Chapter 46.2
Aside from the hot weather, Yu Le was very satisfied with the trip.
After signing the contract and leaving Old Song’s studio, he informed all the members of his own studio of the good news and went to the studio the next day to arrange the follow-up matters.
Since the show was tentatively scheduled for the end of the year, at the earliest, the beginning of next year, which meant there was plenty of time, and preparations could be done gradually.
However, during the planning process, Yu Le specifically took out one design draft.
“This one isn’t urgent,” he said. “I still need to make some detailed optimizations and adjustments.”
“Okay, then we’ll start with the paper patterns—”
“No need for that. I’ll handle this one myself.”
The staff nodded, seeing how much Yu Le valued this draft. Looking at the design itself, they smiled and said, “This one must be the finale of this series, right? With this level of attention, I guess it will take some time to finalize the model too.”
A model?
That reminded Yu Le.
He held the draft thoughtfully, and after a while, his mouth curved into a light smile. “Maybe, I already have the best candidate in mind?”
After arranging the work plan, Yu Le’s flight, which he had booked for that afternoon, would be the earliest flight from Wucheng to Xuan City, so he would have to wait until the next morning.
Having finished all the instructions, he was about to leave the studio when he received a video call from Yan Jia.
Since Yan Jia had visited Yu Le’s studio before, and not just once, he immediately recognized Yu Le’s background when the call was answered. “You’re back in Wucheng?”
“I’ve been back for two days.” Yu Le explained the purpose of his return and added, “But I’m leaving soon. I’ve booked a flight for tomorrow morning.”
Yan Jia: “Going to Xuan City?”
Yu Le: “Where else would I go?”
Yan Jia deliberately said, “I remember someone went up the mountain originally to work on the design drafts. Now that the drafts are done, why are you going back?”
Yu Le knew what he wanted to hear and decided to play along. “I’ve booked a room until the end of August. It’s almost half a month until it expires. If I don’t stay and use it up, are you going to compensate me?”
Yan Jia clicked his tongue, “You’re calculating things fresh. Are you staying at your own guesthouse? Why would I pay?”
Yu Le was amused by his comment about the “own guesthouse”, “I’m too lazy to argue with you. Just tell me, what do you want?”
Yan Jia: “I’ve taken a short vacation for myself and wanted to ask if you’re interested in flying to a beach for a holiday.”
Without hesitation, Yu Le replied, “No.”
“I knew it.” Yan Jia sighed with a hint of false sentimentality, “Once you have a boyfriend, you forget your old friends. That saying is not wrong at all.”
Yu Le rolled his eyes at him, “You know it yet you still ask.”
Yan Jia thought for a moment, then suddenly had a whim. “Oh, since I’m not keen on traveling far alone, why don’t I join you up the mountain? Is there still a place to stay?”
Yan Jia acted on his impulse. The next day, he picked up Yu Le at the airport and really went with him to Daiwa Mountain.
Yu Le didn’t mind. After all, there were many empty rooms at the guesthouse now. He was glad to get a ride and avoid making Lu Yao spend nearly ten hours driving back and forth.
Of course, he didn’t voice this thought; otherwise, Yan Jia would surely tease him.
As the car drove into the mountains, the temperature decreased. When they were only a few dozen kilometers from Daiwa Town, Yan Jia turned off the air conditioning, rolled down the window, and enjoyed the natural temperature.
“This is so comfortable.” He stretched a hand out the window and sighed, “Compared to the city, it’s like torture.”
Yu Le leaned against the window, squinting in the breeze, his forehead exposed as his hair was blown away, “Yes, enjoy it while it’s still undiscovered by those evil developers.”
Upon entering the town, Yu Le directed Yan Jia to park near the end of the street and led him back to the guesthouse.
Yu Le had already informed Lu Yao about Yan Jia coming, so Lu Yao wasn’t surprised to see Yu Le bringing someone back.
After a polite handshake introduced by Yu Le, Lu Yao turned and went to the counter to check in Yan Jia.
