I Snatched the Overbearing President’s Canary [Transmigration] - Chapter 38

Chapter 38: Inferiority

Ning Chen’s face darkened instantly.

Shenyu replied into the phone, “I’m almost there, about five minutes. Can you wait for me there?”

“Sure,” the woman laughed lightly. “No worries, I’m in no rush. Drive safely.”

“Alright, hang up now,” He Shenyu said.

“OK, OK.” Without waiting for him to hang up, she ended the call herself.

The light turned green. Shenyu didn’t have time to observe Ning Chen’s expression as he started the car again. It wasn’t until they arrived at the airport that he realized Ning Chen hadn’t spoken for a long time.

“Ning Chen,” He Shenyu reached out and patted Ning Chen’s head. “Overthinking again? What did I just tell you?”

Ning Chen forced a smile. “Mm, I’m not.”

Like hell he wasn’t…

Ning Chen sat in the passenger seat, unmoving. “You go get her. I don’t want to go; I’ll wait for you here.”

“Alright.” Shenyu didn’t push him, opening the door and stepping out.

Ning Chen watched him leave in silence, then rolled down the window. The airport was vast, and there was no one around. The wind blew in, lifting his bangs. He leaned against the window frame, staring into the void, lost in thought.

Not long after, He Shenyu appeared at the junction with a woman. She wore brown leather boots, a long black dress, and a black overcoat with specially designed toggle buttons. Ning Chen recognized it immediately—it was the same brand He Shenyu wore.

Truthfully, if it weren’t for He Shenyu, Ning Chen would never have known this brand existed. But they had chosen the same one with such tacit understanding, making Ning Chen acutely aware that they belonged to the same world. Such a coincidence… yet, they looked so right together.

The long corridor seemed to become their stage. They walked side-by-side, turning to talk to each other occasionally, the scene resembling an evening idol drama. A reunion after a long separation—the background music should be playing right about now.

Ning Chen didn’t listen to music much, but a song he’d heard once flashed through his mind: “In love, even the smartest person becomes a fool.” The next line was: “Only a fool keeps lying to himself.”

He hadn’t expected to remember a song he’d heard by chance so clearly. He really shouldn’t lie to himself anymore. Ning Chen stared at the scene with near-masochistic intensity, not looking away for a second. His heart, however, felt so sour it was ready to burst.

He had to admit it: he liked He Shenyu. He couldn’t lie to himself anymore. Otherwise, he couldn’t explain this surge of fury and resentment. A strange woman who had done nothing, yet he hated her for no reason. He hated her for walking beside He Shenyu; he hated that they looked like a real couple.

After all, what was he? A person who couldn’t even be mentioned openly to He Shenyu’s parents. To put it bluntly, he was just a plaything.

And her? She was He Shenyu’s childhood friend, the person his parents specifically asked him to pick up. It wasn’t hard for Ning Chen to guess the parents’ intentions—they were already pressuring him to marry, and this was a blatant opportunity.

A stinging sensation rose in his nose. Ning Chen fought for control so he wouldn’t cry. The moment he admitted he liked He Shenyu, the first thing that flooded him was a sense of inferiority.

He had met He Shenyu by selling his dignity. Their starting point was so sordid; what face did he have left? He and He Shenyu were never from the same world. Everything He Shenyu gave him could be taken back at any moment. Including, of course, “liking” him.

It was such an unequal relationship, yet he was trying to turn it into love. It was almost laughable. He couldn’t think of a single reason why he and He Shenyu could be together. Even the “liking” He Shenyu felt for him was so shallow; the things holding their relationship together were far too few. So few that it made Ning Chen’s heart ache just thinking about it.

The sugar baby contract felt like a dead line between them, and even that depended entirely on He Shenyu’s mood. If He Shenyu became unhappy one day, he could dump him at any time—the contract stated that clearly.

Ning Chen suddenly felt a sense of urgency. He didn’t know what the point of his deliberate self-control over the past few days was anymore…

“Ning Chen, this is Zhong Ai,” He Shenyu finally brought the woman to the car. “Zhong Ai, this is Ning Chen. He’s my…”

He looked at Ning Chen. Ning Chen looked back up at him. Although Ning Chen’s face was expressionless, He Shenyu suddenly felt as if Ning Chen was about to burst into tears from grievance. He looked at He Shenyu with those moist, dark eyes, his gaze following He Shenyu’s body like a puppy staring piteously at its master.

Shenyu momentarily forgot what he was going to say.

Zhong Ai spoke up, confused: “He’s your what?”

Shenyu turned back to her and answered, “He’s my boyfriend.”

“Oh, hello!” Zhong Ai was surprised for a split second, then laughed. “Not bad, Shenyu! Where did you find such a handsome, fresh-faced young man to be your boyfriend? I always said you were deep in the closet. What straight guy dates a girl and doesn’t even kiss her once? This is the proof.”

Ning Chen remained stunned, silent. Shenyu gently patted his head, signaling him not to be so impolite. But Ning Chen didn’t get the hint; he just stared at him.

