At noon, Shen Lian dutifully drank two bowls of old duck soup. After lunch, he went out into the courtyard to bask in the sun for a while. Chu Piggy had a large patch of cat grass nearby and plunged into it, munching away without lifting his head.
Shen Lian's discomfort came and went quickly. It was only a certain moment in his dream, when he seemed to instinctively sense danger-that heart-pounding feeling of walking a tightrope-that put him on guard.
Still, his workload had indeed been heavy lately. Shen Lian had never turned down anything Hu Kailan arranged for him, and he was so cooperative that Hu Kailan found every other artist under him wanting by comparison.
Shen Lian had no idea how Chu Yilan had handled it. He had just received a call from Hu Kailan, who told him in a cautious tone, "Take some time off."
Shen Lian smiled. "Sorry for the trouble, Brother Hu."
When Chu Yilan came out carrying a cup of tea, Shen Lian had already fallen asleep in his chair.
The young man's face was peaceful and completely unguarded, his slender fingers resting on the blanket draped over his waist and stomach. He wasn't the least bit worried about catching a chill if the wind picked up. Wherever Chu Yilan was, he was absolutely safe.
Chu Yilan casually set the cup on the stone table, stepped forward to wrap Shen Lian in the blanket, and carried him back to the bedroom.
Shen Lian had thought about things too simply. He assumed everything would be fine as long as he cooperated, only to be coldly pushed away that evening when, fresh out of the shower and in the mood, he clung to Chu Yilan and asked for more.
Shen Lian: "?"
Chu Yilan's expression