LRAPTC Chapter 22

Chapter 22 Birthday (5)

The touch was so real, something an illusion wouldn’t have. Shen Jue woke up almost instantly, realizing that this Ji Yuanan was real.

He ignored Ji Yuanan’s inquiry and asked, “What are you doing here?”

“Song Jing told me you were here.” Ji Yuanan gently stroked Shen Jue’s face, betraying his friend without hesitation.

Shen Jue met Ji Yuanan’s gaze and asked earnestly, “Are you here to drink too?”

“No,” Ji Yuanan said helplessly, “I’m here to pick you up.”

Ji Yuanan leaned closer, almost seductively asking Shen Jue, “Do you want to go home now?” The distance was too close, and Shen Jue smelled the faint, captivating fragrance that lingered on Ji Yuanan’s body, a scent he hadn’t experienced in a long time. Even simple breathing felt like being poisoned, making Shen Jue’s limbs stiff, unable to say “no” to the person in front of him.

However, Shen Jue had one more thing to say: “Zhao Youming hasn’t returned yet.”

Ji Yuanan felt a moment of displeasure, but he quickly adjusted his emotions and said softly, “How about I have Song Jing tell him you’ve already gone back later?”

Logically, Shen Jue knew he should refuse, but he was too deeply poisoned, unable to resist Ji Yuanan’s temptation, so he couldn’t refuse successfully.

So Shen Jue got up. He followed Ji Yuanan out of the bar, onto the street, and into the car. The colorful night scenery was completely left behind Shen Jue as the car started. Shen Jue stared at the shops flashing past the car window, admiring the scenery along the way for a while, then opened the window. The wind rushed in, scattering the hair on Shen Jue’s forehead.

Until he got home, Shen Jue’s every action was almost docile. Ji Yuanan told him to wait until he had cooked the hangover soup, and he really sat quietly on the sofa, even finding a pillow to hug while he waited.

But Shen Jue didn’t make it to the end. When Ji Yuanan came out with the hangover soup, Shen Jue was already asleep on the sofa, his arms tightly wrapped around the pillow.

Ji Yuanan sighed, placed the perfectly warm hangover soup on the table, and walked towards the sofa. Half-asleep, Shen Jue vaguely felt someone picking him up. After a flight of stairs, he was gently placed into a soft bed, and the kind person even carefully covered him with a blanket.

Then there was complete silence. That person must have left, Shen Jue thought, gradually falling asleep again. In the second before he fell into a deep sleep, the kind person finally made a move, leaving a kiss on his forehead.

As if afraid of disturbing the person in his dream, the kiss was very light, fleeting. Shen Jue hadn’t even had time to react before he completely lost consciousness.

Ji Yuanan opened the car door for Shen Jue. After Shen Jue was completely seated, he helped Shen Jue buckle his seatbelt before going around to the driver’s seat. Shen Jue gently placed the gift he was going to give Ji Yuxin later, a very large gift box, wrapped in pink paper. He didn’t know what was inside.

Shen Jue also couldn’t imagine what kind of gift Ji Yuanan would choose. He had always been bad at giving gifts, with no experience. His imagination of gifts was limited to the common ones, practical or impractical. After thinking wildly for a while, Shen Jue remembered the gift Ji Yuanan had given him, and suddenly realized that Ji Yuanan didn’t seem to be very good at giving gifts either, so he lightly raised the corners of his mouth.

On the other side, Ji Yuanan was also seated. He fastened his seat belt and turned on the car’s stereo. It was playing an English song, with a male singer singing: “The sun sets longer.”

The melody was quite nice. Shen Jue listened to the song and turned his head to look out the window. The car sped along the asphalt road. He looked at the row of palm trees planted along the coastal road and felt refreshed.

Leaving aside everything else, in this situation, Shen Jue had the illusion of eloping with Ji Yuanan. Just like in many movie plots, they were a couple unblessed by others, who had privately decided on their future and were now on the run.

The touch in his hand instantly brought Shen Jue back to reality. Shen Jue remembered his situation, and his heart gradually cooled down.

Before Shen Jue could think further, the car stopped in front of the gate. Ji Yuanan waited for Shen Jue to get out of the car, took the gift, and interlocked his fingers with Shen Jue’s left hand. The fit was seamless. Shen Jue could even feel the presence of the ring. He couldn’t break free and could only try to ignore the strange sensation between his hands, letting Ji Yuanan hold him.

Sometimes Shen Jue didn’t understand Ji Yuanan’s obsession with playing the role of an intimate relationship, unable to understand why he could always be so thorough. Shen Jue thought that if Ji Yuanan were an actor, he would definitely be the most dedicated one, and fans wouldn’t have to worry about his career at all.

While thinking in his heart, he followed Ji Yuanan past the central fountain. Ji Yuanan pushed open the door, and everyone inside looked at them in unison.

