Su Jinning laughed, but her eyes darkened: "It's alright, being big isn't always a good thing."
Shen Moyu lowered his head. Although they both lacked family affection, at least he had family members to accompany and greet him every day. Even though Su Jinning had such a luxurious house, although she was also a relative, she was much lonelier than him.
Shen Moyu felt a pang of heartache and unconsciously stroked Su Jinning's soft hair: "It's okay, in the future... we'll have a home too."
Su Jinning suddenly raised his head and met Shen Moyu's gentle gaze. He blinked in disbelief for a moment, then gave Shen Moyu a bear hug, causing him to take two steps back.
If Shen Moyu really does have a home with him in the future, he doesn't need it to be big or luxurious, just big enough for the two of them. As long as he can see him every day.
No matter how long it takes, someone will always be there for him when he comes home, leaving the lights on for him and embracing his weary body. When he's unhappy, someone will take his hand and go for a walk downstairs. After dinner, they can snuggle on the sofa and watch a movie. When he wakes up in the morning, his loved one will be lying next to him. Though it may be ordinary, it's more precious than anything else.
Su Jinning buried her head in Shen Moyu's neck, feeling his warm body temperature, and asked in a muffled voice, "Really?"
Shen Moyu ruffled his hair haphazardly, like coaxing a child: "Yes, really."
He longed to spend those ordinary, gentle days with the person he loved.
Su Jinning looked up, gazing at the person in front of her in the sunlight streaming through the study's French windows, and nuzzled his nose.
How wonderful it would be to spend my whole life with such a gentle and kind young man.
Feeling uncomfortable under his gaze, Shen Moyu wrapped her arms around his neck instead of his chest, closed her eyes, and kissed him. It was as if she was trying to escape his burning gaze, yet also as if she was accepting his fiery invitation.
Consumed by desire, Su Jinning cornered Shen Moyu against the wall, tenderly and affectionately stirring his sweetness with her tongue.
"Don't go too far..." Before he could catch his breath, Shen Moyu gave Su Jinning a flattering kiss on the corner of his lips, as if trying to make him be more mindful of his actions.
Once a fire starts, it's hard to extinguish. His teasing made Su Jinning excited, and she pressed down on the back of Shen Moyu's head and began to frantically invade him with her tongue.
Outside, a continuous drizzle fell; inside, heavy breathing filled the room. Shen Moyu gazed at the spacious study and couldn't help but nudge Su Jinning, awkwardly reminding her, "This is your father's...study..."
Upon hearing his words, the lust in Su Jinning's eyes suddenly subsided, and her ears turned red instantly.
It's definitely a bit...unethical...
"Son! Dad's home!"
Holy crap!
Speak of the devil and he appears!
Su Yi's voice came from afar. Su Jinning hastily wiped the traces from her mouth, straightened her disheveled clothes, grabbed Shen Moyu, and ran out.
Su Yi had just come upstairs, and his travel-worn smile faltered when he saw the two of them hurrying downstairs. Then, he unconsciously glanced at Shen Moyu beside him.
"Ah... Uncle, hello Uncle." Shen Moyu, with an expression of catching someone in the act, awkwardly turned his head away, and even his voice trembled slightly.
He couldn't forget what he and Su Jinning had just been doing, and where they had been doing it. That was his father's study! He and Su Jinning had been shamelessly doing *that* kind of thing in the study... and they just happened to run into him coming back. He felt so ashamed that he was almost overwhelmed.
"Ah, I remember you, it's that Shen..." Su Yi scratched his head, feeling a little embarrassed for not being able to remember, so he could only smile and say, "It's classmate Shen, right? I remember, I remember, Xiao Ning's good brother!"
Su Jinning coughed awkwardly.
Dad, if you knew your son's "good buddy" had just been causing trouble in your study, would you still be laughing so happily...?
He glanced back at Shen Moyu, who was grinning sheepishly, "Haha, it's me." Then he turned back to meet Su Jinning's gaze, his survival instinct practically bulging.
"Um... um, Dad, he came to celebrate my birthday last night, and he stayed at our house because it got too late. I was just showing him around the house. Haha..." Su Jinning chuckled awkwardly, wanting to get away with him as soon as possible.
"Oh, is that so? Okay, okay, you guys have fun." Su Yi patted Su Jinning on the shoulder and nodded with a smile at Shen Moyu.
Su Jinning grabbed Shen Moyu and ran frantically downstairs, only stopping when they reached the sofa in the living room.
Thinking about what had just happened, the two of them looked at each other and suddenly couldn't help but laugh. They laughed so hard they were doubled over, and they huddled on the sofa, unable to catch their breath for a long time.
"What are you laughing at?"
Su Jinning wiped away the tears that had welled up in his eyes from laughing, his voice hoarse from laughing: "Aren't you laughing too!" After saying that, he took Shen Moyu's hand and kissed it.
"Hey, a cake?" Shen Moyu, who was standing to the side, was the first to notice the thing on the table and exclaimed in confusion.
Su Jinning's smile suddenly froze. He turned to look at the belated birthday cake and fell silent.
Both of them guessed that Su Yi had bought it. Su Jinning stopped smiling, looked at the note on top of the cake, unfolded it, and read it silently.
[Happy 18th birthday, my darling son! Dad's been busy with work and hasn't had time to come home to be with you. Don't blame Dad, you're 18 now, a big boy now, keep up the good work! —Your worried dad.]
He suddenly tightened his grip on Shen Moyu's hand. He didn't realize how much force he used, but Shen Moyu hissed in pain.
Su Jinning then realized what had happened and hurriedly let go to check on him: "Are you alright? I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to..."
Seeing his flustered, guilty look, Shen Moyu smiled helplessly: "There's nothing you can do, don't make such a fuss."
Su Jinning finally let go of his hand with relief. Then, somewhat dejected, she leaned back on the sofa, her tone almost self-deprecating: "It's rare that President Su still remembers."
He was genuinely surprised that the boss, who was so busy that he didn't go home for a month or two every day, still remembered his birthday.
After all, he didn't even care about that day, so how could he expect anyone to remember it clearly?
Shen Moyu took the note from his hand and put it aside, then gently nudged his shoulder: "Why are you so gloomy? Uncle bought you a cake."
Su Jinning glanced at him and gave a helpless yet awkward smile: "If it happens too often, of course I won't be happy."
The cake was indeed very beautiful, and the red envelope was very large, but these were not what he wanted, and no one understood what he wanted. In other words, no one cared.
I don't know when it started, but the idea of a family sitting down together for a meal and a chat has become a luxury.
Shen Moyu frowned, sighed deeply, and patted his hand, unsure how to comfort him.
“You don’t need to worry about me.” Su Jinning guessed what he was thinking again, and rested her chin on his shoulder: “I’m not upset, I’m used to it.”
He was used to this luxurious home that didn't truly belong to his heart, used to the quiet room and boring weekends, used to the letter his mother mailed back every year, filled with longing yet still cold, and used to his father's belated birthday wishes and the unchanging "I'm busy" every year.
After a while, he stopped asking for much. In general, it was just an ordinary life. Being able to eat and stay warm was good enough. A grown man didn't need to be pretentious.
Shen Moyu had no choice but to lean closer and say softly, "Don't be unhappy."
"I know." Su Jinning lowered her head and hugged Shen Moyu.