Chapter 20: This Eager to Sever Ties with Me?
Shen Xingyu snorted coldly. “Bringing someone so shameless back… I’m afraid he’d taint Grandpa’s eyes and the threshold of the Shen residence.”
Ignoring his heartache, Liang Sheng grabbed his arm and pleaded, “I… I want to go back and see Grandpa!”
Shen Xingyu originally wanted to refuse, but the thought that leaving him at home might lead to him going out to have trysts with his lover made him feel malicious. He forcefully shook him off and said coldly to Qin Lou:
“Drive straight to Nanshi.”
Hearing the man’s tacit agreement that he could go back, Liang Sheng finally breathed a sigh of relief. He leaned against the car window like he had no bones, covering his mouth to let out a few soft coughs. Looking at the fresh buds on the branches outside the window, his desire to seek treatment wasn’t that strong; now, he only hoped to finish a few things in the limited time he had left…
Shen Xingyu’s gaze remained on Liang Sheng. Suddenly, for a fleeting moment, he felt a surge of anxiety and unease. He couldn’t grasp how much affection Liang Sheng still had for him, but that bit of panic was gone in an instant.
Liang Sheng still loved him. He had enough confidence; he didn’t believe his little wife would change his heart so quickly, regardless of whether hugging that wild man was for revenge against him for having a mistress or for some other reason.
The car grew quiet. The setting sun fell on Liang Sheng’s pale and melancholic cheek, making him look somewhat hazy, as if he might vanish at any moment.
He closed his eyes, casting aside his chaotic thoughts, quietly enjoying this rare moment of peace.
When the car reached the entrance of the residential area, Shen Xingyu suddenly told Qin Lou to stop. “Pick up Nian-nian too. I don’t know when we’ll be back from this trip; I’m afraid he’ll be bored alone in the villa.”
“Understood.”
Qin Lou turned the car around.
Liang Sheng slowly opened his eyes, feeling incredibly disappointed. He should have known Shen Xingyu wouldn’t let him be too comfortable.
He turned around and questioned the man unwillingly, “Why do you have to bring him to Grandpa’s house?”
Shen Xingyu curled his lips. Seeing his little wife’s cheeks flush—whether from anger or jealousy—instantly made the lingering unease in the depths of his heart dissipate.
“Why wouldn’t I bring him? Nian-nian is my secretary; naturally, he should be inseparable from me.”
He spoke so ambiguously that Liang Sheng’s face turned unsightly. His mouth twitched, and he actually had no words to refute.
Shen Xingyu was intentionally trying to provoke him!
Liang Sheng took a deep breath to calm himself. He turned his head toward the window and said in a low voice:
“Bring him then. It has nothing to do with me…”
Shen Xingyu was a bit displeased upon hearing this, hating his “it doesn’t matter” attitude. He gripped Liang Sheng’s shoulder with a large hand, pulled him around, and sneered, “This eager to sever ties with me? So you can find your Brother Ran?”
“W-what nonsense are you talking about?”
Liang Sheng was pinched until it hurt. He didn’t know why his husband had become so unreasonable!
Shen Xingyu snorted, let go, and watched Su Nian run over. Without any mercy, he moved Liang Sheng to the passenger seat. Meanwhile, he sat in the back with his little secretary, talking and laughing.
Su Nian clung to Shen Xingyu’s arm, leaning against his shoulder, and spoke with a biting tone: “President Shen~ This isn’t right, is it? As soon as I arrived, the Young Madam had to give up his seat for me. Won’t the Young Madam be angry?”
Shen Xingyu affectionately scraped the tip of his nose and said dotingly, “He won’t. He wouldn’t dare. Besides, you are my secretary; it’s only right that you sit with me.”
“But, the Young Madam is still your wife!”
Su Nian bit his lip delicately. His two large, watery eyes blinked innocently.
“If he considered himself the wife of the Shen family, he wouldn’t be hugging other men. Why should I indulge him?”
As Shen Xingyu spoke, he had a smile on his face, and his voice was neither high nor low—just right to drift into Liang Sheng’s ears.
He looked at the two of them being intimate in the rearview mirror. His heart felt an indefinable sensation—both bitter and sour. Even his breathing carried a spicy, painful feeling.
Liang Sheng felt like he should cry right now, but he had cried too much over these past few days. Now, he couldn’t even shed a single tear.
The banter between the two behind him sounded exceptionally grating in the car. He didn’t want to listen. It was like sitting on pins and needles—dense, agonizing torture.
Qin Lou shot him a glance, then looked at his boss in the rearview mirror. Afterward, he took a pair of earplugs from the car compartment and quickly tossed them to Liang Sheng.
Liang Sheng was startled. He looked at the items in his lap, then at this bodyguard who never showed joy or sorrow and was like a robot.
The other party didn’t pay him any mind, focusing on driving.
Liang Sheng didn’t know whether to be touched or to say thank you first. In the end, he followed the tacit understanding and said nothing. He silently picked up the earplugs and put them in. Those unpleasant voices behind him indeed became a lot more muffled.
The journey to Nanshi took five hours. By the time they entered the main road of the city area, the sky had already turned completely dark.
The streetlights were dim. Coconut and tropical almond trees were everywhere, and a salty, briny sea breeze blew against them.
There weren’t many high-rises like in Long City; instead, there was more of the atmosphere of everyday life.
Liang Sheng closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He liked this scent of mud, sand, and seawater.
He had attended university here. It was also here that he met Shen Xingyu. He couldn’t help but dream back to that summer in college—running wildly on the beach without a care, waiting for the first light on the horizon at four in the morning.
That was the most free and happy time of his life. Unfortunately, beautiful things were always fleeting.
