Chapter 56.2
A week later, with everyone’s effort, the studio successfully relocated.
The new studio was spacious and beautiful, with all new facilities. Under the special instructions of some people, many aesthetically pleasing and convenient internal arrangements had been added.
Especially Yu Le’s office, where a quick glance would show that the words “preference” could almost be engraved on the office door.
Of course, apart from Yu Le, no one in the studio knew the intricacies of it all. Everyone thought the new environment was great; there wasn’t a single fault to find, and everything was extremely satisfying.
“This location is amazing!”
Someone leaned by the window, gazing out at the panoramic view from the thirty-second floor, able to see most of Xuan City.
“This angle will make the night view super beautiful!”
“It’s not just the location; everything is fantastic!”
“I love the internal layout!”
“Nanshui Road is famously expensive, Boss. You really spent a lot, didn’t you?”
Yu Le, while typing on his phone, said, “It’s fine; I didn’t spend much.”
“No way, Boss, you’re being too modest.”
“Let’s celebrate tonight with dinner at my place. How about it?”
“Your place?”
“Yes, my home is in Xuan City. I’m practically returning in glory. Haha. I won’t have to worry about dinner anymore. Long live Mom!”
“Alright, I’ll come to admire Auntie’s cooking!”
“No problem. Boss, are you going?”
“I won’t be going,” Yu Le said as he put away his phone. “I have something to do tonight. You all enjoy yourselves.”
Just then, a girl dashed in, looking excited and amazed. “Wow, there’s a super handsome guy outside! Is he a friend of anyone here?”
“Huh? What handsome guy?”
“He’s so cool, so MAN, absolutely stunning!”
“Huh?”
“Let me see!”
“I see him coming this way. If he’s not one of your friends, could he be a client?”
“But we just moved in. Which client would be in such a hurry?”
“Not sure. Boss, do you know him?”
Yu Le said, “He’s not a client.”
“Boss, do you know him?”
“If he’s not a client, then who is he?”
Yu Le’s mouth curved into a smile. “Our landlord.”
As Lu Yao entered, he saw everyone in the room standing a short distance away, curiously watching him. Their posture was formal, with an air of welcome.
Lu Yao gave them a brief nod as a greeting and walked over to Yu Le. “Are you finished with the setup?”
Yu Le replied, “Almost done.”
Lu Yao asked, “Have you checked everything? Is there anything missing?”
Yu Le smiled, “Nothing missing. We have plenty of extra stuff. Everyone is very satisfied. Thank you, Mr. Lu.”
Lu Yao also smiled, “That’s good. Ready to go?”
Yu Le asked, “Should we eat first or go home?”
Lu Yao raised an eyebrow. “Aren’t you eager to see the little one?”
Yu Le said, “I’m afraid that if I see it now, I won’t be able to leave.”
…
The group watched in silence as the two of them chatted casually. The information being shared was growing more significant by the minute.
Soon, the so-called handsome landlord effortlessly lifted a large box by the boss’s feet with one hand and naturally took the boss’s hand with the other.
“We’re leaving now,” Yu Le waved to them. “No work today. Finish setting up and enjoy yourselves. Congratulations on the move. I’ll send out red envelopes later.”
The crowd clustered together, nodding like little chicks, watching the two of them leave hand in hand, and remained silent for a long time afterward.
“…Is he really the landlord?”
“Is he?”
“I mean, is he considered the landlord or a family member?”
“Uh…both?”
…
This was Yu Le’s first time visiting Lu Yao’s apartment, where he lived alone.
Located in a prime residential area, the 18th-floor apartment was a spacious, open-plan layout with a monochromatic color scheme of black, white, and gray. The ambiance was calm and serene, yet subtly exuded a minimalist luxury.
It was beautiful, but unfortunately, the new owner had no interest in appreciating it.
From the moment he walked in, Yu Le’s eyes were solely on the little angel rolling around and wagging its tail on the floor, leaving no room for anything else.
“So adorable, how is it so well-behaved?”
“This coat color, tsk, so beautiful! No wonder it’s my son; the genes are inherited perfectly.”
“Do you know who I am? I’m your dad. Come on, stop wagging your tail and call me ‘Dad’.”
“Can’t you? It’s okay, just give me a smile. Smile for Daddy~”
Lu Yao, shaking his head with a smile, carried Yu Le’s luggage into the master bedroom, dutifully unpacking and putting things away. Remembering something, he returned to the living room and asked, “Le Le, do you still have luggage up in the mountains?”
Yu Le was playing with the puppy on the plush carpet and didn’t look up. “Yes, some clothes and fabric, and the sewing machine is up there too.”
Lu Yao nodded. “We’ll find a time to bring it down from the mountain for you.”
“It’s fine, no rush. I don’t need it right now.”
Yu Le couldn’t stop rubbing the dog’s head and continued in a coaxing tone, as if talking to a child. “Haven’t you given our little darling a name yet?”
Lu Yao squatted down beside him and scratched the puppy’s chin. “It’s your son, so you should name him.”
“It sounds like he’s not your son.”
Yu Le pondered for a moment, then came up with a peculiar idea. “How about Fire Wealth?”
Lu Yao asked, “Why does it have an accent?”
Yu Le replied, “It’s not ‘Fire Match,’ it’s ‘Fire Wealth’! The ‘wealth’ as in water wealth.”
Lu Yao obviously knew this and was teasing him on purpose.
Yu Le noticed the amused look in his eyes and threw a crumpled paper at him. “You’re so childish, Mr. Lu.”
