After being moved to tears by the sworn enemy's pheromones - Chapter 40

In the afternoon, Shen Jin sent messages to three people before heading to the only decent-sized mall in University Town.

 

After reserving a spot at a hot pot restaurant, he went downstairs to buy some earrings.

 

Not long after starting college last year, he had dyed his hair and pierced his ears on Qin Zhu’s encouragement, eager to prove that he was now a free-spirited university student.

 

However, college life was far from what he had imagined. Initially, his classmates all seemed well-behaved, but soon enough, most of them became quite sloppy. Among them, he was one of the few who still took the time to wash his hair regularly.

 

Over the past six months, he had also grown lazier, often just using a silver needle to keep his ear piercings open without bothering much about his appearance. But now, he had a change of heart—Gu Yu was at least half his “pursuer,” so he couldn’t let go of his image entirely.

 

The jewelry store was dazzling, with most of the designs being simple and clean. He picked out two pairs of simple earrings and then looked around for something that might suit Gu Yu. As he turned around, a familiar voice called out to him.

 

“Shen Jin gege (older brother),” said Song Yizhi. “I didn’t expect to run into you here.”

 

Shen Jin looked up to see a figure in a warm white sweater, paired with a brown coat and a black scarf, resembling a well-behaved and adorable calico kitten.

 

“Yizhi?” Shen Jin’s eyes lit up, and he patted his arm. “Shopping?”

 

Song Yizhi nodded. “Yeah, I’m waiting for my friend to have dinner, so I’m just browsing.”

 

Shen Jin glanced at the ring in Song Yizhi’s hand and said, “It looks nice.”

 

Song Yizhi gave a shy smile. Shen Jin pointed to the counter, saying, “Is there anything else you want? I’ll buy it for you, and we can pay together later.”

 

Song Yizhi quickly waved his hands. “No, no, it’s okay, I’m just looking around.”

 

The two chatted a bit more. Since both were waiting for someone, they decided to try on a few necklaces together with the help of a sales assistant. Shen Jin pondered aloud, “I wonder which one Gu Yu would like…”

 

Song Yizhi was slightly taken aback, but then he enthusiastically offered his opinion, saying he knew Gu Yu well and giving Shen Jin several suggestions. He even suggested, “Why don’t we add each other on WeChat? We can hang out sometime. I meant to add you when it was Jiang Lan gege’s birthday, but I was too busy drinking to remember.”

 

Shen Jin recalled this and naturally scanned the QR code to add him as a friend. But as soon as the friend request was accepted, he felt a tug on his collar, pulling him backward.

 

He turned around to see Gu Yu.

 

Shen Jin asked in confusion, “Why are you here so early?”

 

“The last two classes today were PE. I played some basketball and left early,” Gu Yu replied, raising an eyebrow as he asked, “What are you doing here?”

 

Gu Yu was referring to the moment when Shen Jin and Song Yizhi were adding each other on WeChat.

 

Shen Jin explained, “I just happened to run into Yizhi, so we’re shopping together and exchanging contact info.”

 

Song Yizhi, upon seeing Gu Yu, buried his face deeper into his scarf, leaving only his bright eyes visible, and softly called out, “Gu Yu gege.”

 

“…Mm.” Gu Yu responded perfunctorily, then glanced at the WeChat avatar of Song Yizhi on Shen Jin’s phone, feeling a sudden tightness in his chest. This wasn’t the first time Shen Jin had shown little caution around Song Yizhi, and he never seemed to get jealous.

 

But he couldn’t bring himself to ask why, so he sulkily grabbed the earrings and necklaces from Shen Jin’s hands and, in a huff, said, “You keep adding friends; I’ll go pay.”

 

Seeing this, Song Yizhi stepped forward, handing over the ring in his hand. “Could you also get me this? Shen Jin gege said he’d buy it for me earlier.”

 

The jewelry in this mall, being near the university, wasn’t expensive, mostly just around a hundred yuan, but Gu Yu felt even more frustrated and immediately asked Shen Jin, “…Did you say you’d buy this for him?”

 

He hoped Shen Jin would deny it, but to his dismay, Shen Jin nodded without any hesitation. “Yeah, I did say that earlier.”

