Read Novel Full Chapters 86 – 89
Chapters 86 – 89
Chapter 86
Lin Yujing keenly sensed that something was wrong.
Shen Juan’s extremely suppressed and low mood made her feel uneasy and inexplicably anxious. She had the impression that he felt a bit guilty… or perhaps sorrowful towards her?
Lin Yujing leaned back against the soft pillow, squinting her eyes as she looked at him, “Shen Juan, tell me the truth.”
“……”
Shen Juan lifted his head, pursing his lips, his eyes dark and heavy.
His emotions were suppressed just below the surface, seemingly about to sink deep into the earth. He didn’t quite understand what she was saying.
Lin Yujing stared at him, “Did you cheat on me?”
“……”
Shen Juan looked momentarily confused, “Huh?”
“Let’s be honest with each other, I won’t hit you,” Lin Yujing said calmly, “Did you fancy some pretty nurse at the hospital?”
Shen Juan: “……”
Shen Juan finally grasped the situation, his sinking emotions were abruptly halted by her words, leaving him in a complex state.
After a moment of silence, he said, “No.”
Lin Yujing acted as if she hadn’t heard him, murmuring, “No wonder you go to the hospital so diligently every day, while I have to endure being questioned incessantly by a little monk about when you’ll come back to train. Turns out there’s a temptress at the hospital.”
Shen Juan sighed, covering his eyes with one hand and rubbing them. After calming himself down, he tried to adjust his mood.
Halfway through his adjustment, he suddenly laughed, a sighing laugh.
Lin Yujing glared at him.
Shen Juan raised his hand, pulling her into his arms. He adjusted his posture, placing his chin on her head and rubbing gently, asking, “Does it still hurt?”
Lin Yujing didn’t understand what he was asking about, looking up in confusion, “Huh?” Shen Juan moved his chin back a bit, kissing her hair, “Doesn’t your leg hurt?”
“……”
Her injury had already healed, the stitches were out, and it no longer hurt. But Shen Juan’s state earlier had been so frightening, like he was haunted, that Lin Yujing had casually mentioned it to distract him.
He probably hadn’t thought much about it at the time and instinctively stopped. He likely realized now.
Lin Yujing leaned forward to escape from his hold, “I think your question is quite meaningless.”
Shen Juan laughed.
Lin Yujing tilted her head, moving closer, “Don’t change the subject, what did you do to wrong me? I felt like you were about to kneel in front of me just now.”
Shen Juan hugged her from behind, pulling her back into his arms, “I just feel like a beast, not treating you well, causing you to get hurt.”
His voice hung over her head, hoarse, “Lin Yujing, thank you for coming back.” Lin Yujing was stunned.
The eloquent Lin Yujing, who could fight five people at once, was momentarily speechless, not knowing what to say.
She was not good at handling such situations and stayed silent for a while before softly saying, “I think you’re good to me…”
One sentence, and Shen Juan’s heart melted.
How could she be so lovable, so easily satisfied, making him feel like he could never be good enough to her?
“That doesn’t count as good,” he said softly.
“Then what counts as good? I want a new bag,” Lin Yujing said, “I want a new bag, buy me one.”
Shen Juan didn’t hesitate, “Okay.”
“I also want a new watch, the latest model from J brand,” Lin Yujing continued.
Shen Juan wasn’t familiar with brands and had no idea what the new watch looked like, “Buy.”
Lin Yujing paused, finally asking, “Do you know how to cook?”
Shen Juan was silent.
Lin Yujing blinked, “What should we do? I can’t cook either. Who will cook at home?”
“I will,” Shen Juan said directly, “I’ll learn.”
Lin Yujing finally laughed, looking up at him. He was handsome from every angle, even from the angle that would usually ruin a man’s looks. He was still good-looking.
She raised her hand, lightly scratching his chin with her fingertips, joking, “Young Master Juan, what’s wrong with you today? Are you trying to deceive me for money or for sex, being so kind to me?”
Shen Juan had training in the afternoon. With nothing to do alone in the apartment, Lin Yujing decided to attend classes at school, as she had missed quite a few due to her leave of absence.
Unlike high school, where catching up after a few days off was manageable, university had numerous professional courses, not to mention electives. The library was always full from opening to closing at 10 PM.
Everyone was progressing every day, and standing still was not an option.
Lin Yujing, once a top student, felt a sense of crisis. Various events had indeed distracted her since starting university, and with finals approaching, she feared her GPA might suffer.
The province’s fourth-ranked student couldn’t tolerate such a situation, so she dragged her injured body to classes daily, rain or shine.
November was almost half over, and Shen Juan was busier than ever. Lin Yujing learned that the college championship was in March, only a few months away.
Shen Juan faced many issues: uncoordinated turns, dropping the gun at the moment of firing. Four years without archery practice, even for a sharpshooter, meant he had to keep training to regain his form, spending days in the training field.
There were no shortcuts to success, not even for geniuses.
Balancing studies and training, he only managed to sleep on the couch at home. Boss Shen was pitiful.
Lin Yujing didn’t understand why Shen Juan’s large apartment had only one bed after all the partitions were removed, or why he treated her like a queen despite being so busy, even finding time to attend a class with her occasionally.
Her leg was fine now, but what had Shen Juan done to make him so kind?
Shen Juan from Finance class one occasionally attended Computer Science lectures, known to be accompanying his girlfriend, causing admiration among classmates who saw him as an exceptional student with broad interests.
Some wondered why he was so outstanding, believing he loved studying and was happy while learning.
But Shen Juan’s first Computer Science class wasn’t enjoyable due to the gender ratio. Why were there so many men in this world?
They arrived late, so the front seats were taken, and they sat in the back row.
The professor’s lecture was dull, and Shen Juan, busy every day, found this a good time to rest, lying on the desk to nap.
Lin Yujing, always a diligent student, took detailed notes during class and closed her book afterward.
A boy sitting in front turned around and asked to borrow her notes. Lin Yujing felt he looked familiar, but she couldn’t recall his name. She was never keen on remembering her classmates’ names; apart from Li Lin and a few others, she barely spoke to the rest in Class 10. Lin Yujing glanced at Shen Juan, who was still asleep, then casually handed her notes to the boy.
The boy thanked her and turned back with his notebook. The desks at the back were a bit higher than those at the front, so he stood and leaned over while copying the parts he had missed, chatting with her: “Gu Xia told me your notes are like works of art,” he smiled. “I finally get to see the notes of a top student since you were away for a while.”
Lin Yujing had been hospitalized during that time, and Gu Xia had concocted a dramatic story about a robbery, portraying Lin Yujing as a brave warrior who was severely injured while standing up to villains. The story was logical, detailed, and both thrilling and positive.
Lin Yujing just smiled without speaking.
The boy continued, “I heard you were injured. Are you recovering well?”
Lin Yujing always maintained a composed and polite demeanor with strangers, coming off as a cool and elegant fairy: “I’m fine, it wasn’t too serious.”
The boy, glancing sideways at Shen Juan who was lying on the desk, whispered, “Isn’t he from the finance department, the provincial top scorer?”
Lin Yujing also looked at Shen Juan, her gaze lingering a bit longer.
The boy, originally just trying to strike up a conversation, was happy to find a topic. Seeing Lin Yujing staring at the handsome Shen Juan, he lowered his voice and said, “I heard he’s quite arrogant. He only got fourth in English and played ‘Invincible’ over the PA in class.”
Lin Yujing: “…”
The boy instantly regretted his words. Wasn’t he bad-mouthing someone? Though it was a well-known story, it shouldn’t be considered bad-mouthing, right?
