TRMLCM Chapter 9

Chapter 9: Fifty-Five Minutes

No matter how complex Shen Chang’an’s emotions were, they always calmed down when he faced music. He looked at the somewhat unfamiliar sheet music on his phone, practicing slowly section by section, gently swaying his body to the rhythm of the music, and humming softly.

Half an hour flashed by. He played the last note, his eyes lowered, his expression serene.

Carefully placing the guitar aside, he picked up the phone resting on the edge of the bed. Because it hadn’t been touched for too long, the phone screen had gone dark. He lightly tapped his fingertip, and the call interface reappeared.

The speaker was still on.

A gentle, drawn-out breath with a faint electrical current came through.

The person on the other end of the line seemed to have fallen into a deep sleep.

Shen Chang’an turned sideways and rested his head on the bed, his lit-up phone screen directly in front of him.

His long, slender eyelashes curved gently. As he raised his eyes, they looked like a butterfly opening its wings.

Those clear, watery eyes stared unblinkingly at the contact name on the screen, and he silently repeated it in his heart, over and over again.

Cheng Yi…

He slowly closed his tired eyes, and accompanied by the soft breathing in his ear, he subconsciously lightened his own breathing. At that moment, it seemed as though even his heartbeat was in sync.

As his consciousness slowly drifted into sleep, Shen Chang’an suddenly woke up with a start. He abruptly opened his eyes and, realizing what he had just done, was startled and quickly sat up straight.

Hot, rapid breaths echoed quickly in the silent room.

Shen Chang’an felt a strange panic in his heart. He looked at the dark phone screen lying quietly on the bed, quickly lit it up, and then immediately hung up the call.

Call duration: fifty-five minutes.

Looking at the lit-up phone screen, he breathed a sigh of relief, and his rapid breathing gradually calmed down.

Getting up, he walked into the bathroom. Looking at his flushed cheeks in the mirror, Shen Chang’an turned on the faucet and splashed water on his burning face, quickly cooling down.

Only now did his emotions truly calm down.

Shen Chang’an found his cigarette case in the bedside table, leaned against the bed, and sat on the soft carpet. He opened the cigarette case, took out a cigarette, put it to his lips, bit the cigarette, and with trembling hands, lit it with a lighter.

His black bathrobe was slightly open at the collar, revealing half of his chest. The cool water had dampened the hair at his forehead, and water droplets slowly slid down his proud neck, eventually disappearing beneath the bathrobe along with the fair skin.

In the swirling smoke, his clear eyes looked somewhat dazed. Then, his eyes filled with disbelief, and a curse echoed in the silent bedroom.

“Fuck.”

Shen Chang’an’s mood was as awful as if eight horses were chasing him. He usually didn’t smoke or swear, but he hadn’t expected that because of one person, he had broken two of his habits.

What a fucked up life!

“Meow~”

Berber, in the cat bed not far away, was awakened by his voice. One bright and one dim eye looked over at him, as if softly asking what was wrong.

Stupid human, what’s wrong?

Shen Chang’an now just wanted to find someone to vent his inner turmoil to, and Berber just happened to be there.

Shen Chang’an walked to the cat bed and sat down cross-legged. First, he rubbed Berber’s head, and apologized to it.

“I’m sorry, Berber, Daddy couldn’t control himself just now and woke you up.”

Berber was still sleepy, feeling extremely tired.

“Berber, Daddy has something big to tell you!”

Shen Chang’an’s expression turned serious, and his volume instantly increased somewhat, startling Berber again.

“Meow meow, meow?”

Stupid human, what do you want?

Won’t you let the cat overlord sleep?

Shen Chang’an refused to communicate with it, ignoring Berber’s fierce little fangs, he said to himself:

“Berber, Daddy seems to like men.”

He wrinkled his nose, looking troubled.

“What is Daddy going to do in the future?”

“I haven’t had any feelings for any men or women before, how come today…”

“And Daddy doesn’t even know what he looks like, just a voice, and I’ve fallen for him??????!!”

“Is it because his voice is too good, or is Daddy too greedy?”

“Berber, what do you say Daddy should do?”

“Do you think he’s single?”

“Does he like men or women?”

“No wonder my heart was beating so fast the first time I heard his voice, I thought it was just nerves.”

Shen Chang’an said a lot, and as he spoke, his attention wandered off. Only now did he come back to his senses. He reached out and lifted Berber’s little paw, waved it, and then asked with a serious expression:

“Do you think Daddy should pursue him?”

Before Berber could respond, he frowned again and said to himself:

“No, Berber, our family is too poor. Even if he likes men, he probably wouldn’t look at your daddy.”

Berber: “Meow~”

Shen Chang’an looked at Berber’s widened eyes and tentatively opened his mouth with some guilt:

“Berber, what did you say? You want to eat less, to save money for Daddy? Good Berber, you truly are Daddy’s thoughtful little cotton-padded jacket.”

Berber: …?

Berber: “Meow meow meow~”

Berber got up directly from the cat bed and walked in front of Shen Chang’an, constantly meowing.

Hmm… it’s cursing very obscenely.

Shen Chang’an looked at its lively and adorable appearance and suddenly smiled, his eyes relaxing. He reached out to hug Berber, but Berber dodged, not letting him touch it at all.

Berber twitched its little nose, looking at Shen Chang’an with disdain.

Shen Chang’an lowered his head and smelled himself. Okay, he had just smoked, and his scent was indeed unpleasant. He pulled his hand back, placed it behind him, and used it to support his leaning body.

After venting the emotions in his heart, he did feel a lot better, but the problem still hadn’t been resolved.

Shen Chang’an sighed softly.

Alright, so what if he discovered that he likes men?

So what if he likes someone with the same body structure as him?

It’s okay, it’s okay, it’s okay!

Shen Chang’an’s emotions gradually stabilized. He lowered his eyes and became quiet. Time passed, he didn’t know how long, just when Berber was almost falling asleep again while staring at him, in the silent room, his voice was clear and calm, but carried a serious meaning.

“How about this, Berber,” Shen Chang’an sat up straight again, spreading his hands flat in front of Berber.

“If you reach out your paw and put it on my left hand, Daddy will pursue him. Otherwise, if you choose to put it on Daddy’s right hand, Daddy will give up. Which one do you choose?”

Which one to choose?

Berber didn’t want to choose either, it just wanted to sleep.

“Meow~”

Damn poop shoveling officer, you’re done for!

Berber slapped the hand in front of it away with a paw.

“Ah? Baby wants Daddy to pursue him?”

Berber: Meow?

Shen Chang’an looked at the left hand that had been lightly patted by the paw and smiled happily.

He cheerfully rubbed Berber’s head. After Berber showed its teeth, he slowly retracted his hand and stood up.

Hmm, brush my teeth and go to sleep.

Berber retracted its bared teeth and looked at the leaving figure with a dazed expression, stretched lazily, and comfortably returned to the cat bed.

Yay~

The bad guy was chased away by it~