ATMAWTPM Chapter 16

Chapter 16: He’s Showing Affection by Loving What I Love.

Liu Hao waited outside the dressing room door, originally thinking the two would come out quickly, but he waited for almost half an hour before the door finally opened behind him.

Shen Jun had changed his clothes and looked as composed as ever, while Ye Tingtong was no longer as dejected as before, though his face was very red.

Just as he was curious, Shen Jun glanced at him, and Liu Hao immediately tensed up, pulling back his thoughts and leading the way with eyes straight ahead.

In the elevator, Shen Jun looked at Ye Tingtong, who kept his head down and whose ears were still red, and said, “I’ll introduce you to some people later, and also announce our relationship.”

Ye Tingtong was still immersed in the bold hug from before and didn’t hear what Shen Jun was saying for a moment. He looked up, “Huh?”

Shen Jun patiently repeated what he had just said.

Ye Tingtong nodded.

He had guessed it before coming to the annual meeting.

Even with preparation, Ye Tingtong still felt nervous when he arrived in the noisy main hall. The cool expression he had practiced was now awkward because his face was still flushed. He followed behind Shen Jun, and his heart pounded in his chest whenever someone came up to talk.

He seemed to have seen this person on the financial news channel…

Ye Tingtong didn’t expect such a powerful figure to appear so early. Shen Jun called him over, and those few steps felt like walking on pins and needles.

The man was also astute. Seeing that Shen Jun had specifically brought the person forward, he asked, “And who is this?”

“His name is Ye Tingtong, and he is my partner,” Shen Jun said, turning to Ye Tingtong, “This is General Manager Liu of Baijia Group, you can call him Uncle Liu like I do.”

Ye Tingtong said dryly, “Uncle Liu.”

His rigid posture clearly marked him as a student who had never seen the world.

Uncle Liu understood perfectly. “Congratulations! You’re really a man of action, keeping such an important thing to yourself until now.”

After the man left, Ye Tingtong took a deep breath, the fresh air flooding his lungs, and his stiff mind slowly began to work again.

He should have passed that test, right?

Shen Jun realized that Ye Tingtong was not used to such occasions. He paused, reached out his arm to Ye Tingtong, and was just about to speak when Ye Tingtong looked at him with wide eyes.

Ye Tingtong hesitated for a moment before raising his hand and placing it cautiously in Shen Jun’s palm.

That’s what Shen Jun meant, right? But that posture could also be for him to take his arm?

However, he had only seen female partners take male partners’ arms; did two men also do that? They were married now, would there be changes in etiquette?

After taking his hand, Ye Tingtong felt that holding hands wasn’t the correct answer either. He was just about to let go and ask directly when Shen Jun gently squeezed his hand and calmly led Ye Tingtong forward.

Ye Tingtong felt countless eyes on their clasped hands, intensifying his unease and tension. But Shen Jun’s palm was warm and dry, and since the other man didn’t let go, Ye Tingtong had to bite the bullet and try to ignore the strange gazes.

Yu Huanhuan’s emergency training was still effective. When meeting people, Ye Tingtong only needed to keep a straight face, and the most he would say was “Hmm,” “Oh,” and “Okay.”

After all, people of high status and seniority like Uncle Liu were rare. Most people needed to read Shen Jun’s expression, so no one dared say Ye Tingtong was out of place, even if he was being stiff.

However, the thing Ye Tingtong worried about the most still happened. A familiar waiter came over, “President Shen, the old madam would like you to come over.”

Shen Jun hummed in acknowledgment. This time, Ye Tingtong followed, and the waiter didn’t stop him.

Maybe the impact of what happened in the morning was indeed not good. This time, the talk was held in an empty VIP room. Shen Jun’s mother sat in the main seat, looking down as she drank tea.

This was the first time Ye Tingtong had seen Shen Jun’s mother up close. She was younger than he had imagined, with black, glossy hair. Only the wrinkles at the corners of her eyes revealed that she was no longer young.

Seeing the two come in, Qin Qiong put down her teacup and looked Ye Tingtong up and down with a critical gaze. Finally, her eyes landed unkindly on their clasped hands.

Qin Qiong had founded Shen Corporation with Shen Jun’s father. In her early years, she was known for her decisive and ruthless manner. Now that she had retired behind the scenes, she still couldn’t conceal her authority.