Unexpectedly, Lin Yujing laughed.
After a brief pause, she leaned back in her chair, laughing.
The boy, encouraged by her reaction, thought he was on the right track. Top students usually dislike each other, and maybe the fourth-ranked student resented the top scorer.
He took a bold step, “I thought he was here to study, but he slept through the whole class.”
Lin Yujing laughed until she had tears in her eyes: “Yeah, lazy like a pig.”
Shen Juan, who had been sleeping peacefully, twitched his eyelids and opened his eyes. Still drowsy, he slowly got up from the desk. The boy was startled; though he had spoken softly, Lin Yujing’s loud laughter had woken Shen Juan up.
The top scorer, just called a pig to his face, didn’t seem angry. He yawned nonchalantly, looking sleepy and indifferent.
After yawning, he stretched his legs and draped an arm over the back of Lin Yujing’s chair, tilting his head to look at the still-awkward boy.
His lazy demeanor resembled a character in a historical drama, lounging around doing nothing but listening to music.
Recently awakened, Shen Juan’s voice was low: “I’m not here to attend class, I’m here to be with my girlfriend.”
The boy, embarrassed and flustered, stammered an apology, including Lin Yujing: “Sorry, we didn’t mean anything…”
“…”
Shen Juan found it surprising how little sense of self-preservation the boy had.
He calmly said, “Can you not talk to a girl in front of her boyfriend?”
Finally realizing, the boy glanced at Lin Yujing, then at Shen Juan, muttered another apology, and hurried away.
Lin Yujing laughed so hard she slumped over the desk: “When did you wake up?”
“When he started talking to you,” Shen Juan replied.
Lin Yujing wiped her eyes, still laughing: “Why didn’t you get up then?”
Shen Juan sighed: “I wanted to hear you defend me,” he was annoyed but couldn’t show it, looking at her gloomily, “I wanted to hear you say, ‘This is my boyfriend.’”
Instead, not only did he not hear that, but he also heard her happily bad-mouthing him with another guy, laughing non-stop.
Little heartless girl.
Feeling annoyed, Shen Juan leaned over and bit her lip.
Startled by the pain, Lin Yujing recoiled.
They sat in the back row against the wall, Lin Yujing pressed against the wall, touching her bitten lip, glaring at him: “Are you a dog?”
“I’m a pig, right?” Shen Juan said, pulling his chair closer and lifting her chin, touching her lips where he had bitten, “Did it hurt? Let me see.”
They were very close, in an ambiguous posture. Shen Juan’s fingers brushed her recently bitten lips, red, warm, and soft.
His eyes darkened, and he moved to kiss her.
Before he could, Lin Yujing pushed his head away: “Get away, there’s a camera.”
Shen Juan sighed, pulling back.
What to do with a shy girlfriend?
He stood, picking up her books and putting them in her bag, zipped it up, and walked to the back door: “Let’s go home.”
Lin Yujing followed: “No training today?” “Yeah, taking a day off.”
Their apartment was a ten-minute walk from school. Since her leg had healed, Lin Yujing walked home every day. Today, she suddenly remembered, “Shen, I’m going back to the dorm next week.”
Shen Juan paused, looking down: “Why?”
“I’ve recovered, climbing up and down isn’t a problem anymore, so I can go back,” Lin Yujing said naturally.
Shen Juan was silent.
So was Lin Yujing.
They maintained a mutual silence, entering the complex, taking the elevator, entering their apartment, changing shoes. Lin Yujing went to the bathroom to wash her hands.
Shen Juan followed her in.
Lin Yujing turned on the faucet, Shen Juan squeezed some hand wash, and holding her hands, gently scrubbed her fingers.
Their hands covered in foam, Shen Juan adjusted the water temperature, rinsing their hands under the faucet.
“Leaving next week?” he didn’t look at her, his focus on her hands under the water, a serious expression.
Washing hands had become such an intimate act; Lin Yujing felt a bit awkward and tried to pull her hand away but couldn’t: “You can cancel the lease.”
“Not canceling it, I’ll buy it for you,” Shen Juan dried her hands with a towel, then hung it up, “So you can come back on weekends.”
Lin Yujing turned, tilting her head to look at him.
Shen Juan, leaning against the bathroom door, noticed her gaze and looked down: “What’s wrong?”
“I’m wondering,” Lin Yujing said slowly, “Shen Juan, why have you suddenly started behaving like a human?”
“?”
Shen Juan: “?”
Leaning against the sink, Lin Yujing found it intriguing, squinting at him: “Your words have become proper, you don’t make any moves while kissing, suddenly not a beast, your temper so good it’s almost weird.”
Lin Yujing said coolly, “You’ve been charmed by some vixen outside.” Shen Juan was speechless: “I…”
“You don’t touch me anymore,” Lin Yujing interrupted, her eyes looking at him gloomily, “Shen Juan, you’ve lost your cheekiness.”
Shen Juan: “…”
Author’s note:
Lin: My boyfriend has suddenly stopped being cheeky. Does he have someone else outside?
Chapter 87
For some reason, when Lin Yujing said those words, Shen Juan felt like she was hinting at something.
——Shen Juan, are you not capable?
This was a sensitive area for a man, and somehow, he felt like he was being questioned in a certain aspect. Adding to that his irritation about her always being surrounded by guys wherever she went and his reluctance to move back to the dorm, it all built up to this moment—
“Alright,” Shen Juan nodded and calmly beckoned her over, “Come here.” Lin Yujing leaned against the sink, not moving. “What for?”
“To touch you,” Shen Juan said lazily, “Isn’t that what you wanted me to do?” “……”
Lin Yujing averted her gaze. “I didn’t mean it that way, I was just giving an example,” she blinked at him and whispered, “You used to like touching me before, didn’t you? But I’m an adult now…”
“……”
Shen Juan’s eyelid twitched.
Lin Yujing had never been one to hold back. Give her a match, and she’d burn down a mountain. He could never bear to be rough with her, sleeping on the couch for half a month without daring to touch the bed. He wouldn’t even hand her a match, fearing he might burn up before she even took it.
Yet, she handed it to him instead.
Shen Juan felt he could hardly stand it. He looked at her for a moment. Lin Yujing, with her hair tied up, her thin ears exposed, her face flushed from the clear hint she just gave.
Shen Juan walked over, trapping her between him and the sink, and pinched her ear. “Do you like it?”
Lin Yujing cleared her throat, trying to sound as composed as possible. “Like what?”
Shen Juan propped one hand on the sink, lowered his head, and lightly bit her earlobe, whispering in her ear, “Do you like it when I touch you?”
“……”
That question was beyond Lin Yujing’s ability to answer. She raised her hand to push him away. “Can you…”
Shen Juan grabbed her wrist, pulled it down, and moved closer, his tongue lightly brushing over her earlobe. He continued to ask in a low voice, “Where do you like me to touch you?”
Lin Yujing rested her head against him, looking down, not daring to lift it.
Shen Juan tilted her head up, forcing her to look at him, kissed the corner of her mouth, and pressed their lips together, asking, “How do you like me to kiss you?”
“……”
Lin Yujing couldn’t take it anymore. Frustrated and embarrassed, she shouted, “Can you shut up?”
Shen Juan laughed and, half-forcingly, pushed her up and kissed her.
It was different from all their previous kisses.
His hands, his actions, his breath—all these new touches carried a strange desire.
