Chapter 8 - Birthday

There was a moment of silence on the other side, and hung up the call after saying ‘wait’.

Shen Yi looked at the screen of his mobile phone, his smooth jawline reflecting back on the black screen, and muttered in a low voice: “Is he really coming…”

Fu Yuhe’s driver was responsible for sending Shen Yi home many times, and thus he came over pretty quickly. After over twenty minutes, Shen Yi received another call from him.

“I’m downstairs. Section A of the parking lot.” Fu Yuhe recited the license plate number.

Shen Yi glanced at Fu Cheng’s back on the other side of the desk, hung up the phone, and went over to tell Fu Cheng that he was going downstairs to buy something.

Fu Cheng said “okay”, without any suspicion.

Shen Yi changed his shoes and went out, the elevator door opened with a ‘ding’, there was no one inside, he walked in, pressed the floor, he looked at the descending elevator, strangely though, he had an illusion that he was going out to date his lover behind his girlfriend’s back.

The underground parking lot was lit. He arrived at the parking lot, was looking for Fu Yuhe’s car when he received a call from Fu Yuhe. The other party had seen him and asked him to go as he instructed and Shen Yi quickly found Fu Yuhe’s car.

The window was lowered in the spot next to the back seat of the car, Fu Yuhe raised his chin, indicating him get into the car, Shen Yi opened the rear door and sat in, he looked at the front seat and realised that the driver wasn’t there.

“Brother Fu, won’t you go up and sit for a while?” Shen Yi asked politely.

Fu Yuhe knew very well what he was playing at.

“Fu Cheng is at your house.” He didn’t go beating around the bushes either.

“Oh…” Shen Yi said, “Brother Fu, you always come to meet me behind Fu Cheng, it’s a bit embarrassing.”

As soon as he said this, no matter how he tried to interpret those words, there was something weird about it, it seemed not only ambiguous, but also like a unscrupulous banter.

Fu Yuhe scanned him top to bottom. The boy wore a loose black long-sleeved sweatshirt today with a silver necklace around his neck which lay neatly on the collarbone. The necklace wasn’t an accessory instead it was a key. A pair of loose sweatpants wrapped snugly over his long legs. His appearance exuding a youthful aura.

The silver necklace complemented his fair skin, creating a kind of unhindered sexiness, which made one want to take a bite, leaving marks over his skin.

Fu Yuhe’s body leaned towards Shen Yi making Shen Yi subconsciously lean back, pressing his back against the closed car door, and he felt the warm temperature of another body near his face. He could smell the scent of tobacco, mixed with a familiar perfume.

He lowered his gaze and saw the man’s protruding Adam’s apple. Before Shen Yi could say anything, Fu Yuhe had already stepped back.

He had an extra paper bag in his hand.

The logo on the bag was that of a well-known pastry shop. The prices of that shop were a bit on the expensive side, and the daily production of the pastries were limited, which made it difficult to buy.

He placed the bag in the middle of the two of them.

“I heard you like to eat things from this shop.” He said nonchalantly.

Shen Yi glanced at him in surprise, “Who did you hear that from? Fu Cheng?”

“Hmm.” Fu Yuhe’s emotions are incomprehensible.

Shen Yi opened the bag and took a look, “Brother Fu, you misunderstood, these aren’t what I like to eat, but what Fu Cheng likes to eat.”

Fu Yuhe suddenly played this roundabout devious tactic against him, and Shen Yi felt a little uncomfortable for a bit. It was like a weasel giving New Year’s greetings’ to a chicken.

Fu Yuhe paused, “Is that so. So you know Fu Cheng very well?”

Shen Yi said, “If you are talking about Fu Cheng’s preference, then I know them pretty well.”

Fu Yuhe was interested: “Oh? Enlighten me.”

Shen Yi listed a few things Fu Cheng liked to eat and some of his small habits. Fu Cheng as an individual, was actually very easy to understand. It was easier to figure out as long as on paid a little attention.

After Shen Yi finished speaking, Fu Yuhe’s left thumb stroked the watch on his right hand, and he didn’t say anything for a while. Truth be told, some of the details that Shen Yi noticed made even Fu Yuhe a little surprised.

“Actually, I also know some of your preferences.” Shen Yi suddenly said again.

Fu Yuhe looked at him with a little interest in his eyes this time.

“You don’t like sweet stuff, but instead you prefer spicy food, am I right?” Shen Yi asked.

Fu Yuhe snorted. He could roughly guess that he had noticed this the last time they ate together.

Shen Yi continued: “Also—if something deviates out of your control, you will feel very unsettled. For example, an unexpected factor like me popping up in Fu Cheng’s life all of sudden, and me being a variable that you can’t control.”

“What else can you tell?” Fu Yuhe put his elbows on the car window, supporting his forehead and looked sideways at Shen Yi.

Shen Yi: “I can tell that you and Fu Cheng quarreled, the reason being me.” The corner of Fu Yuhe’s lips lifted slightly.

“This should be one of the few Fu Cheng’s rebellions against you.” Shen Yi said, “That’s why you are in such a hurry to find me.”

Fu Yuhe let out a low laugh and didn’t deny it, “You are very smart, Shen Yi. Take a guess on why I came to find you today.”

“I can’t.” Shen Yi leaned back lazily, “Just tell me, brother.”

“I’ve always been curious.” Fu Yuhe said slowly, restraining his anger. Looking alienated yet remaining polite, and continued, “Why did Fu Cheng accept you so fast? And why does he care about you so much?”

“Simply because I’m sincere in being friends with him.” Shen Yi nodded in agreement after speaking.

