Chapter 1339: THIS WAS LOVE

SHEN JI YUN let Luo Yan pull him along, his feet moving on their own. His mind was still foggy, and he hadn’t fully processed what had just happened. The only thing keeping him aware was the low buzz of the surrounding crowd, a constant reminder of the scene that had just unfolded.

"He just said partner, didn’t he?"

"Did that really just happen?"

"So it’s true then. What the Shen family’s young master said, that they’re in a relationship?"

"I can’t believe they just walked out like that."

"This is so scandalous. Two boys together like that?"

"Do their families even know about this?"

"They can’t possibly know. No family would allow something like this."

"Well, after tonight, they’re going to find out for sure."

"Every big family in B City will be talking about this by tomorrow."

Hearing all those remarks from people who had already passed their judgment on them, Shen Ji Yun finally snapped out of his daze. He tugged lightly at Luo Yan’s hand. Luo Yan glanced back at him with a smile, as if he didn’t hear a single thing anyone was saying.

"Is this... is this okay, Yan Yan?" he finally asked. "Everyone’s going to know about us now."

"It’s fine. People are going to find out about us eventually anyway, so what difference does it make if it happens now? Besides, I don’t really care if everyone here knows or if they turn it into some gossip by tomorrow," Luo Yan said with a shrug, then raised an eyebrow. "Unless you do?"

Shen Ji Yun shook his head. "No, I don’t care about that. It’s just... I don’t want people looking at you like there’s something wrong with you. When there isn’t. You’re perfect just the way you are."

That made Luo Yan smile and filled his chest with warmth. There he goes again, his silent Casanova, saying something so sweet without even realizing it. Luo Yan squeezed Shen Ji Yun’s hand a little tighter.

"Brother Ji Yun, I don’t care about any of that," he said in a soft but determined voice. "They can judge me all they want. It doesn’t matter to me, because they don’t matter. Only the people I truly care about matter. And as long as you think I’m perfect, that’s the only opinion I’ll ever listen to."

Shen Ji Yun felt something loosen in his chest. The tension he had been carrying since the balcony eased, replaced by a quiet warmth that spread through him. Luo Yan always knew what to say. He always knew how to make him feel like everything would be okay. He squeezed Luo Yan’s hand back, his throat too tight for words.

Luo Yan smiled at him, bright and unbothered. "Come on, you still owe me a dance."

Shen Ji Yun felt the corners of his own mouth lift. He looked at Luo Yan, at the way he held his head high and didn’t care who was watching. He loved this young man. He loved his courage, how he never backed down when things got hard. And right now, being pulled toward the dance floor with everyone staring, he couldn’t imagine being anywhere else or with anyone else.

They reached the dance floor just as the music shifted into something slower. The new melody filled the space with a warm, romantic tone. Shen Ji Yun turned to face Luo Yan. He offered his hand, palm up, and looked him straight in the eye.

"May I have this dance, my love?"

Luo Yan smiled. "Of course. But just so you know, I can’t waltz."

Shen Ji Yun didn’t even blink as he said, "Then put your feet on top of mine. I’ll move for both of us."

Luo Yan let out a short laugh. "How can I do that to your poor shoes?"

Even as he said that, he placed one hand on Shen Ji Yun’s shoulder, the other slipping into his waiting palm. Shen Ji Yun’s fingers closed around Luo Yan’s hand, his other hand settling on Luo Yan’s waist as he pulled him close and moved. Luo Yan didn’t take a single step on his own. He let Shen Ji Yun guide him, their bodies turning slowly across the floor as if they had done this a hundred times before.

They didn’t pay attention to the eyes on them. Not the curious stares, not the whispers, not the judgment. None of it mattered. They only looked at each other, moving together like the rest of the world had faded away. The music wrapped around them, soft and slow, and for a few minutes, nothing else existed. Just the two of them.

This was happiness.

This was freedom.

This was love.

~~~

Shen Yi Mu watched his nephew dance with Luo Yan. The two of them were smiling, clearly happy, and the way they looked at each other made it obvious how they felt. Anyone could see it. And it seemed the rest of the banquet hall had noticed too. People were turning their heads, whispering behind their hands. He didn’t have to hear what they were saying to know it wasn’t anything good.

He didn’t know what to feel about all of this. His emotions were mixed, especially since the issue with Luo Yan’s father hadn’t been settled yet. Wasn’t this just pouring salt on an open wound? But at the same time, he felt proud. Proud that Shen Ji Yun wasn’t scared to show how much he cared about his boyfriend, even in front of all these people.

As he was pondering about what to do, Jiang Yue finally returned from his restroom break. He was looking at Shen Ji Yun and Luo Yan with a worried frown on his pretty face.

"Brother Mu, on my way back here, I overheard some... things," Jiang Yue said. "It sounds like your other nephew, the older one, made a scene out on the balcony earlier. Xiao Yun and Xiao Yan were there. Some guests heard what he said about the two of them. And now they’re... gossiping about it. The fact that Xiao Yun and Xiao Yan are out there dancing right now is only making it worse."

Ah, so that explained why he hadn’t seen his other two nephews. They must have already left. And after whatever scene happened on that balcony, Shen Ji Yun and Luo Yan had chosen to dance together instead of denying whatever Shen Lin had accused them of.

Shen Yi Mu let out a small laugh. He stood up from his chair and held out his hand to Jiang Yue. "Shall we dance too, baby?"

Jiang Yue looked at the offered hand, then raised his gaze to meet Shen Yi Mu’s eyes. "I would love to. But Brother Mu, are you sure about this?"

He knew Shen Yi Mu understood what he was really asking. If they went out there too, the people’s attention would shift from the two kids to them. Especially with Shen Yi Mu being the CEO of Moonlight Media. But honestly, that might be for the best. Better they take the heat than Shen Ji Yun and Luo Yan.

Shen Yi Mu just grinned. "Absolutely. You?"

In response, Jiang Yue put his hand in Shen Yi Mu’s offered one. And so, they walked to the dance floor hand in hand.

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