Pressed against him, Lin Yujing felt her lower back touch the cold marble edge of the sink, causing her to shrink forward, as if she was actively pressing against him.
They were so close that she could clearly feel his physical reaction and changes in his body.
Slowly, inevitably, he pressed against her with a strong presence.
Lin Yujing froze completely, her eyes widening, and instinctively bit the tip of his invading tongue.
Shen Juan felt her stiffness but didn’t stop. Even his lower body, tightly pressed against her, moved forward with small, light thrusts.
Damn.
Lin Yujing was caught off guard, embarrassed, and panicked. A faint sound escaped her throat.
It wasn’t until she felt like she was about to suffocate that Shen Juan let her go. Holding her wrist, he guided her hand downward, his voice hoarse and breathless. “Baby… touch it.”
…
Lin Yujing felt like her hand was going to break when Shen Juan finally released her.
As soon as her hand was free, Lin Yujing darted to the bed like she was fleeing for her life, afraid he wasn’t done yet.
Shen Juan grabbed her waist and pulled her back, his voice raspy. “Why are you running?”
“Are you not done yet?” Lin Yujing was almost resigned. “Can you ever be done?”
“Done,” Shen Juan said as he turned, grabbing a bunch of tissues from the bedside table. “Your hand sticky? Let me wipe it for you.”
“You…” Lin Yujing wanted to kick him off the bed. “Can you shut up?”
She kicked him with her foot, but Shen Juan, unfazed, sat on the bed and turned on the bedside lamp.
She thought one round in the bathroom would be enough, but it wasn’t. After washing her hands, she was dragged back to the bedroom.
By the end, Lin Yujing’s arms were so sore she couldn’t lift them, allowing him to guide her hand in all sorts of shameful activities under his explicit instructions.
Shen Juan pulled her wrist, bringing her close. Her fair, delicate palm was reddened, and stuff dripped from her fingers onto the sheets.
The sight made Lin Yujing feel awful, and she hurriedly tried to pull her hand back. “I’ll do it myself.”
“I’ll do it,” Shen Juan said, not letting go of her wrist. He lowered his eyelashes and carefully wiped each of her fingers with a soft tissue. “After all, it’s my stuff.”
“……”
Lin Yujing closed her eyes, unable to bear it. “Shen Juan, have some decency. Why don’t you handle your own stuff?”
Shen Juan threw the tissues into the bin by the bed and hugged her from behind, leaning against the headboard. “You like me like this, don’t you?”
Lin Yujing, too tired to move, slumped against him like a cushion, finding a comfortable position. “When did I ever say I liked you like this?”
“Didn’t you say you’re an adult now, trying to seduce me?” He kissed her cheek. “And now you’re tired? What about in the future?”
Outside, it was almost dark, the light dim. Lin Yujing glanced at the clock on the wall, suddenly worried about her future life.
“I think,” she thought for a moment, trying to frame the topic in a poetic and clean way, “that it shouldn’t be this tiring because I don’t have to move.”
Shen Juan laughed, his chest shaking. “It’s up to you. If you don’t want to move, you don’t have to.”
She had been touched, and his offspring had greeted her hand in a friendly manner. Although it was still very… embarrassing, Lin Yujing didn’t want to be pretentious anymore. She turned her head, looking up at him, and suddenly called, “Shen Juan.”
Leaning against the bed, Shen Juan replied lazily, “Hmm?”
“When I said I’m an adult, I meant you can do anything you want to me,” Lin Yujing said.
He paused, looking down at her.
Shen Juan felt a surge of heat. If it weren’t for the earlier rounds, her words would have set him ablaze again.
Shen Juan sighed. “Are you trying to drain me today?”
Lin Yujing tilted her head up, biting his chin. “I’m serious.”
“Shen Juan, you don’t owe me anything. I do what I want because I want to, and it has nothing to do with any injuries or whatever. I think focusing on these things while in a relationship makes it weird.”
Lin Yujing said, “You don’t need to feel guilty or anything. Otherwise, I’ll think you’re only nice to me out of guilt. Do you understand?”
Shen Juan didn’t say anything. How could he not understand?
If Lin Yujing really thought he had something outside, she would leave without a word, maybe even beat him up before going.
She was reminding him.
Shen Juan was silent for a while, then sighed. “Lin Yujing, I don’t treat anyone well out of guilt.”
He held her close, his fingers lightly touching the small, thin scar on her thigh, gently caressing it with a careful and delicate touch. “I want to be good to you because I like you.”
His touch made Lin Yujing feel a bit ticklish, and she laughed as she tried to catch his hand.
Shen Juan took the opportunity to intertwine their fingers and brought them to his lips, kissing them lightly. “I want to be good to you for a lifetime because there’s much more than just liking.”
Lin Yujing’s heart skipped a beat uncontrollably.
She let go of his hand, suddenly turned around on the bed, knelt in front of him, held his face, and stared straight at him. “What is it?”
Shen Juan didn’t say anything.
He wasn’t good at saying these kinds of sweet words.
Lin Yujing knew this but still pressed her lips together and stubbornly repeated her question, “What is much more than just liking?”
Her voice was very soft and a bit shaky, as if she was urgently and anxiously trying to grasp something.
Shen Juan looked at her and said in a low voice, “It’s that I love you.”
Lin Yujing didn’t move, just knelt there quietly for a while.
She closed her eyes and then moved closer to hug him.
Shen Juan raised his hand, gently stroking her back like comforting a child.
With her head buried in his chest, Lin Yujing’s voice was muffled, “Shen Juan, no one has ever loved me since I grew up. They all didn’t want me.”
Shen Juan tightened his embrace.
“You have to love me for a lifetime, promise,” Lin Yujing sniffled, lifted her head to look at him, her eyes a little red, and repeated in a small voice, “Promise, you can’t abandon me, you have to cherish me.”
Shen Juan’s heart ached so much that he wanted to dig it out and give it to her. “I promise,” he said hoarsely, “whatever you want, I’ll give it to you.”
—
After entering November, time began to fly.
Since they had made a bit of progress in their relationship, Shen Juan seemed like an untamed horse. Not only did he finally get to sleep in a bed, but he also didn’t treat her hands as hands or her legs as legs anymore.
Lin Yujing realized that forcing him to say “I love you” seemed to have come with a high price.
She started to regret it.
Shen Juan used his actions to practically demonstrate that his claim on National Day, “I can do something to you from head to toe,” was not an exaggeration.
Lin Yujing didn’t know where he got so many tricks from or why he never moved to the next stage despite taking all the advantages.
But she was exhausted, thoroughly and heartbreakingly exhausted every night. She decided to move back to the dorm in a hurry. Although Shen Juan didn’t seem happy that day, he didn’t stop her and even helped her move her things back. The day she returned, her three roommates even held a small concert.
Little Mushroom looked shy and excited, “Is every aspect of a provincial top scorer provincial-level?”
“……”
Lin Yujing thought to herself that she didn’t know about other aspects, but provincial- level might be a bit of an understatement.
She didn’t say anything. She had her own little confusion, but she couldn’t just say it out loud.
She couldn’t possibly say that they’ve never gone all the way in their intimate moments, right?!
She had clearly agreed, she was an adult, she even hinted that she was completely okay with it, and even took the initiative. What was stopping Shen Juan? Did he have some unspeakable issue that allowed for intense foreplay but not the final step?
What kind of unspeakable issue could it be?
Lin Yujing really couldn’t understand. Gu Xia glanced at her and asked when the other two roommates were not around at night, “Are things not quite harmonious between you two?”
