Chapter 35

Shen Yuanting didn’t do much; he simply pressed Yan Zhao onto the chair, kissing him until his legs went soft, biting his lips into a bright red, moistened state, like a freshly picked strawberry.

… Sweet and juicy, just like it.

Just when Yan Zhao felt like he was about to become the first person in the world to be kissed into unconsciousness, his thigh suddenly felt heavy. A small furry thing jumped up, stepping on his chest and emitting a vague cat meow.

He forgot there was still a little cat here! Although Wang Zai was already an adult cat, being observed by other creatures during intimate moments was inherently embarrassing.

Yan Zhao was startled, then pushed Shen Yuanting away with force, and finally catching his breath.

He wiped away the traces from the corner of his mouth with the back of his hand, and the thin mist in his eyes gradually dispersed.

Damn, Shen Yuanting looked cold, but in reality, he was just an animal. His tongue was almost numb from being sucked by him.

Shen Yuanting pinched Wang Zai’s nape and lifted it up.

The Holstein cat curled its limbs, holding a fish plush with a torn tail in its mouth, looking at him with innocent eyes.

Shen Yuanting: “You sure know how to pick the timing.”

Wang Zai meowed, and the plush toy fell to the ground.

Interrupted halfway through the kiss, Yan Zhao couldn’t possibly invite Shen Yuanting to continue, especially considering the earlier impulsive behavior was a result of his heated mind.

There couldn’t be a second time! He was very reserved!

Yan Zhao coughed and said, “Let’s eat.”

Lunch consisted of boiled fish with vibrant red chili oil sprinkled on top, and bursting with freshness.

Yan Zhao was not picky. When he encountered fish outside, he rarely took a bite. However, this fish had been carefully deboned and sliced, so he didn’t have to worry about getting stuck by the bones.

The fish meat was delicate and smooth, melting in the mouth. As Yan Zhao was about to take another bite, Shen Yuanting asked, “Do you have plans for the afternoon?”

Yan Zhao scooped the snowy-white, plump rice into his bowl, and replied, “No, my schedule has been relatively light recently.”

Since Song Jing suggested only accepting high-quality scripts, he had entered a state of blissful leisure. Of course, when things got busy, he wished he had three heads and six arms. Being extremely busy or extremely idle is the daily routine of contemporary celebrities.

Shen Yuanting fell silent for a moment, as if contemplating what to say next. He waited for Yan Zhao to sit back down, then raised his head and said, “Let’s go to the hospital this afternoon.”

Yan Zhao looked at him in confusion, “Why do we need to go there?”

Shen Yuanting replied, “I want to take you… to meet my grandmother.”

Yan Zhao exclaimed softly, “Oh.”

Shen Yuanting’s parents were not qualified as good parents, and the fact that Shen Yuanting did not turn out crooked—at least not on the surface—was thanks to his grandmother.

Shen Grandma, in her old age and poor health, didn’t reside in the grand mansion but rather spent her days in the hospital.

Regardless of how busy he was, Shen Yuanting dedicated time every week to visit her. Regardless of the duration, the fact that he persisted in doing so for several years was enough to show the place his grandmother held in his heart.

While Yan Zhao was surprised, a certain part of his heart softened.

Perhaps this was the true meeting of parents?

Setting down his chopsticks, Shen Yuanting added, “But ‘you’ have already met my grandmother before.”

Yan Zhao asked, “We have met?”

Shen Yuanting explained, “The previous Yan Zhao has met her.”

Yan Zhao replied, “Oh.” So he was the second person to meet Shen’s family.

Seeing Yan Zhao’s slightly awkward expression, Shen Yuanting explained, “My grandmother and the old Mr. Yan from the Yan family also knew each other. When we were kids, our families used to visit each other, but after the Yan family moved, the connection faded.”

Yan Zhao didn’t know there was such a history, and said sourly, “So you and him were childhood sweethearts.”

