ACMS 21

Chapter 21: A Delicate Topic

Shen Hechuan suppressed the chaotic beating of his heart, walked over, and took the gift bag from Qiao Le’s hand, then smoothly held his hand in his own.

“Just accept it,” he said gently to Qiao Le. “Don’t be nervous.”

Qiao Le whispered, “But I didn’t bring a gift.”

He had thought about bringing a present beforehand, but deciding on what to bring was difficult. Something cheap might not be appropriate for elders, and something expensive was beyond his means.

In the end, Shen Hechuan told him not to bring anything. After all, he was supposed to be just an ordinary college student—showing up with a gift would actually seem strange.

So he came empty-handed, yet the elders had given him something instead.

He recognized the gift bag Wu Huilan handed him—it was from a well-known luxury watch brand.

Qiao Le didn’t have much personal interest in luxury goods, but he was familiar with many luxury brands. Working at a bar, he needed to guide customer behavior based on their clothes and accessories.

And for the brand Wu Huilan had chosen, there wasn’t a single watch under six figures.

This meeting gift was simply too extravagant.

Everyone couldn’t help but laugh when they heard his words. The old man chuckled and said, “You’re just a kid—what gifts would you be bringing? Don’t go wasting money, or I won’t be happy.”

Shen Zhenghe added, “Just accept it. We’re going to be family sooner or later. No need to act like strangers.”

Qiao Le: “……”

That “going to be family sooner or later” only added more pressure. He braced himself and replied, “Alright. Thank you, sir. Thank you, uncle and aunt.”

He could only accept it for now and plan to return it to Shen Hechuan later.

Shen Hechuan said, “I’ll take him back first. I won’t be coming home tonight.”

As soon as he said that, all three elders wore the same expression: You’re not coming back tonight ⊙口⊙?!

Now that was a serious misunderstanding.

Qiao Le awkwardly shifted to the side, but since Shen Hechuan was holding his hand, he couldn’t move far. His eyes darted around aimlessly, as if all of this had nothing to do with him.

Shen Hechuan remained composed as he explained, “It’s just too much trouble to come back and forth. I have to go to the company tomorrow, so I’ll stay at Linjiang complex.”

Wu Huilan: “Oh.”

Shen Zhenghe: “Oh.”

The old man: “Oh.”

“How about just not going back tonight then?” Wu Huilan suggested. “There are rooms at home. Tomorrow, Hechuan can take Lele to school and then head to the office.”

But staying over wasn’t part of the deal Qiao Le had made. He quickly squeezed Shen Hechuan’s palm, signaling him to absolutely not agree.

Shen Hechuan got the message: “No, if we stay here, we’d have to get up too early tomorrow.”

Pengshan No. 1 Residence was more than an hour’s drive from the city. Wu Huilan thought about it and agreed it wasn’t convenient, so she gave up the idea. “Alright, it’s getting late. You two should head back. Let us know once you get home.”

“Okay,” the two responded.

Once they were in the car, Qiao Le let out a deep breath and then a huge sigh of relief. He reached for his seatbelt and buckled it.

The car pulled away from the villa, driving down the red carpet toward the foot of the hill.

Only after they’d left the grounds of Pengshan No. 1 Residence did Qiao Le say, “Your family is really good to you.”

Shen Hechuan: “Hmm?”

Qiao Le said, “They’ve never even met me before, yet they put so much thought into preparing this meeting, and even gave me such an expensive gift. That must be because they love you a lot.”

What a pity it was all fake. He hoped they wouldn’t be too disappointed when they found out.

Otherwise, he’d feel guilty.

This job was truly both rewarding and guilt-inducing. Qiao Le sighed inwardly and thought, I really am beautiful and kindhearted.

Shen Hechuan didn’t know what he was thinking, and didn’t entirely agree with his conclusion. “Or maybe… they just like you.”

It was true that the reason the elders cared so much about the meeting was because of him, but it was also true that they were very pleased after meeting Qiao Le.

“Well, that’s definitely part of it too.”

Qiao Le responded confidently, then lowered his head and smiled at himself with a touch of vanity. The gloom in his heart completely lifted. “So, does that mean I completed the mission? I didn’t embarrass you, right?”

Shen Hechuan: “Of course not. You were excellent.”

Qiao Le reminded him, “Then don’t forget to give me a five-star review.”

Shen Hechuan slightly tilted his head, catching a glimpse of Qiao Le’s smiling lips from the corner of his eye.

Qiao Le was happy right now—this was how he should be.

Shen Hechuan couldn’t help but smile too. “Alright.”

After the joy settled a little, Qiao Le pulled out his phone to check his messages.

He hadn’t dared look at it at all earlier at Shen Hechuan’s house, afraid the elders would think he was rude.

There were several unread messages on WeChat. He tapped on the most recent one first.

[Song Tongyu: Lele, are you coming to the class reunion or not?!]

[Song Tongyu: I heard Ms. Li is retiring at the end of the year and going back to her hometown. She’s attending the reunion too. What about you, huh?]

Qiao Le had almost forgotten about the class reunion.

The Ms. Li Song Tongyu mentioned was their high school homeroom teacher.