Lin Yujing: “……”
After hesitating for a long time, Lin Yujing reluctantly and briefly explained the situation.
Gu Xia was also puzzled, “Huh?”
Then Gu Xia snapped out of it and said, “You’ve been living together for so long, even if at first he was being considerate of your injury, what about after that?”
Lin Yujing looked at her blankly, “That’s a very valuable question. You’ve just thrown the problem back to me.”
“I think he might have some kind of sentimentality, like a man who values ceremony.”
Gu Xia’s perspective was much more optimistic than Lin Yujing’s “unspeakable issue theory.” “Maybe he wants to pick a significant date? Like a holiday, to make it more solemn, more formal? With commemorative value?”
“……” Lin Yujing was stunned, following her lead, “Like National Day, Mid-Autumn Festival, Dragon Boat Festival, New Year’s Day?”
Gu Xia continued, “Labor Day, Children’s Day, Army Day?”
“…… Why?” Lin Yujing felt that this line of thought was beyond her comprehension and said incredulously, “Is he going to set off 500 firecrackers, and then have the whole nation celebrate and announce it to the world?”
Author’s Note:
Shen Juan—A guy who not only has manners but also values ceremony (?)
Chapter 88
They were in the middle of a conversation when Little Mushroom came back from the library, and the topic stopped at “Does the top student need a ceremonial bed arrangement, choosing an auspicious day, and lighting firecrackers to celebrate?” It couldn’t continue further.
Maybe they would need both their birth dates and times, and check the old almanac, Lin Yujing thought idly.
She didn’t feel that she had to have a substantial relationship with Shen Juan to feel secure; she just thought it would happen naturally, without understanding what Shen Juan was still concerned about.
Even Gu Xia found it strange and whispered to her one afternoon in the library, “Other couples seem to have more enthusiastic boyfriends, but with you two, it’s the other way around. Why does the top student seem not very interested in this matter?”
Lin Yujing was writing notes without looking up, sighed, and thought that Shen Juan couldn’t be too enthusiastic; otherwise, she might end up needing a prosthetic hand.
Lin Yujing whispered back, “I’ve already planned to take an elective course in psychology or something, to study the psychology of male behavior.”
After finishing up the last bit of her professional course, she closed her notebook and books, packed them into her bag, and stood up, “I’m heading out.”
“Going to see your top student? Hey—” Gu Xia looked up and stopped her, “You can go, but leave your notes.”
Lin Yujing handed over the notebook and patted Gu Xia’s head, “Study well under the light of the top student of the class, girl.”
It was around five in the afternoon. She planned to skip her evening self-study session because Shen Juan had training. Lin Yujing left the library to buy some drinks and headed towards the shooting range.
It was November, and the weather was getting cold. There were already fewer people at the shooting range, and it was in the shade. Lin Yujing shivered as she walked from the library and met Rong Huai, who was carrying takeout and about to go in. He waved at her.
Lin Yujing followed him inside and walked towards the training room, carrying a bunch of drinks—tea, milk tea, coffee, and more. As soon as she opened the door, the team members who weren’t training greeted her warmly.
Since Shen Juan joined the A University’s shooting team, his personable little girlfriend had become more popular than him.
As one of the senior sisters in the team said, Little Shen practices so intensely that he seems almost autistic, barely having time to talk, and he naturally has a face that looks like he’s mocking everyone, so his popularity in the team relies on his girlfriend.
Lin Yujing distributed the drinks to everyone and leaned against the wall to watch Shen Juan train.
Boss Shen was impressive in this regard; once he entered a state, he was entirely focused, blocking out everything external. He saw, heard, and felt nothing, reaching the highest level of concentration.
Lin Yujing later learned about his event: 25-meter rapid-fire pistol, with a total of 60 shots, five shots per group, in sequences of 8 seconds, 6 seconds, and 4 seconds, two groups per round, for a total of two rounds, with the final score determined by the total results.
It was different from what she imagined, where one would aim for a long time before taking a shot.
Lin Yujing found it amazing how one could fire five shots within 8 or even 4 seconds and still ensure each shot hit the target.
She couldn’t hit the target even after aiming for a minute.
Lin Yujing watched Shen Juan, who stood with one hand in his pocket, holding a gun. His arm raised and lowered, the muzzle tapped on the table, his long, beautiful hand, with his thumb habitually slightly lifted.
His lips curved slightly downward, his side profile looking arrogant and cold.
Although it was a standard rapid-fire stance, it looked pretentious on him.
Lin Yujing clicked her tongue and shook her head while chewing on a straw.
At some point, a head popped out beside her. A senior sister in the team shook her head along with her, “Heartbreaker…”
Lin Yujing was startled.
The senior sister, holding a cup of coffee, also leaned against the wall, watching Shen Juan, “Isn’t he handsome? Sigh, it’s a blessing from my past life to be a senior sister to such a handsome guy in this life. But it probably won’t last long, maybe just two more competitions, and the national team will come for him.”
Lin Yujing laughed, “He might not go.”
The senior sister looked at her and laughed too, “How could he not go? Anyone practicing this would want to join the national team. If he didn’t, why did he come back?”
Lin Yujing didn’t respond and left it at that.
This senior sister, surnamed Zhu, was also said to be quite impressive. A third of the medals in the display case in the lobby outside were won by her. She had a good personality and could chat with anyone.
They chatted for a while, and Senior Sister Zhu, looking at Shen Juan, couldn’t help but sigh, “Honestly, I didn’t think Shen Juan had any chance when he first came back. It’s impossible to achieve results after a four-year break. Especially in shooting, which requires skills honed from a young age. You can’t develop that hand feel overnight.”
Senior Sister Zhu sighed, “No wonder Rong Huai treats him like a deity. I never thought he could recover his form so quickly.”
Lin Yujing, holding her milk tea, leaned her head against the wall, “There’s nothing he can’t do.”
He was truly omnipotent, with no impossibilities or unattainable goals.
When Shen Juan received Shen Lan’s call, he had just finished training. It was getting dark, and Lin Yujing, who was lying behind him, had already fallen asleep.
The temperature dropped significantly at night, and the training room’s air conditioning wasn’t set very high. The young girl had curled up into a ball to sleep and was quite sound asleep, even wearing earplugs.
Shen Juan answered the call while searching for the remote control, his voice low: “Hello.”
Shen Lan’s loud voice came through: “Your birthday is next week!”
Shen Juan glanced around but couldn’t find the remote. He took off his team jacket and covered Lin Yujing with it, responding calmly: “So?”
“The Big Boss wants you to come home for your birthday. She wants to throw you a birthday party—a party, that’s her exact words. This old lady’s learned some new terms,” Shen Lan said.
Shen Juan frowned: “Next year.”
“Next—” Shen Lan almost choked on his words, “What do you mean by pushing me off until next year? The old lady said if you don’t come back this year, she’ll call you and cry.”
Shen Juan looked at Lin Yujing, then sat down in the chair next to her: “I don’t have time, I have plans.”
“What plans?” Shen Lan asked, “With that little girlfriend of yours?”
Shen Lan suddenly got excited: “Is it the one I saw last time? Is it? Bring her over, bring her over!” He suddenly shouted, his voice going from near to far: “Grandma! A Juan has a girlfriend!”
Shen Juan: “…”
There was some muttering on the other end, and after about half a minute, Shen Lan’s voice came back, cheerfully: “The Big Boss said you don’t have to come for the party, just bring your girlfriend.”
Shen Juan: “…”
Shen Lan, mimicking his grandmother’s tone, continued: “Your family only needs one representative. You can go wherever you want.”
