The Interrupted Proof

Chu Nian was pulled abruptly into Lin Yan’s embrace. He widened his eyes and looked back, staring in shock at the side of the man’s face.

“Boy…” Liang Sheng paused. He looked at Chu Nian again, gritting his teeth. “Don’t lie to me. I know you haven’t dated anyone at all!”

Lin Yan narrowed his eyes. His palm pressed against Chu Nian’s arm, rubbing it twice gently. Sensing the person in his arms go stiff, the corners of his lips curled up imperceptibly. His gaze toward Liang Sheng turned even colder. “How can you be so sure I haven’t?”

“Do I have to report to you… regardless of who I date?” He frowned with visible impatience. “Liang Sheng, you think far too highly of yourself.”

“But… you clearly said we would be together forever.” A single clear tear escaped the corner of Liang Sheng’s eye. His hands were clenched into fists at his sides. Chu Nian watched his hands tremble; his nails were likely digging into his palms.

Lin Yan took a breath. He hadn’t expected this man to be so persistent. He caught a glimpse of the top of Chu Nian’s head with his peripheral vision; a faint, clean scent from the other person drifted toward his nose.

Chu Nian was more submissive than he had imagined. Seeing no resistance, Lin Yan couldn’t help but lean in closer.

“I admit I said some unrealistic things back then,” he said. “But wake up. We are impossible now. The only person I love now is him.”

Hearing Lin Yan’s cold, detached tone, Liang Sheng’s eyes reddened with anger. His lips trembled as he cried out in a breakdown: “I don’t believe it! Lin Yan, you’re just angry that I fell for someone else back then, right? I apologize… after being with them, I realized that I’ve actually always loved you…”

“You don’t believe me?” Lin Yan tilted his head and let out a disdainful snort. “Do you think… you’re better than him, or…”

He paused intentionally for a second.

“Do you want me to prove it to you?”

As soon as the words left his mouth, Lin Yan suddenly grabbed Chu Nian’s shoulders and turned him toward himself. Before Chu Nian could react, he saw Lin Yan closing his eyes and leaning in. But in that same instant, Chu Nian felt someone grab his other arm and yank him backward with force—

A man had appeared out of nowhere. He pulled Chu Nian behind him and stepped in front of Lin Yan in one fluid motion. His movement was so fast it was hard to track. Lin Yan, eyes closed and unaware, felt his lips press against a piece of rock-hard muscle. He frowned, sensing something was wrong.

Chu Nian looked up. He could tell from the back alone that it was Lu Jinnian. He seemed to have run here; the hair on top of his head was sticking up.

Liang Sheng had turned and run away the moment Lin Yan leaned in.

Now, only the three of them remained. The atmosphere grew increasingly awkward.

Lu Jinnian held Chu Nian’s arm with one hand while the other was shoved in his pocket. He lowered his head silently, staring at the man who was currently kissing his chest.

Chu Nian’s lips moved: “Lu…”

[Tsk…]

[I’ve been defiled.]

Chu Nian looked at his rigid back and swallowed the words he was about to say.

Lu Jinnian let out a cold laugh, his prominent Adam’s apple bobbing. When he spoke, the breathiness made his chest vibrate: “I didn’t realize you had such a strange fetish.”

As the deep voice rang out, Lin Yan snapped his eyes open. He looked up at the man who had appeared in the blink of an eye. He didn’t recover for a moment, but the man before him had a taut face and pursed lips; sparks seemed to be crackling in his ink-dark eyes.

Lin Yan pushed Lu Jinnian away with both hands and wiped his mouth hard with the back of his hand until a red ring remained around his lips. He asked angrily: “What are you doing here?!”

Lin Yan was furious, his usual gentle expression gone. He glared at Lu Jinnian and irritably ruffled his own hair.

[Damn it…]

[I was just a second away from kissing him.]

Chu Nian turned his head, looking at Lin Yan in shock.

Lin Yan didn’t notice Chu Nian’s expression. Lu Jinnian casually patted his chest twice and spat out two words: “Passing by.”

Passing by again. President Lu was truly “passing by” the entire world.

“And then… I caught two people engaging in an office romance.”

His hand moved to grip Chu Nian’s wrist. His calloused fingertips pressed against Chu Nian’s skin, slowly transmitting heat. Lu Jinnian continued: “Our company forbids office romances.”

? Since when?

Chu Nian tilted his head in confusion. “How come I didn’t know about this rule?”

Lu Jinnian glanced at him and answered with a straight face: “I just added it.”

Then, his gaze returned to Lin Yan. Seeing the younger man looking livid, Lu Jinnian felt a strange sense of satisfaction.

[The little green tea still wants to steal my wife.]

[Hah!]

“Is that so? President Lu is quite dedicated,” Lin Yan said, his voice strained as he forced down his swirling emotions. He caught sight of Lu Jinnian’s hand on Chu Nian, and his gaze darkened.

He pulled himself together. He was afraid of scaring Chu Nian.

“Lu Jinnian,” Chu Nian tugged at Lu Jinnian’s hem. “You’ve misunderstood. I’m not dating Lin Yan.”

Lu Jinnian raised an eyebrow. “Oh? But I clearly heard something about a ‘boyfriend’.”

Chu Nian rubbed his temples helplessly. Just how much did this man hear?

