The Return Of The God Level Assassin

Chapter 1360: HAPPY BIRTHDAY

SHEN JI YUN started to feel nervous when Luo Yan suddenly went quiet. The other had closed his eyes and stayed silent. Had he said the wrong thing? Had he only made things worse? He waited, not knowing what to do, his hands still holding Luo Yan’s.

As he was trying to figure out what to do, Luo Yan suddenly stood up and hugged him. The movement caught him off guard, and for a second he didn’t know where to put his hands. They just hung awkwardly in the air.

“Yan Yan—?”

“Thank you,” Luo Yan cut him off, his voice muffled against Shen Ji Yun’s shoulder. “Thank you for saying what I needed to hear, even when I didn’t want to. Thank you for giving me not only comfort, but the understanding I really needed.”

Shen Ji Yun finally found his bearings and wrapped his arms around Luo Yan. The feel of him in his arms made him let out a quiet, content sigh. “You don’t have to thank me for that. I just want you to be at peace with whatever you decide. I’ll stand by you either way. I just want you to be happy, Yan Yan. That’s all I’ve ever wanted.”

“And that’s why I had to thank you,” Luo Yan said, pressing his face deeper into the crook of Shen Ji Yun’s neck. A beat of silence passed before he spoke again. “I’ve decided not to tell them.”

Shen Ji Yun rubbed Luo Yan’s back softly, hoping to give him some sort of comfort at least. “I don’t want to sound like I think my opinion is the only right one. Because it’s not. It’s just what I think would be best for everyone. But more than that, I don’t want you to feel guilty for agreeing with it. You didn’t do anything wrong. None of this is your fault. So don’t ever think of yourself as a thief or a trespasser. This is your life now, Yan Yan. So live it. Fully.”

The warmth in his chest spread through his whole body, and for the first time since he had started telling his truth, he felt at peace. The fear was finally gone. “Yes, I will.” He lifted his head and met Shen Ji Yun’s eyes, a soft smile on his face. “And I’d like it if you were there with me.”

Shen Ji Yun could see the love in Luo Yan’s dark eyes, and he was certain his own reflected the same. He leaned in and pressed a quick kiss to Luo Yan’s lips. “Always.”

They stayed like that for a while, wrapped up in each other, before Shen Ji Yun gently pulled him toward the room they were sharing.

“Stay here. I’ll go grab an ice pack for your eyes,” he said with a small smile. He didn’t want Luo Yan waking up with swollen eyes tomorrow.

Luo Yan watched Shen Ji Yun’s back as he left the room. He touched his eyes and could already feel them starting to swell. No doubt from all the crying he had done. He knew the ice pack was meant for his eyes. A small smile tugged at his lips. Shen Ji Yun was always like this. Quietly thoughtful. Always looking out for him without making a big deal out of it.

Soon, Shen Ji Yun returned with an ice pack in his hand. He sat beside Luo Yan and gently pressed it against his eyes. The cold seeped into his skin, numbing the heat and soreness that had settled there. He could feel the puffiness starting to ease, the relief spreading through his face with each passing second.

After they were finished, Shen Ji Yun got up to put the ice pack away. When he came back, he slid into bed beside Luo Yan. They turned toward each other at the same time and wrapped their arms around one another.

Luo Yan lay with his head on Shen Ji Yun’s shoulder, and Shen Ji Yun kept one hand wrapped around his waist. The room was warm with the heater on and a soft comforter over them, but Luo Yan still preferred the warmth that came from Shen Ji Yun himself.

He glanced at the wall clock and saw that the hands were almost aligned at twelve. Only a minute left until midnight. Luo Yan counted silently, and when both hands finally hit twelve, he lifted his head and smiled at Shen Ji Yun. “Happy birthday, Brother Ji Yun.”

The soft glow from the lamp fell across Shen Ji Yun’s face, and Luo Yan saw him smile. He pressed a kiss to the top of Luo Yan’s head. “Thank you. I hope I get to spend many more birthdays with you.”

Luo Yan grinned. “That’s a given.”

***

Shen Ji Yun felt himself drift up from sleep slowly. The first thing he noticed was the familiar warmth beside him. Then the weight of an arm draped across his chest. He blinked his eyes open, still hazy, and the first thing he saw was Luo Yan’s face. His features were relaxed in sleep, his lashes dark against his cheeks, his lips slightly parted. Shen Ji Yun didn’t move for a while. He just lay there, watching him breathe.

A smile automatically crossed his lips. This was a good way to wake up. He wished every morning could start like this.

Then the events of last night came back to him, and a familiar sadness settled in his chest. Not for himself, but for Luo Yan. For everything he had gone through. For the burden he must have carried when he first woke up in someone else’s body. The guilt that must have followed him for so long before he finally found the courage to let it out.

Shen Ji Yun let out a quiet sigh. No, that part was over now. Now it was his turn to make sure Luo Yan was happy and safe. For the rest of his life. That was all he wanted. That was all that mattered.

He leaned down and pressed a soft kiss to Luo Yan’s forehead before getting out of bed. It was time to make a good breakfast for his love.