Lu Yao caught the paper and threw it back. “Do you know why the name ‘Water Wealth’ was chosen?”
Yu Le countered, “Isn’t it because it’s easy to raise?”
“Not entirely,” Lu Yao explained. “Mainly because ‘Water Wealth’ was found by my grandfather in the river. Back then, it was a little puppy just weaned. It might have slipped or been dropped into the river, washed down from upstream. My grandfather happened to be there and picked it up, raising it until now.”
“So that’s how it is…”
Yu Le murmured while holding the Samoyed, “In that case, let’s not name it Fire Wealth. I’ll think of something else… It’s so soft, how about ‘Cotton’?”
He petted the white fur of the puppy and decided that this name felt perfect, “Hey, Cotton, Cotton, hello Cotton. I’m your dad.”
When Lu Yao went to take a shower and came out, Yu Le was still sitting in the same spot, not moving.
Lu Yao continued to play with Cotton for a while. Seeing that Yu Le seemed unwilling to let go, he gently reminded, “Honey, it’s about time. Go take a shower.”
Yu Le asked, “Does Cotton need a bath? Daddy will take you to play in the water, okay?”
Lu Yao said, “Le Le.”
“It seems like your dad doesn’t agree. Never mind.”
Yu Le kissed Cotton’s head loudly and reluctantly let go before heading to the bathroom.
As he heard the bathroom door close, Lu Yao turned to look at Cotton, who was sticking out its tongue with a dumbfounded expression.
After a moment, he gently tapped the top of Cotton’s head. “Such a small thing, yet quite good at winning affection.”
Yu Le’s enthusiasm didn’t diminish with the bath. He wanted to rush back to the living room as soon as he emerged, but Lu Yao stopped him by grabbing him by the neck.
“Where are you going?” Lu Yao asked.
Yu Le replied, “Of course, to see my son. Where else would I go?”
“Look tomorrow,” Lu Yao said as he led him to another room. “Let’s check out something else first.”
Yu Le asked about various things, but Lu Yao wouldn’t say, so he had no choice but to open the door under Lu Yao’s signaling gaze.
When the room came into full view, Yu Le blinked, his expression revealing surprise.
It was spacious, equipped with a desk, computer, workbench, sewing machine, shelves, several half-body mannequins, and other various setups… everything one could need.
Lu Yao had set up a small personal studio for him at home.
Yu Le walked in and examined everything closely. His eyes sparkled as he turned back to Lu Yao with a joyful tone. “Mr. Lu, are you afraid I won’t work overtime?”
Lu Yao, leaning against the door with his arms crossed, said, “I’m actually afraid you might work overtime.”
Yu Le asked, “Why?”
Lu Yao explained, “What if you get busy later and stay in the studio all night?”
Yu Le responded, “So, you’re suggesting I work from home?”
Lu Yao said, “At least if you’re at home, I can keep you company.”
Yu Le smiled, his eyes curving up.
The sewing machine on the workbench was clearly high-quality and attractive. Yu Le admired it for a moment before reaching out to touch it.
What designer wouldn’t love having such a fully-equipped, personal workspace at home?
Certainly, Yu Le loved it.
Not just loved, but couldn’t love it more.
Feeling overwhelmed by the many gifts he had received, Yu Le felt a bit embarrassed and grabbed Lu Yao. “What does my older brother want? Little Yu will return the favor!”
Lu Yao asked, “Is it necessary to be so polite about a return gift?”
Yu Le said, “Of course, we’re like close siblings. I can’t just keep taking from you. It would weigh on my conscience.”
The “close siblings” remark felt quite apt.
Lu Yao smiled, noncommittal, and asked once more to confirm, “Do you really want to return the favor?”
Yu Le affirmed, “Of course, I’m not joking.”
Lu Yao pondered for a moment before saying something completely unrelated. “My boyfriend, whom I haven’t seen for a week, held the dog all night.”
Yu Le was confused. “?”
“But from the moment we met until now, he’s only held my hand,” Lu Yao said casually. “I initiated it.”
Yu Le, realizing the situation, couldn’t help but laugh and immediately opened his arms to hug Lu Yao. “Alright, I’ll take the initiative. Is that okay?”
Lu Yao said, “That’s not enough of a return gift.”
Yu Le propped up his head and was about to ask what else Lu Yao wanted when, in the next moment, he found himself lifted and placed on the brand-new, spacious workbench.
Cotton, having eaten its fill, pushed open the partially closed door with its head and found its two owners but didn’t understand what they were doing. It circled their legs a few times, then sat obediently to one side, sticking out its tongue and waiting quietly.
Yu Le was overwhelmed by the kisses, his brain seeming to stop functioning during the kissing session, leading to a brief loss of normal logical thinking. By the time he regained his senses and could breathe freely, the situation had become uncontrollable.
Moreover, it seemed like Lu Yao had no intention of moving to another location.
He gulped nervously, sensing an ominous turn of events.
“Wait, you…”
Since he wasn’t yet ready for this level of intimacy, even though his breathing wasn’t steady, Yu Le tried to resist by holding onto Lu Yao’s shoulders. “I don’t think this is right, at least not…”
Lu Yao, while Yu Le turned his face away, kissed his ear and whispered, “Le Le, don’t you like this workbench?”
Yu Le squinted, feeling as though Lu Yao’s voice carried an electric current that short-circuited his brain. “I, I like it.”
Then he heard Lu Yao laugh briefly in his ear and gently pinch the back of his neck. “That’s good.”
“It’s just a test run. If anything feels uncomfortable, it can be changed.”