In anime, this is the classic CP^[1]CP = Couple Pairing configuration that makes everyone cry.

Shen Yuanting: “No, we just met a few times before as strangers.”

“I don’t believe it.” Yan Zhao looked at him with a sideways glance, knowing that his small emotional outburst was baseless, but he just wanted to. After all, one should be pampered by their boyfriend.

Shen Yuanting chuckled, “Are you waiting for me to coax you?”

Yan Zhao let out a proud “Mmm” from his nostrils.

Shen Yuanting’s tone softened, “You are one of a kind.”

Yan Zhao finally felt at ease.

**

Shen Grandma’s hospital ward was in the best private hospital in the area, which also had investments from the Shen family. Therefore, It felt like she was living in her own estate.

The nurse informed them that Grandma was sunbathing in the garden.

As they entered the garden, a tranquil grove of trees lay before them, with warm sunlight streaming onto the grass and the air filled with the earthy scent of trees and soil.

The old lady sat in a wheelchair, her silver-white hair reflecting a metallic sheen.

Wrinkles adorned her face, yet her eyes were clear and sharp, aged but not lacking vigor.

The old lady spotted them from afar, raised her hand to signal them, and called out Shen Yuanting’s nickname, “Ting Ting.”

To be honest, the nickname doesn’t quite suit Shen Yuanting, who is a straightforward man.

Yan Zhao chuckled and glanced at him. Shen Yuanting said, “Zhao Zhao.”

Yan Zhao shrugged, “Call me whatever, I’m used to it.”

But it would take some time to get used to “Ting Ting.”

Interestingly, whenever he typed “Shen Yuanting” on his phone, it would pop up “Shen Yuanting… Yuanting Tingting” seemed quite fitting.

Miss Tingting.

Yan Zhao burst into laughter, quickly interrupting his own train of thought, and approached Shen Grandma with the gentle, pleasing smile that parents liked the most.

Shen Grandma exclaimed joyfully, “Zhao Zhao, it’s been a while! Let me see, have you lost weight?”

Yan Zhao let Grandma assess him, saying, “No, I’ve actually gained some weight.”

Grandma replied, “A little extra weight is good. If you’re too skinny, a gust of wind might blow you away.”

Shen Yuanting instructed the caregiver to take a break while he pushed the wheelchair himself. Yan Zhao received a phone call and moved aside to answer it.

The sunlight was just right, and several birds perched on branches, preening their white feathers.

As Shen Grandma and Shen Yuanting conversed, she suddenly asked, “How’s that cat you’re raising doing?”

Shen Yuanting replied, “It’s gotten too fat. I’ve been trying to get it to lose weight lately.”

The old lady smiled, “It’s been so long. When you first picked it up, it was just the size of my palm. Now, considering the cat’s age, it might be older than me.”

Shen Yuanting looked into the distance, “You both seem to be in good spirits.”

The old lady nodded, “Indeed. The doctor from the recent check-up said my physical condition has improved.”

Shen Yuanting smiled, listening as she continued, “But I’m not oblivious to the fact that I’m approaching the end. Someday, I’ll go meet your grandfather.”

Shen Yuanting maintained a smile, but the amusement in his eyes faded a lot, “Please don’t say that.”

The old lady remarked, “Life, aging, illness, and death may be significant for an individual, but in the grand scheme of nature, it’s just a cycle. I’m not weak enough to fear death, just concerned about my solitary grandson.”

The fingers pushing the wheelchair tightened, and the joints turned pale.

She added, “Back when your father pressured you into marriage, I supported it. No matter how strong someone is, there are times when they need the comfort of others. At the time, I thought, among the younger generation I knew, the child from the Yan family seemed decent. I casually mentioned it, and before I knew it, you and he were married.”

Shen Yuanting remained silent.

“I even got deceived by you back then, thinking that over the years, you two had kept in touch.” The old lady turned her head, looking at him accusingly. The once slender boy had grown up, no longer the age where he could hide his feelings.

