After lunch, Lin Fengqi went to wash the lunch containers.
Some employees were chatting while eating in the break room when Lin Fengqi walked in with the empty containers. One of them, carrying his own empty lunchbox, saw Lin Fengqi and immediately stepped back, startled. “Lin… Lin Zong…”
“No need, you go first,” Lin Fengqi said.
The employee quickly washed his lunchbox and left the sink open for Lin Fengqi.
Back at his desk, the employee finally let out a sigh of relief. “That scared me.”
The girl across from him said, “I think it’s the first time I’ve seen Lin Zong bring his own lunch.”
“It wasn’t his own,” someone nearby chimed in. “Didn’t you see? The containers he washed were for two people. Didn’t you notice that Assistant Zeng brought someone to Lin Zong’s office earlier? He was carrying a lunchbox.”
“Who was it?”
“No idea, but he was a handsome guy,” the person paused. “And Assistant Zeng seemed pretty respectful toward him.”
There was a brief silence before someone hesitantly asked, “By the way… isn’t Lin Zong married?”
…
Lin Fengqi returned to his office and sat back down in his chair. Wen Xia, still lounging on the sofa, yawned and asked, “Aren’t you going to rest at noon?”
“In a bit,” Lin Fengqi replied, “I need to finish this first.”
Wen Xia stretched lazily as he stood up. “Alright then, you work. I’m heading out.”
Lin Fengqi paused, stopping his work. “You’re leaving already?”
“Yeah, I’m going to the studio. Why?”
“…Aren’t you going to take a nap? You were yawning earlier.”
Wen Xia glanced at the sofa, hesitated, and finally said, “I’ll nap at the studio. I can get straight to work after I wake up.”
He had grown used to the studio’s sofa, whereas Lin Fengqi’s sofa was unfamiliar territory. With nap time being short and precious, it was better to rest in a familiar environment.
Lin Fengqi wanted to keep him a little longer but knew about Wen Xia’s habit of only sleeping in certain places. He felt a pang of disappointment but didn’t push it. He stood up and said, “I’ll walk you down.”
“No need, you’ve got work. It’s not like the elevator’s locked or anything.”
Lin Fengqi didn’t reply, just walked toward the door, insisting silently.
They left the office together, just as a group of employees was returning from lunch. They greeted Lin Fengqi and glanced curiously at Wen Xia walking beside him.
At the elevator, the door was about to close, but someone inside quickly pressed the button to hold it open when they saw Lin Fengqi approaching.
“Thank you.” Lin Fengqi nodded and stepped into the elevator with Wen Xia.
Apart from them, there were three other people in the elevator, all heading down for lunch. As soon as the two stepped in, the others at the back fell silent, as if they had been caught slacking off by a strict teacher.
Wen Xia glanced at Lin Fengqi. Is he really that intimidating? Just because he looks a bit stern? Could he be that strict at work?
He remembered how his social media inboxes were often filled with complaints from people about school or work, with many venting about being scolded by their bosses until they cried. Wen Xia rarely responded, but when someone seemed overly distraught, he would offer some words of comfort to prevent them from doing anything rash.
Is Lin Fengqi one of those strict bosses? Wen Xia wondered.
Sensing his gaze, Lin Fengqi turned to him and suddenly asked, “Are you working late today?”
Wen Xia snapped out of his thoughts. “No, why?”
“I’ll come by this afternoon,” Lin Fengqi said, “to pick up A’Mou and Wen Da Ge.”
A’Mou and Wen Da Ge had been living comfortably at Liao Xingchen’s place these past few days, eating, playing, sleeping, and repeating the cycle. In the videos Liao Xingchen sent, Wen Da Ge was often seen lazily basking in the sun on a windowsill.
“Alright,” Wen Xia said, “just don’t forget to bring the lunchbox in case I need it tomorrow.”
Lin Fengqi hesitated. “Are you coming tomorrow too?”
“I didn’t say that,” Wen Xia paused, “depends on my mood.”
After a brief silence, Lin Fengqi suggested, “If you do come, we could eat at the restaurant.”
Cooking takes time, and Wen Xia also has to work. He couldn’t be expected to go home every noon just to cook and bring food to Lin Fengqi. Today was a special case because he happened to be free.
The elevator soon stopped on the second floor, and the three people at the back, reluctant to leave their corner, had to step out.
Wen Xia glanced at the restaurant on the second floor. It was still lunchtime, and the place was packed, with the air filled with the aroma of various dishes. The decor was simple yet stylish, quite tasteful.
After a moment of thought, Wen Xia nodded. “Sure.”
Lin Fengqi walked Wen Xia to the main entrance and only returned to the office after watching Wen Xia drive away from the parking lot. When he got back, he informed the receptionist, “In the future, when Mr. Wen Xia visits, let him up directly.”
“Of course, Lin Zong,” she replied.
It wasn’t long before rumors about Lin Fengqi and Wen Xia spread throughout the company. The original gossip about “the real-life tale of a domineering CEO falling in love and forcibly marrying someone” transformed into: “Rumors debunked! Lin Zong and his spouse are inseparable, a newlywed couple madly in love, already with two kids!”