Ye Tingtong’s heart pounded under her gaze. He wanted to let go of Shen Jun’s hand but was afraid of making him lose face.

Luckily, Shen Jun stepped forward, blocking Qin Qiong’s gaze. “It seems your health has improved. This is Ye Tingtong. I should have brought him to see you sooner.”

He turned his head, reminding Ye Tingtong, “Call her ‘Mom’.”

Ye Tingtong swallowed, just about to speak when Qin Qiong interrupted him, “I don’t agree with this kind of person entering the Shen family.”

She looked coldly at Shen Jun. “It’s fine if you don’t accept the person I chose for you, but bringing these shady people from outside.”

“Shen Jun, you’ve done well.”

Shen Jun listened to Qin Qiong’s barbed words, his expression indifferent. “Mother, you flatter me.”

Qin Qiong’s face turned red with anger. “Do you have me in your eyes at all? Do you really think that no one in the Shen family can control you, so you can do whatever you want?”

“I wouldn’t say ‘do whatever I want’,” Shen Jun said calmly, “but I can still make decisions about my marriage.”

He had climbed for so many years and achieved his current success not to end up like Shen Minghuai, needing a marriage alliance to solidify his position.

He was able to control his own life.

Qin Qiong was enraged and grabbed the teacup on the table, throwing it at Shen Jun.

Ye Tingtong had been paying attention. Seeing Qin Qiong repeat her old trick, he quickly pulled Shen Jun to the side.

With a bang, the teacup smashed on the ground, breaking into pieces.

Because they had reacted quickly, only the hem of Ye Tingtong’s trousers was splashed with a little water, while Shen Jun was completely clean, not affected at all.

Qin Qiong didn’t expect that she would miss one day.

She didn’t know when she had developed this habit. Whenever Shen Jun didn’t do what she wanted, she would take it out on him using whatever was at hand.

Shen Jun’s temperament was stubborn and unyielding, and he never dodged.

Ye Tingtong had expected Shen Jun’s mother to be so violent and unreasonable. But he was just an outsider after all, and he could only hold Shen Jun’s hand, standing close to him to show that he was on his side.

Shen Jun felt the strength in the hand beside him and looked down, meeting Ye Tingtong’s gaze.

His beautiful eyes were filled with nervousness and a bit of fear.

Ye Tingtong was timid to begin with, not to mention facing someone like Qin Qiong, who didn’t hide her aura at all. Facing her, Ye Tingtong’s palms were sweating.

However, he still leaned close to him, even had the tendency to stand in front of him, as if he would shield him if Qin Qiong threw something again.

Ye Tingtong’s idea was very simple. Shen Jun couldn’t disobey his mother, but he could. Since she had already called him “shady,” why couldn’t he take a cup for him?

Ye Tingtong didn’t think he was weak at all; instead, he was very proud.

His thoughts were written all over his face. Shen Jun could see them at a glance. A smile flickered in his eyes, but it vanished when he looked at Qin Qiong. “Mom, I brought him for you to see. If there’s nothing else, I’ll leave first.”

He didn’t wait for Qin Qiong to speak before leading the way out.

Once outside the VIP room, Ye Tingtong realized that his palm, which he was holding with the other person, was sticky. He was just about to find an excuse to go to the bathroom when he saw Shen Jun ask a waiter for a clean handkerchief.

Shen Jun opened his palm and wiped the sweat from Ye Tingtong’s palm, bit by bit.

Ye Tingtong wanted to pull his hand back, but Shen Jun had a firm hold on his wrist. He couldn’t break free for a moment and could only blush as he explained, “I wasn’t scared. I’m just sweating because it was hot.”

Shen Jun hummed.

Ye Tingtong looked at Shen Jun’s calm and composed profile, and the little bit of shame in his heart gradually dissipated.

Shen Jun didn’t despise him.

However, after wiping his hand dry, they didn’t hold hands again. Ye Tingtong’s hand hung by his side, clenching and opening several times, finally getting used to the empty feeling.

Since there was no one else to see, Ye Tingtong went to find Yu Huanhuan, and Shen Jun, who probably had nothing else to do, followed him.

Yu Huanhuan was leaning casually against the bar, choosing a drink. Seeing Ye Tingtong come over, she was about to call him over, but when her gaze shifted and landed on Shen Jun behind him, she immediately stood up.

Shen Jun greeted her, “Miss Yu, I’ve heard Ye Tingtong mention you many times. Nice to meet you for the first time.”

