After being moved to tears by the sworn enemy's pheromones - Chapter 66

When money was mentioned, Shen Jin became somewhat nervous.  

Gu Yu’s father’s words were indeed harsh, but the undeniable truth was that there was a real disparity between his and Gu Yu’s family backgrounds. Moreover, Shen Jin had already cut off financial ties with his parents and was supporting himself through school, a situation vastly different from Gu Yu, who had been raised in comfort and wealth.  

If it weren’t for the fact that he still couldn’t quite let go, Shen Jin would have suggested that the young master of the Gu family reconsider choosing someone like him—someone who had been messing around without a proper purpose since high school—for the sake of a fleeting, intangible love.  

But Gu Yu simply glanced sideways at him with a serious look and said, “What’s there to ask?” His expression was stern, but his tone was playful, as if coaxing a frightened little rabbit: “If senior doesn’t like my family background, what else could it be? Is it because I’m lively and cheerful? Because I went 0-6 against bots? Or because I have a nice voice?”  

“You—” Shen Jin lifted his head, realizing Gu Yu was teasing him. His face flushed, and he struggled futilely, “… As long as you know!”  

Amid the pulling and shoving, Gu Yu leaned in without hesitation, placing a light kiss near the corner of Shen Jin’s eye. His voice lowered: “Sorry… for making you listen to my father say such awful things earlier.”  

“But I hope you know, our relationship has nothing to do with him. The choice is always ours—and I only want you. I don’t need his blessing.”  

Shen Jin clenched his jaw, feeling a wave of warmth rise in his heart. But just as the feeling swelled, Gu Yu added, “Besides, I’m also very clear that what senior likes is me, not anything else. With your smarts, even if I were sleeping under a bridge, you’d probably sell your blood to live with me.”  

“…” Shen Jin froze, looking both annoyed and exasperated, and asked, “Wait—am I really that love-struck?”  

Gu Yu thought seriously for a moment and replied, “Maybe I underestimated you. At the very least, you’d sell a kidney.”  

“I’d probably just sell you to a club as the star attraction,” Shen Jin said, face flushed, raising his fist in mock anger. After tussling for a while without any clear winner, Gu Yu simply wrapped his arms around Shen Jin’s ticklish waist and pressed his forehead against the nape of his neck, asserting his dominance.  

Shen Jin, feeling ticklish from Gu Yu’s touch, stiffened in place, unwillingly allowing himself to be held tightly.  

The faint scent of strawberries filled the study, and eventually, Shen Jin settled down, resting against Gu Yu for a while with his eyes closed.  

After a long moment, he lowered his head and gently rubbed the back of Gu Yu’s hand, murmuring, “Actually… I always thought that your dad might not approve of our relationship.”  

Gu Yu rested his chin on Shen Jin’s shoulder from behind, his eyes filled with a hint of worry. “You’ve thought about this?”  

“Of course,” Shen Jin answered confidently. “I’ve thought it through more thoroughly than you have.”  

Gu Yu tightened his grip on Shen Jin’s cool hand and raised his eyebrows, “Really? Then you must have thought about what we should do next?”  

“…,” Shen Jin mumbled under his breath, awkwardly hiding his chin. “What else can we do? If you get tired of me, we’ll just break up.”  

Gu Yu stared at Shen Jin’s trembling lashes, just about to comfort him, when Shen Jin suddenly continued, “Of course, once we break up, ten years later you’ll see me coaching a championship team on a live broadcast. You’ll realize that not only am I still young and handsome, but I’ve also gained a touch of mature, irresistible charm. You’ll be filled with regret, wishing you could stab yourself twice for losing me, and then you’ll notice that my son looks an awful lot like you—”  

“…,” Gu Yu pressed down on Shen Jin’s abdomen through his shirt. “We’ve never even slept together. How would the child be created? By mitosis?”  

Shen Jin’s breathing was evident beneath Gu Yu’s hand, his slim frame rising and falling. Swallowing nervously, he stammered, “Regardless… with or without you, I… I’ll be just fine.”  

