Accepting the Confession

Shen Mingjin never really thought too deeply about why someone would keep an old plastic bag in their pocket—just like he never truly understood where Xu Duwan's strange attachment to him came from.

In the end, Shen Mingjin could only come to one conclusion: maybe he reminded Xu Duwan of someone else—someone important. Maybe an old friend, or even a long-time crush.

After all, it didn't make sense. Someone like him, who was so broke he had to work at a food stall, had nothing in common with the wealthy young master of the Xu family.

It had to be because of someone from Xu Duwan's past.

Shen Mingjin carefully hung Xu Duwan's washed clothes on the drying rack. After hesitating for a moment, he neatly folded the plastic bag and placed it on the table. Then, he quietly left the room and closed the door.

He didn't notice that, after he left, the wind from the window blew the plastic bag off the table. It swirled gently in the air before slipping under the bed with a soft rustling sound.

—

By the time Shen Mingjin stepped outside, the food stall was almost done for the night. Even Yu Qingbie had started packing up.

Rolling up his sleeves, Shen Mingjin helped move the chairs and tables inside, stacking them neatly before heading back to wash the dishes.

His hands were beautiful—slender and pale, like bamboo shoots just sprouting in spring. Hands like these should have been playing piano, not scrubbing greasy plates with a rough sponge.

After soaking in water for too long, his fingers started to wrinkle slightly, making them look a little unsightly.

Shen Mingjin glanced at them briefly, flexing his sore wrist to ease the discomfort.

After a full day of work, even a man made of iron would feel exhausted.

"Shen Mingjin, come here."

Yu's father called him over once all the customers had left. He shut the stall's door and handed Shen Mingjin a neatly stacked pile of money, speaking in a low voice.

"This is from that customer. Keep it safe."

Shen Mingjin paused, his long lashes fluttering slightly before he lowered his head and politely accepted the money.

"Thank you."

Just as he was about to leave, he suddenly remembered that Xu Duwan had been sick earlier and might have vomited. Frowning slightly, he grabbed a few napkins and carefully wrapped the money before looking back at Yu's father.

"If there's nothing else, I'll head out now."

"Wait a moment…" Yu's father hesitated, shifting his gaze awkwardly to Shen Mingjin's delicate wrist bones. After a long silence, he leaned in and lowered his voice.

"Are you sure… the bed in Ah Qing's room is fake Hainan pearwood?"

His face had gone a little pale, but it was clear he had already prepared himself for the answer.

Shen Mingjin gave a small nod.

Yu's father stepped back, leaning against the door with a long sigh. After a moment, he gave a bitter chuckle.

"Got it. I had a few experts look at it the other day while you were out. They studied it for hours, ran tests… and finally confirmed it was fake."

"No matter how much it looks like the real thing… fake is still fake."

Shen Mingjin didn't know why, but his body moved faster than his mind, and before he could stop himself, he spoke.

Those words felt oddly familiar.

As soon as they left his mouth, something inside him twisted. A sharp, dull pain spread from his chest to his head, triggering a memory.

In his mind, fragments of the past flashed like scattered snowflakes.

A boy, clutching an antique jade bracelet, eyes full of tears, looking up at him. And himself—expression cold, turning away after saying those exact words.

Shen Mingjin couldn't remember the boy's face. But he could remember how the setting sun hit his collarbone, reflecting a faint silver light through the gaps in the tree branches.

He couldn't tell if the shimmer on the boy's skin was from tears or something else.

A sudden pain stabbed through his temple. Shen Mingjin pressed a hand to his forehead, exhaling sharply through his teeth. His face paled further.

Yu's father, sensing something was off, muttered to himself before slipping away quickly, as if afraid to push his luck.

Shen Mingjin watched him leave in silence. Once the discomfort faded, some color returned to his face.

He headed to the kitchen, cooking a few simple dishes and steaming some buns. Then, carrying the food, he made his way back to the room.

Earlier, Xu Duwan had only had a bowl of porridge and some alcohol. With all the vomiting and fussing, he had probably digested everything by now. If he didn't eat something, he'd get stomach pains in the middle of the night.

Shen Mingjin didn't even need to count—he knew Yu's father had skimmed some money off the top. But considering how much work the man had done cleaning up the mess, he decided to let it slide for now. He would just cover the difference with his own paycheck.

He was tired, but he still used what was left in the kitchen to cook a little extra for Xu Duwan.

However, when he opened the door, he was met with an unexpected sight.

Xu Duwan was already awake. He had pulled all his clothes out of the wardrobe and thrown them onto the bed… then buried himself under them.

Shen Mingjin: "…"

Was he… nesting?

The sight was oddly funny. But then, remembering that Xu Duwan's attachment to him might be because of someone else, Shen Mingjin suddenly felt a strange sense of melancholy.

He set the food on the table, then reached into the pile of clothes and pulled Xu Duwan out.

