I Snatched the Overbearing President’s Canary [Transmigration] - Chapter 22

Chapter 22: The Test

Ning Chen’s expression froze instantly. Without a moment’s hesitation, he turned and fixed his gaze unblinkingly on He Shenyu’s face. Seeing He Shenyu’s panicked expression, Ning Chen’s face grew even colder.

This proved that Fu Hengzhan was telling the truth.

After a long, tense standoff, Ning Chen was the first to put his phone into his pocket. He spoke calmly, “Shenyu, are we going back?”

Shenyu, looking torn, nodded. “Let’s go back first.”

He was conflicted, of course. The past “Doctor He’s” exploits weren’t his doing; he could have explained it all quite righteously. But to explain it clearly, he would have to tell Ning Chen they lived in a novel—a gamble so massive he didn’t dare open his mouth.

Shenyu walked forward absently, only to realize the person beside him hadn’t kept up. He glanced back. Ning Chen was still there, but his eyes were fixed on the ground. One hand gripped the Jade Buddha beneath his shirt tightly as he walked with agonizing slowness.

Seeing him like this, He Shenyu felt terrible. He knew exactly what this meant to Ning Chen. He had explicitly said before that he’d never been in a relationship and called Ning Chen his boyfriend. This revelation felt like a blatant betrayal.

He knew that even if Ning Chen only wanted to be a “canary,” a lie was still a lie. A canary’s status might be low, but anyone with a heart would feel hurt by a deception.

The two returned to He Shenyu’s home like living ghosts, mechanically showering and lying down in bed. They hadn’t spoken the entire way. Shenyu finally realized that when Ning Chen was truly angry, no matter how much He Shenyu looked at him or wanted to speak, Ning Chen would pretend not to see him, maintaining a heavy silence.

Before this, He Shenyu had thought Ning Chen’s emotions were so stable that nothing could shake him. Seeing Ning Chen’s cold, sharp expression, He Shenyu felt a mix of melancholy and a strange sense of novelty. A cold-faced Ning Chen looked sharp enough to cut through a street—a beauty with an edge.

Shenyu watched Ning Chen enter the bathroom and scratched his head in frustration. His priority was to see what exactly happened in the past. If he couldn’t find records, he’d have to ask someone in his contact list.

He frantically checked every social media app on his phone. Heaven rewards the diligent; he finally found a private message on an old Weibo account sent by a burner profile. It was a girl complaining that Doctor He’s germaphobia was so severe he wouldn’t even kiss her. She proposed a breakup, and Doctor He had simply replied with “Mhm.”

So you were that kind of Doctor He… how cold…

To confirm, He Shenyu dug up his old roommate’s group chat and asked about his dating history. His roommates were very helpful, piecing together the story: Doctor He had only had two relationships, both short-lived because the girls couldn’t stand his extreme germaphobia. One roommate even joked: You call that dating? You wouldn’t even kiss them when they initiated. That was playing house.

Knowing this, He Shenyu felt slightly better. Although he had confirmed when he arrived that he was in his own body, the reputation was still tied to him. He inherited the money; he had to inherit the persona. It was only fair.

Finally, he knew how to explain things to Ning Chen. He tucked his phone away and rehearsed his lines. When Ning Chen came out of the shower, He Shenyu quickly grabbed him.

“Ning Chen, please don’t be angry. I didn’t lie to you. I really haven’t ‘dated’ much. I had two brief stints, but they didn’t last, and we were dumped before we even kissed. So… I personally didn’t count them…”

Well, I have to phrase it like that to keep it consistent.

Seeing Ning Chen give him a faint look without speaking, He Shenyu pressed on: “You… can’t you feel it? I’m not very good at kissing. It really was my first time with you…”

At this, Ning Chen frowned and looked at him. He seemingly hadn’t expected He Shenyu to use that as evidence. His expression softened slightly.

“Then… Did you always like girls before? Why didn’t you ‘keep’ a girl?” Ning Chen asked.

