Chapter 61 (1/2)

Lin ShuYi turned back to look at Shen Fu, only for both of them to suddenly realise they had forgotten one important thing. Today was November 10th, so there were only ten days left until the XiQin restaurant’s grand reopening. In other words, they only had ten days to go find the Shen family, somehow secure their blessing, and return. Lin ShuYi kept his face calm, but on the inside his mind was racing, wondering if they could even pull this off.

However, without waiting for the two of them to go find him, Grandfather Shen showed up..

In middle of the night, Grandfather Shen came pounding on Lin ShuYi’s front door loud enough to leave the neighbors wondering if something was being demolished next door.

Shen Fu was asleep on the couch, despite how desperatedly he wanted to sleep in Lin ShuYi’s bed. He knew that, not to mention doors, there weren’t even any windows of opportunity cracked opened for him. Rather than expressing any of the reluctance to part that most new couples had, Lin ShuYi rather resolutely shut Shen Fu out of his room.

Although Shen Fu didn’t have plans to do anything with Lin ShuYi right now, being locked out like this still left him feeling a bit pent up.

On the other side of the door, Lin ShuYi didn’t intend to be so unwelcoming either, rather… he just needed to do some more research. He wanted to know exactly how he was supposed to proceed in this situation.

As a result, both Shen Fu and Lin ShuYi were sleeping restlessly, tossing and turning, when they were both rudely awakened by the sound of ‘demolition.’

Shen Fu was the first to recover, his face falling quickly.

Then Lin ShuYi came out through the bedroom door, sleepily asking, “Why didn’t you open the door? Who is it?”

Shen Fu replied, “My grandfather.”

Other than Grandfather Shen, there really wasn’t anyone who would come knocking so loudly in middle of the night. On top of that, this thunderous knocking wasn’t just a result of the current situation, it was actually a calling card of Grandfather Shen.

Lin ShuYi snapped instantly awake.

Getting off the couch, Shen Fu took Lin ShuYi’s hand, and said resolutely, “Don’t worry, I will solve this.”

To be honest, Lin ShuYi wasn’t actually worried that Grandfather Shen would give him much of a hard time. If Grandfather Shen wanted to make things difficult for him, then the first time they met, he wouldn’t have said such understanding words. It was just that with how pressing things were right now, Grandfather Shen would no doubt want Shen Fu to give up. Yet, having been around Shen Fu for a while now, Lin ShuYi understood that if Shen Fu was someone who could give up, he wouldn’t have ended up beaten so badly the second time they met.

What’s more, Lin ShuYi didn’t want Shen Fu to give in to Grandfather Shen. Only having faced the possibility of losing Shen Fu, did Lin ShuYi realise he’d long since gotten used to having Shen Fu by his side; gotten used to Shen Fu’s light hearted teasing, gotten used to Shen Fu getting into messes with him and getting out together, always shameless and brazen. Thinking about it, Lin ShuYi probably had long since had feelings for Shen Fu, only he just didn’t realise it at the time. This also explained why since long ago, his heart always felt uncomfortable whenever he thought about Shen Fu leaving.

Lin ShuYi never really understood what it mean to like someone, but if he couldn’t bear to part with Shen Fu, and wanted to Shen Fu to always stay by his side, then this must be what liking someone felt like.

So he didn’t want Shen Fu to give in at all. He was happy knowing that Shen Fu liked him, and even happier thinking about all that time Shen Fu spent pinning for him when he didn’t even understand his own feelings, yet Shen Fu never left him.

Facing Grandfather Shen shouldn’t be Shen Fu’s burden alone to bear.

Lin ShuYi squeezed Shen Fu’s hand, and turned his gaze towards the still thundering door. “Let’s go together.”

If Grandfather Shen knew that on the other side of the front door Lin ShuYi and Shen Fu were united and unbreakable, then he would probably be so angry he’d already have kicked the door down.

All kinds of thoughts ran through Shen Fu’s head, all kinds of words to convince or calm Grandfather Shen, but among all of them there was only one central conviction: he would never leave Lin ShuYi. It didn’t matter what Grandfather Shen said or did, on this one matter, he absolutely would not compromise.

With the chest full of things to say, Shen Fu opened the front door, but he didn’t manage to say a single sentence before Grandfather Shen stormed angrily in and raised his cane to start whacking Shen Fu.

Lin ShuYi was shocked still for a moment, but then quickly put himself between Shen Fu and Grandfather Shen to block Shen Fu. However, as soon as Grandfather Shen saw Lin ShuYi, he stopped. Truthfully, all that charging at Shen Fu and waving his cane around was just for show, he didn’t actually intend to hit Shen Fu with it.

