Accidentally Turned a Tragic Romance Plotline into a Sweet and Pampering One [Transmigration] CHAPTER 46

Chapter 46

After he finished speaking, Gu Lin pulled back his hand, got up, and left the bedroom.

Before he left, he turned off the light in Lin Zheng’s room and gently closed the door behind him.

When the sound of the door clicking shut reached him, Lin Zheng, who was huddled under the covers, slowly opened his eyes.

His eyes darted around for a moment, and he sniffled before pulling the blanket higher to cover his flushed, warm face.

To be honest, Gu Lin had hit the nail on the head. Back at the restaurant, when he heard Gu Lin say he was ready to meet up for Wu Yu’s sake at any time, he was genuinely taken aback. It wasn’t that he was unhappy, as Gu Lin suggested, but there was a strange, unsettling feeling in his heart.

Burrowed completely under the blanket, the warmth of his own breath enveloped him. He slipped a hand out from the edge of the covers and pressed it against his face through the thick fabric.

Even without a mirror, he knew his face must be an unbelievable shade of red.

He had to admit, Gu Lin had a knack for hitting right at the heart of the matter, whether he was reasoning with someone or whispering sweet nothings.

After all, Lin Zheng had experienced both firsthand.

Ever since the incident at the gym where he was harassed, Lin Zheng had given up on the idea of going back to one for the time being.

It wasn’t that every gym had trainers as unprofessional as that one, but who knew what kind of oddballs he might run into at the next place.

Of course, that wasn’t the main reason. The real issue was that Lin Zheng didn’t have a car at the moment, which made the daily commute to a gym incredibly inconvenient.

There was one just outside their residential complex, but it was perpetually packed, even on weekdays, likely due to the large number of university students nearby.

Unless he had a full day planned out or was meeting someone, Lin Zheng was the type to stay home if he could.

Before coming back, he had grand plans to relax and have fun for a good two or three months. But who would have thought that the moment he sank into the large, soft sofa, all motivation would vanish?

But in the end, being cooped up at home all the time wasn’t a solution. Yan Yang had nagged him about it several times, saying he was a young man living the life of a retiree.

Lin Zheng had shot back at the time, “You just don’t understand the joy of us young people who’ve embraced the ‘salted fish’ life.”

But as it turned out, being a ‘salted fish’ for too long wasn’t good for one’s physical or mental health. These past few days, Lin Zheng found his body aching for no reason, even though he hadn’t done anything. Yan Yang’s analysis was that his body was sending him a warning: if he continued his lazy lifestyle, his body would give out.

As ridiculous as it sounded, Lin Zheng felt there was a sliver of truth in what Yan Yang said.

There was a basketball court in the complex, and with the weather being nice the past couple of days, Yan Yang would inevitably drag him out to play whenever he had a break.

Occasionally, Gu Lin would join them, but his free time was far more limited than theirs, so he didn’t show up often. The court was mostly Lin Zheng and Yan Yang’s turf.

That day, as usual, Lin Zheng was dragged out by Yan Yang for a game.

He stood behind the line, aimed the ball, and shot it toward the high hoop. The brown basketball, showing no mercy, grazed the rim and fell to the ground.

Yan Yang stood on the sidelines, arms crossed, shaking his head with a “tsk tsk.” “I’ve been training you for so long. How is your technique still so bad?”

Lin Zheng, bundled up in a thick cotton jacket and earmuffs, shot a sideways glance at the man on the sidelines who was wearing only a thin sweater. “You think everyone’s like you, immune to the cold? Why don’t you try making a shot while wearing a thick coat?”

It wasn’t snowing today, but the temperature was unusually cold. If the weather were better, it would be one thing, but in this kind of weather, Yan Yang still insisted on him playing, and to top it off, he wouldn’t stop mocking him.

He was just asking for a beating.

Lin Zheng’s basketball skills were, admittedly, average. But to be fair, his poor performance right now wasn’t due to his lack of skill, but because the environment didn’t allow him to perform at his best!

“You really think I can’t make a shot in a thick coat?” Yan Yang walked over to him. “Come on, take off your jacket and give it to me. I’ll show you a standard slam dunk.”