“…”
Shen Juan felt a headache coming on. —
At the Shen family’s old house, Shen Juan hadn’t visited in a long time, except for the New Year to pay respects and occasionally for the elders’ birthdays. Ever since he spent ten million yuan on what he thought was a Fu Baoshi painting, which turned out to be by some random person, he rarely even stepped in. Every time he did, Shen Lan would mock him.
His birthday fell on a Saturday. Lin Yujing had initially said she wouldn’t come back this week, but at midnight, she showed up at the apartment with a small suitcase and a cake, smiling brightly as she wished him a happy birthday.
From the moment Shen Juan opened the door and saw her, his eyes darkened.
Lin Yujing didn’t notice; she was in a state of excitement, enveloped in the joy of success, a bit giddy.
Today, she successfully made her first birthday cake from scratch, all by herself. Even the DIY cake shop owner was impressed. Despite her not knowing the difference between flour and starch or how to crack an egg, she managed to make the cake.
Ms. Lin was truly capable of anything!
Lin Yujing hopped inside, placed the cake on the table, propped herself on the edge, and looked at Shen Juan with bright eyes.
Her expression urged him: Hurry, open it, open it.
Shen Juan had rarely seen her this openly happy, like a child. The last time he saw her like this was years ago at a night market amusement park, when she walked backward, looking at him with bright eyes, asking, “Shen classmate, am I cute?”
Shen Juan walked over, fingers pinching the lace ribbon. She had tied it tightly, the wide ribbon wrapped around the square box, ending in a beautiful bow.
Shen Juan untied the bow, his mind already wandering. He imagined the ribbon tied around Lin Yujing.
Fair skin, wrapped in red satin ribbon.
Shen Juan opened the cake bag, took out the box, and pulled out the cake.
Shen Juan had never seen such an ugly cake in his life.
Unevenly spread cream, crooked flowers, and a small whale drawn with chocolate sauce on top, with the number 20 written on it.
Lin Yujing propped herself on the table, smiling brightly at him: “Is it pretty?” “Pretty.” Shen Juan didn’t hesitate.
Lin Yujing leaned in closer, looking at him, and softly asked, “Am I pretty?” Shen Juan paused and looked up.
She had makeup on, her eyes enticing, red lips delicate, staring at him like a seductive fox ready to steal his soul.
She probably wore perfume, a mix of rose scent with a hint of her milky shower gel, strange but addictive.
The fox smiled at him, her voice soft: “Twenty years old, Juan, what gift do you want?” Shen Juan felt a clear physical reaction.
He reached out, his palm on the back of her head, pulling her in for a kiss, his tongue invading her mouth.
Lin Yujing gripped his shoulder, tilting her head back.
Whether it was National Day, New Year’s, or Mid-Autumn Festival, it didn’t matter. If he had to choose, there was a ceremonial day right now; Boss Shen’s birthday was coming up.
Lin Yujing thought, Shen Juan indeed valued rituals in life. So she decided to take it seriously this time.
As they kissed and touched, they ended up in the bedroom, then the bathroom, where Lin Yujing was pressed against the sink. In the end, she didn’t care about the ritual or why they reverted to their usual ways, leaning on his shoulder, weakly complaining: “My hand hurts…brother, brother, stop.”
Shen Juan considerately released her hand, his voice hoarse: “Then use your leg?”
“…”
Lin Yujing was speechless.
Sensing her stiffness, Shen Juan hugged her, slowly grinding against her: “I thought you had some plans today. Don’t you want to continue?”
“No, no, just this,” Lin Yujing softened in his arms, “Let’s sleep, let’s go to sleep.”
Shen Juan lowered his head and kissed her: “Let’s take a bath.”
Lin Yujing didn’t want to move at all. She let Shen Juan put her in the bathtub, washed her clean, dressed her in pajamas, and then climbed into bed, watching him close the bathroom door again.
Sitting on the bed, listening to the sound of water, Lin Yujing genuinely felt like giving Shen Juan a fist bump.
He was indeed a relentless man. This is truly an inscrutable man.
Lin Yujing couldn’t imagine a day more ceremonial than his birthday. Yet, despite his apparent indifference, he not only figured out her thoughts but also deliberately exhausted her, leaving her completely devoid of any thoughts for today.
Wasn’t it all about the sense of ceremony?
Lin Yujing considered whether she should just directly ask him. “Shen Juan, why don’t you want to have a go with me??” …Forget it, she decided to check it out herself.
Glancing at the clock, Lin Yujing had a clear understanding of Shen Juan’s timing. Shen Boss’s stubborn little soldiers wouldn’t come out to greet and recognize him for at least another ten to twenty minutes, so Lin Yujing thought about going to the living room to get her phone.
But she was genuinely exhausted, her legs felt like jelly, and she just wanted to collapse on the bed without moving. She thought that whatever she might do in the future, it probably wouldn’t feel much different from this.
Scanning the room, Lin Yujing saw Shen Juan’s phone on the bedside table.
Shen Juan had no secrets and didn’t set a password on his phone. She often used his phone to play games she had downloaded when hers ran out of battery in the training room.
Lin Yujing reached for his phone and, after several pages and a long search, finally found the search engine app.
As she opened it, she pondered how to phrase her question and didn’t forget to delete the search history afterward to avoid any embarrassment if Shen Juan saw it.
Although he didn’t seem like someone who would use a search engine, it was almost as if he wore a sign on his face saying, “I am an omniscient god.”
Lin Yujing was about to type when a row of search history entries popped up: —Is it too early for an eighteen-year-old girl to do it for the first time?
—Is she fully developed? Will it affect her development?
—Will it affect her health?
—Will it harm her body?
Lin Yujing: “…………”
So that’s how it is.
Lin Yujing felt that Shen Juan was truly worried to death. The author has something to say:
Let’s play the song “Do You Think It’s Easy for Me” for our poor Mr. Juan. Here’s a snippet of the lyrics, just the first four lines—
Do you think it’s easy for me
I owe you from my past life
I’m about to collapse from exhaustion And still have to keep holding on.
**Chapter 89 End**
Lin Yujing didn’t expect that before she could even start solving her own confusion, this age-old problem would resolve itself so easily.
Not sure if something misfired in her brain, her hand twitched, and she clicked on one of the search records below, opening it to take a look.
It turned out that quite a few people had asked this question. The answers were all over the place, with some saying that 18 was indeed a bit too young, and others saying it wouldn’t have much of an impact. Both sides had their own points, and the debate raged on. For a moment, Lin Yujing found herself a little bewildered, trapped in a question she’d never pondered before.
She had never considered this issue before, thinking that since she was already an adult, it wouldn’t be a problem.
But to her surprise, Shen Juan was actually thinking about this.
Lin Yujing was dumbfounded. What kind of boyfriend thinks about such things?
The sound of water from the bathroom gradually ceased. She exited the app, swiped it off her screen, and carefully placed Shen Juan’s phone back on the bedside table, adjusting the angle and position to make it look exactly as it was before. Then, she pulled up the blanket and slipped underneath.
Soon after, Shen Juan came out of the bathroom, head lowered, casually rubbing his half-wet hair with a towel in one hand. The muscles of his forearm were clean and defined. He was wearing a simple white T-shirt, with one side of the hem tucked into his pants, highlighting the strength of his waist and hips.
Lin Yujing pulled the blanket up to cover her eyes.
Who says only men feel desire when looking at women?
Women can feel that way about men too.
