ALCSRB Chapter 92

The air froze instantly.

At the sound of that all-too-familiar voice, Jiang Mingyi whipped his head toward the door. Just one glance—and there stood Shen Jili, stunned into stillness.

Jiang Mingyi could clearly see his father’s mouth hanging open, wide enough to fit a whole egg, his eyes brimming with shock and confusion.

Instinctively, he darted a look at Shen Xingyan: Let go. Dad’s watching.

Shen Xingyan returned a reassuring gaze: Don’t panic.

Jiang Mingyi’s eyes widened further: You’re the one who kissed me out of nowhere! Forget Dad being shocked—I’m shocked too!

Shen Xingyan caught the flicker of grievance in his expression and let out a silent laugh, his eyes full of warmth and indulgence.

Shen Jili, still looking dumbfounded, hadn’t noticed their silent exchange. His gaze was fixed squarely on his eldest son gripping his younger son’s hand, their bodies so close not even a hair could pass between them.

He’d always known the brothers were close, but this close felt… off.

Slow as ever when it came to matters of the heart, Shen Jili furrowed his brows, forcing his sluggish brain to process.

By then, Shen Xingyan had already let go and turned, his tall frame neatly blocking his father’s line of sight—and shielding Jiang Mingyi behind him.

He looked his father straight in the eye, his tone calm and open.
“Dad, Xiao Yi’s hands were cold. I was just checking if he had a fever.”

His voice was so natural, so convincingly big-brotherly, that it derailed Shen Jili’s muddled train of thought at once.

“Really? Then why were your faces so close? I thought you were bullying Xiao Yi.” Shen Jili instantly shifted into the role of stern father, lecturing his eldest.
“Xiao Yi is your little brother.”

Jiang Mingyi’s head dropped in embarrassment, unable to face his father’s misplaced protectiveness.

Because, well… in a way, he had just been “bullied.”

Shen Xingyan said earnestly, “I could never bully him—I don’t even have enough time to love him.”

“That’s more like it.” Shen Jili nodded in satisfaction. “But then what were you doing with your faces so close just now?”

Shen Xingyan smiled faintly, pointing to his own forehead.
“Just checking his temperature with my forehead. I was worried he might have caught a chill from the air conditioning.”

Jiang Mingyi ducked his head even lower.

Perfect. His brother was spinning another story for Dad again.

“Checking his temperature?” Shen Jili’s eyes immediately filled with worry.
“Then Xiao Yi, come here. Let Dad check you too. Your mom said you were a little congested yesterday. Don’t tell me you really got sick.”

He beckoned his younger son anxiously, then noticed the boy’s complexion seemed a bit off.
“Oh no, your face looks flushed. Could it be a fever?”

Jiang Mingyi instantly lost any desire to walk over.

He wasn’t running a fever at all, but with how hopelessly oblivious his dad was, he actually felt embarrassed lying to him.

Why did this come with a guilty conscience?

“Dad, I’m not sick.” Seriously, how have you not realized your own son has been stringing you along this whole time?

“You saying so doesn’t count. Dad has to check for himself to be at ease.”

Unable to win against him, Jiang Mingyi had no choice but to let him test his temperature.

Only after did Shen Jili finally let out a careful sigh of relief.
“Good, you’re fine.”

Then he turned and shot a glare at Shen Xingyan.
“If your brother ever bullies you, you tell Dad.”

“No.”

Jiang Mingyi, feeling a little guilty, dodged his father’s simple, guileless gaze. From the corner of his eye, though, he caught Shen Xingyan smiling.

Smile, smile, smile. That’s all you ever do. We almost got caught, and you’re still grinning.

“Dad, I’ll take Xiao Yi back first.”

Shen Xingyan finally smoothed the curve of his lips, stepped forward to tug him along, and even brushed a fingertip over the center of Jiang Mingyi’s palm—nearly making him jump out of his skin.

He held his breath nervously, hiding his hands behind his back, the center of his palm burning.

Shen Jili nodded. “Alright. You two head back after you’re done here. I’ll go after I finish.”

Once they’d left the bathroom, Jiang Mingyi elbowed Shen Xingyan in the side.
“I told you to watch the setting, and you—every time, it’s the same recklessness.”

“What’s there to panic about?” Shen Xingyan said with perfect calm. “If we’re found out, we’ll just be upfront about it. Or are you planning to hide this for the rest of your life?”

“No, not exactly.” Jiang Mingyi pressed his lips together. “It’s just… getting caught in the bathroom of all places is way too embarrassing.”

Shen Xingyan’s expression didn’t waver in the slightest, not a ripple from the earlier incident.
“With Dad’s nerves, I’m afraid unless we spell it out to his face, he’ll never put two and two together.”

Jiang Mingyi recalled the scene just now and nodded with great seriousness.
“Dad is a bit too slow-witted.”

When the two of them returned to the banquet hall, Su Wanxin came over.

“Mom.”

“Mother.”

Su Wanxin nodded. “Where did you two just go?”

Jiang Mingyi replied, “We went to the restroom.”

Su Wanxin’s gaze shifted to her silent eldest son. Only then did Shen Xingyan speak:
“We happened to run into Dad in the restroom.”

“He probably drank too much and used the restroom as an excuse to sneak off for a rest,” Su Wanxin said casually, then added to the two of them, “When the banquet is over, I have something to talk to you about.”

“It’s still early. Go enjoy yourselves a bit more.” She then gave Jiang Mingyi a warm, gentle smile. “Xiao Yi seemed a little tired just now, let your brother keep you company. There are plenty of relatives and friends here, so unnecessary socializing can be avoided.” The latter half of her words were directed at Shen Xingyan.

