Ch22 - Welcoming Dinner

Sunnyshies: Two chapters to go!

Shu Jin, who went to sleep after his confession, recalled many scenes of him saying this to Sheng Xinghe many times in his dream. 

On summer evenings when they ate ice cream together, after hiding under a tree and kissing, when they were walking the dog together, when they made cakes together, and when they were traveling together. There was also the time when they were doing intense exercise.

He once said “I love you” to Sheng Xinghe many times, but on the day of their breakup, Sheng Xinghe asked him, “Have you ever loved me?”

Shu Jin didn’t give an answer that day, but kept telling Sheng Xinghe “I love you” in his heart.

In the past few years, he doesn’t know if Sheng Xinghe has heard it. 

This time Sheng Xinghe heard it.

When Shu Jin woke up, the sky had already turned a little dark. There was only a small high window in the small compartment, and a few gray clouds could be seen in the sky outside.

They were still in the same position as when they fell asleep, and Sheng Xinghe was awake, looking at him.

Shu Jin rubbed his eyes then closed them again, and he rubbed himself against Sheng Xinghe’s arms: “Has the alarm clock not gone off yet?”

Sheng Xinghe: “I turned it off.”

Shu Jin said “Oh” and asked: “What time is it?”

Sheng Xinghe said: “Four o’clock in the afternoon.” Then in a calm tone, he asked, “Would you like to sleep for a while?”

Shu Jin was startled by his words, and he immediately became awake. He quickly sat up and said, “Why have I slept for so long?” Then rubbed his left arm again. Keeping this sleeping position for a long time made it numb. 

He turned back to see Sheng Xinghe also sitting up, but he still looked at him quietly, with deep emotions in his eyes. He thought something was about to happen.

Shu Jin opened his mouth and was about to ask, when Sheng Xinghe leaned over and kissed him on his lips, with a bit of sucking intensity, but it was very brief, a touch that was immediately withdrawn.

There was a small noise between the kisses, and Shu Jin’s face instantly became hot, and he sat blankly, not knowing what to do.

After Sheng Xinghe kissed Shu Jin’s forehead, he said in a deep voice: “You can stay a little longer or play outside on the computer for a while. I have a few things left to take care of, and then I will call some of them together at 6:30 to have dinner.” 

Sure enough, in the evening, Sheng Xinghe brought a few people who were working late in the company to dine together. As one of the bosses who arranged everyone to work overtime, Sheng Xinghe was rightfully the target of the rip-off. Not to mention that Shu Jin came, these people were even more excited.

When they arrived at the destination, there happened to be a mobile phone shop nearby. Sheng Xinghe asked Jiang Jiang to order food first, then he took Shu Jin to buy a mobile phone.

Shu Jin hasn’t changed his phone for several years, so he just picked up the latest model.

We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.

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His new mobile phone has more functions and the system has been upgraded more. On the way back to the restaurant, Shu Jin’s attention was diverted, he kept tinkering with his new phone and asking Sheng Zinghe a few questions.

“It was worth it. If I had known this I would have changed it earlier.” Shu Jin commented, then he sighed, “If I changed it earlier, the old one could still be replaced with the new one.”

But Sheng Xinghe ruthlessly pointed out: “Then what you lose this time will be a new phone.” 

Shu Jin: “…” It makes sense.

After Sheng Xinghe finished finding fault, he ordered him not to look at his phone anymore: “Put it away and walk properly.”

They were standing outside the mall. There were many children gathered by the brightly lit fountain, and red lanterns and Chinese knots were hung everywhere.

Shu Jin put his phone in his coat pocket, then walked a few steps side by side with Sheng Xinghe, and he was held by Sheng Xinghe naturally. 

People come and go on the street, so someone might notice them.

But Sheng Xinghe didn’t seem to care about this at all. He was no longer the teenager in the past, and he has completely become an adult with enough confidence to do his own things, so no matter how others judged them, it doesn’t matter to him.

Shu Jin hesitated for only a second, then he quietly held Sheng Xinghe back, forgetting the freshness of getting a new phone, and just watching Sheng Xinghe’s right face the whole time.

Shu Jin guessed that Sheng Xinghe already knew that he was hiding something from him. 

The old mobile phone that he has been using for several years, his cheap and cramped living conditions, the family house that had been sold that he mentioned last time, and all his current food and clothing expenses. It was obvious that his financial situation has changed a lot.

It can be said that the current Shu Jin is completely different from the past Shu Jin.

The world seems to have flipped, and now he and Sheng Xinghe are reversed.

But fortunately, they are still trying to get closer to each other. 

During the meal, Sheng Xinghe officially introduced Shu Jin to everyone. Without any extra prefix, he said in his usual concise tone: “My boyfriend, Shu Jin.”

Everyone applauded and cheered.

Shu Jin barely managed to hold himself together without blushing or being embarrassed, earning a face for Sheng Xinghe.

Unfortunately, when he picked up the chopsticks, he almost lost his grip. The word “boyfriend” made his heart beat very disobedient, because it was the first time they used such a title to identify each other. Not as a “friend”, not as a “brother”, but a boyfriend. 

