After Falling for the Handsome CEO - Chapter 14

Chapter 14: Lend Me Your Bathroom for a Shower

Shen Jin wasn’t close with Bai Yujin, so as soon as the sports car reached the entrance of the East End, he asked to be let out. He intended to walk the rest of the way; it wasn’t far, and he felt he had already imposed enough.

“Aren’t we not there yet?” Bai Yujin looked at him, confused. “Where is your house exactly? Isn’t it around here?”

As he spoke, he peered out the window. He didn’t see anything that looked like a proper residence; the entire area was dilapidated, pitch-black, and looked incredibly eerie.

“It’s just ahead. I don’t want to trouble you further. It’s late; you should head back early.” Shen Jin offered a small smile and opened the car door to step out.

To his surprise, Bai Yujin suddenly became unreasonable. He locked the doors, preventing Shen Jin from leaving, his eyebrows arched high. “What kind of skewed logic is that? I said I’d drive you home, and we aren’t at your door yet, so it doesn’t count.”

Shen Jin: “…”

He truly couldn’t fathom why the young master of the Bai family was being so enthusiastic. Not knowing how to refuse, he could only let the man drive him all the way to his dilapidated rented apartment.

Shen Jin didn’t look at Bai Yujin’s expression. He felt he could already imagine what it was, so he stepped out of the car and said politely, “I live here. Thank you for driving me back tonight; it was a lot of hard work.”

Out of basic courtesy, Shen Jin didn’t mind inviting him in for a moment, but thinking of the man’s high status and the state of his own crumbling room, he remained silent.

Bai Yujin didn’t register his words. He stepped out of the car in a daze, staring at the apartment building with a look of utter disbelief. He even stumbled over his own feet, nearly falling.

The ground was uneven. He accidentally stepped into a pothole and pitched forward. Shen Jin lunged to catch him. “Careful!”

Caught off guard, Bai Yujin instinctively grabbed Shen Jin, and the two staggered together for a few steps. By the time they regained their balance, Bai Yujin was pressing Shen Jin against the car, his arm partially wrapped around the youth’s waist.

Bai Yujin froze. A faint, almost imperceptible fragrance drifted from the boy. He hurriedly released Shen Jin and averted his eyes sheepishly. “Do they refuse to even pave a proper cement road around here?”

“The place is old. No one wants to waste money on it,” Shen Jin answered honestly. He wanted to head inside, but with Bai Yujin standing there, he felt he couldn’t just walk away.

“Oh…” Bai Yujin grunted. His gaze drifted back to Shen Jin. Because of the brief struggle, the youth’s collar had been pulled open, revealing a patch of snow-white skin.

Bai Yujin looked away again and rubbed his nose. Without looking at the boy’s face, he mumbled, “I’m going back.”

He dove back into his car and sped off into the night. Shen Jin stood there, not even having time to say a final goodbye, before turning to unlock his door.

The old apartment was warm enough, but with only him living there now, it felt lonely. Having no one to talk to made him think of Yan Yu again…

Little did he know, Yan Yu was currently not far from the entrance, sitting in his car with a dark, unreadable expression.

Yan Yu watched the direction Bai Yujin had disappeared, then looked at Shen Jin’s shabby apartment. He couldn’t understand the relationship between the two. They looked so intimate, yet why hadn’t Shen Jin invited him to stay the night?

Was he playing hard to get?

An inexplicable surge of anger rose in his chest, a feeling he couldn’t quite explain.

BOOM—

Suddenly, a deafening crack of thunder shook the sky. Lightning flashed before his eyes, momentarily illuminating the dark night. Immediately, a torrential downpour began, the rain hitting the roof like a string of broken pearls.

Looking out from the car, the world had become a blur. Puddles quickly formed in the uneven craters of the road.

Yan Yu couldn’t help but mutter a string of curses. He felt he must have been out of his mind to come here and suffer like this. What a mess!

Inside, Shen Jin finished bringing in the laundry from the balcony, drew the curtains, and began unbuttoning his shirt. He was exhausted and planned to sleep; he had to look for new work tomorrow.

Knock, knock, knock!

Just as he was about to lie down, a sudden pounding on the old iron door startled him. He sat up quickly, wondering who on earth would be knocking this late.

Wary, he tiptoed to the door and peeked through the peephole. When he saw Yan Yu standing there, drenched and dripping with water, his breath hitched. He scrambled to open the door. “You-you-you! How! Why?!”

He stammered so hard he nearly bit his tongue. He wasn’t sure if it was excitement or shock, but he was utterly stunned by this man’s sudden appearance.

Yan Yu, of course, wasn’t going to tell him why he was there. His expression was complex. He wiped the rain from his face and said in a heavy voice, “Let me in to take cover from the rain first.”

Shen Jin snapped back to reality and nodded frantically. “Oh! Oh! Yes! Come in!”

Outside, the sky was as black as ink, filled with lightning and thunder. The weather was terrifyingly violent. He grabbed Yan Yu’s hand, pulled him inside, and slammed the door shut, feeling completely lightheaded.

Yan Yu wiped his face again, even more confused about his own actions. He scanned the cramped, shabby apartment, then looked at Shen Jin, who was standing there in his pajamas, staring at him blankly.

Yan Yu shook his head, trying to clear the messy thoughts. He took a breath and said, “Lend me your bathroom for a shower first.”

He couldn’t stand being soaked to the bone; it was incredibly uncomfortable.

“Oh! Yes, alright.” Shen Jin didn’t know what to make of the situation, but seeing how disheveled the man looked, he led him to the bathroom. “The… the place is a bit small…”

The “bathroom” was more than just small. There wasn’t even a proper water heater, and the fixtures were ancient. The bathtub was clean, but it had clearly seen many years of use.

Yan Yu remembered Shen Jin had a sister. Did they share this space? Did they use the same things?

He glanced at Shen Jin. The boy realized what he was thinking and waved his hands hurriedly. “No, no! This is… I use this one. My sister lives next door and has her own bathroom. They’re separate…”

Yan Yu felt a wave of relief. Watching the boy’s frantic explanation, he found him unexpectedly cute. He couldn’t help but reach out and pinch Shen Jin’s fair cheek. “I see.”

Shen Jin was dazed by the sudden pinch. His ears turned hot and his heart rate spiked. He could only retreat two steps and stammer, “Then… take your time.”