Warm and soft as jade

Nursing that inexplicable resentment, Gu Shang deliberately stayed at the office until late.

At one point, the phone in Gu Shang's office rang, but instead of Uncle Chen, who usually called, a soft voice greeted him.

"Hubby, it's dark out. Are you still at work?"

Gu Shang glanced at his desk. In fact, he had more or less finished everything and could leave whenever he wanted.

But he was still stubbornly nursing his resentment. "Mm, I'm a little busy."

Only after hanging up and finishing the little work that remained did Gu Shang leave his office.

Fortunately, he had eaten his fill of the lunch Ji Mingzhu had brought him, so Gu Shang grabbed a quick bite at the staff cafeteria before heading home.

After all, he had already said not to prepare dinner for him. Changing his mind back and forth would only be a hassle.

On the way back, he leaned against the seat with his eyes closed, his sharply defined, dark brows tightly furrowed.

I don't want to go home.

Who knows what kind of fuss Ji Mingzhu will make once I get back.

Yet Gu Shang did not see the spoiled little face he had imagined, ready to lay into him after luring him home. Instead, the young man wore a warm, gentle smile as he cheerfully welcomed him inside.

The young man obediently tilted his head up, revealing the graceful curve of his neck. "You're home from work, hubby! Thanks for all your hard work~ Welcome home~"

Gu Shang froze.

He suddenly felt something in his chest soften, and the stubborn resentment he had held on to all day inexplicably melted away at those words of appreciation.

He gave a quiet hum of acknowledgment.

Almost without thinking, Gu Shang handed his briefcase to the young man's outstretched hand.

Ji Mingzhu happily took it and put it neatly away. Only when he returned to Gu Shang's side did a belated hint of bashfulness appear on his face.

After an afternoon of letting his feelings settle, Ji Mingzhu had cheered himself up!

Besides... he had gone shopping, buying some brushes, ink, paper, and an inkstone with his husband's money. Perhaps spending money really did make people happy. Whatever the reason, Ji Mingzhu felt much better now, and even his husband looked more handsome to him.

The young man's eyes curved into crescents, revealing a sweet little dimple. He naturally took Gu Shang's hand and led him toward the main living room. "You must be tired today, hubby. How about we turn in early?"

Gu Shang unconsciously rubbed the hand nestled in his palm. It felt smooth and tender.

The young man's hand was a size smaller than his, his nails trimmed into cute, rounded shapes, his fingers long and slender, and his knuckles delicate. However he looked at them, those hands were like works of art.

For no particular reason, Gu Shang remembered the photograph of the young man working at an auto repair shop and found himself puzzled.

Would his hands be this soft and delicate if he'd worked at an auto repair shop?

As Gu Shang thought this, he inadvertently asked it aloud.

The young man stopped in his tracks.

Gu Shang: "..."

He had let it slip. He should not have asked so bluntly. Great-now that Ji Mingzhu knew he had investigated him, he would probably get angry again.

Yet the young man did not react with the displeasure he had expected. Instead, he furrowed his brows slightly, seeming a little uncertain himself. "Later, someone referred me to a jade-carving job. Because of the work, I couldn't let calluses stay on my hands."

Ji Mingzhu had no idea why he knew that either. The moment the words left his mouth, he was a little bewildered himself.

Gu Shang unconsciously rubbed the soft pads of the fingers in his hand, his heart tightening.

He suddenly regretted having Secretary Chen arrange all those classes to put the young man through his paces. Letting Ji Mingzhu stay by his side, chattering away every day, would be nice too. It made life feel warm and lived-in.

But he had to admit that Ji Mingzhu's mention of "someone referred me" still made him a little uncomfortable.

After all, that was a part of the young man's past he had never shared.