And where did the kids come from? No one knew yet; further investigation was needed.
Someone even swore they had personally witnessed Lin Zong and his spouse feeding each other in the office, claiming the scene was overwhelmingly sweet.
When this gossip reached Lin Fengqi’s ears, he merely paused in silence, then allowed himself to imagine the scenario of him and Wen Xia feeding each other…
Imagination is such a wonderful thing, he thought.
When Wen Xia arrived at the studio, Liu Feisi was napping, Ah Deng was watching a movie with headphones on, and the remaining two, Yao Yao and Xiao Cong, were either lazily sketching or sleeping deeply like Liu Feisi.
The two who were awake glanced over at him. Wen Xia silently raised a hand to greet them before lying down on the sofa in the lounge for a quick nap.
When Liu Feisi woke up and saw his boss, he was startled and turned to Ah Deng, whispering, “When did the boss get here?”
Ah Deng lifted one earphone. “While you were dreaming about being a pig.”
“You’re the pig.”
“Go clean the eye gunk first, will you?”
“Damn it.”
Wen Xia slept for about half an hour. When he woke up, still feeling a bit groggy, Liu Feisi rushed over eagerly. “Boss! I missed you so much!”
“Cut the crap,” Wen Xia lazily glanced at him. “You were probably thrilled when I wasn’t around.”
“How could you say that… huh? Boss, do you have a cold?”
Wen Xia yawned as he got up. “Yeah, so keep your distance. If you catch it, I won’t be responsible.”
As he spoke, he remembered something and picked up his phone to message Lin Fengqi: [I forgot to ask earlier—do you have a fever?]
Judging by Lin Fengqi’s condition, he probably didn’t, but there was a hint of nasal congestion in his voice, and he occasionally coughed.
Still, there was always the possibility that he was downplaying it.
[Observation target: No fever.]
[Wen Yi Xia: Did you take any medicine?]
[Observation target: I took some.]
Wen Xia is worried about me…
Lin Fengqi held his phone, and suddenly, his cold seemed to vanish. His nose wasn’t stuffed anymore, his throat didn’t hurt, and he felt like he could work non-stop for another 24 hours.
His phone buzzed, and Wen Xia’s reply popped up: [Well, keep working then.]
He’s so sweet.
Lin Fengqi contentedly set his phone aside.
Meanwhile, Wen Xia got back to work, first holding a meeting to discuss feedback on “The Last Bloom” from the past week and how they could improve it. Then, he had each team member report on their progress.
The afternoon passed quickly in the bustle of work. After the others left for the day, Wen Xia stayed behind, waiting for Lin Fengqi.
He sent Lin Fengqi a message saying he was done for the day, but there was no immediate reply. He was probably still busy.
With nothing else to do, Wen Xia opened the Qun Jing app and posted: [Any game recommendations for my next stream?]
Soon, the comments were flooded with game titles, some with brief descriptions and spoiler-free personal impressions.
Wen Xia jotted down a few names, then noticed a new message notification. He assumed it was from Lin Fengqi, but a quick glance revealed it was from his old man, Wen Shan Hai.
[Old Wen: Son, aren’t you home?]
Wen Xia blinked in surprise, his right eyelid twitching slightly. He replied: [I’m at work.]
[Old Wen: Aren’t you supposed to be done by now?]
[Wen Yi Xia: Who can teleport home after work? It takes time to get back.]
[Old Wen: How much longer?]
[Wen Yi Xia: What’s up, Dad?]
[Old Wen: Oh, nothing much. I was in the area and thought I’d drop by. I rang the doorbell for a while, but no one answered.]
Wen Xia quickly sent back a voice message: “It’s getting late, Dad. Alright, I’ll visit over the weekend, and you can see me then. Don’t wait around. I’m planning to grab dinner with Ah Deng and the others.”
After a moment, Old Wen replied, sounding disappointed: [Alright, I’ll head back then.]
Wen Xia was just about to relax when another message popped up from his dad: [By the way, I wanted to mention, why don’t you come home this Saturday? We’ll go out to eat.]
[Wen Yi Xia: ?]
[Old Wen: What’s the matter? Not happy about it? /angry]
[Wen Yi Xia: No, I just wondered why we’re suddenly going out to eat.]
He recalled what Liao Xingchen had mentioned about their parents not giving up on matchmaking them and trying to set up another meeting.
Sure enough, Wen Shan Hai said: [Just come, your dad says so. Are you the father, or am I?]
Wen Xia: “…”
Wen Xia knew his dad too well. Whenever he got evasive and bossy, there was always something big going on behind the scenes.
But it didn’t really matter. He and Liao Xingchen both knew what was up, and it wouldn’t hurt to put on a show.
[Wen Yi Xia: Fine, you’re the dad. I’ll come.]
[Old Wen: That’s the spirit.]
After dealing with his dad, Wen Xia saw a message from Lin Fengqi: [I’m waiting for you outside the parking lot.]
