Chapter 1349: DAYS PASSING BY
Chapter 1349: DAYS PASSING BY
DAYS passed in relative peace. It surprised Luo Yan. He had expected the Shen family to make some kind of move, maybe try to shame him and Shen Ji Yun publicly or create trouble for their families’ businesses. But nothing happened. Not a single thing. He wasn’t complaining, but it felt surreal, like bracing for a hurricane only to be met by a mild breeze.
He had a feeling he knew who to thank for that. Shen Ji Yun’s grandmother was likely the one keeping things in check. She was probably the only person who could hold back her husband, her son, and even her grandsons when needed.
As the days quietly passed, the turn of the year came and went without much fanfare. Then, before anyone could blink, the Spring Festival arrived. Lunar New Year brought with it the usual rush of preparations, family gatherings, and the warm chaos that always seemed to follow. The holiday passed in a blur of food, visits, and red envelopes.
The same was true for Luo Yan and his family. Since it was winter break, he had gone back to S City with his father and brothers. Part of him wanted to stay in B City to be near Shen Ji Yun, but he also genuinely wanted to spend more time with his family. He hadn’t returned home since starting university, and he deeply missed the comfort of sleeping in his bed at home. Besides, he and Shen Ji Yun could still meet in the game at night, anyway.
While he was in S City, he met up with Yu Jiao. They sat down and talked for hours, catching up on everything since the last time they saw each other. She told him about school, the new friends she had made, and the classes she was enjoying. Somewhere in the middle of it, Luo Yan noticed she kept mentioning Luo Ren. Not directly, just in passing. How he had sent her a message about something. How he had helped her with a small problem. How he had told her about a show she might like. She probably didn’t even realize she was doing it, but Luo Yan found it quietly amusing. He didn’t point it out. He just listened and smiled.
Eventually, the conversation turned to him, and he told her about the party. He told her about Shen Lin, the confrontation on the balcony, and how everything had unfolded after. He told her about his father’s serious talk with Shen Ji Yun, which had ultimately ended with his father giving the relationship his official approval. Yu Jiao listened carefully, asking a question here and there, and when he was done, she gave him a warm smile and said she was happy for him.
As the Spring Festival drew closer, Luo Yan and his family made their way back to B City. This year, the celebration felt different. Shen Ji Yun was there, and so were Uncle Yi Mu and Uncle Yue. The house felt fuller, the air warmer. There was more laughter, more noise, and definitely more food on the table. The day was spent eating together, and the night was filled with the sound of fireworks outside. It was loud and busy and exactly the kind of chaos that made the holiday feel right.
The days flew by again after that, and soon, Shen Ji Yun’s birthday was fast approaching.
***
Luo Yan lay in his bed in the Bai mansion, staring up at the ceiling with a grin he couldn’t seem to wipe off his face. Shen Ji Yun’s 22nd birthday would be on Saturday. Which was the day after tomorrow. He had been planning for it all week, making sure every detail was just right. Because tomorrow, he was going to give Shen Ji Yun something special. At least, he thought it was special. And he was confident Shen Ji Yun would think so too.
It was a good thing winter break would end on Sunday and school would start on Monday. That meant he and Shen Ji Yun had the whole weekend together. He was so excited he could barely keep still, but he forced himself to close his eyes. He couldn’t stay up late. He needed to look his best tomorrow. And even though he was always beautiful, he wanted to be even more beautiful for their trip tomorrow.
Yes, they were going on a trip tomorrow to S Province. They would be staying at an ultra-luxury resort that Luo Yan had booked himself. Reservations there were usually highly coveted, but since February was considered low season for the resort, and because Lunar New Year had come early this year, he had managed to secure a reservation fairly easily.
They would stay there for the whole weekend. That meant Shen Ji Yun would be celebrating his birthday there. Just the two of them. Having their families’ approval made things so much easier. Now he didn’t have to make up excuses about where he was going. He could just say he was spending the weekend with Shen Ji Yun to celebrate his boyfriend’s birthday. And no one would bat an eye.
Okay, maybe that wasn’t entirely true. His father’s eye had twitched a few times when he told him, and he had grumbled something Luo Yan couldn’t quite make out before reluctantly agreeing. But not before he warned Luo Yan not to do anything he might regret.
Luo Yan chuckled at the memory. He knew exactly what his father had meant. It was about a certain activity that involved two people in a bed. And Luo Yan was pretty sure he wouldn’t regret anything he and Shen Ji Yun ended up doing this weekend.
He looked at the resort photos on his laptop and smiled, feeling a rush of excitement.
***
Luo Yan woke up in a good mood. He did his usual morning yoga, then took a quick shower since he had already taken a long bath the night before. He spent a little extra time on his skincare routine. Then he put on the outfit he had set out the night before.