Hearing this, Lin Zheng not only refused to take it off but also hugged his jacket tighter, baring his teeth. “Who’s giving you my jacket? If you want one, get your own. Don’t even think about prying this one off me.”

Lin Zheng was inherently afraid of the cold; he truly couldn’t stand it.

Yan Yang chuckled, deciding to stop teasing him.

During their break, Yan Yang led him to a slightly warmer spot.

Yan Yang got some hot water from a vending machine, handed it to him, and sat down beside him.

Lin Zheng held the cup and blew on it, the rising steam bending from his breath.

Yan Yang twisted open his sports drink and asked seriously, “When are you planning to come back to the company?”

Lin Zheng, who was sipping his hot water, was caught off guard by the question. “Back to what company?” he asked, confused.

He thought for a moment, assuming Yan Yang meant Gu Lin’s company, and added, “If you’re talking about Gu Lin’s place, I’ve already resigned.”

He had submitted his resignation when he decided to leave.

Once he made the decision to leave, he had to tie up all the loose ends.

Come to think of it, he had been unemployed for a long time now, living off his savings.

Yan Yang looked surprised. “You didn’t know? Gu Lin never approved your resignation.”

Lin Zheng paused, then asked in astonishment, “What?”

Gu Lin didn’t approve his resignation?

Lin Zheng had been back for a while now, and Yan Yang had assumed that Gu Lin had already told him, or that the two had talked it over. But from the looks of it, Lin Zheng was completely in the dark.

Yan Yang thought for a moment and suddenly understood.

When they were returning from abroad, Lin Zheng had mentioned wanting to rest for a few more months. Gu Lin must have heard him and decided to unilaterally extend his leave indefinitely. To let Lin Zheng enjoy his time freely, he probably decided not to mention the possibility of returning to work.

This was spoiling him to the extreme.

Yan Yang figured that if Lin Zheng, still oblivious, had said he wanted to take a few more years off, Gu Lin would probably have extended his leave for that long without a second thought.

“So, you’re saying I can go back to work at the company now?” Lin Zheng asked tentatively.

“Of course, but it’s up to you. If you want to keep relaxing, then relax. You can come back when you’re done. At worst, they’ll just be short one person, and Gu Lin will be a little busier.”

“…”

You might as well just tell me to go back to work, Lin Zheng thought.

He took a breath, a chill entering his nose. He truly hadn’t expected Gu Lin to keep his position for him, treating his departure as nothing more than a leave of absence.

Light snow began to fall from the sky. Lin Zheng held out his hand, and a snowflake landed in his palm, melting into a drop of water that carried a hint of warmth.

He felt his heart was like that snowflake, landing in Gu Lin’s palm and gradually being warmed.

It was both expected and unexpected.

Before heading back, Lin Zheng and Yan Yang parted ways at the intersection.

Yan Yang called out to him. Lin Zheng, with both hands in his pockets, turned to look at him. “Hm?”

Anticipating what was coming, Lin Zheng said sternly before Yan Yang could speak, “Let’s get this straight, no basketball tomorrow!”

He had just checked the weather forecast. The snow tonight would last until tomorrow morning. It wasn’t the coldest when it was snowing, but rather after the snow stopped and began to melt.

He would rather die than run around a basketball court with Yan Yang during the coldest time of the evening tomorrow.

“What are you talking about? That’s not what I was going to say,” Yan Yang said.

Lin Zheng lifted his chin slightly. “Then what is it?”

Yan Yang smiled. “Why so tense? It’s not like I’m going to do anything bad to you.”

Lin Zheng said with a deadpan expression, “Do you have any shame? You think you haven’t done enough bad things to me?”

This guy, Yan Yang, was either messing with him or on his way to mess with him.

Lin Zheng could trust a stranger he’d met only once, but he could never let his guard down around Yan Yang.

Mainly because Yan Yang was just too much of a scoundrel.

“Alright, alright, I’ll stop teasing you,” Yan Yang said. “I just wanted to tell you that this Saturday is Gu Lin’s birthday.”

It took Lin Zheng a couple of seconds to process. “…Gu Lin’s birthday?”

Yan Yang nodded, then walked over and patted him on the shoulder, a smile in his eyes. “Little bird’s nest head, I’m looking forward to your performance.”

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