Chapter 49
Shen Yan originally thought he would spend the New Year alone with Su Yunzhe, which made him uneasy.
After all, Su Yunzhe always had his mind on that kind of thing, constantly finding excuses to drag Shen Yan into bed.
Shen Yan couldn’t understand how Su Yunzhe’s enthusiasm never waned.
Fine, he admitted it—aside from Su Yunzhe’s seemingly limitless stamina, the process was… enjoyable. But deep down, Shen Yan still had a mental block. He wasn’t even divorced yet!
His sham marriage with Duan Yang might not require any actual responsibility or loyalty, but it still left a knot in his chest, making everything feel off.
And it wasn’t like he could just explain this to Su Yunzhe. If Su Yunzhe caught wind that Shen Yan had been married, he might just take matters into his own hands right then and there. Why invite that kind of trouble?
So Shen Yan was left with a bit of a headache.
Then, salvation arrived.
On the evening of the 29th, Qin Mofeng showed up at the door, braving the snowstorm. Shen Yan, who had gone to answer the door, was both surprised and delighted to see him.
“Feng-ge, what are you doing here? Come in, quickly!”
Qin Mofeng seemed equally shocked upon seeing him. He gave Shen Yan a thorough once-over, his reaction so peculiar that Shen Yan wondered if he’d forgotten who he was.
“Damn it, Yan Meizi, you really had me fooled!” Qin Mofeng exclaimed as he stepped inside. “I saw your photo yesterday and nearly fell over. I thought that untrustworthy Old Su found himself a replacement for you—a male one, no less! I cursed him for being shameless. Then, as I kept scrolling, I realized it was you. Tell me honestly, were you laughing at me the whole time we met at that barbecue stall? And you…”
When Qin Mofeng spotted Su Yunzhe in the living room, he immediately stormed over, his expression turning into that of a betrayed damsel. “You bastard, tell me the truth—when did you find out? Were the two of you working together to fool me? I’ve been sitting here like an idiot this whole time, thinking you two were a perfect match of talent and beauty, and it turns out you’re just partners in crime!”
Qin Mofeng had always been easygoing and rarely got angry. But learning about this left him genuinely upset.
After all, he had spent countless nights drinking and chatting with the two of them, oblivious to any hints.
The worst part was knowing Su Yunzhe had probably figured everything out long ago, while he had been none the wiser, playing the fool.
It was a serious blow to his pride.
Su Yunzhe glanced at him with a look of pure disdain and asked flatly, “Why are you here?”
The tone of his voice made it clear he’d rather Qin Mofeng leave immediately, and he was one step away from outright saying, “Get lost.”
But Qin Mofeng wasn’t the kind of person to be discouraged by a frosty reception.
After all, he and Su Yunzhe had been close since middle school—practically inseparable. A little cold shoulder wasn’t going to scare him off.
He flopped onto the sofa with a dramatic sigh. “Tsk, tsk, tsk. Look at you now—a walking definition of ‘abandoning friends for romance.’ What’s the matter? Upset I’m ruining your little couple’s retreat? Too bad. I’m here to ruin your fun on purpose!”
Su Yunzhe squinted at him, his mind already weighing his options: should he throw Qin Mofeng out immediately, or give him a beating first?
Shen Yan walked over to pour Qin Mofeng a cup of tea, smiling as he spoke. “Feng-ge, you’re always joking around. I was just thinking, spending the New Year in such a big house with just the two of us feels too quiet. Now that you’re here, it’s perfect—holidays are meant to be lively with more people.”
Qin Mofeng accepted the cup and grinned widely. “See, Yan Meizi, you’re the one who knows how to talk. I love hearing you speak. Unlike someone over there, who’s completely ungrateful! Let me tell you something, Yan Meizi—”
“Uh…” Shen Yan finally interrupted, unable to hold back anymore. “Feng-ge, it’s Shen Yan. Or… you can call me Yan Yan if you prefer.”
Qin Mofeng froze for a moment before bursting into laughter. “Oh, my bad, my bad. Old habits die hard. Shen Yan, Yan Yan, got it. Feng-ge will remember from now on. Anyway, as I was saying, Old Su here is the most ungrateful person I’ve ever met. Last year, ask him—when was the last time I didn’t spend the New Year with him? My family’s New Year celebrations are lively and exciting, but no, I chose to keep him company because he always spends it alone. Tell me, Yan Meizi, where are you going to find a brother as loyal as me? You won’t! And now look at him—he’s treating me like a nuisance and can’t wait to throw me out. Does this man have a conscience or what?”
Shen Yan didn’t notice that Qin Mofeng had called him “Yan Meizi” again. His attention was focused on one detail—Su Yunzhe spending New Year alone.
He turned to Qin Mofeng with a hint of surprise. “Su… Yunzhe spends New Year alone every year?”
Qin Mofeng nodded. “Yep. And he’s always traveling around, never staying in H City.”
“Why?” Shen Yan asked, puzzled.
Qin Mofeng gestured toward Su Yunzhe. “That’s a question for him.”
Su Yunzhe, who had been quietly observing Shen Yan, finally withdrew his gaze and casually responded, “No reason. I just don’t feel like spending New Year at home.”
Hmm?
“Yeah, he’s always been like this. Ever since college, he’s rarely gone home, especially during the holidays. He only goes back if Uncle specifically asks him to,” Qin Mofeng added. “Then again, second marriages tend to complicate things. Ever since my old man got me a stepmother, I’ve been reluctant to go home too.”
“Reluctant? More like you got kicked out,” Su Yunzhe remarked, finally deciding not to throw Qin Mofeng out since Shen Yan seemed to want him to stay. The reason for Shen Yan’s preference? Well…
Qin Mofeng had never hidden anything from Su Yunzhe, so when his jab landed, he immediately began to vent.
