ASPWWD Chapter 37

This matter became a secret that only the heavens, the earth, Lin Fengqi, and Liao Xingshen knew about. Lin Fengqi wasn’t about to reveal such an embarrassing incident to Wen Xia, and Wen Xia wasn’t going to bring it up either. The next morning, when Wen Xia saw Lin Fengqi, he wanted to say something, but held back.

Every time he was about to speak, Lin Fengqi would avoid his gaze. He clearly wanted to act nonchalant, but the slight redness of his ears betrayed his unease.

So, as they were about to leave, Wen Xia grabbed him. “Did I upset you this morning?”

Lin Fengqi was startled, quickly denying it. “No.”

“Then why do you keep dodging me when I talk to you?” Wen Xia asked. “Do you think I’m going to eat you or something?”

Lin Fengqi glanced at the hand holding his arm, hesitated a bit, and asked, “Did Liao Xingshen say anything to you?”

Wen Xia knew what he was getting at and pretended to be puzzled. “What could he possibly say? He just shared some tips on cat and dog care. Do you want me to forward them to you?”

“No need,” Lin Fengqi said quickly, his voice dropping. “Good, there’s nothing…”

“Nothing what?”

“Nothing.”

As they waited for the elevator, Lin Fengqi asked, “Are you… working late again tonight?”

“I might have to,” Wen Xia replied.

“Then tonight…”

“Hmm?”

Lin Fengqi hesitated. “I might have a dinner meeting tonight…”

In other words, he wouldn’t be able to bring him dinner.

He was acting way too much like a husband under strict management.

What was worse, Wen Xia actually enjoyed it.

“Go ahead,” Wen Xia said. “I’ll just order takeout.”

“…Takeout isn’t good.”

“So what am I supposed to do?” Wen Xia shrugged. “Who cares about being picky when you’re working late?”

Lin Fengqi was left speechless.

The elevator doors opened, and they both got in, descending to the parking garage.

Today, Wen Xia was driving his own car again. Lin Fengqi, who owned an apartment here, had a designated parking spot, but Wen Xia, who had moved in temporarily, usually found a spot in the non-resident area.

As they were parting ways, Lin Fengqi suddenly called out to him. “I’ll have Zeng Yuan bring you dinner tonight.”

Wen Xia was stunned, and before he could respond, Lin Fengqi had already turned and walked away, leaving him no chance to refuse.

That evening, just as Wen Xia was about to order takeout for everyone, Zeng Yuan showed up. Not only did he bring Wen Xia’s meal, but he also brought four additional meals for the others.

“Mr. Wen, this is food from our Fenghang Technology’s in-house restaurant. It’s inspected for safety and hygiene weekly, personally overseen by Mr. Lin, so there’s no need to worry about any health issues caused by the ingredients,” Zeng Yuan said as he placed the five meals on the table. “Mr. Lin wasn’t sure about the preferences of the other four, so if there’s anything that doesn’t suit your taste, please feel free to let us know.”

Not only was Wen Xia a little taken aback, but even Liu Feisi and the others were somewhat bewildered.

Even though Zeng Yuan was the only one who had come, it felt as if an army of over two hundred people had been dispatched just to serve them.

“…Thanks,” Wen Xia finally said, snapping out of his daze. “Sorry for the trouble.”

“No trouble at all,” Zeng Yuan replied with a smile, then leaned in closer and whispered, “Actually, your dinner was personally prepared by Mr. Lin. He took some time out to cook it himself in the restaurant’s kitchen.”

With that, he stepped back, his smile bright as he bid them farewell. “Well, I’ll be going now. Enjoy your meal, everyone.”

As soon as Zeng Yuan left, the others swarmed over.

“Holy crap, is this for real?” Liu Feisi marveled at the exquisitely packaged meals that looked like they came from a five-star restaurant. “Boss, you’re really living the high life! Who would have thought I’d ever get to taste Fenghang’s cuisine…”

“Can we eat now?” Yao Yao asked, famished.

Wen Xia grabbed his portion. “Go ahead, take your pick.”

At first, the four of them hesitated, but they soon realized that each of the four meals was different, perfectly tailored to their individual tastes.

Liu Feisi opened his meal and exclaimed, “This is amazing! How did Lin-ge know what I like?”

A’Deng chimed in, “You’re calling him ‘ge,’ but did he even agree to that?”

“Of course he’d agree—Lin-ge is awesome!” Liu Feisi replied, taking a bite. “Isn’t that right, boss?”

There was nothing magical about it.

It just so happened that when Lin Fengqi had come by yesterday, he had seen what they were eating and had taken note of it.

Lin Fengqi really was…

Looking at his own meal, which was completely different from the others and obviously homemade, Wen Xia couldn’t help but smile. “Yeah, he’s awesome.”

After some thought, he took out his phone and snapped a picture of the meal. After finishing every last bite, he took another photo. Then, he posted the following on his social media:

[Probably the best late-night meal I’ve had this year.]

He attached the two photos.

This post wasn’t set to private, and soon after it was posted, several comments appeared.