Shen Yuanting, rarely uneasy, said, “We are doing well now.”

“Do I even need you to say it? From the way you looked at him, I knew you liked him,” the old lady gazed at the sky. “As long as you have someone to accompany you, I am at ease.”

After Yan Zhao and Song Jing finished talking, Yan Zhao ran back to Shen Yuanting. The old lady was reminiscing about Shen Yuanting’s childhood.

The old lady said, “Xiao Sheng said he would give him him ten rabbits, but Ting Ting said no. He only wanted his own. Later, they checked the surveillance, and the cafeteria uncle took the rabbits. Ting Ting cried because that day the cafeteria served cold rabbit meat.”

Yan Zhao, “…..” Your pet on my dining table, what a tragic story.

The old lady continued, “Oh, there was another time when Ting Ting…”

Grandma chattered away, revealing all the details of Shen Yuanting’s childhood, whether black or white, and even Yan Zhao knew about Shen Juju’s overweight when he was born.

If you want Shen Yuanting to talk about it himself, it would probably take some effort.

Yan Zhao teased, “I can’t believe you were a chubby boy twenty years ago.”

The old lady chuckled, “Yes, Ting Ting was plump and round like a little pig back then, and Wang Zai followed suit.”

Shen Yuanting: “???” It’s my grandmother.

The old lady was thirsty and wanted to go back to the ward to rest. Yan Zhao and Shen Yuanting escorted her back.

Opening the door to the elegant and spacious VIP ward, they found a man already standing inside.

The man slicked back his hair, immaculately styled, and was placing flowers on the bedside table.

The old lady said, “What day is it today that both father and son came to see me?”

Shen Zhuo turned around and frowned in disgust when he saw Yan Zhao.

Yan Zhao also disliked him. The last time they argued with this person, it lowered his dignity.

Shen Zhuo walked over, seemingly wanting to take over the wheelchair, but the old lady said, “Forget it, we’re already in the room, there’s no need for a relay race.”

Shen Zuo said, “Mom, why are you mad at me?”

The old lady was surprised, “Why would I be mad at someone I see only a few times a year?”

Shen Zuo said, “There’s too much going on at the company, and I can’t keep up. Haven’t I often brought you gifts?”

Yan Zhao listened in silence. Shen Yuanting is just as busy but still comes to visit her every week. Moreover, with Shen Zhuo’s status, how could he be so busy that he can’t find time several times a year? He even saw Shen Zhongkai posting on WeChat Moments a while ago, saying the whole family went to Italy. In other words, it’s just an excuse.

Shen Yuanting said, “Grandma, then Zhao Zhao and I will go back first.”

The old lady, knowing that the father and son don’t get along, didn’t insist, “Alright, be careful on the way, come and accompany me another day.”

After Yan Zhao and Shen Yuanting left, Shen Zhuo sat down by the bedside, “Bringing that little troublemaker here, Yuanting must be out of his mind.”

The old lady was not pleased, “I think it’s fine. There is no need for your interference.”

Shen Zhuo said, “Mom, you don’t understand Yan Zhao. He’s not easy to get along with.”

The old lady said, “Tang Jingyan is not a virtuous wife and good mother. You let her become the third party and even drove away my Weiwei.”

The old lady didn’t like Tang Jingyan, finding her petty, but she also didn’t like meddling in the affairs of the younger generation. So when Shen Zhuo wanted to marry Tang Jingyan, she reluctantly accepted it. What she regretted was that she quite liked her original daughter-in-law, but unfortunately, Yu Wei left for over ten years and only occasionally sends her a letter.

As for Shen Zhuo, his feelings toward Yu Wei were still unresolved. Whenever this woman is mentioned, he always responds with silence or anger. But today his reaction is somewhat unusual.

Shen Zuo took out a cigarette, thinking the timing wasn’t right, and then put the cigarette back.

He said, “Yu Wei… is coming back to the country.”