A Bath Request

Chu Nian was momentarily frozen in place.

The voice from the speakers faded, and after a few seconds of silence, a rhythmic, kitschy, “tacky-chic” guitar intro began to blare.

“Listen to me, beauties who love me, Brother already has a wife at home. Your love hurts her and it hurts me, I advise you not to live that mistress life like a passing cloud…”

“Brother has a wife, so please don’t love me. I can’t give you happiness or any promises. Brother has a wife, a promise has been made. My whole life, I only love my wife…”

The deep male vocals and the upbeat, jaunty rhythm forcibly tunneled into the ears of all three people present.

Lu Jinnian’s eyes widened in sheer disbelief.

This car had previously been borrowed by He Xing. Since Lu Jinnian’s injury, it had been sitting in the garage. Last time they spoke, He Xing had learned that Lu Jinnian’s father was forcing him to marry the daughter of the Sang family. He Xing had suggested adding some songs to the car to play for the Sang girl, using them to signal that his heart already belonged to someone else.

Lu Jinnian had thought it was a sound strategy and told He Xing to use his creative freedom.

He just never expected He Xing to download this kind of song!!

Lu Jinnian’s face went pale. He looked at Chu Nian in a panic. Chu Nian’s expression was complex, his face visibly darkening. Lu Jinnian quickly signaled Zhou Ze to kill the music, cleared his throat, and said with feigned composure: “…The rhythm is strong, the lyrics are direct. It demonstrates the singer’s fidelity and expresses his devotion to his wife. In my opinion, it is a masterpiece.”

“Zhou Ze, this will be our company’s anthem. I want to hear it playing in the office tomorrow.”

Chu Nian: “?”

Zhou Ze’s eye twitched: “President Lu, are you sure about that?”

Lu Jinnian scoffed: “When have I ever joked?”

Chu Nian turned his head, staring intensely at Lu Jinnian, before glancing at the man’s tight, nervous jawline.

Perhaps sensing Chu Nian’s gaze, Lu Jinnian didn’t dare look back. He stared straight ahead, a thin layer of cold sweat breaking out on his forehead. The car was dead silent; Lu Jinnian could almost hear the thumping of his own heart. It was only after a long while, when Chu Nian finally looked away, that he breathed a secret sigh of relief.

What he didn’t see, however, was Chu Nian’s lips curling into a faint smile. His gloomy mood had actually lightened significantly because of this little episode.

His reflection appeared in the glass window. Chu Nian caught the smile he was unconsciously wearing and froze for a moment. He quickly raised a hand to his lips, suppressing the grin.

“Lu Jinnian,” he called out suddenly.

Lu Jinnian’s whole body gave a jolt.

“Why exactly were you there today?”

The question made Lu Jinnian freeze.

Chu Nian looked at him again. His gaze swept over the man’s handsome profile. Lu Jinnian remained staring straight ahead, the ink-black night making his dark eyes seem even darker, making it impossible to read his expression.

He waited a moment, but when the man beside him kept his lips pressed shut, Chu Nian decided not to press further. Massaging his aching temples, he found a comfortable position and closed his eyes to sleep. Unexpectedly, Lu Jinnian moved. His movement was exceptionally gentle—so subtle that one wouldn’t notice it without paying close attention.

He stopped just a few centimeters away from Chu Nian, and then there was no movement for a long time.

Chu Nian was puzzled by the behavior, feeling a sense of strangeness. He leaned against the car window, the night wind howling in his ears as the AC draft lightly brushed the black hair away from his forehead.

A few minutes later, Chu Nian realized Lu Jinnian was leaning toward him. The distance closed until his suit fabric brushed against Chu Nian’s arm. The necklace hanging from Lu Jinnian’s neck dangled down, pressing against Chu Nian’s warm skin. The cold sensation made Chu Nian instinctively frown.

As if possessed, he actually caught the scent of Lu Jinnian. It was faint, swirling past his nose. He couldn’t quite describe it; it was like a cedar tree under heavy winter snow, mixed with snowmelt warmed by the sun—cold, yet deep and steady.

Just as Chu Nian was about to open his eyes to see what Lu Jinnian was up to, his head was carefully cradled.

Chu Nian’s heart jumped.

Lu Jinnian’s palm gently held the side of his head. Cool fingertips accidentally brushed against his earlobe, and a few strands of soft hair slipped through his fingers.

Chu Nian followed the motion. Lu Jinnian guided him to rest his head on his shoulder. The body heat was much more comfortable than the cold window frame, and Chu Nian’s furrowed brow relaxed slightly.

His suspicions deepened. But if he opened his eyes now, wouldn’t it make things awkward for Lu Jinnian?

While he was debating this, a sudden click sounded, and a sharp flash of light flickered past.

Leaning against Lu Jinnian’s shoulder, Chu Nian could hear his inner thoughts even more clearly.

[Three years of “dating,” and Wife finally leans on my shoulder for the first time. Yes!]

Chu Nian: …

Lu Jinnian seemed to be in high spirits. After sending the photo to He Xing, the other quickly replied: 【Yes your *ss!】

Lu Jinnian felt those three words were a clear expression of envy and jealousy. He put his phone down and started humming—beginning with a tuneless mumble before gradually evolving into the melody of Brother Has a Wife.

Chu Nian ground his teeth. He shifted purposefully, and Lu Jinnian immediately went quiet. But before long, the man started humming again.