“Shu Jin, ah. I heard Jiang Jinag mention you!” said the young male colleague who took chocolates on Sheng Xinghe’s desk in the morning, “I heard that you only met Mr. Sheng on the business trip last time. This is an old affection burning again, ah.”

Shu Jin looked up and saw Jiang Jiang winking at him. He also relaxed a little: “Well, I won a luxury tour at the company’s annual meeting, and I happened to meet him on his business trip.”

The male colleague patted his thigh: “It’s such a coincidence. You can see that it’s destined at first sight!”

The corners of Sheng Xinghe’s lips rose, and he could see that he was in a good mood. 

Shu Jin also smiled: “It’s because of my luck. Maybe my luck value accumulated until that day.”

Jiang Jinag said: “That day, Shu Jin fell and injured his knee. After going back, Mr. Sheng arranged for me to buy medicine. I didn’t even manage to get out of the elevator, so I just went straight back downstairs.”

She said something that Shu Jin didn’t know, and joked, “I have never seen Mr. Sheng concerned about anyone before. In the elevator, obviously the two didn’t say much to each other, so why would he care about it? Later, Mr. Sheng called the hotel to complain about the pool floor being too slippery. So I finally knew what was going on~”

There was such a thing? 

Shu Jin was embarrassed and immediately turned his head and said to Sheng Xinghe: “In fact, the hotel floor is not slippery at all, I tripped and fell by myself. The hotel was wronged, or…I’ll call to explain to them.”

Sheng Xinghe elegantly served him the dishes and joked, “It’s okay, the hotel owner wouldn’t dare to have an opinion.”

Shu Jin was shocked, is Sheng Xinghe so muddle-headed!

Another older male colleague took over: “Hahahaha, Shu Jin, please don’t be nervous. The boss is Mr. Sheng’s old friend! Otherwise, how come he stays there every time Mr. Sheng foes? But that’s how he met you.” 

Sheng Xinghe: “So I have to send him a red envelope?”

Everyone laughed.

Halfway through the meal, someone arrived late and opened the door.

The newcomer was a tall man and he looked a little familiar. Everyone called him “Mr. Jing“. Shu Jin vaguely remembered that this was Sheng Xinghe’s college classmate Jing Chao. Sheng Xinghe mentioned him last time. 

Jing Chao took a seat and asked people to add dishes and chopsticks, and exchanged a few words “Happy New Year” with everyone, then he looked straight at Shu Jin: “Long time no see.”

The other party’s eyes seemed to be a sharp blade, as if he was able to look straight into his heart. Shu Jin was a little bit shocked: “Long time no see.”

But in the next second, Jing Chao showed his white teeth and said heartily: “I came here especially when I heard you were here. This time I want to help Mr. Sheng to put you in prison, don’t even intend to run away, ha!”

Sheng Xinghe raised his eyes: “Drink your tea.” 

Originally it was just a simple meal, but because of Shu Jin’s relationship status, it almost became his welcoming dinner, and he had a good time.

Shu Jin did not reject such an arrangement. In fact, it was not until this night that he really understood what Sheng Xinghe’s working environment and interpersonal relationships were really like, and it’s not in his vague illusory fantasy.

After the dinner, everyone said goodbye at the door. Shu Jin drank two glasses of wine and was a little dizzy, and Sheng Xinghe went to the intersection to call for a taxi.

Jing Chao, who stayed with him, suddenly said: “Don’t leave him this time.” 

The cold wind blew his face, Shu Jin was startled, but he saw the seriousness in Jing Chao’s expression.

Seeing his surprise, Jing Chao smiled again and said in a slow tone: “Don’t be nervous, I’m just an outsider, and I know it’s not easy for you. If it were me, I might also…but you are different, Shu Jin. I believe you will be different.”

Shu Jin lowered his head, pondered for two or three seconds, and then nodded: “Yeah!”

Jing Chao didn’t say how Sheng Xinghe lived in those years, nor did he accuse Shu Jin. He just told him one thing: “I know you will be different, you wanna know why?” 

Shu Jin: “What?”

Then Jing Chao said: “Two years ago Sheng Xinghe told me that there was a prosthetic eye technology that had been done so maturely that it looked almost identical to a normal person in appearance, except that it could not restore vision. He said that if he accepts this technological transformation and then goes back to find you, the burden on your heart will be easier.”

Shu Jin’s whole body froze and his mind went blank.

Two years ago? 

At that time, they hadn’t even reunited yet. Has the proud Sheng Xinghe ever planned to do that?

“As you can see, of course he didn’t do it later.” Jing Chao said, “I don’t approve of him doing that. If he has this personal requirement, then everyone has the right to make themselves look better. But I know him too well, he simply did not care about this. If he did the surgery just to make others look at him more pleasing to the eyes, then the part of him that belongs to himself will completely disappear.”

Shu Jin’s eyes were red, and he looked a little pitiful.

Jing Chao said: “This time, when he came back from a business trip, I realized that his heart still hasn’t moved on from you, ah.” 

A car came slowly towards them.

Sheng Xinghe called the car and walked back along the road.

Jing Chao: “In other words, it is impossible for him to let you go.”