“Right? What’s wrong with my old man, huh? Back when I graduated from college and wanted to become a teacher, all the uncles and elders at home scolded me for being unambitious and bringing shame to the Qin family. My old man was the only one who supported me, saying as long as I didn’t mess up the students, he didn’t mind. Back then, he seemed so reasonable compared to those stubborn old fossils. But now? The moment he heard I wanted to marry a man, he chased me half a mile with a feather duster, swearing to disown me if I dared. He even threatened to donate all his money to charity and leave me nothing.”
Su Yunzhe, knowing Qin Mofeng’s father well, found it surprising that the old man had reacted so strongly. After all, Qin Mofeng’s temperament wasn’t far from his father’s.
“So, you’re planning to go broke and starve on the streets?” Su Yunzhe asked.
Qin Mofeng shot him an annoyed glance. “When have I ever relied on him to survive? Don’t ruin my reputation. Honestly, I don’t care if he leaves me money or not. The issue is that my mom passed away early, and I’ve always had a good relationship with the old man. If I really make him so angry that it affects his health, how will I face my mom when I die? Besides, I still want to bring Chenchen home openly.”
“Has Ling-ge forgiven you?”
Shen Yan, having just pulled his thoughts away from Su Yunzhe’s relationship with his family, overheard Qin Mofeng casually mentioning bringing Ling Sicheng home—and calling him Chenchen no less.
Anyone who didn’t know better would think they were already together.
But Shen Yan knew for sure that was absolutely impossible!
As expected, Qin Mofeng suddenly wilted. “Not yet. I still haven’t figured out how to ask for his forgiveness. Ugh, looking back, I must have been out of my mind. Why did I assume he was scheming against me back then? And why did I say such hurtful things?”
The more he talked, the more dejected he became. Although he had already confronted his family and declared his intention to marry a man—even at the cost of being disowned—it was clear he had resolved to be with Ling Sicheng. Yet every time he recalled his past behavior, his confidence completely crumbled.
He kept saying he hadn’t figured out how to seek Ling Sicheng’s forgiveness, which was why he hadn’t gone looking for him. But deep down, he knew the real reason—he didn’t have the courage to face him yet.
Shen Yan watched him for a while before speaking hesitantly. “Feng-ge, do you know why Ling-ge transferred to H City for work back then?”
Qin Mofeng shook his head. “Why?”
Even Su Yunzhe was intrigued.
Although Su Yunzhe had investigated Ling Sicheng thoroughly as part of his work with the agency and even knew about Ling’s background—including that Ling Sicheng was Qin Mofeng’s long-lost “Snow White”—he hadn’t looked into the reasons behind Ling’s job transfer to H City.
Shen Yan sighed softly. “Because Ling-ge’s mother expressed a wish on her deathbed to be buried in H City. Ling-ge wanted to stay there to keep her company. But in the end…”
Qin Mofeng froze. After a long pause, he muttered, “In the end, I drove him away, didn’t I? Damn it!”
He punched the back of the sofa and stood up abruptly. “I’m going upstairs to sleep,” he said before striding off toward the stairs with the familiarity of someone who had lived there for years.
Shen Yan watched his retreating figure disappear up the stairs, then turned to Su Yunzhe with a concerned expression. “Will he be okay? I didn’t mean to provoke him; I just wanted to let him know that Ling-ge won’t forgive him so easily.”
Su Yunzhe shrugged. “Don’t worry about him. He’ll figure it out on his own.”
Shen Yan nodded, thinking to himself that this was indeed their own issue, and no one else could help much. It was better to stay out of it.
Glancing at the clock, Shen Yan saw it was nearly 10 PM. He planned to head upstairs for a shower but suddenly remembered something. Just as he was about to ask Su Yunzhe, the man walked over and sat down beside him. Leaning forward, Su Yunzhe propped one arm on the armrest beside Shen Yan, effectively trapping him in the corner of the sofa.
Based on their interactions over the past couple of days, Shen Yan had almost developed a conditioned response. He immediately pushed at Su Yunzhe. “Hey, hey, hey! Feng-ge is still here—show some restraint!”
Su Yunzhe didn’t move beyond cornering him. His gaze rested on Shen Yan’s face with a knowing look. “So this is why you insisted on letting him stay?”
Shen Yan’s brow twitched as he feigned confusion. “What are you talking about? And how is it me who let him stay? He came all this way to see you, his good buddy. It’s freezing outside—how could you even think of kicking him out?”
“I was planning on it,” Su Yunzhe replied shamelessly, his expression clearly saying, You should know I’m capable of such a thing.
Shen Yan rolled his eyes internally and silently cursed him for prioritizing lust over loyalty. Outwardly, though, he looked shocked. “What? How could you even think of doing that? Don’t you remember Feng-ge spent every New Year with you in the past? Oh, right…”
Shen Yan finally recalled what he had originally meant to ask. Grabbing Su Yunzhe by the collar, he pulled him closer. “What’s the deal with you and your family? From what I can see, your relationship with your dad isn’t—mmph…”
Before he could finish, Su Yunzhe leaned in and kissed him. Caught off guard, Shen Yan froze for a moment, feeling the softness and sweetness of his lips. Su Yunzhe even slipped his tongue out to lick them, trying to deepen the kiss, but Shen Yan pushed him away.
Feeling slightly exasperated, Shen Yan sighed inwardly. I’m trying to have a serious conversation here, and all you can think about is… that?
But just as he shoved Su Yunzhe away and looked up into those deep, dark eyes, Shen Yan felt his own heart flutter. Without overthinking, he wrapped his arms around Su Yunzhe’s neck and initiated a kiss himself. Might as well enjoy this first—questions can wait.