“Hm.” Gu Yu gently held Shen Jin’s hand from behind, his fingers trailing across the cool skin. “Just fine—meaning heartbroken, sleepless, crying your eyes out, debating which river in C City to jump into, all while pretending nothing happened?”  

“…,” Shen Jin swatted his hand, managing only to mutter, “I wouldn’t.”  

Gu Yu gently turned Shen Jin’s face toward him, gazing directly at his straight nose.  

A faint blush spread across Shen Jin’s face, and just as he tried to look away, Gu Yu leaned in and parted his soft, full lips.  

“Mmph.” Shen Jin resisted briefly, but Gu Yu tightened his embrace, melting Shen Jin’s sweetness into his passionate hold.  

In no time, the air around them turned humid, filled with the heat of their kiss.  

Low, deep sounds escaped from Gu Yu’s throat, tinged with an alpha’s possessiveness. He didn’t know how long they kissed, only that when they finally separated, Shen Jin was weak and gasping for breath, his fingers barely gripping Gu Yu’s clothes.  

Seeing Shen Jin like this, Gu Yu couldn’t resist kissing his flushed forehead again with a tender heart.  

As the winter night descended, it was quiet yet filled with warmth.  

Gu Yu rolled his throat, answering Shen Jin’s earlier words: “I’ll never get tired of you. Ten years from now, no matter what team Coach Shen is leading, you’ll still be getting into my car after work, coming home to eat the meals I cook, and ending the day in our bed.”  

Shen Jin, hearing this, shrank back slightly, hiding his flushed face in Gu Yu’s soft jacket. “Actually… you don’t have to be so good to me… Gu Yu.”  

Like a sensitive little rabbit, Shen Jin always held himself straight, ready to face any sudden change. But whenever Gu Yu touched his pink ears lightly, Shen Jin would tremble all over, curling up into a soft ball, hiding his face in his paws.  

He was adorable, but only in front of Gu Yu.  

Gu Yu gazed at the misty purple wolf tail behind the little rabbit’s head and couldn’t help but chuckle.  

A moment later, he patted where a short, round bunny tail should have been and asked, “Good to you?”  

“Senior still insists he’s not love-struck? I only said a few sweet nothings that didn’t even cost me anything, yet omegas as pure and easy to deceive as you are becoming rare.”  

Faced with Gu Yu’s teasing, Shen Jin gritted his teeth, clenched his fists, and snapped back, “Do you want me to skip the formalities and make you sleep on the floor tonight?”  

“I believe you,” Gu Yu replied, lifting his gaze to look at him. “I just wish senior could be a little more willful.”  

He knew that earlier, when his father had said all those horrible things, Shen Jin should have been furious, should have stormed out and broken up with him. No matter how good the Gu family’s finances were, that didn’t mean other omegas coveted their money or wanted to marry into the family, only to be belittled.  

But because Shen Jin loved him, not only did he not do any of that, he had instead said: “I was just thinking… your dad doesn’t seem like a reasonable person.”  

“So… did you have a tough time growing up, little strawberry?”  

As Shen Jin spoke, he looked at Gu Yu with concern and reached out to gently smooth the always-creased spot between Gu Yu’s brows.  

Gu Yu froze for a long time before the longing in his eyes melted into a warm smile. “It’s okay. That’s all in the past. I’ve already grown up—and now, with you by my side, there’s nothing I can’t handle.”  

Shen Jin softened his posture, trying his best to snuggle into Gu Yu’s embrace, his voice muffled. “But… even though it’s been so long, my little strawberry is only 19.”  

From their youthful acquaintance, Shen Jin’s impression of Gu Yu was always that of someone possessing a maturity far beyond his years. If it had been anyone else of their age, they probably wouldn’t have ended the phone call so calmly today. But Gu Yu recorded the conversation with composure and was already prepared for the worst—to confront his father in court if necessary. However, this forced maturity was never what Shen Jin wished for. He would rather Gu Yu had never experienced the cruel realities of life, had never been mentally crushed during those years, and had never lost someone so dear to him. He would rather Gu Yu still be a pampered, naive young master.

