After Falling for the Handsome CEO - Chapter 21

Chapter 21: Just a Fling

Shen Jin stared at his phone after the call was rejected. The anxiety that had been fluttering in his chest earlier now felt like a massive boulder sinking deep into his gut, pressing down until he could barely breathe.

Why did you hang up? If you’re too busy and can’t make it, you could just tell me…

Shen Jin bit his lip, his heart filled with a sharp bitterness. He didn’t know what expression to make; the smile he forced was more painful than crying, and his face was deathly pale.

“You could have just told me you weren’t coming…” Shen Jin looked down, his hands rubbing the breakfast box. The longer he held it, the colder it felt. A bitter smile touched his lips. “I wouldn’t have clung to you or bothered you while you were busy…”

But when you suddenly say nothing and refuse to answer the phone, I get scared…

Shen Jin let out a long, shaky breath and rubbed his face, trying to calm himself. He couldn’t go out looking miserable—what if Yan Yu showed up and saw him like this?

Yan Yu had said his smile was beautiful and that he liked it.

Thinking of this, Shen Jin smiled again. Memories of Yan Yu always seemed to provide him with energy. He slowly stood up from his chair and glanced out the window.

Right then, he heard footsteps coming from the corridor ahead, accompanied by voices.

Shen Jin’s eyes lit up instantly with an irrepressible joy. The gloom in his heart vanished in a heartbeat because he recognized Yan Yu’s voice!

As expected, A-Yu was just too busy to answer the phone earlier, but now he’s here.

Shen Jin couldn’t wait. He hurriedly touched his face to make sure he didn’t look unkempt and smoothed his hair. Once he was sure his clothes and hair were neat, he stepped out quickly.

Overflowing with joy, he followed the sound and peeked around the corner of the corridor. He called out happily, “A—”

The single syllable left his lips, and his smile froze.

He watched blankly as Yan Yu, carrying bags in one hand, used the other to support a handsome young man. They were walking away from him, step by step, down a different path.

The beautiful youth leaning on him wore a sweet smile, looking exactly like a lover in the heat of a new romance. He leaned his head against Yan Yu’s shoulder and teased softly, “Look at you, being so attentive. I told you I’m fine.”

Despite his words, Xie Li’s heart was soaring. His pulse was racing with an indescribable sweetness; he felt secure and satisfied.

Particularly, the way Yan Yu looked at him made him feel that this man—a man who was the center of everyone’s attention—actually belonged to him, holding him in the palm of his hand.

At the thought, he couldn’t help but lean a bit closer to Yan Yu’s chest, though he kept his expression casual and smiling.

“You have to remember your health isn’t great. Be more careful,” Yan Yu said, looking at him with eyes full of infinite tenderness and indulgence. His voice carried a faint warmth. “You’ve been frail since you were a child. Now that you’re staying with me, I can take proper care of you.”

In the past, Xie Li would have simply laughed and joked it off to avoid sensitive topics. But now, he narrowed his eyes and gave a half-smile. “Is it just taking care of me?”

A-Yu, will you do anything else? Because if you do…

I don’t think I’ll refuse you…

As this thought surfaced, Xie Li’s ears began to burn. He awkwardly shifted his gaze away and rubbed his nose.

To Yan Yu, this reaction was beyond adorable. It was as if a string had been plucked in his heart, leaving a tingling sensation. The more unattainable Xie Li had been, the more it fueled Yan Yu’s desire to conquer him.

Consequently, the hand resting on Xie Li’s waist moved almost uncontrollably, stroking him slightly. Yan Yu lowered his head to brush against Xie Li’s hair and chuckled huskily, “Ali, you know how I feel about you…”

Xie Li’s face turned red. The place where Yan Yu touched him felt like it had been hit by an electric current, leaving him so weak he nearly slumped into Yan Yu’s arms. To maintain his image, however, he held himself upright.

He reached out and pushed Yan Yu away with feigned difficulty. “A-Yu, stop playing around. We’re still in the hospital…”

“What’s wrong with being in the hospital?” Yan Yu wasn’t about to back down. Since when did President Yan fear anyone? He pulled Xie Li back into his side and gave his forehead a playful flick. “I like you, and I’m not afraid of people knowing it.”

“You talk a big game,” Xie Li narrowed his eyes, gently pushing Yan Yu away again as they walked slowly. He spoke with a casual, smiling tone, “But I’ve heard there are plenty of boys around you, A-Yu, and that your relationships are quite… intimate.”

Yan Yu paused. There was really no point in hiding such things; after all, he was a man nearly thirty years old. He had desires, and having a bit of fun was nothing unusual. But hearing it from the mouth of the person he had loved for years gave it an entirely different weight.

Thus, he decisively pulled Xie Li close by the waist and pinched his cheek, explaining with a laugh, “Ali, don’t listen to rumors. I was just playing around, I never took them seriously… You can’t listen to that nonsense! It was just a fling. How could any of them compare to you?”

Finishing his sentence, he leaned in quickly and kissed Xie Li’s ear, causing Xie Li to flush crimson and push him away. “Don’t—don’t be a hooligan!”

Yan Yu laughed loudly. “It was an accident!”

Xie Li touched his ear, which was still tingling from the kiss, and retorted, “Liar!”

Yan Yu kept laughing, feeling as though they were flirting like a true couple.

Suddenly, for some reason, Shen Jin’s face flashed through Yan Yu’s mind.

His smile flickered for a brief second and his mood turned complex, but he quickly shook his head, refusing to let himself overthink.

Right now, the priority was making Ali happy.