 

Song Yizhi smiled, his gesture now even more natural, which only made Gu Yu feel suffocated. For the first time, he considered just giving in and buying it all.

 

After all, Shen Jin didn’t care, so what difference would it make if he did?

 

But just as he was about to reach for Song Yizhi’s ring, Shen Jin, who had just agreed to buy it, stopped him and pulled Song Yizhi aside, saying quietly, “You’re not buying this—Yizhi, there’s something we need to talk about over there.”

 

A question mark seemed to hover over Gu Yu’s head, but Shen Jin didn’t explain and instead led Song Yizhi out of the store, telling him, “Wait here for a moment.”

 

*

 

The mall was bustling, but Shen Jin quickly found a quiet emergency exit and, with a serious and concerned expression, said to Song Yizhi, “Are you okay?”

 

Song Yizhi was puzzled. “What’s wrong?”

 

After thinking it over, Shen Jin decided to be direct. “Yizhi, I can pay for the ring, but you can’t let Gu Yu buy it for you, understand?”

 

“Huh?” Song Yizhi’s bright eyes blinked, seemingly confused. “Why not?”

 

Faced with Song Yizhi’s innocence, Shen Jin hesitated for a moment but finally gathered the courage to explain. “Because you’re both grown-ups now, and he has a partner.”

 

“Even though I know you don’t mean anything by it, actions speak louder than words—someone might misinterpret your intentions and think you’re that kind of ‘green tea’ omega. It wouldn’t look good.”

 

Song Yizhi froze in place, his face turning pale as he struggled to find the right words.

 

Shen Jin softened, unsure if he’d been too blunt, but he felt that if he didn’t say something now, others might bring it up later, and the consequences could be far worse.

 

“I’m not saying you’re really a ‘green tea,’ I just don’t want people to misunderstand you.” Shen Jin quickly patted his head to comfort him. “Yizhi is the most adorable, but from now on, if you meet someone with a partner, especially if Jiang Lan or Tao Yan get into a relationship, you shouldn’t let them buy things for you, okay? Otherwise, people might talk behind your back.”

 

He knew Song Yizhi was too naive to understand such malice and wanted to protect him. “If you’re ever unsure about something, just ask me, okay? We’ve added each other on WeChat now.”

 

Song Yizhi bit his lip repeatedly, finally managing to respond with a single word: “…Okay.”

 

Shen Jin understood that it wasn’t easy for someone spoiled from a young age to mature quickly, so he tried to reassure him again. “Good boy, Yizhi is the best.”

 

Having explained everything and comforted Song Yizhi, Shen Jin said, “Alright, let’s head back. We can’t keep Gu Yu gege waiting too long.”

 

He encouraged Song Yizhi further, “Try to refuse Gu Yu’s offer for the ring later, and wish us a happy future together, okay? Just keep doing that from now on.”

 

“…” Song Yizhi loosened his scarf, looking as if he found the mall’s heating too warm, and simply replied, “…Okay.”

 

Shen Jin had never met such a well-behaved and adorable kid in his life, so he felt much more at ease as he led Song Yizhi back to the store.

 

*

 

Under the bright store lights, Gu Yu had been waiting for a while before Shen Jin and Song Yizhi returned.

 

He had been sulking, but suddenly hearing Song Yizhi wish him and Shen Jin a long and happy life together left him somewhat stunned.

 

Shen Jin, however, wasn’t surprised at all and even tried to pull Song Yizhi along to pay for the ring. “Come on, let me get it for you.”

 

Gu Yu couldn’t take it anymore and rushed to the cashier to pay for Shen Jin’s two pairs of earrings and the necklace.

 

Song Yizhi, ever obedient, clenched his fists so hard they turned white, and said, “No need, Shen Jin gege… I don’t really like this one that much. I don’t want to buy it.”

 

“Huh?” Shen Jin was a bit puzzled but let it go. “Alright… maybe next time?”

 

Seeing this, Gu Yu couldn’t help but smirk at Shen Jin as if he had won something, then headed to the counter to pay.