I don’t just keep anyone! No, if it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t be doing this at all!!! He Shenyu screamed internally, but his face looked aggrieved. “I wouldn’t keep anyone else. Just you…”

“Why, Shenyu?” Ning Chen leaned in closer. “Why did you keep me specifically back then?”

Shenyu met his gaze for three seconds. He couldn’t tell the real reason, so he tugged on Ning Chen’s arm and said, “Because you’re good-looking. When I saw you in the restroom with red eyes, I thought you looked pretty even when you were crying.”

“I didn’t cry,” Ning Chen frowned.

“Fine, you didn’t cry. But your eyes were red, and it was beautiful,” Shenyu mumbled.

Ning Chen sighed, sat on the bed, and didn’t speak further. Shenyu lay down and, throwing caution to the wind, hugged Ning Chen’s waist. “Ning Chen, stop being mad, okay? I was wrong. I shouldn’t have talked nonsense.”

Ning Chen sighed internally, stroked He Shenyu’s hair, and nodded gently. “Mhm.”

…

Shenyu immediately cheered up. Ning Chen looked at him and said, “Sleep, Shenyu. I’m not actually mad at you.”

He really wasn’t “angry” anymore, just finding it difficult to process. But He Shenyu didn’t believe him; Ning Chen had just ignored him for hours, and now he claimed he wasn’t mad? Still, he didn’t push it.

Once the lights were out, the room fell into darkness. Shenyu, feeling like he had successfully coaxed Ning Chen, relaxed and fell asleep. Only Ning Chen remained awake, his mind filled with conflict.

Does He Shenyu really like him? Is it sincere? Why explain so hard to a ‘toy’? It’s as if he’s genuinely afraid of my anger…

This went beyond just liking a face. But if He Shenyu liked girls before, could sexuality be changed so easily by a face? If He Shenyu didn’t even want his body, why was he keeping him? Just to play a “dating game”? Anyone could do that. Was he just “anyone”?

No, He Shenyu had just said: “I wouldn’t keep anyone else. Just you…”

Did he sincerely love him? Only love is that exclusive. But why was He Shenyu never the proactive one? The kiss today was initiated by Ning Chen. Come to think of it, if he hadn’t leaned in, He Shenyu would have just walked away. But afterward, He Shenyu’s face was so red… if it were just a game, would his heart really race like that?

Ning Chen tossed and turned. He had planned not to obsess over this, but today’s trigger made it impossible to stop. Shenyu was a terrible “sugar daddy” by conventional standards. He never demanded sex, but insisted on this “dating game”—buying childhood bears, visiting his hometown, making wishes for him, coaxing him when he was mad…

Ning Chen was a logical science student. When faced with an anomaly, his instinct was to find the truth. He needed a definite answer to stop this daily agonizing. He decided to conduct some “experiments” or tests. Since he had some “indulgence credit” with He Shenyu, even if he messed up, he probably wouldn’t get kicked out.

…

The plan was set, but finals week arrived, leaving him no time for personal issues. One Friday, it rained heavily all day. Ning Chen forgot his umbrella but didn’t want to buy one; he hated wasting money, even if he technically had it now. He decided to study in the classroom until the rain let up.

When he finally left the office after helping a professor with competition problems, it was pitch black and raining even harder. Opening his phone, he saw no message from He Shenyu. The contrast between his suspicion that He Shenyu “liked” him and this silence felt painful.

Maybe it was the rain, but Ning Chen felt irritable and damp. He felt He Shenyu’s treatment of him was like this summer rain—hot then cold, clear then cloudy. He decided this was a good chance for a test.

Ning Chen took his little white bear keychain and his phone, sealed them in a plastic bag, and hid them deep in his backpack. Then, he ran straight into the rain.

By the time he reached the subway, his bangs were dripping. By the time he reached the apartment complex, he was soaked to the bone, looking like a water ghost. He didn’t use his key; he rang the doorbell.

“Coming!” Shenyu opened the door and froze. “What happened to you? Why didn’t you call a car?”

Ning Chen looked at him and said nothing. Shenyu pulled him in, handed him slippers, and took his bag. “Go shower, quick.”

“Mhm.” Ning Chen stared at him, not missing a single micro-expression.