Only this time, he wasn’t humming with his mouth; he was humming in his head—

[Brother has a wife who loves me so much, whether they’re pretty or not is Brother’s choice…]

Chu Nian reached his limit. He took a breath.

“You’re noisy.”

The humming stopped instantly.

Hearing Chu Nian’s voice, Lu Jinnian instinctively covered his mouth. Then he realized… he hadn’t actually made a sound.

“I didn’t say—” Lu Jinnian looked down, catching sight of Chu Nian’s long lashes trembling with his breath. The man’s pale cheeks were tinged with a faint pink.

He was leaning against him so obediently, looking as if he were fast asleep.

Lu Jinnian immediately swallowed the words at the tip of his tongue. His Adam’s apple bobbed. He didn’t notice that his own breathing had become much lighter, or that he had raised a hand to his chest, fearing his pounding heart would wake Chu Nian.

“President Lu…” Zhou Ze spoke up inopportunely from the front.

“Shut up.”

Lu Jinnian shut him down instantly.

“President Lu, I just wanted to ask…”

“Zhou Ze,” Lu Jinnian called out, suddenly finding an excuse. “Why are you driving so fast?”

“?”

“The wind outside is disturbing my sleep.”

“?”

***************************************

When Chu Nian woke up, he was already lying in his familiar bed. He opened his eyes groggily and propped himself up. The late-onset hangover made his head feel like it was about to explode. He massaged his temples irritably and got out of bed with messy hair.

He instinctively looked down and realized he was wearing pajamas. He had returned too late last night and couldn’t remember what happened.

Who changed my clothes? Lu Jinnian?

Lost memories began to flood back. Certain details flashed through his mind as if magnified. Chu Nian remembered the scene in the car, and for some reason, he felt as if he could still smell that pleasant scent of Lu Jinnian.

He paused at the door, his body feeling feverishly hot. He unconsciously touched his cheek, as if Lu Jinnian’s warmth still lingered there.

The phone on the table rang unexpectedly, snapping Chu Nian out of his confused, ambiguous thoughts. He walked over and picked it up, seeing the caller was Xu Chi.

“Hello—”

“Chu Nian!” Xu Chi’s voice sounded annoyed. “Where have you been! Why aren’t you answering your phone!”

Chu Nian finally noticed the dozen missed calls. He apologized to Xu Chi, explaining: “There was a company gathering last night, I accidentally drank too much.”

As he recounted the night to Xu Chi, he picked up his mug and walked out. On the way downstairs, he ran into the housekeeper, Auntie Yang. She was carrying a large pile of items that blocked her view.

Chu Nian set his mug down and walked over: “Auntie Yang, let me take that.”

Auntie Yang tilted her head. Seeing it was Chu Nian, she beamed: “It’s fine, it’s fine. Mr. Chu, you drank last night, didn’t you? I’ve made some hangover soup in the kitchen; remember to drink it.”

Chu Nian agreed, and despite her protests, he reached out to help her.

Auntie Yang appeared to be in her late forties or fifties. According to her, she had been a housekeeper here for nearly twenty years and had watched Lu Jinnian grow up. After Lu Jinnian took over Lansheng, he didn’t come home often; it was only when Chu Nian moved in that she had someone to keep her company.

Originally, Auntie Yang didn’t live here. Lu Jinnian lived two cities away from his parents and brother, but because he didn’t want to be with his relatives, he insisted on moving out alone. Auntie Yang said that at the time, Lu Jinnian was still young and didn’t know anything about living on his own. She couldn’t bear to see him suffer, so she insisted on following him.

Chu Nian always felt Auntie Yang treated him well, almost like a second son. He liked her and was naturally close to her.

“Mr. Chu, there’s something for you in here. It arrived a few days ago,” Auntie Yang said, pointing to a delivery box on top of the pile.

Chu Nian thanked her and took the box. He looked down; the shipping label still had an anonymous address. The sender’s name consisted of four characters: Aeogen.

Chu Nian had known this “Aeogen” for several years. Well, “known” wasn’t the right word—he didn’t even know if the person was male or female. This person simply sent him gifts around his birthday every year.

At first, Chu Nian found it strange. He refused the deliveries, but the person was persistent. Left with no choice, he opened one cautiously, only to find a normal gift. Tucked under the gift was a note with beautiful handwriting: Happy Birthday, Chu Nian.

Chu Nian’s scalp had gone numb; his first reaction was that he was being stalked. He had called the police, but the person’s information was hidden too well, and even the purchase records were clean.

So, he had come up empty-handed. Over the years, this “Aeogen” had done nothing except send birthday gifts, and Chu Nian eventually stopped worrying about it.

He turned to head back to his room. Just then, Lu Jinnian emerged from the room next door. Their gazes met in mid-air. Chu Nian looked into Lu Jinnian’s eyes; the dark pupils held a flicker of a different emotion, but it vanished in an instant.

It was as if the events of last night were just a branch in a story; once they woke up, their relationship had returned to square one.

Chu Nian didn’t plan on speaking. He acted as if he hadn’t seen Lu Jinnian and started to step into his room. But before he could fully enter, Lu Jinnian propped a hand against the doorframe, dragging his injured leg out.

A low, masculine voice drifted over.

“Chu Nian.”

“Come help me take a bath.”