Chapter 20 Brother Shen Is Truly Too Innocent…

The hand massage lasted a long time, dragging on until late into the night.

Shen Jichuan finally collapsed on the sofa and fell asleep.

Shen Zhi couldn’t bring himself to bathe someone who was unconscious and drunk. After washing his own hands clean, he fetched hot water to wipe Shen Jichuan down, ensuring he was clean and hygienic.

The high school boy, now refreshed in clean underwear, was half-asleep when he was fed a cup of warm water before comfortably drifting off, feeling completely at ease.

Shen Zhi shook his right arm, gently massaging his forearm where the ‘medicinal effects’ had fully absorbed with his left hand, then sighed.

It had been a long time since he’d exerted himself like this. He wondered if he’d feel sore tomorrow morning.

He went to the bathroom again, removed his glasses, washed his face, and cleaned off the dried residue left where Shen Jichuan had poked him.

Today he’d done a partial facial mask and a single hand treatment.

Maybe he’d get a chance to try it on Shen Jichuan sometime.

After drying his face and putting away his glasses, Shen Zhi left the bathroom.

The full-length mirror on the bathroom door reflected the living room – clean on top but sprayed with light white paint from markers below, later smeared into a hazy fog.

He didn’t clean it up or do anything about it, not even drawing the curtain that covered the full-length mirror. Instead, he turned and went back to his room to sleep.

Shen Zhi glanced at the foolish boy sleeping on the sofa, curling his lips with mischievous intent.

He wanted to see what kind of reaction this kid would have tomorrow when he remembered what he’d done to him.

The second day of the New Year.

Time for visiting relatives.

The adults carried New Year gifts through the streets and alleys, some taking vehicles for long trips back to their hometowns with their families.

Compared to yesterday, there were far fewer firecrackers today, mostly just children playing with throwing firecrackers.

When Shen Jichuan woke up, it was already 8 AM – nearly three hours later than his usual biological clock.

Boss Zhou had provided good liquor – he woke up not only without a headache but feeling warm all over, with an indescribable comfort as if years of heavy pressure had been swept away, making him want to stay in bed longer.

His hand retreated under the blanket.

Huh?

Where were his pajama pants??

He remembered he hadn’t taken them off before sleeping.

Shen Jichuan lifted the blanket to look inside. The warmth from under the covers washed over his face, his smooth legs hidden beneath the blanket. The moment he breathed in the warm air from under the covers, his mind exploded with a buzz.

Memories from last night came flooding back like a tidal wave.

It felt like someone had stuffed three suns into his head, and then all three exploded simultaneously.

Shen Jichuan turned a shade redder all over, with tiny steam trains chugging and puffing steam from all his facial orifices.

After getting drunk last night, he woke up around midnight to use the bathroom – then what had he done?

He took off his pants and pleasured himself in Brother Shen’s – his respected, grateful Mr. Shen’s – home?

And got caught?!

And after getting caught, he actually mistook Brother Shen for himself and insisted on making him help?!?

Holy shit.

Did I actually do this?

Could I, Shen Jichuan, actually do such shameless things??

Scorching heat instantly swept across his cheeks. Shen Jichuan tremblingly crawled out from under the covers, no longer having any thought of staying comfortably in bed.

No, no.

Maybe he’d just had an erotic dream while drunk.

At this moment, he desperately wished the story went like this: I, an eighteen-year-old gay high school boy, got drunk and defiled Mr. Shen—both my brother and friend—woke up in horror, then realized it was just a false alarm, thankfully only a dream.

To confirm it was merely a dream, Shen Jichuan didn’t even put on his shoes, practically scrambling and stumbling his way to the bathroom.

The bathroom door was closed.

The full-length mirror abruptly appeared before Shen Jichuan.

The smudged, foggy marks on the mirror surface caught his eye, and the latter half of the dreamsuddenly flashed in his mind. In that chaotic, blurry memory, a face appeared—frowning, panting lightly, struggling—saying to him, Shen Jichuan, stop.