In the gentle breeze, Shen Jin’s warm breath fell softly by Gu Yu’s ear, filled with tenderness. Gu Yu’s heart skipped a beat, but then a comforting warmth surged through him, settling him down. As the sky darkened, neither of them spoke again, opting instead to embrace for a long time, as if they had given each other their answer.

That night, Gu Yu’s father mercilessly sent a message, stating—if “that omega” refused to help, Gu Yu could forget about receiving any more living expenses. He would also freeze the remaining bank accounts, making sure Gu Yu understood that outside the comfort of his sheltered life, the world was far harsher than he had imagined.

With no close relatives from his late mother’s side, Gu Yu’s father clearly believed that his son, who had yet to fully step into society and was accustomed to a high standard of living, had no choice but to rely on him. 

Gu Yu glanced at his phone and replied calmly: **”Alright, freeze them. I don’t care about withdrawing another cent. By saving this expense, CEO Gu can afford to raise two more omegas. The more, the easier to spread diseases.”** 

He always knew how to provoke his father. Sure enough, Gu’s father was infuriated and immediately responded: **”Look at the way you speak to your elders!”**

Gu Yu responded: **”Perhaps it’s just Chinese. Doesn’t CEO Gu understand it?”**

Whether out of shame or anger, his father replied: **”You’re an adult now. If you have such backbone, then don’t spend another cent of mine. And when you run out of money, don’t come begging. Let’s just pretend I never had a son like you.”**

Gu Yu scrolled through his screen, expressionless, and sarcastically replied: **”Fine, CEO Gu. Try to have an illegitimate child soon, or the Gu family will be left without an heir.”**

His father, seething with rage, immediately called, but Gu Yu calmly turned off his phone, feeling little emotion. 

Their relationship had always been like this, with sharp words exchanged within just three sentences. If it weren’t for his aunt occasionally mediating between them over the years, their father-son relationship would have likely plummeted to an all-time low. But now even his aunt thought he should persuade or even force Shen Jin to forgive Song Yizhi, so Gu Yu had nothing more to say.

——This cold rationality, bordering on being inhumane, was probably the only “advantage” he had inherited from his father.

The living room lights were off, and Shen Jin was still showering in the bathroom. Gu Yu lay alone on the sofa, curling his hands into fists. After a while, he picked up his tablet to browse a few job-hunting apps and casually inquired with his academic advisor about part-time opportunities near the school.

In a certain sense, Gu Yu was aware of his own situation. As his father had predicted, he might not be able to handle a life of material deprivation. For instance, when he moved out to rent his own place, it was merely because the dormitory’s cramped living space made him uncomfortable. He also didn’t know how to share a three-to-five square meter bathroom/toilet combo with others.

Though he never looked down on others because of their financial conditions, he also never expected that one day he would have to adapt to such a life himself. Now, he might need to force himself to change.

The rent for his current place had been paid for a year, so moving back to the dormitory probably wouldn’t be necessary until next year. In the meantime, he needed to find a few part-time jobs to cover tuition and living expenses. His past extravagant spending habits were, of course, no longer an option. He also needed to save some money for emergencies. More importantly, he didn’t want Shen Jin to be affected by any of this.

So, Gu Yu glanced around at his surroundings, then at himself. The two down jackets hanging on the rack were both worth five figures. The cheapest pair of shoes by the door cost five or six thousand, and the fruit on the plate in front of him was similarly priced in the hundreds. His games and models, none of which were necessities, had also cost a considerable amount.

Unconsciously, he felt a headache coming on. Compared to Jiang Lan and Tao Yan, he had always thought of himself as the most frugal. But now it seemed that his understanding of “frugality” might have been mistaken.