From Shen Juan’s side came the faint rustling of movement, though she wasn’t sure what he was doing. After a few minutes, Lin Yujing sensed him approach the bed, followed by a slight dip beside her.
She pulled the blanket down and turned to look at him.
Shen Juan was leaning against the headboard, his eyes lowered. “Not sleeping yet?”
“I’m timing you,” Lin Yujing said, glancing at the clock. “I noticed you took longer this time.”
Shen Juan glanced at her. “It’s different.”
Lin Yujing rolled over, lying on her stomach on the pillow. “How is it different?”
Shen Juan grabbed a book from the bedside, flipping it open. His training took up most of his time these days, so he had to squeeze in study sessions whenever he could, often using the half-hour before bed for this.
He switched off the light on her side and turned on his own, calmly saying, “When you help me and when I do it myself, of course it’s different.”
Just hearing her breathing and voice was enough to make him feel restless, not to mention watching her and feeling her touch.
“……”
Lin Yujing felt that she shouldn’t have asked that question.
Are all men capable of saying such shameless things without batting an eye?
She shot him a glare, pulled the blanket up again to cover her face, and started thinking about how to broach the subject of whether sleeping together at 18 had any negative effects on the body with Shen Juan.
Shen Juan chuckled, leaned down, and kissed the half of her forehead that was peeking out. He asked, “I’ll take you somewhere tomorrow. Want to go?”
“Where?” Lin Yujing mumbled from under the blanket.
“My place,” Shen Juan said.
“Aren’t I already at your—” Lin Yujing, still lost in thought, absentmindedly replied halfway before realizing what he meant. She pulled the blanket down. “Which place?”
“My grandparents’ house,” Shen Juan replied.
“……”
Lin Yujing opened her mouth, a little stunned. After a long pause, she finally squeezed out, “Meeting the family…?”
Shen Juan smiled. “Mm. Want to? If not, we don’t have to go.”
“It’s not that I don’t want to,” Lin Yujing suddenly sat up, looking at him with a slightly dazed expression, also somewhat at a loss. “If I meet them, does that mean you also have to…”
Her voice trailed off, so soft that Shen Juan didn’t catch the last part. He leaned in a bit. “Hm?”
Lin Yujing looked at him for a moment before softly saying, “Shen Juan, I don’t want you to meet my family.”
Shen Juan paused.
“My family…” Lin Yujing found it hard to continue, “Will your family think that my family’s situation isn’t very healthy and not like me because of it?”
A lot of parents and families care about these things, Lin Yujing knew. Parents tend to believe that a broken family could affect a child’s character, leaving hidden dangers.
Lin Yujing knew Shen Juan came from a happy home, with parents who loved him.
But she didn’t have that.
In fact, at first, she really, really didn’t want him to know even a little about her family’s situation.
Lin Yujing’s lips pressed together, slowly lowering as she was about to speak.
Shen Juan put down the book in his hand, moved closer, and embraced her. “It’s okay. Even if you popped out of a rock, no one would dislike you.”
Lin Yujing’s head was pressed into his chest, her eyes blinking.
“You’re Lin Yujing, the one everyone loves, right?” Shen Juan whispered. “How could anyone not like you?”
Lin Yujing was quiet for a few seconds.
“You’re right,” Lin Yujing said, pulling herself out of his arms, tilting her head to look up at him, and cupping his face with her hands. “Am I everyone’s crush?”
Shen Juan let her hold his face and nodded. “You are.”
Lin Yujing continued to ask, “Are you almost dying from being charmed by me?”
Shen Juan grabbed her hand and gently bit her fingertip. “Almost.”
Lin Yujing wasn’t satisfied with this response. She withdrew her hand and, through the thin fabric of his shirt, traced his abs and lower abdomen. Her fingers slipped under the hem of his shirt, brushing against his v-line.
She used to think that a man’s Adam’s apple and fingers were already sexy enough.
But ever since Shen Juan opened the door to another world for her, she realized that wasn’t the case.
His lower abdomen, starting from the v-line, extended upward with a sensual, seductive strength, especially when his muscles tightened in moments of desire.
Lin Yujing’s fingers followed the v-line to his abs, touching them purely for admiration, without any lustful intent. “Xiao Juan, are you secretly working out every day behind my back?”
His body and stamina were just too good.
Shen Juan let out a soft hiss, grabbed her hand, and gently pulled it forward, his voice low and hushed. “Xiao Jing, if you don’t want to sleep tonight, we can stay up all night doing something else.”
“……”
Lin Yujing froze for two seconds, then calmly pulled her hand back, tucked the blanket up to her chin, and turned away from him, presenting him with the back of her head. “Good night.”
Lin Yujing really was exhausted. The night before had dragged on until the early hours of the morning, and the next day, she slept straight through to 10 AM. When she woke up, Shen Juan was still asleep.
He must have been really tired; he was always busier than she was, though he was also a light sleeper. As soon as Lin Yujing sat up in bed, he opened his eyes.
Both of them had a bit of morning grumpiness. Lin Yujing always needed a moment to gather herself after waking up. She didn’t like to talk, didn’t like to move, and didn’t like being touched. When Shen Juan’s arm reached over to hold her, she smacked his face with a crisp slap.
“Shit…” Shen Juan’s voice was low and raspy as he swore.
That slap woke him up completely. He sulked silently, unable to get angry, and walked into the bathroom. When he came out, he was in a better mood.
By then, Lin Yujing was already awake, sitting on the bed with a dazed expression. “Shen Juan.”
Shen Juan opened the wardrobe and grabbed a pair of jeans. “Hm?”
“Am I really about to meet your family?” Lin Yujing sounded a little nervous.
Shen Juan glanced at her. “Seems like it.”
“Okay, I need to put on makeup for twelve hours straight.”
Lin Yujing sprang out of bed in one swift motion, bare feet padding toward the bathroom. After only a few steps, Shen Juan grabbed her and pulled her back. “Put on your slippers,” he said, bending down to slide the slippers onto her feet. “If you add two more hours, my birthday will be over.”
For once, Lin Yujing didn’t respond.
She was really nervous. Normally, Lin Yujing was unshakable, calm even during exams, but now she finally felt the meaning of the word “anxious.”
But you couldn’t tell from her appearance. She followed Shen Juan back home, maintaining her calm until they reached the gate of the Shen family’s old house, showing no signs of distress.
That is, until the car stopped.
Grandpa Shen loved traditional culture and disliked Western influences. He loved painting landscapes, and his house reflected that. Brick walls, glazed tiles, a winding corridor, and large potted plants—it all exuded understated luxury and elegance.
Everything looked so high-class.
That is, if you ignored the large red
banner fluttering at the entrance, boldly displaying yellow characters in big, bold font: “Warmly Celebrate Shen Juan’s 20th Birthday!!”
The two exclamation marks added a sense of emphasis.
At the bottom, in smaller font, Lin Yujing squinted to read the words: “A birthday gift from the whole family.”
Lin Yujing was stunned. She didn’t know how to react, raising her hands to give a sincere round of applause. “I’ve never seen such a heartfelt birthday gift. A banner—how nice.”
Shen Juan’s expression was so calm it was almost numb as he led her inside, through the corridor and front yard, and into the house.
Inside, the decor leaned more modern. The house was lively, with several people sitting on the sofa chatting and watching TV. Off to the side, in a rocking chair, sat an elderly woman.
Grandma Shen was the first to notice them enter. She lowered her reading glasses and looked at them as they approached.
Shen Juan handed the things he was carrying to the servant, one item at a time, before walking over and calling out, “Grandma.”
