Chapter 74: Why Did You Hit Me Again?
Su Nian hid behind the wall. Hearing the man’s heartless words, the hope that had just been rekindled was shattered once again.
The “use” Shen Xingyu spoke of… was to give blood to that bitch Liang Sheng, wasn’t it?!
Why…
Shen Xingyu used to adore him so much. He couldn’t bear to see him suffer even a little bit. Why had it all changed? He was being forced to give so much blood; it had taken him days of rest just to barely recover…
Sadness, anger, jealousy…
It was all Liang Sheng’s fault!
Why couldn’t he just die quietly?
Why did he have to come and steal his man…
Su Nian gnashed his teeth in hatred, but he was powerless. He had to find a way. He couldn’t be kicked out of the Shen residence. If he left now, he would never be able to come back!
He hugged his shivering arms. He wanted to sneeze but covered his mouth. He needed to change his clothes first.
Meanwhile, Shen Xingyu, having failed to get Liang Sheng to open the door, was in a state of agitation. He wanted to kick the door down, but he held back. He had no excuse, no reason; he didn’t know how to face Liang Sheng.
He returned to his room, brooding.
As soon as he entered, his nose caught a scent of perfume that didn’t belong to him or Liang Sheng.
“Who’s in here?!”
Su Nian walked tremblingly out of the bathroom.
He wasn’t wearing pants. His feet were pale and soft. He was wearing one of Shen Xingyu’s large dress shirts; it was loose and unbuttoned at the top, revealing his collarbones.
“Why are you here? And why are you wearing my clothes?!”
Shen Xingyu stared at him with cold eyes, not bothering to hide his disgust. He hadn’t given this person permission to enter his room.
Su Nian was so frightened that he knelt at the man’s feet. He looked up with watery eyes, appearing aggrieved:
“I… my clothes were wet… and I didn’t know where to stay. I… I had no choice but to come to President Shen’s room… I’m sorry. Private use of President Shen’s clothing is Nian-nian’s fault. Please don’t be angry…”
Shen Xingyu’s eyes were filled with rage. Seeing him half-dressed, he turned his gaze away in distaste. “Can you put some pants on?”
“Pre… President Shen’s pants are too big for me…”
Su Nian lowered his head, shyly tugging at the hem of the shirt. He intentionally let it ride up slightly. He didn’t believe that a man in his prime, full of vigor, could remain unmoved by such a blatant seduction.
“Disgusting.”
Shen Xingyu spat out the word coldly.
He wasn’t tempted in the slightest.
Su Nian’s heart sank. He looked up in disbelief.
“President Shen… you…”
“Get up.”
Shen Xingyu grabbed him impatiently and strode out of the room. He had just found a reason to see Liang Sheng.
“President Shen, where are you taking me?! I… I don’t want to leave you! There are reporters outside, I’m scared!”
Su Nian ran after him, panting and on the verge of tears. He thought the man was throwing him out of the Shen residence.
“Shut up!”
Shen Xingyu was annoyed by the noise.
“Sob…”
Su Nian bit his lip piteously. His collar had slipped off his shoulder during the struggle. His face was flushed, making him look even more alluring.
“Sheng-sheng! Open the door!”
Shen Xingyu held Su Nian with one hand and pounded on the door with the other. After a few seconds without a response, he didn’t hesitate; he kicked the door open.
Liang Sheng was just about to turn off the light and sleep when he was startled by the sudden commotion.
He looked in shock at the two people entering. Seeing Su Nian disheveled and being held by the man, his mind immediately jumped to the worst conclusion. He felt a wave of nausea.
“What… what are you doing?!”
“He’s staying here tonight. You’re coming back to my room with me.”
Shen Xingyu spoke with a tone that brooked no argument. He reached out to grab Liang Sheng’s hand.
“No way!”
Liang Sheng angrily slapped away the hand that had just touched someone else. Thinking that Shen Xingyu was going to be intimate with Su Nian right in front of him again made his disgust grow. He pushed the man away, shouting in a fit of emotion:
“Both of you get out! Get out of my room! Have you no shame?! Dressing like that… do you want everyone to know about your sordid affair?!”
“Behave.”
Shen Xingyu caught the hand that was hitting him. He didn’t care about the insults. Instead, he leaned down and picked Liang Sheng up, his face stern as he walked out.
“Put me down! Shen Xingyu! What do you want?! I’ve already stepped aside for you two! Why are you doing this to me?! I want to go back to my own room! I’m not staying with you!”
Liang Sheng struggled violently, his hands pushing against the man’s chest. His small feet kicked out blindly.
Like a bristling cat, he scratched and clawed at him.
A bloody scratch appeared on Shen Xingyu’s neck.
He didn’t seem to feel it. He just tightened his grip on the person in his arms to keep him from falling.
Liang Sheng didn’t realize he had hurt him. He twisted his waist, his face red with fury.
“Shen Xingyu… you bastard! Let me go!”
“If you move again, I’ll kiss you.”
Shen Xingyu looked down at him, his gaze dominant.
Sure enough, Liang Sheng froze. He didn’t dare act out anymore, terrified that the man would lose his mind and torment him.
But he really didn’t want to go back and stay with him!
Thinking of Su Nian in the man’s shirt and without pants… he had obviously come from the master bedroom. Who knew what they had been doing? Bringing him back there now… was he trying to humiliate him?
The more Liang Sheng thought about it, the angrier he became. He leaned in and bit the man’s shoulder hard, his heart filled with a piteous urge to cry.
“Sigh… why is it that whenever you’re angry, you either slap me or bite me?”
Shen Xingyu tilted his head slightly. He wasn’t angry. He set him down gently on the large bed.
“You… you deserve it! You’re disgusting!”
