My Favorite Ship Became My Sister-in-Law - Chapter 23

Ji Chenchuan replied instantly: “What is wrong?”

Shi Yue was excited: “I almost got caught by my dad.”

Ji Chenchuan: “It proves your luck is very good.”

Shi Yue could not help but laugh. The secret pleasure in his heart grew more intense: “I think so too. Just by a hair.”

Ji Chenchuan: “Mm.”

Ji Chenchuan: “Go to sleep! It is too late.”

Shi Yue replied reluctantly: “Oh, then goodnight.”

Shi Yue placed his phone on the nightstand. His excitement made it difficult to sleep as his mind wandered aimlessly. It felt as though he had only just closed his eyes when his internal clock woke him up.

He had wanted to make an exception for himself and move his morning English essay memorization to the evening. However, the thought of He Lin being home made him dread seeing her displeased face. He forced himself to perk up, got out of bed, and began memorizing vocabulary.

Shi Yue studied until seven o’clock when He Lin also woke up. The location for the trial class was in the opposite direction of Shi Yue’s current tutoring center and much further away; it would take nearly an hour by bicycle.

After breakfast, He Lin drove Shi Yue to the trial class. Without traffic, it took twenty minutes.

On the way, He Lin lectured Shi Yue on the various benefits of obtaining a university recommendation and the bright future that lay ahead of him.

Shi Yue listened silently, nodding in agreement.

He Lin was very satisfied with her son’s obedience.

The trial class ended.

Shi Yue’s summary was that it was just so-so, neither good nor bad.

Neither good nor bad meant there were merits to be found. He Lin’s philosophy was “better to over-prepare than to miss an opportunity,” so the final result was naturally that she signed Shi Yue up for the course.

Shi Yue said nothing. He knew that the so-called trial class was merely a way to familiarize him with the route.

After signing up, He Lin took Shi Yue to several bookstores. They bought piles of supplementary materials for math, physics, chemistry, and English—test papers and exercise books. For each subject, there were several thick stacks; combined, they nearly filled the trunk of the car. They did not return home until five o’clock in the afternoon.

Shi Yue dragged his exhausted body to take a shower and change clothes. As soon as he came out, Shi Jingsong called to him happily, “Come on, we are going to Chenchuan’s house for dinner tonight. Dad brought them some specialties from our hometown.”

Shi Jingsong pointed to a large basket of longans on the living room coffee table.

This time, He Lin and Shi Jingsong had gone to Guangzhou for business, which was Shi Yue’s ancestral home. Longans were exactly in season, and Shi Yue’s grandparents had a whole orchard of them.

Shi Yue was naturally happy to go to Ji Chenchuan’s house for dinner. He could not wait to dry his hair; he picked up the basket of longans and sprinted to Ji Chenchuan’s place first.

He Lin and Shi Jingsong followed behind him with smiles.

“Brother Chenchuan, come and eat some specialties from my hometown!”

Ji Zhiruo opened the door for Shi Yue, but the first thing Shi Yue did upon entering was call out for Ji Chenchuan.

“Am I invisible?” Ji Zhiruo asked huffily.

Shi Yue ignored her. Seeing Ji Chenchuan sitting on the sofa, he carried the longans directly over to him and urged him to eat, saying they were grown by his grandparents and were exceptionally delicious.

Seeing Shi Yue’s enthusiasm, Ji Chenchuan cooperated by picking up a longan from the basket to peel. However, his hand slipped, and the fruit fell to the floor. Ji Chenchuan leaned down to pick it up.

“Oh, do not bother picking it up. Your waist is still injured. I will peel a fresh one for you.”

Before Ji Chenchuan could respond, Shi Yue had set down the basket and nimbly peeled a longan. Just as Ji Chenchuan opened his mouth, Shi Yue fed it to him. Ji Chenchuan’s soft lips brushed against Shi Yue’s fingertips. The warmth of those lips sent a jolt through Shi Yue like an electric shock. A wave of numbness washed over his body, and he hurriedly pulled his hand back.

“Did I bite you?” Ji Chenchuan asked in a low voice.

“No.” Shi Yue shook his head vigorously, thinking it was just a touch on the lips. Why did he have such a strong reaction?

“Then what is wrong?” Ji Chenchuan asked with a smile. There was an unfathomable, teasing look in his eyes that made one wonder if the touch just now had been intentional.

“My, my hand cramped,” Shi Yue said with a forced laugh. He did not see the smile in Ji Chenchuan’s eyes; he only felt incredibly embarrassed.