Lin Yujing followed suit and called out, “Grandma.”
Shen Juan and his grandmother resembled each other quite a bit. She looked to be in her seventies, still energetic, with traces of her beauty from when she was young visible in her features. Her aura was a bit cold.
Grandma Shen gave Lin Yujing a cold look, then waved her over.
Lin Yujing felt nervous. On the surface, she appeared calm and obedient as she walked over, her heart in her throat, ready to answer any questions.
She stopped in front of Grandma Shen. After a few seconds of silence, seeing that Lin Yujing hadn’t made a move, Grandma Shen beckoned her again.
Lin Yujing bent down and leaned in.
Grandma Shen looked at her mysteriously and asked, “Do you have QQ?”
“……”
Lin Yujing was baffled. “Huh?”
“Do you surf the internet?” Grandma Shen asked again.
“Uh,” Lin Yujing blinked, then cautiously responded, “I… surf a little?”
From the sofa, Shen Lan snorted with laughter.
Shen Juan stood leaning against the sofa, watching them, a smirk on his face.
“Either you surf or you don’t, how can you surf just a little?” Grandma Shen said, as she pulled out her phone, squinting as she put her reading glasses back on and spent quite a while scrolling through her screen. “Here, add me on QQ. Are you scanning me, or should I scan you?”
Lin Yujing was truly stunned. She had no idea you could add QQ friends by scanning.
She didn’t react for a long time. After waiting a while, Grandma Shen looked up and understood. “You don’t know how to scan? Do I have to teach you this? I can tell you don’t surf much,” Grandma Shen said slowly. “Let me find it…”
“……”
Lin Yujing turned her head, looking to Shen Juan for help.
Shen Juan, leaning against the sofa, was laughing so hard his shoulders were shaking. He straightened up and walked over. “Grandma, we just got here. Let her sit for a bit, alright?”
Grandma Shen gave him a look but reluctantly put down her phone. Lin Yujing sat down beside her, though Grandma Shen still wasn’t satisfied and beckoned her closer. “Come sit nearer; I want to chat with you.”
Lin Yujing scooted closer. Grandma Shen smiled as she looked at her, whispering, “My grandson is handsome, isn’t he?”
Lin Yujing nodded. “He looks like you.”
“But he has a bad temper,” Grandma Shen said. “Is he good to you?”
Lin Yujing nodded again. “He is.”
Grandma Shen leaned closer, whispering, “In the Shen family, the men all have a tradition. They’re all especially good to their women. What’s that thing called again? That condition with the windpipe?”
Lin Yujing laughed. “Grandma, it’s ‘wife-dominated.’”
Grandma Shen dragged out her words with a smile. “Ah, that’s it.”
Grandma Shen was a very trendy old lady, full of curiosity like a little kid always asking “why.” She also loved to talk. After lunch, she kept Lin Yujing chatting with her for hours.
It wasn’t until after 3 PM that Shen Juan was ready to leave, saying he had something important to do.
Before they left, Grandma Shen pulled Lin Yujing aside, taking off a bracelet from her own wrist. After glancing around to make sure no one was watching, she sneakily slipped it onto Lin Yujing’s wrist.
Lin Yujing was startled and tried to refuse. “Grandma, this—”
“Shh,” Grandma Shen interrupted her in a hushed voice, “Don’t let anyone see.”
Lin Yujing: “……”
It wasn’t until they left the house and got into the car that Lin Yujing, sitting in the passenger seat, turned to Shen Juan with bright eyes. “Did I do well?”
Shen Juan laughed. “Lin Yujing, you’re like a leader inspecting the troops,” he said. “So, what do you think? Are you satisfied? Did we pass?”
“More than satisfied,” Lin Yujing leaned back in her seat. “I’m already starting to get jealous of you.”
Shen Juan glanced at her and changed the subject. “What did you and Grandma talk about before we left?”
Lin Yujing blinked and lifted her sleeve. “Grandma gave me this.”
She hadn’t looked at it closely before, but now that she was in the car, she inspected it more carefully. The bracelet was a vibrant green, almost as if it could drip with color in the sunlight.
Lin Yujing blinked. She didn’t know much about this sort of thing, but her family circumstances had exposed her to quite a bit. “How much do you think this is worth?”
Shen Juan glanced at it. “I don’t know. But she always wore that bracelet. Shen Lan has brought home several girlfriends, but she never gave it to any of them.”
Lin Yujing stared at him, waving her wrist in front of his face. “Shen Juan, this might be worth more than your plane.”
Shen Juan laughed. “Oh?”
Lin Yujing sighed. “Now that I’ve accepted this gift, I don’t think I could even bring myself to break up with you if I wanted to.”
“That has nothing to do with whether or not you accept the gift,” Shen Juan said, turning on the signal. “I suggest you think about more realistic things.”
Lin Yujing wasn’t too familiar with A City, and this route wasn’t the way home. He didn’t say where they were going, but stopped the car in front of an art district.
A City had quite a few of these art districts, full of little shops selling oil paintings, metal crafts, and hosting exhibitions—everything you could think of.
Lin Yujing didn’t think much of it, assuming Shen Juan was just taking her out for fun. She figured that, as an artist, even his birthday dates had to be held in these kinds of places where you’d feel out of place if you weren’t pretentious enough.
They got out of the car and walked inside. Shen Juan led her to a small side door and pushed it open.
Lin Yujing looked up. There was a wooden sign with just a single dot on it.
It seemed like another one of those personality-driven shops where you couldn’t tell what it was selling.
She followed him inside. The interior had a cold industrial style. The first floor was a narrow hallway, with a staircase leading upstairs.
Lin Yujing followed Shen Juan upstairs. It wasn’t until she saw the shelves full of colors and familiar tools that she realized it was a tattoo shop.
A cool-looking woman sat on the couch upstairs, playing on her phone. Hearing the noise, she looked up. Seeing Shen Juan, she glanced at Lin Yujing behind him and whistled, nodding toward the back. “Doing it yourself?”
Shen Juan gave a soft “mm” and pulled Lin Yujing’s hand, leading her inside.
Dazed and confused, Lin Yujing followed him. She watched as he opened a small door at the back, entered a side room, walked over to the sink, and washed his hands.
Then, he opened a cabinet, took out a piercing gun, and began disinfecting it.
“……”
Lin Yujing watched his smooth, practiced movements. “Wait, Boss Shen, what are you doing?”
“Getting your ears pierced,” Shen Juan handed her the piercing gun. “You first?”
Lin Yujing didn’t take it.
Shen Juan nodded and walked toward her. “Then I’ll go first.”
His fingers brushed over her left ear. “Can we do the right side? You’ve already got too many on the left.”
Lin Yujing was still in shock. “Shen Juan, wait, are you telling me that your birthday plans include taking me to get my ears pierced? Is this the important thing you mentioned? Hey—wait, wait, wait,” she dragged out her words. “Don’t rub my ear! What’s the rush?”
Shen Juan wiped her earlobe with an alcohol swab, pinching her thin lobe between his fingers. He rubbed it slowly and firmly for a while, watching it turn red, and spoke to her. “Lin Yujing, look at me.”
Lin Yujing turned her head toward him.
The moment their eyes met, there was a
soft click. A sharp, piercing sensation shot through her right ear, followed by a stab of pain. Lin Yujing let out a loud yelp.
She thought he would give her a moment to prepare, chat a little, say a few things to relax her, but no.
This guy just shot the gun without warning!