Back then, Qiao Le’s mother had gone to Shen City for work, and not long after, rumors spread that she’d run off with someone. His father was often nowhere to be found, leaving only Qiao Le and his constantly wailing younger brother Qiao Man at home.

Qiao Le spent a long time in a daze during high school. It was Ms. Li who pulled him out of that darkness.

Without her, he might have just kept drifting aimlessly—he definitely wouldn’t have made it into Yunjing University.

Ms. Li’s hometown was in Inner Mongolia, and it might be hard to see her again in the future.

Money could be earned again, but he couldn’t miss this.

Qiao Le replied: I’m going.

Then he exited the chat with Song Tongyu and tapped on Fang Jiaxu’s profile. He saw several voice messages and habitually started playing them.

Just then, the car’s music had finished playing, and Fang Jiaxu’s voice suddenly echoed through the car:

“Are you coming back tonight or not? Don’t tell me you’ve been drinking again?”

Qiao Le’s voice messages on WeChat were always set to speaker. He had opened them out of habit, and by the time he remembered that Shen Hechuan was sitting right beside him, the first message had already finished playing.

Shen Hechuan reached over and turned off the music, as if afraid it would interfere with him listening.

Qiao Le cleared his throat. “That’s my friend. He’s helping me watch Xiao Man and was asking when I’ll be home.”

Shen Hechuan glanced at the time. “About forty more minutes.”

“Mm, okay.”

Qiao Le rubbed his nose and lowered the phone’s volume, intending to switch the voice messages to text—but the car went over a speed bump, and he accidentally tapped the wrong place.

Fang Jiaxu’s voice blared again:

“Don’t drink too much. Don’t end up like the other day, rolling around on the bed without even knowing whether the other guy’s good. Such a loss—”

Shen Hechuan: “……”

Qiao Le: “!!!”

Fang Jiaxu, are you trying to get me killed?!

Saying that kind of stuff in front of the person involved?!!

Frantically, Qiao Le began jabbing at the screen, trying to shut off the message—but the more he panicked, the more he missed, and instead he ended up tapping the next one:

“Why aren’t you replying? Don’t tell me I was right—”

Even though he had turned the volume down just now, Shen Hechuan had already turned off the music. Fang Jiaxu’s clear voice echoed throughout the space.

In desperation, Qiao Le exited WeChat altogether.

The world finally fell silent—and Qiao Le’s soul had practically left his body.

The car was terrifyingly quiet. He clutched his phone, not daring to look at Shen Hechuan’s expression beside him.

This was too awkward. Maybe he should apologize.

After all, he had just made ten thousand yuan from the guy!

Just as Qiao Le was about to speak, the car suddenly pulled over to the side of the road.

Qiao Le: !!

Was Shen Hechuan going to kick him out in a fit of rage?!

This area was so remote—it’d be impossible to catch a cab!

“I’m sorry—”

“You really don’t remember anything from that night?”

They spoke at the same time.

Qiao Le fell silent again.

Of course he remembered!

He didn’t recall every single moment, but he had a pretty clear memory of most of it. He even remembered that he was the one who made the first move.

He raised a finger and pinched it slightly apart. “…I remember a little.”

Shen Hechuan asked, “Which part?”

Which part?

Did he really have to ask that?

How was he supposed to answer? What was he going to say?

I remember seducing you, kissing you, biting your Adam’s apple.

Or maybe, I remember you pressing me into the bathtub, the pillow, and the blankets.

Anything he said would sound wrong—especially in the middle of the night, with just the two of them, talking about such intimate topics. It all felt strangely suggestive.

Like thunder and fire were just waiting to collide.

“Qiao Le,” Shen Hechuan called his name again. “Answer me.”

His voice was gentle, but his tone was firm—just like his actions that night.

Qiao Le didn’t want to say it, but he could tell Shen Hechuan was really bothered by that “good or not” part from Fang Jiaxu’s message.

He awkwardly scratched his cheek with his finger, noticed Shen Hechuan looking at him, then quickly put his hands neatly on his knees. “Let’s not talk about ‘good or not’, Senior.”

Shen Hechuan: “……”

So he’d even learned to dodge now.

Shen Hechuan was exasperated but also amused. Seeing Qiao Le sitting obediently in the seat, looking like he was ready to be scolded for something he did wrong, was kind of adorable.

A certain mischievous urge rose up in him, and he couldn’t help but lean in a little.

“Why not say it? Is it because I didn’t perform well enough to satisfy you?”

Qiao Le: “……”

He stayed silent like an ostrich burying its head in the sand. But Shen Hechuan didn’t let up:

“You can tell your friend, but you can’t tell the person involved?”

“I didn’t really say anything…” Qiao Le mumbled in protest. “Seriously, I didn’t say anything. I said you saved me.”

Shen Hechuan zeroed in: “Did you say I was no good?”

Qiao Le swore on the spot: “I didn’t! Absolutely not!”

Shen Hechuan coaxed patiently: “Then what did you say?”

Qiao Le blurted out, “I said… not bad!”

Shen Hechuan: “……”

Not bad—but not exactly good either.

If he’d known it’d end like this, he wouldn’t have asked.