Shen Xingyan responded coolly, “I understand.”

Jiang Mingyi chimed in, “I understand, Mom.”

After Su Wanxin left, Jiang Mingyi frowned.
“Why do I feel like Mom looked at me strangely just now?”

“What was strange?” Shen Xingyan asked, following his words.

“Uh… I can’t really say.”

—

By the time the banquet ended, it was already late.

Su Wanxin sent the drunken Shen Jili back to his room, then went to Jiang Mingyi and Shen Xingyan’s room.

Shen Xingyan pointed to the closed bathroom door.
“Xiao Yi is taking a shower.”

Su Wanxin only glanced at the bathroom, then walked over to the sofa and sat down.
“Ah Yan, come sit as well.”

Shen Xingyan went over and sat opposite her.
“Mom, just say what you want to say.”

Su Wanxin lifted her gaze, meeting her eldest son’s calm eyes.
“You know what I want to ask?”

“I’ve more or less guessed.”

Shen Xingyan rested his interlaced fingers on his knees, his handsome face composed and serene.

Su Wanxin’s eyes lingered on his face for two seconds, her gaze both direct and probing.
“Mother has always regarded you as a source of pride. Even now, you are still the one who gives me the least worry, the one I can trust the most.”

“I will always be that,” Shen Xingyan interrupted her suddenly. In his calm and self-possessed eyes was a confidence and pride that put people at ease.

Su Wanxin smiled.
“I only want to ask you one question.”

The mother and son faced each other at a very close distance. Shen Xingyan spoke:
“Go ahead.”

“That time you told me you had someone you liked—who was it?”

When Su Wanxin asked this, her gaze had already passed beyond Shen Xingyan and landed on the tightly closed bathroom door.

The excellent soundproofing blocked out the noise of the shower on the other side, but both of them knew the answer to that question without it being said.

Shen Xingyan also looked at the bathroom door. After a moment, he nodded solemnly.
“Yes.”

The room fell into a brief silence, broken only by the sound of their slow, steady breathing.

After a long time, Su Wanxin’s voice broke the quiet. The woman who was usually so gentle now carried a rare seriousness in her tone, her gaze fixed firmly on her son.

“Are you certain?”

“Very certain.” Shen Xingyan’s reply was solemn and sincere. “Although I once had a period of confusion, this feeling has always been clear from beginning to end.”

“That’s good then.” Su Wanxin let out a soft sigh of relief.
“Xiao Yi is a good child. Your father and I have watched him grow up since he was little. I know exactly what kind of person he is.”

“I truly once worried that you’d refuse to ever fall in love and end up alone for life. Luckily, the two of you are together.”

Shen Xingyan raised an eyebrow slightly.
“I’m not Pei Mingyue—why are you so worried about me?”

“That’s different. All these years, you haven’t had even the tiniest bit of gossip about you. How could I not worry?” Su Wanxin gave him a side glance.
“A successful, young, handsome man with no partner—I’d have to wonder if there was something wrong with you.”

Shen Xingyan felt his scalp tingle under her frank, unabashed gaze.
“Mom, you’re overthinking it.”

“You’d better be fine.” Su Wanxin gave a soft hum, then reminded him again, “But Xiao Yi is still young, you mustn’t do that kind of thing with him too early.”

Shen Xingyan: “…”

Seeing that Su Wanxin was stubbornly waiting for his answer, he had no choice but to reply, “I know.”

“I knew you had a sense of propriety.” Su Wanxin nodded with relief. “Let me ask you another question—between you and Xiao Yi, who confessed first?”

Meeting his mother’s gossipy gaze, Shen Xingyan admitted honestly, “I did.”

“Not bad.” Su Wanxin suddenly clapped his arm excitedly. “So Xiao Yi has been completely taken in by you?”

“Mom, please be careful with your wording.” Shen Xingyan reminded her, a little helpless.

“As expected—got a lover, forgot your mother.”

“But Xiao Yi’s personality is soft, just like his mom.”

Su Wanxin recalled, “Speaking of which, back when his mother was pregnant, she and I even made a childhood marriage pact. Unfortunately, she had a miscarriage at the time. After that, she couldn’t conceive for a long time, not until many years later when she finally had Xiao Yi.”

“At the time we thought, since you two had a ten-year age difference, we never mentioned that pact again. Who would’ve thought your fate with each other would run this deep.”

…

After showering, Jiang Mingyi came out, rubbing his hair as he asked, “Ge, didn’t Mom say she was coming over? Why is it so late and she still hasn’t shown up?”

Shen Xingyan walked over, took the towel from his hands, and continued drying his hair for him. “Mom already came.”

“Huh? How come I didn’t know at all?” Jiang Mingyi was shocked. Just as he tried to turn his head, another pair of hands held him in place, leaving him to sit obediently.

“Then why did she leave so quickly? What did you two talk about?”

“Nothing much.”

Shen Xingyan’s long fingers combed through his still-damp hair as he said calmly, “Just that Mom found out about you and me being together, that’s all.”

“Oh, so that’s what it was.”

Jiang Mingyi answered casually, but a second later his brain finally caught up with the true meaning of those words. He froze, turning wide-eyed toward Shen Xingyan, who had spoken such a shocking sentence in such a calm tone.

He blinked, rubbed at his ear in disbelief. “Ge, I think some water got in my ear just now. What did you say? I didn’t hear clearly—why don’t you repeat it again?”