During the process, Uncle An came by to borrow something, and Lu Yao told Yan Jia to wait a moment while he went to the storage room.
“Hey.” Yan Jia tapped Yu Le’s arm and whispered, “How come Lu Boss is different from what you told me?”
Yu Le: “Different in what way?”
Yan Jia: “From your description, I imagined him as a slightly good-looking, simple, ordinary person.”
Yu Le: “…… Are you saying our Lu Boss isn’t honest?”
“It’s not about being honest or not, but he definitely doesn’t look ordinary.” Yan Jia touched his chin thoughtfully. “Also, I feel like I’ve seen him somewhere before. Are you sure he’s just a guesthouse owner?”
Yu Le looked speechless, “What else could he be, a shadow agent?”
Yan Jia half-jokingly, half-seriously, “It doesn’t seem impossible.”
Yu Le: “Stop watching so many sci-fi movies.”
Lu Yao soon came out, handed the items to Uncle An, and was about to take them upstairs when Wen Yuan’s cheerful voice came from the door, “Brother Lu, I’m too lazy to cook tonight. Mind if I join you for a meal?”
Yu Le and Yan Jia turned around together.
As soon as Lu Yao said “Do as you like,” Wen Yuan suddenly stopped in his tracks and stared wide-eyed at them in shock, “You, you’re here?”
The tone was strange, and it couldn’t be directed at Lu Yao or Yu Le. With the other two options ruled out, the remaining option, no matter how absurd, was correct.
Lu Yao raised an eyebrow.
Yu Le glanced at Wen Yuan, whose expression was slightly twisted, and at Yan Jia, who seemed pleasantly surprised by the unexpected encounter, “So, do you know each other?”
“Don’t know each other!” Wen Yuan immediately denied it, “Who knows him? How embarrassing!”
After a moment of surprise, Yan Jia smiled with a pair of fox-like eyes, full of amusement, “Really don’t know? I seem to have a recording of someone crying and calling for ‘big brother’. Want to hear it?”
Wen Yuan took a sharp breath, his fingers trembling as he pointed at Yan Jia: “Damn, are you human? How long have you kept that?!!”
Yan Jia pretended to think, “I think it’s been quite long? Maybe seven or eight years.”
“……”
Wen Yuan’s face turned pale. He stormed up to Yan Jia and angrily bared his teeth, “Delete it!”
Yan Jia pinched his face, as if demon horns were sprouting from his head, “Little crybaby, you’ve grown prettier.”
…
Yu Le watched with interest when he suddenly felt a gentle pinch on the back of his neck.
He didn’t notice when Lu Yao had come out from behind the counter, picked up Yu Le’s luggage, and subtly gestured towards the courtyard.
Yu Le understood and quietly followed Lu Yao, leaving the scene without disturbing the two old acquaintances.
“Why did you bring luggage back?” Lu Yao asked, having left empty-handed but now returning with things.
Yu Le: “I brought you some crispy spare ribs and some other food.”
Lu Yao nodded.
Yu Le followed him upstairs and tilted his head to look at him, “Boss Lu, why are you so calm?”
Lu Yao: “What?”
Yu Le smiled, “Nothing.”
In a reunion after a romantic separation, Yu Le had initially thought a hug would be a proper gesture. Now it seemed that this way was also good—like an old married couple, which he quite liked.
“By the way, do you prefer spicy or numbing flavors?”
Yu Le was referring to the crispy spare ribs, “I don’t know what flavor you like, so I asked my mom to make both.”
As they walked through the corridor, Lu Yao opened Yu Le’s room door and entered first.
“And there’s some sauce beef and dried ribs, all vacuum-packed.”
Yu Le followed into the room, “They can be eaten cold or heated. The taste is similar, but the ribs are better—mm!”
The unfinished chatter was suddenly cut off.
Before Yu Le could react, he was pulled into Lu Yao’s embrace.
With his head resting in Lu Yao’s palm, he was soon overwhelmed by his boyfriend’s almost desperate and rough kisses, quickly losing all composure.