Shen Jichuan was stunned by this memory.

The eighteen-year-old high school boy stood frozen in place, his face instantly turning pale.

He frantically rubbed the mirror with tissues.

Shen Jichuan, still not wearing pants, his face pale, cleaned the evidence of his crimefrom the surface.

It was tough to wipe off—after a whole night, it had dried. After struggling for a while to clean it, he washed the mop and wiped away the water droplets on the floor as well.

Entering the bathroom, he noticed the toilet lid was down.

Fragmented memories resurfaced—yes, this was where he started last night.

He had even accidentally poked Brother Shen’s face.

That cool, smooth texture… Damn, what was he thinking?! Stop, stop!

Then he glanced at the laundry hamper.

Inside were not only his underwear and pajamas but also Brother Shen’s.

That set of pajamas he had found incredibly restrained the first time he saw them now lay dirty in the hamper, with dried stains on the back of the pants, around the thigh area.

He was the one who dirtied them.

How exactly did he dirty them again?

Shen Jichuan strained to recall, fragmented memories flashing one by one. The blurry images gradually sharpened as he became more awake.

Oh.

Right.

Brother Shen had kindly helped him three times, but he felt that Brother Shen’s cold, restrained demeanor was unjustified, so he pinned him against the mirror instead.

That’s how the white stains got on the clothes.

Did he do anything else?

Oh.

He remembered.

He also hurt Brother Shen’s already injured arm.

And smeared his own… on that arm.

Shen Jichuan felt utterly dead inside.

The dream-like memories jumped and pieced together, gradually forming a complete picture. His face shifted between red and pale, more colorful than Shen Zhi’s palette.

Finally, expressionless, he pushed open the bathroom window, momentarily wanting to jump out and escape this dramatic world.

But the next second, he realized jumping from this height wouldn’t be an apology—it’d be fleeing from guilt.

So he closed the window again.

Shen Zhi had been exhausted last night and didn’t open his eyes until noon.

He slowly sat up in bed, taking a moment to gather himself. The faint ringing in his ears gradually faded.

His right arm wasn’t like a healthy person’s after all. With the prolonged activity yesterday, even though Shen Jichuan had massaged it for a long time—almost drying the dampness—his forearm still felt sore upon waking.

Better use the left hand from now on.

He shuffled in his slippers and opened the bedroom door, only to find Shen Jichuan crouched outside like a big dog.

Shen Zhi nearly stepped on him but managed to stop in time.

He widened his sleepy eyes. What are you doing, playing door god here?

Shen Jichuan was squatting against the wall by his bedroom door, having been there for who knows how long. As the door opened, he sprang to his feet.

Brother Shen.

Shen Zhi yawned and said, Mm, morning.

He walked into the bathroom and was about to squeeze toothpaste when he noticed it had already been prepared, and the water in his cup was warm. He wondered whether Shen Jichuan had accurately guessed when he’d wake up or had refreshed the water multiple times.

This kid.

Shen Zhi paused briefly, wet his toothbrush, and began brushing.

Shen Jichuan: …Good morning, Brother Shen.

He quickly scanned Shen Zhi from head to toe, examining him carefully. Only after confirming there were no suspicious marks did his tense nerves relax slightly.

He’d genuinely worried his fragmented memories from last night might have concealed even more inappropriate actions.

Shen Zhi: Finished your morning exercises?

Somehow following the conversational shift, Shen Jichuan mumbled: Not yet.

He’d been too busy cleaning the mirror and floor.

He watched Shen Zhi rinse unhurriedly.

Toothpaste foam glimmered at the corners of his lips, reminiscent of the white that had seeped through fingers last night.

Shen Jichuan cursed his own absurdity and said with profound guilt: Brother Shen, about last night… I’m sorry.

Shen Zhi sounded puzzled: What?

