CFRFGC Chapter 72

⌈This “sofa” is so comfortable.⌋

Ji Min lowered his head.

Sure enough, the boy who had just been bending down to tie his shoelaces was now looking at him.

His eyes were full of shock.

At that moment, Ji Min really wanted to slap himself.

What on earth was he saying?

Without needing to think, Ji Min knew what Lu Ran was going to say next.

He almost jumped in to clarify, saying, “No, that’s not what I meant, I was just talking about this hypothetical situation…”

But it was already too late.

The boy beside him tilted his head back, eyes wide in astonishment, his lips moved slightly.

Ji Min tried to explain further, “Wait, I didn’t mean…”

But Lu Ran’s expression gradually shifted from shock to a kind of thoughtful reflection.

Then Ji Min heard that familiar sigh.

His heart skipped a beat, but then he heard the boy say, “Boss, don’t worry.”

Ji Min froze for a moment, not expecting the response to be one of comfort.

Lu Ran had already bent down, continuing to carefully adjust his shoelaces.

The boy’s reaction was calm as he said: “You already explained that you don’t like me, so I’ll just take it that you don’t.”

Ji Min: “…”

Ji Min: “?”

At first, it sounded normal, but the more he thought about it, the more something felt off.

What did he mean by “I’ll just take it that you don’t like me”?

“No, what you said…” Ji Min tried to correct him.

But Lu Ran waved his hand a little impatiently: “It’s nothing, I don’t mind. Anyway, you can’t really sleep with me.”

Ji Min: “…”

What did he mean by “can’t really sleep with me”?

Who does he think he’s looking down on?

Ji Min silently clenched his teeth.

He took a deep breath, trying to reverse the situation: “I really didn’t mean…”

“I understand.” But Lu Ran had already finished tying his shoes and stood up, cutting him off with an attitude that clearly said he didn’t want to talk about it anymore.

The words “I understand” were said, but the meaning was clear: You don’t need to explain, I don’t believe a word of it!

Ji Min took a deep breath, feeling his lungs slowly expanding.

The person he could have sworn would piss him off to death was now speaking to him in all seriousness.

“Let’s talk business, though. Shen Hongyuan’s attitude really is off.”

The kid’s tone was so serious.

He didn’t ask him again whether he liked him or not.

This was exactly what Ji Min had been hoping for, a serious discussion.

But why did it feel so…

“No,” Ji Min gritted his teeth, “I don’t want to talk business with you right now, not at all.”

Why couldn’t he just leave this personal matter alone?!

But as soon as Ji Min finished speaking, he saw Lu Ran looking at him with that “as expected” expression, shaking his head.

Then, the kid actually took out his phone to check the time and said to him.

“Boss, it’s my working hours now, please calm down.”

Without waiting for Ji Min’s response, he left the villa with a look of resignation.

Ji Min’s words got stuck in his throat. He was left utterly dumbfounded.

He sat there, rubbing his chest, and silently turned to look at Butler Chen.

Butler Chen asked with concern, “Are you alright, sir?”

Ji Min forced a smile. “I’m fine.”

“Just now I’ve realized… people really can get internal injuries from anger.”

Butler Chen stifled his laughter.

Lu Ran really didn’t care much about whether Ji Min wanted to sleep with him.

Those were small matters.

If it were someone else…

If Lu Ran knew that Shen Hongyuan was meeting with that person in private, discussing his issues and that the person might even have some interest in him, and want to sleep with him, he would have been on high alert.

But with Ji Min, for some reason, he lowered his guard.

Well, after all, this guy has liked him for a long time.

What Lu Ran cared about more was the attitude of Shen Hongyuan that Ji Min had hinted at in his words.

It was indeed a bit strange.

Shen Hongyuan was definitely acting odd.

Lu Ran had lived two lifetimes and his mind still retained the original text of this book.

He was well aware that the reason Shen Hongyuan doted on Shen Xingran so much was largely because Shen Xingran could bring enormous benefits to the Shen family.

In this book, Shen Hongyuan’s change as a father started with him thinking Shen Xingran was outstanding, which gave him pride as a father, and eventually turned into a real “fatherly obsession”.

It was because Lu Ran understood Shen Hongyuan’s character that he chose to use Ji Min to attract Shen Hongyuan to acknowledge him back into the Shen family.

But now it seemed that what had worked wasn’t “attraction”, but Ji Min’s identity, and the pressure brought on by publicly acknowledging his father.

Shen Hongyuan seemed to be quite wary of Ji Min and Lu Ran getting too close.

What exactly was he afraid of?

Lu Ran thought about it for a long while.

By the time he snapped out of it, he and Ji Min had already arrived at the venue.

Lu Ran was pushing Ji Min’s wheelchair and leaned down slightly to ask, “Boss, how about you lend me someone from your legal team?”

Ji Min was still fuming from that “you can’t really sleep with me” comment and was furious.

He didn’t even listen properly before responding, “No.”

Lu Ran begged, “I just need to consult someone, it won’t cost anything.”

Since being acknowledged back into the Shen family, Lu Ran has also looked into some information about the family and learned about the structure of Shen Corporation’s business.

