I stood on the street corner, gripping my phone so tightly in my palm that I nearly had the urge to hurl it across the road.
Beep! Beep! I looked up—a taxi had pulled up beside me, honking. Out of habit, I waved it off, and the cab sped away, leaving behind the fading sound of its engine.
"Damn it!" I cursed under my breath, but the problem remained.
Should I go? Or not?
If before, Zhao Chenyu had been someone I wouldn't even glance at—someone from a completely different world—now, this guy was really about to step into mine.
Damn it! Damn it! Damn it!
Why did I have to take him straight to Auntie Ouyang's place? I could've just found someone else to deal with him!
So annoying!
Whatever… I might as well go. I'll try to get some information out of him. Just what is Zhao Chenyu up to?
As soon as I put my phone down, a voice call notification chimed—it was Chu Yun.
"Hey? Young Master Lin?" As soon as I answered, I heard upbeat music blaring in the background.
"Chu Yun, where are you?" I asked.
"Zhao Chenyu drove back to campus to pick us up, but you weren't there. Where are you now?" he asked.
Only then did I realize I was still near Auntie Ouyang's company building. I stammered out the name of a nearby shopping mall.
"Okay, we'll be right there." Chu Yun hung up. I quickly pocketed my phone and hurried toward the mall.
After glancing around for a bit, a black BMW soon pulled up slowly in front of me. The rear window rolled down, and Chu Yun's chubby face appeared in my widened, surprised eyes.
"What's up, Young Master Lin? Get in..." Chu Yun deliberately scooted over, making the car sway with his movement.
Just then, the driver's side window also rolled down, and Zhao Chenyu's smug face peeked out. "Senior, hurry up and get in. We can't park here for long." I had no choice but to quickly climb in.
"Where are we going?" Chu Yun asked once the car started moving.
"Let's go for hot pot. I hope that's alright with you, Senior—sorry to trouble you," Zhao Chenyu said while driving.
"Whatever. But isn't this Auntie Ouyang's company car? How come you're using it for personal matters?" I frowned, gripping the edge of the driver's seat as I asked Zhao Chenyu sternly.
"Ah… I've had the car keys all along. I told Auntie Ouyang I was picking you up for a meal, and she allowed me to drive it," Zhao Chenyu replied calmly, glancing at the rearview mirror while steering.
Hearing that, I was left speechless. I could only slump back into the seat, cross my arms, and twist my jaw from side to side in frustration.
But then it occurred to me—if I kept this up, he'd easily notice something was off. Fine, I'd better calm down.
As I stared out the window, lost in thought, I suddenly chuckled. But almost immediately, a pair of waving hands appeared in front of my face. I dodged and looked—it was Chu Yun.
"What are you doing?" I grumbled.
"Nothing… Young Master Lin, are you okay? You were just fuming one second and laughing the next. You're not going crazy, are you? Should we reroute to the hospital?" Chu Yun tugged at my sleeve, testing the waters.
"Get lost! Think positively! Just sit still!" I shook him off and, exasperated, turned to look out the window again.
About ten minutes later, at a quaint hotpot restaurant, the four of us sat around the table. I took one side, while Chu Yun—whether he genuinely wanted to seek advice from Zhao Chenyu or not—quickly settled into the seat opposite me, leaving Zhao Chenyu to sit beside him.
Zhao Chenyu first asked for my opinion, but I didn't feel like engaging with him. I muttered "whatever" and lowered my head to play on my phone, so he proceeded to order with practiced ease.
"Hey, Chenyu, looks like you're no stranger to this place, huh?" Chu Yun teased.
"No, no, I just came once before to check it out since I was planning to treat you two. Heh, heh…" Zhao Chenyu squinted his small eyes and chuckled innocently, but the more I looked at his earnest expression, the more fake it seemed.
Just over half an hour ago, he was kneeling by Aunt Ouyang's bedside like a slave, yet now he was chatting casually and calmly with Chu Yun. Was his mental fortitude really that strong? Or… was he just that cunning?
After ordering, while waiting for the food to arrive, Chu Yun called out in a slightly ingratiating tone, "Chenyu~ Chenyu."
"What's up, senior?" Zhao Chenyu put down his phone.
"Heh, it's just that I can't seem to keep a conversation going with Mu Xianning again. Got any tips? Last time, following your advice, I felt like she was in a better mood, but these past few days, it's back to square one." Chu Yun scratched the back of his head in frustration.
"Sure, if I can help you two get together, it'll be a big achievement for me. Mind if I take a look at your chat with her?" Zhao Chenyu asked.
"Uh… well… okay, it's not like there's anything major anyway." Chu Yun took out his phone, tapped a few times, and placed it between himself and Zhao Chenyu on the table.
"Let me see what you and the senior have been talking about…" Zhao Chenyu mumbled as he scrolled through the messages.
"Good morning… Good afternoon… Good night… Uh…"
"'Keeb's Weight Loss Plan for Heavy Individuals'… this…"
"'W-Site Video: A Guide for Female College Students Buying Laptops'??"
"This is a photo of you and the senior… this one's okay, look, she even praised you… praised you… for blocking the wind?!"
Hearing the words "blocking the wind," I couldn't hold back while drinking hot water and let out a sudden "pfft—" as I sprayed it out.
The two across from me stared at me, and Zhao Chenyu and I both turned our gazes toward Chu Yun. Chu Yun glanced between us, then awkwardly scratched the back of his head again.