Fu Yuhe felt more than that.

It’ had to be said that he was very curious about Shen Yi. Fu Cheng said that he was prejudiced against Shen Yi. So far, what he has knew was what Shen Yi showed in front of him, and what he has done.

In addition to curiosity, Fu Yuhe was also a little interested in Shen Yi, if Fu Cheng is like a little sheep in a wolf pack, then Shen Yi was a wolf in sheep’s clothing.

“You sue are eloquent.” Fu Yuhe said.

On the other hand, it might be a good thing if Shen Yi really regarded his stupid brother as a friend, but the premise is that Shen Yi is sincere.

“You keep misunderstanding me.” Shen Yi said this sentence again.

“There’s a long time ahead of us, I’m sure I’ll get to know you well.”

Fu Yuhe’s second half of the sentence was meaningful, and he temporarily gave up on being the “evil mother-in-law” who was responsible for breaking them up.

After that Fu Yuhe didn’t say anything, he only asked Shen Yi to give him his mobile phone. Shen Yi gave it to him. Fu Yuhe entered a number in the mobile phone and handed it back to Shen Yi.

“This is my private number, if Fu Cheng needs anything, you can contact me.” He said.

“Okay.” When Shen Yi took the mobile phone, their fingertips touched, Fu Yuhe didn’t know whether it was his illusion or not, but he felt Shen Yi fingertips lingering on his for a few seconds longer before he took the phone back.

After they parted ways, Shen Yi went back upstairs.

“What is it?” Fu Cheng looked at the bag in his hand.

Shen Yi: “Takeaway.”

Fu Cheng murmured: “Does this store accept takeaway orders? I don’t think they do…”

On Sunday aka Fu Yuhe’s birthday, he didn’t have much on his schedule today, there was a party in the evening, and some of the friends at the party were simply friends with interests.

If you want to be successful in the business field, communication and connecting with people is inevitable, and this group of young masters were naturally best at having fun during the weekends. After drinking some wine at the dinner table, and they went to the clubhouse to book the venue.

Fu Yuhe drank a few glasses of wine and stayed for a short time. Regardless of their persuasion, he got up and left.

When the driver sent him home, he was starting to feel tipsy, after realising that, he got out of the car, entered the villa, and when he pushed the door open, there were two “bang” sounds, and confetti fell from the sky.

He looked up, only to meet Fu Cheng’s bright red face.

“Happy birthday! Brother.”

Fu Yuhe fiddled with the shiny pieces of paper in his hair.

This was definitely not Fu Cheng’s idea, Fu Yuhe turned his head, and on the right side of the door was Shen Yi, and together with Fu Cheng, they looked like left and right gatekeeper.

The young man stood tall, holding a violin in his hand, slightly tilting his head against the violin, his eyes looked beautiful and calm, and then the lights in the villa went dark.

With the violin music playing close to his ears, Fu Cheng on the other side brought a cake and lit the candles, before walking towards Fu Yuhe.

After the song “Happy Birthday” was finished, Shen Yi’s voice travelled to Fu Yuhe’s ears, “Happy birthday, Brother Fu.”

“Your idea?” Fu Yuhe’s voice was a little hoarse, and he pressed the corner of his forehead, feeling a headache coming.

“Uh-huh.” The young man’s voice spoke in a lazy tone.

Fu Yuhe commented: “It’s not good.”

Shen Yi: “It’s enough for the atmosphere to be there, and you won’t like it if it’s too exaggerated.”

His tone was so firm, it was as if he knew Fu Yuhe very well, which made Fu Yuhe feel a bit nervous.

He squinted his eyes, the tip of his tongue touching his cheek and turned his head capturing Shen Yi’s outline in the shadows. He couldn’t see his expressions clearly, but he felt that the other party should be smiling.

Shen Yi originally intended to make it more “lively and exaggerated”, in order to cause a crack in Fu Yuhe’s usual cold and indifferent expression, but after Fu Yuhe sent a signal for a truce, Shen Yi reflected and felt that he should also cooperate with him.

It was his birthday, and Fu Cheng believed in him so much. He didn’t want to disappoint his brother. It was fine as long as the atmosphere was there, after all they wanted to give him a surprise, not a shock.

“Brother, brother, make a wish and blow out the candle.” Fu Cheng stood on the side, wantig to go through the process, just like a dedicated host.

Fu Cheng was kind of obsessed with celebrating his birthday, so every year on his birthday, Fu Yuhe will try to free up time some time, but nonetheless it was a simple celebration. He didn’t like eating sweets, so they didn’t buy a cake most of the time. It was just Fu Cheng making a bowl of noodles with clear soup as longevity noodles.

The candles inserted on the cake illuminated Fu Yuhe’s face.

“Put it on the table, don’t drop it in the dark.” Shen Yi said from the side.

“Yes.” Fu Cheng turned around and walked back.

The light went away from him inch by inch, Fu Yuhe’s fingers curled, and then a hand grabbed his wrist, pulling his feet that seemed to be stuck in place.

“Let’s go, Brother Fu, Fu Cheng is looking forward to eating the cake.” Shen Yi said.

Fu Yuhe didn’t like sweet, but Fu Cheng did.

After Fu Yuhe got a bit drunk, he didn’t care about Shen Yi’s behavior of pulling him by the hand, and walked towards the candlelight step by step together with him.

He came back from outside, feeling cold all over, but his wrist was gradually warming up by the warmth of Shen Yi’s palm. When they reached the table, and Shen Yi let go of his wrist, Fu Yuhe could still sense his touch lingering over his skin.

He discreetly curled his fingertips, as if wanting to hold onto this sensation.