Ji Yuxin was wearing a red dress, sitting in the middle of the sofa, taking pictures with her girlfriends. The photographer was shouting, “One, two, three.” She would laugh, but not show her teeth. Her long hair was curled, cascading down her shoulders, and she didn’t know what lipstick she was wearing, but it was sparkling. The whole person was bright and lively even outside the camera.

She heard the commotion at the door and subconsciously turned her head, her eyes lighting up when she saw Ji Yuanan. Then Ji Yuxin lightly broke away from her friends’ encirclement like a butterfly, appearing in front of them in the blink of an eye. Only then did Shen Jue notice that her eyeshadow was also sparkling.

“Brother! You’re here.” Perhaps because it was her birthday, Ji Yuxin looked especially happy, and even gave a bit of a smile to Shen Jue, which was rare for her.

Ji Yuanan handed her the gift: “This is a gift from Shen Jue and me to you.” Then he said, “Happy birthday.”

Shen Jue’s blessing followed closely behind: “May you be happy every day.”

“Thank you.” Ji Yuxin took the gift. Before she could say anything more, she was pulled away by her friends. Before leaving, she turned her head to look at Ji Yuanan, who was standing at the door. Ji Yuanan had already completely shifted his gaze to Shen Jue. The next second, he leaned close to Shen Jue’s ear and said a few words.

“Do you want to stay here?” Ji Yuanan asked Shen Jue.

Shen Jue looked around. The protagonist of the party, Ji Yuxin, was currently being led to the huge birthday cake that had been brought out. Someone had turned off the lights in the house.

The birthday song started playing at this time, and the surrounding guests stood still, quietly waiting for the protagonist to make a wish. Shen Jue looked at Ji Yuxin standing in front of the cake, not answering Ji Yuanan immediately.

After Ji Yuxin made her wish, she started preparing to cut the cake. Shen Jue finally turned to look at Ji Yuanan, and he nodded. Since he had agreed, he wouldn’t easily go back on his word.

Shen Jue didn’t really remember what happened afterwards, only remembering Ji Yuanan’s hand quietly reaching out in the darkness, the sweet smell of the cake, and the crystal chandelier falling without warning.

The accident happened so suddenly. After the children finished eating the cake, they joined the chase for balloons, and the house was in chaos. Ji Yuxin watched them, feeling amused and helpless. It was at this moment that the chandelier above her head seemed unable to resist the pull of gravity any longer, and fell straight down. Shen Jue was the first to notice.

Without time to think, Shen Jue quickly stepped forward to protect Ji Yuxin. The crystal chandelier smashed to the ground, and small pieces of crystal rolled out far. Everyone was startled by the sudden loud noise and didn’t dare to speak. Ji Yuxin trembled slightly, having been frightened.

Shen Jue wanted to say something to comfort Ji Yuxin, but when he opened his mouth, he didn’t know what to say. He could only say dryly, “It’s okay now.” Then he asked her if she was injured.

Ji Yuxin shook her head to indicate that she was fine. Shen Jue saw that although her expression was slightly flustered, she seemed to be indeed unharmed, so he relaxed.

Once the tense spirit relaxed, various senses gradually returned. Shen Jue belatedly felt the stinging pain in his hand. It wasn’t until he heard someone nearby say in surprise, “Someone’s bleeding!” that he realized his hand might be injured.

“Remember not to let the wound come into contact with water.”

Shen Jue absentmindedly listened to the doctor’s instructions, his eyes fixed on his hand wrapped in gauze, only wanting to escape from here as soon as possible.

The family doctor tidied up the medicine kit and left first. Shen Jue didn’t want to stay any longer and followed him out. Ji Yuxin was standing outside the door waiting. When she saw Shen Jue come out, she quickly stopped him.

“Thank you just now.”

“It’s nothing.” Shen Jue felt a little tired, but he still patiently listened to Ji Yuxin’s thanks. Then he said, “I’m sorry, it seems like I’ve messed up your birthday party. Go and rest well later.” After he finished speaking, he was about to leave.

Ji Yuxin shook her head, vehemently denying, “It has nothing to do with you. I’m the one who should be saying sorry. I’m sorry, I said a lot of excessive things to you before. I apologize to you here, and I hope you won’t take it to heart.”

But Shen Jue thought that Ji Yuxin hadn’t said anything wrong before. How should his relationship with Ji Yuanan be defined? They were legal partners, friends, but definitely not lovers.

Thinking of this, Shen Jue felt the wound on his hand start to throb faintly again.

But he just smiled lightly and said, “Your brother and I are just taking what we need from each other. You don’t have to worry that I will replace the person in your brother’s heart.”

[Author’s Note]

I watched a movie tonight, so it’s a little late.

The English song is Troye Sivan’s “SUBURBIA”.