Mr. Pei! Don't force yourself into circles you can't fit into.

The room fell into a long silence.

It was impossible for Shen Jicheng not to be nervous. Pei Lin had told him to address him politely as "sir" when the lie was exposed that day, and now... Pei Lin definitely wouldn't agree.

Shen Jicheng frowned. He was rarely rejected, and he didn't want to be rejected.

Before the other party could answer, Shen Jicheng called out again.

"Pei Lin..."

"Um."

Unexpectedly, Pei Lin agreed.

Shen Jicheng's eyes immediately lit up, even happier than if he had been allowed to play games. He couldn't help but smile.

He shouted again.

"Pei Lin".

"Um?"

"Pei Lin".

"?"

"Pei Lin".

"Isn't it annoying?"

Shen Jicheng, seemingly lost in thought, tilted his head and asked a question.

"Will the e-sports room really be locked tomorrow?"

"……Um."

"Give me the key."

Don't even think about it.

Shen Jicheng buried his face in the blanket and chuckled softly. Then he reached out and gently touched Pei Lin's fingers under the blanket, their fingers intertwining.

Pei Lin seemed too lazy to pay attention to Shen Jicheng and ignored him.

In the following days, Shen Jicheng discovered something strange.

Pei Lin leaves for the company on time every morning, but when he wanders aimlessly to the corner on the second floor, just as he is about to sigh at the locked door of the e-sports room, the door opens unexpectedly.

On the first day, he thought the maid had forgotten to lock the door. He played two rounds in a panic before quickly quitting, afraid that Pei Lin would find out.

The door was open again the next day. It was open again the third day. By the fourth day, Shen Jicheng finally realized what was going on. How could a servant dare forget to lock it for four days in a row? It was clearly intentional.

As for why it was intentional...

What else could it be? It must be because someone gave the order.

Shen Jicheng's mood instantly brightened like the June weather outside Beishan Villa. He no longer hid anything.

As evening approached, the familiar sound of an engine could be heard outside the courtyard.

Shen Jicheng was already waiting at the door. As soon as he heard the car, he jumped up from the sofa and ran outside in his slippers. The silver Bentley came to a smooth stop, the door opened, and as soon as Pei Lin stepped out, Shen Jicheng pounced on him, wrapping his arms tightly around his waist.

Pei Lin's body stiffened slightly.

He looked down and saw Shen Jicheng's face beaming with a bright, enthusiastic smile, his peach blossom eyes sparkling, shouting without any attempt to hide his excitement.

"Pei Lin, I miss you so much."

Pei Lin's heart skipped a beat.

He raised an eyebrow, remaining silent, but his arms naturally tightened around the person in his embrace. He looked down into those peach blossom eyes, those deep, affectionate eyes that seemed to say "I love you" to everyone he looked at.

Pei Lin knew perfectly well that such eyes were born to deceive. But what could he do even if he knew?

"Brother~ I miss you so much." Shen Jicheng called out again, his voice soft and rising at the end.

Pei Lin was merely consciously sinking into depravity.

He ruffled Shen Jicheng's hair, his voice casual yet tinged with an unconscious indulgence, "Why are you out so early today? Aren't you going to play anymore?"

"Because I want to spend more time with you," Shen Jicheng replied matter-of-factly.

Pei Lin paused.

Shen Jicheng had no idea that to Pei Lin, each of these words felt like a feather tickling his heart. Everyone in the world feared Second Master Pei; no one dared to speak to him like that, much less act so brazenly in front of him.

Shen Jicheng will meet with him.

He was the youngest in his family, with two older brothers and an older sister. He hadn't learned much else, but his skill at begging and pleading was unparalleled. There was no way he could resist; he'd caused so much trouble, and when his older siblings needed to clean up his messes, how could he not be sweet-talking?

Pei Lin was silent for a moment, then said calmly, "I won't go to the company tomorrow."

Shen Jicheng was taken aback for a moment, then his eyes lit up. "Can you take me out?" He pouted and began to complain, "I haven't been out in ages... I'm so bored."

"it is good."

Pei Lin answered so readily that Shen Jicheng thought he had misheard. He had prepared a set of coquettish words, but he didn't need to use a single word before Pei Lin nodded.

Because he was going out the next day, Shen Jicheng was so excited that he couldn't sleep, so he whispered in Pei Lin's ear.

He rambled on for an hour before Pei Lin finally opened his eyes, glanced at him, and said in a slightly cool tone, "If you still can't sleep, then do something else."

Shen Jicheng's voice stopped abruptly.

What else can we do? What else is there to do?

He silently shut his mouth. Although he no longer disliked Pei Lin, and even had a little bit of liking for him, he was still reluctant about "that aspect"... for the time being. The first two times he had been drugged, and he was in a daze, only remembering the pain. To be honest, he was traumatized by it.

Fortunately, ever since the lie was exposed, Pei Lin has never forced him again, or even mentioned it.

Shen Jicheng chuckled awkwardly, "No way... I think I can fall asleep." He then obediently closed his eyes, his eyelashes still fluttering.

Pei Lin smiled slightly but said nothing more.

The next day, when Shen Jicheng woke up, the seat next to him was empty.

He groggily touched the sheets; they were cold. Pei Lin had been gone for a long time. He froze for a moment, then a surge of anger rushed to his head.

You promised to take me out? Are you going back on your word? Changing your mind? Or did you have to go to the company at the last minute?

He angrily finished washing up, not even bothering to comb his hair properly, and headed downstairs with a head full of tufts of hair, ready to confront Pei Lin.

However, as she turned the corner of the corridor, before even going down the stairs, she heard a familiar voice coming from downstairs.

"Mr. Pei, you must know why I'm here today. It's for my younger brother, Shen Jicheng."

Shen Jicheng abruptly stopped in his tracks.

He froze, listened intently, and then cautiously peeked out. In the living room, Pei Lin sat in the main seat, relaxed and at ease. On the sofa opposite him sat a young man with gentle features and a refined demeanor—his second brother, Shen Yanhe.

Shen Jicheng's mind went blank.

How did his brother know he was here? No, how did they find this place?

Before he could even sort out his thoughts, Pei Lin's voice rang out again, unhurriedly, "Second Young Master Shen, I can let you meet your younger brother, Shen Jicheng."

Shen Jicheng's mind went blank.

Pei Lin knew? Pei Lin knew that he was Shen Jicheng?

"However," Pei Lin changed the subject, his fingers tapping idly on the sofa armrest,

"The Shen family owes me a reasonable explanation for that project at sea."

Shen Yanhe pondered for a moment, then said instead of answering immediately, "Then please let me see my younger brother, Shen Jicheng, first, Mr. Pei. I need to ensure his safety."

Pei Lin curled his lips into a smile.

"No problem. He's still sleeping, I'll go wake him up."