Liang Sheng was still cursing, but he lacked any real bite. He pouted, looking as if he were about to cry.
Shen Xingyu couldn’t handle his piteous state. He stroked his hair and explained softly:
“You’re overthinking. I didn’t do anything with Su Nian. He didn’t have clothes, so he took mine without permission.”
“I don’t believe you…”
Liang Sheng turned his head away huffily.
Shen Xingyu sat on the edge of the bed. He suddenly leaned in close to his face, his voice carrying a seductive pull: “Then what do I have to do to make you believe me?”
The distance between them was less than an inch. Liang Sheng could feel the man’s warm breath against his neck.
His heart rate spiked.
The atmosphere grew heavy with tension. Shen Xingyu’s gaze was glazed as he looked at Liang Sheng’s pink lips. He closed his eyes and leaned in instinctively for a kiss.
Liang Sheng was terrified and pushed him away.
“Get… get away from me! Don’t come near me!”
Shen Xingyu snapped back to his senses. Seeing his fear, he held back. He spoke as if he didn’t care:
“Fine. Go to sleep. Tomorrow is the Dragon Boat Festival, and also…”
And also your birthday.
He caught himself before he said it.
“Ahem. Tingwan is on break. She’s coming to Nanshi.”
“Oh. What does that have to do with me…”
Liang Sheng’s mood dipped. Thinking about how well he had treated Shen Tingwan in the past, only for her to never acknowledge him as her sister-in-law and instead call Su Nian ‘sister-in-law,’ made his heart ache.
He stood up to leave the bed, but Shen Xingyu blocked him.
“Where are you going? I’ve locked the door.”
The man’s gaze was predatory and possessive. Liang Sheng instinctively flinched.
“I… I’m going to sleep, okay?!”
He pulled up the covers and lay down, feeling aggrieved.
“I’m sleeping with you.”
Shen Xingyu made a move to lie down beside him, but Liang Sheng kicked him. The frustration he had been holding back exploded: “Get out! I’m not sleeping with you!”
“Then where am I supposed to sleep?”
Shen Xingyu stood up, sounding anxious.
“The floor, the door, wherever you want. Just stay off the bed! If you try to force me, don’t blame me if my condition worsens from the stress!”
Liang Sheng glared at him.
“Fine. I’ll sleep on the floor.”
Shen Xingyu compromised. For the sake of his little wife’s health, he didn’t dare push it. He went to the closet and got a tatami mat to lay on the floor.
“Hmph.”
Liang Sheng turned over, facing away from him. He knew the man wouldn’t let him leave. Fine. He was exhausted after the commotion. As long as Shen Xingyu didn’t cross the line, he would endure it for one night.
The room grew quiet.
Shen Xingyu felt restless.
Was it because Liang Sheng was back in the room with him?
He tossed and turned. He couldn’t help but look up at Liang Sheng. The other’s back was turned to him; he didn’t know if he was asleep.
“Sheng-sheng? Are you asleep?”
He asked tentatively.
There was no answer.
He slowly sat up, wanting to go over and look, but he stopped himself. The doctor said that because of his illness, Liang Sheng would be sensitive and emotionally unstable. He didn’t want to startle him.
Thinking this, Shen Xingyu lay back down.
Whatever. Sheng-sheng was by his side. That was enough.
For the past two nights, he had been unable to sleep, worried about Liang Sheng in the guest room. He couldn’t bring himself to beg Liang Sheng to come back.
Now, he felt at peace.
After being married for so many years, he had never felt this way before. He had always been used to Liang Sheng’s compliance. It was only after nearly losing him that he understood what it felt like to be afraid.
Shen Xingyu closed his eyes.
He vowed in his heart that he would never let Liang Sheng leave him again, just like twenty years ago.
The next morning.
Birds chirped clearly as the morning light broke.
Liang Sheng snuggled comfortably against whatever he was holding. It was warm. He hugged it tighter instinctively.
But why was it so hard…
It wasn’t as soft as his Cinnamoroll plushie…
He opened his eyes grogelly. He saw a silhouette against the light; the features gradually became clear.
“Mmm… what is this…”
He rubbed his eyes, mumbling. When he saw Shen Xingyu’s face right in front of him, he realized he was sprawled on Shen Xingyu’s chest!
“Ah!”
The sudden scream woke Shen Xingyu. Before he could react, he was met with a stinging slap.
He was stunned for a second. He watched as Liang Sheng, his face red with fury, scrambled off him. He had been the one to hit him, yet he was the one crying as if he were the victim.
“What’s wrong?”
“You… what did you do to me… sob…”
Liang Sheng sobbed, looking like a piteous young widow who had been wronged. He clutched his clothes tightly.
Shen Xingyu realized he had misunderstood. He explained quickly: “No, you’re overthinking! I didn’t do anything! You’re the one who rolled off the bed while sleeping and landed on me!”
“I don’t believe you! It was you!”
Liang Sheng was ashamed and angry. Tears fell like pearls. He couldn’t help but deliver another slap.
“Why did you hit me again?”
Shen Xingyu felt truly wronged.
Ever since Liang Sheng had been traumatized on the island and survived his near-death experience, he seemed to hit him at every turn.
Translator’s Note:
- Young Madam (少夫人 – Shàofūren): In this genre (Danmei/BL), even though Liang Sheng is male, he is often addressed by the servants or his husband’s family with the title traditionally used for the wife of the eldest son.
- Dragon Boat Festival (端午節 – Duānwǔjié): A traditional Chinese holiday. It often involves eating zongzi (sticky rice dumplings).
- Cinnamoroll (大耳狗 – Dàěrgǒu): A popular Sanrio character. Liang Sheng is a fan!
- Nanshi (南市): A city name.
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