Chapter 29: Afternoon Nap
Translated by Addis of Exiled Rebels Scanlations
Editor: Karai
Lisianthus didn’t have much scent, but that didn’t stop the air from feeling sweet. Shi Wenze glanced at him and asked, “How long do you want to renew for?”
Lin Su averted his gaze and continued pretending to admire the shop’s sign. “One day.”
“Regular customer, I’ll give you a discount,” Shi Wenze said with a grin, stepping aside to let him in. “Buy one, get one free.”
Lin Su didn’t take the generous offer; instead, he asked, “Where’s Xu You?”
“He’s working the day shift today.” Shi Wenze opened a window, brightening the shop with sunlight.
Lin Su looked around. The place was honestly pretty slapdash—probably on purpose, to make it clear that business was slow but not because of the owner. Across the room was a small freezer stocked with drinks and ice cream, clearly there to draw in foot traffic. Shi Wenze explained, “But hardly anyone buys from it. That’s Xu You’s snack stash—grab whatever you want.”
Lin Su picked a box of rum-flavored ice cream. “Why didn’t you ask me why I’m renewing?”
“Maybe because you liked the trial last time?” Shi Wenze opened the ice cream for him. “Or is your gallery making you do some heavy lifting, and you need an official reason to boss me around?”
Lin Su leaned against the wall, slowly scooping a spoonful of ice cream. “No heavy lifting for you—I just got back from the gallery.”
The warm sunlight streamed through the glass, wrapping him in a gentle warmth that made him sleepy. Shi Wenze tidied the messy couch and then noticed Lin Su’s lack of energy. He reached over and pressed the back of his hand to Lin Su’s forehead. “Not feeling well?”
“No. Didn’t sleep well last night.” Or rather, he hadn’t really slept at all—just dozed fitfully between five and six, plagued by a jumble of strange dreams. Then he’d gone to the gallery in the morning for final checks and payment, busy until now, only just catching his breath.
Shi Wenze took the ice cream from his hand. “Have you eaten?”
Lin Su shook his head. “They ordered takeout, but it was greasy. I don’t have an appetite.”
Shi Wenze glanced at the clock. “I’ll make you some noodles. Eat, then take a nap.”
Lin Su remembered Lin Lu’s words about how his meals would soon be this man’s responsibility. Might as well test it out early. He responded with a nasal “Mm.”
“Make yourself comfortable,” Shi Wenze said with a smile. “I’ll be in the kitchen—won’t take more than ten minutes.”
Not wanting to be alone, Lin Su followed him to the back. The old building was spacious, and the kitchen was large with a narrow courtyard attached. Shi Wenze didn’t ask what kind of noodles he wanted. He grabbed some tomatoes and eggs from the fridge and pulled out a pack of fresh-cut noodles.
Shi Wenze casually wore a loose black T-shirt—cool, except for the bright green little dinosaur printed on the back hem, which made him oddly cute. Lin Su stared at it for a moment before his gaze dropped to Shi Wenze’s legs in shorts. He didn’t think it was inappropriate; after all, since the renewal was official, everything about this moment felt justified—legs were fine, waist was fine, and everything in between was fine too.
Shi Wenze cooked two bowls of tomato and egg noodles and bought some cold dishes from a nearby deli. The big table originally meant for tattoo work served perfectly as a dining table. Lin Su took the spoon from him and sipped the broth first. The gentle warmth soothed his stomach just right. The old air conditioner hummed softly. The closed shop door muffled the outside noise, leaving only faint car horns. It made the room feel even quieter.
Shi Wenze handed him some tender greens from the plate. “Going back to the gallery this afternoon?”
“No, I settled the final payment this morning.” Lin Su said, “The workers went home. I’m taking a few days off.”
“Then after you eat, how about you come and rest in my room for a bit?” Shi Wenze offered. “I’ll be heading to work soon. Xu You won’t be back today either. Get a good nap. If you want anything when you wake up, just text me.”
Lin Su didn’t respond immediately. The tone didn’t sound like someone actively chasing after him.
Shi Wenze added, “Don’t waste your renewal benefits.”
Lin Su considered it, then lowered his head. “If Xu You comes back, that’s fine—I’ll help keep him on track with his legal studies.”
Shi Wenze smiled and nudged the plate closer. “Eat up.”