Wen Xia shut down his computer and drove out of the parking lot, spotting Lin Fengqi’s car parked nearby. The two drove separately to Liao Xingchen’s place, where Ming Chuan wasn’t home, so Liao Xingchen himself opened the door.
As soon as the door opened, A’Mou rushed out, jumping excitedly around Lin Fengqi and Wen Xia, wagging his tail so hard it could have taken off like a helicopter, all the while making pitiful whining noises as if he had been abandoned.
Liao Xingchen chuckled, “Did you two drive here? A’Mou knew you were coming and was scratching at the door the moment you arrived.”
Lin Fengqi crouched down to comfort their poor, anxious dog, while Wen Xia changed into his indoor shoes and stepped inside. A few steps in, he spotted Wen Da Ge jumping down from the cat tree and trotting over with a meow.
“Finally decided to come over after bumping your head on something?” Wen Xia scolded, “Only coming over after seeing me, you late bloomer.”
But who could resist a cute, clingy cat nuzzling your leg for attention?
Liao Xingchen handed over their things, laughing. “Wen Da Ge’s been sleeping on the windowsill a lot these past few days. I think it wasn’t just for the sun. Sometimes he’d sit there and just stare out the window.”
Wen Xia scooped up Wen Da Ge, giving him a few affectionate pats while also giving A’Mou a few strokes—A’Mou, having been calmed by Lin Fengqi, was now lying on his back, belly exposed, completely at odds with his usually strong and handsome appearance.
With A’Mou leashed up and Wen Da Ge tucked into a carrier, they were about to leave when Lin Fengqi’s phone rang. He glanced at the caller ID, excused himself, and stepped aside to take the call.
Seizing the moment, Wen Xia asked Liao Xingchen, “Saturday?”
Liao Xingchen nodded knowingly. “Got it.”
“What’s the plan?” Wen Xia asked. “My dad just said we’re going out to eat.”
Liao Xingchen raised an eyebrow. “It’s more than that. I’d say it’s going to be an all-day thing.”
“An entire day?” Wen Xia was surprised.
“Yeah, but my dad didn’t give me the full itinerary either,” Liao Xingchen said with a hint of exasperation, patting Wen Xia on the shoulder. “I have a feeling our parents are coming in strong this time.”
Wen Xia could already feel the headache.
After finishing his call, Lin Fengqi rejoined them, and the two of them headed downstairs with A’Mou and Wen Da Ge.
Just as Wen Xia’s car started to pull away, a surprised voice called out, “Wen Xia?”
Wen Xia braked and turned to see who it was. His heart sank.
It was Liao Xingchen’s father, looking pleasantly surprised as he walked over. “It really is you! I thought I was seeing things.”
“…Uncle Liao.” Wen Xia’s mind raced with alarm bells.
Uncle Liao chuckled, “What brings you here?”
There was a warm familiarity in his tone, one filled with layers of meaning.
Wen Xia smiled back, “I was visiting a friend.”
“Oh—a friend?” Uncle Liao’s tone grew more significant. “What a coincidence! Xingchen also lives here, in the building right behind me. Does your friend live here too?”
Well, what else could he say? “Yes, such a coincidence.”
“That’s fate for you! I was just dropping something off and happened to see you.” Uncle Liao beamed, his eyes nearly disappearing with his smile. “By the way, we’re all going out this Saturday, your dad and I. You should come along.”
Wen Xia could only nod. “Yeah, my dad mentioned it.”
“Great! Don’t forget to come. We’ll be at Suoye Mountain Resort,” Uncle Liao said. “Even if Xingchen doesn’t come, you should. I told your dad, even if he can’t make it, you must.”
Wen Xia could only keep smiling.
Uncle Liao was increasingly satisfied with Wen Xia, much more so than with that other boy with the surname Ming, who used to hang around his son.
After finally parting ways with the elder Liao, Wen Xia started his car again, noticing that Lin Fengqi’s car was still parked ahead, unmoving.
He honked, but Lin Fengqi didn’t move.
Wen Xia drove up alongside him and rolled down the passenger window. “What’s the holdup?”
Instead of answering, Lin Fengqi looked at him and suddenly asked, “Was that Liao Xingchen’s father? Are you going out with them this Saturday?”
So, he had overheard. Wen Xia nodded, pretending not to know that Lin Fengqi once considered Liao Xingchen a rival. “Oh, I forgot to mention, my dad and his dad met recently, and they came over for dinner.”
Lin Fengqi’s expression became thoughtful, his attention drifting elsewhere. He nodded absentmindedly, though it wasn’t clear if he was really listening.
But it didn’t matter.
As for Saturday, Suoye Mountain Resort…
Ten minutes earlier, Lin Fengqi had received a call from Fang Lianshu, inviting him to join them at Suoye Mountain Resort on Saturday.
Apparently, Fang Huai would be there too.
He had initially declined, but now—
A slow, calculating smile spread across Lin Fengqi’s face.
“Let’s head home,” he said, starting his car.
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