The Ultimate Glow-Up Guide for Straight Men - Chapter 12

After spending two days in Lin Family Village, Shen Zhinan and Gu Yunshen bid farewell to Lin Xunchuan’s family on Sunday evening.

School was about to start in a few days, and they would meet again on campus.

Before they left, Grandpa Lin stuffed them with many local specialties and invited them to visit again whenever they had time.

Lin Rui looked at them with reluctant, teary eyes, waving his little hand as he said, “Goodbye, Brother Zhinan, Brother Yunshen.”

Shen Zhinan hooked his pinky with Lin Rui’s, promising to come play with him when he had the chance.

Only then did Lin Rui smile and say, “Okay.”

Both of them had tanned a little, as they had helped Grandpa Lin with some farm work over the past two days.

Shen Zhinan was skilled and efficient, while Gu Yunshen fumbled awkwardly, even struggling more than five-year-old Lin Rui. Gu couldn’t help but feel embarrassed.

Still, despite his lack of productivity, Young Master Gu had put in considerable effort and endured quite a bit of hardship even developing a rash on his neck.

Gu Yunshen thought to himself that, as an alpha, he couldn’t complain when Shen Zhinan, an omega, hadn’t uttered a word of exhaustion, and even Lin Rui had persevered without a fuss.

It wasn’t until they finished harvesting the rice and were heading back that Shen Zhinan noticed the rash covering Gu Yunshen’s neck.

Shen Zhinan remarked, “Too proud to admit weakness, yet suffering the consequences.”

Gu Yunshen stayed silent, but Shen Zhinan noticed his ears turning red.

Shen Zhinan realized that although Gu Yunshen usually appeared cold and aloof the epitome of a campus heartthrob once you got to know him, he wasn’t like that at all.

In fact, he was even more prone to shyness than the average person.

On the way back, Gu Yunshen couldn’t help but say, “You seem to excel at everything you do.”

He realized how little he truly knew about Shen Zhinan, still partly influenced by past impressions.

First impressions were always hard to shake.

“Practice makes perfect,” Shen Zhinan replied. “I used to help my grandpa with farm work when I was little.”

He added with an appreciative look, “But for a young master like you, who’s never had to lift a finger, you did pretty well. You’ve got grit.”

Gu Yunshen fell silent again, turning his head slightly as if feeling a bit bashful.

Out of the corner of his eye, he watched Shen Zhinan, sensing that this omega was very different from the person he remembered.

As they passed the rapeseed field, Shen Zhinan stared at it for a long time, lost in thought, his expression distant.

A gentle breeze brushed against his cheeks, tousling his hair. Shen Zhinan’s eyelashes fluttered lightly, and Gu Yunshen saw his lips move silently, as if whispering something.

Gu Yunshen watched carefully, mimicking the shape of Shen Zhinan’s mouth. He was saying

I swear.

The day before school started, Fu Yanshi called Shen Zhinan. It had been a while since they last saw each other.

Fu Yanshi had been quite busy lately. Right after wrapping up discussions for a co-hosted competition, he had traveled to the neighboring Yun City for an event.

The moment he landed in Shangjing, he called Shen Zhinan.

Shen Zhinan had just finished packing when he received the call. He had returned to campus a day early to move his belongings from a hotel room back to his school dorm.

His roommates hadn’t arrived yet, so he was alone in the dorm.

“Come over to my place tonight,” Fu Yanshi said bluntly.

Shen Zhinan, tired from packing, sighed and replied, “Let’s skip it for today.”

Hearing the weariness in his voice, Fu Yanshi asked, “What’s wrong?”

Shen Zhinan slumped on his small dormitory bed and casually said, “I’m back at school. Just finished unpacking I’m exhausted.”

“I’ll come pick you up.”

“Today…”

“I’m taking you out for dinner,” Fu Yanshi interrupted Shen Zhinan mid-sentence. “We should occasionally do things that are socially acceptable.”

Shen Zhinan thought about it. After a tiring afternoon, he was a bit hungry. “Alright then.”

Fu Yanshi drove a Bentley. He rarely drove himself, so Shen Zhinan asked him to wait on a street near the campus.

Fu Yanshi felt like he was some secret lover sneaking around with someone else’s wife.

When Shen Zhinan got into the car, he was still acting furtive, glancing around to make sure no one was watching before slipping into the passenger seat.

“What, am I some kind of disgrace?” Fu Yanshi couldn’t help but laugh at Shen Zhinan’s behavior.

“In life,” Shen Zhinan buckled his seatbelt, “one must be low-key.” Then he grinned at Fu Yanshi, “Let’s go already!”

Fu Yanshi shot him a glance. “Very well, young master. Please sit properly.”

Eventually, the two arrived at the entrance of a commercial building. Shen Zhinan asked, “Is this your company?” He hugged himself suspiciously. “You’re not planning some kind of office play, are you?”

Fu Yanshi flicked Shen Zhinan’s forehead. “What on earth goes through your mind all day?”

Shen Zhinan clutched his head with an “Ow!” and complained, “That hurt!”

“Let’s go, young master.” Fu Yanshi walked to the passenger side and opened the door for Shen Zhinan with gentlemanly grace.

Shen Zhinan was led by Fu Yanshi to the rooftop of the building, where a helicopter was parked.

Shen Zhinan already knew Fu Yanshi was wealthy. Some things didn’t need to be said outright Fu Yanshi’s sprawling penthouse, his daily luxuries, his inherently aristocratic looks and demeanor made it obvious.

But he never expected Fu Yanshi to own a private helicopter.

Damn bourgeoisie.

“Weren’t we going to eat?” Shen Zhinan was confused. “Why the helicopter? Are we heading to the Western Heaven for scriptures instead of dinner?”