Appetite was closely tied to mood. Lin Su had felt overwhelmed and nauseous looking at greasy takeout at the gallery, but with Shi Wenze across from him, even if the cooking wasn’t Michelin-star quality, the filter he naturally applied made it taste delicious.
After finishing the small bowl of noodles, Shi Wenze didn’t ask him to help clean up. Instead, he led Lin Su upstairs. There were two bedrooms on the upper floor. Shi Wenze’s was slightly bigger but sparsely furnished—just a closet, chair, small table, and bed. Outside the window hung several pots of trailing flowering plants. Aunt Wang Cuifen had given them, saying her own flowers had overflowed, so she shared some with the young man next door.
Shi Wenze was about to rush off to work and quickly grabbed a clean set of pajamas from the closet. “Feel free to use the bathroom. Remember to close the curtains before you sleep.”
Lin Su took the pajamas, calmly paused for a moment, then said, “Be safe on your way.”
Honestly, the scene really felt married—three years minimum.
Once Shi Wenze left, Lin Su finally took time to properly explore the room. From the window, he saw a nearby kindergarten and a vegetable market. Under the eaves, elderly men sipped tea and played mahjong, happily fanning themselves. It was a perfect snapshot of old city life. The alley had warmth.
Lin Su watered the plants, drew the curtains, and headed to the bathroom for a shower. The gallery was still under renovation and hadn’t been cleaned, and he’d spent the whole morning there, feeling covered in dust. The lukewarm water flowed from head to toe as he squeezed out a generous amount of thick, peach-scented shower gel—cheap and overpowering.
The shampoo smelled very girly, in a pink bottle. This was actually the “Shampoo & Body Wash (Special Price, Random Selection)” Shi Wenze had ordered through delivery, but Lin Su didn’t know that. He just found it baffling and planned to replace everything next time he came.
There was only one towel on the rack, which made sense since no other guest had stayed here before. Lin Su took it down; the soft terry cloth brushed his shoulders and sent a subtle shiver through him. He imagined the towel had once wrapped around the same bare body. His fingertips burned as if scalded, and he quickly hung it back up.
The pajamas were brand new, which gave Lin Su some relief. The two of them had a six-centimeter height difference, which meant the sleeves and pant legs were too long. Lin Su padded across the creaky wooden floor barefoot and buried himself under the light gray quilt.
The pillow still carried a faint peach scent—he couldn’t tell if it was from himself or left by the other person. Lin Su lay on his stomach, lazily watching the sliver of light sneaking through the blackout curtains. His mind emptied. Less than a minute later, heavy sleepiness took over, and his eyelids drooped shut.
Meanwhile, in Kunlun Tower, Xu You yawned constantly and drank coffee like water. He looked at Shi Wenze opposite him, utterly baffled. “How did you stay up late last night and still have this much energy?”
“Good mood.” Shi Wenze tossed him a candy. “I’m going to a pre-exam cram class tonight. Can you stay at the teacher’s place longer? At least earn back the tuition—three hours minimum.”
“What did I do to deserve this?” Xu You groaned. “There’s an operation on Saturday, and now I have to memorize laws too?”
“The Saturday mission doesn’t need your prep.” Shi Wenze ruffled his tail disdainfully. “Put it away.”
“I’m not putting it away.” Xu You leaned back rigidly, half in human form, studying and causing trouble at the same time. “Has the bureau told you what the reconnaissance team is really planning this time? They just said to cooperate. We should at least get some heads-up, right? Hey, what’re you looking at? Let me see too.”
No matter where you go, struggling students are all the same—once they start studying, it’s either they get sleepy or start talking non-stop.
Shi Wenze ignored Xu You’s antics and kept scrolling through recipes on his phone, quietly planning whether he’d need to make a trip to the market later. Truly a practical, handsome guy for home life.
Xu You frowned suspiciously at the sly smile playing on Shi Wenze’s lips, flicking his fish tail irritably on the table. “Hey, hey, you’re acting weird today. What’s got you so happy?”
Shi Wenze replied calmly, “I sold a membership card.”
“A what card? A hair salon card or a gym membership? Is there a commission? When did you get this side gig?”
Shi Wenze finally looked up with a patient smile, “Gym card. Yeah, there’s commission, two and a half cents per card. The target customers are beer-bellied uncles over forty-five. It’s not really a side job for me—I’m just trying it out for you. So if you lose your job and no one watches your mukbang streams, at least you’ll have some part-time income.”