Yu Huanhuan looked at the hand the other man had extended and felt a little flattered, “President Shen, nice to meet you.”

Ye Tingtong sat on the sofa, holding a plate of dried fruit snacks that Yu Huanhuan had chosen for him, eating while listening to the two of them chat.

Supply chains, market shares… it must be work-related, and he didn’t really understand.

However, the two seemed to have reached some kind of deal. He saw a very sweet smile on Yu Huanhuan’s face, but after clarifying who she was looking at, she quickly composed herself and shook hands with the other party politely.

After chatting, Shen Jun saw Ye Tingtong’s empty snack plate and asked a waiter to refill it. “I have to go now. Call me if you need anything.”

Ye Tingtong couldn’t take his eyes off the snacks in front of him, nodding his head like a chick pecking at rice. “Go ahead.”

Shen Jun hadn’t just added one serving, but had the waiter fill the table in front of them with various snacks and desserts.

He had never had so many delicious things all to himself before. When he was with Shen Minghuai, he was afraid of being laughed at as a country bumpkin, and Ye Tingtong didn’t dare to eat too much. At most, he would grab a little and put it in his pocket to eat secretly when he got home.

Shen Jun was forceful, not caring about other people’s opinions, and directly gave Ye Tingtong the top tier treatment.

After he left, Yu Huanhuan sat next to Ye Tingtong, looking excited. “Baby, you’re so amazing! Shen Jun said he could work with me, and he even offered a 5% discount!”

Ye Tingtong put a pistachio in his mouth. He didn’t quite understand how much money that was, but seeing Yu Huanhuan so happy, he was happy too. “Wow, that’s great.”

“But I didn’t do anything. You charmed Shen Jun.”

Shen Jun was a successful businessman and wouldn’t do a losing deal.

Yu Huanhuan put her arm around Ye Tingtong’s neck. “You don’t know anything. It’s because he’s showing affection by loving what you love.”

Her project was not at a loss, but it wouldn’t catch the eye of someone like Shen Jun. Shen Jun had made the connection with her completely for Ye Tingtong’s sake.

Ye Tingtong didn’t really agree with Yu Huanhuan’s point this time. He felt that Shen Jun must be returning the favor for his earlier protection when he dodged the teacup.

Seeing that he didn’t care, Yu Huanhuan ruffled his hair roughly, laughing and calling him “idiot.”

On the other side, Shen Minghuai went to the back kitchen to get a dessert that hadn’t been served yet. He planned to give it to Ye Tingtong to coax him. As soon as he entered the main hall, he ran into Liang Yuting.

Liang Yuting looked at the cute little cake in his hand, her eyes full of mockery.

At first, she did have a good impression of Shen Minghuai. But after spending time together, she realized that Shen Minghuai had someone else in his heart.

It was false to say that she wasn’t annoyed. But she wasn’t heartbroken to the point of despair. In the final analysis, their marriage was a business alliance. Their engagement party had been held. As long as Shen Minghuai didn’t cause a public scandal, she didn’t care.

However, she couldn’t stand Shen Minghuai acting like such a simp.

Shen Minghuai composed himself. “Is there anything you need?”

“Can’t I just look for you if I don’t need anything?” Liang Yuting smiled gently, taking Shen Minghuai’s arm. “Is this dessert for me?”

Shen Minghuai didn’t know what she was up to. “Don’t mess around. I’ll get you one later.”

The smile on Liang Yuting’s face turned cold. “What? Are you going to give it to Ye Tingtong? But your little uncle has already prepared a table full of delicious food for him. There’s no room for your meager little dessert.”

Shen Jun had walked around the main hall with Ye Tingtong hand in hand and had made a big show of preparing food for him. He was spoiling him rotten. Only an idiot like Shen Minghuai would hide in the back kitchen, not knowing anything.

“What exactly are you talking about?” Shen Minghuai frowned. “When did Ye Tingtong get involved with my little uncle?”

Liang Yuting looked surprised and covered her mouth. “What, you don’t know? Your little uncle and Ye Tingtong got their marriage certificate, and they’ve already met the parents.”

She reminded him kindly, “Ye Tingtong is considered your elder now. When you meet him again, remember to change how you address him.”

With a clatter, the dessert in Shen Minghuai’s hand fell to the ground, shattering into pieces.