Lin Yujing kicked him. “Can’t you wait until I’m ready??”
Shen Juan lowered his gaze, looking at the blood slowly oozing from her earlobe.
The drop of blood was crystal clear, small and delicate, seeping from the newly pierced hole and slowly sliding down.
He bent his head and licked the drop of blood off her ear with the tip of his tongue. “You once said that anyone who gets their ears pierced with you on their birthday will be with you in the next life too.”
Lin Yujing’s eyes turned red. The pain wasn’t that severe, but it had been so unexpected that it felt like her ear was burning. She wanted to touch it but didn’t dare.
All Lin Yujing wanted right now was to beat him up. “I won’t even like you in the next life! I’ll date someone else, now get lost!”
Shen Juan lowered his eyes, picking up an alcohol swab from the bottle and gently dabbing her earlobe, wiping away the blood.
“Lin Yujing, I don’t care who you like in the next life,” Shen Juan said quietly, staring at her. “No matter who it is, you’ll still be with me.”
Lin Yujing felt as though her emotions had been stirred into chaos. She grabbed the blanket, turned over, and buried herself beneath it, refusing to let the outside world in. Shen Juan, on the other hand, remained composed, watching her reaction with a quiet chuckle.
After a while, Lin Yujing peeked out again, her fingers fidgeting nervously with the edge of the blanket. “You said something earlier about the future,” she mumbled. “But Shen Juan… what if—”
“What if what?” Shen Juan asked, raising his eyebrows as he leaned in closer to her.
Her voice faltered for a second before she blurted out, “What if one day… you get tired of me?”
A brief silence followed as Shen Juan blinked, his expression hardening into something more serious. He reached out, gently cupping her cheek, and looked directly into her eyes. “Lin Yujing, I don’t get tired of people. That’s just not how it works.”
She hesitated, still unsure. “But what if—”
Before she could finish her sentence, Shen Juan pressed a finger to her lips, effectively silencing her. “Stop overthinking,” he said softly, his voice steady and sure. “There’s no ‘what if.’ If you’re thinking of the future, think about how I’ll be beside you. I won’t leave, no matter what.”
Lin Yujing’s heart fluttered, both soothed and unsettled by his words. She stared at him for a moment longer before finally nodding.
“Okay,” she whispered, allowing herself to believe him for now.
Shen Juan smiled slightly, satisfied with her answer. Then, as if the serious moment had never happened, he teasingly tugged the blanket away from her face. “Good. Now let’s get some rest. We’ve got the whole future to think about, after all.”
After having her ear pierced, Lin Yujing’s ear throbbed painfully for a while. She sat there sulking, glaring at Shen Juan, who was busy cleaning up.
“You really didn’t give me a chance to prepare at all,” she muttered.
Shen Juan, without looking up, replied calmly, “If I had given you time, you’d have chickened out.”
Lin Yujing was about to retort, but then realized he was probably right. She had been so nervous earlier that she might have backed out. Instead, she just huffed, “Still, you could have warned me.”
Shen Juan put away the tools and then turned back to her, a small smile on his lips. “Next time, I’ll give you a heads-up.”
Lin Yujing wasn’t satisfied but let it go. She carefully touched her newly pierced ear, wincing slightly. “It really hurts.”
Shen Juan leaned down, inspecting her ear again. “It’ll be fine in a few days.”
Seeing her still sulking, he suddenly leaned in and kissed her lightly on the cheek. “Does it feel better now?”
Lin Yujing blushed and immediately turned away. “No, it still hurts.”
Shen Juan chuckled softly, not pressing the matter. He picked up her coat from the side and draped it over her shoulders. “Let’s go. We’ll grab something to eat.”
Lin Yujing, still pretending to be mad, stood up with a grumble. As they walked out of the tattoo shop, Shen Juan casually held her hand, and she didn’t resist.
They left the art district and wandered into a nearby street lined with small restaurants and cafes. The sun was beginning to set, casting a warm glow over the city. Lin Yujing glanced up at the sky, feeling the day’s tension slowly melt away.
Shen Juan led her into a quiet little restaurant tucked into a corner. After they sat down and ordered, he rested his chin on his hand, staring at her thoughtfully.
Lin Yujing raised an eyebrow. “What?”
Shen Juan shook his head, smiling slightly. “Nothing. Just thinking about how you look cute when you’re annoyed.”
“Don’t even try that,” she warned, though her lips twitched as if she was fighting back a smile.
After they ate, Shen Juan paid the bill, and they headed back to the car. The drive home was quiet and peaceful, both of them lost in their own thoughts. Lin Yujing leaned back in her seat, staring out of the window at the passing scenery, her heart feeling strangely calm.
When they finally arrived back at Shen Juan’s apartment, Lin Yujing stretched and yawned, still feeling the weight of the long day.
As she walked inside, Shen Juan closed the door behind them. “Do you want to watch a movie or go straight to bed?”
Lin Yujing shrugged. “Let’s just sleep.”
Shen Juan smiled and led her to the bedroom. She crawled into bed, immediately cocooning herself in the blankets.
Shen Juan, still drying his hair from the shower, glanced at her with amusement. “You sleep like a burrito.”
Lin Yujing narrowed her eyes at him. “What’s wrong with that?”
“Nothing.” He laughed softly, lying down beside her. He reached over and pulled her closer, wrapping his arms around her. “Good night, Lin Yujing.”
“Good night,” she murmured, her voice muffled by the blankets.
In the quiet darkness, Lin Yujing felt the steady rise and fall of Shen Juan’s breathing against her back. It was a comforting rhythm, one that eased her into sleep.
Author’s Note:
It’s finished. Daydream = fantasies and desires, that’s the title. Savior, the rescuer.
I’ve written everything I wanted to, so it’s concluded. This pair is my favorite male and female lead so far. I love my whale girl and Mr. Juan. Shen Juan’s playful side is always a joy to explore, and I loved writing the interactions between him and Lin Yujing as they grow closer.
Thank you all for accompanying me for over three months!!! See you in the next book!!!!!!!!!
Then, regarding why there’s no urban section— Friends!
Look at the synopsis!
Such clear three words! Campus novel!
You ask why a campus novel doesn’t have an urban part when others do, well, it’s because this one doesn’t!
A campus novel is a campus novel! Writing urban would be false advertising!!! Alright, now on to the serious matter,
I will write an extra chapter for a side couple, haven’t decided whether it’ll be about Brother Fu or He Songnan, because I like both so much. I’ll go with the flow. Tomorrow I’ll take a day off, and the day after, I’ll update the extra chapter, just a few chapters, it won’t be long.
Then, about the physical book, details on publication will be on Weibo @QiJianMa, those who haven’t followed, please do.
Regular ad time, next book will open with one of the two in the column: “Rose Tart” or “You’re Quite Wild”, both sweet, likely very funny too. Please pre-save, my dears, look at my pitiful pre-save numbers, don’t you feel sorry?
Let me tell you, don’t judge these two books by their synopses, thinking they’re not good, that’s because I haven’t written the synopses yet. Once I do, you might still think they’re not good… (just kidding)
Hello, let me share the synopsis of “Rose Tart”:
On a rainy day, Chen Wang received a slightly artistic, somewhat melancholic message. The message was simple, just a classic love quote—
“If you are well, it will be sunny.”
Chen Wang glanced at the sender’s name, then turned to look at the pouring rain outside. Thirty seconds later, a second message arrived as expected—
“Looking at this weather, I guess you’re dead.”
Chen Wang: “…”
Cold and aloof guy x sweet girl