Xu You shut up immediately, “Okay, okay, don’t say another word. I’m getting back to studying right now.”
At Qinghu Garden, Si Longqiu woke up from a nap. There was no daughter or son at home, only a note on the dining table left by Lin Lu. It said there were sandwiches and cold dishes in the fridge, plus chicken soup that had been simmering since yesterday, signed off with a little red pouty heart.
Si Longqiu smiled and put down the note, gently touching the fresh flowers on the table while looking around the bright kitchen. Seeing her two kids managing life so well, she felt comforted—but then she remembered her son’s nearly six-foot-tall boyfriend, and her head started aching again.
Just then, the phone in the living room rang. After she picked up, a hesitant voice came through, “…Is this Miss Lin?”
“This is Xiaolu’s mom,” Si Longqiu replied. “She’s gone to work. May I ask who’s calling?”
“Oh, Mrs. Si,” the caller said with a laugh. “Sorry, I thought I was speaking to Miss Lin. I’m Song Tao, marketing manager at Jiayong Auction House. We met once, three years ago—you probably don’t remember.”
Si Longqiu didn’t recall Song Tao, but her art trading center had done business with Jiayong Auction House before, so she chatted politely and asked what he wanted with Lin Lu.
Song Tao quickly said, “I’m not looking for Miss Lin. I’m trying to reach Mr. Lin Su, but his phone’s off, so I thought I’d try the home number.”
“Xiaosu isn’t home either; he should be at the gallery, finishing some work today,” Si Longqiu said. “What is this about, Mr. Song?”
“We have a private dinner this Saturday and need to confirm the address to send invitations,” Song Tao explained. “If you happen to be in Chengdu, would you like to join us with Mr. Lin? It’s not formal—just a relaxed, private gathering.”
Si Longqiu had nothing pressing and wasn’t in a hurry to return to Yangcheng, so she agreed. Partly to look after her kids for a few days and partly to support her son’s fledgling career.
Song Tao was delighted and, half an hour later, sent three invitations. Yes, three—because he didn’t have Shi Wenze’s contact, so he just bundled it all to Lin Su.
Si Longqiu: I’m done for. I need some ibuprofen!
Meanwhile, Lin Su was still fast asleep, unaware of the bold move by the “fish head” marketing manager.
After Shi Wenze finished work, he saw the shop door still just as he left it. He put the shopping bags back in the kitchen, washed his hands, and quietly went upstairs. Knocking, no answer. He turned the knob slightly. On the king-size bed, Lin Su lay on his side, half-covered by a blanket that had slipped off the bed. Shi Wenze bent down to fix the blanket but accidentally woke the sleeper. Lin Su sat up, startled.
“It’s okay, it’s me,” Shi Wenze said, sitting on the edge of the bed. “Did I wake you?”
Lin Su, his hair a mess and shirt collar loose, stared for a moment before registering where he was.
“What time is it?” His voice was hoarse.
“Six o’clock.” Shi Wenze switched on the bedside lamp.
Lin Su bent his knees and buried his face in his hands, groaning, “I feel dizzy.”
Shi Wenze reached out and gently massaged his temples. “I bought some groceries—should I cook, or do you want to eat out?”
Lin Su said, “No appetite.”
Shi Wenze had heard that line at lunch too.
But Lin Su really did have no appetite—his nap had left him woozy and groggy. He’d planned to take his renewed boyfriend home, but now he was too tired to move, too drained even to talk.
Shi Wenze’s fingers slid down from Lin Su’s temples and softly pinched his cheek. Lin Su looked up.
“Bad mood?” Shi Wenze asked.
“Mm,” Lin Su replied.
“Want to use your renewed boyfriend now?”
Lin Su thought that sounded good. He climbed out of bed, carrying the leftover warmth of the sheets, and buried his face in Shi Wenze’s chest. Shi Wenze pulled him close, kissing the soft, peach-scented hair. “Who bullied you? Tell me, and I’ll go settle it.”
Lin Su murmured, “My mom.”
Shi Wenze fell silent for a moment. Lin Su looked up at him. “Why aren’t you saying anything?”
Shi Wenze carefully chose his words. “What if I send your mom a fruit basket? Would that count as settling the score?”
Lin Su’s shoulders gave the tiniest shake. Shi Wenze thought, Well, if he can still laugh, then it probably wasn’t that serious of a fight. But then Lin Su said, “My mom’s already met you.”
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