AMBTICBPIB Chapter 66

The meeting concluded swiftly, lasting less than an hour.

President Shen had instructed everyone to be concise and avoid unnecessary chatter beforehand.

The executives exchanged glances. Though President Shen maintained his usual stern expression, they detected no displeasure on his face. Could he simply want to end the meeting early?

After all, the meetings President Shen attended were always crucial, requiring significant decisions.

Still, since President Shen had given the order, the executives complied. Even so, the meeting still stretched beyond an hour.

Shen Jin was anxious to return to the office and keep Chu Yi company, worried he might be bored alone.

When Shen Jin returned to the office, he found Chu Yi sitting on the sofa, playing games and snacking on pastries.

These treats had been brought by his assistant, Xiao Lan.

Chu Yi looked up at him. “I’ve been waiting for you here the whole time.”

Shen Jin raised an eyebrow. Chu Yi was actually sitting here so obediently, waiting for him?

As Shen Jin entered, he noticed Chu Yi’s gaze was unusually enthusiastic, as if he had done something guilty. *Did he secretly eat unhealthy snacks again behind my back?* Shen Jin wondered.

*Fine, I’ll just pretend I didn’t notice,* Shen Jin thought. *I’ll let my little one have some treats occasionally. His happiness is what matters most.*

Although the meeting had ended, several documents still required his review and approval, and a few needed his signature.

Just as he sat down, Chu Yi approached. “We only watched half of that show last time.”

Shen Jin pulled Chu Yi onto his lap and expertly started the video. His smile grew even more pronounced; Chu Yi’s eagerness only confirmed his earlier suspicions.

Sitting on Shen Jin’s lap, Chu Yi watched the video—a BL drama he’d been following and found utterly captivating.

Yet Chu Yi seemed distracted. He’d glance at the screen, then steal furtive glances at Shen Jin.

Shen Jin was so close, his head slightly bowed, long lashes framing his face, the bridge of his nose sharp and defined. He looked handsome from every angle. The way Shen Jin focused intently on his work was particularly alluring, and Chu Yi became so mesmerized that he completely forgot about the video.

Chu Yi was so absorbed in watching Shen Jin that when Shen Jin suddenly turned to look at him, Chu Yi didn’t react, still grinning foolishly.

Shen Jin rested his chin in his hand. “Do you think it’s handsome?”

“Very handsome,” Chu Yi replied.

Realizing his slip, Chu Yi quickly added, “I wasn’t looking at you! I was watching TV.”

He heard Shen Jin chuckle softly. Caught stealing glances, Chu Yi’s ears flushed crimson.

After finishing an episode of TV, Shen Jin wrapped up his work.

As his assistant took away the documents, Shen Jin asked, “Is there something you want to tell me?”

Chu Yi’s face always betrayed his thoughts. Shen Jin had noticed him glancing over several times, clearly wanting to say something.

Chu Yi had been wanting to ask about this for a while. He pulled out his phone, opened the seafood website, and pointed to a name.

“Was that buyer you?” Chu Yi asked.

Shen Jin raised an eyebrow, surprised by the resurfacing of this old matter. “Hmm?”

“I saw the bracelet Sister Xiaolan was wearing,” Chu Yi continued. “Mr. Shen, could you explain? This phone number belongs to Brother Chen Ye.”

Chu Yi had already learned from Sister Xiaolan that Chen Ye had recently distributed generous employee benefits, claiming it was Mr. Shen’s idea. The staff were overjoyed; the luxury brands were so extravagant that each item was worth several months’ wages.

On the day the benefits were distributed, the employees enthusiastically pledged their eternal loyalty to the Shen Group and unwavering support for Mr. Shen Jin.

The benefits consisted of various luxury goods that Chu Yi had sold.

Chu Yi asked Sister Xiaolan for Chen Ye’s phone number and checked the transaction records. Sure enough, the seller’s number matched Chen Ye’s.

Even someone as slow to catch on as Chu Yi realized that Chen Ye would never buy so many luxury items to give to employees as benefits. The real buyer must have been Shen Jin.

Chu Yi recalled the incident when he had listed items online and encountered a buyer who harassed him. Shen Jin had been present when he told Uncle Wen about it.

Back then, Chu Yi had only recently arrived at the Shen family’s home. He had cried several times in front of Shen Jin, so he assumed Shen Jin must have disliked him.

When the items first sold, Chu Yi had briefly wondered if Uncle Wen might be the buyer, but all the evidence pointed against it.

He never even considered that Shen Jin could be the buyer.

After learning the truth from Sister Xiaolan, Chu Yi’s eyes welled up with emotion. It turned out Shen Jin had been secretly doing so much for him, things he never knew about. Chu Yi had always believed Shen Jin disliked him back then.

Shen Jin had originally intended to throw away the items he’d purchased. But remembering that Chu Yi had personally packaged each one with such care, he found them less repulsive than before.

Discarding them seemed wasteful, so Shen Jin instructed Chen Ye to distribute the items to the company employees as a bonus.

He assumed Chu Yi would never find out about this. However, Chu Yi immediately recognized the bracelet on his assistant’s wrist, revealing everything.

So Chu Yi’s earlier enthusiastic gaze hadn’t been because Shen Jin had done something he felt guilty about.

