Ch66 - (II). Their fourth year together

Yan Chen stepped into the bedroom and pressed the answer button, but said nothing. On the other end, a brief silence lingered before a familiar voice finally spoke.

“Yan Chen.”

“What?”

“….” The cold tone made Yan Hong pause. After a moment, he sighed softly. “An’an’s birthday is the day after tomorrow. Come back to the palace.”

Impatience flickered across Yan Chen’s face as he replied to his older brother.

“No. I have other important things to do.”

Hearing the blunt refusal, Yan Hong’s tone instantly turned cold. “What could you possibly be busy with? Sitting in your apartment with your little sweetheart? Bring him along if you want.”

At the mention of Rong Jun, Yan Chen’s expression hardened. “Don’t send people to monitor me. You’d be better off using that time to approve your documents.”

“You—” Yan Hong bristled, but forced himself to stay calm.

“I’m hanging up if there’s nothing else.”

“Wait.” Yan Hong’s voice softened slightly, sighing. “You haven’t been back for almost a year. Find some time to visit mother. She… misses you.”

The subtle hesitation made the corner of Yan Chen’s lips twitch faintly.

“She won’t miss me. I’m hanging up.”

The room fell into silence.

Yan Chen sat on the edge of the bed and tossed his phone aside. His face was pale, his expression pressed together, as if forcing down something twisted and unpleasant. After a few moments, he steadied himself and stood, and once he calmed down, he headed out of the room.

The moment he stepped outside, he spotted a small figure curled up on the sofa, shivering slightly. He quickly covered his mouth to stifle a laugh, careful not to make a sound.

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“Ah—!” Rong Jun yelped, startled out of his wits.

When he saw it was Yan Chen, his face flushed instantly. Trying to recover his dignity, he quickly composed himself.

“What are you standing there for? Aren’t you watching?”

Yan Chen smiled faintly, pretending not to notice anything. He sat beside him, pulling Rong Jun into his arms, wrapping one arm around his shoulders and pressing their legs together to chase away the lingering chill.

“Where’s the plot at?”

Rong Jun instinctively grabbed the arm in front of him. The warmth and sense of security spread through his body, finally allowing him to relax. He patiently explained the part Yan Chen had missed.

“The child answered the phone, and then…”

Yan Chen wasn’t really paying attention to the story. His focus was entirely on the soft voice brushing against his ear.

“Anyway who called you just now?” Rong Jun asked, curious. It was rare for anyone to contact Yan Chen, so it must be someone close to him.

Yan Chen hesitated. He almost brushed it off as something trivial, but the faint unease lingering in his chest made him want reassurance instead, so he decided to tell the truth.

“It was my older brother.”

“Your older brother… the Crown Prince?” Rong Jun’s eyes widened slightly.

Only then did it truly sink in to him. Sometimes he forgets just how important and high Yan Chen’s status truly is.

Yan Chen was a prince. A legitimate son of the royal family.

Though it wasn’t strange that he had overlooked it. Yan Chen never acted like royalty around him. If anything, he behaved more like a rogue. teasing, shameless, impossible to restrain.

More importantly, in Rong Jun’s mind, Yan Chen had always been his lover first.

Everything else came second.

“Yes,” Yan Chen said quietly. “He said it’s my sister’s birthday the day after tomorrow. He wants me to go back.”

“Then you should go.”

“I’m not going.” Yan Chen buried his face in Rong Jun’s neck. “I hate her. I don’t want to celebrate her birthday.”

The childish tone made Rong Jun almost laugh, but he quickly hid it. He reached up and gently rubbed the side of Yan Chen’s head.

“Why?”

“I just… hate her.” Yan Chen didn’t explain further.

Rong Jun didn’t press also since it seems like a sensitive topic. Instead, he simply comforted him.

“If you hate it, then don’t go. Staying home is better.” He tilted his head, resting it lightly against Yan Chen’s. “Don’t think about it. I’ll cook a whole table of your favorite dishes tomorrow.”

Yan Chen let out a soft laugh against his neck. “Half a table is enough. The other half is for you.”

Rong Jun couldn’t help but laugh along.

…

Not long after, classes resumed.

They returned to their routine with the lectures, club activities, student council work, just like the previous semester.

Rong Jun’s talent and capability had never been in doubt. Within two years, he rose to become student council president. He built his own network, graduated early, and secured a recommendation for postgraduate studies. Even before graduating, he had already received numerous job offers.

In the end, he chose a more challenging path, joining the team of a prominent politician while continuing his postgraduate studies.

Yan Chen’s fencing career flourished as well, earning him numerous awards, though he never pursued it professionally.

He graduated early alongside Rong Jun. Because of his special status, he couldn’t work in the same political sphere, but instead joined a relatively relaxed department with fixed hours.

Coincidentally, many of his colleagues were former student council members and acquaintances of Rong Jun.

The two moved into a new apartment, farther from their old place, and finally began living together.

Yan Chen held Rong Jun constantly, grinning like an idiot, because now, they truly shared a home.

By then, they had known each other for over three years, entering their fourth.

Their lives had become completely intertwined from school, work, and now their home.

And through it all, they remained side by side, closer than ever.