Shen Jichuan was stunned. Could last night really have been a dream? Were those stains on the mirror just spilled congee?

His tone was so calm it made Shen Jichuan question his own memory.

Shen Jichuan urgently clarified: Last night! Don’t you remember? Were you drunk too?

After drying his hands and face, Shen Zhi hung the towel, tied his hair, and passed the boy blocking the doorway, the corner of his mouth quirking imperceptibly.

Feigning helplessness, he said: Little rascal, I was saving your dignity, but you insist on bringing it up.

Are you embarrassed because you begged me to help you get off three times last night? Or because you came on me?The words flowed effortlessly from his pale, thin lips.

Shen Jichuan froze for several seconds, his face burning crimson.

Both.

His guilt intensified.

If the floor could have swallowed him at that moment, he would have gladly disappeared.

No wonder Brother Shen had been so composed leaving the bedroom – he’d been avoiding the subject to prevent embarrassment for both of them.

Shen Jichuan closed his eyes: I’m sorry, Brother Shen. I didn’t mean to disrespect you. I don’t know what came over me. If you’re disgusted, you can hit me or curse at me. I never imagined I’d do something so shameless drunk. I don’t even deserve to be here. The only reason I stayed was to apologize, otherwise I would’ve left already to stop offending you. I’m complete trash…

The boy’s eyelashes fluttered as he cataloged his faults one by one.

The word disgustedin his apology made the smile fade from Shen Zhi’s eyes.

He’d planned to tease him further, to enjoy that adorable blushing expression, but now he’d lost the desire.

He liked seeing him flustered and conflicted, but couldn’t stand that pained look on his face.

It made him uncomfortable.

It was just a handjob.

Shen Zhi cut off his torrent of apologies.

In the ringing silence, Shen Jichuan opened his eyes in confusion.

Shen Zhi added the final blow: It’s not like we had sex.

Shen Jichuan stared at him, stunned.

But I pinned you down and stained your pajamas.

Shen Zhi frowned. You got some on me, that’s all. It didn’t go inside me. No need to make a big deal of it.

Shen Jichuan was utterly speechless.

Is it only considered making a big fuss if it goes inside?

After a while, Shen Jichuan finally found his voice and said, Brother Shen, you don’t need to comfort me. If you’re annoyed, you can just tell me directly. There’s no need to… try so hard to downplay things and protect my sense of shame and self-esteem.

Shen Zhi was puzzled, It’s really not a big deal. What’s wrong? Why do you look like you’ve gotten me pregnant?

Shen Jichuan fell silent.

Although you were a bit forceful last night and it startled me, but…Shen Zhi pondered for a moment, You’re a young man, full of vigor, it’s quite normal. You were drinking last night, and we look alike, so naturally you didn’t have much guard up around me.

Besides, we’re both men. You call me brother, and I’m your boss. Helping you out is nothing. Do you really need to take responsibility for me?

He sounded like the kind of straight guy who would drive gay men to despair, so forgiving he might as well be a saint descended to earth, his entire being radiating holy brilliance.

Shen Jichuan was completely at a loss for words.

The way he looked at Shen Zhi now was like looking at a pure little white flower.

Did Brother Shen even know about the dark side of men?

Some men can be so cunning and unscrupulous when they scheme, especially gay men.

When Shen Jichuan was sixteen, he had taken the opportunity while working short shifts at an acquaintance’s internet cafe to browse gay forums. Some of the comments and images there were truly foul.

Many people pretend to be innocent and pure on the surface, but their real goal is to lure someone into bed.

After what he did last night, Brother Shen still didn’t think it was a big deal.

If this were on a gay forum, Brother Shen would probably be completely taken advantage of and then still say to the other person: Thank you, you worked hard.

Or if the other person pretended to be pitiful, Brother Shen might even comfort them.

In this regard, Brother Shen was just too naive.

💝 Support the Team

soowe05

✍️ Translator

💙 PayPal