"Seriously, Chu Yun, are you trying to woo a girl or conduct business? Even Fei Yangyang would handle this better than you…" I couldn't help but tease.
"Ah, I just… ah…" Chu Yun couldn't find the words, scratching his head even faster in frustration.
"Senior Chu, Lin's right. You're being a bit too… straightforward," Zhao Chenyu chimed in, agreeing with me.
"So what should I do then?" Chu Yun asked.
"Hmm… any suggestions, senior?" Zhao Chenyu turned the question back to me. Chu Yun's eager, studious gaze slowly shifted toward me.
"You tell him, he asked you…" I pushed it back to Zhao Chenyu, and Chu Yun slowly turned his head, his eager gaze now fixed on Zhao Chenyu.
"Alright, Senior Chu. The way I suggested you chat with the senior before worked pretty well, right? Just stick to that approach. For example, if she says something like, 'I'm so tired from today's outing,' she's probably looking to vent or seek comfort. In that case, you shouldn't reply with, 'Where are we going tomorrow?' That'll only annoy her…"
"First, go along with what she says, tell her you're tired too, then share some fun moments from when we hung out together. Next, crack a joke asking if she wants a massage service to cheer her up. If she refuses, her mood will already have improved..."
"But what if she agrees? What then?" Chu Yun interjected.
"If she agrees, then just give her a massage for real."
"Ah? But I don't know how!"
"Whether you know how or not doesn't matter. With women, it's all about the mood and the gesture. Besides, with a beauty like Sister Qianning lying on the bed letting you touch her all over, are you really losing out? Hehe!" As Zhao Chenyu spoke, his previously earnest demeanor grew increasingly lecherous. As soon as he finished, he suddenly noticed me staring at him and quickly straightened his expression.
"Oh! I think I get it now! Thanks, Junior Chenyu, haha!" I wasn't sure if Chu Yun truly understood, but his excited expression left me feeling helpless.
After several rounds of dishes...
"Wow, the secret sauce at this place is really delicious!" Chu Yun patted his stomach and dipped another slice of meat into the pot.
"As long as Senior Chu enjoys it, that's what matters. What about you, Senior Lin? You don't seem to be eating much..." Zhao Chenyu asked.
"I think it's pretty good, I just don't have much appetite..." I said this out loud, but inwardly I was thinking, how come I've never been to this restaurant before? It's not even in a remote location. I'll have to bring Jingyan here to try it someday.
"As long as you're happy, Senior! Hehe!"
"Zhao Chenyu, why did you drive Auntie Ouyang's company car here today? Did you go back to the company?" When people are full, their minds tend to slow down, which is why I didn't eat too much.
"Ah, well... yes, I asked Auntie Ouyang for permission. Since I was picking you up, I thought taking a taxi wouldn't be formal enough." Zhao Chenyu stammered slightly but managed to answer.
Damn! This kid keeps using Auntie Ouyang as a shield, and there's really nothing I can do about it.
"Alright, I think you should be more careful in the future. After all, you're just a new employee..." I deliberately emphasized the last two words, reminding myself that he was merely an employee.
"Oh! Right! I think you should be careful too. Even though Auntie Ouyang hasn't said anything, it's not good to keep crossing boundaries like this. You're not like Young Master Lin, who's known Auntie Ouyang since childhood..." Hearing Chu Yun's words, I breathed a sigh of relief. This guy finally said something right.
"Yes, yes, I'll keep that in mind, hehehe."
Zhao Chenyu returned to his earnest demeanor, then suddenly filled his glass with cola, raised it with both hands, and turned to me.
"Thank you, Senior, for giving me such an important opportunity and such a wonderful job. From now on, I'll serve Auntie Ouyang diligently, and you as well, Senior. If there's anything you need, just let me know!" With that, Zhao Chenyu extended the glass full of cola toward me, signaling a toast.
I looked at the black liquid bubbling in the glass, then raised my eyes to see Zhao Chenyu's ugly, smiling face—exactly the same expression he wore when kneeling at Auntie Ouyang's feet. The bubbles felt like the anger I was suppressing, constantly bubbling up, yet I had to control it, not letting it overflow.
Damn! I'm regretting this more and more!
What else could I do? I raised my half-full glass of orange juice and clinked it with his—of course, he held his glass much lower than mine.
"Hehe!" Zhao Chenyu grinned as he downed his cola, while I only took a small sip.
"'Instructions' is too strong a word. Just be mindful of your own actions. Some people, some situations—be careful. If you cross the line, no one will be able to save you." I left it at that, not elaborating further.
"Yes, yes! I will, I promise!" Zhao Chenyu still wore that obedient expression, which made me sick to my stomach.
"Hey, hey, hey! What are you talking about, all cryptic and mysterious, Lin? Chenyu! Don't forget about me!" Chu Yun chimed in. Originally, both of us were drinking non-alcoholic beverages, but this guy had to boast and ended up having some hard liquor. Now his round, plump face was redder than a monkey's backside.
"Alright, alright! And Senior Chu Yun too, hehe!"
"Oh, right, right! Take another look at this for me!" Chu Yun, already a bit dazed, pulled out his phone and started chatting with Zhao Chenyu. I had lost interest in eating by then and began glancing around.
Just then, I noticed a girl in a white dress at the table diagonally across from ours. She gently brushed aside her jet-black hair, and as her eyes shifted, they met mine.
"Zzz—"
In that instant, it felt as if an electric current surged through the air between us, intertwining with the rhythm of my heartbeat.
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