CTS 67

Shen Mo stayed on the island for a few more days. He only booked his return flight once he felt he had fully enjoyed his time there.

Ji Mingxuan had been working overseas these past few years, and his entire career had shifted abroad. It wasn’t so easy for him to return just like that, so he didn’t travel back with Shen Mo. His flight was scheduled for later. On the day Shen Mo left, Ji Mingxuan brought Ji Ning to the airport to see him off.

Even though they were about to part, Ji Mingxuan didn’t say anything romantic. He simply told Shen Mo, “Once I’m done with everything here, I’ll come find you.”

Shen Mo smiled and agreed.

Surprisingly, it was Ji Ning who was the most reluctant to say goodbye. He kept asking nonstop, “Uncle, where are you going,” “When will you come back,” and “Why aren’t you coming with us.”

Shen Mo patiently answered each one. “Uncle is going home. I won’t be coming back for a while, but you can come visit me someday.”

“Really?” Ji Ning still didn’t believe him and insisted on making a pinky promise.

So Shen Mo bent down, hooked his pinky with Ji Ning’s, and said, “If I lie, then I’ll be punished… and get taken away by the big bad wolf.”

Only then did Ji Ning believe him. With a childish pout, he said, “Uncle, you mustn’t get taken away by the big bad wolf. If you disappear, I won’t get to see you again. Daddy has your photo, but I don’t.”

Shen Mo froze for a moment and asked, “What photo?”

“The one Daddy keeps in his wallet…”

Before he could finish, Ji Mingxuan suddenly scooped him up into his arms.

He pretended to smack Ji Ning’s bottom and said, “Uncle’s about to board the plane. Let him get some rest and stop clinging to him, alright?”

Ji Ning pouted, clearly unwilling, but still said, “Okay.”

Ji Mingxuan coaxed him gently. “Be good.”

Shen Mo couldn’t help calling out, “Mr. Ji.”

Ji Mingxuan met his gaze calmly, without offering any explanation.

Shen Mo gave a small sigh, then said, “I’m thirsty. I want to buy a bottle of water. Can I borrow your wallet?”

Ji Mingxuan’s eyes narrowed slightly. “I’ll go get it.”

Without another word, he carried Ji Ning off toward the store.

Shen Mo stayed where he was, quietly watching the two figures, father and son, as they walked away in the distance.

No wonder Ji Ning had been so attached to him the moment they met. It seemed there was a reason for it after all. Still… what photo of him did Mr. Ji keep in his wallet?

Shen Mo wasn’t one to take pictures. As far as he could remember, he had never taken a photo with Ji Mingxuan. The ones he had taken in the past had all been left behind in that old rented apartment. So where had Ji Mingxuan gotten a photo?

Curiosity got the better of him. When Ji Mingxuan returned with the water, Shen Mo tried to probe again, asking subtly from different angles. But Mr. Ji was guarded. No matter how Shen Mo asked, he refused to give anything away.

Before long, it was almost time to board. Left with no other option, Shen Mo turned to Ji Ning and asked, “Is that photo of me a nice one?”

Before Ji Ning could answer, Ji Mingxuan had already pulled him into his arms. Then he leaned close and kissed Shen Mo on the lips, whispering, “It looks very good.”

Shen Mo was startled and quickly covered his mouth. “That’s not what I meant…”

Ji Mingxuan only smiled and let Ji Ning down. “It’s time for security check.”

Shen Mo checked the time. It was indeed about time to go, so he said goodbye to father and son before heading off to check in.

He had visited S Island every year, but this time felt completely different. Sitting on the plane, Shen Mo looked back on everything that had happened in the past few days. It all felt like a dream.

The return trip involved a layover, so by the time Shen Mo arrived home, it was almost midnight. He sent Ji Mingxuan a quick message to let him know he got back safely, then went straight to bed.

He didn’t wake up until the next day at noon. After casually making himself a bowl of noodles, he drove to the studio for a look around. Unsurprisingly, there was still no business. Yang Yue had been so idle she was practically swatting flies, and when she saw Shen Mo, she was overjoyed.

“Boss, you’re finally back. You were gone for so long this time.”

“I ended up staying a few extra days for fun.”

“Did you bring me anything good to eat?”

“Of course I did,” Shen Mo said, pulling out the local snacks he had bought. “When have I ever come back empty-handed?”

Yang Yue grinned as she accepted the gift. “Boss, you’re still the best. So, did anything exciting happen while you were away? Maybe a vacation romance?”

A vacation romance?

His time with Ji Mingxuan… did that count?

Shen Mo paused, caught off guard, and didn’t answer right away.

Yang Yue immediately caught the scent of gossip. “Oh my god, did something actually happen? Come on, tell me. What kind of person? Some tall, exotic beauty?”

Shen Mo shook his head. “Stop imagining things and get back to work.”

“There’s no work to do when there’s no business.”

“There isn’t any now, but there will be soon,” Shen Mo said while tidying up. “School’s about to start. A lot of students will want to learn painting. If we get the ads up, we should be able to bring in some clients.”

He glanced at Yang Yue and added, “If you think we’re going to be short-handed, feel free to hire another helper.”

Yang Yue stared at him in surprise. “What’s gotten into you, Boss? Weren’t you always the type to slack off whenever you could? Why the sudden motivation?”

Shen Mo huffed, feeling a little indignant. “I’m not that lazy.”

Then he sighed and added, “But things are different now.”

“Why?”

“Because…” Shen Mo thought of the two people far away overseas. A faint smile touched his eyes. “I need to earn money to support my family.”