When he opened his eyes again, the scenery was still the scenery, and the sea breeze was familiar, but the person could never go back to the beginning.
A few messy strands of hair were gently blown by the wind, sticking to Liang Sheng’s slightly haggard cheek. The corners of his mouth drooped powerlessly. Returning to an old place inevitably brought sorrow. He was a nostalgic person, and everything here felt like a lifetime ago.
Su Nian leaned against the window and cried out in surprise: “Wow! President Shen, look! Such huge coconut trees! I’ve never been here before cough cough cough…”
Before he could finish his sentence, he was choked by a blast of fishy-smelling sea breeze and covered his mouth, coughing incessantly.
“Are you okay?”
Shen Xingyu perfunctorily patted his back.
Su Nian shook his head and wrinkled his nose. “The sea breeze here is so smelly! Won’t the Chairman be uncomfortable living here?”
“No. My grandfather was a fisherman when he was young; he grew up here. He’s already used to it.”
Shen Xingyu explained plainly. As he looked at the distant sea, the eyes that had just held a gentle smile instantly froze over. No one knew what he was thinking.
Twenty minutes later.
The car arrived at the entrance of the Shen residence.
Liang Sheng shook his dizzy head. He laboriously opened the car door and stepped out. As soon as his feet touched the ground, they felt a bit painful. The five-hour journey had made his legs go soft.
On the other side, Shen Xingyu actually got out of the car personally to open the door for Su Nian, even supporting him with a trace of care.
Liang Sheng forced himself to withdraw his gaze. Don’t listen, don’t look, then your heart won’t be so sad.
He tidied his hair that had been ruffled by the wind and straightened his clothes, wanting to see Grandpa Shen in his best state.
Ever since they got married, he could only come to Nanshi to see Old Master Shen once a year during the New Year.
A few years ago, the Old Master’s health was still fairly robust. Now, however, he was failing more and more, confined to his bed all day, unable to walk.
Although the Old Master had a stubborn temper and was traditional, he was impeccable toward his grandson-in-law.
Once, when the Old Master fell seriously ill, he had cared for the elder with all his heart, washing his diapers, cooking for him, and so on, never letting anyone else handle it.
Old Master Shen liked him very much and was very kind to him.
Facing this high regard, Liang Sheng felt very embarrassed. He knew he wasn’t outstanding enough and couldn’t match the man he loved. He had once only hoped he could fulfill his duties to the Shen family.
Now, aside from the Old Master—the only person who was good to him—he didn’t want to please anyone.
“Wait.”
Shen Xingyu suddenly spoke, calling out to Liang Sheng, who was about to enter.
Liang Sheng turned back to look at him, expressionless. “What is it?”
Seeing his melancholic appearance, Shen Xingyu felt inexplicably annoyed. He walked to his side, grabbed his wrist, and warned: “When you see Grandpa later, you’d better not have that long, sour face.”
“I know. I’ll smile.”
Liang Sheng didn’t pull away. He knew his strength was no match for the man and didn’t want to waste the effort. All he was thinking about now was what to say and do once he saw the Old Master.
“You’d better. Grandpa doesn’t like it when people in the house are lifeless.”
Shen Xingyu’s brows were furrowed. His gaze held an undeniable pressure as he stared fixedly at Liang Sheng:
“Also, Grandpa hopes our relationship is good. Even if you hate me for ruining your date with your lover, you’d better act. Act like you love me. Do you understand?”
“I understand…”
Liang Sheng lowered his gaze dejectedly.
He was suddenly worried he wouldn’t have the strength to act.
In his daze, his waist was suddenly gripped by a large hand, and he was pulled forcefully into a chest a moment later!
Liang Sheng let out a cry of surprise, crashing into the man’s solid chest. His nose was filled with the cold scent of sandalwood.
“But I hope you aren’t acting.”
Shen Xingyu enunciated each word heavily, his gaze intense.
Beside them, Su Nian saw the two practically embracing. His face twisted with rage, but he couldn’t do anything about it.
Meeting those deep, pitch-black eyes, Liang Sheng only felt his heart stop. His cheeks burned fiercely. Such close contact made his heart race with panic.
He was clearly disappointed in his husband to the core, yet he still couldn’t truly let go.
Every time he was close to Shen Xingyu, he would still be bewitched. That feeling of his heart racing was always so strong.
Shen Xingyu easily saw through the shyness he didn’t have time to hide. He tilted the corners of his mouth up, then heartlessly shoved him away.
Gained, then discarded.
A dog will always wag its tail and run back to find its master.
Liang Sheng was that dog.
Humble, yet perfectly capable of satisfying the man’s twisted sense of security.
Liang Sheng didn’t dare to look up at anyone. The stumbling way he was pushed away by his husband made him feel humiliated and ashamed beyond words.
Shen Xingyu took his arm on his own and strode toward the Shen residence, his cold expression vanishing completely.
The corners of his mouth were slightly raised. He looked confident yet humble. It was a pity that while his face was like a Buddha’s and his demeanor was refined, beneath the skin was a demonic asura, driven by madness.
The man was walking too fast. Liang Sheng could only jog to keep up. Being weak, he started to pant after just a few steps.
He looked up at his husband’s spirited appearance. His posture was like a pine tree. He couldn’t help but feel a trace of bitterness in his heart.
In the past, his body had also been healthy. It was a pity that after toiling for the Shen family and being busy caring for his mother all these years, his body was already overburdened—his oil was spent and his lamp was dry.
Translator’s Note:
- Nanshi (南市): A city name, likely a coastal city based on the sea breeze.
- Asura (修羅): A figure from Buddhist mythology, often depicted as a fierce, warring deity. It’s used to describe Shen Xingyu’s hidden, darker nature.
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