Before his father could freeze the bank cards, Gu Yu could have transferred the remaining balance to his WeChat account. Yet, at this moment, he had no desire to touch his phone. 

His father was convinced he would eventually yield to reality. But just as his father said, Gu Yu was an adult now, and he was willing to bear the consequences of his words and actions. As for who would lose this battle of wills, Gu Yu would not give in until the very end.

*

Before long, Shen Jin finished his shower and walked out. Gu Yu snapped out of his thoughts, feeling inexplicably ashamed and reluctant to face him. It was one thing to battle with his father, but he didn’t want his senior to discover that he might just be a spoiled young master who spent money recklessly.

Unfortunately, Shen Jin walked over while drying his hair and asked, “What are you doing in the living room?”

Gu Yu quickly stood up, replying, “…Nothing.”

He was about to head to the other room when Shen Jin stopped him, his voice muffled: “To… tonight, do you want to sleep together?”

Gu Yu froze in place, not having yet responded when Shen Jin awkwardly added, “On the same bed… but no hugging, and nothing else. Is that okay?”

Even though they had slept together many times, Gu Yu still felt nervous. It wasn’t until Shen Jin asked again that he snapped out of it, grabbed Shen Jin’s wrist, and answered with a soft “okay”: “As long as you’re not afraid of me.”

Both of them avoided each other’s gaze as they headed back to the bedroom and lay down under separate blankets.

“The heating in this room is pretty good.” Wrapped up in the soft quilt, Shen Jin turned to face him with a smile. “Before I get back to normal, you won’t be cold even if you don’t hug me.”

Gu Yu reached out to touch Shen Jin’s face and reassured him, “You’re not abnormal, don’t overthink it.”

Of course, the good heating came from the expensive rent. Gu Yu took a deep breath, deciding to tell Shen Jin the truth. “There’s something… I want to tell you.”

Shen Jin was curious, while Gu Yu pulled his hand from under the blanket and said in a low voice, “My father has decided that he doesn’t need to support me financially for school and living expenses anymore.”

“My money is usually kept in the bank cards, which he can freeze. So my tuition, living expenses, and any remaining pocket money are all unusable. I calculated, and I only have two thousand left in WeChat, so I’ll probably starve to death in about half a month.”

After pausing, Gu Yu continued, “So… I’m going to find some part-time jobs soon to fix this issue, which means I might not have as much time to spend with you.”

“Wait…” Shen Jin seemed confused, his tone uncertain for a reason Gu Yu hadn’t expected. “…You still have two thousand left, so why would you starve in half a month?”

Gu Yu was equally puzzled, unsure if his explanation had been clear. “Because… two thousand is only enough for me to live frugally for a week?”

After doing the math again, Gu Yu added, “So I figured… if I cut back even more, maybe I can last half a month.”

“…” Shen Jin still looked like he hadn’t understood. “Frugally?”

Just as Gu Yu was about to answer, Shen Jin asked with even more confusion, “What do you usually buy at the supermarket? Do you not pay attention to prices?”

Gu Yu didn’t think there was anything wrong with buying quality food and daily necessities. “I do.”

The shopping mall and supermarkets near the university weren’t unreasonably expensive, unless Gu Yu had been picking only the most expensive items… In that moment, Shen Jin realized: “…Have you been buying everything from the imported goods section?”

They had gone grocery shopping together once or twice, but Shen Jin had never paid much attention to Gu Yu’s receipts. Gu Yu, of course, avoided the topic and calmly said, “Not everything. The vegetables I bought the other day weren’t expensive, except for the fish and shrimp.”

Shen Jin sighed. “…Those few boxes of cherries probably don’t count as inexpensive, do they?”

He unconsciously tightened his grip. Rather than explaining the harshness of life to Gu Yu, he seemed more intrigued by his odd behavior. “I thought with your Guinness record-breaking obsession with strawberries, you wouldn’t tell me about this whole thing with your dad.”