Lu Ran had also consulted with a law professor at school about the issue of share inheritance.

But all he could get were just the surface-level details.

However, Ji Min’s people were different.

When Ji Min heard Lu Ran’s words, he thought the boy wasn’t stupid after all.

He was about to say something when he suddenly heard Lu Ran, who had just been begging him a moment ago, let out a startled exclamation, “What the hell?”

Ji Min turned his head but saw no one there.

He looked around and only then did he spot the guy squatting down, who had somehow moved from behind the wheelchair to its side.

He looked like a thief, curling up into a ball.

“What are you doing?” Ji Min asked.

He tilted his head to glance in the direction Lu Ran was avoiding.

There, not far away, stood a young man with a cold, composed expression, greeting others with proper etiquette.

It was Shen Xingyu.

Ji Min couldn’t understand why Lu Ran was trying to hide.

He had a good impression of Shen Xingyu.

Moreover, when Lu Ran had dealings with the Shen family, Shen Xingyu had been abroad, so there shouldn’t have been any conflict between them.

But Lu Ran didn’t respond.

He looked like a little hamster, curled up on the floor, slowly circling Ji Min’s wheelchair, avoiding Shen Xingyu’s gaze.

He looked quite cute doing that.

Ji Min, used to Lu Ran’s occasional antics, initially thought he was up to something bad again.

But when he unexpectedly locked eyes with the boy, he realized something wasn’t quite right.

Lu Ran’s eyes were very attractive.

The curve at the corner of his eyes was obedient, yet the pupils often held a hint of mischievous, dangerous humor that could make someone break into a cold sweat.

Beneath that mischievous glint, there was a deep, cold silence.

But now, Ji Min saw panic in those overly calm black eyes.

This was the first time Ji Min had seen such an emotion in Lu Ran’s eyes.

When Ji Min had first met Lu Ran, the boy had stood in the rain, facing an oncoming speeding car, and his eyes were filled with calmness.

Yet now, just because of Shen Xingyu, he showed such an expression.

Ji Min furrowed his brows and softly called out, “Lu Ran.”

Lu Ran didn’t hear what Ji Min said.

He wasn’t even sure what he was doing.

The truth was, Lu Ran was very afraid of Shen Xingyu.

He was terrified, deep down.

Even though he had known that Shen Xingyu had returned to the country and had tried to prepare himself mentally for the encounter.

But the moment he saw Shen Xingyu in person, his body still reacted instinctively.

The memories from his past life replayed uncontrollably in his mind.

His older brother, Shen Xingyu’s cold, unyielding voice.

The harsh screeching of tires around him.

The moment his body was struck, the pain in his joints, and the intense feeling of weightlessness.

Lu Ran would never forget that.

It was that day when Shen Xingyu came to forcibly take him away, leading to the car accident.

Because of that accident, he had endured ten years of living hell afterward.

At this moment, Lu Ran’s hands and feet even started to ache again.

He tried to curl up, hiding in the place where Ji Min’s wheelchair could shield him.

But.

Over there, Shen Xingyu seemed to have spotted Ji Min and was preparing to come over and greet him.

In an instant, Lu Ran had nowhere to hide.

He noticed the blanket on Ji Min’s lap and instinctively reached for it, trying to cover himself.

It was like a helpless little animal trying to avoid its natural enemy.

But the moment his hand reached out, his wrist was seized.

The fingers gripping his wrist were pale, the strength not particularly strong, but very steady.

The warmth from the palm seeped through, like a small, insignificant comfort in the cold night.

Lu Ran snapped back to reality.

He looked up at Ji Min and forced a grim smile, saying, “Boss, can I hide for a bit?”

As he said this, he vaguely remembered that he had probably just made Ji Min angry.

With his bad temper, Ji Min probably wouldn’t help him.

But in the next moment, Lu Ran saw the man sitting in the wheelchair lightly sigh.

He lifted the blanket from his lap and said, “Come up.”

Lu Ran hadn’t quite processed the request yet.

Then he felt the hand that had been holding his wrist move to his waist, and his body was lifted lightly.

Before he could fully react, he was gently placed into a wide embrace filled with a familiar scent.

The soft blanket fell over him, completely covering him.

He then sank into a warm, solid darkness.

A large hand pressed gently on his back, easing down on his spine.

The other hand wrapped around his legs, securing him snugly in his arms.

Suddenly, Lu Ran felt his nerves calm down. The excruciating pain in his limbs slowly eased.

It was as if his ears, previously blocked by water, had cleared.

He heard the footsteps of Shen Xingyu approaching.

He heard Shen Xingyu’s cold, hard voice respectfully addressing Ji Min as “Senior”.

The moment Shen Xingyu’s voice rang out, Lu Ran’s whole body tensed.

But just for a moment, he felt the hand on his back pat him reassuringly.

It was like gently soothing a child to sleep.

“Senior, it’s been a long time.”

Shen Xingyu bent slightly toward Ji Min, then paused when he noticed the faint outline beneath the dark blue blanket on the man’s wheelchair. He looked surprised for a moment.

