CTS 8

The next morning, when Shen Mo got up and looked in the mirror, he found that there was indeed a split at the corner of his mouth. The bite mark left by Ji Mingxuan was clear and impossible to hide.

If he showed up at the company like this, rumors would probably fly all over again.
But… this was probably exactly the effect Mr. Ji wanted, right?

Shen Mo sighed. After washing up, he went downstairs with the wound still on his mouth.

From a distance, he could already hear Ji An’an’s laughter coming from the dining room.

The Ji siblings were chatting happily.
Shen Mo walked over and greeted them. Ji An’an looked up and said, “Brother Shen…”

She stopped halfway through her sentence, her gaze landing on his lips.

“Huh? Brother Shen, what happened to your mouth?”

Shen Mo sat down and said, “It’s nothing. I accidentally bumped it yesterday.”

“How can you bump it and end up like that? It looks like…”

“An’an,” Ji Mingxuan tapped the table with his fingers and said, “Eat.”

Ji An’an glanced at Ji Mingxuan, then at Shen Mo. Suddenly, her expression lit up with understanding. She smiled and said, “Right, right, I will eat breakfast. You two keep talking.”

Ji Mingxuan ignored Shen Mo, and Shen Mo had nothing much to say either.
The two of them just kept their heads down and ate. It was Ji An’an who kept the atmosphere lively, mentioning that she had an interview for a job today.

Ji Mingxuan said, “Why bother looking for a job elsewhere? Wouldn’t it be better to come work at the company with me?”

“I am not Brother Shen. I do not want to be stuck with you all day and night.”

As they were talking, Ji An’an’s phone rang. She turned away slightly to answer it, her voice dripping with sweetness. “Yes, I already had breakfast. Mhm, I am heading out now.”

Ji Mingxuan said, “Looks like the person you do want to spend all day and night with has come to pick you up.”

Ji An’an did not deny it.
She just said, “You two take your time eating,” and hurried out the door.

Shen Mo thought he heard the sound of a car engine starting outside. He remembered how he used to be with Zhou Yang, how eager he had been to meet up too.

When he snapped out of it, he realized Ji Mingxuan was watching him with a faint, teasing smile.

“Mr. Ji…” Shen Mo felt a little guilty.

Ji Mingxuan let out a low hum, then reached out and pinched Shen Mo’s chin, studying his face carefully. “Does the cut on your lip still hurt?”

Shen Mo quickly said, “It does not hurt.”

Ji Mingxuan curved his lips into a smile, lowered his head, and kissed him, deliberately brushing his tongue over the wound.

The spot stung a little, and Shen Mo protested, “Mr. Ji…”

Ji Mingxuan only let him go after getting his fill, saying righteously, “Disinfecting you.”

Shen Mo froze for a second, then said, “Thank you.”

Ji Mingxuan smiled warmly, got up, and said, “Time for work. I will drive you.”

Shen Mo had followed Ji Mingxuan for three years but could never figure out his temper.
Sometimes, he would be joking around one moment and turn cold and ruthless the next. His moods were unpredictable, and the only way to deal with him was to obey.

So Shen Mo got into Ji Mingxuan’s car and went to the company.

The injury on his mouth drew a lot of curious glances, but at least everyone was civilized enough not to gossip in front of him.

A few days later, Shen Mo’s wound finally healed, and Ji An’an also successfully found a job.

It happened to be the weekend, and as usual, Ji Mingxuan was busy with work.
Ji An’an came knocking on Shen Mo’s door and asked, “Brother Shen, are you free this afternoon?”

“I am. What is it?”

“Zhou Yang’s birthday is coming up in a few days. I want to pick out a gift for him. Can you come with me?”

Only then did Shen Mo remember that Zhou Yang’s birthday was in winter. He had been trying so hard not to think about the past that he had genuinely forgotten many things. He hesitated, wondering how to politely decline, but Ji An’an continued, “Every year I rack my brain over gifts. Since you and Zhou Yang were classmates, you should be able to help me decide.”

Shen Mo gave a bitter smile. “I am not that close to Zhou Yang.”

“It is fine. You can just help me carry stuff.”

Shen Mo was never good at refusing people. Under Ji An’an’s relentless coaxing, he finally ended up going out with her.

Ji An’an went straight to her usual department store. Shen Mo acted as her free labor, realizing for the first time just how exhausting it was to shop with a woman. They spent more than half the day just at the men’s clothing section.

Shen Mo helped her carry clothes and try things out until his arms were sore. After that, Ji An’an spotted a pair of cufflinks but struggled to choose between two designs. In the end, it was Shen Mo who made the decision for her and suggested buying both.

Ji An’an thought about it and said, “That works. I can give the other pair to my brother.”

Satisfied with her purchases, she noticed it was getting late and suggested they grab something to eat nearby. “It is a restaurant my brother recommended. I heard their signature dishes are really good.”

Shen Mo was already exhausted and just wanted a place to sit and rest, so he had no objections.

The restaurant was not far. They walked over, only to find out it required a reservation. Ji An’an had no choice but to give Ji Mingxuan’s name.

It was just their luck that right then, another group of customers entered. Shen Mo looked up and immediately saw Ji Mingxuan.

Ji An’an lit up with surprise. “Big brother, you are here to eat too?”

Ji Mingxuan was slightly stunned and asked, “What are you two doing here?”

Ji An’an tugged on Shen Mo’s arm and said, “You are always busy with work, so I had to ask Brother Shen to come with me.”

She added, “We did not make a reservation.”

Ji Mingxuan patted her head and smiled. “Relax. I will not let you go hungry.”

Then he turned to the man beside him and asked, “You don’t mind eating together, do you?”

The man standing next to him was Zhao Yi, a rising young actor who had been appearing frequently at various events lately. Shen Mo had seen a few of his dramas and thought he was even more attractive in person than on screen.

Zhao Yi gave a gentle smile, his demeanor flawless. “Of course I don’t mind.”