Seeing that Chu Yi already knew, Shen Jin chuckled, unable to deny it. “How are you so clever?”

With Shen Jin’s admission, Chu Yi let out a relieved breath.

Chu Yi wrapped his arms around Shen Jin’s neck. “You’re so kind.” No wonder the buyer had refused when Chu Yi offered to deliver the items personally. No wonder the buyer hadn’t haggled over the price.

Back then, Chu Yi had been somewhat intimidated by Shen Jin and never imagined the buyer could be him.

It turned out Shen Jin had been kind to him from the very beginning.

Chu Yi remained curious. “Why did you help me back then?”

Shen Jin pondered. Perhaps it was because, when he first saw Chu Yi, all he noticed was the fluffy head shrinking back in fear.

Or maybe it was because, despite his fear, Chu Yi would always softly call him “Mr. Shen” whenever they met, and would secretly glance at him. Or perhaps it was because Shen Jin didn’t mind when Chu Yi cried in front of him.

So, when Shen Jin saw Chu Yi’s distressed expression, he frowned. Uncle Wen, noticing his expression, asked for Chu Yi’s account details. Shen Jin overheard, confirming Uncle Wen’s suspicions: Shen Jin was secretly helping Chu Yi.

When placing the order, Shen Jin deliberately used Chen Ye’s phone number, never expecting Chu Yi to find out in the end.

Leaning against Shen Jin’s shoulder, Chu Yi’s eyes reddened again. They had already turned red once before Shen Jin returned, and now, seeing Shen Jin, they involuntarily reddened again.

Shen Jin turned his head. “Let me see… are your eyes red again?”

He lifted Chu Yi’s chin and, sure enough, saw the rims of his eyes were flushed. Shen Jin sighed helplessly. “Why do you cry so easily?”

“Who said I was crying?” Chu Yi retorted.

“No crying, no crying,” Shen Jin soothed him. “We’ll finish up here in the morning, rest at noon, and then I’ll take you out shopping in the afternoon.”

As they spoke, Xiao Lan, Shen Jin’s assistant, entered with a bag of spicy strips in her hand.

When she had received President Shen’s message earlier, Xiao Lan had double-checked: *Are you sure you want spicy strips?*

Chu Yi’s eyes lit up at the sight of the spicy strips. “Are these for me?”

Shen Jin usually forbade him from eating such things, claiming they were bad for his health. But sometimes Chu Yi craved them so much that he would sneak them.

Shen Jin nodded. Chu Yi felt like it was New Year’s Day—Shen Jin was actually letting him eat spicy strips!

Xiao Lan finally understood why President Shen had asked her to deliver the spicy strips: to appease his beloved.

Glancing at Chu Yi’s very obvious baby bump, Xiao Lan gently advised, “President Shen, shouldn’t Chu Yi avoid these kinds of foods now?”

Although Xiao Lan wasn’t married yet, she remembered how her family had forbidden her pregnant sister from eating spicy snacks or drinking carbonated beverages, imposing strict dietary restrictions.

She assumed President Shen knew about these things, but then she thought, *This is his first time being a father, so maybe he doesn’t know.* So she kindly reminded him.

Chu Yi quickly glanced at Sister Xiaolan, begging her with his eyes to stop talking, fearing that a few more words would lead Shen Jin to forbid him from eating. He hastily tore open the snack bag and devoured a mouthful.

Seeing his eagerness, Shen Jin chuckled and said to Xiao Lan, “It’s fine. We don’t eat these often. An occasional treat won’t hurt.”

*So President Shen does know,* Xiao Lan thought. *Of course he would. How could he not know anything concerning Chu Yi?*

As Xiao Lan left, she couldn’t help but think, *President Shen truly dotes on his wife. The way he looked at Chu Yi just now was so indulgent—even more so than the doting husbands in dramas.*

Chu Yi contentedly finished the entire bag of spicy snacks.

After their afternoon nap, Shen Jin took Chu Yi shopping at the mall.

The weather outside was scorching, but the mall was frigidly air-conditioned. As soon as they stepped inside, Chu Yi shivered violently, nearly freezing. Shen Jin immediately draped his coat over Chu Yi’s shoulders.

Shen Jin took Chu Yi shopping and bought him a lot of things, mostly clothes.

Chu Yi’s current wardrobe consisted of loose-fitting outfits. They purchased a considerable amount of autumn and winter clothing, along with various other items. Shen Jin bought everything Chu Yi liked without hesitation.

In the past, Chu Yi could shop all afternoon without tiring. Now, after just over an hour, he was already feeling fatigued.

Back in the car, Chu Yi contentedly ate his ice cream, which he had only managed to convince Shen Jin to buy after much persuasion.

Initially, Shen Jin had only allowed him one scoop. After Chu Yi finished it in just a few bites, he gave Shen Jin several pleading looks before Shen Jin reluctantly agreed to two scoops.

Noticing a smear of cream on Chu Yi’s lips, Shen Jin wiped it away. “Your lips are so cold.”

“I just ate ice cream,” Chu Yi replied. “Of course they’re cold.”

As soon as he finished speaking, a searing kiss landed on his lips.

“Let me warm them up for you,” Shen Jin said.

The alternating sensations of heat and cold intertwined.

When they parted, Chu Yi’s icy lips had warmed considerably.