Grandfather Shen was just full of hot air with nowhere to vent, but when he realised that made Lin ShuYi think that he was really going to do something to Shen Fu, he became even more frustrated. “You little bastard, you’re just not satisfied if you don’t anger me to death, huh?!” Grandfather Shen pointed one finger straight at Shen Fu, red in the face.

When Grandfather Shen had charged at Shen Fu straight in the door, Shen Fu didn’t actually try to hide or duck at all. Although he didn’t understand why he grandfather’s cane never landed on him, he wouldn’t hide even if his grandfather really did beat him. If hitting him some would calm his grandfather down a bit, then Shen Fu didn’t mind at all, because he knew that he was the cause of all of his grandfather’s anger. In the end, he didn’t hate his grandfather, and knew that his grandfather still cared deeply for him.

Shen Fu shared a look with Lin ShuYi, and then promptly kneeled down.

They say that men have gold beneath their knees*, but there are some things far more precious than gold.

T/N: Means that men shouldn’t kneel because gold is soft and would be damaged.

Lin ShuYi knew what Shen Fu wanted to say, so he followed Shen Fu’s lead, and kneeled down as well. Then, in front of Grandfather Shen’s eyes, he took Shen Fu’s hand and squeezed tightly.

Grandfather Shen opened his mouth to say something, but was cut off by Shen Fu who raised his head, eyes steady, any hint of an attitude gone without a trace. “Grandpa. I know that ever since I was a child, you’ve always cared about me the most.”

Shen Fu was pulling at Grandfather Shen’s heartstrings, playing the feelings card, and Grandfather Shen knew this. He pressed his lips tight, because despite knowing this, his heart was still moved by Shen Fu’s words. If Shen Fu understood this, then why did he still constantly anger him! Grandfather Shen had wanted to say quite a few words, but now he remained silent. He wanted to hear what Shen Fu had to say, and more importantly, he wanted to know just how deeply Shen Fu cared about this boy kneeling beside him.

Lowering his head back down, Shen Fu looked down at Lin ShuYi’s hand in his. He knew that everything Grandfather Shen did was for his own good, that Grandfather Shen didn’t want him to get hurt and feared him walking down this path of no return. Grandfather Shen didn’t want him to have a future of criticisms and rumors, without a child or grandchild by his side in his old age. In all of Shen Fu’s years, he had done so many things that made Grandfather Shen’s head hurt, yet Grandfather Shen didn’t hit him even once. Only this one time, he knew he had made Grandfather Shen truly, fearfully angry. Angry that he refused to follow convention, but even angrier that he was walking down this difficult path without even looking back.

“But there’s one thing you said yourself.” Shen Fu continued, “If there is something that must be done no matter the cost, then don’t hesitate, because regretting such a choice would feel a hundred times worse than making it. Grandpa. There is nothing I must do no matter the cost, but there is someone I must love no matter the price. Grandpa, I’m sorry.”

These words Shen Fu said, were said such that Grandfather Shen, who had been hardened by half a lifetime spent fighting tooth and nail in the business world, could even feel his heart being moved.

But did he really seem like someone who would punish a happy couple?! Sure, he beat Shen Fu pretty harshly that one time, but he ended up regretting it to this day! And also, Shen Fu kneeling was fine, but why did he have to drag Lin ShuYi down with him?! If Grandfather Shen was really here for something Shen Fu did wrong, then it was still just Shen Fu himself and him alone that was in the wrong! Lin ShuYi was clearly just a victim in this situation, yet Shen Fu had the audacity to make him kneel too?!

Grandfather Shen’s heart was so soft it was practically melting, but he still kept a face of steel. “You, get up. Go outside.”

Clearing up this kind of misunderstanding was for Shen Fu alone, and even that was bad enough. If Lin ShuYi heard, he’d think their entire family was full of idiots. The two people kneeling on the ground glanced up only to find that Grandfather Shen had been talking about Lin ShuYi.

Stunned for a moment, Lin ShuYi didn’t reply immediately. He had expected that Grandfather Shen wouldn’t want to bother with him much, but he didn’t expect that Grandfather Shen wouldn’t even want to speak to him. After a moment, he shook his head, and said, “Grandfather Shen, I won’t leave. I know you’re angry, but Shen Fu has done nothing wrong by having feelings for me, and neither am I wrong for having feelings for him.”