The two finished their ice creams, glanced at the blazing sun overhead, and quickly ran back inside.
They stood side by side in front of an old electric fan.
The fan turned with a creak. Although it looked as though it was about to break down, it still blew a fairly strong breeze.
The wisps of hair over their foreheads fluttered in the air.
Yan Yi was particularly sensitive to the heat, so he lifted his shirt, revealing his firm, powerful abs.
Feeling the cool breeze against his skin, Yan Yi let out a comfortable breath.
Beside him, Shen Ting's gaze had already latched firmly onto his abs the moment he moved.
Hearing Shen Ting, Yan Yi turned his head, then followed his gaze downward.
Yan Yi's lips curved, and he looked back at him with a smile. But when he raised his head again, he suddenly discovered that the person in front of him had turned away.
Was he shy? No, that wasn't like this kid, was it?
Before Yan Yi could figure it out, he suddenly felt a gentle touch against his abdomen.
Yan Yi looked down again, only to find that a certain offending little hand had already reached the scene of the crime.
His mouth twitched as he looked at Shen Ting, who still had his head turned away, and his voice filled with resignation.
"Why are you turning your head away?"
"I-I'm shy." Looking embarrassed, Shen Ting covered his face with his other hand.
"If you took your paw off first, that might sound more convincing." Yan Yi lowered his shirt.
Shen Ting turned back with a face full of regret. Seeing Yan Yi neatly dressed again, he couldn't help letting out a long sigh. The good times were always so brief.
"Like it?" Looking at the visibly wilted Shen Ting, Yan Yi reached out in amusement and ruffled his hair.
"Of course. I never hold back my praise for beautiful things." Shen Ting lifted his own shirt, and a soft little belly popped out.
Shen Ting's belly wasn't fat; it was just soft when pinched.
Yan Yi narrowed his eyes at the sight and couldn't resist reaching out to poke it. So soft.
"Besides, your figure's even better than my brother's." Shen Ting lowered his shirt and told Yan Yi in a quiet, utterly serious voice.
The moment Shen Ting finished speaking, a sneeze suddenly came from a nearby room.
Inside the room, Shen Rui put down the documents in his hands, picked up a tissue, and rubbed his nose.
"Caught a cold?" Shen Rui muttered to himself.
[Hahahahaha, wooden doors like these barely block any sound. Good thing Shen Ting was speaking quietly.]
[Shen Rui, covering his face: please don't drag me into this, thanks.]
[Yan Yi and Shen Ting are the best match. I won't accept any arguments!!!]
[Shen ** has really made it now. He even has fans. I don't get what any of you see in him.]
[Exactly. Are we just forgetting how he acted like a diva on set before?]
[I seriously can't with you haters. Before, you kept spamming the thing about what Shen Ting said about Su Yu. Now that it's been cleared up, you're digging up something from years ago. Do you have nothing better to do all day? If you're that bored, please go pick up some trash and help the environment. Thanks.]
[Exactly. You're the ones badmouthing him, you're the ones getting proven wrong, and you're still the ones refusing to apologize. So you get to have it all your own way, huh?]
In the livestream chat, the fans started arguing directly with the few haters.
Hearing his eldest brother sneeze, Shen Ting instinctively covered his mouth, his eyes wide like a little hamster's.
The sight made Yan Yi's hands itch again, and he couldn't help rubbing two fingers together. So sweet. So cute.
Yan Yi raised his right hand and mimed zipping his lips shut, indicating that he would behave and keep quiet.
Shen Ting gave Yan Yi a look that said he was a smart man. Only once the room fell silent did Shen Ting lower his hand from his mouth and pat his little chest with a relieved breath.
"That scared me to death. I almost forgot my brother apparently hadn't gone out. If he'd heard that, I'd be a goner." Shen Ting's exaggerated expression made Yan Yi want to laugh.
But he held it in and leaned toward Shen Ting with a curious expression. "How so?"
At that, Shen Ting looked left and right. Only after making sure no one was around did he carefully lean toward Yan Yi's ear.
"I'll tell you, but you can't tell anyone else."
"Okay." The amusement in Yan Yi's eyes was almost overflowing.
"Don't let my brother's cool, aloof looks fool you. He actually inherited my dad's petty habit of holding grudges. I'm different. I take after my lovely, gracious mommy. Not only am I good-looking, I have a great personality too. You should count yourself lucky to be friends with me." The more Shen Ting spoke, the more proudly he puffed out his little chest.
Yan Yi felt as if he were watching a fluffy little hamster working hard to sell himself, growing more confident and prouder with every word, yet still looking fluffy and round.
[One smiles while the other plays around. This must be what peaceful, happy days on a dating show look like.]
[Yan Yi, put away that smile you're giving out for free. You're making it way too cheap.]
[Shen Ting is so cute! When he says that, he doesn't come across as arrogant at all. He just seems so cute, so cute. What do I do? I'm about to become a mom fan.]
[Agreed with the person above. Any amazing artists or writers in the chat, you can get started now. I can't wait anymore.]
[I've had my daily quota of couple sweetness. I'm already burping. I can't take any more, I really can't.]
[Even a passerby like me thinks this is a little too sweet.]
At the Shen Family home, Father Shen watched his youngest son badmouthing him on his phone, his face so dark it looked ready to drip ink.
"That brat is talking nonsense. Since when do I hold grudges?" The newspaper in Father Shen's hands crinkled under his grip.
Just as Father Shen was about to complain about what his youngest son said next, a sudden chill swept over his entire body from behind.
Father Shen couldn't help shivering, and his expression changed as though something had occurred to him.
"What that brat said afterward wasn't quite accurate. My wife isn't just lovely and gracious. She's gentle and sweet, exceptionally clever, a charming hostess and a wonderful cook. She's the greatest beauty in my heart."
"Hahaha~ I'm not as wonderful as you make me sound, you old rascal~" Mother Shen suddenly popped out from behind Father Shen and shyly slapped his shoulder.
Father Shen's expression changed from the slap. He seemed to have missed another phrase: his wife also had boundless strength.
In the living room, Shen Ting straightened after finishing his whispered conversation with Yan Yi. He was just about to go sit down for a while when he met the eyes of Su Weiwang, who had taken a seat behind him at some unknown point.
"You... when did you get here?" Shen Ting paled in shock. I'm done for. This was the man I wanted to set my eldest brother up with!
Looking at Shen Ting frozen in terror before him, Yan Yi reached out and poked him with a finger.
Hearing Shen Ting's question, Su Weiwang tilted his head. "Around when you turned on the fan."
Creak, creak... The fan's creaking rang out again in the spacious hall, as though announcing its presence.
Hearing the fan creak, Shen Ting suddenly felt a flicker of hope. I was speaking pretty quietly just now, right? With this noise covering it up, he probably didn't hear, right?
Just as Shen Ting was about to probe indirectly, Shen Rui finished his work in the room and came out holding a water glass.
The moment Shen Ting saw his eldest brother come out, he grabbed Yan Yi and ran toward the room.
Watching his jumpy younger brother, Shen Rui looked at Su Weiwang in confusion. "Why's he so jumpy?"
Su Weiwang shook his head without speaking and sighed inwardly. Probably because he said bad things about you.
Before you continue