Even though he had long known this answer, Li Shu’s heart still trembled when Li Heyuan sighed and said these words. It was both expected and unexpected.
The man’s eyes seemed to be filled with thousands of stars, so bright and charming. Being stared at by such eyes, Li Shu felt like he was being put in a honey jar. The irresistible sweetness came flooding in, both tempting and intoxicating.
Li Heyuan regretted saying these words the moment they left his mouth. What he said was from the bottom of his heart, but these words should not be said so hastily at this time.
The words had already been spoken, leaving no room for retraction. Even though the timing was off, Li Heyuan had no intention of taking back what he said.
“My words just now were sincere, Shu Shu. From beginning to end, the feelings I have for you are like this. I want to be with you, to be your support, to create a world for you.” As he spoke, Li Heyuan stared intently at Li Shu’s face. He was afraid of seeing the answer he didn’t want to see on Li Shu’s face.
Fortunately, the result he dreaded most didn’t appear. He looked at Li Shu, and Li Shu looked back at him, but unlike his nervousness, Li Shu was very calm.
They silently stared at each other for a long time before Li Shu finally spoke. “I understand.”
‘Understand what?’ Li Heyuan didn’t dare to ask. Li Shu had already turned and walked ahead. He stood there in a daze for a moment before quickly catching up.
Though he was invincible in the business world, Li Heyuan was still at a loss in front of Li Shu. He felt nervous and uncertain, as if he had returned to ten years ago, back to a time when he had nothing, waiting for a judgment.
Feeling the unease in the man’s heart, Li Shu moved his fingers, found the man’s hand, and held it.
The moment he held the man’s hand, Li Shu clearly felt Li Heyuan’s body tense up. Like a child suddenly given candy, he held the candy in his hand, bewildered.
A gentle breeze blew, rustling the leaves. On the almost deserted path, there were only natural sounds. Feeling the warmth from his right hand, Li Heyuan subconsciously tightened his grip.
The warm touch told him this wasn’t an illusion; it was really happening. Belatedly, a surge of immense joy overwhelmed him.
He stopped, and since Li Shu’s hand was in his, he had to stop too.
“Shu Shu…” Because of immense joy, Li Heyuan’s voice was trembling, “Does this mean you’ve agreed?”
Li Shu didn’t expect that a simple action of his could cause this man who was invincible in the business world to show such an expression. While he felt amused, a slight bitterness also filled his heart. What kind of deep feelings could make Li Heyuan so humble before him?
The urge to tease him vanished. Li Shu took two steps forward, stopping just an arm’s length away, and placed his free hand on the man’s cheek. “What do you want me to agree to?”
They were so close, their breaths mingling. Li Shu leaned in, almost touching the man’s lips, and their breaths fell on each other’s faces.
‘Too close,’Li Heyuan thought in a daze. At this moment, he couldn’t think of anything else. The lips so close to his were rose-colored. He lowered his head like a possessed person and kissed them. “I want you to agree to be with me…”
The whispered words disappeared into the kiss.
Feeling the warmth on his lips and the man’s intense heartbeat, Li Shu slowly closed his eyes.
A long and tender kiss.
Sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting dappled shadows on the two, as if draping them in a cloak of light.
The forest was silent, with only the occasional rustling from small animals. Holding his long-lost treasure, Li Heyuan held the treasure that he had lost and recovered, wishing he could melt the person into his bones and blood.
The color in Li Heyuan’s eyes continued to darken as he closely observed the face of the person in his arms. After years of yearning, his wish had finally come true and he couldn’t shake the feeling of unreality.
After confirming their relationship, they saw each other more frequently. When Li Heyuan came to the school, he no longer used Lu Yuanqing as an excuse, openly declaring his relationship with Li Shu.
The forum’s CP threads grew higher and higher. A bold girl happened to meet the two together, mustered up the courage to approach and asked, “Um, excuse me…”
The weather was getting warmer. Li Shu was calculating something in his book, while Li Heyuan held a big box of ice cream and fed every now and then.
Noticing someone approaching, Li Heyuan withdrew his gaze from Li Shu and looked at the newcomer.
His gaze was calm, but it made the girl shudder. She felt cold despite standing in the sunlight. She suddenly recalled someone saying that the domineering president, who was in a cp with Li Shu, reserved all his tenderness for Li Shu. If anyone tried to interrupt them when they were alone, they would face indiscriminate attacks, which were particularly terrifying.
The girl hadn’t believed it before, thinking it was exaggerated, but now that she felt it herself, she realized how true those words were.
Li Shu was working on a problem when he heard a noise. He looked up at the girl standing awkwardly. “Is there something you need?”
Compared to the big demon beside him, Li Shu seemed harmless. The girl, charmed by his smile, unconsciously asked, “I, I want to know, what is your relationship with this gentleman?”
The girl realized what she had said only after she had said it. Her face turned pale and she tried to say something to make amends, but the more anxious she became, the less likely she was to come up with a reasonable reason.
In a flustered attempt to explain, tears welled up in the girl’s eyes. She liked the cp, sure, but she hadn’t planned to confirm it in front of them. She just wanted to enjoy some sweetness secretly.
Just when the girl was getting anxious, Li Shu spoke. His voice was light and soothing. “He…um…he’s my boyfriend now.”
It took a moment for the girl to understand what Li Shu meant. She couldn’t hide her surprise and felt like hundreds of screaming chickens were in her heart. If she hadn’t been concerned about not losing her composure in front of her idol, she would have screamed out.
