Chapter 129: IF—Lu Yanli (Extra 2)
After Lu Yanli placed the box of pastries on the table, he sat on the sofa.
His gaze landed on the hot and sour rice noodles that Shen Tangqing had cooked but hadn’t had time to eat yet. A flash of heartache passed through his eyes…
Soon, Shen Tangqing came out with his phone.
After the two added each other on WeChat, Lu Yanli looked at the rice noodles on the table again, but in the end, he said nothing.
Once he had left, Shen Tangqing opened the pastry box.
Inside were four egg tarts. The pastry was layered and flaky, carrying a faint milky aroma. They looked very appetizing.
He took one and tried it. It was sweet but not greasy; the taste was very good.
———
Since becoming neighbors with Lu Yanli, Shen Tangqing felt his happiness index suddenly skyrocket.
Lu Yanli seemed to exceptionally enjoy cooking. Even though he lived alone, he always cooked several dishes for every meal. He couldn’t finish them himself, so every time, Shen Tangqing benefited.
At first, Shen Tangqing was quite embarrassed. After all, his skin wasn’t that thick; how could he have the face to comfortably “leech” meals off his neighbor every day?
But every time, Lu Yanli would say with a serious face, “I can’t finish it alone. If you don’t eat it, I can only throw it in the trash.”
In the spirit of not wasting food, combined with the fact that Lu Yanli’s cooking skills were truly excellent, Shen Tangqing half-reluctantly accepted this feeding.
As they came and went, the two gradually became familiar with each other.
From neighbors who had just met, they turned into good friends who sat at the same table to eat every evening.
…
Shen Tangqing was eating with Lu Yanli when his phone suddenly rang.
He took a look; it was the landlord.
He was a bit confused. Wasn’t his rent only due in a few days?
“Hello…”
“Little Shen, let me tell you something. This house was sold today. The buyer wants to take possession, so I’m giving you one day to move out. I’ll refund your deposit, and I’ll also compensate you with an extra month’s rent.”
The landlord’s rapid-fire words left Shen Tangqing dazed for a moment.
After a few seconds, he asked blankly, “You aren’t renting to me anymore?”
“Right, I’ve sold it. Pack your things and move out tomorrow.”
“But isn’t this too sudden? Can you give me a couple of days of grace so I can find a new place before moving?”
The landlord let out an “Ai.” “Little Shen, I don’t want to make things difficult for you, but the buyer is in a hurry. How about this: I’ll compensate you for an extra half-month of rent. You can stay in a hotel for a couple of days. That’s it; I have things to do, so I’m hanging up.”
Shen Tangqing: “…”
The call was hung up in a hurry. Shen Tangqing held his phone, unable to react for a while.
Lu Yanli inquired with slight concern, “What is it? Did something happen?”
Shen Tangqing placed his phone on the table and let out a bitter laugh.
“The landlord wants me to move out. Said the house was sold…”
“Is that so… It’s fine. I can help you move.”
Shen Tangqing let out a sigh.
“Moving is a small matter, but finding a house is too troublesome. The company has been doing promotions lately; I can’t take any leave at all. Where would I find the time to go to agents and look at houses…”
Of course, Shen Tangqing didn’t mention that if he took leave, his five-hundred-yuan full attendance bonus would also be gone.
This call from the landlord truly caught Shen Tangqing off guard.
Lu Yanli lowered his eyes, his long lashes casting a small shadow under his eyes, hiding the gloom that flashed through them.
After a few seconds, he slowly looked up at Shen Tangqing.
“If you don’t mind, why don’t you stay with me for a few days? You can move out once you’ve found a house.”
“Stay with you?” Shen Tangqing was a bit startled.
Lu Yanli’s hand on his knee quietly tightened, though his face remained calm.
“Yes, stay with me. The bed in my room is… quite big. It’s completely no problem for the two of us to sleep there.”
Having said that, he paused. “Besides, we are both men. It’s nothing to sleep in the same bed.”
Shen Tangqing hesitated for a moment but still shook his head.
