(Up-front warning: I wanted to try writing inner deification in these two chapters, but my skill wasn't up to it, so it didn't come across subtly enough. They're also a bit long. If you don't like it, you can skip them; it won't affect the plot.)
In the end, Shang Qian got in as she wished.
Her expression was not very good, though. She felt like she had just been coquettishly showing herself off in front of a gay man.
Shang Qian had always been very confident in her looks and figure—red lips, white teeth, a slim waist, and a full chest.
A young man Shen Jin's age should have been unable to resist if she merely bent over in front of him,
yet at a time like this, he had not taken the opportunity to do what men wanted most. Instead, he had mocked her.
pouts
The more she thought about it, the angrier she became!
"Shen Jin, are you gay?"
Shen Jin froze. He had figured something out:
Women were truly strange. If you had designs on them, they thought you were a useless man ruled by lust.
If you ignored them, they thought there was something wrong with your body.
If you teased them, well, damn—it meant you were gay.
Shen Jin pondered for two seconds. "Whatever you think, that's what I am."
If being thought of as gay could save him some trouble, Shen Jin had no psychological burden whatsoever.
She was a good person, and her curves were impressive, but having reached the position of director, she probably... maybe... possibly...
He did not want to end up like the nursery rhyme that circulated in Dongguan:
Empty-handed, I came to Guangdong,
Forced by life's demands.
I returned to my village to reform,
Then married another man.
There was no way he was taking over someone else's mess!
Though he was still a virgin, he had principles of his own!
But Shen Jin looked at Shang Qian again.
"Da Qian Qian" truly lived up to her name. If it was just for a little fun, though...
Shang Qian was stunned when she heard Shen Jin's affirmative answer. She had only said it out of anger, hoping to regain a little face.
She had not expected this.
Thinking back over the past two years at the company, Shen Jin really had not had any ambiguous relationships with other women. Instead, he had been quite close to Zhao Mingkai.
And coincidentally, Zhao Mingkai was gloomy all day long and barely spoke to girls either. On the other hand, he often chatted and laughed with the strong, muscular security guard Lu Qiang.
Moreover, after the apocalypse, the only two men living alone were Zhao Mingkai and Lu Qiang!
"Hiss—"
Shang Qian sucked in a cold breath. Today's events had suddenly become complicated and confusing.
"Then when you came here today, it wasn't because of me from the start, was it?" Shang Qian asked tentatively.
Shen Jin nodded. "It really wasn't. I just happened to see it."
Shen Jin had initially only come to find two walkie-talkies. He had not expected to spend the entire day here. He missed home.
Shang Qian thought, Just as I thought! He must have awakened his ability and wanted to find his former lover. He happened to come across Lu Qiang violating me,
so he settled both old and new scores at once!
But who was that handsome man who had rushed in later?
Qi Tong had described him to Shang Qian. The handsome man was named Sun Can, and before fainting, he had said to Shen Jin, "It was fate that brought me here to save you."
Could it be...
I understand now!
She had not understood that sentence before; it had seemed strange. But once she accepted that Shen Jin was gay, the answer became obvious!
Sun Can was Shen Jin's new lover!
He had clearly known that Shen Jin, after awakening his ability, was coming to find Zhao Mingkai. It hurt him terribly, but he still could not stop worrying about Shen Jin, so he secretly followed him.
That was why he had saved Shen Jin at the most dangerous moment!
"Zhao Mingkai treated you like that before, and Lu Qiang isn't a good person either. Are you still taking Zhao Mingkai with you?" Shang Qian asked, testing the waters.
How had Zhao Mingkai treated me? Oh! He always said irritating things, and his emotional intelligence was terrifyingly low. Why would I take him with me?
Shen Jin found Shang Qian's question strange.
"Of course not. Why would I take him? I'm only guaranteeing Sun Can's safety."
Shen Jin meant this as a tactful rejection of Shang Qian. He would only look after Sun Can, so she should stop thinking about coming with him.
But Shang Qian nodded inwardly when she heard it.
Everything was clear now!
It seemed that after everything that had happened today, Shen Jin had realized who his true love really was.
One was a scumbag who had sought out a security guard behind his back to ease his loneliness. The other was a hunk willing to risk his life for him in a moment of danger.
The choice was naturally not difficult.
Shen Jin must have been completely heartbroken over Zhao Mingkai. He was not even willing to stay in the same room as him and had specifically brought Sun Can here instead.
Protecting his beloved was enough.
"Alright. I think I understand what you mean."
The way Shang Qian looked at Shen Jin had changed somewhat. It was the look of someone saying, I understand you.
*(°°)*
Shen Jin was startled by Shang Qian's suddenly calm and gentle gaze.
What was this? Why had she suddenly become like this?
Wait! She was not thinking of ending her life, was she?
I understand now!
After suffering such humiliation, a proud woman like her had probably already entertained thoughts of suicide.
And she was an intelligent woman. She knew that her only motivation to keep living was to leave this place—leave the place that had left her with such terrifying memories, leave these colleagues who had watched her fall from a goddess into a bitch.
That was why she would rather abandon the dignity she had once sworn to protect than stop insisting that he take her away today.
And what about him? He had just laughed at her and teased her.
He had rejected her again and again!
She must have fallen into despair. She did not dare face tomorrow or the future.
She wanted to die!
"Relax a little. These things will pass eventually, and other people's opinions are only temporary. There's no need to seek death over it.
"Take me, for example. I was confused and anxious once too. I often felt sad because of what others thought of me, but what about now? I don't care anymore. When you're alive, you only need to please yourself. You don't have to care so much about other people's judgment.
"Remember! Never make a decision you'll regret!"
Shen Jin remembered when he had ignored everyone's opinions and resolutely decided to resign. He had also endured plenty of cold treatment and ridicule.
During that time, he had often felt confused and uneasy, afraid that he would throw all his savings into it and lose everything. But in the end, he succeeded and made a fortune through Bitcoin.
He had also begun living the life he wanted. He no longer worked for others and no longer had to watch other people's moods.
He wanted to use his own experience to tell Shang Qian that even if everyone looked at you strangely, you still had to live strongly. Use your future to slap them hard in the face. Do not make a decision you would regret just because you could not think straight for a moment.
What if you regretted it halfway through after jumping from the third floor?
Shang Qian nodded. Now Shen Jin's words had directly explained his own experiences:
At first, he had been confused, anxious, and even suicidal after realizing he was gay. Later, he had cast aside other people's opinions, honestly accepted himself, and pleased himself with a man's chest.
His decision referred both to facing his true self and, with double meaning, to her making the right decision today as well.
Shen Jin had already decided to spend the rest of his life with Sun Can!
I understand everything now!
She was merely a small interlude on Shen Jin's path of love. No wonder she held no attraction for him whatsoever.
Then there was only one final question.
Was Shen Jin the top or the bottom?
Before you continue