Chapter 92#
“Jian Yunchen, you like me this much?”#
Qin Mu, of course, wasn’t going to say there was a problem.
Only when Qin Zheng dragged Qin Yanchen into the same boat in front of everyone could this matter achieve twice the result with half the effort.
Qin Yanchen tacitly accepted Qin Zheng’s rhetoric and gave Qin Mu a light but firm warning:
“Qin Mu, you don’t usually manage company affairs, so of course you aren’t clear on things. If you aren’t clear, then forget it—but asking it out loud during the meeting, is it to let everyone know that you’re just a freeloader who doesn’t do any work?”
Qin Mu gave an “Oh my”: “Isn’t it because I’ve been too busy? Isn’t it normal for company matters to be slightly overlooked?”
“What have you been busy with?” Qin Yanchen frowned deeply, his tone severe.
“Busy taking care of the Old Master, didn’t you know?” Qin Mu said. “But then again, President Qin hasn’t been home for several days, so it’s not surprising you wouldn’t know.”
Qin Mu watched Qin Yanchen’s eyes gradually fill with guilt, and word by word, clearly stated in front of everyone: “I am fulfilling filial piety on your behalf.”
Qin Yanchen stopped speaking.
The sharp aura about him suddenly extinguished quite a bit; whenever Qin Linze was mentioned, he always lost his momentum.
Qin Yanchen turned his head away, no longer looking at Qin Mu, and said coldly: “The company does not discuss private matters. The meeting continues.”
The others stole glances at Qin Mu’s expression out of the corners of their eyes. His face was calm, and there was even a faint, lingering smile on the corner of his mouth as if nothing had happened. After exchanging a few looks, the crowd refocused on the meeting.
After the meeting ended, Qin Yanchen kept Qin Mu behind alone.
He looked down, his jawline tense: “Qin Mu, since you have to take care of Grandpa during this time, you don’t need to come to the company for the time being.”
Qin Mu didn’t speak, but Qin Yanchen acted like a cat with its fur standing on end.
“Isn’t taking care of Grandpa your duty anyway? The shares in your hand were all given to you by your grandfather. Are you so dissatisfied now that you’re asked to look after him for a bit?”
Qin Mu added leisurely: “President Qin, I haven’t even said anything yet.”
Qin Yanchen glared at him and spoke to himself: “The matter is settled. In any case, you can’t help much at the company, so you might as well stay at home and show some filial heart.”
After saying this, he didn’t care for Qin Mu’s response and left in a hurry. His pace was a few degrees faster than usual, and from behind, he looked somewhat as if he were fleeing in a panic.
Qin Mu propped up his head, watched his back, and let out a yawn.
–
He wasn’t lying; Qin Linze’s illness was growing more severe. Even with proper care at home, his health was deteriorating daily.
Qin Mu left the company and returned to the Qin residence.
He didn’t return to his own home until after dinner.
At dinner, he had drunk a few glasses of red wine. His consciousness was a bit floaty, and his limbs felt a little lazy.
While entering the passcode for the door lock, a call happened to come in. He glanced at the caller ID and answered it casually.
Tucking the phone against the other side of his shoulder, he skillfully entered the code with one hand.
With a “beep,” the door lock opened with a crisp sound.
At the same time, from the other end of the phone, a tender voice called out, “Brother.”
Qin Mu curled his lips and smiled, responding with an “Hmm?”
The house was pitch black. Qin Mu was about to press the switch beside him when he suddenly smelled a sweet, cloying fragrance.
the voice pressed against his ear seemed a bit nervous, slowly uttering a few words—
Simultaneously, a small flicker of candlelight lit up, illuminating the face that suddenly appeared in front of him.
A clear voice rose with delight, high-spirited and excited. Half the face was lit by the warm orange candlelight, and the eyes seemed to radiate a warm glow.
Qin Mu felt his heart clearly skip a beat.
“Happy Birthday!”
Jian Yunchen stood before him, holding a cake.
