Chapter 3005: Taming the Recalcitrant 22

When they came down, Chen Gai and Xiao Yan were still in the dining room, quietly reporting to Jin Chen, who was seated at the head.

Chenshu's heart and eyes were full of Jin Chen now, and he couldn't bother to listen closely.

He slapped his slippers against the floor with a pat-pat, rushing to the spot beside Jin Chen and plopping down.

After lying up for over a month, Chenshu's neatly kept wolf-tail short hair had grown quite a bit, the ends just barely spilling over his shoulders; the undyed black hair mixed with the highlights looked somewhat messy, yet had a carefree beauty.

After sitting down, he didn't care that Chen Gai and Xiao Yan were still there, humming and whining as he leaned toward Jin Chen, "Husband, I still hurt a bit..." He said, bringing his face to Jin Chen's shoulder and fixing his eyes on his lips.

Jin Chen's hand holding the chopsticks paused, then without emotion pushed away the face that had come near; Chenshu's nose was pressed by his palm, emitting a muffled hum, and he didn't dodge.

"If it hurts, just eat properly."

"No kissing."

"Shouting that it hurts does no good."

Chenshu pursed his lips, feeling a bit disappointed, but also knowing Jin Chen was still angry, he didn't dare go too far.

He resentfully picked up the spoon, scooped a spoonful of soup, blew on it, and was about to drink when the corner of his eye caught sight of an unopened transparent medicine packet beside Jin Chen, the label facing inward and hard to read.

Chenshu froze for a moment; Jin Chen's health had always been good, and after living here so long, he had never seen him take any medicine.

His heart tightened inexplicably, he reached out and grabbed the packet, "Is this the medicine you're supposed to take? How come I didn't know?"

Jin Chen glanced at him, then leisurely picked up a pair of chopsticks and took some lightly stir-fried vegetables.

Chenshu grew more anxious and pressed, "Are you sick? Where does it feel bad? Is it serious?"

Jin Chen retorted, "Made angry by you."

Chenshu: "???"

"That angry?! You're angry enough to need medicine!"

He stared blankly, eyes wide, for a moment not knowing how to respond.

Beside him, Chen Gai couldn't hold back, gave a light cough, and explained in a low voice, "Sister-in-law, this is for severe insomnia; Jin Chen used to have poor sleep, and lately..."

"When it's severe, he also needs to take it at noon to be able to rest a little."

Chenshu was dazed for a moment, thinking back to when the old man used to drag him to sleep every night, he hadn't seemed that insomniac... wrong.

Chenshu suddenly remembered that night at the hotel with Jin Chen, Jin Chen really did have insomnia symptoms.

Chenshu suddenly put down the medicine bottle, turned around, and earnestly cupped Jin Chen's face, "When you sleep with me, you don't get insomnia, right?"

Jin Chen's face was expressionless, "I don't sleep with liars."

"That's really the case!"

He recalled those nights, how Jin Chen insisted on embracing his waist before sleep, and he had thought it was just Jin Chen's habit, that Jin Chen merely liked to hold something while sleeping. Only now did he realize it was because he was there that Jin Chen could sleep well.

Chenshu's heart felt as if it had been violently struck, sore and soft, mingled with overwhelming guilt, and he instantly felt himself even more heinously wicked.

He pursed his lips, stifling the sourness and tears welling up in his nostrils, released his hold on Jin Chen's face, and instead grabbed his arm, "Can I make amends? Husband, I can be your warm bed; I promise to lie still, motionless, just let you hold me while you sleep! I..."

Jin Chen: "..."

Jin Chen ignored his grandiose words, directly pulled back his arm, picked up his chopsticks, and said, "Eat."

The servants filed in and began serving dishes; fragrant foods filled the table.

Chenshu felt a bit listless from Jin Chen's attitude, but seeing the dishes all served, he perked up, hurriedly grabbed the empty bowl in front of Jin Chen, walked to the soup pot, and carefully ladled out lotus seed soup, holding it with both hands and placing it beside Jin Chen.

But this time, Jin Chen merely glanced at the bowl of soup, picked up his chopsticks, and went straight for the vegetables, not touching the soup bowl at all.

Chenshu's heart sank, but he didn't give up; he lifted the bowl again, took the spoon, scooped a spoonful, blew on it, then brought it to Jin Chen's lips, eyes full of timid pleading, "Husband, just take a sip..."

Just as Chenshu's arm grew a little sore from holding it up and his gaze began to dim, Jin Chen finally tilted his head slightly, took the spoon he'd offered, and swallowed that mouthful of soup.

Chenshu instantly blossomed with joy, immediately scooped another spoonful, and offered it again, "One more sip!"

