ATGJSY: Chapter 28
Shen Yi left home at half past five in the morning, before dawn had even broken.
He had a part-time job delivering milk and newspapers in the morning. With the recent drop in temperature, there was a noticeable chill in the air, but Shen Yi still dressed lightly: simple black trousers, a white round-neck sweater, and the hem of his shirt tucked into his pants as usual.
He always cared about his appearance, was very neat, and even at home, Rong Qian had never seen him looking sloppy or unkempt.
The wind was strong on the bike ride, so Shen Yi put on a black duckbill cap, the brim pressed low, covering half his face from the nose down.
His pink lips were pressed into a straight line, his delicate jaw showing no flaws, his fair skin looking filtered, even more delicate than a girl's, yet his expression was icy, devoid of smiles.
Shen Yi returned to the apartment at half past seven, carrying two fresh bottles of milk. He noticed the door was ajar and unlocked, and there was a pair of men's shoes at the entrance.
Shen Yi's eyes narrowed, his steps quickened involuntarily, and he pushed the door open with force, almost slamming it into the wall.
"You're back."
Rong Qian was sitting on the sofa, waving to him as usual with a smile.
Shen Yi had gotten used to seeing Rong Qian greet him every time he came home. Since Rong Qian arrived, Shen Yi had only then begun to understand what it felt like to be home.
Like when he returned home in the evening, pushing open the door to find the lights on and the smell of instant noodles wafting from the kitchen.
Rong Qian wasn't good at cooking, but she made good instant noodles. Given the limited conditions, having instant noodles for supper was already nice.
Shen Yi felt warm in his heart. He greedily embraced this warmth, not wanting to lose it one day. He even had the impulse to keep Rong Qian by his side forever, by any means necessary.
But as soon as this thought arose, he smothered it. His rationality prevailed over desire.
Shen Yi's possessiveness towards Rong Qian was strong. He felt she belonged to him alone, and no one else could even look at her!
But now, someone had intruded without his permission and was sharing the same space with her.
Lin Feng was sitting in a chair, having waited for Shen Yi for a long time. Faced with Rong Qian's questioning, he couldn't hold up. He thought he'd finally found a savior, but when he saw Shen Yi's expression, Lin Feng was at a loss.
Had he done something wrong? Why was Shen Yi looking at him with such a scary expression?
Shen Yi was indeed displeased, even angry.
Rong Qian was still in her pajamas at the moment, wearing a purple strap nightdress with a belted robe. It looked lazy and comfortable. With the exposed neckline, her collarbones were fully visible, her slender legs were proportionate and long, and as her legs crossed, her fair thighs were faintly visible.
Because she had just woken up, her long black hair was loose and obstructing her vision, so she casually brushed it behind her ears, revealing her slightly pink earlobes. Every move exuded the sensuality of a mature woman, enticing yet unaware.
Shen Yi hadn't expected anyone to see Rong Qian like this, but this time Lin Feng had taken advantage of the opportunity.
Shen Yi's face was stern. He, who was always neat and clean, didn't even bother changing his shoes when he entered the door. He walked in and said to Rong Qian, "You go wash up and change your clothes first."
"Sure, since you're back, you talk to him. I'll go brush my teeth and wash my face first." Rong Qian had no objections and got up to go to the bathroom.
Shen Yi gestured to Lin Feng with a glance, asking him to speak outside. Shen Yi closed the door and stood at the staircase, leaning against the wall, asking him, "When did you come?"
"Half an hour ago, but let's not talk about that. What's the deal with the medical expenses?" Lin Feng went straight to the point.
Instead of answering, Shen Yi asked him, "When did Thomas start bothering you?"
"Shen Yi!" Lin Feng was getting angry. "I'm asking you now. Don't change the subject. Forget it, I know you're in financial difficulty. I'll pay you back the money."
"Not necessary." Shen Yi refused him.
Lin Feng took a deep breath and solemnly told him, "Shen Yi, between you and me, we're not even friends. Don't think you've caused me trouble. The trouble I have is my own doing, has nothing to do with you, and you have no obligation to pay for my medical expenses. Got it?"
"What if I said, I considered you a friend?" Shen Yi's tone was calm, without any fluctuations.
A surge of anger rushed to Lin Feng's head. "Are you stupid? Normal people wouldn't even have time to hide when faced with this situation. You, on the other hand, call me a friend when I'm in trouble. Is there something wrong with your brain?"
"Say it again." There was a layer of coldness in Shen Yi's eyes.