 

Shen Jin was utterly confused: *Why are you so pleased about paying for something instead of me?*

 

Shen Jin felt puzzled and was about to calculate the cost to transfer the money back to Gu Yu. However, seeing Gu Yu return with a discount voucher, he decided to first pull out the voucher and offer it to Song Yizhi, saying, “How about this for you? Next time, you can come back and see if there’s something you like at a better price.”

 

Song Yizhi smiled but his throat trembled, and his voice seemed louder than usual: “No, I’ve worn even the cheapest jewelry since I was young, worth several thousand. I rarely buy such cheap stuff.”

 

A few pairs of eyes in the not very spacious store turned toward them.

 

Gu Yu was stunned and was about to speak, but Shen Jin quickly tugged at Song Yizhi’s sleeve and whispered, “Lower your voice, Yizhi. Don’t let the salespeople or others hear, or they might think we’re wealthy and lack manners.”

 

Song Yizhi’s mouth twitched again, and Gu Yu was also at a loss for words. Shen Jin didn’t understand why they were standing there, so he quickly pushed them out of the store: “Let’s go.”

 

Without waiting for others to say anything, Shen Jin pushed them both out of the store.

 

In the corridor, Shen Jin finally sighed in relief.

 

He always felt that Song Yizhi was too naïve and might easily be taken advantage of in the future. Gu Yu, as an older brother, didn’t seem to take it seriously, and after they were outside, he asked Shen Jin, “Should we go next door and pick out something else?”

 

The store next door also sold jewelry, likely one of the few in the mall with an average price of over five thousand. Shen Jin was confused and refused: “What should we pick out? I don’t need anything.”

 

But Gu Yu pulled him along: “I need it. I’ll buy it for you from now on.”

 

Song Yizhi opened his mouth to say something but hesitated. Shen Jin also wanted to talk more with Song Yizhi, but Gu Yu, with his strong grip, pulled him forward and dragged him into the store, not giving him a chance to resist.

 

Unable to do anything else, Shen Jin waved at Song Yizhi through the glass door, signaling him to go ahead with his appointment.

 

Song Yizhi gritted his teeth for a moment but eventually turned away.

 

Shen Jin felt a bit more at ease and, while tidying his disheveled clothes, complained, “You could have at least let me say goodbye to him before dragging me away…”

 

“It’s fine; he’s just a familiar person. He won’t mind,” Gu Yu said, as if he didn’t have time to spare for Song Yizhi, and quickly pushed Shen Jin toward the glass display. “Pick something. I’ll buy it for you. It’s a good way to see if I’ll be too stingy with money.”

 

There was some truth to this. No matter how frugal someone is, they are willing to spend a little more for someone they care about. But when Shen Jin glanced at the price tags, he still wanted to leave. “This is too much of a sacrifice. We’ll talk about it later. Let’s buy something else first.”

 

The counter had items ranging from a few thousand to nearly ten thousand, equivalent to several months’ worth of living expenses for many people.

 

A few days ago, he had just ordered a coat worth over three thousand for Gu Yu, and wanted to reciprocate with a sports watch. But if Gu Yu kept buying him such things, he really couldn’t afford it.

 

However, Gu Yu showed no intention of leaving and spoke forcefully, “This is experimental funding, it’s on me. Why are you being so sentimental and hesitant?”

 

Before Shen Jin could reply, Gu Yu grabbed his shoulder and said, “Pick something quickly. Don’t pretend.”

 

Shen Jin wanted to curse, but the salesperson, perceiving the “couple’s” awkwardness, began a warm introduction.

 

In the end, Shen Jin reluctantly picked a discounted item for about eight hundred, but Gu Yu paid for a necklace worth over six thousand and dragged him out of the store. “Let’s look around and buy something to drink before going to wait for them at the restaurant.”

 

As they pulled and pushed in the corridor, Shen Jin hit Gu Yu’s back twice: “How did you get into a top university? You obviously thought we were a couple and recommended the necklace to rip you off—like those roses on the street, sold to couples for at least ten bucks.”

 

Gu Yu was unphased and fought back by clashing his fist with Shen Jin’s, coldly saying, “Brand-name, clearly marked prices, and comparable to street roses?”