Only then did he notice—his eyes were red and puffy.

Shen Mingjin froze.

"What happened?"

"You said you wouldn't leave… but you lied again."

Xu Duwan's voice was hoarse from crying. When he had woken up and couldn't find Shen Mingjin, he had searched the entire room. He even realized that the plastic bag—the one Shen Mingjin had given him for carrying dumplings—was gone.

Angry. Frustrated. Heartbroken.

All the emotions swirled together, fueled by the lingering alcohol.

Before Shen Mingjin could react, Xu Duwan suddenly leaned forward and bit him—hard—on the side of his neck.

A clear ring of teeth marks was left behind.

Like a little kitten, desperate to mark its territory, furious after finding out its owner had petted another cat outside.

Shen Mingjin let out a muffled groan from the pain. The steamed bun in his hand slipped and rolled across the floor, gathering dust.

"Are you a dog?" He almost reached out to grab Xu Duwan by the neck and pull him away, but he barely held himself back. Touching the spot where he had been bitten—where tiny beads of blood were now forming—Shen Mingjin felt both frustrated and amused. He had spent the whole night taking care of this person, only to get bitten in return. His voice turned cold.

"If you want to go crazy, do it somewhere else."

With that, he stood up, picked up the dirty steamed bun, and muttered to himself, "What a waste. I made this for you, and you don't even appreciate it."

He was about to throw the bun into the trash when Xu Duwan's eyes widened.

"No!" Xu Duwan suddenly lunged forward, snatching the dirty bun from his hand with a sense of urgency. Without hesitation, he stuffed it straight into his mouth.

Shen Mingjin was completely stunned. Xu Duwan, on the other hand, immediately started choking, his face turning pale. Shen Mingjin panicked. His expression darkened as he reached over and forcefully pulled the bun out of Xu Duwan's mouth.

"What are you doing?! That's dirty!" Shen Mingjin scolded.

"But… you made it for me..." Xu Duwan looked up, lips trembling with grievance. He reached out with his fingertip, gently touching the crease between Shen Mingjin's brows, visibly upset.

"Why were you ignoring me just now? You kept talking to that girl, even though I had already finished eating."

"Finished eating?" Shen Mingjin was confused.

"Yeah, four buns." Xu Duwan counted on his fingers, then frowned slightly and picked at them absentmindedly. He mumbled under his breath, "Black sesame filling."

He didn't even like black sesame. But because Shen Mingjin had bought them, he forced himself to eat them anyway.

Shen Mingjin stared at him in shock.

He suddenly remembered—back at the hospital, he had bought Xu Duwan four buns. They were black sesame-filled too.

But because of a misunderstanding, all of them had fallen to the ground.

Did Xu Duwan actually eat those dirty buns?

The thought flashed through Shen Mingjin's mind, leaving him both incredulous and a little heartbroken. He looked down at Xu Duwan, who, like a small, harmless animal, was quietly inching closer, still trying to reach for the dirty steamed bun in his hand. His stubbornness made Shen Mingjin sigh.

"No more. No wonder your stomach hurts," he said firmly.

He raised his arm slightly, casting a shadow over Xu Duwan as he looked down at him with a serious expression. His words were short and direct.

Ignoring Xu Duwan's quiet protests, he threw the bun into the trash and handed him a clean pair of chopsticks instead.

"Eat this," he instructed.

Shen Mingjin placed the freshly made dishes in front of him and gave a slight nod.

Xu Duwan hesitated for a moment, then glanced at Shen Mingjin before sneaking a peek at the trash can. But before he could say anything, Shen Mingjin shot him a sharp look.

Immediately, he shut up and obediently started eating. Watching Xu Duwan puff out his cheeks while chewing, Shen Mingjin couldn't help but think he looked like a little hamster.

"Oh, right. This is your money."

Shen Mingjin suddenly remembered the cash in his pocket. He pulled it out and placed it in front of Xu Duwan, speaking in a low voice.

"Don't go around throwing money everywhere next time."

Xu Duwan kept his head down, focusing on his rice. After a long pause, he seemed to think about something. Then, with hesitation, he pushed the stack of money back toward Shen Mingjin. His voice was quiet.

"Take it. It's all yours."

Shen Mingjin frowned. "Why would you give it to me?"

"You like money, don't you?" Xu Duwan looked at him, but it felt like he was looking past him—his gaze was distant yet filled with a quiet stubbornness that Shen Mingjin couldn't quite understand.

"I'll give you lots and lots of money." His voice was calm but carried an underlying weight, like something long buried. "Now… I'm finally good enough for you."

He lowered his head, scooping up a bite of rice as if to hide his face. His chopsticks tapped lightly against the porcelain bowl, making a soft, hollow sound.

"So…" Xu Duwan paused, gripping his chopsticks tighter. His voice was almost a whisper.

"Will you accept my confession now?"