Lin Feng was suddenly choked up. The words were on the tip of his tongue, but he couldn't spit them out. Well, he admitted, Shen Yi's words at this moment touched him deeply, proving he hadn't misjudged him.
But being touched was one thing, and being angry was another. Lin Feng admired Shen Yi's courage, but he was also annoyed that Shen Yi didn't consider his own situation.
Shen Yi wasn't the type to act impulsively. Everything he did was carefully considered. Lin Feng observed his character and understood that paying for the medical expenses wasn't about showing off heroism; it was something Shen Yi felt he should do.
Lin Feng couldn't argue with Shen Yi, but he still felt uneasy.
He was indeed broke, but he could contribute. The fact that Shen Yi helped him today would be etched in Lin Feng's memory as an act of loyalty.
After finishing his words, Lin Feng left since there was nothing else to do. Shen Yi still had questions for him and stopped him, saying, "What did she say to you?"
"Who? Oh, you mean your sister? Speaking of which, you're really something. You could have just told me she's your sister directly instead of letting me guess." Lin Feng said impatiently.
Shen Yi frowned, "Sister?"
"Yeah, she said she's your sister. She just came to the US and has nowhere to stay temporarily, so she's staying with you. Any problem with that?"
Shen Yi's face darkened, "She's not my sister. We have no blood relation."
"No blood relation? Oh, I see. A blended family, right?" Lin Feng wore a knowing expression, teasing him with raised eyebrows.
Looking into his eyes, Shen Yi's tone was unusually serious. "Her name is Rong Qian. There's no blood relation between us."
"You have no relation with her, then why is she staying with you?" Lin Feng questioned.
Shen Yi didn't answer. He turned his face away, maintaining his silence.
Suddenly, Lin Feng thought of something. He couldn't believe it, widened his eyes in disbelief, grabbed Shen Yi's shoulder, making him look at him, and exclaimed, "You don't tell me she's, she's that... kind of relationship with you! You're only sixteen, it's impossible between you two!"
Lin Feng found it hard to accept. Although Western society is liberal, it couldn't be so casual, right?
At his age, it was time to focus on studying. If he were to deviate from the right path due to personal desires, what's the difference between that and corruption?
"The main point isn't about age..." Shen Yi lowered his eyelids, concealing the desolation in his eyes.
It had been four years, and Rong Qian hadn't changed at all. Shen Yi knew that Rong Qian could traverse any period in a short time. And one day, he would surpass her age.
Even when he was an old man with gray hair, Rong Qian would still look the same. Time wouldn't leave any traces on her, because she was just a passerby in time and space.
Thinking of this, Shen Yi felt uncomfortable.
But Lin Feng didn't know all this. When he heard Shen Yi's words, what he understood was that age didn't matter!
Lin Feng was anxious. He earnestly advised Shen Yi, "Shen Yi, you've always been calm and rational. I believe you're not the type to succumb to temptation. You need to think carefully about this matter. It's related to your future!"
Shen Yi shook his head and said, "When words don't match, more are wasted."
"You go." Shen Yi indicated that he could leave, but Lin Feng wanted to persuade him, only to be met with a closed door.
Lin Feng thought about knocking, but considering Rong Qian was inside, he refrained from doing so, planning to talk to him privately later!
As soon as Shen Yi entered, he saw Rong Qian standing sideways at the window, with the curtains drawn. She seemed to be observing something through the crack. There was no smile on her face, and her brows were furrowed in solemnity.
It was the first time Shen Yi had seen her expression like this.
She usually appeared carefree and cheerful, seemingly without a care in the world. But at this moment, seeing her serious side, Shen Yi suddenly realized that he might not really understand her...
"What are you looking at?" Shen Yi walked over and asked her.
Rong Qian quickly turned around to block his view, revealing a smile and said to him, "Nothing, just a young couple kissing downstairs. I peeked at it, it's not suitable for children, so you shouldn't look."
Shen Yi coughed lightly. "I'm not interested in those things."
With that, Shen Yi walked away into the kitchen.
As soon as Shen Yi left, the smile on Rong Qian's lips disappeared. She glanced at the window, her expression slightly darkening, before entering the room to change her clothes.
Hearing the sound of the door closing, Shen Yi immediately came out of the kitchen, walked to where Rong Qian had stood just now, and looked down through the gap in the curtains. There was no one downstairs.
Shen Yi withdrew his gaze, looked at the door, and a complex light flashed in his eyes.
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