Seeing Chu Nian defending him, the tension in Lin Yan’s brow relaxed slightly. His cold voice rang out: “Brother was just doing me a favor.”

“What kind of favor requires pretending to be a boyfriend?” Lu Jinnian asked, knowing the answer full well.

“Why? Brother and I have known each other since we were kids. He’d help me with anything,” Lin Yan suddenly became defensive. “Besides… Brother Chu Nian has always been good to me. He protected me when we were little, so of course we can pretend to have a more ‘intimate’ relationship.”

He pointedly emphasized the word “intimate.”

“That man just now was my ex. He’s been pestering me lately. Brother Chu Nian didn’t want to see me bullied, so he helped me out.” His light brown eyes flickered as he added meaningfully, “Surely President Lu isn’t so bored that he has to manage private affairs too?”

At this, Lu Jinnian’s composure faltered. He looked at Chu Nian, then back at Lin Yan.

What? Lin Yan and Chu Nian have known each other since they were kids? There’s actually something Lu Jinnian didn’t know?!

He ground his back teeth at Lin Yan’s triumphant expression.

[He really is a top-tier green tea…]

Lu Jinnian’s gaze shifted to Chu Nian. His eyes were burning, nearly scorching Chu Nian. Then, the corners of his mouth turned down.

[Wife… why are you protecting him?]

[Do… do you really like this type?]

Chu Nian: ?

What do you mean “this type”…?

With Lu Jinnian’s wild imagination, where had he spiraled to now?

The bizarre atmosphere circulated between them. Chu Nian stood to the side, unsure how to speak. He had only said one thing, yet Lin Yan had embellished it into multiple versions, and Lu Jinnian seemingly believed them—his face was incredibly grim.

For now, Lin Yan had the upper hand in this silent war. Lu Jinnian couldn’t find a reason to argue back but refused to admit defeat, so the situation remained at a standstill.

Chu Nian sighed secretly and stepped up. The three of them stood in the middle of the street; the rate at which passersby turned their heads was comparable to seeing a mascot.

He pulled himself from Lu Jinnian’s grip. The man was holding him so tightly his skin felt a faint ache. Chu Nian stood between them: “Alright, the matter is settled. Let’s all go our separate—guu!”

Before Chu Nian could finish, his stomach spoke for him. He looked down at his flat belly, silently cursing it for being so uncooperative.

Then again, he couldn’t blame himself. He hadn’t eaten much today—just half a cup of coffee earlier—and after standing here for so long, it was only natural to be hungry.

Lu Jinnian’s attention shifted from Lin Yan to the lean man before him. Chu Nian’s ears were slightly flushed from embarrassment. Because Chu Nian was facing away from him, Lu Jinnian could see the fair skin of the back of his neck beneath his dark hair.

The irritation in his heart vanished instantly. He quietly reached out to tug the back of Chu Nian’s shirt and said lazily: “Go back later. My treat.”

Chu Nian looked back blankly. “Huh…?”

Lu Jinnian let go of him and started walking forward on his own. “I won’t say it twice.”

Chu Nian gave an “Oh.” Since he lived with Lu Jinnian anyway, it didn’t matter when he went back. But…

He looked at Lin Yan. Lin Yan met his gaze.

“Brother,” he called out. “I’m coming too.”

Lu Jinnian stopped in his tracks. He turned around, looking extremely displeased. “I invited Chu Nian, not you.”

Lin Yan hugged Chu Nian’s arm. “I don’t need you to pay for me.” He then tilted his head and said softly to Chu Nian, “Brother, I’ll just sit right next to you.”

Lu Jinnian stared at him unblinkingly. Their gazes met again, forming an invisible electric current that crackled violently in the air.

Chu Nian laughed awkwardly. “Let’s go together, all of us.” He was nearly stunned by the current and was forced to play the role of a peacemaker.

[Brother Chu Nian obviously loves me the most. How could you ever compete?] Lin Yan smirked.

[Why is this little green tea so annoying! I need to find a way to make Shen Que fire him!] Lu Jinnian’s face was dark.

The hostility between them was bizarrely intense. Both were like peacocks with their tails fanned out, hovering around Chu Nian and chirping, competing for his attention.

Honestly? It was so childish.

Lu Jinnian intentionally slowed down to walk beside Chu Nian. Chu Nian was sandwiched between the two men. As they leaned in closer and closer, they nearly carried him off the ground!

Chu Nian had to speed up to escape from between them.

A moment later, he felt someone tap his shoulder twice. He looked back; it was Lin Yan. The other gave him a harmless-looking smile. “Brother, I’m sorry.”

“Hmm?” Chu Nian frowned in confusion.

“Just now… I didn’t actually want to kiss you.” A thin layer of pink brushed over his cheeks, barely noticeable if not for the streetlights.

[Not true, I really wanted to kiss you.]

The voice in Lin Yan’s heart seemed to be the exact opposite of what his mouth was saying.

“If I hadn’t done that, Liang Sheng wouldn’t have believed it.”

[I just wanted to kiss you.]

“But it’s fine. It worked. He shouldn’t bother me again for a while.”

[If it wasn’t for Lu Jinnian, I might have actually kissed…]

Lin Yan’s inner voice grew smaller and smaller until it vanished.

Chu Nian froze. He felt a pair of warm hands.

They were covering his ears.