Lin Wangye’s eyes lit up. “What did he say?”
“He said he’s never played with any of that stuff before.”
Lin Shen took a deep breath and tilted his head back to stare at the ceiling, continuing his story.
“I was honestly shocked. I mean, those things were my whole childhood. Back when we weren’t as well-off as we are now, we lived in a packed housing compound. My parents were always working, no time for me, so I spent all day running around outside. I knew everything about the latest trading cards from cartoons, battle mechs—whatever was popular back then. I was basically the boss among all the neighborhood kids. So I couldn’t wrap my head around how someone could be so sheltered. I felt kinda bad for him, so I taught him how to buy cards, get marbles, and when we played, I’d team up with him and show him the ropes.”
He paused for a moment before going on.
“He was smart—picked it all up really fast. For a long while, we hung out all the time, at school and outside. Back then, he was just like any other kid. He’d run around, laugh, and even started talking more.”
Hearing that, Lin Wangye frowned, confused.
“Then why doesn’t Brother Lu talk much now?”
Lin Shen didn’t answer the question right away. Instead, he asked, “Do you know why he changed schools in third grade?”
“No. Why?”
“Lu Chengxuan never went to kindergarten. He had private tutors at home. Before starting elementary school, he hadn’t interacted with kids his age at all. When he was finally sent to a fancy private school, it didn’t take long for the teachers to notice some signs—stuff kind of like autism,” Lin Shen said.
Lin Wangye was stunned. “What?”
Lin Shen kept going. “The teachers had a meeting with his parents and said his early development environment wasn’t healthy. They recommended early intervention. His mom spent a few days observing him at school and realized the private school had too few students. The kids there were cliquey and didn’t accept outsiders, so she transferred him to a public elementary school.”
Lin Wangye still couldn’t quite get it. “But how do you know all this?”
“I talked to my parents about it. My dad felt something was off, so he asked around. A lot of people in the circle have been watching Lu Chengxuan since he was born—it wasn’t hard to dig up the info,” Lin Shen said.
Lin Wangye didn’t know much about autism.
His thoughts were all over the place. He scratched his head again and again before asking, “So Brother Lu doesn’t talk much now because he’s still not better? But other than being quiet, he seems… pretty normal to me?”
“I said it’s like autism, not exactly autism.”
Lin Shen finally looked away from the ceiling, turned to face Lin Wangye, and said, “The way he acts is just way too similar. He barely talks, shows almost no emotion, keeps to himself, has no social skills, and struggles to make friends. The teachers at school had never seen a kid like him before, so they figured he might be on the spectrum of autism.”
Hearing that, Lin Wangye let out a huge breath of relief.
“Man, that scared me… Autism always sounded like a huge deal to me. Good to know it’s not that bad.”
“Good?” Lin Shen sat up, clearly not agreeing. “You think a kid under ten who doesn’t make noise, doesn’t talk back, goes to bed early, wakes up on time, never throws a tantrum, finishes all his homework and never plays around—that kind of ‘perfect little kid’ is actually normal?”
Thinking about how he used to climb trees and poke hornet nests like a little maniac, Lin Wangye shook his head hard.
Lin Shen took a deep breath and let it out slowly.
“Lu Chengxuan’s personality was shaped by his dad—on purpose. When he was really little, his dad raised him like someone training for a mission. It’s like playing a game: no matter what happens later on, the initial code, the way you were programmed, it’s already set the moment you load in.”
That explanation finally helped Lin Wangye start to wrap his head around it.
The reason he had that phase where he laughed and ran around like a normal kid was because he hit that curious age, when even the most reserved child gets drawn to new, exciting stuff.
The reason he went back to being quiet and withdrawn? That’s just what growing up does.
“Later, I got closer to him, and my dad got a chance to connect with his father, so they started working together. Our family’s situation kept getting better. Then, in eighth grade, my mom got sick and passed away. My dad, who’s always been super ambitious, broke off the partnership with the Lu family and started his own business. After that, the two families basically stopped talking. Aside from seeing him at school, I almost never ran into him. Then one summer break passed… and he was right back to factory settings.”
As he finished, Lin Shen slipped back into his usual careless self, shrugging and spreading his hands. “And that’s how he turned into the cold, emotionless heartthrob you know today.”
“No.” Lin Wangye suddenly shook his head. “That’s not it.”
“What do you mean, not it?” Lin Shen looked confused.
“I don’t think Brother Lu doesn’t have feelings.”
Living at the Lu family’s house, even though he and Lu Chengxuan didn’t exactly spend every minute together, they still saw each other morning and night. There was no way he couldn’t pick up on something.
Even if he couldn’t exactly put it into words, he could feel it.
After thinking for a while, he finally told Lin Shen, “People have hearts. How could he not feel anything? I don’t think he’s emotionless—I think he just doesn’t know how to show it.”
“Oh, come on,” Lin Shen rolled his eyes, clearly not buying it. “What could possibly trip up Lu Chengxuan?”
