Chapter 1286: WHY WOULD HE CARE?

SHEN XIN walked into the shooting range, planning to fire a few rounds just to release some stress. On Monday, he would start the final year of his undergraduate law degree. He could already feel the heavy weight of how stressful the entire school year was going to be. That's exactly why he wanted to blow off some steam now, before school began.

If he was actually interested in law, he probably wouldn't feel this heavy pressure. But the truth was, he disliked what he was studying. If it was only up to him, he would've gone to the military instead. Heck, even a degree in finance would be preferable. But it wasn't his choice to make. His older brother, Shen Lin, had already stepped onto the path for a political career. So, to complete the family's long-term plan, Shen Xin had to be the one to become the lawyer.

So now, he was stuck in a career he didn't want and would probably have to live with it for the rest of his life. The only way out would be if he's disowned by the Shen family. And he just wasn't brave enough, or maybe wasn't foolish enough, to let that happen.

He wasn't like his Uncle Yi Mu who could do whatever he wanted because he had his own money. Shen Xin needed the Shen family's money and connections to keep living the comfortable, high-end lifestyle he was used to. He couldn't just give all that up on a principle. The cars, the clothes, the travel, things he genuinely enjoyed required a lot of money, money he didn't have on his own. Not to mention, he was sure his family would block him from succeeding on his own anyway, so rebelling felt like a pointless, losing battle.

That's why he never let himself complain out loud. It would just feel too hypocritical. So, instead of making a scene, he chose to deal with his frustration quietly. He would come to this shooting range now and then and fire off a few dozen rounds to relieve the pent-up stress.

Since Shen Xin was a regular at this shooting range, he knew the layout well. He walked straight towards his favorite VIP lane at the far end of the hall. These lanes were more private and usually had fewer people around, which he liked. As he got closer, he almost stopped walking. There were already people in his usual spot. And not just any people. It looked like a couple, judging by how one man was standing directly behind the other. Their bodies were pressed close together in a way that looked more like a back hug than a shooting lesson.

He tsked, annoyed that he wouldn't be able to shoot alone in his preferred spot. Especially since this couple seemed to be here just to flirt. Seriously, who would pick a shooting range as a date spot? He shook his head in disbelief and just walked past them, heading for the lane right next to theirs.

He picked up the protective earmuffs from the counter beside his lane. As he lifted them to put them on, his eyes flicked sideways one more time to the couple. This time, he saw the man in the back lower his head, biting the neck of the person he was holding. Then the man raised his head slightly. When he did, Shen Xin saw his face clearly.

It was the absolute last person he expected to see in that kind of situation. Shen Ji Yun. His own damn cousin, who barely showed any emotion on his face most of the time. That same unfeeling cousin was actually nibbling on someone's neck. And that wasn't even the most shocking part. The truly unbelievable part was that the person he was clearly flirting with looked like a young man.

"What the fuck?" The words burst out of him before he could stop them, too loud in the controlled quiet of the range.

He watched as his cousin reacted. Shen Ji Yun stepped sideways in a sharp, sudden movement. He put his own body squarely between the other guy and Shen Xin, blocking the view completely from him. It was a blatantly protective stance. Then Shen Ji Yun turned around to face him, his expression shifting from startled to something guarded and hard.

Shen Xin stared at his cousin. Any thought that he might have been mistaken vanished. This was definitely Shen Ji Yun. The protective way his cousin stood in front of the other guy confirmed the rest of it. Shen Ji Yun was with another guy, and their body language was clearly more than friendly.

"What the fuck, Shen Ji Yun?" Shen Xin repeated, his voice filled with disbelief. He took a step closer, trying to see around his cousin. "Please, tell me the person you're hiding is a girl who just has a really short haircut."

"Unfortunately for you," Shen Ji Yun said. He kept his gaze fixed on Shen Xin, meeting his eyes directly with no hesitation. "He's a boy."

A wave of blank shock hit Shen Xin first, wiping his mind clean. Then a cold, heavy understanding settled in his chest, tightening his muscles. Finally, a furious rush of anger followed, burning through the confusion.

"You fucker," Shen Xin said sharply. He took a step forward, his voice thick with disbelief and anger. "Do you even have a single clue what you're doing?"

After getting over the initial shock of seeing his cousin here, Shen Ji Yun felt his calm returning. He didn't look away or back down at Shen Xin's remarks. "Yes," he answered in a steady voice. "I'm spending time with my boyfriend."

So what if Shen Xin had seen him and Luo Yan in a compromising position? So what if his cousin now knew about their relationship? He didn't care. He didn't even care if Shen Xin ran and told the rest of the Shen family. Why would he care about their opinions when they had never really seen him as family, anyway?

The only people in that family who truly mattered to him were his Uncle Yi Mu, and his grandmother. Since both of them had already given their approval for his relationship with Luo Yan, he had no reason to worry about what anyone else thought of him anymore.

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