After the Young Master’s Death, He was Kissed by His Mortal Enemy! (BL) - Chapter 15

Living Room.

Shen Ran stood there awkwardly, glancing around.

The furniture layout was different from his own apartment, but the floor plan was exactly the same.

He lived on the 25th floor, and Cheng Yi… lived on the 27th.

…Wait a minute, so Cheng Yi lived just two floors above him?!

When did that happen? When had Cheng Yi moved in?! Was it just a coincidence—or something Cheng Yi had done on purpose?!

And also—why was Cheng Yi’s fingerprint lock code his birthday?

Okay, fine, he could understand using his birthday. But why could Cheng Yi tell him that so casually, as if it were the most natural thing in the world?!

Shen Ran had half a mind to grab Cheng Yi by the collar and demand to know just how many surprises this man still had in store.

But right now, he had more pressing questions.

“Cheng Yi… why don’t you have a sofa?”

He was, technically, a guest here. Yet Cheng Yi’s interior design was utterly baffling.

The living room was completely empty—there wasn’t even a trace of a sofa. So where exactly was this “traveler from afar” supposed to sit?

Cheng Yi was fiddling with something at the bar counter. Without even looking up, he replied, “Simple. I don’t like sofas.”

Shen Ran was tempted to say—honestly, after everything, he wasn’t particularly fond of sofas anymore either.

“So where do I sit?”

“If you want, you can sit on the toilet and chat with me. I wouldn’t mind.”

…Such a friendly neighbor.

“I’m joking. There are floor cushions by the window. Help yourself, Boss Shen.”

Only then did Shen Ran notice a few round, plush cushions arranged on the carpet by the floor-to-ceiling windows.

He sat down—and surprisingly, it was quite comfortable.

Compared to a sofa, Shen Ran actually preferred sitting by the window like this. It helped him avoid recalling the painful memories tied to traditional furnishings.

“Ahh~” Shen Ran stretched lazily. “If only I had a cup of hot water right now. I’m starting to get a little thirsty.”

Before the words even finished leaving his mouth, Cheng Yi came over with two cups, handed one to him, then sat down across from him.

…It felt like a dream come true.

“Thanks, Cheng Yi,” Shen Ran said earnestly, touched.

“Transfer me twenty bucks then.”

“…I take back what I just said!” Shen Ran huffed. “You charge twenty for a cup of hot water?!”

“Take a sniff,” Cheng Yi raised an eyebrow. “I didn’t give you just any water.”

Shen Ran brought the cup close and took a deep inhale—a fragrant, herbal aroma wafted into his nose.

“What is this?”

“Lavender tea.”

“Even so, lavender tea isn’t worth twenty bucks a cup… Unless you’re willing to give me free refills.”

Shen Ran slowly sipped the tea, chatting idly with Cheng Yi, just trying to clear his head.

“No refills. I don’t want you drinking too much and wetting my bed. But I’ll throw in a free chat service—I’ve got time.”

Cheng Yi crossed his legs, balancing a laptop on them, clearly having been busy even before Shen Ran arrived.

“What are you working on? It’s 3 a.m., and you’re still not asleep?” Shen Ran asked curiously.

“Grown-up business. Kids shouldn’t meddle,” Cheng Yi said without looking up. “Finish your tea and go sleep. Guest room’s on the left—pajamas are in the wardrobe.”

The more Cheng Yi tried to brush him off, the more Shen Ran wanted to pry.

“I’m not sleepy anymore. What are you doing? Let me take a look—what, afraid you’ll lose a piece of flesh?”

Cheng Yi sighed and turned the screen slightly toward him. “You were suspicious about being adopted, right? I told Xiao Wang to look into it.”

“Well? Any results?” Shen Ran asked, eagerly leaning forward.

“Nope. Xiao Wang is a normal person. He needs to sleep at night.”

“…You do realize you just insulted yourself too, right?” Shen Ran asked, genuinely.

“I’m not sleeping because I’m working on something myself. Here, take a look—this is your Shen Corporation’s stock chart.”

Shen Ran craned his neck to peer at the screen, but the shifting lines and rising numbers made his eyes blur.

“What’s wrong with it? I don’t see anything unusual.”

“Look a little closer.”

Shen Ran squinted, trying to make sense of it all.

But for some reason, his eyelids grew heavier, the lines and numbers starting to blur into double images.

Yawn— “Why… can’t I see… the screen clearly…”

Mumbling, Shen Ran’s eyes finally shut. His head lolled forward, and with a soft thud, he passed out.

Cheng Yi didn’t even glance at him. Still holding his position, he reached out at the perfect moment to catch Shen Ran’s slumping body, pulling him gently against his shoulder.

Lavender tea already had calming, sleep-inducing properties—on top of that, Cheng Yi had added a sleeping aid.

In every sense, it was a guaranteed sleep formula. Shen Ran couldn’t have stayed awake even if he tried.

With a gentle motion, Cheng Yi draped a blanket over Shen Ran and continued analyzing the line graphs on his laptop. At the same time, he absentmindedly stroked Shen Ran’s hair.

“You drink whatever I give you without a second thought… With that kind of brain, no wonder you’re destined to stay a small-time gallery owner your whole life.”

Cheng Yi had anticipated that Shen Ran might have trouble sleeping, but he hadn’t expected him to be startled awake by a nightmare at three in the morning.

Good thing he had prepared in advance—otherwise, who knows where Shen Ran might have ended up crying?

As Cheng Yi scanned the data on his screen, the smile on his lips gradually faded. His expression grew serious—stern, even.

There was a high chance that the Shen family’s accounts were problematic.

And it wasn’t just recent. The issues had likely existed for a long time.

As dawn approached, a pale light crept across the horizon.

Stretching, Cheng Yi stood and rolled his stiff neck, then glanced down, somewhat worried, at Shen Ran curled up beside him, sound asleep under the blanket.

“If the Shen family’s really in trouble… what are you going to do, you fool?”

Shen Ran was kicked awake by Cheng Yi.

“Hey, wake up. How long are you planning to sleep? If you don’t get up now, it’ll be lunchtime soon.”

Shen Ran’s brain hadn’t fully booted up yet. His eyes still shut, he groaned and wriggled under the blanket, trying to stay in bed.

But something didn’t feel right.

The surface beneath him was hard—not his own soft, luxurious mattress worth over a hundred thousand yuan.

His body stiffened for a moment. Then he abruptly opened his eyes to see daylight pouring in. Secretary Wang was already there, eating with a very refreshed-looking Cheng Yi.

He hadn’t eaten much the night before, and now, after an entire night, the aroma of soy milk and fried dough sticks was irresistible. Before Shen Ran could even speak, his stomach growled loudly.

“I’ve been calling you for half an hour—finally awake, huh?” Cheng Yi waved him over like calling a puppy. “Come eat, and while you’re at it, hear Secretary Wang’s investigation results.”