“You’ll find out when we get there.” Fu Yanshi tugged Shen Zhinan’s arm. “Let’s go, I’m not going to sell you.”

The helicopter roared to life. Fu Yanshi helped Shen Zhinan put on noise-canceling headphones. “Afraid of heights?”

“Why would I be afraid of heights?”

Actually, Shen Zhinan was a little scared of heights, but he was too embarrassed to admit it. His stubborn pride kicked in, making him feel it would be shameful to confess.

“Good.” Fu Yanshi nodded and then handed Shen Zhinan a pair of sunglasses. The standard-sized shades covered almost half of Shen Zhinan’s face.

“Your face is so small.” Fu Yanshi casually pinched Shen Zhinan’s cheek. The omega’s skin was smooth and pleasant to touch.

“Because my family was poor when I was young we could only afford an S-sized face.” Shen Zhinan started spouting nonsense again.

Fu Yanshi pinched Shen Zhinan’s lips together, reminded of the fake names like Wang Xiaoming, Li Hua, and Zhang Wei this guy used, and couldn’t resist saying, “You and your nonstop chattering.”

Shen Zhinan glanced out the window. The helicopter’s window was like a viewfinder, sweeping past rows of city skyscrapers, climbing higher and farther from the ground.

So high!

Shen Zhinan’s legs trembled slightly.

He instinctively leaned closer to Fu Yanshi and noticed him seemingly handling work. He marveled at how busy Fu Yanshi always was.

He accidentally caught a glimpse of Fu Yanshi’s replies to others all concise and to the point.

Phrases like “Adjust ASAP,” “Get it sorted,” and “No later than 7 PM.”

The helicopter began its descent after roughly an hour of flight, arriving at a place entirely unfamiliar to Shen Zhinan.

“Where is this?” Shen Zhinan asked.

Fu Yanshi, half-supporting him as they disembarked, replied, “Yun City.”

Shen Zhinan was unfamiliar with most cities in this world and had made a point of memorizing the map. Yun City was located right next to Shangjing, so it wasn’t particularly far.

“All this trouble just for a meal?” Shen Zhinan found it somewhat absurd. “What kind of food could possibly be worth such extravagance from President Fu?”

“The taste is decent,” Fu Yanshi recalled the flavors of the dishes he had tried during a recent business trip. “But the main appeal is the unique format. It’s the only one of its kind in the entire alliance.”

Fu Yanshi was well-traveled and experienced, so for something to leave such a lasting impression on him was rare.

Shen Zhinan couldn’t help but feel curious.

When they arrived at the location, all Shen Zhinan saw was an empty plot of land.

He glanced at Fu Yanshi and asked, “Is the signature dish here air mixed with concrete?”

Fu Yanshi lifted Shen Zhinan’s chin and pointed toward a rectangular glass structure suspended about fifty meters in the air. “There, that one.”

Shen Zhinan: “!”

His legs suddenly went weak.

“Let’s go, we’re heading up,” Fu Yanshi said, pulling Shen Zhinan by the arm. Noticing the other man’s pale face, he asked, “Are you scared?”

Scared?

Who did he think he was looking down on!

A real man would never be afraid of something like this!

Shen Zhinan walked with firm, resolute steps, his tone casual and unaffected. “What’s there to be afraid of? Let’s go.”

The so-called restaurant was a dining table fixed to a metal frame, with seats equipped with safety belts, all hoisted into the air by a giant crane.

The moment Shen Zhinan actually sat down in his seat and looked down, his heart began to race. He couldn’t help but imagine what would happen if the frame suddenly became unstable and snapped he’d be joining his grandfather in the afterlife.

His grandfather would probably whack him with his cane and scold, “You brat, how did you end up here so young!”

Shen Zhinan felt as though an invisible force was trying to “suck” him downward.

His legs began to tremble, and cold sweat broke out on his back.

But for the sake of his pride, he maintained a calm expression.

“This restaurant.” Shen Zhinan said, “is certainly creative.”

“The food is pretty good too,” Fu Yanshi added. “You’ll see when you try it later.”

When the food arrived, Shen Zhinan attempted to cut the steak in front of him, but his hands were shaking so much that the knife slipped halfway through and clattered onto the table.

Fu Yanshi glanced at him, then placed his own pre-cut steak in front of Shen Zhinan. “You’re so clumsy.”

Shen Zhinan looked at Fu Yanshi, unbothered, and said, “Don’t you think the wind up here is a bit strong? It wouldn’t be good to catch a cold later.”

“It’s not too bad,” Fu Yanshi replied, taking off his suit jacket and draping it over Shen Zhinan’s shoulders. “The sunset view from here is quite beautiful. Let’s stay a bit longer.”

Shen Zhinan:

Sunset or not, he was mainly worried about falling.

Sigh.

His legs trembling uncontrollably, Shen Zhinan lowered his head and took a bite of the steak, enduring the discomfort.

It was a matter of male dignity.

When the people around them gasped in awe, Shen Zhinan looked up and saw the horizon ignited by the setting sun, the clouds gilded with gold, and further away, shades of purple and pink.

It was so beautiful it almost took his breath away.

The sun sank at a speed visible to the naked eye. Just as darkness fully enveloped the sky, a golden light pierced through the gloom with a sharp whistle, exploding abruptly and illuminating the heavens.

The entire sky turned resplendent.

It was a dazzling, magnificent firework.

Countless drones suddenly appeared, shifting from scattered, chaotic specks into four distinct, large characters.

At the same time, Shen Zhinan heard Fu Yanshi’s voice, tinged with a light laugh, beside his ear:

“Happy birthday.”