“What is it? Did someone bully you at school?”

“No.” Ning Chen shook his head, water rolling down his face.

Shenyu stared at Ning Chen’s eyes. They looked red, as if he’d been crying, but he wouldn’t say. His gaze drifted down as the water ran over Ning Chen’s black shirt, which now clung to his body, tracing every contour. Shenyu’s mind flashed back to the image of Ning Chen chopping wood shirtless. This was somehow more intense.

“Go wash up. You’ll catch a cold,” He Shenyu urged, looking away.

“Okay.” Ning Chen unbuttoned the top of his shirt.

“Wait! You’re stripping here?”

Ning Chen paused. “No, Shenyu.” He just wanted to confirm something. He pulled the red string and handed the wet Jade Buddha to He Shenyu. “Can you dry this for me? It’s soaked.”

“Oh, okay.” Shenyu took it. When he tried to pull his hand back, Ning Chen didn’t let go. They were so close that water from Ning Chen’s face dripped onto He Shenyu’s hand. Shenyu went rigid.

“Wh-what is it?” Shenyu asked with difficulty.

Ning Chen looked like an ink-wash painting—refined and dangerously handsome. He Shenyu wanted to look but didn’t dare. He felt Ning Chen was testing him. He had sworn not to lead him on, but Ning Chen was just too beautiful.

“Did you work late today, Shenyu?” Ning Chen asked, leaning in.

“Yeah… just got back a few minutes before you.”

“I see…” Ning Chen chuckled.

Shenyu was dazed. He bit his lip, unable to look away. Ning Chen lowered his head to match him. They were so close. The cost of “sinning” was low. Shenyu tilted his chin slightly, and their lips touched.

First reaction: Ning Chen’s lips are so cold. Second reaction: Holy crap!!! I didn’t mean to do that! Who’s controlling my body?!

Shenyu recoiled, looking mortified. “Ning… Ning Chen, go shower!”

Ning Chen nodded, stepped closer, and whispered in his ear: “Okay, Shenyu. I’ll let you kiss me again after I’m clean, otherwise I’ll get you wet too.”

Shenyu’s ears turned beet red. Ning Chen went to the bathroom, leaving He Shenyu alone, clutching the Jade Buddha and smacking his own lips. Where is your integrity? You can’t treat him like this just because he’s letting you!

…

The test in the rain had been inconclusive for Ning Chen. He needed to eliminate more variables.

The following Friday, Ning Chen finished his classes early. Shenyu wasn’t off yet. He remembered He Shenyu asking him to pick him up once, so he sent a message:

Ning Chen: Shenyu, can I come pick you up from work? He Shenyu: Sure! Bring me a milk tea! The shop by your school. [Thumbs up.jpg] Get one for yourself too. [Hug.jpg]

Ning Chen smiled and headed to the milk tea shop. It was crowded. As he waited in the sun, a shadow fell over him. A girl held an umbrella over his head.

“Senior Ning, what a coincidence.”

Ning Chen stepped out from under it politely. “Thanks, but I’m fine.”

The girl was a junior who knew his professor. She asked for his contact info. To avoid a scene, Ning Chen added her, thinking he’d just never message her.

Once he got to the hospital, he found He Shenyu was in a meeting. He waited in the office. A message popped up on his phone from the girl, asking him to watch a movie.

An opportunity for a test.

Ning Chen left his phone on the desk next to the milk tea, screen-on timer set to “always.” When he heard footsteps in the hall, he ducked into the office’s private restroom.

Shenyu entered, saw the milk tea, and smiled. He picked it up and saw Ning Chen’s phone. The screen was lit. He couldn’t help but see a few lines of text.

Is Ning Chen going to get a girlfriend? Shenyu frowned. He wanted Ning Chen to have a normal life, but with the contract in place, it wasn’t fair to the girl.

Ning Chen came out of the restroom. He could tell that Shenyu had seen it.

“Ning Chen…” Shenyu began hesitantly.

“Mhm.” Ning Chen sat down, watching him.

“Do you… want to date someone at school?”

Ning Chen’s brow furrowed immediately.