Having no choice, He Shenyu opened the back door for Zhong Ai. “Get in first. I’ll go put the luggage in the trunk. By the way, aren’t you abroad? How do you still know my gossip?”

“Thanks.” Zhong Ai sat in the car and rolled down the window. “You forgot? Guan Heng is abroad too. He told me.”

“He’s everywhere…” Shenyu sighed. But considering Guan Heng was currently suffering from a broken heart, he decided not to blame him.

Shenyu got into the driver’s seat. Ning Chen turned back as well, still silent.

Zhong Ai chuckled. “Hey Shenyu, did you make your little boyfriend angry?”

“I don’t think so?” Shenyu leaned closer to Ning Chen and asked softly, “What’s wrong, Ning Chen?”

“Nothing.” Ning Chen shook his head, clutching his backpack and fiddling with the white bear’s face.

Zhong Ai leaned forward with a grin. “Where did you trick this innocent college student from? Introduce one to me too?”

Shenyu had realized Zhong Ai’s personality by now—she was a “social terrorist,” cheerful to an almost unreal degree. Well, that’s how one becomes a General Manager, he suppose; her professional skills must be top-tier.

“Go camp out at the University City yourself,” He Shenyu retorted. He was still confused. Ning Chen was fine when they arrived; what happened? Did something happen at his home again? But Ning Chen said it was nothing. He sighed, entered the hotel address into the GPS, and started the car.

Zhong Ai didn’t mind his impatient tone. “Are you afraid to tell Uncle He and the others? You could at least tell them you’re dating. Do you know, when I came here, I didn’t plan on bothering you? But Uncle and Aunt insisted I meet you. I couldn’t turn them down, so I agreed.”

Ning Chen’s fingers tightened, squeezing the white bear into a ball.

Shenyu focused on the road. “They’re too annoying. I told them I don’t plan on marrying for now, but they insist on meddling. Next time, you can just refuse. It’s fine, or text me if you can’t.”

“I didn’t know the situation before. It’s fine, I’m a very direct person. Next time I’ll just tell them no,” Zhong Ai laughed. “So, when do you plan on telling them the truth?”

She glanced at Ning Chen. Based on her stereotypes, she thought Ning Chen was an innocent student and feared He Shenyu wouldn’t take responsibility for him, so she asked on his behalf.

Sure enough, Ning Chen grew tense, his fingers going still.

Shenyu didn’t overthink it and replied, “Wait until Ning Chen graduates college…”

But by then, the contract will be over… Ning Chen turned his head away, saying nothing.

Zhong Ai seemed to sense the atmosphere was off and didn’t dare speak further.

…

After dropping Zhong Ai at the hotel, Ning Chen remained silent the whole way back. Even as dense as He Shenyu was, he could tell something was wrong. He reached out, pulled Ning Chen over, and sat him down on the sofa.

“Ning Chen, what happened? Can’t you tell me?”

“Nothing happened,” Ning Chen said.

Truly, nothing had happened externally. But his heart—his heart was out of control. It seemed that from the moment he admitted he liked He Shenyu, it was all over. All his rules had shattered; it was as if he were living a new life.

Combined with the provocation of Zhong Ai, Ning Chen felt he was no longer “normal.” On one hand, he felt inferior, knowing clearly there was no future for them—He Shenyu wasn’t even that serious. On the other hand, he was manic; the desire in his heart was eroding his reason, telling him that since there was no hope, he might as well gamble everything.

Since he didn’t expect forever, he might as well show his true self. He would use this ambiguous relationship to have a profound “love affair” with He Shenyu. Ning Chen’s mind was a mess, but eventually, obsession won out.

Especially when Zhong Ai mentioned the parents wanted them to meet, he felt he couldn’t take it another second. He wouldn’t allow it. He had no right to forbid it, but didn’t He Shenyu “like” him right now?

He should throw away his reservations and use the methods a “canary” ought to use to seduce He Shenyu. At the very least, he had to make sure He Shenyu didn’t look at anyone else and only looked at him until their contract ended.

Ning Chen imagined them maintaining the status quo until the end—ending peacefully and plainly. Would he regret it? Definitely. He wanted to love He Shenyu, he wanted to be intimate with him, he wanted He Shenyu to remember him. He wanted to give He Shenyu a love so deep that even if they weren’t together later, He Shenyu would think of him, never forget him, until death.

“Is it really nothing?”

His poor “Gold Master” didn’t know the crazed thoughts in his head and was still kindly worrying about his emotions.

Ning Chen suddenly smiled. This… wasn’t so bad either. Shenyu was a soft-hearted person; seducing him seemed like a very simple task.

Ning Chen stopped controlling his emotions. His eyes grew red as he looked at He Shenyu. “Shenyu, I’m just… feeling insecure.”

Shenyu was stunned, momentarily at a loss. “What’s wrong? Didn’t I promise you? I won’t end the contract early, and I won’t get married. I didn’t even know what my parents were doing, and I won’t agree to it. Don’t worry.”

“Really?” Ning Chen blinked, a tear falling. “Will it always be just me? Shenyu, you’ll always only have me, right?”