Chapter 45.1
After entering the airport and completing the tedious steps of ticket collection, waiting, security checks, and registration, Yu Le found his seat and sighed in relief.
Next to him was a mother and her young child, who looked no older than four or five. The child’s large, dark eyes reminded Yu Le of the ripe grapes Lu Yao had brought him a few days ago.
Damn, it’s been less than an hour since they parted ways, and he’s already starting to miss him.
Yu Le sighed again, took out his phone to turn it off, and then noticed a message from Lu Yao that had arrived half an hour earlier:
[That “don’t rush” I mentioned, I take it back.]
[I miss you. Come back soon.]
Yu Le blinked, rereading the messages several times, his smile growing wider.
The little boy seemed to be on his first flight, showing a mix of excitement and curiosity about everything around him, including Yu Le.
The child lightly grabbed his arm. Yu Le turned his head, and the boy, with his bright, shiny eyes, stared at him intently.
“Sorry,” the child’s mother said softly.
“It’s fine,” Yu Le smiled, putting his phone away and taking the little one’s hand. “He’s very cute.”
So cute that it struck him right in the heart—
Yu Le figured he’d only be back for a day or two, so he didn’t bring much luggage. He felt light as he walked into his home, it felt less like returning from a long trip and more like just a quick run downstairs to the supermarket for a bottle of soy sauce.
Which he did end up buying.
When he was almost home, he had given his parents a heads-up. After a brief, perfunctory welcome from his mother, she asked him to bring a bottle of soy sauce as they were running low.
The aroma of cooking filled the house, and as Yu Le changed his shoes in the entryway, he remarked, “This welcome ceremony is quite grand. How many dishes are being made?”
His mother, taking the soy sauce, replied, “I have some self-awareness; it’s not for you. Your aunt and others are coming for dinner tonight, and with the number of people expected, I’m worried there might not be enough food.”
His father, also in an apron, was preparing vegetables at the table. “There are a lot of kids. Should I add a couple more sweet dishes?”
His mother agreed but was too lazy to cook them. “Le Le, help me order two portions of cherry meat and one of golden corn from the restaurant on Xianghe Street. Use your dad’s phone number. You can rest in your room for now, and I’ll call you when it’s time to eat.”
“Okay.”
Yu Le took a shower, changed clothes, and was fast asleep in his bed within two minutes of reconnecting with his long-missed bed.
Later, as more people gathered in the living room and the sounds of lively conversation and the scent of food wafted through the door cracks, Yu Le had to wake up.
It was already dark outside, with neon lights dazzling.
He sat up with his messy hair, gazing at the city’s brilliant nightscape and listening to the noisy chatter outside his door. For some reason, he suddenly missed Lu Yao a lot.
He wondered if Lu Yao had had dinner.
He wondered what he might be doing alone at the inn.
He wished he were here too.
Fortunately, he lived in an advanced technological era, where missing someone didn’t require letters sent by horseback with a week-long delay.
His phone was charging on the desk. He turned on the light, got out of bed, and sat comfortably in a chair. After taking a sip of water to clear his throat, he called the top contact on his chat list via video call.
The call was picked up slowly, and the ringtone was almost about to hang up automatically before the video finally connected.
“What’s up, Boss Lu? Took you so long to answer, playing hard to get? I’ve noted down this minute of cold shoulder,” Yu Le joked.
A glimpse of abs still damp from water flashed across the screen unexpectedly, making Yu Le’s playful tongue tie up.
Lu Yao picked up his phone, his face appearing even more three-dimensional and deep under the light.
“Not playing hard to get,” he said candidly, drying the droplets on his shoulder and neck with a towel. “I was just taking a shower.”
“Got that.”
Yu Le’s eyes flickered as he tried not to look at the screen, but he couldn’t resist and his gaze drifted back to the video.
To be honest, he had seen countless models and their figures, but objectively or subjectively, Lu Yao’s physique was among the best.
No diets, no gym exercises for show, no weight loss supplements, and no deliberate stomach-sucking poses.
Every line and muscle on him was the result of real, intense training, presenting not just a striking visual beauty but also formidable explosive power.
Yu Le tried to maintain a purely appreciative stance, but when Lu Yao picked up clothes from the bed to put on, disappointment inevitably showed in his eyes.
Lu Yao glanced at the screen, paused mid-motion while putting on clothes, then gave up and draped the clothes over the chair. He sat down, pulling out the chair. “What’s up? Do you need something, or are we just chatting?”
Yu Le replied, “You make it sound like chatting with you is a paid service.”
Lu Yao: “That’s a good suggestion.”
Yu Le: “Are you serious? Can your conscience handle this?”
Lu Yao: “Not being proactive about making money means something’s wrong with your thinking.”
Yu Le chuckled, “Fine, since the wool comes from the sheep, tell me, Boss Lu, how much does your chatting service cost per minute?”
Lu Yao opened his laptop, the pale blue light illuminating his face. After a moment’s consideration, he answered, “Currently, we don’t accept monetary payments.”
Yu Le: “Then how do I pay?”
Lu Yao smiled, “The distance is too far to pay now. We’ll settle it when you return.”
Yu Le: “So for now?”
Lu Yao: “It’s on credit.”
“Alright.” Yu Le said, “Raise your phone a little.”
Lu Yao was handling some accumulated emails, typing with his left hand and holding the phone with his right. “What’s up?”
“Just a bit higher. Okay, don’t move.”
Yu Le was satisfied after taking two screenshots and saving them to his album/ “Alright, now even if you ask for an arm and a leg later, I won’t be at a disadvantage.”
Lu Yao couldn’t help but laugh.
“What are you doing? Have you had dinner?” he asked.
Lu Yao: “I ate and am checking emails.”
Yu Le: “Are you alone at the inn?”
Lu Yao raised his eyelids and gave him a look that said, “Are you kidding?”
Yu Le laughed at his foolish look. “Okay, I know it’s a pointless question.”
Lu Yao: “What, afraid I’m bored?”
“Yeah.” Yu Le leaned on the table, tapping his fingers: “I just woke up, and there are a lot of relatives at home, kids running around, and cars coming and going downstairs. I miss you.”
Lu Yao: “Why?”
“Because it feels like I’m a bad guy, coming down the mountain to enjoy the hustle and bustle, leaving you alone up there.”
Yu Le sighed, “If you were here, you’d definitely like the crispy ribs my mom made.” He had to admit, being thought of, missed, and having emotions openly expressed felt really good.
Lu Yao stopped typing, turned his head, and just looked at Yu Le on the screen, his expression softening.
He really wanted to hug him.
“Is that your photo?” To divert his thoughts, Lu Yao changed the topic.
“Huh? Which one?” Yu Le propped his head up and grabbed the nearby photo frame. “This one?”
He brought the photo closer to the camera, focusing on it. It showed three boys in high school uniforms with their arms around each other, with the words “Virtue Carries All” written on a large rock in the background. The clock tower of the school was faintly visible in the distance.
“It was taken with my friends when we graduated high school. My mom thought this one was the best, so she had it printed and framed.”
He examined the photo carefully and couldn’t help but laugh, “Why do we all look so silly now?”
Lu Yao: “Not silly, very cute.”
Yu Le, who looked much the same in high school as he did now except for the youthful naivety and recklessness, might still pass as a high school student if he wore a uniform today.
Cute?
Yu Le didn’t really think so, but he remembered something else, “Hey, Boss Lu, do you believe I have high school photos of you too?”
Lu Yao raised an eyebrow. “Hmm?”