“A cramp? Let me massage it for you,” Ji Chenchuan said playfully.

“No, no need for a massage.” Shi Yue quickly hid his hand behind his back, his heart feeling even more flustered. “It is already better. Aunt Feng must have finished cooking. I, I will go serve the rice.”

After saying that, Shi Yue dashed toward the dining room. He could not understand why he reacted so intensely every time he touched Ji Chenchuan.

As soon as He Lin arrived, she skillfully began assisting Feng Liuyu. Shi Jingsong also came to help serve the dishes and rice, while Ji Zhiruo sat at the bar sulking at Shi Yue.

However, Shi Yue did not notice at all, which made Ji Zhiruo even angrier. Finally, when Ji Shengqiang returned and Shi Jingsong guessed the reason for her unhappiness, the two fathers managed to coax the “precious daughter” back into a good mood with a large platter of longans.

At the dinner table, Ji Shengqiang and Shi Jingsong would always have a couple of drinks whenever they ate together.

Ji Zhiruo kept her eyes on Shi Yue, who was sitting next to Ji Chenchuan. She deliberately praised the longans, saying she had never picked them before and asked Shi Yue when he could take her to his hometown to experience it.

Shi Yue looked at He Lin. Longans were in season now, but he had endless tutoring sessions and simply had no time to take Ji Zhiruo. If she wanted to go, only He Lin could take her.

He Lin calculated her work schedule in her head. She did not have time this year either, so she promised to take Ji Zhiruo next year.

By next year, I should have time too, Shi Yue thought. He leaned his head closer to Ji Chenchuan and whispered, “I will take you to my hometown to pick longans next year. Will you go, Brother Chenchuan?”

During his recovery at home, Ji Chenchuan had not been idle. Several furniture factories he was inspecting or considering for collaboration were located in Guangzhou. He would be traveling there frequently. If he intended to visit Shi Yue’s home, it would be right on the way. Yet, he looked at Shi Yue with a smile and asked:

“Do you want me to go?”

Shi Yue nodded with immense anticipation.

Ji Chenchuan feigned difficulty and fell into thought.

“Please go! The feeling of picking and eating at the same time is indescribable. You definitely have never had it. Once you peel the shell, the flesh inside is crystal clear and so delicious.” Shi Yue tried his best to describe it vividly to entice Ji Chenchuan.

Seeing that Ji Chenchuan seemed unmoved, Shi Yue worked even harder. He grabbed Ji Chenchuan’s arm and shook it, even resorting to acting cute and spoiled.

Only then did that “big-tailed wolf” Ji Chenchuan finally nod, as if reluctantly.

Fearing Ji Chenchuan would back out, Shi Yue held out his pinky finger, insisting they “pinky swear”; whoever broke the promise would be a puppy.

“How childish,” Ji Chenchuan remarked, but his finger obediently reached out to hook with Shi Yue’s.

Ji Zhiruo stared at Shi Yue, her cheeks puffing out in anger again. When she wanted to go, Shi Yue told He Lin to take her; yet when her brother did not even want to go, Shi Yue practically begged him.

Feng Liuyu suddenly remembered the trip to Hainan. She asked He Lin to let Shi Yue go with them.

Knowing full well that Shi Yue’s schedule was packed; to the point where every day was being used as a year; He Lin did not refuse directly. Instead, she feigned interest and asked when they were going.

Feng Liuyu said they were going next week.

He Lin said that would not work; he had to go to Zhejiang for tutoring.

At the mention of going to Zhejiang for tutoring, Shi Yue lowered his head. He did not want to go to Zhejiang at all. There was no specific reason; he just simply did not want to go. Moreover, he felt that even without going to a far-off place like Zhejiang, his hard work lately gave him the confidence to secure a first-place provincial prize, join the provincial team, and participate in the finals.

The meal continued as usual until ten o’clock. During this time, Shi Jingsong, in particular, tirelessly tried to link Shi Yue and Ji Zhiruo together. Consequently, as soon as they entered their own home, He Lin asked Shi Yue if he was dating Zhiruo.

“No,” Shi Yue replied.

“That is good,” He Lin said. “Remember what I told you, Yue Yue. You can only find a partner standing at the same height as you in university.”

Although He Lin did not say it explicitly, her words carried a clear lack of regard for Ji Zhiruo.

Shi Yue did not like Ji Zhiruo, but He Lin’s two-faced approach made him feel uncomfortable. Just as he was about to speak, Shi Jingsong spoke up before him:

“I do not think there is anything wrong with Zhiruo. She is so pure. And for a partner, the one who fits is best. What does height have to do with it?”