“Zou Ni: Why didn’t you call me if you were working late? I would’ve come to grab some food.”

Wen Xia replied to Zou Boyan: “You’re welcome to come and drink the northwest wind.”

Zou Ni: /angry

“Gou Huai: Heh, how pathetic.”

Wen Yi Xia: “When are you delivering the car?”

Gou Huai: /vomit /vomit /vomit

Even their old class monitor interacted with Wen Xia for the first time in a while: “Whoa, that looks delicious. Which restaurant is it from? Recommend it to me so I can try it next time.”

The class monitor was a mutual friend of Wen Xia and Lin Fengqi.

Wen Xia replied, “Private chef service.”

Class Monitor: “??? Is that the name of the restaurant? I can’t find it.”

Wen Yi Xia: “No, it’s literal.”

Class Monitor: “…Damn!”

So, you’re just here to show off your relationship?

…Wait, show off your relationship?

While the class monitor was still processing this, Lin Fengqi also saw Wen Xia’s post.

The dinner meeting had just started, and the dishes were barely touched. Some people were already getting tipsy, their faces flushed with drunkenness. Lin Fengqi didn’t enjoy these gatherings, but he couldn’t completely avoid them. He had to show up, so whenever possible, he’d use the excuse of going to the bathroom to slip away from the table for a moment.

It was during one of these breaks that he saw Wen Xia’s post.

From his vantage point, he could only see the conversation between Wen Xia and the class monitor.

Suddenly, his phone became something precious, and Lin Fengqi held it, reading Wen Xia’s post and the comments between him and the class monitor over and over again.

The more he read, the more he couldn’t help but smile.

Was he getting drunk from the atmosphere in the private room?

Otherwise, why did his head feel a little light?

He really wanted to see Wen Xia.

Right now, he wanted to see him.

“Mr. Lin, weren’t you going to the bathroom? Why are you slacking off out here? Come on, let’s go back in and have a few more drinks.” A slightly drunken voice suddenly called out from behind him.

—The mood killer had arrived.

Lin Fengqi’s smile faded as he lowered his eyes, slightly displeased.

He took one last look at Wen Xia’s post and the comments, then turned off his phone.

“Sorry, I had to take a call.”

“Oh, was that your significant other checking in on you?” The man threw an arm around Lin Fengqi’s shoulder, adopting a brotherly tone. “You know, getting married so young… I get it, buddy. Don’t worry about it. When I was your age, my wife used to check up on me all the time. It was so annoying…”

“I don’t mind.”

“Huh?”

“I don’t think it’s annoying,” Lin Fengqi said quietly.

If anything, he wished he could keep Wen Xia by his side at all times, never letting him out of his sight.

That night, Wen Xia got home before Lin Fengqi. After feeding Wen Da Gege, he noticed that Lin Fengqi still wasn’t back, so he decided to take Amou out for a walk.

The neighborhood where Lin Fengqi lived was a new development, built just a few years ago. The location was great, with schools and a shopping district nearby, making it a convenient place to live. Most of the residents were young couples who had bought new homes.

This was Wen Xia’s first time taking Amou out for a walk. It was nearing nine o’clock, and the neighborhood was mostly quiet, with only a few people out running or, like him, walking their dogs after coming home late.

Wen Xia hadn’t expected to run into someone who knew Lin Fengqi.

Well, maybe not well, but at least they knew of him—mainly because they recognized Lin Fengqi’s dog.

A young couple approached, their dog eagerly pulling on its leash to play with Amou. The young man holding the leash immediately recognized the big black dog. “Hey, isn’t this Amou?”

The young woman holding onto the man’s arm looked at the dog playing with theirs, then curiously glanced at Wen Xia, speaking with easy familiarity. “I’ve seen you around a lot. You just moved in recently, right?”

Wen Xia nodded, just as the young man said, “Why don’t I remember that?”

The woman sighed. “Your memory is terrible. I’ve told you about it a bunch of times.”

The young man turned to Wen Xia. “Sorry, I don’t really keep up with what goes on in the neighborhood. You are…?”

“Oh, my last name is Wen…” Wen Xia said, casually striking up a conversation with them. After chatting for a while, he learned that the young couple—no, young married couple—had moved in around the same time as Lin Fengqi, just one building over. They had met Lin Fengqi while walking their dog.

“That explains it. I wondered why Amou had a different owner today,” said the young man, whose last name was Ma. After learning that Wen Xia was older, he insisted that Wen Xia call him “Xiao Ma,” and within a few words, he was already addressing Wen Xia as “big brother.” “Hey, so, big brother, now that you’re living with Mr. Lin, does that mean you’re his…?”

His wife nudged him with her elbow, signaling for him to stop prying into things that weren’t his business.

Their little interaction didn’t escape Wen Xia’s notice, but he didn’t mind. Smiling, he answered straightforwardly, “We just got married, too.”

Xiao Ma’s eyes widened in surprise, while his wife, who had already guessed most of it, was still caught off guard by how easily Wen Xia admitted it. Even though same-sex marriage had been legal for three years, it was still a topic some people found hard to discuss openly. She hadn’t intended to push for details, fearing it might make things awkward.