However, Shen Xingyu wasn’t one to pry into others’ matters. He quickly lowered his gaze to the floor.

He recalled the news he had received from home recently, and an apologetic expression crossed his face. “Sorry for causing you so much trouble lately. I’ll come by to apologize another day.”

But Ji Min didn’t want to engage further in the conversation.

He furrowed his brows, staring at the person hidden in his embrace, and merely nodded, saying, “I have things to do.”

Neither of them was much for small talk.

After Shen Xingyu’s words, he promptly stepped aside, understanding the situation.

Ji Min nodded at a nearby servant, motioning with his chin. “Take me to the lounge.”

The servant immediately led the way.

Once they entered the lounge, Ji Min asked Butler Chen to close the door.

He quietly stopped beside the sofa, neither urging nor lifting the blanket.

After a long while, the corner of the soft cashmere blanket was lifted.

The boy, who had been hiding for some time, poked his head out.

It had only been a few minutes, but the lively, energetic person who had just been able to make Ji Min furious was now pale, drenched in cold sweat, with even his forehead dampened.

“What’s wrong? Are you feeling unwell?” Ji Min asked.

Lu Ran shook his head.

“I’m fine.” His voice was hoarse to the point of being painful to hear.

Ji Min didn’t look convinced, his brow furrowing deeply in concern.

The boy, who had just emerged from his embrace, stared at Ji Min’s suit in a daze.

After a long while, he quietly muttered, “Sorry, boss. I got your clothes wet.”

Ji Min looked down and only then noticed the dampness spreading across his suit at the chest.

After speaking, Lu Ran finally realized that he was still leaning against Ji Min.

He reached out to support himself, attempting to get down from the wheelchair.

At first, he tried to push off the armrest, but his palms were sweaty, and the armrest was too slippery.

So, he had no choice but to brace himself against Ji Min’s chest.

However, when his hand pressed against the dark-colored suit, it left an imprint on the fabric.

His arm was still shaking, but his voice forced itself back to normal. “I’m fine. I just didn’t react earlier.”

As soon as the words left his mouth, his wrist was grabbed, and he was gently pushed back under the blanket.

The hand that was lightly resting on his back applied pressure, pushing his body back into place.

“Go to the hospital,” Ji Min said.

The moment those three words left his mouth, Lu Ran almost fell off the wheelchair.

He flailed like a fish: “No, no, no, I’m really fine.”

He even nearly did a few push-ups on the spot to prove his health.

Seeing his resistance, Ji Min didn’t argue further.

But he didn’t let Lu Ran down either. Instead, he controlled the wheelchair. He moved to the table, where he poured a glass of water and handed it to Lu Ran.

The transparent glass was pressed gently against the boy’s plump lower lip.

Ji Min sighed, half-commanding, half-coaxing: “Drink it. Once you’re done, I’ll let you down.”

The water in the glass was at the perfect temperature for drinking.

Lu Ran cupped the glass, took a sip, and finally felt the dryness in his throat.

He tilted his head back and drank the rest of the water in one go. When he returned the glass to Ji Min, he saw his hand trembling as he held it.

It was the weakness from overstrained muscles.

He couldn’t help but feel a little ashamed of himself.

Just because of one Shen Xingyu, he had ended up this terrified.

The water was gone.

Yet, Lu Ran didn’t get out of the wheelchair.

Ji Min didn’t say anything.

The room was quiet.

Outside the window, it had already grown dark, and only the occasional sound of cars could be heard.

Lu Ran’s ear rested against Ji Min’s chest.

The steady rhythm of the man’s heartbeat echoed in his ear.

Lu Ran blinked lightly.

He knew it was time for him to get up.

It felt a little wrong, lying in someone else’s arms, like a long-established nest.

Ji Min was only sitting in a wheelchair, not a sofa.

But right now, Lu Ran felt that this “sofa” was comfortable.

He wanted to stay like this forever.

Because it felt like, as long as he stayed here, he didn’t have to worry about Shen Xingyu or all the troublesome matters involving the Shen family.

Ji Min didn’t rush him.

His hand was still lightly resting on the boy’s waist, but it didn’t exert any force to restrain him.

It was as if, as soon as Lu Ran tried to pull away, Ji Min would let him go.

But if Lu Ran was willing, he would also steadily hold him in place.

A few minutes passed.

Lu Ran muttered softly, “Boss, you really are a good person.”

Ji Min raised an eyebrow and lowered his gaze to look at the boy in his arms.

Just in time, Lu Ran lifted his face to look at him.

The boy whispered, “Actually, a lot of the things I say are just to tease you.”

Ji Min looked at him but didn’t speak.

Lu Ran continued, “Like today, I knew you wouldn’t want to sleep with me, and you wouldn’t bring up such a request to Shen Hongyuan.”

The boy’s voice was pure.

Even though it was about such an ambiguous topic, it was spoken with a sense of trust and attachment.

Ji Min didn’t dare to look at him.

He shifted his gaze, staring out at the dark night outside the window.

He had been angry over this topic for a long time. Now, he finally heard the words he wanted.

But it didn’t make him feel any happier.

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