“Why not? He’s not a god or something.”
Lin Wangye stuck to his point, really trying to get Lin Shen to understand. “Even when he’s with his mom, he doesn’t seem that close. You probably haven’t met Aunt Lu before—she’s super warm and outgoing, really youthful. But Brother Lu never seems to react to her, not even a little. Sure, they talk fine, but from the outside, it feels… cold. Like he’s just answering questions from his boss. Just doing what he’s supposed to.”
Lin Shen went quiet for a long time after hearing that. Slowly, he lowered his gaze.
“I’m not a god either. I can’t change him.”
“Then answer me honestly first,” Lin Wangye suddenly got serious. “Do you like him?”
Lin Shen’s expression flickered. But the lighting in the room was dim, and Lin Wangye didn’t catch it.
After a brief pause, Lin Shen finally responded.
“You’re overthinking it.”
Lin Wangye didn’t buy it for a second—because when Lin Shen answered, he couldn’t even look him in the eye.
The air hung still for a few seconds. Just as Lin Wangye was about to dig deeper and not let this go, Lin Shen realized he couldn’t dodge the question and quickly spoke up first.
“Maybe… I did feel bad for him once.”
That word—‘felt bad’—made Lin Wangye freeze for a moment. Then he followed up.
“And then?”
This time, Lin Shen’s voice carried a quiet sigh.
“I just hoped he could be a little happier. At the very least, not turn into some puppet his dad designed. But the more time passed, the more I realized… maybe I really can’t change him.”
He paused for a beat, then added in the calmest tone he could manage, “I tried everything I could think of to shake him up. Even pulled out all those cheesy tricks we used as kids. But none of it worked. Lu Chengxuan is just… Lu Chengxuan. No one can change him.”
Truth be told, Lin Wangye didn’t know all that much about Lu Chengxuan either.
He couldn’t come up with any clear reason to explain things. But when he thought about how Lu Chengxuan interacted with his own dad, a vague idea began to form. “Maybe it’s not that you couldn’t change him… Maybe you just used the wrong way? You said you felt bad for him, but you’re always yelling at him.”
Lin Shen turned to look at him. He mulled it over for a second—and then exploded.
“So it’s my fault now?! You ever seen him? Just looking at him pisses me off! I’m not his dad, why the hell should I be the one keeping him in line?! Whatever he wants to do, it’s none of my damn business!”
“…Okay, okay, I’m sorry! I didn’t mean it like that!”
Lin Shen’s temper was like a lit fuse—went off in an instant. Lin Wangye was so thrown by the outburst that he blinked at the screen for a moment before remembering why they were even talking. Trying to calm things down, he grabbed Lin Shen’s arm and sweet-talked him with a grin, dragging the conversation back on track. “Come on, good dad, help me out! Just tell me where to pick the hotel! Save me! Please!”
“Are you stupid or what!”
Lin Shen couldn’t take the pestering anymore. He sat up, switched tabs to his browser, pulled up a map of Ningchang City, and circled a spot with his mouse. “Here.”
Lin Wangye leaned in and squinted at the screen, only to see that Lin Shen had picked out a building located right next to a bustling commercial area.
Maybe it was some kind of strange, magical coincidence—
But the spot Lin Shen picked just so happened to fall within the exact area Lu Chengxuan had suggested.
Lin Wangye hesitated a little. He didn’t really want to question Lin Shen’s judgment, but still gently asked, “This area… the rent’s super high, and there are already a lot of hotels nearby. Don’t we need to avoid too much competition?”
Lin Shen slammed the mouse down and dropped a line like a bomb.
“Avoid what? It’s less than a ten-minute walk to the neighboring shopping district, and the subway entrance right next door goes straight to the train station. The fact that there are lots of hotels means the location’s solid. And we’ve got the whole gaming theme going—what’s there to be scared of? Same price point, just throw in a few more high-end PCs and boom, instant edge. So what if the rent’s expensive? The sky falls, Lu Chengxuan’s the one holding it up. You just shut up and count your money.”
Lin Wangye was hit with sudden clarity. “Right! You’re totally right!”
Lin Shen gave a proud nod and leaned back on the couch with a grin, waiting for the compliments and praise he thought he’d earned. But all he saw was Lin Wangye typing away like a machine, updating the project proposal and hitting save. Then he stood up and yanked out the USB drive.
“What the hell?” Lin Shen asked.
“You play your game. I’m outta here.” Lin Wangye said as he packed his things.
Lin Shen wasn’t pleased. He glanced at the time and frowned. “It’s barely even late. Where are you going?”
Grinning like spring had just bloomed all over him, Lin Wangye beamed as he declared, “I’m going to pick up my boyfriend from work.”
Lin Shen rolled his eyes so hard it was a miracle they didn’t get stuck. He turned his head away like he couldn’t even bear to look at him. “Get lost already.”
