over.
Because he loved him, too
END
Chapter 11
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