 

Shen Jin, hurt by the clash, clenched his fist, feeling like they were both losing. He blurted out, “Even if we were a couple, spending on this is a waste—”

 

The noisy mall fell silent for two seconds. Gu Yu stopped and, staring at Shen Jin, asked, “Why is it a waste if it’s spent on you?”

 

Earlier in the store, Shen Jin had looked at the necklace with such interest, almost unable to look away, but then quickly averted his gaze.

 

“…,” Shen Jin realized he had misspoken, turned his face away, and didn’t answer. Seeing this, Gu Yu lowered his hand and, after a moment of silence, suddenly said, “Doesn’t senior think Song Yizhi’s words were very unpleasant?”

 

Shen Jin hesitated for several seconds, licked his lips, and responded, “I really didn’t think so. He spoke the truth, and it wasn’t intentional. You can’t spoil him since childhood and then blame him for being sensitive.”

 

Shen Jin knew many people who grew up in a honey pot. Some developed high emotional intelligence, while others were indeed pampered and less aware of social etiquette. But children raised with love are often kind-hearted. Shen Jin was tough and willing to interact and adjust with them.

 

Moreover, Song Yizhi was a long-time friend of Gu Yu, and Shen Jin never wanted to interpret others with malice.

 

So he swallowed and continued, “I don’t mind whether it’s cheap or expensive. Anyway, I bought you a necklace, so you’ll have to be cheap with me.”

 

“That necklace is for me?” Gu Yu was slightly surprised, then lowered his head and pressed his expression, “…Not cheap. I don’t mind wearing it until the day I become a monk.”

 

He then held Shen Jin’s arm, softened his tone, and comforted him, “I know senior is kind, but next time, if he isn’t careful, it’s okay for you to push back, alright?”

 

Regardless of any grievance Shen Jin might feel, Gu Yu wanted him to know that he would never side with others.

 

Shen Jin moved his lips and looked brighter: “…Of course, I’m good-looking and kind-hearted.”

 

He then raised an eyebrow, assuring Gu Yu: “Alright, I’ll handle it if Yizhi says anything again. Don’t act like I can be easily bullied.”

 

Gu Yu squeezed Shen Jin’s slender wrist and asked, “Then, can senior promise that no one besides me can bully you?”

 

“Who’s bullying who?” Shen Jin’s defiant fist rose again, but Gu Yu lightly blocked it with the bag and took out the necklace from the second store: “Put it on first, and let them see if it looks good on you.”

 

Shen Jin mumbled, “I’m handsome even without it,” but his eyes clearly showed his anxiety.

 

Who wouldn’t want to be loved and cherished from childhood? Gu Yu knew that, in a sense, Shen Jin had always envied Song Yizhi.

 

So he focused his gaze, set down the bag for a moment, and fastened the necklace around Shen Jin’s neck.

 

Among the bustling crowd, Gu Yu clearly felt that he would get upset over Shen Jin’s “lack of jealousy,” and would feel heartbroken over Shen Jin’s “envy,” and would try to make up for the missing affection—each time buying something for Shen Jin was perhaps the most mundane yet most direct proof.

 

He closed his eyes and accepted it.

 

His likelihood of liking Shen Jin increased by 50%.

 

*

 

Amid the noise, Shen Jin noticed Gu Yu standing still behind him and nervously asked, “What’s wrong? You’re not thinking of nibbling on my glands in broad daylight, are you?”

 

“…Does senior think of his own glands as duck necks?” Gu Yu let go of the necklace he had just fastened and clenched his hand, waiting for Shen Jin to speak.

 

He thought that if Shen Jin had some basic emotional intelligence, he would also offer to help him put on the necklace.

 

It was entirely reasonable to buy for each other and wear it together.

 

However, Shen Jin didn’t have any intention of doing so. While touching the necklace around his neck, he called Xu Tingyun to ask where they were.

 

Gu Yu, annoyed, looked at the bag in his hand and thought: It seems senior is aware of being too short and is afraid he can’t reach, which is why he didn’t bring it up.

 

Then he said stiffly, “Let’s go. We’ll wait at the store, and senior shouldn’t let me starve.”