But the happy little puppy didn’t mind getting yelled at—he left smiling, not a hint of annoyance on his face. Just before heading out, something popped into his mind. He looked back and asked, “It’s the day after tomorrow, right? New Year’s Eve. The internet cafe’s probably gonna be closed—what’s your plan? Are you heading home? If not, we can ring in the New Year together.”
“Didn’t think you’d actually remember me. Maybe you do have a heart.”
Half-lounging on the couch, Lin Shen turned sideways and let out a sigh.
“I’ve got to go back. My sister told me a while ago he was in the hospital. I haven’t visited yet. Let’s just call it a truce—it’s the New Year. No point in stirring things up again. I’ll deal with it after the holidays.”
Lin Wangye nodded quickly. “Exactly, that’s how it should be—it’s the holidays!”
Knowing what Lin Wangye’s situation was like, Lin Shen asked him in return, “What about you? If you feel awkward spending New Year’s at Lu Chengxuan’s place, I’ll skip going home too. We can just find a spot, the two of us, have a drink or something.”
Truth be told, Lin Wangye would’ve liked to spend New Year’s with Lin Shen.
In his last life, his dad was always busy. The only time they could ever count on having dinner together was on the first day of the new year. Every other chance to meet came down to luck.
But if he remembered the timeline right, this should be the point when Lin Pengcheng’s health was starting to go downhill.
Lin Wangye didn’t really know what kind of person his grandfather was. But as a son, no matter how many reasons he could come up with, there were just some things you had to do. And going home to see him was one of them.
It’d be best if father and son could patch things up.
But even if they couldn’t, cutting each other off for good just wasn’t realistic.
Out of 365 days, there was only one like this. Lin Wangye figured it was still better if his dad went home.
So he said, “I haven’t really decided yet. I’ll ask Xu Suinian in a bit. But you should go back. You can’t just avoid home forever, you know? Isn’t crashing in the internet cafe’s staff dorm getting a little depressing?”
Seeing that dad energy bubbling up in Lin Wangye, Lin Shen panicked, afraid he’d get pulled into some endless lecture. He quickly waved him off. “Alright, alright, I get it. Now get lost and go meet your precious boyfriend.”
“I’m off, then!” Lin Wangye waved and left.
After seeing him out, Lin Shen found the glare from both monitors kind of harsh, so he got up and turned off the one next to him. But as he moved the mouse, something felt off—it wasn’t sliding smoothly. He lifted his wrist and took a closer look. There, underneath the mouse, were a few crisp hundred-yuan bills.
No wonder that little brat had been fiddling around over here for so long. Turns out he was sneaking this under the mouse.
Lin Shen pulled out the bills. Five hundred in total.
That much definitely wasn’t easy for Lin Wangye to save up—it wasn’t a small amount.
He was probably worried Lin Shen would end up fighting with his family over the holidays again, and wanted him to have some good meals at least.
Lin Shen stared at the money for a long time, feelings all tangled up. He couldn’t even put into words what he was feeling. After a long while, he carefully folded the bills and tucked them into his pocket like they were something precious.
The pottery shop wasn’t too far, but not exactly close either—around two or three kilometers away.
Lin Wangye knew the way by heart. He waited at the bus stop and caught one of the late-night buses. By the time he got there, it was just about 10 o’clock. The pottery shop had already closed for the day. There were no customers inside. Through the glass window, he could see Shi Yuan cleaning up with two other employees.
As he stepped onto the stairs, the girl wiping down the front door was the first to spot him. She turned her head and teased the others inside.
“Xu Suinian, your little boyfriend’s here~”
As soon as she said that, the guy who’d been tidying up the shelves spun around—and saw the boy running toward him. Wind in his clothes, chill in the air, he dashed into his arms and gave him a big, tight hug.
Lin Wangye buried his face into his neck and nuzzled twice, voice soft and full of longing. “I missed you.”
Right there in front of everyone, Shi Yuan didn’t even hesitate. He wrapped his arms around him and leaned close to whisper by his ear.
“I missed you too.”
Lin Wangye tilted his head up to look at him. His eyes sparkled in the light, but in the end, he didn’t have the nerve to kiss him in front of so many people. Instead, he just smiled—couldn’t help it—and reached up to tug gently on his ear. “How much?”
Shi Yuan didn’t answer.
He just lowered his head and gave him a kiss on the lips.
The shop was usually quiet on weekdays—just the boss and his wife could handle things. But on holidays, they’d bring in young part-timers. Tonight, aside from Shi Yuan, there were four college girls working—and the moment they saw what happened, they all burst into a chorus of dramatic ‘ohhhhhhh’s from the side.
Lin Wangye’s face turned bright red. He shrank back, ears burning.
The girl who’d first teased him at the door joked again.
“Man, catching this kind of cute couple moment after every shift—life really does have something to look forward to!”
Hello, everyone ヾ(＾∇＾). I hope you enjoyed the story! If you’re feeling generous, please buy me a coffee, share/comment on my translated works! Check out the link below for early chapters. (๑>ᴗ<๑)