“Never mind, it’s too much trouble for you. I’ll leave my things here first and move out once I find a house, okay?”
“Then where will you stay?” Lu Yanli pressed.
“I’ll make do at a motel for a few days.”
Lu Yanli knitted his brows.
“Today is only Monday. You don’t have time off until Saturday, which means you’ll have to stay in a motel for at least five days. At 120 a day, five days is six hundred… it’s not worth spending that money.” He looked into Shen Tangqing’s eyes, his tone softening.
“Why not just stay at my place and move once you’ve found a house? Besides, aren’t we friends? Your staying here isn’t a trouble for me.”
Shen Tangqing had no money.
He had just received his salary and paid off his credit card and Huabei; he only had over a thousand in cash left. Even if the landlord transferred the deposit and compensation to him, it wouldn’t be much.
He truly was short on funds and couldn’t bear to spend money on a motel.
After struggling with it for a long time, Shen Tangqing ultimately bowed to money and chose to trouble Lu Yanli.
He was in a bad mood, his mind full of the trouble of finding a house, so he didn’t notice the smile that flashed across Lu Yanli’s lips.
That night.
Lu Yanli helped Shen Tangqing pack his basic belongings and moved them all into his own home.
As for Shen Tangqing himself, he would come over to stay tomorrow.
He looked at the pile of things belonging to Shen Tangqing in the living room and felt a bit of regret.
He should have told the landlord to make him move out tonight.
That way, he could be living with Shen Tangqing right now.
———
The next day.
The two officially began their “cohabitation” life.
Although Shen Tangqing often came to Lu Yanli’s house for food, it was his first time entering his bedroom.
It was a bit different from what he had expected.
The room’s decoration style was relaxed and bright, with light blue sheets and duvet covers.
Even the curtains were light blue.
Shen Tangqing liked it at first sight.
And just as Lu Yanli had said, it was a very big bed.
It occupied half the room.
“I changed the sheets and duvet covers today. I didn’t touch your clothes, but I’ve cleared half the closet for you. You can hang your clothes up later.”
Lu Yanli finished and smiled at Shen Tangqing. “I just hope you don’t find it distasteful.”
“How could I find it distasteful? There’s no need to clear the closet; I’m only bothering you for a few days. I’ll move out the first moment I find a house.”
Lu Yanli’s eyes darkened, but he quickly returned to normal. He looked at Shen Tangqing. “It’ll be more convenient for you to change if you take your clothes out. Do you want to take a shower first?”
“Oh, sure.”
Shen Tangqing took his pajamas into the bathroom.
Lu Yanli sat on the sofa, his gaze fixed on the bathroom door, his eyes thicker than the night.
It wasn’t until the bathroom door was pushed open that he slowly withdrew his gaze.
Shen Tangqing came out in his pajamas.
“Brother Lu, I’m finished. You go ahead and shower.”
Lu Yanli stood up from the sofa. “Alright. If you’re bored, you can watch some TV.”
“I’ll play on my phone for a bit.”
“Okay.”
———
When Lu Yanli entered the bathroom, the scent of the body wash Shen Tangqing had used still lingered inside.
He couldn’t help but take a deep sniff.
Thinking that he and Shen Tangqing used the same body wash and that his body carried the same scent, Lu Yanli—
After a long time.
Lu Yanli finally emerged in his bathrobe.
He was wrapped up tightly, looking extremely abstinent.
The steam from the bath lingered on the tips of his hair, making those originally calm eyes look a bit shimmering. Even his usually cold features had softened.
He pushed open the bedroom door.
Shen Tangqing was leaning against the headboard playing on his phone.
Seeing him enter, Shen Tangqing couldn’t help but smile and speak. “Brother Lu, why did you take such a long shower?”
Lu Yanli paused for an instant.
It took a few seconds before he spoke. “I used the toilet.”
“Oh…”
———
The entire night.
Lu Yanli didn’t close his eyes.
The most overstepping action he dared to take was to secretly reach out his hand and grasp Shen Tangqing’s hand under the covers.
…
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