But Wen Xia’s straightforwardness caught her off guard.

Her clueless husband was still processing this, so she quickly spoke up to break the silence. “That’s quite a coincidence. We just got our marriage license on the 8th of this month.”

“We got ours on the 11th,” Wen Xia said.

The woman laughed. “Just a weekend apart. What a small world. When we used to see Mr. Lin around the neighborhood, we’d sometimes gossip about what kind of person his partner would be. It was hard to imagine.”

“Surprised to see me?” Wen Xia asked. “I’m pretty surprised, too.”

His comment made the woman laugh. They chatted for a bit longer, and as they left, Xiao Ma called out, “Big brother Wen, come over to our place sometime! I’ve got all sorts of games!”

When he found out that Wen Xia liked playing games, Xiao Ma’s eyes had lit up, and that was when he started calling him “big brother.”

Wen Xia waved them off with a smile and continued walking Amou. Not far ahead, under the shade of a tree, he spotted a familiar figure.

Lin Fengqi had gone to his meeting in a suit. Standing there, his tall and slender figure was bathed in half-light, half-shadow, with a softness in his eyes that was different from his usual demeanor.

When Amou saw its owner, it immediately tried to run over. Wen Xia couldn’t hold it back and was practically dragged along until they stopped in front of the man.

The dog’s paws scratched at Lin Fengqi’s suit, leaving faint mud stains on the expensive fabric, visible under the streetlights. But he didn’t seem to care, crouching down to pet Amou.

Then he looked up at Wen Xia, his eyes unusually bright in the lamplight.

As Wen Xia got closer, he caught a faint scent of alcohol on him, a bit stronger than last time. It seemed that even during social events, Lin Fengqi could control his drinking, never allowing himself to lose composure.

“How’d you find us?” Wen Xia asked, wondering if Lin Fengqi had overheard his conversation with the couple.

“I usually walk Amou this way, so I came to check,” Lin Fengqi replied as he stood up.

Wen Xia had left a message for him before heading out, letting him know he was taking Amou for a walk.

“Then why didn’t you say anything when you got here? Standing around like that is creepy, you know.” Not that he was actually scared.

Lin Fengqi fixed his gaze on Wen Xia for a moment, then lowered his eyes without saying anything.

“What’s wrong?” Wen Xia asked.

“Nothing,” Lin Fengqi said, stepping back. “Are you heading home?”

Wen Xia frowned slightly and stepped closer. “No, I’m going to walk Amou a bit more. He hasn’t been out for a few days, right?”

Lin Fengqi took another step back. “Mm.”

Wen Xia: “?”

What was he doing?

It seemed like a challenge, so Wen Xia stepped forward again, almost pressing up against Lin Fengqi. He didn’t say anything, just stared directly at him.

Lin Fengqi tried to back away again—only to bump into the tree trunk behind him.

No more room to retreat.

Even at this close distance, Lin Fengqi couldn’t bring himself to meet Wen Xia’s gaze head-on. His eyes darted away as he whispered, “…Don’t stand so close.”

“Why not?”

“…”

After a few seconds of silence, Lin Fengqi murmured, “I drank some alcohol. It probably doesn’t smell good.”

Wen Xia playfully leaned in and sniffed, feeling the man’s body tense up for a moment. His own heartbeat quickened a bit. “It’s fine. Don’t worry, you didn’t complain about my smell when I was drunk, so I won’t complain about yours.”

Lin Fengqi said nothing.

“So, is there another reason?” Wen Xia asked softly.

The path was deserted, quiet, the night air a bit chilly. The rustling of leaves in the trees above them filled the silence. They were so close that it felt like they could share each other’s warmth.

“…Yes.” After a long pause, Lin Fengqi whispered.

Wen Xia hummed in acknowledgment, signaling that he was listening, waiting for Lin Fengqi to continue.

Lin Fengqi leaned back against the tree trunk, his head turned slightly away, eyes searching for somewhere to land that wasn’t Wen Xia. His gaze flickered, lashes trembling. Slowly, in the interplay of light and shadow, his ears turned slightly red.

“I’m just… a little happy,” he said.

Seeing him like this, Wen Xia felt a strange warmth rise within him. He took a small step back, worried that Lin Fengqi might hear his heartbeat.

He hummed again. “Why?”

“…”

Lin Fengqi lowered his eyes, lips pressing together slightly.

“Maybe it’s because…” After a moment, his voice, soft as a whisper, broke the quiet, “You enjoyed the meal I made.”

And also the way you smiled when you told that couple, “We just got married, too.”

It felt as if their marriage wasn’t just a contract, but a real union born out of mutual affection, like a newlywed couple who had grown to know and love each other, wholeheartedly embracing this marriage.

He loved seeing Wen Xia smile.

In the past, he had thought that as long as Wen Xia was happy, he would be happy too.

But now, it seemed that wasn’t enough to satisfy him, especially after last night—the embarrassing memory he wished he could erase.

Now, Lin Fengqi wanted all of Wen Xia’s emotions to be tied to him, whether they were good or bad.

—Was he being too greedy?

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