Ahhh, she had hit the jackpot with this cp!!!
Even Li Heyuan’s eyes widened slightly. Sticking to their initial habit, he had always thought Li Shu was reluctant to reveal their relationship. Seeing him easily admit it now, how could he not be surprised? He had prepared for a long-term low-profile relationship, so this was completely unexpected.
“I’m too excited, sorry,” the girl covered her mouth, her face was flushed and her eyes were shining. “You two are perfect together. Please be happy!”
“We will,” Li Heyuan said solemnly. He would do everything to make Li Shu happy and joyful.
The girl covered her mouth and nodded continuously.
A few minutes later, a post in the special forum quickly went viral: “Ahhh, I got the real thing!”
Li Shu knew nothing of this. After the girl left, he put down his book and turned to face Li Heyuan, looking thoughtful. “You seem very happy?”
Li Heyuan did not deny it. Li Shu had admitted their relationship in front of others, so he was indeed in a very good mood and tried his best to suppress the upward curve of his mouth. “Is this okay?”
Li Shu: “Hmm?”
Li Heyuan: “Is it okay to directly state our relationship?”
Although Li Heyuan wished he could announce to the world that Li Shu belonged to him, he still had concerns. He feared their relationship might affect Li Shu’s life.
“What difference does it make?” Li Shu was indifferent. He suddenly narrowed his eyes, “Or are you saying you don’t want people to know about us?”
It was as if he would face a beating if he dared to say no.
“I couldn’t ask for more.”
‘I want everyone to know that you belong to me.’
The sensation caused by Li Shu’s personal acknowledgment was huge. Over the past year, Li Shu’s popularity at school had not decreased; on the contrary, it had increased. He had good grades and good looks, so many girls were attracted by his image as an academic tyrant. Coupled with the addition of his and Li Heyuan’s cp fans, his popularity far surpassed the original owner’s.
Li Heyuan invited Li Shu’s roommates to dinner at the private restaurant where the two first met. The roommates had already known about their relationship. Li Shu had never intended to hide it, and since they shared a dorm, some things naturally became known over time.
This was considered their formal introduction. Zheng Jiarong had the most complex feelings among the three. Although he had a premonition, he was still a bit unbelievable when the day came.
It was useless to think too much. He shook his head, threw away some inexplicable thoughts, and picked up the wine glass: “Li Shu, congratulations.”
Seeing this, the others also raised their glasses. “Congratulations, Li Shu, on being the first in our dormitory to get out of being single.”
Li Shu and Li Heyuan stood up, and the five glasses clinked together, making a crisp sound.
Li Heyuan’s happiness value slowly increased. Li Shu graduated from university smoothly and was admitted to Professor Yuan’s mentorship for his postgraduate studies. He did not return to S City. Regardless of whose soul was inside, he had no relation to the Li family there.
Several times, Li Heyuan had words on the tip of his tongue but swallowed them. He knew Li Shu remembered the past and wanted to ask if Li Shu wanted to visit the Li family, but he secretly hoped he wouldn’t.
Love was always selfish. Li Heyuan didn’t deny being selfish. He wanted to monopolize Li Shu and didn’t want anyone or anything else to take his attention.
After confirming their relationship, Li Shu moved in with Li Heyuan. To make it easier for Li Shu to go to school, Li Heyuan bought a house near B University. The layout of the house was similar to where they lived ten years ago. The biggest difference was that they now shared the same bedroom.
The new house had a large balcony, where Li Heyuan placed tatami mats and a small wooden table. In the afternoons, Li Shu could bask in the sun and have snacks there.
Li Heyuan sat beside him while Li Shu leaned against him in a relaxed manner, using a tablet to browse through the materials Professor Yuan had sent. Professor Yuan really valued him and never forgot to bring him along in various project activities, including this time. After a while, they would go abroad to attend an academic exchange meeting.
“Shu Shu, do you want to join the Group after graduation?” Li Heyuan asked as he fed Li Shu a cookie.
“No,” with the cookie in his mouth, Li Shu’s words were a bit unclear, “I think it’s good now.”
“What about after graduation?” Li Heyuan wiped the crumbs from Li Shu’s mouth, “What are your plans, Shu Shu?”
Li Heyuan was willing to give the best to Li Shu. He thought of Li Shu’s previous identity. He was a true prodigy and raised in luxury. But now, he was just an ordinary college student and his living standard was far from his previous level. Thinking that he might be responsible for this, Li Heyuan couldn’t help but feel guilty.
He had already started making preparations. As long as Li Shu wanted, the He Group would be his, along with everything else he owned.
“Aren’t you supporting me? Don’t you want to?” Li Shu turned and sat face to face with Li Heyuan. He put his hands on Li Heyuan’s shoulders and met his eyes, which were filled with the warmth he brought.
In front of Li Shu, Li Heyuan was always the one who surrendered. Just a faint glance from Li Shu was enough to make him yield without a fight.
“Don’t think about dumping the company’s burden on me,” Li Shu tilted his head, “Is this what you’ve been busy with lately? I don’t want to manage the company. If you give it to me, I’ll be mad.”
Though he said he would be mad, his eyes were smiling. Li Heyuan reached out and pulled Li Shu closer, not noticing the tenderness in his own eyes.
In a low, magnetic voice, he whispered in Li Shu’s ear, “I am willing. Whatever Shu Shu wants is fine.”
The two people’s breaths met and gradually merged together.
‘It is my honor, something I couldn’t ask for more.’
Okay, on to the next arc 〜(꒪꒳꒪)〜