Jin Chen drank it again; Chenshu fed him with even more enthusiasm, spoon after spoon, delighted, as if feeding Jin Chen soup were the best job in the world.

Only after Jin Chen had finished half the bowl of soup did Chenshu, still wanting more, put down the spoon and bowl and start eating his rice.

Chen Gai and Yan Rui exchanged a glance: "..."

Because Chen Gai and Xiao Yan were also present, during the meal Chenshu was unusually well-behaved, didn't cause a ruckus, and ate his rice quietly.

Having eaten and drunk their fill, Chen Gai and Yan Rui also finished quickly, really not wanting to keep being a third wheel, they hurriedly rose, said their goodbyes, and went back to work.

The servants came in to clear the dishes, then brought in a pot of brewed red tea and two bone-china cups, and withdrew silently.

Jin Chen leaned back on the sofa in the living room, picked up the latest Yucheng Financial Newspaper, and began to read at a leisurely pace, half his body bathed in sunlight streaming through the floor-to-ceiling windows, adding his characteristic lax nonchalance.

Chenshu stared at him for a while, feeling restless.

Chenshu hastily took a sip of the red tea Jin Chen liked to rinse his mouth, then took off the thin cardigan he was wearing, leaving only the off-white pajamas underneath, and pattered over in quick steps.

Without a greeting, he directly, in the midst of Jin Chen's slightly surprised raised gaze, lifted a leg and straddled his thigh in one fluid motion.

Jin Chen: "?"

Chenshu tossed the newspaper haphazardly onto the nearby sofa, wrapped his arms around Jin Chen's neck, and pressed his whole body close against him.

Jin Chen leaned back into the soft sofa backrest, his arm resting on the edge, fingertips holding a menthol cigarette, and without embracing Chenshu, asked, "What are you doing?"

Chenshu lifted his face, "Husband, would you like to sleep with me tonight?"

Jin Chen narrowed his eyes, his dark-gray pupils appearing somewhat translucent in the sunlight, "Reason."

Chenshu pressed his body close and said solemnly, "I'll lull you to sleep."

Jin Chen turned his head, his distinct-knuckled fingers bringing the menthol cigarette to his lips to take a puff, then slowly exhaled; the smoke curled between his somber yet intense brows and eyes, softening his sternness and adding a touch of decadent sensuality.

"Not needed." He finally spoke.

Chenshu watched him smoke, his Adam's apple bobbing once.

Jin Chen's smoking looked too good, languid and offhand, as if nothing in the world was worth his second glance.

Yet precisely such a person would suffer insomnia from his departure and grow angry from his deceit.

Chenshu suddenly felt his heart ache and swell, unable to name the feeling, he grabbed Jin Chen's wrist and pulled it close, also taking a puff of the cigarette in his hand.

Menthol flavor, faint, with a hint of bitterness.

Chenshu choked and coughed a little; smoke mist spilled from his nostrils and between his lips, blurring his sight. Through that thin haze he gazed at Jin Chen's face, his heart pounding so hard it felt like it would burst from his chest.

He leaned in and kissed Jin Chen's lips; his other hand seized Jin Chen's hand resting on the sofa's edge, guiding it to his own waist where he wore thin pajamas.

"Then let's sleep now." he mumbled.

As his words faded, Jin Chen's hand resting on his waist moved slightly, feeling the touch through the soft, smooth pajama fabric.

Jin Chen slightly raised his eyebrows, curled his fingers, and his fingertips grazed the thin material once, then slid down along the waist, probing.

Indeed.

The sensation was smooth, with no other clothing blocking it.

This little dog... the inside is a vacuum.

Chenshu sat on Jin Chen's thigh, shifted his posture and rubbed a few times, bold and wanton in his teasing.

Jin Chen took another drag of his cigarette, pressed the remaining half into the ashtray beside him, then reached out, his slender fingertips slipping between Chenshu's lips, which were still leaning in for a kiss.

Chenshu paused.

He looked into Jin Chen's eyes, obediently opened his mouth and took in those two fingers, curling his tongue up to lick the pads.

Jin Chen's fingertips moved slowly inside his mouth, the pads brushing over his tongue; Chenshu's eyes gradually filled with spring water, his pajamas, having slipped aside in the earlier tangle, hung loosely on his slender shoulders, his body swaying gently with each breath, his shoulder blades swaying slowly in the dim yellow light.

Jin Chen gazed at him, brows and eyes lowered, his look growing ever deeper.

After a long while, he withdrew his fingertips, avoiding Chenshu's still-unhealed wounds, and lowered his head to kiss him.