The flickering candlelight was reflected in his pupils as he looked at Qin Mu with a beaming smile. The light danced across his face, making that smile appear exceptionally vivid.
With a “thud,” the phone fell to the ground, the screen going dark.
Jian Yunchen looked down at the phone and pulled the cake back slightly; he realized he seemed to have done something wrong.
He didn’t expect that in the next instant, he would be pulled tightly into an embrace.
Jian Yunchen tilted his head back, struggling to hold the cake upward. The scent of the cake swirled around them. The surroundings were pitch black, leaving only that handful of flame emitting a warm glow.
Qin Mu held Jian Yunchen tightly. Their chests were pressed together, two hearts beating behind flesh and bone—first overlapping, then slowly falling into the same frequency, the intensity of their beats identical.
Qin Mu rubbed his hair, burying his face in Jian Yunchen’s shoulder, deeply inhaling the scent on his body.
The soft body leaned obediently in his arms, and even the gaze was full of deep attachment.
Qin Mu’s heart felt as if it were being washed bright by pours of warm water, trembling with both aching and softness.
He pressed against Jian Yunchen’s ear and asked in a low voice: “Jian Yunchen, you like me this much?”
Jian Yunchen was stunned, nearly dropping the cake on the spot.
He remained silent for a moment. Under the reflection of the candlelight, he nodded gently.
Leaning against Qin Mu’s chest, Jian Yunchen said softly: “Yes, I like you.”
Qin Mu gave a soft sigh and tightened his embrace.
After a good while, the surging heartbeat in his chest finally calmed down.
Qin Mu slowly loosened his hold. As he pulled back, he realized Jian Yunchen’s face was even redder than he had imagined.
Perhaps it was the reflection of the warm orange candlelight.
Or perhaps it was because of that soft confession.
Or perhaps, it was because of Qin Mu.
Qin Mu curled his lips and looked down at the small piece of soft cake.
The cake wasn’t large, emitting a faint aroma. On top was a layer of light purple cream, and the candlelight cast fragmented light upon it, like a dusting of crushed gold.
He reached out a fingertip and lightly swiped a small dollop of cream.
Under Jian Yunchen’s watchful gaze, his fingertip landed gently on Jian Yunchen’s lips.
The latter hadn’t expected this move and looked at Qin Mu with some surprise.
Those rounded eyes looked at him wetly, his cheeks still carrying the lingering flush.
Qin Mu’s eyes darkened, and he smeared another bit of cream.
Jian Yunchen extended the tip of his tongue to take it, the sweet flavor dissolving in his mouth.
“Is it sweet?” Qin Mu asked.
Jian Yunchen didn’t notice Qin Mu’s increasingly deep gaze. He nodded and held the cake a bit higher.
“Very sweet, you—”
Before he could finish his sentence.
Qin Mu lowered his head and captured his lips.
A warm, moist tongue slid across Jian Yunchen’s lips, taking away the residual cream.
The lingering sweetness was swept clean.
Jian Yunchen was kissed until his eyes grew watery.
His fingertips trembled and his ears turned red. The fact that both hands were holding the cake greatly restricted his movements. Jian Yunchen could only use his trembling tongue to push back in refusal, but the “rejected” Qin Mu became even more excited, his burning palm sliding further down.
Jian Yunchen’s body shuddered. He turned his head away and said with a shaking voice: “Qin Mu… don’t, the cake hasn’t been eaten yet.”
Qin Mu took the cake with one hand and firmly gripped Jian Yunchen’s lower back with the other.
“Am I not just about to eat it?”
As the words fell, before Jian Yunchen could react, he was picked up. The sudden suspension made him nervously wrap his legs tightly around Qin Mu’s waist, his hands instinctively climbing onto his shoulders. He let out a startled cry:
“Qin Mu! What are you doing?!”
Qin Mu held the cake in one hand and supported him firmly with the other, raising an eyebrow with a light laugh:
“Eating the cake.”