CTS 28

Shen Mo froze for a moment. His hand was already on the doorknob, but he hesitated and slowly pulled it back. He stood quietly outside the study for a while before turning around and going back to the living room.

Ji An’an was sitting on the sofa watching TV. When she saw him return, she asked, “So? Does my brother have time or not?”

Shen Mo seemed distracted. After thinking for a moment, he said, “He probably does.”

“Either he does or he doesn’t. What do you mean, probably? Has he not decided yet?”

Shen Mo’s thoughts were already elsewhere. He didn’t offer any explanation.

Ji An’an looked like she wanted to keep pressing, but her phone started ringing. Seeing that it was Zhou Yang, she quickly headed to her room to take the call.

Shen Mo was left alone in the empty living room. Just like that night at the engagement party, when Ji Mingxuan kissed him under the moonlight, his heart refused to settle down.

He told himself to focus on something else, so he turned on the computer and started browsing online. When he finally came back to his senses, he realized he had been looking at flight tickets.

Was he actually planning to go to that island with Ji Mingxuan?

No, no, absolutely not. That was where Zhou Yang had proposed to Ji An’an.

But what if Ji Mingxuan really cleared his schedule?

Shen Mo found himself seriously troubled by the thought.

That night, right before bed, Ji Mingxuan stepped out of the bathroom, drying his hair as he asked, “Alright, tell me. What exactly are you and An’an planning? Early February… that’s my birthday, isn’t it?”

Shen Mo was never good at lying. Realizing he couldn’t hide it, he gave up and told the truth.

After hearing the explanation, Ji Mingxuan looked at him and asked, “An’an came up with the idea, and you agreed to it?”

Shen Mo hadn’t wanted to step foot on that damned island in the first place, but when Ji Mingxuan asked him like that, the words slipped out of his mouth on their own. “As long as you want to go, I don’t mind.”

Ji Mingxuan nodded. After a moment of thought, he said, “I don’t like that island. We’ll pick somewhere else. I’ll have my secretary book the tickets. You just focus on packing.”

Shen Mo hadn’t expected him to decide so quickly. He couldn’t help but ask, “Do you really have time during those days?”

Ji Mingxuan paused for two seconds. He didn’t even blink as he said, “I asked my secretary to check the schedule. It just so happens I’m completely free during those days.”

Shen Mo gave a soft “oh” and, for the first time, realized how good Mr. Ji was at lying.

Had Ji Mingxuan always been this good at hiding things, or had he simply never noticed, too caught up in shielding himself from the world?

Now that the trip was settled, the conversation came to a close. Ji Mingxuan finished drying his hair, turned off the light, and went to bed. But not long after lying down, he seemed to remember something and said, “I’ll be pretty busy for the next few days. I’ll probably get home later than usual.”

Shen Mo knew right away that meant he was pushing all his work ahead.

The year-end period was always the busiest time for the company. Ji Mingxuan must have rearranged everything in a rush, which probably took a lot of effort. But when he spoke about it, it was nothing more than a casual “just happens to be free.”

That thought made something stir in Shen Mo.

He could let things drift for a while, but he couldn’t drift through an entire life. If Ji Mingxuan wouldn’t speak first, then he would.

He knew Ji Mingxuan hadn’t fallen asleep yet, so he called out, “Mr. Ji.”

“What is it?”

“That night at Miss Ji’s engagement party. Why did you hit that man?”

Ji Mingxuan hadn’t answered back then, and now, he remained silent.

But Shen Mo refused to let it slide this time. He asked again, “Mr. Ji?”

Ji Mingxuan sighed. Under the covers, he reached out and placed his hand over Shen Mo’s, then asked in return, “What do you think? Why do you think I did it?”

His hand wrapped around Shen Mo’s, and the heat seemed to reach all the way to his face. Shen Mo was grateful the lights were off. In the dark, it gave him the courage to say what he needed to say.

He heard his own voice, soft in the darkness. “Mr. Ji… do you maybe like me, just a little?”