Shi Yue looked at Shi Jingsong in surprise. Perhaps he had not noticed before, but his father’s thoughts aligned with his own.

“Fits? What does ‘fit’ mean?” He Lin grew slightly angry again. She said, “Standing at the same height, having common topics of conversation, and striving toward the same goal; that is what ‘fitting’ means. Zhiruo is indeed a pure child, but unfortunately, she possesses none of those qualities.”

“I just cannot understand you, Shi Jingsong. Do you really want your son’s life to be difficult in the future?” He Lin added.

Seeing He Lin angry, Shi Jingsong sighed, seemingly at a loss for words.

“Mom, please do not be angry. I do not like Ji Zhiruo, and I will not date her. Dad was just stating his viewpoint; he did not intend to upset you, and he certainly does not want my future to be difficult,” Shi Yue advised. Every time his parents had a disagreement, he was the one to mediate.

But did anyone know that he also got tired? He really liked the way Ji Chenchuan’s parents interacted. Ji Shengqiang never raised his voice at Feng Liuyu, and Feng Liuyu never threw tantrums at Ji Shengqiang. His parents, however, were partners in work but opponents in life.

For example, when stir-frying a dish, Shi Jingsong liked to slice the garlic and cook it with the chili. He Lin, on the other hand, liked to crush the garlic and add it just before the dish was finished. They would bicker over this point from the start of cooking until the end of the meal. Later, presumably feeling it was a bad influence on him, they either ordered takeout or ate out. Thus, their kitchen remained as pristine as the day it was renovated; still brand new.

Yes.

Very brand new.

And because it was brand new, it was very cold. He could never find the warmth of a home or a family there.

Since Shi Yue had spoken, He Lin naturally gave him that much respect and even felt a bit of regret. She said, “Yue Yue, Mom is only doing this for your own good. I was not trying to bicker with your father.”

“I know, Mom.” He Lin said this every time, and Shi Yue always gave a similar reply: “I am going to solve some problems now.”

With that, Shi Yue went to his room.

He copy-pasted his routine from yesterday; completing two math papers and the planned number of problems from the Olympiad classics. Checking the time, it was nearly one in the morning again. He lay in bed, thinking about what He Lin had said. The finals were in November, only four months away. Perhaps after the finals, he could finally rest.

While he was thinking, he felt his phone vibrate. Shi Yue lazily grabbed it from the nightstand, thinking it was a payment reminder. When he saw who the message was from, he was so excited he almost bounced out of bed.

It was actually Ji Chenchuan!

Unless there was a reason, Ji Chenchuan almost never took the initiative to contact him; it was always Shi Yue who contacted Ji Chenchuan, including the four years Ji Chenchuan spent studying in Zhejiang.

Shi Yue read the WeChat message Ji Chenchuan sent over and over: “Do you really not want to go to Zhejiang for tutoring?”

Out of everyone at the dinner table tonight, Ji Chenchuan was likely the only one who noticed the expression on his face. Shi Yue replied happily: “Mm.”

Shi Yue sent another: “Brother Chenchuan, are you still awake?”

“I was asleep.”

“Oh.”

“Can you tell me why?”

“No reason. I just simply do not want to go.”

“Have you communicated with Aunt He?”

“No.”

Shi Yue thought for a moment and sent: “Protesting is useless.”

Ji Chenchuan seemed to be thinking about something as well. Shi Yue waited for about half a minute before Ji Chenchuan replied: “I will talk to Aunt He tomorrow. If all else fails, I will go with you.”

Shi Yue nearly fell off the bed in joy. He could not wait to type; it was too slow; so he placed a video call directly. As soon as Ji Chenchuan answered, Shi Yue asked impatiently if he was being serious.

On the screen, the lighting on Ji Chenchuan’s end was dim, clearly coming from a desk lamp. He was leaning against the headboard. In the blurred light, his handsome face seemed covered by a thin veil, adding a touch of mystery and allure.

“I am serious.”

“You are not going to Hainan?”

“I am not.”

Shi Yue’s dark, bright eyes stared intently at Ji Chenchuan through the screen. Hearing that pleasant voice utter every word, for some reason, he remembered that embrace from last night. Right now, he desperately wanted to hold Ji Chenchuan just like last night. So, in a daze, he said:

“Brother Chenchuan, can you hold me one more time like you did last night?”

“No,” Ji Chenchuan answered without hesitation.

“Oh.”

Shi Yue lowered his eyes in disappointment and loss.